War Diary of the 18th Battalion: March 1916

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
	1		Battn in SP trenches. Operation orders for cooperation in attacks on INTERNATIONAL trench on our left (attached). Bombardment commenced 5 pm until 5.30 pm. This was kept up during the night of March ½ becoming very intense about 2.30 A.M. 20^th Can Bn was on our right and East Yorks (Imp) on our left. 5 o.r. admitted to hospital.
	2	5 AM 8 pm	Our position as yesterday. Bombardment intense until 5.15 A.M. 18^th Bn did not take part in attack. Artillery on both sides very active all night.B Coy. relieved D Coy. At dusk enemy proceeded counter attacks by trench bombardment. This attack was not made on our front. Casualties 5 o.r. killed 15 o.r. wounded.
	3		Our position as yesterday. 2 o.r. admitted to hospital. 24 o.r. as reinforcements.
	4		Our position as yesterday. 1 o.r. admitted to hospital. 2 o.r. returned from hospital. 5 o.r. struck off strength of Battn.
	5	7 p.m.	Battn relieved by 19^th Can Bn 18^th Battalion in Div Reserve at LA CLYTTE. CAPT. G.H. EMERY admitted to hospital. 2 o.r. killed in action. 3 o.r. returned from hosp. LIEUT RISPIN returned to Battn after having been temporarily attached to 1^st Bgde Staff.
LA CLYTTE	6		Battn in Div Reserve. Feet inspection and Bath parades. 3 o.r. admitted to hospital. 2 o.r. returned from hospital.
Do	7	3 pm	Battn in Div Reserve. Coy’s clothing and pay parades. LA CLYTTE shelled lightly, Billets untouched. 2 o.r. admitted to hospital. 2 o.r. returned from hospital.Fatigue party of 250 men repairing support trenches S.P.8.
	8		Battn in Div Reserve. Paraded as yesterday. Fatigue party 500 men repairing support trenches in 4^th Bgde area. 5 o.r. admitted to hospital. 1 o.r. returned from hospital.
	9		Battn in Div Reserve. Coy parades and inspection. 2 o.r. admitted to hosp.
	10		-Ditto- [Battn in Div Reserve] Coy parades. LIEUT. R.H. SHEFFIELD arrived as reinforcment. 1 o.r. (wounded) admitted to hospital. Part II orders #11 show following officers struck off strength of Battn:MAJOR G.J. INGRAM transferred to C.T.D. SHORNCLIFFE. MAJOR A.C. PRINCE transferred to C.T.D. SHORNCLIFFE. CAPT. W.D. PERRY dismissed from His Majesty’s service. MAJOR R. EMMERTON transferred to England. CAPT. A.B. LAING transferred to England.
	11		Battn Relieved the 19^th Can Bn in trenches S.P.8. ‘A’ and ‘B’ Coys in trenches. D Coy Battn Reserve (DEAD DOG FARM) C Coy Battn reserve (RIDGEWOOD) on our right 20^th Can Bn on our left. 2 groups of patrols were out. Everything quiet. 35 reinforcements arrived. LIEUT. J. BEESON admitted to hospital.
	12		Position as of yesterday. Patrols out as usual. Nothing usual to report.
	13		Position as of yesterday. 1 o.r. killed in action. 1 o.r. wounded. 4 o.r. admitted to hospital.
	14	7 pm	Position as of yesterday. Relieved ‘B’ Coy. B Coy in Battn Reserve (RIDGEWOOD). C Coy in Battn Reserve (DEAD DOG FARM). 1 o.r. killed in action. 1 o.r. wounded. 1 o.r. admitted to hospital. 10 o.r. returned from hospital. LIEUT K.D. McKay returned from hospital.
	15		Position as of yesterday. LIEUT K.D. McKay admitted to hospital. LIEUT. KERR reports to 4^th Can Bgde C.F.A. 1 o.r. died of wounds. 4 o.r. admitted to hospital.
	16		Position as of yesterday. LIEUT. A.H. BURTON invalided and transferred to England and struck off strength of the Battn. 2 o.r. admitted to hospital. 1 o.r. returned from hospital.
	17		Battn relieved by 19^th Can Bn 18^th Battalion in Brigade Reserve. B, C, + D coys at RIDGEWOOD. A coy at HALLEBAST CORNER. 1 o.r. (wounded) admitted to hospital. 2 o.r. returned from hospital. Part II orders #12 shoe 18 o.r. struck off strength of battn. 40 o.r. arrived as reinforcements.
RIDGEWOOD	18		Position as of yesterday. 3 o.r. returned from hospital.
Do	19		Position as of yesterday. Battn payed. Routine.
Do	20		Position as of yesterday. 49 o.r. arrived as reinforcements. 1 o.r. (wounded) admitted to hospital.
Do	21		Position as of yesterday. LIEUTS. J.C. CULLEN and R.C. MITCHELL [this may be Lt. Robert Oswald Mitchell] arrived as reinforcements. . 2 o.r. (wounded) admitted to hospital. 10 o.r. returned from hospital.
	22	6 pm	Battn relieved 58^th Can Bn in trenches M + N. A + B Coys in trenches. C + D coys in Battn Reserve at VIERSTRAAT. 20^th Can Bn on our left 22^nd Can Bn on our right. 3 o.r. admitted to hospital.
	23		Position as of yesterday. (attached) letter received from Canadian Corps.
	24		Position as of yesterday. LIEUT. V.N. SMALLPIECE attached to Battn for instruction and posted to ‘A’ Coy. 20 o.r. admitted to hospital.
	25	7 pm	C + D coys relieved A + B in trenches. A + B in Battn reserve at VIERSTRAAT. CAPT. T.C. LAMB, CAPT. McKEOUGH, LIEUT. W.J. BAXTER and 22 o.r. proceeded on leave Part II orders no 13 show. 10 o.r. struck off strength of Battn.
	26		Position as of yesterday. 1 o.r. arrived as reinforcement. Nothing unusual.
	27		Position as of yesterday. 4.15 A.M. several mines fired under THE MOUND at ST. ELOI by the Division on our left. Our artillery cooperated in making heavy bombardment on enemy trenches and support under cover of which the NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS and ROYAL FUSILIERS made an attack. This attack was made on our left. 2 o.r. Killed in action. 6 o.r. wounded admitted to hospital.. 2 o.r. returned from hospital.
	28	7 pm	Battn relieved by 19^th Can Bn. 18^th Can Bn in Divisional Reserve LA CLYTTE. A Coy detailed to take over trenches P.1.2+3. 6 o.r. admitted to hospital (wounded).
	29		C + D Coys in Divisional Reserve. Bath and clothing parades. LIEUTS J.A. CANE, A.S. ALLEN and D.M. NORTHCOMBE arrived as reinforcements. MAJOR L.E. JONES who has been commandant of the Trench Warfare School returned to duty with the Battn. 1 o.r. (wounded) admitted to hosp. 1 o.r. returned from hospital.
	30	6 pm	B coy relieved A coy in trenches P1. A, C + D Coys in Divisional reserve at LA CLYTTE. Clothing parade. 4 o.r. killed in action. 13 o.r. admitted to hospital (8 wounded). 1 o.r. returned from hospital.
	31		Position as of yesterday. A Coy clothing and bath parade. 2 platoons of D Coy moved to strengthen B Coy in trenches P1. During night of March 30/31 enemy shelling became very heavy. 3 o.r. returned from hospital.