6th Batt Royal Berkshire Regiment at Delville Wood

[haysie56]

Tomorrow see the 100th anniversary of one of the battles on the Somme that of Delville Wood , on the 19th July 1916 my Grandfather 12110 Sgt F Hayes "B" Coy who had gone "over the top" with the 6th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment on the 1st July and survived , in fact his unit was one of the few to achieve all of their objectives , now they were on their way to "help" the South African Brigade who were battling superior odds inn the wood, On the morning of the 19th July My Grandfather along with his unit approached the wood but were held up with delays and at some time were shelled by their own Artillery ! Finally they moved up a sunken road and then into a communication trench , My Grandfather who was a RSM was talking to his Platoon commander when they were both spotted by a sniper , My Grandfather was shot first the bullet passing through both cheeks , his platoon commander was then shot through the back of his helmet as he bound my grandfather up but only suffered a scratch,

He and the rest of The troops then had to move on leaving my Grandfather alone in no mans land as they entered the wood, they fought there all day losing many men in what was described afterwards as a poorly planned and ill conceived operation ,

The platoon commander survived and after having left the wood went to the medical officer and told him where my Grandfather lay , The Medical officer went out in to no mans land and collected the wounded from the battle , both British and German while under fire , he found my Grandfather and got him away and out of no mans land. and reported back that he "had a strong pulse" My Grandfathers war in France was over , he spent many months recovering back home and did not return to France being posted elsewhere, his pals thought he had been killed , The platoon commander wrote to him while he was recovering, we have the letter now written in pencil , it was one of the "more positive" letters he had to write many were to those who had been killed , the event is also recalled in a book called "the biscuit boys" where a Private Jennings recalls the moment

 

As for the platoon commander he survived the war and took holy orders later to become Bishop of Newcastle and Ely , his name was Noel Baring Hudson, The medical officer who saved my Grandfathers life under Fire was called Capt Harold Ackroyd , time and again during subsequent engagements he went out into No Mans Land to try and help the wounded of both sides , In Belgium as he did so he was shot by a sniper and killed , just after his award of the Victoria Cross was announced ,

 

two men , both hero's in their own right and without whose actions i would not be writing this tonight ,

 

and finally a postscript , my Grandfather died on the morning of the 19th July 1976 , exactly sixty years to the day he was shot, i would like to think his comrades were once again on hand to help him on his way ,

 

in memory of all those who fought lived and died on the killing fields of France "lest we forget"

[David_Blanchard]

Thanks for this. 

[KIRKY]

amazing story thanks for sharing,

Tony

[dickaren]

Very interesting story, thanks for sharing.

Richard