1914 Star (T.1/192 D.C.GEDDES. ACT.A.B. R.N.V.R. BENBOW BTTN. R.N.D.); British War Medal (T.1-192 D.C.GEDDES. A.B. R.N.V.R.); Victory Medal (T.1-192 D.C.GEDDES. A.B. R.N.V.R.)
T1/192 Douglas Cowan Geddes born Heaton Newcastle 23.10.1894 To Royal Naval Division on and to Benbow Battalion on 22.8.1914. Taken POW Antwerp interned Holland 8.10.1914. Lost right eye when POW
The Royal Naval Division's story at the siege of Antwerp is a famous one:
The Division, with the Portsmouth Battalion as rearguard, was to rendezvous at Zwyndrecht where it would receive further orders. Because of confusion over relaying the orders there was a delay in getting them to the Hawke, Benbow and Collingwood battalions. The first of the battalions started to withdraw shortly after 17:00. Burdened by the stores they were carrying, a lack of water and the roads being heavily congested with refugees the battalions started to arrive at Zwyndrecht around 23:30 and were ordered on to St. Gillaes-Waes where the trains to evacuate the Division would be waiting. The men were exhausted but started to arrive at St. Gillaes-Waes around 07:00.
The Hawke, Collingwood, Benbow and, consequently, Portsmouth battalions started to withdraw around 22:15 with Hawke leading the way and crossing the city bridge over the Schelde around midnight. By the time the other battalions arrived the bridge had been destroyed and boats were used to cross the river. The battalions halted at Zwyndrecht for two hours awaiting further orders before commencing the march to St. Gillaes-Waes at 05:00. With the exception of the Marines the units lagging behind started to lose cohesion, finally beginning to arrive at 15:45. The Germans had started to threaten the line of retreat and to avoid capture by the enemy a large proportion of the Naval battalions entered Holland but were picked up and interned for the duration of the war.
Geddes was one of these unfortunates.
He died on 3.6.1946 at Gateshead
