Writing to express his sympathy with Alderman R. Hindle, Chorley, on the loss of his son, the late Lieutenant-Colonel Hindle, D.S.O., Major-General H. S. Jeudwine said:—
“Lieutenant-Colonel Hindle’s death was a great blow to all of us. To his Battalion it seemed irreparable. His never-failing keenness, his courage and determination, were of inestimable value, and had made his Battalion one of the finest, if not the finest, in the Division. His cheerfulness and modesty endeared him to everybody. His Battalion did splendid work under his leadership in the attack in front of Ypres. There he came safely through great dangers, though he never spared himself.
“The last action was quite unforeseen,” the letter continues. “When the German attack appeared probable it fell to him and his Battalion to occupy a position of great importance. I saw him on the day preceding the attack and gave him orders which he carried out most loyally, as I had the utmost confidence he would. He was killed almost instantaneously at the head of his men, where he always was when there was danger.... It will, I am sure, be some consolation to you to know that the fine fight he made with his Battalion was the means of definitely checking the German advance in that part of the field, and of preventing their reaching a position which would have endangered large forces.”
VAUCELLETTE CAMP.
1st December. At 1 a.m. the Battalion was relieved by the composite Battalion of the 12th Division, and on relief went into Brigade reserve at the railway dugouts (W 23 b) 57 c S E. The day was spent in reorganising the Battalion. At 11 p.m. the Battalion was relieved by the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, and proceeded by route march to billets at HAMEL, arriving at 3 a.m.
Second Lieutenant J. Johnson wounded. One Other Rank to Field Ambulance sick.
Extract from a letter received by the G.O.C. 164th Infantry Brigade from the G.O.C. 55th Division:—“I saw the Corps Commander to-day, and he said that they (i.e., the 1/4th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment) had saved the situation. He had seen the Commander-in-Chief, and he had agreed.”