218413 Gnr. Jack Hordley British Army 8th Div Ammunition Column, C subsection SAA Royal Field Artillery from:Wellington, Shropshire Jack Hordley joined the British Army on 25th March 1918. He was trained for 11 weeks at Fullwood Barracks in Preston.
He had embarkation leave from 21st May 1918 until 5th June 1918. They left Preston at 2.30pm on 10th May 1918 for Southampton, then left Southampton at 6.30pm on the same day for France, landing at Le Havre at 12.30pm on 11th June 1918.
We left Le Havre for the first army on 17th June 1918, arriving at Liercourt on 18th June 1918. Here I saw my first battle in the air, then had a 6 hour march to Trouville. On 19th June 1918 we moved off again to join the Company at Abbeville, in six hours we were on the move again for Bouchamps which was 30 km away and I had to ride a mule, bare back, all the way. I shall never forget this as long as I live.
July 7th 1918 we moved again at 6.30pm and travelled all night and the next day to get to Barlin at 10pm. Had one night and then on again another 50 km on a mule to St Eloi, just behind Vimy Ridge. On 30th July we went right over the ridge to our new positions with Anti tank gun.
The next day we had a very lively time, saw a German Aeroplane brought down at 10am, 2 English at 11am, 4 German and 3 English at 1pm. Then we got driven out of our position at 6pm by gas. We had to stay out all night and were sent to another position with another gun.
August 8th 1918. We were visited by King George V and returned to the battery. August 12th we returned to the tank gun. Had a quiet time until the 18th August when we were bombed out again by a German aeroplane. Our anti tank gun position was sited at a spot where the German tanks were expected to attempt a break through and was heavily camouflaged. We had orders to remain strictly undercover. On that day one of the crew, (on sentry duty) watched a German spotter plane circling overhead at low altitude. In a moment of foolishness, he decided to have a shot at the plane with his rifle. The plane at once stopped circling round and made off back to the German lines. It was not very long after this that the German bomber came over, pinpointed our position and dropped 2 bombs. This turned the gun over killing 2 of the crew and trapped us in the dugout. We were trapped inside until the following morning when a relief party from the company came and dug us out. We left that position as a bad job.
We joined the battery again on 21st August 1918 and took some ammunition up to the front on a light railway. We were under shellfire and bombing for 2 hours. We lost all the ammo, train and all, but we managed to get off all right.
October 18th moved to Arras. The Germas were not going back with us chasing them. One night in Death Valley, then Douai (2 nights there)then on again to Le Catelett, Malenfosse and St Armond.
On 7th November 1918 we were sent to rest at Valenciennes but after only 2 days we were returned to the lines finishing up at Mons on the 11th We then did occupational duties in Antoing, Tournai, Cherque, bassily, Mareque and Bornheim finishing up at Bonn.
On September 20th 1919 I got my demob papers. The company went to camp at Prees Heath, Shropshire for their final discharge from the army.
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