Attack on Spanbroek Mill, Lindenhoek, Belgium (12th March 1915)

From the 4th till the 11th of March 1915, the 3rd Worcestershire had lain in billets at Locre. On the morning of March 10th the rumble of the firing at Neuve Chapelle to the southward could be distinctly heard. Next day came orders for the attack. The 7th Brigade would take and consolidate the Spanbroek Mill, as a preliminary to a further advance. The battalions detailed for the attack were the 3rd Worcestershire and the 1st Wiltshire, with the 2nd South Lancashire in support. The assault was timed for 8.40 a.m. the next morning (12th March 1915 ).

The front-line trenches of the 3rd Division were then held by the battalions of the 85th Brigade (during February this Brigade had replaced the 9th Brigade in the 3rd Division) and the assaulting battalions, after a night march from their billets at Locre, formed up at dawn of March 12th in newly dug assembly trenches behind the front line. Then came orders that the assault was postponed. The previous two days had been misty. On the morning of March 12th the mist, which further south was even then veiling the Bavarian counter-attack against Neuve Chapelle, had deepened on the Messines Ridge to a dense white fog through which nothing could be seen. The British artillery had been bombarding the enemy’s positions since 7 a.m. but the mist made it impossible to observe the result.

Waiting before an attack is never pleasant. The assembly trenches were only half dug and were full of water. In such cover as those shallow trenches afforded the two battalions crouched all the morning while the German shells crashed down about them in answer to the British fire. Slowly the mist cleared, and as it cleared the German fire became more accurate. There were many casualties. Even to the Staff in rear the success of the attack appeared problematical. "I think there was still some doubt whether the assault would take place," wrote an officer at 7th Brigade Headquarters, "when a message arrived to say that the First Army were making excellent progress down south, that there were indications of the Germans withdrawing troops from these parts, and that therefore our attack should not be delayed a moment longer than possible."

Arrowhead shows location of Spanbroek Mill

The die was cast; the British artillery definitely opened their bombardment at 2.30 p.m., and at 4.10 p.m. the leading companies of the two battalions rose from the waterlogged ditches, crossed the front-line trenches by temporary plank-bridges under a hail of bullets and plunged forward through knee-deep mud to the assault.

“C” Company, led by Captain J. Goff, rushed forward up the slope, followed closely by” A” Company under Captain G. E. Hewett. The enemy’s fire was fierce and deadly, and officers and men went down at every step. The survivors plunged on through the mud, reached the German wire entanglements and struggled through such gaps as they could find. The leading party was headed by 2/Lieut. A. Holland (officer attached to the 3rd Worcestershire from the Dorsetshire Regiment), closely followed by Sergt. R. Drinkall, Sergt. A. E. Ince and Corpl. W. Mansell. They broke through the wire and stormed the hostile parapet. A few minutes fierce fighting sufficed to clear a short length of trench. Then the subaltern rallied his party under cover in the trench and prepared to make good the ground gained. He had with him no more than 40 N.C.O’s. and men. Lieutenant C. G. Martin of the Royal Engineers had reached the trench and directed the work of consolidation. Another Worcestershire subaltern, 2/Lieut. W. H. Clarke, was dragged into the trench, mortally wounded, only to die shortly afterwards.

Attack on Spanbroek Mill (12th March 1915)

Further to the right another small party had succeeded in breaking through the German lines and seizing a group of ruined houses. That was the total success. The rest of the two attacking companies of the 3rd Worcestershire had been shot down, and were lying killed or wounded on the broken mud between the trench-lines. The other two companies of the Battalion had been ordered not to move from the assembly trenches. On the left the attack of the Wiltshire had failed as signally: not a man had reached the German lines.

Soon the enemy began to press inwards along the trenches with bomb and bayonet against the two little parties, which had penetrated their position. Isolated though they were, the Worcestershire lads held firm and repulsed all attacks for over three hours. But no help came: instead the British artillery, misinformed as to the position, commenced again to bombard the German front line, and annihilated the helpless party in the ruined buildings.

If 2/Lieut. Holland’s party was to avoid a similar fate it was urgently necessary that news of their position should be sent back: and it was not possible to establish signal communication. Corpl. W. Mansell volunteered to take back a message, and boldly worked his way across the open from trench to trench. He was fired on all the way and was hit three times; but he persisted in the attempt, reached safety and made his report.
Then, after having his three wounds dressed, he bravely turned again to the battle, worked his way again across the open to the captured trench and resumed his place in the defence (Corpl. Mansell was awarded a bar to his D.C.M.).

The defence was maintained until dusk. Lieutenant C. G. Martin (Royal Engineers officer who volunteered to lead a small bombing party against a section of the enemy trenches which was holding up the advance. Before he started he was wounded, but, taking no notice, he carried on with the attack which was completely successful. He and his small party held the trench against all counter-attacks for two and a half hours until a general withdrawal was ordered) showed great bravery (Lieut. Martin, R.E., was awarded the V.C.), and Sergeants Ince and Drinkall were conspicuous for ability and determination, grimly holding an improvised sandbag block under a continuous fire of bombs (Sergeants lnce and Drinkall were awarded the D.C.M.). Outside the trench efforts were made to rescue the wounded. Two of the Battalion stretcher-bearers, Corporal B. Whittington and Pte. W. Suffolk crawled forward across the open under heavy fire and brought back stricken men from the German wire entanglements (Corpl. Whittington and Pte. Suffolk were awarded the D.C.M.).

Darkness closed down, and a report on the situation was carried back by Sergeant Ince and Private J. C. Wooton, who returned to Lieut. Martin bearing orders to evacuate the captured trench. The General had decided to accept the failure rather than uselessly to sacrifice more lives. The little party under Lieuts. Martin and Holland made their way back. Game to the last, they sent back all their wounded (the work of removing the wounded was carried out by Sergeant Ince, who personally rescued several men.) before they finally withdrew.

The losses in that disastrous attack were severe. The two attacking companies were almost annihilated. The casualties of the Battalion were nearly 180, including nine officers killed (Killed: Nine officers—Captain G. E. Hewett, Lieut. C. G. B. Loos, 2/Lieuts. C. F. Moore, W. H. Clarke, F. B. Burr, T. Freeman, E. M. Mansell-Pleydell (Dorsets, attached), M. J. Murphy, W. B. Barling, and 38 other ranks. Wounded, 99. Missing 32.).

After the return of 2/Lieut. Holland’s party, the companies of the 3rd Worcestershire made their way back to billets behind Locre. There the Battalion rested and reorganised for three days. On the 16th March 1915, the 3rd Worcestershire again moved forward and once more took over the same trenches. Many of the dead still lay there awaiting burial, and that sad duty was the principal occupation of three depressing days. Firing on both sides had died down, and there was little activity to record (casualties, 16th to 19th March, 1 killed.).

That tour in the front line was destined to be the last the Battalion was to see for many days of those particular trenches.

Lieut. Cyril Gordon Martin

On the 14th March 1915, the energetic Bavarian Division which faced the British lines a few miles to the northward had attacked and broken in the front of the newly-formed British 27th Division at St. Eloi. The 27th Division, badly shaken, had failed to recover the lost ground, and it had now been decided that their line should be taken over by the war-worn veterans of the 3rd Division. Accordingly on the 19th March the 3rd Worcestershire left the Spanbroek Mill position (the Battalion was relieved by the 2nd Northumberland Fusiliers). After a few days in billets at La Clytte and Locre the 3rd Worcestershire relieved the 2nd Gloucestershire of the 27th Division in trenches hastily dug since the action just south of St. Eloi, facing the Mound, which the Germans had captured in the recent fighting. From their newly gained position the enemy kept up a steady sniping fire, which cost the Battalion several casualties (March 23rd to 29th, 5 killed, 5 wounded). Otherwise the closing days of March were fairly quiet, while both sides worked hard at improving their new defences. On March 29th the Battalion was relieved by the 2nd Royal Irish Rifles and marched back to billets in La Clytte and Dickebusch. The Battalion was destined to remain in that sector facing St. Eloi for several weeks to come.

The Attack on Spanbroek Mill (12th March 1915) Casualties

During the attack on Thursday 12th March 1915 the men of the 3rd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment suffered heavy casualties with 9 officers and 77 other ranks killed. All but two of the officers are burried at Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery. All but four of the other ranks are remembered on a panel at Menin Gate Memorial at Ieper (Ypres).

Ypres (now Ieper) is a town in the Province of West Flanders. The Memorial is situated at the eastern side of the town on the road to Menin (Menen) and Courtrai (Kortrijk). Each night at 8 p.m. the traffic is stopped at the Menin Gate while members of the local Fire Brigade sound the Last Post in the roadway under the Memorial's arches.

Menin Gate Memorial at Ieper (Ypres)

Surname
Forename/s
Number
Rank
Age
Comments
Hewett George Edward -  Capt. 43 Commanded 'A' Company. Attached from West India Regiment. Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery - Y11
Freeman Tristram -  Lt. 23  'C' Company. Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery - L14
Loos Cecil George Bertram -  Lt. 30 Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery - L11 
Burr Frederick Bonham -  Lt. 28 Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery - L9
Murphy M. J. -  Lt. 34 Killed on the night of 11th March 1915. Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery - X11
Barling William Bingham - 2/Lt. - Attached from 6th Bn. Worcestershire. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Clarke William Hamilton -  2/Lt. 22  'A' Company. Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery - X13
Moore Charles Frederick -  2/Lt. 18 Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery - Y13
Mansel-Pleydell Edmund Morton -  2/Lt. 28 Attached from the Dorset Regiment. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 37
Croft Frederick  9158  Sergt. 35 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Gibson Francis William  9777  Sergt. 27 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Hicks John  9551  Sergt. 23 A' Company. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Payne Albert  9527  Sergt. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Ward Harry  13185  Sergt. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Bailey Matthew  8654  L/Cpl. - Died of wounds Ypres. (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Barnett Charles  9097  L/Cpl. 36 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Coulson Edward  9941  L/Cpl. 28 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Farmer Alfred  8716  L/Cpl. 29 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Parkes Henry William  7787  L/Cpl. 27 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Vaughan Thomas  7323  L/Cpl. 30 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Wilde John Henry  9489  L/Cpl. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Willetts Thomas Leonard  8467  L/Cpl. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Baird Wilfred James  13394  Pte. 22 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Bayliss Josiah  9284  Pte. - Messines Ridge British Cemetery- II.F.35.
Box George Percy  7970  Pte. 29 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Bristow Harry  12592  Pte. 22 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Bubb James  9529  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Bullock Samuel  8859  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Burrows Walter  9647  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Careless Cornelius Richard  16423  Pte. 19 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Carey Arthur William  14453  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Clace John James  8984  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Clark Alfred  8726  Pte. - Messines Ridge British Cemetery- II.F.34.
Cole Henry William  9116  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Comley Joseph  9374  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Cottrill Henry  14592  Pte. 43 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Curtis Robert Charles  9558  Pte. 43 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Dainton Thomas Alfred  9398  Pte. 32 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Davies Edward  9742  Pte. 34 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Dennis William Charles  14557  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Dowdeswell James  9248  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Frewin Charles  8932  Pte. 23 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Garbett Henry  5803  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Garratt Titus Matthew  8922  Pte. 19 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Halford John  16369  Pte. 19 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Hardiman Walter William  8746  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Harris Frederick Ernest  13749  Pte. 19 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Hatton George Henry  8927  Pte. 18 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Hawkins Frank  8364  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Heard Charles  9246  Pte. 27  'C' Company. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Heath Ernest  15427  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Hibbs William  6751  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Hingley Peter  16491  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Holmes Arthur  8774  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Howells William  9601  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Hudson Harold  7405  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Humphries George Clement  9603  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Hunt Albert  7684  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
King William Henry  9247  Pte. 37 A' Company. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Lilly William  9587  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Marsh Frederick  7409  Pte. 28 True family name HAYES but served as MARSH.. Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Merchant Herbert John  13372  Pte. 20 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Miles Henry  6413  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Mitchell Alfred  9226  Pte. 32 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Morgan Thomas  9551  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Mortimer Harry  8750  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Nicks Robert  9000  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
O'Hagan John  8738  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Page Frederick  14254  Pte. 22 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Parsons Tidal  9646  Pte. 30 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Potter  Horace  14972  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Read Frederick  10656  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Richards William Henry  9741  Pte. 25 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Richardson Thomas Arthur  6298  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Rushton Herbert  10467  Pte. 24 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Samuels George  9004  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Simpson George  8985  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Slim George  12848  Pte. - Messines Ridge British Cemetery- II.F.37.
Smith Arthur Edward  7129  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Addenda Panel 60
Thomas Thomas James  8444  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Tolley Frank  17261  Pte. 20 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Turner Ernest  8660  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Weaver Harry  8887  Pte. - Messines Ridge British Cemetery- II.F.36.
Williams Abraham  9093  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Wilson George William  15013  Pte. 21 Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34
Wright James  15297  Pte. - Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 34

 

Sergeant John Hicks ('A' Company)

Sergeant John Hicks a platoon commander of 'A' Company was shot through the head and was killed instantaneously during the attack on Spanbroek Mill, Lindenhoek. He was engaged to Miss Phipps of Malvern Commons, and an envelope bearing her address being found on him, Company Sergeant-Major Blond of 'A' Company, the 3rd Worcesters wrote the following letter to her on March 13th:-

"Dear Miss Phipps

"I am sorry to have to tell you that Sergeant Hicks, whose hand-writing you will recognise on the envelope containing this letter, was killed at about 4.30 pm on the 12th inst. It was in the course of an attack which we made on the enemy's trenches. He was shot through the head and was killed instantaneously. I cannot express my sorrow at his untimely end sufficiently, for we all liked him.

"As a leader of his platoon he was an example. In care for the welfare of his men he was most diligent; as a comrade he was one of the best; and in losing him we suffer a loss which is only excelled, I am sure, by yours and his people, of whom he so often spoke in terms of affection. I must ask you to let his people know, as I cannot write direct, having only your address."

Believe me to be, yours in sympathy

P T Blond C.S.M."


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