`Nec Aspera Terrent` - Kings Regiment Association Liverpool

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A Branch of the Duke of Lancaster’s Regimental Association
‘Nec Aspera Terrent’
APRIL 2016 NEWSLETTER – ISSUE 55
ELECTRONIC EDITION
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DONATIONS TO THE ASSOCIATION
The Committee would like to thank the following who have made a cash donation to
the associations general funds:
MAJ PETER CROSS MBE, MAJ KEITH HASTIE TD, MRS GLADYS O’CONNELL
YOUR GENEROSITY IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
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2016 ONE BOTTLE OF BEER NIGHT
This year, the One Bottle of Beer night will take place on:
SATURDAY 18TH JUNE 2016
at The Vines, Liverpool.
Please assemble at 1830 hrs on the steps of St Georges Hall,
for the Regimental group photo.
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We require your letters, comments,
photographs, stories etc., for inclusion in the
next Newsletter
which will be published in:
JUNE 2016.
The closing date for submission is:
SATURDAY 28TH MAY 2016.
Please forward to:
Eric Roper
171 Queens Drive
Liverpool
L18 1JP
email: [email protected]
I can scan photographs and return the originals,
but please provide a SAE.
Please enclose a detailed description, ie,
names, dates etc., of any photograph(s).
100 CLUB
The February 2016 draw was made at City Office, Liverpool on
Tuesday 16th February 2016 by Committee member Stan
Castell BEM, and the winners are:
1ST PRIZE (£50)
PETER THOMPSON (Share No 65)
2ND PRIZE (£15)
NIGEL SMITH (Share Number 31)
The March 2016 draw was made at City Office, Liverpool on
Tuesday 16th February 2016 by Committee member John
Butler, and the winners are:
1ST PRIZE (£50)
MICK HUNT (Share No 71)
2ND PRIZE (£15)
NIGEL SMITH (Share Number 35)
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LAST POST
†
†
STEVE DIGNEY
(LATE KINGS)
It is my sad duty to inform you that Steve passed away on Friday 5th February 2016.
His funeral took place on Friday 19th February at 1545 hrs at the Warrington Crematorium
Walton Lea, Nr Walton Hall Park, Warrington
JAMES O'CARROLL
(LATE MANCHESTER'S AND KINGS)
It is my sad duty to inform you that Jimmy (One Bomb) O'Carroll
passed away on Wednesday 17th February 2016 at the Royal Preston
Hospital, aged 81 years.
Jimmy's funeral service took place on Tuesday 1st March at 1100 hrs
at Charnock Richards Crematorium in Chorley
SIR ALAN WATERWORTH KCVO KSTJ JP DL
(KINGS REGIMENT NATIONAL SERVICE OFFICER)
It is my sad duty to inform you that former Lord Lieutenant of
Merseyside, Sir Alan Waterworth died peacefully after short illness on
18th February 2016, aged 84.
Family funeral followed by a memorial service to be announced at a
later date.
BILL ASHCROFT
(LATE KINGS)
It is my sad duty to announce that Mr Bill Ashcroft of the King's Regiment, passed away on
16th March 2015.
Bill's funeral was held at 1030 am on 30th March 2016, at St Catherine’s Church,
Todmorden Road, before a service at 1120 am at Burnley Crematorium.
Bill Ashcroft was Chairman of the Burnley and Padiham branch of The Royal British
Legion.
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COLONEL SIR GEOFFREY ERRINGTON OBE Bt.
Colonel Sir Geoffrey was born 15 February 1926 and died on 3 Oct 2015 aged 89.
He was educated at Rugby School and New College Oxford and enlisted as a private, in the
Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) in 1944, was recommended for a commission, attended
OCTU in Apr 1945 and received an Emergency Commission as 2nd Lieutenant on 4 August
1945 so was awarded the War Medal 1939-1945.
He transferred on a Regular Commission as a Lieutenant to The King’s Regiment in October
1949; served with 1st Battalion as Intelligence Officer 1949-1950; as a temporary Captain
Grade 3 staff officer (Intelligence) in HQ 11 Armoured Division on formation 1950-1952. On
returning to 1st King’s, he deployed to Korea as Regimental Signals Officer in September
1952 to October 1953 (British Korean Medal and United Nations Korea Service Medal).
As RSO, due to the limitations of the radios, he had to rely very much on cable telephone
when in the line and one often came across Geoffrey at the bottom of a communication trench
looking at a cat's cradle of wires, wondering which he should join up with which?
When not grovelling in trenches, Geoffrey maintained a certain style in his reverse slope dugout on the Hook. It was no secret that it contained a bottle of Mr Trumper's Hair Cream from
Jermyn Street in London. Even more surprising to everyone, was that on the bitterly cold day,
when Bill Hughes was to depart to Japan for R&R, he produced a British Warm for Bill to
borrow. Young Geoffrey was ever the true gentleman and dashing young Captain. Needless to
say he and Bill Hughes remained the best of friends, so much so that Bill was his best man at
the marriage to Diana in the Palace of Westminster in 1955. Bill Hughes has been able to dine
out on the fact that he had made a speech in the Houses of Parliament.
Back in the UK, he commanded the King’s Depot Potential Officers’ Platoon until 1955 and
was then was GSO 3 Intelligence at the War Office 1955-1957. He then attended the Army
Staff College in 1958. During this time he transferred on amalgamation to The King’s
Regiment (Manchester and Liverpool).
After Staff College he was Brigade Major 146 (West Riding) Infantry Brigade (TA) 1959-1961;
Officer Commanding A Company 1961-1963, then became regimental representative whilst
commanding Dettingen Company, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) 1963-1965. He
went on to be Military Assistant to the Adjutant General 1965-1967.
In April 1967, the then Colonel of the Regiment and his mentor, Major General Horsford, wrote
to him saying that “you are about to take up what is without doubt the most interesting,
fascinating and frustrating appointment which you are ever likely to hold in your military career
- command of 1st Battalion the King’s Regiment”.
In preparation for this he had written Battalion Standing Orders, Officers’ Mess Rules and a
booklet detailing Regimental Traditions. On assuming command his orders were issued.
Every appointment in the Battalion now had detailed instructions as to their responsibilities.
The more senior the appointment, the longer the list of duties except for the page for the
Commanding Officer which had a simple single instruction: The Commanding Officer is
responsible for the tone of the Battalion. He also redesigned the Regiment’s flag, introduced
the annual invitation to the Warrant Officers of the 1st Battalion to dine in the Officers’ Mess,
and instituted the annual Corporals’ Mess Dinner on Guadeloupe Day. Later he introduced the
Regimental cap badge – initially it was a left collar badge, Fleur de Lys with a White Horse
superimposed, to replace the Lancastrian Brigade badge which had been worn since
amalgamation. He also invited the Colonel in Chief to visit the Battalion for the first time and
made the presentation of the Regimental brooch and the portrait of it being worn.
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Command during 1967-1969 (Ballykinlar, Catterick and Minden), was his proudest moment
and here he exemplified what he meant by “setting the tone”. He wore a regimental silk square
with combat kit when in the field. He was also able to see and enjoy the fruits of his labours
from his time as PMC when he had photographed and catalogued the silver and had electric
table lamps made out of redundant pieces of silver and always demanded the highest
standards of those officers who lived in the Mess.
After command, he exercised his passion for Staff Duties: “S instead of Z as in organisation”
was his rule. He served in HQ 1 (British) Corps 1969-1971, was Colonel GS HQ North West
District 1971-1974 and AAG Manning (Army) Ministry of Defence (AAG M1 (Army) MoD) 19741975. He retired early as a Colonel aged 48 after a busy and fulfilling career.
In retirement, but not surprisingly for him, did not mean the end of his devotion for the
wellbeing of his regiment. He became Colonel of the King’s Regiment in 1975. Following his
first term of 5 years, his commitment and drive, resulted to him most unusually, being offered a
2nd term of office, which he accepted without hesitation. His tenure ended in 1986. During this
time he set to and personally consolidated the myriad of Regimental Charities and Accounts.
Thus simplified this ensured that the Regiments Funds and Property Records were an
example to all and made life that much easier for those who were to follow him in that arena.
More importantly, he developed ever closer links with The Queen Mother, the then Colonel-inChief.
On retirement he also started a second career by joining a head hunting firm just off Berkeley
Square as a partner. As the inveterate networker that he was, with a broad network of
contacts, he quickly became very successful.
He was hugely “clubbable” and very active with a wide variety of activities and organizations.
He became a Liveryman of two Worshipful Companies: the Coachmakers and Coach Harness
Makers and then the Broderers. He was appointed a Freeman of the City of London 1980. He
was already a member of the Army and Navy club, became a member of the Oxford and
Cambridge Club and Boodles. He was active with many dining clubs including the Liver Club,
the Cook Society and Woodroffe’s (a tri-Service retired officers’ networking luncheon club) of
which he was chairman from 1988-1994. This all happened while he was on the committee of
the Standing Council of the Baronetage where he eventually served a term as chairman. He
also became, Director General of the Britain-Australia Society, to carry on the inspiration of its
founders, two ex-prime ministers (Sir Alec Douglas Home from the UK and Sir Robert Menzies
from Australia), to promote and strengthen the common ties.
When challenged by the family, about his phenomenal activity, life style and work load, he
always stressed that he wanted to give something back and that is why he took on so much
charity work. So he dedicated a great deal of time and effort, to his three main charities, all at
the same time. First, The Harefield Heart Hospital, one of the largest and most experienced
centres in the world for heart and lung transplants, where he later became Chairman; second,
The Not Forgotten Association, a charity for serving injured soldiers and disabled exservicemen or women, where for 24 years he was a member of the General Committee and
third, The Association for the Prevention of Addiction (APA). It was for this that he was
appointed Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) (civil) as Chairman,
Association for Prevention of Addiction (APA) Community Drug and Alcohol Initiatives for
services to the prevention of drugs misuse (Queen’s Birthday Honours 15 Jun 1998). His son
Robin said, in his Tribute at the funeral, “My father's life was about people!”
Lady Errington survives him with sons Robin the eldest and the twins, John and Andrew.
Obituary by:
Lt Col (Retd) Derek Lawrence-Brown
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LETTERS PAGE
MAJOR PETER OAKLEY MBE, WRITES:
Eric,
Many thanks for the February 2016 newsletter
I had a good chuckle at the extracts from reports etc and offer the following additions:
a. IQ; pushes doors marked pull. (I saw that on a RMAS cadets report)!
b. If brains were dynamite he wouldn't have enough to blow his gaiters off.
c. This officer should go far; Singapore, Hong Kong.
d. He works well in denims and under supervision.
e. This man is so wet you could shoot snipe off him.
There was a surprising coincidence in the
Newsletter.
The letter from Roger Coleman.
I served with him at Sandhurst, and he is
the centre of that photograph of the pace
stick competition that I sent to you.
We have had a couple of lengthy catch ups
since. Truly a small world.
Best wishes to you and Eileen,
Peter.
HANNAH REYNOLDS, WRITES:
Responding to newsletter read online today where Lieutenant Colonel Robin Hodges
mentions my Uncle Rory's (Lt Col Rory Reynolds battle cry 1945 - 'Bash on Bash On'. He
was indeed an inspirational leader as Robin says.
He and my father, Major Myles Reynolds. both served in the Kings Regiment, Liverpool.
How wonderful they are remembered.
Hannah Reynolds
Telephone : 07788751091
MALCOLM BARRASS, WRITES
I am an aviation historian researching the career of an RAF officer for his family. From his
records he was attached to the King's Regiment for three months at the beginning of 1939.
Can anyone explain why a RAF Wireless Operator/Air Gunner would be attached to the
Regiment. Also would you know if he would have been attached to the 5th Battalion?
Many thanks
Malcolm Barrass (ex Flt Lt, RAFVR(T))
Telephone: 01964 537348
Email:
[email protected]
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LETTERS PAGE
BRIAN HOUGH, WRITES:
Eric,
For a number of years now, I have been doing voluntary work on behalf of the authorities
at the United Nation Memorial Cemetery, Busan, South Korea, where over 800 British
servicemen are buried, including most of the Kingsmen that we had to leave behind in
1953. Five members of our Regiment killed in Korea were never found and have no
known grave, however, their names are inscribed on the Wall of Remembrance.
The authorities at the cemetery wish to obtain photographs of those British servicemen
killed in Korea and also those lost at sea or in the air. The photographs will be placed in
the men's records and will also be displayed on the walls of the Cemetery Hall of
Remembrance for all time. Over the years we have been able to send over 400
photographs to the authorities at the cemetery. As part of the work I carry out, I write to
newspapers across the UK on an area basis, for example, this week I am covering
Scotland, last week it was the turn of Yorkshire. Merseyside and the North West are
covered about every six months. However, and sadly for me, I have received just a
handful of photographs of our Pals from the KINGS.
The following are names of Kingsmen I have yet to receive a photograph of:
Lcpl Clifford Broughton (no known grave), Kgn William Ralph Caton, Lt Victor Dunlop
(commissioned into the KINGS, but was killed in Korea whilst serving with the Royal Ulster
Riffles), Kgn Peter Edward Davies, Kgn James Evans, Cpl Bernard John Gilleland (no
known grave), Lcpl Edward Hannan, Kgn Albert Higham, Kgn Arnold Ireton, Kgn William
Logan, 2nd Lt Alan Joseph McBride, Kgn Leslie Montgomery, Kgn Terrence Neil North,
Lcpl John Nuttall, Lcpl Keith Stanley Ogborn, Kgn Peter O'Neill (no known grave), Kgn
John Brendon Robertshaw, Cpl John Robinson, Cpl Robert Scott, Maj Peter Bernard
Stephenson MBE (no known grave),
If anyone has a photograph of any of the above and would like to take part, please send
the photograph to me: Brian Hough, 116 Fields Farm Road, Hattersley, Hyde, Cheshire
SK14 3NP. If more details are required, please contact me by telephone on 0161 368
5622 or by email at [email protected]. I will of course return photographs if
requested. Please note that this project is not just for men from The King's Regiment, if
anyone reading this has a photograph of a loved one or friend killed in the Korean War
(1950-1953) and wishes to take part, you are most welcome to contact me.
Thank you for your help in this matter.
Brian Hough
(1 KINGS, D Company, 11 Platoon - Korea - pictured below)
Back row L-R:
Stan Jackson, Ken Fowles, ?, ?, ?,
Front Row L-R:
Derek Smith, ?, Brian Hough, ?, ?
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LETTERS PAGE
KEITH WORLEY, WRITES:
Hi Eric,
thank you for another great Newsletter (February 2016).
I was talking to Mick Hunt recently at St Georges Hall and I asked him if he knew of any
pictures of the Queens visit to British Guiana 1966, as I was the right hand marker. It
would be great to get copies of any picture of that occasion, if there is cost involved then I
would be willing to cover that.
Thanking you in advance,
kind regards,
Keith Worley.
Email:
[email protected]
CHRIS MIDDLETON, WRITES:
Eric,
Thanks for your e-mail and Newsletter. I’ve met up with my old mate Jack Catlow and he’s
arranged for me to attend the February reunion at Preston – my first in 38 years!!! Will I
recognize anyone?
I would like to make contact with the Kingo I joined with Phil Irwin 24347224 – do you have
any contact details – if so I would very much appreciate receiving them.
Regards
Chris Middleton
Tel:
01785 822993
Mob:
Email:
07802 373626
[email protected]
GEORGE ELLIOTT, WRITES:
I served with 1 KINGS (24259243 Corporal, B Company) in Weeton Camp, Northern
Ireland and Hong Kong.
It would be great if anyone who knew me then got in touch.
Regards
George
Telephone : O7544325310
Email:
[email protected]
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23951704 KGN J MAINWARING
1ST BATTALION THE KING'S REGIMENT
'CHARLIE' COMPANY, 14 PLATOON
BERLIN 1963
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HUMOUR IN UNIFORM
Kingsman Meddie EcMahon was standing in a bar in Liverpool City Centre and a
Chinese man comes in, stands next to him and starts drinking a Guinness.
EcMahon asked him, "Do you know any of those martial arts things, like Kung-Fu,
Karate or Ju-Jitsu?"
The Chinaman says "No, why the hell you ask me that? Is it because I am Chinese?"
"No", EcMahon says, "It's because you're drinking my Guinness!"
A Major who was overly fond of 'scotch on the rocks' went up to a doctor because of his
falling health. After a thorough check-up the doctor announced, "Hydropsy."
"And what is Hydropsy?" asked the Major.
The doctor answered, "There is more water in you body than is good for you."
The Major exclaimed, "My dear doctor, I'll have you know that I never drink water." Then,
as an afterthought, he added, "It must have been all those ice cubes."
Two Kingsmen were escaping from the POW camp by scaling the fence. One stumbled
and the guard called, "Halt, Who goes there?"
"Meow!" came the reply from the first, and away he crept into the night.
The second stumbled and the guard again called, "Halt. Who goes there?"
He answered, "Another cat!"
A French girl came home, sobbing because she was pregnant.
"Who is the father of the child?" here father demanded.
"Well, he is the most famous man in France," she sobbed.
"What? The President?!" said the father incredulously.
Through her tears she spluttered, "No, papa, the Unknown Soldier!"
The Presidents of Russia and the United States of America are walking along the
beach. They start discussing their submarines. The Russian President says,
"We recently have made much progress with our submarines. They can now stay
submerged as long as yours, for one month."
The US President smiles, "We've been developing our subs too.
stay underwater for two months."
They can now
Suddenly they hear a strange sound coming from the sea. An old fashioned
submarine appears. A hatch opens and a uniformed man appears.
"Heil Hitler, meine Herren!
Can you tell me if the war is over yet?"
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HUMOUR IN UNIFORM
One smart so and so was convinced he could escape conscription by outwitting the doctor
at his physical. During the examination, the doctor asked him, "Now, can you read out
the letters on the wall?"
"What letters?" he answered.
"Good," said the doctor. "You've passed the hearing test."
A trio of former soldiers were bragging about the heroic exploits of their ancestors one
afternoon down at the Legion.
"My great-grandfather, at age 13, was a drummer boy at the Charge of the Light
Brigade," declares one proudly.
"Mine won the Victoria Cross at Ypres," boasted another.
"I'm the only soldier in my family." confessed veteran number three, "but if my
great-grandfather was living today, he'd be the most famous man in the world."
"Really? What did he do?" his friends wanted to know.
"Nothing much. But he would be 185 years old."
My granddad told me that he was a deserter during the War. I did some research and
discovered that he was just responsible for making the blancmange in the cook house.
Two young Kingsmen were going into the trenches for the first time and their Captain
promised them ten shillings for every enemy they killed. Jimmy laid down to rest and
Tommy performed the duty of watching. Jimmy had not lain long, when he was
awakened by Tommy shouting,
"They're coming!"
"Who's coming?" shouted Jimmy.
"The enemy," replied Tommy.
"How many are there?"
"About fifty thousand."
"Blimey," shouted Jimmy, jumping up and grabbing his rifle.
"We're going to make a bloody fortune!"
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Pictured left: Bob Long and' 'Prince', Ballykinler,
Northern Ireland (circa 1965)
Pictured right: C Company British Guiana (circa 1966)
Pictured above left:
John Schofield, Chris Neave,
B Coy Lines, Muthaga Camp, Nairobi, Kenya, Circa 1962
Pictured above right:
W Clayton, B Gibb, R Bohanna, C Neave, B Poole, B Coy lines, Muthaga Camp,
Nairobi, Kenya circa 1961
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LIEUTENANT NATHAN NEVILLE LEVENE
8TH (IRISH) BATTALION, THE KING’S (LIVERPOOL REGIMENT)
1914 - 1916
Lieutenant Nathan Levene enlisted in the Army following the outbreak of war in 1914. He
was killed along with hundreds of others whilst attacking the Germans on the Somme in
1916.
He joined the Army after the outbreak of the Great War, ‘joining up’ with the Territorial
Force at the Drill Hall in Shaw Street, Liverpool. He was enlisted into the 8th (Irish)
Battalion, The King’s (Liverpool Regiment), abbreviated as 8th KLR, and commissioned as
Second Lieutenant on 17 November 1914. There were so many volunteers that those
surplus to the establishment of the Liverpool Irish were formed into a 2nd Battalion, known
as 2/8th Battalion, abbreviated as 2/8th KLR. Each Battalion had up to 1,000 soldiers and
the junior officers each commanded Platoons of up to 50 soldiers.
After four months training, the original 8th (Irish) Battalion, now abbreviated as 1/8th KLR,
deployed to France. The 2/8th KLR became responsible for sending replacements to the
Battalion fighting in France.
Nathan Levene was promoted temporary Lieutenant on 19 July 1915 and commanded a
Draft which deployed to France on 3 December 1915. The Draft probably landed at
Boulogne and moved to the area south of Arras to join 1/8th KLR. He relinquished the
Temporary rank on 7 January 1916 when he took command of a Rifle Platoon. The
Battalion remained in reserve until 2 March when it took over front-line trenches in the
Bretencourt sub-sector. There was little activity in the Line. Their time was alternated with
four days out of the Line billeted in Monchiet and with preparations for a major offensive
anticipated once the ground had dried out.
On 1 April he was in the Line west of the Blairville and Ficheux sector. He did not know,
but he was promoted back to Temporary Lieutenant that day but such was the pressure on
the Military Secretary’s Staff that his promotion was not announced until 1 September,
some weeks after his death.
The chain of command did not like the front line to be quiet and in order to maintain the
soldiers’ “offensive spirit” battalions were ordered to mount raids on enemy positions. All
junior Officers carried out either patrols or raids across ‘No-Man’s Land’. On the whole the
raids achieved little, inflicted few casualties on the enemy and were often costly in
casualties. They were far more popular with Staff Officers than with Infantrymen.
The Liverpool Irish were ordered to carry out a raid and on 3 April three officers and 43
soldiers were selected and trained for a week out of the line at Bretencourt. On 10 April
the Liverpool Irish went back into the Line and began recces for the operation. One new
innovation was that the raiders blackened their faces, not for camouflage but as a form of
tactical recognition. A black face represented a friend.
The final phase of preparations for the raid began late on 16 April when 2nd Lieutenant
Paul Limrick led a patrol across 500 yards of No-Man’s Land to begin cutting through the
enemy wire obstacles. They spotted a German patrol in the same area and had to lie still
for an hour until the enemy moved away.
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At the same time, 2nd Lieutenant Felix Baxter led his party, which became known as the
'Forty Thieves', out to lay white tape to mark the route to the objective. Captain James
Mahon with the command group laid telephone wires out towards the enemy in order that
he would have the means to be able to call for artillery support if necessary.
At 0200 the cutting party sent word back that the wire entanglements were so thick that it
was not possible to complete the task. 2nd Lieutenant Baxter immediately went forward to
assist and by 0325 they had cut through all but the last two rows of wire and some low
wire entanglements. “This wire cutting was in itself an extraordinary performance,
demanding considerable coolness and considerable nerve. Once a bell fell from the
German wire and made a rattling noise, but fortunately occasioned no alarm in the
enemy’s trenches. Our machine guns kept up a continuous indirect fire to drown as far as
possible the noise of the wire cutters. As a precaution, however, artillery officers were
present in the Battalion fire trench to support the wire cutting party.”
By 0345 the patrols were back in. At midnight a patrol returned to the wire and confirmed
that the gaps had not been repaired. Captain Mahon and 2nd Lieutenant Limrick with two
NCOs then got to work to cut through the last two rows of wire. The job was completed at
0210 and 2nd Lieutenant Baxter with 23 soldiers silently crossed through and into the
German trench. At 0225 the artillery began a barrage against the German support line.
The storming party cut the telephone wire in the enemy trench and killed the eight
Germans on stag. They then threw bombs down into three deep dug-outs. They could not
get down into the shelters which were 12 to 15 feet deep as they only had 6 foot ladders
with them. As there was no more mischief to be done, 2nd Lieutenant Baxter ordered the
men back. He waited on the parapet and assisted the last Kingsman out and the patrol
retired back to the British trench.
It had been a thoroughly successful operation and a number of the raiders had returned
with helmets and weapons as souvenirs. At the Roll Call the only absentee was 2nd
Lieutenant Baxter.
2nd Lieutenant Limrick took out a search party but could find no trace of 2nd Lieutenant
Baxter and he was subsequently reported as Missing. He was the only British casualty.
Information was received three days later from a prisoner that the German’s had suffered
57 casualties and that they had also buried the body of a British officer. This was
assumed to be 2nd Lieutenant Baxter.
The raid had achieved everything that the chain of command expected and on
26 September 1916 it was announced that 2nd Lieutenant Baxter had been posthumously
awarded the Victoria Cross. Sadly by that time 1/8th KLR had been destroyed and there
was no one left to remember him.
At 1830 on 18 April 1/8th KLR was relieved in the trenches and marched back to Monchiet.
“For the remainder of April little more than ordinary interest took place along the divisional
front.
May apparently was a quiet month, with the exception of much work on the defences and
occasional heavy shelling.
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Captain James Mahon, Lieutenant Colonel Edward Fagan and 2nd Lieutenant Paul Limrick with the
‘40 Thieves’ after their return from the successful raid against the German trench on 18 April 1916.
At the time Lieutenant Felix Baxter was ‘Missing’ but would later be confirmed dead and was
posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.
June brought with it greatly improved activity all along the front from the Somme to Ypres.
Preparations for the great offensive were nearing completion and it was essential to keep
the enemy’s troops busy on their front and to ascertain their strength and dispositions.
Raids and gas discharges were frequent, while the guns seemed hardly ever silent, and
towards the end of the month the whole line was continually wreathed in smoke from
bursting shells. With the exception of patrol work and the usual round of trench warfare,
little happened along the divisional front requiring special mention until towards the end of
the month, where everywhere along the whole battlefront extraordinary activity took place.
For on the 28th June no less than six raiding parties crossed “No Man’s Land” in broad
daylight and raided the enemy’s trenches.” 1/8th KLR did not send over a raiding party.
“What is going on is absolutely glorious! The dirty Bosche has been pounded to Hell … All
through the day and night there is nothing but the roar of guns and the enemy practically
do not answer … A more magnificent sight you could not possibly imagine than to see all
those guns [there were over 1,500] firing on our side and showing the Bosche at last that
we mean to be supreme and are going to crush him.”
The first of the great Battles of the Somme, 1916, the Battle of Albert, officially began with
the Infantry attack on 1 July against the German positions at Guillemont. On that day the
British Army suffered over 58,000 casualties.
1/8th KLR had not yet been committed to the battle. The Battalion moved from the
Ficheux-Blairville-Beaumetz area down to the Somme during the fourth week of July. The
Battalion arrived at Meaulte on 25 July and marched to Happy Valley on the 27th.
At 2000 30 August the Battalion paraded and marched up to the trenches east of Trônes.
The relief was completed by 0800 31 August with one soldier killed and two officers and 16
soldiers wounded. In front of their trench were the German positions across Guillemont
with the ground in-between strewn with the bodies of hundreds of soldiers of other
Battalions of The King’s Regiment who had been killed on 1 July, and during a second
failed attack on 30 July.
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Map of the ground around Guillemont in 1916. The Liverpool Irish attacked from the bottom right.
On 1 August, during their first day of ‘routine in defence’ the Battalion lost six soldiers killed
and four Officers and 35 soldiers wounded to enemy artillery fire. At the same time,
observers saw the enemy moving forward to occupy a crest which dominated the right of
the Battalion trench near Arrow Head Copse.
The right Company was ordered to
establish a post there first.
Captain Ward with Lieutenant Duncan’s Platoon of 24 soldiers left the trench at 1800 and
“about twenty Germans immediately bolted down the sunken road towards Guillemont and
were disposed of by a machine gun in Arrow Head Copse. About sixty or seventy
Germans advanced from a trench in front of the Battalion on the right of 1/8th KLR in order
to attack the platoon. Other Germans came out of shell-holes and cover on the Battalion’s
side and the enemy’s side of the crest. The Platoon lined the bank along the roadside,
and firing steadily, took heavy toll of the Germans. The 1/8th trench mortars then opened
fire most opportunely, and finally the enemy broke and ran, pursued by Lewis-gun and
machine-gun fire; about fifty or sixty of the enemy were shot down. … As soon as the
Germans retired Captain Ward established himself on the sunken road and his men got to
work and very soon had connected up a shallow trench with the British front line trench…”
This successful action, following on from the successful raid gave the Battalion bags of
confidence.
1/8th KLR were relieved on the morning of 3 August and retired to support trenches at the
Bricqueterie, having suffered 15 casualties during the night when a ration party was
shelled.
Page 17
On the night of 4/5 August 1/8th KLR was relived and moved out of the line to Bronfay
Farm. The following night the Battalion returned to the front line trench south-east of
Trônes Wood; one Officer being wounded.
It had become the norm for Officers not to warn soldiers of the date or time for an attack
“in order that they did not fret”. At midnight 7 August, XIII Corps artillery opened fire. This
was a major bombardment and continued until 0420. Immediately, Stokes mortars
engaged the strong points at Machine-gun House and ZZ trench; a tactic designed to
catch the enemy as they manned the positions after the artillery ceased fire.
The Kingsmen were all standing-to and as the Officers blew their whistles four Companies
of 1/8th KLR, with three Companies of the 1st Battalion (1 KLR) on their left, advanced
through the early morning mist and smoke over the remains of the German front line
trench and into Guillemont
Nothing more was heard of the 1/8th Battalion. The Commanding Officer, who was
forbidden to accompany the assaulting companies, reported to his Brigade HQ at 0825
that “Have no information from my Battalion and unable to report situation. Can see my
men with my glasses manoeuvring on north-west crest of village.”
Next morning the Battalion reported a casualty list of 5 Officers and 10 soldiers killed, 8
Officers and 47 soldiers wounded and 502 soldiers missing. The Liverpool Irish had
ceased to exist.
On their flank, the subaltern commanding the survivors of 1st KLR, both the Commanding
Officer and Second-in-Command having been killed, reported that his strength was
reduced to 180 all ranks.
In due course the official report described that “As soon as they had got into the village it
appears that the enemy came up out of the ground below them and cut them off entirely by
means of machine guns. This is practically what happened on the previous attack on
Guillemont on 30th July, and it is possible that the village is an underground warren of
passages in which the garrison is immune from shellfire, and from which they can emerge
with their machine-guns after attacking infantry has passed over.”
Despite the heavy casualty list it was impossible to leave the situation as it was then, for
those Officers and Men of the 1st and 1/8th Battalions isolated in Guillemont might still be
holding out, waiting to be reinforced, or for their comrades to fight their way through and
relieve them. At 2030 that night fresh operation orders were issued to continue the attack
at 0420 on 9th August. The attacks again failed.
The misnomer that Guillemont was a village when it was attacked by the Liverpool Irish on 6 August 1916
Page 18
After the war it was possible to confirm that on the 8 August The King’s Regiment had lost
301 men killed and a further 143 on 9 August. In all the Regiment lost 2,313 men killed in
the fighting around Guillemont in July and August 1916.
As a postscript, the promotion of Nathan Neville Levene to Lieutenant was Gazetted
posthumously on 1 September 1916 and amended on 19 September to note that he was
officially Missing and not dead. However he was subsequently declared to have died on 8
August 1916 and he has no known grave. However, it is quite possible that he lies in a
grave “Known unto God” in Guillemont Road Cemetery.
Following the end of the war, he was posthumously awarded two medals, the British War
Medal and the Victory Medal which were posted in 1922 to 258 Hornby Road, Blackpool,
quite close to Blackpool Tower.
Research and article courtesy of
Lt Col Robin Hodges
5 DAYS OPERATIONAL SHOOTING COMPETITION
42 Infantry Brigade held a 5 days Operational Shooting Competition at Altcar Camp for
Regulars and Reservists.
On the final day the Brigade Commander presented Trophies to 4 LANCS, pictured below
(top), as the Top Team and to Sergeant Tex Morton, pictured below (bottom), as the Best
Shot.
(Photographs
(Photographs courtesy of Maj Roy Bevan MBE)
Page 19
TURNING THE LEAVES – LIVERPOOL ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL
THURSDAY 17TH MARCH 2016
1914-1918
.
LCPL C WEBSTER
PTE C WITHERS
PTE F YATES
TURNED BY
MAJOR DAVID GEE TD
5 KINGS
1939-1945
PTE H WOODS
PTE C WOODWARD
PTE S WORRAL
TURNED BY
DEREK THOROLD
1 KINGS
NORTHERN IRELAND
KGN R CHRISTOPHER
SGT D DOOLEY
KGN J GOLDS
TURNED BY
JAMES SMITH
10TH LIVERPOOL SCOTTISH
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED THE MARCH 2016
TURNING OF THE LEAVES.
THE NEXT TURNING OF THE LEAVES CEREMONIES WILL TAKE
PLACE AT THE LIVERPOOL ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL ON:
THURSDAY 9TH JUNE 2016 AT 5.30 PM
INCLUDING THE READING OF THE KOREAN WAR
ROLL OF HONOUR
FOLLOWED BY:
THURSDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER 2016 AT 5.30 PM
THURSDAY 3RD NOVEMBER 2016 AT 5.30 PM
Page 20
HOW THE BRANCH IS RUN
The Branch is managed by a management committee that meets quarterly at
1200hrs on selected Tuesdays at Walker House.
The committee is elected at the Annual General Meeting each year.
CURRENT COMMITTEE
BRANCH PRESIDENT
Lieutenant Colonel David Chadwick TD
CHAIRMAN
Major Eddie McMahon TD
SECRETARY
John Schofield
Telephone: 07788 994621
Email: [email protected]
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Eric Roper
Tele: 0151 733 5946
Mobile: 07951 785876
Email: [email protected]
TREASURER
Major Dennis Vickers TD
ASSISTANT TREASURER
Vacant
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
John Butler, Terry Caffrey, Major John Cashen, Stan Castell BEM,
Brian Green, Joe McLoughlin, Norman Pickles,
John Schofield, Russell Start, Ian Williams
STANDARD BEARERS
John Schofield, Stan Castell BEM, Brian Green, Ian Williams & Kenny Malam
Any of the above committee member can be contacted through:
c/o City Office Liverpool
The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment
Room 9, Walker House, Exchange Flags, Liverpool L2 3YL
Tele: 0151 242 2322
© Published by the King’s Regiment Association, Liverpool Branch
http://www.kral.org.uk/
Printed Version By:
The Print & Copy Centre, 7A Rose Lane, Mossley Hill, Liverpool L18 8AD
Telephone: 0151 724 1738