Diary of service on the Western Front, 1915-1916, World War One

Smith, William Douglas

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Title:: Diary of service on the Western Front, 1915-1916, World War One

Collection:: SMITH, Maj Gen Sir William Douglas (1865-1939)

Archive reference:: SMITH, WD 2/3

Catalogue record URL (AtoM):: https://archives.kingscollections.org/index.php/smith-wd-2-3

Level of description:: Item

Date of material:: 23 Apr 1915 - 15 Jun 1916

Creator:: Smith, William Douglas

Source collection title:: SMITH, Maj Gen Sir William Douglas (1865-1939)

Extent:: 1 volume

Description (scope):: Manuscript copy diary relating to Smith's command of 9 Infantry Brigade, 23 Apr 1915 - 7 Mar 1916, and of 20 Division, 8 Mar 1916 - 15 Jun 1916, on the Western Front, World War One, including: the Second Battle of Ypres, Apr-May 1915; the German use of chlorine gas, 22 Apr 1915; Smith's anger, 23 Apr 1915, at Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith's assertion that there was no ammunition shortage; the inadequacy of anti-gas equipment, 2-3 May 1915; the destruction of Ypres, May 1915; the news of the German sinking of the British passenger ship Lusitania on 7 May 1915; an improved design of hand grenade, 13 May 1915; the arrival of the first troops of the New Army (Kitchener's Army), 23 May 1915; Smith's personal experience of a German gas attack, 24 May 1915; the Second Battle of Artois, May-Jun 1915; ammunition shortages and the lack of experienced officers, 30 Jun 1915; German and British attacks and counter attacks on the village of Hooge, Jul-Aug 1915; the British attack on the first day of the Battle of Loos, 25 Sep 1915; ammunition shortages and the immense length of communication trenches, 18-21 Oct 1915; fuel shortages and frostbite cases, 28 Nov 1915; German gas attack, 19 Dec 1915; exhaustion caused by prolonged use of gas helmets, 21 Dec 1915; news of the withdrawal from Gallipoli, 23 Dec 1915; the challenges of training and of newly promoted officers risen from the ranks, 21 Feb 1916; demonstration of a Stokes trench mortar, 6 Mar 1916; Smith's appointment as Commander, 2 Division, 8 Mar 1916; the poor state of trenches and cases of trench foot, 9-12 Mar 1916; detailed account of moving gas cylinders into trenches for a British gas attack, 11 Jun 1916. Also inserted items, including: sketch maps of British and German trenches in the area east of Hooge, Belgium, Jun and Sep 1915; two personal letters to Smith from former 9 Infantry Brigade interpreter M. van Lerberghe, Sep and Nov 1915; typescript order issued by 3 Divisional Artillery for operations on 19 September 1915; typescript instructions issued by 24 Divisional Artillery, 13 Oct 1915, for communications between Artillery and Infantry in frontline trenches; typescript report on a nightime bombing raid by Cheshire Regiment personnel, 6-7 Dec 1915; casualty evacuation statistics for 20 Division, Feb-Apr and Jun 1916; typescript reports on a German attack on 11 Apr 1916; typescript notes on the distribution of German forces along the Western Front, 14 May 1916.

Copyright:: Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied from open material for research purposes only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Trustees of the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, via the Archives.; King's College London Archives

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