The 8th KORL spends the first part of the month in both skills and physical training.
The C.O. of the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards (Reggie’s own Regiment) watches the 8th KORL practice an attack on the 17th and, on the 18th, the battalion moves north to camp west of Ypres in preparation for an attack on the 26th.
The camp is not in a good state and the battalion spends time making it habitable.
The battalion is in position for the attack at 12.45 am on the 26th and has to wait a long 5 hours for zero hour.
The Battle of Polygon Wood was launched at 5.50am on the 26th September. The 8th KORL succeed in taking Tokio and Mühle Farms on the outskirts of Zonnebeke and hold on to those positions until relieved on the 29th.
- 1st Sep
Hostile snipers active
Elephant shelters continued - 2nd Sep
Relieved by 10th Royal Welsh Fusiliers
Marched to Frémicourt
Brigadier congratulated batt on work done during tours in the line - 3rd Sep
Cleaning
Baths
Junior mess played Seniors at Rounders - 4th Sep
Physical drill & games
Inter-platoon Rounders
Evening concert - 5th Sep
Physical drill & games
Inter-platoon Rounders
Relieved at Frémicourt by 7th Middlesex
Marched to Barastre - 6th to 17th Sep
Platoon drill
Bayonet fighting
Attack practice
Extended order drill
Musketry
Lewis gunners practice
Rifle grenadiers practice
Sectional rushes
Rounders
Hockey
C.O. of Col. Hunt’s Regt (King’s Dragoon Guards) came to see batt in attack in the afternoon of 10th
Boxing vs. K.D.G. - 18th Sep
Moved from Barastre
Train from Bapaume to Godewaersvelde
Marched to camp 2 miles West of Watou - 19th Sep
In camp near Watou - 22nd Sep
Moved from Watou to Brandhoek - 23rd Sep
Moved to camp south of Ypres - 24th Sep
Attack practice under the C.O.
Relieved 13th King’s (Liverpool) in the support line
Note received from Major-General C.J. Deverell exhorting the 3rd Division towards the taking of Zonnebeke - 25th Sep
H.Q. Moved to Hannebeek Wood
At Battn H.Q. Col. Hunt (C.O.), Capt. Morgan (Adjt), Capt. Whittaker (Asst. Adj.) - 26th Sep
Battle of Polygon Wood incl. attack on Zonnebeke
Zero hour: 5.50am
7.10am Message that “B” Coy had reached its objective
9.10am Capt Whittaker visited Coys at Mühle and Tokio farms – Shelling heavy
10.15am C.O. & 2/Lt. Williams started for new line.
10.45am Report from 50th Australian Imperial “Red Line Garrisoned” Casualties high
2.15pm Message from “A” Coy for permission to return to Mühle owing to execptionally heavy shelling. C.O. replied to the effect that “A” Coy must hold on at all costs.
4.0pm Message that only 15 men of “B” Coy left
4.55pm The C.O. of the Suffolks asked for one of our Coys to reinforce his front line. At the same time and enemy counter-attack was spotted massing in front of our line. It was caught by our artillery and smashed up.
9.20pm C.O. went to Bde to report on situation etc.
11.20pm Shelling normal - 27th Sep
5.00am Shelling normal
5.25am Lieut. Phipps withdrew his men from Draught House as the Australians had taken over
6.30am Parties of German stretcher-bearers collecting wounded in the rear of their front lines
7.15am Situation unchanged
2.15pm Shelling on Steenbeck Valley and Mühle Ridge rather heavy
6.45pm Counter-attack on left
8.15pm Rations and Lewis guns arrived
8.40pm Shelling less intense - 28th Sep
1.45pm Brigade notified us that we would be relieved by 9th Batt A.I.F. on the night of the 29/30th Sept - 29th Sep
During the night the back areas were shelled
Front area quieter than usual~
12.5pm The C.O. of relieving Batt visited our H.Q.
Batt relieved by the 34th Bn A.I.F. complete by 11.55pm
Batt arrived in camp (South of Ypres) at 2.15am - 30th Sep
Left camp at Ypres (South)
Moved in buses to Winnezeele
War diary of the 8th KORL signed by Capt. Whittaker
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