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The 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment
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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar greatThe 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment
The 1st Battalion, The Bedfordshire Regiment was first raised in 1688.
The 1st Battalion was a regular army battalion and were in Mullingar, Ireland at the outbreak of war. They left England as part of 15th Infantry Brigade in the 5th Division and landed in France on the 16th of August 1914. They were known as one of the battalions of Old Contemptibles who outfought the German Army in the early engagements of the war.They were at Mons in August and fought at Le Cateau, where 5 VC’s were won. After service on the Aisne, they took their position in Flanders and were also involved in the actions at Neuve-Chapelle and La Bassee. By the end of November the Division had suffered 5,000 casualties and remained in a purely defensive role that winter. Between the 3rd of March and 7th of April 1915 they were attached with 15th Brigade to 28th Division in in exchange for 83rd Brigade in order to familiarise the newly arrived troops with the Western Front. In early 1915, the 1st Battalion was engaged at the Second Ypres, defending Hill 60, where another 4 VCs were won in one day. In March 1916 5th Division took over a section of front line between St Laurent Blangy and the southern edge of Vimy Ridge, near Arras. They moved south in July to reinforce The Somme and were in action at, High Wood, The Battle of Guillemont, The Battle of Flers-Courcelette, The Battle of Morval and The Battle of Le Transloy. In October they moved to Festubertand remained there until March 1917 when they moved in preparation for the Battles of Arras. On 7 September 1917 the 5th Division moved out of the line for a period of rest before, being sent to Flanders where they were in action during the Third Battle of Ypres. 5th Division was sent to Italy and took up positions in the line along the River Piave in late January 1918. They were recalled to France to assist with the German Advance in late March 1918 and were in action during the Battles of the Lys. On the 14th of August 1918 the 5th Division was withdrawn for two weeks rest. Then moved to The Somme where they were more or less in continuous action over the old battlegrounds until late October 1918 and saw action in the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Final Advance in Picardy. At the Armistice they were in the area of Le Quesnoy and moved to Belgium to the area around Namur and Wavre in December and demobilization began.
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Dec 2011
Please note we currently have a large backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site.
Those known to have served with The 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment during the Great War.
Select a story link or scroll down to browse those stories hosted on this site.
- Pte. Reginald Ernest Abbey 1st Btn. (d.15th Nov 1918)
- Pte. Albert Fordham Abbott 1st Btn. (d.4th Sep 1916)
- Pte. Arthur John Abbott 1st Btn. (d.28th Aug 1916)
- Pte. Harold Campbell Abbott 1st Btn. (d.17th Apr 1915)
- Pte. Sidney Abraham 1st Btn. (d.21st Apr 1915)
- 2nd Lt. Paul Norman Jones Christie 1st Btn. C Coy (d.9th Oct 1917) Read their Story.
- Pte. Sidney Charles Clark 1st Btn. (d.23rd Apr 1917) Read their Story.
- Pte. Richard George Pateman 1st Btn. (d.19th Nov 1914) Read their Story.
If you have any names to add to this list, or any recollections or photos of those listed, please get in touch.
Pte. Richard George Pateman 1st Btn. Bedfordshire Regiment (d.19th Nov 1914)
Richard Pateman was killed in action on Monday 19th November 1914 in France, aged 28. He was born and was resident in Wootton and enlisted in Ampthill. Son of Frederick and Fanny Pateman, of Church Row, Wootton, Beds. He is commemorated on Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais, France, and in the National Roll of the Great War Section XII - Bedford & Northampton, as follows:Pateman, R.G., Private, Bedfordshire Regiment. Mobilised at the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he was immediately ordered to the Western front. There he participated in the Battle of Mons and the subsequent Retreat, and also took part in the Battles of the Marne, the Aisne, La Bassée and Ypres, where he fell in action on November 19th, 1914. He was the first Wootton man to make the supreme sacrifice in the war. He was buried at Ypres, and was entitled to the Mons Star, and the General Service and Victory Medals.
"He passed out of the sight of men by the path of duty and self-sacrifice."
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