1st/6th Btn. Gloucestershire Regiment - May 1915

[Mangoman]

My grand uncle Arthur James Cyril Blackmore was killed on the night of 31st May 1915 at Ploegsteert. Her served in 7 Platoon, 'B' Company of the 1st/6th Btn. Glos. Regiment (TF). Can someone help me in tracing the whereabouts of the battalion during the month of May 1915 prior to Arthur meeting his death?

Many thanks

[rogerh0343]

Hi

The territorial battalions 1/4, 1/5 and 1/6th landed in France at the end of March 1915.The 1/6th battalion was in support of the 1/4th Gloucestershires and the 1/7th Worcesters on 17th April at Ploegstreet. Everard Wyrall states "There were no incidents of outstanding importance during the time that the 3 Gloucestershire Territorial battalions were at "Plugstreet" to give it its popular name. The 1/4th and 1/6th were on the eastern edges of Ploegstreet Wood as part of 144 Brigade.

However he also states "that at the end of May mining activities were commenced by the Germans blowing a mine opposite the 1/6th Battalion front. Mines in those days were a novelty and this occurence drew crowds of red-hatted spectators to view the crater. The mine and subsequent shelling did very little damage however.

The mine crater extended from the edge of our wire into no man's land. At dusk two parties, each under a subaltern, were ordered to seize and consolidate the crater . They were provided with Mills Bombs which had just been received for the first time. Simultaneously the Germans set out to consolidate their side of the crater - they were driven off by our consolidating parties who then carried on their work successfully". No mention made of any casualties. This is taken from the The Gloucestershire Regiment In the War 1914-18 Pages 129-130.

The only other mention for the 1/6th was that on 10/4/1915 Armentieres. Battalion arrived to be attached to 17th Infantry Brigade for instruction.

Regards

Roger

[rogerh0343]

Hi

Casualties amongst officers April to middle of October 1915 for 1/6th was 1 killed and 2 wounded.

2nd Lieutenant W H Young 30th May 1915 was the fatality.

Roger

[Seadog]

Mangoman, you may be interested to view this set of photos etc from a 1/6 man.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/glosters/sets...57601071707940/

Cheers

Norman

[Guest philhull]

Hi Mangoman,

My grandfather was also a member of the 1/6 Gloucesters. I've done some research on the topic and fortunately there a couple of diaries written by battalion members in the Imperial War Museum. Unfortunately your relative is not mentioned by name so I can't tell you exactly how he died. However, I've included some information about how other casualties were caused around that time.

Essentially the 1/6 Gloucesters spent the entire month of May 1915 in the Ploegsteert area as other replies have said. The battalion arrived in France at the beginning of April and spent a short period of instruction in trench warfare in the Armentieres area before moving to Ploegsteert.

The 1/6 held the area around the small hamlet of Le Gheer near the south eastern tip of Ploegsteert wood. On its northern edge the section of line held by the battalion came close to a German strongpoint known as the Birdcage at the hamlet of Le Pelerin. This strongpoint contained numerous machine guns could bring enfilade fire (which I understand to be fire from the side, or down the trench) on the Gloucesters' position

Your great uncle is buried at Lancashire Cottage Cemetery. This lies next to where a medical dressing station was sited by the road that troops used to move between their billets in the village and the front line at Le Gheer.

According to the diary of HN Edwards the Germans shelled Ploegsteert village on the Monday morning of May 31, 1915 and hit the officers quarters near the brewery setting it on fire and sending a large cloud of smoke into the sky. This gave the German artillery something to aim at and they fired more shells around the same spot. In the afternoon the Germans again shelled the village demolishing a couple of houses British artillery replied and a premature burst of shrapnel sprayed the around.

Edwards, who was part of the machine gun section, then had to leave the village and move forward to the trenches. On the way into their gun position they were spotted by a sniper bullets shot up around their feet and a lance corporal, Harry Lea, was shot through the chest. They carried him back to the road in a blanket and then stretcher bearers carried down to the doctor - presumably at Lancashire farm. He survived for some time but later died of his wounds.

The diary of MR Evans says that the 4th and 6th Gloucesters greatly improved the position in front of Le Gheer and built Bristol trench. However, this was a very exposed position, he says, and the work cost many casualties, including 2nd Lt Young. From other accounts of the war that I have read this sort construction work was often done at night in the open and the working parties hoped not be be detected and exposed to machine gun fire, which was apparently frequent from the Birdcage.

Evans states that the Germans generally didn't do much shelling of the front lines, tending regularly to send a few shells into Ploegsteert wood and the rear. However, there was plenty of rifle fire.

Evans states that during their first time in the line in May a "first class" German sniper was in operation and soldiers called Cook and Dyer were both killed by this sniper. He says because they were new to the trenches soldiers sometimes got tempted to look over the top of the parapet. A similar story is told in a prose poem by a writer called Holdar Roome, who also served in 1/6 battalion. A lance corporal told him to stand down because it was getting light and to use his periscope. The corporal then stood on the fire step himself and said "good morning fritz" and was immediately shot through the head.

I hope this is helpful. I can post some more information about other activities in May if you want them. There is also a book by Tony Spagnoly and Ted Smith called A Walk Around Plugstreet which describes this area during the war and has useful maps etc.

[Mangoman]

Hi Mangoman,

My grandfather was also a member of the 1/6 Gloucesters. I've done some research on the topic and fortunately there a couple of diaries written by battalion members in the Imperial War Museum. Unfortunately your relative is not mentioned by name so I can't tell you exactly how he died. However, I've included some information about how other casualties were caused around that time.

Essentially the 1/6 Gloucesters spent the entire month of May 1915 in the Ploegsteert area as other replies have said. The battalion arrived in France at the beginning of April and spent a short period of instruction in trench warfare in the Armentieres area before moving to Ploegsteert.

The 1/6 held the area around the small hamlet of Le Gheer near the south eastern tip of Ploegsteert wood. On its northern edge the section of line held by the battalion came close to a German strongpoint known as the Birdcage at the hamlet of Le Pelerin. This strongpoint contained numerous machine guns could bring enfilade fire (which I understand to be fire from the side, or down the trench) on the Gloucesters' position

Your great uncle is buried at Lancashire Cottage Cemetery. This lies next to where a medical dressing station was sited by the road that troops used to move between their billets in the village and the front line at Le Gheer.

According to the diary of HN Edwards the Germans shelled Ploegsteert village on the Monday morning of May 31, 1915 and hit the officers quarters near the brewery setting it on fire and sending a large cloud of smoke into the sky. This gave the German artillery something to aim at and they fired more shells around the same spot. In the afternoon the Germans again shelled the village demolishing a couple of houses British artillery replied and a premature burst of shrapnel sprayed the around.

Edwards, who was part of the machine gun section, then had to leave the village and move forward to the trenches. On the way into their gun position they were spotted by a sniper bullets shot up around their feet and a lance corporal, Harry Lea, was shot through the chest. They carried him back to the road in a blanket and then stretcher bearers carried down to the doctor - presumably at Lancashire farm. He survived for some time but later died of his wounds.

The diary of MR Evans says that the 4th and 6th Gloucesters greatly improved the position in front of Le Gheer and built Bristol trench. However, this was a very exposed position, he says, and the work cost many casualties, including 2nd Lt Young. From other accounts of the war that I have read this sort construction work was often done at night in the open and the working parties hoped not be be detected and exposed to machine gun fire, which was apparently frequent from the Birdcage.

Evans states that the Germans generally didn't do much shelling of the front lines, tending regularly to send a few shells into Ploegsteert wood and the rear. However, there was plenty of rifle fire.

Evans states that during their first time in the line in May a "first class" German sniper was in operation and soldiers called Cook and Dyer were both killed by this sniper. He says because they were new to the trenches soldiers sometimes got tempted to look over the top of the parapet. A similar story is told in a prose poem by a writer called Holdar Roome, who also served in 1/6 battalion. A lance corporal told him to stand down because it was getting light and to use his periscope. The corporal then stood on the fire step himself and said "good morning fritz" and was immediately shot through the head.

I hope this is helpful. I can post some more information about other activities in May if you want them. There is also a book by Tony Spagnoly and Ted Smith called A Walk Around Plugstreet which describes this area during the war and has useful maps etc.

Phiz,

If you have any more information on the 1/6th Btn during 1915 I'd love to hear from you.