susan1962 Posted 18 September , 2004 Share Posted 18 September , 2004 Does anyone know where the Notts and Derby Reg 2nd/5th Bn were on the 21st March 1918 and what actions did they take part in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_davies Posted 18 September , 2004 Share Posted 18 September , 2004 Hi Susan, You may want to have a look at Martin Middlebrook's Kaisers Battle which deals with the first day of the German 1918 offensive as the 2/5th Sherwood Foresters have a fair amount of info and a number of first hand accounts from battalion members. Looked briefly at my copy: The battalion as part of the 59th Divison were holding the Bullecourt Salient. The 2/5th Sherwoods were holding part of the divisional "battlezone" (or main defensive positions) around the village of Noreuil. Apparently the German advance helped by the thick morning fog soon surrounded the bulk of the battalion, and they were soon reduced to about 150 men, finally surrendering at about 3pm. Middlebrook gives the number of men escaping to the rear as 4! The battalion suffered the 5th highest British loss of KIA during the day of 109 men. Hope the above helps. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susan1962 Posted 18 September , 2004 Author Share Posted 18 September , 2004 Hi Jim, thanks for the email.Very interesting.I'll look up Martin Middlebrook's book too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hesketh Posted 18 September , 2004 Share Posted 18 September , 2004 Jim beat me to it, but I can add a second opinion! Jim's correct - Noreuil, Bullecourt Salient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 18 September , 2004 Share Posted 18 September , 2004 Hallo Susan I have the details from the battalion war diary for that day. The original diaries were lost in the action and the days that followed, but there is an excellent retrospective account, and also a letter from Lieut-Col Gadd to Brigadier General Stansfield following Gadd's repatriation at the end of 1918, with his 'explanation.' If you send me an email or personal message [via the forum], and let me have your email address, I'll send it - it's all transcribed into Word. Regards - Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Brown Posted 18 September , 2004 Share Posted 18 September , 2004 Hello Susan, You may find a previous thread here to be of interest in respect of your posting. Stuart PS SueL Do you have anything on 2/5th for the 26th September 1917 for Otto Farm /Tower Hamlets, Passchendaele? Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 18 September , 2004 Share Posted 18 September , 2004 Stuart No, sorry, I've collected the BWD extracts for all the men I'm researching, but unfortunately Notts and Derby men were thin on the ground in Sussex - this bit is one of only two I've got [but it's a good one ] Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Brown Posted 18 September , 2004 Share Posted 18 September , 2004 SueL Thanks for reply - can I be cheeky and request the one you are sending to Susan above please. Just that Notts & Derby is "my thing". Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 18 September , 2004 Share Posted 18 September , 2004 Stuart It's no problem at all - if you let me have an email address I'll send it as a Word attachment - it's a bit lengthy to cut and paste into a forum email. Regards - Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hesketh Posted 19 September , 2004 Share Posted 19 September , 2004 Sue, Me too? Please, please, pretty please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susan1962 Posted 19 September , 2004 Author Share Posted 19 September , 2004 Hi Sue, thanks for the generous offer. My email is:- keithjamesgreen@btinternet.com Looks like your offer to me has started a landslide of requests-lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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