The 23rd (Service) Battalion Royal Fusiliers (First Sportsman's): A Record of its Services in the Great War, 1914-1919 — John Shaqi
The 23rd (Service) Battalion Royal Fusiliers (First Sportsman's): A Record of its Services in the Great War, 1914-1919Ward, Fred W.
History
The 23rd (Service) Battalion Royal Fusiliers (First Sportsman's): A Record of its Services in the Great War, 1914-1919
Ward, Fred W.
Great Britain. Army. 23rd Royal Fusiliers; World War, 1914-1918 -- Regimental histories -- Great Britain
During the night of June 24-25 "A" Company carried out a raid on the
enemy front line, and at 2 a.m. on the 26th "B" Company also carried
out a similar operation. July came round, and on the night of the
22nd-23rd the Battalion supplied a flanking party to a raid carried
out by the 1st Royal Berks. On the 30th the Battalion was in the
Ayette right sub-sector, but on August 5 and August 6 there was a
reorganization of the Brigade front, and it went into support.
Then came the British advance, and on the night of August 20-21 the
Battalion moved up for an attack by the 3rd Army. Leading off in a
dense fog, the 23rd Royal Fusiliers went over the top at Ayette,
capturing Aerodrome Trench, and so clearing the way for other troops
to leap-frog over them and capture Courcelles.
Moving forward again in its turn, two companies of the Battalion,
under Major W.B. Cluff, captured Behagnies. On the night of August
23-24, being relieved by the Loyal North Lancs, the Battalion moved
back to bivouac near Courcelles, where it remained until September 2.
Moving forward on that day to Vaulx-Vraucourt, it attacked at dawn on
the 3rd and reached Morchies, bivouacking near Doignes.
On the 6th-7th the Battalion took over the front line from the 1st
King's Royal Rifle Corps and delivered an attack on Slag Avenue,
suffering casualties of 3 officers killed and 100 other ranks killed
and wounded.
Relieved on the 8th by the 52nd Light Infantry, a bivouac was made at
Beaumetz-les-Cambrai, moving on the 15th to Mory. On the 27th the
Battalion moved forward in support to the Brigade which was fighting
its way onwards, and spent the night in the Hindenburg Support Line
just west of Flesquieres.
The advance continuing, the Battalion moved again at dawn on the 28th,
reaching Nine Wood just west of Noyelles. From here one company was
sent forward and assisted the King's Royal Rifle Corps in capturing
Noyelles. Then the remainder of the Battalion moved up and took over
the front line from the 1st King's Royal Rifle Corps. Attacking on the
30th, the Battalion found itself up against the strong position of
Mount sur l'Ouvres, suffering casualties of two officers and
sixty-four other ranks. This position could only be subsequently
captured by the use of a whole new brigade for the purpose.
GERMAN TANKS UNSUCCESSFUL.--Relieved at night, the Battalion moved
back to bivouac at Nine Wood. Remaining there, resting, till October 7
the Battalion moved up to east of Rumilly on the night of 7th-8th, and
delivered a successful attack on Forenville at dawn on the 8th. During
a counter-attack the enemy used tanks against the Battalion in an
endeavour to oust it from the positions secured, but without success.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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