CLARK Henry Frederick George, Private, died 25/09/1915, aged 21. Enlisted service no. 4/6893 Bedfordshire Regiment 2nd Battalion. Remembered at Loos Memorial.
Born Pledgdon Green, Essex son of Mrs. Ellen Clark of Woodgates End Broxted Essex. Brother of Robert Clark
From the battalion diary:clark
25 Sep 1915 – [The Battle of Loos] attack at Vermelles and Cit-St-Elie 12.5 a.m. Bn. proceeded to position of assembly at NOYELLES, arriving there 3.35 a.m. From there it proceeded at 6.5 a.m. moving by platoons at 200x distance to VERMELLES – moving up CHAPEL ALLEY. At about 11.30 a.m. the BN. debouched from the front line BRITISH TRENCH and proceeded on a front of two Companies in Column of Platoons extended at 50 yards distance with the right on the HULLUCH ROAD. The 20th Brigade were a considerable distance ahead, and the Wiltshire Regiment was on the left of the Battalion. The Battalion moved across and over the first line GERMAN TRENCH, practically without Casualties. As soon as it began to advance across the open behind the GERMAN front line it came under a very heavy Rifle fire from the direction of the QUARRIES and the NORTHERN houses of CITE ST. ELIE. the Battalion now suffered severely but continued to advance by rushes of small parties until GUN TRENCH was reached.
2 Lieut Forward [Charles Arthur FORWARD] was Killed & Lt.Col.C.C.Onslow, C.M.G. [Cranley Charlton ONSLOW, CB, CMG, CBE, DSO], Capt & Adjutant J.W.Hurrell [John William HURRELL, MC], Capt.J.W.Hutcinson [James Walter HUTCHINSON], 2/Lieut.H.E.Mudford [Harold Ernest MUDFORD], 2/Lieut.R.Hopkins [Ronald HOPKINS] were wounded. Between TWO and THREE hundred Other Ranks became casualties. Two platoons got about 100 yards in front of GUN TRENCH, but being unsupported had to fall back by Ones or Two’s – 2/Lieut.R.L.Shaw [Robert Leslie SHAW] was then wounded, also Capt.J.McM. Milling [John McMaster MILLING, MC].
The Battalion remained in GUN TRENCH holding the GUN PITS NORTH of the road during the afternoon, digging itself in. At dusk the men of the 20th Brigade who were in the trench were sorted out and rejoined their Brigade. All four Machine Guns were in the trench. At about 7 P.M. “A” and “C” Companies were withdrawn from GUN TRENCH and started digging a Support trench about 100x in rear. At about midnight a number of men were seen coming down the HULLUCH ROAD at a Double calling out “Don’t shoot we’re the GORDONS”; close behind them came a number of GERMANS. Almost at the same time the BORDERS holding GUN TRENCH South of the road began to retire. At once bombs were rained upon GUN TRENCH and men began to leave it in increasing numbers, falling back on SUPPORT Trench, where they stopped. The Company on the left of “B” Coy. was not attacked and stood firm. Two Machine Guns were with the company & remained in action. A heavy fire was brought to bear from Support Trench and shortly afterwards a charge was organised, which was completely successful, practically all the GERMANS in GUN TRENCH were Killed or taken prisoners, including the Artillery Captain who led the Counter-attack. 2 Lieut T.C.Pearson[Terence Charles PEARSON] & 2/Lieut.K.L. Stephenson [Kenneth Langton STEPHENSON] were Killed and 2/Lieut.C.J. Hunter[Charles James HUNTER] wounded.
The Left Company suffered some casualties from our own Shrapnel during this Counter-Attack. The rest of the night passed quietly. Two Companies were in GUN TRENCH and TWO Companies in Support Trench. At the commencement of the action.Capt. H.de Buriatte [Harold de BURIATTE] Commanded A Co. Capt. J.W.Hutchinson [James Walter HUTCHINSON] Commanded B Co.Lieut.R.O.Wynne [Richard Own WYNNE, DSO] Commanded C.Coy. Capt.J.McM.Milling [John McMaster MILLING, MC] Commanded D.Coy. 2/Lieut.R.B.Gibson [Robert Bowness GIBSON] and Lieut.B.R.Taylor [Basil Read TAYLOR, MC] both of 3/S.Stafford regt. attached took command of B. and D.Coys. respectively after Capt.Hutchinson [James Walter HUTCHINSON] & Capt.Milling [John McMaster MILLING, MC] were wounded. 2/Lieut.W.J.Stonier [William John STONIER] took over A/Adjutant. Lieut.A.F.Logan [Arthur Fancourt LOGAN, MC] was wounded on this date.
Thanks to Glyn Warwick for providing details from the battalion war diaries. He is written a book about the fallen heroes of Stansted Mountfitchet, “They Sleep In Heroes Graves” ISBN 978-0-9558964-0-8 and Bedfordshire Regiment Website.
The data is the editor’s interpretation of documents from the:
The National Archives London, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Ancestry and Find My Past.