June 1917

3rd Grenadier Guards – War diary

1 – 4 Jun 1917 WARDRECQUES	The Battn was at WARDRECQUES, in tents. Very little training could be done owing to the surrounding land being under cultivation.
5 – 7 Jun 1917	Coys carried out night operations. Lt Col. A.F.A.N. Thorne D.S.O. went to hospital owing to a strained leg. Capt Craigie M.C. commanded the battn temporarily.
8 Jun 1917	The Battn moved to MORINGHEM for rifle shooting practice. The billets were good but very scattered.
9 – 10 Jun 1917	Practice done were 5 deliberate and 10 rapid at 200 yds & 300 yds. Also 5 deliberate & 10 rapid with fixed bayonets at 200 yds and 5 deliberate at 400 yds.
10 Jun 1917	The Battn returned to WARDRECQUES and Major G.E.C. RASCH D.S.O. took over the command.
12 – 13 Jun 1917	The Battn moved to WORMHOUDT, into very good but scattered billets. A very hot march, and on the following day proceeded to WATOU area, to a camp of NISSAN huts.
15 Jun 1917	The Battn moved into Reserve A (ROUSSOL FARM) of the BOESINGHE sector. 2 Coys and HQ were in the farm and 2 Coys were in ELVERDINGHE defenses.
16 Jun 1917	Capt. Ridley M.C. arrived to take over duties of 2nd in command.
17 – 18 Jun 1917	On night of 17/18th the Battn relieved the 1st Battn Scots Guards in the support line. HQ were at BLUET FARM, 2 Coys in X line & 2 Coys close to HW at PARADOU & ROGER farm. Relief was quiet, very little shelling took place at post, but this increased each day the Battn was in the line.After the relief the left Coy of the X line took over a part of the Belgian line with 1 platoon. This line was very good. The X line needed a great deal of work doing as in many places there was no ?parapet? at all.During this tour of duty work was chiefly concentrated on the main communication trenches i.e. BRIDGE ST, HUNTER ST, CARDIFF ST.Casualties during the tour were 1 killed and 7 wounded.
22 – 23 Jun 1917	The Battn was relieved by 1st Battn Coldstream Guards, a quiet relief, and ?marched? to ROUSSEL FARM (RESERVE A). 2 Coys were at MOUTON FARM, but this had to be evacuated on 24th owing to heavy shelling of neighbouring batteries.
24 Jun 1917	These two Coys returned to ROUSSEL & bivouacked. There were a great number of hostile aeroplanes, so that the greatest attention had to be paid to men keeping under cover at all times. 8 Lewis Gunners under an officer were always manned ready for anti-aircraft firing. The Battn had the use of Baths at ELVERDINGHE CHATEAU.Whilst the Battn was in reserve casualties were 1 killed and 6 wounded.
26 – 27 Jun 1917	The Battn relieved the 1st Battn Scots Guards in the front line. A fairly quiet relief. There was a good deal of shelling during the tour of duty in the line.Total casualties were 4 killed and 13 wounded.
28 – 29 Jun 1917	On night of 28th/29th the Battn was relieved by the 3rd Battn Coldstream Guards. The relief took place with one casualty. The Battn went into bivouacs at A4C63, situated in a wood, and remained there till the end of the month.	BELGIUM 28 N.W.

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