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WO-95-1646-2_4-46

© Crown Copyright

WO-95-1646-2_4-53

November 1917

WAR DIARIES - NATIONAL ARCHIVES
WO WO-95-1646-2_4
1st NOVEMBER 1917 - 28th NOVEMBER 1917

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Vol XXV
24th (S) Bn. The Manchester Regiment.
(7th) Divisional Pioneers
MAP : BELGIUM & FRANCE SHEET 28 LENS 11
1st Nov.
Wind: S.W. Weather: Rain.
ASCOT CAMP. WESTOUTRE
Reorganisation and inspection of Companies.
Casualties: Nil.
W.T.J.

2nd Nov.
Wind : S. Weather: Dull, Fine.
Training by Companies.
Casualties: Nil.
W.T.J.

3rd Nov.
Wind: S.E. Light. Weather: Dull., fine.
Training by Companies.
Casualties: Nil.
W.T.J.

4th Nov.
Wind: E. Weather : Dull
Non C of E Parade service at 9:30am.
C of E Parade service in Camp at 11:45am.
C Coy. and part of A Coy. struck WOOD CAMP NORTH M. 5. d. 7.9 and loaded tents, tent boards, latrine material and duck boards on waggons. Unloaded from waggons and loaded on lorries 90 tents.
Struck WOOD CAMP SOUTH M. 5. d. 3.6 & treated this in same manner as ...

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MAP : BELGIUM & FRANCE SHEET 28 LENS 11
... Wood Camp North. There were 80 tents in this Camp.
In both cases the material had to be carried a considerable distance to the nearest point to which the transport could get.
Erected 20 tents at ZOOVCOTE CAMP M. 5. a. 3-8
Struck 96 tents of CARNARVON CAMP and stacked them ready for transport.
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.

5th Nov.
Wind: S.W. Weather: Dull.
C Coy. & part of A Coy. 6 Off. & 180 O.Rs.
(a) Completed the striking of CARNARVON CAMP (M. 11. a. 1-5) including all latrines and ablution material and loading of lorrieS. There were 60 tents to strike, 160 to load.
(b) Unloaded the above material and tents at new camp at M. 11. a. 5.4 & M. 17. a. 5.3 also unloaded 50 more tents from stores at WESTOUTRE. Erected 100 tents at M. 17. a. 5.4 & 100 tents at M. 17. a. 5.3. Placed all other material in these tents.
(c) Erected 106 tents at VICTORIA CAMP (G. 34. e. 3.3) also latrines.

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MAP : BELGIUM & FRANCE SHEET 28 1/40,000
A & C Coys. Drill
Casualties: Nil
W.T.J.

6th Nov.
Wind: S.W. Weather: Dull.
4 Off. & 128 O.R., C. Coy. & 3 Off. & 132 O.R., A Coy. struck 100 tents at CARNARVON CAMP and loaded them in lorries also loaded all latrines and ablution material. Unloaded them at ZEVECOTEN CAMP G. 35. d. 2.4.
The Battalion moved from ASCOT CAMP WESTOUTRE to ZEVECOTEN and pitched camp at G. 35. d. 2.4.
Casualties: Nil.
W.T.J.

7th Nov.
Wind S.W. Weather: Showery
A Coy:
Filled 1,000 sandbags with sawdust from IX Corps dump. Loaded 1500 sandbags at IX & 500 sandbags at X Corps dump. Also loaded 18 duck boards, 16 coils plain wire, 1 barrel tar, 18 tar brushes from X Corps dump.
B Coy:
dug in to 3' deep Horse water pipe from G. 36. d. 00. to G. 36. d. 3.7, also from M. 6. b. 10. 3.8 to H. 31. a. 7.8. a total length of 1,000^xs. Small portions covered with 3' earth & not dug in.
D Coy:
Covered water pipes with sandbags, and tarred latter at the following ...

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MAP : BELGIUM & FRANCE SHEET 28 1/40,000
... places:
RENINGHELST. Tank No. 3(or 8?) also 50^x of pipe in village.
LA CLYTTE - RENINGHELST Road. TANKS Nos. 58 & 59 . Reservoir pipes at N. 7. a. 2.4.
No. 2 RESERVOIR PIPES about M 16. d. 8.4.
W.T.J.

8th Nov.
Wind Westerly; Weather: Rain
A Coy:
Completed the RENINGHELST - WESTOUTRE - CANADA CORNER pipe. Wrapped pipe at 11 places and covered 800x for a depth of 2'6"
B Coy:
Wrapped and tarred the exterior portions of piping on which they worked yesterday & also wrapped and tarred pipes at two water points, H. 31. c. 8.7
Party to ABEELE X CORPS DUMP loaded lorry with Tar and brushes and filled and loaded sandbags with sawdust for the various ??[word unreadable]
Casualties: Nil.

9th Nov.
Wind : Westerly. Weather: Rain
A Coy:
1 Party on Pipe running from RENINGHELST - VLAMERTINGE Rd. to LA CLYTTE BAILLEUL RD. covering and burying same.
1 Party on ABEELE - RENINGHELST RD (TANK No. 55) to WESTOUTRE.

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MAP : BELGIUM & FRANCE SHEET 28 1/40,000

RENINGHELST RD. (TANK No. 57) then to CANADA CORNER, covered & buried pipe.
1 Party covered over pipe across swamp M. 4. b. central - M. 9. b. central ot depath of 2' 6".
B Coy:
150^x of piping covered around water points at H. 28. a. 3.4.
Wrapped and tarred, 200^x of piping dug into ground.
C Coy:
Tanks 57, 24 & 36 completed also pipe reservoir at 16. a. 2.1..
56 men under 1 officer filled sandbags with sawdust at LA CLYTTE.
Casuaklties: Nil
W.T.J.

10th Nov.
Horse troughs near 9th Corps Dump Piping intakes & covered & tarred.
Piping - 40 yds - uncovered at trough in Mobile Vet Sec. covered and intake pipe lagged and tarred.
MURRUMBIDGEE Baths near LA CLYTTE corner. All tank piping lagged and tarred.
N. 3. a. 1.5. No work done at this map reference.

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MAP : BELGIUM & FRANCE SHEET 28 1/40,000

B Coy.
Completed erection of 2 NISSEN HUTS.
1 80% of completion
1 40% of completion
65' of Horse line ??[word illegible] laid.
C Coy:
Completed lining and completely roofed one hut in No. 1 line & completely roofed one hut in No. 1 line. All 3 huts in this line are complete.
Set foundation to one hut in No. 2 line & erected hut as far as ribs.
Set foundation to one hut in No. 2 line.
The one hut which was there to be put up was incomplete thus holding the work back until the lorries with the other two huts arrived. These did not arrive until 2pm.
Completed the drains in No. 4 line and laid 45 split logs. These were all that were available.
D Coy:
Completed one hut at H. 32. d. 0.3. & laid foundations for another; cleared mud and dug drainage trenches for horse standings ....

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MAP : BELGIUM & FRANCE SHEET 28 1/40,000

...at same place. No huts turned up until 2:30pm.
Casualties: Nil.

11th Nov.
The Battalion moved by train from OUDERDOM to NIELLES-les-BLEQUIN and then marched to THIEMBRONNE. Transport by road.

12th Nov.
The Battalion marched to GOURNAY.

13th Nov.
The Battalion marched to CAVRON ST. MARTIN. Transport rejoined.

14th to 18th Nov.
The Battalion stayed at CAVRON ST. MARTIN and re-equipped.

19th Nov.
The Battalion entrained in accordance with the attached Move Order dated 17/11/17. Order No. 1.

20th to 25th Nov.
Train journey via LONGEAU, DIJON, AVIGNON, MARSEILLES, NICE, VINTIMILLE, GENOA, MANTOVA [Mantua] to LEGNAGO. On the 25th the Battalion de-trained ...

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... and marched to BEVILACQUA.

26/11/17
The Battalion rested.

27/11/17
The Battalion closed up to ZIMELLA

28/11/17
The Battalion moved from ZIMELLA to RAMPEZZANO as per order No. 2 attached dated 29/11/17

F.S. POUNTNEY
Lieut. Colonel
Commanding 24th Btn. The Manchester Regiment
(7th Divl. Pioneers)

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WAR DIARIES - NATIONAL ARCHIVES
WO-95-1646-2_4
& ORDER PAPERS

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24th Battalion The Manchester Regiment (Pioneers)
SECRET
Copy No. 11
10/11/1917

MOVE ORDER

Reference: HAZERBROUCK 5A, 1/100,000
1. The Battalion will move to rejoin the Division in the THIEMBRONNE Area tomorrow, 11th Inst.

2. (a) The Battalion (less Transport) will move:
(1). By march route to OUDERDOM.
(2). By train from OUDERDOM to NIELLES-les-BLEQUIN.
(3). By march route from NIELLES-les-BLEQUIN to destination.
Times for above will be issued later.
Route for (1) along RENINGHELST Road to cross roads immediately above 'Z' in ZEVECOTEN: along the road running N.E. from this points and turn along MILLEKRUIS Road before entering OUDERDOM village.
(b) The transport will move by march route throughout, starting at 8:0am. 11th inst. and staging in WALLON CAPPEL Area for night 11th/12th.

3. Detailed administrative instructions are being issued separately.

Issued at 7:0pm.
(Sd.) A. St. G. WALSH, Captain and Adjutant

Copies to:-
Commanding Officer, O.C. 'A' Coy, O.C. 'B' Coy, O.C. 'C' Coy, O.C. 'D' Coy, Quartermaster, Transport Officer, Medical Officer, Office & War Diary.

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24th Battalion The Manchester Regiment (Pioneers)
SECRET
ORDER NO. 1
Copy No. 11
17/11/1917
Reference: 1/100,000 LENS 11

1. The Battalion will move from this area by train as under:

2. (a). Bn. H.Q. (less details), 'A' Coy, 'B' Coy., and part of the Transport Section will entrain at ANVIN ('X' Train).
(b). 'C' and 'D' Companies, the Band, part of Bn. H.Q., and part of the Transport Section will entrain at WAVRANS ('Y' Train).
(c). Part of the Transport (under 2/Lieut. V.W. STANLEY) together with any details returning from leave, hospital etc., will entrain at ANVIN ('Z' Train).

3. The part of the Battalion moving on 'Y' Train is under the command of Major E. VINER by whom separate orders have been and will be issued.

4. Detailed administrative instructions have been issued under this office Nos. S.T./130/(1,2,3,4,5,)

ISSUED AT 2pm
Signed : A. St. G. WALSH, Capt. & Adjt.

Copy No:
1. Commanding Officer.
2. 2nd in Command.
3. O.C. 'A' Coy.
4. O.C. 'B' Coy.
5. O.C. 'C' Coy.
6. O.C. 'D' Coy.
7. Quartermaster.
8. Transport Officer.
9. Transport Officer.
10. War Diary.
11. War Diary.

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24th Battalion The Manchester Regiment (Pioneers)
SECRET
27/11/1917
ORDER NO. 2
Copy No. 11
Reference Sheet PADOVA, 1/100/000

1. The Battalion will move tomorrow, 28th November, to RAMPEZZANO (3 kilometres N. of ALBETTONE.
Route: ORGIANO - SOSSANO - BELNEDERE.

2. Time Table :
REVEILLE – 6:30am.
BREAKFAST - 7:30 am
Blankets rolled and stacked at Q.M. Stores by 8:45am.
MOVE OFF: 9:30am.

3. Order of March: H.Q., 'B' Coy., 'C' Coy., Band, 'D' Coy., 'A' Coy. & Transport.

4. Dinners will be eaten en route.

Signed : A. St. G. WALSH, Capt. & Adjt.
Issued at 6:30pm

Copies to:
Commanding Officer.
2nd in Command.
O.C. 'A' Coy.
O.C. 'B' Coy.
O.C. 'C' Coy.
O.C. 'D' Coy.
Quartermaster.
Transport Officer.
Medical Officer.
War Diary.

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24th Battalion The Manchester Regiment (Pioneers)
SECRET
29/11/1917
ORDER NO. 3
Copy No. 1

Reference Sheet PADOVA, 1/100/000
1. The Battalion will move tomorrow, 30th Instant, to ARLESEGA.

2. Route : main Road to PONTE di NANTO - MONTEGALDELLA -
Order of march : H.Q., 'D' Coy., 'C' Coy., Band, 'B' Coy., 'A' Coy.,

3. Time Table :
Reveille - 7:0am
Breakfast - 7:45am.
Blankets rolled and stacked at Q.M. Stores - 8:45am.
Officers valises at Q.M. Stores - 9:0am.
Move off - 9:30am.

4. Dinners will be cooked and eaten en route.

Issued at 11:30pm.
(Signed) A. St. G. WALSH, Capt. & Adjt.
24th Battalion The Manchester Regiment

Copies to:
Commanding Officer.
2nd in Command.
O.C. 'A' Coy.
O.C. 'B' Coy.
O.C. 'C' Coy.
O.C. 'D' Coy.
Quartermaster.
Transport Officer.
Medical Officer.
War Diary.

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November 1917