WAR DIARIES - NATIONAL ARCHIVES
WO WO-95-1646-2_2
ORDER PAPERS

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_12

Appendix 1
No. 11
SECRET
24th Battalion the Manchester Regiment
PRELIMINARY MOVE ORDERS
19th October 1916

1. The Battalion will be ready to move at 4pm.

2. Tool wagons will be packed by 4pm. Company Mess Baskets to be carried on tool wagon.

3. Officers' valises will be collected by wagon starting at 2/Lieut. Russel's Detachment. This wagon will reach Q.M. Stores by 3pm. 'B' and 'D' Companies will be ready for loading not later than 2pm.

4. Blankets will be rolled in bundles of 10 and ready for collection at 3pm.

5. Sufficient camp kettles for cooking en route will be carried by the men.

6. Rations for consumption tomorrow (20th) will be carried on the fore portion of the field kitchens.

7. Lewis Gun carts will be loaded and sent to Transport by 3pm.

8. Gum boots will be returned to Q.M. Stores by 3pm.

Issued at 12:15pm.

Copy :
No. 1. Commanding Officer
No. 2. Quartermaster
No. 3. Transport Officer
No. 4. Lewis Gun Officer
No. 5. Medical Officer
No. 6. O.C. 'A' Coy.
No. 7. O.C. 'B' Coy.
No. 8. O.C. 'C' Coy.
No. 9. O.C. 'D' Coy.
No. 10. 2/Lieut. Russel
No. 11. War Diary
No. 12. War Diary

(Signed) A. St. G. WALSH. 2/Lieut. and Acting Adjutant.

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Appendix 2
Copy War Diary
SECRET
OPERATION ORDER No.. 1
COMMDG. 24th BATTALION MANCHESTER REGT.
19th October 1916
Map Reference France Sheet 36 NW 1/20,000

1. The Battalion will entrain at BAILLEUL tomorrow (20th instant)

2. Hour of departure, 12 noon.

3. Transport will reach BAILLEUL STATION at 9am. they will leave Transport Lines at 6:30am.

4. Captain Prendergast and 100 Other Ranks of 'D' Company will form the unloading party on arrival at destination.

5. The remainder of the Battalion will move at 7:45am at intervals of 100 yards between half Companies.

6. ORDER OF MARCH:
(1) Headquarters and Band
(2) 'A' Company
(3) 'C' Company
(4) 'B' & 'D' Companies (less Capt. Prendergast and 100 Other Ranks.)

7. 'B' Company and 'D' Company (less Capt. Prendergast and 100 Other Ranks) will join the column at Road Junction B4 b 5.6.
C.C. 'A' Company will arrange for 2/Lieut. Russel's detachment to join the column.

8. 2/Lieut. Braine will accompany the Transport and allot accommodation on the train.

9. 2/Lieut. Wilkins will be in command of details left behind, and will hand over camp and stores to C.C. 7th divisional Salvage Company.

10. Details left behind will be attached for rations to the 7th Divisional Salvage Company.

Issued at 7:00 pm

Copy No :
1. Commanding Officer
2. Quartermaster
3.Transport Officer
4. Lewis Gun Officer
5. Medical Officer
6. O.C. 'A' COY.
7. O.C. 'B' COY.
7. O.C. 'C' COY.
9. O.C. 'D' COY.
10. 2/Lieut. Russel
11. 2/Lieut. Wilkins
12 & 13. War Diary

(Signed) A. St. G. Walsh 2/Lieut. and Actin Adjutant.

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Appendix 3
24th Battalion The Manchester Regiment
OPERATION ORDER NO. 2
COPY 9
30th October, 1916
Reference Map: ALBERT COMBINED SHEET.

1. The Battalion will move to the Camp at X. 11. a.

2. Transport will move to an area in W. 24, on the North side of the ALBERT-BAPAUME Road.

3. 2/Lieut. Braine and advance party of 1 N.C.O. and 3 Other Ranks will take over the new Camp from 50th Canadian Battalion. He will proceed at once to X. 11. a.

4. ORDER OF MARCH :
1. Headquarters and Band
2. 'D' Company
3. 'B' Company
4. 'C' Company
5. 'A' Company
An interval of 100 yards will be left between half Companies.

5. ROUTE: This will be given in a subsequent order.

6. Blankets (rolled in bundles of 10) and Mess Baskets and Offiers' valises will be handed in the Q.M. Stores by 8:00 am.

7. 2/Lieut. Wilkins will hand over tents and shelters to Camp Commandant at TARA.

8. Date and time of move will be communicated to those concerned.

Issued at 11:00 am.

Copy No:
1. Commanding Officer
2. O.C. 'A' Company
3. O.C. 'B' Company
4. O.C. 'C' Company
5. O.C. 'D' Company
6. Quartermaster
7. 32nd Division
8. 4th Canadian Division
9. War Diary
10. War Diary

G.B. Dempsey, Lieut. and Adjutant.

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SECRET
24th Battalion The Manchester Regiment (Pioneers)
SUPPLEMENT TO OPERATION ORDER NO. 2

With reference to Para. 8 Operation Order No. 2, the Battalion will move at 10 am. on the 31st. Oct.

30-10-16
G.B. DEMPSEY. Lieut. and Adjutant.

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WAR DIARIES - NATIONAL ARCHIVES
WO-95-1646-2_2
ORDER PAPERS

Next page : WO-95-1646-2_16

SECRET
Appendix 4
Copy No. 8
24th Battalion The Manchester Regiment
OPERATION ORDER NO. 3
31st October, 1916

1. (a) On a date to be notified later the Reserve Army is to attack North and South of the River ANCRE.
(b) II Corps, consisting of 18th, 19th, 32nd, 39th and 4th Canadian Divisions, in the initial stages of the operation is to capture PYS, IRLES, ACHIET LE PETIT, MIRAUMONT, and the line of the MIRAUMONT-BEAUCOURT Sur ANCRE ROAD.

2. In the first phase the 4th Canadian, 18th, 19th and 39th Divisions are to gain the following objectives :-
4th Canadian Division :-
First Objective : Approximate line M. 14. d. 10.85. - M. 7. d. 8.4. - M. 7. a. 15.05. and thence along COULLEE trench to R. 12. c. 1.9.
2nd Objective : M. 7. b. 5.1 to R. 5. d. 60.2.

18th Division :-
1st Objective : GRANDCOURT Trench from R. 12. c. 1.9 to R. 16. a. 8.8.
2nd Objective : Line R. 5. d. 60.25. - Cross Roads at R. 5. b. 5.4. - Railway Bridge at R. 5.5. and thence along Railway to R. 4. d. 1.1.
3rd Objective : MIRAUMONT.

19th Division :-
1st Objective : GRANDCOURT Trench R. 16. a. 88 - R. 15. b. 70.96 - R. 15. a. 6.1. and thence to R. 15. c. 05.95. - R. 14. b.90.15. - R. 14. b. 80.05 and thence a line running approximately R. 14. b. 3.3 - R. 14. a. 2.5.
2nd Objective : Line of Railway from R. 4. d. 1.1. to bridge at R. 8. c. 4.5 and thence to R. 8. e. 20.
3rd Objective : Line of MIRAUMONT - BEAUCOURT Sur ANCRE Road from Cross roads at R. 4. b. 25.20 to R. 8. a. 2.2 and thence to R. 8. c. 2.0.

39th Division :-
1st Objective : Line of RIVER ANCRE from R. c. 2.0. to C. 24. b. 1.3. and crossings at THE MILL (R. 13. a 2.7.) and BRIDGE Road (Q. 13. b. 85.40).

3. There will in each case be a halt of approximately 1 hour after the capture of the 1st and 2nd Objectives and the times for continuing the advance against the 2nd and 3rd Objectives will be respectively : -
(i) Zero plus 1 hour 28 minutes.
(ii) Zero plus 3 hours 24 minutes.

4. PRELIMINARY MOVES OF 32nd DIVISION : -
32nd Division less (Artillery) will move on the day preceeding the attack to positions in bivouacs as follows :
14th Inf. Bde. X. 7. Central. (With 1 Section 206th Fd. Coy. R.E. and 1 Company 24th Manchester Regt. (Pioneers)
96th Inf. Bde. X. 9. c. and 8. d. (With 1 Section 218th Fd. Coy. R.E. and 1 Company 24th Manchester Regt. (Pioneers).
97th Inf. Bde. USNA HILL
Divl. Engrs. (less 1 Fd. Coy. R.E. and 2 Sections).
March table will be issued later.
219th Fd. Coy. R.E. will remain in its present position at LA BOISELLE, and 24th Manchester Regt. (pioneers, less

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Sheet 2
two Companies will remain at X.11. a. till the morning of the day of the attack.

5. STATE OF READINESS : -
At 2 hours after Zero hour on the day of the attack, the units of the 32nd Division will be ready to move as follows : -
15th & 96th Inf. Bdes. Groups at 1/2[half] hours notice, which will be altered later to 10 minutes notice.
97th Inf. Bdes. Divl. Engineers and 24th Manchester Regt. (pioneers) less 2 Coys.at 1 hours notice, which will be altered later to 1/2[half] hours notice,

6. FIRST MOVES OF 32nd DIV. ON DAY OF ATTACK : -
(a) As soon as the rear Bde. of the 18th Div. moves forward preparatory to attacking MIRAUMONT, the 96th Bde. Group will move forward under orders from the Division via the ALBERT-POZIERES Road (or across country 150 yards North and parallel to this Road - X. 3. b. - X. 4. a. - R. 34. a. to a position of readiness in the area R. 28. c., whence it can be moved forward to the valley south of MIRAUMONT.
(b) As soon as the 96th Bde. Group is ordered forward from the vicinity of R. 28. c., the 14th Bde. Group will be moved up to take its place, following one of[sic] other of the following routes : -
(i) OVILLERS - COURCELETTE Road to R. 34. c. and thence via R. 34. a. to R. 28. c.
(ii) X. 1. b. - X. 2. a. - R. 32. b. - R. 33. a. - R. 27. c.
(c) In the event of the situation permitting it both Bde. Groups will move up simultaneously by the routes given to positions of assembly about R. 28. a. and R. 27. c.
(d) 97th Inf. Bde. Group assembled at USNA HILL will be moved up to the vicinity of X. 9. c. and X. 8. d. so soon as this area is vacated by the leading Bde. Group, and again 97th Bde. Group will in time replace the leading Bde. at R. 28. c. when these move forward.

7. TASK ALLOTTED TO 32nd DIV. : -
The task allotted to the 32nd Division is the capture of PYS, IRLES, and ACHIET LE PETIT, so soon as MIRAUMONT is captured.

8. INTENTION : -
The G.O.C. intends to employ the 96th Inf. Bde. on the right to attack PYS, and the 14th Inf. Bde. on the left to attack IRLES. these villages will be captured and strong posts established at points on their far side. The 97th Inf. Bde. will be held in reserve for the subsequent capture of ACHIET LE PETIT.

9. R.E. AND PIONEERS : -
The Section of a Fd. Coy. R.E. and Company of Pioneers attached to each of the 14th and 96th Inf. Bde. will not be thrown into the attack with the assaulting Battalions; they will be retained in a position of readiness and brought forward under orders from the Bde. after the position has been captured to assist in the work of consolidation.
In order to keep the attacking troops clear of hostile Artillery fire directed from the map and at the same time to adopt new defences to the lie of the ground, troops ...

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Sheet 3
will, when consolidating positions gained, avoid so far as possible old trenches.

10. PRISONERS OF WAR : -
Prisoners of War will be sent to X. 9. b. 9.5. through Battalion H.Q.

11. MISCELLANEOUS : -
(a) No papers will be carried by Officers and Other Ranks taking part in the attack except the 1/20,000 Trench Maps showing the German trenches, Sheets 57 D. S.E., N.E., and 57 C. N.W., S.W. or special map "K17 - M21". All messages and reports will refer to one or other of those maps. The hectograph sketches may be taken.
(b) Men are not to fall out to bring back wounded.
(c) Any guns captured which are in danger of being lost again, must be rendered useless by damaging the sights and breach mechanism. Captured machine guns must be collected.
(d) Administrative instructions have been issued separately under G.S. 758/5 of 24th October, 1916, copies of which have been issued to the Officers concerned.

12. 'C' Company (Lieut. Wood) will be attached to 15th Bde.
'A' Company (Lieut. Bateman) to 96th Bde.
'B' and 'D' Coys. (Capt. Wall) to move under orders of 32nd Division.

13. Each Company will carry 2 Lewis Guns and magazines.

14. Tools will be carried in the ratio of 2 shovels to 1 pick, each N.C.O. and man to carry one tool.
Each N.C.O. and man will carry 6 sandbags.

Issued at 3:30pm

Copy No:
1. Commanding Officer
2. O.C. 'A' Company
3. O.C. 'B' Company
4. O.C. 'C' Company
5. O.C. 'D' Company
6. Quartermaster
7. 32nd Division
8. War Diary
9. War Diary

G.B. DEMPSEY, Lieut. and Adjutant.

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