On this day 18th August
1821 – 43rd and 52nd – reviewed by King George IV in Dublin.
1916 –2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – CANDAS to BUS-LES-ARTOIS.
By march route to Bus-Les-Artois.
1916 – 1/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion – BOUZINCOURT – ALBERT LINE
Battn in bivouacs.
At 9.4pm the Battn marched to the gunpits West of the USNA REDOUBT & bivouaced in the open.
1916 - 7th Bn Oxf & Bucks LI at capture of Horseshoe Hill (Macedonia),
1916 – 7th (Service) Bn OXF & BUCKS LI - HORSESHOE HILL, DOLDZELI RIDGE
(1) The Battalion arrived at the entrance to HORSESHOE HILL at about 2215 Hours 17th August. Telephones and wire were got out as quickly as possible. One Platoon of A coy with Telephone was sent out to C1 and one Platoon of B Coy was sent to C3 (up to the boundary mark) up to this time our movements had not been noticed by the enemy. Reconnoitring patrols were immediately sent out by these Platoons, three from C3 were met with Rifle and Machine Gun fire and Very Lights almost immediately, the patrol from C1 was fired on apparently from C2 as soon as they drew near to that position, the Very lights sent up exposed to view the whole attacking force.
(2) The patrols being driven back to the Platoons on C1 & C3 were reinforced by one Platoon respectively and were ordered to push on to their objectives. We were then subjected to considerable amount of shellfire cutting the Telephone wires. A message was received by runner from C3 saying that the trenches of C3 had been captured but the Platoon was held up by fire from C2 and the enemy appeared to be working round our right and left flanks. At this time the French on our right flank opened fire all along their own front. Two more Platoons with Machine Guns from Machine Gun Coy were immediately sent forward to protect our Right flank, B Coy (C3) being reinforced pushed on and arrived within 50x of C2, during this advance our casualties were very heavy. The Coy Commander Capt. Simpson and two other Officer’s being wounded. Artillery assistance was asked for. and given at 0115 to 0130 Hours. The Telephone wire connecting A Coy was also cut by shellfire at this time but a runner brought a message to the effect that they had attacked C2 and had been driven back with some casualties. The assault having been delayed owing to the difficulties in communications. The Artillery were again asked to give assistance. Three Platoons of the 3rd Coy were ordered to advance to the centre of the HORSESHOE, DUE south of C2, to cooperate in the General Attack the Platoons on C3 & C1 then rushed forward and although exposed to heavy fire Bayoneted the enemy in the trenches. The position having been captured tools were carried up immediately, also Machine Guns and RE with materials to consolidate the position. About 0400 Hours one Coy (provisionally sent out as a carrying party) was sent back to Bivouacs they having no rations or water and not considered necessary. Information was sent to the Commandant 54 Reg. (French) informing him that the HORSESHOE was in our possession and asking him for any information of any movements that might take place in his sector. The Battalion was subjected to very heavy shellfire by Guns of various calibres up to 0430 causing some casualties – 25 Officers wounded – O/R 6 killed & 54 wounded.
1944 - 2nd (Airborne) Bn, Oxf & Bucks LI – GONNEVILLE & MERVILLE.
The Regt spent a quiet day resting and were very little trouble by enemy arty fire - the enemy mortars were just out of range. 'B' Coy were sent to occupy a posn on the coast road to CABOURG where they suffered some casualties from 'S' mines and arty fire but they were later withdrawn.
1944 – 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion (Normandy):-
The drafting process continued on the 18th with drafts for the lst/4th King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and the 5th Seaforth Highlanders from B and C Companies.
0700 - 6 Airborne Div rep arrived to loan tpt urgently required to move tps forward in view of German rapid withdrawal on their front past TROARN.
0830 - 10 - 3 tonners and 10 - 15 cwts despatched to Airborne Div.
1000 - 'B' and 'C' Coys find the drafts ordered - 2 Pls.
'B' Coy with Lt E.S. Collins and Lt R.S. Carley-Pocook - 1 Pl 'C' Coy with A/Capt R.D. Moore.
The offr for 7 D.W.R. to be Capt J.C. Fox (Sp Coy Comd). 'B' Coy draft go off in good spirits.
1300 - 'C' Coy draft and Capt Fox go off also in good spirits.
Total numbers drafted to date 10 Offrs and 335 ORs.
Bn is now left with Specialists Offrs only plus 4 Coy Comds and 1 2IC Rifle Coy, and specialist ORs plus 1 Pl 'B' Coy.
Visit from DAAG 1 Corps. Policy seems to be to draft specialist offrs in specialist jobs only and not to post them as rifle pl comds etc.
1400 - Adv party sent to GRENTHEVILLE - 1 Offr and 6 ORs to prepare ground for proposed move forward of Bn.
2200 - DAQMG 6 Airborne Div arrived to say our tpt which we lent this morning has now become so involved that it will be quite impossible to extricate it for several days. Also states that 1 Corps have stated that they can keep the tpt as we have to hand in all our tpt and eqpt anyway.
1700 - QM sees ADOS about handing in eqpt as per instrs. Told that it is not required to be handed in. No-one really seems to know what is happening!
1821 – 43rd and 52nd – reviewed by King George IV in Dublin.
1916 –2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – CANDAS to BUS-LES-ARTOIS.
By march route to Bus-Les-Artois.
1916 – 1/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion – BOUZINCOURT – ALBERT LINE
Battn in bivouacs.
At 9.4pm the Battn marched to the gunpits West of the USNA REDOUBT & bivouaced in the open.
1916 - 7th Bn Oxf & Bucks LI at capture of Horseshoe Hill (Macedonia),
1916 – 7th (Service) Bn OXF & BUCKS LI - HORSESHOE HILL, DOLDZELI RIDGE
(1) The Battalion arrived at the entrance to HORSESHOE HILL at about 2215 Hours 17th August. Telephones and wire were got out as quickly as possible. One Platoon of A coy with Telephone was sent out to C1 and one Platoon of B Coy was sent to C3 (up to the boundary mark) up to this time our movements had not been noticed by the enemy. Reconnoitring patrols were immediately sent out by these Platoons, three from C3 were met with Rifle and Machine Gun fire and Very Lights almost immediately, the patrol from C1 was fired on apparently from C2 as soon as they drew near to that position, the Very lights sent up exposed to view the whole attacking force.
(2) The patrols being driven back to the Platoons on C1 & C3 were reinforced by one Platoon respectively and were ordered to push on to their objectives. We were then subjected to considerable amount of shellfire cutting the Telephone wires. A message was received by runner from C3 saying that the trenches of C3 had been captured but the Platoon was held up by fire from C2 and the enemy appeared to be working round our right and left flanks. At this time the French on our right flank opened fire all along their own front. Two more Platoons with Machine Guns from Machine Gun Coy were immediately sent forward to protect our Right flank, B Coy (C3) being reinforced pushed on and arrived within 50x of C2, during this advance our casualties were very heavy. The Coy Commander Capt. Simpson and two other Officer’s being wounded. Artillery assistance was asked for. and given at 0115 to 0130 Hours. The Telephone wire connecting A Coy was also cut by shellfire at this time but a runner brought a message to the effect that they had attacked C2 and had been driven back with some casualties. The assault having been delayed owing to the difficulties in communications. The Artillery were again asked to give assistance. Three Platoons of the 3rd Coy were ordered to advance to the centre of the HORSESHOE, DUE south of C2, to cooperate in the General Attack the Platoons on C3 & C1 then rushed forward and although exposed to heavy fire Bayoneted the enemy in the trenches. The position having been captured tools were carried up immediately, also Machine Guns and RE with materials to consolidate the position. About 0400 Hours one Coy (provisionally sent out as a carrying party) was sent back to Bivouacs they having no rations or water and not considered necessary. Information was sent to the Commandant 54 Reg. (French) informing him that the HORSESHOE was in our possession and asking him for any information of any movements that might take place in his sector. The Battalion was subjected to very heavy shellfire by Guns of various calibres up to 0430 causing some casualties – 25 Officers wounded – O/R 6 killed & 54 wounded.
1944 - 2nd (Airborne) Bn, Oxf & Bucks LI – GONNEVILLE & MERVILLE.
The Regt spent a quiet day resting and were very little trouble by enemy arty fire - the enemy mortars were just out of range. 'B' Coy were sent to occupy a posn on the coast road to CABOURG where they suffered some casualties from 'S' mines and arty fire but they were later withdrawn.
1944 – 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion (Normandy):-
The drafting process continued on the 18th with drafts for the lst/4th King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and the 5th Seaforth Highlanders from B and C Companies.
0700 - 6 Airborne Div rep arrived to loan tpt urgently required to move tps forward in view of German rapid withdrawal on their front past TROARN.
0830 - 10 - 3 tonners and 10 - 15 cwts despatched to Airborne Div.
1000 - 'B' and 'C' Coys find the drafts ordered - 2 Pls.
'B' Coy with Lt E.S. Collins and Lt R.S. Carley-Pocook - 1 Pl 'C' Coy with A/Capt R.D. Moore.
The offr for 7 D.W.R. to be Capt J.C. Fox (Sp Coy Comd). 'B' Coy draft go off in good spirits.
1300 - 'C' Coy draft and Capt Fox go off also in good spirits.
Total numbers drafted to date 10 Offrs and 335 ORs.
Bn is now left with Specialists Offrs only plus 4 Coy Comds and 1 2IC Rifle Coy, and specialist ORs plus 1 Pl 'B' Coy.
Visit from DAAG 1 Corps. Policy seems to be to draft specialist offrs in specialist jobs only and not to post them as rifle pl comds etc.
1400 - Adv party sent to GRENTHEVILLE - 1 Offr and 6 ORs to prepare ground for proposed move forward of Bn.
2200 - DAQMG 6 Airborne Div arrived to say our tpt which we lent this morning has now become so involved that it will be quite impossible to extricate it for several days. Also states that 1 Corps have stated that they can keep the tpt as we have to hand in all our tpt and eqpt anyway.
1700 - QM sees ADOS about handing in eqpt as per instrs. Told that it is not required to be handed in. No-one really seems to know what is happening!
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