Place
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Date
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Hour
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Summary of Events
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TRENCHES
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1st
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A quiet day. Very little sniping. Had warning that artillery would be firing on enemy’s trenches near [Bridcage?] A Company sent 3 platoons [????] the front line trenches keeping one platoon in support at Lancashire support Farm. These platoons were recalled at the evening stand to.
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2nd
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The morning was quiet. Sniping continued all day. Pte Edwards of B Coy was badly wounded about 2pm. Great difficulty is being experienced with the water in the trenches.The left of B Coy being particularly bad. About 7pm the enemy exploded a mine in trench 99 belonging to the 9th L.N. Lancs. Heavy firing on both sides was the result of this. [Lt Gray?] took a party of 12 men to No 99 trench to help to repair parapet and search for missing men.
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TRENCHES PLOEGSTEERT
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3rd
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The usual relief took place in the afternoon without any casualties.A very wet day. Great delay in obtaining the Battn. [lug/baggage?] on account of new regulations with regard to the transport. No sniping.
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4th
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A quiet day. The Battn. Went to the baths and spentremainder of day in billets cleaning up and resting. [Soyer] Farm wasshelled by the enemy but luckily no casualties.
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PLOEGSTEERT
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5th
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The usual fatigues were told off. These were withdrawn at 1 O’clock.Divine service was held at the billets during the afternoon. About 12.30 two HE shells burst [????] [Soyer] Farm where A coy is billeted. There were two casualties Pte Robinson being wounded also Pte [Walth???] slightly wounded otherwise a quiet day.
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6th
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A coy erected wire entanglements for purpose of experiment with reference to their projected night operation. [Soyer] Farm was shelled during the morning but no casualties. The remaining companies did the usual fatigues. The wire erected by the company blown up by the RE. Result,[the] knife [rest?] blown in half. The charge being [8?]lbs.
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7th
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The explosion with the blowing up of the wire entanglements was again tried, with better results. 10lbs being used, this completely demolished it. A quiet day.
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PLOEGSTEERT TRENCHES
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8th
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The usual relief took place,the 2nd S. Lancs taking our place in billets. D, A & C companies in firing trench. B coy in Lancashire Support [Farm]. More firing than usual took place and again at midnight.
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9th
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During the morning a 9.2 howitzer at [Dardre] Farm bombarded the German front line opposite trench doing considerable damage. Unfortunately one shell burst short and blew up D Coy headquarters. No one was near the spot at the time. During the night the R [latrines?] rose considerably and the fire trench about 30 yards either side became badly flooded. The enemy dropped about 30 shells N & E of Lancashire Support Farm but did no damage.
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TRENCHES
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10th
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During the night the water again rose. A Coy especially had great difficulty in coping with it and had to abandon 3 bays south of 101/2. The day was calm.
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11th
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Water in trenches had subsided about 8 inches. The parapets were repaired as much of them had subsided. About 2pm the enemy again shelled the vicinity of Lancashire Support Farm and the tram line, no damage was done.
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12th
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The 8th Loyal N. Lancs took over fat [forward assembly trench?] Paul & fat [Dudley] OC C coy extended his line northwards to the R. [W????rs?] OC A Coy on account of flooded dug out had to send 1 platoon to billet with B Coy at Lancashire Support Farm and 1 platoon from B Coy came to [mountain?] gun farm for billets. During the afternoon considerable shelling took place. In the morning Pte Carruthers C Coy was seriously wounded in the head[1] The water in 105 & 106 subsided a little during the day.
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TRENCHES & PLOEGSTEERT
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13th
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Relieved by the 2nd S. Lancs during the afternoon. The Battn returned to their usual billets.
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PLOEGSTEERT
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14th
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The Battn. Rested in billets and during the day went by campany to Pont de Niepe for baths. D Coy supplied night fatigue. [Capt] [???]the chaplain [???] by splinter of shell.
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15th
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A, B & C companies furnished fatigues for the engineers at Touquet [Berthe] also night carrying parties from Touquet [Berthe] to Lancashire Support Farm.
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16th
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The usual shelling of Ploegsteert took place, the brigade HQ had a few shells close to them, also C coy at [????ille] Farm. The machine gun school [hit two] shells. [ten?] men of the [Wilts?] Rgt attending the school were killed. The usual fatigues were carried out.
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17th
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A very quiet day. The usual fatigues were found. A coy supplied 1 NCO and 30 men for a night fatigue in Touquet [Berthe].
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PLOEGSTEERT TRENCHES
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18th
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The usual relief was carried out. The relief started at 2pm. D Coy occupied the right section. A the centre, and B coy on the left. C Coy in Lancashire Support Farm. Col Brander took over command of the 7th Inf Bde.
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19th
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Lt-Col. C. E. Bond took over command of the Regt from Col Brander who proceeded home. A quiet day. Very little sniping. All companies were employed on repairing parapets. A Coy supplied fatigue party for bring up of stores from Touquet [Berthe].
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TRENCHES
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20th
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Each company employed in repairing their parapet and freeing trenches from water. L Corp Smith[2],of D Coy was killed whilst working in CT 10?/3. OC 8th S. Lancashire Regt visited the line with a view to taking over when relief took place. At 2pm a bombardment of the enemy’s front line trench by trench mortars took place. The German retaliated. There were no casualties.
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21st
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A quiet day. Very wet. The officers commanding companies of the 8th S. Lancs Regt went around the trenches during the morning with a view to taking over the line.
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22nd
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All available men were employed in repairing parapets, and improving communication trenches. A coy started new dug out on the western side of the road inside of their support line. Quiet day, the right coy was shelled about 11am, about 7 shells falling in that area.
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TRENCHES & PLOEGSTEERT
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23rd
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The Battalion was relieved by the 8th S Lancs Regt during the afternoon there were no casualties.
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PLOEGSTEERT
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24th
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The Battn rested in billets and had baths in Nieppe. During the evening a night fatigue party was supplied both by B & D companies.
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25th
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Service was held at [Soyer] Farm, nearly 200 men were present. There were fewer fatigues. A Coy supplied 30 men during the afternoon. Quiet Day.
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26th
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Ploegsteert was shelled during the morning and evening. All the companies were on fatigues [???] during the morning. In the evening A, B & C companies supplied fatigue parties for the RE.
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PLOEGSTEERT TRENCH
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27th
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The Battalion went into trenches at 6.20am relieving the 8th S. Lancs Regt. The XI Cheshires were on our left and L.N. Lancs on our right. C Coy was the right of line, A Coy centre, and B Coy on left.
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28th
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All companies were employed in repairing and remaking parapets and draining trenches. At 9.30pm an operation was undertaken by the Battn on our right. There was a good deal of rifle fire and bombardment lasting for about an hour. B Coy had a man slightly wounded. Lancashire Support Farm was hit.
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29th
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Nothing of importance occurred during the day.
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30th
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The enemy’s snipers were most active than usual. Pte Ellis Jones[3] of B Coy being killed in C T 109. The Battn occupied in repairing the parapet & draining trenches.
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31st
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A quiet day. At midnight 10 rounds rapid werefired in reply to German fusillade. There were no casualties
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