X550/9/1/1802

War Diary for February 1918

1-16 Feb 1918

From: 1918 To: 1918

1 Feb 1918 - Lebucquerie Working party of 4 officers 150 O.R. working on intermediate line. 4 Spoils parties consisting of 1 off 40 OR working on dug-outs. 2 Feb 1918 Working party of 4 officers 150 O.R. working on intermediate line. 4 Spoils parties consisting of 1 off 40 OR working on dug-outs. 3 Feb 1918 Working parties as above. Remainder of Bn. at Divine Service in Cinema Hut. 2/Lt Maddison from HQ, 2/Lt Pratt & 10 O R joined from Div Wing. 2/Lt DOLMAN (since died of wounds) awarded BELGIAN CROIX-DE-GUERRE 20454 L.Sgt COOPER W ('A' Coy) awarded BELGIAN CROIX-DE-GUERRE. Commanding officer (Lt Col R le Huquet) reconnoitred all working parties. 4 Feb 1918 Commanding officer reconnoitred all working parties. Wire received to send 13 offs 300 O R to 4th Bedfordshire Regiment. Commanding officer & Adjutant visited BDE H.Q. & 6th Div HQ regarding the transfer of above men 5 Feb 1918 The spoils parties were relieved by 1st The Buffs at 8.0 PM Orders were received to send 13 officers & 300 O.R. to 4th Bedfordshire Regiment parading at 12.30 on 6th. Officers farewell dinner at night very enjoyable evening. 'A' Coy still in line & working on intermediate line. 1 officer 2/Lt EVERETT DCM & 36 O.R. joined from BDE Oioneer Coy. 7 Feb 1918 The draft having to join the 4th Bedford Regiment paraded at 12.30 P.M. and proceeded by route march to 6th Div HQ FREMICOURT where busses were waiting to take them to their new Bn. at ALBUERA CAMP BEAULENCOURT The Commanding officer gave the draft a speech on keeoing up the history of the regiment although they were going to a new Bn. and also thanked all ranks for the loyalty & devotion they had shown to him whilst in this Bn. The following officers left with the draft of 238 O.R. Capt Knight R.B. 2/Lt Webb E.C. 2/Lt Everett P.W. "D.C.M." 2/Lt Bradfield J.W. 2/Lt Hawkes A. "M.C." 2/Lt Gudgeon H.L. 2/Lt Cottrill W.H.T. 2/Lt Smith relieved 2/Lt Balls in the line 22 O.R, also relieved. 8 Feb 1918 The draft leaving to join 2nd Bedford Regiment paraded at 8.15 Am and proceeded by march route to 6th Div H Q FREMICOURT where busses were waiting to conduct them to their new battalion. Debussing point of this party was X roads L " central sheet 70 E. the Commanding Officer made a speech similar to one given to other draft. The following officers left with the draft of 86 OR Capt Pares "M.C" 2/Lt Whitbourn, 2/Lt Maddison. the draft leaving tp join 6th Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment paraded at 8.45Am & proceeded by march route to BAPAUME station to entrain for EBBELINGHEN. The Commanding Officer made a speech similar to one given to the other drafts. The following officers proceeded with the draft of 118 O R 2/Lt Williams 2/Lt Webb 'A' Coy were relieved in the intermediate line by 1st The Buffs and returned to billets here after doing 12 days in the line Lt Hendrie 2/Lt Balls & 6 O R proceeded to Third Army school of instruction. 9 Feb 1918 - Courcelles-le-Comte The draft of 8 officers & 170 O.R proceeding to join 7th Bn. Bedford Regt paraded at 8.30 AM & proceeded to BAPAUME for entrainment to 18th Div Railhead. The Commanding officer made a speech similar to the one given to the other drafts. the following officers proceeded with this draft. Capt McBride Lt Duplock 2/Lt Pratt (since died of wounds) 2/Lt Hughes 2/Lt Smith, 2/Lt Poulter. The details left paraded at 10.30 AM & proceeded by march route to COURCELLES-LE-COMTE by the following route - FREMICOURT - BAPAUME - BIHUCOURT - ACHIET-LE-GRAND - COURCELLES. Arrived in camp about 3 30PM & took over billets. Details are under orders of Officer Commanding IV Corp Surplus Reinforcements (Lt Col Finch DSO 13th Cheshires) 10 Feb 1918 Repairing of Huts and making trenches round camp. Sorting out correspondence to send to records & books to be sent back to 16th Brigade 11 Feb 1918 Usual fatigue party working on trenches round camp. Cross country run for all units in the afternoon distance about 2 1/2 miles Bedford details had 5 in the first six finishing. Sgt VIVIAN being first man home in 14 minutes 2/Lt OAKLEY & 10 O.R proceeded to 4th Bn. 12 Feb 1918 Usual fatigue party on trenches round camp All W.Os paraded under R.S.M. Armstrong. Football match in afternoon against 8th Loyal North Lancs in which details won by 2-0 13 Feb 1918 Very wet day no parades during the forenoon WOs had lectures on musketry by RSM. Football matches in afternoon were cancelled owing to rain. 14 Feb 1918 usual fatigue party on trenches round camp All Orderly Room documents ready for despatch to Base Records. Football match in afternoon 15 Feb 1918 Orders were issued that all the remaining details of the Bn. would be formed into an entrenching Bn. Rolls rendered to Orderly Room IV Corp Surplus Camp showing numbers actually posted to entrenching Bn. 16 Feb 1918 All details of the 8th Bedfordshire Regiment posted to 5th Entrenching Bn. with the exception of WOs & C.Q.M Sgts. All Orderly Room closed and the final disbandment of the 8th Bedfordshire Regiment carried out. The details which were posted to 5th Entrenching battalion form No 2 Coy with 9th Suffolk Regiment and 8th L North Lancs Regiment

English

item

Maddison,
Pratt,
Dolman, Leonard,
Cooper, W,
le Huquet, R.,
Everett, P.W.,
Knight, Richard Brodnax,
Webb, Ernest Charles,
Bradfield, J.W.,
Hawkes, A.,
Gudgeon, H.L.,
Cottrill, W.H.T.,
Smith,
Balls,
Pares,
Whitbourn, Walter,
Williams,
Hendrie,
McBride, Andrew Best,
Duplock, Marten Cave,
Pratt, Arthur,
Hughes, G H A,
Smith,
Poulter,
Finch,
Oakley,
Armstrong, C E

8th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, Bedfordshire Regiment, church services, cinemas, 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, 16th Infantry Brigade, 6th Division, Leicestershire Regiment, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, omnibuses, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, 1st Battalion Buffs, 3rd Army, 7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, 18th (Eastern) Division, Cheshire Regiment, cross country running, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, football, weather, archives, Entrenching Battalions, Suffolk Regiment, Lebucquerie, Fremicourt, Bealencourt, Bapaume, Ebblinghem, Bihucourt, Achiet-le-Grand, Courcelles-le-Comte, France, World War One, First World War, war diary