Private Edmund E Hopey the first battlefield casualty of the 14th Battalion (Royal Montreal Regiment), CEF in the Great War. The Royal Montreal Regiment (RMR) experienced death on the battlefield for the first time in March of 1915 just prior to the Battle of Neuve-Chapelle.
This the story of Private Edmund E Hopey and the RMR’s initiation in battle.
The Royal Montreal Regiment, 14th Battalion, C.E.F., 1914-1925
Robert Collier Fetherstonhaugh (1892-1949), a noted military author, his book The Royal Montreal Regiment, 14th Battalion, C.E.F., 1914-1925 awarded the David Prize in 1927 by the Government of Quebec. Featherstonhaugh the Director of the McGill University War Records office during its years of operation, between 1942 and 1946. According to his text, Private John Patrick Rattigan 25997 the first casualty in battle from the Regiment.
Published in 1927, Fetherstonhaugh did not have the luxury of access to Grave Registration Report Forms (GRRF), and Circumstances of Death (CoD) files, though he did have the unit war diaries. The GRRF’s and CoD’s of the first few casualties of the RMR confirm the identity of the first casualty in battle of the RMR. Even without these files, it would appear Fetherstonhaugh had not thoroughly examined the war diary of the 14th Battalion in March of 1915.
Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain, selected as the training ground for the Canadian Division in England, a desolate region fifteen by twenty-five miles in extent. Devoid of fencing, or houses, it provides a magnificent area for summer manœuvres, or for practice by artillery, but Nature never intended it to be used as a camp for troops in winter.
First Death
Even before the arrival of the ANDANIA contingent at West Down South, the 14th Battalion, Royal Montreal Regiment, suffered its first casualty on English soil when Private William Herbert Vaughn Hartley 25844, batman to Major Paul R Hanson, dropped dead on a road near the Regimental lines.
Pte William Herbert Vaughn Hartley
A coroner’s inquest brought in a verdict of death from heart failure, and the body buried on 20 October 1914 in Shrewton Churchyard (MADDINGTON (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD EXTENSION Wiltshire, United Kingdom). Son of Ann and Joseph Hartley, of Blackburn, Lancashire, England; husband of Ellen Hartley, of 1375, Bordeaux St., Montreal, P.Q.
Christmas
On Christmas Eve Captain Adolphe Ludger Sylvestre, Roman Catholic Chaplain of the Battalion, celebrated Mass in a hut occupied by the French-Canadian soldiers from the Carabiniers de Mont-Royal, and on New Year’s Eve Major F G Scott, Protestant Chaplain of the Regiment, held a celebration of Holy Communion in Amesbury Parish Church.
Each of these services impressive, the former owing to the simple dignity with which Mass celebrated in such strange surroundings, the latter because of the solemnity of the service and the hour.
His Majesty the King would come to Salisbury on 4 February 1915 to bid the First Division farewell.
France
A tragic accident on the journey across the channel aboard AUSTRALIND when Gunner William J Ball 42437 fell overboard.
On 14 February 1915 the weather moderated and at noon the body of the unfortunate artilleryman committed to the sea, Canon Sylvestre, reading the burial service, and military honours being paid by members of the dead man’s unit and by officers and men of the RMR, who stood respect fully by. Ball named on Hollybrook Memorial, situated within Hollybrook Cemetery, Southampton.
Hazebrouck
At 6 am on 18 February 1915 the RMR detrained at Hazebrouck, picked up the advance party, under Lt Reginald William Frost, and marched to Flêtre, passing the Headquarters of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade in Caestre, and encountering HRH Prince Arthur of Connaught, who rode along the column during one of its brief halts.
As the men moved into the trenches on 3 March 1918, senior officers assembled at Corps HQ and briefly addressed by the GOC Corps.
“Gentlemen, you are about to face a cunning, cruel, and unscrupulous enemy. If you make a mistake, you will not get the chance to make a second one.”
Lt-Gen Alderson addressed the battalion afterwards. In brief, he ordered the unit to hold its trenches come what might and regardless of cost.
First Casualty
The first casualty in the field Private Richard Carter Eaton 22995 of No 1 Coy, wounded on 27 February 1915. Admitted to No 13 Stationary Hospital, Boulogne (gun-shot wound, face). Pte Eaton later deemed medically unfit on 4 November 1915.
Fleurbaix Sector
The second tour in the trenches scheduled for four days commencing 4 March 1915. It was here, in the Fleurbaix sector where troops had openly fraternized with the enemy during the Christmas Truce of 1914.
In short time, Canadians developed their own reputation in the Fleurbaix sector.
Sentry (Imperial trooper): “Halt, who goes there?”
Soldier: “Who the —- wants to know?”
Sentry: “Pass, Canadian.”
Just before dusk, the battalion left their billets at Bac St Maur to proceed to the front line near Rue Petillion (Fleurbaix Sector) opposite Fromelles where it took over from a squadron of the Northumberland Hussars (Yeomanry) and the 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards.
In a matter of two hours, relief completed without a single casualty. Quite aware of the relief, German artillery sent a welcoming message to the RMR in the form of a barrage at noon.
First Death in Battle
Private Edmund E Hopey
After relief completed, and shortly after the enemy barrage on 4 March 1918, Private Edmund E Hopey 22750 sniped, becoming the first casualty death of the battalion in battle.
The war diary simply stated, ‘Had first man killed in the trenches by enemy sniper.’ No additional details on Hopey’s CoD, other than killed in action in trenches near Fleurbaix.
“While he was connected with this company (A) he proved himself reliable, quiet and an earnest worker and one whom I was sorry to lose.”
Captain George T Jones of the 8th Massachussets Militia
However, Hopey’s service record reveals buried in Grave No A 469 on Rue Petillon, 4 March 1915. Burial report on 4 August 1915 by Graves registration Committee.
Second Death
The following day, 5 March 1915, Pte Charles Lapointe 26572 also fell to a sniper’s bullet. Both buried in a cemetery already established by Imperial troops near corner of Sailly-Fromelles Road and Rue-Petillion (Le Trou Aid Post Cemetery).
Private Charles Lapointe
Note Lapointe’s CoD has him buried at Rue-de-Quesne, in the immediate area.
‘Had 2nd man killed by sniper at corner Sailly-Fromelles Road while going up to front line with a ration party; he, with first man killed, was buried in cemetery already established by Imperial units near corner of Sailly-Fromelles Road and Rue Petillon.’
14th Battalion War Diary
During these four days in the trenches, two men killed (Hopey and Lapointe). From 7 March 1915, the battalion in billets at Rue-de-Quesnes, returning to the trenches at Rue Petillon on 10 March 1915. Three men would fall during their second tour in the same trenches.
The Battle of Neuve-Chapelle
The Battle of Neuve-Chapelle began 10 March 1915. The third, fourth, and fifth casualties of the RMR fell on this day in what appear to be separate incidents. The unit war diary fails to mention any of the casualties. The Regimental history notes the following casualties: Sgt Thomas Moore DCM, Privates Hunt, Molt, and Coombes of No 2 Coy, with several others badly wounded. Not Mentioned in Despatches, The Memoir of Fred Bagnall, 14th Battalion, CEF, 1914-1917 only mentions the gruesome death of Private Charles Edward Hunt, the third casualty of the RMR.
Toronto Telegram
Further compounding the discrepancies in dates of death, a newspaper clipping from the Toronto Telegram in March of 1915 attributes the same date of death, 4 March 1915, to Pte’s Lapointe, Charles Edward Hunt, Hopey, Molt, and Sgt Moore. Both Hopey and Moore fell on 10 March 1915 during the first day of the Battle of Neuve-Chapelle.
Private Edward James Coombes
Pte E J Coombes 25815 wounded 10 March 1915 on the opening day of the Battle of Neuve-Chapelle, evacuated to England and later died 15 April 1915 (buried at Pontypridd (Glyntaff) Cemetery, Glamorganshire, UK). Coombes death, the week before Second Battle of Ypres would make him the 10th battlefield casualty of the RMR. Coombes the son of Albert Henry and Annie Henrietta Coombes, of 10, Bilton Rd., Neath, Wales. He was born at Pontypridd.
Third Death
Of the three men that fell on 10 March 1915, Pte C E Hunt likely the first to fall, and Private Charles Maltby Molt, probably the last, as his location of burial suggests he died at another aid post.
Pte Charles Edward Hunt
The third casualty (in Grave 4 of Le Trou Aid Post Cemetery) on 10 March 1915, during the opening day of the Battle of Neuve-Chapelle likely Pte Charles Edward Hunt.
Charles’ death particularly gruesome. Hunt of No 6 Platoon, shot through the head, and crawled convulsively about the fort blindly for a few seconds, and then rolled over dead.
Fourth Death
Sergeant Thomas Moore
Moore’s CoD has him killed in action in trenches south of Fleurbaix. Exhumed from Rue Petillon Military Cemetery (date unknown). Therefore, Moore’s remains later brought into Le Trou Aid Post Cemetery.
Plot I, Row J, Grave 5, Sergeant Thomas Moore DCM 25791, No 2 Coy, 10 March 1915. Moore had earned the Distinguished Conduct Medal in China.
Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery
There are plenty of Canadians, though no RMR at Rue Petillon. Strange why both Moore and Rattinger later exhumed, rather than left at Rue Petillon, only a kilometer away.
Debatable as to whether Sgt Moore or Pte Molt killed following Private Charles E Hunt, the third casualty. Note Private Charles Maltby Molt buried at Sailly-sur-la-Lys Canadian Cemetery, seven kilometers west of Armentieres, indicating he had succumbed to his wounds at an aid post.
Fifth Death
CoD places Molt in cemetery near Petillon, Bethune, Sheet N.9.a.10.65, Plot 2, Row A, Grave 13. Son of Walter Weston Molt and Zilpha Molt, of Cambridge; husband of Millicent Molt, of 49, Ordnance Rd., Enfield Wash, Middx., England.
Private Charles Maltby Molt
The Sailly-sur-la-Lys Canadian Cemetery is about 2 kilometres south-west of the village of Sailly-sur-la-Lys, directly on the left hand side of the road opposite the Anzac Cemetery. The village of Sailly-sur-la-Lys is approximately 7 kilometres west of Armentieres.
Private Reginald Harry Drake DCM
The following day, Private Reginald Harry Drake 25707, stretcher-bearer later awarded the DCM for rescuing a man on 11 March 1915, though severely wounded himself.
“For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty near Rue du Bois on 26th (sic)* March 1915, when he went out under heavy fire to the assistance of wounded comrades. He was immediately wounded himself, but nevertheless succeeded in dragging one man into safety and then rendered “first aid” to him.”
DCM Citation
Sixth Death
According to the war diary, on 12/13 March 1915, Private Arthur Stanley Jones 25960 killed, and one man wounded in No-Man’s Land. Sergeant Lang and 3 men went out and searched carefully, remaining out until dawn, but could find no trace of Jones. It was supposed he had been taken either dead or alive by the enemy.
Private Arthur Stanley Jones
Arthur Jones becomes the first of the Missing among the 14th Battalion, and therefore named on the Vimy Memorial. Interestingly, CVWM has his death as 26 March 1915. No evidence he had died later as a POW.
Nearby, Der Bunker, Bunker de l’Abbiette, used by a certain corporal of the German Army, later revisited by same corporal during the Second World War.
Private J P Rattigan
One man killed, and two wounded on 18 March 1915. The dead man most likely Private Rattigan (claimed to be the first casualty by R C Fetherstonaugh).
Hopey, the first casualty on March 4 1915 buried in Grave 2, Lapointe the second casualty on 5 March buried in Grave 3. Rattigan initially buried up the road at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, later exhumed and buried at Le Trou in Grave 1 (actually the fifth grave by date in this row).
The Royal Montreal Regiment, 14th Battalion, C.E.F., 1914-1925 names Pte J P Rattigan 25997 as the first casualty, killed while at work on the roof of his dugout, and a man of a ration party from No 4 Coy, killed at a corner of the Sailly-Fromelles Road. However, Rattigan killed in action on 18 March 1915.
Over a year after his death, on 8 July 1916, Rattigan’s remains brought into Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery. According to Rattigan’s CoD, exhumed from a water-girt orchard of the farm on the western side of Rue Petillon and the Rue Delvas, a short distance behind the present support line. About 350 yards north of the intersection, 2 1/2 miles north of Laventie.
Le Trou Aid Post Cemetery, Fleurbaix
Fleurbaix a village in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais, five kilometres south-west of Armentieres and fourteen kilometres west of Lille. Le Trou a hamlet of Fleurbaix, south of the village, on the side road, off the D175, known as the Rue-Petillon.
In October 1914 British soldiers serving in the Fleurbaix sector began burying their fallen comrades beside a regimental aid post and dressing station located not far from the support trenches that led to the front-line. Le Trou Aid Post cemetery used until July 1915 and when the war ended it contained just 123 burials.
The cemetery now the final resting place of officers and men killed in heavy fighting at Le Maisnil in October 1914, the Battle of Aubers Ridge (9-10 May 1915), the Battle of Loos (25 September – 14 October 1915), and the Battle of Fromelles (19-20 July 1916).
Pte G P Soady the last soldier of the 14th Battalion buried at Le Trou during the month of March 1915, buried in a row separate from the first casualties.
Plot I, Row K, Grave 12, Private George Soady, 26 March 1915.
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