X550/8/1/1710

1-10-17 9 am Demonstration of new form of attack to all officers & N.C.O's. Bn. Route March. 2nd Lt.T.H.FLAVELL joined Bn. & posted to "C" Coy. 2-10-17 Coys. in attack schemes. In consequence of several Bombing Raids, 2 Coys were moved into a camp in the wood. 3-10-17 Specialist Training. 7TH (S) BATTALION BEDFORDSHIRE REGIMENT No.154 1. INFORMATION The enemy has been driven back by a series of successful attacks and is now reported to be occupying the village of "Tunnelling Camp" with advanced detachments holding houses and strong points in front. 2. INTENTION On 4th October 1917 the 7th (S) Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment in conjunction with X Battalion on its right and Y Battalion on its left will attack and capture. 1st Objective Blue Line. 2nd Objective Red Line. 3. OBJECTIVES ROLE OF COYS These are as shewn on the attached sketch map and have been explained to all concerned. 4. BARRAGE The barrage will open 150 yards in front of the forming up line. It will remain here for 2 minutes and will then advance by bounds of 50 yards every 2 minutes until it is 150 yards beyond the first objective. It will halt here for 10 minutes and will then continue at the rate of 50 yards every 3 minutes until it is 300 yards beyond the 2nd objective. 5. TOOLS 3 shovels and 1 pick will be carried by each section. Tool Cart will report to "B" and "D" Coys at 8.30 a.m. 6. BN HD QRS Will start in Farm 100 yards behind forming up line and will move to Trench 200 yards S.W. of Centre of 1st Objective a soon as Final Objective has been captured. 7. ADVANCED REPORT CENTRE Will be opened at point described in last part of para 6 as soon as 1st Objective has been captured. 8. ZERO HOUR 10.30 a.m. 9. SNIPERS & SCOUTS Orders have been issued independently to 2/Lieut.D.Davies. 10. MISCELLANEOUS DRESS. Battle Order less Steel Helmets. No live ammunition must be carried. Pouches must be thoroughly examined and L.G.Drums emptied. Each man will carry 5 rounds of Blank. Sgt Drummer wil detail a Bugler to accompany the Officer Commanding 7th Bn Bedfords. On Steadfast sounding all troops will remain in the position they have reached until either continue or Dismiss is sounded. Should the Officers call be sounded followed by the Dismiss all Officers will rendezvous at centre of final objective and Companies be marched back to camp by the Coy Sergt Major. (SIGNED) H.B.STEWART LIEUT AND A/ADJT. 7TH (S) BATTALION BEDFORDSHIRE REGIMENT. NOTES 1. As the object of the scheme is to teach every man his position no Casualties will be made. 2. ROADS are marked by boughs of trees planted on either side. RAILWAYS are marked by White Tape. HOUSES are marked by Notice Boards. TRENCHES are Spit locked. 3. Company Areas are marked as under. "A" COMPANY. White Flags. "B" COMPANY. Red Flags. "D" COMPANY. Blue Flags. 4. Actual digging will be carried out everywhere except in Crops and on pasture land. 4-10-17 Bn. practiced attack over plit-locked trenches etc. 5-10-17 Coy. Training. Draft of 9 O.R. arrived. 7TH (S) BATTALION BEDFORDSHIRE REGIMENT To All recipients of 7th Bn Bedfordshire Regt Order No 154 1. The 7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment will practice the attack again tomorrow SATURDAY 6th October 1917. 2. All Instructions contained in order No 154 issued on 3rd inst will hle dgood with exception of Note 1. "Casualties WILL be made." 3. Enemy consisting of 16 Stretcher Bearers 6 Pioneers and Headquarters Officers servants etc will report to Lieut.A.H.Waddy at Orderly Room at 9 a.m. 4. Signalling Officer will detail 6 Runners with 4 white Flags, 4 Blue Flage and 4 Red Flags to report to Major A.E.Percival M.C. at Orderly Room at 8.45 a.m. 5. Drums will report to Lieut.H.B.Stewart at Orderly Room at 9 a.m. and will represent the barrage. 6. Every man will carry 5 rounds of Blank ammunition. Enemy will carry 20 rounds per man. 5-10-17 (SGD) H.B.STEWART LIEUT AND A/ADJT 7TH (S) BATTN BEDFORDSHIRE REGIMENT. 6-10-17 Bn. again practised attack. 8.30 pm Night poerations. Forming up etc. 7-10-17 Church Parade. Very wet day. 2nd Lt.MAW reported for duty. 8-10-17 Coy. Training. Night operations. 9-10-17 Battn. in attack in conjunction with 12th Middlesex Regt. 10-10-17 Coy. Training. 11-10-17 Battn. in attack. 12-10-17 Night operations. 13-10-17 Coy. Training and Route Marches. During the whole of the week ending on this day the weather was very wet, and seriously interfered with training. 14-10-17 Church Parade. Great improvement in the weather. 15-10-17 Rifle Practice on the Range. Every man firing 10 Rounds. TUNNELLING CAMP 16-10-17 10 am The Battalion embussed for Canal Bank, arriving there about 12.30 pm. The rest of the day was spent in preparing companies to go up the line. CANAL BANK 17-10-17 Officers and Scouts reconnoitred the line held by the Royal Fusiliers in order to relieve them the following day. Two days rations were issued to the men in the evening in order to avoid carrying rations up to the line when the Battalion went in. 18-10-17 2 p.m. The Battalion moved off up the line to relieve the Royal Fusiliers. A halt was made at Hurst Park to rest the men, and allow the day light to give way to dark. The relief was completed soon after 8 pm. In the Line 19-10-17 The Battalion held the line without any undue incident other than a severe shelling by Gas Shells. The mud was very bad and duck-boards few. The men suffered considerably from cold & wet. The line held consisted of shell holes filled with water. 20-10-17 The line was held by the Battalion until the evening, when it was relieved by the Queens. The Battalion moved back to Irish Farm where it entrained for Tunnelling Camp, arriving there about 7 am in the morning. A certain amount of difficulty was experienced in carrying out the relief owing to bad communications. "D" Coy whose relief was somewhat delayed decided to wait until daylight when shelling would not be so bad. They conmsequently did not reach Tunnelling Camp until mid-day. Tunnelling Camp 21-10-17 The afternoon was spent in refitting, bathing the men and attending to feet & boots. 22-10-17 The men were rested and refitted in anticipation of proceeding up the line again. 23-10-17 Some drill exercises were carried out, S.A.A., Lewis Guns etc completed and final arrangements for proceeding to the line for another tour. 24-10-17 9 a.m. The Battalion embussed for Canal Bank, from whence it marched to Cane Trench. Dinners were served at Cane Trench and rations, water etc. served out to the men for a 48 hours tour in the trenches. In the evening the Battalion relieved the Royal Fusiliers in the line. The relief was completed in the early morning. In the line 25-10-17 The Battalion held the line successfully. There was a great deal of shelling and incidentally our own guns fired very short. 26-10-17 The Battalion held the line and was relieved in the Evening by the 2/Londons. This relief was about the worst on record, the relieving troops losing their way up and becoming thoroughly disorganised. The relief was not complete until about 10 a.m. next morning, when the Battalion embussed at Canal Bank for Dirty Bucks Camp. Dirty Bucks Camp 27-10-17 The men spent the day resting. 28-10-17 Refitting and cleaning. Preparing to move on the following day. 29-10-17 9.45 am The Battalion set out by Route March via International Corner to Putney Camp, arriving there for dinners at 2 p.m. Putney Camp 30-10-17 Re-orgainsation of companies & platoons and a little parade drill. 31-10-17 Training commenced in earnest. The usual programmes were prepared and the men carried out Physical Exercises before breakfast and Company and Platoon Drill in the morning. Congratulatory message from Corps Commander All Battalions. 54th Machine Gun Company. 54th Trench Mortar Battery. The XVIII Corps Commander sends his hearty congratulations on the success of the 18th Division on the 22nd instant. He adds that this success was gained in spite of bad weather, bad mud and hot artillery fire, and that all concerned deserve great credit from highest to lowest. A.E.Percival, Major a/Brigade Major 54th Inf. Bde. 31st October 1917

Oct 1917

From: 1917 To: 1917

item

Flavell, T.H.,
Stewart, H.B.,
Waddy, Alexander Harry,
Percival, Arthur Ernest

12th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, 7th Battalion Queen's, 54th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Battalion London Regiment, Tunnelling Camp (Ypres), Canal Bank (Ypres), Hurst Park (Ypres), International Corner (Ypres), Putney Camp (Ypres), Dirty Bucks Camp (Ypres), Irish Farm (Ypres)