Lt
Edward Bouskill
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1897 |
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Place of birth: Stockport, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Student |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Lieutenant |
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Service number: / |
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Enlistment place: Manchester, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Manchester Regiment, 21st Bn. (6th City) (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 04/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Butte, Polygon Wood, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 20 |
Cemetery
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Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood Plot: XII Row: AA Grave: 11 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
Lieutenant Edward Bouskill served in the Manchester Regiment 21st Battalion, part of the 91st Brigade, of the 7th Division.
On the 4th of October 1917 the 7th Division participated in the Battle of Broodseinde, a phase of the Third Battle of Ypres. The Division advanced with two Brigades, the 20th Brigade on the left and the 91st on the right. They advanced from positions just northeast of Polygon Wood. Their objective was the Broodseinde Ridge and the Beselare-Passchendaele Road. The attack of the 91st Brigade was carried by the South Staffordshire Regiment 1st Battalion and the Manchester Regiment 22nd Battalion. The Manchester Regiment 21st Battalion was in reserve around the Butte in Polygon Wood. The area of the Butte was heavily shelled from 2.00 a.m. till 6.00 a.m.
At 6 a.m. the South Staffordshire Regiment 1st Battalion moved forward behind a creeping barrage towards the first objective. They encountered only slight resistance. But while advancing the right flank came under machine gun fire from the 21st Divisional area, causing considerable casualties. The advance of 21st Division on the right had been held up, exposing the right flank of the 1st South Staffordshires. But as soon as the advancing parties of the 21st Division caught up, things were secure.
The barrage drove everything beyond it, inflicting heavy casualties on the German defenders. The Germans had been planning an attack themselves on the 4th of October and they had consequently concentrated many troops in their frontline. Moments before the German infantry was going to attack they were caught in the allied barrage. The German soldiers had almost no place to hide. The ones that survived the heavy shelling were quickly dispersed, killed or taken prisoner by the advancing troops. Even the Germans in the concrete strongpoints were utterly shocked. Most of them surrendered without putting up a fight.
Consequently the 1st South Staffordshires captured and consolidated the 2nd objective without much opposition. And the 22nd Manchester Regiment moved through the 1st South Staffordshires. Their objective was to capture the second objective at the dominant obeservation positions around the Reutel and in de Ster Cabaret.
When the 22nd Manchester Regiment renewed the attack around 8.10 a.m. the Germans had already recovered from the initial shock and had reorganised their defence. Advancing towards In de Ster Cabaret, the 22nd were caught in enfilade by machine gun fire from Joiner’s Rest.
At 9.30 a.m. “D” Company of the 21st Manchesters was sent up to support the attack. “C” Company followed at 2.00 p.m. A defensive flank to the right was thrown up to link with the 21st Division, whose progress had been less rapid. The 22nd Manchesters and the two Companies of the 21st then started consolidating the line.
The Manchester Regiment 21st Battalion was relieved on the night of the 6th and 7th of October 1917.
Lieutenant Edward Bouskill was killed in action on the 4th of October 1917. He was possibly killed by the heavy German shell fire between 2.00 a.m. and 6.00 a.m. when the 21st Manchester were in position at the Butte in Polygon Wood. He was directly buried in Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood.
On the 4th of October 1917 the 7th Division participated in the Battle of Broodseinde, a phase of the Third Battle of Ypres. The Division advanced with two Brigades, the 20th Brigade on the left and the 91st on the right. They advanced from positions just northeast of Polygon Wood. Their objective was the Broodseinde Ridge and the Beselare-Passchendaele Road. The attack of the 91st Brigade was carried by the South Staffordshire Regiment 1st Battalion and the Manchester Regiment 22nd Battalion. The Manchester Regiment 21st Battalion was in reserve around the Butte in Polygon Wood. The area of the Butte was heavily shelled from 2.00 a.m. till 6.00 a.m.
At 6 a.m. the South Staffordshire Regiment 1st Battalion moved forward behind a creeping barrage towards the first objective. They encountered only slight resistance. But while advancing the right flank came under machine gun fire from the 21st Divisional area, causing considerable casualties. The advance of 21st Division on the right had been held up, exposing the right flank of the 1st South Staffordshires. But as soon as the advancing parties of the 21st Division caught up, things were secure.
The barrage drove everything beyond it, inflicting heavy casualties on the German defenders. The Germans had been planning an attack themselves on the 4th of October and they had consequently concentrated many troops in their frontline. Moments before the German infantry was going to attack they were caught in the allied barrage. The German soldiers had almost no place to hide. The ones that survived the heavy shelling were quickly dispersed, killed or taken prisoner by the advancing troops. Even the Germans in the concrete strongpoints were utterly shocked. Most of them surrendered without putting up a fight.
Consequently the 1st South Staffordshires captured and consolidated the 2nd objective without much opposition. And the 22nd Manchester Regiment moved through the 1st South Staffordshires. Their objective was to capture the second objective at the dominant obeservation positions around the Reutel and in de Ster Cabaret.
When the 22nd Manchester Regiment renewed the attack around 8.10 a.m. the Germans had already recovered from the initial shock and had reorganised their defence. Advancing towards In de Ster Cabaret, the 22nd were caught in enfilade by machine gun fire from Joiner’s Rest.
At 9.30 a.m. “D” Company of the 21st Manchesters was sent up to support the attack. “C” Company followed at 2.00 p.m. A defensive flank to the right was thrown up to link with the 21st Division, whose progress had been less rapid. The 22nd Manchesters and the two Companies of the 21st then started consolidating the line.
The Manchester Regiment 21st Battalion was relieved on the night of the 6th and 7th of October 1917.
Lieutenant Edward Bouskill was killed in action on the 4th of October 1917. He was possibly killed by the heavy German shell fire between 2.00 a.m. and 6.00 a.m. when the 21st Manchester were in position at the Butte in Polygon Wood. He was directly buried in Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood.
Sources 3
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91 Infantry Brigade: 21 Battalion Manchester Regiment. (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/1668/3). https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14303 Further reference |
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McCarthy C., The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995), pg. 98-100. Sources used |
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Stedman M., Manchester Pals 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd + 23rd Battalions of Manchester Regiment: A History of the Two Manchester Brigades, (London, Leo Cooper, 1994), pg. 178-180. 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/480125 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=a17423d0-286a-479e-b8e2-d9988534444d |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/431125 |