North Irish Horse - War diaries - F Squadron North Irish Horse

F Squadron North Irish Horse

This diary covers the period from just before the Squadron embarked for France on 16 November 1915 to 30 June 1916. During this time it operated as 33rd Division Cavalry Squadron (16 November 1915 to 18 April 1916), 49th Division Cavalry Squadron (16 to 20 May 1916), and 32nd Division Cavalry Squadron (21 May to 20 June 1916). From 19 April to 15 May 1916 it was attached to the 1st Cavalry Division for training. On 25 May 1916 the Squadron was re-designated as 'B' Squadron North Irish Horse, and on 21 June 1916 joined C Squadron North Irish Horse and the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons (Service) Squadron to form the 2nd Regiment North Irish Horse, X Corps Cavalry Regiment. The diary is sourced from National Archives documents WO 95/2413 and WO 95/874.

November 1915
16	9.30am. Left Netheravon and entrained at Amesbury. Arrived Southampton 3.30pm. Four horses cast and changed. Embarked Western Miller sailed 5pm.
17	6am. Arrived [Le] Havre. Disembarked. All well. No casualties. Full complement men and horses. Ordered to No.2 Camp. Arrived 3pm. Men in tents. Very cold. Received orders to entrain November 18th, destination unknown.
18	10am. Left No.2 Camp Havre. Entrained 12 midday. Left Havre 3pm. Long slow journey, three hours late. Given no time to feed or water horses - had to feed in the train.
19	1pm. Arrived Thiennes. Detrained. All well. Arrived Morbecque 4pm. Billeted in four farms. Fairly comfortable.
20	Morbecque. Visited Headquarters 33rd Division. Sent groom for General London’s horse.
21	Morbecque. Met Major General Gough at lunch, our Corps Commander.
22	11am. Squadron inspected by General Gough. All well. Very cold. 2pm. Received orders to get ready to move.
23	9am. Proceeded by march route to near Busnes. Arrived at 1.30pm. Had to leave one horse with fever on the way. March held up at Thiennes by Lahore Division. (..?..) 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 London was present.
29	Road reconnaissance. Report sent to General Staff Officer 33rd Division. Orders received to move to Le Cauroy.
30	Moved by march route to Le Cauroy. Arrived 1pm. Billets fair.
December 1915
1	Le Cauroy. Routine duties.
2	Routine duties.
3	Horse inspection Assistant Director Veterinary Services.
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 and 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 and most of the horses under cover. Came through big floods but all the transport was safely got in.
13	Three Officers and five Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) proceeded to Cavalry School at Busnes.
14-18	Routine duties. Mainly improvement of billets and drawing (mine?) earth for horse (standings?).
19	–
20	Routine duties.
21	Marching out parade. Squadron ready with (1st?) line transport at 11am (Two (horses?)).
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 10.30am, arriving Beauvry 2.30pm. Took over camp from South Irish Horse.
31	Routine duties cleaning up camp etc.
January 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	Eighty-one remounts arrived.
21	Allotted remounts. Routine duties.
22	Routine duties.
23	Church parade.
24	Routine duties.
25-29	[25-29 January] Squadron ready [to] move [at] short notice. [25-27 January] Routine duties. [28 January] Squadron drill. [29 January] Troop drill.
30	Church parade.
31	Troop drill.
February 1916
1	Troop drill.
2	Routine duties.
3	Squadron field day.
4	Routine duties.
5	One Sergeant and six 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	Guides to trenches. Fresh patrol of one Sergeant six 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.
21-24	Forty men two Officers as working party carrying wire to second line trenches.
25	Routine duties.
26	Routine duties. Lecture.
27	Routine duties. Twelve men detached for work under Assistant Provost Marshall till 1/3/16.
28	Routine duties.
29	Squadron training.
March 1916
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. General Service Staff.
10	Routine duties.
11	Routine duties.
12	Kit inspection. Fifty-five 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.
April 1916
1	Exercise. Riding drill. Sword drill.
2	Church parade.
3	Squadron drill.
4	Squadron drill. Inspection by Assistant Director Veterinary Services.
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	Practice ceremonial parade.
14	Ceremonial parade Bethune.
15	Routine duties.
16-17	Digging party 40 trenches.
18	Routine duties.
19	Squadron proceeds by march route to Coyecque[s].
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 and lecture.
26	Advance guard scheme.
27	Advance guard scheme.
28	Seizing of positions.
29	Protection while at rest.
30	Church parade.
May 1916
1	Squadron at Isques near Boulogne attached 1st Cavalry Division for training. Advanced and rearguards practiced. Three Divisions.
2	Routine duties. Lecture pioneering.
3	Night concentration march. Lecture from C.R.A [Commander Royal Artillery?].
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. [Machiel?]
14	Proceeded by march route to Lavigogne. [La Vicogne.] Billets very moderate.
15	Routine duties.
16	Changed billets to Vert Galand. [F Squadron joins 49th (West Riding) Division.]
17	Saddle inspection.
18	Troop drill.
19	Horseshow 49th Division.
20	Squadron proceeded by march route to Senlis to join 32nd Division.
21	Routine duties. [F Squadron joins 32nd Division.]
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’ Squadron instead of ‘F’ Squadron.
26	Digging trenches. Established an observation post in the trenches under Lieutenant Lowe and Sergeant Brunsdon.
27	Digging trenches.
28	Digging trenches.
29	Digging trenches.
30	Digging trenches. Received 2 Hotchkiss guns. Class formed under Lieutenant Lowe.
31	Digging trenches.
June 1916
1	Senlis. Digging party, trenches Aveluy. Army scheme.
2	Digging party, trenches Aveluy.
3	Digging party, trenches. Guides instruction of NCOs.
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 observation post 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 Divisional scheme. Two troops to Toutencourt to join X Corps.
20	Horse inspection.
21	Two troops Divisional scheme. [B and C Squadrons and the Service Squadron of the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons (Service) Squadron joined to form the 2nd North Irish Horse at Toutencourt as the X Corps Cavalry Regiment. The Regiment was attached to the 36th (Ulster) Division.]
22	Routine duties.
23	Routine duties. [Killed in action this day was Private William James Finlay (1657). Although it is unclear to which squadron he belonged, some references suggest B Squadron.]
24	Squadron scheme.
25	Routine duties.
26	Return to Senlis.
27	Routine duties.
28	Routine duties.
29	Trench party.
30	Trench party.

NAMES MENTIONED IN DIARY

Lieutenant Lowe. Second Lieutenant Arthur Noel Vernon Hill-Lowe.
Sergeant Brunsdon. No.1223 Sydney Brunsdon, later Warrant Officer 2 in the Railway Operating Division, Royal Engineers.