Home. Origins of the Battalion.
Page 1. Start of the First World War.
Page 2. To the Ypres Salient.
Page 3. Ypres. The Battle of St Julien.
Page 4. April 1915. Ypres. Gas.
Page 5. Battle of St Julien losses.
Page 6. New Division Name.
Page 7. The Battle of Bellewaarde.
Page 8. Bellewaarde Losses. Sanctuary Wood.
Page 9. Neuve Eglise, Kemmel Sector.
Page 10. August 1915. To Armentieres.
Page 11. Sep/Oct 1915. Armentieres.
Page 12. October 1915. Armentieres.
Page 13. Oct/Nov 1915. Armentieres.
Page 14. Nov/Dec 1915. To Merris.
Page 15. Back to the Ypres Salient.
Page 16. Jan 1916. Armagh Wood.
Page 17. Feb 1916. Hill 60.
Page 18. Mine Explosion.
Page 19. Feb 1916. Ypres. Hill 60.
Page 20. Armagh Wood. CO Killed.
Page 21. Mar/Apr 1916. Kemmel.
Page 22. Apr/May 1916. Fletre. Kemmel.
Page 23. June 1916. Friendly Fire Kemmel.
Page 24. Jun/Jul 1916. Kemmel.
Page 25. July 1916. Kemmel.
Page 26. Aug 1916. To the Somme.
Page 27. Battle of Flers Courcelette.
Page 28. Sep 1916. Flers-Courcelette.
Page 29. The Thiepval Memorial.
Page 30. Flers-Courcelette. Losses.
Page 31. Flers-Courcelette. Attack repelled.
Page 32.Training. Martinpuich.
Page 33. In the Line near Flers.
Page 34. Nov 1916. Martinpuich. Flers.
Page 35. Flers. To Belloy.
Page 36. Feb/Mar 1917. Belloy.
Page 37. April 1917. To Arras.
Page 38. Capt D.P. Hirsch. V.C.
Page 39. The Arras Memorial.
Page 40. The Arras Memorial.
Page 41. Arras Burial Sites.
Page 42. Arras. Famechon.
Page 43. May 1917. Famechon. Bayencourt.
Page 44. June 1917 Back in the Line. Arras.
Page 45. Sep 1917. Arras. Wancourt.
Page 46. Oct 1917. Back to Ypres.
Page 47. Nov 1917. Passchendaele.
Page 48. Jan 1918. Ypres.
Page 49. Feb 1918. Last of Ypres.
Page 50. The Battle of St Quentin.
Page 51. German Offensive. Michael.
Page 52. German Advance. Pozieres Memorial.
Page 53. Losses on both sides.
Page 54. From the Somme to the Lys.
Page 55. April 1918. Battle of Estaires.
Page 56. Ploegsteert Memorial.
Page 57. From the Lys to the Aisne.
Page 58. German Offensive. Blucher-Yorck.
Page 59. May 1918. 150th Brigade decimated.
Page 60. End of the 4th Yorks.
Page 61. Last Weeks of War.
Page 62. Prisoners of War.
Page 63. Prisoners of War.
Page 64. Prisoners of War.
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FEBRUARY 1916. MINE EXPLOSION ON HILL 60.
14th FEBRUARY, The dump was shelled at intervals during the day, but everything was comparatively quiet until 3 p.m when the Germans began to bombard.
A barrage was fired down "the cutting and also between Verbranden Molen and the Dump".
To the right of the Bn the shelling appeared to be slightly more heavy, if possible.
At 5 p.m the enemy exploded a Mine under H1 bombing sap, but did not attempt to occupy the crater it caused.
The bombardment continued until 8 p.m, when it slackened slightly.
It was then possible to take account of the damage done by the Germans. 13 men had been killed and 5 men badly bruised by the explosion of the mine.
Trenches 37L and 38 were breached in two places and the Lewis Gun in 38 trench buried, but was dug out during the height of the bombardment.
The edge of the crater was immediately held after the explosion and work commenced digging through to it.
Support and all communication trenches were badly knocked about.
Two men were dug out alive from the trench near the crater and one man picked up alive after having been blown 40 yards. He died soon after he had been brought in.
The Brigade HQ Diary recorded - "The 4th Yorkshires [Green Howards] in spite of their losses (1 officer killed, 2 wounded, 20 other ranks killed and 51 wounded) from the bombardments and explosion of mines, were cheerful and unshaken." |
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Lewis Gun.
The gun had been invented in 1911 by an American Colonel Lewis, but was quickly brought into service by the British in 1915.
Its main advantages were that it weighed 28 pounds and could be fired by a single soldier.
The machine gun then in use, the Vickers, needed a team of men, weighed twice as much and cost six times as much.
All the infantry riflemen were instructed in its use, one man carrying the gun and firing while a second carried the ammunition and reloaded.
The South Staffs reported that they were out of grenades and 36 boxes were sent to them.
The following men were killed in action this day and all are buried in Railway Dugouts Burial Ground:-
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3940 Pte Beswick George, Digby. Enlisted at Masham, N Yorks.
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399 CSM Binks John. Home at - 127 High St, Marske, N Yorks, place of Birth. Enlisted Redcar, N Yorks. Age 37.
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3326 Pte Blundy George W. Home at - Skelton in Cleveland N Yorks. Enlisted at Saltburn.
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2168 Pte Douglas Sydney. Home at - 4 Granville Tce, Redcar, N Yorks, town of birth and enlistment. Age 24.
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3155 Pte Dove Sydney. Home at Lingdale N Yorks. Enlisted at Margrove Park, N Yorks. Killed in action
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3194 Pte Eddon Robert. Born and enlisted at Guisborough N Yorks.
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593 Sgt Foxton James. Born at South Bank, Middlesbrough and enlisted at Redcar, N Yorks.
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Railway Dugouts Cemetery.
Situated about 2k South of Ypres and just west of Zillebeke on the site of Chateau Rosendal.
25 men of the 4th Yorks Battalion are buried here.
[Picture courtesy of - "WW1Cemeteries.com".]
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974 Cpl Grey George. Home at Stockton on Tees. Enlisted at Yarm N Yorks.
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1838 Pte Haw John, Stanley. Home at - 30 Maison Diew, Richmond, N Yorks. Born at York and enlisted at Redcar, N Yorks. Age 18.
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1718 L/Cpl Henderson James. Home at - 93 High St, Redcar, N Yorks, place of birth and enlistment. Age 21.
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2882 Pte Hodgson George T. Home at West Loftus N Yorks.
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2148 Pte Hunter Tom. Born and enlisted at Northallerton, N Yorks.
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3058 Pte Lawson Thomas, Kelsey. Home at Lynton, Devonshire Rd, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, N Yorks, place of enlistment. Age 23.
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2215 Sgt Martin Augustine. Born and enlisted at Northallerton, N Yorks. Age 39.
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3520 Pte Rumbello Gilbert. Home at Station Rd, North Ferriby, Yorks. Enlisted at Richmond, N Yorks. Age 25.
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A view of Railway Dugouts Cemetery before the Commonwealth War Graves Commission began work.
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2189 Pte Sproul John. Of "Y" Company. Home at 36 Aire St, South Bank, Middlesbrough. Born Leith Scotland. Enlisted at Stokesley. Age 20.
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1533 Pte Topham Frederick, Hart. Home at 19 Vernon Gardens, Harrowgate Hill, Darlington, Co Durham. Born at Richmond N Yorks, place of birth. Enlisted at Catterick, N Yorks. Age 20.
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2642 Pte Wratten George, Edward. Home at Brotton, N Yorks. Enlisted at Skelton in Cleveland
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The following two men have no known grave and are remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres.:-
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2861 Pte Hodgson Jacob. Of "Z" Company. Home at Skelton, Marske, Richmond, N Yorks. Age 22.
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3521 Pte Hogg Leonard. Home at 16 Tower St, Richmond, N Yorks. Age 21.
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