Home of the Infantry Regiments of Berkshire and Wiltshire

War Diary

1914-10-25
Regiment 1st Royal Berkshire
Location Belgium, Not stated
Entry Heavily shelled all day. A German battery was observed by some men in one of D Coys trenches about 800yds NE of 5th Kilometre stone on ZONNEBECK-BECELARE road. Fire was at once opened on the gun detachments, who tried to bring up the teams and get the guns away. This they had to abandon as most of the horses were shot. Eventually, during the rest of the day, they managed to manhandle 5 of the guns away with heavy casualties. During the afternoon the French attack on our left advanced to within 200 yards of the remaining gun and limbers. After dark a party of the regiment was sent out and they successfully manhandled the gun in. At dawn one trench of D coy, at right angles to the ZONNEBECK-BECELARE road discovered a German trench running along that road and about 5 yards from them. Some Germans attempted to run back during the morning and all were shot. At dusk, the remainder, about 70, surrendered and a German officer was taken prisoner during the evening. Capt O Steele, who had rendered very valuable assistance during yesterdays attack and today was killed by a big shell. 2/Lieuts Battye and Gross were wounded and 2/Lieut Searles went sick. [There Is a good sketch map of the trench layout on page 26]