May 1-3, 1917. MANIN. During this period, the Battalion rested. Time was also given to cleaning up and refitting generally.
May 3, 1917. Training was carried out under company arrangements. Platoon drill, and musketry specialists were trained in the afternoon under the specialist offices.
May 4, 1917. Training carried out as yesterday. Lieut. E A H Fenn, having rejoined the Battalion from duty as town mayor at GOUY-EN-TERNOIS, was posted to B company for duty.
May 5, 1917. The Commanding Officer judged all companies in field firing and rapid wiring in order to select one company to represent the Battalion in the Brigade field firing and rapid wiring competitions. A company was selected for field firing and C company for rapid wiring.
May 6, 1917. The Brigade Thanksgiving and Memorial Service was held; the Battalion spent the remainder of the day resting. Capt. B R Newman, on joining the Battalion, was posted to C Company as Company Commander.
May 7, 1917. The rifle range situated in the village was allotted to the Battalion. Two companies used range throughout the day. A company, having been selected to represent the 63rd Brigade in the Divisional Field Firing Competition, was conveyed in lorries to LIGNEREUIL to complete. On the return, the result was unknown. 2nd Lieut’s. A G Mitchell and R F T Irwin were granted leave to Paris until 11th of May. 2nd Lieut. J Jamison joined the Battalion and was posted to D company for duty.
May 8, 1917. Training was carried out on the Company Commander’s arrangements. Bombing was included.
May 9-10, 1917. Training was carried out as usual. 2nd Lieut. W T Faro was admitted to hospital sick. 2nd Lieut. J H Woods was admitted to hospital sick. Ration strength 539.
May 11, 1917. Training was carried on with. C company marched off to take part in the divisional rapid wiring competition. C company won this competition, representing 63rd Infantry Brigade.
May 12, 1917. In the morning, training was carried out under company assignments. The afternoon was devoted to recreational training. No. 11218 Sgt. Davis W, 6581 Lance Sgt. Hodges T, and 3969 Lance Cpl. Hoare S were awarded the Military Medal.
May 13 – 14th 1917. Training was carried out on the company assignments. Capt. E Belfield, upon joining the Battalion, assumed command of D Company. Capt. M D Fitzgibbon, upon joining, assumed command of A Company.
May 15, 1917. A brigade tactical scheme was carried out in the afternoon. The Battalion remained in billets. Heavy rain fell all the afternoon.
May 16, 1917. The Battalion was inspected by the COG 63rd Infantry Brigade in the morning. The remainder the day was given to bathing and musketry. Capt. A D Sharp was admitted to hospital sick; Lieut. S H Ensing joined the Battalion as Medical Officer. To celebrate the occasion of ALBUHERA DAY, a pint of beer was issued free to every NCOs and man.
May 17, 1917. It had been intended to carry out a brigade tactical scheme, but, owing to the very bad weather, this was canceled. The Corps Cmdr. visited the Battalion in billets, and inspected one company on the rifle range. In the afternoon the Corps Cmdr. gave a lecture at Divisional Headquarters, at which, the Commanding Officer and all Company Commanders were present.
May 18, 1917. The Battalion moved to SIMENCOURT via NOYELLE-VION, LATTRE St QUENTIN and WANQUETIN. Here the Battalion was billeted for one night in huts, accommodation for all ranks was somewhat cramped up. 2nd Lieut. L W Andreal proceeded to 63rd Infantry Brigade as Brigade Sniping Officer. Division is being transferred to VI (or Center) Corps from XVII (or left). (Battle of ARRAS area).
May 19, 1927. SIMENCOURT. The Battalion moved to ACHICOURT, a suburb of ARRAS, and was there billeted in houses and barns; these billets were in poor condition when entered and a great deal of cleaning up was required before they were fit for habitation.
May 20, 1917. ACHICOURT. Voluntary church services took place in the morning; in the afternoon communication and bombing drills were carried out.
May 21, 1917. Training was carried out under company arrangements. ________ under the specialist offices.
May 22, 1917. Training was carried out as yesterday. The baths were allotted to the Battalion. The Commanding Officer and two Company Commanders proceeded to reconnoiter the forward area about GUEMAPPES. Very bad weather prevailed throughout the day. Major M C C Meyer joined the Battalion and took over duties as second-in-command.
May 23, 1917. A party of 100 men were employed in building an assault course. Otherwise training was carried out as usual.
May 24, 1917. The party of 100 men were again employed in building an assault course. A party of 2 NCOs and 12 men was sent out to slave petrol tins and brought back 30.
May 25, 1917. The salvage party again went out and bought in 91 petrol tins and various other articles. 2nd Lieut. F De Val and 5 other ranks joined the Battalion. 2nd Lieut. De Val was posted to C Company. Offices Commanding A and D Companies reconnoitered the frontline, which was to be occupied by the Battalion.
May 26, 1917. The salvage party brought in 125 petrol teens. Lieut. E A H Fenn proceeded on leave to the United Kingdom.
May 27, 1917. An open air Service Parade was held in the morning. The afternoon was free for all ranks.
May 28, 1917. The morning and afternoon were devoted to cleaning up billets. At 7:15 PM, the head of the Battalion moved to relieve 13th KRR in the Hindenburg Line near Tilly and in Devil’s Wood. The relief completed by 11 PM. The Battalion was situated in Devil’s Wood at G.36 b. 63rd brigade is now brigade in support, 111th relieving 112th which goes into reserve.
May 29, 1915. TILLDY. The Battalion in trenches and shell holes in Devil’s Wood. The day was devoted to salving on the battlefield of 9 April 1917.
May 30, 1917. The Battalion acted as duty battalion from midnight to midnight. At 4 AM, the Battalion stood to until 4:45 AM. Salving was carried out during the day with considerable success. Bathing took place in the morning. In the afternoon there was a very heavy thunderstorm, when Battalion Headquarters was flooded by about 9 inches of water. The Battalion was detailed to find 200 men for a working party on Gordon Trench, but the order was canceled on account of the state of the ground after the storm. Extract from London Gazette:- 2nd Lieut. A G Mitchell to be Lieut. Temporary 2nd Lieut. L C Thompson to be Temporary Lieut., Lieut. Col. W I Bowen, Lieut. Col. H P F Bicknell, Capt. S A Willis and 2nd Lieut. R G Williams were all mentioned in dispatches of Sir Douglas Haig.
May 31, 1917. The Battalion was relieved by the 2nd Buckingham Regiment and proceeded to Arras to be billeted in the Schramm Barracks. No casualties due to enemy this month.
4th Battalion Middlesex Regiment 