Battalion HQ at Irish House. Working parties and training, inspections and fitting out, tactical scheme. Battalion moves up to take over from the 13th Royal Sussex Regiment.

 

Supply working parties for RE tunnellers near Hill 60. We send up a platoon of C Company to cover the exchange of posts made by the 6th Bedfords. They have to advance the three posts 150 yards.

Inspection of battalion by GOC 112th Infantry Brigade, Brig-Gen. A. E. Irvine DSO..

Move up as Corps Reserve from Mont Rouge at 6.30pm, to Irish House, in battle order. The Divisional General inspects the battalion on the march.

All fighting kit issued. Ready to move up at a few moments notice. 4.30pm, received orders to move to Bois Carre and relieve the 7th Loyal North Lancs.

[The battalion was one of those in reserve when Second Army launched a large attack that is known as the Battle of the Menin Road]

Still waiting. We are to be the first to move. 4pm, received orders to move to Irish House. This is cancelled and we are to go to Mont Rouge. Depart forthwith and arraive at 9.30pm.

9am, start training at Corunna Camp. 10am warning order to move up to the line. 5.30pm, em-bus and move up to relieve the 1st Cambridgeshires of 118th Brigade, 39th Division. 2/Lt H. N. King and 2/Lt G. Brydon wounded, also 20 men.

[In fact, three of these men died. Private James Disley from Preston, Private John Eccles of Bury or Bolton, and 35 year-old Private Herbert Twisse of Lancaster have no known graves and are commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing. Private James Blackshaw was among the wounded].

Heavily shelled all day. We are just on the right of Tower Hamlets in Shrewsbury Forest. In support to 6th Bedfords.

[The diary does not mention that five men died on this day.

Private Alfred Jellicoe of West Kirby is buried in Hooge Crater Cemetery. It is reasonable to assume that his body was found after the war and that he was buried in this concentration cemetery at that time.

Private James Rothwell and Private Thomas Griffin, both from Bolton, have no known graves and are commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing.

Two of the men died of wounds - possibly received the previous day. 25 year-old Private Percy Wooding of Royston in Hertfordshire, who had seen service with the Bedfords before joing the battalion, is buried in Westouter Churchyard. 20 year-old Private Thomas Williams from Liverpool is buried in Outtersteene Communal Cemetery Extension near Bailleul].

Move up to relieve the 6th Bedfords in the line.

[The diary does not mention that three men died on this day.

Private William Crompton is buried in Railway Dugouts Burial Ground near Zillebeke, which suggests he died at a forward dressing station.

Lance Corporal John Rushton, a native of Blackley who had served with the Manchester Regiment, is buried in Perth (China Wall) Cemetery near Zillebeke, which also suggests he died at a forward dressing station.

29 year-old Private Frank Buskey of Bolton died of wounds and is buried in Godewaersvelde British Cemetery].

Still very rough - casualties mounting up.

[Two men died on this day. 20 year-old Bertram Walmsley of Chorley, and Private William Downs of Denton, formerly with the Manchester Regiment, died of wounds and are both buried in Locre Hospice Cemetery].

Heavily shelled all day - the hottest day of all.

[The diary does not mention that four men died on this day.

Lance Corporal Thomas Hulme of Cheadle died of wounds and is buried in Outtersteene Communal Cemetery Extension near Bailleul.

Private John Brown of Nelson is buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery. It is reasonable to assume that his body was found after the war and that he was buried in this concentration cemetery at that time.

Sergeant John Bumberry and Corporal Frank Dymock MM have no known graves and are commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing].

We are to be relieved today by the 10th Royal Warwickshire Regiment of the 19th Division. They arrive and a very good reliefe is carried out. It is much quieter today. We move back near Kemmel for the night and receive orders to move up to Brigade in Reserve. Our casualties are [have been] heavy being 94 killed and wounded..

[Six more of the wounded died before the end of the month].

Move up to Vierstraat under canvas and have to make a nearly new camp.

General cleaning up and inspections. Enemey aeroplanes bomb our transport lines and kill two horses and wound seven.

Second Lieutenant Norman Carline was killed in action on 22 March 1918, and is buried in Jeancourt Communal Cemetery Extension.