The Lonsdale Battalion

2nd Battalion War Diary, June 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
ABLAINZEVELLE
1/6/17
 The Battalion continued its training.
2/6/17
 The Battalion continued its training.
3/6/17
 The Battalion continued its training.
4/6/17
 The Battalion continued its training.
5/6/17
 The Battalion continued its training.
6/6/17
 The Battalion continued its training.
7/6/17
 The Battalion continued its training.
8/6/17
 The Battalion continued its training.
9/6/17
 The Battalion continued its training.
10/6/17
 The Battalion continued its training.
11/6/17
 The Battalion continued its training.
12/6/17
 The Battalion continued its training.
13/6/17
 The Battalion moved to camp in the vicinity of B.27.c near MORY starting at 2.15pm and arriving about 4pm.
14/6/17
 The Battalion relieved the 2/11th London Regt. in Right Support leaving camp at 9.30pm. Relief was completed at about 1am on 15th.
15/6/17 to
17/6/17
 The Battalion was distributed as follows:-

Battn Hdqrs in ECOUST.
A Coy in Railway Embankment in C4b 9.5.
B Coy in shelters in Sunken Road C.4.a.
C and D Coys to shelters in LONGATTE-MOREIUL Road.
The Battalion remained in position in support. During this period ECOUST ST MEIN was intermittently shelled by the enemy.
Our casualties were:-
16/6/17: 2 killed,[1] 5 wounded (while on working party).

18/6/17
 The Battalion relieved the 9th Devon Regt. in the front line relief being completed about 12 midnight.
19/6/17
 The frontage held was from U.23.c.8.1 (right) to U.22.c.92.25 (left). Distribution:–

Right Front Coy - D Coy.
Centre Front Coy - C Coy.
Left Front Coy - B Coy.
A Coy in support in U.29.c.
Battn Hdqrs in Railway embankment in U.28.d.2.1. The day passed quietly. LONDON TRENCH (U.28.b.1.9) was shelled with whizz-bangs between 2am and 3am. Casualties 3 wounded.

20/6/17
 Enemy artillery fairly active. BULLECOURT AV – TANK AV – RAILWAY TRENCH & LONDON TRENCH received direct hits in the evening.

A HV gun shelled various fronts during the afternoon. Casualties 1 Wd & missing.[2] 1 wounded.

21/6/17
 Enemy artillery generally quiet during day. During the night LONDON TRENCH was shelled at intervals. Casualties 3 wounded.
22/6/17
 Enemy artillery active throughout day. The Battalion was relieved by 9th Devons Regt and proceeded to support line, relief being completed at 12.30am. The Battalion was distributed as follows:

Battn Hdqrs in ECOUST. "A" & "D" Coys to shelters in LONGATTE - MOREIUL Road. "B" Coy to shelters in Sunken Road C.4.a. "C" Coy to shelters in Railway embankment C.4.b.9.5.

23-24 June
 The Battalion remained in support. During this time ECOUST and the railway embankment were intermittently shelled by guns of all calibres. Casualties 1 killed[3] and 8 wounded.

A special patrol consisting of 2nd Lieut. F. MAHONEY[4] and Sergt. R. LADE went out on night 24/25th and 25/26th. Enemy Posts were located at U.23.b.24 and U.23.d.39 but none of the enemy were encountered.

25/6/17
 The Battalion was relieved in Right Support by 2nd Royal Warwickshire Regt. and proceeded to camp in the vicinity of A.28.a.84. Relief was completed about 1.30am.
MORY
26/6/17
 The Battalion remained in camp refitting and reorganising.
27/6/17
 The Battalion commenced training.
28/6/17
 The Battalion continued training.
29/6/17
 The Battalion continued training.
30/6/17
 The Battalion continued training.

The following officers joined the Battalion during the month:
3/6/17 2nd Lieut. F. Argles.
18/6/17 2nd Lieut. F. Mahoney.
25/6/17 2nd Lieut. G.W.B. Shepherd. Joined.
25/6/17 2nd Lieut. H.A. Hislop.
28/6/17 2nd Lieut. H.J. Haynes
28/6/17 2nd Lieut. W.S. Warren.[5]

Drafts as under joined the Battalion during the month:
17 OR 3/6/17.      9 OR 9/6/17.      7 OR 13/6/17.      3 OR 18/6/17.      5 OR 22/6/17.

29 OR were evacuated sick during the month.

Total strength of Battn on last day of month 35 Officers 658 O Ranks

[signed] G.E. Beaty-Pownall[6]
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. ↑ Both died 16/06/1917 and both are commemorated on the ARRAS MEMORIAL:
    • John Richard Briant, (Pte. 7856) and Joseph Booth (Pte. 22136).
  2. ↑ Aguila Slater (Pte. 22332). Commemorated on the Arras Memorial.
  3. ↑ William Carr (Pte. 13683). Died 24/06/1917. Age: 42. Buried at Grevillers British Cemetery.
  4. ↑ F. Mahoney, MC. (2nd Lieut.) Died 06/10/1917. Buried at Bedford House Cemetery.
  5. ↑ William Stanley Warren (2nd Lieut.) Died 10/10/1917. Age: 24. 3rd Border Regiment (attd. 2nd Border Regiment). Buried at Godewaersvelde British Cemetery.
  6. ↑ 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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