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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 95/401/5

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Place Date Entry Scribe Appendices
ARRASSunday 01/Jul/1917 10 pm: 50 projectors dug out at CHERISY position carried across & dug in at FONTAINE position: Arrivals: 1 O.R. from leave: 1 O.R. from hosp: Departures: 1 O.R. to cadet school: 1 O.R. on leave: 1 O.R. to hosp.

Weather fine but cold: Wind N.N.E. to N.N.W.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ARRASMonday 02/Jul/1917 10 pm: 50 projectors dug out at CHERISY & placed at FONTAINE as last night: Arrivals 2/Lt ALLCHIN from leave: 1 O.R. from hosp: Departures: 2/Lt BASSFORD on leave to UK: 1 O.R. to hosp.

Weather fine & warm: Wind E.N.E. to N.E.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ARRASTuesday 03/Jul/1917 10 pm: 96 drums carried up to FONTAINE & 2 sections engaged stand by to discharge: Wind unfavourable: Departures: 1 O.R. on leave: 1 O.R. to hosp.

Weather fine warm: Wind N.E. changing to W.N.W.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ARRASWednesday 04/Jul/1917 Company standing by: Departures: 1 O.R. on leave: 1 O.R. to hosp.

Weather fine but cool: Wind N.N.W. to N.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ARRASThursday 05/Jul/1917 7 pm: A further 25 projectors dug out at CHERISY & taken to FONTAINE: Charge blocks & drums taken up at the same time & all loaded ready: Departures: 1 O.R. on leave.

Weather showery: Wind N.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ARRASFriday 06/Jul/1917 Company standing by until evening: 7 pm: Parties up the line dig out 185 projectors from CHERISY: Departures: 1 O.R. W in A: 2 O.R. to hosp: Arrivals: 2 O.R. from leave.

Weather showery: Wind E.N.E. to E.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ARRASSaturday 07/Jul/1917 Company move from ARRAS to camp 1000 yards N.E. of ERVILLERS on ERVILLERS-St LEGER ROAD: Map ref B8.c.9.4. (sheet 51c 1/40000): Arrivals: 1 O.R. from leave: 2 O.R. from hosp.

Weather hot with heavy thunder, rain at night: Wind N.W.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESSunday 08/Jul/1917 10 am: Company change camp 400 yards on account of wet ground: Parties reconnoitre the line for operations: 2 pm: Report to 7th Divn with which formation we are employing operations: 3 pm: Report to 21st Divn to warn them that we may be able to discharge gas at FONTAINE tonight: Arrivals: 2 O.R. from hosp.

Weather fine: Wind N. to N.N.E.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESMonday 09/Jul/1917 1:50 am: 389 drums (gas) fired at FONTAINE: Wind W.S.W. 5-6 mph.

Weather warm but showery: Wind S.W. to W.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.Appendix No R5

ERVILLESTuesday 10/Jul/1917 10 am: Reports to G S 7th Divn with detailed scheme for carrying to commence 12th: 7 pm: 133 projectors dug out of old position at U19 b 5 5: Arrivals: 1 O.R. from det: 1 O.R. from leave.

Weather fine but cool: Wind N.N.W.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESWednesday 11/Jul/1917 7 pm: 58 projectors dug out of U27 c 1 4 position: Casualties: 2 W in A: 1 W in A (at duty).

Weather fine: Wind S. to S.E.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESThursday 12/Jul/1917 7 pm: 124 projectors installed at U27 a 0 5.

Weather fine: Wind S. to S.E.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESFriday 13/Jul/1917 7 pm: 124 projectors dug in at U27 a 0 5 & 250 more taken by railway to E cov St: Arrivals: 13 O.R. from depot: 3 O.R. from hosp: Casualties: 1 O.R. W in A.

Weather fine: Wind S. to S.S.E.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESSaturday 14/Jul/1917 10 am: Reported to G S Vith Corps to discuss scheme for salvage of projectors: Raid being carried out by 7th Divn at night stops work on projector position: Rehearsal of guides & emplacement occurs for MOBILE CYLINDER ATTACK.

Weather fine: Wind S.E.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESSunday 15/Jul/1917 10 pm: 217 projectors taken up & dug in to position: Total available at this position excluding 17 which would not take charge blocks is 448: Arrivals: 1 O.R. from detach: Departures: 2 O.R. leave to UK: 1 O.R. to hosp.

Weather showery: W. to W.S.W.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESMonday 16/Jul/1917 6 pm: Gave administration of projector shooting to G O C 7th Divn & his Brg Gens: 1 pm: 448 drums taken up of which only 295 arrived at position owing to carrying parties: Sections stood by but could not fire on account of wind which dropped to almost a dead calm with only slight drift from S.-S.E.: Arrivals: Lt A A HALL North'n Fus att'd R.E. with 1 O.R. from depot: 2 O.R. from leave: Departures: Lt LAWFORD R.E. on leave to UK: 1 O.R. to hosp.

Wind W. S.W. changing later to S. & S.E.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESTuesday 17/Jul/1917 10 pm: Remaining 153 drums loaded into projectors at position: 445 now all ready for firing: Stand by to discharge between 2:30 & 3:30 am 18th but wind unfavourable: Casualties: 1 O.R. W in A & 1 O.R. to hosp.

Weather fine: Wind S.S.E. changing to W. later.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESWednesday 18/Jul/1917 11 am: Reported to G S 0 1 50th DIV. He desires us to use projectors against CHERISY HILL-SIDE WORK & CHALK PIT at O15 c 3.7.: Two sections stood by to fire drums: Wind too strong: 7 pm: 180 cylinders taken to forward dump for MOBILE CYLINDER ATTACK: 4 O.R. from 'G' Coy on detachment: 1 O.R. from hosp: Departures: 3 O.R. on leave: 1 O.R. to hosp.

Weather: Wind W. to S.W. Very strong with rain.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESThursday 19/Jul/1917 9 pm: Mobile Cylinder Attack postponed: Two sections stand by to fire projectors: Departures: 1 O.R. to hosp.

Weather squally: Wind W. to W.S.W.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESFriday 20/Jul/1917 9 pm: Party proceeded to position & installed new battery complete with drums: 467 projectors ready for firing at this point: Arrivals: 2/Lt J B BASSFORD from leave: 4 O.R. from detach: 1 O.R. from hosp: Departures: 2 O.R. to hosp.

Weather fine: Wind W.N.W.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESSaturday 21/Jul/1917 3 pm: Scheme submitted to VIIth Corps: Parties salving projectors from old positions: Cylinders for mobile cylinder attack brought back to company dump: Arrivals: 1 O.R. from leave.

Weather fine: Wind N.W. to N.E.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESSunday 22/Jul/1917 6 am: 59 projectors salved from 3 old positions: Parties salving projectors: 100 salved: Departures: 2 O.R. to hosp.

Weather fine: Wind N. to N.E.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESMonday 23/Jul/1917 7 pm: 100 projectors salved from old position at U29 a 9 4: Arrivals: 1 O.R. from hosp: Departures: 2 O.R. to rest camp: 1 O.R. to hosp.

Weather fine: Wind N.E.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESTuesday 24/Jul/1917 7 pm: 64 projectors salved from position at U29 a 9 4: Departures: 3 O.R. on leave: 1 O.R. to hosp.

Weather fine: Wind N.E. to N.W.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESWednesday 25/Jul/1917 7 pm: 94 projectors salved from two positions at LAGNICOURT: Arrivals: 2 O.R. from hosp: Departures: 2/Lt R PENDLEBURY on leave to UK: 2 O.R. to hosp: 1 O.R. on detach.

Weather fine: Wind N.E. to E.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESThursday 26/Jul/1917 7 pm: 76 projectors salved from old position at LAGNICOURT: 2 sections stand by to discharge drums at BULLECOURT: Arrivals: Lt E G LAWFORD: 1 O.R. from leave: 1 O.R. from hosp: Departures: 5 O.R. on leave to UK.

Weather thundery at first later fine: Wind N.E. changing to S.W.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESFriday 27/Jul/1917 2:64 am: 452 gas drums fired in BULLECOURT operation: 2 pm: Lt A A HALL, 2/Lt BASSFORD with sections 41 & 42 move to NEUVILLE VITASSE for operation with VIIth Corps: Casualties: (gassed in action) 4 O.R.: Arrivals: 4 O.R. from depot: 1 O.R. from leave.

Weather fine: Wind S.W. changing to S.E.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.Appendix No R6

Appendix No 21

ERVILLESSaturday 28/Jul/1917 7 pm: BULLECOURT position cleaned up: Detachment salved 64 projectors from FONTAINE position.

Weather fine: Wind N.E. to N.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESSunday 29/Jul/1917 7 pm: 31 projectors salved from LAGNICOURT position: 55 projectors salved from FONTAINE position by detachment: Departures: 3 O.R. on leave: 1 O.R. to no 4 G E D.

Weather cold & wet: Wind N. to W.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESMonday 30/Jul/1917 7 pm: 34 projectors dug out at LAGNICOURT: Detachment: 76 projectors dug out at FONTAINE: Arrivals: 3 O.R. from depot: Departures: Lt E G LAWFORD R.E. & batman to 3rd army gas school.

Weather fine: Wind W. to N.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
ERVILLESTuesday 31/Jul/1917 3 pm: 28 projectors dug out at LAGNICOURT: Detachment dug out 84 projectors from FONTAINE: Departures: 1 O.R. to hosp: Arrivals: 2 O.R. from leave.

Weather sultry & hot: Wind light & variable.
Capt C. LAYCOCK M.C.
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