Pte
Joseph White
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1894 |
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Place of birth: Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Iron Moulder |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 12669 |
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Enlistment place: Newburn, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Border Regiment, 6th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 04/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Pheasant Farm - Jungburg, Langemarck, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 23 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 86 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Private Joseph White served in the Border Regiment 6th Battalion, part of the 33rd Brigade, of the 11th (Northern) Division.
The 11th Division participated in the Battle of Broodseinde on the 4th of October 1917. The Division attacked at 6 a.m. with the 34th and the 33rd Brigade, supported by ten tanks. The 33rd Brigade advanced with the 7th South Staffordshire Regiment and the 9th Sherwood Foresters; the 6th Border Regiment were in reserve. A and B Companies of the 6th Border Regiment took up positions along the Langemark-Winnipeg Road (U.29.c.7.5. - U.29.c.8.8.), just South of the ruins of Langemark, in the early hours of October the 4th. C and D Companies dug in round Varna Farm (C.4.c.9.9. - C.4.c.8.9.). All Companies were in position and under cover by 5 a.m.
The attack commenced at 6 a.m. The task of the 6th Border Regiment, being the support Battalion of the Brigade, was to anticipate and fend off possible German counterattacks. They were not to reinforce the attack. One hour after the attack had commenced, A and B Company moved up and dug in 150 yards in front of Pheasant Farm (U.30.b.6.6. - U.30.b.3.9.). At 7.30 a.m. the remainder of the Battalion also advanced. Battalion headquarters moved from Varna Farm to Snipe House (U.29.d.7.8.) and B and C Companies took up positions in the rear of Pheasant Farm (U.30.b.0.4. - U.30.a.7.6.). The Companies were in formation for immediate counterattack if so instructed. The Farm was heavily shelled throughout the morning, while the 6th Battalion was in position round Pheasant Farm. The 6th Border Regiment suffered heavy casualties, due to the unforgiving shellfire, and the men had to spread out into small groups.
Notwithstanding the fact that the 6th Battalion wasn’t supposed to reinforce the attack, the Battalion was ordered to prepare to move through the line of the 9th Sherwood Foresters and the 7th Staffords, as their attack had been checked by the German crossfire. The 6th Border Regiment was to capture a line running through Meunier House, Brewery and String House. By 3 p.m. all arrangements were ready for the advance, but the attack was cancelled, because the Division on the Brigade’s left flank had fallen back around 4 p.m. The troops remained in their positions until night. The 6th Border Regiment relieved the 9th Sherwood Foresters and the 7th Staffords in the frontline in the night of the 5th of October. During the 6th and the 7th of October the Battalion remained in the frontline, until they were relieved in the night of the 7th and 8th of October.
Private Joseph White was killed in action on the 4th of October 1917. He was probably killed at Pheasant Farm, just East of the village of Langemark, when the Border Regiment 6th Battalion’s positions were heavily shelled by the German artillery. Private Joseph White’s body was never recovered and he is now remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
The 11th Division participated in the Battle of Broodseinde on the 4th of October 1917. The Division attacked at 6 a.m. with the 34th and the 33rd Brigade, supported by ten tanks. The 33rd Brigade advanced with the 7th South Staffordshire Regiment and the 9th Sherwood Foresters; the 6th Border Regiment were in reserve. A and B Companies of the 6th Border Regiment took up positions along the Langemark-Winnipeg Road (U.29.c.7.5. - U.29.c.8.8.), just South of the ruins of Langemark, in the early hours of October the 4th. C and D Companies dug in round Varna Farm (C.4.c.9.9. - C.4.c.8.9.). All Companies were in position and under cover by 5 a.m.
The attack commenced at 6 a.m. The task of the 6th Border Regiment, being the support Battalion of the Brigade, was to anticipate and fend off possible German counterattacks. They were not to reinforce the attack. One hour after the attack had commenced, A and B Company moved up and dug in 150 yards in front of Pheasant Farm (U.30.b.6.6. - U.30.b.3.9.). At 7.30 a.m. the remainder of the Battalion also advanced. Battalion headquarters moved from Varna Farm to Snipe House (U.29.d.7.8.) and B and C Companies took up positions in the rear of Pheasant Farm (U.30.b.0.4. - U.30.a.7.6.). The Companies were in formation for immediate counterattack if so instructed. The Farm was heavily shelled throughout the morning, while the 6th Battalion was in position round Pheasant Farm. The 6th Border Regiment suffered heavy casualties, due to the unforgiving shellfire, and the men had to spread out into small groups.
Notwithstanding the fact that the 6th Battalion wasn’t supposed to reinforce the attack, the Battalion was ordered to prepare to move through the line of the 9th Sherwood Foresters and the 7th Staffords, as their attack had been checked by the German crossfire. The 6th Border Regiment was to capture a line running through Meunier House, Brewery and String House. By 3 p.m. all arrangements were ready for the advance, but the attack was cancelled, because the Division on the Brigade’s left flank had fallen back around 4 p.m. The troops remained in their positions until night. The 6th Border Regiment relieved the 9th Sherwood Foresters and the 7th Staffords in the frontline in the night of the 5th of October. During the 6th and the 7th of October the Battalion remained in the frontline, until they were relieved in the night of the 7th and 8th of October.
Private Joseph White was killed in action on the 4th of October 1917. He was probably killed at Pheasant Farm, just East of the village of Langemark, when the Border Regiment 6th Battalion’s positions were heavily shelled by the German artillery. Private Joseph White’s body was never recovered and he is now remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Sources 3
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6 Battalion Border Regiment, (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/1817/1). https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14303 Sources used |
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McCarthy C., The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995), pg. 101. Sources used |
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Willy H.C., The Border Regiment in The Great War, (Uckfield, The Naval & Military Press LTD, 2009), pg. 147-150. Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/876811 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=cd16612a-2d81-4aa6-a4c3-c2394db7ee11 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/5132217 |