War Diary

28 June 1916 – Y Day

Hamel

Bombardment continued – our field guns continuing wire cutting – our heavies including the 15” howitzers and the trench mortars bombarded enemy trenches — Enemy replied ineffectively.

Casualties 1 Killed, 4 wounded

Relieved from the trenches by 12th RIR [Royal Irish Rifles] and sent back for a rest in Mesnil.

29 June 1916 – Y1 Day

Battalion rested – Enemy put down some shell into village. Casualties 7 wounded.

30 June 1916 – Y2 Day

Battn to HAMEL trench line for the assault on Enemy trenches tomorrow morning – Z Day.

This completes 7 days of bombardment during which time we have suffered 47 casualties.

1 July 1916

Hamel (Department of the SOMME)

Report of our action attached.

On the right of our division was the 32nd division making an attack on THIEPVAL village – on our left the 29th division attacking BEAUMONT HAMEL and BEAUCOURT villages.

The general direction of our attack was up the right bank of the river ANCRE (a tributary of the river SOMME) from HAMEL village towards BEAUCOURT station.

The Ulster Division attacked astride the river ANCRE. Working up the left bank, as indicated above, was the 108th Brigade (less 2 battns) it consisted of ourselves and the 12 th Battn Royal Irish Rifles. On the right bank of the river ANCRE attacking from THIEPVAL Wood in the direction of GRANDCOURT were the remaining 2 battns of the 108th Brigade, the 11th & 13th Bn Royal Irish Rifles – and the whole of the 109th Brigade – with the 107th Brigade in support.

The remaining details of this memorable day will be found in the document attached (A1)

2 July 1916
12 Noon

Marched from HAMEL to MARTINSART

The total “ration” strength for the battalion including officers and all details such as transport etc. amounted to 281.

ACP Maj.