::... 4th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers - Frezenburg Ridge

4th Territorial Battalion

Northumberland Fusiliers

1914 - 1918

The Ypres Salient

The Salient

At 8pm on the 16th of Jul 1915 the Bn marched out of the Ypres salient towards the Armentieres sector several miles to the south and to what was expected to be a relatively quiet tour. The move to the Armentieres sector was occasioned by the formation of a Third Army. The 50th Divn was ordered to take over the right of the new II Corps line.

Guides met the Bn at Pont de Nieppe and one led the Bn round the town. Another Bn on the move cut through us twice resulting in two Coys being lost for nearly an hour, however, the relief was completed by 1.45am.

Saturday, 17th Jul 1915

Went round trench 4am to 6am.
Round trench 6th Bn 3pm. Brigadier 3.30pm. Two of 'B' Coy visited German wire.

Sunday, 18th Jul 1915

Round 3am. CO to hospital.

Monday, 19th Jul 1915

GOC Divn 10am. Registered on trench opposite Trench 80 with catapult. Trench 80 held by 6th Bn under us. Usual routine. Go round early and see what work needs to be done and then return in the evening to detail the work to be done.

Tuesday, 20th Jul 1915

Brigadier 11am. Our Howitzers shelled opposite trench 80. Four willies in reply.

Wednesday, 21st Jul 1915

Trench 80 catapulted enemy. Sniper very busy on Trench 79 from Farm C in the evening.

Thursday, 22nd Jul 1915

Our Howitzers shelled opposite Trench 80. On patrol found a dead British soldier.

Friday, 23rd Jul 1915

Our Howitzers registered and shelled the German lines opposite Epinette. A 6th Bn patrol shot a German patrol.

In the evening of the 24th our trench howitzers shelled the sniper positions in Farm C with success. Earlier they had bombarded opposite Trench 80. 6th Bn catapulted most of the day. Relief of the Bn was completed by 11.50pm and the Bde entered Divn reserve. Two Bns of the 149th were billeted in Armentieres and three (including the 4th Bn) in Pont De Nieppe.

Sunday, 25th Jul 1915

In billets in Pont de Nieppe. Voluntary Church Parade.

Monday, 26th Jul 1915

Bomb wiring instructions at Bde HQ. Bombing training.

The 27th was a wet day. Billet inspection carried out by Brigadier General Clifford. No complaints. Training bombing and wiring. Church on the Pont de Nieppe outskirts of Armentieres shelled in the afternoon.

Wednesday, 28th – Sat 31st Jul 1915

The days were spent with the usual Coy parades, Bn marching, bombing and machine gun instruction. Spraying of helmets. Working parties consisting of one or two officers and fifty to one hundred men were sent out at night to carry materials and construct a trench running from just east of Houplines to the Houplines to Epinette road. On Saturday the 31st the CO and Coy officers went up to trenches prior to the Bn taking over.

Church parades during the morning. At 7.30pm on August 1st the Bn moved up to occupy trenches 72, 72S, 73 and 73S. Relief carried out no comment or casualties

Monday, 2nd Aug 1915

Quiet. Enemy shelled building a little in the evening.

Tuesday, 3rd Aug 1915

In the evening enemy shelled us with whiz bangs and then blew in the parapet in two places with two shots.

Major General PS Wilkinson arrived on Wednesday 4th Aug appointed to command the 50th Divn. Enemy shelled Port Egal Farm with crumps. Also trench 72 and 73 with ‘whiz-bangs’. Our mountain guns blew in their parapet.

There was some shelling on Thursday

The Bn was relieved about 11pm on the 5th.

Bn resting in billets from 6th to 8th

Monday, 9th Aug 1915

The Bn moved into trench 67.

Tuesday, 10th Aug 1915

Fired two trench mortars and got two in reply in the morning. Howitzers shelled the barricade on the Lille road in the evening.

One of our aircraft with engine stopped volplaned from German lines and descended by our transport.

Wednesday, 11th was a quiet day. Worked on repairs to front line and addition to support line. Communication trench converted to fire trench.

Thursday, 12th Aug 1915

Bombardment of Trench 69 or 70.

Friday, 13th Aug 1915

was a quiet day. Bn relieved and marched to Pont de Nieppe for rest period.

Saturday, 14th Aug 1915

Resting.

Sunday, 15th Aug 1915

Resting. Church parades in the morning.

Monday, 16th Aug 1915

Physical training. Marching, bombing and Machine gun instruction. Coy parades. Captain Cruddas left the Bn.

Tuesday, 17th Aug 1915

Physical training. Bn used swimming baths. Wiring, bombing and Machine gun instruction

Wednesday, 18th Aug 1915

Physical training. Marching. Wiring practice. Bombing, Machine gun practice. OC and adjutant went up to visit trenches.

Thursday, 19th Aug 1915

Usual routine until 5pm when OC Coys went up to take over trenches 75, 76, 77 and 77 support. Bn moved into the trenches. Relief was complete by 10.35pm.

TRENCHES 75, 76, 77 & 77 SUPPORT

Friday, 20th Aug 1915

Situation normal along our front. Artillery exchanges in afternoon and evening.

Saturday, 21st Aug 1915

Situation unchanged, wet and thick. Very little artillery fire.

Sunday, 22nd Aug 1915

Our artillery more active during the whole day. Black redoubt in German lines successfully bombarded with large trench mortars. Retaliation with whiz bangs, two men wounded.

Otherwise our front was normal.

Monday, 23rd Aug 1915

Nothing of note occurred the last 24 hours. Our own artillery situations have been normal. 2nd Lt Thompson joined the Bn from the 15th Bn . Colonel Innes Hopkins and Colonel Dunbar Stuart arrived, being attached for two or three days.

Wednesday, 25th Aug 1915

During the morning artillery on both sides fired for some time. The Germans set fire to farm just in rear of Bn HQ. Afternoon and evening quiet. One sausage and one football found in our trenches, which came over the previous day and failed to explode. Lt Colonels Innes Hopkins and Dunbar Stuart left the Bn after their two day attachment. 2nd Lts Allen, Steinburg and Morant joined the Bn from England. (15 Bn) One officer and four men attached from 10th Bn Hussars for instruction.

Thursday, 26th Aug 1915

The adjutant Captain Arkwright went home on leave and Lt C.O.P Gibson became acting adjutant. Capt W Robb reported sick and was sent to hospital. Quiet during day. Four whizz bangs over trench 77 at night apparently to draw our Batteries. No damage.

Friday, 27th Aug 1915

Brigadier General Clifford inspected our trenches and said he was pleased with conditions and the work done. Quiet day. Very bright and hot. An enemy aeroplane flew over our lines about 5.30pm. Officer and men attached from 10th Bn Hussars for instruction returned to unit and relieved by four men from the 10th Bn Hussars, relieved at night by the 7th Bn and moved to billets in an asylum in Armentieres.

REST IN ARMENTIERES

Saturday, 28th Aug 1915

Resting till breakfast, Baths for some of the Coys. Inspection of arms, accoutrements, boots, clothing and c. The armourer Sgt inspected rifles. Working parties comprised of one NCO and twenty men at 2pm, one NCO and twenty men at 7pm, three NCO`s and sixty men at 8pm. Two officers and seventy-five men under the supervision of the Royal Engineers left at 8pm. Bde HQ also ordered two officers and seventy-five men 8.30pm at 6th Bn HQ. Not sent as appeared to be identical with last party.

Sunday, 29th Aug 1915

After the church parade the day was spent resting before several working parties set out that evening. These consisted of:

1 officer and 50 men at 8pm.
1 NCO and 20 men at 7pm
2 NCOs and 40 men at 8pm,
1 NCO and 15 men at 8pm for Royal Engineers.
1 officer and 75 men for 6th Bn.

Informed by Bde HQ that party ordered by them yesterday was not the same as the Royal Engineer Party. In order to supply parties had to draw on Machine gun sections. Bombers and officers servants. Made out list showing duties of every man in Bn.

Monday, 30th Aug 1915

Physical training, marching. Instruction in field engineering under Lt Bainbridge RE. Handling of arms. Daily inspections. Bombing instruction. Machine gun sections firing on range and general instructions. Machine gun section received a new Vickers machine gun.

Tuesday, 31st Aug 1915

The Bn spent the day on physical training and military skills such platoon drill, guard and sentry instruction, bayonet fighting, bombing and machine gun instruction. Swimming baths in afternoon. Sent list of duties of Bn to Bde HQ about 5pm. The asylum was shelled but the portion in which 4th Bn was billeted was not hit although the 6th Bn DLI had one man wounded. At 8pm the Bn moved to a factory at Pont de Nieppe and Bde HQ moved to No 3 Rue Bayard.

Thursday, 2nd Sep 1915

Day very quiet. Nothing to record.

Friday, 3rd Sep 1915

Very wet all day. Usual parades carried out in the morning as far as possible. Some officers went and inspected the 12th Divn line.

Saturday, 4th Sep 1915

The OC, Adjutant and Coy Cdrs took part in a staff ride. For the purposes of testing communications. 4th, 5th and 6th Bn moved their HQ to positions to a point in rear of subsidiary line. The 7th Bn and the 5th Bn Borders moved up to subsidiary line. The enemys’ supposed attack failed. Usual parades for the Bn in the morning. In the afternoon sports were held in the field joining the billets.

The Fighting Fifth

Twas on the 21st April
The rain was falling fast
When we marched through Ypres
We heard a hellish crash
The shells were flying overhead
And hit a church spire there
It lit up all the Market Place
But we turned not a hair

We doubled steadily onward
And turned into a field
So we crouched in groups together,
Our heads to try and shield
The shells fell all around us,
For the Huns had got the range
It was a new experience
And to all seemed very strange

We were dished out spare ammunition
Two bandoliers per man
Said the captain to us cheerily
Lads do what you can
Again we went forward
Along the muddy road
March discipline was forgotten
And our packs were a terrible load.

We at last reached our destination
All weary, wet and worn
So we lay down in extended formation
Waiting for the dawn.
It was on the Sunday morning
That the big attack was made
We went straight for St Julien
The trenches for to take.

But the Maxim guns were on us
And many a brave lad fell
So the fight for the village St Julien
Was nothing but a hell.
The censor may not pass this
But 'twill not be my blame
For we went and did our duty
And gained ourselves a name

So still we are going on bravely
We have no need to sigh
For we are out for King and country
And we mean to do or die.
Pte William Ridley

Sunday, 5th Sep 1915

Church parades for all religions during the morning.

Monday, 6th Sep 1915

Bn used the swimming baths in Armentieres.

CO Inspected all Coys, machine gun sections and bombers.

Promulgation of Court Martial in the case of Pte Willis.

The Bn marched off at 7.30pm to relieve the 9th Bn DLI in the trenches. Relief completed at 10.35pm.

BACK IN THE TRENCHES

Tuesday, 7th Sep 1915

The front was quiet except for the usual artillery exchanges. CO & Adjutant inspected trenches. Supplied working party of eight men on Machine gun emplacement; fifteen men to RE for carrying, twenty men to RE for working.

Our howitzers were lively during the morning of the 8th. Besides carrying out work on the front and support trenches the Bn supplied two working parties last night for the RE. Also two parties during the day for the RE Coy. Very hot during the daytime.

Brigadier General H Clifford inspected the Bn trenches on the 9th, and was quite satisfied with progress of work. It was another hot day, but the enemy was quiet, except for the usual whiz-bangs and shrapnel at about 10am.

Friday, 10th Sep 1915

Our Maxim guns fired on German trenches and at the crossroads last night, resulting in a rather violent artillery reply from the enemy this morning, during which they shelled Bde HQ at Chapelle D’Armentieres. Our howitzer Batteries put fourteen rounds on to their trenches in the afternoon with good effect. Usual work in trenches, and working parties & carrying parties as well.

Saturday, 11th Sep 1915

Situation normal, with work continuing on trenches. A party on Porte Egal and another on a new communication trench dug during the night. During the day the 7th Bn HQ were bombarded by whizz-bangs. We bombarded the Germans trenches with trench mortars and they replied with ‘sausages’.

Sunday, 12th Sep 1915

Heavy artillery fire from the Divn on the right, attempting to cut the German wire, situation otherwise normal, the Haystack Farm by the 7th Bn HQ again hit by whiz bangs.

Monday, 13th Sep 1915

The shelling on the right continued today with little response from the Germans until the evening, when they sent over some ‘sausages’. They also put about half dozen heavies into and close to our 72 S. trench, but only damaged trench in one place, no one was hit. Three officers from the 13th and 14th Bns were attached to use for instruction.

Tuesday 14th Sep 1915

Situation pretty normal. The three officers who were attached departed . Working party from the East Yorkshires came to finish off the communication trench behind 71 S.

Wednesday, 15th Sep 1915

Divn General came round our trenches but never got as far as ours. Fairly quiet. Some whiz bangs into the Haystack Farm. Lt Gibson went out during the night and threw two bombs into the German trenches.

Thursday, 16th Sep 1915

The Brigadier toured the trenches and was pleased with the work we had done. The enemys artillery was active during the morning firing some fifty shells over the trenches on our right, and some near our HQ. An attack with the arrangements for reinforcing carried out in practice quite satisfactorily.

Friday, 17th Sep 1915

A quiet day on the whole. OC 5th Bn DLI and officers commanding their Coys came round the trenches, before their Bn comes in. OC went to meet the General at 6th Bn HQ.

Saturday the 18th was a very quiet day, except for a few ‘sausages’ put over the trenches on our right. The Adjutant and QM went down to Armentieres to check out the billets. Not very good ones. Very hot. The Bn relief was completed by 9.18 pm and managed to move into billets without casualties.

REST IN ARMENTIERES

Sunday, 19th Sep 1915

The Bn attended church parades; clothing issued and sandbagging of gratings etc of cellars used in case of shelling.

Monday, 20th Sep 1915

All parades cancelled in lieu of an inspection by General Plumer. Bn waited for an hour and half for him. When he appeared he seemed quite satisfied.

Tuesday, 21st Sep 1915

Bn had use of baths. Parades carried out during the morning.

Wednesday, 22nd Sep 1915

marched to Pont De Nieppe for instruction by the RSM; usual parades under Coy Officers, Machine gun and bombing officers.

On the 23rd the Bn received orders to move up into trenches 78 and 79 a day earlier than planned. Colonel Gibson, the Adjutant & Lt Bell reconnoitred the trenches during the morning and were subjected to pretty heavy shelling. One signaller was killed while they were reconnoitring their wires. The CO attended his funeral in evening. The Bn moved off at 7.15pm and relief was complete 9.20pm.

BACK IN THE TRENCHES

Friday, 24th Sep 1915

The guns of the 3rd Army, to the south of the 2nd Army, commenced with a very heavy bombardment of the enemy in preparation for what was later to become known as the Battle of Loos. The 149th Bde was positioned on the right flank of the 2nd Army. The 2nd Army had been ordered to cooperate with the 3rd Army on the 25th by making 'demonstrations' and dummy attacks. In addition to artillery, rifle and machine gun fire, the 50th Divn was to burn lots of straw and phosphorous bombs out in front of the trenches in order to create a diversion and hopefully deceive the enemy into thinking that a gas attack was imminent. The 4th Bn, along with other units, carried the straw forward from the support trenches to the front line during daylight of the 24th, but under cover of a thick mist. Unfortunately, the mist suddenly lifted and the men were spotted by the enemy. Enemy gunfire subsequently wounded twenty-two men, seven of them from the 4th Bn. The Bn was occupied until midnight positioning both dry and wet straw.

Saturday, 25th Sep 1915

Very heavy bombardment continued on the right flank. A misunderstanding led to the Bn on the immediate right of the 4th setting the straw and phosphorous bombs alight too early. Consequently, all the straw down the Divn front was ignited producing strong clouds of smoke, added to which there were phosphorous bombs. The German reaction was not what was expected, with the line remaining quiet. A heavy mist also closed in which prevented observation, so the planned bombardment did not take place. The situation here remained quiet through the day. The Bn kept receiving information during the day of the advance of 1st Army in the south and Divns near Bellewarde in the north, although the latter were forced back to their own trenches by German counterattacks later in the day.

Sunday, 26th Sep 1915

In spite of expected retaliation by the enemy the day passed without any particular activity on his part, except for machine gun fire at night. We had a patrol out by day up the Ruisseau which did good work and bombs were thrown at night by a party into the German trenches.

The 27th passed quietly with the exception of some whiz bangs. Capt Cheesemond returned from leave to England. By 8.20pm the Bn had been relieved in the front line trenches by the 7th Bn. Two Coys and half a machine gun section proceeded to the subsidiary line, the remainder and HQ proceeded to billets in Armentieres.

OUT OF TRENCHES

Tuesday, 28th Sep 1915

Coys in billets rested and carried out Coy inspections. The two working parties planned for the RE were cancelled owing to wet. Remainder of Bn came down from the subsidiary line reaching the billets at 8.25pm.

Trench 76

Trench 76S

Trench 80

Bedford House

Canada Huts

Hill 60

Larch Wood

Maple Copse

Railway Dugouts

Sanctuary Wood

The Dump -

8th Bn Loyal North Lancashires

Locations

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25-Nov-2006

4th Territorial Battalion

Northumberland Fusiliers

1914 - 1918

The Ypres Salient

The Salient

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