Stebie9173 Posted 17 June , 2005 Share Posted 17 June , 2005 I'm currently looking at my notes from the War Diary of the 6th Northamptonshires who were south of Albert from September 1915 through to April 1916. The diary refers to trenches in 3 Sectors: D1 - 25-9-1915 to 30-11-1915. I believe this is at Fricourt. D2 - 4-12-1915 to 4-2-1916. Presumably next to D1 ? A2 - 11-3-1916 to 26-4-1916. Could someone enlighten me as to where these sectors refer, or alternatively let me know the areas where the 6th Northants/54 Brigade/18 Division were located around those times? Thanks, Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fuller Posted 17 June , 2005 Share Posted 17 June , 2005 Hey Steve The 7th Beds were in the 54th, and their positions & other notes from the diary are below. Sept 1915 looks like Frocourt area, youre right. 24-9-15 C Coy returned from Pt.107. Weather wet, advanced guard scheme in the evening towards Morlancourt. 25-9-15 A Coy relieved N.Hants at 107. Field manoeuvres in the evening. Weather wet. 29-9-15 Whole Battn marched by Coys to VILLE SUR ANCRE for hot baths. 30-9-15 Manoeuvre parade on Morlancourt Rd, attack scheme. Weather cold[?] and indifferent Dec 15 to Feb 16 Lots of ref's to the Fricourt area, Aeroplane trench, reserve area at Méaulte, German battery at Memetz harrassing them. 4th Feb moved to La Houssoye. 11 March to 26 April 1916 Sector A2 continuously. Looks like Carnoy Trenches, with the Bgde manning sectors A1 & A2. Beds & Northants in Bray / Bronfay / Billion Wood when in reserve. 15th - the 7th relieved the 6th from sector A2 & 6th went to Billion Wood (based on the 12th Middx being at Bronfay), and the 6th were back in A2 on 19th. 23rd - 6th & 7th swapped again. 6th went to Bronfay & Billion. Reserve Co & Bn HQ sems to have been at Carnoy Ave when in sector A2. Repeats by the looks, with the 11th RF's & 12th Niddx swapping, and the Beds & Northants swapping. Sheffiled Ave was the preferred relief route between the front & reserve positions. 13 April, Germans raided Northants sector whilst they were in the line. Several casualties. If the Beds entries would be useful Steve, let me know & will arrange it. Lots of Op Orders, many detailing the routes to be taken ... Hope thats of some use? Cheers Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 17 June , 2005 Author Share Posted 17 June , 2005 Definitely of use, Steve. Many thanks. The Northants diary mentions the trench raid on 13-4-16, which ties in, as do a fair few of the rotates in and out of the line. Bronfay and Bray, too. Any idea whether D2 was North or South of D1 at Fricourt? 6th Northants came out of the line on 4-2-16, too, but to Meaulte. Presumably that left the 11/RF and 12/Midd to man the line. Were the Beds in the line when the German mine was detonated on 28/29 September 1915? Cheers again. Steve. P.S. Another question coming up on the Bedfords for you soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Jones Posted 17 June , 2005 Share Posted 17 June , 2005 I'm currently looking at my notes from the War Diary of the 6th Northamptonshires who were south of Albert from September 1915 through to April 1916. The diary refers to trenches in 3 Sectors: D1 - 25-9-1915 to 30-11-1915. I believe this is at Fricourt. D2 - 4-12-1915 to 4-2-1916. Presumably next to D1 ? A2 - 11-3-1916 to 26-4-1916. Could someone enlighten me as to where these sectors refer, or alternatively let me know the areas where the 6th Northants/54 Brigade/18 Division were located around those times? Thanks, Steve. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Steve Here are sectors D1 - D3 from the 18 Div GS War Diary about September 1915. Regards Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 17 June , 2005 Author Share Posted 17 June , 2005 Thanks, Simon. Much clearer now. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fuller Posted 17 June , 2005 Share Posted 17 June , 2005 Were the Beds in the line when the German mine was detonated on 28/29 September 1915? Cheers again. Steve. P.S. Another question coming up on the Bedfords for you soon! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The Beds were in reserve enjoying a hot bath on 29th Sept 1915. Know where Id rather have been mate 28-9-15 Weather very wet, route march & parade under Company Arrangements. 29-9-15 Whole Battn marched by Coys to VILLE SUR ANCRE for hot baths. As for the 4th Feb 1916, yes it was the 11th & 12th in the line, as our boys were having a rest. Ask away Steve, always pleased to help, especially when it comes to the 54th! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 17 June , 2005 Author Share Posted 17 June , 2005 Looks like the trench the Bedfords had just vacated was blown sky high by a fairly big mine on the night of the 28th. The Northants had to do an awful lot of repair work after the Bedfords left. That must have been some leaving party the bedfords had... The Bedfords diary seems a bit more detailed than the Northants. However, I was taking notes rather than transcribing. I'll have to take a digital camera next time... Look out for a Bedfordshires question coming you way in Units & Formations very soon! Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fuller Posted 18 June , 2005 Share Posted 18 June , 2005 Looks like the trench the Bedfords had just vacated was blown sky high by a fairly big mine on the night of the 28th. The Northants had to do an awful lot of repair work after the Bedfords left. That must have been some leaving party the bedfords had... The Bedfords diary seems a bit more detailed than the Northants. However, I was taking notes rather than transcribing. I'll have to take a digital camera next time... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> What can I say, we Bedford boys like to leave an impression! Bear in mind i have the 7th Diary Steve, if its any use? As well as all the other battalions of course ... (and the irony is that theyve started putting them into BLARS at the CRO now! Could have saved myself writeers cramp & boggle eyes!). Also worth noting that Raster Scanning is a serious expert on the 7th ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Tom Posted 19 June , 2005 Share Posted 19 June , 2005 Hello, I have just been reading ‘The 18th Div in the Great War’. I think my father was in the TM Battery in 54 Brigade from early 1916, I recall he said his officer was a Lieutenant and the TM officers in the other batteries in July were Captains. On 19 August 18 Div took over from 5 Div in the line from the Carnoy-Mametz road to the trench in 104 ( I don’t know exactly where that was). When they took over 54 Brigade was in corps reserve. Battalions not in the line were billeted in Ville-sur-Ancre, Dernancourt and Meaulte etc ( 18 Div passed through Meaulte again in August 1918). On 25 Oct units of 5,51 and 18 Divs paraded under General Maxse and inspected by the King and the French President. On 10 Dec Brig Gen Heneker comd 54 Bde was wounded near Canterbury Avenue (don’t know where that was either). Old Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 20 June , 2005 Author Share Posted 20 June , 2005 Thanks, Steve & Tom. Another question regarding the 6th Northamptonshires time at the Front. Looking at Soldiers Died, there are surprisingly few casualties while the battalion was at Fricourt and Mametz - 34 men dead before 31-12-1915 (and two of them in the UK) Of these 9 were while the Battalion was in Brigade Reserve at Meaulte between 4-16.9.1915 before even heading to the FRont Line trenches, all the deaths occuring in the 6 days between 10th & 15th September 1915. Does anyone know if anything significant happened in those few days - a heavy artillery bombardment or attack on Meaulte? Is there any mention in the 7th Bedfordshires War Diary or Brigade War Diary if anyone has that? Steve, were casualties in general for that time (i.e. in the 7th Bedfords) quite low or were the Northamptons just lucky in the wounded to dead "ratio"? Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Tom Posted 21 June , 2005 Share Posted 21 June , 2005 Hello, I have looked over the chapter in the Divisional history which deals with that period and can find nothing particular at that date. From 6th to 19th August all three brigades were under instruction in 5 and 51 Divisions in the area Fricourt and Carnoy. On 8th August the Germans exploded a mine at La Boiselle and during the first week in the line (late August) the Buffs had a platoon’ blown up’. On the night of 12th September an 18 pounder was manhandled into a prepared position in the line at night and dealt with a sniper. The history says that the last four months of 1915 were the quietest and not the least pleasant in the division’s history. The Division suffered 1,247 causalities by the end of the year. Old Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 21 June , 2005 Author Share Posted 21 June , 2005 Thanks, Old Tom. It just stood out like a sore thumb in what was a pretty quiet six months. Then again they lost a man during the period from the 6th to 19th while under instruction in Suzanne, as you've mentioned. Before they made it to the front line the battalion had lost 12 men, and there were only another 22 dead up to the New Year. Such are the vagaries of statistics. Mustn't lose sight of the fact that they are men's deaths we're talking about. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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