17th to 19th September 1915 (Fri - Sun) 6 DAYS BEFORE BATTLE

17 to19th September 1915 (Fri - Sun)- 9th RWF War Diary

• Employed occasionally in working parties.

58th Brigade Head Quarters entry for the same day

• Nothing of Tactical interest to record. 
• There was a certain amount of shelling on both sides and trench mortars very active from enemy lines
• Good deal of work on his lines(?)
• 
  

Casualties

• 3 Killed
• 10 wounded

Movement

• None

Comments

• None

Image

I found this image of the 9th RW Fusiliers leaving for France 19th July 1915. Sam would be in this picture!!!

16th Sept 1915 - 9 days before battle

 16 and 17th September 1915 (Wed - Thu)- 9th RWF War Diary

• Employed occasionally in working parties.

58th Brigade Head Quarters entry for the same day

• Nothing to record

Casualties

• No recorded

Movement

• None

Comments

• None

Images of recruitment 

15th September 1915 - 10 days to go before battle

 15th September 1915 (Tue)- 9th RWF War Diary

10 days to go before the Battle of Loos

• Employed occasionally in working parties.

58th Brigade Head Quarters entry for the same day

• Enemy quite on the whole
• 9 RW Fusiliers relieved by Wilts in IND.1.C
• Relive completed by 9:10PM

Casualties

1 RW Fusilier, 3 Welch wounded

Movement

• As above 

Comments

• Quite

14th September 1915 - 11 days to go before battle

 14th September 1915 (Tue)- 9th RWF War Diary

11 days to go before the Battle of Loos

• Employed occasionally in working parties.

58th Brigade Head Quarters entry for the same day

• Enemy shelling on our Front at A3 and 5D also  XXXXX of LEES KEEP 
• He also opened MG (machine gun) and rifle fire against IND 1A and shrapnel about A.3.C.3.7
• About 9:40pm prevouse veneing on XXXX at A3C3.2 fired at and KILLED a patrol of 4 Germans.
• Belonged to 57th Regiment which has been in our front line for some time 
• at 2am everything opened!, Rifle MG and shrapnel fire against IND.1.C 
• Was Silenced by our artillery

Casualties

Lieut C F King - 9th cheshire, 1 man killed 9th Cheshire

Movement

• None

Comments

• A Very lively day and night!

Examples of what the shelling was like and what Sam would have seen

13th September 1915 - 12 days to go before battle

 13th September 1915 (Mon)- 9th RWF War Diary

12 days to go before the Battle of Loos

• Employed occasionally in working parties. 1 man wounded..

58th Brigade Head Quarters entry for the same day

• Another quite day
• Working parties active during the night. - Opposite IND 1B
• A shift is believed to have taken place (?)

Casualties

1 Killed 1 wounded 9 Cheshire

Movement

• None

Comments

• Sam and his mates are away from the trenches and on working parties until the 19th of Sept.

Some examples of what Sam would have have seen around the area.

12th September 1915 - 13 days to go before battle

 12th September 1915 (Sun)- 9th RWF War Diary

13 days to go before the Battle of Loos

• Nothing of interest to record

58th Brigade Head Quarters entry for the same day

• A quite day and nothing of interest tro record.

Casualties

1 Killed 1 wounded 9 Cheshire

Movement

• None

Comments

• Sam and his mates are away from the trenches and on working parties until the 19th of Sept.

It must have been something like this (this is not Sam's battalion)  

11th September 1915 - 14 days to go before battle

 11th September 1915 (Sat)- 9th RWF War Diary

14 days to go before the Battle of Loos

• a hostile aeroplane was brought down to our left 

58th Brigade Head Quarters entry for the same day

• Our machine guns opened fire on CRATER during the night to keep down enemy - working working parties(?)
• Every trench mortar was silenced by our artillery between 0900 - 0945 at s.27 C9.2
• A german aeroplane was brought down to our left. It fell within german lines and was destroyed by our artillery left
• IND 1.B was bombard by trench mortar between 0830 - 1000 - Slight damage to parapets(?)
• Relieved by the 9th Cheshire's. 

Casualties

2 welsh wounded

1 Wilts  wounded

Movement

• 9th RWF  IN BRIGADE RESERVE AT ESTAMINET CORNER

Comments

• Sam is now in a rest area but not very far back from the front line.
• The bombardment seems to be increasing and now very little rest from it
• The plane shot down clearly caused some excitement