X550/2/5/1602

War Diary for February 1916

1-29 Feb 1916

From: 1916 To: 1916

1 Feb 1916 - Sailly-Laurette Bn in billets in SAILLY-LAURETTE. Lt.Col.B.R.ROCHE received orders to proceed to England for duty. Maj. (Temp.Lt.Col.) C.C.ONSLOW having been ordered from 2nd Bn. takes over command. 2 Feb 1916 Billets as above. Bn. fitting clothing & refitting. Capt.F.H.EDWARDS ordered to proceed to 3rd Army School at FLIXECOURT as an instructor (temporary) 3 Feb 1916 Billets as above. Fitting clothing Ec. 4 Feb 1916 Billets as above. Coys. training 5 Feb 1916 Billets as above. Coys. training 6 Feb 1916 - Corbie Bn. marched to billets in CORBIE (8 1/2 miles E of AMIENS) arriving about 12.30 p.m. 7 Feb 1916 - Argoeuves Bn. marched to billets in ARGOEUVES (4m N.W. of AMIENS) (15-16 miles) arriving about 3.30 p.m. Very poor & dirty billets. 2nd Lts. THOMAS, POSTLETHWAITE & SANDERS & 3 N.C.Os proceeded to divisional school at MONTIGNY as students. 8 Feb 1916 Billets as above. 9 Feb 1916 Billets as above. Coys training. 10 Feb 1916 Billets as above. Coys training 11 Feb 1916 - Camps-en-Amienois Bn. marched to Billets in CAMPS en AMIENOIS (14 miles). Very wet, dirty & cold. (15 M W of AMIENS) 12 Feb 1916 Cleaning up billets & men. Billets as above 13 Feb 1916 Sunday. Billets as above. Capt.NOTTIDGE to 3rd Army School of instruction. 14 Feb 1916 Billets as above. Coys. training. 1 Officer & 5 N.C.O's of 16th Rl.Warwickshire returned to their own unit yesterday. 2nd Lt.SHERRY & 3 men proceeded to snipers school for instruction in Telescopic Sights. Capt.N.W.LAWDER joined the Bn. on posting. Lieut.H.P.C.BURTON took over command of "C" Coy. temporarily from Capt.W.R.NOTTIDGE. 15 Feb 1916 Billets as above. Coys. training. Weather bad. 16 Feb 1916 Billets as above. Bn. route march. Heavy gale with rain. Bn returned after going about 1 mile to billets. 17 Feb 1916 Billets as above. Coys training. New classes of instruction of Bombing & L.G. teams commenced. C.O. inspected last 2 reinforcing drafts. Inter platoon football league commenced. 18 Feb 1916 Billets as above. Very wet. Brigade Route March ordered for today, cancelled after Battn. had gone about 1 mile. 19 Feb 1916 Billets as above. Coys, bombers & L.G. detachments training 20 Feb 1916 Billets as above. Voluntary Divine Service 21 Feb 1916 Billets as before. Coys. training. Snow in evening 22 Feb 1916 Billets as before. First round Boxing Tournament. Bn Route March. Snow showers. Roads bad. 23 Feb 1916 Billets as before. Snowy & cold. Coys. training. Received information about 9 p.m. that 5th Div. is to move Northwards tomorrow to join 6th Corps, which is taking over portion of line at present held by French. 24 Feb 1916 - la Chaussee-Tirancourt Billets as above. Snow during night. Received orders about 9 a.m. to march at 11 a.m. to LA CHAUSSEE across R.SOMME about 1 m from PICQUIGNY. About 11 miles. Roads slippery but fine day. Poor billets 25 Feb 1916 - Candas Marched to CANDAS 5 m S.W. of DOULLENS. About 15 miles. Roads very slippery & some steep gradients, blizzard of snow all day, arrived about 4 p.m. transport very late. Billets bad & short. 26 Feb 1916 Remained in CANDAS, fatigues clearing snow & improving roads in neighbourhood. Snow & thaw. 27 Feb 1916 Billets as above. Snow & frost 28 Feb 1916 Billets as before 29 Feb 1916 March to billets in DOULLENS.

English

item

Roche, B.R.,
Onslow, Cranley Charlton,
Edwards, F.H.,
Thomas,
Portland, William Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, 4th Duke of,
Sanders, Vincent Stanton,
Nottidge, W.R.,
Sherry, Gerald,
Lawder, Noel Wilfred,
Burton, Henry Patrick Claude

1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, 3rd Army, clothing, 5th Division, weather, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, weaponry, football, church services, boxing, French, VI Corps, Somme (River), Sailly-Laurette, Flixecourt, Corbie, Argoeuves, Montigny-sur-l'Hallue, Camps-en-Amienois, la Chaussee-Tirancourt, Picquigny, Candas, Doullens, World War One, First World War, war diary