Monmouthshire Regiment 8th may 1915 advice please

Discussion in 'Prewar' started by soren1941, Dec 10, 2011.

  1. soren1941

    soren1941 Living in Ypres

    Hello,

    I am embarking on a painting of the 'surrender be damned' act of bravery, does anyone have:

    1) Any photos of the Officer
    2) A war diary of the incident
    3) An idea of the ground /weather was like or any info?

    Many thanks in anticipation

    Soren
     
  2. Kbak

    Kbak Senior Member

  3. Kbak

    Kbak Senior Member

    Here is some more info for you it also gives some info on weather

    Battle of Frezenberg (8–13 May)

    50.868°N 2.950°E
    The Germans had moved their artillery forward and put three Army corps opposite the 27th and 28th divisions on the Frezenberg ridge. The battle began on 8 May with a bombardment that disrupted the 83rd Brigade holding trenches on the forward side of the ridge but the first and second assaults by German infantry were repelled by the survivors. The third German assault of the morning pushed the defenders back. While the neighbouring 80th Brigade stopped the advance, the 84th Brigade was broken giving a two mile gap in the line. Further advance was stopped through counterattacks and a night move by the 10th Brigade.
    After the chlorine gas attack at Ypres in 1915, Sir John French, commander of the British Expeditionary Force, explained what happened.
    The effect of the gas was so overwhelming that the whole of the positions occupied by the French divisions were rendered incapable of resistance. It was impossible at first to realise what had actually happened. Fumes and smoke were thrown into a stupor and after an hour the whole position had to be abandoned, together with 50 guns.[15]

    Battle of Aubers Wood and Festubert, 9th May 1915
    There developed behind the lines a heated quarrel over the shortage of ammunition. At the Battle of Aubers Wood in the second week of May there occurred a great calamity for the Army ran out of ammunition for the guns. The attack of the 15th May on the village of Festubert was fated. Both battles were poorly conceived and executed and proved very costly in lives. British and Empire troops were forced back nearly to the gates of the city.
    On the 28th May the Kensington Battalion went into Divisional reserve. The billets at Laventie were a welcomed sight as the Battalion marched up occupying the trenches at Picantin in fine weather which made a nice change. It was late spring the ground was hard and dry and the sun shone. After a period of rest the battalion was given the task of taking the crater made by the Royal Engineers under the German line. The battalion was taken out of the line to train for the event. The Kensingtons moved up to the start line on the evening of the 8th June. At 5.40 the next morning the mines were exploded and C and D Companies advanced. In spite of heavy losses they took over the crater. A and B Companies followed along behind in support. Two hours after the start they had secured third objectives – the crater and trench leading back to the old front line. The line was extended to Delangre Farm. The supply of bombs had now been reduced there was no sign of any back-up troops supporting them. The Brigade sent up the London Scottish. By the middle of the morning only twenty-four men were standing their ground. Only one officer and two bombers arrived, an hour later the Germans had got to within ten yards and were beginning to bomb the crater. Using the ammunition from a disabled machine gun. The position was now desperate the machine gun ammunition was running out. At 2.45 General Pinney passed word to retire back to the Farm. By that time No Man’s Land was swept by German fire. The casualties piled up and were used to crawl round. Once the Farm was reached the German gunners had range onto it and the survivors had to retreat from that. By this time the Germans had surrounded the Kensingtons who had to fight their way out. Enormous bravery was shown but the day had been lost. The attempt to take Aubers Ridge failed. By nightfall fifty survivors reached Cellar Farm were they stayed until ordered to Croix Blanche. A roll call found that 13 officers and 423 other ranks were lost, the Kensington Battalion was non-existent there being no reinforcements. The Battalion was taken out of the line and put to Lines of Communication duties. The bodies of the men killed on the 9th were never recovered. The period of Lines of Communication lasted front the end of the battle to the beginning of February 1916.
     
  4. soren1941

    soren1941 Living in Ypres

    What do you think, Officer wearing a sword?
     
  5. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    What do you think, Officer wearing a sword?
    Wouldn't have thought so , not in 1915.
     
  6. Kbak

    Kbak Senior Member

    Its entirely up to you, in most WW1 battles if you were on horseback you would use a sword and wore it on the saddle, but I have seen some film footage in the past from WW1 were the officer led with a sword, but usually it was with a hand gun and their stick.

    regards

    Keith
     

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