Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    X550/2/5/1501
  • Title
    War Diary for January 1915 1-3 Jan 1915 - Bailleul Remained in billets at BAILLEUL in Divisional Reserve: Battn. exercised in Short Route Marches, drills etc. 4 Jan 1915 - Dranouter Brigade relieves 14th. Bde. in trenches. Battn in support at DRANOUTRE. Capt Moyse joined the Battn for duty. 5-6 Jan 1916 Battn. remained in support, supplying fatigues etc. for front line. 7 Jan 1915 - Wulvergem Took over section of trenches from 1st Bn. Dorset Regt. trenches in very bad state; full of water, sides fallen in. 8 Jan 1915 Quiet except for sniping. Casualties 6 killed, 2 wounded. We shot 1 or 2 of enemy's snipers. Enemy shelled our trenches & neighbourhood without causing damage. 9 Jan 1915 Enemy brought up quick-firer (probably motor-gun) within a few hundred yards of our trenches & fired obliquely on them. Casualties 7 men wounded. Owing to convex ground, unable to bring effective rifle fire on gun. We shot 2 of enemy at close range who were moving along parapet of their communication trench: probably their trench was full of water. Our trenches & Germans' only about 30 yards apart in places. Men keep busy each night in endeavouring to bale water out of trenches, & revet landslips in trenches caused by constant rain & unstable soil. 10 Jan 1915 - Dranouter Continual work carried out draining & revetting trenches etc but without very much apparent result. Casualties 2 killed 2 wounded. Battn. relieved by Dorsets at about 6 pm. & returned to support in billets near Dranoutre. 11-12 Jan 1915 In support. Men employed in making fascines, hurdles etc. for revetting firing line. 13 Jan 1915 - Wulvergem Returned to Wolverghem trenches & took over from Dorset Regt. 1 man wounded whilst taking over. 14 Jan 1915 Quiet day. Enemy shelled right of trenches (where they were unoccupied owing to water in them) without doing damage. 5 casualties from rifle fire. Three hand grenades thrown into enemy's trenches. 15 Jan 1915 Enemy shelled our left trenches in the afternoon. Capt Orlebar killed by shrapnel. Casualties 1 officer & 4 men killed, 11 wounded. 16 Jan 1915 Quiet day: relieved in the [sic] by the K.O.S.B. (13th Bde.) - 1 Casualty. 17-23 Jan 1915 - Bailleul Battn in Divisional Reserve, in same billets as on previous occasion, 2nd Lts Kuch & Kellie joined on probation. 2nd Lt.Aston joined from 4th Battn. Battn. exercised daily in routemarching etc. 24-25 Jan 1915 - Dranouter Battn. moved to Dranoutre, in Bde reserve. 26 Jan 1915 Battn. received orders about 10.45 pm. to move before dawn following morning to support firing line in case of attack by enemy on occasion of Kaiser's birthday. 27 Jan 1915 - near Lindenhoek Crossroads Battn. left Dranoutre at 4.30 am & moved as follows. 'A' Company to support 1/Cheshire Regt. 'B' Company to support Dorset Regt. in the trenches. Hd Qrs & C & D Companies to farm houses near LINDENHOEK cross roads in general support. Draft of 60 N.C.O & men joined the Battalion 28 Jan 1915 - Wulvergem Battn. moved to WOLVERGHEM in the afternoon & took over section of trenches from 1st Dorset Regt. 1 Company Dorsets remained in reserve, under orders of O.C. Bedfords. 29 Jan 1915 Considerable work needed in improving trenches, etc. 1 man killed, 1 wounded whilst constructing communicating trench at night. 1 wounded on patrol, but 2 Germans killed by the other men who accompanied him. Casualties - three. 30 Jan 1915 Quiet day as regards artillery fire on the whole, but one of our front trenches was shelled considerably, fortunately without any serious damage to occupants. Casualties - 2 31 Jan 1915 Quiet day. A little shelling & sniping. casualties - 2
  • Date free text
    1-31 Jan 1915
  • Production date
    From: 1915 To: 1915
  • Level of description
    item
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