Tuesday July 30th, 1918
Light duty. Flu rages amongst the troops. Lovely day. Mail up – one from home.
Absorbing the 17th Manchesters?
According to a variety of sources, today the 13th Battalion absorbed the remnants of the 17th Battalion, also of the Manchester Regiment. This has not been mentioned yet in the BWD.
That said, the General Officer Commanding the 199th Brigade, Brigadier General Williams is visiting the camp today. Perhaps he is sharing information with the Battalion’s Lieutenant Colonel Morrell. Ostensibly, he is inspecting the Serbian Barrels. These are being used to fumigate and delouse the soldiers’ clothing and bedding.
Programme of Work and Training (July 30th to August 4th)
A new training programme has been created for the 13th. It will start tomorrow and each of the four companies will rotate through it. Those companies not training will spend their mornings labouring on the assault courses, bombing pits and trenches.
Some of the training includes musketry work – particularly ‘rapid loading and snapshooting while wearing gas masks‘. The two techniques are closely related.
Rapid loading is essential to rapid firing and snapshooting. It requires the soldier to load from the shoulder, count each round and slightly tilt the rifle to the right to facilitate ejection of the spent cartridge. The test for rapid fire is getting 10 rounds off within a minute, eight of which are good shots.²
The photograph show troops of the 2/16th Battalion, London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster Rifles) carrying out rapid fire training in 1915.*
Snapshooting is getting in an effective shot within the shortest possible time. It is taught in a similar manner to rapid firing. The test requires the soldier to get each shot off within 4 seconds and declare his point of aim. ² Both rapid fire and snapshooting tests are carried out in the prone position.
Recreation & Readiness
There is to be some in-built recreation. For the officers there will be a riding class each day at 3pm. At the same time, the troops will watch and participate in the Inter-Platoon Football Competition. Read more about football and the professional game in WWI here.
The Programme also provides some general instructions. ‘Box Respirators will be carried at the ‘Alert’ on all parades and Gas Training practised daily at unexpected moments.’
‘Whenever the range can be obtained, it will be allotted to Lewis Gunners and Snipers, on application.’
Clearly the 13th is getting ready for battle.
13th (Service) Battalion War Diary – 30th July 1918 – Haudricourt, France
Work as per programme (Appendix No 3). The GOC 199 Brigade visited the camp and inspected the Serbian Barrels which are now in use. Capt JP Goldschmidt returned off leave. Lt VHD de Jongh is struck off the effective strength on evacuation to the 8th General Hospital Rouen with effect from 23-7-18. 2Lt J Schofield returns from hospital.
References & Further Reading
¹ Regiments on The Long Long Trail
² ‘ The Musketry Teacher, A Complete Guide for Instructors of Musketry‘ by Captain A Morris, 7th Royal Fusiliers, 1915, Gale & Polden Ltd., London, 1915, pages 34-36
* Q 53719, copyright Imperial War Museums