World War 1 time lines

• 2nd to 5th July
  Training
  • Saluting
  • Marching
  • Extended order signals
  • Platoon attack
  • Use of German machine guns
  • Lewis Guns
  • Grenadiers
  • Battalion attack (& demo for officers from Salonika)
• 6th to 26th July
  Moved to Berneville
  Cleaning equipment and new quarters
  Inoculations
  Training
  
  • • Saluting
    • Bayonet fighting
    • Marching
    • Ranges at Simencourt
    • Battalion attacks
    • Grenade practice
    • Musketry
    • Brigade Tactical Scheme attack
    • Rapid loading (with and without box respirators)

  Parades cancelled due to inoculations
  Brigade aquatic sports
  Bathing

• 25th July
  Letter from Cpl A.W. Cloete-Smith

  …
  Major D. Hunt was popular. No matter when and in the most unlikely places, he would come out with “Ha! Ha! Get your hair cut”. His way of getting new drafts was in this fashion :-
  “How many men, Sergeant-Major?”
  “Sixty men, Sir!”
  “Ha! Ha! One shell and you’ll all be dead. Ha! Ha! Get your hair cut.”
  …

• 27th July
  Moved to Bertincourt via Arras, Achiecourt-Le-Grand, Bapaume, Ytres
  Left billets in Berneville very clean

• 28th July
  Relieved 6th London Regiment as 9th Divisional Reserve
• 29th to 31st July
  Cleaning
  Working party
  Company commanders visited the line

Signed by D.M.MacLeod Lt.Col. Commdg 4th South African Infantry

• 1st Aug
  Inspected by IV Corps Commander (Lieutenant-General Charles Woollcombe)
• 2nd Aug
  Training
• 3rd Aug
  Relieved 2nd SAI in the line at Trescault
• 4th to 8th Aug
  Improving trenches fatigues for Royal Engineers
  Explosions in Havrincourt
  Wiring
• 9th Aug
  Relieved by 2nd SAI
  Moved to Metz-en-Couture as battalion  in Brigade reserve
• 10th to 16th Aug
  Working parties
• 17th Aug
  Moved back to the line in Trescault
• 18th Aug
  Artillery barrage on the enemy. Retaliation weak.
• 19th Aug
  2 killed by minenwerfer shelling
• 20th Aug
  Work as usual making new trench under supervision of Royal Engineers
  Minenwerfer causing great damage again with 2 more killed
  Minenwerfer knocked out by artillery fire
  Major Hunt & 5 officers attended burial at Metz-en-Couture of the 2 killed
• 21th Aug
  Subsector visited by Acting Brigadier and Divisional Commander
• 22nd to 24th Aug
  Trench warfare
• 25th Aug
  Visited by officers and ORs of the 36th Division
  Trench warfare
• 26th Aug
  Visited by Colonel Dalrymple and Acting Brigadier who personally fired a Lewis Gun at the enemy
  Lt.Col. MacLeod DSO proceeded on leave. Major C.M. Browne MC assumes command
• 27th Aug
  Inspected by officers and NCOs of the 36th Division
• 28th Aug
  Relieved by 10th Royal Irish Rifles
  Proceeded by light railway to Bus then marched to camp in Barastre
  Details under Major Hunt had moved in during the day and had the camp prepared

• 29th Aug
  Moved by bus to billets in Achiet-le-Petit
  Major D.R. Hunt assumed command with Major C.M. Browne as 2nd in command
• 30th Aug
  Cleaning up and making camp more comfortable
• 31st Aug
  Bayonet and Physical exercise
  Musketry
  Rapid loading
  Saluting
  Bathing

Signed by D.R. Hunt Major Temp Commdg 4th SA Infantry