Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    X550/2/5/1608
  • Title
    War Diary for August 1916 1 Aug 1916 - Pommiers Redoubt near Mametz Remained on POMMIERS REDOUBT all day. Enemy shelled at intervals. 3 O.R. wounded. 2 Aug 1916 - Dernancourt Marched to Bivouacs 1 mile N.W. at DERNANCOURT (7 miles) arriving 2 p.m. 3 Aug 1916 Remained as above 4 Aug 1916 - Quesnoy-sur-Airaines Marched to MERICOURT (3 miles) thence by train to HANGEST-sur-SOMME, thence marched to Bivouacs at LE QUESNOY 5 Aug 1916 - Tailly Marched to Billets at TAILLY. Battalion Billeted in Chateau & Village of TAILLY. Fairly good Billets & good training Field in neighbourhood 6 Aug 1916 Training proceeded with. Church Parade 7-11 Aug 1916 Training proceeded with. Boxing & Football Tournament 12 Aug 1916 Training proceeded with. Regimental Sports. 13-17 Aug 1916 As above. (Officers & OR who were with Bttn in action granted 48 hours Leave to Sea Coast during period Battalion at TAILLY) 18 Aug 1916 As above. Divisional Route March (about 8m) 19-22 Aug 1916 As above 23 Aug 1916 As above. Transport left by Road en route for DERNANCOURT 24 Aug 1916 - Longpr-les-Corps-Saints Bttn marched to LONGPRE (7 miles) arriving 4 p.m. 25 Aug 1916 - Sandpit near Maulte Entrained 1.30 A.M. arr. MERICOURT 5.30 A.M. marched to Bivouacs N.E. of BUIRE 11 a.m. marched to SANDPIT S.E. of MEAULTE. Tents & Bivouacs 26 Aug 1916 - Bronfay Farm Marched to Bivouacs 500 yds N. of BRONFAY FARM 27 Aug 1916 In Bivouacs as above C.O. & Officers inspected Trenches &c. S. of GUILLEMONT 28-30 Aug 1916 As above. Heavy Rain & Storms during whole of this period Following Officers joined Bttn for duty during month 2nd Lt. E.A.Hague 14.8.16 2nd Lt. P.A.Gibbons 14.8.16 Lieut. H.F.Graves 15.8.16 2nd Lieut H.C.Covell 15.8.16 2nd Lieut V.S.Sanders 16.8.16 2nd Lieut. J.H.Banyard 18.8.16 2nd Lieut. D.A.Lardner 18.8.16 2nd Lieut H.J.Everett 18.8.16 2nd Lieut A.J.Howard 27.8.16 2nd Lieut. P.G.Smith 27.8.16 31 Aug 1916 - Silesia Trenches Divisional reserve at BILLON FARM all the Morning. Corps Commander XV Corps, Gen. Horne, presented medals for gallantry in the field at LONGUEVAL. D.C.M. No 8939 A/C.S.M. J.Afford Military Medal No 17568 L/C B.Pettingell No 9349 Pte. J.King At 8 pm the Battalion relieved 12th Gloucestershire Regt in SILESIA TRENCHES. Hostile gas and tear shells caused much inconvenience. Capt. & Adjutant H.Williams was evacuated sick today and Major N.W.Lawder took over A/Adjt temporarily OPERATION ORDER NO.8 1/BEDFORDSHIRE RGT 2nd August 1916 Ref Sheet MONTAUBAN ALBERT &c 1. The Battalion will move to Bivouacs in D.18. E.B today via MEAULTE 2. Battn will march by the equivalent of platoons at 50 yds interval leading platoon to pass junction of Road & railway in F.4.c.5/8 at 2.15 pm. Order of Coys D.C.B.A. H.Q. leading platoon to march off at 1.30 p.m. 3. Lieut. TOPLEY, one O.R. per coy & one O.R. for H.Q. will meet the Staff Captain at the Church in DERNANCOURT at 2.30 p.m. 4. O.C. Coys will take steps to ensure the Camp being left clean & free of Rubbish before leaving OPERATION ORDER NO.9 1/BEDFORDSHIRE RGT. 4th AUGUST REF SHEET ALBERT 1/40,000 I. The Battalion will entrain at MERICOURT today. II. Order of March H.Q. B. C. D. Head of Column to leave CAMp at 5.50 A.M. III. O.C. A.Coy. will detail an Officer to meet Capt. RUTHERFORD at MERICOURT Station at 6.30 a.m. to assist entraining. IV. Officers Kits will be ready by 5 A.M. & handcarts will be ready loaded for marching off by 5.30 A.M. V. O.C. Coys will ensure the Camp being left in a tidy condition, free of rubbish. VI. The Battalion will detrain at HANGEST & bivouac at LE QUESNOY OPERATION ORDER NO.10 1/BEDFORDSHIRE Rgt 6th August I. The Battalion will move to TAILLY this afternoon (4 miles) 2. The Battalion will march in order HQ.C.D.A.B. Transport in rear. Head of leading Coy. to leave Camping Ground at 2.30 p.m. 3. Billeting Party has already proceeded under separate orders. 4. O.C. Coys will ensure that the Camping Ground is left tidy & free of soil & rubbish. 5. Kits etc. will be ready for loading by 1.30 p.m. OPERATION ORDER NO 11 1/BEDFORDSHIRE Rgt. 22nd August 1916 1. The Brigade Transport will move into the XV Corps Reserve Area as follows: - (a) Transport & Animals (less Cookers, Water Carts & Mess Cart). To be east of a North & South Line through le QUESNOY Church at 9.15 a.m. under Transport Officer. (b) Cookers, Watercarts, Mess Cart & Bicycles under Quartermaster to be East of Le QUESNOY by 6 p.m. The destination of both (a) & (b) will be area AILLY St.SAVEUR [sic] - ARGOUEVES. 2. Billeting Representatives will meet D.A.Q.M.G. 5th Division at Church, AILLY at 11 a.m. 23rd inst. 3. The march of all Transport &c. will be resumed on 24th inst. Destination DERNANCOURT. 4. Officers' Kits will be stacked ready for loading by 7.0 a.m. tomorrow 23rd inst. at Q.M. Stores 5. Battalion will move by train on 24th under separate orders. 6. All Kit, stores, animals & vehicles are to go with Transport except (1) 6 Lewis Gun handcarts. (2) 1 Wheeled Stretcher Lewis Gun handcarts are to carry nothing extra except packs of L.G. Team OPERATION ORDER NO.12 1/BEDFORDSHIRE RGT. 24th August 1916 1. Battalion will move to the Camping ground N.W. of DERNANCOURT by train today. 2. Battalion will parade in order H.Q. D.C.B.A. Head of column to pass cross roads 1/2 mile N. of Chateau gates at 1.40 p.m. 3. Entraining station LONGPRE, approximate distance 7 1/2 miles. Detraining station MERICOURT. Train from LONGPRE 5 p.m. 4. Lt.TOPLEY will meet the Staff Captain on LONGPR station at 4 p.m. to arrange accommodation. 5. Sergt. Atkinson & C.Q.M.S. Halsey will proceed by a train leaving LONGPRE at 3 p.m. & will act as billeting representatives. They will arrange guides from the Transport to meet the train the Battalion travels by. Ref. ALBERT combined sheet OPERATION ORDER NO.13 1/BEDFORDSHIRE RGT 25th August 1916 1. Battalion will march to SANDPIT S.E. of MEAULTE today. 2. Battalio nwill parade in order H.Q.C.D.A.B. Head of column to leave Camp at 2.55 p.m. 3. "B" Echelon first Line Transport will accompany the Battalion "A" Echelon will march under O.C. no.4.Coy Divisional to MEAULTE 4. Billeting party consisting of Lt.HOWARD & Sergt.ATKINSON will report to Staff Captain at SANDPIT E.18.d. at 3.30 p.m. Bicycles will be available. T.O. will also send one representative independently to same place at same time. 5. O.C. Coys before marching off will ensure that the Camp is clean & free of rubbish OPERATION ORDER NO.14 1/BEDFORDSHIRE RGT Ref. ALBERT Combined Sheet 26th August 1916 1. Battalion will relieve 16th Bn. Cheshire Rgt today near BILLON FARM 2. Bttn. will parade in order H.Q. B.A.D.C. Head of Column to leave Sandpit at 9 a.m. 3. B Echelon Transport will follow the Bttn. A Echelon will be brigaded & march under orders of Senior T.O. to a destination that will be notified later. 1/Bedfordshire Regt. Operation Order No. 18 31-8-16 1. The Battalion will relieve the 12th Gloucester Regt in SILESIA Trenches this evening 2. The Battn. will parade ready to march off at 7 pm in "Close Column of Coys facing the tents" 3. All officers Kits to be ready stacked outside O Room tent by 6.30 PM 4. All shelters to be left standing 5. Cookers, small mess cart will accompany the Battn. Water Carts to remain behind. 6. All officers and N.C.O.s detailed to remain behind will proceed to the Transport this evening 7. 1 officer & 1 O.R. per company will parade at 5.30 PM to proceed as an advance party to SILESIA Trenches. They will meet the Battn. on arrival and guide their companies to their appointed places 8. O.C. Coys will have "gas sentries" posted as usual when in trenches 9. O.C. Coys to report personally to the Adjutant "that their Lines are clean etc." at 7 PM on parade
  • Date free text
    1-31 Aug 1916
  • Production date
    From: 1916 To: 1916
  • Level of description
    item
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