The Affair at Nery 1st September 1914

[priv]

Seated in my office looking at the large antique print I have of the Matania depiction of L Battery on this day 100 years ago.

priv

[auchonvillerssomme]

Me too but mines the Peter Archer.

[Guest]

It was just an affair.

A bit more than that for those who were there, I would imagine?

Mike

[Steven Broomfield]

And, of course, the men of 1st Cavalry Brigade - 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays), 5th (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) Dragoon Guards and 11th (Prince Albert's Own) Hussars under their intrepid caommander, Brigadier General Charles Briggs - who, along with their comrades in L Battery, fought off two german cavalry divisions. Particularly remembering Colonel Ansell of the 5th DG, who fell leading his men.

http://www.britishbattles.com/firstww/battle-of-nery.htm

[SFayers]

[Ron Clifton]

Today's coverage on the BBC television news made no reference to L Battery RHA but it was useful to be reminded that the cavalry were actually there as well.

Remembering some very brave men indeed.

Ron

[NigelS]

Just received the September CWGC Newsletter in my inbox, & it contains an article by David Tattersfield of the WFA on the 'Affair at Nery' in its 'Battles this month' feature Click

NigelS

[johntanner]

In memory of my avatar's best friend, Dvr Harry Drain, L Battery, wounded in the head at Nery.

[Steven Broomfield]

Just received the September CWGC Newsletter in my inbox, & it contains an article by David Tattersfield of the WFA on the 'Affair at Nery' in its 'Battles this month' feature Click

NigelS

Thanks for the link.

I might take a small degree of disagreement with the report: I think to describe 1st Cavalry Brigade as "protecting the gap" between 19th Brigade and II Corps is stretching it a little: basically they had wandered into the gap due to the fact that their intended bileting place on the 31st had been taken by French troops, and nery was next-best. The fact that no picquets were out reinforces the view that they did not expect trouble.

That said, the attack was not a complete surprise: the 2 i/c of the 11th Hussars (Anderson) hed despatched an officer's patrol under Lt Tailby, who blundered into a German patrol, in the fog, and raced back to Nery, carrying as evidence an officer's cloak which they had acquired. It was Tailby's report to his CO (Pitman) and Pitman's urgent despatch to the GOC (Briggs) which set the defence alert. L Battery was surprised, but being at the opposite end of the village (Tailby came in from the north), it took a while to get to them. This patrol was sent purely on Anderson's own initiative as he felt something was wrong.

The actions of Briggs in deploying the two squadrons of the 5th DG were crucial in getting the defence organised, and as the report says, it was the actions of that regiment which really stopped the German attack. The marksmanship of the three British cavalry regiments, plus the fact that the Lee Enfield rifle outranged and outshot the Germans' carbines, was also extremely effective, as was the deployment of the regimental machine guns.

I would question whether the arrival of I Battery saved the day - I think it had pretty well been saved. I Battery certainly assisted hugely, but we should also remember that the charge undertaken by the 11th Hussars (led by Lieutenant Norrie, later a Desert General in the next war) captured what i think were the first German guns captured in France by the British (although as his men passed on, Norrie allowed the 4th Middlesex, who had come up, to take them, setting the scene for a genlemanly correspondence in The Times 50 years later).

It is easy to make extravagant claims over this Affair. What it certainly did was emphasise the superiority of British cavalry over its German opposition, and also the tenacity of British artillery. L Battery had, almost literally, been caught with their pants down. My personal feeling is that this scrap set a marker, which had already been apparent, that from now on, german mounted troops were not going to get embroiled in any actions with British cavalry. It also markedly reinforces what an excellent all-round force the British mounted arm was.

Oh, and Charles Briggs is one of the under-judged generals of the war. had he not had the misfortune to be given a division which ended up in a backwater, I can't help feeling he would be better known today.

[Keith Iles]

Rest Peacefully Lads

[David Ridgus]

Just been re-reading Richard Holmes' thrilling account of the action. As ever, in awe of these men and their actions

David

[squirrel]

It is easy to make extravagant claims over this Affair. What it certainly did was emphasise the superiority of British cavalry over its German opposition, and also the tenacity of British artillery. L Battery had, almost literally, been caught with their pants down. My personal feeling is that this scrap set a marker, which had already been apparent, that from now on, german mounted troops were not going to get embroiled in any actions with British cavalry. It also markedly reinforces what an excellent all-round force the British mounted arm was.

It also so weakened the German 4th Cavalry Division that it was unable to fulfill it's role of reconnaissance. From Nery 1914 Major A F Becke:

""The ruin of all their hopes at the Marne was largely due to the failure to locate in time the threat that menaced Kluck's open right flank on the 5th September as he rushed southward.

This failure may be traced directly to the Fight at Nery".

[Sepoy]

64153 Gunner Edward Thomas Marsh,
"D" Gun, “L” Battery, Royal Horse Artillery.

Edward was born in Forest Hill, London during 1893, the son of Richard and Maria Marsh.

He enlisted in New Cross and was at Woolwich in 1911. Edward was stationed in Aldershot with "L" Battery, when war was declared, and he crossed to France with his Battery on 15th August, 1914.

Edward served throughout the retreat from Mons and found himself at Nery on the morning of 1st September 1914.

56832 Acting Bombadier Frank Perrett, D Gun, L Battery, RHA, takes up the story.
"When the first salvo fell, Gunner Marsh, my Number 2 and I were just finishing shaving in rear of our detachment horses, which were tied to
the gun wheel. A shell dropped right amongst them and the explosion flattened us. Marsh was struggling, but I told him to lie still as I could see he was badly hit; a piece of shell had gone right through his back and disembowelled him."

Edward died of his wounds on 3rd September, 1914, at the Chateau Le Baron Field Hospital and was buried in the Baron Communal Cemetery.

At the end of his last letter to his Sister Lilly, written very hurriedly at Aldershot just prior to his embarkation for France, he wrote "One kiss for you and I will give it to you in reality on my return". He never did...

[Sepoy]

Unfortunately, not all men could be heroes.....

3185 Private Ernest Frederick Noakes, 2nd Dragoon Guards (The Queen’s Bays)

Ernest was born in Bermondsey, London, during 1891, the son of Thomas William and Harriett Noakes of 18 Maze Pond, St Thomas Street, Bermondsey.

Formerly an “In Door” Porter, he enlisted on 15th April, 1909 in London. He was not a perfect soldier and was punished for going absent without leave and being in the possession of other soldiers kit on a number of occasions. Noakes did, however, pass a 3rd Class Education Certificate on 13th February, 1914 whilst stationed at at Aldershot.

Private Noakes landed in France, with the ”B” Squadron, 2nd Dragoon Guards, on 17th August, 1914. Having served throughout the Retreat from Mons, he was at Nery on 1st September, 1914 when the Imperial German Army attacked.
Regretfully, following the action, Noakes was charged with
1. Contray to the prejudice of good order and military discipline abandoning his arms.
2. Disobeying a lawful order given by a superior Officer
Ernest was tried by a Field General Courts Martial on 18th September, 1914 for abandoning his arms and disobeying a lawful command given on 1st September, 1914. He was found guilty and sentenced to 1 year imprisonment with hard labour to be followed with discharge, with ignominy, from his Majesty’s service.
This sentence was confirmed and Noakes was handed over for escort to Base on 19th September, 1914.

His sentence was quashed by the Commander in Chief, British Army in the Field on 5th October, 1914 and Ernest rejoined his unit on 17th November, 1914.

Ernest continued to serve but was killed in action during the Battle of Frezenberg on 13th May, 1915. Private Noakes is now buried in the New Irish Farm Cemetery, St.Jean Les Ypres, near Ypres Belgium.

[Steven Broomfield]

Thanks for those, Sepoy. Very interesting (and a little sad in both cases).

[Jim Hastings]

Rest in Peace fellas

[seaforth78]

Just received the September CWGC Newsletter in my inbox, & it contains an article by David Tattersfield of the WFA on the 'Affair at Nery' in its 'Battles this month' feature Click

NigelS

Much appreciated NigelS with thanks!

[Loader]

Another fight interesting to read about & study but glad I was not there when it happened! Honoring all the men who fought that fight no matter waht unit they were with. They gave a good account of themselves & inflicted damage on the enemy out of all proportion.

[sheldrake]

On 01/09/2014 at 10:51, auchonvillerssomme said:

Me too but mines the Peter Archer.

I have one of those too, signed by some gun numbers.  Here is an update from 100 years later

Edited 8 April by sheldrake
updating