18 Battalion, Durham Light Infantry

[SMG65]

18 DLI were part of 31st Division and suffered badly in the first few days of July 1916 on the Somme. They were then withdrawn and didn't fight again until November 1916 on the Ancre.

Can anybody tell me where 18 DLI were for the rest of July 1916 and what they were doing?

SEAN

[Steven Broomfield]

I think the 31st Divn went to trenches in the Neuve Chapelle area until September, then to Festubert, then back to the Somme for the Ancre in November. I think (again) they were in the Line by the middle of July - around the 14th.

[David T]

Sean,

I know we've exchanged information before ... have I sent you a brief history of 18/DLI based on my researches in recent years? If not, I'd be happy to let you have a copy, which runs to a little over twenty A-4 pages. You'll appreciate that it's no substitute for a war diary or for Lowes' battalion history!

Altho' the battalion was only partially involved in the fighting on 1 July 1916, it lost over half its strength during the early days of that month. Its fighting strength fell to fourteen officers and only 357 ORs. Shortly after its withdrawal from action, the battalion joined 1st Army (9 July), as a consequence of which it moved north to la Perriere, a few kilometres north of Busnes, where large drafts were received and the battalion re-organised. Within a few days, the battalion moved to la Fosse for training.

On 26 July, sudden orders were received to prepare to relieve a battalion holding the Neuve Chappelle sector, which relief, unusually, was carried out during daylight hours, the following day. The trenches in that sector were of the breastwork type, which was the battalion's first experience of such and they were found to be inferior to dug trenches, difficult to maintain, and liable to flooding. During that evening, at about 21:30 hours, the battalion was subjected to a furious bombardment such that complete breaches were blown in the frontline breastworks, and the support line was also damaged. A German attack developed about an hour later but 'B' Company, holding the centre, repulsed it after a sharp struggle. Total casualties from that day's action were 79 men (all ranks).

Tours of duty from August to October 1916 were notable for their length. To minimise casualties from artillery bombardments, troops were removed from forward areas during the day. Bad as trench conditions were, even worse conditions were encountered when the battalion moved to the Festubert sector on 10 August. Although the Germans continually harassed British lines, tours in that area passed off without major incident.

The battalion was relieved on 4 October from trenches east of Givenchy village. It moved to Bethune the following day, from where it moved to Orville Wood, near Doullens, where it joined XIII Corps in the then-named Reserve Army, later to become the 5th Army. On 7 November, it returned south to Hebuterne, which, according to Lowe, had a sinister and unhealthy reputation as a spot where the enemy used up any spare ammunition available.

Hope this helps to fill in some of the gaps in the information you have available. If you'd like more, let me know.

David T.

[SMG65]

David

I don't think we have corresponded before but the information you have given is spot on and just what I needed. Thank You.

It's to help a friend who is reseaching Pte 18/579 Alexander L Richardson, who died of wounds on 28 July 1916. I would assume he was wounded in the action at Neuve Chapelle on 26 July. It is strange though that he is buried at Cabaret Cemetery, Souchez, which is south of Neuve Chapelle. The only thing I can think of is that he may have been wounded near Souchez as 18 DLI worked there way north from the Somme.

SEAN

[SMG65]

Thanks for the information Steve. Do you know where they were in the line on the 14th July?

SEAN

[David T]

It's to help a friend who is reseaching Pte 18/579 Alexander L Richardson, who died of wounds on 28 July 1916. I would assume he was wounded in the action at Neuve Chapelle on 26 July. It is strange though that he is buried at Cabaret Cemetery, Souchez, which is south of Neuve Chapelle. The only thing I can think of is that he may have been wounded near Souchez as 18 DLI worked there way north from the Somme.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sean,

Can't explain why Alexander Richardson should be buried at Caberet Rouge British Cemetery. As you infer, probably, it's too far from Neuve Chapelle sector for him to have been sent to Souchez for treatment of wounds sustained during the German attack late on 27 July. I guess Souchez, itself, must have been reasonably close to the front line, at the time, for it not to have been in the rear areas where a field hospital would have been located, so your supposition could be as good as any.

If your man served with 'B' Company, 18/DLI it seems highly likely that he would have been wounded during the German attack on 27 July although I'm sure that company did not bear the casualties sustained exclusively. Otherwise, the only other possibility is that he was wounded at an earlier date and it was on 28 July that he finally succumbed to his wounds.

David T.