Ninety First Day of the Third Battle of Ypres

Monday 29th October 1917

The 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment is about to enter the fray here at Ypres. The adjutant has wired to tell us that it moved up to the front line this afternoon, about a mile south-east of Poelcapelle and expects to attack at dawn.

2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, is at Chinese Wall, behind the lines near Ypres. Lieutenant-General Sir Aylmer Hunter Weston KCB, DOS, commander-in-chief of VIII Corps has presented medals at a parade just west of Wytschaete. Distinguished Conduct Medal ribbons were presented to Acting Sergeant F Selby and Sergeant P Compton while a Military Medal ribbon was presented to Private R Baggott(1)

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6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment is training at Westouter. Today one other rank was killed and four wounded when the enemy dropped a bomb from an aircraft. It exploded inside B Company Officers’ Mess and wounded Second Lieutenants B W Wright, A Waller, Artabor and J Blanksby.

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

(1) Percy Compton would be killed on 21st September 1918 as a Company Sergeant Major, having no known grave he is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial. 

Thirty Fourth Day of the Third Battle of Ypres

Second Lieutenant E L Marsden [X550/1/81]

Sunday 2nd September 1917

The adjutant of 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, now at Chinese Wall just north of Zillebeke, tells us that Second Lieutenant E L Marsden has been taken on strength to replace Second Lieutenant R Hopkins who has moved to II Corps School as an instructor. They will be heading off this evening to enter the front line in the Wytschaete sub-sector.

Second Lieutenant R Hopkins [Z550/1/81]

4th Battalion, meanwhile, have left the front line at Oppy Wood. They will be taking the train to Saint-Aubin, north of Arras.

Sources: X550/3/wd; X550/5/3