Lieut. Challoner Francis Trevor Chute C.F.T. [55960]

  General Notes:

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~chute/gp3960.htm#head2



Challoner Francis Trevor Chute: Lieutenant Challoner Francis Trevor Chute, 2nd Battalion RMF, was the Son of Francis Blennerhassett Chute, J.P., of Chute Hall, Tralee, Co. Kerry; Ireland, and husband of **Maud Emily Hobson of Corbally. Chute married Hobson on Thursday June 29th 1911 in St. Mary's Cathedral, Limerick Ireland. The Best Man was the grooms elder brother Captain Richard Chute of the Manchester Regiment.
Lieutenant C.F.T. Chute was killed in action on Thursday 27 August 1914. He was aged 29 years. He is buried in the ETREUX BRITISH CEMETERY Aisne, France, grave reference II. 6.
Etreux is a village in the Department of the Aisne, 32 kilometres north-east of St Quentin and 20 kilometres west of La Capelle. The British Cemetery is in an orchard at the entrance of the village on the Landrecies road (D946).
On the 27th August, 1914, Etreux was the scene of the Rearguard Affair, in which the 2nd Royal Munster Fusiliers were overwhelmed, after a long resistance, by nine German battalions.
Lieutenant C.F.T. Chute was in command of the machine gun party and they fought to a last man.
The British Cemetery is in an orchard on the Landrecies road, beyond the railway line, very close to the scene of the 2nd Munster's last stand. It was made by the survivors on the 28th August, by permission of the enemy. It contains a Celtic Cross (erected by the mother of one of the Munster's officers) and two big graves.
The cemetery was consecrated on October 5th 1921, among those present was Captain Richard Chute, paying his respects at his brother's grave. **Maud Emily Chute remarried, I believe the groom was a St. Clair Carew of Howes Place, Cambridge England, I have no marriage details.
Notes courtesy of James O'Sullivan.
Sources:

History of the Royal Munster Fusiliers by Capt. S. McCance. Published 1927, I have the two volume set bequeathed to me by my father.

Journal of the Royal Munster Fusiliers Association, issue number 12, Spring 1998, I am an Honorary Member.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission database of WW I casualties, online database at <http://www.cwgc.org.uk/>

The account below is from the pen of Lieutenant-Colonel H.S. Jervis M.C., late Commanding the 2nd Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers. Jervis was well equipped to write up this account of the rearguard action. Holding rank of Captain, Jervis Commanded 'D' Company during this conflict, and at the end of the day was also taken prisoner.
His history of " The 2nd Munsters in France ", was first published by Gale & Polden, Aldershot, in 1922. (H.S. Jervis's father, Lieutenant W.S. Jervis, served with the *Bengal European Fusiliers, and participated in the Indian Mutiny.)
"The 2nd Battalion arrived in France as a part of the 1st Infantry Brigade on August 13th. It proceeded from Havre by train to Le Nouvion, going into billets in the village of Boué, three miles east of Etreux, which was to be the scene of its first great action. After five days the Battalion marched up north to the Belgian frontier, doing a double march of over forty miles on the 22nd without undue fatigue, and remained in reserve on the 24th during the Battle of Mons. The retreat during the next three days was carried out in hot weather, the reservists especially being much galled by carrying the pack, to which many of them were quite unaccustomed. However, they "stuck it out" manfully, and the Battalion's percentage of stragglers compared favourably with that of other units.
Up to the 26th, though continually within hearing of heavy firing, the Battalion had done no actual fighting, and it awaited somewhat impatiently the order to engage the enemy.
It is occasionally given to a brigade to hold up a whole division. A division may occasionally stop the advance of an army corps, but for one battalion of infantry\emdash or, to be more exact, three companies\emdash with the aid of a couple of field guns, to stein the advance of an entire army corps is probably an incident without parallel in modern warfare. Yet this was done on August 27th, 1914, by the 2nd Royal Munster Fusiliers.
The 1st Infantry Brigade, under the command of Brigadier-General Ivor Maxse, was covering the withdrawal of the 1st Army Corps. On the British right\emdash i.e., to the east wards\emdash was the 5th French Army. To the west stretched the whole British Expeditionary Force, at that date some five infantry divisions and a cavalry division. The Battle of Le Cateau bad been fought the day before, and the badly shattered 2nd Army Corps, under Smith-Dorrien, was withdrawing to the south.
The German Army, in the full flood of its successful invasion of Northern France, was sweeping all before it. Nothing seemed to stop it or even check it. Fresh troops appeared like magic on the heels of our tired infantry, harassing the rearguards, cutting off small parties, getting in between different divisions, and generally impeding our retirement and involving the British Force in actions which threatened time after time to leave it "in the air," cut off from its Miles. General Maxse determined that these mosquito tactics should not be allowed to interfere with the withdrawal of the 1st Army Corps, and he accordingly disposed of his rearguard in such depth as to keep a distance of over eight miles between the main body and the enemy. To effect this, he judiciously selected as rear party commander the Commanding Officer of the Munsters, giving him a free hand as to how to conduct his retirement. This officer was possessed of such a remarkable personality as to deserve special mention.
By name Paul Charrier, by rank a Major, he was mentally and physically one of the biggest men in the Army. Convinced twenty years ago that Britain would find herself sooner or later involved in European warfare on a large scale, he had concentrated his attention on preparing himself for the inevitable struggle. Having the advantage of French blood in his veins, he was equally at home on both sides of the English Channel.
He knew Northern France like the palm of his hand, spoke fluent French, and knew as much about the organization of the French Army as any British officer in France. His tactical ability and wide range of knowledge had already brought him into prominent notice at Aldershot.
After a somewhat tiring march on August 26th, the 1st Infantry Brigade found themselves billeted in and around the village of Fesmy, some seven miles south-east of Le Cateau. The next day the withdrawal was to be continued, and Major Charrier was allotted the task of covering the withdrawal of the remainder of the rearguard. He was given his own battalion, a troop of the 15th Hussars, and two guns of the 118th Battery, R.F.A., for this purpose. With the guns came Major A. R. Bayly, as gallant a gunner as ever stepped. Early in the morning of the 27th Major Charrier issued orders for the disposal of his small force, throwing out feelers to the east to get in touch with our Allies. Unlike most of France, the country here was much enclosed and movement, except by the roads, was a slow and laborious proceeding.
Charrier therefore concentrated on the defence of the roads by which any large force of the enemy must advance. Two companies were sent to an important road junction a mile to the north of Fesmy, and the greater part of a third company to cross-roads a mile to the south-east. The rearguard was thus facing, roughly, north-east, from which direction, as was afterwards ascertained, masses of the enemy were sweeping forward.
About 9 a.m. it was discovered that our Allies were beginning to withdraw from their positions farther east, and to move southwards in conformity with the general plan. In the meantime an entire German Army Corps (the 10th Reserve Army Corps) was approaching the positions held by the Munsters by two parallel routes. Both these routes were blocked, either directly or indirectly, by the Battalion. Shortly after 9 a.m. the action began with the appearance of the German cavalry, who advanced with great caution in front of their main columns. By this time our men had dug themselves in comfortably, and were prepared to make things hot for any intruder.
However, the 17th Brunswick Hussars were no thrusters, and patiently awaited the arrival of reinforcements before investigating the position. These arrived an hour and a half later, and at about 11 a.m. a brisk action opened. The 2nd Guards' Reserve Division, consisting of twelve battalions, advanced to the attack on both flanks of our position. To the south-east they penetrated into the village of Bergues, and after a sharp fight the company holding that flank, having inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy, withdrew to the south. On our other flank the enemy encountered a tougher proposition, for there he found "B" and "D" Companies of the Munsters strongly entrenched waiting for him. For half an hour he tried in vain to find a "soft spot" in the defence, and then retired to await reinforcements. Mean while, "D" Company's cooker had come up, and dinners were served out. Half the company was then separated from the remainder by a road, up which the enemy was firing heavily. The dinners were carried across this at the double by the company's cooks, and the sight of these gallant fellows running across under their heavy loads with bent heads seemed irresistibly comic to the remainder of the company, who called out all sorts of facetious remarks. "Don't be emptying all the tay down your trowsies"; "Come out of that, Micky; what are you stopping in the middle of the road for ?" etc. The cooks were highly incensed, and threatened reprisals, but these bad to be postponed.
The sky now rapidly clouded over, and about noon a heavy thunderstorm broke over head, the rain coming down in sheets for a full half-hour. The enemy, who had been massing north-east of Fesmy for some time, now made a desperate effort to take the village.
Pushing his attack home with great energy, and, making use of largely superior numbers, he penetrated into the village and established himself there. He even got as far as a couple of gun limbers drawn up on the roadside, and killed and dispersed the gunners and the horses. Things were looking so grave that a counter-attack was ordered by Captain Rawlinson, commanding "C" Company. This was delivered by a couple of platoons with a swing and dash that carried all before it. The village was cleared every German in it was killed or captured, and the enemy was driven back in disorder to the north-east. Elsewhere in the attack, delivered with the same energy, failed completely before the devastating fire of the Munsters, aided by their two machine guns and the two field guns which had been firing heavily for nearly an hour. The enemy, always cunning, tried the ruse of driving cattle in front of him to cover his advance, but this trick was soon discovered, and such a stream of lead turned on to him that he was sorry he tried the experiment, and hastily abandoned it. The machine-gun officer was Lieutenant C. F. Chute, one of the cheeriest and best of sportsmen.
Heavy German reinforcements had by now come up against "B" and "D" Companies on the left (northern) flank, and a furious fire was opened on these companies. The Munsters held their fire until the enemy arrived at short range, and then pumped lead into them. The rain was still pouring down, and, taking advantage of it and of the confusion caused by the sudden outburst of fire, both companies withdrew towards Battalion Headquarters north of Fesmy. Suspecting a trap, the enemy advanced cautiously to the evacuated positions, and by the time he realized the bird had flown a mile separated the combatants.
The action farther south was still raging when the two companies marched up very pleased with themselves, in spite of being soaked to the skin. By now it was after 1 p.m., and the withdrawal was proceeded with. The Battalion Headquarters were in a small estaminet at a cross-roads north of Fesmy; the din prodigious, rifle, machine-gun and artillery fire mingled with each other; the enemy added appreciably to the clatter. German wounded were brought in under cover by the Irish stretcher-bearers, groaning as they lay close by. The neighing of the excited gunner horses mingled with the shouted words of command as the guns were moved from one position to another.
In the midst of this babel of sounds Major Charrier conducted operations precisely in the same manner as he had a hundred times before in mimic battle at Caesar's Camp or Salisbury Plain\emdash an admirable example of the soundness of the general lines on which our peace training was conducted. A lighter touch was added by one of the company cooks, who was chasing a stout young porker round a yard close by, and its yells could be plainly heard above the din of the battle.
Major Charrier now altered the order of battle, "B" Company under Captain G. N. Simms, M.V.O., becoming right flank guard (to the east), "D" Company left flank guard and rearguard. Our right, as we withdrew facing the enemy, was our most dangerous flank, and a better man than Captain Simms to meet such a situation could not be found. To the casual observer he would have been put down as a mere well-dressed man-about-town. But he was something more. He had a hobby, and that hobby was commanding a company. Indeed, it was claimed that he was the best company commander at Alder-shot before the war. He had the happy knack of training his subordinates to think and act for themselves, and before the end of the day this capacity was to be tested to the utmost.
By 2 p.m. the Germans attacking Fesmy village made up their minds that they were not going to put their heads into a wasps' nest again without adequate precautions, and withdrew to await the arrival of their artillery. In the meantime the Munsters were silently evacuating their positions and marching through the village southwards. The two field guns preceded the move, and, taking up a position in the fields to the south of the village, again opened fire on the enemy. One company after another filed through the streets, leaving the unfortunate inhabitants behind them, until all were reported clear. At the last moment one section of "D" Company was reported missing. Back dashed an officer of the company under heavy fire through a farmyard into the fields beyond, found the section closely pressed by the enemy and reluctant to leave them without "one more crack at them, sir"; he hustled them off, and rejoined the rearguard within ten minutes. The country here was rather more open, and the withdrawal continued slowly, "B" Company to the east keeping the enemy at bay. The enemy now decided to play "long bowls" with us, and showed great distaste for close quarters.
By 5.30 p.m. the main body of the Munsters assembled at a cross-roads due east of a village named Oisy, through which lay our road southwards. Only " B "Company was missing. Messages were sent off eastwards by runners and bicycle; the signaller got busy, but it was nearly an hour before the right flank guard rejoined the Battalion. This delay, as it was afterwards proved, was fatal to the Munsters, for all the time the French to the east were getting farther and farther distant, the German forces were getting closer and closer to our line of retreat, and our chances of escape were reaching vanishing point. The Brigadier's orders for Charrier to retire never reached him, the orderly not being able to get through.
The battalion re-formed as a rear-guard, "B" and two platoons of "A" Company leading, followed by "D," and "C" bringing up the rear. While the battalion marched through Olsy, "C" Company, under Captain Rawlinson, held the outskirts of the village to keep off the enemy. Cavahy now appeared to the south \emdash a somewhat ominous sign\emdash but they were easily brushed aside by the accurate long-range fire of the Fusiliers' machine-guns. The 6th Reserve Dragoons were no greater fire-eaters than their brethren from Brunswick. The 2nd Guards Division had suffered two sharp checks already, but, seeing the main body of the rearguard passing through Oisy, they made a bold plunge for the two entrances to the village. Out crashed the rifle fire again, spurts of flame burst from two harmless-looking houses at the east end of the village, a bridge over which the Germans were forced to come was quickly blocked with dead and dying. Efforts made to surround the village were checked by the deadly fire of the two platoons holding it. Brilliantly supporting each other, Lieutenant Deane Drake and Sergeant T. Foley held on until escape seemed impossible. From the high ground to the south the action was clearly visible. Major Charrier sent back to offer assistance. No, "C" Company could finish its job without outside help, and finish it they did. Gradually man after man was withdrawn, and after a final burst of fire the gallant Irishmen leaped to their feet and ran for it. Once more the rebuff administered took out all the sting of the German pursuit, and "C" Company rejoined the Battalion without further interference.
All this time the main German advance was steadily continuing. The 19th Reserve Infantry Division (i.e., the other half of the 10th Reserve Army Corps), under the command of General Von Barfeldt, was advancing on the left (east) of the attacking Germans, and making for Guise, twelve miles to our rear. Coming within two miles of the action of Fesmy, this division hesitated, and then halted. What was this heavy firing to the north? Should not the enemy be to the south? Rumours of a big British counter-attack were rife. Was this it? Obviously the situation demanded cautious handling. A careful reconnaissance was ordered, and the march southwards discontinued. Signs of fighting were observed close by; a couple of badly wounded Munsters were brought in. Heavy rifle and artillery fire continued at intervals during the afternoon. Patrols were pushed forward cautiously toward the village of Etreux to the west, and the 6th Reserve Dragoons reported a heavy column moving southwards through Oisy Then at last the German General, a "dug-out" long past his prime, was galvanized into activity, and pushed on with all speed to Etreux to crush this presumptuous British force under the famous German hammer.
Major Charrier must by now have realized that the situation was very grave, and he gave orders for the withdrawal to be carried out in a formation which was probably completely original. He appears to have anticipated a sudden flank attack, and ordered the battalion to move along the shallow ditches on both sides of the Oisy-Etreux high road, whilst the two Munster machine guns took up a position on the road, firing up the human corridor thus formed at the enemy to the north. While the stream of lead flowed north, the column steadily marched south, and such was the accuracy of the fire that once more the enemy's pursuit was checked, and yet no misdirected round fell near our own men, who were within a few feet of the direct line. In this way the Munsters approached Etreux. Suddenly, a few hundred yards in front of the advance guard (" B" Company), a party of men were seen to double across the road. Major Charrier, on perceiving this, ordered Captain Simms to brush aside this party of the enemy, which seemed to have taken refuge in a house on the west side of the road. He also ordered up the two field guns. The Munsters, ready as ever for a scrap, shook out and began working up on both sides of the road through orchards and fields.
The gunners whipped up their horses and galloped down the road. Crash! A German shell burst amongst the leading gun team, killing and wounding most of the horses and men. A second shell bit a small farmhouse the guns were passing at the time, and a murderous short-range rifle fire was opened from the south. The last avenue of escape was dosed. The Munsters were cut off. While the few remaining gunners, under the gallant Major Bayly, made desperate efforts to get their guns into action, Major Charrier went forward to the post of danger to organize an attack on the enemy holding the outskirts of the village, including a loopholed house on the side of the road. Passing the gunners, he called out, "Come on, Bayly, and put a round into that house. We'll soon boost them out of that." As he went, his gigantic figure was rendered especially conspicuous by the khaki-coloured helmet with the green and white hackle of Munster, which he always wore. On still with a handful of officers and men, along the road to within a hundred yards of the loopholed house. Man after man dropped; the last unwounded gunner met his fate struggling to carry an 18-pounder shell to the gun, standing on the road, surrounded by a small heap of huddled-up bodies. The devoted group pushed on and gradually melted away. Back came Paul Charrier, still unwounded, to make yet one more effort. "C" Company was coming up from Oisy. Both Captain Rawlinson and Lieutenant Deane Drake were wounded; both gamely carried on. The company was brought up in support, leaving "D" Company in reserve, lining the ditches under fire from all points of the compass, but unable to reply to it. Supported by Captain Douglas Wise, the best of Adjutants, Lieutenant O'Malley and Lieutenant Moseley, the Commanding Officer led another dashing attack up the road. Once more the hail of lead was met, and one after another fell. Heedless of this, the remainder pushed on, until Captain Wise actually got up to the loopholed house, under cover of which the enemy was firing unceasingly, and, taking a rifle from one of the dead lying near, he fired through the loophole until knocked senseless by a blow on the head.
Again the attack failed; but Major Charrier was not the man to give in while hope still existed. Once more he collected a handful of men, and though now suffering from a severe wound, he again returned to the charge with a determination beyond all praise. Alas! this time was the last. Providence was tempted once too often, and the great soldier fell, riddled with bullets, Lieutenant Moseley being stunned by a bullet a few moments later. Dusk was now approaching, and it became difficult to distinguish friend from foe. A farmhouse near by caught fire, and its lurid flames added to the wildness of the picture.
While the attacks just described were proceeding, Company Sergeant-Major McEvoy, a fine old soldier, finding his company losing heavily in officers and men, ran back to get reinforcements, and returned down the bullet-swept road shouting, "Come on, boys; the Irish never lost a Friday's battle yet." His officers, exposed to a terrible fire fell one by one, until the whole five made "the great sacrifice," headed by their dashing commander, Captain Simms.
The last phase was developing faster than it takes to tell. Perceiving the gravity of the situation, and without waiting for orders, Captain Jervis took the main portion of "D" Company over into the fields to the east of the road, in a desperate endeavour to break through the enemy drawn up due south, by prolonging the Irish attack eastwards. At first all went well; a dip in the ground favoured the movement; the company, moving in alternate waves, steadily advanced, firing at each halt. The farthest point reached by the other companies was reached and passed. Was this the weak spot at last? The company passed through an orchard, across a couple of fields, and discovered a thick hedge bordering the last field between it and the village. This was in reality lining the top of a steep cutting, at the foot of which lay the railway line. From the hedge, which provided admirable shelter to the enemy, a heavy fire was opened. The advance still continued methodically until the company approached to within 70 yards of the position. Then a sharp rifle duel ensued between the opposing sides, followed by a shrill whistle and the order to charge. Up got the Irish and dashed forward with a cheer, bayonets fixed. The enemy's fire redoubled in vigour and took heavy toll of the company. Lieutenant Phayre fell cheering at the head of his men. Huge gaps appeared in the on-rushing wave; the survivors, reduced to a few groups, struggled forward a few yards, only to fall in their turn. One officer reached the hedge alive. Drawing his revolver, he accounted for six of his opponents in rapid succession; but, alas ! the last desperate effort to cut through the enemy had failed.
Many of the survivors of the various attacks fell back to the orchard near the main road. Captain C. R. Hall, of" A" Company, took command. Seeing the enemy pressing forward on the east, he ordered a charge. A small party of heroes sallied forth, and though the enemy were fifty to our one, they fell back, afraid to meet our cold steel. The little party then returned to the orchard. The enemy now formed a complete ring round the remnants of the battalion. Nine officers had been killed, and Captain Hall was shortly afterwards severely wounded. The command devolved on Lieutenant Gower. For the first time since early morning the machine guns were silent. Lieutenant Chute, having fought his guns to the last, was killed. Sergeant Johnson immediately assumed command, and continued firing until the last cartridge was used; then he took his beloved guns in turn, and smashed them to pieces. Ammunition was nearly exhausted, but the survivors, husbanding every round, lined the four sides of the orchard and kept the enemy at a distance. Lieutenant Moseley had recovered consciousness, and fought up to the last. It was now growing dark, and the situation was at length regretfully recognized as hopeless. Sounds of the expected reinforcements were listened for in vain, and our cup of bitterness was full.
At 9.15 p.m. a bare 240 men, including many wounded, staggered to their feet, with four unwounded officers. This was the remnant of the splendid battalion which had set out so full of hope that same morning. How long ago it seemed!
To do the German justice, he recognized and admitted the desperate bravery of his enemy. But when he ascertained the paltry numbers opposed to him, he was furious. The General blamed his subordinates. The battalion commanders said nothing, but thought volumes. The main body of the British Army had vanished to the south, and were by now twelve miles away. The famous German hammer had crashed on to the anvil and had crushed what? A butterfly, a battalion, a mere detachment; and a whole German army corps had been delayed! It surely was a fitting opportunity for the series of guttural expletives roared out into the night by the enraged Teuton. And this paltry detachment had, by their ill-advised obstinacy, caused great and unnecessary loss to the Fatherland. No less than 1,500 German wounded were assembled in the village of Etreux next day. It is not known how many casualties occurred earlier in the day in the other villages, but the number must have been considerable. So ended the action of August 27th, 1914.
When the last shot was fired a space of twelve miles separated our 1st Army Corps from the 10th German Reserve Army Corps; valuable breathing time and space had been procured, and the next morning the Germans were fourteen hours behind their programme. A few more such victories, and the enemy would have scarcely been in a condition to reach the Aisne, much less the Marne. That splendid soldier Paul Charrier, with some 110 of the Musters, lies buried in a peaceful orchard near Etreux, the scene of their exploit. May history accord to these heroes the merit they so richly deserve!
Additional notes.
On the proposal being put forward by the 2nd Battalion to erect a Regimental Memorial at Etreux, the following letter was received from the Secretary, Battle Exploits Memorial Committee,
2ND ROYAL MUNSTER FUSILIERS AT ETREUX.

"The action is likely to become the classical example of the performance of its functions by a rear-guard. The Battalion not only held up the attack of a strong hostile force in its original position, thereby securing the unmolested withdrawal of its Division, but in retiring drew on to itself the attacks of very superior numbers of the enemy. It was finally cut off at Etreux by five or six times its numbers, but held out for several hours, the remnant only surrendering when their ammunition was practically exhausted and only a small number of men remained unhurt. The survivors were warmly congratulated by the Germans on the fine fight they had made. No other claim to a memorial near Etreux is likely to be advanced, certainly nothing which would not take second place to the Munsters."
(Sgd.) C. T. Atkinson,

7/6/1919. Historical Section, C.I.D.

The 1st Infantry Brigade consisted of the following regiments -
2nd Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers.
1st Bn. Coldstream Guards, 1st Battalion
Scots Guards, 1st Battalion. Black Watch


Type: Book
Title:Chute Family in America in the 20th Century
Author: George Maynard Chute, Jr.
Publication: University Microfilms International, Ann Arbor, Michigan & London
Date: 1967
LOCA: Privately held

Challoner married Mary Emily ("Maud Emily") Hobson [55961] [MRIN: 551614757] on 29 Jun 1911 in Limerick, Ireland. (Mary Emily ("Maud Emily") Hobson [55961] was born in Corbally, Ireland.)