Pte
Harold Breakwell
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1895 |
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Place of birth: Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Errand boy |
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: 60434 |
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Enlistment place: Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 10th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 26/09/1917 |
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Place of death: Romulus Wood, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 22 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: XXV Row: F Grave: 16 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal — 21/05/1921 |
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Victory Medal Medal — 21/05/1921 |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
Private Harold Breakwell served in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers 10th Battalion. This Battalion was part of the 76th Brigade of the 3rd Division of the British Expeditionary Force.
On the 26th of September, the 76th Brigade, with the 2nd Suffolks, the 8th The King’s Own, the 1st Gorden Highlanders and the 10th Royal Welsh Fusiliers, took part in the Battle of Polygon Wood, which lasted till the 3rd of October.
The preliminary barrage started at 3.40 a.m., The German artillery reacted with a barrage of their own only thirty minutes later. At zero hour, 5.50 a.m., the 76th Brigade attacked on the right side of the railway, while the 8th Brigade attacked left of the 76th. The starting position was west of Zonnebeke, near Potsdam.
The 8th Battalion The King’s Own and the 1st Gorden Highlanders were to capture and consolidate the first objective. There was little resistance in this phase of the attack. However, the men were briefly held up as they sought a crossing point over the Hanebeek. After they had crossed the Hanebeek, the advance continued towards the first objective, near the St. Joseph’s Institute.
On the lifting of the barrage, the 10th Royal Welsh Fusiliers, together with the 2nd Suffolks, continued to the final objective, the village of Zonnebeke. The attack lost momentum because of heavy machine gun fire from the station of Zonnebeke. The center of the village was eventually taken by the 10th Fusiliers and 2nd Suffolks. The right company of the 10th and some men of the 2nd succeeded in reaching the ruins of the church, while the left was stopped at about 200 yards from the station. The Germans showed little resistance, except when the battalions were approaching the final objective. It was during the final advance that the Battalion suffered the most casualties.
At 2.30 p.m. the first German counter-attack commenced, but it was relatively easy repulsed with artillery-, Lewis gun and rifle fire. The second counter-attack started at 6.30 p.m. The attack gained momentum, but was eventually halted. No more counter-attacks developed, as the Germans had suffered heavy casualties.
On the left the 8th Brigade withdrew, which left the left flank of the 76th Brigade uncovered. During the evening and the night of the 26th/27th September, the Battalion was reorganized. Parties were organized to carry ammunition to the frontline positions.
Private Harold Breakwell was killed in action on the 26th of September. His remains were found just west of Romulus Wood, due east from the 76th Brigade frontline. He was buried east from the final consolidation line. It’s possible he lost his way in the dark while supplying forward positions or was captured during the attack or one of the German counter-attacks. Private Harold Breakwell was buried in the field. His remains were exhumed after the war and interred at the Tyne Cot Cemetery in Zonnebeke.
On the 26th of September, the 76th Brigade, with the 2nd Suffolks, the 8th The King’s Own, the 1st Gorden Highlanders and the 10th Royal Welsh Fusiliers, took part in the Battle of Polygon Wood, which lasted till the 3rd of October.
The preliminary barrage started at 3.40 a.m., The German artillery reacted with a barrage of their own only thirty minutes later. At zero hour, 5.50 a.m., the 76th Brigade attacked on the right side of the railway, while the 8th Brigade attacked left of the 76th. The starting position was west of Zonnebeke, near Potsdam.
The 8th Battalion The King’s Own and the 1st Gorden Highlanders were to capture and consolidate the first objective. There was little resistance in this phase of the attack. However, the men were briefly held up as they sought a crossing point over the Hanebeek. After they had crossed the Hanebeek, the advance continued towards the first objective, near the St. Joseph’s Institute.
On the lifting of the barrage, the 10th Royal Welsh Fusiliers, together with the 2nd Suffolks, continued to the final objective, the village of Zonnebeke. The attack lost momentum because of heavy machine gun fire from the station of Zonnebeke. The center of the village was eventually taken by the 10th Fusiliers and 2nd Suffolks. The right company of the 10th and some men of the 2nd succeeded in reaching the ruins of the church, while the left was stopped at about 200 yards from the station. The Germans showed little resistance, except when the battalions were approaching the final objective. It was during the final advance that the Battalion suffered the most casualties.
At 2.30 p.m. the first German counter-attack commenced, but it was relatively easy repulsed with artillery-, Lewis gun and rifle fire. The second counter-attack started at 6.30 p.m. The attack gained momentum, but was eventually halted. No more counter-attacks developed, as the Germans had suffered heavy casualties.
On the left the 8th Brigade withdrew, which left the left flank of the 76th Brigade uncovered. During the evening and the night of the 26th/27th September, the Battalion was reorganized. Parties were organized to carry ammunition to the frontline positions.
Private Harold Breakwell was killed in action on the 26th of September. His remains were found just west of Romulus Wood, due east from the 76th Brigade frontline. He was buried east from the final consolidation line. It’s possible he lost his way in the dark while supplying forward positions or was captured during the attack or one of the German counter-attacks. Private Harold Breakwell was buried in the field. His remains were exhumed after the war and interred at the Tyne Cot Cemetery in Zonnebeke.
Sources 3
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10 Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers , (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/1436/2). https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14303 Further reference |
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Burton F., The War Diary (1914-1918) of 10th (Service) Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers, (Plymouth, William Brendon & Son, 1926), pg. 82-84. Sources used |
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McCarthy C., The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995), pg. 89-92. 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/462041 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=3f64f590-5494-4400-ad4e-fbd3c5371c1b |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/480481 |