X550/8/1/1707

7TH (S) BATTN BEDFORDSHIRE REGIMENT ORDER NO.21 1. MOVE The Battalion will entrain at DOULLENS on 3-7-17. 2. ADVANCE PARTY An Advance Party of 3 Other ranks per Company. 1 Other ranks per Battn Headquarters. 1 Other ranks per Transport. 2 Other ranks per Cyclists with cycles. under Lieut.F.E.Dealler will report at R.T.Os Office an hour before the train starts on the 1st July taking rations for 2nd and 3rd insts. The Brigades Advance Parties will be under Major F.W.Roberts (6th Northants) to whom instructions will be issued later. Brigade Representatives each Brigade will detail one Officer to report to the R.T.O. at their entraining station 3 hours before the departure of the first train this Officer will remain at the station throughout the entrainment. Officer detailed. Captain J.C.M.Ferguson. 54th Bde Station DOULLENS North. Time of Departure of 1st train for Advance Party will be notified later. First Train 3-7-17 10.04 a.m. (SGD) W.J.W.COLLEY.CAPT AND ADJT 7TH (S) BATTN BEDFORDSHIRE REGIMENT. "D" COMPANY You will proceed by route march to DOULLENS with your Cooker and entrain there on No 10 train at 10.04 hrs. on 4th inst. Your serial No will be 23a. You should arrive at the Station 1 hour before the time of departure and your Cooker 3 hours before time of departure. Your destination will be GODEWAERSVELDE. RATIONS. You will draw rations for the 4th from the Q.M.Stores. rations for the 5th will be drawn from GAUDIEMPR where you will send 1 N.C.O. as a guide to the A.S.C. reporting to them at 12 noon on the 3rd. 7TH (S) BATTALION BEDFORDSHIRE REGIMENT ORDER NO.22 INTENTION The Battalion, less "D" Company and Cooker, will proceed by route march to DOULLENS where I twill entrain at 22.19 hrs. on 3-7-17 for GODEWAERSVELDE. STARTING POINT Cross Roads at Brigade Headquarters. TIME 3.15 p.m. ORDER OF MARCH Battalion Headquarters, "A" Coy, Drums, "B" Coy. "C" Coy. DRESS Full Marching Order. Steel Helmets will be carried strapped on the pack. Rifle covers on the rifles. MEALS Dinners 12 noon. Tea on arrival at DOULLENS. The unconsumed portion of the days ration and the breakfast ration for the 4th will be carried on the man. TRANSPORT The Transport, less one Cooker attached to "D" Coy, will move to DOULLENS independently, passing the starting point at 2.45 p.m. Tea should be cooked on the route. Guides will meet the Transport at the entrance to DOULLENS. BAGGAGE Officers valises, Coys Stores, Workshops etc. will be dumped at the Q.M.Stores by 10 a.m. One limber will collect Orderly Room stores, Signallers kit, H.Q. Cooking Utensils at 1 p.m. BILLETS All billets and Regimental lines will be left clean, latrines disinfected, refuse removed to incinerator by 11 a.m. Billeting party has proceeded in advance. SICK Details will be notified by the M.O. ORDERLIES O.C. Signals will detail 2 cycle orderlies to report to Capt.Ferguson at DOULLENS Station by 4 p.m. on 3-7-17. STRAGGLERS Sergt.Dodkin will march in rear of the Battalion and collect all stragglers and march them in an orderly manner to DOULLENS Station, North Sidings. DETAILS Strict train discipline must be maintained. Each Coy will detail an Officer and Sergt. to see that their men do not leave the train without permission. (SIGNED) W.J.W.COLLEY. CAPT AND ADJT. 7TH (S) BATTALION BEDFORDSHIRE REGIMENT 1-7-17 10 am Church Parade. 2 pm 2nd Lt.Conyers joined the Battn. & was posted to "D" Coy. Draft of 18 O.R. arrived. 2-7-17 Company training. 3-7-17 2.30 pm The Battn. (less "D" Coy.) marched to DOULLENS and entrained there at 10.15 p.m. Major J.H.Bridcutt D.S.O. rejoined the Battn. from Senior Officers' School, Aldershot. GODEWAERSVELDE 4-7-17 6 am Battn. detrained at GODEWAERSVELDE and after taking breakfast merched to billets, arriving about 9.30 a.m. Billets were in scattered farms about 1 milesN.W. of ABEELE. "D" Coy. followed later in the day & arrived about 7 p.m. Major J.H.Bridcutt D.S.O. took over command of the Battn. Major A.E.Percival becoming 2nd-in-command. 5-7-17 3 p.m. All officers of the Bn. interviewed by Gen.Jacob G.O.C. 2nd Corps. 7TH (S) BATTALION BEDFORDSHIRE REGT ORDER NO 23. INTENTION The 18th Division less Artillery will relieve the 30th Division less Artillery. The 54th Brigade will relieve the 55th Brigade in Support on night of 6th/7th, the 55th Brigade taking over the front from the 30th Division. STARTING POINT Fork roads 200 yards E of "D" Company. TIME Time 5.30 p.m. ORDER OF MARCH Battalion H.Q. "D" "C" Drums "A" "B" DRESS S.M.O. Steel helmets carried on straps at the back. MEALS Meals at usual times and a hot tea on arrival. TRANSPORT Transport will follow the Battalion and be billeted in the same area. BAGGAGE Officers valises, Coy stores etc will be dumped outside Coy H.Q. at 1 p.m. BILLETS All billets and bivouacs will be left clean, latrines disinfected and all refuse disposed of. BILLETING PARTY The advance party on one per Bn.H.Q. and one per Coy will proceed under Lieut.Dealler leaving here at 1 p.m. for new billeting area, PALACE CAMP H25.c.4.0 and take over from 7th R.W.Kent Regt. SICK Sick parade will be in Medical Inspection Hut 1 hour after arrival. NOTE a. Route of march ABEELE cross roads - ABEELE STATION - FRONTIER ROAD to RENINGHELST - OUDERDOM. b. Only clock hour halts will be made. c. After RENINGHELST Coys will move independently at 200 yards interval. d. All waterbottles will be filled before departure. e. Bomb buckets, wire cutters etc will be worn with the equipment but periscopes and Very pistols may be dumped with Coy baggage. MAP REFERENCE SHEET 28 N.W. (SIGNED) S.R.CHAPMAN. LIEUT AND ADJT. 7TH (S) BATTN BEDFORDSHIRE REGIMENT OUDERDOM 6-7-17 7.30 pm Bn. marched into camp near OUDERDOM - (Palace Camp). Draft of 37 O.R. joined the Bn. 8-7-17 700 men sent up for burying cable S. of ZILLEBEKE LAKE - a good deal of shelling, but no casualties. 9-7-17 Camp shelled at intervals during the day - one man killed. Companies were moved to more scattered positions. 10-7-17 Company Training. 11-7-17 700 men engaged in carrying gas shells & T.M.Bombs up to the front line. Heavy shelling all night. Casualties - 3 Killed, 19 wounded. 12-7-17 Company Training. 13-7-17 Company Training. 14-7-17 Working Parties of about 650 found for burying cable. Heavy shelling with Gas Shells prevented any work being done. This shelling lasted for over two hours, during the whole of which time the men wore their Respirators. 15-7-17 2 am Capt.D.S.H.Keep was killed by a shell on W. edge of ZILLEBEKE LAKE. Other casualties: - 3 wounded, 4 gassed. 16-7-17 6.30pm Capt.Keep was buried in RENINGHELST CEMETERY with full military honours. 17-7-17 9.30 pm Shell burst in our lines demolishing one of "B" Coy's Tents, but causing no casualties. 550 men sent up on working parties, Burying cable, carrying etc. casualties in "A" Coy - 4 Killed, 5 wounded. 18-7-17 "A" & "B" Coys. bathed in afternoon at RENINGHELST. 19-7-17 Attack formation practice in morning. 20-7-17 8 am Lt.Col.G.P.Mills returned from leave & resumed command of the Battn. Major J.H.Bridcutt becoming 2nd-in-command. C & D Coys. bathed. About 45o men sent up on working parties in evening to ZILLEBEKE Area carrying T.M. ammunition etc. casualties 11. 21-7-17 Intermittent shelling of PALACE CAMP during evening & following night; no damage. WIPPENHOEK 22-7-17 9 am Battn. marched into camp at WIPPENHOEK (CONNAUGHT CAMP) arriving about 11.30 a.m. 23-7-17 Practice in attack formation. 7TH (S) BATTALION BEDFORDSHIRE REGT. ORDER No.27 1. INTENTION The Battalion will move by Route March tomorrow to STEENVOORDE WEST Area. 2. STARTING POINT Frontier Road 3. TIME Time 7.15 a.m. 4. ORDER OF MARCH Headquarters, "C" "D" Drums "A" and "B" Coys Regtl.Transport 5. DRESS Full Marching Order. Steel Helmets to be carried on the pack. 6. MEALS Breakfast 5.30 a.m. Dinners will be served at 1.0 p.m. 7. TRANSPORT Transport will march behind the Battalion. 8. BAGGAGE To be dumped by the Cookers by 6.15 a.m. Pioneers will load up. 9. BILLETS Regimental Lines must be left clean, Latrines disinfected and all matter for the Incinerator dumped by 6.15 a.m. 10. BILLETING PARTY One representative per Headquarters and each Company to report to Lieut.F.E.Dealler at the Orderly Room by 6.50 a.m. This party will report to an Officer of the 89th Infantry Brigade at ---------. 11. HANDING OVER Captain R.O.Clark will remain behind to hand over the Camp to the 89th Infantry Brigade. (SIGNED) W.J.W.COLLEY, CAPTAIN & ADJUTANT. 7TH (S) BATTALION BEDFORDSHIRE REGIMENT STEENVOORDE 24-7-17 7 am Left camp at about 7 a.m. & marched to billets about 2 miles N.W. of STEENVOORDE. 25-7-17 Practice in attack formations. 26-7-17 Practice in attack formations. Second anniversary of Bn's arrival in France. 27-7-17 Practice in attack formations. 8 pm 2nd Anniversary of Bn's arrival in France was celebrated by a dinner in STEENVOORDE, at which the following, who landed with the Bn. in 1915 were present: Brig.Gen.G.D.Price, Lt.Col.G.P.Mills, Major J.H.Bridcutt (guest), Major A.E.Percival, Capt,W.W.Colley, Capt.H.Driver, Capt.O.Kingdon, Capt.H.Ramsbotham, Lt.S.R.Chapman, Lt. & Q.M.F.Corner. Draft of 6 O.R. joined the Bn. 28-7-17 Practice in attack formations. 7th (S) BATTALION BEDFORDSHIRE REGIMENT ORDER NO.28. MAP REFERENCE HAZEBROUCK 1. INTENTION The Battalion will move by route march tomorrow 29th to Connaught Camp and later in the evening to PALACE CAMP H.25.c.4.0 2. STARTING POINT Cross Roads immediately S of D in STEENVOORDE. 3. STARTING TIME Starting Time 6.30 a.m. 4. ORDER OF MARCH Headquarters, "D" "A" Drums "B" "C" Four Cookers and one water cart, Mess Cart. 5. DRESS Full Marching Order less packs. 6. MEALS Breakfast 4.30 a.m. Dinners on arrival at Connaught Camp. 7. TRANSPORT (a) Will move independently. (b) Cookers, one water cart, Mess Cart will accompany the Battalion. (c) The Transport may not move further than CONNAUGHT CAMP without the Battalion, so will report at Connaught Camp before 8.p.m. 8. BAGGAGE All Company and Hd Qrs Kits less packs to be dumped at Company and Bn Hd Qrs by 5.a.a. Packs will be dumped in the transport field by 5.a.a. but no other baggage is to be with them. Headquarter details will mess with their respective companies for the day excluding breakfast. 9. BILLETS Will be left clean, latrines filled in and disinfected, all refuse removed. 10. BILLETING PARTY Two representatives per Company and Headquarters will report to Lieut Dealler who will leave one billeting party at Connaught Camp and one at PALACE CAMP. 11. SICK The Medical Officer will make arrangements for those unable to march. 12. BRIGADE STARTING POINT Will be first cross roads east of STEENVOORDE. Time 7.0 a.m. (SGD) W.J.W.COLLEY. CAPT AND ADJT. 7TH (S) BATTALION BEDFORDSHIRE REGIMENT 29-7-17 6 am Left billets & marched to camp at WIPPENHOEK (CONNAUGHT CAMP). 10 pm Left WIPPENHOEK & marched to PALACE CAMP, OUDERDOM, arriving early in the morning of the 30th. 30-7-17 Resting at PALACE CAMP. 31-7-17 2 am Moved to NEW CANAL RESERVE CAMP, I readiness for the 2rd Btt. of YPRES, which started at 3.50 a.m. 9.15 am Commenced to move forward by platoons from NEW CANAL RESERVE CAMP, but on arrival at CH.SEGARD the Bn. was stopped & ordered to return to NEW CANAL RESERVE CAMP, where they spent the rest of the day.

From: 1917 To: 1917

item

Dealler, F.E.,
Roberts, F.W.,
Ferguson, J.C.M.,
Colley, William Joseph Wellesley,
Dodkin,
Conyers,
Bridcutt, John Henry,
Percival, Arthur Ernest,
Jacob, Claud William,
Chapman, S.R.,
Keep, Douglas Scrivenor Howard,
Mills, George Pilkington,
Clark, R.O.,
Price, George Dominic,
Driver, H.,
Kingdon, Oliver,
Ramsbotham, Herwald (1st Viscount Soulbury),
Corner, F

deaths, cemeteries, Doullens North Station, 6th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, 54th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Corps, 30th Division, 89th Infantry Brigade, 55th Infantry Brigade, 7th Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment, land weaponry, Reninghelst, Reninghelst New Military Cemetery, Doullens, Godewaersvelde, Gaudiempre, Abeele, Palace Camp (Ypres), Ouderdom, Frontier Road, Zillebeke, Zillebeke Lake, Wippenhoek, Connaught Camp (Ypres), Steenvoorde, New Canal Reserve Camp (Ypres), Chateau Segard (Ypres)