JANUARY 1 1918 -
OBLINGHEM
C & D Coys. worked up the line for 428th Field Coy. R.E. Buses
reported for this
party at 2.30 am. A Coy. and details of the Battalion bathed at LOCON.
The
weather very cold. At night B Coy. held a Company Concert.
JANUARY 2 1918 - OBLINGHEM
No working parties, so training was carried out. A Coy. & the
remainder of the
Battalion had box respirators tested at the Divisional Gas School
ESSARS.
JANUARY 3
1918 - OBLINGHEM
The Battalion left OBLINGHEM to relieve 1/9th Bn. Manchester Rgt. in
Reserve
to the Right Brigade at LE PREOL. The day was bright and the visibility
very
good. The relief was postponed from the morning until dusk. Head of
Battalion
passed starting point at 3 pm and reached LE PREOL 5.30 pm. Relief
complete
at 6.30 pm.
JANUARY 4 1918 - LE PREOL
Working parties started - 20 O.R. at KANTARA R.E. DUMP (F3 b53), 20 men
to
R.E. Dump PONTFIXE (A14 b25 15) + 20 O.R. (relieved 3 times during the
day)
to assist Artillery to wire in their gun positions. O.s C. Coys. and
other Officers
reconnoitred the Village LINE.
JANUARY 5 1918 - LE PREOL
Working parties continued. Remainder of Bn. engaged in training. The
VILLAGE
LINE and approaches were reconnoitred by another party of Officers &
N.C.O.s.
Afternoon Games. A draft of 57 O.R. arrived. Most of the men have been
in
France before and are of good physique and are a good stamp of men.
JANUARY 6
1918 - LE PREOL
Working parties continued. In the afternoon Brigade Headquarters
informed us
that there was considerable enemy T.M. activity on the Brigade Front and
that
although no infantry action was expected the Battalion was to be ready
to turn
out at short notice. Companies were therefore ordered to be ready for
immediate
action but were not to stand to. In the evening orders were received for
a working
party of one Company to report to 1/6th Manchester Rgt. to help clear
the
communication trenches and to assist in repairing the damage caused by
the
T.M. bombardment during the afternoon. This party worked all night and
returned
about 7 am. Considerable damage to the trenches had been caused but only
one man was wounded in 1/6th Manchester Rgt.
JANUARY 7 1918 - LE PREOL
Party of Officers reconnoitred the Right Battalion Lines which this Unit
is to take
over on the 9th inst. During the day the usual working parties
continued. The
remainder of the Battalion was engaged in training & bathing at the
Baths in LE
PREOL. At night another party was sent up to assist the 1/6th Bn.
Manchester
Rgt. to repair their trenches.
JANUARY 8 1918 - LE PREOL
Bathing continued during the day. All men of the Battalion now bathed
since
arrival in LE PREOL. Ordinary Working parties continued. In the evening a
concert was given in one of the rooms of an Estaminet by the newly
raised
Regimental Troupe - "The New Agains". The performance was very
successful
and was greatly appreciated by everybody.
JANUARY 9
1918 - LE PREOL
This Battalion relieved 1/6th Bn. Manchester Rgt. in the Line in the
Right
Subsector of the Right Brigade Sector. At first the battalion was first
ordered to
leave LE PREOL but on account of the good visibility, the move was
postponed
one hour. During the afternoon the sky clouded over and about three
inches of
snow fell. Relief complete at 7.55 pm. During the relief everything was
very quiet.
Dispositions. The four companies are in the Front Line in the Order from
Right to
Left B, D, A, C. Each Company has one platoon in the line and one
platoon in
close support. The Headquarters of each Coy. is in a Trench running from
the
Reserve Line (Support) to the Front Line.
There is an organised and somewhat complicated system of trenches which
are
deep but in poor repair particularly those which were damaged by the
bombardment by the enemy trench mortars. On account of the thaw &
the snow,
the trenches are very muddy.
The Front Line is held by 21 small posts, there now being a scheme for
organising them into Defended Localities, self defendent and mutually
supporting
& offering an all-round resistance. From the Front Line a number of
saps run out
and overlook the line of craters which runs from 50 - 100 yds. in front
of the line.
The saps were previously occupied as listening posts but are now merely
patrolled at night by the patrols from post to post.
About 30 medium T.M. shells fell between A21 d50 & A21 d56 from 8.50
- 9.10
pm. These caused two casualties - 2 O.R. killed.
Enemy 42s fixed at 3 minute intervals for 1/2 hr. on BACK St in A27 b.
Our 18
pounders fired registering shots on the BRICKSTACKS & LES BRIQUES.
JANUARY 10 1918 - RIGHT SUBSECTOR
OF CANAL SECTOR
Our 18 pounders fired 12 rounds on A29 c93 and 6 on A28 b45 during the
morning. Enemy artillery quiet. Enemy M.G.s fired occasional bursts
during the
night on LA BASSEE ROAD. 12 Light T.M. shells fell in No Man's Land at
about
A21 d72 at 7 pm. 6 Medium shells fell near A21 b 95 about 3.45 pm.
A patrol of 1 Officer (2LT BENNETT) & 2 O.R. left TWIN SAP (A27 b64)
at 11.30
pm. From here they proceeded for about 50 yards South and then 150 yds.
East.
When about 30 yards from SAXON CRATER (A27 b73) movement was heard
and Very Lights were fired. It was concluded that there was a post on
the East
side of the Crater.
At night 3 Officers & 6 wiring parties of 10 O.R. each from 1/6th
Bn. Manchester
Rgt. came up from LE PREOL to wire in the Defended Localities in the
Reserve
Line - R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 & R6.
All available men working on clearing the Trenches damaged by T.M. fire.
During
the day visibility fair.
JANUARY 11 1918 - RIGHT SUBSECTOR OF CANAL SECTOR
Very little artillery activity on either side. Occasional enemy M.G.
burst on
CAMBRIN - LA BASSEE RD. Between 3.15 pm & 4 pm 4 heavy T.M. shells
fell
near A21 b95. At 7 pm 12 Light T.M. shells fell in No Man's Land near
A21 d72.
Visibility good. At night wiring of R1, etc. continued - little progress
made.
Clearing trenches continued.
JANUARY 12
1918 - RIGHT SUBSECTOR OF CANAL SECTOR
Enemy artillery and M.G.s quiet during the day. Our 4.5 Howitzers fired
about 60
rounds on various targets during the day and our 18 pounders about 50
rounds.
About 20 heavy T.M. shells fell near A21 b95 but little damage was
caused.
An enemy aeroplane over our line during the morning was driven off by
our Anti-
Aircraft Fire.
Most of our trenches beginning to fall in on account of the thaw and all
available
men engaged on repairing them.
A patrol of 1 N.C.O. (Sgt KELLY) & 2 O.R. left TWIN SAP (A27 b66) at
2 am and
proceeded along S.E. edge of POLLUX CRATER until they were within 10
yards
of the enemy wire when an (sic) M.G. at approximately A27 b76 opened
fire on
them. They then moved East for 50 yds. and heard the sound of talking
from the
M.G. position. The patrol then returned along the wire for about 30 yds.
when
Very Lights were fired from a post at A27 b75. The strength of this post
could not
be ascertained. The whole of the enemy wire reconnoitred was in very
good
condition.
JANUARY 13 1918 - RIGHT SUBSECTOR
OF CANAL SECTOR
Little Artillery activity on either side. Enemy M.G.s used overhead fire
as usual
for a few bursts on the back area. Enemy T.M. action 6 Heavy T.M. shells
on
A21 d50 at 10 am, 6 mediums at 1.30 pm on the same palce, 12 lights on
A27
b35 at 2.25 pm, & 16 lights on A27 b45 at 3.31 pm. Our medium T.M.s
replied
effectively silenced the enemy.
A patrol of 1 Officer (2LT NYE) & 3 O.R. left D Coy. at 10 pm and
proceeded
East until the West side of ETNA Crater was reached. Working round to
the
North side they came to a strong belt of wire within which there was a
post.
Laughing was heard there and about ten minutes later, he opened fire
with rifle
and also discharged a rifle grenade. The going was very bad and the side
of the
Crater very steep.
2LT DUNN & 5 O.R. left STIRLING POST - the left Post of the
Battalion and
worked East along the side of Brickstack F. There was no sign or sound
of the
enemy. Further out an old disused trench was noticed, leading to our
lines. Later
one of the patrols developed a bad cough and so the patrol returned. The
ground
was very heavy and the going bad.
JANUARY 14 1918 - RIGHT SUBSECTOR OF CANAL SECTOR
Little activity of artillery on either side. Visibility poor and later
there was a slight
fall of snow - a patrol should have gone out but was cancelled on this
account.
About 30 H. T.M. shells fell near A21 b83 between 9 & 10 pm. No
damage to the
front line was caused. Our medium & heavy T.M. retaliation was both
prompt &
effective.
JANUARY 15
1918 - RIGHT SUBSECTOR OF CANAL SECTOR
During the night a thaw set in and made the trenches quite bad.
The Battalion was relieved by 1/6th Bn. Manchester Rgt. Relief complete
11.55
am. Visibility during the day very poor. Little activity of any sort
today. After relief
the Battalion went in Brigade Support.
Dispositions Bn. H.Q. GLASCOW RD at A20 b7435, C Coy. in two redoubts
North of the Canal ORCHARD KEEP (A15 a83) & SPOIL BANK KEEP (the
latter
by H.Q. A15 c79) B Coy. in two redoubts in A21 a & A20 d - MOUNTAIN
KEEP
& BRADDELL KEEP respectively. D Coy. is in MARYLEBONE Rd as support
to
and under tactical control of the Right Bn. A Coy. with 1 platoon in
GUNNER
SIDING (A15 a) and 1 platoon in ESPERANTO TERRACE (A15 d) in support to
and under tactical control of left Bn. of the Brigade. The Role of A
& D Coys. is
primarily for counter attack in case of enemy capture of front line.
The condition of all the trenches & keeps taken over is very bad,
nearly all the
sides of the trenches are falling in owing to the pickets securing the
revetment
not being driven sufficiently firmly into the ground. The trenches are
about six
inches deep in mud or water - in places much more. Every available man
on the
work of repairing them. A (?)daily(?) working parties amounting to 183
men in all
are found for the 428th Field Coy. R.E.
JANUARY 16 1918 - SUPPORT
BATTALION CANAL SECTOR
Working parties for 428th Field Coy. R.E. continued. All available men
working
on trench repairs. During the day 80 O.R. were sent to the Baths at LE
PREOL.
The Anti-trench foot centre near CUINCHY Station was also used.
Visibility fair -
general activity was very light. LT N.A. HOLDAWAY reported for duty
& posted
to C Coy.
JANUARY 17 1918 - SUPPORT BATTALION CANAL SECTOR
Working parties and bathing continued throughout the day. Our artillery
fairly
active during the day - a few enemy T.M.s on the Front Line.
JANUARY 18
1918 - SUPPORT BATTALION CANAL SECTOR
Working parties and bathing continued. 2LTs S. MERRY, S. HIND & H.
TUSON
reported for duty and were posted to D Coy., A. Coy. & D Coy.
respectively.
Visibility poor during the day. Slight Drizzle.
JANUARY 19 1918 - SUPPORT
BATTALION CANAL SECTOR
Working parties & bathing as yesterday. Visibility good. Enemy
Trench Mortars
active on front line.
JANUARY 20 1918 - SUPPORT BATTALION CANAL SECTOR
Visibility very good. Considerable hostile artillery activity. Our guns
replied.
Bathing & working parties continued during the day.
JANUARY 21
1918 - SUPPORT BATTALION CANAL SECTOR
Bathing & working parties as yesterday. The trenches are still in
very bad
condition.
JANUARY 22 1918 - RIGHT SUBSECTOR
OF CANAL SECTOR
The Battalion relieved 1/6th Bn. Manchester Rgt. in the Line. Visibility
during the
first part of the morning was poor but afterwards slightly better.
Relief complete
by 9.59 am. Dispositions as before.
Our artillery fired about 130 rounds of 4.5 & 6 howitzer shells,
& about 30 18
pounder shells. Everything quiet during the day. Two enemy aeroplanes
were
over our lines at 11 am. They were very high but were driven off by our
A.A. fire.
The two right Coys fronts have not been greatly affected by the weather
but the
two left Companies are in very bad condition. The LANE and A Coy.'s
Front Line
are particularly bad - in places the water is about two feet deep.
Work was carried out during the night in the Front Line, the LANE &
BURBURE
ALLEY which is also in a bad condition.
A prisoner captured by the Division on the Right (11th Division)
(?)showed(?)
that the Division opposite us is the 4th (ERSATZ) DIVISION. The prisoner
gave a
considerable amount of useful information. The Division was in France
from
shortly after the outbreak of war till May 1917 when it was moved to
Russia for a
rest, the morale being poor. The Division returned to France in December
1917.
Major H. S. BOWEN, ESSEX RGT, reported as 2nd in Command.
JANUARY 23 1918 - RIGHT SUBSECTOR OF CANAL SECTOR
Very quiet the whole day. Visibility fair. During the night a Very Light
was fired
from A21 b95 & a signalling lamp was seen at about A22 b98 flashing
towards
our lines, as though signalling to one of their forward stations.
A patrol of 1 Officer (2LT R. NYE) & 5 O.R. left our lines at 4.15
am from LEICH
SAP and reaching the Crater in front, turned south & after crossing a
good deal
of broken ground - barbed wire, disused trenches, shell holes, arrived
at ETNA
SAP. They then proceeded towards the enemy lines but had to return
shortly on
account of the approaching dawn. A considerable amount of wire was seen
in
front but there was no other sign of the enemy. The patrol returned at 6
am.
JANUARY 24
1918 - RIGHT SUBSECTOR OF CANAL SECTOR
Very Quiet. About 8 light T.M.s at 7.30 pm & 15 at 11.15 pm fell
near A21 d57. A
green light was seen flashing from the same spot as yesterday - A22 b98.
A patrol of 1 Officer (LT JACKSON) left our lines at 2 am from A27 49 at
2 am
and returned to the same point at 4 am. The patrol passed over a ridge
& a
crater and when some distance out discovered a track leading to the
enemy
lines. They stopped here and listened but nothing was heard save the
sound of a
running motor behind the enemy lines. There was no sign of the enemy.
JANUARY 25 1918 - RIGHT SUBSECTOR
OF CANAL SECTOR
Very quiet all day. A light T.M. fired 8 rounds at 7.30 pm and 15 at
11.15 pm.
This gun was located by us as being at A28 a35.
The same green light as yesterday was seen flashing about 5.30 pm.
Two of the enemy were seen working close [to] their trench in A21 d85 at
6 pm.
Fire with rifle was opened on them at once by D Coy. and the men were
seen to
throw up their tools and fall. A patrol of 2LT TUSON and 6 O.R. was sent
to bring
in the bodies which however had been taken by the enemy.
2LT S. MERRY & 6 O.R. left our lines at 3.30 am and went out via
ETNA and the
CRATER. The patrol returned at 4.45 am and during all the time the
patrol was
out, nothing was seen of the enemy.
Visibility very good. Bright Moonlight at night.
JANUARY 26 1918 - RIGHT SUBSECTOR OF CANAL SECTOR
Very quiet all day - little activity of any sort. Visibility very good -
the weather is
warm and dry.
The companies working in the wire of the "R" Localities -almost complete
now.
The front line is also much better.
A patrol of 1 Officer (2LT BENNETT) and 6 O.R. left our line at A27 b74
and
made its way via the Southern Lip of POILU CRATER to the enemy wire
which
was in good condition and without gaps. There was no sign of the enemy
the
whole time the patrol was out. The going in No Man's Land is good. The
patrol
returned to our lines at 3.40 am. The night was frosty.
JANUARY 27
1918 - RIGHT SUBSECTOR OF CANAL SECTOR
Early in the morning a heavy low lying mist made visibility very poor.
Later the
sun was bright and the mist dispersed. Very quiet all day - little
shelling & M.G.
activity. Three of the enemy were seen crawling near our line at A22 a16
at 7.30
pm. Fire was opened on them and although a patrol was sent to
reconnoitre
nothing more was seen of them but two bombs thrown by us were answered
by
two of theirs in the distance.
Work on clearing trenches and in wiring the "R" localities carried out
during the
night which was bright moonlight - too bright for patrols.
JANUARY 28 1918 - RIGHT SUBSECTOR
OF CANAL SECTOR
Visibility very good throughout the day. Increased artillery action on
both sides -
10.25 am 10 rounds of 42s on A27 c54, 1.50 pm 25 rounds 42s on A21 c76,
3.15 pm 12 rounds 42 on A27 b96. Our artillery replied with great effect
on LES
BRIQUES.
Two enemy aeroplanes over our lines during the morning driven off by our
A.A.
gun fire. Work on clearing trenches continued - the difference in the
condition of
the front line trench very noticable. The wiring of R1, R2, R3, R4 &
R5 now
finished.
The night was again very bright but a patrol was sent out under 2 LT
HARRISON. Nothing was seen or heard of the enemy. A sharp Frost at
night.
JANUARY 29 1918 - RIGHT SUBSECTOR OF CANAL SECTOR
The Battalion was relieved in the Line by 1/7th B. Lancashire Fusiliers.
The sun
was very bright but as there was a heavy ground mist the relief was not
interfered with. The relief was very slow - the head of the column
reached
CAMBRIN Cross Roads at 10.30 am whilst Relief was complete at 2.35 pm.
After relief the Battalion marched by Companies to Billets in BEUVRY
where
everything is compact and comfortable. Three of the Companies are
billetted in a
School whilst the other Company is in huts. Each Company has a dining
hut and
good cookhouses. There is also a Sergeants Mess and an Officers Mess
both of
which are very good.
JANUARY 30
1918 - BEUVRY
All four companies on working parties. The C.O. inspected all the
billets. During
the morning the Line FOSSE 9 (BETHUNE) - CAMBRIN Church was
reconnoitred so as to form a defensive flank facing South East in case
of the
Division on the right being attacked.
JANUARY 31 1918 - BEUVRY
One Company on working parties and the other three Companies spent the
day
in cleaning equipment & bathing. LT. TEARE left the Battalion for 6
months duty
in England.
Officers | O.R. | |
---|---|---|
Total Strength In France | 38 | 726 |
Trench Strength | 22 | 476 |
Casualties | ||
Killed | 2 | |
Wounded | 5 | |
Missing | Nil | |
Sick to hospital | 1 | 65 |