The 7.92 mm Mauser was standard issue to the German Army.
It had a 5 cartridge magazine, each one having to be loaded by a manual bolt mechanism.
An optical sight could be fitted, which in the hands of an expert sniper turned it
into a deadly weapon for anyone in the opposing trenches careless enough to put his head above the parapet.
The Short Magazine Lee Enfield, 0.303 in, was standard issue to the British troops.
It had a 10 cartridge magazine with a spring mechanism which put the next round in position for manual reloading.
A well-trained Infantryman marksman could fire 15 killer shots in less than a minute.
When the Germans were first
on the receiving end, it is said, they mistakenly thought that they were facing multiple machine guns.
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21st OCTOBER.
4201 L/Cpl Snow John, H. Old Fleeton Peterborough. Enlisted at Northallerton, N Yorks.
Died of wounds. Age 36. Buried at Netley [Hospital near Southampton] Military Cemetery.
22nd OCTOBER. The Btn continued training and on this day marched to Mametz Wood where they relieved 5th
Borders in Camp. Next day the whole Btn worked on roads.
24th OCTOBER. The Btn took over Prue and Starfish trench from the 12th Btn Royal Scots.
25th OCTOBER. The whole relief was very hurried and no notice was given until the order to move.
No one had been round the line. The weather was very wet and the mud appalling. 11 other ranks were wounded.
Lt William Liley Batty was killed in action. Home at "North View", Drighlington, Bradford, Yorks. Commemorated
on the Thiepval Memorial.
2Lt John Burgoyne Hudson was killed in action. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
3110 Pte Blenkey John. Home at - 7 Oldham St, Lingdale, N Yorks, place of birth. Enlisted
at Skelton in Cleveland, N Yorks. Killed in action. Age 24. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
7513 Pte Carey Roy. Home at Guisborough, N Yorks. Died of wounds. Buried at Dernancourt
Communal Cemetery Extension.
4019 Pte Martin William. Enlisted at Middlesbrough, N Yorks. Killed in action.
Buried at Warlencourt British Cemetery.
26th OCTOBER. Reinforcements received - 2nd Lts W.L. James. R Edwards. G.R. Cole. M.M. Thomas.
H. Laxton. R. Campbell. G.F. Dell. H. Lawrence. And Capt C. Sproxton rejoined.
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27th OCTOBER. Considerable shelling of forward areas. 5 other ranks were wounded.
2nd Lt Arthur Coates , age 23, was killed in action. Home at Fulwood, Preston, Lancs. Commemorated on the Thiepval
Memorial.
28th to 31st OCTOBER. The Btn was relieved by the 6th Yorks and came to the High Wood area where there was no
accommodation.
Weather extremely bad and no shelter for troops at all.
Diary is signed off by Major B.H. Charlton.
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German Artillery battery on receiving end.
[Picture courtesy of - "The Heritage of the Great War".].
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3183 Pte Taylor Henry, Paul, Laing. Home at Skelton in Cleveland and enlisted at
Boosbeck, N Yorks. Died of wounds. Buried at Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension.
1st NOVEMBER. The Btn relieved 4th East Yorks in forward area.
2nd NOVEMBER.
2618 CSM Barker Henry. Home at New Marske, N Yorks. Enlisted at Skelton in Cleveland,
N Yorks. Killed in action. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for "conspicuous gallantry in action" earlier in this Somme offensive,
when he was a Serjeant.
The London Gazette of 26th November 1916 records that:-
"He led a bombing attack into the enemy's trench and established a double block. Later, he skilfully withdrew his men
after inflicting many casualties on the enemy."
6218 Pte Underwood George, William. Enlisted at Oundle, Northants. Killed in action.
Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
3rd NOVEMBER. Btn moved forward from High Wood to Flers Line and Flers Support.
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Trench Foot.
Many soldiers, particularly in the early part of the War developed this condition through
standing for hours in water and mud.
The feet become numb and in bad cases start to rot with infection and become gangrenous. The only cure
for this was amputation.
Covering the feet in grease and frequent changes of socks were found to be preventative measures.
Hence the concern here by the Btn for socks to be brought up with the rations.
[Photo retouched copy by this website.]
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The heavy rains had made
these trenches very bad - owing to undercutting the sides had fallen in.
Mud and water were from a foot to six
inches deep. Very little shelling except at a Battery of Field Guns immediately behind Flers line, which the
Diary complains was directing shell fire at the men in the Trenches.
7th NOVEMBER. Moved forward to relieve 4th East Yorks in Front Line. HQ at Hexham Rd.
The condition of
Pioneer Alley was very bad.
Mud was very deep and enemy's shell fire on the Alley was very accurate and repeatedly
blew it in. It was extremely difficult to get hot food and dry socks up to the Front line.
Cooking was done
at HQ and sent up at 6 p.m and 5 a.m.
Socks came up with rations.
Enemy's sniping was very brisk until a Lewis Gun
was run forward into a shell hole to sweep the front at intervals. This proved effective.
4358 Pte Fish Herbert. Home at N Ormesby, Middlesbrough, N Yorks, town of enlistment.
Killed in action. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
6211 Pte Hardwick Arthur William Home at 48 Artizan Rd, Northampton, town of
birth and enlistment. Died 161107 20 Allonville Communal Cemetery. Ex Northants Regt.
10th NOVEMBER. The Btn were relieved by the 4th Btn Northumberland Fusiliers and moved back to Mametz
Wood, where they stayed until the 13th. More working parties. A bath for all ranks under Regimental arrangements
at the Transport lines.
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2Lt Harold Morris Thomas. Killed in action. Buried at Warlencourt British Cemetery.
Capt John Searginson Killed in action. Buried at Warlencourt British Cemetery.
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