Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    X550/6/8/1804
  • Title
    War Diary for April 1918 1 Apr 1918 - East of Mejdel Yaba Usual patrols and snipers at M.20.a 2 Apr 1918 Usual patrols and snipers at M.20.a. Slight shelling of Wadi in rear of Battn H.Q. Orders issued for relief of A Coy (in the line) by C Coy. B Coy to come into reserve. Patrol to SNIPERS RIDGE (blank) Our Artillery and M.G. and LG fire opened at 0400. 3 Apr 1918 Snipers sent out as usual. Enemy aircraft active all day 4 Apr 1918 Two Patrols left our lines at 1930 and went in direction of M.20.c they opened fire at M.20.a. Very little enemy fire was drawn. After our Artillery Bombardment of M.20.a. Patrol pushed on to ascertain casualties they reached enemy sangars but no dead were found. 6 officers joined unit from Base. 5 Apr 1918 Quiet day usual routine patrols and snipers as usual. 6 Apr 1918 1615-1700 Enemy shelled whole of this sector with 5.9 no casualties or damage. 7 Apr 1918 3 officers joined from Base. 8 Apr 1918 0600 Vicinity of MEJDEL YABA shelled. Casualties 2 Killed 19 Wounded (7 remained with unit]. Burial service at 1400. Orders issued for attack on SNIPER'S RIDGE [attached] 9 Apr 1918 75th Division started to advance on our right in accordance with Corps Order. Day quiet except for 75th Divisional front. 10 Apr 1918 0405 Enemy opened heavy bombardment along ridge occupied by HQ no casualties. Usual patrols and snipers sent out. 11 Apr 1918 0505 Normal except when enemy put down heavy barrage of small calibred shell (shrapnel) on a line 600x in rear of our front line. Patrol of 1 off and 7 OR's preceeded Coy snipers to SNIPERS RIDGE where snipers were left in position. Our Left Post was taken over by 1/10th London REgt., while we took over the Left Post of 2/4th Devon Regt., on our Right 12 Apr 1918 Brigade Operation Order No.57 and Battn Operation Order No.22 cancelled. Headquarters moved to new position. 13 Apr 1918 Very quiet day. Snipers sent out as usual. 14 Apr 1918 0425 Normal except when enemy put down a shrapnel and H.E. barrage over same area previously shelled. casualties - 1 Killed; 1 wounded. 15 Apr 1918 Usual reciprocal artillery fire. Usual patrols & snipers 16 Apr 1918 - Wilhelma, Mazeirah and Orange Post 0830 Brigade Relief Order No.60 received. Battn Operation Order 34 issued APPENDIX C 1300 Advance Party left & proceeded to new area 2100 Battn relieved in the line by 1/6th Essex Regt., and proceeded via Rantieh to new area at Wilhelma, which was reached at about 2330 17 Apr 1918 Position of Coys: - 'A' Coy at Mezeirah; "B" Coy at Orange Post, "C" "D" and H.Q.Coys at P.33.c. 18 Apr 1918 0930 Commanding Officers Conference at Brigade Hqrs. 19 Apr 1918 No parades. Interior economy throughout Battn. 20 Apr 1918 0900 Instruction personnel left for Divisional School of Instruction at ROUGE FARM, YEHUDIYEH 21 Apr 1918 0900 Battn. Church Parade (less 'A' & 'B' Coys) 22 Apr 1918 Battn. fumigated and disinfected throughout day. Draining programme and Classes commenced. 23 Apr 1918 Orders issued for 1/11th London Regt. to relieve "A" and "B Coys. tomorrow 24 Apr 1918 "A" & "B" Coys relieved by 1/11th LOndon Regt., less a working party left by "A" Coy. 'B' and 'D' Coys proceeded to O.35.a; 'A' Coy occupied area vacated by 'D' Coy. 25 Apr 1918 Route March and usual Instructional Classes 26 Apr 1918 Usual training and Classes, and working parties 27 Apr 1918 Hostile aircraft active all during day. Usual parades and Route March; and working parties. 28 Apr 1918 Voluntary Church Services. Working parties as usual. 29 Apr 1918 Parade and Working Parties as usual. 30 Apr 1918 0220 Hostile shelling of plain in vicinity of Railhead. Enemy aircraft active during morning. Route March, Classes and Working parties as usual. 1/5th BEDFORDSHIRE REGIMENT Order No.21 8th.APRIL 18. 1. To cause the enemy loss and try to learn on what points he is likely to fire with Artillery if attacked, a feint attack will be carried out on the evening of 8th. inst. 2. At dusk "B" Coy, will push forward five strong patrols, in directions as pointed out to O.C., "B" Coy. (the front covered by patrols is the whole length of SNIPERS RIDGE) until contact is gained with the enemy of the bottom of WADI RABAH is reached. No patrol will go beyond the bottom of the WADI RABAH. 3. At 1850 these patrols will open fire whether contact has been gained or not. At first onl ya few shots will be fired, but the volume of fire will gradually increase, 2 or 3 Lewis Guns joining in and bombs being thrown in addition, to simulate the repelling of an attack. This fire attack should be fully developed by 1900, at which hour 6 Red Very Lights will be fired at half minute intervals by one of the most advanced patrols. At 1910 fire will die away and patrols return to our lines. 4. During and after the demonstration particular attention will be paid to the action of the enemy on SNIPERS RIDGE. 5. 2 or 3 minutes after the firing of the 6 Red Very Lights, Field and Heavy Artillery will open fire on the enemy. 6. Watches will be synchronised at 1700. 7. ACKNOWLEDGE 1/5th Bedfordshire Regiment Order No.23 Ref.Map. 1/49,999 16th.April, 1918 1. The operation of 21st. Corps are indefinately postponed. 1/5th Bedfordshire Regiment Order No.22, and the various instructions issued are therefore cancelled. they will be destroyed by fire and a certificate to that effect rendered to this office by 0900, 17th inst. 2. The 162nd Inf. Bde. (less 1/4th Northants Regt.) will be relieved by the 161st Inf. Bde on the night 16/17th. April in the Right Section E. of MEJDEL YABA - KH KEFR HATTA road. the 1/4th. Northants Regt. will come under the orders of B.G.C. 161st Inf. Bde. 3. The 1/5th Bedford Regt. will be relieved by 1/6th Essex Regt. and after relief will take over the 1/6th Essex Regt. bivouac area in P.33.c. "A" Coy. will relieve one Company 1/6th. Essex Regt. as escort to the H.A. at MEZEIRAH. "B" Coy. will relieve one Company 1/6th Essex Regt. at ORANGE POST. "C", "D" & H.Q. Coys will take over bivouac area in P.33.c. 4. Drinking Water and Horse water will be drawn at P.23.d. 5. L.G.S. Wagons as detailed in 162nd. Inf. Bde. Memo.R.M./A/111/8 will be returned to their units on 16th. inst. 24 hours rations will be taken in addition to the unexpended portion of the days rations. 6. Coys will, on completion of relief, move direct to their new position. Completion of relief will be wired "priority" to this H.Q. 7. Instructions concerning rations will be issued later. 8. Sick will be evacuated to the 1/2nd E.A.Field Ambulance, at WILHELMA. 9. Brigade H.Q. will close at KH.DIKERIN on completion of the relief and will open at the Hotel, WILHELMA (R.8.b.2.6.) at 2200. Battalion H.Q. will close at present position on completion of relief and open at P.33.c. at 2300. 10. ACKNOWLEDGE APRIL 1918 Appendix "D" Other Ranks Killed 3. Wounded. 21 includes 9 remaining at duty. Sick Admitted 97. Drafts. Nil. rejoined from Hospital. 25.
  • Date free text
    1-30 Apr 1918
  • Production date
    From: 1918 To: 1918
  • Level of description
    item
Hierarchy browser