December 1916 On this day: 124th Heavy Battery to 24th HAG   124th Heavy Battery, RGA transfer 24th Heavy Artillery Group from 29th HAG on 8th Dec 1916 Visibility again Bad   236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery report from Ypres. Visibility was again bad. At 1320 hostile medium Trench Mortarss opened fire on Winnifred Street and a scheme two was ordered. Enemy ceased fire before the scheme (with Heavy Artillery) was put into force, but the enemy did not retaliate. Enemy artillery remained inactive. War Diaries 33rd Bn AIF raiders patrol   Billets. Working parties supplied to AE. Patrol of Raiders under Lt. King visited railway salient. 33rd Btn Australian Imperial Force War Diary, La Chapelle-d'Armentières 33rd Battalion AIF Routine Order No.129    33rd BATTALION A.I.F. ROUTINE ORDER No.129 By Lieutenant-Colonel L J Morshead Commanding Armentières, 8 December 1916 FATIGUES 1260 Duty Co. will detail a fatigue party of two NCOs and 30 men to report to point where Port Egale Avenue crosses support line at 9 am on Saturday, 9th inst. A guide will meet the party at the above point. DAILY DUTIES 1261 Subaltern of the day: 2/Lt. BA Clarence Next for duty: 2/Lt. CP Kirby Regimental Orderly Sgt: Sgt. RH Blomfield Next for duty: Sgt. TGE Rush Regimental Orderly Cpl: Cpl. JA Williams Next for duty: Cpl. EA Turnbull TRENCH FEET 1262 Now that arrangements have been made for regular issue of dry socks and provisions made for an adequate supply of whale oil and waders - the existence of Trench Feet only reflects the gravest discredit on the units where cases occur. To ensure that Trench Feet regulations are properly enforced Company commanders will obtain from each Platoon Commander daily, in writing a certificate:, (A) that he has inspected the feet of every man in his platoon. (B) that every man has thoroughly had his feet rubbed with whale oil (preferably by a comrade). (C) that every man has put on a pair of dry socks. (D) that so far as his platoon is concerned all trench feet regulations have been observed. Certificates will be collected by Companies and handed in to Battalion HQ by 3 pm daily. Officers and NCOs in charge of specialist will render their certificates direct to Battalion Headquarters. R.S.M. is responsible for H.Q. details. LOSSES OF KIT 1263 In connection with previous orders making the individual soldier financially responsible for losses of kit, arms, etc and in order to emphasise this responsibility as soon as possible each Company Commander and Officer or NCO in charge of Specialists or H.Q. sections will arrange to hold a careful kit inspection on 10th inst. with a view to ascertaining losses by individuals and taking necessary action thereon. In future these inspections will be held as soon as practicable after Battalion comes out of the line. Fraternising With Enemy 1264 Under no circumstances must troops in the front line or patrols in No Man's Land be permitted to attempt to fraternise with the enemy during the Christmas season, whether by signs, signals, flags, messages or in any other manner. If the enemy attempts to open intercourse in this way no response whatever is to be made, except only in connection with the display by him of white flags under the regular conditions provided by the usages of war (See HNL 1914, page 263 et seq). Steps are to be taken to ensure that all troops engaged or likely to be engaged in the front line during Christmas are fully instructed in this matter. (Signed) RC Jones 2/Lt. Adjutant. 33rd Battalion A.I.F 33rd Btn Australian Imperial Force War Diary  Inspection  Ongoing winter training and inspections  Unspeakable Conditions Blockade Established   As a response to an attack upon French troops in Athens earlier in the month, the Allies imposed a blockade of Greece on 8th December 1916. The French official Journal published the text of the notice announcing the blockade of Greece the Allies: "The French Republic, being in agreement with its Allies in declaring a blockade of Greece, herewith announces the conditions under which it will take place. The blockade declared to effective from December 8th, 1916, eight o'clock in the morning. The Blockade applies to the coasts of Greece, including the islands Euboea, and Santa Maura, from point situated 39 degrees 20 north latitude, and 20 decrees east of Greenwich, point situated degress north latitude, and 20 degrees east of Greenwich, as well as the islands at present under the dependency occupation by the Greek Royalist authorities. Ships of neutral Powers in the blockaded ports may come out freely until December 12th, eight o'clock in the morning. Orders have been given to the Commander-in-Chief of the naval forces which are taking charge of the blockade to inform the local authorities of the present declaration." Another message states that the blockade will be maintained until Greece has furnished adequate reparation for the recent outrage against the Allies."    18th Durhams are in the Trenches. Very quiet. Enemy quiet, nothing to report. 2Lt Armstrong proceeded to take over duties of Town Major at Couin. 18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1  On Leave  Foggy  Reliefs  Quiet  A Livelier Enemy  Training  Reliefs Complete  Training  Quiet  Rain    Wire Examined  Training  Training  Training  On the March  Princes Island Hit  Reliefs  Reliefs  Defence Scheme  Move  Training  Holding the Line  Location Albert  Divisional Conferences  Conference at Divisional H.Q.  Quiet Day  Snipers reorganised 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 of December 1916? There are:36 items tagged of December 1916 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, of December 1916. Deck Hand Bertie Ernest Allen. H.M. Drifter Kent County. Read their Story. Pte. Samuel Cull. 6th (Morayshire) Battalion Seaforth Highlanders Pte. John MacNeil. 5th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders Rfmn. James Polston. 18th (London Irish Rifles) Btn. London Regiment Read their Story. Rfmn. James Polston. 18th (London Irish Rifles) Btn. London Regiment Read their Story. Add a name to this list.

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