26th April 1916 On this day: Enemy Mine Explodes   6th County of London Brigade RFA at Carency report Lt Barnard proceeded on 7 days leave of absence to England. During the afternoon the enemy trench mortars were very active. They appeared to be using a new very heavy bomb. At 1906 the enemy sprang a mine. The explosion was a large one and big columns of flame leapt into the air. Immediately after the explosion the enemy opened a heavy bombardment of our trenches and our artillery formed an effective barrage. The bombardment lasted about half an hour, died down, then opened again for a short time and then died down again. War Diaries Inniskillings warned of gas attack   On 26 April 1916 the 7th Inniskillings were holding the line near Hulluch when word was given of a possible gas attack by the Germans. According to reports, a German deserter had come across to the British lines and informed them of the impending attack. Everything was done to strengthen the lines of defence. Dug-outs were provided with blanket curtains as protection against the gas.  Mines Exploded  Regimental Field Work  Supply drop Attempted  On the Move  Enemy Mine Explodes  Supplies Sent Up  Training  Baths  New CO  Hot Day  In Action  A New C.O.  Company training  Shelling  In the Trenches  Aircraft  Working Parties  Aircraft Downed  Machine Guns  Thiepval Wood Bombarded  Quiet  Working Party  Defence Work  Aircraft damaged  Aircraft damaged  Aircraft Lost  Aircraft damaged  Aircraft damaged  Aircraft damaged  On the Move  Guns Move  Working Parties  A Combined Shoot  Enemy trench Mortars active. Bombing   7th Buffs report less artillery activity, weather much improved and trenches quite dry, ‘S.O.S’ signals received from A Sector, but signals soon withdrawn. 1.30 pm Two bombing parties from 7th Buffs sent out to bomb Enemy saps at S. end of Y wood as soon as our bombardment in connection with raid at Carnoy A Sector commenced Left hand party all wounded, right hand party under 2/Lt McColl returned safely after throwing bombs. L/Cpl Stewart A Coy and Pte Manning C Coy distinguished themselves in bringing in wounded men. 7th Buffs war diary WO95/2049  On the Move  In Billets  Trench Work  Reliefs  On the Move  Trench Work  Front Trenches Damaged  On the Move  Prepare to move  Under Shellfire    Early in the morning of the 27th April 1916 enemy action started with intensive fire from rifles and machine guns: this was followed about 4.45am with a heavy artillery bombardment and the release of great clouds of gas. The wind was particularly favourable to the enemy and at this stage of the War the means of defence against gas were hardly perfect. Opposite the Inniskilling front the Germans left their trenches to attack. The Germans suffered some casualties crossing no mans land but penetrated into the 7th’s trench between B and C companies under cover of thick clouds of gas and smoke. Hand to hand fighting ensued and Germans were able to get away with a few prisoners including Capt. R.N. Murray who died the next day in a German field hospital from gas poisoning. D company also suffered severely. Very quickly Major Ross White came up from Battalion HQ and took the situation in hand. Within a few minutes the enemy were driven out of the trench a lot of them being shot as they retreated. Later about 8am more gas was released by the Germans and a second advance attempted but it broke down under fire. Lt. H.B.O. Mitchell with the Lewis gun teams being specially notable for rapid and well-directed fire. By 11am the crises had passed, the 7th Battalion held its wrecked and gas poisoned trenches. The night passed quietly and the Battalion sent out parties into no mans land which brought in several men who had been wounded or gassed. Can you add to this factual information? Do you know the whereabouts of a unit on a particular day? Do you have a copy of an official war diary entry? Details of an an incident? The loss of a ship? A letter, postcard, photo or any other interesting snipts? If your information relates only to an individual, eg. enlistment, award of a medal or death, please use this form: Add a story.

Killed, Wounded, Missing, Prisoner and Patient Reports published this day. This section is under construction.

Want to know more about 26th of April 1916? There are:47 items tagged 26th of April 1916 available in our Library   These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.

Remembering those who died this day, 26th of April 1916. Pte. Guy Hartley Arnold. 2nd Infantry Battalion Read their Story. Pte. Guy Calvert. 6th Btn. East Lancashire Regiment Read their Story. Pte. Archibald Campbell. 12th Btn. Highland Light Infantry Pte. Henry Carter. 11th Btn. Middlesex Regiment Read their Story. Pte. Thomas Crewe. 1st/4th Btn. Leicestershire Regiment Lt. Humphrey Osbaldsyon Brooke Firman. SS Julnar Read their Story. Pte. Thomas Franklin. 3rd Btn. Durham Light Infantry Read their Story. Sgt. John Heywood. 11th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. James Maguire. 11th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers A/Cpl. Percy Platt. 6th Btn. South Lancashire Regiment Pte. George Shaw. 6th Btn. East Lancashire Regiment Read their Story. Pte. William Henry Williams. 10th (1st Rhondda) Battalion Welch Regiment Pte. Ivan Francis Wilson. 11th Batallion Lancashire Fusiliers Add a name to this list.

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