X550/2/5/1703

War Diary for March 1917

1-31 Mar 1917

From: 1917 To: 1917

1 Mar 1917 - Beuvry BEUVRY. Battalion carried on with training excellent weather. 2 Mar 1917 BEUVRY. Battalion carried on with training excellent weather. 3 Mar 1917 BEUVRY. Battalion carried on with training excellent weather. All officers reconnoitred CAMBRIN SECTOR. 4 Mar 1917 6th Bn. Bedfordshire Regt. billeted in BETHUNE 5 Mar 1917 - Front Line Cambrin Relieved 9th Bn. K.O.Y.L.I. Relief passed off quietly. Trenches in very bad condition. See O.O. No.59 dated Mar 3. 6 Mar 1917 In Trenches. Bosche Snipers & T.M.s very active. 7 Mar 1917 Inter coy relief 8 Mar 1917 In trenches 9 Mar 1917 - Village Line Relieved by 16/R.War.R. & withdrew to Village line see O.O. No.60 dated 8th. 10-12 Mar 1917 In Village line supplied working parties for front line 13 Mar 1917 Relieved 16/R.War.R. in Right Sub sector CAMBRIN Sector see O.O. 61 dated 12.3.17. 14-15 Mar 1917 Nothing to report Trenches very bad owing to Frost & Rain. 16 Mar 1917 Trenches about 8 p.m. the Enemy attempted to raid our trenches. See attached report & XI Corps wire [not attached] 17 Mar 1917 - Annequin Bn. withdrew into reserve billets at ANNEQUIN. See O.O. 62 dated 16.3.17 18 Mar 1917 Opportunity was taken to re-equip the men as far as possible 19 Mar 1917 - Orphanage, Bethune Relieved by 2/8 Manchester Regt 199 Bde, 66th Division & withdrew to Billets in ORPHANANGE BETHUNE see O.O. 63 dated 18.3.17 20 Mar 1917 Day spent in cleaning up 21 Mar 1917 Platoon training commenced under new organisation 22nd Mar 1917 Bn ordered to be ready to move at 6 hours notice to support the 66th Division in CAMBRIN, CUINCHY, GIVENCHY & FERME du BOIS sectors in case of hostile attack. One officer per coy reconnoitred line. Platoon training carried on 23 Mar 1917 Platoon training 24 Mar 1917 Platoon training. Inspection by B.G.C. 25 Mar 1917 - Allouagne Moved to ALLOUAGNE via ANNEZIN, LA BOURRIERE [sic], LAPUGNOY. Very bad training grounds & poor billets for men 26 Mar 1917 Platoon training wet morning 27 Mar 1917 Platoon training in woods E. of ALLOUAGNE 28 Mar 1917 Platoon training in woods E. of ALLOUAGNE 29 Mar 1917 Platoon training in woods E. of ALLOUAGNE Billets and Training Grounds very much improved 30 Mar 1917 Coys bathed at AUCHEL & were inspected by Cmdg Officer 31 Mar 1917 1st days Coy training

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1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, weather, 6th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, weaponry, Germans, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, XI Corps, Manchester Regiment, 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division, 199th Infantry Brigade, la Couture Ferme du Bois, baths, Beuvry, Cambrin, Bethune, Annequin, Bethune Orphanage, Cuinchy, Givenchy-les-la-Bassee, Allouagne, Annezin, Lapugnoy, Labeuvriere, Auchel, World War One, First World War, war diary