| Regiment | 1st Royal Berkshire |
|---|---|
| Location | France, VERMELLES |
| Entry | 12.30 am. Battalion collected from fatigues and working parties in order to attack FOSSE No 8 at 2.30am. Capt Radford DSO went to the Brigade HQ at the VII Divisional Dugouts to explain that the battalion were scattered on fatigues and that the position to be attacked and the approaches were strange to the officers. Personal message from General Gough (1st Corps) explained that owing to the situation the attack was imperative. Coys moved in file to the rendezvous A. B. C. D. HQ MGs. Here the battalion formed up in Company Column and advanced towards the objective 800 yards away. During the advance two lines of captured German trenches and two lines of barbed wire had to be crossed - these were manned by British troops. Owing to the bright moonlight the enemy saw us advancing when we were 400 yards from our objective (FOSSE 8): they put up "very" lights and kept up a continuous rifle fire on us from our right front - this grew heavier as we got nearer. The Battalion advanced steadily A, B and part of C Coy going straight for the FOSSE. They were unable owing to the heavy fire from the enemy who by this time were manning the top of the FOSSE to gain the slag heap, being checked about 70 yards from it. D and part of C Coy meanwhile advanced and manned the front British trench. During this time 2nd Lieut A B Turner single handed bombed down a German communication trench driving the enemy before him a distance of over 150 yards. During the whole of this period the Germans were throwing bombs at 2/Lt Turner. While performing this very gallant act he was mortally wounded. By this time it was known that the CO Major Bird was wounded and Capt Radford DSO 2nd in command was killed. In consequence the command devolved on Capt C W Frizzell who was in command of the rear company D: also by this time Colonel Carter the Brigadier was up in the first trench. Seeing that the first two companies were checked Colonel Carter gave Captain Frizzell the order to charge with the remaining men available. This order was carried out. The leading men with Capt Frizzell in front got halfway up the slag heap when the Germans from the top threw bombs on our heads. This checked our further advance and the men retired to the front British trench, a distance of 150 yards. As it was now getting daylight and the men were all rather exhausted Colonel Carter decided not to attack again. He ordered Capt Frizzell to re-organise in our old trenches. Casualties. Killed. Capt M C Radford DSO. Died of wounds 2/Lt A B Turner. Missing. Capt E N Getting, 2/Lt P C Rawson 2/Lt R A Summers, 2/Lt J W B Blazey. Wounded and missing. Lieut G F M Hall. Wounded. Major L W Bird, Lt E F Eager, Lt D E Ward, 2/Lt Haigh, 2/Lt W S Mackey and Capt Adj C St Q Fullbrook Leggatt DSO. Other ranks. Killed 17 missing 143 wounded 115. Total 288 The death of Captain Radford cannot be too much deplored. He was a very gallant officer and his loss is very keenly felt by everyone in the regiment and brigade. He was buried at Vermelles. Search parties under Captain Large were untiring in the devoted manner they searched for the wounded. The 1/2 Battalion 1st KRR were not able to reach the rendezvous and attack with us. Also the bombing parties from the regiments on our flanks were not there. Colonel Carter CMG was ordered to take over the command of the 35th Brigade. The three battalions were temporarily handed over to the 22nd Brigade. Captain C W Frizzell took over the command and reorganised the Battalion in our original position. He had with him Lieuts Ward, Jerwood, Chace and Jackson. Lieut Ward sent to hospital wounded in the neck by Capt Large RAMC MO 1st Berks, who in the advanced British line had joined a dressing station - he worked with untiring devotion in evacuating the wounded. Lieut E L Jerwood acted as adjutant to Captain Frizzell. Captain Gregson Ellis and 2/Lt Blackburn returned from hospital and the reserve officers came up from VERMELLES Lieuts Hilliard, Stokes, Green and Nicholls, also 16 reserve NCO's rejoined. The day was spent in reorganising the companies - many men returned in afternoon as they manned the trenches while an attack was made on FOSSE 8 by the Buffs - Yorkshire Regt on our right - Royal Fusiliers on our left. [Margin notes] Reinforcement 16 other ranks joined the Battn. Capt Ellis at once left the hospital when he heard of the officer casualties sustained. |
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