Roll of Honour - 14th April 1918

Killed in Action

1st Battalion: battles of the Lys 1918: divisional line near Lambres

• 15567 Private William SPICER, 22, step-son of George Scripps of  Great Hormead [Hertfordshire] (Haverskerque British Cemetery)

4th Battalion: front line south of Mesnil Martinsart

• 49133 Private William Augustus FELIX, 19, born Ilford [Essex], resided Twickenham [Middlesex], son of William A and Edith Felix of 68 Hunbolt Road, Fulham Cross [London] (Pozieres Memorial)
• 49183 Private George MARTIN, 19, son of Alfred and Annie Martin of 107 Upper Lewes Road, Brighton [Sussex] (Aveluy Wood Cemetery (Lancashire Dump) Mesnil-Martinsart)
• 205884 Private William MARTIN, 17, ex-201032 Essex Regiment, son of Samuel and Annie Martin of  2 Grove, Barking [Essex] (Martinsart British Cemetery)
• 49196 Lance Corporal Edward RICHARDSON, 19, son of Annie Richardson of 8 West Mount Terrace, Priory Hill, Dover [Kent] and late Francis Fox Richardson (Pozieres Memorial)
• 39605 Private Herbert WILKINSON, 35, ex-M/2/232033 Army Service Corps, born and resided Shaw [Lancashire], husband of Clara of 4 Church View, Norden [Lancashire] (Pozieres Memorial)
• 41936 Private James John WILLIS, ex-47728 Royal Garrison Artillery, son of Thomas John and Elizabeth Willis of Clyst-Saint-Mary [Devon], husband of Martha M of 9 Boston Avenue, Toronto [British Columbia], born and resided Exeter [Devon] (Aveluy Wood Cemetery (Lancashire Dump) Mesnil-Martinsart)

1st/5th Battalion: killed by shellfire near Mejdel Yaba

• 21475 Private Charles Valentine COWLER, 28, born Collier’s Row [Essex], resided Buckhurst Hill [Essex], son of Lewis Cowler of High Cross [Hertfordshire], husband of Jessie of Trust Houses, Chipping Ongar [Essex] (Ramleh War Cemetery)

Died of Wounds

4th Battalion

• 41909 Private Frederick Joseph CLARKE, 19, ex-256460 Leicestershire Yeomanry, son of Frederick Joseph and Elizabeth Clarke of 14 Belle Vue Terrace, Basford [Staffordshire] (Étaples Military Cemetery)
• 51167 Private William Ewart COE, born and resided Cambridge (Doullens Communal Cemetery Extension No. 1)
• 43711 Private Joseph COLLIER, 46, ex-24362 South Wales Borderers, born Newport [Monmothshire], resided Llangibby [Monmouthshire], son of Joseph and Catherine Collier (Étaples Military Cemetery)
• 21904 Private Thomas Charles LESTER, 19, born Pimlico [London], resided South Lambeth [London], son of Frederick W and Julia Anne Lester of 29 Cavendish Grove, Wandsworth [London] (Étaples Military Cemetery)

2nd Bedfords Back in the Line

Saturday 13th April 1918

The attack which began yesterday against Hazebrouck has already been halted, a long way from its target. This attack lacked the fury of those of March and it seems that, if our army is tired and weakened then the enemy's must be as badly off, if not worse. Attack is almost always more costly than defence in this war and it is hoped that the casualties the Germans have already suffered will tell against them if they launch more attacks and when, eventually, the Allied Armies begin attacks of their own.

The 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, which suffered greatly in the retreat from Saint-Quentin is once more in the  line. It is now part of General Plumer's Second Army around Ypres and finds itself between Pilkem and Langemarck immediately north of the city in support to the front line. They have on their flank, for the first time in this war, a unit of Belgians - their 10th Infantry Regiment.

Source: X550/3/wd

Roll of Honour - 13th April 1918

Died of Wounds

4th Battalion

• 21594 Private Alfred JONES, 19, ex-M/286398 Army Service Corps, son of Edward and M Alice Jones of 10 Church Road, Connah’s Quay [Flintshire] (Gezaincourt Communal Cemetery Extension)
• 25705 Private Arthur Henry PHIPPS, 24, son of George and Emily M Phipps of 64 Saint Leonard’s Road,  Northampton (Tournai Communal Cemetery Allied Extension) as a prisoner-of-war

Died

2nd Battalion

• 41314 Private Arthur James GREENWAY, 19, born Godalming [Surrey], son of Alfred E and Alice M Greenway of 2 Midleton Villas, Midleton Road, Guildford [Surrey] (Guildford (Stoke) Old Cemetery)

4th Battalion

• 13525 Private Henry George HILL, 28, born Plymouth [Devon], son of late George and Mary Hill of  Chew Stoke [Somerset] (Saint Albans (Hatfield Road) Cemetery)

An Attack Towards Hazebrouck

Friday 12th April 1918

Today we have seen the German attack towards Ypres from the direction of Messines grind to a halt. Like a gangrel cat in panic trying to escape a sack, the enemy has tried to claw his way through in another place. Today's attack has been towards the town of Hazebrouck. Their advance has been but two miles and the only place of note to have fallen is Merville.

The 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment is once more in the line, south of Mesnil, a short distance from Bouzincourt Ridge. Today they have lost an officer killed and two wounded, however, five new officers, including a captain and two lieutenants have joined. 

Sources: X550/5/3

Roll of Honour - 12th April 1918

Killed in Action

4th Battalion: front line south of Mesnil-Martinsart

• 27715 Private George Henry COLBERT, born Sawtry [Huntingdonshire], resided Conington [Cambridgeshire] (Aveluy Wood Cemetery (Lancashire Dump) Mesnil-Martinsart)
• 3/7915 Acting Company Sergeant Major Alfred William DRAPER, born and resided Stevenage [Hertfordshire] (Aveluy Wood Cemetery (Lancashire Dump) Mesnil-Martinsart)
• 25577 Private Jesse HART, born Abbotts Langley [Hertfordshire], resided King’s Langley [Hertfordshire] (Aveluy Wood Cemetery (Lancashire Dump) Mesnil-Martinsart)
• Second Lieutenant Charles LOVATT MC, 21, ex-26th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, only son of J Lovatt of 28 Egerton Road, South Shields [Durham] (Aveluy Wood Cemetery (Lancashire Dump) Mesnil-Martinsart)
• 41820 Lance Corporal Alfred Thomas TAYLOR, 19, born Tilbury [Essex], son of William and Emma Taylor of 40 South Street, Epsom [Surrey] (Aveluy Wood Cemetery (Lancashire Dump) Mesnil-Martinsart)
• 33721 Private Herbert WHYMAN, ex-23625 Suffolk Regiment, born and resided Clavering [Essex] (Aveluy Wood Cemetery (Lancashire Dump) Mesnil-Martinsart)

6th Battalion: gassed in the front line near Rossignol Wood

• 203977 Private Frederick Arthur FINBOW, 20, ex-331051 Cambridgeshire Regiment, son of F Finbow of Mill Terrace, Mendlesham Green [Suffolk] (Couin New British Cemetery)

Died of Wounds

2nd Battalion

• 33023 Private George John HARVIE, born Mile End [London], resided Bow [London] (Etretat Churchyard Extension)

Died

Bedfordshire Yeomanry

• GS/18330 Lance Corporal Philip Arnold KNIGHTS SMITH, 21, son of Rev Leslie and Florence Margaret Knights Smith of Brewood Vicarage, Stafford, born Brightstone, Isle of Wight (Utoxeter Cemetery)

Backs to the Wall

Thursday 11th April 1918

Here on the Western Front it is felt that the war has reached a tipping point. The German advances south of Ypres in the last few days have raised the ghastly spectre of a drive by the enemy all the way to the English Channel. With this in mind Sir Douglas Haig, commander-in-chief of the British Expeditionary Force has today issued the following order to all ranks.

"Three weeks ago to-day the enemy began his terrific attacks against us on a fifty-mile front.. His objects are to separate us from the French, to take the Channel ports and to destroy the British Army".

"In spite of throwing already 106 divisions into the battle and enduring the most reckless sacrifice of human life, he has as yet made little progress towards his goals".

"We owe this to the determined fighting and self-sacrifice of our troops. Words fail me to express the admiration which I feel for the splendid resistance offered by all ranks of our Army under the most trying circumstances".

"Many amongst us are now tired. To those I would say that victory will belong to the side which holds out the longest. The French Army is moving rapidly and in great force to our support".

"There is no other course open to us but to fight it out. Every position must be held to the last man: there must be no retirement. With our backs to the wall and believing in the justness of our cause each of us must fight on to the end. The safety of our homes and the Freedom of mankind alike depend upon the conduct of each of us at this critical moment".

Roll of Honour - 11th April 1918

Died

1st/5th Battalion

• 49598 Private Charles Edward SOUTHERN, 19, born Margate [Kent], son of Charles Stephen and Ellen Southern of The Fostall, Preston-next- Wingham [Kent] (Brighton City (Bear Road) Cemetery)