The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment 9th February1916

9^th February 1916 –

1st Battalion – Ordinary Routine.

2 Lt Bruin joined Bn.

2nd Battalion – Whole Battalion employed as working parties.

Officers 30.    Other Ranks 855.

Transferred to R.E. 2.

2/4^th Battalion –

1/5^th Battalion – The Battn, paraded at 3.20 am & moved off at 3.35 am. The column consisted of the ½ Battn, 2^nd Royal W. Kent, the 1/5^th Queen’s, 30^th Mountain Battery the 114^th Mahrattas & a detachment sappers & miners.

2nd R.W. Kents. 1/5th Queen’s. 114th Mahrattas. (less 1 Coy) Brigaded M.G’s. 30th M. Battery. 1 Coy 114th Mahrattas.

The starting point was 600 yards N of No 6 Post on SUWAIJ Rd & column moved in order in margin.

2^nd R.W. Kents.

1/5^th Queen’s.

114^th Mahrattas.

(less 1 Coy)

Brigaded M.G’s.

30^th M. Battery.

1 Coy 114^th Mahrattas.

Capt Willoughby guided the column.

The column moved off punctually but was only able to go very slowly as the guide had great difficulty in finding the road.

By daylight about 6am the column was 3-4 miles out & W.Kents then threw out an advanced guard, B Company moved out as left flank guard & C Coy as right flank guard. In this formation the column moved on about another 1½ mile moving off the road towards the left to some villages which had maltreated the rearguard on the 7^th. One of these was burnt without resistance. The column then changed direction half right. Up to this point the West Kents had found the advanced line alone, D Coy was now ordered upon their left & the line advanced on a second village. There was a little resistance. Subsequently a third & fourth village was burnt A Coy being ordered up to support D Company. Again there was very little resistance. Meanwhile C Coy on the right had been dealing with a few snipers on the right & were finally ordered up to support the Kents.

9.30am- The Kents commenced to retire & C,D & A Companies came back with them. During the initial stages of the retirement there was some firing on the right against C Coy & Corpl Head was hit through the knee.

C Company acted as right flank guard again retiring. On the left there was no firing. The mountain had early come into action & shelled the villages.

A column had come out from NASARIYAH to support Genarel Tidswell consisting of 1 squadron 12^th cavalry, 44^th Merwaras, 1/2 Sussex Battery & ambulance tongas.

There was desultory firing from groups of Arabs at long range for the first 3 miles back but nothing serious.

2.30pm- After a long wait in hopes the enemy would come on the columns retired on camp.

Our casualties were 2 wounded.

Ammunition: 4343 of which M.G.S fired 293.

Strength 21 officers & 410 men.

4.30pm- The Battn, detailed firing party carrying party buglers etc for the funeral of Major Tahourdin 12^th Cavalry died of wounds received on 7^th. Lieut E.F. Evetts commanded the firing party.

1/6^th Battalion – Battalion remained in billets & continued training.

7^th Battalion – In Billets nothing to record.

8^th Battalion – The following extract appeared in Bde Order 133 d/- 9^th Feb 1916.

HONOURS and AWARDS – The Divisional Commander wishes to bring to the notice of all ranks the act for which No 3014 Pte. H. Homer 8^th Bn, The Queen’s Regt (R.W.S) was recommended for and awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal “At trenches N, of BELLEWAARDE FARM. On the night of the 22/23^rd Jan 1916, a German patrol had planted a flag some 140 yards in front of one of our trenches. A private of the 8^th  Buffs (East Kent Rgt) went out in daylight to bring in the flag, but he was severely wounded. No 3014 Pte. H. Homer 8^th Bn, The Queen’s Regt, volunteered to go out to bring in the wounded man. He, with the help of an officer of the 8^th Buffs, succeeded in bringing him under cover from view. Then with the assistance of a Corporal of the 8^th Buffs, Homer carried the wounded man back to the trench. This operation took 2 hours. The party was under rifle fire during the whole time”. (This incident was referred to last month.)