Lonsdale Battalion on this day...

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A daily listing of the Lonsdales movements, actions and events that took place on this day. This page refreshes every day.
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On this day, 18 November[edit]

1914[edit]

  • Hirings take place in Brampton.[1]
  • Telegram from Lt-Col. Machell to Recruiting Office: “....now only taking odd men who had been enlisted previously and sent home.” [2]

1916[edit]

  • Battalion situated in the Redan Sector trenches. At midnight the Commanding Officer and Adjutant leave Battalion Headquarters and lays a tape as they move in direction of Wagon Road. Companies follow, marching into position along Wagon Road. By 4am the Lonsdales are ready.[3]
  • At 4.30am the Commanding Officer gives last-minute instructions to Officers Commanding Companies. The Companies move into position by 5am and at 6.10am (zero time) the artillery barrage opens and the Lonsdales advance in perfect order to attack, “the spirit of the men being a fine sight to see in spite of the intense cold in which they had to lie & wait.” Some reach 'Munich Trench' however, soon after it is difficult to ascertain the position of every Company.[3]
  • The Germans put over a heavy bombardment, including several rockets that burst into four red stars. Further considerable hostile machine gun fire ensues, some which appears to come from a gun well in the rear of 'Frankfort Trench,' engaging in indirect fire onto the ground over which the Lonsdale attack is being delivered.[3]
  • Soon after daylight Captain Ross & 2nd Lieut. Greenhill are found, having earlier been held up, with some Lonsdale and K.O.Y.L.I. men near a communication trench running between 'Wagon Road' and 'Munich Trench.' Sharp fighting occurs and bombing attacks are delivered. A bombing post is established and further behind two Lewis guns are positioned commanding both flanks.[3]
  • After dark several men, those who were left on the 'Wagon Road' side of 'Munich Trench,' return after having held shell holes opposite the German line. During the day until 10pm, stretcher bearers are continuously over the top, bringing in and attending to wounded men.[3]
  • The remaining men are reorganised, placing 'Wagon Road' in a state of defence. Wounded men crawling back are continually sniped at by the enemy.[3]

The following Lonsdale men died this day in 1916[edit]

1917[edit]

  • Battalion situated at 'Road Camp' involved in training.[4]

References / notes[edit]

Material from Timeline/Chronology of the Lonsdale Battalion (September 1914 - May 1915) are sourced from the DLONS/L/13/13 Lowther Estate Archives. Entries from this timeline are reproduced here with kind permission of Jim Lowther and are not available under the license of this site. Please do not publish these extracts on other publicly visible media without prior permission from the copyright holder.

  1. ↑ Record No. DLONS/L/13/13/7
  2. ↑ Record No. DLONS/L/13/13/6
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 11th Battalion War Diary, November 1916
  4. ↑ 11th Battalion War Diary, November 1917
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