On this day 8th April 1916

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8.4.1916 ACQ: Lt/QM W.N. BROOMHEAD to Hosptial sick. 2/Lt G.W. KNOWLES invalided to England.

War Diary [WO/95/2694]Broomhead 1916 to England

Division Trench Mortar Batteries bombarded the enemy’s trenches near BIRKIN CRATER, with what appeared to be good results.

Weather good.

A Company of the 8th Battalion moved up to dig outs in the CHEMIN DE PYLONES for work there.

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

 Wounded and sick

1835 Pte James Shepherd, a coal miner from Stonegravels and a Pre-War Territorial in “A” Company, suffered from ‘inflamed connective tissue’ in the feet.

1835 Shepherd ICT

4101 Pte Alfred Allen from Chesterfield suffered from bronchitis and was transferred to England.1963 Allen 4101 Allen

374 Pte Albert Heath, a photographer from Clay Cross and a Derbyshire Volunteer (1904) and Pre-War Territorial (1908) in “G” Company returned to England and was discharged as Time Expired.

On these days 6th and 7th April 1916

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

A very quite day. Our Light Trench Mortars bombarded the enemies trench in rear of ALBANY CRATER.

The 7th Batt Sherwood Foresters relieved the 8th Batt Sherwood Foresters in the LEFT SECTOR Trenches.

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

On this day 5th April 1916

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5.4.1916 ACQ: CAPT E.M.B. TAYLOR to 46th DIVISION as DIvisional Bomb Officer. CAPT J TOLSON to Command Left “C” Company.

War Diary [WO/95/2694]

Albany mine 1916At 6.15 p.m. the enemy blew up a mine opposite ALBANY STREET. It came short and only just reached the parapet of our listening post at the end of the above mentioned C.T. We had no casualties & the near lip of the Crater was reoccupied without incident and a new trench dug back to outpost line.

Our mine Gallery (S) near ALBANY STREET was damaged somewhat and there were several casualties among the French miners.

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

 

On this day 4th April 1916

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

The enemy’s artillery was very busy today and bombarded our left sector in the morning and again in the afternoon – our trenches were pretty badly knocked about. The impression was that the enemy were going for our mine shafts. The one at the head of BROADMARSH was badly knocked about. The weather keeps improving.

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

On this day 3rd April 1916

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3.4.1916 TRENCHES: Bn relieved by 5th Bn Sherwood Foresters & moved into Huts & Billets at ACQ.

Casualties during tour:-

Killed – 2 Other Ranks

  • 2448 Pte Hilary Carlin
  • 3548 Pte Albert Housley3548 Housley copy

Wounded – 2/Lt F.W.A. STUBBS and 2/Lt J.E. Barker – slightly at Duty. 4 Other Ranks.

  • 2608 Pte Leonard Pott 
  • 2368 Pte Fred Nichols
  • 3294 Pte Fred Webster
  • 217 Sergt. Frederick Arthur Johnson
  • 1637 Pte Thomas Wheatcroft

War Diary [WO/95/2694]

Quite day – A German aeroplane was brought down in our lines near the QUARRIES – both Germans were killed.1916 German Plane Crash

The 5th Battalion relieved the 6th Battalion Sherwood Foresters in the LEFT SECTOR Trenches, the latter going into Divisional Reserve in ACQ.

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

On this day 2nd April 1916

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2.4.1916 CAPPEL FERMONT: CAPT E.B. JOHNSON to 3rd Army School of Instruction for 1 month.

War Diary [WO/95/2694]

A very quite day. Weather much improved & trenches drying up accordingly.

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

On this day 1st April 1916

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

A very quite day. The Brigadier General Commanding and Brigade Major went up to Advanced Brigade Headquarters in the CHEMIN DES PYLONES off POINT STREET.

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

On this day 31st March 1916

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31.3.1916 FERMONT CAPPEL: Draft of 122 Other Ranks arrived from the 3rd LIne as reinforcements.

War Diary [WO/95/2694]

Some of these men arrived in France with the 7th Reinforcement, such as 4469 Pte Victor Charles Gelsthorpe :-4469 Gelsthorpe

A quite day in the trenches. The 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters relieved the 7th Batt S.F. in the Left Sector trenches, the latter going into Brigade reserve MONT ST ELOY.

Drafts of 100 & 120 for the 6th & 7th Batts S.F. arrived today, also a draft of 40 for the 8th Batt S.F.

The Commander-in-Chief visited MONT ST. ELOY today.139 Brigade signature

On this day 30th March 1916

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

A very quite day – the trenches are beginning to dry up a little, but are still very wet and full of mud.

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

 2448 Pte Hilary Carlin, a miner from Blackwell was killed in action.2448 Carlin2448 Carlin effects

Time Expired

1379 Pte Arthur Wood, a coal miner from Barlborough and a Pre-War Territorial who served with “F” Company.1379 Wood

1368 Pte Morris Chadwick, a labourer from Little Mayfield and a Pre-War Territorial who served with “H” Company.1368 Chadwick

217 Sergeant Frederick Arthur Johnson, from Ashbourne and a Derbyshire Volunteer (1893) and Pre-War Territorial (1908) who served with “C” Company. 217 JohnsonSS Archangel

All three men returned to England on the “SS Archangel”, a 2,448-ton passenger ship built by J. Brown & Co., Ltd., Clydebank, Glasgow in 1910.

1133 Cpl Arthur Willis, a mill hand from Litton Mill and a Pre-War Territorial who served with “D” Company.1133 Willis

Arthur Willis returned to England on the SS Copenhagen.

On this day 29th March 1916

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

A very quite day except for a sharp burst of shelling over PIRATES TRENCH for half an hour about 2-30 p.m.

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

Location of B. des Pirates on a French Trench Map of October 1914, which later became the British Support Line in March 1916.Pirates trench 1916

Wounded men included:-

  • 2608 Pte Leonard Pott suffered a GSW in the left hand whilst serving with “B” Company.
  • 2368 Pte Fred Nichols, a Chauffeur from Chapel-en-le-Frith suffered a GSW in the right leg whilst serving with “D” Company.
  • 3294 Pte Fred Webster, a farm assistant from Ashbourne was wounded with “D” Company.