Historic battlefields.

23 February 1916 10th Essex

Battalion remained in Brigade Res "B" in ALBERT. Whole Battalion bathed in ALBERT Baths.

Heavy fall of snow during the day.

22 February 1916 10th Essex

Battalion relieved in trenches by 6th R Berkshire Regt. Relief completed at 1.10pm.

Battalion passed into Brigade Reserve "B" in ALBERT. Fighting Strength. Officers 31 other ranks 876.

21 February 1916 10th Essex

1.30am 4 Trench mortars fired into left front trenches our trench mortars retaliated.

Heavy bombardment heard away to our right lasted till about 5.30am probably at FRISE.

A good deal of trench mortar activity by enemy & ourselves during the day. ene,y's artillery active on Right.

Enemy's aeroplanes active throughout the day. Wind East all day. Night very quiet.

20 February 1916 10th Essex

Slight NNE wind. Slight artillery activity during the day.

2 MG (Maxims) brought up by MG Coy in the evening one to DUNDEE AV and one to ARBROATH St.

Night quiet except for a few rifle grenades.

19 February 1916 10th Essex

Strong N W wind.

Rifle grenades exchanged freely.

11am The enemy first shelled Gowrie St with about 40 shells and then commenced a 20 minute intense mortar bombardment. Several salvos of large "sausages". Our 4.5" Howitzers retaliated. Rest of day quiet except for rifle grenades on left.

6pm to 6.45pm Heavy bombardment about 5 miles to the North.

10.15pm A salvo of "sausages" on our left front, could not get any retaliation by our 4.5" Howitzers.

A great many lights sent up by the enemy during the night behind La Boisselle. Red, Green & White lights, there seemed to have some connection in aircraft for a Zeppelin (?) went over Eastwards at 11.50pm, it was heard for 20 minutes but not seen.

12mn German working party heard and seen in German lines infront of trench 116. Our 18lbs fired 2 rounds gunfire on to the point.

Remainder of night quiet.

Monthly war diary casualty list: 15769 LCpl E Scottow- wounded; 14633 Pte E Cooper- wounded.

18 February 1916 10th Essex

2am Lively cannonade about 2 or 3 miles to our left.

3am Enemy fired 11 "sausages" several into left of E2. Our 4.5" Howitzers replied with 9 rounds. No more "sausages"

All quiet during the morning, except for rifle grenades on our left front. 3 men wounded.

During the afternoon reciprocal trench mortar activity. Our 2" mortar gun replied effectively.

Night quiet.

Monthly war diary casualty list: 13963 Pte J Neil- wounded; 13965 Pte Y Alabaster- wounded; 13890 Pte W J Miles- wounded.

17 February 1916 10th Essex

5.30 Fair westerly wind and rain. Cleared up during the morning. In the afternoon there was some reciprocal  Trench Mortar activity.

Enemy tried to our TM in Gowrie St out of action with "wizz bangs" but did not succeed.

Night all quiet.

Monthly war diary list of casualties: 17829 Pte J Thomas- wounded; 14521 Pte P Whiteside- killed in action.

16 February 1916 10th Essex

5.15am Strong westerly wind and rain. All quiet during the morning. During Stand To sentry over ammunition res. died of Tumour on Brain.

During the afternoon, our artillery, chiefly 18lbs, bombarded the Enemy's trenches in and about OVILLIERS (on our left) for half an hour.

All quiet during the night.

Monthly war diary list of casualties: 15782 Pte H Winterford- wounded

The death mentioned above is likely to be 13316 Pte D Richardson- listed as died on 15th February 1916 in war diary.

15 February 1916 10th Essex

Morning all quiet. During afternoon our 18lbs tested new line of barrage infront of 112-116 Germans retaliated with "wizz bangs" our Heavy Trench Mortars fired several rounds, enemy retaliated with "sausages"

6.10pm Several "sausages" exploded in trenches 117-118 and knocked down about 40 yards of parapet. Our 4.5" Howizters very slow in retaliating.

9.30pm Considerable artillery action on our left about 4 miles away?

Strong Westerly wind during the night. Fighting Strength. Officers 31 other ranks 884.

A war diary appendix lists two casualties for this day:

13316 Pte D Richardson - Died (Found dead in dugout- Cause of death: Tumours on Brain)

13909 Pte F Whybrow- wounded.

14 February 1916 10th Essex

Battalion relieved 6th R Berkshire Regt in trenches, relief completed at 12.30pm

4.15pm We exploded mine infront of Fairmaid St- blew a crater- Before the mine was exploded our 4.5" Howitzers fired for about 1/2 hour at German trenches in and South of La Boisselle- Immediately after explosion of mine our 18lbs opened fire with shrapnell on La Boisselle and German trenches infront of 117-120. Germans retalitated with "wizz bangs" and 6 HE on trenches 119-121.

6.30pm OC 185 Tunnelling Coy reported that mine was most successful- Germans were heard working till just before the mine was exploded.

Evening very quiet.

11.45pm Message from Brigade warning us of possible German attack on following day.