|
01/07/1916
|
2nd Lt H.B. Barnes struck off strength as medically unfit.
|
|
02/07/1916
|
In billets in Bethune
|
|
03/07/1916
|
Moved to trenches, Cuinchy left subsection. Frontage, Boyau 20
to Boyau 36. 4 companies in front line. Btn. HQ in village line
near Woburn Abbey
|
|
04/07/1916
|
In trenches Cuinchy left. Enemy quiet.
|
|
05/07/1916
|
In trenches Cuinchy left. Weather bad.
|
|
06/07/1916
|
In trenches Cuinchy left. Weather bad.
|
|
07/07/1916
|
Relieved about 12 midnight by 14th Hants. 116th Inf. Bde., 30th
Division and returned to billets at Gonnehem.
|
|
08/07/1916
|
Entrained at 6pm at Choques.
|
|
09/07/1916
|
Arrived at Longueau (Amiens) at 3am.. Marched to Coisy, arrived
7am. Billets bad and left in filthy condition, very few civilians.
The 93rd Hrs are billeted here with us.
|
|
10/07/1916
|
Resting and cleaning up. Very fine weather. Orders received to
move at 4.30pm were cancelled. The G.O.C. visited us at 5pm.
|
|
11/07/1916
|
Move orders received at 3.40am. Moved off to starting point at
5.45am, passed through Rainneville, Querrieu (4th Army HQ, Comdr.
G. Rawlinson) arrived at Corbie 11.30am and billeted. Brig. Gen.
Rowley visited us during the afternoon.
|
|
12/07/1916
|
Left 1.30pm. Road covered with traffic of every description and
dust very bad. Reached Ville Sous Corbie at 4.30pm. Men bivouacked,
officers in tents.
|
|
13/07/1916
|
We are now in XV Corps (Gen. Horne). Packs were stored during the
morning. Left at 10.15pm to go to Meault where we arrived 11.15pm.
Btn in billets.
|
|
14/07/1916
|
Left Meault at 11am for Becordel where we bivouacked for 2 or 3
hours. From there we went with various halts and stops to the S
edge of Mametz Wood, keeping intervals between companies in the
event of hostile shelling. Everywhere around us showed signs of
a terrific bombardment. We turned about here and bivouacked on the
W lip of valley just N of Fricourt.
|
|
15/07/1916
|
Left at about 6.30am for Bezentin Le Petit village passing on our
way through a gas cloud which made us all feel most uncomfortable.
On reaching the church at Bazentin Le Petit village, 'B' and 'C'
companies proceeded round the north side of the village, 'A' and
'D' going straight through the village. Arriving at the road running
N and S past the Eastern end of the village the companies deployed..
'B' and 'D' in the front line, 'C' and 'A' in support on a front
of 800 yards. The 1st Queens (100th Bde) attacked on our right and
the 2nd Welsh Regt (1st Div) on out left. We had the 1/4th Suffolks
in support with the Argylls and the 4th Kings in reserve. The first
objective was the German Switch trench. On deploying along the road
we found a party of the enemy in the N corner of Bazentin Le Petit
Wood who fired into our left flank with machine guns and rifles
and pointed out our position to their artillery by firing white
and red flares over us. We also came under heavy field gun and howitzer
fire as well as machine gun fire from the South principally High
Wood which we had been informed was in our hands.
Companies thus advanced with both flanks open and were held up on
the crest of a slight ridge E of the village by heavy fire. We tried
to dig ourselves in but were compelled eventually to fall back to
the line along the road running N and S on the E side of the village.
The 1/4th Suffolks fared no better than we and the 100th Bde on
our right were likewise unfortunate.
Our casualties were:- Officers, Killed 6, Wounded 7, total 13. Other
Ranks, Killed 44, Wounded 201, Missing 63, Total 308. Lt. Col. Lloyd
and Major G.O.J. Bagley were included in the wounded. Capt. G.C.
Bucknall assumed command of the battalion in action and every effort
was made to reorganise as far as possible. One company of the 2nd
Argylls was brought up to strengthen on our left from opposite which
the party of the enemy had not been dislodged.
The battalion remained in this position heavily shelled until 10pm
when we were relieved by the 4th King's and the remaining companies
of 2nd Argyll's. Major Potter arrived from our transport to take
over command shortly before the relief. We returned to bivouac in
the valley just NE of Mametz Wood.
|
|
16/07/1916
|
Quiet day. Reorganising and cleaning up.
|
|
17/07/1916
|
Shelled heavily from 9.30am until 4.30pm. The order was given to
scatter and we sustained very few casualties. A certain amount of
kit was buried. The battalion assembled at about 6pm and at 8.30pm
we moved into the line again taking over Bazentin Le Petit Wood.
The relief was completed about 4am.
|
|
18/07/1916
|
Battalion HQ was in a deep German dug-out which took 2 days to
clean up. The dispositions in the line were 'A', 'B', 'D', 'C' companies
from right to left, the line being on the outside of the wood from
the railway to the SW corner.
|
| |
Heavily shelled all day. We were principally occupied with digging-in
and re-organising.
|
| |
Organised a thorough search of the wood which produced a German
Officer in a deep telephone dug-out. The dug-out was furnished with
an O.P. on top, a fine telephone exchange and plenty to eat and
drink. The officer had evidently been observing for the enemy's
artillery/
|
|
19/07/1916
|
Brig. Gen. Carleton came up to see us. 2nd Lieut. Calder was killed
while talking to him at the entrance to Battn. HQ dug-out and 2nd
Lieut. Burrell was badly wounded. (2nd Lieut Burrell has since died
of wounds). Shelling continued all day. We were relieved about midnight
by 56th Infantry Bde. (Brig. Gen. Rowley) and reached Mametz Wood
where we were to bivouac about 4am on the 20th.
|
|
20/07/1916
|
At 8.30am we had orders to move up closer by about 1500 yards and
South of Bazentin Le Petit village. Major Potter was sent to the
ambulance on account of nervous exhaustion and Captain Bucknall
again assumed command. Digging-in was again our most important objective.
The 2nd Argyll's again attacked and gained an objective short of
the German Switch line. Their losses were not heavy. At the some
time the 19th Bde. took High Wood.
We were relived in the evening at about 11.30pm and returned to
a bivouac just NE of Mametz Wood. The 19th Bde. Have been heavily
counter attacked and have lost part (the NE corner) of High Wood.
They have 1500 all ranks left. 2nd Lieut. Williams joined us and
was taken on the strength.
|
|
21/07/1916
|
A quiet day. Nothing happened until about 7pm when we were shelled.
Later the shelling continued with gas shells, the gas cloud formed
being very thick. We were relieved about 10pm by the 9th Divn. And
marched to Dernancourt where the brigade was billeted. The gas was
thick as far back as Fricourt.
|
|
22/07/1916
|
We reached Dernancourt about 3.30am. Battalion was fixed up about
7am. Everyone resting. Lt. Col. Elgle (Elgae??) arrived from England
and assumed command.
|
|
23/07/1916
|
Voluntary Church Parade. Draft of 17 arrived (O.R.)
|
|
24/07/1916
|
Draft of 238 arrived (O.R.). Training started vigorously. Reorganisation.
2nd Lieut. Heather rejoined from Divisional School.
Our total casualties during the late tour in the line were:- Officers,
Killed 6, Wounded 15, total 21. Other Ranks, Killed 58, Wounded
270, Missing 63, Total 391
|
|
25/07/1916
|
Reorganisation and Training
|
|
26/07/1916
|
2nd Lieut. Heather rejoined from Divisional School and assumed
duties of Adjutant. Draft of 1 corporal and 534 O.R. arrived. Training
continued. 2nd Lieut. Heather takes over acting Adjutant. Captain
Bucknall takes over duties 2nd in command.
|
|
27/07/1916
|
Draft of 63 O.R. arrived. The weather during the last few days
has been fine and sunny.
|
|
28/07/1916
|
Training and reorganisation vigorously continued.
|
|
29/07/1916
|
Training and reorganisation vigorously continued.
|
|
30/07/1916
|
Church Parade in the morning. G.O.C. 33rd Divn. (Genl. Landon)
presented immediate awards to various men (All military medals)
and No. 9458 Sgt. N. Pascall 'C' Company, 10983 Pte. W. Allen 'D'
Company, 7258 Pte. S. Bye 'B' Company, were decorated. All 1st Middlesex.
|
|
31/07/1916
|
Training continued.
|
