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Dave Bean
WALTER BOOTHBY 4th East Yorkshire regiment number 201088 private died 23rd march 1918 Flanders Somme Spring Offensive – During the winter of 1917–18 50th (N) Division spent some time in the line, interspersed with training. By mid-March it had been transferred to GHQ Reserve in the Amiens area, 20–25 miles behind the lines. 1/4th East Yorkshires was still one-third under strength, but had been reinforced to 22 officers and 660 other ranks. The German spring offensive opened on 21 March 1918 (the Battle of St Quentin) and the division was urgently called forward to be deployed along the Rear Zone defences or ‘Green Line’. There they attempted to improve the partially-dug trenches before the troops retreating from the German advance passed through them late on 22 March. That evening the 1/4th Green Howards were driven out of the Green Line, leaving 1/4th East Yorkshires in a precarious position with the enemy in their right rear. The attack ceased at nightfall and 150th Brigade ordered the battalion to pull back to Vraignes. Later that night the decision was made to withdraw the whole division west of the Somme during the night, but these orders were late reaching the battalion, which had to fight a rear-guard action the following morning as the enemy advanced with motor machine guns through the morning mist, B Company being cut off. The battalion retired through a heavy barrage and the survivors (14 officers and 332 other ranks) scrambled across the bridge at Brie just before it was blown up.
Oct 1909 607257 assistant postman born 125 hardy street in c.1890 his brother William Lawson Boothby age 15 in 1911 was a telegraph messenger. 1913 Walter was living at 4 Laburnum Ave hardy street Hull a postman. Walter’s widow Edith Elizabeth (Ellen) Boothby nee Wakefield received £17.10 shillings war gratuity and effects value £145
WALTER BOOTHBY 4th East Yorkshire regiment number 201088 private died 23rd march 1918 Flanders Somme Spring Offensive – During the winter of 1917–18 50th (N) Division spent some time in the line, interspersed with training. By mid-March it had been transferred to GHQ Reserve in the Amiens area, 20–25 miles behind the lines. 1/4th East Yorkshires was still one-third under strength, but had been reinforced to 22 officers and 660 other ranks. The German spring offensive opened on 21 March 1918 (the Battle of St Quentin) and the division was urgently called forward to be deployed along the Rear Zone defences or ‘Green Line’. There they attempted to improve the partially-dug trenches before the troops retreating from the German advance passed through them late on 22 March. That evening the 1/4th Green Howards were driven out of the Green Line, leaving 1/4th East Yorkshires in a precarious position with the enemy in their right rear. The attack ceased at nightfall and 150th Brigade ordered the battalion to pull back to Vraignes. Later that night the decision was made to withdraw the whole division west of the Somme during the night, but these orders were late reaching the battalion, which had to fight a rear-guard action the following morning as the enemy advanced with motor machine guns through the morning mist, B Company being cut off. The battalion retired through a heavy barrage and the survivors (14 officers and 332 other ranks) scrambled across the bridge at Brie just before it was blown up.
Oct 1909 607257 assistant postman born 125 hardy street in c.1890 his brother William Lawson Boothby age 15 in 1911 was a telegraph messenger. 1913 Walter was living at 4 Laburnum Ave hardy street Hull a postman. Walter’s widow Edith Elizabeth (Ellen) Boothby nee Wakefield received £17.10 shillings war gratuity and effects value £145