27 June 1915:

Back into the trenches.

Last entry in June.

25 June 1915:

Following their night in the wood, G Company moved into a farm, while the rest of the Battalion moved into Railway Carriages.

At least this is what the Battalion diary recorded.

Louis records their living accommodation as horse boxes!

Letter to Uncle Ebenezer

Blog note:
If you have any connection with Louis Harley or any of the men listed in his diaries, or if you have found this useful please add a comment.

24 June 1915:

The Scots Guards found that the billets in near Bethune were occupied by Canadian troops , so they camped in the nearby woods- and then it rained.

The place name above is Beuvry just to the East of Bethune.

23 June 1915:

Billeted in Hinges.

Letter to Raymond.

22 June 1915:

Battalion diary refers to battalion being relieved at night- shelling in afternoon also referred to in battalion diary bur on 20 June.
Louis writes to Beath .
The remaining days in June appear to pass relatively peacefully in and around the area of Bethune

21 June 1915:

Many German graves within ex German trenches now occupied by the Battalion in the second line.

19 June 1915:

In reserve trenches - lots of night work.

Over the two days of 18 and 19 June LF Company continued to be engaged in trench digging. However the work was made difficult , and the conditions were unsanitary , due to the number of corpses that were exhumed during the work.

Blog note:
If you have any connection with Louis Harley or any of the men listed in his diaries, or if you have found this useful please add a comment.

18 June 1915:

Letter to Walter.

17 June 1915:

Gore Wood.

LF Company according to the Battalion diary were engaged in trench digging , but were heavily shelled so had to relent. They had to remain in trenches all night.

Today there is a Great War cemetery in Gorre Wood, for the many British and Indian casualties, and less ceremoniously 4 German dead.

Blog note:
If you have any connection with Louis Harley or any of the men listed in his diaries, or if you have found this useful please add a comment.

16 June 1915:

Letters home to Raymond and Aunt Jessica

15 June 1915:
In reserve for Wilts. attack. The Battalion diary notes that the men were bivouacked in Gore Wood, whilst the 21st Brigade were trying to attack but being repelled.

14 June 1915:
At Givenchy

On this day the Battalion entry notes that British artillery was bombarding the enemy lines , but many shells were landing short, falling instead on the British Lines. The Germans subsequently took retaliatory action with F Company being particularly heavily shelled- 8 dead .

13 June 1915:

After one day in hospital with influenza , Louis returned to the battalion at Windy Corner, sleeping in a field with transport.

This entry gives further evidence , when combined with the battalion diary , of the Company in which Louis was serving.

On 13 June the Battalion diary states that the Battalion was in billets at Givenchy, with LF Company in reserve at Windy Corner at Battalion HQ.

Entries on 2 June also placed Louis in one of two companies including LF so this provides further evidence that he was in LF Company.

12 June 1915:

Louis went to hospital with influenza.

5 June 1915:

Visits to Madames?!

On 4 June the only entry was  letters to Raymond and (Aunt) Jessica and on 6 June a letter to Aunt Maggie and 7 June Norrie. So this appears to be a quiet few days. No further entries till 12 June.

During this time the Battalion took part in a sports competition with the 2nd Gordon Highlanders. It was scheduled for 8 June but postponed a day because of rain. On 9 June they had a water polo match in the canal running by Hinges and Mont-Bernanchon.

The above entry gives a detailed description of the billet location- and a teasing reference to Madames at Robecq!

If anyone has any references to Madames or the windmill referred to above please comment.

2 June 1915:

This entry- the first for a while indicating any action-gives some indication of the company in which Louis was in within the Battalion. This is because the Battalion diary notes on this day that two companies G and LF move to Le Plantin in the second line at the rear of the trenches.

This would have put Louis in one of the companies that went into attack first at Festubal on 16 May, which also corresponds with his diary entry which noted they attacked at 3.15am.

It was a platoon from this company that had to wait before taking the German trenches while the British shelling ceased as they crossed between the British and German lines quicker than anticipated.