1/9th Battalion War Diary - March to June, 1915

MARCH
TUNBRIDGE WELLS 12th Battalion entrained (3 trains) for Service Overseas. 29 Officers, 947 N.C.O.s & Men. 23 Vehicles, 72 Horses and Mules. Men armed with C.L.M.L.E. converted for Mark VII A. with short bayonet.
SOUTHAMPTON 12th 5 p.m. - Embarked on "Golden Eagle", "Inventor" & "Duchess of Argyle" (left Q.M. at Netley Hospital)
LE HAVRE 13th 6.40 a.m. - Disembarked and marched to Camp at SANVIC, 28 officers 947 other ranks.
14th 4.0 a.m. - Marched off to railway station (GARE DES MARCHANDISES) less two platoons.
9.30 a.m. - Train left for HAZEBROUK (via ROUEN and ABBEVILLE)
HAZEBROUK 15th 5.30 a.m. - Train sent on to CHOQUES
6.30 a.m. - Dis-entrained at CHOQUES and marched to billets at OBLINGHEM
OBLINGHEM (near BETHUNE) Sent individual officers and men for instruction in trench duties on several occasions. Attached to 3rd Brigade for training and administration. The attached to 1st Brigade for training only.
24th 3 p.m. - Marched out of OBLINGHEM, 28 officers, 936 N.C.O.s and Men
LES FACONS 24th Went into Billets with HQ at MESPLAUX
APRIL
LES FACONS (near BETHUNE) 6th A and B Companies went into the trenches by platoons with 2nd Royal Sussex and 1st Northamptons respectively at NEUVE CHAPELLE and PORT ARTHUR. One man wounded (since dead) A Coy. Both coys. came out on the 9th.
9th C & D companies went into the trenches by platoons with the 2nd Royal Sussex and 1st Northamptons respectively. C Coy had three men wounded. D Coy one man wounded, since died.
12th 5.30 a.m. - C company came out of the trenches.
8 p.m. - A, B & C coys. marched to billets at OBLINGHEM
13th 2.0 p.m. - D coy. marched to billets at OBLINGHEM
Lieut. Wooderson R.A.M.C. attached to unit in place of Major MAHONY R.A.M.C. INVALIDED
16th 2/Lt. BRODBELT & 2/Lt. PARKER joined for duty from 2nd Battalion
18th 2/Lts. NOTT, RUSSELL & COOTE gazetted to Battalion.
24th Battalion, less A & B coys and Machine Gun Section marched to billets at RICHEBOURG ST. VAAST. 'A' marched with 2nd K.R.R. to trenches in D.2. (3 wounded). 'B' marched with 1/Battn. Northampton to trenches in Section D.3. (3 killed)
28th 8.15 a.m. - C & D coys took the places of A & B Coy. M. Guns remained in. 'C' Coy had 2 wounded. 'D' Coy, 1 killed and 3 wounded.
MAY
RICHEBOURG ST. VAAST 1st One other rank killed and one wounded
AVALETTE 2nd 4.30 p.m. - Battalion, less 'C' & 'D' Companies marched to AVALETTE, 'C' & 'D' Companies followed later, on being relieved from the trenches.
HINGES 3rd Battalion marched to HINGES
5th 1 other rank wounded
PONT TOURANT 6th 2.0p.m. - Battalion marched to PONT TOURANT and bivouacked
LES CHOCQUES 7th Battalion marched to LES CHOCQUES
RICHEBOURG L'AVOUE - ESSARS 8th 6.0 p.m. - Battalion moved into battle positions in Subsection D.2. at RUE DU BOIS. Transport at MESPLAUX.
9th Attack by 2nd Infantry Brigade. Battalion moved into 3rd line of trenches at 5.30 a.m., and into front line at 6 a.m. to support 2nd K.R.R.s. Battalion ordered at 11.15 a.m. to assault enemy's position at 12.40 p.m. Attack was postponed till 4 p.m., but these orders were cancelled. At 1.45 p.m. Battalion withdrew to 1st reserve trenches to re-organise. 'A' & 'C' companies moved into support line at 4 p.m. and the remainder of Battalion at 4.25 p.m. At 7.30 p.m. Battalion was relieved by 1st Coldstream Guards and marched via LE TOURET to ESSARS.
10.30 p.m. Casualties: Officers, 2 killed (Major T.J. BOLLAND & 2/Lieut. D.G. MATHWIN), 3 wounded (Lieut. & Adjt. A.W. FULTON; 2/Lieut. P. DIGGORY; 2/Lieut. E. PAYNE) other ranks: 12 killed, 66 wounded, and 2 missing. These two men reported later.
LANNOY 10th 7.15 p.m. - Battalion left ESSARS for LANNOY.
11th 11.0 a.m. Address to Battalion by Brig.Gen. G. THESIGER, C.B., C.M.G., G.O.C., 2nd Infy. Bde.
BETHUNE 12th 3.0 p.m. - Battalion marched to BETHUNE
BEUVRY 15th 12 noon - Battalion marched to BEUVRY
CAMBRIN 20th 2.30 p.m. - Battalion marched to CAMBRIN and relieved R. WELSH FUSILIERS and 1 Company R. WELCH REGT. in Z2 subsection.
21st Casualties: 1 other rank killed, 9 wounded
ANNEQUIN 24th 2.30 p.m. - Battalion, on relief by 1/L.N. LANCS. marched to ANNEQUIN; in Brigade Reserve. Casualty: 1 other rank wounded.
CAMBRIN 28th 2.30 p.m. - Battalion relieved 1/L.N. LANCS. in Z2 subsection of trenches.
CUINCHY 29th 3.0 p.m. - Battalion on relief by GLOUCESTERS, relieved 1/S. WALES BORDERERS and 1 Company 2/K.R.RIFLES in A1 and Z3 respectively. Casualties: 2 officers wounded (Capt. W.J. MOSTYN and 2/Lieut. H.W. NEWTON); 5 other ranks wounded.
30th Casualties: Other ranks, 1 killed, 1 wounded.
JUNE
ANNEQUIN 1st 3. p.m. - Battalion, on relief by 1/L.N.LANCS (less 1 company) and by 1 Company 2/R.SUSSEX, marched to ANNEQUIN, in Brigade Reserve. 1 other rank wounded.
4th 2 p.m. - Battalion marched to LABEUVRIERE into rest billets.
11th Draft of 75 other ranks arrived from 2/9th Battn in England. 4 other ranks, under age, proceeded to England to join 2/9th Battn.
CUINCHY 16th 10.15 a.m. - Battalion marched via BETHUNE to CUINCHY and relieved 1st COLDSTREAMS in subsection A1.
17th Casualties: 1 other rank killed
18th Casualties: 2 other ranks wounded
VERQUIN 19th 3.30 p.m. - Battalion, on relief by 1/LOYAL NORTH LANCS in subsection A1, marched to VERQUIN. Casualties: 1 other rank killed, 2 wounded
20th 2 Maxims received from 2/R. INNISKILLING FUSILIERS
LAPUGNOY 24th 10.0 a.m. - Battalion marched to LAPUGNOY
26th Casualties: 2 other ranks accidentally wounded
SAILLY LABOURSE 27th 3.0 p.m. - Battalion marched to SAILLY LABOURSE.
30th 2 G.S. limbered wagons and 8 L.D. horses for machine guns arrived.