1st April 1917 On this day: Attack captures objectives   96th Brigade attack Savy Wood and capture their objectives, the 16th Northumberlands occupy the quarry for about one week, suffering fairly heavy casualties. 3 Officers wounded, 23 Other Ranks killed, 78 ORs wounded, and 5 ORs missing. Wire Cutting   236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report Wire cutting in preparation for raiding operation started by this Group; A236 Battery fired one hundred and fifty rounds, B236 Battery one hundred and ten rounds, C236 Battery one hundred also twenty on the wire and D236 Battery fired one hundred and eighty rounds on area opposite Division on the left in collaboration with other Howitzers and Heavy Batteries. X47 Trench Mortar Battery fired in retaliation and moved guns south to cover more front. New Battery positions for offensive action started upon by Batteries of this Group with twelve positions to be completed. War Diaries Messines Sector - Flanders    Working Party Battle of Messines Preparation 16th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles - Pioneers. The Battle of Messines, Final Preparations April-May 1917. The 36th Ulster Division was now facing the enemy at Messines Ridge, east of Kemmel and the 16th Pioneers were fully committed in support of them. As at the Somme this involved construction and repair of communication and assembly trenches (through which the men and equipment would move for the assault), Mortar emplacements to defend against enemy attacks and to support the assault, dugouts for headquarters and trench railways for bringing stores and ammunition forward and returning with waste materials and evacuation of casualties. Screening was also vital, as most of the area was overlooked by the Germans in their higher positions on the Ridge. Much of the work in April was carried out in bad conditions with snow and rain making the work doubly difficult due to drainage problems and the presence of glutinous mud everywhere. Good progress was made towards the end of April as the weather conditions improved. Battalion strength reports. 1st April 34 Officers. 868 Other ranks. 30th April 39 Officers. 866 Other ranks. April Casualties: Other ranks - 2 killed and 4 wounded. The Terrors by SN White  Chemin de Dames  Further Action  Church service and inspections  Routine  Ship Torpedoed  In Action  Battery Commanders Meeting  Consolidation  On the Move  Training  Preparations for Attack  New Aircraft  Noyelles  Joke  Reliefs  Defensive Positions  Mist and Snow  At Wakefield Huts  Working Parties  Patrol  In Billets  Aircraft Damaged  Church Parade  Attack Made  Reliefs  Very Little Activity    At Rest  New CO  Church Parade  Instruction  On the March  Village Captured  Musketry  Training  On the March  Defences  Training  In the trenches  Military Medal Ribbons Awarded  Artillery Registration  Trench Raid  Reliefs  Moves  Parades  Reliefs  To O.C's All Companies  Special working parties.  General Instruction  Church Parades  Special Order  Football  Church Parades  Training  New Emplacements  Sanitation Can you add to this factual information? Do you know the whereabouts of a unit on a particular day? Do you have a copy of an official war diary entry? Details of an an incident? The loss of a ship? A letter, postcard, photo or any other interesting snipts? If your information relates only to an individual, eg. enlistment, award of a medal or death, please use this form: Add a story.

Killed, Wounded, Missing, Prisoner and Patient Reports published this day. This section is under construction.

Want to know more about 1st of April 1917? There are:58 items tagged 1st of April 1917 available in our Library   These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.

Remembering those who died this day, 1st of April 1917. Pte John Gleave Cotterill. 16th Btn. B Company Lancashire Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. John Thomas Daniels. 1st Bn. East Lancashire Reg Read their Story. Pte. William Davison. 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers Read their Story. Cpl. John W. Dixon. 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. Tom. Duffy. 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers Read their Story. Pte. Frederick George Hunt. 13th Btn. York and Lancaster Regiment Read their Story. Pte Edwin Sephton. 15th (1st Salford Pals) Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers Sgt. Henry Shaun Simmonds. 1/6th Btn. Essex Regiment Read their Story. Cpl. John Whitelock. 23rd (Tyneside Scottish) Btn Northumberland Fusiliers Read their Story. Cpl. John Whitelock. 23rd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers Pte. William Thomas Woodsell. 17th Btn. Highland Light Infantry Add a name to this list.

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