The Fifth Leicestershire

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The Fifth Leicestershire

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Title: The Fifth Leicestershire A Record Of The 1/5th Battalion The
Leicestershire Regiment, T.F., During The War, 1914-1919.
Author: J.D. Hills
Release Date: December 22, 2005 [EBook #17369]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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LEICESTERSHIRE ***

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[Illustration: OFFICERS, 1914.]

THE FIFTH LEICESTERSHIRE.
A record of the 1/5th Battalion the Leicestershire Regiment, T.F.,
during the War, 1914-1919.
BY
CAPTAIN J.D. HILLS, M.C., Croix de Guerre.
With an introduction by
LT.-COLONEL C.H. JONES, C.M.G., T.D., Légion d'honneur
(officier).
LOUGHBOROUGH.
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED AT THE ECHO PRESS.
1919.
THE FIFTH LEICESTERSHIRE.
[Illustration]
XVII.
5.

To

COLONEL HIS GRACE DUKE OF RUTLAND, K.G.,
who has watched over us and lived with us in all our losses and in all
our joys, this book is gratefully dedicated.

PREFACE.
No literary merit is claimed for this book. It is intended to be a diary of
our progress as a Battalion since mobilisation until the signing of peace,
and the return of the Colours to Loughborough. I have written the first
chapter, the remainder, including the maps, has been done by Captain
J.D. Hills.
This is scarcely the place to attempt an estimate of what the members
of our County Territorial Force Association, individually and
collectively, have done for the 5th Leicestershire Regiment. We would
merely place this on record, that there has ever been one keen feeling of
brotherhood uniting us all, from President or Chairman, to the latest
joined recruit or humblest member of the regiment, whether actively
engaged on the battlefield, or just as actively engaged at home. Never
has the Executive Committee failed us. And to Major C.M. Serjeantson,
O.B.E., we would offer a special tribute for his untiring work,
wonderful powers of organisation and grasp of detail, and hearty good
fellowship at all times.
To the men of the regiment we hope that the incidents which we narrate
here will recall great times we spent together, and serve as a framework
on which to weave other stories too numerous for the short space of one
book.
C.H. JONES.
MEADHURST, UPPINGHAM,
_Sept., 1919._

AUTHOR'S NOTE.
The following narrative is based mainly on the Regimental War Diary.
For the rest, my thanks are due to Lt.-Colonels C.H. Jones, C.M.G.,
T.D., and J. Ll. Griffiths, D.S.O., Major C. Bland, T.D., Captains D.B.
Petch, M.C., J.R. Brooke, M.C., and A.D. Pierrepont, and R.Q.M.S. R.
Gorse, M.S.M., for sending me notes and anecdotes; to Captains G.E.
Banwell, M.C., and C.S. Allen, Corpl. J. Lincoln, and L/Corpl. A.B.
Law, for taking me round the battlefields and explaining the Lens
fighting of 1917; to 2nd Lieut. G.H. Griffiths, for supplying me with
many of the battle-field photographs; to all officers, N.C.O.'s and men
of the Battalion who have always been ready to answer my questions
and to give me information; to Major D. Hill, M.C., Brigade Major, for
the loan of his Brigade documents; and lastly to Mr. Deakin of
Loughborough, for undertaking the publication of this book and for
giving to it so much time and personal care.
J.D. HILLS.
16, SOMERSET ST., LONDON, W.1.
_Sept., 1919._

CONTENTS.
CHAPTER PAGE.
1. ENGLAND 1
2. EARLY EXPERIENCES 16
3. THE SALIENT 39
4. HOHENZOLLERN 70
5. FLANDERS MUD TO THE MEDITERRANEAN 90

6. THE VIMY RIDGE 106
7. GOMMECOURT 127
8. MONCHY AU BOIS 145
9. GOMMECOURT AGAIN 163
10. LENS 179
11. HILL 65 196
12. ST. ELIE LEFT 206
13. CAMBRIN RIGHT 227
14. GORRE AND ESSARS AT PEACE 253
15. GORRE AND ESSARS AT WAR 267
16. PONTRUET 279
17. CROSSING THE CANAL 298
18. FRESNOY AND RIQUERVAL WOODS 325
19. THE LAST FIGHT 352
20. HOME AGAIN 372
APPENDIX.
I. OFFICERS, FEB., 1915 376
II. HONOURS 377
III. THE CADRE, 1919 379
ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE.
1. OFFICERS, 1914 (Frontispiece).
2. R.S.M.S SMALL AND LOVETT, R.Q.M.S. GORSE 34
3. YPRES 35
4. HOHENZOLLERN MEMORIAL 50
5. VERMELLES WATER TOWER 51
6. LENS FROM THE AIR 130
7. OFFICERS AT MARQUEFFLES 131
8. RED MILL AND RIAUMONT HILL 146
9. HOHENZOLLERN CRATERS, 1917 147
10. COMPANY HEADQUARTERS, LOISNE, AND GORRE
CANAL 322
11.