Short History of the London Rifle Brigade

by Unknown

April 17th.

Two brigades had been withdrawn to the neighbourhood of Steenwerck by this date, and the 4th Division started its first period of rest since the Retreat.

April 24th.

Orders were received on the 22nd for these brigades to be ready to move at an hour's notice. The London Rifle Brigade actually entrained at mid-day on the 24th, and spent the night in billets outside Poperinghe, moving off at 5.30 a.m. next morning to the outskirts of Vlamertinghe. It stopped there till 6 p.m., when it paraded with the rest of the Brigade (less the East Lancashires) to go into the Salient.

Second Battle of Ypres.

Since the first gas attack on the evening of April 22nd, little definite information had been available as to the situation between the left of the 28th Division (some 1,000 yards N.N.E. of Zonnebeke) and along the whole north side of the Salient down to the canal near Boesinghe. The Canadians had held on with the grimmest determination in the neighbourhood of St. Julian, while what became to be known as Geddes' force held the line from the canal up to the Canadians. Geddes' force consisted originally of the supports and reserves (isolated companies and battalions) from the south and east sides of the Salient. By the night of the 25th this force had been supplemented by the 10th Brigade, the Northumbrian Territorial Division, the Lahore Division, and the 13th Brigade from the 5th Division.

April 25th.

The 11th Brigade was ordered on this night to join up the left of the 28th Division with the right of the 10th Brigade, and so relieve the Canadians, who were still holding out in the neighbourhood of St. Julian.

No information was forthcoming as to the location of either of these forces, and it would seem that, instead of one continuous line, there were many small parties holding out in isolated groups.

Two officers from each Battalion had been sent up in advance (Captain Husey and Lieutenant Johnston from the London Rifle Brigade), but no available information could be collected, except that there was apparently a gap.