13th Rifle Brigade 10 October 1917

[2li]

Hello I am researching a soldier of the 13th (Service), Battalion, Rifle Brigade KIA on the 10 October 1917

Ernest Draycott

The war diary does not mention anything of interest for this date, but the casualty retunes show 10 men killed in action on the 10 October ?

Any help much appreciated

Philip

[chaz]

Ive had a look at the returns and the diary, the only thing I can get is that they were on the Menin Road on the first, then left to return again at Mont Sorrell on the 7th. 

presumably as KiA they could well have been in a quiet period and collected names of those missing in the earlier action. The 10th being the day they were noticed as missing, so, reporting date rather than killed date. Especially as only on the Tyne Cot memorial no remains or identification to put a name to. As there are other names down as wounded  that would have been easier to make a list and daily report of, the earlier casualties would not have been able to get back or be recovered if badly wounded and probably died of wounds , so then classified as KiA and not DoW.

just my thoughts, 

the other possibility, being a type written report (after the event) , maybe , some were left in the trenches to bulk out their replacements the 11th Warwicks or the 13th R Fusiliers and were killed during the action while the rest of the Battalion were at rest. Then, the names would have been passed over by the other regiments. Improbable as may have been bodies to bury.

 

[stiletto_33853]

Phillip,

 

After the action of the 5/10/17 the 13th life was normal trench rotations. However "For the Duration" the story of the 13th Rifle Brigade notes "In the meantime our casualty list was mounting up, and each tour of the trenches resulted in forty of fifty killed or seriously wounded."

Walter Nethercott was another of those killed on the 10th, a cheerful chap with a great capacity for comradeship who had been with the 13th since 1914.

 

Andy

Edited 1 February , 2022 by stiletto_33853