The Fifth Leicestershire - A Record Of The 1/5th Battalion The Leicestershire Regiment, - T.F., During The War, 1914-1919.

John David Hills

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• Publié par: edwae
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 22
• Langue: English
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The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Fifth Leicestershire, by J.D. Hills
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Title: The Fifth Leicestershire
A Record Of The 1/5th Battalion The Leicestershire Regiment,
T.F., During The War, 1914-1919.
Author: J.D. Hills
Release Date: December 22, 2005 [EBook #17369]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FIFTH LEICESTERSHIRE ***
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Transcriber's Note:
Many inconsistencies appeared in the original book and were retained in this
version.OFFICERS, 1914.
THE
FIFTH LEICESTERSHIRE.
A record of the 1/5th Battalion the Leicestershire Regiment, T.F., during the War,
19141919.
BY
CAPTAIN J.D. HILLS, M.C., Croix de Guerre.
With an introduction by
LT.-COLONEL C.H. JONES, C.M.G., T.D., Légion d'honneur (officier).
LOUGHBOROUGH.
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED AT THE ECHO PRESS.
1919.
THE FIFTH LEICESTERSHIRE.XVII.
5.
To
COLONEL HIS GRACE DUKE OF RUTLAND, K.G.,
who has watched over us and lived with us
in all our losses and in all our joys,
this book is gratefully dedicated.
PREFACE.
No literary merit is claimed for this book. It is intended to be a diary of our
progress as a Battalion since mobilisation until the signing of peace, and the
return of the Colours to Loughborough. I have written the first chapter, the
remainder, including the maps, has been done by Captain J.D. Hills.
This is scarcely the place to attempt an estimate of what the members of our
County Territorial Force Association, individually and collectively, have done
for the 5th Leicestershire Regiment. We would merely place this on record, that
there has ever been one keen feeling of brotherhood uniting us all, from
President or Chairman, to the latest joined recruit or humblest member of the
regiment, whether actively engaged on the battlefield, or just as actively
engaged at home. Never has the Executive Committee failed us. And to Major
C.M. Serjeantson, O.B.E., we would offer a special tribute for his untiring work,
wonderful powers of organisation and grasp of detail, and hearty good
fellowship at all times.
To the men of the regiment we hope that the incidents which we narrate here
will recall great times we spent together, and serve as a framework on which to
weave other stories too numerous for the short space of one book.
C.H. JONES.
MEADHURST,
UPPINGHAM,
Sept., 1919.AUTHOR'S NOTE.
The following narrative is based mainly on the Regimental War Diary. For the
rest, my thanks are due to Lt.-Colonels C.H. Jones, C.M.G., T.D., and J. Ll.
Griffiths, D.S.O., Major C. Bland, T.D., Captains D.B. Petch, M.C., J.R. Brooke,
M.C., and A.D. Pierrepont, and R.Q.M.S. R. Gorse, M.S.M., for sending me
notes and anecdotes; to Captains G.E. Banwell, M.C., and C.S. Allen, Corpl. J.
Lincoln, and L/Corpl. A.B. Law, for taking me round the battlefields and
explaining the Lens fighting of 1917; to 2nd Lieut. G.H. Griffiths, for supplying
me with many of the battlefield photographs; to all officers, N.C.O.'s and men of
the Battalion who have always been ready to answer my questions and to give
me information; to Major D. Hill, M.C., Brigade Major, for the loan of his Brigade
documents; and lastly to Mr. Deakin of Loughborough, for undertaking the
publication of this book and for giving to it so much time and personal care.
J.D. HILLS.
16, SOMERSET ST.,
London, W.1.
SEPT., 1919.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER PAGE.

1. England 1
2. Early Experiences 16
3. The Salient 39
4. Hohenzollern 70
5. Flanders Mud to the Mediterranean 90
6. The Vimy Ridge 106
7. Gommecourt 127
8. Monchy au Bois 145
9. Gommecourt Again 163
10. Lens 179
11. Hill 65 196
12. St. Elie Left 206
13. Cambrin Right 227
14. Gorre and Essars at Peace 253
15. Gorre and Essars at War 267
16. Pontruet 27917. Crossing the Canal 298
18. Fresnoy and Riquerval Woods 325
19. The Last Fight 352
20. Home Again 372

APPENDIX.

I. Officers, Feb., 1915 376
II. Honours 377
III. The Cadre, 1919 379
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE.
1. Officers, 1914 Frontispiece.
2. R.S.M.s Small and Lovett, R.Q.M.S. Gorse 34
3. Ypres 35
4. Hohenzollern Memorial 50
5. Vermelles Water Tower 51
6. Lens from the Air 130
7. Officers at Marqueffles 131
8. Red Mill and Riaumont Hill 146
9. Hohenzollern Craters, 1917 147
Company Headquarters, Loisne, and
32210.
Gorre Canal
11. Pontruet 323
12. Lieut. J.C. Barrett, V.C. 338
13. The Cadre at Loughborough 339
MAPS.
PAGE.
1. Ypres District 44
2. Bethune District 82
3. Attack on Gommecourt, 1/7/16 130
4. Monchy District 1545. Lens District 190
6. Attack on Pontruet, 24/9/18 286
7. Advance, 24/9/18 to 11/11/18 314
CHAPTER 1.
ENGLAND.
4th Aug., 1914. 25th Feb., 1915.
The Territorial Force, founded in 1908, undoubtedly attracted many men who
had not devoted themselves previously to military training, nevertheless it took
its character and tone from men who had seen long service in the old Volunteer
Force. Hence, those who created the Territorial Force did nothing more than
reorganise, and build upon what already existed. In the 5th Leicestershire
Regiment there crossed with us to France men who had over 30 years' service.
At the outbreak of war in 1914, R.Q.M.S. Stimson could look back on 36 years
of service, and, amongst other accomplishments he spoke French fluently.
Other names that occur to us are Serjt. Heafield, with 28 years, and C.S.M. Hill
with 16 years, both of Ashby, and both of whom served in the Volunteer
Company in South Africa. R.S.M. Lovett (27 years), of Loughborough, also
wears the South African medal for service in the same Company. Then there
are Pioneer-Serjt. Clay (27 years' service), C.S.M. Garratt, of Ashby, C.S.M.
Wade, of Melton, R.Q.M.S. Gorse, of Loughborough, Signal-Serjeant Diggle, of
Hinckley—all long service men. The senior N.C.O. in Rutland was C.S.M.
Kernick, who had done 18 years' service when war was declared.
The infantry of the 46th (North Midland) Division consisted of the
Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, the Lincolnshire and Leicestershire, and the
Staffordshire Brigades. Our brigade, the 138th, was commanded at first by
General A.W. Taylor, who was succeeded a few days before we left England
by General W.R. Clifford. Staff officers changed frequently, and we hope we did
not break the hearts of too many. Staff-Captain J.E. Viccars survived most of
them, and we owe him much for the able and vigorous assistance he was
always ready cheerfully to give us.
The 5th Leicestershire was a County Battalion, organised in eight companies,
with headquarters respectively at Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Oakham, Melton
Mowbray, Hinckley, Market Harborough, Mountsorrel, Shepshed, and one at
Regimental Headquarters at Loughborough. The companies thus were much
scattered, and it was only at the annual training camps that we met as a
battalion.
The Territorial Force was better prepared for mobilisation than is generally
supposed, and if the history of the assembly of the regiment at Loughborough in
the first week, their train journey to Duffield in the second week, the purchase of
horses, the collection of stores, the requisitions for food and the sharpening ofbayonets, be demanded, it can be read in the orders printed many months
before war even threatened. The orders were drawn up by Lt.-Colonel G.
German, T.D., our former commanding officer, now D.S.O., and by his
conscientious and indefatigable adjutant, Captain W.G. King Peirce, who was
killed early in the war fighting with his old regiment, the Manchesters. It is due
to these officers to record that every detail was studiously followed and found
exactly correct. We heard of one officer who, at the time the printed book of
orders was issued, was so fearful lest it should fall into the hands of some
indiscreet or improper person, that he packed and sealed it, addressed it to his
executors, and locked it up in a safe, so that even sudden death on his part
would not force him to betray his trust.
Of all hard-worked people in the early days it is possible that upon Major R.E.
Martin fell the greatest share. Not only did he see that supplies were
forthcoming, and that dealers delivered the goods expected of them, but he set
himself to design water-carts, and troughs-water-feet-for-the-washing-of, and
cunningly to adapt stock material to the better service and greater comfort of all,
many of whom were for the first time dragged from the civilities and luxuries of
home life.
At Loughborough from the 5th to the 11th of August we did little more than pull
ourselves together generally, and enjoy the good will of the inhabitants, led by
our firm friend, the oft-repeated Mayor, Mr. Mayo, J.P.