Aisne- Chemin des Dames Battle May- June 1918

[David_Blanchard]

I think the figures are correct for the Devons, it's a while since I looked at that part of the thread. Are the dates given, or is it just the 27 May?

The date should be the 27th May- whoever put the caption together is wrong. The explanation could be the battery commenced counter battery fire later on the 26th, knowing the German bombardment was due to start at 1.00 am on the 27th May.

I was invited to view the original painting in the mess of the 5th Battery, at, I am guessing, but I will say Larkhill.

Must get round to it some day. I would like to use it on the cover of the book I am in the process of putting together.

David

[David_Blanchard]

Vendresse Cemetery April 2013

[David_Blanchard]

New viewing platform on the Californie Plateau, which provides an excellent vantage point over the battlefield to the south in particular, towards Reims.

[David_Blanchard]

The Kaiser greets Brigadier Rees of the 151st Brigade on the Californie Plateau 28th May 1918.

[cullbaggie]

New viewing platform on the Californie Plateau, which provides an excellent vantage point over the battlefield to the south in particular, towards Reims.

Damned if i could find this, i parked in the car park & walked up to the sculpture with the head in it - and then walked for about 1/2 mile along the ridge towards Craonne and then gave up!

[David_Blanchard]

You need to park in the car park near the Arboretum in Craonne and follow the signs to the Californie Plateau and on the map below the new structure is at point 183.

[David_Blanchard]

Joel Halliwell won one of two Victoria Crosses awarded on 27 May 1918. A Street in Manchester may be renamed in his honour.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/put-pride-lance-corporal-halliwells-5138514

[David_Blanchard]

Just keeping this thread alive. Some interesting Now and Then photographs concerned with the Aisne Battle, I posted a while ago on the thread below:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=186745&hl=

Also if anyone has anything else they could add to the Aisne Battle of 1918 please post here or pm me as I in the process of editing a book on this battle at present and would welcome contributions.

[Steve19]

I am interested in finding out more about my great grandad Lance Sergeant

Frederick Goldsmith 27662 killed 31 May 1918. He was with the Devonshire Regiment

2nd Battalion . He was killed in action and is commemorated on the Soissons Memorial.

I would like to understand more about his service history.

Hope someone is able to help.

Many thanks

[David_Blanchard]

Just wondered if you have tried to find any details about his service using Ancestry?

[David_Blanchard]

This is an extract from the 2nd Devons War Diary

[Steve19]

Thank you your help and advice

I came across the link below showing my great grandad father name near lieutenant colonel Anderson - Morshead name on the Soissons memorial. This is fascinating as was not aware of any if this until I started researching my family tree.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSob=c&GSsr=41&GScid=2160057&GRid=56064212&

[Steve19]

Glorious Devons

Found this footage 1921

http://www.britishpa...glorious-devons

[David_Blanchard]

The unknown Battery commander quoted in the 8th Divisional History and in the War Diary of the Devonshire Regiment, I am fairly certain is Major B W Ellis who commanded 57 Battery 45th Brigade.

An elusive figure I think I have pinned down by using a report of the 57 Battery on the night of the 26/27 May 1918.

[Steven Broomfield]

Well done.

[Ganstry]

My great grandfather (known as Jack), 2^nd Lieutenant John Ferguson Stevenson M.C. of the Royal Irish Rifles (I think) was taken prisoner on the 27^th May 1918. At this stage I’m not 100% sure it was at the battle of Aisne, but all the details I have seem to match up.

I have his diary written in a small black “Notizbuch” which runs from 27^th May until 27^th July 1918 at which point it stops abruptly mid-sentence. I also have a series of postcards written home by him and some letters written to and between his wife and brothers, as his relatives frantically tried to find out if he was alive. It seems to have been more than a month before they eventually had news in the form of a notification from Cox’s bank saying that Jack had cashed a cheque in Germany (how on earth did he manage that?).

The whole collection made for very interesting reading for me when I dug it out a few weeks ago. How important it is in a historical perspective I don’t know, but I think the diary entries in particular might be of some interest to people whose relatives were taken prisoner at the same time. I'm also going to include a few snippets of letters which have details of Jack's capture and I'd be interested to know if they match the details of the Aisne-Chemin des Dames Battle...?

In a letter from a Captain Oswald Philips of the 4th East Yorkshire Regiment (a Google search brought up another letter from him where he describes himself as the "Mess President") on 30/6/18 saying, "I very much regret that Lt Stevenson is reported missing 27/5/18. He was in the front line on that day when the Germans attacked and it is impossible to say definitely what has happened as no officer or man came back from his company..."

Captain Philip's letters evidently weren't getting through, here is another dated 2/7/18: "My Colonel has handed me your letter to answer as I am one of the very few remaining in this battalion who managed to come thro the 27th May attack. I am very sorry to inform you that he is reported missing and I really cannot tell you anything more definite as up to now I am unable to find any one of his company. I still hope to hear that he has been taken prisoner. I did not know Mr Murray had been reported a prisoner, if this is correct I would suggest communicating with him and I have no doubt that he will be able to give you some news. I have already written 3 times with ref to your husband to various addresses taken from parcels and letters but presumably I haven’t struck the right address or my letters have miscarried. We lost all our records and consequently had no addresses of officer's relations..."

24/6/18, a letter from (I think - it is unsigned) Jack's brother, Samuel Brown Stevenson, "The news is good on all hands. Had a letter today from Capt Cochrane of Horace's Battalion, who was with Horace on the night of 27th. They evacuated Battalion Headquarters at 6:30am the Boch being then right on top of them. Horace and the Adjutant, Capt. Ingleby left the dug-out and when Capt. Cochrance came up they had gone forward and nothing had been seen of them since. He states that he feels sure that Horace must be a Prisoner of War and also that Jack Stevenson and Pat Murray, 8th. Royal Irish Rifles are almost certain to be prisoners. This sounds very hopeful and the only thing we can now hope for is that it is true."

Jack's other brother William King Stevenson (who was honorary treasurer to the Ulster Women's Gift Fund at the time) wrote to Lieut. Murray immediately on 24/6/18, "May I congratulate you on having come through that dreadful affair at Soissons [hard to read, could be Grissons?] alive and on having the prospect, although a Prisoner of War, of coming back at the end of the war to your home? May I also ask if you can give me any information about my brother, Lieut. J F Stevenson whom I think you know well and who, according to a letter received today from the adjutant of the 4^th East Yorks, has been missing since 27^th May. I believe he was commanding the company to which you belonged on that date...”

In the mean time, Jack was sending off cards and letters every week or two and keeping this diary:

27^th May 1918

Taken prisoner – marched to Ramecourt – searched – no food all day – slept on stone floor, felt the cold very much as I had only a shirt and summer tunic.

28^th May 1918

Vegetable soup at 7pm first meal for 48 hours – improvised a soup-can from canister of Bun-Respirator [?] – very cold again at night.

29^th May 1918

Bread issue, sour to taste but sustaining – marched to Seisons [?...Sissonne?] where we slept 3 nights – still very cold at night – regular bread here each morning with camouflage coffee – soup midday – still very hungry – much annoyed with lice.

1^st June 1918

Marched to LAPPION, and slept there one night – the dirtiest place yet but not so cold – other fellows much troubled by flees.

2^nd June 1918

Marched to LISLET – larger issue of soup today thank goodness as hunger is getting worse.

3^rd June 1918

Camouflage tea this morning – poisonous – very cold at night – many flees and lice.

4^th June 1918

Set off to march to HIRSON at 4am, no food this morning. Marched via Mount Cornet – Nam-Capelle [Nampcelles la cour?] – Plomion – La Rue Heureuse – La Herie – Buire to HIRSON – 21 miles – no food – small issue of soup at 10pm.

Three nights at HIRSON in a fort – hungriest time yet, rations very small.

7^th June 1918

Entrained from HIRSON via Charleville – Donachery [?] – SEDAN – CARIGNAN (here we had excellent soup, best meal yet) – Hayingen – KARLSRUHE to RASTATT – left HIRSON 4pm on 7^th, arrived Rastatt 4am Sunday 9^th June.

9^th June 1918

Slept for 3 hours in fort – coffee and bread 9am – transferred to Friedrichsfeste [?] 4pm – accommodation much better – each issued with a towel – no soup available.

10^th June 1918

Slept much better – wooden bed with 2 blankets – still many lice – meals served in dining hall. Breakfast 8.30am coffee and bread. Lunch – soup 12am. Camouflage tea 4pm. Supper, soup 7pm. We have a canteen here. Beer is very light but quite drinkable. Cigarettes £1 per hundred cigars. Biscuits 4 for 1shilling (very small). The only soap available is little [?] monkey brand [?]. Shower baths twice a week Wed and Saturday. Roll-call 9.30am and 5pm.

1^st July 1918

Still at RASTATT – feeling more comfortable thanks to fumigation of clothes. Rations very small here – would suffer much from hunger were it not for Swiss biscuit issue (4 per day) – washing clothes is a difficulty. I always wait for a warm day so that I can do without my shirt while it dries – my socks are lasting wonderfully. I take exercise every day walking up and down the Barrack yard, never more than a mile on acc of my socks. Bridge, books and sing-songs help to pass the time – the fact that we can’t see out of the place adds greatly to the monotony. I am thirsting for a sight of green fields. There is a high wall all round this place – very difficult to escape – several fellows have tried unsuccessfully, and have been given 14 days cells, which doesn’t seem a very hard punishment.

6^th July 1918

Have been much annoyed with a suppurating finger last few days – saw German doctor today who seems to think there is danger of blood poison. He poultered it – tied it up.

7^th July 1918

Doctor opened my finger today and tied it up again.

9^th July 1918

Have been unable to sleep last 2 nights with pain in my hand and arm.

14^th July 1918

Finger getting better at last thank goodness. I was quite worried about it, as this is the last place to develop blood poison.

16^th July 1918

Orders to leave by early train tomorrow.

17^th July 1918

Paraded (40 of us) 7.45am guard didn’t turn up. Paraded again 12 noon – marched to station – no room on train – marched back, again.

18^th July 1918

Paraded 7.45 – escort here today allright – marched to station and entrained 9.30am arrived Karlsruhe 10am and marched to distributing station which seems to have been a hotel before the war – locked in a room with 3 other fellows and windows shut and barred. Heat unbearable – soup, potatoes and beetroot and a small slice of meat at 12am. Best meal yet in Germany. Soup again 6.30pm and night very hot – perspired all night, although lay without bed-clothes. – Air raid alarm at 1am [19^th July, written in the side] – archies [?] going but no bombs dropped near us – coffee (no bread) 9am. Told to et ready to go at 4pm but after an interview with two interpreter people, we find ourselves shut into a downstairs room for the night (5 Irish 2 French and one Canadian). Heat terrible again at night.

20^th July 1918

Orders to start for camp at 1pm – marched to camp about ½ mile away – money changed and then everyone was searched. Issued with knife, fork and spoon, also towel. Told off to huts 8 in a room – soup at 6pm provided with a little cocoa and 4 biscuits each by English Committee – sing-song at 7.30.

21^st July 1918

8.30am Cocoa and biscuits in our own room. 9am Bath. 10am roll-call. 12 noon soup and potatoes (food much better than Rastatt) small bread ration. 6pm soup and jam [?].

22^nd July 1918

Issued with a number of much needed articles – viz. Shirt, socks, pants, also some dripping, cheese, a tin of Bully beef among four, and biscuits – altogether a red letter day.

27^th July 1918

6.30am Wakened [?] and informed we are to leave this morning. 11.30am set off for station and entrained at 1pm – rather sorry to leave Karlsruhe as we were better off there than before – passed through Haidelberg, Mannheim,

I know from a postcard dated 9th August that Jack had been sent to Stralsund (I don't know whether that's the Stralsund way off on the far side of Germany, or a smaller more local place of the same name).

Anyway, I hope some of that is of interest. If all the details match the battle this thread is dedicated to then that’s great – if not I’m in the wrong place and I’d like to know where to go.

Thanks

[ph0ebus]

My grandfather fought at Aisne/Chemin des Dames/Soissons in the period you are interested in, while attached to Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 43. I have some information and a photo of two that may be of interest, found here:

https://sites.google.com/site/ph0ebus13/home

The list of the battles he participated in here, from his Militärpaß:

Hope this is useful, if not of interest.

-Daniel

[Andrew Upton]

In the mean time, Jack was sending off cards and letters every week or two and keeping this diary:

28^th May 1918

...a soup-can from canister of Bun-Respirator [?]...

...

10^th June 1918

...The only soap available is little [?] monkey brand [?]...

...

18^th July 1918

...Air raid alarm at 1am [19^th July, written in the side] – archies [?] going but no bombs dropped near us...

Box Respirator - standard British gas mask of the late war period, with a metal cannister containing material to act as the filter.

Monkey Brand was a period soap. eg:

http://pavementart.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/1-monkey-brand-1901.jpg

Archie is slang for anti-aircraft fire.

[David_Blanchard]

I have been researching this battle for years. I am very interested in your relaive's account.

Over Christmas I found out more about Captain Horace Haslett also from the RIR who was transferred to the 4 East Yorkshires and made POW on the 27 May.

Captain Norman Ingleby was killed on the 27 May and is buried in Vendresse British Cemetery.

I would think that Horace Haslett- is the Horace referred to in the above account. (His father was MP for West Belfast at the turn of the century and there is a statue of him in Belfast- I have a couple of photos of Horace in Campbell College cricket team in 1906)

Daniel- thanks very much for the interesting information from the German perspective. Do you known Herbert Sulzbach's account 'With the German Guns' he was an artillery officer who took part in this attack as well?

David

[Ganstry]

Box Respirator - standard British gas mask of the late war period, with a metal cannister containing material to act as the filter.

Monkey Brand was a period soap. eg:

http://pavementart.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/1-monkey-brand-1901.jpg

Archie is slang for anti-aircraft fire.

Ah! Thanks for explaining those terms. Archie was a bit of a mystery to me, and now that I re-read it I see Bun is probably Box with the x written as two c's back to front with a big gap in between.

[David_Blanchard]

I think I may have a photograph of your relative in the 9 Irish Rifles.

David

[Ganstry]

David, I'm glad you're interested. Does that mean the details of my Jack match the battle that is the object of your interest? I'd like to see this photo. I've just scanned some photos taken in Karlsruhe, but I'm not completely sure about them (long story which I'll explain if you want me to post them).

Unfortunately I don't really have any more information about the battle or capture itself. You are right about Horace Haslett. In a letter to Jack's wife from his brother on 17th July 1918, "I expect by now you are settling down to the realisation of the fact that Jack is alive and well. I got your letter this morning enclosing the two cards you had from him. These do not give any address, but I suppose you have heard by this time from Sam that he had a wire today from Cox's, saying that Jack had cashed a cheque on 18th June at Rastatt. From this we were pretty sure that he was at that Camp, and I had his first food parcel packed and despatched today to that address. About half an hour after Sam's wire came in,Mrs Haslett arrived in with another card, which she recieved today from Horace,a copy of which I enclose. He is at Rastatt, and this makes it almost certain that Jack was there at the time too. We sent off Haslett's first parcel this afternoon as well..."

The cards he refers to are two "Field Service Post Cards" (the ones with the lines at the back they crossed out to give messages like, "I am quite well" or "I have been admitted into hospital"). Jack and Horace presumably had a couple of these in their pockets when they were taken prisoner. Jack sent one on 29th May where he'd amended the top line to, "I am quite well and a prisoner of war". He sent another on the 1st June with the same message, but with the date of his capture added (27/5/18).

Jack also refers to Horace in a postcard dated 20th June, "Horace Haslett has been sent elsewhere."

[David_Blanchard]

If you can send me a personal message I will send you the details on.

I am writing a book about the battle and I could send you what I have on the 4 East Yorks

David

[hen190782]

Ganstry

Welcome to the Forum!

John Ferguson Stevenson MC appears on the Roll of Honour for Newtownbreda Presbyterian Church in Belfast - I have photos of the War Memorial plaques (which includes survivors), if you want a copy.

I also have this newspaper clipping:

As he falls within my Belfast Presbyterians in the Great War research, I would be interested in having copies of any pictures of him.

Nigel

[David_Blanchard]

Nigel,

Any idea which battalion Stevenson was in when he won his MC?

David