4th Bn., Leicestershire Regiment on 27 May 1918

[aengland]

I am hoping that some kind soul on the Forum will be able to help me with the location of the 4th Bn, Leicestershire Regiment, and what they were doing, specifically on 27 May 1918.  I am assuming that they were on the Aisne or close by as a soldier I am researching in that unit is commemorated on the Soissons Memorial.  I am just wanting to build a picture / story of the 4th Leicesters in the two weeks or so leading up to 27 May.  

 

Hoping to hear from someone

 

Thank you in advance

 

Andrew

 

 

 

 

[aengland]

Incidentally the officer I am researching is Lt. Charles Stuart Beeby, and hoping that the War Diary might mention him....  

 

Andrew

 

 

[Allan1892]

The 1/4 Battalion Leicestershire Regiment were part of the 46th Division. The war diaries record that on 26 May 1918 the 1/4 Battalion relieved the 1/5 Leicestershires in front line at Gorre. The 27 May saw them being shelled 'at 12.15pm about 15 18'' enemy shells fell around our R.A.P. at LOISNE' (EDIT I couldn't find any mention of Beeby by name)

 

The page showing this is attached (image courtesy of Ancestry).

 

I also found a site that confirms the above and have attached an image appropriate to the 27 May 1918. The link below will take you to this.

 

The BEEBY family – 2nd Lieutenant BEEBY, Wortley (1882-1954) and Lieutenant BEEBY, Charles Stuart (1890-1918) – The War and St Martin's

 

 

[Swinesheadvillage]

Hi

 

Confusingly there are two  ICRC cards for him suggesting 8th battalion and 11th battalion (Courtesy of ICRC):-

 

https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/File/Zoom/E/15/01/C_G1_E_15_01_0006/C_G1_E_15_01_0006_1995_0.JPG/4

 

https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/File/Zoom/E/15/01/C_G1_E_15_01_0006/C_G1_E_15_01_0006_1994_0.JPG/4

 

The  8th battalion suffered terribly in the period that Charles was posted missing. Could he have been on attachment? I make the comment because the 1/4th was attacked by shellfire on the 27th May, somebody would almost certainly have witnessed his death, even if the body was not recovered, and potentially notified the parents of Charles fate. Hence why would the family initiate an ICRC enquiry with such detail like a facial wound, when he is purportedly killed by a shell. 

 

Leicestershire and Rutland Soldiers Died suggest that he was killed at Cormicy if that helps. This is mentioned in the WD of the 8th (Courtesy Ancestry)

 

 

Hope this hasn't completely muddied the water for you

 

Kind Regards

 

Derek

 

 

[PRC]

The May 1918 Monthly Army List shows him on the strength of the 4th Battalion but attached to the 8th. (Column 1062a, seniority from the 1st July 1917).

https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/106292239

 

8th Battalion War Diary for the period can be downloaded for free from the National Archive currently. It only goes up to May 1918 according to the catalogue entry.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7353183

LLT  has the 8th Battalion reduced to a Cadre in June 1918.

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

 

The CWGC site records 45 fatalities on this day for the 8th Battalion. Most have no known graves.

A few like Private 42485 H.S. Dawson were recorded from Neufchatel Cemetery post-war and are now buried at Sissone British Cemetery.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/3071101/

The CWGC webpage for Sissone British Cemetery adds:-

The village of Sissonne was in German hands during almost the whole of the 1914-1918 War.

 

The British Cemetery was made after the Armistice by the concentration of graves from the nearby Chemin-des-Dames battlefield and from the following smaller burial grounds and German military cemeteries:-

 

AGUILCOURT OLD COMMUNAL CEMETERY, AMIFONTAINE, ARDON, ASFELD-LA-VILLE, DIZY-LE-GROS, LA MALMAISON, LAPPION, MENNEVILLE, MONTAIGU, MONTCORNET, MORLOT and VESLUD GERMAN CEMETERIES; ATHIES-SOUS-LAON and ROUCY FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERIES, CHAMBRY and NEUFCHATEL COMMUNAL CEMETERY GERMAN EXTENSIONS; and TROYON CHURCHYARD (Aisne).

https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-cemeteries-memorials/cemetery-details/2095903/SISSONNE BRITISH CEMETERY/

 

Others were concentrated into Hermonville Military Cemtery from the German Military Extension Cemetery at Berry-au-Bac, although many recovered from the same area were in unmarked graves.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/323335/

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/323320/

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/323300/

 

There were some unknown Officers on the Concentration Reports but none that potentially stood out as a Leicestershire Regiment man.

 

Hope that helps,

Peter

[Bob Davies]

5 hours ago, aengland said:

story of the 4th Leicesters in the two weeks or so leading up to 27 May.

 

41 minutes ago, PRC said:

The May 1918 Monthly Army List shows him on the strength of the 4th Battalion but attached to the 8th.

Hi Andrew, a very good account of the 8th Leicesters and the 110th Leicester Brigade is a book called 'The Tigers' written by Mathew Richardson. Easily obtained from the usual outlets online. I can give you a brief account here; A telegram was sent to the 110th warning of an attack starting at I am on the morning of the 27th. The 8th Bn moved most of their men to reserve trenches leaving a small force in the front line trenches. The bombardment started on que, with the infantry attack starting around 3 30am. There were very few survivors from the front line.  The battle went on until the brigade who had made a fighting retreat, were relieved by the French on the 30th. The Leicester brigade suffered 50 plus officers killed, wounded, missing or taken prisoner. Other ranks suffered 1,300 likewise. The 8th Bn had basically ceased to exist with the 6th and 7th battalions suffering badly. Buy the book, you will not regret it. Best wishes, Bob.

[aengland]

This fantastic..... thank you Allan 1892, Swineshead Village, PRC and Bob Davies.... so much to read and absorb here!  A busy night awaits.... 

 

Thank you again

 

Andrew