Accidents Happen

Sir Thompson Capper

Thursday 22nd April 1915: The 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment has heard, with regret, that its divisional commander, Major-General Sir Thompson Capper, K.C.M.G. C.B. D.S.O. has had to resign the command of the 7th Division. He was badly injured earlier this month when he was struck on the shoulder by shrapnel from an improvised “jam-tin bomb” during a demonstration behind the lines. Sir Thompson, who is 51, has been unable to recover within a certain period of time he was allowed and has been replaced by Major-General Sir Hubert de la Poer Gough, formerly commander of 2nd Cavalry Division. General Capper: “desires to express his extreme sorrow and regret at having to part with his gallant comrades of 7th Division with whom he has been and whose fortunes he has shared since the formation of the Division in August last. General Capper has the assurance of the Commander-in-Chief that he will be again employed as soon as fit.  He hardly dares to hope that he may be able to get back to the 7th Division. But if that cannot be, he hopes at least that he may be permitted to fight as near the 7th Division as circumstances will allow. General Capper knows the Division will continue to fight with that stubborn nobility that has always marked its conduct in the past”.

Meanwhile Lance Corporal W. Lee of the 1st Battalion, who was in the thick of it at Hill 60 over the last few days has told us: “But we stuck to it and repulsed the Germans three times in one night, but at what a cost. I went into it with eleven men in my section and I was the only one who answered his name at roll call next morning, I am sorry to say. Perhaps you have heard that Nibby Keech’s brother got killed(1). He died fighting like a hero. It was the hottest time I have had since I have been out here, as General French said when he came to congratulate the Bedfords on the fine stand they made. He said the Germans made the hottest counter-attack they had ever made since the start of the war, and he couldn’t express his thanks enough for what we had done. Several of my mates were wounded, but I hope to have my revenge some day for the. There’s one thing more. I have to say – that is, Bedfordshire ought to be proud of the boys out here as they are doing some excellent work, as good as any regiment in the British Army”.

Source: X550/3/wd; Bedfordshire Times 23rd April 1915

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(1) 8683 Private William Keech from Goldington, killed on 19th April and commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial