1916 War Diary

NOTES: All remarks in squared brackets are my own additions, amendments or comments and are not part of the original document

I have adjusted all names to show in bold and capital letters, to make them easier to pick out. This is not how they appear in the original document.

WAR DIARY FOR JANUARY 1916

1 Jan 1916 - Hannescamps Enemy active at 11 p.m. last night (New year's eve German time) Much shooting blowing of Steam Whistle and Musketry fire. Relieved in trenches by 13th Battn Rifle Brigade. Marched back to billets in HUMBERCAMP [sic].

2 Jan 1916 - Humbercamps Wet day. No working parties.

3 Jan 1916 100 men digging at HANNESCAMPS.

4-5 Jan 1916 Usual working parties at front line.

6 Jan 1916 Demonstration at Brigade Bombing ground St.AMAND.

7 Jan 1916 100 men digging front line. Coy parades, instruction of Machine Gunners & Grenadiers.

8 Jan 1916 Usual working parties & parades.

9 Jan 1916 Battn stood to & marched out to POMMIER Road for practice alarm. Battn was clear of the Village in 35 minutes.

10-12 Jan 1916 Usual working parties on front line. Remainder of Battn instructional parades. Two Companies went to Grenade School for attack practice

13 Jan 1916 Relieved the 13th Rifle Brigade at BIENVILLERS.

14 Jan 1916 - Bienvillers-au-Bois A good deal of aerial activity by our aircraft 2/Lt W.Cann [William George CANN] joined on posting to Battn.

15 Jan 1916 Dull. Wet day. Very little artillery activity.

16 Jan 1916 Aircraft active on both sides.

17 Jan 1916 Wet day. Combined Machine Guns 110th & 112th Brigades Concentrated fire on MONCHY at 6.40 pm. 26 Guns. Enemy's reply very feeble.

18 Jan 1916 Dull and Wet. Quiet all day.

19 Jan 1916 Our Artillery active all morning. Germans fired 8 77mm shells into BIENVILLERS. Nos 14221 Pte J HUTCHINSON, No.15340 Pte J THOMPSON (died 25.1.16), No 10583 Pte K S GIRLING No 17564 Pte G CARRINGTON. No 13223 L Corp A WHITE wounded. Relieved 10th L.N.Lancs Regt at HANNESCAMP [sic].

20 Jan 1916 - Hannescamps Fine day. German FOKKER Aeroplane Came over & dropped 3 bombs on BIENVILLERS. No damage done Germans shelled Battn HQs at HANNESCAMP [sic] with 11 77mm shells. No material damage done. Trench 64 Shelled. No 12143 Corpl M.BRAND, No 13552 Pte A.PRIOR, No 12490 Pte C.GREENSLADE [possibly 12940 C. CATLING], No 13490 Pte.C.R.MITCHELL wounded. No 12093 Lc.Corp.R.TAYLOR wounded & missing believed Killed while out sniping.

21 Jan 1916 Artillery active on both sides.

22 Jan 1916 Artillery active on both sides. Bombardment by 48th Div on our right between 2.30 & 3.pm. No 10627 Lc.Corp.W. LAVENDER wounded. 2/Lts J.B.HEMLING [possibly J.J. HAMELIN, RAMC?] & K.L. Mallet [K.L.MALLETT] joined on posting to Battn.

23 Jan 1916 Germans fired 30, 5.9 Howitzer Shells near battalions S.E. of BIENVILLERS. One shell hit mill & failed to explode. No damage done. Our artillery retaliated at 12.10 pm. D.Coy Sent out strong patrol which drove back a German patrol.

24 Jan 1916 Foggy day. Quiet.

25 Jan 1916 Artillery activity on both sides between 1 & 2 a.m. near FONQUEVILLERS [sic] at 11.30 A.M. 9 German aeroplanes flew over our lines and passed by to SW. No 13073 Pte.T.BAKER wounded. Relieved by 13th Rifle Brigade. Marched back to billets at HUMBERCAMP [sic].

26 Jan 1916 - Humbercamps Men at rest Cleaning Kit etc.

27 Jan 1916 Kaisers birthday. All quiet on our front. Gas alarm about 7.30 pm. Turned out to be a false one.

28 Jan 1916 Another Gas alarm, also false. Foggy all day. Usual Working parties & parades.

29 Jan 1916 Foggy all day. H.Q. Coy route march & parades.

30 Jan 1916 Thick fog all day. Two Companies (B & D) Went to Brigade Grenade School to practice Grenade attack.

31 Jan 1916 Usual Working parties.

WAR DIARY FOR FEBRUARY 1916

1 Feb 1916 - Humbercamps Battn in Brigade Reserve. 2 Coys route marching remainder digging on front line.

2-3 Feb 1916 2 Coys digging on front line. Hard frost at night.

4-5 Feb 1916 Men digging on front line. Warmer with Rain.

6 Feb 1916 - Bienvillers-au-Bois Relieved 13th Rifle Brigade at BIENVILLERS.

7-9 Feb 1916 Men employed digging on front line.

10 Feb 1916 - Hannescamps Relieved N.Lancs Regt in the trenches.

11 Feb 1916 Pte. A.Norman [13113 Albert NORMAN] slightly wounded by a shell.

12 Feb 1916 Following Casualties from Shell fire: - Lieut Hitch [A.T. HITCH] 2/Lt Mallett [K.L. MALLETT] Corpl HOLT, Pte SUTHERLAND Pte COULDRIDGE all wounded.

13 Feb 1916 Relieved in trenches by 6th Gloucester Regt marched back to ST.AMAND.

14-15 Feb 1916 - S-Amand Battalion at rest.

16 Feb 1916 Relieved 9th Leicester Regt in new sector of trenches near BIENVILLERS

17 Feb 1916 - trenches Enemy shelled our Communication trenches with 77mm Shells - Pte Barton [15538 Frederick BARTON] wounded (died 20.2.16)

18 Feb 1916 Wet day. Quiet on our Sector. Heavy bombardment by enemy on our trenches in front of FONQUEVILLERS [sic]. Wet day.

19 Feb 1916 Pte Merriman [12151 Arthur MERRIMAN] Killed. Shot through the head. Sergt Spriggs [12023 William SPRIGGS] Killed. Shot through the head. Zeppelin & 3 Aeroplanes came over about 11 pm dropped 2 bombs near our HQr. No damage done Heavy bombardment S. of HEBUTERNE at 7 pm.

20 Feb 1916 Fine day. Air Craft on both sides active Communication trenches Shelled with 77mm Shells Hard frost at night.

21 Feb 1916 About 50 77mm Shells fired near Batt H.Qr 5 men of 9th Leicester Regt wounded & 2 Killed Pte WILDER [14733 George WILDER] wounded - shot through the hand.

22 Feb 1916 Very Cold Snowing all morning. Relieved by 9th Leicester Regt marched back to St AMAND.

23-24 Feb 1916 - S-Amand Snowing all day, hard frost at night. About 500 men working digging.

25 Feb 1916 Snowing all day.

26-29 Feb 1916 Thaw set in with rain. Men digging on front line every day.

WAR DIARY FOR MARCH 1916

1 Mar 1916 - St-Amand The Battalion took over new billets at POMMIER.

2-4 Mar 1916 - Pommier Battalion in Rest. Weather bad. 60 men working daily on front line.

5 Mar 1916 Battalion in Rest. Weather bad. 60 men working daily on front line. 2nd Lt.G.R.N.MORRISON [George Roy Nevill MORRISON] posted to Bn.

6 Mar 1916 Battalion moved to HANNESCAMPS & relieved 11th R.Warwick Regt in trenches. Took over new line as per column of Remarks [Ref.Map 57D NE Sheets 1 & 2 (parts of) 1/10.000 E.17.A.3.6-E.11.A.8.10].

7 Mar 1916 - Hannescamps Quiet day. A certain number of hostile trench mortar bombs & rifle Grenades were fired on the left of line held by Bn.

8 Mar 1916 Hostile Artillery inactive. Line extended on our right as per col. of remarks [E.17.A.20 - E.11.A.8.10]

9-10 Mar 1916 Hostile Artillery Quiet. Enemy Action with trench mortar bombs & rifle Grenades. Good work done by Bn. snipers on both these days.

11 Mar 1916 Hostile artillery shelled centre of line doing very little damage. Hostile trench mortar bombs active at evening stand to.

12 Mar 1916 Relieved in trenches by 11th R.Warwick Regt. Headquarters proceeded to BIENVILLIERS [sic]. A & C Coys remained in HANNESCAMPS. B & D Coys proceeded to FONQUEVILLERS [sic]. 12044 Pte.Brand, W. [12044 William BRAND] Bullet wound in head. 13438 L/C Dell, G.F [13438 George F. DELL] . Bullet wound in head.

13 Mar 1916 - Bienvillers-au-Bois Battalion in Brigade Support. day quiet. Weather fine and warm. 16481 Pte.A.Sells, Bullet wound in head.

14 Mar 1916 300 men working on front line. Captain D.Blake [Denis Henry BLAKE] rejoined. & 2/Lt R. Prickett [Ronald PRICKETT] arrived as a reinforcement. Day quiet.

16 Mar 1916 Working parties as usual. Continued activity of hostile Artillery. Exhibition of Flammenwerfer at LA CAUCHIE.

17 Mar 1916 Day Quiet. Working parties as usual. Trenches visited by Army Commander

18 Mar 1916 Working parties As usual. Day quiet. Heavy Artillery bombardment on night of 18/19 right from 2 am to 3 a.m.

19 Mar 1916 Aerial Activity on both sides. Relieved by 2nd Bn R.Irish Regt. Battalion moved to rest Billets at HUMBERCAMPS Vacated by Royal Irish Fusiliers.

20-22 Mar 1916 - Humbercamps Battalion given 3 days complete rest on coming out of the trenches after a tour of seven months. Men employed cleaning up.

23 Mar 1916 500 men digging on Corps Line.

24 Mar 1916 Section & Platoon training started. Cold Day. Snow.

25 Mar 1916 Section & Platoon training started. Cold Day. Snow.

26 Mar 1916 250 men working on Corps Line. Church Parade Wet day. A draft of 30 men Arrived from 5th Entrenching Bn.

27 Mar 1916 250 men working on Corps Line. Remainder of Bn training. 2nd Lieut W.H.B.Shervington [William Hugh Byam SHERVINGTON] posted to Bn.

28 Mar 1916 Bn. in training. Corps Commander visited Bn H.Q.

29 Mar 1916 500 men working on Corps Line. Bn inspected in billets by C in C. Snowed in afternoon.

30 Mar 1916 Training continued.

31 Mar 1916 400 men on Corps. 2 bombs dropped on HUMBERCAMPS by Hostile aeroplane 12073 Pte.Carter H. slight shrapnel wound in head.

WAR DIARY FOR APRIL 1916

1 Apr 1916 - Humbercamps 400 men working on Corps Line - remainder training 2/Lt E.W.A.PEACH proceeded to Base as Instructor.

2 Apr 1916 2/Lt E.A.S.White [Eric Archibald Stuart WHITE] with draft of 30 men arrived.

3-4 Apr 1916 400 men working on Corps Line.

5 Apr 1916 400 men working on Corps Line. 2nd Lt. J.N.Hunston [John Norman HUNSTON] posted to Bn.

6 Apr 1916 400 men working on Corps Line. Sergt W.B.FRANKLIN Accidentally injured in head by bomb.

7-8 Apr 1916 Work as usual on Corps Line.

9 Apr 1916 Battn relieved by 8th Leicester Regt. Proceeded to rest Billets by route march to SUS-ST-LEGER

10-16 Apr 1916 - Sus St.Leger 520 men employed daily making hurdles. Remainder of Battn training.

17-20 Apr 1916 Battn in training. Weather bad.

21 Apr 1916 Battn inspected by Brigadier. Lieut W.M.WACE [Walter Melville WACE] rejoined.

23 Apr 1916 2nd Lieut R.E.Carles [Richard Eric CARLES], 2nd Lieut O.E. Hobson [Owen Ellis HOBSON] & 2nd Lt G.Peel [Geoffrey PEEL] arrived as reinforcements.

23-30 Apr 1916 Battn employed finding 550 men daily hurdle making. Remainder of Battn training.

WAR DIARY FOR MAY 1916

1 May 1916 - Bienvillers-au-Bois Battn moved from SUS-ST-LEGER to BIENVILLERS

2 May 1916 NIL

3 May 1916 - Monchy-au-Bois Took over trenches 72-92 from 13/K.R.R.C. Bt. Maj.F.H.Edwards [Francis Hyde EDWARDS] arrived & assumed command.

4 May 1916 Intense hostile bombardment followed by raid at 3 am (66 casualties & 8 missing)

5 May 1916 NIL

6 May 1916 NIL

7 May 1916 NIL

8 May 1916 - Bienvillers-au-Bois Relieved by 10th L.N.Lancs R.

9 May 1916 Working parties.

10 May 1916 Working parties.

11-13 May 1916 Working parties (Draft of 69 men arrived on 12th).

14 May 1916 - Bailleulmont Battn moved to BAILLEULMONT (on relief of Bde)

15-23 May 1916 Working parties & training.

24 May 1916 Seven (7) officers arrived from 9/Bedf R. 54 men arrived from 5/Entrenching Battn.

25 May 1916 Moved to trenches 78-92.

26- 29 May 1916 Quiet.

30 May 1916 Artillery & trench mortars active on both sides. (1 killed 1 wounded)

WAR DIARY FOR JUNE 1916

1-6 Jun 1916 - Bienvillers-au-Bois In support at BIENVILLERS.

6 Jun 1916 - Bailleulmont Moved to BAILLEULMONT.

6-18 Jun 1916 BAILLEULMONT.

14 Jun 1916 1 Off & 53 O.R. to 3rd Army H.Qrs. 8 O.R. to 37 C.C.S.

16 Jun 1916 28 N.C.O.s & men to Auxi-le-Chateau.

18-24 Jun 1916 - Bienvillers-au-Bois Moves to trenches opposite BIENVILLERS.

24 Jun 1916 Moved out of trenches to BIENVILLERS.

25 Jun 1916 2 (O.R.) killed. 3 (O R) Died of wounds. 16 (O R) wounded.

26-27 Jun 1916 BIENVILLERS

28-29 Jun 1916 BIENVILLERS 4 (O R) wounded.

30 Jun 1916 D Coy to support of 11th R.War.Regt at HANNESCAMPS. 1 (O R) killed & 2 (O R) wounded.

WAR DIARY FOR JULY 1916

1 Jul 1916 - Bienvillers-au-Bois Battn in support (in billets).

2-5 Jul 1916 - Halloy At HALLOY.

6 Jul 1916 - Millencourt Battn moved to MILLENCOURT by Lorries.

7 Jul 1916 - Tara-Usna Line Battn moved to USNA-TARA line E. of ALBERT.

8 Jul 1916 - Contalmaison Battn moved to the front line trenches at night forming a defensive flank in event of hostile attack from CONTALMAISON (Casualties 4 Killed & 14 Wounded).

9 Jul 1916 Same position as 8th (Casualties 14 Killed & 1 missing. 5 Offrs & 70 wounded).

10 Jul 1916 Same position as 9th (Casualties 6 Killed 4 Missing 40 wounded).

11 Jul 1916 - Heligoland Support Trench Moved to support trenches (i.e. HELIGOLAND) Battn remained in HELIGOLAND & found working party. (Casualties 2 Killed. 1 missing. 7 Wounded)

12 Jul 1916 HELIGOLAND (1 Killed & 22 Wounded).

13 Jul 1916 - Tara-Usna Line Moved to USNA-TARA line.

15 Jul 1916 [The Battle of the Somme - the Battle of Bazentin] Attack on POZIERES by 112th Bde. from trenches S. of CONTALMAISON, Bde. held up by hostile machine guns, established itself about 100 yds from the CIMITIERE & dug in. Casualties (3 Offs Killed, 32 O.R. Killed) (25 missing) (9 Offrs. Wounded, 174 O.R. Wounded).

16 Jul 1916 - Albert Battn moved to ALBERT.

19 Jul 1916 - Bresle Battn moved to BRESLE.

20 Jul 1916 - La Houssoye Battn moved to LA HOUSSOYE.

21 Jul 1916 Draft of 120 arrived.

22 Jul 1916 - Behencourt Battn moved to BEHENCOURT.

23 Jul 1916 Draft of 28 arrived.

25 Jul 1916 Draft of 90 arrived.

30 Jul 1916 - Bresle Battn marched to BRESLE.

31 Jul 1916 - Becourt Wood Battn marched to BECOURT WOOD 2500 yds E. of ALBERT.

WAR DIARY FOR AUGUST 1916

1 Aug 1916 - Becourt Wood Batt at BECOURT WOOD. 11 officers arrived.

3 Aug 1916 - Bottom Wood Trenches To trenches at BOTTOM WOOD north of FRICOURT

5 Aug 1916 1 Offr. 10 O.R. wounded in working party.

6 Aug 1916 - Bazentin-le-Petit Batt at BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT (1 O.R. wounded).

7 Aug 1916 8 O.R. killed. 1 offr & 24 O.R. wounded.

8-9 Aug 1916 [The Battle of Pozieres] 1 O.R. killed. 1 offr. & 13 O.R. wounded. 1st intermediate line attacked at 9.20 pm. 1 Offr & 8 O.R. killed. 25 O.R. missing. 2 offrs & 49 O.R. wounded

10 Aug 1916 1 Offr & 1 O.R.killed, 12 wounded. Battn to support trenches between BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT WOOD & MAMETZ WOOD.

11 Aug 1916 1 offr 7 O.R. wounded.

15 Aug 1916 - Becourt Wood Battn to BECOURT WOOD. 1 O.R. killed & 2 wounded.

16 Aug 1916 - Behencourt Battn marched to BEHENCOURT.

17 Aug 1916 Draft of 5 offrs & 288 men arrived.

18 Aug 1916 - Airaines Entrained at FRECHENCOURT for LONGPRE & marched to AIRAINES.

20 Aug 1916 Marched from AIRAINES to LONGPRE & Entrained.

21 Aug 1916 - Estaires Arrived at BAILLEUL & marched to ESTAIRES.

22 Aug 1916 - Bruay Entrained at LA GORGUE & detrained at CALONNE RICOUART & then marched to BRUAY. Rejoined 37th Div.

24 Aug 1916 - Mazingarbe Marched to MAZINGARBE. Tpt NOEUX LES MINES.

25 Aug 1916 - Loos Salient To trenches in LOOS SALIENT (Parts 14 bis). Bde on loan to 40th Div.

26 Aug 1916 2 O.R. killed 6 O.R. wounded.

27 Aug 1916 1 O.R. wounded.

29 Aug 1916 - Mazingarbe Battn to MAZINGARBE.

30-31 Aug 1916 At MAZINGARBE.

WAR DIARY FOR SEPTEMBER 1916

1 Sep 1916 - Noeux-les-Mines Marched from MAZINGARBE to NOEUX-LES-MINES.

2 Sep 1916 - Dieval Marched from NOEUX-LES-MINES to DIEVAL. Rec'd draft of 24 O.R. 5 Sep 1916 Inspection by G.O.C. 37/Div.

2-18 Sep 1916 Battn remained at DIEVAL.

15 Sep 1916 Draft of 9 O.R. arrived.

17 Sep 1916 2 Offrs arrived as reinforcements.

18 Sep 1916 - Sains-en-Gohelle Marched from DIEVAL to FOSSE 10 (SAINS-EN-GOHELLE)

19 Sep 1916 - Angres To trenches in Sector ANGRES I. Relieving ANSON BATTN R.N.DIVN. Rec'- 3 Offrs.

25 Sep 1916 - Bully-les-Mines and Grenay From trenches to BULLY-GRENAY

30 Sep 1916 BULLY-GRENAY

WAR DIARY FOR OCTOBER 1916

1 Oct 1916 - Angres To trenches in ANGRES I.

6 Oct 1916 4 O.R. Wounded.

7 Oct 1916 - Bouvingy-Boyeffles From trenches to BOUVIGNY-BOYEFFLES (FOSSE 10).

8 Oct 1916 1 OR Wounded.

13 Oct 1916 - Angres To trenches in ANGRES I.

15 Oct 1916 - Verdrel Relieved by Canadians & marched to VERDREL.

16 Oct 1916 - La Comte Marched to LA COMPTE [sic].

18 Oct 1916 - Ternas Marched to TERNAS.

20 Oct 1916 - Rebreuviette Marched to REBREUVE [sic].

21 Oct 1916 - Longuevillette Marched to LONGUEVILLETTE.

22 Oct 1916 - Sarton Marched to SARTON.

23 Oct 1916 Marched to BEAUSSART (tents & bivouacs).

25 Oct 1916 - Arqueves Marched to ARQUEVES

27 Oct - Sarton Marched to SARTON

31 Oct 1916 SARTON