WAR DIARIES - NATIONAL ARCHIVES
WO WO-95-1646-2_1
1st OCTOBER - 12th OCTOBER 1916

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_1-109

Vol.12
OCTOBER 1916
24th Battalion Manchester Regiment
OOSTHOVE FARM. B. 11. d. Sheet 36 N.W.

1st Oct., 10pm
Sheets 28 S.W. and 36 N.W.
Weather: Fine. Warm. Breeze variable light. N .N.W. to N. N.E.
Working Parties:
A Coy:
One Platoon clearing and re-laying road in Transport yard PONT D'ACHELLES.
One Platoon clearing and widening drains T. 28. c.
One Platoon erecting huts S. 28. b. 8.4.
One Platoon draining area at OOSTHOVE FARM.
B and D Coys::
Constructing more dug outs under Hill 63, PLOEGSTREERT WOOD.
8am : 1 Officer 100 Other Ranks.
4pm : 1 Officer 50 Other Ranks
12 midnight : 1 Officer 50 Other Ranks
C Company: Rested.
Divisional Drainage Section (24th Manchester Pioneers) : Rested.
Services: Divine Services were held during the day.
G.B.D.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_1-110
OOSTHOVE FARM. B. 11. d. Sheet 36 N.W.

2nd. Oct., 10pm
Weather: Dull. Wind light Westerly. Fine rain in morning for an hour and at night.
Working Parties:
A Company :
Laid and metalled road at Transport yard.
Deepening and widening drains at 22nd Infy. Bde. H.Q., B. 10. a. 4.9.
Erecting huts at S. 28. b. 8.4.
Draining Battalion Headquarters area OOSTHOVE FARM.
B and D Coys :
Constructing mine dug outs Hill 63:
8am : 1 Off. 75 O.R.
4pm : 1 Off. 45 O.R.
12 midnight : 1 Off. 40 O.R.
C Coy:
Clearing drains from ECCLES FORT to ESSEX FARM
Clearing drains from S. of DEAD HORSE FARM and FORT BOYD
Clearing drains from N. of DEAD HORSE FARM and FORT BOYD
Clearing drains from ESSEX FARM to HUNTER AVENUE.
Divisional Drainage Section:
No. 1 Squad clearing and widening drains at B. 4. a. 0.10 to B. 4. a. 6.10
No. 2 Squad clearing main arteries N. and S. of B. 2. d. area.
G.B.D.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_1-111
OOSTHOVE FARM. B. 11. d. Sheet 36 N.W.

3rd. Oct., 10pm
Weather: Wet and dull. Wind light N.W.
Working parties: As on the 2nd October.
G.B.D.

4th Oct., 10pm
Weather: Rain. Wind fresh Northerly.
Working Parties:
A Company :
Covering Horse Standings at Transport.
Clearing drains at 22nd Bde. HQ & at T. 28. c.
Erecting huts at S. 28. b. 8.4 & at B. 4. b. 1.4.
Draining at HQ, B. 11. d. 6.9.
B & D Coys :
Constructing mine dug outs.
8am : 75 Other Ranks & 1 Officer
4pm : 45 Other Ranks & 1 Officer
12 midnight : 40 Other Ranks & 1 Officer
C Coy :
Clearing sub drain at LONDON BRIDGE.
Clearing sub drain at ECCLES FORT to C. 11. 9 Southward.
Clearing sub drain at ECCLES FORT to C. 11. 9 Northward.
Clearing sub drain at FORT BOYD.
Clearing sub drain at PLOEGSTREERT - LEGHEER
T. 28. c. 0.5 to T. 28. c. 3.2.
Divisional Drainage Section:
Clearing drains at B. 2. d. & 22nd Bde. HQ.
G.B.D.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_1-112
OOSTHOVE FARM. B. 11. d. Sheet 36 N.W.

5th. Oct., 10pm
Weather: Dull but fine. Wind fresh, northerly.
Working Parties:
A Company :
Covering horse standings at Transport yard PONT D'ACHELLES.
Clearing drains at 22nd Bde. HQ.
Erecting huts at B. 4. b. 4.5.
Clearing drain at B. 11. d. 6.6. concreting sumphole and laying pipes for drains.
B and D Coys :
Constructing mine dug outs at Hill 63, T. 19. b. 3.8.
8am : 1 Off. 75 O.R.
4pm : 1 Off. 45 O.R.
12 midnight : 1 Off. 40 O.R.
C Company :
Clearing sub drain at LONDON BRIDGE.
Clearing sub drain at FORT BOYD.
Clearing C.T. No.. 119
Clearing sub drain at HAYMARKET
Clearing sub drain at REGENTS FORT to HAYMARKET
Clearing sub drain at PLOEGSTREET - LEGHEER
Divisional Drainage Section :
Deepening and widening artery on right road D. 15. b. 5.7 to D. 8. b. 1.4.;
B. 10. c. 2.8. to B. 10. c. 4.6.
T. 2.7. d. 91.
G.B.D.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_1-113
OOSTHOVE FARM. B. 11. d. Sheet 36 N.W.

6th. Oct., 10pm
Weather: Fine during day, heavy rain at night. Wind northerly.
Working Parties: As on the 5th.
G.B.D.

7th. Oct., 10pm
Weather: Wind northerly, fresh. Rain in afternoon and at night.
Working Parties: A Company :
Work on horse standings Transport yard, PONT D'ACHELLES.
Clearing drain at 22nd Bde. HQ.
Widening and deepening drains at T. 27. d. 7.2.
Erecting huts.
B and D Coys :
Work on mine dug outs :
8am : 1 Off. 80 O.R.
4pm : 1 Off. 45 O.R.
12 midnight : 1 Off. 40 O.R.
C Company :
Clearing sub drain FORT BOYD.
Clearing sub drain round HARMARKET and C.T. to FRONT LINE.
Clearing sub drain PLOEGSTREERT to LEGHEER
Clearing sub drain WARNAVE
Divisional Drainage Section :
Deepening and clearing drains:
B. 15. b. 5.7. - B. 8. b. 1.4.
B. 10. c. 2.8. - B. 10. c. 5.6.
T. 27. d. 9.1
G.B.D.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_2-1
OOSTHOVE FARM. B. 11. d. Sheet 36 N.W

8th, Oct. 10pm
Weather - Dull, wind SW fresh
Working - A & C Coys. rested.
Parties - B & D Coys. provided 3 parties in mined dugout: 1 off. 85 other ranks; 1 off. 45 other ranks; 1 off.40 other ranks.
Divine Service - C of E and Non Conformist services were held.
GBD

9th, Oct. 10pm
Weather - Dull; Wind West changing SW, fresh.
Working -
A Coy. :- Erecting horse standings transport lines.
Clearing drains at 22nd Bde. HQ.
Erecting huts at B1 c.8.3. and B 11 b.2.2.
Clearing moat at HQ and opening drain.
B & D Coys.:-constructing mined dugouts, 8am 1 officer 85 other ranks; 4pm 1 officer 45 other ranks; 12 midnight
1 officer 40 other ranks C Coy. :- Clearing and constructing sub drains in advance of HAYMARKET.
Clearing WARNAVE near CHESHIRE FARM and drain ROEGSTEERTE - LOUQUET - BERTHE.
Divisonal Drainage Section :-
No. 1 Squad deepening channel at B5a 3.6 - B5a 8.7
No. 2 Squad - clearing and deepening drain at B10 c. 2.8 - B.10 .c.4.6; B10c 1.7 - B10 c 3.5
GBD

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_2-2
OOSTHOVE FARM. B. 11. d. Sheet 36 N.W

10th Oct., 10pm
Weather - Wind South West, 20mph, gusty
Working Parties :-
A Company - One platoon roofing horse standings at transport yard.
One platoon deepening and widening drains around 22nd Brigade HQ.
One platoon completed erection of huts at B1.c.8.3.
One platoon draining moat OOSTHOVE FARM.
B & D Company - Constructing mine dugout Hill 63. 1 Officer 85 other ranks 8am.
C Company - Cleaning and clearing the WARNAVE near CHESHIRE AVE. 1 Officer 45 other ranks 4pm; 1 officer 40 other ranks 12 midnight.
Constructing drain LONG AVENUE from NA. POO AVENUE to front line.
Divisonal Drainage Section -
clearing and widening artery B5.a.3.6 - B5 a.8.7.
clearing and widening artery B 15 b.5.7. - B 8b.1.4
clearing and deepening artery B 10 c.2.8 - B 10 c.4.6
B 10 c. 2.8 - B 10 c. 4.6
B 10 c.1.7. - B 10 c.3.5
B 10 c.2.8. - B 15 b.5.7
GBD

[No location or month identified], 11th, 10p
Weather - Cooler. wind W.S.W. Strong. 30mph
Working Parties - As on the 10th
GBD

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_2-3
OOSTHOVE FARM. B. 11. d. Sheet 36 N.W

12th Oct., 10pm
Weather - Light wind. S.W. Fine but dull
Working Parties :-
A Company - Clearing drain to moat OOSTHOVE FARM.
Roofing horse standings transport lines PONT D'ACHELLES, working with Divisional Drainage Company.
B & D Companies - Constructing mine dugout at HILL 63, T19 b 3.8
C Company - Clearing the WARNAVE from CHESHIRE AVENUE to front line.
Clearing drain from CHESHIRE AVENUE - LANCASHIRE SUPPORT farm southwards
Clearing drain from BARRIER and LANCASHIRE SUPPORT farm to V27 a 7.3.
Clearing LONG AVENUE from NA POO AVENUE to front line.
Divisional Drainage Section :-
No. 1 Squad - clearing and widening arteries round camp B3 c 8.4. New pipes and back culvert made at B3 c 8.4.
No. 2 Squad - clearing drains B15 b 5.7 - B8 b 6.1.4
Detachment A Coy. - Clearing drain S. side of road.
B10 a 3.0 - B15 b 5.7
B10 c 0.6 - B15 b 6.6
B10 c 30.95 - B9 b 7.4
B3 d 0.4
GBD

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WAR DIARIES - NATIONAL ARCHIVES
WO-95-1646-2_2
13th OCTOBER - 31st OCTOBER 1916

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_2-4
OOSTHOVE FARM. B. 11. d. Sheet 36 N.W

13th Oct., 10pm
Weather - Fresh wind SW. Dull
Working Parties :-
A Coy. - Clearing and deepening drains at PAPOT (3 platoons).
Strutted ammn. Dump B4 b 9.4; repairing huts B1 a 6.3 (1 platoon)
Rubble pathways at transport yard. (5 men)
C Coy. - Clearing drains: -
(1) LONG AVE. - NA POO AVE - front line.
(2) Sub drain BARKENHAM AV.
(3) Sub drain at RESERVE FARM.
(4) CHESHIRE AVE.
B & D Coys. - Mined dugouts under 1st Aus. Tun. Coy. R.E.
Divl. Drainage Sect.-
(1) Clearing culverts at B3 c 9.8 & B3 c 8.4 & drains round camp B3 c 8.4
(2) Clearing drain B15 b 5.7 - B8 b 1.4.
A.St.G.W.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_2-5
OOSTHOVE FARM. B. 11. d. Sheet 36 N.W

14th Oct., 10pm
Weather - Fresh wind SW. Fine but dull.
Working Parties : -
A Coy. - Clearing and deepening drains at PAPOT (3 platoons)
Enlarged 2 Forage Dumps at B10 a 6.5.; Repaired 7 huts B1 a 6.4 (1 platoon)
Rubble pathways at transport yard (5 men)
C Coy - Clearing sub drain (1) at BARKENHAM AVE. (2) at LANCASHIRE SUPPORT FARM.
B & D Coys. - Mined dugouts under 1st Aust. Tun. Coy. R.E.
Divisional Drainage Section : -
(1) Clearing drain at B3 c 8.4; making culvert at B3 c 8.4 on E. side of road.
(2) Clearing drain B9 b 2.6 - B9 c 4.8.
A.St. G.W

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_2-6
OOSTHOVE FARM. B. 11. d. Sheet 36 N.W

15th Oct, 10pm
Weather - Cooler, some showers. Wind fresh S.W.
Working Parties :-
A & C Coys. - rested.
B & D Coys. - mined dugouts under 1st Aust. Tun. Coy. R.E.
Divine Service - C of E & Non conformist services held at Bn. HQ.
C of E at T19 d 6.3 for B & D Coys.
A.St.G.W

16th Oct., 10pm
Weather - Wind W. Slight showers.
Working Parties :-
A Coy -
(1) Completed drains at PAPOT (1 platoon)
(2) Commenced draining camp at B7 & 9.6 (1 platoon)
(3) Completed rubble pathways at transport yard (5 men)
(4) Making dugout at A2 a 9.9.
(5) Erecting huts at NIEPPE.
C Coy. - Continued work as on Saturday.
B & D Coys. - Continued work as on Saturday.
Divl. Drainage Section -
(1) New culverts at B3 c 8.4 & B9 b 8.1
(2) Clearing and deepening drain B15 b 5.7 - B8 b 1.4.
A.St.G.W

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_2-7
OOSTEHOVE FARM (B11 c Sheet 36 NW)

17th Oct, 10pm
Weather - Colder & wet, wind W.
Working Parties :-
A Coy.- Continued clearing and improving drains (3 platoons).
Erecting huts at Artillery Camp; Making dugout at A2 d (1 platoon)
B & D Coys. - On mined dugouts under 1st Aust. Tun. Coy.
C Coy. - Clearing sub drains :
(1) BARKENHAM AVE. - front line.
(2) LANCASHIRE SUPPT. FARM.
(3) U25 a 5.4 for 500x in an easterly direction.
A.St.G.W

18th Oct, 10pm
Weather - Fine. Wind W.
Working Parties :- Coys. continued work on mined dugouts, erecting huts & clearing drains.
A.St.G.W

19th Oct. 10pm
Weather - Some showers; Easterly wind.
Working Parties :- Coys. commenced work as previous day but were recalled about 11am on getting warning of the move.
Move Orders :- Preliminary move orders attached.
A.St.G.W

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_2-8
OOSTHOVE FARM. B. 11. d. Sheet 36 N.W

20th Oct.
The Bn. entrained. Operation Order No. 1 attached.
A.St.G.W

21st Oct.
Route - BAILLEUL - HAZEBROUCK - ST. POL - DOULLENS - BELLE EGLISE.
BELLE EGLISE was reached about 4:40am, 21st instant. The Bn. detrained and marched via VARENNES -
BOUZINCOURT & ALBERT to TARA HILL. Bn. temp. atd. to 4th Can. Div.
Bivouacs erected and camp formed at W30 c 5.3.
A.St.G.W

22nd, Oct, 10pm
Companies paraded 4:45pm; working strength 400 (circ).
2000 yds of COLT AVENUE cleared and deepened; 750 yds. of trench boards laid. Coys. returned about 4am.
A.St.G.W

23rd,Oct.10pm
Weather - Wet and cold: little wind.
Work - Coys. paraded as previous night; about 1200 yds. of COLD AVENUE cleared and deepened.
Trench boards laid in a portion of COLT AVE.
2 huts erected in camp.
A.St.G.W

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_2-9
TARA HILL w30 C 5.3 Sheet 570.

24th, Oct 10pm
Weather - Wet and cold; wind light SE.
Work:-
A & C Coys. Paraded 4:45am, carrying trench boards into position in COLT AVENUE; returned to camp about 2:30am.
Casualties: -
1 wounded (accidentally) & 1 missing (returned to camp 25th inst)
A.St.G.W

25th Oct., 10pm
Weather - Wet and cold. Wind light SE
Work :-
Coys. paraded 4pm; deepening and widening 10th STREET for 1150 yds.,
3 platoons carrying trench boards; returned to camp about 2:15am.
1 hut erected in camp.
Casualties - Nil
1 N.C.O. & 5 men worked at Divl. HQ 7 hours.
A.St.G.W

26th Oct., 10pm
Weather - Showers. Wind Easterly, fresh.
Work - 300 men paraded 4:45pm, carrying trench boards from Dump into position in 10th ST., laying trench boards, cleaning &
clearing 10th ST., returned between 1:30am & 3am.
Casualties - Nil.
1 N.C.O. & 12 men worked at Divl. HQ 7 hours (circ)
A.St.G.W

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_2-10
TARA HILL W30 C 5.3 Sheet 570.

27th Oct., 10pm
Weather - Showery and cold. Wind E Fresh.
Work - 1 hut erected in camp.
Coys. rested.
A.St.G.W

28th Oct., 10pm
Weather - Slightly warmer. Wind SE fresh.
Work :-
20 O.Rs. worked 7 hours at Divl. HQ.
Coys. (300 O.R.) paraded 4:45pm, cleaned, widened & deepened 675 yds. of 10th STREET; also carried trench boards & put them in position; returned to camp about 2am.
Casualties - 1 man slightly wounded by HE shell.
A.St.G.W

29th Oct, 10pm
Weather - Cold, showery, wind NE fresh.
Working Parties - As on the 28th
Appendices 3 & 4
GBD

30th Oct., 10pm
Weather - Warmer, showery, wind NE
Working Parties - As on the 29th
GBD

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_2-11
X 11 a Sheet ALBERT, combined sheet.

31st Oct., 10pm
Weather - Fine, warmer. shower in afternoon. Wind Easterly.
Working parties :-
200 OR reported at X9 b for work on cleaning 10th STREET with 11th Field Coy. R.E. at 5pm.
150 OR for work with 10th Field Coy. R.E. on COLT AVENUE. Reported X9 b at 5:30pm.
Casualties - Officers nil; other ranks 1 killed, 4 wounded.
Move - (Operation Order No. 3) The battalion moved to 11 a (ALBERT combined sheet). Transport moved to area W24 on N. side of ALBERT - BAPAUME RD.
GBD

J.H. Chadwick, Major
Commanding 24th Manchester Regt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~