Battalion War Diary December 1915
1/6th Battalion South Staffordshire war diaries
1915
| DECEMBER | CROIX BARBEE |
| 1st Wednesday | As much indoor training carried out as possible. All of the men of the Battalion bathed. |
| 2nd Thursday | The Battalion relieved the 1/6th North Staffs Rgt in the Trenches. |
| 3rd Friday | All quiet on our front. |
| 4th Saturday | The Battalion was relived in the trenches by the 7th King’s Own Royal L. Rgt, 56th Brigade, 19th Division, and proceeded to Rest Billets at Croix Barbee. |
| PACAUT | |
| 5th Sunday | The Battalion marched to PACAUT, and took billets there. |
| 6th Monday | Inspection of clothing and kits. Inspection of arms and ammunition. Lectures on “Duties on board ship”, by Company Commanders. |
| 7th Tuesday | Inspection of Companies by Commanding Officer. Inspection of Battalion by the G.O.C. 46th Division. |
| 8th Wednesday | Inspection of Platoons by platoon Comanders. Drill in guard mounting. Route march by Companies. Lectures to Platoons on “Care of arms and ammunition”. |
| 9th Thursday | The morning was devoted to the cleaning of equipment and clothing. Route march. |
| 10th Friday | Drill in Guard Mounting. Route march by Companies. Lectures to Platoons on “Duties in Barracks” and Extended Order Drill. |
| 11th Saturday | Platoon Drill under the Regimental Sgt. Major. Route march. All subaltern officers and senior N.C.O’s lectured by Rgt. Sgt. Major on “Barrack Discipline”. Company Drill. |
| 12th Sunday | Sunday. |
| 13th Monday | Platoon Drill. Company Drill. Route March. Lectures by Regimental Sgt. Major. |
| 14th Tuesday | A Composite Company sent to Divisional Training School at CALONNE for training purposes, and retd same night. Brigadier General inspected No 4 Platoon in full marching order, and was also present at a lecture to No 10 Platoon on “EXTENDED ORDER”. |
| 15th Wednesday | Platoon Drill, and Guard Mounting. Route March. Company Drill. Lectures to Platoons on “ADVANCE GUARDS”. |
| 16th Thursday | Platoon Drill, and Guard Mounting. Route March. Company Drill. Lectures to Platoons on “REAR GUARDS”. |
| 17th Friday | Battalion inspected by Commanding Officer. Company drill. Lectures to Companies on “COMPANY IN ATTACK”. |
| 18th Saturday | Platoon drill. Inspection of rifles. Drill in Guards and Guard mounting. Lectures to Companies on “COMPANY IN DEFENCE”. |
| LE PONT A BALQUE | |
| 19th Sunday | The Battalion marched to le Pont a Balque and took up billets there. |
| 20th Monday | Company and Platoon drill. Lectures to Platoons on “Duties on board ship”. Arms drill under Section Commanders. |
| 21st Tuesday | Company and Platoon drill. Lecture on “OUTPOSTS AT NIGHT”. Drill in Guard Mounting. Arms drill. Route march. |
| 22nd Wednesday | Company and Platoon drill. Guards and Guard Mounting. Lecture by the Adjutant to all Subaltern Offs. Lectures to Coys on “DUTIES OF SENTRY GROUPS IN AN OUTPOST LINE”. Route march. |
| 23rd Thursday | Company and Platoon drill. Guards and Guard Mounting. Saluting drill. N.C.O’s paraded under Rgt Sgt Major for instruction. |
| 24th Friday | Observed by Battn as XMAS DAY in view of entrainment on December 25th 1915. |
| 25th Saturday | THE BATTN ENTRAINED AT BERGETTE STATION at 3-40 p.m. |
| TRAIN | |
| 26th Sunday and 27th Monday |
These days were spent in travelling, the Battn arrived at MARSEILLES at 9 p.m. 27th December 1915 and proceeded to SANTI CAMP. |
| MARSEILLES | |
| 28th Tuesday | Drill in Guards and Guard Mounting. Platoon Drill. Route March. Lecture to coys “PATROLS FROM AN OUTPOST LINE” |
| 29th Wednesday | Drill in Guards and Guard Mounting. Inspection of rifles by Armourer Q.M. Sgt. Lecture to Coys on “DUTIES ON BOARD SHIP”. Machine Gun Instruction. Signalling Instruction. Bugle Practice. |
| 30th Thursday | Rapid loading and aiming. Route march. Lecture to coys on “FIRE CONTROL”. |
| 31st Friday | Rapid loading and aiming. Route march. Lecture to coys on “FIRE CONTROL”. Total casualties for month. 5 other ranks wounded. |
| R.C. Piper Capt. & Adjutant for Lieut. Colonel. Commanding 6th Battalion,The South Staffordshire Regiment 31-12-1915 |