.Saturday August 24th, 1918
Reported sick, got three days light duty so I miss route march. Nice day.
The 9th Battalion
Losses during Germany’s Spring Offensive were horrendous and some Battalion’s were decimated. This happened to the 9th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment. Its casualty list after the first 10 days of fighting included 25 officers and 630 other ranks. Read the Battalion Diary for 21st to 31st March.
Since early April until mid-August the remnants of the 9th Battalion operated a Training Cadre working with the US Army draft.
As the British Army started to regroup for its own 100 Day Offensive, the 9th Battalion is reconstituted. It will now be part of the 199th Brigade of the 66th Division under Major-General Bethell.
As such on August 13th, it absorbed another Battalion of the Manchester’s, which Frank has belonged to since he arrived in Salonika, the 13th. A few days before, the 13th itself had absorbed the remnants of the 17th Battalion, also of the Manchester Regiment.
Lt Colonel JFB Morrell, long-term leader of the 13th, has assumed command of the newly reconstituted 9th Battalion. He will stay in this role until after the war’s end.
Officer Moves
Today, three new officers join the 9th Battalion and are assigned to various companies. I haven’t been able to trace either Lieutenant Spurling or Davies. However, Lt Richard John Walmsley Hibbs, 9392, formerly of the OTC and in the British Army since 1917, will be killed in action within eight weeks of joining the 9th.
Another man, Corporal Hamer, has been singled out as officer material and sent back to Blighty for training. It seems likely that the end of the war scuppers this potential progression. Hamer will remain a Corporal for the rest of his time with the Army.
9th Battalion / Manchester Regiment War Diary – 24th August 1918 – Haudricourt
Lt Col JFB Morrell MVO returned from leave to UK 23-8-18. Work on Bombing Course and Tactical Scheme for Officers and NCO. The undermentioned officers having reported are taken on strength and posted to Coys as shown dated 23-8-18:- Lt JA Spurling A Coy, Lt RJW Hibbs C Coy, 2Lt PHH Davies D Coy. No 8169 Cpl R Hamer having proceeded to UK as candidate for commission is struck off strength of the Bn from 23-8-18. 20 OR having reported for duty are taken on strength.
References & Further Reading
^ Q 103706, copyright Imperial War Museums