1/5 Leicestershire Regiment

[Pauline Haycock]

My uncle James Langham Whitworth 1/5 Lincolnshire Regimemt Service Number 240186 was awarded the French Croix de Guerre (silver) on 29th September 1918.  It was presented to him on 20th October 1918 by a French general.  I am trying to find out in which battle and where it took place and also the name of the French general who presented it

[kenf48]

The 1/5 War Diary notes

26 October 1000 Fresnoy-Le-Grand “The croissant de Guerre won by Lt Pierrepont and L/Sgt Whitworth presented on a Divisional Ceremonial Parade by the GOC 126 Division l’armee de francaise. “

 

 

The 138th Brigade War Diary notes:-

October 26 1918 “Divisional Ceremonial Parade.  The French decorations won by the Brigade were presented by the G.O.C. 126th French Division.”

I don’t know who the General Officer Commanding the French Division was.

 

On the 20th October at 10a.m. there was a Divisional Church Parade of Thanksgiving for the victories in the battles earlier in the month on the Divisional Parade Ground at Fresnoy-Le-Grand.   3000 soldiers from 46th (North Midland) Division marched past the G.O.C. Division.

The Divisional Diary does not mention the Parade on the 26th.  

 

There are seldom citations surviving for foreign awards which were passed down the chain of command, rather than British gallantry awards where recommendations were passed up the chain of command.  It seems likely the award was announced, but not presented at the Divisional Parade on the 20th.  The soldiers would have received a ‘ticket’ or recognition from the British G.O.C. when in all probability the gallantry awards were announced.  This would have preceded the publication in the London Gazette by some months.  The actual decoration was presented on the 26th.

 

On the 29th September the Division forced the crossing of the St Quentin Canal these Battles of the Hindenburg Line 

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/battles/battles-of-the-western-front-in-france-and-flanders/the-battles-of-the-hindenburg-line/

were fierce but a major feat of arms carried forward with great heroism subsequently acknowledged by many, including FM Haig.

 

There is a graphic description of the fighting in all the diaries mentioned above.  10 tanks were destroyed in the action and one officer was killed attempting a rescue.  Throughout the day the Battalion was subject to heavy shelling and counter attacks.  The diary concludes the day, 

“After 3 1/2 years the 46th Division has at last made a name for itself, and it’s doings on the 29th are known the world over”

 

However Lt Pierrepoint went on leave to England on the 25th September so I suspect the award was for an action on the 23rd, will have a look later. 

 

 

Ken 

 

 

 

 

[kenf48]

It appears none of the other diarists knew the French General's name either!  Though I haven't looked at them all.

 

There is a note in the 1/5 Diary for the 25th October stating Lt Pierrepoint (who returned from leave on the 12th} and L/Sgt Whitworth awarded the Croix de Guerre so it seems the first they knew of the award was the day before the presentation.  They may have been for two separate actions.

 

Ken

 

[Pauline Haycock]

On 2/3/2018 at 21:15, kenf48 said:

It appears none of the other diarists knew the French General's name either!  Though I haven't looked at them all.

 

There is a note in the 1/5 Diary for the 25th October stating Lt Pierrepoint (who returned from leave on the 12th} and L/Sgt Whitworth awarded the Croix de Guerre so it seems the first they knew of the award was the day before the presentation.  They may have been for two separate actions.

 

Ken

 

Dear Ken,

 

Thank you so much for the information on my Uncle James Whitworth.  It is very much appreciated. My history jigsaw is slowly taking shape.

 

Pauline

[Pauline Haycock]

On 2/3/2018 at 17:47, kenf48 said:

The 1/5 War Diary notes

26 October 1000 Fresnoy-Le-Grand “The croissant de Guerre won by Lt Pierrepont and L/Sgt Whitworth presented on a Divisional Ceremonial Parade by the GOC 126 Division l’armee de francaise. “

 

 

The 138th Brigade War Diary notes:-

October 26 1918 “Divisional Ceremonial Parade.  The French decorations won by the Brigade were presented by the G.O.C. 126th French Division.”

I don’t know who the General Officer Commanding the French Division was.

 

On the 20th October at 10a.m. there was a Divisional Church Parade of Thanksgiving for the victories in the battles earlier in the month on the Divisional Parade Ground at Fresnoy-Le-Grand.   3000 soldiers from 46th (North Midland) Division marched past the G.O.C. Division.

The Divisional Diary does not mention the Parade on the 26th.  

 

There are seldom citations surviving for foreign awards which were passed down the chain of command, rather than British gallantry awards where recommendations were passed up the chain of command.  It seems likely the award was announced, but not presented at the Divisional Parade on the 20th.  The soldiers would have received a ‘ticket’ or recognition from the British G.O.C. when in all probability the gallantry awards were announced.  This would have preceded the publication in the London Gazette by some months.  The actual decoration was presented on the 26th.

 

On the 29th September the Division forced the crossing of the St Quentin Canal these Battles of the Hindenburg Line 

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/battles/battles-of-the-western-front-in-france-and-flanders/the-battles-of-the-hindenburg-line/

were fierce but a major feat of arms carried forward with great heroism subsequently acknowledged by many, including FM Haig.

 

There is a graphic description of the fighting in all the diaries mentioned above.  10 tanks were destroyed in the action and one officer was killed attempting a rescue.  Throughout the day the Battalion was subject to heavy shelling and counter attacks.  The diary concludes the day, 

“After 3 1/2 years the 46th Division has at last made a name for itself, and it’s doings on the 29th are known the world over”

 

However Lt Pierrepoint went on leave to England on the 25th September so I suspect the award was for an action on the 23rd, will have a look later. 

 

 

Ken 

 

 

 

 

Thank you very much indeed Ken.  My husband and I have a house in France. We are there at the moment and on the way back to Dunkirk I intend to to go to Fresnoy.  My overall project over a period of time is to map out the places they were in an attempt to walk in the steps of my uncles James Langham Whitworth 1/5 Leicestershires and his brother Harry Whitworth 2nd Lincolnshires.  Harry Whitworth was awarded the Military Medal.  My journey through France and Belgium will be in a car, staying in a hotel in a green and pleasant land, unlike soldiers who marched or went in troop trains which took them to the Front where they stayed in  muddy waterlogged and rat infested trenches sometimes in sub zero temperatures.  Many years ago my uncle Jim told me how they turned their clothes inside out, lit a cigarette and rubbed it along the seams of their  uniforms to kill the lice etc.  He told me that on one occasion he and  a friend went to a shell hole to take a bath.   His friend climbed out before him and Uncle Jim saw him blown to pieces by a shell.  Both my uncles survived the hell of WW1.  Uncle Jim suffered the effects of mustard gas inhalation for the rest of his life.   We attended the Centenary Memorial at Arras last year.