Recently, I had the good fortune to find a reasonably priced copy of Bruce Bairnsfather’s memoir, Bullets & Billets (Grant Richards Ltd, December 1916). This covers his time as a junior officer in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on the Western Front from November 1914. To my knowledge neither he, nor his famous creation ‘Old Bill’, had any connections with the BSF. So why do I mention him here?
Bairnsfather and his battalion had the misfortune to be in the Ypres sector for the Second Battle of Ypres, which commenced with the German gas attack during the evening of 22nd April 1915; one hundred and ten years ago today. During the subsequent battle, Bairnsfather was injured. This is one of his atmospheric drawings from his time in France – reproduced in the book – showing a British soldier ready to go back to the front line.
1/Royal Warwickshire was in 4th Division which suffered over 10,000 casualties (1,566 killed) in the battle. This casualty rate, though, was exceeded by 28th Division – of BSF fame – which topped the BEF casualty list with over 15,000 casualties (3,177 killed). 27th Division, also to be part of the BSF’s XVI Corps, was fourth in the casualty list, with just over 7000 (1,122 killed).
These figures are taken from Magnificent But Not War. The Second Battle of Ypres 1915, by John Dixon (Leo Cooper, 2003),
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM ALL!
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Salonika Campaign Society, 1915-1918 
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