andyelliman Posted 2 September , 2007 Share Posted 2 September , 2007 I am visiting Loos on 25th September on the 92nd anniversary of the battle.My Grandfather first went into action that morning with the 12th (Service) Battalion of the Rifle Brigade in the attack towards Fromelles adj the Barielly bde. I would like to understand more about that morning and would be interested to see any maps and especially their war diary. Does anyone have this information? Thanks. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 2 September , 2007 Share Posted 2 September , 2007 Andy, I thought that I had put the 12th Rifle Brigade's War Diary in another thread for you, however, I have all the 12th RB's War Diary if you need pieces from it. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyelliman Posted 2 September , 2007 Author Share Posted 2 September , 2007 Andy, I thought that I had put the 12th Rifle Brigade's War Diary in another thread for you, however, I have all the 12th RB's War Diary if you need pieces from it. Andy Stiletto.You very kindly did.I am after a bit more of the diary.up to the end of 1917 when my Grandfather (Percy Bell S/64) was transferred to the Labour Corps at Boulogne as a clerk. I am told he was a sniper (he won RB shooting prizes at Bisley in 1914) and was buried alive in a later engagement.He was transferred because of severe shell shock.I wanted to find out if he crops up anywhere other than in the orders I posted which you replied to a year or so ago. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 2 September , 2007 Share Posted 2 September , 2007 Andy, I will have a little look for you. Checked the 1914 Chronicle to see if there was anything about shooting prizes, but, not suprisingly it was all taken up with the war. Do you know if he was injured at all during his service???. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyelliman Posted 3 September , 2007 Author Share Posted 3 September , 2007 Andy, I will have a little look for you. Checked the 1914 Chronicle to see if there was anything about shooting prizes, but, not suprisingly it was all taken up with the war. Do you know if he was injured at all during his service???. And He wasn't injured to my knowledge.He may have won the shooting title in early 1915 because they went to France in July 1915.Looks to me that he got shell shock from some stage of The Somme battle in 1916. I have the communications I found in his pay book relating to early morning of 25th Sept which I previously posted and intend to us the maps to visit the actual spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBrockway Posted 3 September , 2007 Share Posted 3 September , 2007 I am after a bit more of the diary.up to the end of 1917 when my Grandfather (Percy Bell S/64) was transferred to the Labour Corps at Boulogne as a clerk. Andy Andy, Can you clarify? Are you still after further detail on the 25th Sept 1915 Fromelles attack? This was also probably my grandfather's first serious action. If I remember correctly, there was an extensive Topic on this a while ago which included some sketch maps from the 2nd Black Watch, but that might be the Topic you and stiletto are already aware of. This caught my eye, because I think one of the maps and some of the references in the 2/BW war diary incorrectly referenced 12/RB as 12/KRRC, which was my grandfather's battalion. 12/KRRC were involved in the battle, but were further N along the line and gave supporting fire on the left flank of the attack. As far as I know they did not leave the British line. It'll take me a bit of searching, but I should be able to find it as I made a post in it myself. Let me know. Cheers, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyelliman Posted 3 September , 2007 Author Share Posted 3 September , 2007 Andy, Can you clarify? Are you still after further detail on the 25th Sept 1915 Fromelles attack? This was also probably my grandfather's first serious action. If I remember correctly, there was an extensive Topic on this a while ago which included some sketch maps from the 2nd Black Watch, but that might be the Topic you and stiletto are already aware of. This caught my eye, because I think one of the maps and some of the references in the 2/BW war diary incorrectly referenced 12/RB as 12/KRRC, which was my grandfather's battalion. 12/KRRC were involved in the battle, but were further N along the line and gave supporting fire on the left flank of the attack. As far as I know they did not leave the British line. It'll take me a bit of searching, but I should be able to find it as I made a post in it myself. Let me know. Cheers, Mark Correct.I started that topic last summer because I have orders from that morning's battle.12th (S) Rifle Brigade were my Grandfather's regiment which he joined on 4th Sept 1914,they were originally very ill-equipped and went to France on 21st July 1915. I am hoping someone may have some pictures,maps or other references to his unit. cheers, Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 3 September , 2007 Share Posted 3 September , 2007 Mark, It was one of Andy's original posts on the 12th RB. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBrockway Posted 3 September , 2007 Share Posted 3 September , 2007 Mark, It was one of Andy's original posts on the 12th RB. Andy Quite right! And here's a Link to it for those who missed it first time around: Loos,25th September 1915, attack towards Fromelles by Bareilly Division Cheers, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 3 September , 2007 Share Posted 3 September , 2007 This was a diversionary attack to help the Battle of Loos, itself a diversionary attack for the huge French efforts in Artois and Champagne. Loos was so small in comparison to those battles that it does not warrant a separate name in French or German histories. It failed utterly in its original intention of diverting German reserves. Fromelles was to be the scene of another diversionary attack a year later in 1916 when the Battle of the Somme was launched. This time, Australian troops suffered badly to no avail. Diversions tended to be costly affairs since very little resources would be diverted to them from the main attack. So, very little artillery preparation or support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Watch Posted 4 September , 2007 Share Posted 4 September , 2007 Does anyone know what "the chimney" was. I visited the area in April. from the moulin I could see what looked like a low building. (Pillbox maybe). I'd say it was about 5/600 yards or so from the moulin to the SW. Is this "the chimney"? (the picture was taken from close to the moulin, so the attack was more or less from the right) Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBrockway Posted 3 October , 2007 Share Posted 3 October , 2007 Pals, I've posted a 1918 Trench Map of this area in another topic: Pietre Mill /Moulin de Pietre trench map The Moulin is 'Pietre Mill' in the centre of the lower right quadrant. Winchester Road (presumably named after Rifles Depot??) crosses the edge of the map just S of the top left corner. The road bend in Mauquissart is 3/4s down the centre line. I assume the cluster of blue symbols just left of the centre line represents the craters caused by exploding the mine. Cheers, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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