South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project |
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Military History |
| Theatre of War | Medals | Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial |
|---|---|---|
| France and Flanders | British War & Victory Medals | Dulhallow A.D.S. Cemetery |
| Arrived in Theatre | Medal Citation (if app) | SWFHS Area Memorials |
| After March 1917 | ~ | Cubbington |
| Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed | Date and Place Enlisted | Other War Memorials |
| Hundred Days Offensive | Feb/Mar 1917 at Coventry | |
| Place of Death | Previous Regiments or Units | |
| Dudhallow Advanced Dressing Station | Private 70959 Devon Regiment | |
Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)
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John aka Jack is listed as dying of wounds on 15 Oct 1918. As he died at an Advance Dressing Station it is likely he died of wounds received during operations of the 14th/15th October and the Battalion war diary for 14th/15th Oct 1918 is transcribed below. Click here for more about the evacuation and treatment of wounded soldiers. War Diary 14 Oct 1918The battalion was in position by 02.00. At 05.33 our barrage opened an German barrage immediately fell on our front lines causing a good many casualties. At 05.35 all companies left their assembly trench and advanced under the barrage, the support companies gaining their distance as soon as clear of the hostile barrage. The resistance of the enemy was very stiff until Dadiezeelehoek was passed, particularly from two pill boxes near Dadizeelehoek. It was during this first stage that 2 Lt Irvine was killed. The resistance was quickly overcome by our determined attack and a large number of prisoners secured from a pill box at Marcouitch Crossing. Three officers and 50 OR’s were mopped up after the front line had passed. After Dadizeelehoek the resistance of the enemy was not as stiff but the thick mist combined with the smoke of our barrage made it impossible to see more than 10 yards and made the keeping of direction very difficult and communication almost impossible. The ground over which the battalion was attacking was marshy in places and crossed by two rivers the Kleinebeeke and Heulebeeke both of which formed a considerable obstacle. The company commanders advanced by compass and the at 08.00 had gained the line L.17.c.4.0 to L.17.a.6.3. Here D company came under heavy machine gun fire from the houses at L.17.d.11.9, Capt May MC had already been twice wounded and immediately swung his company to the right charge the houses with a cheer and cleared them of the enemy. He then occupied the farm at L.17.c.8.15 securing possession of a battery of field guns. This position was swept with machine gun fire from the village of Moorseele but our Lewis Guns returned the fire we such good effect that B company on the right was able to advance and the brigade on the right was materially assisted in their attack on Moorseele. While organising this position Capt May was again wounded. B Company 2nd Bttn the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers came up on the left and connected D Company to the right of the 29th Division at K.17.a.9.5. From this position the line was advanced to the line of the road K.17.d.2.2 to K.17.b.3.5 when the 2nd Bttn the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers passed through toward Gulleghem supported by the 9th Battn the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the battalion which was now in reserve dug in with Companies disposed as follows: B Company on the right and D Company on the left. Touch was established with the 13th Royal Irish Rifles at Dorothy Bridge with the 29th Division on the left. A company was withdrawn to support at K.17.d.1.9 and C Company to reserve at K.16.d.5.8. where the Battalion Headquarters was established. The Battalion Remind here for the night. In this attack the battalion gained its objectives in scheduled time and captured 11 Field Guns. The leading companies over ran one of these batteries in the fog and it opened fire after they had passed. The OC C Company and a party of men promptly dealt with the situation. The number of Machine Guns both heavy and light which were captured was estimated at 50. One TM [Trench Mortar] was captured. Total prisoners captured about 200. END War Diary 15 Oct 1918At 09 00 the 2nd Bttn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers attacked Gulleghem and the 1st Battn moved forward behind the 9th Battn. On reaching the line G.22 Central the 9th Battn passed through the 2nd Bttn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and took Heule the 1st Battn moving up in support of them in G 22 Central reaching this position at 11.00. Headquarters established at G.22.a.6.9. Information was received from OC 9th Bttn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers that his battalion had captured Heule and was in position on the railway to the east of it and in touch with the 29th on the left but his right flank was in the air. It was then discovered that the brigade on the right was held up on the line G.22.a.6.6 – G.22.c.6.3. OC 1st Bttn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers ordered B & D Companies men to cover the flank. D Company to take up position along the bank of the Heulebeke from K.22.b.5.4 to K.22.a.2.5. B Company was ordered to move alongside the Gulleghem – Heule Road and attack the farms at K.22.a.6.2 and occupy them. The advance to these farms was carried out on the heavy machine gunfire though no casualties occurred. While these movements were being carried out a message was received from the Brigade on the right that they were about to attack with artillery support. The artillery was stopped in time and the Brigade on the right moved forward at the same time as B Company and passed them. At 15.43 Old is were received that the 29th Division were about to advance on the left and that the 103rd Brigade would capture the crossings on the LTS within the divisional boundary and that the 1st Bttn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers was to send forward two companies at 15.00 to clear the triangle formed by the Heulebeeke railway and the North divisional boundary in G 8 and H 13 keeping touch with the 29th Division and 108th Brigade. The OC 1st Bttn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers immediately ordered C & D Companies to forward to do this but at 16.30 a cancelling order was received and these Companies were stopped and sent back to their original positions. As the situation on the right flank was now cleared by the advance of the 2nd Royal Irish Rifles, B Company was withdrawn and placed about G.17.c.9.3 in close support of the 9th Bttn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. At 16.40 headquarters were moved up to G.17.d.0.3 to be in close touch with the 9th Battalion. At 17.40 further orders were received that area previously ordered was to be cleared by the 1st Bttn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. C & D Companies were ordered forward to do this. The company commanders of these two Companies went forward to make a personal reconnaissance and got in touch with the 29th Division who were advancing on the left and with the 2nd Royal Irish Rifles on the right who had come up to their line of the railway. They then advanced with these companies and secure the line of the road as it was reported that the 29th Division had reached the Lys at H.21.c.0.8 the O.C 1st Bttn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, after reporting the situation ordered the success to be exploited and patrols were pushed out which reached the Lys. The bridge at H.25.d.3.5 was blown up by the enemy just before the patrols reached the river. At about 23.00 orders were received that all troops must be withdrawn behind the railway by 0500 as the 108th Brigade word to advance from then with a barrage at 05.30 and surge the crossings of the Lys. Communication was extremely difficult and the information that the battalion had already patrols as far as the Lys could not be sent to the brigade in time to stop this attack. C&D Companies had therefore to be withdrawn behind the railway which was held by the 9th Bttn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. These two Companies were then billeted in cellars in Heule. END |
| Personal & Family History |
| Birth Date/Place | Baptism Date/Place |
|---|---|
| Jan Qtr 1899 at Cubbington | 30 Apr 1899 at Cubbington |
| Parents Names | Abode |
| Edwin and Mary Bastock | Lutterworth End, Cubbington |
| Schools | Colleges |
| ~ | |
| Address History | Employment History |
| 1899 - Cubbington | 1911 - School |
| 1901 - Meadow View Cottages, Offchurch Road, Cubbington | |
| 1911 - Lutterworth End, Cubbington | |
| 1917 - Lutterworth End, Cubbington | |
- Member of the Cubbington Excelsior Brass Band
