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WW1 War Diaries for 'J' Company Special Brigade Royal Engineers

From March 1917 to July 1919

(Not case sensitive)



National Archive Reference Number: WO 95/401/6

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Place Date Entry Scribe Appendices
In the FieldThursday 01/Aug/1918 Company engaged on Musketry & Lewis Gun Practice & Firing Range Practices.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldFriday 02/Aug/1918 Company engaged on Musketry & Lewis Gun Practice & Firing Range Practices.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldSaturday 03/Aug/1918 Company continued above training. Party of Officers & NCOs reconnoitred position at S.21.c central, routes, tracks & c: 64 2ft 9ins guns & baseplates taken by lorry to forward dump at BRETENCOURT.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldSunday 04/Aug/1918 Projectors & Stores for Operation G.J.32. drawn from Southern Dump. Two lorry load 'dud' stores returned to work shop. Portion of Dump at GOUY requisitioned by VI Corps: Coy employed in removing stores.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldMonday 05/Aug/1918 Operation G.J.32. approved by VI Corps and arrangements made by O.C. Coy for work to commence, programme & c being settled later: Coy engaged on Musketry Practice.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldTuesday 06/Aug/1918 Two sections moved into forward billets of BOIRY ST MARTIN + 200 4ft guns & heavy baseplates taken forward for the above operation.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldWednesday 07/Aug/1918 Owing to bad state of road they had to be dumped in rear of position. Guns dumped on 6/8/1918 collected by G.S. limbers and taken on to position: road repaired: roads passable for lorries: O.C. Coy accompanied C.S.S.R.E. Third Army on reconnaissance of area South of MERC.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldThursday 08/Aug/1918 LT G.I. PAINE took over command of Coy from CAPT K.C. HORTON R.E. on leave to UK: 200 Projectors dug in at 5.21.c. central for operation on MOYENNEVILLE & further stores taken up to position: Minor operation on NEUVILLE VITASSE, 132 drums which could not be fired on operation G.J.30. were fired at midnight 8th & 9th, all drums discharged on one salvo: Wind at zero West by South, 5 mph: Enemy retaliation mild & no casualties.Lt R. BLACKAppendix 1

In the FieldFriday 09/Aug/1918 Further work carried out preparing for operation on MOYENNEVILLE, 680 guns in all being dug in at S.21.c. central & loaded ready for firing.Lt R. BLACKAppendix 2

In the FieldSaturday 10/Aug/1918 Further work carried out preparing for operation on MOYENNEVILLE, 680 guns in all being dug in at S.21.c. central & loaded ready for firing.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldSunday 11/Aug/1918 Further work carried out preparing for operation on MOYENNEVILLE, 680 guns in all being dug in at S.21.c. central & loaded ready for firing.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldMonday 12/Aug/1918 Further work carried out preparing for operation on MOYENNEVILLE, 680 guns in all being dug in at S.21.c. central & loaded ready for firing.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldTuesday 13/Aug/1918 3 A.M: 680 drums fired into MOYENNEVILLE, Wind West by North, 4 mph: 88 Projectors dug out of old position, 70 of these carried to a new position & 20 dug in for operation on BOYELLES: 250 2ft 9ins guns were reset at position S.21.c. central for further operation on MOYENVILLE: 400 drums & charges were taken up & 250 guns loaded: On night of 13th & 14th 56 guns dug out at old BOYELLES position & 71 carried on to new position. Work curtailed owing to raid on immediate front & also owing to a relief party of 100 Americans who were to have reported at 10:30 pm did not arrive till 1 a.m.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldWednesday 14/Aug/1918 A further 455 Projectors were reset for the Operation on MOYENNEVILLE & 350 drums & charges taken up: a total of 705 guns being now ready to fire there: Arranges to fire on night of 15th & 16th if conditions favourable: A Platoon of Coldstream Guards attached to Coy temporarily to assist in digging & for the operations in hand: 115 guns dug in at new BOYELLES position - of which 50 were set aside for an oil shoot to accompany raid: 90 guns & 81 baseplates dug out from old position & 112 guns carried to new position.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldThursday 15/Aug/1918 MOYENNEVILLE shoot cancelled owing to unfavourable conditions, Guards Division having asked for a more extensive shoot on same village: resetting of above 705 guns after firing & digging in of a further 1495 guns was arranged for but whole work restarted one day on account of shoot not taking place.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldFriday 16/Aug/1918 160 Projectors with drums dug in for new operation on MOYENNEVILLE, & 260 projectors & camouflage taken up to position in lorries: Three Platoons of guards (Pioneers) for digging reported 3 hours late but considerable progress was made in the time at disposal: A further 45 projectors were set & loaded making 750 guns ready for shoot: 50 guns for BOYELLES shoot loaded with oil drums & made ready for firing in conjunction with raid by Guards Division.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldSaturday 17/Aug/1918 3 A.M: 670 drums C.G. fired on MOYENNEVILLE: No enemy retaliation & no casualties: Wind WEST, 5 mph: Four batteries had leads broken owing to adjacent batteries not firing simultaneously: These guns will be reset: BOYELLES oil shoot did not take place owing to raid being postponed on account of information received from a prisoner: 700 projectors were dug in, set, loaded and camouflaged for new shoot on MOYENVILLE.Lt R. BLACKAppendix 3.

In the FieldSunday 18/Aug/1918 Operation on MOYENNEVILLE cancelled on account of situation on Guards Divisional front.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldMonday 19/Aug/1918 4 A.M: 50 oil drums fired into BOYELLES: Wind West North West, 5 mph: The raid which was to have been made in conjunction with this shoot was cancelled but Guards Division ? the shoot alone: No further gas projection on MOYENNEVILLE being possible for some days: Sections in forward billet were brought back to company: Arrangements were made to dig out the remaining 4' Projectors at NEUVILLE VITASSE.Lt R. BLACKAppendix 4

In the FieldTuesday 20/Aug/1918 O.C. visited Guards Division to arrange for oil shoot on MOYENNEVILLE in lieu of gas, but nothing could be arranged owing to a desire to avoid movement of Transport at night or anything in the nature of retaliation.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldWednesday 21/Aug/1918 No work possible owing to operations on Corps Front: Coy engaged in fatigues: Lt BLACK proceeded on detachment to H.Q. Special Brigade R.E.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldThursday 22/Aug/1918 Mobile projector operation suggested to VI corps & idea approved by G.S.O.2, provided approval of Army obtained: Coy trained in sandbag emplacements.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldFriday 23/Aug/1918 Company engaged in experiments with sandbag emplacements, also musketry and close order drill.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldSaturday 24/Aug/1918 Company engaged in experiments with sandbag emplacements, also musketry and close order drill.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldSunday 25/Aug/1918 Company engaged in experiments with sandbag emplacements, also musketry and close order drill.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldMonday 26/Aug/1918 Company moved from GOUY to TERRAMESNIL: Arrangements being made for small mobile projector attack.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldTuesday 27/Aug/1918 Company engaged in arranging billets & c: 2/Lt HODKINSON inspected targets at MOYENNEVILLE & HAMELINCOURT: Lt BLACK & 2/Lt YATES rejoined the Company.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldWednesday 28/Aug/1918 Coy engaged in musketry & drill & further Instruction with sandbag emplacements: Arrangements set on foot to move to GOUY dump.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldThursday 29/Aug/1918 Coy engaged in musketry & drill & further Instruction with sandbag emplacements: Arrangements set on foot to move to GOUY dump.Lt R. BLACK
In the FieldFriday 30/Aug/1918 Coy engaged in musketry & drill & further Instruction with sandbag emplacements: Arrangements set on foot to move to GOUY dump.Lt R. BLACK
TERRAMESNIL Sheet 57D H.19.6.0.3.Saturday 31/Aug/1918 Digging out of guns at MOYENNEVILLE position continued: BOYELLES & NEUVILLE VITASSE targets visited: Complete specimens of German Projector, drums, charges were obtained near the latter: Old dump of Baseplates at BOYELLES light railway siding recovered & taken over, only about 30 of them slightly damaged.Lt R. BLACK
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