11th Battalion War Diary, February 1918

11th Border Regiment War Diary Transcriptions (1915-1918) The National Archives WO/95/2403
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
1915											✔
1916	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
1917	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
1918	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events
In the Field	1st		Bn. in the line on right of Belgians. Outpost line consists of series of posts. By day no movement possible in forward area. By night all men possible work on wire, improving posts etc., remainder carry food and matrerial.
In the Field Boche X Rds Bosinge	2nd		Bn. relieved last night by 1st Dorsets, relief complete about 11.30pm. Bn. moved to BOSINGE Camp. No work general cleaning up and parade for foot treatment.
do.	3rd		Church parade & Baths for ½ Bn.
do.	4th		Baths ½ Bn. Bn. moved forward into the line and relieved 1st Dorsets in the same sector as before.
In the Field	5th		Sector has been quiet. Wiring carried out on by night, very difficult as nights are so dark. Patrolling also very difficult on account of darkness and bad condition of ground.
do.	6th		Enemy more active with artillery & M.G.'s. C Coy relieved left Coy of 2nd K.O.Y.L.I.. Three Coys now in line C, B & D.
do.	7th		Sector quiet as usual. Hot meals arrived at night. Front post shelled.
do.	8th		Everything quiet by daytime. Wiring and working by night. Bat. complemented by Brig. Gen Blacklock D.S.O., on improvement in defences generally.
In the Field Boche X Rds	9th		Billets scattered & [?]. B.H.Q. At Boche X Roads. Day spent in cleaning up. Two Coys went to Pedicurium. Large draft of officers & men joined from our 6th Battalion.
do.	10th		Lt. Col. Beasley D.S.O. Assumed command of the Bat. [?-since] Major Lowthian M.C. at disposal of O's C. Coys. Specialist training. Remainder of Bat. went to Pedicurium.
do.	11th		Coys spent day working in reserve area on M.G. Emplacements & shelters. Kit inspections.
do.	12th		Same as yesterday, Coys working round Hetsas area. Billets improved. Lewis Gunners, signallers & observers on specialist training.
do.	13th		A repetition of the last two days. Men work about six hours per day whilst specialists continue training.
do.	14th		Another day's hard work on fortifications in the neighbourhood of our billets, [?-Cormoran] Wood & [?-Laurier or Laucier] Farm.
do.	15th		Very little doing during day. At night Coys working on forward area, holding posts, laying tracks & wiring. Specialists carrying on training.
do.	16th		Working parties by night as usual. Cleaning up and kit inspections by day. [?-Seated] night operations ISLAND & VICTORY Posts. Specialist training as usual.
In the Field Boche X Rds	17th		B Coy went to Pedicurium in morning. By night all Coys worked in forward area under C.R.E. except 50 men of C Coy who had volunteered for raid tomorrow night. Capt. ROSS, two other officers + 60 O.R. patrolled area over which this [?] is [?-bound] tomorrow.
do.	18th		Nothing done all day except specialist training. At night raiding party of 2 officers, 2/Lt Macrae & McDonald & 60 other ranks of C Coy, carried out raid on enemy posts in these parties. Zero hour 11PM. Heavy artillery barrage for eight minutes preparatory to advance. Right & Left Parties reached objective and penetrated 150 yds behind enemy's front system. Centre party unfortunately struck M.G. unscathed by barrage, and had two casualties, 2/Lt Macrae killed & 1 Sgt. wounded. Result :- 12 of the enemy ascertained to be dead, one M.G. Bombed & put out of action, one wounded prisoner brought in. Capt. ROSS in vain patrolled for the body of 2/Lt Macrae.
WOESTON	19th		Relieved by 1st Dorsets. Bat. left [?-Charpentier] X Rds by trains at 7.30 & 10AM. Moved to VANDAMME CAMP near WOESTON. Relief complete 12 noon.
WOESTON	20th		Day spent in cleaning up, improvement of billets. Camp scattered, consisting of old shelters & a few huts.
WOESTON	21th		Coys spent day working in Battle Zone, leaving by trains at 6.45 & 9.15AM. Took over 4 A.A. Lewis Gun positions. Congratulated on account of recent raid.
WOESTON	22nd		Coys again working on [?] Line under R.E., repairing pillboxes & machine [?] defences. Specialist training as usual.
WOESTON	23rd		Same as yesterday. Men are working well on railways, shelters, etc. Specialist training as usual.
WOESTON	24th		Church parades as usual. Local cinemas etc. patronised in afternoon. Men have been bathed, deloused, and issued with straw, paliasses and an extra blanket.
WOESTON	25th		Coys at disposal of Coy Commanders for musketry, bombing & Lewis Gun training. Bat. played 10th A & SH at football and lost by one goal.
WOESTON	26th		Coys working again in battle zone. Officers reconnoitred this part which we would [?-verify] in case of attack. Specialists as usual.
WOESTON	27th		A repetition of yesterday, Coys left [?-Torrington] siding by train early in the morning. Specialists as usual.
WOESTON	28th		Bn. working again in battle zone under C.R.E.. Specialists as usual. [signed] R.L. Beasley, Lt. Col. 11 Border Regt.

References / notes

• National Archives Catalogue Reference: WO/95/2403
• The transcription above is available under the National Archives Open Government Licence for public sector information.