Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue

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Reference
X550/2/5/1706
Title
War Diary for June 1917 1 Jun 1917 - Camp south of Roclincourt Bttn in camp as above. Parades & Working party as above. Considerable hostile aerial activity over Camp during early hours of the morning. In the afternoon Bttn held a mounted Gymkhana. Draft of 58 O.R. joined XIII Corps Training Dept at FLORINGHAM [sic]. 2 Jun 1917 - Concentration Camp near Willerval Battn moved to concentration camp at A.24.d. Bttn as strong as possible worked on strong point (WILLERVAL NORTH) in the RED LINE at B.4.a. with the exception of B Coy, from 10 P.M to 2 A.M. B Coy left camp at 2 A.M for RED LINE to take over day shift. Draft of 50 O.R joined XIII Corps Training Dept. 3 Jun 1917 Bttn in camp as above. Found same working party as above. King's Birthday. Bttn paraded at 12.30 P.M. with 1st NORFOLKS & presented Arms. Hostile aircraft active at night, several bombs being dropped near transport at ECURIE. 2 men wounded by shell fire, on working party. 4 Jun 1917 Bttn in camp as above. Working Party as above. Hostile aircraft dropped bombs near transport at ECURIE. 5 Jun 1917 Bttn in camp as above. Working Party as above, B & D Coys exchanged work. Draft of 34 O.R joined Bttn from the Base. 6-7 Jun 1917 Bttn in camp as above. Working Party as above. 8 Jun 1917 As above. Our artillery had two shoots during night on Enemy trenches. 9 Jun 1917 - Camblain-Chatelain Moved to CAMBLAIN CHATELAINE by Motor busses (see O.O. No.82 dated June 8th) good billets. C.O. second in command & Adjt rode round Billets & training grounds in evening. 10 Jun 1917 Swimming parade before breakfast. Church Parade at 11.15 a.m. capt H.A.W.Pearse, 2/Lt D.Sisley Lt A.N.W.Powell joined Bn 11 Jun 1917 In Billets as above inclement weather interfered with training. Bn assembled in Church Army Hut lectures by Major le Huquet on 'TRENCH ORDERS' by C.O. on 'Wood-fighting' also lectures by Subaltern officers. Competition in Bugle calls, turn-out saluting, march songs etc. 'D' Coy obtained most points the 'B', C, A Coys. BN Sports in afternoon. Highest numbers of points were obtained in following order: - A, D, B & C Coys. 12 Jun 1917 Bn training in Morning Bois des MOTTES (FRANCE 36b) Wood fighting. Dinners on ground Brigade sports in afternoon. Draft of 7 O.R. joined from Base depot 13 Jun 1917 All Coys did rapid firing on range. Bayonet fighting, Rifle grenade practice etc. Bde Horse Show in afternoon. Battn were 1st in G.S.Waggon turn-out 2nd in Wrestling 3rd in Officer Jumping Lt.Col P.R.Worrall M.C. 3rd in Transport turn-out 14 Jun 1917 Musketry on range for each coy 1 1/2 hours. Rifle meeting (15 Inf Bde) in afternoon, every platoon entered a team of 1 commander & 10 O.Rs firing party 15 rounds rapid time minute. Received orders to move to ROCLINCOURT area Bde in Divisional Reserve. 15 Jun 1917 - camp near Roclincourt Bn moved in Motor Busses to Camp A.28.a (ROCLINCOURT Map) arrived 10.30 a.m. See O.O.83 16 Jun 1917 - Front Line near Oppy In Camp as above, received warning order that Battalion would move up to Front Line at night. At 7 p.m. moved up & relieved 1st Bn R.W.Kents in Front Line near OPPY. See O.O.84. 17 Jun 1917 In Front line as above, 2 men Killed & 4 wounded by shell fire 18 Jun 1917 In Front Line as above, situation quiet took over addl Trench see O.O.85 19 Jun 1917 In Front Line as above, 2/Lt R.W.Hunter & 4 other Ranks wounded, 2/Lt H.W.Fleming joined for duty, 1 Company relieved by a Coy of FAN See O.O.86 20 Jun 1917 - Camp near Roclincourt In Front Line as above, 1 man Killed, 1 Wounded. At night were relieved by a Battalion of 13th Bde (14/R.Warwick Regt) & withdrew to Camp at A.28.a.6/8 See O.O.87 21 Jun 1917 In Camp as above, day devoted to resting and cleaning up 22 Jun 1917 In camp as above, Battalion Training carried on, very inclement weather. 23 Jun 1917 In cam pas above, Battalion Training for future operations carried on, 20 Other Ranks, Artists Rifles, Candidates for Commissions, attached to Battalion for three weeks, to gain experience 24 Jun 1917 In Camp as above, Battalion Training as usual. 105 other ranks joined from XIII Corps Draft Training Depot 25 Jun 1917 In Camp as above, Battalion Training as usual. 10 O.R.s joined from Base Depot. 100 Officers & O.R.s attended Lantern Lecture, subject, Aeroplane Photographs, Commdg. Officer attended conference at Bde H.Q. Received Operation Order for move. 26 Jun 1917 In cam pas above, Training carried on as usual, received orders to move up to Front Line next day. See OO88 27 Jun 1917 - Front Line near Oppy In camp as above. No Training, preparations for move at night being made. At night moved up & relieved 14/R.Warwick Regt, see OO88, while bombs were being issued prior to move, an accident occurred, casualties 16 O.R.s wounded. 2.30 pm Lt E.F.Hanssen in charge of Battalion Lewis Gun Teams proceeded to Trenches & arranged for guides to guide Coys up at night 28 Jun 1917 - Oppy Wood Bn in assembly trenches, see attached map & O.O. No.88/1 [not attached] The Bn attacked the German system at Zero 7.10 pm & gained all its objectives see attached DIARY [not attached] The night was spent in consolidating the new ground. Rations, water & S.A.A. & RE material were sent up to Front Line See C.O's report attached [not attached] 29 Jun 1917 'B' Coy sideslipped to the left & the line in OPPY Wood was taken over by 1/Norfolk Regt see O.O.No.90 30 Jun 1917 Orders received to take over posts L, N & Q from the 12/Glouc.R. see O.O.91 6.30 p.m. Orders received from Bde that Bn would be relieved by 2/KOSBs O.O.92. Owing to late arrival of relieving unit 2 Coys were unable to be relieved that night. Casualties during action were 2/Lt.A.S.TROTTER, 2/Lt C.O.Whitfield wounded 2/Lt Hope dislocated Knee a/C.S.M. Summerfield Killed 8 ORs Killed 13 O.R.s missing 95 O.R.s Wounded
Date free text
1-30 Jun 1917
Production date
From: 1917 To: 1917
Level of description
item