Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    X550/9/1/1610
  • Title
    WAR DIARY FOR OCTOBER 1916 1 Oct 1916 - Meaulte In billets. Cleaning up of Arms, Clothing & Equipt. 2 Oct 1916 In billets. Inspected by G.O.C. 6th Divn & congratulated on work done on 15th & 25th Sept attack. Coys training bombers & Lewis gunners 3 Oct 1916 In billets. Coys training in the attack Lewis Gunners firing bombers throeing their grenades 4 Oct 1916 In billets. Last draft attended lecture by Divl Gas Officer - Coys training - Lewis gunners & bombers training separately. 5 Oct 1916 In billets. Drafts attended lecture by Capt Huntingdon on Physical Training & Bayonet Fighting. Coys training in the attack 6 Oct 1916 In billets. Battalion practised an attack under cover of creeping barrage of shrapnel 7 Oct 1916 - Citadel Camp Marched to CITADEL Camp during forenoon and continued training of coys, bombers and Lewis Gunners. 8 Oct 1916 - Trones Wood Marched to TRONES WOOD and [?] it on east side. Rained hard nearly whole day. At night moved to west side and took over shelters from 2/Y&L. 9 Oct 1916 Training of bombers, Lewis Gunners. Furnished 200 OR working party under Brigade. 10 Oct 1916 Training of bombers, Lewis Gunners. Furnished 200 OR working party under Brigade 11 Oct 1916 - Tatler Trench and Punch Trench, N.E. of Ginchy Moved into Bde Reserve in TATLER and PUNCH TRENCH N.E. of GINCHY. 12 Oct 1916 - trenches east of Gueudecourt Relieved 1/KSLI and 2/Y&L in trenches E. of GUEUDECOURT at night. 2Lt Sharpin wounded. 13 Oct 1916 In trenches as above. Enemy artillery active also snipers. Intense bombardment at 5.45 pm to 6.15 p.m. Casualties 4 O.R. Killed 11 wounded. 14 Oct 1916 In trenches as above. Artillery very active on each side. Casualties 3 OR killed & 10 wounded. 15 Oct 1916 In trenches as above. Intermittent shelling whole day very intense for about half an hour at midnight 15/16. Three Enemy snipers shot down. Casualties 2/Lt Gibson died of wounds 2 O.R. killed, 8 wounded. 16 Oct 1916 In trenches as above. Clear sky most of day aircraft very active resulting in less hostile shelling during daylight. Intense hostile shelling for half an hour commenced at 5.45 pm. casualties 4 O.R. killed & 4 wounded. Another German sniper shot down 17 Oct 1916 In trenches as above. Artillery very active all day on both sides. At 5 pm intense hostile bombardment lasting 40 minutes casualties 4 killed 3 wounded. 18 Oct 1916 In trenches as above. Attack made by 70 Bde at 3.40 am. Rain nearly all night. Tanks unable to co-operate ground sodden. Dull whole day though enemy aircraft were active on our front 19 Oct 1916 - Trones Wood In trenches as above. Relieved at night by 2/Lincolns and moved back to TRONES WOOD where bn bivoacked. 20 Oct 1916 - Meaulte Marched to MEAULTE and billeted 21 Oct 1916 - Corbie Marched to CORBIE and billeted 22 Oct 1916 In billets. Cleaning of equioment, arms & clothing. 23 Oct 1916 - Huppy Entrained at 1 pm for LONGPRE. Arrived at 5.15 p.m. and marched to HUPPY about 15 miles. Reached HUPPY at 11.20 pm and billeted. Col.Lord Henry Scott [unreadable section due to overwriting] on leave. Maj.J.Robertson commanding battalion. 24 Oct 1916 Cleaning and drying of clothing & equipment and feet inspection. 25 Oct 1916 In billets. Battalion training and reorganising of bombers and Lewis Gunners. 26 Oct 1916 In billets. Battalion training and reorganising of bombers and Lewis Gunners. 27 Oct 1916 In billets. Battalion training and reorganising of bombers and Lewis Gunners. 28 Oct 1916 - Bethune Marched to PONT REMY and entrained 2.40 pm for BETHUNE. Arrived BETHUNE 10.40 pm and billeted. 29 Oct 1916 In billets. Coys training. 30 Oct 1916 In billets. Companies inspected in marching order by Commanding Officer - C & D Coy live bomb practice during afternoon. 31 Oct 1916 In billets. Companies at drill and training - C & D Coy on rifle range during afternoon. Field State 8th Bn Bedfordshire Regt. at October 31st 1916 Killed 2 Offrs 46 OR Wounded 1 Officer 65 OR Sick to Hospital 135 Sick from Hospital 58 Evacuated from Field Ambulances 54 Strength of A Coy 15 Officers 199 O.R. Strength of B Coy 5 Officers 191 O.R. Strength of C Coy 5 Officers 207 O.R. Strength of D Coy 5 Officers 183 O.R. Total 30 Officers 780 O.R.
  • Date free text
    1-31 Oct 1916
  • Production date
    From: 1916 To: 1916
  • Level of description
    item
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