1st Battalion places of significance on Western Front (forum archive)

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Posted by Muchtodo » Mon Jul 16, 2012 11:40 am	Muchtodo Private Registered user Posts: 9
Good afternoon all, We are shortly off to the Western Front and I was wondering if there are any places of particular interest that are relevent to the 1st Battalion from the 2 October 1918, through to the end of hostilities? I would be very upset if we had not managed to get to some important places to see where my great grandfather had fought!! Thanks, Jarrod.

Posted by kerchi » Sun Jul 22, 2012 5:43 pm

Kerchi Field-Marshal Administrator Posts: 2160 In memory of John Bardgett (15309 L/Cpl.) 11th Border Regiment Who died 1st July 1916.

Hi Jarrod, Hope you have a great trip. The 2nd October 1918 is close to the end of hostilities anyway and things are well and truly in place for the armistice in just over a month's time from this date. However, just having a quick look I can see that the 1st Battalion were at or near the following places: October 1st/2nd - withdrew to Kruiseik. 5th - moved to Westhoek. 7th - billets in Ypres. 10th - moved to Becelaere. 11th - moved to and bivouacked at Support Battalion area at Potterijebrug. It was around this time that there were talks for a cessation of fire, especially with the imminent surrender of Germany. 13th-14th - left Potterijebrug area and occupied assembly possition during the day. Places mentioned during this time are: Hoolley House, Kanter Hoek, Ledgehem Station, Iveson farm, Barraekn, Sovereign Wood, Olivia Farm with fighting taking place during the day whilst at night it quiet. 15th - fighting continues, sometimes under heavy fire, by 9.35 am the 1st Battalion were in possession of the village of Salines. The enemy was holding out at Gulleghem but this was also taken by 10.40 am. The Courtrai-Inglemunster railway station was later taken. 16th - went back to salines on relief. During this fighting the 1st Battalion captured 150 prisoners, 5 machine guns and 1 howitzer.4,500 yards of front had been taken including the northern half of Heule. 20th - moved across Lys River as advance guard to the Brigade. Oders given to move to the west of Cuerne but on the way they stopped near Watermolen and awaited further orders. They later withdrew to billets during the night. 21st - ordered to meet up with Royal Fusiliers of 86th Brigade for an attack on the 22nd. 22nd - fierce fighting taking place to make gains towards Hill 66 and Kattestraate. By 4 pm battalion was relieved and went into billets south of Harlebeke. November For ten days the battalion remained in the area of St. Andre and Tourcoing. During the early day of November saw the real beginning of the end of the war where the British and French had broken enemy resistance beyond any means of recovery. Any further hostilities from Germany would have been disastrous and by the 11th November, the 1st Battalion, near Celles, the war diary states: "At 08.30 news came through that hostilites were to cease at 11.00 as the enemy had accepted term for Armitice". Hope this helps for your plans. If you do take plenty of photos we would be very happy to see some of them on the forum