X550/2/5/1504

War Diary for April 1915 1-3 Apr 1915 - hutments west of Ieper Battn in reserve at Hutments W. of Ypres Bishop of London visited & addresses troops. 4 Apr 1915 Still in reserve 5 Apr 1915 - Ieper Battn moved into support at YPRES. 6 Apr 1915 Enemy put a few shells into Ypres. 1 fell each side of Bn.Hd.Qrs. damaging the houses concerned 7 Apr 1915 - Reningelst Enemy shelled Ypres at about 8.30 a.m. First howitzer shell smashed up house next to Bn.Hd.Qrs. 2nd smashed house on other side of Hd.Qrs, Breaking Hd.Qrs. windows. Other shells broke up houses in neighbourhood causing considerable casualties. Battn. unexpectedly relieved in evening, & moved back into Reserve along with remainder of Brigade at RENINGHELST 8-10 Apr 1915 Battn remained in reserve 11 Apr 1915 - trenches opposite Hill 60 Battn took over trenches 38 to 45 opposite Hill 60. 12-16 Apr 1915 Battn in trenches. Work carried out day & night in reconnoitring old disused French & German trenches & in opening up communication trenches, preparing dugouts etc. to shelter extra Battns about to be brought up for attack on Hill 60 17 Apr 1915 Headquarters 13th Inf. Bde arrived & took over command of sector. R.W.Kent Regt. & K.O.S.B. arrived & went into dugouts & part of front trench. 2 companies of Bedfords withdrawn into support to make room for 13th Bde. 7 pm. precisely, 6 mines under Hill 60 exploded in 3 groups of two each. Heavy Artillery bombardment commenced, & hill 60 rushed by British (R.W.K) 18 Apr 1915 Enemy counterattacked during early morning. Casualties considerable. 2 Companies Bedfords recalled in afternoon: & counter attack on Hill 60 (part of which had been lost by 13th Bde) commenced at 6 pm. Line re-established on Hill 60. G.O.C. 13th Bde. handed over immediate control of sector to Lt.Colonel Griffith D.S.O. (Bedf.Regt.) & withdrew with staff to point about a mile in rear. 19 Apr 1915 Front line occupied in early morning by Bedfords & 1/East Surrey Regt. Work carried out under difficulties to consolidate position on Hill 60. Considerable shelling and bombing by enemy. 20 Apr 1915 Enemy counter attacked: tremendous bombardment carried out against Hill 60, & our trenches & supports. Enemy's heavy guns enfiladed position, other guns firing from various directions: bombardment all night. 21 Apr 1915 - Reningelst Bombardment & counter attacks continued during early morning & position critical at times. Casualties very heavy. Enemy's machine guns partially enfiladed reverse of Hill 60, trench mortar bombarded it, & field guns were brought up to within about 30 yards & fired point blank at parapet, blowing it to pieces & mangling the defenders. Our artillery unable to compete with enemy's heavy guns, or to locate small guns which were too close to Hill 60 to be easily shelled. Casualties of Bedfords 4 officers killed, 8 wounded. Other ranks over four hundred. Cameron Highlanders & 1 Devons arrived during morning & relieved E.Surreys & Bedfords who went into reserve at RENINGHELST for sleep & rest. 22 Apr 1915 - Ouderdom Sudden alarm in evening: Germans having broken some trenches N. of YPRES Battn ordered to move at once to OUDERDOM. Reached Ouderdom 9.30 pm: & eventually lay down in empty huts ready to move at short notice. Battn was visited by Sir J.French in afternoon & congratulated on excellent performance on Hill 60 23 Apr 1915 Bedfords & E.Surreys (under Colonel Griffith) in Divisional Reserve at OUDERDOM in readiness to move at short notice. Constant heavy artillery & rifle fire going on, but no news of situation reaches me. 24 Apr 1915 - west of Zillebeke Lake Two drafts of 99 and 89 men respectively joined during past 2 days, also 4 young officers. Capt H.Courtenay reported for duty on 21st inst. & took over duties of Adjutant 1/Bedf Regt. At 5.45 pm Battn moved forward to position W. of ZILLEBEKE pond in support to front line trenches & Hill 60. 25 Apr 1915 - left of Hill 60 Battn took over Sector on left of Hill 60 from 1 Cheshire Regt. 26 Apr 1915 In trenches. 2nd Lieut.Fawcett killed, 3 other ranks wounded. Very heavy Artillery & Rifle fire on our left, & rear (- counter-attack by V Corps against Germans N.E. of Ypres) 27 Apr 1915 In trenches. Five men wounded 28 Apr 1915 Do. Casualties 1 man 29 Apr 1915 Do. Casualties 1 killed 1 wounded. 30 Apr 1915 Do. Draft of three officers & 300 other ranks arrived at OUDERDOM. One officer & 100 men sent on same night to trenches. Some difficulty in getting stores & supplies to trenches recently owing to constant & persistent shelling of all roads & approaches by enemy. Casualties - 1 killed, 1 wounded

1-30 Apr 1915

From: 1915 To: 1915

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London, Arthur Foley Winnington-Ingram, Bishop of,
Griffith, Charles Richard Jebb,
French, John Denton Pinkstone (1st Earl of Ypres),
Courtenay, Hugh,
Fawcett, Robert Heath

1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, Germans, 84th Infantry Brigade, 13th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers, 1st Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment, land weaponry, 1st Battalion East Surrey Regiment, 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, Cameron Highlanders, 28th Division, ponds, 1st Battalion Cheshire Regiment, V Corps, Ypres, Reninghelst, Hill 60 [Ypres], Ouderdom, Zillebeke Lake