Military History

Walter is listed as being killed in action on 17 Oct 1915. The war diary for the 17th is transcribed below. It is clear from the diary that this was the first fighting that William had been part of and he was killed just 10 days after landing in France.

Railway Wood Trenches 17.10.1915: 5.15am Enemy exploded mine under the junction of H.20 & H.21. Our mine shaft in H.20 was blown up. It appears to have been a defensive measure only as no Art fire was opened & no attack made until later. The fire trench at the junction of H20 and H21 was destroyed for about four days on either side of the junction. The earth was very much thrown up about the lip of the crater and runs in a long Ridge to the enemy crater of the 25^th. Size of crater about 40 yards in diameter and about 30 to 40 feet deep.

7am. the enemy made two bomb attacks, one directed against the crater and the other against the Sunken Road both were easily repulsed by our bombers and by rifle fire. The behaviour of the men was excellent throughout, for the great majority of Officers, NCO's and men it was their first experience of the trenches, their being only three officers including the Colonel and Adjutant who had been in the trenches before.

Immediately after the mine went up, the survivors in H 20 N and in H 20 S opened a very steady rapid fire to which there was hardly any reply; two platoons started work at once under 2^nd Lt Rodocanachi out the men buried in H 20 and they succeeded in getting several out alive. I continued to work through the bomb attack and in spite of severe sniping fire by the enemy. Work was also started on wiring between H20 and S20 and digging A trench round the crater. The wiring was completed that night and also a trench encircling half the crater with a bomb post and loophole at each end. S20 was also continued towards H21 to join up north of crater.

2000 bombs were sent up by the brigade during the day, also one Company of 5/KSLI & 16 of their bombers. Battn stood to arms at night.

Casualties: Killed Capt R O Logan, 2^nd Lt A.D.J Melliss, 13 O.R. Missing believe killed in the mine O.R. 22. Wounded O.R. 31.