Ravrick Posted 21 December , 2011 Share Posted 21 December , 2011 Hi, I am trying to peice together the last movements of Lt (Captain) Douglas-Willan before he was KIA near MIRAMONT on the Somme on 17th Feb 1917. Does anybody have access to the War Diary for the 2nd Bn South staffordshire Regt for this period to see if his name is mentioned. As far as I can make out it was not during a major action, so possibly a trench raid, accident or just bad luck (wrong time, wrong place). Cheers, Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeClarke Posted 21 December , 2011 Share Posted 21 December , 2011 Hi Rick Im just checking, but I can tell you he is mentioned in the War Diary on 22 April 1915 (wounded) and 27 June 1915 (wounded by rifle grenade). Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeClarke Posted 21 December , 2011 Share Posted 21 December , 2011 Rick 22 April 1915 - Cuinchy At 6.45pm our front line trenches held by "B" Company were shelled with heavy high explosives. Twelve shells were fired most of which took effect on our trenches. Our casualties were 2nd Lts. S.W.H.S. Douglas-Willan and H.C. Christopherson and 7 men wounded. Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeClarke Posted 21 December , 2011 Share Posted 21 December , 2011 Rick 27 June 1915 Battalion left Beuvry at 1.30pm and marched to Cambrin in relief of 1/KRR. Arrived at Brigade Headquarters at 2.30pm whence guides of 1/KRR led battalion to positions in A1 area. Relief commenced at 2.30pm, completed 4.25pm. Disposition of battalion - 3 companies in first line trenches, one company in support. "D" Company on right, "C" Company in centre and "B" Company on left. "A" Company in support trenches. Casualties 3 wounded by rifle grenades. 2nd Lt. A de Hamel and Lt. S.W.H.S. Douglas-Willan and D.M. Wiliams proceeded to England on leave. Sorry, it does not appear he was wounded after all AND I dont appear to have February 1917 (sorry). Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravrick Posted 21 December , 2011 Author Share Posted 21 December , 2011 Thanks Graeme, this info is really appreicated. Other than his MIC info, to F&F 5th March 1915 and his date of death I have very little on his career. Cheers, Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Evans Posted 22 December , 2011 Share Posted 22 December , 2011 February 1917 BOUZINCOURT 1st The Battalion was at BOUZINCOURT the Brigade being in reserve. The 2nd in Command, Major A.E.C. WILSON left the Battalion to take over the duties of D.R.D.O. The Adjutant Lt. WEST took over his duties and the Qr, Mr. Lt. HAZELGROVE M.C. took over the duties of A/Adjt. Being replaced by 2/Lt. G. DUTTON. 2nd Training of Coys took place. 3rd There was a concert given by the Regt. in the Church Army Hut. 4th Attack practise was carried out on taped trenches. 5th Attack formations practised. The Bn. marched in the afternoon to BRUCE HUTS. BRUCE HUTS 6th – 11th The Battalion was finding working parties, but available men were practised in attack formations, parades were frequently supervised by the Brigadier General. The front still held and there were bright moonlight nights, of which hostile airmen took advantage. The neighbourhood was subjected to bombardment and machine gun fire from the air. 12th The C.O. and 2nd in Command, together with Capt. Thomson M.C. of the 1st Bn. The King’s Regt. visited the front line in the COURCLETTE sub sector and were in No.10 post held by the 2nd H.L.I. when it was raided by the enemy. There were no casualties in the post and the raiding party suffered heavy losses. 13th – 14th Training was carried out as far as working parties permitted. The front was breaking. Os.C.Coys went into the line and spent a day there, they criticised wire cutting arrangements. 15th The Brigadier General witnessed a night attack practise, which was carried out mainly for the sake of trying the forming up. Parties went into the line who were to lay direction tapes and cut our wire the following night. The thaw had set in. BRUCE HUTS – IN THE LINE 16th The Battalion left BRUCE HUTS in the evening for the line proceeding by the ALBERT – BAPAUME RD. and the cross-country track by DUKE VALLEY. The thaw made going very difficult and the carrying parties were late in arriving Hostile artillery was above normal and our forming up places were subjected to heavy shelling. The cloudy weather resulted in a dark morning. At 5.15 a.m. our barrage opened, and the assaulting lines began to crawl forward to get close to it. The position was for some time very obscure but hostile machine gun fire was very heavy. It afterwards transpired that the attack had been given away and the German line reinforced with men and machine guns. The casualties both in Officers and other ranks were very heavy. Of 10 Officers who went over to the attack only one returned uninjured. Three returned wounded two remaining on duty. 2/Lt. Wright was killed & Lt. Chipman & 2/Lt. Cave were found to have been killed later. The missing were Capts. Tate and Douglas-Willan & 2/Lieut. Oxlade. This night Bn H.Q. which had been at No.8 post in the front line was withdrawn to Bde. H.Q. in DYKE VALLEY. Sorry for the delay. Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravrick Posted 22 December , 2011 Author Share Posted 22 December , 2011 Roy, very many thanks, this is just what i was looking for, much appreicated, Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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