Officers War Diary and
Intelligence Summary
The following page is extracted directly from the hand written War Diary and Intelligence Summary of one of the Officers leading the Battalion including the Scottish Rifles and Private Frank Shackell during the days immediately leading up the day Pte. Frank Shackell. I have tried to reproduce the entry as accurately as possible, but when you read the conditions the Officer was writing in, you may understand why some of my interpretation of his handwriting may not be spot on.
The copy I have is a photocopy of the actual diary held in the Public Records Office in Surrey. Unfortunately I was unable to attend the PRO in person but was able to employ the services of family historian in London who specialises in researching War Records. As well as the War Diary, he was also able to obtain the Medal Roll details for Private Frank Shackell, which I publish on a separate page soon.
The map below will help you get the general idea of where the Battalion was moving on the days mentioned in the Diary. The area in question was in Palestine, just north of Jerusalem. I have also given a brief history with a couple of images of Nebi Samwill here if you want to get an idea of the landscape on which the events below took place.
----
Officers Diary ref: W095/ 4610 (1/7 Cameronians (SR))
BEIT LIKIA 22/11/17 05.40am
Battalion again on the move – destination NEBY SAMWIL (YIC). No camel or wheeled transport accompanied the battalion and unfit men were left behind. The original orders were that NEBY SAMWIL was to be attacked but later, information was received that this had been done by the 75th Division. The route was via BEIT AMAN (Q 29 d) and EL KUBEIBEN (T 2 a) and the going very bad over the ROMAN ROAD now a boulder strewn track. The Battalion again provided the advance guard to the Brigade, D Coy ran guard then A, D, C.
A left was made at T 3 C 28 and orders received to take over at NEBY SAMWIL from the 234 Bde. 75th Division. Whereupon D Coy advanced by sections at 50 paces distance down the wadi in T2a, stuck to the right of the ROMAN ROAD at (T3b 10.8) and shook out into artillery formation facing NEBY SAMWIL followed by the Coys in order A,D,C. The advance was now under fairly sharp shell fire but casualties were few and cover was reached about 300 yards from the tomb without difficulty. The 234 Bde now reported that they were hard pressed and required assistance and as companies arrives they deployed and advanced, reinforcing the firing line, D Coy to the right of NEBY SAMWIL, A Coy in the centre and B Coy to the left, this was done under heavy shell and fairly heavy rifle fire. C Coy remained in support.
The situation at this stage was not at all clear and on reports being received that the Turks had counter attacked and surrounded the tomb, C Coy was order to advance and re-take the position, which they did with great dash and complete success thus relieving Lt. W.G.Watson and 2 platoons of A Coy who were holding the tomb.
The situation was now cleared up and the 8th Scottish Rifles who up to this point had been used in support took over the right of the line from the centre of NEBY SAMWIL thus relieving D Coy. And the 234 Bde. Was withdrawn. The line was held as follows B Coy on the left, C Coy in the centre, A Coy on the right, D Coy in reserve. The night passed quietly.
Our Casualties were:
Officers killed - 1. 2Lt J.B.Eliot,
Wounded - 4 Capt. J.A.McMillan Lt. A.Dunlop
Lt. W.G.Watson 2LT A.E.Bird
OR killed - 15
Wounded - 45
Missing - 4
Enemy accounts for about 200.
Prisoners 5.
NEBY SAMWIL 23/11/17
Nothing of importance occurred, enemy artillery active also snipers making communications difficult.
Casualties:
Officers killed - 1 2Lt G.Porteous
Wounded - 1 Capt. J.K.Anderson
OR killed - 6 (Pte. Frank Shackell was one of the six killed this day)
Wounded - 24
After dark C Coy. Was relieved by D Coy. Who also took over parts of A & B Coys lines – they being considerably stronger the C.
NEBY SAMWIL 24/11/17
00.15 – Orders received that 8th Scottish Rifles would take over line before daylight and the Battalion would concentrate under cover about 400 yards NW of tomb. This completed by 04.30am.
12.05 – Battalion ordered to advance and assent BIR NEBALA (W32) in conjunction with 7th Royal Scots – who were to clear the village of NEBY SAMWIL and take the ridge running NE from it – and the 155 Bde. Who were to take EL JIB (W25).
12.10 – The Battalion advanced in artillery formation from T6b central in a north easterly direction. Order of companies B,C,D,A. Under some shell fire and considerable enfilading MG fire from ridge in YIB until B Coy was at R36 d %.7 when B Coy halted because they had got in advance of the 155 Bde.
14.45 – Information received that 7 Royal Scots had been advised to make no further advance in that 155Bde. Were to take EL JIB at once. Battalion not to advance without orders.
19.30 – Battalion withdrew to starting point and later took over same line on left of NEBY SAMWIL from 4 Royal Scots who had relieved 8 Scottish Rifles.
NEBY SAMWIL 25/11/17
Number of Turks seen wondering about in front of JIB apparently examining our dead. Fired on by our MGs and LGs and dispersed.
About 100 women and children from NEBY SAMWIL brought into A Coy’s lines and arrangements made for bringing in the men next day conditionally in their giving all information about the enemy in the village. Line relieved by 60th Division.
Casualties:
Officers Wounded - 1 Major R. Blair (remained on duty)
OR killed - 2
Wounded - 28
Missing - 2
----
If you would like to read more of the events Pte. Frank Shackell would have been involved in leading up to 23/11/1917, and what his fellow soldiers went on to achieve, the history of the Cameronians was published in four volumes. WWI is covered in the second volume which has long since been out of print, I have only been able to get sight of the book in the Mitchell Library in Glasgow. If you did manage to pick up a copy at a car boot sale let me know.