Memories

Friday 3rd May 1918

Today marks the anniversary of the action at Cherisy which, as the adjutant admitted unhappily, has been the only reverse suffered by the 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment in this war. Today the battalion is at Avesnes-Chaussoy west of Amiens, training.

Lieutenant-Colonel Collings-Wells

The 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment is gradually recovering from the hardships and losses of the March retreat, including the action at Bouzincourt Ridge in which they lost their commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Collings-Wells. A few days ago the battalion heard that Lieutenant-Colonel Collings-Wells had been awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for his leadership during the retreat and his courage immediately before his death. Second-Lieutenant Charles Lovatt, who was killed on 12th April after only eight days with the battalion has also been awarded a posthumous Military Cross; he had previously served with 26th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. The battalion is currently at Talmas, south of Doullens and today welcomed back a working party of four hundred which had been employed at Varennes, a couiple of miles from Bouzincourt.

Sources: X550/5/3; X550/8/1