Category Archives: 1916

20TH DIVISION OPERATION ORDER NO 97 4 September 1916

SECRET Copy No …….
4th September, 1916

20TH DIVISION OPERATION ORDER NO 97

Ref – Trench Map LONGUEVAL Sheet,
57 c S.W. – 1/10,000.
GINCHY – GUILLEMONT Map 1/5,000.

1. The 7th Division have consolidated parties in several houses in GINCHY and are fighting their way from house to house.

2. At 6.30 p.m. the barrage which will start 200 yards E. of the GINCHY – WEDGE WOOD ROAD, will again become intensive and creep forward at the rate of 50 yards a minute. Under cover of this the 5th, 20th and 7th Divisions will push strong patrols, with Lewis guns, forward to the line S.W. corner of LEUZE WOOD – T.20.a.6.5. The patrols from 20th Division will be found from 59th and 60th Inf. Brigades.

On reaching this line the patrols will establish themselves thereon and will at once be supported. The ground then seized will be consolidated. Special parties should be told off to bomb up the trench from T.20.c.2.6. to T.20.b.7.3. and to secure the QUARRIES at T.20.d.2.1.

The Heavy Artillery will arrange to bombard all these objectives.

3. The 9th Squadron R.F.C. will detail 2 contact aeroplanes to be in the air from 3.15 p.m. to 6.15 p.m. and one after that hour until dark.

4. Flares will be lit on reaching the objectives and at 6.45p.m.

5. The boundaries between Divisions and brigades will be as stated in paras. 5 and 6 of Operation Order No 90 (Revised copy).

6. Strong points will be constructed at the following points:-

Right Brigade – QUARRY T.20.d.2.1.
Road T.20.d.2.5.
Left Brigade – Trench junction T.20.a.6.5.

7. To assist in the construction of these points and the consolidation of the line, 2 sections 84th Field Coy R.E. will be placed at the disposal of 59th Inf. Bde. and remaining 2 sections of the same coy at the disposal of the 60th Inf. Bde. A working party of 100 infantry will be provided to assist the R.E. allotted to each brigade. these two parties will be provided under arrangements made by C.R.E.

8. O.C. 20th Signal Coy. will synchronise watches at 4.30 p.m.

9. ACKNOWLEDGE

(sd) R.H. JAMES Lt. Col
for Lieut Colonel
General Staff 20th Division
Issued at 3 p.m.

Distribution overleaf.

Copies to:-

No. 1. XIV Corps (G),
2. XIV Corps (Q),
3. 5th Division.
4. 7th Division.
5. 16th Division.
6. 47th Brigade.
7. 48th Brigade.
8. 59th Brigade.
9. 60th Brigade.
10. 61st Brigade.
11. C.R.A. 24th Division.
12. C.R.A. 6th Division.
13. C.R.E.
14. A.D.M.S.
15. A.P.M.
16. 11th Durham L.I.
17. Adv. “Q”.
18. A.A. & Q.M.G.
19. XIV Corps H.A.
20. 9th Squadron R.F.C.
21/24. Retained.
25. 20th Signal Coy.

20TH DIVISION OPERATION ORDER NO 96. 4 September 1916

Copy No …24.
4th September 1916.

20TH DIVISION OPERATION ORDER NO 96.

1. In continuation of G.893, 4th September the 48th Inf Bde will relieve the 47th and 60th Brigades tonight, and will take over all trench stores, maps and dumps provided for these Brigades. Arrangements for this relief will be made between Brigadiers. Officers of the 48th Brigade should make them selves acquainted with the trenches beforehand.

On relief being effected the 47th Bde will concentrate at CARNOY, the 60th Brigade at TRONES and NEW GUARDS TRENCHES and units of 61st Brigade attached to 47th Brigade will move to CRATERS. On arrival there of the latter units will come under the command of Brigadier 61st Inf. Bde.

2. Headquarters of 61st Brigade will be at CARNOY, Red House.
Headquarters of 47th Brigade will be at CARNOY & BRICK ALLEY.
Headquarters of 60th Brigade will be at BERNAFAY WOOD.
Headquarters of 48th Brigade will be at DUMMY TRENCH.

3. The Field Coys. R.E. and Pioneers attached to the 47th Brigade will not be relieved until the morning of the 5th Sept. They will then return under orders of the C.R.E. to CARNOY, the Field Company rejoining its Brigade Group there.

4. Medical units attached to the 47th and 60th Brigades will be relieved under instructions which will be issued by the A.D.M.S.

5. The 48th Brigade on taking over will detail a permanent garrison for GUILLEMONT North of MOUNT STREET which is organised as a defensive locality and stronghold. O.C. 83rd Field Coy will advise and assist. Arrangements made and garrison detailed should be reported as soon as completed.

6. In view of the complexity of the situation G.Os. C. 47th and 60th Infantry Brigades will issue strict orders that no troops are to leave their posts until relieved by troops of 48th Brigade.

7. Completion of relief will be notified by wiring the word ”Flares” and time to this Headquarters.

(sd) R.H. JAMES Lt. Col.,
for Lieut. Colonel,
General Staff 20th Division.
Issued at 1.30 p.m.
Copies to:-
Distribution overleaf.
Less 6th Bn. Oxf & Bucks L.I.

Copies to:-

No. 1. XIV Corps (G),
2. XIV Corps (Q),
3. 5th Division.
4. 7th Division.
5. 16th Division.
6. 47th Brigade.
7. 48th Brigade.
8. 59th Brigade.
9. 60th Brigade.
10. 61st Brigade.
11. C.R.A. 24th Division.
12. C.R.E.
13. A.D.M.S.
14. C.R.A. 6th Division.
15. A.P.M.
16. 11th Durham L.I.
17. Adv. “Q”.
18. XIV Corps H.A.
19. 9th Squadron R.F.C.
20. A.A. & Q.M.G.
21/24. Retained.
25. 20th Signals.

20TH DIVISION OPERATION ORDER NO 95. 4 September 1916

SECRET
Copy No ……
4th September 1916

20TH DIVISION OPERATION ORDER NO 95.

1. The XIV Corps will renew the attack today.

(a) At 3.10 p.m. the 5th Division will attack the line B.2.d.4.8. – WEDGE WOOD and the trench from T.26.c.4.5. to T.26.a.8.5½.

(b) The French Corps will simultaneously attack the trench from ACK HANGER WOOD to B.2.d.4.8.

(c) The 7th Division will simultaneously clear up the situation in GINCHY.

2. Subsequently, the exact hour being notified later, the 5th and 20th Divisions will capture the line LEUZE WOOD – T.20.a.6.5., the dividing line between Divisions being the N.W. corner of LEUZE WOOD (T.26.b.8.8 ½.)

3. The 48th Brigade will detail two Battalions for this attack and will assemble in GUILLEMONT and the SUNKEN ROAD T.25.a. before 4 p.m. Dividing line between battalions the road GUILLEMONT – COMBLES inclusive to the right battalion.

4. On gaining the position the troops will entrench themselves.

5. The C.R.A. 24th Division will arrange for a creeping barrage between the GINCHY – WEDGE WOOD ROAD (T.20.a.1.5. – T.26.a.1.5.) and the objective.

(sd) R.H. JAMES Lt. Colonel,
General Staff, 20th Division
Issued to Signals at 8.30 a.m.

Copies to
1. XIV Corps (G), 13. C.R.E.
2. XIV Corps (Q), 14. 11th Durham L.I.
3. 5th Division. 15. A.D.M.S.
4. 7th Division. 16. 20th Signals.
5. 16th Division. 17. A.P.M.
6. 47th Brigade. 18. A.A. & Q.M.G.
7. 48th Brigade. 19. Adv. “Q”.
8. 59th Brigade. 20. 9th Squadron R.F.C.
9. 60th Brigade. 21/25. Retained.
10. 61st Brigade.
11. C.R.A. 24th Division.
12. C.R.A. 6th Division.

Boarding Instructions 12 August 1916

8 873
Officer Commanding 75th Bn Canadian Infy.
1. The 6 officers 250 other ranks under your command will entrain as detailed in paragraph 4.
2. O’s. C. units must be very careful that every man in their units is told the station and “Point of Entrainment” before marching off. Most of the numerous cases of men left behind have occurred through neglect of this precaution.
3. The entrance to Points Nos. 1, 2 and 4 is at No. 70. Cours de la Rebuplique, and to Point 3 at the Boulevard d’Harfleur.
4. Entrain at (Gare des Marchandises) Point No. 3.
(Gare Maritime )
Time 17.00 p.m. Date 13th August ‘16
Ration party (Strength 1 Officer, 10 men) to report to the Officer i/c Detail Issue Store: –
(Gare des Marchandises) Point No. 4.
(Gare Maritime )
Time 16.30 p.m. Date 13th August ‘16
5. Attention is directed to the “Special Orders for Units passing through Havre Base”, especially paragraph 6, and to ”Notes for Entrainment.”
Any further information regarding entrainment can be obtained from the D.A.D.R.T., rue Jules-Lecesne.
The Orderly Room Sergeants, if any, should report to this office, as under, ready in all respects for immediate entrainment on being posted to the D.A.G., 3rd Echelon, for duty.
Time ……………… Date…………….
The times given are the hours of arrival at the specified place.
Issued at………………. ………C. Higgins……Captain
Date 12th August ’16 D.A.Q.M.G., Havre Base.

Brigade Major R.A., 12th Division. 13th July, 1917.

Stamp Headquarters 12th Divisional Artillery R.A. 213/2

62nd Brigade R.F.A.
63rd Brigade R.F.A.
48th A.F.A. Brigade
12th Division (G) )
4th Divl. Arty. ) For information
50th Divl. Arty. )

Reference paragraph 5 of R.A. 213/1 dated 12th July, 1917.

In addition to the fire of the Heavy Artillery in case of threatened attack on HOOK TRENCH, the following supporting fire has been arranged with flank Divisional Artilleries –

On receipt of Code Call – “ASSIST MARBLE” from 12th D.A. H.Q.

4th D.A. Will barrage from the East edge of BOIS des AUBEPINES to the West corner of BOIS du SART.

50th D.A. Will barrage STIRRUP LANE from O.8.d.7.4. to O.9 central.

C.A. Clowes
Major,
Brigade Major R.A., 12th Division. 13th July, 1917.

(2)
23rd A.F.A. Bde.

Will you please arrange for task shown for 4th D.A. to be carried out when called for if the situation on your *** front permits

C.C.S. Owen Major R.A.
B.M. 4th D.A.
14/7/17
*** to be altered:-

George Ryan’s letter to Charlie Soper dated 13 July 1916.

George Ryan’s letter to Charlie Soper dated 13 July 1916.

On headed notepaper with regimental crest 9th Middlesex Regt.
1945
9th Middlesex
Khanspur.
Punjab.
India.
13 July 1916

Dear Charlie,

Many thanks for your letter of June 5. I was much surprised to hear you had gone to France. I heard from home that you had moved there, two or three weeks ago. It’s a pity you had to be split up like you were, & I’m very sorry to hear you have had to revert to Rifleman. Glad to see you had such a comfortable journey on the Transport. You were lucky but I think you all deserved it after your experiences of the last few months.

Well as you see we are still in the hills. The weather now is much warmer than the first few weeks up here, but the monsoons are commencing so we are getting it rather wet. Our long-expected Draft has at last arrived & are living under canvas as the barracks are full. They are a mixed lot; a good many of them are “wash-outs” absolutely, but I suppose they were thought good enough to send out here. They’re spoilt the Battalion & if there was to be any serious trouble on the Frontier I’m afraid very few of them would be any use. It’s enough to make you weep to see some of them on guard.

We’ve just finished our Annual Firing Course & I had rotten hard luck in not getting a Marksman. I was going strong but was right off form the last day & missed it by six. Three or four others in our Platoon had the same hard luck but we shall start drawing First Class Proficiency pay in Sept & that’s all that really matters. It’s a very peculiar range up here, situated in a valley, the butts one side of it & the Firing Points wherever a convenient place could be found, the other side. The khuds (slopes) up here are very steep so we had great deal of climbing to do & as the range is three miles away we were not at all sorry when we had finished. I am on Police Duties now, temporarily, while another chap does his firing. It’s a dull & lazy job & I shall not be sorry when I’m relieved of it.

We expect to be up here until Sept or Oct & then rumour has it we move to Quetta, another Frontier Station, in Baluchistan. One of our officers has expressed his opinion that we shall very likely go home to England at the end of the year, provided there’s no serious trouble on the Frontier in the meantime, for three months special training with a new rifle. I think this quite probable.

I had a letter from Bert this week – the first for a long time – & he says he has heard you are in the same district & hopes to run across you before long. I can quite understand you not having heard from May for such a long time as I hear from her none too frequently. I’m afraid most of her spare time is occupied writing to Bert so if you should run across him, just ask how she is getting on. I’m writing to her this week so I will call her “over the coals” about it for you, (as I’ve done a few times before.)

Well I hope you will soon get your leave & have a good time; or a better way of putting it, considering you wrote on June 5, would be – hope you’ve had your leave & that you had a good time. (Lucky chap.) Let’s know all about it.

Remember me to your mother.
Best of Luck,
Your sincere pal.
George W.R.

In cover addressed to Rfn C.E. Soper, 2939.
12, Platoon C Coy,
16th London Regt (Q’ns Westrs)
Brit Exp F.
France.

Postmark unreadable with Indian stamp 1 Anna. On back Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 148 dated13 AU 16. Also DLO BOMBAY 23 DEC 16 and DLO LAHORE 2 JAN 17. On front oval cachet T.F. RECORD OFFICE LONDON NO TRACE and R.E. (S.R.) A.P.S.