A Spirited Counter-Attack

The situation this evening - the original front line is shown in black and the enemy gains in red

Monday 25th March 1918

Readers will recall that last evening my conversation with Captain Colley of 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, was cut short by enemy action. It was with some relief this evening that I learned that it was no more than an attack on the nearby French at Guivry, driving them back, which exposed the Bedfords' left flank. At three o'clock this morning the battalion was given orders to retire to Crepigny, which was successfully carried out, the enemy being about two miles in the rear of the left flank.

At 10 a.m. they fell back again to Mont du Grandrû to safeguard the left flank. At noon the Bedfords were heavily shelled by French artillery and machine guns and forced to retire to the high ground west of Grandrû. As the adjutant remarked, the French evidently find it hard to distinguish khaki from field grey.

At three o'clock this afternoon the battalion received orders to march to Varesnes to take up a position south of the River Oise. These orders were countermanded while en-route and new orders received to counter-attack the village of Babouef. The adjutant simply stated that this counter-attack was successful and village retaken, several prisoners being taken and many enemy killed.

As may be imagined, your correspondent was not going to let it go at this. Pressed for more details the adjutant revealed that as the retirement to Varesnes began a gap of over a miles was opened up between the French 1st Dismounted Cavalry Division on the high ground north of Béhéricourt and 53rd Brigade on the railway line south of Baboeuf. This gap was occupied by some French artillery firing towards Babouef, with no infantry in front to protect them. So Brigadier-General Sadleir-Jackson commanding 54th Brigade, decided to attack and take the village to protect these valuable guns.

The attack went in a five o'clock this evening. The attackers were 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, on the left immediately south of the wood east of Béhéricourt and the 11th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers with their right flank on the railway line from Noyon to Chauny. Both battalions were very tired after four days' continual movement and action and the strain of the retreat and both were about half-strength. These are not ideal conditions for an attack. Nevertheless, the adjutant sensed that above all his men wanted to get back at the enemy for the misery they have caused and that their anger and frustration would trump their weariness. So it proved. Though defended by machine guns the village was quickly taken, and half an hour ago the place was being consolidated. Ten machine guns were captured and 230 of the enemy killed or taken prisoner. The Royal Fusiliers were even weaker than the Bedfords in numbers, but they managed to take the ground south of the village with help from the 6th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment.

One oddity mentioned by the adjutant was a young cow. This poor creature was in the main street of Baboeuf, nevertheless it advanced with the Bedfords, though always in front of them and ended the battle quite unscathed.What a gallant little action! If these last few days had ever given rise to doubt none can doubt now the fighting spirit of Tommy Atkins.

On the old Somme battlefield, 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment (63rd (Royal Naval) Division and 483rd Field Company, Royal Engineers (2nd Division) have both been in action. 4th Bedfords took a stand at the shattered remnants of that old killing ground, High Wood. Their commanding officer briefly related that they fought to the last but, all their ammunition gone, they were obliged to withdraw to another place familiar from 1916, Thiepval, on its commanding ridge, which fell to the 7th Bedfords on 27th September 1916.

The Royal Engineers were at Auchonvillers, behind the British lines in July 1916, by noon. The sappers assisted in the defence of Auchonvillers, holding the left portion of the village, 5th Field Company holding the right, with 1st Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment holding the preimeter in old trenches. In the event no attack was made and the engineers are to retire to Bertrancourt tonight.

2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment spent most of the day at Buverchy watching the enemy massing for an attack. Our guns did not let this go unhampered, the commanding officer told me. But the enemy gunners were also busy, shelling the two bridges over the canal and the village of Moyencourt. About an hour ago they broke through the French, on the Bedfords' right forcing the Bedfords to retire through Moyencourt. What will happen next is very uncertain and your correspondent wishes the men the best of luck.

Sources: X550/3/wd; X550/5/3; X550/8/1; WW1/WD3

Bapaume and Peronne Fall

The situation this evening - the original front line is shown in black and the enemy gains in red

Sunday 24th March 1918

It has become clear tonight that the towns of Peronne and Bapaume have fallen to the German offensive. While serious, this may in the end help our cause. With each new town taken, each mile advanced the enemy resources become more stretched, their lines of communication and supply grow longer and more difficult to maintain. They will also have the difficult task of making any headway over the blasted desolation which is the old Somme battlefield, scoured by shell holes and lacking and roads or buildings.

A few moments conversation with the adjutant of 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment revealed that this morning they withdrew to a Royal Engineers dump north of Ytres, under heavy machine gun fire, and then on through Barastre, Beaulencourt to Bazentin-le-Petit and finally to Courcelette, on the old Somme battlefield.

The 2nd Battalion, meanwhile took up a position between the villages of Verlaines and Villette, south-west of Ham at one o'clock this morning, in support of 2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, who were covering the withdrawal of 89th Brigade. Both their flanks were attacked by the enemy and forced the battalion to withdraw towards Esmery-Hallon. At this village they came under heavy machine gun fire from the right flank and they withdrew further to a canal. Their brigade, 90th, holds the west bank of this canal between Lannoy Farm Ridge and Buverchy Bridge

Meanwhile, 7th Battalion, according to their adjutant Captain Colley marched back to Caillouël in the early hours of this morning, taking up a position in a wood, north of the village, with B and D Companies in front and A Company in reserve. The French in front of the battalion were steadily pushed back by the enemy during the day. My conversation on the telephone with Captain Colley was cut shirt as deafening explosions were heard and he hastily abandoned the blower to see what was happening.

Yesterday the six platoons of details of the 7th Battalion were involved for a third day in fighting around Rouez Camp. We understand that they finally fell back on the village of Villequier-Aumont yesterday evening.

Finally, we have heard from 483rd Field Company, Royal Engineers. This unit is none other than our old friends, the Bedford based 1st East Anglian Field Company, Royal Engineers, attached to 2nd Division. Evidently they have been in the same area as 4th Bedfords. The commanding officer inforrmed me on the blower that they had been at Beaulencourt working on defences, but in the face of the enemy attack they moved back to the shattered remains of Longueval, where 1st Bedfords toiled for so long in 1916, and then to la Boisselle. He noted, laconically, that there was "great congestion at the crossroads". On reaching la Boisselle the engineers were ordered to dig in and hold a line between Ligny Thilloy and the devastation that was once High Wood. Work consisted of digging posts and marking the line with salved duckboards from the old Somme trenches. Sufficient infantry having been collected on this line, it is hoped that the sappers will be withdrawn at dawn to Miraumont whither the transport has already moved.

Sources: X550/3/wd; X550/5/3; X550/8/1; WW1/WD3

New Year Round-Up

Tuesday 1st January 1918

On this fourth New Year at war your correspondent has received messages from each of our local units serving at the front, including the Bedfordshire Yeomanry and the East Anglian Royal Engineers, now renamed 483rd Field Company, Royal Engineers. They are stationed as follows:

• 1st Battalion: at San Giorgio delle Pertiche in Italy, undertaking training;
• 2nd Battalion: in a support area near Stirling Castle outside Ypres;
• 4th Battalion: in front line trenches near Villers-Plouich on the old Cambrai battlefield; it has had the dubious honour of having the regiment’s first casualty of 1918 - Private Arthur Woodham from Northampton having been killed;
• 1st/5th Battalion: marching to Selmeh in Palestine, three miles east of Jaffa, to occupy bivouacs;
• 6th Battalion: in trenches near Hollebeke south-east of Ypres;
• 7th Battalion: training at Claude Chappe Camp at Roesbrugge-Haringe, north of Poperinge;
• 8th Battalion: has marched to billets in Bailleulmont from the front line trenches near Ayette. The adjutant reports “the roads were in a bad condition owing to frost. The march was done in good time by the battalion and no men fell out during the march”;
• Bedfordshire Yeomanry: at Mesnil-Bruntel on the east bank of the River Somme directly west of Saint-Quentin working on the camp, erecting stabling, hutments etc.;
• 483rd Field Company, Royal Engineers: at Bertincourt, east of Bapaume, working on defences

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/3/wd; X550/5/3; X550/6/8; X550/7/1; X550/8/1; X550/9/1; WW1/WD2; WW1/WD3

(1) a now depopulated Arab village called Salama, today represented by Salameh Street in the Kfar Shalem neighbourhood of Tel Aviv)

Twentieth Day of the Battle of Arras

Saturday 28th April 1917

Here in the city of Arras we were awakened this morning just before dawn by a roar of artillery as the Great Push resumed. 12th (Eastern) Division of VI Corps was given the task of advancing a short way to ensure that the northern flank of the bulge, or salient, around Monchy-le-Preux was reduced. The results were mixed, some advances being made but some attacking units taking dreadful casualties.

On the XVII Corps front, 34th Division was given the unenviable task of capturing Roeux, taken and then largely lost again by 51st (Highland) Division on Saint George’s Day. Some progress was made and parts of the village entered but a heavy counter-attack drove parts of the division back to its starting lines again. So Roeux, as I write this, still appears to be in enemy hands. This village is acquiring as bloody a name as Thiepval, Guillemont and Ovillers did last summer on the Somme.

37th Division also attacked yesterday, despite the fact that some Battalions had been reduced fro a theoretical strength of around one thousand to about two hundred by the severe fighting a few days ago. The target was again Greenland Hill, between Roeux and Gavrelle. The adjutant of 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, has wired me reporting that they almost gained their objective, but were hit in the flank by fire from the chemical works outside Roeux. From other sources we understand that the Bedfords were probably a long way from their objective, having mistaken a trench about two hundred yards from their starting point for the trench in front of their true objective which lay three hundred yards beyond that. 63rd Brigade of this Division actually managed a breakthrough just west of Fresnes but steady losses from German counter-attacks has forced them to fall back to the road between Gavrelle and Plouvain. Meanwhile 111th Brigade managed to advance its line by about 800 yards up to the Gavrelle to Plouvain road. My colleague Ian McLeod, who is with the 6th Battalion, tells me that the unit has lost 294 men in the attacks at Greenland Hill of whom 51 are dead and 57 missing. In total this month the Battalion has lost so many men that only 58 are fit for duty.

Attacks have also been made north of Arras by 1st Army at Oppy and Arleux. 188th Brigade of 63rd (Royal Naval) Division was given the task of forming a defensive flank for the attack of 2nd Division further north.  4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, was placed under the orders of 188th Brigade but did not go into action, despite the failure of the Brigade to achieve its objectives.

This failure had a serious impact on 2nd Division which had its right flank uncovered (“in the air” in military parlance) as it made its attack. The Division was already seriously under strength - around 3,500 men instead of a full strength figure in excess of 12,000. The Division was to capture the shattered remains of Oppy Wood and the village of Oppy itself beyond it. The attack began from forming up tapes laid by 1st Field Company, East Anglian Royal Engineers (now known officially as 483rd Field Company, Royal Engineers). 6th Brigade took the wood but were repulsed from the village and then from the wood as well. 5th Brigade made some progress north of the wood and the village. As I write this we believe that both 63rd and 2nd Divisions are to attack again in the next few minutes.

North of these two British divisions is the Canadian Corps which, fresh from its magnificent capture of Vimy Ridge, was given the task of taking the village of Arleux. They succeeded magnificently in their task and the village is now in their hands. These men from the prairies, mountains and wastes of Canada must be regarded as amongst the very best in the World.

Away from the fighting, we have heard that 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment has arrived at the Arras front. They are billeted in what the adjutant described as “Hun trenches” near Neuville-Vitasse and this evening expect to move up to the front line near Chérisy.

Sources: X550/5/3; X550/8/1; WW1/WD3; information from Ian McLeod

Shell Craters and Barbed Wire

Saturday 24th March 1917 from our correspondent in the field

During the pursuit of the retreating Germans the East Anglian Royal Engineers have not been idle, as we heard on 13th March. They have been working in the vicinity of the village of Sapignies, north-west of Bapaume.

A tool cart and limber was sent to No 1 section at Sapignies via Bapaume. Then the Company (less one section detailed as an advanced guard) received orders to move to Sapignies as Royal Engineers of the main guard, formed by 6th Infantry Brigade, on 2nd Division advance.

The Company arrived (via Bapaume) at Sapignies and cleared roads around two mine craters, shown as red x's on the map above. They also removed the wire obstacles across the road marked by the blue cross. Their division was then relieved by 18th Division bringing them, once more, into close contact with 7th Bedfords, though whether old friends were able to spend time together is doubtful as everyone is working at high pressure to ensure that the German retreat is followed as closely as possible.

Source: WW2/WD3

Attack on the Loupart Line

Tuesday 13th March 1917 from our correspondent in the field

At 2 am this morning the 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment was in position ready to make an attack on the Loupart Line east of the village of Irles. An hour later a message was received from the Australians east of Loupart Wood to the effect that the enemy were retiring. No patrol could be sent out by darkness but a daylight patrol was organised which reported that the Loupart Line had been evacuated.

Thus, at 11 am D Company moved to the Loupart Line. C Company followed in support. The companies moved in four open waves each. The companies were under shell fire and considerably troubled with machine gun fire from Achiet-le-Petit about two miles to the north. According to the adjutant, however, “The formations were splendid and the men were wonderfully steady”.

By 12.15 C Company had passed through D Company and continued in four waves, with scouts, about 200 yards in advance until held up by heavy machine gun fire from a line of trenches dubbed the Achiet Line. By 1 pm the Battalion occupied the Loupart Line and, an hour later, had also taken Hill 130 after considerable resistance.

By 4 pm the Battalion was in its final position, near a place where five roads met dubbed The Star Roads on Hill 130. Tonight the Battalion is consolidating a line shown in blue on the map above, facing Achiet-le-Petit to the north

Coincidentally 2nd Division are also operating in this area, including 1st/1st Field Company, East Anglian Royal Engineers. At 6.45 am the Company was told to consolidate strongpoints behind the new front line to be taken up by 6th Infantry Brigade on Irles-Grevillers Road. The infantry advance being successful, the Company with attached sappers’ mates, constructed and wired 5 strongpoints as shown by blue x’s on the map above. Three other ranks were wounded during the day(1).

Source: X550/8/1; WW1/WD2

(1) Two men subsequently died - on the day itself 522252 Sapper C A Howe of 33 Goldington Road, Bedford, aged 24 (buried Adanac Military Cemetery, Miraumont) and 522004 Sapper Edward Stanley Moore, 25, from Sherington or Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire who is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

More Work for the Royal Engineers

Friday 23rd February 1917 from our correspondent in the field

The adjutant of the 1st Field Company East Anglian Royal Engineers reports that they have taken over “intermediate work”. It turns out that this means the installation of a water supply system from a well in an old sugar beet factory of which there are a number on the Somme. They are also building of several messes on dug-outs south of Miraumont for the use of 2nd Divisional Headquarters.

They are also making a dug-out for the Royal Field Artillery Brigade Headquarters, fitting gas canisters in dugouts at Courcellette, erecting camouflage screens, constructing an office at Centre Way Dump, maintaining and repairing a duck board track to said dump and constructing a bomb store. Truly, there is no rest for the sapper.

We continue to hear rumours of German retreat. All our fingers are crossed(1).

Source: WW1/WD3

(1) The German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line began on the night of 22nd/23rd February. The Germans concealed it brilliantly and the allies were slow to follow-up.

What the Royal Engineers Did

Monday 19th February 1917 from our correspondent in the field

2nd Division were also in the fight for Petit Miraumont on Saturday and one of the units of engineers attached to the division is 1st Field Company, East Anglian Royal Engineers. The adjutant told us about their activities on Friday and Saturday: “We were at Wolfe Huts where preparations were made for the carrying out of work allotted to this Company. This work consisted of teo sections to construct posts for the consolidation of ground to be captured by the 6th Infantry Brigade. The attached sappers’ mates of these sections and half a company of 10th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry were under orders of our officer commanding and their work was to execute the wiring in front of ground to be captured by the Brigade”.

“The other two sections were attached to the 5th Field Company, Royal Engineers for the consolidation of ground to be captured by the 99th Infantry Brigade, between East and West Miraumont Roads”.

“Owing to the failure of the attack on Desire Support Trench [south of Pys and Miraumont] by the 6th Infantry Brigade , neither of the two sections attached to this Brigade were called up. Under orders from Advanced 6th Infantry Brigade Headquarters the attached sappers’ mates and half company of DCLI left billets at 11 pm and proceeded to work, which conxisted of repairing the wire of our own front line, which had been cut tp permit the attack made in the morning”.

“With reference to the two sections attached to 5th Field Company as only the first objective was reached by the 99th Brigade only Number 4 Section, under Lieutenant J H King was sent up to perform its allotted work. Previous to this a daylight reconnaissance of the positions of the strongpoints to be constructed had been made by Second Lieutenant J H King, taking advantage of the mist. This section, together with attached sappers’ mates and one platoon 10th DCLI started work about 4.30 pm and completed Strongpoint Number 1 and also did s consideravle amount of work on Strongpoint Number 6. Second Lieutenant King and one other rank were slightly wounded, both remaining at duty”.

Source: WW1/WD3

Royal Engineers are Always Busy

Thursday 8th February 1917 from our correspondent in the field

The 1st Field Company, East Anglian Royal Engineers is in and around Aveluy Wood, north of Albert on the banks of the River Ancre. Its adjutant reports that it is supplying skilled labour to the Divisional Hutting Officer, making brushwood mats and cutting timber in the wood.

The Company’s other task is preparing Bangalore torpedoes for use of 6th Infantry Brigade, erecting a camouflage screen at Courcellette and the establishment of wire dump near front line. These activities suggest an attack somewhere in the vicinity of Courcelette soon(1)

Source: WW1/WD3

(1) They were preparations for an attack on Desire Support Trench on February 17th as part of a general attack around Miraumont.

Royal Engineers on the Somme

Dyke Valley shown in black

Friday 2nd February 1917 from our correspondent in the field

The 1st Field Company East Anglian Royal Engineers is still on the Somme. Their varied tasks include supplying skilled labour, constructing dug-outs, repairing billets under the orders of the Town Major, Ovillers Area, laying trench boards in communication trenches and building a sandbag barricade as a defensive measure across a place called Dyke Valley {shown on the map above).

Source: WW1/WD3

Working with Wood

2nd Lieutenant A F Aldridge [X550/1/81]

Monday 22nd January 1917

The adjutant of the 2nd Battalion, north-west of Albert, reports that 2nd Lieutenant A Stone, 2nd Lieutenant A F Aldridge and seventy other ranks are acting as a wood cutting party at Gaudiempré. Meanwhile C and D Companies are being employed on working parties for the Royal Engineers.

2nd Lieutenant A Stone [X550/1/81]

Speaking of Royal Engineers, 1st Field Company East Anglian Royal Engineers also near Albert, have taken over the work of the forward Field Company for the 2nd Division from 226th Field Company. Their work consists of improving front line posts, extending the Brigade headquarters, dugout repair and the construction of brushwood mat tracks. They are also supplying skilled labour to the Divisional Hutting Officer and Divisional Royal Engineers Dump.

Sources: X550/3/WD; WW1/WD3

Work of the Royal Engineers

Friday 19th January 1917

Your correspondent has heard today from 1st Field Company East Anglian Royal Engineers, attached to 2nd Division, who are north-west of Albert on the Somme. They have taken over work from 2/2nd Highland Field Company Royal Engineers of 51st Division.

This is the work detailed for the rear Field Company of royal engineer unites of the division and consists of supplying labour for the divisional sawmill and Royal Engineer dumps, repairs to hutments, cutting pit props and making brushwood mats. Most of this activity takes place in Aveluy Wood. Second Lieutenant Haward has been detailed Divisional Hutting Officer and has left the company to assume these duties.

Since Monday 25 other ranks each from 2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment and 13th Battalion Essex Regiment and one officer and 25 other ranks each from 1st Battalion, King’s (Liverpool) Regiment and 17th Battalion Middlesex Regiment have been attached to company as “Sappers’ Mates”, doing simple manual labour under the expert eye of the engineers.

Source: WW1/WD3

East Anglian Engineers at Aveluy

Thursday 7th December 1916: From our Correspondent in the Field

The East Anglian Field Company, Royal Engineers are busy on the old Somme battlefield. Indeed the engineers always seem to be busy because there is always some task needing doing somewhere. At present the engineers are not far from Aveluy which adjoins the River Ancre. They have been building machine-gun emplacements. They have also been repairing tramways and building dug-outs in the same area, ready for any German counter-offensive in the new year.

Source: WW1/WD3

Day Twenty Six on the Somme

Wednesday 26th July 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

The 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, has been, by chance, bivouacked in the remains of the Pommiers Redbout, west of Montauban, which was captured by 7th Battalion on 1st July. During the day the battalion has been moving north towards the village of Longueval, still in German hands. They were held up for two hours, however, in Caterpillar Valley by a German bombardment which included poisoned gas. Fortunately only two men have been affected. 

This bombardment seems to have been a southern spur of the terrific bombardment of the area around Pozières which has been going on for two days now. Still there is no sign of an attempt by the enemy to retake the village. This evening the bombardment has intensified still further, a thing few thought possible, so our own guns are now all engaged on shelling the German artillery positions and trenches from which any attack will come.

7th Battalion is well to the north now, near the village of Wallon-Cappel between Saint-Omer and Hazebrouck, well behind the front line. The adjutant told me this evening by telephone that the divisional commander, Sir Ivor Maxse inspected the Battalion, which was formed up en-masse in a field. They paraded as strong as possible in dull order rather than parade dress. They totalled 29 officers and about 650 other ranks out of a notional strength of just over 1,000.

General Maxse complimented the battalion highly for turning out so clean and so well-clothed and shod after its recent heavy fighting. On completion of the inspection he called all officers together and spoke in very high terms of praise of both officers, N.C.O's and men who had taken part in the recent fighting. He particularly mentioned the splendid fighting spirit of the Battalion and thanked the commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel G D Price and all concerned for the very efficient manner in which the attack on the Pommiers Redoubt was carried out on the 1st July.

Today is the first anniversary of the Battalion’s landing in France. The surviving officers (twelve in number) are assembling for a dinner at the Battalion Headquarters Mess. A very enjoyable evening is anticipated.

The 1st Field Company, East Anglian Royal Engineers have been under gas bombardment today as they move up to support an impending attack on Longueval. Their commander told me: "This barrage was continued for three hours and the wearing of the poisoned gas helmets coupled with the somewhat dense smoke cloud rendered the location of the various overland tracks extremely difficult as the only other route (Longueval Alley) was being subjected to a fairly severe enemy bombardment".

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/8/1; X550/WD3

Day Twenty Five on the Somme

Tuesday 25th July 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

All today the Germans have been bombarding the area around Pozières. Hammer blows from artillery of the largest calibre as well as the more normal howitzers have reduced the ruined village to a completely flattened state, we understand. The Australian defenders must be suffering greatly from nerves if not in numbers of casualties.

Soldiers to whom I have spoken have highlighted this effect on morale as the worst part of protracted heavy bombardment as, provided one is deep enough underground (and German dug-outs which will have been captured at Pozières are notoriously deep) one is comparatively safe from death.

No doubt a massive German counter-attack to retake the village is in the offing. This knowledge, too, will play on the minds of the defenders under the rain of shells. 

1st Field Company East Anglian Royal Engineers, who are attached to 2nd Division, have been ordered to prepare for work on a redoubt with three machine-gun emplacements and holding a platoon of infantry 300 yards south of the church in Longueval, preparation against successful German counter-attacks. The commander of the company told me: "In siting this redoubt, special consideration was given to obtaining a good field of fire towards Waterlot Farm". He went on: "A reconnaissance was made of the ground between Bernafay Wood and Longueval for the purpose of setting a communication trench between these two points" The work was not begun today due to an imminent attack.

Source: X550/3WD

Feelings of a Fed-Up Sapper

Sunday 25th June 1916: We understand that a massive “push” is about to take place somewhere in France, so it may be a while before we can print much about our boys in other parts of the World. With this in mind we print the following amusing letter from Sergeant Burrell, 1st/2nd Field Company, East Anglian Royal Engineers, who is stationed in Egypt.

With the thermometer at 120 degrees and the flies about 300 times that amount, the noble, sweat-clad sapper prepares to face another day, and Sunday at that, on the golden desert, the same desert that attracts holiday-makers or sightseers. How will he spend his day? His stock of literature is exhausted, even to the labels of the jam tins. His constant practice of face-gazing in the tent enables him to recognise his fellow sapper opposite him, even in the dark, at a fair range. If he was not a soldier he could probably spend an hour conjuring up in his mind as to how he shall satisfy his hunger. But being a sapper he knows only too well what his midday meal consists of, even for days ahead, for it is all stored in his own air-tight larder round the tent pole – some peach, some apricot. The essence of vulgarity in the jam sense?

What about botany? Well he could become a botanist, but do do that he must also be a professional pedestrian, as the nearest weed would probably loom up some 20 or 30 miles away. If he was given to writing, he could possibly produce and ode to the desert. But, there, the desert gets called enough names as it is.

No, he must content himself more locally. Why not classify his kit? Pooh! He knows the exact number of buckles on his equipment and their respective uses by heart. He knows to a fraction how much wool it took to make his socks; in fact the kit complete has been through it in the like manner. Something entirely new is necessary. They say necessity is the mother of invention. Not so, however, or the British army would be full to overflowing with Edisons. He may feel inclined to sing, but there are seven others in the tent besides himself and a mess-tin is made to fit the eye of the offender in these cases.

And so it goes on from day to day and week to week, and I suppose it will be year to year the same exciting, nerve-racking mode of living, until one by one of these poor sappers drop off, some into old age or senile decay, while others are tortured with magic visions of gilt-edged discharge sheets, or trips to their homeland.

You will see one engaged in a serious rehearsal of home-coming, see him embrace his dear ones. But unfortunately the fellow beside him objects to being hugged while in possession of a mess-tinful of scalding tea and immediately brings the offender from his day-dreams with the arc of his boot.

Hence the arrival of the hospital cart and the departure of another sapper, and consequently more room in the tent and something exciting to talk about.

Source: Luton News 29th June 1916

This Month with the East Anglian Royal Engineers

Tuesday 25th April 1916: During this past month the East Anglian Royal Engineers have been improving the defences of Cité-Calonne just north of Béthune. The work has consisted of construction of concrete machine gun emplacements in the support line and the building of strongpoints and artillery observation posts. They have also been making tunnels to help troops get to the front without running the gauntlet of artillery fire. As if this was not enough they have also been constructing a reserve line running through the houses of Calonne.

Source: WW1/WD3

The East Anglian Royal Engineers

Monday 21st February 1916: We have not heard for a while from the Bedford-based 1st/1st Field Company, East Anglian Royal Engineers. The adjutant tells us that they began the month at le Touret near Festered where they were helping to strengthen the defences of the Village Line and building a gun emplacement. One section was detailed for work holding the front line as infantry and building frames for dug-outs. They left the area on 17th February and marched to la Miquellerie north of the town of Lillers for a rest. Whilst resting they have been infantry drill, mounted section drill and smoke helmet drill. They have also been making hurdles and instructing the sapping platoon of 5th Infantry Brigade in how to make them.

Source: WD3

How The Luton News Helped a Soldier’s Family

William Brown 

Thursday 17th February 1916: Today’s edition of the Luton News carries an interesting story of how the paper helped the family of a missing soldier, which we copy in full: “The usefulness of the Luton News and Saturday Telegraph in locating “lost” relatives was brought to our notice the other day in a very human little story”.

“Lance Corporal William Brown, 9899, of the Bedfordshire Regiment, was mentioned in a casualty list and the War Office sent a notification the other week to Mr Frederick Charles Brown, who was understood to be living in Guildford-street, Luton. However, the letter was returned to the Record Office endorsed “Gone away”. Then the Army authorities requested the Luton police to find out where the brother had gone. Their efforts were fruitless and so they resorted to the papers mentioned and we inserted an account of the facts of the case. The result was that immediately several relatives of Lance Corporal Brown communicated with Chief Constable Tearle”.

“One of these is Mrs Groom, who is at present staying in North-street, Luton. Our representative interviewed Mrs Groom and she explained that the family belonged to Aspley Guise. Her brother, Mr Frederick Charles Brown, left Guildford-street some time ago, and being a Territorial in the East Anglian Royal Engineers was called up at the beginning of the war and is now in France”.

“Lance Corporal Brown has been with the 1st Bedfordshire Regiment for some years, and is 22 years of age. He went to the Front with the 1st Bedfordshire Regiment  and a year last October they heard he was missing and then that he was wounded and a prisoner of war. Since then conflicting rumours have reached the relatives, who suffered great anxiety”.

“Mrs Groom wrote to the Record Office for the notification which was returned from Luton, and on Monday had a reply from the Record Office stating that Lance Corporal Brown is a prisoner of war at Gardelegen, Germany, and promising to communicate any further information”.

Source: Luton News 17th February 1916

What the Engineers Have Been Doing

Monday 29th November 1915: We have heard from the 1st/1st East Anglian Royal Engineers about what they have been up to this month. They have been working near Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée, and thus in the vicinity of 2nd Bedfords, though with 2nd as opposed to 7th Division.

The have constructed of a new third line of defences from the Annequin-Auchy railway to the la Bassée Canal. They have been constructing new trenches, “dog’s legs”, machine gun emplacements, wire entanglements, dugouts and latrines and repairing existing trenches which were adopted as part of the line.

Source: WW1/WD3