2nd Battalion War Diary, October 1914

2nd Border Regiment War Diary Transcriptions (1915-1918) The National Archives WO/95/1655 & WO/95/1656
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
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1915	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
1916	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
1917	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
1918

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events
SOUTHAMPTON	5/10/14		The Battalion embarked. C & D Companies sailed on SS "Minneapolis" and A & B Companies on SS "Turcouran".
ZEEBRUGGE BELGIUM	6/10/14	8am	C & D Companies disembarked, entrained for BRUGES – thence by march route to ST ANDRE and billeted.
"	7/10/14	9am	A & B Companies disembarked, entrained for BRUGES – thence by march route to ST ANDRE and joined remainder of Battalion in billets.
ST. ANDRE	8/10/14	10am	Battalion proceeded by march route to LEFFINGHAM and arrived about 6pm and billeted.
LEFFINGHAM	9/10/14	6am	Battalion marched to OSTEND and entrained for GHENT. Arrived at GHENT at 11am. Left GHENT about 4pm and entrained for DESTELBERGHEN at night.
DESTELBERGHEN	10/10/14		Battalion completed trenches during the day.
"	11/10/14	4pm	Battalion was relieved in trenches by French Marines. At 8pm the Battalion proceeded by forced march to SOMERGEM – The French Marines joining in the retirement at GHENT. The town was occupied by the enemy later.
SOMERGEM	12/10/14	4am	Battalion arrived and billeted. At 2pm the Battalion marched to THIELT – arrived about 9pm and billeted.
THIELT	13/10/14		At about am the Brigade opened fire on a hostile aeroplane flying over the town and succeeded [in?] bringing it down. At 12 noon the Battalion marched to ROULERS – arrived at 9pm but entrenched at DEN AAP 2 miles outside the town as outpost to the brigade.
DEN AAP	14/10/14	7.30am	Battalion marched to YPRES arrived at 4pm and billeted.
YPRES	15/10/14	10am	Battalion marched to FILLEBEKE.
On the march	"	1pm	The Regimental Scouts under Lieut C. Lamb encountered an Uhlan patrol whilst searching a wood. Shots were exchanged at close quarters – 8 of the enemy were killed – and 1 man, 1 officer (wounded), 1 man (wounded) were taken prisoners. Our casualties were:- NIL. The German officer later succumbed to his wounds. The Battalion entrenched at night.
ZILLEBEKE	16/10/14	2am	Lt P.J. Edgerton was severely wounded accidentally by men of his platoon in trenches. As the Battn expected an attack he had warned his men to fire at anyone on their front. It appears that he himself for reasons unknown walked along the front covered by his platoon and fire was opened. The Battalion vacated the trenches in the afternoon marched to ZANVOORDE and billeted.
ZANVOORDE	17/10/14		As hostile shellfire was expected the Battalion entrenched but billeted at night.
ZANVOORDE	18/10/14	2pm	The Battalion marched to KRUISEIK and arrived 5pm. The outpost to the Brigade - 2nd Bn Gordon Highlanders came under shrapnel fire at about 6pm. The remainder of the day was quiet.
KRUISEIK	19/10/14	9am	The Brigade advanced in Artillery formation on MENIN which was occupied by the enemy. On arrival at a village AMERICA the Brigade was subjected to heavy shrapnel fire from enemy's guns firing from direction of MENIN. 2 men of Battalion were wounded. At 3pm the Battalion fell back and entrained at KRUISEIK HILL leaving D Company at AMERICA as outpost.
KRUISEIK HILL	20/10/14		D Company rejoined and the Battalion completed trenches. Owing to the large amount of frontage which the Battalion had to cover (roughly 2¼ miles) and the nature of the country; companies, platoons & sections in some cases were not connected up by trenches. When complete the Battn was entrenched thus:- B Coy (extreme left), A Coy, Coy C, 2 platoons D Company (extreme right) 2 platoons D Company in reserve – 500 yards in rear. The other Battalions of the Brigade were set out for reconnaissance but had to return owing to heavy shellfire. By night the Brigade was entrenched on KRUISEIK HILL thus:- 1st Grenadier Guards, Scots Guards, Border Regt, Gordon Highlanders. The line resembled a half circle. Our casualties on this day were 2 killed and 2 wounded.
KRUISEIK HILL	21/10/14		Artillery bombardment all day and rifle fire at long range. The nature of the country enabled enemy snipers to advance to within 300 yards of out trenches at certain points completely concealed. It was thought that farm houses in the vicinity of the firing line were also used for sniping & parties were sent out at night to fire them. Our casualties were slight.
KRUISEIK HILL	22/10/14		Bombardment of trenches by enemy's artillery. The Battn was engaged at intervals day and night. 2 Lieut T.J. Clancey was killed in a farmhouse near his trench by a shell. The house caught fire and his body could not be recovered. Our casualties were slight.
KRUISEIK HILL	23/10/14		Heavy bombardment of trenches by enemy's artillery. The Battn was engaged at intervals at night. Captain R.N. Gordon was killed on this day. Our casualties were slight.
KRUISEIK HILL	24/10/14		Several small attacks were launched by the enemy but were repulsed. The bombardment by the enemy’s artillery was increased – some of the trenches being blown in by heavy artillery.
KRUISEIK HILL	25/10/14		Small attacks were again made at different points but no general attack was launched by the enemy. His artillery appeared to have been increased by heavy pieces and a terrific fire was directed on our trenches during the day. The enemy on B Company’s front put up a white flag in the morning and Major W.L. Allen DSO left his trench to go over to them. He was almost instantly killed by rifle fire. C Company & Regiment* & took up a reserve position near Brigade Headquarters 1000 yds in rear. Lieut F.C. Clegg was injured by a shell explosion. Our casualties were 3 killed 25 wounded.
KRUISEIK HILL	26/10/14		During the night of 25th-26th the enemy had advanced considerably & had concentrated in large numbers in woods & c on our front. They launched an attack at about 9am and succeeded in taking the front line trenches occupied by A and B companies – the few survivors (about 70 in all) retiring to the flanks and joining up in rear with the Scouts and Battalion HeadQrs. The enemy continued to advance but were held in check by the Scouts under Lieut. C. Lamb, Machine Gun under Lieut. W. Watson and Battalion HeadQrs under Lt-Col. L.I. Wood. C Company under Capt L.E.H. Molyneux–Seel advanced up the hill to KRUISEIK in lines of platoons to support A & B if necessary to take trenches but orders were received from Brigade HeadQrs for them to return to ZANVOORDE for the night. In the afternoon C Company finding ZANVOORDE in ruins on arrival marched through to YPRES and billeted. [The remarks column contains further information.]
ZANVOORDE	27/10/14		The Battalion (led C Coy) marched to ZONNEBEKE at about 8am and rested in the grounds of a chateau. C Company under Capt. L.M. Seel [Capt. LEH Molyneux–Seel] rejoined the Battalion at 3pm. A muster roll showed 12 officers and 538 other ranks in the Battalion. The day was considered a day of rest & the men were re-eqipped & companies reformed. Casualties – nil.
ZANVOORDE ZONNEBEKE	28/10/14		The Battalion remained at ZONNEBEKE but was ordered to take up a reserve position. The Battalion marched from Chateau grounds at 8pm & occupied trenches in reserve. Casualties - Nil.
Near ZONNEBEKE	29/10/14		At 7am orders were received to reinforce the Gordon Highlanders who were being heavily pressed. The Battalion deployed to its right using the YPRES-MENIN Road as the left and advanced on KRUISEIK HILL. On reaching the first ridge the Battalion came under terrific direct shell–machine gun and rifle fire. After an hours wait the Battn advanced under Lieut-Col L.I. Wood who was almost immediately hit. Capt. L.E.H. Molyneux-Seel was also hit twice from a machine gun in a house which became our object of attack. Captain H.A. Askew then assumed command as Captain G.E. Warren had been slightly wounded - he continued the advance and was able to direct operations from a large shell hole. Eventually the Queens Regt came up and supported us. At night orders were received for the Battn to return to reserve dugouts. Our casualties were about 25 killed 30 wounded. Lt A.B. Johnson & G.W.H. Hodgson were wounded. This day is known in the Battalion as "WINDMILL DAY".
	30/10/14		The Battalion under Capt G.E. Warren who had returned from Field Hospital received orders to move to the East of Hooge to support a Cavalry Advance. The Battn proceeded & halted for the day in wood 1½ miles NW of chateau near ZONNEBEKE. This was practically a day of rest only an occasional shell coming into wood. At 11pm order were received to return to crossroads HOOGE and YPRES-MENIN Roads and entrench on W side of road facing West. A continuous line of trenches with communications was dug before daybreak. Casualties – 1 man wounded.
	31/10/14		All day the Battn was very heavily shelled. At 7pm orders to move were received – but were cancelled shortly afterwards. Eventually at 8pm the battn marched back along the YPRES road. At 11pm the Battn moved off in a SW direction and came under ZANVOORDE – orders were given for the men to dig themselves in lining the hedges, and to be concealed by daylight.

References / notes

• National Archives Catalogue Reference: WO/95/1655
• The transcription above is available under the National Archives Open Government Licence for public sector information.
• War diary transcribed by P. Bramham.