Pte
George Field
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1880 |
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Place of birth: Kingswinford, Dudley, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom |
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: 235301 |
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Units: — Lancashire Fusiliers, 3rd/5th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 10/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Heine House, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 37 |
Cemetery
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Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood Plot: III Row: A Grave: 17 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 1
| #1 | Place of birth |
My story
Private George Field served in the Lancashire Fusiliers 3rd/5th Battalion, part of the 197th Brigade, of the 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division.
On the 9th of October 1917 the Division participated in the Battle of Poelcapelle, a phase of the Third Battle of Ypres. The 197th Brigade advanced towards the hamlet of Keerselaarhoek, with its right flank on the Ypres-Roulers ralway. The 197th Brigade was on the right of the Divisional front with four Battalions of the Lancashire Fusiliers. It’s attack was carried by the 3rd/5th Lancashire Fusiliers, the 2nd/6th and 2nd/8th Lancashire Fusiliers; the 2nd/7th Lancashire Fusiliers were in reserve.
At 5.20 a.m. the 3rd/5th Lancashire Fusiliers attacked behind a creeping barrage. They took the first objective, called the Red Line. They then linked up with the 198th Brigade on their left in Augustus Wood. Meanwhile the attack was taken over by the 2nd/8th and 2nd/6th Battalions. Together the three Battalions reached and consolidated the second objective, the Blue Line. The 2nd/7th Battalion followed the advancing parties and remained in reserve.
A defensive flank was formed on the left, but was mistaken for a withdrawal and the men of the 66th Division fell back to the Red Line, where they consolidated positions from Hillside Farm to Defy Crossing (the Railroad crossing). The Germans launched two counter attacks at 09.40 a.m. and at 5.30 p.m., but they were repulsed by small-arms fire.
On the 10th of October the 2nd/7th Lancashire Fusiliers formed a defensive flank on the left of the 197th Brigade, facing Heine House, as the 198th Brigade had not managed to move further than Augustus Wood. The 3rd/5th Lancashire Fusiliers held the line with their right on the Ypres-Roulers railroad. The positions of the 197th Brigade were heavily shelled during the afternoon. The shelling went on till the evening. Another German counterattack was repulsed on the 10th of October. During the night the battered Brigade was relieved by the 3rd Australian Division.
Private George Field was killed in action on the 10th of October 1917. He possibly fell, due to the heavy German shell fire on the 10th, while holding the right flank of the 197th Brigade. Private George Field was buried in the field, between the railroad an Heine House. His remains were exhumed after the war and interred in Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood.
On the 9th of October 1917 the Division participated in the Battle of Poelcapelle, a phase of the Third Battle of Ypres. The 197th Brigade advanced towards the hamlet of Keerselaarhoek, with its right flank on the Ypres-Roulers ralway. The 197th Brigade was on the right of the Divisional front with four Battalions of the Lancashire Fusiliers. It’s attack was carried by the 3rd/5th Lancashire Fusiliers, the 2nd/6th and 2nd/8th Lancashire Fusiliers; the 2nd/7th Lancashire Fusiliers were in reserve.
At 5.20 a.m. the 3rd/5th Lancashire Fusiliers attacked behind a creeping barrage. They took the first objective, called the Red Line. They then linked up with the 198th Brigade on their left in Augustus Wood. Meanwhile the attack was taken over by the 2nd/8th and 2nd/6th Battalions. Together the three Battalions reached and consolidated the second objective, the Blue Line. The 2nd/7th Battalion followed the advancing parties and remained in reserve.
A defensive flank was formed on the left, but was mistaken for a withdrawal and the men of the 66th Division fell back to the Red Line, where they consolidated positions from Hillside Farm to Defy Crossing (the Railroad crossing). The Germans launched two counter attacks at 09.40 a.m. and at 5.30 p.m., but they were repulsed by small-arms fire.
On the 10th of October the 2nd/7th Lancashire Fusiliers formed a defensive flank on the left of the 197th Brigade, facing Heine House, as the 198th Brigade had not managed to move further than Augustus Wood. The 3rd/5th Lancashire Fusiliers held the line with their right on the Ypres-Roulers railroad. The positions of the 197th Brigade were heavily shelled during the afternoon. The shelling went on till the evening. Another German counterattack was repulsed on the 10th of October. During the night the battered Brigade was relieved by the 3rd Australian Division.
Private George Field was killed in action on the 10th of October 1917. He possibly fell, due to the heavy German shell fire on the 10th, while holding the right flank of the 197th Brigade. Private George Field was buried in the field, between the railroad an Heine House. His remains were exhumed after the war and interred in Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood.
Sources 3
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/480220/field,-/ Sources used |
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NMA http://www.nmarchive.com/war-diary-result/3137-4584/page/0 Sources used |
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The long, long Trail https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army Sources used |