1st Border Regiment 21 August 1915

[Bennett]

While having access to many of the sources for the 21 August attack on Scimitar Hill, I was hoping for a more detailed text and trench map for the position and movements of the 1st Border during the 21 August assault, although I am aware of the confusion and disorganization that developed after the battalion went forward.

Another question, likely with no clear answer is, which company of the 1st Border was Captain J A Tennant OC of on 21 August? Thank You

[Guest]

By the standards of the day, the War Diary has a very long and detailed account of the 21st August. Tennant is mentioned as one of three Captains wounded on the day although his Company or role is not mentioned. He was reported as Died on 3rd Sep from wounds suffered on 21st Aug. The very excellent "Glory is no Compensation" by Ralph May (and others) indicates he was originally 10th Bedfordshire Regt (Border Regt history says 1st Bedfords, CWGC says 10th Bn)) and DOW on 23rd Aug 1915 (CWGC says 22nd). Buried at sea. It also carries a detailed account but neither the diary or the book or the Regimental History relates which Company he was in.

As one of only 3 Captains and a Kitchener battalion man from another Regiment I doubt he was Adjutant on the day and more likely to have been a Coy Commander. C Coy was commanded by Capt May, D Coy commanded by Capt Dinwiddie which obviously leave A Coy or B Coy, both of which were in the second line. Given two platoons of B Coy were held back as a reserve, my guess (and it is a guess) is that Tennant was OC A Coy.

The Diary can be downloaded from the National Archives website for £3.36.... ref WO 95/4311

Present on the day:

Maj (A/Lt Col) Morris...CO

Maj Nelson...............2IC

Capt May.................OC C Coy.......WIA

Capt Dinwiddie.........OC D Coy .....WIA....DOW 13th Sep 1915

Capt Tennant.........WIA...DOW

Lt Ampt..................WIA.....DOW

Lt Hodgson.............WIA

Lt Rupp..................WIA

Lt Adair..................WIA.....DOW

Lt Lake..................WIA

Lt Chambers..........WIA

Lt Hamilton.............WIA

2 Lts New...............WIA

2 Lt Ampt...............WIA

2 Lt Goodall...........WIA

2 Lt Armstrong .......WIA

2 Lt Steer...............WIA

2 Lt Coe

2 Lt Clague

Map showing the Area. They would have started on the reverse slope of Green Hill (Hill 50) and attacked NE towards Scimitar Hill (Hill 70)

MG

[Guest]

A series of images showing the terrain in sequence ....Google Earth...Sevki Pasa Map overlaid 50% opacity.....Sevki Pasa 100%....which you should be able to relate to the British 1:10,000 maps. Note the Sevki Pasa maps are Turkish maps made after the campaign but still provide significant detail. The modern road running NE would be a very close approximation to the line of advance. MG

Edit. The man in the avatar was rattling away with his MGs from Chocolate Hill (Hill 53) when the Border Regt was attacking.

[Bennett]

Thank you very very much for your generous reply from a very impressive knowledge base of this action.

I tend to agree with your "guess" regarding the possibility of Capt. Tennant being OC of Coy. A. The fact that he was medically evacuated to HMHS Rewa would seem to support that he was in a second line company. War memorial information from the Harrow School states that he was carried unconscious onboard the Rewa on 22 August and 'died shortly afterwards".

Also, possibly in support of your guess, in the 1st Border WD, there is a 5:57 pm message from " OC B Coy. received to the effect that the attack on the right appeared to have come to a standstill"

Again, thanks very much Ralph