10th Bn The Rifle Bde 20th Light Division

[peterinkent]

Hello All

Can anybody give me brief details of the movements of the 10th Bn The Rifle Brigade 59th Bde 20th Light Division, specifically when they moved from the Ypres sector to the Somme and then back again to the Ypres sector after the advance to the Hindenburg line.

I am also interested to know where the battalion was specifically during the first ten days of August 1917.

Any help greatly appreciated

Thanks

Peter

[connaughtranger]

Hi

I've gleaned the following from the history

The first week of August 1917 was spent in bivouac in a wood near Canada Farm and the time was spent supplying carrying and work parties along the canal bank and in the forward areas. August 10th on the west bank of the canal.

20th Division moved from the Salient to Wormhoudt towards the end of July for rest and training. Moved to Messines for a stop-gap tour before arriving at Hébuterne via Doullens.

Movements on the Somme: End of July-16th August at Hébuterne in trenches; west of Guillemont in trenches 22nd-31st August; just south of Guillemont 3rd-5th September. A very successful attack carried out and advanced a mile; unsuccessful attack at Lesboeufs on 16th September; 26th-27th September south of Guillemont in reserve; 1st October Gueudecourt sector in reserve; November was mainly spent in Saisseval; 29th November to Mansel Copse; 10/11th December in trenches in the sector; billets in Guillemont; towards end of December billets in Corbie.

January 1917: moved up from the Maricourt/Corbie area and took over trenches around Sailly-Saillisel and remained there throughout the month with spells in support and reserve in Combles and Maltzhorn Farm. End of month rest and training at La Houssoye

2nd week in February 1917: moved to Lesboeufs. Part of the front was a trench known as Post B. After heavy shelling during the day the enemy attacked this stretch at 5.30pm on the afternoon of the 19th February with flammenwerfer. The post was lost with 2 Officers and over 30 OR's killed or missing. Carnoy and Guillemont were used as billets during the month.

March 1917: the Battalion remained in the Lesboeufs sector until the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line began.

[peterinkent]

Hello Connaughtranger

Thank you for you very full reply I am assuming this is from the 20th Light Division History or the Rifle Brigade History?

Much appriciated

Peter

[jay dubaya]

Hi Peter, the following extract is taken from Westlake's 'Battalions on the Somme',

Jon

10th (Service) Battalion. 59th Brigade, 20th (Light) Division:

Arrived Sailly-au-Bois from Ypres area (27/7). To trenches south of Hebuterne (28/7). Relieved and to Beauval (18/8). To Doullens (19/8), Meaulte (20/8), camp about 3.5 miles north of Bray (21/8), Carnoy craters (22/8). Heavy casualties from enemy shell fire. Successful attack around Guillemont (3/9). Relived and to Minden Post by 8.30 (5/9). Casualties - almost 300. To Talus Boise (6/9), Corbie (7/9), Talus Boise (11/9), trenches northeast of Ginchy (16/9). At dawn (17/9) it was found that position held was in fact a German communication trench running at right angles to enemy's line. In the evening an attempt was made to adjust the situation, but this would fail. Relieved and to Meaulte (19/9). To Morlancourt (22/9), Carnoy (27/9), trenches near Gueudecourt (4/10), camp near Montauban (7/10), Meaulte (8/10), Mericourt (9/10). Later to Breilly. To Saisseval (2/11), Mericourt (15/11).

[connaughtranger]

The info was from the Rifle Brigade history vols 1 & 2. Glad it was of use

Martin

[peterinkent]

Hello Martin

Thanks

Peter