first gas

[nosaj]

Could anyone shed some light on the situation the 1/5 DURHAM LIGHT INF found themselfs IN when the germans first used "gas" 1915 due to the battle. AROUND the area of St Jean close to YPRES. It was reported that the Battalion was marching down a road led by their O/C THEN vanished but later it was stated that they had been taken over by a canadian senior officer who directed them to what was a more important part of the battle and then lost. nosaj.

[jhill]

As luck would have it, copies of the war diaries for April 1915 are available on-line here .

You have to go down to April 1915 York/Durham Battalions.

There is a certain amount of controversy about what happened on April 24, which included 1/5 Durhams. The 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade was heavily engaged, and its commander, A.W. Currie (later quite famous!) was desperately pleading for reinforcements. When informed that two battalions of the York and Durham Brigade were being rushed forward, he sent a staff officer to meet them and guide them forward. The officer met the 1/5 Durhams, but their commander refused to move beyond Wielje.

At least this is how the Canadian records report it. You can see the Durhams' war diary is silent. At any rate, their casualties were quite modest in this period.

I am sure there is room for further research here.

[6th Shropshires]

I believe Currie was paniking (spelling ?) about his line but Snow was more worried by gap near Fortuin where there was dangour of German break through (but luckly they did not know well their attack was going and did not press home their advantage here).

[nosaj]

many thanks to JHILL for information on D.L.I.

[nosaj]

As luck would have it, copies of the war diaries for April 1915 are available on-line here .

You have to go down to April 1915 York/Durham Battalions.

There is a certain amount of controversy about what happened on April 24, which included 1/5 Durhams.  The 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade was heavily engaged, and its commander, A.W. Currie (later quite famous!) was desperately pleading for reinforcements.  When informed that two battalions of the York and Durham Brigade were being rushed forward, he sent a staff officer to meet them and guide them forward.  The officer met the 1/5 Durhams, but their commander refused to move beyond Wielje. 

At least this is how the Canadian records report it.  You can see the Durhams' war diary is silent.  At any rate, their casualties were quite modest in this period.

I am sure there is room for further research here.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Please view quote jhill Oct 17th 9 -36 pm then press HERE. NOSAJ.