The Honourable Edward Wodehouse M.C. 16th Lancers Killed in Action, France 1918

In Memory of

Sec.Lieut.

THE HON.EDWARD WODEHOUSE M.C.

16TH LANCERS

Who was Killed in Action on

March 30th 1918 in France

Aged 19

 

Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori

 

WODEHOUSE, The Hon. EDWARD

Rank:…………………........Second Lieutenant

Date of Death:…………30/03/1918

Age:…………………….......19

Regiment:……………......16th (The Queen's) Lancers

Awards:………………........M C

Panel Reference:………Panel 5.

Memorial:……………........POZIERES MEMORIAL

Additional Information:

Son of 2nd Earl of Kimberley, of Kimberley House, Wymondham, Norfolk, and of Countess of Kimberley. Educated at Eton.

CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/851522/WODEHOUSE,%20T...

 

Second Lieutenant the Hon. Edward Wodehouse was Killed in Action on the 30th March 1918 serving with the 16th (The Queens) Lancers. As with all Officers there are no place of birth or residence details shown on SDGW.

 

The Medal Index Card for Second Lieutenant Edward Wodehouse, 16th Lancers is held at the National Archive under reference WO 372/22/34939

discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D5967707

 

No obvious Civil Probate for this man.

 

No match on Picture Norfolk

 

This site gives his date of birth as the 12th April 1898.

www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk/online/content/kimberley1866.htm

 

The Panel on the Pozieres Memorial can be seen here:-

s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/find-a-grave-prod/photos/2013/...

 

Page 55 of a catalogue for a sale of paintings and prints by Dominic Winter Book Auctions on the 14th July 2010 has a portrait of Edward, painted in 1917.

issuu.com/jammdesign/docs/21._dominic_winter_-_fine_art

 

Edward is also remembered on the Wymondham Great War Memorial.

 

He and his brother Philip also apparently on the Carleton Forehoe War Memorial but I’ve not seen that yet, (September 2016)

 

1898 - Birth

 

The birth of an Edward Wodehouse was recorded in the Smallburgh District of Norfolk in the Apil to June quarter, (Q2), of 1898.

 

1901 Census of England and Wales

 

The 2 year old Edward Wodehouse, born Witton, Smallburgh, Norfolk, was recorded living at Witton Hall. This was the household of his parents, John, Lord Wodehouse, (aged 52, Peers eldest son, Living on Own Means, born Mary-le-bone, London) and Isabel G, (aged 47 and born Brighton, Sussex). As well as Edward also living with them is their daughter Isabel, (12, born Witton, Norfolk). In addition to their children there is also a visitor and a Governess, plus 10 live in servants.

 

1911 Census of England and Wales

 

The 12 year old Honourable Edward Wodehouse, (aged 12 and born Witton, Norfolk), was recorded as a boarding school student at Ludgrove, New Barnet, Middlesex.

 

His father was by now the 3rd Earl of Kimberley. He was recorded staying as a visitor at Colney Hall, on the nearby outskirts of Norwich, along with his eldest son, John.

 

On the day

 

The Battle of Moreuil Wood (30 March 1918) was an engagement of World War I that took place on the banks of the Arve River in France, where the Canadian Cavalry Brigade attacked and forced the German 23rd Saxon Division to withdraw from Moreuil Wood, a commanding position on the river bank. This defeat at the hands of the Allies contributed to the halt of the German Spring Offensive of 1918. During the battle, a Victoria Cross was awarded to Canadian Gordon Flowerdew of Lord Strathcona's Horse.

 

On 23 March the German forces broke through to the village of Ham, and the 3rd Cavalry Division, commanded by Brigadier-General A.E.W. Harman, was ordered to the village of Bouchoire along with 200 men from the Canadian Cavalry Brigade. As the German advance moved onwards, the newly formed force fought actions at Cugny, Villeselve, La Neuville-en-Beine and Beaumont-en-Beine. On 26 March, the enemy broke through the lines, and Allied forces began a withdrawal with the force under Harman conducting rearguard actions. By this time, the German advance had penetrated up to 45 kilometres (28 mi) into Allied positions; however, by this time supply lines were beginning to be stretched, and Ludendorff diverted his objectives and thus lost some momentum of his attack while he attempted to drive a wedge through between British and French forces.

By 30 March the attack was renewed; however, by this time the Allied forces had rallied and received reinforcements. By the morning of 30 March, the German 23rd Saxon Division had occupied the Moreuil Woods overlooking the River Arve and controlling the Amiens–Paris railway.

 

At 08:30 on 30 March, General Seely and his aides travelled towards the Moreuil Woods from where his forces were stationed on the other side of the River Avre, with orders to cross the river and delay the enemy advance as much as possible.[1] At 09:30, upon reaching the wood, having received fire from German forces that were occupying it, Seely ordered The Royal Canadian Dragoons to send sections to protect the village of Moreuil, while other sections were to seize the northeast corner of the wood itself. While this was being undertaken, Lord Strathcona's Horse was ordered to occupy the southeast face of the wood and disperse any German units found there (both the Royal Canadian Dragoons and Lord Strathcona’s Horse were two units making up the Canadian Cavalry Brigade).

 

The remaining squadrons of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade were ordered to enter the wood from the northwest, and sweep through it towards the eastern face where Lord Strathcona’s Horse was awaiting them. After being driven back from their first assault by machine gun fire, the cavalry units dismounted and proceeded to attack a second time with fixed bayonets, driving German forces from the edge of the wood and into its centre. Hand-to-hand fighting broke out in several locations with swords and pistols as Allied forces fought through the German 101st Grenadiers, who became disorganised and demoralised.

 

Inside the Moreuil wood

 

As Canadian cavalry fought through the wood, they were channelled eastwards by German machine gun fire. Simultaneously, units of the Royal Canadian Dragoons were forced to wheel into the woods at the north due to German attack. This battle quickly became a series of separate engagements due to the nature of the battlefield, with units separated and dispersed inside the German formations, and the fact that horses were ineffective in the woodland led to the pace of the battle slowing down considerably.

 

By this time, the remainder of the 3rd Cavalry had crossed the river and was distributed around the wood to support various Canadian forces currently engaged with German forces, many of these reinforcements were instructed to dismount before entering the battle. At this time, units from Lord Strathcona's Horse were formed into scouting teams of around ten men each and sent to discover details about the enemy forces and positions.

The commander of 'C' Squadron Lord Strathcona's Horse, Lieutenant Gordon Flowerdew, ordered his forces to secure the northeast corner then report back to him. Flowerdew was then ordered to cut off the German forces who were retreating to the east in the face of the Allied forces advancing through the wood. During this time, the forces dispatched by Flowerdew to the northeast corner ambushed and killed German forces looting from a French wagon, then dismounted and entered the wood under fire. Flowerdew arrived, assessed the situation, and decided that his unit would move to cut off the German retreat while the other section would help to drive the Germans from the wood.

 

There were six squadrons of cavalry in the wood at this point. Aeroplanes from the Royal Flying Corps were also attacking German forces from overhead, dropping 109 bombs and firing 17,000 bullets. Cavalry forces approached the southwest corner of the woods, coming under heavy fire and suffering heavy casualties, and they were forced to halt temporarily. Flowerdew reached high ground at the northeast corner of the wood just in time to encounter a 300-strong German force from the 101st Grenadiers, who were withdrawing. Flowerdew ordered, "It's a charge boys, it's a charge!" however, the bugle call was silenced by German fire before it was even sounded. During the charge, both sides were decimated, with only 51 of his unit still alive. Flowerdew died of his wounds the next day at No. 41 Casualty Clearing Station.

 

By 11:00 only the southern point of the wood was still occupied by German forces. With reinforcements arriving for the British, Seely ordered the remaining Germans to be driven away. Seely ordered British artillery fire into the wood to cease so he could operate without fear of friendly fire. The Germans were routed from the wood, and the day ended with 305 Allied casualties but the wood was in Allied hands.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Moreuil_Wood

 

By about 1100 hours, the only enemy remaining in the wood were at the extreme southern point. Fortunately reinforcements arrived from the British 3rd Cavalry Brigade under Brigadier General Bell-Smyth. Seely met Lieutenant-Colonel Geoffrey Brooke, the commanding officer of the leading Regiment, the 16th Lancers. Brooke was well known to Seely, having recently been the Brigade Major of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade.

 

Seely moved forward with the Lancers and ordered Brooke to drive the remaining Germans, about 200, from the wood. Within a short time the wood was completely cleared and the remaining Regiments of 3rd Cavalry Brigade, the 4th Hussars and 5th Lancers, moved into the west side of the wood.

 

The only remaining threat was artillery fire: German and British guns were firing into the wood. Harvey sent several messages to the British battery commander which finally silenced the guns. The crew of one German gun was stopped by very accurate rifle fire. Regardless, German artillery fire continued throughout the day.

www.thedonovan.com/archives/historystuff/the_battle_of_mo...

archive.org/stream/TheLastGreatCavalryCharge-MoreuilWoodR...

 

The 16th and the 4th Hussars were sent to the South East of the Wood to clear the wood as it could threaten the flank of the defensive line. The Canadians were supported by A & C Squadron, 16th LCRS/4th Hussars.

 

In the action the regiment was almost destroyed, there was one man leading four horses. It was then reinforced by the Leicester Yeomanry.

1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?/topic/112273...

 

Lieutenant Gordon Muriel Flowerdew who led the Canadian charge was originally from Billingford, Norfolk. He emigrated to Canada in 1903 after attending Framlingham College. He would die from his wounds on the day after the charge.

www.oldframlinghamian.com/images/articles/LIEUTENANTGORDO...

 

From “Scarlet Lancers: The story of the 16th/5th The Queens Royal Lancers 1689-1992” by James Lunt.

 

Although the cavalry’s role was restricted, there were a few instances when the horse came into its own. One such occasion was the charge of Lord Strathcona’s Horse (a Canadian Regiment) at Moreuil Wood on 30 March 1918 when the Canadians counter-attacked the German advance and stopped them from breaking through. The Canadians suffered heavy casualties, as might be expected from horsed soldiers attacking infantry, but at a critical moment the 3rd Cavalry Brigade came to their support. In the lead were the 16th Lancers commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Geoffrey Brook. He had been Brigade Major of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade before his appointment to command the 16th Lancers and the Canadians regarded him as one of themselves. Imperturbable under fire, Brooke could see that enemy reinforcements were infiltrating into Moreuil Wood and extending the right flank outside the wood. He led the 16th Lancers in a dismounted attack against the southern corner of the wood, while the 4th Hussars operated mounted on his flank. The attack was successful but there was bitter fighting in the wood.

books.google.co.uk/books?id=d3d-AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA112-IA4...

 

Done