19 December
Nov
December
Jan
Lonsdale Battalion events that took place on 19 December.
For events that took place elsewhere, see 19 December on The Great War wiki.
1915
- Battalion moves from Bouzincourt and takes over the F1 sub-sector from the 1/6th Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders.[1]
- One other rank is sent to Base for dental treatment.[1]
- “The trenches we had first to take over were very bad, the soil was chiefly a loamly clay, with chalk only on the extreme left of our sector. In many places there were no duck-boards, and, in consequence, the mud and water was four or five feet deep. It was impossible to get all along the front line trench without going "overland,", as there were two stretches of about 100 yards each that were impassible. However, we got them right eventually. The men used at times to get quite stuck and unable to move in the mud. Then the gum-boots[2] had to be left” – Major P.G.W. Wiggle [3]
- “Just a few lines to let you know that I have been wounded, but I am going on champion. A piece of shrapnel went clean through my right thigh while I was going into the trenches with my mates. There were two of us knocked out at the same time. We had a bit of rotten luck that day, and the trenches are four feet deep with mud and water. It was very hard for us, seeing we were new to the place. I went through an operation on Wednesday night… They took the tube out of my wound today. I expect I’ll be sent home any time about Christmas… The doctors and nurses are very nice to the wounded. They will do anything to help you… How is everybody at Workington? Give my kind regards to all.” – Corporal J. Smith, writing home to his parents.[4]
1916
1917
References / notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 11th Battalion War Diary, November to December 1915
- ↑ Another term used for the Wellington Boot (or Wellies), worn and popularised by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. During the First World War production of the Wellington boot increased dramatically as the need for suitable footwear to cope with the perpetually muddy, battle-torn lands across Europe were essential. The War Office approached the North British Rubber Company to construct a suitable boot for difficult, flooded terrains in the trenches. They produced a total of 1,185,036 pairs to meet the British demands. – Wikipedia:Wellington Boot
- ↑ Record of the XIth (Service) Battalion (Lonsdale) - In France
- ↑ Workington Star and Harrington Guardian, published 24 December, 1915.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 11th Battalion War Diary, December 1916
- ↑ A group of soldiers (or prisoners) that are assigned to perform manual tasks or duties, for their own or other units.
- ↑ 11th Battalion War Diary, December 1917