Battalion war diary May 1917
1/6th Battalion South Staffordshire war diaries
1917
|
May |
RED MILL ANGRES |
| 1st Tuesday | In Brigade Reserve. |
| 2nd Wednesday | In Brigade Reserve. |
| 3rd Thursday | In Brigade Reserve. |
| 4th Friday | The Battalion relieved the 1/6th Btn North Staffs Regt in the trenches. (See Operation Orders No. 10 dated 3-5-17 attached). |
| 5th Saturday | Quiet day. |
| 6th Sunday | Quiet day. |
| 7th Monday | Quiet day. Enemy bombarded Battalion Headquarters and areas in rear with Gas Shells during the evening. |
| 8th Tuesday | The 1/6th Btn North Staffs Regt relieved the Battalion in the Trenches (see Operation Orders No. 11 dated 7-5-17 attached), the latter Battalion going into Brigade Reserve, with Headquarters in the RED MILL, ANGERS. |
| ANGRES | |
| 9th Wednesday | In Brigade Reserve. |
| 10th Thursday | In Brigade Reserve. |
| 11th Friday | In Brigade Reserve. |
| 12th Saturday | The Battalion being relived by the 5th Btn leicestershire Rgt, proceeded to SAINS-EN-GOHELLES (Division Reserve). See Operation Orders No. 12, dated 11-5-17, attached). |
| SAINS-EN-GOHELLES | |
| 13th Sunday | Bathing and cleaning of clothing and equipment. |
| 14th Monday | Rifle and Kit Inspections. Specialists training under Specialist Officers. |
| 15th Tuesday | “B” and “D” COMPANIES INOCULATED. “A” and “C” COMPANIES Box Respirator Drill. Rapid Loading. Platoon Dril and rapid marching. The Brigade Signal Officer lectured all Officers of the Btn at 5-15 p.m. on the use of the Pigeon, and how to send Messages by the same. |
| 16th Wednesday | “B” and “D” COYS resting after inoculation. ”A” and “C” COYS Battalion Training. |
| 17th Thursday | Battalion Training. |
| 18th Friday | The Battalion was ordered to relieve the 7th Btn Sherwood Foresters in the Left Sub-Sector (See Operation Orders No 13. dated 18-5-17 attached) but this was cancelled by a subsequent order which stated that the 1/6th Btn South Staffs Regt would relieve the 8th Btn Sherwood Foresters in the LEFT SUPPORT LINE (See Operation Order No 14. dated 18-5-17 attached). The two orders were then cancelled and the Battalion ordered to “STAND FAST”. |
| 19th Saturday | The Battalion relieved the 7th Btn Sherwood Foresters in the LEFT SUB-SECTOR (See Operation Orders No 13. dated 18-5-17) as mentioned for the 18-5-1917. |
| PETIT LOOS | |
| 20th Sunday | Quiet day. |
| 21st Monday | Quiet day. |
| 22nd Tuesday | The Battalion was relieved in the trenches by the 1/6th Btn North Staffordshire Regiment (See Operation Orders No 15. dated 22-5-17. attached). |
| IN FRONT OF LENS | |
| 23rd Wednesday | In Brigade Reserve. |
| 24th Thursday | The battalion in support to the 1/6th Btn North Staffs Regt, who were due to make an attack on the Front Line German Trench about 350 yards long. The attack took place at 7 p.m. and was very successful though the whole of the objective was not taken. The 1/6th Btn South Staffs Regt suffered very little from the ENEMY BARRAGE. (See Operation Orders No 16 dated 23-5-17. attached). |
| 25th Friday 4 a.m. |
The enemy laid a very heavy barrage for an hour on the areas behind the front line in which the Battalion was lying. Again we suffered little from the shelling. During the morning two Platoons of “C” COY (2/Lieut. BULLOCK R.N. Commanding) were sent forward to stiffen the captured line, the other two Platoons being in immediate Support. |
| 11 a.m. | The enemy laid a very heavy barrage of 77 c.m. 10.5 c.m. 5.9 and 8” Shells and at about 11-30 a.m. they Counter-attacked up the trenches and over the open. The attack was made in considerable force and our men were obliged to with draw from the trench. The casualties of the 1/6th Btn South Staffs Regt in the 24 hours amounted to 38, amongst which were five killed, and seven missing. A report by 2/lieut. TEETON P.R. is appended. The Battalion relieved the 1/6th Btn North Staffs Regt on the night of the 25/26th May 1917. |
| PETIT LOOS | |
| 26th Saturday | (Blank in diary) |
| 27th Sunday | The 1/5th Btn South Staffs Regt relieved the Battalion in the Trenches, which Battn wnet into Brigade Reserve, with Btn H.Q. at ELVATON CASTLE. (See Operation Orders No 18. dated 27-5-17. attached). |
| ELVASTON CASTLE | |
| 28th Monday | In Brigade Reserve. |
| 29th Tuesday | In Brigade Reserve. |
| 30th Wednesday | The Battalion relieved the 1/5th Btn North Staffs Rgt in P1. Sub-Sector. (see Operation Order No 19. dated 30-5-17. attached). |
| 31st Thursday | (Blank in diary) |
| TOTAL CASUALTIES FOR MONTH OF May 1917:- Major R. Evans 4th Btn Leicestershire Rgt(attached) – Wounded and at duty Captain W.A. Adam – Wounded 2/Lieut. M.L.G.C. Sullivan 1/5 S. Staffs Rgt(attached) – Wounded (gassed) Other Ranks Killed – 17 Missing - 7 Died of wounds – 2 Wounded Accidentally – 6 Wounded Self-inflicted – 6 Wounded – 52 (51) Wounded and at duty - 8 F.J. Trump Lieut.-Colonel, Commanding 1/6th Battalion, The South Staffordshire Regiment. 3rd June 1917 |
NA WO 95/2687