Lamotte-Buleux Portrait

15th (Suffolk Yeomanry) Bn. Suffolk Regiment arrived at Marseilles, France, on 7 May 1918 by way of a voyage from Alexandria. After resting for a couple of days they proceeded by train to the north of France arriving at Noyelles-Sur-Mer in the early hours of 12 May, later marching to Lamotte-Buleux.

The Battalion had spent the previous two years in open warfare in Egypt and Palestine, but the country and the conditions of fighting on the Western front were entirely different and there was naturally much to learn. While in the Lamotte-Buleux area the Battalion was lectured to on the “Spirit of the Bayonet” by Colonel Cambell and on anti-gas procedures by Major Braid, the Corps gas officer.

On 21 May the Battalion were on the move again by train and foot, reaching a new billeting area around Herlin-le-Sec some 20 miles west of Arras. A few days later they marched another 6 miles eastward to Penin, where they remained billeted for a month.

Training continued, the Battalion War Diary reporting “good progress with Lewis Gunners and with rifle shooting also bayonet fighting.” Whilst at Penin they were able to take part in several demonstrations of infantry cooperating with tanks.

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On Monday 26 April 1915, Lance-Corporal Thomas Minshall, Cheshire Yeomanry, married Eva Cooper at St. Wilfrid’s Church, Davenham, Cheshire. Thomas’ duties on the Norfolk home front coastal defence were brought to a close on 3 March 1916 when Cheshire Yeomanry sailed from Devonport bound for Egypt. Commissioned in the Field in December 1917, 2nd Lieutenant T.B. Minshall was transferred to 15th (Yeomanry) Bn. Suffolk Regiment, with whom he served for the remainder of the war.

Post evidently reached Thomas whilst billeted at Lamotte-Buleux in May 1918. Amongst his personal papers is a self-portrait sketch by his wife Eva.

Thomas inscribed a note on the drawing;

“Received 

May 14th 1918 

at Lamotte-B-----".

Thomas must have looked after this very carefully for it to have survived the last months of the war, while he served on the Western Front.