Time on the Western Front
In relation to Greenwich Mean Time Unlike today, Great Britain , France and Belgium all operated at the same time during the Great War. (The latter two countries are of course now one hour ahead…
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7th Infantry Brigade’s raid on Factory Farm 17 February 1917
The general staff of the headquarters of 25th Division ordered 7th Infantry Brigade to carry out a raid on enemy trenches to obtain identification of enemy units in the trenches; to kill German troops; and…
Neglect and disaster at Barnton Posts 7 March 1918
On 4 March 1918, 74 men of “B” Company of the 1/5th Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment (of 166th Infantry Brigade, 55th (West Lancashire) Division, took over a small group of front line posts….
Where are the 14th Division’s “Kaiserschlacht” dead?
Why write about this? In 2013 I carried out research on Major Hubert Symons, an officer of the Royal Field Artillery of the 14th (Light) Division who lost his life on 22 March 1918, dying…
John Masefield’s Somme
John Masefield (1878-1967) was already a well known and prize winning poet by the time of the Great War. After being rejected for service as a commissioned officer on medical grounds in 1914, he served…
Then and now: the 8th Lincolns in Leighton Buzzard
Imperial War Museum photograph Q70596: Troops of the 8th (Service) Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment marching through Leighton Buzzard. Major John Storer, one of the battalion’s officers, can be seen in the middle, mounted. The same scene…
Into action: 1/12th Londons raid on the Magpie’s Nest 8 November 1917
This article describes a minor disaster: a trench raid designed to kill or capture the garrison of a German outpost that was cut short when British artillery fired into the attacking party. The raid was…
Into action: 1/4th West Riding Regiment trench raid 17 February 1917
This article describes an attack made by the 1/4th Battalion of the Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment) on 17 February 1917. The battalion was under command of the 147th Infantry Brigade of the 49th…
Some “Then and Now” images from the Battle of the Marne 1914
Not British Army but I though these may be of interest to readers. The “now” photos are from a battlefield trip I made in 2012. The two villages are close to each other but were…
The strange case of Aaron Charles Warren
I found this news clipping when searching for some details of my own family history. My grandparents lived at the back of 33, Ashley Street in Birmingham. The article, from the “Birmingham Mail” on 26…