C/236 Battery R.F.A. Standing Orders for N.C.O. i/c Guard & Picquet.

1. He will take over from Orderly Sergeant at 6 p.m. Guard & Mounting.
2. He will check the number of horses & vehicles and see that each horse is properly secured.

• ***** ***** sentries every two hours *** during his tour of duty.

1. Before mounting a sentry he will ascertain that the sentry is conversant with his orders & realises his responsibilities.
2. In the event of hostile shelling bombing he will give the alarm and wake the Trumpeter. The N.C.O. will be responsible that every man is awakened.  Casualties to horses will be reported at once to A.V.C Sgt or assistant on.

Here the Order ends as paper missing.

Nothing on reverse.

Post Card

From RAWNSLEY & SONS

Shearbridge Mills Bradford

2 Runswick Terrace

Bank Foot

Bradford

Yorks

May 17/16

Dear Ted & Mary

I am just writing you this P. card to see if you can give me any information about George.  I wrote to him last April & March & also at the beginning of this month & I have not heard anything from him since Feb.  I don’t know what has become of him or why he does not write to me because we arranged to write to each other at least once a month.  Do you know if he has been moved from Crowbro.  You might let me know as none of my letters have been returned so that’s what makes me think he has received them.  I hope he is not taken ill or anything no matter how slight.  You will let me know soon.  I am very anxious.  I sent Fred a letter & parcel of cakes & cigs last week.  I have not heard if he received same but there is some time yet before I shall hear from him.  How are you going on& are you keeping well.  I hope so.  Glad to hear Gladys has been so successful with her studies hope she will still succeed.  We never hear anything from our people in no shape or form & don’t know how things are going on

Love from Emmie & myself

Your Sam

Card Postmarked MAY 17 16 7.30 pm.

Addressee Mr T Hammond

9 Countess St

Stockport

Y.M.C.A headed notepaper

Pte. A.A. Smith

No 27521

Reply to “C” Company 12^th Bat. Essex Regt

Stationed at Dovercourt

May 16 1916

Dear Father

I was very pleased to receive your letter.  I hope you enjoyed yourself at Thames Ditton.  How are they all down there?

We are getting more settled down to camp life now, but you can imagine what it was like at first; last Saturday was very bad it was more like being on the mud at Southend & the boards & blankets were wet; but I did not get a cold I suppose one gets hardened to it.  You ought to see me on guard with fixed bayonet I look a very dangerous scaracter then; had 24 hours of it last week it was alright until about 1.15 on Saturday morning it started to pour then.

Have not been able to get a pass yet but still I can only keep on trying that is about the only thing to do.  There are plenty that have been here 12 weeks & not got home yet it is jolly rough.

Albert sent me a form to fill up to try & get on the Dental staff.  I have to go & see the Captain tomorrow morning.  I don’t know at all whether it will come off.

It is not convenient now for getting to the Y.M. to write letters & we have about 30 min walk from the camp.

You might let me know if I should write about the income tax & if you can let me know the numbers & any other particulars that might be useful in writing; also the surveyors address; if you do not know, it does not matter as I have an envelope at Southend.  Albert can forward it on to me.

Do not send a parcel this time Father although I should be pleased to receive one, but next time I write I shall be able to let you know whether I am staying on here.

I had a letter from Ciss on Saturday she said some of the Essex are going to Aldershot; there are a lot of rumours that we are not here for long but if the other fails I shall have a try to get there.

How are Darvills, & Miss Dimond.  Remember me to them.

I hope you are well also Jess & Ethel. With much love to you all.

Your devoted

Son

Alf

P.S. Recruits still keep on coming in some of them do not look very happy you can bet they feel it a bit after coming out of comfortable homes.  It is a rare job shaving I manage without a glass we are up at 5 A.M. & have to be all ready for parade by 6.15.  how would that suit you?  It’s a bit of a job with 15 of us dodging about in a small tent.

Southern Army Bombing School

Ingatestone

14. 5. 16

My dear Gladys

Why this promptness in writing – I don’t think.  Well we are having a gorgeous time under canvass with the rain pouring down every night.  We have dug a trench round the tent with a sump at the back which is already full of water & the floor is 3” under water as well.  However we are quite merry and bright.  I was rather surprised to hear you were still in the choir but no doubt they could not expect to succeed without such a fair figurehead.  Bow wow.  I always thought you could sing myself.

Heard from the Golden Goose yesterday he still lays regularly but never more than one at a time, perhaps he is a little fed with all these new taxes.  I would have loved to come to the festival but I don’t quite get your “drift” – slang – about the lady.  I told a certain lady about the trials of matrimony and you are absolutely “for it” no doubt you would be highly delighted if you knew what you were in for.  Keep it dark – no on second thoughts I will lock it in the old oak chest.  Had a letter from Willie yesterday, he seems to be plodding along in the old way, still thinking out schemes for making the family rich suddenly.  Well Gladys it is up to you to pull this scholarship off.  You know how pleased we shall all be.  I only wish I had such glorious prospects.  I suppose Canada will be my only hope after this Great War – not likely – give me a pill machine  and a bit of mas and the world will soon know of Hammonds’ Pills I might find you a job as book keeper.  Not heard from Kempo for some time perhaps he pushed off by now.

Well dear, I am awfully busy with notes and diagrams so you must excuse more.  I have an exam myself on Friday, we had a bit of an oral one yesterday.  Is have be back in Colchester on Saturday so write there.  How’s Ma & Pa.  would love to be home for a week.

Fondest love to all  George

P.S. Will send a photo of the platoon when I get back.  Remind me!  G

FOR GOD, FOR KING & FOR COUNTRY

Y.M.C.A.

H.M. FORCES ON ACTIVE SERVICE

Friday evening

6185

A Company

1^st Reserve Battalion

City of London Royal Fusiliers

5 Camp Hut 20

Hurdcott

Nr. Salisbury

Dear Dad,

I was very pleased to get your welcome letter, & to hear that your cold was better. I had a letter from Alice Wednesday they were all well at home.

Well I must tell you that my arm is just beginning to act, both places have taken allright, my arm is not so bad as some of the boys, you get no sympathy here for a bad arm. They think you can go on just the same.

Wednesday we had a route march of 15 miles which did not improve things very much.

Thursday when the corporal came round nearly all the chaps in our hut went sick. So we had an easy time Thursday nothing to do, & today Friday we are on the same business, you have got to play jolly **** in the Army, for they would pile it on you till you dropped.

Well Dad they seem to be licking us into shape now, I was called out of the hut Thursday to make up the number of 60 men to go on Preliminary Musketry, so now I have got my complete equipment, now they have given me a rifle, it is one of the latest pattern, a pound lighter than the old ones, we start this musketry business on Monday, of course it will be, if one arms are better but perhaps they wont be!

The weather here is not very grand, rain nearly every day which is not very pleasant.

We have not heard any more about moving but some of the boys think that we shall be going to Egypt, as we have had this vaccination, but we shall see later on.  They keep altering the leaves’ here owing to chaps deserting & overstaying their passes.

The latest one is all mens leave here by 2 pm Saturday & return Sunday evening 11 pm. So if the chaps don’t get an extension, it is not much good to them.  This sort of business will encourage desertions & such like, for they will have the time somehow.

I shall be making an application for Pass in a weeks time for Whitsun I don’t know what luck I shall have, but we must arrange something for that, you will have to write to me a special letter, for me to come home as you want to see me very particular, something like that.  That can be worked, about this I will write you again in a week or two.

You see, owing to such a short number of men being able to go, you have to wait such a long time for a pass & I should like to be able to come home for Whitsun.

I think this is all for now hoping my letter will find you much better. I am writing to mother today as she always likes to have one, once a week.  Remember me to Sid & Ted if you see them.

These letters are rather long ones “I don’t think.”

All the news for now

From your affec Son Walter.

P.S. We are supposed to have about 800 married men coming here shortly.  They erected tents for us to have our meals in, but the wind blew them down.  So we have gone back to the huts for meals.

In YMCA envelope to Mr. H.J. Springett, No 13 Ma*** Road, Crayford Kent. Postmarked Salisbury 10 pm 12 May 16.

France

Wed May 10 1916

My Dear Nell,

Just a few lines to let you know I am getting on alright. We arrived quite safe after a good voyage.

Have been on the move since we landed & are now within sound of the guns.

We had about 15 mile march yesterday in the rain & of course got rather wet by the time we finished. On top of that the transport is lost their way & we had no breakfast this morning.

At present we are “amusing” ourselves in a barn.  We found it rather cold last night as we had no blankets.  We are having mostly Bully Beef & Biscuits & have only had Bread once since we have been here.

We have had rain every day except the first so you can guess what the weather is like. So much rain is owing to the firing of the guns.  They break the clouds & of course we get it alright.

With regards to France I don’t think much of it.  The majority of roads are made of large cobbles and are rather bumpy which is not very nice for the feet on a march.

Well Dear haven’t any more to say so must close.

I remain

Your loving

Alf

Pte. A. Walker 22288

3^rd Platoon A Coy

32^nd Royal Fusiliers

B.E.F.

France

With cover to Miss N. Pilgrim

161 Abbey Rd

Barking

S.X.

England

Marked F.P.O. 124 My 11 16

Between Meteren & Baileul

Y.M.C.A headed notepaper.

Pte. A.A. Smith

No 27521

Reply to “C” Company 12^th Bat Essex Regt

Stationed at Dovercourt

May 9 1916

Dear Father

I was very pleased to receive your letter.

We are having a shocking time now; went under canvas on Monday sleeping 12 in a tent it has been raining ever since.  I should be very glad of another parcel; but please leave it until you hear from me again; we are so cramped up even a box of matches takes up a lot of room perhaps we shall be able to arrange things a little better soon.

There does not seem much chance of getting a pass yet.  We have all had a good try but they treat us worse than pigs.

Cannot stop to write more now.

Glad to say I am quite well & hope you all are the same.

With much love

Your devoted

Son

Alf

WAR DIARY

Of

Headquarters 55^th W. Lancs Divisional Artillery

From 1^st April 1916 to 30^th April 1916

April 1^st 8.30 a.m.   8^th Lancs How Bty fired on active hostile battery X.10.c.60.24 getting direct hits on 3 emplacements – 2 explosions – aeroplane observation.  10^th & 11^th Lancs Batteries Kept fired salvoes of shrapnel during the night to prevent removal of guns.

3 p.m.        Centre Group carried out bombardment in accordance with attached – result not very satisfactory – barrier was not completely breached.                                                                                       Appendix I

2^nd       1.30 p.m.      WAILLY was heavily shelled –

3 p.m.         6 H.A.G. – 6” Hows – 8” How – 9.2” Hows 2 4.7 batteries – 1 60 pr battery-

D.A. – 5 18 pr batteries – and – 2 4.5 How Batteries retaliated on FICHEUX.

6 p.m.         18 prs again fired on FICHEUX for further shelling of WAILLY – results satisfactory –

3^rd         3 p.m.         Bombardment in accordance with Appendix II – Result most satisfactory – the 9.2” How levelled the house to the ground.  The enemy retaliated at 4 p.m. on BRETENCOURT – in reply to this 6^th H.A.G. 2 4.7 batteries 1 60 pr battery, 2 8″ Hows, 1 9.2” How with French heavy guns responded on HENDECOURT

5.45 p.m.     55 D.A. 3 4.5 How batteries – 2 18 pr batteries responded on HENDECOURT.

There was some further retaliation to which 2 4.5” How batteries made instant reply.             Appendix II

3/4^th     After dark    Relief of 68^th by A/123^rd and 88^th by D/124^th Batteries in accordance with Order No 15 as amended by Order No 18.     Appendix III.

4/5^th     After dark    Section 12^th Lancs Bty from Right to Left Group to form 6 gun bty with A/123^rd.                         Appendix IV

5^th        11 a.m.        Relief of 14^th Bde H.Q. and B.A.C. by Section 123^rd B.A.C. completed –

6^th        6 p.m.         For 4.2” How fire on F Sector. R/4 W.L. and 7^th Lancs How Bty replied on German front line opposite trenches 184 -194.

8^th         2 p.m.          BELLACOURT heavily shelled – 60 4.2” How fired into 7^th Lancs Bty position

3.15 p.m.     Chastisement on BOIRY.  3.15 p.m. with 7 4.5” Hows 8 – 4.7” guns 4 120 mm French – This concluded hostile activity

9^th       12.10 p.m.    BEAUMETZ heavily shelled – about 120 7.7, 10.5 and 15.0 cm shells.  Casualties besides 2horses and some cows killed 2 men slightly wounded.

9^th           3 p.m.       Chastisement of BOIRY as on the previous afternoon.  This concluded the day’s activity.

12^th         4 p.m.       Bombardment in accordance with Appendix 5.  Result as far as could be observed satisfactory – Raining – but 9.2 Hows obtained direct hits.                                                                                      Appendix V

13^th         9.55 p.m.   Hostile aeroplane dropped 2 bombs outside BEAUMETZ and one near BASSEUX.

17^th         4 p.m.        Wire cutting at X.3.b.5.8 ½ by Section 3^rd Lancs Bty from R.32.a.2.9 – Guns shot well but the wire was not completely cut – it was at least 30 x in depth.  On conclusion the section was withdrawn just in time to avoid retaliation of 5.9”’s at 5.15 p.m. and returned to its battery after dark.                     Appendix VI

18^th         2a.m.         18 prs centre group and Howitzers cooperated in a successful raid on enemy front line R.34.b. by 8^th L’pool (Irish).  Fire was well directed and helped to make the operation successful.

19^th         3 p.m.        Retaliation on FICHEUX for shelling WAILLY – H.A.G. fired 71 rds in 3 minutes and 5 18 pr batteries and 2 Howitzer Batteries cooperated.

19-20^th

20-21^st                      Reliefs in accordance with Operation Order No 21.                                                              Appendix VII

24^th                          5.45 hostile aeroplane dropped a bomb on 7^th Bty wagon lines near MONCHIET killing 3 horses – 10 others had to be destroyed owing to injuries – No men injured –

3 p.m.         8” How fired in accordance with G.O. 24 – getting 5 rds into the sap – 3 rds into German wire – 2 rds into our own wire (not unexpected) and 4 blinds.  The result most satisfactory – infantry much pleased.                                                                                                                                               Appendix VIII

5 p.m.         Wire cutting in accordance with Order 22.                                                                   Appendix IX

26^th       5.15 a.m.     Aircraft dropped 2 bombs near BELLACOURT H.A.G. retaliated 6 a.m.

27^th       6-73 a.m.    A & B/125^th heavily shelled by 5.9” How – no casualties to personnel – 1 gun A/125 dial sight (No 7) and shield damaged – (out of action) – Ranging by aeroplane –

3 p.m.        6” How on saps opposite F Sector.

Hostile aeroplanes very active and observation balloons watching and observing fire.

30^th         6 a.m.       166^th Inf – took over extra front in accordance with Appendix X.

Orders received for artillery to cover this line from May 6^th.

Period 24-27^th marked by hostile counter battery activity – observation balloons up in all directions and aircraft observing.  No batteries were knocked out and only one gun (mentioned above) damaged – 14^th Bty preparing a new position.

1. Bueson

Major

B.M. 55 D.A.

1^st May 1916

MAY 1916

On the 1^st May 1916, British summer time was introduced as a “daylight saving” measure. By moving the clock forward by one hour, considerable saving of coal was able to be achieved. Daylight would revert back to Greenwich Mean Time in October.

In Dublin, after the “Easter Rising”, the general feeling was of indignation with the rebels being jeered at and pelted with rotten fruit. Much of the centre of Dublin had been severely damaged and 300 civilians had been killed, with martial law remaining in place. Nearly half of the 3,000 men arrested had been released but of the remainder, 1,800 were imprisoned in Britain and 100 were sentenced to death for treason. The executions began on 3^rd May 1916 and continued until the 12^th May, by which time 15 rebels had been shot.

The British commander, General Maxwell had refused to listen to anyone, but, public outrage towards the sentences forced the decision to halt further executions.

On the 9^th May 1916, Britain and France refined the Sykes-Picot agreement where both countries extend their influence with regard to the partition of the Ottoman Empire at the end of the Great War.

A contract was agreed on the 14^th May 1916, where by China would supply 50,000 labourers to the French to serve as non-military personnel. The role of the labourers was tasked to carrying out essential work to support the front line troops. In 1916 China was not a belligerent nation and its people were not allowed to participate in fighting, but as a labour force it allowed the French and later the British to fill their manpower shortage caused by the horrendous casualties of the war.

Austrian troops attacked the Italian mountain positions in the Trentino on the 15^th May 1916. This action took the Italians by surprise leading to the Austrians seizing Asiago and Arserio on the 31^st May 1916. The Italians withdrew southwards, forcing the Austrian forces to over stretch their supply lines over difficult terrain. The arrival of Italian reinforcements and a successful counter-attack halted the Austrian offensive completely, and the action ended on the 7^th June 1916 without a breakthrough.

21^st May 1916 saw the implementation of British summer time meaning the clocks went forward one hour allowing the evenings to remain light for longer.

The German forces launched an attack at Vimy Ridge near Arras on 21^st May 1916. The British Expeditionary Force had recently taken over from the French. Prior to the offensive German artillery had been shelling the British front line and communication lines. In four hours the Germans had fired 70,000 shells into British lines, and their infantry easily over-ran the British front line, taking many prisoners. A British counter-attack on the 23^rd May 1916, with the Germans still controlling the High ground, Vimy Ridge.

Universal conscription was extended on the 25th May 1916. The original Act was introduced by British Prime Minister Herbert Asquith in January 1916, specifying that men from 18 to 41 years old were liable to be called up for military service in the army. The exception being married men, widowers with children, naval personnel, ministers of religion and members of reserved occupations.

A second Act was introduced on 25^th May 1916, extending military service to married men, but any objectors could apply to a local Military Service Tribunal. This tribunal was in a position to grant exceptions from service.

Due to political considerations the Act did not extend to Ireland, which was then part of the United Kingdom. The Irish employed voluntary recruitment throughout the war.

The Battle of Jutland was the only major naval battle of the war. On the 31^st May 1916, the German and British navies finally faced each other off the coast of Jutland in the North Sea. The respective navies were commanded by Vice-Admiral Reinhard Scheer for the German fleet and Admiral Jellicoe for the British fleet The Germans were unaware the British had access to their secret codes and had intercepted the signals detailing the operation. The previous day Jellicoe had sailed the Grand Fleet from Scapa Flow to rendezvous with Vice-Admiral Sir David Beatty. Scheer realised his fleet was not in a position to engage the entire British fleet and devised a plan to lure Beatty’s battlecruiser squadron out of Rosyth. Instead of chasing Vice-Admiral Franz Hipper’s relatively small German force, Beatty’s fleet steamed toward the main German force stationed fifty miles off the coast of Scotland. Sooner than the Germans expected Beatty engaged with Hipper’s small force and was successfully drawn towards the main German fleet, losing two battlecruisers in the engagement. Beatty turned his ships back towards the main British force, with the German fleet in hot pursuit. When the Germans came face to face with the main British fleet, Jellicoe ordered his ships to form a line to fire relentless broadsides at the German vessels. Scheer, concerned he might lose his entire force, ordered his ships to retire. The two sides engaged each other again later that evening, Scheer’s force was able to avoid the British line in the dark. The Germans made their way back to port, despite Jellicoe having positioned some of his ships to cut off the German retreat.

The Battle of Jutland was not a victory for either side, despite the British suffering greater loss of life and ships. German High Seas Fleet never again challenged the Royal Navy and was to remain penned up in its ports for the remainder of the war.

Sixteen year old John (Jack) Travis Cornwall was a Boy First Class sailor on HMS Chester. His duty was to help sight Chester’s forward 5.5” guns. At approximately 5.30pm Chester came under heavy fire and all the forward gun crew except Cornwall were killed. Cornwall stayed by the destroyed gun for 15 minutes, although severely wounded in the chest. HMS Chester retired from the action and Cornwall died in Grimsby General Hospital on 2^nd June 1916, and was buried in a pauper’s grave. His body was exhumed and reburied with full military honours, after the story of his actions caught the public interest. Jack Cornwall was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions at the Battle of Jutland.

——————————————————————

The Balkans

26/27^th May 1916. The German/Bulgarian forces invaded and occupied Fort Rupel, part of neutral Greek territory. The surrender on the 27^th May 1916 of Fort Rupel was one of the darkest pages of Greek history.

——————————————————————

Verdun

On the 1^st May 1916, Robert Georges Nivelle was appointed as commander of the French Second Army to replace Phillipe Petain. Neville was a very capable commander and organiser of field artillery at regimental and divisional levels. Petain’s defensive policies had saved Verdun from being captured but Nivelle was expected go on the offensive.

The Germans began another attack on the 3^rd May 1916 against the west bank of the Meuse. This time the Germans gained the advantage.

On the 6^th May 1916 the Germans had gained control of Cote 304, one of the two French hills they had been striving to capture since early March. The Germans had achieved a solid position northwest of Verdun.

End of May 1916. The Germans finally cleared the hills of Le Mort Homme of all French troops, completing the taking of the summit of the hills northwest of Verdun.