Battalion war diary April 1915
1/6th Battalion South Staffordshire war diaries
(annotated)
| APRIL | BALLIEUL |
| 1st Thursday | The battalion marched to Ballieul |
| BULFORD CAMP | |
| 2nd Friday | The battalion marched to Bulford Camp and took over the camp from the 5th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment |
| Good Friday | |
| 3rd Saturday | Companies at the disposal of Company Commanders for musketry exercises and physical drill. |
| Raining very heavy. | |
| 4th Sunday | Sunday. |
| Raining heavy. Easter Sunday |
|
| 5th Monday | Companies at the disposal of Company Commanders for musketry and physical exercises. |
| Raining all day and night | |
| WULVERGHEM | |
| 6th Tuesday | Battalion marched to Wulverghem and took over trenches from the 5th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment. |
| Weather a little better 22.00 handover, 5th SSR back at Bulford 02.00 |
|
| 7th Wednesday | Situation quiet. |
| Lance Corporal George Fredrick Butler 1770 KIA aged 20 | |
| 8th Thursday | Situation quiet, artillery quiet. |
| 9th Friday | Situation quiet, enemy placed 3 shells 300 yds north of X dugout. |
| Private Sydney Samual Beddows 3440 KIA Private Wilfred Ray Jones 3021 KIA aged 29 Private Henry Shinton 3166 KIA aged 21 Private William Steen Whittle 2834 KIA aged 28 |
|
| 10th Saturday | Situation quiet, enemy’s artillery opened at 5.20 pm on trenches AR and AS, damage done slight.Our artillery opened in return and obtained direct hits in enemy’s trenches. Battalion was relieved by 5th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment and marched to rest camp. Total casualties during tour of duty:- Killed 5. Wounded 7. |
| BULFORD CAMP | |
| 11th Sunday | Sunday. |
| 12th Monday | Companies at the disposal of Company Commanders for cleaning clothing, rifles and ammunition. Inspection by Commanding Officer. |
| Private Arthur Coomes 2397 DOW aged 22 | |
| 13th Tuesday | Companies at the disposal of Company Commanders.30 yards Range allotted for practice. |
| WULVEGHEM | |
| 14th Wednesday | Companies at the disposal of Company Commanders until evening.Battalion relieved 5th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment in trenches. |
| Private Godfrey Rickets 2861 A company DOW aged 19 Aubers heavy rain |
|
| 15th Thursday | Situation quiet. |
| 16th Friday | Situation quiet, artillery quiet. |
| Jack Norton wrote letter home | |
| 17th Saturday | Situation quiet.Enemy shelled 8, 9, 10 AR trenches in the afternoon, no damage done. |
| 18th Sunday | Battalion relieved by 5th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment. Total casualties:- 3 wounded. |
| Lance Corporal Fredrick Lockley 1778 DOW aged 17 | |
| BULFORD CAMP | |
| 19th Monday | Companies at the disposal of Company Commanders for cleaning of clothes, equipment and rifles, ammunition etc. |
| 20th Tuesday | Companies at the disposal of Company Commanders for company drill etc.Inspection of “B†Company by Brigadier General. Inspection of camp by G.O. Commanding. |
| 21st Wednesday | One company engaged in digging. Remainder of Battalion at the disposal of Company Commanders for physical drill etc. |
| Private John James Norton 2672 B company KIA aged 23 ? B company digging trenches. 1/5 War diary Further sniping along 8 & 9 trenches. 9199 Pte. A. Walker, 8814 Pte. R.W. Hempshaw both A coy. Wounded. Two H.E. shells and two shrapnel burst near and over Souvenir farm about 1.00pm. Major J. Lees wounded. 16 HE shells burst in and near trench 9 doing much damage to 9b. Working parties brought in A fire (10 rounds) opened on German trenches at 10.30pm 5456 Pte. Hounslow wounded (died later). |
|
| 22nd Thursday | Companies at the disposal of Company Commanders for instruction in erecting wire entanglements.Cleaning equipment and rifles. Battalion relieved 5th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment in the trenches. |
| ?Cloudy night, slight moonlight |
|
| WULVEGHEM | |
| 23rd Friday | Situation quiet.Enemy artillery active. |
| 24th Saturday | Situation quiet. |
| 25th Sunday | Situation quiet. |
| 26th Monday | Situation quiet. Enemy’s artillery shelled Support Points, no damage done. Battalion relieved by 5th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment.Total casualties:- 1 Officer. 5 Other ranks wounded. |
| Private Walter Ernest Cheetham 2788 DOW aged 20 | |
| BULFORD CAMP | |
| 27th Tuesday | Companies at the disposal of Company Commanders for cleaning of clothes, equipment and ammunition etc. |
| 28th Wednesday | Battalion engaged in digging G.H.Q. Trench, 3 companies each working for a period of 3 hours. |
| 29th Thursday | Battalion engaged in digging G.H.Q. Trench, 3 companies each working for a period of 3 hours. |
| 30th Friday | Working party of 250 N.C.O.’s and men engaged in completing G.H.Q. trenches.Remainder of battalion at disposal of Company Commanders for cleaning equipment, rifles and ammunition. Cleaning up of camp etc. Battalion relieved 5th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment in trenches. |
| T.F. WATERHOUSE Lt. Col.Commanding 6th Battalion, The South Staffordshire Regiment |
May 9th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Hi - I am looking for information on all aspects of life, action and events relating to 1/5th South Staffords from their arrival in 1916 to return in 1918.
I had 3 Great Uncles (all Smith’s)in the 1/5th, 1 was killed in 1917, 1 killed October 1918 and another who lost a leg in (i beleive)the same battle as the brother killed in October 1918.
My three Great Uncles were not the only ones in the forces - my Grandfather was wounded on the Somme as a member of the Green Howards, another was in the RAF and another in the ASC.
If any help can be offered - please make contact.
Many thanks - Eric Smith