Military History

Joseph is listed as being killed in action on 25th October 1918. The 1st/6th Battalion war diary entries for the 25th and 26th October are transcribed below. 

Maing - 25 Oct 1918: The barrage opened at 07.15, the leading Companies, B on the left and D on the right, moved off. Casualties were caused from the start by our own and enemy artillery.

2/Lt J.M. Glass, commanding B Coy, was killed in Maing, 2/Lt Wells therefore took command of B Coy. The two Company’s reached the first objective, Sunken Road K.13.d.0.9 – K.19 central without encountering any enemy. These Company’s consolidated there.

A&C Companies leap-frogged just W of the Railway K.13 & 14 – K.20 but advancing against this they were temporarily checked by a M.G. party of about 25 enemy. The position was promptly rushed and 1 officer (wounded) and 12 O.R. with 1 M.G. were captured, the remainder escaping. A & C Coys then took up this position on the final objective (shown on map attached).

At 11.15hrs A Company, having been reduced to 20 men, 2 platoons of D Company were moved up to reinforce them but it was found impossible to approach A Company owing to strong M.G. fire from all sides. The platoons of D Company were therefore left on the Railway, the idea being to reinforce A after dark.

From 12.00 to 15.00hrs our positions received heavy shelling from the enemy, much Green and Yellow Cross Gas being used. Enemy aeroplanes were active at low altitudes.

At 16.00hrs the enemy bombardment became very fierce and his infantry counter-attacked. Owing to the battalion on our right withdrawing A Coy had to withdraw to the line of the Railway. This was most skilfully done. C Coy were likewise forced to withdraw.

At 18.10hrs D Coy relieved A Coy. During the night the Battalion was relieved by the 4^th Gordon Highlanders and withdrew to Sunken Road at Maing.

Maing - 26 Oct 1918: The Battalion rested the troops being very fatigued and mostly suffering from gas.