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 27th September 1917

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7669/242466 Pte Richard Bertie Yates died as a POW

tournai-yatesrb1

242466-yates

Richard Bertie Yates originally enlisted into the Derbyshire Yeomanry and was transferred to the 1/6th Battalion in reinforcement late 1916/early 1917. He was buried by with a number of Russian soldiers and after the was his body was exhumed and he is no interned in Tournai Communal Cemetery.

Richard was the son of David and Linda Yates of 59 Portland St., Mansfield Woodhouse in Nottinghamshire. He was Born in Clay Cross.

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

27/IX/17: Hostile artillery quite on back and forward areas. Hostile TM’s more active than hither to on QUARRY (H32d) and on front line of left sub sector. Our snipers claim 2 hits.h32d

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

On this day 26th September 1917

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

26/IX/17: Right sub sector heavily shelled for 4 1/2 hours this morning about 400 shells of 150 mm being fired. Trenches much damaged but no casualties caused. Enemy appears busy deepening his front line opposite us.

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

On this day 25th September 1915

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203155 Pte George Johnson was killed in action203155-johnson

George was a coal miner from Mansfield who attested in December 1915 and was mobilised nearly a year later in November 1916. He was posted to the 5th Reserve Battalion Sherwood Foresters on the 17th November for training. He was posted to the 1/5th Sherwood Foresters on the 4th April 1917 and arrived at the 14th Infantry Base Depot on the 6th April. He was transferred to the 1/6th Sherwood Foresters on the 27th and was part of the 33rd Reinforcement that ‘joined the unit in the field’ on the 21st May 1917. He was killed in action four months later.

33rd-reinforcementThe 33rd Reinforcement comprised a draft of 24 other ranks.

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

25/IX/17: Hostile artillery fairly active during the day. Enemy seems to shell rather erratically on different points in the sector. Hostile aircraft very active.

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

On this day 24th September 1917

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

24/IX/17: Day was fairly quite. Some TM bombs gave some trouble to garrison of trenches in H26C in the early morning. Hostile aircraft active in the evening, when line and back areas of DIvision on left were heavily shelled.h26c-1917b

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

On this day 23rd September 1917 and a change in Command

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Vann

Major BERNARD WILLIAM VANN MC (8th Sherwood Foresters) assumed Command

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

23/IX/17: Relief complete. Enemy artillery inactive on our trenches but shelled back areas heavily during the day.

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

52nd Trench Duty 22nd-29th September 1917

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22.9.1917 HILL 70 RIGHT: Battalion relieved 2nd DLI and 11th ESSEX (4 posts) in front line.h26c-1917

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

22/IX/17: Relief of 71st and 18th Infantry Brigades continued. Brigade HQ moves from ANNEQUIN to dugouts called PREVITE CASTLE. 139 Brigade took over Command of HILL 70 sector at 11pm.22-september-1917previste-castle

“Rations and supplies were mainly brought up by pack mules, the only sector in which this method was used regularly. The mules were taken from the Transport lines at Sailly—Labourse by road to Fosse 3, thence over a cross—country track past Brigade Headquarters at Previte Castle, to the Battalion dumps at Tosh Alley, and the old British front line. This was a perfectly silent method, and one which, with little practice, soon became a very expeditious one. During our stay, work was begun on the laying of tramlines up to Hill 70, but whilst we were there they were not used to any great extent.”

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

On this day 21st September 1917 – Hill 70

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21.7.1917 LES BREBIS: Battalion relieved 1st LEICESTERS and 1st WEST YORKS in SUPPORT on HILL 70 RIGHT.

LIEUT COLONEL CB JOHNSON killed in action.

MAJOR W SEATON assumed temporary Command.

Johnson CB

Cyril Benton Johnson was killed by a shell whilst going up to the trenches just in from of Loos. He died instantly and was buried at the little Cemetery of Sailly-Labourse. He was 27 years old.Johnson LN death

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

21/IX/17: We commenced relieving portions of the 71st and 18th Infantry Brigades in HILL 70 Sector.

21-september-1917h26c-1917

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

1878/240311 Corporal Wilfred Higginbottom was killed in action

johnson-higginbottomWilfred was a Pre-War Territorial from Chesterfield who served in “A” Company and is now buried next to his Commanding Officer.

 

On this day 20th September 1917

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20.9.1917 ANNEQUIN: Battn relieved by 1sy KRRC and marched to billets in LES BREBIS.

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

20/IX/17: Hostile artillery active in early morning. A barrage was put down on our trenches in A28c at 5.25am and at 5.30am. A small party approached one of our posts in A28c. The party was disposed of by LG and rifle fire.

Relief by 99th Infantry Brigade was completed. Brigade HQ remained at ANNEQUIN.

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

On these days 17th-19th September 1917 patrols by the 5th and 7th Battalions

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17/IX/17: Quiet day. Wind unfavourable for discharge of gas. A good patrol was done by 7th SF. The patrol fired 3 Lewis Gun magazines into enemy wiring party at close range. The wiring party was dispersed.

18/IX/17: Hostile artillery and TMs fairly quite on our sector. Wind again unfavourable for gas discharge. A good patrol was carried out by 5th SF. The patrol caused casualties to and dispersed a hostile wiring party.

19/IX/17: Hostile artillery rather active on right sub sector. Capt Dickens 7th SF had a lively patrol encounter in the early morning. The patrol of 1 Officer and 4 Ors saw 4 Germans approach them from enemy front line. Our patrol threw a bomb which killed 2 and drove back remaining 2. After waiting a few minutes 6 more Germans were seen. These were fired on by rifle and revolver and 1 was killed and 1 thought to be wounded, the remainder moving away. When returning the found themselves cut off by a party of 20 Germans who threw bombs. The patrol charged them and dispersed them wounding 1 man. Our casualties were 1 NCO wounded.dickins

Albert Light Moody Dickins MC, killed in action 21st March 1918

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

On this day 16th September 1917

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

16/IX/17: 2″ TMs engaged on wire cutting about G.4.b.4.7. 8th SF carried gas cylinders into our sector during the night. This Battalion was brought by motor lorries from FOUQUIRES to ANNEQUIN for this purpose.

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