Military History

Edward is listed as being killed in action on 4th October 1917. The 9th Battalion war diary entries for the period 3rd to 5th October are transcribed below.

Front Line at J.10.c Central - 3 Oct 1917: Battn held the front line under continuous heavy shelling & suffered casualties chiefly through shell shock.

Front Line at J.10.c Central - 4 Oct 1917: Battn formed up for the attack on the German front line, its objectives being the road running just west of Reutel from about J.11.c.51.20 to J.11.55.5. The 1^st D.C.L.I of the 5^th Division attacking on the right, rhe 3/4^th Queens (R.W. Surrey) of the 62^nd Bde, 21^st Div on the left. The 7^th Div and Australian troops prolonged the line of attack on the North. The 10^th Yorkshire L I formed up behind the Battn for the capture of the 2^nd objective which included the village of Reutel (see attached map). 1^st E Yorks R in support, 15^th D.L.I in Reserve. Battn HQ in MEBU in J.10.c.05.20.

Rations and rum were late owing to heavy hostile shelling of the back area and it was only owing to the determination of the Officer in Charge of the carrying party and his party under him that they reached the Battn.

Battn attacked with D Coy right front line; C Coy left front line, each Coy being on a one platoon frontage. B Coy in support behind D Coy and A Coy in reserve behind C Coy, each on a single platoon front. From front to rear of the Battalion the distance was 160 yards instructions having been issued that the whole Battn should cross over as closely as possible to the barrage without leading to the confusion of Coys.

Platoons attacked in line of section in file at equal intervals to cover the front, abot 30 yards between each. Zero was at 6am and promptly at that time the whole line went forward. The account of the attack by Capt Day and Capt Frank is attached [not transcribed here].

Prisoners began to cross through within half an hour of Zero. An hour after Zero the enemy laid down an intense barrage from the road bounding the eastern edge of Polygon Wood backward as far as Clapham Junction. It was impossible to move Bn HQ forward and no communication could be established with the front line until the fire slackened about 6pm.

At about 8pm the Adjutant went up with a small carrying party under Lt Teaz with water and S.A.A. He found the position good on the left but weak on the right flank owing to the failure of the troops of the 5^th Division to attain the proposed line on that flank. On his way up however he passed Coys of 15^th D.L.I digging in on that flank. While he was up in the front line at about 9.30pm the SOS went up from the front line.

In reply to our bombardment the enemy again barraged Polygon Wood and back areas. During the bombardment at about 10.30pm an enemy shell exploded at the entrance to Bn HQ mortally wounding the C.O. in the stomach and right thigh, killing the Signalliing Cpl and wounding the Signalling officer and Intelligence officer.

Trenches near Reutel – 5 Oct 1917: By order of the Brigadier the Adjutant handed over the Battalion to Lt. Col Festing in command of 10^th K.O.Y.L.I the two Battalions being combined under his command. At most there remained 150 bayonets in the combined Battalion in the front line, apart from individual soldiers who had strayed into other units. Capt Day was put in Command of the forward troops.