Military History

Henry is listed as being killed in action on 25 Apr 1915 during the British attack on Vielje. The 1st Battalion war diary for the period 24/26th April 1915 is transcribed below.

24th April 1915 - Locre: Left Locre at 7am & marched to Oudgrdon? and went into billets in huts about 12 noon. Brigade came up & orders were received to advance at 4pm via Vlamertinghe & halted outside Ypres from 8pm to 12mn. Started to rain. Ypres was heavily shelling and on fire.

25th April 1915 - Vielje: Left Ypres at 12mn for Vielje where orders were received for the attack. The Brigade attacked at 4.30am. We attacked the wood on the left of the line with 7th A&S Highlanders in support. The Seaforth Highlanders, R Irish Fus and R Dublin Fus attacked on our right on St. Julien. Owing to the German Trenches being insufficiently shelled and supports unable to come up the line retired at about 7am to trenches near the farm and consolidated our position. Our casualties were very heavy 17 officers and 500 other ranks killed, wounded and missing.

26th April 1915 - Vielje: Heavy gunfire all day. About 2.30pm the Northumberland Division attacked St. Julien without success. We opened supporting fire from our trenches. The Lahore Division attacked on our left but gained very little ground being stopped by gas.

Military History

Edward is listed as being killed in action on 22 March 1918 and the 10th Battalion war diary entry for that day is transcribed below.

Barastre - 22.3.18 – 8.50am: Battn HQ’s moved to J.26.b.1.9 in sunken road near HQ 154^th Infantry Brigade

9.00am Ground close in front and behind of line held by Battalion was heavily shelled.

11.30am: D Coy reported that 9/R.W.F. had left the trench on his right and that he was in touch with 7/A & S H [Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders] on that flank.

1.15pm: Shelling as at 9am; sunken road by Bn HQ was heavily shelled.

2.35pm: Battn observers and D Coy reported that enemy were attacking 3^rd system from Louveval and Coupez Copse (near Doignes)

7.40pm: Our line was prolonged to the left by 1 platoon 5/Seaforths & 1 Coy A & SH

Military History

Henry is listed as being killed in action on 23rd May 1916. The 12th Battalion war diary entries for the period 22nd to 24th May are transcribed below.

22^nd May 1916 – Potijze: The enemy were very quiet all day and there was practically no shelling. Only 2 77mm shells fell near the front line and 6 near Bn HQ. Enemy snipers were fairly active, chiefly from the right flank. From our parapet it was impossible to see the enemy trenches opposite which along the front only averaged 300 yards away, owing to the configuration of the ground and the long grass. The most important spot which could be seen was the mound opposite the left of the line.

The enemy were quiet at night but snipers and machine guns were active. Patrols went out along the front but reported no signs of the enemy.

23^rd May 1916 – Potijze: The enemy were quiet by day and night except for a considerable amount of wild rifle fire by night.  Between 1pm & 2pm about 30 trench mortars fell in A1 damaging the parapet in 2 places. No casualties. Our Howitzers retaliated & trench mortaring ceased.

About 9.30pm a very light disclosed a German patrol out in No Mans Land. M.G. fire was opened on them & they scattered. It is not known if any were hit. Patrols out report no signs of the Germans.

Lt E.B. Kerr wounded, shot in the stomach by a sniped while standing in trench.

24^th May 1916 – Potijze: The enemy was exceptionally quiet all day & night. At night hardly a shot was fired. Patrols out did no encounter any enemy. The enemy appeared to be doing a lot of work on his front line all night.

Between 1am & 1.30am, 2 trains were very distinctively heard to come up close behind enemy’s line.

Military History