May 1917

3rd Grenadier Guards – War diary

1 May 1917 Le MESNIL	The Battn continued working on ETRICOURT-YPRES railway, The Battn paraded 480 strong.
2 May 1917	80 OR joined the Battn from England.
3 – 4 May 1917	A signalling scheme was carried out in communication with 1st Battn Scots Guards. Communicating by telephone, flapper system was practiced. Officers had bayonet fighting in strength each afternoon.
5 May 1917	Another signalling scheme in lines of ?????? was carried out in great detail.
6 May 1917	Winter clothing was given in (All blankets except 1 per man, jackets and gloves). A voluntary service was held in Church LE MESNIL at 9.0 pm.
7 May 1917	No 3 Coy gave an exhibition of various kinds of wiring during afternoon.
8 – 11 May 1917	The Battn continued work on railway.
12 May 1917	The Battn moved to CLERY, to camp it had previously vacated.
12 – 16 May 1917 CLERY	While at Clery the Battalion were training hard, on its allotted area. Excellent bathing was obtained in the Somme.On the 15th inst the Bn, together with the rest of the 2nd Guards Brigade, was inspected by the King of the Belgians. While the Bn held some sports.
17 May 1917 BILLON	The Bn moved to BILLON on May 17th for one night. The Bn was in a good camp & quite comfortable.
18 – 30 May 1917 VILLE	On the 18th the Bn moved to VILLE in which town they were quartered. The billets were good for Officers & men. Intensive training was carried on here, which was rendered somewhat difficult by the scarcity of uncultivated land. On the 22nd Bn sports were held and were a great success. On the 26th came the Brigade sports.The Major General inspected the first line Transport on 24th in his report the Bn received a special mention for the same. Bathing was obtained in the ANCRE. A draft of 30 other ranks came from the 7th entrenching Bn on the 27th.
31 May 1917 WARDRECQUES	On the 31st the Bn moved to WARDRECQUES.

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