The ‘Camp Diary’ provides an insight into the Bedfordshire Training Depot (1914-16) and No.9 Command Depot (1916-1919) that followed. Based on newspaper reports of the time.
April 1917 – News of Ampthill Park recruits at the Front
Mr and Mrs William have received tragic confirmation that one of their sons has been killed. In the Somme region on August 9, last 26703 Private Thomas J. Money was reported as missing in action.
Bedfordshire Standard – April 20, 1917
After a quiet Spring the Bedfords’ have seen action in the allied offensive at Arras in France. Eighty-four Ampthill Recruits have been killed – 35 of the boys fell in the April 23rd attack at La Coulotte. One of these chaps – 26708 Private William J. SMITH of Dunstable – was awarded the Military Medal for his galant actions.
Source: The National Archives at Kew
Lieutenant Geoffrey de Cateret Millais survived the action and has been recommended to receive the Military Cross for “cool courage at LA COULOTTE on the 23rd inst. Though lying out in a shell hole all day a short distance from German wire when he was continually fired at with M.G. and Minnenwerfen which became intense and his retiring a problem, he despatched [?] later despite the fact that he knew this would draw attention to his position. One of the men with him was wounded. He also sent back two messages by power buzzer and was unable to withdraw until night” – war diary.
On April 29 ten Ampthill recruits were killed in action with the 4th Bedfords’ at the Battle of Oppywood. The Battalion attacked at dawn & captured its objective, was counter attacked and driven out and recaptured trench and consolidated it about 11.0 A.M. The trench was shelled heavily by German artillery all day – war diary.
- Casualties
17667 Lance Corporal Herbert CAMBERS (23) of Cople Killed in Action on April 8
23269 Private Francis R. TARRIER of Hitchin Died of Wounds on April 9
18591 Private Robert STERRY (19) of Huntingdon Killed in Action on April 11
27968 Private Frederick R. ALLEN (24) of Luton Killed in Action on April 12 – more
25171 Private Frank SOLESBURY (26) of Milton Ernest Killed in Action on April 12
10495 Lance Corporal Alfred WALDUCK (21) of Drayton Parslow Killed in Action on April 12
23773 Private William DEAN (24) of Eaton Socon Died of Wounds on April 14
20343 Private Thomas MINARDS (23) of Cranfield Killed in Action on April 14
23437 Private Ernest FOSTER of Potton Died of Wounds on April 15
23263 Private Wilfred STURGESS (20) of Barton Killed in Action on April 15
20356 Private Archibald LEWIN (30) of Harpenden Died of Wounds on April 16
23208 Lance Corporal Frederick G. SANDERS of Rushden Killed in Action on April 16
26704 Lance Corporal Herbert STUART (20) of Bedford Died of Wounds on April 16
20706 Sergeant John CROOK (24) of King’s Walden Died of Wounds on April 17
17697 Private Oliver F. HARPIN (24) of Bedford Killed in Action on April 18
22675 Private John SEARLE (19) of Eaton Ford Killed in Action on April 18
33511 Private Joseph SIMCOE (25) of Roxton Killed in Action on April 18
22851 Private William J. ABBOTT (25) of Marston Shelton Killed in Action on April 19
201447 Private Frederick C. F. BIRD (22) of Great Staughton Killed in Action on April 19
20478 Private Alfred CARRINGTON (32) of Dean Died of Wounds on April 19
20276 Private Lewis E. LAMBERT (19) of Wootton Killed in Action on April 19
23067 Private Frederick PARKINS (34) of Dunstable Killed in Action on April 19
203213 Private Frank WHITE of Bedford Killed in Action on April 19
23539 Private Alfred J. MEDLOCK (26) of Wrestlingworth Killed in Action on April 20 – more
29512 Private Thomas E. REDDING (33) of Leighton Buzzard Killed in Action on April 20
23623 Lance Corporal Arthur SAUNDERS (24) of Watford Killed in Action on April 21
31508 Private Ralph MARSHALL (22) of Luton Died of Wounds on April 22
17940 Private Herbert ASHTON of Pulloxhill Killed in Action on April 23
30819 Private Alfred BRUNT (37) of Biggleswade Killed in Action on April 23
18122 Private Archibald W. BURR (30) of Bedford Killed in Action on April 23
25124 Private Cyril COOK (21) of Cranfield Killed in Action on April 23
22802 Private Alfred T. COPPERWHEAT (25) of Marston Killed in Action on April 23
22019 Corporal George DILLEY (33) of Biggleswade Killed in Action on April 23
23044 Private George DRAGE (24) of Royston Killed in Action on April 23
27502 Private Archie B. DRAGE (26) of Bozeat Killed in Action on April 23
27352 Private Stanley FEW (25) of Great Whyte Killed in Action on April 23
2nd Lieutenant Thomas M. K. FLETCHER (27) of Kempston Killed in Action on April 23
20099 Private Harry FOUNTAIN (29) of Markyate Killed in Action on April 23
23078 Private Frederick GADSBY (20) of Riseley Killed in Action on April 23
23211 Private Jack GAUGE of Biggleswade Killed in Action on April 23
27645 Private Thomas GORE of Shefford Killed in Action on April 23
23327 Private Reuben GRAY (32) of Ramsey St. Mary Killed in Action on April 23
18116 Private Arthur GRAY (35) of Broom Killed in Action on April 23
23086 Private Joseph HANDSCOMBE (20) of Pirton Killed in Action on April 23
22837 Private Herbert HUCKLE (34) of Marston Killed in Action on April 23
23415 Private Hubert ISLIP (18) of Stilton Killed in Action on April 23
18611 Private Thomas JANES (37) of Dunstable Killed in Action on April 23
22836 Private Frederick JOHNSON (24) of Cranfield Killed in Action on April 23
23286 Corporal Alfred KEEP (26) of Stagsden Killed in Action on April 23
23304 Private Frederick LAYTON (23) of Royston Killed in Action on April 23
20175 Private Charles MARDLE (37) of Caddington Killed in Action on April 23
18626 Private William T. NEAL (35) of St Neots Died of Wounds on April 23
18641 Sergeant George E. PETERS (21) of Baldock Killed in Action on April 23
23219 Private Oliver G. RAWLINGS (21) of Earith Killed in Action on April 23
23217 Private Herbert RICH of Souldrop Killed in Action on April 23
22011 Private Sidney ROBERTS (21) of Leighton Buzzard Killed in Action on April 23
18904 Private Ernest J. SMITH of Knotting Died of Wounds on April 23
26708 Private William J. SMITH M.M. of Dunstable Killed in Action on April 23
23473 Private Thomas STOCKER of Dunton Killed in Action on April 23
23283 Private Alfred J. TIBBLES (21) of Rickmansworth Killed in Action on April 23
26768 Private Horace WEEDON (22) of Shillington Killed in Action on April 23
23357 Private Arthur G. WOODING (20) of Ridgmont Killed in Action on April 23
25889 Private Edmund J. BLUNDEN (28) of Dunstable Died of Wounds on April 24
26133 Private John PIGGOT (20) of Tilsworth Killed in Action on April 24
23414 Private Ernest T. SMITH of Dunstable Killed in Action on April 25
18798 Private William J. WEBSTER (33) of Baldock Died of Wounds on April 25
23503 Private Richard W. PUTMAN (20) of Ampthill Died of Wounds on April 26
18939 Private Ernest CURRINGTON (31) of Yelling Killed in Action on April 28
20425 Private Albert MILLER (20 ) of Filgrave Died of Wounds on April 28
20582 Lance Corporal Frederick TURNER (23 of Hitchin Killed in Action on April 28
23285 Private Thomas H. DURHAM (38) of St. Neots Killed in Action on April 29
18439 Private Arthur EAMES of Sundon Killed in Action on April 29
23360 Acting Corporal John EDWARDS of Souldrop Killed in Action on April 29
23247 Private William LAWRENCE of St Albans Killed in Action on April 29
22956 Private Frederick G. MANNING of Luton Killed in Action on April 29
23068 Lance Sergeant Frederick MARLOW (21) of Sundon Killed in Action on April 29
22970 Private William PEDDAR of Flitwick Killed in Action on April 29
25135 Private Frederick J. REYNOLDS (19) of Biggleswade Killed in Action on April 29
18891 Private Reginald SECKER (34) of St Ives Killed in Action on April 29
23477 Private Corbet C. SMITH (29) of Northampton Killed in Action on April 29
12145 Private Reginald SMITH of Langford Killed in Action on April 29
22754 Private Sidney L. READ (24) of Stevenage Died of Wounds on April 30
23725 Private Arthur WORBOYS (33) of Guilden Morden Died of Wounds on April 30
Fifty-nine of these 83 Ampthill recruits have no known grave.
Source:
The Bedfordshire Standard. The original broadsheet is part of the Bedfordshire & Luton Archive.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
RBL Roll of Honour
Bedsatwar blog
Bedsathome blog
Www.bedfordshireregiment.co.uk
Next installment to be published on 31 May 2017….
Text and images copyright S.Hartley (2015-)
Care is taken to ensure accuracy – please accept my apologies if the content contains any errors.
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