Reference
X550/2/5/1504
Title
War Diary for April 1915
Date free text
1-30 Apr 1915
Production date
From: 1915 To: 1915
Scope and Content
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 & K.O.S.B. arrived & went into dugouts & part of front trench. 2 companies of Bedfords withdrawn into support to make room for 13th Bde.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
Language
English
Level of description
item