The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment 29th February1916

29^th February 1916 –

1st Battalion – Quiet.

2nd Battalion – TRENCHES TO BRAY.

The Battalion was relieved in the trenches by the 1^st South Stafford. Relief complete 3.15am March 1^st. At 5.45pm there was an artillery bombardment & rapid rifle fire on our left. The enemy made a small attack but was repulsed.

Officers 30.    Other Ranks 814.

Casualties 3 Killed 1 Wounded.

Reinforcements 17.

F.C. Longbourne Bt Major

Cmdg 2^nd Queen’s

2/4^th Battalion –   F. TREDGOLD. For O.C. 29^th Feb 1916

1/5^th Battalion – Major Hodges & party together with SAMARA & Capt Whittington arrived safely back at 7am. Rain started at 1am.

W.P. Spens  Lt & Adjt

1/5^th Queen’s

1/6^th Battalion – Battalion relieved by 11^th Middlesex Regt. Relief was complete by 1.15pm. The battalion then marched into billets at the ORPHANAGE BETHUNE.

H.W.F.

7^th Battalion – Between 6pm & 7pm enemy shelled subsectors D3 & D2 W of FRICOURT heavily. Our artillery opened a barrage along German trenches opposite these subsectors. An enemy raiding party which attempted to leave its trenches was driven back by this barrage & by M.G. fire.

During this bombardment 10, 118cm shells, apparently Belgian were fired into BECOURT CHATEAU.

F.B.B. Pickard, Major.

COMDG,7^th (SERVICE) BN, THE QUEEN’S (R.W.S. REGT)

8^th Battalion – The 8^th R.W. Kent Regt relieved this Bn, in the right section trenches on the night 28/29 Feb. The relief was complete at 11.20pm. The Bn, marched back to the BELGIUM CHATEAU.

W.R.G. BYE

Capt

A/Adjt

8 Queen’s.

The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment 28th February1916

28^th February 1916 –

1st Battalion – Very quiet. Attempted raid – failed owing to snow -

2nd Battalion – Very quiet day. Trenches full of water & slush. Every available man employed in clearing them.

Officers 30.    Other Ranks 801.

1/5^th Battalion – Major Hodges, Lieut Evetts & Lieut Wigan with 100 rifles A Coy were sent down the river, to a village about 4 miles from SUKA to search it as some one was suspected at that place of tapping the telephone wire. The SAMARA with Capt L. Whittington & 10 men of B Coy accompanied him. Major Hodges arrived back at 4.0 o/c & reported to SAMARA at night, & left again at 6.30pm.

1/6^th Battalion – Quiet night. Companies put out wire during the night. The enemy sent over a few T Ms & rifle grenades.

Casualties 1 Wounded accidental.

7^th Battalion – Our field artillery shelled German front line opposite E1. Germans retaliated with about 30 light shells on right of sub-sector.

The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment 27th February1916

27^th February 1916 –

1st Battalion – Trench mortars active on both sides.

2nd Battalion – TRENCHES.

Day very quiet. Enemy fired a few Rifle Grenades at our front line. Trenches in bad condition owing to snow & frost. Owing to Brigade redistribution we gave up our left Company Front to the 2^nd Royal Warwicks, Rgt & took over a Company front from the 22^nd Manchester Regt. This redistribution took place during the morning.

Officers 30.    Other Ranks 801.

1/5^th Battalion – Church Parade as usual.

1/6^th Battalion – Battalion relieved 6^th Bn the Buffs in the Firing Line. The line was from RIFLEMANS ALLEY to POKER STREET. The Company were in the following order reading right to left “D” “A” “C” “B” each company providing its own support.

Casualties NIL.

7^th Battalion – Thaw set in & trenches began to deteriorate rapidly. Quiet day.

The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment 26th February1916

26^th February 1916–

1st Battalion – Little shelling with trench mortars.

2nd Battalion – BRAY TO TRENCHES.

The Battalion relieved the 1^st South Staffs, Regt, in the trenches. Relief complete 9.30am.

Officers 30.    Other Ranks 801.

2 to Hospital.

1/6^th Battalion – Quiet night, Furnished working parties under R.E. Major S.T. Watson went to 8^th R. Irish Fusiliers to take command.

7^th Battalion – 2^nd Bn Gordon Highlanders relieved 2^nd Border Regt in D3.

The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment 25th February1916

25^th February 1916 –

1st Battalion – Nothing to report.

2nd Battalion – BRAY.

Whole Battalion employed in working parties under R.E. Supervision.

Officers 30.    Other Ranks 803.

2 Officers & 34 Other Ranks to 22 Bde M.G. Coy.

1/5^th Battalion – The Battn, had its first war distinction conferred on it by the award to Pte Drowley D Coy of the D.C.M. for gallantry in action on the 14^th Jan.

1/6^th Battalion – Quiet night 2^nd Lt Burnett Killed by sniper early in morning, enemy quiet. Battalion relieved by 6^th Buffs relief complete 4.15pm “B” Coy went into O.B.L. “A” Coy in BREWERY VERMELLES “C” & “D” Coys LANCASHIRE TRENCH. Had to furnish working party of 50 men to work under R.E.

Casualties one officer Killed.

7^th Battalion – SUB-SECTOR E1 BECOURT.

Snow continued to fall. Quiet day nothing to record.

8^th Battalion – 25^th, 26^th, 27^th, 28^th ) The enemy’s artillery was active very frequently against trenches on our flanks and our front came in for some attention. Large enemy working Parties were observed each day on a new work at J 13 c.4.5. Our artillery dealt with them each time. Our snipers too have accounted for several of the enemy.

The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment 24th February1916

24^th February 1916 –

1st Battalion – 1/6^th Scottish Rifles join Bde – 16 Mx leave Bde – 1 wounded (since died).

2nd Battalion – TRENCHES TO BRAY.

The enemy registered on our front line at 71 Fire Trench with “whiz bangs” this morning. Enemy monoplane flew over our lines at 9.45am. Very quiet day. The Battalion was relieved in the trenches by the 1^st South Staffs, Regt.

Relief complete 9.20pm.

Officers 32.    Other Ranks 837.

1/6^th Battalion – Enemy still active with rifle grenades, aerial torpedoes, & T Ms got a supply of rifle grenades & we gradually got the upper hand of the enemy. Our artillery retaliated & made good practise. Snipers claim 2 hits & our Lewis guns dispersed hostile working party 2 seen to fall.

Casualties 1 Killed 7 Wounded.

7^th Battalion – The Battalion relieved 7^th Bn, The Buffs in sub-sector E1. This sub-sector is situated as described on 19. 6^th Bn Berkshire Regt held sub-sector E2 on left & 2^nd Border Regt on right in D3. Ly Col. W.J.T. Glasgow having been appointed to command 50^th Infantry Brigade vacated command of the Battalion, which devolved on Major H.C. Jeddere- Fisher, Major F.B.B. Pickard being on leave. Some snow had fallen.

8^th Battalion – One of the night of the 24/25^th Feb, the 1^st Queen’s relieved the 1^st R.W. Kent Regt in the Right Section HOOGE Trenches. The relief was complete at 12 midnight.

The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment 23rd February1916

23^rd February 1916 –

1st Battalion – All work handicapped by snow – patrolling & wiring at a standstill except for occasional party dressed in white.

2nd Battalion – Everything quiet in our sector but enemy made an attack at 6pm on our left. Attack was repulsed. Enemy trench mortars active at 5.45pm but were silenced by our 4.5 Howitzers.

Officers 32.    Other Ranks 837.

1/5^th Battalion – A telegram was received from Capt Master that the details had been ordered to move to NOWSHERA where it was proposed to store all baggage etc under canvas. As before leaving INDIA the C.O. had been informed that the details would remain at LUCKNOW & accordingly officers & men had left many articles of value etc there instead of despatching them home this order caused much consternation. The C.O immediately took steps to have it cancelled & on the 27^th heard it had been cancelled. The greatest confusion has been caused in the Battn, accounts by the various changes in plans of the authorities as to the office by whom they are to be kept. When leaving LUCKNOW we were informed that the D.D.D. 8^th Lucknow Division was to do this. On arrival at BASRA the F.D.O. had heard nothing of this & we were ordered to send all accounts to him. Subsequently the F.D.O. informed us that the D.D.O. 8^th Lucknow Division was to do so. Finally we hear the F.D.O. is to do so. Meanwhile we have sent our accounts for December & January to the D.D.O. at Lucknow. We have also received the pay lists for November & December

from the D.D.O. 8^th Division so carelessly prepared that they teem with inaccuracies & have had to ask him to have them redrawn. As a result we have been on service 3 months & are still totally unable to ascertain the balances to the credit of the N.C.O’s & men when they left LUCKNOW. The whole matter has been most unsatisfactory & involved a very large amount of clerical labour to all of us.

1/6^th Battalion – Battalion relieved the 6^th Bn The Buffs in the Firing Line & their front was from ST ELIE AVENUE (exclusive) to Poker Street (inclusive) The line was divided as follows “B” Coy Right Coy ST ELIE AVENUE (exclusive) to sap 2 (exclusive) “C” Coy sap 2 (inclusive) to   sap 3 (inclusive) “D” Coy  sap 3 (exclusive) to sap 6&7 (exclusive) Coy saps 6&7  (inclusive) to POKER STREET (inclusive). The relief was complete by 7pm. Enemy were very active during the night of 23/24 with rifle grenades & T Ms owing to shortage rifle grenades enemy seemed to have upper hand.

Casualties 4 Killed 10 Wounded.

7^th Battalion – In Billets nothing to record.