First Passchendaele
"Worn out by their long heavily-shelled approach march the drenched assault brigades gained their start lines in the dark early hours of 12 October. At zero-hour, 5.25am, as drizzle turned to pouring rain the impoverished British barrage offered scant protection to attackers struggling forward through the mire. 3rd Australian Division's move towards Passchendaele village, slowed first by deep mud in the Ravebeek valley, was halted by machine-gun fire from front and flanks. The New Zealanders' advance up the Bellevue spur met with disaster as men, trapped by dense belts of barbed-wire, were cruelly cut down by machine-guns within German emplacements beyond. Isolated pockets of progress were made but by afternoon survivors had been forced back to their start lines. By the end of the day, despite advances on the northern extremity of the battlefield, the high ground around Passchendaele remained firmly in German hands: the attack, resulting in severe British casualties, failed completely in attaining its principal objective." Commonwealth Graves Commission |
William James Robb
13 March 1896-12 October 1917 Killed in action WW1 Ypres Belgium Cemetery: Tyne Cot memorial to the Missing Age at death: 21 Occupation before enlisting: Butcher Nominal Roll: 41/13 Regiment: 17th Reinforcements Canterbury Infantry Battalion C Company Service Number: 21737 Rank last held: Private Embarkation: 23 September 1916 Place of Embarkation: Wellington Destination: Devonport England 19 November 1916 Ports of Call: Cape of good Hope Transport: HMNZT 65 Pakeha Units on Board:
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