Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux

Summary of Events

The 1/Sherwood Battalion moved on April 12th 1918, eventually going into the front line on April 19th, at VILLERS-BRETONNEUX. They were relieved on the evening of the 23rd and marched back to reserve billets in BLANGY TRONVILLE. At 3:45am on the 24th the Germans began a frontal assault, under cover of mist and smoke, and had successfully penetrated the Allied lines at VILLERS-BRETONNEUX by 9:30am. The 1/Sherwoods were immediately put under the temporary command of the 23rd Infantry Brigade and were ordered to launch a counter-offensive attack at 10am.  Fighting continued until the night of the 27th when the 1/Sherwoods were relieved but the counter-offensive was successful and VILLERS-BRETONNEUX was recaptured with the Germans driven from all their positions. However the toll on the Battalion was heavy and 234 men were officially listed as Killed, Wounded or Missing.

Order of Battle

Fourth Army
III Corps

  • 8th Division
  • 18th (Eastern) Division
  • 58th (2/1st London) Division

Australian Corps

  • 4th Australian Division
  • 5th Australian Division

The Defensive Scheme

The 8th Division was flanked by the 5th Australian Division to their left and the 58th Division to their right, (North and South respectively on the map below).

Behind the front lines a permanent garrison was stationed in VILLERS-BRETONNEUX forming a reserve line extending South along the CACHY Switch.  Additionally, two rear lines were formed using existing trench systems; namely the NICHOLAS-BLANGY line and TRONVILLE Switch (shown in brown), and the GLISY line (shown in green).

Villers-Bretonneux Defensive Lines
Crown Copyright

A comprehensive defensive scheme was issued by the Divisional commander to the Brigade commanders. The key point being the layered defensive lines and the requirement to launch an immediate counter-attack in response to any hostile action by the Germans.

Page 1
Crown Copyright
« of 6 »

The 1/Sherwoods went into the Front Lines, on the Southern divisional border, on the evening of April 19, 1918 and completed their move by 11:30pm. On the 20th, C Company captured two German prisoners from the German 93 R.I.R.  One of them, a Serjeant-Major, stated that a German attack was planned for the early hours of the 23rd April, around 3am. The Battalion positions at 9am on April 21, 1918 were as shown below, (the 1/Sherwoods in yellow at the bottom right).

Villers-Bretonneux April 21, 1918 @ 9am
Crown Copyright

The reported German attack did not materialize and nothing else of operational note occurred during their time holding the front line. They were relieved by the 2nd West Yorks on the evening of the 23rd April, the last Company reaching the reserve billets at BLANGY TRONVILLE at 2am in the early hours of the 24th. Although they had a relatively quiet time at the front it is worth noting that 9 men and two Officers of the 1/Sherwoods were killed during these few days. Barely a taste of what was to come.

Rank Service Number Forename MI Surname Age DoD
2/Lt. GEOFFREY V MARRIOTT 22-Apr
2/Lt. HAROLD EMBLEM 20 23-Apr
L/Cpl 108910 ERNEST J SURRIDGE 19 21-Apr
Pte 108936 FREDERICK GARSIDE 23 21-Apr
Pte 20233 ARTHUR J DAVIS 41 22-Apr
Pte 108872 JOHN REDGRAVE 24 22-Apr
Pte 108952 WALTER MANSLOW 20 22-Apr
Pte 202536 SAMUEL DAVIS 22-Apr
Pte 108795 FRANK GREENWOOD 24 23-Apr
Pte 306317 E HARRISON 23-Apr
Pte 306897 ALFRED EDWARDS 23-Apr

Elsewhere, a deserter and a German prisoner had both reported that an attack on the Allied lines was imminent and likely to be launched in the early hours of the 24th. And so it was that at 3:45am on April 24, 1918 the Divisional positions were as shown in the map below, the 1/Sherwoods having just reached the reserve billets in the rear.

Villers-Bretonneux April 24, 1918 @ 3:45am
Crown Copyright

The Attack

At 3:45am an intense enemy barrage of H.E. and gas opened along the front and reserve lines. At 4am orders were issued to the reserve Battalions to man the reserve lines and by 6:30am the artillery barrage slackened off and smoke was put down by the enemy. The smoke combined with the heavy mist dropped visibility to 20 yards. Out of the mist and smoke came four enemy tanks, at around 7am, which quickly overran the front lines of the 2nd Middlesex and 2nd West Yorks (who had just relieved the 1/Sherwoods). Having no effective answer to the German tanks these front line units were all but decimated. As the surviving front line and 1st reserve men fell back, Germans troops attacked and quickly occupied the Northern edge of VILLERS-BRETONNEUX by 9am, and had progressed to the western edge by 9:30am.

Also at 9:30am, divisional orders were issued that the 23rd Infantry Brigade should launch a counter-attack while the 24th Infantry Brigade consolidated the reserve lines. The 23rd Infantry Brigade HQ requested the support of the reserve Battalion (the 1/Sherwoods) and from this point forward the 1/Sherwoods remained under their command.  The counter-attack was launched at 10am, aided by three British tanks.

The counter-attack of the 1/Sherwoods was unsuccessful. They moved in artillery formation (strategically dispersed to avoid widespread casualties from the direct hit of a single shell) along the southern edge of the BOIS L’ABBE before turning north into the wood (approximately where the 2/Devons were dug in). Here they encountered strong resistance from the enemy but nevertheless pushed them back towards the eastern edge of the wood, back towards VILLERS-BRETONNEUX. At this point the Commanding Officer, Lt. Colonel R. F. Moore, MC, DSO was wounded which caused a breakdown in communications resulting in the 1/Sherwoods falling back and then digging in alongside a road running through the woods. Unfortunately, they were hit by a heavy German artillery barrage which caused many casualties. 31 men and one Officer were killed during the day.

Rank Service Number Forename Middle Surname Age
Lt. RAYMOND ALBERT JOHNSON 27
CQMS 10332 GEORGE JACKSON 26
L/Cpl 32372 ARTHUR BIRCH
L/Cpl 71943 WILLIAM JOHN WOOD
Pte 71977 J J MOORE 19
Pte 83806 ERNEST A ALLCOCK 20
Pte 91701 WILLIAM GOODFELLOW TWEDDLE 18
Pte 94636 J W THORLEY
Pte 95519 CYRIL CONYERS ROBINSON 18
Pte 97404 J MARTIN 19
L/Cpl 97428 ALBERT SHELLEY
Pte 102109 ALFRED McRAE 19
Pte 108811 DAVID HOLLAND 21
Pte 108813 ARCHIE HOLT 22
Pte 109027 SAMUEL EGERTON* 18
Pte 109062 FRANK POWELL* 18
Pte 109076 ALEXANDER SMITH* 18
Pte 109077 GEORGE COLIN SUMERFIELD* 18
Pte 109098 THOMAS HOWARD* 18
Pte 109112 JOHN DEWHURST* 18
Pte 109156 GEORGE HENRY BENNETT* 18
Pte 205385 EDWARD OWEN 19
Cpl 205394 JOSEPH NUTTALL
Pte 205401 W CARTER
Pte 205412 HAROLD WALLWORTH
Sgt 205413 W R SKEATH
Pte 205417 WILLIAM BOWERS 21
Pte 205459 JOSEPH WROE
Pte 235051 DAVID SAMBROOK
Pte 242124 E H CHILTON 20
Pte 306179 JOHN BOOTH 31
L/Cpl 306665 THOMAS MERRILLS 24

* 7 young men, only 18 years old, recently arrived in France and formerly of the 5th Reserve Manchester Battalion were killed in this, their first action.

The Battalion positions at Noon on April 24, 1918 were as shown below.

Villers-Bretonneux April 24, 1918 @ Noon
Crown Copyright

The gap between the 2/Devons and the northern part of the allied front line remained open until nightfall, the gap ultimately closed through the support of an allied tank. However, during this time German troops had moved through the gap, into the BOIS D’ARQUENNE, and dug in with machine guns and Trench Mortars.

At 10pm on the evening of the 24th April a counter-attack commenced under the command of the 8th Division but comprised of three Brigades of men from other Divisions (13th Australian Infantry Brigade, 15th Australian Infantry Brigade and the 54th Infantry Brigade of the 18th Division). The 13th Australians to attack from the South and the 15th Australians to attack from the North.  The 22nd Durham Light Infantry (D.L.I.) were tasked with mopping up resistance with the 15th Brigade in the North of VILLERS_BRETONNEUX, and the 2nd Northants with the 13th Brigade in the South, as the attack pressed forward.

Night attack by 13th Brigade on Villers–Bretonneux, Will Longstaff. [Oil on canvas AWM ART03028]

Two men of the 51st Battalion of the 13th Australian Brigade won gallantry awards that night for their actions in the BOIS D’ARQUENNE through which they had to advance to get to the town. Their respective citations are provided below and give some indication of the kind of fighting that took place in the woods that night.

2253 Sergeant Charles Albert (Charlie) Stokes, DCM

During a counter-attack by his Battalion on strong enemy positions south of VILLERS-BRETONNEUX on the night of 24/25th April 1918, this N.C.O. did splendid work when the left flank of his company was held up by heavy enemy machine gun fire. Sgt. STOKES led a section of Bombers against the machine gun positions and succeeded in putting two of the guns out of action and killing the crews. All the section becoming casualties, and finding one other enemy machine gun remained in action, he went forward and using his rifle attacked it single-handed, killing or wounding the crew, and capturing the gun. The Company was able to continue the advance. His gallant conduct was carried out under terrific machine gun fire, and with utter disregard for his own personal safety. On returning to his platoon, he found his Platoon Commander had been wounded and he at once took command and led his men forward. His splendid courage and coolness under heavy fire were an excellent example to all.

Lieutenant Clifford William King Sadlier, VC

On 24/25 April 1918 at VILLERS-BRETONNEUX, Lieutenant Sadlier’s platoon had to advance through a wood where a strong enemy machine-gun post was causing casualties and preventing the advance. Although he was himself wounded, Lieutenant Sadlier at once collected his bombing section and led them against the machine-guns, killing the crews and capturing two of the guns. By this time his party were all casualties and alone he attacked a third enemy machine-gun with his revolver, killing the crew and taking the gun. In doing so, he was again wounded. The very gallant conduct of this officer was the means of clearing the flank, and allowing the battalion to move forward, thereby saving a most critical situation. His coolness and utter disregard of danger inspired all.

By 4am the attack had progressed but the 22nd D.L.I. had still not entered VILLERS-BRETONNEUX and so the 2nd Royal Berks were ordered to assist them which tipped the balance and by early afternoon 400 German prisoners were taken and 100 machine guns captured. The front line was established at the South East corner of the town and the 15th and 13th Australian Brigades linked up successfully (see map below).

Villers-Bretonneux April 25, 1918 @ 6pm
Crown Copyright

Meanwhile the 1/Sherwoods along with the 2nd Middlesex and the 2nd West Yorks were tasked with clearing the remaining Germans from the BOIS D’ARQUENNE, ultimately capturing one Officer, 73 men and a number of machine guns and trench mortars. From the 1/Sherwoods, 17 men and one Officer lost their lives in fighting which must have mirrored that of the Australians.

Rank Service Number Forename Middle Surname Age
2/Lt. FREDERICK REGINALD CLULOW 23
Cpl 10379 J G FLAVELL
Pte 28803 WALTER BRADLEY 38
L/Cpl 31856 REGINALD VICTOR ROBOTTOM 20
L/Cpl 71155 A H ONION
Pte 71390 E SMITH
Pte 72677 W C KNIGHT
Pte 100069 HAROLD GREEN 19
Pte 102105 WILLIAM MORTON 19
Pte 107529 JOHN FREDERICK HILL
Pte 108985 WILLIAM LEONARD EDWARD LEWIS 18
Pte 108986 ROBERT MACARTHUR 18
Pte 108995 JOHN WRIGHT 20
Pte 109037 FRANK HICKLIN 19
Pte 109059 MORNINGTON PALEY 19
Pte 242266 L P TURNER
Pte 268371 PERCY ANDREWS 18
Pte 306172 JOHN WILLIAM SHELDON 20

On the evening of the 26th April the Commanding Officers of the 1/Sherwoods and the 1st Worcesters were brought to Divisional headquarters to receive orders to attack MONUMENT WOOD early the following day. However, when informed of the plan, both C.O.s reported that their units were too depleted and too exhausted to be capable of mounting a credible attack. Fortunately, the Divisional commander agreed, reported this situation to Corps HQ who duly cancelled the attack.

The 8th Division, including the 1/Sherwoods, were relieved from the lines on the evening of April 27, 1918 without further incident, although a handful of 1/Sherwoods still lost their lives due to the attritional nature of their situation.

Rank Service No Forename MI Surname Age DoD
L/Cpl 4448 SYDNEY LIGHTFOOT 26 26-Apr
Pte 268370 JAMES F WRIGHT 18 26-Apr
Pte 108982 DOUGLAS G JACKSON 19 27-Apr
Pte 205383 T GREENWOOD 27-Apr

GALLANTRY

The following men received the Military Medal for distinguished conduct during the operations at VILLERS-BRETONNEUX during the period of April 24 – 29, 1918.

Rank Service No Forename MI Surname
Sgt 9937 WILLIAM FRAME
Pte 97392 HUBERT McDERMOTT
Pte 67611 WILLIAM P GREENBURY
Pte 235139 FRANK W WRIGHT
Pte 4767 JOHN T THOMAS

Additionally, 2nd Lieutenant HARRY GREAVES was awarded the Military Cross.

REFERENCES

History of the Great War, Military Operations France And Belgium 1918 Vol-II, BRIGADIER-GENERAL SIR JAMES E. EDMONDS.

Divisional Headquarters, 8th Division, Piece 1678/1-3: Headquarters Branches and Services: General Staff (1918 Jan – Jun).

The Divisional Narrative of events is provided below:

Narrative Pg 9
« of 11 »

Divisional Headquarters, 8th Division, Piece 1682/1-4: Headquarters Branches and Services: Adjutant and Quarter-Master Gen (1917 Jul – 1918).

Second Battle of Villers-Bretonnuex, the ANZAC Portal.

1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters

August 1914:
The 1/Sherwoods were in Bombay, India when war broke out. They quickly returned to England, landing at Plymouth on 2 October, 1914. They immediately moved to Hursley Park and came under orders of the 24th Infantry Brigade of the 8th Division.

November 1914:
On the 5 November, 1914 they landed at Le Havre and from this point forward they fought on the Western Front in the 24th Infantry Brigade of the 8th Division.

January 1918:
CANAL BANK, YPRES
Order of Battle of the 8th Division week ending January 5, 1918:

Unit Officers O.R.s
23rd Infantry Brigade
2nd Devons 43 916
2nd West Yorks 34 656
2ns Scottish Rifles 34 887
2nd Middlesex 39 705
23rd Machine Gun Co 10 182
TOTAL 160 3,346
24th Infantry Brigade
1st Worcesters 33 763
2nd East Lancs 38 550
1st Sherwoods 32 633
2nd Northants 39 879
24th Machine Gun Co 9 180
TOTAL 151 3,005
25th Infantry Brigade
2nd Lincolns 26 724
2nd Royal Berks 37 587
1st Irish Rifles 36 679
2nd Rifle Brigade 32 644
25th Machine Gun Co 10 182
TOTAL 141 2,816
218th Bn MG Company 9 180
22nd Durham LI (Pioneers) 35 782
GRAND TOTAL 496 10,129

Drafts for the 1/Sherwoods arrived throughout the month totaling 9 Officers and 152 Other Ranks.

February 1918:

STEENVORDE, FRANCE.

Drafts for the 1/Sherwoods arrived throughout the month totaling 1 Officers and 108 Other Ranks.

March 1918:

In February 1918 the Division was re-organized to support 3 Battalions per Infantry Brigade and the Brigade Machine Gun Companies were consolidated into a separate Machine Gun Battalion made up of the three Brigade MG Companies plus the 218th Battalion Machine Gun Company.

Unit Officers O.R.s
23rd Infantry Brigade
2nd Devons 41 937
2nd West Yorks 35 930
2nd Middlesex 50 934
TOTAL 126 2,801
24th Infantry Brigade
1st Worcesters 42 847
1st Sherwoods 41 930
2nd Northants 34 985
TOTAL 117 2,762
25th Infantry Brigade
2nd East Lancs 43 889
2nd Royal Berks 59 840
2nd Rifle Brigade 36 818
TOTAL 138 2,547
22nd Durham LI (Pioneers) 49 906
8th Div MG Btn 45 868
GRAND TOTAL 475 9,884

During the first half of the month, drafts for the 1/Sherwoods arrived daily totaling 1 Officers and 62 Other Ranks.

First Battle of the Somme, 1918

From March 22 to April 4th the 1/Sherwoods took part in what was to become known as the First Battle of the Somme, 1918.  Early in the morning of March 21, 1918 the Germans attacked the allied lines during the opening of the Spring Offensive. As the Germans pushed forward the 8th Division was moved from Flanders to the Somme to do what it could to stem the tide. The 1/Sherwoods dug in on the West bank of the Somme and defended the bridge at St Christ on the evening of March 23rd. The next few days saw the 1/Sherwoods engaged in dogged resistance, ordered withdrawal and then counter-attack. By the end of the engagement the 8th Division had fulfilled its duties but had suffered significant casualties.

Unit Officers Other Ranks
K W M Total K W M Total
23rd Infantry HQ 0 0 1 1 3 3 1 7
2nd Devons 3 11 2 16 29 215 63 307
2nd West Yorks 6 12 2 20 30 182 377 589
2nd Middlesex 2 9 13 24 16 96 354 466
24th Infantry HQ 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
1st Worcesters 2 16 1 19 24 180 200 404
1st Sherwoods 3 7 3 13 26 89 264 379
2nd Northants 5 9 4 18 27 122 159 308
25th Infantry HQ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2nd East Lancs 2 19 2 23 35 223 211 469
2nd Royal Berks 3 21 4 28 30 169 102 301
2nd Rifle Brigade 6 11 3 20 32 105 300 437
22nd DLI (Pioneers) 4 12 7 23 29 149 291 469
8th Div MG Btn 4 8 4 16 22 120 178 320
Royal Artillery 2 11 0 13 10 62 25 97
Royal Engineers 1 5 6 12 8 49 74 131
RAMC 0 1 2 3 0 9 0 9
Totals 43 153 54 250 321 1,773 2,599 4,693

April 1918:

During the first 3 weeks of April the 1/Sherwoods were out of the front line, resting and re-organizing their companies due to the heavy losses suffered in March.  During the early part of the month a significant number of new drafts were received.

Date Officers O.R.s Total
April 4, 1918 0 439 439
April 5, 1918 0 2 2
April 9, 1918 0 141 141
April 11, 1918 3 0 3
Monthly Totals 3 582 585

More than 50% of the Battalion’s fighting strength was replaced by these men during a two week period. The logistics and organizational disruption of such a significant change in personnel in a front line infantry unit must have been overwhelming.

Drafts of April 4, 1918

At least 250 of the men who made up the Draft of April 4th came from the Manchester Regiments, an additional 100 from the Lancashire Fusiliers (who were subsequently assigned Service Numbers 108816 – 108914).

During the Brigade and Divisional re-organizations that took place in February and March 1918 the 2/10th Manchester Regiment was disbanded in France and the 2/9th Manchester Regiment was absorbed into the 1/9th Manchester Regiment and ceased to exist.  In April, the 1/9th Manchester Regiment and the 2/5th Manchester Regiment were reduced to a cadre. The surplus men from these regiments found themselves at the Infantry Base Depots in Etaples at the end of March 1918 and were re-assigned to other regiments as needs arose.

Approximately 40 men previously serving in a variety of Manchester Regiments joined the 1/Sherwoods from the Manchester Infantry Base Depot in Etaples. These men were given Service Numbers 108926 – 108965.

Approximately 35 men previously serving mainly in the 1/9th Manchester Regiment and 1/10th Manchester Regiments joined the 1/Sherwoods from the Manchester Infantry Base Depot in Etaples, many shipping out from the UK on March 31, 1918. These men were given Service Numbers 205420 – 205455. Included in these men was Arthur Slater.

But perhaps the most interesting group was approximately 155 young men who were 18-19 years old and were raw recruits recently drafted into the Army through the Military Service Act. These men had no prior military experience.  Drafted into the Army Reserve, for the duration of the war, approximately 3 months before their 18th birthday and assigned to one of the training battalions (mainly the 71st  & 67th Training Reserve Battalions) with a reserve service number and based at Ripon (71st) or at the Altcar Training Camp in Hightown, Merseyside (67th). They were subsequently posted to the 5th (Reserve) Battalion Manchester Regiment on November 27, 1917, moved to Scarborough and assigned a “proper” 5 digit Manchester Regiment service number (59*** or 60***). They then proceeded to Folkestone on March 30, 1918 and embarked for Boulogne arriving March 31, 1918. Assigned to the Manchester Infantry Base Depot (MIBD) at Etaples, where on April 4, 1918 they were transferred  to the 1st Battalion Notts and Derby Regiment (1/Sherwoods), and assigned a new six digit service numbers in the range 108979 – 109155.

Drafts of April 9th

It appears that the vast majority (and possibly the entirety) of the draft of men who were taken on the strength of the Battalion on April 9, 1918 were another batch of raw recruits, with no prior military experience, mostly from the Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire areas.  Drafted into the Army Reserve, for the duration of the war, approximately 3 months before their 18th birthday and assigned into 7th Reserve Battalion Notts and Derby Regiment, based in Ripon where they underwent basic training. They embarked at Folkestone and Disembarked at Boulogne on 3 April, 1918. Assigned to No 4 Infantry Section, GHQ 3rd Echelon BEF and transferred to 1st Battalion Notts and Derby Regiment on 9 April, 1918. Assigned a new five digit service number in the range 95807 – 95970.

This means that in the space of less than a week the 1/Sherwoods added more than 300 raw recruits who were  18 (or in some cases just 19) years old; fully 1/3 of Battalion strength.

The Battalion was now made up of several different collections of men:

  1. Experienced men of the Notts and Derby Regiments, some of who had served with the 1/Sherwoods for the duration of the war.
  2. Raw recruits, 18-19 years old and fresh out of basic training, who were Notts and Derby men.
  3. Experienced men formerly of the Lancashire Fusiliers.
  4. Experienced men formerly of the Manchester Regiments.
  5. Raw recruits, 18-19 years old and fresh out of basic training, who were Manchester Regiment men.

Second Battle of VILLERS-BRETONNEUX

In April, the 1/Sherwoods took part in what was to become known as the Second Battle of VILLERS-BRETONNEUX. The Battalion moved on April 12th eventually going into the front line on April 19th, at VILLERS-BRETONNEUX. They were relieved on the evening of the 23rd and marched back to reserve billets in BLANGY TRONVILLE. At 3:45am on the 24th the Germans began a frontal assault, under cover of mist and smoke, and had successfully penetrated the Allied lines at VILLERS-BRETONNEUX by 9:30am. The 1/Sherwoods were immediately put under the temporary command of the 23rd Infantry Brigade and were ordered to launch a counter-offensive attack at 10am.  Fighting continued until the night of the 27th when the 1/Sherwoods were relieved but the counter-offensive was successful and VILLERS-BRETONNEUX was recaptured with the Germans driven from all their positions. However the toll on the Battalion was heavy and 234 men were officially listed as Killed, Wounded or Missing. The Battalion had been severely depleted once again.

Unit Officers Other Ranks Grand
K W M Tot K W M Tot Total
23rd Infantry HQ 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1
2nd Devons 3 6 1 10 49 184 93 326 336
2nd West Yorks 1 5 10 16 18 162 226 406 422
2nd Middlesex 2 2 9 13 6 98 435 539 552
23rd LTM Bty 0 0 0 0 1 2 13 16 16
1st Worcesters 3 8 0 11 20 106 0 126 137
1st Sherwoods 3 4 0 7 36 176 15 227 234
2nd Northants 4 6 0 10 15 251 19 285 295
24th LTM Bty 0 1 0 1 0 4 0 4 5
2nd East Lancs 3 8 2 13 31 153 85 269 282
2nd Royal Berks 3 7 0 10 55 185 10 250 260
2nd Rifle Brigade 1 3 10 14 15 68 297 380 394
25th LTM Bty 0 0 0 0 1 7 5 13 13
22nd DLI (Pioneers) 2 4 0 6 59 186 8 253 259
8th Div MG Btn 1 0 5 6 12 78 91 181 187
Royal Artillery 1 11 0 12 7 85 0 92 104
Royal Engineers 1 1 0 2 1 39 0 40 42
RAMC 0 1 1 2 1 10 1 12 14

A total of 133 Officers and 3,420 Other Ranks killed, wounded or missing; 3,553 in all.

And of those casualties the following 13 young men, formerly of the 5th Reserve Manchester Regiment – posted to their first fighting unit only 3 weeks earlier – lost their lives during the actions at VILLERS-BRETONNEUX.

Rank Service Number Forename MI Surname Age DoD
Pte 109027 SAMUEL EGERTON 18 24-Apr
Pte 109062 FRANK POWELL 18 24-Apr
Pte 109076 ALEXANDER SMITH 18 24-Apr
Pte 109077 GEORGE C. SUMERFIELD 18 24-Apr
Pte 109098 THOMAS HOWARD 18 24-Apr
Pte 109112 JOHN DEWHURST 18 24-Apr
Pte 109156 GEORGE H. BENNETT 18 24-Apr
Pte 108985 WILLIAM L. E. LEWIS 18 25-Apr
Pte 108986 ROBERT MACARTHUR 25-Apr
Pte 108995 JOHN WRIGHT 18 25-Apr
Pte 109037 FRANK HICKLIN 19 25-Apr
Pte 109059 MORNINGTON PALEY 25-Apr
Pte 108982 DOUGLAS G. JACKSON 19 27-Apr

May 1918:

In the early hours of May 27, 1918 the Germans launched a ferocious artillery barrage with signaled the start of the 3rd Battle of the Aisne. By the time it was over 698 Officers and men of the 1/Sherwoods were officially listed as Killed, Wounded or Missing.

The list of Officers present that day is as follows:

Rank Forename Middle Middle Surname Fate
Lt. Col. JOHN D MITCHELL
Lt. Col. ROBERT FRANK MOORE KiA
Maj. JOHN EDWARDS
Capt. ERIC BOSWORTH GREENSMITH PoW
Capt. CLARENCE HARRISON PoW
Capt. JOHN FERGUSON MENZIES PoW
Capt. REGINALD GUY PEARSE
Capt. WILLIAM WESTON
Lt. GEORGE DUNCAN McINTYRE ABBOTTS WiA
Lt. LEONARD LESLIE DAWSON KiA
Lt. JOHN GORHAM FIELD
Lt. CECIL WILLIE LAWS KiA
Lt. ALEXANDER STRAW MiA
Lt. GUY LUNTLEY TUTIN
Lt. JOHN EDWARD MILLS WALKER PoW
2/Lt.  CHRISTOPHER AMBLER WiA
2/Lt. WILLIAM EDWARD BROWN PoW
2/Lt. CHARLES ERNEST CUMBERLAND WiA
2/Lt. WILLIAM JOHN RUSSELL ELLIOTT WiA
2/Lt. HARRY GREAVES
2/Lt. WILLIAM LESLIE GREEN WiA
2/Lt. GEORGE AUGUSTUS HANCOCK
2/Lt. ARTHUR FRANCIS HEATH WiA
2/Lt. FREDERICK RICHARD HINDERLICH WiA
2/Lt. THOMAS ERNEST INMAN PoW
2/Lt. ALFRED OLIVER JACKSON
2/Lt. FREDERICK GEORGE KYLE WiA
2/Lt. ALFRED MILLWARD WiA
2/Lt. ARTHUR NEILD PoW
2/Lt. WILLIAM NOBLE WiA
2/Lt. FITZ DONALD SEVERN PoW
2/Lt. DENNIS MOULTON START PoW
2/Lt. GEORGE WALTER WEBB PoW

The following table lists the 67 young men formerly of the 5th Reserve Manchester regiment who were either killed or captured on May 27, 1918.

Rank  Service No.  Forename  Middle  Surname Age Fate
Pte 108974 James Beesley PoW
Pte 108979 Thomas John Pellow Howes 19 KiA
Cpl 108980 Harry Humphreys PoW
Pte 108987 John Noone PoW
Pte 108989 Ronald John Siddle PoW
Pte 108993 Archibald Campbell Tyre 18 KiA
Pte 109004 Ignatius Harring PoW
Pte 109006 Francis Edward Nutter 18 KiA
Pte 109007 William Ashton 19 KiA
Pte 109008 Stanley Harold Atherton 19 KiA
Pte 109011 Joseph William Barratt 19 KiA
Pte 109012 George William Bishton PoW
Pte 109015 Henry Burns KiA
Pte 109020 Harold Brown 19 KiA
Pte 109023 Allen Diver 19 KiA
Pte 109025 Albert Edward Dodgson PoW
Pte 109028 William Evans 18 KiA
Pte 109029 George William Ernest PoW
Pte 109034 Peter Henry Halliwell PoW
Pte 109035 Joseph Hansbury PoW
Pte 109036 Samuel Hacking PoW
Pte 109038 John Grafton Hoskins PoW
Pte 109039 Henry Hopkins PoW
Pte 109041 Horace Jones PoW
Pte 109042 Sydney Jones PoW
Pte 109046 Alfred Lee 19 KiA
Pte 109050 John Mayor PoW
Pte 109051 Francis McQuade PoW
Pte 109052 Ernest McAuley PoW
Pte 109053 Alfred Hubert Madeley PoW
Pte 109054 John Mills 19 PoW
Pte 109056 James Nelson 19 KiA
Pte 109057 John Norris PoW
Pte 109061 Norman Pilkington PoW
Pte 109063 William Coventry Reid 19 PoW*
Pte 109066 William Baden Powell Richards 19 PoW
Pte 109073 John Steele 19 KiA
Pte 109075 James Henry Shepherd PoW
Pte 109083 Claude Llewellyn John Wroe PoW
Pte 109084 Harry Williamson KiA
L/Cpl 109085 Arthur Wilson PoW
Pte 109089 John Cleave Riley 19 KiA
Pte 109097 Thomas Henry Cashen PoW
Pte 109102 Herbert Austin 19 KiA
Pte 109103 Alexander Allan 19 PoW
Pte 109105 George Wain Baird 19 KiA
Pte 109108 Charles Baker 19 KiA
Pte 109111 Edward Newton Clarkson 19 PoW
Pte 109113 John Oxford 18 KiA
Pte 109114 Herbert Owen Parry 18 KiA
Pte 109115 William Pickard PoW
Pte 109116 Joseph Powell 19 KiA
Pte 109117 Joseph Riley 19 PoW
Pte 109118 Francis Joseph Rogers 19 KiA
Pte 109121 Alfred Shackley PoW
Pte 109122 James Sanderson PoW
Pte 109124 Fred Syer 19 KiA
Pte 109125 George William Taylor PoW
Pte 109126 George Walters PoW
Pte 109130 Thomas H Fenney PoW
Pte 109133 Albert Harris 19 PoW
Pte 109134 William J. Hawkins 19 KiA
Pte 109136 Alfred Haw PoW
Pte 109137 Herman Isherwood PoW
Pte 109139 George Edward King 19 KiA
Pte 109147 Albert Woolley 18 KiA
L/Cpl 109148 Albert Worrall PoW
Pte 109155 Joseph Lockley 19 KiA

*William Coventry Reid was captured on May 27, 1918 and died of wounds on May 29,1918.

The following table lists the 15 young men formerly of the 7th Reserve Sherwood Foresters who were either Killed or Captured on May 27, 1918.

Rank Co Service No Forename Middle  Surname Age Fate
Pte 95807 Clarence Stephen Cox 18 KiA
Pte B 95877 Jacob Attwood 18 PoW
Pte 95887 James Reginald Batchelor 18 KiA
Pte 95897 John Charles Hubbard PoW
Pte 95899 William Ernest Hames 18 KiA
Pte A 95901 Bertie Johnson PoW
Pte D 95913 Reginald Sharpe PoW
L/Cpl 95924 Cris Burrows Cotton 18 KiA
Pte 95925 Rowland Cheshire 18 KiA
Pte D 95932 David Frederick Fisher 18 PoW
Pte 95941 Charles Henry Hughes 18 PoW*
Pte D 95955 Linford D Russell PoW
Pte A 95962 Francis Harold Benjamin Sturgess 18 PoW
Pte D 95967 Leonard Walker PoW
Pte 95970 Gilbert Walter Watson 18 KiA

* Charles Henry Hughes was captured on May 27, 1918 and subsequently died of wounds received on May 29, 1918.

The full Divisional Casualty numbers are simply staggering:

Unit Officers Other Ranks Grand
K W M Total K/W/M Total Total
23rd Infantry HQ 0 1 0 1 0 0 1
2nd Devons 1 4 24 29 552 552 581
2nd West Yorks 1 6 15 22 555 555 577
2nd Middlesex 1 3 22 26 578 578 604
23rd LTM Bty 0 0 0 0 27 27 27
24th Infantry HQ 0 0 1 1 0 0 1
1st Worcesters 3 11 15 29 589 589 618
1st Sherwoods 1 12 10 23 675 675 698
2nd Northants 1 5 18 24 629 620 644
24th LTM Bty 0 0 3 3 46 46 49
25th Infantry HQ 0 0 2 2 0 0 2
2nd East Lancs 0 10 15 25 560 560 585
2nd Royal Berks 2 2 20 24 683 683 707
2nd Rifle Brigade 2 9 17 28 744 744 772
25th LTM Bty 0 0 1 1 22 22 23
22nd Durham LI (Pioneers) 1 14 4 19 494 494 513
8th Bn MG Company 2 4 18 24 382 382 406
Royal Artillery 1 3 36 40 370 370 410
Royal Engineers 3 7 6 16 323 323 339
RAMC 0 1 20 21 248 248 269
Div Train ASC 0 3 0 3 25 25 28
Mobile Vet Sect 0 1 0 1 3 3 4
A.C.D. 0 0 4 4 0 0 4
Totals 19 96 251 366 7,505 7,496 7,862

The extent of the casualties is also evident from the weekly report of Divisional Fighting Strength reported at the end of the first full week of June as compared to that of January or March.

June 8th
Unit Officers O.R.s
23rd Infantry Brigade
2nd Devons 14 315
2nd West Yorks 13 221
2nd Middlesex 8 257
TOTAL 35 793
24th Infantry Brigade
1st Worcesters 9 243
1st Sherwoods 15 252
2nd Northants 9 274
TOTAL 33 769
25th Infantry Brigade
2nd East Lancs 13 301
2nd Royal Berks 18 277
2nd Rifle Brigade 14 270
TOTAL 45 848
22nd Durham LI (Pioneers) 19 460
8th Div MG Btn 24 501
GRAND TOTAL 156 3,371