You TubeVideo - Tribute to the last European Soldier to have fought in the Trenches of the First World War.
The Great War - Letters Home
Neville Woodroffe left for Flanders
with the 1st Battalion Irish Guards on August 12, 1914 and took part in the
first battle fought by the British Expeditionary Force against the advancing
Germans. By August 23 the British infantry were dug in along the Mons-Condé
canal. Early that morning, British and German cavalry met north of Mons
Woodroffe was killed leading his men against the German
trenches in the First battle of Ypres on
November 6. He was 21. In a letter of condolence to Neville’s mother, a fellow
officer wrote: “He was killed leading his men against the German trenches. Of
the 35 that went with him not one returned. Only two days before he had been
specially mentioned for bravery in action.” Neville’s name is listed on the
Menin Gate, along with others whose bodies were never recovered.
September: The German offensive which had opened the war and
threatened the outskirts of Paris was halted by
the Battle of the Marne
from September 5-12. This significant Allied victory, followed immediately by
the offensive on the Aisne , led to the Germans
retreating to positions where both sides would entrench for much of the next
four years. Woodroffe’s letter is undated, but was clearly written during the second
half of September. He reflects on events of the previous weeks.
Mons was awful and we
had a terrible week of retirement, covering sometimes 30 miles a day, starting
in the dark and not stopping until it was again dark. Our men stuck it well and
we were complimented on our marching by the general. We had very little sleep
as the time we ought to have slept was devoted to making trenches and
barricades.
I can’t explain to you
every engagement as it is impossible to describe on paper the feelings and experiences
which one has been through. Some are awful and when I return I shall have a
great deal to tell you. We have been in the hottest of places and people who
have been through South
Africa
The Brigade of Guards
have lost heavily as regards officers, and besides that the very best of
fellows, many of whom ranked as one’s very best friends... Lockwood was shot
yesterday while standing up telling some wounded Germans to convey in their
language to another party of Germans that if they held the white flag up they
were to throw down their arms. John Manners shot himself when he saw the
alternative was to surrender to superior numbers of Germans, he only had about
five men with him.
The German atrocities
are outrageous, as one saw marching through villages they had left, and details
one heard from the inhabitants. There are several instances of firing on the
wounded... The other day a large force of Germans showed the white flag and our
people went to take them prisoners, when they immediately fired on us and
killed several.
November 3: The battle for control of the strategic town of Ypres
I am afraid I have not
had time to write though I have heaps to tell you. The last two days have been
ghastly – the Germans broke through the line. We lost 10 officers in the last
two days and yesterday the battalion was less than 200 though I expect some
stragglers will turn up. All the officers in my company were lost except
myself. All in No 3 Company and all bar one in No 4. We have had no rest at
all. Everyone is very shaken. I hope we are put in reserve to reform for a few
days. I will give a full account later.
