2/6th Battalion war diary March 1917
2/6th Battalion South Staffordshire war diaries
1917
| March | MERICOURT SUR SOMME |
| 1st Friday | The Battalion proceeded by route march to MERICOURT-SUR-SOMME and were billeted in huts. |
| 2nd Saturday to 7th Thursday | The Battalion remained at MERICOURT-SUR-SOMME. The training of all specialists was continued. The advanced Party who had been attached to the 9th Durham Light Infantry for instruction rejoined the Battalion on the 2nd March. |
| FOUCAUCOURT | |
| 8th Friday | The Battalion proceeded by route march to FOUCAUCOURT and were again billeted in huts. On this day the Battalion became battalion in Brigade reserve. |
| 9th Saturday | Two Officers and one Platoon from each company proceeded to front line and were attached to the 2/5th North Staffordshire Regiment for instruction. |
| GENERMONT | |
| 10th Sunday to 13th Wednesday | Several enemy H.E. shells fell near the men’s huts and exploded without causing casualties. The Battalion relieved the 2/5th North Staffordshire Regt. in front line sector immediately south of Genermont (Map reference Sheet 62 C SW Edition 3A) from T.15.a.3.7 to T.9.b.8.7. Those trenches were held by the Battalion until the night of the 14th March. No operations were undertaken either by the Battalion or the enemy on this front during this period. Enemy snipers were busy the whole time. B Company had 4 casualties on the 13th March. Rain fell heavily on two nights. Communication and front line trenches were very wet and muddy in some places the mud being knee deep. Great difficulty was experienced in getting up water and rations owing to the mud and the men were very exhausted. |
| BERNY | |
| 14th Thursday | The Battalion were relieved by the 2/5th North Staffordshire Regt. and went into support relieving the 2/6th North Staffordshire Regt. in support trenches at BERNY. |
| FOUCAUCOURT | |
| 15th Friday | Owing to the exhausted condition of the men and the number of sick the Battalion were relieved by the 2/6th The Sherwood Forresters and proceeded by march to FOUCACOURT where they were billeted in huts being temporarily attached to the 178th Infantry Brigade. |
| 16th Saturday | Lieutenant-Colonel G.J. Speir handed over command of the Battalion to Major J. Stuart-Wortley. The men were engaged cleaning clothing and equipment and making up deficiencies. |
| 17th Sunday and 18th Monday | The Battalion were engaged cleaning clothing and equipment and making up deficiencies. |
| 19th Tuesday | Orders received for the Battalion to move on the 20th March and occupy the old front line trenches south of GENERMONT. |
| GENERMONT | |
| 20th Wednesday | The Battalion marched to GENERMONT and occupied the dugouts in the old front line trenches south of GENERMONT. |
| BERNY-FRESNES-MISERY Road | |
| 21st Thursday to 23rd Saturday | All available strength engaged on Divisional line of communication remaking the BERNY-FRESNES-MISERY road. |
| FRESNES | |
| 23rd Saturday | The Battalion moved forward and occupied the German dugouts at FRESNES |
| BERNY-FRESNES-MISERY Road | |
| 24th Sunday to 26th Tuesday | All available strength engaged as on 21st, 22nd & 23rd. |
| Between MAZENCOURT and MISERY | |
| 27th Wednesday | The Battalion moved forward and occupied the German dugouts between MAZENCOURT and MISERY. |
| MONS-EN-CHAUSSEE | |
| 28th Thursday | The Battalion marched from MISERY to MONS-EN-CHAUSSEE and were billeted here in cellars. All houses, wells and fruit trees in this town were destroyed by the enemy before their retirement. |
| 29th Friday | One officer and 60 other ranks engaged on Divisional lines of communication, remaking the BRIE-PRUSLE road at P 25 c 2.4. where enemy mine had been sprung. The remainder of the Battalion were engaged cleaning out cellars at MONS-EN-CHAUSSEE. |
| 30th & 31st | In April diary |
| J. Stuart-Wortley Lt. Col.Commanding 2/6th South Staffordshire Regiment |