WAR DIARIES - NATIONAL ARCHIVES
WO WO-95-1646-2_2
1st DECEMBER - 17th DECEMBER 1916

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_43

December 1916
Vol. XIV (Vol 14)
24th Bn. Manchester Regt.
MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 1st Dec, 10pm
Weather: - Frosty & thick mist.
Work: -
A Coy: -2 Officers & 75 O.R. worked 4 1/2[half] hrs. (day); cleared & deepened 150x LEAVE TR.
B, C, & D Coys: Rested
Casualties - Nil
A.St.G.W.

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 2nd Dec, 10pm
Weather: - Slight frost & mist.
Work: -
'A' Coy : 1 Officer, 106 O.R. worked 4 1/2[half] hrs. (day); cleared 500x of trench from SUNKEN RD. to R.E. dump.
'D' Coy : 2 Officers, 82 O.R. worked 4 1/2[half] hrs. (day); carried trench mats; improved 200 yds new front; & commn. trench from pt 5.9 to pt 2.6 (Q.5.d.)
'B' Coy : 2 Officers, 110 O.R. cleared 150x LEAVE AV. & laid trench mats; carried mats, expanded metal & angle irons.
'C' Coy : Rested.
Casualties - Nil
A.St.G.W.

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

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_44

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 3rd Dec, 10pm
Weather: - Slight frost no wind.
Work: -
B & C Coys: -
3 Officers, 196 O.R. cleared & deepened 110 yds (completed) & 285 yds (partly finished) of communication tr., 60 yds of new fire trench improved.
Worked 4 hours (day); Locality STATION AVE.
A & D Coys:-
3 Officers, 180 O.R. worked 4 1/2[half] hrs. in left Bde. Area.
1 Coy. deepened & widened 300 yds. new front line.
1 Coy. carried trench mats & frames for R.Es., baled water from trench & deepened 100 yds. new communication trench.
Casualties: 1 wounded (O.R.)
A.St.G.W.

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

Next page :WO-95-1646-2_45

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 4th Dec, 10pm
Weather: - Slightly milder, no wind.
Work: -
A Coy: - 2 Officers, 100 O.R. worked 4 hours (day); clearing SIXTH AV. & carrying mats & frames; widened & deepened to 6' 100x of new trench off SIXTH AV.
D Coy: - 1 Officers, 76 O.R. worked 4 1/2[half] hrs. (day) widening & deepening new front line.
B & C Coys: - 4 Officers, 716 O.R. worked 4 3/4[3 quarter] hrs. (night) digging 625x new communication trench from BEAUCOURT TRENCH to MUCK TR. Ave. depth 4'; out 12 hours.
Casualties: 1 O.R. wounded.
A.St.G.W.

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 5th Dec, 10pm
Weather: - Much milder; ground very sticky. Wind light, E.
Work:-
A Coy. & D Coy: Worked 4 hrs. (day); 2 officers, 171 O.R.; carried frames, sheets C.I. & E.A. also 40 mats; improved new C.T. & fire trench.
B Coy: 2 officers 85 O.R. worked 3 1/2[half] hrs. (night) on new C.T. to MUCK TR.
C Coy: Rested.
Casualties: Nil
A.St.G.W.

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

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_46

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 6th Dec, 10pm
Weather: - Mild. Wind northerly. Ground very sticky.
Work:-
A Coy: 1 officer, 94 O.R. 4 hours Improved 300 yds. SIXTH AVENUE; revetted 30 yards, drained 100 yds, and deepened by 2 feet another 50 yards.
B Coy.: Rested
C Coy.: 2 officers 97 O.R. 4 hours. Deepened to 5' - 6' 450 yards of new C.T. from STATION AVENUE.
D Coy.: 1 officer 76 O.R. 5 hours clearing new F.L. also carrying trench gratings and last 40 of same. Some revetting done with sandbags.
Casualties: 1 killed 1 wounded both in C Coy
[Officer Initials indecipherable]

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 7th Dec, 10pm
Weather: - Mild. No wind. slight rain in morning. Ground very wet.
Work:-
A Coy: Rested.
B & C Coys: 2 officers 188 O.R. 4 hours. Work on new C.T. to MUCK TRENCH. 525 yards deepened to 6 feet, 4 ft. wide at top.
Ground very soft and crumbly continually filling in.
D Coy: 1 officer 75 O.R.. 4 1/2[half] hours. Revetting and clearing new fire trench; 1200 sandbags carried from Beaumont Hamel Dump.
Casualties: Nil
[Officer Initials indecipherable]

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

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_47

[Duplicate of previous page]

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

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_48

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 8th Dec, 10pm
Weather: - Mild. Wind S.W. Rain most of day.
Work: -
A Coy : 1 officer, 95 O.R. 4 1/2[half] hours clearing and deepening trench from VIth AVENUE to Batt. H.Q. 50 trench mats carried.
B & C Coys : 2 Officers, 207 O.R. 4 hours. New C.T. to MUCK TRENCH. Whole trench now 6ft. deep with exception of 50 yards which is 5 feet deep. 10 Fire Bays finished; 400 sandbags carried up.
Casualties: 1 killed (C Coy)
[Officer Initials indecipherable]

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 9th Dec, 10pm
Weather: - Mild. and wet. Wind S.W. light.
Work: -
A Coy : 1 officer 95 O.R. 4 1/2[half] hours. Carried up 45 frames, 25 sheets C.I. and 20 trench gratings. Clearing IInd AVENUE.
B Coy : 1 officer 100 O.R. 4hrs. Remaining 50 yards of new C.T. to MUCK TRENCH deepened. to 6 feet. 2 new fire bays made and 4 improved. Work very difficult owing to continual falls of earth.
C Coy : Rested.
D Coy : 1 officer 76 O.R. 4 1/2[half] hours. Carried 40 trench gratings to top of VIth AVENUE. C.T. from VIth AVENUE to F.L. deepened to 6 ft.
Casualties: Nil
[Officer Initials indecipherable]

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

Next page :WO-95-1646-2_49

[Sheet for 10th & 11th Dec missing]

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 12th Dec, 10pm
Weather: Cold and wet. Snow in the morning.
Work : -
A Coy : 1 officer 58 O.R. 4 hours. Carried stores to old German F.L. and partially cleared mud out of VIth AVENUE which was in hopeless condition.
B Coy : 1 officer 98 O.R. 4 hours clearing STATION ALLEY which was deep in mud.
C Coy : 1 officer 83 O.R. 4 hours. Trench mats and xP.M. carried to forward dump. Attempted to clear TANK ALLEY which was flooded.
D Coy : Rested.
Casualties: Nil
[Officer Initials indecipherable]

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 13th Dec, 10pm
Weather: Dull and overcast. Some rain. Wind S.
Work :-
A Coy : 1 officer 60 O.R. 4 1/2[half] hours. 13 men carried 30 frames and 30 sheets of C.I., previously cleared 80 yds. of trench east of WAGGON ROAD from CRATER LANE to F.L. carried up 40 trench mats and laid them.  
B Coy : 1 officer 44 O.R. 4 1/2[half] hours. Carried next load[word indistinct] 5 frames and 150 yds. of STATION ALLEY cleared ready for frames, and 50 yds. practically cleared.
C Coy : Rested.
D Coy : 1 officer 60 O.R. 4 1/2[half] hours. Cleared 150 yds. of VIth AVENUE, and fixed 10 frames also laid some trench mats.
Casualties: Nil
[Officer Initials indecipherable]

[Much of this page faint and difficult to read ... may be transcription errors.

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

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_50

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 14th Dec, 10pm
Weather: Wet.
Work : -
A Coy : 1 officer 61 O.R. 4 1/2[half] hours. 50 sheets C.I. and 50 frames carried to CAKE TR. for R.E. 70 yards of trench east of WAGGON ROAD from CRATER LANE to F.L. cleared ready for mats.
B Coy : Rested
C Coy : 1 officer 76 O.R. 4 1/2[half] hours. 100 yds. of TANK ALLEY cleared and 10 mats laid. 200 yds. of STATION ALLEY cleared and 10 mats laid. 20 U frames and 10 mats carried up. 6 frames fixed.
D Coy : 1 oficer 61 O.R. 120 yds. VIth AVE. cleared. 60 sheets C.I. & 20 frames carried up. 15 frames fixed and 8 mats laid.
Casualties - Nil
[Officer Initials indecipherable]

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 15th Dec, 10pm
Weather: Rather colder. Rain at intervals. Wind slight. S.
Work : -
A Coy : 1 officer 58 O.R. 4 1/2[half] hours. Trench E. of WAGGON ROAD 140 yds. cleared and 30 trench mats laid.
B Coy : 1 officer 104 O.R. 4 1/2[half] hours. 15 frames, 48 sheets XPM, 20 stays, 5 trench mats and 1 pump carried up. 6 frames fixed with mats and revetment. Water pumped out of 25 yds. of STATION ALLEY.
C Coy : 1 officer 71 O.R. 4 hours. 8 frames and 40 sheets XPM carried up. 5 frames fixed and 200 yds. of TANK ALLEY cleared.
D Coy : 1 officer 46 O.R. 4 hours 3/4[3 quarters]. 6 frames carried up also 20 trench mats and 12 sheets of C.I. 6 frames fixed. VIth AVE. cleared to within 100 yds of RESERVE LINE.
Casualties - 2 O.R. (C Coy.)
[Officer Initials indecipherable]

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

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_51

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 16th Dec, 10pm
Weather: Wet and raw. Snow at times. Wind S. S.W.
Work : -
A Coy : Rested
B Coy : 1 officer 96 O.R. 4 hours. Carried 20 frames, 48 sheets XPM, 17 planks. 7 frames fitted and 200 yds. of STATION ALLEY cleared.
C Coy : 1 officer 75 O.R. 4 hours. 6 frames & XPM fixed and 300 yds of TANK ALLEY partially cleared.
D Coy : 1 officer 52 O.R. 4 hours. 8 frames and 20 sheets C.I. carried and final 80yds. of VIth AVE. cleared and mats laid.
Casualties - Nil
[Officer Initials indecipherable]

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 17th Dec, 10pm
Weather: Cold and overcast. No wind.
Work : -
A Coy : 1 officer, 56 O.R. 4 hours. 100 yds. of VIth AVE. cleared & 14 U frames put in. 23 frames carried up also some XPM.
B Coy : 1 officer 94 O.R. 4 1/2[half] hours. 50 yds. STATION ALLEY cleared. 8 frames fitted. 8 frames, 230 ft. of planking, 40 sheets XPM carried up.
C Coy : 1 officer 70 O.R. 4 hours. 250 yds. of TANK ALLEY cleared & deepened. 12 U frames fixed.
Casualties - Nil
[Officer Initials indecipherable]

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

WAR DIARIES - NATIONAL ARCHIVES
WO-95-1646-2_2
18th DECEMBER - 31st DECEMBER 1916

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_52

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 18th Dec, 10pm
Weather: Cold. Slight wind from S.
Work : -
A Coy : 1 officer 60 O.R. 4&1/4 [quarter] hours. 33 trench mats carried up to CAKE TRENCH in which 10 frames & revetment  were fitted; 80 yards of trench cleared; 53 trench mats carried to WALKER DUMP.
B Coy : 1 officer 78 O.R.. 4&1/4 [quarter] hours. 30 yards of STATION ALLEY fitted with U frames and revetted and a further 50 yards of trench cleared for frames. 36 frames, 36 planks @ 15ft long, 14 sheets XPM carried up.
C Coy : Rested.
D Coy : 1 officer 63 O.R. 4&3/4 [3 quarter] hours. 10 frames, 20 sheets XPM, 120 ft. of planking carried up to VIth AVE. 4 frames fitted. 140 yds. trench cleared.
Casualties - Nil 
2/Lieut B. Buckley and G.O.R. joined the Battalion.
[Officer Initials indecipherable]

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 19th Dec, 10pm
Weather: Cold. Snow all afternoon. Wind - fresh from S.
Work : -
A Coy : 1 officer., 56 O.R. 4 hrs. 100 yds. of NEW CUT cleared and 16 frames fitted.
52 trench mats carried to WALKER DUMP. 20 U frames carried up to NEW CUT.
B Coy : Rested.
C Coy : 1 officer. 70 O.R. 4 hrs. 300 yds. of TANK ALLEY cleared & deepened; 14 frames fixed. also 30 sheets XPH. 29 frames, 30 sheets XPM. 120 ft of 5" x 1" carried up.
D Coy : 1 officer, 62 O.R. 4 hrs. 100 yds of VI AVE. cleared. 10 yds. frames fixed, 5 drains and 5 scoops carried up. 8 men carried for 54th R.E. all day.

Battn. Reserve[?] erected an ironing hut at Baths in MAILLY WOOD.

During the first 3 weeks 9 NISSEN HUTS have been erected in camp by the Coy., joiners assisted by 10 O.R. from A Coy.
Casualties - Nil
[Officer initials indecipherable]

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

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_53

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 20th Dec, 10pm
Weather: Bright and clear. No wind.
Work: Coys. did 3 hours Coy. training; also instruction in M.G., bombing & signalling.
Casualties: Nil
A.St.G.W.

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 21st Dec, 10pm
Weather: Wet, strong westerly wind; heavy rain at night.
Work: Lectures on bombing, M.G. & signalling.
Casualties: Nil
A.St.G.W.

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 22nd Dec, 10pm
Weather: Less wind; wet & cold; C. of E. Xmas services held in camp.
Work: As previous day.
Casualties: Nil
A.St.G.W.

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 23rd Dec, 10pm
Weather: Cold, ground very bad underfoot.
Work: As previous day.
Casualties: Nil
A.St.G.W.

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 24th Dec, 10pm
Weather: slightly milder; some rain.
Work: As previous day; work done in camp erecting Nissen huts this day & previous days.
Casualties: Nil
A.St.G.W.

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

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_54

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 25th Dec, 10pm
Christmas Day
Weather: Milder; strong westerly wind.
The day was observed as a holiday; roast pork & Christmas pudding provided for Dinner & boiled ham for tea in addition to usual rations.
Casualties: Nil
A.St.G.W.

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 26th Dec, 10pm
Weather: clear and bright; no wind.
Work:
A & D Coys: Rested
B & C Coys:- dug 300 yds new assembly trench from corner of STATION AVE. (right) & BEAUCOURT TR. towards MUCK TR. to 5 ft.
Casualties: O.R.s 1 wounded
A.St.G.W.

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 27th Dec, 10pm
Weather: Milder; slight frost at night.
Work:-
A Coy: worked 3&3/4 [3 quarter]- hrs. (day), 17 men carrying; 61 clearing CAKE TR.
B Coy: - worked 4 hours (night) putting in trench mats & digging sortie steps in new assembly trench.
C Coy: - Rested.
D Coy: - Cleared trench, carried & sandbagged in WALKER AV. 4 hrs. (day)
A.St.G.W.

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

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_55

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 28th Dec, 10pm
Weather: Wet, ground very bad..
A Coy: 1 officer 65 O.R. worked 4 hrs. (night) on CAKE TR; cleared 50 yds.ready for U frames & revetment; carried up 30 U frames & 20 sheets GI, 48 mats.
B Coy: Rested
C Coy: 2 officers 94 other ranks worked 4 hrs. (night} on new assembly trench (see previous day). Cleared whole length and carried up 34 mats; completed assaulting step & trench matting along whole length.
D Coy: 1 officer 44 O.R. carried from QUARRY DUMP to WALKER AVE. 50 mats, 40 frames & 36 sheets GI; to CAKE TR. 60 sheets & 20 frames.
Casualties: Nil
A.St.G.W.

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

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_56

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 29th Dec, 10pm
Weather: Heavy rain at intervals; westerly wind.
Work : -
A Coy : 1 officer, 40 O.R. 4 hrs. (day) on CAKE TR. & CRATER AVE. draining off water (4ft 6ins deep in places); filling in gaps in parados caused by shellfire; clearing out previous night's work which had fallen in; withdrawn owing to bombardment.
B Coy : 2 officers, 95 O.R. worked 4&1/2 [half] hrs. (day) on BEAUCOURT TR & HARDWICK TR. clearing & laying mats.
C Coy : Rested.
D Coy : 1 officer 30 O.R. worked 6&1/2[half] hrs. (night) digging new trench along portion of CRATER LANE which was obliterated. 1 prisoner taken.
Casualties - O.R. 2 wounded (our own shell fire) & 1 wounded remaining at duty.
A.St.G.W

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 30th Dec, 10pm
Weather: Rain at intervals; westerly wind.
Work : -
A Coy : 1 offr. 39 O.R. worked 3&3/4[3 quarter] hrs (day) on CAKE TR., also carrying for R.E. & 14 men draining WAGGON RD.
B Coy : 1 offr. 86 O.R. worked 3&1/2[half] hrs (day) on TANK ALLEY & STATION ALLEY filling in behind X.P.M.

[continued on next page]

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

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_57

[continued from previous page]

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 30th Dec, 10pm
Work : -
C Coy : 1 Offr. 92 O.R. worked 4 hrs. (night) on new assembly trench (continuation of STATION ALLEY); cleared out, widened berm[?] & scooped out water.
D Coy : 1 Officer 35 O.R. worked 7&1/4[quarter] hrs. (night) on new portion of CRATER LANE (see 29th); sides had fallen in, in several places & the trench was 2 ft. deep in water; trench baled, widened & deepened, ready for frames.
Casualties : Officers - Nil; O.R. - 1 wounded.
A.St.G.W

MAILLY WOOD WEST P.23.b.5.7 sheet 57 D S.E. 31st Dec, 10pm
Weather: Heavy rain at intervals; westerly wind.
Work : -
A Coy : 1 Offr. 40 O.R. worked 4&1/4[quarter] hrs. (day) carrying, pumping water out of CAKE TR.; new piece of trench dug at entrance to CAKE TR.; revetting CAKE TR.
B Coy : 1 Offr. 83 O.R. worked 4 hrs. (day) (1) clearing, draining & matting 200x BEAUCOURT TR. (2) clearing & matting HARDWICK TR.
C Coy : Rested.
D Coy : 1 Offr. & 30 O.R. (in 2 reliefs) worked 9&1/2[half] hrs. (day) on new portion of CRATER LANE (see 30th); carried up material, re-cleared out trench & revetted all but about 10 yds.
Casualties - Nil
A.St.G.W

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

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_58

Appendix 1
4th Canadian Division
A. 42 - 71

24th Bn. The Manchester Regt.
(7th Divisional Pioneers)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Under authority granted by His Majesty the King, the General Officer
Commanding-in-Chief has awarded No. 3122 Sergt. E.B.WHITE. 24th Bn.
Manchester Regt, the MILITARY MEDAL. (Authority Fifth Army HR/411/441
dated 4/12/1916, Second Corps DC/1032 of 6/12/1916.

(Signed) xxx Capt. D.A.A.G., for Lieut. Colonel, A.A. & Q.M.G.
11/12/16
____________________________

IInd. Corps No. D.C.1467.
7th Division No. R/45/24

7th Division
The Corps Commander has awarded the MILITARY MEDAL to the following:-

24th Battalion The Manchester Regiment
No. 14069 Sergeant J. BUCKLEY
No. 14060 L/Sergt. (Cpl) F. GRUNDY
No. 14457 Sergeant W. RAYNOR
No. 14034 L/Sergt. (Cpl) W. LAMBERT (Bar to M.M.)
No. 14153 Sergeant F. RYAN
No. 14376 L/Sergt. (Cpl) J. PERCIVAL

Signed xxx Captain
D.A.A. & Q.M.G. IInd. Corps
9/12/16

24th Bn. Manchester Regt.
For your information and retention.
(Signed) W. WINGFIELD. Lieut. Colonel
A.A.A. Q.M.G. 7th Division.

Divnl. H.Qrs.
13th Dec. 1916

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