Person

The following article appeared in the Bede magazine in April 1918 by the Durham Light Infantry Captain:

British Raid on Cherisy

Of the raids attempted on the Western front, one of the most successful was that carried out by British troops on September 15th, 1917, in front of Cherisy. It was the anniversary of the Divison’s first attack on the Somme in 1916, so a big day was prepared for Fritz. The raid was divided into three parts; a daylight raid, a raid at dusk, and a gas attack by night. During the days before, the area to be raided was carefully set out behind the lines, and the raid practised.

To mislead the enemy as to the real point of entry into his trenches, dummy figures were laid out in ‘No Man’s Land’ the previous night on the right of the front. These were connected by ropes to the line so that they could be pulled up at zero hour. On the left the Artillery and Trench Mortars were to put up a smoke barrage; the front line garrison to fire rifle grenades and bullets at the German trenches. A great massing of Trench Mortars was on the flanks of the attack to prevent reinforcements moving into the raided area. An intense barrage was to be put down along the whole front at zero, remaining on the flanks of the attack and lifting forward on the raided area to permit of the entry of our troops. When they had remained there for the allotted time, the barrage was to creep backwards to permit of their withdrawal. A dummy tank, made from a blanket was to be pulled forward, by a windlass, to our front line.

Punctually at zero, and intense Artillery barrage opened and our lads moved forward. The dummy figures were drawn up, and the demonstrations on the flanks carried out so effectively that the raiders were able to cross ‘No Man’s Land’ with only one casualty. The dummy figures came in for intense machine-gun and Artillery fire, being riddled with bullet holes and many of them blown to atoms by the Artillery. A special detachment of R.E.’s went over with raiders to destroy any dug-outs which the enemy refused to leave. These amounted to twelve in all so that a terrible toll of Germans was taken. Many of the enemy in the trenches refused to fight, so were either ‘done in’ or brought back as prisoners to our lines. The raiders estimated that at least 70 dead were left in the trenches, excluding those who had ‘gone up’ with the dug-outs. 23 prisoners and 4 machine-guns were brought back when our men withdrew. Our total casualties for this phase of the raid were about 1 killed and 10 slightly wounded. Our barrage had been so effectively that practically no trenches remained when our raiders entered.
The second phase was carried out at dusk, on rather a smaller front than the first. The enemy was expected to reinforce his line after the first raid, so the second was to find out what units were in support. The Artillery and Trench Mortar Barrage was again put down, and our men advanced. The opposition was again strong, but successfully overcome. The raid had few casualties and owing to the spirit of the enemy only one prisoner and a machine gun were brought back. Again our men were successfully withdrawn. The Very light display by the enemy would have caused Pain of firework fame to be jealous.

The third phase was to conclude the havoc of the day. The enemy was expected to settle down to a quiet night after the doings of the day, but this was not to be. Fortunately at midnight or thereabouts, the wind was favourable for the gas attack, and this new form of ‘Kultur’, so often practised by the Germans, was successfully discharged. The enemy barrage for this phase was very light, and was confined to the areas for which the gas came. Observers reported that well after daylight the enemy was taking out stretcher cases so that the havoc wrought by this phases was very great. It was reported after this phase from a very reliable source, that a few survivors were heard to sing in perfect English “now we come to the end of a perfect day.” For us it had been very successful. The damage done to the enemy was great, and our casualties slight. It certainly taught Fritz that the fighting qualities of the men who succeeded those who barred his path to Ypres in April, 1915, had not deteriorated.

Choppy, ’14-’16

According to his entry in the college register, Ralph was Mentioned in Despatches for his part in this raid.

This page is linked to two men from Sacriston whose letters of condolence he wrote. (See related stories below.)

North East War Memorials “Every Name a Story”
http://www.newmp.org.uk/article.php?categoryid=99&articleid=1273&displayorder=89

Civil Parish: Chester le Street

Birth date: 1895-Jul-6

Death date: 1918-Apr-09

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 29 Co-Operative Street, Chester-le-Street (CWGC and Bede College Register, E/HB 2/236)
17 John Street, Chester-le-Street (1911 census)

Education: Chester-le-Street Secondary School
Bede College

Family: Parents: John Curry (joiner for Co-Operative), Harriet Curry
Siblings: Dora Curry, Annie Curry, John Thomas Curry, Michael Sidney Curry, Frances Curry, Hilda Curry (1911 census)

Military service:

Bede College Officer Training Corps
Second Lieutenant 25 Nov 1915
Lieutenant 1 July 1917
Captain, 151st Trench Mortar Battery DLI, Jan1918
Mentioned in Despatches

Memorial(s): Chester-le-Street Bridge End Monument (demolished and plaques removed to parish church in 1960s)
Chester-le-Street Central Primitive Methodist Church choir front, corner of Newcastle Road and North Burns (in private hands in USA, bought from £75 scrap value)
Chester-le-Street, Saint Mary and Saint Cuthbert, Church Chare, plaque
Chester-le-Street Secondary School, plaque (originally in school hall now in link between main school and 6th form)
Chester-le-Street Market Place, War Memorial
Bede College Cross, Bede College grounds
Bede College, plaque

Gender: Male

Contributed by Durham County Record Office