Home of the Infantry Regiments of Berkshire and Wiltshire
War Diary
Detail
1918-01-30
| Regiment | 1/4th Wiltshire |
|---|---|
| Location | Palestine, W13 a24 |
| Entry | On instructions of GOC 233rd Brigade a patrol, strength 7 Officers and 150 OR left our lines with the object of demolishing the RED ROOFED HOUSE East of MEZEIRAH (U25 a96). The route had previously reconnoitered by day and night. 1733. 2/Lt LENTON and 31 OR acommpanied by Capt WAYLEN RAMC and stretcher bearers moved out and took up a position on OOMDRAAIS KOP to cover the advance and withdrawel of the patrol. 1800. The patrol under Capt H W ELLIOT, and with him Lieuts E T EVANS and D SAINSBURY, 2Lt G S MESSENGER, and Lieut COVENEY, left our lines and proceeded by wadi running East of TIREH HILL to [W1 c80], and thence West of KULEH to the objective. No enemy was encountered. 2050. RED ROOFED HOUSE was surrounded and entered and covering parties went E,N and W of the building. The house was found to be unoccupied and showed no signs of recent occupation. The building was two storeyed, of solid structure and contained two rooms on the ground floor and one in the upper floor. Four charges of gun cotton, 200 lbs in all, were laid, tamped with 24 sandbags of earth, and exploded by electric contact. 2125. Explosion occurred and the house was completely demolished. After the explosion the Patrol withdrew by the same route as it went out without encountering the enemy and arrived in our lines at 2240. SECRET 1st/4th Wiltshire Regiment - Orders for Night Patrol Copy No 9 28.1.18 Order No 1 B Reference Map - Palestine Sheet xiv 085. 1. Enemy are occupying Posts:- (a) Red House E of MEZEIRAH (U25 a96). (b) OP NW of RED HOUSE (U19 a22). (c) OP E of RED HOUSE (U25 b69) 2. GOC 233rd Brigade directs that RED HOUSE is to be demolished. A patrol will proceed to RED HOUSE on the night of 30/1/18 - 31.1.18. with the object of seizing the occupants and demolishing the House. 3. Details of Patrol;- OC Captain H W A ELLIOT A Section Lieut E T EVANS No 4 Coy with 24 OR B Section Lieut D SAINSBURY No 2 Coy with 40 OR Carrying Party 2Lt G S MESSENGER and 20 OR No 2 Coy and 10 OR No 4 Coy Support Party 2Lt W G LENTON No 4 Coy with 30 OR A Section will include 2 Bombers B Section will include 6 Bombers No 2 and No 4 Companies Stretcher Bearers will accompany the Patrol. 8 men One RE Officer and 6 OR will accompany the Patrol. Patrol total 132 OR. OC A Section will detail OR's To seize Sentry on House. 3 To surround House 9 To cut telephone and enter House 2 To enter House 10 24 OC B Section will detail:- OR's (a) To Cover E of HOUSE 13 (b) N of HOUSE 14 (c) W of HOUSE 13 40 4. Dress and Equipment. Light Order. Rifle, Bayonet and Bandolier. Each member will carry six Mills grenades. Each Officer will carry a Very Pistol and four red and four green lights. The Carrying Party will carry 200lbs of gun cotton and 20 sandbags filled with earth. Sandbags will be issued for wearing over boots. 5. At 1730 the Support Section will leave No 4 Company lines and proceed by the wadi running W of TIREH HILL to OOMORAAIS KOP and take up a position there to cover the advance and withdrawal of the patrol. At 1800 the Patrol will leave No 4 Company lines by the wadi running E of TIREH HILL and proceed to W1c80 thence by track to point W of KULEH (U 31a45) from there to NW corner of KULEH and thence by enclosed (cactus) track into wadi NNW of KULEH (U25c). From this point the Patrol will advance in small groups over ridge into dead ground beyond, some 200*-300* from objective. At 2045 A Section will rush the RED HOUSE cutting telephone communications and seizing any occupants. At the same time B Section will move forward and act as a Covering Party detachments covering the E,N, & W of RED HOUSE respectively. After the House is seized the detachment of A Section within the House will withdraw with any occupants wo are seized; and the Carrying Party will bring up the materials and withdraw to a position on the Ridge S of MEZEIRAH to cover the withdrawal of the remainder of the Patrol. When the RE have completed their preparations the Covering Party followed by the RE and detachment of A Section surrounding the HOUSE will withdraw to a safe distance and take cover. After the explosion the whole Patrol will withdraw returning by the same route as it went out. The Supporting Section will cover the withdrawal and afterwards return by the wadi running E of TIREH HILL. 6. Artillery. A Section of 18 pdrs will be moved to a forward position and will lay barrages:- (a) Wadi N of MEZEIRAH (P24d - U19c & d). (b) Ridge E of MEZEIRAH (U25a & b). 7. Signals. Barrage (a) required = Red lights fired in threes one after the other, a pause of half a minute, and then then three more. Barrage (b) required = Red lights fired in two's as above. Cease Fire = Green lights fired in threes as above NO OTHER LIGHTS WILL BE FIRED. 8. Prisoners. All occupants of RED HOUSE captured, whether Turks or Arabs will be brought to Battn HQ. Signed by E J M Wyld, Lieut and Adjutant 1/4th Wiltshire Regiment Copy No 1 233rd Brigade 2 SOFA Bde 3 RE 4 No 3 Coy (Capt Elliot) 5 No 4 Coy (Lt Evans) 6 & 7 No 2 Coy (Lt Messenger and Lt [sic]) 8 & 9 War Diary 10 Retained 11 No 2 Coy (Lt Sainsbury) |
