3rd May 1915

[stiletto_33853]

Have just come across this covering the 2nd Ypres from 23rd April to 3rd May.
3rd May 1915
Now we come to the last and worst day of this Black Week. They started shelling about 4am, not stink shells but high velocity field gun shrapnel and H.E from about 1500 yards away. We saw them bringing one gun over the crest line in front of us. They un-limbered and got it into action and fired at us through open sights. A wonderful target for our guns but not one solitary shot was fired at it, presumably because all the Battery had been knocked out. At about 8 o'clock the shelling subsided somewhat.
"Enemy Advancing" was the next message and peering over the dug out we saw Germans advancing quite slowly in extended order down the ridge some 1200 yards away. We had little ammunition to spare but we sniped at them and must have picked off quite a number. Then they were lost sight of in the valley, we being half way up the next ridge.
The next message to be passed up was that "A" Company (on the right) had only their Captain and four men left and they asked for re-inforcements. This Company was guarding the valley which curled round towards us and it was in this valley that the Germans were concentrating. It was impossible to get men into this gap - any movement was at once greeted with shells, dead accurate on the parapet from the front and big Howitzer shells lobbed into the tench in absolute enfilade from the right. So had we the men they would have been wiped out in half an hour.
Their tactics were pretty obvious - come up the gap and work round behind us. On the right there was 300 yards and perhaps eight men to hold it. On the left, about one man in four still effective and the orderlies and servants were bunged in to make up.
At 11am the Germans were still dribbling down the ridge into the valley, and we waited for them to attack, knowing it was quite a hopeless business as far as we were concerned. Then they gave us another dose of shelling, not quite as accurate luckily, but a few more men were knocked out. Again we just waited. One's emotions were very interesting. I could'nt see any loophole of escape - got rifle and sword fixed, revolver and morphia all ready by the machine gun. One rather wished they would hurryup and attack, anything was better than that shelling, you would at least be able to have a smack at them. The men were splendid, never any thought of retiring and several stout hearted fellows carried on alrhough wounded.
At about 2 o'clock in the afternoon a message was brought down from the right that the Germans were sapping up to about 50 yards of a house we were holding. Lieutenant Gibbs, Sergeant Vasselin and a Rifleman crept forward and grenaded them out of it, disposing of some 20 Germans in the process. A very fine performance and Gibbs got the MC for it.
The day dragged on slowly and still they didn't attack and gradually the thought came that perhaps we would get out of it after all. At first when we were quite certain we were for it we didn't worry, in fact the relief when the shelling stopped was so great that one really didn't care what happened. But now there seemed the possibility of a chance, feeliongs of fear, anxiety, hope and apprehension came along tumbling over one another.
Two men went mad in the bit of trench I was in. One wanted to get over the parapet and single handed charge the huns. He took a lot of stopping. He finally collapsed and began crying and saying he was wounded in the stomach. We gave him some morphia and that quietened him. The other man kept saying "Look at those Germans in that tree" pointing out in front. There were certainly no Germans in the tree because there wasn't a tree. He was ultimately subdued as well. But these ravings were not very good for the morale.
Needless to say we had no telephone wire back anywhere, it was cut almost at once; no visual, in fact no communication of any sort.
All bad days come to an end as well as good ones, and at dusk we got the order to withdraw. Here we were still alive much to our suprise. The withdrawal might well be a tricky business because if we had to pull out while the Boche were attacking. However he didn't attack - not until just before dawn on the following morning when nobody was there.. So we got out unmolested.
The stretcher - bearers did simply splendidly. We had a great many casualties and I never thought we should be able to get them all away as there were so many stretcher cases. But the S.B.'s went on working long after the battalion covering our withdrawal had themselves been withdrawn. They carried the wounded back to a half way "dump" and then went back to the trench and fetched some more. They had no-one protecting them and every time they went back to the trench they expected to find Germans in it. Having cleared the trench, they then cleared the "dump", and eventually got all the wounded away. A very fine piece of work.
The M.G. section were told to get back independently. We were to go to a field near Elverdinghe, being met by the transport at a certain road junction north of Ypres - under no circumstances were we to go into the town itself because it was so frequently plastered.
Having collected what was left of the different teams we set out on our long march but we were in very good heart as we were alive after all. It was dark and we had no map so it was not altogether suprising that we failed to take the turning to miss the town, and found ourselves quite unexpectedly in the Grande Place at Ypres. It was absolutely quite and just getting light and we were all very glad we had bllundered there. For one thing we wanted to see what it was like and also we found we had got on a good deal further than we thought. We sat there for about ten minutes and had a good look round. We saw the Cloth Hall and the Cathedral and various shell shattered houses. Even by that time the Boche had done quite a lot of damage to the place. We were rather pleased to be the first people in the Battalion to enter this notorious spot and our morale improved accordingly.
I don't remember the time we met the transport but we were all delighted to see it. We were the last in and they thought we had got lost. We soon put the guns and belt-boxes on the limber and made for home.
I thought tents at least and possibly billets, it was therefore very disappointing to find nothing but an empty field were we had to bivouac in the rain. I met the Quartemaster (Mitchell) and suggested that this was only a temporary business and that we should have a good rest in billets, but he told me he thought we were only out for a few days and would soon go back in the line again. I couldn't believe this after all we had gone through but it turned out to be perfectly true, and in fact we didn't get back for a rest until the middle of July. One is always apt to think that ones own battalion has had a worse time than anyone else, we had certainly had an exceedingly unpleasant experience, but even so, we had come off better than a good many other units.
And so ended Black Week.

Andy

[steve fuller]

Thanks for posting this Andy - got goose bumps reading it. What unit was this mate?

[stiletto_33853]

Hi Steve,

Should have posted the rest of it day by day from the 23rd April when it first started. Its an article in the 1958 Rifle Brigade Chronicles and although no battalion is mentioned it can only be the 1st Battalion.

Andy

[stiletto_33853]

As an aside after the article there is a little note which says:

"Later, the Germans reported on this Battle of Ypres and amongst many other things they said "Our progress on May 3rd was considerably delayed by the admirable defence by the British on the Gravenstafel Ridge".

We were one of the Battalions on the Ridge. It isn't often one gets a good chit from the Boche."

Andy

[marina]

Gripping, Andy

Marina

[stiletto_33853]

Its a great read, deals with the first gas attack etc etc, I will post the rest of it a bit later.

Andy

[stiletto_33853]

April 23rd

We were playing a match of the Battalion foorball competition, M.G. section v. Transport, at Steenwerck. During the match Bill Seymour (CO) came along in a great hurry and said we had to get ready to move at once, however I persuaded him to let us finish the match. Rather an abrupt ending to our "months" rest, just one week!. As a matter of fact we'd heard the news of the gas attack on the Canadians and we knew we'd be for it sooner or later. We were G.H.Q. Reserve at the time.

Everything was packed up and we slept that night at five minutes notice.

April 24th

Next morning the Battalion entrained at Steenwerck but the M.G. Limbers and Transport had to go from Bailleul. We rejoined the Battalion at Bussebbom and spent a very wet night bivouacking in a field there.

[steve fuller]

This type of writing really stands out doesnt it? How "Human" and real? Just brilliant.

Thanks Andy

[stiletto_33853]

April 25th

In the morning we rose early and moved to huts in Vlamertinghe where we looked at maps and wondered what would happen next. We moved off in the evening and marched towards Ypres. We heard all sorts of rumours, how the Boches had broken through and were rapidly advancing towards Ypres, trmendous casualties etc, and all the usual "wind" that prevails on these occasions.

We had to skirt Ypres as the Boches were shelling it pretty hard and went via two cheerfully named spots "Hell Fire Corner" and "Dead Mans Corner"!. The battalion was marching pretty fast as this was a nasty shell trap; we were lucky and struck a shell hiatus. There were many ambulances and much confusion and everyone we met was a little excited, as they had beenthrough a good deal and wanted to get out of it quick.

We trekked on without mishap to St. Jean, where we had a protracted halt. It was a fine moonlight night and thank goodness for the moon. The road was full of miscellaneous traffic, troops of all sorts and walking wounded. I remember one good hearted machine gunner saying to a pal of his "Are we downhearted?". "No", said the other. "Well you bloody soon will be," said a wounded Canadian just passing!.

There were one or two houses burning and soon eveyone was coughing and rubbing their eyes. We thought then it was the smoke of these burning houses but we were wrong as we found out later.

I was riding at the head of the transport and Tim Barclay (Transport Officer) at the rear. The machine gun limber was in front with me. At last we started to move again, the road was chock a block with traffic, including masses of walking wounded and not a few of them saying "You poor devils, its hell up there, thank God I'm out of it." These Canadians must have had a teriible time with all this gas and no protection whatever. The Zouaves were on their left and I had seen a Hospital train load of them at Poperinghe. A doctor told me that 90 per cent of the casualties were self inflicted wounds. Certainly almost every man had a bandage round his hand!.

We moved slowly on, we could hear the shells bursting a bit farther up the road. We halted again. I hate these continuous halts, why can't we push on and do something. We gradually pushed ahead until we came to the place which had caused the delay. A shell had burst plumb in the middle of the leading company and the many casualties were lying in a rough semi circle on the road, some living, some dead. We couldn't stay here because the Battalion had got well ahead by this time. We cleared away and I pushed on with the M.G. Limber. Tim, I think, must have been told to stop somewhere with the transport because I didn't see him after this.

I had no idea where the Battalion had gone and I was much relieved to find them again somewhere near Wieltje.

Since St. Jean the Battalion had been moving with an advance guard. The situation was amazingly obscure, no-one seemed to have any idea where the Boches were or when we should be likely to bump into them. Somewhere right in front of the Battalion were the Brigadier (Hasler), the Brigade Major (Martin), the C.O. (Bill Seymour) and the Adjutant (Snipe Liddell).

Just east of Weltje I was told to halt and unlimber. The Battalion went on again I hoped I would be able to find them again. We didn't take long unloading the guns and ammunition especially as an occasional shell put in an appearance. We were heavily laden - four machine guns, tripods, spare parts and as much ammunition as we could carry. The men were splendid and in spite of their huge loads pushed on fast. We all realised we were up agin it, but it was all so extraordinarily interesting and we had been lucky enough to have had a weeks rest just before. I've no idea what the time was, but I should think about midnight or one o'clock.

There was no traffic up here, a few parties of men moving about none of whom in the least knew what was happening or where the Boches were and still no sign of the Battalion. About half an hour later I was challenged and to my relief I found the Brigadier and C.O.., who told me where the Battalion was. As I went on I heard Hasler say "Now Bill, you must do your damnest tonight."

About 200 yards ahead I found the Battalion deployed on the right of the road. C Coy. were just doing an attack on what afterwards turned out to be a hedge!. Not the first time a hedge has been mistaken for attacking troops in the darkness and confusion of the night. I was told a good story about this show. One of the Platoon Sergeants was just going into the attack, when his batman came up and said to him "Sergeant, shall I leave your kit here." "No" said the Sergeant, "You bloddy well wont, you bring it along with you." So the unfortunate man attacked with a large sack containing the Sergeants belongings over his shoulder.

Eventually we were told we had to move into a trench some way ahead. We were all very pleased to find there was a trench for us to live in, we expected at the best to have to dig ourselves in somewhere, but more probably to be let in for an immediate counter attack. The only information Bill had got was "There's your front, I think there is someone in front of you but I am not sure."

It was an old French Trench. The whole Battalion was packed into it whereas it would normally hold only a platoon or two. There were long dug outs, not splinter proof but better than nothing.

We hadn't yet got in touch with anyone on either flank and had no idea who (if anyone) was in front or behind us. An extraordinary situation. When daylight came we found we were on top of a hill in a position very obvious to the enemy.

[stiletto_33853]

April 26th

As the morning mist was clearing we saw troops advancing towards us. They were straggling along in no particular order and it didn't look like a Boche attack so we held our fire. They turned out to be Territorials just out from England. They had been hurled into the breach and had stayed there for three days. They had no war experience whatever, had no idea how to get up thier rations, water, etc, had been shelled continuously, so they decided to come back. They were onlt to glad to find some troops and a trench to live in, so they all came into our already very much overcrowded trench and ate our rations. They turned out to be oddments of three or four different Battalions.

They were however able to point out to us where the front was and we discovered we were facing the wrong way. We were more or less North and South and we should have been East and West. However it was too late to change now as the Boches were pouring over the ridge on our left about 2000 yards away. They too must have been almost as confused as we were, because they fortunately only made one or two light attacks and did not press them home.

Meanwhile the shelling had started, not to stop for eight days. It was not intense bombardment but so infernally continuous. They had us absolutely taped and these 5.9's were enfilading us from the left rear. The trench was packed qnd whenever they got a direct hit it made the most appalling mess. They also gave us doses of tear gas to add to our troubles. In fact at one time there was hardly a man who could see to fire his rifle if the Boches attacked. We had no gas masks of any sort and the only thing to do was to dab your eyes with a wet handkerchief. Luckily they stopped sending over gas shells, which was stupid of them bcause if they had kept it up for another half hour they could have walked into our trench.

Up to the present we had heard none of our guns, but they came up that afternoon - one battery of field guns. The only aeroplanes were Boche ones flying about dropping lights.

Tim Barclay came up that night with the transport and gave us the sad news that our Brigadier, Hasler, had been killed, a shell got a direct hit on Brigade H.Q.

It wa an awful business getting away the wounded and burying the dead. A great many wounded were left as stretcher bearers couldn't cope with them, a few died the next day or got hit again.

During the night we got in touch with the Somerset L.I. on our left and the lrb on our right. The too were facing the wrong way and we hadn't filled up the gap yet. Patrols couldn't discover the Division on our right and had the Boche only pushed on he could have walked in wihtout meeting anybody. However it was nice to have the Brighade together again, we the 1st R.B had been sent up alone as we happened to be out of the line.

[stiletto_33853]

April 27th

We got heavily strafed in the early hours but thank goodness the Boche gave us a rest for a bit in the middle of the day. After dark a Staff Officer came up and told us to clear the Germans out of some houses on the road in front then to swing round and join up with the Hampshires who were on the Gravenstafel Ridge. Unfortunately the house clearing took up most of the hours of darkness and it was too late to move to the new position, so we had to spend yet another day in that death trap of a trench.

April 28th

We were all getting very tired of these 5.9's bursting all around us and I think were feeling somewhat shaken by this incessant shelling. If we could only attack - anything - so that we could do something, but no - nothing, nothing but shells, shells, shells.

There was a lull just before dusk and I went to have a look at the field guns behind. There was only one battery covering us and two of the guns had already been knocked out. As soon as it was dark we reconnoitred the fround where we were going to dig in and soon the whole Battalion were on the new area and they dug as they had never dug before, the whole line was practically connected up that night. The Boche went on shelling the death trap trench off and on throughout the night and we were more than thankful at last to be out of it.

April 29th

Bn H.Q. were in a little orchard just behind the front line. It was just behind a house and a house is always an eyesore to the Boche untilo he has knocked it flat, also one or two of our stupid orderlies of another Battalion moved about there, so H.Q. got a very bad time. However today compared to the others, was fairly quiet for us, though the LRB behind us had some very heavy shelling.

April 30th

It was very misty this morning and we had to stand to for a long time. When it cleared the shelling began and went on most of the day. Bn H.Q. got it worst. As soon as it was dark I went there and suggested that they should move to the front line in the turnip field, which we had been able to camouflage to some extent with roots on the paprapet and it had been shelled less than anywhere. They'd had a pretty rotten time all day but I suppose they thought the Boche would switch next day. They were wrong.

[stiletto_33853]

1st May

The next day was still much better from the shelling point of view than the death trap, at any rate in the part of the line which I was in. However Bn. H.Q. got it most damnably and when I went to see them that night I thought that all of them must have been knocked out. They had been marvellously lucky, one or two of the H.Q. staff wounded, but Bill Seymour, Oscar Downes (2nd Lt. in command) and Snipe were all right although the shells had been dropping round them all day. They moved that night into the front line about 100 yards to the left of my dug out.

A battery of 5.9's were now firing from our right flank, enfilading us badly. Wherever we went we seemed to get enfiladed. Rather an odd thing happened - two salvoes of 5.9's were fired at us and every one of the eight were duds. They all arrived within 30 seconds, nor was I too far away, so I appreciated them for not bursting.

May 2nd

The 2nd May was a bad day - am awful lot of shelling of all kinds. Aeroplanes flying about and dropping lights. I haven't mentioned our guns lately for the simple reason we hardly ever heard them. There was only one M.G. I could visit by day, on going round the posts that night I found that three of my M.G. Corporals had been killed. We buried them and I hope their graves have not been blown up. They were three first rate men and I was very grieved to lose them. In spite of all our troubles the rest of the teams still had their tails up.

The Orchard, where H.Q. had moved from, was in a beastly mess. It had been shelled all day and they got a direct hit on the old H.Q. dug out. Bn. H.Q. really were extraordinarily lucky all these eight days. They had two very narrow escapes in the death trap, a 5.9. burst outside in the place they had all been sitting just before, and a whizz-bang came in through the roof of their dug-out and didn't burst. One of them had gone out for a few minutes and came back to find the unburst whizz bang just where he had been sitting.

3rd May

Well that concludes the piece in the chronicles, interesting reading.

Andy

[marina]

It certainly was, Andy. I liked his 'appreciation' of the fact that all those shells didn't actually burst - talk about keeping your head under fire. That was a great read - thanks!

Marina

[steve fuller]

What a superb read Andy - thanks very much mate!! The parts about facing the wrong way & all that were brilliant! & all written with a professional, concerned, yet lovely light hearted tone to it. Brilliant piece of writing!!

And more importantly, thanks for the effort involved in typing it mate. Another truly "Super Member" IMO.

[stiletto_33853]

Marina, Steve,

Glad that you enjoyed the read, riveting stuff and well written.

Andy

[Steve Bramley]

Hi Andy,

Have only just 'discovered' this account. An excellent piece and I agree with the comments from other pals. I am concentrating on the same period in time regarding 'my' Territorial battalion who had not long arrived and were in a supposedly quiet area south of the events mentioned. It's very interesting to compare their experience to that of the professionals.

Thanks,

Steve.

[stiletto_33853]

Steve,

I am glad that you enjoyed it.

Andy

[Sparky53]

Steve

You aren't looking into 4 Gordons by any chance?

My Grandfather was wounded with them in this area around this date.

Jane

[Steve Bramley]

Hi Jane,

No unfortunately not the 4th Gordons.

I am researching the 1/5th Lincolns who were part of the 138th Brigade, 46th North Midland Division. They were in the Kemmel sector from April 9th to June 22nd. The centre point of their Brigade sector was Spanbroekmolen, bordered by Peckham Farm in the north and the Wulvergem road in the south. The Sherwood Foresters brigade was north of Peckham and the Staffordshires south of the wulvergem road.

Nice area to visit, good peaceful walking and the lines are easy to pick out using a good trench map.

Regards,

Steve.