Lives of the First World War

known 19th October 1914

"On the morning of the 19th the Royal Irish received a message ordering the battalion to attack Le Pilly about 2.30 pm in conjunction with a French attack on Fournes. Two machine guns, 15th Hussars, and one section of R.F.A. were placed at Major Daniell's disposal to assist him in this attack. At 2 pm the battalion was holding the line of trenches east of the village of Le Riez. The village of Le Pilly was shelled by [British] artillery from 2 to 3 pm, but most of the shells appeared to go to the left and the village itself was only shelled for about ten minutes. At 3 pm the battalion attacked in lines of half companies - A and B Companies firing line, C in support and D in reserve. Major E.H.E. Daniell, D.S.O. directed the attack from behind the haystacks marked Y (see map, link below). The advance was carried forward without faltering under a heavy rifle fire. The heaviest fire apparently came through the gap in the woods north-east of Le Pilly. The enemy's artillery had by this time got the range accurately. B Company (commanded by) Captain Furnell reached the road running through Le Pilly, but suffered heavily, being enfiladed by artillery fire from the left. The battalion had been informed that the French held the ground on the left. A Company reached the farmhouse (marked Z on the map, link below), but as [the British] artillery began to drop shells there, this company was obliged to retire to the line of woods in rear. The enemy retired to a position about 400 yards south of Le Pilly. At about 4 pm a draft of 63 men, under 2nd Lieutenant A.J.R.Anderson (3rd Battalion) and W.E.Bredin (4th Battalion) arrived at Le Riez and advanced with the last platoon of D Company. Both the officers and about 40 men reached A Company's position. At dusk the battalion was holding the line of the road running through Le Pilly, with both flanks thrown back.The enemy's fire came from the front and both flanks and was very heavy. The enemy's artillery appeared to be firing from south-east of the village of Fournes. Their fire was very accurate. Throughout the attack the battalion machine guns remained in position on the left of the house marked X (see map). After dark the battalion dug themselves in. Lieutenant Laing brought up the machine guns, and placed them in a loft of the house on the left of the village. He then went back with the detachment to Herlies, whence they fetched up rations from the transport wagons. Major Daniell established his headquarters in the house where the machine guns were. The German rifle fire ceased after dark and their artillery fired only occasionally. The day was fine. After dark it rained persistently throughout the night, but cleared at daybreak. During the attack and subsequent operations on the 19th, Captain C.A. French, 2nd Lieutenant A.R.Newton-King and 161 N.C.O's and men were wounded and evacuated. Captain G.O.M. Furnell and A.W.C.Knox were wounded,but remained at duty; 2nd Lieutenants D.S.Smyth and P.E.N.Howard were killed; the number of N.C.O's and men killed on that day is unknown. At 10.30 p.m., when it became obvious that the French attack on Fournes had failed, Major Daniell, realising the precariousness of his position, sent a message to Brigade Headquarters (in Aubers) asking that the Royal Fusiliers might advance their left in order to join up with the right of the Royal Irish. At the same time, he sent Lieutenant M.C.C.Harrison, acting as adjutant, to Le Riez to ask Colonel Hull, 4th Middlesex Regiment, if he could fill the gap between the Royal Irish and the French on their left. The 4th Middlesex were at the time very weak in numbers and Colonel Hull considered it impossible to comply with Major Daniell’s request. He was of the opinion that if the Royal Irish could hold their own until daylight, he, at Le Riez, would be well placed to defend their left. Major Daniell was quite satisfied that this was all that could be done on the left flank." (From The Campaigns and History of the Royal Irish Regiment, Vol. II) For official purposes, Private John O'Brien was considered to have been killed in action on the 19th. However, due to the confusion caused by the battalion being surrounded and wiped-out the next day, it is just as likely that he died on the 20th. He had been on active service for eleven weeks. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the nearby Le Touret Memorial.

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