May 16th 1915

Think of the first World War and the following comes to mind; trenches, mud, barbwire and death… millions of men pointlessly killed to achieve what? Our world seems so different from those times; explanations of such a holocaust seems impossible. The truth actually lies in fact; yes the world was a different place. It was measured by different rules to the ones we have now. Their was a job to do, and that was to free the world from the slavery of the Hun. To do ones bit and go and fight for the freedom, justice and all the good things in life. Men took the call, and wanted to go. They didn’t go to die, but went because it was their duty. The realities were far simpler then. They went into battle with every hope they could succeed and turn the tide to victory. With hindsight and the future we have their history. But at the time many such days as 16^th May 1915 ensued. The real war was on the ground, at the time; immediate demanding rational solutions to complicated demands. Should men be sent here, or there. When should we bombard the enemy, with what shells and for how long. Did we have enough ammunition ?

The battles of Aubers Ridge and Festubert (March - December 1915) were an attempt to break the trench war gridlock that had ensued as a results of the preliminary battles of 1914. The first battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers were in line………. The battalion war diary takes up the story for the 16^th May:

The battalion was ordered to assault the German trenches to it’s immediate front on a front of 200 yards and take the German 1^st and 2^nd line trenches, the Battalion was t move South East and take up a line facing South East in Square 27B between the Rue Quinque and the Rue D’Ouvert with it’s left on the road joining these two - the line to be prolonged to the South by the Warwick’s and the Queens. The line allotted was formed by a big German high command communicator trench - reportedly heavily bastioned and probably prepared for use as a fire trench.

At 2.45am the intense bombardment commenced and ceased at 3.16am. The battalion immediately assaulted - each company in two lines and the company behind company- order of company: A, B, C and D. The parapet was mounted by scaling ladders - our wire had been previously cu and bridges thrown across a broad ditch which ran along our front. Three Machine guns under Lt. Acherly went with B company and machine guns under Lt. Law with C company. The CO went with C company - the 2^nd I/C with B company, The battalion suffered very heavily from shell and machine gun fire both in crossing the parapet and the space between the parapet and the 1^st German line - the CO, Lt. Col. Gabbett and the OC B company were killed at once. The 2^nd I/C, Major Dickson, the OC C company, Lt. Chapman and the OC D company all fell severely wounded together with the many officer’s NCO’s and men. The German 1^st line was, however, quickly stormed - touch being obtained with the Scots Guards of 20^th Brigade. The 2^nd German line was also quickly carried and the line pushed on. Heavy machine gun and rifle fire opened from the left front - the Scots Guards lost direction and moved to face the fire drawing a part of the battalion with them. The rear half of the battalion suffered very heavily in getting to the German trench - only three officers of the last two companies reached it unwounded.

In the meantime portions of A and B companies under Captain Coles had joined the Scots Guards rapidly advancing East, others together with about 40 Scots guards were collected ---- Captain Stockwell, on whom command of the battalion had devolved were directed South East towards La Quinque Rue. The survivors of C company were directed by Lt. Law towards La Quinque Rue and succeeded in joining Captain Stockwell. D company proceeded to reverse the German parapet - make the line captured tenable and were afterwards pushed on in support of the advanced line. The portion of the battalion under Captain Coles became isolated and were forced to fall back - Captain Coles and Lt. Woodward were left behind wounded. This party joined the Scots Guards in their trench and remained under the command of Major Cator.

The rest of the Battalion under Captain Stockwell and Lt. Walmsley continued to advance La Quinque Rue until forced to halt by the fire of our own guns from which they suffered severely. About 7pm touch was obtained with a platoon of the Warwicks sent in support and the northern end of the long German communicator trench, which was the battalions objective was carried. A German machine gun was captured after the team had been killed.

Shortly afterwards 2 companies of the Queens and 2 companies of the Warwicks worked up the trench and the trench was fully occupied. The northern end of the trench ended in some houses and an orchard - one of the houses was cleared by the battalion and placed in a state of defence, but the other houses and the orchard were held by the Germans. The enemy made no effort to attack but sniped from front, flank and rear. About 2pm the enemy commenced shelling the trench with high explosives. The trench afforded little cover. Reinforcements were asked to clear the orchard and house - 100 men of the 7^th London Regiment were placed under the orders of the OC 1^st Royal Welsch fusiliers together with the mortar battery for this purpose. The orchard and house were heavily shelled and the London regiment sent to attack the orchard covered by the fire of the 1^st Royal Welch Fusiliers and a machine gun. The orchard was taken but the London regiment was forced to fall back through machine gun fire.

In the meantime about 600 yards of the trench occupied by other corps was heavily shelled and rendered untenable and the battalion found themselves separated from the rest of the brigade. Darkness was coming on when the battalion fell back to the line held in front of the German 2^nd line when orders were received for the battalion to withdraw to the trenches held by the Queens north of Rue Cailloux. The retirement was successfully accomplished.

Of the machine gun’s of the battalion, four were knocked out during the advance on the 1^st German line. The remaining gun under Lt. Law came into action from the German parapet against the Germans retreating from the trenches on the left. The battalion was successful in penetrating into the German position 1200 yards.

Casualties:

Officers: 19 killed, wounded or missing

Ranks : 559 killed, wounded of missing.

Alfred Mortiboy was one of those killed in action. His body has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Le Touret memorial.

Le Touret memorial, France	Register entry for Alfred Mortiboy (note mispelling of name)

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