Chronology of
Tunnelling in the La Boisselle Sector September 1915
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Date/ Source |
Mining |
Infantry |
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[Pretyman,
Bowen & Mackay-White in trenches; Ptes Nicholl & Renton 6/Seaforth arr.,
att to No 4 Sect] 6 3” Proto Sets arrived today –
two immediately sent to the trenches & one large cylinder Oxygen for
reviving purposes, with India rubber tubing. |
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[179 Coy K OR 1
(gas)] |
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Not content
with his performance the other day in rescuing a gassed man, Humphrys went
down after another yesterday. If he hadn’t roped himself, he would have been
done for, as it was he lost consciousness till long
after they had him here. He has recovered now and goes back with me to our
billets tomorrow. Am awfully relieved that he has got all right, as he is an
A1 chap and more than reliable. But I had to talk to him like a Dutch Uncle
and tell him to be content with one recommendation per week, as we couldn’t
afford to have him risk himself. |
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So glad to get
your letter saying you were doing a rest cure, I think that its just what you want, it was nonsense to imagine you
could rest where you were still in the thick of it all with the telephones
going night & day. |
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[Strength 4
officers & 78 OR RE, 5 officers & 344 ORs Inf, 13 OR ASC, 7 OR batmen] Alabaster & Humphreys
return from hosp] Question of sapping into craters referred to GOC of Infy Brigade of Boisselle sector. |
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Ordered to
attach 200 men to each Tunnelling Coy. |
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Two letters
from you today as a reward for returning to duty. The C.Q.M.S. brought the
one of 29th to Warloy and then when I got back here there was
today’s mail ready for sorting and your letter of 30th for me.
I’m afraid my letters will be a bit late in getting to you this week, as
they were addressed to Boscombe, I quite forgetting you were going to be at Rotherfield for a few days and then going on to Tunstall. I’ll go on sending them to Boscombe till I
hear again from you to say your next move. I feel an awful shammer being called a casualty and people wondering how
I am. Had better put a notice in the times and Mail, “Colonial and My company now is of about the
same strength as the R.C.R. were in We had a great feast tonight.
your potato chips, French beans and young leeks from the garden of our
billet, stewed apples and rice, green figs, grapes, plums, preserved figs,
Brewer’s chocs, cake and bubbly water. Hope it
doesn’t reawaken my bilious attack! You see it is Bowen’s birthday and I was
hungry and things looked and were good. The chocs
are greatly appreciated, thanks so much for them; and the potato chips too,
they are a welcome change form wet boiled potatoes. Shall turn in now, as I feel
rather tired and shall have a busy day tomorrow. If I don’t start early we’ll never get
through all I have to, and I want to have a ride as well, as my two horses
have come. They are ripping nags, one being an absolute pet. Should like to
keep them afterwards, as we could do quite well with two hunters, eh Nana? |
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I wonder how
your arm is feeling after the injection hope they will keep you at Warloy
for sometime. Are you nearer |
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[Humphrys,
Rowan & Young in trenches. Work proceeding normally.] GOC 152 Brig require experimental sap to be driven into crater between
shafts D2 & D3, end to be on homeward slope a few
feet above bottom of crater. |
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… Experience
proves that all the Lts RE promoted to take
Command of T.C. seem to do better than the more senior officers who probably
think it is an Irishmans promotion to be appointed
to command T.C.’s. [‘?’ alongside] |
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WO153/904 La
Boisselle Plan |
DSCF0251 [shaft
to right of D1] Shaft blown in by Trench Mortar |
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Have just got
in from my first ride. Expect to be as stiff as the dickens tomorrow, as the
last time was the spring before we were married. I only hope there’ll be
time for a ride every day so as to keep me fit. And it was jolly lucky today
that the horses were here, as it has been a bit cold and a motor bike would
have froze me still more, while riding just warmed me shook up my insides
and got me to one of the Brigade HdQrs and back in
comfy time. shall be awfully fed up if the Bosches
get too busy and bother us. They probably will now that I’ve returned. I slept like a top last night
from 10.30 till 8.30, and am quite ready for another long night in bed now.
Shall turn in directly after supper, about 9.p.m. and hope they won’t send
us into the cellar. Am awfully glad to have Jones and
such good subalterns, as the amount of work every day is appalling. without
going to the trenches at all, or even looking at the men’s billets, I’ve had
no time for as much as a hair cut and seeing that the last time was before
leaving I hear that the C.R.E. has
recommended Humphrys and sent on the evidence, so he ought to get the M.C.
at least. He isn’t married yet, but one never knows what will happen on his
leave which he’ll be getting soon. My leave will probably be towards the end
of October, as I hardly like to go before some of my lads who’ve been out
four months already. |
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… [Pretyman,
Bowen & Mackay-White in trenches. At In rescue work
Lt Pretyman commends the actions of iiLt Mackay White,
[Sgt Price & Stretcher Bearer Bowen 1/7 B Watch] Work proceeded
normally. II Lt P J Bates reported for duty.
SRJ |
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5.30pm Enemy’s
large mortars very active against Dohollou & Quemart trenches Enemy
started firing large torpedoes at a range of from 700 to 800x.
Trenches slightly damaged in places – one mine shaft (the most northern one
in Dohollou wrecked & 7 men buried, but got out alive. [Progress
Report to 6am [Progress
report to |
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[CRE to Albert
… to 179 Coy…Capt Alabaster admitted Field Amb.
Sick from Anti Tetanus[?] inoculation |
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[179 Coy K OR
1] |
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… [Kerr,
Calvert & Slorach in trenches. Work proceeds normally.] Major Norton
Griffiths on inspection here. [Alabaster returned to In the work of
rescue Lt Kerr commends the following: [2Lt Calvert, 5 ORs]
[La Boisselle
plan DSC0251 shows shaft blown in
Trench Mortar |
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His Company
Commander wrote:- “He had already won the
admiration of all his fellow-officers on account of his absolute
fearlessness and his coolness on all occasions. His name had already been
brought before the authorities for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to
duty, when working exposed to a heavy fire in rescuing some men who were
entombed.” The occasion referred to in this letter was the entombment, on September
6th [sic], of some men in a mine, the mouth of which had been
broken in by a shell. working with their hands, because, the Germans being
only fifty feet away, it was imperative they should make no noise, 2nd
Lieutenant Calvert and one of his men at the end of three hours recovered
the wounded but still living men, and after two more hours’ work the bodies
of two men who had been killed. For this deed his Colonel recommended him
for the D.S.O., and wrote later on: “I deeply deplore that he did not
survive to receive it, had my recommendation been accepted, as I feel sure
it would have been.” |
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LG |
2936 Corporal A. E.
Graves, 1st/4th Battalion, Royal Lancaster Regiment,
T.F. (attached 179th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers). For
conspicuous gallantry when he assisted for four hours, under fire from enemy
trenches only 25 yards distant, in the operations for rescuing two entombed
miners at shaft-head. [also LG |
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We have just
completed a fortnight in the trenches and it has done The most awkward and nasty job
has undoubtedly been the German underground mining. The Berkshires, The “craters” are 30 feet deep
& some parts of their sides are perpendicular. The bottoms, in this
weather, are a jumble [?] of soft mud and destroyed wire entanglements. They
form a row of formidable obstacles between our own and the German parapets
(which are in places only 15 to 25 yards apart). W also have blown up three
mines form a depth of 50 feet below the surface, but I honestly do not see
how either we or the Germans have bettered our situations after months of
mining effort!! The Germans of course started
first. We inherited the situation from the French who had allowed the Germans
to get the upper hand, or rather lower-hand of them: and we are
consequently, from a mining point of view, somewhat handicapped. Digging
down shafts 50 feet deep and running horizontal “galleries” for 100 to 300
feet from them is no light labour, and I grudge the useless but inevitable
work. Its very exciting for the
miners underground who are often only 10 feet apart – when the question
arises which shall blow 100,000 tons of earth first into the air? On
the face of it the amusement seems senseless, but those concerned (500 men
one way or another, here) are very keen indeed on their job – so are the
R.E. officers of the mining companies. I have two to deal with, both
excellent people. I am recommending one private for the D.C.M. |
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[… Lts Humphrys, Rowan & Young in trenches. Bates
accompanies for instructional purposes only] [CRE paid a visit to the
workings this morning. Work proceeds normally] |
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Middlebrook Somme Battlefields:
[223] |
Lt W R Cloutman buried |
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[Pretyman,
Bowen & Mackay-White in trenches. Work proceeds normally] … CRE here in
afternoon and awarded 28 [FP No 1 to 8229 Pte Tullis
KOSB] [4 fresh Salvus sets delivered. 1 Proto set on loan to 178 Coy] |
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My skin has
almost recovered altogether now, only one or two places bother and they
aren’t bad. My No1 grouse is that I’m beastly hungry and
can’t eat. My effort two nights ago has upset things a bit and my gazeka [?] patch hurts more or less the whole time and
especially when I swallow. However the M.O. speaks of a mustard leaf tonight
and that will enable me to eat some breakfast, believe me! It does
seem rot that my head is all right, and now here they have me laid up with
the after effects of the inoculation. If the Bosches
get me later on, I’ll jolly well see that no M.O. injects any of his beastly
muck into me. this one dose ought to last a good time and I can assume you
that I’ve not the slightest desire to go though its after effects again, no sirree! … I’ve
applied for Mackay White’s leave from the 9th. Then there’s
Humphrys, Pretyman, Calvert and then, who’ve been out since April or May. So
that my leave should come off about the end of next month. |
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[Kerr, Calvert
& Slorach in trenches. Bates in trenches during day, assisting. work
proceeds normally. Sees Div Cder Gen Allason, he will assist re fatigue parties & keeping
down enemy fire. 1 Studebaker box-car 15 cwt delivered to Coy with 1 ASC
driver. See Alabaster in hosp. ] SRJ |
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[Progress
Report to 6am |
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[179 Coy RE W
OR 1 (gas in mine)] |
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Jones biked
over this afternoon and brought your letter of the 5th, so I’ve
had two today, am in luck’s way - ! dear pet [?], aren’t you? I do feel a fraud, dear, the way
people are asking after me as if I was really bad, when I’m absolutely all
right except for this beastly inoculation. My insides are better, but
anything drunk or eaten hurts still and the confounded rash keeps popping up
all over the place. shall be damned fed up with it soon, as I’m all right
otherwise but simply can’t do duty in this state and lord knows how long it
is going to keep up this hide and seek game. There’s such
heaps to be done at the front too. The company is still growing in
officers and man, stores keep arriving and work is simply rushing ahead. If
only the 179th had taken over from the French four or five months
ago the Bosches would have been kicked to a
frazzle. My officers and men are simply wonderful, dear, work like slaves,
always cheery and don’t care toss for anything. Two more of them are up for
Military Crosses. A Bosche trench mortar bomb
smashed a part of our parapet and covered in a shaft, at the bottom of which
men were working. These two lads, Kerr and Calvert, had to get outside the
remains of our parapet about 30 yds from the Bosches and worked for 2 to 3 hours shifting the debris
and getting the men out. They had to go slow and be awfully careful,
scraping the mess away with their hands, as any rough handling would have
dropped down the shaft and trapped the men below entirely. All the time they
were working, they were being sniped at and bombed and treated to machine
gun fire. Jove, honey it makes me mad not being able to be with a set of
fellows like that and all because a silly dose of inoculation has laid me
out. Lucky the wound was only a scratch as it would soon have healed now the
present condition I’m in. Oh damn! There looks like some trouble
over trouble over out leave. The Division we are working with have said that
they allotted vacancies to units till the end of next month, which means my
own leave coming off at about Xmas. But Jones is going to the 3rd
Army direct and put it to them that as we are Army Troops the Division can’t
be so off hand, and I expect things will be fixed all right, though with a
bit of delay. Please give my love to all, and
thank them for their letters and magazines. They are more than acceptable
here and will be appreciated in the mess when I get back. |
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[visits CE 3rd
Army in morning on matters about leave for officers, stationery, special
stores & reinforcements. applies again for leave on behalf of Mackay
White… Humphrys
, Rowan & Young
in trenches. work proceeds normally.] Infantry not carrying out their
fatigue duties as they should do. [at 9.10? pm Pte Love |
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At |
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[we
successfully fired a camouflet as enemy’s mining heard very close.] |
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[Pretyman,
Bowen & Mackay-White in trenches. Bates in trenches for day work only.
At 12.30 9/10 Sept TM explodes outside officers dugout, 2 OR wounded, both
to hosp. At 9 o/c pm a camouflet was commenced to be prepared for firing at
the end of the attack gallery of D5 as O i/c
reported enemy to be as close as 12 feet. 200 lbs guncotton
were laid – a gap of 5 feet was interspersed between 2 lots of
tamping. At 1.35pm 10/11 Sept the
camouflet was fired with every success apparently, as on inspection the
tamping had moved but very little & for some time afterwards, no gas was
detected in the main galleries. Work proceeded
normally. [In evening
Mackay White receives permission for 8 days leave from 11th.] SRJ |
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{progress Report to ??] [E2?] At |
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[wedding anniv] You see this confounded rash came on again night
before last and made me feel pretty rotten all yesterday. Am
lots better this morning, and was even all right for ½ hr. Let’s hope it all
clears up today and doesn’t return as a bad attack is hades
[?]. … I’m like a
dormouse today, can hardly keep awake at all. Suppose it is because the last
two nights were not exactly good ones. Am really on the mend now, am glad to
say; the rash still flits about, but nothing compared to what it was before
and Sunday will probably see me back at billets. Shall take no chances,
though, of its coming on again, and so may wait an extra day or two here. … You know it
does seem a waste of time fighting on days like these, when everyone would
much rather be in the open enjoying themselves. It makes one more than ever
determined not to let Bosche carry on for another
year. No he must be polished off p.d.q. and let
W.P.& Co. spend next Sept. 10th
together on their very own. I hope to goodness the big push does come off
this autumn and soon; if they wait till Winter the ground will be mucky as
anything. The whole trouble is the men at home striking and holding up
supplies. Millions of tons of stuff are needed before one can break through,
and lots of people don’t seem to realise that we are at war at all. Even the
photos one sees in the papers don’t bring it home to one entirely. And then
hardly a soul realises what a devil of a lot of heavy high explosives is
required to flatten out a line of trench. Then when you think that it is not
one trench but a network of lines ½ mile deep or more, and that, unless you
flatten out a front of 10 or 15 |
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[.. Kerr,
Calvert, Slorach in trenches, Bates in trenches for day duty. Mackay Whites
leave cancelled by GRO cancelling all leave … work proceeds normally] |
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Jones sent me a
line this morning to say that he has been to Corps H.Q. and fixed things
about leave. Mackay White goes today and the rest of us in rotation. My
leave will begin on about October 20th, as far as I can judge. |
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[… Humphrys,
Rowan, Young in trenches. work proceeds normally. Pte Syme
has ankle broken by unexploded 6 inch shell falling into No 2 Section billet
in rue des Travies ? shell buried in
back garden. Lt W B Creswick
¼th KOYLI reports for duty with batman ..
of same Regt. Interview with
Gen Ross 152 Bde] He has promised to keep men permanently engaged in
removing sandbags from Shafts; & also to improve the vicinity of Shaft
G. 6. SRJ |
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12-17/9/15 6
Seaforth WD |
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[Becourt relieve 7 Gordons in trenches 12-17/9] enemy
heard mining underneath “A” Coys sector. [2 coys 14 Liverpools att for inst] |
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Major Norton
Griffiths inspected Officers & NCOs with Mining Certificates Forwarded
list of officers recommended for DAQMG… [179 Coy |
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[Pretyman, Bowen,
Mackay White in trenches. Lts Creswick & Bates
in trenches during day, assisting & surveying. Shafts C & S
connected up. work proceeds normally. CRE here in morning hands out
punishments to 3 ORs… and remanded? two men for
written evidence… Practically all
indented stationery arrived. ] |
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Pte J H
Richardson 2/KOYLI attached 179th Mining Coy and Sergt J Paterson 1/7 Black Watch attached 179th
Tunnelling Coy. |
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It is awfully
hard to realise that there is a war going on now. This is such a pretty
peaceful little village dropped down among the hills and woods. I’m sitting
under a high bank in a field on the side of the hill looking down on the
village. It is simply a perfect day, blazing sun and soft cool breeze. The
only sign of war just now is an aeroplane over head and that even looks
peaceful enough. I wish I could sketch as the red roofs between the trees
and the misty blue sky above would make such a topping subject. I’m feeling lots better, and stronger every hour. Would really be quite
fit for duty tomorrow, but the M.O. wants me to wait till Wednesday.
Fancy losing three weeks just for a silly scratch and all because it is an
order that every case of official wounding must have a pint of juice
squirted into them. One thing I must make jolly sure of is that, next time
I’m hit at all, I’m conscious when they take me to the field ambulance and
so can tell them not to give me another dose. This last one will hold good
for a year, they tell me; so with any luck there won’t be any bother when
the Bosche plugs [?] me. I hear that the Bosches put a shell into our billet area yesterday.
Luckily the men in the particular house were all out and only one man got a
broken leg from a flying brick. And then one of our own batteries got busy
and flattens theirs out, so there was no more trouble. Am jolly glad our
guns did get after them, as that lesson will save a great deal of
unpleasantness in future. That is where an unlimited supply of ammunition is
needed; apart from an ppalling [?] stock in hand
for attack purposes in flattening out their works, the gunners must have a
big supply for daily use; ‘cos if Bosche realises that every round he fires or every
trench mortar bomb that comes over is answered by hell let loose for five
minutes, he’ll be good and not ask for trouble. I hear that they are granting
leave again from tomorrow. Let’s hope they don’t take it into their heads to
close the line again. Every time they hold it up means more delay and I want
to se my little girl just as soon as ever we can. Six weeks is bad enough,
but we are prepared for that. The thing is we don’t want it to get longer. I must confess that |
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[recommends
list of TC officers for promotion to command new T Coys
incl Hance & Richardson, nearly all Lts, pres temp comms, and asks
for posting of 7 officers for detail & routine] From the 7 months I have
been at TCs I am sure if the above suggestions
were adopted in the main & at least 4 if not 7 existing Mining Officers
were selected to commands the results would be satisfactory & were this
done I can assure the E in C he would smile with joy at the quiet way the deed
would be done & the A/E in C would feel he were walking on air. If I
failed in my prophecy I will be content to go to a warm place. [asks for
brevet] |
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[X.19.b. E3 North end of Ilôt. We fired mine at |
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[enemy exploded
a mine opp I at |
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[Kerr, Calvert
& Slorach in trenches, Creswick & Bates also there on special duty.]
At about Alabaster
rejoins Coy at Work proceeded normally other sectors. A guard was placed on
duty outside Shaft E to prevent anyone entering. SRJ [La Boisselle
plan DSCF0244 shows gallery destroyed by camouflet |
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WO153/904 La
Boisselle Plan |
DSCF0244 [W or
W1 red tunnel] Destroyed by enemy Camouflet |
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14/9/15 Kerr
interview, Barrie papers |
The Boche camoufleted. They had started proto schools and
men were being trained. I was up the line on duty – there was always one
skipper. I was at La Boisselle. Because of the camouflet we had to go down. A
fellow called Calvert who had just come back from the school, said he was
going down with the proto set, which I agreed to because he had just been
trained and I hadn’t. It was just a little slit in the front line and a
vertical shaft down. There was a hell of a lot of gas coming up – we didn’t
know it at the time. I put the rope round his shoulders. We had three or
four men hanging on. He was a pal of mine, Calvert, nice chap. he got his
head down and was just level with the collar of the shaft – it was just a
little sandbagged place in the front line. I don’t know what happened – he
got a bit hot, or the wind-up, but he took his noseclip
off for a second. The next thing was, I went out; although I didn’t know it,
carbon monoxide was pouring up and I had nothing on. So they yanked me out
of the way and chucked me on the parapet and applied artificial respiration,
but poor old Calvert never came round. I was talking to him, as I am to you
– it was all so sudden. We lost a couple of men down the shaft. That was one
of the worst shows we had. … Because of the concentration of gas and being
caught napping. They camoufleted us when we weren’t expecting it. |
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[Calvert
killed] while gallantly attempting to rescue a man who had been overcome by
gas in a gallery in which the Germans had exploded a mine. When he was
brought out of the shaft, he was already too far gone from the effects of
the gas for recovery to be possible, and he died without recovering
consciousness. he was buried in the cemetery at Albert. His Colonel wrote:- “He died, as he had lived, a victim to his high-souled
sense of duty.” |
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[179th
Co RE had Lt Calvert killed 1 officer wounded, 3 gassed, 4 men killed &
10 wounded and gassed as the result of firing of German mine at La
Boisselle] |
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At Operation Order
No 6 … Details of units allotted to mining operations will remain as at
present… 179 Tunnelling Bde Mining
Sects 51st Divn} La Boisselle 200 men from 51st
Division} |
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[179 Coy RE
& attached K. 2/Lt C F S Calvert 3/S. Staffs, OR 2 [?], wnd 2/Lt F W Bates RE 2/Lt F R Prettyman
RE Lt N J Kerr 3/Norfolk, 2/Lt W Slorach 6/Scott. Rifles. OR 9 {/ or 1] (Due
to explosion of a mine). Suffering from shock 2/Lt Bowen J RE.] |
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[I E3 sector
Enemy mine exploded in part of sector occupied by our right sector,
dispositions of companies re-arranged… |
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[in the
afternoon Sgt Paterson B Coy presently att 179th
Field [sic] Coy was presented with the DCM at Corps Headquarters at Querrieux for attempting to rescue 2 men overcome by gas
in a mine near I. The Commanding Officer and representative officers &
men of the Bn were present. For bravery in
connection with the same rescue Lieut Humphrys is
being recommended by the Corps Commander for the Victoria Cross. |
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Am all right
again now, praise the pigs [?]. Have just got in from a stroll round the
country, and, though walking and resting for 2½ hours, don’t feel tired. So
you see, I’m quite fit at last and shall be returning to billets tomorrow.
Am awfully pleased, as it is a treat to feel fit after being a crock for
nearly three weeks. Now we must give the Bosche a
warm time just to show how full of buck[?] we are,
and I’m simply bursting to remove a few of them. I’m longing to know how the
company have got one [sic] with the scheme they had in hand, and feel
horribly restless cooped up here. Still there’ll be lots to keep me occupied
from tomorrow onwards, and the weeks will simply fly by till our leave comes
along. … I believe MacKay White will be off tomorrow or Thursday |
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… [2Lt |
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[cas. 14310 Pte White W M C Coy killed |
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… [Humphreys
Creswick & Butler in trenches] [Alabaster Reported to 152nd
Brigade and 51st Division at 2am 17.9.15 that 2Lts Rowan and
Young estimated Germans to be under our front line trench between pts 105
and 106 south of Becourt. Suggested evacuation of
area affected by garrison and attempt be made to
bore at 10ft intervals along trench and then camouflet or pump in poison gas.
51st Divn direct that no action be
taken as regards boring or countermining till 18th Divn have given a decision. … |
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Sounds
of tapping has been
reported under parapet of our new Sub-Sector E.1. Js being investigated by
O.C. 179 Co. R.E. from Albert. |
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[During the
early morning the report that mining was going on under the trenches on the
extreme right of 51 Div (in front of Becourt) was
confirmed by mining officers. Distance between the trenches here preclude
regular mining ops & give colour to the local report that underground
passage extends from Albert under Becourt – La
Boisselle and Fricourt. The entrances to these passages have been discovered
in Albert but are blocked after a distance of about 200 ft. As La Boisselle
section has now been transferred to the 18th Div, the
investigations so far as they had proceeded, were handed over to that Div. A camouflet
successfully exploded by our miners opp La Boisselle at [152 Bde
relieved during night by Bde of 18 div, 18 div became responsible for right
(La Boisselle) section of 51 Div front] |
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… Camouflet 460
lbs fired in left heading of S workings at 10am, Germans being estimated at
under 10 ft distance. Lt Humphreys in charge. No damage to our trenches.
[Rowan, Young & Mackay White in trenches] [GSO X Corps visits re work.
Pretyman, Kerr & Slorach returned to duty] Listening carried out by NCO
of 179th Coy at suspected site at Becourt
till 7pm. Infantry listening patrol left in charge. OC 178th Coy
directed by CRE 18th Divn to take over
at 2Lt |
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Official investigation
of trench 105 not yet made but from reports received there seems to be
little doubt that Germans are underneath our parapets there. German trenches
are 300x distant at this point.
Subterranean passages are known to exist in the neighbourhood, and it is
suggested the Germans may be using these. |
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Our miners
exploded a camouflet [at] |
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… [Pretyman,
Kerr & Creswick in trenches] Consulted with GOC 53rd Brigade regarding
mining operations at La Boisselle |
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[ No further
information of enemy’s mines under trench 105. |
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179th
Tunnelling Coy attached to 18th Division |
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[ |
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[… Jones,
Humphrys & Mackay White in trenches. 2?t Bates
returns to duty after wounded. Arrivals 2Lts J C Allan, G Buswell, G
Thompson, L D Ford, all of Indian Army Reserve. ] Arranged with Infantry
that they will make D2 and G6 accessible. … |
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2723 Pte A
Wallace gassed while att 179 coy |
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… Conference
CRE 18th Divn, GOC 53rd Bde,
OC 179th Coy at 1. to use
existing front line trench mining workings for listening. 2. Adopt a
scheme of driving from Quemart and similar line to make new workings in
rear. 3. Select sites
for one new heading on each flank. 4. Abandon D2
till safe to approach. 5. Infantry
will provide access to D6. 6. Infantry
will bomb crater near B. [Lts Rowan, Young, Allan, Thompson in trenches] 2Lt R Hawtrey 8th
Northants arrived. Xth Corps agrees that 2
officers & 40 Ors may proceed on leave at a time, details left to OC
179th Coy RE. … [1 OR gassed]
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… [Creswick,
Buswell & Ford in trenches, Bates surveying.] Lt Pretyman conducting
only. Decided on
details for mining operations. … After
discussions with GOC 53rd Brigade, it was decided to charge four
camouflets and wait. General mining scheme as decided on in the morning to
be carried out. Explosives and
detonators drawn. … Panorama photo
No 12 which had been given to OC 179th Coy RE by Maps 3rd
Army, handed over to GOC 53rd Bde. |
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… [Humphreys,
Kerr & Hawtrey in trenches.] Camouflets prepared ready to fire in 4
hours of order being received at mining dug out in trenches. 3rd
Army AC/89 regarding filling vacancies in Brigade Mining Sections attached
to Tunnelling Coys from Infantry Brigades … |
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…[ Rowan,
Young, Allan, Thompson in trenches] Conference with CE X Corps regarding
organisation of mining work and monthly meeting of OCs
Tunnelling Coys. GS 18th
Divn approve scheme of mining. further orders will
be received. [2Lt Slorach
& 1 or returns] … |
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[alabaster
visits 18 Div HQ] |
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[??] Lt Slorach
attd 179th Coy RE to rejoin his unit
& be replaced by another officer from 51st Div. |
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Bannatine-Allason
departs as GOC 51 Div, Harper takes over |
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[Creswick, Ford
& Buswell in trenches] Under orders of
CRE 18th Divn, OC 179 Coy reconnoitred
site for blinded sap near Pt 110, close to OC Coy referred
to BM 53rd Bde for instructions regarding mines and other action
contemplated. [Cpl Young killed] … |
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… On
instructions from GOC 53rd Bde, front heading between S1 and S2
shafts [Mangin] being charged with 1000 lbs guncotton; when ready report to
be sent to GOC. 2Lt Humphreys supervising. [Kerr, Bates & Hawtrey in
trenches] … [to draw explosives from Ribemont] CRE 18th
Div approves site of sap near point 110. 10th
Corps 612/Q. Secret. 51st Divn 329/Q
received |
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[ |
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[Opp Trench 119-120 L.26 Sub-Sector E.3 We exploded two
camouflets 2pm SW of La Boisselle. Believed successful. Little retaliation
by Germans.] |
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… [2Lt H C E
Cherry 8/Glos reports for duty 8am] [Humphreys, Allan & Thompson in
trenches. 2Lt Bowen arrives here After firing
camouflet in D3 it was found that Cpl W Lynch, No 86135, No 4474 L/Cpl Wood
A + No 18422 Pte S. [Percey] [other names missing] [next page
missing] [War diary
begins on correct forms…] [Bowen & 26
OR on special duty for CRE 18th Div Pt 110 in trenches nr Becourt. Pretyman,
Mackay White & … ORs on short leave [ 9am GOC 53rd
Bde orders firing of prepared charges near D4 and D5 shafts in Duhollou trench at 2pm 26.9.15, and between S1 and S2 at
6am 27.9.15. Enquiries made
regarding Corpl Lynch and 7 men missing after the
explosion of mines at |
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SDGW |
Lynch, William,
b Mullingar, Co Westmeath, e Warrington, r St
Helens, 86135, Cpl KiA 26/9/15, for. 954 I Guards, 179th Coy RE. |
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One of our
mines was exploded opposite La Boisselle at |
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[p144 relieve
8/Suffolk. western end of village street juts out from the remainder of the
line and was known as the ‘Ilôt’] ‘It was a queer conglomeration of shallow,
narrow slits between old and new sandbags – these served for trenches –
foundations of and rubble from disused houses, a cemetery and used and
disused mineshafts. As the village
sloped up gently eastwards, the enemy had an excellent view, at close range,
of our forward trenches and the ‘Ilôt’.’ [poss
quote for 10/essex Hist] [179 Coy had 5 shafts in
and around the point which required 6 reliefs of 32 men each every 4 hours.
The first night’s work consisted mainly of bursts of mg fire upon portions
of the enemy’s wire, which had been cut during the day by the art.y with the object of preventing repair. Patrols sent
out reported, however that repaired… felt insufficient art.y
retal to stop enemy tms.
] |
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18th
Div reports we exploded two camouflets SW of La Boisselle (L 26) believed
successful. There was little retaliation to our artillery fire which was on
a smaller scale than during the last three days. … |
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[ |
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Mine between S1 and S2 blown, ground just holed. Lt Humphreys in
charge. no casualties. … 1.00pm Major MacDuff, OC Salvage Coy arrived and issued definite
instructions as to movements of 179th Coy in the event of an
advance, OC Salvage Coy will wire OC 179th Coy RE when to take
action. |
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[morning of
27/9 a small mine exploded by RE, and was reported that an enemy mg post, a
snipers post and listening post had been destroyed. enemy replied later with
tms and rifle grenades from w of La B upon the
rear of the Ilôt and were treated to 4.5 how fire as a retort. Hostile
working party in left crater opp Ilôt. First off
of Bn killed Lt H E Hudson, pltn
cdr, C Coy, a bombing enthusiast, went over
parapet in the twilight to try to locate a sniper, not gone far when shot
through head. Buried in Fr cem in Albert next day.
[more re succeeding days] |
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[179 Coy
Missing believed Killed OR 7] |
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[Bde Op report.
enemy’s mining gaining ground beneath Duhallou… We
have continued defensive ops and exploded several camouflets and one mine.
Mining situation in front of la Boisselle is not good. Berks Regt Grenadiers
bombed the enemy out of two mine craters. ] [Alabaster
report to 53 Bde: 1. Germans
heard at some depth below our workings coming in between D 3 and G. 6. their
exact position not yet located but believed they are along a line
approximating to that of Duhallou trench. 2. shafts &
galleries full of gas at present, though we are endeavouring to improve the
ventilation. until ascertained gas is clear, not poss
to work or listen in D, F or G systems. 3. not thought
likely Germans will fire as yet, but may do so. 4. suggests
that garrison be warned, so that in case of mine being exploded casualties
will not be very heavy. 5. In order to
look after the ventilation, mining officers will have to be protected at
points D 4 and G5 in Duhollou and along Quemart
trench.] |
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… (2) also
requested that craters between B & E be bombed & shelled, so as to
permit work in B & E. A connection could be made in five days. (3) Submitted a
working scheme, embracing a front behind the Ilot & Duhollou
to the GOC who agrees in toto. Correspondence
filed. [BM 153 Bde
promises to supply fatigue party of 30 men & 3 NCOS 10am
every day to carry stores to trenches. Weather overcast casualties nil.] |
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2/Lt Melville A O
Workshop unit ordered to join 179th Tunnelling Coy. |
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… 9am OC to CE
X corps to confer with reference to new front line at La Boisselle … OC takes
evidence from Lts Humphries and Thompson re the 7
men who were accidentally killed on the 26th. 3pm Conference
between GOC 18th Divn, GOC 53rd
Bde, CRE, OC Battalions concerned, OC 179th .. Coy, OC 79th
Field Coy Decision:-
GOC 53rd Bde responsible for policy in connection with defensive
mining operations. OC 179th Coy to arrange details. The new line
to be held is to be fixed by the GOC 53rd Bde. |
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2233 L/Cpl J
Russell; 2921 Pte G Barclay; 2825 Pte J Nicol;
3450 Pte G Stafford; 3371 Pte W Hodge gassed att
179 Coy |
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A draft of 5
men from |
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18 Div reports
DAG Base refused reinforcements in place of men of Bde Mining Sections attd Tunnelling Coys [? ? ?] |
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[ [Alabaster
report to 53 Bde: Germans having been heard close to the first attack
gallery from the transversal S of S2, I have ordered this gallery to be
charged with enough explosives to check the German advance without destroying
our workings. the mine should be ready for firing by [Alabaster
report to 53 Bde: We have fired a small mine from the first attack gallery S
of S2 shaft at [Alabaster
report to 53 Bde: progress to 12 |
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… [2Lt G D
Melville RE reported for duty at [2Lt Bowen
reports that the new sap at Pt 110 had advanced 79 ft up to [signed
Alabaster] |
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© Simon Jones 2006