On this day 28th April
1759 – 43rd and 52nd - Battle of Sillery,(America).
1917 - 2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI at the Battle of Arleux (Arras) ;
1917 – 2nd Bn OXF & BUCKS LI – Near ROCLINCOURT
4.25AM was fixed for “Zero Hour” when the regiment attacked in Four Waves.
B and D Coys (Capt Giles and Capt Barnes) on the Right and Left Fronts respectively.
C and A Coya (Lt Dowson and 2Lt Whitehead) forming the Third and Fourth waves in rear.
The 8th Bn Canadian Infantry attacked on the Left and the 2nd Bn Highland Light Infantry on the Right, the 6th Infantry Brigade being again beyond them on the Right.
All details of the formation and objectives are given in the brigade Orders which are attached to the Regimental Office Copy of this Diary.
The whole attack was more successful on the Left than on the Right the Canadian Corps taking and holding apparently without difficulty all their objectives.
On the Right the 6th Infantry Brigade experienced considerable trouble in the vicinity of OPPY WOOD and Village, partly due, I believe , to an uncertain situation still further to the right or southwards.
This affected the Regiment and the 2nd Highland Light Infantry of the same brigade, on our right, in that our right flank had to be swung back and in a measure made “defensive”.
The feature of the operation, which continued as far as the Regiment was concerned, up to the night May 1/2 when it was finally relieved, was the initiative resource and good leading of the Company and Platoon Commanders, more especially Capt D T Barnes and Capt Giles, to whom very great credit is due for the immediate control of the foeward situation. All their subordinate Commanders seemed to realise the necessity for at once collecting together adjacent men, no matter to whom they belonged, and re-telling off and re-organising them for immediate further action. Particularly good work in this latter respect was done by 2Lt B J Crewe.
The casualties included 2Lt G S La W Lyle wounded who subsequently died of wounds at Aubigny, Lt L S Dowson, 2Lt P H R Whitehead, 2Lt A E Walter, 2Lt H A Smith, 2Lt H S Eagle (who rejoined after 3 days) all Wounded.
About 200 Other ranks, of whom 130 were wounded the remainder Killed and Missing.
On going into the Assembly Trenches on the night 27/28 Letter A Coy was shelled near Brigade Headquarters.2Lt G C Galloway and 6 men were Killed and a number more Wounded, 2 Lewis Guns were destroyed and the teams practically all casualties.
There were several other casualties (wounded) going in, especially in Regimental Headquarters.
The Regiment in touch on either flank with the adjacent troops continued to hold its front, approximately on the line of the “Blue Line” or 2nd Objective, where extremely good work was done by the Lewis Gunners.
The trenches were very much shelled and badly provided with dugouts – a number of men were buried and a certain number of casualties occurred the exact figures of which it has not yet been possible to arrive at as regards separating them from those which actually occurred in the attack.
After the attack the captains of the two leading Companies of the Regiment reported as follows:-
RIGHT COY.
“On my company front there was only one proper gap (in the wire) and that was on the right, the remainder of the wire had not been cut very much”.
LEFT COY.
“There was one gap in the wire in my company frontage and that was a very bad gap”.
Both described our barrage as “weak”.
Rations, water and stores for consolidation purposes were brought up by the 10th (Pioneer) Bn Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry.
As far as I could ascertain arrangements in accordance with Field Service Regulations Part II Ch XI (12) for clearing our part of the area of operations of the wounded had not been made sufficiently early for a clearing party to come up and begin work as early as they might have done: Guides were ready waiting, but after waiting some time these Guides were taken off in error by the O.C. another carrying party, so that when the party of 1 Officer and 100 other ranks did arrive for clearing the battle field they had to be given other guides who went astray. The party however appears to have passed Regimental Headquarters (without reporting) on its return journey at 2AM when 1 hours clearing could still have been done, and no evacuation was thus carried out, save by Regimental Stretcher Bearers.
The ground was reconnoitered in daylight the next morning(which it might have been done 24hrs previously) by the Officer who was to bring up the party that night (29/30th) and such wounded as had not been brought in or killed by the barrage while lying out, were satisfactorily brought in.
Reinforcement of 1 Sgt and 73 Rank and File (ECURIE)
1917 – 1/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion – OUTPOSTS F11b18 – TOMBOIS F18a80 95
OUTPOST LINE
Quiet day.
Relieved by 1/5 GLOSTERS in evening. Relief completed by 10.45pm.
MAJOR A B L BAKER moved with 3 Coy (ABC) to camp at E.29.b.6.4.
Bn HQ & D Coy in LEMPIRE. 2 Platoons D Coy holding BROWN LINE(see map E)
Large fire broke out in ST EMILE sugar factory in evening.
Ration Strength 21 officers 585 OR
1917 - 2/4th Bn Oxf & Bucks LI. C.S.M. E. Brooks gained the V.C. at Fayet (France).
'For most conspicuous bravery. This Warrant Officer, while taking part in a raid on the enemy's trenches, saw that the front wave was checked by an enemy machine-gun at close quarters. On his own initiative, and regardless of personal danger, he rushed forward from the second wave with the object of capturing the gun, killing one of the gunners with his revolver and bayoneting another. The remainder of the gun's crew then made off, leaving the gun in his possession. S.M. Brooks then turned the machine-gun on to the retreating enemy, after which he carried it back to our lines. By his courage and initiative he undoubtedly prevented many casualties, and greatly added to the success of the operations.'
1945 – 1st Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – North West Europe
Halted in Guyhum
1945 - 2nd (Airborne) Bn, Oxf & Bucks LI - NWE Ebsdorf
The C-in-C visited Division & presented medals won since the last presentation in Normandy.
Advance parties moved to new location.
1962 – 1st GREEN JACKETS 43rd & 52nd – Arrived in Malaya (Minden Barracks, Penang)
1759 – 43rd and 52nd - Battle of Sillery,(America).
1917 - 2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI at the Battle of Arleux (Arras) ;
1917 – 2nd Bn OXF & BUCKS LI – Near ROCLINCOURT
4.25AM was fixed for “Zero Hour” when the regiment attacked in Four Waves.
B and D Coys (Capt Giles and Capt Barnes) on the Right and Left Fronts respectively.
C and A Coya (Lt Dowson and 2Lt Whitehead) forming the Third and Fourth waves in rear.
The 8th Bn Canadian Infantry attacked on the Left and the 2nd Bn Highland Light Infantry on the Right, the 6th Infantry Brigade being again beyond them on the Right.
All details of the formation and objectives are given in the brigade Orders which are attached to the Regimental Office Copy of this Diary.
The whole attack was more successful on the Left than on the Right the Canadian Corps taking and holding apparently without difficulty all their objectives.
On the Right the 6th Infantry Brigade experienced considerable trouble in the vicinity of OPPY WOOD and Village, partly due, I believe , to an uncertain situation still further to the right or southwards.
This affected the Regiment and the 2nd Highland Light Infantry of the same brigade, on our right, in that our right flank had to be swung back and in a measure made “defensive”.
The feature of the operation, which continued as far as the Regiment was concerned, up to the night May 1/2 when it was finally relieved, was the initiative resource and good leading of the Company and Platoon Commanders, more especially Capt D T Barnes and Capt Giles, to whom very great credit is due for the immediate control of the foeward situation. All their subordinate Commanders seemed to realise the necessity for at once collecting together adjacent men, no matter to whom they belonged, and re-telling off and re-organising them for immediate further action. Particularly good work in this latter respect was done by 2Lt B J Crewe.
The casualties included 2Lt G S La W Lyle wounded who subsequently died of wounds at Aubigny, Lt L S Dowson, 2Lt P H R Whitehead, 2Lt A E Walter, 2Lt H A Smith, 2Lt H S Eagle (who rejoined after 3 days) all Wounded.
About 200 Other ranks, of whom 130 were wounded the remainder Killed and Missing.
On going into the Assembly Trenches on the night 27/28 Letter A Coy was shelled near Brigade Headquarters.2Lt G C Galloway and 6 men were Killed and a number more Wounded, 2 Lewis Guns were destroyed and the teams practically all casualties.
There were several other casualties (wounded) going in, especially in Regimental Headquarters.
The Regiment in touch on either flank with the adjacent troops continued to hold its front, approximately on the line of the “Blue Line” or 2nd Objective, where extremely good work was done by the Lewis Gunners.
The trenches were very much shelled and badly provided with dugouts – a number of men were buried and a certain number of casualties occurred the exact figures of which it has not yet been possible to arrive at as regards separating them from those which actually occurred in the attack.
After the attack the captains of the two leading Companies of the Regiment reported as follows:-
RIGHT COY.
“On my company front there was only one proper gap (in the wire) and that was on the right, the remainder of the wire had not been cut very much”.
LEFT COY.
“There was one gap in the wire in my company frontage and that was a very bad gap”.
Both described our barrage as “weak”.
Rations, water and stores for consolidation purposes were brought up by the 10th (Pioneer) Bn Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry.
As far as I could ascertain arrangements in accordance with Field Service Regulations Part II Ch XI (12) for clearing our part of the area of operations of the wounded had not been made sufficiently early for a clearing party to come up and begin work as early as they might have done: Guides were ready waiting, but after waiting some time these Guides were taken off in error by the O.C. another carrying party, so that when the party of 1 Officer and 100 other ranks did arrive for clearing the battle field they had to be given other guides who went astray. The party however appears to have passed Regimental Headquarters (without reporting) on its return journey at 2AM when 1 hours clearing could still have been done, and no evacuation was thus carried out, save by Regimental Stretcher Bearers.
The ground was reconnoitered in daylight the next morning(which it might have been done 24hrs previously) by the Officer who was to bring up the party that night (29/30th) and such wounded as had not been brought in or killed by the barrage while lying out, were satisfactorily brought in.
Reinforcement of 1 Sgt and 73 Rank and File (ECURIE)
1917 – 1/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion – OUTPOSTS F11b18 – TOMBOIS F18a80 95
OUTPOST LINE
Quiet day.
Relieved by 1/5 GLOSTERS in evening. Relief completed by 10.45pm.
MAJOR A B L BAKER moved with 3 Coy (ABC) to camp at E.29.b.6.4.
Bn HQ & D Coy in LEMPIRE. 2 Platoons D Coy holding BROWN LINE(see map E)
Large fire broke out in ST EMILE sugar factory in evening.
Ration Strength 21 officers 585 OR
1917 - 2/4th Bn Oxf & Bucks LI. C.S.M. E. Brooks gained the V.C. at Fayet (France).
'For most conspicuous bravery. This Warrant Officer, while taking part in a raid on the enemy's trenches, saw that the front wave was checked by an enemy machine-gun at close quarters. On his own initiative, and regardless of personal danger, he rushed forward from the second wave with the object of capturing the gun, killing one of the gunners with his revolver and bayoneting another. The remainder of the gun's crew then made off, leaving the gun in his possession. S.M. Brooks then turned the machine-gun on to the retreating enemy, after which he carried it back to our lines. By his courage and initiative he undoubtedly prevented many casualties, and greatly added to the success of the operations.'
1945 – 1st Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – North West Europe
Halted in Guyhum
1945 - 2nd (Airborne) Bn, Oxf & Bucks LI - NWE Ebsdorf
The C-in-C visited Division & presented medals won since the last presentation in Normandy.
Advance parties moved to new location.
1962 – 1st GREEN JACKETS 43rd & 52nd – Arrived in Malaya (Minden Barracks, Penang)
RSS Feed