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er training he joined the 2nd Battalion of the regiment and
by early 1914 they were based in Alexandria, Egypt. When
war was declared the regiment returned to England, firstly to
Winchester and then, in November 1914, to France as part of
the reinforcements for the British Expeditionary Force.
The first planned major offensive by the British was at Neuve
Chapelle and the 2nd Battalion Northants were involved. This
was considered to be a British victory as they had captured the
village, but did not manage to follow it through with the hoped
for breakthrough. Albert clearly survived this first skirmish, but
in this “success” 544 British officers and 11,108 other ranks
were dead, missing, captured or wounded.
The next attack was at Aubers Ridge. Neuve Chapelle is about
12 miles east-south-east of Lille. The countryside in this area is
very flat and Aubers Ridge is a rise about a mile to the northeast
of the village. It was only about 20 feet high but none-the-less it
gave a major advantage to the Germans in artillery spotting and
surveying any attack.
The battle fits the popular image of Western Front battles. The
British went over the top early in the morning and were cut down
by machine gun fire. The survivors were trapped in no-man’s-
land until the night. No advantage was achieved.
The 2nd Northants were split into four companies, A, B, C and
D, with about 250 men and officers in each company. They were
based in an orchard out of sight of the enemy. A précis of the
war diary for 9th May 1914 reads:-
D Company had preceded the Battalion to cut the wire
in front of the orchard. 18 men of each company were
detailed to carry tools, rations and ammunition and
remained in the rear assembly trench.
An artillery bombardment commenced at 5am and
continued until 5.50. “A” Company on the left and “D”
Company on the right, left the advance trenches and
immediately came under heavy machine gun fire, but
continued to push forward losing very heavily.
Only part of “D” Company reached the enemy trenches,
112
by early 1914 they were based in Alexandria, Egypt. When
war was declared the regiment returned to England, firstly to
Winchester and then, in November 1914, to France as part of
the reinforcements for the British Expeditionary Force.
The first planned major offensive by the British was at Neuve
Chapelle and the 2nd Battalion Northants were involved. This
was considered to be a British victory as they had captured the
village, but did not manage to follow it through with the hoped
for breakthrough. Albert clearly survived this first skirmish, but
in this “success” 544 British officers and 11,108 other ranks
were dead, missing, captured or wounded.
The next attack was at Aubers Ridge. Neuve Chapelle is about
12 miles east-south-east of Lille. The countryside in this area is
very flat and Aubers Ridge is a rise about a mile to the northeast
of the village. It was only about 20 feet high but none-the-less it
gave a major advantage to the Germans in artillery spotting and
surveying any attack.
The battle fits the popular image of Western Front battles. The
British went over the top early in the morning and were cut down
by machine gun fire. The survivors were trapped in no-man’s-
land until the night. No advantage was achieved.
The 2nd Northants were split into four companies, A, B, C and
D, with about 250 men and officers in each company. They were
based in an orchard out of sight of the enemy. A précis of the
war diary for 9th May 1914 reads:-
D Company had preceded the Battalion to cut the wire
in front of the orchard. 18 men of each company were
detailed to carry tools, rations and ammunition and
remained in the rear assembly trench.
An artillery bombardment commenced at 5am and
continued until 5.50. “A” Company on the left and “D”
Company on the right, left the advance trenches and
immediately came under heavy machine gun fire, but
continued to push forward losing very heavily.
Only part of “D” Company reached the enemy trenches,
112
