The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment 30th September 1915

30^th September, 1915 –

1st Battalion – Clearing up trenches and collecting & burying dead all day. Major T. Weeding wounded. Relieved by 19^th Bde, at 11pm and went back to billets at BEUVRY the rear of the Battn, did not reach billets until 6am on the 1^st of Oct, 2 Lieut A.J. Crichton and 2 Lieut R.E.C Harland joined the Battn.

2nd Battalion – Officers 19.    Other Ranks 750.

To Hospital 6.

“Missing” rejoined 3.

All the men were given a bath & deficiencies after being in action made good.

F.C. Longbourne. Major.

1/6^th Battalion – DROUVIN.

At 7am orders were received that the Battn, would be prepared to move by the afternoon – at 11.30am orders were received to be ready to move off at 12.30pm. The Battalion with all transport moved off at 1pm & marched via NOEUX LES MINES – MAZINGARBE to CORONS DE RUTOIRE South of VERMELLES – where the battalion was billeted. The Battalion was now in divisional reserve. The 35 & 30^th Bdes being in the trenches between along the LENS – HULLOCH ROAD.

R.W.B.

2/4^th Battalion –

7^th Battalion – In billets, nothing to report.

M KEMP-WELCH,

Capt & Adjt.

7^th (SERVICE) Bn, THE QUEEN’S (R.W.S. REGT.)

8^th Battalion – At BERGUETTE resting.

The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment 29th September 1915

29^th September, 1915 –

1st Battalion – BEUVRY.

Marched to CAMBRIN at 2pm and took over trenches from 10^th HLI. Trenches in a very bad state.

Casualties Nil.

2nd Battalion – Officers 19.    Other Ranks 750.

The Bn, was relieved this evening by two Coys of the 2^nd E.Yorks, & assembled at the Brewery VERMELLES at 12.10am the 30^th inst. – Arrived at billets at SAILLY LABOURSE at 2.40am.

1/6^th Battalion – The Transport & Machine Guns & all horses paraded at 5am & proceeded by road to DROUVIN LES MARAIS arriving there at 5pm. The Battalion paraded at 5.30am & marched to STEENWERCK railway station & entrained at 8.30am for FOURQUEREUIL where it arrived at 10.15 am. No guides met the Battn, at the station & no orders were received as to where the Bn, was to billet. The battalion formed up in a field close to the station & awaited orders – At 2.30pm orders were received to march to VAUDRECOURT at 3pm – on arrival at this place the billets were found to be occupied. The battn, therefore went on to DROUVIN LES MARAIS which it reached at 5pm & was billeted there for the night.

2/4^th Battalion –

7^th Battalion – In billets, nothing to report.

8^th Battalion – BERGUETTE.

At BERGUETTE resting.

The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment 28th September 1915

28^th September, 1915 –

1st Battalion – Received orders to be ready to take over trenches at CAMBRIN this afternoon, but orders were cancelled later. Marched to billets in BEUVRY at 6pm.

Casualties Nil.

2nd Battalion – Officers 19.    Other Ranks 750.

The 2^nd E. Yorks took over trench on our left from 13^th Middlesex & 10^th & 12^th Gordons, more bombing in SLAG ALLEY near pt 60, fighting here was almost continuous throughout the day.

1/6^th Battalion – ARMENTIERES.

Remained in billets – orders received to move at 5.30am on the 29^th. The transport was moved from PONTCEAU to ARMENTIERES  & parked in the Place de la Republique. All baggage was as far as possible loaded during the evening. 

2/4^th Battalion –

7^th Battalion – In billets, nothing to report.

8^th Battalion – NOEUX.

Capt Cox transferred to 2nd Battn The Queens. Received sudden order to move at 7 p m. New draft of 82 men. Four hours spent in reaching station owing to entrainment of the Division at NOEUX station. Drenching with rain and very cold. Men got soaked many of them having lost their coats and equipment in action. Arrived BERGUETTES at 11 p.m. Men billeted in farms

The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment 27th September 1915

27^th September, 1915 –

1st Battalion – LE PREOL.

Received orders to stand to at LE PREOL at 4pm ready to reinforce either the CUINCHY section or the section south of LA BASSEE Road. Returned to billets at 7pm.

Casualties Nil,  Draft of 8 joined.

2nd Battalion – Officers 19.    Other Ranks 750.

Reinforcements Capt K.T. Cox,

24 other ranks.

The enemy made a strong bomb attack on CITE ST ELIE communication trench at about 6am, about 150 yards to our right, & were driven back by a counter attack.

Enemy also very active on our left flank in SLAG ALLEY.

 1/6^th Battalion – The night passed quietly – orders were received at 8am that the Battn, would be relieved by the 7^th E. Surrey Regt in the evening – at 1pm this was cancelled & we were ordered to hand over the trenches to 9^th D.L.I., 50^th Div. Guides were sent to MOTOR CAR CORNER at 8pm and the relief was completed by 11.20pm. The Battalion proceeded to billets in ARMENTIERES. Headquarters being at 45 GOLBERT. Orders were received to hold the Battn, in readiness to move.

2/4^th Battalion – Battn. Employed on various Beach Fatigues.

LEONARD S. B. HULL Capt. Cdg. 2/4th Queen's

7^th Battalion – VILLE-SOUS-CORBIE.

In billets, nothing to report.

8^th Battalion – The remainder of the battalion and isolated parties of men who bad become separated from the others joined up again. . We then moved in the evening to NOEUX where we bivouacked. Very cold and raining.

The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment 26th September 1915

26^th September, 1915 –

1st Battalion – Relieved by the HLI at 3.30 pm and went back to billets at LE PREOL.

Draft of 30 joined.

2nd Battalion – Officers 18.    Other Ranks 726.

The enemy commenced an attack on FOSSE No8 & organised the bombing down of SLAG ALLEY – on our left the machine guns & trench mortars assisted a counter attack made by the 9^th Division – Very wet & no dugouts for the men.

1/6^th Battalion – There was very little retaliation to our bombing parties during the night. The trench mortars fired at the hostile trenches at 12 noon & 4pm no material damage was done. The enemy replied to this by firing trench mortars into trench 92, & LUKERS HOUSES doing some damage to our front parapet & the houses. The remainder of the day was quiet. At 6.45 – 6^th Bd, The Buffs who held the trenches on our left, raised a cheer & immediately the Germans opened rapid fire & machine gun fire all along our parapet & also Artillery fire on our communication trenches – they kept this up for about 15 minutes.

Casualties – wounded Capt, Luxmoore, and one other ranks.

2/4^th Battalion – Battn. Moved to A Reserve Area, and dug themselves in from Shell Fire.

7^th Battalion – Our artillery bombardment continued at 2.35pm. Enemy shelled our front line & communication trenches at 1pm & 4.30pm. Some damage was done to a M.G emplacement & 5 casualties were caused in C Company in TAMBOUR.

Battalion relieved by 8^th East Surrey Regt & marched back to billets at VILLE-SOUS-CORBIE. A clean village, best billets yet occupied.

Strength of Battalion,-

Officers 29, Other ranks 1026.

Number of men in Hospital 15.

Battalion was at this date finding the following detachments,

Salvage Corps 5. Mining Section 15. Sanitary Section 2. Total details not included in Battalion Fighting Strength – 57.

Casualties during period of occupation of trenches,

Killed, Officers 3.  O.R. 1.

Wounded, Officers 1.  O.R. 13*

(*Includes 2 who were not evacuated)

8^th Battalion – TRENCHES E of VERMELLES.

C.O. called to Brigade Hqrs at 9.45 to receive orders for the attack, returns at 10.30 am with them. Attack begins at 11.5 am & the battalion advances under heavy machine gun and shrapnel fire in lines of platoons in extended order. As the advance continues over the LENS - LA BASSEE road, the machine gun fire from. The flanks was very heavy - On reaching the enemy trenches it was found to be protected by barbed wire, which has not been cut and it being impossible to get through it, the brigade retired. There appeared to be no panic & the men walked back still under machine gun and shrapnel fire - Col. F. H. Fairtlough C.M.G. Captain Cooke and Lieutenant Cressy were killed, Captain and Adjutant Stacey, Captain Thompson, Lieutenants Brooks Lofting, Price were wounded Lieut Duke was wounded and a prisoner, Lieut. Waldie was wounded 2nd Lieut Burgess & Johnson were missing. 409 OR's were casualties

The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment 25th September 1915

25^th September, 1915 –

1st Battalion – Our leading line advanced 6.7am and reached the German 3^rd line without great opposition. The attack was evidently a complete surprise.

The Battn, advanced on a frontage of two platoons. D Coy (Major Bunbury) on the right and B Coy (Capt Brooke) on the left. The advance was necessarily slow to keep behind the smoke, B & D Companies reached the German lines and gained touch with 2/Oxford L.I and the 2/HLI on the left and right respectively. The support Company (C Coy) under Capt Weeding held on front line of trenches and, about 8.15am two platoons of this Company reinforced B & D Companies, taking up a supply of Bombs with them. Lieut E.D. Drew commanded this party.

The Enemy developed a strong bombing attack on both flanks of the Regt, and our men were unable to reply effectively owing to lack of bombs. At about 9.45am the two and a half Companies were obliged to fall back into our own lines, under a very heavy machine gun fire from the right flank.

Casualties :- 2 Lts A.W.A. Bradshaw, C.D.M Fowler and M.I.B Howell killed & missing, 2 Lt F.G Plant wounded & missing, Major J.K.M Bunbury, Capt C.B Brooke, Lieut E.D. Drew, Lieut H.P. Foster and 2 Lieut R.C. Joynson-Hicks wounded.

Other ranks 19 Killed, 21 missing believed killed, 138 wounded, 80 missing and wounded & missing, 7 suffering from gas. 1 died of wounds. Total 266 other ranks. The remainder of the day was spent in reorganising the line and in collecting wounded, burying dead etc.  

2nd Battalion – At about 5.50am the intense bombardment against the enemy’s trenches commenced & lasted until 6.30am at which hour the attack was launched.

The Regt moved up & occupied the sidings & then the front line in the following order-

“C” Coy Comdg by Capt Philpot.

“B” Coy Comdg by Capt Brocklehurst.

“D” Coy Comdg by Capt R.L.G. Heath.

“A” Coy Comdg by Capt Maddock.

Bn, Granade Coy Comdg by 2/Lt, C. Taylor Jones.

The M.G.Detatchment Comdd by 2/Lt, Pilleau were placed in a forward position to support the advance & bring long range fire on the German communication trenches.

The following officers were also present & took part in the attack –

Lt, Col, M.G. Heath   Comdg.

Capt, F.C. Longbourne A/Adjt.

2Lt, Hopkinson.

2Lt, Sillem.

2Lt, Walter.

2Lt, Chapman.

2Lt, Welch.

2Lt, Brown.

2Lt, Thrupp.

On reaching the front line of our own trenches the Bn, followed in close support of the 2/R.Warwicks, 1^st S.Staffords, & the R.Welsh Fusiliers – towards the German trenches – C Coy directing just to the right of FOSSE No8 & crossed over the German first & second line of trenches without much opposition – The other three Coy encountered considerable opposition from the German 1^st line & while outflanking & bombing down same, had many casualties, including Capt Brocklehurst, 2Lt Strode, Brown & Taylor Jones – After making good these two lines of trenches, these Coys were directed on CITE ST ELIE where they established themselves in the German trench about 150 yards N of the same by 11am.

Half of C Coy under 2Lt Chapman were directed to take the QUARRIES which was successfully carried out & 2 Officers & about 40 men captured in same.

The Coys near CITE ST ELIE entered the North side of the same at 2pm but had to withdraw while our artillery shelled these houses. The men had by now got v.much disorganised & mixed up with the 9^th Division who were on our left (N.) –

This line was maintained until dark when a new line was consolidated about 200 yards in front of (East) the

QUARRIES –

At about 11.15pm owing to a counter attack made by the enemy a fresh position was taken up in the German Support Line.

The Bn, held about 250 yards of the German support Trench about 100 yards East of Sap.

Officers 29.    Other Ranks 987.

Casualties   

Col, M.G. Heath, missing believed Killed.

Capt R.L.G. Heath, Killed.

2/Lieut, J.B. Walsh, Killed.

2/Lieut, C. Taylor-Jones, Killed.

2/Lieut, A.L. Brown.

Wounded

Capt, T.P.  Brocklehurst.

Lieut, J.A.L. Hopkinson.

2/Lieut, L.A. Crook.

2/Lieut, M. Strode.

2/Lieut, J.A. Pilleau.

2/Lieut, R.O.Sillem.

Other Ranks.

24 Killed.

110 Wounded.

127 Missing.

261 Total.

1/6^th Battalion – The smoke curtain that was ordered to commence at 4.50am was postponed at 4.35pm, to 5.56am this did not allow sufficient time for the Companies in the trenches to stop the lighting of the straw which in one company had commenced when the order was received. It was put out. At 5am the Artillery commenced a slow bombardment of the SALIENT – At 5.56am the smoke grenades etc, were lighted. The effect was very good – in some cases a thick belt of smoke hung between the trenches for about an hour. The enemy opened a rapid fire on our parapet while this lasted. The artillery and the trench mortars continued firing at the hostile trenches intermittently during the day. From 4.30am till 3pm the 7^th E. Surrey Regt, were brought up in our trenches. Having their Hqrs at SURREY FM and a Company in the support trench & the remainder in the Subsidiary Line – There was no indication that the enemy had evacuated the SALIENT. During the afternoon the Artillery bombarded the BLACK SANDBAG REDOUBT and made a small V shaped hole in the parapet about this place. In order to deceive the enemy & to make him think that we still intended to attack burst of rifle fire were kept up during the afternoon till dusk & during the night bombing patrols were sent out to the enemy’s trenches.

Casualties killed other ranks 2, wounded other ranks 6.

2/4^th Battalion – The Commanding Officer Col. F. D. Watney and the Adjutant Maj. A. F. Tredgold both went to hospital sick.

7^th Battalion – Artillery bombardment continued during the afternoon, period of rapid fire 4.45 to 5pm. Enemy replied with about 25 field gun shells, very little damage done.

Orders received that the Battalion would be relieved by 8^th East Surrey on night 26-27^th Sept.

8^th Battalion – BETHUNE.

Move out at mid-day to VERMELLES halt 3 hours behind our own batteries firing all the time. Move on through VERMELLES village at S. & slowly to trenches W of Le Rutoine farm. C.O. then ordered to prepare for an attack on the ground S. of Hulluch village - 8th W. Kent's & 9th E. Surreys in the attack. 8th Queen's in support of W. Kent's and 8th Buffs in support of the E. Surreys. No written orders and no time for the attack given, For a time we lose connection with W. Kent's owing to darkness & difficult nature of the country, which is a maze of trenches. Magnetic Compass bearing of the attack 1120. Are shelled at 11 pm. but no casualties reach trenches from which to begin the attack at 2 a.m. These are the communication trenches in rear of the German first line trenches captured in the morning.

Loos battlefield after British advance 1915

The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment 24th September 1915

24^th September, 1915 –

1st Battalion – SECTION B 2.

Took over reduced frontage in B 2 Section and occupied positions for attack tomorrow. Relief completed at 5pm. Draft of 40 joined

2nd Battalion – Officers 29.    Other Ranks 991.

To Hospital 4.

Great coats were collected and stacked in a house at VERQUIGNEUL at 10pm. – The Bn, marched off at 11.15pm and were in position in the reserve trenches in LANCASTER LINES by 3am.

1/6^th Battalion – The night passed quietly – At 7.30am orders were received that in case of a SALIET at LE TOUQUET being evacuated by the enemy during the Artillery bombardment & the smoke demonstration on the 25^th inst, it was to be taken by the 7^th E. Surrey Regt, & that we were assist by fire. During the night of the 23/24^th smoke grenades – Triple candles straw etc, were received at Bn, Hqrs, & distributed to Companies at 12.15pm orders for the smoke demonstration were received & orders issued to Companies. At 2.30pm the trench Howitzers & mortars commenced a bombardment of the wire around LE TOUQUET SALIENT. The effect was not very marked – considerable number of “bombs” being “blind”. At 2.30pm they ceased fire & the result was a small gap about 5 feet wide in the front row of knife rests. The enemy retaliated with 7.7cm shell at LUKERS HOUSES. At 4.pm our 4” Howitzers & 18 pdr commenced firing at the enemy’s wire about the SALIENT. Here again very little damage was done – During the night the enemy’s was heard repairing their wire round the SALIENT - & a constant machine gun fire was kept up at the working parties.Casualties – Wounded other ranks 3.

2/4^th Battalion –

7^th Battalion – Artillery continued bombardment 2 to 6pm. Little retaliation by Germans. Several patrols out at night failed to find that any material damage had been done to German wire. German snipers & M.G’s very active during night, especially opposite TAMBOUR. 2/Lt A.W.B. Kitchen killed by a sniper at about 3pm, while looking over parapet. Lt Travers wounded by premature explosion of No1 grenade in a catapult.

8^th Battalion – Move on at night to BETHUNE, billet in schools.