The Grenadier Guards in the Great War of 1914-1918, Vol. 1 of 3Ponsonby, Frederick
History
The Grenadier Guards in the Great War of 1914-1918, Vol. 1 of 3
Ponsonby, Frederick
Great Britain. Army. Grenadier Guards; World War, 1914-1918 -- Regimental histories -- Great Britain
Major A. St. L. Glyn, Commanding Officer.
Major A. F. A. N. Thorne, D.S.O., Second in Command.
Capt. E. H. J. Duberly, Adjutant.
Lieut. the Hon. P. P. Cary, Lewis Gun Officer.
Lieut. the Earl of Dalkeith, Bombing Officer.
2nd Lieut. D. H. S. Riddiford, Transport Officer.
Lieut. J. Teece, Quartermaster.
Capt. W. S. Pilcher, King's Company.
Lieut. P. M. Spence, King's Company.
2nd Lieut. R. F. W. Echlin, King's Company.
Capt. A. C. Graham, No. 2 Company.
Lieut. R. D. Lawford, No. 2 Company.
2nd Lieut. E. G. L. King, No. 2 Company.
Capt. Viscount Lascelles, No. 3 Company.
2nd Lieut. C. T. Swift, No. 3 Company.
2nd Lieut. L. de J. Harvard, No. 3 Company.
2nd Lieut. R. H. P. J. Stourton, No. 3 Company.
Capt. L. G. Fisher-Rowe, No. 4 Company.
2nd Lieut. P. S. Hope, No. 4 Company.
_Attached_--Capt. J. C. B. Grant.
The Battalion remained in billets at Poperinghe or Kiekenput until the
18th, when it moved up into the trench line. On the 7th a gloom was cast
over the whole of the British Army by the death of Lord Kitchener, who
went down in the _Hampshire_, mined on its way to Russia. This passing
away of a great soldier came as a profound shock to every one in France.
At first no one could realise that he was dead. The men felt that the
mainspring of the whole mechanism of the British Army was gone.
The Battalion remained for ten days in reserve, and although there were
constant alarms, during which the men stood to arms, and news of gas
attacks, its services in the front line were not required. On the 18th
it took over the trench line near Irish Farm, and Nos. 2, 3, and 4
Companies were placed in the firing line, with the King's Company in
reserve. Although the enemy's patrols were very active, nothing worth
recording appears to have happened, but on the 25th a successful raid
was carried out into the German lines, and a new trench north of Forward
Cottage was made. On the 27th the Battalion retired into dug-outs in
Canal Bank and Yperlee, where it remained until the end of the month.
[Sidenote: July 1916.]
On July 1 it returned to the trenches, and on the 3rd the King's Company
was so heavily bombarded that the parapet of the trench and the signal
dug-out were blown in. The Company Sergeant-Major, two sergeants, three
signallers, and four men were completely buried under the debris, but
the remainder of the Company at once set to work to rescue as many as
possible under a heavy shell and machine-gun fire. Owing to the
energetic manner in which the rescue party worked, one sergeant and
three men were brought out alive, but the others were all dead.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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