6th Battalion War Diary, July 1915

6th Border Regiment War Diary Transcriptions (1915-1918) The National Archives WO/95/4299 & WO/95/1817/1
	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
FRENSHAM CAMP	30/6/15	9.30 am	Battalion received instructions to mobilise for Active Service.
		9.00 am	A & B Companies parade and proceed to Farnham.
		10.00	C & D Companies parade and proceed to Farnham. Proceed by Half Battalion from Farnham to Liverpool and embark on His Majesty’s Transport Empress of Britain.
LIVERPOOL	1/7/15	10.55 pm	Sailed.
GIBRALTAR			Passed on the night of 5th-6th of July.
MALTA	8/7/15	5.00 pm	Arrived (Coaled).
MALTA	10/7/15	6.00 am	Departed.
ALEXANDRIA	12/7/15	5.30 pm	Arrived (Coaled, took water).
MALTA	11/7/15		Lieut W.A. Welsh placed under arrest.
ALEXANDRIA	16/7/15	7.00 am	Departed for Mudros.
LEMNOS	18/7/15	1.30 am	Arrived (Mudros Harbour).
— " —	19/7/15	3.00 pm	6th Lincoln Regt moved off in transport Osmanieh and Elkatura 775 strong (all ranks).
LEMNOS	20/7/15		Battalion left disembarking from Empress of Britain. Main party under Lt-Col Broadrick on the SS Whitby Castle & 2nd party under Major Causfield DSO in the SS Partridge. No transport carts of any kind left with these vessels, all these being sent with the SS [Abasbich?] & 7th South Staffs.
HELLES	21/7/15	1.00 am	Battalion disembarked in two three parties by the hulk of the SS River Clyde in 3 parties. Just after the first party was landed, the other two parties had to put back, owing to heavy shell fire, and came in later. The whole were disembarked without loss. Battalion first bivouacked in the Portsmouth Lines. Fatigue parties work on the beach in the morning & afternoon were shelled, one man being wounded. As the transport arrived with the stores about 4.30pm, they were shelled from "Achi Baba". Two men were killed and one wounded. During the evening just after dark all stores etc were moved to a new bivouac just East of the Divl Ammunition Park about 300 yards from our first bivouac.
	22/7/15	8.00 am	CO, Adjutant, Coy commanders and 2 officers per company visited the fire trench of the 6th Lincoln Regt & the       [blank space here]       Bn Royal Naval Division, the remainder of the Battalion were employed on fatigues. Battalion moving to their next bivouac during the day. 2 men were wounded by shellfire.
	23/7/15		Battalion remained at rest in dugouts. 1 man was killed & 1 wounded on night of 23rd & 24th.
REST BIVOUAC	24/7/15		Battalion in rest bivouacs all day and employed on fatigues. (No casualties).
ESKE LINES BROWN HOUSE	25/7/15	10.00	Left rest bivouac & took over duties of battalion in reserve all day, men employed in strengthening reserve trenches, also general fatigues (No casualties).
— do —	26/7/15		Whole day spent in reserve, Battalion employed in sanitary fatigues and strengthening Eske Lines. Also carrying water & ammunition to the firing line, During these 2 days a small redoubt was held by 1 officer and 25 men.
	27/7/15		Reserve line until noon, Battalion started to relieve Lincoln Regt, relief was completed by 4pm. A, C & D companies were in the firing line and B Coy were in reserve. Work of improvement of trenches was at once carried on. Night all quiet, excepting one portion of D line where a small Turkish redoubt was bombed.
	28/7/15		Firing line quiet all day various work proceeding. In the evening front of the line was partially wired. 3 slight casualties (including Major F.C. Marsh).
FIRING LINE	29/7/15		Quiet all day: Work of improving and consolidating carried on vigorously. No casualties. During the morning Sergeant Gibson and Corporal Wheelwright spotted a man working in a Turkish trench about 200 yards distant, Sergeant Gibson shot him, the Turks a few minutes afterwards throwing the body out of the trench along with rifle equipment. Between 8 & 10pm further wiring was carried out in front of A & D companies. Night quite quiet.
	30/7/15	3.00 pm	Relieved by Lancs Fusiliers (L.F.) Very quiet no casualties.
	31/7/15		Battalion in rest camp employed in fatigues during the day. 1 man wounded while on fatigues. Battalion embarked with rest of Brigade about the evening for Imbros. [Signed] G.Darwell, Capt. Adjt. 6th Service Battalion The Border Regt.

References / notes

• National Archives Catalogue Reference: WO/95/4299
• The transcription above is available under the National Archives Open Government Licence for public sector information.
• War diary transcribed by Paul Bramham.