Operational Orders for Entraining

Wednesday 12th December 1917

The adjutant of the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment has sent me the two operational orders which deal with the entraining of the Battalion for Italy. As a movement on such a scale is rare, your correspondent thought he would present them to you in full, albeit with the military acronyms given in full to avoid scratching of heads.

OPERATION ORDER No. 119

1st Battalion. Bedfordshire Regiment.

November 27th, 1917.

1. Battalion will entrain at Anvin Station, date and time to be notified later.

2. TRAINS. There are two trains at the disposal of 1st Bedfords. Each train will consist of: -

1 First or Second Class Coach, (probably 4 Compartments)

2 Third Class Coaches (each 5 Compartments)

22 Covered Trucks.

13 Flats.

2 Brake Vans.

The Battalion will be distributed as under: -

(A) Train No. 20. (Serial Number of Unit 523.) to convey: -

Headquarters - i.e. Commanding Officer, Adjutant, Captain J. C. A. Birch, Quartermaster, Second Lieutenant H. J. Snashall, Transport Officer, Medical Officer, Regimental Sergeant Major, Headquarter Servants and Mess Staff, Sergeant Wheeler and 4 Pioneers and Drums

"B" and "D" Companies complete, one Medical Officer’s Orderly.

Half Transport i.e. 2 Lewis Gun Limbers,

1 Small Arms Ammunition Limber.

Half Limber Bombs

Half Limber Tools.

Half Limber Signalling.

1 Watercart

1 Cooker.

1 Cook’s Wagon.

1 Baggage Wagon.

1 Supply Wagon

Chargers [i.e. horses] - Officers’, travelling on train.

(B) Train No. 25 (Serial Number of Unit 523.a.) to convey: -

Major W. S. Chirnside, M.C. (Officer Commanding Train)

Captain S. H. Draper. Acting Adjutant.

Regimental Quarter Master Sergeant., Transport Sergeant, one Medical Officer’s Orderly,

"A" and "C" Companies complete.

Remainder of Transport, Corporal Belben and 4 Pioneers

N.B. All Headquarter employ not enumerated above, will travel with their Companies.

Quarter Master employ will travel with Transport.

Quarter Master and Transport Officer will forward returns having exact numbers of personnel under their Command, horses, vehicles, travelling on each train as soon as possible.

3. Regimental Transport Officer Captain Warner, M.C. 15th. Trench Mortar Battery is appointed Acting Regimental Transport Officer, Anvin.

Captain Henderson, 1st Battalion, Norfolk Regiment is appointed Acting Regimental Training Officer, detraining station.

4. ENTRAINING. All animals and vehicles will arrive at the entraining Station three hours before the train is timed to start.

Personnel will arrive at the entraining station one hour before the train is timed to start.

5. LOADING PARTIES. A party of 2 Officers and 100 Other Ranks from 1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment will be detailed for loading at Anvin.

A similar party from 16th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment for unloading at detraining station.

6. EQUIPMENT & RATIONS. Each man will entrain carrying full equipment, 120 Rounds Small Arms Ammunition, rations for day of entrainment, iron ration, full water bottle, steel helmet, box respirator, gas helmet, and 2 blankets. All animals must have one rug.

7. FORAGE. Forage for day of entrainment will be carried in the horse trucks. Men in charge of horses will travel in the horse trucks. Supply wagons will be loaded full.

8. ANIMALS. Animals will be entrained unharnessed and rugged. Harness may be loaded under its vehicle. Canvas buckets will be carried in each horse truck. Cinders or gravel should be strewn on the floors of horse trucks, otherwise they become very slippery.

9. LENGTH OF JOURNEY. The journey will take about 5 days. Halts will be arranged for watering, feeding, washing, etc. approximately 1 hour in every 10. A list of halts will be given to the Officers Commanding Trains by the Regimental Transport Officer.

10. RATIONS. Nine days’ rations, in addition to those mentioned in paragraphs 6 and 7, will be carried in bulk for all men and animals in each train. A covered truck will be set aside for issue of rations enroute. Forage and non-perishable supplies can be loaded under vehicles.

One day’s supplies will be on ration wagons.

Nine days’ supplies loaded in bulk.

11. DISCIPLINE. The strictest discipline will be maintained throughout the journey. The Senior Combatant Officer will command each train, and he will appoint Orderly Officers who will take tours of duty, and will also detail a guard at each end of the train. The duties of the Orderly Officers and guards are (a) To see that no one leaves the train when it halts, unless authorised to do so at a recognised halting place by the Officer Commanding.

(b) To ensure that no men ride on the steps or the tops of carriages, or climb along the train from truck to truck. There is very little clearance between the tops of trucks and tunnels.

(c) To guard all stores on the train throughout the journey.

(d) To watch both sides of the train when halted.

Each Officer Commanding Train will obtain from the Regimental Transport Officer before starting a copy of General Head Quarters instructions for Officers Commanding Trains. These instructions are Secret*, and should be destroyed before detraining.

11. ENTRAINING STATES. The Officer Commanding each train, or portion of a Unit entraining, will bring with him an entraining state, in duplicate. This State will shew strength Officers, Other Ranks, horses by types, vehicles by types, the number of days’ rations entrained. These states will be handed over to the Acting Regimental Training Officer at each station. A certificate will be added to the effect that the Unit is complete with equipment and rations.

* reference above. Each Officer Commanding Train will detail an Orderly Officer daily. Each Company will detail 2 guards, (1 N.C.O. and 3 men) to be on duty one on each side of the train.

They will see that above orders are strictly carried out.

The following amendments and alterations are made to Operational Order 119, dated November 27th, 1917.

1. Battalion will entrain on December 2nd at Anvin.

1st Train No. 442 at 8.20 a.m. via Étaples.

2nd. Train No. 445 at 18.57 p.m. via Arras.

2. (A) For train in No. 20 read train No. 442. Delete name of Captain J. C. A. Birch in Head Quarters, and add two Orderly Room Clerks (Sergeant H. Hoar and Lance Corporal R. Vallance.)

Mess Cart.

4 Pack Animals.

(B) For train No. 25 read Train No. 445..

Add two Orderly Room Clerks (Lance Corporal S. Kingsman and Private  W. Maundrell.)

Maltese Cart.

4 Pack Animals.

3. Breakfasts for No. 442 train will be eaten at Anvin Station, on December 2nd.

Dinners for No. 445 train will be eaten at Anvin Station on December 2nd. before entraining.

4. Two Lorries for each train will convey Blankets to the Station. Blankets for No. 442 train will be rolled in bundles of 10, marked with wooden label, and be ready for loading at Quarter Master Stores at 2.30 a.m. on December 2nd.

Blankets for No. 445 train to be at Quarter Master Stores 7 a.m. on December 2nd.

The blankets will be issued to the men at Anvin before entraining, 2 per man.

As can be seen from the above, the trains were nine days late!

Source: X550/2/5

Training and Cricket

Thursday 12th July 1917

1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, has been training, practising bayonet fighting, bombing, Lewis Gun firing and musketry as well as doing physical exercises and drill. This afternoon they had a break, playing 16th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment at cricket, the game being a draw.Tonight three officers and 150 other ranks are to be sent up to the front line for work in communication trenches.

Source: X550/2/5

How to Deal with Reinforcements

Monday 8th January 1917

The adjutant of the 1st Battalion told me today that they are now in support to the front line near Cuinchy. He also explained that their brigade (15th) has established a Brigade Training Depot at Beuvry two or three miles due west and thus two or three miles away from the firing line. This depot, under the command of Major Deakin of 16th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, is tasked with taking all drafts of reinforcements sent to the Brigade. They will remain at the depot until fully qualified in musketry and all branches of training at which point they will be sent to their allotted battalions. Second Lieutenant A J Fyson from the battalion has been sent to this depot as an instructor

Source: X550/2/5

New Colonel for the 1st Battalion

Monday 18th December 1916: From our Correspondent in the Field

The 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, are currently at Béthune. Today they have been joined by Lieutenant-Colonel F N Butler from the 1st Battalion, East Surrey Regiment and he has assumed command of the Battalion. He was previously commander of 5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. They have also been joined by Second Lieutenant J M Stantan from 16th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

Source: X550/2/5

Day Ninety Eight on the Somme

Friday 6th October 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

The adjutant of 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, has wired to say that they are at Hédeauville and on their way to the front line on the Somme by way of Mailly-Maillet.

Meanwhile the 1st Battalion are near Festubert where they will be entering the front line within the next few days. They have been joined by Captain J J Moyse. The adjutant told me: “Owing to heavy casualties during the recent fighting and the consequent shortage of trained Lewis gunners and bombers, a school was started today in conjunction with the Officer Commanding 16th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire, Regiment for the rapid training of sufficient of these me to hold the line.

Sources: X550/2/5;  X550/5/3

Day Twenty Eight on the Somme

Friday 28th July 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

At 9 pm last night C Company of 1st Bedfords in Longueval tried to establish itself on the line of the north-south road running through the village but was forced to withdraw. In the end 15th Brigade, including 1st Bedfords, were relieved in Longueval by 95th Brigade and a section of the rubble much disputed yesterday has been occupied without opposition. Of 23 officers and 807 men going into action the battalion has lost 9 officers and 303 men killed and wounded.

We have seen a communication from 15th Brigade congratulating those involved in the fighting in Longueval yesterday. It reads: “The Brigadier-General Commanding wishes to express to all ranks of the Brigade his great admiration at the magnificent manner in which they captured the Village of Longueval yesterday(1)”.

“To the 1st Norfolk Regiment and the 1st Bedfordshire Regiment and some of the 16th Royal Warwickshire Regiment, who were able to get into the enemy with the bayonet, he offers his heartiest congratulations. He knows it is what they have been waiting and wishing for for many months”.

“The 1st Cheshire Regiment made a most gallant and determined effort to reach their objective and failed through no fault of their own”.

“The way in which the Troops behaved under the subsequent heavy bombardment was worthy of the best traditions of the British Army”.

“The Brigade captured 4 Officers and 159 other ranks”.

The 1st Field Company, East Anglian Royal Engineers lost two men killed and four wounded today. They have been continuing work to ameliorate the British positions in Delville Wood, working almost in the centre of that shattered waste of trees.

Source: X550/2/5; X550/WD3

(1)  An exaggeration, as we have seen.

Day Twenty Seven on the Somme

Thursday 27th July 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

The shelling of Pozières, which was so severe last night has, mysteriously, melted away this morning with no German attack(1). Today the scene of activity has been east of Pozières at Longueval and the now infamous Delville, or Devil’s, Wood.

A massive bombardment, on top of the almost continuous fighting since 14th, has reduced the wood to a shambles of splinters, shell holes, trenches, bodies and smashed equipment. Today 99th Brigade of 2nd Division took almost all that remains of the wood, save for a strip on the northern edge, though a German counter-attack mid-morning succeeded in retaking a portion of the place by attacking from the east. For a time rumours were circulating that the whole wood had been lost again but, fortunately, these proved to be untrue. As I write sounds of battle, though more muted now, are still heard occasionally from the direction of the wood.

On their left flank 15th Brigade assaulted the ruins of Longueval. The 1st Bedfords took part in this attack. The assault was begun by 1st Battalion, Norfolk Regiment at 7.10 and at 7.40 the commanding officer of the Norfolks despatched a message requesting help due to heavy shell-fire. The first objective had already been taken by the Norfolks and it was the job of A and B Companies of the Bedfords to assist the Norfolks take the second objectives and for C and D Companies to then move through and take the third objectives. The 16th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment was requested to occupy front line trenches when these were vacated by C and D Companies. A Company was responsible for that part of the ruins east of the former road running north-south through the village with B Company to the west of this road.

Lieutenant Fyson

A Company assisted the Norfolks to attack a German strong point and Lieutenant Fyson’s platoon succeeded in taking 32 prisoners. Just after 9 am C Company crossed the trench known as Princes Street, extending from Longueval more or less across the middle of Delville Wood but were held up by machine gun fire from the cross-roads in what remains of the village. The ruins holding the gun were taken by a party of the Norfolks and at the same time A Company reached the junction of the main road running south through Longueval and the road running north-east to Flers which skirts the edge of Delville Wood. Here they met a German counter-attack and brushed it off leaving around fifty of the enemy as casualties. From here A Company could see enemy posts on the ridge to the north.

Half an hour later C Company was able to cross Princes Street and took up a position along the main north-south road in touch with two companies of the Norfolks. Heavy machine-gun fire from Duke Street in the area just north of the name “Longueval” on the map (i.e. west and south-west of C Company) prevented any further advance and so they consolidated the position.

This machine-gun at Duke Street also prevented any advance by an officer and thirty men from B Company sent forward as a patrol to reinforce a company of the Norfolks. A Stokes mortar battery was requested to assist but did not. Later under cover of a British artillery bombardment B and D Companies were able to improve their position but at the cost of 2 officer and 54 other ranks and and 2 officers and 106 other ranks respectively.

1st Field Company, East Anglian Royal Engineers was supporting the attack by 2nd Division in Delville Wood today, ready to consolidate any ground taken. This they did, constructing works to prevent a successful counter-attack. Towards evening such a counter-attack seemed to be in the offing and the sappers manned the parapet and, to quote their commander: "After a considerable amount of rifle fire and bombing the attack was repulsed". Only one sapper was wounded

We have just heard that Royal Fusiliers on the right have been forced to withdraw meaning that A Company has had to move back slightly from the junction of the Flers road. It is expected that B and D Companies may also be ordered to withdraw tonight such is the danger of their position. Much of the fighting today has been hand-to-hand and the brief resumé of activities given above does not do justice to the ferocity of every small action undertaken.

Source: X550/2/5; X550/WD3

(1) Evidence points to the massive British counter-bombardment giving the Germans cause to think another British assault was on the way and so they moved onto the defensive.

Royal Warwickshires Join 1st Bedfords

Wednesday 15th December 1915: The adjutant of the 1st Bedfords tells us that three officers and eighteen other ranks of 16th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment have joined them for instruction in trench warfare. Large numbers of new formations are arriving in France at the moment, boosting the strength of the British Expeditionary Force daily.

Source: X550/2/5

(1) 16th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment was also known as 3rd Birmingham and was a pals unit, recruited from men of a specific area, much against War Office better judgement. It originally formed part of 95th Brigade, 32nd Division and had landed in France on 21st November. It became part of 15th Brigade from 15th December before being transferred to 13th Brigade in October 1918. The Battalion replaced 1st Battalion Dorset Regiment which moved to 95th Brigade in its place. This was, presumably, an effort to break up a brigade entirely formed of Birmingham pals battalions so that, if the brigade took heavy casualties, the effect those casualties on that city would be less.