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Saturday 1 October 2016

Somme 1st Oct 1916.

Thought I'd take another of my periodic looks at the Regimental diaries of my Grandfather's regiments of one hundred years ago.
These diaries, all kept at the National Archive in Kew, can at times be very sparse. At best they are very matter of fact reports of what was going on, not what the weather was like & sometimes it appears not much was going on as for both entries this time.
D1901 Private William Morgan 1st (Kings) Dragoon Guards.
Machy.  
'Lieut FWF Card,2nd Lieut EI Ward & 34 dismounted men rejoined from Albert having been employed in preparing cavalry tracks and clearing battlefields.'


Macy is in Northern France. 'Cavalry tracks' were  repaired roads, shell holes filled in & generally smoothed over so the cavalry could use them, they were marked by various marker flags, the work was undertaken by parties from the cavalry regiments though Card & Ward would have supervised! Much was salvaged from battlefields if conditions allowed, this would no doubt have included their fallen comrades or what was left.


G2104 L/Cpl Alfred Gower MM  2nd Bn The Middlesex Regiment.
Fouqueruil.
'2/Lieut CG Fawcus invalided to England.'


Fouqueruil is also in Northern France, the 2nd Middlesex had been there since 19th September as Divisional Reserve troops. They would remain there until 8th October, towards the end of the month they would be involved in an action that saw my Grandad win his Military Medal.



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