4th Queens own Hussars

[yeadon]

Doug; sadly, Dave appears not to have visited the Forum since last November. I don't have the war diary, but I do have the regimental history, so to answer question 1, I can photograph the relevant pages and e-mail them to you if you PM me an e-mail address.

Regarding question 2 I can't help. However, many cavalry regiments, being more peripatetic than infantry regiments and not having a territorial base, actually had portable war memorials which they carried with them from posting to posting. The 4th Hussars ended up amalgamated with the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars (as the Queen's Royal Irish Hussars). Their museum is at Eastbourne (of all places) http://www.eastbournemuseums.co.uk/queens-royal-irish-hussars.aspx

Subsequent amlgamation put them in the Queen's Royal Hussars - Regimental Association link http://www.qrh.org.uk/index-1.html#

It is possible one or other (or both) could help.

Thanks for this Steven and apologies for coming back so late. Your offer of the relevant pages is very welcome; my e'mail is rowed14@talktalk.net. I take your point about portable war memorials but just hoped someone might know something specific about the 4th QOH. I have tried the Eastbourne reference but drawn a blank so far. Thankyou again - Doug

[Steven Broomfield]

I'll get on to it as soon as I can: might be a few days though.

[Yorke Scarlett]

Obviously I was well under the radar

[yeadon]

Doug,

4th Hussars War Diary entry for 30th October 1914

"30^th Oct – HOLLEBEKE – Relieved by the Baluchi’s at 6am. Mount and rendezvous at KLEIN ZILLEBEKE with Greys and 3^rd Hussars as support to 1^st Army. 6^th Cavalry Brigade heavily shelled in ZANDVOORDE. On report that Chateau had been evacuated, regiment was ordered to retake it. On arrival there shelling was only in progress and 10^th Hussars and Royals were entrenched in the vicinity. Much German infantry could be seen advancing from ZANDVOORDE W. + N.W. A + B Sqdns take over some trenches from the 10^th + Royals. Orders received from 2^nd Cav Div, 3^rd Cav Div and 6^th Cav Bde – apparently some doubt as to what command the regiment is attached to. In the afternoon the 129^th Baluchi’s were driven from HOLLEBEKE and fell back to 2^nd line. Regiment conformed and fell back to trenches previously prepared was subjected to terrific shell fire. A Sqdn of Life Guards came to our support. Horses were sent to woods 2 miles away. Captain North came in from HOLLEBEKE in afternoon having been in action single-handed with machine guns against German infantry for 1 ½ hours, retreating when German infantry were only 100x distant. Both guns being safely brought in. RE officers endeavoured to blow up bridge in night, but girders held. German infantry came close to canal in dark but withdrew to village. Much music, singing and bugle blowing on part of Germans during night.

Remarks & References: Killed: 9998 Pte Wright; 10256 Pte Tabner. Wounded: 4802 Lcpl Cox; 6595 Lcpl Myhill; 1282 Pte O’Neill; 8114 Pte Ewens [died of wounds 31^st Oct 1914]"

Checking the War Diary further your man, No 19165 Pte Walsh, is listed as wounded on 5th November 1914.

Regards,

Wayne

Thankyou very much for this Wayne. Quite a surprise as family sources thought it was the 30th Oct. Does the WD clearly state that he was wounded as a result of actions on the 5th or is it a listing made on that day of men wounded over previous days? Doug

[Yorke Scarlett]

Doug,

WD for 30th October.

HOLLEBEKE

30th October – Relieved by the Baluchi’s at 6am. Mount and rendezvous at KLEIN ZILLEBEKE with Greys and 3rd Hussars as support to 1st Army. 6th Cavalry Brigade heavily shelled in ZANVOORDE. On report that Chateau had been evacuated, regiment was ordered to retake it. On arrival there shelling was only in progress and 10th Hussars and Royals were entrenched in the vicinity. Much German infantry could be seen advancing from ZANDVOORDE W. + N.W. A + B Sqdns take over some trenches from the 10th + Royals. Orders received from 2nd Cav Div, 3rd Cav Div and 6th Cav Bde – apparently some doubt as to what command the regiment is attached to. In the afternoon the 129th Baluchi’s were driven from HOLLEBEKE and fell back to 2nd line. Regiment conformed and fell back to trenches previously prepared was subjected to terrific shell fire. A Sqdn of Life Guards came to our support. Horses were sent to woods 2 miles away. Captain North came in from HOLLEBEKE in afternoon having been in action single-handed with machine guns against German infantry for 1 ½ hours, retreating when German infantry were only 100x distant. Both guns being safely brought in. RE officers endeavoured to blow up bridge in night, but girders held. German infantry came close to canal in dark but withdrew to village. Much music, singing and bugle blowing on part of Germans during night.

Remarks & References: Killed: No 9998 Pte George James Wright; Age 19; No 10256 Pte Alfred Tabner. Wounded: 4802 Lcpl Cox; 6595 Lcpl Myhill; 1282 Pte O’Neill; No 8114 Pte Frederick William Anderson Ewens [died of wounds 31st Oct 1914 and commemorated with Wright & Tabner on the MENIN GATE Panel 5]

[Yorke Scarlett]

Doug,

The references to casualties, in the previous post, regarding Christian names/ages/commemoration are my annotations, thus not in the WD

[yeadon]

Doug,

The references to casualties, in the previous post, regarding Christian names/ages/commemoration are my annotations, thus not in the WD

Thanks for this Wayne. Just to let you know I have now seen the War Diary for this 7 day period and, seeing what happened on the 30th Oct and then over the succeeding 8 days, believe that the WD Writer (Adj?) was summarising casualties as he became aware of them from witness reports. Therefore they don't always tally with the specific calendar day. In particular the 30th Oct must have been a very chaotic day of fighting. Thanks again and Regards - Doug