Informations sur naissance

Année de naissance:
1897
Lieu de naissance:
Hebburn, Durham, Angleterre, Royaume-Uni

Informations générales

Profession:
Élève

Informations service militaire

Pays:
Angleterre, Royaume-Uni
Force armée:
British Expeditionary Force
Rang:
Private
Numéro de service:
28017
Incorporation nom de lieu:
Hebburn, Durham, Angleterre, Royaume-Uni
Unités:
 —  King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), 1/4th Bn.  (Dernière unité connue)

Informations sur décès

Date de décès:
20/09/1917
Lieu de décès:
Somme Farm, Belgique
Cause du décès:
Killed in action (K.I.A.)
Âge:
20

Cimetière

Tyne Cot Cemetery
Parcelle: III
Rangée: F
Tombe: 26

Distinctions et médailles 2

British War Medal
Médaille — 17/08/1920
Victory Medal
Médaille — 17/08/1920

Points d'intérêt 2

#1 Lieu de naissance
#2 Lieu d'enrôlement

Mon histoire

Private Hugh Doyle served in the King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), 1/4th Battalion, part of the 164th Brigade, of the 55th (West Lancashire) Division. The Battalion participated in the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge (20-25 September 1917), a stage in the Third Battle of Ypres.

On the 20th of September 1917 the 55th Division was to attack to the southeast of Sint-Juliaan. During the previous night the men of the 1/4th Royal Lancaster Regiment had taken up positions in isolated shell holes West of the line Somme-Hindu Cottages. At zero hour, 5.40 a.m. the first wave, consisting of “B” and “D” Companies advanced behind a creeping barrage towards the German positions at Schuler Galeries and Aisne. Both Companies quickly encountered stiff resistance, especially from the German strongpoints at Schuler Galleries, Aisne Farm, Loos and Gallipoli. Nevertheless the men reached their objective, capturing the stronghold at Aisne. While consolidating their position the men came under sniper fire from Schuler Galleries and from isolated German positions in their back, which hadn’t been mopped up.

After a slight pause in the barrage “A” and “C” Companies continued the advance. Both Companies immediately suffered heavy casualties, due to enfilade fire from German machine-guns on both flanks. Especially the machine-gun fire on the left coming from Schuler Galleries was persistent. As a result of the relentless machine-gun fire the 1/4th King’s Own (Royal Lancs) got intermixed with the 1/4th Loyal North Lancs, who were to continue the attack. A few hundred yards east from Aisne and Loos the advance gradually slowed down. Any attempt to capture the second objective proved neigh to impossible, due to the many German concrete positions, which kept on showering the battlefield with machine-gunfire.

Eventually the intermingled Battalions had to consolidate a line, roughly running from Schuler Farm through Loos towards Gallipoli. The men held this line throughout the day despite heavy German shelling. The battered Royal Lancaster Regiment 1/4th Battalion would remain in the frontlines till they were relieved in the early morning of the 24th of September 1917.

Private Hugh Doyle was killed in action on the 20th of September 1917. The 20-year old possibly fell in the early stages of the attack, as he was initially buried near Somme Farm. His remains were reinterred in Tyne Cot Cemetery after the war.

Fichiers 2

Sources 3

164 Infantry Brigade: 4 Battalion King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment. (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2922/2).
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14303
Autre référence
McCarthy C., Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Uniform, 2018), pg. 84-85.
Sources utilisées
Shannon K., The Lion and the Rose. The 4th Battalion The King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment 1914-1919, (Stroud, Fonthill, 2015), pg. 159-171.
Sources utilisées

Complément d’informations 3