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- 1st Life Guards during the Great War -


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

1st Life Guards



8th Aug 1914 Cavalry Arrives

4th Oct 1914 Orders Received

7th Oct 1914 2nd Life Guards on board Indira  In the War Diary of the 2nd Life Guards for 6th October 1914 the CO records: "On my ship the Indira were my HQ and 1 Squadron, 1 Squadron 1st Life Guards, and the HQ and 2 Squadrons of the Royal Dragoons who belonged to a different Brigade (VIth)."

War Diary


8th Oct 1914 On the Move

9th Oct 1914 Anxiety

16th Oct 1914 2 Life Guards march through Ypres  2 Life Guards marched at 7.30 am in a white fog as Advanced Guard to the Brigade through the very slippery streets of Ypres, now full of French troops and scouted round Westroosebeke, ultimately halting there, while ay 3 pm O’Neill and his squadron scouted towards Oostnieuwkerke. Lt. Sir P Brocklehurst and a patrol of 1st Life Guards reported a German Maxim about 2 miles out on the Westroosebeke, Hooglede road. About 4 pm O’Neill reported that a farm about 1/2 miles S W of Oostniewkerke was strongly held by Germans and that in approaching it Lt Sir Robin Duff had been killed. At 4 pm, I sent Belper’s squadron to support O’Neill on the left and myself took Ashton’s squadron to strengthen O’Neill. I found the country quite flat but thickly dotted with cottages, farms and small woods, one being of considerable size. At 5.30 pm I worked up towards the farm whence Duff had been killed, but found it in a clearing with no cover for 500 yards all round. We came under fire from 3 directions, front left flank and rear, and as it was nearly dark I collected my squadrons and retired to Westroosebeke. There was considerable sniping from the cottages, and one cyclist was shot through the hand when catching up his squadron. Belper claims to have killed 12 Germans, and the man who shot Duff was also killed. The Regiment was left to billet in Westroosebeke, while the remainder of the Brigade went to Paschendaele, which is not a pleasant billet, and did not feel at all secure in such a big straggling village with so small a force.

War Diary


18th Oct 1914 Planning  location map

21st Oct 1914 2 Life Guards march to Ehrsternst  2nd Life Guards march at 5.30 am to Ehrsternst then remaining idle till midday as rear regiment. We were ordered to support the Infantry at Zonnebeke, the Blues and 1st Life Guards being already there. There was considerable sniping from houses in the village and from outside. Brigadier Lawford pointed out our place and we were very thankful to find a roadside ditch and bank ready-made, as the shell fire was severe for 2 hours. The Staffords were in front of us, so we could not fire in spite of being constantly sniped from intervening ground. Our horses were left in the street and a shell fell among them killing four, a horrible sight, I was told. Captain V Montgomerie got a shrapnel bullet in the back and one man was killed. I sat in a puddle in the ditch and felt grateful. The arrival of some of our Infantry, Cavan’s Brigade I believe, enabled us to be withdrawn about 4 pm. The following order was issued the next day "The Brigadier has much pleasure in telling the Regiments of the Brigade that before he left Zonnebeke today General Lawford command of the 22nd Infantry Brigade asked him to express to the Regiments of the Brigade his thanks for the assistance they gave him and his admiration for the way they behaved in saving what might have been a critical situation." At 4 pm we marched the weary miles to Voormezeele and after a long wait got into billets in the town, they say in orders to link up Haig's force with Gough's Cavalry Division.

War Diary


23rd Oct 1914 2nd Life Guards relieved by 1st Life Guards  The War Diary of the 2nd Life Guards recored: "Off at 5 am to Brigade HQ at Kleinzillebeke, and was ordered to collect my Regiment out of the trenches and be relieved by the 1st Life Guards. Set off to do this with Colonel Barnes X Hussars, Brassey (command 1st Life Guards) and his squadron leaders when a shell hit me in four places taking a piece out of my leg. I had to retire to Hospital. My lead horses were under shell fire at Zandvoorde and Surgeon Major Power and Vet Lt Walker had just been sent flying by a shell. I afterwards heard that my 2nd in Command had been attached to the Belgian Army Headquarters and that Major Hugh Dawnay came from the Staff to take command till my return."

War Diary


30th Oct 1914 Overrun by the Enemy

20th Nov 1914 Shelling

25th Nov 1914 Funeral

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Those known to have served with

1st Life Guards

during the Great War 1914-1918.

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