Composite Brigade

Saturday 20th April 1918

Readers will remember I have referred on a number of occasions to the weakness of the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment following the retreat in March. The same is also true of the other battalions in the 30th Division.

Last evening it was decided to create a composite brigade under Brigadier-General Goodman. It comprises two composite battalions and a full-strength battalion as follows:
- Number 1 Battalion: two companies of 2nd Bedfords and two from 2nd Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment;
- Number 2 Battalion: two companies each from 16th Battalion, Manchester Regiment and 17th Manchesters;
- 2nd Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment.

The 1st Battalion comprises the following:
- Number 1 Company: A and B Companies, 2nd Bedfords commanded by Captain P J Reiss MM, MC 
- Number 2 Company: C and D Companies, 2nd Bedfords commanded by Lieutenant S E Cline;
- Number 3 Company: commanded by Captain Druitt, Wiltshire Regiment;
- Number 4 Company: commanded by Captain Wilson, Wiltshire Regiment.

This new battalion moved up into the front line again overnight in the region of the Yser Canal at Spoil Bank and Lock 7.

Sources: X550/3/wd

2nd Battalion Operations Come to an End

Wednesday 21st March 1917 from our correspondent in the field

At 12 midnight the 17th Battalion, Manchester Regiment commenced to relieve the 2nd Bedfords. The relief was complete by 6 am. The Battalion then returned to their old front line trenches near Agny, arriving about 7.30 am.

The adjutant remarked to me on the “blower” that: “A very noticeable point about these three days’ operations was the systematic way the enemy had destroyed everything which would be of any use to us. All dug-outs had been blown in, trees cut down, trenches wired in, and all stores removed. There is no doubt they had been preparing for this retirement for some months”.

Source: X550/3/WD