X550/3/WD/1605

War Diary for May 1916 1 May 1916 - trenches near Maricourt A quiet day. At 9 p.m. Enemy opened up heavy bombardment in A/2 Subsector. 9.5 p.m. the "S.O.S" sent up at CARNOY. Casualties NIL. 2 May 1916 A quiet day. Lieut.W.WHITE rejoined from hospital. 2nd Lieutenant W.E. BOULTON joined from Cadet School and posted to "B" Company. Casualties Nil. 3 May 1916 A quiet day. Lieutenant W.WHITE took over command of "C" Company from 2nd Lieutenant A.M.B. GAZE. Casualties NIL. 4 May 1916 The night 3/4th was exceptionally quiet. At 9.15 a.m. one of our aeroplanes attacked and brought down an enemy aeroplane, which fell in the enemies lines behind Y.2. Our plane dived almost to the ground in doing so, but managed to get back to our own lines although flying at only 300 feet above the German trenches. Casualties Nil. 1 O.R. accidentally wounded at 4th Army School. 5 May 1915 - Etinehem At 1.55 a.m. Enemy opened a heavy bombardment on our Right in the direction of FRISE and KNOWLES POINT. Battalion stood to. The bombardment increased in intensity at 2.15 a.m. Nothing happened the front of Z.2 subsector and things quietened down at 3 a.m. Battalion stood down at 3.5 a.m. The rest of the day very quiet. At 3.55 p.m. a shock of a mine explosion was felt at Battalion Headquarters. The battalion relieved by the 20th Kings Liverpool Regiment and marched into Billets in ETINEHEM arriving at 3.45 a.m. on the 6th May. Casualties Nil. 6 May 1916 Lieutenant R.B.GIBSON rejoined from hospital and took over command of "B" Company from 2nd Lieutenant L.H.WALKER. Sick Wastage 3 Other Ranks. 7 May 1916 Church Parade. 8 May 1916 Companies engaged in Training. 9 May 1916 Companies at Training. 10 May 1916 Companies training. 2nd Lieutenant G.A.ANSTEE proceeded on leave. 2nd Lieutenant B.NEWTON seconded to 89/2 Trench Mortar Battery 11 May 1916 - front line trenches near Maricourt Companies at Training. In the afternoon Battalion held "AQUATIC SPORTS". Battalion relieved 20th Bn.Kings Liverpool Regiment in Z.2. Relief complete 11 p.m. A quiet night. Lieutenant J.W.HURRELL rejoined from leave and resumed duties of Adjutant. Casualties Nil. 12 May 1916 1 a.m. Enemy opened up a very heavy bombardment on Y.1 on our right. This bombardment slackened about 2 a.m. Quiet by 2.45 a.m. Enemy raided Y.2. Casualties Nil. Draft of 30 O.R. joined from Base. Sick Wastage 3 O.R. Casualties Nil. 13 May 1916 Enemy artillery active on front line and village during the evening with H.E. and shrapnel. Casualties 1 O.R. Killed. 2 O.R. wounded. 14 May 1916 Quiet day. Lt.Colonel H.S.POYNTZ proceeds on leave. major J.W.H.T. DOUGLAS takes over command of the battn. Casualties 1 O.R. Killed. 7 O.R. Wounded. 15 May 1916 A quiet day. Captain WYNNE returns from Hospital. 2nd Lieutenants HOBBS, OAKLEY and OLDFIELD proceed on Leave. Casualties Nil. 16 May 1916 A quiet day. Casualties Nil. 17 May 1916 - Maricourt Defences A quiet day. Enemy snipers active. Casualties Nil. 18 May 1916 A quiet day. 2nd Lieut. L.H.WALKER proceeds to Grenade School. Captain H.A.W.PEARCE joins from ENGLAND. Casualties Nil. 19 May 1916 A quiet day. Captain R.O.WYNNE and 2nd Lieutenant BOULTON proceed on leave. Casualties Nil. 20 May 1916 A quiet day. Casualties Nil. Sick Wastage 2 O.R. 21 May 1916 Our heavy guns bombarded German trenches from 2.15 p.m. to 6 p.m. Practically no retaliation. Capt.E.S.M.POYNTZ rejoins from 4th Army School. casualties Nil. 22 May 1916 2nd Lieutenant PLUMMER, F.E., joined from ENGLAND. Casualties Nil. 23 May 1916 - front line trenches near Maricourt Relieved by 19th Bn.Kings Liverpool Regiment. Battalion takes over Z.1. Subsector. Casualties Nil. 24 May 1916 Very quiet. Casualties Nil. 25 May 1916 Lt.Colonel H.S.POYNTZ rejoined from leave and resumes command of the Battalion. At 11 a.m. this day, the battalion comes under command of its of Brigade, the 21st. Casualties Nil. 26 May 1916 A quiet day. 2nd Lieut.HANKINSON and Lieutenant R.B.GIBSON proceed on Leave. Lieutenant N.V.DABELL, 2nd Lieutenant A.L.GORDON and 50 Other Ranks from Base. 87 Other Ranks from 1st Entrenching Battalion. captain E.S.M.POYNTZ assumes duties of 2nd in Command. Casualties 1 Other Rank wounded. 27 May 1916 Relieved by 19th Bn. Kings Liverpool Regiment at 2 a.m. Relief complete 3.45 a.m. 28/5/16. Battalion withdrew to MARICOURT village. 2nd Lieutenant D.P.CROSS and 2nd Lieutenant H.G.FYSON joined from 4th Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment. Casualties Nil. Sick Wastage 2 O.R. 28 May 1916 - Maricourt Defences Battalion work all night on new trenches in front of our 1st line system. In conjunction with the 2nd Bn.Wiltshire Regiment about 1,200 yards of trenches constructed, wired and communication with our own front trenches established in the one night. The regiment congratulated by the G.O.C. 30th Division and the Brigadier 21st Inf.Brigade. Although 500 men working in front of our own trenches no casualties occurred. On completion the Battalion withdrew to MARICOURT DEFENCES. 29 May 1916 Casualties Nil. 30 May 1916 The Battalion relieved by the 2nd Bn.Wiltshire Regiment. Battalion withdrew as follows: - Headquarters, "B" and "C" Companies to BRAY. "A" and "B" Companies to Camp in BILLON WOOD. Arrived Bray, 1.30 a.m. 31.5.16. casualties Nil. 31 May 1916 - Bois des Celestins The Battalion left at 8 p.m. for camp in BOIS LES CELESTINS arriving about 11 p.m. CASUALTIES NIL.

1-31 May 1916

From: 1916 To: 1916

item

White, W,
Boulton,
Gaze, A.M.B.,
Gibson, Robert Bowness,
Walker, Laurence Hall,
Anstee, G.A.,
Newton, B.,
Hurrell, J.W.,
Poyntz, Hugh Stainton,
Douglas, John William Henry Tyler,
Wynne, Richard Owen,
Hobbs,
Oakley, R.E.,
Oldfield, R T,
Pearse, H.A.W.,
Poyntz, Edward Stephen Massey,
Plummer, F.E.,
Hankinson, E.G.,
Dabell, N.V.,
Gordon, A.L.,
Cross, Dennis Patrick,
Fyson, Harold George,
Shea, John Stuart Mackenzie

4th Army, aerial action overseas, Germans, 20th Battalion (4th City) King's (Liverpool) Regiment, 89th/2nd Trench Mortar Battery, 19th Battalion (3rd City) King's (Liverpool) Regiment, 1st Entrenching Battalion, 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, 2nd Battalion Wiltshire Regiment, 21st Infantry Brigade, 30th Division, Maricourt, Carnoy, Frise, Knowles Point [Maricourt], Etinehem, Bray-sur-Somme, Billon Wood (Somme), Bois des Celestins [Somme]