Help needed to understand this war diary entry

[ChrisMedic]

I’ve transcribed the entry of 22^nd April to the best of my ability, can someone help me with the words in red?

 

War Diary 28^th Div. 1^st Welsh Regt. (18^th-26^th April 1915)

(in a red rectangle)

22^nd April     At noon it was imparted that the Germans were moving for

                    an attack. Bn (Battalion) stood to. 1 Coy (company) Rangers???

                    with C Coy Suffolks came up as reinforcements. At 5pm Germans      

                    fired petrol shells and our guns replied. Heavy bombardment but no

                    attack. Reinforcements returned 9pm. At midnight further alarm gas

                    was given – 2 Coys sent up in support but nothing happened.

                    Casualities       17 – 22     ??

[IPT]

I think the last part says that there were 17 casualties on 22nd inst.

[ChrisMedic]

48 minutes ago, IPT said:

I think the last part says that there were 17 casualties on 22nd inst.

Thanks, much appreciated, how come I didn't see that?

[ChrisMedic]

The word that looks like 'Rangers' is a real puzzle for me, I can't relate it to any unit involved in the action:

28^th Division, 84^th Infantry Brigade order of battle April 1915 was:

1^st Battalion Suffolk Regt

2^nd Battalion Cheshire Regt

1^st Battalion Welsh Regt

1/1^st Battalion Monmouthshire Regt

1/12^th Battalion London Regt

 

Anyone got any ideas ??

[PRC]

6 hours ago, ChrisMedic said:

The word that looks like 'Rangers' is a real puzzle for me, I can't relate it to any unit involved in the action:

 

1/12^th Battalion London Regt

 

 

Anyone got any ideas ??

 

As in "1/12th (County of London) Battalion (The Rangers)" :-)

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/london-regiment/

 

The Official Regimental History makes numerous references to all three units during this period.

 

From “The History of the Suffolk Regiment 1914-1927” by Lieutenant-Colonel C.C.R.Murphy, Extracts from Pages 65 - 68

 

The northern edge of the (Ypres) Salient, as far east as the St.Julien-Poelcappelle road, was held by a French Division, and from there to the Passchendaele-Beclaere road by Canadian troops. On the evening of April 22 the whole of the French division was suddenly put out of action by asphyxiating gas. For some time no one realised what had happened. Reinforcements were hurried to the north of Ypres, but throughout the 23rd the enemy continued to attack fiercely. On the night of the 23rd-24th the battalion, having been relieved in the trenches went back into brigade reserve between Frezenberg and Verlorenhoek. There were no billets, the companies bivouacking under hedges and in hastily constructed shelters. Battalion headquarters was in an estaminet also used as a dressing station.

 

The C.O. and Adjutant were late getting away from Zonnebeke as battalion headquarters – in a farm-house just in rear of the trenches – was being heavily shelled. They reached Frezenberg at dawn on the 24th and shortly afterwards Lieut.Colonel Wallace received orders that he was to command a mixed brigade consisting of the 1st Suffolks, 12th Londons, and 1st Monmouth Regiments. The two first-named battalions were already in the vicinity of Frezenberg, the other was to come up later. Lieut.Colonel Wallace was told to take up a defensive position facing north-east on the Frezenberg Ridge. He therefore handed over command of the battalion to Captain Balders and, having issued instructions as to the position to be occupied, went back to Verlorenhoek, where he had arranged to have his headquarters.

 

Captain Balders at once set the battalion to work digging themselves in on the ridge astride the Ypres-Zonnebeke road. No sooner had the digging begun than a staff officer from the 28th Division came up to Captain Balders and told him to take the 1st Suffolks and 12th London Regiments and advance northwards, attacking any bodies of the enemy he might meet. The staff officer added that the Germans had broken through on the northern side of the Salient, and that only these two battalions stood between the enemy and the town. Actually the situation thus described was one of the most critical in the war.

 

Naturally, Captain Balders did not wish to act without orders from his brigadier, but it was clear that there was no time to be lost as the Germans were already shelling the two battalions. On looking round he noticed a gun limber which had been hit by a shell and, as one of the horses was unhurt, he cut the animal free and galloped over to brigade head-

quarters for orders. Here Lieut.Colonel Wallace gave him authority to advance and instructions to try and establish himself in the hamlet of Fortuin. He thereupon hurried back to the battalion, made the men dump their tools, and gave the order to advance.

 

As soon as the troops began to move, the shelling, which had been steadily increasing, became extremely heavy. It was, in fact, coming from every direction except the west.  On the way towards Fortuin a farm was passed in which a Canadian formation had established its headquarters. Captain Balders was called in and asked to take the 1st Suffolk and 12th London Regiments up to the Canadians, who were being very hard pressed. He explained, however, that his orders were to establish himself in Fortuin and that he must abide by them. Two Canadian staff officers accompanied him, maintaining that the reinforcement of this particular part of the line was a matter of supreme importance. Both of these officers were hit while conversing with Captain Balders, who now decided to send help to the Canadians, By this time the shelling had become intense, the battalion being also subjected to heavy rifle and machine-gun fire from the left. Captain Balders soon became aware that St.Julien, which he had been informed was held by our troops, was already in the hands of the Germans.

 

The C.O. of the 12th London Regiment having become a casualty, Captain Balders took over command of the two battalions which he now halted to give himself an opportunity of appreciating the situation. A wounded Canadian officer then came up and told him that the two battalions were being anxiously awaited, and that if they did not come up soon it might be too late, as there was already a wide gap on the left of the Canadians. Captain Balders thereupon ordered Lieut. Bradley, with “A” and “B” Companies, (about 150 bayonets), to reinforce the Canadian left flank, at the same time withdrawing the remainder of his two battalions about 500 yards and taking up a position covering Fortuin with his left flank thrown back, the 12th London Regiment being on the right.

 

The Suffolk companies, who were out in the open, dug all night, and by the morning had constructed a fire trench 4 ½ feet deep and complete with traverses – a remarkable achievement with only the small entrenching implement. This was gradually deepened to 6 feet and a fire-step added. ….

 

When the day broke on the 26th the situation looked so desperate that all maps and documents were destroyed. During the afternoon, however, the German shelling was lifted on to the ground behind, from which it was inferred that Allied reinforcements were approaching…..

 

Full text can be seen here:-

http://lib.militaryarchive.co.uk/library/infantry-histories/library/The-History-of-the-Suffolk-Regiment-1914-1927/HTML/index.asp#/66/

 

Hope that helps,

Peter

[ChrisMedic]

Thank you, that clears that up admirably. During that action Sgt Walter Thorpe (1st Suffolks) suffered a severe shrapnel wound to the head, whilst being transported back by stretcher he was shot in the head. He survived and had a silver plate inserted into his skull. He was visually impaired as a result and was looked after by St Dunstans.He was my wife's Grandad.