1917

Reggie returns from his time with the 76th Brigade and a period of leave.

The 8th KORL see time in the front line near Serre and then spend time in training in Courcelles.

Reggie has to go to the Field Ambulance. While Reggie at the field ambualnce, the 8th KORL move to an area behind the front line West of Vimy and Arras.

While Reggie is at the Field Ambulance, the 8th KORL spend time under Major B.H.H. Perry in various lines of training, spend some in providing work parties in Arras and finally move back behind the lines.

Reggie returns to the 8th KORL from the Field Ambulance that he has attended since January.

The 8th KORL provide working parties and spend time in training in preparation for the coming 3rd Battle of Arras.

On the 9th, the 8th KORL are involved in the Battle of Arras in operations around Guémappe and Monchy-le-Preux with Reggie personally leading the Battalion into battle.

Reggie is wounded on the 11th while but remains at duty.

The 8th KORL move back to Arras to recover and are thanked by the G.O.C. 3rd Division. On the 23rd move back to the front east of Monchy-le-Preux and help defend the town from German attack for 3 days.

It is for one of these actions that Reggie is awarded D.S.O. in the 1918 New Year’s Honours.

The 8th KORL are relieved from their duty in the  trenches east of Monchy and spend a couple of days resting and cleaning near Arras.

On the 4th they move back to trenches on Brown Line near Chapelle de Feuchy.

On the night of the 5th/6th May Reggie writes a letter to his sister, Helen, describing meeting their brother, Donald of the 4th SAI, probably during the day of the 5th May. You can read the full letter in the “More” page of this entry. 

On the 12th, the 8th KORL attacked Devil’s Trench to the East of Arras and North of Monchy-le-Preux in order to secure their positions at Monchy. The action was not a success after being met with heavy rifle fire and many losses.

The Germans retaliated with heavy bombardment of Monchy on the 13th and 14th and then the 8th KORL were relieved and moved back to west of Arras where the cookers provided breakfast.

The 8th KORL moved further west of Arras where they stayed for 2 weeks rest and recovering. They received a letter of appreciation from Brigadier-General Porter, GOC of the 76th Brigade, for their efforts at Monchy and Guémappe.

The 8th KORL moves back to Arras and supplied many work parties trench digging around Arras.

On the 12th, the 8th KORL moves back to the area around Monchy-le-Preux and, on the 14th, they acted in support of a wider attack on Infantry Hill east of Monchy which was eventually taken and held despite concerted attempts by Germans to retake the hill.

On the 20th, the 76th Brigade (including the 8th KORL) was relieved and marched back into Arras for rest and baths. They were then bused to billets in Halloy where they stayed until the end of the month.

On the 21st, Reggie went on a brief leave to England with Major B.H.H. Perry taking over command of the battalion.

The 8th KORL move to an area close to Louverval about 10 miles south-east of Monchy. Reggie returned from leave on the 6th.

On the 10th, the battalion moved into trenches at Louverval. Here life in the trenches was quiet and they spent a week in relative peace compared to the frantic action they had experienced during May and June just a few miles further north.

On the 18th, the 8th KORL moved to Fremicourt for some well-deserved R&R and baths.

On the 24th, they were back in action in the trenches and again it was relatively peaceful with just the occasional skirmish until the end of the month. For this tour, Major B.H.H. Perry was in command so that Reggie could spend a few days on attachment with the Heavy Artillery.

The 8th KORL spent August alternating between camp at Fremicourt and the trenches near Louverval.

While in camp they engage in training and in many activities designed to raise the spirits of the battalion. They have boxing matches, tent pitching competitions and concerts.

Again, as last month, the two weeks that they spend at the front are quiet.

The 8th KORL spends the first part of the month in both skills and physical training.

The C.O. of the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards (Reggie’s own Regiment) watches the 8th KORL practice an attack on the 17th and, on the 18th, the battalion moves north to camp west of Ypres in preparation for an attack on the 26th.

The camp is not in a good state and the battalion spends time making it habitable.

The battalion is in position for the attack at 12.45 am on the 26th and has to wait a long 5 hours for zero hour.

The Battle of Polygon Wood was launched at 5.50am on the 26th September. The 8th KORL succeed in taking Tokio and Mühle Farms on the outskirts of Zonnebeke and hold on to those positions until relieved on the 29th.

The Brigade G.O.C. thanks the 8th KORL for their efforts at Polygon Wood. The battalion move south to the Bullecourt area just north of where they had been at Louverval back in July.

The trenches at Bullecourt are no worse than they had been at Louverval and the time that the battalion spends at Bullecourt are relatively quiet.

8th KORL take turns with the 10th Royal Welsh Fusiliers in the trenches at Bullecourt interspersed with camp at Mory. They are visited in the line by several senior officers including Gen. E. Allenby & Maj.Gen. C.J. Deverell.

On the 12th, Reggie left the line for a trip to Paris. The journey is not described as “on leave”. He returned to the battalion on the 24th.

The 8th KORL are in the trenches at Bullecourt. They send out a couple of patrols to search for weak spots in the enemy’s defences.

They then spend time in camp at Mory in cleaning, playing sports and having concerts.

On the 12th they are back in the trenches repairing damage caused largely by the bad recent weather.

Back in camp at Mory, they receive a delivery of Christmas Puddings well in time for next month. They spend more time playing sports and having concerts.

Finally, at the very end of the month, they are back in the trenches at Bullecourt on the receiving end of gas shells.

The 8th KORL are in the line at Bullecourt again but this time it is getting more lively from around the 10th/11th with much more artillery usage from both sides.

On the 19th, Reggie goes on leave to England leaving Major Lawrence (who had joined from the 1st Gordon Highlanders on the 12th) in command. Major Lawrence pronounces the Christmas dinner as being the best one he has had in France.

Major Lawrence moves onto another command leaving Capt.H.N.Morgan, Reggie’s erstwhile adjutant, in command.

The battalion spends the New Year in Hendecourt a few miles north-west of Mory where the officers attend a successful dinner party.