Category Archives: On this day

On this Day 22nd March 1916

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22.3.1916 TRENCHES: Bn relieved by 5th SHERWOOD FORESTERS in trenches and marched into Billets & Hutments at ACQ. 12 days tour

Casualties during tour of duty:-

KILLED OR 3

DIED OF WOUNDS OR 1

WOUNDED OR 11

War Diary [WO/95/2694]

22nd: The Z 46th  medium trench mortar battery went up to the trenches with 2 guns. Weather broken down and raining again – makes work much harder.

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

 Trench foot 

The cold winter weather also caused an increase in the number of men reporting to the North Midland Field Ambulance with cases of trench foot.2011 Clowes

Amongst these men were:-

  • 1425 Pte Ernest Swift, a pipe moulder from Brimington and a Pre-War Territorial with “F” Company.
  • 1626 Pte Leonard Bagshaw, a miner from Clowne and a Pre-War Territorial with “F” Company.
  • 2011 Pte William Clowes, an engine cleaner from Buxton and a Pre-War Territorial with “C” Company.
  • 2114 Pte Samuel Barker, a labourer from Ashbourne and a Pre-War Territorial with “C” Company.
  • 2049 Pte Frederick Ernest Whitehead, a miller’s labourer from Rowsley and a Pre-War Territorial with “D” Company.

On this day 21st March 1916

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No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]

21st: The work on the trench line is progressing satisfactorily though we are hung up somewhat for want of material or rather for want of system in bringing this up to the tunnel line.

The material goes up by Railway, but owing to the complete lack of organisation or system the material does not arrive at DIVISIONAL DUMP, BRAY till 6-7 pm and by that time the 1st train for the trenches has started with the rations. The result is the material does not arrive up at the trenches till about 11 or 12 midnight when half the working night has gone.

Moreover, the OC Corps Railway refuses to split up the train so that all the material for night goes to one sector, while the others starved – Very hard to push on with the work in the tunnels at this rate of things.

The water system is working will. This goes up in barrels by the Railway. We have water stations in the ROUTE DE BETHUNE and at the QUARRIES near TALUS DES ZOUVRES. A new water station is being prepared at the southern end of the QUARRIES to serve the right sector trenches.

The weather is improving and the ground beginning to dry up. A system of working parties has been arranged by which Battalions at rest furnish 2 Companies for work on their sector of the trench line on the 3rd & 4th night of their rest.

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

Talus Des Zouvres

Talus des Zouaves was a valley that was deep and narrow enough to afford protection from shell fire, even though it was within 500 yards of the front line. From the Talus a main communication trench, the Boyau Vincent, lead to the support line and Battalion Headquarters.

On this Day 20th March 1916

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20.3.1916 MONT ST ELOY: Quartermasters Stores and Transport lines moved to CAPPEL FERMONT.

War Diary [WO/95/2694]

 

20th:  Normal day in the trenches. Medium Trench Mortar Battery 46x attached to the Brigade for duty in the trenches.

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

 

On these days 17th – 19th March 1916

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No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]

17th: Drafts averaging about 120 arrived for each Battalion. Our guns fired on the German communication trenches this evening. There was little or no retaliation. The weather is now warm and dry which is making a great difference to our trenches.

18th: The enemy shelled the Railway Station this morning doing no damage.

The trench line was re-adjusted this evening (see copy of Operation Order 51, attached). The 5th Battn S.F. were pulled out and the 6th & 7th Battn Sherwood Foresters extended inwards to join. 2 Companies of the 2nd Batt R.I.R moved up to the CHEMIN DE CARRIERS. The 5th Batt Sherwood Foresters on relief moved to ACQ, and went into DIVISIONAL RESERVE.

Good progress has been made with the trenches and GUERIN is now a respectable defensive line.

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

3140 Pte George Taylor was killed in action and buried in Mont St Eloi.

3140 Taylor

 

On this day 16th March 1916

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16.3.1916 MONT ST ELOY: Draft of 142 men arrived as reinforcements from 3rd line.

War Diary [WO/95/2694]

The 6th Reinforcement3140 Taylor

The 6th Reinforcement arrived in France on 5th March 1916 and were posted  to the Battalion on the 16th March. Army Service Record of 3140 Pte George Taylor, a miner from Bolsover, who enlisted in October 1914. George was posted to “A” Company and killed in action 3 days later. He had previously been wounded on 20th September 1915.

On this day 13th March 1916

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13.3.1916 MONY ST ELOY: Capts TOLSON and JACKSON rejoined Battn from 3rd Army School.

War Diary [WO/95/2694]

703 Edge703 Pte Joseph Edge, a bricklayer from Cl;ay Cross suffered from rheumatism but returned to duty after treatment in the North Midland Field Ambulance.

 

On this Day 14th March 1916

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14.3.1916 MONT ST ELOY: Capt C.J. WHEATCROFT proceeded to CENTRAL TRAINING SCHOOL, ROUEN and Capt E.M. BROOK-TAYLOR took over Command & payment of Lt “C” Company.

War Diary [WO/95/2694]

 

On this day 12th March 1916

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No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]

12th: The enemy attacked the French on our immediate right after springing 2 mines. The 6th Battn Sherwood Foresters on our right sector cam in for a considerable amount of shelling & trench mortaring suffering some 14 casualties.

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

For more details see here.

The men killed were:-

  • 1911 Pte George Bailey, a shoemaker from Stoney Middleton and a Pre-War Territorial who arrived in France with the 46th Division in February 1915.
  • 3339 Pte Albert Edward Renshaw, a miner from Clowne who enlisted in October 1914 and arrived in France with the 46th Division in February 1915
  • 2138 L/Cpl Alfred Arnold Simpson, a belt stretcher from New Chinley and a Pre-War Territorial who arrived in France with the 46th Division in February 1915.

Amongst the wounded were:-

  • 1644 Pte James James Chatterton a pre-War Territorial from Birch Vale, who arrived in France with the 46th Division in February 1915, suffered a GSW in left thigh.
  • 3196 Pte Albert Soar a miner from Creswell, who enlisted in October 1914 and arrived in France with the II Reinforcement, suffered a GSW in left hand.
  • 3093 Pte Benjamin Toplis from Matlock, who enlisted in October 1914 and arrived in France with the II Reinforcement, suffered a GSW in right shoulder.
  • 2588 Pte William Slack a quarryman from Tideswall who enlisted in October 1914 and arrived in France with the 1st Reserbe in June 1915, suffered a GSW in the back.
  • 2840 Pte John Thomas Waring a limestone quarryman from Dove Holes who enlisted in October 1914 and arrived in France with the II Reinforcement.
  • 2744 Pte Levi Cooper a lime kiln worker from Dove Holes who enlisted in October 1914 and arrived in France with the 46th Division in February 1915.