Battle of La Bassee

[Desmond7]

I thought some members might like to read this account of the Battle of La Bassee. While it concentrates on the role of 2nd R Ir Rifles, there are many mentions of other units and their part in the action. Source: Cyril Falls' History of the First 7 Btns. R Ir Rifles in the Great war.

des

III. - THE BATTLE OF LA BASSÉE.

At once the Division was moved up to meet the enemy, the Battalion having two marches, which brought it to Hesdin, and then being packed into motor-buses and taken to Floringhem, when it took up an outpost line. After billeting on the night of the 10th [October 1914] in Pernes, it marched next day to Hinges, and the day after to La Couture, where French cavalry was engaged with the enemy.

The Battle of La Bassée is an action which has been largely overlooked by the general public. It is overshadowed by the still more tremendous fighting which developed farther north. But it is a most critical moment in " the race to the sea."

Its results were disappointing, for with a shade of luck it would have succeeded at least in the consolidation of the Aubers Ridge, which would have had an important influence upon the future campaign on the new British front. The three British corps were being directed, the II on La Bassée, the III upon Armentières, the I upon Ypres. The II Corps was to drive the enemy, not yet assembled in any considerable strength, from La Bassée and press on to Lille. The 3rd Division had deployed along the Aire Canal, its right on Hinges, where it was in touch with the 5th Division.

On its left was the French Cavalry Corps of General Conneau, which was also forming a screen in front, and had detachments, already hard pressed, in La Couture and Richebourg St. Vaast.

The orders issued by the Division at half-past two in the afternoon were for the 8th Brigade, on the left, to advance in the direction of Herlies, on the Aubers Ridge, and the 7th to move into La Couture. The movement was to be a right wheel of the left flank to turn the flank of the enemy engaged with the 5th Division.

Hardly had the 2nd South Lancashire entered La Couture when the enemy in his turn attacked. Company by company, the 2nd Royal Irish Rifles was drawn in. The attack was beaten off, the Battalion having few casualties, among them Captain Master killed and Major Goodman, Captain Smyth, and 2nd-Lieutenant Fitzgerald (Leinster Regiment) wounded.

The 8th Brigade had been held up, and was still at Vieille Chapelle.

At dawn on the 13th the wheel began in earnest, the Battalion advancing on the left of its brigade line. The enemy, consisting of dismounted cavalry and the Jäger battalions attached to German cavalry divisions - admirable troops - fought desperately, and every foot of the advance was contested. By half-past twelve the 3rd Worcestershire had Richebourg St. Vaast, from which the French posts had been driven, with the 2nd South Lancashire on its left. Then came the 2nd Royal Irish Rifles, which had reached the cross-roads of Croix Barbée, but was held up by machine-gun fire from houses just beyond. From this position it was withdrawn for the artillery to shell the village, moving up again after the bombardment. Here Lieutenant A. N. Whitfeld was killed and Lieutenant Heron wounded.

On the 14th there was a pause in the advance, due to enemy counter-attacks and possibly to the death of the 3rd Division's able and popular commander, Major-General Hubert Hamilton, a grievous loss to the British Army. But at 2 p.m. on the 15th, after a bombardment lasting all the morning, the wheel continued.

The 2nd Royal Irish Rifles, in touch with the 8th Brigade on the left, poured through Croix Barbée and reached the main Estaires - La Bassée road at Rouge Croix. Not many casualties were suffered in this day's advance, at the end of which the troops dug hasty entrenchments and pushed forward a line of outposts. October 16th dawned in fog, which considerably hampered the advance. Pivoting on the 2nd South Lancashire, the Royal Irish Rifles swung its left well clear of the main road, and, feeling its way forward in the mist, halted at 11.30 a.m. on the Neuve Chapelle - Fauquissart road. Then, at 2 p.m., the Battalion went forward again. The Des Layes stream was crossed, and by night its line ran from the north-east corner of the Bois du Biez, in touch with the 2nd South Lancashire. This battalion was relieved by the 1st Wiltshire at dark.

The 17th was perhaps the most successful day of the battle, but it was also that which saw the arrival of heavy German reinforcements. The 9th Brigade, which had come up in place of the 8th, drove the enemy out of Aubers, while the French cavalry on its left took Fromelles. The Royal Irish Rifles took Haut Pommereau, on the slopes of the Aubers Ridge.

Then for a moment German resistance seemed to crack. Pressing forward in irresistible fashion, the 9th Brigade took Herlies, beyond the ridge's crest, with the bayonet. But before it had been taken, large bodies of the enemy had been seen moving down from Fournes to La Bassée. It was evident that hotter work was preparing.

In the early hours of the 18th the Battalion was relieved by the 2nd K.O.Y.L.I., [Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry] and moved to Pont Logy, where it had a few hours' rest, being brought back in the evening to east of the Bois du Biez. That day marked the first serious check to the turning movement, an attack upon the village of Illies [illies] by the K.O.Y.L.I. being beaten off. It was, in fact, the turning point of the battle, though Le Pilly was captured next morning, when further efforts of the 7th Brigade to force its way into lilies were unavailing. At night the Battalion again relieved the K.O.Y.L.I. on its outskirts. On the right was the 1st Wiltshire; on the left, the Lincolns, of the 8th Brigade.

The 20th saw the German reserves thrown in with a vengeance in counter-attacks all along the front. The 7th Brigade by afternoon had all its battalions in line, but it held its ground. At night the Battalion was ordered to fall back on Halpegarbe, leaving "C" Company to hold its old position till it was entrenched on the morning of the 21St. That day was desperate fighting, though little of its weight fell upon the Royal Irish Rifles. Under cover of the mist, the Germans penetrated the front of the South Lancashire, on the right of the Brigade line, which was restored by a counter-attack of the 3rd Worcestershire and Royal West Kent. Away to the left the Germans had retaken Le Pilly. The 7th Brigade was obliged to make another slight withdrawal at night.

On the 22nd the battalion of Chasseurs Alpins holding Fromelles was forced out of the village. It was evident that the enemy, at the beginning in an inferiority, was now in a considerable superiority. The commander of the II Corps therefore ordered a further withdrawal at midnight. The 2nd Royal Irish Rifles found itself told off to hold the village of Neuve Chapelle. Three companies dug trenches round the eastern skirts, while the fourth was held in reserve in the school. On the left the line of the 8th Brigade was echeloned back, which constituted a serious weakness. The Battalion's patrols were greeted with volleys of musketry from the 8th Brigade front whenever they ventured too near during the night.

The 24th passed quietly till about dusk, though the Battalion's position in Neuve Chapelle was particularly unpleasant, as the village was the principal target for heavy German artillery about La Bassée. Under this fire, which caused a good deal of loss, the men worked hard in improving the position. Two field guns had been dug into the first line trench, of which, however, one had its recoil spring broken and was put out of action. Then about 5 p.m., after a heavy bombardment, the Germans attacked Neuve Chapelle.

It was a wild evening of volleys fired at the flashes of the enemy's fire or at dim figures distinguished in the darkness, with ever and anon a momentary break-through, men meeting with shouts and oaths on the wet, slippery ground, thrusting at one another with bayonets. For an hour the affair was doubtful.

Then gradually the enemy was shaken off, and by 6 p.m. the attack was definitely repulsed. It had been a fine exhibition of obstinate courage and endurance. Heavy losses had been inflicted on the enemy, to judge by the noise of the wounded in front of our lines, as the Diary grimly remarks. Those who have heard that sound remember it.

But, unfortunately, the enemy had captured some houses on the left flank, from which, working down before light, he took the left part of the Battalion's trench and its remaining field gun. The remains of "B" Company in reserve, three-fourths of which had gone forward to replace casualties, with a platoon of the Lincolns, made a most gallant counter-attack and retook the trench. And then came another taste of the maddening ill-luck that dogged the whole action. Our own artillery, ill informed as to the position, shelled our men out of this portion of the trench.

The Battalion still clung to Neuve Chapelle, but it was now in grievous case. In the last two days it had lost Captains Reynolds and Kennedy and Lieutenant Rea killed, and Lieutenants Lowry and Lavelle wounded. Major Daunt had already been wounded, and the command devolved upon Captain C. S. Dixon, who had not more than four or five officers left with his thinned companies. Two of these, "A" and "C," were moved back to Richebourg St. Vaast for a short rest on the morning of the 26th.

This was the blackest day of all. An enemy attack swept into the village from the north-east corner. "B" and "D" Companies were simply swallowed up, Lieutenants Finlay and Innes-Cross, the only officers with them, and every soul in their ranks, being reported missing. About 6.30 p.m. a counter-attack reoccupied half the village, and the rest of the Battalion, hastily summoned from Richebourg, took its place in the line. South-east of the village their splendid colleagues of the Wiltshire had clung to their trenches even when the enemy was behind them.

On the morning of the 27th the enemy turned the left flank of the Battalion. After terrible fighting from house to house, in which little groups were caught by the oncoming enemy like rocks flooded by a rising tide, Captain Dixon withdrew his handful to the western outskirts in an effort to save his brigade's flank. The battle had become at this point what the soldier aptly calls a "dog fight," a wild fury of rush and counter-rush. By evening there was half a battalion of the 47th Sikhs, hastily moved up, Lincolns, Northumberland Fusiliers, Royal Fusiliers, remnants of the South Lancashire, and French Cyclists sent by General Conneau, clinging to the western edge of Neuve Chapelle, now in flames.

And then at last, after ten days' fighting, the last remnants of the Battalion were moved back to Richebourg St. Vaast. Captain Davis had been killed, Lieutenants Mulcahy-Morgan and Jonsson [sic] were wounded and missing. The body that retired to Richebourg consisted of two officers and forty-six men.

It saw nothing of the bitter fighting on the morrow, when fresh attacks by Indians, French, and odd units of the 3rd and 5th Divisions, with regiments of the 2nd Cavalry Brigade, fought their way once more through Neuve Chapelle. On the 29th it was withdrawn to La Couture, and the 7th Brigade was finally relieved by the Lahore Division. On the 30th it withdrew to Doulieu, and on the last day of the month the whole of the 7th Brigade marched to Merris.

CONDITIONS OF THE BATTLE OF LA BASSÉE

The II Corps had - though, as has been said, the fact has not fully been realized - met very much the same experience as the I Corps at Ypres. The difference, which caused the fighting farther north to be even more terrible, was that there the Germans continued their effort longer and threw in greater forces. But, like Sir Douglas Haig, Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien had taken the offensive and then found himself turned to a desperate effort to hold off greatly superior forces seeking a break-through. Neuve Chapelle was eventually lost, and it wanted a very costly battle next year to retake it.

But by that time the crisis was past. The British line had held. The nation has recognized its debt to the men of Ypres.

It is time it should understand that it owed the safety of the Channel ports no less to those who, in those horrible mauls amid the burning ruins of Neuve Chapelle, stood and died that the enemy might not pass.

[squirrel]

Thanks for posting that account Des. Private Nipper (on my signature) of the 2nd POWOV South Lancashire Regiment was killed there during one of the later counter attacks on Neuve Chapelle.

[lostinspace]

Hello everyone,

A unit that literally "stood and died" was the 2nd Bn. Royal Irish Regiment at Le Pilly. According to the Official History, the Royal Irish captured the village on the 19th of October but were surrounded and by 3 pm the next day forced to surrender. Apparently orders had been issued to retire but never reached them (only 30 men escaped). Total casualties were 17 officers and 561 other ranks - another small but bitter battle that kept the Germans away from the Channel ports.

Oddly enough the village itself seems to have disappeared, maybe as a result of the fighting?

Regards,

lostinspace

[truthergw]

This certainly gives a new slant on the 'race to the sea.' I am interested in the Early Battles of 1915 and was aware there had been earlier clashes in the area but I had no idea that a pitched battle had taken place. By rights, we ought to be referring to The Battle of Neuve Chapelle as II Neuve Chapelle in the same way as we speak of IIYpres. Looks like I may have to start digging back a bit.

[59165]

Nice one,Des!

Tom,if you follow that train of thought,there would be multiple battles newly named like...1st Fromelles,2nd Festubert etc.etc.

& maybe thats a good thing.

Dave.

[woolly]

Thanks Desmond.

John Lucy also provides a very graphic account of this battle from a section commander's point of view in his book 'There's A Devil In The Drum'. A riveting read!

Woolly

[razu]

All,

La Bassee!

Andrei

[59165]

Nah kid,

La Bassay!!!!!!!!!!!

David

[razu]

then,

3times for La Bassay!

Andrei

[truthergw]

Been there, got lots of traffic roundabouts and chip stands.

[hillgorilla]

An area that should not be forgotten, the British Army fought and held in this area in 1914 and 1915, indeed on the 25/01/1915 there was a German attack at the Brickstacks near to Cuinchy. The Guards regiments were involved in this area in late 1914 and early 1915.

[DCLI]

An area that should not be forgotten, the British Army fought and held in this area in 1914 and 1915, indeed on the 25/01/1915 there was a German attack at the Brickstacks near to Cuinchy. The Guards regiments were involved in this area in late 1914 and early 1915.

My great uncles, 1st Bn DCLI was taken prisoner here.

[Guest]

I’ve attached some pages from my grandfathers soldiers book. He survived La Bassee but had 36 operations in his lifetime before his wounds eventually took him.

He was actually scouting when he was shot in the chest and shoulder. He was then bayoneted whilst still conscious. He had been told by the older men to lie still if he was wounded because he should not be taken prisoner by the Germans.

He had a T shaped hole in his chest where the blade had pierced his left lung and two holes on the right side, high up in his chest and shoulder.

The bloodstains are clearly shown on the cover of his Soldiers Book which he carried in his left top pocket.

I have his medals - 14/15 Star. Campaign. Victory. Plus some photo’s.

He always praised the Indian Soldiers for their bravery. He also had great respect for The Salvation Army, without which, he said he would not have survived.

He never forgave the Germans for what he saw.

[Matlock1418]

3 hours ago, Greg Hurt said:

I’ve attached some pages from my grandfathers soldiers book.

Greg,

Welcome to GWF.

A very fine example from your grandfather's army life - thanks very much for sharing - I am sure you hold it, medals etc. and memories very dear.

You may know that recently the Western Front Association saved pension records and now in association with Ancestry/Fold3 they are available on line.

Walter Ernest PERRY, 13572 Worcestershire Regiment born 1895

What might be of more especially particular interest to you is that he has a Ledger record on which his address was recorded as 99 Bloomsbury St, Birmingham and later changed to 40 Avenue Rd, Aston

He was recorded as having a Gun Shot Wound Thorax and Fractured Right Humerus and was discharged 24.6.15 which fits nicely with his Small Book and that he was recorded as having 60% disablement 20.12.1920 = 24/- per week pension, reducing to 50% disablement 9.6.1921 = 20/- pw pension finally reducing to 40% disablement by 16/8/1922 = 16/- pw pension for life

:-) M

[Guest]

Thank you so much for this information it has made a big difference to my understanding.

My mother ( his daughter) died last year and she had passed on his story to me.

He died a few years before I was born.

In her papers I found his death certificate which referred to his war wounds.

I will post this together with some photos of him.

My mum always referred to a bayonet scar on his left side. I wonder why this wasn’t recorded?

Apparently, when Birmingham was being bombed in ww2 he refused to go into the Anderson shelter and stood in the road shaking his fist! She said he was only a frail small fellow but he reared up when Germany was mentioned.

Thanks again, I will now let my kids know what you’ve discovered.

I will sort some more photos and post them.

 

Greg.

[bradley]

Please do Greg,would love to put a face to a soldier that went through La Basee 1914.
John Lucy`s account of his battle there is an incredible viscereal experience.

[Invicta Moto]

On 02/04/2009 at 16:14, lostinspace said:

Hello everyone,

A unit that literally "stood and died" was the 2nd Bn. Royal Irish Regiment at Le Pilly. According to the Official History, the Royal Irish captured the village on the 19th of October but were surrounded and by 3 pm the next day forced to surrender. Apparently orders had been issued to retire but never reached them (only 30 men escaped). Total casualties were 17 officers and 561 other ranks - another small but bitter battle that kept the Germans away from the Channel ports.

Oddly enough the village itself seems to have disappeared, maybe as a result of the fighting?

Regards,

lostinspace

 

I had read about this but never associated with any relatives that died in WW1.  My wife Claire's Grandmother, Mary Ellen O'Leary,  was from Cork, and her older brother Timothy was killed "early" in the war when she was a little girl. 

 

Though the English side of the family lost touch with the Irish side we pieced together from family records (in the US as well as more locally)  that her brother was Timothy O'Leary killed 19th October 1914 near Le Pilly.  He has no known grave and is commemorated on the monument at Le Touret.

 

Since we got all this together we haven't been over to pay our respects due to Covid etc.   

Edited 19 October , 2020 by Invicta Moto
spelling!

[Invicta Moto]

On 22/09/2011 at 16:39, DCLI said:

 

 

On 07/04/2009 at 08:57, hillgorilla said:

An area that should not be forgotten, the British Army fought and held in this area in 1914 and 1915, indeed on the 25/01/1915 there was a German attack at the Brickstacks near to Cuinchy. The Guards regiments were involved in this area in late 1914 and early 1915.

 

 

The action around Cuinchy was where Michael O'Leary won the VC - http://www.vconline.org.uk/michael-j-oleary-vc/4587805344

[prisoner]

I'm currently researching my grandfathers war history. I have discovered he was in the Lancashire Fusiliers and was also severely wounded at La Bassee.

Its an interesting journey to discover what these heroes went through.