Defence of Lateau Wood and Pam Pam Farm

[Jonathan Saunders]

Today I am specifically remembering 4 officers of the 6 Royal West Kents that fought in the retirement from Lateau Wood and Pam Pam Farm against an overwhelming enemy force:

Lt Col Dawson – shot through the mouth when he went forward to take personal command of the defence of Lateau Wood (took the Bttn HQ Staff with him). Fortunately he was got away when he lost consciousness from his wound. Later DOW 3/12/1918.

Capt Hodgson-Smith – wounded in shoulder and right-hand. Taken POW when in an advanced position. Survived incarceration and was repatriated following the amputation of two fingers. Hodgy sadly died of natural courses in 1928, at the young age of 41.

Capt Dove – Adj. Taken POW when defending forward position after Dawson had been hit. Managed to escape and rejoin the remnants of his unit next day. Survived and believed to have gone into business in Singapore and the Far East.

Capt Thomas wounded (gsw to jaw if my memory serves me) in defence of 37 Bge HQ. Died in 1968 having had a successful career as author and long-term Editor of the BBC The Listener.

From the Regimental History – this account was written primarily by Capt Hodgson-Smith.

Quote:

The 6th was still holding these trenches, having been ten days on end in the line, when about 7 a.m. on November 30th a tremendous bombardment was suddenly opened along the whole British front line. It developed rapidly in intensity and within a short time all communications with the front line were severed. The Battalion Headquarters of the 6th R.W.K. were on the reverse slope of a hill behind the Northern end of Lateau Wood. Directly the shelling started Captain Hodgson-Smith, who was now second in command, took the whole headquarters party and posted them in a sunken road just in front, ready to form a rallying point should the men in front get pushed in. Before long stragglers were coming back from the N.E. towards the 37th Brigade Headquarters at the Western end of Bonavis Ridge, with Germans behind them. This advance was checked by the Brigade signallers and other details, and in the same way Captain Hodgson-Smith’s party began to get targets in Germans advancing on their left, while directly afterwards the Buffs, who were in Brigade support, counter-attacked and re-covered Pam Pam Farm, to which the enemy had already penetrated. This counter-stoke, delivered about 8.15 a.m., held the enemy up for a time and allowed of the extrication of some of the East Surreys from the front line South of Bonavis Farm. For a time, apparently, the Buffs got touch with the 6th R.W.K. also, for at 10.20 they reported them as holding on.

However, the enemy continued to press hard, especially against the left of the Buffs, and about 10.30 forced them back. As they fought their way to the Hindenburg Support Line the few survivors of the 6th Battalion Headquarters, under Captain Dove, the Adjutant, joined in with them. These had put up a good fight against overwhelming numbers who had at first advanced against them in front and on the left, where, as one survivor writes, “the Germans came pouring on in masses like a Bank Holiday crowd.” Those in front the Headquarters’ party had promptly shot down, but almost immediately grey figures began emerging from Lateau Wood more to the right, and the post was before long practically surrounded and its garrison overpowered. Captain Hodgson-Smith was twice wounded, the second time very badly, and taken, and only a few got away. Colonel Dawson had been wounded rather before this, exposing himself as usual in the endeavour to discover for himself what was happening, but he had been safely got away. N.E. of La Vacquerie, however, a successful stand was made by about 250 men, mainly Buffs, but including about 60 East Surreys and nearly 20 R.W.K’s. Touch was obtained with the 36th Brigade on the right and with the Twentieth Division on the left, and the position was maintained, so that at last the enemy’s advance was checked.

Before this, however, the gallant resistance of the companies in the front line had been overpowered. Strung out over a long front—C Company for example had only 4 officers and 42 men to hold a front of 400 yards—they had been subjected to the bombardment followed by attacks in force on both flanks. The main attack on the Twelfth Division seems to have come against its right from Bantouzelle with a subordinate attack from Voleurs Bridge which made less progress, while the advance which had threatened the 37th Brigade’s Headquarters at 8 a.m. and the main pressure on the Buffs after their counter-attack developed more from the North-East, where another weakened and exhausted Division was trying to hold a line too long for its numbers. Apparently the first breach was effected through the very thinly-held front of the Fifty-Fifth Division on the right, for the reports of the survivors of the front-line companies describe the enemy as first assailing them from the right flank. The men, tired as they were and hopelessly outnumbered by fresh troops, put up a fine fight, though the denseness of Lateau Wood and the incomplete state of the defences were all against them, while the fact that the Canal bridges had been left intact, despite all Colonel Dawson’s urgent representations to be allowed to demolish them, did prove exceedingly useful, but unfortunately useful to the enemy. Thus, C Company, after a stubborn struggle against heavy attacks in flank and rear, were forced back to a strong point 100 yards East of Le Quennet Farm where the survivors kept the enemy at bay for another two hours, inflicting many casualties on them. At last, however, when every cartridge had been expended, the enemy penetrated into the strong point and compelled the dozen men who were left to lay down their arms. A Company in like manner had first found targets in enemy advancing to their right and had then been attacked in front and flank by large forces advancing on their left more from the direction of Masnières. These, too, they engaged, but to escape being surrounded they had to fall back to some gun-pits a little way in rear. Here, too, they made a stand, but with the Germans already in their rear and on both flanks, ammunition running short and no help forthcoming, surrender could not be long delayed. The fate of the other companies was much the same. Hardly a man got away; the only men who reached Battalion Headquarters before it was overwhelmed were runners bringing back messages, and the fight which was put up is a page in the history of the battalion of which it has every reason to feel proud. Outnumbered and exhausted, the men did all that was humanly possible and their resistance went far to take the sting out of the German attack and to leave them unable to extend their success or maintain all their gains.

During the night a few men managed to rejoin Captain Dove’s party which, by the time that the remnants of the 37th Brigade were relieved, had grown to 52 men. Captain Dove, however, was among the few casualties of December 1st, on which day the position remained unaltered, for though the enemy kept up a fairly steady shellfire he attempted no attack. Early on the 2nd a battalion of the Sixty-First Division took over the line and the 37th Brigade went back to Heudecourt. It was a sad termination to an operation which had opened so brilliantly, but that the Twelfth Division had fought on November 30th under the greatest disadvantages is clear, and though overpowered it had put up a stubborn fight and taken a heavy toll of the enemy. None of the officers in the front line of the 6th R.W.K. escaped. Captain Martyn, 2nd Lieuts. Carey, Sanders and Hodge proved to have been killed, Captain Hodgson-Smith, Lieut. S. G. Wright and half a-dozen 2nd Lieuts. were taken and nearly 250 other ranks were killed or missing. Colonel Dawson and Captain Thomas, who had also been hit quite early on the 30th, had been safely evacuated.

Unquote.

In memory of those that were killed on this day 90 years ago:

G/17766 Private ALEXANDER GEORGE HENRY 28 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

S/8545 L/Cpl AMOS JAMES 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/8888 Private ANDERSON WILLIAM 21 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/25324 Private ANSTY ALFRED 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/23717 Private AXFORD FRANK 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/25104 Private BENN ALBERT EDWARD 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/7426 Private BERRY ERNEST ALFRED 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/12815 Private BLACKMAN HARRY 38 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/16622 Private BRISTER JAMES ALFRED 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

240932 Private BURKE CHARLES GEORGE 29 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/711 Private CRUCKSHANK JAMES GEORGE 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

L/10416 Private CURTIS THOMAS PATRICK 21 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/12484 Private DAVIS WILLIAM ALBERT 31 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/5390 L/Cpl FARDON JOSHUA 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/18640 Private FRENCH HAROLD SAMUEL 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/10431 Private GRIFFIN SIDNEY GEORGE 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

240972 Private HARDING ALBERT CHARLES 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/17623 Private HILL EDWARD JAMES 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

2/Lt HODGE LIONEL CLIFFORD 28 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/6255 Corporal JACKSON THOMAS 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/18923 Private KAMESTER JOSEPH 26 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/17422 Private LEVERETT HENRY JAMES 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

Captain MARTYN EDGAR SPEAR 21 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/11306 Private NASH HARRY 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/8663 Private NEAL PERCY VICTOR 19 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/24727 Private PEACOCK WILLIAM JOHN COX 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

241350 Private PERKINS ERNEST VICTOR 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/4758 Private ROWLSTONE RANDALL 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

2/Lt SANDERS SYDNEY ELPHICK 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/750 Private SEAGAR ARTHUR 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

242254 Private THOMAS ALBERT EDWARD 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/1240 Private VILLERS JOHN 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/1409 Private WHITE AMHURST 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

L/11039 L/Cpl WHYMAN LEONARD JOHN 19 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

206358 Private WIGGINS FRANK BRANSON 21 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/1734 Private WRIGHT JOHN HENRY 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/11873 L/Cpl WHITAKER WILLIAM GEORGE 22 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

2/Lt CAREY MANSEL ERNEST 32 30-Nov-17

G/19133 Private BURNARD HORACE ARTHUR 26 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

131 Corporal SCADENG W J 24 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/18918 Corporal MEWETT F C 25 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/23138 Private MORRISON G E 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

G/6570 Private WATERS ARTHUR 21 6th Bn. 30-Nov-17

[armourersergeant]

Thank you for that account, very interesting.

Not forgotten.

Arm

[Michael]

Nice write-up Jon

Also remembering the boys from the other side of the Medway who died on the 30th. None of them have known graves.

Rank Surname Forename Decorations Serial Company Battalion Age

Second Lieutenant BEER ROBERT GERALD 4th Bn att 6th Bn 24

Private BONWICK WILLIAM CHARLES G/18841 6th Bn

Second Lieutenant BUNGARD ERIC GEORGE 6th Bn

Private BUTCHER CHARLES HORACE L/7583 6th Bn

Major CATTLEY CYRIL FRANCIS M C 1st Bn att 6th Bn

Private CHALKLEY ARTHUR G/21208 6th Bn

Private CHARLTON JAMES SCOTT T/203521 6th Bn

Private EBSWORTH GEORGE T/203558 6th Bn 36

Private ELLIOTT WILLIAM EDWARD L/9819 6th Bn 24

Private ELLIS CHARLES HENRY G/18907 6th Bn

Private EVE GEORGE G/6324 6th Bn 22

Private FLIGHT PETER THOMAS M M G/5575 6th Bn

Private FLISHER HAROLD STEPHEN G/650 6th Bn

Private GOLDSMITH GEORGE WILLIAM T/242570 6th Bn

Private GORE DANIEL G/4700 6th Bn

Private GOULBORN PERCY LESLIE G/24074 6th Bn

Lance Corporal GREEN ALBERT T/203643 6th Bn

Private GUY HAROLD STANLEY G/4518 6th Bn 23

Private HAMMOND WALTER PRINGLE T/203573 6th Bn

Corporal HOGBEN ALBERT G/771 6th Bn

Private HOLMANS ARTHUR GEORGE G/142 6th Bn 20

Private HOOKER GEORGE G/21441 6th Bn

Second Lieutenant HORRABIN MAURICE PINNEY """B"" Coy" 4th Bn att 6th Bn 31

Private HUBBARD ERNEST G/20144 6th Bn 21

Private IGGLESDEN HAROLD WILLIAM EDWARD T/203587 6th Bn 22

Private JARRETT ALBERT G/197 6th Bn 33

Lance Corporal JODE EDWARD T/203570 6th Bn

Private JONES ERNEST T/203590 6th Bn

Private LAVENDER WILLIAM HENRY G/21285 6th Bn

Private MASON ROBERT LEONARD T/242576 6th Bn

Private MONK ALFRED ROWLAND G/243 6th Bn 30

Private NEWBY WALTER G/24726 6th Bn

Lance Serjeant OATES WILLIAM THOMAS G/4538 6th Bn

Private PETTICAN CHARLES WILLIAM G/18995 6th Bn 37

Corporal PLUMBRIDGE EDWARD G/682 6th Bn

Lance Corporal REEVES WILLIAM FRANK G/5556 6th Bn 34

Private ROOME CHARLES HENRY T/242631 6th Bn

Private ROSIER WILLIAM HENRY G/18819 6th Bn

Private RYAN JOSEPH BERNARD G/18968 6th Bn 36

Private SPRACKLAND WILLIAM LEONARD G/2160 6th Bn 33

Lance Corporal SWANN PERCY FRANCIS G/23845 6th Bn

Lieutenant WALLIS FREDERICK GEORGE 6th Bn 26

Private WEBB ERNEST STEPHEN G/14015 6th Bn

Second Lieutenant WELLDON JAMES HOSTE 6th Bn 19

Private WHITE GEORGE THOMAS L/7918 6th Bn 35

Private YATES ARTHUR G/14031 6th Bn

Private YOUNG CHARLES THOMAS G/6088 6th Bn

Mick

[Jonathan Saunders]

Also remembering the boys from the other side of the Medway who died on the 30th.

Absolutely! It was a sad day for the Men of Kent and Kentish Men alike.

[charlesmessenger]

Jonathan

Many thanks for that,especially since I was at Lateau Wood and Pam Pam Farm last weekend. I would also like to remember all ranks of the 8th Royal Fusiliers who fell during that counter-attack, especially their CO, Lt Col Neville Elliott-Cooper DSO MC, who was grievously wounded and captured while leading a successful counter-attack to regain Bonavis Ridge and was later awarded the VC, but died in German hands. It was fascinating to be able to stand in the middle of 8 RF's defensive position and describe what happened to a party from the Royal Tank Regiment.

Charles M

[Jonathan Saunders]

Thanks for the additional names of Lt Col Elliott-Cooper and all ranks of the 8th Royal Fusiliers.

Regards,

Jonathan S

[isanders]

Thanks Jonathan for remembering the RWK who died today, especially my Gt Uncle 2/Lt SANDERS SYDNEY ELPHICK 6th Bn. RWK

Lateau Wood Nov 2006

Same view of Lateau Wood 1917

More photos Here

[Jonathan Saunders]

Ian - thanks for adding the photos to this thread and those I left to commemorate the actions of the 6 Bttn on the 20 November.

Regards,

Jonathan S