Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    X550/6/8/1610
  • Title
    War Diary for October 1916 1 Oct 1916 - el Shatt 0730 Church parade. 1215 2/Lt H.F.JOLOWICZ and 23 O.R's returned from Prisoners of War Camp, 4 O.Rs proceeded with Prisoners to CAIRO. 2 Oct 1916 Usual Routine 3 Oct 1916 Party of 9 officers & 295 OR's returned from SIDI BISHR FRESH AIR CAMP. 4 Oct 1916 Party of 3 officers 289 O.R's 4 RAMC proceeded to FRESH AIR CAMP. 5 Oct 1916 Parades & fatigues & duties as usual. Orders received to provide guard of 200 for PRISONERS OF WAR CAMP EL SHATT. Detailed N Coy (Det 1/4 Northants) complete with officers 34 OR's A Coy 34 O.R's B Coy 33 O.R's C Coy. officers Lt NEW; 2nd Lieut MESS. 6 Oct 1916 Parades & digging parties as usual. 7 Oct 1916 0645 PRISONERS OF WAR CAMP guard left at 0645 1000 G.O.C. 54th Division inspected LEWIS GUNS on Pack Saddles. 1630 1 officer & 50 OR's left for PRISONERS OF WAR CAMP. 17 OR's returned from 162 Bde Bombing Course. 8 Oct 1916 0730 Church Parade. 18 OR's proceeded to KUBRI for 162 Bde Bombing Course. 5 O.R's rejoined from Hospital. 9 Oct 1916 1000 Conference on Training at Bde H.Q. attended by C.O. & Adjutant. 1500 Conference at B. SUBSECTION HQ attended by C.O. Amendment to orders for BIR MABEUIK relief column received. Notification of arrival of PRISONERS for PRISONERS Camp. 10 Oct 1916 1000 100 O.R's & 2 officers detailed to march PRISONERS to Camp. Capt.E.T.MAIER sent to PRISONERS CAMP to command Escort. 11 Oct 1916 1730 300 OR's & 2 officers returned from FRESH AIR CAMP. 1600 Temp alteration to BIR MABEUIK RELIEF COLUMN issued. 12 Oct 1916 Orders for practice attack on RAILHEAD (EL SHATT) received. 1300 Orders for concentration issued 0630 Party of 2 officers and 140 OR's left for FRESH AIR CAMP SIDI BISHR. 13 Oct 1916 1530 Battalion formed as two Companies proceeded to hill 309 to take part in a tactical attack at dawn on RAILHEAD POST. LT COL BRIGHTEN in command of Column attacking. 1800 Arrived at hill 309. 1900 Orders for attack issued SECRET RAILHEAD COLUMN ORDER No. 1 13th October 1916. Ref. Map. SUEZ Sheet 009 1/40,000 1. GEBEL MURR has been captured by us. MABEUIK and BIR MURR are also in our hands. AYUN MUSA and 198 are being heavily engaged by us. the enemy hold RAILHEAD, 153, and EL SHATT. RAILHEAD has been heavily bombarded by us from GEBEL MURR since its capture this morning. 2. The Column will attack and storm RAILHEAD at dawn. Batt. R.F.A. 3. The O.C., R.F.A. will select a position in the vicinity of hill 309 or the Sand Dunes N.W. of that hill, and will bombard RAILHEAD at dwan, viz from 0530 - 0600. he is to pay particular attention to defence works on a front of 100 yards left in square H 28 a with a view to making a breach for the assaulting troops. At 0600 he will switch to the hostile redoubt at the crossing of the Road and WADI in square H 32 c. Capt. James 1/5th Bedf R. Comdg. No.1 Battalion 1 Coy No.2 Batt. No. 1 Battalion with 1 Coy No. 2 Battalion in support will move secretly to cover in the WADI just N. of the figure H 28. To be in position at 0515. 1 Coy No.2 Batt. One Coy No. 2 Battalion will move secretly to the neighbourhood of the figure H 27. To be in position also by 0515. No.2 Batt. (less 2 Coys) No. 2 Batt. will be in Column Reserve and will move to such cover as can be found in the neighbourhood of square H 35 a. Sectioon I.F.A. The Section I.F.A. will establish an advanced dressing station near H 36 C. 4. At 0601 the assault will be delivered and driven right home. the Company of No.2 Battalion operating from the S.W. will cooperate as occasion offers. 5. Reports in the first instance to hill 309. * All Transport not required by Units in the attack will be Brigaded under 2nd Lieut C.V.DOUGLAS 1/5th Bedf.R. & will move into the Sand Dunes N.W. of Hill 309 14 Oct 1916 0601 Assalt on RAILHEAD POST. 0715 Men breakfasted at RAILHEAD & marched back to Camp at 0800. 1000 Men arrived in Camp. 1600 Special Service Company having embarked on S.S. GEORGIAN in the morning sailed for unknown destination. 15 Oct 1916 0730 Church parade. 16 Oct 1916 Usual parades & routine. Musketry practice on the Range. 1 officer 50 OR's proceeded to SIDI BISHR escort to Prisoners of War. 2000 BIR MABEUIK Relief Column Order No 2 issued 17 Oct 1916 0715 Battalion Route March 18 Oct 1916 Usual parades etc. 20 Oct 1916 Usual parades etc. 1030[unreadable as overwritten] Party of 2 officers & 136 O.R's returned from SIDI BISHR. 21 Oct 1916 From 1200-0615 Battalion took part in practice attack of EL SHATT. 1300 Special Service Coy returned. 2000 Fatigue Party 1 off 50 O.Rs constructed platform for C in C's visit. 1 officer & 30 O.R's paraded, training for guard of honour to C in C. 22 Oct 1916 2 officers 8 O.R's returned from ZEITOUN. 2 offciers 100 OR's escorted Prisoners of War to CAIRO 23 Oct 1916 0630 RELIEF COLUMN for BIR MABEUIK ordered out at 0630 for practice 0805 1/5 BEDF DEtachment marched out of Camp. 0845 Detachment dismissed 0800 Camp struck & remarked[?]. Repitched at 1300. 1615 2 officers 100 OR's returned from escort duty 24 Oct 1916 0715 Batt. Route March Orders received for C in C's inspection 0800 Inspection of Camp by G.O.C. 'B' Subsec. 25 Oct 1916 Batt on Defence Work. Line generally straightened up. 26 Oct 1916 0900 G.O.C. 'B' Subsection inspected Batt in alarm posts prior to C in C's inspection 1330 Batt in position of Alarm Posts for C in C's inspection 1400 Batt dismissed temporarily 1530 Batt in position again. C in C inspected No4 Redoubt. 1610 Batt dismissed 27 Oct 1916 Parades & Routine as usual 28 Oct 1916 Whole holiday granted by C in C. 29 Oct 1916 0730 Church Parade 30 Oct 1916 0800 54 Div Band left for D Subsection. Whole holiday granted by C in C. 31 Oct 1916 0715 Route March. Hostile aeroplane flew over TEWFIK and dropped 4 bombs
  • Date free text
    1-31 Oct 1916
  • Production date
    From: 1916 To: 1916
  • Level of description
    item
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