Battalion war diary March 1916
1/6th Battalion South Staffordshire war diaries
1916
| MARCH | AUTHEUX |
| 1st Wednesday | Battalion Training:- Rapid loading. Fire direction & control. Route march by Companies. Bayonet Fighting. Bomb practice. |
| 2nd Thursday | Battalion training:- Judging Distance. Fire Direction & Control. Bayonet Fighting. Platoon drill. Route March by Companies. Battalion Drill. |
| 3rd Friday | Battalion Training:- Musketry on Range. Battalion Drill. |
| 4th Saturday | Battalion Training:- Bayonet Fighting. Fire Direction & Control. Judging Distance. Musketry on Range. Battalion Drill. |
| 5th Sunday | SUNDAY |
| 6th Monday | Battalion marched to New Billets at REBREUVIETTE. |
| 7th Tuesday | The Battalion marched into assembly trenches North East of VERMEILLES. |
| 8th Wednesday | Battalion marched to New Billets at HOUVIN. |
| 9th Thursday | Battalion marched to New Billets at MAZIERES. |
| 10th Friday | Battalion training in billets. |
| 11th Saturday | Battalion march to New Billets at MONT ST ELOY. Advance party proceeded to Trenches at NEUVILLE ST. VAAST. |
| 12th Sunday | Machine Gunners, Bombers, Signallers proceeded to Trenches. |
| 13th Monday | Battalion relieved the 50th French Regiment in the Trenches at NEUVILLES ST. VAAST. Relief reported complete Midnight 13/14-3-1916 |
| 14th Tuesday | Quiet day. |
| 15th Wednesday | Quiet day. |
| NEUVILLE ST. VAAST | |
| 16th Thursday | Quiet day. |
| 17th Friday | Quiet day except for a little bombing which ceased when we replied vigorously. |
| 18th Saturday | Quiet day. |
| 19th Sunday | Enemy directed many rifle grenades against Y listening post. A little H.E. Shelling by enemy over Parallel 8 & ST. VAAST. Battalion was relieved in the trenches by 1/5th South Staffs Regt. |
| 20th Monday | Working parties found for Hutments etc. |
| 21st Tuesday | ditto. |
| 22nd Wednesday | ditto. |
| 23rd Thursday | ditto. |
| 24th Friday | ditto. |
| 25th Saturday | The Battn. relieved the 1/5th South Staffs Regt in the Trenches. Relief reported complete 11-15 p.m. |
| 26th Sunday | Quiet day on our front. Our Field Guns shelled trenches beyond B6. Heavy Bombing and M.G. fire in the sector on our right. |
| 27th Monday | Very quiet day, until 10 p.m. when enemy commenced heavy fire with mortars, Field Guns, rifle grenades, and machine Guns on ground between 063 ans OS63,064 and OR64. This ceased upon vigorous action of our Field Guns. Enemy trench mortars fired intermittently single bombs during the night. |
| 28th Tuesday | Enemy fired eleven heavy trench bombs which fell behind 065 and 064 between 6 a.m. and noon. |
| 29th Wednesday | Enemy shelled our trenches heavily from 2 p.m. to 2-20 p.m. using Howitzers and H.E., concentrating upon 063, 064, OS03, OS64 with H.E. and the ground between these trenches with Howitzers. Our Artillery barrage operated very quickly. At 6-50 p.m. last night we sprang a mine which formed a crater on left of B4. The whole was occupied and partly consolidated. Our Artillery support followed prompt upon the explosion, and was excellent in effect. The enemy severely bombarded PAYERNE TRENCH and 063, 064, OS63, OS64 with H.E. His Howitzers damaged BOYOU DES ONDES and DENIS LAROQUE. Intermittent artillery fire continued till 8 p.m. and from that time the situation was quiet, and the work of repairing and consolidating was pressed on. |
| 30th Thursday | Quiet day. Battalion relieved by 1/5th Btn South Staffs Regt in the trenches, and went into Brigade Reserve in billets at NEUVILLE ST VAAST. |
| 31st Friday | In Brigade Reserve Casualties for tour :- 2/Lieutenant C.R. Pearson. Killed. 18-3-1916. Lieutenant G.H. Smith. Died of wounds. 29-3-1916. Lieutenant P.H. Highfield-Jones. Wounded 16-3-1916. Captain H.A. Page. Slightly wounded. (At duty) 18-3-1916. 2/Lieutenant J.P. Miller. Wounded. 30-3-1916 3 Other Ranks killed. 15 Other Ranks Wounded. (2 slightly remaining at duty) |
| J H J Thursfield, Major, for OC1 6th Battalion,The South Staffordshire Regiment 31-03-1916 |