Roll of Honour - 22nd July 1917

Killed in Action

6th Battalion: front line near Kemmel, German gas attack

• 204024 Private Percy Alfred NORTON, 19, ex-330854 Cambridgeshire Regiment, son of Robert and Harriet Norton of Blackwater, Reymerston [Norfolk] (Messines Ridge British Cemetery)
• 203994 Private Charles ROSE ex-331075 Cambridgeshire Regiment, born and resided Felsham [Suffolk] (Messines Ridge British Cemetery)

8th Battalion: relieved from the front line near Hulluch

• 16801 Lance Corporal Sidney Arthur CAMFIELD, 23, born Codicote [Hertfordshire], son of William John and Mary Camfield of New Wood Cottages, Rabley Heath [Hertfordshire] (Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe)
• 15792 Private George SMITH, born Eaton Socon, resided Eynesbury [Huntingdonshire], husband of F G Smith of Cambridge Street, Saint Neots [(Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe)

Died of Wounds

6th Battalion

• Lance Corporal Francis Joseph MURRAY, 21, A Company, born Hertford, son of Michael and Ellen Murray of 102 Saint George’s Road,  Aldershot [Hampshire] (Locre Hospice Cemetery)

Died

3rd Battalion: killed by a bombing raid on Landguard Camp

• 33781 Private Alfred John ALDER, 40 (Bedford Cemetery)
• Second Lieutenant Frederick Thomas AMESS, 29, son of James and Esther Amess of 60 Carlyle Road, Greenbank, Easton [Somerset] (Bristol (Greenbank) Cemetery)
• 40588 Private George GARROD, 23, ex-24318 Northamptonshire Regiment, born Lakenham [Norfolk], resided Norwich [Norfolk], husband of Lily Agnes of 62 Trafalgar Street, New Lakenham (Norwich (The Rosary) Cemetery)
• 20947 Private Charles MASSAM, 21, son of William and Sarah Ann Massam of Birchwood Cottage, Hatfield [Hertfordshire] (Bishop’s Hatfield (Saint Luke) churchyard)
• 30029 Private Herbert John Taylor PHIPPS, born Bow [London], resided Tooting [London] (Streatham Cemetery)
• 14715 Private James Henry PRATT, 24, born Brixton [London], resided Clapham [London], son of Abraham and Eleanor Pratt of 31 Portslade Road, Wandsworth [London] (Streatham Park Cemetery)
• 31553 Private George SMITH born and resided Upper Gravenhurst (Lower Gravenhurst (Saint Mary) cemetery)
• 27806 Private Albert WILTON, 30, son of William and Martha of High Street, Henlow (Henlow (Saint Mary) churchyard)

The Umbrella Hill Raid

Umbrella Hill from The History of the Fifth Battalion Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment (TA)

Saturday 21st July 1917

The adjutant of the 1st/5th Bedfords has managed to telephone me all the way from Palestine with details of last night’s raid. At 5.40 a.m. yesterday morning the General Officer Commanding 162nd Brigade inspected the raiders of 1st/5th Battalion and watched a rehearsal by the six new rifle sections added to the raid. Between six and eleven o’clock the Regimental Sergeant-Major and his party laid out stores at the place of assembly in proper dumps. The afternoon passed without incident.

At seven o’clock last evening the whole raiding party marched out, arriving at the place of assembly at about 20.15. Stores were issued. Everything was quite ready by about 20.50 and all stores issued. The raiders left the place of assembly at 20.55 in accordance with programme and the raid was carried through very successfully in accordance with the programme.

By sheer bad luck the enemy had put up an intense bombardment of 5.9 inch high explosive shells onto a very small area near the place of assembly and almost the whole of the casualties are due to this except for the missing and probably two or three killed on the hill and perhaps eight or ten wounded there.

Captain Miskin

About 9.45 pm the raiders, followed by the supports, came back to our front line. With so many men and in view of the tremendous noise and dense smoke some confusion was inevitable but the officers and non-commissioned officers of these parties quickly appreciated the situation and with the assistance of some parties organised by the reserve commander Captain Miskin, managed to retain most of their men in our front trench which was comparatively safe as the enemy barrage was plastering a zone some fifty to one-hundred -and-fifty yards in the rear of the front line. After some reconnaissance it was found possible to move the men to the flanks along the front line and so out of the barrage. They were then passed down communication trenches or in small parties in the open. The garrison had been relieved and all except wounded evacuated by 01.30.

The large number of wounded were evacuated by about 2.30 a.m. At 3.30 a patrol of one officer and five other ranks went in the direction of the Beanfield, about 150 yards short of Umrealls Hill, but found nothing. Everything was quiet on the hill itself. The remnants of the smoke and a thick mist made visibility difficult.

At four o’clock this afternoon a patrol of two went out, just as the dawn was breaking and the lifting mist enabled one to see. They only stayed out about ten minutes and found one dead body - from a former engagement - and some equipment which was brought in.

Today the dead, comprising one from the Royal Army Medical Corps, one from the divisional signalling company, one from 484th Company, Royal Engineers, one from the Machine Gun Corps, one from an unknown unit and sixteen from the Bedfords were buried in a cemetery near the headquarters of the raid(1). The remainder of today has been spent resting and writing reports.

One feature of the reports was that every commander of a Unit from officers commanding supports, reserves and raiders down to individual "mopping-up sections" has been asked for a written report of his own work. These will be forwarded to divisional headquarters.

Source: X550/6/8

(1) Now Gaza War Cemetery

Roll of Honour - 21st July 1917

Killed in Action

8th Battalion: front line near Hulluch

• 33188 Lance Corporal Herbert HISKETT, 20, youngest son of William Henry and Emma Hiskett of 149 Hatfield Road, Saint Albans [Hertfordshire] (Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe)

Died of Wounds

1st/5th Battalion

• 200760 Private William FLITTON resided Limbury (Gaza War Cemetery)

6th Battalion

• 203267 Private James Thomas WITHAM resided Cheshunt [Hertfordshire] (Dozinghem Military Cemetery)

7th Battalion

• 15316 Lance Corporal Charles Edward DENT, born Islington [London], resided Clerkenwell [London] (Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm)

Perfecting the Plan

Friday 20th July 1917

The raiders of 1st/5th Battalion continued their practice yesterday, especially with six new rifle sections which have been added as an addition to the reserve. A gap of about thirty yards width was cut in front trench of Umbrella Hill by our artillery during the afternoon.

During the morning the Regimental Sergeant Major and party had been at work on the dump of stores at the place of assembly for the raid. This was shelled for a time and one sergeant was wounded.

Source: X550/6/8

Roll of Honour - 20th July 1917

Killed in Action

1st/5th Battalion: successful raid on Umbrella Hill near Gaza but heavy casualties because the assembly point was shelled

• 201103 Private Edward ARNOLD, born and resided Bristol (Gaza War Cemetery)
• 200959 Private Percy BALL, 18, son of F Ball of 9 Trafford Road, Rushden [Northamptonshire] (Gaza War Cemetery)
• 200712 Private Cecil BLAYDON resided Leagrave (Gaza War Cemetery)
• 200662 Corporal Bertie BREED, 36, husband of Lilian of 111 Talbot Road, Luton (Gaza War Cemetery)
• 15883 Acting Corporal Frederick Ernest BUTCHER, 30, son of F E Butcher of 43 Upper Culvert Road, Saint Albans [Hertfordshire] (Gaza War Cemetery)
• 200992 Private Frederick James BYSOUTH resided Luton (Gaza War Cemetery)
• 200938 Lance Corporal Arthur Samuel CAVES, 21, son of Joseph and Jane Caves of Marston Shelton (Gaza War Cemetery)
• 200343 Private Horace Thomas COOK, 22, son of Sarah of 51 Queen Street, Bedford (Gaza War Cemetery)
• 201203 Private Stanley FARR, 23, born Shoreditch [London], resided Hoxton [London] (Gaza War Cemetery)
• 203179 Private Thomas FELKES or FELKS, son of John and M Felks or Felkes of 23 John Street, Luton (Jerusalem Memorial)
• 201290 Acting Lance Corporal Isaac Frederick GILLETT, 22, born Stretham [Cambridgeshire] son of Isaac and Elizabeth Gillett of Holmwood Crescent, Somersham [Huntingdonshire] (Jerusalem Memorial)
• 201220 Private Bertie GIRDLESTONE, born and resided Dovercourt [Essex] (Gaza War Cemetery)
• 201216 Private William James GRANGER, born and resided Brighton [Sussex] (Gaza War Cemetery)
• 200294 Lance Sergeant Charles HULL, born Luton, resided Bury Saint Edmunds [Suffolk] (Jerusalem Memorial)
• 200592 Private Frederick HULL resided Luton (Jerusalem Memorial)
• 200634 Acting Lance Corporal R J Cecil MOATE resided Luton (Jerusalem Memorial)
• 201321 Private William NEWMAN, born and resided Cheshunt [Hertfordshire] (Jerusalem Memorial)
• 200802 Private William Frederick PERRY, 19, son of John and Sarah Ann Perry of Westoning Road, Harlington; enlisted May 1915 (Jerusalem Memorial)
• 201335 Private Walter James PRATT, born Hemel Hempstead [Hertfordshire], resided Hackney Wick [London] (Gaza War Cemetery)
• 201369  Private Walter John STEVENS resided Harpenden [Hertfordshire] (Gaza War Cemetery)
• 201399 Private Frederick SWAIN resided Sandridge [Hertfordshire], husband of Emily Collins (ex-Swain) of Sandridge (Gaza War Cemetery)
• 200236 Private Percy THURLOW, born and resided Luton (Gaza War Cemetery)
• 200985 Lance Corporal Philip Herbert WATKINS, 27, resided Luton, son of John and Milly Watkins of Saint John’s Wood [London], husband of Maud of 14 Highbury Road, Luton (Gaza War Cemetery)

7th Battalion: working parties near Zillebeke

• 40804 Private Joseph Frederick HEINRICK ex-55099 Leicestershire Regiment, born Kennington [London], resided Battersea [London] (Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres)
• 30779 Private Gerald Edward HILLS, 31, born King's Walden [Hertfordshire], resided Breachwood Green; son of Albert and Elizabeth of Breachwood Green [Hertfordshire], husband of Edith of 7 Garden Road, Dunstable (Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm))

Died of Wounds

7th Battalion

• 31268 Private William Frank CRESSWELL, 22, born Bildeston [Suffolk], resided Wisbech [Cambridgeshire], son of Marinda Jackson of Glebe House, Doddington [Cambridgeshire] (Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm))
• 13857 Private Arthur William PURSER, 32, son of late George and Jane Purser of Toddington; husband of late Elizabeth (Toddington Cemetery)

More About Planning the Umbrella Hill Raid

Map of Umbrella Hill from The History of the Fifth Battalion Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment

Thursday 19th July 1917

The intention in the raid on Umbrella Hill to be carried out by 1st/5th Bedfords is, as usual with such raids, to kill and capture as many of the enemy as possible and capture or destroy as much of their material as can be achieved in the limited time available.

Captain Maier

The personnel forming the party will be: one officer and twelve other ranks from 484th Field Company, Royal Engineers; sixteen officers and 511 other ranks of the Bedfords under Captain H S Armstrong and a stretcher-bearer sub-division of 2nd/1st East Anglian Field Ambulance. Of the Bedfords, five officers and 231 other ranks will be the raiders, Captain E T Maier, two other officers and 134 men will be in support and the rest, under Captain C H Miskin will be in reserve.

Captain Miskin

The amounts of ammunition have been carefully calculated, for example: the raiders will carry 736 Mills bombs and the support troops 120 more, in horses nose-bags each containing fifteen grenades, with 184 in the reserve section. The raiders will have 27 wire-cutters, 4 picks and 22 bill-hooks. There will be four stretchers taken with the raiders, eight with the support troops and sixteen in reserve.

All ranks will wear jackets, shorts and puttees. Helmets (with chin straps down) will also be worn as will equipment but without pack, haversack, waterbottle or entrenching tool and handle. Each man will carry 120 rounds of small arms ammunition and each Lewis gun team will; have twelve full drums. Bayonets will be fixed by all at the place of assembly (except men who are ordered to have rifles slung). Two sandbags will be carried on each man’s belt. All possible marks of identification will be removed (including both identity discs). No papers, letters, envelopes or notes of any sort are to be carried on the person.

All ranks will wear a white armlet three inches wide, securely fastened on each arm. These armlets will be numbered consecutively in indelible pencil and registered with the regimental number rank and name of the wearer, in a special roll to be prepared beforehand and kept at the place of assembly by Company Sergeant Major Lewsey and four men of A Company.

The Raiders will carry with them white name boards with clear black lettering in accordance with the tracing of Turkish position issued. The boards will be placed under careful supervision as the position is captured to assist all ranks in finding their way about the enemy position. Similar boards are also be used in the replica of the position during rehearsals.It has been carefully explained to all ranks that while every care has to be taken to construct correctly the replica of the position used during regearsals - there may be certain points in which it is not quite accurate, also the contour of the ground on which it is situated is known to be different.

The raiders are being carefully taught that they must keep right up to the artillery barrage which will precede them, like a creeping barrage so often used with success on the Western Front. Such an operation is almost unknown here and the men have been told that it is quite safe to keep within one hundred yards of the exploding shells and to get to such a point that our shrapnel bursts immediately overhead. The success of the whole operation depends on the raiders dashing into the enemy trenches as the barrage lifts, and before the enemy has time to recover from it. The raid is expected to take thirty-five minutes

A warning has been issued to all ranks: the enemy's line lies to the east and that our line lies to the west. The men are to be tested to see that they know how to find their direction by the stars. Every man is to be warned if inadvertantly he should be taken prisoner by the enemy he is obliged to give his Regimental Number, Rank, Name and Regiment. All ranks are also to be cautioned not to take any notice of any order shouted out or whistle blown unless they are absolutely sure that it is given by one of our own side, who, from his position, is entitled to give it, and that it is meant for them.

Source: X550/6/8

Roll of Honour - 19th July 1917

Died of Wounds

1st/5th Battalion

• Second Lieutenant Hugh Cecil MOXON, 20, son of Rev E A Moxon, Vicar of All Saints, Newmarket [Suffolk] and Maud M Moxon of Oak Cottage, Great Shelford [Cambridgeshire] (Béthune Town Cemetery)

8th Battalion

• Temporary Lieutenant Brian Hugh Bridgeman LETHBRIDGE, 24, son of Rev B H S and Ella Lethbridge of Saint Luke's Vicarage, Enfield [Middlesex], born Saint Leonards' [Sussex] (Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe)