The 11th Battalion, the Northumberland Fusiliers, March 1916 to the Armistice

The 11^th (Service) Battalion was part of 68th Brigade, 23rd Division. The following tables are extracts from the daily war diary of the battalion, and have been shortened in most cases to the simple details of locations. It can be taken as read that at all times when in the front or reserve trenches, the men were called upon to provide parties for sentry duty, wiring, repairing trenches, etc. When out of the line, they were occupied in cleaning up, refitting, receiving new drafts, training, and providing working parties for carrying stores and equipment to the lines, in wiring parties at night, and working on road and railway maintenance. Only when truly out of the line in Divisional or Corps reserve was it likely that the men had much time for relaxation.

At the beginning of March 1916, the Battalion was in Marles des Mines (a small town between Bruay la Buissiere and Lillers, behind the Bethune front).

Date	Location/event
8/3/16	Fresnicourt
16/3/16	Hersin
17/3/16	Into billets in Bully-Grenay, relieving 13/Essex
21/3/16	Into front-line “A” position, relieving 10/NF [This appears to be a code used regularly by the Brigade. A is a front-line position; B is immediate support, C is reserve support and D is billets out of the line or similar.]
26/3/16	Into “C” position
29/3/16	Into “A” position

April 1916

The battalion remained in the Bethune area.

Date	Location/event
3/4/16	Moved to billets in Bully-Grenay
6/4/16	Moved to A position fire trenches
12/4/16	In C support billets in Calonne
15/4/16	Back in A position trenches
18/4/16	Relieved by 2/South Staffordshires, moved to Hersin
26/4/16	Marched to billets in Divion

May 1916

This month saw a short move to a different front-line sector, in the valley of the River Souchez to the north of Vimy Ridge. This area had been captured in the French offensive of spring 1915, and the towns and villages mentioned had been devastated. Notre Dame de Lorette is a position of a high hill facing Vimy Ridge; today it is the location of a memorial chapel to the French Army, and is surrounded by a large military cemetery.

Date	Location/event
6/5/16	Moved to Beaumetz les Aire
19/5/16	Moved to Barlin
20/5/16	Into D position in the Souchez sector.
25/5/16	Into front line A positions at S1b 9.0. [This is a trench map code.]
29/5/16	In C positions near Notre Dame de Lorette, with Battalion HQ in Ablain St Nazaire.
	End of month Battalion strength noted as 32 officers and 995 other ranks.

June 1916

During this month a series of moves took the Battalion from the front lines of Souchez to the green fields of the Somme valley north and north-west of Amiens. This was well out of shelling range, several miles behind the front where a British bombardment opened on 24^th June, signifying the commencement of what eventually became the 5-month long Battle of the Somme.

Date	Location/event
5/6/16	Moved into A positions
12/6/16	Moved to Bouen (? Writing not legible)
13/6/16	Moved to Verctin (?)
16/6/16	Moved to Coyecques
25/6/16	Moved to Picquigny
30/6/16	Move to Poulainville

July 1916

The 23^rd Division was moved into the Somme fighting immediately after the first assault.

Date	Location/event
2/7/16	Moved to Franvillers
3/7/16	Moved to Millencourt
4/7/16	Moved to Albert
6/7/16	Moved into front-line, relieving 12/DLI at Becourt Chateau
7/7/16	Battalion attacked village of Contalmaison. [The objective of 68^th Brigade was Bailiff Wood. The 11/NF reached the southern edge of the wood and captured some of the enemy, but machine gun fire from Contalmaison forced them to retire 400 yards to link up with 19^th Division on their left]. Went into this action 682 strong [By this stage of the war, Battalions left a certain portion of their strength out of an attack, to provide a cadre upon which the unit could be rebuilt in the event of very serious casualties.]; 430 were relieved at 10pm by 10/DLI. 31 known to be killed in action, 189 wounded, rest missing. Into bivouac in Becourt Wood.
9/7/16	Relieved 10/NF in trenches. Heavy shelling through the night caused considerable number of casualties.
10/7/16	Relieved by 1/Cameron Highlanders, moved to billets in Albert.
11/7/16	Roll call revealed total casualties of this tour to be: Officers 4 killed in action, 8 wounded; Other ranks 35 killed, 213 wounded, 32 missing. [2/Lt James Alexander, Lt James Frost and Lt Ernest Tulloch all have no known grave and are commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing; 2/Lt Ronald Taylor is buried in Gordon Dump cemetery, Ovillers-La Boisselle.]

14/7/16	Moved to Dernancourt
15/7/16	Moved to Becourt Wood trenches.
19/7/16	Moved back to billets in Albert having suffered 1 killed, 13 wounded and 1 missing while occupying trenches facing Contalmaison.
20/7/16	Moved to Franvillers. Received a large draft of new men. 6 Military Medals awarded for actions on 7th July 1916.
26/7/16	Relieved 1/South Wales Borderers at Peake Wood trenches.
28/7/16	Relieved and moved to support line east of Becourt Wood, in Divisional Reserve.

August 1916

After carrying out another attack on the Somme, this month saw the Battalion moved north, into Flanders. The sector initially occupied at Ploegsteert was one often regarded as quiet and a regular place for troops recovering from battle. This was of course merely comparative, for there was an ever-present danger from snipers, and trench raids were becoming frequent in this area.

Date	Location/event
1/8/16	Moved to close support trenches and relieved the 6/KOYLI, placed under command of 70 Brigade. Casualties on this tour 3 killed, 6 wounded, 3 shell shock, 3 missing.
5/8/16	Relieved by 12/DLI, and moved into front line opposite Intermediate Line and Switch. [These were the second complex of enemy trenches, the first having now been pierced by the actions from 1^st July onwards.]
7/8/16	Attack carried out. [The 11/NF were not heavily engaged, for this was carried out largely by 69 Brigade. The positions attacked were called Munster Alley and Torr Trench. This was close-quarter fighting with grenades, not an infantry advance over the top]. Relieved by 7/8/KOSB and moved back to Becourt.
8/8/16	Moved to billets in Behencourt.
12/8/16	Moved to Ailly le Haut Clocher.
13/8/16	Entrained at Longpre, and moved to Bailleul. Marched to billets in Fletre.
15/8/16	Moved to Steenwerck.
17/8/16	Into rest billets in Le Bizet Laundry. 9 Military Medals awarded for recent actions.
24/8/16	Moved into front line, at Station Redoubt. [A position on the front line running around Armentieres].
31/8/16	An attempted trench raid using gas failed. 5 killed, 3 wounded.

September 1916

After their brief stay in Flanders, the Division was returned to the same spot on the Somme. On 15^th September, the British renewed the offensive with some vigour and finally broke through the enemy’s second line. It deployed tanks for the first time, in what is now known as the Battle of Flers-Courcelette. The 23^rd Division was not directly involved on this day, but was moved up in reserve.

Date	Location/event
3/9/16	Moved to billets in Bailleul. [This may have been a happy time, for Bailleul was quite a lively town as regards possibilities for rest and relaxation.]
5/9/16	To Nordasques.
10/9/16	Moved [presumably by rail] to Molliens au Bois.
12/9/16	Marched to billets in Millencourt.
15/9/16	Moved to reserve positions in Becourt Wood.
18/9/16	Moved to support positions behind Martinpuich.
20/9/16	Two Companies moved to Contalmaison, into Starfish Trench, Martin Alley and Push Alley.
26/9/16	To support positions.
27/9/16	Into bivouac camp near Fricourt [a village captured in early July].

October 1916

The Division was once again moved north, but this time into a very different proposition: the Ypres Salient.

Date	Location/event
1/10/16	To bivouac in Lozenge Wood.
2/10/16	Moved to Contalmaison.
3/10/16	Moved to Le Sars [an advanced position, reached as the fighting pushed forward after 15^th September].
9/10/16	Back to billets in Becourt Wood.
12/10/16	Moved to Ailly le Haut Clocher.
13/10/16	Moved to St Riquier.
15/10/16	Moved by train from St Riquier to Poperinghe, and into Erie Camp at Sheet 28 G11Cb2.
18/10/16	Moved to Ypres, relieving Australians in Ypres Hospice.
20/10/16	Moved to relieve 10/NF in position of Right Battalion of Left Brigade [in trenches at Zillebeke, a very hot spot in the south of the Ypres salient]. Battalion HQ in the Tuileries [a destroyed tile works, now the location of Tuileries Military Cemetery].
24/10/16	Moved to Poperinghe billets. On 27^th October, inspected by Lieut. -Gen. Plumer, GOC Second Army. [This would also have been a relatively pleasant time, for Pop. had many estaminets, shops and other temptations.]
29/10/16	Relieved the 11/Sherwoods in Zillebeke Bund [The banks of the Zillebeke Reservoir.]. Moved up by train – very quick journey - from Poperinghe.

November 1916

Remained in action in the Zillebeke area.

Date	Location/event
2/11/16	Relieved 10/NF in the front line.
7/11/16	Relieved, and moved back to Ypres Hospice.
10/11/16	Moved by train from Brandhoek to Toronto and Erie Camps (near Poperinghe).
16/11/16	Moved back into the front line at Tuileries.
21/11/16	Moved into old Infantry Barracks in Ypres.
25/11/16	Moved back into the front line at Tuileries.
28/11/16	Raid attempted on an enemy sap at Zillebeke. Came immediately under heavy fire and called of without casualties.
29/11/16	To support positions.
27/9/16	Moved by train from Brandhoek to Toronto and Erie Camps.

December 1916

Remained in same areas.

Date	Location/event
8/12/16	Moved to D position in Ypres Hospice.
11/12/16	To A position in Zillebeke trenches.
17/12/16	To B position in Zillebeke Bund.
21/12	To A position in Zillebeke trenches.
24/12/16	Into Toronto Camp.

January 1917

Remained in same areas. Very cold weather; one of the coldest winters on record in Flanders. Ironically this improved trench conditions, as the ground froze solid for a depth of several feet.

Date	Location/event
1/1/17	To the Infantry Barracks in Ypres.
4/1/17	To A positions in Zillebeke trenches.
9/1/17	Returned to Barracks in Ypres.
12/1/17	To A positions in Zillebeke trenches.
17/1/17	Moved to Toronto Camp.
27/1/17	Moved up to Zillebeke Bund.
29/1/17	To B position behind Zillebeke trenches.

February 1917

Remained in same areas.

Date	Location/event
1/2/17	In C positions, with Battalion HQ in the Bund. One and a half Companies placed in Stafford Street trench.
6/2/17	To B positions.
10/2/17	To Toronto Camp.
17/2/17	Moved back to old Infantry Barracks in Ypres.
27/2/17	Moved into “E” Camp, after a short rain journey from Brandhoek.
28/2/17	Moved 7 miles to “Z” Camp. [all in Poperinghe vicinity].

March 1917

After three months of continuous trench activity (even the camps named were within range of largest-calibre artillery, and were subjected to air raids), the Division at last enjoyed an extended rest.

Date	Location/event
2/3/17	Moved to Bollezeele.
20/3/17	Moved to Houtkerque, to camp at 28NW, A16C4.4.
	Strength at end of month reported as 35 officers and 616 other ranks.

April 1917

Returned to the Zillebeke sector that they knew well.

Date	Location/event
4/4/17	Moved to Bollezeele.
13/4/17	Marched to Esquelbecq station, and detrained at Poperinghe. Moved into camp at G12C4.0.
15/4/17	Marched to Brandhoek and entrained 28 officers and 563 other ranks. Detrained at level crossing near Ypres [hardly seems worth getting on, as that journey is only about 3 miles!]. Followed guides to trenches near Tuileries. In Hooge Sector, Centre Subsector.
18/4/17	Into support trenches.
23/4/17	Into front-line trenches at Zillebeke. 28NW,NE. The Culvert, Bond Street, Leinster Street and Rosslyn trenches.

May 1917

Date	Location/event
1/5/17	Moved to Steenvoorde.
9/5/17	Moved to Toronto Camp.
11/5/17	Moved into reserve positions at the Bund, and in Railway Dugouts.
14/5/17	Moved into front-line trenches at Rudkin House, with a Company in Maple Street, and B Company in Canada Street.
19/5/17	Moved to Scottish Lines.
31/5/17	Advanced parties moved to the line at Larch Wood Subway, with a reserve Company in Battersea Farm. [The subway referred to was a long tunnel that lead from the support positions at Larch Wood railway crossing to the front-line positions on Hill 60].

June 1917

A very long tour of the trenches in this month. On 7^th June 1917, a large British attack took place between Hill 60 and Ploegsteert. Known as the Battle of Messines, it commenced with the exploding of 19 enormous underground mines that destroyed important enemy front-line positions all the way along the high ground known as the Messines ridge. The 11/NF were not directly involved, but would certainly have been on high alert and contributing by fire on this and subsequent days.

Date	Location/event
1/6/17	Moved to Zillebeke Centre Subsector trenches.
29/6/17	Moved into rest at Thieshouck, Micmac Camp and St Hubertushoek [all camps near Poperinghe].

July 1917

The last day of this month saw the British launch a very large offensive designed to break out of the Ypres Salient and to capture the Belgian coast. Known today as the Third Battle of Ypres, it was better known to the troops as the Battle of Passchendaele, after one of the objective villages.

Date	Location/event
5/7/17	Moved to Canada Street Tunnel and Hedge Street trench.
10/7/17	Into support.
14/7/17	Moved to camp at N1A7.8.
24/7/17	Moved to Thieshouck.
31/7/17	Moved to Quelmes, at W13B, Sheet 27ASE.

August 1917

The offensive bogged down very quickly in heavy rains that lasted for days, and fighting went doggedly on. The 11^th Northumberland Fusiliers remained in reserve.

Date	Location/event
9/8/17	Moved to Serques.
24/8/17	Moved to Micmac Camp. Of the strength of the battalion at this point, there were 3 officers and 243 other ranks that were ‘originals’ [i.e. they had moved to France with the Battalion in August 1915. This is a very large number, although no doubt it included returned wounded, and is reflective of the relatively few occasions on which this Battalion had been involved in severe fighting.]
29/8/17	Moved to billets in Dickebusch.

September 1917

As the Ypres offensive moved expensively on, the Division remained in reserve. It finally moved into the salient in mid-month, in preparation for the next major attack. This is now called the Battle of the Menin Road. It took place on 20^th September, after a period of improved weather.

Date	Location/event
2/9/17	Moved to Dallington Camp
3/9/17	Moved to Steenvoorde
5/9/17	Moved to Noordpeene
13/9/17	Moved to Murrumbidgee Camp, Steenvoorde
16/9/17	Moved to “J” Camp, at H28D5.5.
18/9/17	Moved to Tor Top Tunnels.
19/9/17	Moved to front line positions at Dumbarton Lakes.
20/9/17	The Battalion attacked, in the Battle of the Menin Road. A single strongpoint in Dumbarton Wood (just west of the lakes) caused heavy casualties to the Brigade, but despite this temporary check and the difficulty of keeping direction in the dense clouds of smoke and dust raised by the artillery barrage, the first objective beyond the marshy ground north of Dumbarton Lakes was reached a few minutes after the barrage and a defence consolidated along the upper reach of the Bassevillebeek. Casualties were – given the intensity of the fighting – comparatively light in this Battalion: Officers 4 killed and 5 wounded (including all of four Company commanders), Other ranks 42 killed, 138 wounded and 20 missing.
23/9/17	Moved to “J” Camp, near Dickebusch.
24/9/17	Moved to Thunderer Camp, Westoutre.
28/9/17	Moved to Ridge Wood Camp.

October 1917

The next major assaults took place on 4^th and 9^th October 1917, pushing the front line gradually further from Ypres. By now it was clear that the strategic objectives had not been attained. The high command decisions that kept this awful series of costly attacks going has been the subject of much debate ever since; the key reason for so doing appears to be that the British Army needed to capture the marginally higher, marginally drier ground at Passchendaele before the onset of winter. The Battalion was involved in holding front-line positions under very heavy shellfire at Joist Farm, Reutel between 12^th and 15^th October 1917. Shortly after this had taken place, the Division was one of a number selected to be moved immediately to Italy.

Date	Location/event
1/10/17	After four orders had been issued and cancelled the Battn was finally ordered at 12 noon to embus at Ridge Wood Camp and proceed to Meteren area. The Battn embossed at 1pm and was bivouacked under canvas at Phincboom by 3pm. 1^st Line Transport proceeded independently by road but two limbers had to be left at Dickebusch owing to six horses being hit by aerial bomb.
2/10/17	Battalion marched at 12.45pm and proceeded to billets near Thieushouck arriving at 1.40pm. 1^st Line Transport conveyed stores as no lorry available.
3/10/17	Companies paraded under their own arrangements all day.
4/10/17	Warning order received for battalion to be ready to move at two hours notice from 12 noon. Range allotted to B Company morning and C Company in afternoon. Company Commanders conference at 3pm..
5/10/17	At 8pm, a party of 300 OR under Major R.H. Gill from B and D Companies with stretcher bearers from A and C Companies attached, embossed at Bde HQ and proceeded to Birr Cross Roads to be attached to 21^st Division as stretcher bearers.
6/10/17	Capt. W.K. MacLachlan and other officers rejoined from forward area. Company arrangements for parades.
7/10/17	A and C Companies had the baths at Phincboom. Church parades cancelled owing to wet weather. Orders for move issued.
8/10/17	The Battn paraded at 8.15am and marched to Curragh Camp arriving at 11.45am. 55 men of C Company under 2/Lt. W. R. Bell rejoined from CRE X Corps. 300 men of B and D Companies under Major Gill rejoined after finishing attachment to 21^st Division as stretcher bearers. Neither party had any casualties.
9/10/17	At 3pm the Battalion received orders to march to Ontario Camp near Zevekoten. The Battn marched at 4pm, arriving at 4.50pm.
10/10/17	At 12 noon the Battalion received orders to march to camp at Dickebusch. Marched at 1pm arriving at 2.30pm.
11/10/17	The whole battalion paraded at camp in Dickebusch at 11am and marched to Railway Dugouts [in the old embankment of the Ypres-Menin railway, near Zillebeke] where a halt was made at 1pm for dinners. At 3pm A and C Companies under Major R.H. Gill proceeded up to Joist Farm in support to 13/DLI, relief being complete at 8.30pm. [Note how long it took to move up and complete relief. This was due to the narrow tracks across the muddy wasteland, shellfire and the fact that the positions at Joist Farm were only joined-up shell holes.] A Company was in dugouts at J.10.C.9.6 and C Company in trench at J.10.C.9.4. Major Gill’s HQ were at J.10.C.5.5. Battn HQ and B and D Companies remained in the Bund.
12/10/17	Advance parties proceeded up the line to take over from the 13/DLI. 2/Lt W.R. Bell C Company was killed on the Mound at J.10.A.6.8 and Lt J.B.W.Roberts wounded at duty. The Battn relieved the 13/DLI in the right subsector of the Brigade front at night, dispositions being: Right front Company D in trench from J.11.C.0.3 to J.11.C.3.3. Centre front Company B in trench from J.11.C.3.3 to J.11.D.5.3. Left front Company in shell holes A from J.11.D.5.3 to J.11.D.1.3. C Company is support in trench from J.11.C.6.3 to J.11.C.6.7. Battn HQ at J.10.C.5.5. Very heavy shelling throughout the relief: relief completed at 8.30am (13^th).
13/10/17	A Company heavily shelled in the early morning. Battn HQ shelled heavily. 2/Lt. J.W.Stevens A Company wounded.
14/10/17	C Company very heavily shelled in early morning. 2/Lt. L.W.Ablett and2/Lt.E.D.Bruty C Company killed. Battn HQ shelled heavily.
15/10/17	Advance parties from 8/Yorks arrived. Very heavy shelling all day. Companies were all relieved by 8pm and proceeded to bivouacs outside Railway Dugouts arriving in small parties throughout the night. Very heavily shelled. Capt. F. Henri (?) joined for duty.
16/10/17	Battn HQ was relieved by HQ 8/Yorks and proceeded at 6.30am to bivouac at Railway Dugouts. The battalion proceeded by platoons to Camp “O” Brewery Camp Dickebusch, all being in by 3pm. Casualties for the tour were: Officers killed 2/Lts W.R.Bell, L.W.Ablett, E.D.Bruty; wounded 2/Lts T.W.Stevens, A.C.Martingdale (at duty), J.B.W.Robertson (at duty). Other ranks: killed 19, wounded 64 (4 remain at duty), 9 missing. Total casualties for the tour: 98.
17/10/17	Enemy’s aeroplane brought down at 10.30am in vicinity of Vlamertinghe church. GOC Division [Major-General Babington]presented Military Medals to men on Battn parade.
18/10/17	Company arrangements. Enemy bombed from aeroplanes at 7.30pm in vicinity of camp but caused no casualties. One man and one horse wounded on way back to Transport Lines.
19/10/17	Orders received and issued for the Battalion to move back to St Martin au Laert area on the 20^th inst, as part of a composite Brigade under GOC 70^th Brigade. Part of 1^st Line Transport started by road, moving to Eecke.
20/10/17	The dismounted personnel of the battalion entrained at Dickebusch at 11.30am and detrained at Wizernes at 4.30pm, marching to billets in St Martin au Laert arriving at 6.15pm. The transport entrained at Vlamertinghe and 8.5am and 3.35pm and arrived in billets at 5pm and 6am (21^st).
21/10/17	The companies spent the day in cleaning up and reorganisation.
22/10/17	Classes for training specialists commenced, including Lewis Gunners – Stretcher Bearers – Rifle Grenadiers – Runners – Signallers. Other parades were carried out under Company arrangements. The following announcement in Divisional Orders appeared: the Military Cross: Capt. R.C.Mayall, 2/Lt W.Hall, 2/Lt.S.Brewin, 2/Lt.H.Mellon, 2/Lt.J.Moffatt, 2/Lt.E.Smith. Distinguished Conduct Medal: 12011 RQMS R.L.Parker, 14873 Sergt. F.Rhodes and 45940 Pte J.Allen. Third Bar to Military Medal – 7978 Sergt. B.H.Watts. 29 Military Medals. (Results of 15/10/17).

November 1917

On 26^th October, GHQ in France received an urgent order from London, directing Sir Douglas Haig to send two Divisions to Italy as quickly as possible. The Italian Army had suffered a shattering reverse when attacked at Caporetto and was in serious danger of collapse. The Supreme Inter-Allied War Council had advised moving some British and French reserve into the Italian theatre. The 23^rd and 41^st Divisions both about to be relieved, were selected. A further order on 8^th November then expanded the force, and the 7^th and 48^th Divisions also prepared to move. On 14^th November the 5^th Division was added, making the British force in Italy five Divisions.

The entrainment of the last units of 23^rd Division was completed on the 11^th November 1917. If ever there was a “tonic for the troops” it was the journey through France, to the Riviera and across in Lombardy, following their harrowing experiences of the Western Front.

Unfortunately the Italian railway system completely broke down under the strain of 5 British Divisions arriving from France, and detrainment and concentration proved somewhat chaotic. The 23^rd Division finally concentrated in the Mantua area.

A high command meeting on 14^th November decided to move the 23^rd and 41^st Divisions immediately into the front line in the Vicenza area, as soon as the Italians could provide road and billeting facilities, which would not be before the 19^th.

The march to the new front began in cold weather on the 19^th November 1917, moving the troops from Mantua towards Legnano. The new front was on the River Brenta. On 28^th, the two Division were moved again, the 23^rd going via Castelfranco and Montebelluna to the front lines of the Montello. [Consisted of three lines of well-revetted trenches parallel to the bank of the River Piave, with the forward one on the sand and shingle of the river itself. The Montello was a high flat-topped hill facing the 800-yard wide river. Much work was required to strengthen the position, and this provided the 11^th Battalion with plenty of manual activity over the coming weeks.]

The 23^rd Division stayed in the Montello sector until March 1918. No major incidents occurred, but there was regular shellfire to endure.

March 1918

The Division received orders on 12^th March that a move was imminent. The British were to take over part of the front on the Asiago Plateau. This was a mountainous region with snow, and special preparations in terms of equipment, signalling methods etc were made as far as possible. Relieved on 14^th March by Italian units, the Division marched by easy stages to an area east of Vicenza. Moved by lorry, the Divisional infantry took over the line on 27^th March from the Italian 12^th Division.

The British remained on the Asiago, until September 1918. Trench warfare continued, with its usual attendant dangers. During the intervening period, preparations were made for an offensive but this was cancelled as information was received from deserters of an impending Austrian offensive on the Lower Piave.

June 1918

On the night of 1/2^nd June, the Battalion raided three houses in front of the Austrian line, killed at least ten of the enemy and took two prisoners.

On 15^th June 1918, the Austrians attacked the British force on the Asiago Plateau, with about four and a half Divisions. The British front was being held by the 23^rd and 48th Divisions, both well under-strength due to lack of reinforcements and cases of influenza, and each holding 4000 yards of line. For example in the 144th Brigade, where companies should have been 250 strong, they averaged 75. The artillery of the 7th Division, then in reserve, was close to the front too. The 11/NF, at this time with a trench strength of about 500 men, was in position near a trench called the Boscon Switch.

The Armies received good intelligence about the forthcoming attack. At 3am on 15th June, a heavy bombardment including gas opened on the entire British front and battery position. However, the fire was not registered or accurate, but brought trees down and sent large rock splinters flying. Artillery signalling lines were soon out of action. British counter-battery work commenced at 5am and was throughout the day very successful.

The Austrian infantry attack opened at 7am, and the battle soon broke in the mist and wooded country into fragmented local affairs, with hand to hand fighting. The 23rd Division lost a little ground at the flanks but recovered it during the day. The front of the 48th Division was broken at several places but again this was recovered by early on the 16th. British patrols were sent out, in the belief that the Austrians were confused and demoralised, but they ran soon into resistance that suggested otherwise. In one such patrol, a young officer of the 11^th NF carried out actions that led to an award of the Victoria Cross. [Temporary 2^nd Lieutenant John Scott Youll. His VC citation reads “For most conspicous bravery and devotion to duty during enemy attacks when in command of a patrol, which came under hostile barrage. Sending his men back to safety, he remained to observe the situation. Unable subsequently to rejoin his company, Youll reported to a neighbouring unit, and when the enemy attacked he maintained his position with several men of different units until the troops on his left had given way and an enemy machine gun had opened fire from behind him. He rushed the gun, and, having killed most of the team, opened fire on the enemy with the captured gun, inflicting heavy casualties. Then, finding that the enemy had gained a footing in a portion of the front line, he organised and carried out with a few men three separate counter-attacks. On each occasion he drove back the enemy, but was unable to maintain his position by reason of reverse fire. Throughout the fighting his complete disregard of personal safety and very gallant leading set a magnificent example to all.” Youll was killed in action at the age of 21 on the River Piave on 27^th October 1918. He is buried in Giavera British Cemetery.] By the time the fighting died down, the Battalion had suffered 104 casualties. This was one fifth of the total of casualties suffered by the whole Division. Severe as the fighting was, it bore no comparison with the experiences of the Western Front.

September 1918

The 23^rd Division was moved from the Asiago Plateau, and was billeted in an area north-west of Vicenza before moving by rail to Treviso. It was part of a wider movement with the British Army taking over a wide front on the banks of the River Piave, down stream from its former positions on the Montello. The Piave here is a mighty river indeed: 800 yards or more wide, very fast-flowing in numerous deep channels. A feature facing the British was a flat, narrow, four mile-long island – Papadopoli. This move was part of a broad plan by the Italian Commander-in-Chief General Diaz to make a decisive break through across the Piave, to separate the Austrian forces on this front from those in the Trentino. If a major advance could be secured in this area – the Vittorio Veneto – then the enemy’s rail routes for supply would be cut and they would be forced to withdraw their troops from Italian soil. The attack commenced in October 1918.

October 1918

On 27^th October1918, the 7^th and 23^rd Divisions attacked in the Vittorio Veneto. This followed a successful effort by the 7^th Division to cross part of the river and capture Papadopoli Island. The 11^th Northumberland Fusiliers were the leftmost Battalion in this attack, and their job was to produce a flank defence as the rest of the Divisions forced a crossing of the river. There was a gap of some 5,000 yards to the next formation, the Italian 58^th Division. They were to move across right, to converge with the 23^rd Division to form a continuous line. This however, failed as the Italians could not cross the river. The river crossing was indeed arduous, with men crossing by sections, mostly by linking arms and dragging their feet along the bottom; to have lifted a foot in the incredible current would almost certainly mean losing the footing and being swept away. A few men were washed off their feet and drowned. As the barrage lifted off the bank, the whole line rushed forward. Machine-gun fire was heavy, and amongst others Lieut.-Colonel Ashton St.Hill the CO of the Battalion, was killed [He is buried in Tezze British Cemetery.]. The British bombardment had not destroyed much of the wire, but this was thin in places where the men could trample it down, whilst other gaps were cut by hand under covering fire from Lewis guns. Through these gaps platoons passed and then extended, and the bayonet did the rest. It was reported that no Austrian had his bayonet fixed; many surrendered, others ran. In spite of resistance, in which the 11^th Battalion lost all its senior officers so that it was soon led only by a Lieutenant, the whole Bund on the front of the 23^rd Division was in its possession. The Battalion was relieved by the 10^th later in the morning. It was by now weak through losses, and was reorganised as two Companies.

Two days later, the attack had advanced the front towards the next river crossing: the Monticano. Despite its small size, the Battalion crossed this river successfully and moved ahead, with its right on the little river Cervada. There was considerable resistance from machine-guns hidden in houses and ditches, but the attack was completely successful and by 6.30pm the 11^th had cleared the enemy from the whole Brigade front.

The assault across the Piave had succeeded brilliantly, and pursuit turned into rout of the Austrian armies in this area. In addition to the large advance in terms of distance, some 300,000 prisoners were taken; more, in fact, than the entire Allied force attacking on this front. This was in addition to an enormous haul of war material. The British force of the 7^th and 23^rd Divisions had taken a prominent part, for the loss of just under 1,600 men of the average 78,000 employed between 27^th October and 4^th November.

On the 4^th November 1918, the Austrian-Hungarian Empire signed an Armistice and the fighting ceased on the Italian front. There then followed a period of reorganisation, with much spit and polish as the British troops were reviewed by the King of Italy on 27^th November 1918. Reductions of the British force in Italy were gradually carried out, with the very last returning home on 15^th April 1920.

This is an extract from the Battalion war diary which is held at the Public Record Office, in documents WO95/2182 and WO95/4236.