211193 Pte. Thomas Humphreys Humphreys British Army 1st/6th battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers from:Montgomeryshire (d.6th November 1917) Private Thomas Humphreys was my uncle. He died on 6/11/1917 just a few days before the war ended, at the Third Battle of Gaza.
"On the 6th November at 4am in the light of approaching dawn, the artillery barrage opened. Two water bottles, and 170 rounds of ammunition,also the unconsumed portion of the days rations were carried. The whole attack went like clockwork,and all objectives were occupied just as dawn was breaking. The enemy, cowed by the creeping barrage were bayonetted in large numbers,but the treacherous morning fog visited them again and robbed them of an important capture,and general confusion ensued.The 7th Royal Welch Fusiliers mistook advancing troops of the 6th Royal Welch and The Herefords,for Turks, and called for artillary fire, and it is uncertain whether some died from their own artillary fire. But for this unhappy accident, the whole position would have been captured in one and a half hours.
During the day, the Turks made five separate attacks on the hill,but spent themselves in vain. By dusk that day, the casualties had been 36 officers and 584 other ranks."
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