1/7th and 1/8th Worcestershire Regiment

The background to the attack

The beginning of the Third Battle of Ypres 1917, or Passchendaele as it is also known was hailed with an intense artillery bombardment on the might of July 30th/31st. The first attacks were made the following morning. The Territorial Battalions the 1/7th and 1/8th moved from Poperinghe to a camp two miles east, and then slowly made their way to Reigersburg Camp on the Ypres-Brielen road, which they reached on the 15th August. (On this day the second line territorials, the 2/7th and 2/8th also moved into the Ypres Salient).

On the 16th August, the 48th Division were to attack two miles south of Langemarck near the ruined village of St Julian (now Sint Jaan). The first attack would be made by the 145th Brigade, with 144th Brigade, including the 1/7th and 1/8th Worcesters in reserve.

Before dawn, the 1/7th Worcesters assembled and moved forward to position called Kultur Farm about 1000 yards behind the front line, D Company moved a further 500 yards forward to support positions at Regina Cross and Alberta. This latter movement was still in progress when the dawn broke and the battle began; from then on the enemy’s shell fire greatly confused matters.

Although the Battalion was supposed to be supporting the attack of 145th Brigade in front, definite news of the attack was difficult to obtain.

The 1/7th Worcesters renew the attack

At 11am came orders for the 1/7th to support assist in the attack on the far side of the Steenbeek. The Battalion advanced in artillery formation which, coupled with the high explosive shells being buried by the mud and failing to explode, made casualties surprisingly light. D Company moved across the Steenbeek, while the other Companies occupied the far bank – machine gun fire from the enemy front line showed that the initial attack had failed.

The enemy’s front line of defence consisted of strong concrete block-houses. From left to right as the 1/7th Worcesters wound have seen them were the Maison du Hibou, Hillock Farm, Jew Hill and Border House; further back were Triangle Farm, Vancouver, Springfield and Winnepeg (named by the Canadians who had fought in this sector). Captain Greenwell of B Coy, 1/4th Ox & Bucks who fought with the 145th Brigade described these blockhouses a few days later: “[On the battlefield]…there is nothing but these famous concrete blockhouses, which have caused us such a very unpleasant surprise. They have put the Bosche one up on us, as we haven’t yet devised a satisfactory method of dealing with them. They are enormously strong and almost shell-proof except for the biggest… [They] rather takes the wind out of our sails.”

The 145th Brigade, with most of its leaders killed, were crowded in the narrow stretch of low ground between the stream and the German posts. By nightfall Border House and Jew Hill had been captured. Then came orders that a fresh attack was to be made on the strongest fort, the Maison du Hibou. ‘C’ Company was selected and advanced towards the blockhouse; the only cover provided was machine gun support from D Company.

The plan failed. The Company Commander New Zealander Captain A B Montgomery and his second in command were mortally wounded at the head of his men; nearly all the leading wave were hit. The survivors dug in some 100 yards from the blockhouse and held on. The Company lost 7 killed, 37 wounded and 12 missing.

It was obvious that artillery support was needed, and this ‘B’ Company were selected to make a fresh attack behind a barrage. At 2.30am on the 17th ‘B’ Company attacked; they actually reached the building and fought their way in, but fresh reinforcements were brought up and the Worcesters were forced to fall back. The losses of the Company were 3 killed, 12 missing, and 30 wounded.

The Maison du Hibou was obviously a formidable defence and the enemy were determined to hold it; but the position had to be taken. The forward troops were cramped into a narrow 300-yard strip between the front line and the Steenbeek and were enduring constant fire.

Both sides remained motionless during the day. After dark the 1/8th Worcesters were brought forward and relieved the 1/7th. They held firm throughout constant shellfire, which claimed the life of one officer (possibly 2/Lt J Guilding) and his servant, Harold Harris.

The 1/8th Worcesters attack the Maison du Hibou

During that day (August 18th) plans were made to take the Maison du Hibou; by nightfall all was arranged. The weather had been fine, which dried the mud sufficiently for reinforcements to operate with hope of success and the 1/8th were to have the support of tanks.Looking from Triangle Farm. October 2001

‘C’ Company, with ‘D’ in support, held the front line facing the Maison du Hibou. ‘B’ Company under Lieutenant Wilkes was brought up after midnight (18th/19th) to deliver the attack. The advance was difficult in the dark and a heavy barrage was put down by an enemy who expected an attack. Many casualties had already occurred, and dawn was breaking by the time ‘B’ Company reached their starting positions. The British guns opened a heavy bombardment at dawn, and put down a smoke barrage along the Langemarck Road.

Under that barrage, the tanks rolled across the stream at St Julien and pushed northwards past the captured Hillock Farm and deployed on the near by gun pits at Triangle Farm. Then they circled wound and opened fire on the Maison du Hibou from the rear. With ‘C’ Company already laying a heavy fire on the blockhouse from the front, ‘B’ Company dashed forward and into the buildings, killing a number of the enemy and forcing the rest to surrender. ‘B’ Company pressed on and captured Triangle Farm beyond; and finally, with the support of the tanks consolidate a position at the cross roads north of the Triangle, (where the Canadian Memorial now stands).

The apex of The Triangle consolidated by the 1/8th Worcesters. October 2001The Regimental History states: “It was a brilliant little success, which made the tactical situation f the 48th Division comparatively secure…From the broader point of view the affair is noteworthy as being the first definite success gained by the use of tanks in the offensives of 1917. That success silenced the disbelievers, tanks were restored to general favour, and plans were formed which led eventually to the great tank attack of Cambrai.

On the evening of August 20th the 1/8th Worcesters were relived and marched back to the canal bank. The losses of the Battalion during three days totalled some 19 men killed and wounded 47 wounded, (including two officers). Lieutenant Wilkes received a bar to his Military Cross for leading ‘B’ Company.

The background to the attack

The beginning of the Third Battle of Ypres 1917, or Passchendaele as it is also known was hailed with an intense artillery bombardment on the might of July 30th/31st. The first attacks were made the following morning. The Territorial Battalions the 1/7th and 1/8th moved from Poperinghe to a camp two miles east, and then slowly made their way to Reigersburg Camp on the Ypres-Brielen road, which they reached on the 15th August. (On this day the second line territorials, the 2/7th and 2/8th also moved into the Ypres Salient).

On the 16th August, the 48th Division were to attack two miles south of Langemarck near the ruined village of St Julian (now Sint Jaan). The first attack would be made by the 145th Brigade, with 144th Brigade, including the 1/7th and 1/8th Worcesters in reserve.

Before dawn, the 1/7th Worcesters assembled and moved forward to position called Kultur Farm about 1000 yards behind the front line, D Company moved a further 500 yards forward to support positions at Regina Cross and Alberta. This latter movement was still in progress when the dawn broke and the battle began; from then on the enemy’s shell fire greatly confused matters.

Although the Battalion was supposed to be supporting the attack of 145th Brigade in front, definite news of the attack was difficult to obtain.

The 1/7th Worcesters renew the attack

At 11am came orders for the 1/7th to support assist in the attack on the far side of the Steenbeek. The Battalion advanced in artillery formation which, coupled with the high explosive shells being buried by the mud and failing to explode, made casualties surprisingly light. D Company moved across the Steenbeek, while the other Companies occupied the far bank – machine gun fire from the enemy front line showed that the initial attack had failed.

The enemy’s front line of defence consisted of strong concrete block-houses. From left to right as the 1/7th Worcesters wound have seen them were the Maison du Hibou, Hillock Farm, Jew Hill and Border House; further back were Triangle Farm, Vancouver, Springfield and Winnepeg (named by the Canadians who had fought in this sector). Captain Greenwell of B Coy, 1/4th Ox & Bucks who fought with the 145th Brigade described these blockhouses a few days later: “[On the battlefield]…there is nothing but these famous concrete blockhouses, which have caused us such a very unpleasant surprise. They have put the Bosche one up on us, as we haven’t yet devised a satisfactory method of dealing with them. They are enormously strong and almost shell-proof except for the biggest… [They] rather takes the wind out of our sails.”

The 145th Brigade, with most of its leaders killed, were crowded in the narrow stretch of low ground between the stream and the German posts. By nightfall Border House and Jew Hill had been captured. Then came orders that a fresh attack was to be made on the strongest fort, the Maison du Hibou. ‘C’ Company was selected and advanced towards the blockhouse; the only cover provided was machine gun support from D Company.

The plan failed. The Company Commander New Zealander Captain A B Montgomery and his second in command were mortally wounded at the head of his men; nearly all the leading wave were hit. The survivors dug in some 100 yards from the blockhouse and held on. The Company lost 7 killed, 37 wounded and 12 missing.

It was obvious that artillery support was needed, and this ‘B’ Company were selected to make a fresh attack behind a barrage. At 2.30am on the 17th ‘B’ Company attacked; they actually reached the building and fought their way in, but fresh reinforcements were brought up and the Worcesters were forced to fall back. The losses of the Company were 3 killed, 12 missing, and 30 wounded.

The Maison du Hibou was obviously a formidable defence and the enemy were determined to hold it; but the position had to be taken. The forward troops were cramped into a narrow 300-yard strip between the front line and the Steenbeek and were enduring constant fire.

Both sides remained motionless during the day. After dark the 1/8th Worcesters were brought forward and relieved the 1/7th. They held firm throughout constant shellfire, which claimed the life of one officer (possibly 2/Lt J Guilding) and his servant, Harold Harris.

The 1/8th Worcesters attack the Maison du Hibou

During that day (August 18th) plans were made to take the Maison du Hibou; by nightfall all was arranged. The weather had been fine, which dried the mud sufficiently for reinforcements to operate with hope of success and the 1/8th were to have the support of tanks.

‘C’ Company, with ‘D’ in support, held the front line facing the Maison du Hibou. ‘B’ Company under Lieutenant Wilkes was brought up after midnight (18th/19th) to deliver the attack. The advance was difficult in the dark and a heavy barrage was put down by an enemy who expected an attack. Many casualties had already occurred, and dawn was breaking by the time ‘B’ Company reached their starting positions. The British guns opened a heavy bombardment at dawn, and put down a smoke barrage along the Langemarck Road.

Under that barrage, the tanks rolled across the stream at St Julien and pushed northwards past the captured Hillock Farm and deployed on the near by gun pits at Triangle Farm. Then they circled wound and opened fire on the Maison du Hibou from the rear. With ‘C’ Company already laying a heavy fire on the blockhouse from the front, ‘B’ Company dashed forward and into the buildings, killing a number of the enemy and forcing the rest to surrender. ‘B’ Company pressed on and captured Triangle Farm beyond; and finally, with the support of the tanks consolidate a position at the cross roads north of the Triangle, (where the Canadian Memorial now stands).

The apex of The Triangle consolidated by the 1/8th Worcesters. October 2001The Regimental History states: “It was a brilliant little success, which made the tactical situation f the 48th Division comparatively secure…From the broader point of view the affair is noteworthy as being the first definite success gained by the use of tanks in the offensives of 1917. That success silenced the disbelievers, tanks were restored to general favour, and plans were formed which led eventually to the great tank attack of Cambrai.

On the evening of August 20th the 1/8th Worcesters were relived and marched back to the canal bank. The losses of the Battalion during three days totalled some 19 men killed and wounded 47 wounded, (including two officers). Lieutenant Wilkes received a bar to his Military Cross for leading ‘B’ Company.

Malvern Casualties:

Percy Evans 1/8th Worcesters died of wounds 20/8/17
John Guilding 1/8th Worcesters killed in action 17/8/17
Harold Harris 1/8th Worcesters killed in action 17/8/17
George Haughton 241 (South Midland) Brigade killed in action 18/8/17

Stacke, Capt H. FitzM The Worcestershire Regiment in the Great War Kidderminster 1921
Greenwell, Capt G H An Infant In Arms London 1972