1st Battalion War Diary, July 1917

1st Border Regiment War Diary Transcriptions (1915-1918) The National Archives WO/95/4311 & WO/95/2305
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
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1916	✔	✔		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
1917	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
1918

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events Information
CANAL BANK NR BOESINGHE	1/7/17		Patrol out tonight, 2Lt D. MACLEOD MC and four other ranks to reconnoitre CAESARS NOSE fired on from this point with M.G. and rifle grenades. 2Lt MACLEOD M.C. killed & 3 wounded.
"	2/7/17		2 Patrols out tonight but too light for close work. Lt D. MACLEOD’s body searched for but not found. 1st K.O.S.B relieved us, & we
	3/7/17		moved back to CANAL BANK in reserve. supplied working parties night & day on new front line
	4/7/17		Working parties as yesterday. No. 9215 PTE. WILLIAMSON. E volunteered to go out in search of LT MACLOUD’s body & located it but could not get it in as it was too light & snipers were busy. 1st Newfoundland Regt relived us tonight
	5/7/17		9215 PTE. WILLIAMSON brought in 2LT MACLEOD’S body. Battalion relieved by 1st NEWFOUNDLAND Regt tonight & moved back.
SUEZ CAMP NR CROMBEKE	6/7/17		Arrived SUEZ CAMP near CROMBEKE about 3 AM in tents & bivouacs. Rested today.
"	7/7/17		TRAINING - bayonet fighting & digging strong points. The King & Prince of Wales motored through camp & were cheered by the troops.
			Casualties week ending 6.7.17 Increase Drafts from Base 1 Off. O.R. 64 [Lt CHAMBERS WRH WFH] Returned from Hosp. 1   " CAPT AVH WOOD Decrease Killed 1 Off. O.R. 3 [2Lt D MACLEOD M.C] Wounded 1   "    "   15 [Capt AVH WOOD] Evacuated    "   8
"	8/7/17		Training. Leave going strong. 2 or 1 per day.
"	9/7/17		Training.
"	10/7/17		Training. C.O went to Divisional Scheme – Coy Commanders scheme this afternoon.
"	11/7/17		C.O. & 2nd In Command to Brigade tactical scheme. Officers compass marching by night.
"	12/7/17		Draft of 20 today. Chiefly A.S.C transfers - & looked it.
RIVOLI FARM near WOESTEN	13/7/17		Moved to HOUNSLOW CAMP (near WOESTEN) arriving about 10 PM. C & D Coys went to RIVOLI FARM near CANAL BANK relieving 2 Coys of 1st LANCS. Fifty details took over LANCASHIRE CAMP near PROVEN.
HOUNSLOW CAMP	14/7/17		Provided working parties from HOUSLOW CAMP & RIVOLI FARM to work on CANAL BANK
"	15/7/17		Similar working parties as above provided.
"	16/7/17		– Do –
			Casualties week ending 13/7/17 Increase Drafts from Base O.R. 69 From Hospital         1 Decrease Classified P.B. Off. 1 2Lt IRESON Evacuated         3 Transferred         3
"	17/7/17		Working parties as for 16th.
"	18/7/17		– Do –
PROVEN	19/7/17		Moved to LANCASHIRE CAMP arriving 3 PM. 1 Off & 50 OR left behind as working party under RFA.
LANCASHIRE CAMP	20/7/17		Interior Economy & resting. Casualties week ending 20th Increase Drafts from Base Off. 1 O.R. 14 [2Lt H.T. THOMPSON] Decrease To England Sick        1         4 [Lt E.S. WYNNE] Killed         1 Wounded         3 Transfer         1
	21/7/17		Training.
	22/7/17		Training Church Parade.
	23/7/17		Training – Officers reconnoitred routes to be used in the [?stunt].
	24/7/17		Lt Col A.J. ELLIS D.S.O returned from leave & took over command. MAJ R.P.M NICKOLS having commanded during his absence.
	25/7/17		Bathing & practice in gas mask marching by night.
	26/7/17		Preparing for coming [?stunt], completing kit etc.
	27/7/17		Marched to HERZEELE & bivouacked for scheme tomorrow.
	28/7/17		Practice attack scheme. Field day commencing 7.30 AM.
PROVEN	28/7/17		This area represented the area over which it was expected the battalion would attack. A scheme representing the STEENBEEL etc. – field day finished about 12.30 PM and the battalion moved back arriving in camp about 5 PM.
"	29/7/17		Church parade at Proven.
			Casualties week ending 27.7.17 Increase Draft from Base O.R. 9 Decrease Killed         1 Wounded         9 Transferred         1 Evacuated         3
	30/7/17		Training. Moved 10.40 to go to Camp 20 at DE WIEPPE CABARET
	31/7/17		CORNER arriving 1.30 AM. Moved 3.30 to [?Monton] Farm. Whole battalion on working party for Second Division. Split into 2 parties of 2 companies each & worked making CLARGES ST to the CANAL from BOESINGHE & then across [?canal] making roads as far as ARTILLERY WOOD (700y). CAPT. A.V.H. WOOD wounded. C.S.M Randolph killed. 8 Other Ranks killed 13 wounded. 3 missing
			[Signed] A.W. Sutcliffe Capt. a/adjutant

References / notes

• National Archives Catalogue Reference: WO/95/2305/1
• The transcription above is available under the National Archives Open Government Licence for public sector information.
• War diary transcribed by Hugh Fulton