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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
Sgt. Frank Jubilee Olle
Australian Imperial Force 5th Infantry Battalion
from:Australia
(d.31st May 1915)
Frank Jubilee Olle was a 27 year old school teacher when he enlisted as a corporal with the 5th Infantry Battalion on 18 August 1914. Prior to enlistment, Olle was engaged in the Naval Reserve, training with them between 1907 and 1909. He embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Orvieto on 21 October 1914, and was present when the vessel took on German prisoners after the Sydney-Emden encounter. Soon after, Olle was promoted to lance sergeant and taken with the rest of the 5th Battalion to prepare for the Gallipoli landing. On 25 April 1915, Olle went ashore as part of the second wave, only to suffer a severe wound to his knee. He was evacuated to Heliopolis, Egypt, where he was unable to recover from his wound, and died a month later on 31 May 1915. Frank Jubilee Olle is buried in Cairo Memorial Cemetery, Egypt.
Pte. Frederick William Ollerhead
British Army 2/6th Btn. North Staffordshire Regiment
from:Tunstall, Stoke on Trent
(d.30th Nov 1917)
Sjt. Gordon Percy Olley MM.
Royal Flying Corps 1 Sqd.
from:Norfolk
Steward. C. Ollosson
Royal Navy SS Laurentic
from:Llanfair P G, Anglesey
(d.25th Jan1917)
Found on the War Memorial at Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Anglsey, Wales: Steward C. Ollosson, was 34 years old and was lost at sea on H M S Laurentic. He lived at Williams Terrace in the town.
L/Cpl. Oliver Everick William Olsen
New Zealand Expeditionary Force 2nd Battalion, 13th Company Canterbury Regiment
Lance Corporal Oliver Olsen, of 13th Company, 2nd Battalion, Canterbury Regiment, NZEF received a gunshot wound to his left leg and back on about 16th June 1917 in or near the Messines Sector. He was initially sent to 3rd Field Ambulance then to 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station before admitted to 32nd Stationary Hospital at Wimereux and eventually on to No.1 Convalescent Camp, Boulogne.
Pte. James Williams Oman
British Army 4th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders
from:Armadale, West Lothian, Scotland
(d.19th Sep 1917)
My great-grandfather was James Williams Oman. Here is the information that I know so far:
Mrs Oman received a letter from Private William Brodie, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, and her husband's chum, to the effect that her husband had not returned after a recent engagement, and it was feared he was killed. Shortly after receiving this letter she received another letter from one of her husband’s officers to the same effect, but stating that nothing definite could be stated, since no-one had seen him fall, and it was hoped that he had been taken prisoner.
I would love to find out how he died.
James Oman was the son of Daniel and Catherine Oman, husband to Eleanor Oman (née Duncan), and father of three children: Jessie, Jean and Ellen. Before the war he worked as a lorry man with Russell Brothers, wholesale fruiterers, West Main Street, Armadale. He enlisted at Glencorse, and at first served with the Cameronians Scottish Rifles (service no: 26297). He went missing in action aged 33, and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium.
Pte. M. OMara
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Jarrow
M OMara was wounded in October 1916
Pte. Enoch Oneill
British Army 1st Btn. King's (Liverpool) Regiment
from:Leigh, Lancashire
Enoch Oneill is my great grandad who served in the 1st battalion King's (Liverpool) Regiment. Enoch married my great grandmother Mary Blake in 1909 and they had two daughters and a son. Grandad served and was then honourably discharged with a war injury. He received the silver star medal.
After the Army grandad went to work as a coal heaver in Leigh, Lancashire. He died in 1939 and is buried in Leigh cametery. God bless you and sleep tight grandad xxxx.
Pte. C. F. ONiele
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
Pte. Alf E. ONiell
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Newcastle
(d.28th April 1917)
Alf ONiell is buried in Browns Copse, Rouen
Pte. C. ONiell
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
Pte. Joseph F. ONiell
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Gateshead
(d.1st July 1916)
Named on Thiepval Memorial
Pte. Michael ONiell
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Newcastle
Michael ONiell enlisted in 1914
Sgt. Stephen ONiell
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Gateshead
(d.9th April 1917)
Stephen ONiell was admitted to Hospital on the 8th of July 1916. He is burried in Bailleul Road St. Laurent. Blagny Cemetery
Pte. Thomas ONiell
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
Pte. John Charles Onslow
British Army 5th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
from:Bishop Auckland
The register for entitlement to the Victory medal and British War medal shows Jack Onslow as and also having served in the 7th and 9th Battalions.
Pte. J. B. Oosthuyse
South African Mounted Brigade Scouts 2nd Btn.
(d.15th April 1916)
Private Oosthuyse is buried in the De Goedehoop Farm Cemetery, Ermelo, Mpumalanaga, South Africa.
Burgher A. S.A. Opperman
S.A. Forces Geyser's Commmando Mounted Commandos
(d.25th November 1914)
Burgher Opperman is buried in the Rhenosterpoort Farm Burial Ground, Limpopo, South Africa
Pte. Davis J. Oram
British Army 11th Btn. Royal Fusiliers
from:20 Cecil Street Rothwell, Northants
(d.10th Aug 1917)
Davis Oram was one of three great uncles of mine lost in the Great War.
Pte. Sidney Abraham Oram
British Army 1/17 (Stepney & Poplar) Btn. London Regiment
(d.25th March 1918)
Sidney Oram was my mother's father and served in France from 1916 to his death during German advance on 25th of March 1918.
Cpl. Walter John Henry Oram
British Army 154 Coy Army Service Corps.
Rflmn. Ernest John Orchard
British Army 3rd Btn. Rifle Brigade
from:Camberwell
(d.2nd August 1917)
Ernest John Orchard was born on 7th September 1890 in Camberwell, Surrey. His parents were George Henry Orchard and Sarah (nee Pyke). Ernest was the eldest of three sons. His brothers were William and Edwin George, he also had three sisters - Annie, Amelia and Amy Kate. The address on the Baptism page is 23 Alma Terrace, the family were still at this address in 1891 (census). Alma Terrace was later renamed Redan Terrace. Ernest was baptised on 7th June 1891 at St James the Apostle Knatchbull Road, Lambeth.
By 1901 the family lived at 3 Gordon Grove, Lambeth and by the 1911 Census they were living at 21 Redan Terrace, Flaxman Road, Camberwell. in the 1911 Census Ernest was employed carman at a laundry. (A carman was a driver of horse drawn vehicles for transporting goods.) The nearest laundry at the time was Walton Lodge Laundry Cold Harbour Road.
In 1915 (in the Jan/Feb Mar quarter) Ernest married Charlotte Sarah Glanville in Lambeth. Their daughter Violet K was born in (in the Jan/Feb Mar quarter) 1916.
By May 1915 Ernest had volunteered for the military, and enlisted with the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own), his Regimental number was S/28912 with the rank of rifleman. After completion of his training he was posted to the Western Front. The National Roll of the Great War, 1914-1918 states Ernest was killed in action at Messines on 31st July 1917, but the Register of soldiers' effects and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission cite his death as 2nd August 1917. He, along with his brother, are inscribed on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres.
Gnr. William Frederick Orchard
British Army Royal Horse Artillery
William Frederick Orchard was my grandfather. According to the Medal Rolls Index he first saw service in Area 3 (Egypt) 31 Mar 1915 (aged 23) as a Gunner in the Royal Horse Artillery. The same index shows him subsequently in the Royal Field Artillery. However, I believe William served in India prior to World War 1, and his medal ribbons includes what is either the Dehli Durbar Medal 1911 or the Coronation Medal 1911 to support this. I also inherited two books on the Coronation and India by Bennet/Coleman from 1912, to further support the supposition. This is alongside the 1915 Star (RHA/IAB4/292), British War Medal (RFA/349B/5016y) and Victory Medal (RFA/349B/5016y).
He was injured during WW1 by shrapnel and suffered with this in later life. Thus far I have been unable to locate his service record.
Pte. George Henry Ord
British Army 10th Btn. Green Howards
from:South Shields
Before it was to late, I decided to try and record the experiences and history of my father George Henry Ord during World War 1. It is meant to be a history for the benefit of my family and those to come and for those having relatives who served in the Battalion and want to track the 10th Battalion's movements during World War 1. Wherever possible I have concentrated on dates and places as some people may wish to visit the Battle sites and follow in their footsteps . Most of all I want it to be a record dedicated to him and his mates so that they and their sacrifices, should never be forgotten.
Thursday 1st October 1914
The 10th Battalion Green Howards was formed as part of Kitcheners New Army. It was commanded at first by Colonel A. de S. Hadow. It was part of the 62nd Infantry Brigade along with 12th & 13th Battalions of the Northumberland Fusiliers and the 1st Lincoln’s. The 62nd, 63rd, 64th Brigades and Pioneers (14th Northumberland Fusiliers ) formed the 21st Division under the command of Colonel T.G.L.H. Armstrong. Posted to France late 1915. Each battalion ( 960 men ) consisted of 4 Companies (240 men) and each Company had 4 Platoons. The 10th Battalion was formed and assembled at Berkhamstead ,a small town about 12 miles southwest of Luton, and moved into a rudimentary camp at Halton Park between Tring and Wendover . They were billeted in Tring and the surrounding neighbourhood . On 15th November they moved to Aylesbury, whilst the Halton Park camp was improved. Rifles were in short supply and the following is an amusing anecdote from the Battalion records, " Can one feel like a soldier with a wooden toy to carry about with you , knowing that before parade it had already poked the fire , cleared the kitchen sink , beaten the dog, or proved of domestic utility in other ways ."
Monday 21st Dec 1914: It was on this day that my Father was posted to the 10th Battalion The Green Howards and he travelled to Richmond North Yorks to begin his basic training - it must have been a big adventure and very exciting for him . He enlisted at King St, South Shields on Wednesday 2nd Dec. 1914. He had just passed his 17th Birthday and the minimum age allowed was 19. Conditions at home were so bad, that this must have represented itself as a golden opportunity to get away. I think that because of what he and his brothers and sisters had endured as children, he became a survivor and very streetwise. I guess you could say that his parents did not give him very much to start life, but by their actions they made him a survivor, it was the best gift they could have given him. This was to get him through the horrors that were to come. In the words of one soldier "It is a hard life we live and the ability to look after oneself and rough it are assets. Softness is played upon. Firmness and rough handling when the occasion demands it are taken for granted" .In the years that I knew him, I never heard him say he did it out of patriotic duty. Like so many young men of that era, he had not had the chance to travel to another part of the country and as a result he must have decided not to join a Local battalion but one whose HQ was in his eyes a "long way away", in this case Richmond North Yorks, 40 miles away. This would involve some travelling and a chance he hoped to do some "sightseeing ". Little did he know that he would get more than enough of that but not under very good conditions. When the Recruiting Sergeant asked his date of Birth, he had not worked out what it should be in order for him to be 19 - he was told "to have a little walk round the Block and think about it". He returned in a short while and was accepted. The rate of pay for a Private was 1 shilling ( £0.05p - $0.08 ) per day. Interestingly, about 40% of all British recruits were rejected on Health grounds and is an indicator of poverty, their poor living conditions and diet they had to put up with. A survey showed that State educated children were on average, 5ins smaller than their Public school counterparts.
Tuesday 22nd May 1915: The Battalion returned to Halton Park, by which time he would have been well into his basic training. This normally took 10 weeks - 8 weeks' square bashing and 2 weeks' weapons training. Many thought it should have been the reverse.
Monday 9th August 1915: The Battalion was given orders to march to Witley (10 miles SE of Aldershot) and they arrived there on the 13th August.
Thursday 9th September 1915: At 6pm they left Witley camp and marched to Milford, a few miles north , and then went by train to Folkstone. They joined the ship immediately and arrived at Boulogne at 3.15am on 10th September.
Saturday 11th September 1915: Very little time was spent in the rest camp. They next took a train for Watten and then marched to Noeux les Mines arriving on 25th September.
Sunday 25th Sept 1915: After a short rest, they marched to Vermelles and crossed the Bethune - Lens road. It was here that they came under shellfire for the first time - it must have been a great shock to them all. It was on this day that the Battle of Loos began and it was the first time that the British had used gas. They released 150 tons of Chlorine gas, directly killing 600 German solders. Being part of the 21st Division and very inexperienced, they were held in reserve. They were under the Command of General Haig and part of the 1st Army. The battle ended with what the Allies thought was a Victory at 9:30am. The Battalion was marched up to Loos on the same day and in the afternoon were in the front line for the first time. They shared the German front line trench with the 18th London Regiment. "We enquired of the Londoners what they were doing and they said that they had decided to dig in for the night, so we did likewise". Two platoons of D company pushed on a little further and their first loss occurred when Captain Lynch was killed.
Sunday 26th September 1915: The battalion were to the right of the front line, SE of Loos and were ordered to attack the German front line. "Having dug ourselves in fairly satisfactorily, we were promptly moved and had to start all over again in the pelting rain ". Two accounts exist of what happened during the attack, but from being attackers they turned into defenders from a big German counter attack and experienced heavy losses. They lost their C.O. Colonel Hadow. From the Green Howards Gazette "Little can be said of what actually happened, beyond the fact that everyone was wet, hungry, and desperately tired; impressions left consist chiefly of the racket of machine guns and rifles, the continuous whistling of shells followed by bang and the bubbly noises of the fuses and the rattle of shrapnel among the Loos pylons. Officers found themselves in command of men from three different divisions; telephonic communication was smashed and orders were practically an impossibility from any higher command than that of a platoon commander". Altogether they lost 12 Officers, two C.S.M.s and about 300 men, over 30% of the battalion.
The cause had been the German machine guns, the Allied troops had been mown down in their thousands. The Germans did not have aim their guns, just point and shoot. Sir Douglas Haig earlier thought that Machine guns were highly overrated and that 2 per Battalion would be adequate. This battle may have changed his mind. In fairness to him, he was against this battle as he thought the chances of victory were slim. He felt they had insufficient Artillery cover. In the end the British suffered over 60,000 casualties and the Germans 20,000. Even the Germans felt sorry for them, they called the battle "Der Leichenfeld von Loos" - Field of Corpses of Loos. As the wounded made their way back to British lines, one German regimental diary commented "No shot was fired at them for the rest of the day, so great was the feeling of compassion and mercy for the enemy after such a victory ". The death toll at Loos exceeded in intensity that of any previous battle. I think my Father had a lucky escape and he had used up one of his "Nine lives".
Monday 27 September 1915: Not surprisingly, the Battalion was taken out of the line on the night of the 27th and bivouacked near Philsophe. A new C.O. was appointed, Major W.B. Eddowes (ex 13th Northumberland Fusiliers )
Tuesday 28th September 1915: The Battalion marched to Noeux les Mines and there entrained for Strazeele in order to regroup and reorganise. They were joined by 11 officers and 200 men, who helped make up the losses.
Wednesday 13th October 1915: The Battalion left Strazeele and marched via Merris, Le Verrier, Steenwerck ,La Menegatte, Nieppe and Pont de Nieppe, and arrived at Armentieres the next day. They were trained in "Trenchwork" by visiting the front line for various periods and were under the guidance of experienced Officers.
Tuesday 19th October 1915: Another draught of 100 men arrived. During 19th & 20th the whole battalion did 24 hours in the trenches.
Monday 25th October 1915: The battalion was finally allotted a front line sector - the Epinette Salient. The Salient (from the Ypres Times) "The aspect of a salient upon a map is familiar to most of us. This is a piece of ground projecting into the enemies lines and offering, therefore, peculiar disadvantages and dangers to the defenders. The Hun can shoot straight across it and from the front and back. A salient is an awkward place ".
Wednesday 27th October 1915: An Officer and 30 men travelled to Balliol for Inspection by the King and on the 29th the "rainy season" started From now till the 18th of Nov 3 officers were killed and 2 wounded.
Sunday 19th December 1915: "This day will not be forgotten by any who had the misfortune to be in the line that day, for it was the first really heavy bombardment of the trenches we had suffered ". This bombardment was intended as a diversion from the German attack on the Bluff further to north.
January and February 1916: During this period, the battalion remained in Epinette area, doing their best to keep their parapets intact and their trenches drained, and losing small numbers of men almost daily from the enemy guns and snipers. Defending a salient was a difficult thing to do as you could be shot at from the front, either side and from behind. My Father recalled an officer looking over the trench parapet through a small slot in a metal plate and he was killed instantly by a fluke shot from a German sniper, the bullet having entered the viewing slot.
March 1916: The battalion was twice out of the line to be rested, once at Houplines and then at Steenwerck.
Friday 31st March 1916: The 21st division left the 2nd Army and entraining at Balliol travelled to the ill fated Somme area.
Monday 17th April 1916: They were billeted at Ville-sous-Corbie and were "welcomed" by the Germans who fired Fourteen 5.9 ins shells at them. The 21st Div was now commanded by Major General D. G. M. Campbell and was part of XV Corps .They were now part of Sir Henry Rawlinsons 4th Army. Just in time for the Battle of the Somme which began on 1st July 1916. Prior to the Battle they were in the general area of the front line and were subject to attack by the Germans.
Thursday 29th June 1916: The Battalion was billeted at Buire, but on the following night it was moved up to "Queens Redoubt" in readiness for the attack, which was to take place the following morning, the 62nd Brigade being in divisional reserve. They were positioned to the right of the main front line and North of Fricourt. By tradition, the Right of the Line" is considered the "Position of Honour". To their right were the 17th, 7th, 18th and 30th Divisions, some 43,000 men. It was in this sector that some of the hardest fighting occurred but where the Allies achieved the most success.
Saturday 1st July 1916: First day of the Battle of the Somme. The whole 21st Division managed to carry the Line forward 1000 yds east of the Henin stream. The 10th Battalion was not used in this attack due I should think to their large losses. On the 13th they were moved to the Henin - Croisilles Rd to be held in reserve.
Sunday 15th April 1917: The Battle of Arras ended on this day at a cost of 38,000 killed British soldiers. A dent measuring 4 miles deep and 10 mile long had been made in the German front line. By the standards of the day it was considered a victory. The 10th Green Howards were withdrawn back to Boiry Becquerelle and then to Beaumetz, where they remained for 10 days. The rest of the month was spent training at Heudecourt.
Tuesday 31st April 1917: Once again the 10th Green Howards were sent up to the support trenches and at once came under very heavy shelling for 3 days. They lost 17 men killed and wounded.
Thursday 9th August 1917: The 10th Green Howards were withdrawn from the line and marched back to Moyenne-ville and were billeted the following day at Ervillers. They remained here for the best part of the month, practicing new methods of attack in view of the reported changes in the German system of defence. They also practiced working in co-operation with aeroplanes.
Wednesday 26th September 1917: On this day the Third Battle of Ypres or Passchendaele began with an attack on Polygon wood. This was to be the last battle that my Father took part in. Defending the Ypres salient since 1914 had cost the Allies 430,000 causalities, killed, wounded, and missing In this final battle alone at Ypres, there were 250,000 Allied causalities of which 90,000 were killed or reported missing. Of these dead, 42,000 bodies were never recovered. Many were simply blown to bits or still lie in the mud where they fell. Some were wounded and fell face down and were drowned in the mud, unable to move due to the weight of equipment they were carrying, some managed to crawl into a shell holes but were drowned as they were unable to move and the water level rose. Many soldiers reported hearing their cries and screams for help but were unable to do anything. It is not possible to comprehend the horror of all this. Some soldiers words summed it all up ~ "We died in Hell" ~ "Oh Jesus make it stop". For the Germans it was equally bad, they estimated they lost 400,000 men in this battle. My Father was lucky to have survived.
Hellfire Corner was the most hazerdous spot on the Ypres Salient. Here the Ypres - Roulers railway and the Potijze - Zillebeke road crossed the Menin Road and because of this the Germans new the precise range.
Monday 1st October 1917: After nearly 3 years service with the 10th Green Howards, my Fathers luck was starting to run out. In the next few days he would be severely wounded. Unfortunately the exact date and location is not known, as at this time the Battalion only recorded by name, injuries and deaths to Officers, "other ranks" were recorded as numbers only. A despicable action showing in my opinion a complete disregard for the fighting soldiers. I strongly suspect that it may have occurred during the Battle for Broodseinde Ridge (4th - 7th October). This was one the objectives set and part of the overall battle for Passchendaele. The strength of the battalion at this time was 37 Officers and 966 men. The fighting strength was 30 Officers and 897 men. On this day they were at H camp near Dickebusch Lake. Orders were received that the 2nd Army was to attack the high ground Reutel-Noordhemhoek - Molenaarelsthoek - Niewe - Moden on 4th October.
Tuesday 2nd October 1917: They marched to Zillebeke Lake and two men of A company were killed by shell fire. This was supposed to be a rest area but was well within the range of the German guns.
Wednesday 3rd October 1917: With all battle stores, they left Zillebeke lake at 9am in order of platoons, D company leading, followed by B, C, and A. They reached Clapham Junction at midnight. The C.O. decided to take B & D companies to the jumping off point and to keep in touch with the leading companies of the 12th/13th Northumberland Fusiliers, while A & C companies were to follow in support. They were timed to pass Clapham Junction at 1.40am on the 4th.
Thursday 4th October 1917: This is the day that my Dad was severely wounded and it is eerie to see the Battlefield where it happened. The Germans came over the ridge to attack the British line. On arriving at Glencorse Wood, B & D companies came under very heavy enemy shelling and as a result lost touch with 12th/13th Northumberland Fusiliers. The remainder of the battalion left Clapham Junction at 1.30am and came under heavy fire at Glencorse Wood and were able to reach Black Watch Corner by 2.30am. Again they were heavily shelled and they were ordered to find shelter in the surrounding shell holes. The whole of the 10th Green Howards were now near to Black Watch Corner and were under heavy shell fire and with no guides. They were able to move on and reached the jumping off point at 5.15am. On arriving they found the 1st Lincolnshire Regiment occupying their position. The C.O. of the 1st Lincoln’s had realised the difficult position they were in at Black Watch Corner and thought it unlikely that they would reach their position by Zero hour (6.00am).
As a result, the 10th Green Howards became the Reserve battalion on a line just in front of Polygon Wood. They had been under continuous heavy shell fire from 9.00pm on 3rd October till 6.00am on the 4th Oct (9 hours). They suffered serious losses. In the evening, under cover of darkness, they moved to a new position near the old front line in Juniper Trench. Here consolidation was put in hand. Of this time my father recalled later - "I managed to get into a shell hole and lay there all day in great pain. I knew that during the night, stretcher bearers would be out looking for the wounded. It got dark and then I heard someone moving about and I started to shout. Three men got into the shell hole, one was a German officer and the other two were probably stretcher bearers. The officer looked at my wound and started to dress it. He cut the sleeve away and poured iodine all over the wound. The pain that caused was terrible, if I had had a gun I would have shot him. They left the shell hole to look for their own wounded. Some time later I heard more people moving about and again I shouted, this time they were British and they carried me behind the lines."
The 62nd and 64th Brigades held on here under intense artillery fire and suffered many casualties. The conditions in the trenches were very bad, with upwards of 1ft of mud and water making it nearly impossible for the stretcher bearers to recover the wounded.
Sunday 7th Oct 1917: Just before midnight, the 10th Green Howards were relieved from the front line and moved back to Zillebeke Lake, thus bringing to an end their part in the battle of Broodseinde Ridge. Their losses had been very severe, the killed, missing and wounded amounted to 334 Officers and men (35% of the Battalion). They were not out of harm's way, for in the weeks they were in the Dickebusch - Zillebeke area they incurred many more casualties from enemy shelling. The rain was very heavy and the slightest concussion brought down the trench parapets. By the end of the month the numbers had been reduced even further to 541 Officers and men, they had lost 425 men (44% of the compliment).
Sunday 18th November 1917: The first of several moves were made. They marched in Brigade to the neighbourhood of Bethune, then to Bersin, then to Ottawa camp at Mont St.Eloi and finally to Ecurie in the Arras area, some 40 miles south of Passchendaele .
Sunday 25th November 1917: While at Ecurie, the whole 21st Division were warned of an impending move on the 3rd December to Italy. This possible move was as a result of political manoeuvres at 10 Downing St. All along the Prime minister David Lloyd George was never in agreement with the Passchendaele campaign and restricted his support of Sir Douglas Haig, the Army commander. In essence, he washed his hands of the whole affair. He felt that the way to win the war was to defeat the enemy first in Italy. This order was cancelled by reason of the Cambrai operations.
Friday 30th November 1917: The 10th Green Howards entrained at Maroeuil for Peronne and thence marched to Brusle camp.
Monday 3rd December 1917: They were moved again to Longavesnes. Two days were spent in reconnoitering the line in anticipation of any likely attack between Epehy and Heudicourt. Some days later they were moved to the front line, east of Pozieres.
Tuesday 25th December 1917: On Christmas Day, the Battalion were in billets at Lieramont. It was very cold, but happily the enemy were comparatively inactive. Most of January was spent here.
Wednesday 30th January 1918: This was the very last move the 10th Green Howards ever made during World War 1. They moved by train to Moislains.
7th Feb. 1918: During this week the life of 10th Battalion Green Howards came to an end, three companies being distributed between the 2nd, 4th and 5th Battalions while the forth company were sent to the VII Corps Reinforcement Camp.I know of no explanation why this happened, but I suspect those in command felt that they had lost so many men, that even with replacements, it might be difficult to engender the same fighting spirit. The battalion was reformed again in June 1940 and in June 1943, it became the 12th Yorkshire Parachute Regiment. It no longer exists.
Spring 1918 Passchendaele. Here is saddest part of the whole Ypres salient story, a condemnation of those in charge of the British Army. In the Spring of 1918, the German forces launched one last, all out major offensive and as a result the British were unable to hold the Salient and made a strategic withdrawal to the line first suggested in 1915 by General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien. He was sacked for suggesting such a move. In summary, it meant the Allies had defended a piece of land, with no strategic importance from 1914 to 1918 and in doing so, it had lost 430,000 men of which 200,000 had been killed for no purpose at all, other than to wear the opposition down. The British and Empire Forces lost 54,900 men. It was part of Sir Douglas Haig's grand plan to win through a war of attrition . It was the Germans' plan also. What follows are some general views of the Passchendaele battlefield - terrible .
Undated Reminiscences: As a child , my father told me many things that had happened to him during the War, these are some of the few I remember. I wish I could remember more:
A British Atrocity. He told me that while marching up the road with his Battalion he saw ahead of him a damaged house by the side of the road. It was full of German prisoners under the guard of a few British soldiers. As someone passed the house, they threw a Mills bomb into the front room and it exploded. Dad was able to go into the house and he said the results were indescribable, blood and bodies everywhere. An investigation was carried out but the perpetrator was never found.
The Death of a German Soldier. "I was on the Machine Gun and saw some German soldiers moving across the ground. I started firing at them and they jumped in to a shell hole for cover. I kept on firing at the shell hole until I saw no more movement . A short while later, this young German soldier scrambles out of the hole and he tried to run to a nearby stand of trees. The mud was so deep that he got stuck and he was an easy target. We all watched him till he managed to get his right foot out of his boot and he was able to start moving again. As this was happening, I decided not to shoot, it was pitiful and it all seemed just a waste. All of a sudden my mate shouted "Shoot" and I refused. His fate was decided for him when my mate pointed out that when he got to the trees, we would become his target. I gave him a short burst and down he went". He was not proud of this, and I think it affected him deeply, he was one of the few soldiers I have spoken too who admitted to killing another person .
Unable to stand it anymore. "We had in my company a son from a rich family. They were owners of a very successful biscuit company (still around today - author). For days he had been telling me and my mates that he could not take it anymore and he was going to shoot himself in the foot. We told him not to do it. Sure enough, a few days later there was a shot in the trench and he had done it, they carted him off and I do not know what happened to him . I thought it was the coward's way out, I had no sympathy."
Dad's Wounding. "I remember lying in a Hospital bed in Cambridge and some Doctors were standing at the bottom of my bed, discussing what to do. One of them told me that they were going to operate on my arm, but in all probability I would lose it. I told them I did not care what happened". Unbeknown to him, they had sent for his Mother as they thought he might not survive the operation. He did not lose his arm, and over 50 yrs later a Hospital consultant saw the wound asked purely out interest about it. After examining the wound, he asked who had carried out the operation and of course my Father did not know. The Consultant told him that he was a very very lucky man, because whoever had done the operation was a genius . Even using modern day techniques, it was likely he would have lost his arm. It is fitting tribute to the surgeons of that war, given the conditions and the pressure they operated under, that they took the time to try and save a young man's arm.
The Aftermath. After serving 3yrs and 144 days, my father was discharged from the Army on Wednesday 24th April 1918. It took the Government of the day 5 yrs to award him a Pension and he was given the magnificent sum of 15s / 2d per week ( £0.76p - $1.22 ), which at some time in the future they decided to take from him . After the war, he was, like so many servicemen, just dumped on the scrap heap after being promised "homes for heroes". It was very difficult for the injured to get a War Pension, if they were lucky they might get the Dole at 4s / 8d (£0.23 - $0.38 )per week. Many resorted to begging like this man with no legs besides Colleys Farm, South Shields and as a child I remember many men like him sitting in the streets of the surrounding towns. I never understood why, now I do. It was only through pressure from MPs that a pension scheme was created and even then pensions were reluctantly allocated. According to Sylvia Pankhurst (Emily's daughter), she knew of an instruction given to a new manager: " I suppose you understand that our main object here is to save the fund, we never pay benefit if we can possibly avoid it".
Needless to say my Father felt very bitter about it all. Sometime after, he attended a Ceremony on the steps of South Shields Town Hall to receive his Service Medals, he threw them to the ground. My Mother recovered them, but at some point he must have cut the ribbons off so that they could not be worn. As a child, I remember playing with the medals as they were kept in the family Button box. He died on Wednesday 19th of February 1975, aged 77 . He was my Hero and the bravest man I ever knew.
None of the above would have possible without the help of : Lt. Col Neil McIntosh of the Green Howards Museum, Richmond, Nth Yorks . In addition five books proved invaluable for giving me an overall view and for some intriguing facts , they are "They called it Passchendaele" and "1915" by Lyn Macdonald (Penguin), " The 1st day of the Somme" by Martin Middlebrook (Penguin), "First World War" by Martin Gilbert(Harper Collins) and "Deaths Men" by Denis Winter (Penguin). All are excellent reads for anyone interested in this topic.
Private Henry Ord
British Army 15th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
from:Aycliffe House, Thornley, Durham
(d.17 April 1918)
Henry Ord was my great great Grandmother's brother. He was a Private in Durham Light Infantry, 15th Battalion - Regiment Number 22390.
I also found he died of wounds (Western European Theatre) in France and Flanders 17 April 1918. He is buried at Mendinghem Military Cemetery, Poperinge West-Vlannderen, Belgium. Grave/Memorial Ref X.A.21.
Pte. J.G. Ord
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Blyth
J Ord was wounded in October 1916
Sgt. Josiah "Si" Ord MM.
British Army 12th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers
from:North Seaton, Northumberland
My Grandfather, Josiah Ord, was a miner living in North Seaton, Ashington, Northumberland and working at the local colliery. He joined The Northumberland Fusiliers in the early years of the First World War and served through to the end having been appointed Sergeant after winning The Military Medal during the Battle of the Somme. He was wounded and lost a large portion of his right bicep during the action resulting in The Military Medal award. I have not been able to find any other details other than the award was gazetted on 28th of August 1916.
Richard Foster Ord
Army 18th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
Pte. Robert Ord
British Army 18th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
Pte. W. Ord
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Haswell Plough
W Ord was wounded in 1916
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