Tuesday, 16 January 2018

Mini Battalion Round-Up

Lieutenant-Colonel E I de S Thorpe [X550/1/82]

Wednesday 16th January 1916

The 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment are still training in northern Italy, preparing to man trenches on the front-line against the Austrians on the River Piave. The conditions at the front are likely to be very different from Belgium and northern France and a prolonged period of acclimatisation is very important. Company Sergeant Major E Johnson MM has been promoted to second lieutenant and posted to the Battalion.

Lieutenant-Colonel E I de S Thorpe only joined 2nd Battalion at the end of last year but already he has been transferred. He is going on a short leave before proceeding to Italy to take command of the 1st Bedfords.

The 4th Battalion have gone back into the front line. They have relieved the 1st/4th Battalion, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry.

The 6th Battalion is also training at Sercus, south-west of Hazebrouck. Today one of those things which happens in war or peace alike took place - a drummer was killed by a collapsing barn falling on top of him. Such an event would be a tragedy for the family of the man concerned at any time but in war, with slaughter of man by man all around, such an accident seems even more poignant.

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/3/wd; X550/5/3; X550/7/1

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