Lives of the First World War

14th October 1914 - 17th October 1914

“At dawn on the 14th the brigade advanced about a mile – the Royal Scots leading, Middlesex on the right, Gordons on the left, Royal Irish in reserve. The brigade was under heavy shell fire for the last half-mile. Captain H.G. Gregorie was wounded, also several N.C.O.s and men. At 4 p.m. the German fire was very heavy. The Gordons were driven back and were reinforced by the 5th Northumberland Fusiliers. At 6 p.m. B Company, under Captain G.O.M.Furnell, filled a gap in the Middlesex line on the right of the Royal Scots. The remainder of the battalion was billeted in a farm, with headquarters about 400 yards in rear. An attack by the Germans during the night on our right flank was repulsed by rifle fire. Next morning B Company advanced slightly. Half C Company was sent to reinforce them. 2nd Lieutenant W.H.Flinn was wounded. While standing on the road opposite the Royal Irish trenches talking to Lieutenant K.Foulkes, Major-General Hubert Hamilton, G.O.C. 3rd Division, was killed by a shrapnel bullet. A draft consisting of Captains A.W.C.Knox, C.A.French, J.A.Smithwick, 2nd Lieutenants T.Nicholson, H.G.H. Moore (sic) and 353 men arrived and remained in reserve. At 1.30 p.m. our artillery shelled the enemy’s trenches (about 350 yards in front of ours) and the village of St Vaast, while the Germans shelled our supports. At 2.15 our line advance, captured the enemy’s trenches and drove them back through St Vaast at the point of the bayonet. The enemy made a stand at the main road from Estaires to Neuve Chapelle. Lieutenant Laing with machine guns reinforced the right flank. Our advance was continued to within 500 yards of the road and the brigade dug themselves in after dusk. Later on the enemy made a further retirement. On the 16th the brigade dug in. The enemy’s artillery at 1900 yards caused considerable annoyance and many casualties. At 3 a.m. next morning the 8th Brigade was relieved and retired to St Vaast. The draft which arrived on the 15th was distributed and the battalion reorganised into four companies, which were commanded by Captains J.A.Smithwick, G.O.M. Furnell, C.A.French and A.W.C.Knox. At 11 a.m. the 3rd Division, with the 8th Brigade in reserve, attacked the villages of Aubers and Fromelles, which were taken with practically no resistance. At 10 p.m. the battalion billeted at Le Plouich. The casualties from the 13th to the 16th, in addition to the two officers already mentioned as wounded, were 9 men killed, 70 wounded and 18 missing.”

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