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- 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment during the Great War -


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

6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment



   The 6th Battalion, The Bedfordshire Regiment was raised in Bedford in August 1914 as part of Kitchener's First New Army they joined 9th (Scottish) Division as Divisional Troops. In March 1915 they transferred to 112th Brigade, 37th Division and proceeded to France in August. In 1917 they fought in The First Battle of the Scarpe, including the capture of Monchy-le-Preux, The Second Battle of the Scarpe and The Battle of Arleux. They were in action during the Third Battles of Ypres. In 1918 They were in action on The Somme and on the 20th of May they were reduced to cadre with 700 men transferring to 1/1st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment. On the 20th the remaining cadre transferred to 39th Division. and took on a role supervising courses of instruction for newly arrived American troops, beginning with units of the 77th American Division at Wolphus. On the 4th of August 1918 the 6th Bedfords disbanded in France.

22nd July 1915 Advance Party

28th July 1915 On the Move

29th July 1915 On the Move

1st Aug 1915 On the Move

3rd Aug 1915 In Billets

4th Aug 1915 On the Move

5th Aug 1915 On the Move

8th Aug 1915 Training

10th Aug 1915 Training

31st Dec 1915 Seeing the Old YEar Out

2nd May 1916 10th Loyals return to action  The 10th Battalion, Loyal North Lancashires, took up position in reserve at Bienvillers, with two companies of men moving forward in support of the the 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment who were man strong-points on the Hannescamps-Mochy road and in the support line behind the Monchy salient.

4th May 1916 Enemy artillery concentrated on the Monchy salient  On the morning, May 4th 1916, the enemy started a heavy artillery bombardment concentrated on the Monchy salient and then lifted as the infantry attacked.

1st July 1916 Smoke  location map

2nd July 1916 Reliefs

3rd July 1916 Shelling  location map

4th July 1916 Reliefs

5th July 1916 Orders

6th July 1916 Moves

1st Sep 1916 Orders  location map

2nd Sep 1916 On the March  location map

5th Sep 1916 Inspections

13th Sep 1916 Orders

16th Sep 1916 Orders Received

18th Sep 1916 Moves

10th Apr 1917 Attack Made

11th Apr 1917 Village Taken

12th Apr 1917 Reliefs

7th of August 1917 Relieved  location map

9th of November 1917 Relieved  location map

1st Mar 1918 Enemy Artillery

2nd Mar 1918 Gas

3rd Mar 1918 Quiet

4th Mar 1918 Reliefs Complete

6th Mar 1918 Reinforcements

8th Mar 1918 Enemy Attack

11th Mar 1918 In Reserve

12th Mar 1918 At Rest

13th Mar 1918 Football

14th Mar 1918 In Camp

15th Mar 1918 In Camp

16th Mar 1918 Reliefs Complete

17th Mar 1918 Gas Shells

18th Mar 1918 In the Trenches

19th Mar 1918 Reinforcements

20th Mar 1918 Gas

21st Mar 1918 In the Trenches

22nd Mar 1918 Reliefs Complete

23rd Mar 1918 In Support

25th Mar 1918 Reliefs

26th Mar 1918 Reinforcements

27th Mar 1918 Move

28th Mar 1918 On the Move

29th Mar 1918 On the March

30th Mar 1918 On the March

31st Mar 1918 Into the Trenches

1st Apr 1918 Prisoners Taken

2nd Apr 1918 Holding the Line

3rd Apr 1918 Holding the Line

4th Apr 1918 Reliefs

5th Apr 1918 Shelling

6th Apr 1918 Reliefs

7th Apr 1918 Holding the Line

8th Apr 1918 Holding the Line

9th Apr 1918 Reliefs

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





Want to know more about 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment?


There are:5294 items tagged 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment 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

6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Cox Christopher. Pte. (d.26th July 1916)
  • Cox Frank . Cpl. (d.6th August 1916)
  • Cracknell William. Pte. (d.9th Aug 1916)
  • Harlock Fredrick. Pte.
  • Hedges VC. Frederick William. 2nd Lt.
  • Horne Arthur. Pte.
  • Money Thomas John . Pte. (d.9th August 1916)
  • Rackley Alfred. Pte (d.7th Oct 1917)
  • Richardson Thomas George. Pte. (d.17th Jul 1916 )
  • Simmons Francis George. Pte. (d.28th April 1917)

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 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment from other sources.


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  Pte. William Cracknell 6th Btn. Bedfordshire Regiment (d.9th Aug 1916)

Henry Cracknell was the son of Emily and Frederick Cracknell of Little Hallingbury. He lost his life on the 9th of August 1916, the same date his brother William was killed in action at the Somme. Henry is buried in Dernancourt Communal Cemetery,

Pauline Graves






  Pte. Thomas John Money 6th Btn. Bedfordshire Regiment (d.9th August 1916)

Private Thomas John Money, son of William Money, Baker Street, Ampthill, Bedfordshire, husband of Ada Money, 2 Westbeach Road, Wood Green, London; born in Maulden, living and enlisted in Ampthill, Bedfordshire. Served with the 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment (service no.26703).

He was killed in action on 9th August 1916 in France and Flanders age 24 years and is commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. He is remembered on both The War Memorial and The Alamada, St. Andrews Church, Ampthill.

Information courtesy of www.roll-of-honour.com

Caroline Hunt






  Cpl. Frank Cox 6th Btn. Bedfordshire Regiment (d.6th August 1916)

Corporal Frank Cox, born and living in Ampthill, enlisted Bedford. Served with the 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment (service no. 12099),

He was killed in action on 6th August 1916 in France and Flanders and is commemorated on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. He is remembered on both The War Memorial and The Alamada, St. Andrews Church, Ampthill.

Information courtesy of www.roll-of-honour.com

Caroline Hunt






  Pte. Christopher Cox 6th Btn. Bedfordshire Regiment (d.26th July 1916)

Private Christopher Cox, born and living in Ampthill, enlisted Bedford. Served with the 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment (service no. 12098),

He died of his wounds on 26th July 1916 in England and is buried in St Andrews churchyard, Ampthill. He is remembered on both The War Memorial and The Alamada, St. Andrews Church, Ampthill.

Information courtesy of www.roll-of-honour.com

Caroline Hunt






  Pte. Fredrick Harlock 6th Btn. Bedfordshire Regiment

I have Fredrick Harlock's service medal which I believe was given to my grandmother who kept house for his brother or cousin. He was wounded and had to leave the army.

Derrick Mason






  Pte Alfred Rackley 6th btn Bedfordshire Regiment (d.7th Oct 1917)

Alfred Rackley was my great uncle, born Croxley Green, Hertfordshire.

Editor's Note:- At the time of his death, the 6th Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment were part of the 37th Division which was involved in the 3rd Battle of Ypres. The war diary for the Battalion records that, on that day, they lost 10 O.R. (other ranks) killed and 15 O.R. wounded through artillery shelling. Alfred is interred at Hooge Crater Cemetery.

Mr Allen






  Pte. Arthur Horne 6th Btn. Bedfordshire Regiment

Arthur Horne & family circa 1916

The following information about my grandfather, Arthur Horne, has been passed down to me:

Arthur Horne was born in Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire on 25th February 1885. He volunteered in October 1915, leaving behind his wife Ruth, pregnant with my mother Mary Irene (Rene), and four other children; Hilda, Gladys, Fred (Jim) and Florence (Floss).

The following January he was drafted to France where he served until the termination of hostilities. During this time he fought at Ypres, the Somme, Arras and Cambrai where he was reported missing. He was found in a French hospital having been badly gassed. He was the only survivor of a platoon on two occasions and once became stranded behind German lines where he was sheltered by a Belgian family until he was able to return to his regiment. After the Armistice was signed, he advanced into Germany with the Army of Occupation. He was demobilised in February 1919 and holds the General Service and Victory medals.

He lived until the age of 96 leaving six daughters, five sons, thirteen grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren. He died in Luton in December 1981.

Hilary Ashby






  Pte. Thomas George Richardson 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment (d.17th Jul 1916 )

Thomas ricradson was born in Ravenstone and enlisted in Bedford, he was resident at Weston Underwood. Thomas died of wounds and lies in Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-L'Abbe, Somme, France. His date of death on the War Memorial in Ravenstone Church is given as 24th of July 1916.

Paul Mills






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