On this day 22nd August
1790 – 52nd – Present at the assault of Paulighautcherry (India).
1917 – 2/4th Bn Oxf & Bucks LI and 2/1st Bucks Bn, Oxf & Bucks LI heavily engaged in fighting before Ypres (Third Ypres).
2/1st Bucks Bn Lost 11 Officers and 338 men.
2/4th Bn Lost 8 Officers and 144 men.
1917 – 2/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion – Third Battle of YPRES
Of the 61st Division the 184th Brigade was told off for the attack, having the 44th Infantry Brigade, 15th Division, on their right, and the 143rd Brigade, 48th Division, on their left.
The Bucks were to make the attack on the right, the Oxfords on the left of the Brigade, each Battalion taking a frontage of approximately 700 yards.
The Bucks were to advance with two Companies forming the first and second waves, and two Companies forming the third and fourth; the Oxfords were to attack with three Companies forming the first and second and one Company the third wave.
Eight platoons of the Royal Berks were to be attached to the Bucks as “moppers-up’ and five to the Oxfords.
The Glosters and one Battalion of the 183rd Brigade were in Brigade reserve.
The final objective was the position on the Kansas Cross—Winnipeg Road. The “moppers-up” were to deal with the strong posts at Somme, Aisne, Gunpits, Cross Cotts, Green House, Martha, Keir Farm, and various dug-outs, and to be ready to cover the flanks if necessary. This would enable the main attack to push forward to take the main position without delaying to clear the strong points in advance of it.
At 4.45 a.m. the Artillery put down the barrage and the waves advanced, disregarding the strong posts and pressing forward as close as possible to the barrage in accordance with the orders they had received.
The “moppers-up,” in attempting to follow, suffered heavily in casualties from machine-gun and rifle fire, the garrisons of the posts behind their concrete walls put up a stubborn resistance.
The Somme and Aisne Farms were taken, but the latter retaken almost at once by the enemy. Pond Farm in front of the Oxfords on the left and Gallipoli in front of the 7th Cameron Highlanders on the right remained in the possession of the enemy.
The position of the advancing waves of the Bucks became more and more serious, but still they pressed on, and some at least reached their objective, though exposed to fire from front, flanks, and rear, and entirely cut off from all communication.
Meanwhile a company of the 2/5th Gloucesters, under Second Lieutenant Johnston, with the few remaining men available with the Battalion, consolidated a line of shell-holes for the defence of Somme Farm that had been won by a platoon of the Berks, only three men of which remained to follow Second Lieutenant St. Leger into the post and to deal with the 14 survivors of the garrison.
Three counter-attacks were made on the newly consolidated line, but were caught by the fire of our Artillery, and easily repulsed by the Infantry. The enemy snipers were much in evidence throughout the day, any movement that might suggest a runner with information for Headquarters attracted their special attention; even stretcher-bearers and wounded crawling painfully back were not spared.
At 4 p.m., with the assistance of two platoons of the 2/5th Gloucesters, the Oxfords finally assaulted and captured Pond Farm. This much relieved the pressure on the left of the Bucks, and they were able to straighten out the line.
A party was sent forward to take the gun-pits, but found them deserted by the enemy and giving shelter to many of the wounded of the Battalion, including Second Lieutenant S. A. G. Gibson, who had shown conspicuous gallantry in the attack, and was awarded the Military Cross before he died of his wounds.
The losses were found to have been very heavy 13 officers and 637 other ranks went into action, 11 officers and 338 other ranks were reported as casualties.
KILLED: 1 Officer And 46 other ranks.
DIED OF WOUNDS: 7 Officers And 156 other ranks.
MISSING: 3 Officers And 122 other ranks.
Of the missing 19 were afterwards traced as prisoners of war, and 103 presumed killed. Nine of the prisoners were wounded when captured.
At night the Battalion was relieved by the 2/7th Worcesters, to whom they handed over a much-improved line, straighter and stronger than it had been when they took it over on the 20th.
1918 – 2nd Bn OXF & BUCKS LI - .
About 11AM orders came to move back and occupy accommodation other than the ordinary area of the Reserve Battalion between Adinfer Wood and the Monchy-au-Bois – Ransart Road. Owing to considerable doubt about what accommodation was available, and part of the same area having been allotted to several units and arms of the Service, the move and settling in was arduous and exhausting and the day being again excessively hot.
The accommodation varied:
B Coy – Good
A & D Coys – Fair
HQers – Fair
C Coy – Bad
All C Company and part of D company had to bivouac.
Transport and Rearward Services were ordered to move to Brigade Head Quarters (W.23.c.1.9) but this move was subsequently cancelled.
Soon after 10PM Brigade Warning Order (GS 740/162 attached to Regimental Office Copy of this diary) was received and action taken thereon.
Another days rations etc were brought up by the QuaterMaster.
1918 –1/1stBuckinghamshire Battalion – KABERLABA.
Quiet Day.
Work continued camouflaging Front Line.
Ration Strength: 24 Officers 579 OR. Casualties: 1 OR to Hospital – Sick.
1918 - 1/4th Bn Oxf & Bucks LI - To Reserve at KABERLABA.
1927 – 2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – (India)- Khaki Field Service Caps ordered to be replaced by all ranks with those of dark Green colour as the former become unserviceable, the small bugle (shoulder bugle size of whitemetal) to be worn with the latter.
1944 – 2nd (AB) Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – HEULAND - Normandy:-
Next morning the adv towards VAUVILLE was continued with the Regt in the lead, 'D' Coy acting as adv guard.
About midday a member of the F.F.I. came cycling down the road with the news that the enemy had withdrawn to the other side of the river TOUQUES.
The Comd Offr sent fwd two BB patrols to confirm this infm.
The Int Offr went fwd into DEAUVILLE and confirmed that the bridge across the river had been blown and that the enemy were holding the East bank in some strength.
Lieut Bousfield brought back similar infm about the bridge at TOUQUES 8410.
The Regt then received orders to consolidate astride the road at LE PT CASTEL while 1 R.U.R. passed through with the object of trying to get across the river during the night.
1944 – 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion (Normandy):-
Comd Offr visits Airborne Div.
No chance of Mortar or Carrier Pl being used.
Airborne want to retain the vehs as long as possible.
Still no news.
Normal routine.
LO goes to 1 Corps - no news.
1790 – 52nd – Present at the assault of Paulighautcherry (India).
1917 – 2/4th Bn Oxf & Bucks LI and 2/1st Bucks Bn, Oxf & Bucks LI heavily engaged in fighting before Ypres (Third Ypres).
2/1st Bucks Bn Lost 11 Officers and 338 men.
2/4th Bn Lost 8 Officers and 144 men.
1917 – 2/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion – Third Battle of YPRES
Of the 61st Division the 184th Brigade was told off for the attack, having the 44th Infantry Brigade, 15th Division, on their right, and the 143rd Brigade, 48th Division, on their left.
The Bucks were to make the attack on the right, the Oxfords on the left of the Brigade, each Battalion taking a frontage of approximately 700 yards.
The Bucks were to advance with two Companies forming the first and second waves, and two Companies forming the third and fourth; the Oxfords were to attack with three Companies forming the first and second and one Company the third wave.
Eight platoons of the Royal Berks were to be attached to the Bucks as “moppers-up’ and five to the Oxfords.
The Glosters and one Battalion of the 183rd Brigade were in Brigade reserve.
The final objective was the position on the Kansas Cross—Winnipeg Road. The “moppers-up” were to deal with the strong posts at Somme, Aisne, Gunpits, Cross Cotts, Green House, Martha, Keir Farm, and various dug-outs, and to be ready to cover the flanks if necessary. This would enable the main attack to push forward to take the main position without delaying to clear the strong points in advance of it.
At 4.45 a.m. the Artillery put down the barrage and the waves advanced, disregarding the strong posts and pressing forward as close as possible to the barrage in accordance with the orders they had received.
The “moppers-up,” in attempting to follow, suffered heavily in casualties from machine-gun and rifle fire, the garrisons of the posts behind their concrete walls put up a stubborn resistance.
The Somme and Aisne Farms were taken, but the latter retaken almost at once by the enemy. Pond Farm in front of the Oxfords on the left and Gallipoli in front of the 7th Cameron Highlanders on the right remained in the possession of the enemy.
The position of the advancing waves of the Bucks became more and more serious, but still they pressed on, and some at least reached their objective, though exposed to fire from front, flanks, and rear, and entirely cut off from all communication.
Meanwhile a company of the 2/5th Gloucesters, under Second Lieutenant Johnston, with the few remaining men available with the Battalion, consolidated a line of shell-holes for the defence of Somme Farm that had been won by a platoon of the Berks, only three men of which remained to follow Second Lieutenant St. Leger into the post and to deal with the 14 survivors of the garrison.
Three counter-attacks were made on the newly consolidated line, but were caught by the fire of our Artillery, and easily repulsed by the Infantry. The enemy snipers were much in evidence throughout the day, any movement that might suggest a runner with information for Headquarters attracted their special attention; even stretcher-bearers and wounded crawling painfully back were not spared.
At 4 p.m., with the assistance of two platoons of the 2/5th Gloucesters, the Oxfords finally assaulted and captured Pond Farm. This much relieved the pressure on the left of the Bucks, and they were able to straighten out the line.
A party was sent forward to take the gun-pits, but found them deserted by the enemy and giving shelter to many of the wounded of the Battalion, including Second Lieutenant S. A. G. Gibson, who had shown conspicuous gallantry in the attack, and was awarded the Military Cross before he died of his wounds.
The losses were found to have been very heavy 13 officers and 637 other ranks went into action, 11 officers and 338 other ranks were reported as casualties.
KILLED: 1 Officer And 46 other ranks.
DIED OF WOUNDS: 7 Officers And 156 other ranks.
MISSING: 3 Officers And 122 other ranks.
Of the missing 19 were afterwards traced as prisoners of war, and 103 presumed killed. Nine of the prisoners were wounded when captured.
At night the Battalion was relieved by the 2/7th Worcesters, to whom they handed over a much-improved line, straighter and stronger than it had been when they took it over on the 20th.
1918 – 2nd Bn OXF & BUCKS LI - .
About 11AM orders came to move back and occupy accommodation other than the ordinary area of the Reserve Battalion between Adinfer Wood and the Monchy-au-Bois – Ransart Road. Owing to considerable doubt about what accommodation was available, and part of the same area having been allotted to several units and arms of the Service, the move and settling in was arduous and exhausting and the day being again excessively hot.
The accommodation varied:
B Coy – Good
A & D Coys – Fair
HQers – Fair
C Coy – Bad
All C Company and part of D company had to bivouac.
Transport and Rearward Services were ordered to move to Brigade Head Quarters (W.23.c.1.9) but this move was subsequently cancelled.
Soon after 10PM Brigade Warning Order (GS 740/162 attached to Regimental Office Copy of this diary) was received and action taken thereon.
Another days rations etc were brought up by the QuaterMaster.
1918 –1/1stBuckinghamshire Battalion – KABERLABA.
Quiet Day.
Work continued camouflaging Front Line.
Ration Strength: 24 Officers 579 OR. Casualties: 1 OR to Hospital – Sick.
1918 - 1/4th Bn Oxf & Bucks LI - To Reserve at KABERLABA.
1927 – 2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – (India)- Khaki Field Service Caps ordered to be replaced by all ranks with those of dark Green colour as the former become unserviceable, the small bugle (shoulder bugle size of whitemetal) to be worn with the latter.
1944 – 2nd (AB) Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – HEULAND - Normandy:-
Next morning the adv towards VAUVILLE was continued with the Regt in the lead, 'D' Coy acting as adv guard.
About midday a member of the F.F.I. came cycling down the road with the news that the enemy had withdrawn to the other side of the river TOUQUES.
The Comd Offr sent fwd two BB patrols to confirm this infm.
The Int Offr went fwd into DEAUVILLE and confirmed that the bridge across the river had been blown and that the enemy were holding the East bank in some strength.
Lieut Bousfield brought back similar infm about the bridge at TOUQUES 8410.
The Regt then received orders to consolidate astride the road at LE PT CASTEL while 1 R.U.R. passed through with the object of trying to get across the river during the night.
1944 – 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion (Normandy):-
Comd Offr visits Airborne Div.
No chance of Mortar or Carrier Pl being used.
Airborne want to retain the vehs as long as possible.
Still no news.
Normal routine.
LO goes to 1 Corps - no news.
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