Hohenzollern Redoubt Anniversary 13th October

[sar2jec]

If anyone happens to be in the area Loos area this Thursday (13th October), then your welcome to attend a memorial service being held to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the 46th (North Midland) Division action at the Hohenzollern Redoubt on 13th October 1915. The Division suffered 3,763 casualties that day.

Anyone interested in attending should gather at Quarry Cemetery at Vermelles between 1:00 - 1:30. The programme of commemoration will include a brief talk on the action by Martin Middlebrook.

I hope to see some of you there.

Regards Jonathan

(on behalf of the Lincolnshire friends of the Hohozollern Redoubt)

[Paul Reed]

Pity this hasn't been more widely publicised, as I know I would have liked to have gone; sadly work committments won't allow it. Hopefully you will post some photos?

[sar2jec]

Will post some photo's when I get back.

Sorry about the lack of publicity. We hope to make a bigger occasion when we finally put the memorial up that we've been planning.

[DaveBrigg]

I'd also be interested in seeing any pictures, thanks for the information.

The firefly lamps were lighted yet,

As we crossed the top of the parapet,

But the East grew pale to another fire,

As our bayonets gleamed by the foeman’s wire.

And the Eastern sky was gold and grey,

And under our feet the dead men lay,

As we entered Loos in the morning.

- From Patrick MacGill’s ‘Great Push’.

Earth that never doubts nor fears,

Earth that knows of death, not tears,

Earth that bore with joyful ease

Hemlock for Socrates,

Earth that blossomed and was glad

'Neath the cross that Christ had,

Shall rejoice and blossom too

When the bullet reaches you.

Wherefore, men marching

On the road to death, sing!

Pour your gladness on earth's head,

So be merry, so be dead.

- C H Sorley, who was killed in the attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt, October 13th

[AndrewThornton]

Jonathan

I hope that the ceremony at Quarry Cemetery is well attended. Unfortunately, I am unable to get over to participate, but I will be remembering the men of 137th (Staffordshire) Brigade who took part in the assault on 13th October 1915.

Unfortunately, the original memorial that was placed on the Hulluch-Vermelles Road by the old comrades of 46th (North Midland) Division in the 1920's is in a sad state of repair, particularly the cross, which is suffering from water damage and is severly cracked. It would be a great shame if this memorial had to be removed or destroyed.

[n cherry]

I wish every success to the memorial service-We will remember them...please pass on my best wishes to Martin M....I guess this is a semi-private visit as I thought he'd retired from touring.

Also can someone post details about the 'Lincolnshire Friends of the HR'???

[squirrel]

Hope the commemoration service goes well and that the weather is kind.

My father's cousin dow received earlier in October '15 in Big Willie trench while with the Grnadier Guards. He is buried at Lapugnoy.

[truthergw]

With a particular interest in the area and the first assault, I hope all goes well. Best wishes to all at the commemeration.

[sar2jec]

I have had a number of emails asking me about the 'Lincolnshire Friends of the Hohenzollern Redoubt' and just though I would clarify this for those who are interested.

The 'Lincolnshire Friends of the Hohenzollern Redoubt' is merely a name that represents a group of blokes from Lincolnshire who have undertaken to have a memorial put up for memory of the 46th Division at the Hohenzollern Redoubt. The original plan was to have the memorial unveiled on the 90th anniversary. Unfortunately an number of legal set backs have meant that this has not been possible. Despite this, the memorial will still be unveiled within the next few months as the funding is all in place from Lincoln Co-Op.

So we are not really an organisation - more of an informal rabble. However, we had been thinking it might be a good idea to try and make start up an emailing list of those with an interest in the action at the Hohenzollern Redoubt. This would allow us to contact people to let them know when we have firm date for the grand unveiling and perhaps organise a trip over at some point.

So if your interested in coming along to the unveiling (by Martin Middlebrook) then drop me a line and let me know your email and I will let you know when we have a firm date.

Cheers,

Jonathan

[sar2jec]

Thanks for the that DaveBrigg - it is most appreciated. I will try and get to Captain Sorely's grave and send you a photo.

- Jonathan

[Moriaty]

Sorry I wont be at the Hohenzollern on the 13th, my grandfather was killed there on 2 October 1915, but I was able to visit the site during the weekend of 24/25 September. I am very pleased to learn that the gallant of the 46th is being remembered 90 years later.

Incidentally, the poet Charles Hamilton Sorley has no known grave, but is commemorated at Dud Corner Cemetery, that weekend we said "hello" and read his poem "The Rooks" there.

Moriaty

[toofatfortakeoff]

If you get some photos mate Id be glad to see them on this website!!

[Steve Bramley]

Unknown Author, Grimsby News.

The Red, Red Road Of Loos

On Parade...Get yor spade,

Fall in, the pick and shovel brigade,

There's a carry fatigue for half a league,

And a trench to dig with a spade.

Through the dust and ruin of Loos town,

The 'seventeen inch' still battering down,

Weilding death, with its fiery breath,

On the red, red road to Loos.

Who are they whose time has come,

Who won't return when the work is done,

But will leave their bones on the blood-

stained stones,

On the red, red road to Loos.

Onward the Lincolns! Never a stop,

To the sandbagged trench and over the top,

Over the top-if a bullet you'd stop,

On the red, red road to Loos.

The burst and roar of a hand grenade,

Welcome us on a 'death parade'

The pit of gloom, the valley of doom,

The coal pit down at Loos,

Full many a soldier from the Rhine,

Must sleep tonight in a bed of lime,

'Tis a pitiless grave for a friend or knave,

The coal pit down at Loos.

Hark! To the stand to fusilade,

Sling your rifle, bring your spade,

And fade away 'ere break of day,

Or a hole you'll fill at Loos,

Call the roll, and another name,

Is sent to swell the toll of fame,

So we carve the cross, and mark the loss,

Of a chum that fell at Loos.

Not a deed for a paper man to write,

No glorious charge in the dawning light,

The Daily Mail, won't tell the tale,

Of the night work down at Loos,

But our General knows, and his praise was

won,

He's pleased with the work the 'Lincolns'

Have done,

In shot and shell at the gates of hell,

On the red, red road of Loos.

Remembering those of the Lincolns and the 46th Division who fell at the Hohenzollern Redoubt, 13.10.15.

[toofatfortakeoff]

"Dear Mother and Dad I hope you are all well at home. Im thankful to say that I am especially after the dangers I have gone through for the pst few days

An attack on a strong rtedoubt in the German lines was planned to be made by the whole of the Northe Midland Division..left our billets Friday and marched ten ,miles to the trenches to be ready on the Wednesday Oct 13th.

I dont know if you are aware of it but the British have started paying back the Germans in their own coin and it was used iun this one, but we had some bad luck perhaps the date had something to do with it. One of our gas cylinders burst and gassed a lot of our chaps but that was considered a mere nothing..

Our artillery commenced to bombard at 12 noon, and of course the enemy replied.

Several of the German shells found us and put several of our men out of action but nothing put the fear into us...and at two o'clock the arstillery caesed and we were over the top and at them.

Nobody can imagine what a terrible do it was.

Out of five bombers and 16 bomb carriers only myself and another bomber landed and the next second he was hit... Only two of our officers of twenty got through and hundereds of my comrades fell. The 4th Lincolns lost all their officers and and the Leicesters fared the same. Oh it was terrible but we held the redoubt and we soon had reinforcements and although the Germans bombed us for 20 hours we hled on until they 'give over'

..Gemran helmets and other souvenirs were knocking about by the dozen but I didnt pick nything up as I didnt expect to get back"

Frank Smith 1/5th Lincolns

On Friday night 50 of us went back to the battlefield to get the identity discs of the fallen and to cover them up as much as we could. We had just finished when the Germans made a counter attack..onthe positions...but the Coldstreams gave them some humpty and repulsed them. We came in for some shelling but our jam was in and we escaped."

Letter from Frank Smith 1/5th Lincolns.

[andigger]

Will post some photo's when I get back.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Its been a while since the ceremony, but did you get to take (and still have) pics? Andy

[sar2jec]

Thanks for reminding me Andy,

The remembrance service was a great success with fantastic weather. There will definitely be a similar event for the unveiling of the memorial next year. As yet there is no fixed dated date although it will be at a weekend. I post the details when I get them.

The first photo is of Martin Middlebrook and the other three chaps who organised the remembrance. They are stood with the cross and wreath in the middle of what was no-mans land with the German trenched behind them.

Jonathan

[Max]

Hello Jonathan

Could you shrink the image and post again?

Andy

[Ralph J. Whitehead]

Just on a related note, two of the German bodies uncovered by No Man's Land Great War Archaeological Group last February were probably members of the 2nd Coy, 55th RIR, most likely killed on 13 October 1915 during the British attack against the Popp Graben, (the head of the Hohenzollern Redoubt).

They were laid to rest on top of at least 3 other German bodies, one at least from Bavarian RIR 16, Gefreiter Leopold Rothärmel, the subject of the recent show 'Finding the Fallen' who had captured the trench on 3 October.

This is my opinion based upon the finds and the events of fighting. No actual evidence has been found to prove that this is the case but the historic evidence does tend to support this. Hopefully there will be more detail on this subject shortly.

Ralph

[sar2jec]

The Hohenzollern Redoubt was where the trees now are

[sar2jec]

The rememberence serevice: