"Shrapnel Zero": The BEF's finest hour

[Guest]

Hello - I am looking for pointers on first hand accounts of the events of 11th Nov 1914 in the vicinity of Polygone Wood and Nonne Bosschen.

The events that day seem to have everything: A major assault by elite German troops, a broken British line, hasty defence with cooks, bottle washers and servants holding to the last, desperate artillery engagements; guns firing over open sights at 'shrapnel zero', counter-attacks, French shelling the British, small strong-points of British holding out against overwhelming odds, and the Royal Engineers bayonet charging across open ground. You couldn't make it up.

While researching ammunition expenditure by the RFA in Nov 1914 I stumbled on a rather contentious debate among some RFA Officers over the events of 11th Nov. On this day the Prussian Guard broke the British line held by the 1st Bn Black Watch, 1st Bn Cameron Highlanders and 1st Bn Scots Guards, who, according to the Cameron Highlanders own rather frank diary, fled;

 

"11th Nov 1914. A clear morning. The GERMAN artillery started shelling about 6:00 am increasing in violence to about 9:00 am, when the 1st Grenadier Regt broke through our lines at more than one point. The 1st Bn SCOTS GUARDS, 1st Bn CAMERON HLDRS, 1st Bn BLACK WATCH evacuated their trenches and fled leaving the GERMANS in possession. The GERMANS got as far as Brigade HQ but were compelled to retire on account of our reinforcements who I believe were NORTHAMPTONSHIRE REGT and OXFORD AND BUCKS LIGHT INF"

 

Capt Hudson of the 1st Bn King's (Liverpool Regt) was in the adjacent trenches and dryly recorded the following;;

 

11th Nov 1914. Moved HQ at 6:30 am and just got away before a terrific bombardment commenced all along the line. Our old HQ were blown to pieces but we had fortunately moved to our new position when we got it quite hot enough. The bombardment went on without a stop till after 9:00 am and was the most awful bombardment I have ever been under. I went up and got D Coy moved further to the left of where the shelling was not quite so heavy. This saved a lot of casualties.

 

B & A Coys were attacked by the PRUSSIAN GUARD about 7:00 am but they beat them off although the Germans left their dead heavily in our trenches. They left about 40 or 50 dead bodies that we could count in front of the line at this spot. The PRUSSIAN GUARD then crossed our front and attacked along our line only to be beaten back with heavy loss. They then turned on to the 1st Bn BLACK WATCH and 1st Bn CAMERON HLDRS who were driven out of their trenches and the Germans got into them where they stay until we were relieved, so we had the honour of being supported on our right by the PRUSSIAN GUARD.

 

The beastly little spit fire as we have named their horse guns worried our HQ all day. HIGHLAND LIGHT INF were brought up to the West side of wood. We then heard PRUSSIAN GUARD had got away through the 5th INF BDE HQ and that the 1st Bn BLACK WATCH and 1st Bn CAMERON HLDRS had left everything and done a cross country run, many of them being collected at YPRES, about 4 miles distant. Every odd man, cooks, RE Transport drivers etc, were fetched up as the Germans had gone through the guns but had done no damage.

Casualties 29 NCOs and men killed and wounded.

 

Message (which Col STEAVENSON has I fancy), from Brigade HQ.

 

"Situation now well in hand, on no account should you quit your trenches."

Very angry at the suggestion, so I replied,

"No intention of quitting our trenches but what about our rations?"

We had not got our rations up for 2 nights owing to shelling.

 

A strong-point held by Lt F Anderson, C Coy 1st bn Black Watch held out against overwhelming pressure and a counter attack by the 2nd Bn OBLI, 1st Bn Northants supported by the 2nd Bn HLI as well as 5th Fd Coy RE was successful, however the RFA who had stood their ground throughout as the 1st Guards Bde passed through them in disarray felt their efforts had been overshadowed.The XLI Bde RFA diaries that day record the infantry passing through the gun line in disorder and pulled every RFA man to the gun line with rifles; cooks, storemen, servants, orderlies etc to face the Prussian Guard. The 16th and 17th Bty were centre front and according to the XLI Bde RFA war diary;

 

"..The German infantry (Prussian Guard) got to within a few hundred yards of [the] positions of 16th and 17th Batteries RFA who fired at Fuze 0. The 17th Bty used the new High Explosives at a house with good results...."

 

Incidentally a rather early example of experimental HE rounds*. The gunner Officer in question who fired the rounds with such accuracy and good effect had been a gunnery instructor.

The father of one of the 9th Bty RFA officers (Rochfort-Boyd**) had written an account of the event based on his son's letters which was used for the first draft of a publication (possibly the OH 1914 Vol II pub 1925?). The account put Rochfort-Boyd at the centre of the events, but was rather at odds with the recollections of most of the other surviving RFA Officers - Ronnie Carrington, Willie Clark, and Harry Lewin (all 16th Bty RFA) as well as Otto Lund (Ord Off to CO XLI Bde). They were moved to write to Maj A F Becke (RA) of the Historical Section to put the record right. The correspondence took place during August 1924 and is contained within the XLI Bde RFA war diary as is Rochfort-Boyd's (Snr) account. Interestingly the diary also contains a printed copy of Becke's detailed account titled "XLI RFA" and published in the 1920s - possibly 1925. The correspondents discussed among themselves that Becke might put the record straight and this publication is possibly the fruits of those labours. It looks like an extract from a journal (it has Vol LII No2 bottom left of the opening page. Possibly the RA Journal?). Ref WO 95/1326 for anyone wanting to read it all in detail. (£3.30 from TNA)

 

Digging deeper, the various accounts of the infantry (diaries and histories) and the RFA eyewitnesses differ slightly. I have trawled all the diaries and published histories as well as the OH, and the story still seems to jar a little. If anyone knows of any first hand accounts of the events of this day - in the vicinity of Nonne Bosschen and Polygone woods - I would be grateful if you could point me in the right direction. Becke's account*** is thorough and he spoke directly with many participants as well as key members of the Infantry in action that day, particularly the battalions leading the counter-attack - 2nd OBLI (detailed diaries) and Northants, but I am interested in trying to eke out other first hand accounts. Any pointers would be gratefully received.

Thank you in advance. MG

 

* First sent out in late Oct 1914.

** Rochfort-Boyd died of wounds on 17th Dec 1917 and his father published his son's memoirs as 'Forty Months of the Great War'

*** If anyone knows the source of the article (RA Journal?) I would be interested in the confirmation. MG

Edited 1 November , 2016 by Guest

[Loader]

What a great line the 1/King's Capt. wrote about "having the honor to be supported on the right by the Prussian Guard"!!!

[battiscombe]

I have just been skimming the 2nd Division HQ Staff diaries for late 1914, which you may already have read - other fragments maybe found in the 2nd Div CRA diaries, although i think nothing much different than found in the 41 Bde diary ..

Divisional diary has..

.. for 10.am entry: " the Germans who had penetrated the Nonneboschen wood advanced on Westhoek. They were driven back by the fire of the 16th and 9th batteries, in conjunction with the rifle fire of some gunners of these batteries

and of the 35th Heavy Battery together with a few stragglers from the 1st Infantry Brigade collected by the, In some case the Germans approached within 100 yards of the guns." ..... and there were no more troops between the gun line and Divisional HQ .. on the day map an X marks the spot where the German attack foundered [WO95 1283-3 appendix 59]

there are also some excellent daily situation maps, as well as signals delivered to Div HQ at the time ... including one timed 9.55 [?] from 5th Brigade reporting that 'Black Watch have left their trenches'..

[Guest]

I have just been skimming the 2nd Division HQ Staff diaries for late 1914, which you may already have read - other fragments maybe found in the 2nd Div CRA diaries, although i think nothing much different than found in the 41 Bde diary ..

Divisional diary has..

.. for 10.am entry: " the Germans who had penetrated the Nonneboschen wood advanced on Westhoek. They were driven back by the fire of the 16th and 9th batteries, in conjunction with the rifle fire of some gunners of these batteries

and of the 35th Heavy Battery together with a few stragglers from the 1st Infantry Brigade collected by the, In some case the Germans approached within 100 yards of the guns." ..... and there were no more troops between the gun line and Divisional HQ .. on the day map an X marks the spot where the German attack foundered [WO95 1283-3 appendix 59]

there are also some excellent daily situation maps, as well as signals delivered to Div HQ at the time ... including one timed 9.55 [?] from 5th Brigade reporting that 'Black Watch have left their trenches'..

Thanks

I think we are on the same pages. I have the DAC, CRA, RFA Brigade, and Battery diaries for this period - all interesting reads. As you know it is rather akin to reassembling a jig-saw puzzle. The personal recollections are the most interesting parts. The infantry published accounts are also interesting and differ slightly from the diary accounts. The three Scottish battalions had been annihilated over a period of weeks and were rather weak in numbers. In the aftermath the remaining numbers would barely have reconstructed a single battalion.

MG

[battiscombe]

Farndale captures the drama I think - not least in that this episode was clearly a 'very close run thing'. A pity that none of the gunner-riflemen left accounts .. it would have been a fine story: "the day we stopped the Prussian Guards with 18 18pdrs ... and the cooks and signallers with rifles ..' I believe the 16th Bty riflemen included Amos Eustace [58643], Cpl Thomas William Richardson [57768], Cpl Vancouver George Cook [50662], Bdr A Rabson [57499] .. the ammunition returns also show the very heavy rate of fire that day, I seem to remember

[Guest]

On 4/13/2015 at 11:17, battiscombe said:

Farndale captures the drama I think - not least in that this episode was clearly a 'very close run thing'. A pity that none of the gunner-riflemen left accounts .. it would have been a fine story: "the day we stopped the Prussian Guards with 18 18pdrs ... and the cooks and signallers with rifles ..' I believe the 16th Bty riflemen included Amos Eustace [58643], Cpl Thomas William Richardson [57768], Cpl Vancouver George Cook [50662], Bdr A Rabson [57499] .. the ammunition returns also show the very heavy rate of fire that day, I seem to remember

The 16th and 17th Btys RFA expended 662 and 682 rounds respectively. 9th Bty RFAdid not leave a records but the DAC data implies they fired no more than 400 rounds according to Becke. The 16th and 17th Btys RFA fired roughly 110 -113 rounds each. I am not sure how soon or what distance from the gun a shell with a fuze set at zero will explode, but I imaging it would have a similar effect to an extremely large calibre shotgun.

One of the personal accounts records one officer (Messervy of 16th Bty RFA I think) firing the experimental HE at a building. The first round bounced off a berm so he checked the second round by sighting the gun looking through the barrel before scoring a direct hit. .

Here are two published accounts of the action;

The History of the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders);

Between 6.30 and 9 a.m. on the 11th of November, the heaviest bombardment so far experienced by the British forces broke out ; as it ended, a Division of the Prussian Guard, with orders from their Emperor to break the line at all costs, attacked the front of the 1st and 2nd Divisions. Under cover of the bombardment, a strong force drove back D company and the two platoons of A company entrenched at the south-west corner of Polygon Wood, and broke through the line. Second Lieutenant M. McNeill, commanding this portion of A company, was last seen on the parapet of his trench, revolver in hand, fighting right gallantly to the end with all his men.

 

The supporting point of C company, under Lieutenant F Anderson, held out firmly, and split the attack into small parties of twenty or thirty men, many of whom were soon lost in the woods behind. It is interesting to note that Lieutenant Anderson’s post was the first instance in the war of the “ strong point,” or wired-in locality, which later became a salient feature of defensive warfare. This particular post was sited and constructed by a great friend of the regiment, Major C Russell-Brown RE, commanding the 23rd Field Company.

 

B company and the two platoons of A company, under Lieutenant Sprot, who were in reserve in the paddocks of Verbeek Farm, were overwhelmed by the first onrush of the enemy; Lieutenant Sprot and most of his men were killed. A few men, among whom were Privates Jackson and Gardner, were taken prisoner; but when their captors took cover from a chance shell, they slipped away and escaped into the Nonne Bosschen Wood.

Verbeek Farm, the joint Headquarters of The Black Watch and the Cameron Highlanders, was temporarily occupied by the enemy; the actual Headquarters dug-out, a primitive brushwood lean-to against the farmhouse was, however, kept safe by the spirited defence of the two commanding officers, Lieutenant Colonels C. E. Stewart and D. McEwan, and of Sergeant D. Redpath, The Black Watch signalling sergeant. Lieutenant Colonel Stewart was wounded in the head at point-blank range by a German who was, in his turn, despatched by Sergeant Redpath.

Lieutenant Rowan Hamilton and Captain Brodie of the Camerons, the two adjutants, had previously, when the attack commenced, gone to 1st Brigade Headquarters in Nonne Bosschen Wood to report the situation. Lieutenant Rowan Hamilton, in returning to report to Colonel Stewart at Verbeek Farm, was wounded.

 

Meanwhile, Nonne Bosschen Wood, in which the 1st Brigade Headquarters was situated, was held by 1st Brigade Signal Section, The Black Watch party that had been with the North Lancashire Regiment for the past three days and had reported at 1st Brigade Headquarters during the preliminary bombardment, and a few men who had got away from the front line. Several small parties of the enemy had broken past Lieutenant Anderson’s Post and Verbeek Farm and had attempted to enter the wood or passed along its eastern edge, but they were success¬ fully dealt with. During this fighting Captain Brodie of the Cameron Highlanders and Lieutenant Lawson were killed. Lieutenant Lawson had recently been granted a commission, having come out to France with the Battalion as Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant—a most gallant officer, who fell fighting, having served the Regiment loyally for over nineteen years.

 

About 3.30 p.m. three companies of the 1st Northamptonshire Regiment, assisted by a party of The Black Watch and Camerons, advanced from Nonne Bosschen Wood and regained the line Verbeek Farm-Lieutenant Anderson’s Post, south-west corner of Polygon Wood, this corner being known on all later maps as “ Black Watch Corner.” Lieutenant Anderson was most severely wounded and his garrison suffered many losses; but they had accounted for a large number of the enemy—Lieutenant Anderson having himself shot several—and had broken up the main German attack in this area.

 

The net result of the German effort was to drive back the British line about five hundred yards on a front of a mile. Only one officer, Captain V. M. Fortune, remained unwounded at the end of this day. The casualties were: killed, Lieutenant Lawson and 18 other ranks; missing (nearly all subsequently ascertained to have been killed), Lieutenants Sprot and McNeil and 49 other ranks; wounded, Lieutenant Colonel Stewart, Captains West and Rowan-Hamilton, Lieutenant Anderson and 52 other ranks.

 

Those Germans who had advanced into the woods were held up by our artillery, who defended their batteries with an improvised firing line until the evening. The first Battle of Ypres had been won, since the Germans had failed in their single objective of piercing the British line. The trenches lost this day might have been retaken, had not the Brigadier of the 1st Brigade, General FitzClarence, been killed as he led the 2nd Grenadiers and the 1st Irish Guards to counter-attack on the early morning of the 12th. Captain Fortune, Company Sergeant Major Gray and 2341 Private Mitchell were acting as guides to this counter attack, which was counter-ordered on the death of General FitzClarence.

 

The Scots Guards in the Great War;

The next two days were fairly quiet, but for the usual shelling, causing six casualties, which broke out with redoubled fury at 6.30 a.m. on the 11th and lasted for three hours, ruining the trenches and burying many men. Then the Prussian Guard attacked in great strength through Veldhoek and captured the front trenches on the whole line of the 1st Brigade.

 

The Scots Guards were at this time holding the burnt farm near Gheluvelt Wood. This place had been shelled to pieces in the morning bombardment, but the men of the Scots Guards in the orchard held on under Captain Stracey when the trenches to right and left had fallen. They did great execution on the enemy till, attacked by infantry from the wood, they were at last overwhelmed. All that escaped were Battalion Headquarters, 5 men from the fire trench, 30 from the orchard, and 4 from the point d'appui. These managed to rejoin the rest of the brigade by evening. The enemy had at one time got to within 200 yards of the British guns, but there they were repulsed with enormous losses. The 1st (Guards) Brigade mustered that night altogether 4 officers and 300 men. It had lost its gallant commander,Brigadier-General Charles FitzClarence, V.C., killed.

 

The 1st Scots Guards had been practically destroyed. Its total casualties from its first entry into the Battle of Ypres up to the15th November were 9 officers killed, 7 wounded, 5 missing ; of other ranks 105 had been killed, 151 wounded, and 430 were missing. On the 12th November the 1st Brigade went into reserve at Hooge, when Captain Stracey and the remaining 69 men of the 1st Battalion, with the rather stronger remains of the Black Watch and Cameron Highlanders, dug themselves in in the wood in front of the chateau.

Edited 1 November , 2016 by Guest

[Guest]

The Northamptonshire's diary was lost for this period although there is a postscript:

 

"The Regiment was heavily engaged most of the time in fact in November 14th there were only two Officers left - about 300 men -"

 

 

The published history is more illuminating;

 

November 11th witnessed the great attack by the Prussian Guard - the last desperate attempt of the Germans to break through the line still held by the unconquerable remnant of the British Army. Soon after 9 am the Northamptonshires received word that the enemy had forced their way through the 1st Brigade near Polygon Wood. The 48th were moved off to reinforce the line at this point, and occupied the eastern edge of Nonne Bosschen Wood. Polygon Wood was situated some 500 yards to the west of them, a tract of open country lying between. On the north, the two woods were nearly connected by a copse that lay between them. On the south, the road to Reutel fringes the skirts of both woods, and is lined by a hedge on its northern side. At 11 am orders were received to advance into Polygon Wood. “ D ” Company, on the left, moved forward through the copse and sustained comparatively little damage, but the remainder of the battalion came under a deadly fire from the right flank, where the Germans were in force. The enemy’s machine gunners had occupied some houses south of the Reutel road, and from these they were able to enfilade our advancing lines with considerable effect. The 48th thereupon wheeled to the right, took up a position along the hedge, and engaged the enemy, who were now advancing in force. Just at this time Major Norman was killed, and his adjutant (Captain G St G Robinson) wounded. The latter officer was subsequently awarded the Military Cross for the gallantry which he had displayed in this battle. The command of the battalion now devolved upon Lieutenant Farrar.

Although the rifle fire of the Northamptonshires checked the frontal advance of the Germans, the position was one of extreme danger, as the left flank was very exposed. Second-Lieutenant Vandal, of the Royal West Kent Regiment, who had been attached to the 48th shortly before the move from the Aisne, was killed during this part of the engagement; Second- Lieutenant R Davison was wounded. However, the arrival of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry on the left secured that flank, and the Northamptonshires entrenched themselves along the line of the hedge and prepared to resist a fresh attack.

Edited 1 November , 2016 by Guest

[Guest]

2nd Bn OBLI war diary:

11th Nov 1914. About 10:00 am ordered to go to EKSTERNEST (WESTHOEK) in support of the 1st GUARDS BDE who were being heavily attacked to the North of the YPRES-MENIN ROAD.

 

When the Regiment arrived at WESTHOEK troops of the 1st DIV (NORTHAMPTONSHIRE REGT) could be seen advancing Eastward about ½ mile on the right.Companies took what cover could be found at WESTHOEK from the shelling which began soon after we got there.

 

Orders were received from the 5th INF BDE to clear the NONNE BOSSCHEN WOOD and then join with the 2nd Bn HIGHLAND LIGHT INF who were on the West edge of the POLYGONE WOOD. Almost at the same moment an order came from the 1st GUARDS BDE to bring the Regiment to the South East corner of the NONNE BOSSCHEN and join the 1st DIV troops who were there.

 

As there were certainly Germans in the Northern part of the NONNE BOSSCHEN and our own and some French Artillery were at WESTHOEK it was necessary to clear the wood. The 5th INF BDE order was therefore obeyed. A & B Companies were sent to clear the wood advancing from North West to South East. This they did very successfully, killing and capturing many Germans. C & D Coys followed in support. When A & B Coys came out on the South side of the wood they were joined by some of the NORTHAMPTONSHIRE REGT on the right and by some of the 2nd Bn CONNAUGHT RANGERS and 5th FIELD COY RE on the left. Led by Capt H M DILLON they charged the Germans out of one line of trenches, some of them running while the attack was 30 or 40 yards off and others surrendering.

 

There was still another trench in front, that which the Germans had taken from the 1st GUARDS BDE, running from the South West corner of the POLYGONE WOOD to the V of VELDHOEK. This trench would probably have been taken too, but at this moment some French Artillery not knowing how far one counter-attack had progressed opened on our front line with shrapnel. By the time the French shrapnel could be stopped it was dark.

 

The Regiment was then collected in some houses North of the E of BOSSCHEN. It was proposed to try to retake the trenches by a flank attack from the South West corner of the POLYGONE WOOD and about 1:30 am (12th November 1914) the Regiment and the HIGHLAND LIGHT INF moved up to this corner of the wood. Owing to the darkness and our ignorance of the ground and of the exact position of the trenches, this attack was given up.

 

Marched back to the houses near the E of BOSSCHEN, meeting on the way the 2nd Bn GRENADIER GUARDS, IRISH GUARDS and ROYAL MUNSTER FUS who were also marching to the South West corner of the POLYGONE WOOD with the idea of attacking from this flank.They had been fired on from the German trenches and Brig Gen FITZ-CLARENCE, Commanding the 1st GUARDS BDE had been killed. Their attack was not carried out.

 

Orders for entrenching a new line for the night were now given out.Two Coys (C & D) entrenched with the left on the POLYGONE WOOD near the Z of POLYGONE DE ZONNEBEKE on the right near the C of BOSSCHEN. Echeloned in front near the FARM VERBECK were the NORTHAMPTONSHIRE REGT, and the line was carried on towards the VELDHOEK CHATEAU by the GLOUCESTERSHIRE REGT and GRENADIER GUARDS. On our left were the CONNAUGHT RANGERS and HIGHLAND LIGHT INF near the South West corner of the POLYGONE WOOD. A & B Coys were in support trenches behind. Regimental HQ in North West corner of the POLYGONE WOOD.

 

The Germans who attacked today belonged to a Division of POTSDAM GUARDS.

 

Casualties - killed 2 Lt J JONES & 4 others, wounded Lt C S BAINES & 17 others, missing 4. Total 27.

 

2 Lt JONES was doing duty as Coy Sgt Maj, as information of his promotion had not been received.

 

 

Lt Col Davies OBLI - Personal account:

 

11th Nov 1914. Fight with Prussian Guard in NONNE BOSSCHEN wood.

YPRES Sheet 1/40,000

 

About 10:00 am we were turned out as there had been a German attack on the 1st INF BDE who held the ground a little north of YPRES-MENIN road. I was ordered to take the regiment to WESTHOEK and get into touch with the 1st DIV who would be bringing up reinforcements on the right.

 

A certain number of shells were dropping about in different places but by watching where they were putting them I was able to avoid them and we got to WESTHOEK without loss. Here I got the companies into any cover that was available and could see the NORTHAMPTONSHIRE REGT (1st DIV) advancing on our right into the southern part of the wood x (K.14.b.) lying south of WESTHOEK. I also found Col LUSHINGTON commanding a brigade of artillery here in a dugout near a shrine just beyond the village. He told me that the Germans were in the NONNE BOSSCHEN wood and that he had some of his gunners, cooks &c and anyone he could collect under his adjutant with rifles facing the Germans in front of us.

 

A message now came from the 5th INF BDE that I was to clear the NONNE BOSSCHEN of Germans, and that the HIGHLAND LIGHT INF who were in reserve on the western edge of POLYGONE wood would join in an attack on the trenches that the Germans had taken which extended southwards from the south west corner of POLYGONE wood.

x GLENCORSE wood in later maps

 

Almost at the same moment an order came from the GOC 1st BDE that I was to bring the regiment round to the south east corner of the wood x south of NONNE BOSSCHEN to combine with 1st DIV troops in an attack on the captured trenches.

 

These contradictory orders could not both be obeyed, but it was obvious that the Germans must be cleared out of NONNE BOSSCHEN as they were here in dangerous proximity to some of our guns and to some French guns.

 

I therefore obeyed the 5th INF BDE order and sent a message to the 1st BDE to say what I was doing.

 

I sent A and B Coys to clear the NONNE BOSSCHEN, advancing from north west to south east. This they did most successfully driving the Germans before them and killing and capturing a good many. C and D followed in support. Then A and B came out on the south eastern edge of the wood they were joined by the NORTHAMPTONSHIRE REGT on the right and by some CONNAUGHT RANGERS (Sappers) on the left. Led by DILLON they charged the Germans out of the trenches, some of the enemy turning and running when the attack was 30 or 40 yards off and others surrendering. Most of those who ran were shot. There was still another trench held by the Germans in front and there is no doubt that this would have been taken too, but unfortunately the French artillery, not realising that our attack had progressed so quickly began firing shrapnel into our front line so that the attack could not get on. It took some time to get the French artillery stopped and by that time it was dark.

 

x Called GLENCORSE wood in later maps

I got the whole regiment collected now at two or three houses just east of the south edge of the NONNE BOSSCHEN (K.10.d.3.7.). I found 5th INF BDE HQ on the north edge of POLYGONE wood. It was then proposed to try and retake the trenches the Germans had taken by a flank attack on them from the south west corner of POLYGONE wood. As however it was absolutely pitch dark it was decided to put this off till 1:00 am when the moon would be well up.

 

I went back where I had left the regiment. About this time it came on to pour with rain and hail, so I managed to squeeze all the men into the houses for shelter, very tightly packed and the rain came down so heavily that some must have been well wetted before they got in. It cleared off later. I was trying to get a little sleep when about 11:00 pm the staff Capt. of the 1st BDE came in and I went with him to Gen FITZCLARENCE who commands that brigade to their HQ in a house about K.15.a.4.5. He had also orders to attack from the south west corner of POLYGONE wood, at 4:00 am with the 2nd GRENADIER GUARDS and IRISH GUARDS from the 4th BDE and the MUNSTER FUS.

Edited 1 November , 2016 by Guest

[Guest]

Bump.

 

Soon the 102nd anniversary. Still looking for more accounts of the mayhem in Nonne Bosschen. It is worthy of a book.   MG

[David Filsell]

Martin,

Personal accounts from 1st Ypres are pretty rare at almost all levels for obvious reasons - as I'm sure you are aware. Even requests to regimental Museums are as I know from experience, pretty rarely turn up anything - not even letters. Equally I'm pretty sure you are aware of the material on Nonne Boshen from pages 166 on in "Till the Trumpet Sounds Again".

Regards

David

Edited 2 November , 2016 by David Filsell