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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

2nd Battalion, West Surrey Regiment (Queens)



   2nd Battalion, The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) were in Pretoria when war broke out in August 1914. They returned to England, landing on the 19th of September 1914. They joined 22nd Brigade, 7th Division who were concentrating in the New Forest, Hampshire. They landed at Zeebrugge on the 6th of October 1914, to assist in the defence of Antwerp, they arrived too late prevent the fall of the city and took up defensive positions at important bridges and junctions to aid in the retreat of the Belgian army. The 7th Division then became the first British Troops to entrench in front of Ypres, suffering extremely heavy losses in the The First Battle of Ypres. By February 1915 the Division had been reinforced to fighting strength and they were in action at The Battle of Neuve Chapelle, The Battle of Aubers, The Battle of Festubert, The second action of Givenchy and The Battle of Loos. On the 20th of December 1915 the 2nd Queens transferred to 91st Brigade still with 7th Division. In 1916 They were in action during the Battles of the Somme, including the capture Mametz, The Battle of Bazentin, the attacks on High Wood, The Battle of Delville Wood, The Battle of Guillemont and the Operations on the Ancre. In 1917 They fought during The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line and the flanking operations round Bullecourt during The Arras Offensive, before moving to Flanders for the Third Battle of Ypres, seeing action in The Battle of Polygon Wood, The Battle of Broodseinde, The Battle of Poelcapelle and The Second Battle of Passchendaele. In late 1917 the 7th Division was selected to move to Italy. They took up position in the line along the River Piave,in late January 1918. The Division played a central role in crossing the Piave, in October and the Battle of Vittoria Veneto.

6th of August 1914 2nd West Surrey's on manoeuvres  In South Africa the Pretoria District Infantry Brigade, including 2nd Battalion The Queen's, are on a trek from Potchefstroom, where it had just carried out manoeuvres. The total distance was about 110 miles. The final march into Roberts' Heights on this date was 27 miles. At 7.30 P.M. The battalion received urgent order to proceed to Cape Town on Aug. 8th.

2nd Bn Queens West Surrey Regt War Diary



7th of August 1914 2nd West Surrey's move cancelled  10.30 A.M. Order re move to Cape Town cancelled. Orders received for battalion to hold itself in readiness to proceed to England at an early date.

2nd Bn Queens West Surrey Regt War Diary



19th of August 1914 2nd West Surreys leave camp  Battalion left Roberts' Heights with all it's heavy baggage. Married Families were left behind.

2nd Bn Queens West Surrey Regt War Diary



22nd of August 1914 2nd West Surreys board ship for England  Battalion arrived at Cape Town, and embarked with 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regt: on board H.M.T "Kenilworth Castle".

2nd Bn Queens West Surrey Regt War Diary



23rd Aug 1914 2nd West Surrey's prepare to sail for England  7. A.M. "Kenilworth Castle" put out into Table Bay, where it anchored until Aug. 27th.

2nd Bn Queens West Surrey Regt War Diary



27th Aug 1914 2nd West Surreys set sail for England  HMT Kenilworth Castle left Table Bay at 7 A.M. with the 2nd West Surreys bound for England. The Fleet was formed of HMS Astraea, HMS Hyacinth, HMT Kenilworth Castle, HMT Balmoral Castle, HMT Guildford Castle, HMT Dunluce Castle, HMT Goerka and HMT Briton.

2nd Bn Queens West Surrey Regt War Diary



1st Sep 1914 2nd Queens in St. Helena  The 2nd Battalion Queens vessel 'HMT Kenilworth Castle' is now anchored in St Helena. Garrison recently supplemented with 300 Royal Garrison Artillery. Volunteer Corps of 150 formed.

War Diary



2nd September 1914 The Queens left St. Helena for Southampton  'HMT Kenilworth Castle' left St Helena. 'HMS Astraea' was replaced by 'HMS Leviathan'.

War Diary



19th Sep 1914 2nd Btn The Queens arrive in England  'HMT Kenilworth Castle' arrived in Southampton. The 2nd Battalion Queens West Surrey Regiment disembarked & proceeded by route march to Lyndhurst, Hampshire, arriving there about 2030 hours and went under canvas.

War Diary



19th Sep 1914 Arrivals

20th Sep 1914 22nd Infantry Brigade organising

20th Sep 1914 Mobilisation

21st Sep 1914 Mobilised

23rd Sep 1914 Mobilisation Continues

2nd Queens War Diary Mobilisation Continues

27th Sep 1914 Mobilisation Continues

4th October 1914 On the Move

4th Oct 1914 On the Move

4th Oct 1914 Orders Received

5th Oct 1914 Embarkation

5th Oct 1914 On the Move

5th Oct 1914 On the Move

6th October 1914 On the Move

6th Oct 1914 On the Move

6th Oct 1914 On the Move

7th Oct 1914 On the Move

7th Oct 1914 On the Move

7th Oct 1914 In Billets

8th October 1914 On the march

8th Oct 1914 On the March

8th Oct 1914 On the Move

9th Oct 1914 Orders

9th Oct 1914 On the Move

9th Oct 1914 Anxiety

10th Oct 1914 On the Move

10th Oct 1914 Outposts

10th Oct 1914 Withdrawal

11th October 1914 Heavy Firing

11th Oct 1914 Holding the Line

11th Oct 1914 Hostile Forces

11th Oct 1914 Orders

12th Oct 1914 Route March

12th Oct 1914 On the March

12th Oct 1914 On the March

13th October 1914 On the March

13th Oct 1914 On the March

13th Oct 1914 Enemy Closes

14th October 1914 Footsore

14th Oct 1914 On the March

14th Oct 1914 On the March  location map

15th October 1914 On the March

15th Oct 1914 Patrols

15th Oct 1914 Hostile Column  location map

16th Oct 1914 Into Position

16th Oct 1914 Into the Line  location map

16th Oct 1914 Line Advanced  location map

17th Oct 1914 In the Trenches

17th Oct 1914 Holding the Line  location map

17th Oct 1914 Enemy Active  location map

18th October 1914 Hard Fighting  location map

18th Oct 1914 In Reserve  location map

18th Oct 1914 Planning  location map

19th October 1914 Defences Improved  location map

19th Oct 1914 In Action  location map

19th Oct 1914 Hard Fighting  location map

20th October 1914 Entrenched  location map

20th Oct 1914 In Action  location map

20th Oct 1914 Defensive Line

21st October 1914 Under fire  location map

21st Oct 1914 In Action  location map

21st Oct 1914 Hard Fighting

22nd October 1914 Entrenched

22nd Oct 1914 New Line Occupied  location map

22nd Oct 1914 Bombardment

23rd October 1914 Dead Buried

23rd Oct 1914 Heavy Shelling  location map

23rd Oct 1914 Under Fire

24th October 1914 At the Front

24th Oct 1914 Hard Fighting  location map

24th Oct 1914 Enemy Break Through

25th October 1914 Ready to Move

25th Oct 1914 In Reserve  location map

25th Oct 1914 Enemy Break Through

26th October 1914 The Queens take prisoners

26th Oct 1914 Pressure  location map

26th Oct 1914 Forced Back

27th October 1914 Fighting

27th Oct 1914 Shelling

27th Oct 1914 Orders Received

28th October 1914 The Queens fighting on

28th Oct 1914 Reliefs

28th Oct 1914 Artillery Active

29th October 1914 The Queens move on at the front

29th Oct 1914 Reliefs

29th Oct 1914 Hard Fighting

30th October 1914 Fighting hard

30th Oct 1914 Attack

30th Oct 1914 Hard Fighting

31st October 1914 The Queens in the trenches

31st Oct 1914 Hard Fighting  location map

31st Oct 1914 Hard Fighting  location map

1st November 1914 22nd Infantry Brigade Reforms

2nd November 1914 Reorganisation

3rd November 1914 Battalions on the move

4th November 1914 Reinforcements

5th November 1914 Billets

6th November 1914 On the Move

7th November 1914 Attack Made

8th November 1914 Hard Fighting

9th November 1914 Move

11th November 1914 Inspection

12th November 1914 Reorganisation

13th November 1914 Reorganisation

14th November 1914 On the Move

15th November 1914 Defences

16th November 1914 Improvements

17th November 1914 In the trenches

18th November 1914 Divisional Reserve

19th November 1914 At Rest

20th November 1914 Reorganisation

21st November 1914 In the trenches

22nd November 1914 Snipers

23rd November 1914 Reliefs

24th November 1914 At Rest

25th November 1914 Inspection

26th November 1914 Reinforcements

27th November 1914 Wet Weather

28th November 1914 Improvements

29th November 1914 Into billets

30th November 1914 In Reserve

1st December 1914 Shelling

2nd December 1914 Reliefs

3rd December 1914 Patrols

4th December 1914 Reliefs

5th December 1914 The Queens resting

6th December 1914 The Queens resting

7th December 1914 Divisional Reserve

8th December 1914 Reliefs

9th December 1914 Communication Trenches

10th December 1914 Snipers Active

11th December 1914 Enemy Sighted

12th December 1914 Snipers

13th December 1914 The Queens under fire

14th December 1914 2nd Queens ready to attack

14th Dec 1914 Messages

15th December 1914 The Queens captured a prisoner

16th December 1914 Reserve

17th December 1914 In Reserve

18th December 1914 In Action

19th Dec 1914 Losses

20th December 1914 Reliefs

21st December 1914 In Reserve

22nd December 1914 Divisional Reserve

23rd December 1914 Reliefs

24th December 1914 Quiet

25th December 1914 Armistice

26th December 1914 Xmas Armistice

27th December 1914 Wet Weather

28th December 1914 Reliefs

29th December 1914 At Rest  2nd Queens are at Rue de Delpierre as No.2 Reserve. Resting and cleaning.

2nd Queens War Diary



30th December 1914 At Rest  location map

31st December 1914 New Year's Eve  location map

1st Jan 1915 Change of Billets for 2nd Queens

2nd Jan 1915 2nd Queens in Reserve

3rd Jan 1915 2nd Queens in reserve

4th Jan 1915 2nd Queens in reserve

5th January 1915 Back into trenches

6th Jan 1915 2nd Queens Hq moves

6th Jan 1915 2nd Queens Hq moves

7th Jan 1915 2nd Queens in trenches

8th Jan 1915 2nd Queens in trenches

9th Jan 1915 2nd Queens in trenches

10th January 1915 2nd Queens at rest

11th Jan 1915 2nd Queens inspected  location map

12th Jan 1915 2nd Queens inspected  location map

13th Jan 1915 2nd Queens on the move

14th January 1915 Appointments and replacements

15th Jan 1915 Working Parties

16th Jan 1915 Billets shelled

17th Jan 1915 2nd Queens to trenches

18th Jan 1915 2nd Queens in trenches

19th Jan 1915 2nd Queens in trenches

20th January 1915 New Billets

21st Jan 1915 2nd Queens under fire

22nd Jan 1915 2nd Queens take baths

23rd Jan 1915 2nd Queens inspected  location map

24th Jan 1915 2nd Queens church parade  location map

25th Jan 1915 2nd Queens in billets

26th Jan 1915 2nd Queens parade  location map

27th Jan 1915 Ongoing defensive adjustments

28th Jan 1915 2nd Queens in billets

29th Jan 1915 2nd Queens leave billets

30th Jan 1915 2nd Queens in trenches

31st Jan 1915 2nd Queens in trenches

1st Feb 1915 Good works at Support Farm

2nd Feb 1915 2nd Queens relieved

3rd Feb 1915 2nd Queens in billets

4th Feb 1915 2nd Queens on the move

5th February 1915 General Cappers football cup.  2nd Battalion Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment) played a Football match versus Royal Welsh Fusiliers at Rue du Bataille. Result Welsh Fusiliers won 6-0. 2nd Battalion Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment) are in in billets at La Toulette, transport inspected and a concert was held for the men at Fleurbaix. Officers 28 and men 874, 3 from hospital. 2nd Lieutenants AN Heller and WJ Dew both from the Queens joined the Battalion.

war diaries



6th Feb 1915 2nd Queens to trenches

7th Feb 1915 Ongoing Actions in Trenches

9th Feb 1915 2nd Queens in trenches

8th Feb 1915 2nd Queens in trenches

10th Feb 1915 2nd Queens to billets

11th Feb 1915 New Co for 2nd Queens

12th Feb 1915 2nd Queens parade

13th Feb 1915 2nd Queens in reserve

14th Feb 1915 2nd Queens ready

15th Feb 1915 2nd Queens relieve 1st South Staffs

16th Feb 1915 General visits trenches

17th Feb 1915 Quiet day for 2nd Queens

18th Feb 1915 2nd Queens under fire

19th Feb 1915 South Staffs relieve 2nd Queens

20th Feb 1915 2nd Queens inspected

21st Feb 1915 2nd Battalion Queens in billets

22nd Feb 1915 2nd Queens relieve 1st South Staffs

23rd Feb 1915 2nd Queens releive South Staffs

24th Feb 1915 2nd Queens in trenches

25th Feb 1915 Very Quiet

26th Feb 1915 Reliefs

27th Feb 1915 2nd Queens in billets

28th Feb 1915 2nd Queens in billets

1st March 1915 Relocation and back into Action  location map

2nd Mar 1915 2nd Queens in trenches

3rd March 1915 Capture of enemy patrol members

4th Mar 1915 Quiet day for 2nd Queens

5th Mar 1915 Reliefs  location map

6th March 1915 2nd Queens in billets

7th Mar 1915 2nd Queens in billets

8th Mar 1915 2nd Queens to trenches

8th Mar 1915 Orders  location map

9th Mar 1915 2nd Queens prepare for attack

10th March 1915 In Action  location map

11th March 1915 In Action

12th March 1915 Misty Morning

13th Mar 1915 2nd Queens in trenches

14th Mar 1915 2nd Queens holding line

15th Mar 1915 Quiet day for 2nd Queens

18th March 1915 Reliefs

19th Mar 1915 2nd Queens in billets

20th Mar 1915 2nd Queens receive draft

21st Mar 1915 2nd Queens train

22nd Mar 1915 2nd Queens train

23rd Mar 1915 2nd Queens train

24th Mar 1915 2nd Queens train

25th March 1915 On the move

26th Mar 1915 2nd Queens train

27th Mar 1915 2nd Queens train

28th Mar 1915 2nd Queens receive draft

29th Mar 1915 2nd Queens in billets

30th Mar 1915 2nd Queens train

9th May 1915 The Battle of Aubers Ridge: The Northern pincer  2.30am: all units in the North report that they are in position, having assembled at night. 4.06am: sunrise and all very quiet on this front.

5.00am: British bombardment opens with field guns firing shrapnel at the German wire and howitzers firing High Explosive shells onto front line. Many reports are received that British 4.7-inch shells are falling short, and even on and behind the British front line (Later it is agreed that this is due to faulty ammunition, as well as excessive wear to gun barrels). 5.30am: British bombardment intensifies, field guns switch to HE and also fire at breastworks. Two guns of 104th Battery, XXII Brigade RFA had been brought up into the 24th Brigade front and they now opened fire at point blank range against the enemy breastworks; they blow several gaps, although one of the guns is inaccurate due to the unstable ground on which it is located. The lead battalions of the two assaulting Brigades of 8th Division (24th Brigade has 2/Northants and 2/East Lancashire in front; 25th Brigade has 2/Rifle Brigade, 1/Royal Irish Rifles and 1/13 London Regiment (Kensingtons)) move out into the narrow No Man's Land (in this area it is only 100-200 yards across). German bayonets can be seen behind their parapet.

5.40am: On the further advance the 2nd East Lancs are hit by heavy machine-gun and rifle fire by the time they had progressed thirty yards from their own trench; the 2nd Northants, coming up ten minutes later, were similarly hit, but a party got through one of the gaps blown by the field guns, and into the German front trench. The attack of 25th Brigade is much more successful: the wire on the left had been well-cut and the infantry poured through, crossing the almost-undamaged breastworks and into the German fire trenches. They moved onto the first objective (a bend in the Fromelles road), and the Rifle Brigade bombers extended the trench system they occupied to 250 yards broad. On the blowing of the two mines at 5.40am, the lead companies of the Kensingtons rushed to occupy the craters, moved forward to capture Delangre Farm, and then formed a defensive flank as ordered.

6.10am: Brig.Gen. Oxley (24th Brigade) orders the support battalion, 1st Notts & Derbys, to support the attack of the Lancashires, but they are also held up with high losses, at almost unbroken wire. The front and communication trenches are by now very crowded and chaotic; German shelling adds to confusion. By now, the fire across No Man's Land was so intense that forward movement was all but impossible. The support battalion of the 25th Brigade, the 2nd Lincolns, was ordered forward, to cross by the craters; they did so, despite losing many men on the way. Men of the Brigade were at this time seen to be retiring to their front line, having apparently received a shouted order. German prisoners, making their way to the British lines, were mistaken for a counterattack and there was a great deal of confusion. Brig.Gen Lowry Cole, CO 25th Brigade, was mortally wounded when standing on the British parapet in an attempt to restore order.

8.30am: the attack had established three small lodgements in the enemy positions, but they were not in contact with each other and were under tremendous pressure. Otherwise the attack had come to a standstill and all movement into or out of the trench system had become impossible. The men in the German positions were cut off.

8.45am and again at 11.45am: Haig orders Rawlinson (CO, IV Corps) to vigorously press home the attack.

1.30pm: A renewed attack with 2nd Queens of 22nd Brigade in support, did not take place as the troops were heavily shelled in the assembly areas and many casualties were suffered even before the original support lines had been reached. Major-General Gough (CO, 7th Division, whose 21st Brigade had now also been ordered forward by Haig) reported that after a personal reconnaissance he was certain that forward movement was at the present time impossible.

5.00pm: General Haig, hearing of the continued failure of the Southern attack and the hold-up after initial success of the Northern attack, orders a bayonet attack at dusk, 8.00pm.

2nd Battalion Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment)



9th May 1915 The Battle of Aubers Ridge: Evening and Night  2nd Battalion Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment)

6.00pm: such chaos in the trench system and on the roads and tracks leading to it that it becomes clear that fresh units will not be ready for the 8pm attack. Haig cancels the attack and rides to Indian Corps HQ at Lestrem, to meet with all Corps commanders to consider the next moves. 7.30pm: the meeting breaks up having decided to renew the attack next day, taking advantage of night to reorganise. Efforts were made throughout the evening to reinforce the small garrisons of the lodgements in the enemy trenches. 26 men of the 2/Northants, of which 10 were wounded, returned to the British front. 2.30am 10 May: the 200 or so surviving Rifle Brigade and Royal Irish Rifles were withdrawn from their position, all efforts to reinforce them having been repulsed. 3.00am 10 May: the last few Kensingtons also returned from their position; all British troops were now out of the German lines. Around this time, First Army HQ, having by now got a good picture of the losses, failures and general conditions, called a Commanders conference for 9.00am, to take place at I Corps HQ on the Locon road, some 1.5 miles from Bethune. 9.00am 10 May: the Army and Corps commanders and staffs in attendance learned that there was insufficient artillery ammunition to continue two attacks. (The Secretary of State for War, Kitchener, had also just ordered a considerable portion of existing stocks to be sent to the Dardanelles); for example there were only some 3,000 18-lbr rounds left, and some of that was way behind the firing positions. They also heard that the 4.7-inch ammunition that had caused problems on IV Corps front was too defective for further use and that the fuzes on 15-inch heavy rounds were also defective and the shells simply did not burst on hitting the wet ground. All further orders for renewing the attack were cancelled at 1.20pm; the views of the conference were transmitted to GHQ. 7th Division was ordered to move from it's position north of Neuve Chapelle to the south of it, with a view to strengthening a future offensive there. British casualties from the 9 May attacks continued to move through the Field Ambulances for at least three days after the attack.

More than 11,000 British casualties were sustained on 9 May 1915, the vast majority within yards of their own front-line trench. Mile for mile, Division for Division, this was one of the highest rates of loss during the entire war. There is no memorial to the attack at Aubers Ridge.

21st Sep 1915 Orders  location map

26th Sep 1915 In Action  location map

7th Oct 1915 Reliefs  location map

5th of November 1915 Relief Completed

25th May 1916 Reliefs

29th Mar 1917 Reliefs

9th Oct 1917 Reliefs

26th Oct 1917 Attack Made  location map

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.





Want to know more about 2nd Battalion, West Surrey Regiment (Queens)?


There are:5491 items tagged 2nd Battalion, West Surrey Regiment (Queens) available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.


Those known to have served with

2nd Battalion, West Surrey Regiment (Queens)

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Hobday Henry Edward . Pte.
  • Hursey William Augustus. Pte. (d.18th Jan 1915)
  • Penfold George. Pte. (d.14th July 1916)
  • Prudence William Henry. Pte. (d.31st Oct 1914)
  • Surrey Arthur William. Pte.
  • Watford William. Sgt.

All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of 2nd Battalion, West Surrey Regiment (Queens) from other sources.


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  Pte. George Penfold 2nd Battalion Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment (d.14th July 1916)

George Penfold, my great uncle, was baptised at St John's, Redhill on the 18th January 1880, the youngest son of John and Mary Penfold of Meadvale, Redhill, Surrey. In 1911 he was living with his parents and was a bricklayer. He seems to have been a keen sportsman, playing for both the village football and cricket teams.

When World War 1 started he enlisted at Guildford in the 2nd Battalian, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment. He was killed on the 14th July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme but has no grave and his name is listed on the memorial to the missing of the Somme at Thiepval.

In 1993, shortly before their deaths, his nephews, my father and uncle then both in their late eighties, remembered how he had cried when he had to return after his last leave because he did not want to go back.

<p>Mourning card

<p>Reverse of mourning card

Joan Whyte






  Pte. William Henry Prudence 2nd Btn. Queen West Surrey Regiment (d.31st Oct 1914)

I have only very recently discovered the loss of my Great Uncle William Prudence at the first battle of Ypres. I am going to Belgium this June to pay my respects and visit the spot where I believe he was killed.

Michael Boulton






  Pte. Arthur William "Sonny" Surrey 2nd Btn. Queens (Royal West Surrey) Regiment

I believe that my great great grandad Arthur Surrey served as a stretcher bearer in the 2nd Battalion of the Queens Regiment. He survived the war to die in later years from the effects of mustard gas. I would be interested in further information.

Lee Mccarthy






  Pte. William Augustus Hursey 2nd Btn. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) (d.18th Jan 1915)

William Hursey served with the 2nd Battalion, Queens West Surrey Regiment during WW1 and was killed in action on the 18th January 1915, aged 17. He is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial for the Missing in Belgium. He was the son of Ellen Sophia Hursey, of Northville, Court Rd., Caterham, Surrey, and the late James Edward Hursey

S Flynn






  Sgt. William Watford 2nd Btn. The Queens Regiment

My grandfather was William Watford, he served as a Private & Sergeant in The 2nd Battalion, Queens Regiment. I also know that during the 1917 ‘Battle of Arras’, France he was captured and became a Prisoner of War. I have recently found some group photographs which I believe were taken during his capitivity. All the photographs were taken by ‘Frau Anna Nieworth, Gamsen Kastorp, Kr Gifhorn’. One photo refers to "S Thomas 14th Battn A.I.F" On the reverse of another postcard is written “With Best Wishes for 1918 Sgt 106970 Harry Bra(u?)ce, 27853 Matthews, 9863 Leonard C Brown, 6551 George (William J) Quinnell. If anyone recognises these names please contact me.

Phil Watford






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