9th norfolk regiment 1918

[Peter furness]

Hi

my great grandfather was in the 9th batallion of the Norfolk regiment. we found his papers recently he signed up 18/12/1917 and fought till the end of the war. He won the military medal on 08/10/1918 during the attack at brancourt (we found his citation too signed by general rawlinson). would be interested to see if anyone has any info on the 9th norfolk during 1918. or if anyone has the batallion war diary.

would be interesting to see where the Norfolks went in the whole of 1918

thanks in advance

Pete

[connaughtranger]

Jan: 16 day training at Courcelle. Le Bucquiere on Bapaume-Cambrai railway.

21st-26th: Trenches in front of Denicourt

26th-31st: Divisional reserve at Fremicourt

Feb 13th: To Queant-Pronville sector and remained there until 21st Mar

Mar 21st: In the front line at Lagnicourt. Driven back towards Morchies-Vaudricourt line

Casualties 10 Officers killed, 5 wounded and 2 POW

30 OR's killed, 147 wounded and 170 missing

Remnants of 9th Norfolks in support behind Morchies Wood

22nd: Pushed back to Beugny

22nd-23rd: Relieved and retired to Bihucourt

24th: Train through Doullens, Etaples, Boulogne and Calais to billets at St Sixte near Proven on 26th

27th: To Winerzeele to refit

April 1st: Left sub-sector defences at Polybeke, HQ in Polygon Wood

7th: relieved

14th: Dranoutre

15th: Enemy gained footing in trench but B Co counter-attack pushed them out, though they were forced to retire under heavy pressure keeping touch with 1st Leisters at Clapham Junction. Ordered into Divisional reserve at Mt Kemmel, half battalion east of Locre, the other half on road leading NW from Kemmel.

18th: Close support of 1st Leisters

19th/20th Relieved by French and moved to westoutre and on to Ouderdom

End of April: In strongpoints near Goldfish Chateau and working on defences until...

May 12th: Ypres Canal

June/July: Ypres Canal, south of the city

End of July: Around Dickebusch Lake

August: Uneventful. Americans learning their trade with the Battalion

Sept 1st: To St Omer. Entrained

2nd: reached Corbie and into billets at La Houssoye. Training

14th: Monchy Lagache

18th: Attack from vicinity of Holnon Wood, but held up by barrage, and heavy machine-gun fire from the Quadrilateral

19th: Ordered to attack North Alley but only managed to take and hold Douai Trench ( about halfway)

20th: Douai and Valley trenches, reserve in quarry

22nd: New & Valley trenches

24th: Relieved by 11th Essex

29th: Relieved by 11th French Chasseurs and moved further back

Oct 1st: At Tertry. Draft of 150

4th: At Magny la Fosse training until...

6th: Relieved 1st Buffs in front line trenches

8th: Attacked at 5.10pm and reached line south of Brancourt Station by 9.23pm. At 11.56pm in sunken road leading from Brancourt to Fresnoy le Grand.

Brancourt was still untaken by mid-afternoon and 9th Norfolks ordered forward, but was held up by machine-gun fire from Brancourt on left and Jonnecourt on right. Withdrew to original line at 6.20pm

9th: Attacked high ground towards Bohain as part of 71st Bde at 2.30am. The Battalion turned the German right and pursued them through Bohain to the east. Established posts and then .....

10th: Moved into Bde reserve west of Bohain

11th: Brought forward into centre of Bde line. 5.30am pushed on towards Bellevue Ridge but flanks suffered heavy machine -gun fire. Artillery was brought down on the machine-gun nests at 12.50pm and a protective barrage arranged. Ten minutes later, following 2 tanks which drove on the nests, the Battalion advanced again. Battalion consolidated on original line. Into billets wouth of Bohain.

14th: Relieved Americans on left of Sherwood Foresters

16th: Bohain until 19th training

19th: St Souplet to relieve 108th Americans

22nd/23rd: 1.20am on light railway from Catillon to Le Cateau and attacked NE towards Bois de L'Eveque. Wired hedges and fences, and heavy machine-gun fire conspired to stop the attack within 400 yards of its starting point. After 1pm, the Battalion, now reorganised, was ordered to push through the Bois de L'Eveque south-eastwards. Although the attackj only took half the wood, it was taken next day by 16th Bde. At 6pm the Battalion was withdrawn and this turned out to be its last battle. Although it remained in the line till the end of the month

30th/31st: Relieved and into billets in Fresnoy le Grand

11th: Armistice day at Bohain