1st Bn Dorsets War Diary 1914

[Essexboy68]

Hello

After a considerable time away, I have returned to the Forum.....

I am after some informationn from the battalion war diary of the 1st Bn Dorsetshire Regt covering the period 12th-13th October 1914, when they were fighting around the Basse Canal & Givenchy areas. My relative, Arthur James Whitsey who is mentioned elsewhere on the forum, was killed on the 12th & is listed in the diary entry for that day - I think there were about 30 casualties in 2 actions on that day. I did have a copy of the entry from the war diary, but it seems to have gone astray, so was wondering if anyone could scane the relevant details for me.

If I can get the information in time, I hoping to use it for a very small personal commemoration that I shall be holding on Sunday 12th October, which is the centenary of this event.

Many Thanks

[GraemeClarke]

Morning

I have this for the 12th, most probably from the Forum in the distant past so credit to whoever did it

?_.pm
Bn marched with 15th Bde via GORRE towards FESTHUBERT. Bn halted on RUE DE BETHUNE owing to shell fire and then moved South to canal, thence along canal towpath to PONT FIXE. A & D Coys were
ordered to occupy positions South & North of the bridge A Coy being on the South and D Coy on the north. One machine Gun was placed on the 1st floor of a big unfinished factory just North of the canal bank.
There was no immediate German advance but the machine gun in the factory opened on Germans debouching from brickfields near H of CUINCHY. The German firing line was checked by this fire. Later
a movement of Germans was detected just S of U of CUINCHY but their advance presented a good target to the machine Gun and the Germans fell back

4.pm
General advance of Dorsets ordered [objective LA BASSEE] in conjunction with French on right and 1/Bedford Regt on the left A Coy moving on South bank of the canal and D Coy on the North
Bank forming the firing line B & C Coy being in reserve. The machine Gun was ordered to support the attack. A Coy moved up the South bank under cover of high bank and did not come under fire from CUINCHY (although held by the enemy) and subsequently inflicted severe loss upon Germans North of CUINCHY. Meanwhile D.Coy. advancing from the factory towards a small farm about 200 yds East of it came under heavy crossfire
from snipers on the high canal bank (southside) and suffered casualties - Major Roper was killed at this farm about 4.30pm.
Attack had made excellent progress and a line had been established from LA BASSEE Canal to large farm North of GIVENCHY Dispositions for night. B and C Coys entrenched on rise upon which above mentioned Farm
stood. A Coy withdrawn to PONT FIXE and with D Coy and BnHdQrs billeted there.

Casualties 11 killed 30 wounded 2 missing


The casualties, from SDGW were as follows:

Killed in Action

8845 BLOWS Herbert L/Cpl
5979 FRANKLIN William James L/Cpl
7067 ROBERTS Charles L/Cpl (or since)
7447 ROGERS Cecil L/Cpl
9496 BRIGGS Charles Albert Pte
9077 LENNARD William Herbert Pte
6753 LIGHT William Edward Pte
6553 MEAD Percy William Pte
7982 NUTBEAM Walter Pte
8047 WHELPDALE William Pte (or since)
7149 WHITSEY Arthur James Pte
9454 WOODMAN John Pte

Regards,

Graeme

[ellimondo]

Hi

I am writing a day-by-day journal of the 1st Bn Dorsets this year in commemoration of my Great Great Uncle Frank Crawshaw. You might be interested to read my interpretation of the last two days. I research on the day, every day, so please excuse my mistakes of which there will be many.

SPotter has always been very helpful with 1st Bn Dorsets information and this post has more diary entries from the time.

Kind regards

Jon

[Essexboy68]

Hello

Belatedly, due to a number of issues, I would like to thank you both for your help. Ellimondo - Jon- I am just about to read your journal - will it have mention of the reservists who joined the battalion to bring it up to strength as my relative was one of those, quite literally kitted out & sent overseas?

[ellimondo]

Hi

I've answered your question on my blog's comments but if you've missed it then looking at his records, James Whitsey was out there for the duration, arriving in France on 16th August with the main body of the 1st Bn. He would have most probably been one of the 440 reserves who arrived in Belfast from Dorchester on 7th August. His records show that he was mobilised and posted to 1st Bn on the 5th August.

Jon