The Lonsdale Battalion

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

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1st Battalion in France and Belgium (1916) (view source)

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By October the Battalion was still in Belgium. On the [[10 October]] they had returned to Buire 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.
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