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 28th November 1917

28/11/1917 ST ELIE SECTOR: Relieved by 5th Sherwood Foresters and moved into Brigade Support (HQ and 2 Companies in PHILOSOPHE, two Companies in close support to right and left Battalions in trenches).

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


28/XI/1917: Hostile artillery active at 6.30pm. Hostile barrage put down on No Man’s Land. This shortened until it reached enemy’s front line in G11b and G12c. It ceased after 5 minutes.

Inter Battalion reliefs.

Gas was projected on CITE ST ELIE and HULLUCH by “K” Special Company Royal Engineers at 10.30pm. This drew considerable retaliation on our posts in right sub-sector and enemy fired twin red light signals.gas-november-1917

A hostile patrol of about 40 men was seen in enemy front line and in No Man’s Land in G12c during the night.g12-november-1917

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


Poppy

201623 Pte Arthur Hubert Westnidge aged 20. 1/5th Battalion son of William and Emily Westnidge, of Cemetery Lodge, Duffield, Derby.

242600 Pte George Henry Johnson. 1/6th Battalion husband of H Johnson of 20 George St., Newark in Nottinghamshire.

242600-johnson

306413 Pte Harry Fox. 1/8th Battalion attached to 139th Trench Mortar Bty. Son of Sam and Agnes Fox of Cecilia Terrace, Peashill rd., in Nottingham.november-1917-fox

 

139th Trench Mortar Battery Casualties in November 1917

  • Trench Mortar 1916139-tmb-nov-1917306413 Pte Harry Fox killed in action on 28th November 1917 – attached from 1/8th Battalion.
  • 240439 Pte William Wheatley wounded on the 28th November 1917 – attached from 1/6th Battalion.
  • 201397 Pte David Lathbury wounded on the 25th November 1917 – attached from 1/5th Battalion. Later killed in action with the 10th Battalion on 25th March 1918 aged 30. He was Son of Thomas Lathbury of Newhall Burton-on-Trent; husband of M. Garland (formerly Lathbury) of Chapel St., Church Gresley, Burton-on-Trent.fox-nov-1917

On this day 27th November 1917

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


27/XI/1917: Normal hostile artillery activity except for heavy shelling of ST GEORGE’S TRENCH for an hour during the afternoon.

New German cap with BAVARIAN cockade found close to BOYAN 78.

Reserve Battalion moved to VERQUIN.

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

On this day 26th November 1917

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


26/XI/1917: Hostile Artillery active during the day on right subsection. Captain SIMONET 8th Sherwood Foresters patrolled hostile front line during the night and proceeded for some distance up a CT without encountering any enemy.

Another patrol in G5d was fired at from the enemy’s front line. Hostile front line in G11b and G12a patrolled by Capt ANDREWS 8th Sherwood Foresters. Quarries were found unoccupied.

simonet-hk-vc

Harold Keith Simonet MC see here

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

On this day 25th November 1917

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


One of our patrols under 2/Lt HARTLE 8th Sherwood Foresters entered enemy front line during the night N of QUARRIES in G12a. Tench was found unoccupied.

hartlealias001Elias William Hartle from Crich Parish WW1

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

On these days 23rd-24th November 1917

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


23/IX/1917: Quite day. Movement on hostile tracks rather above normal.

24/XI/1917: Hostile artillery active on whole section throughout the day.

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


307034 Pte Walter Blackshaw from Chilwell in Nottingham  was killed in action aged 27t8-nd

The husband of Annie (née Walker) Blackshaw and the father of Lily, John, Mary and Walter Blackshaw

57th Trench Duty: 22nd – 28th November 1917

22/11/1917 FOUQUIRES: Battalion relieved 5th Sherwood Foresters in ST ELIE SECTOR (G.12.d.7.1 to G.12.c.1.9) g12-november-1917

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


22/XI/17: Quite day with the exception of wing bomb activity. Inter-Battalion reliefs.

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


Poppy2/Lt Frank Walter Warmsley died of wounds in the 7th Casualty Clearing Station aged 19warmsleywarmsley-micwarmsley-address

Only Son of Walter Leonard and Agnes Ann Warmsley of “Brentwood,” King Egbert Rd., Totley Rise near Sheffield.

On this day 21st November 1917

21/11/1917 FOUQUIERES: 2/Lt WA GRUNDY joined Battalion.

Grundy

William Arthur Grundy

After the War he joined Auxiliary Division of the Royal Irish Constabulary and served with "J" Company in Macroom. Wounded during the Macroom Shooting in April 1921 and discharged as medically unfit.

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


21/XI/17 St Elie Section: Quiet day. Our medium TM’s fired 105 rounds in wire cutting during the day.

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

 

On this day 20th November 1917

20/11/1917 FOUQUIERES: 2/Lt GW BUCKLOW rejoined from sick leave.Bucklow

George William Bucklow

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


20/XI/17: Hostile artillery rather active on left subsection during the day

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

On this day 19th November 1917 – Capt Dickins still rumbling for a scrap

19/XI/1917: Hostile TMs early active.

Captain A.L.M. DICKINS again entered hostile front line by day without encountering any enemy. He remained there till after dark.dickins-1917adickins-1917b

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