X550/3/WD/1706

War Diary for June 1917 1 Jun 1917 - Observatory Ridge, near Zillebeke Battalion in Trenches at OBSERVATORY RIDGE (ZILLEBEKE Sector). 2nd Lieutenant C.Haywood rejoined from Hospital. Casualties 1 O.R. KILLED. 5 O.R. Wounded. 2 Jun 1917 Trenches OBSERVATORY RIDGE. Casualties 6 O.R. Wounded. Captain R.O.Hopkins appointed Chief Lewis Gun Instructor at II Corps School. Sick Wastage week ending 2nd 24 O.R. 3 Jun 1917 Trenches OBSERVATORY RIDGE. Casualties 5 O.R. Wounded. Major & Qr.Mr.H.Cressingham proceeded on leave. 4 Jun 1917 Trenches OBSERVATORY RIDGE. Casualties 3 O.R. Wounded. Lieutenant L.A.L.Fink, M.C. Proceeded on leave. 5 Jun 1917 Trenches OBSERVATORY RIDGE. At 1.30 a.m. a party consisting of 2nd Lieut.K.C.J.Jones and 24 O.R. raided enemy's Front Line and Sap at J.19.c.97/45 and J.19.c.13/55. The object was to secure an identification. The raid was quite successful, the party leaving our Trenches at 1.30 a.m. and returning at 1.37 a.m. with one prisoner, an N.C.O. of No.5 Company, 2nd Bn.58th I.R., 119th Division. His name was NEUMANN. Our Casualties were: - 4 O.R. Wounded (3 Slightly). For the above successful operation the following were granted leave to England for 10 days: - 2nd Lieutenant K.C.J.Jones, No.33034 Cpl.C.Jeeves No.202669 Pte.H.Medcraft. The following received decorations: - 2nd Lieutenant K.C.J.Jones MILITARY CROSS. No.33034 Cpl.C.Jeeves MILITARY MEDAL. No.9214 A/L.Cpl.H.Preston MILITARY MEDAL. Casualties during remainder of day: - 2 O.R. Wounded. At 4.30 p.m. Battalion Headquarters moved from DORMY HOUSE to CRAB CRAWL. 2nd Lieutenant H.H.Harman, 32nd Royal Fusiliers rejoined from Hospital. 6Jun 1917 Trenches OBSERVATORY RIDGE. Casualties 6 O.R. Wounded. 7 Jun1917 Trenches OBSERVATORY RIDGE. Battle of MESSINES RIDGE commenced by Second Army. Ref: - Trench Map ZILLEBEKE, 1/10,000. WE were in the Line from I.24.d.65/05 to I.18.d.30/10, but did not take part in the Actual attack OBSERVATORY RIDGE being the pivot of the attack. On our Right were the 23rd Division (the Regiment on our immediate Right was 8th Bn.K.O.Y.L.I.) they were forming a defensive flank for the Main Attack. The left of 23rd Division attack was about 300 yards to our Right, at about I.30.b.40/50. ZERO was at 3.10 a.m. and at that hour a number of large Mines were exploded, the nearest of these to us was one at Hill 60. Immediately our guns opened a heavy barrage. The hostile artillery retaliated, and our two Right Companies "A" and "B" were shelled fairly heavily and their trenches somewhat damaged. The Main attack proceeded satisfactory [sic], our counter-battery being most effective. At 9.30 a.m. 2nd Lieutenant A.W.JOYCE and 20 O.R. got across NO MANS LAND, to Boche Trenches, and were just getting into trench, when they saw it was crowded with Germans. The Patrol got back safely. About 10.30 a.m. a party of about 300 Germans came across to Front Line Trenches about 300 yards to our Right. Our Vickers and Lewis Guns took advantage of this target and accounted for a large number, a few however got into our lines, but these were soon driven out by bombing party under 2nd Lieutenant T.G.SEARLE. Some men of the 2nd Canadian Tunnelling Company rendered valuable assistance in this little operation. From this time on to the time of our relief (10th June) we had to extend our Right to DAVIDSON STREET, I.30.b.45/65, as the Brigade on our Right were not strong enough to hold this piece of trench. WE had "B" Company 17th Bn. Kings Liverpool Regiment attached to us for this purpose. For the remainder of our tour nothing unusual occurred on our Battalion Front, but the Germans made a strong counter-attack on the evening of 8th June a little further to the South, but were not successful in regaining their lost ground. During this spell in Trenches we had considerable trouble with our own artillery, 18 pdrs and 4.5 hows: who were shooting short. Casualties: - 2nd Lieut.A.D.GREENWOOD - Wounded. Lieut.H.HARGREAVES - Wounded and remaining at duty. Other Ranks: - Killed 7 Wounded 28. Shell Shock 2. The following decorations were awarded for above operations: - 2nd Lieut.T.G.SEARLE MILITARY CROSS No.17711 Pte.W.Battams MILITARY MEDAL 7489 Pte.G.Kempson MILITARY MEDAL 18817 Pte.D.Fynn MILITARY MEDAL No.7138 Pte.E.Thorn MILITARY MEDAL 8 Jun 1917 Trenches OBSERVATORY RIDGE. Casualties: - 3 O.R. Killed. 10 O.R. Wounded. 1 O.R. Gassed. 9 Jun 1917 At 10 p.m. the 2nd Bn.Yorkshire Regiment commenced to relieve the Battalion. relief complete by 2 a.m. 10th June. The Battalion withdrew to VLAMERTINGHE about H.8.b.8/7 where we entrained for POPERINGHE arriving at 6 a.m. 10th. Casualties 4 O.R. Wounded. News received that the following awards had been made for gallantry on 12th October, 1916 on the SOMME. Captain R.E.OAKLEY, Military Cross. No.10016 Sergeant A.Howard Distinguished Conduct Medal No.9578 Sergeant A.Mason Distinguished Conduct Medal. Our total casualties for this period in the Trenches were. 2 Officers wounded. Other Ranks: - Killed 11 Died of Wounds 3 Wounded 63 Wounded at duty 3 Gassed 1 Shell Shock 2 Sick wastage week ending 9th - 4 OR. 10 Jun 1917 - billets south west of Poperinghe The Battalion left POPERINGHE Station at 6.15 a.m. for billets about 2 miles S.W. of POPERINGHE about L.14 Reference Map BELGIUM Sheet 27, arriving at 7.15 a.m. Battalion Headquarters at L.14.b.9/3. 2nd Lieutenant T.J.Pemberton proceeded on leave. Lieutenant R.T.Oldfield rejoined from Hospital and resumed duties of 89th Brigade Bombing Officer. 11 Jun 1917 Billets S.W. of POPERINGHE. Lieutenant W.J.Holbrook, M.C., took over command of "B" Company from 2nd Lieutenant A.P.Methuen. 12 Jun 1917 Billets S.W. of POPERINGHE. 2nd Lieutenant D.LYDLE admitted to hospital, sick. 13 Jun 1917 Billets S.W. of POPERINGHE. Lieutenant W.E.Hart rejoined from Hospital. 14 Jun 1917 Billets S.W. of POPERINGHE. major B.P.Newbolt appointed Area Commandant 30th Division. 15 Jun 1917 Billets S.W. of POPERINGHE. Reverend P.H.TURNBULL admitted to Hospital, sick. Sick wastage week ending 15th 2 O.R. 16 Jun 1917 Billets S.W. of POPERINGHE. 2nd Lieutenant S.E.D.CLINE admitted to Hospital, sick. 17 Jun 1917 Billets S.W. of POPERINGHE Lieutenant A.NEWTON-BRADY, R.A.M.C., joined as Medical Officer 18 Jun 1917 Billets S.W. of POPERINGHE Lieutenant D.COGAN, R.A.M.C. to 98th Field Ambulance 19 Jun 1917 Billets S.W. of POPERINGHE 20 Jun 1917 Billets S.W. of POPERINGHE Lieutenant H.HARGREAVES appointed Assistant Camp Commandant II Corps 21 Jun 1917 - Dickebusch Camp Billets S.W. of POPERINGHE At 3 p.m. Battalion left for Camp near DICKBUSCH about H.20.d.4/2 ref: Map, BELGIUM, Sheet 28, N.W., arriving at 6 p.m. and relieved 2nd Bn.Yorkshire Regiment 22 Jun 1917 In camp near DICKEBUSCH 2nd Lieutenant C.HAYWOOD wounded whilst on a reconnaissance of Infantry Tracks leading to Trenches. 23 Jun 1917 In camp near DICKEBUSCH Casualties: - 1 O.R. Killed, 1 O.R. Wounded, whilst employed on Working Parties. Sick wastage week ending 23rd 9 O.R. 2nd Lieut.K.C.J.Jones, M.C. admitted to Hospital, Sick. 24 Jun 1917 In camp near DICKEBUSCH Captain R.E.Oakley, M.C. proceeded on leave. Lieutenant L.A.L.Fink, M.C. took over command of "C" Company 25 Jun 1917 In camp near DICKEBUSCH 26 Jun 1917 In Camp near DICKEBUSCH Lieutenant W.E.Hart admitted to Hospital, sick. 3 O.R. accidentally wounded whilst on a class of instruction in firing Rifle Grenades 27 Jun 1917 In camp near DICKEBUSCH 28 Jun 1917 - English Wood In Camp near DICKEBUSCH At 9.30 p.m. Battalion left to relieve 20th Bn.K.L.R. in Brigade Reserve in ENGLISH WOOD, H.20.d. Reference Map, BELGIUM, Sheet 28 N.W. Relief completed by midnight. Battalion Headquarters at H.30.c.1/6. Casualties 1 O.R. Killed. 3 O.R. Wounded whilst employed on working parties. 29 Jun 1917 Battalion in Reserve in ENGLISH WOOD. Casualties NIL. 30 Jun 1917 Battalion in Reserve in ENGLISH Wood. Captain J.P.PITTS proceeded on leave. Sick Wastage week ending 30th 9 O.R. Casualties NIL

1-30 Jun 1917

From: 1917 To: 1917

item

Turnbull, Peveril Hayes,
Pitts, J P,
Hart, W.E.,
Oakley, R.E.,
Fink, Lawrence Alexander Lewis,
Jones, K.C.J.,
Haywood, C,
Cline, S.E.D.,
Hargreaves, H.,
Cogan, D.,
Newton-Brady, A.,
Newbolt, B.P.,
Lydle, D.,
Methuen, A.P.,
Holbrook, William J.,
Oldfield, R T,
Pemberton, T.J.,
Oldfield, R T,
Mason, A.,
Howard, A.,
Thorn, Edwin,
Fynn, D.,
Kempson, G,
Battams, W.,
Searle, Thomas George,
Greenwood, Arthur Donald,
Joyce, A.W.,
Harman, H H,
Preston, H.,
Jeeves, C.,
Medcraft, Harry Morris,
Neumann,
Cressingham, Hugh Montrein,
Hopkins, R.,
Pitts, J P

2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, 30th Division, 89th Infantry Brigade, 23rd Division, 8th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, II Corps, deaths, maps, land weaponry, 58th Infantry Regiment, 119th German Division, Germans, Canadians, 32nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers, 2nd Army, 2nd Canadian Tunnelling Company, 17th Battalion (1st City) King's (Liverpool) Regiment, 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, clergy names index, 98th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, 20th Battalion (4th City) King's (Liverpool) Regiment, Observatory Ridge [Ypres], Crab Crawl (Ypres), Zillebeke, Dormy House (Ypres), Messines Ridge [Ypres], Davidson Street [Ypres], Hill 60 [Ypres], Poperinghe, Vlamertinghe, Dickebusch, English Wood [Ypres]