Tag Archives: GOMMECOURT ROAD

On this day 13th February 1917

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13.2.1917 C in C’s list No 121: Lieut GKK MAUGHAN appointed Adjutant d/- 28.11.917

1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]

13th: About 20 light trench mortar bombs fired into the Gommecourt Road during the night. A quite day. 2 Companies 2/8 leave the trenches – HQ and 2 Companies 2/11 London Regiment arrive for instruction.

gommecourtThaw set in after a month of continued frost.

A good deal of movement had been noticed in the enemy’s line both by day and night lately; heavy mechanical transport heard in Gommecourt during several nights and persistent registering by enemy batteries especially on right Battalion front noticed during the past week. Enemy trench mortars have also shown renewed activity.

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

fonquevillers.jpg200957 L/Cpl Albert Edward Dean and 201361 Pte John Evans were killed in action and are buried next to each other

  • 3298 Pte Albert Dean enlisted in November 1914 and arrived in France in April 1916.
  • 4124 Pte John Evans enlisted in March 1915 and arrived in France in March 1916.

On this day 2nd February 1917

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No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]

2nd: Enemy fired about 30 77mm shells onto Green Street and the front line during the morning.Green Street

8th Sherwood Foresters take over HQrs and the right Coy front (up to Trench 60) of 4th Lincoln Regiment.

A party of 91st Reserve Infantry Regiment approached our front north of the Gommecourt Road – threw several bombs and were driven off by Lewis Gun fire. The bodies of 1 Lieutenant and 1 NCO of the party were subsequently brought into our lines. the former being found within 15 yards of our parapet.

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

On this day 1st February 1917

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No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]

1st: A quite day. During the night a small party of the enemy approached our front line just North of the Gommecourt Road. Several bombs were thrown short of our trench and the party were driven off by Lewis Gun fire.

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

On this day 28th December 1916

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28.12.1916 SOUASTRE: Capt CVHC BLACKWALL to 2nd in Command Divisional School. Lieut BE JOHNSON rejoined from leave.

Blackwall CVHC

Charles Henry Cheetham Blackwall

War Diary [WO/95/2694]

German Raid

After an intense bombardment commencing 3 am the enemy attempted a raid in strength on our centre and left sectors. A few Germans entered our trenches in two places but were immediately ejected.

2/Lt J Barnes was seriously wounded by a bomb thrown by a German on our parapet whom he was firing at with his revolver, he died in the evening in the 1st North Midland Field Ambulance.

Our casualties were 2 killed, 4 wounded and 2 missing. Our trenches were badly damaged by the heavy bombardment.

1/7th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]

28th 3am: Enemy artillery & trench mortars opened a very heavy bombardment of our line, particularly on the Communication Trenches & Support line on the left Sub-Sector. After about forty five minutes intense bombardment a party of the enemy estimated at 40 strong commenced to enter our trenches. between Leicester Lane & the Gommecourt Road.

Lincol LaneThey were apparently held of by the wire and retired on being fired on by Lewis Guns. One or more of the enemy entered entered our front line at the top of Lincoln Lane but were immediately driven out.

A patrol of 3 men also entered our left Companies trench but retired almost immediately.

The casualties were:-

  • 1 Officer & two other ranks killed (2/Lieutenant James Valetine Barnes, 5195 Pte Edward Leonard Ledger, 1549 Corporal Fred Smedley)
  • 4 other ranks wounded
  • 2 other ranks missing

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

On this day 20th December 1916

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No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]

Men wounded on this day were:-

2655 Pte Edwin Moyns who was serving with “B” Company. A coal miner from Worksop he had previously served with the 1/8th Battalion and returned to France with the 26th Reinforcement. Originally enlisted in April 1908 and had previously served with the 4th Volunteer Battalion (1904-1908). Eventually discharged and awarded a Silver War Badge.Moyns

4096 Pte James McCormack who was serving with “C Company. A collier from Wards Yard in Chesterfield who enlisted into the 3/6th Battalion in March 1915 and arrived in France with the IV Reinforcement in October 1915. James had a poor disciplinary record and was tried by a Field General Courts Martial in November 1916 and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment for offering violence to his superior Officer whilst drunk. This sentence was later commuted to 3 months; never-the-less he is recored as wounded on the 20th December 1916. James would also be wounded on the 22nd April 1917 during the attack on Fosse 3 de Lievin, transferred to England and discharged in December 1917.

4046 Pte Frederick Woodward who was serving with “A” Company. Enlisted in March 1915 and arrived in France in 1916. Later served with the Labour Corps and was awarded a Silver War Badge.

20th: Our trenches near Gommecourt Road heavily shelled for 3 minutes at 6pm & 11pm.Gommecourt Road

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

On this day 17th December 1916

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No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]

17th: Light trench mortars fired by both sides during the day. A small path of Germans dispersed by our Lewis Gun near the Gommecourt Road in the afternoon.

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

 

On this day 16th December 1916

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No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]

16th: Our left sub sector shelled with trench mortars during the afternoon and about 60 rifle grenades and light bombs fell near the Gommecourt Road to which our mortars replied.

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

On this day 27th May 1916

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27.5.1916 FONQUEVILLERS: Draft of 42 other ranks arrived from 8th Entrenching Battn.8th entrenching battalion

27.5.1916 FONQUEVILLERS: 2/Lt K. H. Bond with patrol went out at 1.15 a.m. and spent the day in a trench in SUCRERIE on the GOMMECOURT ROAD, returning at night with an enemy cap.bond

Kenneth Hills BondSucherieSucrerie (Sucherie) Post

On the left of the sunken road, there is an old sugar factory (the Sucrerie). It is in the form of a roughly rectangular trench, about 50 yards square, and was overgrown with nettles. Old boilers &c were scattered about the ground…”

27.5.1916 FONQUEVILLERS: Relieved by 8th Bn Sherwood Foresters from support and moved back in to Brigade support at Fonquevillers. Casualties for tour :- Killed, 1 O.R. Accidentally Killed, 1 O.R. Wounded 18 O.R., 2 of whom have since died of wounds. Accid. wounded 1.

27 May 1916

War Diary [WO/95/2694]

May 21: We were relieved by another Battn. We are now in reserve. We have no men in the front line but are all fairly near. I moved out of a comfortable cellar shared with bombing officer to a dug out shared with MO. Dug outs are much more comfortable than they used to be. They nearly all are fitted up with beds made of wire netting on a wooden frame.

[Lieutenant Josiah Taylor]

27: The 8th Battn S.F. from Support relieved the 6th Battn S.F. in the CENTRE SECTOR TRENCHES. The latter batten went into SUpport taking over the various posts occupied by the 8th Battn. Relief was completed by 11 pm.

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