Passchendaele. 2 Bn Welsh Regiment. 17 November 1917.
The 2 Bn Welsh Regiment had been at Dambre Camp but moved up to Hill Top Farm on 14 November 1917 where they spent the night. There had been shelling of the area around the camp but there were no casualties. On 15 November at 3.30pm they moved up to the front line to relieve the 1 Bn Northamptonshire Regiment, The relief was completed by 9.00pm. The line they held was near to Passchendaele and was made up of shell holes and was very wet. In front of them was the Paddebeek Stream, the ground was so wet and muddy that it would have been almost impossible for the enemy to attack, consequently the front positions were only held by 2 platoons with the remainder of the battalion ‘spread about in support and reserve all over the country’. The next day dawned misty which remained until about 11.00am when enemy aircraft became very active. The aircraft were out spotting targets and soon ‘the Boche does a good deal of promiscuous shelling’. No casualties were reported. The next day, 17 November, was similar with the same amount of shelling, this time however, the guns found their target, 10 ORs were killed (including Edward D Evans) and 2 wounded. That night they were relieved by the 1 & 10 Bn Gloucestershire Regiment. The relief was completed by 12 midnight and they moved back to camp at Irish Farm and, on 19 November, further back to Dirty Bucket Camp where they spent the next days on working parties carrying stores up to the front.
GOOGLE MAPS Satellite view of Paddebeek Stream – the stream is the dog leg ditch running up through the centre of the view.
2 Bn Welsh Regiment, 8 November 1917. Passchendaele, Paddebeck stream. (National Archives)
B&O 1917. Third Ypres. PLACE 2 Bn Welsh Regiment. 17 November 1917.
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