April

AUCHY-AU-BOIS

March

POMMIER

The Battalion relieved the 5^th 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.

February

ST AMAND

January

ST AMAND

December

LE SOUICH

F.J. TRUMP
Lieut.-Colonel, Commanding 1/6^th Battalion, The South Staffordshire Regiment.

November

BONNIERES

October

BERLES-AU-BOIS

September

BERLES-AU-BOIS

All ranks will remove all identification marks, papers, etc. and will be inspected by their respective party officers before leaving for the trenches.
RIFLEMEN. Rifle, Bayonet (darkened) 50 rounds S.A.A. and four bombs in pockets.
BOMBERS. No rifle, 12 bombs on bomb carrying waistcoats.
GAS HELMETS. Gas Helmets one per man will be taken and carried in the inner breast pocket.
Faces to be darkened. White Luminous Paint or White Cloth to be sewn on underside of collar. Flash Lamps will be carried. Mats for crossing enemy wire will be provided by R.E. also 15 ladders (stretcher pattern). ‘P’ Bombs will be carried by each Party for clearing dug-outs. Each man must be provided with some means of cutting wire.
  10. SEQUENCE OF OPERATIONS.
(1) 6” Howitzers will fire on selected points during the day
(2) At 6 p.m. (or earlier) till 9.15 p.m. general bombardment and wire cutting will take place.
(3) At 9 p.m. three patrols under the three second officers of ‘A’, ‘B’ & ‘C’ will move out for the purposes of locating the three best gaps in the enemy wire and taping the routes to same. The patrols will be accompanied by the R.E. details who will take out the Bangalore Torpedoes. These patrols should return not later that 9.45 p.m. the Artillery will not fire on the objectives but will keep up the bombardment elsewhere.
(4) 9.45 p.m. to 10.35 p.m. Artillery will maintain sufficient fire to prevent enemy coming out and discovering and mending gaps in wire.
(5) At 10.35 p.m. to 10.55 p.m. heavy bombardment by Artillery.
(6) At 10.55 p.m. the Raiding Party will attack as arranged.
(7) At 11.20 p.m. unless object is previously attained the Raiding Party will proceed to withdraw.
(8) At 10.55 p.m. The Artillery will lift off the objectives but will continue elsewhere and will not resume firing on object until O/C Battalion advises Artillery that they may do so.
Machine Guns and Lewis Guns of the 138^th Bde will bring fire to bear on enemy’s front line trench and saps between W.29.b.15.30 and W.24.c.01.27 between 9 p.m. and 9.45 and between 10 p.m. and 10.55 p.m. and from 10.55 p.m. until “Cease Fire”.
(1) The 137^th Machine Gun Coy and the 137^th trench Mortar Bty will co-operate under orders from O/C 1/6^th South Staffs Regiment. They will not bring fire to bear on enemy’s lines ‘S’ of W.23.b.90.00
(2) The ‘Cease Fire’ will be ordered by O/C Battalion through the F.O.O. who will inform Brigade. The Heavy and Divisional F.O.O’s will be with the O/C Battalion. Note. The Artillery will lay the necessary wires and test same. Spare instrument and alternative routes will be arranged.
  11. COUNTERSIGN.
O/C Raid will arrange countersign on the day of operations.
  12. WITHDRAWAL.
The signal to withdraw will only be given by O/C Raid. This will be done by Klaxon Horns. NOTE. O/C Raid will detail exact method of withdrawal.
  13.
The second officers of ‘A’, ‘B’ & ‘C’ will not enter the enemy’s trenches, but will remain in gaps and ascertain that their parties have entered the enemy’s trenches, when they will report to O/C Raid for instructions at Central Gap. In the event of the O/C raid becoming a casualty the senior of these officers will take command. These three officers will further accompany the patrols who are doing the taping.
  14. MEDICAL ARRANGEMENTS
(1) The Medical Officer will establish an Advanced Regimental Aid Post in the dugout in trench 108.
(2) ‘A’, ‘B’ & ‘C’ Parties will be accompanied by two stretcher bearers to each party using ladder stretchers – four stretcher bearers with stretchers will accompany O/C raid and will be under his directions. Spare bearers will be available at Advanced Trench R.A.P. Five stretchers with bearers from the 3^rd N.M. Field Ambulance will be at Right Company Headquarters. The R.A.M.C. situated in the RAVINE will be in readiness if called upon.
  15.R.E.
The O/C ½ F. Co. R.E. will be at Advanced Bn. Headquarters during operations to advise the Battalion Commander on technical matters. SILENCE. The importance of absolute silence throughout the operation must be maintained. This must be impressed on all ranks.

(Signed) H. HANFORD Captain
Adjutant 1/6^th Btn. South Staffordshire Regt.
REPORT R.E. OPERATIONS

The Raiding Party assembled in the trenches allotted at 8 p.m. At 8.50 p.m. patrols went out got clear of our own wire. At 9.0 p.m. they went forward to investigate the German wire. At 9.43 p.m. patrol from the right that a gap was cut through the two belts of wire and that the patrol was in with 2/Lieut. JOHNSON slightly wounded.
At 9.36 p.m. left party patrol reported that there was an excellent gap in the wire out on the left of the position. Centre party patrol reported that they had got up to the German wire but had been unable to fully investigate due to our own shrapnel. It was decided that it was unnecessary to use the Bangalore Torpedoes. Captain MANDER then ordered the parties to proceed.
‘A’ Party taking the right gap as arranged and ‘C’ Party the left gap as arranged. ‘B’ Party (Centre Party) he then took towards the right gap under his own Command. Shortly after 10 p.m. all the parties had left our own parapets and successfully negotiated our wire.
There was only a small amount of machine gun fire (from the right) and very little shrapnel. There was none on the points selected for exit. At 10.21 p.m. a telephone message was received at Battalion H.Q. saying that ‘A’ & ‘B’ Parties were in position if front of gaps. Another message received at 11.03 p.m. stated “Assault has started”.
‘A’ Party has gone through the wire, no more news yet.” At 11.06 p.m. bombs were heard thrown at the German front line but no news was to hand.
At 11.12 p.m. two of our wounded men reported that our men were in the German trenches and that Captain MANDER had sent forward one Officer and four men to obtain further information.
At 11.16 p.m. Captain MANDER reported that ‘C’ Party had gone through the gap and were in the German Trenches. He had seen 2/Lieut. McGOWAN and obtained from him the information.
At 11.18 p.m. Bugle sounded “FALL IN”.
At 11.20 p.m. Four prisoners were brought into our trenches.
At 11.30 p.m. Captain MANDER came in and ‘A’ , ‘B’ & ‘C’ Parties were also reported in. Bugle then blew “COOKHOUSE DOOR” from our own trenches to withdraw the Covering Party.
The left Covering Party returned at 11.55 p.m. and the right Covering Party at 12.20 a.m.
The four prisoners were then sent down under escort to Brigade Headquarters.
Our casualties during the raid were as follows:-
1 Officer (2/Lt. JOHNSTON) slightly wounded 1 Other Rank Missing and 2 Other Ranks slightly wounded.

August

BAILLEULMONT

Operation Orders No.6 by Lieut. Colonel J.H. Thursfield for raid on enemy’s trenches 5.8.16.

Reference. Map RANSART 1/10,000 and SECRET SUNPRINT No.6

1. On the night of 5/6th august 1916 a raiding party of one officer (2/Lieut. J.L.C. Wallace) and 30 other ranks of the 1/6th Battn.South Staffs. Regt. And one officer (2/Lieut. Mansell) and 30 other ranks of the 1/5th Bn. South Staffs. Regt., the whole under the command of 2/Lieut Wallace, will enter the enemy’s trenches in his salient, due East of trenches Nos. 106, 107 & 108.
2. OBJECT. i) To destroy enemy’s personnel.

ii) To secure identification.

iii) To destroy enemy trenches.

iv) To assist raiding party of 138th Bde. On our right.

1. COMPOSITION OF PARTIES.

Each of the two detachments will be divided into three parties; those of the 1/6th Bn. South Staffs. Regt. Being numbered 1,2, & 3 and those of the 1/5th South Staffs. Regt. Being numbered Nos. 4,5, & 6. Parties Nos. 1,2,& 3 will be on the Right and Parties 4,5,& 6 on the Left, and will enter the enemy’s trenches through gaps in his wire which are being cut at or about points W.23d.85.85 for Nos. 1,2 & 3 and W23d.85.95 for Nos. 4,5,&6.

1. COMPOSITION OF PARTIES

No. 1 Blocking Party under Corpl. Camp to enter at Right Entrance and turning North block enemy’s trench.

No.2 Bombing Party under L/Cpl. Morris to enter at same point and work down the trench SOUTHWARDS.

No.3 Parapet Party under Sergt. Windridge to deal with any enemy appearing above ground and to cover blocking party and secure the withdrawal of parties Nos. 1&2.

No.4 BLOCKING Party under Cpl. Hutley to enter at Left Entrance and turning South block enemy’s trench.

No.5 Bombing Party under Corpl. Jones to enter at same point and work up trenches Northwards.

No.6 Parapet Party under Cpl. Bash to deal with any enemy appearing above ground and to cover the Blocking Party and secure withdrawal of parties Nos. 4 & 5.

1. R.E. PARTY. Two parties each of 1 N.C.O. and 2 Sappers will accompany Parties Nos. 2 & 5 and carry out demolition. The greatest care must be taken that none of our men are cut off or endangered.
2. STRETCHER BEARERS. Two Stretcher Bearers with Trench Stretchers will accompany parties Nos. 3 & 6.
3. ARTILLERY. Two Batteries of Field Artillery, one section of Howitzers, two guns of Y46 Trench Mortar Battery, and the Stokes guns of the 137th Trench Mortar Battery will form a barrage on the flanks and on the enemy’s support lines at ‘ZERO’ hour, and will continue until the raiding party has withdrawn to our trenches. The Lewis Gun Officer, 1/6th Bn. South Staffs. Regt. Will detail 1 N.C.O. and 2 Gunners to take out a Lewis Gun in front of our wire and cover return of parties and cover right flank.
4. ASSEMBLY. Parties Nos. 1, 2, & 3 will assemble in trench No. 108 and Parties Nos. 4, 5, & 6 in trench No. 109 and will be in position at 10.45 p.m. These parties will leave out front line at ‘ZERO’ minus 15 minutes and will cross in time to enter the gaps in enemy’s wire at ‘ZERO’.
5. SIGNALS FOR WITHDRAWAL. 15 minutes after ‘ZERO’ bouquets of 5 White rockets will be fired from W.22b.9.6 near North Street at intervals of three minutes until ‘ZERO’ plus 24. Rockets will give the approximate line back to our trenches. Parties Nos. 3 & 6 will arrange to lay White tape across the open in order to indicate the way back.
6. WITHDRAWAL. Parties will adopt the following method of withdrawal:- The Bombing Parties Nos. 2 & 5 will withdraw from the flanks and clear the trench, but will first make certain that the retirement of the Blocking Parties Nos. 1 & 4 is protected by the Parapet Parties.

The Blocking Parties will then withdraw to the place of entry and leave the trench, and not until then will the Parapet Party be ordered to withdraw. All parties will return to our lines by the outward routes and will occupy their former places of assembly in trenches Nos. 108 & 109 and report their arrival immediately to Battn. Headquarters.

1. TIME TABLE. ‘ZERO’ will be at 11.25 p.m. Watches will be synchronised by the Bn. Signalling Officer who will obtain the correct time from Brigade at 10 p.m.
2. BATTALION HEADQUARTERS. Battalion Headquarters will be at the Right Company Headquarters in Nuts Walk.
3. IDENTIFICATION MARKS. All marks of identification must be removed from the men of the raiding party.

REPORT RE: OPERATION. The programme as laid down in Battalion Operation Orders was carried out, with the exception that it appeared at 11.10 p.m. that some of our guns were firing on the sector to be dealt with by this Battalion, whereas at this time no barrage should have been placed on the enemy’s lines opposite our front. It appeared that this caused the enemy to send up large numbers of Very Lights and so made it impossible for our men to move without being seen. There is no doubt that the wire had not been completely cut in the gaps, or what is more likely that it had been filled in by the enemy in the evening. He had done some work on the gaps on the previous evening. It would seem to be difficult to keep open such gaps by machine gun fire.

July

SOUASTRE

OPERATION ORDERS by Lt. Col. J.H. Thursfield, Comdg. 1/6^th Battn. South Staffordshire Regiment, of operations on 1^st July 1916.

1. The Battalion will attack the enemy’s position in front and rear of Gommecourt Wood on the 29^th instant at an hour to be notified later, in accordance with 137^th Infantry Brigade Operation Orders No.63, 137^th Infantry Brigade Instructions and Appendicies ‘A’ to ‘Q’ copies of which have already been issued.

The front of the Battalion prior to the attack will be from

1. Gommecourt Road inclusive to Leicester Street exclusive on the left, at a point in the British front line at E.28.a.5.3.
2. The Battalion will be distributed prior to the assault in the advanced trench, present front line, the retrenchment and Watling Street in the following order:-

‘C’ Coy. From Gommecourt Road on the right to C.T. ‘A’ inclusive.

‘A’ Coy. from C.T. ‘A’ exclusive to C.T. ‘A1’ inclusive.

‘B’ Coy from C.T. ‘A1’ exclusive to Sap No.1 inclusive.

‘D’ Coy. from Sap No.1 exclusive to C.T. ‘B1’ inclusive.

Company Commanders will dispose their men in the available

trenches on their respective fronts in such a manner that the

succeeding waves can follow one another at not more than one

minutes interval.

1. All ranks will push forward to the final objective without delay when the assault is commenced, with the exception of one Platoon of ‘A’ Company and one Platoon of ‘D’ Coy. who will consolidate strong points Nos. 2 & 3.
2. The left flank will direct, keeping in touch with the 1/6^th North Staffs Regt. Throughout the forward movement.
3. Artillery lifts opposite the front of the 137^th Infantry Brigade from zero ‘hour of attack’ will be as follows:-

Hrs. mins.

Off the enemy’s front line ZERO

Off the enemy’s second line 3

Off the enemy’s third line

(W. edge of Wood) 8

Off the E. edge of Wood 15

Off the Sunken Road 20

Off Oxus trench 25

Off Fill trench 30

The time of ‘zero’ (hour of attack) will be issued to all concerned.

1. The four Lewis Guns detailed to advance with the second and third waves will protect the advance on the right flank and establish themselves in positions N. of the Gommecourt Road at E.28.c.85.35, E.28.d.0.2., E.28.d.2.3 and E28.d.5.25

They will remain in such positions until the arrival of the troops specially allocated for the defence of this flank, after which they will rejoin their Companies.

1. The trained Bombers will remain with their Companies, and will advance with the assaulting waves, but will be so disposed that they may be readily formed into bombing parties to deal with the enemy’s C.T.s in case the general advance is delayed. They will carry a supply of bombs but will be equipt as other ranks with the exception of the additional S.A.A.
2. All Company runners will make themselves aquainted with the position of Battalion Headquarters both before and after the advance.

Four scouts per Company will be detailed to advance at ‘zero’

1. minus five minutes in order to locate the best routes through the enemy’s wire, where they will remain until the arrival of the fourth wave. The scouts will be warned of the action of our artillery, trench mortars, and machine guns.
2. The Battalion will parade in Fighting Order at an hour to be notified tomorrow.
3. All ranks are reminded that it is of the utmost importance to keep touch with the troops, whether of their own or other units, on their right and left and to render mutual support whenever circumstances require it.

OPERATIONS 1^st July 1916.

The 137^th Infantry Brigade having been ordered to attack GOMMECOURT WOOD and VILLAGE, the Battalion took up their position in our old front line trenches between the FONQUEVILLERS –GOMMECOURT ROAD and Leicester Street (E.28.a.5.3.) at 1 a.m. on 1^st July.

The attack was ordered to commence at 7.30 a.m. in four waves – the Companies advancing by Platoons in depth at a distance of 80 yards – in conjunction with the 1/6^th Battn. North Staffordshire Regiment and two Battalions of the 139^th Infantry Brigade on our left. The assault was preceded by an intense bombardment of the supporting artillery commencing at 6.25 a.m. and was also covered by a smoke barrage which opened five minutes before the attack was launched. During the course of this bombardment the enemy replied vigorously with Howitzers and Field Guns unpon our front line and communication trenches and at intervals he directed short burst of machine gun fire on our parapet and exists from the direction of our front and right front.

At 7.30 a.m. the four platoons of our leading wave having moved out to the new front line, under cover of the smoke advanced to the assault of the enemy’s position and were followed by the succeeding waves. The fourth wave was delayed for about five minutes by the casualties which blocked the communication trenches leading to the front line and by the heavy load which they were carrying.

The disposition of the Companies from right to left was ‘C’ ‘A’ ‘B’ ‘D’ and of these the only Company which was able to penetrate the enemy’s line in any strength was ‘D’ Company on the left, who found that the wire was well cut on their frontage: three platoons of this Company obtained a footing in the front line and some men are reported to have gone further but they were outnumbered and accounted for by the enemy. The remaining three Companies on the right ‘B’ ‘A’ & ‘C’ were held up by the enemy’s wire which had not been so well cut, and although small parties had been able to enter the enemy’s line they could not obtain a permanent footing there.

Eighty men returned within an hour to our front line where they remained until noon, when they were ordered to occupy our supports, and they were subsequently withdrawn from the trenches.

Casualties were 239 out of a fighting strength of 523.

The Battalion was then relieved by 1/5^th Leicester Regt. And marched to ST. AMAND.

Quiet day.

Quiet day.

The Battalion was relieved in the trenches by the 1/5^th South Staffs. Regt. And proceeded into Brigade Reserve at BERLES-AU-BOIS.

In Brigade Reserve. Inspection of Battn. By G.O.C. 46^th Division.

In Divisional Reserve.

J. W. Thursfield 
Lieut. Colonel,
Commanding 1/6^th Battn. South Staffordshire Regiment.

CASUALTIES FOR THE MONTH OF JULY 1916:-

OFFICERS
Killed:
2/Lieut. R. Page.
Wounded:
Capt. A.R.A. Dickens
Capt. J.P. Magrane,
Lieut. S.H. Evans, Lieut. G.N. Adams
2/Lieut W.G. Davies
2/Lieut. D.H. Robinson
2/Lieut. J.E.T. Sutcliffe
2/Lieut. H.J. Lewis.
Wounded (At Duty):
Capt. & Adjutant R.C. Piper
2/Lieut. J.G. Gribben,
Missing:
Lieut. R.S. Jeffcock
2/Lieut. W.R. Johnson
2/Lieut. T.A. Dickinson
Wounded and Missing:
Captain C.W. Evans
Lieut. A.D. Harley
2/Lieut. A.E. Flaxman.
OTHER RANKS
Killed 20
Wounded 143
Wounded (Accidentally) 1
Wounded (At Duty) 13
Missing 54
Wounded & Missing 14
Died of Wounds 7