Tag Archives: locre

On this day 6th April 1915

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

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On Easter Monday APRIL 6th our platoon went up to the trenches on fatigue from 6.30 p.m. [to] 1.a.m. on Tuesday morning with our 8th Battalion, and we were under very heavy rifle fire. Before we could get to the first line of trenches we had to go over 1200 yds of open ground, the Germans kept sending up starlight’s and it was on this open ground where the Germans spotted us, they sent a volley or two.

Church

All round this place there are churches and all kinds of other buildings burnt and blown down. This place is called Kemmel.

[1415 Cpl. Alfred Afford]

6th April 1915. Nothing else but inspections all day. In the morning we had a look through.the windmill while it was working. Rained very hard at night.

[2381 Pte. George Potter Bagshaw]

Apr 6th. Rose about 9 a.m. Boot inspn & bayonet practice. Dull day.

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

On this day 5th April 1915

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Locre 5.4.15: The Battalion with the 5th Battalion marched to billets.

War Diary [WO/95/2694].

On APRIL 5th we marched off again to a place called Locre in Belgium, a distance of 5½ miles, we are within range of the Germans big guns.

[1415 Cpl. Alfred Afford]

 5th April 1915. We left Bailleul at 9-30 a.m. for Locre which is just behind the firing line. On our march we saw a New Mills man who is in the Royal Engineers. While in Bailleul we saw two or three that we knew who were in the Cheshires. On our way we passed an aerodrome. We got to our billets on the top of a hill near a windmill. We could see for miles around. We could see Ypres in the distance.

Mount Kemmel 2

It was a pretty sight to see the country round and it seemed a pity that it should be devastated by war. At night as you stood on the hilltop you could see our artillery firing and you could see the shells bursting over the German trenches. You could also see the Germans firing from just beneath their observation tower. It was a pretty sight to see the German star shells bursting over our trenches.

**Royal Garrison Artillery was quite near us. Just behind there is a 15 inch naval gun which has done a great deal of damage.

C and D Company went out on fatigues to our trenches, not a very pleasant experience. The 8th Battalion went in Saturday night and have lost so far – one killed and four wounded. Rained very hard all night. Our billet was a loft on the top of a pigsty, not a very pleasant smell. You could see the sky through the roof and there were holes in the floor.

[2381 Pte. George Potter Bagshaw]

Apr 5th. Moved on again to Locre (Belgium). On fatigue at trenches at night, & got back about 1 a.m. Tuesday. Risky job.

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

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**It’s most likely that George Bagshaw meant a battery of the Royal Marine Artillery, which were equipped with 15-inch howitzers.