Hooge Crater. 5 Bn King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. 1-10 August 1915
Hooge is a village about 4 kilometers east of Ypres on the Bellewaerde Ridge. The village was situated on the front lines and had been the scene of fighting during First and Second Ypres and during the Battle for Bellewaedre Wood and Ridge. During July the Germans were occupying the area.
On 17 July, at 7.00pm, the British blew a mine at Hooge on the Menin Road. The Hooge Crater – 120 feet across, 20 feet deep with a lip 15 feet above ground level – became the centre of much heavy fighting in the weeks that followed. The British had captured and held the crater after the mine detonation but on 30 July the Germans counter attacked and re-captured it. The British line fell back to their support lines at the edge of Zouve and Sanctuary woods. all the area to the front, including the mine crater, was lost. The Germans though failed to take advantage of the retreat. The British then launched an assault to regain the lost ground and re-take the crater. 1 Bn King’s Shropshire Light Infantry would be in the assault troops; 5 Bn King’s Shropshire Light Infantry were to be support troops in the assault.
Hooge Crater. 1 Bn King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. 1-10 August 1915.
On 4 August 16 Brigade, including the 1 Bn KSLI, received orders to re capture the lost ground. They moved to their start line at Zouave Wood (Map) during the night of 5 & 6 August. The attack was due to take place on the morning of the 8 August but was postponed until the next day, 9 August, because of heavy enemy shelling. The delay allowed the opportunity for officers to check and re check that all was ready. At 3.05am A & B coys moved into position in front of their trenches. At 3.10am the battalion bombers engaged the enemy in Bond Street – this was a communication which ran up to the old British front line now occupied by Germans, at first they were held up but on being reorganised managed to drive the enemy back. A & B Coys then went over and rapidly pushed forward to get to the edge of the crater. Here there was hand to hand fighting with bayonet and bombs. They fought their way to the north side of the crater and began to dig in about 30 yards forward of the rim. On their right the Durham Light Infantry had been held up by shell fire which also hit men from the KSLI. For a while the situation was uncertain. The battalion CO, Major Luard, went forward to the new trenches to find out what was happening, he then ordered half a coy forward to reinforce the position. Soon, despite heavy shelling the new line was consolidated. The battalion was relieved the over the next night. Casualties were – officers 3 KIA, 9 wounded and 3 missing, ORs 41 KIA, 169 wounded and 18 missing.
During this action the battalion was issued with 7 new steel helmets – these were for experimental purposes, to assess their effectiveness. They were found to be most satisfactory.
Hooge Crater. 5 Bn King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. 1-10 August 1915
The battalion moved forward on 30 July and was deployed by companies in the GHQ line and in the support lines in the area to the south of the Menin Road, companies also spent time in the front line at Railway Wood. The shelling was frequent and heavy as the fighting at Hooge Crater continued. On 4 August the battalion was relieved and spent 2 days at Ypres before returning to the front on the evening of 6 August to relieve the 5 Bn Oxs. and Bucks. The War Diary for 7 August 1915 records – ‘Situation the same. Much shelling both sides, Casualties 1 killed, 18 wounded’ – the man killed was Private 11035 John H Roberts. The battalion stayed in the position until 10 August and were then withdrawn to Vlamertinghe. Casualties for August for all ranks were 29 KIA and 104 wounded, the majority due to shelling but sniping also took its toll.
GOOGLE MAPS Centres on Hooge Crater CWGC Cemetery
(National Archives)
References and Sources WAR DIARY 5Bn KSLI. 1 Bn KSLI. Regimental History KSLI.
B&O 1915 Ypres. Hooge Crater. 1 Bn KSLI & 5 Bn KSLI. 1-10 August 1915.
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