T/Capt Harold Faulder

[dfaulder]

Orders received for Bdg to move forward and take over a portion of the FRONT LINE (CHEEPSIDE LINE) between left flank of 9^th KOYLI (64th I.B.) about N15 b 9.9 and the HALLE BASS - VIERSTRAAT Rd. The Battn took over the "BLUE LINE" from the VIERSTRAAT Rd N10 b 4.7 to N10 a 9.1 . HQ was established in a dugout at N10 a 9.9 . 5th Y&L Rgmt were on our right and XXII Corps Mounted Troops on our left. The move was completed about 3.30am.

At 13.30am orders had also been recieved to the effect that a counter-attack would be carried out by 39th French Division on the right of our new position and by the 25th British Division on our left. The Bde would at the same time push forward under a barrage to the LA POLKA-VIERSTRAAT LINE and occupy it.

Original Trench Map from Croonaert - with thanks

[dfaulder]

The attack took place. The barrage which was to fall 250 yds in front of the BLUE LINE was absolutely inadequate and 5 or 6 German machine guns which had been pushed forward onto the CHEEPSIDE Rd (running from N10 b 8.5 to N10 b 0.2 **) were quite untouched. There was fortunately a heavy mist which covered the beginning of our advance but as soon as the movement was noticed the machine guns on the CHEEPSIDE Rd opened fire and rendered further advance impossible. The Battn as forced to withdraw to the BLUE LINE having lost several officers, including three Company Commanders, and about a third of its strength in casualties.

[Coldstreamer]

I like this map overview idea

[dfaulder]

I like this map overview idea

Thanks, see the thread in the Technology forum for more details.

David

[dfaulder]

From 8-10am, and again from 3-3.45pm the whole Brigade area was very heavily bombarded but the rest of the day was comparatively quiet.

At dusk the Battn took over a further 130 yards of front from the 5th Y&L Rgt to enable that Battn to fill a gap between their right and the left of the 9th KO??? on their right

Casualties - Officers killed - Capt H. FAULDER, Lt T.P. BRADBURY, 2ndLts R.J.R. PENROSE, P.P. McARDLE

Officers wounded - Lt W.D.G. GIFFORD M.C. and 2Lt H. PAYNE

Officers missing - 2Lt W. BECK D.C.M.

OR 17 Killed 65 Wounded and 9 missing

Geoff's Search Engine indicates that the other ranks who died were:

ALLAN 242686 Private THOMAS DIXON

ATKINSON 204461 Private RALPH

BENN 9514 Lance Corporal WILLIAM

BROOKFIELD 203381 Lance Corporal A

BROOKS 14/633 Private JOE

BROWN 33382 Private DONALD ERNEST

DEAN 23077 Private JAMES

DYSON 200665 Lance Corporal TOM

FOSTER 33344 Lance Corporal ARTHUR

GAMWELLS 200780 Private AUSTIN

GREEN 235808 Private ALFRED

HAWORTH 41637 Private FRANK

HINCHCLIFFE 201743 Private CHARLES EDWARD

HUDSON 201704 Corporal GEORGE

HUTCHINSON 18516 Private P C F

KENNEDY 203496 Lance Corporal EDWARD

MELL 19691 Private HERBERT

PARKER 242690 Private ROBERT WILLIAM

PARKINS 241705 Private G W

RICHARDSON 201762 Private W

STABLES 21982 Private F

STRAFFORD 200857 Corporal DAVID

THICKETT 28153 Private GEORGE WILLIAM

TWITE 23189 Private S

WAGSTAFF 21522 Private FRANK

WALTERS 31539 Private B

WIGGLESWORTH 202059 Corporal W

WILES 201090 Private WILLIE

WOFFENDEN 241942 Private JOE

WRIGHT 33417 Private SIDNEY VICTOR

This totals 30 compared to the 17 in the War Diary. Presumably some of these died of wounds received in previous actions and some are in the number listed as wounded at the time the diary was written up. I believe SDGW indicates that one of the above (Pt Stables) "Died", two (L/C Dyson and Pt Hutchinson) are not listed, whilst the others (27) are listed as "KIA". In addition SDGW lists Pt Symonds 203145 as dying this day - but he is not on CWGC.

Lt Bradbury and 2nd Lt McArdle listed in the War Diary were actually with 7th Bn Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) and 1st/2nd Cheshire attd 1st/4th Y&L and My Grandfather was 3rd Y&L attd 1st/4th Y&L. 2nd Lt Beck (listed above as missing) is listed as killed in SDGW.

IWM staff have expressed surprise that someone (such as Capt Faulder) whose body was not recovered could be listed as killed on the day, stating that it would be normal to initially post such people as missing. I would be interested to know if this was common practice or a modern day deduction.

David Faulder

[dfaulder]

The story continues:

Above is the Telegram received by my grandfather's widow. The address is not the address given in my grandfather's service record as the address for his next of kin. However, when he supplied this he was unmarried and his next of kin was his mother. The service record shows that two telegrams were sent:

1) To 2 Wellfield Rd Huddersfield (home of his mother) addressed to "Mrs Faulder"

2) To 97 Valley Dr Harrogate addressed to "Mrs Faulder"

I know my grandmother had relatives in Harrogate so it is possible that she was staying with them either long-term or having just moved up to stay with them having heard rumour* that her husband had died. I can find no record of a marital home (I believe my grandfather returned to his unit (then 3rd Y&L at Hylton Camp, Sunderland) almost immediately after his marriage). Later my grandmother gave her address as Wellfield Road, so it would seem that by then she was living with my grandfather's mother.

Would the War Office normally have sent two telegrams (one to the mother and one to the widow), or might my great grandmother on receiving the first telegram have responded to the War Office that they had the wrong address?

* My Great Aunt Evelyn Faulder, MM (sister of Harold Faulder) was serving in the FANY at the time and it is understood that she was first to hear the news of her brother's death from a soldier that she was transporting. (One hopes it was not the result of the unnamed soldier attempting to chat her up).

David

[dfaulder]

This letter is probably the nearest we will get to knowing what actually happened. Letters of condolence, are known to "pull their punches" and therefore I am wary of the "killed immediately". The tone of the letter (beginning "My Dear Marjorie") indicates that Clifford Brierly clearly knew Marjorie Faulder well (from Census records it would appear that as children they were almost neighbours*) so he may well have softened the blow. It may therefore be possible that Captain Faulder took some time to die having been left as the rest of his company moved on.

As mention previously on this thread, staff at the Imperial War Museum had expressed surprise that he was not initially posted as "Missing" given that a body was not recovered. I have not found any reference to him being posted as missing, so I would conclude that when a roll call was done after the action, there were enough people who gave sufficient evidence to conclude that he had been killed. Perhaps L/Cpl Horne's testimony was thought conclusive; it which case, the death may have been as Lt Col Brierly reported.

The exact General Armitage and what my grandfather had been doing whilst on his staff is still unknown. I have recently noted that the Huddersfield JP who provided the character reference for H Faulder when he applied for his commission was I think (if I read the signature well) a W H Armitage who said that he had known my grandfather all his life (except for the years 1913-1915 when he was in the United States).

* One of his grandsons - a member of this forum - has confirmed CB's identity and indicated that he is happy for me to publish this letter. In addition other artefacts (such as 1900's dance cards) have confirmed the links between the families.

David

[dfaulder]

BIRTHS

The end of my Grandfather's story and the beginning of my father's.

Anyone know how many children were born to "... wife of the late ..."?

David

[armourersergeant]

David,

I missed this the (I was going to say first) numerous times round. However I liked the way the story unfolded. My ears 'pricked up' at the 9th KOYLI and 64th brigade, given my 21st Div connections, alas...I was still glad to read the thread. Backed up with modern and contemporary material it weaves a good story.

regards

Arm

[dfaulder]

I have now completed my attempts to understand my Grandfather's life - 92 years (to the day) after he died.

My current state of knowledge is on my family website. Many thanks to all who have contributed, advised or just generally nudged me in useful directions.

David