Informationen zum Armeedienst

Land:
England, Vereinigtes Königreich
Truppe:
British Expeditionary Force
Rang:
Private
Dienstnummer:
32949
Einberufung ort:
South Bank, York, Yorkshire, England, Vereinigtes Königreich
Einheiten:
 —  Alexandra Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment), 10th Bn.  (Letzte bekannte Einheit)

Informationen zu Tod

Sterbedatum:
06/10/1917
Sterbeort:
Joist Farm, Zonnebeke, Belgien
Todesursache:
Im Kampf gefallen

Begräbnisplatz

Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood
Grabstelle: XXVII
Reihe: D
Grab: 5

Auszeichnungen und Orden 2

British War Medal
Medaille
Victory Medal
Medaille

Punkte von Interesse 3

#1 Geburtsort
#2 Einberufung ort
#3 Ort des Todes (ungefähr)

Meine Geschichte

Private David Welsh served in the Alexandra Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment), 10th Battalion, part of the 62nd Brigade, of the 21st Division.

The 21st Division participated in the Battle of Broodseinde on the 4th of October. It had to attack the high grounds near Reutel from positions at the eastern outskirts of Polygon Wood. While moving up to the frontline the 10th Yorkshires came under heavy shell fire in Glencorse Wood. As a result the Battalion lost touch with the 12th/13th Northumberland Fusiliers, which accompanied them to the frontline. While moving on they were shelled again, now at Black Watch Corner.
The frequent shelling had held up the Battalion and had been replaced by the 1st Lincolnshire Regiment in the line. Consequently the 10th Yorkshires had become the reserve Battalion in front of Polygon Wood.
At zero hour, 6 a.m. the German artillery put down another barrage in front of the Polygon Wood. The 10th Yorkshires had now been under heavy shell fire almost uninterruptedly from 9 p.m. on the 3rd till 6 a.m. on the 4th. During the day the shelling continued unceasingly and casualties kept stacking up.
When darkness finally fell the battered Battalion used the cover of darkness to move forward. They consolidated positions close to the old frontline at Juniper Trench near Jetty Wood. At 4 a.m. on the following morning the German artillery put down another barrage on the new front line and on Polygon Wood. Conditions in the trenches was bad and the shelling remained consistent, until the Battalion was finally relieved just before midnight on the 7th of October.

Losses had been very heavy. One officer and 74 other ranks were killed while ten officers and 249 men were wounded or went missing.

Private David Welsh was killed near the line on the 6th of October 1917. He possibly fell due to German harassing fire. The positions of the Battalion were subjected to constant shelling on the 6th of October 1917. He was initially buried near Joist Farm. His remains were exhumed after the war and interred in Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood.

Dateien 2

Quellen 6

"The Green Howards in the Great War", Wylly C.B., Richmond, Richmond Yorkshire, 1926, pg. 345-347.
Verwendete Quellen
"The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995, pg. 98-100.
Verwendete Quellen
Ancestry
http://home.ancestry.co.uk/
Weitere Quellen
CWGC
https://www.cwgc.org/
Verwendete Quellen
The Long, Long Trail
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/
Verwendete Quellen
War Diary Yorkshire Regiment 10th Bn.
http://www.nmarchive.com/
Weitere Quellen