X550/3/WD/1410

War Diary for October 1914 4 Oct 1914 - Southampton LYNDHURST 3 p.m. Verbal order from Staff Captain that 1st Train load to be ready to move 4.30 p.m. LYNDHURST Road STN. 5 p.m. S.P. 1st Train load passed. SOUTHAMPTON Dock Gates. 8.45 pm. 1st Train load arrives. S.S.Winifredian. 11 p.m. 1st Trainload embarkation completed Southampton Dock Gates. 9 p.m. 2nd Trainload arrived, remained in sheds till following morning. For diary of 2nd Train load embarked on S.S.Cornishman see - 2 5 Oct 1915 - S.S.Winifredian 8 A.M.? Left Southampton steamed to Dover [10 P.M.] instructions to proceed towards CALAIS & DUNKIRK. Recalled by wireless off Ostend. 6 Oct 1914 4.30AM. Off DOVER. 6 A.M. Entered DOVER HARBOUR. Took on board 1 days supply for men & horses. 9 p.m. Left Harbour DOVER. 7 Oct 1914 - Ste.Croix near Bruges 3.20AM. Stopped off Zee brugge. 6.30AM. Entered harbour & disembarked ships crew worked badly in getting alongside & delayed greatly unloading wagons. BRUGES 4 p.m. by train. St.CROIX 5 p.m. by march route from STN.BRUGES. Into Billets. men in cavalry granary, officers in houses near by. Granary not too sanitary. Latrine accommodation scanty. 6 p.m. 2nd Train load arrived. 12.30 AM. Transport arrived by march route. 8 Oct 1914 - Clemskerke 4.30 AM. Stood to Arms. 7 AM. Left St.CROIX. CLEMSKERKE. 6.30 pm. Bn. bivouaced in Bde. 9 Oct 1914 - Assebruck CLEMSKERKE, BRUGES 8.30 AM. Marched with 2 Yorks.Regt. to direct road. Belgian Artillery from ANTWERP & wounded; Household Cav.Bde. seen in Market Square. Also armed motor with Maxim. ASSEBRUCK. 3 p.m. Partly Billets & partly Bivouacs. Heavy rain during night. 10 Oct 1914 - Trois Rois STEENBRUGGE Ry.STN. 3.30 p.m. Marched as right flank guard to column as far as TROIS ROIS Billeted except 1 Coy. 11 Oct 1914 Rested 12 Oct 1914 7.40 AM. to S.P. BEERNEM Ry.Stn. 8.5 AM. COOLSCAMP. 3.0 p.m. Billeted in Works of Societ Anonyne la Flandre Pea canning factory. 4.30p.m. "Taube" flew over. 13 Oct 1914 - Roulers-Beuerns Station 6.30 AM. "Taube" reported by Outposts. 2.30 p.m. Commenced march as rear guard. ROULERS - BEUERNS STATION. 9 p.m.-9.30pm. Tedious march. Checks caused by Div.Train & Troops Billeting. Wet. 1 Cos.on Outposts. 14 Oct 1914 - Ypres 7.30AM. BEUERNS STN. Left for S.P. in 8.15 AM. ROULERS 9.30AM. Commenced march. 5.15pm. to Billets S.W. of Town on BAILLEUL ROAD. 8 p.m. Addenda to 21 Inf.Bde. Standing orders. 1. Bn.Representation at Bde.H.Q.to [be] relieved so that they get their meals. 2. Orderly will be placed outside Door of principal Church to assist details to find their billets when arriving in the dark. 3. Units to take steps to meet their Train Transport & Conduct it to the Billets. 8 p.m. Div.Routine Order No.28. 15 Oct 1914 - Menin Road near Zillebeke 11 AM. left Billets under B.M.40 order. on arrival at square near Station. Battn. ordered to take up & entrench a position on line ROAD road [sic] running S.S.W. just W. of 3 Kil. on YPRES-MENIN Rd. to Zillebeke. MENIN Rd. exclusive ZILLEBEKE inclusive. 1 p.m. The Battn. relieved 80 Rgt. (French) on this line. 8 p.m. Battn. continued digging etc. till after dark. 10.50 pm. Battn. ordered to march on. 16 Oct 1914 - Gheluvelt 9.30 AM. Entered village. 11.20 AM. B.M.56 explaining situation. 2.30 PM. Ordered to Billet. 9.10 PM. B.M.64 no move. 17 Oct 1914 No movement. Battn. in Brigade Reserve. 18 Oct 1914 - Menin Road between Gheluvelt and Gheluwe The Battn. formed up on POEZELHOEK-BECELAIRE Road facing S.E. & advanced towards 10 Kilo stone on YPRES-MENIN Road. On nearing the road on coming over a rise we were fired on by rifle fire. Advancing further & astride we came under shrapnel fire. A Company lost 2/Lieut.C.O.BELL killed & Captains F.M.Bassett & Wolff & Lieutenant Horsford wounded - other casualties 1 sergeant & 1 man killed 21 other ranks wounded 2 other ranks missing. After this action the Battalion drew back slightly & entrenched a position with its right on 10th Kilo MENIN Road in touch on right side with 20th Bde. on left with R.S.F. 19 Oct 1918 - Gheluvelt Improved trenches. The Division was ordered to attack MENIN. The 22nd Bde. were hard pressed & withdrew. The 21st Bde. covered their withdrawal. The Battalion left the trenches as dusk & returned to GHELUVELT. The Battalion was in Brigade Reserve & billeted in the village. The Bde. held line from 9 Kilo MENIN ROAD through POEZELHOEK to NORDWESTHOEK. Yorkshire R. on the right R.S.F. in centre & Wiltshire Regt. on left. 20 Oct 1914 - near Veldhoek Battalion held trenches of R.S.F.& Wilts R. while these Regiments were supporting the left flank of a Reconnaissance by 20th Bde. Battn. returned to trench in Reserve. The trenches were round & near Track junction between 7 kilo & K. of VELDHOEK. Ref.Map 1/100000. There was heavy firing during the night which was unnecessary. 21 Oct 1918 About 2 p.m. Battalion ordered to move to ZONNEBEKE to reinforce 22nd Brigade. Arrived at level Crossing, reported, stayed about one hour & returned as the German attack had been repulsed. As we were leaving our trenches they were shelled fairly heavily, one platoon of C. Company Lt.Paine being unable to leave its trench. The Battalion was also shelled on the way to ZONNEBEKE. 22 Oct 1914 Early in the morning 2 platoons of D Company which had reinforced R.S.Fusiliers came back & were shelled. Lieutenant Fernandez [sic] was killed. Late in the day Battalion started to reinforce 22nd Brigade at ZONNEBEKE, but were met half way by Major Ian Stewart, General Staff, & ordered back as we were not required. On return to Reserve trenches one Company "C" was ordered up on right of Fusiliers. It did not attack but dug a trench during the night. 23 Oct 1914 early in the morning C Company advanced to fill gap between R.S.Fusiliers right & Yorkshire R. left. It was allowed to advance nearly to bend in POEZELHOEK Road when it came under heavy rifle & machine gun fire & was not able to maintain its position. Lieutenant Wright was killed during this advance & there were heavy casualties amongst the men. Later in the day orders were received to fill the gap. B Company was ordered to do this & moving via West end of GHELUVELT under heavy shell fire advanced. Advancing further it came under heavy rifle & machine gun fire but advanced to edge of wood behind Yorkshire R. left & maintained its position. The losses were severe Captain Patron and Lieut.Hopkins being wounded during this operation. During this operation which was well executed by Captain Patron, the C.O. advanced with Battalion H.Q. through GHELUVELDT to personally interview O.C.Yorkshire Regt. in order to ascertain the situation on the Yorkshire Regt. left. After the interview the C.O. moved along BECELAERE Road towards POEZELHOEK until B Company was found in touch with Yorkshire Regts left. The gap was now filled & was consolidated during the night. The following hand sketch shows positions held 23/24 Oct.1914. [not attached] 24 Oct 1914 Improved trenches. Desultory rifle fire all day, several heavy bursts of firing during the night by the Germans which was not replied to. 25 Oct 1914 Battalion ordered to cooperate with an attack on BECELAERE. Attack delayed till late in afternoon. About 5 p.m. the Battalion advanced from its trenches. The movement was practically a wheel to the right. C Company was in touch with Guards on the left but touch was lost between C & D Companies. As the orders strictly enjoined that touch was on no account to be lost with Yorkshire Regt. as soon as B Co. was out if its trenches and at right angles to them, the C.O. gave the order to halt until the situation was cleared up on our left. The enemy fired on B Company twice, the second time inflicted several casualties. The men behaved with great steadiness. It was quite dark during this operation. Orders were eventually received that the attack was suspended & all Companies reoccupied their trenches. There were at least two burning houses (one Battalion H.Q. which had been shelled during the day & set alight) behind us as we advanced. 26 Oct 1914 The Battalion remained holding its trenches as shown in sketch [not attached]. Battalion H.Q. was established in farm near Chateau & moved into C Coys. big trench during the day. 10.30 A.M. Captain A.G.Hall was shot by a sniper. Captain W.E.Wetherall [sic] took command of the company (D). Lieut.W.Bastard was also shot in the same way on this day. During the morning instructions were received that Guards Brigade were to attack BECELAERE. They advanced under heavy shell fire but did not get beyond our line of trenches. The Battalion had orders to advance of [sic] the guards right flank after they had gone through our line. D Company did move out of its trenches to the woods behind B Company. But as the advance was held up, late in the afternoon it reoccupied its trenches. Lieut.W.Bastard buried by Capt.R.L.Thom on the N. edge of the wood S. of the road junction at the foot of the BECELAERE hill, in the centre of N edge on W. of road, close to the bend of the road. Captain A.G.Hall, probably near the above, to the N.Westwards Orders were received that the 1st Scots Guards were to relieve the Battalion in the trenches. It was not till early in the morning of 27th that this relief was completed. Lieut.D.G.C.Thomson & 20 N.C.O. & men 1st reinforcements arrived. 27 Oct 1914 - between Zandvoorde Chateau and Menin Road The Battalion assembled after the relief & bivouaced at VELDHOEK & at about 9.30 A.M. moved back to bivouac in a wood at HOOGE. At 7 p.m. the Battalion moved up again to take up the left flank of a Brigade line from ZANDEVOORDE [sic] Chateau to 9 Kilo stone on MENIN-YPRES Road. The Battalion relieved the Black Watch & held the line A Company on the right - B Company - C Company - D Company in reserve. A certain amount of digging in was done as the line allotted to the Battalion did not allow sufficient room for the men. 28 Oct 1918 - Zandvoorde-Gheluvelt Road The Battalion remained in position till dusk when it was relieved. The enemy shelled the front line vigorously most of the day & also searched the ground in rear, shelling Battn.H.Q.& reserve company. A Company suffered most, one platoon had their trench, an old redoubt, blown in on it, the men having to be dug out. xx An attack was expected during the day; to be delivered by the 27 German Reserve Corps on the Cross Roads where our left rested. This attack however xxx was not delivered. After the relief was effected the Battalion moved through GHELUVELT along ZANDEVOORDE [sic] Road & took up position, in trenches dug by Royal Welch Fusiliers, on right of our Brigade line. R.S.Fusiliers on our left and 7th Cavalry Bde. on our right. D.Company on battalion right, C Company on left B & A Companies in support. 29 Oct 1914 The night 28/29 was spent in digging support & improving fire trenches. The morning was misty. There was heavy firing on either side of Battalion but no attack from in front. In the afternoon the Battalion was ordered to advance to assist in a counter attack. The Battalion to be on right of Yorkshire Regt. 22nd Brigade on Battalion's right. The Battalion left the trenches & came under heavy shell fire. The latter was particularly annoying & broke up the advance. The Battalion Machine guns under Captain Botfield [sic] did excellent work in covering our advance & keeping down the enemy machine gun fire. Further annoyance was caused by the enemy's machine guns as the Battalion advanced as these had apparently been left when the German infantry had been driven back & lay concealed. We were unable to fire back at them as we were told that the Queens R.W.Surrey Regt. were in front of us; these hostile machine guns were as far as could be ascertained between us & the Queens Regt. The Battn. was now somewhat scattered and intermingled with other Regts. During the early part of the night the Battalion was assembled & orders received that it was to go into Brigade Reserve. The trenches held by the Battalion during the day were taken over by the Royal Welch Fusiliers. The night was very wet. The casualties during this day were very severe. Lieutenant E.E.Punchard killed, Captain W.Wetherall [sic] wounded. Lieut.Huntriss wounded. Liuet.Kuhn wounded. Lieut.Inskip wounded. Lieut.Whittemore wounded Lieut.Small wounded the Battalion took up a position behind a wood in rear of the Royal Scots Fusiliers. 2/Lieut.B.H.Waddy Gloucester Regt, & 2 Lt.H.Innes Middlesex Regt. joined the Battalion on this date. 30 Oct 1914 - Gheluveldt-Zandvoorde Road The Battalion came under shell fire in the early morning. As trenches had not been dug during the night the Battalion took shelter in ditches and became a little dispersed. 7.30 A.M. the 7 Cavalry Brigade was driven from ZANDEVOORDE [sic] this left our right exposed. The Germans occupied ZANDEVOORDE [sic] at 10 A.M. a hostile battery came out into the open about 900 yards away from Brigade & farm where Battn.H.Q. had been established & opened fire. This enfiladed the Battalion & a line was formed under facing ZANDEVOORDE [sic]. The hostile battery in the open was quickly silenced. The occupation of ZANDEVOORDE [sic] placed the Germans on the right rear of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, whose trenches were taken. This exposed the right flank of the Royal Scots Fusiliers. At 12.45 p.m. orders were received for the Brigade to retire. The Battalion with the R.S.F. were ordered to cover the retirement. As the R.S.F. drew back in line with the Battalion the S.Lancashire Regt. advanced through the R.S.F. to endeavour to assist to bring back part of the R.S.F. This however they failed to do & returned. A line was taken up at dusk behind the GHELUVELDT-ZANDEVOORDE [sic] Road & digging commenced. The Companies were somewhat intermingled. The Battalion was in touch with 22nd Brigade on the Right R.S.F. on the left. Nos.13 & 14 Platoons D.Coy. went forward & eventually were in trenches on left of R.S.F., and between them & R.S.F., The two platoons retired with R.S.F., with part of Captain Whigham's Coy. 31 Oct 1914 - near Inverness Copse Early in the morning about 2.30 A.M. orders were received to occupy a small fir wood about 250 yards in front of our line which was then held by L.North Lancs.R. Captain Lemon & 2 platoons of C Company were ordered to hold this position. This wood had been subjected to heavy shell fire from two sides during the previous day. Shell fire started as soon as it was light. It soon became evident that the enemy were advancing in force on the left of the wood held by Captain Lemon & also on the right. The Adjutant went to report the situation to Brigade H.Q.& almost immediately on his return to Battalion H.Q. 2 orderlies arrived with an order from the Brigadier to retire fighting towards MENIN-YPRES Road. Part of the Battalion moved back in compliance of this order. An order was sent to Captain Lemon to retire from the fir wood upon the Battalion. Part of the Battalion remained in the trenches till late in the afternoon about 4.30 p.m. when they were brought back & established a line which they held till relieved on Nov.5/6. the losses were very severe on this day. The C.O. Major J.M.Traill & 2nd in Command Major R.P.Stares remained in the trenches & were shot at short range. Lieut.Peterson [sic] was killed in the fir wood. Lieut.Gott was wounded in the Fir wood. Captain A.B.Lemon was twice wounded in the fir wood & captured. Captain C.S.Garnet [sic] Botfield was severely wounded. 2/Lieut.W.Dixon wounded. Captain E.H.Lyddon missing. Lieut.Anderson missing. The Battalion strength on night October 31st-1st November was 4 officers, 350-400 other ranks. 4 officers were Captain & Adjutant C.C.Foss. 2/Lieut.B.H.Waddy. Lieut.S.D.Mills, Transport Officer. Captain & Quarter Master H.Cressingham A short line was taken up and entrenched.

4-31 Oct 1914

From: 1914 To: 1914

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Societe Anonyme la Flandre,
Bell, Charles Ockley,
Horsford, Thomas Gavin Moor,
Bassett, Francis Marshall,
Wolff, C.H.,
Paine, D M,
Fernandes, Dudley Luis de Tavora,
Stewart, Ian,
Wright, George Drennan Cron,
Patron, A.J.,
Hopkins, Eric Arthur,
Hall, Arthur Gordon,
Bastard, William,
Wetherell, W.E.M.,
Thomson, Donald Godrid Campbell,
Garnett-Botfield, Charles Sidney,
Thom, R.R.L.,
Inskip,
Whittemore, Frederick,
Small, E.,
Waddy, B.H.,
Punchard, Edmund Elgood,
Innes, E.H.,
Kuhn, Alfred Edgar,
Huntriss, Harold Edward,
Lemon, Arthur Bushe,
Traill, John Murray,
Stares, Robert Percy,
Patterson, John Agar,
Gott, G.E.,
Dixon, W.,
Lyddon, Ernest Hugh,
Anderson, Wilfred Cruttenden,
Foss, Charles Calverley,
Cressingham, Hugh Montrein,
Mills, S.D.

Societe Anonyme la Flandre, Lyndhurst Station, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, civil ships, trains, Bruges Station, radio, horses, deaths, 21st Infantry Brigade, 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, Belgians, Household Cavalry Brigade, land weaponry, weather, motor vehicles, Steenbrugge Station, Beernem Station, Roulers-Beuerns Station, military aircraft, peas, food and drink industry, canning, 7th Division, town & local roads, 80th French Regiment, French, 2nd Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers, 22nd Infantry Brigade, 2nd Battalion Wiltshire Regiment, 20th Infantry Brigade, maps, Germans, burial, 1st Battalion Scots Guards, Black Watch, 27th German Reserve Corps, 1st Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment, Gloucestershire Regiment, Middlesex Regiment, South Lancashire Regiment, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, prisoners of war, 1st (Guards) Brigade, Lyndhurst, Southampton, Dover, Calais, Dunkirk, Ostend, Zeebrugge, Bruges, Ste.-Croix, Klemskerke, Assebroek, Antwerp, Trois Rois, Steenbrugge, Beernem, Coolscamp, Roulers, Beuerns, Ypres, Zillebeke, Gheluveldt, Menin, Poezelhoek, Nordwesthoek, Veldhoek, Zonnebeke, Becelaere, Zandvoorde, Chateau de Zandvoorde, Inverness Copse (Ypres)