VI Corps in the Great War - The Wartime Memories Project -

VI Corps

3rd Feb 1916 Reorganisation

25th February 1916 Battalion marched to Candas.

14th Apr 1916 Reorganisation

2nd Jun 1916 Reorganisation

5th Jun 1916 Posting

24th Jun 1916 Posting

25th June 1916 Military Medals

22nd February 1917 15th Division A/55/154

22nd February 1917 15th Division A/55/154

6th March 1917 Operational Orders

28th March 1917 Spent the morning cleaning

9th Apr 1917 In Action

9th Apr 1917 In Action

10th April 1917 Defence Scheme

11th Apr 1917 In Action

11th Apr 1917 In Action

13th of April 1917

23rd of April 1917

1st May 1917 Orders Received

1st May 1917 Operation Order No. 2.

3rd May 1917 "Stood To" 1 hours notice

3rd August 1917 Movement Orders

3rd of August 1917

4th August 1917 movements

5th August 1917 Operational Orders  245 Machine Gun Company
Mercatel and trenches.
Received orders from DMGO that S2,3 and S4 positions are to be taken over on the night of 6/7th August. Gave orders to 2/Lt. GE Barnes to take up remaining 3 guns of No.1 section on the night of 6th inst. (appendix No.5 letter, DMGO 50th Division.)
Copy of Appx No 5. Letter on relief DMGO 50th Division. 245 MG Coy. to take over new positions S2, S3 and S4 on night 6/7th August 1917.
S.O directly responsible to GOC 151 Inf. Brigade (Right Sector) 5th August 1917.
War Diaries

6th August 1917 Movements

7th August 1917 Movements

7th of August 1917

8th Aug 1917 Activity in Front Line
245 Machine Gun Company
Mercatel and trenches.
At 1100 a practice barrage was commenced by all arms, during which fire was opened on the right of Lanyard Trench isolating that trench from St Romart’s factory. (see Map 6) The raid was postponed.
War Diaries

9th August 1917 Activity in Front Line  245 Machine Gun Company
Mercatel and trenches.
At 1100, the practice barrage of the previous day was repeated. Zero hour for the raid was at 0745 and rapid fire was maintained for 90 minutes. One NCO was wounded and sent to 20th Casualty Clearing Centre.
A suggestion was forwarded to the DMGO that relief of guns in the Right Sector should take place on the night of 13/14th August and in the Left Sector on the night of the 12/13th August.
One OR was wounded in Egret Trench.
War Diaries

10th August 1917 Activity in Front Line  245 Machine Gun Company
Mercatel and trenches.
Received Operations Orde No.117 (50th Div.) warned that all officers in the trenches were considerably handicapped by not being in telephonic communication with Divisional Headquarters also with Right and Left Brigade Headquarters. This was reported to the DMGO.
Organization. The establishment laid down for a Machine Gun Company in the field does not seem sufficient. A Transport Officer is required during trench warfare.
The weather clear but unsettled. There was heavy rain during the week and storms on the 9th and 10th August.
Copy of Operations Order No.117 GSO1 50th Division. Copy No.20. 149th Inf. Brigade to relieve 151st Inf. Brigade in Cherisy sector on night of 12/13th Aug. 1917.
War Diaries

12th Aug 1917 Orders

13th Aug 1917 Reliefs

14th Aug 1917 Leave  245 Machine Gun Company report from Mercatel "Lt. AJ Barnes proceeded on special leave of absence for 10 days."
War Diaries

16th August 1917 Orders for Move  245th Machine Gun Company have their HQ at Mercatel and are in the trenches. Received Operations Order No.118 from 50th Division: "151st Inf. Brigade to relieve 150th Brigade in Vis and Guemappe Sectors on the night 20/21st August 1917."

17th August 1917 Activity in Front Line
Layout of Machine Guns under new Divisional Defence
245 Machine Gun Company
Mercatel and trenches.
Conference held at 245 Machine Gun Company Headquarters at 1200, attended by DMGO and OC’s 149, 150 and 151 Brigades together with the OC. 245 MGC. The new Divisional Machine Gun Defence Scheme, part of the VI Corps Defence Scheme, was discussed.
Received a letter from Divisional HQ, showing division of gun positions under the new Defence Scheme and indicating that all guns are to be in position by 0600 21st August.
Copy of Divisional Letter GX4025/34 GSO1 50th Division.

1 Attached Map (Appx No.12) substituted for previous M.9 Maps.
2 Right Brigade to occupy positions 1 to 7 inclusive and S1 and S2.
Left Brigade to occupy positions 8 to 15 inclusive and S8.
245 MG Coy. to occupy positions S3 to S7 and S9 to S12 inclusive.
All guns to be in position by 0600 21st Aug 1917.
Remaining 7 guns per Brigade MG Coy in the line to be at the disposal of GOC Brigade
17th August 1917.
War Diaries

18th August 1917 Activity in Front Line  245 Machine Gun Company
Mercatel and trenches.
Attended VI Corps Horse Show at Bihucourt, with one entry in event 18, a pair of mules.
War Diaries

19th August 1917 Activity in Front Line  245 Machine Gun Company
Mercatel and trenches. Issued with Operations Order No. 1 for reliefs on the nights of the 19th, 20th and 21st August.
War Diaries

20th August 1917 Activity in Front Line
Divisional Positions of all Machine Guns by Company
245 Machine Gun Company
Mercatel and trenches.
Received orders from DMGO that post S3 need not be occupied. Posts occupied by the Company on the night of 20/21st were S4, 5,6, 7, 9, 10, 11 and S12.
All guns were in position by 0600 21st August, according to the Divisional Letter.
A map was issued showing the positions of all machine guns in the Divisional Sector and how they were divided amongst the Companies.
War Diaries

21st August 1917 Activity in Front Line  245 Machine Gun Company
Mercatel and trenches.
Relief postponed as gas is expected to be released in the 50th Divisional area. Issued orders for reliefs to take place on the night of 22/23rd August.
War Diaries

22nd August 1917 Activity in Front Line  245 Machine Gun Company at Mercatel, sheet 51B France 1/40,000 M.24.c.2.4 and trenches
Section Reliefs.

2/Lt. Parsons (No.1 Section) relieved 2/Lt. Derbyshire (No.4 Section) in S4 and S5.
2/Lt. G Barnes (No.1 Section) relieved Lt. Houghton (No.2 Section) in S6 and S7.
2/Lt. Wheatley (No.3 Section) relieved 2/Lt. Attwater (No.2 Section) in S8, 9, 10, 11 and S12.

Division of Positions:

S4, S5 and S6, Right Brigade.
S7, Right of River, Left Brigade.
S8, 9, 10 and S11, Left of River, Left Brigade.

War Diaries

26th August 1917 Activity in Front Line  245 Machine Gun Company
Mercatel, sheet 51B France 1/40,000 M.24.c.2.4 and trenches
Received Operations Order No.119 from Divisional HQ regarding Brigade reliefs.
Copy of Operational Order No.119 GSO1 50th Division. Copy 20.
150th Inf. Brigade to relieve 149th Inf. Brigade in Fontaine and Cherisy Sectors on the night 28/29th Aug. 17
Dated 26th Aug. 17
War Diaries

27th August 1917 Activity in Front Line  245 Machine Gun Company
Mercatel, sheet 51B France 1/40,000 M.24.c.2.4 and trenches
The OC. 245 MGC, Capt WR Thomson proceeded on leave of absence to UK for 10 days. Lt. LW Rees assumed temporary command of the Company.
Weather during the night, very violent storm, strong wind and rain, several tents were blown down and sheets of (screens?) displaced. (Note: the war diary for last item very faint and difficult to read)
War Diaries

28th August 1917 Activity in Front Line

29th August 1917 Activity in Front Line

30th August 1917 Activity in Front Line

1st May 1918 Inspections

8th May 1918 Moved to Aire Station

18th August 1919 Army Council Review

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The Wartime Memories Project
- VI Corps during the Great War -

VI Corps

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The Wartime Memories Project - VI Corps during the Great War -

VI Corps

Want to know more about VI Corps?

Those known to have served withVI Corpsduring the Great War 1914-1918.

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If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation.

Announcements

Recomended Reading.

Links

The Wartime Memories Project
- VI Corps during the Great War -

Those known to have served with
VI Corps
during the Great War 1914-1918.