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
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APRIL 1917. BRAVERY AT ARRAS. CAPT D.P. HIRSCH V.C.
23rd APRIL. 4.15 a.m. The two Front line Btns were reported "in position and OK."
4.40 a.m. Two tanks attached to the 50th Division moved slowly forward.
4.45 a.m. 84 Eighteen pounder guns and 30 4.5 in howitzers opened fire at once and the Infantry began to advance.
German rockets signalled to their own Artillery and their barrage descended about 40 seconds afterwards. About 100 yds ahead of their own trenches the two Yorkshire Btns ran into their own barrage which was "creeping" forward at too slow a rate. The 4th Btn suffered several casualties from our own guns.
"W" Company, on the right, met considerable opposition from rifle and machine gun fire and had to take shelter in shell holes about 50 yds from the enemy's trenches. Not until the Company had established superiority of fire and a tank had passed through was it possible to rush the trench which was found to be strongly held. But the Green Howards beat down opposition and many prisoners were taken. Many dead and wounded Germans littered the trench which, however was not in bad condition.
In the centre "X" Company had reached the enemy trench a little earlier and had less opposition, but had some 30 casualties from machine gun and artillery fire.
On the left "Z" Company, which had been facing North East at zero hour swung
round, aligned themselves with "X" Company and reached the German front line with few casualties and less opposition than the other Companies.
The Battalion, by now considerably thinned out, but still a continuous line, then moved East to the German Support Trench.
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The shelled ruins of Arras.
5.25 a.m. The Support Trench was reached and found to be broad and literally filled with dead Germans, except for the occupants of two deep dug-outs on "X" Coy's front. No prisoners were taken here.
By this time our line had become very thin. No East Yorks were observable on the right and the 44th Infantry Brigade appeared not to have progressed on the left. The Battalion, however, moved forward and captured a 3 gun howitzer battery.
6.05 a.m. Began to dig in along a line 100 to 200 yds West of the first objective. Enemy rifle and Artillery fire had practically ceased, but Machine Gun fire was increasing in intensity and a particularly deadly stream of bullets was directed on to our left flank from a farm North of the Cojeul River and East of Guemappe. Captain Hirsch [now the only Officer left] therefore established a defensive flank with half of "Y" Company along a line above and parallel to the River Cojeul. With the remainder of the Battalion [about 150 men] he decided to hold on to his position and sent back for reinforcements and Small Arms Ammunition.
The Battalion had no contact with the East Yorkshires on the right. They had lost all their Officers earlier in the attack. Neither had the Divisions to either side progressed and the 4th Yorks Btn found themselves surrounded by Germans on three sides.
6.30 a.m. "A" Coy of the 5th Durham Light Infantry were sent up to reinforce and with ammunition,
the special object of this Coy was to try to extend our line on the right across the railway and if possible get in touch with the 5th Yorks Btn. They finally reached our line and established themselves across the railway but found their right flank as much "in the air" as "W" Coy's had previously been. |
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Capt David Philip Hirsch. V.C.
Capt Hirsch was awarded the Victoria Cross for his outstanding bravery on the 23rd April.
Despite being twice wounded he continued to rally his men until he was killed.
7.15 a.m. Capt Hirsch [who had previously been wounded was killed and Mr Luckhurst of the T.M Battery appears to have taken over the Btn for a short time. His fate is now uncertain.
7.40 a.m. The Btn appears to have maintained itself near the first objective ["Z" Coy being slightly forward, "W" Coy swung back and forming a defensive flank facing South East.] for a matter of something over an hour and a half. But by 7.30 the Germans were seen massing for a counter-attack. One party were creeping down the low ground along the Cojeul. Others were seen coming forward from the trenches in from of Vis En Artois. A third block of men on our right rear previously mistaken for the East Yorks were now observed to be Germans. A retirement in successive phases was therefore undertaken - first to the German 2nd line, then to his first and finally to our front line. The whole withdrawal was carried out under heavy Machine Gun fire and directed by not more than half a dozen junior N.C.Os, who state that throughout the line was under control and that with sections of riflemen constantly fought rearguard actions to cover the retirement of the rest.
8.10 a.m Our men were back in our Front line. They state that to their knowledge no unwounded prisoners were taken. Casualties since 21st were 3 Officers killed, 7 wounded and 1 missing, believed killed.
352 other ranks were killed, wounded or missing; the proportions not immediately ascertained.
6.0 p.m. The remnants of the Btn under Major Stead remained in our front line in support to the attack by the 9th Durham Light Infantry and the 5th Border Regt. Btn HQ moved back to Wancourt.
At least 109 men of the 4th Yorks Battalion were killed in action on the 23rd. |
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British burial party at Arras.
[Picture courtesy of - "The Heritage of the Great War".]
The following 82 have no known grave and are commemorated on the Arras Memorial.
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202329 Pte Bailey Arthur. Home in Irthlingborough Northants. Enlisted in Northampton. Ex 3172 Northants Regt.
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200897 Pte Archer Robert. Born Boosbeck, N Yorks. Enlisted at Skelton in Cleveland.
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200861 Cpl Bainbridge Thomas, Lawrence. Home at 5 Castle Terrace, Richmond, N Yorks. Enlisted at Northallerton. Age 25.
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201035 Pte Baker Albert Edward Home at Scarborough, N Yorks. Enlisted at Skelton in Cleveland, N Yorks.
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202226 Pte Barnett Sydney. Home at Kingsthorpe Northants, town of birth. Enlisted at Northampton. Ex 5371 Northants Regt.
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202273 Pte Bartlett Henry, James, Edwin. Born and enlisted at Northampton. Ex 5357 Northants Regt.
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202219 Pte Bateman Harry. Home at The Lion and Lamb Inn, Daventry Northants. Enlisted at Northampton. Age 26. Ex 5357 Northants Regt.
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203108 Pte Bell Thomas, Edward. Home at 20 Beaumont St, Newcastle on Tyne, town of birth and enlistment. Age 22.
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