5th Dorset

[cliff brown]

Seeking information on 5th Dorset during the 11th Div attack at Poelcappelle on Oct 4, 1917. I have the info from Chris McCarthy's Passchendaele Day by Day, but war diary or similar info would be very useful.

Thanks

[uncle bill]

Hi Cliff

this is from the history of the regiment

"By the time the 11th division came in for their second turn in the offensive the British line had been carried some way east of the positions the Division had secured in August. The front which the 32nd Bde. now took over ran from east of White House and Pheasant Farm, north east of New Houses and through Quebec Farm, being thus within striking distance of Poelcapelle, the objective in this quarter of the next attack. For this the 33rd (left) and 34th (right) Brigades were detailed, with the Lancashire Fusiliers (right) and the Manchesters (left) in the 34th's front line and the Dorsets in support.

The 32nd Bde. was duly relieved on the evening of October 2nd, on which the Dorsets came up by bus from Herzelle to the familiar Dirty Bucket Camp. Next morning they moved forward to Siege Camp, spent the day there and advanced again at 8 pm to dugouts at Meurat Shelters. At 3 pm on October 4th, the day fixed for the attack, A and D companies proceeded up the line with orders to move forward and occupy the line they had vacated in rear of the assaulting battalions. B and C were to leave the shelters at 5.30 am and get into position by 8 am east of the Steenbeek, norht west and south east of Maison Bulgare, where Lt Col Hannay had his battalion headquarters. The ground was a mass of shell holes, but for once the weather was fine and despite fairly heavy shelling and several casualties the companies reached their assigned positions in time, Battalion HQ shifting forward to Bullow Farm.

The attack had meanwhile gone forward, the first objective or Red Dotted Line being taken by both brigades with fair ease and without heavy casualties. While the troops were waiting on the first objective before advancing to the second a counter attack began to develop, but was disposed of without a summons to the Dorsets, who were specially detailed to deal with counter attacks. More resistance was encountered when the leading battalions pushed on towards the second objective and casualties were heavier, but this line was duly reached and taken. For a moment there seemed to be a chance of exploiting the success gained by capturing the Green Dotted Line, which included Meunier Farm and Beek Houses. With this object the battalion was ordered forward soon after midday, and by 3 pm it had reached the Red Dotted Line. Then, however, came a change of plan; the situation on the left was uncertain and asuccessful attack promised merely to land the assailants in a slaient too pronounced to be defensible. The 5th had therefore to return to their original positions , and skilfully as the movement was made the net result was a considerable addition to the casualty list, the day's total coming to over sixty,among the killed being Captain Dancer, who had won the MC just a year earlier at Mouquet Farm.

The night of October 4/5th , therefore, A and D companies spent in Beer Trench, with B and C back near the Steenbeek.

[cliff brown]

Many thanks. GWF to the rescue again!

[ali_Dug]

HI uncle bill & Cliff

I think we are reading war diaries from the same time but from different battalions.....I've got similar info from 11th Manchesters with which my grt. uncle Ernest Newby belonged. Ernest was in S Coy., and was in Pheasant trench / in line of shell holes on 3rd October. he was wounded and subsequently died on 17th october. The 11th Mchr diaries state the day went without incident. i was wondering if there was any additional information that would add some information to his story from your diarires?

regards.

alison