Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the husband of Beatrice Victoria Smith. The War Diary for today records that the Battalion were in the Neuve Eglise secor of the front line. At 1.02am Brigade Operational Order number 302 was received stating that Brigade would withdraw from their front line during the night and the front line would become that held by General Wyatt’s force composed of troops of the 2nd Army and Corps -?- running as follows:- S.4.d. 7.1 to S.5.d. 0.2 S.6. central. T.1.a. 0.6 to N.31.c. 3.0 N.31. central. N.31.b. 5.4 to the western slopes of Mont Kemmel. The move would commence at 1.00am. The 2 Machine Guns of 44th Machine Gun Corps. and the 4 Machine Guns of the 29th Machine Gun Corps. would move with the Battalion. At 2.00am Battalion Operational Order number 15 issued relative to this withdrawal. Considerable delay took place before withdrawal was effected, but finally all were clear of the line by 4.15am. The Battalion withdrew to a position in valley on the western slope of Mont Kemmel between N.25.a. 5.4 and N.25.b. 5.3. All in position by 7.00am. The Battalion was under cover of ridges and sunken roads and dug in where necessary for protection against shelling which was continuous throughout the morning, chiefly by 5.9’s. Casualties fortunately very slight. At 2.40pm Brigade Operational Order number 304 received stating that in the event of an attack Battalion would move to positions in M.30.c. and d. in support of the left sector of the 49th Divisional front held by General Wyatt’s Force. Front line Company’s to be:- Right, Dranoutre – Neuve Eglise road. Left, Donegal Farm. At 2.40pm telephone orders received instructing Battalion to move to positions laid down in Brigade Operational Order number 304. At 3.00pm Battalion Operational Order number 16 issued to Company’s relative to move, also advised Officer Commanding Machine Guns attached to Battalion. At 4.00pm th Battalion commenced to move off, an aeroplane showing British colours flew over the valley by which the Battalion was moving, and immediately heavy enemy shelling commenced on exact route travelled by the Battalion. C Company suffered heavily 1 platoon being almost wiped out, only three men remaining. At 6.00pm the move was completed and the Battalion took up new dispositions which were as follows:- B Company right front company in shell holes north east of sunken road through N.31 and central. C Company between our N.31.b. 80.90 and N.31.b. 40.70. D Company between our M.30.d. 40.50 and M.30.d. 00.50. A Company between our M.30.c. 60.50 and M.30.c. 20.50. Battalion HQ’s at M.30.d. 10.30. At 5.30pm advice received from Brigade that if necessary the whole Battalion would be used for counter attack if the enemy gained a foothold on the lower slopes of Kemmel Hill, where it was essential it should not be occupied by him. The attached Machine Guns (6 in number) were distributed on the left flank to fire to our front and bring plunging fire to bear on the valley’s on our right. Number 7 Motor Machine Gun Battery was attached to the Battalion but under orders direct from Brigade. At 10.00pm Brigade Operational Order number 305 received stating that the Battalion would remain in its previous position during the night. 1 company to be detailed to occupy Crow de Poperinghe line from M.36.a. 8.0 to M.30.d. 9.3, B Company detailed for this. Casualties, other ranks A Company 1 killed, 1 wounded, 1 missing. C Company 6 killed, 20 wounded. D Company 2 killed, 8 wounded, 3 missing.