Monday September 23rd, 1918
Kit inspection 10:30. Practice. Orderly man.
198th Brigade
The Battalion Diary today notes that the 6th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers have left the 199th Brigade to join the 198th. They have been replaced in the 199th by the 18th Bn of the King’s Liverpool Regiment.
The 198th now comprises 5th Bn, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers; 6th Bn, the Royal Dublin Fusiliers; the 198th Trench Mortar Battery; and, as of yesterday, the 6th Lancashire Fusiliers.º
The 199th is now made up of the reconstituted 9th Bn, the Manchester Regiment; 5th Bn, the Connaught Rangers; the 199th Trench Mortar Battery; and, as of four days ago, the 18th Bn, the King’s Liverpool Regiment.
66th Division
These changes have come about partly because the 197th Brigade of the 66th Division has now been disbanded. Two of its battalions, as noted above, the 6th Bn, the Royal Dublin Fusiliers and the 18th Bn, the King’s Liverpool have moved to the 198th and 199th respectively. Yesterday, its third battalion, the 9th of the Gloucestershire Regiment, became Divisional Pioneer Bn 22.
Ten days ago, the 197th was effectively replaced in the Division by the South African Brigade which joined from the 9th (Scottish) Division. It comprises the 1st, 2nd and 4th Regiments of the South African Infantry together with the South African Trench Mortar Battery.¹
There will be no more changes before the end of the war. This is the composition of the 66th Division that Major-General Bethell and his Brigade commanders will lead to battle.
9th Battalion War Diary – 23rd September 1918 – Manin
Training, consisting of organizing Coys into 4 platoons of 4 sections each and practice in attack formation. The bounds of the Battalion billet area are the limits of the village. The 6th Lancs Fusiliers have now joined the 198th Brigade and the 18th (Lancs Hussars Yeomanry) King’s Liverpool Regt has now joined the 199th Infantry Brigade. Brigade HQ are at Izel-les-Hameau and 66th Division at Le Cauroy. 5th Connaught Rangers are at Izel near Brigade HQ and 18th Liverpool Regt at Givenchy-le-Noble.
The Divisional Commander has decided that a pack will be carried and not a haversack. ‘Battle Order’ therefore will consist as under:- steel helmet, box respirator, 150 rounds in pouches (web) or 120 rounds in pouches (leather), entrenching tool (left behind if a spade is carried), pack towel and soap, holdall complete, oil can, 1 pair laces, 2 days rations (including iron rations), 1 pair socks, 20 rounds SAA (in pack if web) or 50 rounds SAA (in pack if leather), oil sheet. Any extra ammunition to be carried in bandoliers. When grenades are carried (at present at discretion of CO), 6 rifle grenades and 100 rounds SAA to be carried by 3 men per rifle section.
2 OR are struck off the effective strength on admission to hospital whilst on leave in UK with effect from 18-9-18. 8 OR having been classed unfit are struck off the effective strength 21-9-18. Lt VHP de Jongh is struck off the effective strength on being medically boarded with effect from 12-9-18. 36 OR ‘Y scheme’ men are struck off the effective strength on proceeding to 23rd Reinforcement Camp Haudricourt 21-9-18.
References & Further Reading
º 198th (East Lancashire) Brigade on Revolvy
¹ 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division on The Long Long Trail