Military History

Richard is listed as being killed in action on 3rd April 1918. The 2nd/6th Battalion war diary for the period 1st to 4th April contains 3 very brief entries for the 1st to to 3rd and then refers to a Report covering 4th to 12th April. The report contains very few reference dates and I have used "educated guesses" to form the section of the report covering the 3rd. The full report will be transcribed sometime in the future but it seems to jump from the 4th/5th to the 11th with no explanation.

Marcelcave - 1.4.1918: Marched to Gentelles

Gentelles - 2.4.1918: No entry made to diary

Gentelles - 3.4.1918: Sent in lorries to Saisseval. Entrained at St. Roch Amiens having marched from Saisseval. Detrained at Berguette at 5.30pm [3^rd?]. Orders from G.S.O 111 3^rd Corps to bus to Mt. Bernachon and come into Corps Reserve. Embussed at 7.45pm, reached Mt. Bernachon about 9.30pm, transport marching. Troops no food since breakfast. No orders and no Infantry Commander at Mt. Bernachon.

I reported to HQ’s 51^st Division at Robeq and was ordered to move to Le Cornet Malo where battalion would come under orders of G.O.C. 153^rd Brigade. Battalion reached Le Cornet Malo at 2.30am [4^th] & G.O.C. 153^rd Brigade ordered preparation for a counter-attack on approximate front R.15 Central – R.21.c.9.5. with possible alternative of holding a defensive position from Q.23.d central (Pacaut) to Q.35.d. central.

Military History

Walter is listed as being killed in action on 10th August 1915. The 9th Battalion war diary entries for the period 9th to 11th August are transcribed below.

Kunja Dere – 09.8.1915: At stand to, 3.30am. D Coy were withdrawn from the trenches dug during the night as it was found impossible, owing to the incompleteness of the trenches, to keep them there with rifle and machine gun fire playing down on them from above.

Lookouts were posted and an Outpost place in front of the trenches. A body of 40 men were kept close at hand and the remainder of D, one platoon of B and part of C Coy were kept nearby in the Gull as support.

About 6pm the Worcesters relieve the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in this position. A Coy under Major R.G. Shuttleworth, held a position on The Farm.

About 3pm all of B Coy took up a position to the left of A Coy and C Coy moved to the left and rear of B Coy.

During the day the following casualties occurred:
Killed Officers 1; OR 4. Wounded Officers 2 OR 9.
Effective strength: Officers 10, OR 572

Aghyl Dere Gully 10th Aug 1915: Early on the morning of the 10th the Turks attacked our position with disastrous results for the Warwickshire Regiment. It was found impossible to hold the line with no support immediately available. The Ghurkas and Sikhs retired, the trenches were enfiladed by machine gun fire and our men were mown down. Casualties which occurred during the day were – killed: officers 4, O.R. 44; Wounded: officers 4, O.R. 147; Missing: officers 1, O.R. 117; sick O.R. 16; Total casualties: officers 9, O.R. 324. Effective strength remaining: officers 1, attached officers 2, O.R. 248.

The remainder of the Battalion returned to the Brigade reserve rest camp near Brigade Headquarters.

Kunja Dere – 11.8.1915: The Battalion took over the Sikhs post and remained there during the day. Captain & Adjutant C.C.R. Nevill, the only officer left with the Regiment was wounded.

Casualties: Killed Nil; Wounded 1 Officer & 1 OR.
Missing returned to unit: 41 OR
Effective strength: Officers Nil; Other Ranks 288

Military History

Alma is listed as being killed in action on 11th July 1917 when, according to reports, he was killed by shellfire whilst on Sentry Duty. The 2nd Battalion war diary entries for the period 7th to 12th July are transcribed below.

Le Preol - 7 Jul to 11 Jul 1917: Less one company the Regiment carried out such training as was possible. Several working and carrying parties were required by Brigade H.Q., but the calls were few and were met without difficulty. The Lewis Gun Classes which began work in May were completed, and after carrying out their range-practices were dismissed. A class to train Privates to become Lance-Corporals was held, with very good results, supervised by the Adju­tant and Sergeant-Major.

On the 10th and 11th Aquatic Sports were held in the Canal, and greatly enjoyed.

On 8.7.17 A Coy relieved D Coy, being relieved on the 10.7.17 by B Coy and on 11.7.17 by C Coy.

Le Preol - 12 Jul 1917: Relieved the 24th Bn R.Fusr. in the right subsection of the Brigade front, handed over on 6.7.17. Shortly after completion of relief about 11.30 pm the trenches were subjected to a very unpleasant bombardment by gas shells which was particularly heavy against the sup­port and reserve lines. A shell struck the parados of Kingsway (support) Trench, just opposite the entrance of a dugout occupied by the stretcher-bearers, etc., of B Company. The full blast went down the stairs, and three old soldiers, 6157 Lance-Corporal Williams (Sanitary Corporal), Privates 6474 Burrows and 7346 Tew (stretcher-bearers), died shortly afterwards from the effects.

Some 15 or 20 men were affected to a greater or less degree within the next 48 hours, it being particularly noticeable how, in the evenings about dusk on the two succeeding days, men seemed no longer able to hold out. The general gas discipline was good, but two cases came to light where had the men been better trained they would not have been affected—one of these was very bad, the other slight. Had the discipline not been good B Company would have had, according to my estimate, 85 per cent, casualties.

Military History