Page 48. Back to the Ypres Salient. Battle of Houthulst Forest.
[Between the 6th and 25th October the 4th Battalion moved from the Arras sector back to
where they had started in April 1915 - the Ypres Salient.
Once again the Battalion were to be thrown into an offensive that had ground to a
halt.
Since 1915 troops in this area had been holding the line with no major "pushes".
In June 1917 the "Third Battle of Ypres" had commenced with the successful capture of the Messines ridge to
the South of Ypres.
The main assault had begun in July with the aim of breaking the German line to the North East of Ypres.
Torrential rain and the usual stalemate of barbed wire and machine guns caused the operation to be bogged down
in enormous loss of life for little ground gained.
The attempt was abandoned in November with the capture of the little Belgian village of Paschendaele, which has
given its name to the campaign.]
6th OCTOBER. The Btn marched to Bradford Camp at Achiet Le Petit, South of Arras.
17th OCTOBER. They entrained at Miraumont and travelled to Cassel from where they marched to Rubrouck.
21st OCTOBER. Btn marched to Arneke and on the next day to Wormhoudt, where they entrained and travelled
to Proven.
24th OCTOBER. The Btn moved by train to Elverdinghe where they proceeded to Cariboo Camp.
Officers serving with the 1/4th Bn at this time. The one standing has not been identified. From the Left the
others are Lt Francis David Farquharson, who was attached from the 5th Royal Scots. He was to be killed in action at Estaires
in April 1918. Lt Wilf Thornton, to be taken POW in March 1918. Lt T R K Ginger, who as a Captain was the Officer left in
charge of the remains of the Battalion after they were decimated on the Aisne in May 1918.
[Photograph kindly contributed by John Sheen, author of Tyneside Irish, Durham Pals, & Wearside Battalion.
From a small collection made by Lt Wilf Thornton and shown elsewhere on this website.]
25th OCTOBER. The Btn relieved the 6th Btn Northumberland Fusiliers and went into reserve to the 149th
Infantry Brigade. They were placed under the command of the 149th Brigadier and over the next days were to
take part in the Battle of Houtholst Forest.
The Battalion War Diary says little of the day to day actions, but from other sources it is clear
that the Division had to attack heavily defended German positions over swampy land that was criss-crossed by streams and
had now been turned into a quagmire by heavy rains and constant shelling.
The 4th Yorks and 6th Northumberland Fus were in reserve at Pascal Farm.
The attack was to commence at 5 am next day, with 149th Brigade leading.
It was as usual supported by a creeping barrage of Artillery fire, but the Infantry could not cover the ground at the same
speed of its advance.
They were met by a German Artillery barrage and a hail of machine gun fire.
The 149th Bde were to lose some 1,000 men killed, wounded and missing.
26th OCTOBER. The 4th Btn moved into Support in the morning and into the line at night.
This day the following men were killed in action and all but 3 are commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial and
have no known grave.
22688 Pte Gotts Herbert. Home at - 7 Tower St, Stockton on Tees, place of birth and enlistment.
Age 24. Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
20110 Pte McNally John. Home at S Bank Middlesbrough, place of birth and enlistment.
28th OCTOBER.
21185 Pte Brown Arthur. Born and enlisted at Middlesbrough, N Yorks.
30041 Pte Christie William. Home at - 49 Baker St, Belfast, place of enlistment. Born
Shankhill, Co Antrim. Age 20. Ex 40777 Notts and Derbys Regt.
Ypres, Tyne Cot Memorial, Menin Gate. Last Post Ceremony.
44320 Pte Dirden James. Home at -42 Union St, Spon Lane, West Bromwich, place of birth.
Enlisted at Smethwick. Age 23. Ex S Staffs Regt.
290469 L/Cpl Fenton Peter. Born and enlisted at Middlesbrough, N Yorks.
20971 Pte Henderson James. Born and enlisted at Middlesbrough, N Yorks. A family gravestone
in Linthorpe Cemetery, Middlesbrough, N Yorks records that he was "interred in Poelcapelle Cemetery, Flanders" and this
could apply to all these men. It seems likely that their graves and gravemarkers were obliterated in later shelling and
could not be traced after the War by the CWGC. The area was taken by the Germans in their offensives of Spring 1918 and
retaken in the Autumn advance of the Allies.
203174 Pte Oberon Robert. Home at 159 Westgate, Guisborough, N Yorks. Born at Nunthorpe and
enlisted at Stokesley, N Yorks. Age 19.
21195 Pte Peacock John, George. Home at N Ormesby, Middlesbrough, N Yorks, place of birth
and enlistment. Age 28.
202317 Pte Cave Wilfred, Sidney. Home at Little Houghton, Northampton, town of enlistment.
Died of wounds. Age 22. Buried at Dozinghem Military Cemetery. Ex 4171 Northants Regt.
29th OCTOBER.
235094 Pte Atkinson Joseph Jerimiah. Battalion number 8854. Age 20. Born at 45 Dean St and then living at 10
School Croft, both in Middlesbrough, N Yorks, where he had enlisted. Joseph was one of 5 brothers, 3 of whom were killed in the First
World War.
201233 Pte Johnson William. Home at Long St, Thirsk, N Yorks, place of birth.
Died of wounds. Age 23.
203190 Pte Shepherd Alfred. Home at East Heslerton. Enlisted at Scarborough, N Yorks.
Age 31. 30th OCTOBER.
32833 Pte Buck Alfred. Home at Alne Yorks. Born Whixley Yorks and enlisted at York.
25069 Pte Foreman Ernest. Enlisted at Middlesbrough, N Yorks. Born at Port Clarence, Co Durham.
Died of wounds. Buried at Dozinghem British Cemetery
235141 Cpl Gordon Edmund, Liddle. Born and enlisted at Sunderland.
42366 Pte Harris Bertie. Home at - 7 Freemantle St, Eastville, Bristol, place of birth and
enlistment. Age 23. Ex Royal Field Artillery.
200241 Pte Johnson Robert. Home at Yarm, N Yorks, place of birth and enlistment.
25025 Pte Mankin Albert. Home at - Thornaby N Yorks, place of birth. Enlisted at Stockton on
Tees.
203748478 Pte Marchment Coleridge. Born at Salisbury Wilt, and enlisted at
Tonypandy, Cadoxton, Cardiff.
200280 Pte Marwood Norman. Born at Kirby Whiske and enlisted at Thirsk N Yorks.
in action. Buried at Canada Farm Cemetery. 31st OCTOBER. Major B.H. Charlton, OC of the Battalion, signed off the Diary and recorded the Battalion
strength at the start of October as 37 Officers and 928 other ranks. He was unable to give the strengths and casualties
on this day.
