2nd Bn. KRRC September 1918

[Terry Carter]

Hi All

A guy who I am researching got posted to hospital with gas shell wounds on 16 September, 1918, serving with the 2nd Bn KRRC. I would imagine the action was no doubt involved in an attack on the Hindenburg Line a day or two previously. Can any forum member let me know what the 2nd KRRC was doing in the first half of September 1918.

Thanks

Terry

[nealw66]

Hi Terry,

While we wait for the real experts, the brief History says the following for the period:

"On the last day of August the Battalion was ordered to Arras, and arrived on 1st September. The same evening it moved into

the reserve for an attack to be carried out by the Canadian Division. The attack began at dawn on the 2nd, the Battalion

ollowing about four miles behind. On the 3rd the Battalion moved up to the area south-east of Etaing. At 3.30 a.m. on the 4th it

advanced again under heavy artillery fire to a position on the main Drury Road.

On the 10th the Battalion went by train to Guillaucourt and on the 13th arrived at Athies, moving again on the 14th

and 15th to a wood east of Caulincourt. On the 18th the Battalion attacked Berthaucourt."

Regards,

Neal

[MBrockway]

Terry,

I don't have the 2/KRRC War Diary for late 1918.

Summary of 2nd Battalion War Record in the 1918 KRRC Chronicle has ...

01 Sep - ARRAS 06:00hrs, to act as Reserve for an attack by the Canadian Divn. Midnight moved to GOUEAPPE [sic: I think that's a typo for GUEMAPPE]

02 Sep - followed Canadian attack about 4 miles behind. By evening, halted ~1,000yds in front of VIS-EN-ARTOIS, S of main Arras-Cambrai road & bivouacked. One LG team knocked out.

03 Sep - held positions until dusk, then moved off down Cambrai road, wheeled to the left through ETERPIGNY and relieved Essex Regt to SE of ETAING. No casualties.

04 Sep - 03:00hrs advanced under heavy artillery fire - 1 killed, 1 wounded - then wheeled slightly E into positions on main Drury [sic: DURY] road before dawn. Sentries groups thrown out on the forward slope of the hill to the R. Sensee.

05 Sep - these postions held. During night 5th/6th, patrols probed through bridgeheads from L'ECLUSE and reached TORQUENILLES [sic: TORTEQUESNE?I think] without opposition.

07 Sep - relieved & proceeded to HERMAVILLE for rest & re-organisation.

10 Sep - Train to GUILLAUCOURT, then marched five miles to PROYART.

13 Sep - By motor bus to billets at ATHIES

14 Sep - By road to FOX COPSE.

15 Sep - Through TERTRY to a wood E of CAURLAINCOURT. Preparations for an attack planned for 18 Sep.

18 Sep - Formed up for Attack by 04:30hrs. Zero hour 05:20hrs. Btn start line frontage ~800yds, narrowing down to ~500yds at Final Objective. Front extended from the marsh ground of the R.Omignon on left, to the road running NE from MAISSEMY to BERTHACOURT on the right. 2/R Sussex on left. 1/Cameron Hldrs on right. First Objective: trench system on high ground halfway between MAISSEMY & BERTHAUCOURT. Second & Final Objective: BERTHAUCOURT.

The detail of the dispositions for the attack on Berthaucourt should give you a pretty good idea of where the btn was located on the 16th Sep.

HTH

Cheers,

Mark

[Terry Carter]

Many thanks to you both.

Regards

Terry

p.s. Checking "Soldiers Died" I see that between the 1 to 16 September the 2nd KRRC had 30 men all Died of Wounds or Died and just 3 KIA. Which makes me think they most suffered in a gas attack, like the guy I am interested in.

Also some of those died had an 'A' prefix to their service number and these guys had been transferred from the ASC.

[MBrockway]

Also some of those died had an 'A' prefix to their service number and these guys had been transferred from the ASC.

Wrong I'm afraid!

A/1 to A/3919 (approx) were returning KRRC Reservists whose original Service Number had been re-allocated or who had been discharged from the Reserve, time expired, but then re-enlisted.

The A/2xxxxx range is a very diverse group of men transferred into the KRRC from other regiments and later from the Training Reserve. There are certainly ex-ASC men in this range but the majority are from infantry battalions.

We had an interesting thread recently about just such an ex-ASC baker compulsorily transferred into the KRRC in this A/2xxxxx range. Do a Forum search on "Petty".

Cheers,

Mark

[IPT]

Great service number, and a lucky one too apparently;

Medal card of Chalcroft, John

Corps Regiment No Rank

2nd King's Royal Rifle Corps A/1 Private

2nd King's Royal Rifle Corps A/1 Private

[Terry Carter]

Thanks for the extra info.

Can I ask another couple of favours? What was the 2nd KRRC doing in August 1918 and the movements of the 11th Bn KRRC from Feb to July 1918.

Cheers

Terry

[nealw66]

Terry,

The Brief History for the 11th Btn:

"In 1918, on the occasion of the German attack on 21st March, the Battalion was in position in the rear defence zone near

Vaux. The German advance being unchecked the Battalion retired by order. At 2 p.m. on the 24th a direct hit from a

heavy shell struck Battalion H.Q. and killed Colonel Priaulx, the CO., and most of the H.Q. Staff. Major Ormrod assumed

command. Retirement in the face of overwhelming numbers continued until the 1st April, when, on being relieved,

the Battalion went into billets at Quevauvillers. Although frequently out-flanked and at times desperately hard pressed,

the Battalion never lost cohesion ; and its retirement was carried out in good order. Casualties during this trying period amounted

to 4 officers and 29 other ranks killed, 5 officers, 176 other ranks wounded, and 6 officers, 220 other ranks missing."

Nothing for the 2nd for August.

[MBrockway]

What was the 2nd KRRC doing in August 1918

Terry

Summary of 2/KRRC from 1918 KRRC Chronicle:

12 Jul: CAMBRIN sector

07 Aug: CO rejoined after medical leave. 1/Cameron Hldrs made successful Raid to btn's right.

08 Aug: into Support at CAMBRIN

11 Aug (or poss 12 - unclear): relieved 14/Northants in firing line in right sector. Vigorous patrolling over next days. TM captured. Enemy front line appeared evacuated.

16 Aug: 1 2/Lt killed & 1 2/Lt wounded while patrolling enemy communication trench.

22 Aug: to BEUGIN near HOUDAIN.

23 Aug: refitting

24 Aug: training and for following days.

31 Aug: sudden orders to entrain for the south

01 Sep: arrived ARRAS 06:00hrs then see my earlier Post above.

Cheers,

Mark

PS If you decide to order the 2/KRRC War Diary, I'd love a copy!

[MBrockway]

... the movements of the 11th Bn KRRC from Feb to July 1918.

Terry

Sorry Terry but that's pages and pages and I'm just too busy to do all that typing!

Basically 11/KRRC and 20th (Light) Division were in Ypres in Feb, moving to Chaulnes on the Somme on 20 Mar. They were hastily moved up on 21 Mar to the Vaux/Foreste/Germaine area W of St Quentin in an attempt to stem the Kaiserschlacht advances. Over the next few days, they conducted a fighting rearguard in good order SW from Vaux-en-Vermandois, through Voyennes towards Roye, then NW towards Amiens as far as the R.Luce before being withdrawn to rebuild on 01 April.

The heaviest (of many) actions were at Folies, at Languevoisin and at Rifle Wood near Domart. Killed, Wounded and Missing for this period amounted to 440 officers and men - i.e. just under half the battalion

May, June and July were spent in the Lens-Avion Sector.

The movements in the Kaiserschlacht were very complex. Happy to be more specific if you can give me a narrower time window!

Again, if you decide to get the 1918 11/KRRC War Diary, I'd greatly appreciate a copy

Cheers,

Mark

[Terry Carter]

Thanks Mark

That was really kind of you.

Regards

Terry