On the third anniversary of the Battalion’s departure for
France, the planned raid on the Austrian lines on the Vaister Spur, east of
Canove, was launched (see 23rd
and 24th August for details of the plan).
At 11.40pm the barrage commenced and the raiding parties
advanced on their objectives. 2Lt. Garside remembered, “Then the whole business
began. Suddenly, instead of quiet all around, a great hell of sound broke
loose. Just over our heads scores of shells whined from our guns behind and
dropped on and behind the Austrian trenches in front of us. At the same time
machine guns of ours opened up on each side, firing across and away from us on
the Austrian lines. Almost immediately the Austrians sent up dozens of Very
lights bursting in the air and throwing out brilliant lights like rockets at a
firework show. Also, when they were certain they were being attacked, they sent
up coloured lights which told their HQ and artillery to prepare to send help –
men and shells. All this time we lay waiting for the moment we were due to
attack – five minutes I think, after our guns started. As five minutes ended
the guns were to ‘lift’ their shells and drop them further back and we were to
‘go in’.
On the right, all four platoons of “A” party succeeded in
reaching the trenches and railway near Post Spur. Several strong Austrian posts
were mopped up, and prisoners taken, but the main body of the Austrian garrison
withdrew to trenches on and to the north of the Asiago-Canove road. There was
intense machine gun fire from Austrian positions to the north and east and the
raiding party suffered considerable casualties. 2Lt. Keith Sagar Bain (see 24th
August) later described the circumstances under which he had been wounded
and 2Lt. Alfred Ernest Pass (known
as ‘Alf’) (see 24th August)
and Pte. William Northrop (see below) had been wounded and, it was
believed, subsequently killed.
“In the raid carried out by the 10th Battalion
Duke of Wellington’s Regiment on August 26th 1918 my Company had the
right front of the Battalion of which my platoon was the left. Behind me
followed No.6 Platoon under the command of 2Lt. A.E. Pass. I spoke a few words
to Mr. Pass a few minutes before Zero, 11pm (sic.). I saw nothing more of him until our work was nearing
completion about twenty minutes later when I ordered the few remaining men with
me to evacuate the position we held at the Railway Cutting at “Post Spur”. It
was as the last few men were scrambling up the embankment and as I looked round
to see if all the men were clear, that I saw one figure slip back. I stopped
the last man near me, Pte. Northrop, afterwards killed, to help me if required.
The figure I recognised as the late 2Lt. Pass and I spoke to him.
The position we were in was being heavily swept by the fire
of about 15 Austrian machine guns and much trench mortar and artillery fire. 2Lt.
Pass was suffering from abdominal wounds and unable to walk or help himself.
How many or of what kind I cannot say. The state of the position making it
inadvisable to attend to them there and then if anyone was to return with a report,
I decided to carry him with the help of Pte. Northrop and we proceeded slowly
over about 50 yards to the outside edge of the inner belt of the Austrians wire
defences. Here, Northrop was wounded for the second time during the evening in
the shoulder supporting 2Lt. Pass, rendering him of no further help to me, so I
ordered him to cut along alone whilst I made an effort to carry 2Lt. Pass
myself. I was not very strong by this time with the exertion and excitement of
the raid and the three wounds I had received giving more trouble to me. I
carried 2Lt. Pass however to the outer belt of the enemy defence about another
hundred yards when an Austrian heavy shell burst behind us, throwing us both
into a shell hole.
Being in need of breath we rested a few moments and when I
enquired whether we should continue 2Lt. Pass was unconscious, haemorrhage
having set up and blood oozing from his mouth. I was arrested from
investigating whether he was still living by a Very light burning on the ground
showing up two live Austrians about twenty-five yards away, who had evidently
seen us, covering us with their rifles, there was nothing left for me but to go
for them. I did, and killed them both. After this my mind had turned itself to
my own men and getting away from that dangerous area having given 2Lt. Pass up
as died from wounds.
When I eventually arrived at Raid HQ I reported how and in
what condition I left 2Lt. Pass and afterwards plotted out, whilst in hospital,
where he finally fell”.
In the centre, “B” party entered and secured the Austrian
front line. Two platoons then attacked the railway cutting at H.493.573. This
was found to be very strongly held by riflemen and four machine guns. The first
attack failed, with a number of wounded, among them both Lts. Arthur Neill (see 23rd August) and Andrew Aaron Jackson (see 23rd
August). CSM Edward Arthur Myers
(see 31st July) then
organised a second attack, which, although pushed through with great gallantry again
did not succeed, CSM Myers himself
being badly wounded. Eventually the two platoons took up a position in shell
holes facing the Austrians, and, by rifle and Lewis Gun fire kept this position
engaged. To their left, another platoon took the Quarry at H.485.576 in which it
was found that only a few Austrians remained alive. The remaining platoon attacked
and captured the railway at H.470.580 and advanced as far as the road at
H.490.590. This platoon cleared many dugouts, taking large numbers of prisoners
and killing many more.
On the left, “C” party was confronted with wire which had
only been partially cut, but still managed to break into the Austrian front
line. 2Lt. Garside remembered, “At the right moment we rose and rushed forward.
I remember roaring out, “Come on 13!, Come on 13!” to my platoon, no.13, and
tearing forward”. We found the wire had been partly broken up by our guns and
some we had quickly to cut. On we went beyond it and some Austrians in the post
line were firing at us and machine gun bullets whistled by. I felt rather queer
as we rushed at them, firing as we ran, and preparing to use our bayonets. I
carried a rifle, not a revolver, or rather, as well as a revolver. Then, I felt
a relief somewhere inside me, for they were putting up their hands. Quickly we
bundled them into a shell hole and I set a man to guard them. And then we leapt
into the Austrian front line”.
After mopping up an Austrian post in the front line, the
party, as planned, left one platoon in the Austrian front line, while the
remainder of the party attacked three separate objectives. The right-hand
platoon attacked the railway at H.470.580 but was met with very strong machine
gun fire and only a few men succeeded in reaching their objective. The centre
platoon advanced and captured the railway cutting at H.460.583 and then proceeded
north to the road at H.462.586. About 12 large dugouts and shelters were
cleared by this platoon; many Austrians being killed and captured. 2Lt. Vincent Edwards MC (see 23rd August), described
the clearing of one of the dugouts, “We sent a hand grenade down one entrance
to a dugout and then heard voices. But no-one came up into the trench. We
wanted prisoners, so it was no good sending any more hand grenades down. I
decided to go down myself and “persuade” our enemies to come up and be taken by
our chaps at the top. With an electric torch in one hand and a loaded revolver
in the other, I descended into the darkness with a man or two behind me. It was
a deep dugout. Trying out my German I shouted “Aus schnell” (get out quickly).
No response. So I tried English, “Come along out, we shall not hurt you”, in a
milder tone. One by one they pushed past me and crawled up into the trench, where
they were taken prisoner, having left their weapons behind in the dugout”. Meanwhile
the third platoon, on the left, had mopped up the Austrian front line to the
west, as far as Little Spur. This platoon overcame several enemy posts and was
able to establish a defensive flank at Little Spur. The Austrians attempted a
bombing attack from Canove, but this was driven off Lewis Gun fire from Little
Spur.
2Lt. Garside had command of the platoon which had been clearing
the Austrian front line and collecting prisoners, “My job – we all had our
parts – was now to get my platoon quickly to work ‘mopping up’ the front line
whilst the other platoons went on. I suppose this was because I was the
youngest platoon commander and the others had a great deal more experience of
heavy fighting. But it was a responsible job I had, now and later. The ‘mopping
up’ meant organising my platoon to go quickly along the stretch of front line
trench we were allotted, calling down the dug-outs for people to come out and
surrender, and, without waiting long for a reply, to fling Mills bombs down and
follow in, bayoneting or shooting any people left, if they put up any fight. In
this way we collected quite a few. I ordered them to be collected in one or two
shell holes and when the number got to a dozen or so, I sent a couple of men
back with them. Soon they began to come in from the people ahead and these too
I collected and presently sent back in batches. All this work meant walking or
running about, calling an order there and a direction there, and I remember
hearing the bullets whizzing by. Also, by this time the Austrian artillery knew
their men were driven out of their front line and they were shelling it too. It
was a pretty hot place. I suppose one of my narrowest shaves in the war was
about this time. I was standing in the open shouting an order to a man, my legs
apart, when suddenly the earth between my legs came spurting up into my face
and I heard a sort of swishing sound. I was too busy to worry and just brushed
the dirt off my face – but next morning, thinking about it, I became sure what
had happened. A stream of machine gun bullets had passed straight between my
legs. Next morning I also found a lot of tiny grit driven right under the skin
of my hands – and I don’t know to this day how that happened. You see you
haven’t time to think what’s happening to you – you have a job to do and must
do it.
All this time our Very lights were going up from farther
back; our men were advancing ahead of the front line where I was; the air was
thick with bullets, shells were screaming overhead and some bursting near. It
was quite light usually, with sudden bursts of darkness. And all the time the
clock was going steadily on. Prisoners were coming back and I was getting them
in shell holes until there were a group and then sending them off towards our
lines with guards.
I remember one rather awful incident. A man came back, an
Austrian, and when I shouted to him to get into the shell hole, he must have thought
I was going to shoot him, for he flung his equipment at my feet and got down
and grovelled, asking me to spare him I suppose. All I wanted him to do was to
get into the shell hole with the others – out of the way of the bullets
incidentally. So when he didn’t, I got hold of him and flung him in and oh how
he screamed. For, without knowing it, I had gripped an arm that was all bloody
and, I should think, half off”.
At 12.30am the signal was given for the raiding party to
retire. This, of course, was one of the most hazardous phases of the operation
as evidenced by 2Lt. Bain’s experiences (see
above). 2Lt. Garside described the withdrawal of the men of his platoon, “Presently,
the rest of my Company began to come back. It was getting time to go back, 12.30.
My job was now to stay where I was with my men until all the rest of the
Company, the other platoons, were clear of the Austrian lines and off back to
ours. When the last had gone, unless the Austrians had followed them and were
attacking us, I could follow them with my men. If the Austrians had followed, I
had to beat off the attackers and prevent them following our Company towards
our lines.
Fortunately, no further firing came after the men who were
coming back through us and when I had seen the last off through the haze, I
ordered my sergeant to follow with my men, I bringing up the rear. The
Austrians knew we were off back through ‘No Man’s Land’ and so they plastered
the ground in front of their own trenches with shells; they were screaming down
all over the place and throwing up earth. So we were very glad to be going back
– very glad indeed. Now just then as I hurried along in the tail of my string
of men, the sergeant leading the way to our lines at the other end, I got a
queer feeling he was not going in the right direction. I hesitated a moment to
halt them, because there were a lot of shells overhead and dropping near, for
the Austrians knew we were on our way back through ‘No Man’s Land’.
Fortunately, I passed the word up the hurrying line of men to get down. I then
took what anyone knowing a compass calls a bearing in the dark, for the
officers had set their compasses before leaving our line. I found to my horror
(in one sense) and huge relief in the other that we were going too much to our right.
Why horror you say? Because we were going in a line that would have taken us
very near an Austrian machine gun nest we knew and almost certainly my men
would have suffered badly. I passed word up quickly to change direction and off
we set at a smart pace for our line. Well, we weren’t ‘home’ yet. I have said
the Austrians were shelling when I halted my men. They were shelling their own
line, knowing there were no Austrians there and also the space in front of it,
nearer our line, where they suspected we were passing. They were also shelling
very hard the space just in front of our front line, where they knew we must
cross to get home. The shelling was very heavy here, a real barrage”.
Once having got their men, along with prisoners, safely back
into the British lines, all officers were to report to Battalion HQ; this would
entail them again leaving the front line and going forward to the Advanced Battalion
HQ, which was located in No Man’s Land. In the words of 2Lt. Garside, “The
rather cruel thing was that our Colonel (a nasty old man, I thought generally)
had fixed his headquarters in a kind of semi-cavern some little distance in
front of our line in ‘No Man’s Land’. It was cruel because he should have known
what the Austrians would do and yet he ordered the officers taking part to see
their men into our lines and then report to him – that is, going through the
barrage and then come back through it again to him. This each of us did on his
own as soon as he had seen his men ‘home’. I shall never forget it. It was very
heavy and I remember staggering through the smoke with dirt flying up from
shells all round, the air full of burnt powder, stinging my nose, and a
devilish noise of whining and bursting shells all round. It seemed impossible
that I should not be hit; yet I wasn’t. My feet seemed as heavy as lead, as
they are in a nasty dream, my arms too. I floundered in to the cavern in the
end and reported. There it was safe, as the Colonel knew. When all had reported
we waited till the barrage had died down and then, weary but in high spirits,
we were dismissed and went off to bed. I always remember waking next morning
destroying the letters I had written in case I was killed”.
It was estimated that at least 80 Austrians had been killed,
including one officer; and five officers and 60 other ranks had been taken
prisoner. Two Austrian machine guns had also been brought back by the raiding
party.
Despite the large scale of the raid and the vigour, in
places, of the Austrian resistance, casualties on the British side had been relatively
light. Two men were confirmed killed. One of them was Pte. William Northrop (see above),
who had helped 2Lt. Bain; Pte. Northrop had been an original member of the
battalion. He had enlisted aged 33, married with one daughter and living in Bradford
where he worked as a woolcomber. He would be buried at Boscon British Cemetery.
The other was Pte. Edwin Kenyon (see 4th August); a letter to
his widow from an (unnamed) N.C.O. reported the circumstances of his death:
“The company was ordered to make a raid on enemy trenches. This took place and
I saw your husband after we had reached our objective. After a short time we
were ordered back again and he was all right until he got within a short
distance of our own lines, when a bullet struck him in the head, killing him
instantly.” Pte. Kenyon has no known grave and is commemorated on the Giavera
Memorial.
 |
| Pte. Edwin Kenyon |
2Lt. Pass (see above)
and seven other ranks were reported missing in action. Pass and six of the
others would subsequently be presumed to have been killed. Pass and five of the
other men have no known grave and are commemorated on the Giavera Memorial.
 |
| 2Lt. Alfred Ernest Pass (known as ‘Alf’) |
Sgt. James Robinson
(see 24th July).
Cpl. Reginald
Robinson (see 1st August).
L.Cpl. Arthur Clark
(25966) (see 13th August).
L. Cpl. Charles
Dowson; he was 34 years old. Pte. Dowson had previously served with both
2DWR and 8DWR; but in the absence of a surviving record it has not been
possible to make a positive identification of this man nor to establish when
and under what circumstances he had joined 10DWR.
Pte. Edward Percy
Webb (see 21st June);
he had been recommended for the Military Medal for his part in the raid on 21st
June, but notice of the award had not yet been published.
The sixth man killed was Cpl. John Kennedy MM (see 21st March). In 1924 his remains would be exhumed from a Military Cemetery at Canove,
which had been behind the Austrian lines in August 1918 and re-buried at Boscon
British Cemetery.
The seventh man reported missing was L.Sgt. Jonathan Richardson Sunderland (see 4th August); he would
later be confirmed as having been taken prisoner by the Austrians.
In the records of the
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Pte. James
Scott (18676) is also noted as being presumed to have died on 26th
August. However, reference to other record sources would suggest that this may
be a clerical error and that Pte. Scott in fact more likely would be among those
reported missing in action on 27th October 1918. In the absence of a
surviving service record this is difficult to confirm.
Four officers had been wounded in action.
Lt. Andrew Aaron Jackson
(see above) suffered wounds to his
right shoulder; the details of his treatment in Italy are unknown, but he
would, in due course be evacuated to England.
Lt. Arthur Neill
(see above); the details of his
wounds and treatment are unknown, but he would, in due course be evacuated to
England.
2Lt. Keith Sagar Bain
(see above) had suffered wounds to
his right leg and buttock; he would be admitted via 69th Field
Ambulance to 62nd General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia.
2Lt. Mark Allan
Stanley Wood (see 23rd August);
the details of his treatment are unknown, but he would, in due course be
evacuated to England.
2Lt. Edward Kent
Waite MC (see 23rd August)
was also reported ‘wounded at duty’; the details of his injuries and treatment
are unknown, but he would remain with the Battalion.
Forty other ranks were reported wounded in action and a
further three wounded at duty. It has only been possible to positively identify
around half of these men.
CSM Edward Arthur
Myers (see above); the details of
his treatment are unknown.
A/CSM Frank Shelah
Gilleard (see 10th July) suffered abdominal wounds; he would be
admitted to 39th Casualty Clearing Station, where an operation would
be carried out at 6.30am on 27th. The report of the procedure was as
follows, “Laporotomy; mid line. Suture of tears in left lobe of liver and
complete tear of anterior wall of stomach. Shrapnel removed from cavity.
Abdomen closed”.
Sgt. Albert Blackburn
(see 25th May); his wounds
were relatively minor and he remained with the Battalion.
Cpl. Thomas Henry Cox
(9328) (see 4th August)
suffered wounds to his left thigh; he would be admitted via 69th
Field Ambulance and 24th Casualty Clearing Station to 11th
General Hospital in Genoa.
Cpl. Cecil Lloyd
(see 6th June 1916; it is not
known when he had been promoted) suffered a bayonet wound to his left
thigh; he would be admitted via 69th Field Ambulance and 39th
Casualty Clearing Station to 62nd General Hospital at Bordighera,
near Ventimiglia.
Cpl. Norman Lockwood
MM suffered a gunshot wound to his left thigh; he would be admitted via 69th
Field Ambulance and 39th Casualty Clearing Station to 62nd
General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia. He had previously served with
9DWR, going out to France with his Battalion in July 1915, but in the absence
of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive identification of
this man or establish when, or under what circumstances, he had joined the
Battalion.
L.Cpl. Robert
Whitaker (see 21st March)
suffered wounds to his left thigh and right hand; he would be admitted
via 69th Field Ambulance to 39th Casualty Clearing
Station where an operation was carried out, “left thigh excised; explosive
bullet, involving soft parts only; pieces of bullet extracted; sartorius sheath,
fascialata and intervening muscle; wide dissection; amputation of top of little
finger of right hand”. To aid healing the thigh wound would be left open and
would be sutured five days later, before he would then be evacuated onboard
no.18 Ambulance Train to 62nd General Hospital at Bordighera,
near Ventimiglia.
Pte. Robert Clarke
(see 9th May) suffered
bullet wounds to his left elbow and abdomen and would be evacuated to 24th
Casualty Clearing Station.
Pte. Frank Easterby
(see 28th July) suffered a
bullet wound to the right side of his chest and right axilla; he would be
evacuated via 69th Field Ambulance to 24th Casualty
Clearing Station and would be operated on two days later.
Pte. Joseph Firth
(see 13th May 1917)
suffered wounds to his left arm and thigh; he would be admitted via 69th
Field Ambulance to 39th Casualty Clearing Station where an operation
would be carried out, ‘gunshot wound left forearm; head of radius excised;
joint washed; wound washed and treated with Carrol’s tube; left thigh, shrapnel
wound’. He would undergo a further operation next day, ‘left arm; part up and
part interrupted; splint and two stitches from upper end’.
Pte. William Thomas
Foley (see 15th April)
suffered wounds to his left arm; the details of his treatment in Italy are
unknown.
Pte. Norman Greenwood
(see 21st July) suffered a
gunshot to the back, causing a compound fracture of his right shoulder blade;
he would be admitted to 39th Casualty Clearing Station. At 5.30pm on
27th an operation would be carried out, the report of which was as
follows: “Through and through chest wound, non-penetrating. Back wound between
shoulders. Excision of entry and exit wounds and track as far as spine on each
side. Compound fracture of right scapula”. Three days later a further operation
would be carried out to examine Pte. Greenwood’s chest.
Pte. Charles William
Groves (see 7th July)
suffered wounds to his left hand; he would be admitted via 69th
Field Ambulance and 24th Casualty Clearing Station to 11th
General Hospital in Genoa.
Pte. Richard Henry
Harris (see 24th April)
suffered a wound to his left hand; he would be admitted via 69th
Field Ambulance and 24th Casualty Clearing Station to 62nd
General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia.
Pte. Louis Hodgson
(see 11th September 1917)
suffered facial wounds which would result in the loss of his left eye; the
details of his treatment in Italy are unknown.
Pte. Thomas James
Hogben (see 1st July) suffered wounds to his left elbow; the details of his treatment in Italy
are unknown.
Pte. Joseph Clifford
Hudson suffered wounds to his neck and legs; he would be admitted to 39th
Casualty Clearing Station, where an exploratory operation would be carried out
next day. He was a 33 year-old carter from Horsforth; in the absence of a
surviving service record I am unable establish when, or under what
circumstances, he had joined the Battalion.
Pte. Raymond Charles
Ingleson (see 5th July
1917) suffered wounds to his left foot; the details of his treatment in
Italy are unknown.
Pte. Lancelot Johnson
(see 22nd March) suffered
shrapnel wounds to his left arm and thigh; he would be admitted via 69th
Field Ambulance and 9th Casualty Clearing Station to 29th
Stationary Hospital in Cremona.
Pte. John O’Gara
(see 29th October 1917)
suffered wounds to his right eye; the details of his treatment in Italy are
unknown.
Pte. James Percival
(see 14th July) suffered
wounds to his left leg; he would be admitted via 69th Field
Ambulance and 24th Casualty Clearing Station to 62nd
General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia.
Pte. Harry Pullin
(see 24th March) suffered
wounds to his abdomen and right thigh; he would be admitted to 39th
Casualty Clearing Station. At 7.30am on 27th an operation would be
carried out; the surgical report noted, “Laporotomy; mid line. Suture of
perforation of ilium (mid way). Abdomen closed. Right thigh wound excised; two
fragments of bone removed”.
Pte. William Smith
(30333) suffered a gunshot wound to his arm; he would be admitted to 39th
Casualty Clearing Station where an operation would be performed next day to
stem the bleeding from his radial artery. In the absence of a surviving service
record I am unable to make a positive identification of this man or establish
when, or under what circumstances, he had joined the Battalion.
Pte. Francis Titcombe
(see 15th April); the
details of his treatment in Italy are unknown.
Pte. Harry Walton
suffered a gunshot wound to his right thigh; he would be admitted via 69th
Field Ambulance and 39th Casualty Clearing Station to 62nd
General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia. He had previously served with
1st/5th DWR, but in the absence of a surviving service
record I am unable to make a positive identification of this man or establish
when, or under what circumstances, he had joined the Battalion.
A large number of gallantry awards would subsequently made
to those involved in the raid.
Capt. John Edward
Lennard Payne MC (see 23rd
August), commanding “C” party, would be awarded the DSO; “Although the
objective was continuously swept by enfilade machine-gun fire, he carried out
the operation successfully and withdrew his party in perfect order, capturing a
large number of prisoners. He exhibited great coolness and ability to command”.
All the surviving officers of “A” party would be awarded the
Military Cross.
2Lt. William Johnson
Simpson (see 23rd August);
“It was largely due to his splendid leadership, when the company was in a
critical position through heavy enfilade fire from its right flank, that many
prisoners were taken and the company extricated from a most difficult position
without serious losses”.
2Lt. Keith Sagar Bain
(see above); “He led his platoon with
great coolness and skill through very heavy machine-gun and rifle fire. Though
twice wounded, he refused to leave his men until he had successfully withdrawn
from a very critical position. He showed marked courage under very difficult
circumstances”.
2Lt. Wilfred
Frederick John Thomson (see 23rd
August) “He led his platoon through very heavy machine-gun fire to his objective,
took up a defensive position, and by his fire caused the enemy great losses and
prevented him from counter-attacking. He personally killed most of a strong
enemy post and captured the rest. He did splendid work”.
Capt. Dick Bolton
MC (see 23rd August), commanding
“B” party would be awarded a Bar to the Military Cross; “He led his company
with great determination to the capture of its objectives. His fine leadership
and coolness under very heavy machine-gun and rifle fire inspired all ranks,
and were largely responsible for the capture of a machine gun as well as a
large number of prisoners by his company”.
 |
Capt Dick Bolton MC
Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton
|
Among “C” party, in addition to Capt. Payne’s DSO, 2Lt. Mark Allan Stanley Wood (see 23rd August) would also be awarded the Military Cross; “He
led his platoon with the greatest dash through very heavy fire to its final
objective. His bearing inspired his men, and was largely responsible for the
capture of a number of prisoners. Though twice wounded, he remained with his
men to the end of the raid, withdrew them in perfect order, and would not hand
over till he had brought his platoon back to advanced battalion headquarters.
He behaved splendidly”.
Pte. Harold Charnock
(see 26th July), remembered
that, “all the men spoke most highly of the work of 2Lt. Edward Kent Waite MC (see above),
but he did not receive any further award from the British”.
There was also a Military Cross for Acting CSM Frank Shelah Gilleard (see above); he rallied his platoon under very heavy fire and successfully led
them to their objective. Although early severely wounded, he continued to lead
his platoon up to the end of the action, and skilfully withdrew in perfect
order, after which he collapsed from the severity of his wound”.
CSM Fred Pattison
DCM (see 3rd June) would
be awarded a Bar to the DCM, “He led his men through heavy rifle and machine
gun fire to a cutting about 500 yards behind the enemy’s front line system,
where he captured a large number of prisoners. Throughout he showed the
greatest disregard for danger and, by his dash and leadership, he ensured the
complete success of the raid on his objective”.
Seven NCOs would also be awarded the DCM.
CSM Edward Arthur
Myers (see above); “After two
officers of his Company had been wounded he led two platoons through heavy fire
against a strongly held position. He was subsequently badly wounded but refused
to be carried back until the signal to return had been given. He showed great
coolness and initiative throughout”.
Sgt. Albert Blackburn
(see above); “Although severely
wounded in the head before reaching the enemy wire, he remained with his
platoon which he led to the final objective. He organised the mopping up of
dug-outs, killing many of the enemy and personally capturing an officer. His
coolness and utter disregard of danger instilled great confidence into his
men”.
Sgt. George William Chapman (see below); “He led his party with great skill and determination, capturing several prisoners and killing at least six others. He displayed fine courage and leadership and set a splendid example to his men”. He was a 27 year-old bootmaker from Settle. He had served with both 2DWR and 8DWR before joining 10DWR (date and details unknown); in the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to establish any further details of his service.
Sgt. George William Chapman (see below); “He led his party with great skill and determination, capturing several prisoners and killing at least six others. He displayed fine courage and leadership and set a splendid example to his men”. He was a 27 year-old bootmaker from Settle. He had served with both 2DWR and 8DWR before joining 10DWR (date and details unknown); in the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to establish any further details of his service.
Sgt. Ernest Craddock
(see 25th May); “He was
Acting Company Sergeant Major and showed great fearlessness in carrying out his
duties under heavy machine gun fire. When the situation was critical he was of
the utmost assistance in rallying small detached bodies of men and again
leading them to the attack. No one could have been of greater help to his
Company commander”.
Sgt. Ernest Stead MM (see 8th December 1916); “he
led his party with great skill and gallantry to the first objective and
personally captured the sentry posted there. He then led his party forward to
the main line of trenches in front and mopped up ground left by another party.
He showed fine courage and initiative”.
Cpl. Abel Roberts
(see 14th July); “He kept
his platoon well in hand under very heavy machine gun fire during the
preliminary stages of the advance, and, finally, with a few others, pushed
right through the enemy position to the final objective, although the enemy was
holding out on both sides of him. His conduct throughout was splendid”.
Pte. Stanley Barker (see 8th December 1917); “when
his platoon in the early stages of the action encountered an enemy post, he
went forward and engaged the enemy with rapid fire, thus enabling the others to
outflank the post and capture the garrison. Throughout, he displayed great
skill and initiative and utter disregard of personal danger”.
Three men who had previously been awarded the Military Medal
would now receive a second award. They were:
L.Cpl. James Walker MM (see 15th February).
L.Cpl. John Smith Hodgson MM (see 23rd March); he, “as platoon leader, with great resource and courage, pushed forward fearlessly to gain tactical positions against enemy trenches”.
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L.Cpl. John Smith Hodgson
Image by kind permission of Andy Wade and MenOfWorth
|
A further 23 men would be awarded the Military Medal.
Sgt. Wilson Allinson
(see 28th June).
Sgt. Richard Everson
(see 15th February); for ‘taking
command of a platoon at a critical stage when his commander was wounded and
re-organising the platoon under heavy machine gun fire’.
Sgt. William Allen
Sayer (see 28th June).
Sgt. Frank Brierley (see 28th July); for "invaluable
assistance in the reorganisation of his platoon under very heavy
fire."
Cpl. Harold Best
(see 10th June).
Cpl. Charles Stuart Carrack; he had been an original member
of the Battalion, having enlisted in 1914 aged 18 while working as a ‘time
office clerk’ in Horsforth.
Cpl. Stanley Vyvyan
Golledge (see 23rd July).
Cpl. Harry Wood (see above).
L.Cpl. Arthur Clark
(25966) (see above); he was
officially missing in action.
Pte. Newton Dobson
(see 10th June).
Pte. Richard
Harrison (see 14th
February).
Pte. John Henderson
(see 30th October 1917).
Pte. Thomas Charles
Jaques (see 18th December
1917).
Pte. Albert Jeffrey
(see 25th May) “During a
raid on the enemy trenches this man showed great courage as a stretcher bearer
and several times passed through the enemy barrage to return to the enemy line
to help back more wounded. He bound up the wounded although under heavy direct
enemy machine gun fire, thereby saving several lives”.
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| Pte Albert Jeffrey Image by kind permission of the Trustees of the DWR Museum |
Pte. Thomas Edward
Laycock (see 25th May).
Pte. Charles Frederick Marsden; he was 21 years old and from Halifax, where he had previously worked as a ‘finisher’s labourer’ in a brass works. He had previously served with 9DWR with whom he had been twice wounded before being evacuated to England in April 1917, suffering from trench foot and frostbite. In the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to establish when, and under what circumstances, he had joined 10DWR.
Pte. William Francis Murphy (see 11th January).
Pte. Ben Pedder (see 24th August).
Pte. James Percival
(see above).
Pte. William Noel
Simpson (see 10th October
1917).
Pte. Herbert Sloane
(see 2nd October 1917).
Pte. John Robert Weightman;
in the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive
identification of this man beyond the fact that he had been an original member
of the Battalion.
Pte. Smith Stephenson
Whitaker (see 7th July);
“during the raid showed great ingenuity in handling his Lewis gun.
Acting on his own initiative when the final objective was reached he rushed
forward a considerable distance to his left flank and successfully brought fire
to bear on enemy reinforcements coming up, inflicting heavy losses on them. In
addition, he captured one prisoner”.
A number of Italian gallantry awards would also be made to
men involved in the raid.
The Italian Silver Medal for Valour would be awarded to Maj.
Maj. Edward Borrow DSO (see 23rd August) DSO and Capt.
Bolton (see above).
The Italian Bronze Medal for Valour to Capt. Paul James Sainsbury (see 5th May), 2Lt. Bain
(see above), and 2Lt. Simpson (see above).
The Italian Croce di Guerre to Lt.Col. Francis Washington Lethbridge DSO (see 25th August), A/CSM Gilleard (see above) and CSM Myers (see above),
The Croce di Guerra would also be awarded to:
CSM Fred Pattison
DCM (see above).
Cpl. Frank Flynn
202979; in the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a
positive identification of this man.
L.Cpl. Stanley Arthur
Bones (see 27th March).
Pte. Brian Devnil (see 5th June).
Pte. Henry Fielding
(see 15th July).
Pte. Arthur Whincup;
he was a 26 year-old married man with one son from Skipton. In the absence of a
surviving service record it has not been possible to establish when or under
what circumstances he had joined the battalion.
The official account of the raid would reflect on a number of
key aspects, as recorded in the Battalion War Diary:
5. The raid was excellently organised by Lt. Col. F W
Lethbridge, DSO and except where the enemy's resistance proved too strong proceeded
exactly as arranged. The arrangements for forming up, evacuation of prisoners,
withdrawal, etc had been carefully thought out, with the result that in spite
of the heavy fire there was at no time any confusion.
6. The Artillery fired most accurately. The C.R.A. and staff
and Lt. Col. G. Badham-Thornhill, DSO took an infinity of trouble over the artillery
arrangements and not a single case of short shooting occurred. The number of
Field Guns available, however, was rather too few for a raid on such a broad
front.
7. The Machine Gun support was satisfactory.
8. The following points may be of interest:
(a) The enemy were fully prepared for attack and for the
most part put up a determined and well organised resistance. Rifle fire and
machine guns were most freely used.
(b) The enemy swept
not only his own front line, but a considerable area in rear of it with heavy
enfilade machine gun fire, entirely disregarding his own posts in the front
line.
(c) The following localities displayed troublesome nests of machine
guns – Canove Station and Bellocohio. Gaiga North and Coda Spur. Trench mortars
fired from the regions of Coda Spur.
(d) The enemy barrage was heavy round Vaister Houses and
Hill 1002; otherwise moderate.
(e) A Field Gun (Tank Gun?) is reported to have fired from
the neighbourhood of Exeter Trench.
(f) The enemy's accommodation in the Railway Cutting
consists of huts, shelters and some dugouts about 20 feet deep.
Cpl. James
Hotchkiss (see 24th July)
re-joined the Battalion from the Base Depot at Arquata Scrivia.
Pte. James Henry
Innes (see 29th October
1917) was admitted via 23rd Field Ambulance and 39th
Casualty Clearing Station to 11th General Hospital in Genoa,
suffering from “I.C.T.” (Inflammation of the connective tissue) to his buttock.
Pte. Alfred Ellis
(see 22nd July), who had
been under treatment for impetigo for five weeks, was transferred from 11th
General Hospital in Genoa to hospital in Marseilles.Ptes. Harry Clay (see 6th April) and Victor Hillam (see 6th April) were both killed in action while serving in France with 9DWR; the Battalion had been engaged in an attack near Flers on the Somme. The remains of both men were originally interred by their colleagues. The site of Pte. Hillam’s grave was subsequently lost and he is now commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial; Pte. Clay’s remains on the other hand would be exhumed after the war and re-interred at Adanac Military Cemetery, Miraumont.
L.Cpl. Thomas Lloyd
(see 7th July), serving in
France with 1st/7th DWR, departed on two weeks’ leave to
England.
Ptes. Tom Clay and
John Lee were posted from 3DWR back
to France, en route to joining 10DWR in Italy; it is unclear exactly when they
reported to the Battalion in Italy. Pte. Tom
Clay was from Huddersfield and had enlisted, aged 18, in July 1916. He had
been posted to 2DWR in France in February 1917 and had served two months before
being posted back to England (reason unknown). He had remained in England until
December 1917 when he had returned to France and joined 2nd/4th
DWR. He had again been posted back to England in March 1918, suffering from
trench fever. After spending some time in hospital and at Northern Command
Depot at Ripon he had been with 3DWR at Tynemouth since 27th July. Pte.
John Lee was a 34 year-old labourer
from Leicester and had served four years’ with King’s Own Yorkshire Light
Infantry before the war. He had been called up in May 1916 and posted to 14th
Battalion Yorkshire Regiment for training. After five weeks he had been
reported as a deserter and, on return, had been sentenced to six month’s
detention, later reduced to three. In February 1917 he had been convicted of a
civil felony and sentenced to three months with hard labour. He had been
released in May 1917, transferred to DWR and posted to France in August 1917,
joining 1st/5th DWR. He had then been posted back to
England in October 1917, having been wounded. He had been posted to Northern
Command Depot at Ripon in May 1918 but had again been reported as a deserter
and had been sentenced to two years military detention with hard labour in
July.
The London Gazette
published notice of the award of the Military Medal to Cpl. Alexander Wallace (see 1st August).
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