La Boisselle February 1916

Chronology of Tunnelling in the La Boisselle Sector in February 1916 (Work in progress)

Date/ Source	Mining	Infantry
2/16 Pi Bn 13 History p68	In February electrical drilling and light could be furnished and thus the mining work be substantially promoted (fast mining squad). The enemy activity fell off somewhat.
2/2/16 WD 185 Coy	Work delayed owing to bombardment. [ch if 1/2/16]
2/2/16 War Diary 179 Coy	… iiLt Mainlord [?] 1^st Dorset Regt was relieved by iiLt Fraser 1^st Dorset Regt for duty with Inf. CP. [Capt Kerr returns leave] Enemy exploded a camouflet on or near our front position not located. [1 OR CP 16/LF killed]
2/2/16 10 Essex WD		9.30pm Patrol from 117 reported sounds of working heard under ground between advanced Post 7 and point 46 (in German line) and considerable work being done at that same point.
2/2/16 3^rd Army CE WD	Major Danford came in. He is having difficulty with water in mines. A ??? is being put in. Petrol motor pump too noisy for use.
2/2/16 WD 185 Coy	[2Lts B D Plummer & R Thomson joined from No 4 GBD]
2/2/16 OB1207, GS GHQ (OH 1916 App vol, App 16 pp91-124)		Preparatory Measures to be taken by Armies and Corps before undertaking offensive operations on a large scale. Principal points to be attended to in making preliminary arrangements. … 3. Organization of Trenches for the Attack… (d) Saps must be pushed forward as far as possible to facilitate making communication trenches between the two opposing lines after the assault. The entrances to these saps should be dug under the front parapets and if time allows continued by making Russian saps instead of saps above ground.
3/2/16 WD 185 Coy	Commenced new deep transverse from No 2 gallery, also a branch from No 4 gallery to hole into F3.
4/2/16 War Diary 179 Coy	… Camouflet blown against 185 Coy’s front caused no damage to our workings but shock was severely felt.
4/2/16 3^rd Army CE WD	Enemy blew at La Boisselle right at 2.15pm. 18 men killed & Capt Richardson & 2Lt Latham 1 officer 4 men gassed.
4/2/16 Essex S Bn History p152		[10/Essex, mine fired close by on Feb 4^th, which killed by gas fumes the OC 185 Coy, another off & 17 sappers]
4/2/16 10 Essex WD		2pm enemy fired a mine opposite trench 120 and Killed by gas OC 185^th Tunnelling Coy. One officer and 17 sappers all of the 185^th Tunnelling Coy.
4/2/16 WD 185 Coy	Enemy blew camouflet in Inch St mine at 2.15pm which resulted in death of Capt. T. C. Richardson, RE, iiLt A. J. Latham, RE, and 16 men, and the gassing of iiLt Stafford Hill, RE, and 2 men.
4/2/15 18 Div GS WD		2pm enemy exploded a camouflet and destroyed Z Sap X.13.d/4.1 Capt Richardson commanding 185^th Tunnelling Company RE 2^ndLt Tatham [sic] RE and 17 other ranks were in the sap at the time and were killed. One officer and two other ranks were gassed but were dug out and saved.
5/2/16 WD 185 Coy	Work delayed through presence of gas in some of galleries. Commenced putting in gas-proof doors in all galleries. [2Lt P H McDouall joins from GHQ]
LG 30/3/1916	112942 Lance-Corporal L. H. Woodward, 185th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers. For conspicuous gallantry. When the enemy had blown in a large camouflet, he escaped through heavy fire, put on rescue apparatus, and, although not in a fit state to do so, worked 11/2 hours in a mine till completely exhausted. He was largely instrumental in saving the life of an officer.
8/2/16 6/ R Berks WD	Sapper J Deacon 185^th Tunnelling Company RE gassed in Inch Street Sap.
8/2/16 WD 185 Coy	Commenced work on Guildford Sap on a new site.
9/2/16 WD 185 Coy	All work stopped at Lochnagar Sap while carrying out listening experiments and observations (24 hours)
10/2/16 War Diary 179 Coy	…[5pm Lt & Adjt H C E Cherry returned from leave]
10/2/16 WD 185 Coy	Commenced work on new “Proto” chamber, the old one in the mine having proved unsatisfactory in the blow of 4^th inst. [2Lts H Casson & R D T Davies join from No 4 GBD]
11/2/16 WD 185 Coy	Commenced laying mines in Inch St galleries.
12/2/16 War Diary 179 Coy	… Charge of 4000 lbs guncotton sent to trenches laid in C attack gallery S4 mine and tamped.
12/2/16 6/ R Berks WD		One of our mines was exploded at 1am in the Norfolk’s Sector.
13/2/16 War Diary 179 Coy	Charge of 4000 lbs guncotton fired successfully at 12.20am (camouflet) LLR – 15 feet estimated position of enemy in soft ground Tamping: - 38 ft solid then air space of 5 ft and alternate solid tamping of 6’ and air spaces of 5’ ft [sic] for a total of 28’ ft
13/2/16 3^rd Army CE WD	Br Genl Harvey to visit Controller of Mines. Brigade Mining Sections can only be absorbed up to sanctioned strength of Tunnelling Companies. We fired camouflet at La Boisselle left at 12.20am. enemy had approached very close.
14/2/16 War Diary 179 Coy	… [Capt Creswick on leave]
14/2/16 3^rd Army CE WD	We exploded 3 camouflets opposite La Boisselle at 4.5pm.
14/2/16 Essex S Bn History p152		[10/Essex back in line 14 Feb, immed after arrival mine exploded in front of Fairmaid St., formed crater. Before detonation the 4.5 Hows fired for ½ hr at German trenches in and to s. of LaB, whilst immed. after the 18pdrs opened with shrapnel on LaB and the German trenches. Enemy replied with whizzbangs & 6in hows. ]
14/2/16 10 Essex WD		Battalion relieved 6th R Berkshire Regt in trenches, relief completed at 12.30pm 4.15pm We exploded mine in front of Fairmaid St. Blew a crater. Before the mine was exploded our 4.5” howitzers fired for about ½ hour at German trenches in and south of La Boisselle. Immediately after explosion of mine our 18 lbs opened fire with shrapnel on la Boisselle and German trenches in front of 117-120. Germans retaliated with “wiz Bangs” and 6 HE on Trenches 119-121. 6.30pm OC 185 Tunnelling Coy reported that Mine was most successful – Germans were heard working till just before the mine was exploded.
14/2/16 3^rd Army A&Q WD	[3^rd Army Routine Orders Approval for issue of 12 watches, with second hand, to each tunnelling company, in addition to those already authorised, auth DOS, OSA… 26/1/16]
14/2/16 WD 185 Coy	Fired three mines containing in all 32,000 lbs HE at 4.5pm. Each mine tamped as follows – Tamping 20 ft, Air space 5ft, Tamping 20 ft, Air space 7½ ft, Tamping 20ft, Air space 10 ft, Tamping 10 ft. Very little damage done to our own galleries. [2Lt A E Lance joins from No 4 GBD; 2Lt J S Young joins from 7/A&S; 2Lts H W Graham & C N Davies join from No 4 GBD]
15/2/16 War Diary 179 Coy	…[6pm 2Lt L D Ford back leave]

17/2/16 War Diary 179 Coy	..[2?t J Young back leave]
19/2/16 War Diary 179 Coy	…[Albert Alarm Orders rec’d 53 Inf Bde]
21/2/16 War Diary 179 Coy	…[2Lt Allen & Thompson short leave to England. Promotions dated 1/1/16: Capt H M Hance to be temp Major while in command of a tunnelling Coy; Lt W B Creswick to be temp Capt while in command of a section of a tunnelling coy.]
22/2/16 War Diary 179 Coy	… The AG to the Forces having intimated that all brigade miners as such would cease to exist on 1.3.16 steps were taken steps were taken to transfer to the RE such of them as were considered useful to the Corps. 6pm [2Lt S C Bullock RE arrives from No 2 General Base Depot and taken on strength of Coy]
23/2/16 War Diary 179 Coy	[Creswick returns leave]
24/2/16 War Diary 179 Coy	[3pm 2Lt A M McKay arrived from 184 Coy RE]
25/2/16 War Diary 179 Coy	… 10am Wire from Controller of Mines received stating probable move of 185 Coy RE and & ordering us to make arrangements to take over from them. [10am iiCpl King tried FGCM AWOL sentenced reduced to ranks & 18 wks I H L ? commuted to 3 wks F P No 1 by GOC 53 Inf Bde]
25/2/16 3^rd Army CE WD	Army Commander has asked for 2 additional tunnelling companies for Arras front. One will move from XIII Corps area to Arras probably the 182 from Carnoy.
25/2/16 WD 185 Coy	Received orders to prepare to move, and stopped work in mines. Commenced clearing up and dismantling compressor.
26/2/16 War Diary 179 Coy	… 1.30pm OC & Capt Creswick visited 185 Coy’s ??? in view of having to take over.
27/2/16 War Diary 179 Coy	…10AM OC & Capts Creswick & Rowan visit 185 Coys workings ?? in view of having to take over. 9pm OC visited Controller of Mines 3^rd Army re above work.
28/2/16 War Diary 179 Coy	… 9pm Capt D Logan arrived from GHQ.
28/2/16 3^rd Army CE WD	182-185 Tunnelling Companies move to new VI Corps area & billets in Arras.
28/2/16 WD 185 Coy	Company moved from Albert to Arras.
29/2/16 War Diary 179 Coy	… 10am Operation Order No 20 from 53^rd Inf Bde received 53^rd Inf Bde being relieved on 1/4/16 by 14^th Inf Bde of 32^nd Div. 9pm CO & Adjutant visit CRE states that it is in order to use lorries and drivers with a pass.
29/2/16 WD 185 Coy	Work on Inch St mine was hindered by the enemy’s blow on Feby 4^th and again when we were charging mines fired on Feby 14^th and clearing and tamping, & c afterwards. No mining work done after receiving orders to move on 25/2/16 [sgd] Lt[?] T Wilson Lt RE OC 185 Coy RE