The village of Kruiseik, situated just south of the Menin Road about a mile east of Geluveld, was captured by the Germans, after several days of heavy fighting, on 29th October 1914, and remained in their hands until recaptured by the British on the 28th September 1918. The war memorial remembers the fallen of both World Wars.
My grandfather’s brother, Frank Dodd, volunteered for service with the 2nd. Btn. Scots Guards and partook in the first battle of Ypres in October 1914. He was severely wounded leading his team in the battle at Kruiseik on 24/10/14 and failed to make roll call the following day. He was listed as “Missing, believed killed – somewhere in Germany” and family were formally advised he had been killed in action. However, POW records show he was in fact uplifted by German medics from the field of battle and underwent surgery in a German field hospital. He was transferred from one German medical facility to another and eventually repatriated to UK under the POW exchange scheme the following year, to the surprise of both his colleagues and his family. Having returned from the dead, he was further operated on by surgeons in London and eventually discharged (hurt) from the 2nd Btn. Scots Guards to his home in Liverpool. He was awarded the DCM and Bar for his service in Belgium, and eventually returned to his former police occupation with the Liverpool Constabulary. He outlived the war years and passed away in 1974. (Lest We Forget!)
Very interesting Anthony. What a wonderful story. Thanks so much for taking the trouble to write it. As regular readers know, I do my very best to remember those who survived as well as those who died; they are too often forgotten.
My Grandfather was killed on the 24 th october 1914 probley in or around the village of Kruiseik ,Isaac Pagan 2nd Border Regiment, only found this information today, been trying to find out for years .my grandfather records where destroyed in the bombing of the records ww2 .
Whenever I am in Belgium I drive through Kruiseik almost every day. Next time I shall doff my hat to your Grandfather.
Hi Joann, hopefully we will retrieve more information for your grand-dad and go there for a moment of rememberance together, your dear friend Laurent
Thank you Anthony for sharing this family story. I am currently searching to help one my friends to retrieve traces and information about her grand father who has been killed during this battle in Kruisek on the 24th October. His name is listed on Menin Gate. If you have additionnal information about the fights on that tragic day, it would be very helpful for me to continue my search. Thank you
I have just found this web site. My Grandfather Thomas Henry Bowley was a CSM then Colour Sgt Mjr in E Company, 2nd Battalion, Border Regiment. Having survived the Boer War he was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenent on 10th October 2014 when arriving at Zeebrugge on the troopship SS “Minneapolis” but seconded to the 1st Battalion,
Leicester Regt. (as they had a shortage of 2nd Lts).
He was KIA on 26th October 1914 at Kruiseik Hill when he and his men were overrun in the trenches. Buried where the fell the makeshift graves were ‘lost’ from later battles. Thomas Henry appears on Page 189 in “Walking the Salient”.
I would be most grateful if anyone has any more detailed information about the actions around the 26th October 1914 specifically about that Battle of Kruiseik Hill.
Many thanks,
Kind regards,
Captain David Bowley (Master Mariner Class1 ret’d)
I can’t help you with your request – hopefully someone else will be able to – but I hope you find other posts on this site of interest too. Thank you for commenting.
The Great War Forum is a great source of information and of course the Long Trail. I know at one point that the historian Paul Reed was searching for details that would complete his research concerning an un-named 2nd Lieutenant buried in Zantvoorde Cemetery near Kruiseik – I seem to remember that the story about a long serving CSM in the 2nd Borders being promoted to 2nd Lieutenant with the Leicesters 2 – but not being able to complete his transfer with the Borders in the thick of First Ypres. The 26th October was certainly a key date, they had been fighting for their lives for a week, were surrounded on 3 sides for a while and suffered greatly. My wife’s Great Grandfather was there and I have a keen interest