GROUPS AND SINGLE DECORATIONS FOR GALLANTRY
At 3.15 p.m. the enemy, after a call to the garrison to surrender was refused, made a determined simultaneous attack from north, west and south, which was repulsed with heavy loss after severe hand-to-hand fighting (although the enemy did succeed in cutting off the post from the garrison of Kildare Trench). He then made repeated efforts to drive in the bombing blocks, without success.
At 4.15 p.m. another attack was launched via the communication trenches from a neighbouring post and from the rear, but again the enemy got a rough reception and achieved nothing. For some time after this he was inactive and this welcome lull in the fighting was used to issue rations, water and rum as the men had had nothing to eat all day.
At 6.15 p.m. two volunteers started out in an effort to reach British lines with a message regarding the situation. They succeeded in getting through, but no return was possible.
Until 2.45 a.m. the enemy contented himself with rifle and machine-gun fire and reconnoitring patrols, when he brought up grenade launchers and two trench mortars. At 3.30 a.m., after intense bombardment, he launched an all-round attack which was again repulsed, but left Limerick Post’s trenches heavily damaged and a further 18 of the garrison as casualties.
It was now obvious to Captain Roddick that at daylight the Post would quickly be obliterated by artillery fire, and so he decided to break out and try to regain his own lines. Careful plans were made, the survivors divided into parties and a route selected. As many as the wounded as it was possible to move were carried. By 5.05 a.m. they were clear, and after making their way through 1000 yards of enemy-held country, safely returned to British lines at 5.45 a.m. It was a notable feat, one of the few bright spots in a reverse which brought much criticism on higher commanders, and was specifically referenced by Field Marshal Haig in his Despatch on the battle: “a single strong point known as Limerick Post held out with great gallantry throughout the day, though heavily attacked.” In fact it made enough of an impression on Haig that at a banquet given in his honour at the Town Hall, Liverpool in July 1919, he singled out this dogged feat of resistance as one of the outstanding feats of arms performed during the war by Liverpool and Lancashire troops.
Roddick was recommended by Lt. Col. MacDonald for an immediate award of the DSO, the recommendation for which fortunately survives in the records of 55th Division: ‘For conspicuous ability and devotion to duty in face of superior numbers of the enemy near Epehy on 30 Nov./1st Dec. 1917. Took command and organised a strong point garrisoned by another regiment when the officer in charge had been wounded. The post was rapidly surrounded by strong forces of the enemy, but the many attacks which he launched from all directions under cover of severe trench mortar, rifle grenade and machine-gun fire were successfully defeated with heavy casualties. The exceptional ability and judgement in making his dispositions combined with the coolness and bravery which this officer displayed to his men were largely instrumental in enabling the garrison to hold much superior forces of the enemy in check for 18 hours.’
The recommendation was supported by spontaneous testimony from two officers who had also found themselves in Limerick Post. Lieutenant C. M. Barber wrote: ‘This officer was the life and soul of the post and by his personal bravery set a very fine example to the garrison. During attacks Capt. Roddick was always at the danger point encouraging us all. His fine leadership enabled the post to hold out under most trying circumstances for 18 hours.’
Captain R. A. Ferguson added: ‘On several occasions the enemy tried to rush the post under cover of TM fire but were each time successfully beaten off. By his sound judgement and grasp of the situation the garrison were finally able to fight their way through the enemy line without casualties. His bravery, coolness and disregard of danger in my opinion saved an extremely critical situation.’
Unjust as it may seem, in the recriminatory climate that prevailed after the reverse of 30 November, a political decision seems to have been taken not to make any awards to officers associated with it, and although a number of D.C.M.s and M.M.s were granted to other ranks, the officers’ recommendations were not acted upon.
After the action at Epehy 1/10th Liverpool Scottish was taken out of the line to reform and retrain, eventually returning to the trenches at Givenchy in late February 1918. Major Roddick was acting in command at this time. According to a regimental history an issue of confidence occurred between the senior officers of the battalion and their Brigade commander. Roddick felt obliged to go over his head and took their troubles to Major-General Jeudwine, commanding the Division, with satisfactory results. However, it was obvious in view of the somewhat strained relations with the Brigade commander that he could not continue to command the Battalion, and so he left for England on substitution leave with a recommendation to the Senior Officers’ School, Aldershot, in his pocket. He returned to France in July 1918 and spent the remaining months of the war as second-in-command of 13th Battalion, West Riding Regiment, finally being demobilised in January 1919.
A close reading of the War Diary of 13th West Riding Regiment makes it difficult to attribute the award of the D.S.O. that came Roddick’s way in 1919 to any service performed while he was serving with that unit. The battalion was formed in France in May 1918 from four Area Employment (Garrison Guard) Companies and does not seem to have been intended for more than trench-holding duties in quieter parts of the line. It first went into the trenches in mid-August 1918 and undertook further routine tours during September and October. Roddick was second-in-command throughout, except for a few days acting for the Commanding Officer during August. Neither of the battalion’s two commanding officers during the period received any recognition at all. It therefore seems very possible that in some higher quarter the lack of direct and immediate recognition for Roddick’s actions at Limerick Post was felt to be unjust, and action was later quietly taken to correct it.
Major Roddick was invested with his Distinguished Service Order at Buckingham Palace in March 1921, by which time he had returned to his old occupation at Lloyd’s. He died at Croydon in 1950.
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