| 6th Border Regiment War Diary Transcriptions (1915-1918) The National Archives WO/95/4299 & WO/95/1817/1
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Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 1914 | ||||||||||||
| 1915 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
| 1916 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||||
| 1917 | ||||||||||||
| 1918 | ||||||||||||
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARRAS | 1-8-16 | Bde Reserve – A Coy RONVILLE – B Coy ACHICOURT – ½ C – Cemetery – Remainder - ARRAS
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| 2-8-16 | —do—
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| 3-8-16 | —do— 2Lt FR Poole (slightly) and 9 O.R. wounded by aeroplane bomb
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| 4-8-16 | —do— Bn as above
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| 5-8-16 | —do— Officers reconnoitred H. Right with a view to taking over from S. STAFFORDS
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| 6-8-16 | —do— ditto
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| TRENCHES | 7-8-16 | Relieved 7th S. STAFFORDSHIRE REGT in H. Right. C Coy on left, D Coy in centre, B in right.
A Coy in reserve in H.B. line – one platoon ration carriers ACHICOURT. Relief completed 11.30 PM overview as far as DUMP at crossroads BUCQUOY and ACHICOURT – BEAURAINS road. 2LT NEWSOME and 12553. Cpl GREENAN patrol to reconnoitre ruined house at M4d45.65. – wire very thick. | |
| 8.8.16 | Trenches especially communication trenches D.Coy badly knocked about – C.Coy also bad.
Bn as above. 2Lt Newsome’s patrol again went out and reconnoitres house from South. | ||
| 9.8.16 | —do— 2Lt Newsome’s patrol penetrated wire as far as house. Successful raid by 6th LINCOLNSHRE on our left. Two dead were brought in.
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| 10.8.16 | —do— Lt HOOD & Officers patrols on our wire & enemy’s – "No Man's Land" very free of enemy.
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| 11.8.16 | —do— ditto. Slight H.T.M bombardment no casualties
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| 12.8.16 | —do— Lt NEWSOME and patrol penetrated up to house M4 d 45.65 and report enemy M/G emplacement Decision to send out party to blow this up with R.E. Lt Newsome congratulated by Brig. Comd. & GOC Div on his work. H.T.M again active to-day – not much damage. There is more bark than bite on these weapons. Men do not care a damn for them.
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| TRENCHES | 1.8.16 | (Contd) | Lt Hood & patrol reconnoitred wire opposite our right. Came across two men of WEST YORKSHIRE REGT who had been missing since previous night. Nothing wrong with them but then officer & Sergt reported prisoners.
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| 4.45 AM to 6.15 AM |
CAPT. JAMES & Lt. MONTMORENCY reconnoitred wire along our front in mist between 4.45AM and 6.15AM also MAISON ISOLEE M10b37.68. No one in it at the time. One or two pot shots taken at a hostile working party which moved off.
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| 13.8.16 | In trenches as previously. Lts Hood & Ridley and 6 O.R, reconnoitred MAISON ISOLEE chiefly with a view to obtaining identity of unit opposite us. Successful reconnaissance but no opportunity for taking a prisoner of any sort.
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| 14.8.16 | As above. Same patrol as yesterday out last night & early morning – no identity obtained. Spirits of the men have been very good indeed.
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| 9.45 PM to 12.15 AM |
2Lt NEWSOME & Sgt GREENAN (promoted for good work) 16 OR including 2 sappers with charges endeavoured to blow up house M4d45.65 but encountered a strong hostile working party and after three attempts were forced to give up endeavours for the night. Another attempt will be made but it is a great pity that object was not achieved as this officer and NCO have been most keen & daring in their work.
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| TRENCHES | 15.8.16 | Lts HOOD and RIDLEY out again and report MAISON ISOLEE probably an enemy listening post at night which is relieved about 4 a.m. – Confirmed to a certain extent by report of two officers on 12-8-16.
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| 5 PM to 5.30 PM |
We bombed BEAURAINS village accurately but was not with much metal. Enemy replied with 150mm and H.T.M on C Coy – a lot of trench knocked in but no casualties – Damage repaired & wiring the night.
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| 16.8.16 | Bn situated as before. Patrols not out until 3 am – only NCOs.
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| 6-6.30 PM | Patrol sent along our wire – we bombarded BEAURAINES BRICKFIELDS – good shooting. H.T.M. on C Coy as a reply.
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| 17.8.16 | —do— Patrols not out till 3 a.m. as yesterday. Lts HOOD & RIDLEY
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| 2.45 AM to 4.15 PM |
and No 8992 L/Cpl LURKINS and 5 men out to obtain identity at MAISON ISOLEE. They were bombed by enemy party and Lt HOOD (lightly) and L/Cpl LURKINS (more seriously) were wounded. Party returned in good order and helped by a Lewis Gun which was in readiness on parapet got back without further loss.
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| 6.30PM | Enemy shelled ACHICOURT fairly heavily and set fire to some thing which burnt pretty fiercely. L/Cpl LURKINS promoted a/Cpl and antedated to 6-8-16. A good NCO lost. No4453 S.S.M PERCIVAL 1st K.D.G attached for training as an officer – posted to B Coy. Owing to multitude of courses for officers no company has had more than three officers for long including Coy Commanders. Our 14 supernumerary officers are not forthcoming unfortunately as the would probably benefit more by the courses than our own officers who are pretty well trained already.
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| TRENCHES | 17.8.16 | s the battalion holds about a mile of front it is found extremely hard to run a company on the Coy Commander and two subalterns. CAPTS WILLIAMS (D Coy) and MAY (A Coy) are both away. The former sick and the latter on a course! In spite however of this lack a good deal of work has been done and our patrols have certainly not been inactive. The men are in good spirits and are working very well indeed.
News was received yesterday that Division is being withdrawn about 19th to 21st – we wonder where to eventually? | |
| 18.8.16 | ACHICOURT heavily shelled in the afternoon. D Coy shelled about 6 PM and a good line of trench knocked in.
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| 19.8.16 | C.O. and 3 officers 7th SUFFOLK REGT arrived to take over trenches – short stay and nothing much done.
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| 20.8.16 | O.C. [?] SUFFOLKS went round trenches thoroughly 12 NOON to 2 PM. C Coy shells during day – seven casualties.
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| TRENCHES | 21.8.16 | 12 M.N. | Relieved by 7th SUFFOLKS and marched to BERNEVILLE – Relief passed off very quietly.
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| BERNEVILLE | 22.8.16 | Billets – all men had a bath – resting most of day after our arrival 3 a.m.
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| BERNEVILLE | 23.8.16 | Marched to FOSSEAUX arriving 12 noon – Billets and prepared for training.
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| FOSSEUX | 24.8.16 | In billets – training somewhat strenuously.
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| —do— | 24.8.16 | —do— —do—
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| —do— | 26.8.16 | —do— —do— FLAMMEWERFERS demonstration 6 PM most interesting.
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| —do— | 27.8.16 | Sunday – no training – Sports in the afternoon very successful but spoilt slightly by heavy rain about 5 P.M. Received information midnight that we are moving on 29th.
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| —do— | 28.8.16 | In billets – preparing for the move.
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| —do— | 29.8.16 | 10 AM | Battalion marched to new billets as under – 7 G.S wagons for baggage in addition to 1st Line Transport – marched in 3 PM.
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| 29.8.16 | 3 PM | Distribution A&C Coys & HQ - CANETTEMONT – B. COY BROUILLY – D Coy WAMIN.
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| 30.8.16 | Very wet – Lectures in billets.
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| 31.8.16 | 8.30 AM to 4 PM |
In billets – Marched out & practiced the attack & consolidation of strong points – very successful – orders for move to Reserve.
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| 4 PM | Army – Area O received, 4PM.
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Notes
- National Archives Catalogue Reference: WO/95/1817/1
- The transcription above is available under the National Archives Open Government Licence for public sector information.
- War diary transcribed by Hugh Fulton.