1st Battalion in France and Belgium (1916): Difference between revisions

On the 25th[[25 July]] the [[1st Border Regiment]] arrived in Amplier and then from there entrained at Doullens for Proven,<ref name="ftn1">A small village in the western province of Flanders, Belgium</ref> arriving there on the 28th. They spent August in it entirety and the majority of September in Belgium, doing very little in the way of fighting. Officers and [[NCO]]'s were sent to courses of instruction mainly for bombing and [[sniping]]. On the [[19 August]] the following men were awarded the Military Medal:

On the 22nd[[22 August]] [[Major]] A.J. Ellis of the 1st Battalion and 2nd Lieutenant A.W. Fraser of the [[3rd Battalion (Regular Army Reserve) Border Regiment|3rd Battalion]] (attached) were awarded the [[DSO]].<ref name="ftn2">Distinguished Service Order.</ref> The remainder of the month saw little action. One entry in the diary that stands out is on the 28th, which states: {{quote-left}}Extract from Battalion Orders: - The Commanding Officer wishes it to be made known to all ranks that he is greatly pleased with the conduct of the Officers, NCOs and men of the working party on the night of the 26/27th inst., who completed their task under very trying circumstances. This was on the new Monmouth Trench. He has had great pleasure in bringing their conduct to the notice of the G.O.C. [[Brigade]].{{quote-right}} <ref name="ftn3">[[1st Battalion War Diary, August 1916]].</ref> September continued with wet weather and daily bursts of action. On the [[9 September]] they moved back to ‘A’ Camp at Brandhoek. Towards the end of the month they were back on the firing line andtaking part, on the[[30 30th took partSeptember]], in a successful raid on the German trenches opposite.

By October the Battalion was still in Belgium. ByOn the [[10 October]] they had returned to Buire, France in the Picardy region of France. From there they marched to Fricourt where they [[billet]]ed in very cold weather for six days before moving on to Bernafay Wood. Within ten minutes of arriving a shell exploded in the vicinity of 2nd Lieutenant Johnson and killed him. Two days later they found themselves in the firing line again at Guedécourt where they became resident in the trenches there known as Grense, Gap Trenches, Pilgrims Way and Sunken Road. Here they stayed for about a week with casualties in that time totalling 83.

On the 29th, the Battalion was on the move again to [[Albert (placeSomme)|Albert]], via Mametz, then on to Allery, Carnoy and Les Beouf on the [[16 November]], where there was little to no accommodation for either the men or the officers. The following day there was snow and things, at least for a short while, did not get any better. The frost turned to rain and many of the trenches were in a very bad state, which the men had to maintain as best they could in the harsh winter conditions. It wasn’t until the [[21 November]] that the Battalion moved back to Mansel Camp, south of Mametz where they were given accommodation, officers in huts and the men in tents, each one with a brazier to keep warm. The diary simply states "Everybody quite comfortable." <ref name="ftn5">[[1st Battalion War Diary, November 1916]].</ref> This was a welcomed improvement form some of their former residences. The men would have made the most of this luxury for the reason it would not last for very long.

By December the Battalion was on the move from place to place;: Guillemont, Corbie, Condé, Picquigny and finally on to Hangest where they saw the remainder of the year to it conclusion.