Military History

John is listed as being killed in action during the Second Battle of Gaza. The 1st/4th Battalion war diary is not yet available online and the following is taken from the book “The History of the Norfolk Regiment 1685 to 1918” by F. Loraine Petre, which is available as an electronic book on the Internet Archive [Click here].

On November 1st General Allenby was ready to renew the attack on the Gaza position, which had failed so disastrously in April. On that day the 163rd brigade began moving up from Marine View to the assembly positions, which were reached by all units by 2.30 p.m. The brigade took no part in the first phase of the operations, which consisted in a turning movement by Beersheba on the Turkish left, to be followed by an attack, on November 2nd, on their nght near the sea, which, as was expected, confused them as to the real point of danger. During the rest of November 1st the Norfolk battalions were in trenches.

At 2.30 a.m. on November 2nd the 5th Suffolk, with D company of the 1/4th Norfolk attached for carrying purposes, formed up on the right outside the British wire, with the 8th Hants on their left. Between 2.30 and 3 a.m., both these assaulting battalions were advancing on Half-way House unmolested by a barrage, for the Turks believed them to be nothing more than a strong patrol.

At 3 a.m., having passed Half-way House, the 5th Suffolk got to hand-to-hand fighting without much loss on the way. The 8th Hants were not so fortunate. In the mist and the smoke of exploding shells their leading wave got split, part going towards El Arish, and part towards the Susan trench at El Burj. However, both battalions reached and occupied the objective trenches.

Meanwhile, the 1/4th Norfolk had formed in support at 2.15 a.m. on the rear of the 8th Hants, slightly to the right, with B company on the right, C on the left, and A in rear of C all in lines of sections in file. The machine-guns and light trench mortar were in rear of C under 2nd Lieutenant C. M. Collier, who was killed shortly after the advance began. As the battalion advanced at 3 a.m. it ran into the enemy’s barrage, which had gone over the 8th Hants. They had heavy casualties from this, and, owing to the split in the 8th Hants, two companies (B and C) of the 1/4th Norfolk followed the right of the 8th Hants towards Triangle trench, which was to the right of their proper direction. The orders were to follow the 8th Hants in touch with the 1/5th, which they were unable to find, though they were in touch with the 5th Suffolk on the right.

At 3.55 a.m., when they should have passed through the 8th Hants to attack their proper objective, the Crested Rock, they found themselves involved in hand-to-hand fighting in El Arish, and eventually occupied the trenches there. A company (it will be remembered that D was carrying for the 5th Suffolk), got into a trench still farther to the right. The duration of the fighting at El Arish upset all calculations, and rendered impossible the intended attack on Crested Rock. The 1/4th Norfolk appear to have got right into the area of the 5th Suffolk on the right, and found it impossible to locate themselves.

The 1/5th Norfolk had formed up at 2.50 a.m. on the left rear of the 8th Hants, who had already reached Half-way House. They, too, lost direction as they advanced at 3 a.m., lost touch with the 1/4th on their right, and arrived opposite the line Zowaid—El Burj, instead of that of Zowaid-Rafa. Here they had their right flank in the air, as was the left of the 1/4th.

They were caught in the barrage at 3.30 a.m. when waiting to pass through, and it was too late to correct the direction. Some confusion resulted, but Captain Gardner, Lieutenants Cumberland, Catherell, and Pallett (all of whom became casualties) penetrated with small bodies of men to Island Wood, Gibraltar, and even to Crested Rock. Captain Gardner, at Island Wood with a small party, was forced by want of support to retire. Two officers with him did not return and were missing. The battalion took up the line Susan trench - Zowaid. The situation was obscure throughout, and the units were much mixed up. Eventually a line was consolidated as follows, counting from right to left :

5th Suffolk—Grace trench, Gertrude trench, Craig Post, Rook trench.

8th Hants, from El Burj towards Violet trench.

1/4th Norfolk, from Bertha trench to the junction of Grace and

Violet trenches. 1/5th Norfolk, from El Burj to Zowaid.

The brigade had fallen considerably short of attaining its objective, a result due to the darkness and confusion.

The casualties of the 1/4^th Norfolk battalion were:
Killed: 2nd Lieutenants C. M. Collier and W. S. Giles and twenty-three other ranks.
Wounded: 2nd Lieutenants Geldart, Lucas, and Jewell, and 102 other ranks.
Missing: Four other ranks. 1/5th.