18.1.1917: 2nd Lieutenants TAD MABBOTT and AL PAMER joined Battalion. Surgeon Major AW SHEA on one months leave.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
18th: A quite day.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
17th: Intermittent shelling.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
16th: Our heavy trench mortar again fired successfully, to which enemy retaliated.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
15.1.1917: Battalion relieved 5th Battalion in XI sub sector.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
15th: 6th and 8th Battalions take over the front line. Our heavy trench mortars made good shooting on an emery dugout behind Gommocourt Wood.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
13th: A quiet day
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
13.1.1917: Major CB JOHNSON assumed Temporary Command vice Lt.-Col. E HALL DSO on short leave to England.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
13th: Four SAPS were cut in the enemy wire opposite our Battalion front with tubes of ammonal by 4 parties each consisting of 1 Officer, 12 other ranks and 1 sapper. Two ammonal tubes to each gap. Parties left our wire at 8.00pm and exploded the eight tubes at ZERO hour (9.08pm) and all parties returned to our lines without casualties by 9.26pm. Very little retaliation on the part of the enemy.
1/5th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
13th: Left sub-sector shelled during the afternoon. 5th Battalion exploded eight and 7th Battalion exploded six ammonal tubes in the enemies line successfully.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
12.1.1917 SOUASTRE: APPOINTMENTS:
Village shelled by enemy. 2373 L/Sgt John Land wounded in the head and eventually died of his wounds.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
12th: Intermittent shelling during the afternoon. SOUASTRE and FONQUEVILLERS shelled during the evening – to which heavy artillery replied by bombarding ABLAINZEVELLE.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
20004 Pte Albert Statham
It seems likely that Albert was wounded and transferred to Hospital in England. After his return to France he was then posted to the 1/5th Battalion (December 1916); hence the renumbering to 20004 from his original 4-digit number (2375)
In trenches but no record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
10th: Hostile battery active during the morning and afternoon.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 