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1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment
1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment were in Blackdown near Aldershot serving with 2nd Brigade, 1st Division.
They proceeded to France, landing at le Harve on the 13th of August 1914, and fought on the Western Front throughout the war, taking part in most of the major actions. In 1914 they were involved in The Battle of Mons and the subsequent retreat, The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne, the First Battle of Ypres and the Winter Operations of 1914-15. In 1915 they were in action during The Battle of Aubers and The Battle of Loos. In 1916 they were in action in the Battles of the Somme. In 1917 they saw action in The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line and the Third Battle of Ypres. In 1918 the Battles of the Lys, the Second Battles of Arras, the Battles of the Hindenburg Line, The Battle of the Selle and The Battle of the Sambre, in which the Division fought the Passage of the Sambre-Oise Canal. At the Armistice, 1st Division was selected to advance into Germany and formed part of the Occupation Force at Bonn.
16th Aug 1914 On the March
18th Aug 1914 Massed Drums
19th Aug 1914 Concert
21st Aug 1914 On the March
22nd Aug 1914 On the March
23rd Aug 1914 On the March
24th Aug 1914 Artillery Duel
25th Aug 1914 On the March
26th Aug 1914 On the March
29th Aug 1914 At Rest
29th Aug 1914 Covering the Troops
30th Aug 1914 On the March
30th Aug 1914 Covering the Troops
31st Aug 1914 On the March
31st Aug 1914 Covering the Troops
1st Sep 1914 Outpost Duty
1st Sep 1914 A Hot Day
2nd Sep 1914 Rear Guard
3rd Sep 1914 Advance Guard
3rd Sep 1914 Retirement
4th Sep 1914 In Action
6th Sep 1914 In Reserve
7th Sep 1914 On the March
8th Sep 1914 Enemy in Flight
9th Sep 1914 On the March
10th Sep 1914 Losses in the Morning
13th Sep 1914 In Action
14th Sep 1914 In Action
15th Sep 1914 In Action
17th Sep 1914 Vicious Fighting & Dirty Tricks
17th Sep 1914 In Action
18th Sep 1914 Artillery In Action
19th Sep 1914 Reliefs Complete
22nd Sep 1914 Reliefs
23rd Sep 1914 Into Reserve
27th Sep 1914 ombardment
29th Sep 1914 Under Shellfire
30th Sep 1914 Under Shellfire
3rd Oct 1914 Snipers
4th Oct 1914 Under Shellfire
7th Oct 1914 Enemy Fire
20th Oct 1914 On the March
24th Oct 1914 Withdrawl
26th Oct 1914 On the March
27th Oct 1914 Entrenching
29th Oct 1914 Attack Launched
30th Oct 1914 Shelling
31st Oct 1914 Divisional HQ Hit
31st Oct 1914 In Action
1st Nov 1914 In Action
2nd Nov 1914 In Action
3rd Nov 1914 The Kaiser's Visit
5th Nov 1914 Heavy Shelling
11th Nov 1914 A Desperate Stand 
11th Nov 1914 Black Watch Corner
15th Nov 1914 Orders
16th Nov 1914 On the Move
21st Dec 1914 On the Move
22nd Dec 1914 Reliefs
26th Dec 1914 In the Trenches
28th Dec 1914 Trench Mortar
11th Jan 1915 Reliefs
27th Jan 1915 Artillery In Action
29th Jan 1915 Artillery In Action
14th Mar 1915 Reliefs
23rd Mar 1915 Reliefs
6th Apr 1915 Instruction
9th Apr 1915 Instruction
24th Apr 1915 On the March
26th Apr 1915 Working Parties
28th Apr 1915 In the Trenches
9th May 1915 The Battle of Aubers Ridge: The Souther pincer Richebourg L’Avoue. At 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. German troops are seen peering above their parapet even while this shelling was going on.
5.30am: British bombardment intensifies, field guns switch to HE and also fire at breastworks. The lead battalions of the two assaulting Brigades of 1st Division go over the top to take up a position only 80 yards from German front. (2nd Brigade has 1/Northants and 2/Royal Sussex in front and 2/KRRC and 1/5th Royal Sussex in immediate support; 3rd Brigade has 2/Royal Munster Fusiliers and 2/Welsh in front, with 1/4th Royal Welsh Fusiliers in support). Heavy machine-gun fire cuts the attackers down even on their own ladders and parapet steps, but men continue to press forward as ordered.
In the area of the Indian Corps, the lead battalions of the Dehra Dun Brigade of the Meerut Division (2/2nd Ghurkas, 1/4th and 1st Seaforth Highlanders) were so badly hit by enemy fire that no men got beyond their own parapet and the front-line and communications trenches were soon filled with dead and wounded men.
5.40am: British bombardment lifts off front lines and advances 600 yards; infantry assault begins. Despite the early losses and enemy fire the three Brigades attempted to advance across No Man's Land. They were met by intense crossfire from the German machine-guns, which could not be seen in their ground-level and strongly protected emplacements. Whole lines of men were seen to be hit. Few lanes had been cut in the wire and even where men reached it they were forced to bunch, forming good targets for the enemy gunners. The leading battalions suffered very significant losses, particularly among officers and junior leaders. Around 100 men on the Northants and Munsters got into the German front, but all were killed or captured. The advance of the supporting battalions suffered similarly, and by 6.00am the advance had halted, with hundreds of men pinned down in No Man's Land, unable to advance or fall back.
6.15am: A repeat of the initial bombardment is ordered, with the added difficulty of uncertain locations of the most advanced troops.
7.20am: Major-General Haking (CO, 1st Division) reports failure and asks if he should bring in his last Brigade (1st (Guards)). He offered his opinion that it would not be successful.
7.45am: A further one hour bombardment starts, ordered by Lieut-General Anderson (CO, Meerut Division). Its only impact is to encourage German artillery to reply, bringing heavy shelling down onto British front and support trenches. German fire continued until about 10.30am.
8.00am: First reports reach Haig, but they underestimate losses and problems. Haig also hears of early French successes in Vimy attack; he resolves to renew the effort in the Southern attack, with noon being the new zero
hour. This was subsequently moved when it was learned from I Corps how long it would take to bring supporting units up to replace those that had suffered in the initial attacks. The new attack at 2.40pm would again be preceded by a 40 minute bombardment. The various movements of relief forces were achieved only with much confusion and further losses under renewed enemy shellfire. The time was again moved, to 4.00pm. In the meantime, the German infantry in the Bois de Biez area was reinforced.
3.20pm: Bombardment repeated and seen to be a little more successful, blowing gaps in the wire and in the enemy front-line.
3.45pm: Bareilly Brigade, moving up to relieve the Dehra Dun, loses more than 200 men due to enemy shelling.
3.57pm: The leading companies of the 1/Black Watch of 1st (Guards) Brigade, brought in to replace the shattered 2nd Brigade, went over the top despite the 1/Cameron Highlanders being late to arrive and moved at the double across No Man's Land. Some reached the German breastwork just as the bombardment lifted; most were however killed or captured in the German firing trench although a small party reached the second position. The two lead companies of the Camerons, coming up on the left of the Black Watch a few minutes later, suffered heavy machine-gun casualties in crossing between the front lines. At approximately the same time, the two fresh battalions of the 3rd Brigade, the 1/Gloucestershire and 1/South Wales Borderers began to advance but were cut down without reaching the enemy. Meerut Division orders Bareilly Brigade to advance, even though it is clear that conditions are unchanged: few men even reached a small ditch 20 yards in front of their own front line, and the Brigade suffered more than 1000 casualties within minutes.
4.35pm: 1st Division orders another 10 minutes shelling but it is seen to have no effect.
4.40pm: Large explosion at German ammunition dump in Herlies, hit by a long-range British heavy shell. Smoke clouds drifting towards British lines caused a gas alarm. Br-Gen. Southey (CO, Bareilly Brigade) reports that further attempts to advance would be useless.
5.00pm: General Haig, hearing of the continued failure of the Southern attack, orders 2nd Division to relieve 1st Division with a view to a bayonet attack at dusk, 8.00pm.
9th May 1915 1st Northants in action
20th May 1915 Into the Trenches
24th May 1915 Reliefs
24th of May 1915 Zeppelin under observation
4th Jul 1915 On Stand by
13th Jul 1915 Into Billets
19th Jul 1915 Into the Line
2nd Sep 1915 Reliefs Completed
21st Jan 1916 Long Awaited News
4th Feb 1916 Instruction
17th Jun 1916 Orders
24th June 1916 Battalion moved to Maroc
25th June 1916 Trench Mortar Duel
30th June 1916 Report
30th June 1916 Report
30th June 1916 Report
30th June 1916 Report
30th June 1916 Report
2nd July 1916 Smoke Discharge
3rd July 1916 Attachment to 1st Loyal North Lancs.
1st Jan 1917 Moves
9th Jan 1917 Working Parties
10th Jan 1917 Moves
17th Jan 1917 Heavy Snow
22nd Jan 1917 Working Parties and Training
23rd Jan 1917 Moves
24th Jan 1917 Moves
31st Jan 1917 Very Cold Weather
6th Feb 1917 Reliefs
6th Feb 1917 Reliefs
7th Feb 1917 Reliefs
8th Feb 1917 Reliefs
9th Feb 1917 Reliefs Complete
10th Feb 1917 Hard Ground
11th Feb 1917 Quiet
12th Feb 1917 Quiet
1st Apr 1918 Hostile Artillery
2nd Apr 1918 Trench Raids
3rd Apr 1918 Quiet
4th Apr 1918 Orders
5th Apr 1918 Moves
7th Apr 1918 Moves
8th Apr 1918 Moves
9th Apr 1918 Artillery Barrage
11th of April 1918 Enemy Guns Quieter
24th Oct 1918 Move
27th Oct 1918 Reliefs
28th Oct 1918 Attack Made
29th Oct 1918 Attack and Counter Attack
4th Nov 1918 Canal Crossed
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
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Those known to have served with1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment during the Great War 1914-1918. - Allen Edward. Pte. (d.9th May 1915)
- Brent Thomas. Pte.
- Bull William Frederick. Pte. (d.14th Aug 1916)
- Coulson Frederick. A/Sgt. (d.9th May 1915)
- Dennis John J.. Pte. (d.30th Jan 1916)
- Desborough Alfred James. Pte (d.30th October 1918)
- Edwards Samuel John Robert . Pte.
- Griffiths Robert Edward Henry. Pte. (d.18th Jul 1916)
- Hales Cecil. L/Cpl
- Heath Peter Gabriel. Pte. (d.20th Aug 1916)
- Hilliard Cecil. Pte. (d.10th September 1916)
- Hoather Thomas. Pte. (d.20th Apr 1918)
- Jackson Claud. Pte. (d.20th Aug 1916)
- Jones John T.. Pte. (d.24th Feb 1916)
- Moulds Horace. Pte. (d.23rd July 1916)
- Patching William J.. Pte.
- Patrick Albert. Pte. (d.25th Nov 1918)
- Read VC. Anketell Moutray. Capt. (d.25th Sep 1915)
- Serjeant Cyril Lawson . Lt. (d.21st June 1916)
- Smith William. Pte. (d.3rd Nov 1914)
- Worf George. Pte. (d.18th Jun 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 1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment from other sources.
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Capt. Anketell Moutray Read VC. 1st Btn. Northamptonshire Regiment (d.25th Sep 1915) Anketell Read was killed in action on 25th September 1915 and is buried in Dud Corner Cemetery in France.
An extract from The London Gazette, No. 29371, dated 16th Nov., 1915, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery during the first attack near Hulluch on the morning of 25th September, 1915. Although partially gassed, Captain Read went out several times in order to rally parties of different units which were disorganised and retiring. He led them back into the firing line, and, utterly regardless of danger, moved freely about encouraging them under a withering fire. He was mortally wounded while carrying out this gallant work. Captain Read had previously shown conspicuous bravery during digging operations on 29th, 30th and 31st August, 1915, and on the night of the 29th-30th July he carried out of action an officer, who was mortally wounded, under a hot fire from rifles and grenades."
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Pte. Thomas Brent 1st Btn. Northamptonshire Regiment Thomas Brent took part in the retreat from Mons and the battles of Arras, Ypres, and Cambrai. He also served in Egypt and Palestine.
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Pte. Peter Gabriel Heath 1st Btn. Northamptonshire Regiment (d.20th Aug 1916) My great-uncle, only discovered whilst researching my family tree, Peter Heath died on 20th of August 1916, when he was 35 years old. He was a Private with the 1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment and is buried in the Bazentin-le-Petit Cemetery Extension in Somme, France.
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Lt. Cyril Lawson Serjeant 1st Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment (d.21st June 1916) Cyril Serjeant was my great uncle whom I never had a chance to meet.
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Pte. Samuel John Robert Edwards 1st Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment My granddad, Sam Edwards, survived the Battle of Aubers Ridge, on 9th of May 1915, but received a serious bullet wound to the head. The result was deafness and dizzy spells for the rest of his life. Unbelievably, despite his grave but not fatal wound, on recovery he was sent back to serve again. He was a printer in the newspaper trade and his deafness was a boon when he returned to his job after the war, as he could tolerate the excessive noise of the printing presses.
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Pte. Robert Edward Henry Griffiths 1st Btn. Northamptonshire Regiment (d.18th Jul 1916) Robert Griffiths was one of two brothers born 1879 in Haggerston, Middlesex to George a railway guard, and his wife Harriet Griffiths, he was christened Robert Edward Henry Griffiths but sometimes called Richard. He left his family around 1901 and enlisted in the Army at Peterborough. He is commemorated on Framlingham Suffolk War Memorial and is buried in Contalmaison Chateau Cemetery.His brother Lance Corporal Charles Probert Griffiths (wrongly named on the War Memorial as E.C.Griffiths) of the Suffolk Regiment died 29th of July 1916 and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. Their nephew died in 1919 at home a returned P.O.W. Pte. Robert Probert Simmons, born in Leyton. originally 22137, 10th Btn. Suffolk Regiment then 17515, The Queen's Own (Royal West Kent) Regiment was captured and sent to a German P.O.W. Camp. He died following an operation just after discharge in 1919 to pension and SWB from pneumonia. George Probert Griffiths lost three members of his family in WW1.
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Pte. Cecil Hilliard 1st Btn. Northamptonshire Regiment (d.10th September 1916) Cecil Hilliard and two of his brothers fought in the Great War. Cecil died of his wounds aged 21 and is laid to rest in the Millencourt Communal Cemetery Extension.
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Pte. Horace Moulds 1st Btn. Northamptonshire Regiment (d.23rd July 1916) Horace Moulds arrived in France on 10th February 1915 and was killed in action on 23rd July 1916, aged 21 years old. Horace was buried in 1932 at Thiepval Anglo-French Cemetery.
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Pte. William J. Patching 1st Btn. Northamptonshire Regiment William Patching was the eldest of three brothers who were professional soldiers. He seems to have been out of the army in 1914 (he had enlisted in the 2nd Btn in 1906) and was recalled into the 1st Btn Northamptonshire Regiment. Wounded in 1915 he was discharged on 25th November 1916 with the Silver War Badge. The middle brother Bertie J was in 6th Dragoons L/Cpl D/4701 and the youngest Arthur served with the 2nd Btn. Middlesex Regiment. All three survived the War.
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Pte. William Smith 1st Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment (d.3rd Nov 1914) I think William Smith might be my great grandfather, I am trying to find more information to ascertain if it is my relation.
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A/Sgt. Frederick Coulson 1st Btn. Northamptonshire Regiment (d.9th May 1915) Frederick Coulson, born in 1884, had joined the regiment in the early 1900s. He met his wife during his posting to Raglan Barracks, Devonport and they were married in 1913. He was posted missing, then confirmed as killed in action. He left a widow, Florence and a daughter, Violet; his son, Charles, was born in the month following his death. They were living with Florence's parents in Camel's Head, Devonport, Devon, where they remained for several years.
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Pte. Edward Allen 1st Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment (d.9th May 1915) Edward Allen was my great-uncle, my grandad's brother. Edward was born in Huntingdonshire and married Rose Hannah Sneesby in 1914. I am currently trying to find all information I can on his time in the Great War before he sadly went missing. Edward is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial.
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Pte. John T. Jones 1st Btn. Northamptonshire Regiment (d.24th Feb 1916) John Jones sered with the 1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment. He was executed for desertion on 24th Februry 1916 aged 21 and is buried in Mazingarbe Communal Cemetery and Extension, Mazingarbe, France.
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Pte. John J. Dennis 1st Btn. Northamptonshire Regiment (d.30th Jan 1916) Pte. J. J. Dennis served with the Northamptonshire Regiment 1st Battalion. He was executed for desertion on 30th January 1916 and is buried in Lillers Communal Cemetery, Lillers, France.
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Pte. George Worf 2nd Btn. Northamptonshire Regiment (d.18th Jun 1917) George Worf was a third cousin of my grandmother. I am trying to work out exactly in which engagement he was killed. I visited his grave on 31st March 2014.
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Pte. William Frederick Bull 2nd Btn. Northamptonshire Regiment (d.14th Aug 1916) We know very little about Private William Frederick Bull except that he was my uncle. Anyone who would have known more is long dead. The certificate issued by The Commonwealth War Graves Commission says that his middle name is spelt as Fredrick and not Frederick, so I am not sure which is correct.
William was the son of Mr Albert Edward Bull and his wife Sophia Bull of Sutton Street, Flore, Weedon, Northants.
When William first enlisted it was into the 1st Battalion of the Northamptonshire Regiment but when he died, aged 19 on the 14th August 1916 in the Battle of the Somme, he was listed as a member of the 2nd Battalion. I checked this out with the Regimental Museum and they advised that this transfer was a fairly normal event.
William is buried in the Vermelles British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
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