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.
CONTRIBUTED EMAILS
Links for 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment
Mail Form
|
.
 |
APRIL 1917. TO ARRAS.
30th MARCH TO 12TH APRIL. The Btn marched to Arras. 30th to Bonnay. 31st to Mollins au Bois. 2nd to Naour. 3rd to Longuevillette. 4th to Bonnieres. 7th to Houvin-Houvigneul. 8th to Lignereuil. 10th to Noyellette. 12th to caves in the Faubourg Ronville, Arras.
"The weather was rainy during the early stages and Arctic towards the end. The roads were mostly bye roads and the going was not too easy."
15TH APRIL. The 150th Brigade moved into Support in the The Harp. Here were deep dug-outs which had been captured from the Germans in the previous week.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
204112 Pte Bowes Colin, Stewart. Home at - Mount Pleasant, Arden, Helmsley, N Yorks. Born Hornby Yorks and enlisted Thirsk, N Yorks. Died at home on the 16th. Age 19. Buried at Hawnby [All Saints] Churchyard.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7605 Pte Everett Edward, William. Home at Ely Cambs, place of birth. Enlisted at Cambridge. Died at home on the 19th. Age 22. Buried at Ely Cemetery Cambs Ex Cambs Regt.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20TH APRIL. The British offensive of the 9th to 15th April, [which is called the First Battle of the Scarpe after the river to the North] had halted. The 150th Brigade took over the newly won Front line sector on the ridge from Wancourt Tower to the River Cojeul. The 4th Battalion were in Support in Niger Trench.
The Germans had been driven back by the surprise element and the initial bombardment, but now they were directing their forces to plug any gap that might occur. It seems to have been the failing of attacks by both sides during the War that, because they were carried out on foot and communication was often by runner, the Generals missed out on the opportunity to keep advancing when the enemy was at its weakest.
21st APRIL. The Trench taken over by the 4th Btn afforded little cover and between 6 and 8 p.m German 105 and 150 mm shells caused several casualties.
Practically all the Sergeants of W Coy were knocked out and 2nd Lt Welbourne of Y Coy.
At night X Company took over the left sector of the Front line, on the R Cojeul.
W Coy were in close support under the bank.
Y and Z Companies moved back to the Harp for the night.
Btn Hq was in a dug out in Wancourt. |
|
..
 |
The 4th Yorks Battalion moved to Arras, arriving there on the 12th April.
The journey involved 9 marches, each one of 12 to 15 kilometres.
In harsh weather with a 60 pound back-pack.
Haig and Nivelles, the respective British and French commanders had planned a two pronged attack on the German lines, designed to break through and cut them off.
The Germans had largely pre-empted this by withdrawing to the heavily defended Hindenberg line.
In the South the French attacks were to be thrown back with such losses as to cause a mutiny in the ranks.
At Arras, the Battle had begun on the 9th April with shelling of the German lines that surpassed the ferocity of the Somme in the previous year.
The German front lines were shattered and the Allies at first advanced, most notably the high ground of Vimy Ridge was taken by the Canadians.
A halt was called to consolidate and this gave the Germans time to counter-attack by bring forward Divisions that had been held in the rear.
When the Battle was rejoined on the 23rd heavy losses were to be suffered.
The following 9 men were all killed in action and are buried at Hibers Trench Cemetery, Wancourt.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
201509 Pte Fawcett Henry. Enlisted at Richmond, N Yorks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
201498 Pte Fowler Robert, William. Home at - 157 Parliament Rd, Middlesbrough, N Yorks, town of enlistment. Age 21.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
200997 L/Sgt Hartley Maynard. Enlisted at Northallerton, N Yorks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
203281 Pte Kirk James. Home at - Gimmingham, North Walsham, Norfolk. Enlisted at Norwich. Age 21.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
202057 Pte Markham David, Robinson. Home at Easington Loftus Yorks and enlisted at Richmond, N Yorks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
200195 Pte Rhodes Walter. Born at Knaresborough, Yorks and enlisted at Catterick N Yorks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
200344 Sgt Shore Fred. Born and enlisted at Stokesley, N Yorks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
235187 Pte Spencer Edward, James. Born and enlisted at Burnley.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
202268 Pte Warwick Richard, Arthur. Born and enlisted at Wellingborough Northants. Ex Northants Regt.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
...
 |
The 4th Bn stayed in caves at Ronville before moving into Support at the Harp and then on the 20th the Front line on the River Cojeul between the villages of Heninel and Wancourt.
The villages had only just been captured from the Germans on the 12th.
22nd APRIL. After giving the Germans a week to consolidate, Sir Douglas Haig decided to continue the offensive and the Second Battle of the Scarpe was planned to commence next day. He said in his despatches -
"My task was to attract as large hostile forces as possible to my Front before the French offensive was launched.....I did not consider that any great strategical results were likely to be gained to South of it beyond the capture of the objectives aimed at."
It appears from this that the Infantry battalions involved were pawns to be sacrificed in the chess games played out in the safety of the French chateaux miles behind the carnage.
The new offensive was to be carried out over a 9 mile front and the 50th Division was given objectives ahead of Wancourt.
The attack was to be made by the 150th Brigade with the 4th East Yorks on the right and 4th Yorks on the left. Each Btn keeping one Company in Support.
The following 3 men died of wounds on the 22nd and are buried at Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery, Saulty.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
201684 Pte Hindmarsh William. Middlesbrough, N Yorks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
200092 Sgt Rogowski Arnold, Fred. Born and enlisted at Middlesbrough, N Yorks. Age 22.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
235192 Pte Thompson Joseph Heyns Home at 29 Parton St, Fairfield, Liverpool, place of birth and enlistment. Age 28.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
200028 Sgt Ellis John Home at Morningside, Quaker Lane, Northallerton, N Yorks, place of enlistment. Born at Stockton on Tees. Killed in action. Age 26. Commemorated on the Arras Memorial.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
