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June 2005
THE EMPIRES WAR EFFORT 5. Newfoundland The island of Newfoundland was then a British colony and had not yet federated with Canada. Its population was only about 250,000 and there were no military forces although there were some 580 Royal Newfoundland Naval Reservists. Despite its small population nearly 12,000 of its citizens served in the army, navy or forestry corps or as nurses. In addition an unknown number of Newfoundlanders served in the merchant navy in the war zones. The Royal Newfoundland Regiment was quickly formed and sent a battalion overseas in September 1915 where it joined the regulars of the 29th Division in Gallipoli. It suffered 142 casualties there. On the conclusion of that campaign it went with the 29th Division to France. On 1 July 1916 it attacked Beaumont Hamel and gained the unenviable distinction of suffering the heaviest casualties of any battalion that day. It had gone into action about 800 strong but only eighty-eight unwounded men answered the roll call at the end of the day. In February 1916 it transferred to the 9th (Scottish) Division. Throughout the war it suffered 3481 dead, wounded, missing or prisoner of war. Some 480 members of the Newfoundland Forestry Corps served overseas, so far as I can discover, in the UK. Members of the Regiment gained a total of 289 honours and awards including one VC, four DSOs, thirty-seven MCs, thirty-two DCMs and115MMs. It is worth mentioning that Newfoundland provided the pay and allowances of the Regiment as well as equipping it before embarkation for active service. FIGHTING FOR PEACE On 30 June 1917 the Birmingham Post reported that a Kidderminster sweet shop owner had been before the Kidderminster magistrates under the Defence of the Realm Regulations, charged with withholding information from the police. A policeman, Detective Sergeant Jones testified that he went to the accused's house to obtain information for military purposes about the accused's discharged soldier son. The defendant refused to say anything on principle. On a later day Detective Sergeant Jones and Inspector Smith visited the accused's house. They were again refused information. Inspector Smith tried to reason with the accused saying that they wanted very little information but the defendant got what the Birmingham Post called "very excited' and said "Hang you and the military authorities; get out of my shop or I will throw you out. Mammon is your master and their's too." The Inspector pointed out that there were heavy penalties for withholding information from the military but the accused replied that 'I do not care for you or the military authorities.' The accused then claimed that he could raise a rebellion in Kidderminster in half an hour and the country in a week. According to the Birmingham Post the accused 'raved about the shop like a madman' and threatened Inspector Smith with violence. Fortunately the aggressively pacifist shopkeeper was restrained by his wife and daughter. Once the prosecution had made its case, the defendant made his. He said that he honoured men who voluntarily joined the military but objected to military or other intimidation. What decision did the magistrates come to? Did they send the accused to prison and if so for how long? impose a fine? impose a probation order? For answers see below. J.PLethbridge
REARGUARD AT ETREUX After the gallant stand of II Corps at Le Cateau on 26 August 1914, the BEF was not seriously threatened during the rest of the Retreat From Mons. That is not to say that there were no further fierce actions before the Retreat was over. One such action was the fight at Etreaux next day by 2nd Bn The Royal Munster Fusiliers which, together with 1st Coldstream Guards, 1st Scots Guards and 1st Black Watch made up the 1st (Guards) Brigade under Brigadier General Maxse. On the morning of the 27th the brigade was acting as rearguard for the retirement of the 1st Division in Haig's Corps which had not seen much fighting. Maxse's orders to the battalions were to hold their positions until ordered or forced to retire which they should do along agreed routes. By mid- day the rest of the division was clear and at 1300 hours, Maxse ordered his battalions to retire at once. Unfortunately the order never reached the Munsters despite having been sent by two different routes. The other battalions retired as ordered which left the Munsters dangerously isolated at a time when the enemy commenced exerting pressure against them. The battalion, which had a cavalry troop and a field artillery section under command, held firm until increasing enemy pressure caused the acting CO, the rather portly Major Charrier, to decide that it was time to go in accordance with his original orders. The battalion then conducted a fighting withdrawal towards Etreux during which their superior fieldcraft and marksmanship enabled them to inflict heavy casualties on the enemy with little cost to themselves. On nearing that village at about 17.45 hours, however, they came under heavy fire which destroyed one of the two field guns. The planned withdrawal of the other battalions had allowed the Germans to take Etreux so that the Munsters' line of retreat was now blocked. The battalion was now taking heavy casualties and Major Charrier led a number of very gallant attacks trying to clear the village but without success. When the crew of the second gun attempted to go into action they were shot down. During one of these attacks the adjutant fired his pistol through a loop hole in an enemy held house and was struck on the head and stunned by a falling brick. All this gallantry and determination was of no avail and by 1900 hours the enemy commenced attacking the battalion. Major Charrier was killed and casualties were so heavy that the remnants of the battalion under command of the only officer left, a lieutenant, formed an all round position in an orchard just short of the village. At 2100 hours the 250 men with ammunition running short were finally overwhelmed. The Munsters had been fighting against six battalions for nearly twelve hours and had delayed the enemy advance for at least six hours so, the Official Historian considers, the destruction of the battalion was not in vain. What was left of 2nd Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers was replaced in 1st Brigade in September and withdrawn to Army Troops in order to re-form. It later joined 3rd Brigade in its old division. Answer, (a) Two months < BOOK OF THE MONTH No 282, To Win a War The Year of Victory by John Terraine, a readable, accurate and balanced account of the momentous events of 1918. A fitting tribute to the army's part in final victory. Bob
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The Bulletin of the Birmingham Branch of the WFA Compiled by Bob Butcher |
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