18th Bn. GLOUCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT

Service Battalion 1918-19
Awarded 1 battle honour: France & Flanders 1918.
Died: 1 officer and 38 men.

16th Division

Sign of the 16th Division: Shamrock in green silk on a circle of khaki cloth. Worn on the arm below the shoulder.
(A green diamond-shaped piece of cloth was worn on the right arm to signify that that
the wearer had gained a G.O.C. Parchment Certificate for service under fire)

49th Brigade

1918

Formed at Clacton 20 June 1918. Landed at Boulogne, France 1 August 1918. Strength: 41 officers, 709 other ranks. Bn marched to Ostrahove Rest Camp, arriving 11.30 am. Next day moved by train to Samer, then marched to Halinghen. 5th to 19th August training. 20th August moved to Bours by bus. 21st marched to Dieval, then bus to Noeux Les Mines. 22nd into front line east of Cambrin.

27th August 2 Lt. Stride and his servant (Pte Richardson) mistaken for Germans while visiting platoon posts ('B' Coy.) and a bomb thrown which kills the Private. 31st August relieved back to Noeux Les Mines.

8th Sept. back into front line at Cambrin sector. 10th Sept. patrols sent out to prepare for an attack.
11th Sept. 'C' and 'D' Coys. attack and take their objectives. However, a German counter-attack made the position difficult and the men were ordered to evacuate back to their original line. Casualties: 2 officers wounded, 9 men killed, 19 wounded, 1 missing. At 5.45pm attack repeated and German positions taken and held. Casualties: 2 officers wounded, 12 men killed, 1 missing. 21st Sept. Bn relieved and goes into reserve. 27th Sept. 49th Brigade relieved. Bn moves to Annequin. 8th Oct. Bn moves to Hesoigneul. 17th Oct. Bn moves to Verquigneul. 18th Sept. Bn moves to Auchy and then onto Berclau. 19th Sept. Bn moves to Attiches. 20th move to Ennevelin. 21st move to Bachy. 25th Bn moves into reserve positions at Florent and Taintegnies. 28th Sept. Bn moves into the front line. 29th Sept. heavy gas shelling by German guns.

1st Nov. Bn relieved and moves into reserve positions. 'C' Coy. shelled during the night of 2nd Nov. Relieved back to Auchy on 6th Nov. On 10th Nov. Bn moved to Wez-Velvain, arriving at 3 pm.

11th Nov. - "At 0900 hours the expected wire arrives ordering the cessation of hostilities as from 11.00 hours. The news spreads like wildfire round the Battn, but no one seems to realise its full significance and training for war proceeds apace."

15th Nov. Bn moves to Mouchin, 16th on to Mons-En-Pevele. Training continues. 29th Nov. move to Deux Villes. Training continues.

1919

January. Training and salvage work continues.

3rd Feb. owing to demobilisations, Bn formed into 2 Companies. 7th Feb. Bn paraded for consecration and presentation of a King's Colour.

25th Feb. 2nd Lts. R. Hill and L.B. Toms with 120 men marched to Lille as volunteers for the Army of Occupation and joined the 2/5th Bn Glouc. Regt.

22nd March Lt. K.C. Lemon, 2nd Lt. G. Havell-Cooke and 83 men left to join the 2/5th Bn. 25th March Bn Cadre moved to Bersee.

31st May Cadre moved to Templeuve. End of Bn War Diary.