2nd Bn Yorkshire Reg. - Arras 1917

[Dr.Dave]

My first post here - Wow , what a wealth of knowledge and research. I've ended up on these forums several times via google searches so about time I joined up!

I'm trying to gather as much info as I can about the movements of the 2nd Bn. Yorkshire Reg. during the 9th/10th April 1917 around the village of Neuville-Vitasse.

Exerts from the war diaries tell me they acted as moppers up for the 2nd Wiltshires and 18th Kings who assaulted the hindenburg line when conformation came of the sucess of the Londons to the north of the village - piecing bits together I'm thinking that these movements took place just to the south of Neuville Vitasse I've come across much more regarding the London's attacks but little detail about the precise location and movements of the Yorkshires. Would it be better than a guess to figure these attacks took place fom the area around the road linking N-V with Henin towards (what I've seen refered to as) Hill 90 ? That would put the assaults pretty close to the Neuville-Vitasse Road Cemetery which can be seen very clearly on Google Maps.

I'm planning a visit there in the new year , following one I made two years ago to Warlincourt Halte cemetery where my Great Uncle - Thomas Johnson Elcoate - is buried. He's listed as dying of wounds on 13th April and my best guess ( I can't find anything on Ancestry other than his medal card) is that he sustained the wounds that took his life in the actions around N-V those few days earlier. I have nothing to back this up but it seems reasonable.

I was feeling pretty pleased with myself for finding out as much as I have until I came across these forums - more like the rank amateur now !

Anyway - if anyone has any info or snippets to help me put together a fuller picture I'd be very grateful as I'm pretty much at a brick wall.

[JimSmithson]

Hi

Welcome to the Forum.

I have quite a bit of information on 30th Division which is the one under which the 2nd Yorkshires fought. They were, as you said, mopping up on the attack of the 9th April. This was mainly due to them having sustained heavy casualties in the taking of Henin-sur-Cojeul on the 2nd April as a preliminary to the main attack, losses being over 60 killed and over 100 wounded. I ahve the unit, brigade and divisional diaries which will contain a lot of reading for you including maps. You have to make 5 posts before the Personal Messaging system is open to you. After that (make a few replies to this thread for example), if you send a message to me containing your email address I can send you some material.

As an idea of what you will see here is the situation map for the division on evening of 9th April, showing where the 2nd were put in the line after the failure of the day's attack.

I will also be able to send you some maps with overlays to give you an idea of where things happened on a modern map (thanks to Linesman plug plug)

Jim

[JimSmithson]

Sorry - just to help with the map, Henin-sur-Cojeul is the village lower centre of the map. The 2nd Yorks are in the Sunken Lane just to the north of the village which goes to the eastern end of Neuville Vitasse (and on which you find the CWGC N-V Cemetery today.)

Jim

[Dr.Dave]

Jim , that's wonderful. I'm amazed with the stuff you guys have !

Following a link posted in another thread I just stumped up the £3.50 for the reg. war diaries (previously I had exerts from another diarysomeone sent me) and am currently trawling through events at the start of April 1917 , when the 2nd Yorks assaulted Henin . Maybe my Gt Unc sustained his wounds in the Henin assault - grisly thought that he may have lingered for 10 days but they were such hellish , grisly times. I'll have a look around the forums tomorrow and try and contribute something useful to get my post count to a point where I can contact you.

[Roger H]

Dr.Dave

Was your relative from North/East Yorkshire? My paternal Grandfather was in the 5th Yorkshire Regiment before receiving a "blighty" in July 1915. From the Malton/Norton area.

Roger

[Dr.Dave]

He was from a part of the world that changes it's name every few years on a politicians whim !! North Yorks , Cleveland , Durham .......... etc.

Yarm on Tees , close to Stockton. His name is on the war memorial there.

This links to the warlincourt halte cemetery where he lies. I was able to contribute some of the pics you see to the site. Scroll down to L/Cpl T J Elcoate

http://www.ww1-yorkshires.org.uk/html-files/warlincourt-halte-cemetery.htm