4/5th Bn. Black Watch Involment Battle Polygon Wood Sept. 1917, help..

[David_Bluestein]

I'm hoping there may be someone who could help me with details of what the 4/5th were doing in the capture of Polygon Wood in late September 1917.

I'm in the process of preparing a write-up concerning a Black Watch Officer killed here - to which I look forward to publishing on the forum once complete.

Any informaion or advice is welcome, with many thanks in advance.

David

[Colin W Taylor]

David

If you don't already have it I have a copy of the war diary for 4/5th Black Watch for September 1917. If you can start a conversation or write an email address on my wall I'll send you the documents - about half a dozen pages with a long report on the action around Tower Hamlets.

Kind regards

Colin

[Guest]

You might think about buying Wauchope's History of the Black Watch Worth having, but you might find it cheaper somewhere else.

Mike

[David_Bluestein]

David

If you don't already have it I have a copy of the war diary for 4/5th Black Watch for September 1917. If you can start a conversation or write an email address on my wall I'll send you the documents - about half a dozen pages with a long report on the action around Tower Hamlets.

Kind regards

Colin

Thank you ever so much Colin for the kind offer of the war diary pages, that would be fantastic!! I dont know how to post my email on your wall etc., so here's my email address below:

d_bluestein@yahoo.ca

Kind regards,

David

[David_Bluestein]

You might think about buying Wauchope's History of the Black Watch Worth having, but you might find it cheaper somewhere else.

Mike

Thank you Mike, I've been looking for this book, appreciate the link.

Aside from William Linton Andrews book, does anyone know of any published memoirs from men of the 4/5th?

Kind regards,

David

[Guest]

David, here's a few GWF threads on the battalion that might be useful to you. Click

Mike

[Guest]

Also google " Thistle Among the Roses " There's three chapters of this online. Not sure if it's a book or website/

Mike

[David_Bluestein]

Cheers Mike, very helpful indeed...lots to look at!!

Thank you very much again for all this.

Regards,

Davd

[ander11]

David there is only a small part on the attack of Tower Hamlets by th 4th/5th in the history of the Black watch Vol 2. This is taken from the Book.

After a few tours in the line and short periods of rest behind it the Battalion moved up to Beggar's Rest camp near Vermoo-zeele, on sept 18th, in order to support a successful attack in the Shrewsbury Forest sector made by 117th Brigade on the 20th. On the following day, together with the rest of the 118th Brigade, it relieved the 117th in their newly -won positions.In this fighting the 41st Division had also taken part and had sustained severe losses, with the result that by the 25th it was compelled to fall back all along the line, and , in order to help them, the 118th Brigade was directed to take over from the 41st Division and try to recover the lost ground.

On the morning of Sept 26th the 118th Brigade attacked the ridge to the left of Tower Hamlets, the 4/5th being on the right of the118th Brigade. The attack was not enirely successful; no definite advance was made, since the state of the ground made the maintenance of communications under heavy hostile artillery fire extremely difficult. The result of 36 hours fighting was that the British line was pushed forward a little in some places, but it was found impossilbe to form a definite line on the position won.

David which Officer are you looking for information on

Regards

Ian