kidd1986 Posted 7 February , 2005 Share Posted 7 February , 2005 Hi does anyone have the war diary for this battalion (7th Rifle Brigade) for April 1918. I have a gt gt uncle who was killed on the 4/4/18, whilst attached to the 7 RB and I would like to find out more infomation. any help would be appreciated Thanks, Ben. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 15 February , 2005 Share Posted 15 February , 2005 Ben, From the Regimental History, Volume 2, 1917 - 1918 April 2nd - 4th 1918. 41st brigade, 14th Division. On the night of April 2nd the 14th Division was relieved by the French and concentrated in the Bois de Blagny. On the 3rd the Division took over the line from the Amiens - Villers-Bretonneux road, just west of Warfusee Abancourt to the Somme. The 41st Brigade was on the right, the 42nd on the left and the 43rd in reserve. The point of junction of brigades in the line was about one thousand yards south-east of Hamel. The 41st brigade, command of which was assumed this day by Brig.-General C.R.P. Wilson, D.S.O., relieved part of the 1st Cavalry Division, the relief did not go very smoothly as there was trouble over guides, but eventually the brigade was in position with the 8th Battalion on the right, the 7th on the left and the 8th Bn. 60th in reserve. Unfortunately eight machine guns of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade were withdrawn during the night without notice and without replacement. In the 42nd brigade the 9th Battalion was on the left relieving the 16th Division. The relief by the 41st brigade was officially completed at 4.00am on April 4th, but the Battalions had hardly settled in when an enemy bombardment opened at 5.20am. The 8th Battalion was disposed with "B", "C" and "D" Companies in front line and "A" Company in close support in the Bois d'Accroches; Battalion H.Q. was in a quarry at the junction of the Warfusee - Fouilloy and Hamel - Marcelcave road. The enemy attacked at about 6.30am, in rain and mist, and eventually penetrated the position as far as Battalion H.Q. in the quarry. There a stand was made for about one and a half hours, a line being established about two hundred yards in rear of the quarry. In the 7th Battalion, although from the fire on the right flank it was apparent that the enemy had broken through, the line remained intact until 9.30am, when the situation on the right necessitated a withdrawal to a line five hundred yards in the rear, after suffering heavy casualties from the enemy bombardment a further withdrawal became necessary. Thereafter the remains of both Battalions appear to have become split up into small parties and the accounts of the remainder of the days events are confusing and contradictory. In any event, by evening remnants of the 41st brigade had been collected in Aubigny and were put into the Army Reserve Line, south of that place. Meanwhile, in the 9th Battalion, "C" Company on the right lost 30 to 40 men from the bombardment, and, the Battalion on the right being forced back and the enemy being on the high ground to the right rear, the Battalion withdrew to a line east of Vaire, where it filled the gap between the 5th Australian and 3rd Cavalry Divisions. So finished the 4th April, the date upon which Ludendorff says that the Somme Retreat ended. Ben, I hope this helps you a little with the information you seek. There is more there but refers to the 5th April. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidd1986 Posted 16 February , 2005 Author Share Posted 16 February , 2005 Thanks a lot. This is very interesting and certainly provides a better insight to what happened on the 4th. Thanks for your time and effort. Regards, Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 16 February , 2005 Share Posted 16 February , 2005 Ben, I will be up at Kew sometime either later this week or early next week, have quite a bit to do but see if I can get a copy of the dairy for you. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidd1986 Posted 16 February , 2005 Author Share Posted 16 February , 2005 Thanks a lot, That would be great! I must take a trip down to kew at some point, though its a long way to go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 16 February , 2005 Share Posted 16 February , 2005 Ben, Will check the dairy for you, the action soounds as though it was a bit confusing so not sure what the dairy will contain but if possible will get a copy . Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enoch beard Posted 19 February , 2005 Share Posted 19 February , 2005 andy, does your regimental histories mention sgt depper d.c.m. m.m. of the 7th R.B.? enoch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 19 February , 2005 Share Posted 19 February , 2005 Enoch, Serjeant E.E. Depper, No 331 MM 2/11/17, D.C.M. 19/12/17 For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in command of his party after the officer had been killed, leading his men with great dash and personally killing several of the enemy. On returning to our trenches he carried back the body of his officer under heavy machine gun fire. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enoch beard Posted 20 February , 2005 Share Posted 20 February , 2005 thanks andy. enoch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 24 February , 2005 Share Posted 24 February , 2005 Ben, Pulled the war Dairy for the 7th during April 1918 WO95/1896. If you would care to E Mail me with your address I will get a copy of to you. By the Way it was prepared by Major P.W. Scott and goes into a little more detail than the Rifle Brigade Chronicles 1919 report and the Regimental History report I scanned for you last night. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidd1986 Posted 1 March , 2005 Author Share Posted 1 March , 2005 Sorry for the late reply. Thanks andy, i'll email you now. Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 2 March , 2005 Share Posted 2 March , 2005 Ben 7th's War Dairies in the post today. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidd1986 Posted 2 March , 2005 Author Share Posted 2 March , 2005 thanks a lot andy. regards Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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