November 1915

WAR DIARY. F. SQUADRON
NORTH IRISH HORSE
D-M-T 33rd DIVn
From 16 NOVr 1915 to 30th NOVr
VOLUME I

16

9.30 AM. Left Netheravon & entrained at Amesbury. Arrived Southampton 3.30 pm. 4 horses cast & changed. Embarked Western Miller. Sailed 5 pm.

17

6.AM. Arrived Havre. Disembarked. All well. No casualties. Full complement men and horses. Ordered to No.2 Camp. Arrived 3 pm. Men in tents. Very cold. Received orders to entrain Nov. 18th destination unknown.

18

10.AM. Left No 2 Camp Havre. Entrained 12 midday. Left Havre 3 pm. Long slow journey, 3 hours late. Given no time to feed or water horses had to feed in the train.

19

1 pm. Arrived Thiennes. Detrained. All well. Arrived Morbecque 4 pm. Billeted in 4 farms. Fairly comfortable.

20

Morbecque. Visited Hqrs 33rd Div. Sent groom for Genl Landon’s horse.

21

Morbecque. Met Major Genl Gough at lunch our Corps Commander.

22

11.AM. Squadron inspected by Genl Gough. All well. Very cold. 2 pm received orders to get ready to move.

23

9.AM. Proceeded by march route to near Busnes. Arrived at 1.30 pm. Had to leave 1 horse with fever on the way. March held up at Thiennes by Lahore Division. Fai(?) billets near Busnes at Le Cornet Bourdois. Reported arrival to 33rd Division.

24

Routine duties.

25

Routine duties.

26

Reconnaissance in direction of Ham.

27

Route march. Coming back did night march. No men fell out. Ten miles.

28

Divine Service. General Landon was present.

29

Road reconnaissance. Report sent to G.S.O. 33rd Div - orders received to move to Le Cauroy.

30

Moved by march route to Le Cauroy. Arrived 1 pm. Billets fair.

[Each day's entry initialled by Major Richard Griffith Oliver Bramston-Newman.]

December 1915

War diary. F. Squadron North Irish Horse
33rd Divn

[Signed] R Bramston Newman
Major F. Squadron
N.I.H.
1st Jany 1916

1

Le Cauroy. Routine duties.

2

Routine duties.

3

Horse Inspection A.D.V.S.

4

Road reconnaissance of all routes to concentration area at Gorre.

5

Routine duties. Drawing material for building stables.

6

Routine duties.

7

Reconnaissance in direction of St Venaut.

8

Routine duties.

9

Routine duties & Lecture on Trench discipline.

10

Orders received to move on 12th to Cantraine.

11

Routine duties.

12

Proceeded by march route to Cantrainne arriving about midday. Billets reasonable & most of the horses under cover. Came through big floods but all the transport was safely got in.

13

Three officers & 5 N.C.O.s proceeded to Cavalry School at Busnes.

14-18

Routine duties mainly improvement of billets & drawing mine earth for horse standings.

19

–

20

Routine duties.

21

Marching out parade. Squadron ready with 1st line Transport at 11. AM (Two hours).

22

Routine duties.

23

Combined scheme with Cyclists.

24

Routine duties.

25

Church parade.

26

Routine duties.

27

Routine duties.

28

Troop schemes.

29

Routine duties.

30

Proceeded by march route to Beauvry at 10.30 AM, arriving Beauvry 2.30 pm. Took over camp from South Irish Horse.

31

Routine duties cleaning up camp etc.

[Each day's entry initialled by Major Bramston-Newman.]

January 1916

Confidential
War Diary of F Squadron North Irish Horse
From 1st Jan 1916 - 31st Jan 1916

[Signed] R Bramston Newman
Major N.I. Horse
31st Jan 1916

1

Routine duties.

2

Church Parade.

3-8

Routine duties. Musketry.

9-10

–

11-17

Trenches. Sector Z.0. No casualties.

18

Routine duties.

19

Routine duties.

20

81 Remounts arrived.

21

Allotted Remounts. Routine duties.

22

Routine duties.

23

Church Parade.

24

Routine duties.

25-29
25
26
27
28
29

Squadron ready [to] move [at] short notice.
Routine duties.
Routine duties.
Routine duties.
Squadron drill.
Troop drill.

30

Church Parade.

31

Troop drill.

[Each day's entry initialled by Major Bramston-Newman.]

February 1916

WAR DIARY
"F" SQUADRON
NORTH IRISH HORSE
FEBRUARY 1916.

1

Troop drill.

2

Routine duties.

3

Squadron Field day.

4

Routine duties.

5

1 Sergt & 6 men special reconnaissance duty Z.1 trenches.

6

Routine duties.

7

Troop Reconnaissance.

8

Routine duties.

9

Lecture etc.

10

Divisional Field Day.

11

Guides to trenches.

12
13
12-13

Guides to trenches.
Guides to trenches.
Fresh patrol of 1 Sergt 6 men to Z.1. Sector.

14

Guides to Trenches by night. Church parade.

15

Guides to Trenches individually.

16

Routine orders. Lecture.

17

Divisional Field day.

18

Routine duties. Guides to trenches. Night training.

19

Troop training.

20

Routine duties.

21

40 men 2 officers as working party carrying wire to second line trenches.

22

40 men 2 officers as working party carrying wire to second line trenches.

23

40 men 2 officers as working party carrying wire to second line trenches.

24

40 men 2 officers as working party carrying wire to second line trenches.

25

Routine duties.

26

Routine duties. Lecture.

27

Routine duties. 12 men detached for work under A.P.M. till 1/3/16.

28

Routine duties.

29

Squadron Training.

[Each day's entry initialled by Major Bramston-Newman to 16 February, and by Captain Ross from 17 February.]

March 1916

WAR DIARY
'F' SQUADRON NORTH IRISH HORSE. 33rd DIV.
MARCH 1916

R Bramston Newman
Maj. F Sqn North Irish Horse

1

Trench fatigue. Inspection Take helmets.

2

Trench fatigue.

3

Training trench guides.

4

Trench fatigue.

5

Routine duties.

6

Routine duties.

7

Routine duties.

8

Horse Inspection.

9

Field day. G.S Staff.

10

Routine duties.

11

Routine duties.

12

Kit inspection. 55 remounts arrived.

13

Field day.

14

Bathing parade.

15

Routine duties. Inspection smoke helmets.

16

Field day.

17

Routine duties.

18

Field day.

19

Church parade.

20

Routine duties.

21

Routine duties.

22

Routine duties. Inspection smoke helmets.

23

Routine duties.

24

Field day.

25

Routine duties.

26

Routine duties.

27

Bathing parade.

28

Field day.

29

Routine duties.

30

Field day.

31

Routine duties.

[Each day's entry initialled by Major Bramston-Newman.]

April 1916

WAR DIARY
'F' SQUADRON. NORTH IRISH HORSE.
33rd DIVISION
APRIL 1916

R Bramston Newman
Major North Irish Horse

1

Exercise & riding drill. Sword drill.

2

Church Parade.

3

Squadron Drill.

4

Squadron Drill. Inspection by A.D.V.S.

5

Routine duties.

6

Reconnaissance in direction of Arras.

7

Routine duties.

8

Squadron Drill. Kit inspection.

9

Church parade.

10

Squadron Drill.

11

Routine duties.

12

Riding school. Bathing parade.

13

Practise Ceremonial Parade.

14

Ceremonial Parade Bethune.

15

Routine duties.

16

Digging party 40 Trenches.

17

Digging party 40 Trenches.

18

Routine duties.

19

Squadron proceeds by march route to Coyecque.

20

Squadron proceeds by march route to Isques.

21

Routine duties.

22

Squadron Drill and lecture.

23

Routine duties.

24

Field day. Lecture.

25

Drill & Lecture.

26

Advance guard Scheme.

27

Advance guard Scheme.

28

Seizing of positions.

29

Protection while at rest.

30

Church parade.

[Each day's entry initialled by Major Bramston-Newman.]

May 1916

War Diary
'B' Squadron North Irish Horse.
10th Corps.
May 1916.

R Bramston Newman Major.
O.C. 'B' Squadron North Irish Horse

1

Squadron at Isques near Boulogne attached 1st Cavy Divn for training. Advanced & Rearguards practised. 3 Divns.

2

Routine duties. Lecture Pioneering.

3

Night concentration march. Lecture from C.R.A.

4

Parade Drill Hardelot Sands. Lecture Patrolling.

5

Scheme against Cavalry Brigade. Lecture.

6

Scheme against 2 Squadrons.

7

Routine duties. Church parade.

8

Routine duties.

9

Regimental Drill.

10

Scheme.

11

Routine duties. Lecture.

12

Proceeded by march route to Maresquel.

13

Proceeded by march route to Mont Chel.

14

Proceeded by march route to Lavigogne. Billets very moderate.

15

Routine duties.

16

Changed billets to Vert Galand.

17

Saddle inspection.

18

Troop drill.

19

Horseshow 49th Divn.

20

Squadron proceeded by march route to Senlis to join 32nd Divn.

21

Routine duties.

22

Digging party for Corps cables 50 men to trenches.

23

Digging trenches.

24

Digging trenches.

25

Digging trenches. 4th Army order that Squadron is to be known as "B" Sqn instead of "F" Squadron.

26

Digging trenches. Established an O.P in the trenches under Lieut. Lowe & Sergt. Brunsdon.

27

Digging trenches.

28

Digging trenches.

29

Digging trenches.

30

Digging trenches. Received 2 Hotchkiss Guns. Class formed under Lieut. Lowe.

31

Digging trenches.

[Each day's entry initialled by Major Bramston-Newman.]

June 1916

1

Senlis. Digging Party Trenches Aveluy. Army scheme.

2

Digging Party Trenches Aveluy.

3

Digging Party Trenches. Guides instruction of N.C.Os.

4

Digging Party Trenches. Inspection Equipment.

5

Digging Party Trenches. Inspection Helmets smoke.

6

Divisional Scheme. Bathing Parade.

7

Divisional Scheme.

8

Divisional Scheme.

9

Trench Party.

10

Divisional OP relieved.

11

Trench Party.

12

Squadron Scheme.

13

Saddle inspection. Trench Party.

14

Routine duties.

15

Troop Schemes.

16

Trench Party.

17

Trench Party.

18

Trench Party.

19

32nd Divl Scheme. 2 Troops to Toutencourt to join X Corps.

20

Horse inspection.

21

2 Troops Divisional Scheme.

22

Routine duties.

23

Routine duties.

24

Squadron Scheme.

25

Routine duties.

26

Return to Senlis.

27

Routine duties.

28

Routine duties.

29

Trench Party.

30

Trench Party.

[Each day's entry initialled by Major Bramston-Newman.]
[Full sheet for the month signed]
R Bramston-Newman
Major. N.I.H.