War diary 12th Royal irish Rifles March 1916
March 1916
Englebelmer
1st – 4am Situation usual, the Bn being in billets for relief after the severe weather experienced in the trenches at Hamel.
9am – Working parties were employed under the 122nd Fd. Coy. RE, work being done in the trenches, clearing communications etc.
4pm – Everything very quiet, our artillery sent over a few shells during the afternoon.
2nd – 4am – Some little rain during the night, otherwise situation normal. During the morning working parties were again out under the RE as on previous day. This evening we relieve the 9th R Ir. Fus in the trenches.
6.15pm – First coy moved off and in rotation at intervals of 15 minutes. On reaching Mesnil coys split up into platoons completing the route at intervals of 50 yards.
7.45pm – The relief started. It was an extremely dark night and the relief was carried out with no casualties, the line being very quiet.
(Right sector of trenches)
10.30pm – Relief complete
3rd – 4am Line still remained quiet, a little rain and a slight NE wind otherwise situation normal.
6am – Rain had stopped and trenches were more or less dry except in places where water had gathered.
9am – Working parties were started to deepen communication trenches, repair traverses and build up parapets with sand bags. The trench in HAMEL leading to
Noon – Enemy kept very quiet, no sign of them whatsoever in their trenches though the day was admirable for glasses etc Some fires were seen smoking both in their 1st and 2nd line trenches.
4pm – Situation unchanged, mild with slight northerly wind, parties continued to work on trenches and wiring parties and material were prepared to go out at dusk to strengthen our wire. This had been left over for the last week in account of the snow on the ground and the visibility when flares were fired. On our left, our artillery shelled the enemy’s second line trenches, the shooting appeared to be very accurate and considerable damage must have been done.
8pm – Enemy MGs were active, firing on our communication trenches and in the
11pm – A patrol of one officer, 2 NCOs and six men went out from 40 with the object of reaching the German wire and getting general information about it. Owing to the darkness the enemy wire was not reached even after a second attempt. No-one was seen. Some dead ground was discovered between the lines.
A party went on patrol from 38 with a similar intention but in the same way were unable to attain their object owing to the darkness. Some old shell holes were discovered about 30 yards to the front of our wire at the Bastion and appeared to have been ‘made up’ so that cover could be got.
Midnight – an officer’s patrol went to the Mill. The courtyard was found to be unoccupied and nothing was heard.
4th – 1am Wiring was done at the Hedgerows but the dark night prevented much progress being made. Wiring parties were also out on 40 and 41 but were only able to examine the condition of our own wire. A party was also out wiring in front Lancashire Post where some work was done. The line was quiet beyond a few bursts of enemy MG fire.
4am – Snow fallng with slight northerly wind, situation normal.
8am – Ground white with snow which was still falling, of a very wet nature. Line extremely quiet, working parties were employed in pumping and keeping trenches, as far as possible, clear of snow. Deepening of communication trenches and revetting of traverses and parapets in front line was continued.
Noon – Snow falling heavily, working of clearing trenches continued.
4pm – Situation the same with slight northerly wind, line remaining remarkably quiet. No casualties.
6pm – Enemy’s MGs fired on Hamel and on trenches at intervals. Artillery very quiet. No snow falling, clear sky. Working party on Hamel end of Jacob’s Ladder which was in a bad condition due to the severe weather.
8pm – Trenches in the line revetted and parapets sand-bagged.
Midnight – Night very dark, no snow falling, slight frost. On account of the snow which had fallen, patrols could not go out.
March 5th - 4am – Situation normal. Line quiet except for occasional bursts of MG fire traversing our trenches. No snow had fallen, slight frost with northerly wind.
6am – Strong sun causing snow to quickly disappear and consequently fill trenches with water. A German aeroplane crossed our line and seemed to have an encounter with one of our own aeroplanes and went away. Parties were started on pumping and clearing trenches. Those in Hamel were very bad and it was almost impossible to keep pace with the water. In the line the communication trenches were successfully cleared out and in places deepened.
Noon – Beautifully fine day, there was some aerial activity, at one time five of our aeroplanes crossed the line and were heavily fired at but apparently all returned. Cleaning and pumping trenches was continued and parapets repaired.
2pm – Working party on Hamel end of
4pm – Situation normal, snow almost all gone. Clear with slight northerly wind, no casualties. Enemy snipers fired a good deal and appeared to be on the alert. Line quiet otherwise.
6pm – Aagain enemy MGs traversed Hamel. Parties were got ready for wiring similar to the previous night. Two patrols also to go out from our right and left.
9pm – Line quiet, slight frost. Working party on Hamel end of Jacon’s Ladder clearing the trench. Similar work was carried out in the line. Between 7 and 9pm German transport was distinctly heard on our left front. A bright light was seen in the direction of Beaucourt at 8.45pm.
Wiring was done in front of the hedgerows, 10 coils of barbed wire being put up and entanglements generally improved. On 40 and 41, our wire was strengthened both barbed and French wire being used. Also, on the Bastion, our entanglements were strengthened and thickened with both kinds of wire.
11pm – A patrol went out in front of Lacncashire Post, after proceeding for about 200 yards they came on maarshy ground and keep to the left. A ridge was discovered where it was possible for an enemy MG to be placed. It also appeared the earth of some shell holes had been shaped for cover. Patrol was unable to reach enemy’s wire as some snow was still on the ground.
6th March – 4am – Situation normal, no wind, slight frost and a little snow. Line very quiet, fairly clear at stand-to. Enemy MGs were active but no artillery fire.
8am – Bright cleat morning. Our trenches at Hamel were very waterlogged. Pumps were got going and the trenches soon cleared. Working on the front line on rebulding traverses and parapets was continued during the morning.
Noon – Very fine, bright day. All snow away. There was some aerial activity, otherwise line very quiet.
4pm – Situation normal, clear with light northerly wind, several improvements to trenches carried on during the day. No casualties.
6pm – Enemy traversing Hamel and our trenches at stand-to. Sgt. Hart ‘A’ coy was wounded in the neck but not seriously.
8pm – The German artillery shelled in the direction of Auchonvillers for an hour. The exact place was not nown, only the direction.
10pm – An officer’s patrol went out from Lancashire Post but owing to frozen grass and marsh, were unable to proceed on account of the noise. They got about 50 yards out. Nothing was heard or seen. A patrol went to the Mill. Nothing was seen or heard and the Mill was apparently unoccupied.
Midnight – Working parties constructed wire in front of the Hedgerows also on the Bastion and Lancashire Post.
March 7th - 4am – Situation normal. Slight forst no wind. Line very quiet.
6am – Bright frosty morning, some MG activity on our front line. A sniper was fired at apparently hit as he threw up his arms and screams were heard.
9am – At stone bridge, a Lce. Cpl. Was hit by a sniper in the head, he died shortly afterwards (Lce. Cpl. Samuel Beattie, Ballymena) but the body had to remain till the evening relief. Line quiet.
11am – A trench mortar was erected at the Bastion to try and destroy a German sap. Rifle grenades were also got ready. The fuses of the mortar were not properly adjusted and the target was too far for the grenades. However, the Germans replied by sending nine shells into Hamel.
Noon – All quiet, some aerial activity, bright clear day.
4pm – The trenches we are holding to be taken over by the 11th R Innis Fus. Relief to commence after dark.
Relief began and was completed at 8.30pm and Batt. Moved to billets in Heauville.
Hedauville
8-11 March – Situation normal in billets.
Left Sector of Trenches
March 12 – Usual sevices were held and Batt. Relieved the 9th R Ir. Fus. in the left sector of the trenches in front of Auchonvillers. Relief complete at 9.30pm.
March 13th – Very quiet night. Only transport train heard in Beaumont Hamel.
Quiet day. One man of ‘C’ coy killed by whiz-bang and one man injured by sniper. At 3pm our artillery cut the German wire at Q10 D6.6.
Working parties on Clonmel Abenue and communication trenches, also in front line. Two men wounded in ‘D’ coy by sniper while on a wiring party.
March 14th – 4am – Situation normal. Very quiet night. Very fine weather.
4pm – Situation quite normal all day. The work was pushed on in the front line trenches and supports. Work continued well into the night.
March 15th – Situation unchanged. About 3pm enemy put about 20 5.9 HE shells into our lines near Limerick Junction. No damage was done. Firing was more or less continuous on both sides throughout the day.
4pm – Situation normal. Work proceeded with new dug outs for signallers, G.O. and LGO.
March 16th – 4am – Situation normal. During the day, work on
March 17th – 4am – Situation quite normal. Wind SE. Misty morning. Had a good look around all the trenches from the ‘lid’. Men wore the shamrock presented by General Sir George Richardson KCB, GoC., UVF.
The day passed quietly, one man only being wounded by shrapnel. Work progressed throughout the night.
March 18th – 4am – Situation normal. No wind. Some aeroplane activity.
10am – Enemy put five heavy HE shells into front line (left coy) and killed three men and wounded one. Otherwise day quiet and usual working parties out. Trench was blown in but is being cleared.
4pm – Situation normal. Preparing for relief.
7pm – Relief of BALLYMENA by CAVAN commenced.
10pm – Marched into billets in Hedauville.
Headauville
March 19th – Usual services held.
March 20th – Situation normal. Football match in afternoon between our transport and that of the YCV (14th Bn R. Ir Rif.). The match ended in a draw, one each. A mule race took place afterwards and ended in a win for one of our mules (against YCV). Good concert at night.
March 21st – Situation normal. Football match in afternoon against 11th R Ir. Rifles ended in our favour by 3 to 1. There was an officer’s Cob race afterwards which amused the men very much. ‘Dick’ won after an exciting finish.
March 22nd – Situation unchanged. Weather fine.
March 23rd – Situation unchanged. Football match in afternoon against 7th D. Guards and 13th Hussars. Result was 4-0 for 12th R. Ir. Rifles after good match.
Concert in evening. Very good. Heavy snow during the night.
March 24th – Preparations for relief of 9th R Ir. Fus. Relief began at 6.30pm and complete at 8.45pm.
Trenches Left Sector
March 25th – 4am – and throughout the day. Everything very quiet. Wind S by SW.
March 26th – 4am – Everything very quiet through the night. Situation normal throughout the day. Three patrols went out to the German wire. Below is a copy of their reports:-
Lt. J. H Haughton: “I left our lines with one corporal and two men at 7.30pm going from the left of Rooney’s Sap. On clearing our wire, which is about 40 yards deep, I bore along slightly to the right. The German trenches cannot be seen till 5-10 yards outside our own wire.
“I kept on in this direction for quite 150 yards and found the ground to fall away gradually, no cover whatsoever is to be had.
“The ground is very thick with dead weeds and is extremely difficult to avoid great noise from the cracking and breaking of these weeds.
“I kept on bearing to the right until I came in contact with the German wire. The whole of ‘no man’s land’ falls in a gentle slope from our lines to the German, thee is no cover beyond thick dead grass and the weeds already mentioned.
“I found where I was againt the German wire that there was a small sap to my right running out about 15-20 yards in a northerly direction, this would be opposite sector Q10/11. Their wire appeared to be about 25 yards deep except at the head of the small sap where it was very thin. Their wire is good with many short pickets among which it is thickly entangled.
“The barbed wire is very thick with one strand only having long barbs at intervals of 1” to 1.5”. My wire cutters would not penetrate it, I tried in two places.
“To the left of the small sap, the wire appears to be of the same and of uniform depth. I could see nothing but wooden pickets and no trip wires or plain wire of any kind was to be found.
“I returned finding three shell holes 50 yards from the German wire opposite Q10/12, they were small and full of deep mud. No one was seen or heard and I am of the belief that the German trenches are thinly held as with most careful listening no one could be heard. A lot of flares were fired from the front line but noe fell directly onto our party. I returned to our own lines at 9pm.”
Lt. J. E. Furness – “I found the German wire to be in good condition, varying in depth from 20 – 25 yards and about three feet high. One wek point in the wire I discovered at Q10 d 75. At this point there seemed only to be one row of wire which closely resembled our ‘knife rests’ and looked as if it might be easily removed.
“Ground:- There is a certain amount of dead ground in front of our right sector which might be used for massing hostile troops especially in the old Road in the Q16.B and Q. 10.D which has a bank on each side of it sufficient to give protection to hostile or our own troops.
“We encountered a hostile patrol numbring about 12 who had taken up a position between ourselves and our own lines, evidently with the intention of cutting us off. We advanced in open formation and were about 50 yards from the enemy when they opened fire. We replied and after a the first exchange the enemy advanced and threw three grenades at us. We held our ground and threw five Mills grenades amongst them.
“The enemy rapidly retired and two of their number were distinctly seen lying on the ground. Owing to the intensity of machine gun and rifle fire we were obliged to move off to the left flank and were unable to follow up on our advantage. A large number of flares were sent up from the enemy’s lines.
“I had with me on patrol, Sgt. Harvey and four other ranks. We returned at 12.15am.”
Lance Sergeant A. Steele/L.corporal J.
“We then turned to our front heading for the enemy lines and about 200 yards in front of the enemy’s wire we came across another very large shell hole, half full of water, but there was no connection with the German trenches.
“We crept cautiously up to the German wires over crackling rushes and 15 yards of ploughed ground. We made a thorough examination of the wire and found that it was mostly put up in tight conertina fashion, each concerntina being about eight feet in length and at each end was cross sticks for trestles. The depth of the wire from where we were was about 25 yards.
“We also saw that there was wire put up in the same fashion as our own only it appeared to be much tighter but just about the same height, we also saw that they have got the iron corkscrews.
“We cut a piece of the wire and brought it with us and after lots of difficulty in getting through our own wires the patrol returned safely at 11. 30pm.”
The following wire was received from Gen. Griffiths GoC 1018th Inf. Bde.: “Please congratulate patrols on the good work done last night.”
March 27 – Left sector – Situation normal all day. Some shells fells in our lines but 12 out of 16 were duds. Patrols went out at night. Reports below:-
2nd Lt. A. Hall – “May patrol left our trenches by old sap left of sector Q106 at 10.30pm and returned to same place at 1.15am.
“No obstructions which would impede infantry in attack were discovered. About 40 yards from enemy wire is a ridge running parallel with enemy trenches which could afford protection from MG or rifle fire on either side.
“Crossing ridge we proceeded toards enemy wire and came to a point at Q1oD 54 at which point was a pcket in the ground about 15 yards in front of enemy wire. The pocket was dead ground and would have held about 20 men.
“There is a slight re-entrant in enemy’s front of pocket. In front of and to the right of the pocket the wire was thick and of the saem quality as the wire already brought in by other patrols.
“The wire cutters I had with me would not cut the wire. On the left pocket the wire was thin for about 15 yards and the pickets about three paces apart. Their wire was string tightly to pickets in ‘zig zag’ fashion and not in concertina fashion as to the front and right. The height was three feet and depth 20 to 25 yards, The patrol heard no sound in German trenches and saw no sign of the German patrol seen by A coy. (see report below). The enemy put up six lights close to us when were out.
Sergt. W. A. Magill – “The patrol consisting of myself and three men went out at end of Sandy Row at 7.30pm. We went forward half left towards enemy wire. About half way across we crossed a small drain and to the right of this we found a track leading out to some shell holes.
“We were troubled by dried weeds which cracked. On coming close to enemy’s wire, I left the remainder of the patrol behind and went forward to examine wire.
“The wire was very close and the posts very close together. The posts were wooden with the exception of one screw post. The wire was looped and entangled.
“I found great difficulty in cutting it with my wire cutters. I then went 30 yards to my left and examined wire again. It was similar to the first place.
“I cut a piece off here also and while doing so, I heard some shovelling in the enemy’s trench and also a sentry fired occasional shots and then stamped on boards.
“A large number of lights were going up from enemy’s trench. On cming back one of the patrol reported an enemy patrol 50 yards to our right.
“This patrol opened fire on us after we got past. They appeared to be nine or ten strong. We returned safely to our own trench at 9.30pm. The patrol was working on sector Q 10/10.
Sergt. William Grant – “I have the honour to report that on the night of the 27th inst I patrolled a portion of ‘o man’s land’ Q.16B and found a sniper’s post which was not occupied by the enemy. I heard a working party in the enemy’s wire at Q11.C
“The ground covered by the patrol was in some places covered by a thick grass standing 18 inches high. The enemty frequently put up lights at Q10. D 75.
March 28th – Very quiet day. Cold with rain in the afternoon. Preparations for relief occupied us during the evening. Relieved by 10th
March 29 – Fine morning and now in the afternoon. Marched to billets at Forecville. HQs A and B coys into Varennes.
March 30 – Very quiet day. Situation unchanged.Route march to Acheux and drill in the park. Draft of two officers and 130 men arrived from base. German aeroplane dropped two bombs without doing any damage.
Lt. Col. S. W. Bull
OC 12th R. Ir Rifles.
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