60822 Pte J Liddle, 9th Green Howards - fourteen days of war in 1918

60822 PTE Joseph LIDDLE 9th Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) - Battle of the Sambre

Born in 1888, Joseph Liddle was from Butterknowle, County Durham, a village situated between Bishop Auckland and Barnard Castle. He worked as a miner and was married to Florence Liddle (née Blackett), whom he had wed at West Auckland on 21 September 1913. They had one child, Claude, born 22 January 1917. Having been conscripted under the Military Serice Acts, Joseph Liddle was aged 29 years 7 months when mobilised in May 1918 at Sunderland and was posted for training from the Reception Depot at Newcastle to 'D' Company of the 4th (Reserve) Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards), a reserve battalion, under the regimental number 60822. At the time he was resident at 27 Pinfold Lane, Butterknowle. He was posted overseas to the BEF on 23 October 1918, seemingly on posting to the 2nd Battalion. However, he appears to have been redirected to another battalion whilst still at base, proceeding via 'J' Infantry Base Depot to join the 9th (Service) Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) in the field on 27 October 1918. This unit was then part of 3rd Army and had only been back in France from Italy about a month at the point at which he joined it, having been made a part of 74th Brigade of the 25th Division. At the time the battalion was in the front line, with headquarters at Mal Garni, until relieved by the 5th Gloucesters on 31 October. The battalion had suffered in excess of 459 casualties in the month. This date of joining would have put him in line to take part in the Final Advance in Picardy, including the Battle of the Sambre, 4 November 1918.  

In this, the battalion moved from billets in Pommereuil to Mal Garni (Fontaine au Bois) 3 miles west of Landrecies and at two o'clock crossed the Sambre canal north east of Landrecies by means of two petrol tin float bridges, took an enemy outpost on the opposite (eastern) side of the canal and captured an enemy battery headquarters, together with some 4.2" and an 8" howitzer (possibly either a former British 8" or a 21cm mortar) and some prisoners.  They continued advancing next day via Old Mill des Pres to Maroilles and then on the 6th being involved with the support of two armoured cars in fighting which led to the capture of Mairbaix. As the war diary notes, "Had a running fight with enemy but could not come into close contact with him". On 7 November the 75th Brigade passed through the 74th and took up the advance, allowing the battalion to withdraw to billets. 11 November 1918 found the battalion in billets at Bousies north west of Landrecies. Casualties for the month were 3 other ranks killed and 32 wounded. After the Armistice the battalion went into billets at Le Cateau and later St Vaast and from 20 November was involved in salvage work around Cambrai. Pte Liddle was sent home to be demobilized as a miner on 20 December 1918, and having been medically examined at the depot at Ripon, was subsequently discharged to the Army Class 'Z' Reserve around 27 January 1919. His full entitlement for his service was the British War Medal and Victory Medal.