| Regiment | 1st Wiltshire |
|---|---|
| Location | France, [Neuve Chapelle] |
| Entry | (Tuesday) Hung on at HQs farm expecting the attack against N end of village to commence, but had no sign of it, and by daylight, I found that we were almost surrounded by the enemy's snipers who had crept up and got into the houses, trees, ditches etc. it was with difficulty one got any communications to and fro. At about 8a.m. I asked the Bde HQ what was going to be done: bearer of this message being shot, Lieut Goodheart volunteered to take a message back to the telephone office which he did, no attack having been made. At 11a.m. the S Lancs Regt which consisted of only two weak Coys came up to my assistance. At 10a.m. OC RIR in trenches passed my post and said enemy had driven his Regt out, and that they were retiring as best they could. This I immediately reported to Bde HQ and, about the same time received a message from Brigade HQ saying 4 Battns including (S Lancs) would attack the village at 11a.m. This attack did not commence till about noon, and, then made little or no headway, about where we were. As before no cohesion or co-ordination about it. One Coy S Lancs on my right reported they had got as far as the church on the S end of the village. Meanwhile, I got a few reports back from our trenches and up to noon they appeared to be quite all right. I am informed that a message was sent to me about 2p.m. reporting that enemy appeared to be massing on our left: The message never got to me, the bearer being shot. About 3.30p.m. we noticed British troops retiring on our right in SW direction, evidently men driven from the trenches, and just at the same time saw a party of 50/100 Germans pushing through S end of village in pursuit of those men retiring. One Coy S Lancs, and what men of the Wilts Regt who were at HQ immediately engaged this party of the enemy, who immediately gave up their pursuit of the men from the trenches and retiring into the village where they got considerably reinforced, proceeded to come for the HQ farm (where there were still about 18 S Lancs men and 60 men of the Wilts Regt). We checked their advance and held them off, our right flank being exposed, the RF were entrenched on our left rear. 4p.m. About now 2nd Lieut Chandler arrived back from the trenches, having been sent back to report the situation to me. He reported that the enemy in large numbers had come through the RIR trenches on our left, massed in a wood near the Chateau at NEUVE CHAPELLE and had then proceeded to surround and roll up our line of trenches and that all hope of our being able to hold on there was gone. I immediately communicated this to Bde HQ. I also in consultation with the OC S Lancs Regt, who was with me reported the situation to the RF and Lincoln Regt who were in the vicinity. We also said that we did not consider it would be possible for us (S Lancs & HQ Wilts) to hang on where we were beyond dark, and that pending further instructions, if forced to, we would fall back in line with RF at dusk. I also sent for artillery support requesting them to shell a wood 300 yards to our front where enemy had been seen massing. At about dusk 5.15p.m. a message received from Brigade said "47th Sikhs being sent to your assistance, hold on where you are and counter attack the enemy". To this I replied at 5.30p.m. "Counter attack at present impracticable, but, hang on where we are, and see what can be done when 47th Sikhs arrive". Meanwhile enemy gave up trying to press us, and set fire to some cornstacks between us and them, and thus illuminating the area, and making any movement on our part very difficult. 7p.m. No news of the 47th Sikhs. Officer 3rd Division Staff came to see situation. He informed us that he thought 47th Sikhs had been diverted elsewhere, but, that 9th Bhopal Infantry were coming up on our right. About 7.45p.m. we received a message from OC RF (Senior Officer in the vicinity) ordering us to take up a defensive position about where we were, and to entrench; having considered the situation i.e. that our present position was in advance of the general line held by our troops, that we could not entrench under the light of the enemy fires, and that a better field of fire and position was to be obtained by falling back 300 yards in line with the Royal Fusiliers. OC S Lancs Regt and myself went back and saw OC RF who agreed with our suggestions. At 9p.m. leaving a strong covering party in touch with the enemy we got back and entrenched a line 500/600 yards in rear, in prolongation of the RF line. Before this line was ready we received information that the line would be taken over by the 47th Sikhs who had been sent for, and, by 2 Coys Indian Sappers and miners. Appendix IX Account of the action on Tuesday October 27th by N.C.O.s from the trenches.2nd Lieut C Chandler, 1 Wiltshire Regiment was near the left flank of the trenches which were held by the regiment, states: The line of trenches held by the RIR on our left was vacated by that Regt by 10a.m. And these trenches were shortly afterwards occupied by Germans. Our trenches were not pressed for some time, but, a steady fire kept up from the front. About 11a.m. our trenches were reinforced by supports under Lieut Ward Tetley and 2nd Lieut Martin. At 12.15 I reported to the OC that we had sufficient men in the trenches and that we were holding our own (NOTE this is the last message OC Battn received from the trenches) About 2p.m. we became aware that the enemy had passed through the line of trenches previously held by the RIR and collected in a wood near the Chateau behind our lines. About quarter hour later they deployed from there in about 20 [?] or more lines, and proceeded to roll up the line of our trenches. From our left flank the enemy were also holding the village of NEUVE CHAPELLE about 400 yards rear of us. After discussing the situation with the other officers present, we decided that we must give way and that further resistance in our present position was not possible. We passed down to the right along the line of our trenches, and getting out found a line in open facing the enemy's turning movement. There was some delay in getting out of the trenches as Capt Stoddart, the senior officer in the trenches, refused to move till he saw the situation for himself. When he decided that the line must go back. The losses in getting back and forming this line were heavy. We mow posted our right on the left of the line still held by the Royal West Kent Regt, and, formed a line to cover their flank and stay the enemy's advance. About 3.15p.m. having seen that neither of the previous messages sent to the OC Battn had got through Lieut Ward Tetley told me to go myself, and inform the OC Battn. This I did getting to him about 4.15p.m. by a circular route, the enemy being at this time between us and our HQ and reserve Coy. Sgt A J Poolman, C Coy 1st Wilts Regt I corroborate all the 2nd Lieut Chandler has said, I remained with Capt Stoddart, who, together with Major Buckle, West Kents, formed the line covering the West Kents flank. 2nd Lieuts Lloyd, Rose and Riley and some men of D Coy were holding a farm in the line we had taken up. Capt Stoddart was shot about dusk and died of his wounds shortly afterwards. We held on to this line till about 10p.m. when we were relieved by A Coy RWK and some Indian Regt. Shortly afterwards we were ordered to join our own Battn HQ. From the time the enemy turned our flank we were fighting at close quarters almost up to the time we were relieved: our men using the bayonet on several occasions. An attempt was made to rescue our men from being taken prisoners by a bayonet charge, but only about 15/20 of this party got back without being killed or wounded. In the fighting round NEUVECHAPELLE from 23/27th October 1914 it is estimated that the casualties were:- Officers Killed 2 Wounded 5 Missing 7 = 14 Officers Rank & File Killed 45 Wounded 153 Missing 150 = 350 Men The above is only very approximate Signed T Roche Major, OC 1st Battn Wilts Regt. |
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