WAR DIARIES - NATIONAL ARCHIVES
WO WO-95-1646-2_3
1st AUGUST 1917 - 31st AUGUST 1917
Next page : File WO-95-1646-2_3-72
Vol XXII
24 (S) Bn. The Manchester Regiment.
7th Divisional Pioneers
1917
MORY
1st August
Weather: Rained all day. Wind North Westerly.
A Coy: 320 x . 3 stakes wide wire complete with apron loose on the NORTH side of KNUCKLE AVENUE. This completes the wiring of the NORTH side of KNUCKLE AVENUE between the front line and STRANGEWAYS.
B Coy: on maintenance of PELICAN AVENUE. 1 Platoon on detachment at AVELUY.
C Coy:
1 Platoon cutting away brushwood and undergrowth along the EMBANKMENT for 150 x commencing at C. 2. b. 5.8 & working towards BULLECOURT.
1 Platoon wiring in U. 26. d. completed 125 x except front apron.
1 Platoon pushing by tramway from ECOUST DUMP and carrying to the job, 42 coils wire, 200 long & 150 short pickets.
1 Platoon on maintenance of BULLECOURT AVENUE.
D Coy: Erected and completed wire for 150 x from U. 27. c. 45.80 to U. 27. c. 25.60. Drew from ECOUST DUMP and trucked to TANK AVENUE 9 coils of wire and 220 stakes.
1 Platoon on maintenance of TANK AVENUE, cut one passing place and cut one fire bay.
Night
W.T.J.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next page : File WO-95-1646-2_3-73
MORY
2nd August
Weather: Very wet and cold. Wind: North Westerly.
A Coy: Bermed KNUCKLE AVENUE from STRANGEWAYS to U. 19. d. 40.25. app. 900 yards both sides.
B Coy: 56 x PELICAN AVENUE deepened and widened and 260 x berm cleared to average width of 1' 9".
C Coy: Wiring along EMBANKMENT. 2 Platoons finished last night's work and started and completed another 270 x and joined up to D Coy.
1 Platoon pushed up fropm ECOUST and carried to job wire & pickets.
1 Platoon on maintenance of BULLECOURT AVENUE.
D Coy: Wiring. Completed 220 x and joined C Coy. at U. 26. d. 95.70.
200 long screw pickets, 120 3/4 pickets pushed from ECOUST to TANK AVENUE
170 long, 80 3/4 pickets and 25 coils of wire carried to HORSESHOE.
1 Platoon on maintenance etc. of TANK AVENUE. 24 x dug out and 2 fire bays completed.
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next page : File WO-95-1646-2_3-74
MORY
3rd August
Weather: Very wet and cold. Wind: North Westerly.
The Battalion rested.
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
MORY
4th August
Weather: Wet and cold. Wind: South Westerly.
A Coy: erected 250 x 3 stake wide wire complete with apron and loose, new reserve line. (continuation of MANCHESTER RESERVE).
also carried up 300 A.1. pickets, 600 screw pickets, 183 coils wire.
B Coy: on improvement of PELICAN AVENUE. 2 Platoons.
2 Platoons on detachment AVELUY, MORY DUMP ETC.
C Coy: wiring new reserve line. From point U. 26. d. 8.5 towards PELICAN AVENUE. 210 x completed.
1 Platoon pushing up wire from ECOUST DUMP to EMBANKMENT (by trolley)
1 Platoon carrying from EMBANKMENT to job.
1 Platoon on maintenance of BULLECOURT AVENUE.
D Coy: Completed 130 x of wire from U. 29. c. 1.7 to U. 29. c. 4.6. also 1st fence from U. 29. c. 4.6 to U. 29. c. 4.3 app. 150 x .
[continued on next page]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next page : File WO-95-1646-2_3-75
MORY
[continued from previous page]
4th August
Pushed up 50 trench mats and 80 trestles from ECOUST to TANK AVENUE. 38 men widening and improving TANK AVENUE between points U. 28. d. 6.0 & U. 28. d. 6.2.
9 men laying trench mats in TANK AVENUE by day.
Night
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
5th August.
Weather: Showery & cold. Wind: Northerly, (light).
A Coy: 200 x 3 stake wide wire complete with apron and loose from PELICAN AVE. towards MANCHESTER RESERVE, (on new reserve line).
100 x 3 stake wide wire complete with apron and loose in continuation of MANCHESTER RESERVE.
Also carried up 120 A.1. pickets, 260 screw, 280 coils wire.
B Coy: 2 Platoons on maintenance of PELICAN AVENUE and KNUCKLE AVENUE.
2 Platoons on detachment at AVELUY etc.
C Coy: Wiring as yesterday. 300 x completed. 2 Platoons wiring.
1 Platoon (less 1 section) pushing from ECOUST DUMP to EMBANKMENT & carrying to job.
[continued on next page]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next page : File WO-95-1646-2_3-76
MORY
[continued from previous page]
5th Aug.
1 Platoon laying trench boards in BULLECOURT AVENUE.
1 Section pushing up trench mats & trestles to BULLECOURT AVENUE.
D Coy: Loaded on trollies at ECOUST DUMP 200 stakes and 30 coils wire and pushed same to TANK AVENUE.
Completing wire round HORSESHOE for distance of 170 x .
TANK AVENUE widening for distance of 80 x .
Night
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
6th Aug.
Weather Fine and warm. Wind: North Easterly.
A Coy: 280 x 3 stake wide wire completed with apron fence and loose in continuation of MANCHESTER RESERVE.
This completes the wiring between MANCHESTER RESERVE - PELICAN AVENUE (New Reserve Line) & joined up with C Coy.
B Coy: Widening and deepening 30 x PELICAN AVENUE. The trench had been badly blown in, in 3 places near SUNKEN ROAD. These were re-excavated.
C Coy: continuing wire on new Reserve Line from RAILWAY towards PELICAN AVENUE.
[continued on next page]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next page : File WO-95-1646-2_3-77
MORY
[continued from previous page]
6th Aug.
105 x completed; joined up with A Coy. Two platoons on maintenance of BULLECOURT AVENUE & laying trench boards.
D Coy: wiring switch support. Completed wire from U. 29. c. 3.3 to C. 5. a. 58 & joined up with 62nd Div. wire.
1 N.C.O. & 10 men carrying material from TANK AVENUE to job.
54 men widening and improving TANK AVENUNE between points U. 28. d. 5.2 to U. 28. d. 45.40.
Night
Casualties: Nil
VALHEUREUX : detachment with Machine Guns returned on 30th July 1917.
AVELUY : Detachment returned today.
18 men from R.E. DUMP MORY to return on the morning of the 9th August 1917.
Detachment on ANTI-AIRCRAFT DEFENCE at DOULLENS to remain for the present.
The above completed the work in this area prior to handing over.
W.T.J.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next page : File WO-95-1646-2_3-78
MORY
7th Aug.
Weather: Wet and thundery. Wind: N. Easterly Light.
The Btn. in bed during the day. Football games in the evening.
During the afternoon D Coy' returned from Camp at VRAUCOURT to Hq. Camp at B. 15. c. 0.3
W.T.J.
8th Aug.
Weather: Wet. Wind: Southerly, light.
Company Parades for the purpose of getting equipment & rifles etc. clean.
Football & games in the evening.
W.T.J.
9th Aug.
Weather: Heavy thunder storms. Wind: S. Westerly, light.
Battalion rested.
Casualties: Nil
10th Aug.
Maps 51C and 57D. NEW CAMP 51C. R. 27. d. 8.3
Weather Fine and warm. Wind: S. Westerly
Reveille 6am. Breakfast 6:45am. Camp struck 7:15am.
Camp material and packs loaded on light railway trucks in "New Diversion Sidings" enclosing Camp.
8:45am the Bn. paraded and entrained in light railway trucks.
9:00am - 9:30am. Three trains left old camp at B. 15. c. 0.3 for new camp at Breteuiowit [Breteuil?] ) of 9.9 ton bogey waggons each left at intervals of say 10 minutes each.
[continued on next page]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next page : File WO-95-1646-2_3-79
[continued from previous page]
10th Aug.
Bn. Detrained at 11:45am and marched to NEW CAMP at "BLAMONT MILL," BRETENCOURT R. 27. d. 8.3. one mile from light Railway.
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
11th Aug.
Weather: showery. Wind: S. Westerly, strong.
Companies completing erection of NEW CAMP making football fields etc.
The Bn. was inoculated by the M.O. between 8th and 10th inst.
The Lewis Gun detachment from DOULLENS returned.
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
12th Aug.
Weather: Fair. Wind: S. Westerly, light.
C. of E. parade service in Camp at 9:30am.
Communion Service at 10am.
Voluntary services C. of E. in the Cucina[?] BRETANCOURT at 7am, 8 am & 6pm. Non C. of E.
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
WAR DIARIES - NATIONAL ARCHIVES
WO-95-1646-2_3
1st AUGUST 1917 - 31st AUGUST 1917
ORDER PAPERS Etc.
Next page : File WO-95-1646-2_3-80
"BLAMONT MILL," BRETENCOURT R. 27. d. 8.3.
13th Aug.
Weather: Showery. Wind: S. Westerly, light.
Battalion training. Close order drill, P.T. & Bayonet Fighting and musketry until noon. Games in the afternoon.
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
14th Aug.
Weather: Fair during day. Stormy in the evening. Wind: S. Westerly, light.
Work as yesterday.
Casualties: Nil.
W.T.J.
15th Aug. Weather: Unsettled. Wind: South Westerly.
Training as yesterday. Games in afternoon, Night marching on compass.
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
16th Aug
Weather: Fair. Wind: Westerly, strong.
Training during the morning. Games in afternoon. Regimental Officers dinner at Grosville. The C.R.E. 7th Division and his Adjt. attended.
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
17th Aug.
Weather: Fair. Wind: S. Westerly, strong.
[continued on next page]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next page : File WO-95-1646-2_3-81
"BLAMONT MILL" BRETENCOURT R. 27. d. 8.3
17th Aug.
[continued from previous page]
Company training during the morning. games in the afternoon.
Lecture by Divisional Gas Officer to Senior Officers of the Battalion.
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
18th Aug.
Weather: Fair. Wind: Westerly, strong.
Company training during the morning. Games in the afternoon.
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
19th Aug.
Weather: Fine. Wind: Westerly, strong.
Divine Services in camp. Games in the afternoon.
1 Company in preparation of the ground for the Divisional Fair.
Casualties: Nil
Battalion Dinner in Camp for N.C.O. & men
W.T.J.
20th Aug. Weather: fine. Wind: Westerly, light.
Two companies on preparation of the ground for the Divisional Fair.
A Coy. on technical training under the 528. R.E's. (Bridge building)
Remaining Coy. on Platoon training.
At night training and practice by Companies forming five working parties to repel night attacks & Counter attack.
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next page : File WO-95-1646-2_3-82
"BLAMONT MILL" BRETENCOURT R. 27. d. 8.3
21st Aug.
Weather: fine. Wind: westerly, light.
One company on preparation of ground for Divisional Fair.
B Company on Technical Training und R.E's. (Bridge Building)
Remainder of Battalion on Range Practices.
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
22nd Aug.
Weather: Fair. Wind: South Easterly to Southerly.
Two Companies on preparation of ground for Divisional Fair.
C Company on Technical training under 528 Coy. R.E's. (Bridge building)
One Company training.
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
23rd Aug.
Weather: Showery. Wind: S. Westerly, light.
One company engaged on preparation of ground for Divisional Fair.
Three Companies training. Then work was inspected by the G.O.C. 7th Division.
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next page : File WO-95-1646-2_3-83
"BLAMONT MILL" BRETENCOURT R. 27. d. 8.3
24th Aug.
Weather: Showery. Wind: South Westerly, strong.
Two Companies on preparation of ground for Divisional fair in morning.
Two Companies on preparation of ground for Divisional fair in afternoon.
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
25th Aug.
Weather: Fine. Wind: Westerly, strong.
Divisonal fair at HENDECOURT.
No Work.
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
26th Aug.
Weather: Fine and Warm. Heavy rain in night. Wind: Strong, Southerly.
C. of E. & N.C. of C. of E. services in Camp.
W.T.J
27th Aug.
Weather: Southerly, Storm.
Battalion on taking down erections and clearing ground which formed the site for Divisional fair.
Casualties: Nil
Advanced party for move to report at DOULLENS at 10pm.
W.T.J.
28th Aug.
Weather: Wet and strong. Wind: Southerly.
Four Coys. on clearing Divisional Fair Ground.
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next page : File WO-95-1646-2_3-84
"BLAMONT MILL" BRETENCOURT R. 27. d. 8.3
29th Aug.
The Battalion occupied on cleaning equipment etc. and striking and clearing Camp.
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
30th Aug.
Map. BELGIUM & FRANCE SHEET 27 1/40,000 Edition 2
The Battalion moved in accordance with attached Operation Order dated 28th August 1917.
'Y' Party detrained at 4pm at PROVEN and X party detrained at the same place at 10pm, and both respectively marched to Dallington Camp WIPPENHOEK AREA. L. 29. c. 8.2 Map BELGIUM & FRANCE SHEET 27, 1/40,000. The Battalion was reported present at 2am on the 31st inst.
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
31st Aug.
Map. BELGIUM sheet 28 Map. 28 N.W. Edn. 6A
The Battalion moved on short notice by MOTOR WAGGONS from DALLINGTON CAMP to ESPLANADE RAMPARTS, YPRES; and took up billets in the tunnels there, I[?], 13. c.2.8. The transport proceeded to Camp at H. 22. a. 1.9 Map BELGIUM, Sheet 28 N.W. Edn. 6A
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next page : File WO-95-1646-2_3-85
Copy No. XII
SECRET
24th Battalion The Manchester Regt. (Pioneers)
OPERATION ORDER NO. 16
28-8-17
_________________________
REFERENCE: 1/100,000, LENS & HAZEBROUK
1.
The Battalion will move from the present area by rail entraining at SAULTY Station on the 30th August, as under:-
"X" party: -"A" Coy., Asst. T.O., "A" Coy's Cooker and Tool waggons, 1 "B" Coy Tool waggon and 1 "C Coy.Tool waggon.
"Y" Party: - The Battalion, less "X" party.
March: - Via BRETENCOURT, GROSVILLE, BEAUMETZ and LARBRET.
2.
(a) "Y" party will be entrained at 5:30 am, 30th inst.
The Transport will leave camp at midnight, 29th/30th.
"B" Coy., Band and Bn. Headquarters, "C" Coy., "D" Coy., (in above order) will be paraded ready to move off in column of route by 1:00 am., the head of "B" Coy., being on the track and level with the ruins of the Mill.
(b) "X" party will be entrained by 9:30 am, instant, and will be under the command of Captain C.H. LEE from 1:00 am 30th instant until they re-join the Battalion at its destination.
(c) Transport of both parties will be loaded on their respective trains by a party of the 2nd Bn. Gordon Highlanders.
(d) Lieut. H.E. BRAINE will proceed to the station in advance of the Battalion to allot accommodation on the train for "Y" party.
3.
(a) All tents, shelters and tarpaulins will be struck and stacked by Q.M. Stores by 7:00 pm, 29th instant.
(b) One Armstrong, one Nissen and two Summer Huts will be left standing: they will accommodate "X" Party for the night of 29th/30th. Any complete structure may also be left standing.
(c) All bivouac material, etc., will be stacked by the Canteen Hut before Companies move.
4.
"D" Coy., will be prepared to form the unloading party on arrival at destination.
5.
(a) Breakfasts will be eaten at the Station prior to entraining.
(b) Dry rations for consumption on the 30th will be carried on the man: meat, tea and sugar on the cookers.
(c) Rations for consumption on the 31st instant will be carried on the supply waggons which will be with "Y" party.
Issued at 4:00 pm.
(Signed) A. St. G. WALSH, Captain /and Adjutant
Copy No.
1. Commdg. Off'r. 2. Captain C.H.LEE
3. Quartermaster 4. Medical Officer
5. Transport Off'r. 6. O.C. 'A' Coy.
7. O.C. 'B'. Coy. 8. O.C. 'C'. Coy.
9. O.C. 'D'. Coy. 10. Lieut. H.E.BRAINE
11. Asst. Transport Off'r. 12. War Diary
13. War Diary 14 Office.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
