8th Battalion War Diary, February 1918

8th Border Regiment War Diary Transcriptions (1915-1918) The National Archives WO/95/2251
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
1915									✔	✔	✔	✔
1916	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
1917	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
1918	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events
VRAUCOURT	1st		5 officers & 250 other ranks employed on VAULY-MORCHIVES line digging. Remainder of Battalion employed on improvement of camp.
	2nd		5 officers & 250 other ranks employed on VAULY-MORCHIVES line wiring under RE supervision. Remainder of Battalion employed on improvement of camp.
	3rd		5 officers & 250 other ranks employed on VAULY-MORCHIVES line digging under RE supervision. Remainder of Battalion employed on improvement of camp. C of E service in camp at 5.30pm.
	4th		5 officers & 200 other ranks employed on VAULY-MORCHIVES line wiring under RE supervision. Remainder of Battalion paraded at 9.30am for their Ceremonial Drill, remainder of morning under Company Commanders.
	5th		5 officers & 200 other ranks employed on VAULY-MORCHIVES line digging under RE supervision. Remainder of Battalion employed on improvement of camp.
	6th		5 officers & 200 other ranks employed on VAULY-MORCHIVES line wiring under RE supervision. Remainder of Battalion employed on improvement of camp.
LAGNICOURT	7th		Relieved 4th Bn South Staff Regt in the line. Relief commenced 6.30 pm. Finished 9pm. Night very dark. Enemy shelled spasmodically. 2 men wounded 1 remaining at duty.
	8th		Dull & showery. Brig Gen BAIRD left Bde for India – succeeded Brig Gen DOBBIN. Enemy artillery fairly active.
	9th		Fine – but dull - Heavy enemy shelling on front line – also behind LAGINCOURT – Forward post on left of POULTRY – received direct hit about 1am 1 killed 1 wounded – one man was also killed R subsector 11am Suspect new Regiment opposite.
	10th		Fine - intermittent shelling on QUEANT road – also on post hut during night. Met GOC DIV in RIPON ALLEY. Lieut-Col Birt departed on long leave – Enemy active in sniping.
	11th		Representatives of relieving unit visited the line. Weather fine and trenches in good condition.
	12th		Battalion relieved in the line by the 1st Btn [KSLF?] and moved back to camp at no 16. Relief completed at 10.30pm.
LOG EAST CAMP	13th		Battalion moved back into Corps Reserve with remainder of division [We took?] over LOGEAST CAMP. Rained practically all day.
	14th		Major F.S. Wilkinson left to take over command of 11th Cheshires. Major G. Darwell, MC, took over command of the battalion. Day spent in cleaning up.
	15th		Programme of training carried out preceded by half hour ceremonial parade.
	16th		— do —          — do —          — do —
	17th		Divine Service. Recreational training in afternoon. Lt-Col CWH Birt DSO rejoined battalion.
	18th		Major Darwell proceeded on leave to England. Programme of training carried out preceded by half an hour ceremonial drill.
	19th		Programme of training carried out preceded by half hour ceremonial parade.
	20th		— do —          — do —          — do —
	21st		— do —          — do —          — do —
	22nd		— do —          — do —          — do —
	23rd		— do —          — do —          — do —
	24th		Divine Service. Recreational training in afternoon.
	25th		Programme of training carried out preceded by half hour ceremonial parade.
	26th		— do —          — do —          — do —
	27th		— do —          — do —          — do —
	28th		— do —          — do —          — do — [Signed] CWH Birt, Lt-Col.

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.