Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue

Select

Reference
X550/6/8/1710
Title
War Diary for October 1917 1 Oct 1917 - Hereford Ridge, Hill 100 Yards 2Lt Pinchin took out a patrol of four men and did a ground reconnaissance of the ground between HEREFORD RIDGE and UMBRELLA HILL on a 400 yd front. 2 Lieut K.M.Watt went out from right company with three men to select sniping posts for day use but the patrol has failed to return. 2 Lt R.E.Otter took out a patrol of fourteen OR's for the purpose of gaining any information possible about 2Lieut Watts and his patrol and also to reconnoitre the ORCHARD and ground up to P.33.c.5.7. no traces of patrol were found. 2 Oct 1917 1000 One prisoner came down from Right Company H.Q. he had been captured by two of our snipers who had been pushed out into the orchard, prisoner was one of two who had been picking gaps just outside the enemy trenches. Large patrol of two officers and 26 men + 2 Lewis Guns went out at dusk approx 1800. Three casualties occurred & some brisk encounters with Turks who, it is estimated lost about 12 from our rifle & lewis gun fire.. 3 Oct 1917 The day passed without incident 1735 Patrols of 3 officers, 3 lewis guns & 46 O.Rs left our line near the SUBKET POST & returned about 0300. 4 Oct 1917 Heavy enemy firing was encountered & Lieut ECB WODEHOUSE was fatally wounded & 60 ORs were hit, more or less seriously. It is thought that some loss was inflicted on the enemy as they were prevented from coming to close quarters by our rifle & lewis gun fire. The day passed without incident, a few shells being fired at our lines without doing any damage. 1800 3 patrols of 3 officers & 6 O.Rs in one case & 9 O.Rs & a lewis gun in the other left our line at SUBKET POST. The first patrol's object was to advance into FISHER'S Wood & draw the TURKS to follow them back on to a line held by the second patrol. The Third was to lie up & try to ambush patrols of TURKS who might come along. The first patrol under the command of 2nd Lieut.DENNIS found the TURKS & succeeded in drawing them towards the 2nd patrol commanded by 2nd Lieut GURNEY. Here the TURKS discovered the trap & withdrew, followed by a heavy fire from our Lewis gun & rifles. The right, or 3rd patrol, commanded by 2 Lieut MANDER did not encounter any enemy. the three patrols were all in by 0450. 5 Oct 1917 The day passed without incident. 1800 Patrols commanded by 2nd Lieuts DENNIS, PHILLIPS & SOWDEN went out with the same objectives as the previous night. 2nd Lieut DENNIS patrol had to withdraw under a heavy fire & on arrival back at the trench he & Sergt CLIFFORD were found to be missing. The other two patrols did a lot of shooting at bodies of TURKS, but it is not known with what result. All patrols were in by 0400 without further casualties. 6 Oct 1917 A.C.D coys relieved in Merioneth Redoubt and front line of HEREFORD RIDGE SECTION, between 0900 and 1100. Strong Patrol consisting of three officers, 3 Warrant Officers, 3 Lewis Guns and 46 men left SUBKET POST at about 1800 for the purpose of locating position of enemy in FISHER'S ORCHARD, engaging them and then withdrawing sending back a code word to Brigade via Coy and Battalion H.Q. on receipt of this zero hour was fixed by Brigade and on zero hour 4.2" howitzers and Stokes guns opened up on Echelon Trench followed 10 minutes later by 18pr and machine gun barrage, this lasted for another 10 minutes, shortl yafter this the patrol pushed out again but met with such strong opposition just outside our wire that Capt F.B.Hobbs who was commanding patrol, thought it advisable to withdraw to our own lines and to call on the Artillery and Stokes Guns to put an other [sic] barrage down closer to our own trenches thus inflicting many casualties on the enemy. Our casualties were one killed six wounded. 7 Oct 1917 - Belah North 0900 Commanding Officer inspected the area in which the four companies were laying at Marine View. 1830 Companies moved to BELAH NORTH AREA at Hill 100 via Crossing 35 and KINGSWAY. HQ moved via CAITO ROAD, RED HOUSE, ST.JAMES' PARK. Batt reported IN at 2117 8 Oct 1917 Reorganization of companies, Bathing Parade, Commanding Officer's address to all ranks at 1100. Lecture by Commanding Officer to officers and N.C.O's 9 Oct 1917 Bayonet Fighting 0545, Company Parade 0800, Battn Drill 1000. A Coy firing on Sheikh Shebassi Range during the afternoon. Night operations under Coy commanders 1715. Private EDGAR ELSE and Private WILLIAM BUNYAN awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in the field dated night 3/4th. 10 Oct 1917 Batt training, practice for the attack 11 Oct 1917 Batt training, practice for the attack 12 Oct 1917 Route March and practice attack using Klaxon horn etc. 1700 G.O.C. 54th Division presented M.M. to Private EDGAR ELSE. 13 Oct 1917 Attack Practice over prepared position. Lieut W.A.Shaw rejoined from El Arish Snipers Course. 14 Oct 1917 Church Parade. Lecture by Lt Col E.W.Brighten CMG on consolidation and messages. 2 Lieut GEOGHEGAN Gloucester Regiment joined for duty 15 Oct 1917 0800 Attack practice over prepared position, Major JAMES rejoined from Senior Officers Course Cairo 16 Oct 1917 Companies at the disposal of Company Commanders "Consolidation" 17 Oct 1917 Brigade attack practice over prepared position 18 Oct 1917 Companies at the disposal of Company Commanders "Consolidation". Lieut Brahl A.S.C. attached to this unit left to report to G.O.C. Alexandria District for transport to France for attachment to Chinese Labour Corps at Noyeles [sic] 19 Oct 1917 Brigade Attack practice over prepared position. Commanding Officer and 2nd in command went on Naval drifter for purpose of making a reconnaissance of Sheikh Hassan and approaches to it 20 Oct 1917 Brigade attack practice over prepared position starting at 0325 from bivouaces Attack started 0500. Contact aeroplane worked with the Battalion and took one message, quite satisfactory 21 Oct 1917 Brigade Church Parade Service at 0830. Brigade Commanders pow wow at 1700. C.O. Conference to Company Commanders 22 Oct 1917 Companies at the disposal of Company Commanders. Lieut.R.H.SMITH rejoined this unit from I.C.C. Abbassia 23 Oct 1917 Companies at disposal of Company Commanders 24 Oct 1917 Battalion Practice Attack. Batt moved off from Batt parade ground 0325 returned to camp at 0800. Box Respirators and Steel Helmets issued. 25 Oct 1917 0800 Companies worked on Gas Training with Box Respirators and fitting of Kit etc. 1500 Demonstration to XXI Corps by 1/4 Northampton Regt and one regiment of 52nd Division on Scaling Cactus Hedges G.O.C. XXI Corps came to the decision that it was better to use a spade instead of scaling ladders as the place or hole once cut through the cactus hedge is permanent and on the other hand scaling ladders easily break and are by no means permanent. 26 Oct 1917 Company training instruction in the use of the Small Box Respirator which was issued to the Battalion on the 24 Oct 1917. Field General Court Martial assembled there [sic] HQ for the purpose of tyring No 200456 Private Arthur Horace HOLDERNESS of this unit. 27 Oct 1917 0325 Battalion Parade ready to move off for practice attack over prepared position rteunred to camp at 0800. Machine Gun Section working with Battalion also D Coy 1/4 Northampton REgt. Trenches filled in and sandbags emptied and brought back to this bivouac 28 Oct 1917 Sunday Voluntary Services only. Battalion Sports. Tank Officers visited unit in order that final arrangements might be made for forthcoming operations. Much rain and hail between 2050 - 2400 29 Oct 1917 Rain. Battalion Parade for Divisional Practice work with contact aeroplane. Each Company was represented by 1 Platoon Ground Flares were taken and lit when called for by plane. Signal Section paraded at full strength, and sent one message to plane. Brigade Order No 40 received at 0800. Battalion Order No 7 issued at 1700 re move to Butts Camp on night of 30/31st Oct. APPENDIX A attached 30 Oct 1917 - Butts Camp Companies at disposal of company commanders. Bathing Parades. Batt moved to Butts Camp leaving Hill 100 yds at 1830 arriving at Butts Camp at 2020. Orders received re Special Shell. Strong bombardment all day. 31 Oct 1917 This bivouac area is situated at O.34.B Central. Brigade Order No.41 received at 0830. Batt Order No.8 re "Scheme M" issued at 2100. Companies at disposal of Company Commanders for whole day, Bathing, Gas Drill, Bombs, Very Light etc, issued to companies. Heavy bombardment on and off all day by our artillery APPENDIX A 1/5th Bedfordshire Regiment Order No.7 Ref Map D2 1. 1/5th Bedford Regt will move into new area about O.34.B Central on night Oct 30/31st 2. Coys will detail a forward party of 1 N.C.O. and 3 men to report to Q.M. at 1400 on the 30th Oct 3. Batt will parade on the Bn. Parade Ground ready to move at 1830. Dress Full Marching Order. 4. The second blanket will be rolled in bundles of ten and dumped together with officer's mess stores, officers' kits and Orderly Room boxes outside the Q.M. Stores in Company dumps at 1430 5. Rations for consumption on 31st Oct will be drawn from the new Refilling Point (O.36.a) on the evening of the 3oth by the QM 6. On and after 30th Oct drinking water will be drawn from SHEIKH AJLIN. On and after 30th Oct Animals (except camels) will be watered at MARINE VIEW 7. 5 Seater Latrine Seats will be kept in its present position. the Large Latrine Buckets and Genophones which were drawn with the 5 Seater Latrine Seat will be taken to the new dump at O.34.d. Tents will be taken to 54th Div.Details under arrangements to be made by Q.M. 8. Batt H.Q. will close at present position at 1830 and open at new area on arrival 9. ACKNOWLEDGE APPENDIX C Strength of Unit on 1st of Month 23 Officers 839 ORanks Strength of Unit on 31st of month 24 officers 858 ORanks Admissions to Hospital during month 1 offier 113 ORanks
Date free text
1-31 Oct 1917
Production date
From: 1917 To: 1917
Level of description
item