Royal Warwickshire Regiment 15th Bn.

[CarylW]

Would anyone know where the Royal Warwickshire Regiment 15th Bn. were on the 27th September 1918?

One of my Birkenhead men was killed in action on that day - Private Samuel Clare 29532 aged 19 (formerly Cheshire Regiment 62239)

Thanks

Caryl

[Alan Tucker]

15th RWR part of 13th Bde, 5th Division...Long Long Trail. 27 September was the first day of the Battle of the Canal du Nord. the War Diaries are not on the NA site. You need Terry Carter's book. Pages 263-7. The Warwicks and their brigade were attacking African Trench that day.

1918

The Battle of Hazebrouck+ in which the battalion fought in the Defence of Nieppe Forest

The battle marked + is a phase of the Battles of the Lys

On 14 August 1918 the Division was withdrawn for rest and placed in GHQ Reserve. Two weeks later it entered into what became a series of complex, endless, overlapping Allied attacks that forced the German Army into retreat.

Fighting through Albert (back on the old and devastated Somme ground of 1916), to Irles, Beugny, Havrincourt, Gonnelieu and the River Selle, and finally into Valenciennes and the River Sambre, the Division was in more or less continuous action until late October 1918.

The Battle of Albert+

The Battle of Bapaume+

The Battle of Drocourt-Queant+

The battles marked + are phases of the Second Battles of the Somme 1918

The Battle of the Epehy^

The Battle of the Canal du Nord^

[CarylW]

Oh thank you Alan, much appreciated

Caryl

[connaughtranger]

Hi

They were attacking African Trench, Q35c, 1500 yards west of the village of Gouzeaucourt. The attack was launched at 7.52am and they gained their objective but were forced to retire by partial failures on the flanks and suffered 3 Officers and 36 OR's killed; 5 Officers and 90 OR's wounded and 29 OR's missing.

There is a work on the 15th battalion by Major C A Bill published in 1932

Regards

Martin

[CarylW]

Thank you Martin. Another piece of the puzzle. Much appreciated

Caryl

[Roger H]

Caryl

Here is African Trench in square 35c. Trenches as at February 1918. Courtesy of TNA Trench Map Atlas DVD from Naval and Military Press

Roger

[CarylW]

Wow, thanks Roger!

I love this forum!

Caryl