Ill Met By Moonlight: British and German raiders clash in the outpost war
This talk by Fraser Skirrow is the story of a couple of raids, one British (by the 2/6th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment) one German. These took place in the area of "The Apex" near Bullecourt on the nights of 11 and 13 September 1917.
What is unusual is that we have the story from the contemporary British account, the results of prisoner interviews and detailed accounts from the German raiders and defenders. Comparing and contrasting these stories gives us a vivid and personal insight into two violent nights in the outpost war, and the circumstances surrounding the deaths of individual soldiers on both sides.
The British raid on the 11th a complex but highly successful raid on the German 71 RIR at Reincourt. On the 13th the 84 RIR replied with what has been thought to be a quick retaliation but was in truth a carefully planned operation that went badly wrong but still despite caused many British casualties.
What is special about this talk is that we know the names of the men who met in the outpost that night so it is much more personal than a clash between anonymous soldiers.
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