Category Archives: On this day

On these days 27th-31st July 1918: Quite days….

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27.7.18: Quite day. Three patrols were out during the night. One encountered the enemy.

28.7.18: Quite day. Some enemy movement was observed in X11a, X15b, X9d, X16b and X16d.

29.7.18: Quite day. Enemy shelled tracks and roads throughout the night with 10.5cm HE and a small percentage of Blue Cross Gas shells.

30.7.18: Quite day. Enemy fired M. TMs on MESPLAUX and LES FACONS during the day.

31.7.18: One man missing from X.8.c.80.20. Thought to have been lost in the early morning.

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

 

On these days 21st – 25th July 1918: New Officers arrive

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21.7.18 VERQUIN: Battalion relieved 1/6th South Staffordshire’s in Brigade Support on the ESSARS SECTOR.

22.7.18

92865 Pte Archer Harrison was made Prisoner of War.

24.7.18 TRENCHES: 2/Lieut REH STOTT and 2/Lieut DJ CLARKSON joined Battalion.

25.7.18 TRENCHES: 2/Lieut LAB BECHER joined Battalion.

25.7.18 TRENCHES: 2/Lieut SN DEURANCE proceeded to England for report to War Office.

Donald James Clarkson served with the 1/6th Battalion from 24th July to 8th August

Donald James Clarkson died 2 weeks later aged 18.

“He was carrying out a particularly difficult task, accompanied by two N.C.O.’s, and had gained valuable information, when he was shot by the enemy. I deplore greatly the loss of this valuable and gallant young officer, who promised to be a credit to his battalion.”

[Nottingham Evening Post’, 16th August 1918]

Robert Edwin Hugh Stott served with the 1/6th Battalion from 24th July 1918 until 5th March 1919

Lancelot Allen Blakeney Becher served with the 1/6th Battalion from 24th July 1918 until the end of the War

On these days 16th-21st July 1918: cabling duties

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16.7.18: Cleaning under Battalion arrangements.

17.7.18: 6th Sherwood Foresters and 139th Trench Mortar Battery dug cable trenches in BETHUNE.

18.7.18: Night of 17/18 July 5th Sherwoods Foresters dug trench and buried cable nears ESSARS.

19.7.18: Night of 19/20 July 8th Sherwood Foresters dug trench and buried cable near ESSARS.

20.7.18: Brigade Horse Show and Sports were held in BOIS DES MONTAGNES.

21.7.18: Relieved 137th Infantry Brigade in ESSARS SECTION.

On this day 18th July 1918: Maurice White died of wounds in a German POW camp

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Maurice was a store man from Hove and enlisted into the Army Ordnance Corps at Woolwich in April 1915 aged 23. He was sent to France in October 1915.

On the 5th October 1917 he was transferred to the 17th Battalion Sherwood Foresters with 10 men from the AOC and later the 2/7th Battalion on the 8th February 1918.

He was reposted wounded and missing at Bullecourt on the 21st April 1918 during the Kaiserschlacht.

On this day 16th July 1918: 2/Lieuts Albert Mackintosh and William Bavin joined for duty

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16.7.18 VERQUIN: 2/Lieut A MACKINTOSH and 2/Lt W BAVIN joined Battalion.

Albert Mackintosh from Colville Drive in Nottingham served with the 1/6th Battalion from July until October 1918, when he was wounded and returned to England.

William Bavin from Nottingham served with the 1/6th Battalion until he was killed in action on the 29th September 1918.

On this day 15th July 1918

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15.7.18 TRENCHES: Battalion relieved by 1/6th Battn S. STAFFORDSHIRES and moved into Divisional Reserve. Two Companies and HQrs in VERQUIN, two Companies in VAUDRICOURT PARK.

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

On this day 14th July 1918

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14/7/15: Artillery active against LE HAMEL. 250 rounds of all calibers up to 150mm were fired. In the early morning a medium TM was active against our front line in X22 and X15. Four patrols were out by night and two by day. Enemy was either seen or heard on five occasions.

 

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