The nth Bel. The Queen's Royal
Regiment
Their Service in the Salient
THE YPRES TIMES
145
THIS battalion of the New Armies was raised in Lambeth in 1915 by the
Mayor, Sir Charles Gibbs, and was commanded by Lieut.-Colonel H. B. Burnaby,
D.S.O., from the time of its inception until he was killed at Delville Wood in
September, 1916.
After training in Brockwell Park and at Aldershot, the nth Queen's proceeded
overseas with the 41st Division (Major-General Sir Sydney Lawford, K.C.B.,) in May,
1916. For the next two months the unit divided its time between holding the line
near Ploegsteert and occupying reserve positions in Le Bizet, on the Franco-Belgian
frontier.
For most of September, 1916, and part of October, the battalion was engaged in
the long-drawn-out Battle of the Somme. After participating in the capture of Flers,
the nth Queen's, now under command of Lieut.-Colonel R. Otter, M.C., was sent
north. During the winter of 1916-17, it held the line in the region of the Bluff, which
was taken over from the 52nd Battalion of the Australian Infantry. Battalion Head
quarters was at Spoilbank alongside the Ypres-Comines Canal.
When relieved by the nth Royal West Kents, the nth Queen's moved back to
rest huts in Alberta Camp, near Reninghelst. These inter-battalion changes, which
took place usually at five-day intervals, involved a long and tiring march via Ouderdom
and Dickebusch. The enemy were not very active during these months, but our men
were kept busy improving the system of trenches and repairing damage from shell-fire.
In January, 1917, a very successful raid was made on the trenches opposite our
position. Wearing white duck uniforms and white-washed equipment, making them
inconspicuous against the snow-covered ground, the raiders, numbering sixty, sprang
a surprise on the enemy, inflicted heavy losses on them and brought back two prisoners.
Captain E. G. Bowden, who was in command, subsequently received the Military Cross
for this night's work.
During the spring of 1917 the battalion was withdrawn from the line to train for
the Battle of Messines.
On June 7th, at 3.10 a.m., the nth Queen's, under command of Major H. Wardell,
advanced from the line Mud PatchTriangular Wood (east of Saint Eloi) to the attack.
Both objectives were captured, the secondthe Dammstrassewas consolidated and
held, while later in the day another brigade of the division continued the attack through
this position. Major Wardell, who was later awarded the D.S.O., was badly wounded
in the head during the attack. The battalion continued to occupy the Dammstrasse
until June 12th, when it moved back to Voormezeele where it refitted and commenced
training for the Third Battle of Ypres.
This protracted engagement opened on July 22nd, 1917, with an eight-day
preliminary bombardment. The enemy countered our artillery preparation most
vigorously and took a toll of casualties during these days of waiting and preparing.
At 3.50 a.m., on July 31st, the nth Queen's advanced from tapes which had previously
been laid out near Battle Wood. In spite of the deep mud, following the creeping
barrage, our men captured their first objective with little difficulty. After this the
heavy going prevented the troops keeping up with the barrage, and as they drew near
to their second and final objective they found themselves held up by German machine
guns firing from pill-boxes. In spite of several gallant attempts no further progress
