Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue

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Reference
X550/2/5/1605
Title
War Diary for May 1916 1 May 1916 - Trenches near Arras In trenches as before, J2 Subsector. trenches 90-101. Two false gas alarms during day. Very quiet really. Weather hot 2 May 1916 - Arras and support trenches Trenches as above very quiet. Relieved by 1 Cheshire Regt. Bn into support. 'B' Coy in ARRAS. 'C' coy St NICHOLAS. 'D' Britannia Works. 'A' in NICHOLL & BOSKY Redoubts 3-4 May 1916 As above. Enemy reported to be ready to spring mines on our front. 5 May 1916 - Trenches near Arras As above. Relieved 1st Cheshire Regt in trenches 93-101. 'B' Coy 93.94.95 (nearly all said to be dangerous from mines) "D" Coy 96.97.98 (nearly as bad) "A" Coy 99.100.101 (about the same) "C" Coy less 6 sections in B.C.D. Works in BRITANNIA Works. Relief complete 9.10 p.m. 6 May 1916 As above quiet day. 7 May 1916 Ad above. At 3 p.m. enemy started a heavy bombardment of our front line, keeping it up intermittently heavy to fairly heavy, from 4.30 to 5.30 it became intense and ceased at 6 p.m. Our artillery retaliated with 4.5, 60 pdrs & 8", as well as Fd. guns. It was thought that enemy were retaliating on our mine heads in return for 2 shoots on their mineheads & the camouflets we blew. Probably all these had done his mines harm. (New Zealand Engineers Tunnelling Coy. has been working this sector for the last month or two) Enemy continued shelling intermittently our support line and communication trenches during the night. Total casualties during 3 hours heavy bombardment was 8, all very slightly wounded & 7 by one shrapnel. All ranks very steady and cheery. Congratulatory messages from Brigadier & C.O. sent round Battn. 8-9 May 1916 Trenches as above. Enemy artillery still somewhat active 10 May 1916 A retaliation shoot was arranged for to day, but on account of weather conditions had to be postponed. Scheme filed. Enemy rather active during day with Trench Mortars 11 May 1916 - Arras and support areas Trenches as before. Relieved by 1st Cheshire Regt. relief complete 9.30 p.m. H.Q. & 'C' Coy to ARRAS. 'B' & 'D' coys permanent garrison (5 platoons) of Redoubts, remainder & 'A' Coy at Candle factory Brigade Reserve. Total Casualties this tour; - 4 killed. 16 wounded. 12 May 1916 In Brigade Reserve as above. Artillery shoot arranged for 10th took place today, not much retaliation from the Huns. 13 May 1916 As above 14 May 1916 As above except that "C" & "D" Coys changed places 15-16 May 1916 As above. 17 May 1916 - Trenches near Arras To J1 Subsector relieving 16th Rl.Warwickshire Regt. relief complete about 9 p.m. 18 May 1918 Trenches as above. Lieut. R.C.GREEN shot examining our mine at 3 a.m. and died before arrival at Fd. Ambulance. 19 May 1916 Trenches. Quiet 20 May 1916 Trenches. Quiet 21 May 1916 Trenches. Quiet. Enemy made attack on VIMY ridge about 4 sectors to our left, using Lachrymatory shells, the effect of which were felt in our line, especially close to R.SCARPE 22 May 1916 Trenches as above 23 May 1916 - Agnez-les-Duisans Relieved by 16th R.W.R. completed about 10.30 p.m. Battalion to Divisional Reserve Rest Billets in AGNES-les-DUISANS [sic]. 24 May 1916 Billets 25 May 1916 Billets 26 May 1916 Billets. Battn team beat 124th Battn. R.F.A. in 5th Division Football Tournament by 4 goals to 3. Battn. transport took first place in the 15th Bde. preliminary Horse Show, entitling it to compete in the 5th Divn. Horse Show 27 May 1916 Billets. Battn. sports 28 May 1916 Billets. Church Parade 29 May 1916 - Trenches near Arras Trenches J1 Subsector. Relieving 16th R.War.R. 12 m.n. 1st Norfolk Regt on left. 1st E.Surrey R on right over R.SCARPE. 30-31 May 1916 Trenches as above. Quiet on our Front.
Date free text
1-31 May 1916
Production date
From: 1916 To: 1916
Level of description
item