No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]
26: Quite day
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
On this day 26th May 1916
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On this day 25th May 1916
No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]
25: Quite day. Work on trenches progressing.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
1522 Pte Benjamin Stubbins, a labour from Lockford Lane in Chesterfield and a Pre-War Territorial in A Company was wounded in action but remained at duty.
Benjamin has originally enlisted as a boy in January 1912 when he was 15 years old after he was given permission by his parents.
On this day 24th May 1916
No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]
24: Enemy Artillery very active in direction of FONQUEVILLERS shelling intermittently all day.
250 men of 5th Battn Leicestershire Regt lent to this Brigade for digging & clearing out Communication Trenches – divided into 4 parties of 60 – one for each Communication Trench.
A Battery of 60 Pounders arrived at LA HAIE CHATEAU.
(This is photograph Q 6996 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums)
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
On this day 23rd May 1916
No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]
23: Very quit day – lecture at Divisional HQrs on GOMMECOURT and German Front line opposite FONQUEVILLERS by Intelligence Officer 143rd Brigade [1/1st Warwickshire Brigade, 48th (1st South Midland) Division].
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
On this day 22nd May 1916
No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]
22: Very quite day – no enemy artillery or T. Mortars at all active. Very hot in the morning but cooler with a little rain in the evening.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
1924 Pte Lewis Williams from Clay Cross and a Pre-War Territorial died of wounds at Havre and is buried in Ste. Marie Cemetery.
On this day 21st May 1916
No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]
21: Heavy crumping again about same place from 10 AM – 11 Am. 1 Officer & 4 gunners killed & 3 wounded. Gun was badly knocked about.
230th Brigade R.F.A. (1st North Midland); “B” (2nd Lincolnshire) Battery
- Captain Francis Willmer McAuley “B” Bty., 230th Bde. Royal Field Artillery here
- 951 Corporal Charles Carty “B” Bty., 230th Bde. Royal Field Artillery
- 2089 Gunner S H Pratt “B” Bty., 230th Bde. Royal Field Artillery
Centre sector rather worried by rifle grenades but these were silenced when Howitzers were turned on – otherwise quite day.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
3669 Pte Edgar William Jolly a labourer from New Tupton who enlisted in January 1915 band arrived in France with the V Reinforcement suffered a GSW to the the thigh and arm and was transferred to hospital in England.
4060 Pte George Edward Abbott a miner from Whttington Moor who enlisted in March 1915 and arrived in France with the 4th Reinforcement suffered a shell wound in the chest and legs. He died at the 41st Casualty Clearing Station five days later and is buried in Doullens Communal Cemetery Extension No.1.
On this day 20th May 1916
20.5.1916 HUMBERCAMPS: Transport and Q.M. Stores moved into billets vacated by 6/S. Staffs Regt at SOUASTRE.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
May 20: Very busy preparing map of 8 communication trenches each over 1/4 mile long and full of dud wires to be taken up. There is very little firing here with rifles. Artillery is rather busy. It mostly fires at one another which is better than each firing on the infantry as before. Our artillery generally shuts them up.
The war here is of the retaliation kind. If we snipe they snipe. If we shell their trenches they shell ours and the same with the village. At present we are keeping as quite as possible. In particular we are keeping the artillery off their village.
The Huns here favour a large unpleasant trench mortar which fires large buckets containing gramophone needles marbles razors & sundry hard objects a considerable distance.
They make much noise but the effect is local.
[Lieutenant Josiah Taylor]
20th: Brig General Commanding 139th Bde took over Command of line at 9 a.m.
Batteries in front of La Haie Chateau badly crumped from 9 a.m. – 10.30 a.m. causing a good deal of damage to Gun positions. Otherwise quite day – very hot.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
3761 Private Lawrence George Tuckley a miner from Danesmoor was the first man to be killed in the Fonquevillers Sector.
1963 Pte William Allen, a porter from Matlock and a Pre-War Territorial in E Company was wounded in action and the 20th May but returned to duty the following day.
25th Trench Duty 19th – 27th May 1916
19.5.1916 FONQUEVILLERS: The Battn relieved the 6th Battn South Staffs Regt in the CENTRE SECTOR trenches, with Battn H.Qrs at FONQUEVILLERS the billets in HUMBERCAMPS being taken over by the relieved Battn.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
May 19: Took over new trenches. Wires all working at 11 pm.
[Lieutenant Josiah Taylor]
19th: Relief of 5th N. Staffs by 8th Nattan Sherwood Foresters in Support completed by 1 pm. Remaining relief went off most satisfactorily, the last Battn to relieve 6th finished by 1.40 A.M. just 2 hours after relief commenced – lovely day’
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
1637 Pte Thomas Wheatcroft, a gas work labourer from Matlock Bath and a Pre-War Territorial in G Company suffered an abscess in the right buttock and was admitted to the 1st North Midland Field Ambulance.
On this day 18th May 1916
No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]
18th: Company Commanders & 1 other Officer per Company went round the line. 1 Officer & 2 N.C.O.s per Company of those in fire trenches stayed on until relief inn 19th instant.
139th Bde M.G.C. relieved 137th Bde on night of 18th. Relief complete 10 p.m. – very hot day.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
3806 Pte Mark Armstrong, a miner from Clay Cross who enlisted in February 1915, suffered a GSW in the left thumb and was sent to the 2 General Hospital in Havre before returning to England for treatment.
On this day 17th May 1916
17.5.1916 HUMBERCAMPS: 2/Lt G. Glossop rejoined from England.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
Gilderoy Glossop
Went with the C.O. and Adjutant to visit our line of trenches 7 miles away. Found Headquarters in a house in the village of FONQEVILLERS. Trenches some distance away. Lots of wires but very few working. Plenty to do in the way of taking up old lines.
Our village will be a most unpleasant spot when the Hun begins to strafe as in other places. Here it all seems most peaceful at present. By al one way the most peaceful bit of the war i have found.
[Lieutenant Josiah Taylor]
17th: Representation of all Battalions Bdr M.G Goy, 139/1 & 139/2 ™ Batteries went round the line occupied by 139th Bde.
- 5th Battn Sherwood Foresters relieve 5th South Staffs
- 6th Battn Sherwood Foresters relieve 6th South Staffs
- 7th Battn Sherwood Foresters relieve 6th North Staffs
- 8th Battn Sherwood Foresters relieve 5th North Staffs (in support)
- 139th Bde M.G. Company relieve 137th Bde MG Company (on 18th)
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
1425 Pte Ernest Swift, a pipe moulder from Brimington and a Pre-War Territorial in “F” Company was posted to the 46th North Midland Division Base Depot pending transfer to England and discharge as Time Expired.
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 