Battalion war diary March 1917
1/6th Battalion South Staffordshire war diaries
1917
|
March |
POMMIER |
| 1st Thursday | In Divisional Reserve. Battalion Training. |
| 2nd Friday | Battalion relieved the 1/5th South Staffordshire Regiment in the Trenches. Enemy shelled Transport Route at night. |
| BERLES-AU-BOIS | |
| 3rd Saturday | Quiet day. Enemy bombarded the Ravine with lachrymatory shells during the evening. |
| 4th Sunday | Quiet day. |
| 5th Monday | Battalion relieved in the Trenches during the afternoon by the 2/7th Battalion London Regt. and proceeded into Divisional Reserve at POMMIER. Enemy shelled NOBS WALK and BERLES-AU-BOIS during relief. |
| POMMIER | |
| 6th Tuesday | In Divisional Reserve. |
| 7th Wednesday | Battalion moved into Rest Billets at POMMERA. |
| POMMERA | |
| 8th Thursday | Battalion Training. |
| 9th Friday | Battalion Training. |
| 10th Saturday | Battalion Training. |
| 11th Sunday | Battalion moved to new billets at. |
| BAYENCOURT | |
| 12th Monday | Battalion Training. |
| 13th Tuesday | Battalion moved to BIEZ WOOD in Reserve to the 1/5th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment for attack on BUCQUOY. |
| BIEZ WOOD | |
| 14th Wednesday | Battalion relieved and returned to Rest Billets at BAYENCOURT. |
| BAYENCOURT | |
| 15th Thursday | Battalion Resting. |
| 16th Friday | Battalion Training. |
| 17th Saturday | Battalion Training. |
| 18th Sunday |
The Battalion relieved the 5th Corps Mounted Troops in the HANNESCAMP SECTOR during the afternoon, and found them in the act of pursuing the Germans who had evacuated their positions. |
| HANNESCAMPS | |
| 19th Monday | Battalion withdrawn to HANNESCAMPS and carried out salvage work in our own trenches, and clearing of barricades on roads. |
| 20th Tuesday | Battalion continued salvaging operations and clearing roads. |
| 21st Wednesday | Battalion continued salvaging operations and clearing roads. |
| 22nd Thursday | Battalion continued salvaging operations and clearing roads. |
| 23rd Friday | Battalion marched up to BUS-EN-ARTOIS and took up billets there. |
| BUS-EN-ARTOIS | |
| 24th Saturday | Battalion marched to CONTAY and took up billets there. |
| CONTAY | |
| 25th Sunday | Battalion marched to BERTANGLES and took up billets there. |
| BERTANGLES | |
| 26th Monday | The Battalion embussed on the AMIENS Road and was conveyed to SALEUX to take up billets at BOVELLES. Instructions were received en-route that billets at latter place were not available and that the Battalion would be billeted at SALEUX. Billets at SALEUX not being available the Battalion marched to DURY and took up billets there, arriving at 11.00 p.m. |
| DURY | |
| 27th Tuesday | Battalion resting. |
| 28th Wednesday | Battalion entrained at SALEUX Station at 11.30 p.m. |
| 29th Thursday | Battalion detrained at LILLERS and marched to LESPRESSES and billeted there. |
| LESPRESSES | |
| 30th Friday | Battalion Training. |
| 31st Saturday | Battalion marched up to AUCHY-AU-Bois and took up billets there. |
| TOTAL CASUALTIES FOR MONTH OF MARCH 1917:- Officers - Nil Other Ranks Wounded – 4 Wounded (Gassed) – 1 Wounded (Gassed – at duty) - 1 Died of Wounds - 1 H. HANFORD, Capt. & Adj. For Lieut.-Colonel, Commanding 1/6th Battalion, The South Staffordshire Regiment. |
With thanks to Roy Evans
NA WO 95/2687