Military History

Chelsea is listed as dying of wounds on 24th March 1918 with a brief newspaper report noting that he had been wounded and gassed. Following his death Chelsea was buried at map refererence 66D.S.3.a.4.5 from where his remains were moved to Roye New British Cemetery on or about 17 Sep 1920 see below for a Trench Map of the area. Click it to enlarge.

The E Special Company war diary entries for the period 22nd to 24th March are transcribed below.

Ham - 22 Mar 18: Lt. B. Whitfield & 31 OR admitted to CC & evacuated to Base as suffering from the effects of gas bombardment yesterday.

O.C. visited CXIX Corps & made arrangements to move forthwith to their area. In the meantime, acting under instructions from XVIII Corps through C.S.C, R.E Firth Army, the whole Coy moved out of Ham before noon & occupied front of the trench defences of this town. The line held was estimated between K.27.c.19 & K.26.b.93 on the N of the R Somme & along the banks of the St. Quentin Canal from K.27.c.95 to K.27.d.37.

Roye – 23 Mar 1918: At 1.30am the Coy stood to as the sounds of rifle and M.G fire indicated to approach of the enemy. Between 6 & 6.30am our trenches were subject to a moderate H.E. bombardment but no attack developed, though on the left, apparently from near the Ham-St-Quentin & Ham-Peronne road defences, the rifle and M.G fire which had been noticeable since from 2 – 3am now became intense.

Our left flank was by this time exposed by the retirement of the infantry in occupation, but some troops retiring from the N were made to occupy the gap. By 7.15am our trenches became enfiladed from the N & by 7.25am the M.G fire was directed from our rear necessitating the manning of both sides of the trench.

About 7.30am orders came down from the left to retire & the Coy with some infantry was withdrawn by way of the Estouilly bridgehead at K.27.a.31 & across the Canal. By reason of the mist it was found possible to withdraw with only two casualties, 1 OR wounded & 1 OR missing, though the enemy had been observed to be occupying the wood between the river and the canal. The column came under fire again on crossing the canal.

As Ham was being heavily bombarded by this time, the Coy was withdrawn along the Ham-Noyon road. At Golancourt (sheet 66D.Q.19) the column became divided on account of the confusion there, one party making its way back via Esmery-Hallon to HQ Spec Coy R.E, Fifth Army at Languevoisan & there to Roye, whilst the other being detained at Freniches by GSO 36^th Div to man the defences there, only reached Beaulieu that night.

In consequence of the hasty withdrawal from before Ham all the material which had been stored there, with the exception of a lorry load which reached Esmery-Hallon where the lorry broke down, had to be abandoned to the enemy.

Roye – 24 Mar 1918: Party at Beaulieu withdrawn by lorry to Roye. Informed by C.S.C, R.E Fifth Army that this unit is allotted to VXIII Corps for work under the orders of the C.E.