Awards and Diplomatic Relations

Captain Willans [X550/1/82]

Sunday 4th February 1917 from our correspondent in the field

We have heard today that yesterday the United States of America broke off diplomatic relations with Germany following Germany’s declaration of unrestricted submarine warfare on Thursday. This news is something of a tonic for the boys at the front as it is seen as a prelude to an declaration of war, with all that entails for new armies on the Western Front.

Today in the theatre at Béthune Sir R B Haking, commander-in-chief of XI Corps presented awards to a number of officers including Military Crosses for Captain H Willans, Captain O A R Beale and Second Lieutenant H S Everett of the 1st Bedfords.

Meanwhile the 4th Battalion, in the front line north of the River Ancre has suffered more casualties. Four men have been killed, one has died of wounds and fifteen have been wounded. Remarkably this is the same “butcher’s bill” as that suffered on 31st January.

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/5/3

Roll of Honour - 4th February 1917

Killed in Action

4^th Battalion: front line on the north bank of the Ancre

• 30922 Private George BREWSTER, born and resided Abridge [Essex] (Ancre British Cemetery Beaumont-Hamel)
• 23642 Acting Corporal Alec Walter HARRIS, born and resided Luton (Ancre British Cemetery Beaumont-Hamel)
• 30024 Private William JONES, 29, son of William and Charlotte Eleanor Jones, husband of Emily Selina Jones of 15 Burford Road, Camberley [Surrey], he was born Fulham [London] and resided Earlsfield [London] (Ancre British Cemetery Beaumont-Hamel)
• 20463 Lance Corporal Walter WEBB, 36, born Saint Albans [Hertfordshire] husband of Jane Emma Elizabeth of 11 Althorpe Street, Bedford, he resided Leverstock Green [Hertfordshire] (Ancre British Cemetery Beaumont-Hamel)

8^th Battalion: front line near Loos

• 25540 Private George Robert ROBINSON, 20, son of John Thomas and Mary Hannah Robinson of 1 Woodland View, Corby [Northamptonshire], he was born Kettering [Northamptonshire] (Vermelles British Cemetery) 

1st/5th Bedfords on the Move

Saturday 3rd February 1917 from our correspondent in the field

We have heard today from the 1st/5th Battalion in the Sinai Desert between Egypt and Palestine. They are marching to the front line which is around the town of Rafa (extreme right on the map above) on the border between Sinai and Palestine, which was taken from its Turkish garrison on 9th January.

On Thursday they marched twelve miles from Kantara(1) towards Romani(2) where they bivouacked. Kantara is on the Suez Canal about half-way between Port Said and the Great Bitter Lake and on the esxtere left of the map above. Yesterday the Battalion marched along the Pelusium railway siding and today they should arrive in Romani. They still have a long way to go to get to the front as they will have the cross the whole of the North Sinai Desert.

Sources: X550/6/8

(1) Now el-Qantara

(2) Now Rommana

Roll of Honour - 3rd February 1917

Killed in Action

8^th Battalion: front line near Noyelles-lès-Vermelles, enemy snipers and machine guns very active

• 33280 Private Reginald Alfred LEE, 19, son of Joseph and Adelaide Lee of 3 Hamburgh Terrace, Lambert Street, Southend-on-Sea [Essex], born London (Vermelles British Cemetery)

Died of Wounds

8th Battalion

• 33826 Private George TAYLOR, 34, son of George and Sophia Taylor, husband of Nancy of 4 Albert Road, Arlesey (Vermelles British Cemetery)

Died

6^th Battalion

• 12336 Sergeant Albert Edward JACKSON, 24, son of late Frank and Jane Jackson of Leicester (Etaples Military Cemetery)

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

Le Touret

Lieutenant R E Oakley [X550/1/81]

Thursday 1st February 1917 from our correspondent in the field

The 1st Battalion adjutant remarked to me today that they, part of 5th Division, are now quite close to 6th Battalion, who are part of 37th Division. Last month 6th Battalion were at le Touret today it is 1st Battalion who are acting as brigade reserve. The adjutant commented: “Very cold weather and very cold billets for the men”.

2nd Battalion are still at Baurepaire, hard at work building a railway. We hear that Lieutenant R E Oakley has been granted the acting rank of Captain whilst he commands a company.

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/3/WD

Roll of Honour - 1st February 1917

Killed in Action

4^th Battalion: front line on the north bank of the River Ancre

• 23704  Private William CLAYTON, born Thurleigh, resided Riseley (Thiepval Memorial)
• 30830 Private Walter SMITH, 38, son of Mrs Caroline Smith of Colne [Huntingdonshire] and husband of late Mary, he was born Abingdon [Oxfordshire] (Ancre British Cemetery Beaumont-Hamel)

Died of Wounds

4^th Battalion

• 4/5502 Private Bertie WARWICK, born and resided Bishop’s Stortford [Hertfordshire] (Ancre British Cemetery Beaumont-Hamel)