Ten Days in the Life of the 4th Battalion

Tuesday 18th June 1918

The 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment has been building up its strength in the last few weeks as 63rd (Royal Naval) Division prepares to retake Albert, as surely one day in the next few months, our army will. In the last ten days the following things have happened.

8 June 1918: two other ranks joined.

9 June 1918: 56 other ranks joined, along with Second Lieutenants W. W. Dainty and F. W. Bellamy.

10 June 1918: eighteen other ranks joined

11 June 1918: one other rank joined

1 O.R. joined.

12 June 1918: two other ranks joined

13 June 1918: two other ranks joined

14 June 1918: five other tanks joined

15 June 1918: one other rank joined

16 June 1918: one other rank joined, Brigade Horse Show.

17 June 1918: one other rank joined; one other rank wounded

18 June 1918: five other ranks joined and Captain J. K. Batten joined from 7th Battalion cadre

Source: X550/7/1

Another Battalion Bows Out

Saturday 25 May 1918

The 8th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment was disbanded in January and the 6th Battalion was absorbed into the 1st/1st Battalion, Herfordshire Regiment three days ago. Today it has been announced that it is to be the turn of that extraordinarily successful unit, the 7th Battalion. The 2nd Battalion has been so reduced in strength by the gruelling retreat in March and then by the German attacks south-east of Ypres that the decision has been made for it to join the much larger 7th Battalion as part of 18th (Eastern) Division, though, naturally, the new battalion will be numbered as the 2nd. 

It is a measure of the casualties inflicted by this war that since 1916 the Bedfordshire Regiment has had seven battalions in the field but now only has four.

Lieutenant-Colonel R O Wynne [X550/1/81]

As with the 6th Battalion, a training cadre will continue to be known as the 7th Battalion and will be bust training Americans. This cadre will be commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel R O Wynne DSO with Major J T Coe as adjutant. The company commanders are Captains J K Batten, F Everitt, S E Cline and R E Oakley MC. The Lewis Gun Officer is Second Lieutenant J Kerr, the Scout Officer Second Lieutenant W Ashton and the Signalling Officer is Second Lieutenant H Flavell(1). There are fifty other ranks. 

The cadre will leave at 6.30 tomorrow morning and head by train to Chipy-Valines andwill be billeted at Rogeant about six miles south-west of Abbeville. They will come under the aegis of 30th Division, from whence came the 2nd Battalion.

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

(1) Joseph Keith Batten, from Peterborough, would die on 27th September serving with 4th Battalion, aged 26, he is buried at Moeuvres Communal Cemetery Extension; 

Men of the 2nd/5th Battalion Leave Luton

Opening of Park Street Skating Rink 1911 [Z1306/75/19/11]

Saturday 28th November 1914: In three companies the Reserve 5th Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment [1] left Luton this morning for their headquarters in Bedford. There was a little send-off ceremony on Friday in the drill hall at the old skating rink in Park Street. About 300 men were on parade under Captain Batten, Captain Maior, Lieutenant Hobbs and Lieutenant New.

In the absence of the Mayor, who had hoped to be present, the Deputy Mayor (Alderman H. O. Williams) wished the men good luck, reminded them of the brave deeds that were being done at the front by the 1st and 2nd Bedfords, and said he felt sure that as Bedfordshire bull dogs they would, if called upon, maintain the splendid reputation of their county and their country.

Mr. Inwards, on behalf of the Territorial recruiting Committee, which was mainly responsible for the raising of the reserve battalion, wished the men every good wish and all good luck. The Committee, he said, hoped that the men would look upon the Recruiting Committee as a father and a mother ready to help them in every way as far as the War Office regulations would permit.

“Fear God and fear nothing else” was Mr. Inwards’ parting advice.

Captain Batten responded with a few words, and then called for cheers for the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Mr. Inwards, which the men gave most heartily.[2]

Source: Luton News 3rd December 1914

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[1] 2nd/5th Battalion, which was for home service.

[2] Captain Joseph Keith Batten, 26, son of Joseph and Katie Alice Batten of Peterborough died on 27th September 1918 and is buried in Moeuvres Communal Cemetery Extension.