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Remembered Today:

9th KOYLI-Loos


jim_davies

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While reading Gliddon's "Topographical History of the Battle of the Somme" I was intrigued by a passage in the Fricourt section.

It refers to a toast made by Capt Haswell of the above battalion. Apparently a couple of days before the opening of the Somme Offensive, the officers of the 9th KOYLI met for a final drink. It was suggested that both the Regiment and the CO (Leach) should be toasted. Many of the officers didn't want to toast Lynch, which lead to Haswell making the now famous toast ending with "Gentlemen, when the barrage lifts...".

It explains that Leach was..."unpopular with his brother officers because of what had happened at Loos, and the way he had subsequently treated them."

I know the battalion as part of 21st Division suffered many losses during the Loos fighting and Leach appears to have been awarded the DSO for his leadership. So what exactly did he do to upset his officers so much they wouldn't drink to his health days before a major offensive ?

Jim (puzzled)

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Lynch got his DSO for Loos, and was a brave officer. That's not what upset some in the battalion - it was his habit of promoting favourites above those who many thought deserved promotion. Haswell in particular seems not to have liked him much, for exact reasons we will never know.

The full story is in L.G.Spicer Letters From France 1915-18 which was published in the 1970s. Spicer was a fellow officer in9/KOYLI. Gerald Gliddon got the story from this source.

I have an original group photo of 9/KOYLI which appears in Walking The Somme - Lynch and Haswell are both on there.

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Jim - it could be that Lynch was being blamed for losses suffered by the 9th Bn during events 26/9/15 which were to a large extent beyond his control. The whole move to the battlefield and the engagement of the (badly trained and untested in battle) 21st and 24th Divisions was a c***-up from begining to end, but with specific reference to 9th and 10th KOYLI the big disaster was during the afternoon of the 26th, facing Hill 70.

Just after midday there was a general retreat off the hill and back across the Loos - Hulloch road, along which the two battalions had held position during the morning, under shell-fire. At the time that this happened it seems that Lynch and Pollock (OC 10th Bn KOYLI) were not with their battalions but had been called to HQ 64th Brigade to recieve orders. The Off Hist says that Br Gen Gloster (OC 64th Bde) did not want to press 9th and 10th Bns into the action because he didnt think they could achieve anything, and any attack should be delayed till fresh troops arrived (from where !?).

Whilst these discussions were taking place at 64th Bde HQ an unnamed "staff officer" reputedly appeared in 9th KOYLI's front trench and ordered an attack - and when Gloster realised what was going on (9th Bn now being too far ahead to be recalled) he ordered Pollock to take 10th Bn forward in support - but then reversed his decision (I'm sorry, I dont have timings to hand) and sent orders to both Lynch and Pollock to fall back to the Loos - Hulloch road.

Supposedly, 9th KOYLI never recieved these orders and only two companies of 10th Bn recieved and acted on them - the whole situation being confused by men of other units who had previously fallen back now rallying and joining in with 9th and 10th Bns. The advance of this mass was generally "directed" towards "Germans" in a trench south of Chalet Wood, on the rise up Hill 70 - but what nobody in the advance realised was that these were British Troops and the move in this direction took the advancing troops straight into enfilade fire from Chalet Wood and Bois Hugo, and inevitable slaughter.

There was then another mass fall back across the Loos - Hulloch road and a general retreat towards the Grenay - Hulloch road, excepting the bulk of the 9th and 10th KOYLI who managed to get back over the road were "rallied" by 64th Bde HQ staff and the reserve companies of 9th and 10th KOYLI and held in position.

There seems to be plenty of scope for recriminations amongst all of that - and no doubt there was butt-kicking all round after the event - working it's way down from the top as it always does. I have no idea what Lynch may specifically have done or said post event, but no doubt he was passing on his fair share.

One thing is for certain, 21st and 24th Divisions at Loos really were "lambs to the slaughter".

regards - Tom

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Not a real help for 9th KOYLI but,

I have a copy of a letter Pro document that was sent to Edmonds By Forestier-Walker in response to the offficial history that Edmonds was writing.

In regard to what appears to be page 44 top?

He states that the bulk of 63rd and 64th brigades did not go further back than the german trenches along Loos-Haisnes road. he states that he knows this as he was present having just visited Gloster HQ at pt 69. He then asserts that he personelly supervised the ralling of the men and they were disposed into the German trenches.

probably no help but thought it might be interesting.

Arm.

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Hello Everyone

This is the summary of the advance of the two KOYLI battalions taken from the Regimental official history Vol3 "The Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in the Great War" by Lt Col R.C.Bond , 2/KOYLI.

"Those people of Yorkshire, whose feelings are stirred by evidence of the "sporting spirit" in the lads of that county, should indeed find their hearts warmed by the story of the two KOYLI battalions of young miners, who had been forced during the day to witness the slaughter of their gallant cousins of Durham County in their repeated attacks, and who, becoming restive in inaction, poured over the top without word of command, like colts at the starting-gate that break the tape and get away down the course before the starters flag is down."

Speechless (and as a Yorkshireman that doesn't happen very often)

Andy

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Wanted to thank everyone for their input, its given me a lot to think about.

Paul-Thanks, a little while after I posted my original message, I found the page on your website on the 9th KOYLI. It was especially interesting to read about your search for the location where the photo of the battalion's officers was taken.

Tom-have to agree "c***-up" is the best way to describe the whole affair. Thanks for posting all the details.

Arm-it is interesting. I wonder if any of the other battalions in either brigade experienced the problems that affected the officers of the 9th KOYLI.

Andy-I can imagine that the language of the Regimental Official History may have given comfort to the families of the fallen, but have to wonder how the lads who survived the action would have described it.

All the best.

Jim

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