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by Wo95/3013 (Other)
Full colour facsimile reprint of the original First World War, War Office war diary of the Headquarters, Branches and Services Commander Royal Artillery, 59th Division, covering January 1916 to August 1919 across 471 pages. It names 32 places across 43 dated entries. Alongside the daily entries the volume carries 82 reports, narratives and plans, 138 Operation Orders, three appendices, ten maps and one diagram. Among the papers are: Table of Reliefs; Amendment to 59th Divisional Artillery operation order No. 58; 59th Divisional Artillery order no.70 Bombardment Table; Addendum No.1 to 59th Divisional Artillery order No. 70; 59th Divisional Artillery Instruction No.2; Barrage Table; Amendment No.1 to 59th Divisional Artillery instructions No.2; Amendment No.2 to 59th Divisional Artillery instructions No.2; Addendum No.2 to 59th Divisional Artillery instructions No.2; Relief of 59th Div Arty by 49th Div Arty and 3rd Australian Div Arty; Addendum to 59th Divisional Artillery instructions No.9; Instruction numbered 1 to 10 (7 of them). The diary opens at Boxmoor on 1 January 1916. 1916 is spent at Boxmoor and Southminster. 1917 is the most travelled year, 22 places against 8 in the next busiest, and is spent at Barastre, Chateau De La Haie, Bouvincourt, Poperinghe and Equancourt. 1918 at Steenbecque, Lucheux, Sovastre, Camblain L'Abbe and Wattignies. 1919 at Vaudricourt and Verquin. It closes at Vaudricourt on 1 August 1919. Vaudricourt is where it spent longest, 149 days, including a single unbroken stay of 149 and it came back to Boxmoor five separate times. Trench and battlefield features named in the diary include Chateau De La Haie, Marie Jean Farm, Marie Jean Farm & Hamhoek, Hamhoek & Marie Jean Farm and Hamhoek & Chateau De La Haie. In 1917 it is also recorded at Corbie, Fouilloy, Foucaucourt, St Cren, Peronne, Watou, Poperinghe and Mersey Camp, Mersey Camp, Steenbecque and Hamhoek & Marie Jean Farm. In 1918 it is also recorded at Hestrus, Estree Blanche and Verquin.
