A Collection of Medals to the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiments
‘This sector [Cambrai, opposite Marcoing] was heavily bombarded from 12 March onwards with mustard gas shell, and before the
attack was launched the 4th Battalion had lost five officers and 264 other ranks. On 21 March the Germans made little progress on the
front of the 63rd Division, but as it was at the head of the salient which we had created in the first battle of Cambrai and the divisions
on the flanks had been pressed back, it was ordered to retire during the night to the intermediate line. This was the beginning of a
fighting retirement through Ytres, Gueudecourt and Martinpuich. From near the latter place the Battalion was ordered up to High Wood
on 26 March to reinforce the 189th Brigade, which was hard pressed in front of Martinpuich. There the Battalion hung on until its
ammunition was exhausted, and its gallant conduct saved the flank of the Division. The withdrawal of the Battalion from its exposed
position was made possible by the devotion of Lieutenant J. H. Blackwell, who when the commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel J. S.
Collings-Wells, D.S.O., called for volunteers to cover the retreat, took charge of three officers and sixty other ranks. Lieutenant-Colonel
J. S. Collings-Wells himself posted this small party moving about with the utmost disregard of danger, encouraging his men by his fine
example, and after he had left to look after the placing of the main body of the Battalion, Lieutenant J. H. Blackwell remained until
every round was expended, and was the last to leave the position. Under cover of this devoted little band, the Battalion made good its
retreat to the Thiepval Ridge, whence in the early hours of 26 March it was withdrawn to Martinsart. But its rest was short. During the
night of 26th-27th, the enemy had crossed the Ancre and gained possession of Albert, threatening to turn the flank of the 12th Division.
So the remnant of the 63rd Division was ordered up to form a defensive flank at Bouzincourt. There the Battalion was placed near the
25th Brigade, and was ordered to make a counter-attack with the 1st Artists Rifles at 7.30 a.m. on the 27th.
The counter-attack drove the enemy back to the railway line and put an end to the enemy’s progress in this quarter. The Battalion was
gloriously led by Lieutenant-Colonel Collings-Wells. He, knowing that his men were nearly dead beat after six days of fighting with
very little sleep, lead the counter-attack in person, and though wounded, continued to cheer his men on until he fell killed just as the
railway was reached. He was awarded a posthumous V.C., and few (if any) were better won throughout the war.
During the night the enemy made a final attempt to continue his progress, but was repulsed, and Lieutenant L. Hambling won the M.C.
for gallantry in this action. The Battalion was then definitely relieved, and went back to rest. For gallant conduct during the retreat,
Sergeant W. G. Marks, Lance-Corporals W. Batchelor and P. Le Gros, and Private W. E. Auburn were awarded the Military Medal. The
Battalion’s casualties, in addition to those suffered from mustard gas before the attack, were 19 officers and 233 other ranks.’
Batchelor was killed in action in an attack on Ligny-Thilloy on 27 August 1918. He was 23 years of age and is buried in Beaulencourt
British Cemetery.
Harold Batchelor, who was born in Hemel Hempstead, died of wounds on 30 April 1915, while serving in the 1st Battalion,
Bedfordshires. He was 28 years of age and is buried in St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen.
520
A good Great War M.M. group of four awarded to Private C. Sweeney, Hertfordshire Regiment, who, having been
decorated for bravery in the battle of Ancre in November 1916, was killed in action in July 1917
MILITARY MEDAL, G.V.R. (2537 Pte. C. Sweeney, 1/1 Herts. R.); 1914-15STAR (2537 Pte. C. Sweeney, Herts. R.); BRITISH WAR
AND VICTORY MEDALS (2537 Pte. C. Sweeney, Herts. R.), good very fine and better (4) £400-500
M.M. London Gazette 19 February 1917.
Claud James William Sweeney won his M.M. for bravery in the Ancre Valley on
the Somme on 13 November 1916, when his Battalion captured the Hansa Line
at a cost of around 150 casualties. Regimental records state:
‘Private C. Sweeney and Private R. Page, both of No. 3 Company showed great
gallantry. They bombed a dug out, and when three German officers and men
came up armed from it, they disarmed them. When Corporal Jackson was
wounded, Private Page took command of the bombing post at Point 35, and both
he and Private Sweeney were conspicuous in assisting in the capture of a party of
30 German machine-gunners.’
The following entry appears in Ware Men in the First World War:
‘Private (Acting Lance-Corporal) Claud James William Sweeney enlisted in the
Hertfordshire Regiment at the age of 17 at Hertford. He was an athletic lad
known for diving into the Lea from Toll Bridge. Claud landed in France on 23
January 1915. In November 1916 he was awarded the Military Medal for
gallantry during the Battle of Ancre. He fell in the Battle of St. Julien on 31 July
1917, a few days after attaining his 20th birthday, and within a couple of miles of
where his father laid down his life. Company Sergeant-Major Edward Clarke, a
neighbour of Mrs. Sweeney, wrote to her with the sad news of the death of ‘poor
old Claud’ as he affectionately called him. He says he was given the chance to
stay out of the attack, but he stoutly refused - ‘I was with him a few hours before
his death, he was then in the very best of spirits and was with his platoon joining
in the singing. It was such a shame to lose a fine chap, and I am sure the few of
us who came out of the attack join me in expressing our sympathy with you in
your sad loss, which is ours also’. Both Claud Sweeney and Edward Clarke were
in No. 3 Company.
Mrs. Sweeney was presented with her son’s Military Medal at Balls Park, Hertford on 12 February 1918 by Major Sir H. J. Delves
Broughton, the commander of the N.C.Os school there. The Commandant told her he was pleased to have the honour of presenting her
son’s decoration to her although he sincerely regretted that he had lost his life in the defence of his country. Three rousing cheers were
given by 450 trainee N.C.Os who paraded before the medal recipient. Like many others killed at St. Julien, Claud has no known grave
and he is commemorated on the Menin Gate.’
www.dnw.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212 |
Page 213 |
Page 214 |
Page 215 |
Page 216 |
Page 217 |
Page 218 |
Page 219 |
Page 220 |
Page 221 |
Page 222 |
Page 223 |
Page 224 |
Page 225 |
Page 226 |
Page 227 |
Page 228 |
Page 229 |
Page 230 |
Page 231 |
Page 232 |
Page 233 |
Page 234 |
Page 235 |
Page 236 |
Page 237 |
Page 238 |
Page 239 |
Page 240 |
Page 241 |
Page 242 |
Page 243 |
Page 244 |
Page 245 |
Page 246 |
Page 247 |
Page 248 |
Page 249 |
Page 250 |
Page 251 |
Page 252 |
Page 253 |
Page 254 |
Page 255 |
Page 256 |
Page 257 |
Page 258 |
Page 259 |
Page 260 |
Page 261 |
Page 262 |
Page 263 |
Page 264 |
Page 265 |
Page 266 |
Page 267 |
Page 268 |
Page 269 |
Page 270 |
Page 271 |
Page 272 |
Page 273 |
Page 274 |
Page 275 |
Page 276 |
Page 277 |
Page 278 |
Page 279 |
Page 280 |
Page 281 |
Page 282 |
Page 283 |
Page 284 |
Page 285