The Fifth Leicestershire

A free download from http://www.dertz.in

The Fifth Leicestershire

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Fifth Leicestershire, by J.D. Hills This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
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
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FIFTH LEICESTERSHIRE ***

Produced by David Clarke, Janet Blenkinship and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries)

[Transcribers note: Many inconsistencies appeared in the original book and were retained in this version.]

[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., L��gion 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. PONTRUET 323
12. LIEUT. J.C. BARRETT, V.C. 338
13. THE CADRE AT LOUGHBOROUGH 339
MAPS.
PAGE.
1. YPRES DISTRICT 44
2. BETHUNE DISTRICT 82
3. ATTACK ON GOMMECOURT, 1/7/16 130
4. MONCHY DISTRICT 154
5. LENS DISTRICT 190
6. ATTACK ON PONTRUET, 24/9/18 286
7. ADVANCE, 24/9/18 to 11/11/18 314 & 315
CHAPTER 1.
ENGLAND.
4th Aug., 1914. 25th Feb., 1915.
The Territorial Force, founded in 1908, undoubtedly attracted many men who had not devoted themselves previously to military training, nevertheless it took its character and tone from men who had seen long service in the old Volunteer Force. Hence,