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HOHENZOLLERN REDOUBT

It had been decided that a fresh Brigade would be able to take up the offensive and
take (HR). This fresh Bde was to be the 84th Bde which was part of the 28th (Welsh)
Division at the time. The 6th Welsh Regt (TF) was the Pioneer battalion of the Bde.

As night drew in the 85th Bde began to with drew, very battered and leaving behind
many of their comrades.

As the sun began to set on the 30th September 1915, British troops held the west face
of Hohenzollern Redoubt (HR) and one of its main trenches called BIG WILLIE.
The Germans held most of LITTLE WILLIE. Barricades had been set up by both
sides in the trenches to offer some merger protection form attacks form both sides.
(See map 1)

Orders arrived by 9.30 a.m. the battalion was to take its place in the line.
Hohenzollern Redoubt was situated on a small rise and was a closed heart shaped
strong point (see map 2) with a frontage towards the British lines of about 300 yards.
The Redoubt was connected by trenches that had many strong points in they covered
by machine post. The two main trenches that fed into the Redoubt were called Big
Willlie which was still held by the British and Little Willie which was now in
German hands.

Earlier that afternoon of the 30th September at about 3 30 p.m. urgent orders were
received by the 6th Welsh to parade in full marching order and be ready to go by 4
p.m. The men paraded, weapons were inspected and ammunition was issued. The
battalion marched out of their billets, as they arrived at their destination of the shell
shattered village of ANNEQUIN; immediate new orders arrived for them to continue
marching to VERMELLERS. This was to be the Brigade rallying point, where the
84th Brigade would form up ready to take its place in the trenches.

By the time they reached BARTS DUMP at about 8 am on the 1st of October, they
had been on the move for some 16 hours without a break. On arrival many of the men
just fell where they stopped without even taking off their back packs. The officers and
SNCO had great trouble in getting the sentries posted and perimeter established.

Then the rain began to fall. This would have a crucial effect on the future attack.
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1st October 1915, 9 a.m.

Orders arrived at about 9 30 a.m. for the battalion to take it’s place in the line.

The process of reliving the 85th Brigade had lasted most of the night. With only two
guides to lead the entire Battalion through the maze of trenches, it is not surprising
that some companies lost their way. The 1st Welsh had taken over part of the line in
front of LITTLE WILLIE and the 2nd CHESHIRE had occupied the WEST FACE of
HR. Both units had been able to move in with no losses.

In the last few days the Germans had made some crucial gains, the fighting had been
very close combat and very fierce. Both 83rd and 85th Infantry Brigade's had been
badly mauled.

The 6th Welsh took their place in the line opposite the Redoubt and the trench called
Little Willie. The Cheshire Regiment was to the right of the battalion. The part of the
line the 6th Welsh took over stretched form the centre of the Redoubt including a
long sap trench which had been dug previously that was just 40 yards from the
German held trench of Little Willie.

The 6th Welsh began to move and an entry in the battalion War Diary sums up the
feelings of the men.
“These trenches come as a bit of a shock to us, we have always been used to cleaned
and drained ones. But fighting is the order of the day + everything else goes by the
board.”

The shelling had turned what had been called trenches in just mounds of earth; the
shell fire had smashed almost all the protective parapet of the trenches. There were
many dead bodies just lying around as the German fire was far too murderous to try
and reach them.

To try and provide some sort of cover many of the dead had been piled in the front of
what was left of the trenches, making a small barricade of bodies. The Germans in the
trenches of the Redoubt and Little Willie were Prussian Guards they did not give any
quarter and would fire on anything that moved weather it was a red cross or a burial
party. The 6th Welsh were relived by the 1st Welsh at about 3 30 p.m. And were to
return to become the support battalion in reserve.

The 1st Welsh had been resting and recuperating at Vermelles in preparation for a full
frontal attack in late afternoon on the Little Willie. The capture of Little Willie was a
key point in breaking up the enemy lines of defence. If Little Willie could be taken it
would open up the way to Haisnes, Douvrin and thus on to La Bassee.

Little Willie was still held by the Germans at the west end of the Redoubt. As soon as
the 1st Welsh were to leave the trenches for the attack the 6th was to take their places
in the trenches as reserves. The bombers of the 6th Welsh under the leadership of
Lieut. H. C. Hawkins (latter Captain) was to be in the first wave of the attack.
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The initial attack was meant to take place at 7 p.m. but due to the fact the
communication trenches being so full of troops and being in such poor state of repair
the 1st Welsh were late in arriving in the trenches at their appointed jump off point.
The attack was now due to step off at 8 p.m. The 1st Welsh was only just in place by
8 p.m. and the men of the 1st Welsh were all jumbled up and went over the top almost
as one man, with the bombers of the 6th.

The 1st Welsh were lead by Colonel Hogan who was well into his fifties with his
revolver in hand lead the attack from the front. The attackers got to within 100 yards
of Little Willie before they were discovered. German machine gun fire erupted from
both flacks taking its deadly toll. The Welsh reached the German line and flung
themselves at the Germans in their trenches, where bitter hand to hand fighting began.
Lieut. H. C. Hawkins leading the 6th Welsh bombers was shot in the neck by one of
the first salvos of German fire. Though the wound was deep it was not fatal he was
taken back to the rear with great difficulty.

His place was taken by Lieut.Donald Burnie, who hailed form Swansea (Sketty). He
was born on the 11 July 1883 and the son of Mr. Robert John Dickson Burnie who
had been and MP for Swansea and also Mayor of the city before the war.
As soon as the war broke out Lieut. Donald Burnie had joined the Volunteer Training
Corps as a Private. His leadership abilities were soon recognized and soon rose to
become the Commander of his platoon. He obtained a commission in the 6th Welsh
Reserves on the 15th April 1915 and had arrived in France on the 29 July 1915.

The heavy rain began to take its effect on the bombers of the 6th Welsh. The Grenade
that we were in use at this time of the war was almost the size of tennis balls. They
were not set off by pulling a pin but had a striker type fuse where a striker was drawn
over the fuse that was set into the top of the bomb. The surface of the striker was very
similar to that of the side of a match box or sand paper. If it became wet or muddy it
made the bomb almost impossible to use.

This part of the attack is described first had in a letter home by Pte, Tom Williams
who was a Signaler in the 6th Welsh. His letter is written to a family friend and
describes very well the lead up to and the actual attack

“On entering the trenches we took up our positions, we could see up on the sides of
the trenches the bodies of the men who had fallen a few days previously, but who
could not be got in because of the shell fire. Eventually we took up or positions
relieving the 1st Welsh. They had suffered about 20 plus causalities due to the shell
fire. We were about to eat some dinner when the order was passed along to “stand to”,
as an anticipated attack by the Germans on our left. The Germans artillery was now
pumping their shells over, but our artillery did it’s very best to silence them. The
attack did not materialize and we stood down. . Suddenly the cry came down the line
“the 1st Welsh are in danger, get back and give them a hand” .Our boys got ready as if
one man. The 1st Welsh were half way across and were being beaten back, when we
were getting over the parapet. They shouted “Who’s that”, and the cry rang back “The
6th”. Then came back in one terrific cry “ At’em Welsh”, and into hell we went.
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Bombs were now in very short supply by the attackers and volunteers were called for
to take more forward.

CSM 7804, G. Mudford of the 1st Welsh was one of the men who came forward.
He made the dangerous journey nine times that day and for his gallant deed was
awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

His citation reads “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on the night of the
1st/2nd October 1915. After the trench know as Little Willie had been captured, CSM
Mudford volunteered to go back to our trench, 300 yards behind, for reinforcements
and to bring up bombs and ammunition. This he successfully did on nine occasions
under heavy shell fire. Owing to his gallantry and resource the garrison was able to
hold the trench”

Lieut. Donald Burnie was killed at between 2 and 3 am on the 2nd of October. His
death was observed by one of his bombers Sergeant, 1550, Lawrence Dyer. “The
Lieutenant was in charge of a sap, constructed for the purpose of brining bombs and
ammunition into a captured German trench. The enemy commenced shelling the
position, and Lieutenant Burnie had turned round to give instructions to his men,
when he was hit with a portion of a shell. The men heard a cry of “Ahh” and looking
round found the Lieutenant Burnie lying dead being them. He was a hero in every
way. The body was removed to a quarry near by, and I dug the grave and buried the
young officer. A cross was placed above the grave with his details and how he died”.

The Commanding Officer (CO) Lieut Col Lord Ninian Edward Crichton – Stuart,
M.P. read the service himself from a borrowed Church of England prayer book
despite being a staunch Catholic. The CO not being concerned about religious
difference. He cared so much for his officers and men he wanted to pay the proper
respects to one of his brother officers.

On his return form the burial of Lieut. Burnie the CO decided to visit the part of the
trench still held by the 6th + 1st Welsh. By 3.30 p.m. the order was give to evacuate
Little Willie as the Germans fire was becoming so intense

As the attackers were now technically cut off and to resupply the 1st & 6th Welsh,
with food water and ammunition was now almost beyond hope he ordered the sap to
be enlarged into a new communication trench should be dug to aid the flow of
supplies. The men holding out were now in a very desperate situation.

This new trench was to be called New Trench and work was started almost
immediately. The men of the 6th Welsh digging forward and the men of the 1st Welsh
digging backwards. The enemy soon noticed what was being done almost
immediately and began shelling, bombing the work almost unceasingly. With snipers
taking shots at anything that came into view. The men had to dig almost lying down
the shallow sap, only one man could work at a time as there was no room and far too
dangerous. Fourteen men were killed in succession trying to dig the new trench, each
one shot through the head. Each man taking the place of his dead comrade.
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The Germans now started using trench mortar on the men digging called a
“Minewerfer” basically a very small crude artillery piece that did not have a great
range but could lob a shell over short distance with great accuracy and cause total
carnage. The Germans seemed to have an almost never-ending supply of bombs and
were making ever more frequent counter attacks. By 4 p.m. the new trench was
almost complete and the remnants of the 1st Welsh and men of the 6th occupied it and
tried to provide what covering fire they could. The Germans continued pouring
blistering machine gun fire, rifle fire, bombs and gas shells into the positions held by
the 1st & 6th Welsh.

The CO of the 6th was almost frantic with concern of his men and sneaked a look
over the parapet to see how they were progressing and was immediately shot through
the head, and was killed instantly. The death of the CO best described in a letter home
by one of the battalions fellow officers. Alas the letter is not signed.

On the night of 1st / 2nd October our Regiment with other Regiments of the Brigade,
were engaged in operations against a sector of enemies trench which has bulked
largely in the official communiqués, and on this particular night we were in support to
our 1st Battalion, which was ordered to take a very important trench. Aided by the 6th
Welsh, who took part in the attack and did magnificent work. The trench was captured
and held during the night, during which a communication sap was dug for the best
part of the distance between our fire trench and the captured trench. However on the
morning of the 2nd the enemy made a counter attack. I last saw the Colonel at
battalion headquarters just before this counter attack. He had only just, washed and
shaved and breakfasted, and I know that while extremely jubilant at the good work
done by his men he was very downcast at our losses of officers and men. The next I
know was early in the afternoon, when news came down that he had been wounded
during the repulse of a German counter attack, and latter we heard that he had died of
his wounds, a report which proved only too true when his body was brought to
headquarters, and later taken down to a neighboring town, where it was buried with
all the rights of the Roman Catholic Church of which he was such a devoted son.
To say that his death cast a gloom over the battalion is to say the obvious. I cannot do
better that say that in him every man in the battalion has lost a personal friend. Lord
Ninian was not only an aristocrat, he was a gentleman. When you have said that you
have summed up his character. He was a beloved commanding officer, every inch a
soldier, and he loved his battalion in a way that can never be understood by one who
did not belong to the 6th.

Writing to his sister at Cardiff, the Reverend H A Barnett, and a Roman Catholic
Chaplain at the front gives a very good account of the death of Lieutenant Colonel
Ninian Stuart. “It was at the end of a trench - Germans round one side of a traverse,
and the 6th Welsh round the other. They were trying to drive back the Germans with
bombs, but the Germans began to press badly, and Lord Ninian rushed up to help his
men, but immediately his head appeared over the traverse, a bullet struck him in the
forehead. His death was instantaneous. His body was carried back down the
communication trench (it took six hours to get it down) and out on to a wagon and
brought to a little village about two miles back and placed on a stretcher in a vault by
the side of the Church to wait a coffin. The Church has been used by one of the
Guards ambulances as a place for the slightly wounded and the sick. On Friday I had
lunch with Lord Ninian, and when orders were suddenly issued that evening for the
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Brigade to move up behind the trenches in the supports, I marched by the side of Lord
Ninian at the head of the 6th Welsh. We got up behind the trenches and had to wait.
Then other battalions were sent on, and the rest held in support. That meant I must
move. So after saying good bye to Lord Ninian, I went up to the dressing station to
attend the wounded. That was the last I saw of him. He was killed next morning. After
a lot of worry and trouble, which I was only to willing to go through for him, I
managed to get him in a leaden coffin, and now he rests in a kind of vault in a small
house specially built, just inside the cemetery gate at Bethune for such cases.”

By early evening another attack was put in by the 1st Suffolk's and 2nd Cheshire's to
re capture Little Willie but this attack also met with no success and was soon driven
back. By now Captain Carlton took over temporary command of the battalion. A
barricade as placed at the end of the new trench and a team of bombers placed there to
help prevent any more counter attacks.

The battalion was relived and marched out of the trenches to Annequin a roll call was
taken and this cast a great cloud of gloom over the men when they began to realize
how many of their comrades had been killed or wounded. After the roll call an
unnamed diarist reports what happened.

Something splendid to make the heart warm, when the men shook each other by the
had when they had not expected to see each other again. The men had very little time
to rest for almost immediately they were ordered back in to support trenches of the
Lancaster Lines near Vermelles. The men found it very hard to do this considering
they had not yet been out of the lines 12 hours. They found it hard to believe when
they were told that there were no other troops available to do this job. They had to
provide a very large digging and carrying party that night.

5th to 23rd October 1915 - saw the entire Brigade relieved and it marched to
Bethune where as they passed through many small French hamlets and villages they
were given a warm welcome. The battalion marched to the leafy little village of
Busnes, the battalion rested here until the 23rd.
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MEN KILLED IN THE HOHOZOLLERN REDOUBT ACTION

Officers
Capt Reginald Gordon Snell Browning, Died on 2nd Oct 1915, Commerated Loos
memorial Panel 77 + 78
2nd Lieut Donald Burnie, died on 2nd October 1915, Commertated Loos memorial
Panel 77 + 78
Lieut Col, Lord Ninian Edward Crichton – Stuart, CO 6th Batt (TF) Welsh Regt,
KIA 2nd October 1915. Buried Bethune Cemetery.

Others ranks
1st October 1915
Lance Corporal, 2674 David Evan's - KIA
Acting Sergeant, 83, Henry Holbrook - KIA
Private, 1663, Christopher Manning - KIA
Private, 2833, Wallace McDonald - KIA, a single man and before the war had worked
at the Cwnvelin Tin Works and resided at 32, Percy Street, Neath
Lance Corporal, 1800, Thomas Murphy - KIA
Corporal, 2545 James Henry Thorne - KIA
Private, 2533, Charles Wonnacott - KIA
Private, 2418, David Henry Harris - DoW

2nd October 1915

Private, 2578 William Amos - KIA
Private, 1803, Oliver Raymond Bartlett - KIA
Private, 1789, Williams Blomberg - KIA
Sergeant, 1824, Thomas George Crumpton - KIA, at first it was thought that Sergt
Crumption had been taken prisoner, but his body was soon found.
Lance Corporal, 2299 Alfred George Locker - KIA
Private, 1687, Herbert Claude Miller - KIA
Private, 1619, Thomas John Morgan - KIA
Private, 1470, James Morgan - KIA
Private, 1639, Robert Henry Penhallwrick - KIA
Corporal, 1222, Edwin Richards - KIA
Sergeant, 1206, Ernest Albert Rowbotham- KIA
Private, 2535, Samuel George Thomas - KIA
Private, 2622, Evan John Walters - KIA
Acting Corporal, 1645, Sidney James Williams - KIA

5th October 1915

Private, 2698, John Bowen - DoW
Private, 2588, William Ralph Davies - DoW

8th October 1915

Private, 1970, Richard Fernott - DoW
Private, 1318, William Holland – DoW

(KIA = Killed in action, DoW = Died of wounds)

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