Another Battalion Round-Up

Wednesday 11th July 1917

His Majesty The King has been at the Front again today.m The adjutant of 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, tells me that he visited their area near Écurie, the Battalion lined the road from Arras to Souchez to salute him. On their way back to camp, the Battalion did an exercise, “The Attack in the Open” to keep sharp the skills so successfully put to use in the recent attack at Oppy.

Second Lieutenant Warren [X550/1/81]

The adjutant of 2nd Battalion, in billets at Polincove, remarked, with a certain snide amusement that they have, nevertheless, had a casualty, Second Lieutenant D D Warren as been injured in a fall from his horse.

The 6th Battalion are behind the lines at Kemmel south of Ypres. They have been providing large working parties all day. The adjutant noted that enemy aeroplanes have been very active - four of our balloons having been brought down east of the Battalion’s position.

Captain Miskin

Not forgetting our men in far-off Palestine - 1st/5th Battalion is training for a raid on the Turks at a place called Umbrella Hill south of Gaza. Their planning has been assisted by Captain C H Miskin building a replica of the hill from aeroplane photographs and plans. Captain H S Armstrong has been training the raiders. The adjutant remarked by wire that, owing to the lengthy preparation of orders, due to the number of arms and units concerned - Royal Field Artillery, Royal Engineers and Machine Gun Corps - it was considered best to start the general training at once and to complete the details when orders are issued. A patrol of Captain Armstrong, Lieutenant B W Smythe and Second Lieutenant R H Smith with two other ranks spent about ninety minutes in No Man's Land between the front line trenches and Umbrella Hill to better reconnoitre the lie of the land.

Lieutenant Smythe

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/3/WD; X550/6/8; X550/7/1