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Our Territorials in Action

Teesdale Men in their Baptism of Fire: Made of Right Stuff

Graphic Sketch by Lieutenant Heslop

“I am Uncommonly Proud to Belong to Such a Fine Set of Men”

The following letter has been addressed by Lieutenant T B Heslop to his parents at Startforth Villa:-

It was on Monday, April 26th, that the 6th Battalion came into real action, although we had been within range of German shells for a day or two.

I am able to give you no tactical features of Monday, and no indication of the locality, because it would be censored.

The battalion was suddenly called upon to take a certain position, and in five minutes we were deployed to do this, and commenced to advance. We had hardly started when the “Bosches” got on to us with strong artillery, and the battalion advanced in perfect order over some two miles of country under a most demoralizing fire of “Jack Johnson’s” poison shells and shrapnel. The bombardment was continuous during the advance, and the discipline and bravery of the troops was perfectly splendid, and you will learn that the old 6th won its laurels last Monday, and proved it is made of the right stuff.

I am uncommonly proud to belong to such a fine set of men.

I personally was lucky with my platoon, and had none killed, and only 14 wounded, whilst I, by the help of Providence, came through unscratched.

I am not usually given to bradding, but really what I have stated is only simple fact.

It was Tuesday morning before it was known where all the battalion was, and what a price had been paid. We lost ten officers and about 140 non-commissioned officers and men killed and wounded. The two officers killed were poor Joe Monkhouse and Lieutenant Kylock. The wounded were 2 Badcocks, Mackay, Walton, Devey, Thorpe, Nicholson, and Kirkhouse. I think there are only about 8 men killed.

The price was terrible for one day’s work.

Since then I have been in a series of dug-outs with C Company, of which I find myself in command, with R N Hare and George Angus as subalterns.

“Jack Johnsons” and shrapnel flop about all day long, but up to now I have only had one man wounded. The amount of heavy ammunition expended by both sides is prodigious, and heavy firing frequently continues all night long, but we get used to it, and are quite a happy party, and get good rations. Officers pig in like the men, and I am quite an expert at making soup out of corned beef and oxo cubes, and, of course, the jam rations suit me all right. We also get boiled beef, tinned butter, cigarettes, tobacco, tea and the good old army biscuits (I am glad I had my teeth seen to). Today we get ordinary bread.

Captain Jeffries has assumed command, and the other three battalions having suffered pretty badly, and probably for other reasons too, the 6th is now part of the 11th Infantry Brigade, so my address is now 6th Durham Light Infantry, 11th Infantry Brigade, British Expeditionary Force.

While I am writing this in my little dug-out is vibrating every minute to the concussions of “Jack Johnsons” which are trying to find one of our batteries.

The battalion is moving back tonight. I hope for a bit of rest.

The weather now is just perfect, glorious sunshine all day. i haven’t seen my valise again yet, but hope to come up with it in a day or two if we go back for a rest. It’s wonderful how you get used to sleeping in your boots, etc. and how extraordinarily fit you keep out here. One night the battalion had to sleep in the open air with no blankets or waterproofs, and, of course, it was a beastly cold night. The officers, however, always seem to manage a little extra personal comfort, and that night, while the men slept in a ploughed field, we slept on a midden – for warmth – we’d none of us had a wash for about two days, so comparatively speaking the bed was nice and clean.

I must stop now as I am rather busy, being in command of the company.

Date: 5-May-1915

Where to find this: Teesdale Mercury Archive http://www.teesdalemercuryarchive.org.uk/

Contributed by Durham County Record Office