Saturday September 21st, 1918
Leave camp for entraining 2pm. Entrained 7pm. Arrive at destination 5:30am. Marched to Penin arrive in barn for billet. Attached to headquarters company.
Travelling Overnight
Yesterday, the Battalion boarded the train at Formerie station. Travelling overnight, they arrived at Tincques station early this morning and marched to Penin. Frank and his comrades are billeted in a barn there.
Field Service Marching Order (FMSO)
In line with the instructions in yesterday’s Operational Order, all the men and any officer who is not on horseback are wearing FMSO. Thanks to the Great War Forum, we know that this means the men are dressed in and carrying the following:
Find out more here about the ammunition, rifle & pull through, the housewife and the iron rations. More information about FMSO can be found in the Field Service Pocket Book 1914.²
Weight of a soldier’s FSMO
The War Office actually calculated what weight this would mean the infantry man was required to carry. The original calculation was worked out to the ¼ ounce. The line items in this table are rounded up and down.²
In certain circumstances the FSMO standard could be deviated from. For example, the War Office calculated that removing the pack and its contents would reduce the amount a soldier had to carry by just less than 12 lbs. This would allow him to carry an additional 100 .303 calibre bullets in two cotton bandoliers and his total equipment would still be almost 6 lbs lighter.
In the coming days, no less than the GOC of the Division will get involved in what the men are or are not going to carry. This is merely the starting point.
9th Battalion War Diary – 21st September 1918 – Penin
Battalion arrived Penin 6am after detraining at Tincques. Battalion rested in billets. 3 OR having rejoined are taken on from 19-9-18.
References & Further Reading
¹ Field Service Marching Order thread on the Great War Forum
² Extract from ‘Field Service Pocket Book 1914’, General Staff, The War Office, Chapter 7, Field Kits, p193