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diff --git a/16660.txt b/16660.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0e8d62a --- /dev/null +++ b/16660.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2476 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Story of the 6th Battalion, The Durham +Light Infantry, by Unknown + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Story of the 6th Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry + France, April 1915-November 1918 + +Author: Unknown + +Editor: R.B. Ainsworth + +Release Date: September 5, 2005 [EBook #16660] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF THE 6TH *** + + + + +Produced by Irma Spehar, Christine D and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. +Produced from page images provided by Internet +Archive/Canadian Libraries + + + + + + + + + THE STORY + + OF THE 6TH BATTALION + + THE DURHAM LIGHT + + INFANTRY + + + France, _April_ 1915--_November_ 1918 + + + EDITED BY + + CAPT. R.B. AINSWORTH, M.C. + + + + + LONDON + THE ST. CATHERINE PRESS + STAMFORD STREET, S.E. + 1919 + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + +FOREWORD 7 + +CHAPTER I. +THE "SALIENT" 9 + +CHAPTER II. +ARMENTIERES AND THE RETURN TO THE "SALIENT" 20 + +CHAPTER III. +THE SOMME 25 + +CHAPTER IV. +ARRAS 35 + +CHAPTER V. +RETURN TO THE "SALIENT" 41 + +CHAPTER VI. +THE SOMME, THE LYS AND THE AISNE 45 + +APPENDICES. + +OFFICERS KILLED OR DIED, COMMANDING OFFICERS, DECORATIONS, ETC. 57 + + + + +FOREWORD. + + +During one of the short periods of training in 1917, it was suggested +that lectures should be delivered to the troops on the history of their +battalions in France. Accordingly Capt. G. Kirkhouse, then Assistant +Adjutant, set to work to collect material for this purpose. Owing to +there being no officers, and very few men, who had served continuously +with the Battalion since April, 1915, the task was not easy, and it was +found impossible to complete the information in time for a lecture before +the Battalion returned to the line. The material was carefully preserved, +however, and was the only portion of the records which survived the +disaster of the 27th May, 1918. As soon as time permitted, the task was +continued, but owing to there being very few survivors of earlier days, +many details have probably escaped notice. Imperfect and incomplete as +the story is, however, it is hoped that the details related will serve to +recall other incidents, both pleasant and unpleasant, to those members of +the Battalion who have been fortunate enough to survive. + +It is regretted that it has not been found practicable to include a +chapter on the inner life of the Battalion which centred round the +characters of some of its members. So many names occur to one's mind that +a chapter would be inadequate to mention all, and the exclusion of any +would have involved an invidious and unjustifiable selection. + + R.B.A. + +_July, 1919._ + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE "SALIENT." + +_First Phase._ + + +The end of March, 1915, found the 50th (Northumbrian) Division of the +Territorial Force awaiting orders to proceed overseas. The infantry of +the Division consisted of the 149th Infantry Brigade (4th, 5th, 6th and +7th Battalions Northumberland Fusiliers), the 150th Infantry Brigade (4th +Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, 4th and 5th Battalions Yorkshire +Regiment, and 5th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry), and the 151st +Infantry Brigade (6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Battalions The Durham Light +Infantry). Early in April, when the 6th Battalion The Durham Light +Infantry were in billets at Gateshead, the orders arrived and on the 10th +April Capt. F. Walton proceeded to Havre to make arrangements for the +arrival of the transport section. The first detachment of men to leave +Gateshead consisted of the transport and machine-gun sections which, +under Major J.E. Hawdon, Second in Command, and Lieut. H.T. Bircham, +Transport Officer, entrained at the Cattle Market, Newcastle, on the 17th +April for Southampton, _en route_ for Havre. + +Two days later the remainder of the Battalion entrained at the Central +Station, Newcastle, with the following officers: Lieut.-Col. H.C. Watson +in command, Capt. J.W. Jeffreys, Adjutant; Major W.M. Mackay, Medical +Officer; Capt. A.P. Cummins, commanding A Company; Major S.E. Badcock, +commanding B Company; Capt. W.H.D. Devey, commanding C Company; and Capt. +J. Townend, commanding D Company. Arriving at Folkestone the same day, +the Battalion embarked for Boulogne, where it arrived about midnight and +marched up to Ostrohove Camp. + +The following day it entrained at Pont de Briques Station, on the train +which brought the transport and machine-gun sections from Havre. The +complete battalion detrained at Cassel, and after marching all night +arrived in billets at Hardifort at 5 a.m. on the 21st April. + +On the 23rd April orders were received to march at very short notice to +Steenvoorde, where the whole of the 151st Infantry Brigade, commanded at +this time by Brig.-General Martin, was assembled in a field at the +eastern end of the town. During the remainder of the day the men were +allowed to rest. At dusk two battalions of the Brigade, the 7th and 9th +Battalions, marched off in fighting order. The other two Battalions (the +6th and 8th) proceeded by 'buses through Poperinghe to Vlamertinghe, +where they took over a hut camp recently vacated by the 9th Royal Scots. + +It was now evident that the lessons which the Battalion had learnt during +its long period of training were very soon to be put into practice. The +24th April was spent in testing rifles and making final preparations for +action, and in the evening an order arrived from the Brigade to get ready +to move quickly. This order was given out and within half an hour the +Battalion was on the pave road, marching towards Ypres. It entered the +town as night settled on it. At this date the town was not ruined and the +results of the shelling were hardly noticeable. As the Battalion was +passing the Cloth Hall a shell came screaming faintly towards it, and, +passing over, burst with a dull roar in the city a quarter of a mile +away. There had been no talking in the ranks nor any sound except the +beat of ammunition boots on the pave, but when this shell screamed +overhead and burst, ejaculation in the good old Durham tongue could be +heard passing cheerily up the length of the column. Two or three more +shells passed over, but none burst near the Battalion. + +Reaching the top of the hill to the east of the city and leaving the +white walls of Potijze Chateau on the left, the Battalion turned off the +road and filed into the G.H.Q. line, a Battalion of the Shropshire Light +Infantry climbing out to make room. This trench was of the breastwork +type, and a novelty to the men whose idea of a trench was a ditch below +the ground level. The dispositions of the Battalion were as follows: A +Company were on the south side of the Potijze road and the remainder on +the north side, with B Company on the right, D Company in the centre, and +C Company on the left. The machine-gun section was with D Company. +Transport lines were established just behind the Chateau near to a +Canadian Battery. The position was unfortunate, for the section came +under heavy shell fire and had several men and horses hit. + +Sunday, the 25th April, was the first day spent by the Battalion in the +trenches. There was a considerable amount of shelling, but fortunately +the Battalion in the trenches did not suffer. In the evening, as it got +dark, the Battalion moved out of the trench and, forming up on the road +which it had left the previous night, marched in fours for about a mile +to Velorenhoek village, which was then almost intact. There the Battalion +came under the orders of the 85th Infantry Brigade, and halted. All ranks +slept for some hours on the roadside, or in the fields, gardens or +cottages close to the road. Before dawn the Brigadier ordered the +Battalion to vacate the village, and the column moved a few hundred yards +up the road to the east. Here the Companies left the road and the men +improved with their entrenching tools the little cover in the form of +ditches and trenches which was to be found, and then lay down. Throughout +this and the succeeding days the men were in marching order with full +packs. The transport moved back to Potijze Wood, except the ration +limbers, which went back to Poperinghe. + +About 10 a.m. on the 26th word was passed for the Commanding Officer and +Adjutant, who accordingly reported to the Brigadier of the 85th Brigade. +He was standing on the north side of the road on a little rising ground +from which there was a view for a mile or two to the eastward. He gave +the following order verbally: "The Germans have broken through our line +and are advancing south-west. The Durham Light Infantry (6th Battalion) +will advance and take up positions between Zonnebeke level crossing and +Hill 37." He described the position of the crossing, later known as +Devil's Crossing, by pointing out the direction and stated that the hill +with a few trees on it to the E.N.E. was Hill 37. He further stated that +the Shropshire Light Infantry would be on the right and that +Lieut.-Colonel Bridgford, of that Regiment, would be in command of the +6th Battalion. + +Orders were accordingly issued to Company Commanders verbally by the +Adjutant as follows: The Battalion is to occupy the line between Hill 37, +which can be seen on the left front, and Zonnebeke crossing, which lies +on the road. Captain Cummins's Company (A) will march on the crossing +and Captain Townend's Company (D) on Hill 37. Major Badcock's Company +(B) and Captain Devey's Company (C) will divide the space between. +Advance in artillery formation, take advantage of the cover afforded by +the ground, and each Company Commander should accompany one of his rear +Platoons. When Companies had gained suitable positions on this line they +were to deploy and attack by fire any bodies of the enemy who might +attempt to cross their front. The whole operation was under direct +observation by enemy balloons, and as soon as the Companies moved an +intense barrage was put down. B Company, on the right, however, had a +comparatively good time and suffered very few casualties, whilst No. 5 +Platoon, under Lieut. A.B. Hare, had none at all, and reached Zonnebeke +Crossing in safety. The remaining Companies got the full effect of the +barrage, which included gas shells, and lost direction towards the left. +Capt. W.H.D. Devey, commanding C Company, was wounded, Capt. J. Monkhouse +killed, and 2nd Lieut. H.H. Nicholson wounded. As a result of the loss of +direction a gap was formed, and A Company were pushed forward to fill it. +In spite of heavy casualties the line was maintained, and continued to +advance, firing all the time on the enemy, who could be seen from the new +positions. It was not till they had advanced a considerable distance that +the officers and men found that there was another line of British troops +ahead of them, holding out in shell-holes, on hillsides, etc. + +When this was discovered, Lieut. T.B. Heslop, with No. 11 Platoon and +part of No. 9 Platoon, joined the London Rifle Brigade; 2nd Lieut. R.V. +Hare, with No. 10 Platoon, joined a Battalion of the Shropshire Light +Infantry, and 2nd Lieut. G. Angus, with the remainder of No. 9 Platoon, +took up a position in support on the hill. By this time A and D Companies +were in the forward positions. As already described, A Company had moved +up to fill the gap between B and C Companies, and D Company had also +moved to the assistance of C Company. As a result, the men of all +Companies were mixed together, and it is difficult to say how they were +distributed, but A Company seem to have been in two parts, one with D +Company and one next to B Company. The former passed over Hill 37 and +eventually joined the London Rifle Brigade in some ditches which formed +the front line. There they suffered many casualties. Amongst others, +Major S.E. Badcock and 2nd Lieut. Kynoch were killed and Capt. F. Walton +and 2nd Lieut. G. Kirkhouse were wounded. As soon as the advance had +commenced, the Adjutant, Capt. J.W. Jeffreys, had galloped through the +barrage to find Zonnebeke crossing. Having shown it to the Company on the +right flank he proceeded along the line and found a Platoon of D Company +under 2nd Lieut. Lyon digging themselves in. A little further along +another Platoon was found, and whilst showing them the line he was +heavily fired on. After returning to Brigade Headquarters for a fresh +horse he went to Hill 37 and there heard of D Company from some men of +the Rifle Brigade. Before dusk all formed parties had got into touch with +Battalion Headquarters, which were at Zevencote barn, beside Zonnebeke +level crossing. + +About 4 p.m. Lt.-Col. Bridgford, who was in command of all troops in this +sector, issued orders for an attack to be made to clear the enemy from +the Fortuin-Passchendaele Road. The attack was to be made by two +Companies of the Shropshire Light Infantry, with the 7th Durham Light +Infantry in support and the 6th in reserve. The attacking troops were to +pass through the front line and establish a new line on the road when +captured. A conference of officers was held, and it was ascertained that +the men available for the attack were as follows:--No. 3 Platoon under +2nd Lieut. Blenkinsop, Nos. 5, 7 and 8 Platoons, under Capt. T. Welch, +with Lieuts. A.B. Hare and H.C.W. Haythornthwaite; No. 9 Platoon under +2nd Lieut. G. Angus, and about forty men of D Company under Capt. J. +Townend and 2nd Lieut. P.H.B. Lyon. + +The Battalion, which was lying in a trench near the road, began to +advance about 7 or 8 p.m., moving in artillery formation and following +the 7th Durham Light Infantry towards the ridge to the north of +Zonnebeke. + +On reaching the ridge, which was found unoccupied, the 7th Battalion +moved off to Zonnebeke and the 6th Battalion was ordered to send three +Companies to the support of the Hampshire Regiment on Gravenstafel Ridge +further to the north. + +In accordance with the orders issued by Lt.-Col. Hicks, commanding the +Hampshires, B Company, who were about 90 strong, left the remainder of +the Battalion, who were now at Hicks' Farm and moved to reinforce 2nd +Lieut. Ball of the Royal Fusiliers (28th Div.), who, with 100 men, was +holding a position on the Gravenstafel Ridge. This position consisted of +a much battered breastwork, of which only isolated portions offered any +cover. The remainder of the Battalion was then divided. C Company were +sent to garrison a strong point near a neighbouring farm, leaving No. 9 +Platoon, under 2nd Lieut. G. Angus, to form a ration party. A Company was +held in reserve in isolated trenches. Battalion Headquarters and D +Company moved back to Zevencote barn, where the Company occupied some +trenches. + +On the night of the 27th April, A Company with about twenty men of D +Company were sent to fill a gap between the Hampshires and the +Shropshires, where they dug themselves in. The following day Capt. A.P. +Cummins and Capt. D. Park were seriously wounded by a sniper firing from +behind their line, and 2nd Lieut. Blenkinsop took over command till the +arrival at night of Lieut. R.V. Hare. C.S.M. Lancaster of A Company was +also badly wounded. + +The men on the left of B Company, under Lieut. H.C.W. Haythornthwaite +during these days, were in very close touch with the enemy, being +separated from them in the same trench by a block about ten yards wide. +They were the first of the Battalion to use rifle grenades, which were +taken up to them by a party of the Buffs. On the night of the 28th April +No. 6 Platoon was sent up to join the Company, but it was found that they +could not be accommodated in the trench and they returned to Battalion +Headquarters. All through this period the Company was existing under very +difficult conditions. The evacuation of wounded was almost impossible, +and Corpl. Hardy did excellent work in establishing an aid post and +attending to wounded for four days and nights. He was subsequently +mentioned in dispatches for this good work. Their only rations were taken +up on the night of the 28th by a party of No. 9 Platoon under Corpl. +Hall, and water was collected from shell holes in empty ammunition boxes. + +Whilst in the front line, both A and B Companies were constantly under +fire from trench mortars ("sausages") and snipers, some of whom were +firing from the rear. Several of the posts held by B Company were blown +in, and in one, occupied by Sergt. Bennison and ten men, all were hit +except Ptes. Walters and Fenwick. In another post the shelter was blown +in and several men wounded and buried. Pte. Robinson, the only man not +hit, crossed the open to the next post, but was unable to obtain +assistance. He thereupon went back, and under constant fire, dug out +several men. For this action he was awarded the D.C.M. and Croix de +Guerre. + +The machine-gun section was in action on the 26th April, and for his good +work in handling them Lieut. W.P. Gill was awarded the Military Cross. +After being withdrawn on the night of the 26th the guns were kept in +reserve at Battalion Headquarters. + +During the whole of the four days the Battalion was in the line, parties +from D Company under 2nd Lieut. G. Angus did good work in distributing +rations, which were brought up from Poperinghe to Zonnebeke Crossing by +limber. The exact location of the different parties was doubtful, and the +absence of roads, tracks or landmarks made the delivery of rations to the +men a very unpleasant task. + +On the 30th April came news of relief. A Company were relieved at night +by the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers and moved back to the +Convent near Velorenhoek. B Company had further unpleasant experiences. +Their relief by a Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers took place nearly at +dawn, and it was impossible to get further than Hicks' Farm before it was +too light to move. They were accordingly put into a barn and some +trenches for the day, being still only about 300 yards from the enemy, +whose aeroplanes were very active directing fire on to the position. This +fire was fairly successful, and the barn was hit and set on fire and +Lieut. A.B. Hare wounded. The men showed excellent discipline on this +occasion and stood fast till led out to occupy a neighbouring trench. At +night the Company rejoined the rest of the Battalion at the Convent, +where the whole were accommodated in trenches near the road. + +In addition to the honours already mentioned the following were +subsequently awarded for work during this period:--Capt. T. Welch +received the Military Cross for his work with B Company on Gravenstafel +Ridge, being the first officer in the Brigade to win the decoration; +R.S.M. G. Perry, who had been doing excellent work for the Battalion +since mobilization, was granted the D.C.M. for his work in organising +ration parties; and C.S.M.s McNair and Bousfield (afterwards commanding +15th D.L.I.) also received the D.C.M. for gallantry after casualties to +officers. Others, who did excellent work, but received no decoration, +were Lieut. W.F.E. Badcock, Signalling Officer, and his Sergeant, H. +Elliott; Sergts. Linsley and Wallace, of B Company; Pte. Newton of A +Company, and Pte. Hall of C Company. + +The casualties had been fairly heavy, and included fifteen officers, +amongst whom was Lieut.-Col. H.C. Watson, who left the Battalion sick on +the 28th April. Capt. J.W. Jeffreys had assumed command with Lieut. R.V. +Hare as Adjutant. + + +_Second Phase._ + +On the 30th April the enemy delivered another attack, using gas. This +fell mainly on the Irish Regiment, but the 6th Battalion in reserve +occupied battle positions, and collected many men who were driven back by +the gas. At night the Battalion marched back to huts in Brielen Wood, +where it rested for 24 hours. Leaving there, it marched to St. +Jansterbiezen, where it was inspected on the morning of the 2nd May by +Sir John French, who thanked the men for their good work and praised +especially A and B Companies. On the 8th May a draft of officers joined +the Battalion, and the following day a move was made back to Brielen +Woods. Here the Battalion, living in bivouacs, was in Divisional reserve +for one day. The transport and Q.M. Stores moved into a field near +Poperinghe. + +After this short rest the Battalion learnt that it was to return to the +scene of its first experiences. On the 10th May it marched to Potijze and +occupied the G.H.Q. line near the railway and some dug-outs in the +cutting south-east of Ypres. Here the men were shelled at intervals, +particularly on the 13th, and spent the nights on working parties. It was +whilst in this area that the new gas respirators, consisting of a pad of +cotton wool and a strip of muslin, were issued on a scale of one to every +twelve men. On the 19th May Major W.E. Taylor, York and Lancaster +Regiment, arrived and took over command from Capt. Jeffreys. Two days +later the Battalion was relieved by the East Surrey Regiment, and +returned to Brielen huts. + +During the next few days the artillery fire increased considerably on +both sides, and just before dawn on Whit Monday, the 24th May, the +Germans launched their gas attack. The gas cloud drifted towards Brielen +and the men were roused and moved about half a mile from the camp to +which they returned for breakfast and to prepare to move into action. The +morning had turned out bright and fine when they paraded and marched off +to Potijze. In those days the road leading out of Ypres eastwards was +still marked by leafy trees, and as the Battalion marched along it, +trees, branches and leaves were lying about, brought down by the heavy +fire. Arriving at the wood, which was being heavily shelled, the men were +put into ditches and half-dug trenches. Later in the day packs were +collected, and in the lighter "Fighting Order" the men manned the G.H.Q. +line in front of the wood, being in reserve to the 3rd Battalion +Middlesex Regiment, who were under orders to deliver a counter-attack. +Whilst taking up this position Major Taylor was wounded and 2nd Lieut. +J.M. Hare killed, and Capt. Jeffreys again assumed command. The +counter-attack was cancelled and the Battalion moved back to dug-outs on +the Menin Road, where it stayed all the next day. + +On the night of the 25th May the whole Battalion paraded as a working +party to dig a front line trench to fill a gap caused by the German +attack. The right of this trench was on the railway cutting, the enemy +being on the other side of the cutting. The men worked magnificently and +finished the task in less than two hours. As soon as it was completed the +new trench was occupied by a Battalion of the Buffs. After two more +nights spent on working parties the men were relieved and marched back to +bivouacs in Brielen Wood. On the 2nd June orders were received to move +further back, and they marched through Poperinghe to a field on the south +of the town, where they spent the night and the next day, moving again on +the 4th to bivouacs at Ouderdom. + +The organisation of the Battalion was now to undergo a change which did +not meet with universal approval amongst its members. On the 8th June it +was amalgamated with the 8th Durham Light Infantry, the new Battalion +being constituted as follows: Lieut.-Col. J. Turnbull, V.D. (8th D.L.I.) +in command; Capt. G.A. Stevens (Royal Fusiliers), Adjutant; A Company +(8th D.L.I.), Capt. T.A. Bradford; B Company (A and B Companies of 6th +D.L.I.), Lieut. W.P. Gill; C Company (6th D.L.I.), Lieut. T.B. Heslop; D +Company (6th D.L.I.), Capt. F.H. Livesay; Machine-gun section, 2nd Lieut. +R.A. Howe (6th D.L.I.); transport section, Lieut. Ramsay (8th D.L.I.); +Quartermaster, Lieut. W.M. Hope (6th D.L.I.). All supernumerary staff +were sent to the base at Harfleur. At the same time the 7th Battalion +became Divisional Pioneers and the 5th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire +Regiment joined the 151st Brigade. + +On the evening of the 11th June the new Battalion marched by Companies to +dug-outs in the grounds of Kruisstraat Chateau, south of Ypres. The +following day the march was resumed _via_ the Lille gate and Maple Copse +to Sanctuary Wood, where the Battalion was lent to the 149th Infantry +Brigade to provide working parties for the improvement of the Hooge +defences. It was during this move that the transport, on the 14th June, +had its worst experience of the famous Hell Fire Corner, where it was +shelled and a water cart was completely destroyed. + +Wednesday, the 16th June, had been chosen for an attack on Hill 60 by the +3rd Division, the 50th Division being ordered to co-operate by making a +demonstration. At 2.30 a.m. the Battalion moved into the support +trenches, twenty minutes before the bombardment commenced. At 4.15 a.m. +the 3rd Division assaulted, and their apparent success which could be +seen from the rear was greeted with much enthusiasm by the men. About two +hours later a message was received from a commanding officer in Zouave +Wood that he was about to attack north-east of Hooge. Accordingly, two +Companies under Major Hawdon were sent in support, the others being +assembled ready to follow. The attack was cancelled, however, and at 7.30 +a.m. the Battalion re-assembled in its original trenches. At night it +moved up and relieved the 7th Northumberland Fusiliers in the Hooge +defences. The disposition of Companies was as follows: B Company, under +Lieut. Gill, were in "B9" trench. A Company, under Capt. Bradford, in +"H13" and "H14" trenches; C Company, under Lieut. Heslop, in the Hooge +Chateau stables; and D Company, under Capt. Livesay, in support in "H16" +trench. The trenches, especially those occupied by B Company, had been +much battered, and a considerable amount of work had to be done on them +during the night. At this time the Chateau and stables were still +standing, and though C Company were in occupation of the stables, the +Germans held the Chateau, from the windows of which their snipers were +able to give considerable trouble. + +The following day was marked by considerable shelling, and at night a +successful bombing enterprise was led against a sap head. For two days +the position remained unchanged, the Battalion being engaged in repairing +the trenches and carrying up rations and ammunition, till on the night of +the 18th it was relieved by a Company of the 7th Northumberland Fusiliers +and a Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment, and went to F. hutments south +of Vlamertinghe. + +This concluded the Battalion's first tour in the "Salient." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +ARMENTIERES AND THE RETURN TO THE "SALIENT." + +_First Phase._ + + +On Sunday, the 20th June, the Battalion marched off from Vlamertinghe at +8.30 a.m. through Ouderdom and Locre to Dranoutre, where it went into +bivouacs at Corunna Farm, being now in the II Corps commanded by Sir +Charles Ferguson, who inspected and addressed the men the following day. +In the evening, after their inspection, they moved up to the front line +and took over the trenches from "E1" to the barricade on the +Kemmel-Wytschaete Road--a quiet sector except for trouble from snipers. + +A few days after taking over, an interesting incident occurred. A notice +board was put up in the German trenches bearing the words "Lemberg is +taken." It was accompanied by cheering and the lighting of flares, to +which the front line Companies replied by rapid fire in the direction of +the board. The same day (23rd June) work was started on the mines, which +were eventually blown up in the successful attack on the Wytschaete Ridge +in June, 1917. Apart from this, nothing of interest occurred beyond the +usual reliefs till the middle of July. An announcement which aroused +considerable delight was made on the 15th July to the effect that leave +to England was to be granted, two officers and three other ranks being +allowed to be away at a time for periods of six and four days +respectively. + +On the 16th July the Battalion was relieved and moved from Kemmel at 7.30 +p.m. proceeding via Dranoutre and Bailleul to Armentieres, where it +arrived at 1 a.m. the next morning and went into billets at the Blue +factory. The following night it moved up to relieve Battalions of the +Royal Scots and Monmouths. B Company under Lieut. R.V. Hare, took over +"67" trench, C Company under Lieut. T.B. Heslop, "68" trench, A Company +under Capt. Ritson (8th D.L.I.), "69" trench, and D Company under Capt. +Livesay, Lille Post. The sector proved to be very quiet and the trenches +exceptionally good. It is interesting to note that about this time the +training of bombers was organised, and 2nd Lieut. P.H.B. Lyon of the +Battalion was appointed first Brigade Bombing Officer. + +The men were now beginning to realize that their first taste of +conditions in France was not typical of the whole front, and that war had +its more pleasant side. After the "Salient," the Armentieres trenches +were a picnic, and though there is little of historic interest to record +concerning the tour, it formed the subject of many conversations and +jests when harder times followed. Many times, probably, in the +water-logged shell holes of Passchendaele in 1918 was it recalled how +once at Armentieres even the duck boards were cleaned daily and men were +crimed for throwing matches on them. It is not forgotten either how the +Battalion Band first came into being at Houplines. + +On the 11th August, the 6th and 8th Battalions once more assumed a +separate identity. Major Borrett, D.S.O., the King's Own, took over +command of the 6th Battalion with Capt. Jeffreys once more as Adjutant. +Four days later Major Borrett left and handed over the command to Capt. +Jeffreys, 2nd Lieut. P.H.B. Lyon becoming Adjutant. On this +re-organization the Companies of the Battalion became known as W, X, Y, +and Z. About the same time the 5th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire +Regiment left the Brigade, and was replaced by the 5th Battalion Border +Regiment. + +Early in September, some excitement was caused by the rumour that the +"Mushroom," a circular trench in the Battalion sector, was mined and +likely to be blown up. Bombers of W Company patrolled it and slept in it +for six nights without result. On the 25th September the heavy firing at +Loos caused a little anxiety. The day after this the Battalion sector was +slightly altered by the taking over of the Houplines trenches from the +12th Division. A little more excitement than usual occurred on 13th +October, when a demonstration was made by the artillery and the throwing +of smoke bombs. + +The tour ended on the 10th November, when the Battalion was relieved and +marched to billets at La Creche, near Bailleul, where it stayed for a +month enjoying its first rest since embarkation. + + +_Second Phase._ + +Early in December it was known that the next tour was to be once more in +the "Salient." On the 17th December the Battalion entrained at +Steenwercke for Poperinghe, from where it marched to Dickebusch huts, +which are always remembered as being built on islands in a sea of mud. +The following night another march via Kruisstraat and Zillebeke brought +the men to Maple Copse where they relieved the 11th Royal Scots (9th +Division). The trenches were found to consist of holes and ditches which +were worked on till they were quite good and dry. It was here that +arrangements were first made for the prevention of trench feet. + +Sunday, the 19th December, was marked by a German gas attack north of +Hooge, but the Battalion was not involved. The following day the +artillery activity continued, and Lieut.-Col. Jeffreys was wounded whilst +going round a new piece of the line which had been taken over from the +Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Major G.A. Stevens (8th D.L.I.) took +over command, and the following day Capt. R.B. Bradford (afterwards +Brig.-Gen. Bradford, V.C.) joined as Adjutant. An unusual occurrence took +place on the 22nd December, when two Russians, who had been prisoners in +Germany and had been working behind the line, escaped and came into the +trenches in the Battalion sector. On Christmas Day the Battalion was out +of the line and in the huts at Dickebusch. Capt. Bradford left on the +31st December to join the 7th Battalion, and was succeeded as Adjutant by +2nd Lieut. C.E. Yaldwyn. + +On New Year's morning the Battalion had its first experience of a really +heavy British bombardment of the enemy's trenches. The bombardment was so +intense that it was possible to find one's way about Sanctuary Wood by +the light of the gun flashes. The only other incident of importance in +the first month of 1916 was the departure of the machine-gun section +which, under 2nd Lieut. L. Brock, was sent to form part of the Brigade +Machine Gun Company. To replace the guns, the first Lewis Guns were +issued and put under the command of 2nd Lieut. J.P. Moffitt. It was also +about this time that the Battalion journal, _The Whizz-Bang_, came into +existence, edited and run by 2nd Lieut. Yaldwyn. Its illustrations by +Lieut. Catford and articles were much appreciated, but, unfortunately, +its publication ceased in November of the same year. + +Throughout January and February there were local artillery combats which +terminated with the capture of Hill 60 and "The Bluff." On the 1st March +there was a demonstration at 5 p.m., which consisted of artillery and +infantry fire and cheering as if for an attack. The following morning at +4.32 a.m. the 3rd Division attacked and captured International and New +Year trenches and "The Bean" with over 200 prisoners. On the 18th March, +the Battalion was relieved and moved to Poperinghe by train from Ypres. +Four days later it returned again by train and took over the recently +captured Bluff trenches from the 10th Royal Welsh Fusiliers (3rd +Division). These trenches were round the edge of the Bluff crater and +were in a very bad condition due to the rain and heavy shelling, and were +littered with remnants of German equipment and their dead. X Company were +on the right in New Year trench supported by Y Company in Gordon Post. W +Company were in the centre in "The Loop," and Z Company on the left in +"The Bean." + +On the 27th March, at 4.15 a.m., the 3rd Division on the right attacked +at St. Eloi, and during the attack the Medical Officer (Capt. White) and +a party of stretcher bearers rendered valuable assistance. A few days +later (2nd April) the Battalion was relieved by the Canadians, who had +suffered heavily from shell fire in coming up, and moved again to +Dickebusch, where there was a stay of two days before moving South to +Scottish Lines at Westoutre and La Clyte. + +A week later, on the 8th April, the Battalion was again in the line, this +time relieving the 7th Battalion Shropshire Light Infantry in trenches N +and O, in front of Wytschaete, with back area at La Clyte. These trenches +were of the breastwork type. About this time there was a good deal of +fighting on the left, where the Germans were trying to retake the St. +Eloi craters. + +On the 24th April the Battalion was relieved and marched to rest billets +at Berthen. These billets were found to be farms scattered over a large +area. A few days after arrival, Lieut.-Col. Jeffreys, D.S.O., returned +and took over command from Lieut.-Col. Stevens, who went as Brigade Major +to a Canadian Brigade. Early on the morning of the 30th the Battalion +was roused by the news of a gas attack, but after standing to till +daylight it was not required to move. A week later, 2nd Lieut. G. +Kirkhouse was appointed Adjutant in place of 2nd Lieut. Yaldwyn, and on +the 8th May the Battalion returned to La Clyte for four days working +parties. The only other incidents of importance during May were an +inspection by Sir Douglas Haig and the farewell inspection and address on +the 16th by Brig.-Gen. Shea prior to his departure to take over command +of the 30th Division. He was succeeded by Brig.-Gen. Westmorland. + +On the 28th May the Battalion returned to the trenches it had left a +month before, and on the 2nd June the men were able to watch the German +attack between Hill 60 and Hooge and the Canadian counter-attacks on the +following day. Lieut. Ebsworth, M.C., D.C.M., East Lancashire Regt., +joined as Adjutant on the 7th June. During this tour the first Battalion +raid was made by men of Y Company under 2nd Lieut. H.C. Annett and 2nd +Lieut. J.F.G. Aubin, who was Battalion Bombing Officer. The party +consisted of 24 men, including two bombing squads, and had as its object +identification of the enemy on the immediate front. The night of the 6th +June was chosen and the party went out as arranged. In No Man's Land they +met a large enemy wiring party and their object was not attained. Three +nights later, however, a German was captured, and again on the 12th the +raiding party went out, this time with the object of killing Boches. They +entered the enemy trench, and after doing considerable damage with bombs +and rifles, returned without casualty. + +Apart from these incidents the sector was on the whole quiet, except for +a certain amount of sniping. The principal feature was the daily enemy +bombardment with trench mortars, which lasted from one to three hours, +and was on occasions very heavy. The front line, however, was thinly held +and very few casualties resulted. After receiving two drafts of 190 and +110 men respectively the Battalion was relieved on 7th August by the 7th +Battalion King's Own and moved to its old billets at Berthen. + +This ended the second phase of its war history, and a few days later it +moved South to the Somme area. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE SOMME. + +_First Phase._ + + +On the 10th August, 1916, the Battalion entrained at Godewaersvelde, and +detraining at Candas, marched to Heuzecourt and spent four days resting. +The 15th, 16th and 17th were spent in marching through Vignacourt and +Villers Bocage to Baizieux, where the men bivouaced in the wood. Here two +accidents occurred. Major F. Walton, Second in Command, and Lieut. +Ebsworth, M.C., Adjutant, were thrown from their horses and sustained +broken limbs. 2nd Lieut. Kirkhouse resumed duties as Adjutant. + +Nearly a month was spent in the wood, the time being devoted to training +in the new wave formation for the coming offensive. It was about this +time that distinguishing marks were adopted in the Division and the +Battalion began to wear the red diamonds which came to be regarded with +almost as much pride as the cap badge, and continued to be worn as long +as the Battalion existed as a unit in France. On the 6th September +Brig.-Gen. N.J.G. Cameron took over command of the Brigade. Four days +later the Battalion moved to bivouacs in Becourt Wood, and there the +final preparations were made for action, and amid the growing violence of +the artillery preparation it moved again on the 14th September to Shelter +Wood. + +Zero for the second phase of the Somme battle was 6.20 a.m. on the 15th +September. The 149th and 150th Infantry Brigades were then in the front +line between High Wood and Martinpuich with the 151st Brigade in reserve. +At zero the Battalion moved from Shelter Wood by way of Sausage Valley to +an old German trench at the south-west corner of Mametz Wood. About noon +a further forward move was made, Y and Z Companies to the northern edge +of the wood, and W and X Companies to a position a little further forward +between Mametz and Bazentin-le-Petit Woods. So far the Battalion had +escaped shell fire, and the men were much interested in prisoners who +were being escorted to the rear. About 11 a.m. a message was received +that the 47th Division had failed to take High Wood, and that the two +Brigades of the 50th Division had secured their objectives. Later came a +message that the 47th Division had taken High Wood at the second attempt. + +Rations arrived about 5 p.m., and whilst they were being distributed +Lieut.-Col. Jeffreys returned from Brigade Headquarters with orders to +move up at once. Accordingly the Battalion paraded and marched up the +road to the Quarry at Bazentin-le-Petit. By this time the area was full +of movement. Guns, ammunition, ration wagons and troops were everywhere +moving up after the advance. + +After a conference at Brigade Headquarters orders were again issued for a +move, and at 9 p.m. the Battalion in fours, led by the Commanding Officer +and a guide from the Northumberland Fusiliers moved from the Quarry with +orders to attack from Eye and Clarke's trenches at 9.30 p.m. The attack +was to be made in four waves, with the 9th Durham Light Infantry, who had +been in position all the afternoon, on the right, the 6th in the centre, +and the 5th Border Regiment on the left. Unfortunately the guide lost his +way, and after unnecessary wandering the head of the Battalion arrived in +Clarke's trench, at the junction with Bethel sap, at 9.15 p.m. After +considerable difficulty, owing to ignorance of the ground, the Companies +got into position. W Company, under Capt. J. Cook, was on the left of the +first wave, and X Company, under Capt. W.F.E. Badcock, on the right, with +Z (left) and Y (right) in support. Just as they got into Clarke's trench +2nd Lieut. Annett, commanding Y Company, was killed, and 2nd Lieut. B.J. +Harvey, though wounded, took command. + +At the time appointed for the attack the 5th Border Regiment could not be +located, so the 6th and 9th Durham Light Infantry, after waiting about an +hour, advanced. Crossing Hook trench, which had been the enemy front line +in the morning and was now held by remnants of the 149th Brigade, they +moved down the slope towards Starfish and Prue trenches, the first +objective. They were met by a certain amount of machine-gun and rifle +fire, and had a few casualties, including Capt. Badcock, who was wounded. +The 6th Battalion continued to advance, however, until completely +checked by machine-gun fire, and then took cover in ditches and shell +holes. It was then discovered that there was a considerable gap on the +right, but by moving men in that direction touch was regained with the +9th Battalion. + +About 3.30 a.m. on the 16th the Commanding Officer took up Z Company to +reinforce the front line, and the 5th Border Regiment also moved up at +the same time. The whole line was then pushed forward and straightened. +Battalion Headquarters remained in Clarke's trench. + +Further orders were received to attack again at 9.15 a.m., but they never +readied the Companies, and nothing happened. Things were fairly quiet +during the day, and at night a shallow communication trench was dug over +the ridge and attempts made to improve the forward positions. Efforts +were also made to collect the Battalion into Companies, but on the 17th +the only parties under the control of Headquarters were half of W +Company, under Capt. Cook, part of X Company, under Lieut. Harriss, a +Platoon of Z Company, under Lieut. W.B. Hansell, and Y Company, in +reserve in a sunken road, under 2nd Lieuts. McVicker and Richardson. It +was known that other isolated groups were in positions in the front line. +One of these was organised for defence under orders of Private B. +McLinden of X Company, who subsequently received the Military Medal. + +The chief obstacle to a further advance was an enemy strong point called +the Crescent. Accordingly a party was organised to attack it, consisting +of two bombing squads, one each from the 6th and 8th Battalions under 2nd +Lieut. J.F.G. Aubin, now Brigade Bombing Officer. Leaving by way of +Crescent Alley at 6 p.m., they met with considerable shell fire and were +disorganised. Re-forming, however, they went out again with the same +result. The shelling proved to be the preliminary to an attack on the +150th Brigade, which was beaten off, Y Company being used to assist their +neighbours with Lewis guns. + +The following day (18th) was misty, and it was thought that the Germans +were evacuating Starfish trench. An attack was therefore ordered to +occupy it. This attack was made by the 6th Battalion on the left and the +9th on the right, each providing 100 men. 2nd Lieut. W. Little, with 50 +men of W Company, composed the Battalion's front line, and 2nd Lieut. +W.F. Charlton, with 50 of Z Company, the supporting line. A few men of +other Companies were also mixed with these two lines. Shortly after +starting they came under heavy machine-gun fire and had a number of +casualties, including 2nd Lieut. Charlton, who was killed. Some of the +party returned to their line during the day and others at night. All who +had been near the enemy trench reported it to be strongly held. + +During the morning Y Company were sent up to relieve W, X and Z Companies +in the front line. Owing to the trenches being very muddy after rain, and +at all places very shallow, this was a difficult operation. To add to the +difficulty the 8th Battalion began to arrive to relieve the Battalion +before the Company relief was complete. However, they at last got out and +moved back to 6th Avenue East and the intermediate line, where two days +were spent in cleaning up. Here Lieut. Ebsworth rejoined as Adjutant, and +the officers and men who had been left at the transport lines also came +up. + +On the 20th September, the Battalion moved further back to shelter in +Mametz Wood, where a draft of 50 men from the 2/6th Battalion, Essex +Regiment, joined. After four days' rest it again went forward to the +intermediate line. The same day Major Wilkinson, of the 149th Machine Gun +Company, joined as second in command. The following night the whole +Battalion turned out to dig a jumping-off trench. Lieut.-Col. Jeffreys +took them as far as the Battalion Headquarters of the 5th Durham Light +Infantry from where Lieut. Ebsworth and a guide led them to the position. +The guide lost his way, and after wandering about nearly all night, the +Battalion returned without doing any work. + +On the 26th September Lieut.-Col. Jeffreys left the Battalion to proceed +to England for three months' rest, and Major Wilkinson took over command. +The following day a move was made to Hook trench, where the men lived in +small shelters and provided working parties at nights. This trench was on +the sky line, and as a result received considerable attention from the +enemy gunners. To prevent casualties, and also to provide more room, two +Companies were pushed forward on the 28th to Starfish trench. From these +positions, in the afternoon, the Battalion relieved the 9th Battalion in +the front line. The relief was observed, and the communication trench +shelled. The disposition of Companies was, from right to left: Y, Z, W, +X, each Company having two Platoons in the front line (North Durham +Street) and two Platoons in the support line (South Durham Street). At +night they occupied battle positions, and extended the trench they +occupied by 150 to 300 yards. The 9th Battalion was in support in +Crescent Alley. On the left were the 5th Border Regiment, and on the +right the 47th Division, but it was not possible to get into touch with +the flanks during the night. The Company Commanders were now W Company, +2nd Lieut. Barnett; X Company, 2nd Lieut. Lean; Y Company, Lieut. +Catford; and Z Company, Capt. Peberdy. By dawn all preparations, +including the alteration of watches to winter time, were completed for +the attack, which had been ordered for the 1st October. + +The preliminary bombardment commenced at 7 a.m. and continued till zero +(3.15 p.m.), when it changed to a barrage. Unfortunately there were some +casualties from shells falling short, the total casualties for the day +being about 40, including the Commanding Officer wounded. Lieut.-Col. +R.B. Bradford, now commanding the 9th Battalion, asked for and was given +permission to take command of the two Battalions, and for his subsequent +work that day was awarded the V.C. He arrived at Battalion Headquarters +at zero, and at once went up to the front line. + +The attack commenced at 3.15 p.m., but, partly on account of the failure +of the 47th Division on the right, and partly owing to the wire not being +properly cut, the attackers were held up by machine-gun fire and suffered +heavy casualties. After considerable fighting with bombs and rifles three +Lewis gun teams of X Company, under 2nd Lieut. T. Little and 2nd Lieut. +C.L. Tyerman, and one team of W Company under 2nd Lieut. Barnett, +succeeded in getting a footing in the first objective. These organised +the position and carried on bombing attacks, 2nd Lieut. Little being +killed. During these operations Lieut.-Col. Bradford arrived on the +scene, and immediately took charge of the situation, and under his +direction and leadership the whole of the first objective was gained. A +Company of the 9th Battalion then came up, and using the new position as +a starting point, advanced and took the final objective after dark. + +About dusk a counter-attack was attempted by the enemy on the right +front. Advancing in extended order, about twenty of the enemy were +challenged, and they all cheered, shouting "Hooray." As they showed no +further friendly signs they were fired on and driven off. During the +night a further counter-attack developed from the valley on the right, +but this also was repulsed. + +The following day, by organised bombing, the whole of the final objective +was captured and held, and communication trenches were dug back to North +Durham Street. + +The casualties during the two days had been very heavy, and included +amongst the officers, in addition to those already mentioned, 2nd Lieut. +Peacock, killed, and 2nd Lieut. Lean, Capt. Peberdy, Lieut. Cotching, 2nd +Lieut. Barnett and 2nd Lieut. Appleby wounded. Amongst the decorations +gained were Military Medals awarded to Corporal Dixon and Privates +Rushforth and Atkinson, all signallers, and Private Turnbull of Y +Company. Good work was also done by Sergeants Gowland and Winslow. + +On the night of the 2nd October Lieut.-Col. Bradford handed over the +command of the Battalion to Lieut. Ebsworth, and it was relieved by the +7th Northumberland Fusiliers the night after. Owing to the mud the relief +did not commence until 4 a.m., and it was almost dawn before the +Battalion reached Headquarters, from where it was led by Lieut. Ebsworth +to Starfish trench. Here it was joined by R.S.M. Perry and the C.S.M.'s +and a draft which had been used as a carrying party. The officers left +were Lieut. Ebsworth, 2nd Lieut. Kirkhouse, Adjutant; 2nd Lieut. K.B. +Stuart, Signalling Officer, and 2nd Lieut. Tyerman; the Medical Officer, +Capt. J.G. Hill, arrived later. + +After a short rest the Battalion marched back to bivouacs in Becourt Wood +for one night. + + +_Second Phase._ + +On the 4th October, the Battalion moved back to tents in Henencourt Wood, +where drafts arrived, and remained for three weeks, reorganising and +training. The Company Commanders were now:--W Company, 2nd Lieut. A.S. +Tate; X Company, 2nd Lieut. J.H.F. Ludgate; Y Company, 2nd Lieut. R.H. +Stewart; and Z Company, 2nd Lieut. C.L. Tyerman. + +At the end of this period, on the 23rd October, the Battalion left the +Wood and marched back to Becourt, where two days were spent in tents. On +the 25th October the men were on the move again over familiar ground and +soon found themselves in tents just outside Mametz Wood. After a week +spent on working parties they moved up to the front line, W Company, now +under 2nd Lieut. R.H. Wharrier, being in front in Snag trench and the +other three Companies in close support in the Flers line. On the night of +Saturday, the 4th November, X, Y and Z Companies took over the front line +in preparation for an attack on the Butte de Warlencourt on the Sunday +morning. Zero had been fixed for 9.15 a.m. and the relief was not +complete, owing to the extremely bad state of the trenches, till 9 a.m. +The Battalion was disposed for the attack with X Company on the right, Y +in the centre, Z on the left and W in support, with the 9th Battalion on +the left flank and the 8th on the right. This fateful day, 5th November, +proved to be the most disastrous the Battalion had yet passed through. +The enemy position was exceptionally strong, the trenches from which the +attack started were so muddy that several men were drowned in them, and +the time for preparation was so short that the attack broke down almost +as soon as it had started. The casualties were very heavy, and included +amongst the officers 2nd Lieut. K.B. Stuart, 2nd Lieut. Fell, 2nd Lieut. +A.S. Ritson, 2nd Lieut. S. Robson, 2nd Lieut. T.F. Applegarth, and 2nd +Lieut. G.W. Robson, all killed, and all the remaining Company officers, +except 2nd Lieut. Wharrier, wounded. Amongst the honours awarded were the +M.C. to 2nd Lieut. Wharrier and the Military Medal to L.-Cpl. H. +Cruddace, who was also promoted to be sergeant. A monument was afterwards +erected on the Butte to the memory of those of the Battalion who fell on +this day. + +On the following night the Battalion was relieved by the 5th Battalion +and went back to Mametz Wood, where it stayed till the end of the month +supplying working parties daily. Several new officers joined here, +including Lieut.-Col. H.M. Allen, Black Watch, who took over command; +Lieut. (now Major) Ebsworth becoming Second in Command. + +Towards the end of the month came rumours of a rest, and on the 30th the +Battalion marched off once more to Becourt, where it was this time +accommodated in huts. After a night there it marched back to billets at +Warloy, where it stayed during the whole of December, training and +resting. The rest was thoroughly enjoyed by all ranks. On Christmas Day +sports were held which included a mounted officers' race won by Lieut. +H.T. Bircham, M.C., transport officer. + +On New Year's Day the Battalion was on its way back to the line. The +first day's march took it to billets in Albert, the billets being +partially destroyed houses. The following day the march was resumed to a +hut camp near the quarry at Bazentin-le-Petit, well known to the few +remaining survivors of the 15th September. After a few days in this camp, +troubled only by an occasional shell, a move was made into High Wood West +camp, a cheerless place consisting of black tarpaulin huts. From this and +a similar camp across the valley (High Wood East) the Battalion did two +tours in the front line at Factory Corner, where the line consisted of +more or less isolated posts. The support line, where a few days were +spent, was just in front of Flers. During these tours the weather was +exceedingly cold and the men suffered considerably, both in the line and +in the camp. There was also a considerable amount of shell fire. Parties +carrying up rations and pushing trolleys up the light railway from +Clarke's Dump had several casualties, and on one occasion the camp was +hit and all the signallers who had been left out of the line for training +became casualties. In the line itself the only outstanding incident +happened to a patrol which found itself surrounded one night, but +succeeded in getting back safely. Towards the end of the month came +rumours of relief, and on the 24th January the Division was relieved by +the 1st Australian Division. The Battalion came out to a new hut camp on +the Beaver Road, between the Bazentin and Mametz Woods. The next day it +marched to Becourt Camp, the air being full of rumours as to the future. + +It soon became known, however, that the Division was moving south to take +over a section of the line hitherto held by the French, still in the +Somme area, just south of Peronne. From Becourt the Battalion continued +its march to Ribemont. The march was uneventful except for the fact that +the two rear Companies took a wrong turning, and after a roundabout +journey arrived late at the halting place for dinner. At Ribemont it +stayed for about three weeks, during which training was carried out, the +men being accommodated in barns. Col. Allen was still in command with +Lieut. T.J. Arnott (Gordon Highlanders) as Adjutant. There was little of +interest during this period and, on the whole, everybody was pleased when +the move was resumed to huts at Hamel. After a few days there the +Battalion marched to billets at Proyart, where Lieut.-Col. J.W. Jeffreys, +D.S.O., returned and took over command. Again, in three or four days it +marched to Foucaucourt, where it was in Divisional Reserve. This village, +which had at one time been in the front line system, was practically +nothing but ruins and the Battalion was accommodated in a large camp of +French huts, fitted with wire beds, each hut holding about 150 men. Here, +final preparations were made for the line, which was visited by officers +who reported that the trenches were dry and in good condition. It was +very frosty weather at this time, but unfortunately before the Battalion +moved up a thaw had set in. The relief of the 5th Yorkshire Regiment will +never be forgotten by those of the Battalion who took part in it. +Following on the methods adopted by the French the relief took place +through very long communication trenches, running from Estrees through +Berny to the line in front of Misery. These trenches, as a result of the +thaw, were everywhere knee deep in mud and usually waist deep, and men +arrived in the line without boots and in a few cases without trousers, +having lost them in the mud. The experiences of X Company were perhaps +the worst. Leaving camp at about 5 p.m., then 130 strong, they were met +by guides, who lost their way, and eventually arrived in the front line +at dawn, having lost over 100 men stuck in the mud. The relief was not +reported complete till 4 p.m. the next day. The front line trenches were +worse if possible than the communication trenches, and the days that +followed were most unpleasant. There was very little cover from enemy +snipers, who were pretty active, and there were several casualties from +fishtail trench mortars. One night was marked by a very intense "strafe" +for a short time with rifle grenades and trench mortars. It afterwards +appeared that this was the enemy's parting shot, for soon after the +Division was relieved the enemy's extensive retirement on this sector +took place. After two tours in the front line, one in support in trenches +round Berny, and one in reserve at Foucaucourt, the Battalion was +relieved early in March by the 2/5th South Staffordshire Regiment (59th +Division), who had just come from Ireland and had not previously seen any +fighting in France. On relief the Battalion returned to Foucaucourt. + +Towards the end of the tour Lieut.-Col. Jeffreys left the Battalion for +a few days in hospital, during which time Major Little, of the 5th Border +Regiment, and Major Crouch of the 9th Durham Light Infantry, both held +command. He returned, however, when the Battalion came out of the line. + +This ended the tour in the Somme region, but the Battalion did not leave +the area till the end of the month, the period being spent in huts at +Morcourt, where an energetic programme of training and sports was carried +out. The principal feature of the sports was the success of members of +the Battalion, including Sergt. Young and Ptes. Nimney and Moody in the +Brigade and Divisional boxing contests. Although there were no +outstanding incidents to record of this training, Morcourt seems to mark +one of those turning points in the history of the Battalion from which +all subsequent events date. So many small things occurred there that it +was remarked by later comers that it appeared to them that the Morcourt +training must have lasted for months. One event, however, can be pointed +to as a turning point. On the 25th March, Lieut.-Col. Jeffreys, who had +never fully recovered from the wounds received in Sanctuary Wood, was +ordered to return to England on account of ill-health, and handed over +command to Major W.D. Carswell Hunt, M.C., of the 7th Durham Light +Infantry. Colonel Jeffreys' personal influence and fighting qualities, +strongly reflected even in his absence in those officers who had received +their early training under him, had been largely responsible for the +reputation and the success of the Battalion during its first two years of +fighting and his departure was greatly regretted by all ranks. + +A few days after he left, the Battalion was on the move to take part in +the battle which was about to begin at Arras. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +ARRAS. + +_First Phase._ + + +From Morcourt the Battalion moved by motor 'buses through Amiens to +Talmas preparatory to a long trek on foot. The first two nights were +spent at Wargnies and Havernas. Here a famous Church Parade was held, at +which the Commanding Officer, in the absence of a Chaplain, preached his +first and, as it proved, his last sermon. From there the Battalion +marched to Longuevillette and then to Vacquerie-le-Bourcq, spending a +night at each place. About this time Lieut. Arnott left the Battalion and +Lieut. G.D.R. Dobson (7th Durham Light Infantry) became Adjutant. The +next day Blangerval and Blangermont were reached and a short stay made, +half the Battalion being accommodated in each village. From here Major +Hunt went up by car to see the forward area and died of heart failure on +the journey. He was brought back to St. Pol, where he was buried in the +cemetery, representatives of several battalions forming the funeral +procession. Major A. Ebsworth, M.C., took over command. + +When the march was resumed the direction was changed, and, moving +eastwards, billets were reached at Neuville-au-Cornet. Rumours were now +spreading of the forthcoming battle and a further march to +Villers-sur-Simon left no doubt that the Battalion would be involved. +These were the last billets occupied by the men, the next portion of the +trek bringing them to huts at Montenescourt, about six miles due west of +Arras. Here Lieut.-Col. F.W. Robson, D.S.O. (5th Yorkshire Regiment) +arrived to take over the command, which he held for nearly a year. + +On the evening of the 11th April, in a blinding snowstorm, the Battalion +moved forward to the fight. Marching through Arras, they came to the +caves at Ronville. These caves were like nothing seen before. Excavated +by Spanish prisoners in the middle ages to provide stone for the building +of the city, they extended over an enormous area, and were capable of +holding thousands of men. The sensation of finding oneself in this huge +underground town, complete with electric light and water supply, after +stumbling down a long, uneven stairway, will not be forgotten by those +who survive. + +After one night here, the caves had to be evacuated next morning to make +room for more troops coming up. The Germans had now been driven back as +far as Wancourt, which was captured the previous day. On leaving the +caves, cellars in Ronville village were occupied. No sooner were the men +in, however, than orders were received to move further forward. The +Battalion paraded on the road leading to Beaurains, which was crowded +with vehicles and men, and marched off in the afternoon. After their +experiences of trench warfare the sight of open, rolling country, the +scene of yesterday's fighting, was very strange and, to some, +invigorating. Passing through the ruins of Beaurains and Neuville +Vitasse, the route turned across country towards Wancourt, and about dusk +the Battalion reached a sunken road, where it halted. Owing to a delay in +the arrival of the Lewis gun limbers, the Lewis gunners were behind the +rest of the Battalion, and some difficulty was experienced by them in +locating the sunken road. Up to this point there had been no firing or +signs of activity. After a conference of Commanding Officers a relief of +the 14th Division was arranged. W, X and Y Companies moved a little +further up and occupied Niger and Nepal trenches, which were some +distance behind the front line, and Z Company were sent to dig a trench a +little further forward near Wancourt cemetery. Here they remained for the +day. At night detailed orders were received for an attack at dawn, the +Battalion's frontage being near Wancourt Tower. + +At 1 a.m. on the 14th April the men moved to the assembly position in the +dry bed of the Cojeul River, with the 8th Battalion in support and 5th +Border Regiment in reserve, the 9th Battalion being already in a line +just south of Guemappe. The original orders had now been considerably +altered, and zero hour arrived before fresh orders had been circulated to +the Companies. The result was that at 4.30 a.m., after moving in file +from the assembly position to a bank, some 200 yards in front, the +Battalion advanced under a barrage in four waves of Companies, W being +front and Z in rear, with no orders except a rough indication of the +direction. + +As they advanced they were met by very heavy machine-gun fire from the +front and from Guemappe in their left rear. W and X Companies reached the +ridge 500 yards from the starting point, and passing down the other side, +were not seen again during the day. Y and Z Companies also reached the +ridge, but could get no further. Later they were joined by the 8th +Battalion, which was also held up. + +The fighting then died down, but apart from one brief message from X +Company no trace could be found of the two front Companies, and the +casualties in the remaining two were very heavy. To add to the confusion, +the 56th Division on the right had lost direction, and men of the London +Regiment were everywhere mixed with those of the 50th Division. + +At dusk orders were received that the line on the ridge would be taken +over by the London Rifle Brigade. As soon as the light permitted search +was made for W and X Companies. Eventually the remnants consisting of 4 +officers and about 20 men were discovered. Having reached a small system +of trenches, they had organised their defence and successfully beaten off +determined attempts to surround them. About 80 men were finally assembled +after the relief, and more joined the Battalion during the next few days, +but the casualties amounted to over 200, or more than 50 per cent, of the +total fighting strength. The officers killed were Capt. Brock, Lieut. +Richardson, and 2nd Lieuts. Greener, Payne and Newton, whilst many were +wounded. Capts. R.S. Johnson and H. Walton, commanding W and X Companies, +were subsequently awarded the Military Cross, and Corporal Betts the +D.C.M. and Croix de Guerre. + +After burying as many bodies as could be recovered, the remnants of the +Battalion moved back to dug-outs in the Hindenburg Line on Telegraph +Hill, which were reached, after a roundabout march, at dawn. + +From these dug-outs the Battalion returned next day to the caves at +Ronville, where it was re-organised and re-equipped ready for further +action. After four days' rest it again moved up, on the 21st April, this +time to dug-outs in the trench system known as "The Harp," the Q.M. +Stores remaining in Arras, where on the 22nd April Lieut. Lewis, acting +Q.M., was killed by a shell. In "The Harp" fighting stores were issued, +as the Battalion was to be in reserve for the attack on the 23rd April. +At zero hour, just at dawn on that date, St. George's Day, the +bombardment commenced, and the sight of the gun flashes against the red +sky as the Battalion moved forward will not readily be forgotten. After +two halts in sunken roads orders were received to occupy Niger trench +once more, but by this time the fighting had died down. Although +constantly on the alert, no further orders were received, and after two +nights there, the Battalion was relieved by the 14th Division and +returned to Telegraph Hill. One night was spent there, and the following +day, the 27th, it entrained at Arras for Mondicourt, from where it +marched to billets at Humbercourt, arriving about 3 a.m. + +Here a few days were spent resting and training, and on the 1st May a +march was ordered to Berles-au-Bois, which was found to be a village of +ruins without inhabitants. After one night there the Battalion marched to +Riviere-Grosville, where the billets were quite good. Here Lieut. G.D.R. +Dobson went to hospital, and Lieut. R.B. Ainsworth became Adjutant. Two +or three days were spent there, and on the 3rd May a return was made to +Humbercourt. Here very pleasant days were spent in training, particularly +those on the range at Lucheux Forest, where elaborate field firing +schemes were carried out. + +After about a fortnight there the Battalion was ordered up in reserve for +an attack by the 33rd Division and marched to Monchy-au-Bois, where the +accommodation was found to consist of an open field in which was a trench +line and much wire. Shelters were erected of ground sheets, and a few +tents obtained, and in these the men lived for five days, training being +continued. Their services were not required in the line, however, and +they marched back to Laherliere. Here a long stay was expected, but the +following day the journey was resumed to Souastre, where the Battalion +spent perhaps the most enjoyable month in its history. The men were +accommodated in a hut camp built round a large parade and sports ground. +As a result of easy training, plenty of recreation and fine weather, the +_moral_ of the men reached a very high level. + + +_Second Phase._ + +On the 15th June the Battalion returned to hold the line which it had +helped to gain in April. Leaving Souastre, it marched to support at a +camp near Henin-sur-Cojeul. There was practically no accommodation here +and ground sheets had to be used as shelters. The following day it +relieved the 10th Battalion Essex Regiment in the front line, just south +of the Cojeul River Valley, opposite Cherisy. After four days in this +sector it went out to Divisional reserve near Boisleux-au-Mont, where, on +the 27th June, it was visited by Col. the Hon. W.L. Vane, the Honorary +Colonel of the Battalion. A regular system of reliefs, which lasted for +three months, now commenced. Under this system the Battalion had two +periods of four days in the front line and one in support at Henin or +Neuville Vitasse, followed by eight days in reserve in camp near +Mercatel. The weather was good on the whole, and the trenches in +excellent condition. The enemy was only moderately active and there were +very few casualties. One of the Battalion areas in this sector was the +bank from which the attack started on the 14th April, and whilst there a +cross was erected to the memory of those who fell on that day. + +As a result of their long stay here, the men became very familiar with +the whole area, and their experiences in the communication trenches, +Foster Avenue, Shikar Lane, Kestrel Avenue, Avenue Trench and others were +talked of for long after. Neither did they forget Lone Sap, from which +the enemy captured two of their comrades, Cable Trench, which was raided +by a party under 2nd Lieut. B.R. Leatherbarrow, Concrete Trench, the +Hindenburg Line, the caves in Marliere Village, which on one occasion +produced some interesting souvenirs left by the Boches, and many other +localities. + +Apart from minor raids and counter-raids, the only outstanding incident +was the double raid of the 15th September. This operation was carried out +by the 9th Durham Light Infantry in the afternoon and repeated by the 8th +Durham Light Infantry in the evening. The Battalion was holding the +sector immediately on the right of the raiders, and its function was to +draw the enemy's attention and fire by the exhibition of dummy figures +and a dummy tank, which were later on view at the United Services Museum +in Whitehall. 2nd Lieut. Leatherbarrow was in charge of these dummies, +assisted by Sergeant P. Finn, who was awarded the Military Medal for his +work. + +Other decorations earned during this period were Military Medals awarded +to Corporal Nesbitt and Private Allison of X Company for digging out a +man buried by shell fire, under very dangerous conditions. + +Apart from good work in the line not only in patrolling, etc., but also +in improving the trenches till they were probably as good as any on the +whole front, considerable work was done on the erection of reserve camps +and horse standings. It was with some regret therefore that when at +Northumberland Lines, a very comfortable hut camp near Mercatel, the men +heard that they were to leave the area before the winter. + +Early in October they marched to a canvas camp at Gomiecourt, just off +the main Bapaume road, and stayed there a short time training. The +arrival of representatives from Divisions in the "Salient," to instruct +in the methods adopted in the recent successful fighting there, left no +doubts as to the next move. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +RETURN TO THE "SALIENT." + + +About the end of October the Battalion marched one night to Bapaume, +where it entrained for Esquelbecq, north-west of Cassel. On detraining it +marched to billets at Eringhem for two nights. From there the march was +continued to Arneke, and there the men were told that a short stay would +be made, but early the next day orders were received to march to Proven, +just inside the Belgian frontier. On the road, however, fresh orders were +received, and the latter part of the journey, from Wormhoudt, was done by +train. + +On arrival at Proven the Battalion occupied Piddington Camp on the +Poperinghe road, and incidentally, renewed the acquaintance of Belgian +mud. After one night there it moved for the next night to bivouacs known +as Sarawak Camp, in the woods north of Poperinghe. This will probably be +remembered as one of the dirtiest camps ever occupied. The last stage of +the journey eastwards was done by train from Proven to Boesinghe. +Arriving at the latter place in the morning, the men proceeded to Hulls +Farm Camp close by, on the Ypres road. This camp was occupied, however, +by the 4th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, which was moving up in the +afternoon to take part in an attack along the Ypres-Staden railway north +of Poelcapelle. Whilst lying in an open field waiting to occupy the camp +a visit was received from a squadron of Gotha bombing planes, and about +20 casualties were suffered. About 5 p.m. the camp was taken over. Here +the Battalion remained for three days, and had considerable experience of +Hun aeroplane bombs, fortunately without further casualties. +Exceptionally large working parties were demanded on each of the three +nights, and their experiences were perhaps worse than those of the tour +in the line which was to follow. + +The third battle of Ypres was still in progress at this time, and +Passchendaele had not yet been taken. On the front between the railway +and Houthulst Forest, due north of Poelcapelle, the 149th Infantry +Brigade had attacked and advanced the line slightly. A further attack by +battalions of the 150th Brigade had partially failed, and about the +beginning of November the battalion moved up to occupy the left sector +of the line which was just inside the forest. + +The journey up to the front line was far from pleasant. After crossing +the canal it consisted of a six-mile walk along a duck-board track across +one of the most devastated areas on the whole front, and to add to the +difficulties, the enemy's artillery was very active. Owing to lack of +roads for the transport, each man carried four days' rations. The +position consisted of a series of water-logged shell holes, which were +troubled considerably by low-flying aeroplanes. Battalion headquarters +were in a pill-box known as Egypt House, which received very assiduous +attention from the Boche gunners. + +As it had been decided to make no further attack on this sector, though +an improved position was desired, the nights were spent in pushing +forward the posts as far as possible under cover of darkness. This was +done very successfully, and the battalion line was advanced during the +tour by 200 yards with very few casualties. Several decorations were +obtained for this work including the Bar to the Military Cross to Capt. +J.F.G. Aubin, M.C., commanding Y Company; and the Military Cross to Capt. +P.H.B. Lyon, commanding X Company. Sergts. Britton and Cruddace were +awarded Bars to the Military Medal. + +After four days in the line, orders were received to move back to the +neighbourhood of the canal for two days and then return. In view of the +dangerous nature of reliefs, however, an alteration was asked for and +obtained, and the Battalion completed its tour of six days. On relief by +the 9th Battalion, it moved to Marsouin Farm Camp, near Pilkem, and spent +a very unpleasant morning under fire from high velocity shells. +Fortunately there were no casualties, and in the afternoon after the +relief it again moved to a camp at Elverdinghe for a few nights. + +From there it entrained to Watten, and marched to billets at Houlle. Here +a very enjoyable month was spent. The maltery, where W and X Companies +were billeted, was one of the best billets they had been in for some +time. The great feature of this month's training was the sports. After +winning the Brigade Football and Cross Country Cups, the battalion won a +great triumph by obtaining the Divisional Cross Country Shield. This was +given to the unit which had the largest proportion of its ration strength +over the course in a certain time. The percentage obtained, 64 per cent., +reflected the high state of efficiency to which the Battalion had now +attained. For this high standard, a large amount of credit was due to +R.S.M. G. Perry, D.C.M., who was unfortunately compelled by ill-health to +leave the Battalion at Houlle, and subsequently went home, after nearly +three years' active service. At his best on the parade ground and in his +lectures on the history of his Regiment, his influence continued to be +felt long after his departure, especially as he was succeeded by one whom +he had trained in soldiering, C.S.M. J. Taylor, of X Company. + +During the first week in December the visit of officers to the line +disclosed the new sector to be taken over, which included Passchendaele +village, recently captured by the Canadians. A few days later the +Battalion entrained at Watten for Brandhoek, where it spent a short time +in a hut camp in Divisional reserve. From there it marched up through +Ypres to a camp just west of Potijze Wood, the scene of its first action +in April, 1915. After two days there a further move was made to the +forward area, into a number of shelters known as the Seine area. The next +step was to the front line, which consisted of a series of shell hole +positions on the Passchendaele Ridge. Not only were these uncomfortably +wet, but they were very difficult to locate in the dark, and many will +remember the trouble experienced in selecting the routes from the heap of +debris of what had once been the village church. Battalion Headquarters +were in a German pill-box known as Hamburg. Four days were spent in the +front line, and the Battalion then went to Divisional reserve again at +Brandhoek. After another tour in the line, it again moved to Brandhoek on +Christmas Day, and there completed the 24 days which entitled it to a +similar period of rest and training. The whole tour had been without any +exciting incidents, and casualties were small, in spite of persistent +shelling which made the duck-board tracks (H, K, R.A.M.C., tracks, etc.) +very unpleasant. The Christmas at Brandhoek was thoroughly enjoyed by the +men. On Boxing Day a Christmas dinner was provided, consisting of +turkeys, puddings, port wine, beer, etc., the orderly work being done by +the N.C.O.'s, and the carving by the officers. A visit was paid to the +Battalion here by the Corps Commander (Lieut-Gen. Sir Aylmer +Hunter-Weston), who congratulated the men on their appearance and bearing +immediately after an uncomfortable trench tour. + +From Brandhoek the Battalion moved by 'bus to the Steenvoorde area, +where it was accommodated in very scattered billets for about ten days, +during which it was training and resting. It then entrained at Eecke for +Wizernes, near St. Omer, and marched to billets at Acquin. A stay of +about a fortnight there was occupied in the use of an exceptionally good +training area. A return was then made to the former front line, and +detraining again at Brandhoek, the Battalion went this time to another +hut camp known as Toronto. A similar system of reliefs as before was +carried out and the tour was divided up into short periods at Brandhoek, +St. Jean, and the Passchendaele sector. The line was somewhat quieter +than on the previous occasion. The route to and from the trenches was now +a new track called Judah track, a stretch of about three miles, which +reflected great credit on the Pioneer Battalions. From Brandhoek to St. +Jean and the return journeys were usually done by 'bus or light railway. +The tour ended with a night in the cellars in the town of Ypres, and from +there the Battalion marched to Ypres station and entrained to Wizernes +again, and so to billets in St. Martin-au-Laert, a suburb of St. Omer. +These billets were very good, and the advantage of being near a town was +fully appreciated. The story of the Battalion would not be complete +without a reference to the band, which, under the direction of Sergt. +T.O. Hann, M.M., had reached a very high standard, and was second to none +in the Division. With the buglers, whose smart appearance attracted much +attention, a selection of music was played in the town daily at +"Retreat." At this time, also, the Battalion concert party, the "Red +Diamonds," trained by Capt. Cardew and Capt. Lyon, provided several very +good entertainments. + +It was now March, and the great enemy offensive on the Somme was +expected. After three weeks, the rest was abruptly terminated by orders +to entrain for Amiens, and about the second week in March the Battalion +marched off from St. Martin, and entrained at Arques. At this time it was +perhaps as efficient as any on the Western front, having had few +casualties during the past year, and also having had a large proportion +of rest and training. The officers knew their men both in and out of the +line, and it was confidently expected that in the coming active +operations great credit would be earned--but the overwhelming disasters +of the next three months were never anticipated. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE SOMME, THE LYS AND THE AISNE. + +_First Phase._ + + +On detraining at Longeau, the Battalion marched to billets in Corbie, +where it stayed for one night. The following day it moved to the south of +the main Amiens-Peronne road to Marcelcave, and was then in Fifth Army +Reserve. Here, for about a fortnight the finishing touches were put to +the training. Included in the programme were the final stages of the Army +Rifle Association competition, in which No. 6 Platoon were defeated by a +Platoon of the 8th Durham Light Infantry in the final of the Brigade +contest. The officers were taken up to certain areas near Peronne, where +the Battalion might have to deliver counter-attacks in the event of a +German success. About the middle of March rumours of the impending attack +became more numerous, and the intelligence reports containing prisoners' +statements, etc., were not reassuring. At last, the date of the attack, +the 21st March, became fairly certain, and the drum fire heard in the +distance on that day was not unexpected. + +Orders were issued during the morning for a "stand-to" in readiness to +move at very short notice, and about 3.45 p.m. instructions were received +to entrain at Gouzeaucourt. In less than an hour the Battalion was on the +march, the transport moving at the same time by road. After a short +journey it detrained in the pitch dark at Brie, where Lewis guns, etc., +were placed on lorries, the orders being to move into billets near +Peronne. Whilst waiting for guides, however, a staff officer of the +Division arrived with fresh orders. Instead of proceeding to billets the +Battalion was to move straight into the fight. The Lewis guns were +removed from the lorries and replaced by blankets, and the Battalion +marched off in the direction of Tincourt. Just to the south of that +village and in front of Beuzy a reserve system of partially dug trenches, +known as the Green Line, was at once occupied. This line was the next +defence system behind the Brown Line, where the 66th and other Divisions +had been overwhelmed in the morning. On the morning of the 22nd March the +men watched with interest tanks moving up to counter-attack, but on the +whole things were quiet. In the afternoon the shelling became heavier, +and in the distance large massed bodies of the enemy could be seen. The +first contact occurred when a German scout was wounded and captured by a +patrol. Orders were then received that the line was to be held at all +costs. The apparent strength of the position, however, inspired +confidence, and it was not till towards dusk that the first serious +casualties occurred. + +About 9 p.m. further orders were received to withdraw to a ridge in the +rear, in front of Cardigny. The movement was successfully carried out in +the dark, and at dawn the new position was reconnoitred and the +dispositions completed. At 7 a.m. the startling orders were received that +the Fifth Army was about to withdraw to the west of the Somme, and +detailed instructions as to the rearguard action were issued. The +Battalion was to cover the retirement of the 5th Durham Light Infantry, +which would in turn cover a further withdrawal. Accordingly the village +of Cardigny was occupied with a view to a temporary stand. No sooner was +this done than the enemy were on the outskirts and their snipers and +machine guns were giving considerable trouble. The position soon became +untenable, and permission was obtained to withdraw. This was done without +loss, largely owing to the courage of Y Company, who, under Capt. J.F.G. +Aubin, M.C., formed the rearguard to the Battalion. + +The next line of defence was a trench system on a ridge near Le Mesnil, +which overlooked the Somme to the rear. Here things were quiet, though it +was known that the enemy was working round the flanks, through Peronne on +the left and Le Mesnil on the right. There was still a considerable +amount of transport on the east of the river, and it was expected that a +fight would follow to allow this to get away. After about two hours, +however, orders came to cross the river by the Eterpigny footbridge. A +route was taken across country towards this bridge, but there being no +gap through the marshes and undergrowth, the Battalion was forced to turn +aside through Le Mesnil village and, incidentally, to pass under a light +shrapnel barrage. It was not known that the village was in the enemy's +hands, but as soon as Z Company, who were leading, had reached the far +side, the remaining Companies were attacked. Again Y Company +distinguished itself, as did W and X Companies. They at once deployed, +and though driven towards the marshes, successfully checked the enemy and +eventually followed Z Company over the partially destroyed footbridge, +about 300 yards long, with the loss of only two officers, Lieut. D.F. +Charlton (killed) and 2nd Lieut. A. Dobson (prisoner), and about 20 men. +For his action Capt. J.F.G. Aubin, M.C., was awarded the D.S.O. + +When all the Companies had been assembled on the west of the river a line +was formed, along with the remnants of another Division, overlooking the +marshes. By this time the day's fighting had died down, and things +remained fairly quiet throughout the night. + +Early on the following morning, the 24th March, orders were received to +withdraw the Battalion to Foucaucourt. The Companies were therefore +assembled on the road and marched back by the main Amiens-Peronne road to +an old prisoners of war camp near Foucaucourt village. Further orders +awaited them there to be ready to move up again, and in about two hours +they were again marching eastwards. About 8 p.m. they were again in +position, in reserve, in a line north-east of Estrees. + +The next morning the Battalion was hurriedly assembled and moved to +Genermont, south of the main road, coming under the orders of the General +Commanding the 8th Division. The situation here appeared to be very +serious, as the enemy was advancing rapidly. Without any very definite +orders the Battalion moved in artillery formation towards Marchelepot, +but before reaching it the 8th Division, who were holding the line, had +retired to the railway behind the village. Gaps along the line of the +railway were accordingly filled by W and Z Companies, but it soon became +necessary to put in Y Company also. No further developments occurred till +about 5 p.m., when Y Company on the right found that the 24th Division on +their right was withdrawing to Chaulnes ridge. A defensive flank was +formed, and X Company moved to the north-east of Hyencourt to deliver a +counter-attack if necessary. For a couple of hours the prospect looked +very black, but the enemy did not press his advantage, and about 7 p.m. +orders were received to withdraw the Battalion to a line of old trenches +south-east of Pressoire. Here a quiet night was spent, with only a few +casualties from shell fire. + +About 9 a.m. the next day the enemy renewed his attacks and a hurried +withdrawal of the whole of the 8th Division was ordered. The instructions +which reached the Battalion were somewhat confused, but along with the +Battalions of the 24th Infantry Brigade they moved from the trenches in +artillery formation, and passing through the ruins of Lihons--which was +under observation, and consequently was heavily shelled as the men passed +through it--continued the withdrawal almost to Rosieres. About a mile +south-east of that village a line was formed, but no further attack took +place. In this position the Battalion had the 2nd Northants on its left +and a Labour Battalion on its right. + +At 9.30 a.m. the next day (the 27th) the Labour Battalion withdrew and +forced the two forward Companies of the Battalion to do the same. A +counter-attack was delivered, however, and the line restored by the end +of the day. The enemy renewed his attacks on the following morning, and +the 24th Division on the right retired to Warvillers. Y Company then +moved to Vrely to cover the withdrawal of the remainder of the Battalion +to a line near Caix. It was during these operations that Lieut.-Col. F.W. +Robson, D.S.O., was killed. He had commanded the Battalion for nearly a +year, and could truly claim that he had realised his ambition of making +it one of the finest in France. The best type of the Territorial officer, +his death was a personal loss to every officer and man who served under +him. The same day Capt. H. Walton, M.C., commanding Z Company, was also +killed. + +The three Companies in the Caix valley occupied a wired trench facing +Rosieres, and were told that the troops in front would retire and occupy +the line with them. Instead, however, these troops passed through them, +and the whole line fell back to the wood south-east of Caix. Here the +remains of the Battalion were re-organised, and going forward again, +re-occupied the Caix line. For this action Capt. G.E. Cardew and 2nd +Lieut. R. Wilson received the Military Cross. + +It was found impossible to hold the line much longer, and about 4 p.m. +the Battalion withdrew along the Beaucourt road and received verbal +instructions to move to Moreuil. The cooks, storemen, buglers, etc., who +had been left behind when the Battalion had moved up on the 21st March, +and had since been in action as part of a composite battalion, had been +collected by Major T.B. Heslop, and with some stragglers were now at +Ailly-sur-Noye. These were ordered up to the line on the 29th and moved +to Demuin Wood, where they arrived after having marched 30 kilometres +over congested roads during the previous 20 hours. They remained in the +area for several days, and had a very strenuous time with several +casualties. After this party had moved up, stragglers were collected by +Capt. Aubin at Boves, and these, with the transport, moved by stages to +Saleux, passing large numbers of French troops moving up to check the +advance. At Saleux the remnants of the Division, except the details who +were still in the line, were re-organised in case of emergency, and +eventually entrained to Rue and marched to billets at Vron. Here Major +Heslop and his party rejoined. These billets were not far from the coast, +and it was expected that after the strenuous fortnight there would be a +short rest. This was not to be, however, but, as an alternative, rumour +suggested a tour of duty in an easy part of the line. This appeared to be +confirmed when after two days the Battalion moved by 'bus to the Bethune +area. + + +_Second Phase._ + +On debussing just west of Bethune, the Battalion marched through the town +to billets at Beuvry, which was about four miles behind one of the +quietest sectors on the British front. Here a draft of about 400 men +arrived, and preparations were being made for a relief of the 55th +Division near La Bassee. These arrangements, however, were not carried +out, and after a few days the Battalion moved by a short railway journey +to Estaires, where it occupied billets in the town, all the +officers--except the Commanding Officer, Adjutant, Transport Officer and +Capt. Cardew--being in one billet, the Convent. At this time Estaires, +though a very short distance behind the line, was a flourishing town. + +After a quiet day and night, alarming rumours of the second German +offensive spread, and the next night there was a "stand-to." The day +following, the officers and a few N.C.O.'s reconnoitred a line of posts +in support which were to be occupied in the event of an attack, and in +the evening instructions were received for a relief of the Portuguese +Division, which was holding the line, the relief to take place the night +after (9th April). + +On the night of the 8th April, there was another "stand-to," and at 4 +a.m. the threatened attack commenced with a heavy bombardment of the +town. One of the first shells burst in the Convent, and all the occupants +with two exceptions became casualties. The men, however, got out of their +billets in safety, and the highest praise is due to the N.C.O.'s, who +gave valuable assistance to the three surviving Company Officers in +getting the Battalion into its battle positions in the Cockshy, Marais +East and West, and Drumiez posts. Amongst the officers killed in the +Convent were Capt. G. Kirkhouse, Capt. J.F.G. Aubin, D.S.O., M.C., and +Lieut. C.L. Tyerman, all of whom had seen much service with the +Battalion. + +The morning was misty, and beyond the fact that the Portuguese were being +driven back in confusion, nothing definite could be ascertained as to the +situation. The first reports which reached the Commanding Officer (Major +T.B. Heslop) were to the effect that three Companies (W, X and Z) had +been completely overwhelmed, and that two of his three Company Officers, +Capt. Cardew (killed) and 2nd Lieut. Railton (prisoner) were casualties. +The remainder of the Battalion, however, under Lieut. A.N. Brown, held +its ground till the afternoon, when it was forced to withdraw to the +railway near La Gorgue. + +At dusk, orders were received to cross the river Lawe and to hold the +Western bank. This withdrawal was successful, and the opportunity was +taken to reorganise the Battalion, which was divided into two companies, +one under Lieut. Brown, with Sergt. P. Finn, M.M., and Sergt. Field; and +the other under C.S.M. T. Sordy, M.C., with Sergts. Bell and Cooper. The +strength of the Battalion was now barely 100, and when touch had been +established on the flanks it was found that it was holding a frontage of +about 2,000 yards. + +Assistance was therefore asked for, and a company of the Corps Cyclists +and a company of the 7th Durham Light Infantry were attached. The latter +were sent to fill a gap on the right flank between the Battalion and a +Battalion of the Black Watch (51st Division). It was now about 10 a.m. on +the 10th April, and the enemy had renewed his attack and gained a footing +in Lestrem. From this, however, he was driven by the 7th Durham Light +Infantry company, but further to the south he had pressed back the +Highlanders. + +Orders were then received to withdraw in a N.W. direction to the line of +the Lys canal, the company of 7th Durham Light Infantry being moved over +to the left flank to fill a gap which had been caused by the readjustment +of their line by the 5th Durham Light Infantry. Meanwhile, the 8th Durham +Light Infantry, which was in rear, was ordered up to occupy the line +between the right flank of the Battalion and the 51st Division. + +The new position was being fairly well held when it was reported that the +5th Durham Light Infantry on the left had been forced to retire. Both +flanks being now uncertain, the Battalion was withdrawn towards Merville, +under very heavy machine-gun fire. A stand was made on the outskirts of +the town, but before night the fighting was taking place in the streets +of the town. + +The next day the retirement continued towards the Foret de Nieppe, and a +line was taken up near Le Sart. By this time the strength of the +Battalion was very small, and with the remnants of the 8th Durham Light +Infantry, a composite battalion was formed under Lieut.-Col. P. Kirkup, +M.C. Eventually, all were withdrawn from the fighting, and moved to the +grounds of La Motte Chateau, where they came under very heavy shell fire +for a short time. For a few days longer they remained on the western edge +of the Forest and provided working parties on new trenches in the forest +itself on a line in front of the Rue des Morts. At the end of this time +they were taken out to billets at Cohem, near Wittes, where they remained +for about a week reorganising and cleaning. Here Lieut.-Col. F. Walton, +M.C., returned and took over command of the Battalion from Major T.B. +Heslop, who was subsequently awarded the D.S.O. for his services whilst +in command. Other honours gained in the Lys battle were the Military +Cross by Lieut. A.N. Brown, the bar to the Military Cross by C.S.M. T. +Sordy, M.C., the D.C.M. by Sergt. P. Finn, and Military Medals by Sergts. +Bell and Cooper. + +Having now shared in two great battles within a month, a rest was +confidently expected, and very soon orders were received to move by 'bus +to Lapugnoy, near Bethune, to entrain for an unknown destination, though +rumour suggested somewhere near Paris. + + +_Third Phase._ + +After a twenty-four hours' journey, the Battalion detrained at Serzy, and +marched to a hut camp at Arcis-le-Ponsart. Maps were scarce, but it was +found that this village was somewhere east of Soissons, and that the +nearest part of the line was the famous Chemin des Dames. The men of the +Division were the first British troops to visit these parts, and the +limited knowledge of the French language which they had found sufficient +in Belgium and the North was found to be useless. Other Divisions were +expected to come South, but for a short time the 50th occupied the unique +position of being the only British troops in the Sixth French Army. + +In the camp at Arcis-le-Ponsart were all the battalions of the 151st +Brigade, and the ceremony of Brigade guard mounting was revived. This +took place daily in the centre of the village with the massed buglers and +bands. On the occasion of a visit of the French Army Commander to +Divisional Headquarters, a guard was provided at very short notice by the +Battalion, and was complimented on its smart appearance and bearing. It +may be mentioned that the bugler of this guard carried the silver bugle +presented to the Battalion in 1861 by the ladies of Coundon. + +It was generally understood that the tour on this sector, which was one +of the quietest in the line, was to be a period of rest and training +prior to a return to the fighting further north. Accordingly, the days at +Arcis were devoted to training, mostly in field work. The men whose +training was not up to standard, including a certain number who had +recently been transferred from the Inland Water Transport section of the +Royal Engineers, were detached for separate instruction, and eventually +went to form a Divisional School. + +After about three weeks' training, during which an epidemic of influenza +visited the camp, the Battalion marched to billets in Glennes, a small +village near the Aisne. Here final preparations were made for the line, +and after a few days it moved up to relieve a battalion of the 73rd +French Infantry Regiment in the woods immediately east of the Craonne +Plateau. + +The relief was very interesting. Arriving in the woods in the dark, the +men were led by French guides by bewildering tracks and trenches to the +front line. When daylight came, the support companies found themselves +amidst green trees, very different surroundings from those they had +previously known as the forward area. To add to the general comfort there +were practically no indications that the war was still on. The shelling +consisted at the most of half-a-dozen explosions daily, and generally +there was "nothing doing." The rations came up to Battalion Headquarters +by train, and the carrying parties lost their terrors. + +After four days the Battalion moved out to the support area, which +consisted of billets in the deserted village of Chaudardes. Here concerts +were organised, there was bathing in the Aisne Canal, the band played +selections in the centre of the village, and it was even possible to do a +certain amount of training when the enemy's observation balloons were not +up. + +The four days in support being finished, a return was made to the line, +this time on the right sub-sector, with the 8th Durham Light Infantry on +the left. The conditions were still good, and everything pointed to this +being a rest sector for the enemy also. + +Nothing unusual occurred till the evening of the 26th May, when a message +was received to the effect that a prisoner had stated that after a +three-hours' bombardment the enemy was going to attack at 4 a.m. on the +27th. Observers also reported that towards dusk the roads behind the +enemy's line were black with troops. The situation appeared to be so +improbable that it was difficult to regard it as serious. The necessary +precautions were taken, however; reserves of ammunition were sent +forward, surplus personnel were sent down to the transport lines, and +everybody warned to be on the alert. + +Promptly at 1 a.m. on the 27th the barrage came down, and it was such as +had never been experienced by the Battalion before. The enemy flooded the +whole area to a depth of about 3,000 yards with high explosive, shrapnel, +and gas shells. Even the stores and transport, as was afterwards +disclosed, were shelled out of Muscourt, which was many miles back, south +of the Aisne. + +Communication with the forward companies was maintained by telephone, and +an occasional runner, and at 4.50 a.m. a message was received at +Headquarters from the front line stating that the enemy had attacked in +force and had overwhelmed the forward posts. An enemy tank was also +reported to be tearing up the wire. The next information came from Capt. +Lyon who, finding his Company (X) had been wiped out, reported at +Battalion Headquarters that the enemy was advancing rapidly. The reserve +company (Z), under Capt. R. Green, M.C., were in position close to +Headquarters, and they reported the enemy on top of them, with machine +guns behind their right flank and bombers behind their left. + +It was then decided to move Headquarters further to the rear, and it was +afterwards discovered that at this time parties of the enemy were +actually well in rear of the position. + +After moving down the communication trench for about 500 yards, +Lieut.-Col. Walton, with the Adjutant and Signalling Officer, and Capt. +Lyon, collected all the available men, about forty of the Battalion, and +searched for the best place to make a stand. They were still under the +barrage, and the smoke made matters very difficult. Presently the 5th +Durham Light Infantry came up the trench to take up an allotted position, +which they found to be already taken by the enemy. They moved off to the +right of the main trench, however, and the forty men under Capt. Lyon +joined them. + +A message was then received by the Commanding Officer telling him to +report at Brigade Headquarters. On arrival, however, the dug-outs were +found to be unoccupied. Enemy machine guns were now firing from the rear, +and it was realised that apart from about half-a-dozen orderlies who +formed the remains of the Headquarters personnel, the Battalion had been +practically annihilated. + +In his search for the Brigadier, who, it afterwards transpired, had been +killed, Lieut.-Col. Walton arrived at the bridge at Concevreux. Here he +found a few men of the 8th Durham Light Infantry and the 5th +Northumberland Fusiliers, with whom the bridge was held till the +afternoon. Unfortunately, none of the Battalion joined this party from +the front, and for the next two or three days the two Commanding Officers +of the 6th and 8th Durham Light Infantry found themselves in command of +various bodies of men of other battalions. + +Meanwhile those of the Battalion who were at the transport lines when the +battle started had been collected on the road from Muscourt to Romain +under Major T.B. Heslop, D.S.O., and placed under the orders of the +G.O.C. 74th Brigade. Whilst on the road they could see enemy troops and +guns on the far side of the Aisne valley and later saw these guns being +fired point blank at them. Various positions were taken up during the +day, the party being in close contact with the enemy and suffering many +casualties. On the 29th these details, which had rejoined the transport, +were ordered to move from Villers Argon to Baslieux-sous-Chatillon, but +before reaching the latter place, every available man was again collected +to form part of a Company under Major Heslop, representing the remnants +of the 151st Brigade in a Battalion to which each Brigade of the Division +contributed one Company. After a night in Quisles Chateau this Battalion +moved towards Ville-en-Tardenois to support the 74th Brigade. The enemy's +position was uncertain and the 151st Brigade Company were ordered to act +as advance guard and to seize the high ground north and east of Romigny. +This was done, but the enemy attacked in force, with the result that the +Company were driven to a position south of the village which they held +till reinforcements arrived. + +Eventually, the remnants of the Division, except the Composite Battalion, +were assembled at Vert-la-Gravelle, south of the Marne, when a Composite +Brigade was formed, consisting of a weak Battalion from each of the +original Brigades. This Brigade, after about a week spent in +reorganisation, moved up to Chaumuzy and the Bois de Courton, where it +did good work in a counter-attack on the Bligny ridge. Meanwhile, the +transport and stores moved back to Broyes, near Sezanne, where they were +eventually joined by the members of the Composite Battalion. For actions +during the whole of the operations, the Military Cross was awarded to +Capt. A.B. Hare, Lieut. T. Rushworth, 2nd Lieut. J. Woodhead, and R.S.M. +J. Taylor. The last named was wounded and was succeeded by C.S.M. T. +Sordy, M.C. The Military Medal was awarded to Sergt. Malone, L.-Cpl. +Ripley and Pte. Dinsley, and the French Croix de Guerre to Corpl. Nield. + +At Broyes still another Composite Battalion was formed from the Brigade +in case of emergency, and though orders were received to proceed into the +line, they were cancelled. + +Then came the news that owing to the military demands, the 50th Division +was to be broken up. Nothing definite, however, could be ascertained, and +early in June the remnants entrained at Sezanne for the Abbeville area. +On detraining at Longpre they marched to billets at Caumont, where orders +were received that the battalions were to be reduced to the strength of +Training Cadres (10 officers and 50 other ranks). After a few days they +marched to Warcheville, from where the surplus men (about 120) were sent +to the Base. It may be mentioned that the total casualties in the +Battalion during the months of March, April and May had been 60 officers +and over 1,200 other ranks. + +In a few more days the Battalion, now a Training Cadre, moved by 'bus to +a camp just outside Dieppe, and there a month was spent awaiting further +orders. The time was spent in the training of the N.C.O.'s who were to be +instructors on special subjects, and in visits to the town. The band had +been lent to the 50th Division, which had been filled up by new +battalions from Salonica and was able to play selections in the camp, and +on one occasion in the town. + +At the end of the month's stay, about the middle of August, it was +announced that the battalions were not to be disbanded, but retained for +training purposes. A few days later the Cadres of the 5th, 6th and 8th +Durham Light Infantry moved by train to Rouen, where they were to build a +camp and start a new institution, that of instructing reinforcement +officers at the Base in tactical schemes. The officers of the Cadres +therefore began the latter work, whilst the N.C.O.'s and men worked, or +superintended the work on the new camp. In this somewhat monotonous way +two months dragged on, during which, in the temporary absence on sick +leave of Lieut.-Col. Walton, Lieut.-Col. Montgomerie, M.C., of the +Norfolk Regiment, was in command. The band still remained with the +Battalion and after the Armistice was granted permission to play on the +Joan of Arc statue, being the first British band to do so. They also had +the unique experience of playing "Blaydon Races" in Rouen Cathedral. + +About the middle of October came rumours of the splitting up of the +Cadres, and on the 18th October Lieut.-Col. Walton was ordered to proceed +to take command of the 18th Durham Light Infantry. He was succeeded by +Lieut.-Col. A.L. MacMillan of the Seaforth Highlanders, who commanded, +however, for only a few days, for on the 6th November the Battalion was +demobilised, and within a few days the personnel had been scattered to +various battalions all over France. + +So within a few days of the Armistice, ended the career of the 6th Durham +Light Infantry in France, after three and a half years of good work which +had made for it, right up to the end, a reputation which bore not a +single stain, and which on more than one occasion had caused it to be +held up as an example of the efficiency of the Territorial Force to which +it had the great honour to belong. + + + + +APPENDICES. + + +APPENDIX I. + +OFFICERS KILLED OR DIED. + +Major S.E. Badcock } +Capt. T.J. Monkhouse }26th April, 1915. +2nd Lieut. C.S. Kynoch } +2nd Lieut. J.M. Hare 24th May, 1915. +2nd Lieut. G.C. Robertson 21st July, 1915. +2nd Lieut. L.M. Peberdy 22nd Dec., 1915. +2nd Lieut. L. Meyer 11th June, 1916. +2nd Lieut. R.J. Harris 16th June, 1916. +2nd Lieut. J.C. Miller 27th July, 1916. +2nd Lieut. H.C. Annett 15th Sept., 1916. +2nd Lieut. N.F. Charlton 18th Sept., 1916. +2nd Lieut. W. Little 1st Oct., 1916. +2nd Lieut. D.R. Peacock 2nd Oct., 1916. +2nd Lieut. C.H.B. Catford[A] 5th Oct., 1916. +2nd Lieut. G.W. Robson } +2nd Lieut. A.S. Ritson } +2nd Lieut. S. Robson }5th Nov., 1916. +2nd Lieut. T.F. Applegarth } +2nd Lieut. K.B. Stuart } +2nd Lieut. H. Fell } +Major W.D. Carswell Hunt, M.C.[B] 5th April, 1917. +Capt. A.L. Brock } +Lieut. W.H. Richardson } +2nd Lieut. J.W. Payne }14th April, 1917. +2nd Lieut. H. Greener } +2nd Lieut. W.L. Newton } +2nd Lieut. D.D.R. Lewis[A] 22nd April, 1917. +Lieut. D.F. Charlton 24th March, 1918. +2nd Lieut. T. Sharkey } +2nd Lieut. A.R. Burn }26th March, 1918. +Capt. H. Walton, M.C. } +Lieut. T.J. Burton[A] }27th March, 1918. +Lieut.-Col. F.W. Robson, D.S.O. } +2nd Lieut. A.A. Horwood 28th March, 1918. +Capt. J.F.G. Aubin, D.S.O., M.C. } +Capt. G.E. Cardew, M.C. } +Capt. G. Kirkhouse } +Capt. Mackenzie (R.A.M.C.)[A] }9th April, 1918. +Lieut. C.L. Tyerman } +Lieut. D.B. Scott } +2nd Lieut. R.A. Wilson, M.C. } +2nd Lieut. F. Shirtliffe } +Capt. W.B. Hansell }27th May, 1918. +Capt. A.N. Brown, M.C. } +2nd Lieut. J.C. Garritt. 30th May, 1918. + +[Footnote A: Died of wounds.] + +[Footnote B: Died.] + + +APPENDIX II. + +(_The ranks shown are the highest held by the respective officers during +their service in France_.) + +COMMANDING OFFICERS. + +Lieut.-Col. H.C. Watson 19th April-28th April, 1915. +Lieut.-Col. J.W. Jeffreys, D.S.O. 28th April-19th May, 1915. +Major W.E. Taylor (York and 19th May-24th May, 1915. + Lancaster Regt.). +Lieut.-Col. J.W. Jeffreys, D.S.O. 24th May-11th Aug., 1915.[C] +Brig.-Gen. O.C. Borrett, C.M.G., 11th Aug.-15th Aug., 1915. + D.S.O. (King's Own Regt.). +Lieut.-Col. J.W. Jeffreys, D.S.O. 15th Aug.-19th Dec., 1915. +Brig.-Gen. G.A. Stevens, C.M.G., 19th Dec., 1915-27th April, 1916. + D.S.O. (Royal Fusiliers). +Lieut.-Col. J.W. Jeffreys, D.S.O. 27th April,-23rd Sept., 1916. +Major G.E. Wilkinson, M.C. 23rd Sept.-1st Oct., 1916. + (Northumberland Fusiliers). +Brig.-Gen. R.B. Bradford, V.C., 1st Oct.-2nd Oct., 1916. + M.C. +Lieut.-Col. A. Ebsworth, M.C., 2nd Oct.-6th Nov., 1916. + D.C.M. (East Lancashire Regt.). +Lieut.-Col. H.M. Allen, C.M.G., 6th Nov., 1916-Feb., 1917. + D.S.O. (Black Watch). +Lieut.-Col. J.W. Jeffreys, D.S.O. Feb.-25th March, 1917. +(During this period the command was held for short intervals by +Lieut.-Col. W.B. Little, D.S.O., M.C. (East Lancashire Regt.), and +Lieut.-Col. E. Crouch, D.S.O., D.C.M. during the temporary absence in +hospital of Lieut.-Col. Jeffreys.) +Major W.D. Carswell Hunt. M.C. 25th March-5th April, 1917. +Lieut.-Col. A. Ebsworth, M.C., 5th April-11th April, 1917. + D.C.M. +Lieut.-Col. F.W. Robson, D.S.O., 11th April, 1917-27th Mar., 1918. + (Yorkshire Regt.). +Lieut.-Col. T.B. Heslop, D.S.O. 27th March-April, 1918. +Lieut.-Col. F. Walton, M.C. April-18th Oct., 1918. +(During this period the command was held for a few days by Lieut.-Col. +E.W. Montgomerie, M.C. (Norfolk Regt.), during the temporary absence of +Lieut.-Col. Walton.) +Lieut.-Col. A.L. MacMillan (Seaforth 18th Oct.-6th Nov., 1918. + Highlanders). + + +ADJUTANTS. + +Lieut.-Col. J.W. Jeffreys, D.S.O. 19th April-28th April, 1915. +Lieut. R.V. Hare 28th April-19th May, 1915. +Lieut.-Col. J.W. Jeffreys, D.S.O. 19th May-24th May, 1915. +Capt. P.H.B. Lyon, M.C. 24th May-20th Dec., 1915.[C] +Brig.-Gen. R.B. Bradford, V.C., 20th Dec.-31st Dec., 1915. + M.C. +Lieut. C.E.G. Yaldwyn 31st Dec., 1915-May, 1916. +Capt. G. Kirkhouse May-20th Sept., 1916. +Lieut.-Col. A. Ebsworth, M.C., 20th Sept.-2nd Oct., 1916 + D.C.M. +Capt. G. Kirkhouse 2nd Oct.-10th Nov., 1916. +Lieut. T.J. Arnott (Gordon 10th Nov., 1916-5th April, 1917. + Highlanders) +Major G.D.R. Dobson, M.C. 5th April-3rd May, 1917. +Capt. R.B. Ainsworth, M.C. 3rd May, 1917-6th Nov., 1918. + + +QUARTERMASTER. + +Capt. W.M. Hope, M.C. 19th April, 1915-6th Nov., 1918. +(With short interval when wounded in 1918.) + + +TRANSPORT OFFICER. + +Lieut. H.T. Bircham, M.C. 19th April, 1915-June, 1918.[C] + +[Footnote C: With interval from 8th June-11th Aug., 1915 during the +amalgamation of the 6th and 8th Battalions.] + + +APPENDIX III + +(_The ranks shown are the highest held by the respective officers during +their service in France_.) + +DECORATIONS WON BY OFFICERS SERVING WITH THE BATTALION. + +D.S.O. + +Lieut.-Col. J.W. Jeffreys. +Lieut.-Col. T.B. Heslop. +Capt. J.F.G. Aubin. + +M.C. & BAR. +Capt. J.F.G. Aubin. + +M.C. + +Lieut.-Col. F. Walton. +Capt. T. Welch. +Capt. R.H. Wharrier. +Capt. H. Walton +Capt. R.S. Johnson. +Capt. R.B. Ainsworth. +Capt. P.H.B. Lyon +Capt. W.M. Hope +Capt. G.E. Cardew. +Capt. A.N. Brown. +Capt. T. Rushworth. +Capt. A.B. Hare. +Lieut. W.P. Gill. +Lieut. G.R. Angus. +Lieut. B.J. Harvey. +Lieut. H.T. Bircham. +2nd Lieut. R.A. Wilson. +2nd Lieut. J. Woodhead. + +The V.C. was won by Brig.-Genl. R.B. Bradford whilst in command of the +6th and 9th Battalions. + + + + +THE ARDEN PRESS + +[Illustration] + +W.H. SMITH & SON +STAMFORD STREET +LONDON: S.E. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Story of the 6th Battalion, The +Durham Light Infantry, by Unknown + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF THE 6TH *** + +***** This file should be named 16660.txt or 16660.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/6/6/16660/ + +Produced by Irma Spehar, Christine D and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. +Produced from page images provided by Internet +Archive/Canadian Libraries + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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