Military History

John is listed as being killed in action on 17 Sep 1914 on a day when the enemy had preteneded to surrender only to open fire on the British troops who were unfortunately fooled by the ruse. The war diary entry for that day is transcribed below.

"The early morning of the 17^th found the situation unchanged and the Battalion still in reserve. During the morning, however, the Germans attacked the 3^rd Brigade on our left and about midday transferred their attention to the 2^nd Brigade.

In their attack the enemy succeeded in rushing one of the trenches of the Northants Regiment. C and D Companies were sent up to assist the Northants and went up on the right of their supports. In retaking one of the trenches which had been recaptured these Companies lost rather heavily but succeeded in re-establishing the line. Captain Priaulx, gallantly leading C Company was shot through the chest 20 yards in front of his men. Reinforcements were sent up to C Company from D and eventually the whole line pressed forward 200 to 300 yards to the North of Chemin des Dames, about half a mile east of Cerny.

The fight had now assumed more considerable dimensions and the other two companies of the Battalion were sent forward to reinforce. A company of the Coldstream Guards came up to Chemin des Dames on our left and a battalion of the Queens arrived in support of our right. About 4.30pm a party of Germans came forward towards C Company with two Officers advancing at a distance off about 20 to 30 yards in front of their men. The whole party, officers and men, advanced with their hands raised about their heads, seemingly as a token of surrender, but with their rifles slung over their shoulders. Lieutenant Dimmer of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps and Captain Savage of the Northants Regiment went forward to meet them. On nearing them however Dimmer heard the bolt of a rifle being opened and closed and suspected treachery. He called out too Captain Savage and himself dropped down in the turnips. The Germans immediately opened fire from their hips and Savage, checked by his sword as he was in the act of dropping down, was instantly killed, while many of the Riflemen who had been standing up in their trenches beckoning to the Germans to come in fell victim to the same ruse.

Immediately after this instant a large body of about 300 to 400 Germans was seen advancing in a similar manner (arms raised and rifles slung) on our left towards the Chemin des Dames. Our brigade major, Captain C.F. Watson, of the Queen’s, came up rode out towards the German troops ordering our men to cease-fire as he went past them, as he thought the Germans intended to surrender, but, after speaking to the enemy he galloped back, whilst the Germans continued to advance towards a company of the Northants who were dug in on the South side of the road. They, like The Riflemen, stood up in their trenches, expecting the Germans to surrender, but Lieutenant Percell, in command of our machine gun attachment, turned his guns on them as he did not trust them. The Germans continued their advance and when they reached the Chemin des Dames, they opened fire on the Company of the Northants in the same manner. The Northants, taken by surprise, fell back 40 or 50 yards, but our machine guns at once opened fire on the Germans who turned tail and fled, being mowed down as they ran across the flat. They were also exposed to rifle fire from our trenches to the north of the road, and very few, if any of them escaped.

The action of our machine guns on this occasion has since been attributed to those of the Queen’s, but Lieutenant Henderson, their machine gun officer, so Colonel Serocold shortly afterwards and disclaimed the honour, as his guns were not there at the time.

Whilst this was going on another part of the line 20 or 30 Germans surrendered, some wounded some unwounded. One of the unwounded prisoners was approached by Major Warre with a view to his going over to ascertain if others wanted to surrender, but he said he would have his throat cut if he went back and that there was no intention of surrendering among the enemy as a whole. Our stretcher bearers meanwhile brought in a Rifleman who had been lying out wounded since the early hours of the 14^th. He looked more like a mummy than a man, the skin of his face what's drawn and yellow, his limbs limp and powerless. His equipment was still buckled up, and from a wound in his side the blood had stained the webbing of his belt and his clothing; one amongst many others who must have been in similar agony slowly dying from loss of blood and starvation in this so-called civilised warfare. A sip of Brandy and water however received acknowledgment by his eyes and he was sent down to the hospital at Troyon. This Rifleman's name was not taken at the time so it is not known whether he survived or not.

Meanwhile B Company assisted by a Company from the Queen’s Regiment, under the command of Captain Hunter, which had been sent up to reinforce them had pressed forward towards La Bovelle Farm, and a message had to be sent to the left of the French line to tell them not to shoot into the back of the men making this turning movement which they had begun to do. Fighting continued until after dark in torrents of rain, but the firing gradually died down. The importance of the lodgement thus made-up on the northern edge of the plateau was obvious to all in the near vicinity but unfortunately reinforcements were not at hand and it was recognised that the advanced position thus seized could not be held. A gradual withdrawal took place about 9.30pm after patrols had ascertained that the ground to a distance of about half a mile in front of our lines was clear". END