The First World War
War Diary of The Royal Canadian Regiment

Transcription by Captain Michael O'Leary, The RCR.

JULY 1916

1.7.16. - Camp "B"

Rested all day. Weather Fine and warm.

2.7.16. - Camp "B"

Inspections of kits and parades for clothing. There seems to be a slight epidemic of Influenza among the men. Weather Fine and warm. Bn, Church parade.

Lieut. DICKSON, and Sgt HUNT to Second Army School.

3.7.16. - Camp "B"

Started training of recruits and trained Soldiers today according to attached syllabus ass Appendix No. 1. Weather cloudy.

4.7.16. - Camp "B"

Training continued. Noticeable improvement in recruits over yesterday. Lectures being given by Bombing Instructors to Platoons. 2 hours heavy rain 4. p.m. to 6. p.m.

5.7.16. - Camp "B"

Still showery but training continued. Preliminary bouts in Boxing and Wrestling in 7TH. Bde. Sports.

6.7.16. - Camp "B"

Fine and warm today. Training as usual this morning; but 7TH. Bde. Sports were held on our parade ground. We entered all events and were quite successful. Below is a comparative table of results:-

R.C.R. P.P.C.L.I. 42ND. 49TH.
First Prizes 6 4 2 2
Second Prizes 7 5 2 3
Third Prizes 2 4 4 2

After the Sports the Bn. marched to RENNINGHELST to attend "The Follies" specially put on for us by P.P.C.L.I., the men enjoyed it thoroughly.

7.7.16. - Camp "B"

Cloudy with one or two slight showers. Raiding party has been selected to be trained in practice Trenches. This is being done tonight. Final bouts Boxing and Wrestling tonight.

8.7.16. - Camp "B"

Still cloudy. Raiding party continued in their training today. Recruits are shaping up well under their instructors.

Lieut. BELL to 2ND Army Sniping School.
Lieut. BATE and Lieut. McMURRAY Wounded; 2 O.R. Killed and 9 wounded.
Pte JENNINGS died of wounds on the 10th inst.
Capt. WILLOUGHBY appointed Staff Captain, 5TH Can. Inf. Bde. 25-5-16.
Sgt FLANSBERG awarded D.C.M.
Lieut.-Col. MACDONELL (Temp. Brig. General) mentioned in despatches.
Lieut. PHILLIPS mentioned in despatches.

17-7-16. - Trenches

Artillery quiet to-day, our Front Line Trenches were lightly shelled, no damage done. M.G. & Rifle Fire not quite so active. Enemy aircraft circled over our Front Line & Support Points, more especially ZOUAVE ROAD & YEOMANRY POST several times during the day. Lieut. BELL returned from 2ND. Army School of Sniping.

18-7-16. - Trenches

Enemy Artillery fairly active to-day. M.G's active during the night. Rifle fire normal. At 10.15 p.m. a raiding party consisting of four officers and 50 men and a Stokes Gun & Crew left HALFWAY HOUSE and proceeded to our advanced Bombing Post in GOUROCK ROAD. At this point the raiding party was left and Lieut. WOPODS and five Scouts proceed up GOUROCK ROAD to the enemy wire, west of the LOOP. They worked for an hour and a half cutting this wire but found in this time that cutting the wire in one night was out of the question, during the time the Wire Cutting party were working two of the enemy patrols crossed their Front just on their side of the wire. Lieut. WOODS then decided that on account of not being able to cut the wire before daylight to send the raiding party back and bomb a working party of the enemy of approximately 50 strong which he had located working on the west side of the LOOP. Word was sent back and the raiding party turned back to our Front Line. Word was also sent to the T.M. Officer that a half a minute after our last bomb went off he was to open up his Gun and barrage (?) the west side of the LOOP. At about 1.00 a.m. Lieut. WOODS party threw 16 bombs at the enemy working party and then retiring in the direction of T.64. The Stokes Gun Officer fired . Canadian Trench Mortar Battery.

26-7-16. - STEENVOORDE

The morning was taken up by the usual parades. Rifles of "C" & "D" Coys. inspected by Armourer Sergeant. In the afternoon Companies paraded in Marching Order for inspection by Company Commanders in preparation for tomorrows inspection by G.O.C.

27-7-16. - STEENVOORDE

The Bn. paraded at 9.15 this morning and was inspected by Lieut. Genl. Sir Julian H.G. BYNG, K.C.B. etc. All employed were on parade and Transport was inspected. The Dress was marching order. Inspection lasted three hours and was very satisfactory especially the Transport. In the afternoon parades and N.C.O's class were dismissed at 3.00 p.m.

28-7-16. - STEENVOORDE

Parades as usual. Rifles of H.Q. Co. inspected by Armourer Sergeant.

Lieut. WURTELE returned off command from 2ND. Army School of Sniping.

29-7-16. - STEENVOORDE

The Bn. paraded in marching order at 8.45 a.m. for Brigade Route March. Returned to Billets at 12.20 p.m.

30-7-16. - STEENVOORDE

Bn. paraded at 10.20 a.m. and marched to headquarters of 42ND. Bn. where Medal Ribbons were presented by Brig. Genl. MACDONELL, D.S.O., C.M.G. In the afternoon all the Officers and senior N.C.O.'s attended at the Divisional Bombing School to witness a demonstration put on by the School Staff.

Lieut. DICKSON returned off command from 2ND. Army School, WISQUES.

31-7-16. - STEENVOORDE

The Bn. paraded at 7.40 a.m. and marched to camp "B" relieving the 4TH. C.M.R's at about 12.00 noon. The march proved to be severe owing to the great heat and quantity of dust and to the fact that full packs were carried. The afternoon was spent in cleaning up the Camp taken over.

(signed)
C.H. Hill
Lieut. Colonel.
Commanding The Royal Canadian Regiment

Appendix 1. Royal Canadian Regiment syllabus of training for week commencing 3.7.16. Syllabus of training for R.C.R. from 20TH to 29TH July, 1916.

Appendix 2. R.C.R. O.O. 16 dated 8.7.16. The R.C.R. will relieve 52ND Bn. on night 10TH/11TH July, 1916

Appendix 3. R.C.R. O.O. 17 dated 17.7.16. Instructions to R.C.R. for raid to be carried out on east and west phases of the LOOP, on night 17TH/18TH July.

Appendix 4. R.C.R. O.O. 18 dated ?. R.C.R. will be relieved by 1St Battalion, C.M.R. on night 18TH/19TH July 1916.

Appendix 5. R.C.R. O.O. 19 dated ?. R.C.R. will be relieved by 52ND Cdn. Bn. on July 23RD, 1916.

Appendix 6. R.C.R. O.O. 20 dated ?. R.C.R. will relieve 4TH Bn. C.M.R. 31St instant.