Sunday, 11 February 2018

Still Fighting Fit

Lieutenant Holbrook [X550/1/81]

Monday 11th February 1918

8th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment may no longer exist as a fighting formation but its men are still fighting fit. A small group, referred to as details, are attached to 16th Brigade Headquarters. Today there was a cross-country run for all units in the Brigade and the 8th Bedfords had five men home in the first six - Sergeant Vivian being the winner in a time of fourteen minutes. Meanwhile Second Lieutenant Oakley and ten other ranks were despatched to join 4th Battalion.

7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment is at Salency east of Noyon. Today the reinforcements from the disbanded 8th Battalion arrived. One of them was Second Lieutenant Arthur Pratt who died of wounds this evening. He had the misfortune to be posted to C Company and shortly after entering a billet it received a direct hit by bombs from enemy aircraft. Nine other ranks were killed outright, two more have subsequently also died of wounds and six more are wounded.

2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment is currently at Moyencourt, south-west of Ham. Lieutenant W J Holbrook has been struck off strength whilst on a six month tour of duty in England. Lieutenant W L Carpenter and six other ranks have joined from 8th Battalion. Today the Battalion was transferred from 89th Brigade to 90th Brigade, replacing 17th Battalion, Manchester Regiment which has transferred to 21st Brigade.

Sources: X550/3/wd; X550/8/1; X550/9/1

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