3rd Grenadier Guards – war diary
| 1 May 1918 | The Bn relieved 1/CG in R. subsector on night of 30 April / 1st May. A quiet relief, over by 12.15 am.Dispositions No 1 Coy R. front. No 2 Coy L. front. No 3 Coy Support. No 4 Coy Reserve. bn HQ Y2.29.c.0.6.Work during the tour was concentrated on destroying redundant trenches and making shelters. Also wiring of front posts. coy in Reserve in bank at X.28.b. was employed nightly in digging PURPLE LINE in front of ADINFER WOOD. | |
| 3 – 4 May 1918 | Inter Coy relief: No 3 Coy became R.F. No 4 Coy L.F. Major Viscount Lascelles relieved the Commanding Officer. 2/LT R.P. PAPILLON (No 4 Coy) & Lt Hon. M. TOWNELEY BERTIE (To command No 3 Coy) joined Battn. Officers patrols were sent out nightly & dawn patrols were sent to be out to listen for any hostile movement or sounds of hostile assembly as an attack on a large scale was expected. Total casualties were 11 OR killed and 5 OR wounded. | |
| 6 – 7 May 1918 | Relieved by 1/SG & came into Reserve. Bn HQ near RABBIT WOOD at X.19.c.5.2. No 1 Coy at X.19.d.2.8.. No 2 Coy in trenches near B.H.Q. No 3 Coy in bank at W.24.c.9.2. No 4 Coy in hutted camp at W.22.d. | |
| 8 May 1918 | Coys were made up to 120 O.R. exclusive of B.H.Q. Owing to the number of Officers & men a good system of relief could be arranged each time the Battn came into Reserve. The Commanding Officer rejoined the Battn. Coy near B.H.Q. was at a moments notice on alarm being given to move up to PURPLE LINE in front of ADINFER WOOD. | |
| 9 – 10 May 1918 | Relieved 1/CG in L. subsector No 3 Coy RF. No 4 Coy LF. No 2 Coy Support. No 1 Coy Reserve.There was a slight increase in hostile activity & the hostile attack was still expected. Rt Hon M. TOWNELEY BERTIE, wounded. Work was concentrated on linking up posts & digging CTs back. Our artillery carried ??? nightly harrassing fire on enemy backs and roads & gassed possible assembly areas. MOYENVILLE and COURCELLES were heavily bombed. This brought down considerable retaliation which was however chiefly directed on batteries & back areas (ADINFER WOOD & ADINFER). casualties 1 OR killed. 1 Officer & 14 OR wounded. | |
| 15 – 16 May 1918 | Battn came into Reserve as before except No 4 Coy and No 2 Coy interchanged. Coys were made up to 150 OR (exclusive of BHQ). This resulted in the numbers of Details being brought down to a minimum and reliefs could not take place. Lewis Gun Training & Musketry (Firing in box respirators) was carried out in Reserve. | |
| 18 – 19 May 1918 | Relieved 1/CG in R. sub sector. Quiet relief & over by 12.15 am. No 3 Coy R.F. No 4 Coy L.F. No 1 Coy in Support No 2 Coy in Reserve. BHQ was mere moved to X.28.a.3.3. as former BHQ had been heavily shelled on previous day. Work was concentrated on deepening existing Communication trenches, revetment of fire steps & construction of fire bays in lateral CTs between front posts. | |
| 20 – 21 May 1918 | Enemy retaliated on our front & support posts after our artillery had carried out a concentrated shoot on their posts(20th) 2/Lt G.R. GUNTHER (No 2 Coy), 2/LT J.H. INGLIS-JONES (No 1 Coy), 2/LT F. DUFF COOPER (No 3 Coy) joined the Battn. | |
| 24 – 25 May 1918 | Relieved by 1/SG. Casualties during this tour 2 OR killed & 25 OR wounded | |
| 25 May 1918 | Reserve area was heavily shelled during day | |
| 26 May 1918 | 2/Lt J.A. INGLIS-JONES Wd. Capt G.F.R. HIRST (No 4 Coy), Lt E.R.M. FRYER M.C. (No 3 Coy) & 2/LT J. CHAPMAN (No 2 Coy) joined Battn.Hostile activity continued above normal & 6 OR wounded. | |
| 27 – 28 May 1918 | Relieved 1/CG in L. subsector. fairly quiet relief, complete by 11.30 pm. Enemy harassing fire increased. | |
| 28 May 1918 | Hostile barrage was put down on front & support posts at 4.30 am & 10.30 pm lasting ½ hour. Shelling was indiscriminate & seemed to be a good deal heavier further north. Following days were considerably quieter. | |
| 30 – 31 May 1918 | Inter Coy relief took place. Work was concentrated on making shelters and deepening existing lateral communication trenches. | |
3rd Grenadier Guards - WW1 - War Diary 