Article about: One of those items that by itself might not mean that much, but with some research and the history it leads you to, then it becomes more than what it is. Harry Vickers #5064 was an old conte
One of those items that by itself might not mean that much, but with some research and the history it leads you to, then it becomes more than what it is.
Harry Vickers #5064 was an old contemptible who went to France with 1/RWF, on the 6th October 1914.
If anyone knows the history of this part of the great war, it was the time of the pivotal period when the Germans were advancing and sweeping all before them along the Menin road in the area of Ypres.
In a desperate attempt to stop them or at least slow them down, 1/RWF were part of the 22nd brigade 7th Division who had after landing at Zeebrugge on the morning of the 7th October moved by train to Bruges to take part in the Race to the Sea.
On the 19th October, the First Battle of Ypres started with the battle of Langemarck, followed by the Battle of Gheluvet which commenced on the 28th October, during which the battalion was in the front line trying to hold an almost impossible position with little cover and facing vastly superior enemy forces with the inevitable result.
On the 30th the battalion was overrun with the loss of 10 officers and 320 NCO's & men missing, of these only 4 officers and fifty men were found to have been taken prisoner, all of whom are recorded as having been wounded, the remaining 275 were killed.
During the period in question from their landing in Belgium on the 7th October to their near annihilation on the 30th October, 1/RWF lost 1260 out of their original strength of 1350 leaving them only 90 officers and men.
Harry Vickers was one of those lucky 50 OR's who was taken prisoner and he saw out the war at Chemnitz and probably other POW camps, as sadly his red cross records do not list his camps.
The card is the receipt to prove he received a Red Cross parcel and was happy with it and the bread etc.... he was sent.
The card is addressed to the Rhyl POW Fund, C/O Rhyl, Rhyl Town Hall Chambers, Rhyl. The card has three dates on it, Aug 1918 as to when the parcel was accepted, Ovt 1918 when the card was sent and Nov 1918 for when it arrived.
As an old contemptible he was awarded a 1914 Mon Star trio and clasp, though all I have is this Red Cross parcel card, but it still opens that door to his history and in its own way is kinda cool and historic IMO.
Indeed, including the battalion commander Col Hal (Henry) Cadogan as one of those killed on the 30th, along with the adjutant, whose death was the cause of that of the battalion commander who tried to bring him in from where he fell under enemy fire.
A gripping and detailed account of the campaign was edited by his Grandson Colonel Henry Cadogan RWF, The Road To Armageddon; The Life and Letters of Colonel Henry Cadogan RWF (1868-1914) which includes descriptions and personal accounts from those who survived of how desperate those 16 days were, from 14th Oct to 30th Oct when so many died and/or wounded and taken POW.
Though it should be remembered that they did what they thought was their duty and succeeded in slowing the German advance and in the long term stopped them from winning the war before Christmas!
POW red cross parcel card
its just an opinion.
.
by SteveR
Bookmarks