2/9th Battalion War Diary - February to March, 1917

FEBRUARY
BLACKDOWN 1st The Battalion received orders to prepare for embarkation and proceeded overseas as follows:-
Advance Party
15th Transport and Details
16th Main Body
[See Appendix I for Strength and Composition]
BOIS GRENIER 4th The advance party proceeded via BOULOGNE and proceeded to Front Line in the BOIS GRENIER Sector for instruction and reconnaissance and remained there until arrival of Battalion.
GRANDE SEC BOIS 16th The Transport and details disembarked at LE HAVRE, detrained at BAILLEUL and proceeded to GRANDE SEC BOIS. The main body disembarked BOULOGNE and proceeded in two trains to BAILLEUL arriving as follows:
BAILLEUL 21st 6 p.m. - First train
22nd 8 a.m. - Second train
OUTTERSTEENE 21st Billeted at OUTTERSTEENE.
22nd Transport and details joined main body from GRANDE SEC BOIS.
ESTAIRES 23rd Battalion proceeded by march route to ESTAIRES and billeted . Advance party joined battalion. The Battalion now completely concentrated.
[For details of personnel, etc. See Appendix II]
ERQUINGHEM 25th Battalion proceeded by march route to billets at ERQUINGHEM, and relieved the 1st Battalion, THE CANTERBURY RIFLES, 2nd N.Z. Infy Brigade, 2nd A.N.Z.A.Corps as Divisional reserve in the BOIS GRENIER Sector.
26th The relief of the 2nd N.Z. Inf. Brigade being complete on this date the disposition of the 172 Infy. Brigade in the sector was as follows:-
Right Sub.Sector - 2/10 Bn. The KING'S L'POOL REGT
Left Sub.Sector - 2/4 Bn. SOUTH LANCASHIRE REGT
Brigade Reserve - 2/5 Bn. SOUTH LANCASHIRE REGT
Divisional Reserve - 2/9 Bn. KING'S L'POOL REGT
[See sketch map No.1 Appendix No.III]
2/9th BATTALION "THE KING'S" LIVERPOOL REGIMENT
APPENDIX I
1st Advance Party - Proceeded 1/2/1917
Officers
Capt D.A. WILSON
Capt R.N. MOUNTFIELD
Capt G.F. BUCKLE
Lieut H.E. WIGZELL
2/Lt F.B. CLEMENT
2/Lt L.T. LOCAN
Other Ranks
15
-------------------------------
2nd Advance Party - (Transport and Details)
Officers
Major S. RHODES
Lieut A. BERRY
Lieut A.G. POTTER

Other Ranks
83

Horses
Officers Riding - 12
Draught - 46
Pack - 6

Vehicles
Wagons - 18
Carts - 4
M. Guns - 16
Bicycles - 9
-------------------------------
Main Body
Officers
Lieut. Col. A.F.S. LEGGATT
Major J.G. PARIS
Capt N.A.R. VAN GRUISEN
Capt H.H. WILKINSON
Capt H.M. WILLIAMS
Capt C. MYERS
Capt A.S. PARKINSON, RAMC
Capt Rev E. FISHER, C.E.
Lieut & Adjt J. WRIGHT
Lieut & Qmr G.W. CROSBIE
Lieut P.H. PARKER
Lieut H.J. HALLETT
Lieut F.W. VOYSEY
Lieut A.P. CANDLER
Lieut A.E. HUNT
Lieut W. MONKS
2/Lt T.G. POVEY
2/Lt F.W. FOSTER
2/Lt L. WALTHEW
2/Lt A.T. BARKER
2/Lt J.W. SMITH
2/Lt N.W. SHEARD
2/Lt H.B. BRIGGS
2/Lt H.J. SPARGE
2/Lt J.M. PARKES
2/Lt A.J. HARRISON
2/Lt A. ROE

Other Ranks
856

MARCH
6th 11 a.m. - The Battalion relieved 2/10 Bn KING'S L'POOL REGT in right sub sector, one officer wounded during relief, Lieut P.H. PARKER.
The sector of trenches was occupied by the battalion distributed as follows:
"A" Coy Right Front Line, Support Line
"B" Coy Left Front Line, Support Line
"C" Coy Right Sector, Subsidiary Line
"D" Coy Left Sector, Subsidiary Line
Bn Headquarters "THE RITZ".
[See Sketch map no. II Appendix III]
9th The Battalion took over a larger frontage owing to a redistribution of the brigade frontage. Battalion Headquarters moved to headquarters of left sub section "THE CARLTON".
[See Sketch map no. II Appendix III]
14th The battalion was relieved by the 2/10 Bn KING'S L'POOL REGT and moved into brigade reserve at LA ROLANDERIE less "D" Coy who remained in the subsidiary line.
During the period the battalion was in the trenches the weather alternated between frost and thaw and in consequence the trenches became in a very bad state. No cases of trench feet occurred and the health of the men remained good. Enemy artillery was fairly active during the whole period. Our artillery retaliated heavily and promptly on every occasion. Enemy MINENWERFER very active but confined himself to one locality only. Enemy machine guns fairly active at nights. Enemy snipers entirely quiescent.
Casualties in Battalion - 2 O.R. killed, one Officer wounded (see above).
18th "C" Company relieved "D" Company in subsidiary line.
20th Relieved 2/10 Battalion K.L.R. in BOIS GRENIER Sector, disposition as follows:
Front Line, Right Company, "A" Coy
Front Line, Centre Company, "B" Coy
Front Line, Left Company, "D" Coy
Subsidiary Line, "C" Coy
Attached Subsidiary Line, One Company, 2/10 K.L.R.
[See Sketch Map no. II appendix III]
28th The Battalion was relieved by the 2/5th KING'S LIVERPOOL REGT. And moved into Divisional Reserve at ERQUINGHEM. The 172 infantry Bde were relieved by the 17 Bde in the RUE DU BOIS and BOIS GRENIER Sectors and the whole of the 172 inf Bde now in Divisional reserve in the vicinity of ERQUINGHEM. During the tour in the trenches the weather was on the whole good although 2 wet days occurred. The health of the men remained good. No cases of trench foot. Enemy artillery and minenwerfer more active than during the previous tour. Machine guns less active. Snipers absolutely quiet. No enemy patrols encountered by our patrols. Our artillery active especially the Heavy Batteries who completed registering on and destroying works in rear of enemy lines. Medium and light T.M.B. carried out successful bombardments of enemy front line system and wire. Patrols reconnoitred enemy trenches and wire each night. The whole of No Man's Land also reconnoitred and in no case were enemy patrols encountered.
Casualties:
Killed - Officers Nil, Other Ranks Nil
Wounded - Officers Nil, Other Ranks 6
APPENDIX 2

Details as to personnel, etc, of the Battalion when concentrated at ESTAIRES, 23/3/1917

Officers
Lieut. Col. A.F.S. LEGGATT, C.O.
Major S. RHODES, 2nd in Cd.
Major J.G. PARIS, Div. Gas. Sch.
Lieut & Adj J. WRIGHT
Hon Lt & Q.M. G.W. CROSBIE
Capt A.S. PARKINSON, M.O.
Capt E FISHER, C.E., Chaplain
Capt C. MYERS, O.C. "A" Coy
Capt R.N. Mountfield, "A" Coy
2/Lt H.J. SPARGE, "A" Coy
2/Lt L.T. LOCAN, "A" Coy
2/Lt L. WALTHEW, "A" Coy
2/Lt F. FOSTER, "A" Coy
2/Lt A.J. HARRISON, "A" Coy
Capt H.M. WILLIAMS, O.C. "B" Coy
Capt D.A. WILSON, "B" Coy
Lieut P.H. PARKER, "B" Coy
Lieut H.J. HALLETT, "B" Coy
Lieut W. MONKS, "B" Coy
Lieut A. BERRY, "B" Coy
2/Lieut T.G. POVEY, "B" Coy
2/Lieut H.B. BRIGGS, "B" Coy
Capt N.A.R. Van GRUISEN, O.C. "C" Coy
Capt G.F. BUCKLE, "C" Coy
Lieut A.E. HUNT, "C" Coy
Lieut H.E. WIGZELL, "C" Coy
Lieut F.W. VOYSEY, "C" Coy
2/Lieut A.T. BARKER, "C" Coy
2/Lieut J.W. SMITH, "C" Coy
2/Lieut N.H. SHEARD, "C" Coy
Capt H.H. WILKINSON, O.C. "D" Coy
Capt J.A. MAIR, "D" Coy
Lieut A.G. POTTER, "D" Coy
Lieut A.P. CANDLER, "D" Coy
2/Lieut F.B. CLEMENT, "D" Coy
2/Lieut J.M. PARKES, "D" Coy
2/Lieut A. ROE, "D" Coy

Other Ranks
R.S.M. 7118 BINNS & 953 Other Ranks

Details of Transport Animals
Horses/Mules
Riding - 12
Draught - 6
Heavy Draught - 9
Pack - 7
Large - 0
Small - 22

Guns, Limbers, Transport vehicles etc.
Machine Guns - 16
Horsed - 14
Bicycles - 14
4 Wheeled - 9
2 Wheeled -

March 1917
ERQUINGHEM
28th - The Battalion in divisional reserve at ERQUINGHEM. Strength of Battalion 31/3/17 as per margin
Strength of Unit
36 Officers
918 Other Ranks

Fighting Strength
28 Officers
775 Other Ranks

During this period 15 platoons were employed daily under the C.R.E. for work on the subsidiary or rear lines, of the divisional area. Casualties during period of work, 4 O.R. wounded. Owing to this it was only possible for the Battalion to undergo a limited amount of training mainly confined to training of platoon Sergts., Bombers and Lewis Gunners with the object of creating a staff of instructors in the above subjects.
On the night of 10/4/17 a "Raid" was carried out by about 70 officers and men of the 172 Inf Bde, the number of O.Ranks of this Battalion participating were 22.
The raid was carried out with the object of obtaining ientification of enemy units & reconnaissance of enemy dispositions. The raid met strong enemy opposition and did not succeed in entering enemy trench. Casualties sustained by N.C.O.s and men of this battalion participating in the raid are shown in the margin.
Casualties
Killed - 330692 Sgt R. PIERCE, 331273 Pte R. BODELL, 331195 Pte F. VINING
Missing - 1 Corporal
Wounded- 3 Privates

D.A.G.
3rd ECHELON
--------------------