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

Day One Hundred and Thirty Four on the Somme

Saturday 11th November 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

After two inspections in two days the 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, have today left Puchevillers for Varennes, much closer to the front line. They seem to be heading towards Beaumont-Hamel. This village lies at the meeting place of two interlocking spurs of land close to the west bank of the River Ancre. High Command had planned to capture it on 1st July but the casualties here were so terrible and the failure so complete nothing further has been tried against it since.

Trench Mortar at the Imperial War Museum

Today Stokes mortars fired lachrymatory shells, or tear gas, on it five o’clock this morning. At three this afternoon nearly fifty drums of poisoned gas were fired into the village, with nearly forty fired at a feature called Y-Ravine which lies just south of the village.

Last night the Canadians seized the parts of Regina Trench east of the road from Courcelette to Pys by a midnight attack. Appropriately one of the attacking battalions was the 46th (South Saskatchewan), the province of which Regina is the capital. Nearly one hundred prisoners were taken and counter-attacks during today have been beaten off. First class work by the Canucks.

Source: X550/5/3

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 Eighty Five on the Somme

A sketch of G P Mills in his cycling days

Saturday 23rd September 1916: From our Correspondent in the Field

We have heard from the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, that they are preparing to go into action again. This will be their third attack on the Somme, following Delville Wood and Longueval on 27th July and then Falfemont Farm between 3rd and 6th of this month.

We heard that Captain Leslie Keep of 7th Battalion was inspecting the area around Thiepval a few days ago. His battalion is now on the move. This morning they marched from Raincheval to Varennes, a few miles behind the lines. This afternoon the second-in-command Major G P Mills has inspected reserve trenches near Thiepval.

George Pilkington Mills made something of a name for himself before the war as a champion cyclist. Born in 1867 he made a number of trips from land’s End to John O’Groats by bicycle, at times holding the World record time for the distance. He also won the first race for bicyclists from Bordeaux to Paris in 1891. He then began to race automobiles and motor bicycles. Having joined the army in 1889 he retired as a major in 1906 before volunteering at the outbreak of this war.

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