Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment

[cox1083]

Gents,

I'd be obliged if anyone can shed a little light for me.

My relative - Henry Cox served with Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment, 10th battalion.

He was No. 269057. Killed 20 Sept 1917, commemorated at Tyne Cot Memorial.

These are the only details I have.

Can anyone help me - what would he have been doing?, what action would he have seen?,

is any particular action recorded for his date of death?

Or point me to where i can find these details myself.

Much obliged for any assistance

[ColinY43]

Michael

Did you see http://www.addingham.info/war/ypres.htm

Colin

[myos]

Andy

[Bishy]

Here is a report on the attack on 20/09/1917, it's as follows:-

Report on Attack of Village of Veldhoek and German Lines Immediately East of it and the subsequent Holding of the Green Line by the 10^thDuke of Wellington’s and 8^th Yorkshire Regiment.

“On 19 September. The Battalion moved after 9.30 into trenches and dugouts in the Sanctuary Wood area. This was effected without loss but was carried out under most trying conditions in pitch darkness and heavy rain and with the area not being thoroughly reconnoitred owing to both parties that had been sent out to reconnoitre the previous day having been knocked out by shell fire. The way in which the Companies were handled by their Commanders and the behaviour of the men under the circumstances were most admirable. At about 3.00am (20 September) the Companies began to move up to their assembly positions. The Companies had been ordered to be in position so as to be able to go into their respective positions immediately on these being vacated by the 9^th Yorkshire and the 11^th West Yorkshires, but owing to a party of the 9^th Yorkshires without an officer remaining, Major E. Borrow, temporarily commanding ‘A’ Company for the battle, was unable to get into trenches for a considerable time and the Company suffered severe casualties in consequence. A platoon under 2^nd Lieutenant Hulbred, too, was late in getting into position owing to its Commander and Platoon Sergeant being badly wounded and his platoon suffered considerable casualties. At 8.40am the Companies moved forward in columns of half platoons in file with ‘A’ Company followed by ‘C’ Company on the right – ‘B’ Company followed by ‘D’ Company in the centre and ‘D’ Company 8^th Yorkshires on the extreme left. The latter Company moved up the northern side of Inverness Copse and got through to their jumping off point in good order having the good fortune to get very little barrage on them. The four Companies of this Battalion which had gone through Inverness Copse had apretty heavy barrage put onto them and suffered considerable casualties and arrived at the jumping of point at about 9.10am with ‘B’ Company having lost all its officers except Lieutenant Anderson who, with his platoon, had lost direction somewhat and got to the right of ‘A’ Company, and who arrived in a somewhat disorganised state. But this was pulled together by Captain Payne and the whole line advanced punctually at about 9.53am about ten minutes after I had arrived with my HQ party at the Tower in S.P.1. From this time the advance could be watched from the Tower up to the time when our men disappeared over the ridge just behind the Green Line, though the smoke and dust of the shells made it difficult to see details but it was obvious all was going well. Northampton Farm on the left proved no obstacle to speak of but, just beyond, a line of over a dozen concrete dugouts and pill-boxes were heavily manned and armed with machine guns which, together with the enemy shells, caused a great many casualties to our ‘B’ and ‘D’ Companies. These dugouts were eventually cleared by the Battalion Companies, whilst others to the left were dealt with by the 8^th Yorkshires and these companies took up a line in the dugouts with posts 75 to 100 yards in front which were well dug in within an hour. At the same time Captain Payne, finding no one on his right, formed a defensive flank with one platoon of ‘B’ Company reinforced by two Lewis Guns sections. Meanwhile there was some stiff fighting for some of the concrete dugouts in the village of Veldhoek but these were cleared by the fine manoeuvring of Major Borrow and 2^nd Lieutenant Sparling and Anderson (whose platoon of ‘B’ Company had rather lost direction, but came on the scene just in time). As ‘A’ and ‘C’ Companies attacked the last line of concrete dugouts on the Green Line CSM Parker, observing that the dugouts on the left front of the 13^th Durham Light Infantry were holding them up, attacked from the flank and rear and captured them. This completed the capture of all our objectives and everywhere the troops dug in energetically and by noon our new line was secure,”

[sotonmate]

No earlier service number seen so he must have joined quite late as his number is in the 1917 re-numbering series of the Territorial Force for the DOW West Riding Regt.

Looking at his Effects entry covering money due to his family (Mother Emily) as a result of his death shows that the War Gratuity was £3, which I think equates to his first year in service.