WW1

Today in WW1: A VC on Hill 70

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Frederick Henry Johnson led several charges on positions on Hill 70 on September 25, 1915, for which he was later awarded the Victoria Cross.

A second lieutenant in the 73rd Field Coy., Corps of Royal Engineers, Johnson was 25 years old at the time of the attack which was part of the Battle of Loos.

The citation for his VC was published in in the London Gazette on November 16, 1915. It reads:

“For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in the attack on Hill 70 on 25 September 1915. Second Lieutenant Johnson was with a section of his company of the Royal Engineers. Although wounded in the leg, he stuck to his duty throughout the attack, led several charges on the German redoubt, and at a very critical time, under very heavy fire, repeatedly rallied the men who were near him. By his splendid example and cool courage he was mainly instrumental in saving the situation and in establishing firmly his part of the position which had been taken. He remained at his post until relieved in the evening.”

Johnson later achieved the rank of major but was killed in action in Bourlon Wood, France, on November 26, 1917.

This photograph, taken earlier this year, shows his name on the Cambrai Memorial to the Missing.

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Australian WW1 graves at Pozieres

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Pozieres British Cemetery
Pozieres British Cemetery

A selection of photographs taken during a recent visit to Pozieres British Cemetery.

Pozieres is a village about six kilometres north-east of Albert, and the cemetery is a south-west of the village on the north side of the main road (D929) from Albert to Pozieres.

According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website, the village of Pozieres was attacked on July 23, 1916 by the 1st Australian and 48th (South Midland) Divisions, and was taken on the following day.

It was lost on March 24-25, 1918, during the great German advance, and recaptured by the 17th Division on the following 24 August.

Here are three Australian graves from the cemetery: Privates DB Harford, FB Dowling and L Robinson.

Three Australian graves at Pozieres.
Three Australian graves at Pozieres.

There are 2,760 Commonwealth servicemen buried or commemorated in this cemetery -1,382 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 23 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. There is also one German soldier buried here.

Lines of graves at Pozieres.
Lines of graves at Pozieres.

This grave contains the remains of Military Medal winner, Private D Cottingham.

D Cottingham MM
D Cottingham MM

 

 

War memorial in the French town of Bailleul

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A selection of photographs of the war memorial in the French town of Bailleul, near the Belgian border.

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The memorial commemorates the fallen from the town of World War One and World War Two.

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It is in a backstreet near the town hall.

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It appears to be the remains of a ruined church.

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These photographs were taken in early April 2014.

WW1 German graves at “Hyde Park Corner”

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German soldier Georg Fuchs lies with two comrades in the corner of the British cemetery opposite the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium.

Georg Fuchs
Georg Fuchs

The Hyde Park Corner cemetery is at the scene of a road junction to the north of Ploegsteert Wood (‘Plug Street’ to the British soldiers).

The cemetery was begun in April 1915 by the 1st/4th Royal Berkshire Regiment and was used at intervals until November 1917. It contains 83 Commonwealth burials of the First World War.

The German war graves are at the rear.

Three German graves.
Three German graves.

Two of the German soldiers are unidentified.

Unidentified graves.
Unidentified graves.

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Nearby there is a Jewish soldier of the Loyal North Lancs Regt.

Private D Gordon
Private D Gordon

Two to remember from the Somme

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A brief story of two Royal Welch Fusiliers who were wounded at battles for woods on the Somme.

Their graves are located in the cemetery at Abbeville, which was some way from the front.

Abbeville cemetery
Abbeville cemetery

I took these photos some years ago and now the wonderful Anne Pedley, of the Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum in Caernarfon, has helped me piece together parts of the stories of Ceredig Ellis and Edward Roberts.

Ceredig Ellis
Ceredig Ellis

Second Lieutenant Ellis, whose parents were from Aberystwyth, was married to Mildred and lived 61 Oxton Road, Wallasey, Cheshire.

He was educated at Bangor University where he was a member of the OTC.

He was commissioned on February 1, 1915. He was transferred to 15th RWF (the London Welsh) and joined the battalion in France.

He saw action with D Company and was wounded at Mametz Wood on July 11, 1916.

He was to die of these wounds, most likely at Abbeville where there was a large military hospital.

Ceredig's grave - detail
Ceredig’s grave – detail

As the inscription on the grave indicates Mildred had recently given birth to their first child.

The second fusilier, CSM Roberts, enlisted with 10th RWF and embarked to France on September 27, 1915.

He received the Military Medal for bravery while in trenches in the Kemmel area, where the Fusiliers defended themselves against a German gas and an infantry attack.

Edward Roberts
Edward Roberts

He also fought at High Wood and it was during fighting there that he was first reported missing and then wounded.

He died of his wounds at Abbeville ten days later.

The cemetery contains around 3,000 graves
The cemetery contains around 3,000 graves

A most special moment at Menin Gate (WW1)

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Harry Patch never spoke publicly about his experiences on the frontline of the First World War until he had turned 100.

From then on he was to become an eloquent ambassador for those who had lost their lives on both sides.

He returned to Passchendaele in 2007 for the 90th anniversary of the battle, laying a wreath, not only on a memorial for the British dead, but also at a cemetery for the German victims of the offensive.

He also went to the Menin Gate where he made this speech.

He died in July 2009, aged 111. He was the last of the British veterans of the Western Front.

Photos of First World War Trench Network

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Hooge Trench
Hooge Trench

This is what remains of the Hooge Chateau trench network a few kilometres outside Ypres/Ieper.

The trench is in the grounds of the Hotel Kasteelhof’t Hooghe.

According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the chateau and its stables were the scene of fierce fighting throughout the First World War.

Hotel Kasteelhof’t Hooghe (Hotel's photo)
Hotel Kasteelhof’t Hooghe (Hotel’s photo)

The staff of the 1st and 2nd Divisions were wiped out when the chateau was shelled on October 31, 1914.

From May 24 to June 3, 1915, the chateau was defended against German attacks and in July 1915, the crater was made by a mine sprung by the 3rd Division.

Shells uncovered near the trench network.
Shells uncovered near the trench network.

On July 30, the Germans took the chateau, and on August 9, it and the crater were regained by the 6th Division.

Trench at Hooge
Trench at Hooge

The Germans retook Hooge on June 6, 1916 and on July 31, 1917, the 8th Division advanced 1.6km beyond it. It was lost for the last time in April 1918, but regained by the 9th (Scottish) and 29th Divisions on September 28.