The Bravest Man in the Battalion?

Lieutenant Hurrell and Captain Wynne [X550/1/81] 

Wednesday 29th March 1916: the acting adjutant of the 2nd Battalion, Second Lieutenant F A Sloan, at la Houssoye told us that yesterday there was a demonstration showing how effective the new smoke helmets are against gas. Captain R O Wynne and the adjutant Lieutenant J W Hurrell were admitted to hospital, sick, it is not believed that this was from the effects of the gas demonstration or the bug which seems to be running through the battalion.

The adjutant told us that a former commander of the Battalion who is now a general – R L Curteis, forwarded to his successor as commanding officer the sum of £5. This was to be awarded to the soldier of the rank of Sergeant or below who, in the opinion of all ranks, had performed the most gallant act of offense during the war without receiving official recognition. This excellent idea was taken up with alacrity and his comrades decided that the reward should fall to Corporal Freshwater, who comes from Willesden in London.

Accordingly at 2.30 pm yesterday Brigadier Stanley DSO, commanding 89th Infantry Brigade presented the money to Corporal G.Freshwater. It was a reward for the following act of gallantry: "At Neuve-Chapelle on the 12th March 1915, Captain C C Foss VC, DSO called for volunteers to capture a trench which the enemy had taken. Corporal Freshwater (then a Private) at once volunteered and called on others to follow his example and accompany Captain Foss. The party consisting of one officer and six bombers recaptured the lost trench and took 54 German prisoners. Corporal Freshwater showed exceptional courage and was the second man to enter the German trench". All the other men received gallantry awards, including the Victoria Cross for Captain Foss. By some oversight Corporal Freshwater had received nothing.

On the arrival of the Brigadier the Battalion presented arms and formed three sides of a square. Brigadier Stanley addressed the Battalion as follows: “Officers, NCOs and Men of the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regt. Colonel Poyntz has done me the honour of asking me to present the sum of £5 to Corporal Freshwater” and addressed him as follows: “Corporal Freshwater it affords me the greatest pleasure to present to you the sum of £5, you have been chosen by your comrades as having performed the most gallant act during the war, without receiving any award or recognition and I am assured you thoroughly deserve it. It must afford you the greatest pleasure to know that you have been unanimously chosen by your comrades to receive this award as a brave man”.

After this ceremony the Brigadier made the following address to the Battalion.

“Some 3½ months ago I had the pleasure of welcoming you into my Brigade and I felt that I should be proud of you. I find that I have had just cause to be so, and anything I required doing in the Trenches I received immediate response from the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regt. Officers and Men carried out all duties with vigour and exactitude and I feel that I can rely on you under every circumstance. You have always shown a willingness which affords me the greatest pleasure - Colonel Poyntz I congratulate you on your fine battalion”(1).

Source: X550/3/wd

(1) Sadly Corporal George Freshwater did not have long to enjoy his reward, as he died of wounds on 8th July 1916. According to a historic inflation calculator (http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-1633409/Historic-inflation-calculator-value-money-changed-1900.html) £5 in 1916 was worth just over £450 by 2016 standards.

Captain Foss’s Victoria Cross

Tuesday 24^th August: It is with the greatest pleasure we have to announce that Captain Charles Foss, DSO, of the 2nd Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment, has been awarded the Victoria Cross for conspicuous bravery at Neuve Chapelle. The award was made, together with five others, last night and the feat that won the coveted honour for Captain Foss irresistibly recalls O’Leary’s famous exploit(1). The captain, with only eight men, captured an important German position and 52 men. The following is the officlal account of Captain Foss’ bravery: -

“For most conspicuous bravery at Neuve Chapelle on 12th March 1915. After the enemy had captured a part of one of our trenches, and our counter-attack made with one officer and 20 men having failed (all but two of the party being killed or wounded in the attempt), Captain Foss, on his own initiative, dashed forward with eight men, under heavy fire, attacked the enemy with bombs and captured the position, including the 52 Germans occupying it. The capture of this position from the enemy was of the greatest importance and the utmost bravery was displayed in essaying the task with so very few men”.

Captain Foss joined the Bedfordshire Regiment in March 1904 as a Second Lieutenant, and went with the 2nd Battalion to Gibraltar in 1906, afterwards proceeding to Bermuda and South Africa. On November 20th 1912 he was promoted to the rank of Captain and on returning from South Africa he was the Adjutant of the Battalion. On arrival in this country he immediately went to the front, where he quickly distinguished himself for his heroic work. In the words of an officer who was with him in France, Captain Foss “never spared himself and met with some very narrow escapes. He was always to the fore and never failed to look after his men”.

Caotx Foss is a son of the Right Rev Hugh James Foss, Bishop of Osaka and in June last he obtained leave, coming over to England and was married at the time, not knowing he had won the VC although the action in which he gained the Cross was fought in March(2)

Source: Bedfordshire Standard 27th August 1915

(1) Lance Corporal (later Major) Michael John O’Leary, Irish Guards, won his VC on 1st February 1915 at Cuinchy, not far from Neuve Chapelle, by taking our two machine gun nests single-handed in front of his unit’s advancing men. He later emigrated to Canada for a while and led a colourful life, before returning to Britain and serving in World War two. He died in 1961, aged 70.

(2) Charles Calveley Foss was born in 1885 in Kobe [Japan]. He later rose to the rank of Brigadier and died in London in 1953. The medal is on display in the Regimental Gallery at Wardown Museum, Luton.

2nd Battalion Casualties at Givenchy

Lieutenant T G M Horsford [X550/1/82/23]

The Centenary of the Battle of Waterloo

Friday 18th June 1915: Captain Foss, adjutant of the 2nd Bedfords has today given us the casualty figures for the action at Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée between 15th and 17th. Lieutenant T. G. M. Horsford was killed by a shell in his dugout and was buried behind Scottish Trench. Second Lieutenant W. H. Fox was killed by the same shell and buried in the same place. Both Lieutenant C. W. Macfie and Second Lieutenant L. Turnbull were killed in the crater and their bodies have not been recovered(1).

Lieutenant G. M. Fleming, Royal Army Medical Corps, was killed by a shell whilst attending to a case at the Regimental Aid Post. He is the second medical officer to be killed with the battalion this year, and is buried “in the country at Windy Corner”(2). 18 other ranks were also killed.

Lieutenant C. H. Brewer was wounded by shrapnel and Second Lieutenant F. Powell wounded twice in the crater. Five other officers were wounded along with 72 other ranks. 27 other ranks are missing

Source: X550/3/wd

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(1) None of these officers has any known grave and they are all commemorated on the le Touret Memorial

(2) Where he remains – his grave is in the Guards Cemetery at Windy Corner, Cuinchy.

General Capper's Congratulations to the 2nd Bedfords

Saturday 27th March 1915: Today Major-General Thompson Capper, commanding 7th Division, has issued the following statement: “The Divisional general has now received the reports on the action near Neuve Chapelle on 10th to 14th March. He desires to express his appreciation of the steady conduct of the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, and particularly of the gallant action of Major Denne and his small party who made a devoted counter attack on the enemy in order to assist a neighbouring battalion”.

“The Divisional general wishes also to record his admiration of the conduct of Captain C. C. Foss, D.S.O., and his few grenade throwers, who succeeded in an attack on the enemy, capturing 50 prisoners. The Divisional General much regrets the losses sustained by this Battalion”.

Source: X550/3/wd

The 2nd Bedfords in Action at Neuve Chapelle

Saturday 13th March 1915: yesterday morning we reported that the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment was about to go into action. We can now report more fully what has happened since courtesy of the adjutant. “At 7 a.m. yesterday Major W. H. Denne prepared to make a counter-attack with part of A Company on a trench captured by the enemy shortly beforehand. Major Denne was severely wounded(1). Captain C. B. Cumberlege and Captain J. H. G. Baird commenced another counter-attack but the whole party was killed or wounded. Captain Baird and four men reached the trench which was the object of the attack and one man was killed and the other three wounded”.

“At about the same time it was noticed that the Royal Scots Fusiliers were suffering severely from our own shell fire. I was sent to report this to Brigade Headquarters and the Brigadier directed that the trench should be re-taken”.

“Captain C. C. Foss D.S.O., with men of our Grenade Section advanced along A Company Trench, behind the Northampton Trench, followed by a platoon to make good the trench and they attacked the Germans. These, after one or two grenades had been thrown, held up their hands and were captured. One Officer and 48 Germans surrendered of whom fourteen were wounded. A Company. was sent forward to consolidate the position won. Part of a Platoon of B Company escorted the prisoners back”.

We understand that the names of the brave men led by Captain Foss are as follows: 9078 Private W. Eade; 6215 Private S. Scrivener, 9822 Sergeant W. Peggs, 7270 Private P. Cogan, 6477 Private W. Smith, 9878 Private G. Freshwater, 5803 Private J. Lovett, 9797 Private H. Barnett and 16441 Private F. Brown.

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The battalion has lost four officers wounded, fifteen other ranks killed, sixty six wounded and five missing in yesterday’s action. It is understood that Captain Foss’ name is to be put forward for a singular honour and that the men who went with him may also receive gallantry awards in time(2). The Battalion held the same line overnight and continues to hold it this morning.

The battle as a whole now appears to be over due to lack of ammunition for our guns. Our troops have pushed the Germans back some way and shown that their trenches can be captured. The generals will, no doubt, study this limited success in hopes of achieving something even better next time.

Source: X550/3/wd

(1) He died on 21st February 1917, aged 40 and is buried in Brimpsfield churchyard in Gloucestershire.

(2) Charles Calveley Foss was gazetted with the Victoria Cross on 23rd August 1915. The citation reads: “For most conspicuous bravery at Neuve Chapelle on 12th March 1915. After the enemy had captured a part of one of our trenches, and our counter-attack made with one Officer and 20 men having failed (all but two of the part being killed or wounded in the attempt), Captain Foss, on his own initiative, dashed forward with eight men, under heavy fire, attacked the enemy with bombs, and captured the position including the 52 Germans occupying it. The capture of this position from the enemy was of the greatest importance, and the utmost bravery was displayed in essaying the task with so few men”.

A Stirring Appeal for Recruits

Quartermaster H M Cressingham [X550/1/81]

Saturday 21st November 1914: Lieutenant-Colonel Henderson of 3rd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment at Kempston Barracks has received the following letter from Sergeant T. W. Andrews of the 2nd Battalion in a stirring message to new recruits and to those yet to join up: "Our Regiment is proving its fighting qualities, but our losses are heavy, but nothing compared with those of the enemy. Our machine guns of the Battalion have done some deadly work, and our officers, NCOs and men are perfect heroes, especially in our advances under artillery fire. My own company advanced under a perfect hail of shell and we only lost three men, but in a few days later we have nearly lost the whole of our officers. Nothing can be spoken of them too highly and I, as an NCO of our Regiment with 17 years' service, know something of them, having been with them the last seven years or more connected with them in "Gib", Bermuda and South Africa. I do not know if you know Major Traill or Stares, but they were both killed on the morning of 30th October. They both died doing their duty in the field by rallying men to hold their trenches".

"Our Regiment's history should be great and read by all in Bedfordshire, and then I am sure that recruits would come up much easier. Nobody knows the daring and pluck of our boys, as all the officers called us at the first instant of the engagements around Ypres. Well, we have lost nearly all our officers: only three were left in the field when I left on November 5th, when we were relieved in the trenches for a short spell, namely Captain Foss, our adjutant and a brave man, Lieutenant Mills and Captain and Quarter Master Cressingham.[1] Hoping this is news to you and the reinforcements will do as we have done".

Sources: Bedfordshire Times 20th November 1914

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[1] Captain Foss would go on to win the Victoria Cross in 1915 and Captain Cressingham would soon leave the battalion as being too old for service.

A Meeting of the Battalions

Friday 6th November 1914: The 2nd Battalion have finally been relieved from their front line position near Zandvoorde. They have travelled seventeen miles to a place called Loker or Locre. The adjutant tells us: “The men found the march very tiring both on account of their physical condition from being eighteen days in the trenches and on account of the mud on the cobbles”. It seems they will have another march this afternoon as their destination is a town on the French side of the border – a place called Bailleul.

It may have done their morale good to know that they are leaving the danger of the front line behind. It may also have done them good to meet their companions in adversity in the 1st Battalion on the way. Our contact with the 1st Battalion, themselves on the move from Festubert, tells us: “We got the men into buses (35 to a bus) and we all got into another and at 7 am started off for our still unknown destination. We went through Lestrem – Éstaires -  Bailleul -  Locre – Dickebusch. The roads were awful and we were at times up to our axles in mud and very nearly in the ditch several times”.

“At Dickebusch we had a halt at 2 pm and then got orders to push on to Ypres. Here the roads got worse and we skidded all over the place, into ditches, trees and sometimes nearly turning right over or getting our heads taken off by telegraph wires stretched across the road”.

“On the Dickebusch – Ypres road we suddenly came across the remnants of the 2nd Battalion. We hardly knew that they were in Flanders and had only vaguely heard that they had left South Africa”.

“They are in the 7th Division and we knew that they had left South Africa a very fine Battalion, 29 Officers and about 1,100 men strong and we now found them after having landed in Belgium 18 days, 2 Officers (Captain Foss and Lieutenant Mills) and about 220 men strong”.

“We stopped the buses and heard all about the Battle of Ypres. We heard that Majors Traill, Stares etc. had been killed and most of the men found that their brothers etc. had also mostly been killed. The whole show was most pathetic and put guts into our fellows as we will be going into action amongst the 2nd Battalion graves”.

It is one of the ironies of war that, with only two battalions at the front one should be more or less relieving the other which is in a different division; although in fact the 1st Battalion have taken over the line from the Yorkshire Regiment which had been on the flank of the 2nd Battalion.

Sources: X550/2/7; X550/3/wd

Severe Fighting Near Zandvoorde

Remains of the fir wood seen from the west

Saturday 31st October 1914: the 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment has today lost two officers and thirty two other ranks killed as well as scores of men injured in a gallant attempt to stop a German advance from Zandvoorde. Early this morning orders were received for two platoons of C Company to occupy a small wood of fir trees then held by the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. This wood was a target for German artillery and very heavily shelled. The inadvisability of the order was soon apparent as, at first light, the Germans advanced, skirting the place to either side and cutting off its garrison. Its commander, Captain Lemon was wounded and captured along with many of his men.

The rest of the Battalion was ordered to make a fighting retreat towards the Menin Road which they did, eventually holding the German onslaught. The Battalion lost both its commanding officer – Major John Murray Traill and second-in-command Major Robert Percy Stares, both shot at close range whilst in the trenches trying to stem the enemy flow. 

Sergeant Edward Hutchinson has contacted us and describes his experience: "I was with Sergeant Arthur Baldock from Clifton and Lance Sergeant Frederick Staines from Walthamstow when they were killed. We couldn't bury poor old Staines as the Germans took our trench about ten minutes after he was killed. I did have a job to get away. I wriggled away on my belly for over a hundred yards. The next trench to me surrendered, and I can tell you it is a sight to see Englishmen walking away with their hands above their heads. You don't want to see it twice".

Tonight the fighting has died down leaving the battalion at less than half strength – around four hundred men. Only four officers have survived unscathed, the most senior being the adjutant Captain Foss. He tells us that the battalion is tasked with holding its current position.

We understand that the Bedfords’ experiences today have been fairly typical. The feeling is that the Germans came as close as one can possibly come to breaking through without actually doing so. All our reserves were used up and the only British soldiers behind the front line were cooks, chauffeurs and the like. Many battalions have suffered much worse than the Bedfords, the 2nd Royal Welch Fusiliers, for example, are now less than one hundred strong out of a theoretical strength of one thousand.

Yet there seem grounds for some hope. The German attacks have petered out and they are evidently as exhausted as our own men. They may be too tired and too bloodied to launch any major attacks in the near future They cannot know how close they came to a breakthrough or they would have persisted and any lull in the fighting will give our battered units time to regroup and for reinforcements to come up. Let us hope that the Germans have been persuaded not to try our defences again in the days to come.

Source: X550/3/wd; P64/30/4