History of the 1/8th Battalion
HISTORY OF 1/8th BATTALION
LIEUT.-COL. G. H. FOWLER. :- Killed in action at Hohenzollern Redoubt, Oct.
15th, 1915.
Lieut.-col. G. H. Fowler. :- Killed in action at Hohenzollern Redoubt,
Oct. 15th, 1915.
SUMMARY OF EVENTS
1914.
August 4th War declared. Mobilisation ordered.
August 7th Concentration at Newark.
August 10th
11th Marched via Radcliffe-on-Trent to Derby.
August 15th Entrained at Derby for Luton.
August 21st Moved to Harpenden.
August 22nd Training in Harpenden Area. September 29th—Inspection by Lord Kitchener at
Luton Hoo.
Oct. 6th—Inspection by Lord Roberts at Sandridge.
Nov. 15th
" 16th
18th Marched via Harlow and Dunmow to Bocking.
" 19th Trench digging near Bocking.
Dec. 27th
" 28th By train to Luton for Musketry at Wardown and Galley Hill Ranges, and
Field Firing at Dunstable, returning to Bocking.
1915
January 5th
January 6th Training in Bocking Area. Feb. 19th—Inspection by H.M. The King near
Bishop's Stortford.
February 24th - in France
February 25th Entrained at Bocking for Southampton.
February 26th Crossed by detachments to Havre.
March 3rd
March
4th By train to Cassel and marched to Oudezeele.
March 9th Marched to Merris.
March 10th Moved to Bac-St. Maur, for First Battle of Neuve Chapelle. Temporarily
attached to 2nd Cavalry Division.
March 13th Marched to Neuf Berquin for training.
March 24th
March
26th Moved via Vieux Berquin to Romarin.
March 27th
March
30th Trench instruction at Ploegsteert and Messines.
March 31st Marched back to Vieux Berquin.
April 2nd Marched to Locre.
April 3rd Took over Kemmel sector.
April 4th In line in Kemmel sector with intervals in rest billets at Locre.
April 22nd—Gas used against French and Canadians in Ypres Salient. Traces in
trenches held by Battalion.
April 24—Heavy trench mortar bombardment of front line held by B, C and D
Companies.
June 15th—Enemy blew up by mines and raided part of front line.
June 20th - The Salient
" 20th Marched to huts near Vlamertinghe.
" 21th In line at Hooge and Sanctuary Wood, with intervals at rest in bivouacs
near Poperinghe. July 30th—First "liquid fire" attack.
Aug. 28th
" 29th In line at Middlesex Wood, adjoining Ypres-Comines Canal, near St. Eloi,
with rest bivouacs near Ouderdom. Sept. 21st—Inspection by Gen. Plumer.
Sept. 25th—Demonstrations in conjunction with attacks on other portions of the
front.
Sept. 30th
October 1st Marched from Ouderdom and entrained at Abeele for Fouquereuil. Billeted
in Béthune.
October 3rd Moved to Mont Bernenchon.
October 4th Marched back to Béthune, proceeded by 'bus to Vermelles, and took over
reserve trenches near Lone Tree, North of Loos.
October 5th Moved back to Mazingarbe.
October 6th Marched to Fouquières.
October 13th
14th Attack on Hohenzollern Redoubt.
October 16th Moved back to Vaudricourt.
October 19th Marched to Lapugnoy for training.
October 26th Marched to Béthune.
October 28th Composite Company with other troops of XI Corps inspected by H.M. The
King at Hesdigneul.
Nov. 4th
5th Marched via Epinette to Vieille Chapelle.
" 6th In line in Richebourg sector, with rest billets at Vieille Chapelle and
Lacouture.
December 2nd
December 3rd Marched from Vieille Chapelle to Haverskerque for training.
December 19th
December
26th Marched via Wittes to Molinghem and continued training.
1916.
January 7th
January
9th Entrained at Berguette for Marseilles.
January 26th
28th Returned by train to Pont Remy. Marched to Ergnies for training.
February 10th Marched to Ribeaucourt.
February 20th Moved by motor lorry to Candas.
February 21st Training and work for R.E.'s on new railway lines in Candas area.
March 5th
March 6th - Vimy Ridge
March
9th Marched via Iverny and Maizières to Acq.
March 10th In line in Vimy sector, with intervals at rest in huts behind Mont St.
Eloy. Mining activity.
April 20th
April 21st By 'bus to billets at Tincques and Bethencourt for training.
April 29th Moved to Averdoignt.
May 6th
May
10th Marched via Rebreuviette and Gaudiempré to Bienvillers.
May 11th In line in front of Foncquevillers.
June 4th
June 5th Moved back to Humbercamp.
June 6th Marched by night to Le Souich.
June 8th
June 14th Training in attack practice near Sus-St. Leger.
June 15th Marched to Humbercamp.
June 16th
June 18th Working parties found for digging cable trenches and screening approaches
near Bienvillers.
June 19th
June 27th In line in front of Foncquevillers.
June 28th
June 29th Rested at Pommier.
June 30th Moved at night to assembly positions in front of Foncquevillers.
July 1st Battle of Gommecourt.
July 2nd Moved back to Gaudiempré.
July 3rd Marched to huts at Bavincourt.
July 4th Marched back to Pommier and Bienvillers.
July 10th Moved to Bellacourt.
July 11th In line in front of Bretencourt, with periods in Support at Bellacourt,
and in Reserve at Bailleulval. (Sept. 22nd, Raid by A Company near Blairville.)
October 28th
October 29th Marched from Bailleulval via Warluzel, Le Souich and Neuvillette to
Maison Ponthieu, for training.
November 3rd
November 22nd
November
25th Marched via Bealcourt and Neuvillette to Humbercourt.
December 6th Moved to Support billets at Foncquevillers and Souastre.
December 7th In line in front of Foncquevillers, with intervals in Support in posts in
and about Foncquevillers, and in billets at Souastre. (Feb. 16th—17th, heavy
bombardment with gas shells and bombs.)
1917.
February 18th
February 19th Moved back to St. Amand.
February 20th Marched to Iverny for training.
February 28th Returned via Grenas to St. Amand.
March 1st
March 3rd Took over recently evacuated German trenches at Gommecourt.
March 4th
March 13th Followed up enemy to Pigeon Wood, Brayelle Farm and Essarts. (March 4th,
heavy counter-attack against C Company.)
March 17th Moved back to Souastre.
March 20th
March 24th Marched via Bayencourt, Courcelles-au-Bois and Contay to Bertangles.
March 25th Moved by 'bus through Amiens to Revelles.
March 28th Entrained at Bacouel.
March 29th Detrained at Berguette and marched to Westrehem for training.
April 13th
April 14th Marched via Vendin-lez-Béthune to Houchin.
April 18th Moved up to Support billets in Liévin.
April 19th
April 22nd Skirmishing in Cité de Riaumont.
April 23rd Attack on Hill 65 by C Company.
April 24th Held sectors in front of Liévin and Loos, with intervals in Support in
Liévin and in Reserve at Marqueffles Farm and Noeux-les-Mines.
June 30th
July 1st In Brigade Reserve for attack by 46th Division West of
Lens.
July 4th On relief by Canadians marched to Bully Grenay and by 'bus to Chelers for
training.
July 23rd Marched to Verquin.
July 24th In line in St. Elie sector and in Support at Philosophe.
August 15th
August 16th
August 25th Training in Verquin area.
August 26th In line in Cambrin sector and in Support at Annequin.
September 12th
September 13th
September 19th In Divisional Reserve at Fouquières.
September 20th Marched to Mazingarbe huts.
September 21st In line in Hill 70 sector, in Support in trenches North of Loos, and in
Reserve at Mazingarbe.
November 14th
November 15th In line in St. Elie sector, in Support at Philosophe, and in Reserve at
Verquin. (Jan. 2nd, Raid on front held by D Company.)
1918.
January 20th - Spring in 1918
January 21st Marched from Verquin to Burbure.
January 22nd Training at Burbure. Large detachment at Mazingarbe digging reserve
trenches near Vermelles.
February 8th
February 9th Marched from Burbure to Laires and Livossart.
February 13th Moved to Enquin-les-Mines for training.
March 5th
March
6th Marched to Westrehem and by 'bus to Béthune.
March 14th
March
19th Held Annequin Fosse "Locality," in view of heavy attacks expected.
March 0th
March
23rd In line in Cambrin sector. (March 22nd, Heavy bombardment and raid on A
Company.)
March 24th
March
26th In Support at Beuvry.
March 27th In line in St. Emile sector, and in Support in St. Pierre.
April 10th
April 11th On relief by Canadians, moved back to Vaudricourt.
April 18th Moved to reserve trenches in front of Sailly-Labourse. Unsuccessful
attack by enemy near Givenchy.
April 20th Returned to Vaudricourt.
April 23rd Marched to Béthune.
April 24th In line in Gorre and Essars sectors, and in Reserve at Fouquières,
Vaudricourt Park and Verquin.
August 17th
August 18th Occupied Le Touret after driving out enemy rear-guard.
August 19th
August
31st In billets at Verquin, Vaudricourt Park, Fouquières, Essars and Gorre.
September 1st Took over front line near Richebourg St. Vaast.
September 2nd
September
3rd Continued to drive back enemy rearguards.
September 4th Attacked and occupied old British Line in front of Richebourg l'Avoué.
September 5th
September
7th Moved back via Beuvry to Auchel for training.
September 11th
September
12th By train from Calonne Ricouart via Amiens to Corbie and marched to La
Houssoye for training.
September 18th Marched to Bonnay and by 'bus to Poeuilly.
September 20th
September
25th In line about Pontru and Pontruet.
September 26th Moved back to bivouacs near Vendelles.
September 29th Battle of Bellenglise.
September 30th In dug-outs near Lehaucourt and Magny-la-Fosse.
October 2nd
October 3rd Battle of Ramicourt.
October 5th
October
7th In line at Sequehart.
October 8th Resting at Lehaucourt.
October 9th
October 12th Moved via Levergies and Mericourt to Jonnecourt Farm, near Bohain.
October 17th Battle of Regnicourt.—The Last Fight.
October 18th Moved back to Fresnoy-le-Grand for training.
October 30th Marched to Bohain.
November 3rd
November 4th Marched via Escaufort to Catillon.
November 5th Crossed Sambre-Oise Canal and advanced to Mezières.
November 6th Occupied Prisches and Cartignies.
November 7th
November 9th At Cartignies.
November 10th Marched from Cartignies to Boulogne-sur-Helpe.
November 11th Armistice.
November 14th Marched to Landrecies.
November 15th Clearing battlefield in Landrecies area. Demobilisation begun.
1919.
January 2nd
January 3rd Marched from Landrecies to Prisches and continued clearing battlefield.
February 19th
February
20th Marched via Bazuel to Bethencourt, near Candry, for completion of
Demobilisation.