2nd Battalion War Diary, February 1915

2nd Border Regiment War Diary Transcriptions (1915-1918) The National Archives WO/95/1655 & WO/95/1656
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
1914										✔	✔	✔
1915	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
1916	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
1917	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
1918

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events
NEAR FLEURBAIX	1st February		The Battalion returned from trenches to billets – at night.
"	2nd "		In billets - Battalion forming Brigade Reserve. Lieut. T.H. Beves^[1] rejoined from England. 2 men of a digging party near the trenches were wounded at night.
"	3rd & 4th Feby		In billets Nothing to report.
"	5th Feby		The Battalion proceeded to the trenches at 6pm. 1 man was wounded during the night.
"	6th "		In trenches. Casualties 1 killed^[2] 4 wounded.
"	7th "		In trenches. Casualties 1 killed, 1 wounded.^[3]
"	8th "		In trenches. Casualties 1 killed, 1 wounded.^[4]
FLEURBAIX	9th "		In trenches – Nothing to report. The Battalion proceeded toBillets at night. Lieut L.N. Sutherland & 2 Lt J.W. Ewbank^[5] joined the Battalion from England.
SAILLY	10th "		In billets. Battn forming Divisional Reserve.
"	11th "		In billets. Nothing to report.
"	12th "		In billets. Nothing to report – 1 man attached to the RE wounded.
"	13th "		In billets. Nothing to report. The Battalion proceeded to trenches at 6pm.
NEAR FLEURBAIX	14th Feby		In trenches. Casualties 4 men wounded.
"	15th "		In trenches. Casualties 1 man killed^[6] 1 wounded.
"	16th "		In trenches. Casualties 2 killed. 3 wounded.^[7]
"	17th "		In trenches. Casualties 1 wounded. The Battalion proceeded to billets at night.
"	18th "		In Billets. Battalion forming Brigade Reserve.
"	19th "		In Billets. Nothing to report.
"	20th "		In Billets. Nothing to report.
"	21st "		In Billets. Nothing to report – The Batt proceeded to trenches at 6pm.
"	22nd "		In trenches – Casualties 2 wounded. 2nd Lieut. R.W. Chetham-Strode & 60 NCO’s & men joined the Battn from England.
"	23rd "		In trenches. Casualties 3 killed,^[8] 4 wounded.
"	24th "		In trenches. Casualties NIL.
"	25th "		2 Lieut. R.F. Newdigate^[9] & 2 Lt. P.R. Dowding joined the Battn from England. In trenches.
"	26th "		In trenches. Casualties NIL. Te Battalion proceed to Billets at night.
SAILLY	27th Feby		In billets Battn forming Divl Reserve.
"	28th "		Nothing to Report. For month K 9 W 25. LI Wood Lieut Colonel Commanding 2nd Border Regiment. 2nd Battn Border Regiment Honours & Rewards for Services granted tothe Battalion during February Pte. Acton — Victoria Cross^[10] Pte. Smith - Victoria Cross CSM Davenport V.H.S. — Distinguished Conduct Medal Sgt. Booth R.L. — Distinguished Conduct Medal Sgt. Riley W.E. — Distinguished Conduct Medal L/Cpl. Brewer R. — Distinguished Conduct Medal^[11] Pte. Clarke D. — Distinguished Conduct Medal^[12] Pte. Smith L. — Distinguished Conduct Medal Major Bosanquet J.T.S. — Brevet Lieut-Colonel Lt-Col. Wood L.I. — CMG^[13] Major Warren GE — DSO 2 Lieut. Hutton B. — Military Cross Captain Watson W. — DSO

References / notes

National Archives Catalogue Reference: WO/95/1655
The transcription above is available under the National Archives Open Government Licence for public sector information.
War diary transcribed by P. Bramham.

↑ Capt. Trevor Howard Beves, MC, died 01/01/1916 age 25 with 1st Border Regiment. Buried at Auchonvillers Military Cemetery. Son of Lt-Col. Edward Leslie and Clare Beves of Brighton.
↑ V. Chisholm (9150 Pte.) Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix.
↑
CWGC records two 2nd Border Regiment deaths on 7th:
- Robert Ross (3722 Pte.) Age: 39. Buried at Merville Communal Cemetery. Son of Robert and Mary Ann Ross of Carlisle; husband of the late Bella Ross.
- A. Hamilton (6011 Pte.) Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix.
↑ W. Atkinson (4300 Pte.) Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix.
↑ Capt. John Walter Ewbank, MC and Bar. Died 30/11/1917 age: 21. 1st Border Regiment. ommemorated ont the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval. Croix de Guerre with Palm (France). Son ofthe Rev. J. and J. Helen Ewbank of Bolton Rectory, Mealsgate, Carlisle.
↑ C.H. Hodgson (8147 Pte.) Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix.
↑
CWGC records two deaths on 16th:
- H. Kelly (4945 Pte.) Age: 18. Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix. Son of Felix and E. Kelly of 8, Rigg St., Caldergate, Carlisle.
- Harold Smith (4251 Pte.) Age: 21. Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix. Son of Charles and Sarah Jane Smith of 17, Forshaw Avenue, St. Annes, Lysham; husband of Rhoda Smith of 16, Rirkgate, Burnley, Lancs. Born at Burnley.
↑
The following men were killed:
- E. Westbrook (11054 Pte.) Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix.
- J. O'Neil (8566 L/Cpl.) Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix.
- John Henry Herbert (3882 Pte.) Age: 27. Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix. (Served as SEWELL), Husband of Mary Jane Nulty (formerly Herbert) of 7, Reekle Terrace, Cleator Moor, Cumberland.
↑ Capt. Richard Francis Newdigate died 04/09/1916 age 22. 3rd Border Regiment. Commemorated on the Ypres (Menin gate) Memorial. Son of the late Lt. Gen. Sir Henry Newdigate, K.C.B., Rifle Brigade, and Lady Newdigate. Proceeded to France Dec. 1914; wounded at Neuve-Chappelle 1915; returned to the Front Nov. 1915.
↑ Abraham Acton (10694 Pte.) VC. Died 16/05/1915 Age: 21. "B" Coy. 2nd Border Regiment. Commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial. Son of Robert and Elizabeth Eleanor Acton of 4,Regent Square, Senhouse St., Whitehaven, Cumberland.
↑ R. Brewer, DCM (6615 Cpl.) Died 27/05/1915. Buried at Lillers Communal Cemetery.
↑ David Clark, DCM (2873 Pte.) Died 11/03/1915 Age: 30. Commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial. Husband of M. McQueen (formerly Clark) of 2, Murray St., Edinburgh.
↑ Lieut-Col. Lewis Ironside Wood, CMG, DSO, died 16/05/1915 Age 48. Buried at Le Touret Military Cemetery, Richebourg-L'Avoue. Son of John Richard and Frances Isabella Wood, of Melton Hall, Melton, Suffolk.

[1] Capt. Trevor Howard Beves, MC, died 01/01/1916 age 25 with 1st Border Regiment. Buried at Auchonvillers Military Cemetery. Son of Lt-Col. Edward Leslie and Clare Beves of Brighton.

[2] V. Chisholm (9150 Pte.) Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix.

[3] CWGC records two 2nd Border Regiment deaths on 7th:
Robert Ross (3722 Pte.) Age: 39. Buried at Merville Communal Cemetery. Son of Robert and Mary Ann Ross of Carlisle; husband of the late Bella Ross.

A. Hamilton (6011 Pte.) Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix.

[4] Robert Ross (3722 Pte.) Age: 39. Buried at Merville Communal Cemetery. Son of Robert and Mary Ann Ross of Carlisle; husband of the late Bella Ross.

[5] A. Hamilton (6011 Pte.) Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix.

[4] W. Atkinson (4300 Pte.) Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix.

[5] Capt. John Walter Ewbank, MC and Bar. Died 30/11/1917 age: 21. 1st Border Regiment. ommemorated ont the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval. Croix de Guerre with Palm (France). Son ofthe Rev. J. and J. Helen Ewbank of Bolton Rectory, Mealsgate, Carlisle.

[6] C.H. Hodgson (8147 Pte.) Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix.

[7] CWGC records two deaths on 16th:
H. Kelly (4945 Pte.) Age: 18. Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix. Son of Felix and E. Kelly of 8, Rigg St., Caldergate, Carlisle.

Harold Smith (4251 Pte.) Age: 21. Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix. Son of Charles and Sarah Jane Smith of 17, Forshaw Avenue, St. Annes, Lysham; husband of Rhoda Smith of 16, Rirkgate, Burnley, Lancs. Born at Burnley.

[10] H. Kelly (4945 Pte.) Age: 18. Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix. Son of Felix and E. Kelly of 8, Rigg St., Caldergate, Carlisle.

[11] Harold Smith (4251 Pte.) Age: 21. Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix. Son of Charles and Sarah Jane Smith of 17, Forshaw Avenue, St. Annes, Lysham; husband of Rhoda Smith of 16, Rirkgate, Burnley, Lancs. Born at Burnley.

[8] The following men were killed:
E. Westbrook (11054 Pte.) Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix.

J. O'Neil (8566 L/Cpl.) Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix.

John Henry Herbert (3882 Pte.) Age: 27. Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix. (Served as SEWELL), Husband of Mary Jane Nulty (formerly Herbert) of 7, Reekle Terrace, Cleator Moor, Cumberland.

[13] E. Westbrook (11054 Pte.) Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix.

[14] J. O'Neil (8566 L/Cpl.) Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix.

[15] John Henry Herbert (3882 Pte.) Age: 27. Buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix. (Served as SEWELL), Husband of Mary Jane Nulty (formerly Herbert) of 7, Reekle Terrace, Cleator Moor, Cumberland.

[9] Capt. Richard Francis Newdigate died 04/09/1916 age 22. 3rd Border Regiment. Commemorated on the Ypres (Menin gate) Memorial. Son of the late Lt. Gen. Sir Henry Newdigate, K.C.B., Rifle Brigade, and Lady Newdigate. Proceeded to France Dec. 1914; wounded at Neuve-Chappelle 1915; returned to the Front Nov. 1915.

[10] Abraham Acton (10694 Pte.) VC. Died 16/05/1915 Age: 21. "B" Coy. 2nd Border Regiment. Commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial. Son of Robert and Elizabeth Eleanor Acton of 4,Regent Square, Senhouse St., Whitehaven, Cumberland.

[11] R. Brewer, DCM (6615 Cpl.) Died 27/05/1915. Buried at Lillers Communal Cemetery.

[12] David Clark, DCM (2873 Pte.) Died 11/03/1915 Age: 30. Commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial. Husband of M. McQueen (formerly Clark) of 2, Murray St., Edinburgh.

[13] Lieut-Col. Lewis Ironside Wood, CMG, DSO, died 16/05/1915 Age 48. Buried at Le Touret Military Cemetery, Richebourg-L'Avoue. Son of John Richard and Frances Isabella Wood, of Melton Hall, Melton, Suffolk.

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