| 8th Border Regiment War Diary Transcriptions (1915-1918) The National Archives WO/95/2251
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Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 1915 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||||
| 1916 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| 1917 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| 1918 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
| Place | Date | Hour | Summary of Events |
| FRONT LINE TRENCHESOPPOSITE BEAUMONT HAMEL | 1st | The Battalion was employed in constructing new line of trenches and generally improving & repairing existing trenches. | |
| 2nd-5th | The Regiment held front line and continued its work on the new trench in North [Street?] and Hunters Trench. The enemy was active with mortars and rifle grenades. Total casualties 1 killed[1] and 9 wounded. | ||
| BDE RESERVE | 6th | The Battn moved into Brigade Reserve in trenches 86 and 88. The same working parties were detailed as when in the front line. | |
| 7th & 8th | Headquarters moved to AUCHONVILLERS. C & D Companies were billeted in the village. A & B Companies remained in 88 and 86 trenches. | ||
| AUCHONVILLERS | 9th | The Battalion moved into huts at WARNIMONT WOOD being relieved by Scots Guards & Irish Guards. | |
| 10th | The Battalion remained in WARMINTON [note: the writer has changed the spelling] WOOD. | ||
| 11th-14th | The Battalion remained in huts in WARMINTON WOOD and carried out field training under company and Battalion arrangements. | ||
| WARMINTON WOOD & RAINCHEVAL | 15th | The Battalion moved to RAINCHEVAL during the morning and arrived at their billets about 12.45pm. The Regt was billeted in the village. | |
| 16th | Battalion training during morning & afternoon. | ||
| 17th | The Battalion moved to FORCEVILLE. | ||
| FORCEVILLE | 18th | The Battalion left FORCEVILLE at 1pm for AVELUY WOOD. A fatigue party of 300 men & 5 officers were detailed to work on trenches in front line in the left sector. | |
| 19th-21st | The Battalion remained at AVELUY WOOD. Working parties of 400 men were employed each night from 8.30pm to 2am on constructing the 1st parallel in front of the 1st line trench in left sector. Total casualties were 1 man of C Coy killed[2] & 4 men wounded. | ||
| 22nd | The Battalion left for HEDAUVILLE. C & D Companies were billeted in the village. A & B Coy in huts in the chateau grounds. | ||
| 23rd & 24th | Company training carried out by the Battalion. | ||
| 25th | The Battalion left Hedauville at 10pm. B & D Companies with lead quarter proceeded to the BLUFF via BLACK HORSE BRIDGE. A & C companies bivouacked the night in AVELUY WOOD. | ||
| TRENCHES | 26th | A & C companies moved at 1.15pm to QUARRY POST and were joined by B & D companies. The whole Battalion then relieved the 1st Battn Wiltshire Regt. in the front line trenches, B Coy took over Hindenburg trench C & D in support and A in reserve. | |
| 27th | The front line was heavily shelled throughout the day also the support companies. Many casualties. | ||
| 28th | 2 Lt. Hall killed[3] and again many casualties. B Coy relieved by D Coy. | ||
| 29th & 30th | The disposition of companies the same. The whole line was heavily shelled day & night. Lt. Renton was killed[4] & 2nd Lt. [Day?] was wounded. Many casualties. | ||
| 31st | A Coy relieved D Coy in the front line.
P. Strachan Major
for Lieut-Col Comdg 8th Border Regt. |
See also
References / notes
- National Archives Catalogue Reference: WO/95/2251
- The transcription above is available under the National Archives Open Government Licence for public sector information.
- War diary made available by M. Deacon and transcribed by P. Bramham.
- ↑ From CWGC: James Ernest Kirkham Bell, Lieutenant. Date of Death 05/08/1916 Age: 20. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ernest Bell of 139, Culverley Rd., Catford, London.
- ↑ From CWGC: G. Taylor (21863 Pte.) Date of Death recorded as 22/08/1916. Buried at Lonsdale Cemetery, Authuille.
- ↑ From CWGC: John Martindale Hall, 2nd Lieutenant. Age: 19. 3rd Border Regiment (attd. 8th Border Regiment). Buried at Blighty Valley Cemetery, Authuille Wood. Son of James T. and Elizabeth A. Hall of 7, Inkerman Terrace, Whitehaven, Cumberland.
- ↑ From CWGC: Francis Wallace Home Renton, Lieutenant. Age: 29. Buried at Blighty Valley Cemetery, Authuille Wood. Son of the late Brig. Surgeon Lt. Col. David Renton, M.D. (15th Hussars).