Military History

Theatre of War	Medals	Commonwealth War Grave of Memorial
France and Flanders	1914 Star & Clasp, British War & Victory Medals	Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial
Arrived in Theatre	Medal Citation (if app)	SWFHS Area Memorials
25 Aug 1914	~	Farnborough | Fenny Compton
Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed	Date and Place Enlisted Date	Other War Memorials
Battle of Armentieres (Ypres)	Mobilised 4 Aug 1914 in Nottingham	~
Place of Death	Previous Regiments or Units
near Wytshaete	~

Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)           

Late on the 31^st October 1914 the battalion were ordered to reinforce a Cavalry Division who were under attack as they attempted to defend their positions at Wytshaete. Advanced in two lines along the Wytschaete Road they reached a railway cutting before the town but came under machine gun fire from right of the cutting which was firing down into the congested ranks of Lincolnshire. Both Commanders of A and B Companies became casualties. The battalion now fell back about one hundred yards while the German units began digging it.  Around dawn the battalion charged the railway cutting in front under very heavy rifle and machine-gun fire, the battalion rushed forward against the enemy and got as close as 100 yards but by now the battalion had suffered very heavy losses and were forced to take the only cover they could get, a very tiny foId in the ground.  Here the remnants of the battalion lay until about 6.45 am. At daylight they came under merciless artillery fire as well as rifle-fire from both flanks, while, to make matters worse their own gunners began to shell them. From this terrible

position it was imperative to withdraw and the OIC Col Smith orderd a dash for a hedgerow and small foId in the ground in the rear and despite coming under heavy fire many of the surviving men succeeded in reaching shelter. The survivors formed a rough skirmishing line and fell back in. the direction of Kemmel. The battalion, now numbering less than one hundred all ranks, reached the road near Kemmel and marched back in the direction of Lindhoek.

Taken from The History of the Lincolnshire Regiment edited by Major-General C. R. Simpson, C.B. Click here to read the full history.

Map of Battle Area	Ypres Menin Gate Memorial