Medals
13. L/Cpl. Arthur Daglish
Name | Arthur Daglish |
Service number | 200327, 2861 |
Rank – including any promotions, with dates | Corporal |
Regiment | Tank Corps, M.G.C |
Battalion | “C” Battalion |
Unit |
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Postings |
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Wounds | German POW records list Knee and Foot injury and injury both legs |
Silver War Badge? (WWI) |
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PoW Info. Etc. | Captured at Bullecourt, imprisioned at Limburg 22/03/1918 – 25/08/1918 |
Date of Discharge | 11/07/1919 |
Other Information | WW1 pension cards Ref No 2/MD/No.1651 |
Birthplace | Billy Row, Crook |
Date of birth | 21/01/1891 |
Enlisted | 09/12/1915 |
Lived | 20 Hope Street, Billy Row, Crook |
Parents | Robert and Elizabeth Daglish – father a Saddler |
+ address | 20 Hope Street, Billy Row, Crook |
Wife | Elsie May Tutin, Born Coundon 1897, married 1916 |
+ address | 1939 – 39 St Mary’s Avenue, Crook |
Children | Robert E. Daglish b 17/12/1923 – 1941 – A solicitors clerk |
Occupation | 1911 – Saddler – 1939 – Civil Servant – Clerk – U.A.B |
Medals – held in collection Citations | BWM VM MM |
Medals – others awarded but not held in collection | MM citation: Gazette on 12.12.1917: For very fine driving in a tank during action on August 22nd 1917, east of Ypres, over very difficult ground and in the face of considerable opposition. By his coolness and presence of mind in very trying conditions he enabled his tank to inflict heavy casualties on the enemy |
Citations/Notes | A record, dated 4.1.18, states that Arthur was wounded and entitled to a wound stripe. He was later captured at Bellacourt on 22.3.18. His records, from Limburg, where he was a captive, show that he was wounded in the knee and foot. One record states that he was wounded in both legs. The prison records show a next-of-kin address for “Mrs A.D.” as Royal Hotel, Newgate, Bishop. The other record lists an address for his mother as 20 Hope St, Crook, Bishop Auckland |
How died – not known, at home, of wounds, killed in action |
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Date of death | 09/12/1964 in Lady Eden Hospital, Bishop Auckland |
Age | 73 |
Memorial |
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Cemetery – plot, row and grave |
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1911 census for Arthur Daglish – family own business as Saddlers, had a live in servant, family lived in 8 room house
German Spring Offensive 1918
On 21 March 1918, some 6,500 German guns and 3,500 heavy mortars opened up a terrifying five-hour barrage against the British Third and Fifth Armies on the Western Front. These armies were positioned to the left of the French front stretching for 70 miles from the Somme sector northwards to Flanders. Although the Allies knew an attack was imminent, where and how the main assault would occur remained unknown. The War Cabinet first heard about it at 11.30am.
The German ‘Michael’ operation aimed to break through at the weakest point of the British Front, where Gough’s Fifth Army of 13 divisions (plus 3 cavalry divisions), would be overwhelmed by 43 divisions. Simultaneously 19 German divisions would attack General Byng’s Third Army of 12 divisions, which covered 42 miles of front on Gough’s left flank. On 21 March the ‘hurricane’ barrage was followed by mass infantry attacks spearheaded by fast-moving storm troopers who penetrated the weakened British defence. The Germans exploited the re-organisation of the British Army following the huge losses of 1917; divisions had been reduced in strength, and many battalions disbanded. Moreover, the Fifth Army had only recently taken over its sector and had little time to build adequate defences in depth.
On 22 March 1918 the War Cabinet was given some idea of how many German divisions were involved in penetrating the front line and attacking the ‘battle line’ further back. In the absence of definite reports about British casualties, the Cabinet was told blandly that ‘Information received up to now, however, gave no cause for anxiety.’
