Royal Warwickshire Regiment Biaches.

[Guest]

Hello All,

Been researching the Royal Warwickshire Regiment from their time in Biaches from January to March 1917. More specifically as to why some soldiers were buried in Kiboko Wood and some in a field just in front of the British Front Line.

4th Feb 1917

Raid by 1st Prussian Guards (4th Guards Infantry Division or 1st or 2nd Reserve Guards Division) between B and C Company (I have presumed that C company was on the Right and B company on the Left).It seems those soldiers killed with B Company were buried in Kiboko Wood but those killed with C company were buried just in front of the British Front Line.

Map Reference. 62C.I.31.D.1.4.

Sgt G Tyler 199

Cpl C.A Grey 5434

Pte G Mould 20781

Pte H Bell 20346 (On his burial records it specifically says C Company)

Where as other men killed on the same day were buried in Kiboko Wood.

Map Reference: 62c.H.35.B.9.9.

Pte W.T Amos 20900

L/Cpl E Bates 21084

Plus others killed in this raid which amounted to 34 men being killed.

Moving onto to the 1/6th RWR time in the trenches

8/3/1917- Pte George Crick KIA (buried in Kiboko Wood)

9/3/1917- L/Cpl J Baker KIA, L/Cpl Henry Herbert Read KIA, Cpl Bayliss KIA (Buried in Kiboko Wood)

11/3/1917- Pte H Nichols KIA, Pte A Cresswell KIA (Buried in field map coordinated 62c.I.31.d.1.1.)

Having pinned down the war diary it seems that C company again buried there men around Map Coordinate 62c.I.31.d.1.1. (the trench being called according to trench maps Chasseurs Trench) (Including Stettin Trench and Barger Alley)

Am I totally barking up the wrong tree with this research.

[Loader]

Does your info say if any raiders were killed & where they were buried? Must've left someone behind for the unit to id'd as 1?Prussian Gds. Sounds like a rough fight with so many RWRs being killed. There may be reports of the raid by the CO's of the Coys attacked. Hope you find more info. I once saw a detailed report of a unit that was raided, can't recall the Regt. & officers &men killed & captured. There was an investigation of the incident & why/how the enemy could have gotten into the British trenches without being seen til the fight started. Apparently no arty fire to alert the targets of the raid. So that's why I ask, may be attchd to war diary or at Bde level. Such big number of casualties would seem to warrant an investigation of some kind.

[Guest]

I have read the war diaries from the 1/6th and 1/7th Royal Warwickshire's. There was heavy artillery fire from around 12 noon and 5:40pm and the attack coming at 6:30pm. The 1/6th requested support and the 17th sent 2 Lewis Gun support and 3 platoons of infantry support to hold and mop up trenches (the 1/7th lost one man killed and 9 wounded).

The attack came between C company and B company 1/6th Royal Warwickshire's who were south of Biaches facing La Maisonette. It was a very active front.

34 men were killed. 4 Died of Wounds, 6 Wounded and 14 missing. There is not much detail about the assaulting unit except they were from the 1st Prussian Guards. They were relived the next day by the 1/5th Royal Warwickshire's. There was something written in the official history about the severity of the raid. But I cannot seem to find much about it.

I must try and find the Brigade war diary search from the other day was a little fruitless. The 1/7th diary gives so much detail.

It is interesting to note that the 1/6th Warwickshire launched a raid and captured 3 prisoners of which 1 was killed to a loss of 1 man and 15 wounded and 8 missing.

Would be interesting to find out about those men missing.

[Guest]

Micah how did you get on with your research? My relative Albert Victor Worton died on 4th February 1917 he was with the 1/6th. He has no grave, but he is remembered at Theipval and therefore I assume he was one of the 14 missing. My family and I are to France next week and it would be great to know if you found any further information. Best wishes Stuart

[Guest]

Hello Bailes, 

My research has come to a standstill. The Warwickshire Regiment were in Biaches at the time, it seems rather unclear as some bodies of the men killed during this time were buried in a cemetery called Kiboko Wood whilst those I presume that were killed on the front line were buried in shell holes and their graves marked with a cross. He must be one of the 14 missing men. It would be great to discuss and find out some further information from you. 

[Kenney]

My Great uncle Herbert H Kenney died same day. He served in the 1/6. It seems he too was one of the 14 missing in action