TOM’S TIMELINE
| 1914 | |
| 4 August | Britain declares war on Germany |
| 5 August | 6/DLI proceeded to Bishop Auckland |
| 9 August | To the Boldon area |
| 16 August | Gateshead |
| 19 August | Ravensworth Park |
| November | Bensham area; winter billets & intensive training |
| 1915 | |
| 16 April | The Northumbrian Division moved to France |
| 17 April | 5.30 pm commenced loading wagons. 7.30pm train moved off for Southampton. |
| 18 April | 6.30pm moved off from dock |
| 19 April | 1pm arrived dockside Le Havre. 8pm marched off to camp |
| 20 April | 8.15am train left Havre |
| 21 April | 5.00am arrived at Cassel, marched 4 miles to billets |
| 22 April | The Second Battle of Ypres [22 April-25 May], the Battle of Gravenstafel; first gas attack by the German Army. |
| 23 April | Division concentrating in the Steenvoorde area; billeted at Vlamertinghe, Belgium |
| 24 April | Passed through Ypres and into support trenches. Battle of St. Julien as part of the Second Battle Ypres |
| 25 April | Billeted at Potijze, east of Ypres |
| 26 April | Sjt. T. Venn KIA, a good friend of TR |
| 2 May | Moved back to Brielen, north west of Ypres |
| 3 May | Marched to Watou west of Poperinghe |
| 9 May | Arrived at Brandhoek, west of Ypres |
| 16 May | At Brielen |
| 25 May | Official end of the Second Battle of Ypres but the Ypres Salient remained an active battle front. |
| 31 May | L28 airship sighted |
| 1 June | Moved to Poperinghe |
| 15 June | Moved to Kruisstraat nearer Ypres |
| 16 June | First Attack at Bellewaarde; 50th Div. not involved but in the area |
| 19 June | Moved to Ouderdom, west of Ypres |
| 20 June | Arrived at Dranoutre, south of Ypres |
| 24 June | Arrived at Kemmel Chateau, nearer Ypres |
| 16/17 July | Moved to Chapelle d’Armentieres |
| 30 July-4 August | leave |
| 4 August | Back to billets, Chapelle d’Armentieres |
| 7 August | Trenches at Houplines |
| 25 September | Battle of Loos continued until 8 October. 50th Div. not involved |
| 12 November | To Bailleul for a months’ rest |
| 19 November | Commenced classes |
| 22 November | Photo taken |
| 19 December | To Outerdom, Ypres Salient |
| 20 December | Trenches near Zillebeke Lake, east of Ypres |
| 1916 | |
| 14&15 February | Actions at the Bluff (TR at Reninghelst YMCA when alarm raised), |
| 14 March | Sick; 7th Field Ambulance, 10CCS Poperinghe |
| 15 March | Australian Hospital, Boulogne |
| 28 March | No.5 Convalescent Camp |
| 9 April | Marlborough Camp Base Detail |
| 15 April | Abbevillle |
| 20 April | Re-joined units at La Clytte nr. Ypres |
| 1 May | Commenced Signalling Classes, Mont des Cats |
| 31 May | Sick to No.15 CCS Hazebrouck |
| 12 June | 8 days leave |
| 23 June | Re-joined unit at Bailleul. No entries until 1 August |
| 1 August | At Houplines |
| 8 August | To Fletre |
| 11 August | Arrived Bernaville |
| 16 August | Arrived Montigny (Somme) |
| 18 August | Commenced Signalling Classes |
| 10 September | With 150 Bde. near High Wood |
| 15-22 September | Battle of Flers-Courcelette |
| 25-28 September | Battle of Morval |
| 1-18 October | Battle of Le Transloy |
| 1 October | We now hold the whole of Eaucourt L’Abbaye and part Le Sars |
| 4 October | At RE Dump at Fricourt Circus |
| 9 October | Returned to Div.HQ Millencourt |
| 30 October | Awarded Military Medal |
| 1-6 November | Working on visual station at Bazentin-le-Grand to Hook Trench
Action at Butte de Warlencourt |
| 1 December | Arrived at Baizieux (west of Albert) |
| 2 December | Signalling Classes commenced |
| 1917 | |
| 28 January | Arrived Ribemont |
| 10 February | Arrived Proyart |
| 26 February | Commenced Visual Classes |
| 30 March | Commenced move to Arras Front |
| 13 April | Arrived Ronville (Arras) |
| 9-14 April | First Battle of the Scarpe (Battle of Arras) 50th Div. took Wancourt Ridge |
| 23-23 April | Second Battle of the Scarpe |
| 18 June | At Boisleux (south of Arras) |
| 25 June | Divisional Signal School commenced |
| 30 July-1 September | Home: Leave to Willington
|
| 1 September | Re-joined unit at Boisleux-au-Mont |
| 5 September | Re-commenced Signalling Classes |
| 16 October | Move north Bollezeele (between St. Pol & Dunkerque) |
| 18 October | Arrived Bollezeele: Signalling Classes |
| 28 November | Houlle/Serques area (Chateau du Givinchy): Div.HQ: Signalling Classes |
| 1918 | |
| 22 March | Left for Calais for leave but boat cancelled due to the start of the German Spring Offensive, Battle of St. Quentin |
| 24/25 March | Action of the Somme Crossings |
| 25 March | Travelled via Calais/Boulogne/Etaples/Abbeville/Amiens/Harbonnieres to join Division |
| 26/27 March | Battle of Rosieres |
| 26 March-8 April | Retreat back to Merville (between Hazebrouck/Bethune) 157 mls. |
| 8 April | Private billet at La Caudscure |
| 9-11 April | Battle of Estaries (part of the Battle of the Lys) |
| 11 April | To Hazebrouck |
| 12-15 April | Battle of Hazebrouck (part of the Battle of the Lys) |
| 16 April | To Roquetoire |
| 20 April | To Aire |
| 26 April | To Calonne-Raucourt entrained |
| 28 April | Arrived Arcis-le-Ponsart, located between Soissons and Reims.
Now part of IX Corps(British) French Army |
| 3 May | Signal School at Crugny |
| 11 May | To Maizry billeted in a barge (Aisne Canal) |
| 14 May | To Revillon; Signal School |
| 28-31 May | To Rosigny to Vert-la-Gravelle |
| 27 May-6 June | Battle of the Aisne (German Offensive in Champagne) |
| 9 June | To Monteent |
| 17 June | To La Moen |
| 18 June | Signal School |
| 26/27 June | Move to Igny-le-Jard was cancelled |
| 1 July | Moved to Linthes |
| 2 July | Entrained Fere-en-Champeurise |
| 4 July | Arrived Pont Remy (Abberville) to Liercourt (a chateau near Huppy) |
| 12 July | To Le Translay and Gamaches |
| 14 July | To Martin Eclise near Dieppe |
| 28 July-10 August | Sick, suspected pneumonia. To No.5 Stationary Hospital, Dieppe |
| 10 August | Discharged, reported to unit at Martin Eclise/Arques |
| 26 August-13 September | Home: Leave to Willington and arrived back at camp |
| 14 September | Entrained for Doullens then onto Lucheux |
| 26 September | To Montigny |
| 27 September | To Meulte (south of Albert, Somme) & Allonville airfield to recommence Signal Classes |
| 4 November | Armistice with Austria |
| 11 November | At 11.00am got to know that hostilities had ceased |
| 12 November | Everything went on as usual |
| 28 December | Travelled to Albert, Bapaume and Cambrai – desolation |
| 29 December | Left Cambrai to Solesmes, Le Quesnoy, Villers Pol – desolation.
School to start at Villers Pol. Got a civil billet. |
| 31 December | Received orders to report to Division to proceed to England for discharge |
| 1919 | |
| 1 January | Left for Cambrai and to the Miners Discharge billet |
| 3 January | 3.5pm entrained Cambrai to St. Martin’s Camp, Boulogne |
| 6 January | Left Boulogne at 3pm |
| 7 January | Left Kings X at 4.55am, arriving Durham noon, home 2.15pm |
| 13 January | To report for final discharge |
The Gaunless Valley in World War 1 