13th (Service) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment (Wandsworth)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The 13th (Service) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment (Wandsworth) (13th East Surreys or 13th ESR) was an infantry unit recruited as part of '
Kitchener's Army The New Army, often referred to as Kitchener's Army or, disparagingly, as Kitchener's Mob, was an (initially) all-volunteer portion of the British Army formed in the United Kingdom from 1914 onwards following the outbreak of hostilities in the F ...
' in
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. It was raised in the summer of 1915 by the Mayor and Borough of Wandsworth in the suburbs of South London. It served on the Western Front from June 1916, and distinguished itself at the capture of
Villers-Plouich Villers-Plouich () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France, situated 14 km south-west of the town of Cambrai Cambrai (, ; ; ), formerly Cambray and historically in English Camerick or Camericke, is a city in the Nord ...
and at Bourlon Wood. It then fought through the
German spring offensive The German spring offensive, also known as ''Kaiserschlacht'' ("Kaiser's Battle") or the Ludendorff offensive, was a series of German Empire, German attacks along the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during the World War I, First Wor ...
and the Battle of the Lys, when most of the battalion was surrounded and captured. Reduced to a training cadre the battalion was sent back to England to be reconstituted, but was eventually disbanded just before the end of the war


Recruitment

On 6 August 1914, less than 48 hours after Britain's declaration of war,
Parliament In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
sanctioned an increase of 500,000 men for the Regular
British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
. The newly appointed
Secretary of State for War The secretary of state for war, commonly called the war secretary, was a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, which existed from 1794 to 1801 and from 1854 to 1964. The secretary of state for war headed the War Offic ...
, Earl Kitchener of Khartoum, issued his famous call to arms: 'Your King and Country Need You', urging the first 100,000 volunteers to come forward. Men flooded into the recruiting offices and the 'first hundred thousand' were enlisted within days. This group of six divisions with supporting arms became known as Kitchener's First New Army, or 'K1'. The K2, K3 and K4 battalions, brigades and divisions followed soon afterwards. But the flood of volunteers overwhelmed the ability of the Army to absorb them, and the K5 units were largely raised by local initiative rather than at regimental depots, often from men from particular localities or backgrounds who wished to serve together: these were known as '
Pals battalions The pals battalions of World War I were specially constituted battalions of the British Army comprising men who enlisted together in local recruiting drives, with the promise that they would be able to serve alongside their friends, neighbours an ...
'. The 'Pals' phenomenon quickly spread across the country, as local recruiting committees offered complete units to the
War Office The War Office has referred to several British government organisations throughout history, all relating to the army. It was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, at ...
(WO). Encouraged by this response, in February 1915 Kitchener approached the 28
Metropolitan boroughs of the County of London Metropolitan boroughs were subdivisions of the County of London from 1900 to 1965. The 28 boroughs were created by the London Government Act 1899. In 1965 they were abolished and replaced by larger London boroughs within the new area of Great ...
, and the 'Great Metropolitan Recruiting Campaign' went ahead in April, with each mayor asked to raise a unit of local men. Alderman Archibald Dawnay, Mayor of Wandsworth, and his council offered to raise a complete infantry battalion of 1350 officers and men. The council established a battalion orderly room in the Town Hall. The borough recruiting officer aimed for 200 volunteers from each of Wandsworth's five parishes, and had the use of the
East Surrey Regiment The East Surrey Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1959. The regiment was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot, the 70th ( ...
's recruiting offices of 31st Regimental District. The recruiting office in Streatham High Road enlisted the first volunteer (a Council employee) for the Wandsworth Battalion (or 'Wandsworth Regulars') on 3 June, long before the battalion was formally authorised by the WO on 16 June as the 13th (Service) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment (Wandsworth). (The
East Surrey Regiment The East Surrey Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1959. The regiment was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot, the 70th ( ...
was the Regular Army regiment covering South-West London, the pre-war
London Regiment London Regiment may refer to two infantry regiments in the British Army: * London Regiment (1908–1938) The London Regiment was an infantry regiment in the British Army, part of the Territorial Force (renamed the Territorial Army in 1921). Th ...
consisting entirely of part-time soldiers of the
Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry in ...
.) As commanding officer (CO), Dawnay obtained
Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
Alfred Burton, a former
Regular Regular may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * "Regular" (Badfinger song) * Regular tunings of stringed instruments, tunings with equal intervals between the paired notes of successive open strings Other uses * Regular character, ...
and
Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry in ...
officer who had rejoined as a paymaster at the outbreak of war. Burton had recently been appointed second-in-command of the 12th (Bermondsey) Bn, East Surreys with the rank of Temporary
Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...
; now he was promoted to Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel and became CO of the Wandsworth Battalion.Frederick, p. 203.James, p. 75.Pearse & Sloman, Vol II, pp. 28–9.East Surreys at Long, Long Trail.
/ref>War Office Instruction No 56 of September 1915, Appendix IX. Dawnay proposed to Kitchener that the battalion should have its own version of the East Surreys' cap badge, and somewhat unexpectedly this was authorised by the Army Council. The
escutcheon Escutcheon may refer to: * Escutcheon (heraldry), a shield or shield-shaped emblem, displaying a coat of arms * Escutcheon (furniture), a metal plate that surrounds a keyhole or lock cylinder on a door * (in medicine) the distribution of pubic ha ...
and
motto A motto (derived from the Latin language, Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian language, Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a Sentence (linguistics), sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of a ...
('We Serve') from the coat of arms of Wandsworth were displayed at the centre of the badge, instead of the arms of Guildford, worn more generally by the East Surrey Regiment. The badge was designed by T.C. Willett, the mayor's secretary, and was manufactured by a local firm in
Putney Putney () is an affluent district in southwest London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. History Putney is an ...
.Bilton, pp. 186–91.Pearse & Sloman, Vol III, pp. 160–2.King's Colours at Queen's Royal Surreys.
/ref> Recruitment was slow at first, only 55 men having enlisted by the end of June, but then picked up, partly because of the fame of 19-year-old
Lance-Corporal Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many English-speaking armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organisations. It is below the rank of corporal. Etymology The presumed origin of the rank of lance corp ...
Edward Dwyer of 1st Bn East Surreys, who had just been invested at
Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...
with the
Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...
(VC) he won at Hill 60 at Ypres. Dwyer gave speeches and joined recruiting marches across the borough. He was accompanied by
Colour-Sergeant Colour sergeant (CSgt or C/Sgt) is a rank of non-commissioned officer found in several armies and marine corps. Australia In the Australian Army, the rank of colour sergeant has only existed in the Corps of Staff Cadets at the Royal Militar ...
James Smith, who had won the VC on the North-West Frontier in 1897 and was now running the Wandsworth Battalion's recruiting offices. The Mayoress, Mrs Dawnay, and the wife of Alderman Melhuish set up a Women's Recruiting Committee in the borough to raise money and encourage men to enlist, but they voted not to hand out
white feathers ''White Feathers'' is the debut studio album by the English new wave band Kajagoogoo, released on 18 April 1983 by EMI Records. The album contains their most successful single, "Too Shy", a UK No. 1 hit in February 1983, as well as two other UK ...
to men who were not in uniform. By the end of July nearly 900 recruits had been enlisted. The battalion was easily able to fill its depot company in addition to the four rifle companies, and eventually the borough supplied the great majority of 14th (Reserve) Battalion (''see below''). Early drills were carried out in the yard at Young's Ram Brewery in Wandsworth, some companies then used
Wandsworth Common Wandsworth Common is a public common in Wandsworth, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, south London. It is and is maintained and regulated by Wandsworth Council. It is also a Ward of the London Borough of Wandsworth. The population of the ward ...
, later training was at a field off Buckhold Road, loaned by Mr A. Rawlings.


Training

The battalion was officially taken over by the WO on 28 August and in early September it went by train from Barnes Station to Milford Station in
Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...
, and then marched into Witley Camp to join 41st Division. In October 41st Division exchanged some units with 39th Division, and 13th East Surreys moved to Barrosa Barracks,
Aldershot Aldershot ( ) is a town in the Rushmoor district, Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme north-east corner of the county, south-west of London. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Farnborough/Aldershot built-up are ...
, to join 118th Brigade in 39th Division, where it was brigaded with the 20th (Shoreditch) and 21st (Islington) Battalions, Middlesex Regiment, and 14th Battalion,
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's) is a light infantry company (military unit), company (designated as Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland) and was a line infantry regiment of the British Army tha ...
(A&SH).Becke, Pt 3b, pp. 91–100. In November 39th Division moved to Witley, where it continued its training around the
Devil's Punch Bowl The Devil's Punch Bowl is a visitor attraction and biological Site of Special Scientific Interest situated just to the east of the village of Hindhead in the English county of Surrey. It is part of the Wealden Heaths Phase II Special Protectio ...
. Route marches were carried out with full kit, the pouches filled with iron weights (known as 'Kitchener's chocolate') to simulate the weight of ammunition. The men of 13th Royal Surreys were among those guilty of discarding these weights in roadside ditches. Unfit men were 'weeded out' and exchanged for others from 14th (R) Bn. On 15 December Lt-Col Burton left to take command of 14th (R) Bn and was replaced by a younger man, Major W.C. Newton, a Regular officer of the
Middlesex Regiment The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1966. The regiment was formed, as the Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment), in 1881 as part of the Childers Re ...
with recent active service, who was promoted to take command. In January 1916 13th East Surreys underwent their musketry course on the rifle ranges at Ash with their newly issued rifle. 39th Division received its mobilisation orders during February 1916 and advance parties left for France. However, the Pals battalions of 118th Bde had not completed their training, so it was decided to replace them with more advanced units and leave them behind to join 40th Division at Blackdown Camp. 40th Division had originally been composed of ' bantams' – fit volunteers who did not meet the normal minimum height requirement for the infantry. But the supply of suitable recruits had dwindled, and it had been necessary to amalgamate several of its battalions to produce enough fit men. On 23 February 1916 the four pals battalions of 118th Bde replaced the disbanded bantam units, and 13th East Surrey and 14th A&SH joined 120th Bde, where they served alongside the reorganised bantams of the 11th (S) Bn, King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) (11th KORL) and 14th (S) Bn,
Highland Light Infantry The Highland Light Infantry (HLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1881. It took part in the First World War, First and World War II, Second World Wars, until it was amalgamated with the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1959 t ...
(14th HLI).Becke, Pt 3b, pp. 101–7.40th Division at Long, Long Trail.
/ref> 40th Division continued with its training, and in May was warned to prepare to move to the Western Front and join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). It completed its mobilisation on 31 May and entrainment to the embarkation ports began. 13th East Surreys, with a strength of 34 officers and 970 other ranks (ORs), marched to Frimley station on 3 June and boarded two trains for
Southampton Docks The Port of Southampton is a passenger and cargo port in the central part of the south coast of England. The modern era in the history of the Port of Southampton began when the first dock was inaugurated in 1843. After the Port of Felixstowe, ...
. The two half battalions the boarded the troopships ''
Queen Alexandra Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was List of British royal consorts, queen-consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 Januar ...
'' and ''Hunscraft'' and disembarked at
Le Havre Le Havre is a major port city in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy (administrative region), Normandy region of northern France. It is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the Seine, river Seine on the English Channel, Channe ...
next day.Pearse & Sloman, Vol II, pp. 259–62.13th East Surreys War Diary, June 1916–July 1918 at Queen's Royal Surreys.
/ref>


14th (Reserve) Battalion

The 14th (Reserve) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment, was formed in Wandsworth in the summer of 1915 from the depot companies of 12th (Bermondsey) and 13th (Wandsworth) Bns as a Local Reserve battalion to supply reinforcement drafts to the two service battalions. In practice the majority of the men came from the surplus recruits to the Wandsworth Bn, and Lt-Col Burton transferred to command it. On 1 November, when it had reached a strength of between 500 and 600 it went to
Gravesend Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, situated 21 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross (central London) on the Bank (geography), south bank of the River Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. Located in the diocese of Roche ...
, where it joined 26th Reserve Brigade. However, on 26 June 1916 it was absorbed into the other battalions of 26th Reserve Bde. Thereafter the duty of finding drafts for 13th East Surreys was taken over by 5th (Reserve) Battalion, East Surreys, formed from the 3rd Line of the 5th and 6th (
Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry in ...
) battalions in the Home Counties Reserve Brigade.


Western Front

On 9 June 40th Division completed its concentration around
Lillers Lillers (; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department in the Hauts-de-France region of France about 15 km northwest of Béthune and 40 km west of Lille. The river Clarence (river), Clarence ...
near
Béthune Béthune ( ; archaic and ''Bethwyn'' historically in English) is a town in northern France, Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department. Geography Béthune is located in the Provinces of Fran ...
in First Army's area. Here it resumed training, as well as supplying working parties. On 16 June it moved closer to the front so that units could be sent up the line for attachment to
15th (Scottish) Division The 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division was an infantry division of the British Army that served in the First World War. The 15th (Scottish) Division was formed from men volunteering for Kitchener's Army, and served from 1915 to 1918 on the Wes ...
in the
Lens A lens is a transmissive optical device that focuses or disperses a light beam by means of refraction. A simple lens consists of a single piece of transparent material, while a compound lens consists of several simple lenses (''elements'') ...
sector for their introduction to
trench warfare Trench warfare is a type of land warfare using occupied lines largely comprising Trench#Military engineering, military trenches, in which combatants are well-protected from the enemy's small arms fire and are substantially sheltered from a ...
. 13th East Surreys were attached to 44th Bde, and each company was attached to a different battalion in the front line for four days: * A Company to 8th
Seaforth Highlanders The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, the Duke of Albany's) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, mainly associated with large areas of the northern Highlands of Scotland. The regiment existed from 1881 to 1961, and saw service ...
* B Company to 8th/10th
Gordon Highlanders The Gordon Highlanders was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that existed for 113 years, from 1881 until 1994, when it was amalgamated with The Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons) to form The Highlanders (Seaforth, Go ...
* C Company to 7th Cameron Highlanders * D Company to 9th
Black Watch The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment ...
During these attachments the battalion suffered its first few casualties. On 11 July 13th ESR took over its own section of the front for the first time, facing the
Hohenzollern Redoubt The Hohenzollern Redoubt () was a strongpoint of the German 6th Army on the Western Front during the First World War, at Auchy-les-Mines near Loos-en-Gohelle in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France. Named after the House of Hohenzollern, ...
. B Company amused themselves by going out at night and placing notice bards in the enemy wire giving news of Allied successes. The battalion also carried out its first trench raid. Enemy shellfire and snipers accounted for a steady trickle of casualties. On 8 August the British carried out a bombardment with rifle grenades and trench mortars to test the enemy response, and 13th ESR lost 5 men killed and 10 wounded from the Germans' retaliatory bombardment. For the rest of the summer the battalion alternated between trench duty and
billets In European militaries, a billet is a living-quarters to which a soldier is assigned to sleep. In American usage, it refers to a specific personnel position, assignment, or duty station to which a soldier can be assigned. Historically, a billet w ...
in Loos. 40th Division was taken out of the line and rested in September, but returned to the Loos sector later in the month.


Ancre

All summer the
Somme Offensive The Battle of the Somme (; ), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and the French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place between 1 July and 18 Nove ...
had been raging further south. In late October 40th Division prepared to enter the fighting. First it marched to Averdoingt to carry out training, then on 2 November it began the march south. It paused at Vacquerie on 5 November for a further week's training. It then resumed its march via
Doullens Doullens (; ; former ) is a commune in the Somme department, Hauts-de-France, France. Its inhabitants are called ''Doullennais'' and ''Doullennaises''. Geography Doullens is situated on the N25 road, in the northern part of the department, st ...
to Souastre. 120th Brigade was then loaned to 49th (West Riding) Division and took over a sector of that formation's front line at Hébuterne on 15 November. Here the trenches were falling in under the wet weather and were impassable in places. Although the
Battle of the Ancre The Battle of the Ancre was fought by the British Fifth Army (Lieutenant-General Hubert Gough), against the German 1st Army (General Fritz von Below). The Reserve Army had been renamed the Fifth Army on 30 October. The battle was the las ...
(the final phase of the Somme Offensive) had begun, 13th ESR's sector was quiet. However the battalion was caught by an enemy bombardment on 19 November; 2 ORs were killed and 5 wounded, and the battalion won its first gallantry medal when Company Sergeant-Major R.J. Padget went forward under heavy fire to rescue men from collapsed shelters. He was awarded the
Distinguished Conduct Medal The Distinguished Conduct Medal was a decoration established in 1854 by Queen Victoria for gallantry in the field by Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Army. It is the oldest British award for gallantry and was a second level military ...
(DCM).


Winter 1916–17

120th Brigade's attachment ended on 21 November and it joined the rest of 40th Division at Couin, then marched back to billets, with 13th ESR at Bussus-Bussuel from 24 November. It remained there, training, until 14 December, when it marched to
Pont-Remy Pont-Remy (; also ''Pont-Rémy''; ) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography The commune is situated at the junction of the D901 and D183 roads at an ancient crossing point of the river Somme, some ...
where it entrained for
Dernancourt Dernancourt (; ) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography Dernancourt is situated on the D52 road, some northeast of Amiens. Population Places and monuments The commune was considerably affecte ...
, where it went into camp. Much effort was spent on draining the camp, and 13th ESR contributed a detachment of men to '40th Division Works Battalion'. On 26 December 120th Bde took over the front line at
Bouchavesnes Bouchavesnes-Bergen (; ) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography The commune is situated on the junction of the D149 and the N17 roads, some northwest of Saint-Quentin. Population Foch Monument ...
; each battalion went into the line with 20 officers and 600 ORs, the surplus details remaining in camp. When the battalion was relieved on 31 December it took 7 hours struggling along mud-filled communication trenches to meet the lorries waiting to take the exhausted men back to camp. The battalion went back into the line on 8 January 1917 in the Rancourt sector, where the defences consisted of a string of small posts surrounded by mud, and 120th Bde had to organise mule trains to bring up supplies each night. Sickness began to take its toll of the battalion's strength. Lieutenant-Col Newton was in poor heath and during January Lt-Col Ernest Atkins (
Leicestershire Regiment The Leicestershire Regiment (Royal Leicestershire Regiment after 1946) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, with a history going back to 1688. The regiment saw service for three centuries, in numerous wars and conflicts such as both ...
) was posted as second-in-command and frequently deputised for Lt-Col Newton. After one more spell in the front line, 18–22 January, 13th ESR left the sector at the end of January for rest billets in
Corbie Corbie (; ; Picard:''Corbin'') is a commune of the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography The small town is situated up river from Amiens, in the département of Somme and is the main town of the canton of Corbie. ...
and then to
Bray-sur-Somme Bray-sur-Somme (, literally ''Bray on Somme (river), Somme'') is a Communes of France, commune in the Somme (department), Somme Departments of France, department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Twin towns It is twinned with Inkberrow. G ...
, where it spent the next month in training and on working parties (3 ORs being killed while unloading ammunition from a train). The training emphasised Lewis guns and the new 'fighting platoon' tactics. After six weeks out of the line, the battalion returned to the trenches at Bouchavesnes on 6 March, where it began alternating with 14th A&SH between the front line, support line, and brigade reserve at 'Howitzer Wood', in snow and under regular shelling.


Villers-Plouich

On 17 March a raid by 40th Division under cover of bad weather reported the German front line to be only lightly held. That day the Germans had begun withdrawing from in front of the division. This was part of a large-scale retreat to the prepared positions of the
Hindenburg Line The Hindenburg Line (, Siegfried Position) was a German Defense line, defensive position built during the winter of 1916–1917 on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front in France during the First World War. The line ran from Arras to ...
(
Operation Alberich Operation Alberich () was the code name of a German military operation in France during the First World War. Two salients had been formed during the Battle of the Somme in 1916 between Arras and Saint-Quentin and from Saint-Quentin to Noyon. ...
). The division immediately began cautiously following up, with patrols out in front, in contact with German rearguards. 13th ESR was in brigade reserve at the time and was not ordered forward until the following day. Brigade HQ ordered 13th ESR's transport officer, Lt Beecroft, to take up ammunition and supplies to the battalion heading in the direction of Péronne, but could not tell him where it might be found. Towards dusk Beecroft was approaching the town with no sign of the battalion. Although warned by an officer that the Germans might still be in the town, he decided to risk it and his column of pack mules passed through the deserted and burning town without opposition, to the amazement of a British cavalry patrol cautiously following him up the road. By chance he managed to find 13th ESR spending the night in abandoned farm buildings and
dugouts Dugout may refer to: * Dugout (shelter), an underground shelter * Dugout (boat), a logboat * Dugout (smoking), a marijuana container Sports * In bat-and-ball sports, a dugout is one of two areas where players of the home or opposing teams sit whe ...
at Allaines, having passed by Péronne. Leaving 13th ESR at Allaines as XV Corps' reserve 40th Division continued its deliberate advance until 24 March when it was leapfrogged by another division taking the lead. The troops were then set to repairing the roads and railways that had been destroyed by the retreating enemy. 13th ESR was based at Curlu from 21 March, working on the Maricourt–Péronne railway. Once communications had been restored, 40th Division closed up to the line of fortified villages that formed the outpost screen for the Hindenburg Line. It was here that German resistance stiffened.Pearse & Sloman, Vol III, pp. 96–102. 40th Division began operations against these outposts on 21 April. With both Lt-Cols Newton and Atkins absent on courses, the battalion was temporarily commanded by Capt L.B. Mills. 119th Brigade attacked 'Fifteen Ravine' with 120th Bde on its left. The battalions of 119th Bde had a stiff fight for the shallow ravine itself, but for 13th ESR it was an almost bloodless operation. Shortly after midnight on 20/21 April the battalion sent forward patrols that found no sign of the enemy, so it moved about forward and established a string of strongpoints roughly from the strongly-held village of
Villers-Plouich Villers-Plouich () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France, situated 14 km south-west of the town of Cambrai Cambrai (, ; ; ), formerly Cambray and historically in English Camerick or Camericke, is a city in the Nord ...
. The rest of the battalion held the main line of resistance back on the edge of Gouzeaucourt Wood. Its casualties in this operation were just 3 wounded. On 24 April 13th ESR led the attack on Villers-Plouich, with the second objective being to establish a line on the rising ground behind ('Highland Ridge'). The battalion went into action with 24 officers and 600 ORs. At 02.00 the battalion moved forward and occupied the line between Fifteen Ravine. A Company was on the left, B Company on the right, supported by C and D Companies respectively; one platoon of each support company carried tools to dig in and consolidate the captured positions. The battalion crept up to the enemy wire in four waves and then attacked behind the
Creeping barrage In military usage, a barrage is massed sustained artillery fire (shelling) aimed at a series of points along a line. In addition to attacking any enemy in the kill zone, a barrage intends to suppress enemy movements and deny access across tha ...
when it came down at Zero (04.15). Although the enemy sent up signal rockets, their answering counter-barrage was erratic and caused little damage. The battalion was in the enemy front trench within seven minutes, and after a short struggle overcame all resistance and moved on towards the village. Strongpoints and machine gun emplacements caused trouble, but these were overcome with concentrated Lewis gun fire and bombing attacks. Reaching the village at 05.30 the battalion split into three parties. The left party stormed a strongpoint on the sunken road between Villers-Plouich and Beaucamp, taking over 100 prisoners. The centre party went through the left of the village and established itself on Highland Ridge beyond. The right party met more opposition on its way towards a ravine north-east of the village, suffering casualties. At this point
Corporal Corporal is a military rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The rank is usually the lowest ranking non-commissioned officer. In some militaries, the rank of corporal nominally corr ...
Edward 'Tiny' Foster, a Wandsworth Council
dustman A waste collector, also known as a garbage man, garbage collector, trashman (in the U.S), binman or dustman (in the UK), is a person employed by a public or private enterprise to collect and dispose of municipal solid waste (refuse) and recycl ...
in civilian life, who was commanding two Lewis gun teams, stormed the German machine gun position that was holding them up, followed by
Lance-Corporal Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many English-speaking armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organisations. It is below the rank of corporal. Etymology The presumed origin of the rank of lance corp ...
Reed. One of the Lewis guns was temporarily captured, but Foster threw bombs at the enemy, forcing them back, and then with both guns in action his party suppressed the enemy post, some 20 Germans surrendering to them. However, 14th A&SH had failed to take Beaucamp, so the right party did not move onto the ridge but formed a defensive flank. At 06.30 the British barrage ceased and the work of consolidation began. About 06.40 the Germans began bombarding the centre and right parties with heavy guns, so they withdrew into cover on the eastern outskirts of the village where the entrances were covered by Lewis guns. Just after 07.00 14th HLI reinforced 13th ESR and together the battalions pushed up to establish strongpoints east of the cemetery. Lieutenant
Gordon Alexander Gordon Reuben Alexander (1885 – 24 April 1917) was a British fencer. He competed in the individual foil and épée events at the 1912 Summer Olympics. He was killed in action during World War I. Death While attacking the town of Villers-P ...
, a former Olympic fencer, led a party forward, and rushed a machine gun post, turning the gun on the enemy. He was then killed while trying to rescue a wounded man. Captain Mills was wounded about 08.00 and Capt H.P. Naunton of C Company took over command. The enemy bombarded the village from 08.30 to 14.00 with heavy guns, paying particular attention to the tracks and entrances. Next day 11th KORL completed the capture of Beaucourt and at dusk 13th ESR was relieved and went back to
Équancourt Équancourt () is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France.Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...
(VC), and L/Cpl Reed the DCM. Witnesses felt that Lt Alexander deserved a posthumous VC, but he only got a posthumous
mention in dispatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of t ...
.Longley, p. 75.Foster VC at Queen's Royal Surreys.
/ref> After the battle, British tench maps included 'Surrey Ravine' (where Foster won his VC), a communication trench known as 'Foster Lane', and a track named 'Surrey Lane'. Lieutenant-Col Newton returned to command the battalion on 26 April, but was sent to a rest centre on 6 May and Maj J.H. Foster of 14th HLI took command until the end of the month. Captain W.G. West (1st
Sherwood Foresters The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence for just under 90 years, from 1881 to 1970. In 1970, the regiment was amalgamated with the Worcestershire Regiment to ...
arrived as second-in-command and was promoted to temporary Major. 40th Division continued to hold the Villers-Plouich sector through the summer, the battalions alternating between the front, support and reserve lines, carrying out patrols, raids and working parties, and suffering a trickle of casualties. Lieutenant-Col Newton was away on sick leave again 1–11 July, when Maj West commanded the battalion, and Lt-Col Atkins officially left in August. On 18 August Lt-Col Herbert Warden, a
Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry in ...
officer of the
Royal Scots The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment), once known as the Royal Regiment of Foot, was the oldest and most senior infantry regiment line infantry, of the line of the British Army, having been raised in 1633 during the reign of Charles I of England ...
who had previously commanded 25th Northumberland Fusiliers (Tyneside Irish), joined the battalion, and Lt-Col Newton was finally evacuated sick on 23 August, when Lt-Col Warden took over command.Pearse & Sloman, Vol III, pp. 99–110.


Bourlon Wood

After six months' continuous service in the line, 40th Division was relieved at the beginning of October and went to the Fosseux area for rest. By then 13th ESR had been reduced to a strength of 19 officers and 480 ORs. It now moved with the division to the wooded area round Lucheux to begin training for the forthcoming Battle of Cambrai, with particular emphasis on fighting in woods and villages, ready for action in Bourlon Wood. The battle began with a massed tank attack on 20 November that broke through the Hindenburg Line, and the division moved up on 22 November in order attack Bourlon Wood next morning. The capture of the wood by 40th and
51st (Highland) Division The 51st (Highland) Division was an infantry Division (military), division of the British Army that fought on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front in France during the World War I, First World War from 1915 to 1918. The division was ra ...
s would provide a defensive flank to allow Third Army to continue developing the successes of the first two days. The assault was launched at 10.30 by 119th and 121st Bdes with 120th Bde in reserve (it had only crossed the
Canal du Nord The Canal du Nord (, literally ''Canal of the North'') is a long canal in northern France. The canal connects the Canal latéral à l'Oise in Pont-l'Évêque to the Sensée Canal in Arleux. The French government, in partnership with coal-min ...
at dawn). Confused fighting went on for two days and nights, with troops from 120th Bde being gradually fed into the line. On the afternoon of 24 November 14th HLI together with some tanks attacked
Bourlon Bourlon () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region in northern France. Geography A farming village located 22 miles (35 km) southeast of Arras on the D16 road, just yards from the A26 autoroute. Populat ...
; although the HLI fought their way through the village, they became cut off on the other side. 40th Division ordered a renewed attack the following morning to break through and relieve them. The only troops available for this task were the uncommitted 13th ESR, with half of 11th KORL in support. The battalion commanders of 121st Bde holding the front line were convinced that 14th HLI had already been destroyed, but Lt-Col Warden observed that the German artillery barrage seemed designed to stop the HLI being reinforced. He made a reconnaissance in the dark and the battalion was assembled near the south-eastern edge of the village by 06.00. The leading three companies were each to send one platoon straight through to link up and reinforce 14th HLI while the rest 'mopped up', D Company being in reserve. The battalion advanced alone, without tank or artillery support, at 06.15, just before dawn. Almost immediately fire was opened from the trees in the right rear; this was dealt with by D Company which faced about and attacked the Germans in the wood. The East Surreys found the battalion HQ and remains of one company of the HLI in a building on the Fontaine-Notre-Dam road at the entrance to Bourlon, and Lt-Col Warden and his battalion HQ joined them (the CO of 14th HLI was mortally wounded about 07.00). C Company on the right had made no progress through the houses, and Warden used it with D Company to extend from the HQ strongpoint along Bourlon Ridge. These positions fought off attacks from north, east and south. The other two companies tried to fight their way through the village, but they were unable to get through to the HLI companies furthest forward, though one platoon took and held a trench north of the village that the Germans had recently captured from the HLI. Warden was then ordered to capture the railway line beyond the village, but realised that all he could do was to hold the edge of the wood and fringe of the village. As A and B Companies fell back from the village Warden added them to the HQ strongpoint, which protected the left flank of 119th Bde fighting in the wood. A section of 121st Bde's trench mortar battery also arrived and brought its two mortars to bear on houses containing German riflemen and machine gunners, the infantry providing carrying parties for the mortar ammunition. Warden's mixed force held on until darkness fell, relying on runners for communication with the rear. 40th Division was relieved that night but the incoming troops knew nothing of 13th ESR's positions, and Warden was sent a vague instruction to withdraw when the 14th HLI had been extricated by some tanks that had been ordered up (none arrived and 14th HLI had already been eliminated). Given this confusion, Warden decided to hold his ground through the night, and continued to do so until the following evening. By then the Germans had brought up heavy trench mortars to fire on the strongpoint and he was informed that his companies were occupying the barrage line for a major British attack next morning (27 November). 13th ESR and the survivors of 14th HLI were brought back to dugouts in the rear, where they established a new line. The rest of 14th HLI and the platoon of A Company beyond the village had been compelled to surrender. 13th ESR battalion did not leave Bourlon Wood until noon on 27 November, having lost 6 officers and 223 ORs in the battle out of a frontline strength of 21 officers and 602 ORs.


Winter 1917–18

13th ESR went back by bus and lorry for rest at Blairville on 28 November, but the Germans launched a major counter-offensive on 30 November, taking back most of the gains of the Battle of Cambrai. By 10 December the battalion was back holding frontline trenches at
Fontaine-lès-Croisilles Fontaine-lès-Croisilles (, literally ''Fontaine near Croisilles'') is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France southeast of Arras. Population See also *Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department ...
in severe winter weather and under regular
mustard gas Mustard gas or sulfur mustard are names commonly used for the organosulfur compound, organosulfur chemical compound bis(2-chloroethyl) sulfide, which has the chemical structure S(CH2CH2Cl)2, as well as other Chemical species, species. In the wi ...
shelling. Over just three days, 12–14 December, the battalion lost 3 officers and 51 ORs wounded or gassed, and 2 ORs killed. At the end of December the battalion moved to the
Bullecourt Bullecourt () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department department in the Hauts-de-France region region of northern France. Geography Bullecourt is situated on the Upper Cretaceous plain of Artois between Arras and Bapaume, east of the A1 ...
sector where it alternated between 'Horseshoe Redoubt' in the front line and a camp in the rear. Further moves in January 1918 took the battalion to Suzanne and then to
Bapaume Bapaume (original Dutch name Batpalmen) is a Communes of France, commune in the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department in the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region of northern France. Geography Bapaume is a farming and light indus ...
. 40th Division was withdrawn into GHQ Reserve at Hendecourt near
Arras Arras ( , ; ; historical ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department, which forms part of the region of Hauts-de-France; before the reorganization of 2014 it was in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. The historic centre of the Artois region, with a ...
on 10 February. Lieutenant-Col Warden was in temporary command of 120th Bde for part of the month, when Maj West commanded the battalion.Pearse & Sloman, Vol III, pp. 109–10. By February 1918 the BEF was facing a manpower crisis. All brigades were reduced from four to three battalions and the surplus disbanded to provide reinforcements. Among the surplus battalions being disbanded was 7th East Surreys – the regiment's senior 'K' battalion – from
12th (Eastern) Division The 12th (Eastern) Division was an infantry Division (military), division raised by the British Army during the World War I, First World War from men volunteering for Kitchener's Army, Kitchener's New Armies. The division saw service in the Tre ...
, and between 7 and 9 February 13th East Surreys received a draft of 8 officers and 180 ORs from that source. 119th Brigade, the 'Welsh Bantam Brigade', had almost disappeared, so on 16 February 13th ESR was transferred to it, leaving 120th Bde to become an all-Scottish formation. The Wandsworth battalion was now brigaded alongside 18th
Welsh Regiment The Welch Regiment (or "The Welch", an archaic spelling of "Welsh") was an infantry regiment of the line of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1969. The regiment was created in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of ...
(2nd Glamorgan) of the original 119th Bde and 21st
Middlesex Regiment The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1966. The regiment was formed, as the Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment), in 1881 as part of the Childers Re ...
(Islington) transferred from 121st Bde. 119th Brigade was commanded by the controversial Brigadier-General Frank Crozier. Crozier was displeased with the reorganisation, believing that 13th ESR and 21st Middlesex had both let him down at Bourlon Wood. He had a particular disregard for TF officers such as Lt-Col Warden, despite the
Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a Military awards and decorations, military award of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful ...
(DSO) that Warden had been awarded for Bourlon Wood. (Crozier wrote that 13th ESR 'deceived me, as I thought they were better than they were. Undoubtedly they could have been had they been better led'.) Crozier trained the brigade hard during March, using 18th Welsh as the demonstration battalion for his methods.Pearse & Sloman, Vol III, pp. 154–9.


German Spring Offensive

The Germans launched the first phase of their long-anticipated Spring Offensive (
Operation Michael Operation Michael () was a major German military offensive during World War I that began the German spring offensive on 21 March 1918. It was launched from the Hindenburg Line, in the vicinity of Saint-Quentin, France. Its goal was to bre ...
) on 21 March and secured immediate breakthroughs. At the time 40th Division was in GHQ reserve. During the first day 119th Bde was around
Mercatel Mercatel () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France south of Arras. Population See also *Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department The following is a list of the 887 communes of the Pas-de ...
at half an hour's notice to move; as it grew dark about 17.30, the brigade was ordered towards the threatened Henin Hill in the second line of defences. Despite chaos on the roads the brigade arrived by 22.30, beginning to dig in on and behind the hill. However, at 00.15 it had to make another night march to go into reserve to 34th Division, which had been engaged all day, and a company of 13th ESR was sent up to Croisilles to assist that division. By dawn 18th WR had taken up position in the
Sensée The Sensée (; ) is a river in northern France that crosses the Departments of France, département of Pas-de-Calais. The source is found at Croisilles, Pas-de-Calais, Croisilles and passes through Lécluse. It crosses the Canal du Nord at Arleux, ...
Switch trench west of St-Léger, with 13th ESR in support and 21st Middlesex in reserve. By 14.15 there were no British troops in front of 18th WR. At 18.00 news came that St-Léger had been captured and two companies of 13th ESR were ordered to attack the village with two tanks, but 18th WR saw an opportunity, commandeered the tanks, and carried out the attack instead, stopping the Germans. By nightfall 13th ESR, facing east, formed the end of 119th Bde's semicircular frontage. During the night firing broke out in the right rear and 119th Bde was informed that the enemy had broken through at Mory. 13th ESR's right was now 'in the air', and the brigade extended its line to the right. A and B Companies of 13th ESR found Ervillers still in British hands, but Mory had been captured. In the morning Crozier launched attacks on Mory, first with 21st Middlesex supported by B Company 13th ESR, which regained most of the high ground, No 5 Platoon of B Company being stopped just short of the crest. Warden reported that Mory itself was not strongly held and 119th Bde ordered him to attack. He sent B company supported by C Company to attack the west side of the village while A Company seized the high ground to the left. D Company in reserve was to be ready to attack the south side and 'mop up'. Battalion HQ, with Lewis gunners and snipers, covered the attack from the spur to the south, while the battalion transport ferried up ammunition and bombs under shell and machine gun fire. At 14.30 13th ESR advanced by short rushes and reached the western outskirts of Mory. Here they were stopped by machine gun fire; among the wounded were the commanders of B and C Companies (both were led for the rest of the action by their company sergeant-majors) and the Medical Officer (MO), Lt D.E. Berney of the US Army Medical Corps, who continued dressing the wounded after being hit three times. Crozier later alleged that at this point he had to order the unnamed CO of 13th ESR (Lt-Col Warden) to press on even when he reported being held up by machine gun fire. Warden went up to the village himself, reorganised his three attacking companies and brought up the reserve company. At about 17.00 he launched them forward again to complete the recovery of Mory and the Green Line trench. This was achieved, but the East Surreys found that the trench was so battered by shellfire that afforded little or no cover. In the face of German reinforcements the brigade quietly left the village after dark and then had easy targets to fire into, causing enormous casualties to the Germans massed to attack the empty village. During the night Lt-Col Warden commanded the front line troops of all three battalions of 119th Bde east of Ervillers, and established contact with 4th Guards Bde ( 31st Division) on the left, though touch had been lost with 12th ESR (Bermondsey) of 41st Division off to the right. In the morning (24 March), when the Germans moved in mass up the valley below, 119th and 4th Guards brigades' small-arms fire from
enfilade Enfilade and defilade are concepts in military tactics used to describe a military formation's exposure to enemy fire. A formation or position is "in enfilade" if weapon fire can be directed along its longest axis. A unit or position is "in de ...
, together with 40th Divisional Artillery, overwhelmed them and stopped the movement. The two brigades stopped another attack (this time by small parties) about 15.00. However, by 18.00 German forces had broken through from the direction of St-Léger and 4th Gds Bde was withdrawing. The position of 119th Bde in Ervillers was critical but Crozier had no orders. He now had to put into practice the lesson of the
Battle of Spion Kop The Battle of Spion Kop (; ) was a military engagement between British forces and two Boer Republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, during the campaign by the British to relieve the besieged city Ladysmith during the ...
that he had drummed into his officers: 'don't retire unless you're ordered to'. He expected his brigade to be 'mopped up' at daybreak on 25 March, but just in time he received permission to withdraw. The battalions fell back in turn, 13th ESR leaving last, to a line north of Ervillers. All through 25 March 40th Division held off attacks, but it was relieved that night. 119th Brigade went back to
Bucquoy Bucquoy () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region in northern France. The grounds, property of the Lords of Bucquoy, became a county in 1666 by request of Charles II. Geography A farming village located 12 ...
, then next day to
Bienvillers-au-Bois Bienvillers-au-Bois (; ) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region in northern France. Geography A farming and light industrial village located 11 miles (18 km) southwest of Arras at the junction of the D2 ...
in response to rumours of a breakthrough by German armoured cars. 13th ESR and 18th WR at
Monchy-au-Bois Monchy-au-Bois () is a Communes of France, commune in the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department in the Hauts-de-France region of France south-southwest of Arras. Population See also *Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department Referen ...
formed the left flank of 40th Division. No attack came (the 'armoured cars' were French farm tractors), and the division finally left the line overnight. Its dogged defence of the spurs overlooking the Sensée Valley had done much to prevent the Germans expanding their breakthrough north towards
Arras Arras ( , ; ; historical ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department, which forms part of the region of Hauts-de-France; before the reorganization of 2014 it was in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. The historic centre of the Artois region, with a ...
. 13th ESR's casualties for March were 1 officer and 17 ORs killed, 9 officers and 139 ORs wounded, and 52 missing, and the battalion still had a strength of nearly 800. Among other awards, Lt-Col Warden received a
Bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar ** Chocolate bar * Protein bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a laye ...
to his DSO, and Lt Berney became the first US recipient of the British
Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level until 1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth of ...
.


Battle of the Lys

After the first phase of the German spring offensive, 40th Division was sent north to Merville to join First Army in a quiet sector to rest and refit. Lieutenant-Col Warden was admitted to hospital suffering from exhaustion (Crozier claimed that the MO 'found
Warden A warden is a custodian, defender, or guardian. Warden is often used in the sense of a watchman or guardian, as in a prison warden. It can also refer to a chief or head official, as in the Warden of the Mint. ''Warden'' is etymologically ident ...
fighting under his bed with a pillow, swearing it was a Boche') and Maj West deputised in command. On the night of 6/7 April 119th Bde went into the line at
Armentières Armentières (; , ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Nord (French department), Nord department in the Hauts-de-France region in northern France. It is part of the Métropole Européenne de Lille. The motto of the town is ''Pauvre mais fià ...
next to the inexperienced
Portuguese Expeditionary Corps The Portuguese Expeditionary Corps (CEP, Portuguese language, Portuguese: ''Corpo Expedicionário Português'') was the main expeditionary force from Portugal that fought in the Western Front (World War I), Western Front, during World War I. Port ...
. 13th East Surrey (left) and 18th WR (right) were in the front trenches, 21st Middlesex in brigade reserve. The brigade also reconnoitred possible defensive flank positions if the Germans broke through the Portuguese. On the night of 8/9 April patrols from 13th ESR and 18th WR entered the enemy front line, finding it unoccupied at 03.00. However, at 04.15 on 9 April the Germans launched the second main phase of their offensive (Operation Georgette, the Battle of the Lys) with a massive bombardment: while trench mortars bombed the forward trenches, heavier guns shelled strongpoints, HQs, villages and crossroads with high explosive and gas. At 05.55 18th WR reported large numbers of Germans advancing on the Portuguese positions as the barrage lifted to the support line, and shortly afterwards German troops penetrated between the outposts of 18th WR and 13th ESR. Initially 13th ESR holding Fleurbaix was not attacked, though it was shelled heavily with gas and high explosive. However, as the Portuguese were overrun, first the forward posts and then the right company of 18th WR were 'mopped up' by Germans appearing out of the dense morning fog. About 8.30 these Germans began rolling up the line towards Fleurbaix and half an hour later 13th ESR's support trench was attacked from the right and rear. Soon the whole fighting part of the battalion was surrounded. Brigadier-Gen Crozier's telephone call to 13th ESR's HQ was answered by a German voice: battalion HQ had been overrun and captured without firing a shot. Some of the battalion's strongpoints held out until the afternoon, though Crozier was later critical of the speed with which the main body of 13th ESR surrendered.Crozier, pp. 200–4. Pearse & Sloman, pp. 159–60. A few men of 13th ESR fought their way out and got away to Sailly-sur-la-Lys. Here they took up positions south of the River Lys where Crozier had improvised a line with the remnants of 119th Bde and the divisional pioneer battalion (12th
Green Howards The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment), frequently known as the Yorkshire Regiment until the 1920s, was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, in the King's Division. Raised in 1688, it served under variou ...
). Between 13.00 and 14.00 Crozier withdrew over the river and the
Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is the engineering arm of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces ...
blew the bridges. The survivors of 13th ESR joined up with those 18th WR at Le Petit Mortier Farm, behind the
Steenwerck Steenwerck (; Dutch: ''Steenwerk'') is a commune, in French Flanders, in the Nord department in northern France. It is located about north of Lille. People from Steenwerck are known as ''Steenwerckois''. It is home to Steenwerck's ''100  ...
Switch trench, where they were later joined by the 'details' (2 officers and 150 ORs) of 13th ESR who had been back at the transport lines. Next morning a draft of reinforcements joined the battalion, which moved forwards to join the other remnants ('119th Composite Battalion') holding Steenwerck Switch trench. However, they were forced back and despite a counter-attack by 119th Comp. Bn regaining some of the lost ground, by the end of the day they had retired to Le Verrier, near Le Doulieu, where they spent the night. Next morning (11 April) the composite units drove back three more attacks. The brigade was relieved that evening and moved off to
Strazeele Strazeele (; from Flemish; ''Strazele'' in modern Dutch spelling) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Heraldry See also *Communes of the Nord department The following is a list of the 647 communes of the Nord departm ...
, though it was still daylight and the troops were harassed by German aircraft while on the move.


Prisoners of War

The battalion's casualties were reported as 1 officer and 7 ORs known killed, 2 officers and 80 ORs wounded, 18 officers and 437 ORs missing (killed or prisoners). It later emerged that 11 officers and around 377 ORs had been taken prisoner. They were marched back through the German lines, narrowly avoiding being hit on the road by 12-inch shells being fired by a
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
battery. The badly wounded were sent to hospitals, the officers were separated and sent directly to Germany, and the remaining ORs were marched back by stages to
Lille Lille (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city in the northern part of France, within French Flanders. Positioned along the Deûle river, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Prefectures in F ...
where they were held in Fort Macdonald for a few days. They were then sent by train to a new
Prisoner-of-war camp A prisoner-of-war camp (often abbreviated as POW camp) is a site for the containment of enemy fighters captured as Prisoner of war, prisoners of war by a belligerent power in time of war. There are significant differences among POW camps, inte ...
at
Dülmen Dülmen () is a town in the district of Coesfeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Geography Dülmen is situated in the south part of the Münsterland area, between the Lippe river to the south, the Baumberge hills to the north and the Ems ri ...
in
Westphalia Westphalia (; ; ) is a region of northwestern Germany and one of the three historic parts of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It has an area of and 7.9 million inhabitants. The territory of the region is almost identical with the h ...
. Until the
Armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from t ...
they were put to work, for example in the coal mines, while facing severe malnourishment (the Allied blockade was causing food shortages across Germany).


Reconstitution and disbandment

After suffering crippling losses in these actions, 40th Division was withdrawn from the line and temporarily formed composite units. Lieutenant-Col Warden returned from hospital on 14 April to command the remnants of 13th ESR. On 18 April two companies were attached to the 12th
Suffolk Regiment The Suffolk Regiment was an infantry regiment Line infantry, of the line in the British Army with a history dating back to 1685. It saw service for three centuries, participating in many wars and conflicts, including the World War I, First and ...
to form 'C' Battalion of '40th Division Composite Brigade', and one of these was then moved to 12th Green Howards in 'B' Battalion. Meanwhile, the rest of 13th ESR reorganised and refitted at Moulle, carrying out training and absorbing some reinforcement drafts. From 27 April 'B' Battalion joined 'No 2 Composite Brigade' under Brig-Gen Crozier employed in digging the
Poperinghe Poperinge (; , ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities of Belgium, municipality located in the Belgium, Belgian province of West Flanders, Flemish Region, and has a history going back to medieval times. The municipality comprises ...
Line in case of further German breakthroughs. It was withdrawn on 2 May.McCue, pp. 161–4. Because of the shortage of trained reinforcements, GHQ decided that several divisions could not be brought up to strength but instead would be reduced to 'Training cadres' (TCs) as instructors to the
US Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...
divisions now arriving. 40th Division was among those selected, and its infantry battalions were each reduced to TCs of roughly 10 officers and 45 ORs: their surplus personnel were drafted as reinforcements to other units. On 5 May 1 officer and 447 ORs of 13th ESR went by train to the base at
Calais Calais ( , , traditionally , ) is a French port city in the Pas-de-Calais department, of which it is a subprefecture. Calais is the largest city in Pas-de-Calais. The population of the city proper is 67,544; that of the urban area is 144,6 ...
for drafting, while those retained for the TC were billeted in Booninghem. 40th Division moved to Lederzeele and the staff and TCs continued to reconnoitre new defence lines. The officers and NCOs of 13th ESR received specialist training from senior instructors to prepare for its training role. On 3 June 13th ESR and other TCs left 40th Division and travelled by train to Hardinghen, where they joined 34th Division, which would be training the US troops. On 13 June the 1st and 3rd Battalions, 310th US Infantry Regiment ( 78th US Division) arrived to be instructed by 13th ESR, with Lt-Col Warden commanding 310th Regimental School. This continued even though 13th ESR was formally transferred to 39th British Division on 17 June.Becke, Pt 3b, p. 47.Whitton, pp. 272–3. On 29 June the training staff of 13th ESR (9 officers and 47 ORs) went to
Boulogne Boulogne-sur-Mer (; ; ; or ''Bononia''), often called just Boulogne (, ), is a coastal city in Hauts-de-France, Northern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Pas-de-Calais. Boul ...
to join 25th Division, which was proceeding to England to be reconstituted. They arrived at Aldershot on the evening of 30 June and were posted to 7th Bde, and were granted leave while awaiting orders. On 16 July they left 25th Division and travelled to
Lowestoft Lowestoft ( ) is a coastal town and civil parish in the East Suffolk (district), East Suffolk district of Suffolk, England.OS Explorer Map OL40: The Broads: (1:25 000) : . As the List of extreme points of the United Kingdom, most easterly UK se ...
where 13th East Surreys was to be reformed under the administration of 225th Mixed Bde in
68th (2nd Welsh) Division The 2nd Welsh Division was a 2nd Line Territorial Force division of the British Army in the First World War. The division was formed as a duplicate of the 53rd (Welsh) Division in January 1915. As the name suggests, the division recruited in Wa ...
. They established their HQ at the Empire Hotel and were joined by a number of officers from various regiments to help rebuild the battalion. The first draft of 74 men from the 3rd and 5th Reserve Bns, East Surreys, arrived on 17 July and were organised into companies. The bulk of the ORs were to be found by absorbing 15th (Service) Battalion, East Surreys, a new battalion of conscripts formed at Lowestoft on 1 June, though many came directly from the various reserve battalions stationed in the area. By the end of the month the battalion was roughly 400 strong, and this rose to 825 by the end of August. However, medical inspection showed that only 393 were fit for overseas service. Clearly this was unacceptable, so on 7 September the battalion was ordered to disband. The officers and men were drafted to other units, 23 officers being sent to France on 18 September to participate in the final actions of the war. By the end of the month the battalion had been reduced to a cadre of 11 officers and 74 ORs to complete the disbandment. The last few moved to the East Surreys' depot at
Kingston upon Thames Kingston upon Thames, colloquially known as Kingston, is a town in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, south-west London, England. It is situated on the River Thames, south-west of Charing Cross. It is an ancient market town, notable as ...
, where the battalion ceased to exist on 3 November, just before the Armistice.Becke, Pt 3a, pp. 135–42.


Insignia

As well as the battalion's unique version of the East Surreys' cap badge (''see above'') and the brass title worn on the shoulder straps, all ranks of 13th Bn wore a cloth badge on both upper arms. This was the red diamond of 120th Bde with a white circle in the centre. When the battalion transferred to 119th Bde it adopted a horizontal red bar on each upper arm. The divisional badge was a bantam cock (40th Division had originally been composed of 'bantams') with a white diamond superimposed; after Bourlon Wood the division added an oak leaf and acorn sprig on the diamond.


Memorials

13th East Surrey Regiment was commemorated in various ways. Alderman Dawnay was given the honorary rank of lieutenant-colonel and later knighted in recognition of his role in raising the battalion. All service battalions that had seen active service were granted a King's colour at the end of the war. Because of the battalion's early disbandment, it was not until 16 July 1921 that the 13th ESR's colour was presented at a ceremony on
Wandsworth Common Wandsworth Common is a public common in Wandsworth, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, south London. It is and is maintained and regulated by Wandsworth Council. It is also a Ward of the London Borough of Wandsworth. The population of the ward ...
attended by around 365 veterans of the battalion. The colour was then laid up in All Saints Church, Wandsworth (it no longer survives). The East Surrey Regiment's memorial chapel is in
All Saints Church, Kingston upon Thames All Saints Church is the historic parish church of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London, and is set between the ancient Market Place and the main shopping centre. It forms part of the Diocese of Southwark and together with the St John's Churc ...
. 40th Division's memorial is an altar in Bourlon Church dedicated on 27 May 1928 to those who died there in November 1917.McCue, pp. 245–56, 263. After the war the Borough of Wandsworth adopted Villers-Plouich as part of the 'League of Help' scheme, raising money to help rebuild the village that the Wandsworth Battalion had captured on 24 April 1917. The commune set a memorial tablet in the wall of the
Mairie In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...
to commemorate Wandsworth's help. Relations between the two communities were revived in the 1990s in an unofficial 'twinning', and the square in front of the Mairie was renamed 'Place de Wandsworth'. More recent memorial tablets have been placed in the garden at
Wandsworth Town Hall Wandsworth Town Hall is a municipal building on the corner of Wandsworth High Street and Fairfield Street in Wandsworth, London. The building, which is the headquarters of Wandsworth London Borough Council, is a Grade II listed building. Histor ...
. These include one to the 13th East Surreys, 'The Wandsworth Regulars', unveiled on 26 September 1964. The 13th and 14th (Wandsworth) Bns, East Surreys are listed on the adjacent tablet to Wandsworth Army Units 1914–45, placed on 1 February 2008. Nearby there is a VC plaque to Cpl Edward Foster and he is listed on the tablet to VC and GC winners from the borough.Wandsworth VCs and GCs at London Remembers.
/ref> A new footpath through
King George's Park King George's Park is a main park spanning Wandsworth and Southfields, South London. History The park was originally called Southfields Park and was laid out in 1922. It was officially opened by King George V in 1923 and renamed in his honour ...
in Wandsworth was named 'Fosters Way' in his memory on 8 May 1995.


Notes


References

* Maj A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 3a: New Army Divisions (9–26)'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1938/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, ISBN 1-847347-41-X. * Maj A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 3b: New Army Divisions (30–41) and 63rd (R.N.) Division'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1939/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, ISBN 1-847347-41-X. * David Bilton, ''The Badges of Kitchener's Army'', Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2018, ISBN 978-1-47383-366-1. * Bryan Cooper, ''The Ironclads of Cambrai'', London: Souvenir Press, 1967/Pan Books, 1970, ISBN 0-330-02579-1. *Brig-Gen F.P. Crozier, ''A Brass Hat in No Man's Land'', London: Jonathan Cape, 1930/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2011, ISBN 978-1-78151-946-2. * Brig-Gen Sir James E. Edmonds, ''History of the Great War: Military Operations, France and Belgium 1918'', Vol I, ''The German March Offensive and its Preliminaries'', London: Macmillan, 1935/Imperial War Museum and Battery Press, 1995, ISBN 0-89839-219-5/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2009, ISBN 978-1-84574-725-1. * Brig-Gen Sir James E. Edmonds, ''History of the Great War: Military Operations, France and Belgium 1918'', Vol II, ''March–April: Continuation of the German Offensives'', London: Macmillan, 1937/Imperial War Museum and Battery Press, 1995, ISBN 1-87042394-1/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2009, ISBN 978-1-84574-726-8. * Brig-Gen Sir James E. Edmonds, ''History of the Great War: Military Operations, France and Belgium 1918'', Vol III, ''May–July: The German Diversion Offensives and the First Allied Counter-Offensive'', London: Macmillan, 1939/Imperial War Museum and Battery Press, 1994, ISBN 0-89839-211-X/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2009, ISBN 978-1-84574-727-5. * Capt
Cyril Falls Cyril Bentham Falls CBE (2 March 1888 – 23 April 1971) was a British military historian, journalist, and academic, noted for his works on the First World War. He was born in Ireland and spent most of his life in England. Early life Falls was ...
, ''History of the Great War: Military Operations, France and Belgium 1917'', Vol I, ''The German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line and the Battle of Arras'', London: Macmillan, 1940/London: Imperial War Museum & Battery Press/Uckfield: Naval and Military Press, 2009, ISBN 978-1-84574-722-0. * J.B.M. Frederick, ''Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978'', Vol I, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, ISBN 1-85117-007-3. *
Paddy Griffith Paddy Griffith (4 February 1947, Liverpool, England – 25 June 2010) was a British military theorist and historian, who authored numerous books in the field of War Studies. He was also a wargame designer for the UK Ministry of Defence, and a ...
, ''Battle Tactics of the Western Front: The British Army's Art of Attack 1916–18'', Newhaven, CT, & London: Yale University Press, 1994, ISBN 0-300-05910-8. * Mike Hibberd, ''Infantry Divisions, Identification Schemes 1917'', Wokingham: Military History Society, 2016. * Brig E.A. James, ''British Regiments 1914–18'', London: Samson Books, 1978, ISBN 0-906304-03-2/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2001, ISBN 978-1-84342-197-9. * Michael Langley, ''The East Surrey Regiment (the 31st and 70th Regiments of Foot'', London: Leo Cooper, 1972, ISBN 0-85052-114-9. * Paul McCue, ''Wandsworth and Battersea Battalions in the Great War, 1915–1918'', Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2010, ISBN 978-1-84884194-9 * Capt Wilfred Miles, ''History of the Great War: Military Operations, France and Belgium 1917'', Vol III, ''The Battle of Cambrai'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1948/Uckfield: Naval and Military Press, 2009, ISBN 978-1-84574724-4. * Col H.W. Pearse & Brig-Gen H.S. Sloman, ''History of the East Surrey Regiment'', Vol II, ''1914–1917'', London: Medici Society, 1923/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2004, ISBN 1-84734-759-2. * Col H.W. Pearse & Brig-Gen H.S. Sloman, ''History of the East Surrey Regiment'', Vol III, ''1917–1919'', London: Medici Society, 1924/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2004, ISBN 1-84734-760-6. * Michael Anthony Taylor, ''No Bad Soldiers: 119 Infantry Brigade and Brigadier-General Frank Percy Crozier in the Great War'', Warwick: Helion, 2002, ISBN 978-1-91507084-5. * ''Instructions Issued by The War Office During August, 1914'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1916. * ''Instructions Issued by The War Office During September 1915'', London: HM Stationery Office. * Lt.-Col F.E. Whitton, ''History of the 40th Division'', Aldershot; Gale & Polden, 1926/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2004, ISBN 978-1-843428-70-1.


External sources


Chris Baker, ''The Long, Long Trail''

London Remembers

Queen's Royal Surreys
{{refend Battalions of the British Army in World War I East Surrey Regiment
East Surrey East Surrey is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by Claire Coutinho, a Conservative who formerly served as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. The seat covers an affluent area in t ...
East Surrey East Surrey is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2019 by Claire Coutinho, a Conservative who formerly served as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. The seat covers an affluent area in t ...
Military units and formations in Wandsworth Military units and formations in London Military units and formations established in 1915 Military units and formations disestablished in 1918