20.3.1917 ST AMAND: 2/Lt E KERSHAW appointed Acting Adjutant. Battalion marched and billeted at BAYENCOURT.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
To be completed
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
31.8.1916 BELLACOURT: Capt W Seaton rejoined from 7th Battalion.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
31st: Slightly more hostile sniping noticed. At midnight a party of 20 NCOs and men under 2/Lt EVANS of the 6th Battalion guided by the Battalion Scouts under 2/Lt Kershaw (above) attempted to raid the enemies listening post at the TALUS. After passing the first row of wire successfully the party were stopped by some new wire which was found to be too thick to cut by hand. The party was brought back without loss.
Official Report Talus 30 August 1916 from WO-95-2694-1_1_1-6th
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
23.7.1916 BELLACOURT: Battn relieved 5th in RIGHT SECTOR. “A” Company in Battalion reserve in Village.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
July 23rd: A quite day.
2/Lieuts KERSHAW and OLIVER and 2 other ranks (6th Sherwoods) reconnoitred the “TALUS” between 10.30pm & 2.30 am (24th).
This point consists in a bank 6-8′ high & 150-200 yards long. 200 yards distant from the German front line. It has been connected to the latter by a SAP.
The party crawled through a gap in two rows of barbed wire and reached the edge of the TALUS. The enemy were heard to walk along the bottom of the bank and to stop immediately opposite our patrols.
One of them challenged and fired at 2/Lt OLIVER who was wounded. Several other shots were fired and four bombs thrown at our party, of whom 2/Lt KERSHAW & 1 man succeeded in reaching our front line, but 2/Lt OLIVER & 1 man were missing.
Battalion reliefs were completed by 12 midnight. The 6th & 8th Battalions going into the RIGHT and LEFT sectors respectively.
Casualties:-
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
17.7.1916 BELLACOURT: Lieut DS FOX to Transport Course, HAVRE. 2/Lt HIPKINS to be L. GUN Officer.
Lieutenant Donald Storrs Fox
2/Lt Frederick Wystan Hipkins
17.7.1916 BELLACOURT: Preliminary patrol of the TALUS under 2/Lt E KERSHAW.
17.7.1916 BELLACOURT: Battn relieved by 5th SF in RIGHT SECTOR & went into Bde Support in village of BELLACOURT. providing Garrisons of BOUNDARY, BURNT FARM, STARFISH & ORCHARD POSTS. ‘A’ Coy remained in support of 5th Battn.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
July 17: Moved back to support in village of ———-. Lived in a large chateau all very comfortable & really clean once more. Sorry to hear Tiny Simpson has died of wounds in hospital.
Tiny Simpson may be a reference to 2/Lt Herbert Simpson who died of his wounds on the 7th July and is buried in St. Sever Cemetery in Rouen.
[Lieutenant Josiah Taylor]
17: The following reliefs took place this evening. The 5th Sherwood relieved the 6th Sherwoods in the RIGHT SECTOR trenches, the latter Battalion going into Brigade Reserve BELLACOURT. The 8th Sherwoods were relieved in the LEFT SECTOR trenches by the 7th Sherwood & proceeded to Divisional reserve in BAILLEUVAL.
The relief was completed without incident by 11.30 pm. Gas was discharged by the 137th Inf Brigade on our right this evening. This brought on a good deal of straafing but we got very little.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
15.7.1916 BAILLEULMONT: C & D Coys were relieved by 2 Coys 5th N. STAFFS Regt. Left C Coy relieving a Coy of 8th Battn SF on left, & D Coy going into Battn reserve in BELLACOURT.
Preliminary patrol of the TALUS by 2/Lt E KERSHAW.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
July 15: Moved into other trenches further. Very busy time as we have to lay wires into a new HQ & cut out all the old wires. It is still fairly peaceful here but not absolutely.
[Lieutenant Josiah Taylor]
26.6.1916 GAUDIEMPRE: 2/Lt E Kershaw joined from England.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
June 26: During the last month of course we have been preparing for an attack. The weather has caused it to be postponed so at least we are having a rest.
[Lieutenant Josiah Taylor]
26: The is “W” day. Wire cutting & bombardment continued on enemy front.
From 9-45 am to 10.35 am his front was subjected to an “intense bombardment” – to look at this appeared very ordinary. There were lots of 19 Pdrs busy but very few howitzers & heavies and altogether it was a — affair to look at.
At 10.50 smoke was turned on and up to the point this enemy had not sent very much back, but he now began to shell our front line freely, but did not pay much attention to our back lines. We had only two casualties – one liked and one wounded. It is hoped the Germans suffered more.
The patrols who went out late at night reported the cutting of the enemies wire on the right as satisfactorily.
The weather is not improving – the men are having a very hard time of it & sticking it very well.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 