On this day 3rd September:-
1822 – 43rd – Left Ireland for Gibraltar.
1901 – 2nd Bn Oxf LI – 947 new rifles (Lee Enfield Mark 1*) received for re-armament of the Regiment to replace the Lee-Metford Mark 1* issued in 1893.
1916 –2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – COURSELLES AU BOIS.
1916 – 1/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion – BUS
Battn in Huts. –
Company Training & c carried on as above.
1916 - 6th Bn Oxf & Bucks LI - heavily engaged Battle of Guillemont (Somme);
1916 – 6th (S) Bn OXF & BUCKS LI – BRIGADE RESERVE AREA (CRATERS) A.8.b.6.3.
12 NOON - In accordance with 59th Bde. Operation Orders the Battalion advanced from its trenches to attack GUILLEMONT.
“B” Coy. from ARROW trench was in the centre and from the position of the starting point somewhat in advance of “A” & “C” Coy’s. on Battns. Left and right respectively. “D” Coy. followed in rear of centre.
The Battn. was to follow the 10th & 11th R.B. to the first Sunken Road, pass through them and on to the 2nd Sunken Rd. (The first Divisional Objective). The three leading Coy’s. lost all their Officers and their Sgt. Majors before reaching the second Sunken Road. The fourth Coy. (“D” Coy.) also lost its Captain at the first Sunken Rd.
“B” Coy. in the centre found the Rifle Brigade Battn. clearing dug-outs and appeared to have stopped a short time to assist and then pushed on to the 2nd Sunken Road.
“A” & “C” Coy’s. passed right on beyond the 2nd Sunken Road to the edge of the Village, which was the 2nd Objective of the Battalion, Their Officers had gone and in some places the Sunken Road was not easy to locate being much knocked about.
At 7 p.m. the advance continued, as a matter of fact men were going forward about four minutes before the hour, but the barrage ruled the pace. .
Casualties were slight, if any from our barrage. By the time the Eastern side of the Village was reached, units were much mixed, my Battalion 10th & 11th R.B. some 10th K.R.R., Somerset Lt Infty and some Duke of Cornwalls Lt. Infty from 5th Divn, units were reorganised here as far as possible. The Somerset Lt. Infty. at my request kept back a portion of the Battn. in this position when the advance was continued up to GINCHY-WEDGEWOOD Rd. to look after the right flank as a number of Germans were visible on the open S.W. of LEUZE WOOD and on our contact with the 5th Divn. On our right did not seem complete
At 2 p.m. the whole line went forward up to the GINCHY-WEDGE WOOD ROAD and reached it with very little opposition, but a number of prisoners were taken from dug-out on the road.
The consolidation of the position at once began, but there was a shortage of tools. It was evident that the 5th Divn. Had not been able to advance up to the spur S.W. of LEUZE WOOD and that the spur and the wood were still in the hands of the Germans. I therefore decided not to move forward from the road to the final objective ordered, that is with the right flank of the 59th Bde. line just outside the S.W. corner of the wood.
The first Duke of Cornwalls Lt. Infty. Were now in touch with us on the road line, on our right, and the 8th Munster Fusiliers were on our left at the Cross Roads. There were then in the 59th Bde. area on the GINCHY-WEDGE-WOOD road the following troops: - 10th R.B. 11th R.B. about 100 men 10th K.R.R. and 1 Officer 6th Oxf. & Bucks Lt. Infty.
The Somerset Lt. Infty. Were digging themselves in, in support close behind. An Officers patrol went up by the Quarry to the S.W. EDGE of LEUZE WOOD, and found no one there.
NIGHT 3RD/4TH SEPTEMBER 1916 – 6th (S) Bn OXF & BUCKS LI – BRIGADE RESERVE AREA (CRATERS) A.8.b.6.3.
During the night, patrols were working in the valley below us, but could nor work up to the ridge and wood in front of us, owing to our artillery fire.
The enemy made no attacks, Nearly all the losses suffered by the Battalion were from shell and M.G. fire, before reaching the second Sunken Road, and more especially before reaching the first Sunken Road
During the clearing of dug-outs at the final position, one case occurred of a “P” bomb, being thrown in at one door of a dug-out and the smoke coming out the other without dislodging the Germans who however did come out when Mills bombs were thrown in.
8 Coy. Officers, 72 N.C.O’s and 200 men were casualties mostly early in the attack, and I think much credit is due to the men & few leaders left in getting on the right objective.
1822 – 43rd – Left Ireland for Gibraltar.
1901 – 2nd Bn Oxf LI – 947 new rifles (Lee Enfield Mark 1*) received for re-armament of the Regiment to replace the Lee-Metford Mark 1* issued in 1893.
1916 –2nd Bn Oxf & Bucks LI – COURSELLES AU BOIS.
1916 – 1/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion – BUS
Battn in Huts. –
Company Training & c carried on as above.
1916 - 6th Bn Oxf & Bucks LI - heavily engaged Battle of Guillemont (Somme);
1916 – 6th (S) Bn OXF & BUCKS LI – BRIGADE RESERVE AREA (CRATERS) A.8.b.6.3.
12 NOON - In accordance with 59th Bde. Operation Orders the Battalion advanced from its trenches to attack GUILLEMONT.
“B” Coy. from ARROW trench was in the centre and from the position of the starting point somewhat in advance of “A” & “C” Coy’s. on Battns. Left and right respectively. “D” Coy. followed in rear of centre.
The Battn. was to follow the 10th & 11th R.B. to the first Sunken Road, pass through them and on to the 2nd Sunken Rd. (The first Divisional Objective). The three leading Coy’s. lost all their Officers and their Sgt. Majors before reaching the second Sunken Road. The fourth Coy. (“D” Coy.) also lost its Captain at the first Sunken Rd.
“B” Coy. in the centre found the Rifle Brigade Battn. clearing dug-outs and appeared to have stopped a short time to assist and then pushed on to the 2nd Sunken Road.
“A” & “C” Coy’s. passed right on beyond the 2nd Sunken Road to the edge of the Village, which was the 2nd Objective of the Battalion, Their Officers had gone and in some places the Sunken Road was not easy to locate being much knocked about.
At 7 p.m. the advance continued, as a matter of fact men were going forward about four minutes before the hour, but the barrage ruled the pace. .
Casualties were slight, if any from our barrage. By the time the Eastern side of the Village was reached, units were much mixed, my Battalion 10th & 11th R.B. some 10th K.R.R., Somerset Lt Infty and some Duke of Cornwalls Lt. Infty from 5th Divn, units were reorganised here as far as possible. The Somerset Lt. Infty. at my request kept back a portion of the Battn. in this position when the advance was continued up to GINCHY-WEDGEWOOD Rd. to look after the right flank as a number of Germans were visible on the open S.W. of LEUZE WOOD and on our contact with the 5th Divn. On our right did not seem complete
At 2 p.m. the whole line went forward up to the GINCHY-WEDGE WOOD ROAD and reached it with very little opposition, but a number of prisoners were taken from dug-out on the road.
The consolidation of the position at once began, but there was a shortage of tools. It was evident that the 5th Divn. Had not been able to advance up to the spur S.W. of LEUZE WOOD and that the spur and the wood were still in the hands of the Germans. I therefore decided not to move forward from the road to the final objective ordered, that is with the right flank of the 59th Bde. line just outside the S.W. corner of the wood.
The first Duke of Cornwalls Lt. Infty. Were now in touch with us on the road line, on our right, and the 8th Munster Fusiliers were on our left at the Cross Roads. There were then in the 59th Bde. area on the GINCHY-WEDGE-WOOD road the following troops: - 10th R.B. 11th R.B. about 100 men 10th K.R.R. and 1 Officer 6th Oxf. & Bucks Lt. Infty.
The Somerset Lt. Infty. Were digging themselves in, in support close behind. An Officers patrol went up by the Quarry to the S.W. EDGE of LEUZE WOOD, and found no one there.
NIGHT 3RD/4TH SEPTEMBER 1916 – 6th (S) Bn OXF & BUCKS LI – BRIGADE RESERVE AREA (CRATERS) A.8.b.6.3.
During the night, patrols were working in the valley below us, but could nor work up to the ridge and wood in front of us, owing to our artillery fire.
The enemy made no attacks, Nearly all the losses suffered by the Battalion were from shell and M.G. fire, before reaching the second Sunken Road, and more especially before reaching the first Sunken Road
During the clearing of dug-outs at the final position, one case occurred of a “P” bomb, being thrown in at one door of a dug-out and the smoke coming out the other without dislodging the Germans who however did come out when Mills bombs were thrown in.
8 Coy. Officers, 72 N.C.O’s and 200 men were casualties mostly early in the attack, and I think much credit is due to the men & few leaders left in getting on the right objective.
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