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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MAY 1918. END OF THE 4TH YORKS AS A FIGHTING UNIT.
1st TO 4TH JUNE. All that was left of the Btn was at Vert La Gravelle commanded by Capt T R K Ginger M.C.
It was decided to form one composite Btn called the "150th" and this comprised two platoons of 4th Yorks and two of the 5th Yorks.
Major A C Barnes was in command.
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201573 Pte Wisbey John, Henry. Home at Boosbeck, N Yorks. Enlisted Saltburn N Yorks. Killed in action on the 1st. Buried at Vendresse British Cemetery.
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21459 Pte Drew Daniel. Born and enlisted at Middlesbrough, N Yorks. Died of wounds on the 2nd. Buried at Sezanne Communal Cemetery.
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21433 Pte Cordingly Ernest Home at Eaglescliffe Durham. Born Yarm, N Yorks and enlisted at Stockton on Tees. Died of wounds 180604
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43595 Pte Pearson Percy. Home at Hebburn Colliery Durham. Born at Shefiff Hill and enlisted at Jarrow, Co Durham. Died of wounds on the 4th. Buried at Montcornet Military Cemetery.
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German Infantry pass Dead British Soldiers.
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34705 Pte Smith William, Hubert. Home at Swallownest Sheffield, place of enlistment. Died of wounds on the 4th. Buried at Sissonne British Cemetery.
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5TH JUNE. At 8 p.m. the "150th Composite Btn" were taken by bus to La Neuville where they stayed in bivouacs.
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43725 Pte Greensides Arthur. Home at - 30 Henry St, Goole, Yorks, place of birth. Enlisted at Doncaster. Killed in action on the 6th. Age 18. Commemorated on the Soissons Memorial. Ex 87th T R Battn.
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35640 Pte Hobbs George R Bristol Died of wounds 180606 Terlincthun British Cemetery Wimille Ex Berks Regt
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7TH JUNE. Diary - "French support line around Bullin reconnoitred. Owing to enemy attack on British positions at La Montagne de Bligny and French positions East of village of Bligny, the Btn moved into Support in Bois de Coutron about 1 mile South West of Pourcy. At 7.30 p.m orders were received to take over the Front line from 58th Comp Btn."
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The 4th Yorks Btn along with the rest of the 50th Division, was decimated in the German attack of the 27th May.
The remnants of the 150 Brigade formed into one Composite Btn and continued operations until the 18th June.
They were then withdrawn to Sezanne behind the lines and on the 1st July West of Amiens.
The 50 Division Infantry Btns were reduced to cadre strength, just Training Staff, and took no further part in the War as a fighting Units.
8th/9th JUNE. "Line extended about 200 yds northwards. German patrol attacked new post. They were driven off and 3 prisoners taken."
10th/11th JUNE. "Warning that hostile attack might be expected during next 48 hours. German aeroplane brought down in our lines and pilot captured."
12th/13th JUNE. 201315 Pte Bryan Thomas, Watson. Enlisted at Middlesbrough, N Yorks. Killed in action on the 12th. Buried at Courmas British Cemetery.
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38730 Pte Routledge James. Home at Moston, Manchester, place of birth and enlistment. Killed in action on the 12th. Commemorated on the Soissons Memorial
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British Troops at Shelled Farm.
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17459 Pte Irving William. Home at - 46 Jubilee Tce, Seaton Delaval Northumberland. Born Southwick and enlisted at Cramlington, Co Durham. Died on the 13th. Buried at Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille.
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14th JUNE. Details of Btn serving with 50th Comp Btn formed into one Company of the 150th Comp Btn.
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242153 Pte Webster William Arthur Home at 43 Peacock St, Norwich, Norfolk, place of birth and enlistment. Died 180616 38 Sedan Torcy French National Cemetery.
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18th JUNE. Relieved by Italian Brescia Regiment. Marched to bivouacs in wood West of Germaine.
19th JUNE. Travelled by train to Sezanne, where they marched to billets at Les Essarts. Here they were joined by details of Transport and QM Stores.
20th to 30th JUNE. Moved to Moeurs and then prisoner of war camp at St Sophie Fme North West of Connaitre. Training and refitting and forming a Company for the Composite Btn. |
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Where the 4th Yorks Btn had fought from April 1915 to June 1918.
Casualties for the month are given as:-
Other ranks - 2 killed, 12 wounded, 1 drowned, 1 gassed.
Reinforcements 3 officers and 6 other ranks.
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61622 Pte Bunce Silas. Home at Annfield Plain Durham. Born at Belmont, Co Durham and enlisted at Newcastle on Tyne. Died on the 23rd. Buried at Stanley [Harelaw] Cemetery.
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37523 Pte Trattles George, W, C. Enlisted at Stockton on Tees Died on the 23rd Age 23. Buried at Cloughton Church Cemetery.
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60757 Pte Moss William, Charles. Home at Mayfield. Ashbourne Stoke on Trent. Born at Mayfield, Staffs and enlisted at Leek. Died on the 24th. Age 19. Buried at Mayfield Wesleyan Methodist Chapelyard.
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200477 Pte Wildman Charles. Home at Bletsoe, Beds. Born at Bedford. Enlisted Stokesley, N Yorks. Died on the 25th. Buried at Hautmont Communal Cemetery.
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35122 Pte Cox Harry. Born Toddington Beds and enlisted at Nottingham. Killed in action [?] on 26th. Buried at Grand Seraucourt British Cemetery. Ex Notts and Derby Regt.
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203121 Pte Cann Thomas, W. 49 Southery St, Gateshead, Durham Died of wounds on the 28th. Age 30. Buried at Gateshead East Cemetery.
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1st to 5th JULY. Travelled by train to Longpre, well to the West of Amiens and marched to Heucourt.
The Battalion was reduced to Cadre strength, [just a Training Staff], and surplus personnel transferred to Base.
The Battle of the Aisne was the last operation in the War in which the original 50th Division took part. After the Battles of the Somme and the Lys its depleted Battalions had been made up, but after the disaster of the 27th May, the casualties were so great that it was impossible to find troops to refill the ranks of the sorely stricken Battalions.
By the end of May the 9 Battalions of the Division could only muster 700 fighting men between them.
The three German offensives of 1918 on the Rivers Somme, Lys and Aisne had caused some 600,000 Allied losses.
But they themselves had lossed a similar number and many of these were select Stormtroopers, who could not be replaced either. In the end it was the exhaustion of German manpower and supplies that decided the outcome of the War. |
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