Lives of the First World War

14th September 1916 - 15th September 1916

On the 14th September 1916 the Battalion moved up to assault positions just north-east of Delville Wood for the attack on Flers on the 15th September. The 41st Division was to attack with the 124th Brigade on the right and the 122nd Brigade on the left. The 10th Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment) was on the right of the 124th Brigade sector with the 21st King’s Royal Rifle Corps on the left, their first major attack. The 122nd Brigade was to attack on the left with 15th Hampshire and on the left 18th King’s Royal rifle Corps. The dividing line between the two Brigades was through the middle of the village of flers. The general line of attack for the 21st Battalion was North East towards the Eastern side of the village of Flers with in front of them Tea Support Trench and Switch Trench. The village was cleared by 10 a.m. but was being heavily shelled. At 1020 a.m. a party from the 18th Battalion had established themselves just north of the village whilst the 124th Brigade had got out of touch to the east of the village but in touch with units of the 14th division on their right. Lieut.Colonel the Earl of Feversham and Liet. Colonel Oakley of 10th Queen’s with as many men as they could collect advanced against the third objective, captured I and held it for some time against a number of German counter-attacks and during this period Lord Feversham was killed. This party was eventually obliged to fall back east of the village. As well as Lord Feversham, the 21st Battalion lost 2nd Lieutenants T.P.A. Harvey and R.B. Nivison killed, 10 officers wounded, 54 other ranks killed, 256 wounded and 70 missing, a total of all ranks of 395. According to the the Kettering Leader and the Northampton Mercury) my great uncle Private Robert Readyhoof was of D Company, 10th The Queens was listed as wounded in the battalion’s war diary. The nature of his wounds is currently unknown.

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