APRIL TO NOVEMBER 1918
THE 4TH BATTALION
[Sidenote: 4th Batt. April 1918.]
Lieut.-Colonel Pilcher brought the remnants of the 4th Battalion out
of the line on the 15th, and after halting for a few hours at Grand
Sec Bois, arrived at Borre. The billets into which the Battalion went,
were between Hazebrouck and Borre, and the men were glad to get a rest
after their hard fighting. Captain the Hon. F. E. Needham arrived,
and took over command of No. 1 Company, and Second Lieutenant P. G.
S. Gregson-Ellis, who joined at the same time, was posted to No. 2
Company. The Battalion was now so weak in numbers that Lieut.-Colonel
Pilcher organised it into two companies of three platoons each.
Being in reserve it was still in the area of operations, and on the
16th, while the Germans were shelling the back areas, one shell fell
in one of the billets, killing three men, and wounding five more,
including Company Sergeant-Major Pettit. On the 16th the Battalion
marched to La Kreule, moving on the next day into billets at La Halte.
Brigadier-General Butler found that these sadly depleted battalions
were difficult to work with, since at any time his Brigade might be
called upon to take over a portion of the line, and a battalion of six
platoons would be expected to hold trenches, occupied by a battalion up
to full strength. He therefore determined to make a composite battalion
of the 4th Battalion Grenadiers and the 3rd Battalion Coldstream, and
to place it under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Pilcher, with Major
Gillilan as Second in Command. In all the history of the two regiments
this had never been done before; not even at the first battle of
Ypres, where battalions of each regiment had been decimated, had any
amalgamation been attempted. This composite battalion now took over
from the 5th Battalion of the 2nd Australian Regiment the billets in
Le-Tir-Anglais, and was placed in support. During a severe shelling on
the 20th Second Lieutenant R. D. Richardson was severely wounded, and
died four days later. On the 22nd the composite battalion relieved the
King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in the front line, and came in for
a heavy bombardment of gas and high-explosive shells from the enemy's
artillery, during which Lieutenant R. Rolfe was killed. After three
days in the trenches the composite battalion moved back into support,
and now that drafts of men had been sent up to both battalions, it was
split up again into two. The officers of the 4th Battalion were:
Lieut.-Colonel W. S. Pilcher, D.S.O. Commanding Officer.
Capt. C. R. Gerard Adjutant.
Lieut. R. L. Murray-Lawes Intelligence Officer.
Capt. the Hon. F. E. Needham No. 1 Company.
Lieut. E.H. Tuckwell " "
Lieut. C.E. Irby No. 2 Company.
2nd Lieut. P.G.S. Gregson-Ellis " "
On the 27th the Battalion proceeded to Hondeghem, where Lieutenant A.
A. Morris and Second Lieutenant the Hon. S. E. Marsham joined.
[Sidenote: May.]
At the beginning of May the 4th Guards Brigade was transferred from
the Second to the Third Army, and was placed directly under the orders
of General Headquarters. On the 21st it marched _via_ Wandicourt to
Saulty, where it remained until the end of the month.
The following officers arrived during May: Lieutenant M. P. B. Wrixon,
M.C., Second Lieutenant H. V. Gillett, Lieutenant J. E. Greenwood,
Lieutenant R. P. le Poer Trench.
[Sidenote: June.]
The Battalion remained at Saulty until the 11th, when it moved to La
Cauchie, where Captain J. H. C. Simpson and Lieutenant H. G. Wiggins
joined. On the 30th, after church parade, Field-Marshal His Royal
Highness the Duke of Connaught visited the Battalion.
[Sidenote: July.]
ROLL OF OFFICERS IN JULY
Lieut.-Colonel W. S. Pilcher, D.S.O. Commanding Officer.
Major C. F. A. Walker, M.C. Second in Command.
Capt. C. R. Gerard, D.S.O. Adjutant.
Capt. I. H. Ingleby Act.-Quartermaster.
Lieut. G. W. Selby-Lowndes Transport Officer.
Lieut. R. L. Murray-Lawes Intelligence Officer.
Capt. the Hon. F. E. Needham No. 1 Double Compy.
Capt. J. H. C. Simpson " "
Lieut. R. P. le Poer Trench, M.C. " "
Lieut. H. G. Wiggins, M.C. " "
Lieut. M. P. B. Wrixon, M.C. " "
Lieut. J. E. Greenwood " "
2nd Lieut. the Hon. S. E. Marsham " "
Capt. the Hon. A. H. L. Hardinge, M.C. No. 2 Double Compy.
Lieut. E. W. Nairn " "
Lieut. C. E. Irby, M.C. " "
2nd Lieut. A. F. Alington " "
2nd Lieut. P. G. S. Gregson-Ellis " "
2nd Lieut. H. V. Gillett " "
Capt. N. Grellier, M.C., R.A.M.C. Medical Officer.
Capt. the Rev. E. Best Chaplain.
At the beginning of July the Battalion went to Criel Plage. On the
20th the third anniversary of the formation of the Battalion was duly
celebrated by a football match between the two half battalions, and a
Sergeants' dinner and concert, which Brigadier-General Butler attended.
[Sidenote: Aug.]
During August the Battalion remained at Criel Plage employed in
training and fatigue work. Lieutenant C. C. Cubitt joined.
[Sidenote: Sept.]
At the beginning of September Captain R. Wolrige-Gordon joined, and on
the 25th the Battalion proceeded to Hiermont, where it was placed under
the orders of the Cavalry Corps, as mobile infantry to be moved by
motor transport. On the 27th it moved to Rorcourt, and two days later
to Bray-sur-Somme, where it occupied a camp which had formerly been
used for German prisoners. On the 30th Lieutenant B. Layton, Second
Lieutenant A. G. Snelling, and Second Lieutenant W. R. Wearne arrived.
[Sidenote: Oct.]
ROLL OF OFFICERS AT THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER
Lieut.-Colonel W. S. Pilcher, D.S.O. Commanding Officer.
Capt. C. R. Gerard, D.S.O. Adjutant.
Capt. I. H. Ingleby Act.-Quartermaster.
Lieut. G. W. Selby-Lowndes Transport Officer.
Lieut. R. L. Murray-Lawes Intelligence Officer.
Capt. R. Wolrige-Gordon, M.C. No. 1 Double Compy.
Lieut. B. C. Layton " "
Lieut. M. P. B. Wrixon, M.C. " "
Lieut. J. E. Greenwood " "
2nd Lieut. P. G. S. Gregson-Ellis " "
Capt. the Hon. A. H. L. Hardinge, M.C. No. 2 Double Compy.
Capt. E. W. Nairn " "
Lieut. H. G. Wiggins, M.C. " "
2nd Lieut. C. E. Irby, M.C. " "
2nd Lieut. W. R. Wearne " "
2nd Lieut. H. V. Gillett " "
2nd Lieut. A. G. Snelling " "
Capt. N. Grellier, M.C., R.A.M.C. Medical Officer.
Capt. the Rev. E. Best Chaplain.
On October 3 the Battalion moved to Frise, and on the 8th to
Pœuilly. Its movements now depended on the Cavalry Corps, but as
there was no scope for the latter, since the country was enclosed
and full of barbed wire, its rôle was to march in the wake of the
divisions, which were driving the Germans in front of them. In order
to be at hand if wanted it was necessary to keep well up, and so the
column was constantly under shell-fire. On leaving Pœuilly the
Battalion marched to Bellenglise, moving on the following day to
Montbrehain, where the British lines advancing and the Germans retiring
could be plainly seen. On the 9th Major J. S. Hughes, M.C., arrived
and took up his duties as Second in Command. The march was continued
through Brancourt to Premont, where the main road was completely
blocked, as the retreating Germans had blown down the church, through
Montigny to Gouy, where the Battalion remained for three days. The
men had an opportunity of seeing Lesbœufs and Morval, which had
played so great a part in the battle of the Somme in 1916, and also the
Grenadiers' Memorial erected there. On the 21st Second Lieutenant M.
C. St. J. Hornby joined. On the 26th the 4th Guards Brigade left the
Cavalry Corps and received orders to join the Guards Division. For the
time being the Battalion was sent to its old billets in Criel, where
Lieutenant R. D. Leigh-Pemberton, M.C., and Second Lieutenant O. Scott
Russell joined, and there it remained until the Armistice was signed on
November 11.