Wednesday 2nd August

Billets in Albert

The German shelling of Albert, which had been noted the previous day, intensified and four staff officers of 68^th Brigade were killed when their headquarters was hit. The Battalion, meanwhile, was engaged in providing working parties, including the burying of a number of horses which had been killed by the German shelling. The renewal of the shelling was noted by Brig. Genl. T.S. Lambert, commanding 69^th Brigade, in a letter home to his wife (I am greatly indebted to Juliet Lambert for her generosity in allowing me to reproduce the letters here); “We are back in comfort for a day or so again before strenuous things. We were not sorry to get out of our gas ridden hole and get some sleep but they have recently started shelling this place with a heavy gun and woke us up at 3am by a succession of heavy crumps close by so we thought it desirable to migrate to underground life again till it appears to be over.”

Brig. Genl. Lambert also revealed his frustration over his attempts to secure honours for men whom he had recommended for awards during the recent actions:

“I do not know how long ago it is since I was so annoyed as I was last night. After our Contalmaison affair I had naturally had some people to recommend for immediate rewards. When we were sitting doing nothing very much in the trenches dozens of people got DSOs and other things for raids and such like minor affairs; let alone DCMs and honours for the men. We all knew how cheaply they were earned and they used to cause a certain amount of standing jokes throughout the Army, especially among regulars who were generally excluded. Now that we really do something big, when men and officers know that it is not a matter of mere raids on minor things, but assaults through shell fire, machine guns and all the contrivances of the devil on a whole brigade front or more, I am told that the occasions “do not quite come up to the standard required” or something of the sort and my recommendations are sent back! Can you wonder that after all the number of times this has happened to me during the war, I sometimes feel pretty sick of the whole idea of honours or rewards. These men gave everything they had to give at my bidding and behaved with a gallantry that, when you look at the ground, makes one still marvel; they were more than successful at a most critical period; and then I am told they are to get nothing, but may be included in a later general list if thought desirable. Meanwhile, hundreds of honours have been given for doing nothing very special. It has made me feel as if I positively hated those who can accept honours themselves sitting at office work and then refuse them to the men who are really in danger. Of course it has nothing to do with our Division who have done all they can. Well, I have had my grouse. I suppose we must start from the beginning again with none of the enthusiasm that a few quickly given might have raised. I seem to be always starting from the beginning again myself! So I am used to it, but I am afraid others will not all be – we will learn to be philosophic in time I suppose, but mst of us get killed first and then it is too late to give or talk of rewards, except the VC, for they are all expressly excluded”.

Brig. Genl. Thomas Stanton Lambert

Image by kind permission of Juliet Lambert

Lambert’s comments about recommendations for rewards can be illustrated in the case of 10DWR. Lt. Col. Hayne made the following recommendations for award following the actions around Munster Alley:

2Lt. Robert Clement Perks (see 1^st August); honour for which recommended: Military Cross; no previous honour received.
This Officer was in charge of a party of ‘B’ Company which had been brought up by mistake to point 41. He was wounded in the face about 1am and was for a time insensible, but on recovering continued to throw bombs until wounded seriously in the hand, foot and face again. He throughout the operation showed the greatest gallantry and by his magnificent example was largely responsible for our being able to hold and consolidate the point gained in Munster Alley.

2Lt. Henry Herbert Owen Stafford (see 29^th July); honour for which recommended: Mention in Dispatches; no previous honour received.

Was at the head of all our bombing parties at the barricade. His bravery and exceedingly cheerful spirit was of the greatest value in cheering on the bomb throwers when under exceedingly heavy bomb fire.

Sgt. Albert Edgar Palmer (see 29^th July); honour for which recommended: Military Medal; no previous honour received.

On Lt. Hird being killed immediately took command of no.13 platoon and, having re-organised it, remained throwing bombs for several hours, being under heavy bomb fire throughout.

Sgt. William Jones (see 29^th July); honour for which recommended: Military Medal; no previous honour received.

Personally built up the greater part of the barricade and, although several men near him were killed and wounded, continued to work with greatest bravery and coolness until his work had been completed.

Pte. Enoch Wilson Rhodes (see 29^th July); honour for which recommended: Distinguished Conduct Medal; no previous honour received.

Has in every engagement shown the most wonderful devotion to duty. At Contalmaison on the way to the trenches a shell killed his partner and he was thrown over a cart. Though badly shaken, he at once tied up a man who had had his hand blown off and then proceeded to the trenches. During the night of 18^th/29^th July he attended to atleast 50 wounded men, always under intense artillery fire.

Pte. Tom Feather (see 29^th July); Pte. John William Beaver (see 29^th July); honour for which recommended: Mention in Dispatches; no previous honour received.

Both these men carried many messages with speed and regularity, regardless of shell fire. Pte. Beaver was afterwards admitted into hospital suffering from shell shock.

Of the men recommended, 2Lt. Perks was actually awarded the DSO and Sgt. Jones and Pte. Beaver were awarded the Military Medal. However, there is no indication of any awards being made to 2Lt. Stafford, Sgt. Palmer or Ptes. Rhodes or Feather.

2Lt. Robert Clement Perks

Images by kind permission of Janet Hudson

The four wounded officers who had returned to England the previous day (see 1^st August) were each admitted to hospital for further treatment. 2Lt. Ernest Cyril Coke was admitted to Osborne Hospital on the Isle of Wight; meanwhile, 2Lt. Charles Crowther Hart was admitted to 1^st Southern General Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham. It is not clear where Capt. Alfred Percy Harrison and 2Lt. Robert Clement Perks were treated.

A telegram was despatched from the War Office to the family of 2Lt. Henry Herbert Owen Stafford (see above) informing them that he had been “slightly wounded but had returned to duty”.

Pte. Frank Hargrave (see 19^th June), who had originally served with Tunstill’s Company, was reported missing in action while serving with 9DWR, who were involved in fierce fighting near Longueval.

L.Cpl. John William Pontefract (see 18^th April), serving with 1^st Battalion Honourable Artillery Company, was promoted Corporal; he would later be commissioned and serve with 10DWR.

Pte. George Henry Hansford (see 23^rd June), who had been in England since suffering from ‘trench foot’ in April, was posted back to France from 11DWR. However, he would not re-join 10DWR but would instead be posted to 9DWR before then being re-posted to 2DWR, which Battalion he would join on 16^th August.

A payment of £10 6s. 9d was authorised, being the amount outstanding in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Harry Bower (see 13^th June) who had been killed in action in June; the payment would go to his mother, Emma.