Friday September 20th, 1918
Order for moving up line behind Arras
Towards Arras
Today the Battalion takes the first step in its journey towards Arras. This afternoon the Battalion will march to the railway station at Formerie – a distance of about 10 miles. There they will board a train which will leave for Penin at 7pm this evening.
Over the next few days they will pass through and sometimes be billeted at the places shown on this map.¹ They will spend several days in Manin and eventually arrive in Maricourt on October 1st.
The March to Formerie
The Operational Order issued yesterday provides a detailed description of the first stage in the Battalion’s journey towards Arras.
‘The order on the march will be HQ, D, C, Band, B, A Coys. Dress FSMO [Field Service Marching Order], steel helmets, capes or ground sheets on packs, water bottles filled, caps to be worn. Dismounted officers will wear FSMO. Band and drummers will parade in equipment with instruments. One man of band to be detailed to take charge of packs and rifles which will be carried on GS wagon.‘²
Frank and the band are clearly to be in the middle of the battalion on its march. As they are to be carrying their instruments, perhaps Frank will regret that his is the rather unwieldy-looking tuba. The good news is that it looks like their packs and rifles will be carried on a GS wagon.
Marching with a band playing must have been quite stirring.
Mobilization Equipment
The Band isn’t the only unit to be tasked with carrying specialist equipment.
‘The following mobilization equipment will be carried on the March by the men responsible:- wire cutters, band saws, field glasses, compasses, grenade discharger caps, rifle chamber cleaning rods, Bars & Strand Range Finders. Remainder of Coys mobilization equipment should be sent to QM stores for conveyance by GS wagon. Stretchers will be carried by stretcher bearers. The packs belonging to these men being conveyed by Maltese Cart.‘²
9th Battalion War Diary – 20th September 1918 – Haudricourt
Battalion marched to Formerie and entrained. Train left at 7pm. Entraining state, 27 Officers, 763 OR, 17 vehicles, 53 animals.
References & Further Reading
¹ © Google Map of the Battalion’s route
² Extracts from Operation Order No 1, issued Sept 19th and attached to the 9th Battalion War Diary for September 1918. Source – the National Archive at Kew