Great War diaries: 5th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment

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It can be taken as read that when in the trenches, the battalion was engaged in work to maintain its position, wiring, patrolling, etc. There were often small numbers of casualties from sniping or shellfire. When out of the line, they would provide men for working parties, carrying, rationing and other fatigues, in addition to cleaning up, refitting, training, etc. These details are not noted here, to avoid repetition. By now, trench warfare had assumed something of a pattern, as demonstrated by the movement of the battalion in and out of the line.

From August 1915 to June 1916

In August 1915, the Battalion was engaged in trench warfare at the notorious spot called Hill 60. Situated within sight of Ypres, Hill 60 was a spoil heap that had been created when the Ypres-Comines railway had been built in the late 1800’s. Here the railway ran through a deep cutting, and the material was piled up on either side. On the north side of the canal it was called Hill 60; on the south the Caterpillar. The fighting of the first battle of Ypres in October-November 1914 had left the front lines running across these positions ; the British on the Ypres side, and the enemy on the far side. Since then, there had been almost continuous and sometimes severe fighting for possession of the crown of the Hill, valued for it’s excellent observation over Ypres and the British rear. Unable to break through on the surface, both sides resorted to mining operations designed to blow up the opposition trenches. Although August 1915 was not a time of severe fighting at Hill 60, it continued to be nerve-wracking for the infantry; always on the listen for possible sounds of mining, always under fire from shelling and snipers.

Date	The locations and activities of the battalion.
1/8/15	On the south-western slopes of Hill 60, in Trenches 36 and 37.
3/8/15	Moved to Railway Dugouts, in Brigade Reserve.
11/8/15	On the south-western slopes of Hill 60, in Trenches 36 and 37. Suspicious sounds of mining heard on this tour, but no activity resulting.
18/8/15	Moved to Ouderdom, in “F” Hutments, in Divisional Reserve.
23/8/15	On the south-western slopes of Hill 60, in Trenches 34 and 35. Generally quiet, but casualties frequent, due to shelling.
31/8/15	Moved to Railway Dugouts, in Brigade Reserve. A and B Companies placed in railway dugouts, C in Rosenthal Chateau, and D in the support trenches.
Month	Total Battalion casualties 10 killed, 4 died of wounds, 25 wounded, 7 slightly wounded and remained at duty.

September 1915

Date	The locations and activities of the battalion.
7/9/15	On the south-western slopes of Hill 60, in Trenches 33,34,35 and 36.
13/9/15	Moved to Canada Huts, Dickebusch, in Divisional Reserve.
18/9/15	On the south-western slopes of Hill 60. Much heavier shellfire on this tour. [Especially on 25/9/15, the day that the French and British launched an offensive further to the south, with a diversionary attack near Hooge - only a mile or so to the north of Hill 60].
26/9/15	Moved to Railway Dugouts, in Brigade Reserve.
Month	Total Battalion casualties 3 killed, 3 died of wounds, 25 wounded, 15 slightly wounded and remained at duty.

October 1915

During this month, the Division left the Ypres sector and moved south to the industrial coalfield area of Artois. Here the British had attacked on 25^th September near the mining town of Loos-en-Gohelle. The initial advance, although costly in terms of casualties, was successful in breaking into the deep complex of enemy positions. But early success could not be exploited due to lack of reserves and artillery ammunition. The offensive soon bogged down into trench warfare again. By the start of the new month, decisions had been taken to renew the offensive when new units could be moved in.

Date	The locations and activities of the battalion.
2/10/15	Paraded at 11am, marched to Abeele and entrained. Arrived at Fouquereuil at 6.15pm, and moved to billets in L’Ecleme, near Lillers, arriving at 12.30am on the 3/10/15.
6/10/15	Marched at 10.15am to Vaudricourt, near Bethune and into billets.
12/10/15	Proceeded to the trenches in relief of the 3^rd Guards Brigade. The line taken over runs from G5c 8.7 to G5c 8.9 thence along Big Willie Trench.
13/10/15	Took part in an attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt and suffered many casualties. [A detailed report of this action is here].
14/10/15	Relieved at midnight by the 3^rd Guards Brigade.
15/10/15	Arrived in billets in Sailly Labourse at 8am and rested. At 2pm, marched to Fouquieres, and into billets.
19/10/15	Marched to billets in Allouagne.
25/10/15	Marched to billets in Fouquieres.
Month	Total Battalion casualties 46 killed, 5 died of wounds, 219 wounded, 52 missing believed killed.

November 1915

After the hard fight at the Hohenzollern redoubt, the Division was moved north to the quieter area at Neuve Chapelle, to rest and recover.

Date	The locations and activities of the battalion.
5/11/15	Marched at 8.30am to Paradis, near Merville, and into billets.
9/11/15	Marched at 10am to Riez Bailleul, and into billets.
10/11/15	At 3pm, marched to trenches, relieving 1/1^st Ghurka Rifles [of the 9^th (Sirhind) Brigade, of the Lahore Division]. [These trenches are in the Neuve Chapelle sector]. Took over trenches from Brewery Road (S5a 10.6) to Hill Street. 4^th Londons on our left, 4^th King’s Liverpool on the right.
15/11/15	Relieved by 6^th North Staffs. 3 Companies to Loretto Road, 1 to Lansdowne Post, in Brigade Reserve.
19/11/15	Relieved 6^th North Staffs in B Sector trenches, at 6.45pm.
22/11/15	Relieved by 4^th Kings Liverpool from Liverpool Street to Church Road. 5^th North Staffs took over area north of Church Road and 6^th South Staffs south of Liverpool Street. In Brigade Reserve, in C Sector rest houses on Loretto Road.
25/11/15	Relieved 6^th North Staffs in C Sector trenches.
29/11/15	Relieved by 6^th North Staffs.
Month	Total Battalion casualties 1 killed, 0 died of wounds, 4 wounded, 4 slightly wounded and remained at duty.

December 1915

A month with a very major and unexpected move – to Egypt. But the Division had no sooner arrived than it was ordered back to France.

Date	The locations and activities of the battalion.
1/12/15	Relieved 6^th North Staffs in trenches at 6.03pm.
5/12/15	Marched to billets in Rue des Vaches. Commenced Platoon and Company training.
19/12/15	Marched to billets in Isbergues. Training continued.
25/12/15	Entrained at Berguette Station for Marseilles, and arrived there on 27/12/15. Went into Santi Camp.

January 1916

Date	The locations and activities of the battalion.
2/1/16	Embarked on the HMS Magnificent. Serious accident while embarking: 150 men and several machine-guns were on board a lighter that was taking men from the quayside to the ship. A girder supporting hatches gave way and 50 men, the machine-guns and all the baggage fell some 10 feet to the bottom of the boat. The men were in full pack, with their rifles. 1 man suffered a broken leg, and 5 head injuries.
9/1/16	Disembarked in Alexandria, and entrained for Shallufa.
10/1/16	Detrained and took over No. 5 Post, No. 1 Section, of the Suez Canal Defences.
17/1/16	Handed over the post to the 1^st Monmouths. Encamped east of the post and commenced training.
30/1/16	Entrained at Alexandria. 8341 Pte A. White was accidentally knocked off the train by a piece of wood projecting from a passing goods train. He proceeded with the battalion to Alexandria and was sent to hospital.

February 1916

On arriving back in France, the Battalion was placed into an area well away from the fighting, in the valley of the River Somme, half way from the front line to the coast. This would have been a pleasant time for the Battalion. The villages were still populated and there was plenty of time for rest.

Date	The locations and activities of the battalion.
5/2/16	At 9.15am, embarked the HM Transport Transylvania.
12/2/16	Arrived Marseilles at 8.30am, and entrained at 7.12pm.
14/2/16	5pm, detrained at Pont-Remy [near Abbeville], marched to Bellancourt, and into billets.
21/2/16	Marched to billets at Prouville. Battalion training. On the 28^th, there was a tragic accident, which killed 1 man; another died of his wounds and 12 others were wounded. No 1 Platoon was practicing throwing grenades with live ammunition. A No. 5 Mills grenade exploded in the hand of the Sergeant-Instructor as soon as he took out the pin. Sgt Pritchard miraculously escaped with only a wound; the men who died were 983 Pte W. Hough and 7986 Sgt Sidney Rooker, 23. Both men are buried in Prouville Churchyard.
29/2/16	Marched to billets in Occoches.

March 1916

The quiet time had to end. During March, the Division was moved into the Vimy Ridge area, notorious for constant shellfire and aggressive mine warfare.

Date	The locations and activities of the battalion.
6/3/16	Marched to new billets in Wamin.
8/3/16	Marched to new billets in Magnicourt.
11/3/16	Marched to new billets in Aubigny.
13/3/16	Marched to new billets in Ecoivres. Battalion in Divisional Reserve.
19/3/16	To trenches east of Neuville Saint Vaast, relieving the 6^th South Staffs.
25/3/16	Relieved at 11.20pm by the 6^th South Staffs, and into reserve billets in Neuville Saint Vaast. A draft of 191 men arrived on 28/3/16.
30/3/16	Relieved 6^th South Staffs in trenches at 6.45pm.
Month	Total Battalion casualties 1 killed, 0 died of wounds, 8 wounded (all by the British artillery firing short on 25/3/16).

April 1916

Date	The locations and activities of the battalion.
2/4/16	The enemy exploded a mine on the south side of B4 crater. This was immediately followed by a second explosion south west of the same crater. Parties rushing into the crater could not enter; trenches were badly damaged, and several men were in a state of collapse from the fumes. The enemy opened heavy fire with rifle grenades and trench mortars from a sap on the right side of the crater. Also machine-gun fire from the direction of Point 5. We established a bombing post and placed a Lewis Gun on the northern lip of the crater, and dug a communication trench round to O.64. Casualties Lt. Alfred Smith killed and 2/Lt Wilkinson wounded. 5 other ranks killed, 14 wounded, 6 missing, 1 slightly wounded and remained at duty. [Smith was 26 years of age. He is buried in Ecoivres Military Cemetery.]
3/4/16	Enemy quiet except for sniping. At 10pm, the enemy exploded a mine in the front of 51^st Brigade. Artillery fire for 15 minutes very heavy; our support and communication trenches in places being considerably knocked about. Our artillery and trench mortars kept up a continual fire all night.
4/4/16	Enemy artillery very active. At 10.20pm, an enemy aeroplane fell on the left of Battalion HQ. Relieved by 6^th South Staffs, completed at 9.15pm. To rest billets in Ecoivres, and in Divisional Reserve.
9/4/16	Marched to trenches to relief of 6^th South Staffs. Artillery, grenades and trench mortars active.
15/4/16	Relieved at 11.15pm by the 6^th South Staffs, and into billets at Neuville St Vaast.
20/4/16	Relieved by 11^th Cheshire by 11.40pm. To huts in Ecoivres by 2am.
21/4/16	Marched to new billets in Chelers, arriving 2.15pm.
Month	Total Battalion casualties 10 killed, 31 wounded, 6 missing, 2 slight wounds, 1 self-inflicted wound.

May 1916

During this month, the battalion moved to a new position, on the Somme.

Date	The locations and activities of the battalion.
3/5/16	Marched to new billets in Canettement and Honval.
4/5/16	Marched to new billets in St Amand.
5/5/16	Marched to new billets in Fonquevillers, and relieved the 6^th Royal Warwicks in left sector trenches. Enemy abnormally quiet on this tour. On 12^th May, 957 Pte James Bird, a 24-year-old who was ‘on loan’ to 182 Tunnelling Company, was found drowned in a mineshaft and buried at Ecoivres. On the 16^th, the enemy dropped 300 shells in the vicinity of Gooch Street. Our field guns replied with 150 on Gommecourt Park.
19/5/16	Relieved after a very long tour by 5^th Sherwood Foresters. Marched to billets in Souastre.
20/5/16	Marched to billets in Lucheux, arriving 2am on 21^st.
Month	Total Battalion casualties 1 killed, 3.

June 1916

Date	The locations and activities of the battalion.
6/6/16	Marched to new billets in Souastre, arriving 10pm. In Divisional Reserve.
18/6/16	Marched to new billets in Le Souich, arriving 10pm. Battalion Training. Inspected by the GOC Third Army [Lieut. -General Edmund Allenby], in attack practice on 20^th.
21/6/16	Relieved 5^th Leicesters by 12.30am on 22/6/16 in right sector in front of Fonquevillers.
22/6/16	A quiet day. Enemy [artillery] searched ground about 300 yards west of our sector with High Explosive [shells]. Between 11am and 12 noon enemy shelled 41 Trench. Casualties: Killed 263 Pte Davies E., 8878 Pte Worthington S. Wounded 9862 Pte Britton J, 9779 Pte Bird J., 857 Pte Allsopp S., 9501 Pte Middlebrook J., 512 Pte Bullock W.
23/6/16	Enemy guns registered on every part of our sector and swept the parapets with machine-gun fire.
24/6/16	Seven covering parties (5 of C Company, 2 of A) were out covering the digging off a new front line trench, in front of the centre sector. About 12.15pm, the enemy opened heavy shell and machine-gun fire on the covering and working parties. Our covering parties had 3 killed, 13 wounded. On our own sector the enemy were quiet.
25/6/16	Very little retaliation by the enemy to our own bombardment. [This was the opening of the 7-day bombardment to soften up the enemy positions before the infantry assault]. 6 5.9’s were fired at 39-40 Trenches.
26/6/16	Enemy heavily shelled our front line and supports between 8.30am and 9.15am. Calibre of guns were 77mm, 4.1 and 5.9 (inch). Enemy barraged our support line during the 9.45am bombardment. Battalion relieved by 4^th Leicesters, and proceeded to Humbercamps. C Company remained behind as working party under instruction received from Brigade.
30/6/16	The battalion parade at 11.30pm to proceed to the trenches, to carryout operations against hostile positions in Gommecourt Wood, village and park.
Month	Total Battalion casualties Officers 1 killed, 2 wounded. Other ranks 14 killed, 37 wounded (of which 1 returned to duty), 7 shell shock (of which 4 returned to duty), 1 self-inflicted wound.
This is an extract from the Battalion war diary which is Crown Copyright and held at the National Archives in document WO95/2686.

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