Military History

Walter is listed as being killed in action on 21st March 1918, having originally being reported missing. The 8th Battalion war diary entries for the period 19th to 21st are transcribed below.

Le Verguier – 19.3.1918: The day extraordinarily quiet as far as the enemy were concerned but our own artillery very active. A Coy HQ moved to Grand Priel Crater (29.b.2.8).

Le Verguier – 20.3.1918: Conditions as on previous day.

Le Verguier – 21.3.1918: At about 4.30am the enemy began an intense bombardment of Le Verguier and the back areas. For eight hours shells of all calibres, including a large proportion of gas shells, fell on the villages and Bn HQ’s soon became untenable. Adventure was taken of a lull in the bombardment to shift HQ from the village to a deep sap in a sunken road leading in the direction of Venolles. The front outpost line was comparatively free from shelling. At 4am 2/Lt Field and two NCO’s had been out in our front line working in the direction Ascension Wood to investigate a report of noises having been heard buy sentries and a wire patrol. Nothing suspicious was seen or heard by this party and the cause was put down to a patrol of C Coy which had been due to return through the right Coy posts but which it was subsequently discovered had returned on the left.

At 4.30am as 2/Lt Field was came in the shelling started and he immediately warned Graham and Mull groups proceeding to right Coy HQ at Priel Crater. Telephone communication between Battn HQ and the forward Coys was secured before 7am but a message was forwarded from Ding Post which reached A Coy Commander at 9.50am. It was sent off at 9am but the runners losing direction in the fog, came via C Coy HQ where everything was in order when they left.

The first intimation of the German attack, as far as A Coy HQ were concerned  was the approach of a few men from the right post of C Coy at 10.30am closely followed by the enemy. They came from the direction of Priel Farm and declared that the Germans had cut off the posts. Fire was opened on the enemy but Coy HQ were soon subjected to machine gun fire from a northerly direction on the western side of the Priel Road.

Lt. Ward, 2/Lt Field, Sgt Feist and a party of a dozen men suffered from this in taking up a position in rear of HQ. They then tried to connect with C Coy at Shepherds Copse. Enemy approached along the valley from the direction of Villerette however prevented this and seeing they were being surrounded and that the enemy were established between the forward Coys and BN HQ they made for Orchard Post which they succeeded in reaching. Lt McKenzie, Commanding A Coy had followed Lt Wards party with Lt Carter and 15 OR’s but became separated in the fog. He rejoined them at Orchard Post with the addition of 2/Lt Lovelace who had succeeded in getting away from the left (C) Coy. The fog aided these parties in withdrawing when A Coy HQ were being surrounded.

Sgt Feist reported to Battalion HQ and also Lt. Mackenzie who explained the situation. It appeared that the enemy had succeeded in working round both flanks cutting the wire under cover of the fog which rendered it difficult to discern a man 10 yards away. By the time the report of the situation reached Bn HQ the front Coys were completely cut off and no further news was obtained concerning them.

The Battalion soon found that all support on the right and left had given way and the remaining Coys & HQ holding the posts in and around Le Verguier were subjected to very heavy attacks both flank and frontal. Lewis Gun and rifle kept the enemy back however. Small parties of our men were holding large bodies on the wire. At 7pm Lt Col Pears came up from the transport lines at Bernes and took over command of the Battn from Major Rowland.

7pm: By the evening the Germans having failed to enter the village the situation became quieter. The bombardment was then renewed and continued all night. Early in the day it had been considered expedient to burn all papers and books in the Battn Orderly Room in order to avoid the possibility of them falling into the hands of the enemy. END