Friday, 20 October 2017

Eighty Second Day of the Third Battle of Ypres

Lord Ampthill [X550/9/2]

Saturday 20th October 1917

Over the last two days Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Ampthill, formerly commanding officer of the 8th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, and more recently Director of Indian Labour at Headquarters, has been with the 1st Battalion and today he inspected them on parade.

The 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, part of 63rd (Royal Naval) Division is at Houtkerque on the border between France and Belgium west of Poperinghe. They have been training, specifically learning how to attack pill boxes and so it looks as if their introduction to the Third Battle of Ypres may not be long delayed.

The 6th Battalion is at Epsom Camp, Westouter. Three days ago an officer, Second Lieutenant S van der Linde was killed and another officer, Second Lieutenant A Foll as well as three other ranks were wounded when an enemy aircraft dropped a bomb on them whilst north-east of Ypres. Today Second Lieutenant A Stone MC, Second Lieutenant F J Smith and fourteen other ranks have joined as reinforcements.

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/5/3; X550/7/1

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