Military History

Theatre of War	Medals	Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial
France and Flanders	1914-15 Star, British War & Victory Medals	Thiepval Memorial
Arrived in Theatre	Medal Citation (if app)	SWFHS Area Memorials
1 Apr 1915	~	Salford Priors
Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed	Date and Place Enlisted	Other War Memorials
Battle of Bazentine Ridge (Somme)	November 1914 at Evesham
Place of Death	Previous Regiments or Units
west of Longueval	~

Circumstances Leading to Death - Taken from The Worcestershire Regiment website

Dawn of July 15th brought heavy mist. In the mist the Battalion fell in, and the Brigade moved forward into the battle. Eastward the Brigade marched past Bazentin-le-Grand, across ground littered with debris and wounded men. Eventually the Brigade formed up in the valley due south of High Wood.

 

The 2nd Worcestershire were in reserve to the Brigade. Immediately in front, the 16th Kings Royal Rifles were in support along a track which we will term "The Lower Road." A mile to the northward, the front line battalions of the Brigade, the 1st Queen's and the Glasgow Highlanders, were deployed for attack along what we will term "The Upper Road," their right flank being close to High Wood. That wood was believed to have been occupied by troops of the 7th Division.

Operations around Bazentin on the 15th July 1916

At 9 a.m. the front battalions of the 100th Brigade advanced to attack the German Switch Line on the Ridge. At once it became obvious that High Wood had not been cleared; from the north-west corner of the Wood an enfilade fire of machine-guns held up the attack. Inside the wood fighting was in progress. To assist our troops there the 16th K.R.R.C. were sent to the wood, followed by 'C' and 'D' Companies of the 2nd Worcestershire.

Orders were then issued for the remainder of the Battalion to renew the attack on the Switch Line. 'A' and 'B' Companies advanced under fire across the open to the original front line of the Brigade; but under the enfilade fire from the Wood it was not possible further to gain ground.

In the Wood a confused struggle was raging. High Wood was, at that date, a dense wood in full leaf, with undergrowth so thick that it was not possible to see more than twenty yards. Many narrow rides ran through the wood at unexpected angles.

Captain C. H. Pigg led 'C' Company into the wood. Ordering his platoons to lie down he went forward to ascertain the situation. There were many troops in the wood, both of the 16th K.R.R's. and of the 7th Division, but all were disorganised and could tell nothing. Captain Pigg went on until stopped by a burst of fire from a German machine-gun at short range. He brought up his company, but the enemy position was too strong for an unsupported assault; so 'C' Company took up position in the wood and began to entrench, while arrangements were made for artillery support. 'D' Company was brought up: but the company commander, Captain L. G. Lawrence, was hit and further progress was impossible.

During the afternoon German batteries from both north and north-west commenced a severe bombardment. Casualties in the wood were numerous, and the mixed troops became even more disorganised. As evening came on the enemy counter-attacked in force from the north. The troops of the 7th Division fell back from the wood, but the two Worcestershire companies held their ground. A message from the C.O. of the Glasgow Highlanders to 100th Brigade Headquarters sent at 6.10 p.m., after reporting that the 7th Division had been driven from the Wood, adds "Worcesters are standing firm." The message is in existence in the official War Diary of the Brigade. The companies of the Battalion altered their positions several times during the evening as the fighting swayed to and fro, but when darkness fell the Worcestershire, much intermixed with other units, were still holding on to the south-western edge of the Wood. Not until 3 a.m. was the Battalion relieved by fresh troops, and ordered back into reserve by Mametz Wood. There the remnants of the 100th Brigade were collected, and rested in Divisional Reserve during the next two days. In that day's fighting the four battalions of the Brigade had lost more than 1,300 officers and men. Casualties of 2nd Worcestershire are only available for the whole period 15th to 22nd July 1916. The losses on the 15th included Thomas and 4 officers wounded:—(Capt. L. G. Lawrence, Lieut. B. C. C. Tipper, 2/Lieut. A. E. Prosser, 2/Lieut. E. F. W. H. Kevill-Davies).