The East Anglian Royal Engineers and the Rats

Friday 5th February 1915: Sapper F Parker of the 1st Field Company, East Anglian Royal Engineers serving with 2nd Division tells us: “We have moved further along the firing line, shifted yesterday. There has been some very severe fighting about this part recently, so it seems as though we are in the thick of it now”. We gather they are at le Quesnoy.

“Our Company has relieved some more Royal Engineers who are going back for a rest. We are having better weather now, thank goodness. I very often sit in my abode of love and think about you all at home and wish I had a bottle of good old English beer by my side. The stuff we get out here is rotten trash, like weak water. Most of us as a rule drink coffee with a dash, and the French know how to make it. It’s very good”.

“Our batteries are always around our neighbourhood sending over presents for the Germans, souvenirs as the French say. It’s a fine sight on a dark night to see the flash and the illuminating rockets going up. We had some visitors last night in our “bedroom”, some nice sized rats. You can hear them skipping round and feel them when they run over your feet, but we don’t object to that, as long as they keep off our faces. I am thinking of training some of them. I give you my word they are very active, so don’t be surprised to see me appearing on the stage at Bedford with my wonderful long-tailed pets”.

Source: Bedfordshire Times 12th February 1915

Six Months of War

Instruction in bayonet fighting [X550/1/195/1]

Thursday 4th February 1915: Six months ago today this country declared war on Germany. In the 185 days that have passed since then the local units have suffered many casualties. Of these men 453 have made the ultimate sacrifice. The great majority of these have been men of the 1st and 2nd Battalions who have been killed in action or died of wounds. However, men have also died from accidents and disease, including 21 from units which have not yet left for the front. These mens’ deaths are every bit as tragic as those falling in battle and we mourn them all.

The numbers break down as follows:

• 1st Battalion: 289
• 2nd Battalion: 140
• 4th Battalion: 2
• 5th Battalion: 7
• 6th Battalion: 1
• 7th Battalion: 7
• 8th Battalion: 1
• 10th Battalion: 1
• Bedfordshire Yeomanry: 2
• East Anglian Royal Engineers: 3

We estimate that between two and three times this number of men have been wounded, though these figures are much more difficult to garner. This suggests that around 1,500 men, a full battalion and a half in other words, have become casualties during the war so far.

Still Living

Wednesday 3rd February 1915: “He is not dead. I left him last Thursday morning alive and well in the trenches”.

Such was the remarkable statement made by Private Thomas George Wood of Bailey-street, Luton, who is serving with the 2nd Bedfords and who returns from Luton to the front tomorrow. The remark refers to a comrade, Private W. Boon, who was last week reported killed. The statement of Private Wood has caused much mystification, and his mother, Mrs Boon of 28 Saint Ann’s-road, Luton, is anxiously waiting for further news from her son. It was thought that there could be no doubt as to Boon’s death, for it was reported by the chaplain at No. 6 Clearing Hospital, who wrote that he was with the young fellow when he died. A letter, posted on the same day as the chaplain’s letter, was received and in it Boon complained of rheumatism, and said he would like to get home for a day or two. It was thought the letter was found on the dying man, but now that a mistake is suspected, it is surmised that the posting of the letter on the same day as that sent by the chaplain is purely a coincidence(1)

Private Wood said that he came out of the trenches last Thursday at 4.30 a.m. and he then spoke to Boon, with whom he had attended Surrey-street Schools, Luton as a boy. Last Friday he was home on leave and on going into a hairdresser’s shop in Bailey-street he saw an authoritative intimation in the “News” of Boon’s death. Wood added that he thought it was a case of mistaken identity and he will speak to Boon about it when he gets back to the trenches on Friday.

Private Wood has had some narrow escapes whilst at the front. Yesterday, detailing some of his experiences Private Wood said “One day in October we carried out a charge at Ypres and half my bayonet was blown away by a shell. My rifle was also smashed and I had to discard it. Another, in December, at Bailleul, when we went out to take some prisoners, a bullet entered the back of my coat and slightly grazed my skin. It was a miraculous escape. Two days later I was out on patrol and we were nearly all captured in barbed wire entanglements. The Germans were dropping shells all the time. Our officer told us to escape the best way we could but the Germans had all but surrounded us. I and another man from London managed to slip out and we jumped one of the barbed wire fences. I thought I was in a Marathon race, but we got back to our headquarters all right”.

“Another day I was on outpost duty and the force was so strong against us that we had to retire under machine gun fire. A bullet went through the butt of my rifle but did not touch the mechanism and I have fired out of it since. My skin was grazed, however”.

Private Wood has evidently led a charmed life and his friends in Luton wish him a safe return to their midst again.

Source: Luton News 28th January 1915

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(1) A Private Edgar Boon of the 1st Battalion, who came from Saint Neots, died of wounds on 10th January and is buried at Bailleul

(2) Sadly 3/7361 Private William Boon, from Luton, was killed in action with the 2nd Battalion on 17th May 1915 during the Battle of Festubert. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the le Touret Memorial

Destruction

The Cloth Hall at Ypres

Tuesday 2nd February 1915: Private E Summerfield of 112 Ampthill Road, Bedford serves with the 2nd Battalion and has already been wounded once in this war(1). Today he told us: “I am still in the best of health but I had a bullet go through my hat. I thought I was hit again but I was not. My luck was in wasn’t it?”

“Things are going about the same but we have had a few shells over us and we have got down quick in case they drop short which means a few of us killed or wounded. The fighting is terrible sometimes”.

“I know about the seaside places in England being damaged(2). You ought to come out here and see village upon village damaged. It is shameful to see the places spoiled by the Germans”.

Source: Bedfordshire Times 12th February 1915

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(1) This may be 9291 Private Ernest Charles Summerfield who was killed with the 2nd Battalion on 18th May 1915 during the Battle of Festubert and has no known grave, being commemorated in the le Touret Memorial.

(2) This probably refers to Norfolk towns Great Yarmouth, Sheringham and King’s Lynn which were bombed by Zeppelins on the night of 19th/20th January 1915. Four were killed and sixteen injured.

Roll of Honour 2nd February 1915

Died of Wounds

1st Battalion

• 8887 Lance Corporal George Thomas ION, born Deptford [London], resided Tottenham [Middlesex] (Dranouter Churchyard)

East Anglian Field Company on the Move

Monday 1st February 1915: Sapper F. J. Harper of 1st Field Company, East Anglian Royal Engineers tells us that today: "The Company made another move, Nos 2 and 3 Sections going to a village a few miles to the rear of the lines for a short rest and Nos 1 and 4 Sections proceeding to fresh work at a smack town around which there has been a big struggle, in which the Allies gained some important points"

"We made the journey by night, and it was not without excitement. It was a beautiful moonlight night, and when we started everything appeared to be so peaceful that it was hard to realise that a terrible war was in progress. We had not gone far, however, before we were awakened to grim reality by a short but sharp artillery duel away over to our left, followed by the rattle of musketry(1). the shells bursting up in the air made a fine spectacle, but we were glad to be at a safe distance from them. Part of the way lay alongside a river and the road in places was full of shell-holes which made travelling difficult and dangerous for the horses. At one part the bank shelved away under our heavy G S(2) wagon. The wheels continued to slip gradually deeper and we had to unload everything from the wagon to prevent it toppling over. This was soon done, the wagon hauled out, re-packed and once more we started on our journey. About a hundred yards further down the road, however, we were again in difficulties. This time the wagon went up to the hubs in a huge shell hole that had become filled up with mud. Six horses alone could not move it, but with about thirty of us on drag ropes assisting them it came out with a rush. No further mishaps occurred and we arrived at our destination somewhere near midnight, rather tired and quite ready to make our 'beds' on the brick floor of the estaminet that is to be our billet for a few days".

"We did not see much of the town last night but this morning we saw on a much larger scale than ever before the pitiable condition of a town in the path of the war. Everywhere one sees houses, shops and public buildings battered and smashed by shell-fire. the civil population is replaced by soldiers, the ordinary traffic by military transports, and the usual sounds heard in peace times are drowned by the roar of artillery, bursting shells and the crack of rifles".

Source: Bedfordshire Standard 26th February 1915

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(1) Although all sides now used breech-loading rifles the British Army still used the archaic description of musketry.

(2) General Service

Roll of Honour 1st February 1915

Died

1st/5th Battalion

• 2850 Private Samuel CORBY, 30, son of Regina Emma Corby of 12 High Street, Bozeat [Northamptonshire], born Storrington [Sussex] (Bozeat Cemetery)

7th Battalion

• 10758 Private Arthur FAULKNER, born and resided Southill (Southill, All Saints) Churchyard)