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The
25th Battalion of the King's
(Liverpool Regiment) was created on 1
January 1917 by
the redesignation of what had to that date been the 43rd
Provisional Battalion. Formed
in 1915, the 43rd PB had initially been for "home serve
only" soldiers of the Territorial
Force. The introduction of the Military Service Act in
1916 removed the "home service only" distinction
and all men were deemed to be available for service overseas.
The battalion
was
prepared for active service while in camp in Norfolk,
and it finally sailed in the SS "Onward" from Dover
to Calais on 6 and 7 May 1918.
Moving at first to Bours, via train from
Calais to Fontinettes, the battalion was ordered to join
176th (2/1st Staffordshire) Brigade, which was part of 59th
(2nd North Midland) Division. This formation had suffered
very heavy casualties in the German offensives of spring
1918, and was being rebuilt. This extract from the battalion
war diary
covers an attack made by the battalion
in September 1918 in the area of Picantin, on the old battlefields
of Aubers Ridge. As British forces probed forward against
German resistance that
was
beginning
to crack,
they
often
ran into
fierce localised resistance that caused heavy casualties ... |
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1
September 1918, St Floris |
Quiet
day. Weather fine. 120 ORs [other ranks] employed as working
parties. |
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2
September 1918 |
Quiet
day. Weather fine. Companies training. |
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3
September 1918 |
10.30am:
176th Infantry Brigade Order No 125 received. Brigade to
relieve 177th Brigade in support. Battalion orders issued
to move to
Lestrem and relieve 15th Essex. 11.30am:
Brigade commander [Br-Gen. T.G. Cope]
came in and told us that 2 Companies of the unit which we
were
to relieve were forward and under the orders of GOC 178th
Brigade for tactical purposes and we were to move two of
our Companies
forward to relieve them. 12 noon: Battalion moved off under
2-i-C, the Colonel went to a senior officers gas course. 3pm:
Battalion arrived at Lestrem and completed
relief of two rear Companies. 4pm:
A and B Companies moved forward to relieve the forward [essex]
Companies. A Company
reported having relieved, and their HQ was at R.11.central
sheet 36A. 5.45pm: B Company relief reported complete at
position R.2.b and d. Casualties nil. Weather fine. Battalion
was to
hold the line of River Lawe from R.9.a.10.80
then along west of river to canal about L.34.b.20.90. |
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| 4
September 1918 |
| Weather
fine. 11.15am: Brigade rung up
to say the battalion would move forward and come under orders
of GOC 178th Brigade for tactical
purposes. 2pm: Orders issued and
battalion moved off and halted at R.5.d.50.80 near Pont
Rochon where the 2-i-C held a conference
of officers in a little hut and explained how he wanted the
relief carried out. 4.15pm:
Battalion moved on to about M.2.c.90.40 near Carters
Post where
the battalion halted and found battalion HQ of the unit we
had to relieve, the 13th West Riding. |
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The
battalion marched south towards the front down the Estaires
- Pont Logis road from Lestrem. Carters Post can be seen
clearly on this July 1918 trench map. |
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| 4
September 1918, continued |
A
and B Companies had been under the orders of the West Ridings
CO, A [being] support to their right flank and B support
to their
left
flank. These two companies then had orders to push up and
go through
the West Ridings with C Company in support on right and D
Company in support of left flank. The front line companies
were to
rest on the Rue du Bacquerot with the support
companies about 250-300 yards in rear. The West Ridings were
thought to be
about 200 yards in rear of this objective. The next objective
was Rue Tilleloy, northern boundary being
[map] grid line running east-west at R.3.a.40.99 and southern
boundary being
grid line
running east-west at R.7.d.05.00. 6.30pm:
Companies moved off.
9pm: Battalion HQ arrived at
about M.10.c.40.90, a farm in Haileybury Road. Companies
reached Rue du Bacquerot about 2pm [sic, should be 2am]. |
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| The
overnight position of battalion HQ is marked by the red square.
This position is approximately 1 mile east-south-east from
Carters
Post (above). |
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| 5
September 1918 |
9am:
Bn HQ moved to Harlech
Castle about M.6.c. 00.10. Message
received from OC B Company that he had met opposition at Two
Tree Farm N.2.c.10.70 and was held
up. He was ordered to try to push round north side and to try
to pinch the enemy out. A Company, right front company, reported
having reached their objective and are holding a trench about
N.13.b.20.80 to N.8.a.50.30 with enemy holding a trench about
250 yards in front. |
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| Bn
HQ moved into Harlech Castle for the attack on Picantin.
B Company were held up at Two Tree Farm and A Company dug in
south of the Rue du Bacquerot. |
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| 5
September 1918, continued |
12
noon:
B Company could not move round Two Tree Farm on
the north side and tried to move round
the southern side and get in touch with A Company. They met
with heavy hostile MG fire and sustained heavy casualties. Wired
to Brigade as follows: Left company and one platoon of support
company attempted to push forward south of Two Tree Farm but
were held up by heavy MG fire from Farm and N.7.b.60.60.
Position now is 3 platoons holding Windy Post, one platoon
at N.1.b.50.05 and one at N.1.d.30.70, two platoons in Piccadilly
at about N.7.b.10.90. Movement by day impossible in N.1.d.
Estimated German garrison at Two Tree Farm 4 MG's and 1 Trench
Mortar and 20 rifles. Estimated total casualties in these
two companies 3 officers and 30 ORs. The remaining platoon
of left support company left in reserve at Bn HQ. Am moving the
platoon from Windy Post to N.1.c.central. Have as aid for
artillery
fire on Two Tree Farm [?]".The remained of the day was
spent in consolidating. |
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| 5
September 1918, continued |
Casualties: 2/Lts J.A. Clayton, S.W.J.B.
Tucker, A. Dirkin wounded. 8 other ranks killed, 1 missing believed
killed and 30 wounded. |
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| 6
September 1918 |
| Day
spent in consolidating. 6pm: Colonel arrived from gas school.
Casualties nil. 1 OR wounded on 5 september died of wounds
in CCS. |
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| 7
September 1918 |
Quiet
day. Orders for battalion relief. We were relieved by 36th
Bn Northumberland
Fusiliers. Casualties 1 OR wounded and at
duty. 10.30pm: relief complete, battalion moved back to billets
at Pont du Hem. |
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| 8
September 1918 |
Quiet
day. Battalion in brigade support. Position to be held (M.22.c.30.00
to Esquin Post) was reconnoitred. Casualties nil. 1 OR died
of wounds at CCS.
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| 9
September 1918 |
Quiet
day. Men resting and bathing. B Company was shelled during
the night. Casualties 3 ORs wounded.
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| 10
September 1918 |
Quiet
day. Weather showery. Casualties nil. 1 OR previously reported
wounded on 5 September died of wounds in CCS.
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| 11
September 1918 |
Quiet
day. Weather showery. Casualties nil.
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| 12
September 1918 |
Quiet
day. Casualties nil.
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| 13
September 1918 |
10am:
Orders received for brigade relief. 1.30pm:
Orders issued for battalion relief. We were relieved by
15th Essex about 9pm. Moved back to Divisional reserve. Battalion
HQ at L.36.c.70.50. Casualties nil. 2/Lt
S.W.J.B. Tucker reported
wounded 5 September died of wounds in CCS.
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The above is an extract from the
battalion war diary, which is held at the National Archives in
piece WO95/3021. |
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| Research on the casualties,
by The Long, Long Trail: |
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| Most of the casualties of 5 September
are buried in Royal
Irish Rifles Graveyard, Laventie: |
| 5
September 1918:
57174 Pte Thomas Barwise,
a native of Carlisle. Aged 19. |
| 5
September 1918:
41781 Pte James Berry,
a native of Liverpool. |
| 5
September 1918:
108402 Pte Herbert Elvidge,
formerly Notts & Derbys Regiment. A native of London aged 37.
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| 5
September 1918:
82790 Pte Edward Fowler,
formerly London Regiment. A native of London aged
33. |
| 5
September 1918:
108046 Pte Herbert Howe,
formerly Royal Field Artillery. A native of Castleton, Derbys. |
| 5
September 1918:
58109 Cpl William Lloyd,
formerly London Regiment. A resident of London. |
| 5
September 1918:
108166 L/Cpl Arthur Sherratt,
formerly East Surrey Regiment. A native of London. |
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| These soldiers have no known grave
and are commemorated on the Loos Memorial to the Missing: |
| 5
September 1918:
108319 Pte Robert Reilly,
formerly London Regiment. A native of London. |
| 5
September 1918:
381550 Pte Frank Siddorn,
formerly Welsh Regiment. A native of Liverpool aged 31. |
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| The
men who died of wounds after the attack on 5 September are
all buried in Aire Communal Cemetery: |
| 6
September 1918:
91842 Pte Reginald Braithwaite.
Aged 27, a native of Shrewsbury. |
| 8
September 1918:
108436 Pte John Cox,
formerly London Regiment. Aged 30, a resident of Hackney. |
| 10
September 1918:
82741 Pte William Easter,
formerly London Regiment. A native of London. |
13
September 1918:
Second Lieutenant Samuel William
Joseph Tucker,
Norfolk Regiment attached 25th
KLR, aged 29, son of S. W. and A. Tucker, of 42, Westwood Rd.,
Goodmayes, Ilford, Essex. A Knight of the Blessed Sacrament.
Aire Communal Cemetery |
| 15
September 1918:
108499 Pte Albert Banks,
formerly London Regiment. A native of London aged 24. |
| 15
September 1918:
381947 Pte Samuel Helbrow,
formerly Rifle Brigade. A resident of London aged 31. |
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This page is dedicated to he memory
of Acting Sergeant 108382 Arthur Ernest
Oakley, who is believed
to have been wounded at Picantin. |
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