War
Diary for April 1917
1
Apr 1917 - Inseirat Holy Communion 0700 & 1000. Church
parade 0900. Gas drill, Bathing, Fatigues draft of 1 officer
& 147 O.Rs arrived from ROMANI.
2
Apr 1917 Battalion for 3 parties of 300 men & officers
for work on road formation. 1700 Gas drill. B Coy left camp
1700 for covering party to RE working party.
3
Apr 1917 0245 B coy returned with nothing to report. Gas
drill & marching. 0700 C coy left camp as covering party
returned 1705. 1700 D coy went out as working party. Camp
routine.
4
Apr 1917 0140 D coy returned nothing to report. 0700 A coy
went out returned 1700 1715 C coy went out as covering party.
Camp routine.
5
Apr 1917 0240 C coy returned 0700 B coy left as covering
party. D coy left as digging party to dig in naval 'phone
line. Returned 1710. 1700 A coy left as covering party
6
Apr 1917 0240 A coy returned with nothing to report. 0700
C coy left as covering party. Returned 1700. Being GOOD
FRIDAY rest of battalion attended Church parade at 0900.
1715 D coy went out on covering party returned 2230
7
Apr 1917 0700 B coy found covering party which returned
1700. A & C found working parties [Comment; Battalion
Medical Officer Captain
R.H.C. Pryn RAMC arrived]
8
Apr 1917 0245 A & C returned. HOLY COMMUNION 0600. EASTER
DAY. Church parade 0800. 0830 B & D found working parties
which returned 1530 9 Apr 1917 0740 A coy found working
party & returned 1715. Routine work in camp. 10 Apr
1917 0700 B & C found working parties for 486 Field
Coy RE, out 0700 returned 1715. D & A coy found covering
party to 484 & 486 Fld Coy RE. Parties returned about
0200 11th.
11
Apr 1917 C.O. took mounted officers for a reconnaisance.
0700 B coy found working party which returned 1600. Camp
routine. [Comment Lt Giles Shaw KIA]
12
Apr 1917 Camp routine coy training C.O. & adj reconnoitred
ground E of SHEIKH NEBAW
13
Apr 1917 Camp routine & training
14
Apr 1917 1000 GOC 54th Div inspected coys training C.O.
& adj & 2 coy commanders reconnoitred ground on
DORSET HOUSE side of WADI NUKABIR, with a view to intended
advance 1030 C.O's conference at Bde HQ. Camp routine.
15
Apr 1917 0700 HOLY COMMUNION. C.O. adj OCA & B coys
LIEUT [N.R.] TAITT & MGO of 162 MG Coy reconnoitred
same ground as yesterday. Camp routine.
16
Apr 1917 Morning spent in preparation for a move forward.
Packing kits, inspections issuing extra rations & stores.
Afternoon everyone not on duty rested. 1900 From 1900 silence
to 2400, for A B & D coys. C coy moved out at 2200 crossing
C 14 of WADI GHUZZE & took up a position in T4 to cover
concentration of Bde at DORSET HOUSE
17
Apr 1917 - Mansura Ridge 0105 Batt less one coy moved up
Wadi NUKABIR [owing to the action of the weather on the
carbon duplicate taken at the time the next 3 lines are
illegible] 0640 About 0640 the batt had secured a line about
600 yds long on MANSURA RIDGE & was consolidating it;
C Coy was drawn out into reserve & the line from right
to left dug & held by A B & C coys.
18
Apr 1917 day passed with intermittent shell fire.
19
Apr 1917 0530 General attack commenced [comment –
2nd Battle at
Gaza].
Batt closed into Bde reserve after the attack had gone through.
0740 D coy were thrown in to try to make touch with 10th
London
& 4th Northants. 1340 D coy got touch with Northants
& advanced as far as possible. 1830 Heavy shell &
MG fire stopped progress. During the night the whole of
the battalion were thrown in to take up a trench line. This
was completed about 2100, the Batt holding about 1500 yds
of rifle pits; each to hold 7 men at intervals of 25 paces.
The night passed without incident (Casualties for the day,
2 officers wounded, Lieut H. WILKIN & 2nd
LIEUT L.L. BRERETON who died of his wounds 10 days
after [comment; 29th April in Cairo] &
about 40 ORs killed wounded & missing [comment; Also
2/Lt John TAYLOR
and 8 OR’s killed]
20
Apr 1917 Batt distributed CDAB from about W.20.D.2.9. to
W.13.c.8.9. some snipers & shelling during the day but
hardly any damage done. Digging & wiring continued at
night.
21
Apr 1917 0500 Touch found with 10th LONDON Regt on left
& 161 Bde on right. 1900 At night a new line was taken
up & wired old trenches being filled in & wire rolled
up.
22
Apr 1917 - Sheikh Abbas New line from 2nd H of SHEIKH ABBAS
to Wadi near 20A.8.2. day passed without incident digging
at night
23
Apr 1917 2045 Day passed without incident except that an
enemy patrol fired a burst of rapid fire from about 1250
yds. Light signals during this were: 1 green 3 white 1 green
near the beginning of burst & 2 red when firing ceased.
24
Apr 1917 Day passed without incident. Some shelling, sniping
& counter sniping. Our snipers claimed 2 hits.
25
Apr 1917 1800 The batt was relieved in the trenches by 1/11th
LONDON Regt. Coys withdrew to position in rear of lip of
SHEIKH ABBAS ridge behind the line the batt had held.
26
Apr 1917 0730 Found digging party of 250 for road making
0730-1130. In the evening all coys dug on their dug outs
deep refuse & latrine pits were started & terraced
for dugouts & paths cut in the sides of the lip which
is nearly precipitous in this neighbourhood.
27
Apr 1917 Work continued as yesterday & in addition a
party worked at Bde HQ of 60
28
Apr 1917 Work continued as before & shelters were erected
with the supply of iron & timber which became available
[comment; 2/Lt Herbert
FOSKETT and 2 OR’s killed]
29
Apr 1917 HOLY COMMUNION, work continued, Regtl aid post
started
30-31
Apr 1917 Work continued on roads, dugouts, shelters, sanitation
& in the evening on the trench line
War
Diary for May 1917
1
May 1917 - Sheikh Abbas Bivouack routine & work on dugouts
during the morning and afternoon 1800 our coys began to
relieve the 4 coys of the 1/11th LONDON Regt in the right
sector 162 Brigade line. the Batt relief was complete by
1950. the line from right to left was held by D, A, B &
C Coys. 8 L.G.s resited & dugouts begun
2
May 1917 0300 Coy patrols pushed out to line of Wadi W.14
& 21 2230 Quiet day. At 2230 officer's patrol left W.20.A
went N to W.8.C where enemy picquet was found. Nothing more
was ascertained
3
May 1917 2200 Quiet day, Officer's patrols with 4 ARMENIAN
(deserters) left our line at W.20.B & went N to W.8.B.
They located an enemy working party driving in stakes (covered
by a covering party). Armenians failed to get in touch with
Turks.
4
May 1917 0005 Officer's patrol left line at 2nd H of SHEIKH
& proceeded NE, crossed SNIPER'S RIDGE left Wadi in
W.21 on their left & reached slope before NORFOLK TRENCHES.
No enemy seen but heard at work. Returned about 0200 1645
Quiet day anticipatory orders received for change of sectors
2000 Patrol to NORTHAMPTON RIDGE. Brought in identification
particulars of 1 officer & 12 O.Rs not previously known.
The day passed very quietly with nothing to report
5
May 1917 At 1930 a small salvage party went out to a point
about 100 NE of Road in W.23 & recovered among other
things 6 boxes SAA, 71 sets equipment, 5 L.E. Rifles &
3 identity discs from bodies. An officer patrol left our
line at the same time & went to road in W.15.C &
found the Turks at work under cover of 2 picquets. Meanwhile
a salvage party working under cover of this patrol on NORTHAMPTON
Mound collected from bodies the identity disc of 2 officers
& 30 O.Rs belonging to various units 2000 An officer's
patrol proceeded to a point 1300 yds N.N.E from our line
& found the enemy working between ROCKY CREST &
BROWN PATCH 2135 An officer's patrol went to a point 800
yds N. of our lines, where they were held up by enemy fire
it then being bright moonlight. They returned at 2415
6
May 1917 Nothing to report during the day, except a few
shrapnel shells fired at our new communicating trenches
as though TURK was registering 2000 4th ESSEX relieved C
coy in the line 2100 5th ESSEX
relieved A B & D coys. The battalion moved by coys to
a position in support of the left of the 162 Bde new sector
thus relieving part of the 156 Bde.
7
May 1917 - Mansura Ridge 0010 Last convoy of stores arrived
from old bivouacks. For a large part of this night digging
was proceeded with as the new bivouacks had a reputation
for being heavily shelled. Latrines were dug as a temporary
measure till the camels arrived with the buckets & seats.
During the day & for 4 hours of the night digging continued
8
May 1917 Digging continued. The work on the bivouack terraces
& dugouts during the day. At night 240 men (60 per coy)
started to dig 230 yds of communication trench from 1900-2100
9
May 1917 Routine as yesterday. A & B coys attended a
gas demonstration near DOREST HOUSE & all passed through
the gas in a satisfactory way
10
May 1917 Routine as yesterday, C & D attended gas demonstration.
Digging 7 hours during day
11
May 1917 Routine as yesterday, details attended gas demonstration
12
May 1917 Routine as yesterday, but orders having been received
to relieve 1/11th LONDON coy commanders met LONDON coy commanders
& orders as Appendix A were issued 1815 Coys filed into
trenches in order from Right to left A B C & C &
took over from day group of 1/11th LONDONS who withdrew
into support bivouacks. Relief was reported complete at
1950. Each coy front consists of 27 firebays each capable
of holding about 10 men if full. In the battalion line 4
MGs 8 LGs (of ours) & 4 Stokes guns.
13
May 1917 0450 The night passed quietly - the front was reported
all clear at dawn by coy commanders patrols, day passed
without incident though groups of camels were observed on
the GAZA - BEERSHEBA Rd. C battery 265 Bde of Howitzers
took on one convoy at a range of 6500 yds but was observed
to be 200 yds short by our forward O.P. During morning a
signaller, who was mending a line outside a communication
trench behind front line was sniped from about 1400 yds
& killed [comment; Pte
200870 George Pratt of Charlton, Beds]. The C.O. made
a personal reconnaissance of the ground across our front
for about 800yds out & decided that only one observation
post was necessary to watch Batt front. 1930 Officers patrol
left fire at R.17.C.5.8 on bearing of 37 degrees (true)
to Little CACTUS GARDEN & returned 2300. Three groups
were seen & fire from a fourth drawn.
14
May 1917 0705 Night was quiet, 0705 20 enemy seen filing
from left to right of CACTUS HEDGE B/272 informed &
several rounds of shrapnel fired which caused them to disappear.
0800, 0950, 1000 Convoys, out of range, seen on GAZA - BEERSHEBA
Rd during day the dead ground from 400yds to 700 yds in
front of our line was registered by the 3 supporting batteries
with a view to night firing 2200 Officer's patrol left for
ground to NE of CACTUS Hedge, but owing to intense darkness
could find out nothing & returned about 0200
15
May 1917 0630 A new enemy battery (about 4.2" calibre) began
to register & fired 5 rounds within a radius of 50yds
of the Batt HQ. No shelling near our trenches. One shell
pitched onto the bank of earth heaped in front of one of
the "Terraces" of B coy's bivouack on which 12 men were
having breakfast at the time. The only casualty was a slight
scalp wound caused by a piece of earth. The system this
unit has found satisfactory of getting protection from shell
fire on a slope is roughly shown below [comment; diagram
not attached] The slope is cut perpendicular (AB) to a depth
of 10ft BC is flat & earth heaped up at C as shown in
Fig 2. An "undercut" dugout is made at B (Fig 2). The dugouts
BE did not need to be supported in most cases as the ground
was very hard, if the roof was well arched as in fig.3.
The shell in question pitched about D & buried itself
in the earth before exploding the men were sitting on the
terrace BC. 1900 Officer's patrol to 500yds NE of Cactus
hedge found 3 of our bodies.
16
May 1917 0640, 0852, 1415 Camel convoys on the GAZA-Beersheba Rd
all came under fire of our guns. 2100 Officer's patrol under
Bde orders left line at W.19.d & proceeded to CACTUS
GARDEN.
They selected a site considered suitable for the starting
point for an attack by 2 coys on the GARDEN, about 550yds
SE of garden & 300yds E of Road. The approach to this
was a double wire laid back to the MENDUR
Rd and returned 0239 on 17th
17
May 1917 0200 Patrol of 1 officer & 20 O.Rs proceeded
to a point 800 SE of CACTUS Hedge & remained out all
day. As opportunity offered they changed their position
from time to time, being sniped at every now & then.
At dusk many snipers got out of the grass & went for
the garden, as though they rested there during the night.
0530 An enemy working party of about 200 was observed about
600yds N.W. of CACTUS GARDEN. B/272 opened fire & got
4 shots of 7 into the party which scattered. The rest of
the day passed without incident.
18
May 1917 The day passed without incident & except for
the usual convoys in the distance little was seen. About
1800 several small parties of enemy came out from ALI MUNTAR
& disappeared in trenches about 500yds N of CACTUS GARDEN.
During day the supporting Batteries C/2659 B/272 were engaged
in gapping the wire on Outpost Hill & registering the
gaps. 2000 The Battalion was relieved by 25th R.W.F. [comment;
this unit did not serve in the MEF - should be 1/5 RWF?]
and moved into bivouack area previously occupied by 7th
R.W.F. Note on daily routine. During the whole period that
the Battalion was in support to the 11th LONDON
working parties were found of a strength to employ. The
whole Battalion less necessary specialists worked at communication
trenches for 3 to 4 hours each night, cutting a considerable
length of new trench & opening up to allow stretchers
to pass, another long length. The whole battalion was employed
for about 4 hours a day - generally between 0700 & 1100
- on erecting terraces & dug outs of the pattern alluded
to & also in building splintered roof verandahs on the
terraces. as in Fig 3. made of 2 strips of corrugated iron
supported by upright timber beam XY & horizontal beams
XW. On the roof was 2 sandbags round edge with earth &
tufts of grass in the centre. During the period that the
Battalion was in the front line trenches 6 hours work a
day was performed usually from 0700-0900 & from 1900-2300.
This work consisted chiefly in reconstructing fire bays,
levelling parapets & heaped up traverses, widening &
deepening the communication ways behind the firestep &
constructing deep dugouts & coy H.Q.s. As will be seen
there has been a considerable amount of sickness & a
very large proportion of this id due to slight abrasions
got while digging and at other times becoming septic. It
was found useful for each coy HQ to keep a bottle of iodine
& some cotton wool & orders were issued that any
man who grazed himself, however slightly, was at once to
be iodized.
19
May 1917 The day was spent in settling into new bivouacks
which consisted of about 200yds of gully with 4 small branches
about 40yds long off it & the flat ground between these
arms. During the day & the next few days, much sanitary
work including the erection of incinerators, latrines, washing
baths & areas & the dugouts were sprayed with fly
solution. The Battalion with the 1/11th LONDON
Regt & 1st HEREFORD
Regt & 6th R.W.F. were all in the same area & were
placed under the orders of GOC 53rd Div in general reserve
- organised for tactical purposes as a composite Bde under
command of the Batt C.O. - Lt.Col
E.W.BRIGHTEN C.M.G.
20
May 1917 0730 CHURCH PARADE with 1/11th LONDON Regt. HOLY
COMMUNION 10.30. Working parties had been ordered by 53rd
Div. but these were cancelled in view of a KHAMSENE or hot
dusty wind which made the weather too hot for work.
21
May 1917 Working parties were found under orders of 162
Bde to construct Bde HQ for 162 Bde which expects to come
into residence in its new area on the night of 25th/26th.
22
May 1917 Working parties were found under 53rd Div orders
for work on making the new wire road to C14 crossing &
near PICCADILLY CIRCUS.
Work continued at Bde H.Q. no of man hours worked in day
2245
23
May 1917 Working parties under 53rd Div & 162 Bde orders
were provided on similar tasks to those performed yesterday.
"Man hours" worked 1500. In nearly all instances the work
was a considerable distance away & the parties took
from 50 mins to 1 1/2 hours in marching to & from work.
24
May 1917 Working parties continued as yesterday. Man hours
1740. During the day work continued in bivouack on making
baths of sandbags, covered with W.P. sheets for the men.
1 gallon of water was allotted to 3 men who were enabled
by washing themselves first & their straining off the
soapsuds in a straw "trap" to wash their clothes also.
25
May 1917 Camp routine & working parties at new bde HQ.
1900 162 Bde HQ moved to the area & the Batt passed
under its orders from those of the COMPOSITE Bde of 53rd
Div. Lt Col E.W.BRIGHTEN CMG - in the absence
of the GOC in hospital assumed command of the 162 Bde, handing
over command of this unit to Capt C.R. JAMES
26
May 1917 Camp routine & work at Bde HQ.
27
May 1917 WHITSUNDAY. HOLY COMMUNION 0615. Church parade
0730. Voluntary service 1800. A & B coys marched to
sea at mouth of WADI GHUZZE & spent the day bathing
& resting
28
May 1917 Working party under 495 Coy RE;s of 376 all ranks.
One coy was being inoculated for T.A.B. otherwise this was
the digging strength of the battalion. Pow-wow for C.Os
at Bde HQ at 1000. Train echelon kit brought up to unit
from DEIR-EL-BELAH
29
May 1917 1000 C.O. adj & 4 OC coys reconnoitred the
approaches to SHEIKH ABBAS salient from bivouack with a
view to reinforcing it if ordered to do so by Reserve Commander.
Training in signalling bombing & Lewis guns.
30
May 1917 Classes of bombing, signalling, sanitation, stretcher
bearers were started under coy & batt. arrangements.
Some 75 men who needed it went to the 54th Div San Section
& were disinfected. T.A.B.1 inoculation which started
2 days previously was continued.
31
May 1917 Specialist training continued. Battalion being
on Bde duty found guards & fatigues as ordered. Inoculation
continued. This completes 3/4 of the battalion's annual
TAB inoculation first dose
Appendix
B: Average Daily Sick
Average
daily sick for 1st week 75 all ranks
Average
daily sick for 2nd week 110 all ranks
Average
daily sick for 3rd week 105 all ranks
Average
daily sick for 4th week 122 all ranks
Average
daily sick MONTH 102 all ranks
Max
number of sick on 20th 208 all ranks
Minimum
number of sick on 2nd 56 all ranks
War
Diary for June 1917
1
Jun 1917 - Sheikh Abbas Camp routine. Last batch of T.A.B.
1 inoculations completed: Training in bombing (on a basis
if 4 sections of 1 NCO & 7 men per coy), Lewis Guns
(on a basis of 4 sections of 1 NCO & 6 men per coy),
Sanitary & signalling & stretcher-bearing with first
aid, continued under officer & NCO instructors
2
Jun 1917 As yesterday. Digging parties of 2 officers &
80 O.Rs were found for wire road mending
3
Jun 1917 HOLY COMMUNION 0615 & 0815. Church parade 0700.
Voluntary service 1730.
TRINITY
SUNDAY 4 Jun 1917 Training as per programme outlined. Routine
work in camp
5
Jun 1917 Training as yesterday. A section of the "sealed-pattern"
trench employed by this battalion was constructed &
bad shots were practised is assuming the correct position
for firing at suitable aiming marks over the parapet.
6
Jun 1917 Training continued as yesterday. Men being trained
in 2 of D coy's bombing sections & some of A coy's threw
live bombs
7
Jun 1917 Training continued. The CO & adj rode to the
bivouacks area of the 7th Royal Scots. Orders had been received
that the 54th Div was to take over the area held by the
52nd Division on the night of the 12th/13th 8 following
nights. This unit has been ordered to form left subsection
reserve to the Div & for the purpose will be attached
to the 163rd Bde on arrival at the new defences. The distribution
of the battalion will be given later. A lecture on "Horse
& Mule Management" was given by the ADVS at Bde H.Q.
to all officers.
8
Jun 1917 Training continued. Live bombs thrown by rest of
A & D coys' bombing sections. Further reconnaissance
of the new position by C.O & Adj. Lecture by ADVS on
"diseases of horses & mules", for all officers.
9
Jun 1917 Training continued C.O. adj., OSC A, B, C &
D coys visited new area. Lecture on "sanitation" by D.A.D.M.S.
for all officers. Demonstration & Lecture on "carrier
pigeons" for all officers & some signallers
10
Jun 1917 HOLY COMMUNION 0630. Church parade 0500. Voluntary
service 1730. C.O. Adj. M.O. T.O. & QM visited new line
11
Jun 1917 Training continued. All heavy baggage & Train
Echelon kit dumped at QM Stores by 1200, Great coats in
bundles by 10s by coys. Advance parties of 1 Officer &
1 O.R. per coy & HQ reported before dusk to the new
unit & spent the next 24 hours in taking over trench
stores allotting bivouacks & dugouts & generally
preparing for the Battalion. 1800 Camels carried the dump
to the new quarters under the escort of 1 NCO & 2 O.Rs
per HQ & Coy. 2100 Owing to a raid having been timed
about 2100 on the left of the left section, heavy rifle
& artillery fire was going on when the convoy approached
the new position & the camels were accordingly barracked
for 4 hours & thus avoid loss from "overs"
12
Jun 1917 - Merioneth Redoubt, Flint Redoubt, Welch Redoubt
The day was spent in rest apart from necessary fatigues
connected with the move. 1900 the battalion moved off at
1900 & moved without incident to the "T-PIECE" a name
given by this unit to the fork in the wire road in O.36.D.6.5.
Here guides from advance parties took over the coys &
HQ & led them to their new positions. Rations, water
& light kit were brought by camels during the night
to HQ where the coys sent necessary guides. 2130 The relief
was complete. 155 Bde to whom the 1/5th Bedfords
were attached being lent by 162 Bde for the purpose, was
in command of the left sub sector. the Battalion was distributed
in the second or redoubt line in support to the firing line
of the left sub sector, left section. A coy held MERIONETH
Redoubt, D coy FLINT REDOUBT & C coy WELCH REDOUBT.
B coy in reserve at Batt HQ. Detachments of MG coys were
also in the redoubts. During the night a number of "overs"
from enemy rifle & m.g. fire aimed at our front line,
fell in the bivouack area at H.Q. 1 Pte, 1 Native camel
driver & Camel were wounded.
13
Jun 1917 During the day work continued on men's bivouacks
& redoubts. 1900 B Coy was detached & lent to 1/4
NORFOLK Regt under 163 Bde orders & were employed to
form 3 local supports to the 3 coys of NORFOLKS in the right
of the Bde line.
14
Jun 1917 Work continued at the redoubts which are all very
incomplete a list or work to be done & work completed
will be given in appendix A. Working parties of 100 were
sent to each redoubt from the reserve div to help. [Comment;
Lt
& Quartermaster Gerald Owen Lydekker died of
Myasthenia Gravis at the Hadra Hospital In Alexandria]
15
Jun 1917 1300 B Coy was sent to train for 16 days at the
54th Div Coy training camp. A composite coy of 1/4th NORTHANTS
& DEVON Regt men were sent to replace them. One man
was hit by an over at night in the HQ cookhouse. A barricade
of sandbags was erected near the cookhouse & near the
place where the camels unload at night this gives the men
protection. G.O.C. 54th Div inspected left section, including
the redoubts held by this unit. Work continued during the
day on the redoubts
16
Jun 1917 Work continued as yesterday. Everything has continued
to be very quiet. Most days about 4 shells = "PIPSQUEAKS"
- of about 15lb Field gun type are sent over FLINT REDOUBT
& one or two near WELCH REDOUBT, but so far no one has
been hit by their shrapnel. During the hours of darkness
a certain number of "overs" come near batt HQ bivouacks,
but these are less frequent than on arrival & barricades
of sandbags & an order issued to keep men not on duty
in their bivouacks, have prevented any more casualties.
17
Jun 1917 Routine as usual. A latrine has been constructed
on the beach and a bathing area allotted for use of the
troops of thus unit. As this is in view of "SEA POST" an
enemy work about 1500 yds away parties are limited to 12
at a time. A bathing picquet is told off in case of accidents.
The ground on which the battalion now is, is a series of
sand dunes& there is nearly always a cool breeze from
the sea. In consequence the health of the troops has greatly
improved since arrival as will be seen from the numbers
of sick shown in Appendix B.
18
Jun 1917 Work & Routine as yesterday.
19
Jun 1917 Routine as yesterday. Usual working parties from
reserve. A quantity of hurdles 5' x 5' covered in matting
arrived for the erection of bivouacks for the men &
were erected as in sketch [sketch in text]
20
Jun 1917 Working parties as yesterday were received from
the reserve. parties were sent down to bathe. Adj made reconnaissance
of the front line & advance posts of the left batt of
left sector i.e. the left of the line skirting the sea.
Everything seemed extremely quiet & it was quite possible
to keep one's head & shoulders over the parapet for
15 mins at a time without being sniped at.
21
Jun 1917 Work & routine as usual.
22
Jun 1917 Work & routine s usual. It is noticed that
since the relief the enemy has been growing less & less
active from a MG point of view. During the last 3 nights
especially very few "overs" have come near the bivouack
& most of those have been from single rifle shots &
not from MG bursts. A few shrapnel & HE shells have
come over - generally about 3-5 between 1500 & 1800
- & our guns have always replied with one or two salvoes
which seems to have a sobering effect on the enemy guns.
23
Jun 1917 Work & routine as usual. Nothing of any note.
24
Jun 1917 Work & routine as usual. HOLY COMMUNION 0600.
Voluntary service 1700 Lt-Col. EW BRIGHTEN CMG,
who had been in command of 162 Bde during the absence sick
of Brig-Genl A.MUDGE, [comment - entry ends]
25
Jun 1917 Work & routine as usual. A wire cutting programme
to extend over a fortnight was started by the artillery
in our sector. Orders have been received that while wire
cutting is going on unnecessary movement behind our front
line is to stop, so as to avoid provoking retaliation.
26
Jun 1917 No working parties were sent to-day in view of
the reorganisation ordered in the left subsection by 163
Bde. As a result of the reorganisation this battalion remains
as before except that the coy of 4 NORTHANTS Regt attached
has to be withdrawn to Batt local reserve with HQ.
27
Jun 1917 Working parties sent to work at FLINT & WELCH
post 50 each. Routine as usual. 1430 Coy of 1/4th NORTHANTS
reported at Batt HQ on completion of their withdrawal.
28
Jun 1917 Work & routine as usual. Northants supplied
working parties for FLINT & WELCH. Very quiet on the
front.
29
Jun 1917 Working parties as usual by detachment of Northants.
More shelling but no casualties.
30
Jun 1917 Working party for FLINT only. Northants
detachment worked at MERIONETH.
APPENDIX
B
June
1917 Average daily sick during month: 16
Strength
at beginning of month: - 32 Officers 878 O.Ranks
Strength
at end of month 27 officers 895 O.Ranks
