18th Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps

[Tony Lund]

I am looking for any information regarding the 18th Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, on August 24th 1918. A local man was killed on this day, he was Harold Farrar a Rifleman (C/7226).

He was killed instantly by shellfire, four weeks after returning to the firing line from home leave, on Saturday 24th August 1918. A Captain wrote to Mrs. Farrar saying: “It was a great shock to me when I heard of his death, as he was one of the oldest members of my company and I had known him ever since he had joined the Battalion. He was certainly one of my best Lewis gunners, and was always extremely brave in action, and I could rely on him to do what he was told. It is a great loss to the Company, and I honestly think he was everybody’s friend. I can sympathise greatly with you in your great loss, as a soldier such as he must have made a good husband.”

Anything at all would be useful.

Thanks,

Tony.

[MBrockway]

Tony Lund said:

I am looking for any information regarding the 18th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps, on August 24th 1918. A local man was killed on this day, he was Harold Farrar a Rifleman (C/7226).

He was killed instantly by shellfire, four weeks after returning to the firing line from home leave, on Saturday 24th August 1918.

Thanks,

Tony.

Tony,

18th Battalion (Arts & Crafts), King's Royal Rifle Corps belonged to 122nd Brigade in 41st Division. 41st Division at this time were attached to XIX Corps in 2nd Army.

 

They were located in the La Clytte area a mile or so north of Mount Kemmel just south of Ypres.

 

Here's a transcription of the relevant section from the 18th Battalion War Record in the 1918 KRRC Chronicle:

 

"On the 21st [August 1918] the Battalion relieved the 15th Battalion Hampshire Regiment [also in 122 Brigade, 41st Division] in the front line, having one officer killed, and one other rank wounded during the operation.

 

On the morning of the 24th the enemy put down a heavy barrage on our forward area, from 3.45 a.m. to 4.45, when he attacked No. 3 Post to No. 8 Post inclusive. Nos. 5 and 6 Posts were occupied by the enemy, who also occupied Clydesdale Camp in strength with many machine guns. An immediate counter-attack recaptured No. 6 Post but could make no progress against Clydesdale Camp and No. 5 Post.

On the 25th at 10 p.m. 2nd Lieut. Rayner, M.C., and one platoon went out from No. 4 Post with the intention of retaking No. 5. He arrived with his platoon within a few yards of the post when he was challenged in German. He replied by shooting two of the enemy, when he was hit by a bomb in the chest and killed instantly. His men then lost heart and came back.

Casualties one officer and one other rank killed, six other ranks wounded. [unsure of this refers to the raid on the 25th or casualties for both 24th and 25th]

 

The Battalion was relieved on the 26th, and returned to the rest area."

 

Here's a link to a trench map extract of the general area on Croonaert's excellent Paths of Glory website:

Paths of Glory website - Trench Map extract - Kemmel July 1918

 

Clydesdale Camp is clearly visible.

 

Cheers,

Mark

Edited 27 July , 2017 by MBrockway

[Tony Lund]

Thank you Mark, that is excellent.

Tony.

[MBrockway]

Tony,

You might find the Topic linked below gives interesting background to 18/KRRC, their founder, Sir Herbert Raphael MP, and the recruiting process:

Kings Royal Rifle Corps, 18th (Arts and Crafts)

It might cast light on how your man from Yorkshire ended up in a battalion apparently based in Gidea Park in Essex!

Sir Herbert was the Liberal MP for Derbyshire, South.

HTH!

Cheers,

Mark

[Tony Lund]

Thanks, I will take a look.

Tony.

[Brian910]

Tony

I have a family relative (brother of my grandma) served with the 18th Batt KRRC (never heard about the arts & crafts tag), he was Cpl Charlie Smith C/6210 killed by shell fire 20th September 1917. I had found the 18th Batt were attached to 41st Division, so my research indicated 41st Div were engaged in Battle of Menin Road 20th - 25th Sept 1917 so I have thought he could have been killed on the first day of this battle. Any of the older members agree with my assumption. I do not know the recruitment area for the 18th but Charlie came from West Yorkshire.

Brian

[MBrockway]

Brianraf said:

Tony

I have a family relative (brother of my grandma) served with the 18th Batt KRRC (never heard about the arts & crafts tag), he was Cpl Charlie Smith C/6210 killed by shell fire 20th September 1917. I had found the 18th Batt were attached to 41st Division, so my research indicated 41st Div were engaged in Battle of Menin Road 20th - 25th Sept 1917 so I have thought he could have been killed on the first day of this battle. Any of the older members agree with my assumption. I do not know the recruitment area for the 18th but Charlie came from West Yorkshire.

Brian

Brian,

You are correct, 18th King's Royal Rifle Corps were involved in the Battle of the Menin Road.

 

At this time, 18/KRRC belonged to 122nd Brigade in 41st Division attached to X Corps in 2nd Army.

 

Here's what the 1917 KRRC Chronicle has to say:

 

On 16th September 1917 18/KRRC moved to Ridge Wood.

 

On 17th September they occupied posts between Bodmin Copse and Shrewsbury Forest.

 

18th & 19th September were spent preparing for the attack planned for the 20th Sept.

 

The attack was launched as scheduled on the 20th September. Working North to South, the corps involved were 1st ANZAC Corps; X Corps (41st Division); then IX Corps.

 

Again working N to S, the disposition of 41st Division was as follows:

122nd Brigade (18/KRRC, 15/Hampshire, 12/East Surrey and 11/Royal West Kent)

124th Brigade (10/Queen's, 26/Royal Fusiliers, 32/Royal Fusiliers, 21/KRRC (Yeoman Rifles))

123rd Brigade in Reserve

 

18/KRRC deployed on the southern 122nd Brigade boundary next to 124th Brigade. They attacked from just south of Bodmin Copse, north of Het Pappotje, in a due easterly direction. The attack was launched under a creeping barrage and after "very stiff fighting with heavy casualties" they captured and consolidated both of their objectives, the so-called Red Line and Blue Line, reaching just short of Tower Hamlets in the valley of the Basseville Beek south of Dumbarton Lakes, an advance of approx 1,000 yards. They were also obliged to form a defensive flank to the south (their right) as 124th Brigade next door had failed to advance (see below). In this way they passed the night.

 

Over the next few days they remained in these positions under heavy shell fire and regular enemy counter-attack, before being relieved on 23rd September when they returned to Ridge Wood, and thence by train to Caestre.

 

There are no specific casualty figures for this Action, but for the whole of September 1917 the battalion casualties were Officers: killed 3, wounded 5; Other Ranks: killed 43, wounded 75.

 

The KRRC Chronicle also mentions that on 21st September they suffered particularly from our own artillery falling short

 

The War Records for 21st Battalion (Yeoman Rifles) KRRC in the same KRRC Chronicle add a bit more. 21/KRRC were part of 124th Brigade to the south of 18/KRRC. I've not been able to work out where they were in the line though.

 

They began their advance at 05:40 hrs on 20th September but very soon lost touch with the battalion on their left (i.e. north) "owing to its being a dark and misty morning". After 5 minutes, enemy machine guns began to put down a deadly barrage from dug outs in the German front line, "which had apparently been untouched by our artillery barrage". This fire caused very heavy casualties, particularly in Section leaders and other commanders. The dug outs were eventually stormed, but with such heavy casualties that a reorganisation of the battalion was required before they were able to advance and capture the Red Line - their first objective.

 

After repulsing a counter-attack and under heavy bombardment, they were then able to reach their second objective - the Blue Line - without much opposition at approx 18:30hrs, where they set about consolidating for the night.

 

It's not clear whether 21/KRRC were the left of 124th Brigade's attack, but in all probability there was another of the 124th Brigade battalions between them and 18/KRRC.

 

On a separate matter, we've gone off topic a bit here really: Brian, if you want to build on this, you'd be much better off starting a new Topic in the Soldiers forum. If you put your relative's name and unit in the topic title, you'll find you'll attract in further help from the KRRC specialists. I'd put in a link across to these posts too.

HTH

Cheers,

Mark

Edited 27 July , 2017 by MBrockway

[Brian910]

Mark

Thank you for your excellent comments, I will take your advice and move to a new topic, ( apologies to Tony) still new to the ways of the forum, but the help and advice recieved from members is terrific.

Cheers

Brian

[MBrockway]

Pals,

With respect to the Battle of the Menin Road in 3rd Ypres in late September 1917, I have posted maps and images of the 18th KRRC and 21st KRRC War Records from the 1917 KRRC Chronicle in a new Topic just started by another Pal, which also covers the KRRC attacks in Shrewsbury Forest: Harold Marshall M.M Kings Royal Rifles

They'll help a lot with making sense of the geography above.

Cheers,

Mark