2nd Battalion War Diary, July 1917

    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
Reference Maps: FRANCE 51b SW, FRANCE 57c NW, and ECOUST ST-MEIN
MORY
1/7/17 to
5/7/17
The Battalion remained in camp in the vicinity of B.28.a.84 and commenced its training.
6/7/17
The battalion relived the 2nd Battn ROYAL WARWICKSHIRE REGT in the Front Line (Right subsector), relief being complete about 12.30am on 7th.
7/7/17
The Battalion was distributed as follows:-

Right Front Company – D Company.
Left Front Company – B Company.
Frontage U.23.c.8.1 (right) to U.22.c.98.25 (left).
A Company in support in U.29c.
C Company and Battn Headquarters at U.28.d.2.1.
The day passed quietly. At 7.50pm and 8.30pm TANK AVENUE and LONDON TRENCH were shelled with TMs and 5.9s.

8/7/17
Very quiet.
9/7/17
Hostile artillery very active throughout the day. The Left Company's sector received particular attention and considerable damage was done to the front line posts.
10/7/17
Hostile artillery again active. TANK AVENUE and LONDON TRENCH being damaged in several places. The Battalion was relieved at night by the 9th(S) Bn DEVONSHIRE REGT relief being completed at about 10am on 11th.
11/7/17 to
13/7/17
The distribution was as follows:-

C Company and B Company to shelters on LONGATTE-MOREIL Road.
A Company in Railway Embankment in C.4.b.9.5.
D Company to Sunken Road in C.4.a & c.
Battn Hdqrs in ECOUST.
The Battalion remained in support. Hostile artillery was active on ECOUST and on the embankment in C.9.a. C.3.d. and C.4.c. On night 13th/14th July the Battalion relieved the 9th BN DEVONSHIRE REGT in the front line, relief being complete about 1am on 14th.
Distribution:- Front Line - C Coy right, A Coy left. Support - B Company. Reserve Company - D Company.

14/7/17
During the day hostile artillery was fairly active on LONDON TRENCH, TANK AV. TOWER TRENCH Horseshoe in U.28.b, JOYRIDE and Railway Embankment. Only slight damage was done to our trenches.
15/7/17
Fairly quiet.
16/7/17
Hostile artillery active against BULLECOURT AVENUE, RAILWAY TRENCH, TANK, AVENUE and FOX TROT. The Front line posts about U.23.c.5.2 and U.23.c.3.4 were shelled during the afternoon.
17/7/17
From 11am to 11.30am HORSESHOE TRENCH was shelled with 77mm. About 4pm No.8 Post at U.25.d.0.2 was heavily shelled and considerable damage was done to front. LONDON TRENCH and JOY RIDE were also shelled.
18/7/17
TANK AVENUE LONDON TRENCH and FOX TROT were intermittently shelled throughout the day but no damage was done. During the night the Battalion was relieved by the 2nd Bn HAC and proceeded to Camp at B.28.a.8.4. Relief was completed about 1am.
19/7/17
The day was spent in generally cleaning up and reorganisation.
20/7/17
Training was commenced.
21/7/17
The Battalion continued its training.
22/7/17
The Battalion continued its training.
23/7/17
The Battalion continued its training.
24/7/17
The Battalion continued its training.
25/7/17
The Battalion continued its training.
26/7/17
The Battalion continued its training.
27/7/17
The Battalion continued its training.
28/7/17
The Battalion continued its training.
29/7/17
The Battalion continued its training.
30/7/17
At night the Battalion relieved the 2nd Bn HAC in Right Support. Relief being completed about 12.30am on 31st. The Battn was distributed as follows:-

C Coy at Railway Embankment C.4.b.9.5.
A Coy in Sunken Road C.4.a & c.
B & D Coys on LONGATTE-MOREIUL Road.
Battn Hdqrs in ECOUST.

31/7/17
During the day ECOUST was intermittently shelled with 4.2s and H.E. At 10pm Battn Hdqrs moved to the vaults under the church ECOUST.

Lieut. R.K. EHRENBORG and 2nd Lieut. H. RUNDLE-HARNESS joined the Battn on 22nd inst.
Drafts as under joined during the month:-
6 OR on 1.7.17.      3 OR on 22/7/17.      27 OR on 28.7.17.
23 OR were evacuated sick during the month.

Casualties:
Officers – killed nil, wounded nil, missing nil, total nil.
Other Ranks - killed 6, wounded 16, missing 1, total 23.

[signed] G.E. Beaty-Pownall[1]
Lieut. Colonel
Commanding 2nd Bn The Border Regt.

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.
  1. George Ernest Beaty-Pownall, DSO (Lt-Col.) Died 10/10/1918 Age: 41. 2nd Border Regiment (attd. 1st Bn. King's Own Scottish Borderers). Buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery. His brother Thomas also died with 2nd Border Regiment.
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