23rd April 1915 On this day: Allies close gap near Ypres   The 2nd Buffs and 3rd Middlesex holding the line at the cross roads in the centre of Sint Jan, were joined by the 5th Kings Own and the 1st York and Lancs, to form the Geddes Detachment under the command of Col Geddes of the Buffs. They joined with the Canadian Division to fill the gap left by the French Colonials who had fled under a gas attack the previous evening. Later in the day the Geddes Detachment was reinforced and the seven battalions counter-attacked as part of a wider effort to stabilise the line. Daily Battery Activity 6th London Brigade RFA    6th County of London Brigade RFA report 16th london Bty began to register a new zone, but the Observing Officer was shelled out of his observation station. Later 16th Bty registered trenches from S.27A.0.3 to A.3.A.0.5, 23 rounds fired. Ranges 3375-3575 yards. 17th London Bty did not fire. 15th London Bty came into position again from reserve, at daybreak 23rd April 1915. The 15th & 16th Batteries are now under the tactical command of Colonel Hall RA (36th Brigade RFA), the 17th Bty remains under the tactical command of Colonel Parry (34th Brigade RFA). Brigade Headquarters moved from the banks of the La Bassee to Loisne. War Diaries In Action   1st Battalion, Royal Scots are fighting at Sanctuary Wood, Zillebeke, Belgium in the Second Battle of Ypres.  On the march Transfer of horsed wagons   Orders received by 19th Field Ambulance at Erquinghem-Lys for the seven horsed ambulance wagons to be sent to No. 1 Co. 6th Divisional Train this morning, with drivers and horses. The motor ambulance wagon sent by the ADMS 6th Division has been sent to the 16th Field Ambulance. War diary RAMC 19th Field Ambulance, Erquinghem-Lys  Reliefs    E Battery 3rd Brigade RHA With 5th Cavalry Brigade in reserve. Started at 1130 and marched to Boeschepe where went into bivouac at 2000 - very cold.  Under attack  Troop concentrations  Northunberlands Transferred  Concentration  Moving forward  Occupying the Line  Directives received  Divisional Movements  Cancelled movement  Delays  Urgent Moves  Brigade to 5th Corps  Artillery Placement  Instruction  Brigade Moves  7th Northumberlands on the March  Training  Noxious Gases  Galantry in Bayonet charge    April 23rd 1915 To The Committee of the County Battalion The Durham Light Infantry There will be no meeting of the Committee at Cocken Hall on Monday the 26th inst. There is little that requires immediate attention; and probably only half the Battalion will be there. Orders were received by telephone on the morning of the 21st that the Battalion was to proceed to camp near Blagdon immediately - I believe the same evening. Colonel Bowes very wisely decided that the Garden Party which had been decided to be held that afternoon - together with a show parade - should not be interfered with; and it was the means of collecting together something like 2000 people, friends and relatives of the members of the Battalion. After consultation with him I decided to try and postpone the departure of the Battalion for a few days, if possible; and therefore, at about 5 p.m. I telephoned to York, only to find that all the arrangements had been counterordered an hour previously; and that 400 men and officers were to entrain, at two hours notice, for Middlesbrough, for what York described as "an emergency." The entraining was carried out without a hitch; and 710 men and 23 officers, horses, etc., are at present in Middlesbrough. Colonel Bowes has, however, applied that the Battalion shall be allowed to reassemble at Cocken before they finally go into camp elsewhere. Major Tristram - who unfortunately has had rather a serious fall - is meanwhile in Command at Cocken. If the Battalion is to move at this short notice there is sure to be trouble in future with the Contractor; which, however, will, of course, lie upon the shoulders of York. The second Depot Company grows very slowly. At present there are about 1400 of all ranks, of whom we shall lose 8 special artificers, who go back to their firms for the manufacturing of armaments. A new cook house must be provided. I propose to go on with this quite independent of the 18th (Service) Battalion leaving Cocken, as it must be provided for the incoming Battalion; about which I am writing to York. About half of the men have been vaccinated; which, of course, would not have been done had we known of the move. Durham at War Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. http://dcc-live-s3.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/D_CG-5_194-County-Battalion_transcript.pdf  On the March  In Billets  On the Move  Delay  Transports Sail  Route March  Orders  Orders  2nd/5th Battalion East Kent (The Buffs)  On the March  Orders  Training  Reliefs  Gun Fire  Holding the Line Ordered to Move   Operation Order No24 by Brigadier General J.F. Riddell Commanding Northumberland Brigade Winnezeele 23rd of April 1915 1. The Brigade will move off at once by march route to Brandhoek via Watou and Poperinghe. 2. Troops will move as per margin, the head of the 5th Bn will pass the cross roads at Droglandt at 1.15 pm H.Q. Northumberland Brigade 5th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers 6th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers 7th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers 4th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers 1st Northumberland Field Coy R.E 1st Northumberland Field Ambulance No 2 Coy A.S.C. Train 3. First line transport will be brigaded under the Senior transport Officer and will follow the Field Coy RE in the order of march of their respective units. 4. Baggage and Supply wagons will join the train. 5. Reports to head of 5th Northumberland Fusiliers. Issued at 12.45 pm to representatives of units 149th Brigade war diary  Reliefs  Ready  Arrivals  Reliefs  Report  Reliefs  Battalion moved.  On the Move  Quiet Night  In Billets  Holding the Line  At 0130 hours Brigade bombers made a demonstration  Holding the Line  In Billets  Germans take French Line  R.E. Officer visited H.Q. and gave work to be done.  Recruitment  Artillery in Action  On the March  Orders  On the March  Operational Order No.3  First Loss  Training  Trench Work & Artillery Exchange Can you add to this factual information? Do you know the whereabouts of a unit on a particular day? 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Remembering those who died this day, 23rd of April 1915. Pte. Edward Allabyrne. 2nd Btn. East Yorkshire Regiment Read their Story. Lt.Col. Arthur Percival Birchall. Royal Fusiliers Sub.Lt. Rupert Chawner Brooke. Hood Battalion Read their Story. Pte. Henry Devlin. 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers Read their Story. L/Corp Frederick Fisher. VC 13th (Royal Highlanders of Canada) Battalion Pte. Freddy Fox. 1st Btn York and Lancaster Regiment Read their Story. Pte. Robert Alexander Grant. 1st Battalion Royal Scots Read their Story. Ernest Hancock. 1st/8th Battallion Middlesex Regiment Read their Story. Burgher Willem Adriaan Laubscher. Clanwilliam Commando Mounted Commandos Read their Story. L/Cpl John Linkston. 1st Btn (Queens Own) Cameron Highlanders Pte. James Lucie. 1/8th Btn. Middlesex Regt Read their Story. Pte. Robert William Middleton. 2nd Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment Pte. William Milne. 1st Battalion "C" Coy. Royal Scots Read their Story. Bmbdr. Emmanuel Rowland. No. 3 Depot Royal Garrison Artillery Read their Story. Sgt. Johan Schwarzott. Read their Story. Pte. William Hall Hall Snowdon. 2nd Btn. Kings Own Scottish Borderers Read their Story. Pte. Joseph Ward. 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment Read their Story. Pte. David Lynn Wharton. 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers Read their Story. Lt. N. M. Young. 1st Battalion Royal Scots Read their Story. Add a name to this list.

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