1914 holdouts

[jmoha]

Whilst reading "The Tigers -6th,7th,8th and 9th (Service Bttns of Leicester" by Matthew Richardson, I read with interest a bit on page 264 concerning the story of the final advance of the Leicesters in early November 1918.

The story goes that locals told the advancing Leicesters that "...seven or eight months after the Retreat from Mons, the Germans began to fell trees in the wood (Foret de Mormal), and discovered two companies of British Infantry who had been cut off in there and were being fed by the local population..."

He also says that there were other variations on this story of variable numbers and length of time.

Is there any truth to this and if so who were these men (I think a is justified)

Curiously

James O'Hara

[Robert Dunlop]

I can't comment on this particular story. I would agree with your scepticism about the numbers and the circumstances of their 'discovery'. There were individual cases of men who were trapped or isolated behind the German lines. Edit Clavell was killed for helping get Britons out of occupied Belgium, a charge 'she did not deny'.

In some cases, wounded prisoners were freed, as in the case of Gifford who was wounded and captured at Nery. The desciption of his release is quite interesting. It is easy to see how such episodes could add more flavour to these stories.

Robert

[Ian C]

There is a book, called I think, "In A Foreign Field". This tells the story of four men, William Thorpe, David Martin, Thomas Donohoe and Robert Digby, who found themselves trapped behind German lines early in the war. Unable to get back across the German lines they were assimilated into the local population and spent well over a year living openly under the noses of the Germans before being captured and executed as spies in May 1916. One of the men, Robert Digby, fathered a daughter, to one of the local girls, who was still alive when the book was written.

The four are buried in Le Catelet, and I plan to visit their graves on my next visit next February.

IanC

[Terry Denham]

I visited the graves in Le Catelet earlier this year.

Very moving after reading the book. A small and very crowded local cemetery.

[Chris_Baker]

There are sverela published memoirs of men who were left behind like this. "Old Contemptible" by Harry Beaumont is a good one.

[Chris_Baker]

Dignby's story is on the Long, Long Trail: here.

[Robert Dunlop]

The desciption of his release is quite interesting.

Jack Giffard was wounded in the head and legs while serving with L Battery at Nery. On the 6 September, 1914, he and 140 other patients were recovering in a German hospital.

'A perfect day after the last few cloudy and close ones. Gunfire and a little musketry opened about 7 am but its quite impossible to realise what's happening. About 5 pm an English Cavalry patrol of 5 crossed the end of the park from N-S and were fired on. The hospital guard have entrenched themselves just under my window.

Had just settled down to go to sleep 8 pm when an orderly rushes in to say the Germans wish to surrender as the place is surrounded by French who very soon disarm and take over the Germans and take possession. They have come from S of Paris today and say there are no Germans near Paris, they were originally up in Belgium and trekked back and move on N or E tomorrow.'

Next day, Sept 7th:

'Heavy firing to S and SE started at 8 am. Firing gradually to E and NE and ceased by 1 pm. 5 German cavalry men passed through in the morning. An Inniskillen Fusilier came in - said he escapted from the Germans 3 days ago.

At 3pm we sent out Hopkins and Trayes to go to Nantreuil Stn to find out if anything was doing there; 5 1/2 miles out they met a German cyclists' patrol and 2 German MOs who chased them back here, but we hid them and they got no satisfaction and appeared to have no time to stop! About 6 pm, 3 Uhlans and 2 cyclists passed through. A German Dragoon demanded an officer's cloak which he did NOT get. 2 French soldiers came in, one whom the German patrol shot with revolvers, dirty dogs.'

Sept 8th:

'Two motors of French officers passed through. Smal German patrol still hanging about. Heavy firing to NE from 6 am onwards, about 12 mls. Sent Hopkins to find some means of our getting to Paris. [he] produced an aged native who can fit us out with a 4 wheel cart 4 horses and a cover, and a man to show the way.'

Sept 9th:

'We sallied forth in great style at 6 am flying the Red X flag. We passed a lot of French troops and transports en route and reached Plessis at 7.30 am where we called at Rly station and found there an ambulance train was leaving for Lr Borget [sic], just outside Paris at 9 am.'

Jack never went back to France but he died at the age of 72 in 1956.

Robert

[jmoha]

I had heard of the four men before but was mainly wondering if there was any truth to the rumour of whole companies of men operating behind the lines. I suppose the need by the German occupiers to issue the deadline for surrender suggests that it wasn't an isolated problem.