George Williams grave
Transcription
Transcription history
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For information only:
Information taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment, 31st Division, Infantry Brigade, images 746/747:)
Page 1
ATTACK AT SERRE, 13TH Nov. 1916.
Report of O.C. "D" Coy. 13th Battn. E.YORK.R.
Before Zero
Objective. German 3rd line and left flanking C.T. Men all assembled correctly. No losses in Coy. during the night.
No Man's Land reconnoitred - in touch with attacking troops right and left.
Lieut. WOOD commanding 16 Platoon with Battn bombers.
Objective (a)
Lieut. PETERS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (b)
Lieut. GLOVER commanding 14 Platoon.
Objective (c)
Lieut. LEWIS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (d)
ZERO.
Zero hour, owing to thick fog, was dark instead of dawn, as it should have been. One could only control those men with whom one was in immediate contact, i.e. in my own case, Coy. H.Q. group. Men a few yards away were merely dark moving figures dimly seen by light of barrage.
This was the limit of one's vision, and the thing developed into a night attack.
Each platoon stated off at a fixed time, following close behind barrage with leading companies (A & B). Owing to uncut wire, in front of German first line, it had been arranged for two platoons to go left and two right of it and spread out afterwards.
I led my Coy. H.Q. past the crater to the right of uncut wire, entering 1st German line immediately behind "A" Coy. and followed on close behind the barrage. No single spot of ground seemed free from shell holes and churned mud and water and we sank below the knee in places. One of our shells fell in the middle of Coy. H.Q. and knock out or disabled some 8 men or so near German front line. Picked up Battn. bombers here who had lost connection with Lieut. WOOD, and two 12 E.York R. men, soon afterwards.
We pushed on, still keeping close to barrage, to the 2nd German line, none of our men were yet in it. Huns must have been in dugouts. We bombed two where we crossed and pushed on with barrage to our objective, the 3rd line. The ground was so churned up and light nil that you could not see trenches till you crossed them.
Some men wished to stay in 2nd line, as no one else was there, as no one else was there, but easily persuaded them to come on to their objective. Got to a spot marked .X. about 15 yards from 3rd line in C.T. where I'd previously arranged to have Coy. H.Q. for convenience in helping to organise "D" and "C" Companies in consolidation etc.
We then attempted to work along trench to get touch with platoons, but found trench blown to pieces by shell fire. Progress over ground was now made impossible by German machine gun fire as close quarters - one could see a little now and we had to fight where we stood.
Immediately I'd got there, I sent to runners back with messages as to our position (these I heard afterwards were captured). We sent off red flares, but no aeroplanes were up. Germans were in 3rd line and a fire fight commenced. Meanwhile I looked round for signs of our men, left and right, but failed to find any and soon came to conclusion we were the only little party who had reached the 3rd line.Page 2
I had no Lewis Gun with me but about 8 rifles. The Germans were reinforcing the 3rd line on our right front and we were able to get them in the open as single men came over.
Presently, away on the right (100 yards off) I heard a Lewis Gun and felt certain some of our men in the Suffolks must be there but found a Hun was using it, pointing towards the German 2nd line.
I was then convinced no one was on my left and no one on my immediate right but felt certain with must have 1st and 2nd lines.
Continued fire fight, expecting our people would make another attempt to soon gain the 3rd line.
Later, again 100 or 150 yards to the right rear a few men were seen standing up as if beckoning for help, these proved to be Huns, and we thought, they thought we were Huns too, and were wanting reinforcements so opened fire on them.
They would be about where the Suffolks should have joined us, ("C" Coy. ) on the right and in a C.T. between 2nd and 3rd lines.
They disappeared, but soon men in file began to move out of the trench over the top towards our lines - I thought they were Hun prisoners going back but found them to be Englishmen prisoners being marched in file by Huns, about 30 or 40, then along behind me near their 2nd line and up on my left.
This proved at all event we were not holding the German 2nd line as I'd expected.
This was about 11 o'clock. I think prisoners were Suffolks, could not recognise any of our men in the distance.
Germans now sent small parties in squad formations to attack us - then floundered in the mud, and became an easy prey to our rifles when we'd allowed them to get within a few yards.
Again some of our men were marched as prisoners from my right rear flank behind me and upon my left flank along the same track as the first party.
We were getting shelling from our own guns now from far away on the right rear somewhere and we hoped for possible renewed attack.
One other small attacking party against us failed and then snipers tried to jump from shell hole to shell hole and get at us, but failed. They had not much chance, these were killed.
German 3rd line was now full of Germans, impossible to get at them owing to machine gun fire and mud.
It was after midday and I decided to hang on till dark, then get back by bombing through first and second Hun line if necessary.
Eight or nine of us showed up and tried to get 3rd line Huns to come over but they were a stout lot and there was nothing doing.
I had a man looking our in rear and while engaged with enemy in front he suddenly told me more were coming up in rear.
I got round to see and found thirty or more Suffolk men prisoners (unarmed) coming straight over us - I caught one to try and get out of him some information, but Huns followed behind these fellows and were beginning to shoot them down because we were there armed, either these fellows, prisoners had to be murdered or we had to give in. While considering for a second what to do the Huns had us.
This was between 3 and 3.30 in the afternoon. Eight of us were captured, I think.
I am certain, if it wasn't that we had the bad luck to have these prisoners come right over us with Huns behind, we should have been able to hold on till dark (one more hour) and get back with information off dead Huns.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment, 31st Division, Infantry Brigade, images 761/2)
Statement made to W. O. War Office by Captain R.M. Woolley
"D" Coy. 13/E. Yorks. Regt., 92/Bde., 31/Div.,Captured 18.11.16 at SERRE
----------------
13th E. Yorks. Regt. were on the left flank of attack made by our forces on SERRE & BEAUMONT HAMEL on 13.11.16.
I was senior officer of the Battn. to go into the attack and was commanding "D" Coy. whose objective was the German 3rd line & communication head which was to act as a fleshing head from the German 2nd - German 3rd Lines. The main difficulties in the attack where these -
(1) Owing to fog at 6.45 a.m. Zero hour- instead of it being light it was pitch dark and the thing developed into a night attack which made it difficult to circumvent uncut wire in front of 1st line (platoons had to go either side) and to get touch again.
(2) The mud and churned up condition of the ground made progress in darkness very difficult and most of the "B" Coy. i.e. Company George Roberts belonged to whose objective was the German 2nd line and the platoons of my Company were bogged, and before the officers could get the men on, enemy machine guns were in use and my men had to fight when they were just near German 2nd line.
(3) The Germans could re-inforce their 2nd line in force, owing to the Suffolks on our Battn's right losing their direction in the darkness going to the right and leaving a C.T. Communication Trench unoccupied. With my Coy. H.Q. Signallers, runners etc. the very men could look after personally until we reached our objective. I struck ground which could be got over and we reached our objective German 3rd line with the barrage. 8 of my Coy. H.Q. were knocked out by shell whilst advancing. I sent communication back at once on reaching there but afterwards found both runners had been captured.
We lit flares as ordered but no aeroplanes were up owing to fog. I had 12 all ranks in German 3rd line which was empty when I arrived, I found no one within 150 yards of me right or left.
No one near us go tot the 3rd line either Suffolks or E. York.
We made defence of part of the line. Third line was afterwards strongly reinforced left and right of us. we were able to damage them with rifle fire whilst reinforcing (no Lewis guns with me). They didn't get to bombing distance of us, but got heavy M.G. Machine Gun fire and rifle fire on us.
The attacked twice in squad formation over ground - a hopeless proceeding, they stuck in mud badly and when quite close we shot them down. Snipers killed too, jumping from shell hole to shell hole, these were killed.
We every moment expected our forces to re attack to take further objectives, we though we must have 1st and 2nd line but communication owing to M.G. fire was impossible & C.T.s were blown in and unusable.
We got heavily shelled by our own guns during the morning but we failed to be reinforced, so after a long fight decided to hold on the night and then retire by bombing through 1st and 2nd lines if necessary.
No one was in 2nd German line after all, as about 11 a.m. 40 or so British were marched back in file from my right rear, between me and German 2nd line over ground as prisoners. A similar proceeding took place an hour later.
We showed ourselves in force, tried to get Huns who we were fighting to come over, but they were strong in numbers and stout fighters and refused to some. Later whilst still fighting Huns just in front of us in part of their 3rd line, a man looking out behind warned me, I looked round to find 30 or so of our own men (Suffolks) prisoners, coming right on and before I could do anything Germans coming up behind them and with them in greater numbers were on us, our own captured men prevented my being able to fight without killing them. I was wounded in the thigh.
8 all ranks and self were captured about 3 to 3.30 p.m.
3 of my officers were killed: Lt. Wood, Lt. Lewis, and 2nd Lt. Peters. -
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For information only:
Information taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment, 31st Division, Infantry Brigade, images 746/747:)
Page 1
ATTACK AT SERRE, 13TH Nov. 1916.
Report of O.C. "D" Coy. 13th Battn. E.YORK.R.
Before Zero
Objective. German 3rd line and left flanking C.T. Men all assembled correctly. No losses in Coy. during the night.
No Man's Land reconnoitred - in touch with attacking troops right and left.
Lieut. WOOD commanding 16 Platoon with Battn bombers.
Objective (a)
Lieut. PETERS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (b)
Lieut. GLOVER commanding 14 Platoon.
Objective (c)
Lieut. LEWIS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (d)
ZERO.
Zero hour, owing to thick fog, was dark instead of dawn, as it should have been. One could only control those men with whom one was in immediate contact, i.e. in my own case, Coy. H.Q. group. Men a few yards away were merely dark moving figures dimly seen by light of barrage.
This was the limit of one's vision, and the thing developed into a night attack.
Each platoon stated off at a fixed time, following close behind barrage with leading companies (A & B). Owing to uncut wire, in front of German first line, it had been arranged for two platoons to go left and two right of it and spread out afterwards.
I led my Coy. H.Q. past the crater to the right of uncut wire, entering 1st German line immediately behind "A" Coy. and followed on close behind the barrage. No single spot of ground seemed free from shell holes and churned mud and water and we sank below the knee in places. One of our shells fell in the middle of Coy. H.Q. and knock out or disabled some 8 men or so near German front line. Picked up Battn. bombers here who had lost connection with Lieut. WOOD, and two 12 E.York R. men, soon afterwards.
We pushed on, still keeping close to barrage, to the 2nd German line, none of our men were yet in it. Huns must have been in dugouts. We bombed two where we crossed and pushed on with barrage to our objective, the 3rd line. The ground was so churned up and light nil that you could not see trenches till you crossed them.
Some men wished to stay in 2nd line, as no one else was there, as no one else was there, but easily persuaded them to come on to their objective. Got to a spot marked .X. about 15 yards from 3rd line in C.T. where I'd previously arranged to have Coy. H.Q. for convenience in helping to organise "D" and "C" Companies in consolidation etc.
We then attempted to work along trench to get touch with platoons, but found trench blown to pieces by shell fire. Progress over ground was now made impossible by German machine gun fire as close quarters - one could see a little now and we had to fight where we stood.
Immediately I'd got there, I sent to runners back with messages as to our position (these I heard afterwards were captured). We sent off red flares, but no aeroplanes were up. Germans were in 3rd line and a fire fight commenced. Meanwhile I looked round for signs of our men, left and right, but failed to find any and soon came to conclusion we were the only little party who had reached the 3rd line.Page 2
I had no Lewis Gun with me but about 8 rifles. The Germans were reinforcing the 3rd line on our right front and we were able to get them in the open as single men came over.
Presently, away on the right (100 yards off) I heard a Lewis Gun and felt certain some of our men in the Suffolks must be there but found a Hun was using it, pointing towards the German 2nd line.
I was then convinced no one was on my left and no one on my immediate right but felt certain with must have 1st and 2nd lines.
Continued fire fight, expecting our people would make another attempt to soon gain the 3rd line.
Later, again 100 or 150 yards to the right rear a few men were seen standing up as if beckoning for help, these proved to be Huns, and we thought, they thought we were Huns too, and were wanting reinforcements so opened fire on them.
They would be about where the Suffolks should have joined us, ("C" Coy. ) on the right and in a C.T. between 2nd and 3rd lines.
They disappeared, but soon men in file began to move out of the trench over the top towards our lines - I thought they were Hun prisoners going back but found them to be Englishmen prisoners being marched in file by Huns, about 30 or 40, then along behind me near their 2nd line and up on my left.
This proved at all event we were not holding the German 2nd line as I'd expected.
This was about 11 o'clock. I think prisoners were Suffolks, could not recognise any of our men in the distance.
Germans now sent small parties in squad formations to attack us - then floundered in the mud, and became an easy prey to our rifles when we'd allowed them to get within a few yards.
Again some of our men were marched as prisoners from my right rear flank behind me and upon my left flank along the same track as the first party.
We were getting shelling from our own guns now from far away on the right rear somewhere and we hoped for possible renewed attack.
One other small attacking party against us failed and then snipers tried to jump from shell hole to shell hole and get at us, but failed. They had not much chance, these were killed.
German 3rd line was now full of Germans, impossible to get at them owing to machine gun fire and mud.
It was after midday and I decided to hang on till dark, then get back by bombing through first and second Hun line if necessary.
Eight or nine of us showed up and tried to get 3rd line Huns to come over but they were a stout lot and there was nothing doing.
I had a man looking our in rear and while engaged with enemy in front he suddenly told me more were coming up in rear.
I got round to see and found thirty or more Suffolk men prisoners (unarmed) coming straight over us - I caught one to try and get out of him some information, but Huns followed behind these fellows and were beginning to shoot them down because we were there armed, either these fellows, prisoners had to be murdered or we had to give in. While considering for a second what to do the Huns had us.
This was between 3 and 3.30 in the afternoon. Eight of us were captured, I think.
I am certain, if it wasn't that we had the bad luck to have these prisoners come right over us with Huns behind, we should have been able to hold on till dark (one more hour) and get back with information off dead Huns.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment, 31st Division, Infantry Brigade, images 761/2)
Statement made to W. O. War Office by Captain R.M. Woolley
"D" Coy. 13/E. Yorks. Regt., 92/Bde., 31/Div.,Captured 18.11.16 at SERRE
----------------
13th E. Yorks. Regt. were on the left flank of attack made by our forces on SERRE & BEAUMONT HAMEL on 13.11.16.
I was senior officer of the Battn. to go into the attack and was commanding "D" Coy. whose objective was the German 3rd line & communication head which was to act as a fleshing head from the German 2nd - German 3rd Lines. The main difficulties in the attack where these -
(1) Owing to fog at 6.45 a.m. Zero hour- instead of it being light it was pitch dark and the thing developed into a night attack which made it difficult to circumvent uncut wire in front of 1st line (platoons had to go either side) and to get touch again.
(2) The mud and churned up condition of the ground made progress in darkness very difficult and most of the "B" Coy. i.e. Company George Roberts belonged to whose objective was the German 2nd line and the platoons of my Company were bogged, and before the officers could get the men on, enemy machine guns were in use and my men had to fight when they were just near German 2nd line.
(3) The Germans could re-inforce their 2nd line in force, owing to the Suffolks on our Battn's right losing their direction in the darkness going to the right and leaving a C.T. Communication Trench unoccupied. With my Coy. H.Q. Signallers, runners etc. the very men could look after personally until we reached our objective. I struck ground which could be got over and we reached our objective German 3rd line with the barrage. 8 of my Coy. H.Q. were knocked out by shell whilst advancing. I sent communication back at once on reaching there but afterwards found both runners had been captured.
We lit flares as ordered but no aeroplanes were up owing to fog. I had 12 all ranks in German 3rd line which was empty when I arrived, I found no one within 150 yards of me right or left.
No one near us go tot the 3rd line either Suffolks or E. York.
We made defence of part of the line. Third line was afterwards strongly reinforced left and right of us. we were able to damage them with rifle fire whilst reinforcing (no Lewis guns with me). They didn't get to bombing distance of us, but got heavy M.G. Machine Gun fire and rifle fire on us.
The attacked twice in squad formation over ground - a hopeless proceeding, they stuck in mud badly and when quite close we shot them down. Snipers killed too, jumping from shell hole to shell hole, these were killed.
We every moment expected our forces to re attack to take further objectives, we though we must have 1st and 2nd line but communication owing to M.G. fire was impossible & C.T.s were blown in and unusable.
We got heavily shelled by our own guns during the morning but we failed to be reinforced, so after a long fight decided to hold on the night and then retire by bombing through 1st and 2nd lines if necessary.
No one was in 2nd German line after all, as about 11 a.m. 40 or so British were marched back in file from my right rear, between me and German 2nd line over ground as prisoners. A similar proceeding took place an hour later.
We showed ourselves in force, tried to get Huns who we were fighting to come over, but they were strong in numbers and stout fighters and refused to some. Later whilst still fighting Huns just in front of us in part of their 3rd line, a man looking out behind warned me, I looked round to find 30 or so of our own men (Suffolks) prisoners, coming right on and before I could do anything Germans coming up behind them and with them in greater numbers were on us, our own captured men prevented my being able to fight without killing them. I was wounded in the thigh.
8 all ranks and self were captured about 3 to 3.30 p.m.
3 of my officers were killed: Lt. Wood, Lt. Lewis, and 2nd Lt. Peters.
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For information only:
Information taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment, 31st Division, Infantry Brigade, images 746/747:)
Page 1
ATTACK AT SERRE, 13TH Nov. 1916.
Report of O.C. "D" Coy. 13th Battn. E.YORK.R.
Before Zero
Objective. German 3rd line and left flanking C.T. Men all assembled correctly. No losses in Coy. during the night.
No Man's Land reconnoitred - in touch with attacking troops right and left.
Lieut. WOOD commanding 16 Platoon with Battn bombers.
Objective (a)
Lieut. PETERS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (b)
Lieut. GLOVER commanding 14 Platoon.
Objective (c)
Lieut. LEWIS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (d)
ZERO.
Zero hour, owing to thick fog, was dark instead of dawn, as it should have been. One could only control those men with whom one was in immediate contact, i.e. in my own case, Coy. H.Q. group. Men a few yards away were merely dark moving figures dimly seen by light of barrage.
This was the limit of one's vision, and the thing developed into a night attack.
Each platoon stated off at a fixed time, following close behind barrage with leading companies (A & B). Owing to uncut wire, in front of German first line, it had been arranged for two platoons to go left and two right of it and spread out afterwards.
I led my Coy. H.Q. past the crater to the right of uncut wire, entering 1st German line immediately behind "A" Coy. and followed on close behind the barrage. No single spot of ground seemed free from shell holes and churned mud and water and we sank below the knee in places. One of our shells fell in the middle of Coy. H.Q. and knock out or disabled some 8 men or so near German front line. Picked up Battn. bombers here who had lost connection with Lieut. WOOD, and two 12 E.York R. men, soon afterwards.
We pushed on, still keeping close to barrage, to the 2nd German line, none of our men were yet in it. Huns must have been in dugouts. We bombed two where we crossed and pushed on with barrage to our objective, the 3rd line. The ground was so churned up and light nil that you could not see trenches till you crossed them.
Some men wished to stay in 2nd line, as no one else was there, as no one else was there, but easily persuaded them to come on to their objective. Got to a spot marked .X. about 15 yards from 3rd line in C.T. where I'd previously arranged to have Coy. H.Q. for convenience in helping to organise "D" and "C" Companies in consolidation etc.
We then attempted to work along trench to get touch with platoons, but found trench blown to pieces by shell fire. Progress over ground was now made impossible by German machine gun fire as close quarters - one could see a little now and we had to fight where we stood.
Immediately I'd got there, I sent to runners back with messages as to our position (these I heard afterwards were captured). We sent off red flares, but no aeroplanes were up. Germans were in 3rd line and a fire fight commenced. Meanwhile I looked round for signs of our men, left and right, but failed to find any and soon came to conclusion we were the only little party who had reached the 3rd line.Page 2
I had no Lewis Gun with me but about 8 rifles. The Germans were reinforcing the 3rd line on our right front and we were able to get them in the open as single men came over.
Presently, away on the right (100 yards off) I heard a Lewis Gun and felt certain some of our men in the Suffolks must be there but found a Hun was using it, pointing towards the German 2nd line.
I was then convinced no one was on my left and no one on my immediate right but felt certain with must have 1st and 2nd lines.
Continued fire fight, expecting our people would make another attempt to soon gain the 3rd line.
Later, again 100 or 150 yards to the right rear a few men were seen standing up as if beckoning for help, these proved to be Huns, and we thought, they thought we were Huns too, and were wanting reinforcements so opened fire on them.
They would be about where the Suffolks should have joined us, ("C" Coy. ) on the right and in a C.T. between 2nd and 3rd lines.
They disappeared, but soon men in file began to move out of the trench over the top towards our lines - I thought they were Hun prisoners going back but found them to be Englishmen prisoners being marched in file by Huns, about 30 or 40, then along behind me near their 2nd line and up on my left.
This proved at all event we were not holding the German 2nd line as I'd expected.
This was about 11 o'clock. I think prisoners were Suffolks, could not recognise any of our men in the distance.
Germans now sent small parties in squad formations to attack us - then floundered in the mud, and became an easy prey to our rifles when we'd allowed them to get within a few yards.
Again some of our men were marched as prisoners from my right rear flank behind me and upon my left flank along the same track as the first party.
We were getting shelling from our own guns now from far away on the right rear somewhere and we hoped for possible renewed attack.
One other small attacking party against us failed and then snipers tried to jump from shell hole to shell hole and get at us, but failed. They had not much chance, these were killed.
German 3rd line was now full of Germans, impossible to get at them owing to machine gun fire and mud.
It was after midday and I decided to hang on till dark, then get back by bombing through first and second Hun line if necessary.
Eight or nine of us showed up and tried to get 3rd line Huns to come over but they were a stout lot and there was nothing doing.
I had a man looking our in rear and while engaged with enemy in front he suddenly told me more were coming up in rear.
I got round to see and found thirty or more Suffolk men prisoners (unarmed) coming straight over us - I caught one to try and get out of him some information, but Huns followed behind these fellows and were beginning to shoot them down because we were there armed, either these fellows, prisoners had to be murdered or we had to give in. While considering for a second what to do the Huns had us.
This was between 3 and 3.30 in the afternoon. Eight of us were captured, I think.
I am certain, if it wasn't that we had the bad luck to have these prisoners come right over us with Huns behind, we should have been able to hold on till dark (one more hour) and get back with information off dead Huns.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment, 31st Division, Infantry Brigade, images 761/2)
Statement made to W. O. War Office by Captain R.M. Woolley
"D" Coy. 13/E. Yorks. Regt., 92/Bde., 31/Div.,Captured 18.11.16 at SERRE
----------------
13th E. Yorks. Regt. were on the left flank of attack made by our forces on SERRE & BEAUMONT HAMEL on 13.11.16.
I was senior officer of the Battn. to go into the attack and was commanding "D" Coy. whose objective was the German 3rd line & communication head which was to act as a fleshing head from the German 2nd - German 3rd Lines. The main difficulties in the attack where these -
(1) Owing to fog at 6.45 a.m. Zero hour- instead of it being light it was pitch dark and the thing developed into a night attack which made it difficult to circumvent uncut wire in front of 1st line (platoons had to go either side) and to get touch again.
(2) The mud and churned up condition of the ground made progress in darkness very difficult and most to the "B" Coy. i.e. Company George Roberts belonged to whose objective was the German 2nd line and the platoons of my Company were bogged, and before the officers could get the men on, enemy machine guns were in use and my men had to fight when they were just near German 2nd line.
(3) The Germans could re-inforce their 2nd line in force, owing to the Suffolks on our Battn's right losing their direction in the darkness going to the right and leaving a C.T. Communication Trench unoccupied. With my Coy. H.Q. Signallers, runners etc. the very men could look after personally until we reached our objective. I struck ground which could be got over and we reached our objective German 3rd line with the barrage. 8 of my Coy. H.Q. were knocked out by shell whilst advancing. I sent communication back at once on reaching there but afterwards found both runners had been captured.
We lit flares as ordered but no aeroplanes were up owing to fog. I had 12 all ranks in German 3rd line which was empty when I arrived, I found no one within 150 yards of me right or left.
No one near us go tot the 3rd line either Suffolks or E. York.
We made defence of part of the line. Third line was afterwards strongly reinforced left and right of us. we were able to damage them with rifle fire whilst reinforcing (no Lewis guns with me). They didn't get to bombing distance of us, but got heavy M.G. Machine Gun fire and rifle fire on us.
The attacked twice in squad formation over ground - a hopeless proceeding, they stuck in mud badly and when quite close we shot them down. Snipers killed too, jumping from shell hole to shell hole, these were killed.
We every moment expected our forces to re attack to take further objectives, we though we must have 1st and 2nd line but communication owing to M.G. fire was impossible & C.T.s were blown in and unusable.
We got heavily shelled by our own guns during the morning but we failed to be reinforced, so after a long fight decided to hold on the night and then retire by bombing through 1st and 2nd lines if necessary.
No one was in 2nd German line after all, as about 11 a.m. 40 or so British were marched back in file from my right rear, between me and German 2nd line over ground as prisoners. A similar proceeding took place an hour later.
We showed ourselves in force, tried to get Huns who we were fighting to come over, but they were strong in numbers and stout fighters and refused to some. Later whilst still fighting Huns just in front of us in part of their 3rd line, a man looking out behind warned me, I looked round to find 30 or so of our own men (Suffolks) prisoners, coming right on and before I could do anything Germans coming up behind them and with them in greater numbers were on us, our own captured men prevented my being able to fight without killing them. I was wounded in the thigh.
8 all ranks and self were captured about 3 to 3.30 p.m.
3 of my officers were killed: Lt. Wood, Lt. Lewis, and 2nd Lt. Peters.
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For information only:
Information taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment, 31st Division, Infantry Brigade, images 746/747:)
Page 1
ATTACK AT SERRE, 13TH Nov. 1916.
Report of O.C. "D" Coy. 13th Battn. E.YORK.R.
Before Zero
Objective. German 3rd line and left flanking C.T. Men all assembled correctly. No losses in Coy. during the night.
No Man's Land reconnoitred - in touch with attacking troops right and left.
Lieut. WOOD commanding 16 Platoon with Battn bombers.
Objective (a)
Lieut. PETERS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (b)
Lieut. GLOVER commanding 14 Platoon.
Objective (c)
Lieut. LEWIS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (d)
ZERO.
Zero hour, owing to thick fog, was dark instead of dawn, as it should have been. One could only control those men with whom one was in immediate contact, i.e. in my own case, Coy. H.Q. group. Men a few yards away were merely dark moving figures dimly seen by light of barrage.
This was the limit of one's vision, and the thing developed into a night attack.
Each platoon stated off at a fixed time, following close behind barrage with leading companies (A & B). Owing to uncut wire, in front of German first line, it had been arranged for two platoons to go left and two right of it and spread out afterwards.
I led my Coy. H.Q. past the crater to the right of uncut wire, entering 1st German line immediately behind "A" Coy. and followed on close behind the barrage. No single spot of ground seemed free from shell holes and churned mud and water and we sank below the knee in places. One of our shells fell in the middle of Coy. H.Q. and knock out or disabled some 8 men or so near German front line. Picked up Battn. bombers here who had lost connection with Lieut. WOOD, and two 12 E.York R. men, soon afterwards.
We pushed on, still keeping close to barrage, to the 2nd German line, none of our men were yet in it. Huns must have been in dugouts. We bombed two where we crossed and pushed on with barrage to our objective, the 3rd line. The ground was so churned up and light nil that you could not see trenches till you crossed them.
Some men wished to stay in 2nd line, as no one else was there, as no one else was there, but easily persuaded them to come on to their objective. Got to a spot marked .X. about 15 yards from 3rd line in C.T. where I'd previously arranged to have Coy. H.Q. for convenience in helping to organise "D" and "C" Companies in consolidation etc.
We then attempted to work along trench to get touch with platoons, but found trench blown to pieces by shell fire. Progress over ground was now made impossible by German machine gun fire as close quarters - one could see a little now and we had to fight where we stood.
Immediately I'd got there, I sent to runners back with messages as to our position (these I heard afterwards were captured). We sent off red flares, but no aeroplanes were up. Germans were in 3rd line and a fire fight commenced. Meanwhile I looked round for signs of our men, left and right, but failed to find any and soon came to conclusion we were the only little party who had reached the 3rd line.Page 2
I had no Lewis Gun with me but about 8 rifles. The Germans were reinforcing the 3rd line on our right front and we were able to get them in the open as single men came over.
Presently, away on the right (100 yards off) I heard a Lewis Gun and felt certain some of our men in the Suffolks must be there but found a Hun was using it, pointing towards the German 2nd line.
I was then convinced no one was on my left and no one on my immediate right but felt certain with must have 1st and 2nd lines.
Continued fire fight, expecting our people would make another attempt to soon gain the 3rd line.
Later, again 100 or 150 yards to the right rear a few men were seen standing up as if beckoning for help, these proved to be Huns, and we thought, they thought we were Huns too, and were wanting reinforcements so opened fire on them.
They would be about where the Suffolks should have joined us, ("C" Coy. ) on the right and in a C.T. between 2nd and 3rd lines.
They disappeared, but soon men in file began to move out of the trench over the top towards our lines - I thought they were Hun prisoners going back but found them to be Englishmen prisoners being marched in file by Huns, about 30 or 40, then along behind me near their 2nd line and up on my left.
This proved at all event we were not holding the German 2nd line as I'd expected.
This was about 11 o'clock. I think prisoners were Suffolks, could not recognise any of our men in the distance.
Germans now sent small parties in squad formations to attack us - then floundered in the mud, and became an easy prey to our rifles when we'd allowed them to get within a few yards.
Again some of our men were marched as prisoners from my right rear flank behind me and upon my left flank along the same track as the first party.
We were getting shelling from our own guns now from far away on the right rear somewhere and we hoped for possible renewed attack.
One other small attacking party against us failed and then snipers tried to jump from shell hole to shell hole and get at us, but failed. They had not much chance, these were killed.
German 3rd line was now full of Germans, impossible to get at them owing to machine gun fire and mud.
It was after midday and I decided to hang on till dark, then get back by bombing through first and second Hun line if necessary.
Eight or nine of us showed up and tried to get 3rd line Huns to come over but they were a stout lot and there was nothing doing.
I had a man looking our in rear and while engaged with enemy in front he suddenly told me more were coming up in rear.
I got round to see and found thirty or more Suffolk men prisoners (unarmed) coming straight over us - I caught one to try and get out of him some information, but Huns followed behind these fellows and were beginning to shoot them down because we were there armed, either these fellows, prisoners had to be murdered or we had to give in. While considering for a second what to do the Huns had us.
This was between 3 and 3.30 in the afternoon. Eight of us were captured, I think.
I am certain, if it wasn't that we had the bad luck to have these prisoners come right over us with Huns behind, we should have been able to hold on till dark (one more hour) and get back with information off dead Huns.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment, 31st Division, Infantry Brigade, images 761/2)
Statement made to W. O. War Office by Captain R.M. Woolley
"D" Coy. 13/E. Yorks. Regt., 92/Bde., 31/Div.,Captured 18.11.16 at SERRE
----------------
13th E. Yorks. Regt. were on the left flank of attack made by our forces on SERRE & BEAUMONT HAMEL on 13.11.16.
I was senior officer of the Battn. to go into the attack and was commanding "D" Coy. whose objective was the German 3rd line & communication head which was to act as a fleshing head from the German 2nd - German 3rd Lines. The main difficulties in the attack where these -
(1) Owing to fog at 6.45 a.m. Zero hour- instead of it being light it was pitch dark and the thing developed into a night attack which made it difficult to circumvent uncut wire in front of 1st line (platoons had to go either side) and to get touch again.
(2) The mud and churned up condition of the ground made progress in darkness very difficult and most to the "B" Coy. i.e. Company George Roberts belonged to whose objective was the German 2nd line and the platoons of my Company were bogged, and before the officers could get the men on, enemy machine guns were in use and my men had to fight when they were just near German 2nd line.
(3) The Germans could re-inforce their 2nd line in force, owing to the Suffolks on our Battn's right losing their direction in the darkness going to the right and leaving a C.T. Communication Trench unoccupied. With my Coy. H.Q. Signallers, runners etc. the very men could look after personally until we reached our objective. I struck ground which could be got over and we reached our objective German 3rd line with the barrage. 8 of my Coy. H.Q. were knocked out by shell whilst advancing. I sent communication back at once on reaching there but afterwards found both runners had been captured.
We lit flares as ordered but no aeroplanes were up owing to fog. I had 12 all ranks in German 3rd line which was empty when I arrived, I found no one within 150 yards of me right or left.
No one near us go tot the 3rd line either Suffolks or E. York.
We made defence of part of the line. Third line was afterwards strongly reinforced left and right of us. we were able to damage them with rifle fire whilst reinforcing (no Lewis guns with me). They didn't get to bombing distance of us, but got heavy .G. fire and rifle fire on us.
The attacked twice in squad formation over ground - a hopeless proceeding, they stuck in mud badly and when quite close we shot them down. Snipers killed too, jumping from shell hole to shell hole, these were killed.
We every moment expected our forces to re attack to take further objectives, we though we must have 1st and 2nd line but communication owing to M.G. fire was impossible & C.T.s were blown in and unusable.
We got heavily shelled by our own guns during the morning but we failed to be reinforced, so after a long fight decided to hold on the night and then retire by bombing through 1st and 2nd lines if necessary.
No one was in 2nd German line after all, as about 11 a.m. 40 or so British were marched back in file from my right rear, between me and German 2nd line over ground as prisoners. A similar proceeding took place an hour later.
We showed ourselves in force, tried to get Huns who we were fighting to come over, but they were strong in numbers and stout fighters and refused to some. Later whilst still fighting Huns just in front of us in part of their 3rd line, a man looking out behind warned me, I looked round to find 30 or so of our own men (Suffolks) prisoners, coming right on and before I could do anything Germans coming up behind them and with them in greater numbers were on us, our own captured men prevented my being able to fight without killing them. I was wounded in the thigh.
8 all ranks and self were captured about 3 to 3.30 p.m.
3 of my officers were killed: Lt. Wood, Lt. Lewis, and 2nd Lt. Peters.(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment, 31st Division, Infantry Brigade, images 746/747:)
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For information only:
Information taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment, 31st Division, Infantry Brigade, images 746/747:)
Page 1
ATTACK AT SERRE, 13TH Nov. 1916.
Report of O.C. "D" Coy. 13th Battn. E.YORK.R.
Before Zero
Objective. German 3rd line and left flanking C.T. Men all assembled correctly. No losses in Coy. during the night.
No Man's Land reconnoitred - in touch with attacking troops right and left.
Lieut. WOOD commanding 16 Platoon with Battn bombers.
Objective (a)
Lieut. PETERS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (b)
Lieut. GLOVER commanding 14 Platoon.
Objective (c)
Lieut. LEWIS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (d)
ZERO.
Zero hour, owing to thick fog, was dark instead of dawn, as it should have been. One could only control those men with whom one was in immediate contact, i.e. in my own case, Coy. H.Q. group. Men a few yards away were merely dark moving figures dimly seen by light of barrage.
This was the limit of one's vision, and the thing developed into a night attack.
Each platoon stated off at a fixed time, following close behind barrage with leading companies (A & B). Owing to uncut wire, in front of German first line, it had been arranged for two platoons to go left and two right of it and spread out afterwards.
I led my Coy. H.Q. past the crater to the right of uncut wire, entering 1st German line immediately behind "A" Coy. and followed on close behind the barrage. No single spot of ground seemed free from shell holes and churned mud and water and we sank below the knee in places. One of our shells fell in the middle of Coy. H.Q. and knock out or disabled some 8 men or so near German front line. Picked up Battn. bombers here who had lost connection with Lieut. WOOD, and two 12 E.York R. men, soon afterwards.
We pushed on, still keeping close to barrage, to the 2nd German line, none of our men were yet in it. Huns must have been in dugouts. We bombed two where we crossed and pushed on with barrage to our objective, the 3rd line. The ground was so churned up and light nil that you could not see trenches till you crossed them.
Some men wished to stay in 2nd line, as no one else was there, as no one else was there, but easily persuaded them to come on to their objective. Got to a spot marked .X. about 15 yards from 3rd line in C.T. where I'd previously arranged to have Coy. H.Q. for convenience in helping to organise "D" and "C" Companies in consolidation etc.
We then attempted to work along trench to get touch with platoons, but found trench blown to pieces by shell fire. Progress over ground was now made impossible by German machine gun fire as close quarters - one could see a little now and we had to fight where we stood.
Immediately I'd got there, I sent to runners back with messages as to our position (these I heard afterwards were captured). We sent off red flares, but no aeroplanes were up. Germans were in 3rd line and a fire fight commenced. Meanwhile I looked round for signs of our men, left and right, but failed to find any and soon came to conclusion we were the only little party who had reached the 3rd line.Page 2
I had no Lewis Gun with me but about 8 rifles. The Germans were reinforcing the 3rd line on our right front and we were able to get them in the open as single men came over.
Presently, away on the right (100 yards off) I heard a Lewis Gun and felt certain some of our men in the Suffolks must be there but found a Hun was using it, pointing towards the German 2nd line.
I was then convinced no one was on my left and no one on my immediate right but felt certain with must have 1st and 2nd lines.
Continued fire fight, expecting our people would make another attempt to soon gain the 3rd line.
Later, again 100 or 150 yards to the right rear a few men were seen standing up as if beckoning for help, these proved to be Huns, and we thought, they thought we were Huns too, and were wanting reinforcements so opened fire on them.
They would be about where the Suffolks should have joined us, ("C" Coy. ) on the right and in a C.T. between 2nd and 3rd lines.
They disappeared, but soon men in file began to move out of the trench over the top towards our lines - I thought they were Hun prisoners going back but found them to be Englishmen prisoners being marched in file by Huns, about 30 or 40, then along behind me near their 2nd line and up on my left.
This proved at all event we were not holding the German 2nd line as I'd expected.
This was about 11 o'clock. I think prisoners were Suffolks, could not recognise any of our men in the distance.
Germans now sent small parties in squad formations to attack us - then floundered in the mud, and became an easy prey to our rifles when we'd allowed them to get within a few yards.
Again some of our men were marched as prisoners from my right rear flank behind me and upon my left flank along the same track as the first party.
We were getting shelling from our own guns now from far away on the right rear somewhere and we hoped for possible renewed attack.
One other small attacking party against us failed and then snipers tried to jump from shell hole to shell hole and get at us, but failed. They had not much chance, these were killed.
German 3rd line was now full of Germans, impossible to get at them owing to machine gun fire and mud.
It was after midday and I decided to hang on till dark, then get back by bombing through first and second Hun line if necessary.
Eight or nine of us showed up and tried to get 3rd line Huns to come over but they were a stout lot and there was nothing doing.
I had a man looking our in rear and while engaged with enemy in front he suddenly told me more were coming up in rear.
I got round to see and found thirty or more Suffolk men prisoners (unarmed) coming straight over us - I caught one to try and get out of him some information, but Huns followed behind these fellows and were beginning to shoot them down because we were there armed, either these fellows, prisoners had to be murdered or we had to give in. While considering for a second what to do the Huns had us.
This was between 3 and 3.30 in the afternoon. Eight of us were captured, I think.
I am certain, if it wasn't that we had the bad luck to have these prisoners come right over us with Huns behind, we should have been able to hold on till dark (one more hour) and get back with information off dead Huns.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Statement made to W. O. War Office by Captain R.M. Woolley
"D" Coy. 13/E. Yorks. Regt., 92/Bde., 31/Div.,Captured 18.11.16 at SERRE
----------------
13th E. Yorks. Regt. were on the left flank of attack made by our forces on SERRE & BEAUMONT HAMEL on 13.11.16.
I was senior officer of the Battn. to go into the attack and was commanding "D" Coy. whose objective was the German 3rd line & communication head which was to act as a fleshing head from the German 2nd - German 3rd Lines. The main difficulties in the attack where these -
(1) Owing to fog at 6.45 a.m. Zero hour- instead of it being light it was pitch dark and the thing developed into a night attack which made it difficult to circumvent uncut wire in front of 1st line (platoons had to go either side) and to get touch again.
(2) The mud and churned up condition of the ground made progress in darkness very difficult and most to the "B" Coy. i.e. Company George Roberts belonged to whose objective was the German 2nd line and the platoons of my Company were bogged, and before the officers could get the men on, enemy machine guns were in use and my men had to fight when they were just near German 2nd line.
(3) The Germans could re-inforce their 2nd line in force, owing to the Suffolks on our Battn's right losing their direction in the darkness going to the right and leaving a C.T. Communication Trench unoccupied. With my Coy. H.Q. Signallers, runners etc. the very men could look after personally until we reached our objective. I struck ground which could be got over and we reached our objective German 3rd line with the barrage. 8 of my Coy. H.Q. were knocked out by shell whilst advancing. I sent communication back at once on reaching there but afterwards found both runners had been captured.
We lit flares as ordered but no aeroplanes were up owing to fog. I had 12 all ranks in German 3rd line which was empty when I arrived, I found no one within 150 yards of me right or left.
No one near us go tot the 3rd line either Suffolks or E. York.
We made defence of part of the line. Third line was afterwards strongly reinforced left and right of us. we were able to damage them with rifle fire whilst reinforcing (no Lewis guns with me). They didn't get to bombing distance of us, but got heavy .G. fire and rifle fire on us.
The attacked twice in squad formation over ground - a hopeless proceeding, they stuck in mud badly and when quite close we shot them down. Snipers killed too, jumping from shell hole to shell hole, these were killed.
We every moment expected our forces to re attack to take further objectives, we though we must have 1st and 2nd line but communication owing to M.G. fire was impossible & C.T.s were blown in and unusable.
We got heavily shelled by our own guns during the morning but we failed to be reinforced, so after a long fight decided to hold on the night and then retire by bombing through 1st and 2nd lines if necessary.
No one was in 2nd German line after all, as about 11 a.m. 40 or so British were marched back in file from my right rear, between me and German 2nd line over ground as prisoners. A similar proceeding took place an hour later.
We showed ourselves in force, tried to get Huns who we were fighting to come over, but they were strong in numbers and stout fighters and refused to some. Later whilst still fighting Huns just in front of us in part of their 3rd line, a man looking out behind warned me, I looked round to find 30 or so of our own men (Suffolks) prisoners, coming right on and before I could do anything Germans coming up behind them and with them in greater numbers were on us, our own captured men prevented my being able to fight without killing them. I was wounded in the thigh.
8 all ranks and self were captured about 3 to 3.30 p.m.
3 of my officers were killed: Lt. Wood, Lt. Lewis, and 2nd Lt. Peters.
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For information only:
Information taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment, 31st Division, Infantry Brigade, images 746/747:)
Page 1
ATTACK AT SERRE, 13TH Nov. 1916.
Report of O.C. "D" Coy. 13th Battn. E.YORK.R.
Before Zero
Objective. German 3rd line and left flanking C.T. Men all assembled correctly. No losses in Coy. during the night.
No Man's Land reconnoitred - in touch with attacking troops right and left.
Lieut. WOOD commanding 16 Platoon with Battn bombers.
Objective (a)
Lieut. PETERS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (b)
Lieut. GLOVER commanding 14 Platoon.
Objective (c)
Lieut. LEWIS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (d)
ZERO.
Zero hour, owing to thick fog, was dark instead of dawn, as it should have been. One could only control those men with whom one was in immediate contact, i.e. in my own case, Coy. H.Q. group. Men a few yards away were merely dark moving figures dimly seen by light of barrage.
This was the limit of one's vision, and the thing developed into a night attack.
Each platoon stated off at a fixed time, following close behind barrage with leading companies (A & B). Owing to uncut wire, in front of German first line, it had been arranged for two platoons to go left and two right of it and spread out afterwards.
I led my Coy. H.Q. past the crater to the right of uncut wire, entering 1st German line immediately behind "A" Coy. and followed on close behind the barrage. No single spot of ground seemed free from shell holes and churned mud and water and we sank below the knee in places. One of our shells fell in the middle of Coy. H.Q. and knock out or disabled some 8 men or so near German front line. Picked up Battn. bombers here who had lost connection with Lieut. WOOD, and two 12 E.York R. men, soon afterwards.
We pushed on, still keeping close to barrage, to the 2nd German line, none of our men were yet in it. Huns must have been in dugouts. We bombed two where we crossed and pushed on with barrage to our objective, the 3rd line. The ground was so churned up and light nil that you could not see trenches till you crossed them.
Some men wished to stay in 2nd line, as no one else was there, as no one else was there, but easily persuaded them to come on to their objective. Got to a spot marked .X. about 15 yards from 3rd line in C.T. where I'd previously arranged to have Coy. H.Q. for convenience in helping to organise "D" and "C" Companies in consolidation etc.
We then attempted to work along trench to get touch with platoons, but found trench blown to pieces by shell fire. Progress over ground was now made impossible by German machine gun fire as close quarters - one could see a little now and we had to fight where we stood.
Immediately I'd got there, I sent to runners back with messages as to our position (these I heard afterwards were captured). We sent off red flares, but no aeroplanes were up. Germans were in 3rd line and a fire fight commenced. Meanwhile I looked round for signs of our men, left and right, but failed to find any and soon came to conclusion we were the only little party who had reached the 3rd line.Page 2
I had no Lewis Gun with me but about 8 rifles. The Germans were reinforcing the 3rd line on our right front and we were able to get them in the open as single men came over.
Presently, away on the right (100 yards off) I heard a Lewis Gun and felt certain some of our men in the Suffolks must be there but found a Hun was using it, pointing towards the German 2nd line.
I was then convinced no one was on my left and no one on my immediate right but felt certain with must have 1st and 2nd lines.
Continued fire fight, expecting our people would make another attempt to soon gain the 3rd line.
Later, again 100 or 150 yards to the right rear a few men were seen standing up as if beckoning for help, these proved to be Huns, and we thought, they thought we were Huns too, and were wanting reinforcements so opened fire on them.
They would be about where the Suffolks should have joined us, ("C" Coy. ) on the right and in a C.T. between 2nd and 3rd lines.
They disappeared, but soon men in file began to move out of the trench over the top towards our lines - I thought they were Hun prisoners going back but found them to be Englishmen prisoners being marched in file by Huns, about 30 or 40, then along behind me near their 2nd line and up on my left.
This proved at all event we were not holding the German 2nd line as I'd expected.
This was about 11 o'clock. I think prisoners were Suffolks, could not recognise any of our men in the distance.
Germans now sent small parties in squad formations to attack us - then floundered in the mud, and became an easy prey to our rifles when we'd allowed them to get within a few yards.
Again some of our men were marched as prisoners from my right rear flank behind me and upon my left flank along the same track as the first party.
We were getting shelling from our own guns now from far away on the right rear somewhere and we hoped for possible renewed attack.
One other small attacking party against us failed and then snipers tried to jump from shell hole to shell hole and get at us, but failed. They had not much chance, these were killed.
German 3rd line was now full of Germans, impossible to get at them owing to machine gun fire and mud.
It was after midday and I decided to hang on till dark, then get back by bombing through first and second Hun line if necessary.
Eight or nine of us showed up and tried to get 3rd line Huns to come over but they were a stout lot and there was nothing doing.
I had a man looking our in rear and while engaged with enemy in front he suddenly told me more were coming up in rear.
I got round to see and found thirty or more Suffolk men prisoners (unarmed) coming straight over us - I caught one to try and get out of him some information, but Huns followed behind these fellows and were beginning to shoot them down because we were there armed, either these fellows, prisoners had to be murdered or we had to give in. While considering for a second what to do the Huns had us.
This was between 3 and 3.30 in the afternoon. Eight of us were captured, I think.
I am certain, if it wasn't that we had the bad luck to have these prisoners come right over us with Huns behind, we should have been able to hold on till dark (one more hour) and get back with information off dead Huns.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Statement made to W. O. War Office by Captain R.M. Woolley
"D" Coy. 13/E. Yorks. Regt., 92/Bde., 31/Div.,Captured 18.11.16 at SERRE
----------------
13th E. Yorks. Regt. were on the left flank of attack made by our forces on SERRE & BEAUMONT HAMEL on 13.11.16.
I was senior officer of the Battn. to go into the attack and was commanding "D" Coy. whose objective was the German 3rd line & communication head which was to act as a fleshing head from the German 2nd - German 3rd Lines. The main difficulties in the attack where these -
(1) Owing to fog at 6.45 a.m. Zero hour- instead of it being light it was pitch dark and the thing developed into a night attack which made it difficult to circumvent uncut wire in front of 1st line (platoons had to go either side) and to get touch again.
(2) The mud and churned up condition of the ground made progress in darkness very difficult and most to the "B" Coy. i.e. Company George Roberts belonged to whose objective was the German 2nd line and the platoons of my Company were bogged, and before the officers could get the men on, enemy machine guns were in use and my men had to fight when they were just near German 2nd line.
(3) The Germans could re-inforce their 2nd line in force, owing to the Suffolks on our Battn's right losing their direction in the darkness going to the right and leaving a C.T. unoccupied. With my Coy. H.Q. Signallers, runners etc. the very men could look after personally until we reached our objective. I struck ground which could be got over and we reached our objective German 3rd line with the barrage. 8 of my Coy. H.Q. were knocked out by shell whilst advancing. I sent communication back at once on reaching there but afterwards found both runners had been captured.
We lit flares as ordered but no aeroplanes were up owing to fog. I had 12 all ranks in German 3rd line which was empty when I arrived, I found no one within 150 yards of me right or left.
No one near us go tot the 3rd line either Suffolks or E. York.
We made defence of part of the line. Third line was afterwards strongly reinforced left and right of us. we were able to damage them with rifle fire whilst reinforcing (no Lewis guns with me). They didn't get to bombing distance of us, but got heavy .G. fire and rifle fire on us.
The attacked twice in squad formation over ground - a hopeless proceeding, they stuck in mud badly and when quite close we shot them down. Snipers killed too, jumping from shell hole to shell hole, these were killed.
We every moment expected our forces to re attack to take further objectives, we though we must have 1st and 2nd line but communication owing to M.G. fire was impossible & C.T.s were blown in and unusable.
We got heavily shelled by our own guns during the morning but we failed to be reinforced, so after a long fight decided to hold on the night and then retire by bombing through 1st and 2nd lines if necessary.
No one was in 2nd German line after all, as about 11 a.m. 40 or so British were marched back in file from my right rear, between me and German 2nd line over ground as prisoners. A similar proceeding took place an hour later.
We showed ourselves in force, tried to get Huns who we were fighting to come over, but they were strong in numbers and stout fighters and refused to some. Later whilst still fighting Huns just in front of us in part of their 3rd line, a man looking out behind warned me, I looked round to find 30 or so of our own men (Suffolks) prisoners, coming right on and before I could do anything Germans coming up behind them and with them in greater numbers were on us, our own captured men prevented my being able to fight without killing them. I was wounded in the thigh.
8 all ranks and self were captured about 3 to 3.30 p.m.
3 of my officers were killed: Lt. Wood, Lt. Lewis, and 2nd Lt. Peters.
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For information only:
Information taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment, 31st Division, Infantry Brigade, images 746/747:)
Page 1
ATTACK AT SERRE, 13TH Nov. 1916.
Report of O.C. "D" Coy. 13th Battn. E.YORK.R.
Before Zero
Objective. German 3rd line and left flanking C.T. Men all assembled correctly. No losses in Coy. during the night.
No Man's Land reconnoitred - in touch with attacking troops right and left.
Lieut. WOOD commanding 16 Platoon with Battn bombers.
Objective (a)
Lieut. PETERS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (b)
Lieut. GLOVER commanding 14 Platoon.
Objective (c)
Lieut. LEWIS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (d)
ZERO.
Zero hour, owing to thick fog, was dark instead of dawn, as it should have been. One could only control those men with whom one was in immediate contact, i.e. in my own case, Coy. H.Q. group. Men a few yards away were merely dark moving figures dimly seen by light of barrage.
This was the limit of one's vision, and the thing developed into a night attack.
Each platoon stated off at a fixed time, following close behind barrage with leading companies (A & B). Owing to uncut wire, in front of German first line, it had been arranged for two platoons to go left and two right of it and spread out afterwards.
I led my Coy. H.Q. past the crater to the right of uncut wire, entering 1st German line immediately behind "A" Coy. and followed on close behind the barrage. No single spot of ground seemed free from shell holes and churned mud and water and we sank below the knee in places. One of our shells fell in the middle of Coy. H.Q. and knock out or disabled some 8 men or so near German front line. Picked up Battn. bombers here who had lost connection with Lieut. WOOD, and two 12 E.York R. men, soon afterwards.
We pushed on, still keeping close to barrage, to the 2nd German line, none of our men were yet in it. Huns must have been in dugouts. We bombed two where we crossed and pushed on with barrage to our objective, the 3rd line. The ground was so churned up and light nil that you could not see trenches till you crossed them.
Some men wished to stay in 2nd line, as no one else was there, as no one else was there, but easily persuaded them to come on to their objective. Got to a spot marked .X. about 15 yards from 3rd line in C.T. where I'd previously arranged to have Coy. H.Q. for convenience in helping to organise "D" and "C" Companies in consolidation etc.
We then attempted to work along trench to get touch with platoons, but found trench blown to pieces by shell fire. Progress over ground was now made impossible by German machine gun fire as close quarters - one could see a little now and we had to fight where we stood.
Immediately I'd got there, I sent to runners back with messages as to our position (these I heard afterwards were captured). We sent off red flares, but no aeroplanes were up. Germans were in 3rd line and a fire fight commenced. Meanwhile I looked round for signs of our men, left and right, but failed to find any and soon came to conclusion we were the only little party who had reached the 3rd line.Page 2
I had no Lewis Gun with me but about 8 rifles. The Germans were reinforcing the 3rd line on our right front and we were able to get them in the open as single men came over.
Presently, away on the right (100 yards off) I heard a Lewis Gun and felt certain some of our men in the Suffolks must be there but found a Hun was using it, pointing towards the German 2nd line.
I was then convinced no one was on my left and no one on my immediate right but felt certain with must have 1st and 2nd lines.
Continued fire fight, expecting our people would make another attempt to soon gain the 3rd line.
Later, again 100 or 150 yards to the right rear a few men were seen standing up as if beckoning for help, these proved to be Huns, and we thought, they thought we were Huns too, and were wanting reinforcements so opened fire on them.
They would be about where the Suffolks should have joined us, ("C" Coy. ) on the right and in a C.T. between 2nd and 3rd lines.
They disappeared, but soon men in file began to move out of the trench over the top towards our lines - I thought they were Hun prisoners going back but found them to be Englishmen prisoners being marched in file by Huns, about 30 or 40, then along behind me near their 2nd line and up on my left.
This proved at all event we were not holding the German 2nd line as I'd expected.
This was about 11 o'clock. I think prisoners were Suffolks, could not recognise any of our men in the distance.
Germans now sent small parties in squad formations to attack us - then floundered in the mud, and became an easy prey to our rifles when we'd allowed them to get within a few yards.
Again some of our men were marched as prisoners from my right rear flank behind me and upon my left flank along the same track as the first party.
We were getting shelling from our own guns now from far away on the right rear somewhere and we hoped for possible renewed attack.
One other small attacking party against us failed and then snipers tried to jump from shell hole to shell hole and get at us, but failed. They had not much chance, these were killed.
German 3rd line was now full of Germans, impossible to get at them owing to machine gun fire and mud.
It was after midday and I decided to hang on till dark, then get back by bombing through first and second Hun line if necessary.
Eight or nine of us showed up and tried to get 3rd line Huns to come over but they were a stout lot and there was nothing doing.
I had a man looking our in rear and while engaged with enemy in front he suddenly told me more were coming up in rear.
I got round to see and found thirty or more Suffolk men prisoners (unarmed) coming straight over us - I caught one to try and get out of him some information, but Huns followed behind these fellows and were beginning to shoot them down because we were there armed, either these fellows, prisoners had to be murdered or we had to give in. While considering for a second what to do the Huns had us.
This was between 3 and 3.30 in the afternoon. Eight of us were captured, I think.
I am certain, if it wasn't that we had the bad luck to have these prisoners come right over us with Huns behind, we should have been able to hold on till dark (one more hour) and get back with information off dead Huns.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Statement made to W. O. War Office by Captain R.M. Woolley
"D" Coy. 13/E. Yorks. Regt., 92/Bde., 31/Div., Captured 18.11.16 at
SERRE
----------------
13th E. Yorks. Regt. were on the left flank of attack made by our foreces on SERRE & BEAUMONT HAMEL on 13.11.16.
I was senior officer of the Battn. to go into the attack and was commanding "D" Coy. whose objective was the German 3rd line & communication head which was to act as a fleshing head from the German 2nd - German 3rd Lines. The main difficulties in the attack where these -
(1) Owing to fog at 6.45 a.m. Zero hour- instead of it being light it was pitch dark and the thing developed into a night attack which made it difficult to circumvent uncut wire in front of 1st line (platoons had to go either side) and to get touch again.
(2) The mud and churned up condition of the ground made progress in darkness very difficult and most to the "B" Coy. whose objective was the German 2nd line and the platoons of my Company were bogged, and before the officers could get the men on, enemy machine guns were in use and my men had to fight when they were just near German 2nd line.
(3) The Germans could re-inforce their 2nd line in force, owing to the Suffolks on our Battn's right losing their direction in the darkness going to the right and leaving a C.T. unoccupied. With my Coy. H.Q. Signallers, runners etc. the very men could look after personally until we reached our objective. I struck ground which could be got over and we reached our objective German 3rd line with the barrage. 8 of my Coy. H.Q. were knocked out by shell whilst advancing. I sent communication back at once on reaching there but afterwards found both runners had been captured.
We lit flares as ordered but no aeroplanes were up owing to fog. I had 12 all ranks in German 3rd line which was empty when I arrived, I found no one within 150 yards of me right or left.
No one near us go tot the 3rd line either Suffolks or E. York.
We made defence of part of the line. Third line was afterwards strongly reinforced left and right of us. we were able to damage them with rifle fire whilst reinforcing (no Lewis guns with me). They didn't get to bombing distance of us, but got heavy .G. fire and rifle fire on us.
The attacked twice in squad formation over ground - a hopeless proceeding, they stuck in mud badly and when quite close we shot them down. Snipers killed too, jumping from shell hole to shell hole, these were killed.
We every moment expected our forces to re attack to take further objectives, we though we must have 1st and 2nd line but communication owing to M.G. fire was impossible & C.T.s were blown in and unusable.
We got heavily shelled by our own guns during the morning but we failed to be reinforced, so after a long fight decided to hold on the night and then retire by bombing through 1st and 2nd lines if necessary.
No one was in 2nd German line after all, as about 11 a.m. 40 or so British were marched back in file from my right rear, between me and German 2nd line over ground as prisoners. A similar proceeding took place an hour later.
We showed ourselves in force, tried to get Huns who we were fighting to come over, but they were strong in numbers and stout fighters and refused to some. Later whilst still fighting Huns just in front of us in part of their 3rd line, a man looking out behind warned me, I looked round to find 30 or so of our own men (Suffolks) prisoners, coming right on and before I could do anything Germans coming up behind them and with them in greater numbers were on us, our own captured men prevented my being able to fight without killing them. I was wounded in the thigh.
8 all ranks and self were captured about 3 to 3.30 p.m.
3 of my officers were killed: Lt. Wood, Lt. Lewis, and 2nd Lt. Peters.
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For information only:
Information taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment, 31st Division, Infantry Brigade, images 746/747:)
Page 1
ATTACK AT SERRE, 13TH Nov. 1916.
Report of O.C. "D" Coy. 13th Battn. E.YORK.R.
Before Zero
Objective. German 3rd line and left flanking C.T. Men all assembled correctly. No losses in Coy. during the night.
No Man's Land reconnoitred - in touch with attacking troops right and left.
Lieut. WOOD commanding 16 Platoon with Battn bombers.
Objective (a)
Lieut. PETERS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (b)
Lieut. GLOVER commanding 14 Platoon.
Objective (c)
Lieut. LEWIS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (d)
ZERO.
Zero hour, owing to thick fog, was dark instead of dawn, as it should have been. One could only control those men with whom one was in immediate contact, i.e. in my own case, Coy. H.Q. group. Men a few yards away were merely dark moving figures dimly seen by light of barrage.
This was the limit of one's vision, and the thing developed into a night attack.
Each platoon stated off at a fixed time, following close behind barrage with leading companies (A & B). Owing to uncut wire, in front of German first line, it had been arranged for two platoons to go left and two right of it and spread out afterwards.
I led my Coy. H.Q. past the crater to the right of uncut wire, entering 1st German line immediately behind "A" Coy. and followed on close behind the barrage. No single spot of ground seemed free from shell holes and churned mud and water and we sank below the knee in places. One of our shells fell in the middle of Coy. H.Q. and knock out or disabled some 8 men or so near German front line. Picked up Battn. bombers here who had lost connection with Lieut. WOOD, and two 12 E.York R. men, soon afterwards.
We pushed on, still keeping close to barrage, to the 2nd German line, none of our men were yet in it. Huns must have been in dugouts. We bombed two where we crossed and pushed on with barrage to our objective, the 3rd line. The ground was so churned up and light nil that you could not see trenches till you crossed them.
Some men wished to stay in 2nd line, as no one else was there, as no one else was there, but easily persuaded them to come on to their objective. Got to a spot marked .X. about 15 yards from 3rd line in C.T. where I'd previously arranged to have Coy. H.Q. for convenience in helping to organise "D" and "C" Companies in consolidation etc.
We then attempted to work along trench to get touch with platoons, but found trench blown to pieces by shell fire. Progress over ground was now made impossible by German machine gun fire as close quarters - one could see a little now and we had to fight where we stood.
Immediately I'd got there, I sent to runners back with messages as to our position (these I heard afterwards were captured). We sent off red flares, but no aeroplanes were up. Germans were in 3rd line and a fire fight commenced. Meanwhile I looked round for signs of our men, left and right, but failed to find any and soon came to conclusion we were the only little party who had reached the 3rd line.Page 2
I had no Lewis Gun with me but about 8 rifles. The Germans were reinforcing the 3rd line on our right front and we were able to get them in the open as single men came over.
Presently, away on the right (100 yards off) I heard a Lewis Gun and felt certain some of our men in the Suffolks must be there but found a Hun was using it, pointing towards the German 2nd line.
I was then convinced no one was on my left and no one on my immediate right but felt certain with must have 1st and 2nd lines.
Continued fire fight, expecting our people would make another attempt to soon gain the 3rd line.
Later, again 100 or 150 yards to the right rear a few men were seen standing up as if beckoning for help, these proved to be Huns, and we thought, they thought we were Huns too, and were wanting reinforcements so opened fire on them.
They would be about where the Suffolks should have joined us, ("C" Coy. ) on the right and in a C.T. between 2nd and 3rd lines.
They disappeared, but soon men in file began to move out of the trench over the top towards our lines - I thought they were Hun prisoners going back but found them to be Englishmen prisoners being marched in file by Huns, about 30 or 40, then along behind me near their 2nd line and up on my left.
This proved at all event we were not holding the German 2nd line as I'd expected.
This was about 11 o'clock. I think prisoners were Suffolks, could not recognise any of our men in the distance.
Germans now sent small parties in squad formations to attack us - then floundered in the mud, and became an easy prey to our rifles when we'd allowed them to get within a few yards.
Again some of our men were marched as prisoners from my right rear flank behind me and upon my left flank along the same track as the first party.
We were getting shelling from our own guns now from far away on the right rear somewhere and we hoped for possible renewed attack.
One other small attacking party against us failed and then snipers tried to jump from shell hole to shell hole and get at us, but failed. They had not much chance, these were killed.
German 3rd line was now full of Germans, impossible to get at them owing to machine gun fire and mud.
It was after midday and I decided to hang on till dark, then get back by bombing through first and second Hun line if necessary.
Eight or nine of us showed up and tried to get 3rd line Huns to come over but they were a stout lot and there was nothing doing.
I had a man looking our in rear and while engaged with enemy in front he suddenly told me more were coming up in rear.
I got round to see and found thirty or more Suffolk men prisoners (unarmed) coming straight over us - I caught one to try and get out of him some information, but Huns followed behind these fellows and were beginning to shoot them down because we were there armed, either these fellows, prisoners had to be murdered or we had to give in. While considering for a second what to do the Huns had us.
This was between 3 and 3.30 in the afternoon. Eight of us were captured, I think.
I am certain, if it wasn't that we had the bad luck to have these prisoners come right over us with Huns behind, we should have been able to hold on till dark (one more hour) and get back with information off dead Huns.Statement made to W. O. War Office by Captain R.M. Woolley
"D" Coy. 13/E.Yorks. Regt., 92/Bde., 31/dIV., Captured 18.11.16 at
SERRE
----------------
13th E.Yorks. Regt. were on the left flank of attack made by our foreces on SERRE & BEAUMONT HAMEL on 13.11.16.
I was senior officer of the Battn. to go into the attack and was commanding "D" Coy. whose objective was the German 3rd line & communication head which was to act as a fleshing head from the German 2nd - German 3rd Lines. The main difficulties in the attack where these -
(1) Owing to fog at 6.45 a.m. Zero hour- instead of it being light it was pitch dark and the thing developed into a night attack which made it difficult to circumvent uncut wire in front of 1st line (platoons had to go either side) and to get touch again.
(2) The mud and churned up condition of the ground made progress in darkness very difficult and most to the "B" Coy. whose objective was the German 2nd line and the platoons of my Company were bogged, and before the officers could get the men on, enemy machine guns were in use and my men had to fight when they were just near German 2nd line.
(3) The Germans could re-inforce their 2nd line in force, owing to the Suffolks on our Battn's right losing their direction in the darkness going to the right and leaving a C.T. unoccupied. With my Coy. H.Q. Signallers, runners etc. the very men could look after personally until we reached our objective. I struck ground which could be got over and we reached our objective German 3rd line with the barrage. 8 of my Coy. H.Q. were knocked out by shell whilst advancing. I sent communication back at once on reaching there but afterwards found both runners had been captured.
We lit flares as ordered but no aeroplanes were up owing to fog. I had 12 all ranks in German 3rd line which was empty when I arrived, I found no one within 150 yards of me right or left.
No one near us go tot the 3rd line either Suffolks or E. York.
We made defence of part of the line. Third line was afterwards strongly reinforced left and right of us. we were able to damage them with rifle fire whilst reinforcing (no Lewis guns with me). They didn't get to bombing distance of us, but got heavy .G. fire and rifle fire on us.
The attacked twice in squad formation over ground - a hopeless proceeding, they stuck in mud badly and when quite close we shot them down. Snipers killed too, jumping from shell hole to shell hole, these were killed.
We every moment expected our forces to reattack to take further objectives, we though we must have 1st and 2nd line but communication owing to M.G. fire was impossible & C.T.s were blown in and unusable.
We got heavily shelled by our own guns during the morning but we failed to be reinforced, so after a long fight decided to hold on the night and then retire by bombing through 1st and 2nd lines if necessary.
No one was in 2nd German line after all, as about 11 a.m. 40 or so British were marched back in file from my right rear, between me and German 2nd line over ground as prisoners. A similar proceeding took place an hour later.
We showed ourselves in force, tried to get Huns who we were fighting to come over, but they were strong in numbers and stout fighters and refused to some. Later whilst still fighting Huns just in front of us in part of their 3rd line, a man looking out behind warned me, I looked round to find 30 or so of our own men (Suffolks) prisoners, coming right on and before I could do anything Germans coming up behind them and with them in greater numbers were on us, our own captured men prevented my being able to fight without killing them. I was wounded in the thigh.
8 all ranks and self were captured about 3 to 3.30 p.m.
3 of my officers were killed: Lt. Wood, Lt. Lewis, and 2nd Lt. Peters.
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For information only:
Information taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment, 31st Division, Infantry Brigade, images 746/747:)
Page 1
ATTACK AT SERRE, 13TH Nov. 1916.
Report of O.C. "D" Coy. 13th Battn. E.YORK.R.
Before Zero
Objective. German 3rd line and left flanking C.T. Men all assembled correctly. No losses in Coy. during the night.
No Man's Land reconnoitred - in touch with attacking troops right and left.
Lieut. WOOD commanding 16 Platoon with Battn bombers.
Objective (a)
Lieut. PETERS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (b)
Lieut. GLOVER commanding 14 Platoon.
Objective (c)
Lieut. LEWIS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (d)
ZERO.
Zero hour, owing to thick fog, was dark instead of dawn, as it should have been. One could only control those men with whom one was in immediate contact, i.e. in my own case, Coy. H.Q. group. Men a few yards away were merely dark moving figures dimly seen by light of barrage.
This was the limit of one's vision, and the thing developed into a night attack.
Each platoon stated off at a fixed time, following close behind barrage with leading companies (A & B). Owing to uncut wire, in front of German first line, it had been arranged for two platoons to go left and two right of it and spread out afterwards.
I led my Coy. H.Q. past the crater to the right of uncut wire, entering 1st German line immediately behind "A" Coy. and followed on close behind the barrage. No single spot of ground seemed free from shell holes and churned mud and water and we sank below the knee in places. One of our shells fell in the middle of Coy. H.Q. and knock out or disabled some 8 men or so near German front line. Picked up Battn. bombers here who had lost connection with Lieut. WOOD, and two 12 E.York R. men, soon afterwards.
We pushed on, still keeping close to barrage, to the 2nd German line, none of our men were yet in it. Huns must have been in dugouts. We bombed two where we crossed and pushed on with barrage to our objective, the 3rd line. The ground was so churned up and light nil that you could not see trenches till you crossed them.
Some men wished to stay in 2nd line, as no one else was there, as no one else was there, but easily persuaded them to come on to their objective. Got to a spot marked .X. about 15 yards from 3rd line in C.T. where I'd previously arranged to have Coy. H.Q. for convenience in helping to organise "D" and "C" Companies in consolidation etc.
We then attempted to work along trench to get touch with platoons, but found trench blown to pieces by shell fire. Progress over ground was now made impossible by German machine gun fire as close quarters - one could see a little now and we had to fight where we stood.
Immediately I'd got there, I sent to runners back with messages as to our position (these I heard afterwards were captured). We sent off red flares, but no aeroplanes were up. Germans were in 3rd line and a fire fight commenced. Meanwhile I looked round for signs of our men, left and right, but failed to find any and soon came to conclusion we were the only little party who had reached the 3rd line.Page 2
I had no Lewis Gun with me but about 8 rifles. The Germans were reinforcing the 3rd line on our right front and we were able to get them in the open as single men came over.
Presently, away on the right (100 yards off) I heard a Lewis Gun and felt certain some of our men in the Suffolks must be there but found a Hun was using it, pointing towards the German 2nd line.
I was then convinced no one was on my left and no one on my immediate right but felt certain with must have 1st and 2nd lines.
Continued fire fight, expecting our people would make another attempt to soon gain the 3rd line.
Later, again 100 or 150 yards to the right rear a few men were seen standing up as if beckoning for help, these proved to be Huns, and we thought, they thought we were Huns too, and were wanting reinforcements so opened fire on them.
They would be about where the Suffolks should have joined us, ("C" Coy. ) on the right and in a C.T. between 2nd and 3rd lines.
They disappeared, but soon men in file began to move out of the trench over the top towards our lines - I thought they were Hun prisoners going back but found them to be Englishmen prisoners being marched in file by Huns, about 30 or 40, then along behind me near their 2nd line and up on my left.
This proved at all event we were not holding the German 2nd line as I'd expected.
This was about 11 o'clock. I think prisoners were Suffolks, could not recognise any of our men in the distance.
Germans now sent small parties in squad formations to attack us - then floundered in the mud, and became an easy prey to our rifles when we'd allowed them to get within a few yards.
Again some of our men were marched as prisoners from my right rear flank behind me and upon my left flank along the same track as the first party.
We were getting shelling from our own guns now from far away on the right rear somewhere and we hoped for possible renewed attack.
One other small attacking party against us failed and then snipers tried to jump from shell hole to shell hole and get at us, but failed. They had not much chance, these were killed.
German 3rd line was now full of Germans, impossible to get at them owing to machine gun fire and mud.
It was after midday and I decided to hang on till dark, then get back by bombing through first and second Hun line if necessary.
Eight or nine of us showed up and tried to get 3rd line Huns to come over but they were a stout lot and there was nothing doing.
I had a man looking our in rear and while engaged with enemy in front he suddenly told me more were coming up in rear.
I got round to see and found thirty or more Suffolk men prisoners (unarmed) coming straight over us - I caught one to try and get out of him some information, but Huns followed behind these fellows and were beginning to shoot them down because we were there armed, either these fellows, prisoners had to be murdered or we had to give in. While considering for a second what to do the Huns had us.
This was between 3 and 3.30 in the afternoon. Eight of us were captured, I think.
I am certain, if it wasn't that we had the bad luck to have these prisoners come right over us with Huns behind, we should have been able to hold on till dark (one more hour) and get back with information off dead Huns.Statement made to W. O. War Office by Captain R.M. Woolley
"D" Coy. 13/E.Yorks. Regt., 92/Bde., 31/dIV., Captured 18.11.16 at
SERRE
----------------
13th E.Yorks. Regt. were on the left flank of attack made by our foreces on SERRE & BEAUMONT HAMEL on 13.11.16.
I was senior officer of the Battn. to go into the attack and was commanding "D" Coy. whose objective was the German 3rd line & communication head which was to act as a fleshing head from the German 2nd - German 3rd Lines. The main difficulties in the attack where these -
(1) Owing to fog at 6.45 a.m. Zero hour- instead of it being light it was pitch dark and the thing developed into a night attack which made it difficult to circumvent uncut wire in front of 1st line (platoons had to go either side) and to get touch again.
(2) The mud and churned up condition of the ground made progress in darkness very difficult and most to the "B" Coy. whose objective was the German 2nd line and the platoons of my Company were bogged, and before the officers could get the men on, enemy machine guns were in use and my men had to fight when they were just near German 2nd line.
(3) The Germans could re-inforce their 2nd line in force, owing to the Suffolks on our Battn's right losing their direction in the darkness going to the right and leaving a C.T. unoccupied. With my Coy. H.Q. Signallers, runners etc. the very men could look after personally until we reached our objective. I struck ground which could be got over and we reached our objective German 3rd line with the barrage. 8 of my Coy. H.Q. were knocked out by shell whilst advancing. I sent communication back at once on reaching there but afterwards found both runners had been captured.
We lit flares as ordered but no aeroplanes were up owing to fog. I had 12 all ranks in German 3rd line which was empty when I arrived, I found no one within 150 yards of me right or left.
No one near us go tot the 3rd line either Suffolks or E. York.
We made defence of part of the line. Third line was afterwards strongly reinforced left and right of us. we were able to damage them with rifle fire whilst reinforcing (no Lewis guns with me). They didn't get to bombing distance of us, but got heavy .G. fire and rifle fire on us.
The attacked twice in squad formation over ground - a hopeless proceeding, they stuck in mud badly and when quite close we shot them down. Snipers killed too, jumping from shell hole to shell hole, these were killed.
We every moment expected our forces to reattack to take further objectives, we though we must have 1st and 2nd line but communication owing to M.G. fire was impossible & C.T.s were blown in and unusable.
We got heavily shelled by our own guns during the morning but we failed to be reinforced, so after a long fight decided to hold on the night and then retire by bombing through 1st and 2nd lines if necessary.
No one was in 2nd German line after all, as about 11 a.m. 40 or so British were marched back in file from my right rear, between me and German 2nd line over ground as prisoners. A similar proceeding took place an hour later.
We showed ourselves in force, tried to get Huns who we were fighting to come over, but they were strong in numbers and stout fighters and refused to some. Later whilst still fighting Huns just in front of us in part of their 3rd line, a man looking out behind warned me, I looked round to fin 30 or so our our own men (Suffolks) prisoners, coming right on and before I could do anything Germans coming up behind them and with them in greater numbers were on us, our own captured men prevented my being able to fight without killing them. I was wounded in the thigh.
8 all ranks and self were captured about 3 to 3.30 p.m.
3 of my officers were killed: Lt. Wood, Lt. Lewis, and 2nd Lt. Peters.
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For information only:
Information taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment, 31st Division, Infantry Brigade, images 746/747:)
Page 1
ATTACK AT SERRE, 13TH Nov. 1916.
Report of O.C. "D" Coy. 13th Battn. E.YORK.R.
Before Zero
Objective. German 3rd line and left flanking C.T. Men all assembled correctly. No losses in Coy. during the night.
No Man's Land reconnoitred - in touch with attacking troops right and left.
Lieut. WOOD commanding 16 Platoon with Battn bombers.
Objective (a)
Lieut. PETERS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (b)
Lieut. GLOVER commanding 14 Platoon.
Objective (c)
Lieut. LEWIS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (d)
ZERO.
Zero hour, owing to thick fog, was dark instead of dawn, as it should have been. One could only control those men with whom one was in immediate contact, i.e. in my own case, Coy. H.Q. group. Men a few yards away were merely dark moving figures dimly seen by light of barrage.
This was the limit of one's vision, and the thing developed into a night attack.
Each platoon stated off at a fixed time, following close behind barrage with leading companies (A & B). Owing to uncut wire, in front of German first line, it had been arranged for two platoons to go left and two right of it and spread out afterwards.
I led my Coy. H.Q. past the crater to the right of uncut wire, entering 1st German line immediately behind "A" Coy. and followed on close behind the barrage. No single spot of ground seemed free from shell holes and churned mud and water and we sank below the knee in places. One of our shells fell in the middle of Coy. H.Q. and knock out or disabled some 8 men or so near German front line. Picked up Battn. bombers here who had lost connection with Lieut. WOOD, and two 12 E.York R. men, soon afterwards.
We pushed on, still keeping close to barrage, to the 2nd German line, none of our men were yet in it. Huns must have been in dugouts. We bombed two where we crossed and pushed on with barrage to our objective, the 3rd line. The ground was so churned up and light nil that you could not see trenches till you crossed them.
Some men wished to stay in 2nd line, as no one else was there, as no one else was there, but easily persuaded them to come on to their objective. Got to a spot marked .X. about 15 yards from 3rd line in C.T. where I'd previously arranged to have Coy. H.Q. for convenience in helping to organise "D" and "C" Companies in consolidation etc.
We then attempted to work along trench to get touch with platoons, but found trench blown to pieces by shell fire. Progress over ground was now made impossible by German machine gun fire as close quarters - one could see a little now and we had to fight where we stood.
Immediately I'd got there, I sent to runners back with messages as to our position (these I heard afterwards were captured). We sent off red flares, but no aeroplanes were up. Germans were in 3rd line and a fire fight commenced. Meanwhile I looked round for signs of our men, left and right, but failed to find any and soon came to conclusion we were the only little party who had reached the 3rd line.Page 2
I had no Lewis Gun with me but about 8 rifles. The Germans were reinforcing the 3rd line on our right front and we were able to get them in the open as single men came over.
Presently, away on the right (100 yards off) I heard a Lewis Gun and felt certain some of our men in the Suffolks must be there but found a Hun was using it, pointing towards the German 2nd line.
I was then convinced no one was on my left and no one on my immediate right but felt certain with must have 1st and 2nd lines.
Continued fire fight, expecting our people would make another attempt to soon gain the 3rd line.
Later, again 100 or 150 yards to the right rear a few men were seen standing up as if beckoning for help, these proved to be Huns, and we thought, they thought we were Huns too, and were wanting reinforcements so opened fire on them.
They would be about where the Suffolks should have joined us, ("C" Coy. ) on the right and in a C.T. between 2nd and 3rd lines.
They disappeared, but soon men in file began to move out of the trench over the top towards our lines - I thought they were Hun prisoners going back but found them to be Englishmen prisoners being marched in file by Huns, about 30 or 40, then along behind me near their 2nd line and up on my left.
This proved at all event we were not holding the German 2nd line as I'd expected.
This was about 11 o'clock. I think prisoners were Suffolks, could not recognise any of our men in the distance.
Germans now sent small parties in squad formations to attack us - then floundered in the mud, and became an easy prey to our rifles when we'd allowed them to get within a few yards.
Again some of our men were marched as prisoners from my right rear flank behind me and upon my left flank along the same track as the first party.
We were getting shelling from our own guns now from far away on the right rear somewhere and we hoped for possible renewed attack.
One other small attacking party against us failed and then snipers tried to jump from shell hole to shell hole and get at us, but failed. They had not much chance, these were killed.
German 3rd line was now full of Germans, impossible to get at them owing to machine gun fire and mud.
It was after midday and I decided to hang on till dark, then get back by bombing through first and second Hun line if necessary.
Eight or nine of us showed up and tried to get 3rd line Huns to come over but they were a stout lot and there was nothing doing.
I had a man looking our in rear and while engaged with enemy in front he suddenly told me more were coming up in rear.
I got round to see and found thirty or more Suffolk men prisoners (unarmed) coming straight over us - I caught one to try and get out of him some information, but Huns followed behind these fellows and were beginning to shoot them down because we were there armed, either these fellows, prisoners had to be murdered or we had to give in. While considering for a second what to do the Huns had us.
This was between 3 and 3.30 in the afternoon. Eight of us were captured, I think.
I am certain, if it wasn't that we had the bad luck to have these prisoners come right over us with Huns behind, we should have been able to hold on till dark (one more hour) and get back with information off dead Huns.Statement made to W. O. War Office by Captain R.M. Woolley
"D" Coy. 13/E.Yorks. Regt., 92/Bde., 31/dIV., Captured 18.11.16 at
SERRE
----------------
13th E.Yorks. Regt. were on the left flank of attack made by our foreces on SERRE & BEAUMONT HAMEL on 13.11.16.
I was senior officer of the Battn. to go into the attack and was commanding "D" Coy. whose objective was the German 3rd line & communication head which was to act as a fleshing head from the Germand 2nd - German 3rd Lines. The main difficulties inthe attach where these -
(1) Owing to fog at 6.45 a.m. Zero hour- instead of it being light it was pitch dark and the thing developed into a night attack which made it difficult to circumvent uncut wire in front of 1st line (platoons had to go either side) and to get touch again.
(2) The mud and churned up condition of the gorund made progresss in darkness bery difficut and most ot eh "B" Coy. whose objective was the German 2nd line and the platoons of my Company were bogged, and before the officers could get the men on, enemy machine guns were in use and my men had to fightwhen they were just near German 2nd line.
(3) The Germans could re-inforce their 2nd lin in force, owing to the Suffolks on our Battn's right losing their direction in the darkness going to the right and leaving a C.T. unoccupied. With my Coy. H.Q. Signallers, runners etc. the very men could look after personally until we reached our objective. I struck ground which could be got over and we reached our objective German 3rd line with the barrage. 8 of my Coy. H.Q. were knowck out by shell whilst advancing. I sent communication back at once on reaching there but afterwards found both runners had been captured.
We lit flares as ordered but no aeroplanes were up owing to fog. I had 12 all ranks in German 3rd line which was empty when Iarrived, I found no one withing 150 yearrds of me right or left.
No one near us go tot the 3rd line either Suffolks or E. York.
We made defence of part of the line. Third line was afterwards strongly reinforced left and right of us. we were able to damage them with rifle fire whilst reinforcing (no Lewis guns with me). They didn't get to bombing distance of us, but got heavyM.G. fire and rifle fire on us.
The atracked twice in squad formation over ground - a hopeless proceeding, they stuck in mud badly and when quite close we shot them down. Snipers killed too, jumping from shell hole to shell hole, these were killed.
We every moment expected our forces to reattack to take further objectives, we though we must have 1st and 2nd line but communication owing to M.G. fire was impossible & C.T.s were blown in and unusable.
We got heavily shelled by our own guns during the morning but we failed to be reinforced, so after a long fightt decided to hold on the night and then retire by bombing through 1st and 2nd lines if necesseary.
No one was in 2nd German line after all, as about 11 a.m. 40 or so British were marched back in file from my right rear, between me and German 2nd line over ground as prisoners. A similar proceeding took place an hour later.
We showed ourselves in force, tried to get Huns who we were fighting to come over, but they were strong in numbers and stout fighters and refused to some. Later whilst still fighting Huns just in front of us in part of their 3rd line, a man looking out behind warned me, I looked round to fin 30 or so our our own men (Suffolks) prisoners, coming right on and before I could do anything Germans coming up behind them and with them in greater numbers were on us, our own captured men prevented my being able to fight without killing them. I was wounded in the thigh.
8 all ranks and self were captured about 3 to 3.30 p.m.
3 of my officers were killed: Lt. Wood, Lt. Lewis, and 2nd Lt. Peters.
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For information only:
Information taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment, 31st Division, Infantry Brigade, images 746/747:)
Page 1
ATTACK AT SERRE, 13TH Nov. 1916.
Report of O.C. "D" Coy. 13th Battn. E.YORK.R.
Before Zero
Objective. German 3rd line and left flanking C.T. Men all assembled correctly. No losses in Coy. during the night.
No Man's Land reconnoitred - in touch with attacking troops right and left.
Lieut. WOOD commanding 16 Platoon with Battn bombers.
Objective (a)
Lieut. PETERS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (b)
Lieut. GLOVER commanding 14 Platoon.
Objective (c)
Lieut. LEWIS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (d)
ZERO.
Zero hour, owing to thick fog, was dark instead of dawn, as it should have been. One could only control those men with whom one was in immediate contact, i.e. in my own case, Coy. H.Q. group. Men a few yards away were merely dark moving figures dimly seen by light of barrage.
This was the limit of one's vision, and the thing developed into a night attack.
Each platoon stated off at a fixed time, following close behind barrage with leading companies (A & B). Owing to uncut wire, in front of German first line, it had been arranged for two platoons to go left and two right of it and spread out afterwards.
I led my Coy. H.Q. past the crater to the right of uncut wire, entering 1st German line immediately behind "A" Coy. and followed on close behind the barrage. No single spot of ground seemed free from shell holes and churned mud and water and we sank below the knee in places. One of our shells fell in the middle of Coy. H.Q. and knock out or disabled some 8 men or so near German front line. Picked up Battn. bombers here who had lost connection with Lieut. WOOD, and two 12 E.York R. men, soon afterwards.
We pushed on, still keeping close to barrage, to the 2nd German line, none of our men were yet in it. Huns must have been in dugouts. We bombed two where we crossed and pushed on with barrage to our objective, the 3rd line. The ground was so churned up and light nil that you could not see trenches till you crossed them.
Some men wished to stay in 2nd line, as no one else was there, as no one else was there, but easily persuaded them to come on to their objective. Got to a spot marked .X. about 15 yards from 3rd line in C.T. where I'd previously arranged to have Coy. H.Q. for convenience in helping to organise "D" and "C" Companies in consolidation etc.
We then attempted to work along trench to get touch with platoons, but found trench blown to pieces by shell fire. Progress over ground was now made impossible by German machine gun fire as close quarters - one could see a little now and we had to fight where we stood.
Immediately I'd got there, I sent to runners back with messages as to our position (these I heard afterwards were captured). We sent off red flares, but no aeroplanes were up. Germans were in 3rd line and a fire fight commenced. Meanwhile I looked round for signs of our men, left and right, but failed to find any and soon came to conclusion we were the only little party who had reached the 3rd line.Page 2
I had no Lewis Gun with me but about 8 rifles. The Germans were reinforcing the 3rd line on our right front and we were able to get them in the open as single men came over.
Presently, away on the right (100 yards off) I heard a Lewis Gun and felt certain some of our men in the Suffolks must be there but found a Hun was using it, pointing towards the German 2nd line.
I was then convinced no one was on my left and no one on my immediate right but felt certain with must have 1st and 2nd lines.
Continued fire fight, expecting our people would make another attempt to soon gain the 3rd line.
Later, again 100 or 150 yards to the right rear a few men were seen standing up as if beckoning for help, these proved to be Huns, and we thought, they thought we were Huns too, and were wanting reinforcements so opened fire on them.
They would be about where the Suffolks should have joined us, ("C" Coy. ) on the right and in a C.T. between 2nd and 3rd lines.
They disappeared, but soon men in file began to move out of the trench over the top towards our lines - I thought they were Hun prisoners going back but found them to be Englishmen prisoners being marched in file by Huns, about 30 or 40, then along behind me near their 2nd line and up on my left.
This proved at all event we were not holding the German 2nd line as I'd expected.
This was about 11 o'clock. I think prisoners were Suffolks, could not recognise any of our men in the distance.
Germans now sent small parties in squad formations to attack us - then floundered in the mud, and became an easy prey to our rifles when we'd allowed them to get within a few yards.
Again some of our men were marched as prisoners from my right rear flank behind me and upon my left flank along the same track as the first party.
We were getting shelling from our own guns now from far away on the right rear somewhere and we hoped for possible renewed attack.
One other small attacking party against us failed and then snipers tried to jump from shell hole to shell hole and get at us, but failed. They had not much chance, these were killed.
German 3rd line was now full of Germans, impossible to get at them owing to machine gun fire and mud.
It was after midday and I decided to hang on till dark, then get back by bombing through first and second Hun line if necessary.
Eight or nine of us showed up and tried to get 3rd line Huns to come over but they were a stout lot and there was nothing doing.
I had a man looking our in rear and while engaged with enemy in front he suddenly told me more were coming up in rear.
I got round to see and found thirty or more Suffolk men prisoners (unarmed) coming straight over us - I caught one to try and get out of him some information, but Huns followed behind these fellows and were beginning to shoot them down because we were there armed, either these fellows, prisoners had to be murdered or we had to give in. While considering for a second what to do the Huns had us.
This was between 3 and 3.30 in the afternoon. Eight of us were captured, I think.
I am certain, if it wasn't that we had the bad luck to have these prisoners come right over us with Huns behind, we should have been able to hold on till dark (one more hour) and get back with information off dead Huns.Statement made to W. O. War Office by Captain R.M. Woolley
"D" Coy. 13/E.Yorks. Regt., 92/Bde., 31/dIV., Captured 18.11.16 at
SERRE
----------------
13th E.Yorks. Regt. were on the left flank of attack made by our foreces on SERRE & BEAUMONT HAMEL on 13.11.16.
I was senior officer of the Battn. to go into the attack and was commanding "D" Coy. whose objective was the German 3rd line & communication head which was to act as a fleshing head from the Germand 2nd - German 3rd Lines. The main difficulties inthe attach where these -
(1) Owing to fog at 6.45 a.m. Zero hour- instead of it being light it was pitch dark and the thing developed into a night attack which made it difficult to circumvent uncut wire in front of 1st line (platoons had to go either side) and to get touch again.
(2) The mud and churned up condition of the gorund made progresss in darkness bery difficut and most ot eh "B" Coy. whose objective was the German 2nd line and the platoons of my Company were bogged, and before the officers could get the men on, enemy machine guns were in use and my men had to fightwhen they were just near German 2nd line.
(3) The Germans could re-inforce their 2nd lin in force, owing to the Suffolks on our Battn's right losing their direction in the darkness going to the right and leaving a C.T. unoccupied. With my Coy. H.Q. Signallers, runners etc. the very men could look after personally until we reached our objective. I struck ground which could be got over and we reached our objective German 3rd line with the barrage. 8 of my Coy. H.Q. were knowck out by shell whilst advancing. I sent communication back at once on reaching there but afterwards found both runners had been captured.
We lit flares as ordered but no aeroplanes were up owing to fog. I had 12 all ranks in German 3rd line which was empty when Iarrived, I found no one withing 150 yearrds of me right or left.
No one near us go tot the 3rd line either Suffolks or E. York.
We made defence of part of the line. Third line was afterwards strongly reinforced left and right of us. we were able to damage them with rifle fire whilst reinforcing (no Lewis guns with me). They didn't get to bombing distance of us, but got heavyM.G. fire and rifle fire on us.
The atracked twice in squad formation over ground - a hopeless proceeding, they stuck in mud badly and when quite close we shot them down. Snipers killed too, jumping from shell hole to shell hole, these were killed.
We every moment expected our forces to reattack to take further objectives, we though we must have 1st and 2nd line but communication owing to M.G. fire was impossible & C.T.s were blown in and unusable.
We got heavily shelled by our own guns during the morning but we failed to be reinforced, so after a long fightt decided to hold on the night and then retire by bombing through 1st and 2nd lines if necesseary.
No one was in 2nd German line after all, as about 11 a.m. 40 or so British were marched back in file from my right rear, between me and German 2nd line over ground as prisoners. A similar proceeding took place an hour later.
We showed ourselves in force, tried to get Huns who we were fighting to come over, but they were strong in numbers and stout fighters and refused to some. Later whilst still gfighting Huns just in front of us in part of their 3rd line, a man looking out behind warned me, I looked round to fin 30 or so our ouw own men (Suffolks) prisoners, coming right on and bfore I could do anything Germans coming up behind them and with them in greater numbers were on us, our own captured men prevented my being able to fight without killing them. I was wounded in the thigh.
8 all ranks and self were captured about 3 to 3.30 p.m.
3 of my officers were killed: Lt. Wood, Lt. Lewis, and 2nd Lt. Peters.
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For information only:
Information taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment, 31st Division, Infantry Brigade, images 746/747:)
Page 1
ATTACK AT SERRE, 13TH Nov. 1916.
Report of O.C. "D" Coy. 13th Battn. E.YORK.R.
Before Zero
Objective. German 3rd line and left flanking C.T. Men all assembled correctly. No losses in Coy. during the night.
No Man's Land reconnoitred - in touch with attacking troops right and left.
Lieut. WOOD commanding 16 Platoon with Battn bombers.
Objective (a)
Lieut. PETERS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (b)
Lieut. GLOVER commanding 14 Platoon.
Objective (c)
Lieut. LEWIS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (d)
ZERO.
Zero hour, owing to thick fog, was dark instead of dawn, as it should have been. One could only control those men with whom one was in immediate contact, i.e. in my own case, Coy. H.Q. group. Men a few yards away were merely dark moving figures dimly seen by light of barrage.
This was the limit of one's vision, and the thing developed into a night attack.
Each platoon stated off at a fixed time, following close behind barrage with leading companies (A & B). Owing to uncut wire, in front of German first line, it had been arranged for two platoons to go left and two right of it and spread out afterwards.
I led my Coy. H.Q. past the crater to the right of uncut wire, entering 1st German line immediately behind "A" Coy. and followed on close behind the barrage. No single spot of ground seemed free from shell holes and churned mud and water and we sank below the knee in places. One of our shells fell in the middle of Coy. H.Q. and knock out or disabled some 8 men or so near German front line. Picked up Battn. bombers here who had lost connection with Lieut. WOOD, and two 12 E.York R. men, soon afterwards.
We pushed on, still keeping close to barrage, to the 2nd German line, none of our men were yet in it. Huns must have been in dugouts. We bombed two where we crossed and pushed on with barrage to our objective, the 3rd line. The ground was so churned up and light nil that you could not see trenches till you crossed them.
Some men wished to stay in 2nd line, as no one else was there, as no one else was there, but easily persuaded them to come on to their objective. Got to a spot marked .X. about 15 yards from 3rd line in C.T. where I'd previously arranged to have Coy. H.Q. for convenience in helping to organise "D" and "C" Companies in consolidation etc.
We then attempted to work along trench to get touch with platoons, but found trench blown to pieces by shell fire. Progress over ground was now made impossible by German machine gun fire as close quarters - one could see a little now and we had to fight where we stood.
Immediately I'd got there, I sent to runners back with messages as to our position (these I heard afterwards were captured). We sent off red flares, but no aeroplanes were up. Germans were in 3rd line and a fire fight commenced. Meanwhile I looked round for signs of our men, left and right, but failed to find any and soon came to conclusion we were the only little party who had reached the 3rd line.Page 2
I had no Lewis Gun with me but about 8 rifles. The Germans were reinforcing the 3rd line on our right front and we were able to get them in the open as single men came over.
Presently, away on the right (100 yards off) I heard a Lewis Gun and felt certain some of our men in the Suffolks must be there but found a Hun was using it, pointing towards the German 2nd line.
I was then convinced no one was on my left and no one on my immediate right but felt certain with must have 1st and 2nd lines.
Continued fire fight, expecting our people would make another attempt to soon gain the 3rd line.
Later, again 100 or 150 yards to the right rear a few men were seen standing up as if beckoning for help, these proved to be Huns, and we thought, they thought we were Huns too, and were wanting reinforcements so opened fire on them.
They would be about where the Suffolks should have joined us, ("C" Coy. ) on the right and in a C.T. between 2nd and 3rd lines.
They disappeared, but soon men in file began to move out of the trench over the top towards our lines - I thought they were Hun prisoners going back but found them to be Englishmen prisoners being marched in file by Huns, about 30 or 40, then along behind me near their 2nd line and up on my left.
This proved at all event we were not holding the German 2nd line as I'd expected.
This was about 11 o'clock. I think prisoners were Suffolks, could not recognise any of our men in the distance.
Germans now sent small parties in squad formations to attack us - then floundered in the mud, and became an easy prey to our rifles when we'd allowed them to get within a few yards.
Again some of our men were marched as prisoners from my right rear flank behind me and upon my left flank along the same track as the first party.
We were getting shelling from our own guns now from far away on the right rear somewhere and we hoped for possible renewed attack.
One other small attacking party against us failed and then snipers tried to jump from shell hole to shell hole and get at us, but failed. They had not much chance, these were killed.
German 3rd line was now full of Germans, impossible to get at them owing to machine gun fire and mud.
It was after midday and I decided to hang on till dark, then get back by bombing through first and second Hun line if necessary.
Eight or nine of us showed up and tried to get 3rd line Huns to come over but they were a stout lot and there was nothing doing.
I had a man looking our in rear and while engaged with enemy in front he suddenly told me more were coming up in rear.
I got round to see and found thirty or more Suffolk men prisoners (unarmed) coming straight over us - I caught one to try and get out of him some information, but Huns followed behind these fellows and were beginning to shoot them down because we were there armed, either these fellows, prisoners had to be murdered or we had to give in. While considering for a second what to do the Huns had us.
This was between 3 and 3.30 in the afternoon. Eight of us were captured, I think.
I am certain, if it wasn't that we had the bad luck to have these prisoners come right over us with Huns behind, we should have been able to hold on till dark (one more hour) and get back with information off dead Huns.
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment, 31st Division, Infantry Brigade, images 746/747:)
Page 1
ATTACK AT SERRE, 13TH Nov. 1916.
Report of O.C. "D" Coy. 13th Battn. E.YORK.R.
Before Zero
Objective. German 3rd line and left flanking C.T. Men all assembled correctly. No losses in Coy. during the night.
No Man's Land reconnoitred - in touch with attacking troops right and left.
Lieut. WOOD commanding 16 Platoon with Battn bombers.
Objective (a)
Lieut. PETERS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (b)
Lieut. GLOVER commanding 14 Platoon.
Objective (c)
Lieut. LEWIS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (d)
ZERO.
Zero hour, owing to thick fog, was dark instead of dawn, as it should have been. One could only control those men with whom one was in immediate contact, i.e. in my own case, Coy. H.Q. group. Men a few yards away were merely dark moving figures dimly seen by light of barrage.
This was the limit of one's vision, and the thing developed into a night attack.
Each platoon stated off at a fixed time, following close behind barrage with leading companies (A & B). Owing to uncut wire, in front of German first line, it had been arranged for two platoons to go left and two right of it and spread out afterwards.
I led my Coy. H.Q. past the crater to the right of uncut wire, entering 1st German line immediately behind "A" Coy. and followed on close behind the barrage. No single spot of ground seemed free from shell holes and churned mud and water and we sank below the knee in places. One of our shells fell in the middle of Coy. H.Q. and knock out or disabled some 8 men or so near German front line. Picked up Battn. bombers here who had lost connection with Lieut. WOOD, and two 12 E.York R. men, soon afterwards.
We pushed on, still keeping close to barrage, to the 2nd German line, none of our men were yet in it. Huns must have been in dugouts. We bombed two where we crossed and pushed on with barrage to our objective, the 3rd line. The ground was so churned up and light nil that you could not see trenches till you crossed them.
Some men wished to stay in 2nd line, as no one else was there, as no one else was there, but easily persuaded them to come on to their objective. Got to a spot marked .X. about 15 yards from 3rd line in C.T. where I'd previously arranged to have Coy. H.Q. for convenience in helping to organise "D" and "C" Companies in consolidation etc.
We then attempted to work along trench to get touch with platoons, but found trench blown to pieces by shell fire. Progress over ground was now made impossible by German machine gun fire as close quarters - one could see a little now and we had to fight where we stood.
Immediately I'd got there, I sent to runners back with messages as to our position (these I heard afterwards were captured). We sent off red flares, but no aeroplanes were up. Germans were in 3rd line and a fire fight commenced. Meanwhile I looked round for signs of our men, left and right, but failed to find any and soon came to conclusion we were the only little party who had reached the 3rd line.Page 2
I had no Lewis Gun with me but about 8 rifles. The Germans were reinforcing the 3rd line on our right front and we were able to get them in the open as single men came over.
Presently, away on the right (100 yards off) I heard a Lewis Gun and felt certain some of our men in the Suffolks must be there but found a Hun was using it, pointing towards the German 2nd line.
I was then convinced no one was on my left and no one on my immediate right but felt certain with must have 1st and 2nd lines.
Continued fire fight, expecting our people would make another attempt to soon gain the 3rd line.
Later, again 100 or 150 yards to the right rear a few men were seen standing up as if beckoning for help, these proved to be Huns, and we thought, they thought we were Huns too, and were wanting reinforcements so opened fire on them.
They would be about where the Suffolks should have joined us, ("C" Coy. ) on the right and in a C.T. between 2nd and 3rd lines.
They disappeared, but soon men in file began to move out of the trench over the top towards our lines - I thought they were Hun prisoners going back but found them to be Englishmen prisoners being marched in file by Huns, about 30 or 40, then along behind me near their 2nd line and up on my left.
This proved at all event we were not holding the German 2nd line as I'd expected.
This was about 11 o'clock. I think prisoners were Suffolks, could not recognise any of our men in the distance.
Germans now sent small parties in squad formations to attack us - then floundered in the mud, and became an easy prey to our rifles when we'd allowed them to get within a few yards.
Again some of our men were marched as prisoners from my right rear flank behind me and upon my left flank along the same track as the first party.
We were getting shelling from our own guns now from far away on the right rear somewhere and we hoped for possible renewed attack.
One other small attacking party against us failed and then snipers tried to jump from shell hole to shell hole and get at us, but failed. They had not much chance, these were killed.
German 3rd line was now full of Germans, impossible to get at them owing to machine gun fire and mud.
It was after midday and I decided to hang on till dark, then get back by bombing through first and second Hun line if necessary.
Eight or nine of us showed up and tried to get 3rd line Huns to come over but they were a stout lot and there was nothing doing.
I had a man looking our in rear and while engaged with enemy in front he suddenly told me more were coming up in rear.
I got round to see and found thirty or more Suffolk men prisoners (unarmed) coming straight over us - I caught one to try and get out of him some information, but Huns followed behind these fellows and were beginning to shoot them down because we were there armed, either these fellows, prisoners had to be murdered or we had to give in. While considering for a second what to do the Huns had us.
This was between 3 and 3.30 in the afternoon. Eight of us were captured, I think.
I am certain, if it wasn't that we had the bad luck to have these prisoners come right over us with Huns behind, we should have been able to hold on till dark (one more hour) and get back with information off dead Huns.
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment:)
Page 1
ATTACK AT SERRE, 13TH Nov. 1916.
Report of O.C. "D" Coy. 13th Battn. E.YORK.R.
Before Zero
Objective. German 3rd line and left flanking C.T. Men all assembled correctly. No losses in Coy. during the night.
No Man's Land reconnoitred - in touch with attacking troops right and left.
Lieut. WOOD commanding 16 Platoon with Battn bombers.
Objective (a)
Lieut. PETERS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (b)
Lieut. GLOVER commanding 14 Platoon.
Objective (c)
Lieut. LEWIS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (d)
ZERO.
Zero hour, owing to thick fog, was dark instead of dawn, as it should have been. One could only control those men with whom one was in immediate contact, i.e. in my own case, Coy. H.Q. group. Men a few yards away were merely dark moving figures dimly seen by light of barrage.
This was the limit of one's vision, and the thing developed into a night attack.
Each platoon stated off at a fixed time, following close behind barrage with leading companies (A & B). Owing to uncut wire, in front of German first line, it had been arranged for two platoons to go left and two right of it and spread out afterwards.
I led my Coy. H.Q. past the crater to the right of uncut wire, entering 1st German line immediately behind "A" Coy. and followed on close behind the barrage. No single spot of ground seemed free from shell holes and churned mud and water and we sank below the knee in places. One of our shells fell in the middle of Coy. H.Q. and knock out or disabled some 8 men or so near German front line. Picked up Battn. bombers here who had lost connection with Lieut. WOOD, and two 12 E.York R. men, soon afterwards.
We pushed on, still keeping close to barrage, to the 2nd German line, none of our men were yet in it. Huns must have been in dugouts. We bombed two where we crossed and pushed on with barrage to our objective, the 3rd line. The ground was so churned up and light nil that you could not see trenches till you crossed them.
Some men wished to stay in 2nd line, as no one else was there, as no one else was there, but easily persuaded them to come on to their objective. Got to a spot marked .X. about 15 yards from 3rd line in C.T. where I'd previously arranged to have Coy. H.Q. for convenience in helping to organise "D" and "C" Companies in consolidation etc.
We then attempted to work along trench to get touch with platoons, but found trench blown to pieces by shell fire. Progress over ground was now made impossible by German machine gun fire as close quarters - one could see a little now and we had to fight where we stood.
Immediately I'd got there, I sent to runners back with messages as to our position (these I heard afterwards were captured). We sent off red flares, but no aeroplanes were up. Germans were in 3rd line and a fire fight commenced. Meanwhile I looked round for signs of our men, left and right, but failed to find any and soon came to conclusion we were the only little party who had reached the 3rd line.Page 2
I had no Lewis Gun with me but about 8 rifles. The Germans were reinforcing the 3rd line on our right front and we were able to get them in the open as single men came over.
Presently, away on the right (100 yards off) I heard a Lewis Gun and felt certain some of our men in the Suffolks must be there but found a Hun was using it, pointing towards the German 2nd line.
I was then convinced no one was on my left and no one on my immediate right but felt certain with must have 1st and 2nd lines.
Continued fire fight, expecting our people would make another attempt to soon gain the 3rd line.
Later, again 100 or 150 yards to the right rear a few men were seen standing up as if beckoning for help, these proved to be Huns, and we thought, they thought we were Huns too, and were wanting reinforcements so opened fire on them.
They would be about where the Suffolks should have joined us, ("C" Coy. ) on the right and in a C.T. between 2nd and 3rd lines.
They disappeared, but soon men in file began to move out of the trench over the top towards our lines - I thought they were Hun prisoners going back but found them to be Englishmen prisoners being marched in file by Huns, about 30 or 40, then along behind me near their 2nd line and up on my left.
This proved at all event we were not holding the German 2nd line as I'd expected.
This was about 11 o'clock. I think prisoners were Suffolks, could not recognise any of our men in the distance.
Germans now sent small parties in squad formations to attack us - then floundered in the mud, and became an easy prey to our rifles when we'd allowed them to get within a few yards.
Again some of our men were marched as prisoners from my right rear flank behind me and upon my left flank along the same track as the first party.
We were getting shelling from our own guns now from far away on the right rear somewhere and we hoped for possible renewed attack.
One other small attacking party against us failed and then snipers tried to jump from shell hole to shell hole and get at us, but failed. They had not much chance, these were killed.
German 3rd line was now full of Germans, impossible to get at them owing to machine gun fire and mud.
It was after midday and I decided to hang on till dark, then get back by bombing through first and second Hun line if necessary.
Eight or nine of us showed up and tried to get 3rd line Huns to come over but they were a stout lot and there was nothing doing.
I had a man looking our in rear and while engaged with enemy in front he suddenly told me more were coming up in rear.
I got round to see and found thirty or more Suffolk men prisoners (unarmed) coming straight over us - I caught one to try and get out of him some information, but Huns followed behind these fellows and were beginning to shoot them down because we were there armed, either these fellows, prisoners had to be murdered or we had to give in. While considering for a second what to do the Huns had us.
This was between 3 and 3.30 in the afternoon. Eight of us were captured, I think.
I am certain, if it wasn't that we had the bad luck to have these prisoners come right over us with Huns behind, we should have been able to hold on till dark (one more hour) and get back with information off dead Huns.
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment:)
Page 1
ATTACK AT SERRE, 13TH Nov. 1916.
Report of O.C. "D" Coy. 13th Battn. E.YORK.R.
Before Zero
Objective. German 3rd line and left flanking C.T. Men all assembled correctly. No losses in Coy. during the night.
No Man's Land reconnoitred - in touch with attacking troops right and left.
Lieut. WOOD commanding 16 Platoon with Battn bombers.
Objective (a)
Lieut. PETERS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (b)
Lieut. GLOVER commanding 14 Platoon.
Objective (c)
Lieut. LEWIS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (d)
ZERO.
Zero hour, owing to thick fog, was dark instead of dawn, as it should have been. One could only control those men with whom one was in immediate contact, i.e. in my own case, Coy. H.Q. group. Men a few yards away were merely dark moving figures dimly seen by light of barrage.
This was the limit of one's vision, and the thing developed into a night attack.
Each platoon stated off at a fixed time, following close behind barrage with leading companies (A & B). Owing to uncut wire, in front of German first line, it had been arranged for two platoons to go left and two right of it and spread out afterwards.
I led my Coy. H.Q. past the crater to the right of uncut wire, entering 1st German line immediately behind "A" Coy. and followed on close behind the barrage. No single spot of ground seemed free from shell holes and churned mud and water and we sank below the knee in places. One of our shells fell in the middle of Coy. H.Q. and knock out or disabled some 8 men or so near German front line. Picked up Battn. bombers here who had lost connection with Lieut. WOOD, and two 12 E.York R. men, soon afterwards.
We pushed on, still keeping close to barrage, to the 2nd German line, none of our men were yet in it. Huns must have been in dugouts. We bombed two where we crossed and pushed on with barrage to our objective, the 3rd line. The ground was so churned up and light nil that you could not see trenches till you crossed them.
Some men wished to stay in 2nd line, as no one else was there, as no one else was there, but easily persuaded them to come on to their objective. Got to a spot marked .X. about 15 yards from 3rd line in C.T. where I'd previously arranged to have Coy. H.Q. for convenience in helping to organise "D" and "C" Companies in consolidation etc.
We then attempted to work along trench to get touch with platoons, but found trench blown to pieces by shell fire. Progress over ground was now made impossible by German machine gun fire as close quarters - one could see a little now and we had to fight where we stood.
Immediately I'd got there, I sent to runners back with messages as to our position (these I heard afterwards were captured). We sent off red flares, but no aeroplanes were up. Germans were in 3rd line and a fire fight commenced. Meanwhile I looked round for signs of our men, left and right, but failed to find any and soon came to conclusion we were the only little party who had reached the 3rd line.Page 2
I had no Lewis Gun with me but about 8 rifles. The Germans were reinforcing the 3rd line on our right front and we were able to get them in the open as single men came over.
Presently, away on the right (100 yards off) I heard a Lewis Gun and felt certain some of our men in the Suffolks must be there but found a Hun was using it, pointing towards the German 2nd line.
I was then convinced no one was on my left and no one on my immediate right but felt certain with must have 1st and 2nd lines.
Continued fire fight, expecting our people would make another attempt to soon gain the 3rd line.
Later, again 100 or 150 yards to the right rear a few men were seen standing up as if beckoning for help, these proved to be Huns, and we thought, they thought we were Huns too, and were wanting reinforcements so opened fire on them.
They would be about where the Suffolks should have joined us, ("C" Coy. ) on the right and in a C.T. between 2nd and 3rd lines.
They disappeared, but soon men in file began to move out of the trench over the top towards our lines - I thought they were Hun prisoners going back but found them to be Englishmen prisoners being marched in file by Huns, about 30 or 40, then along behind me near their 2nd line and up on my left.
This proved at all event we were not holding the German 2nd line as I'd expected.
This was about 11 o'clock. I think prisoners were Suffolks, could not recognise any of our men in the distance.
Germans now sent small parties in squad formations to attack us - then floundered in the mud, and became an easy prey to our rifles when we'd allowed them to get within a few yards.
Again some of our men were marched as prisoners from my right rear flank behind me and upon my left flank along the same track as the first party.
We were getting shelling from our own guns now from far away on the right rear somewhere and we hoped for possible renewed attack.
One other small attacking party against us failed and then snipers tried to jump from shell hole to shell hole and get at us, but failed. They had not much chance, these were killed.
German 3rd line was now full of Germans, impossible to get at them owing to machine gun fire and mud.
It was after midday and I decided to hang on till dark, then get back by bombing through first and second Hun line if necessary.
Eight or nine of us showed up and tried to get 3rd line Huns to come over but they were a stout lot and there was nothing doing.
I had a man looking our in rear and while engaged with enemy in front he suddenly told me more were coming up in rear.
I got round to see and found thirty or more Suffolk men prisoners (unarmed) coming straight over us - I caught one to try and get our of him some information, but Huns followed behind these fellows and were beginning to shoot them down because we were there armed, either these fellows, prisoners had to be murdered or we had to give in. While considering for a second what to do the Huns had us.
This was between 3 and 3.30 in the afternoon. Eight of us were captured, I think.
I am certain, if it wasn't that we had the bad luck to have these prisoners come right over us with Huns behind, we should have been able to hold on till dark (one more hour) and get back with information off dead Huns.
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment:)
Page 1
ATTACK AT SERRE, 13TH Nov. 1916.
Report of O.C. "D" Coy. 13th Battn. E.YORK.R.
Before Zero
Objective. German 3rd line and left flanking C.T. Men all assembled correctly. No losses in Coy. during the night.
No Man's Land reconnoitred - in touch with attacking troops right and left.
Lieut. WOOD commanding 16 Platoon with Battn bombers.
Objective (a)
Lieut. PETERS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (b)
Lieut. GLOVER commanding 14 Platoon.
Objective (c)
Lieut. LEWIS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (d)
ZERO.
Zero hour, owing to thick fog, was dark instead of dawn, as it should have been. One could only control those men with whom one was in immediate contact, i.e. in my own case, Coy. H.Q. group. Men a few yards away were merely dark moving figures dimly seen by light of barrage.
This was the limit of one's visison, and the thing developed into a night attack.
Each platoon stated off at a fixed time, following close behind barrage with leading companies (A & B). Owing to uncut wire, in front of German first line, it had been arranged for two platoons to go left and two right of it and spread out afterwards.
I led my Coy. H.Q. past the crater to the right of uncut wire, entering 1st German line immediately behind "A" Coy. and followed on close behind the barrage. No single spot of ground seemed free from shell holes and churned mud and water and we sank below the knee in places. One of our shells fell in the middle of Coy. H.Q. and knock out or disabled some 8 men or so near German front line. Picked up Battn. bombers here who had lost connection with Lieut. WOOD, and two 12 E.York R. men, soon afterwards.
We pushed on, still keeping close to barrage, to the 2nd German line, none of our men were yet in it. Huns must have been in dugouts. We bombed two where we crossed and pushed on with barrage to our objective, the 3rd line. The ground was so churned up and light nil that you could not see trenches till you crossed them.
Some men wished to stay in 2nd line, as no one else was there, as no one else was there, but easily persuaded them to come on to their objective. Got to a spot marked .X. about 15 yards from 3rd line in C.T. where I'd previously arranged to have Coy. H.Q. for convenience in helping to organise "D" and "C" Companies in consolidation etc.
We then attempted to work along trench to get touch with platoons, but found trench blown to pieces by shell fire. Progress over ground was now made impossible by German machine gun fire as close quarters - one could see a little now and we had to fight where we stood.
Immediately I'd got there, I sent to runners back with messages as to our position (these I heard afterwards were captured). We sent off red flares, but no aeroplanes were up. Germans were in 3rd line and a fire fight commenced. Meanwhile I looked round for signs of our men, left and right, but failed to find any and soon came to conclusion we were the only little party who had reached the 3rd line.Page 2
I had no Lewis Gun with me but about 8 rifles. The Germans were reinforcing the 3rd line on our right front and we were able to get them in the open as single men came over.
Presently, away on the right (100 yards off) I heard a Lewis Gun and felt certain some of our men in the Suffolks must be there but found a Hun was using it, pointing towards the German 2nd line.
I was then convinced no one was on my left and no one on my immediate right but felt certain with must have 1st and 2nd lines.
Continued fire fight, expecting our people would make another attempt to soon gain the 3rd line.
Later, again 100 or 150 yards to the right rear a few men were seen standing up as if beckoning for help, these proved to be Huns, and we thought, they thought we were Huns too, and were wanting reinforcements so opened fire on them.
They would be about where the Suffolks should have joined us, ("C" Coy. ) on the right and in a C.T. between 2nd and 3rd lines.
They disappeared, but soon men in file began to move out of the trench over the top towards our lines - I thought they were Hun prisoners going back but found them to be Englishmen prisoners being marched in file by Huns, about 30 or 40, then along behind me near their 2nd line and up on my left.
This proved at all event we were not holding the German 2nd line as I'd expected.
This was about 11 o'clock. I think prisoners were Suffolks, could not recognise any of our men in the distance.
Germans now sent small parties in squad formations to attack us - then floundered in the mud, and became an easy prey to our rifles when we'd allowed them to get within a few yards.
Again some of our men were marched as prisoners from my right rear flank behind me and upon my left flank along the same track as the first party.
We were getting shelling from our own guns now from far away on the right rear somewhere and we hoped for possible renewed attack.
One other small attacking party against us failed and then snipers tried to jump from shell hole to shell hole and get at us, but failed. They had not much chance, these were killed.
German 3rd line was now full of Germans, impossible to get at them owing to machine gun fire and mud.
It was after midday and I decided to hang on till dark, then get back by bombing through first and second Hun line if necessary.
Eight or nine of us showed up and tried to get 3rd line Huns to come over but they were a stout lot and there was nothing doing.
I had a man looking our in rear and while engaged with enemy in front he suddenly told me more were coming up in rear.
I got round to see and found thirty or more Suffolk men prisoners (unarmed) coming straight over us - I caught one to try and get our of him some information, but Huns followed behind these fellows and were beginning to shoot them down because we were there armed, either these fellows, prisoners had to be murdered or we had to give in. While considering for a second what to do the Huns had us.
This was between 3 and 3.30 in the afternoon. Eight of us were captured, I think.
I am certain, if it wasn't that we had the bad luck to have these prisoners come right over us with Huns behind, we should have been able to hold on till dark (one more hour) and get back with information off dead Huns.
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment:)
Page 1
ATTACK AT SERRE, 13TH Nov. 1916.
Report of O.C. "D" Coy. 13th Battn. E.YORK.R.
Before Zero
Objective. German 3rd line and left flanking C.T. Men all assembled correctly. No losses in Coy. during the night.
No Man's Land reconnoitred - in touch with attacking troops right and left.
Lieut. WOOD commanding 16 Platoon with Battn bombers.
Objective (a)
Lieut. PETERS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (b)
Lieut. GLOVER commanding 14 Platoon.
Objective (c)
Lieut. LEWIS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (d)
ZERO.
Zero hour, owing to thick fog, was dark instead of dawn, as it should have been. One could only control those men with whom one was in immediate contact, i.e. in my own case, Coy. H.Q. group. Men a few yards away were merely dark moving figures dimly seen by light of barrage.
This was the limit of one's visison, and the thing developed into a night attack.
Each platoon stated off at a fixed time, following close behind barrage with leading companies (A & B). Owing to uncut wire, in front of German first line, it had been arranged for two platoons to go left and two right of it and spread out afterwards.
I led my Coy. H.Q. past the crater to the right of uncut wire, entering 1st German line immediately behind "A" Coy. and followed on close behind the barrage. No single spot of ground seemed free from shell holes and churned mud and water and we sank below the knee in places. One of our shells fell in the middle of Coy. H.Q. and knock out or disabled some 8 men or so near German front line. Picked up Battn. bombers here who had lost connection with Lieut. WOOD, and two 12 E.York R. men, soon afterwards.
We pushed on, still keeping close to barrage, to the 2nd German line, none of our men were yet in it. Huns must have been in dugouts. We bombed two where we crossed and pushed on with barrage to our objective, the 3rd line. The ground was so churned up and light nil that you could not see trenches till you crossed them.
Some men wished to stay in 2nd line, as no one else was there, as no one else was there, but easily persuaded them to come on to their objective. Got to a spot marked .X. about 15 yards from 3rd line in C.T. where I'd previously arranged to have Coy. H.Q. for convenience in helping to organise "D" and "C" Companies in consolidation etc.
We then attempted to work along trench to get touch with platoons, but found trench blown to pieces by shell fire. Progress over ground was now made impossible by German machine gun fire as close quarters - one could see a little now and we had to fight where we stood.
Immediately I'd got there, I sent to runners back with messages as to our position (these I heard afterwards were captured). We sent off red flares, but no aeroplanes were up. Germans were in 3rd line and a fire fight commenced. Meanwhile I looked round for signs of our men, left and right, but failed to find any and soon came to conclusion we were the only little party who had reached the 3rd line.Page 2
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(from War Diary on Ancestry.com for East Yorkshire Regiment:)
ATTACK AT SERRE, 13TH Nov. 1916.
Report of O.C. "D" Coy. 13th Battn. E.YORK.R.
Before Zero
Objective. German 3rd line and left flanking C.T. Men all assembled correctly. No losses in Coy. during the night.
No Man's Land reconnoitred - in touch with attacking troops right and left.
Lieut. WOOD commanding 16 Platoon with Battn bombers.
Objective (a)
Lieut. PETERS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (b)
Lieut. GLOVER commanding 14 Platoon.
Objective (c)
Lieut. LEWIS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (d)
ZERO.
Zero hour, owing to thick fog, was dark instead of dawn, as it should have been. One could only control those men with whom one was in immediate contact, i.e. in my own case, Coy. H.Q. group. Men a few yards away were merely dark moving figures dimly seen by light of barrage.
This was the limit of one's visison, and the thing developed into a night attack.
Each platoon stated off at a fixed time, following close behind barrage with leading companies (A & B). Owing to uncut wire, in front of German first line, it had been arranged for two platoons to go left and two right of it and spread out afterwards.
I led my Coy. H.Q. past the crater to the right of uncut wire, entering 1st German line immediately behind "A" Coy. and followed on close behind the barrage. No single spot of ground seemed free from shell holes and churned mud and water and we sank below the knee in places. One of our shells fell in the middle of Coy. H.Q. and knock out or disabled some 8 men or so near German front line. Picked up Battn. bombers here who had lost connection with Lieut. WOOD, and two 12 E.York R. men, soon afterwards.
We pushed on, still keeping close to barrage, to the 2nd German line, none of our men were yet in it. Huns must have been in dugouts. We bombed two where we crossed and pushed on with barrage to our objective, the 3rd line. The ground was so churned up and light nil that you could not see trenches till you crossed them.
Some men wished to stay in 2nd line, as no one else was there, as no one else was there, but easily persuaded them to come on to their objective. Got to a spot marked .X. about 15 yards from 3rd line in C.T. where I'd previously arranged to have Coy. H.Q. for convenience in helping to organise "D" and "C" Companies in consolidation etc.
We then attempted to work along trench to get touch with platoons, but found trench blown to pieces by shell fire. Progress over ground was now made impossible by German machine gun fire as close quarters - one could see a little now and we had to fight where we stood.
Immediately I'd got there, I sent to runners back with messages as to our position (these I heard afterwards were captured). We sent off red flares, but no aeroplanes were up. Germans were in 3rd line and a fire fight commenced. Meanwhile I looked round for signs of our men, left and right, but failed to find any and soon came to conclusion we were the only little party who had reached the 3rd line.
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ATTACK AT SERRE, 13TH Nov. 1916.
Report of O.C. "D" Coy. 13th Battn. E.YORK.R.
Before Zero
Objective. German 3rd line and left flanking C.T. Men all assembled correctly. No losses in Coy. during the night.
No Man's Land reconnoitred - in touch with attacking troops right and left.
Lieut. WOOD commanding 16 Platoon with Battn bombers.
Objective (a)
Lieut. PETERS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (b)
Lieut. GLOVER commanding 14 Platoon.
Objective (c)
Lieut. LEWIS commanding 15 Platoon.
Objective (d)
ZERO.
Zero hour, owing to thick fog, was dark instead of dawn, as it should have been. One could only control those men with whom one was in immediate contact, i.e. in my own case, Coy. H.Q. group. Men a few yards away were merely dark moving figures dimly seen by light of barrage.
This was the limit of one's visison, and the thing developed into a night attack.
Each platoon stated off at a fixed time, following close behind barrage with leading companies (A & B). Owing to uncut wire, in front of German first line, it had been arranged for two platoons to go left and two right of it and spread out afterwards.
I led my Coy. H.Q. past the crater to the right of uncut wire, entering 1st German line immediately behind "A" Coy. and followed on close behind the barrage. No single spot of ground seemed free from shell holes and churned mud and water and we sank below the knee in places. One of our shells fell in the middle of Coy. H.Q. and knock out or disabled some 8 men or so near German front line. Picked up Battn. bombers here who had lost connection with Lieut. WOOD, and two 12 E.York R. men, soon afterwards.
We pushed on, still keeping close to barrage, to the 2nd German line, none of our men were yet in it. Huns must have been in dugouts. We bombed two where we crossed and pushed on with barrage to our objective, the 3rd line. The ground was so churned up and light nil that you could not see trenches till you crossed them.
Some men wished to stay in 2nd line, as no one else was there, as no one else was there, but easily persuaded them to come on to their objective. Got to a spot marked .X. about 15 yards from 3rd line in C.T. where I'd previously arranged to have Coy. H.Q. for convenience in helping to organise "D" and "C" Companies in consolidation etc.
We then attempted to work along trench to get touch with platoons, but found trench blown to pieces by shell fire. Progress over ground was now made impossible by German machine gun fire as close quarters - one could see a little now and we had to fight where we stood.
Immediately I'd got there, I sent to runners back with messages as to our position (these I heard afterwards were captured). We sent off red flares, but no aeroplanes were up. Germans were in 3rd line and a fire fight commenced. Meanwhile I looked round for signs of our men, left and right, but failed to find any and soon came to conclusion we were the only little party who had reached the 3rd line.
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
for information only:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Yorkshire_Regiment
The 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th (Service) Battalions were raised in September 1914 from men volunteering in Kingston upon Hull. These units were additionally entitled 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th City of Hull battalions and were known as the Hull Pals, nicknamed the 'Hull Commercials', 'Hull Tradesmen', 'Hull Sportsmen' and 'T'others' respectively. They formed 92nd Brigade in 31st Division, landed in Egypt in December 1915 and then moved to France in March 1916 also for service on the Western Front. Their depot companies became the 14th (Reserve) and 15th (Reserve) Battalions.[31][32][33]
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Yorkshire_Regiment
The 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th (Service) Battalions were raised in September 1914 from men volunteering in Kingston upon Hull. These units were additionally entitled 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th City of Hull battalions and were known as the Hull Pals, nicknamed the 'Hull Commercials', 'Hull Tradesmen', 'Hull Sportsmen' and 'T'others' respectively. They formed 92nd Brigade in 31st Division, landed in Egypt in December 1915 and then moved to France in March 1916 also for service on the Western Front. Their depot companies became the 14th (Reserve) and 15th (Reserve) Battalions.[31][32][33]
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
taken from his details on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission:
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white stone headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE AN ENGRAVED COPY OF
REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
A white headstone engraved with:
13/280 PRIVATE
G. W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
this is ABOVE
AN ENGRAVED COPY OF REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
which is centred
IN A CROSS
Private WILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
-
Colour photograph of the headstone of George William Williams at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
13/280 PRIVATE
G.W. WILLIAMS
EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
13TH NOVEMBER 1916 AGE 22
ABOVE
ENGRAVED COPY OF REGIMENTAL BADGE OF EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
PrivateWILLIAMS, G W
Service Number 13/280
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 22
"B" Coy. 13th Bn.
East Yorkshire RegimentSon of Annie M. Williams, of 4, Burleigh St., Hull, and the late William Williams.
Description
Save description- 50.100616||2.601159||
Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
Location(s)
Document location Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, France
- ID
- 17242 / 190649
- Contributor
- Brian Verity
November 13, 1916 – November 13, 1916
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- English
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- Western Front
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- Captain Richard Melsome Woolley
www.amazon.co.ukHull Pals: 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th Battalions East Yorkshire Regiment - book, a comprehensive history of the Regiment in WW1 by David Bilton
en.wikipedia.orgBattle of the Ancre
search.ancestrylibrary.comWar Diary for the dawn action of East Yorkshire Regiment in trenches at the village of Serre on day George Williams and many others died on Ancestry.com
www.cwgc.orgCommonwealth War Graves Commission
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