East Surrey Regiment 8th Bn

[shaymen]

Has anyone any information on what actions the East Surreys 8th Bn were involved in on 10th/11th August 1917.

Thanks

Glyn

[Old Tom]

Hello,

No detail I'm afraid. I expect you know 8th East Surrey's were part of 55 Brigade in 18 Div. In July 17 the div was engaged around Zillebeke and in October at Poelcappelle. I guess that mid August was comparitively quiet.

Old Tom

[Hambo]

From the Regimental history

They attacked at Inverness Copse at 4.35am in support of an attack by the 7th Queens. B Company of the 8th E Surreys were moved up on the right in support of the Queens when the former were checked by the German wire

They came under heavu shell fire and suffered many casualties. C Company also suffered badly when moving up to take up their positions also from shell fire. A Company did good service bringing up supplies for the 7th Queens. When one of the company's Lance Corporals was killed the party was led by a private who completed the task. Private B.P. Simpson was awarded the MM for his actions

Casualties for the 4th to the 10th of August were 2nd Lt C.B. Dix killed, having been with the battalion for a month and 38 other ranks killed. They then withdrew to the West Wippenhoek area camp fot training until the 15th

Hope this is what you were after

[chris basey]

Glyn

Several years ago I researched two brothers of the 8th East Surreys who were killed in 1917. The first died in May on the Somme and the second was killed on 10th August 1917. This is what I have in relation to his death:

"On 1st August the 8th Battalion East Surreys assembled in the New Dickbusch area. The afternoon of the previous day had seen the start of four days incessant rain which rendereed impossible any further offensive until a period of fine weather might allow the waterlooged soil to recover. Under these conditions the men were crowded into a few tents and shelters at New Dickbusch and had a very uncomfortable time. At midnight on the 3rd August their relief by the 7th Battalion was started but, because of the flooding, this entailed a long and tiring march by road and it was 10am before it was completed. Two companies were placed in Jam Trench, the old German front line and the remaining two companies in Crab Crawl Tunnel which was in a very bad state with six inches of water in it. The Germans maintained a very heavy barrage over the next few days. The 7th Bn Queens launched an attack on Inverness Copse, which had been postponed owing to heavy rain, at 4.35am on 10th August supported by 8th East Surreys. Casualties were heavy from very heavy shell fire and one officer and thirty eight other ranks were killed. One of those was 5100 Private William TUNMORE, aged 20 years."

He and his colleagues are buried at Hooge Cemetery.

If you are particularly interested in the 8th Bn and would like more details of their movements up till this point please let me know.

Chris

[shaymen]

Thanks all

That will do very nicely.

My interest was a local chap who was wounded on the 10th and died the following day and with all your help I now have details of the action he was killed in.

Appreciate your help

Glyn