Tuesday 4 July 2017

7th Battalion Heading for Ypres?

Godewaersvelde Station by Lion59 on Wikipedia

Wednesday 4th July 1917

At six o’clock this morning 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, de-trained at Godwaersvelde Station near the border with Belgium, having had an overnight journey from Doullens. It will come as no surprise that this place is quite unpronounceable to Tommy Atkins, who simply refers to it as Gert Wears Velvet.

After breakfast they marched to billets, arriving at 9.30. These are in scattered farms a mile or so north-west of Abeele. This evening Major J H Bridcutt is expected to rejoin the Battalion from England to take over command with Major A E Percival as his second-in-command. There are rumours, according to the adjutant, that they are heading for Ypres where a “big stunt” is in preparation for the end of the month(1).

Source: X550/8/1


(1) Third Battle of Ypres, commonly known as the Battle of Passchendaele would begin on 31st July. 

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