Pte
Oliver Edmund Coulson
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1897 |
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Place of birth: Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Butler - Page |
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: G/50516 |
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Units: — The Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment), 2nd Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 16/08/1917 |
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Place of death: Sans Souci, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 20 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 114 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal — 03/05/1920 |
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Victory Medal Medal — 03/05/1920 |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Private Oliver Edmund Coulson served in the Middlesex Regiment 2nd Battalion, part of the 23rd Brigade of the 8th Division.
On the 16th of August 1917 the 8th Division participated in the Battle of Langemark, with the 23rd Brigade on the left and the 25th Brigade on the right. The jump off line of the Division was situated on the Westhoek ridge, between the Ypres-Roulers railroad and the hamlet of Westhoek.
At 4.45 a.m., zero hour, the 23rd Brigade attacked with the 2nd West Yorkshires and the 2nd Middlesex, divided by a line running between Sexton House and Sans Souci. The 2nd Scottish Rifles were in support. The artillery put down a creeping barrage, and the troops followed closely. A German barrage didn’t halt the advancement, despite of heavy losses.
At 5.05 a.m., the 2nd Middlesex had overtaken the 16th Division, which was situated on their left flank. Because of this the 2nd Middlesex came under fire from the railway embankment and from Potsdam Redoubt, when they reached a hedge row near Sans Souci. The left and right flank of the Battalion were held up and could not move further than the aforementioned enclosure.
At this time, all attacking Battalions had suffered very heavy casualties. The left flank was up in the air because the advance of the 16th Division had been checked, the right flank was also exposed because the 56th Division was held up. Both sides of the 2nd Middlesex endured heavy enfilade fire which eventually forced the Battalion to withdraw.
The withdrawal was followed by heavy German counter-attacks. One of the counter-attacks started at 4 p.m., but was halted due to machine-gun-, Lewis gun- and rifle fire from the 2nd Middlesex. However they were soon forced to give up more ground.
Eventually, the Battalion had to withdraw to a line at Sexton House near their original starting positions. The 2nd Middlesex Battalion was relieved in the night of the 16th and 17th of August by the 2nd Scottish Rifles.
Private Oliver Edmund Coulson was killed in action during the attack at Sans Souci on the 16th of August 1917. The remains of Private Coulson were never found or never identified and he is now remembered at the Tyne Cot Memorial in Zonnebeke.
On the 16th of August 1917 the 8th Division participated in the Battle of Langemark, with the 23rd Brigade on the left and the 25th Brigade on the right. The jump off line of the Division was situated on the Westhoek ridge, between the Ypres-Roulers railroad and the hamlet of Westhoek.
At 4.45 a.m., zero hour, the 23rd Brigade attacked with the 2nd West Yorkshires and the 2nd Middlesex, divided by a line running between Sexton House and Sans Souci. The 2nd Scottish Rifles were in support. The artillery put down a creeping barrage, and the troops followed closely. A German barrage didn’t halt the advancement, despite of heavy losses.
At 5.05 a.m., the 2nd Middlesex had overtaken the 16th Division, which was situated on their left flank. Because of this the 2nd Middlesex came under fire from the railway embankment and from Potsdam Redoubt, when they reached a hedge row near Sans Souci. The left and right flank of the Battalion were held up and could not move further than the aforementioned enclosure.
At this time, all attacking Battalions had suffered very heavy casualties. The left flank was up in the air because the advance of the 16th Division had been checked, the right flank was also exposed because the 56th Division was held up. Both sides of the 2nd Middlesex endured heavy enfilade fire which eventually forced the Battalion to withdraw.
The withdrawal was followed by heavy German counter-attacks. One of the counter-attacks started at 4 p.m., but was halted due to machine-gun-, Lewis gun- and rifle fire from the 2nd Middlesex. However they were soon forced to give up more ground.
Eventually, the Battalion had to withdraw to a line at Sexton House near their original starting positions. The 2nd Middlesex Battalion was relieved in the night of the 16th and 17th of August by the 2nd Scottish Rifles.
Private Oliver Edmund Coulson was killed in action during the attack at Sans Souci on the 16th of August 1917. The remains of Private Coulson were never found or never identified and he is now remembered at the Tyne Cot Memorial in Zonnebeke.
Sources 3
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2 Battalion Middlesex Regiment , (The National Archives, KEW 5TNA), WO 95/1713/1). 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. 46-49. Sources used |
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Wyrall E., The Die-Hards in the Great War, (London, Harrison & Sons, 1926), pg. 115-117. 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/841479 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=a30e11b9-ba9f-4e12-8c55-1200f5179886 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/5109739 |