The Third Battle of Ypres

[1954gladiator]

Both the Manchester 20th & 22nd Bn's were involved - Stedmans' book the Manchester Pals mentions Gheluvelt in October 1917.

There are several mentions of this subject in various topics on the forum.

Please can someone post a full list of the actions that involved the Manchester 20th & 22nd Bn's during the Third Battle of Ypres, with dates.  If there is an internet site(s) link this would be great!  Thanks.

[pete th]

Please find attached two extracts from a book we are writing about Irlam and Cadishead which relate to 3rd Ypres casualties of the 22nd Battalion from our area. I hope these help.

Cheers
Pete

Joseph Lee Taylor

Lance Corporal Joseph Taylor (Service no. 25498) served with the 22nd Battalion, (7th City) Manchester Regiment, 91st Infantry Brigade, 7th (Regular) Division.

Joseph was born in Cadishead and lived with his parents, Joseph and Hannah Taylor, at 232 Liverpool Road, Cadishead. Before the war he was employed by his mother in her carrying business and was well known and respected in the area. His father was a Railway Signalman and formerly a member of the Irlam Urban District Council. Joseph had enlisted at Manchester in early 1916.

He was killed in action during the battle of Broodseinde,  3rd Battle of Ypres on the Thursday 4th October 1917, aged 24. He was serving in 7 Platoon, 'B' Company at the time of his death. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the missing and was entitled to the 'Pair.' The day after his parents learnt of Joseph's death, they received notification that their other son, Corporal David Taylor of the Manchester Regiment, had been seriously wounded.

William Cromwell
Private William Cromwell (Service no. 36293) served with the 22nd (Service) Battalion (7th City), Manchester Regiment, 91st Infantry Brigade, 7th (Regular) Division.

He was born in Stockport and lived with his family at 28 Whitfield Street, Cadishead. Before the war, William was employed as a slag breaker by Messrs. Stiff and Co. Ltd. in Irlam. He enlisted in Manchester in 1915, aged 27.

William was killed in action during the battle of Broodseinde, 3rd Battle of Ypres on Thursday the 4th October 1917. He was 32 years old. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.  William served in the same Battalion as Joseph Lee Taylor and was killed in action on the same day. He was entitled to the 'Pair.' William's four brothers served in the Army; Lance Corporal Edward Cromwell, serving with Trench Mortar Battery, Privates George and Oliver Cromwell, both serving with the Manchester Regiment and Gunner Fred Cromwell of the Royal Field Artillery. Fred later served with the Royal Garrison Artillery.

[1954gladiator]

Thanks Pete

Thanks for your post - with help like yours I am finding out more & more about my grandfathers theatre of war in the 20th & 22nd Bn's.  He must have been at Broodseinde in early October, 1917 as both Bn's fought there.

I hope your book will be a success. 
Clive 

[tonyrod]

hi clive, from a other thread, i found this by googleing the date,
24 oct 1917.

Relieved the 17th Kings Royal Rifles for operations at Gheluvelt.

Operation orders:
X Corps are to co-operate with the main attack further north, bu attacking Gheluvelt and Polderhoek Wood. The role of the 7th Division: to capture Gheluvelt, some ground along Zandvoorde spur, and so secure Tower Hamlets ridge.
Battalion orders: B Coy on right front, D in centre, C on left. 2 platoons of A Coy to support C, the remainder of A to support B and D. 1 Coy of 22nd Manchesters attached, whose objective will be to take over battalion front line.
Barrage 150 yards in front for 4 minutes, then creep 200 yards in 12 minutes, then 200 in 8, then 100 per 12 minutes to Red Protective barrage.
Consolidation will be carried out, to obtain a good observation and defence line, to obtain a line of postst from The Mound (J.26.b.0.8 } to Berry Cotts to Spur (J.27.a.7.5), plus an intermediate line of posts from Hamp Farm (J.27.a.17.55 to 35.76).
21st Manchesters will be on our left. 19th Division on our right will not attack.
4 Vickers guns will advance with battalion, 2 to rear of Berry Cotts, 2 in the old front line.
4 Stokes mortars under Lt W.C.Conley MC.
Advanced Battalion HQ under 2/Lt G.A.C.Sheffield, will be in old front line.
Signals will, on reaching Red and Blue Lines, show Red and Green Very. Red and White flares, if called by Contact Aeroplane.
SOS will be rifle grenade parachute flares showing red over green over yellow.

Operations narrative:

[1954gladiator]

Thanks Tony - fascinating stuff!    Grandfather could also have been here!!

What I can't say for certain is when my grandfather left the 20th Bn to join in the 22nd Bn.  I do know from his War Service Record that he was in both Bn's - the 20th at the start (Oct 1916) & the 22nd (Nov 1918).  . The Kew NA microfilm is somewhat damaged in places so I can't say for sure what info may have been lost.  Wouldn't it be great to find out the exact dates he was each Bn. & what Coy's he was attached to.  I wonder if this info is out there anywhere? 

Clive