2nd HLI WAR DIARIES Place, Date, Hour Summary of Events and Information Remarks and References To Appendices 31-8-1914 5.30am Left bivouacs. 1.00pm Crossed river Aisne. 3.30pm Arrived Leversine. Bivouacked in hollow commanded by hills on either side. ‘A’ company (Captain Mayne) night outpost. 1-9-1914 Leversine 1.30pm via Villers – Cottfret arrived 3.00pm entrenched position covering village. 2-9-1914 2.15am Left Couverant, arrived Vincy – Sam. Took up rear guard position H.L.I on left Connought Rangers on right. Remained in position till 12noon, no sign of enemy. Retired to Chauconin – arrived 7.00pm 3-9-1914 3.00am Left Chauconin. Reached Petit Courais Transport through Meaux at 1.00pm delayed through sheep hill – very hot. 4-9-1914 Left Petit Courais and marched south to line road- 7.30pm to Guiremontiers arrived 10.30pm 5-9-1914 5.30am Left Guiremontiers, arrived Marles 6.00pm. Capt CT Martin and 1st line reinforcement s (104) arrived 6-9-1914 6.30am Left Marles and marched north to Paradis – Advance advanced position took over from 16th Lancers. ‘B’ and ‘C’ began companies took up position for night. Left ???? 7-9-1914 1.30pm Left Paradis and marched to St Simeon and bivouac where Germans had just left. 8-9-1914 6.30am Parade and reached La Tetroir 10.00am. Petit Lte Lilburn Morin river held by the Germans. Battalion ordered up in and 50 NCO’s support of 4th (Guards) Brigade which had suffered and men severely. Crossed river without opposition. Made right joined the flanking movement, our advance stopped by our artillery reinforcement shelling us. Bivouacked near Bassville where a draft joined s- 2men us. 14 German prisoners taken during the day. wounded. 9-9-1914 Left Bassville at 12 noon and marched to River Marne which was crossed at Charlie Sur Marne, then to Domptin where the Battalion bivouacked. 10-9-1914 4.30am Parade and marched to Bonissier where the Battalion A few deployed for attack. Made a long advance across corn fields, Germans But did not come into action until Monnes was reached captured Place, Date, Hour Summary of Events and Information Remarks and References To Appendices 10-9-1914 when the Battalion came under shell fire. Bivouacked cont at Monnes. 11-9-1914 5.00am Left Monnes and marched to Beugereux. Very wet. 12-9-1914 Left at 5.00am. Battalion advanced guard to brigade. ‘B’ company (Captain Gausson) vanguard. Took up position in succession. Crossed river Vessel near Courcelles by token bridge repaired by RE and advanced to Vieilarcy where the Battalion billeted. Very wet. 13-9-1914 4.00pm Paraded and crossed river Aisne at Pont Arcy by repaired bridge and position Brigade. Shelled whole company crossing, but no damage done. Battalion took up outpost position at Verneuil. 14-9-1914 Ordered to reinforce troops holding the top of Verneuil bridge at 12noon. Enemy driven back. After dark advanced with Brigade as far as Chemin des Dames. Brigade not supported on right or left, so returned to Verneuil. During the day part of ‘D’ company under Sir AC Gibson Craig charged the enemy and killed a large number. 15-9-1914 Returned to Verneuil ridge at daybreak and dug in. Heavy shelling all day. 16-9-1914 Germans attacked about 10.00am, but it was not pushed home. Very heavy shelling all day. 17-9-1914 Battalion remained in trenches on the ridge all day subjected to very heavy shell fire. The Worcester Regiment took over trenches at night and the Battalion withdrew to billets in Verneuil at night. th th 13 -17 Killed:- Sir AC Gibson Craig Best, 2nd Lte RCH Powell, 10 NCO’s and men. Wounded:- Captain CT Martin, Lte JMcD Latham, 2nd Lte R Whister, 79 NCO’s and men. Missing:- 14 NCO’s and men. 18-9-1914 Battalion all day in village of Verneuil. Returned to 1 man trenches on hill at night. wounded 19-9-1914 In trenches on Verneuil ridge all day. Continued shelling. 2 men wounded 20 -9-1914 Heavy rifle fire at 6.00am. Attack repulsed. Germans noticed to be entrenching themselves about 300yards from our advanced trenches. 2 platoons under Lte Lilburn (‘B’ company) with two companies of Worcester regiment made a gallant, but unsuccessful attack on German trenches. Killed:- 2nd Lte JA Fergussson, CL MacKenzie, ERHK McDonald, J O’Connor (RAMC), 15 NCO and men. Remarks and Place, Date, Hour Summary of Events and Information References To Appendices 20-9-1914 Wounded:- Captain AWD Gausson, Lte R Lilburn, 69 Con’t NCO’s and men. Missing:- 15 NCO’s and men 21-9-1914 In trenches all day. At 7.00pm trenches taken over by 1st Battalion Black Watch. Battalion marches to Dhuizel about 6 miles. 22-9-1914 Arrive Dhuizel at 4.00am and take over billets. Men all very 5 men worn out with severe fighting of the previous few days. wounded A draft of 102 NCO’s and men under 2nd Lte Mylles join. 23-9-1914 At Dhuizel resting. Enemy shelled rear ridge with big guns. 24-9-1914 Dhuizel- During the night Battalion dug trenches for 2nd line of defence. 25-9-1914 Dhuizel – In billets all day. Weather fine. 26-9-1914 Received orders to be ready to move. Order afterwards cancelled. 27-9-1914 At Dhuizel. Sergeant F Nicholson and L/C Webber received DC Medal from Sir J French at Bourg. 28-9-1914 Enemy shelled Dhuizel at noon. 29-9-1914 At Dhuizel. Battalion ordered to move. 3 men wounded 30-9-1914 Battalion left Dhuizel at 2.00am and marched to Courtonne a distance of 4 miles. Took over billets from Welsh Regiment. 1-10-1914 White frost- fine day- continued defences in wood. Relieved by Royal Munster Fusiliers at dusk, marched to trenches North of Soupir at 7.00pm and took over from South Staffords and Royal Fusiliers. Bright morning. Good position on edge of wood with ground falling sharply in rear. 2-10-1914 Quiet night (1-2) order of companies from right BCDA. Improved trenches and communications. Sniping all day – mist. 1 NCO and 1 man killed by shrapnel. 3-10-1914 Sniping, otherwise quiet. 4-10-1914 Oxford Light Infantry on our left had 22 casualties. Heavy shell fire, but did not touch HLI patrol ‘D’ company out at night, located patrol of enemy. 5-10-1914 Quiet day. Sergeant Baillie and patrol did good work at night. th 2nd Lte McLellend joined with 4 reinforcements of 97 NCO’s and men. Place, Date, Hour Summary of Events and Information Remarks and References To Appendices 6-10-1914 ’C’ company sapped to front and made new communications trench, can now go under cover from one end of line (1200yards) to the other. 7-10-1914 Quiet day. 2 men of ‘B’ company out to reconnoitre 200yards in front of companies at dusk where German snipers in habit of hiding behind, one of our men slightly wounded, this put an end to enemy’s sniping at that point. 8-10-1914 Quiet day. Sergeant Baillie and 3 men patrolled at dusk, reported enemy quiet. Following officers, NCO’s and men mentioned in despatches dated 8/10:- Lte AA Wolfe Murray, Lte Sir AC Gibson Craighart, Lte APD Telfer Smollett, no7936 Sgt F Nicholson, no 8944 Pte Webber, no 9812 Pte J Campbell, no 9553 Pte G Wilson. 9-10-1914 Heavy shrapnel fire 11.30am – 12.15pm. Pte Carty (HLs 5th Brigade cook)’ killed by shell. RE out at night putting up wire entanglement -1 RE wounded. 10-10-1914 Cold misty day – all quiet. 11-10-1914 Shrapnel fire am. Sgt Howe and 4 men wounded. Pte Hills killed. 12-10-1914 Quiet by day. Some firing at night, but no movement. 13-10-1914 Relieved by 48th French Regiment at 10.00pm. Marched to Vauxcelle arrived at 5.00am. Total losses at Soupir :- 2 NCO’s and 5 men killed. 9 wounded. 14-10-1914 Quiet day in billets. Left Vauxcelle at 7.00pm and marched to Fismes (4 miles) and entrained. Train left 12.50am. Captain and adjutant JH Hope awarded the Legion d’honneur, Medal Militaire awarded to no 10901 Pte Scott. 15-10-1914 In train all day. Passed, Amiens, Etaples, Boulogne, Calais, St Omer. 16-10-1914 Arrived at Hazebrouck, 3.00am detrained very quickly at 8.00am. Marched to Morbecque (2miles) good billets. 17-10-1914 Marched in Brigade at 7.15am to Godesverheld, arrived at 1.00pm. Halted 2 hours for French to vacate billets. Cold day. Men cooked on roadside- very comfortable billets. 18-10-1914 Quiet day. Visited by Sir Douglas Haig. 19-10-1914 Quiet day in billets. Paraded at 7.00pm and marched 7 miles to Poppringhe. Large town – good billets. Place, Date, Hour Summary of Events and Information Remarks and References To Appendices 20-10-1914 Paraded 5.30 HLI (less 2 companies) acted as advanced guards to flank guard, saw many French troops. Crossed Steenstraate bridge over Yser Canal and entrenched a position in it. 21-10-1914 5.00am Paraded and marched to Brigade rendezvous near St Jean. Attacked NE Worcester and Oxford LI front line. HLI supported Dse LI on left. Advanced to within 1 mile of Poelchapelle then came under heavy fire from left. Took up position along main road. Captain and Adjutant JH Hope, Lte CW Hooper – wounded. 14 NCO’s and men killed. 80 NCO’s and men wounded. 8 NCO’s and men missing.