Pte
William Edward Boddy

Informatie over geboorte

Geboortedatum:
09/10/1885
Geboorteplaats:
Castle Eden, Durham, Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Algemene Informatie

Beroep:
Metselaar

Informatie legerdienst

Land:
Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk
Strijdmacht:
British Expeditionary Force
Rang:
Private
Service nummer:
39673
Dienstneming plaats:
Chiswick, Middlesex, Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk
Eenheden:
 —  Bedfordshire Regiment, 7th Bn.  (Laatst gekende eenheid)

Informatie over overlijden

Datum van overlijden:
17/08/1917
Plaats van overlijden:
Étaples, Pas-de-Calais, Frankrijk
Doodsoorzaak:
Died of wounds (D.O.W.)
Leeftijd:
31

Begraafplaats

Étaples Military Cemetery
Plot: XXII
Rij: P
Graf: 6

Onderscheidingen en medailles 2

British War Medal
Medaille — 24/09/1920
Victory Medal
Medaille — 24/09/1920

Points of interest 3

#1 Geboorteplaats
#2 Dienstneming plaats
#3 Plaats van overlijden (bij benadering)

Mijn verhaal

Private William Edward Boddy served in the Bedfordshire Regiment, 7th Battalion, part of the 54th Brigade, of the 18th (Eastern) Division.

The Division participated in the Capture of Westhoek, on the 10th of August 1917. This Battle was a stage of the Third Battle of Ypres. Two Brigades of the Division went in the attack near Glencorse Wood. The 54th Brigade advanced at 4.35 a.m. with two Battalions; the 11th Royal Fusiliers and the 7th Bedfords.

By 5 15 a.m. the 7th Bedfords had reached the Nonne Bosschen and occupied advanced positions in Glencorse Wood. However the 11th Royal Fusiliers on their right had encountered stubborn resistance. The attack of the Fusiliers had been checked, mainly by machine-gun fire coming from Inverness Copse. The Fusiliers were forced to give up ground and fell back on a line running from Clapham Junction to Glencorse Wood. With the right flank of the Bedfords up in the air the Battalion was vulnerable for German counterattacks and the whole attack was in danger of being compromised. The 7th Bedfords formed a defensive flank in the hope of fending off counterattacks.

By 5.30 p.m. German Infantry was seen massing in Polygon Wood and the Nonne Bosschen. Around 6 p.m. the German counterattack developed. The 7th Bedfords were quickly outflanked and had to withdraw to Jargon Trench, where the battered Battalion was relieved during the night.

After a short rest the 7th Bedfords moved back in the frontlines near Glencorse Wood and Inverness Copse on the 14th of August. They stayed in the frontline till the 17th of August and endured heavy German shelling while holding the line. Private William Edward Boddy was possibly mortally wounded during the attack on Glenccorse Wood on the 10th of August or was wounded while holding the line later on. He was evacuated to Étaples where he died of his wounds. It usually took a couple of days before the wounded soldiers arrived in the French harbor. He was buried in Étaples Military Cemetery.

Bestanden 2

Bronnen 5

"The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995, pg. 39-41.
Gebruikte bronnen
Ancestry
http://home.ancestry.co.uk/
Verdere verwijzing
CWGC
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/499181/boddy,-william-edward/
Gebruikte bronnen
The Long, Long Trail
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/
Gebruikte bronnen
War Diary Bedfordshire Regiment, 7th Bn.
http://www.nmarchive.com/
Verdere verwijzing