War Diary Extracts - WW1 - 12th - 19th April 1917
Henry John ROULLIER - died 18th April 1917
In the 1911 census he was a private with the 2nd battalion South Wales Borderers. 5th M I serving in South Africa. His Service number, 9477, suggests that he joined the regiment in late 1906. The 24th spent the period between 1881 and 1914 on further postings to India, Burma, South Africa and China, before its 1st Battalion joined the original British Expeditionary Force to France in 1914. Its 2nd Battalion joined the Japanese invasion of the German naval base at Tsingtao as well as landing at Gallipoli (1915). One of the regiment’s wartime officers was the poet Saunders Lewis, later the founder of the Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru. TSINGTAO In August, 1914, the 2nd Battalion had nearly completed two years of its tour at Tientsin, in Northern China. In early August the Japanese entered the war and sent a division to capture the German port of Tsingtao. The Twenty-Fourth and half the 36th Sikhs were sent from Tientsin in September to represent the Allies and take part in the capture of the place. After much hard digging in heavy rain and in great discomfort Tsingtao fell on 7th November, at a cost to the battalion of 14 men killed or died of wounds or disease and 2 officers and 34 men wounded. 'Tsingtao' is a battle honour held by no other British Regiment. GALLIPOLI On 12th January. 1915, the battalion on its return from China landed at Devonport, and, with the 1st King's Own Scottish Borderers (KOSB), 1st Royal lnniskilling Fusiliers and 1st Border Regiment joined the 87th Brigade of the 29th Division billeted at Coventry, Rugby and neighbouring towns. This, the last of the foreign service Regular Divisions, after a memorable inspection by His Majesty the King, left England in March for the attack on the Gallipoli Peninsula. The object of the expedition was to open a passage for ships through the Straits of Helles into the Sea of Marmora and on through the Bosphorus at Constantinople into the Black Sea, thus enabling Russia to export the grain needed by the Allies and to import munitions of war. On 25th April, 1915, the 29th Division made its historic 'landing at Helles', a feat of arms which could have been achieved by no soldiers in the world but seasoned British infantry. They landed in broad daylight on open beaches defended by barbed wire covered at close range by rifles and machine guns. The battalion landed three Companies at S Beach on the shores of Morto Bay just inside the Straits at the comparatively light cost of 2 officers and 18 men killed and drowned and 2 officers and 40 men wounded. A Company was detached to land with the KOSB and Marines at Y Beach on the Mediterranean shore. This attack though successful was unsupported and had to withdraw, A Company making a most gallant counter attack with the bayonet to cover the retirement. It had heavy fighting, losing the Company Commander and 26 men killed and missing, and an officer and 42 men wounded. The Battalion served throughout the rest of the Gallipoli campaign. In the efforts to advance from Cape Helles in May and June it fought with great determination and stubbornness. In August it moved round with the rest of the 29th Division to Suvla Bay, where a new landing by five fresh divisions from England had been brought to a standstill. In a final effort here the 29th put in a most gallant though unsuccessful attack on Scimitar Hill, in which the battalion suffered nearly 300 casualties. Brought back to Helles in October, the battalion took part in the final evacuation of the Peninsula on 8th January 1916, and was sent to Egypt due to severe casualties from combat, disease and harsh weather. FRANCE AND FLANDERS In March 1916, the 29th Division arrived in France. Its first big action was on I st July 1916, the opening day of the great Battle of the Somme, when it attacked the impregnable position at Beaumont Hamel. The 2nd Battalion advancing south of the village in the leading line was mown down by machine guns in the first few minutes and lost 11 officers and 235 men killed and missing and 4 officers and 149 men wounded out of a total of 21 officers and 578 men. Some gallant fellows reached the German wire 300 yards away, but neither here nor at other places did the Division's attack succeed. The battalion was reformed and after periods in various parts of the Line fought most gallantly at Monchy Le Preux in April and May 1917, where Sergeant White won the Victoria Cross for magnificent leadership and self-sacrifice. During an attack the leading company, D Company, was held up by machine guns which had escaped our artillery fire. Both company officers were hit. Sergeant White, seeing that all depended on these machine guns being put out of action, made for the nearest one. Followed by Corporal Nowell, he dashed at the party covering it, shot three and bayoneted a fourth, and was within a few yards of the gun when he caught its full discharge and fell riddled with bullets. His self-sacrifice diverted the fire from the other attackers. 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers War diary for 12th - 19th April 1917 (WO95/2304/2) Apr 12th - MONCHY, in the line - On the 12th we marched from MONCHIET to ARRAS, At ARRAS the transport was left behind. 4 Officers and 40 other ranks remained behind. The Battalion left ARRAS at dusk for the line, 87th Brigade was put in reserve. The Battalion took over from 5th BERKSHIRE REGT about two miles west of MONCHY-LE-PREUX. On the following day, the 13th inst, we moved into the front line just south of MONCHY and took over from the 12th WEST YORKSHIRE REGT. There were two companies in the front line and companies in support. On 14th the two supporting companies moved up to extend our line to the left. These two companies took over from 4th WORCESTERSHIRE REGT. Apr 15th - MONCHY , In the Line - On the 15th the shelter which contained D Coys headquarters was blown up burying Capt C P Owens, Lts A D Love, A T Lewis and J H Davies. Capt Owens was killed and Lts Lewis and Davies went down with shell shock. 2nd Lieut Lowe carried on and took over temporary command of “C” Coy. 2nd Lieut E M Gibbon going from C to take over command of D Coy. Apr 16th - 2nd Lt A T Lewis was taken out of the line to hospital, his back being slightly injured as the result of being buried. Apr 17th - On the night of the 17th the Battalion was taken out of the front line and put in the reserve trenches (BROWN LINE) near FEUCHY CHAPEL X ROADS. Here the Battalion stayed two days and were relieved by the 6/7th Camerons. This tour in the trenches cost the Battalion about 80 casualties and the weather conditions were for the most part bad. The chief work accomplished was the digging of a front line preparatory to a big attack. Apr 19th - ARRAS - On the night of the 19th the Battalion returned to ARRAS, pretty well exhausted, and were put into billets. On the following day Battalion had to change billets and were put into SCHRAMM BARRACKS where there was not much accommodation. There we stayed until the 22nd. On the evening of this date we moved into the front line trenches just E of MONCHY-LE-PREUX His Medal Card records the award of Victory and British War Medals Map Notes: Monchy-le-Preux - Map 51b SW O1 Feuchy Chapel - Map51b SW N3b Schramm Barracks - Arras The soldiers effects record entry 485728 and dated 19-7-17 - Roullier, Henry John, 2nd Battalion S W Borderers. Sgt 2/7447 - died 18-4-17 in France from Wounds recorded on 19-7-17 that his Widow and sole legatee Florence May should receive his effects amounting to £7.10.0. A War Gratuity was then paid on 4/12/19 to Wid & S L Florence M Woolger an amount of £18 - 10 - 00. There is a cross reference to a second entry The soldiers effects record entry 678195 and dated 3-6-18 records Roullier, Henry John 2nd Battalion S W Borderers, Sergeant 9447, died 18.4.17 in France from Wounds and his Widow (Florence M) is legatee. There is a cross reference to the other entry and a pencil note "Query Date of Death" Transcribed mainly from the War Diary of the 2nd battalion South Wales Borderers. |