On this day 30th July
1809 – Light Brigade – Took over Advanced guard and outpost duties of the army after Talavera.
1877 – 43rd – Martini-Henry Rifles issued at Bellary (India) in place of Snider Rifles.
1915 – 5th Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – Present at the action of HOOGE;
1916 - 2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI. - Took part in attack on GUILLEMONT (Near Delville Wood, Somme).
1916 –2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – MONTAUBAN.
4.45am – “Zero” for attack.
B and C Companies attacked the Station. (Guillemont)
A and D Companies attacked towards GINCHY.
Both attacks failed.
Casualties: 12 Officers and 205 Other Ranks.
To: FRUIT
30/07/16
We have made as great an effort as is possible to attack Station but have not got there.
The Stokes Mortars failed to deal with the bombing posts and evidently the bombardment had no effect on hostile Machine Guns from straight and almost straight down the main road.
I can get no information of Division on our right and the present position is as follows:
A B C is line of deployment.
A B are our original bombing posts.
D E are the German bombing posts which our Stokes Mortars were to destroy and did not.
Our advance got to within bombing distance of line D E after loss from M.G. fire which I cannot at present estimate.
Our men were bombed from these places and the remainder of them were formed up in Old Trench B F.
I propose to consolidate this and make another bombing post out to G.
I can get no information back but I know that our leading party got well up to the North face of the Station, but I think they must have been shot.
If the 30th Division or other troops succeed in taking the Station or getting near it hostile bombing posts D and E will have to go and I can meet them by prolonging trench B F E towards the Station.
As regards the other Operation, or “Second Objective” attack on Right of PEAR, of a first wave of 3 platoons only a few men and no Officers have come back.
It appears they were merely enfiladed by M.G. fire from the right.
In accordance with the Brigadier General’s letter I did not send forward the second wave because my right would have been in the air.
1916 – 1/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion – DOMLEGER
Battalion in Billets.
1944 - 2nd (Airborne) Bn, Oxf & Bucks LI – ORCHARDS.
A large proportion of the Regt had their first full nights sleep since before 'D' day. 40 men were sent across the bridges to LUC SUR MER for a days outing. The remainder have spent the day resting and generally cleaning themselves up.
1944 – 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion - NORMANDY
0550 - Received letter from 1 Canadian Army stating that the Bn ceases to be L of C but comes under 1 Canadian Army wef 1200 hrs today. immediately under 1 Corps.
0900 - Comd Offr visits 1 Corps and arrangements are made for Bn to become Corps Troops, directly under 1 Corps for Admin but under 6 Airborne Division for operations.
1200 - 6 Airborne Division contacted.
1809 – Light Brigade – Took over Advanced guard and outpost duties of the army after Talavera.
1877 – 43rd – Martini-Henry Rifles issued at Bellary (India) in place of Snider Rifles.
1915 – 5th Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – Present at the action of HOOGE;
1916 - 2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI. - Took part in attack on GUILLEMONT (Near Delville Wood, Somme).
1916 –2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – MONTAUBAN.
4.45am – “Zero” for attack.
B and C Companies attacked the Station. (Guillemont)
A and D Companies attacked towards GINCHY.
Both attacks failed.
Casualties: 12 Officers and 205 Other Ranks.
To: FRUIT
30/07/16
We have made as great an effort as is possible to attack Station but have not got there.
The Stokes Mortars failed to deal with the bombing posts and evidently the bombardment had no effect on hostile Machine Guns from straight and almost straight down the main road.
I can get no information of Division on our right and the present position is as follows:
A B C is line of deployment.
A B are our original bombing posts.
D E are the German bombing posts which our Stokes Mortars were to destroy and did not.
Our advance got to within bombing distance of line D E after loss from M.G. fire which I cannot at present estimate.
Our men were bombed from these places and the remainder of them were formed up in Old Trench B F.
I propose to consolidate this and make another bombing post out to G.
I can get no information back but I know that our leading party got well up to the North face of the Station, but I think they must have been shot.
If the 30th Division or other troops succeed in taking the Station or getting near it hostile bombing posts D and E will have to go and I can meet them by prolonging trench B F E towards the Station.
As regards the other Operation, or “Second Objective” attack on Right of PEAR, of a first wave of 3 platoons only a few men and no Officers have come back.
It appears they were merely enfiladed by M.G. fire from the right.
In accordance with the Brigadier General’s letter I did not send forward the second wave because my right would have been in the air.
1916 – 1/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion – DOMLEGER
Battalion in Billets.
1944 - 2nd (Airborne) Bn, Oxf & Bucks LI – ORCHARDS.
A large proportion of the Regt had their first full nights sleep since before 'D' day. 40 men were sent across the bridges to LUC SUR MER for a days outing. The remainder have spent the day resting and generally cleaning themselves up.
1944 – 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion - NORMANDY
0550 - Received letter from 1 Canadian Army stating that the Bn ceases to be L of C but comes under 1 Canadian Army wef 1200 hrs today. immediately under 1 Corps.
0900 - Comd Offr visits 1 Corps and arrangements are made for Bn to become Corps Troops, directly under 1 Corps for Admin but under 6 Airborne Division for operations.
1200 - 6 Airborne Division contacted.
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