South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

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The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One


Corporal 4484 Matthew FORREST - 1st Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment


Killed in Action on Thursday 12th October 1916 aged 20

Matthew Forrest


Military History

     
Theatre of War Medals Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial      
France & Flanders 1914-15 Star, British War & Victory Medals Thiepval Memorial
     
Arrived in Theatre Medal Citation (if app) SWFHS Area Memorials                   
4 May 1915 in France ~ Leek Wootton
     
Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed                  Date and Place Enlisted Other War Memorials 
Battle of the Somme (Transloy) Oct 1914 in Warwick                                               ~
     
Place of Death Previous Regiments or Units  
Les Boeufs  ~  
     

Circumstances of Death

Matthew is listed as being killed in action on 12 Oct 1916. The 1st Battalion war diary entry for that day refers to Appendix I - Report of Operations which is transcribed below.

Trenches - Les Boeufs - Diary of Operations 12 -10-16
G.N.B Forster, Lieut Colonel, Commanding 1st Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment

2.05pm Creeping barrage opened and Battalion doubled forward out of trenches in 4 waves - 2 Coys on 2 Platoon frontage in line and 2 Coys on 2 Platoon frontage in support. Battalion HQ about T.9.b.4.4
2.15pm It appeared from T.9.b.4.4 that a barrage was put up by the Germans in the line Les Boeufs - Morval
2.40pm M.G. Officer reported barrarge excellent and Germans running back. Companies going well
2.55pm Report came in from C.C. D Coy that the left of my left Coy hung up by the strong point. The right of the Royal Irish Fusilers failing to get forward. Sent an order to O.C. D Coys left to call on Support Company to help them and try and turn the flank of the Gun Pits from direction T.5.a.5.0
3.05pm From Batt O.P. received following: 12th Brigade appear to have got well forward owing to ground cannot see our troops. Germans get a heavy barrage up in front of Les Boeufs and Huns still sending up white rockets from here.
3.10pm Two wounded German prisoners came in, one of 82nd Regt & 164th Regt.
3.20pm 10th Infantry Brigade reported that news received Hazy Trench held by our troops.
3.30pm Sent out two runners to our front line trenches to obtain information. At 3.55pm they reported that they could only get to Sunken Road. Heavy Machine Gun fire from E of Les Boeufs direction and German barrage on Shamrock.
4.0pm News from French - Right reported reached 2nd Objective, no news from the left
4.05pm Message from French - No news of our Regiment, all wires broken. From our O.P. we saw the English troops on our left going out of their trenches very quickly, we know that the English have passed their first objective. We have seen a German Obseravation Post surrundering.
4.30pm O.C. A Coy (Right Support Coy) reports about 50 of A & C Coys dug in about T.5.t.4.9 towards gun pits. Not in touch with French and cannot see anybody on our left. At present German strong point and gun pits still held by Germans
4.57pm O.C. Royal Irish Fusiliers reports 2 platoons of his right Support Coy in Shamrock Trench with no officers and only one NCO, also about one Coy of Royal Dublin Fusiliers.
5.35pm Royal Irish Fusiliers report his right Support Coy and our left company are in Burnaby Trench and are trying to re-organise. One company Royal Dublin Fusiliers in Foggy Trench.
6.00pm R.A. Liason Officer reports that F.O.O, reports counter attack coming from direction of T.5 Central and N.35 Central. No news received from front line area.
6.05pm Royal Dublin Fusiliers report have sent one Company up to Fluff Trench
6.08pm Sent message to O.C. Front Line to hang on for all they are worth. One Coy Royal Dublin Fusiliers now coming in support to Fluffy Trench
6.10pm F.O.O. reports that Counterattack from T.5 Central at present failed.
6.45pm A runner of D Coy came in wounded and said O.C. A Coy had sent him with a message to say O.C. A Coy with some of D and some of C were digging in about 900 yards in front of our present line and the French were on the right. No written message came and he said he left just before dark and that he passed through our front line which has some Royal Dublin Fusiliers in it. The man was a bit shaken and I don't think this information is very reliable.
7.35pm Received message from Captain Irvine same as reported by Royal Irish Fusiliers at 5.35pm
7.55pm Sent up an officer with orders to Senior Officer in Front Line to re-organise and consolidate at onvce and send out patrols to ascertain if any British out in front and also to warn him an aeroplane was coming in the morning to try and locate position of troops. END


 Personal & Family History

 

Birth Date/Place Baptism Date/Place
12 Dec 1895 at Coughton 2 Feb 1896 at Coughton
   
Parents Names Abode
Matthew and Margaret Forrest Sunrise Cottage, Leek Wootton 
   
Schools Colleges
  ~
   
Address History Employment History
1895 - Coughton Fields 1911 - Gardener at Wootton Court                 
1901 - Coughton Fields Farm, Coughton  
1911 - Sunrise Cottage, Leek Wootton   
1916 - Sunrise Cottage, Leek Wootton