1.2F6th Battalion City of London Rifles

1 1/6th battalion

1.1 loos
1.2 vimy
1.3 high wood
1.4 ypres
1.5 messines
1.6 bourlon wood

1/6th battalion

in mid-august battalion went camp @ bisley, surrey , month later moved crowborough, sussex, trained in field operations. 5 november, number of individual london tf battalions had been sent overseas , 1/6th transferred 4th london brigade in 2nd london division bring full strength in order proceed france formation. battalion moved watford join new brigade, , field training continued until 16 march 1915, when entrained southampton embark western front

during night of 17/18 march 1/6th londons sailed le havre aboard ss la marguerite. 2nd london division, afterwards numbered 47th (1/2nd london) division, went line near béthune instructed in trench warfare regular 2nd division. 1/6th londons teamed 1st bn krrc , 2nd bn south staffordshire regiment. during april battalion began take responsibility holding own section of line, , suffered first casualties.

the 1/6th bn not involved in 47th division s first attack, @ battle of festubert (15–25 may), heavily shelled several days while holding line adjacent attacks.

loos

the battle of loos 1915



british infantry advancing through gas cloud @ loos 25 september 1915

the first full-scale attack carried out clr @ battle of loos on 25 september 1915. rehearsed attack following 4 days of bombardment , release of gas cloud. 1/6th bn s objective german trench system running mining spoil tip known double crassier lens–béthune road. battalion reached german front line few casualties, wire in front of second line more serious obstacle, there no natural cover, , battalion suffered many casualties here. however, objectives taken 08.00, after battalion consolidated position , beat off counter-attacks.

vimy

1/6th battalion withdrawn loos sector on 30 september, , after period of line-holding, sent in mid-november rest , training new equipment such lewis guns , rifle grenades. returned line in mid-december, , carried out regular tours of duty around hulluch , march 1916 on vimy ridge. on 30 april 1/6th bn suffered on 80 casualties when germans exploded mine under line. however, clr occupied , fortified resulting crater, named mildren crater after commanding officer.

on night of 20/21 may, 140 bde relieved formation further tour of duty on vimy ridge, following day (while supporting artillery being changed on , not offer support) front line heavily bombarded, support line in zouave valley in 1/6th bn stationed. germans began attack @ 19.45, taking of front line, , @ 22.00 1/6th ordered make counter-attack restore position. battalion made progress, flanks in air . @ 02.00 on 22 may attacked again, once again flanking units held up. however, germans had achieved object (to destroy british mine shafts under ridge) , withdrew on flanks, positions recaptured 1/6th became new british front line months come.

high wood

the 47th division s attack @ high wood, 15 september 1916

in late july 1916 1/6th marched south begin training enter ongoing somme offensive. battalion practised on positions marked out flags, , adopted identification stripes on arms: company blue, b co green, c co red , d co yellow. on 15 september, 47th division attacked high wood cover left flank of tank-led attack of adjacent divisions on flers. first objective 140 bde line clear of high wood (the switch line), second starfish line on forward slope, after 1/6th londons pass through take flers line. leading waves engaged in heavy fighting , brigade got starfish line, after 1/6th pressed on. battalion suffered badly enfilade machine-gun fire direction of high wood (which had still not been cleared), when whole waves of men mown down in line . although few men reached flers line not held, , remaining 2 officers , 100 men (including 50 came transport lines) consolidated position known cough drop, group of german trenches in valley west of flers, though position unknown headquarters. following day follow-up attack linked 1/6th holding out in cough drop, , @ dawn on 18 september battalion contributed mixed force succeeded in occupying flers line. 1/6th relieved in cough drop on morning of 20 september. regiment received battle honour flers-courcelette action.

after 8 days rest depleted 1/6th returned front line on 4 october, opposite mound known butte de warlencourt. next day battalion seized old mill west of eaucourt l abbaye. here battalion observed enemy digging new trench on butte, , 140 bde ordered attack , go on take mound. because of losses, 1/6th not involved in unsuccessful attacks on next 2 days, suffered badly retaliatory shellfire. relieved on night of 9/10 october. action won regiment battle honour le transloy

ypres

the 47th division transferred ypres salient, , 1/6th bn absorbed large draft of reinforcements. training continued between spells spent holding line. on 20 february 1917 1/6th carried out large-scale trench raid involving 4 rifle companies attached sappers 520 company royal engineers , 2nd australian tunnelling company, total of 20 officers , 640 other ranks. dummy raids, mines , bombardments on neighbouring sections of line used deceive enemy. stokes mortar barrage on german front line cut wire in front of attack , kept defenders in dugouts, while field guns laid box barrage seal off area attacked. attack went in @ 17.00, led second-in-command of 1/6th sounding hunting horn, , met no hostile fire. record number of prisoners taken, dugouts, emplacements , mine shaft destroyed, , considerable intelligence gained. after hour, raiders retired own lines dusk fell.

messines

the 47th division @ messines, 7 june 1917

the 1/6th took part in battle of messines on 7 june. 140 brigade attacked south of ypres–comines canal white chateau , adjacent outbuildings , trenches objective. 1/6th left trenches @ 05.30, 2 hours after 0 hour, pass through , complete assault on final objectives. finding white chateau still uncaptured, supporting tanks bogged, , surroundings being covered enemy fire, battalion had improvise. company sergeant-major c. bitten of b company climbed onto chateau ruins , threw grenades , bricks @ enemy machine-gun teams, scattered, allowing battalion occupy position. while battalion hq set in chateau ruins, battalion advanced behind barrage take outbuildings , german reserve line. 2 officers , 30 other ranks killed in attack, , 81 ranks wounded – comparatively low number period.

the 1/6th bn spent summer of 1917 holding line in ypres salient, taking part in usual small actions , trench raids, , during autumn in oppy sector.

bourlon wood

on 29 november 1917 47th division took on defence of bourlon ridge, captured during recent battle of cambrai. defences rudimentary, , germans attacked following day. @ first attacks fell on neighbouring battalions on both flanks, 1/6th s fire on these attacks attracted frontal attack, penetrated between 1/6th , 1/15th londons right. position on ridge enfiladed , casualties mounted under repeated attacks, including ground attack aircraft. position restored counter-attack led commanding officer , including available men @ battalion hq. battalion s casualties on day heavy, amounting 13 officers , 369 other ranks, many of whom captured positions rolled up.

on 2 january 1918, lt-col w.f. mildren, had been commanding officer of 1/6th since august 1915, promoted command 141 bde in 47th division, , not replaced. in february 1918 number of british infantry battalions disbanded because of manpower crisis. 1/6th londons among selected disbandment: 8 officers , 198 other ranks sent 2/6th battalion in 58th division (see below). other drafts sent 1/15th , 1/18th londons in 47th division. remaining men of 1/6th sent join remnants of 9 other battalions form 6th entrenching battalion.