16.3.1917 9.30pm: Loud explosion heard in ESSARTS. Sound of transport heard in ESSARTS during night 16/17th.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
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139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
16.3.1917: Wire cutting in front of N of BURG continued.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
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139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
15.3.1917: Enemy line held as on day before.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
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139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
14.3.1917 3pm: Battalion relieved 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters in LEFT GOMMECOURT SECTOR. HQrs in PIGEON WOOD. “A” “C” & “D” Companies in font line. “B” in support.
Front line:-
LANDSTURM GRABEN – F.19.C.0.0. – KITE COPSE – E.24.D.5.2. – BRAYELLE GRABEN – E.30.A.6.9. – E.24.C.4.5. – E.24.C.2.9. – E.23.B.9.2.
Advanced posts were located at E.24.A.0.4. E24.C.80.98. & E.24.A.15.50.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
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139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
13.31917 C in C’s list: MAJOR R SAXBY seconded for duty as Town Major AMPLIER MORVILLE.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
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139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
To be completed
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
To be completed
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
10.3.1917 10.10pm: Battalion relieved by 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters and moved into Brigade Reserve in GOMMECOURT. Dispositions:
Casualties n addition to those already quoted:-
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
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139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
All the men were buried next to each other in Foncquevillers Military Cemetery Row 3D
Interestingly, the Graves Registration Unit in January recorded the recovery of one unidentified British Soldier from 24.D.1.6. which is located in the barbed wire belt close to the BURG and it is tempting to speculate that this might have been the body of Fred Gould.
9.3.1917
12.50am: “B” Company holding KITE COPSE and trenches running SW from corner. BURG strongly held by enemy.
3.50am: MAJOR ASHWELL DSO wounded in KITE COPSE. Major CB JOHNSON assumed Command. LIEUT DS FOX slightly wounded (at duty).
5.40am: KITE COPSE evacuated by us without loss. Identification of 91st R.I.R [91st Reserve Infantry Regiment] obtained.
Cyril Benton Johnson
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
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139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
8.3.1917: Letter “B” and “C” Companies attacked KITE COPSE and the BURG.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
To be completed
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
Although the area has returned to farm land the position of Arrow Copse has not changed over the last 100 years and evidence of the fighting can still be seen with the recovery of a British water bottle from the area of the BURG (below).
