X550/9/1/1703

WAR DIARY FOR MARCH 1917 1 Mar 1917 - Mazingarbe Marched to MAZINGARBE, via NEOUX-LES-MINES[sic] and billeted 2 Mar 1917 - Maroc Moved into support at MAROC near LOOS and relieved 8/East Lancashire Regt. 3 Mar 1917 - Loos-en-Gohelle and Travers Keep and St.James' Keep, Maroc B, C, & D Coys & Bn. H.Q. relieved 9/North Staffordshire Rgt in LOOS DEFENCES. A Coy remaining MAROC with a platoon in each of TRAVERS and ST.JAMES'S KEEPS. 4 Mar 1917 As above. Working parties at night, repair of keeps by day. 5 Mar 1917 As above. Working parties at night, repair of keeps by day. Casualties 2 O.R. Killed 2 OR wounded. 6 Mar 1917 As above. Working parties at night, repair of keeps by day. 7 Mar 1917 As above. Working parties at night, repair of keeps by day. 8 Mar 1917 Relieved 1/The Buffs in left subsector of LOOS SECTION. Enemy activity normal during night. A. B & D Coy in front line, C Coy in Support. 9 Mar 1916 In trenches as above. Enemy heavy trench mortars & aerial darts active. Casualties 2 O.R. killed - 3 O.R. wounded. 10 Mar 1916 In trenches as above. Enemy trench mortars aggressive doing much damage to our front trenches. Casualties 4 O.R. wounded. 11 Mar 1916 In trenches as above. Combined shoot by our heavy & field artillery on locality enemy has active from. 12 Mar 1916 In trenches as above. Heavy mortars & aerial darts again aggressive, night quiet. Relief suspected. Casualties 1 O.R. wounded. 13 Mar 1917 In trenches as above. Heavy mortars very active about noon. Machine guns active at night. 14 Mar 1917 - les Brebis and Maroc In trenches as above. Relieved at night by 1/the Buffs and move back to billets at LES BREBIS, one Coy (C) at MAROC. 15 Mar 1917 Cleaning of kit, equipt,& arms, followed by inspection to enable unserviceable articles to be replaced. 16 Mar 1917 In billets. Inspection by Bde Armourer Sgt of all arms. Coys. training in close order drill and rifle exercises. 17 Mar 1917 In billets. Coy practicing by platoon new formation for attack laid down in S.S.144 18 Mar 1917 In billets. Battalion Church service in Church Army Hut. 19 Mar 1917 In billets. Coys practicing attack (S.S.144) using Lewis Gun fire and dummy rifle grenades Battalion Concert in evening. 20 Mar 1917 - Loos-en-Gohelle left subsection Relieved 1/The Buffs in left subsection LOOS at night. A, B and D front line, C Coy in support. 21 Mar 1917 In trenches - Enemy activity normal - snipers active. Heavy mortars less frequent. Casualties 1 O.R. killed (C.S.M.Smith) 22 Mar 1917 In trenches. Enemy activity normal. Casualties 3 O.R. wounded. 23 Mar 1917 In trenches. Enemy active with aerial darts. Our Heavies & field guns had an hours shoot at enemy lines. 24 Mar 1917 In trenches. Casualties 1 O.R. killed, 1 O.R. wounded. Enemy quiet except for trench mortars & few light field gun shells. 25 Mar 1917 In trenches. Enemy activity normal. Machine guns active at night. Aerial darts by day. Casualties 2 O.R. killed 3 wounded. 26 Mar 1917 - Loos-en-Gohelle support trenches, St.James' and Travers Keeps In trenches. Enemy activity normal. His trench mortar active during afternoon. Relieved at night by 1/The Buffs and moved back to Bde. Support in LOOS DEFENCES, 1 Coy in ST JAMES'S & TRAVERS KEEPS. 27 Mar 1917 In support. 300 men working on defences - 75 men on Bde. work 28 Mar 1917 In support. 300 men working on defences - 75 men on Bde. work 29 Mar 1917 In support. 300 men working on defences - 75 men on Bde. work 30 Mar 1917 In support. 300 men working on defences - 75 men on Bde. work. Casualties 2 O.R. wounded. 31 Mar 1917 In support. 300 men working on defences - 75 men on Bde. work 8th Bedfordshire Regt. Field State March 1917 Killed 10 Wounded 20 Sick to Hospital 107 mainly due to outbreak of measles Sick from Hospital 49 Evacuated from F.A. 70 Strength of A Coy 13 Officers 239 Other Ranks Strength of B Coy 8 Officers 248 Other Ranks Strength of C Coy 6 Officers 240 Other Ranks Strength of D Coy 6 Officers 251 Other Ranks Total 33 Officers 978 Other Ranks

1-31 Mar 1917

From: 1917 To: 1917

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8th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, 8th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment, 9th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment, 1st Battalion Buffs, land weaponry, 16th Infantry Brigade, church services, Church Army, maps, deaths, Noeux-les-Mines, Mazingarbe, Maroc, Loos-en-Gohelle, Travers Keep [Loos], St.James Keep [Loos], les Brebis