Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    X550/6/8/1708
  • Title
    War Diary for August 1917 1 Aug 1917 - Marine View Routine work in camp. Musketry practice with new short rifles by C & D coys. Working parties for 19.30-23.30 to 1/5th Suffolks 50, to FLINT 50, to CANARVON [sic] 100. Adj. went to site of new area near DEIR EL BELAH to see where new bivouack was to be. 2 Aug 1917 Routine work in camp. Working parties from 0700-1100 to 1/5 Suffolk R FLINT REDOUBT & A Batt 270th Bde RFA. At 1645 MIlitary Medals were distributed by G.O.C. 54th Division to Ptes BEESLEY, W.A., REEVES, H., PRATT, W. (award of Military Medal notified in the case of Sergt.CLIFFORD, E.G, Cpl. CHARGER, Pte.WORROW, D.A.J. all of whom were absent) for gallantry in connexion with 2nd raid on UMBRELLA HILL 3 Aug 1917 - Deir el Belah Notification received of award of Military Cross to Capt.H.S.ARMSTRONG, Capt.C.H.MISKIN & Capt.A.T.CUNNINGHAM for gallantry in connexion with 1st raid on UMBRELLA HILL. Routine work in camp. Musketry practice on range for details from each Coy. At 2210 the Battalion moved in small parties to a point on the Sea Shore near DEIR EL BELAH between the AERODROME & the Sea having been relieved by the 2/4th Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment 4 Aug 1917 Arrived at new area. Bivouac camp. AT 0500 received orders to move the camp from vicinity of AERODROME. 0900 Took up new bivouac area at a point 3000 yds EAST of sea shore vacated [?] 5 Aug 1917 Specialist training & routine. Voluntary service at 0800. 6 Aug 1917 Specialist training & routine work. 7 Aug 1917 - Wadi Reuben L.Gun firing into sand dune on S.W. of camp. Specialist training. 1700 Battalion moved by companies to relieve 12th SOMERSET L.I. in Wadi REUBEN. Companies marched by BELAH station PICADILLY CIRCUS to W.31.C.3.9 relief complete at 2303 8 Aug 1917 Commenced platoon training under new organisation. 9 Aug 1917 Training routine 10 Aug 1917 Training routine 11 Aug 1917 Lieut Col E.W.BRIGHTEN CMG assumed command of the 162 Inf.Bde. Capt & Adj.J.T.YARDE attached to 162 Inf Bde for instructional purposes. Capt C.R.JAMES MC assumed command of Batt. Training 12 Aug 1917 - Sheikh Abbas Voluntary Services as usual. 1300 orders received for Battalion to move to SHEIKH ABBAS. Batt moved at 1830 arriving SHEIKH ABBAS 2015. relief complete 2030. 13 Aug 1917 Dugouts constructed. Working party consisting of A B & C coys proceeded to dig in front line and communication trenches. Hours of work 2000-0200. 14 Aug 1917 D Coy found working party at 0600-0900 and again from 1500-1800. Capt F.B.HOBBS and 1 O.R. wounded by ahrapnel. Draft of 3 officers arrived from ENGLAND 15 Aug 1917 Working Parties found as usual. 157 Bde Alarem Orders received. 16 Aug 1917 Hours of work altered viz. 1st Party 0600-0900 and 2000-2300; 2nd Party 1400-1700 and 2300-0200 17-19 Aug 1917 Working parties found as on 16th hours of work same. 20 Aug 1917 Working parties as on 19th inst. Casualty list for week ending 17/8/17 sent to this unit by O i/c No3 Records Section the following particulars are given Sgt Cleaver 200497 200573 Pte Cook A.G. 201316 Pte Miles H.A. 201326 Pte Patterson W. 200696 Pte Smith F.D. previously reported missing now reported prisoners of war All these men took part in 1st raid on UMBRELLA HILL & were made prisoners on that occasion 21-22 Aug 1917 Digging as usual 23 Aug 1917 Wire recd from Brigade to effect that 162 Bde relieves 159 Bde on night of 26/27 1/5 Bedfords to relieve 4 Welsh then in reserve Digging as usual 24 Aug 1917 162 Bde operation order No.33 being the order for this to effect above relief recd. Digging as usual 25 Aug 1917 Digging as usual 26 Aug 1917 - Wart Hill Moved without relief at 1830 via EL BURGELYE to Bivouac Area of 4 Welsh. Situate under second "e" in El Sire. Move complete 2100 22.30 On this night No.200728 Pte Kirby was killed while sleeping in a dugout which had been under cut by a fall of earth. The digging performed by Battn Btn 13th-25th inclusive was on front line & communication trenches at SHEIKH ABBAS, during this period the Battn acted as a pioneer Battn for the 157 Bde & the work was carried out under the direction of 412 Field Coy LDRE 27 Aug 1917 All dug out inspected No.200728 Pte.Kirby, S. was buried in Essex Cemetery at 1830 by Capt the Rev.Marriot C.F. [now transferred to Gaza War Cemetery] Working parties in Braintree Rd & WARLEY RD. 28 Aug 1917 0700 C.O. and O.C. Companies made a tour of front line trenches and communication trenches in vicinity of BLAZED HILL and LEES HILL. 2Lt.C.F.BUCK left to report to War Office London. 2Lt E.P.Randle reported for duty from Imperial School of Instruction ZELTOUN. 20 O.Rs reported as Reinforcements from hospital. Working Parties on BRAINTREE RD and WARLEY RD. 29 Aug 1917 Digging as for 28th Aug. 30 Aug 1917 Working Parties as before now finding about 300 men for various work daily. Our Artillery made demonstration on El Arish Redoubt, R.F.C. planes working in conjunction between 2100 & 2200 31 Aug 1917 Working Parties as before. Appendix A Average Daily Sick 35 Average Daily admissions to Hospital 4 Strength at beginning of month 16 officers 707 O.Ranks Strength at end of month 27 officers 855 O.Ranks
  • Date free text
    1-31 Aug 1917
  • Production date
    From: 1917 To: 1917
  • Level of description
    item
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