Chapter II: Preface

Shortly after the Armistice Colonel Fletcher wrote to me asking if I would undertake to write a history of the battalion. All through the war I had cherished a vague idea of doing something of the kind, and with this view had devoted considerable care to the War Diary and to the preservation of other records. I was, therefore, only too pleased to accede to my old Commanding Officer's request, though I felt that I should experience--as, indeed, I have done--some considerable difficulty in dealing with periods during which I was away from the battalion. These cover the time from January, 1915, to March, 1916; the action of the battalion in the third battle of Ypres; and the major portion of the second battle of Cambrai, for which I have had to rely on information which has been readily supplied by those who were present.

The work of compilation has, I must admit, been arduous to a degree, and an active business life has necessitated the whole work being written in my evenings and at week-ends. To this fact, I think, the unevenness of the book may fairly be attributed, written as it had to be at odd times, bit by bit, and in the varying states of mind in which I found myself after my day's work at the office. It has, however, been a labour of love, and if the book does in any way fulfil the objects for which I mainly wrote it--first, to perpetuate the memory of our gallant comrades who laid down their lives for their country; and, secondly, to aid those who survived to recall to their recollection our days of service, and to hand down to their descendants some written record of their lives during those great years--I shall feel that my labours have been amply repaid.

I have received so much assistance in the preparation of the book that I am afraid it is impossible to make any adequate individual acknowledgments of my debt. My thanks, however, are particularly due to the following:--For continuous advice and valuable suggestions, to C. W. Wilson, J. L. Heyworth, T. Sutherland, and A. L. Reade (whose diary, placed freely at my disposal, has proved invaluable); for contributions, to R. Barker, N. L. and W. A. Corkill, W. M. Ewan, E. A. Garrod, H. M. Griffiths, J. K. Harris, J. L. Henderson, J. B. Herbert, F. C. Hildred, F. Hooper, V. J. Kneen, G. L. Lane, J. Longridge, R. E. Noon, J. Payne, W. Penrice, K. V. Stevenson, H. Taggart, C. W. Walter, and T. A. Williams; for compilation of addresses, to J. McCoy; for map work, to A. S. Brown and J. T. Hazell; for photographs and drawings (the reproduction of which, on grounds of economy, had drastically to be curtailed), to W. T. Barrow, J. Beavan, W. A. Belk, C. S. Freeman, E. Fryer, T. H. Louden, F. V. Smith, and A. E. Williams; and for unfailing courtesy and ready assistance, to the War Office and No. 1 Infantry Record Office, Preston.

To my father, E. A. Wurtzburg, I owe a great debt for assistance of every description, the value of which I cannot adequately express. He has, further, revised all the proofs.

I should also like to record the help rendered by my publishers, Messrs. Gale & Polden, Ltd.; throughout the long period that has elapsed since the work was first commenced their interest and assistance have never flagged.

In conclusion, I must add that financial responsibility for the production of the book was generously accepted by a small body of gentlemen who shall be nameless, but in the absence of whom it is certain that the work could never have been undertaken.

C. E. W.

3, LAWN ROAD,
HAMPSTEAD, N.W. 3.
_August, 1920_.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I PAGE

FORMATION OF THE BATTALION--THE
DEPOT--BLACKPOOL--CANTERBURY--MARGATE--UPSTREET CAMP--CANTERBURY--GORE
STREET CAMP 1

CHAPTER II

PREPARATION FOR OVERSEAS--BOURLEY CAMP--INKERMAN
BARRACKS, WOKING 17

CHAPTER III

OVERSEAS--STRAZEELE--FLEURBAIX--BAC ST. MAUR--RUE DU
BOIS--RUE MARLE--RUE DORMOIRE 30

CHAPTER IV

ARMENTIÈRES UP TO GAS ATTACK 68

CHAPTER V

FROM GAS ATTACK TO ST. HILAIRE--PASSCHENDAELE (FIRST
TIME)--LOUCHES 126

CHAPTER VI

PASSCHENDAELE (SECOND TIME)--ARMENTIÈRES--ST. HILAIRE
(SECOND TIME)--ARREWAGE--FLEURBAIX 148

CHAPTER VII

MERVILLE--PERIOD IN RESERVE--GOMMECOURT--FAMPOUX 172

CHAPTER VIII

BATTLE OF CAMBRAI 204

CHAPTER IX PAGE

RUITZ--LILLE--FROYENNES 231

CHAPTER X

ARMISTICE--LILLE--ARRAS--FINALE 252

APPENDICES

APPENDIX I

BRIEF NOTES ON SPECIALISTS 269

APPENDIX II

ROLL OF COMMANDING OFFICERS, SECONDS IN COMMAND, ADJUTANTS, }
AND QUARTERMASTERS }
} 281
ROLLS OF COMPANY COMMANDERS (OVERSEAS) AND WARRANT }
OFFICERS (OVERSEAS) }