1st Battalion War Diary, May 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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1917	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
1918

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
WANQUETIN	1/5/17		Completing kit & drawing up battle stores.
ARRAS	2/5/17	5 PM	Battalion paraded & marched to ARRAS into comfortable billets.
ARRAS	3/5/17	4 AM	Stunt today by 1st 3rd & 5th Armies II Corps in the central area - i.e.
TRENCHES			MONCHEY LE PREUX – commenced at 3.45 AM heavy barrage. 29th Div were in GHQ reserve 87th Brigade moving up at 9.45AM (i.e leaving ARRAS at this time) moving into the old Boche support line opposite TILLOY on the N. side of the road on OBSERVATION HILL – sat down and waited for orders, gleaned little [?] a saw small parties (25?) of huns coming [?] as [?], very comfy - delightful day and everybody happy. Spent night in Boche dug outs.
TRENCHES	4/5/17		Moved back to ARRAS to billets about noon today. Draft of 1 officer 2LIEUT. T.S. MIDDLETON & 57 other ranks joined the battalion having joined the 10% 3/5/19 from base via St Pol ST POL
ARRAS	5/5/17		Arrangements made for cleaning up drawing today Cleaning up today, warned to stand by ready to go back to line if requested.
	6/5/17		Arrangements made for training – but cancelled & whole day devoted to cleaning all billets, streets etc. which really were filthy
ARRAS	7/5/17	10.15 AM	Moved from ARRAS to DUISANS into B camp in Nissen huts. LIEUT D. ELLIOT joined with draft of 23 other ranks joined today from ST POL.
DUISANS		1 PM	Congratulatory message from G.O.C 29th Div. for excelent work of 23rd/4/17.
"	8/5/17		Training was hampered by wet weather but specialists did training in huts & companies held inspections. Battalion paraded 2 PM – Bathing in DUISANS.
"	9/5/17	8 AM	2LIEUT R.E.S JOHNSON proceeded to general course at XVIII Corps school at AUX LE CATEAU. This morning Battalion Training – all specialists under specialist officers remainder did physical training, musketry bayonet fighting. Lieut Col AJ ELLIS DSO commanding. Lieut Cargill, Capt H Bunting MC and Lieut D McCloud MC went to BEAMONT HAMEL to see positions attacked captured on 1st July 1916. LIEUT HALL P.A. RAMC joined the battalion for duty as MO.
"	10/5/17		Training during morning. Hockey match in the afternoon BORDER & INNISKILLING officers V. M.G and R.A.M.C
"	11/5/17		Training today.
DUISANS	12/5/17		Brigade sports today under ideal weather conditions, Lieut Gen Haldane commanding VI Corps, Major General Sir Beauvoir De Lisle commanding 29th Division & Brig Gen Lucas 87th Brigade being present. The guard mounting parade competition being easily won by The Border Regiment.
ARRAS	13/5/17	4.30 PM	Moved to ARRAS today arriving at 6 PM & going into billets. Preliminary preparations for attack being made Weekly strength variation Officers Other ranks Draft from St. Pol 2 11 Evacuated sick 7
DUISANS	13/5/17	4.30 PM	Preparing to move. Moved off at 4.30 for ARRAS arriving 6 PM and going into billets. Preliminary arrangements for an attack were made.
ARRAS	14/5/17		Quiet restful day, moved off at 10 PM & moved into the BROWN LINE near FEUCHY cross ROADS (part of the German line captured on April 9th & part of the HINDENBURG switch) relieving the 1st Suffolk Regiment getting into position about 2.30 AM.
TRENCHES	15/5/17		Spent the day improving the trenches & making latrines which were non-existent. A patrol of 1 offr. LIEUT CRANE & 6 other ranks went up the line, attached to the 1st K.O.S.B tonight to patrol DEVILS TRENCH, which will be one of our objectives in a few days, returning early the following morning with good information. The trenches were fairly heavily shelled about 4pm resulting in 7 casualties (wounded).
TRENCHES	16/5/17	8 PM	Two platoons of A Coy & two of B Coy moved into strong points (N&S of MONCHY LE PREUX) D.E.F & G. the remainder of the battalion remained in the BROWN LINE.
TRENCHES at MONCHY LE PREUX	17/5/17	9.30 – 2.30 AM	The Battalion relieved the 1st K.O.S.B. in front line and support from BIT LANE (the MONCHY – PELVES road) to TWIN COPSES inclusive, order N to South. D Coy S.W.B. (attached) B Coy BORDER. C Coy BORDER in SNAFFLE TRENCH A Coy. BORDER TWIN TRENCH. D Coy BORDER in support in SHRAPNEL TRENCH. Battalion Headquarters were in the red house ("THE GOLF HOUSE") MONCHY LE PREUX. The battalion just got in as dawn was breaking about 3.30 AM.
TRENCHES	18/5/17		Preparations were made tonight, digging an assembly trench for A Coy. Through to a copse behind the front line, which latter was to be evacuated prior to the barrage falling. Jumping off steps were cut in the rest of the line & generally all final preparations made. D Coy established a battalion dump just behind the firing line at the junction of ARROW TRENCH and the front line [signed] Arthur W Sutcliffe Capt. a/adjutant.
			[signed] Arthur W Sutcliffe Capt. a/adjutant 1st The Border Regiment

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