1/4TH   BATTALION
Alexandra,  Princess   of   Wales's   Own
YORKSHIRE   REGIMENT
Page 23. March/April 1916. Kemmel.
The Battalion moved from the trenches in Armagh Wood on 28th March and via Dickebusch, Meteren, Bailleul and Locre ended up on the 31st taking over trenches in front of Kemmel.
28th MARCH. The Bn moved to billets in the Meteren area, a village just to the West of Bailleul, taking over from 13th Canadian Bn.

30th MARCH. Bn moved via Bailleul to Locre and took over HQ, QM stores and Transport lines from 28th Canadian Bn.

31st MARCH. The Bn took over trenches [G1 to H1A] in front of Kemmel from 31st Bn Canadians.
1st to 4th APRIL. Generally quiet and working on trench improvements. The Officer Commanding 50th Division, Brig Gen B G Price came round the trenches with Staff Officers.
Capt Sproxton took over command of Y Company from Lt Thornton to command W Company.

5th APRIL. Germans trench mortared G1, G2 and H1A trenches without doing much damage but 4 other ranks were wounded.

6th APRIL. Slight trench mortaring. Robert the swan was killed by shell fire.

7th APRIL. Severe shelling by the Germans behind G1 and G2 from 3 to 5 p.m.
The Bn were relieved at night by 5th Bn D.L.I. 2 Lewis guns handed over to them. "X" Company were left in Support at Kemmel Chateau. The other 3 Companies went into Kemmel Shelters. 2nd Lt N H Laing and 4 other ranks had been wounded during the spell at the Front.

8th APRIL. 100 men supplied at night for working parties, 45 as miners.

Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery.
The Chateau stood to the North East of the village of Kemmel until being destroyed by shell fire.
The Cemetery was made in the Chateau grounds.
15 men of the 4th Yorks Battalion are buried here.
[Picture courtesy of - "WW1Cemeteries.com".].
Capt Sproxton was decorated by H.M. King George V with the Military Cross.

9th to 14th APRIL. Usual working parties were supplied. A Draft of 75 other ranks were received as reinforcements.

12th APRIL.

25168 Pte Smith Henry. Home at Grangetown Middlesbrough, place of birth and enlistment. Died at home and buried at Eston Cemetery.
15th APRIL. The Bn relieved 5th Bn D.L.I. in the same trenches, Z Company remaining in reserve at Kemmel Chateau.

16th APRIL. A fine warm day followed by a wet night on which the Germans did considerable damage to trench G2 with mortars. No casualties.

17th APRIL.

1329 Pte Wilson Ambrose. Born and home at Yarm, N Yorks. Killed in action. Buried at Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery.
It was the anniversary of the Battalion's arrival in France and the Diary gives a summary of the losses suffered during the year. Only 7 Officers remained of those who came out and two of them had spent 4 months in England wounded.

The Road between Locre and Kemmel.
Probably later in the War.
[Photo - Old postcard.]
These were Captains Charlton, Fawcett, Rowlandson, Stead and Hewitt.
Lieutenants Thornton and Constantine.
14 had been killed or died of wounds. 3 Gassed. 1 Shell Shock. 6 had been evacuated to England sick or other causes. 6 had been transferred or attached to other Units.
163 Other ranks had been killed or died of wounds. 6 were Missing. 4 had been taken Prisoner. 478 had been wounded or gassed.
To celebrate the day Wick gave birth to 2 puppies at 1 a.m. All doing well.

18th - 21st APRIL. Fairly quiet time but on the 21st there was a small bombardment of trenches G4 and H1A. Little damage was done to the trenches, but 1 other rank was killed.

1402 Pte Porritt William. Home at Lingdale, N Yorks. Born at Kiltonthorpe and enlisted at Skelton in Cleveland, N Yorks. Killed in action. Buried at Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery.
22nd APRIL. Moved to huts at Locre where for 4 days they supplied working parties and examined kit.

27th APRIL. The Bn marched to a rest area at Fletre, a village to the North West of Bailleul.

It was an extremely hot day and they arrived there at 6.30 p.m.
The area allotted was inadequate for the strength of the Bn and they were scattered over a wide area that was deficient of latrines or wash places.
The one thing in their favour was the weather and men preferred sleeping out in the open rather than "evil smelling barns".

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