Pte
William Herbert Wollan
Information about birth
|
Date of birth: 16/05/1892 |
|
Place of birth: Caerleon, Monmouthshire, Wales, United Kingdom |
General information
|
Profession: Coal miner |
Army information
|
Country: Wales, United Kingdom |
|
Force: British Expeditionary Force |
|
Rank: Private |
|
Service number: PLY/1081(S) |
|
Enlistment date: 08/09/1915 |
|
Units: — Royal Marines, 1st Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
|
Date of death: 26/10/1917 |
|
Place of death: Moray House, Poelkapelle, Belgium |
|
Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
|
Age: 25 |
Cemetery
|
Poelcapelle British Cemetery Plot: XLIV Row: A Grave: 18 |
Distinctions and medals 2
|
British War Medal Medal — 24/12/1924 |
|
Victory Medal Medal — 24/12/1924 |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
On 16 May 1892 Herbert William Wollan was born in Caerleon, Monmouthshire. He was a Coal Miner by trade till he enlisted in September 1915. He subsequently joined the 1st Battalion Royal Marines, part of the 188th Brigade, of the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division.
The Royal Naval Division participated in The Second Battle of Passchendaele (26 October – 10 November 1917), a phase of the Battle of Passchendaele. By 2 a.m. all battalions were in position. The rain had begun at midnight and continued steadily. The Division attacked with the 188th Brigade at 5:45 a.m. The 1st Royal Marines went over the top, with 2nd Royal Marines in support. The 3rd Canadian division attacked at the same time to their right, while the 58th Division operated on their left. The advance took place over a sea of deep mud, the Allied bombardment on German positions over the last 48 hours had turned the terrain into a mass of shell holes, flooded with several feet of water/mud. The 1st Royal Marines, on the left of the divisional front, managed to capture all their objectives, including Berks Houses, Banff House and Bray Farm. Enfilade fire, however, had caused heavy casualties.
Once the 1st Royal marines had consolidated their gains, the 2nd Royal Marines renewed the attack. During the second stage of the attack, under particularly severe machine-gun fire the 2nd Royal Marines, tried to cross the Paddebeek stream, but several concrete positions and organized shell holes around Sourd Farm prevented a major breakthrough. By this time almost all company commanders of the attacking Battalions had become casualties and at 5 p.m. a strong German counter-attack caused the 2nd Royal Marines to retreat back behind the Paddebeek. By nightfall the troops in Banff house were forced to withdraw to Berks Houses. Practically the whole of the first objective had been gained except Source Trench and Banff House, with the four assaulting battalions suffering disastrous losses of Officers and men. In describing the offensive Sir Hubert Gough stated "No troops could have faced worse conditions".
Private Herbert William Wollan was killed in action on 26 October 1917. The 25-year old was buried in the field near Moray House alongside three unknown British soldiers. This indicates that Herbert was operating on the left flank, and had strafed towards Moray House. Though no one was to cross the Lekkerboterbeek stream, the left Company was to cover this area with Lewis Gun fire. His remains were exhumed after the war and interred in Poelcapelle British Cemetery.
The Royal Naval Division participated in The Second Battle of Passchendaele (26 October – 10 November 1917), a phase of the Battle of Passchendaele. By 2 a.m. all battalions were in position. The rain had begun at midnight and continued steadily. The Division attacked with the 188th Brigade at 5:45 a.m. The 1st Royal Marines went over the top, with 2nd Royal Marines in support. The 3rd Canadian division attacked at the same time to their right, while the 58th Division operated on their left. The advance took place over a sea of deep mud, the Allied bombardment on German positions over the last 48 hours had turned the terrain into a mass of shell holes, flooded with several feet of water/mud. The 1st Royal Marines, on the left of the divisional front, managed to capture all their objectives, including Berks Houses, Banff House and Bray Farm. Enfilade fire, however, had caused heavy casualties.
Once the 1st Royal marines had consolidated their gains, the 2nd Royal Marines renewed the attack. During the second stage of the attack, under particularly severe machine-gun fire the 2nd Royal Marines, tried to cross the Paddebeek stream, but several concrete positions and organized shell holes around Sourd Farm prevented a major breakthrough. By this time almost all company commanders of the attacking Battalions had become casualties and at 5 p.m. a strong German counter-attack caused the 2nd Royal Marines to retreat back behind the Paddebeek. By nightfall the troops in Banff house were forced to withdraw to Berks Houses. Practically the whole of the first objective had been gained except Source Trench and Banff House, with the four assaulting battalions suffering disastrous losses of Officers and men. In describing the offensive Sir Hubert Gough stated "No troops could have faced worse conditions".
Private Herbert William Wollan was killed in action on 26 October 1917. The 25-year old was buried in the field near Moray House alongside three unknown British soldiers. This indicates that Herbert was operating on the left flank, and had strafed towards Moray House. Though no one was to cross the Lekkerboterbeek stream, the left Company was to cover this area with Lewis Gun fire. His remains were exhumed after the war and interred in Poelcapelle British Cemetery.
Sources 6
|
"Britain's Sea Soldiers : A Record of the Royal Marines during the War 1914-1919", Devonport, Swiss & Co, 1927, pg. 332-336. Sources used |
|
"Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Uniform, 2018, pg. 146-147. Sources used |
|
Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/ Further reference |
|
CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/492318/wollan,-/ Sources used |
|
The Long, Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/ Sources used |
|
War Diary Royal Marines, 1st Bn. http://www.nmarchive.com/ Further reference |