11th Northern Division

[Peter Woodger]

Hi

If it is outside the daterange of Westlake's Somme then I am Lost.

Could you tell me the general area in which 11th Div was deployed in Jan/Feb 1917. For my purposes I need to know if they were on Thiepval Ridge, Upper reaches of the Ancre, Redan Ridge or Serre.

Peter

[CROONAERT]

I've only got the battalion history of the 11th Manchesters (34 Bde, 11 Div) to hand at the moment, but Jan-Feb 1917, they were based at Forceville, Engelbelmer, Mesnil, Fransu, Bonneville and then Terramesnil until March 1st.

Dave

[CROONAERT]

From THIS WEBSITE regarding the 11th Mancs through the period...

"A short stay in the line north of the Ancre, extending and consolidating a series of positions , was endured between 17th and 21st December, before they were relieved and put into reserve. On Christmas Day, the battalion returned to its old billets in Forceville where they stayed until January 2nd 1917, when they returned to the reserve positions behind the frontline, improving communications trenches, work for which they received a commendation in a special "Brigade Order of the Day" of January 5th. January 6th saw them in the front-line again, which was marked by a considerable amount of shelling. They were relieved on the 10th January by the 5/Dorsets who were ordered to attack, with the Manchesters in support, a line of hostile posts 350 yds to the British front on the 11th. The objectives were gained, but lost almost immediately during a German counter-attack. Two platoons of "P" Company, 11/Manchesters now occupied the front-line trench. About mid-day, further orders to attack were received, but these were subsequently cancelled. Many casualties ensued nonetheless, due to an increasingly heavy bombardment of the front-line. The same day, the battalion was relieved (again!) and returned to Forceville.

The rest period in Forceville was only brief as, on 16th January, the Manchesters found themselves supporting an attack by the 32nd Brigade, moving into the trenches ("P" and "Q" Companies to Mesnil, and "S" Company to Englebelmer) at 1pm. The following day, "P" and "Q" retired to reserve dugouts, while "S" transferred to Mesnil. The projected attack was a complete success and it was found that the Germans had evacuated many positions. On the night of 19th January, the battalion was relieved by Hawke Battalion of the R.N.D. and proceeded to Lancashire Dump, from where they were taken, by bus, to Raincheval which was reached on the 20th. Two days later, after struggling on frosty roads (in which it was decided to let the transports make their own ways at whatever speed they could manage) they arrived at Fransu. This time, the Battalion's stay here (because of the intense cold ,with much snow) mainly consisted of intensive drill of various types with interludes of Football, running and other physical activities.

Though they left Fransu on 23rd February, the battalion remained behind the lines and "off duty" as such until the 24th April ... (Bonneville (23rd Feb.), Terramesnil (25th Feb.), Varennes and Mailly Wood , where they were employed in laying railways(1st March - 24th March), training at Beauquesne (24th March - 11th April), Acheux (11th April - 20th April), Grevillers , where they were engaged in completing the defences of Bapaume (20th April - 24th April))."

[Peter Woodger]

croonaert

Thank you very much

Peter