Military History

George is listed as being killed in action on 3rd September 1916. The following extract from the Regimental Chronicles is courtesy of LightBobs.com

The Attack on Guillemont - 3rd September 1916 - 6th Battalion Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry

The original orders, issued towards the end of August, were to the effect that the 20th Division would cap¬ture Guillemont, and then establish itself on the Wedge Wood-Ginchy road from T.26.a.l.7 to T.22.a.l.5." According to these orders, an important part was to be played by the 60th Brigade, but before the final arrangements were made it was found that this Brigade had become so depleted in numbers that it was neces¬sary to take it out of the 20th Division temporarily, and substitute for it the 47th Brigade (16th, Irish, Division). Sir A. Conan Doyle, in his British Campaign, 1916, says : "The 60th Brigade had lost heavily in strength from cold, wet, and continual German gassing and bombardment.' The attack on Guillemont on the 3rd Sep¬tember was, therefore, entrusted to the 59th Brigade and 47th Brigade, with the 61st Brigade in Divisional Reserve, the 6th Oxford and Bucks (the only battalion of the 60th Brigade of any strength) being attached to the 59th Brigade.

The following is Lieut.-Colonel E. D. White's official account of the Operations of the 3rd-6th September in which the 6th Battalion took part:--
The Battalion was attached to the 59th Brigade for the above operations, and, in accordance with 59th Brigade Operation Orders, left the craters at 11 p.m., 2nd September, and moved into the position of assembly in Arrow and Sherwood Trenches. In accordance with 59th Brigade Operation Orders the Battalion advanced from its trenches at noon on the 3rd September to attack Guillemont.

B Company, from Arrow Trench, was in the centre, and, from the position of the starting-point, somewhat in advance of A and C Companies on the Battalion's left and right respectively; D Company followed in rear of the centre. The Battalion was to follow the 10th and 11th R.B. to the first Sunken Road (the first Divisional Objective).

The three leading companies lost all their officers and all their Company-Sergeants-Major before reaching the second Sunken Road. The fourth company (D) also lost its captain at the first Sunken Road.

B Company, in the centre; found the Rifle Brigade battalions clearing dug-outs, and appear to have stopped a short time to assist, and then pushed on to the second Sunken Road. A and C Companies passed right on. A got on beyond the second Sunken Road to the edge of the village, which was the 2nd Objective-of the Battalion. Their officers had gone, and in some places the Sunken Road was not easy to locate, being much knocked about.

At 1 p.m. the advance continued. As a matter of fact men were going forward about 4 minutes before the hour, but the barrage ruled the pace. Casualties from our own barrage were slight, if any at all. By the time the eastern side of the village was reached units were much mixed.

There were, besides my own Battalion and the 10th and 11th R.B., some of the 10th K.R.R.C. and Somerset Light Infantry, as well as some of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (5th Division). Units were reorganized here as far as possible.

The Somerset Light Infantry, at my request, kept back a portion of the battalion in this position, when the advance was continued up to Ginchy—Wedge Wood road, to look after the right flank, as a number of Germans were visible in the open, south-west of Leuze Wood, and our contact with the 5th Division on our right did not seem complete.

At 2 p.m. the whole line went forward up to the Ginchy - Wedge Wood road, and reached it with very little opposition, but a number of prisoners were taken from dug-outs on the road. The consolidation of the position at once began, but there was a shortage of tools. It was evident that the 5th Division had not been able to advance up the spur south-west of Leuze Wood, and that that spur and the wood were still in the hands of the Germans. I therefore decided not to move forward from the road to the final objective ordered, that is, with the right flank of the 59th Brigade line just outside the south-west corner of the wood.

The 1st Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry were now in touch with us on the road-line, on our right; the 8th Munster Fusiliers were on our left, at the Cross-Roads. There were then in the 59th Brigade area on the Ginchy - Wedge Wood road the following troops under Lieut.-Colonel E. D. White: 200 10th R.B., 200 11th R.B., 100 10th K.R.R.C., and 300 6th Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. The Somerset Light Infantry were digging themselves in, in support, close behind.

An officer's patrol went up by the Quarry to the south-west edge of Leuze Wood and found no one there. During the night (3rd/4th September) patrols were working in the valley below us, but could not work up to the ridge and wood in front owing to our artillery fire. The enemy made no attacks.

Nearly all the losses suffered by the Battalion were from shell and machine-gun fire before reaching the second Sunken Road, and more especially before reaching the first Sunken Road. During the clearing of dug-outs at the final position one case occurred of a "P" bomb being thrown in at one door of a dug-out and the smoke coming out at the other door without dislodging the Germans, who, however, did come out when Mills bombs were thrown in.

Eight Company Officers, 72 N.C.O.'s, and about 200 men were casualties, mostly early in the attack, and I think that much credit is due to the men and to the few leaders left in getting on the right objective.