'Fighting Spirit - Patrolling and Raiding with the West Yorks 1917-18' by Fraser Skirrow
This talk looks at the routine daily business of dominating the enemy through the development of patrolling and raiding in a West Yorks battalion. It examines who was involved, how the patrol and raiding war actually worked, what was achieved and discusses whether the emphasis on patrolling had any effect on fighting abilities. With modern and contemporary photos, maps and RFC recce photos the talk takes the audience along the paths of a series of patrols to see what actually happened in No Man's Land at night.
Fraser is former TA officer and the author of 'Massacre on the Marne' (Pen & Sword, 2007) the Battalion history of the 2/5th West Yorkshire Regiment. An entertaining speaker, he has given talks mostly on infantry talks and organisation during the Great War at about twenty WFA branches. A graduate of Pembroke College Oxford and the London Business School, when he is not studying the Great War and visiting battlefields, he runs a specialist consultancy for the development of new medicines
This meeting will be held in Cobham. Members of The Western Front Association and non-members are equally welcome. We ask for a modest £5 donation on the door. This includes tea, coffee and biscuits at the break (before the Q&A session with the speaker). It also includes free tickets for the book raffle.
Members joining us at Cobham can use our new cashless card system and use their credit card/phone with the new reader that will be available at the signing-in desk.
To help make things easier and safer, we are asking those coming to Cobham to bring their own mug for coffee or tea.
Fraser’s talk starts at 8pm. Doors open at Cobham at 7:15pm and the meeting starts at 7:45pm
The photo shows a raiding party of the 1/8th (Irish) King's Liverpool Regiment, 55th Division, at Wailly, France. Photograph taken the morning after a night raid during the 17/18th April 1916. IWM (Q 510