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 13th February 1917

13.2.1917 C in C’s list No 121: Lieut GKK MAUGHAN appointed Adjutant d/- 28.11.917

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


13th: About 20 light trench mortar bombs fired into the Gommecourt Road during the night. A quite day. 2 Companies 2/8 leave the trenches – HQ and 2 Companies 2/11 London Regiment arrive for instruction.

gommecourtThaw set in after a month of continued frost.

A good deal of movement had been noticed in the enemy’s line both by day and night lately; heavy mechanical transport heard in Gommecourt during several nights and persistent registering by enemy batteries especially on right Battalion front noticed during the past week. Enemy trench mortars have also shown renewed activity.

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


fonquevillers.jpg200957 L/Cpl Albert Edward Dean and 201361 Pte John Evans were killed in action and are buried next to each other

  • 3298 Pte Albert Dean enlisted in November 1914 and arrived in France in April 1916.
  • 4124 Pte John Evans enlisted in March 1915 and arrived in France in March 1916.

On this day 12th February 1917

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


12th: Trench mortars again active on left battalion front. 5th and 7th Battalions take over front line. 5th Battalion patrol Sap at south west corner of Gommecourt.

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


325008 Pte Frank Robertson died of wounds

Frank was amongst a group of men from the Highland Field Company who transferred into the 1/8th Battalion on the 8th February 1917 and was issued with a 32**** regimental number see here.325008 Robertson

On this day 11th February 1917

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


11th: Enemy fired fifty 4.2 rounds into Gendarmerie Trench. Trench mortars active on our left front. A few 5.9 fired into Thorpe Street during the night.

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

On this day 10th February 1917

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


10th: 174 Brigade Signal Section arrived for 5 days Instruction. German field battery fired 25 rounds into Lincoln Lane and the Calvaire Road during the morning. Fifty rounds from a 77mm also scattered over the left front area in the afternoon.

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

On this day 9th February 1917

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


9th: 2 Companies of 2/8 London Regiment arrived for instruction and are attached to 8th Sherwood Foresters. A little hostile shelling on Left Sector.

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

On this day 8th February 1917

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


8th: Left Battalion Sector again shelled in the afternoon. 2/5th London Rifle Brigade (who had completed six days instruction in the Brigade area) and 8th Sherwood Foresters take over the front line.

2/5th (City of London) Battalion (London Rifle Brigade)

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


7765 Pte William Morris died of disease

Formerly 42578 South Nottinghamshire Hussars and part of the 28th Reinforcement to the 1/6th Battalion7765 Morris

On this day 6th February 1917

6.2.1917 SOUASTRE: Battalion moved into huts in HALLOY and commenced special training.

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


6th: A quiet day. 6th Battalion march to Halloy for training.

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

On this day 5th February 1917

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

 


5th 10am: A field battery near Essarts fired 30 rounds into the support line of our left trenches.

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


1570 L/Cpl Joseph Whitchurch of the 1/7th Battalion died of wounds

Warlincourt1570 Whitchurch

On this day 4th February 1917

4.2.1917 Trenches: Relived by 5th Battalion in RIGHT SECTOR and moved back to Divisional Reserve in SOUASTRE.

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


4th: A quite day 5th and 7th Battalions took over the front line.

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


5188/20586 Pte Charles William Pulley died on this day

A gardener from Haynes in Bedfordshire, who was posted to the 3/6th Battalion Sherwood Foresters in March 1916. He was transferred to the 1/6th Battalion with the 14th Reinforcement in July 1916 but then posted to the 1/7th Battalion later that month.5188 Pulley