War Diary, 2nd Irish Guards, 31st July 1917

[beresford69]

I am intending to visit Belgium in the next couple of weeks and in the Ypres area I would like to visit the grave of a Lt Col Eric Beresford Greer of the 2nd Battalion Irish Guards. His death near the village of Boezinghe on 31st July 1917 is recorded in Rudyard Kipling's 'The Irish Guards in the Great War'.

July 31st opened, at 3.30 A.M., with a barrage of full diapason along the army front, followed on the Guards sector by three minutes of "a carefully prepared hate," during which two special companies projected oil-drums throwing flame a hundred yards around, with thermit that burned everything it touched. The enemy had first shown us how to employ these scientific aids, and we had bettered the instruction.His barrage in reply fell for nearly an hour on the east bank of the canal. Our creeping barrage was supposed to lift at 4 A.M. and let the two leading battalions (2nd Irish Guards and 1st Scots Guards) get away; but it was not till nearly a quarter of an hour later that the attack moved forward in waves behind it. Twelve minutes later, Nos. 1 and 2 Companies of the Battalion had reached the first objective (Cariboo and Cannon trenches) "with only one dead German encountered"; for the enemy's withdrawal to his selected line had been thorough. The remaining companies followed, and behind them came the 1st Coldstream, all according to schedule; till by 5.20 A.M. the whole of the first objective had been taken and was being consolidated, with very small loss. They were pushing on to the second objective, six hundred yards ahead, when some of our own guns put a stationary barrage on the first objective—Cariboo trenches and the rest. Mercifully, a good many of the men of the first and second waves had gone on with the later ones, where they were of the greatest possible service in the annoying fights and checks round the concreted machine-gun posts. Moreover, our barrage was mainly shrapnel—morally but not physically effective. No. 2 Company and No. 4 Company, for example, lay out under it for a half and three quarters of an hour respectively without a single casualty. But no troops are really grateful for their own fire on their own tin hats.About half-past five, Colonel Greer, while standing outside advanced Battalion Headquarters dug-out in the first objective line, was killed instantly by shrapnel or bullet. It was his devoted work, his arrangement and foresight that had brought every man to his proper place so far without waste of time or direction. He had literally made the Battalion for this battle as a steeplechaser is made for a given line of country. Men and officers together adored him for his justice, which was exemplary and swift; for the human natural fun of the man; for his knowledge of war and the material under his hand, and for his gift of making hard life a thing delightful. He fell on the threshold of the day ere he could see how amply his work had been rewarded. Captain Gunston took command of the Battalion, for, of the seniors, Captain Alexander was out ahead with No. 4 Company, and Major Ferguson was in Regimental Reserve. Headquarters were moved up into Cariboo trench, and by six o'clock the second objective had been reached, in the face of bad machine-gun fire from Hey Wood that had opened on us through a break in our barrage.

As the precise time of his death and where he was (outside advanced Battalion Headquarters dug out in the first objective line) is noted, I wonder if it might be possible by consulting the regimental War Diary to work out the precise position of Lt Col Greer when he was killed? If anyone has access to these and can tell me the co-ordinates I would be very grateful.

Very best wishes,

Geoff

[IanA]

Hi Geoff,

I don't have the diaries to hand (although I have read them at Kew) but can say that when Kipling wrote the histories he included just about everything to be found in the diaries so I doubt whether you'll find anything new. Good luck though.

Ian

[beresford69]

Ian,

You don't by any chance have the Kew catalogue reference number of the Diaries? I'm hoping to visit on Friday and would like to take a look.

Very best wishes,

Geoff

[IanA]

It was a long time ago, Geoff, but it was pretty easy to find. It is presumably in the WO 95/???? category.

Cheers,

Ian