Seventy Third Day of the Third Battle of Ypres

Captain H A W Pearse [X550/1/81] 

Thursday 11th October 1917

Today has been one of reliefs, with four new divisions coming into the line. One of the divisions relieved is 5th Division, amongst which is 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, which was relieved last evening and has withdrawn to Ridge Wood.

Second Lieutenant H W Fleming [X550/1/82]

The adjutant has, this morning, given us a précis of the battalion’s time in the front line near the Menin Road. From the 4th to 10th the Battalion was subjected to heavy shelling during which four officers (Second Lieutenants H H Reynolds, H W Fleming, J Cotchin and P N J Christie) and thirty-five other ranks were killed and six officers (Captain H A W Pearse and Second Lieutenants Laughton, E F K Graham, F Flavell, S Norrish and E I F Nailer) and ninety-seven other ranks (including acting regimental Sergeant-Major N Freer) wounded. wounded, in addition four other ranks are missing.

Second Lieutenant S Norrish [X550/1/82]

During the tour the Battalion captured four machine-guns and killed over one hundred of the enemy by sniping and use of rifle grenades.

Source: X550/2/5

Medals and Gassing

Tuesday 24th July 1917

The adjutant of the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, tells me that three officers and three other ranks have been decorated. Military Crosses have been allotted to Captain H A W Pearse, Second Lieutenant P D Sisley and Second Lieutenant A S Trotter. Meanwhile 8721 Sergeant R T C Lansbury and 10055 Sergeant Puddiphatt have been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and 28207 Sergeant Sinclair a bar to his Military Medal(1).

Captain Pearse [X550/1/81]

The adjutant of the 1st/5th Battalion has wired to say that “gongs” have been handed out there, too. Nineteen Military Medals have been given to members of the recent raiding party at Umbrella Hill, sixteen of them being members of the Bedfords.

Second Lieutenant Sisley [X550/1/82]

Yesterday the 6th Battalion, in the front line near Kemmel, was gassed. Today there have been five more gas casualties as well as one man wounded and one killed by other means. Three officers have arrived as reinfocrements.

Source: X550/2/5; X550/6/8; X550/7/1

(1) Company Sergeant Major R T Lansbury DCM, MM would be killed in action on 20th July 1918. Sergeant J Sinclair DCM, MM would die near Ypres on 12th November 1917.

All Change in the 2nd Battalion

Lieutenant-Colonel H S Poyntz

Thursday 1st March 1917 from our correspondent in the field

The 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment are still in the front line at Agny, south-west of Arras. It has been a quiet day without casualties but with a few changes. The commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel H D Poyntz has taken over as commender of 89th Infantry Brigade in the absence of Brigadier-General F C Stanley. Captain H A W Pearse has gone to 89th Infantry Brigade Headquarters for instruction and Lieutenant H de Buriatte has taken over command of A Company.

Source: X550/3/WD

And More Reinforcements

Captain H A W Pearse [X550/1/81]

Tuesday 9th January 1917

The adjutant of the 2nd Battalion tells me that they have today received 37 other ranks as reinforcements. In the first nine days of this year the battalions of the Regiment have received the following numbers:

• 2nd Battalion: 87;
• 6th Battalion: 54;
• 8th Battalion: 273

A total of 414 officers and men. Meanwhile the Battalion has lost an officer, hopefully purely temporarily, as Captain H A W Pearse has gone on leave.

Source: X550/3/wd

Day One Hundred and Twenty Two on the Somme

Lieutenant Mudford

Monday 30th October 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

Today 2nd Bedfords have moved to front line trenches at Berles-au-Bois opposite German-held Monchy north of the Somme. Captain L F Beal is no longer Town Major of Pommier, having been made temporary aide-de-camp to 30th Division commander, Sir John Shea. His replacement is Lieutenant H E Mudford. Meanwhile Captain H A W Pearse has returned from 30th Divisional School and has taken command of A Company.

4th Battalion have left Varennes and are tonight near the front line at Beaumont-Hamel. Their division may go into action here in the near future. 7th Battalion are also preparing for an attack. Their task will be to capture the village of Petit-Miraumont on the River Ancre north of Courcelette and with it, a vital bridge across the Ancre.

On the Thiepval ridge 11th Division have taken the southern half of Stuff Redoubt. the Canadians also helped the division to clear more of Hessian Trench. Meanwhile 55th Brigade of 18th Division has been fighting hard to hold on to its grasp of the Schwaben Redoubt.

23rd Division stormed Destremont Farm during the day whilst 47th (London) Division made progress north-east of Flers.

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

Day One Hundred and Twenty One on the Somme

Captain Pearse

Sunday 29th October 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

Today we hear from the 2nd Bedfords that they have marched to billets in Pommier, where Captain L F Beal is Town Major. Lieutenant N V Dabell has left the battalion temporarily, as he is going to replace Captain H A W Pearse as adjutant of 30th Divisional School.

33rd Division have again attacked the enemy east of Lesboeufs in heavy rain today. Even heavier enemy fire prevented any advance. 

39th Division took some ground at a point known as the Pope’s Nose on the slope from the River Ancre up to Thiepval, where Mill Lane branches off from Thiepval Road. We have had rain since 25th of this month and the going, bad before, is now worse. The devastation of millions of shells have destroyed all natural drainage and so the ground, in many areas, is effectively waterlogged.

Source: X550/3/wd