| Hour, date, Place |
Summery
of Events and Information |
Remarks and references to
Appendices |
May 12th
1:00 am |
Regiment took
over trenches in accordance with attached Bde orders.
The line taken over was not that mentioned in BM.37
above, but further North at VERLORENHOEK. Regiment
relieved a Battalion of East Surrey Regiment. On taking
over news was received that Lt H Hulton-Harrod had been
killed in the trenches during the day just as the relief
was completed and Lt. J S Wooley was wounded. Following
officers were in trenches night of 12th-13th:
Lt Col Hon A R Stanley DSO
Capt. OEM Mundy
Capt. J J Astor
Capt. R Hamlington-Stubber
Capt. Hon E H Windham
Capt. Sir R U Sutton
Lt. G H Drummond
2/Lt. M Setton-Karr
2/Lt. J S Wooley
2/Lt. T K Robson
2/Lt. S C Bostock
2/Lt. E D Anderson
The left of the position occupied by the Regiment rested
on the YPRES - ZONNEBEKE ROAD and was some 150 yards on
advance of the front trenches occupied by the Queen's
Bays on the North of the road. This was a source of
weakness, as the line could be enfiladed from the Huns
just North of the road which it was not **** to ***** to
the enemy should they advance.
This section of the line was occupied by B Squadron
with D Squadron & HQ in a support trench 50 yards in
rear. When the Regiment took over these two trenches
were not joined by a communications trench. This however
was dug during the night.
On the right of B Sqn was a gap of some 150 yards in
which a farm was situated. South of the farm was A
Squadron joining on the right with 2nd Life Guards.
One machine gun under 2/Lt. Bostock was posted in B Sqn
trench, the other with 20 men of A Sqn under 2/Lt. M
Seton-Karr was posted in a farm 300 yards in the rear of
the position for a "Point d'appuise".
|
|
May13th
3:30am |
The enemy's
guns began to register on the position. |
|
| 4:00 am |
At 4:00 am a
very heavy bombardment commenced and lasted unabated
vigour till 7:00am. this was unquestionably the heaviest
bombardment the regiment had ever experienced during the
campaign. The enemies " *********
& ********* " were
particularly effective. |
|
| 7:00 am |
At 7:00 am the
enemy's infantry advanced. They did not appear to be in
any great strength and made a frontal attack on the
front of B Sqn, but made for the houses on the left
mentioned above. |
|
| 7:10 am |
About 7:10 am
it was noticed that the right of the Bde line was
retiring, A Sqn was involved in this retirement.
Regiment, less A Sqn, hung on for another 10 mins when
it was forced to retire, both flanks being threatened.
They rallied behind a mound 100 yards in the rear of
the support trench, but the enemy advanced feebly and
presented us target. From this position the regiment
moved left into the front trenches of the Queen's Bays
where they remained all day.
Meanwhile A Sqn retired on GHQ Line, which was occupied
by the Divisional Reserve.
No. 2098 Cpl of Horse G Attenborough and 4 men remained
in a large shell hole just in front of the "Point
d'appuise" (which had been destroyed by the enemy's
guns) until 10th Hussars counter attack at 2:30pm when
they joined in the counter attack. Through out the day
HQ, B & D Sqns remained in Bay's trenches and all ranks
owe a deep debt of gratitude to the latter regiment for
the magnificent support and assistance they gave to the
regiment throughout a very trying day.
Throughout the day the trenches were very heavily
shelled. In all the enemy's guns fired on the position
for 11 consecutive hours.
The position lost in the morning retaken by brilliant
counter attack by the 8th Cav Bde at 2:30pm, but they
were unable to hold it retiring again about 4pm.
|
**** Leicestershire Yeomanry state that
2nd Life Guards had retired by 6:00 am |
| 8:30 pm |
At 8:30 pm
regiment retired to POTIJZE on accordance with G.69 |
G.69 |
| May 14th |
regiment moved into GHQ line where it remained all day,
Bde forming Divisional reserve. Capt. JCG Leigh plus 1
other rank joined B echelon *****. |
|
| 9:00pm |
At 9:00 pm 2nd Cav Div relieved 3rd Cav Div and regiment
retired to huts at VL AMERTINGHE. |
|
