March 9th \u2013 England.<\/strong> March 10th \u2013 Havre.<\/strong> March 11th.<\/strong> March 12th.<\/strong> March 13th \u2013 Winnezeele.<\/strong> March 14th \u2013 Winnezeele.<\/strong> March 15th \u2013 Winnezeele.<\/strong> March 16th \u2013 Winnezeele.<\/strong> March 17th \u2013 Winnezeele.<\/strong> March 18th.<\/strong> March 19th \u2013 St Venant\/Burbure.<\/strong> March 20th \u2013 Burbure.<\/strong> March 21st \u2013 Burbure.<\/strong> March 22nd \u2013 Burbure.<\/strong> March 23rd \u2013 Burbure.<\/strong> March 24th \u2013 Burbure.<\/strong> March 25th \u2013 Burbure.<\/strong> March 26th \u2013 Burbure.<\/strong> March 27th \u2013 Burbure.<\/strong> March 28th \u2013 Burbure.<\/strong> March 29th \u2013 Burbure.<\/strong> March 30th \u2013 Burbure.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Digging instruction. Officers carried out Revolver practice. Another party (5 officers, 4 NCOs) proceeded to trenches. Second party returned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n March 31st \u2013 Burbure.<\/strong> April 1st \u2013 Burbure.<\/strong> April 2nd \u2013 Burbure.<\/strong> April 3rd \u2013 Burbure.<\/strong> April 4th \u2013 Burbure.<\/strong> April 5th \u2013 Burbure.<\/strong> April 6th \u2013 Burbure.<\/strong> April 7th \u2013 Bethune.<\/strong> April 8th \u2013 Bethune.<\/strong> April 9th \u2013 Bethune.<\/strong> April 10th \u2013 Bethune.<\/strong> April 11th \u2013 Bethune.<\/strong> April 12th \u2013 Bethune.<\/strong> April 13th \/14th \u2013 Bethune.<\/strong> April 15th \u2013 Bethune.<\/strong> April 16th \u2013 Bethune.<\/strong> April 17th \u2013 Bethune.<\/strong> April 18th \u2013 Bethune.<\/strong> April 19th \u2013 Bethune.<\/strong> April 20th \u2013 Gorre.<\/strong> April 21st \u2013 Gorre.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Company training and same working parties found at same hours by ‘B’ and ‘C’ Coys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n April 22nd \u2013 Gorre.<\/strong> April 23rd \u2013 Gorre.<\/strong> April 24th \u2013 Gorre.<\/strong> April 25th \u2013 Gorre.<\/strong> April 26th \u2013 Gorre.<\/strong> April 27th \u2013 Gorre.<\/strong> April 28th \u2013 Festubert.<\/strong> April 29th \u2013 Festubert.<\/strong> April 30th \u2013 Festubert.<\/strong> March 9th \u2013 England.By train, route to Southampton \u2013 1st Train ‘B’ and ‘D’ Coys, with half transport \u2013 2nd Train ‘A’ and ‘C’ Coys with half transport. Battalion left Southampton in 4 ships \u2013 Queen Alexandra (538 men) \u2013 Copenhagen (2 officers, 60 R & F) \u2013 Trafford Hall (Transport, officers and 200 R […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":506,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-629","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/629","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=629"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/629\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22031,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/629\/revisions\/22031"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/506"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=629"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
By train, route to Southampton \u2013 1st Train ‘B’ and ‘D’ Coys, with half transport \u2013 2nd Train ‘A’ and ‘C’ Coys with half transport. Battalion left Southampton in 4 ships \u2013 Queen Alexandra (538 men) \u2013 Copenhagen (2 officers, 60 R & F) \u2013 Trafford Hall (Transport, officers and 200 R & F) \u2013 Viper (5 officers and 250 R & F). Strength 29 officers, 1048 R & F. Uneventful voyage. Rations used on train.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Bttn disembarked at Le Havre at various hours and ready on quay at 930am except party on Trafford Hall, which proceeded to camp in a separate party. Battalion arrived No 2 Camp Havre (distance 5 miles) at 12 noon. Inspection by Camp Commandant and issue of warm comforts to troops. Rations issued to last till midnight on 11th March. Mess cart issued what\u2026. transport up to strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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745am \u2013 Battalion paraded in Camp and marched to Le Havre station. Arrived 830am.
1 officer (Lt Rich) and 48 R & F left behind as 1st Reinforcement and sent to No 18 Camp Harfleur by march route.
1155am \u2013 Battalion left Havre, men 36 in each truck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Battalion detrained at Bavinchove and marched to billet in and around Winnezeele.
Trying march and men fatigued due to new boots, lack of sleep in train and being unaccustomed to paved roads.
‘D’ Coy disengaged at Ryveldt and billeted there, ‘C’ Coy disengaged at Le Temple and billeted there. Headquarters and ‘A’ and ‘B’ Coys to billets at Winnezeele. Billets at Le Temple and Ryveldt, men in barns. Water from good wells but water scarce. Billets at Winnezeele scattered around, chiefly in barns. Billeting carried out by Baron de Gunzberg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Rest day \u2013 men\u2019s feet not nearly as bad as expected, 46 paraded with sore feet but nothing serious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Companies carried out Musketry instruction and Bayonet fighting after church parade \u2013 heavy firing heard from direction of Ypres \u2013 5 cases of diarrheoa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Musketry Instruction and Night Training in neighbourhood of billets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Musketry Instruction and Night Training. Firing heard during afternoon from direction of Ypres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Route March, Orders received that the Battalion \u201cto hold itself\u201d in readiness to move tomorrow. Transport left by march route by 7pm with orders to billet at Hazebrouck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Battalion left billets at 830am and proceeded by march route to a point on the Cassel-Steenvoorde oad where it boarded 45 motor buses and proceeded at 10am to a point on the Hazebrouck \u2013 Aire road, 1 mile north east of Steenbecque, where it dismounted from the buses and proceeded by march route to St Venant arriving there at 3pm.
Went in to billets on the St Venant \u2013 Aire road. Very scattered and a great deal of time was wasted in settling in billets due to no map having been previously prepared. Water \u2013 good. Billets (all large barns) very comfortable and inhabitants extremely hospitable. Transport joined up at 230pm \u2013 horses very done after practically an all night march.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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830am \u2013 Proceeded by route march to Burbure via Lillers-Allouagne, arriving at 215pm. Went into billets there. Water good, Billets fairly comfortable and concentrated. Battalion HQ situated at Estaminet Branley Blondel very suitable, combining an Officers\u2019 Mess and Orderly Room \u2013 horses all under cover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Inspection of Battalion by Commanding Officer \u2013 30 cases of sore feet reported by Medical Officer. Training area \u2013 poor \u2013 most under cultivation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Church Parade. Hostile aeroplane observed over Lillers \u2013 two bombs drooped. Battalion arrangements made re notifying and dealing with approach of hostile aeroplane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Musketry Instruction and Bayonet fighting.
230 pm – Inspection of Battalion by Field Marshal Sir John French.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Musketry Instruction and Bayonet Fighting and Digging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Field Training under Company Arrangements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Field Training under Company Arrangements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Field Training. Recruits musketry at Labauvriere \u2013 only one target per Battalion.
40 recruits fired 10 rounds each. Platoons to No 4 mine Raimbert at intervals for hot baths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Musketry Instruction and Bayonet Fighting. Recruits musketry continued at Labauvriere.
All recruits who had only fired at their Recruits course completed 10 rounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Church Parade. Musketry Instruction after parade.
Lt Col Concannon and two other officers with 3 NCOs went up to Neuve Chapelle and were attached to 1st Bttn South Wales Borderers for instruction in trench work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Musketry and Bayonet fighting and Running parade. Short service by the Bishop of London. Another party left for trenches for instruction (3 officers, 4 NCOs). First party returned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Digging instruction. Another party for trenches (3 NCOs). 3rd party returned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Course of Sniping commenced. Snipers fired 10 rounds per man on Labauvriere range.
Battalion carried out digging instructions. Another party (4 officers, 3 NCOs) left for instruction with South Wales Borderers. Previous party returned. 4 men admitted to hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Digging and Lectures. 6 officers and 4 NCOs left for instruction with Gloucestershire Regiment \u2013 previous party returned. Divine Service at 330pm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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4 officers and 4 NCOs left for instruction with Gloucestershire Regiment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Church Parade \u2013 previous party returned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Temporary Grenadier Company formed for instruction under Lieut Mann. Order received that no further parties were to proceed for instruction. Orders received that the Battalion would move to Bethune on the 7th April and be accommodated at The Orphanage and be attached for instruction to 6th Infantry Brigade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Company Training and judging distance during morning and early afternoons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Battalion paraded at 1030am and left for Bethune at 1110am after a short inspection by GOC 5th London Infantry Brigade \u2013 distance about 10 miles via Allouagne and Chuques. Inspection en route by General Officer Commanding 1st Corp. Arrived Bethune 245pm and took over quarters in the Orphanage. Quarters not particularly clean \u2013 one Company accommodated on each floor \u2013 the building has been somewhat knocked about \u2013 very little glass in the windows. Commanding Officer and Adjutant proceeded to HQ 6th Brigade to which the Battalion is attached and received detailed orders for the instruction to be carried out over the next 8 days.
Briefly \u2013 one coy at Bethune, one coy proceeds daily from Bethune to trenches as working party, one coy billets at Annequin and supplies working parties as required \u2013 one coy has two platoons in firing line and remaining platoon is in support at Harley Street. Battalion to be attached to No 1 A Section immediately north of the Bethune \u2013 La Bassee road around the village of Cuinchy. These companies change now every 48 hours and the platoon in the front line changes over every 24 hours \u2013 thus, every platoon in eight days will complete 24 hours in the front line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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‘A’ Coy paraded at 715am and moved via Beuvry \u2013 Annequin to Harley Street and proceeded into the trenches leaving 2 platoons at Harley Street. Battalion attached to 1 KRR.
‘B’ Coy paraded at 730am and moved via same route and carried out digging under supervision of East Anglian Coy RE. This company suffered two casualties (2 Riflemen slightly wounded) by shellfire about 300 yards west of 6th Brigade HQ on the La Bassee road. This coy returned to billets at Annequin after work was finished.
‘C’ Coy paraded at 745am and moved via same route, reporting to OC 11th Field Company RE for work.
‘D’ Coy remained at Bethune.
Men all extremely cheerful and in excellent spirits and behaved very well indeed during the shellfire on the road. OC ‘A’ Coy reported a quiet night in the trenches. No hitch in arrangement about the provision of fuel, water and rations to the detailed companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Companies carried out same procedure except that the platoons of ‘A’ Coy in firing line were relieved by the two platoons in support. All communication by telephone carried out through HQ, 2nd Division whose HQ is at Bethune. No casualties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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‘A’ Coy returned to Bethune at 1230pm, having been relieved by ‘B’ Coy. ‘C’ Coy relieved ‘B’ Coy at Annequin and ‘D’ Coy proceeded to work with the RE. French blew up German trench about 200 yards south of the La Bassee and this brought on heavy shell and rifle fire. No casualties suffered by the Battalion. ‘A’ Coy had hot baths provided regimentally on their return to Bethune.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Same procedure except that the platoons of ‘B’ Coy in the firing line were relieved by the two platoons in support. No casualties. Order received from 6th Brigade at 11pm that the Battalion was to have breakfast tomorrow at 530am and to remain in readiness for a sudden move until 730am.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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‘C’ Coy: Take over firing line and support from ‘B’ Coy. ‘B’ Coy returned to billets at Bethune.
‘D’ Coy to Annequin. Two men wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Orders received to take over Section A2 from 5th Battalion, Liverpool Regiment at 3pm. One company in firing line, one in support at Cuinchy support point.
Took over the line \u2013 ‘A’ Coy in firing line. ‘B’ Coy in support. Trenches shallow with high breastworks with the brick stacks in rear. Attached reports forwarded to 6th Brigade during day and following night. All quiet except for a few bombs fired by the German units over fire trenches, which were only 80 yards from the enemy\u2019s line. Casualties \u2013 one man wounded.
Heavy shelling of ground about 300 yards west of Cuinchy \u2026 about 2pm due to our own artillery firing on Germans with latter replying. Own artillery appeared to be registering.
Relieved by the 20th London Regiment at 330pm. ‘D’ Coy, which had been in with the South Staffordshire Regiment in A1, came out at 12 noon \u2013 C Company have returned from its instruction on the 13th, the whole battalion was concentrated again in the Orphanage Bethune by 630pm today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Company Drill and General Clean up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Company Training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Company Training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Rest Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Battalion paraded at 11am and proceeded by march route to Gorre with orders to take over billets there from the Worcestershire Regiment and to take over C2 subsection from HLI on April 23rd. Good billets with excellent water supply \u2013 Battalion under orders of 5th Brigade. Brigade HQ Loisne \u2013 two working parties of 100 men each found. One man wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Company Drill during morning. Two working parties of 100 men each paraded \u2013 1st Relief HQ C2 8pm. 2nd Relief 1130pm for work under RE. Found 1st Relief by ‘A’ Coy \u2013 2nd Relief by ‘D’ Coy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Company training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Battalion take over Sector C2 from HLI at 1010pm. First coy arriving 530pm.
Coys distributed as follows: ‘A’ Coy C2 (B) front line \u2013 ‘B’ Coy Reserve \u2013 ‘C’ Coy C2 (A) front line \u2013 ‘D’ Coy support to Festubert village. One casualty, shrapnel wound, during relief. Situation all quiet. Battalion went in rationed for 2 days \u2013 very good plan as Coys in support and Reserve supplied water etc to front line companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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All quiet. At 11pm, message received that Germans had blown up a mine on our right in Givenchy sector and that 4th Brigade expected an attack and required our fire support. C2A stood to arms until 2pm. Much work done in improving parapet and building fire steps. One sergeant wounded severely \u2013 bullet wound jaw.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Desultory shell fire all day. Battalion relieved by 20th London Regiment at 1030pm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Rest Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Company Drill during morning. Battalion again took over C2 from 20th London Regiment at 1015pm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Desultory shell fire during day but little reply by the Germans \u2013 little night firing \u2013 continuation in work of \u2026.the parapet and during night 27\/28 building up gap between C2A and C2B.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Nothing of importance occurred \u2013 Battalion relieved by 20th London Regiment at 1030pm. Two men slightly wounded (both bullet wounds).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Rest day \u2013 Reconnoitre route from Essars to rendezvous in event of Battalion to be required to reinforce front line as Divisional Reserve. Found two working parties of 100 men each for C2B \u2013 one man killed \u2013 bullet wound in stomach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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