1/4th Battn., King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

[Beselare]

The war diary for this Battalion is not available online (WO 95/2806/1). Can anyone please help by sending me a copy of their diary for the period 10th to 18th October 1917?

Many thanks

Bob

[jainvince]

Bob

No member has a copy of this diary as far as I know and I don't think it has yet been digitised at the National Archive unless done recently so a visit will probably be necessary unless it is held elsewhere.

Bernard

[Beselare]

Thanks Bernard - it looks as if that is the case. I have a friend in London who makes occasional visits to Kew so I will ask her to get the information for me on her next visit.

Bob

[Mark Hone]

One of my Bury Grammar School old boys, 19 year old Private John Gladstone Pickles of 1/4th KOYLI was wounded in the leg on 18th October 1917 and died of pneumonia in a base hospital in Rouen eight days later. I'd be interested in details of the battalion's activities in that same period.

Edited 16 September , 2017 by Mark Hone

[RussT]

If you have Ancestry, the 1/4th KOYLI War Diary for October 1917 starts here:

 

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/60779/43112_2806_0-00000?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fsearch%2fdb.aspx%3fdbid%3d60779%26path%3d&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnBrowsing#?imageId=43112_2806_0-00090

 

Russ

[Guest]

1/4th Bn KOYLI War Diary October 1917.

 

1.10.17 BOISDINGHEM.

The Battalion moved by Route March to billets in TATINGHEM and stayed there the night.
 

2.10.17. TATINGHEM.

The Battalion moved by Route March via CLAIRMARAIS and HAUT SCHOUBROUCK to billets in LE NIEPPE area. - No.6.

 

3.10.17. LE NIEPPE.
The Battalion moved by Route March via RYVELD - WINNEZEELEE to billets in WATOU.
 

4.10.17. WATOU.

Battalion in billets in WATOU - Resting.
 

5.10.17. WATOU.
Battalion moved by Bus to Forward Area and occupied OLD GERMAN FRONT LINE. - Banks Farm.

 

6.10.17. YPRES.

Battalion moved back  to original German Front Line - Contiguous rainfall all day.

 

7.10.17. YPRES.
Battalion still in old German front line - Fitting out etc preparatory to attack on
PASSCHEHDAELE. Continuous rainfall all day.

 

8.10.17. YPRES.
Battalion in Old German front line preparing to move up to Assembly position for
Attack on morning of the 9th. Rain at intervals - ground in bad condition.
 

9.10.17. YPRES.

Orders were received on the 7th October, 1917. from the 148th Infantry Brigade that the 49th Division would resume the Offensive West of PASSCHENDAELE on the 9th October 1917 in conjunction with the 66th Division on the right and the 46th Division on the Left.

The attack of the 49th Division was carried out with two Brigades. 146th Infantry Brigade on the right, 146th Infantry Brigade on the Left. The 147th Infantry Brigade being in Reserve.

 

The attached map shows the frontage, Battalion Boundaries and Objectives allotted to the 4th Y & L Regt, 5th Y & L Regt., and the 5th Bn KOYLI.

 

This Battalion was in Reserve with orders immediately after zero to take up a position in reserve on the South Side of the WIELTJE Road immediately North of the RAVEBEEK.

At 12.5 a.m. the Battalion led by Lt Col H MOORHOUSE, DSO moved from the Old German front line, immediately following the 5th KOYLI.

The night was intensely dark, the trench grid track was in bad repair and progress was consequently very slow. The head of the Battalion reached the Support line behind ABRAHAM HEIGHTS at Zero. This was at least 800 yards from our position of
assembly. Before the Battalion had closed up the enemy placed a heavy barrage on the ridge and caused a certain amount of delay and a number of casualties.

The Commanding Officer issued orders to the Battalion to move forward in attack formation in two waves, Z Coy. on the right and X, Y & W Coys on the left.

In the advance on the forward slope of the ridge many casualties were caused by enemy machine gun fire at each side of and from a strong enemy position on the BELLE VUE SPUR. 2/Lt P E BEAUMONT was killed and Capt J W MOREHOUSE, 2/Lt H NICHOLLS, 2/Lt J BRAMALD, and 2/Lt W B GREAVES wounded at this stage of the operation.

To take up our position North of the RAVEBEEK Companies were forced to close on to the MEETCHEELE-GREVENSTAFEL Road on account of the condition of the ground caused by the overflowing of the RAVEBEEK which was badly damaged by shell fire.

On the Left, enemy machine gun and rifle fire caused many casualties and on the right many men were temporarily lost owing to the fact that it was impossible to get them through the mud.

Requests for reinforcements were received from the Y & L Regt on the Left and the 4th Y & L Regt on the Right.
Z & Y Coys under Capt T CHADWICK and Capt R W MOORHOUSE respectively were sent forward on the Left and W & X Coys under Lt G H BROOK and 2/Lt G E PARSONS (Capt J W MORSE must having been previously wounded) on the Right.

The advance up the slope was done by sections owing to the heavy machine gun and rifle fire from WOLF COPSE on the Left and BELLE VUE on the top of the Ridge. During this advance Capt R W MOORHOUSE was killed whilst gallantly leading his Company. Many casualties in the ranks were also suffered.
 

Half an hour afterwards, Lt Col H MOORHOUSE, DSO was killed by a bullet when leaving his Headquarters.

Owing to the heavy machine gun fire and the fact that the companies averaged not more than from 30 to 40 strong a position was taken up by Z & Y Coys on the slope about 400 yards NE of the point where the RAVEBEEK crosses the road, while W & X Coys formed a defensive flank on the right of the Y & L Regt.

A large gap having occurred between the battalion and the 146th Infantry Brigade on the
Left a defensive flank was formed by a party of Z Coy.

5.13 pm. The enemy intensely bombarded the area from the RAVEBEEK to the top of ABRAHAM HEIGHTS for at least an hour. A party of the enemy who were assembling on the BELLE VUE SPUR were dispersed by rapid fire and no counter attacks developed.
 

10.10.17. GREVENSTAFEL.

Intense enemy bombardment of our forward areas.

 

7 pm. An attempt was made by a party of Z Coy under Capt T CHADWICK to take two Pill Boxes on the crest of the Ridge. These were found to be so heavily wired that it was impossible to get near them.  The Battalion under the command of Capt T CHADWICK was relieved by the New Zealand Imperial force, and bivouacked the night in a Field near the Asylum, YPRES.

 

Total Casualties :

KILLED : Lt Col H MOORHOUSE, DSO, Capt R W MOORHOUSE MC, 2/Lt P F BEAUMONT and 17 other ranks.
 

WOUNDED : 2/Lt J W HUNTINGTON, 2/Lt W B GREAVES, Capt J W MOOREHOUSE, and 2/Lt H NICHOLLS and 147 other ranks.
 

WOUNDED AND MISSING : 2/Lt J BRAMALD.

 

MISSING : 19 other ranks.

 

11.10.17. YPRES.

Battalion entrained at the Asylum, YPRES, and detrained at a point where the Railway crosses the main POPERINGHE-ABEELE Road. The Battalion then proceeded by route march by ABEELE and STEENVOORDE to billets in WINNEZEELE.

 

12.10.17. WINNEZEELE.
Battalion Resting in billets in the WINNEZEELE No. 1 Area.

 

13.10.17. WINNEZEELE

Ditto.

 

14.10.17. WINNEZEELE

Ditto.

Capt H C FRASER assumed command ox the Battalion.

 

15.10.17. WINNEZEELE.
The Battalion moved from WINNEZEELE No. 1 Area by busses to YPRES and thence by march route to POTIJZE Camp.
 

16.10.17. POTIJZE.

Battalion in POTIJZE Camp.

 

17.10.17. POTIJZE.

Battalion in POTIJZE Camp.
 

18.10.17. POTIJZE.

Battalion in POTIJZE Camp. Enemy aeroplane flew over Camp about 11 am dropping several bombs. Casualties: 3 other ranks wounded.

 

Battalion relieved the 33rd Australian Infantry Regt in the Front Line from the YPRES ROULERS Railway South of KEERSELAARHOEK to AUGUSTUS WOOD on the Left.

Casualties : Lt F C BISHOP, 2/Lt S J YATES and 9 other ranks wounded.

 

19.10.17. KEERSELAARHOEK.
Battalion holding the line with four Companies in the line distributed in depth and nine advanced posts varying from 400 to 600 yards in front of the main line.
Casualties: Killed 5 other ranks, Wounded 1 14 other ranks.
 

20.10.17. KEERSLAARHOEK.

Battalion holding the line. Enemy shelling continuous day and night. During the night advanced posts were joined up to form a continuous line. During the day 70 yards of front line trench entirely obliterated by heavy shell fire.

Killed : 2 other ranks. Wounded : 24 other ranks.

Battalion relieved by the l/5th Y & L Regt and moved into close support.

 

21.10.17. KEERSLAARHOEK.
Battalion in close support. Enemy shelling continuous day and night. The whole of the Battalion employed at night as a working party to the 1/5th Y & L and completed forward trench which was an assembly position for an early attack by the Canadian Corps.
 

Casualties : Wounded : 2/Lt G E PARSONS and 5 other ranks.

 

22.10.17. KEERSLAARHOEK.
Battalion in close support. Enemy shelling continuous. Battalion relieved by the 46th Canadian Infantry Regt and proceeded to POTIJZE.

 

23.10.17. YPRES.

Battalion embussed on the YPRES-ABEELE ROAD and debussed in WINNEZEELE.
Battalion in billets in the WINNEZEELE No. 2 Area.
 

24.10.17. WINNEZEELE.

Battalion in billets in WINNEZEELE - Cleaning up etc.
 

25.10.17. WINNEZEELE.

Battalion in billets in WINNEZEELE  - Reorganization, fitting out etc.
 

26.10.17. WINNEZEELE.

Battalion in billets in WINNEZEELE - Training.

 

27.10.17. WINNEZEELE.
Battalion proceeded by Route March via Cross Roads J 11 c 15 10 - ST LAURENT - Cross
Roads K 25 a 40 99 to billets in STEENVOORDE CENTRAL.

 

28.10.17 STEENVOORDE.
Battalion in billets in STEENVOORDE - Training.
 

29.10.17 STEENVOORDE.
Battalion in billets in STEENVOORDE - Training.
 

2/Lts W E BOOT, H W SAMPSON, W A J BARNETT, G W BARNWELL, T W BROWN, R F BULLOCK and 75 other ranks Joined from 49th Divisional Reinforcement Camp, MORBECQUE

 

30.10.17. STEENVOORDE.
Battalion in billets in STEENVOORDE - Training. 7 other ranks joined from Base.
 

30.10.17. STEENVOORDE.
Battalion in billets in STEENVOORDE - Training.  2/Lt F MOUNTAIN joined from Base.

 

31.10.17

 

H Fraser

Captain

Commanding 1/4th KOYLI

 

[Mark Hone]

Thanks for this. Interestingly the newspaper of the time says he was wounded on Tuesday 18th October 1917. The 18th was actually a Thursday.