1 Bn Kings Royal Rifle Co., 2nd Division

[jainvince]

One of our local soldiers was included in the casualty returns in the Rochdale Times for September 1918.

George W. Beswicke aged 25, 1st Batt, Kings Royal Rifle Corps, died on Thursday the 5 September 1918. I understand his unit was involved in the Second Battle of Bapaume. 31 Aug-3 Sep 1918 but as he was KIA then he must have died during skirmishes etc after that battle was fought.

Prior to ordering more War Diaries, does any member know where this soldier may have been on 5th September 1918. He has no known grave so a bit more information would help us remember him.

Bernard P

[jainvince]

No luck first time but does any expert on the 2nd Division have any information which may help?

Bernard

[Steven Broomfield]

I'm not an expert on anything (least of all the 2nd Division or the KRRC) but the divisional history (Vol II, page 643) states that:

The division had, however, received orders not to initiate any serious attack, but rather to adopt a policy of persitant infiltration in order to gain possession of all the trenches west of the canal. Thus, working up the very same trenches which were dug by the division during the withdrawal from the Moeuvres-Bourlon Wood Line in 1917, patrols from the berkshires and Rifles pushed forward in order to gaing the line of the canal. To this end, constant efforts were made throughout the 5th, 6th and 7th September. Twice the Berkshires established posts actually on the canal bank, but were heavily counter-attacked and had to retire. On the left flank, the Rifles, in the face of very determined opposition, temporarily advanced their position, but were subsequently driven back again. On the night of the 6th/7th the 23rd Royal Fusiliers relieved the 1st KRRC, the relief being completed by 3.8 a.m.

[nealw66]

Bernard,

The Brief History of the KRRC has the following for the 1st Btn at this time:

The Final Advance.

On August 21st the Battalion, then at La Cauchie, was ordered to take part in the attack on Courcelles.

This village was taken and the advance steadily continued for the next three days, during which the Battalion captured

prisoners to the number of one and a half times its own strength besides 6 field guns, 250 machine guns and war material, with

a loss to itself of 3 officers and 63 other ranks killed and wounded.

After a rest, orders arrived for the Battalion to advance once more on September 2nd. The enemy opposition was weak at

first, and Beaumetz was captured ; but later on it stiffened, and from that day up to the 7th there was constant fighting, though

fortunately our casualties were not heavy.

Regards,

Neal

[MBrockway]

Bernard,

Here you go ...

From the 1st Battalion War Record in the 1918 KRRC Chronicle:

Starting at the end of 3rd Sep 1918 ...

The battalion was in the old Hindenburg Line near Demicourt still W of the Canal du Nord and some 5 km SSW of the trench map above.

[Edit 19 Mar 2010: Bernard's removed this original trench map and replaced it with one in the next Post which shows the exact location - nice one B!]

Beaumetz is modern Beaumetz-les-Cambrai.

Total casualties for the period 4/5 Sep to 6/7 Sep were 3 killed.

Not sure how I missed your original post - sorry!

HTH

Cheers,

Mark

[jainvince]

Mark

Many thanks for posting the extract as it provided a real insight into where the Bn were. I have deleted the earlier post and TM and posted the correct one below. The shows Trouts Post (referred to in the text) NE of Demicourt

Bernard