William Robert Billey
Hi Debbie – I’m doing the same for Bewdley – here’s a bit of help on Billey.
Born Oct Nov Dec 1897 registered Evesham 6c 329
1901 census - High Street, Broadway
BILLEY, Albert W Head Married M 35 1866 House Decorator & Grocer Willersey, Gloucestershire VIEW
BILLEY, Lilian Wife Married F 35 1866 Grocer Broadway, Worcestershire VIEW
BILLEY, William R Son Single M 3 1898 Broadway, Worcestershire VIEW
BILLEY, Annie L Daughter Single F 1 1900 Broadway, Worcestershire VIEW
MOSELEY, Mary A Mother-In-Law Widow F 66 1835 Living On Own Means Naunton, Gloucestershire
1911 Census - High Street, Broadway
BILLEY, Albert William Head Married M 45 1866 Grocer And Beer Retailer Willersey Glos
BILLEY, Lilian Wife Married15 years F 45 1866 Assisting In The Business Broadway Worc
BILLEY, Annie Louisa Daughter F 11 1900 School Broadway Worc
Your discussion here seems very well informed!!
www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=640270.0 Working as clerk for GWR in Chepstow?
Name: W R Billey
Residence Date: 17 May 1914
Station: Chepstow
Company: Great Western
Class Number: 264
Piece: 408
Description: Register of new clerks No.7 1911-1919
Medal Card gives name as Robert W Billey – confirms service no. No date of entry to theatre so probably a later conscript post 1916.
BILLEY, WILLIAM ROBERT
Rank:
Private
Service No:
34604
Date of Death:
21/05/1917
Age:
19
Regiment/Service:
Worcestershire Regiment
2nd Bn
Grave Reference
I. B. 19.
Cemetery
CROISILLES BRITISH CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Son of Albert William and Lilian Billey, of Tower View, Broadway, Worcs.
From Title: The Worcestershire Regiment in the Great
War; Author: Capt. H FitzM. Stacke, M.C.
Publisher: G T Cheshire & Sons Ltd.,
Kidderminster
Date of publication: 1928
The last great fight of the Regiment in the Arras battles fell to the lot of the 2nd Battalion. 2ND
On May 1st the Battalion marched forwards from its rest billets at Pommier, first to Ficheux and
then on the following day through Boisleux-au-Mont to Hamelincourt. There the Battalion lay
in bivouac during the ensuing week, training hard; for instructions had been received that a renewed
general attack was to be made in the near future. .
On May 11th the Battalion moved forward to the line, and took over their former outpost
position (c) in the Sensee valley, north of Croisilles. The companies held that outpost line for four
days in comparative quiet.
On May 14th came orders to make a small " silent " raid on the enemy's line in the valley,
in order to identify the hostile troops in front by securing a prisoner. That night (d) the raiding
party, 25 men under 2/Lt. T. L. Gillespie, worked their way forward down the valley to the enemy's
wire but, as they endeavoured to effect an entry, the raiders were observed. A heavy fire was opened
and parties of the enemy sallied out from both flanks to cut them off. The Worcestershire detachment
fell back, and a running fight ensued across the open, the enemy pressing in from both flanks.
. Eventually, 2/Lt. Gillespie, although wounded, succeeded in bringing his party back to our lines.
Five of the raiders were missing and five more, besides the subaltern, were wounded; but they
had accounted for fourteen of the enemy, whose bodies were found next day on the open ground.
Next evening (May 16th) the Battalion was relieved by the 1st Cameronians and marched back
to bivouac behind St. Leger to rest before the attack.
After four days of strenuous rehearsal (e), the 2nd Worcestershire marched forward on the
evening of May 19th, to the allotted position of .assembly (/) beyond Croisilles by the Chalk Pit on the
eastern bank of the river Sensee.
The previous attack (April 23rd) had failed for want of weight. That mistake was not repeated,
for two whole Brigades were put in on the front where two battalions had previously attacked.
The 100th Brigade was to attack between the two roads leading from Croisilles to Hendecourt and
Fontaine respectively. Further to the left the 98th Brigade would attack astride the River Sensed.
•(<?)' On the night of May 13th/14th the front held by the Battalion was extended across the Sens6e river to the crossroads
due north of Croisilles (about 500 yards from the river bank).
(d) 2 a.m. May 16th.
(e) On May 17th the Battalion moved from St. Leger to a camp near Moyenneville.
(/) The enemy's guns were bombarding Croisilles, and the advance through the village and beyond was made by
individual platoons. Some 20 casualties were suffered from the shells. ,
261
The attack of the 100th Brigade was to be made with three battalions in front line. The
«ND 2nd Worcestershire, were on the right of the Brigade front, with the Glasgow Highlanders on their
left. On the right flank of the Worcestershire were the 5th Scottish Rifles of the 19th Brigade, who
were to attack an underfeature known as " The Hump."
THE ACTION OF CROISILIES (a).
Dawn of May 20th was shrouded in a thick white mist. At 3.30 a.m. the Battalion deployed
into four " waves," one company in each " wave." " D " Company was in front line, then " A,"
both extended into line, followed at some distance (b) by " C " and "B " Companies, in artillery
formation (c).
, At 5.15 a.m. the attacking troops rose to their feet and moved forward through the mist.
.The successive waves of soldiers passed the front line positions (d) and moved forward across the
.open. Sound was deadened by the mist, and the enemy's wire was reached without the advance
being detected. " D " Company, gallantly led by Captain E. O. Durlacher (e) dashed through the
wire and plunged into the German trenches. Precisely at that minute the British artillery opened
a storm of fire against the enemy's second line ( / ) . . •
The first line was easily dealt with. The enemy were not in strength, and the defenders were
quickly' killed or captured. Then, under a heavy fire, the third and fourth waves of the attack
came up to the captured trench, passed over it and deployed to attack the German support line.
Luck was against them. The smoke of the shells had thickened the enshrouding mist into a dense
fog. In that fog the platoons lost touch and blundered forward in different directions against the
invisible enemy. ,
Many brave deeds were done. Captain H. C. Downes led his company on to the attack
and stormed part of the enemy's trench. Then, although isolated in the fog, he organised a strong
defence and held his ground. At several other points the enemy's support line was seized, and fierce
bombing fights took place until bombs ran out and the survivors were forced to fall back. Eventually
most of " C " Company were collected in a sunken road between the first and second lines of trenches.
The survivors of " B " Company withdrew to the captured German front line, where " A " and " D "
companies were hard at work wiring and digging themselves into safety. That work of consolidation
was well done, and when at-length the enemy counter-attacked through the mist the Worcestershire
platoons were able to maintain their position.
On the right flank 2nd Lieut. F. J. Hemming defended an improvised,'work with great courage
and tenacity, beating off repeated bombing attacks. 2nd Lieut. F. J. D. Gunston led his men in two
sharp counter-attacks which drove back the German bombers; Lance-Corporal E. Sabin, although
badly wounded, remained resolutely at his post, setting a splendid, example of courage (g).
Further back, the whole river valley as far as Croisilles was subjected to a hail, of shells.
Headquarters of the three attacking battalions had been established in the Chalk Pit, together
with the Aid Posts for the wounded. Such of the wounded from the front line as could make their
way back collected in the Pit, sheltering as best they could under a concentrated bombardment.
The Chaplain, the Reverend E. Victor Tanner, did devoted work in assisting and cheering the
wounded under the storm of shells.
All that night and all the next day (May 21st) bombing attacks went on up and down the
Hindenburg Line, but the captured position was firmly held (h). The line was reorganised. " C "
Company were withdrawn from the shallow cover of the sunken road to the deep trenches of the
captured German front line. During the night Captain Downes brought his men back from their
isolated position to rejoin the Battalion. They had held their ground unsupported against all
attacks during twenty hours of continuous fighting (*).
By nightfall of May 21st the gun-fire had died down and the struggle was at an end. That
night the 2nd Worcestershire were relieved by the 2nd Royal Welch Fusiliers and went back by
companies to support trenches west of Croisilles. Thence on the following day the companies
marched back independently to camp at Moyenneville. The Drums of the Battalion met the
companies at Hamelincourt and played them into,billets.
(a) In the official list of engagements this action and other subsequent actions nearby are grouped under the heading
" Actions on the Hindenburg Line, May 20th—June 16th."
(6) 200 yards interval between 2nd and 3rd waves. (c) Section columns. (d) Held by the 1st Queen's,
(e) Captain Durlacher was hit in the hand during the first charge, but he refused to leave his men and remained in
command of the company until shot dead later in the day.
(/) That simultaneous opening of fire had been carefully timed and was very successful.. •
(g) 2nd/Lieuts. Hemming and Gunston were awarded the M.C. L/Cpl. Sabin was awarded the D.C.M.
(h) On the left the 5th Scottish Rifles had succeeded in capturing " The Hump."
(t) Capt. Downes was awarded the M.C.
262
Researching the 75 men of the Great War Memorial of St Anne's Church, Bewdley, Worcestershire .