April 1918                                    War Diary of the 1/8th  Btn Durham Light Infantry for the period when Walter Houseman was killed.

Mon 1st

Bn in SOMME battle. ( see Appendix to March 1918)

Bn Details ( 12 Off, 249 O.R ) move by march north SAINS to SALEUX pending entrainment. Transport stages at BOURDON.

2nd

Bn at LONGUEAU.

Bn marched to SALEUX where details rejoined Bn.

11.00pm Bn (less transport) entrained. Strength 26 Offrs. 460 O.R

Bn transport moved by road staging overnight at DOMVAST

3rd   

Bn detrianed at RUE at 8.00am and had hot tea and marched to billets VRON which were good but scattered. Bn in billets 12 noon.

Afternoon - reorganising. Bt transport arrived.

4th

At VRON. Orders for Bn to embus received 1.15am and issued to Coys.

9.00am - Bn paraded in the square VRON, and Coys were divided in to parties of 1 Off, 25 O.R prior to embussing.

11.15am - Bn embused at a point 1200 N of VRON CHURCH at 11.15am. Embussment strength 26 Offrs, 460 O.R.

Bn transport proceeding by road stages at WILLEMAN tonight.    

At 8.30pm the Bn debussed at W.21.c.6.2 near Bde H.Q and marched to billets at the TOBACCO FACTORY BETHUNE. The night was exceptionally dark and march discipline was very difficult. At 10.30pm the Bn was in billets, where the Qtr had arranged a hot meal.

    5th

At BETHUNE in Corps Reserve

Reorganisation & refitting

Lt Col P KIRKUA M.C returned from Senior Officers School ALDERSHOT today and resumed command of the Btn.

A draft of 160 OR (under 19) reported for duty today. A good keen draft.

A,B & G Class formed today.

Transport staged at FIEFFS tonight.

6th  

At BETHUNE

Btn transport arrived in billets at 12 noon.

Work as yesterday.

Draft of 105 O.R reported for duty today.  

Divnl Commander inspected Btn billets and yesterday’s drafts.

Commd Officer and O.C Corps and platoon officers reconnoitred BETHUNE defensive system.

Sun 7th

At BETHUNE.

At 12.30am orders were received that the Btn was prepared to move North.

No further orders were received until about 10.00am.

At 1.00pm the Btn paraded outside Btn billet, and marched to entraining station VENDIN W26 Central.

The Btn entrained 3.30pm. Strength 26 Officers, 716 O.R

At 50..pm the Btn detrained at NEUF BERQUIN and marched to good but scattered billets on the ESTAIRES - NEUF BERQUIN road. Btn transport moved by march route to this area.

Capt F.M WEEKS ( rejoined from 157 Bde ) resumed command of A Coy today

  8th

At NEUF BERQUIN

Coy reorganisation and interior economy.

C of E Divine Services (parade) in Y.M.C.A hut.

Reconnaissance of LESTREM defences by C.O, O.C Corps & platoon commanders.  

9th

At NEUF BERQUIN

1.00am - orders were received that Btn would relieve Portugese in line tonight.

3.00am - heavy enemy barrage (heralding enemy attack on Portugese and adjoining fronts).

6.30am - orders for Btn to ‘Stand To’ issued.

8.00am - Btn received orders to man LESTREM defences.

10.00am - Btn in position in LESTREM defences ( visa appendix to this volume ).

10th

Btn in action  ( visa appendix to this volume to be issued later )

11th  

Btn in action  ( visa appendix to this volume to be issued later )

   12th

Btn in action  ( visa appendix to this volume to be issued later )

13th

Btn was relieved by 5th Divn , and moved back to LAMOTTE arriving in Divisional Billet LAMOTTE CHATEAU at 1.45am

5.30am - the enemy shelled the CHATEAU heavily , and orders were received to move to D.28.C

9.30am - Btn in billets at D.28.c. 3.0 - Btn strength 9 Officers 158 O.R

Btn reorganised as a Coy. - Capt R.A WHARRIER M.C of O.C Coy.

All men’s SAA made up to 120 Ros per man.

Sun 14th

Btn in Corps Reserve at D.28.c.3.0

Btn QM stores transport at LES CISEAUX, to which they moved from BLEU yesterday.

Btn working on  a defensive line.

All Btns of the Division were in D.28.c & d area employed on same work.

Troops billeted in farm buildings and barns.  A quiet day. Enemy shell fire destroyed a dump 1500” SW of Bde H.Q.

15th

Corps Reserve D.28.c.3.0

Work as yesterday. 35 Casuals  rejoined Btn today at D.28.c.3.0. A quiet day.

16th

At D.28.c.3.0

7.30am - the Btn moved off and marched via STEEN BECQUE to billets in WITTES.

Btn details and transport joined Btn at WITTES.

By 1.30pm all Coys were in good but scattered billets in WITTES. The afternoon was spent in cleaning up.

17th

Billets - WITTES

Coys at disposal of O.C Coys in morning for:

(1) reorganisation into 4 platoons per company - each platoon 2 sections strong owing to small numbers of personnel.

(2) Selection of L.G section and L Gunners for Btn L.G class

(3) General cleaning up

(4) Checking battle stores and rec deficiencies

In the afternoon at 2.30pm the Divnl Commander, Maj Gen H.C JACKSON D.S.O inspected the Btn and thanked all ranks for the work done during the recent battles. The inspection took place in field N of fork roads at SW corner of WITTES.

Coy Commanders from today were :

‘A’ Coy Lt J STEPHENSON

‘B’ Coy Capt R.H WHARRELL M.C

‘C’ Coy Lt H WILKINSON

‘D’ Coy Capt J HUTCHINSON

18th

At WITTES

Rifle inspection by Armouries Sergeant.

L. G class of 5 men per platoon.

Coys doing musketry training ( R load & fire )

Interior economy and hair cutting.

Signalling class for all Coy Signallers.

   19th

At WITTES

L Gun and Signalling classes continued

Coys training: A Coy as a coy, B Coy as a composite coy.

XI Corps Musketry and L Gun instructors lent by Corps school to Btn assisted in the training from today onwards.

2 drafts - one of 12 2nd R.I.R ( under suspended sentence ) and one of 28 “under 19” boys - reported from base today.

20th

At WITTES

L.G class continued, Sig class discontinued.

Coys: 1 hour on 100yd range in H.I.C: musketry and P.T & B.F remainder of morning.

A & B working as separate Coys, C & D as a composite Coy.

Sun 21st

At WITTES

Divine Service - C of E parade service in field H.10.g.0.9 at 11.45am

22nd

At WITTES

Coys training - musketry, close order, guards and sentries and physical.

L.G class continued.

Walter Houseman was killed on the  12th April 1918 ( as part of the 1/8th  Bn Durham Light Infantry (151st  Inf Brigade - 50th  Division),