Author Archives: mikebriggs1910

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About mikebriggs1910

I'm not a Historian by profession - merely an (over) enthusiastic amateur. By day I'm a Professor of Genetics at Newcastle University with a translation research interest in rare bone diseases. At weekends I can be classified as a Yorkshire Cricket & Psychedelic Rock fan, but mostly I'm just on the Fells (or in the pub - when they were open!).

On this day 22nd December 1917

t6-battn-copy2479/240592 Pte. Tom Westray Garley was killed in action aged 21 whilst attached to the 139th Trench Mortar Battery

Tom was a labourer from Disley who enlisted on the 9th October 1914. He arrived in France with 46th Division on  28th February 1915 and was wounded accidentally in the right arm on 8th August 1915 at Zillebeke whilst serving with with “B” Company.

Garley B103

Tom transferred to the 139th TMB in November 1917 and was killed 6 weeks later.139-tmb-dec-1917

The War Diary of the Battery records one mortar destroyed, Tom killed and 1541/240152 Pte Walter Trevitt Harrison, a colour mixer from Hayfield, wounded.

Harrison

Walter Harrison’s Service Record records that the gun explosion was accidental.

Tom was the son of Richard and Edith Garley of Lane Head Disley in Cheshire and is now buried in Philosophe British Cemetery in Mazingarbe.

On this day 21st December 1917

No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]


20/XII/1917: One of our patrols entered German front line trench during night. Proceeded 80 yards along it without encountering any of the enemy.

139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]


t8-nd43671 Pte George Large from Nottingham was killed in action43671-large

Previously served with the 16th (Chatsworth Rifles) and 15th (Bantam) Battalions

On this day 18th December 1917

No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]


18/XII/1917: Hostile artillery quit. Wing bombs very active on posts of the right subsection. Our snipers claim a hit. Air photographs show a new enemy trench under construction in G6c.g6c

139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]

 

On this day 17th December 1917

17/12/1917 ST ELIE RIGHT: Lt.-Col. BW VANN MC rejoined from leave and resumed command of the Battalion.vann-signature

1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]


17/XI/1917: Hostile artillery and TMs unusually quiet. Preparations were completed for firing gas bombs on German trenches from 4″ TMs on the first night that the wind is favourable.

139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]

59th Trench Duty 16th-22nd December 1917

16/12/1917 VERQUIN: The Battalion relieved 5th Sherwood Foresters in ST ELIE RIGHT SECTOR.

1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]


16/XI/1917: Little hostile artillery or TM activity. Hostile aircraft again active during the morning, but none crossed our lines. Inter Battalion reliefs during the night.

139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]

On this Day 16th December 1917 – RSM Herbert Henry Jackman died

4508-jackman-hh

Herbert Henry Jackman served with the 2nd Battalion in the Tirah Campaign of 1897-98 (Awarded Medal and Clasps for Tirah & Punjab); the Boer War of 1899-1902 (QSA and Clasps for Cape Colony, Transvaal, South Africa 1902); Joined 1st Battalion at Rustenburg in South Africa on 8th April 1902 as L/Cpl.

He joined the 6th Battalion in 1908 and arrived in France on 25.2.15.

Mentioned in Dispatches, London Gazette 1st January 1916.4508-jackman

Later transferred to Labour Corps (403164); Drowned on 16.12.17 whilst serving with the 857th Area Employment Coy of the Labour Corps.4508-jackman-tirah4508-jackman-boer-war

On this day 15th December 1917

No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]


15/XI/1917: Hostile aircraft active during the morning, but did not cross our line. PHILOSOPHE was shelled during the morning. Otherwise there was only slight artillery and TM activity.

139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]

On this day 14th December 1917

No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]


14/XII/1917: Normal TM activity. Our snipers claim to have made 5 hits during the day.

139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]


Trench raid by Lieutenant Gordon Sangster Rivingtonrivingtob-raid-dec-1917