War Diary 2/DLI - October 1916

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: France

Contents 1 Document Info 2 War Diary 2.1 Placeholder for start of October 2.2 1-7 Oct 2.3 8-15 Oct 2.4 16-23 Oct 2.5 23-30 Oct 2.6 31 Oct 3 Additional Documents 3.1 Casualties in Action Oct 4 Commonwealth War Graves Commission Records and Casualties 5 Sources

Document Info

This is a transcription of the official war diaries of the 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry for October 1916. It forms part of a larger set of pages indexed here.

War Diary

Placeholder for start of October

[Image 243]

Oct 1916

1-7 Oct

[Image 244]

In the Field - Oct 1916

• 1st 10.45am - The Battn took part in Brigade Church Parade at TREUX.
• 1st 3.30pm - The Battn was inspected and addressed by the G.O.C. [General Officer Commanding] 6th Div at MERICOURT.
• 2nd - The Battn spent the day refitting and training by Companies, setting up drill.
• 3rd - The Bn was trained by Companies - Physical training, drill, instruction of specialists. 2nd Lieut L.D. HAGGIE joined this day.
• 4th - The Bn was trained by Companies - Physical training, drill, Platoons in attack, training of specialists.
• 4th 1.30pm - Lecture on Bayonet-fighting for those who joined recently.
• 4th 3pm - Inspection of "Old" men by D.D.M.S. [Deputy Director Medical Services]. 2nd Lieut J. TINDLE joined this day.
• 5th - The Battn was trained by Companies - Physical training, drill, Companies in attack, training of N.C.O.s & specialists. A draft of 28 Casuals joined today.
• 6th - The Battn spent the day by having usual parades under Coy Commdrs.
• 7th 10am - Bn moved from MERICOURT to CITADEL AREA (Camp) by march route.

8-15 Oct

[Image 245]

• 8th Oct 8.45am - Bn moved from CITADEL to field adjoining TRONES WOOD, rested till dusk & then proceeded to trenches near GUEDECOURT. Echelon A & B under command of Temp Capt Jones (Acting 2nd in Command) remained behind in bivouacs near MONTUBAN.
• 9th - Bn from trenches and in Reserve, bivouacked near TRONES WOOD. Casualties during trench period - 2nd Lieut S.F.A. Jarrett and 5 other ranks wounded.
• 10th - Bn continued in reserve near TRONES WOOD.
• 10th 4pm - The enemy shelled the camp - Casualties - 2nd Lieut H.N. Heyward killed and 16 OR Wounded. 2nd Lieut S Dalziel, who was conducting a draft from ETAPLES to 14th DLI & was visiting Bn, was also wounded.
• 11th - Bn returned to trenches (NEEDLE TRENCH) near GUEDECOURT. (In Reserve). Reinforcements 26 OR arrived from ETAPLES.
  

Reinforcements include Ptes James Forcer and Walter Kelly

• 12th - Bn continued to hold NEEDLE TRENCH - Casualties 3 OR wounded.
• 13th - Bn moved further forward to RAINBOW TRENCH. Capt. C. Evans Smith rejoined from Hospital. Reinforcements 11 OR arrived from Base - Casualties OR 1 Killed & 3 Wounded.
• 14th - Bn continued to hold RAINBOW TRENCH - Casualties: - Capt. B. Wallace R.A.M.C. Wounded, 2nd Lieut A.L. Butcher Wounded, 2nd Lieut J.S. Palmer Wounded.
• 15th 5.15am - Bn took part in attack on Enemy's line and afterwards returned to NEEDLE TRENCH. Major E.V. Mauger arrived and took over duties of 2nd in Command. Capt. C. Evans Smith admitted to hospital.

Casualties 14th-16th:

Nature of Casualty	Officers	Other Ranks
Killed	2/Lt H.E.W. Chamberlain	18
Wounded	2/Lt T. Veitch, 2/Lt A. Dunn 2/Lt J. Crawford - 2/Lt C.W. Heppleston 2/Lt L. Haggie	93
Missing	2/Lt C. Green	28
Missing believed Killed	2/Lt H. Barclay	1
Missing believed Wounded		2

16-23 Oct

[Image 246]

• 16th 6pm - Bn came out of the line and encamped near Montauban.
• 17th - Bn continued in camp at MONTAUBAN. Echelon A & B rejoined Battn. The day was spent in cleaning up and improving the Camp.
• 18th - Bn still in Camp near MONTAUBAN. Ban was addressed by G.O.C. 18th Inf Bde. 2/LT A.R. Watson rejoined from Base, & took over duties of Bde Transport Officer. Vice Lt. H.M. Saunders, who returned to Bn & apptd Bn Transport Officer.
• 19th 10am - Bn moved from Camp, MONTAUBAN by march route to CITADEL AREA. " OR joined from Base.
• 20th - Bn continued at CITADEL & the day was spent by a general clean up and parades.
• 21st 12 Noon - Bn moved from CITADEL to MERICOURT, march route where it rested in billets.
• 22nd 5pm - Bn moved from MERICOURT by train to OISEMONT (12 mls S of ABBEVILLE). Transport proceeded by road.
• 23rd 1am - Bn arrived OISEMONT and were billetted in the village of FORCEVILLE. A Coy in village of NEUVILLE. Transport arrived at 3.30pm. Usual training whilst in Rest billets carried out.

23-30 Oct

[Image 247]

• 24th-25th - Bn still at FORCEVILLE & usual training carried out.
• 26th - Bn still at FORCEVILLE. Bathing parade & usual training. 141 other ranks arrived from Base.
• 27th 8am - Bn moved from FORCEVILLE to LONGPRE (march route) arrived 1-30pm & were accommodated in Rest billets. Transport accompanied Battn.
• 28th 11.30am-9.0pm - Bn entrained at LONGPRE and proceeded to CHOCQUES where it detrained and then marched to MARLES-LES-MINES where it was accommodated in billets.
• 29th - Officers arrived - Lieut. P.D. Black, Lt. A.C. Lynch. 2nd Lieut F.D. Morris, 2nd Lieut H.W. James. Bn spent the day in cleaning up.
• 30th - Bn still at MARLES-LES-MINES. Usual training carried out. 18 other ranks arrived from Base.

31 Oct

[Image 248]

• 31st - Battn took part in a Brigade Route March - Echelon A was present. Major E.V. Manger assumed temporary command of 11th Essex Regt.

A.E. Irvine Major Commdg 2nd Bn D L Infty

Additional Documents

Casualties in Action Oct

[Image 249]

Casualties for Oct 1916 - 2nd Durham LI

	Killed	Wounded	Missing	Missing believed Killed	Missing believed Wounded
Officers	1	9	1	1
Other Ranks	18	148	28	2	2

A.E. Irvine Major Comdg 2/Durham L. I. Oct 31-16

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Records and Casualties

The source records on the CWGC website has additional information including more details about their burial place.

Those who are recorded as being memorialised on the Thiepval Memorial are those soldiers for whom there is no known grave. It is the memorial for the Missing of the Somme. This could be those whose bodies were never recovered, or those like Pte Forcer who was buried in a local graveyard at the time of his death, but whose body was not found after the end of the war when the many small graveyards were consolidated into the larger military cemeteries that survive today.

Against each date will be the casualty list recorded in the diary for that date. If there is no record of anyone having died on that date, this is likely the death of someone who was sick or died of their wounds and was receiving medical treatment elsewhere. A good example of this is someone like Pte Howard (5th Oct) who was buried at Etaples, well away from where the battalion were at the time.

Service #	Rank	Name	Age	Bn Info	Cemetery / Memorial	Notes
1-Oct - No casualties reported in diary
30101	Pte	McCRICKARD, Wilfrid			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
5-Oct - No casualties reported in diary
21316	Pte	HOWARD, Joseph	28		Etaples Military Cemetery, Fr
9-Oct
2nd Lieut S.F.A. Jarrett and 5 other ranks wounded.
10-Oct
2nd Lieut H.N. Heyward killed and 16 OR Wounded. 2nd Lieut S Dalziel, who was conducting a draft from ETAPLES to 14th DLI & was visiting Bn, was also wounded.
	2/LT	HEYWARD, Harry Neale	26	15th Bn formerly 2nd Bn.	Bernafay Wood British Cemetery, Montauban, Fr	Son of Henry and Eliza Ann Heyward, of "Ewshott," 11, Dornton Rd., South Croydon.
12-Oct
3 OR wounded.
13-Oct
OR 1 Killed & 3 Wounded.
14-Oct
Capt. B. Wallace R.A.M.C. Wounded, 2nd Lieut A.L. Butcher Wounded, 2nd Lieut J.S. Palmer Wounded (died on 18-Oct).
33131	Pte	KELLY, Walter			Thiepval Memorial, Fr	Assumed to be OR killed on 13th
15-Oct
2/Lt H.E.W. Chamberlain & 18 OR Killed 2/Lt T. Veitch (died 22-Oct), 2/Lt A. Dunn, 2/Lt J. Crawford, 2/Lt C.W. Heppleston, 2/Lt L. Haggie & 93 OR Wounded 2/Lt C. Green (died 15-Oct) and 28 OR Missing 2/Lt H. Barclay (died 15-Oct) & 1 OR Missing believed Killed 2 OR Missing believed Wounded
28059	Pte	AVIS , Arthur George	19		Thiepval Memorial, Fr	Son of Harry Abram and Rosina Avis, of Belmont Cottage, The Lanes, Upper Dovercourt, Essex.
4/9525	Sgt	BAINBRIDGE , Christopher			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
	2/LT	BARCLAY , Harry	21		Bancourt British Cemetery, Fr	Son of James and Agnes Watson Barclay, of East House, Ryton-on-Tyne, Co. Durham.
11015	Pte	BIGGIN , Harry			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
10448	L/Cpl	BLOWER , E			Bancourt British Cemetery, Fr	Son of Mrs. L. Dyke, of The Green, Old Cornforth, Ferryhill, Co. Durham.
3/12234	L/Cpl	BROWN , George Alfred	23		Thiepval Memorial, Fr	Son of John and Elizabeth Brown, of 15, Galgate, Barnard Castle, Co. Durham.
3/12171	Pte	CAMPBELL , Arthur	32		Bancourt British Cemetery, Fr	Son of Mary Campbell, of 10, Wenlock Rd., Tyne Dock, South Shields, and the late Thomas T. Campbell.
	2/LT	CHAMBERLIN , Hugh Frederick Whitmore			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
42522	Pte	CLARK , John			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
30385	Pte	COPLEY , William Alvin	34		Bancourt British Cemetery, Fr	Son of Alvin and Mary Ellen Copley, of 6, Hare St., Gibbet St. Halifax.
42515	Pte	COULBECK , T			Bancourt British Cemetery, Fr
27997	Pte	DENNISON , Herbert			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
45420	Pte	DOWNING , Ernest			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
27945	Pte	FORCER , James	34	"B" Coy	Thiepval Memorial, Fr	Son of Sarah and John Forcer; husband of Sarah Hall (formerly Forcer), of 34, Henry St. East, Sunderland.
30540	Pte	FRANCIS , Theodore			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
19365	Pte	GIBBISON , Robert Thomas	20	"B" Coy	Thiepval Memorial, Fr	Son of Mr. and Mrs. Gibbison, of 6, Strickland St., Elswick, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
27498	Pte	GILFELLON , Thomas			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
32141	Pte	GOUNDRY , Henry			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
	2/LT	GREEN , Cuthbert	23		Thiepval Memorial, Fr	Son of Jonathan and Ann Green, of "Cresta", Stanley, Co. Durham.
22565	Pte	JONES , Llewellyn	22		Thiepval Memorial, Fr	Son of John and Mary Jones, of 8, Andrew St., Easington Colliery, Co. Durham.
317246	Pte	KING , George			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
20967	Pte	LAMB , G			Bancourt British Cemetery, Fr
18/537	Pte	LEE , A	22		Bancourt British Cemetery, Fr	Son of Jane Lee, of 47, North Bailey, Durham.
42544	Pte	MAJOR , James	23	No. 2 Coy	Bancourt British Cemetery, Fr	Only son of Robert and Annie Major, of Wadingham, Kirton Lindsey, Lincs.
32125	Pte	METCALFE , E	26		Bancourt British Cemetery, Fr	Son of Harry and the late Ada Jane Metcalfe, of 4, Cumberland St., West Hartlepool, Co. Durham.
4/9891	Pte	MIDDLETON , W F			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
42543	Pte	MILLER , M			Bienvillers Military Cemetery, Fr
4/8371	Pte	MILLS , Watson			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
3/11913	Cpl	MILNE , John	35		Thiepval Memorial, Fr	Son of John and Mary Milne, of 207, South Eldon St., South Shields.
22118	Pte	NEIL , William			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
42547	Pte	NORTH , Frank	25		Bancourt British Cemetery, Fr	Son of J. P. North, of Deseronto, Ontario, Canada. Native of Brigg, Lincs.
21942	Pte	OLIVER , John			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
23796	Pte	PATTON , John W.			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
7203	Sgt	POTTER , Harry			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
10978	L/Sgt	SHRIMPTON , George			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
20966	Pte	SMITH , William	35		Thiepval Memorial, Fr	Son of Alexander and Margaret Smith, of 26, Browney Lane, Browney Colliery, Co. Durham.
26165	Pte	SOMERVILLE , Thomas			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
30757	L/Cpl	STEPHENSON , Joseph Septimus	26		Bancourt British Cemetery, Fr	Son of Thomas and Elizabeth D. Stephenson, of Beatrice House, 5, Stanhope Rd. East, South Shields.
9203	Pte	STEPHENSON , James Chapple	32		Bancourt British Cemetery, Fr	Husband of Jessie Ellen Stephenson, of 23, Christopher St., Hendon, Sunderland.
3/10105	Pte	TALLET , George			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
8488	Pte	TOMLINSON , John			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
4/8958	Pte	TRODDEN , Frank	30		Thiepval Memorial, Fr	Son of the late Felix and Julie Trodden; husband of Eliza Trodden, of 41, Amberley St., Low Teams, Gateshead.
4/9036	Pte	TUMILTY , Benjamin	33		Thiepval Memorial, Fr	Husband of Caroline Emily Kelly (formerly Tumilty), of 10, John St. North, Hartlepool.
32665	Pte	TURTON , Fred	34		Bancourt British Cemetery, Fr	Husband of Rosa Turton, of 9, Greenhill Bank Rd., New Mill, Huddersfield.
27780	Pte	WALKER , John S.			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
27516	Pte	WILLIS , John			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
4/8684	Cpl	WOODS , Ernest	27		Bancourt British Cemetery, Fr	Son of Joseph and Sarah Woods (Stepmother), of 6, Rudd St., Lightbowne, Moston, Manchester.
26048	L/Cpl	WOODWARD , Wilfred	26		Bancourt British Cemetery, Fr	Son of Ellen J. Smith (formerly Woodward), of Shipton Farm Cottages, Woodstock, Oxon, and the late Charles Woodward.
16-Oct - No casualties reported in diary
32717	Pte	WALKER , Henry L.			Thiepval Memorial, Fr
17-Oct - No casualties reported in diary
8473	Pte	LEES , H			St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen, Fr
18-Oct - No casualties reported in diary
5847	Pte	BUTCHER , T H		2nd/9th Bn.	Manor Park Cemetery, UK
	2/LT	PALMER , John Stanley	26		Grove Town Cemetery, Meaulte, Fr	Wounded on 14th. Son of Thomas and Thirza Palmer, of 60, East Sheen Avenue, East Sheen, London. L.D.S., R.C.S. Eng. (Guy's Hospital).
32136	Pte	WHITWELL , Robert	23		Grove Town Cemetery, Meaulte, Fr	Son of Mr. and Mrs. William Whitwell, of 22, Lawson St., Carlton Iron Works, Ferryhill, Co. Durham.
20-Oct - No casualties reported in diary
27338	Pte	WALLER , R			Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension, Fr
22-Oct - No casualties reported in diary
22216	L/Cpl	VEITCH, Thomas H	32	15th Bn	Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium	Wounded on 15th. Husband of Agnes Veitch, of 6, Deptford Rd., Millfield, Sunderland.
26-Oct - No casualties reported in diary
30495	Pte	INNES , Charlton	27		Etaples Military Cemetery, Fr	Son of Elizabeth Innes, of 46, Thelma St., Sunderland, and the late Joseph Innes.
29-Oct - No casualties reported in diary
11540	Pte	LEMMON , Charles	22		Grove Town Cemetery, Meaulte, Fr	Son of William and Alice Lemmon, of 76, Gray St., Blackfriars, London.

Sources

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission Records for 2/DLI for the time period June to Oct 1916 were extracted from their website using their search tool and then processed.