20.3.1916 MONT ST ELOY: Quartermasters Stores and Transport lines moved to CAPPEL FERMONT.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
20th: Normal day in the trenches. Medium Trench Mortar Battery 46x attached to the Brigade for duty in the trenches.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]
17th: Drafts averaging about 120 arrived for each Battalion. Our guns fired on the German communication trenches this evening. There was little or no retaliation. The weather is now warm and dry which is making a great difference to our trenches.
18th: The enemy shelled the Railway Station this morning doing no damage.
The trench line was re-adjusted this evening (see copy of Operation Order 51, attached). The 5th Battn S.F. were pulled out and the 6th & 7th Battn Sherwood Foresters extended inwards to join. 2 Companies of the 2nd Batt R.I.R moved up to the CHEMIN DE CARRIERS. The 5th Batt Sherwood Foresters on relief moved to ACQ, and went into DIVISIONAL RESERVE.
Good progress has been made with the trenches and GUERIN is now a respectable defensive line.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
3140 Pte George Taylor was killed in action and buried in Mont St Eloi.
16.3.1916 MONT ST ELOY: Draft of 142 men arrived as reinforcements from 3rd line.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
The 6th Reinforcement arrived in France on 5th March 1916 and were posted to the Battalion on the 16th March. Army Service Record of 3140 Pte George Taylor, a miner from Bolsover, who enlisted in October 1914. George was posted to “A” Company and killed in action 3 days later. He had previously been wounded on 20th September 1915.
No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]
15th: The enemy shelled MONT ST ELOY today and knocked the North part of the town pretty well about – there were few casualties however.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
13.3.1916 MONY ST ELOY: Capts TOLSON and JACKSON rejoined Battn from 3rd Army School.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
703 Pte Joseph Edge, a bricklayer from Cl;ay Cross suffered from rheumatism but returned to duty after treatment in the North Midland Field Ambulance.
14.3.1916 MONT ST ELOY: Capt C.J. WHEATCROFT proceeded to CENTRAL TRAINING SCHOOL, ROUEN and Capt E.M. BROOK-TAYLOR took over Command & payment of Lt “C” Company.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]
12th: The enemy attacked the French on our immediate right after springing 2 mines. The 6th Battn Sherwood Foresters on our right sector cam in for a considerable amount of shelling & trench mortaring suffering some 14 casualties.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
For more details see here.
The men killed were:-
Amongst the wounded were:-
No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]
11th to 14th: Battalions working on their trenches trying to get them in order.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
10.3.1916 Mont St Eloy: Battn proceeded to trenches and relieved the 125th Regiment Lt.-Col. MADELIN (French Army) in the RIGHT SECTOR (opposite LA FOLIE FARM).
Flanks:- 50th French Regt on right, 5th Battn SHERWOOD FORESTERS on left.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
For the full story please see here and here.
We took up trench life again and relieved a French regiment on the left of Arras.
[2305 Pte Frank Longson]
The relief of the 152nd French Division was completed tonight – the 6th Battalion S.F. relieving the right sector and the 8th Battn S.F. going into Support. The whole relief was complete by 12.30 AM without a hitch.
The French did all in their power to help us and were only too willing to assist us in every way the could. The impression gained by our own intercourse with the French is that their organisation & office work is very good. The morale of their Officers and men high.
As regards their trenches – their main Communication Trenches are excellent – very well kept and all boarded. Their main lines are fair with considerable good dug out accommodation, but the nearer the front you go, the worse things become.
The fire and support trenches have neither fire steps nor traverses. The parapets are either too low or feet too high and it is quite impossible to fire out of them – besides the parapets are not bullet proof.
There are very few communication trenches connecting the fire and support trenches. It is no citable that the French have very few sandbags and seem to get on quite well without them.
The Mining Operations on the front taken over is still being worked by the French miners and the labour for carrying etc furnished by the 8th Batt. Sherwood Foresters in support.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
8.3.1916 IVERGNY: Battn moved into Billets at MAIZIERES.
9.3.1916 MAIZIERES: Battn moved into Billets at MONT ST ELOY.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
The Units of the Brigade moved in accordance with O.O.47. Units rested for the night as under:-
The above marches were well done and very few men fell out. The Brigadier General Commanding the Bde and Brigade Major visited the Sector trenches to be taken over from the 152nd French Division.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 