On this day 23rd July
1812 – Light Division – In pursuit of French about Huerta.
1818 – 43rd - New Colours presented to the 43rd at Valenciennes (France), by Lady Blakeney
1916 –2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – F.27 & 28.
(Sunday). Marched to HAPPY VALLEY.
1916 - Battle of Pozieres (Somme); 1/4th and 1/1st Bucks Bn heavily engaged.
1916 – 1/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion – ALBERT
Early in the morning the BUCKS BN were ordered to continue the attack on the German front line & to attack at 6.30am.
D Coy were on the right & proceeded up the easternmost communicator running in a N E direction from X.8.B 68 to X.3.C.7.9 their they came to a bombing barricade about 150 yards from the German trench.
B Coy on the left went up the westernmost communicator running in a NE direction from X.8.B.68 to X.3.C.7.9.
Both companies were ordered to get out of the trenches & extend inwards so as to get into touch with each other & then rush the German line.
D company moved out of the trench to their jumping off place amid a barrage of 15cm shells in a very steady manner – they then extended & rushed the German front line before our own barrage had lifted. It was entirely due to this that they were enabled to carry out successfully what two other similar enterprises had failed to accomplish: this was confirmed by a captured German officer who stated they were taken entirely by surprise & were waiting for the British barrage to lift.
CAPT E.V.D.BIRCHALL who commanded D Coy at the time was seriously wounded in the leg.
A Company under CAPT N.S.REID were drawn up in the SW end of the easternmost communicator & as D Coy entered the trench CAPT REID led his company up the communicator, rushed from the barricade & entered the German trench. Consolidation was immediately commenced & a bombing section quickly got into touch with the 1/4 R BERKS REGT on the right.
B Company under CAPT O.V. VINEY went up the westernmost communicator but were seriously impeded & somewhat disorganised by our own barrage which caused them casualties and compelled them to withdraw a little. They were unable to take part in the advance but one platoon & a Lewis gun managed to gain the German trench via the westernmost communicator.
One platoon of C Company was sent up to reinforce the left of the captured trench & the rest of the company was employed carrying up SAA & bombs etc.
About 150 Germans & 2 officers surrendered & 2 machine guns were captured.
Frequent enemy bombing attacks were beaten off during the day.
During the afternoon a bombing section reached point 40 (X.3.A) & advanced some 90 yards up the German trench but were driven back by rifle grenades & a heavy artillery barrage.
In the evening C Company took over the front line assisted by some 60 men from the other three companies.
1916 - 1/4th Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – In action West of POZIERES.
12.30AM - Battalion attacked. A Coy on right, D on left, B in Support to D. C in Reserve.
Objective on right reached almost at once: that on left after a hard struggle, & at least two counter attacks repulsed.
4AM - Reinforced by two Coy's 4th R BERKS Regt. Heavy shelling all day, but no further attacks.
In afternoon it became evident that Battn had suffered heavily, & information was receivedthat the Battn would be relieved by a Battn of 143 Bde.
Relieved by 1/5th R. WARWICKS. Relief not complete till after midnight 23/24th.
1944 - 2nd (Airborne) Bn, Oxf & Bucks LI – CHATEAU ST COME.
Last night was an exceptionally quiet one and our patrols had no fresh infm to report. This morning B + D Coys changed over areas. A Coy snipers got two hits. At dusk this morning a few enemy aircraft flew at [naught?] feet over our HQ but no bombs were dropped in our immediate vicinity.
1812 – Light Division – In pursuit of French about Huerta.
1818 – 43rd - New Colours presented to the 43rd at Valenciennes (France), by Lady Blakeney
1916 –2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – F.27 & 28.
(Sunday). Marched to HAPPY VALLEY.
1916 - Battle of Pozieres (Somme); 1/4th and 1/1st Bucks Bn heavily engaged.
1916 – 1/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion – ALBERT
Early in the morning the BUCKS BN were ordered to continue the attack on the German front line & to attack at 6.30am.
D Coy were on the right & proceeded up the easternmost communicator running in a N E direction from X.8.B 68 to X.3.C.7.9 their they came to a bombing barricade about 150 yards from the German trench.
B Coy on the left went up the westernmost communicator running in a NE direction from X.8.B.68 to X.3.C.7.9.
Both companies were ordered to get out of the trenches & extend inwards so as to get into touch with each other & then rush the German line.
D company moved out of the trench to their jumping off place amid a barrage of 15cm shells in a very steady manner – they then extended & rushed the German front line before our own barrage had lifted. It was entirely due to this that they were enabled to carry out successfully what two other similar enterprises had failed to accomplish: this was confirmed by a captured German officer who stated they were taken entirely by surprise & were waiting for the British barrage to lift.
CAPT E.V.D.BIRCHALL who commanded D Coy at the time was seriously wounded in the leg.
A Company under CAPT N.S.REID were drawn up in the SW end of the easternmost communicator & as D Coy entered the trench CAPT REID led his company up the communicator, rushed from the barricade & entered the German trench. Consolidation was immediately commenced & a bombing section quickly got into touch with the 1/4 R BERKS REGT on the right.
B Company under CAPT O.V. VINEY went up the westernmost communicator but were seriously impeded & somewhat disorganised by our own barrage which caused them casualties and compelled them to withdraw a little. They were unable to take part in the advance but one platoon & a Lewis gun managed to gain the German trench via the westernmost communicator.
One platoon of C Company was sent up to reinforce the left of the captured trench & the rest of the company was employed carrying up SAA & bombs etc.
About 150 Germans & 2 officers surrendered & 2 machine guns were captured.
Frequent enemy bombing attacks were beaten off during the day.
During the afternoon a bombing section reached point 40 (X.3.A) & advanced some 90 yards up the German trench but were driven back by rifle grenades & a heavy artillery barrage.
In the evening C Company took over the front line assisted by some 60 men from the other three companies.
1916 - 1/4th Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – In action West of POZIERES.
12.30AM - Battalion attacked. A Coy on right, D on left, B in Support to D. C in Reserve.
Objective on right reached almost at once: that on left after a hard struggle, & at least two counter attacks repulsed.
4AM - Reinforced by two Coy's 4th R BERKS Regt. Heavy shelling all day, but no further attacks.
In afternoon it became evident that Battn had suffered heavily, & information was receivedthat the Battn would be relieved by a Battn of 143 Bde.
Relieved by 1/5th R. WARWICKS. Relief not complete till after midnight 23/24th.
1944 - 2nd (Airborne) Bn, Oxf & Bucks LI – CHATEAU ST COME.
Last night was an exceptionally quiet one and our patrols had no fresh infm to report. This morning B + D Coys changed over areas. A Coy snipers got two hits. At dusk this morning a few enemy aircraft flew at [naught?] feet over our HQ but no bombs were dropped in our immediate vicinity.
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