Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    X550/9/1/1608
  • Title
    WAR DIARY FOR AUGUST 1916 1 Aug 1916 - Poperinge Battalion in billets. Route marches by companies. 2 Aug 1916 Battalion in billets. Training in extended order. Battalion entrained in the evening for AMPLIERS [sic] (near DOULLENS) Sheet 11 (LENS). 3 Aug 1916 - Amplier Arrived at 4.20 am. Battalion accommodated in hutments. Feet inspection and companies paraded in fighting order. 4 Aug 1916 - Puchevillers Physical training and drill by companies. - Lt E.R.W.DRAISEY lectured to all officers and N.C.O.s on lessons learned and method used in the attack by 4th Division. - Brigade marched to PUCHEVILLERS via ORVILLE-SARTON-MARIEUX. One Sgt & Cpl and 18 men sent to ACHEUX to joined [sic] company guarding German prisoners. 5 Aug 1916 Coys training in the attack. 6 Aug 1916 Battn held open-air Church Service 7 Aug 1916 - Acheux-en-Amienois Marched at 4.54 am to ACHEUX via RAINCHEVAL - ARCQUEVES[sic] - LOUVENCOURT. Arrived at 8.30 am. Battalion accommodated in hutment camps. 8 Aug 1916 Companies Bayonet fighting and practising the attack of trenches. 9 Aug 1916 Companies Bayonet fighting and practising the attack of trenches. Battalion during afternoon practised the attack on several lines of trenches. 10 Aug 1916 - Englebelmer Marched from camp at ACHEUX and accommodated in bivouacs in P.17.d.central 11 Aug 1916 Coys bayonet fighting & training in the attack. 12 Aug 1916 Coys bayonet fighting & training in the attack. During afternoon moved to camp of tents & huts in P.18.d. relieving 2/York & Lancaster Regt in Supports. Working Parties (350 strong) at night Casualties 1 O.R. Killed wounded 28 13 Aug 1916 Battalion bombers training in trench clearing and long distance throwing. Working parties at night 350 strong working on support lines and communication trenches. 14 Aug 1916 Battalion training in extended order. Bombers training in use of dummy Mills grenade for conveying messages over untenable ground. LT.HAGUE & LT GIBSON left to join 7th Battalion. 15 Aug 1916 - Auchonvillers Battalion moved into trenches opposite BEAUMONT HAMEL in relief of the 3rd Grenadier Guards. C & D Coy in front line. A Coy in close support, B Coy in 3rd line where Bn. H.Q. is situated. 16 Aug 1916 In trenches as above. Enemy quiet and very little movement seen by day. Heavy Trench Mortars used by enemy against our front line. Artillery and Stokes Mortar retaliation silenced him. Casualties - 2 O.R. wounded. 17 Aug 1916 In trenches as above. Enemy slightly more aggressive with Shrapnel and heavy trench mortars. Casualties 2 O.R. killed, 6 O.R. wounded. 18 Aug 1916 In trenches as above. Enemy more or less quiet. A dummy raid in afternoon was made to worry the enemy. He retaliated slightly damaging our trenches in places. Casualties 1 OR killed, 1 O.R. wounded. 19 Aug 1916 In trenches as above. Enemy very busy on his lines especially near crater, much less aggressive at night. 20 Aug 1916 - Beausart In trenches as above. Quiet day. Relieved in afternoon by 1/The Buffs. Battalion billetted in BEAUSART. 21 Aug 1916 Battalion furnished working party under Corps Signals, strength 10 officers & 500 O.R. - worked from 8 a.m. to 4 pm. Casualties 1 O.R. killed, 1 O.R. wounded. 22 Aug 1916 Battalion furnished working parties under Corps Signals - strength 6 offrs & 300 men - from 8 am to 6 pm. Casualties - 2 O.R. killed, 1 O.R. missing, 2 O.R. wounded. 23 Aug 1916 Battalion furnished working party under Corps Signal - strength 6 officers & 300 men from 1 am to 7 a.m. 24 Aug 1916 Battalion furnished working parties 6 offs & 198 men. Remainder Bayonet fighting, extended order drill, & attacking trenches from trenches. 25 Aug 1916 Battalion furnished working parties 8 officers & 450 men under Corps Signals & making up reserve stores of munitions & rations in support lines opposite THIEPVAL. Casualties - 8 O.R. wounded. 26 Aug 1916 Furnished working parties 6 officers & 500 men under Corps Signals. 2/LT. C.E.MASLIN joined R.F.C. on probation as an observer. 27 Aug 1916 Wet day. No church parade services. C.O. held officer conference in forenoon. 28 Aug 1916 - Amplier Bde. moved by march route to AMPLIER via AUTHIE-THIEVRES-ORVILLES[sic]. Battalion moved off at 7.19 am and arrived in camp at 11.20 am. Wet day making roads heavy for marching. 29 Aug 1916 - Naours Marched from AMPLIER via TERRAMESNIL - BEAUQUESNE to NAOURS, where battalion went into billets. 30 Aug 1916 Training held up owing to continuous downpour of rain. Battaion completed its first year on Active Service. 31 Aug 1916 Training in Artillery formation, extended order drill, platoon waves mixing & reorganising for fresh advance. Field State 8th Bn Bedfordshire Regt at August 31st 1916 Killed 8 Wounded 27 Sick to Hospital 72 Sick from Hospital 17 Evacuated from F.A. 46 A Coy Strength 16 officers 202 O.Rs B Coy Strength 6 officers 214 O.Rs C Coy Strength 8 officers 230 O.Rs D Coy Strength 8 officers 212 O.Rs Total 38 officers 858 O.Rs
  • Date free text
    1-31 Aug 1916
  • Production date
    From: 1916 To: 1916
  • Level of description
    item
Hierarchy browser