Leatherhead War Memorials - Charles Crayden

GEZAINCOURT 14/11/16

6am The battn formed up for attack in four lines of half companies - No.3 Coy under 2nd Lt HARDING on the left, No. 4 Coy under Capt KELLY on the right, supported respectively by No. 1 Coy under Capt LANDER & No.2 Coy under Capt SPENCER.

The 13th Rifle Br. were to attack on the left & the 13th KRRC on the right. At 6am a company barrage opened 100 yds in front to our line - unfortunately the battn moved off too soon & a certain number of casualties were caused by our own barrage. However, this was re-adjusted by withdrawing about 50 yds.

During the rest of the advance to the objective, the battn was considerably harassed by machined gun fire from BEAUCOURT itself & from positions the South of the river. Very little resistance was met with at the objective, the Germans having surrendered in BEAUCOURT. But on our left flank there was a strong point about Q.12.c.8.7 which resisted with great determination. Had the 13th Rifle Br come up on our left there would have been little difficulty here but as it was, they did not, until very much later in the day - when they were ordered to establish touch with the 51st Divn on our left.

When the first objective was taken the 13 KRRC were on our right and the 13th R Br in rear of us. No. 4 Coy was pushed out to hold an advanced position in front of our line.

According to the original orders the advance should have proceeded to the RED line ie Muck Trench to RAILWAY trench Q.6.d.7.8-R.7.q.4.7. This advance was not immediately carried out - the battn was being re-organised, also there was considerable difficulty in dealing with the German strong post on our left.

During the night of 14/15, strong patrols were sent out to find Muck trench, & endeavour to get touch with 51st Divn, who were supposed to be in MUNICH trench Q.6.c.5.4. Neither the trench or the 51st Divn could be located - so the battn stayed in the line captured.

The following officers were wounded during the day, Lieut-Col ARDAGH, Capts SPENCER & LANDER, 2nd Lts LEWIS, JEROME, FRANK, DORWARD, YOUNG. 2nd Lt HARDING of No.3 Coy was wounded but remained at Duty. Casualties among other ranks approx 50 killed, 130 wounded.

The Ancre
The fall of Beaucourt: 14th November 1916

On Freyberg’s right, II Corps had taken St Pierre Divion on the afternoon of the 13th and men from the 1st Cambridgeshire Regiment had been ferrying ammunition and grenades across the Ancre to replenish spent supplies.

During the night the 111th Brigade from the 37th Division had been brought up to assist the 63rd in their assault on the untaken section of the Beaucourt Trench to the left of Freyberg’s group.

The 13th Royal Fusiliers and 13th Rifle Brigade started their advance at 0620 hours but despite some gains it soon became apparent that nothing further was going to be achieved until Beaucourt had been taken.

For the assault on the village, the 190th Brigade had assembled as many men as it could in the vicinity of Beaucourt Station, including 400 men from 1st HAC and about 80 of the 7th Royal Fusiliers. At 0745 hours they moved forward to make contact with Freyberg, who then led the men immediately into the attack.

Despite the strong resistance in the trenches to the west of the village, Beaucourt fell remarkably easily with the gain of 500 prisoners. By 1030 hours Freyberg could report that he was in control of Beaucourt.

The original planning for the attack had utilised a number of tanks, but it had soon been realised that with the ground so well churned by the bombardment that they would be more of a hindrance than an asset and they had been sent back to the rear.

Now, on the second day, two were brought forward in an attempt to deal with the stronghold machine gun nest which continued to hold up the Division’s advance to the west of Beaucourt.

Both tanks soon became bogged down in mud but not before one of them had advanced far enough to be able to use its 6 pounder guns to good effect, forcing the German garrison of over 400 to surrender.

That evening the line of advance was pushed further forward around Beaucourt and the left was brought up to the Beaucourt Trench. It would take another few days of fighting to finally secure all that had been envisaged a few days beforehand.

On the night of the 17th November it started to snow and the final assaults of the battle of the Somme were launched the following morning.

Lydia Crayden, Widowed, Domestic Help
Arthur C Crayden born 8 March 1911, Married, Lorry Driver, Heavy Worker

LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWI

Private Charles Richard Crayden
13 Bn. Royal Fusiliers

Town Memorial P9.R1.C3.

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