1st Battalion War Diary, May 1917: Difference between revisions

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|WANQUETIN

|{{left|[Page title] The Second battle of MONCHY LE PREUX<br>The conditions under which the 1st Battalion the Border Regiment were called upon to go into action EAST of MONCHY LE PREUX in the evening of May 19 1917 were simply these. After the 29th Division had fought itself to a standstill on the night of April 23rd - the date of the first Battle of MONCHY. The remnants of the 87th Brigade dug in where they finally stopped advancing. From these positions they had been relieved, & this line more or less consolidated. [?] these positions were however, distinctly bad from the point of view of observation & the enemy’s in front were very good, it was patent that by means of a short advance, if these positions could be wrested from the enemy the positions would be greatly improved.

 

 

and establish a line of strong points running along a line DEVILS TRENCH. E edge of CIGAR COPSE & BOIS des AUBEPINES. MAY TRENCH LONG TRENCH, TOIL TRENCH.|offset=5px}}

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:(2) a platoon strong point near the SOUTHERN end of DEVILS TRENCH.|offset=5px}}

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|{{left|C Company, under the command of LIEUT. TE THORBURN BROWN. (K.O.S.B attached BORDER) less one platoon were to extend to their left on the assault taking place to occupy the line vacated by B Coy and "D" Coy under command of <s>Capt</s> CAPT H. PALMER. were to advance over the open from SHRAPNEL TRENCH into the line vacated by A Company.<br>

D Company South Wales Borders were attached under command of CAPT DAVIES and were set objectives in DEVILS TRENCH, with orders to dig strong points <s>on either side of BIT LANE</s> in this trench about 50y N&S respectively of BIT LANE.

 

The relief of the K.O.S.B. on the night 17/18 was only just completed by dawn so that no patrolling or work could be done that night but on the night of 18/19th in addition to work already [?], D Coy established a battalion dump at the junction of ARRON TRENCH and the front line containing 80 coils barbed concertina wire, 10 boxes SAA 10 boxes mills (No 5) hand [[grenade]]s, screw pickets etc. The whole front was also patrolled & positions to be assaulted generally reconnoitred, resulting in this being found to be fairly strongly held with numerous [[machine gun]]s, but not wired with the exception of <s>BIT LANE</s> DEVIL’S TRENCH where it cuts BIT LANE. Here the S.W.B. found wire running Northwards, and reported it with a request that it should be specially treated before the advance. This was accordingly reported to Brigade HQ. |offset=5px}}

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|15.10

From this time till several hours later nothing of marked importance occurred. The utmost concern was felt for the troops suffering from the erratic shooting of our artillery, & every effort was made to stop it but as no F.O.O or liaison officer was present little or nothing could be done [?] reporting each occurrence immediately to Bde HQ.|offset=5px}}

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|19/5/17

|20.55

Heavy battery is firing 100y short of W edge of BOIS des AUBEPINES AAA they must lay?? them at once.|offset=5px}}

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|1.30

|{{left|As the general situation by this time clearly indicated that the attack had not succeeded the Commanding Officer sent a message to the senior officer in the firing line Lt T.E. THORBURN BROWN, who, tho’ wounded in the early <s>afternoon</s> morning of the 19th was still carrying on as o/c C Company, to make every effort before dawn to get everyone back to our original front line & reorganise for defence in case of counter attack.

Reports came in to the effect that B Company’s attack had also been held up. 2LT MIDDLETON killed, 2LT CRAINE wounded & 2LT LAYARD M.C. o/c company wounded & missing, also the S.W.B. attack had failed Capt Davies being wounded & missing.|offset=5px}}

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C Company had extended to fill up the vacated lines as far as possible but two platoons supporting the advance of A. Coy had been badly cut up.

 

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|{{right|[signed] ''Arthur W Sutcliffe'' Capt.<br>a/adjutant<br>1st The Border Regiment|offset=25px}}

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== References / notes ==

*National Archives Catalogue Reference: WO/95/2305/1