Historic battlefields.

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Welcome to my weblog with which I hope to gather together information and thoughts (mine and of others) on the wars of the 20th century.

2 Essex Regiment old contemptibles.

Elsewhere on this blog I have looked at the "local" nature of the 10th Bn Essex Regiment. My interests have broadened over the last few years, leading me to start a study of the 2 Bn as well.

This regular army battalion went overseas on 22 August 1914 and remained on the western front throughout. The 1914 Star medal roll provides a snapshot of the battalion in the early years of the war, listing 990 "other ranks" who landed on 22 August 1914 with the battalion. Study of these 990 men has proved quite distracting, but the following figures were the original findings taken from the medal roll:
Killed in action 179
Died of wounds 90
Drowned 1
Died 1
Executed 1
Prisoner of war 45
Missing 8
Commissioned 10
Deserted 28

As this roll was compiled in 1918 the information isn't complete and subsequent research has (and continues) to update these figures.

24 Feb 2013

After quite a hiatus I will shortly resume blogging, but whilst continuing with my Essex Regiment interests, this has now broadened.

27 April 1916 10th Essex

1.30am to 2.30am Our guns heavily bombarded the German trenches on our left. German Artillery replied but very few shells fell in this sub-sector, only three German batteries appeared to fire. Enemy employed searchlights on A1, A2 and Z2 during the Bombardment. One searchlight is said to have been put out of action by our own supporting Battery. Object of Bombardment, A Raiding Party to go out from A2 (7th Bedfordshire Regt 54th IB)

Enemy very active for remainder of night with MGs.

Day all quiet. A few Rifle grenades were fired by the Enemy during the afternoon, into the "Square" and A16/1 these are the first grenades that have fallen in Z2.

Enemy's MGs were very active during the night.

enemy employed 3 searchlights to try to locate a French aeroplane that was flying over Z sector during the night.

Our patrols out all night, reported presence of large Enemy's patrol.

Enemy's patrol fired on with Lewis Gun and dispersed.

War diary list gives the following casualty for this day:

16633 Pte D Parrish- wounded

26 April 1916 10th Essex

2.30am Train heard beyond HARDECOURT.

All quiet during the day. Enemy fired about 15 How shells into Maricourt Valley (south of the village) searching for our Artillery. Our Artillery registered on the German front & second line in the afternoon.

Everything very quiet during the evening, practically no firing on the part of the enemy until 11.50pm when there was considerable rifle fire. owing to our guns fired rapidly onto A1 & A2 subsectors. Wiring had to be suspended and patrols withdrawn to our own wire.

25 April 1916 10th Essex

The day quiet.

Considerable amount of aerial activity during the day.

Work in trenches continued.

30y Barbed and French wire put up infront of A16/4.

10.15pm Enemy shelled our front trenches A16/3 A16/4 & A16/5 and fired some wizzbangs (about 15) into Maricourt Village.

MG activity on both sides throughout the night.

Patrols out all night, one of our patrols was seen, fired on and had to return to trenches.

24 April 1916 10th Essex

Enemy's snipers very quiet during the day, but active at night, so also was his MGs.

Work in trenches continued. Extra bomb store put in Little Wyre St.

Wire. We put up 30 y and strengthened 30 y infront og A16/4. Officers of the 20th Kings Liverpool Regt 89th IB came up & visited the trenches prior to the 89th IB relieving the 53rd IB.

Night very quiet.

23 April 1916 10th Essex

Enemy's 4.2 Hows fired 8 rounds into the base of AP1, slight damage done to trench.

One STOKES Gun belonging to 53/2 TM took up it's position at the junction og ORCHARD AVENUE and Trench A16/3.

Enemy's MGs and Rifle fire active during the night.

Officers of the 2nd Bedfordshire Regt came and visited these trenches prior to the 89th IB relieving the 53rd IB in Z1 and Z2.

1.5am to 2am Transport heard at Montauban.

3.10am Train heard leaving Montauban through BRIQUETTERIE.

Patrols 2Lt Wearne and 4 men reconnoitered the sap 30 yards to west Briquetterie Road, about 10 y infront of the Enemy's trench there is a trench 10y long by 5 ft deep. Sounds of iron stakes being driven in, half left from this trench.

We had wiring party out infront of A16/4. 40y Barbed and French wire put up.

22 April 1916 10th Essex

8am to 9am. Enemy registered occasionally with Hows and a few bursts of "Wizz Bangs" all along our sub-sector.

Enemy's MGs active from evening "Stand to" onwards throughout the night.

Our patrols from Left Coy out from 8pm-10pm also from 12mn to 2am, nothing to report.

Our patrols from Right Coy out from 11pm to 1am from AP2 and AP3.

Wiring done infront of A16/4 and A16/5.

Heavy Bombardment away on our left (Carnoy) started at about 8.45pm and continued till about 10.30pm, all quiet on our front.

21 April 1916 10th Essex

Enemy intermittantly shelled Z2 during the morning, was answered by our artillery.

Battalion moved into Z2 trenches during the afternoon, and relieved the 6th R Berkshires Regt who went into Maricourt Defences.

Enemy again shelled Suzanne-Maricourt Road at about 7.30pm, our transport did not come up till 10.30pm.

Dispositions of Battalion in Z2.

Two Coys in Front line trenches

One Coy in Counter Attack (in support trenches)

One Coy in Reserve (at Chateau Keep)

Dispositions of Lewis Guns

3 LG with Right Front Coy. 3 with Left Front Coy. 1 with Counter Attack. 1 with Reserve Coy.

Night very quiet.

20 April 1916 10th Essex

A few enemy's shells fell on left of Z1 and right of Z2.

Work on defences continued.

All quiet nothing to report.