Page 113 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2017
P. 113

REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN) 111
 gun and rifle fire, placed him under the cover of a fallen tree and went in search of assistance and a stretcher. Returning with a stretcher, he succeeded in getting the wounded man down to the dressing station. At the dressing station he was informed that the enemy were using gas shells to a large extent in the valley below and that the wind was carrying the gas in the direction of their trenches. He immediately set out on the right of the line and worked his way along to every post, ensuring that they knew of the danger. The whole time he was exposed to incessant shell fire, machine gun and rifle fire.
On Thursday 29th the front line was heavily shelled at intervals and a heavy barrage of gas shells was aimed at the south edge of the woods. The men were forced to don their gas masks for over an hour. An hour before dawn the battalion headquarters warned of an imminent attack and at 0730 hours, an SOS rocket was fired on the right of the line, but nothing came of this. The men were in action without sleep for over 28 hours and probably went without sleep for over 48 hours.
Unfortunately, during the early morn- ing Private Billy Clare was killed by
a shell. The following morning the dismounted company marched
back and met up with their hors- es, halfway between Beaucamp and Ribecourt, and then to the regimental camp at Fins. Cas- ualties sustained by the regi- ment’s dismounted company was three other ranks killed,
30 other ranks wounded and
11 suffering from gas. For his actions at Bourlon Wood, Private Billy Clare was award- ed the Victoria Cross: Victoria Cross citation for 6657 Private George William Clare:
For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty whilst occupying the advance posts in Bourlon Wood on the night of November 28/29, 1915. When acting as stretcher bearer during a most intense and continuous enemy bombardment Private Clare dressed and conducted wounded over the open to the dressing station 500 yards away. At one period when the garrison of a detached post laying out in the open about 150 yards to the left of the line occupied was all out of action, Private Clare crossed the intervening space which was continually swept by heavy ri- fle fire and machine gun fire, dressed all the cases and then manned the post single handed until a relief could be sent. Private Clare then car- ried Lance Corporal Glascoe; the most seriously wounded man, on his back a distance of about 100 yards through intense fire, and placed him under cover of a fallen tree whilst he went in search of assistance and a stretcher. He then returned and succeeded in getting Lance Corporal Glascoe down to the dressing station. At the dressing station he was told that the enemy were using gas shells to a large extent in the valley below and that as the wind was blowing the gas towards the line of shell holes
occupied he started on the right of the line and personally warned every post of the whole company of the danger, the whole time exposing himself to the direct fire of rifles and machine guns. The shell fire too was incessant the whole time. Private Clare was sub- sequently killed by a shell early on the morning of November 29. The recom- mendation and the citation are one and the same. The announcement of the Victoria Cross was made on
12th January 1918.
By kind permission of Mr Don McLean
   Window in St. Peter’s Church dedicated to Billy Clare VC
Billy Clare VC (standing) with possibly Albert Barker (seated)





















































































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