1st Battalion War Diary, October 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
1915	✔			✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
1916	✔	✔		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
1917	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
1918

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events
Sheet 1
CHARTERHOUSE CAMP	1st		At CHARTERHOUSE CAMP the enemy dropped bombs in evening no casualties.
"	2nd		Bn relieved 2nd SWB’s in trenches in WIDJENDRIFT sector no casualties during relief.
TRENCHES	3rd		Day quiet very little enemy shelling.
"	4th		Our barrage dropped 5.45 am, Enemy heavily shelled our sector all day, very few casualties.
"	5th		Relieved by Coldstream Gds & Grenadier Gds, Bn marched to CHARTERHOUSE CAMP arrived 2am.
CHARTERHOUSE CAMP	"		Increases and decreases for week ending 5-10-17 Increase Off OR Arrivals at Corps Depot from Base – 17 Decrease Transferred to base / unfit for further service at front 1 Killed 7 Died of Wounds (2-10-17) 2nd Lt LB Clapp 1 Wounded (4-10-17) 2nd Lt Raine 1 20 2 29
CHARTERHOUSE CAMP	6th		Bn marched to DUBLIN CAMP (huts) good.
DUBLIN CAMP	7th		Kit inspection by Cmdg Officer.
Sheet 2
"	8th		Resting.
"	9th		Bn marched to ELVERDINGHE entrained to PROVEN & marched to PIDDINGTON CAMP (tents) very wet & muddy.
PADDINGTON CAMP	10th		Rested and cleaned up.
"	11th		Rain. Improved camp chiefly draining.
"	12th		Rained all day, Increases & decreases for week ending 12-10-17. Increase Off OR Wounded at Duty (previously reported wounded 2nd Lt ERW Raine) 1 – Drafts from Base    2nd Lt A Dafforn / 2nd Lt G Craig 2 122 Rejoined from Hospital 1 3 123 Decrease Killed 2 Wounded 2 Transferred to IV Army Trg School 1 Evac from Div Area 6 11
"	13th		Rained all day state of camp terrible troops working all day on drains & mud.
"	14th		Ditto.
"	15th		Bn marched to PESELHOER entrained 2am 16th. billets good.
BAILLEULMONT	16th		Arrived SAULTY 5.PM. & marched to BAILLEULMONT.
"	17th		Settling down in billets & arranging for intensive training.
"	18th		Commenced Platoon training & training of specialists.
Sheet 3
BAILLEULMONT	19th		Continued Platoon training. Increase & decrease for week ending 19-10-17. Increase Off OR Rejoined from 87th T.M.B 2nd Lt Beckh 1 – 1 – Decrease Transferred to 87th T.M.B 1 To England sick (5-10-17) 2nd Lt Lowthorpe Lutwidge 1 Evac from this area 6 1 7
"	20th		Col Ellis DSO took command of 87th Bgd. during Gen Lucas’s absence on leave to England.
"	21st		Church Parade.
"	22nd		Continued training, Pte Downie wounded rifle grenade (accidently).
"	23rd		"             "
"	24th		"             "
"	25th		2nd Lt HS Park killed (bombing accident).
"	26th		Continued training. Gen de Lisle came round. Increases & decreases for week ending 26-10-17. Increase Off OR Draft from Base – 1 Rejoined from Hospital – 1 Rejoined from 87th T.M.B. 1 3 Decrease Killed (accidently) 2Lt Park (25-10-17) 1 Died of wounds accidental 1 1 Wounded 2 2 Evac from Div Area 9 Transferred to 87th T.M.B 1 Transferred to XIV Corps School 3 1 16
Sheet 4
BAILLELUMONT	27th		Lt R Cranfield & 2nd Lt [?Dunning] – Elrington & Little joined from Base. JL [?Butth or Buttle] rejoined.
"	28th		[?] des Molinis, special dinner for men & free beer & special dinner for all officers as Bn mess in the Recreation hut in village the following officers belonging to the regiment being guest Brig Gen H Nelson DSO Cmdg 88th Bgde – A Bgdr AJ Ellis DSO Commanding 87th Bgd – Lt Col Forbes Robertson DSO Cmdg 16th Middlesex Reg – Lt Col G Harrison DSO Cmdg 6th Corps School & Capt Pierre De Soissons (special appointment) 43 officers in all attended.
"	29th		Continued training.
"	30th		"             "        also practice Bgd ceremonial parade.
"	31st		Continued training.
			[Signed] ??? Capt. a/adjutant 1/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