X550/9/1/1710

WAR DIARY FOR OCTOBER 1917 1 Oct 1917 - trenches SE of Cite Edouard, Lens In trenches S.E. of CITE EDOUARD before LENS - Day quiet - Enemy machine guns & trench mortars active at night. At 3.0 am 3 escaped German prisoners from DIEPPE were re-captured in our support line whilst attempting to rejoin the Huns. Casualties [nil?] 2 Oct 1917 In trenches as above. During [day] hostile 5.9 howitzers active on our front, also H.T.M. Night quieter probably due to a little rain falling. 3 Oct 1917 In trenches as above. At intervals during day & night H.T.M. activity on our front also occasional Artillery activity on reserves. 4 Oct 1917 In trenches as above. Day quiet with the exception of harassing fire on reserves. At 7.0pm intense fire opened on right principally H.T.M developing on our front. Front Line was obliterated but no raid or attack developed. Bombardment ceased at 9.30p.m. Casualties 3 killed, 24 wounded & shocked. 5 Oct 1917 - Cite St.Pierre In trenches as above. Day quiet. Bn. relieved by 1st The Buffs, relief complete at 2 a.m. 6.10.17. Took over Brigade Support at CITE ST. PIERRE 6 Oct 1917 BRIGADE SUPPORT AT CITE ST. PIERRE. Working Parties found at night. 7 Oct 1917 BRIGADE SUPPORT AT CITE ST. PIERRE. Working Parties found at night. 8 Oct 1917 In Brigade Support at CITE ST PIERRE. Shelling during morning principally on C Coy area. Casualties 1 O.R killed. C Coy. 9 Oct 1917 - right sub-section Cite St.Emile In Brigade Support at CITE ST. PIERRE. Very heavy hostile shelling near Bn H.Qrs. in morning - Casualties - 1 O.R killed - B Coy. EVENING Bn. relieved 1/K.S.L.I. in the right sub-section at at [sic] 8 p.m. at CITE ST. EMILE. 10 Oct 1917 In trenches at CITE ST. EMILE - Day very quiet. Night quiet with the exception of harrasing [sic] fire on back areas. 11 Oct 1917 In trenches as above. Day & night particularly quiet - usual harrasing [sic] fire on back areas. 12 Oct 1917 In trenches as above - Enemy machine guns active at night. Practically no aerial activity owing to weather conditions. 13 Oct 1917 - Cite St.Pierre In trenches as above. Quiet during day. Bn. relieved by 1st The Buffs early in evening. Moved back to Brigade Reserve in CITE St. PIERRE. 14 Oct 1917 In Brigade Reserve at CITE ST PIERRE. Working parties at night. 15 Oct 1917 In Brigade Reserve at CITE ST PIERRE. Working parties at night. 16 Oct 1917 In Brigade Reserve at CITE ST PIERRE. Working parties at night. 17 Oct 1917 - Houchin Brigade relieved by 71st I.B. Batt. relieved by 1st Leicestershire Regt. - moved back into Divisional Reserve at HOUCHIN. Lorries provided to convey Bn to HOUCHIN. Rendezvous GRENAY CHURCH. 18 Oct 1917 In billets and in Divisional Reserve at HOUCHIN. 19 Oct 1917 - Laires Brigade moved & batt moved to LAIRES. Lorries provided. Arrived in new billets at 5 pm 20 Oct 1917 In billets at LAIRES refitting and cleaning up. Football in the afternoon 21 Oct 1917 In billets at LAIRES. Church parade taken by Rev C.F. PLATT CF. 22 Oct 1917 In billets at LAIRES. Platoon and Coy training 23 Oct 1917 In billets at LAIRES. Platoon and Coy training PT & B.F Instruction attached. 24 Oct 1917 In billets at LAIRES. Platoon and Coy training PT & B.F Instruction attached. 25 Oct 1917 In billets at LAIRES. Battn. training PT & B.F Instruction attached. 26 Oct 1917 In billets at LAIRES. Battn. training 27 Oct 1917 In billets at LAIRES. Battn. training 28 Oct 1917 In billets at LAIRES preparatory to move 29 Oct 1917 - St-Michel-sur-Ternoise and Roellecourt Division moved. Battn moved by route march to ST.MICHAEL-SUR-TURNOISE [sic] and ROELLECOURT distance of 17 miles. Arrived in new billets at 1 pm. Weather fair. 30 Oct 1917 - Souich Division moved. Battn moved by route march to SOUICH and BREVILLERS a distance of 15 miles, halted just S. of ETREE-WAMIN [sic] for dinners at 12 noon. Arrived in new billets at 3. pm. Weather very wet after noon. Starting point X road ROELLECOURT. 31 Oct 1917 - le Souich Brilliant weather. In billets at SOUICH. Rest and cleaning up. Billets good. 8th (S) Bn. Bedfordshire Regt Field State 31st Oct. 1917 Killed 6 O.R. Wounded 16 O.R. To Hospital 63 From Hospital 52 A Company Strength 22 Officers 189 Other Ranks B Company Strength 8 Officers 206 Other Ranks C Company Strength 8 Officers 216 Other Ranks D Company Strength 7 Officers 208 Other Ranks Total 45 Officers 819 Other Ranks

1-31 Oct 1917

From: 1917 To: 1917

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8th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, prisoners of war, Germans, land weaponry, deaths, 1st Battalion Buffs, 16th Infantry Brigade, 1st Battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry, weather, 71st Infantry Brigade, 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, lorries, clergy names index, Lens, Cite St-Edouard, Dieppe, Cite-St-Pierre, Cite St-Emile [Loos], Houchin, Grenay, Laires, Saint-Michel-sur-Ternoise, Roellecourt, le Souich, Brevillers, Estree-Wamin