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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/17369-8.txt b/17369-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..82e01a7 --- /dev/null +++ b/17369-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10372 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Fifth Leicestershire, by J.D. Hills + +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 Fifth Leicestershire + A Record Of The 1/5th Battalion The Leicestershire Regiment, + T.F., During The War, 1914-1919. + +Author: J.D. Hills + +Release Date: December 22, 2005 [EBook #17369] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FIFTH LEICESTERSHIRE *** + + + + +Produced by David Clarke, Janet Blenkinship and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) + + + + + +[Transcribers note: Many inconsistencies appeared in the original book +and were retained in this version.] + + + + [Illustration: OFFICERS, 1914.] + + + + + THE FIFTH LEICESTERSHIRE. + + A record of the 1/5th Battalion the Leicestershire Regiment, T.F., + during the War, 1914-1919. + + BY + + CAPTAIN J.D. HILLS, M.C., Croix de Guerre. + + With an introduction by + + LT.-COLONEL C.H. JONES, C.M.G., T.D., Légion d'honneur + (officier). + + LOUGHBOROUGH. + + PRINTED AND PUBLISHED AT THE ECHO PRESS. + + 1919. + + THE FIFTH LEICESTERSHIRE. + + [Illustration] + + XVII. + + 5. + + + + + To + + COLONEL HIS GRACE DUKE OF RUTLAND, K.G., + + who has watched over us and lived with us + in all our losses and in all our joys, + this book is gratefully dedicated. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +No literary merit is claimed for this book. It is intended to be a diary +of our progress as a Battalion since mobilisation until the signing of +peace, and the return of the Colours to Loughborough. I have written the +first chapter, the remainder, including the maps, has been done by +Captain J.D. Hills. + +This is scarcely the place to attempt an estimate of what the members of +our County Territorial Force Association, individually and collectively, +have done for the 5th Leicestershire Regiment. We would merely place +this on record, that there has ever been one keen feeling of brotherhood +uniting us all, from President or Chairman, to the latest joined recruit +or humblest member of the regiment, whether actively engaged on the +battlefield, or just as actively engaged at home. Never has the +Executive Committee failed us. And to Major C.M. Serjeantson, O.B.E., we +would offer a special tribute for his untiring work, wonderful powers of +organisation and grasp of detail, and hearty good fellowship at all +times. + +To the men of the regiment we hope that the incidents which we narrate +here will recall great times we spent together, and serve as a framework +on which to weave other stories too numerous for the short space of one +book. + + C.H. JONES. + + MEADHURST, + UPPINGHAM, + + _Sept., 1919._ + + + + +AUTHOR'S NOTE. + + +The following narrative is based mainly on the Regimental War Diary. For +the rest, my thanks are due to Lt.-Colonels C.H. Jones, C.M.G., T.D., +and J. Ll. Griffiths, D.S.O., Major C. Bland, T.D., Captains D.B. Petch, +M.C., J.R. Brooke, M.C., and A.D. Pierrepont, and R.Q.M.S. R. Gorse, +M.S.M., for sending me notes and anecdotes; to Captains G.E. Banwell, +M.C., and C.S. Allen, Corpl. J. Lincoln, and L/Corpl. A.B. Law, for +taking me round the battlefields and explaining the Lens fighting of +1917; to 2nd Lieut. G.H. Griffiths, for supplying me with many of the +battle-field photographs; to all officers, N.C.O.'s and men of the +Battalion who have always been ready to answer my questions and to give +me information; to Major D. Hill, M.C., Brigade Major, for the loan of +his Brigade documents; and lastly to Mr. Deakin of Loughborough, for +undertaking the publication of this book and for giving to it so much +time and personal care. + + J.D. HILLS. + + 16, SOMERSET ST., + LONDON, W.1. + + _Sept., 1919._ + + + + + CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER PAGE. + + 1. ENGLAND 1 + + 2. EARLY EXPERIENCES 16 + + 3. THE SALIENT 39 + + 4. HOHENZOLLERN 70 + + 5. FLANDERS MUD TO THE MEDITERRANEAN 90 + + 6. THE VIMY RIDGE 106 + + 7. GOMMECOURT 127 + + 8. MONCHY AU BOIS 145 + + 9. GOMMECOURT AGAIN 163 + + 10. LENS 179 + + 11. HILL 65 196 + + 12. ST. ELIE LEFT 206 + + 13. CAMBRIN RIGHT 227 + + 14. GORRE AND ESSARS AT PEACE 253 + + 15. GORRE AND ESSARS AT WAR 267 + + 16. PONTRUET 279 + + 17. CROSSING THE CANAL 298 + + 18. FRESNOY AND RIQUERVAL WOODS 325 + + 19. THE LAST FIGHT 352 + + 20. HOME AGAIN 372 + + + APPENDIX. + + I. OFFICERS, FEB., 1915 376 + + II. HONOURS 377 + + III. THE CADRE, 1919 379 + + + ILLUSTRATIONS. + + PAGE. + + 1. OFFICERS, 1914 (Frontispiece). + + 2. R.S.M.S SMALL AND LOVETT, + R.Q.M.S. GORSE 34 + + 3. YPRES 35 + + 4. HOHENZOLLERN MEMORIAL 50 + + 5. VERMELLES WATER TOWER 51 + + 6. LENS FROM THE AIR 130 + + 7. OFFICERS AT MARQUEFFLES 131 + + 8. RED MILL AND RIAUMONT HILL 146 + + 9. HOHENZOLLERN CRATERS, 1917 147 + + 10. COMPANY HEADQUARTERS, LOISNE, AND + GORRE CANAL 322 + + 11. PONTRUET 323 + + 12. LIEUT. J.C. BARRETT, V.C. 338 + + 13. THE CADRE AT LOUGHBOROUGH 339 + + + MAPS. + + PAGE. + + 1. YPRES DISTRICT 44 + + 2. BETHUNE DISTRICT 82 + + 3. ATTACK ON GOMMECOURT, 1/7/16 130 + + 4. MONCHY DISTRICT 154 + + 5. LENS DISTRICT 190 + + 6. ATTACK ON PONTRUET, 24/9/18 286 + + 7. ADVANCE, 24/9/18 to 11/11/18 314 & 315 + + + + +CHAPTER 1. + +ENGLAND. + +4th Aug., 1914. 25th Feb., 1915. + + +The Territorial Force, founded in 1908, undoubtedly attracted many men +who had not devoted themselves previously to military training, +nevertheless it took its character and tone from men who had seen long +service in the old Volunteer Force. Hence, those who created the +Territorial Force did nothing more than re-organise, and build upon what +already existed. In the 5th Leicestershire Regiment there crossed with +us to France men who had over 30 years' service. At the outbreak of war +in 1914, R.Q.M.S. Stimson could look back on 36 years of service, and, +amongst other accomplishments he spoke French fluently. Other names that +occur to us are Serjt. Heafield, with 28 years, and C.S.M. Hill with 16 +years, both of Ashby, and both of whom served in the Volunteer Company +in South Africa. R.S.M. Lovett (27 years), of Loughborough, also wears +the South African medal for service in the same Company. Then there are +Pioneer-Serjt. Clay (27 years' service), C.S.M. Garratt, of Ashby, +C.S.M. Wade, of Melton, R.Q.M.S. Gorse, of Loughborough, Signal-Serjeant +Diggle, of Hinckley--all long service men. The senior N.C.O. in Rutland +was C.S.M. Kernick, who had done 18 years' service when war was +declared. + +The infantry of the 46th (North Midland) Division consisted of the +Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, the Lincolnshire and Leicestershire, and +the Staffordshire Brigades. Our brigade, the 138th, was commanded at +first by General A.W. Taylor, who was succeeded a few days before we +left England by General W.R. Clifford. Staff officers changed +frequently, and we hope we did not break the hearts of too many. +Staff-Captain J.E. Viccars survived most of them, and we owe him much +for the able and vigorous assistance he was always ready cheerfully to +give us. + +The 5th Leicestershire was a County Battalion, organised in eight +companies, with headquarters respectively at Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Oakham, +Melton Mowbray, Hinckley, Market Harborough, Mountsorrel, Shepshed, and +one at Regimental Headquarters at Loughborough. The companies thus were +much scattered, and it was only at the annual training camps that we met +as a battalion. + +The Territorial Force was better prepared for mobilisation than is +generally supposed, and if the history of the assembly of the regiment +at Loughborough in the first week, their train journey to Duffield in +the second week, the purchase of horses, the collection of stores, the +requisitions for food and the sharpening of bayonets, be demanded, it +can be read in the orders printed many months before war even +threatened. The orders were drawn up by Lt.-Colonel G. German, T.D., our +former commanding officer, now D.S.O., and by his conscientious and +indefatigable adjutant, Captain W.G. King Peirce, who was killed early +in the war fighting with his old regiment, the Manchesters. It is due to +these officers to record that every detail was studiously followed and +found exactly correct. We heard of one officer who, at the time the +printed book of orders was issued, was so fearful lest it should fall +into the hands of some indiscreet or improper person, that he packed and +sealed it, addressed it to his executors, and locked it up in a safe, so +that even sudden death on his part would not force him to betray his +trust. + +Of all hard-worked people in the early days it is possible that upon +Major R.E. Martin fell the greatest share. Not only did he see that +supplies were forthcoming, and that dealers delivered the +goods expected of them, but he set himself to design water-carts, and +troughs-water-feet-for-the-washing-of, and cunningly to adapt stock +material to the better service and greater comfort of all, many of whom +were for the first time dragged from the civilities and luxuries of home +life. + +At Loughborough from the 5th to the 11th of August we did little more +than pull ourselves together generally, and enjoy the good will of the +inhabitants, led by our firm friend, the oft-repeated Mayor, Mr. Mayo, +J.P. + +It did not demand much wit to foretell that sooner or later we should be +asked to offer ourselves for service abroad. The question was put for +the first time on the 13th of August, at Duffield. A rough estimate was +made that at least 70 per cent. would consent gladly and without further +thought, and of the others hesitation was caused in many cases because +men wondered whether in view of their positions in civil life they had +the right to answer for themselves. It should be understood that a very +large number were skilled men, and had joined the home army merely +because they thought it a good thing to do. And because they liked it, +and knew it was a good thing to do, they were content to accept humble +places in a force formed for home service and home defence only. Also, +at that stage it was not perfectly certain that everyone would be +wanted, and when the question of war service abroad was raised, and +other men were not serving at all, it is only natural that the thought +passed through some men's minds that the appeal was not for them. We +think that the battalion might be congratulated upon the general spirit +of willingness shown, especially as in the 17th August when the question +was put again more definitely, the percentage of those ready to extend +the terms of service was estimated at 90. + +There were other phases of this call for extension of service, too +numerous to detail here; for example, on one occasion we were asked to +get six companies ready at once. This for a time upset everything, for, +as we have said, the original eight companies were taken from different +parts of the county, and there was a strong company comradeship, as well +as a battalion unity; and if six be taken out of eight it means +omissions, amalgamations, grafts, and all sorts of disturbances. + +We left Duffield on the 15th of August, and marched to Derby Station. +Our train was timed to start at 11 p.m., and seeing that we arrived at +Luton at 2 p.m. the next day, the rate of motion was about 6 miles an +hour, not too fast for a train. But the truth is we did not start at 11 +p.m., but spent hours standing in the cattle yard at Derby, while trucks +and guns were being arranged to fit one another. As that was our first +experience of such delay, the incident was impressed upon our minds, and +it counts one to the number of bars we said our medal should have. + +As in Loughborough, so in Luton, our billets were schools. There was one +advantage about the Beech Hill Schools of Luton, namely, that the whole +battalion could assemble in the big room, sit on the floor, and listen +in comfort to words of instruction and advice. But day schools were not +intended for lodging purposes, and here again was displayed Major +Martin's skill in the erection of cookhouses and more wash-tubs and +other domestic essentials. The moment we got settled, however happened +to coincide with the moment at which the education branch of the Town +Council determined that the future of a nation depended upon the +education of her children, and thus it came to pass that on the 28th of +August we moved out of the schools, and entered billets in West Luton. + +The long rows of houses were admirably suited to company billets. +Occupiers dismantled the ground floor front and took in three, and +generally four men at various rates. On the 2nd of October a universal +rate of 9d. a day each man was fixed. That made twenty-one shillings a +week towards paying off a rent which would average at the most twelve +shillings. The billets delighted us, and we hope the owners were as +pleased. We thank them and all we met in those billeting times for their +kind forbearance. + +The headquarters and billets of senior officers were at Ceylon Hall. The +building was owned by the Baptists, and we found their committee most +willing and obliging. On one occasion they lent us their chapel and +organ for a Sunday service, and set their own service at a time to suit +ours, when churches in the town could not help us. + +Altogether we were in Luton just 3 months training for war. To a great +extent the training was on ordinary lines. A routine was followed, and +all routines become dull and wearisome. We had been asked to go abroad, +we had expressed our willingness to go. This willingness grew into a +desire, which at intervals expressed itself in petulant words of +longing--"Are we ever going to France?" The answer was always the same: +"You will go soon enough, and you will stay long enough." This increased +our irritation. Suddenly, on one still and dark November day, parade was +sharply cancelled, we clad ourselves in full marching order, there was +just a moment to scrawl on a postcard a few last words home, tender +words were exchanged with our friends in the billets, and with heavy +tread and in solemn silence we marched forth along the Bedford Road. +There was a pillar box beside the road. It was only the leading +companies that could put the farewell card actually in the box, for it +was quickly crowded out, and in the end the upper portion of the red +pillar was visible standing on a conical pile of postcards. + +Never had a field day passed without some reference to the 16th +milestone on the Bedford Road, but on this particular day orders did not +even mention the milestone. This in itself was sufficient to convince us +that real war had at length begun. Long before the 16th milestone was +sighted, we were diverted into a field, our kit was commented upon, and +we marched back to the same old billets. For convenience of reference +this incident is entered in our diary as the march to France along the +Bedford Road, and no bar was awarded. The march formed a crisis in our +history, for subsequent to it leave home was not sought so eagerly. +Positively the last words of farewell had been said, and it was +difficult to devise other forms of good-bye nearer the absolute ultimate +with which to engage our home friends, who, to our credit be it said, +were just as anxious as we were. + +It was about this time that our attention was drawn to the anomaly of +the discharge rule. A man who had served for four years could take his +discharge as a time-expired soldier. At the same time men were enlisting +freely. One young man of under 21 was said to have claimed his discharge +on the very day that his grandfather, newly enlisted, entered upon three +days' "C.B." for coming on parade with dirty boots. + +It was in Luton, too, that we overcame our distrust and dislike of +vaccination and inoculation against typhoid. We remember C.S.M. Lovett +being inoculated in public to give a lead to others, and we smile now to +think that in those days it was power of character and leadership only +that accomplished things, and incidentally made the way smooth for a +Government's compulsory bill. + +We were inspected several times, in fact so often that the clause "We +are respected by everyone," which comes in our regimental ditty--(and +how could it not!!)--was given the alternative rendering "inspected." +Twice his Majesty the King honoured us with a visit, and in addition +General Ian Hamilton, Lord Kitchener, and others. + +Regiments differ much; each has its peculiarities. The 5th +Leicestershire a county battalion, if in nothing else, excelled +individually in work across country. Though all may not have been as +clever as "Pat" Collins (G.A.), who acted as guide to the commanding +officer for many months--and we have the commanding officer's permission +to add "counsellor and friend"--there was never any difficulty in +finding the way in the day or at night. If we may anticipate our early +days in France, a few months hence, we can remember being occupied all +one night in extricating parties of men who had lost their way +hopelessly in open country in the dark. Those were men who came from a +city battalion, brought up amongst labelled thoroughfares, street lamps, +and brilliantly-illuminated shop windows. We practised night work at +Luton, and all was easy and natural, though we added to our experiences, +as on the night when in the thrilling silence of a night attack the fair +chestnut bolted with the machine gun; and having kicked two men and lost +his character, reverted to the rank of officer's charger. + +On a day in October the whole division had entrenched itself in the +vicinity of Sharpenhoe and Sundon. To enliven the exercise night +manoeuvres were hastily planned. Our share was to march at about 11 +p.m., after a hard day and half a tea, and to continue marching through +the most intricate country until five o'clock the next morning. At that +time we were within charging distance of the enemy, and day was +breaking. Filing through a railway arch we wheeled into extended order +and lay down till all were ready. When the advance was ordered, though +we had lain down for two minutes only, the greater number were fast +asleep. Despite this hitch the position was taken, and then a march home +brought the exercise to an end at 8.10 a.m. For this operation we voted +a second bar to our medal. + +To those who knew all the details of the plan the most brilliant feature +was the wonderfully accurate leading of our Brigade Major, now +Brigadier-General Aldercron. He led us behind the advanced posts of the +enemy and it was their second line that we attacked. + +Many officers were joining us. Since war had been declared, E.G. +Langdale, R.C.L. Mould, C.R. Knighton, S.R. Pullinger, C.H. Wollaston, +G.W. Allen, J.D. Hills, and R. Ward-Jackson had all been added to our +strength. Later came D.B. Petch, R.B. Farrer, and J. Wyndham Tomson, of +whom Petch was straight from school, and he, with the last two named, +served a fortnight in France before being gazetted. Their further +careers can be followed in later chapters with the exception, perhaps, +of Hills, who himself writes those chapters. As his service is a +combination of details, many of which are typical of the young officer +who fought in the early days of the war, for general information we +narrate so much. John David Hills, though not 20, had already seen six +years' service in his school O.T.C., including one year as a Cadet +Officer. He surrendered his Oxford Scholarship and what that might have +meant in order to join up at once. He passed through the battalion from +end to end, occupying at various times every possible place: signalling +officer, intelligence officer, platoon commander, company commander, +adjutant, 2nd in command, and finished up in command of what was called +"the cadre." For some time, too, he was attached to the brigade staff, +and when we add that he excelled in every position separately and +distinctly, and won the admiration and love of all, we may spare him +further embarrassment and let the honours he has won speak for him. + +Clothing was a lasting trouble. We were now wearing out our first suits, +and from time to time there confronted us statements that sounded rather +like weather reports, for example--"No trousers to-day; tunics +plentiful." Then the question arose as to whether a man should wear a +vest, and, if so, might he have two, one on the man, the other at the +wash. Patient endurance was rewarded by an answer in the affirmative to +the first part of the question, but the correspondence over the second +portion has only just reached the armistice stage. + +And as with men, so with animals. "The waggon and horses" sounds +beautifully complete as well as highly attractive, but in the army we +must not forget to see that harness comes as well. And this thought, the +lack of harness, carries us to another great event in our history, the +end of the Luton days, the march to Ware. + +Why was the march to Ware planned exactly like that? It is not in the +hope of getting an answer we ask the question. Waggons and horses and no +harness, and whose fault? Waggons and horses with harness, and carrying +a double load to make up,--no fault, a necessity. Officers away on +leave,--but let us set things down in order. Barely a fortnight after +the march to France along the Bedford Road, on Saturday, the 14th of +November, a proportion of officers and men went on leave as usual till +Monday, and all was calm and still. At 1 a.m. on Monday, orders were +received to move at 7 a.m., complete for Ware, a distance, by the route +set, of 25 to 30 miles,--some say 50 to 100 miles. Official +clear-the-line telegrams were poured out recalling the leave takers. +Waggons were packed--(were they not packed!)--billets were cleared, and +we toed the line at the correct time. For want of harness, the four +cooks' carts and two water carts were left behind; for want of time, +meat was issued raw; for want of orders, no long halt was given at +mid-day. One short and sharp bit of hill on the way was too much for the +horses, and such regimental transport as we had with us had to be +man-handled. This little diversion gave regiments a choice of two +systems, gaps between regiments, or gaps between sections of the same +regiment, and gave spectators, who had come in considerable numbers, a +subject for discussion. But the chief feature of the day was that we +reached Ware that day as complete as we started. We arrived at 7-20 p.m. +except for two Companies who were detached as rear guard to the +Division. The tail end of the Divisional train lost touch and took the +wrong turning, and for this reason the two Companies did not come in +till 11-30 p.m. We understand that the third bar on our medal will be +the march to Ware. + +Amongst those who watched us pass near the half-way post we noticed our +neighbour, General Sir A.E. Codrington, then commanding the London +District, who as an experienced soldier knew the difficulties and gave +us, as a regiment, kindly words of praise and encouragement. + +We have often wondered what was the verdict of the authorities upon this +march. As this is regimental history only, it may be permitted to give +the regiment's opinion. We fancied we accomplished passing well an +almost impossible task. It is true that not long afterwards we were well +fitted out and sent to France. We are persuaded, too, to add here that +we said we owed one thing at least to our Divisional Commander, General +E. Montagu-Stuart-Wortley; we were the first complete Territorial Force +Division to cross the seas and go into action as a Division against the +Germans. And it may be that the whole Territorial Force owe to our +General, too, that they went in Divisions, and were not sent piecemeal +as some earlier battalions, and dovetailed into the Regular Army, or, +perhaps, even into the New Army. We live in the assurance that the +confidence the Army Council extended to us was not misplaced. + +Having rested a day at Ware, we marched to Bishops Stortford, where we +cannot say we were billeted neither can we use again the word rest, for +the town was over-crowded, and queues were formed up to billets; queues +composed of all arms of the service, and infantry did not take the front +place. Let us say we were "stationed" there one week. The week was +enlivened by strange rumour of German air attacks, and large patrols +were kept on the watch at night. + +On the 26th of November, the time of our life began when the regiment +marched into billets at Sawbridgeworth. The town was built for one +infantry regiment and no more. The inhabitants were delightful, and we +have heard, indirectly, more than once that they were pleased with us. +We soon learnt to love the town and all it contained, and we dare not +say that our love has grown cold even now. The wedding bells have +already rung for the regiment once at Sawbridgeworth, when Lieut. R.C.L. +Mould married Miss Barrett, and we do not know that they may not ring +again for a similar reason. In Sawbridgeworth, our vigorous adjutant, +Captain W.T. Bromfield, was at his best. Everyone was seized and pulled +up to the last notch of efficiency, pay books were ready in time, +company returns were faultless, deficiency lists complete, saluting was +severer than ever, and echos of heel clicks rattled from the windows in +the street. Best of all were the drums. Daily at Retreat, Drum Sergt. +Skinner would salute the orderly officer, the orderly officer would +salute the senior officer, then all the officers would salute all the +ladies, the crowd would move slowly away, and wheel traffic was +permitted once more in the High Street. + +The ordinary routine of military life was broken into at times by sudden +and violent efforts dictated by lightning ideas of the Divisional or +Brigade Staff, or by the latest news from the front. There was a time, +for example, when we could think of one thing only,--the recessed +trench. That gave place to the half company trench, a complete system, +embracing fire trenches, supports, inspection trenches, with cook +houses, wash houses, and all that a well regulated house could require; +and so important was it, and its dimensions so precise, that an +annotated copy was printed on handkerchiefs. + +Then came a sudden desire to cross streams, however swollen, and a party +rode off to Bishops Stortford to learn the very latest plans. We had +just received a set of beautiful mules, well trained for hard work in +the transport. As horses were scarce, and the party large, our +resourceful adjutant ordered mules. Several mules returned at once, +though many went with their riders to the model bridge, and in their +intelligent anxiety to get a really close view, went into the water with +them. + +On another day we did a great march through Harlow, and saluted Sir +Evelyn Wood, V.C., who stood at his gate to see us pass. + +Football, boxing and concerts, not to mention dancing, filled our spare +time, and there was the famous race which ended:--BOB, Major +Toller, a, 1., BERLIN, Capt. Bromfield, a, 2. And we are not +forgetting that it was at Sawbridgeworth that we ate our first Christmas +war dinner. Never was such a feed. The eight companies had each a +separate room, and the Commanding officer, Major Martin, and the +adjutant made a tour of visits, drinking the health of each company in +turn--eight healths, eight drinks, and which of the three stood it best? +Some say the second in command shirked. + +Officers had their dinner, too. After the loyal toast there was one +only--"Colour Sergt. Joe Collins, and may he live for ever!" The reply +was short--"Gentlemen, I think you are all looking very well." It was +his only thought, and we were well. We know how much we owe to him as +our mess sergeant; he studied our individual tastes and requirements, +and kept us well for many months. Good luck to him! + +It was not till January, 1915, that a most important, and as a matter of +fact the very simplest, change in our organisation was made. To be in +keeping with the regular forces, our eight companies were re-organised +as four. This system would always have suited our County battalion even +in 1908, and our only wonder is that it was not introduced before. + +When, on the 18th of February, the G.O.C. returned from a week's visit +to France, and gave us a lecture upon the very latest things, we knew we +might go at any time. Actually at noon on the 25th we got the order to +entrain at Harlow at midnight, and the next morning we were on +Southampton Docks. + +We left behind at Sawbridgeworth Captain R.S. Goward, now Lieut. Colonel +and T.D., in command of a company which afterwards developed into a +battalion called the 3rd 5th Leicestershire. This battalion was a +nursery and rest house for officers and men for the 1st Fifth. It +existed as a separate unit until the 1st of September, 1916, and during +those months successfully initiated all ranks in the ways of the +regiment, and kept alive the spirit which has carried us through the +Great War. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +EARLY EXPERIENCES. + +26th Feb., 1915. 16th June, 1915. + + +After spending the greater part of the day (the 26th February) lounging +about the Hangars at Southampton, we at length embarked late in the +afternoon--Headquarters and the right half battalion in S.S. Duchess of +Argyle, left half, under Major Martin, in S.S. Atalanta. The transport, +under Capt. Burnett, was due to sail later in S.S. Mazaran, since +torpedoed in the Channel, but they embarked at the same time as the +rest. Four other ships containing Divisional Headquarters and some of +the Sherwood Foresters were to sail with us, and at 9 p.m., to the +accompaniment of several syrens blowing "Farewell," we steamed out, S.S. +Duchess of Argyle leading. The Captain of the ship asked us to post a +signaller to read any signals, Serjt. Diggle was told to keep a look out +and assist the official signaller, a sort of nondescript Swede or other +neutral, like the rest of the crew. We soon sighted some war vessel, and +asked if they had any orders, the reply being, according to Serjt. +Diggle, "No go"--according to the Swede, "No no." The Captain preferred +to believe the latter, and as there were no orders continued his course, +though we could see the remainder of our little fleet turn round and +sail back. The weather was appalling, the sea very rough, and long +before we had reached half way we were all very ill. This was not +surprising, as our transport was built for pleasure work on the Clyde, +and, though fast, was never intended to face a Channel storm. Each time +a wave crashed into the ship's side we imagined we had been torpedoed; +in fact, it was one long night of concentrated misery. + +We reached Le Havre in the early hours of the morning, and disembarked, +feeling, and probably looking, very bedraggled. From the quay we crawled +up a long and terribly steep hill to the rest camp--some lines of tents +in a muddy field. Here, while we waited 24 hours for our left half +Battalion, of whom we had no news, we were joined by our first +interpreter, M. Furby. M. Furby was very anxious to please, but +unfortunately failed to realise the terrible majesty of the Adjutant, a +fact which caused his almost immediate relegation to the Q.M. Stores, +where he always procured the best billets for Capt. Worley and himself. +On the morning of the 28th we received an issue of sheepskin coats and +extra socks, the latter a present from H.M. the Queen, and after dinners +moved down to the Railway Station, where we found Major Martin and the +left half. Their experiences in the Channel had been worse than ours. +Most of them, wishing to sleep, had started to do so before the ship +left Southampton on the 26th; they were almost all ill during the night, +so were glad to find a harbour wall outside their port-holes the +following morning, and at once went on deck "to look at France"--only to +find they were back in Southampton. They stayed there all day, and +eventually crossed the next night, arriving on the 28th, feeling as bad +as we did, and having had all the horrors of two voyages. + +We were kept waiting many hours on the platform, while the French +Railway staff gradually built an enormous train, composed of those +wonderful wagons labelled "HOMMES 36-40, CHEVAUX EN LONG 8," +which we now saw for the first time. Hot in summer, cold in winter, +always very hard and smelly, and full of refuse, they none the less +answered their purpose, and a French troop train undoubtedly carries the +maximum number of men in the minimum of accommodation. During this long +wait we should all have starved had it not been for the kindness of an +English lady, Mrs. Sidney Pitt, who, with other English ladies, served +out an unlimited supply of tea and buns to all. Eventually at 5 p.m. our +train was ready, and we entrained--all except two platoons, for whom +there was no room. The transport was loaded on to flats which were +hooked on behind our wagons, and we finally started up country at about +7 o'clock. The train moved slowly northwards all night, stopping for a +few minutes at Rouen, and reaching Abbeville just as dawn broke at 7 +a.m. Here, amidst a desolation of railway lines and tin sheds, we stayed +for half an hour and stretched our cramped limbs, while six large +cauldrons provided enough hot tea for all. From this point our progress +became slower, and the waits between stations proportionally longer, +until at last we reached a small village, where, according to our train +orders, we should stop long enough to water horses. This we began to do, +when suddenly, without any whistling or other warning, the train moved +on, and Major Martin and Captain Burnett, who were with the horses, only +just managed to catch the train, and had to travel the next stage on a +flat with a limber. At St. Omer we were told where we should detrain, a +fact hitherto concealed from us, and eventually at 2-35 p.m. in a +blizzard and snow storm we reached Arneke, detrained at once, and +marched about five miles to the little village of Hardifort, where we +arrived in the dark. + +We were, of course, entirely inexperienced at this time, and in the +light of subsequent events, this, our first attempt at billeting, was a +most ludicrous performance. The Battalion halted on the road in fours +outside the village, at the entrance to which stood a group headed by +the C.O. with a note-book; behind him was the Mayor--small, intoxicated +and supremely happy, the Brigade Interpreter, M. Löst, with a list of +billets, and the Adjutant, angry at having caught a corporal in the act +of taking a sly drink. Around them was a group of some dozen small boys +who were to act as guides. The Interpreter read out a name followed by a +number of officers and men; the C.O. made a note of it and called up the +next platoon; the Mayor shouted the name at the top of his voice, waved +his arms, staggered, smacked a small boy, and again shouted, at which +from three to five small boys would step out and offer to guide the +platoon, each choosing a different direction. How we ever found our +homes is still a mystery, and yet by 10 p.m. we were all comfortably +settled in quarters. We were joined the next morning by the two +remaining platoons, 2nd Lieuts. Mould and Farrer. + +The billets were slightly re-arranged as soon as daylight enabled us to +see where we were, and we soon settled down and made ourselves +comfortable, being told that we should remain at Hardifort until the 4th +March, when we should go into trenches for a week's instruction with +some Regular Division. We had nothing much to do except recover from +the effects of our journey, and this, with good billets and not too bad +weather, we soon did. The remainder of our Brigade had not yet arrived, +so we were attached temporarily to the Sherwood Foresters, whose 8th +Battalion was also absent, and with them on the 4th moved off Eastwards, +having the previous day received some preliminary instructions in trench +warfare from General Montagu-Stuart-Wortley, who spoke to all the +officers. + +Preceded by our billeting party, which left at 5 a.m., we marched from +Hardifort at 9 a.m., and, passing through Terdeghen, reached the main +road at St. Sylvestre Capel, and went along it to Caestre. On the way we +met General Smith-Dorrien, our Army Commander, and while the Battalion +halted he talked to all the officers, gave us some very valuable hints, +and then watched the Battalion march past, having impressed us all with +his wonderful kindness and charm of manner. At Caestre we found motor +buses waiting for us, and we were glad to see them, for though no one +had fallen out, we were somewhat tired after marching nine miles, +carrying, in addition to full marching order, blankets, sheepskin coats +and some extra warm clothing. The buses took us through Bailleul and +Nieppe to Armentičres, at that time a town infested with the most +appalling stinks and very full of inhabitants, although the front line +trenches ran through the eastern suburbs. Having "debussed," we marched +to le Bizet, a little village a mile north of the town, and stayed there +in billets for the night. During the evening we stood outside our +billets, gazed at the continuous line of flares and listened to the +rifle fire, imagining in our innocence that there must be a terrific +battle with so many lights. + +The next day our instruction started, and for four days we worked hard, +trying to learn all we could about trench warfare from the 12th Brigade, +to whom we were attached. While some went off to learn grenade throwing, +a skilled science in those days when there was no Mills but only the +"stick" grenades, others helped dig back lines of defence and learned +the mysteries of revetting under the Engineers. Each platoon spent 24 +hours in the line with a platoon either of the Essex Regt., King's Own +or Lancashire Fusiliers, who were holding the sector from "Plugstreet" +to Le Touquet Station. It was a quiet sector except for rifle fire at +night, and it was very bad luck that during our first few hours in +trenches we lost 2nd Lieut. G. Aked, who was killed by a stray bullet in +the front line. There was some slight shelling of back areas with +"Little Willies," German field gun shells, but these did no damage, and +gave us in consequence a useful contempt for this kind of projectile. +Trench mortars were not yet invented, and we were spared all heavy +shells, so that, when on the 9th we left Armentičres, we felt confident +that trenches, though wet and uncomfortable, were not after all so very +dreadful, and that, if at any time we should be asked to hold the line, +we should acquit ourselves with credit. + +Our next home was the dirty little village of Strazeele, which we +reached by march route, and where we found Lieut. E.G. Langdale who +rejoined us, having finished his disembarkation duties. Here we occupied +five large farm houses, all very scattered and very smelly, the +smelliest being Battalion Headquarters, called by Major Martin "La Ferme +de L'Odeur affreuse." The Signalling officer attempted to link up the +farms by telephone, but his lines, which consisted of the thin +enamelled wire issued at the time, were constantly broken by the +farmers' manure carts, and the signallers will always remember the place +with considerable disgust. One farmer was very pleased with himself, +having rolled up some 200 yards of our line under the impression that +all thin wire must be German. The rest of the Brigade had now arrived, +and the other three Battalions were much annoyed to find that we were +already experienced soldiers--a fact which we took care to point out to +them on every possible occasion. Our only other amusement was the +leg-pulling of some newspaper correspondents, who, as the result of an +interview, made Major Martin a "quarry official," and Lieut. Vincent a +poultry farmer of considerable repute! + +On the 11th March we marched to Sailly sur la Lys, better known as +"Sally on the loose," where with the Canadian Division we should be in +reserve, though we did not know it, for the battle of Neuve Chapelle. +The little town was crowded before even our billeting party arrived, and +it was only by some most brazen billet stealing, which lost us for ever +the friendship of the Divisional Cyclists, that we were able to find +cover for all, while many of the Lincolnshires had to bivouac in the +fields. Here we remained during the battle, but though the Canadians +moved up to the line, we were not used, and spent our time standing by +and listening to the gun fire. A 15" Howitzer, commanded by Admiral +Bacon and manned by Marine Artillery, gave us something to look at, and +it was indeed a remarkable sight to watch the houses in the +neighbourhood gradually falling down as each shell went off. There was +also an armoured train which mounted three guns, and gave us much +pleasure to watch, though whether it did any damage to the enemy we +never discovered. Finally, on the 16th, having taken no part in the +battle, we marched to some farms near Doulieu, and thence on the 19th to +a new area near Bailleul, including the hamlets of Nooteboom, Steent-je +(pronounced Stench), and Blanche Maison, where we stayed until the end +of the month, while the rest of the Brigade went to Armentičres for +their tours of instruction. + +Our new area contained some excellent farm houses, and we were very +comfortably billeted though somewhat scattered. The time was mostly +spent in training, which consisted then of trench digging and +occasionally practising a "trench to trench" attack, with the assistance +of gunners and telephonists, about whose duties we had learnt almost +nothing in England. General Smith Dorrien came to watch one of these +practices, and, though he passed one or two criticisms, seemed very +pleased with our efforts. We also carried out some extraordinarily +dangerous experiments with bombs, under Captain Ellwood of the +Lincolnshires and Lieut. A.G. de A. Moore, who was our first bomb +officer. It was just about this time that the Staff came to the +conclusion that something simpler in the way of grenades was required +than the "Hales" and other long handled types, and to meet this demand +someone had invented the "jam tin"--an ordinary small tin filled with a +few nails and some explosive, into the top of which was wired a +detonator and friction lighter. For practice purposes the explosive was +left out, and the detonator wired into an empty tin. Each day lines of +men could be seen about the country standing behind a hedge, over which +they threw jam tins at imaginary trenches, the aim and object of all +being to make the tin burst as soon as possible after hitting the +ground. We were given five seconds fuses, and our orders were, "turn the +handle, count four slowly, and then throw." Most soldiers wisely counted +four fairly rapidly, but Pte. G. Kelly, of "D" Company, greatly +distinguished himself by holding on well past "five," with the result +that the infernal machine exploded within a yard of his head, +fortunately doing no damage. + +All this time we were about nine miles from the line, and were left in +peace by the Boche, except for a single night visit from one of his +aeroplanes, which dropped two bombs near Bailleul Station and woke us +all up. We did not know what they were at the time, so were not as +alarmed as we might otherwise have been. In fact "B" Company had a much +more trying time when, a few nights later, one of the cows at their +billet calved shortly after midnight. The sentry on duty woke Captain +Griffiths, who in turn woke the farmer and tried to explain what had +happened. All to no purpose, for the farmer was quite unable to +understand, and in the end was only made to realise the gravity of the +situation by the more general and less scientific explanation that "La +vache est malade." + +On the 1st April we received a warning order to the effect that the +Division would take over shortly a sector of the line South of St. Eloi +from the 28th Division, and two days later we marched through Bailleul +to some huts on the Dranoutre-Locre road, where we relieved the +Northumberland Fusiliers in Brigade support. The same evening the +Company Commanders went with the C.O. and Adjutant to reconnoitre the +sector of trenches we were to occupy. It rained hard all night, and was +consequently pitch dark, so that the reconnoitring party could see very +little and had a most unpleasant journey, returning to the huts at 2 +o'clock the next morning (Easter Day), tired out and soaked to the skin. +During the day the weather improved, and it was a fine night when at 10 +p.m., the Battalion paraded and marched in fours though Dranoutre and +along the road to within half a mile of Wulverghem. Here, at "Packhorse" +Farm, we were met by guides of the Welsh Regiment (Col. Marden) and +taken into the line. + +Our first sector of trenches consisted of two disconnected lengths of +front line, called trenches 14 and 15, behind each of which a few +shelters, which were neither organised for defence nor even +splinter-proof, were known as 14 S and 15 S--the S presumably meaning +Support. On the left some 150 yards from the front line a little +circular sandbag keep, about 40 yards in diameter and known as S.P. 1, +formed a Company Headquarters and fortified post, while a series of +holes covered by sheets of iron and called E4 dug-outs provided some +more accommodation--of a very inferior order, since the slightest +movement by day drew fire from the snipers' posts on "Hill 76." As this +hill, Spanbroek Molen on the map, which lies between Wulverghem and +Wytschaete was held by the Boche, our trenches which were on its slopes +were overlooked, and we had to be most careful not to expose ourselves +anywhere near the front line, for to do so meant immediate death at the +hands of his snipers, who were far more accurate than any others we have +met since. To add to our difficulties our trench parapets, which owing +to the wet were entirely above ground, were composed only of sandbags, +and were in many places not bullet proof. There were large numbers of +small farm houses all over the country (surrounded by their five-months' +dead live stock), and as the war had not yet been in progress many +months these houses were still recognizable as such. Those actually in +the line were roofless, but the others, wonderfully preserved, were +inhabited by support Companies, who, thanks to the inactivity of the +enemy's artillery, were able to live in peace though under direct +observation. In our present sector we found six such farms; "Cookers," +the most famous, stood 500 yards behind S.P. 1, and was the centre of +attraction for most of the bullets at night. It contained a Company +Headquarters, signal office, and the platoon on the ground floor, and +one platoon in the attic! Behind this, and partly screened from view, +were "Frenchman's" occupied by Battalion Headquarters, "Pond" where half +the Reserve Company lived, and "Packhorse" containing the other half +Reserve and Regimental Aid Post. This last was also the burying ground +for the sector, and rendezvous for transport and working parties. Two +other farms--"Cob" and "T"--lay on the Wulverghem Road and were not used +until our second tour, when Battalion Headquarters moved into "Cob" as +being pleasanter than "Frenchman's," and "Pond" also had to be +evacuated, as the Lincolnshires had had heavy casualties there. + +The enemy opposite to us, popularly supposed to be Bavarians, seemed +content to leave everything by day to his snipers. These certainly were +exceptionally good, as we learnt by bitter experience. By night there +was greater activity, and rifle bullets fell thickly round Cookers Farm +and the surrounding country. There were also fixed rifles at intervals +along the enemy's lines aimed at our communication tracks, and these, +fired frequently during the early part of the night, made life very +unpleasant for the carrying parties. There were no communication +trenches and no light railways, so that all stores and rations, which +could be taken by limbers as far as Packhorse Farm only, had to be +carried by hand to the front line. This was done by platoons of the +support and reserve companies who had frequently to make two or three +journeys during the night, along the slippery track past Pond Farm and +Cookers Corner--the last a famous and much loathed spot. There were +grids to walk on, but these more resembled greasy poles, for the slabs +had been placed longitudinally on cross runners, and many of us used to +slide off the end into some swampy hole. One of "B" Company's officers +was a particular adept at this, and fell into some hole or other almost +every night. These parties often managed to add to our general +excitement by discovering some real or supposed spy along their route, +and on one occasion there was quite a small stir round Cookers Farm by +"something which moved, was fired at, and dropped into a trench with a +splash, making its escape." A subsequent telephone conversation between +"Cracker" Bass and his friend Stokes revealed the truth that the +"something" was "a ----y great cat with white eyes." + +Like the enemy's, our artillery was comparatively inactive. Our gunners, +though from their Observation Posts, "O.P.'s," on Kemmel Hill they could +see many excellent targets, were unable to fire more than a few rounds +daily owing to lack of ammunition; what little they had was all of the +"pip-squeak" variety, and not very formidable. Our snipers were quite +incapable of dealing with the Bavarians, and except for Lieut. A.P. +Marsh, who went about smashing Boche loophole plates with General +Clifford's elephant gun, we did nothing in this respect. + +In one sphere, however, we were masters--namely, patrolling. At +Armentičres we had had no practice in this art, and our first venture +into No Man's Land was consequently a distinctly hazardous enterprise +for those who undertook it--2nd Lieut. J.W. Tomson, Corpl. Staniforth, +Ptes. Biddles, Tebbutt, and Tailby, all of "A" Company (Toller). Their +second night in the line, in 15 trench, this little party crawled +between the two halves of a dead cow, and, scrambling over our wire, +explored No Man's Land, returning some half hour later. Others followed +their lead, and during the whole of our stay in this sector, though our +patrols were out almost every night, they never met a German. + +We stayed in these trenches for a month, taking alternate tours of four +days each with the 4th Lincolnshires (Col. Jessop). We lost about two +killed and ten wounded each tour, mostly from snipers and stray bullets, +for we did not come into actual conflict with the enemy at all. Amongst +the wounded was C.S.M. J. Kernick, of "B" Company, whose place was taken +by H.G. Lovett. This company also lost Serjt. Nadin, who was killed a +few weeks later. + +Although we fought no pitched battles, the month included several little +excitements of a minor sort, both in trenches and when out at rest. The +first of these was the appearance of a Zeppelin over Dranoutre, where we +were billeted. Fortunately only one bomb dropped anywhere near us, and +this did no damage; the rest were all aimed at Bailleul and its +aerodromes. We all turned out of bed, and stood in the streets to look +at it, while many sentries blazed away with their rifles, forgetting +that it was many hundred feet beyond the range of any rifle. + +By the middle of April the Staff began to expect a possible German +attack, and we "stood to" all night the 15/16th, having been warned that +it would be made on our front and that asphyxiating gases would be +used--we had, of course, no respirators. Two nights later the 5th +Division attacked Hill 60, and for four hours and a quarter, from 4 p.m. +to 8-15 p.m., we fired our rifles, three rounds a minute, with sights at +2,500 yards and rifles set on a bearing of 59°, in order to harass the +enemy's back areas behind the Hill--a task which later was always given +to the machine gunners. In those days it was a rare thing to hear a +machine gun at all, and ours scarcely ever fired. A week afterwards, +when out at rest, we heard that the second battle of Ypres had begun, +and learnt with horror and disgust of the famous first gas attack and +its ghastly results. Within a few days the first primitive respirators +arrived and were issued; they were nothing but a pad of wool and some +gauze, and would have been little use; fortunately we did not know this, +and our confidence in them was quite complete. On the 10th May, just +before we left the sector, we had a little excitement in the front line. +A German bombing party suddenly rushed "E1 Left," a rotten little +"grouse-butt" trench only 37 yards from the enemy, and held by the 4th +Leicestershires, and succeeded in inflicting several casualties before +they made off, leaving one dead behind them. This in itself was not +much, but both sides opened rapid rifle fire, and the din was so +terrific that supports were rushed up, reserves "stood to" to +counter-attack, and it was nearly an hour before we were able to resume +normal conditions. The following day we returned to the huts, where we +were joined by 2nd Lieut. L.H. Pearson who was posted to "A" Company; +2nd Lieut. Aked's place had already been filled by Lieut. C.F. Shields +from the Reserve Battalion. 2nd Lieut. G.W. Allen, who had been away +with measles, also returned to us during April. + +Our next stay in the Locre huts can hardly be called a rest. First, on +the 12th May, the enemy raided the 4th Lincolnshires in G1 and G2 +trenches, where, at "Peckham Corner," they hoped to be able to destroy +one of our mine galleries. The raid was preceded by a strong trench +mortar bombardment, during which the Lincolnshire trenches were badly +smashed about, and several yards of them so completely destroyed that +our "A" Company were sent up the next evening to assist in their repair. +They stayed in the line for twenty-four hours, returning to the huts at +4 p.m. on the 14th, to find that the rest of the Battalion was about to +move to the Ypres neighbourhood. The previous day the German attacks had +increased in intensity, and the cavalry who had been sent up to fill the +gap had suffered very heavily, among them being the Leicestershire +Yeomanry, who had fought for many hours against overwhelming odds, +losing Col. Evans-Freke and many others. There was great danger that if +these attacks continued, the enemy would break through, and consequently +all available troops were being sent up to dig a new trench line of +resistance near Zillebeke--the line afterwards known as the "Zillebeke +switch." None of us had ever been to the "Salient," but it was a well +known and much dreaded name, and most of us imagined we were likely to +have a bad night, and gloomily looked forward to heavy casualties. + +Starting at 6-40 p.m., we went by motor bus with four hundred Sherwood +Foresters through Reninghelst, Ouderdom, and Vlamertinghe to +Kruisstraat, which we reached in three hours. Hence guides of the 4th +Gordons led us by Bridge 16 over the Canal and along the track of the +Lille Road. It was a dark night, and as we stumbled along in single +file, we could see the Towers of Ypres smouldering with a dull red glow +to our left, while the salient front line was lit up by bursting shells +and trench mortars. Our route lay past Shrapnel Corner and along the +railway line to Zillebeke Station, and was rendered particularly +unpleasant by the rifle fire from "Hill 60" on our right. The railway +embankment was high and we seemed to be unnecessarily exposing ourselves +by walking along the top of it, but as the guides were supposed to know +the best route we could not interfere. At Zillebeke Church we found +Colonel Jones, who came earlier by car, waiting to show us our work +which we eventually started at midnight; as we had to leave the Church +again at 1 a.m., to be clear of the Salient before daylight, we had not +much time for work. However, so numerous were the bullets that all +digging records were broken, especially by the Signallers, whose one +desire, very wisely, was to get to ground with as little delay as +possible, and when we left our work, the trench was in places several +feet deep. The coming of daylight and several salvoes of Boche shells +dissuaded us from lingering in the Salient, and, after once more +stumbling along the Railway Line, we reached our motor buses and +returned to the huts, arriving at 5-30 a.m. A May night is so short, +that the little digging done seemed hardly worth the casualties, but +perhaps we were not in a position to judge. + +Two days later we went into a new sector, trenches on the immediate left +of the last Brigade sector, and previously held by the Sherwood +Foresters. The front line consisting of trenches "F4, 5 and 6," "G1 and +2", was more or less continuous, though a gap between the "F's" and +"G's," across which one had to run, added a distinct element of risk to +a tour round the line. The worst part was Peckham Corner, where the +Lincolnshires had already suffered; for it was badly sighted, badly +built, and completely overlooked by the enemy's sniping redoubt on "Hill +76." In addition to this it contained a mine shaft running towards the +enemy's lines, some 40 yards away, and at this the Boche constantly +threw his "Sausages," small trench mortars made of lengths of stove +piping stopped at the ends. It was also suspected that he was +counter-mining. In this sector three Companies were in the front line, +the fourth lived with Battalion Headquarters, which were now at +Lindenhoek Châlet near the cross roads, a pretty little house on the +lower slopes of Mont Kemmel. Though the back area was better, the +trenches on the whole were not so comfortable as those we had left, and +during our first tour we had reason to regret the change. First, 2nd +Lieut. C.W. Selwyn, taking out a patrol in front of "F5," was shot +through both thighs, and, though wonderfully cheerful when carried in, +died a few days later at Bailleul. The next morning, while looking at +the enemy's snipers' redoubt, Captain J. Chapman, 2nd in Command of "D" +Company, was shot through the head, and though he lived for a few days, +died soon after reaching England. This place was taken by Lieut. J.D.A. +Vincent, and at the same time Lieut. Langdale was appointed 2nd in +Command of "C." There were also other changes, for Major R.E. Martin was +given Command of the 4th Battalion, and was succeeded as 2nd in Command +by Major W.S.N. Toller, while Captain C. Bland became skipper of "A" +Company. + +During this same tour, the Brigade suffered its first serious disaster, +when the enemy mined and blew up trench "E1 left," held at the time by +the 5th Lincolnshire Regiment. This regiment had many casualties, and +the trench was of course destroyed, while several men were buried or +half-buried in the débris, where they became a mark for German snipers. +To rescue one of these, Lieut. Gosling, R.E., who was working in the G +trenches, went across to E1, and with the utmost gallantry worked his +way to the mine crater. Finding a soldier half buried, he started to dig +him out, and had just completed his task when he fell to a sniper's +bullet and was killed outright. As at this time the Royal Engineers' +Tunnelling Companies were not sufficient to cover the whole British +front, none had been allotted to this, which was generally considered a +quiet sector. Gen. Clifford, therefore, decided to have his own Brigade +Tunnellers, and a company was at once formed, under Lieut. A.G. Moore, +to which we contributed 24 men, coalminers by profession. Lieut. Moore +soon got to work and, so well did the "amateurs" perform this new task, +that within a few days galleries had been started, and we were already +in touch with the Boche underground. In an incredibly short space of +time, thanks very largely to the personal efforts of Lieut. Moore, who +spent hours every day down below within a few feet of the enemy's +miners, two German mine-shafts and their occupants were blown in by a +"camouflet," and both E1 left and E1 right were completely protected +from further mining attacks by a defensive gallery along their front. +For this Lieut. Moore was awarded a very well deserved Military Cross. + +[Illustration: R.S.M. R.E. Small, D.C.M.] + +[Illustration: R.Q.M.S R. Gorse, M.S.M. +R.S.M. H.G. Lovett, M.C., D.C.M.] + +After the second tour in this sector we again made a slight change in +the line, giving up the "F" trenches and taking instead "G3", "G4," +"G4a," "H1," "H2" and "H5," again relieving the Sherwood Foresters, who +extended their line to the left. Unfortunately, they still retained the +Doctor's House in Kemmel as their Headquarters, and, as Lindenhoek +Châlet was now too far South, Colonel Jones had to find a new home in +the village, and chose a small shop in one of the lesser streets. We had +scarcely been 24 hours in the new billet when, at mid-day, the 4th June, +the Boche started to bombard the place with 5.9's, just when Colonel +Jessop, of the 4th Lincolnshires, was talking to Colonel Jones in the +road outside the house, while an orderly held the two horses close by. +The first shell fell almost on the party, killing Colonel Jessop, the +two orderlies, Bacchus and Blackham, and both horses. Colonel Jones was +wounded in the hand, neck and thigh, fortunately not very seriously, +though he had to be sent at once to England, having escaped death by +little short of a miracle. His loss was very keenly felt by all of us, +for ever since we had come to France, he had been the life and soul of +the Battalion, and it was hard to imagine trenches, where we should not +receive his daily cheerful visit. We had two reassuring thoughts, one +that the General had promised to keep his command open for him as soon +as he should return, the second that during his absence we should be +commanded by Major Toller, who had been with us all the time, and was +consequently well known to all of us. + +[Illustration: Bomb Corner, Ypres 1915.] + +[Illustration: Bomb Corner, Ypres 1915.] + +[Illustration: Barracks, Ypres 1915.] + +(_Photos by Capt. C.R. Knighton._) + +Meanwhile we had considerably advanced in our own esteem by having +become instructors to one of the first "New Army" Divisions to come to +France, the 14th Light Infantry Division, composed of three battalions +of Rifle Brigade and 60th, and a battalion of each of the British Light +Infantry Regiments. They were attached to us, just as we had been +attached to the 12th Brigade at Armentičres, to learn the little details +of Trench warfare that cannot be taught at home, and their platoons were +with us during both our tours in the "G's" and "H's." They were composed +almost entirely of officers and men who had volunteered in August, 1914, +and their physique, drill and discipline were excellent--a fact which +they took care to point out to everybody, adding generally that they had +come to France "not to sit in trenches, but to capture woods, villages, +etc." We listened, of course, politely to all this, smiled, and went on +with our instructing. Many stories are told of the great pride and +assurance of our visitors, one of the most amusing being of an incident +which happened in trench "H2." Before marching to trenches the visiting +Platoon Commander had, in a small speech to his platoon, told them to +learn all they could from us about trenches, but that they must remember +that we were not regulars, and consequently our discipline was not the +same as theirs. All this and more he poured into the ears of his host in +the line, until he was interrupted by the entry of his Platoon Sergeant +to report the accidental wounding of Pte. X by Pte. Y, who fired a round +when cleaning his rifle. There was no need for the host to rub it in, +he heard no more about discipline. + +Credit, however, must be given where credit is due, and the following +tour our visitors distinguished themselves. On the 15th June, at 9.10 +p.m., when the night was comparatively quiet, the enemy suddenly blew up +a trench on our left, held by the Sherwood Foresters, at the same time +opening heavy rifle fire on our back areas and shelling our front line. +Captain Griffiths, who held our left flank with "B" Company, found that +his flank was in the air, so very promptly set about moving some of his +supports to cover this flank, and soon made all secure. Meanwhile Lieut. +Rosher, machine gun officer of the visiting Durham Light Infantry, +hearing the terrific din and gathering that something out of the +ordinary was happening, though he did not know what, slung a maxim +tripod over his shoulders, picked up a gun under each arm, and went +straightaway to the centre of activity--a feat not only of wonderful +physical strength, but considerable initiative and courage. We did not +suffer heavy casualties, but 2nd Lieut. Mould's platoon had their +parapet destroyed in one or two places, and had to re-build it under +heavy fire, in which Pte. J.H. Cramp, the Battalion hairdresser, +distinguished himself. Except for this one outburst on the part of the +Boche we had a quiet time, though Peckham Corner was always rather a +cause of anxiety, for neither R.E. nor the Brigade Tunnellers could +spare a permanent party on the mine shaft. Consequently, it was left to +the Company Commander to blow up the mine, and with it some of the +German trench, in case of emergency, and it was left to the infantry to +supply listeners down the shaft to listen for counter-mining. On one +occasion when Captain Bland took over the trench with "A" Company, he +found the pump out of order, the water rising in the shaft, and the +gallery full of foul air, all of which difficulties were overcome +without the R.E.'s help, by the courage and ingenuity of Serjeant +Garratt. + +There was one remarkable feature of the whole of this period of the war +which cannot be passed over, and that was the very decided superiority +of our Flying Corps. During the whole of our three months in the Kemmel +area we never once saw a German aeroplane cross our lines without being +instantly attacked, and on one occasion we watched a most exciting +battle between two planes, which ended in the German falling in flames +into Messines, at which we cheered, and the Boche shelled us. Towards +the end of the war the air was often thick with aeroplanes of all +nationalities and descriptions, but in those days, before bombing +flights and battle squadrons had appeared, it was seldom one saw as many +as eight planes in the air at a time, and tactical formations either for +reconnaissance or attack seemed to be unknown; it was all "one man" +work, and each one man worked well. + +On the night of the 16th June the Battalion came out of trenches and +marched to the Locre huts for the last time, looking forward to a few +days' rest in good weather before moving to the Salient, which we were +told was shortly to be our fate. We had been very fortunate in keeping +these huts as our rest billets throughout our stay in the sector, for +though a wooden floor is not so comfortable as a bed in a billet, the +camp was well sited and very convenient. The Stores and Transport were +lodged only a few yards away at Locrehof Farm, and Captain Worley used +to have everything ready for us when we came out of the line. During +the long march back from trenches, we could always look forward to hot +drinks and big fires waiting for us at the huts, while there was no more +inspiring sight for the officers than Mess Colour-Sergeant J. Collins' +cheery smile, as he stirred a cauldron of hot rum punch. Bailleul was +only two miles away, and officers and men used often to ride or walk +into the town to call on "Tina," buy lace, or have hot baths (a great +luxury) at the Lunatic Asylum. Dividing our time between this and +cricket, for which there was plenty of room around the huts, we +generally managed to pass a very pleasant four or six days' rest. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +"THE SALIENT." + +22nd June, 1915. 1st Oct., 1915. + + +On the 22nd June, 1915, after resting for five days in the Huts, where +General Ferguson, our Corps Commander, came to say good-bye, we marched +at 9.0 p.m. to Ouderdom, while our place in the line was taken by the +50th Northumbrian Territorial Division, who had been very badly +hammered, and were being sent for a rest to a quiet sector. At Ouderdom, +which we reached about midnight, we discovered that our billets +consisted of a farm house and a large field, not very cheering to those +who had expected a village, or at least huts, but better than one or two +units who had fields only, without the farm. It was our first experience +in bivouacs, but fortunately a fine night, so we soon all crawled under +waterproof sheets, and slept until daylight allowed us to arrange +something more substantial. The next day, with the aid of a few +"scrounged" top poles and some string, every man made himself some sort +of weather-proof hutch, while the combined tent-valises of the officers +were grouped together near the farm, which was used as mess and +Quartermaster's Stores. Unfortunately, we had no sooner made ourselves +really comfortable than the Staffordshires claimed the field as part of +their area, and we had to move to a similar billeting area a few +hundred yards outside Reninghelst where we stayed until the 28th. The +weather remained hot and fine, except for two very heavy showers in the +middle of one day, when most of the officers could be seen making +furious efforts to dig drains round their bivouacs from inside, while +the other ranks stood stark naked round the field and enjoyed the +pleasures of a cold shower-bath. We spent our time training and +providing working parties, one of which, consisting of 400 men under +Capt. Jeffries, for work at Zillebeke, proved an even greater fiasco +than its predecessor in May. For on this occasion, not only was the +night very short, but the guides failed to find the work, and the party +eventually returned to bivouacs, having done nothing except wander about +the salient for three hours. Two days before we left Reninghelst the +first reinforcements arrived for us, consisting of 12 returned +casualties and 80 N.C.O.'s and men from England--a very welcome addition +to our strength. + +The time eventually arrived for us to go into the line, and on the 29th +the officers went up by day to take over from the Sherwood Foresters, +while the remainder of the Battalion followed as soon as it was dark. +Mud roads and broad cross-country tracks brought us over the plain to +the "Indian Transport Field," near Kruisstraat White Chateau, still +standing untouched because, it was said, its peace-time owner was a +Boche. Leaving the Chateau on our right, and passing Brigade +Headquarters Chalet on our left, we kept to the road through Kruisstraat +as far as the outskirts of Ypres, where a track to the right led us to +Bridge 14 over the Ypres-Comines Canal. Thence, by field tracks, we +crossed the Lille road a few yards north of Shrapnel Corner, and +leaving on our left the long, low, red buildings of the "Ecole de +Bienfaisance," reached Zillebeke Lake close to the white house at the +N.W. corner. The lake is triangular and entirely artificial, being +surrounded by a broad causeway, 6 feet high, with a pathway along the +top. On the western edge the ground falls away, leaving a bank some +twenty feet high, in which were built the "Lake Dug-outs,"--the home of +one of the support battalions. From the corner house to the trenches +there were two routes, one by the south side of the Lake, past Railway +Dug-outs--cut into the embankment of the Comines Railway--and Manor Farm +to Square Wood; the other, which we followed, along the North side of +the Lake, where a trench cut into the causeway gave us cover from +observation from "Hill 60." At Zillebeke we left the trench, and crossed +the main road at the double, on account of a machine gun which the Boche +kept at the "Hill 60" end of it, and kept moving until past the +Church--another unpleasant locality. Thence a screened track led to +Maple Copse, an isolated little wood with several dug-outs in it, and on +to Sanctuary Wood, which we found 400 yards further East. Here in +dug-outs lived the Supports, for whom at this time was no fighting +accommodation except one or two absurdly miniature keeps. At the corner +of the larger wood we passed the Ration Dump, and then, leaving this on +our left, turned into Armagh Wood on our right. + +From the southern end of Zillebeke village two roads ran to the front +line. One, almost due South, kept close to the railway and was lost in +the ruins of Zwartelen village on "Hill 60"; the other, turning East +along a ridge, passed between Sanctuary and Armagh Woods, and crossed +our front line between the "A" and "B" trenches, the left of our new +sector. The ridge, called Observatory, on account of its numerous +O.P.'s, was sacred to the Gunners, and no one was allowed to linger +there, for fear of betraying these points of vantage. Beyond it was a +valley, and beyond that again some high ground N.E. of the hill, +afterwards known as Mountsorrel, on account of Colonel Martin's +Headquarters, which were on it. The line ran over the top of this high +ground, which was the meeting place of the old winter trenches (numbered +46 to 50) on the right, and, on the left the new trenches "A," "B," +etc., built for our retirement during the 2nd Battle. The 5th Division +held the old trenches, we relieved the Sherwood Foresters in the new +"A1" to "A8," with three companies in the line and only one in support. +The last was near Battalion Headquarters, called Uppingham in Colonel +Jones' honour, which were in a bank about 200 yards behind the front +line. Some of the dug-outs were actually in the bank, but the most +extraordinary erection of all was the mess, a single sandbag thick +house, built entirely above ground, and standing by itself, unprotected +by any bank or fold in the ground, absolutely incapable, of course, of +protecting its occupants from even an anti-aircraft "dud." + +We soon discovered during our first tour the difference between the +Salient and other sectors of the line, for, whereas at Kemmel we were +rarely shelled more than once a day, and then only with a few small +shells, now scarcely three hours went by without some part of the +Battalion's front being bombarded, usually with whizz-bangs. The Ypres +whizz-bang, too, was a thing one could not despise. The country round +Klein Zillebeke was very close, and the Boche was able to keep his +batteries only a few hundred yards behind his front line, with the +result that the "Bang" generally arrived before the whizz. "A6" and "A7" +suffered most, and on the 1st July Captain T.C.P. Beasley, commanding +"C" Company, and Lieut. A.P. Marsh, of "B" Company, were both wounded, +and had to be sent away to Hospital some hours later. The same night we +gave up these undesirable trenches, together with "A5" and "A8" to the +4th Battalion, and took instead "49," "50" and the Support "51" from the +Cheshires of the 5th Division. These trenches were about 200 yards from +the enemy except at the junction of "49" and "50," where a small salient +in his line brought him to within 80 yards. The sniping here was as +deadly as at Kemmel, though round the corner in "A1" we could have +danced on the parapet and attracted no attention. On the other hand "49" +and "50" were comfortably built, whereas "A1" was shallow and narrow and +half filled with tunnellers' sandbags, for it contained three long mine +shafts, two of which were already under the German lines. "A2," "3" and +"4" were the most peaceful of our sector, and the only disturbance here +during the tour was when one of a small burst of crumps blew up our bomb +store and blocked the trench for a time. This was on the 5th, and after +it we were left in peace, until, relieved by the Staffordshires, we +marched back to Ouderdom, feeling that we had escaped from our first +tour in the ill-famed salient fairly cheaply. Even so, we had lost two +officers and 24 O. Ranks wounded, and seven killed, a rate which, if +kept up, would soon very seriously deplete our ranks. + +[Illustration: GENERAL MAP OF FLANDERS to illustrate Chap' II & III.] + +On reaching Ouderdom, we found that some huts on the Vlamertinghe road +had now been allotted us instead of our bivouac field, and as on the +following day it rained hard, we were not sorry. Our satisfaction, +however, was short-lived, for the hut roofs were of wood only, and +leaked in so many places that many were absolutely uninhabitable and had +to be abandoned. At the same time some short lengths of shelter trench +which we had dug in case of shelling were completely filled with water, +so that anyone desiring shelter must needs have a bath as well. This wet +weather, coupled with a previous shortage of water in the trenches, and +the generally unhealthy state of the salient, brought a considerable +amount of sickness and slight dysentry, and although we did not send +many to Hospital, the health of the Battalion on the whole was bad, and +we seemed to have lost for the time our energy. Probably a fortnight in +good surroundings would have cured us completely, and even after eight +days at rest we were in a better state, but on the 13th we were once +more ordered into the line and the good work was undone, for the +sickness returned with increased vigour. + +Between the Railway Cutting at "Hill 60" and the Comines Canal further +south, the lines at this time were very close together, and at one +point, called Bomb Corner, less than 50 yards separated our parapet from +the Boche's. This sector, containing trenches "35" at Bomb Corner, "36" +and "37" up to the Railway, was held by the 1st Norfolks of the 5th +Division, who were finding their own reliefs, and, with one company +resting at a time, had been more than two months in this same front +line. On the 11th July the Boche blew a mine under trench "37" doing +considerable damage to the parapet, and on the following night "36" was +similarly treated, and a length of the trench blotted out. The night +after this we came in to relieve the Norfolks, who not unnaturally were +expecting "35" to share the same fate, and had consequently evacuated +their front line for the night, while they sat in the second line and +waited for it to go up in the air. Captain Jefferies with "D" Company +took over "35," while the two damaged trenches were held by "B" Company +(Capt. J.L. Griffiths). "A" and "C" held a keep near Verbranden +Molen--an old mill about three hundred yards behind our front line--and +Battalion Headquarters lived in some dug-outs in the woods behind "35." +Behind this again, the solitary Blaupoort Farm provided R.A.P. and +ration dump with a certain amount of cover, though the number of dud +shells in the courtyard made it necessary to walk with extreme caution +on a dark night. In spite of the numerous reports of listening-posts, +who heard "rapping underground," we were not blown up during our four +days in residence, and our chief worry was not mines, but again +whizz-bangs. One battery was particularly offensive, and three times on +the 15th Capt. Griffiths had his parapet blown away by salvoes of these +very disagreeable little shells. One's parapet in this area was one's +trench, for digging was impossible, and we lived behind a sort of +glorified sandbag grouse butt, six feet thick at the base and two to +three feet at the top, sometimes, but not always, bullet-proof. + +One or two amusing stories are told about the infantry opposite "33," +who were Saxons, and inclined to be friendly with the English. On one +occasion the following message, tied to a stone, was thrown into our +trench: "We are going to send a 40 lb. bomb. We have got to do it, but +don't want to. I will come this evening, and we will whistle first to +warn you." All of this happened. A few days later they apparently +mistrusted the German official news, for they sent a further message +saying, "Send us an English newspaper that we may learn the verity." + +The weather throughout the tour was bad, but on the night of 17th/18th, +when we were relieved at midnight by the Sherwood Foresters, it became +appalling. We were not yet due for a rest, having been only four days in +the line, and our orders were to spend the night in bivouacs at +Kruisstraat and return to trenches the following evening, taking over +our old sector "50" to "A7." Weakened with sickness and soaked to the +skin, we stumbled through black darkness along the track to +Kruisstraat--three miles of slippery mud and water-logged shell +holes--only to find that our bivouac field was flooded, and we must +march back to Ouderdom and spend the night in the huts, five miles +further west. We reached home as dawn was breaking, tired out and wet +through, and lay down at once to snatch what sleep we could before +moving off again at 6-30 p.m. But for many it was too much, and 150 men +reported sick and were in such a weak condition that they were left +behind at the huts, where later they were joined by some 40 more who had +tried hard to reach trenches but had had to give up and fall out on the +way. The rest of us, marching slowly and by short stages, did eventually +relieve the Sherwood Foresters, but so tired as to be absolutely unfit +for trenches. Fortunately for two days the weather was good and the +Boche very quiet, there was time for all to get a thorough rest, and by +the 20th we had very largely recovered our vigour--which was just as +well, for it proved an exciting tour. + +The excitement started about a mile away on our left, when, on the +evening of the 19th, the next Division blew up an enormous mine at +Hooge, and, with the aid of an intense artillery bombardment, attacked +and captured part of the village, including the chateau stables. The +enemy counter-attacked the following night, and, though he made no +headway and was driven out with heavy loss, he none the less bombarded +our new ground continuously and caused us many casualties. Accordingly, +to make a counter attraction, the Tunnelling Company working with us was +asked to blow up part of the enemy's lines as soon as possible; the blow +would be accompanied by an artillery "strafe" by us. There was at this +time such a network of mine galleries in front of "A1," that Lieut. +Tulloch, R.E., was afraid that the Boche would hear him loading one of +the galleries, so, to take no risks, blew a preliminary camouflet on the +evening of the 21st, destroying the enemy's nearest sap. This was +successful, and the work of loading and tamping the mines started at +once. 1500 lbs. of ammonal were packed at the end of a gallery +underneath the German redoubt opposite "A1," while at the end of another +short gallery a smaller mine was laid, in order to destroy as much as +possible of his mine workings. The date chosen was the 23rd, the time 7 +p.m. + +At 6-55 p.m., having vacated "A1" for the time, we blew the smaller of +the two mines--in order, it was said, to attract as many of the enemy as +possible into his redoubt. To judge by the volume of rifle fire which +came from his lines, this part of the programme was successful, but we +did not have long to think about it, for at 7 p.m. the 1500 lbs. went +off, and Boche redoubt, sandbags, and occupants went into the air, +together with some tons of the salient, much of which fell into our +trenches. A minute later our Artillery opened their bombardment, and for +the next half hour the enemy must have had a thoroughly bad time in +every way. His retaliation was insignificant, and consisted of a very +few little shells fired more or less at random--a disquieting feature to +those of us who knew the Germans' love of an instant and heavy reply to +our slightest offensive action. "Stand to," the usual time for the +evening "hate," passed off very quietly, and, as we sat down to our +evening meal, we began to wonder whether we were to have any reply at +all. Meanwhile, three new officers arrived--2nd. Lieut. R.C. Lawton, of +"A" Company, who had been prevented by sickness from coming abroad with +us, and 2nd Lieuts. E.E. Wynne and N.C. Marriott, both of whom were sent +to "B" Company, where they joined Capt. Griffiths at dinner. They were +half way through their meal when, without the slightest warning, the +ground heaved, pieces of the roof fell on the table, and they heard the +ominous whirr of falling clods, which betokens a mine at close quarters. + +[Illustration: Hohenzollern Memorial.] + +Before the débris had stopped falling, Capt. Griffiths was out of his +dug-out and scrambling along his half-filled trench, to find out what +had happened. Reaching the right end of "50," he found his front line +had been completely destroyed, and where his listening post had been, +was now a large crater, into which the Boche was firing trench mortars, +while heavy rifle fire came from his front line. Except for a few +wounded men, he could see nothing of Serjt. Bunn and the garrison of the +trench, most of whom he soon realized must have been buried, where the +tip of the crater had engulfed what had been the front line. For about +80 yards no front line existed, nor had he sufficient men in the left of +his trench to bring across to help the right, so, sending down a report +of his condition, he started, with any orderlies and batmen he could +collect, to rescue those of his Company who had been only partially +buried. Meanwhile, help was coming from two quarters. On the right, +Colonel Martin, of the 4th Battalion, also disturbed at dinner, was soon +up in "49" trench, where he found that his left flank had also suffered +from the explosion, but not so badly. His first thought was to form some +continuous line of defence across the gap, if possible linking up with +the crater at the same time, and, with this object in view he personally +reconnoitred the ground and discovered a small disused trench running in +front of "49" towards the crater. Quickly organizing parties of men, he +sent them along this cut, first to continue it up to the crater, then +with sandbags for the defence of the "lip." He himself superintended the +work inside the crater, where he had a miraculous escape from a trench +mortar, which wounded all standing round him. At the same time, R.S.M. +Small, finding a dazed man of "B" Company wandering near Battalion +Headquarters, heard what had happened, and without waiting for further +orders sent off every available man he could find with shovels and +sandbags to assist Capt. Griffiths. Half an hour later, Capt. Bland also +arrived with two platoons of "C" Company, sent across from the left of +our line, and by dawn with their help a trench had been cut through from +"50" to "49." This, though not organized for defence, yet enabled one +to pass through the damaged area. At the same time the miners started to +make a small tunnel into the bottom of the crater, so that it would no +longer be necessary to climb over the lip to reach the bomb post which +was built inside. + +[Illustration: The Water Tower and Railway Track, Vermelles.] + +During the next day we were fortunately not much harassed by the enemy, +and were consequently able to continue the repair work on "50." "B" +Company had had 42 casualties from the mine itself, of whom eight were +killed and seven, including Sergt. Bunn, were missing, while in the rest +of the Battalion about 30 men were wounded, mostly by trench mortars or +rifle fire when digging out "50" trench. At the time of the explosion +the enemy had thrown several bombs at "A2," and it was thought for a +time that he intended making an attack here, but rapid fire was opened +by the garrison, and nothing followed. On the evening of the 24th we +were due for relief, but, as "50" was still only partially cleared, and +we had not yet traced all our missing, we stayed in for another 24 +hours, during which time we thoroughly reorganized the sector, and were +able to hand over a properly traversed fire trench to the Lincolnshires +when they came in. Before we left we found Sergt. Bunn's body; he had +been buried at his post, and was still holding in his hand the flare +pistol which he was going to fire when the mine exploded. The men of the +listening post were not found until some time later, for they had been +thrown several hundred yards by the explosion. + +On relief, we marched back to Ouderdom, taking with us the officers and +men of the 17th Division, who had been attached for instruction during +the last tour, and reached a bivouac field near the windmill at 4-30 +a.m. Here we stayed 24 hours, and then moved into the "E" huts--an +excellent camp, further E. along the Vlamertinghe road than that which +we had previously occupied. We were due to remain here for six days, and +accordingly started our usual training in bomb and bayonet fighting. +Meanwhile, Lieut. Moore and the Battalion Tunnellers were once more hard +at work helping the R.E. in "50" and "A1," and on the 30th July two of +them, Serjt. J. Emmerson and Pte. H.G. Starbuck, working underground, +came upon a German gallery. Without a moment's hesitation, Starbuck +broke in and found that the charge was already laid, and wires could be +seen leading back to the enemy's lines. If the Germans had heard him at +work there was no doubt that they would blow their mine at once, but +heedless of this danger, he stayed in the gallery until he had cut the +leads, and so made it possible for the Engineers to remove the half ton +of "Westphalite" which they found already in position, immediately under +"49." For their daring work, the two miners were awarded the D.C.M., +Starbuck getting his at once, Serjt. Emmerson in the next honours list. +Two nights later the enemy suddenly opened rapid rifle fire opposite +"49," which equally suddenly died away, and we like to think that some +Boche officer had at the same time pressed the starting button to +explode his "Westphalite," only to find that nothing happened. + +Towards the end of June, there appeared in the German official +communiqué a statement that the French had been using liquid fire in the +Champagne fighting, and those who had studied the Boche methods +recognized this as a warning that he intended to make use of it himself +at an early date. The prophets were right, and at dawn on the 30th July +the enemy, anxious to recapture Hooge, attacked the 14th Division who +were holding the village, preceding the attack with streams of liquid +fire, under which the garrison either succumbed or were driven out. At +the same time an intense bombardment was opened, and we, whose rest was +not due to end until the following day, were ordered to stand by ready +to move at 30 minutes' notice. As we waited we wondered whether the 3rd +Battle of Ypres had begun, there certainly seemed to be enough noise. By +mid-day, however, we had not been used, and as no news of the battle +reached us we were preparing to settle down again for another day of +peace, when at 2-30 p.m. orders came for us to go to Kruisstraat at +once. We marched by Companies, and on arrival bivouacked in a field +close to the Indian Transport Lines, where we met several Battalions of +the 3rd Division on their way up to Hooge, though they were unable to +tell us anything definite about what had happened. The wildest rumours +were heard everywhere, that the Germans had used burning oil, vitriol, +and almost every other acid ever invented, that the salient was broken, +that our Division had been surrounded. One thing was certain--that at 4 +p.m. the gunfire had almost ceased, and there was no sign of any German +near Ypres. + +As soon as it was dark we left Kruisstraat and marched by Bridge 14 and +Zillebeke to Maple Copse, where we were told to bivouac for the night, +still being ready to move at very short notice if required. Here we +found a Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters, from whom we were at last +able to learn the truth of the morning's battle. It appeared that at +dawn the enemy, carrying flame projectors, had crept close up to the +front line trenches in Hooge, and suddenly lighting these machines had +sent a spray of burning vaporised oil over the trench. The garrison, +14th Division, were surprised, many of them burnt, and all thrown into +confusion, during which the Boche attacked in considerable force, drove +them out and broke in as far as Zouave Wood. The left of the Sherwood +Foresters had been attacked, but stood firm, even though the Germans in +Zouave Wood were almost behind them, until General Shipley ordered the +flank to be dropped back to conform with the new line. A counter-attack +was delivered during the day by two Battalions of the Rifle Brigade, +who, relieved the night before, had marched eight miles out to rest and +eight miles back again at once, and were hopelessly tired before they +started. In spite of this, they made a gallant effort, and were wiped +out almost to a man in Zouave Wood. At the time of the morning attack +the Germans could if they liked have walked on into Ypres, for they had +broken into the salient, and there was no other organized line of +defence between them and the town. Fortunately they did not realise +this, or, as is more probable, they never imagined that their flame +attack would prove so successful. Still, they might make a further +effort at any moment, and it was to meet this that we had been moved +into Maple Copse. + +All through the night and the following day there were continual short +artillery bombardments by both sides, and on four occasions the Copse +was shelled with salvoes of shrapnel in rapid succession. As not more +than half of us had any sort of dug-outs, and the remainder had to rely +mainly on tree trunks for protection, our casualties were fairly heavy, +and in a short time we had lost 23 wounded, including H. West, the mess +cook, L.-Corpl. J.H. Cramp, and several other notabilities. We might, +during the day, have built ourselves some sort of cover, but every +available man had to be sent carrying bombs, ammunition, and trench +mortars for the Sherwood Foresters, whose left flank was constantly in +touch with the enemy. One of these carrying parties found by "D" Company +had the misfortune to be led by a guide, who lost his way, into the +corner of Zouave Wood, and in a few minutes six of them were wounded by +a machine gun which opened fire on them at twenty yards' range; they +were carried out by the rest of the party, who escaped under cover of +the brushwood, but one, Carroll, died a few days later. By the evening +of the 31st the situation was more satisfactory, and a new front line +trench had been organized west of the wood, linking up with the Sherwood +Foresters, who now no longer required carrying parties. Meanwhile, it +was discovered that from his newly captured position, the Boche +completely overlooked the track from Zillebeke to Maple Copse, and +accordingly we were ordered to start at once to dig a communication +trench alongside the track. All that night, the next day, Bank Holiday, +and the following night, we worked till we could hardly hold our +shovels, and by the time we stopped, at dawn on the 3rd, there was a +trench the whole way--not very deep in places and not perhaps very +scientifically dug, but still enough to give cover. As soon as work was +over we returned to the copse and slept, for at dusk that night we were +to go once more to the line and relieve the Lincolnshires in "50" to +"A7." Maple Copse had cost us altogether 35 killed and wounded. + +We found the trenches very much as we had left them except that "A1" had +been battered into an almost unrecognizable condition by the enemy's +latest trench weapon, the heavy Minenwerfer. Unlike the "Rum Jar" or +"Cannister," which was a home-made article consisting of any old tin +filled with explosive, this new bomb was shaped like a shell, fitted +with a copper driving band and fired from a rifled mortar. It weighed +over 200 lbs., was either two feet two inches or three feet six inches +long and nine inches in diameter, and produced on exploding a crater as +big as a small mine. It could fortunately be seen in the air, and the +position of the mortar was roughly known, so we posted a sentry whose +duty was to listen for the report of discharge, sight the bomb, and cry +at the top of his voice "Sausage left" or "Sausage right." Our Artillery +had tried hard to destroy the mortar, but it apparently had a small +railway to itself, and moved away as soon as we opened fire. For +retaliation we had nothing except rifle grenades, which were like +flea-bites to an elephant, or the Howitzers, who had to be called on the +telephone, all of which took time. + +The rest of the line was fairly quiet except for a few small "sausages" +on trench "50," and our chief concern was now the shortage of men. In +those days a trench was not considered adequately garrisoned unless +there were at least three men in every fire bay, so that although we had +many more men to the yard than we have many times had since, we +imagined, when we found it necessary to have one or two empty fire bays, +that we were impossibly weak. So much was this the case, that, on the +night of the 4th August, C.Q.M. Serjeants Gorse and Gilding were ordered +to bring all available men from the stores at Poperinghe to help hold +the line--a most unpleasant journey because the Boche, always fond of +celebrating anniversaries, commemorated the declaration of war with a +"strafe" of special magnitude. As most of this came between Ypres and +Zillebeke, the two Quartermaster Serjeants had a harassing time, and did +not reach their bivouacs in Poperinghe until 5-15 the following morning. +All through the tour the pounding of "A1" continued, while our only +effort at retaliation was a 60 lb. mortar which the Royal Garrison +Artillery placed in rear of "50" trench. This one day fired six rounds, +the last of which fell in the German front line, and for nearly +twenty-four hours we were left in peace, while a "switch" line was built +across the back of "A1" salient. All hope of ever recovering the old +"A1" was given up. + +Meanwhile, the Division on our left was not being idle. For the past +week our Artillery in the salient had fired a half-hour bombardment +every morning at 2-45, and on the 9th this was repeated as usual. The +Boche had become used to it, and retired to his dug-outs, where he was +found a few minutes later by the 6th Division, who had relieved the +14th, and were now trying to recapture all the lost ground. The surprise +was perfect, and the enemy, never for a moment expecting an attack at +that hour, were killed in large numbers before they could even +"stand-to." During the battle 200 of the 4th Lincolnshires occupied our +support trenches, in case of any trouble on our front, and in the +evening the rest of the Battalion arrived and took over the line, while +we replaced them in Brigade Support--Battalion Headquarters, "B" and "C" +Companies in the "Lake" dug-outs, "A" and "D" Companies in the Barracks +of Ypres. + +During the next six days we were worked harder than we had been worked +before, digging, carrying, and trench revetting. Fortunately both halves +of the Battalion had fairly comfortable quarters to which to return +after work was over, though those in Ypres lived a somewhat noisy life. +The barracks were close to the centre of the town, and each day the +Boche fired his 17 in. Howitzer from dawn to dusk, mostly at the +Cathedral and Cloth Hall, with occasional pauses to shoot at the Ecole +de Bienfaisance, just outside the Menin gate. The shell, arriving with +great regularity every 15 minutes, was generally known as the "Ypres +express," for it arrived with the most terrifying roar, buried itself +deep in the ground before exploding, and then made an enormous crater. +As it burst, not only did every house shake, but the whole street seemed +to lift a few feet in the air and settle down again. In the barracks we +had bricks and falling débris from the Cloth Hall, but nothing more, and +these slight disadvantages were easily outweighed by the comfort in +which we lived. Every man had a bed, and, as the barracks' water supply +was still in working order, we all had baths. A piano was borrowed from +the Artillery, and provided us with an excellent concert, which was held +in one of the larger rooms, and helped us to forget the war for a time, +in spite of a 40-foot crater in the Barrack Square, and the ever-present +possibility that another would arrive. Incidentally, the piano became +later a cause of much trouble to us, for the police refused to allow us +to move it through the streets without a permit from the Town Major; the +Town Major would have nothing to do with the matter, having only just +arrived in place of his predecessor, who had given us permission to +have the piano, and had then been wounded (Town Majors never lasted +long in Ypres); and the Gendarmerie would not accept responsibility, so +in the end we had to leave it in the barracks. The other two companies, +though not so comfortably housed, none the less had an enjoyable time by +the lake side, chasing the wild fowl, and watching the shelling of +Ypres. + +Just at this time several changes took place in the personnel of the +Brigade and the Battalion. First, Brig.-Gen. G.C. Kemp, R.E., late +C.R.E., 6th Division, was appointed our Brigade Commander in place of +General Clifford, who left us to take up an appointment in England, +having been exactly six months in command. Capt. Bromfield, our +Adjutant, whose health had been bad for the past month, was finally +compelled to go to Hospital, whence he was shortly afterwards +transferred to England. As his assistant, Lieut. Vincent was also away +sick, Lieut. Langdale was appointed Adjutant, while 2nd Lieut. C.H.F. +Wollaston took the place of Lieut. A.T. Sharpe as machine gun officer, +the latter having left sick to Hospital at the end of July. Lieut. Moore +sprained his ankle, and 2nd Lieut. R.C.L. Mould went down with fever, +both being sent home, and with them went 2nd Lieut. L.H. Pearson, who +had severe concussion, as the result of being knocked down by a +Minenwerfer bomb. Capt. Bland became 2nd in command with the rank of +Major, and Captain R. Hastings and Lieut. R.D. Farmer were now +commanding "A" and "C" Companies. Capt. M. Barton, our original medical +officer, had come out in June and relieved Lieut. Manfield, who had been +temporarily taking his place. We had also one reinforcement--2nd Lieut. +G.B. Williams, posted to "D" Company, who the following tour lost 2nd +Lieut. C.R. Knighton who sprained his knee. At the same time Serjt. A. +Garratt, of "A" Company, became C.S.M. of "D" in place of C.S.M. J. +Cooper, who was sent home with fever. + +On the 16th August we went once more to the line for a six-day tour, +which proved to be the first in which our artillery began to show a +distinct superiority to the enemy's, not only in accuracy but in weight +of shell. Several 8" and 9.2" Howitzers appeared in the Salient and, on +the evening of the 18th, we carried out an organized bombardment of the +lines opposite "50" trench, paying special attention to the +neighbourhood of the Minenwerfer. The accuracy of these large Howitzers +was surprising, and they obtained several direct hits on the Boche front +line, the resulting display of flying sandbags and trench timbers being +watched with the utmost pleasure by almost every man in the Battalion. +The enemy retaliated with salvoes of whizz-bangs on "50," and a few on +"A6" and "A7," but did not carry out any extensive bombardment, though, +when relieved by the Lincolnshires on the 22nd, we had had upwards of 45 +casualties. Among the killed was L/Cpl. Biddles of "A" Company, who had +risked death many times on patrol, only to be hit when sitting quietly +in a trench eating his breakfast. This N.C.O., old enough to have his +son serving in the company with him, was never happier than when +wandering about in No Man's Land, either by day or night, and from the +first to the last day of every tour he spent his time either patrolling, +or preparing for his next patrol. Early in the morning of the 23rd we +reached once more the huts at Ouderdom, having at last had the sense to +have the limbers to meet us at Kruisstraat to carry packs, which at +this time we always took into the line with us. We had been away from +even hut civilisation for twenty-four days--quite long enough when those +days have to be spent in the mud, noise and discomfort of the Salient. + +Our rest, while fortunately comparatively free of working parties, +contained two features of interest, an inspection by our new Brigadier, +and an officers' cricket match against the 16th Lancers. For the first +we were able, with the aid of a recently-arrived draft of 100 men, to +parade moderately strong, and Gen. Kemp was well satisfied with our +"turn-out." It was, however, to be regretted that the only soldier to +whom he spoke happened to be a blacksmith, for which trade we had the +previous day sent to Brigade Headquarters a "nil" return. The cricket +match was a great success, and thanks to some excellent batting by +Lieut. Langdale, we came away victorious. The light training which we +carried out each day now included a very considerable amount of bomb +throwing, and it seemed as though the bomb was to be made the chief +weapon of the infantry soldier, instead of the rifle and bayonet, which +always has been, and always will be, a far better weapon than any bomb. +However, the new act had to be learnt, and a Battalion bomb squad was +soon formed under 2nd Lieut. R. Ward Jackson, whose chief assistants +were L/Cpl. R.H. Goodman, Ptes. W.H. Hallam, P. Bowler, E.M. Hewson, A. +Archer, F. Whitbread, J.W. Percival and others, many of whom afterwards +became N.C.O.'s. Every officer and man had to throw a live grenade, and, +as there were eight or nine different kinds, he also had to have some +mechanical knowledge, while the instructor had to know considerably more +about explosives than a sapper. + +The excitement of our next tour started before we reached Kruisstraat. +All day long (the 28th August) a single 9.2" Howitzer had been firing +behind a farm house on the track to the Indian Transport Field, and, as +we marched past the position by platoons, all of us interested in +watching the loading process, it suddenly blew up, sending breach-block, +sheets of cast iron and enormous fragments of base plate and carriage +several hundred yards through the air. We ran at once to the nearest +cover, but three men were hit by falling fragments, and we were lucky +not to lose more, for several of us, including 2nd Lieut. J.W. Tomson, +had narrow escapes. We eventually reached the line, and relieved the +Lincolnshires in Trenches "49" to "A3." The 3rd Division had now taken +"A4" to "A7." Three days later 2nd Lieuts. H. Moss, N.C. Stoneham and +C.B. Clay joined us, and were posted to "A," "D" and "B" Companies +respectively. At the same time 2nd Lieut. J.D. Hills was appointed +Brigade Intelligence Officer, a new post just introduced by General +Kemp. + +We suffered the usual scattered shelling and trench mortaring during the +first half of the tour, to which our Artillery could only reply lightly +because they were saving ammunition for an organised bombardment further +North. However, no serious damage was done, so this did not matter. The +bombardment took place at dawn on the 1st September, and in reply the +Germans, instead of shelling the left as was expected, concentrated all +their efforts on the "50," "A1" corner, starting with salvoes of +whizz-bangs, and finishing with a heavy shoot, 8", 5.9" and shrapnel, +from 10.45 to mid-day. Our Artillery replied at once, but nothing would +stop the Boche, who had the most extraordinary good fortune in hitting +our dug-outs, causing many casualties. 2nd Lieut. Clay, not yet 24 hours +in trenches, was among the first to be wounded, and soon afterwards +Serjt. B. Smith, of "B" Company, received a bad wound, to which he +succumbed a few hours later. In "A" Company, except for C.S.M. Gorse's +and the Signallers', every dug-out was hit, and C.E. Scott and F.W. +Pringle, the two officers' batmen, were killed, while A.H. Cassell was +badly wounded. The officers themselves had two miraculous escapes. +First, 2nd Lieuts. Tomson and Moss were sitting in their dug-out, when a +5.9" dud passed straight through the roof and on into the ground almost +grazing 2nd Lieut. Tomson's side. These two then went round to wake +Capt. Hastings, who was resting in another dug-out, and the three had +only just left, when this too was blown in, burying Capt. Hastings' Sam +Browne belt and all his papers. Many brave deeds were done during the +shelling, two of which stand out. T. Whitbread, of "A" Company, hearing +of the burying of the two officers' servants, rushed to the spot, and, +regardless of the shells which were falling all round, started to dig +them out, scraping the earth away with his hands, until joined by +Sergeants Gore and Baxter, who came up with shovels. The other, whose +work cannot be passed over, was our M.O., Captain Barton. Always calm +and collected, yet always first on the spot if any were wounded, he +seemed to be in his element during a bombardment, and this day was no +exception. He was everywhere, tying up wounds, helping the Stretcher +Bearers, encouraging everyone he met, and many a soldier owed his life +to the ever-present "Doc." + +On the 2nd September we were relieved by the Lincolnshires again, and +once more became Brigade reserve for six days--six of the most +unpleasant days we spent in the Salient. First the Railway dug-outs, to +which Battalion Headquarters and half the Battalion should have gone, +had been so badly shelled while the Lincolnshires were there that only +one company was allowed to go, while the remainder were sent to bivouac +at Kruisstraat. The fine weather came to an end the same day, and it +rained hard all the time, which would have been bad enough in bivouacs, +and was worse for us who had to spend most of our day on some +working-party, either dug-outs, or trying to drain some hopelessly +water-logged communication trench, such as the one from Manor Farm to +Square Wood. Altogether we had a poor time, and were quite glad on the +8th to return to trenches, where we were joined two days later by +Lieut.-Col. C.H. Jones, who had returned from England and took over +command. He had had the greatest difficulty in returning to France, and +it was only when he had applied to the War Office for command of a +Brigade in Gallipoli that the authorities at last took notice of him and +sent him back to us. On his arrival Major Toller resumed his duties of +2nd in command; Major Bland was at the time in England sick. + +The arrival of an officer reinforcement was always the signal for a +Boche strafe, and the return of the Colonel they celebrated with a two +days' "hate" instead of one. "A1" and "50" and their supports suffered +most, and much damage to trenches was done by heavy Minenwerfer, 8" and +5.9" shells. Towards evening the situation became quieter, but just +before 10 o'clock the Boche exploded a camouflet against one of our "A1" +mine galleries, and killed three Tunnellers, whose bodies we could not +rescue owing to the gasses in the mine, which remained there for more +than twenty-four hours. The next day the bombardment of "50" and "50S" +continued, and amongst other casualties, which were heavy, Capt. J.L. +Griffiths and 2nd Lieut. R.B. Farrer of "B" Company were both hit and +had to be evacuated, the one with 13, the other 35 small fragments of +shell in him. The enemy had now become so persistent that we asked for +help from our heavy artillery, and the following day--our last in the +line--we carried out several organized bombardments of important enemy +centres, such as "Hill 60," to which he replied with a few more large +"crumps" on "50" support and was then silent. In the evening the +Lincolnshires took our place, and, having lost 11 killed and 39 wounded +in 6 days, we marched back to rest at Dickebusch huts. + +For some considerable time there had been many rumours about a coming +autumn offensive on our part, and on the 22nd September, having returned +to trenches two days previously, we received our first orders about it. +We were told nothing very definite except that the 3rd and 14th +Divisions would attack at Hooge, while we made a vigorous demonstration +to draw retaliation from their front to ourselves, and that there would +also be attacks on other parts of the British front. We were to make a +feint gas attack by throwing smoke-bombs and lighting straw in front of +our parapet, to frighten the Boche into expecting an attack along the +"Hill 60"--Sanctuary Wood front. Capt. Burnett and his transport were, +therefore, ordered to bring up wagon-loads of straw, much to their +annoyance, for they already had a bad journey every night with the +rations, and extra horses meant extra anxiety. It was seldom that the +transport reached Armagh Wood without being shelled on an ordinary +night, and whenever there was fighting in any part of the Salient, the +area round Maple Copse became so hot that they had to watch for an +opportunity and gallop through. In spite of this they never failed us, +and rations always arrived, even in the worst of times. + +On the 23rd there were two preliminary bombardments, one short but very +heavy at Hooge, the other lasting most of the morning on "Hill 60"--a +bluff. During the night it rained and the arrival of our straw was +consequently postponed until the following night, which proved to be +little better. The wagons were late and there was not much time to +complete our task; however, all worked their utmost, and by 1.0 a.m. on +the 25th a line of damp straw had been spread along our wire in front of +"50." Unfortunately, the Battalion on our right were unable to put their +straw in position in time, but as the Brigade beyond them had theirs, we +thought this would not make any difference to the operation. Just before +daylight a general order from G.H.Q. arrived, starting with the words, +"At Dawn, on the 25th September, the British Armies will take the +offensive on the Western Front." We felt that the time had now come when +the war was going to be won and the Boche driven out of France, and some +of us were a little sorry that our part was to consist of nothing more +than setting fire to some damp straw. + +At 3.50 a.m. Hooge battle started with an intense artillery bombardment +from every gun in the salient, and it was an inspiring sight to stand on +the ridge behind "50" trench and watch, through the half-light, the line +of flashes to the west, an occasional glare showing us the towers of +Ypres over the trees. The Germans replied at once on "A1" trench, but +finding that we remained quiet, their batteries soon ceased fire and +opened instead on Sanctuary Wood and Hooge. This was expected, for it +was not in the initial attack, but during the consolidation that the 3rd +Division wanted to draw the enemy's fire. At a few minutes before six +our time had come, smoke bombs were thrown, and, though the wind was +against us, Col. Jones, feeling that we must make the biggest possible +display, ordered the straw to be lit. This promptly drew fire, and in +five minutes there was not one single gun on our side of the Salient +still firing at Hooge, they had all turned on us. At first sight of the +smoke several machine guns had opened fire opposite "50" and "49," but +these died away almost at once as the Boche, thoroughly frightened at +the prospect of gas, evacuated his trenches. Half-an-hour later he +actually bombarded his own lines on the Northern slopes of "Hill 60" +with 11" shells, presumably imagining that we had occupied them. The +bluff was complete. + +But such a success cannot be purchased without loss, and our losses had +been heavy. The Staffordshires had not lit their straw because of the +wind, so that the enemy's retaliation, which should have been spread +along the whole front from "A1" to "Hill 60" was concentrated entirely +on our three trenches "40," "50" and "A1." "C" Company (Lt. R.D. Farmer) +in "50" suffered most. Choked and blinded by the smoke from the straw, +which blew back and filled the trench, their parapet blown away by salvo +after salvo of small shells, their supports battered with 8" and heavy +mortars, with no cover against the unceasing rain of shells from front +and left, they had to bear it all in silence, unable to hit back. +Serjts. J.G. Burnham and J. Birkin were killed, and with them 10 others +of the battalion, while 30 more were wounded. Once more the "Doc." and +his stretcher-bearers were everywhere, and many who might otherwise have +bled to death, owed their lives to this marvellous man, who wandered +round and dressed their wounds wherever the shelling was hottest. At the +first opening of the battle our telephone lines to the Artillery were +broken, and for some time we could get no support, but the Derby +Howitzers and one of the Lincolnshire batteries fired a number of rounds +for us, and later, thanks to the efforts of Lieut. C. Morgan, R.F.A., +the F.O.O., we were able to call on Major Meynell's Staffordshire +battery as well. By 7.15 a.m. all was once more quiet, and we spent the +rest of the day evacuating our casualties, and trying to clear away some +of the litter of straw from our trenches. + +The following day passed quietly, and in the evening, relieved by the +Lincolnshires, we marched out of trenches. Ten minutes later the enemy +blew up trench "47" and opened heavy rifle fire on all sides of the +salient. The Battalion was marching by companies, and "A" and "D" had +just reached Manor Farm when the noise began, and bullets fell all round +them. Capt. Jefferies, who was leading, was hit almost at once and fell +mortally wounded, never again recovering consciousness, and several +others became casualties before the party could reach cover on the far +side of the Farm. "B" and "C" were still in Armagh Wood, so Colonel +Jones at once decided to man the new breastwork between it and Square +Wood, and there they remained until the situation became once more +quiet. Finally, at midnight, we moved into our Brigade Support +positions, Headquarters and "B" Company in Railway Dug-outs, "C" Company +in Deeping Dug-outs near the Lake, and the others in Kruisstraat +bivouacs. Even now we were not allowed to live in peace, for the +following morning, at 11.0 a.m., the enemy bombarded Railway Dug-outs +for two hours, firing 90 8" shells, and (so says the War Diary) "plenty +of shrapnel." No one was hit, though Col. Jones' dug-out and the Orderly +Room were destroyed, and the bomb store, which was hit and set on fire, +was only saved from destruction by the efforts of C.S.M. Lovett, who +with Pte. Love and one or two others, fetched water from the pond and +put out the fire. From 6.30 to 7.30 p.m. the dug-outs were again +bombarded and a few more destroyed, so that we were not sorry when, on +the 1st October the Wiltshire Regiment came to relieve us, and we +marched back to bivouacs at Ouderdom. + +On the 2nd, after a farewell address to the officers by the Corps +Commander, the Battalion marched during the morning to Abeele, where at +3.30 p.m. we entrained for the South and said good-bye to the "Salient" +for ever. We were not sorry to go, even though there were rumours of a +coming battle, and our future destination was unknown. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +"HOHENZOLLERN." + +1st Oct., 1915. 15th Oct., 1915. + + +We journeyed southwards in three parts. Battalion Headquarters and the +four Companies went first, reached Fouquereuil Station near Béthune +after a six hours' run, and marched at once to Bellerive near Gonnehem. +Here, at noon the following day--the 3rd October--they were joined by +Lieut. Wollaston with the machine guns and ammunition limbers which had +entrained at Godewaersvelde and travelled all night, and at 4.30 p.m., +by Capt. John Burnett with the rest of the Transport. The latter had +come by road, spending one night in bivouacs at Vieux Berquin on the +way. This move brought us into the First Army under Sir Douglas Haig, +who took an early opportunity of being introduced to all Commanding +Officers and Adjutants in the Division, coming to Brigade Headquarters +at Gonnehem on the afternoon of the 3rd, where Col. Jones and Lieut. +G.W. Allen went to a conference. Lieut. Allen had become Adjutant when +Capt. Griffiths was wounded, and Capt. Langdale was wanted for command +of "B" Company. Our other Company Commanders remained unchanged except +that Major Bland returned from England and took charge of "D." + +The billets at Bellerive, consisting of large, clean farmhouses, were +very comfortable, but we were not destined to stay there long, and on +the 6th marched through Chocques to Hesdigneul, where there was less +accommodation. The following day there was a conference at Brigade +Headquarters, and we learnt our fate. On the 25th September, the opening +day of the Loos battle, the left of the British attack had been directed +against "Fosse 8"--a coal mine with its machine buildings, miners' +cottages and large low slag dump--protected by a system of trenches +known as the "Hohenzollern Redoubt," standing on a small rise 1,000 +yards west of the mine. This had all been captured by the 9th Division, +but owing to counter-attacks from Auchy and Haisnes, had had to be +abandoned, and the enemy had once more occupied the Redoubt. A second +attempt, made a few days later by the 28th Division, had been +disastrous, for we had had heavy casualties, and gained practically no +ground, and except on the right, where we had occupied part of "Big +Willie" trench, the Redoubt was still intact. Another attempt was now to +be made at an early date, and, while 12th and 1st Divisions attacked to +the South, the North Midland was to sweep over the Redoubt and capture +Fosse 8, consolidating a new line on the East side of it. + +Apart from the Fosse itself, where the fortifications and their strength +were practically unknown, the Redoubt alone was a very strong point. It +formed a salient in the enemy's line and both the Northern area, "Little +Willie," and the southern "Big Willie," were deep, well-fortified +trenches, with several machine gun positions. Behind these, ran from +N.E. and S.E. into the 2nd line of the Redoubt, two more deep trenches, +"N. Face" and "S. Face," thought to be used for communication purposes +only, and leading back to "Fosse" and "Dump" trenches nearer the +slag-heap. The last two were said to be shallow and unoccupied. In +addition to these defences, the redoubt and its approach from our line +were well covered by machine gun posts, for, on the North, "Mad Point" +overlooked our present front line and No Man's Land, while "Madagascar" +Cottages and the slag-heap commanded all the rest of the country. The +scheme for the battle was that the Staffordshires on the right and our +Brigade with the Monmouthshires on the left would make the assault, the +Sherwood Foresters remain in reserve. Before the attack there would be +an intense artillery bombardment, which would effectually deal with "Mad +Point" and other strongholds. In our Brigade, General Kemp decided to +attack with two Battalions side by side in front, 4th Leicestershires +and 5th Lincolnshires, followed by 4th Lincolnshires and Monmouthshires, +each extended along the whole Brigade frontage, while, except for one or +two carrying parties, he would keep us as his own reserve. The date for +the battle had not been fixed, but it would probably be the 10th. + +Reconnaissances started at once, and on the 8th Col. Jones and all +Company Commanders and 2nds in Command went by motor 'bus to Vermelles, +and reconnoitred our trenches, held at the time by the Guards Division. +Our first three lines, where the assembly would take place the night +before the battle, were all carefully reconnoitred as well as the "Up" +and "Down" communication trenches--Barts Alley, Central, Water and Left +Boyaus. These were simply cut into the chalk and had not been boarded, +so, with the slightest rain, became hopelessly slippery, while to make +walking worse a drain generally ran down the centre of the trench, too +narrow to walk in and too broad to allow one to walk with one foot each +side. From the front line we were able to see the edge of the Redoubt, +Mad Point, and the mine with its buildings and Slag-heap. The last +dominated everything, and could be seen from everywhere. It was not very +encouraging to see the numbers of our dead from the previous two +attacks, still lying out in No Man's Land, whence it had not yet been +possible to carry them in. The party reached home soon after 5 p.m., and +a few minutes later a heavy bombardment in the direction of Vermelles +was followed by an order to "stand to," which we did until midnight, +when all was quiet again, and we were allowed to go to bed. + +The following day the remainder of the officers and a party of selected +N.C.O.'s went again to the line to reconnoitre. While they were away we +heard the meaning of the previous night's noise. The Boche had attacked +our posts in "Big Willie" held by a Battalion of the Coldstream Guards, +and after a long fight had been driven back with heavy losses, leaving +many dead behind them. Both sides had used no other weapon than the +bomb, and our success was attributed to our new Mills grenade, which +could be thrown further and was easier to handle than the German stick +bomb, and the Coldstreams were said to have thrown more than 5,000 of +these during the fight. This little encounter had two results. First, it +definitely postponed our attack to the 13th; secondly, it brought the +Mills grenade into so much prominence that we were ordered to practise +with that and that only, and to ensure that during the next three days +every man threw them frequently. At the same time we were definitely +promised that no other grenade would be issued during our coming battle. + +As it was not intended that we should go into trenches until the night +before the assault, only very few of the N.C.O.'s and none of the men +would have any opportunity of previously studying the ground. In order, +therefore, that all might be made familiar with the general appearance +and proportionate distances of the various objectives, a small scale +model of the Redoubt and Fosse 8 was built opposite Divisional +Headquarters at Gosnay, and Sunday afternoon was spent in studying this +and explaining full details to all concerned. In the evening the Corps +Commander, General Haking, spoke to all officers of the Division in the +Chateau courtyard, and told us some further details of the attack. We +were to be supported by the largest artillery concentration ever made by +the British during the war up to that time, and there would be 400 guns +covering the Divisional front. Under their fire we need have no fear +that any machine guns could possibly be left in "Mad Point," +"Madagascar," or any of the other points due for bombardment. At the +same time he told us that if the wind were in the right direction we +should be further assisted by the "auxiliary." In this case there would +be an hour's bombardment, followed by an hour's "auxiliary," during +which time the guns would have to be silent because High Explosive was +apt to disperse chlorine gas. At the end of the second hour we should +advance and find the occupants all dead. Attacks at dawn and dusk had +become very common lately and seemed to be expected by the Boche; we +would therefore attack at 2 p.m. + +During the next two days we spent most of our time throwing Mills +grenades, and certainly found them a very handy weapon, which could be +thrown much further than our previous patterns. We also had to make +several eleventh hour changes in personnel, Major Bland and Lieut. Allen +were both compelled by sickness to go to Hospital--the former to +England. It was exceptionally bad luck for both, to endure the routine +of six months' trenches and training and then have to leave their unit +on the eve of its first great fight, in which both these officers were +so keen to take part. In their places Lieut. Hills was appointed to "D" +Company, but as he was taken by General Kemp for Intelligence Work, 2nd +Lieut. G.B. Williams took command. No one was appointed Adjutant, and +Colonel Jones decided that as officers were scarce he and Major Toller +would between them share the work at Battalion Headquarters. Two new +officers also arrived and were posted, 2nd Lieut. G.T. Shipston to "C" +and 2nd Lieut. L. Trevor Jones to "D" Company. + +On the 12th, after some last words of advice from Colonel Jones, who +addressed the Battalion, we set off to march to trenches, wearing what +afterwards became known as "Fighting Order," with great coats rolled and +strapped to our backs. The Brigade band accompanied us through Verquin, +and a Staffordshire band played us into Sailly Labourse, where General +Montagu-Stuart-Wortley watched us turn on to the main road. There was an +hour's halt for teas between here and Noyelles, and finally at 10-5 p.m. +we marched into Vermelles. The next eight hours were bad, for it took +eight hours to reach our assembly position, the third line--eight hours +standing in hopelessly congested communication trenches, waiting to +move forward. For men heavily laden--each carried six sandbags and every +third man a shovel--this delay was very tiring, for it meant continuous +standing with no room to rest, and resulted in our arriving in the line +tired out, to find that it was already time to have breakfasts. The +Reserve Line was full of troops, but it was found possible to give all a +hot breakfast, and many managed to snatch a couple of hours' sleep +before the bombardment opened at 12 noon. + +Compared with the bombardments of the Somme and the later battles, our +bombardment was small, but it seemed to us at the time terrific, and it +was very encouraging to see direct hits on the mine workings and the +various trenches. The enemy retaliated mostly on communication trenches, +using some very heavy shells, but not doing a great deal of damage. At 1 +p.m. chlorine gas was discharged from cylinders packed in our front +line, and at the same time a quantity of smoke bombs and mortar shells +were fired towards the Redoubt by parties of our Divisional Artillery +who were not covering us in the battle. The enemy at once altered his +retaliation targets, and opened a heavy fire on our front line, trying +to burst the gas cylinders, and succeeding in filling the trench with +gas in three places by so doing. At 1-50 p.m. the gas and smoke was +gradually diminished and allowed to disperse, and, ten minutes later, +wearing gas helmets rolled on their heads, the leading waves moved out +to the assault. + +The start was disastrous. Colonel Martin and his Adjutant were both +wounded, Colonel Sandall was wounded and his Adjutant killed in the +first few minutes, and the machine gun fire along the whole of our +front was terrific. Still, the nature of the ground afforded them some +protection and they pushed forward, losing heavily at every step, until +they had crossed the first line of the Redoubt. The 4th Lincolnshires +and Monmouthshires followed, and we moved up towards the front line so +as to be ready if required, and at the same time a party of our +Signallers went forward to lay a line to the newly captured position. +L.-Corpl. Fisher himself took the cable and, regardless of the machine +gun fire, calmly reeled out his line across No Man's Land, passed +through the enemy's wire and reached the Redoubt. Communication was +established, and we were able to learn that all waves had crossed the +first German line and were going forward against considerable +opposition. Meanwhile, on the right the Staffordshires had fared far +worse even than our Brigade. Starting from their second line, they were +more exposed to machine gun fire from all sides, and very few reached +even their own front line, whilst row upon row were wiped out in their +gallant effort to advance. + +In case of failure and the consequent necessity of holding our original +front line against strong counter attacks, it had been arranged that our +machine guns should take up permanent positions in this line. This was +done, and Lieut. Wollaston was supervising the work of his teams and +improving their positions when he saw that a considerable number of men +were coming back from the Redoubt. Their officers and N.C.O.'s killed, +they themselves, worn out by the exertions of the past 24 hours, half +gassed by the chlorine which still hung about the shell holes, shot at +by machine guns from every quarter, had been broken by bombing attacks +from every trench they attacked and now, having thrown all their bombs, +were coming back. The situation was critical, and Lieut. Wollaston, +deciding to leave his guns now that they were in good positions, made +his way along the trench and tried to rally the stragglers. Many were +too badly shaken to go forward again, but some answered his call and +collecting some more grenades the little party started back towards the +Redoubt. Lieut. Wollaston was knocked down and wounded in the back by a +shell, but still went forward, and, reaching the first German line, +turned left towards "Little Willie," which the Boche was still holding +in force. At the same time General Kemp ordered two of our Companies to +be sent up to assist, and Colonel Jones sent word to "B" and "A" to move +up. One message from the Redoubt which reached Colonel Jones at this +time said "Please send bombs and officers." + +Captain Langdale decided to advance in line, and leaving their trenches +the four platoons started off in that formation. The platoon commanders +became casualties in the first few yards, 2nd Lieut. Marriott being +wounded and the two others gassed, and by the time they reached our +front line the Company Commander was leading them himself. Walking along +with his pipe in his mouth, Captain Langdale might have been at a Field +Day, as he calmly signalled his right platoon to keep up in line, with +"keep it up, Oakham," as they crossed our trench. The line was kept, and +so perfectly that many of the stragglers who had come back turned and +went forward again with them. But once more as they were reaching the +German front line came that deadly machine gun fire, and their gallant +Commander was one of the first to fall, killed with a bullet in the +head. C.S.M. Lovett was badly wounded at the same time, Serjt. Franks +killed, and the Company, now leaderless, was broken into isolated +parties fighting with bombs in the various trenches. + +"A" Company followed. Keeping his platoons more together and on a +smaller frontage, Captain Hastings decided to attempt a bayonet attack +against the German opposition on the left of the Redoubt, and himself +led his men up to the attack. Again Platoon Commanders were the first to +fall, and as they climbed out of our trenches, 2nd Lieut. Lawton was +mortally wounded in the stomach and 2nd Lieut. Petch badly shot through +the arm. However, this did not delay the attack, and the Company, +crossing the German front line, quickened their pace and made for the +junctions of "Little Willie" and "N. Face." Once more bombs and machine +guns were too hot for them, and first Capt. Hastings, then 2nd Lieut. +Moss were killed near the German second line, leaving the Company in the +hands of 2nd Lieut. Tomson and C.S.M. Gorse, who at once organized the +platoons for the defence of the second line, realizing that it was +useless to try to advance further. 2nd Lieut. Petch, in spite of his +wound, remained several hours with his platoon, but eventually had to +leave them. The ground was covered with the dead and wounded of the +other Battalions, Fosse and Dump trenches were filled with Germans and +machine guns, "S. Face" and both "Willies" were full of bombers, and +worst of all the machine guns of Mad Point, Madagascar and the Slag-heap +had apparently escaped untouched. There was only one thing left to do, +and that to hold what we had got against these bombing attacks, and +consolidate our new position without delay. + +Meanwhile, in addition to our two Companies, there were several other +parties and units fighting in various parts of the Redoubt, and of these +Colonel Evill, of the Monmouthshires, himself on the spot, took command, +sending down for more men and more bombs. Of these little parties the +most successful was that under Lieut. Wollaston, who, although wounded, +led a bombing attack into "Little Willie," and pushed on so resolutely +that he gained some eighty yards of trench before being compelled to +withdraw owing to lack of bombs and ammunition. Unfortunately there was +no other party near to help him, or "Little Willie" would probably have +been ours. On the right, Lieut. Madge, of the Lincolnshires, held on for +an incredibly long time with only a few machine gunners far in advance +of anyone else, only coming back after 5 p.m., when he found that part +of the captured ground had been evacuated by us. Here, too, Lieut. +Morgan, of the Staffordshire Brigade R.F.A., was killed leading his +gunners forward to help the infantry who were in difficulties. Some of +"D" Company were also in action at this time. Thirteen and Fourteen +Platoons set off, as originally ordered, under Royal Engineer officers, +to put out barbed wire in front of the Redoubt, but as they reached our +front line were heavily shelled and lost touch with the Engineers, many +of whom were killed. 2nd Lieut. Stoneham had already been badly wounded, +and Lieut. Williams, with a blood-stained bandage tying up a wounded +ear, was with his other half Company, so the two platoons were left +without officers. Serjt W.G. Phipps, who was leading, knew nothing about +the wiring orders, having been told simply to follow the R.E., so he +ordered his platoon to collect all the bombs they could find and make +for the Redoubt. Serjt. G. Billings with 14 followed, and the half +Company entered the fight soon after "A" Company. Their fate was the +same. Serjt. Billings, with Corporals A. Freeman and T.W. Squires, were +all killed trying to use their bayonets against "N. Face," and the rest +were scattered and joined the various bomb parties. F. Whitbread and +A.B. Law found themselves in "Little Willie," and helped rush the enemy +along it, only to be forced back each time through lack of bombs. +Whitbread was particularly brave later, when he went alone over the top +to find out the situation on their flank. One other officer was +conspicuous, in the Redoubt, in our trenches, everywhere in fact where +he could be of use--Captain Ellwood, in charge of machine guns and +forward bomb stores, was absolutely indefatigable, and quiet and +fearless performed miracles of energy and endurance. + +At 3 p.m., the German bombing attacks increased in vigour, and this time +a large part of our garrison of the German second line trench gave way +and came back to the original front line of the Redoubt--some even to +our front line. Who gave the order for this withdrawal was never +discovered, but there was undoubtedly an order "Retire" passed along the +line, possibly started by the Boche himself. Such a message coming to +tired and leaderless men was sure to have a disastrous effect, and in a +few minutes we had given up all except Point 60, a trench junction at +the N. end of "Big Willie," and the front line of the Redoubt. In this +last there were still plenty of men, and these, led by a few resolute +officers and N.C.O.'s such as 2nd Lieut. Tomson, C.S.M. Gorse, and +others, were prepared to hold it against all attacks. The original +parados was cut into fire steps, bomb blocks were built in "Little +Willie" and "North Face," and the garrison generally reorganized. +Messages were sent for more bombs, and these were carried up in bags and +boxes from Brewery Keep, Vermelles to the old front line, and thence +across No Man's Land by parties of "C" and "D" Company. + +[Illustration: General map of Arras-Bethune area to illustrate Chapters +IV, V, VI, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV & XV.] + +While this took place in the Redoubt, Colonel Jones occupied the old +front line with "C" Company (Lieuts. Farmer and Shields), and elements +of "D" Company occupying the bays which were free from gas. The trench +had been badly battered by shells at mid-day, and there were many killed +and wounded still in it, amongst the latter being Colonel Martin, of the +4th Battalion, who garrisoned about 100 yards by himself. Shot through +the knee and in great pain, he refused to go down, but sat at the top of +"Barts Alley" receiving reports, sending information to Brigade, and +directing as far as possible the remnants of his Battalion. For +twenty-one hours he remained, calm and collected as ever, and only +consented to be carried out when sure that all his Battalion had left +the Redoubt. Meanwhile further to the left along the same trench, +Colonel Jones made it his business to keep the Redoubt supplied with +bombs. He was here, there, and everywhere, directing parties, finding +bomb stores, helping, encouraging, and giving a new lease of life to all +he met. Many brave deeds were done by N.C.O.'s and men and never heard +of, but one stands out remembered by all who were there. L.-Corpl. +Clayson, of "D" Company, during the time that his platoon was in this +trench, spent all his time out in the old No Man's Land, under heavy +machine gun fire, carrying in the wounded, many of whom would have +perished but for his bravery. + +With darkness came orders that the Sherwood Foresters would take over +the line from us, but long before they could arrive our Companies in the +Redoubt were being very hard pressed, and scarcely held their own. The +German bombers never for a moment ceased their attack, and for some time +our bombers held them with difficulty. Then came the cruellest blow of +fortune, for many of the bags and boxes of bombs sent up during the +afternoon were found to contain bombs without detonators, many others +were filled with types of grenades we had never seen. In spite of this +there was one officer who always managed to find the wherewithal to +reply to the German attacks. Escaping death by a miracle, for his great +height made him very conspicuous, 2nd Lieut. Tomson stood for hours at +one of the bombing blocks, smoking cigarettes and throwing bombs. With +him was Pte. P. Bowler, who proved absolutely tireless, while in another +part of the line Pte. W.H. Hallam and one or two others carried out a +successful bombing exploit on their own, driving back the enemy far +enough to allow a substantial block to be built in a vital place. To add +to the horrors of the situation, the garrison had ever in their ears the +cries of the many wounded, who lay around calling for Stretcher Bearers +or for water, and to whom they could give no help. The Bearers had +worked all day magnificently, but there is a limit to human endurance, +and they could carry no more. Even so, when no one else was strong +enough, Captain Barton was out in front of the Redoubt, regardless of +bombs, and thinking only of the wounded, many of whom he helped to our +lines, while to others, too badly hit to move, he gave water or +morphia. Hour after hour he worked on alone, and no one will ever know +how many lives he saved that night. + +Soon after 6 p.m., the Sherwood Foresters started to arrive and +gradually worked their way up towards the Redoubt, a long slow business, +for the communication trenches were all choked and no one was very +certain of the route. One large party arriving at midnight happened to +meet Colonel Jones, who advised them to try going over the top, and +actually gave them their direction by the stars. So accurate were his +instructions that the party arrived exactly at the Redoubt--incidentally +at a moment when the Germans were launching a counter attack over the +open. Such an attack might well have been disastrous, but the Boche, +seeing the Sherwood Foresters and over-estimating their strength, +retired hurriedly. By dawn the Sherwood Foresters had taken over the +whole Redoubt, though many of our "A" and "B" Companies were not +relieved and stayed there until the following night. Our task now was +the defence of the original British front line, for which Colonel Jones +was made responsible, and which we garrisoned with "C" (Farmer) right, +"D" (Williams) centre, and "A" and "B" (Tomson) left. Major Toller, +several times knocked down by shells and suffering from concussion, +Lieut. Wollaston wounded, and 2nd Lieut. Wynne gassed, had all been sent +down, and 2nd Lieut. Williams followed some hours later. Our only other +officer, Lieut. R. Ward Jackson, was in charge of the Grenadiers, and +spent his time in the Redoubt organizing bomb attacks and posts and +trench blocks, himself throwing many bombs, and in a very quiet way +doing a very great deal. + +Twice during the night General Kemp visited the line, and went round the +Redoubt before it was handed over to the Sherwood Foresters. He wanted +very much to do more for the wounded, but the Stretcher Bearers were +worked out, and though volunteers worked hard and rescued many, there +were still numbers who had to be left until the following night. Rations +were brought by the Company Q.M. Serjeants under Capt. Worley to the +Quarry--a few hundred yards behind the left of our old front line--and +waited there until parties could be sent for them, a matter of several +hours. However, they were distributed at dawn, when they were very +welcome, for many had been nearly twenty-four hours without food. 2nd +Lieut. Tomson was one of these, remarking, as C.S.M. Gorse gave him +some rum, that he had had nothing since the attack but "two biscuits and +over 300 cigarettes!" + +Throughout the following day we remained in our old front line, +listening to the continuous bombing attacks in the Redoubt, and giving +what assistance we could with carrying parties. The morning was very +misty, and in expectation of a counter attack we were ordered to keep +double sentries, so that the trench was more than usually full of men, +when the enemy suddenly bombarded it with heavy shells. There were +several direct hits, and the trench was blown in in many places, while +one shell fell into the middle of a machine gun team. Serjt. W. Hall, of +"D" Company, L/Corpl. A.F. Brodribb, and Pte. Bartlam were all killed, +and the rest of the team were badly shaken, until C.S.M. Gorse and +Corpl. B. Staniforth came along and helped to reorganize the post with a +few new men. The trench contained no real cover, and the bombardment +lasted for about half an hour; a severe ordeal for men who had already +had a stiff fight followed by a night of bombing. Many of the telephone +lines were broken, and L.-Corpl. Fisher, who had done such gallant work +the previous day, was killed entering our trench just after he had +re-opened communication. In the afternoon we were again bombarded, this +time with lachrymatory as well as H.E. shells, but our casualties were +not so heavy, though the trench was again demolished in several places. +Finally at 11-30 p.m. the Sherwood Foresters started to relieve us. They +arrived in small parties, and some did not appear until dawn the +following day, so that relief was not complete until 8 a.m. We then went +back to Lancashire trench between the Railway and Vermelles, where we +slept for several hours. + +At 2 p.m., motor 'buses arrived to take the Brigade back to Hesdigneul, +and made several journeys, but had not room for all the Battalion, so 70 +set off to march under Major Toller, who had returned to us in +Lancashire trench. It proved to be a dark night, and the party lost +their way slightly in Verquigneul, but finally arrived singing (led by +C.S.M. Gorse) at Hesdigneul, and reached their billets about midnight. + +In so far that Fosse 8 still remained in the hands of the enemy, the +battle was a failure, but in capturing the Redoubt the Brigade had +prevented it being a complete failure. Though we only held the German +front line and one small point in advance of it, we made it impossible +for the enemy to hold any of the Redoubt himself, and so robbed him of +his commanding position on the high ground. Our casualties had been +heavy, and the two attacking Battalions had only one officer left +between them, while we in reserve had lost four officers and 22 men +killed, six officers and 132 men wounded and 13 men missing. Two +officers and 22 men had been gassed, but presently returned to us. The +causes of our failure were mainly two. First, the failure of the +Artillery to wipe out "Mad Point" and Madagascar and their machine guns; +secondly, the gas. This last was undoubtedly a mistake. It caused us +several casualties; it made it necessary for the attackers to wear +rolled up gas masks which impeded them, it stopped our H.E. bombardment +an hour before the assault and so enabled German machine gunners to come +back to their guns, and above all it had a bad effect on us, for we knew +its deadly effects, and many a man swallowing a mouthful or smelling it +became frightened of the consequences and was useless for further +fighting. There was also the mistake of leaving Fosse and Dump trenches +untouched by the bombardment, because they were reported weeks before to +be shallow and unoccupied; as it happened we found them full of men. +Finally, there were the bombs. We had been promised Mills only, and yet +found many other types during the battle. Possibly a shortage of Mills +might account for this, but there can be no possible excuse for sending +grenades into a fight without detonators, and no punishment could be too +harsh for the officer who was responsible for this. + +Honours and Rewards were not given in those days as they were later, and +many a brave deed went unrecognized. There were only nine D.C.M.'s in +the Division, and of these the Brigade won seven, to which we +contributed one, Hallam, the grenadier. Of the officers, Capt. Barton, +Lieut. Wollaston, and 2nd Lieut. Williams received the Military Cross, +and the Colonel's name appeared in the next list for a C.M.G. It was +not until long afterwards that those who had been with him began to talk +of the splendid deeds of 2nd Lieut. Tomson throughout the day and night +of the 13th, and he was never one to talk about himself. Had anyone in +authority known at the time he, too, would have had some decoration. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +FLANDERS MUD TO THE MEDITERRANEAN. + +15th Oct., 1915. 28th Jan., 1916. + + +The whole Brigade was left very weak after the battle, and there was a +serious shortage of officers. As in this respect we, as a Battalion, had +suffered least, we had to supply the needs of other units, and Major +Toller went to command the 4th Battalion, taking with him 2nd Lieut. +Trevor Jones, as they had no subaltern officers. At the same time 2nd +Lieut. H.E. Chapman was sent to help the 5th Lincolnshires, and Capt. +Burnett and Lieut. Ward Jackson went to Brigade Headquarters to look +after Transport and Bombs, while their duties in the Battalion were +performed by Serjt. Brodribb and Serjt. Goodman. We could not afford a +machine gun officer, so Serjt. Jacques was made responsible for the guns +until an officer reinforcement should arrive. "A," "B" and "D" Companies +were commanded by Lieuts. Tomson, Wynne, and Shields, and, as Lieut. +Allen was still in hospital, Lieut. Hills acted as Adjutant. The +officers all messed together at first, and tried to maintain the old +cheerful spirit of the Battalion mess--a little difficult after losing +in one day more than three-quarters of the mess. + +On Sunday, General Montagu-Stuart-Wortley came to talk to the Battalion +after Church parade, and congratulated us on the fighting, saying that, +considering the odds against us, he thought we had done very well +indeed. He then went round the ranks talking to some of the men who had +taken part in the battle, and was very amused by some of the answers he +received to his questions. One soldier, asked what he had done in the +fight, replied that he had "blown half a Boche officer's leg off with a +bomb." The General thought this excellent, but wanted to know why he had +chosen half an officer only, and not a whole one. + +We stayed ten days at Hesdigneul, and then moved to Drouvin and +Vaudricourt, where the billets were better, and we were able to have a +Battalion officers' mess. During this time, many reinforcement officers +arrived and two large drafts of other ranks. Two of our original +officers returned--Capt. Beasley, who now took command of "B" Company, +and Lieut. Knighton, who returned to "D" as 2nd in Command. The +remainder were new to us, and were posted as follows: "A" Company--2nd +Lieuts. M.A. Hepworth, C.H. Pickworth, and G. Russell; "B" Company--2nd +Lieuts. J.W. Brittain and, when they returned, the two officers lent to +other Battalions; "C" Company--Capt. S.J. Fowler, 2nd Lieuts. A.M. +Barrowcliffe and A.L. Macbeth; "D" Company--2nd Lieuts. A.H. Dawes, +H.W. Oliver, and J.R. Brooke. 2nd Lieut. C.L. Saunders became Machine +Gun Officer. With these additions we were able to start training again, +and devoted our time to route marching, bayonet fighting, and, most of +all, bomb throwing. At no time during the war was more reliance placed +on bombs, and scheme after scheme was invented for "bombing attacks up +a trench," to such an extent that the platoon organisation was now +re-modelled with the one idea of forming bomb parties. The rifle seemed +to be temporarily forgotten. + +On the 28th October, as many Units as possible of the 1st Army were +inspected by H.M. The King. Our Brigade formed a composite Battalion +commanded by Col. Jones, and, with the rest of the Division, and +representatives of other Divisions, was drawn up along the +Hesdigneul-Labuissičre Road. His Majesty rode past us from Labuissičre +and, after taking the salute, came down the hill again in his car with +the Prince of Wales. He acknowledged our cheers with a smile, and it was +not until afterwards that we learnt of his accident soon after passing +us, and knew the pain he was suffering during his drive back, pain which +he had so admirably concealed. + +After the inspection we sent a large party, six officers and 230 +N.C.O.'s and men, to Sailly Labourse, to carry gas cylinders and other +material to trenches, but except for this we were spared all fatigues +during our period of rest. A week later we marched through Béthune and +Robecq to Calonne sur la Lys, a little village outside Merville, where +we remained another week before going to the line. Lieut. Allen rejoined +us and became Adjutant; Lieut. Hills, after a few days with "A" Company, +went to Brigade Headquarters as a Staff Learner. At the same time, Major +Toller returned to the Battalion as 2nd in Command. After commanding the +4th Battalion until a new Colonel arrived for them, he had been posted +to the 5th Lincolnshires, and for a time it looked as though he would be +permanently given command. However, bad luck pursued him, and, as two +new Colonels arrived for that Battalion the same day, he again lost his +Command. Considering that he had commanded us for three months during +the summer with great success, and was easily senior Major in the +Brigade, it was exceptionally bad luck that he had to wait another eight +months before finally getting his Battalion. + +On the 10th November, we were told that we should once more take over a +part of the line, and the following morning we marched to Lacouture and +went into billets for one night. "B" Co. (Beasley) went on at once and +spent the night in support positions near the Rue du Bois between +Festubert and Neuve Chapelle. The rest of us moved up the next day and +took over our new line from the Sherwood Foresters the same night. +Battalion Headquarters lived in a little cottage, "No. 1" Albert Road, +two Companies occupied a large farm house in the same neighbourhood +fitted up as a rest house, one Company lived in a series of curiously +named keeps--"Haystack," "Z Orchard," "Path," and "Dead Cow," and one +Company only was in the front line. + +The Brigade now held the line from "Kinkroo," a corruption of La Quinque +Rue, crossing to the "Boar's Head," and of this we held the stretch +opposite the two farms in No Man's Land, Fme du Bois and Fme Cour +d'Avoué. The latter, surrounded by a moat, had an evil reputation, and +was said to have been the death-trap of many patrols, which had gone +there and never been seen since. The trenches had been dug in the summer +when the country was dry, with no regard to the fact that in winter the +water level rises to within two inches of the surface of the ground. In +consequence, the trenches were full of mud and water, and most of the +bivouacs and shelters were afloat. The mud was the worst, for although +only two feet deep, yet it was of the clinging variety, and made walking +impossible, so much so, that many a man has found it impossible to +withdraw his foot, has had to leave his gum-boot behind, go on in his +socks, and come back later with a shovel to rescue his boot. The water +was deeper and often came over one's gum-boots and up to one's waist, +but at least it was possible to walk slowly through it without fear of +getting stuck. To add to the discomfort of the garrison, the weather was +bitterly cold and often very wet, and though no Company remained more +than 24 hours in the front line, yet that was long enough for many to +become chilled and so start the terrible "trench foot." + +"Trench foot," as it was called, was one of the most terrible +afflictions of winter trenches. After standing for a long period in +water or mud, or with wet rubber boots, the feet became gradually numbed +and the circulation ceased, while as the numbed area increased a dull +aching pain spread over the whole foot. Exercise to restore the +circulation would have prevented this, but for men who were compelled to +spend the entire day in one fire bay, exercise was impossible, and by +evening the numbness had almost always started. As soon, therefore, as a +Company came from the front line, it marched to the rest house. Here, +every man was given a hot drink, his wet boots and socks were taken +away, his feet rubbed by the Stretcher Bearers until the circulation was +restored, and then with dry socks and dry boots he remained for the next +24 hours in the warmer atmosphere of the rest house. Should action not +be taken in time, and a man be left for 48 hours with wet boots and +socks, the rest house treatment was insufficient, and he had to be sent +to Hospital, where, if gangrene had not set in, he could still be cured. +Many in the early days did not realize its dangers, for once gangrene +starts, the foot has to be amputated. + +The enemy's trenches were probably as bad as our own, and he only manned +his front line at night, leaving a few snipers to hold it by day. These +were active for the first hour or two after morning "stand to," but then +had breakfast and apparently slept for the rest of the day, at all +events they troubled us no more. This was a distinct advantage, for it +enabled communication to be kept between posts and from front to rear, +without the orderly having either to swim up a communication trench or +run a serious risk of being sniped. One, Kelly, a famous "D" Company +character, tried to walk too soon one morning to fetch his rum ration +and was hit in the knee, much to his annoyance; but on the whole there +were very few casualties. By night, too, there was not much firing, +probably because both sides were hard at work taking up rations, +relieving front line posts, or trying to get dry with the aid of a walk +"on top." In our case, with 24 hour reliefs, there were no ration +parties, because each Company as it went to the line took its rations +and fuel with it. + +Our only communication trench was "Cadbury's," which started near +"Chocolat Menier," corner of the Rue du Bois, so called after an +advertisement for this chocolate fastened to the side of a house. It was +even more water logged than the front line, and consequently, except +when the ice was thick enough to walk on, was seldom used. With a +little care it was possible to reach the front line even by day without +the help of a trench at all, and Lieut. Saunders always used to visit +his machine guns in this way, making the journey both ways over the top +every day that we held the sector, and never once being shot at. + +The Rue du Bois we used as little as possible, for every other house was +an O.P., and the gunners preferred us at a distance. The "Ritz," +"Carlton," "Trocadero," and "Princes" all gave one an excellent view of +the enemy's front line, and, knowing this, the Boche concentrated most +of the little artillery he used on this neighbourhood. There was seldom +any heavy shelling, mostly field artillery only, and this of a poor +order, for not only were there many "duds" in every shoot, but also the +gunners seemed to lack imagination. So regular were they in their choice +of targets, times of shooting, and number of rounds fired, that, after +being in the line one or two days, Col. Jones had discovered their +system, and knew to a minute where the next shell would fall. His +calculations were very accurate, and he was able to take what seemed to +uninitiated Staff Officers big risks, knowing that the shelling would +stop before he reached the place being shelled. + +Amongst the new subaltern officers was one unlike any we had seen +before--2nd Lieut. J.R. Brooke. He loved patrolling for its own sake, +and during his first few days in the line explored everything he could +find including the German wire and trenches. From this time onwards he +spent more of his days crawling about on his stomach than sitting like a +respectable soldier in a trench, and even when years later he became a +Company Commander it was found impossible to break him of the habit. +Captains were forbidden to go on patrol, but this did not matter to him, +he would take a subaltern with him and make the latter write the report, +calling it 2nd Lieut. ---- and one other Rank. One would expect such a +man to be large, strong, and of a fierce countenance; 2nd Lieut. Brooke +was small, of delicate health, and looked as though his proper vacation +in life was to hand cups of tea to fair ladies at a village tea fight. + +It seemed probable that we should have to remain in this sector for the +whole winter, and our first thought was, therefore, how to make the +trenches somewhat more habitable. It was obvious that digging was out of +the question, and that nothing less than a large breastwork, built +entirely above ground, would be of any use. General Kemp visited the +lines several times before finally deciding on his plan, and then +sighted two works, the front a few yards behind our present front line, +the second just behind what was called the "old British Line," now used +for our supports. It was a gigantic task, and the work was very slow, +even though every available man worked all night. The inside of the +breastwork was to be revetted with frames of woodwork and expanded +metal, and, in order that the parapet might be really bullet proof, the +soil for it had to be dug from a "borrow pit" several yards in front. +The soil was sticky and would not leave the shovel, which added terribly +to the work; for each man had literally to dig a shovel full, walk five +or six yards and deposit it against the revetting frames. Fortunately +for us the Boche did not seem to object to our work, in any case he left +us in peace each night. + +While this was in progress, an effort was also made to try and drain the +area. In many places water was lying, held up by sandbag walls and old +trenches, actually above the ground level, and it was hoped that by +cleaning ditches and arranging a general drainage scheme for the whole +area, this surplus water might be drained off, and, in time, the whole +water level lowered. Lieut. A.G. Moore, M.C., who returned from England +at this time, was made "O.C. Drainage," and set to work at once with +what men he could collect, but so big were the parties working on the +breastworks each night, that only a very few could be spared for this +other work, and not very much could be done. + +Soon after Lieut. Moore, 2nd. Lieut. G.B. Williams also returned to us, +and became Battalion Intelligence Officer, a post now started for the +first time. At the same time four new officers arrived--2nd Lieuts. G. +Selwyn and W. Ashwell to "A" Company, 2nd Lieut. A.N. Bloor to "B," and +2nd Lieut. V.J. Jones to "D." C.S.M. Gilding and Serjt. Brodribb both +left us to be trained as officers, and their places were taken by +C.Q.M.S. Johnson who became C.S.M. of "C" Company, and Corpl. Roberts +who took charge of the Transport. The latter was still under the special +care of Capt. Burnett, although he had all the Transport of the Brigade +to look after. + +Our first tour ended on the 25th, when, after 12 days' mud and frost, we +were relieved by the 4th Lincolnshires, and came back to billets in the +Rue des Chavattes, not far from Lacouture, where Stores and Transport +remained throughout this time. Our casualties had not been very heavy, +and we lost more through the weather conditions than at the hands of +the enemy, for Capt. Fowler and several N.C.O.'s and men, unable to +stand the exposure, had to be sent to Hospital. Our billeting area +included several keeps or strong points--L'Epinette, le Touret, and +others--for which we found caretakers, little thinking, as we stocked +them with reserve rations, that the Boche would eventually eat our +"Bully," and it would fall to our lot in three years time to drive him +from these very positions. The day after relief, the Brigadier went on +leave, and Col. Jones took his place at Brigade Headquarters--"Cense du +Raux" Farm--somewhat to the annoyance of one or two of the other +Commanding Officers, who, though junior to the Colonel, were all +"Regular Time-serving Soldiers." + +Up to this time our covering Artillery had belonged to another (New +Army) Division, but now our own Gunners took over the line, making it +more than ever certain that we were to spend the whole winter in these +abominable trenches. We were very glad to see our own Artillery again, +for, though their predecessors had done quite well, we always preferred +our own, even in the days of 15 pounders and 5 inch howitzers. Not only +were they more accurate than other people, but they were also more +helpful, and were obviously intent on serving us Infantry, not, as some +others, on carrying on a small war of their own. Besides, we knew the +F.O.O.'s so well and looked forward to seeing them in the Mess, where, +between occasional squabbles about real or imaginary short shooting, +they were the most cheerful companions. Lieuts. Wright, Morris-Eyton, +Watson of the 1st Staffs., Morgan, Anson of the 4th, and Lyttelton, +Morris, and Dixie of the 2nd Lincolnshires, were the most frequent +visitors for the "pip squeaks," while Lieuts. Newton, Cattle, and F. +Joyce performed the same duties for the Derby Howitzers. They always +took care to maintain their superiority over the mere foot soldier by a +judicious use of long technical words which they produced one at a time. +At Kemmel they were always "registering"; at Ypres, as we, too, had +learnt the meaning of "register" and even dared to use the word +ourselves, they introduced "bracketing," and as this became too common, +"calibrating" and so on; the more famous of recent years being "datum +point" and M.P.I, (mean point of impact). Occasionally our officers used +to visit the Batteries, in order to learn how a gun was fired--an +opportunity for any F.O.O. to wreak vengeance on some innocent Infantry +Subaltern, who had dared to suggest that he had been shooting short. The +Infantryman would be led down to the gun pit, and told to stand with one +leg on each side of the trail, "so that he could watch the shell leave +the gun"; some Gunner would then pull a string and the poor spectator, +besides being nearly deaf, would see some hideous recoiling portion +shoot straight at his stomach, stop within an eighth of an inch of his +belt buckle, and slide slowly back--a ghastly ordeal. + +On the night of the 2nd December, we went once more to the line and +relieved the 4th Lincolnshires in our old sector, which we found very +much as we had left it, perhaps a little wetter, as it had been raining. +For this tour we slightly altered our dispositions, and instead of each +of the four Companies taking a tour in the front line, two Companies +only would do so for this tour, the other two doing the same the +following tour. It was hoped that in this way the garrison would take +more interest in improving their surroundings if they knew they would +return to the same place every other day. Under the old system, no one +took much interest in a trench which he only occupied for 24 hours, and +would not see again for four days. We did not, however, have a chance of +testing this new arrangement, for at 3-45 the following morning, orders +came that the Division would be relieved the following night, and was +under orders to go to the East. As soon as it was dark, the 19th +Division took our place in the line, and we marched back for the night +to the Rue des Chavattes, whence, after ridding ourselves of gum-boots, +sheepskin coats, and extra blankets, we marched the following day by +Locon, Lestrem and Merville to Caudescure, a little village on the edge +of Nieppe Forest. + +We found fairly good billets here, though they were too scattered to +allow of a Battalion Mess, and we spent a very enjoyable fortnight +training, playing football, and listening to rumours about our +destination. The most persistent of the last was Egypt, based in the +first instance on a telephone conversation between a Corps and +Divisional Signaller, overhead by a telephonist at Brigade, in which the +Corps Signaller told his friend that he had seen a paper in one of the +offices which said that we were to go to Egypt. On the other hand, +Lieut. X of the Lincolnshires had a brother in the Flying Corps, who had +ridden on a lorry with an A.S.C. Serjeant from G.H.Q., and had been told +that all the Territorial Divisions in India were being relieved by +Divisions from France. Against this was Captain Z's batman, who had a +friend in the Staffordshires who was batman to an officer who had a +cousin in the War Office, and he said we were going to the Dardenelles. +On the top of all these came General Montagu-Stuart-Wortley to inspect +us, and, incidentally, to tell us that he himself had not the slightest +idea where we were going. + +On the 19th we moved to the little hamlet of Tannay, still on the edge +of the woods, between Haverskerque and Thiennes. As we paraded in the +morning there were many who said they could smell gas, but as the wind +was N.E. and the line very far away, we thought they must be mistaken. +However, the next day the official communiqué told us of a big gas +attack at Ypres on the 9th and 49th Divisions, and though Ypres was 18 +miles away, it must have been this that could be smelt. In these new +billets we spent Christmas--the first Christmas in France for us, and +managed with the aid of plum puddings and other luxuries sent out to us +by the good people at home, to enjoy ourselves immensely. Not only were +many good things to eat sent us, but we also received some very welcome +gifts of tobacco, cigarettes, books and stationery from the "Leicester +Daily Post and Mercury" funds. Both these papers have been most faithful +throughout the war, never failing to send us "themselves," and often +adding boxes of comforts for all. Our celebrations included a Brigade +Football Cup competition, for which we entered a hot side, including +many of our old players--"Banger" Neal, "Mush" Taylor, Toon, Archer, +Skelly, Fish, Serjt. Allan, Kirchin and others. We met the 5th +Lincolnshires in the semi-finals and beat them 2--1, and then turned our +attention to their 4th Battalion, who after beating our 4th Battalion, +our old rivals, met us in the final and went down 1--0. The final was a +keen, hard game, played well to the finish, and we deserved our win. The +trophy--a clock, mounted into a French "75" shell--was taken back to +Leicestershire by Capt. Farmer when he next went on leave. + +On the 27th we again moved, this time to some farms round Widdebroucq, +just west of Aire, to be nearer our entraining station Berguette, which +with Lillers had already been reconnoitred. As Captains Hills and Ward +Jackson had already gone forward with an advance party to Marseilles, it +began to look as though we really should go East before the end of the +war--a fact which some of us were beginning to doubt. Training still +continued each day, special attention being paid to open warfare +tactics, which fortunately included more musketry and less bombing, and +we also carried out a number of route marches and field days. Scouts, +having become obsolete, were resurrected, and Field Service Regulations +rescued from the dim recesses of valises. It was a pleasant change after +the previous nine months' trench work. + +At last, on the 6th January, we marched to Berguette station and boarded +a long train of cattle trucks, leaving at 4.40 p.m. The first part of +the journey was uninteresting, but after passing Paris, the train seemed +happier, went quite fast at times, and did not stop so long between +stations. The weather on the 8th was lovely, and the third day's +travelling under a hot sun was delicious; doors were pushed back, and +those for whom there was no room on the foot-boards, sat on the carriage +roofs. Finally, at 1.0 a.m. on the 9th, the train reached Marseilles, +and we marched out to a camp on the west side of the town, in a suburb +called Santi, where there were tents for all, and a large room for an +officers' mess. Here we remained 14 days in the most excellent +surroundings, and with heavenly weather. + +The Staffordshires and Lincolnshires had already sailed for Egypt when +we arrived, and a few days later another ship carried some Padres and +other officers of the Division to the same destination. For the rest of +us there were for the moment no transports, so we had to wait--not a +very terrible task, when our most strenuous exercise was sea-bathing or +playing water polo, and our recreation consisted of walking into the +town, to which an almost unlimited number of passes were given. Here, it +must be admitted, there was often too much to eat and far too much to +drink, and the attractions were so great that everybody waited for the +last possible tram back to camp, with the result that this vehicle +arrived with human forms clinging to every corner of the sides, ends and +roof--a most extraordinary sight. On one occasion two well-known +soldiers who had dined too well and not too wisely, stood solemnly at +the side of the road holding up their hands to a tram to stop, when a +party of lively French scavengers turned the hosepipe on to them, and +they had to be rescued from the gutter, where they lay with the water +running in at their collars and out at their ankles. The officers, too, +had many popular resorts, such as Therese's Bar and the Bodega for +cocktails, the Novelty for dinner, and a host of entertainments to +follow, ranging from the opera, which was first-class, for the serious, +through the "Alcazar" and "Palais de Crystal" for the frivolous, to the +picture palaces for the utterly depraved. + +On the 20th we learnt that our Transport was now ready for us, and the +following morning we marched to the docks and embarked in H.M.T. +"Andania," late Cunard, which can only be described as a floating +palace, fitted with every modern luxury. We were all rather glad to be +leaving Marseilles, for it was an expensive place, and many of the +officers were beginning to be a little apprehensive about the lengths to +which Mr. Cox would let them go. However, all would now be right, +because once in the desert we should draw extra pay and find no Bodegas. +We were to sail on the morning of the 22nd, and soon after dawn orders +arrived--to disembark! Sadly we left our palace and walked back to Santi +Camp--now hateful to look upon, as we realised that within a few days we +should be back once more in the mud, rain, cold and snow of Flanders. +The reason for the sudden change, for taking half the Division to Egypt +for a fortnight only, was never told us, but probably it was owing to +the successful evacuation of the Dardanelles. Had this been a failure, +had we been compelled to surrender large numbers to save the rest, the +Turks would have been free to attack Egypt, which had at that time a +small garrison only. As it was the Division from Gallipoli went to +Egypt, and we were not wanted. + +On the 27th Pte. Gregory, who died as the result of a tram accident, was +given a full military funeral, and the following day at 4.30 a.m. we +left Marseilles for the North. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE VIMY RIDGE. + +6th Feb., 1916. 9th May, 1916. + + +Our return train journey was uneventful until we reached Paris, where a +German air raid started just as we arrived, and the train was compelled +to stop. We had a beautiful view, and, as the French depended more on +their own planes than on anti-aircraft guns, it was well worth watching. +The French machines all carried small searchlights, and, in addition to +these, the sky was light up with the larger searchlights from below, +while the efforts of the Boche to avoid the lights, and the French to +catch their opponents, produced some wonderful air-manoeuvering, which +ended in the retirement of the Boche. As soon as they had gone, our +train went on, and we reached Pont Remy station outside Abbeville at +8-30 a.m. on the 30th--back once more in rain, snow, and mud. + +We marched at once to Yaucourt Bussus, a small village with comfortable +billets, which we occupied for nearly a fortnight, spending our time +training and playing football. Meanwhile, as the Brigadier and the two +Lincolnshire Battalions had not yet returned from Egypt, Col. Jones, +taking with him 2nd Lieut. Williams as Staff Officer, went to command +the half Brigade and lived with Captain Burnett at Ailly le haut +Clocher, another small village, to which the Brigadier came on his +return on the 11th. While the Colonel was away, Major Toller took +command and Major T.C.P. Beasley acted as 2nd in Command. For the time +no one seemed to have the slightest idea what was going to happen to the +Division next. + +On the 10th we marched to Gorenflos, and the following day were taken by +lorries to billets in Candas, where, with an East wind, we could +occasionally hear the distant sounds of gunfire for the first time for +two months. Our new area we found was full of preparation for something; +what the exact nature of this something might be we did not know. +Several large railways and dumps were being built, new roads made, and +here and there with great secrecy big concrete gun platforms were laid. +Each day we sent large numbers to work, mostly on the railways, and once +more we heard the words "Big Push." We were always living on the verge +of the Big Push, and many times in 1915 had thought that it had +started--at Neuve Chapelle, Givenchy, Loos--only to give up hope when +these battles stagnated after a day or two. Now there were preparations +going forward again, this time apparently on a much larger scale than we +had ever seen before, so we felt justified once more in hoping for the +great event. Curiously enough the possibilities of a Boche big push were +never considered, and everyone of us was firmly convinced that, except +perhaps for a blow at Ypres, offensive action on the part of the enemy +was out of the question. This spirit animated all our work, which was +consequently very different from our opponents. Our trenches always had +a we-shall-not-stay-here-long air about them, his were built to resist +to the last man. It was the same in training and in billets, we +unconsciously considered ourselves an advancing army, and thereby, +though we may not have realized it, we ourselves supplied the finest +possible stimulant to our moral. + +The IIIrd. Army (Gen. Allenby), to which we now belonged, introduced at +this time the Army School--an important innovation, shortly taken up by +all the other Armies. This School, first commanded by Col. +Kentish--afterwards Commandant of the Senior Aldershot School--aimed at +training junior officers to be Company Commanders, who owing to +casualties were now hard to find. The course, which lasted five weeks, +consisted of drill, tactical exercises, physical training, musketry, +bayonet fighting and bombing, lectures on esprit de corps--in fact +everything that a Company Commander should know, but many things that in +trench warfare had been forgotten. The Instructors were always +up-to-date, and the best use was at once made of any of the latest +inventions, while the school also kept a very efficient "Liaison" +between all parts of the Army. Students from one Division would exchange +latest schemes, ruses, and devices with others from another part of the +line, and so no valuable lessons were lost or known to a few only. Our +first students to this school were Capt. Ward Jackson, who was in charge +of "A" Company, and Capt. G.W. Allen, the latter for a special +Adjutant's refresher course. After these, all the Company Commanders +went in turn, first to Flixecourt, and later to Auxi le Chateau, whither +the school moved in the early summer. There were similar courses for +senior N.C.O.'s, which were of the utmost value. + +Another important innovation at this time was the introduction of the +Lewis light machine gun. The Maxim, and even the Vickers machine gun had +been found for many reasons unsuitable for infantry work, being too +heavy and cumbersome for rapid movement, too conspicuous for easy +concealment. It was therefore decided to form Brigade Machine Gun +Companies, who would be armed with Vickers guns, while Battalions would +have Lewis guns only, on a scale of two per Company, for they were to be +considered a company rather than a Battalion weapon. This light gun had +no tripod, was air-cooled, and fired a pan instead of a belt of +ammunition. It was as easy to carry as to conceal, and was in every way +an enormous improvement on the "Vickers" from the infantry point of +view. Training in the new weapon started at once, and as 2nd Lieut. +Saunders and Serjt. Jacques were required for the Brigade Machine Gun +Company, 2nd Lieut. Shipston was made Lewis Gun Officer, with Corporal +Swift to help him, and these two trained as many men as possible with +the two guns issued to us, so that when more arrived the teams would be +ready for them. Captain Ellwood commanded the Brigade Machine Gunners, +and in addition to our chief instructors, we also sent 2nd Lieut. +Stentiford and 30 N.C.O.'s and men to start the Company. 2nd Lieut. +Stentiford was a new subaltern officer who, with 2nd Lieuts. T.P. Creed +and C.J. Morris, had arrived while the battalion was at Marseilles. + +On the 16th February orders came that at an early date we should take +over the line North of the River Ancre, opposite Beaumont Hamel, and the +following day several lorry loads of officers reconnoitred the country +round Forceville, Englebelmer and Mailly Maillet, where there were some +rear defence lines. Maps of the front were issued, and we were about to +arrange trench reconnaissances, when the orders were cancelled and we +moved instead, on the 20th, to Bernaville, and joined the rest of the +Brigade. The other Battalions and Brigade Headquarters were in the +neighbouring villages. At this time the people of Leicestershire were +once more very good to us, and our War Diary contains a note that "This +day the C.O. acknowledges with thanks the gifts of 30,000 cigarettes +from our 2/5th Battalion, also a hand ambulance from Messrs. Symington +and Co., Market Harborough." The last survived the rough usages of war +for a very long time, and many a wounded man has been thankful for its +springs and rubber tyres. + +The rest of the month was spent in doing a little training and a deal of +road-clearing. It snowed very hard once or twice, and many of the roads +became impossible for traffic, so each Battalion was allotted a road to +keep clean, ours being the main road to Fienvillers, along which we +spread ourselves armed with picks and shovels, while the village boys +threw snowballs at us. The 5th Division were moving North at the time, +and a whole day was spent by some of the Battalions dragging their +transport up a steep hill, a task beyond the strength of the horses. +Fortunately we were spared this, probably because we took care not to +clear the road to Brigade Headquarters, and so were left untouched. +During this very bad weather we lost 2nd Lieut. Brooke, who had to go to +Hospital with nephritis. + +On the 29th we moved to Doullens, where we spent an enjoyable week, and +were introduced to yet another innovation. In August, 1915, the French +had introduced a steel helmet for their machine gunners, finally +extending the issue to all ranks. This had been found of the greatest +value, and there had been at once a marked decrease in the percentage of +head wounds. The British helmet now appeared, and was generally voted, +as it first seemed, a hideous flat object, though some humorists +admitted that it might have distinct possibilities as a washing basin. A +few soldiers of the vainer sort thought they looked more "becoming" with +a "tin-hat" over one eye, but the vast majority hated them, and it was +with the greatest difficulty that those to whom they were issued, could +be persuaded not to throw them away. This aversion, however, soon +passed, and within a few months the infantryman standing under an +aeroplane battle without his "tin-hat" felt distinctly naked. + +It was now definitely decided that we were to relieve the French in the +Neuville St. Vaast-Souchez Sector, both places where the French had had +terrific fighting the previous year, and consequently a sector with a +bad reputation. The roads were still in bad condition, and a +char-a-banc, full of officers, who tried to reconnoitre reached no +further than the French Brigade Headquarters and had to return. On the +6th March we marched to Magnicourt and two days later to +Villers-au-bois, about three miles behind the line, going up to trenches +on the 9th. + +Early in 1915 the French line North of Arras had run through la +Targette, Carency and over the East end of the Lorette heights to Aix +Noulette. In May our allies made their first attack here and, driving +the Boche from the heights, gained possession, after terrific fighting, +of Ablain St. Nazaire, Souchez and Neuville St. Vaast. Later, in +conjunction with our September attack at Loos, they had again advanced, +and finally a brilliant assault by the Zouaves carried the line to the +Vimy ridge and on to these heights, beyond which the roads to Lens and +Douai lay open. The fighting for the summit had been severe, and in the +end each side retained its grip on the hill top, the opposing trenches +running 30 yards apart along the ridge. Active mining operations had +started soon afterwards, and shortly before our arrival the French had +been compelled to give up a considerable portion of their line, and so +lose their hold on the summit. With it they lost also their view +Eastwards, while the Boche, occupying their evacuated trenches, regained +his view of the next ridge to the West. + +This second ridge was more in the nature of a large plateau, stretching +back to Villers-au-bois, and separated from the Vimy ridge by a narrow +steep-sided valley--the "Talus des Zouaves," where the support Battalion +lived in dug-outs. Crossing the plateau from North to South was the main +Béthune, Souchez, Arras road, on which stood the remains of an old inn, +the Cabaret Rouge, where some excellent deep dug-outs provided +accommodation for the French Poste de Colonel and an Advanced Dressing +Station. The plateau was two miles wide, and over the first half (up to +"Point G") ran a long and very tiring duck-board track; beyond "Point G" +were two communication trenches to the line. One, "Boyau 1, 2, 3," was +seldom used, being in bad condition; the other, "Boyau d'Ersatz," was +boarded and well cared for, and used by all. It ran via the Cabaret +Rouge into the Talus des Zouaves, most of the way revetted with a +wonderful "wedding arch" revetment, and thence to the front line, +passing the left Poste de Commandant. The forward part of "Boyau 1, 2, +3," East of the "Talus," was called "Boyau Internationale," leading to +"Boyau Vincent" and so to the front line past the right Poste de +Commandant. Carency, Ablain and Souchez were houseless, Villers au bois +was little better, and our rest billets were huts at Camblain L'Abbé, +about four miles behind the line. + +The Brigade took over the left sector of the Divisional front and we +were allotted the left sub-sector, our right and left boundaries being +the two Boyaus "Internationale" and "Ersatz." The whole relief was to be +kept as secret as possible, and all reconnoitering and advance parties +were given French helmets to wear in the line, so that the Boche might +have no idea what was going to happen. It was a little disconcerting, +therefore, when a French listening post, two days before the relief, +reported that a Boche had suddenly looked into their post, and after +saying "Les Anglais n'sont pas encore donc arrivés," equally suddenly +disappeared. In spite of this we were not disturbed during the relief +and by 10-30 p.m. on the 9th had taken the place of the 68th Regiment, +who marched out at one end of the trench as we appeared at the other, +having told us that we had come to a very quiet sector. The trenches +were in fair condition, though very dirty, and we had a quiet night so +began to hope that the sector might not be too terrible after all. The +next day the French left the area, leaving behind them two companies of +Engineers to carry on the mining operations on the Divisional front. In +handing over their posts the French had said nothing about their +countrymen whom they were leaving in the mines, and during the first +night several of them, coming up from below and talking a strange +language, narrowly escaped being killed for Boche. + +The enemy opposite us were very quiet, and obviously knowing of the +relief, were waiting to see what we should do. With the French there is +no doubt that they had had a tacit understanding not to wage a vigorous +war, though, while seeming inactive, they had all the time been +undermining the French trenches. With us they were uncertain what to do, +so for 24 hours did nothing except fire a few rifle shots, one of which +came through the parapet and killed C.S.M. E. Thompson, of "B" Company. +On the evening of the second day they went one step further, and threw a +single grenade, received two in return, and remained quiet for the +night. The next morning, the 11th, they threw six more, all short, and +we replied with 10, five of which fell in their trench and apparently +convinced them that we intended war; at any rate they made no more +tentative efforts, but in the afternoon started more or less in earnest. +At 4.45 p.m. they blew up a small mine opposite "A" Company, demolished +a sap-head, and half buried the solitary occupant, who escaped with +bruises only; after this they bombed, or tried to bomb us, until 8-0 +p.m., while we replied at the rate of two to one. Unfortunately, the +explosions caused a collapse in our parapet, about 10 yards of which +fell down suddenly, and had to be re-built during the night. + +The following night proved to be still more exciting. Soon after +midnight a French sapper, narrowly escaping several sentries who thought +he was a Boche, came running along the line excitedly waving his arms, +and saying: "Mine, mine, faire sauter, demi-heure." No one knew what he +meant, though we gathered a mine would probably go up somewhere in +half-an-hour, whether ours or theirs we had not the least idea. +Eventually he was led to Battalion Headquarters, where he explained that +the French were going to blow a camouflet in half-an-hour. It was +already nearly an hour since he first said this, and nothing had yet +happened, so we hurriedly cleared a small portion of our front line and +waited, while we sent for the Tunnelling Officer. He arrived, and the +"blow" was arranged for 5-0 a.m., at which hour there was a terrific +explosion, a forty-foot crater was formed, and another ten yards of our +parapet fell down. Such an explosion must have been caused by a much +bigger charge than we had laid, so we probably included in our "blow" a +Boche mine laid ready for us. We easily bombed off a party of his which +tried to rush the crater, and spent the day re-building our fallen +parapet. + +Rations, ammunition and R.E. material in this sector were brought to the +"Talus des Zouaves" on mule-drawn trucks along a narrow-gauge Railway +from Mont St. Eloi. Here, at a big Corps R.E. Dump, the trucks were +loaded every evening, the mule teams hooked in, and the party set off, +much harassed at times by bullets and shells, and seldom reaching home +without losing one, and often two animals. The Dump in the "Talus" also +got shelled; but the steep banks made the danger light and not much +damage was done in this way, though the Boche kept up a prolonged +bombardment at it with 5.9's on the evening of the 14th. Except for +this, the rest of the tour passed quietly, and on the following night +the 4th Lincolnshires relieved us, and we went back to rest in Camblain +L'Abbé huts, where we stayed for six days. + +Our second tour started on the 21st, and from this day onwards until we +finally left the sector, we had a bad time. Our first trouble was the +weather. Alternate frosts and thaws, rain and snow, soon filled our +trenches with mud and slush, into which parapets and parados either +crumbled gradually or collapsed wholesale. No sooner could we repair one +length, than another would give way, and through it all many posts had +to live with water over their ankles and no proper drying accommodation. +There had to be three companies in the line, so 24-hour reliefs were +impossible, and to increase our troubles our stay in a warm climate had +made us less capable of standing the exposure to cold and wet, and there +were many cases of trench fever, trench foot, and some pneumonia, while +the health of all was considerably impaired. One of the most pitiful +sights of the war was to see 20 of our men crawling on hands and knees +to the Aid Post--their feet so bad that they could not walk. + +Meanwhile the underground war was not as satisfactory as we should have +liked, and the Boche undoubtedly had the upper hand in the mining. Our +galleries were few and short, and in consequence useless for either +offence or defence, while his were known to be near our trenches in +several places. In one place between the right and centre companies the +Lincolnshires had expected a "blow" at any moment, and evacuating their +front line, had dug a new trench ten yards in rear of it. This seemed +to have been sighted in such a haphazard sort of way that it was at once +named the "Harry Tate" trench by some humorist, who pictured a Company +Commander coming out and saying "What shall we do next? Let's dig a +trench." And so they dug this one--quite useless, for it was bound to be +engulfed by any mine which exploded under the front line. The Boche, +however, thought more of the new trench than we did, and the day after +it was built, bombarded it with heavy minenwerfer shells until it was +unrecognisable. + +In this state we found it when we came in for our second tour, "C" +Company (Farmer) on the right and "A" Company (Ward Jackson) in the +centre. Our first morning the Boche started just before midday, and for +four hours rained heavy minenwerfer shells on these two Companies, and +particularly on the new trench. Fortunately there was no one in this, +and equally fortunately most of the shells fell between our front line +and supports; there was a thick mist at the time, and it was almost +impossible to judge their flight. Through it all Capt. Farmer walked +calmly from post to post, cheering the garrison, and just before the end +of the bombardment at 4-0 p.m., made his way down the small +communication trench towards his support platoon. Thence he went to call +on "B" Company, but was caught on the way back by a mortar, which he +probably could not see coming in the mist (for no one was more accurate +at judging their flight than he), and was killed instantly, being blown +out of the trench and lost for several hours. Captain Farmer was perhaps +the quietest, certainly the bravest, officer of his time, for he feared +nothing, and nothing could shake his calm, while it was said of him +that he was never angry and never despondent. When he was killed, "C" +Company lost their leader, and every man his best friend, while the mess +lost one who was the most cheerful comrade of every officer. + +This bombardment left our front line in a terrible condition, and +General Kemp decided to build a new main line of resistance 50 yards in +rear, holding the front with odd posts only. Meanwhile the front parapet +must be repaired, and the night was spent in doing this as far as we +could--a hopeless task, for the following afternoon we were again +hammered. This time "A" Company suffered most, and Corporal Williamson +and one man were killed, Serjt. Staniforth and one other wounded, while +the trench was blown in for several yards and a dug-out demolished. +Dug-outs were few, and consisted only of little hutches formed by +putting a sheet of iron over some slot. Even Company Headquarters of the +centre Company had little more than this, though Battalion Headquarters +and the other companies had a half-deep dug-out. + +The bombardments now became daily, and all our efforts at retaliation +either with artillery or trench mortars proved entirely ineffectual. +There was nothing we could do except clear as many men as possible away +from the danger area, and come back at dusk to rebuild our parapet. +Towards the end of the tour the Boche started firing rifle grenades +before each mortar, so that we should stoop to avoid the former and so +miss seeing the flight of the latter. The tour ended with a four-inch +fall of snow on the 26th, which melted almost at once and filled the +trenches with water, which no amount of pumping would remedy. After +relief we went to the "Talus des Zouaves" in Brigade support, except for +"C" Company (Moore), which went to the Cabaret Rouge--now used as +Brigade advanced Headquarters. + +The East side of the valley, where the Support Battalion's dug-outs had +been built, was immune from German shells owing to the steepness of the +hill side, and here for six days we had comparative rest, except at +nights, when we most of us went digging on the new line. The Battalion +Grenadiers under Serjeant Goodman particularly enjoyed themselves, and +their dug-out in the valley became a regular anarchists' arsenal. +Fiendish missiles were made out of empty bottles stuffed with ammonal +and other explosives, which they managed to obtain in large quantities +from the French miners, while the strength of various poisons and gases +was tested against the rats, against whose habitations they carried on +an endless war. A catapult was erected for practice purposes, and our +bombers became adepts in its use, knowing exactly how much fuse to +attach to a T.N.T.-filled glass beer bottle to make it burst two seconds +after landing in the Boche trench. The valley was a little dangerous +during practice hours, but nobody minded this so long as the enemy +suffered in the end. + +At the same time another innovation was introduced in the shape of the +Stokes light trench mortar--a stove-pipe-like gun firing a cylindrical +shell some 400 yards at the rate of 8 in the air at once. It was simply +necessary to drop the shell into the gun, at the bottom of which was a +striker, and the rest was automatic and almost noiseless, the shock of +discharge being rather like a polite cough. Brigade Trench Mortar +Companies were formed, in our case 2nd Lieuts. A.N. Bloor and W.R. +Ashwell, with several other ranks, went to join the first company. + +On the 2nd March, having received a draft of three N.C.O.'s and 106 men, +we went once more to the line and took over from the 4th Lincolnshires. +This time we were able to have two Companies in front, one in Boisselet +trench, part of the new work, and one in reserve, a far more +satisfactory distribution. The trenches were still in a very bad state, +and it was found in many places quite impossible to dig new lines, +because the ground had been so shaken by continuous bombardment for more +than a year, that the soil would no longer bind, and the sides of any +new trench collapsed almost as soon as they were dug. The tour was +fairly quiet, though Boche snipers and artillery were more active than +before, and we reached Camblain L'Abbé at the end of it without having +suffered any repetition of the trench mortar bombardments. + +Our six days' rest included two big working parties, two inspections, +and one demonstration, to say nothing of such minor details as church +parades, conferences, baths, and the usual overhauling of boots and +clothing. The work consisted of clearing dug-outs in the Bois des +Alleux, and only lasted two days, after which we polished ourselves for +General Kemp, who inspected us in a field near Camblain, and +said that he was much pleased indeed with our turnout. General +Montagu-Stuart-Wortley was equally complimentary at the second +inspection, and congratulated all ranks on their appearance and +smartness, which, considering the state of the trenches, was very +creditable. The demonstration was particularly interesting, and proved +the futility of the famous German flame projector. As many men as +possible were placed in a trench, while the demonstrator, standing at 30 +feet away with the machine, turned on the flame. The wind was behind +him, and the flame, with a tremendous roar, leapt out about 30 yards. +But the noise was the worst part, for the burning liquid, vapourising as +it left the machine, became lighter than air, and in spite of all the +efforts of the Demonstrator, could not be made to sink into the trench, +whose occupants were untouched. The men were all rather amused at the +whole performance and suggested that we should bring the machine into +the line to warm them up on cold days. + +On the 12th we marched once more to the line and relieved the 4th +Lincolnshires, this time for a four-day tour. We found on arrival that +the Boche a few hours previously had blown a large mine in the left +sector, to be occupied by "D" Company (Shields), so that in addition to +the work on the new trench, we had to supply many men for repairing this +new damage--no light task, for many yards of our front trench had +disappeared. To make work more difficult the Boche was continually +throwing bombs and rifle grenades to try and catch our working parties, +and it was only after two days' vigorous retaliation that we taught him +that it was wiser to keep quiet. The leading spirit in this retaliation +was Captain Shields himself, who would sit in his dug-out listening for +a German bomb. If he heard one he would rush out, coat off and sleeves +rolled up, and throw back as many Mills' bombs as he could lay hands on, +a formidable attack, for he could throw a tremendous distance. 2nd +Lieut. A.E. Brodribb was also a keen bomber who would stand at a post +and send back bomb for bomb until he had the Boche beaten. Meanwhile the +Battalion anarchists, though they had bad luck with the "West" spring +gun, which got buried in the bombardment, were very successful in other +ways. Serjeant Goodman, with his catapult, flinging home-made infernal +machines, first from one post, then from another, must have been very +annoying to the German sentries, while Cpl. Archer, firing salvoes of +rifle grenades, eight at a time, always had a quietening effect on any +Boche bomber who ventured to try his luck in this way. So far as bombs +were concerned we had the upper hand, but the Boche could always start +heavy shelling or mortaring, and against this we seemed to have no +effective retaliation. He did particularly heavy damage with these one +morning in this tour, a few hours after we had been visited by General +Byng, the Corps Commander, who went round the front line. On this +occasion we had two killed and six wounded by a direct hit on the +trench, while the F.O.O., who was observing at the time, was also badly +wounded. + +Towards the end of the tour the situation became quieter and we went +once more into the Talus to wait for relief by the 25th Division, whose +advance parties had already visited the line, and who were expected in a +few days. The Boyau d'Ersatz, re-named Ersatz Alley for the sake of +simplicity, had lately been heavily shelled, and it was therefore +decided to open up Boyau 1, 2, 3, as an alternative route to trenches, +calling it "Wortley Avenue," in honour of the Major General. Parties +from all companies worked day and night at this, soon making it +passable, though it would always be dangerously exposed to view. +Unfortunately "A" Company were shelled one day while at work, and we +lost 2nd Lieut. Pickworth, who had to be sent to Hospital, and +eventually to England, with a bad wound in the lungs. + +Meanwhile offensive mining operations were being undertaken by both +sides with increased activity. The British Tunnellers, who had relieved +the French mining companies, found that in several places, unless they +themselves blew big mines at once, the Boche would blow them instead, so +blew big craters without delay. To this the Boche retaliated, and for +the past week there had been an average of two mines a night on the +Divisional front, most of them in the sector on our right. But on the +night of the 20th our Brigade was also involved, and the 4th +Lincolnshires lost most of their centre company in an explosion which +demolished nearly 100 yards of their front line. The shock was terrific, +and could be felt so violently even in our valley behind, that Captain +Barton went to see what had happened. Some half-hour later, when the +Lincolnshire C.O. went to the scene of the disaster, he found the "Doc" +there by himself, digging out an injured man in the middle of the gap. +No British troops had yet arrived, and his nearest neighbours were the +Boche lobbing bombs from the other side of the new crater. + +This latest blow shattered our front line so badly that it was quite +unfit to hand over to a new Division, taking over this part of the line +for the first time, and, as the Lincolnshires had not enough men to +repair it themselves, we had to help them. On the 21st, therefore, when +the rest of the Battalion was relieved by the Lancashire Fusiliers and +went back for the night to Camblain L'Abbé, "D" Company stayed behind +in the Talus till dusk and then went up to work, spending the night +under R.E. supervision, digging in the gap. A screen of bombers lay out +on the crater lip, while the rest worked, through mud, water and pouring +rain to try and produce some kind of fighting trench. As fast as they +dug, their new work collapsed, but at last a cut was made, and by +morning there was at least communication across the gap, though the +trench was terribly shallow and gave no real protection. The following +day, "D" Company on lorries, the rest of the Battalion by march route, +we moved through Cambligneul and Aubigny to Penin-Doffine, where we were +to billet for a rest. "B" and "C" Companies were with Brigade +Headquarters and the Lincolnshires in Penin. The Headquarters and "D" +Company had a large farm, and "A" Company billets in the hamlet of +Doffine. + +Here we stayed for a week. A Staff ride under the Brigadier formed the +chief incident in our training, while our recreation was enlivened by an +excellent Battalion Sports Meeting. Great keenness was shown in every +event, and there were consequently some well-contested races:--"A" and +"C" Companies divided the prizes between them. "A" Company won the +long-distance bomb-throwing, tug-of-war, relay and stretcher-bearer +races, "C" the accurate bomb-throwing, ź-mile, sack and three-legged +races. Brigade Headquarters came to watch, bringing their band with +them, and the General gave away the prizes at the end of the day. The +weather was good and we all spent a very pleasant afternoon. + +The 27th April brought us orders to return again to the line, this time +to work with the Tunnellers, French and English, in the neighbourhood of +Neuville St. Vaast. The following day the C.O. and most of the Company +Officers went to Mont St. Eloi to reconnoitre, returning in the evening. +While getting into a car in St. Eloi Colonel Jones was slightly wounded +in the left hand by a six-inch shell, which burst alongside the car. He +was sent to Hospital, but returned to us ten days later. On the 29th we +moved into Neuville St. Vaast, living in tunnels and dug-outs, and +provided large working parties in the mines. Tactically we were at the +disposal of the 25th Division, to whom we lent one or two Lewis Gun +teams. The work consisted almost entirely of clearing sandbags from the +mine-shafts and distributing them along our trenches, as far as possible +out of sight. It was hard and dangerous work, as was proved by an +accident which happened on the 7th May, the night before we were +relieved. The enemy blew a counter-mine close to one of the saps where +"D" Company were working, burying the French miners, and completely +destroying the whole sap. Two of the four men at work were never seen +again; the other two, bruised and shaken, managed to crawl half-naked +out of the wreckage. + +On the 9th May, after spending a night in tents at Mont St. Eloi, we +went by motor-'bus through Avesnes-le-comte, Liencourt, Grand +Rullecourt, to Lucheux, where we went into billets. We left at Vimy a +party of 25 men under Lieut. A.M. Barrowcliffe, working with the R.E. +(Tunnellers). Most of them gradually became sappers, and we saw very few +of them ever again. During these two last months there had been only one +important change in the personnel. R.Q.M.S. Stimson, who had been at +the Stores since the beginning of the war, and whose knowledge of French +had been as invaluable to Captain Worley as his energy and skill with +"mobilisation store stables," returned to England. C.S.M. Gorse became +R.Q.M.S., and in his place J. Hill became C.S.M. of "A" Company. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +GOMMECOURT. + +10th May, 1916. 3rd July, 1916. + + +The next ten days, spent in Lucheux, were as pleasant as any in the war. +After the mud, cold and damp of Vimy, we could well appreciate the +spring weather, the good billets and the excellent country in which we +now found ourselves. Lucheux, a very old French village with its castle +and gateway, stands on the edge of a still older forest a few miles +North of Doullens, and the majority of the inhabitants, under the +guidance of a very energetic Mayor, did all they could to make us +comfortable. Work was not too hard, and our chief labour was making +wattle revetments in the forest--a good task for a hot day--and +practising musketry on a home-made rifle range outside the village. The +mounted officers were particularly fortunate, for the forest was full of +tracks and rides, and each morning soon after dawn the more energetic +could be seen cantering under the dripping trees in the early morning +May mists--bare headed and in shirt sleeves. + +Meanwhile the arrival of some new officers filled the gaps in the Mess +caused by Vimy. First Colonel Jones returned, with the piece of shrapnel +still in his hand, but otherwise very fit. Soon afterwards two new +officers, 2nd Lieutenants H.A. Lowe and G.E. Banwell, joined us, and at +the same time Capt. R.C. L. Mould and Lieut. D.B. Fetch returned from +England. Several large drafts of N.C.O.'s and men arrived, many of them +old hands, who had been wounded, some of them more than once, although +as we know well there were many soldiers in England who had never yet +seen a day's fighting. + +Just at this time another important change was made in our training. For +many months now we had been taught the bomb to the exclusion of almost +every other weapon, now at last the bayonet was returning to its former +position of importance. The great exponent of the art of bayonet +fighting was a Major Campbell, of the Army Gymnastic Staff, whose +lectures were already well known at the Army Schools, and who was now +sent round the country to talk to all Battalions. He had devised an +entirely new scheme of bayonet instruction on very simple yet practical +lines, doing away with many of the old drill-book "points and parries," +and training arm and rifle to act with the eye, not on a word of +command. His powers as a lecturer were as great as his keenness for his +subject, and for two hours he held the attention of a hall full of all +ranks, speaking so vividly that not one of us but came away feeling that +we were good enough to fight six Boche, given a bayonet. He was +particularly insistent on not driving the bayonet home too far, and we +shall always remember his "throat two inches is enough, kidneys only +four inches, just in and out." His system has now been adopted +throughout the British Army, and all 1917 recruits were trained in it, +but to us it came none too soon, for we were fast forgetting that we +ever had such a weapon as a bayonet. + +On the 20th May our work in the forest came to an end and, as the +Brigade was wanted for fatigues nearer the line, we moved by Pommera and +Pas to Souastre, a village about three miles from the front trenches. +The Sherwood Foresters were at present holding the Divisional front, and +our chief task in the new area was digging cable trenches from back +Headquarter positions to forward batteries and observation posts, +building and stocking ammunition and bomb stores, and assisting in the +construction of numerous gun pits. In fact, we were once more preparing +as fast as possible for a "big push," though at the moment it was not +quite certain who was going to do the pushing; rumour allotted this task +to the 46th Division. The work was very hard, for digging a deep narrow +trench, or loading flints at Warlincourt quarries are no light tasks, +and the weather made conditions even more difficult than they might +otherwise have been. One day it was so hot as to make continuous work +for more than a few hours impossible, while the next, there would be +three or four torrential rain storms, filling all the trenches, and +turning the cross-country tracks to avenues of mud. + +However, in spite of our work, we managed to have some football, and the +Divisional Commander once more presented a cup. We started well, beating +the 5th Lincolnshires in the second round, but then found ourselves +opposed to our old rivals, the 4th Battalion, for the Brigade finals. +The game caused the keenest excitement, and with the score at two goals +all, the enthusiasm through the second half was immense. Unfortunately, +there is a fate against our defeating the 4th Battalion, and, just +before the end, our opponents managed to score the winning goal. + +[Illustration: Lens from the Air +(showing Fosse III. and Bois de Riaumont).] + +[Illustration: Sketch map of Gommecourt to illustrate the attack of the +1st July 1916. ~German trenches in RED~] + +[Illustration: Lt.-Col. J.B.O. Trimble, D.S.O., M.C., with the Officers, +Marqueffles Farm, June, 1917.] + +On the 24th May the heavy rain had made the trenches so wet that the +garrison was unable to keep them clear, and in consequence we had to +send a large working party up the line to help the Sherwood Foresters. +The line, which we now saw for the first time, ran from about half a +mile North of Hébuterne, just East of Foncquevillers, and northwards +towards Monchy-au-bois, held by the enemy. Foncquevillers was the centre +of the position, and opposite it lay Gommecourt, a small village and +Chateau, with a wood on one flank and the Chateau park on the other--a +strong position strongly held. Further North, Pigeon Wood and a little +salient of trenches called the "Z" were opposite the left of our +Divisional front, while in the middle of No Man's Land, which averaged +about 400 yards wide, stood the ruins of Gommecourt Sucrerie, twenty +yards from the main Foncquevillers-Gommecourt Road. + +Our trenches were in a somewhat curious condition. During the winter the +Division occupying this sector had found that they were too weak to hold +the whole trench, so had selected certain positions which they had +strongly fortified and wired, and then filled the remainder of the +trench with loose wire. The bad weather soon caused the disused sections +of the trench to collapse, fixing the loose wire very firmly on either +side. From a purely defensive point of view there was no harm in this, +but any attacking force would need the whole trench for assembly +purposes and to "jump off," and the work of clearing the long wired-up +sections was very hard indeed. The posts themselves were well dug and +well sighted, there were one or two good communication trenches, and +Foncquevillers, still well preserved in spite of its proximity to the +Boche, provided excellent homes for Battalion Headquarters, support +Companies, and even baths and canteen. The enemy, except for some "rum +jars" and heavy trench mortars from Gommecourt, was fairly quiet on the +whole front, and, except when trousers had to be discarded to allow of +wading in the front line, the trenches were by no means uncomfortable. + +For the rest of May we stayed at Souastre, occasionally visiting the +line with working parties, or on tours of inspection, but for the most +part working in the Foncquevillers plain, where battery positions +without number were being built. By the end of the month we learnt the +meaning of all these preparations. Gommecourt was to be attacked in the +near future in conjunction with other greater attacks further South. The +Staffords and the Sherwood Foresters were going to do the attack with +their right on the Sucrerie, their left on the "Z," while the 56th +Division on our right would attack the village from the S.E. The Park, +most of the village, and the Chateau would thus not be directly +attacked, but it was hoped that the two Divisions would meet on the East +side, and so cut off large numbers of Germans in the isolated area. Our +Brigade was to be in reserve. Meanwhile, a large full-sized model of the +German lines was dug near Lucheux forest, where the attacking Brigades +started practising at once. Incidentally the model took many acres of +arable land, and, though it was very well paid for, the French grumbled +loudly, and the 46th Division was known in Lucheux as "les autres +Boches." + +On the evening of the 4th June we moved up through Foncquevillers, and +relieved the 5th Sherwood Foresters in the right sector, opposite +Gommecourt Park. A road and bank, running parallel with the front line, +and about 100 yards behind it, provided Battalion Headquarters. Behind +this again, the "Bluff," a steep bank, gave the support Company a good +home. Here we remained until the 21st, with a two-days' holiday at +Humbercamps in the middle, a holiday spent in digging cable trenches and +carrying trench mortars and ammunition. It was a long time to remain in +the line, but one Company lived always in a large house in +Foncquevillers, where they were very comfortable, and could get baths +and other luxuries. + +The enemy was not very active, and our most important task was now to +prevent him from guessing our intentions. This soon became impossible, +for, in addition to the ever increasing Artillery, the new cable +trenches, and the Lucheux model, we started to dig a new line of +trenches some 100 yards in front of our front line, along the attack +sector. We, being opposite the Park, did not have to do this, but the +Division on our right and the rest of our Brigade on the left were both +out digging every night. After the first night it became exceedingly +dangerous, for the Boche, knowing exactly where we were working, kept up +a steady bombardment on the right with trench mortars, and, on the left, +swept the ground continuously with accurate machine gun fire. We were +ordered to keep all hostile patrols out of No Man's Land, and +consequently our parties were out most of the night. The Boche, however, +showed no inclination to do the same, and, even though we fixed up an +insulting notice board in front of his wire, never put in an appearance. +Incidentally the back of the board was covered with luminous paint, and +a Lewis gun was trained on it, so that any interference would have been +promptly dealt with. + +Before we left the sector we were reinforced by a draft of eight +subaltern officers--2nd Lieuts. A. Emmerson, F.W.A. Salmon, W.H. +Reynolds, A.S. Heffill, A.W.C. Zelley, M.J.S. Dyson, W.K. Callard, and +S.G.H. Street, while at the same time we lost 2nd Lieut. Brittain, who +went to Hospital and thence to England. + +After practising their attack several times, the Staffordshires found +that they had more tasks to fulfill than they could accomplish. +Accordingly they asked for help, and were allotted one Battalion from +our Brigade, for which duty we, having suffered least at Hohenzollern, +were chosen. We were to advance as a ninth wave behind the attackers, +carrying stores and ammunition; while one Company was to dig a trench +joining the Sucrerie to the German front line--a communication trench +for use after the fight. As soon as we left trenches and reached a hut +camp at Warlincourt we, too, started practising for the battle, which, +we were told, would take place at dawn on the 29th June. + +Any account of our doings during this month would be incomplete without +a reference to our one relaxation. The Divisional Concert Party, started +in 1915, had more or less ceased to exist, but in Souastre in a large +barn, the 56th Divisional troupe, the "Bow Bells," performed nightly to +crowded houses. Many of us found time to go more than once, and will +always remember with pleasure the songs, dances, and sketches, the +drummer-ballet-dancer, and the catching melodies of "O Roger Rum" and +other nonsense. + +Meanwhile, feverish preparations were being made for the coming battle, +while the weather was as bad as possible. There never was a wetter +June, and the new assembly trenches, the recently cleared or newly dug +communication trenches, Derby Dyke, Nottingham, Stafford, Lincoln and +Leicester Lanes, Roberts Avenue and "Crawl Boys Lane," and the cable +trenches were always full of water. Work on the gun pits was seriously +delayed, and many batteries had to move in before their pits were +complete. Fortunately the enemy's artillery was not too active, and +Foncquevillers was almost left alone, though he did one day bombard the +Church. No damage was done, except that afterwards the one remaining +face of the clock stated the time as 2-15 instead of 11-45, as for the +past many months. The village was full of stores and explosives, and +almost every cellar held a bomb or ammunition reserve, while the Church +crypt was filled with Mills and Stokes mortars under the care of +Serjeant Goodman. + +On the 24th June our Artillery registration started, and, with early +morning bombardments and sudden harassing shoots at night, we made a +considerable noise--"the sullen puffs of high explosives bursting in +battalions," as Beach Thomas wrote in the "Daily Mail"--and clearly +showed the Boche that we meant business. This apparently was the +intention of the Staff, for, as the main attack was to be South of us, +it was the object of the IIIrd. Army to attract as many enemy as +possible on this the extreme flank of the attack. So successful were we, +that we did actually frighten the enemy into reinforcing the Gommecourt +area with an extra Division--unfortunate for us who were to attack the +place, but doubtless of value to the 4th Army, who would thus have one +Division less against them, Gommecourt was naturally strong, and this +addition to the garrison made it doubly so, while the Artillery found it +very difficult to destroy the wire which was thick along the whole +front. The trees in the wood were all wired, and there were strong belts +in front of every trench, so that our field guns and trench mortars were +kept hard at work almost all day every day in their efforts to cut +sufficient gaps for us. The enemy's guns replied by registering our +communication trenches, and then remained silent. + +The camp at Warlincourt was uncomfortable, and had no officers' mess, a +luxury which we much needed. However, Colour-Serjeant Collins displayed +his usual skill, and, while Major Toller fixed up a home-made marquee of +wagon sheets and odd tarpaulins, he managed to carry on the cooking +almost in the open. In spite of the rain which came through the roof and +under the sides we had some excellent evenings, and managed to enjoy +ourselves. Our work was mostly training, which now included rapid +wiring. In this we held a competition, finally won by "B" Company, who +put out a "double apron" French wire fence 20 yards long in just over +four minutes--a good performance, though the other Companies declared +that this fence would not have stopped a rabbit, to say nothing of a +Boche. Meanwhile, Major Toller suddenly received orders to report to the +51st Division to command a battalion of the Argyle and Sutherland +Highlanders, and, much to his disgust, had to leave us just before the +fight. In any case he would have been out of the fight, for the +authorities had at last realized the madness of sending a whole +Battalion into action, and to avoid a repetition of the +post-Hohenzollern difficulties, every Battalion was ordered to leave +behind, at Souastre, the 2nd in Command and a proportion of officers, +N.C.O.'s and specialists. These, known as the "Battle Details," were +subsequently increased in number, and later a G.H.Q. publication fixed +exactly who would and who would not accompany a battalion into battle. +As Major Beasley had left us at Vimy and not returned, Capt. Shields +became 2nd in Command and had to stay behind, a cruel blow to him, for +he was essentially a fighting man. His Company, "D," was taken by Lieut. +J.W. Tomson of "A" Company. Capt. Ward Jackson had "A," Capt. Knighton +"B," and Capt. Moore "C." R.S.M. R.E. Small was accidentally wounded +during revolver practice, and during the few weeks that he was away his +place was taken by C.S.M. J. Weir. + +During the last two days before the battle the weather became worse, and +the rain fell in torrents. Ours was a comparatively dry sector of the +line, and yet our trenches were full of water, so that the country in +the neighbourhood of the Somme valley became impossible. So bad was it +that at the last moment the whole offensive was postponed until 48 hours +later--the 1st July. The attacking Brigades had already occupied their +front line and assembly positions before the new cancelling order +arrived, and the Staff had now to decide whether to leave them for 48 +hours in these hopelessly wet trenches, or take them back to rest--the +latter course would necessitate two marches, in and out, in two days. +The matter was settled by the Corps Commander, who wished to see another +practice attack over the Lucheux trenches, so the 4th Leicestershires +and 4th Lincolnshires held the line while Staffords and Sherwood +Foresters marched back. It was a long way, nearly eleven miles, from +Foncquevillers to Lucheux, and by the time they returned to trenches on +the 30th they were all very tired. However, every man knew exactly what +to do, where to go and when; the most minute details had been worked +out, and even individuals as well as sections and platoons had been +given definite tasks, so there was every prospect of a successful fight +the next day. It was true the wire was in several places uncut, but +still there were plenty of gaps, and this should be no obstacle. + +Soon after midnight 30th June/1st July all the attacking troops were in +position, and we moved up to Midland Trench, an assembly trench running +North and South about 700 yards West of Foncquevillers Church. "A" +Company (Ward Jackson) and "D" Company (Tomson) were in cellars and +dug-outs in the village, since they would be wanted first. There were +many communication trenches along the front, up which we should advance, +for at the last moment all were made "up" trenches until after the +attack; originally some were "up" and some "down." This eleventh hour +alteration caused considerable confusion later. Meanwhile, throughout +the night our gunners fired continuously on the Boche trenches, +villages, and particularly roads and railways, for we wished, if +possible, to stop all rations and ammunition from the Gommecourt +garrison. + +Dawn came at last--a fine day. At 6-24 our barrage started, far more +intense than anything we had used during the previous days, so that the +Boche may have guessed what was going to happen. Smoke shells were mixed +with the H.E., and at 7-30 a smoke trench mortar screen was put down, +and the Infantry advanced. Four waves crossed No Man's Land, and then +the smoke blew away and the whole of our attack was revealed. On the +right the Staffords, passing the Sucrerie, found the German wire still +strong, and had to struggle through where they could, only to find many +enemy with their machine guns undamaged by our bombardment. On the left +the 5th and 7th Sherwood Foresters entered the Wood and pressed on, +leaving the first enemy lines to the rear waves. But the smoke had gone +and these rear waves had no protection. As the fifth line left our +trenches it was met with machine gun fire from the North, from the "Z" +and from the front line, over which the Sherwood Foresters had passed. +None the less the wave struggled on, until artillery was added to +machine guns, field guns from Monchy enfiladed No Man's Land, every +German battery sent its shells into the carrying parties, and the attack +was stopped. The two leading Staffordshire Battalions, except for a few +who reached the enemy's lines, were held up on his wire or near the +Sucrerie, where many fell. The two leading Sherwood Foresters had +crossed No Man's Land almost unscathed, had entered the German lines +complete, and were never seen again. Commanding Officers, Battalion +Headquarters and their Companies were lost. The other four Battalions, +after losing their leading wave, remained in our front trenches and sent +back messages for more smoke, while here and there gallant efforts were +made by platoons and sections to take help into the wood. + +Meanwhile, Capt. Ward Jackson with his Company Serjeant Major--J.R. +Hill--and two platoons (Hepworth and Salmon) went forward with the +leading parties to dig their trench from the Sucrerie. In spite of the +heavy fire, and the losses of the attacking Brigades, they started work +and actually marked out their trench. But their task was impossible. +Capt. Ward Jackson, hit in the back and shoulder and very badly wounded, +was only saved by Serjt. Major Hill, who pluckily carried him out of the +fight; and, seeing that the attack had failed, 2nd Lieut. Hepworth +ordered the party back to our lines, where they found the rest of the +Battalion in the support line and communication trenches, waiting for +the Staffordshires to move forward. + +The situation was now critical. So far as we knew, the attack of the +56th Division on our right had been successful, yet, if we did not meet +them by 2 p.m. on the far side of Gommecourt, not only would the +operation be a failure, but there was every probability of their being +cut off by the Germans in Gommecourt Park. An attempt was therefore made +to re-organize at once for another attack, but this was found +impossible. Our lines, hopelessly sticky from the bad weather, were now +congested with dead and wounded; the communication trenches were jammed +with stretcher cases and parties coming in, the "up" and "down" rules +were not observed, and, above all, the enemy's artillery enfiladed the +front line from the North, the communications from the East. The +Division on our left did nothing by way of counter battery work, and we +were left to face their opposing artillery as well as our own. There was +also another serious difficulty to re-organization. The men were too +well trained in their particular duties. A private soldier who has been +told every day for a month that his one duty will be to carry a box of +bombs to point Q, cannot readily forget that, and take an efficient part +in an ordinary unrehearsed attack. This, the Staff soon discovered, and, +to give time for all arrangements to be made, a new attack was ordered +for 3-30 p.m. with artillery and, if possible, a smoke screen. + +Meanwhile, the enemy's artillery was still active, and we suffered. 2nd +Lieut. Callard, a most promising junior officer, was killed, and with +him C.S.M. F. Johnson of "C" Company. 2nd Lieuts. Russell and Creed were +both wounded, and six men killed and several wounded at the same time, +nearly all by shells in the communication trenches. + +At 3-30 p.m. our Artillery opened once more and our Companies started +forward, only to find that the Staffordshires made no move. It was not +surprising. Many of them had not yet heard the time for the new attack, +many were too tired to be much use, no one was really ready though some +few tried to leave our lines. Such an assault was bound to fail, and +fortunately Col. Jones, who was on the spot and just about to start with +Capt. Allen, received the order to cancel the attack. It would have been +a useless waste of lives, for no good could have come of such a +half-hearted effort. Half-an-hour later the Staffordshires were ordered +to withdraw and the 5th Leicestershires to take over the front line, +while the 5th Lincolnshires came in on our left and relieved the +Sherwood Foresters. + +All hope of trying to help the Division on our right had to be +abandoned. They had reached the enemy's third line and captured several +prisoners in the morning; some of them actually reached the meeting +place, but they, too, had to face two sectors of opposing artillery, +for the attack on Serre on their right had failed, and their carrying +parties and all supports for the leading units were hopelessly enfiladed +from the South. Their losses were very heavy, and in the evening, when +it became obvious that we could never help them, they left the enemy's +lines and returned to their own trenches. But there was still hope of +saving some of the missing Sherwood Foresters. They were known to have +reached the wood, for their lights had been seen by our contact patrol +aeroplane. Unfortunately at mid-day this aeroplane ran into the cable of +the kite balloon, and both were out of action for some hours--a most +unlucky accident. In case some of these Sherwood Foresters might be +still alive, the 5th Lincolnshires made another advance at +midnight--only a few minutes after arriving in the line--but found the +enemy present in strength, and lost heavily before they could regain our +lines. + +The rest of the night and all the following day were spent in collecting +the wounded and dead from our lines, from the newly dug and now +water-logged assembly trench in front, and from No Man's Land. Once more +Capt. Barton displayed the most wonderful courage, rescuing three men +from a shell hole, in broad daylight, less than 200 yards from the +German lines, and spending the whole day wandering about from one part +to another, quite regardless of the danger so long as he could find a +wounded man to help. The next day was spent in the same way, and by the +evening the trenches had been considerably tidied up, when, at 9 p.m. we +were relieved by the London Regt. (Rangers), and marched back to +Bienvillers au Bois, leaving some guides behind to help the newcomers. +These last two days cost us several casualties, amongst them Serjt. R.E. +Foster, who was badly wounded by a shell. + +After the battle, General Snow, the Corps Commander, sent round the +following message:--"The Corps Commander wishes to congratulate the +troops of the 46th Division for the manner in which they fought and +endured during the fighting on the 1st July. Many gallant acts, both by +units and individuals, are to hand. Although Gommecourt has not fallen +into our hands, the purpose of the attack, which was mainly to contain +and kill Germans, was accomplished." To this was added: "The Major +General Commanding wishes all ranks to understand thoroughly that our +recent attack on the Gommecourt salient in concert with the 50th +Division embraced two purposes: (a) The capture of the position; (b) The +retaining of considerable numbers of German troops in our immediate +front in order to prevent them taking part in resisting the advance of +our troops in the South. Although the first purpose was not achieved, +the second was fulfilled, and there is no doubt that our action on the +first materially assisted our troops in the 4th Army and contributed to +their success. The above to be read to all troops on parade." + +In spite of this somewhat comforting message, our action on the 1st was +a failure. This cannot be denied. The retaining enemy's troops on our +front was done by our Artillery and other preparation, and the extra +German Division was lured into the line opposite us at least three days +before the battle. Our assault made not the slightest difference to +this. Our object on the 1st was to capture Gommecourt, and this we +failed to do. It is comparatively easy to criticise after the event and +find mistakes, but there were one or two obvious reasons for the failure +which were apparent to all. The rapid dispersal of the smoke barrage, +the terrible enfilade bombardment from the left consequent on the +inactivity of the Division on our left, the failure of our Artillery to +smash up German posts, and in some cases German wire, and, perhaps the +fact that our preparations were so obvious that the Boche was waiting +for us. But in the face of all this, fresh troops in ideal conditions +might have succeeded. Ours were tired after their journey to Lucheux and +back, had had to live several nights in hopelessly foul and water-logged +trenches, and, so far from fresh, were almost worn before they started +to attack. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +MONCHY AU BOIS. + +3rd July, 1916. 29th Oct., 1916. + + +North of Gommecourt the enemy's line, after passing Pigeon wood, ran a +few yards West of Essarts village along the high ground to within a +short distance of Monchy au Bois, then, turning West, made a small +salient round this village, which lay in a cup-like hollow. Between +Essarts and Monchy, and on higher ground still, stood Le Quesnoy Farm, +which, with some long tall hedges in the neighbourhood, provided the +Boche with excellent and well concealed observation posts and battery +positions. Behind Monchy itself, and again on high ground, was Adinfer +wood, and near it Douchy village, both full of well concealed batteries, +while the trees in Monchy itself gave the enemy plenty of cover for +machine guns and trench mortars. Opposite this our line was almost +entirely in the open. From Foncquevillers it ran due North to the +Hannescamps-Monchy road, more than 1,000 yards from the enemy opposite +Essarts and Le Quesnoy; then, crossing the ridge, dropped steeply to the +Monchy cup, where, at the Bienvillers road, the lines were only 200 +yards apart. The only buildings near the line were the two Monchy mills, +North and South, both about 80 yards from the front line and both little +more than a heap of bricks with an O.P. concealed in the middle. Just +South of the Bienvillers road a small salient, some 180 yards across ran +out towards the enemy's lines, overlooked from two sides, and always +being battered out of recognition by trench mortars and bombs. + +[Illustration: Red Mill, Lens, 1917.] + +[Illustration: Bois de Riaumont from the Slag Heap. Boot Trench in +Foreground.] + +The rest of our front line system was more or less ordinary--deep +trenches with, at intervals, a ruined dug-out for Company Headquarters. +Owing to the appalling weather all trenches were very wet, including the +communication trenches, of which there were several--Chiswick Avenue +opposite Essarts, Lulu Lane alongside the Hannescamps road, with +Collingbourne Avenue branching off it, and, on the Monchy side, Shell +Street in the middle, and Stoneygate Street alongside the Bienvillers +road. The last had been so named by the Leicestershire "New Army" +Brigade, who had originally built the trench. Hannescamps, a minute +village, lay 1,000 yards from the line, partly hidden by a hollow, and, +with an excellent bank full of dug-outs, was a home for Battalion +Headquarters and one Company. Another Headquarters was in Shell Street, +and the Support Battalion, with many batteries and others, lived in +Bienvillers au Bois, about 1˝ behind the line. Pommier, la Cauchie, +and occasionally Humbercamps were rest billets still further back. +Beyond them a large farm, la Bazéque, was the home of all the Brigade +transport and Q.M. Stores. Such was the sector into which the Division +went after Gommecourt to rest and gradually recuperate. Our Brigade had +the Monchy front and the stretch with the wide No Man's Land opposite +Essarts; we, as a Battalion, were sometimes North, sometimes South of +the Hannescamps Road, the other Brigades were further North, in the +Ransart, Bailleulval and Berles area. Here we stayed, with one rest +later on, for eight months. + +[Illustration: Hohenzollern Craters, 1917-1918.] + +Soon after our arrival in Bienvillers, we were much surprised to see +Colonel Toller again return to us. We thought that he really had got a +permanent Command when he went to the Highlanders, but apparently a +former Colonel returned a few days after he arrived there, and he was +consequently sent back. However, there were now many vacancies in our +Division, and Col. Toller was at once sent to command the 7th Sherwood +Foresters, the Robin Hoods--an appointment which proved to be permanent, +and which he held for the next two years. At the same time, Lieut. N.C. +Marriott, wounded at Hohenzollern, returned to us, and soon afterwards +2nd Lieut. J.C. Barrett joined us from England, while we lost 2nd Lieut. +G.E. Banwell, who was slightly wounded at Gommecourt, and, after several +efforts to remain with his unit, had to go to Hospital with a badly +poisoned foot. We also lost our Divisional Commander, Major General the +Hon. E.J. Montagu-Stuart-Wortley, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., M.V.O., who went +to England. Before he went, the following notice appeared in +orders:--"On relinquishing the Command of the Division, General +Stuart-Wortley wishes to thank all ranks, especially those who have been +with the Division since mobilization, for their loyalty to him and +unfailing spirit of devotion to duty. He trusts the friendship formed +may be lasting, and wishes the Division good luck and God speed." To +quote the Battalion War Diary--"The Major General has commanded the +Division since 1914; universal regret is openly expressed at his +departure." + +The new Divisional Commander, Major General W. Thwaites, R.A., arrived +soon afterwards, and soon made himself known to all units, introducing +himself with a ceremonial inspection. Ours was at Bailleulmont, where we +were billeted for a few days, and on the afternoon of the 13th we formed +up 650 strong to receive him. After inspecting each man very carefully, +the General addressed the Battalion, calling Col. Jones "Col. Holland," +and us the 5th Leicesters, two mistakes which were never forgotten, +though soon forgiven. + +He congratulated us on our appearance, and said that he read +determination in our faces, promising to know us better by seeing us in +the trenches. We then marched past him and went home. + +Our first few tours in this new sector might well be described as a +nightmare of H˛O and H˛S. It rained very hard, and all the +trenches at once became full of water--in some places so full that the +garrison, as the weather was warm, discarded trousers and walked about +with shirts tucked into sandbag bathing drawers. Some of the +communication trenches were in a particularly bad condition, and worst of +all was the very deep Berlin Trench running alongside the road from +Bienvillers to Hannescamps. A sort of "Southend-pier" gridded walk had +been built into one side of this about four feet from the floor of the +trench, and in some places even this was covered, so that the water in +the trench itself was nearly six feet deep. Pumps proved almost useless, +and it was obvious that something drastic would have to be done if we +were to remain in this part of the world for the winter. + +The H˛S was in cylinders. For some unknown reason the Special Brigade +R.E., or "gas merchants" as they were more popularly called, considered +the Monchy hollow a particularly suitable place for their poison +attacks. The result was that we spent all our rest periods carrying very +heavy cylinders into the line or out again, terribly clumsy, awkward and +dangerous things to carry, while our trenches, already ruined by the +weather, were still further damaged, under-cut and generally turned +upside down to make room for these cylinders. Then again, the actual gas +projection caused a most appalling amount of trouble. The wind had to be +exactly West, for a touch of North or South would carry the poison over +our miserable little salient, but at times the wind was due East, and on +one occasion it remained obstinately in the wrong quarter for three +weeks, while we lived in daily terror of some chance Boche shell hitting +one of the cylinders. On several occasions we had to assist with smoke +candles and smoke bombs, and this, too, caused us much worry. Perhaps at +dusk the wind would be favourable, and orders would arrive that gas +would be discharged at 11-34. At 11-34 we, having heard nothing to the +contrary, would light our smoke machines, and find no gas turned on. At +12-55 we should get another message by some orderly to say "discharge +postponed until 12-55"--then, of course, no time to warn anybody, and no +smoke left. + +The reason for this delay in the communication of orders was that our +telephones were in a state of transition. We had discovered that the +Boche with his listening sets could overhear all conversations carried +on by the ordinary field telephone, and consequently it was absolutely +forbidden to use this instrument, except in emergency, within 2,000 +yards of the front line. A new instrument, the "Fullerphone," was being +introduced which could not be overheard, but one could not use it for +talking; all messages had to be "buzzed." Incidentally the "buzzing" +process produced a continuous whining noise, and this, in a small +Company Headquarter dug-out, was almost enough to drive the unhappy +Company Commander off his head. The Fullerphone, too, was very scarce at +first, so that almost all messages had to be sent by orderly, or runner +as he now began to be called. This caused so much trouble that the next +stage was the introduction of codes and code names. At first these were +very simple, we were "John" after Col. Jones, the 5th Lincolnshires +"Sand," from Sandall, etc., while "gas" became the innocent "Gertie," +and to attack was "to tickle." One very famous message was sent when an +expected gas attack had to be suddenly postponed--"John can sleep quiet +to-night, Gertie will not tickle." Later we became "Sceptre," when all +units in the Division were called after race-horses, and still later, +when Brigade Headquarters became "Girl," we each had a lady's name; we +were "Gertrude." It sounded somewhat curious to hear a Staff Captain who +had lost his Brigadier ringing up a Battalion Headquarters to ask "have +you seen a 'Girl' about anywhere?" The "Bab" code was also introduced, a +three-figure code with innumerable permutations and combinations. The +whole thing was very secret, and added much to the worries of the +Company Commander, who not only had to be careful not to lose the code +book, but had to remember, without writing it down, the Corps code +letter and number for the week. + +In the same way the Artillery had all manner of codes for every +conceivable occasion. Various messages were devised and entered in the +Defence Scheme for retaliation, S.O.S., raid purposes, etc., and woe +betide the luckless F.O.O. or Infantryman who sent the wrong message. +There were "concentrates" and "Test concentrates," and "attacks" and +"Test attacks," and "S.O.S." and many others. If anything serious really +happened, the lines were always broken at once, and there remained only +the rockets and coloured lights. The S.O.S. signal was almost sacred, +not to be used for a hostile raid, or when retaliation was needed, but +only in the event of the enemy massing for a general attack. However, it +was once used--in a rather curious little battle fought on the 4th +August, 1916. + +Our trench strength at the time was very weak, because two days later we +were to raid the enemy's lines opposite Monchy salient, and the raiding +party had been left out of the line at Pommier to practice. At 3-30 a.m. +on the 4th the Boche, either annoyed at our wire-cutting, or to +celebrate his favourite anniversary, the declaration of war, opened a +heavy fire with guns, mortars, rifle grenades, coloured lights and +everything else imaginable. The noise was terrific, and the C.O. and +Adjutant rushed to the Defence Scheme to find what was the correct +message to send; most of the noise was at trench 86. They decided to +tell the Gunners "assist L," but, between F.O.O. and signals, this +reached the Artillery as "assist 86," which was meaningless, so they did +nothing. Meanwhile, our Lewis Guns could be heard, so Col. Jones, unable +to telephone to Companies whose lines were all cut, finally sent the +S.O.S. The reply was prompt and terrific. There was plenty of +ammunition, and all the gunners, wakened by the bombardment, were only +too anxious to shoot, so that within a few minutes every weapon, from an +18 pounder to a 12" gun on railway mounting, was raining shells into +Monchy and its surroundings. It was very effective, but none the less +there had to be an enquiry into "who had dared to use the S.O.S.," and, +when the facts were all brought to light, the F.O.O., Lieut. Cave, +partly responsible for the initial mistake, earned the name of "S.O.S. +Cave," which stuck to him till he left the Division. + +The raid was not a great success. For several days "C" Company, who were +chosen for the task, carried out continuous practices at Pommier, first +under Capt. Mould, and later, when he had to go to Hospital with septic +tonsilitis, under Capt. Shields. Capt. Moore was at the Army School at +the time. The Infantry arrangements were made satisfactorily, but there +was little or no opportunity for the Gunners to observe the result of +their wire-cutting, with the result that, when the party went over on +the evening of the 5th, they found no gaps. The raiding party advanced +in four groups, each group with bombers, bayonet men, and sappers for +demolition work, and each under an officer--2nd Lieuts. Steel, Barrett, +Heffill and Morris. The party removed all marks of identification, but +wore their collars turned up, and a small patch of white on the back of +their collars for mutual recognition. + +At 11-0 p.m. the party left our trenches and lay out in front of our +wire, waiting for our bombardment, which 15 minutes later opened on the +enemy's front line. The shooting was excellent, but the backward burst +from our 6 inch Howitzers caused several casualties; amongst others 2nd +Lieut. Steel was badly wounded in the leg. At Zero, 11-25 p.m., we +advanced, but found no means of getting through the wire, while the +Boche sent numbers of bombs and rifle grenades along the whole front. +The party acted very coolly and searched carefully for gaps, but, +finding none, threw their bombs and returned, guided to our lines by +rockets and lanterns. Six men were missing. A curious thing happened +when our search party, under L/Cpl. Archer, went out to look for them. A +German machine gun, hearing the movement, opened fire, and, at the same +moment, our "Flying Pig"--240 mm. trench mortar--which had jammed during +the barrage, suddenly went off and dropped its shell exactly on the gun +team. The following night Cobley's body, one of the raiders, was found +in a shell-hole, and soon afterwards two others, Worth and Sommers, +returned to our lines, having been lost the previous night. Barkby was +found dead a day later, and Duckett's body was buried by a patrol which +found it during the following tour. The sixth was Private "Arty" Carr, +who returned unhurt at 11-0 p.m. on the 8th, after three days. During +the raid he had left his party, and, while they worked to the left, +looking for a gap, had gone to the right, where, outside the raid area, +he found the wire thin. He had entered the German lines, had some +exciting times with a post which he bombed, and then tried to get out, +only to find that he had moved away from his original gap, and was now +confronted by some very strong wire. He did not get through until dawn +on the 6th, so then lay in a shell hole until dark, when he started to +return. Tired and somewhat exhausted, he lost his way in the waste of +shell holes and mortar craters round the Monchy Salient, and did not +finally find our lines until the 8th. + +[Illustration: General map to illustrate chapters VII, VIII &. IX.] + +Our total casualties were three killed and one officer and 15 wounded. +To these must be added Captain Barton, who had a most unfortunate +accident. Always wanting to be "up and doing," he watched the raid and +helped the wounded, standing on our front line parapet, but, turning to +re-enter the trench, slipped and bayonetted himself in the thigh. It was +not a very serious wound, but would not heal, and he had to be sent to +England. With him we lost another valuable officer, 2nd Lieut. Williams, +who, while acting as bomb instructor at Brigade Headquarters, met with +an accident, and was wounded in the head. Not long afterwards, Serjt. +Goodman, our chief N.C.O. Instructor, who was wounded, and lost one of +his legs and part of an arm as the result of a bombing accident at the +Divisional School. During this first month our casualties, "holding the +line," were very slight, though we lost three good N.C.O.'s through +shell fire. Serjt. Shreeves, of "C" Company, died of wounds, Cpl. +Ambrose, of "B" Company, was killed outright near Hannescamps, and later +Serjt. W. Gartshore, of "C" Company. + +Between raids and gas attacks we were kept hard at work repairing our +trenches. General Kemp was a sapper before he became an Infantry +Brigadier, and we were soon instructed in the mysteries of sump-holes, +"berms" and "batters," interlocking trench floor boards, and the correct +angles for the sloping sides of a trench, while anyone who dared to +undercut a parapet for any purpose had better not be present the next +time that the General appeared. As far as possible all the carpentry +work was done by the Sappers out of trenches and sump-frames were sent +up ready made, also small dug-outs in numbered parts, easily put +together; all we had to do was to dig the necessary holes. At the same +time some genius invented the "A" frame, a really wonderful labour +saving device. Hitherto floorboards had been supported on piles and +crossbars, while further and longer stakes were driven in to carry the +rivetment. The new frame shaped like a flat-topped letter "A," was put +in the floor of the trench upside down. The legs held the revetment +against the sides, the floorboards rested on the cross-piece, and the +space between the cross-piece and the flat top formed a good drain. +These were first used in communication trenches only, where the +Monmouthshires were at work for us; later we used them in all trenches +wherever possible. + +[Illustration: Sketch of a trench.] + +Meanwhile, when not in trenches, we rested, first at Bienvillers and +later at Pommier. Bienvillers had many good billets, but was too full of +our heavy artillery to be pleasant, for the noise was often very +disturbing. The enemy, too, used to shell the place, and 2nd Lieut. +Shipston had a most remarkable escape one day when standing in front of +a first floor window, shaving. A whizz-bang hit the window sill and +carried itself, sill and many bricks, between his legs into the room; he +himself was untouched. Another early morning bombardment found the +Doctor in his bath. He left it hurriedly and hastened, dripping and +unclothed, to the cellar, which he found already contained several +officers and the ladies of his billet. But this stay in Bienvillers is +most remembered on account of a slight fracas which occurred between +Col. Jones and a visiting Army Sanitation Officer. A full account is +given in two entries in the War Diary. The first, dated the 23rd July, +says simply--"Major T----, Sanitation Officer, IIIrd. Army, came to look +at billets. We received him coldly, and in consequence got a bad +report, see later." The second entry, a week later, is dated 30th July. +"The Sanitary report referred to came and we replied. The report +detailed many ways in which we, as a Regiment, were living in dirt, and +making no attempt to follow common-sense rules, or to improve our state. +It stated that we had been in the village _three days_, and thus implied +that there could be no excuse. Our reply asserted that the inaccuracy of +the report made it worthless. That, though the Regiment had been there +three days, the Army, which the gallant Major T. represented and worked +for, had been in the village some months. That Major T.'s party had done +nothing to put or keep the billets in order, to put up incinerators, or +in any way to make suitable billets for soldiers resting from trench +duty. It suggested that Major T. had neglected his duty, and thus was +not in a position to judge a Regiment." + +Pommier was much pleasanter, and was very seldom shelled. Brigade +Headquarters lived there, and, with the aid of an energetic Mayor and +our invaluable interpreter, M. Bonassieux, had done much to improve the +billets. There were plenty of civilians who were good to us, though, to +quote the War Diary again, 26th August, "A complaint was made by the +Maire that certain of our officers were bathing in the open, and that +this was not counted amongst the indecencies the French permitted." At +about the same time, during one of our rest periods, we were inspected +by General Thwaites--a full ceremonial inspection, the first of many of +these much dreaded ordeals. Again it is impossible to improve on the +account given by the War Diary. "At 2-30 we were drawn up in close +column in Ceremonial--Companies sized. We received the new G.O.C. with +several salutes, the last was probably the worst. The Battalion was then +closely inspected, and a few names taken for unsteadiness, dirty +buttons, badly fitted packs, and the like. A slight confusion between +the terms packs and equipment led us to take off equipment, and we then +formed up as a Battalion in Brigade. We saluted again, this time we had +no bayonets, and then marched past by Companies and back in close column +several times. Then, by a questionable, though not questioned, +manoeuvre, we came back again and advanced in review order. The +Brigade Band was in attendance and played the Brigade March in place of +the Regimental March, because it did not know the latter. While still in +Ceremonial order, we finished by doing Battalion drill, under the +general idea 'keep moving.' We kept moving for two hours in all, and it +was universally conceded that the men moved very well. One or two of the +newly arrived officers were unequal to the occasion. It was a good day +in the country, and, in the senior officers, stirred up pleasant +memories of old peace time annual inspections." The exceeding fierceness +of the General on this Inspection had an amusing sequel when, a week +later, two of our soldiers were repairing a road outside the Brigade +office. One regarded the other's work for a few minutes critically, and +then exclaimed fiercely, "Very ragged, very ragged, do it again!" It is +only fair to add, that, terrible as was the ordeal of a Divisional +Inspection, the General kept his original promise, and spent many hours +in the foremost trenches, "that he might know us well." + +The evening of this same inspection was one of the few occasions on +which Pommier was bombarded. A sudden two minutes' "hate" of about 40 +shells, 4.2 and 5.9, wounded three men and killed both the C.O.'s +horses, "Silvertail" and "Baby"; both came out with the Battalion. We +still, however, had some good animals left, as was obvious at the +Brigade Sports and Race meeting held on the 11th September at la Bazéque +Farm. This was a most successful show, and the only pity was that we +were in trenches at the time, and so could only send a limited number of +all ranks to take part. The great event of the day was the steeplechase. +The Staff Captain, Major J.E. Viccars, on "Solomon," led all the way, +but was beaten in the last twenty yards by Major Newton, R.F.A. Lieut. +L.H. Pearson was third on "Sunlock II.," the transport Serjeant's horse. +It was a remarkable performance, for he only decided to ride at the last +moment, and neither he nor horse had trained at all. The Battalion did +well in other events, winning 1st and 2nd places in both obstacle and +mule races, and providing the best cooker and best pack pony; the two +last were a great credit to the Transport Section. One of the features +of the day was the Bookies' G.S. wagon, where two officers disguised +with top hats, yellow waistcoats and pyjamas, carried on a successful +business as "turf accountants." At a VIIth. Corps meeting, held a +fortnight later on the same course, we secured two places for the +Battalion: Capt. Burnett came home 2nd in an open steeplechase, and +Capt. Moore 3rd in one for Infantry officers only. + +During September our Mess, already up to strength, was considerably +increased by a large draft of Officers. First we were glad to see Major +Griffiths back as Second in Command, though sorry for Captain John +Burnett, who had to go back to Transport for the time. With Major +Griffiths came 2nd Lieuts. J.R. Brooke, S. Corah, and W.I. Nelson, while +within the same month, or shortly afterwards, 2nd. Lieuts. L.A. Nelson, +J.H. Ball, P. Measures, T.L. Boynton, W.C. Walley, W. Lambert, M.F. +Poynor, and J.A. Wortley all arrived. In October also Serjeant +Beardmore, M.M., of "C" Company, who had latterly being doing +exceptionally good work with the Battalion Scouts, was given his +Commission in the Field, and reposted as a platoon Commander to the old +Company. Capt. Barton's place as M.O. was taken by Captain T.D. Morgan, +of the 2nd Field Ambulance. At the same time a stroke of bad luck robbed +us of 2nd Lieut. Coles, who was badly wounded. During a raid of the 4th +Lincolnshires in October it was our duty to cause a diversion by blowing +up some tubes of ammonal in the Boche wire. The party, led by 2nd Lieut. +Coles, was about to leave our trenches when a rifle grenade or "pine +apple" bomb dropped in their midst and exploded one of the tubes, doing +much damage. + +During these long months of trench warfare a considerable advance was +made in the work of the Intelligence department of the Infantry +Battalion. A year ago one officer did duty for a whole Brigade, now each +Battalion had its Intelligence officer, its scouts and observers, and +its snipers, sometimes the last under a separate officer. The duties of +the Intelligence section were many. They must see and report every +little thing which happened in the enemy's lines, no small detail must +be omitted. The number and colours of his signal lights on different +occasions, the relative activity of his different batteries and their +positions, the movement of his transport, the location of his mortars +and machine guns, the trench reliefs, all these must be watched. The +immediate purpose was of course retaliation, counter battery work, the +making of our bombardments more effective by picking out the tender +spots in his lines, and generally harassing the enemy; but there was a +further purpose. It was particularly necessary that the higher commands +should be kept informed of all the big movements of troops, the state of +the enemy's discipline, etc., and often some little incident seen in the +front line would give the clue to one of these. Lieut. L.H. Pearson was +at this time Intelligence officer, helped by Serjt. Beardmore, M.M., +the humorous side to their work, and many amusing things were seen, or +said to be seen, through the observers' telescopes. The old white-haired +Boche, digging near Monchy, who looked so benign that no one would shoot +him, became quite a famous character, until one day his real nature was +revealed, for he shook his fist at one of our low-flying aeroplanes, and +obviously uttered a string of curses, so one of the snipers shot him. +Then again there was the lady of Douchy, who could be seen each evening +coming out to hang up the washing; she was popularly known as Mary, and +figured in the reports nearly every day. + +With the observers worked the snipers. After nearly two years, +telescopic sights at last appeared, and we tried to train the once +despised "Bisley shot." They were very keen, and had much success, of +which they were duly proud, as their individual reports showed. "We +watched for ž of an hour until our viggillance was rewarded by seeing +a Boche; he exposed half of himself above the parapet, I, Pte. ----, shot +him," so said one report, the name has unfortunately been lost. Some +snipers even kept a book of their "kills," with entries such as "June +1st, 9-30 a.m. Boche sentry looking over, shot in shoulder, had grey +hair almost bald very red face and no hat." It was just the right +spirit, and it had its results. Autumn, 1915, saw us hardly daring to +look over the top for fear of being sniped; Autumn, 1916, saw us +masters, doing just what we pleased, when we pleased. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +GOMMECOURT AGAIN. + +29th Oct., 1916. 15th April, 1917. + + +Many Divisions were now taking part in the Somme battle for the second +time, and as we suddenly left Pommier on the 29th October--our final +destination unknown--we naturally thought it probable that we, too, +should soon be once more in the thick of the fighting. However, our +fears were groundless, and we moved due West, not South. Our first night +we spent in Mondicourt, and then moved the next day in pouring rain to +Halloy, where we stayed two days. On the 1st November we marched 14 +miles through Doullens to Villers L'Hôpital, on the Auxi le Chateau +road, where we found our new Padre waiting for us, the Rev. C.B.W. Buck. +The march was good, and no one fell out until the last half mile, a +steep hill into billets, which was too much for six men; as we had done +no real marching for several months, this was very satisfactory. There +was only one incident of interest on the way, a small collision between +the heavily laden mess cart and the level crossing gates at Doullens, +due to the anxiety of the lady gate-keeper to close the gates and let +the Paris express through, a feat which she accomplished, despite all +the efforts of our Transport, which was consequently cut in half. The +following day it rained again, and we marched to Conteville, stayed a +night, and went on to Millencourt the next morning. Here we found good +billets and, as we were told we were likely to remain a month, fixed up +a Battalion Mess in the Farm Chateau. + +We were soon informed that we had not come to Millencourt to rest, but +to carry out "intensive training" to fit us for offensive action. This +meant very hard work all the morning, many afternoons, and two or three +nights a week as well. The idea was to devote the first week to Platoon +and Company work, the next to Battalion drill and training, and to +finish our course with some big Brigade and Divisional days. The weather +was not very good, but we managed to do many hours work, the usual +physical training, bayonet fighting, steady drill, and extended order +work, night compass work and lectures. The most exciting event was one +of the night trainings, when Col. Jones combined cross country running +with keeping direction in the dark. The running was very successful, but +the runners failed to keep direction, and ran for many miles, getting in +many cases completely lost; far into the night the plaintive notes of +the recall bugle could be heard in the various villages of the +neighbourhood. + +Soon after our arrival a Divisional Sports Committee drew up a programme +for a meeting to be held at the end of our training, and to consist of +football, boxing, and cross country running. Eliminating heats and +events had to be decided beforehand, and, with Lieut. Heffill and Serjt. +J. Wardle to look after the boxing, and Capt. Shields as "O.C. +Football," we started training without delay. At the football we had our +usual luck, for, after a good victory over the 4th Lincolnshires, we +were once more beaten by our own 4th Battalion. The last game was very +exciting, and feeling ran so high that the language on the touch line +became terrible, and would have shocked even a Brigadier. The finals of +the boxing and cross country running could not take place until later +when we had left the area. On one or two of the spare afternoons we +managed to get some Rugby football, and had some excellent games, during +which we discovered that our Padre was a performer of considerable +merit. + +On the 22nd November we started back Eastwards, and, after a night at +Prouville and two at Fortel, arrived in the pouring rain at Halloy, +where we were told we should stay for about a week. We were put into the +huts, which were unfinished and entirely unfit for habitation, while to +make matters worse, the field in which they stood had become a sea of +mud. After the good billets of Millencourt, this change for the worse +produced the inevitable sickness, and, in addition to many N.C.O.'s and +men who went away with fever and influenza, we lost for a short time +Col. Jones, and several of the officers. Amongst them was 2nd Lieut. +J.R. Brooke, who had long ago been warned against the danger of again +getting nephritis, but in spite of this refused to stay away from the +Battalion, and insisted on braving even the worst weather and the +wettest trenches. About the same time, Captain Burnett went to England, +going to Hospital from the Army School. + +The week in these horrible surroundings was lengthened to a fortnight, +and we were at last able to hold the finals of the cross country run. +Many of the Battalion entered, and over two hundred came home in the +time, a very good performance, though not good enough to win. The boxing +tournament was held still later at St. Amand, and we sent two entries. +In the heavy weights, Boobyer was beaten on points after a plucky fight, +and in the feather weights, O'Shaugnessy knocked his opponent all over +the place, and won in the second round. + +On the 6th December we marched to the Souastre huts, where the Colonel +returned to us, and we once more began to feel fit; the huts here were +not palaces, but were far better than those we had left at Halloy. On +the 11th we moved up through Bienvillers and went into our old trenches +opposite Monchy. But the recent heavy rains had undone all the good that +we had done in the early autumn, and they were now in a very bad state. +On the right of the Hannescamps road they were particularly bad, and +Liverpool Street, which ran from Lulu Lane to the front line, was almost +impassable. There was the same terrible clinging mud, feet deep, that we +had found at Richebourg a year before, and the old troubles of lost gum +boots began again. Fortunately we were now prepared, and were able to +combat the dangers of "trench foot." Each Company had its drying room--a +dug-out occupied by the Stretcher bearers, and kept warm by an ever +burning brazier. Here at least once in every 24 hours every man who +could possibly have got wet feet, and every man wearing rubber boots, +came, had his feet rubbed, and was given dry socks and boots, while at +Headquarters and in Bienvillers were large drying rooms where the wet +boots could be dealt with. In this way we were able to keep almost free +from the complaint, and the few men whose feet did fail were all men +who had had "trench feet" the previous winter, and were consequently +always liable to it. + +All this time it was not only wet, but cold, and after Christmas it +became colder until the first week in January, when heavy snow fell. +Thenceforward, until the middle of February, there was continuous frost +with occasional heavy falls of snow, though generally the days and +nights were fine and clear. For several feet down, the ground was frozen +hard, and digging became absolutely impossible. There was now solid ice +instead of water in the trenches, and the front line sentries found +their task a particularly cold one. Fortunately by this time the trench +cook-house was not only an established thing but had become a very +successful affair, and four times a day hot meals were carried in tanks +and food containers from Battalion Headquarters to the front line. For +this purpose the rectangular tanks from the cooks' wagons were used, +being carried by two men, on a wooden framework or stretcher. Along a +road or up a well made communication trench this was a comparatively +light task, but to carry a tank full of hot tea over slippery shell +holes and through knee-deep mud was a difficult matter, and on more than +one occasion a platoon lost its hot drink at night through the +disappearance of the carriers into some shell hole. The wonderful thing +was that both tea-less platoon and drenched carriers would laugh over it +all. + +Christmas Day was spent in trenches. We were relieved in the afternoon +by the 4th Battalion, who had their festivities on Christmas eve, and +went back to Souastre, where the following day we, too, had our dinner. +Pigs had been bought and killed, and we all gorged ourselves on roast +pork and plum pudding, washing them down with beer--a very satisfactory +performance. There were also the usual games and Company dinners, and we +all spent a very enjoyable few days. Later on we managed to arrange a +Battalion concert which was a tremendous success, and voted by all a +most excellent evening; the "star" turn was Colonel Jones, who gave a +recitation. + +The weather made raids and active operations impossible, and though we +made all preparations for a rifle grenade demonstration to assist a +Staffordshire raid on New Year's night, this had to be cancelled on +account of the snow. Patrols, however, still continued to tour No Man's +Land in the hopes of finding a stray Boche, or encountering a Boche +patrol. In front of Essarts the lines were so far apart that there was +plenty of room for a small pitched battle, and night after night Lieuts. +Pearson, Creed, Poynor, and others visited such familiar haunts as the +"Osier Bed," "Thistle Patch," "Lonely Tree," and other well-known +places. The first to meet the enemy was Lieut. Pearson, who came upon a +small party in the "Thistle Patch," who made off rapidly back to their +lines. Our patrol used their rifles, but, though they hit one of the +enemy, failed to take a prisoner, and for a week or two the Boche did +not show himself. Then on the 10th January, 2nd Lieut. Creed, with a +mixed party of scouts from all Companies, while reconnoitering the +"Osier Bed" suddenly found that a party of the enemy was in their right +rear and close to our wire, where four of them could be seen. Our patrol +turned at once and ran straight at the four as fast as they could, +coming, as they ran, under a heavy fire from a Boche covering party +lying some 50 yards out. Pte. A. Garner was killed outright, but the +remainder, led by 2nd Lieut. Creed and Pte. Frank Eastwood of "C" +Company, rushed on and wounded and captured one of the four, who was +found to be the officer. The remainder of the enemy took the alarm in +time and made off. The officer proved to be an English-speaking +subaltern of the 55th Regt.--our old opponents of Hohenzollern in +October, 1915. He was led down to the Aid Post to have his wound +dressed, much to the disgust of Captain Terry, the M.O., who would have +liked to have killed him outright, though Serjeant Bent, the medical +orderly, took compassion on his shivering prisoner and fed him on hot +tea, and actually gave him a foot warmer! + +This little affair caused the Boche extreme annoyance, and the following +day he spent the morning shooting at Berlin Trench, the Bienvillers road +and Bienvillers itself, round the Church. As we were relieved during the +morning we had to march out through it all, and found it particularly +unpleasant, especially when a shell hit the R.E. Dump, exploded an +ammunition store, and sent the house at the Church corner several +hundred feet into the air. + +At this time there were again several changes in the personnel. Capt. +G.W. Allen went to Brigade Headquarters and thence to the Corps School +as an Instructor; Capt. J.D. Hills, who took his place, fell down and +injured his knee so badly that it took him to England for six months; +Capt. Knighton was made Town Major at St. Amand, and Captain Mould went +to England. Capt. Wollaston rejoined us, bringing with him 2nd Lieut. +Banwell and a new subaltern, 2nd Lieut. D. Campbell. 2nd Lieut. C.H. +Morris acted as Adjutant. 2nd Lieut. J.R. Brooke paid one of his +periodical visits to the R.A.M.C., driven thither by the M.O., who was +afraid he would die on his hands, but returned to us again soon +afterwards. + +During the last fortnight of January we had several Units of the 58th +(London) Division attached to us for instruction. They were one of the +first "second-line" Territorial Divisions to reach France, and were +followed by our own second-line, the 59th, who went for their initiation +to the most Southern end of the British front, and we consequently did +not see them. Nothing of any note happened during their stay, except a +heavy gas shell bombardment on "D" Company's (Capt. Shields') trenches. +The men were all warned in time and put on helmets, so that we had no +casualties. The shells were almost noiseless, so that when the gas blew +over the crest into "B" Company (Capt. Wollaston), who were in support, +it was thought to be cloud gas and the Strombos horns were sounded. The +flank Units sounded theirs, too, and Bienvillers took it up, much to the +annoyance of the batteries and staffs who were thus unnecessarily +disturbed, since the Strombos should never be used for gas shells only. +It was a very natural mistake, but we were severely "strafed" by the +authorities; however, as we had no casualties, and there had been many +in other Units, we ended by being congratulated. + +On the 14th February came the beginnings of the thaw, and with it the +first rumours of a German withdrawal. Three days later the enemy shelled +Foncquevillers heavily, apparently with a view to a raid, or possibly to +deceive us into thinking that he did not mean to retire. Our guns +replied, and the Right Half Battalion under Major Griffiths, who was +already quartered in the village, stood to, but nothing happened. The +remainder of the Battalion with the Headquarters was now in Bienvillers +in Brigade reserve. The weather once more became frosty, and there was a +thick mist almost every day. On the 23rd we relieved the 4th Battalion, +and occupied some 2,500 yards of front line opposite Gommecourt, where +the Huns shelled us at intervals all the next day, but did no damage. At +midnight 24th/25th the Brigadier had reason to believe the Boche was +going to leave his lines, and a strong patrol under Major Griffiths went +out to reconnoitre. They cut many gaps in the wire, but found the German +front line still held. At dawn it was very foggy, and there was some +shouting heard in Gommecourt, which sounded like "Bonsoir," but at 7-10 +a.m. the enemy opened a heavy bombardment which lasted 3˝ hours. +Shells of every kind were fired and our trenches hit in several places; +one man was killed. The next night patrols were again out and, though it +was found that the Boche had evacuated Gommecourt Park, he was still in +the village, where the following morning dug-outs were seen to be on +fire. Wire was cut and everything prepared for the advance. + +However, the Boche still hung on to his line, and on the evening of the +26th and at dawn the following morning our patrols still found him +there. 2nd Lieuts. Banwell and Beardmore and Serjt. Growdridge were +constantly out, waiting for a chance to enter his lines, but the chance +never came, and, on the 27th, we were relieved by the 4th Battalion, and +returned to Souastre. That evening the Boche retired, and the 4th +Battalion entered Gommecourt. At this point we lost Captain J.W. Tomson, +who had been far from well for some time, and now went to England with +fever. He had never missed a day's work for two years. Lieut. D.B. +Petch took his place in command of "A" Company. + +The German withdrawal was very slow, and we spent the next day having +baths in Souastre. On the 1st March we moved into the new front line, +round the East edge of Gommecourt, while the Boche was still holding +Pigeon Wood. The enemy was very alert, as General H.M. Campbell, the +C.R.A., discovered; he went into the wood, thinking it unoccupied, and +was chased out by a fat Boche throwing "potato mashers." In the evening +the Headquarters moved into a German dug-out, but the enemy still +occupied the "Z." The front line between there and Gommecourt was filled +with deep dug-outs, all connected underground, so the Boche occupied one +end, while 2nd Lieuts. Banwell and Barrett sat in the other, of the same +tunnel. There were many booby traps, such as loose boards exploding a +bomb when trodden on; trip wires at the bottom of dug-out steps bringing +down the roof, and other such infernal machines. We were warned of +these, and had no casualties. + +On the 2nd March we continued to press the enemy, having as our +objective a circle 900 yards round Gommecourt Church. 2nd Lieut. Corah +was slightly wounded by a sniper, and one or two men were hit with +splinters of bomb, but there were no serious casualties. Our bombing +parties were very vigorous, and in one case consumed the hot coffee and +onions left by a party disturbed at breakfast. In this bombing work, +Serjeants A. Passmore, Cave and Meakin, Cpl. Marshall, and L/Cpls. Dawes +and A. Carr all distinguished themselves. Gommecourt wood was soon +cleared, and by the evening we had gained the whole of the circular +objective. The next morning early the 8th Sherwood Foresters came up to +relieve us, but, though the other Companies were relieved, "A" Company +(Petch) refused to be. They were busy chasing the Boche, and were quite +annoyed when told that they must come away. Relieved, we marched back to +Souastre. + +We stayed at Souastre until the 11th March, and then moved up once more +to the line, taking over 2,600 yards of frontage from the la Brayelle +Road to the Hannescamps-Monchy Road. Our time in reserve had been spent +almost entirely in lectures on the attack, and on lessons drawn from the +enemy's recent withdrawal from Gommecourt, and we had more than once +been congratulated on our patrol work, which was excellent throughout +this time. Between Essarts and Monchy the Boche was still holding his +original line, and though expected to retire at any time, he made no +movement during the three days we stayed in the line. On the 13th we +were ordered, during the afternoon, to make certain that the enemy were +still present, so 2nd Lieut. T.H. Ball marched up the Essarts Road with +two platoons, until fire was opened on them from more than one +direction, and the strength of the enemy was apparent. That evening we +were relieved by the Lothian and Border Horse, and marched on relief to +Foncquevillers. The same night, just before midnight, the Staffordshires +made an attack on Bucquoy Graben, a strong Boche trench, and the +outskirts of Bucquoy village. It was very wet and dark, and the +operation altogether most difficult, so that the Staffordshires, though +they made a very gallant attack, lost heavily and gained little ground. + +At dawn the following morning, 14th March, we were ordered to be ready +to go and support the Staffordshires, but, after considerable +uncertainty and waiting, this order was cancelled. Instead, a flagged +plan of the Bucquoy trenches was made on the plain N.W. of our village, +and here we practised the attack. The weather was bad, but we managed to +make all the necessary arrangements and do some attack drill. In the +village we had a singular stroke of ill luck. One solitary German +Howitzer shell dropped amongst a party of "D" Company, killing Pte. J.T. +Allen, who had done good work in the bombing at Gommecourt, and wounding +six others, one of whom, W. Clarke, died of wounds afterwards. The +practised attack, which should have taken place from Biez Wood on the +16th, never came off, for it was made unnecessary by the rapidity of the +German retirement. + +After this the weather improved, and it was bright and warm when, on the +17th, we moved during the afternoon into Gommecourt and came temporarily +under orders of the 139th Brigade. The following day we moved again, +this time to dug-outs and fields 500 yards North of Essarts, country +which the enemy had now entirely evacuated. The villages and farms had +all been very badly battered by our Artillery, and the Boche had found +time to destroy almost everything before he went, except at Douchy, +where there was some good dug-out timber. Needless to say, the famous +Mary of that village was not to be found. The French were immensely +pleased at regaining part of their lost territory, though it was a +pathetic sight to see some of the old people coming to look at the piles +of bricks which had once been their homes. Two ladies came to +Gommecourt with a key, little thinking that so far from finding a lock +they would find not even a door or door-way--there was not even a brick +wall more than two feet high. Those officers who could get horses rode +round to look at the country which for nine months we had been watching +through telescopes, and the concrete emplacements of Monchy and Le +Quesnoy Farm were all explored, while No Man's Land, the only place free +from wire and shell holes, provided an excellent canter. The Companies +were largely employed in road mending, filling up German mine craters, +and making tracks across the trenches for our Artillery. The enemy +seemed to be really on the move at last, and we were all looking forward +to seeing some new country, but on the 20th the weather broke, there was +another fall of snow, and we were not sorry to be ordered back to +Souastre, where we went into the huts for two nights. + +For the rest of March we were constantly on the move, mostly by march +route. First, on the 22nd, we marched via Couin and Bus-les-Artois to +Bertrancourt, where we found some huts and much mud. One very large +"Nissen" hut provided an Officers' Mess, but was completely devoid of +all furniture until the Colonel invented some wonderful hanging +tables--table tops hung from the ceiling on telephone wires. Here we +were joined by 2nd Lieuts. C.C. Craggs, S.R. Mee, and B.G. Bligh, all +new-comers. 2nd Lieuts. R.C. Broughton and A. Ramsden had joined a week +or two before, so we now had our full complement of Platoon Commanders. +Soon afterwards, however, 2nd Lieut. and A/Adjt. C.H. Morris went to the +Indian Army, and his place was taken by Lieut. L.H. Pearson. In +Bertrancourt we found some German prisoners working, one of whom +obviously received the latest news from London quicker than we did, for +he told us that as the result of an air raid "London was in bits"! After +one night here we marched via Acheux, Lealvillers and Arqučves to +Raincheval, where we again stayed one night--a hard frost. The next day +we moved on again, passing through Puchevillers, Rubempré and Pierregot +to Rainnevillers. The march was made particularly uncomfortable by the +number of different Units on the road, marching in all directions, and +we had to keep big intervals between Companies. + +Rainnevillers was only six kilometres from Amiens, and many officers +availed themselves of this opportunity of visiting the town. The +mysteries of Charlie's Bar, Godbert's, the Café du Cathédral, and other +haunts were revealed for the first time, and proved so attractive that +two senior officers made a very wet night the excuse for staying in a +Hotel. They returned at dawn, but did not realise how early the Colonel +rose, and met him at the breakfast table, to be congratulated on their +(most unusual) earliness! We stayed here two days, and the G.O.C. came +and presented medal ribbons to those who had been awarded decorations at +Gommecourt. On the 26th March we "embussed" with the 4th +Leicestershires, and were taken through Amiens to Dury, whence we +marched a short distance to St. Fuscien, and went into billets. We were +still near enough to Amiens for those who wished to "joy ride" into the +town. + +Two days later, on the 28th March, we marched to Saleux and entrained +for the North. Passing through Doullens we arrived at Lillers early the +next morning, and marched thence to Laires, twelve miles through the +driving rain. We reached billets all wet through. "B" Company followed +by a later train, and joined us in billets just after midnight. + +We were now in the 2nd Corps, and, before we had time to look round our +new billets, the Corps Commander, General Jacob, came and was introduced +to all officers, speaking to us in the village school room. After that +we looked round our new quarters and found them excellent, so settled +down to have, if possible, an enjoyable rest. Marie, of the "Cheval +Blanc," provided a room where officers might meet and drink beer, +subalterns, of course, champagne, and her name must be added to the long +list of Tina's, Bertha's, and others who all over France welcomed the +British officer so cordially at their estaminets. Meanwhile, we spent +our days training, and particular attention was paid to route marching, +in which we were severely handicapped by the bad state of our boots. For +some reason there was at the time a shortage of leather, so Serjeant +Huddleston, our shoemaker, could do nothing to improve matters, and we +had to make the best of a bad job. It was really remarkable on some of +the longer marches how few men fell out considering that many had +practically no soles to their boots. However, the pleasant billets at +Laire amply repaid us for our other troubles, and we were all sorry when +on the 13th April, 2nd Lieut. Brooke and the rest of us bade farewell to +Marie and marched to Manqueville. + +Here we continued training so far as the weather allowed, but a +considerable amount of rain rather hampered us. On the 15th we lost +Colonel Jones who went to England for three months' rest. With the +exception of a few weeks in 1915 he had been with us since the +beginning, and there was not an officer or man who did not regret his +going. There was never a trench or post which he did not visit, no +matter how exposed or how dangerous the approach to it. Moreover, he was +never downhearted, and while he was in it, the Battalion Headquarters of +the 5th Leicestershire Regiment was known throughout the Division as one +of the most cheerful, if not the most cheerful, spot in France. Major +Griffiths took temporary command until, on the 23rd, Major Trimble, +M.C., of the E. Yorks. Regt. arrived from the 6th Division and took over +from him. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +LENS. + +16th April, 1917. 10th June, 1917. + + +On the 16th of April we learnt that we were once more to go to trenches, +and the same day we moved to Annezin, just outside Béthune. The march +will always be remembered on account of the tremendous energy displayed +by Captain Shields, who was acting second in command. Just before the +start he insisted on the reduction of all officers' kits to their +authorised weight, thereby causing much consternation amongst those +whose trench kits included gramophones, field boots, and other such +articles of modern warfare. However, on arrival at Annezin all such +worries were dispersed by the radiant smiles of the ladies at the C.O.'s +billet, with whom all the Subaltern Officers, and one or two Captains at +once fell in love. + +Two days later Major Griffiths and some of the Company Officers went to +reconnoitre the area round Bully Grenay and the western outskirts of +Lens, which we were told would be our new area. The capture of Vimy by +the Canadians a few days before, had made an advance on Lens more +possible than it had ever been before, and there were many who thought +that the Boche would be compelled to evacuate the town. But the Germans +had not yet any intention of doing this. Though the Vimy heights were +lost to them, they still held "Hill 70" on the North side, and due West +of Lens, near the Souchez river, Fosse 3 and "Hill 65" were naturally +strong positions. South of this again, and just the other side of the +river, was another small rise, on which stood an electric generating +station, another commanding position held by the enemy. Our line ran +through the houses of Liévin, across the Lens road, round the Eastern +edge of Cité St. Pierre, and through Cité St. Edouard to the slopes of +"Hill 70." + +The whole neighbourhood was covered with coal mines. Each had its +machine buildings, its slag heap, and its rows of miners' cottages, +called "Corons," all in perfectly straight lines. The mine complete was +known as a "Cité," and a Cité in the case of a large mine, covered a +considerable tract of country, and had several hundred cottages. As the +mines increased in number or grew in size, these Cités became more and +more numerous, until when war began the country was fast becoming one +large town. The trenches ran from cellar to cellar, through houses, +along roadsides, were very irregular, and mostly short, unconnected and +isolated lengths. Streets were the only means of communication, and +these could not be used except at night. We were at a great disadvantage +in this area. The Boche had but lately occupied the line we were now +holding; he knew its whereabouts exactly, knew every corner of it, and +could observe it from his heights on both flanks. We on the other hand +never quite knew where the Boche was living, had no observation of his +front line, and were consequently unable to retaliate as effectively as +we should have wished to his trench mortars. + +On the 19th of April Lt. Col. J.B.O. Trimble, M.C., arrived and took +command, and the same night we marched through Béthune and Noeux les +Mines to the "Double Crassier"--a long double slag heap near Loos--where +we lived for two days in cellars and dug-outs, in Brigade Reserve. The +day after we arrived an attempt was made by the Division on our left to +capture "Hill 70." It failed, and during the enemy's retaliatory +bombardment our positions were heavily shelled, and five men wounded. +The next night we moved back to Maroc and Bully Grenay, where we stayed +until the 23rd, when we relieved the 4th Battalion in the front line. + +Our new sector was one of the worst we ever held. The front line, "A" +Company (Petch), consisted of "Cooper Trench"--an exposed salient in +front of Cité St. Pierre, overlooked and shelled from every direction +and absolutely unapproachable during daylight, except for those who were +willing to crawl. "B" and "C" Companies (Wynne and Moore) were behind in +cellars, and "D" (Shields) and Battalion Headquarters still further back +in the Cité. On the left could be seen the low slag heap and railway +line of St. Pierre coal mine, held by our 1st Battalion, under which the +6th Division a few days previously had lost an entire platoon buried in +a collapsed dug-out. + +The tour lasted six days, and at the end of the second "D" Company +relieved "A" in Cooper trench. It was originally intended to relieve "D" +in the same way two nights later, but this was impossible, because we +had to take over a new sector of line on the right, where "B" Company +now relieved the 4th Lincolnshires, astride the Cité St. Edouard road. +The new sector was not so exposed to view, and consequently to shelling +as Cooper trench, but had other disadvantages, chief among which was its +peculiar shape. A sharp pointed salient ran out along the Cité St. +Edouard road, while South of this the line bent back to the right until +it reached the outskirts of St. Pierre. + +The shelling was very hot throughout the tour, and, at night +particularly, there was plenty of machine-gun fire up the streets, which +made ration carrying a dangerous job. "D" Company suffered most in +casualties, nearly all of which were caused by shell fire on Cooper +Trench, where they were unlucky in losing, in addition to some twenty +others, Serjeants Williams, Queenborough and Goode, all of whom were +wounded. The other Companies had some ten casualties between them. + +All this time the enemy were inclined to be nervous after our attack on +"Hill 70," and almost every day the columns of smoke in Lens showed us +where he was burning houses and stores in case he should be forced to +retire. His Infantry remained comparatively inactive in the front line, +and when one night 2nd Lieut. Banwell and his platoon of "C" Company +raided Cité St. Edouard Church they found no enemy there. + +One humorous episode is handed down concerning this otherwise rather +grim tour. Battalion Headquarters lived in a very small cellar--mess and +office below, clerks and signallers and runners on the stairs. The +Boche, the previous occupants, had left a suspicious looking red and +black object on one end of the table which we used for meals and work. +This took up a large part of our very scanty room, so an R.E. Specialist +was called in to examine it. He examined the object, at once condemned +the cellar as dangerous, and advised our immediate departure. Cellars +were hard to find, we consulted another specialist. His actions are best +described in the words of one of those present: "He (R.E.) clears +dug-out, or rather dug-out clears itself, and ties string gingerly to +object; the string he leads upstairs and along a trench to what he +considers is a safe distance. When all is ready the string is pulled. +Nothing happens. Suspense--a long pause--two hours--several drinks--R.E. +proceeds to examine result lying on floor--an improvised lantern used +for photography!" + +On the 29th, after a big gas bombardment against the enemy's positions +in Cité St. Edouard and St. Theodore, we were relieved by the 4th +Battalion, and went into the St. Pierre cellars--in Brigade support. The +whole place was under direct observation, and movement by day was +impossible, which made our existence very unpleasant. It was while here +that we began to realize what a magnificent man was Padre Buck. Nothing +worried him, and even Cooper trench formed part of his parish, to be +visited each night. In St. Pierre he held a service every evening in one +of the cellars, undeterred although on one occasion a shell burst in the +doorway, scattering its bits inside, but doing no damage. + +On the 3rd of May we again relieved the 4th Battalion and stayed for +three days in the Cooper trench sector. We had a quieter time than +before, and only lost one killed and nine wounded during the tour. +Amongst the latter were L/Cpl. Waterfield and "Pat" Collins the runner, +who were both hit by a shell, which burst on the orderly room. Our chief +difficulty was the water supply. With the hot weather the demand for +water increased, and it all had to be brought to the line in petrol +cans. Fortunately the limbers could come as far as Battalion +Headquarters, and cans had to be carried forward from there only; even +this took many men, and our numbers were by no means large. + +At the end of this tour, the Brigade went into Divisional reserve, and +we, relieved by the Sherwood Foresters, went back to Fosse 10, near +Petit Sains. Here we stayed for six days training, playing games, and, +by way of work, wiring a new line of defence. During this time we lost +several officers. Capt. Wollaston and Lieut. H.E. Chapman went to +Hospital, Lieut. Petch, 2nd Lieuts Clay and Bligh had already gone, and +2nd Lieut. Hepworth left a few days later to join the Indian Army. +Captain Shields went on leave and "D" Company was commanded by Captain +John Burnett, who, on his return from England, had been sent to the 4th +Battalion, but soon worked his way back to us. + +It was now our turn to go to the right Brigade sector, previously held +by the Staffordshires, and on the 12th May we marched up to Red Mill, +between Angres and Liévin. It was a disastrous march, for we were +heavily shelled, and lost L/Cpl. Startin and Pte. Norton killed, and +three L/Cpls., Ellis, Richardson and Roper, wounded--four of these were +"No. 1" Lewis Gunners. Once at Red Mill all was well, and for the next +two days we had an enjoyable time. The Mill proved to be a large +red-brick Chateau, now sadly knocked about, on the banks of the Souchez +river. The weather was bright and warm, so a dam was built, and we soon +had an excellent bathing pool, much patronized by all ranks. 2nd Lieut. +J.C. Barrett was the star performer, and never left the water, so that +those who had nothing better to do used to "go and see the Signalling +Officer swim"--it was one of the recognised recreations of the place. + +At night we provided carrying and wiring parties, all of which had to go +through Liévin, a bad place for shells. The Church stood at a +particularly hot corner, and here, on the 11th, 2nd Lieut. T.P. Creed, +M.C., was wounded in the head and foot and had to be sent to England, a +great loss to "D" Company. We had two killed and nine wounded about the +same time, and lost amongst the wounded one of our old soldiers, +O'Shaugnessy, the boxer. + +On the 15th May we relieved our 4th Battalion in the right sub-sector, +staying there for ten days, with a three days' holiday at Red Mill in +the middle. We were very weak, and our strength in trenches was barely +450, for in addition to casualties we had to send many away on leave or +to courses. Our new sector lay between the Souchez river and the +Lens-Liévin road, while across the river were the Canadians. Opposite +them and our right flank, was the ridge with the generating station, +opposite our centre Fosse 3 and "Hill 65." Fosse 3 had a large group of +mine buildings standing on a slag heap, which ran Southwards from "Hill +65," ending above the river with a thirty foot slope. The Western face +was the same height, and at its foot on our side was a large lake. The +Corons were on the slopes of the Hill and round its base on the Western +side. Those at the bottom we held, but the enemy had those on the +slopes, and one building in particular, the "L-shaped house," was very +strongly fortified. The right Company had its outposts in the cellars +and shell-holes round the N. and W. edges of the lake, the centre and +left companies had cellars and trenches, through the Cités de Riaumont +and du Bois de Liévin, down to the main Lens road. Left Company +Headquarters had a beautiful chateau, with a fruit and asparagus garden, +known after its first occupant as "John Burnett's Chateau." There were +two communication trenches, one each side of the Riaumont Hill: "Assign" +on the South, shallow and unsafe in daylight, and "Absalom" on the +North. "Hill 65" dominated everything, and gave the Boche a tremendous +advantage. We had the Riaumont hill, 500 yards West of our front line, +and could use the Bois de Riaumont on its summit as an O.P., but this +was always being shelled, and though the view was excellent, one was +seldom left in peace long enough to enjoy it. Battalion Headquarters had +a strong German concrete dug-out in Liévin, said to have been formerly +occupied by Prince Ruprecht of Bavaria. + +The enemy confined his activity to his artillery, which hammered our +back areas, and his trench mortars, which constantly bombarded our +outposts. A row of houses along an absolutely straight street forms a +comparatively easy target, and a cellar is no protection against a +240 lbs. Minenwerfer shell. On one occasion the enemy, starting at one +end, dropped a shell on every house in turn down one side, smashing each +cellar; it was a nerve-racking performance for those who lived in one of +the cellars and had to watch the shells coming nearer, knowing that to +go into the street meant instant death at the hands of some sniper. The +headquarters of No. 15 Platoon had a direct hit, but fortunately 2nd +Lieuts. Brooke and Ramsden were both out crawling about somewhere, and +the only damage was to their dinner. Every mortar, whose position was +known, was given a name and marked on a map, so as to simplify quick +retaliation. Captain Burnett spent much time at the telephone demanding +the slaughter of "Bear," "Bat," "Pharaoh," "Philis," "Philistine," +"Moses," "Aaron," etc. etc. + +It was impossible to visit any of the outpost line by day, and those +from Battalion Headquarters who wanted to do so had perforce to go at +night. Nights were dark; the ground was covered with shell-holes, some +of them of great size. Once Major Griffiths, going out with Grogan, his +runner, suddenly disappeared from view in an enormous hole which had +apparently amalgamated itself with some well or sewer. The Major was +almost drowned, but came to the surface in time to hear Grogan say: "You +haven't fallen in, have you, sir?" He was fished out and scraped down +and went on his way to "John Burnett's Chateau," where he was given +warmth and comfort, and whence he eventually returned to Liévin--taking +care to rob the asparagus bed before leaving. + +Towards the end of the tour the enemy attempted a small raid against our +somewhat isolated right post, but was easily driven off by our Lewis +guns, and made no other attempts. On the 25th of May the Sherwood +Foresters took our place, and we marched out to Marqueffles Farm. The +tour had cost us twenty-four casualties, three of whom were killed; we +had some narrow escapes in the cellars, and were fortunate not to lose +more. "D" Company had had a particularly bad time, and owe much to +Serjeant Burbidge, who seemed in his element in the midst of terrific +explosions and rocking cellars, and saved many casualties by his +calmness. + +Marqueffles Farm stands next to Marqueffles coal mine, at the foot of +the Northern slopes of the Lorette ridge. The Companies were all +billeted in the farm, and the officers in tents outside, while a +home-made marquee formed an excellent mess. After our first difficulty, +which was to find the place at all in the utter darkness of relief +night, we spent a very happy twelve days in beautiful weather. After +coal mines and squalid narrow streets, the woods of Lorette, the little +village of Bouvigny, and the open country were delightful, for the +scenery to the south was all very pleasing. Games of all descriptions +were our programme for the first two days, while our chief amusement was +to watch the enemy's attempts to hit the observation balloon above us. +His shells, fitted with clockwork fuzes, burst very high, and were quite +harmless. + +But our stay in Marqueffles was not merely a rest, we were there to +practice for an attack to be made shortly on Fosse 3. A plan of the +Fosse and its trenches was marked out, and each day the assaulting +Companies, "B" and "C," practiced their attack over it, until each man +knew his task exactly. In addition to this "C" Company were able to +scale the Marqueffles slag-heap, and so prepare themselves for Fosse 3, +whose 30 feet they would have to climb in the battle. General Kemp had +had to go to Hospital with a poisoned foot and Colonel Thorpe, the +Divisional Staff Officer, who took his place, came often to watch our +practice, making on the last occasion a very encouraging, if somewhat +bloodthirsty speech. Through it all we enjoyed ourselves immensely. For +a change canteen stores were plentiful, and a generous supply of +cigarettes, beer, and other luxuries, did much to raise our spirits. The +officers, too, had many pleasant evenings, and, on more than one +occasion, the night was disturbed by the old familiar strains of "Come +Landlord fill the flowing Bowl," "John Peel," and other classical +ditties. + +On the 6th of June we moved up to Liévin and took over the line from the +5th Sherwood Foresters. For the first time the officers were clothed +exactly as the men. "D" Co. (Burnett) was in front, "A" Co. (Broughton) +in support, and "B" and "C" (Wynne and Moore) in the row of houses just +west of Riaumont Hill. These had hardly settled down before a shell +burst in the doorway of "C" Company Headquarters killing Serjeant +Harper, the Lewis Gun N.C.O., and wounding six others, amongst them +another Gunner, L/Cpl. Morris. At the same time 2nd Lieut. A.L. Macbeth +had to go to Hospital with fever; Capt. Wynne was also far from well, +but refused to leave his Company on the eve of the attack. + +The final preparations were made on the night of the 7th/8th, when two +parties went out to cut wire, 2nd Lieut. Banwell and 2nd Lieut. C.S. +Allen. The first party found some thick wire, placed their ammonal tubes +and successfully blew several gaps. The others, under 2nd Lieut. Allen, +found no uncut wire, so brought their tubes back. Everything was ready +by dawn on the 8th, and Zero was ordered for 8-30 p.m. the same day. + +For several days the Monmouthshires had been at work deepening "Assign" +trench, and had done much, but it was still shallow, and there is no +doubt that as "B" and "C" Companies came up it between 5.0 and 6.0 +p.m., they were seen from the top of "Hill 65." For as "B" Company +passed the group of cottages South of Riaumont Hill, the Boche opened a +heavy fire on the trench and dropped a shell right amongst the Company +Headquarters. Capt. Wynne was untouched, but his Serjeant-Major, Gore, +and his runner, Ghent, both first-class soldiers, were killed by his +side. Assembly was complete by 6.0 p.m. and "B," "C," with "D" Co. in +close support, waited for Zero in some short lengths of trench, dug +amongst the houses at the East end of "Assign" trench. "A" Co., who were +to carry ammunition and stores for the attackers, formed up near +Battalion Headquarters, in the group of houses half way up the trench. +Capt. Wynne, though worn out with fever, and hardly able to stand, still +stuck to his Company. + +[Illustration: SKETCH MAP TO ILLUSTRATE FIGHTING AT LENS +-MAY, JUNE 1917.-] + +At 8.30 p.m. the barrage opened, and the attack started. Almost the +first shell exploded some ammunition dump on the far side of the slag +heap, and the whole battle was lit up by the gigantic fire which +followed. Against the red glow the black figures of "C" Company could be +seen swarming up the slag-heap, clearing the two trenches, "Boot" and +"Brick," on its summit, and sweeping on to clean out the dug-outs +beyond. There were many Germans on and around the heap, and in a short +time between 80 and 100 were killed, nearly all with the bayonet. +Serjeant Needham stormed a trench mortar emplacement, himself accounting +for most of the crew. Serjeant Roberts, formerly of the Transport, and +with his Company for the first time, was much annoyed to find a bayonet +through his arm, but did not stop until he had dealt with its owner and +any of his friends he could find. Pte. Tookey and many others showed +splendid dash, bombing dug-outs, bayonetting stray Huns, and +occasionally taking a prisoner or two. But the central figure of the +fight was 2nd Lieut. Banwell. Armed with a rifle and bayonet he simply +ran amock and slaughtered some eight of the enemy by himself, while +their leader he ran to the edge of the slag-heap and kicked over the +side into the lake, where he broke his neck and was drowned. Altogether +this Company took eight prisoners and destroyed three machine guns and +two trench mortars. + +Meanwhile the attack on the left had failed. At Zero Captain Wynne led +"B" Company from their trenches and advanced towards the "L-shaped" +building. They had hardly started before their ranks were swept from end +to end with machine gun fire from the houses to their left and front. +Capt. Wynne and 2nd Lieut. R.B. Farrer were killed, 2nd Lieut. W.I. +Nelson was wounded, and the company had no officers left. Still, under +the N.C.O.'s, they tried to push forward, only to meet with more losses. +They were compelled to stop, and, under Serjeant Martin, the senior +N.C.O. left, began to dig a line a few yards east of their starting +trench. Serjeant Passmore, who was acting Serjt.-Major, Serjts. Kemp, +Thorpe and Hibbert were all wounded, L/Cpl. Aris and nine others killed, +and more than half the Company wounded. For some time Battalion +Headquarters knew nothing of this disaster, and it was only when the +Signaller L/Cpl. Woolley came back to report, that Col. Trimble heard +what had happened. He at once ordered "D" Company to fill the gap, so as +to protect the left flank of "C" Company, which he knew must be +seriously exposed. + +"A" Company, carrying ammunition, had also had their casualties, and 2nd +Lieut. Broughton, after being hit more than once, eventually had to +leave them. He had been personally organizing most of the parties, and +during the battle was everywhere, quite regardless of danger. +Consequently, when he went, "A" Company became scattered; parties which +had delivered their ammunition did not know where to go; and some of +them, a few under Serjeant Putt and Pte. Dakin, wandered into the +slag-heap and took part in the battle, helping to kill some of the Boche +there. "D" Company lost two killed and ten wounded, for their position, +joining the two flanks, was exposed to a considerable amount of enfilade +fire. As soon as they had cleared the summit of the slag-heap "C" +Company started to consolidate "Boot" and "Brick" trenches, while the +most forward of the attackers formed a protective screen. Their position +was precarious. They were exposed to heavy fire from the generating +station and "Hill 65," while unable to keep a watch on the low ground of +the Souchez river valley or East of the slag-heap, where numbers of +Boche could assemble unseen. The "L-shaped" building, too, was a thorn +in their left flank. Still they were well established, when Col. Thorpe +and Captain Wade, the Brigade Major, came round the line and looked at +our new positions. They left the slag-heap just before dawn, and a few +minutes later, when they were talking to Capt. Moore in his headquarters +in the cottages below, a runner came in to announce a big Boche +counter-attack. It was still too dark to see much, but our sentries +could make out large numbers of men closing in on them from three sides, +and fire was opened. The Boche dropped into shell holes, but continued +his advance steadily, making use of all available cover. "C" Company, +finding their rifles useless and very short of ammunition, waited until +they came near enough to start bombing, and then gave them a volley of +Mills grenades. But once again we were ruined by the inefficiency of +those in rear; the bombs had no detonators. In a few minutes the Company +would have been completely surrounded, so slowly and in good order they +withdrew, first to the edge of the heap, and then down to the cottages +at the bottom. One group of men stayed for an incredibly long time on a +ledge partway down the face, but in the end they too had to come away. +During the night the Company lost one killed and twenty-eight wounded, +five of whom stayed at duty; two others were badly wounded during the +counter-attack, were subsequently captured, and died as prisoners in +Germany--Privates A. Beck and R. Collins. At the time, the withdrawal +from the slag-heap seemed like a defeat, but, had we stayed, our +casualties would have been far worse and the result the same; for with +daylight, nothing could have lived on the heap, so long as the +Generating Station and "Hill 65" remained in German hands. + +The night after the battle we were relieved by the 5th Lincolnshires and +marched out to Red Mill again for a few days' rest. We were +congratulated by the General on the fight, and Captain Moore and "C" +Company came in for special praise for their work with the bayonet. +Capt. Wynne and 2nd Lieut. Farrer were buried in Bully Grenay, and +Lieut. N.C. Marriott took over "B" Company. For the last twenty four +hours it had been commanded by Lieut. Petch, who returned from Hospital +in the middle of the battle. He now went to "A" Company again, and was +promoted Captain. Lieut. Marriott got his Captaincy a few weeks later. +Capt. Shields returned from leave and took command of "D" again, while +Capt. Burnett went to Headquarters. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +HILL 65. + +13th June, 1917. 4th July, 1917. + + +Those who had hoped for a rest after the battle were disappointed, for, +on the 13th of June, we once more went into the line opposite Fosse 3. +The enemy seemed to have recovered from our attack on the 8th, and we +spent a quiet five days, gaining no ground and suffering practically no +casualties. Towards the end of the tour the Canadians gained a footing +on the Southern corner of the slag-heap and established a post there, +and at the same time took the whole of the Generating Station and the +high ground round it. It seemed improbable that the Boche could hold +Boot and Brick trenches much longer, so the General brought the 5th +Lincolnshires into the line on the evening of the 18th to make a new +attack on Fosse 3. This attack was to take the form of a large raid. + +Leaving "A" Company (Petch) in close support in Cité des Garennes we +went out to Red Mill while the attack took place, and the following day, +the 19th, the Lincolnshires sent us down 24 prisoners to guard. Their +raid had been a great success, they had cleared the slag-heap and the +machine buildings and killed many Boche as well as taken prisoners. As a +result of this the Lincolnshires were able to move into Boot and Brick +for their outpost line, and here on the 20th we relieved them. Twice +during the relief the S.O.S. Signal was fired by our posts in the front +line on account of suspected counter-attacks, but our artillery replied +so promptly and so efficiently that nothing materialized. + +Our second night in the line was disastrous. During this fighting round +Lens, any progress made was the result of minor operations, raids and +even patrol fights, and there was seldom a large scale battle. It was +naturally difficult to keep all units informed of the latest progress, +and this difficulty was particularly great in our case, when trying to +maintain liaison with the Canadians. The Souchez river was the boundary +between the two corps, and made it impossible for us to visit their +front line troops. We had therefore to rely on Division and Corps +headquarters keeping each other posted as to the latest progress, and on +more than one occasion this liaison broke down, and we suffered very +heavily. + +At dusk on the 21st we received a message, and at once warned all ranks, +that the Special Brigade R.E. were going to carry out a gas bombardment +of the mine buildings of Fosse 3. Projectors would be fired by a Company +operating with the Canadian Corps, from whose front the buildings could +be best attacked. The wind was satisfactory, and the buildings were at +least 150 yards away from our nearest trenches, so there seemed no need +of any special precautions. "C" Company, occupying Boot and Brick +trenches, heard the familiar explosion as the projectors went off, and +waited to hear them fall in the buildings. Instead, they fell in our +trenches, several hundred of them; in a few seconds, and before any +warning could be shouted, the trenches were full of phosgene, the +deadliest of all gasses. Officers and men worked hard to rouse those +resting, and, in particular, 2nd Lieut. Banwell taking no heed for his +own safety, went everywhere, rousing, rescuing and helping the badly +gassed. But it was too late, and all through the night and next morning +casualties were being carried out to Liévin and down the line. 2nd +Lieuts. Craggs and Macbeth both went to England, and, almost the last to +leave the slag-heap, 2nd Lieut. Banwell. His great strength had enabled +him to survive longer than the others, but no constitution could stand +all that phosgene, and during the morning he suddenly fainted, and had +to be carried down. By the time he reached Liévin he was almost dead, +and the Doctors held out no hope of his recovery. However, fed on oxygen +and champagne he lasted a week, and then, to everybody's surprise, began +to recover. The greatest surprise of all was when this marvellous man +refused to go to England, but preferred to remain in Hospital in France +until fit enough to rejoin his own Battalion. With the exception of +Capt. Moore, who was fortunately on leave at the time, "C" Company was +wiped out and temporarily ceased to exist. Twenty-four died from the +poison, and in all sixty-two others of the Company went to Hospital. +Most of these found their way to England, though one or two, such as +Serjt. Needham and L/Cpl. Tookey, both fighting men, preferred to remain +and return to us. "D" Company also had their losses, and Serjeant +Sullivan and nine others were gassed, ten others wounded. The rest of +the Battalion escaped untouched. + +The following night the 8th Sherwood Foresters came into the line, and +we went back to Marqueffles Farm. Our losses had been heavy and so far +we had had practically no reinforcements, so had to reorganise our three +remaining Companies with three platoons each instead of four. We were +also becoming short of officers, having lost eight and only received one +reinforcement--Lieut. R.J.H.F. Watherstone, who came to us from England. + +We spent two days resting and cleaning ourselves, and trying to recover +from the effects of the battle, before starting on any more serious +work. On the Sunday, at Church Parade, General Thwaites came and spoke +to us, congratulating us once more on the 8th, and praising especially +"C" Company for their bayonet work. He was very angry indeed about the +gas disaster and explained the cause. It appeared that the Company +carrying out the operation had never been informed of our occupation of +the trenches on the slag heap, and that, when they said they were going +to bombard the mine buildings, they meant the whole area, including +these trenches, which they imagined were still held by the enemy. + +The whole Division was now very weak, for the series of small battles +during the past six weeks had been expensive. However, the higher +authorities considered we were still fit for battle and decided to give +us one more show, before sending us to some quiet trenches to +recuperate. The objective this time was "Hill 65," "Adjunct," "Adjacent" +and "Advance" trenches and the outskirts of the Cité du Moulin--the last +of the Cités outside Lens itself. Three Battalions would attack, +ourselves on the right, our 4th Battalion in the centre, and the 5th S. +Staffordshires on the left. Practice started at once over a flagged +course, and our new Brigadier, General F.G.M. Rowley, C.M.G., of the +Middlesex Regiment, came to watch us at work. Our formation differed +slightly from that used in previous fights, for we gave great prominence +to the "Moppers." Several times lately the leading waves of an assault +had gone straight to their final objective, consolidated, and then found +themselves cut off by parties of the enemy, over whom they had passed +during the advance. Now a line of "moppers" was detailed to follow ten +yards behind each wave, with orders to mop up everything and leave no +living Boche anywhere behind the assaulting troops. In our case "D" +Company (Shields) would mop up, "A" and "B" (Petch and Marriott) would +make the attack, while two Companies of the 4th Lincolnshires were +detailed to assist us with carrying parties. + +While we were practising this, on the 25th the troops in the line made +further progress, somewhat lightening our task, but not necessitating +any alteration in our plans of attack. The battle was ordered for the +28th June, and the previous evening we moved up Assign trench to our +assembly positions, Boot and Brick Trenches on the slag heap. We were to +relieve partly Lincolnshires and partly Monmouthshires, and for some +reason or other there was confusion among the guides. Those detailed for +"A" Company wanted to lead them to the right instead of the left of the +assaulting frontage, while "B" Company had "A's" guides. Fortunately +Capt. Petch was able to catch his platoons in time, and, dismissing the +guides, sent each to its correct position. Serjeant Putt, who had +started first, he could not warn in time, but fortunately this N.C.O. +knew enough of the plans to know that he was being led wrongly, and so +retraced his steps and rejoined the rest of his Company on the +slag-heap. "A" Company were in position by 10.0 p.m., but the other +companies were seriously delayed and wandered about most of the night +under guides, who took them the wrong way. To add to the confusion our +liaison with the Canadians again broke down, and without any warning the +Division on our right suddenly launched an attack. Barrages followed by +both sides and the noise continued throughout the night. Long after the +attack was over the noise went on, for every few minutes some post would +get nervous and send up an S.O.S. signal, immediately calling down a +barrage, to which the other side would reply in kind. All this took +place on the other side of the Souchez river, but we came in for much +shelling, and the relief was not finally complete until 5.0 a.m. At dawn +we were all in position. "B" Company (Marriott) was on the right with a +frontage from the Souchez river to the Southern edge of the mine +buildings; "A" (Petch) was on the left, with the length of the buildings +as their frontage; "D" (Shields) assembled under the slag-heap behind +them. Zero was ordered for 7.20 p.m. + +The original plan had been for the assaulting Companies to leave their +assembly trenches a few minutes before Zero, and, moving forward +carefully, to form up for the attack a few yards in front. At 7.0 p.m. +it was still, of course, bright daylight; the enemy had two observation +balloons up, and there were several aeroplanes about. It seemed that any +such movement must be noticed. However, fate was on our side, and at +7.13 p.m. a rain storm burst over the country, completely obscuring the +view, and by Zero the assaulting troops were lying out ready. They had +not been seen. + +At 7-20 p.m. the rain stopped, the barrage started, and we went forward. +At the same time real and dummy gas attacks were made North of the +Liévin-Lens road, and the enemy must have wondered very much where the +main attack would be. The result was satisfactory; we met no real +barrage and no very heavy machine gun fire, though there was a +considerable amount of scattered shooting of both kinds. This did not +delay our advance, though 2nd Lieut. Dawes was wounded and had to leave +his Company. Our only difficulty was the mine building, through which +"A" Company were supposed to advance; this was found to be impenetrable, +and Captain Petch had to send half his Company through "B" Company's +frontage, and half through the 4th Leicestershires, so as to avoid it. +"Adjunct" and "Adjacent" trenches were reached practically without loss, +but the enemy did not stay to receive us, and we found them empty. At +7.40 p.m. Yates, the "A" Company runner, reached headquarters with the +news of the success of the battle. + +"Adjacent" trench was organised as our new outpost line and several +strong points were built along it. We also secured the Western end of +"Almanac," a communication trench running N.E. alongside the railway. +Halfway up this trench a deserted Boche machine gun post would have +provided us with an excellent forward post, but unfortunately it was in +our defensive barrage line and we were not allowed to occupy it. We had, +therefore, to content ourselves with collecting the souvenirs, which +included a telephone, and to come away. We had several casualties while +consolidating, and lost another officer, 2nd Lieut. M.J.S. Dyson, who +was slightly wounded by a stray shell. "B" Company lost Cpl. Baker +wounded, and L/Cpl. Snow of "A" was also hit, in addition to two killed +and twenty-five others wounded in the Battalion. The scattered shelling +became somewhat more concentrated after our arrival, but did not stop +our consolidation, which went forward rapidly with only one pause. About +8.0 p.m. there was a terrific rainstorm and everyone stopped work to put +on waterproof sheets. The enemy must have done the same, and it was +curious to notice how the battle stopped while everybody sheltered, for +while the rain lasted there was complete silence, and neither side fired +a shot. + +Our task the next morning was to discover how far the Boche had retired. +The Canadians South of the river had pushed on to the outskirts of Cité +St. Antoine, almost in Lens itself, and, with "Hill 65" in our hands, +the German positions in the Cité du Moulin were overlooked from +everywhere. Patrols were sent forward to investigate, and 2nd Lieut. +Brooke, with some of "D" Company, pushed forward up "Almanac" trench as +far as the Arras road. Here they caught sight of a Boche patrol, which +promptly fled as fast as possible. Except for this, the day passed +quietly, as did the following morning. + +The afternoon of the 30th, however, was far from quiet, and for several +hours our new line was heavily shelled. In addition to the usual field +batteries, there was one heavy gun which fired continuously on "A" +Company's lines, obtaining a direct hit on Company Headquarters. Capt. +Petch and 2nd Lieut. Campbell were both buried but not seriously hurt. +Serjt. Ault, the acting Serjeant-Major, Wheeldon and Stevenson, the two +runners, all three old soldiers of exceptional ability, were killed. +Raven, another runner, was wounded, Downs had already been hit, and was +again severely shaken, but both these stayed at duty, while they helped +Lilley and Balderstone, who pluckily came along, to dig out those who +were buried. In all twenty-eight were wounded, making our casualties for +the battle three officers and ninety other ranks. That night the 4th +Lincolnshires relieved us, and we went into Brigade reserve, two +Companies in Cité des Garennes, the other in Liévin. + +A few hours after relieving us the Lincolnshires made another attack, +but failed to gain much ground, and met with considerable opposition +from the neighbourhood of the Arras road. Their casualties were +consequently heavy, and they asked to be relieved again the following +night, so we were ordered to go up once more and take over their new +line. Guides were to have met us at the "Broken bridge" near "Adjacent" +trench, but only those for "A" and "B" Companies arrived, and for +several hours Captain Shields waited with "D" Company, not knowing where +to take his men. Apparently there had been some further operations, and +the Lincolnshires had been shelled, in any case no guides appeared, and +it was nearly dawn. At last, Capt. Shields, knowing that in a few +minutes he would not have time to reach the front line, even if guides +did arrive, gave the order to "about turn," and marched back. This +caused considerable discussion at Battalion Headquarters, and Brigade +finally decided that Col. Trimble should take over the line with two +companies of the 4th Lincolnshires in front in the outpost line, two of +our Companies in "Acorn" and "Adjunct," and one Company of ours under +the slag-heap. We were all well dug in, and consequently did not lose +very heavily when the following day, the 2nd of July, we were shelled +continuously for several hours. Our telephone lines were almost all cut, +so that messages had to be sent by the runners, whose task was far from +pleasant on these occasions. Throughout these two months of fighting in +Lens the runners, both Battalion and Company, had proved themselves to +be very fine soldiers. We relied on them almost entirely in battle, for +telephone wires never lasted long, and pigeons, once released, did not +return. But the runners never failed, and what is more were always +cheerful. Cheerfully they crawled along some exposed street, or dodged +round houses in the Cité St. Pierre, cheerfully they faced "Assign" +trench and Liévin corner, and equally cheerfully they crossed the +slag-heap, often having to go actually through a barrage to reach their +destination. Grogan, Collins, Sullivan, Raven, Kilcoyne and others, +always ready and always willing, they would work till they dropped, and +the Battalion owes much to their courage and endurance. + +The 3rd of July passed quietly, and that night we were relieved by the +25th Canadians and marched to Aix Noulette, where we embussed and went +to Monchy Breton for a rest. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +ST. ELIE LEFT. + +4th July, 1917. 23rd Nov., 1917. + + +We stayed for three weeks at Monchy Breton and enjoyed ourselves +immensely, with good weather, good billets and plenty of games. The +Headquarters lived and messed at M. le Curé's, where they consumed a +disgraceful amount of strawberries and cream, while the other officers +under Captain Burnett messed together in another house. But the chief +feature of this period of rest was the Divisional Rifle meeting, a +regular Bisley meeting, which took place at the end of it. It was a +triumph for the 5th Leicestershires, for we carried off amongst other +trophies the G.O.C.'s Cup. R.S.M. Small, D.C.M., had one "first" and two +"seconds," Corporal F.H.J. Spencer, M.M., one "first" and one "second," +in the individual competitions, while Serjt. Clancy and Pte. F. Bindley +won the assault course and individual "pools." On the second day "A" and +"B" Companies each got third place in the Company Assault Course and +Snap-shooting Competitions, and "C" was second in the Company +"Knock-out" and third in the "running man" competitions. In this last +Pte. Pepper won third place in the pool. Finally our officers' team won +the revolver shoot. The rifle shooting throughout both days was of a +very high order, but the same cannot be said for the revolver work, and +we only won this last competition by being not quite so terribly bad as +anybody else. + +On the 20th of July we received orders to go into action again--this +time to a quiet sector near Hulluch--and the following day we moved to +Vaudricourt. The C.O. and most of the officers went by motor-'bus +through to Philosophe to reconnoitre the new line; the rest of the +Battalion set out under Captain Burnett to march. The previous evening +had been spent in celebrating our rifle-shooting victories and we felt +like anything rather than marching twenty miles under a blazing July +sun. Those who took part in it will never forget that march; it was +worse than "Luton to Ware" in 1914. Packs seemed heavier than ever +before, the hill at Houdain was too much for many, and the beer and +white wine of the previous evening proved stronger than march +discipline, and many fell out. We finally crawled into Vaudricourt at +4-0 p.m.--tired out. + +The following evening our Transport lines and Quartermaster's Stores +moved to Labourse and we went into the line, relieving the 2nd York and +Lancaster Regiment in the Hulluch right sector. For six days we lived in +tunnels, with a front line which consisted of odd isolated posts at the +end of each passage. The old front line trench seemed to have +disappeared entirely. We were not much worried by the enemy, in fact, +except for one trench mortar near Hulluch, called the "Goose," he kept +very quiet. At the end of the tour we were relieved by the 4th Battalion +and went into billets at Noeux les Mines. + +Noeux was not shelled during our stay, so we had a peaceful time, though +one officer was somewhat troubled on waking the first morning to find +attached to his house the following notice: "THIS CROSS ROADS IS +REGISTERED. NO PARTIES TO HALT HERE." We did not stay long, +however, for on the 30th July we were suddenly ordered to move to +Fouquičres to prepare for a coming raid, and marched there during the +afternoon, Battalion Headquarters to the Chateau, Companies to the +village. For some reason best known to himself the billeting officer had +billeted all officers with the wrong companies, but this was soon +rectified, and we were very comfortable. + +Our coming raid was to be carried out against the enemy's trenches West +of Hulluch on a frontage of 300 yards. The sector chosen was bounded on +the North by Hendon and on the South by Hicks Alley, while Herring Alley +was in the centre. There were three German lines, and on the left a +small extra line between the first and second, which we named Hinckley +Trench. The scheme was for two Companies to take and hold the German +third line, one Company to mop up behind them, and the fourth Company to +follow with some Engineers to demolish dug-outs. One of the forward +Companies would have to send a special party to deal with the "Goose" +trench mortar. All wire cutting would be done by the Artillery, who were +allowed a fortnight for it, so that they might not excite the enemy too +much by heavy shooting. During this time we were to detail an officer to +stay in the line, watch the shooting, and patrol the gaps at night. We +would also practise the attack over a flagged course. + +The flagged course was set out very elaborately at Hesdigneul, and not +only was each trench shown, but small notice boards denoted the position +of every supposed machine gun, trench mortar, or deep dug-out. Practices +took place first by day and finally by night, for the raid was to be a +night attack, and various lamp signals were arranged to assist the +withdrawal. The position of Hulluch village was indicated on the +practice ground by a large notice board--HULLUCH--which +probably gave any spies there might be in Hesdigneul a very fair idea of +what was intended. + +Meanwhile, we received various reinforcements. Lieut. G.E. Russell +returned, 2nd Lieut. W.M. Cole came from the Artists' Rifles, 2nd +Lieuts. R.W. Edge, T.R.L. Gibson, R.B. Rawson, C.P. Shilton, R.W. +Sanders, L.W. Mandy, and J.S. Plumer came to us for the first time from +England. At the same time a large party of men, arriving at Monchy +Breton, had enabled us to reconstitute "C" Company, so that we now had +four Companies of three platoons each, and enough officers for two +Battalions. Lieut. Pearson went to Hospital and thence to England, and +Capt. Wollaston acted Adjutant. The Company Commanders were unchanged. + +For the second week of our fortnight we slightly relaxed the vigour of +our practices, and devoted more time to musketry, bombing, and training +the demolition parties for their work. The officers to take part in the +raid were also chosen, and various tasks allotted to the others. Capt. +Shields with 2nd Lieut. Cole and "D" Company would make the right +attack; Capt. Petch with 2nd Lieut. Gibson and "A" Company, the left. +"B" Company (Capt. Marriott and 2nd Lieut. C.S. Allen) would be the +supports, and the two demolition parties would be found by "C" Company +under 2nd Lieuts. Lowe and Edge. 2nd Lieut. Plumer was detailed to take +a party of "D" Company to destroy the "Goose." Lieut. G.E. Russell was +"O.C. Searchlight," and various other officers were chosen to count the +raiding party when they returned. + +Meanwhile, up in trenches the most wonderful work was being done by 2nd +Lieut. Brooke and six other ranks of "D" Company--L/Cpl. Clapham, Ptes. +Haines, Hanford, Johnson, Mason, and Rolls. This was the party left in +the line with the Staffordshires to observe the wire cutting and patrol +the gaps. At first, 2nd Lieut. Brooke spent his days with the F.O.O. and +confined his patrolling to the hours of darkness, but later he was out +in front both day and night. On two occasions he came into contact with +the enemy. First, on his very first patrol, he had just reached the +enemy's wire, and was trying to find a way through, when the enemy +opened a heavy fire at close range. L/Cpl. Clapham was killed, shot +through the head, and it was only with the utmost difficulty that the +rest of the party escaped with their lives. The second encounter was in +daylight. The Staffordshires had reported that they believed the German +front line to be unoccupied, so on the 13th August, in the middle of the +afternoon, 2nd Lieut. Brooke crossed No Man's Land, passed through the +wire and entered the Boche front line. He was just exploring it when a +very surprised German came round a corner and saw him. 2nd Lieut. Brooke +at once left the trench and took shelter as quickly as possible in a +shell hole outside. A perfect shower of bombs and rifle grenades were +thrown after him, but he was untouched, and regained our lines without a +scratch. + +On the 14th August, after a very happy fortnight at Fouquičres, we moved +to the huts at Noyelles, where the special stores for the coming raid +were issued. At the same time all pay books, badges, identity discs and +personal kits were handed in, and to each man was issued a small round +cardboard disc with a number on it. The following morning we paraded at +10 a.m., and marched through Vermelles to Lone Trench and Tenth Avenue, +where we were to wait until it was time to assemble. On the way, "B" +Company had a serious disaster. A shell, intended for one of our +batteries West of Vermelles, fell on the Company as they were passing +the Mansion House Dump. They were marching in fours and had practically +a whole platoon wiped out, for eleven were killed and fourteen wounded. +Amongst the killed was Freddie Chambers, self-appointed Company +humorist, and one of the best known and most cheerful soldiers in the +Battalion. + +Our Patrol party was waiting for us in Lone Trench, but their report was +far from satisfactory. 2nd Lieut. Brooke declared that there were by no +means enough gaps, in fact none at all on the left, and Colonel Trimble +asked for the raid to be postponed. Meanwhile, 2nd Lieut. Brooke went +off to the front line, where he finally was able to convince the +Divisional Intelligence Officer that there were not sufficient gaps, and +at the last moment, as the Companies were preparing to move to their +assembly positions, the raid was postponed for 24 hours. Accordingly we +spent the night in our somewhat cramped surroundings in Lone Trench, and +the following day the Artillery continued to cut the wire, this time +with better success. + +One of the original objects of the raid had been to detract attention +from a Canadian attack on "Hill 70" to be made at the same time. This +attack we watched from the back of Lone trench, and later in the day +were able to give material assistance. The German counter attack came +from behind Hulluch, near Wingles, and the troops for it assembled and +started their attack in view of our posts. Captain Ellwood and his +machine gunners at once got to work and did terrific execution, being +chiefly responsible for the failure of the enemy's efforts, and enabling +the Canadians to hold the Hill. + +So successful was the wire cutting on the 16th, that our patrol reported +all ready for the raid, and accordingly we moved at dusk to our assembly +positions. One alteration in the plan of attack had to be made at the +last minute. It had originally been intended that the attacking +platoons, after passing in file through our wire, should spread out in +No Man's Land into lines. As the German wire was only cut into gaps and +not obliterated, it was now decided that platoons should keep in file +until through that belt also, and spread out on entering the front line. +Bridges were placed over our front line, all faces were blackened, and +by 10-30 p.m. all were ready for Zero, which was to be 10-58 p.m. + +The barrage started promptly, and the advance began. The enemy's wire +was a little thick on both flanks, but all passed through fairly easily +and entered the front line, where, as arranged, each man shouted to show +he had arrived. Two enemy were found and killed, but much of the trench +was full of wire. The attackers passed on rapidly to the second and +third lines, finding the wire thicker in front of each line, but +finally reaching their objective and building bombing blocks. It was a +dark night, and to avoid losing touch, Captains Petch and Shields had +arranged to call each other's names as they went forward. Suddenly +Captain Shield's voice stopped with one last cry, and Captain Petch +hurrying to the spot found he had been hit by a shell and terribly +wounded in both legs. However, his Company reached the third line, and +the party under 2nd Lieut. Plumer set out to destroy the Goose. + +Meanwhile, the mopping up and demolition continued behind the attack. +Several Germans were found and killed in the second line, but on the +whole very few enemy were seen, somehow they had managed to escape. +Probably there were many tunnels, and in the dark it was quite +impossible to tell what was a tunnel entrance and what merely a dug-out. +Many of the latter were destroyed by "C" Company, though they lost 2nd +Lieut. Lowe, who was slightly wounded, through being too keen to watch +the effect of one of his own Mills bombs. Corporal Tunks and Pte. Baker +did particularly good work with these demolition parties. + +Back at Battalion Headquarters was a listening set, and this managed to +overhear the German Company Commander's telephone report to his +headquarters. "We are being attacked, ... front line penetrated, ... +second line wrecked ... third line entered ... send up two sections." +The two sections came in two parts. A strong bombing attack was made up +Hicks Alley which was held by our bombing party at the newly built +block; at the same time our left was attacked over the open. "A" +Company were ready for them, and Lilley, the Lewis Gunner, soon +accounted for many and broke up the attack. "D" Company also had some +fighting, in which both 2nd Lieut. Cole and Serjeant Growdridge +distinguished themselves. + +The time finally came for the withdrawal, and the special flare lights +were fired. Unfortunately they failed to light, and messages had to be +sent at once to the raid area. The enemy were held off while the +withdrawal was carried out, and by 2-0 a.m. the 17th the majority of the +raiding party had returned. Captain Shields was carried in by C.S.M. +Passmore, who very gallantly stayed out some time after the others were +all back, but nothing could be found of Capt. Marriott or 2nd Lieut. +Plumer and the "Goose" party. Capt. Marriott had been last seen in the +second German line, but he had been missed in the withdrawal, and was +never seen again. We brought no prisoners and no identifications, though +one man brought back a rifle and another some papers from a dug-out. +Several of the enemy had undoubtedly been killed, but no one had thought +to cut off shoulder straps or search for pay books. At 3-0 a.m. we +returned to Noyelles, where we spent the day cleaning and repairing our +clothing. + +The raid had not been a success. We lost Captain Marriott, 2nd Lieut. +Plumer, and seven men missing, whom we never heard of again. Three more +men were known to be killed, and three others were afterwards reported +prisoners, while no less than fifty-one were wounded. Capt. Shields, the +most cheerful, strenuous, and popular of Company Commanders, would never +fight again. He reached Chocques hospital with one leg almost blown off +and the other badly shattered, and the Doctors decided to amputate the +one at once. It is still recorded as a unique feat, that throughout the +operation neither the patient's pulse nor temperature altered, thanks to +his wonderful constitution. The other leg soon healed, and within a few +months he was hopping over fences in England in the best of spirits. "B" +Company had lost their second Company Commander in two months. Like his +friend Capt. Wynne, Captain Marriott had soon won his way to the hearts +of his Company, with whom he rose from Platoon Commander, while in the +Mess he was one of the merriest of companions and the friend of all. + +There is no doubt that the enemy had been prepared for us. The rapidity +with which his barrage started, the partly wired trenches, empty +dug-outs and absence of garrison all pointed to this. He probably waited +for us at his tunnel entrances, and hurried away as soon as we arrived; +the few we found were those who had been too slow in getting away. As +far as we ourselves were concerned, we only made one mistake--failing to +bring back any identification. Apart from this all ranks had worked +well, and we were congratulated by General Thwaites on our efforts. + +Five days after the raid we relieved the 4th Leicestershires in a new +trench sector, the "St. Elie left," and for nearly three months the +Brigade remained in this same part of the line. The sector had its name +from a much battered coal mine, the Cité St. Elie, which stood just +inside the German lines opposite. About five hundred yards on our right, +the Vermelles-Hulluch road crossed No Man's Land, while a similar +distance on our left, Fosse 8 and its slag heaps formed the chief +feature. All through 1916 active mining operations had been carried out +along the whole front, and though there was now a deadlock underground, +the craters still remained a bone of contention; each side tried to +retain its hold on the near lip. Our right Company held a line of six of +these craters, joined together, called "Hairpin" on account of their +shape on the aeroplane photographs. The centre Company held another +group called Border Redoubt, consisting amongst other things of two +enormous craters, the Northern and Southern. Between these two groups +lay "Rats' Creek," a short length of trench, 200 yards from the enemy, +and without a crater. The left Company held another isolated +post--"Russian Sap"--500 yards from the centre and not connected with it +by any usable trench. The old front line between Border and Hairpin, via +Rats' Creek, a distance of 400 yards, could be used by liaison patrols +at night, but was impossible by day. + +The various posts in "Hairpin" were connected by an underground tunnel +with four exits to the trench, while another with two exits did the same +for Border Redoubt. From each of these, a 300-yard tunnel ran Westwards +to what had been the old support line, where they were connected +underground by another long passage--Feetham Tunnel. A branch of the +Border tunnel led to "Rats' Creek." At various points along these +tunnels exits were built up to fortified shell holes, occupied by Lewis +gun teams; these were our only supports. Down below lived Company +Headquarters, the garrison, one or two tunnelling experts and the +specialists, stokes mortars, machine gunners and others. It was a +dreadful existence. The passages were damp and slippery, the walls +covered in evil-looking red and yellow spongey fungus, the roof too low +to allow one to walk upright, the ventilation practically non existent, +the atmosphere, always bad, became in the early mornings intolerable, +all combined to ruin the health of those who had to live there. But not +only was one's health ruined, one's "nerves" were seriously impaired, +and the tunnels had a bad effect on one's moral. Knowing we could always +slip down a staircase to safety, we lost the art of walking on top, we +fancied the dangers of the open air much greater than they really were, +in every way we got into bad condition. + +The entrance to this tunnel system was at the end of our only +communication trench, Stansfield Road, a deep well-gridded trench +running all the way from Vermelles. Battalion Headquarters lived in it, +in a small deep dug-out, 200 yards from the tunnel entrance, and at its +junction with the only real fire trench, O.B.1, the reserve line. In +this trench the reserve Company lived in a group of dug-outs, near the +Dump, called Exeter Castle. The left Company, with one platoon in +Russian Sap and the remainder back in O.B.1, alone had no tunnels. But +after our first few tours, the system was altered, and the support +Company, living in tunnels, provided the Russian Sap garrison. Battalion +Headquarters had a private tunnel, part of the mining system, leading to +Feetham, which could be used in emergency, but as this was unlit, it was +quicker to use the trench. The main tunnel system was lit, or rather +supposed to be lit, with electric light. This often failed, and produced +of course indescribable chaos. + +Although the tunnels had all these disadvantages, it is only fair to say +that they reduced our casualties enormously, for during the three +months we lost only three officers slightly wounded and eighteen men; of +these at least four were hit out on patrol. We also managed to live far +more comfortably as regards food than we should otherwise have been +able. Elaborate kitchens were built in Stansfield Road, and hot tea, +soup, the inevitable stew, biscuit pudding, and other "luxuries," were +carried up in hot food containers to the most forward posts. The only +difficulty was with Russian Sap, for its approach, Gordon Alley, was in +a bad state; but as the garrison was there at night only, they needed +nothing more than "midnight tea," and this could be taken to them over +the top. + +A light railway ran all the way from Sailly Labourse to Vermelles, and +thence to the various forward dumps, ours at Exeter Castle. Rations and +R.E. material were loaded at Sailly, taken by train to the Mansion House +Dump at Vermelles, and then by mule-drawn trucks to the front. The +Exeter Dump was lively at times, especially when a machine gunner on +Fosse 8 slag heap, popularly known as Ludendorf, was pointing his gun in +that direction. But beyond a mule falling on its back into O.B.1, we had +no serious troubles, and got our rations every night with great +regularity. + +The enemy were not very active, although they were reported to be the +6th Bavarians, "Prince Rupprecht's Specials." An occasional patrol was +met, and our parties were sometimes bombed, but on the whole the Boche +confined his energies to machine gun fire at night, scattered shelling +at any time, and heavy trench mortaring, mostly by day. Fortunately +there was not much mortaring at night, and what there was we managed to +avoid by carefully watching the line of flight, as betrayed by the +burning fuse. These heavy mortar shells with their terrific explosion +and enormous crater were very terrifying, and few soldiers could face +them with the indifference shown to other missiles. One exception was +them with the utmost scorn, and used to fire "rapid" with a rifle at +them, as they came through the air. + +All this time the system of holding the Brigade sector was to have two +Battalions in the line, one in Brigade support, and one resting at +Fouquičres. Thus, one rested every eighteen days for six days, while +one's trench tour was broken by six days in the middle in Brigade +support. This last meant Battalion Headquarters and two Companies in +Philosophe, the remainder in Curly Crescent, a support trench several +hundred yards behind O.B.1. Philosophe was a dirty place, but had the +advantage of being much less shelled than the neighbouring Vermelles, +and we were not much molested. + +Fouquičres was always pleasant. The Chateau and its tennis court and +grounds made a delightful Battalion Headquarters, and the Companies had +very comfortable billets in the village. We played plenty of football, +and were within easy reach of Béthune, at this time a very fashionable +town. The 25th Divisional Pierrots occupied the theatre which was packed +nightly, and the Club, the "Union Jack" Shop, and other famous +establishments, not to mention the "Oyster Shop," provided excellent +fare at wonderfully exorbitant prices. + +During these three months we received many new officers, some of them +staying for a few days before passing on to Tank Corps, Flying Corps, or +Machine Gun Corps, others proving themselves worthy of our best +traditions. One party in particular, 2nd. Lieuts. F.G. Taylor, H.C. +Davies, G.K. Dunlop, and W.R. Todd, provided four who came to stay, a +very valuable asset, when so many merely looked in for tea and then went +away. Others who came to fight were 2nd Lieuts. W. Norman, A.J. Mace, +J.S. Argyle, C.D. Boarland, J.G. Christy, A. Asher, A.M. Edwards, and, +later, Lieut. P. Measures, who had been with us in 1916 for a few weeks. +Col. Trimble and Capt. Moore each had a month's leave, and Major +Griffiths, after commanding during the Colonel's absence, went to +Aldershot for a three months' course. Capt. Burnett became 2nd in +Command with the acting rank of Major. Capt. Hills, the Adjutant, +returned from England and resumed his duties, while Captain Wollaston +took charge of "B" Company for a short time, and then went to the Army +School, where he stayed as an Instructor and was lost to us. Captain +Barrowcliffe came to us for a short time in command of "D" Company, but +then went to the Army School, and handed the Company over to Lieut. +Brooke, who had been granted an M.C. and three weeks' leave for his +Hulluch patrols. 2nd Lieut. Campbell went to Hospital with the results +of gas poisoning and had to go to England, whither also went 2nd Lieuts. +Rawson and Gibson who were invalided. A great loss to us was our Doctor, +Captain Morgan, who had been with us for many months and was now sent to +Mesopotamia, and was replaced by a succession of stop-gaps until we +finally got the invaluable W.B. Jack. There were changes, too, in the +ranks. Most important was the departure of R.S.M. Small, D.C.M., our +Serjeant Major since mobilization. He had been unwell for some time and +at length had to go to Hospital and home to England. Debarred by his age +from taking a Commission, for which he was so well suited, he had +rendered three years' very faithful service to the Battalion, untiring +alike in action and on the parade ground, and popular with all, +officers, N.C.O.'s and men. He was succeeded by C.S.M. H.G. Lovett, +formerly of "B" Company, and latterly serving with the 2nd/5th +Battalion. At the same time, Serjt. N. Yeabsley, a very capable horseman +and horse master, came to us from the 4th Battalion as Transport +Serjeant. + +This long tour of trench warfare was not entirely devoid of interest, +and several little incidents occurred to break the monotony. The first +was a big "strafe" on the 25th of August, when for some unknown reason +the enemy shelled Stansfield Road very vigorously, and obtained a direct +hit on "C" Company Headquarters. Lieuts. Banwell and Edge were occupying +the dug-out at the time, and were both shaken, though the former as +usual did not take long to recover. Lieut. Edge, however, was sent to +the Stores for a time and for some months acted as Transport Officer. On +another occasion, 2nd Lieut. Norman was firing rifle grenades from +"Hairpin" craters, when he received one in reply, and had to go to +England with one or two pieces in him. + +Except for these two incidents, all other excitement occurred in No +Man's Land, where we had patrols every night in the hopes of catching a +Boche. The first to meet the enemy was 2nd Lieut. Mandy, who was almost +surrounded by a large party of them just North of Northern crater. He +managed to fight his way out, though for a time he lost one of his +party, Pte. Brotheridge, who did some fighting on his own and returned +to us at dawn. After a time, tired of finding no one, our patrols became +more venturesome, and most nights entered the German lines at some point +or other. "A" and "C" Companies worked mostly round the Hairpin craters, +and Lieuts. Banwell and Russell, 2nd Lieuts. Dunlop and Norman, all +explored the enemy's front line. On one occasion Capt. Petch himself +accompanied Lieut. Russell and Serjeant Toon to look at the enemy, and +for a change found his front line held. They were caught peering over +the parapet, and got a warm reception. Both officers were slightly +wounded and had to go to England. Meanwhile, Lieut. Banwell took command +of "A" Company. He, too, on another occasion explored the same piece of +trench and found it empty, nor could he attract any enemy, though he and +his party shouted, whistled and made noises of every description. + +Border Redoubt and Rats' Creek were the hunting ground of "B" and "D" +Companies, and here Lieuts. Ball and Measures more than once nearly +captured a Boche post. But the enemy was too alert, and slipped away +always down some tunnel or deep dug-out. But the best patrolling was +done from Russian Sap, by 2nd Lieut. Cole and his gang from "D" Company, +including Serjt. Burbidge, Cpl. Foster, L/Cpl. Haynes, Ptes. Thurman, +Oldham and others. They had very bad luck, for on two occasions they lay +in wait for the enemy in his own front line and he never came, though he +had occupied the post the previous night, and the party, wet through and +frozen, had to return empty handed except for a bomb or two. + +There was one other unusual occurrence before we left the St. Elie +sector. We were visited one day by a local newspaper reporter, Mr. +Wilkes of the "Leicester Mail," who came to see us in trenches, and was +introduced to the tunnels and all the "grim horrors" of trench warfare. +It seemed curious to see a civilian in a grey suit, adorned with a steel +helmet and box respirator, wandering about the communication trenches. + +On the 14th of November, while in Brigade Support at Philosophe, we were +ordered to reconnoitre the "Hill 70" sector, with a view to taking over +the line from the Sherwood Foresters. The same day we moved to some +particularly cold and uncomfortable huts at Mazingarbe, going to the +line the next night. Our route lay along the main Lens road past Fosse +III. and Fosse VII., then by tracks past Privet Castle to Railway Alley. +This endless communication trench led all the way past the famous Loos +Crucifix, still standing, to what had been the front line before the +Canadian attack. Thence various other alleys led to the front line. Our +new sector was by no means luxurious. There was a front line trench and +portions of a reserve line, all rather the worse for wear, while the +communication trenches, "Hurrah" and "Humbug" Alleys, were unspeakably +filthy. The whole area at the top of the hill was an appalling mess of +tangled machinery from Puits 14 bis, battered trenches, the remains of +two woods, Bois Hugo and Bois Razé, and shell holes of every size and +shape. There was mud and wet chalk everywhere, and a very poor water +supply for drinking purposes. What few dug-outs existed were the usual +small German front line post's funk holes, and all faced the wrong way. +It was a bad place. There was, however, one redeeming feature. From the +hill we could see everything, Hulluch, Wingles, Vendin and Cité St. +Auguste lay spread out before us; we could see the slightest movement. +Behind the hill, Support Companies were out of sight, and those not +actually in the front line could almost all wander about on top without +fear of being seen. Furthermore, there were no tunnels. We spent all our +time working, for there was much to be done. Our chief tasks were +clearing out existing trenches and digging new communication trenches +where they were wanted. Digging was both difficult, for the ground was +sodden, and dangerous on account of the number of "dud" shells and bombs +everywhere. Two men of "B" Company were injured by the explosion of a +grenade which one of them struck with a shovel, and the next day Captain +Moore had a miraculous escape. Clearing the trench outside his Company +Headquarters, at the junction of "Horse" and "Hell" Alleys, he put his +pick clean through a Mills bomb; fortunately it did not explode. Padre +Buck also had a busy time, for there were many unburied dead still lying +about. Hearing of one body some sixty yards out in No Man's Land, where +it had been found by a patrol, the Padre went out with his orderly, +Darby, to bury it. It was a misty morning, and they were unmolested +until suddenly the mist lifted and they were seen. Darby was wounded in +the head, and they were heavily fired on, but this did not worry the +Padre, who brought his orderly back to our lines, and came in without a +scratch. + +We remained only seven days in this sector, and did not come into +contact with the enemy at all at close quarters. A few bombs were thrown +in the Bois Hugo trenches, and a raid by the 11th Division on our right +caused a considerable amount of retaliation to fall on our heads, but on +the whole the enemy was quiet, and we had practically no casualties. +There was not time to learn the ground well enough to do any extensive +patrolling, though Lieut. Watherstone earned the Divisional Commander's +praise for a bold reconnaissance from the Bois Razé. The transport had +as bad a time as anyone, bringing rations on the light railway through +Loos, which was never a pleasant spot. Once again a mule succeeded in +falling into a trench, and it took R.S.M. Lovett and a party of men more +than an hour to extricate it. + +The 4th Battalion took our places at the end of the tour, and we marched +back to Mazingarbe. Our billets had been slightly improved, and +Headquarters now had a house in the Boulevard, commonly called "Snobs' +Alley." While here a new horse, a large chestnut, which arrived for the +Padre, caused considerable commotion in the Regiment. First he bolted +with the Padre half-way from Mazingarbe to Labourse, when he finally +pulled him up and dismounted. He then refused to move at all, and went +down on his knees to Padre Buck, who was most disconcerted, especially +when the animal moaned as though truly penitent. The next day the +Adjutant tried to ride him, and once more he bolted. This time his +career was short, for horse and rider came down on the Mazingarbe +cobbled high road, and the Adjutant had to go to Chocques hospital with +a broken head, and was away for a week. + +During his absence we lost Colonel Trimble, who, much against his will, +was ordered to take command of his own Battalion, the 1st East +Yorkshires. He had been with us for seven months, and we were all very +fond of him and very sorry indeed when he had to go. Worse still, there +seemed no chance of Col. Jones returning to us. For six weeks, September +and October, he had been close to us in Noeux les Mines, attached to the +1st Battalion, and more than once had come over to see us, but now the +6th Division had moved away and we did not know their whereabouts. The +matter was finally settled by the arrival of a new Commanding Officer in +the same car which came to fetch Col. Trimble. Lieut. Colonel R.W. +Currin, D.S.O., of the York and Lancaster Regiment, had come to take +command. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +CAMBRIN RIGHT. + +1st Dec., 1917. 12th April, 1918. + + +Colonel Currin, our new Commanding Officer, was a South African, a large +man of enormous physical strength. He at once terrified us with his +language, which can only be described as volcanic, and won our respect +by his wonderful fearlessness. Of this last there was no question. In +trenches, he would wander about, with his hands in his pockets, often +with neither helmet nor gas-bag, and quite heedless of whether or no the +enemy could see him. More than once he was shot at, and more than once +he had a narrow escape at the hands of some hostile sniper, but this +appeared to have no effect on him, and after such an escape he was just +as reckless as before. He had withal a kind heart and a great sense of +humour. + +A few days before his arrival we had moved from Mazingarbe to Drouvin +and Vaudricourt, and here we were now warned that on the 1st December +General Thwaites would inspect the Brigade in review order. A rehearsal +was carried out in a field near Noeux les Mines, a rehearsal so amusing +in many ways, that the Colonel loved to tell the story of what he called +his first experience with the 5th Battalion: "On approaching the parade +ground I sent forward A----, who was acting Adjutant, to find where we +were to fall in. My Adjutant was in Hospital as the result of falling +off his horse. When I reached the field, I saw an officer galloping +about waving his arms, but whether he was signalling to me, or trying to +manage his horse I could not tell, so sent Burnett to find out. +Burnett's horse promptly stumbled, fell and rolled on him, so I went +myself and found the luckless A---- quite incapable of managing his +pony. I told him to dismount, while I marched the Battalion into place, +but subsequently found he had not done so because he couldn't! +Eventually the Serjeant-Major seized him round the waist, someone else +led the pony forward, and A---- was left in the Serjeant-Major's arms and +lowered to the ground. All this in front of the Brigade drawn up for a +ceremonial parade!" The parade itself also had its amusing side, chiefly +owing to the ignorance of certain Staff Officers on matters of drill. +However, a friendly crump, arriving in the next field, put an end to the +proceedings, and we marched home. + +After all this bother the actual inspection was cancelled and we went +into trenches again instead. Our sector this time was Cambrin, called +after the village next North of Vermelles, and the sector immediately on +the left of our last--St. Elie. On the morning of the 1st of December we +marched to Annequin, on the Beuvry-La Bassée Road, and relieved some +Loyal North Lancashires, Worcestershires and Portuguese in the Brigade +support positions. The Headquarters and two Companies were in Annequin +village, the other two Companies in two groups of dug-outs, "Maison +Rouge" and "Factory," about 500 yards East of Cambrin. We only stayed +here twenty-four hours and then went into the front line, "Cambrin +Right" sub-sector. + +Cambrin Right was very like St. Elie Left with the good points left out. +The right Company had tunnels but they were not safe, though just as +smelly as our old ones. It was the same on the left, while in the +centre, there were deep enough tunnels, but they were unconnected with +anything and unlit. The front line consisted mostly of craters, a large +series of which occupied what had once been the Hohenzollern Redoubt. At +intervals along the lips were odd posts, each at the end of a short +trench leading back into Northampton trench or the tunnel system. The +right group of tunnels, the Savile tunnel, started half-way up Savile +Row, a communication trench which had originally run from the Reserve +line to Northampton trench, but now stopped at the tunnel entrance. The +centre group had no name, started from Northampton trench, and had no +proper communication trench. The left group was the "Quarry" tunnel +system, starting from the old quarry and running leftwards from the +Northern edge of the Hohenzollern craters almost to our posts opposite +Mad Point. The left Company had no posts actually on crater lips, though +they had one or two craters in No Man's Land. "Quarry" Alley led to the +"Quarry" and a newly dug trench ran from this to Northampton near the +centre tunnels, but it was in bad condition and seldom used. As a rule, +those who wished to visit the centre went through either Savile or +Quarry tunnels to get there. One other trench led forward from the +Reserve Line, Bart's Alley, but this ended in a large pile of sandbags +and one of the Tunnelling Company's private entrances to the mining +galleries. Between the Reserve Line and Northampton a few ends of gas +piping, sticking out of the ground, showed where our 1915 front line had +been, from which we had attacked on the 13th October. The two flank +Company Headquarters were in the tunnels, the centre Company in a deep +dug-out in Northampton trench. The Reserve Company, with one platoon of +each of the front line Companies, lived in the Reserve Line. + +The Reserve Line was about the best trench in the sector. It was deep, +well traversed, and had many good dug-outs. It also contained our +cook-houses and dumps. The light railway from Vermelles, on which came +rations and "R.E. material," ran along behind it, so that Company +Quartermaster Serjeants could deliver their rations to the reserve +platoon of their Company, and there was no fear of a carrying party from +another Company "pinching" some of the rum. Westwards from this trench +ran three communication trenches, all in good condition, Bart's Alley, +Left Boyau and Quarry Alley, all leading to the Vermelles broad gauge +railway line, whose hedges concealed Sussex trench. Here, in some very +elegant, but not very shell-proof dug-outs, lived Battalion +Headquarters. The officers' bedrooms, and the Mess were on one side, the +offices on the other. Here, Corporal Lincoln and Pte. Allbright, the +Orderly Room clerks, took it in turn to look after the papers, keep the +fire alight and generally make a happy home out of a crazy shanty with a +wobbly roof and a door facing the Boche. Many would have preferred to go +elsewhere in case of shelling, but these two never left their papers, +though more than once the roof came perilously near being whisked off by +some whizz-bang. Philosopher James Lincoln was particularly +imperturbable, as he sat surrounded by pipes and beautifully-sharpened +pencils, discussing the weather and the crops with any who chanced to +pass by. + +Further down this same trench Serjeant Archer and "Buller" Clarke looked +after the bombs, not quite such a popular weapon now-a-days, and the +Pioneers under Serjeant Waterfield and L/Cpl. Wakefield had their home +next door. Here also was Serjeant Wilbur and that very hard working body +of men the Signallers, "strafed" by everybody when telephones went +wrong, and seldom praised during months and months without a mishap. +Then came Serjeant Major Lovett in a small dug-out by himself, and near +him Serjeant Bennett and the Regimental Police; the latter in trenches +became general handy men, carrying rations, acting as gas sentries, and +doing all the odd jobs. Round the corner a large dug-out with two +entrances provided the Canteen with a home large enough to contain, when +it was procurable, a barrel or two of beer. L/Cpls. Hubbard and Collins +and the runners lived wherever they could find an empty shelter, and as +usual spent most of their time carrying messages or showing visitors +round the lines. + +There was one other trench, Railway Alley. This, like its namesake to +"Hill 70," was of enormous length. It started at Cambrin, passed the +Factory and Factory Dug-outs, and, following the Annequin-Haisnes +Railway to its junction with the Vermelles Line, acted as dividing line +between the two halves of the Brigade Sector. From the left Battalion +Headquarters to the front line, an often much battered part of it, it +belonged to the left sector. Our Headquarters had a private trench +running to it, "Kensington Walk," deep and completely covered with +brushwood by way of camouflage. + +In the St. Elie sector we had been three months almost without an +incident of any importance; we were only six weeks in Cambrin, and every +tour contained some item of interest. We started disastrously. On the +night after relief Lieut. Watherston was visiting "B" Company's posts in +the centre sector, when a party of the enemy crept up to and suddenly +rushed the Lewis Gun Section he had just visited. Lieut. Watherston +turned back, drew his revolver, and rushed into the fight, but was +himself shot through the head and killed instantaneously. He had fired +three shots with his revolver, but was unable to stop the enemy who, +having wounded the sentry and blown the N.C.O. off the firestep with a +bomb, now escaped, taking the Lewis Gun with them. The N.C.O., Cpl. +Watts, got up and gave chase, but lost touch with the enemy amongst the +craters, and after being nearly killed himself had to return +empty-handed. Our predecessors in the line seemed to have made no effort +to wire this part of the line at all, presumably thinking the line of +craters a sufficient protection. A few nights later 2nd Lieut. Boarland +reconnoitred the whole area with a patrol, and found that not only had +the Boche got a well-worn track across No Man's Land between two +craters, but close to the raided post had fitted up a small dug-out with +a blanket and a coat in it. This would, of course, have been impossible +had the previous occupants of the line done any patrolling; we suffered +through their gross negligence. + +Towards the end of the same tour, the enemy made another very similar +attempt against our extreme right pasts held by "A" Company. L/Cpl. +Beale and Pte. Foster were with their gun on the parapet, when they were +suddenly rushed by three or four of the enemy who had crept close up to +them, and were on top of them before they could open fire. L/Cpl. Beale +used his fists on a German who seized him round the throat, but was then +shot in the chest and fell backwards on the rest of the section who were +coming to help. The Germans tried to carry off the gun, but Foster put +up a fight, and they dropped it just outside the trench. However, one of +them managed to knock Foster on the head, and, before help could arrive, +he was carried off as a prisoner. Once again we suffered through the +carelessness of our predecessors, for in this case, too, there was no +protective barbed wire. We spent every night of the tour wiring hard, +but could not of course finish the whole sector in five days. + +The tour also contained a very severe Artillery and Trench Mortar +bombardment, which seriously damaged our left and centre trenches. But +more serious than this was the loss to "B" Company of L/Cpl. J.T. +Pawlett, one of the best Lewis Gun N.C.O.'s in the Battalion, who was +mortally wounded during the shelling. A few days later we lost another +excellent Lewis Gun N.C.O., L/Cpl. Stredder, of "D" Company, who went to +England wounded, fortunately not very seriously. + +The tour ended on the 8th, and for the next six days we remained in +Brigade Support, Annequin, Maison Rouge, and Factory Dug-outs. Even here +we were not left in peace, for on two occasions the enemy opened very +heavy bombardments against the Cambrin sector. The second occasion, the +night of the 12th/13th of December, this was so terrific, and so much +gas was used, that we had to "stand to" at midnight, while many +messages, "Poison Cambrin" etc., were flying about. The damage to +trenches, and more particularly to the tunnels, caused by this +bombardment was very great, as we soon learnt when, two nights later, we +returned to the line. Savile tunnel was blown in in several places, and +the Company Headquarters completely cut off and unusable. The tunnel +entrances were shattered, and the whole system so badly damaged as to be +almost useless except as dug-outs for the various posts. Quarry tunnel +was not so badly damaged, but several of the left posts had been +isolated by having the main connecting tunnel blown in behind them. +Fortunately the front line trench on the left was still in existence, +and could be used instead of the tunnels. Finally, Northampton trench +was literally obliterated in the centre, and a famous "island" traverse, +no small earth-work, so completely wiped out that we could never +afterwards discover its exact whereabouts. + +Once more we had bad luck at the start of the tour, for we had only been +a few hours in the line when a shell on Quarry Alley caught a small +party of men coming down. Signaller Newton and Stretcher Bearer Cooke +were killed outright, and Serjeant Woolley, acting Serjeant Signaller +while Serjeant Wilbur was away, was wounded and had to go to Hospital. +In addition to the wiring we now had the tunnels to dig out, and there +was so much work to do that we had to have assistance from Brigade; this +took the form of a Brigade Wiring Platoon and a Company of +Monmouthshires. On one occasion these two parties, both of course +working "on top," saw fit to imagine each other were Boche, and a small +fight ensued. Fortunately no one was injured, though one of the +Monmouthshires was only saved from a bullet through the head by his +steel helmet. + +The rest of the tour passed off quickly, and the irrepressible Capt. +Brooke and 2nd Lieut. Cole of "D" Company started once more wandering +about No Man's Land and the enemy's lines. They did the most incredible +things, and gained invaluable information about the enemy, though +awkward questions were often asked about the name of the "one other +rank" who, according to the patrol reports, accompanied 2nd Lieut. Cole +on these expeditions. + +Our Christmas "rest" was spent in Beuvry, and here we arrived on the +20th of December at the end of our second tour. Our first duty was to +inspect a large draft of 140 N.C.O.'s and men who had come to us while +we had been in the line. Most of them came from the 11th (Pioneer) +Battalion of the Regiment, and were men of good physique, very well +trained, and excellent alike at drill, work, games, and in the line. +During the whole time we were in France we never had a better draft than +this. Meanwhile, although the enemy were apparently willing to allow us +a Christmas rest, and kindly refrained from bombarding our billets, the +higher command were not so gracious, and we had much work to do. Ever +since the defection of Russia, the Staff had realized the possibility of +a German offensive on a large scale, and every effort was being made to +organize our defences. With this object, a new "village line" had been +built, including Cambrin, Annequin, Vermelles and other villages, and +this had now to be wired. Accordingly, on the night of the 22nd/23rd +December, the whole Battalion marched up to this line by parties, and +worked hard for several hours putting out a "double apron fence." So +well had Major Zeller and his Engineers organized the work, and so well +did the Battalion work, mainly thanks to the newly arrived Pioneers who +were experts, that we did an incredible amount during the night, and +received the congratulations of the G.O.C. on our efforts. + +The actual Christmas festivities had to be held on Christmas Eve, as we +were due to go into trenches on the morning of Boxing Day. Everything +combined to make the day a great success. Plum puddings arrived from +England, large pigs, which Major Burnett had been leading about on a +string for some days, were turned into the most delicious pork, and +there was plenty of beer. The Serjeants' Mess also had a very lively +dinner in the evening, though one Company Quarter Master Serjeant spent +much of his time dragging the Beuvry river for his Company Serjeant +Major whom he had lost. This Warrant Officer was eventually discovered +asleep in an old sentry box, with his false teeth clenched in his hand. +The Germans, in spite of their boast, dropped in a message from an +aeroplane, "to eat their Christmas dinners in Béthune," caused no +disturbance, and did not show the slightest sign of being offensive. +Christmas, 1917, was unique in one respect. We produced a Battalion +Christmas Card for the first and last time during the war. It contained +a picture, drawn by 2nd Lieut. Shilton, of a big-footed Englishman +standing on a slag-heap, from which a Hun was flying as though kicked. +It was very popular. + +Boxing Day, for us "Relief Day," was bitterly cold, and an occasional +blizzard made getting into trenches all the more difficult. The ground +was covered with snow, and each night there was a bright moon, so that +the snipers of both sides were on the watch day and night for the +slightest movement. Our snipers claimed to hit several of the enemy +during the tour, but we, too, had our losses. First, F. Eastwood, M.M., +of "C" Company, a soldier who had scarcely missed a day since the +beginning, was shot through the head and killed outside "C" Company +Headquarters in Northampton trench. A few nights later, on the 30th +December, Lieut. P. Measures, commanding "B" Company, was sniped while +fixing a sniper's post in the front line, and also killed instantly. He +had not been with us very long, but both he and Lieut. Watherston had +proved themselves very keen subaltern officers, and both had been +praised by the General for their work on patrol. Lieut. T.H. Ball +temporarily took command of "B" Company. + +Whenever work was possible--it was often too light even at night--we +worked at two new trenches, "Cardiff" and "Currin," connecting Bart's +Alley with Savile tunnel, as an alternative to Savile Row. These had +been dug by the Monmouthshires, and now had to be wired, and here, also, +we suffered at the hands of a German sniper. Serjeant W.E. Cave, a very +fine N.C.O. of "A" Company, was killed with a wiring party, and one or +two others had narrow escapes. The New Year, 1918, was ushered in with +several bursts of machine gun fire at midnight, but nothing of +importance occurred. + +Our stay at Annequin was once again disturbed, this time more +disastrously than before. A curious accident occurred on the 6th of +January, when three of our aeroplanes collided and fell near the +village. The enemy as usual opened fire at once with one or two +batteries, and an unlucky shell fell amongst our Headquarter runners as +they were leaving their billet. The two Corporals escaped, Collins with +a slight wound and Hubbard untouched, but W. Raven, M.M., was killed +outright, and A. Grogan, D.C.M., F. Smith, H. Eady, and H. Kirby, so +badly wounded that they died soon afterwards. It is impossible to +estimate the amount of work that these runners had done for the +Battalion, not only as message carriers, but some of them as personal +orderlies to the C.O. and other Headquarter Officers. In Lens they had +proved themselves not only capable of wonderful endurance, but to be +possessed of the greatest courage, fearing neither the enemy himself nor +his barrages. To lose so many at one blow was indeed a severe loss for +the Battalion. After this, there followed two comparatively quiet tours +in trenches with the usual six days at Beuvry in between them. The +enemy's snipers were mastered, and we suffered no more casualties at +their hands, but our bad luck still pursued us, and on the 10th and 11th +January the left of the Reserve Line was badly battered by trench +mortars. The left half Battalion cook-house was blown in, and Serjeant +Growdridge of "D" Company was killed, while several others were wounded. +In Serjeant Growdridge, "D" Company lost a most capable platoon +Serjeant, the leader of many a daring and successful patrol, and of the +highest courage in battle. On the 20th of January we were relieved by +the 11th Division, and, after spending one night in Beuvry, marched +through Béthune to Busnettes, between Chocques and Lillers, for a long +rest. + +We stayed at Busnettes for three weeks, training and playing games, and +doing our best to recover from the ill effects of tunnels and wet +trenches. Our training was carried out on various areas round Chocques +and Allouagne, and near the latter was a good rifle range, over which we +practised for the Associated Rifle Association (A.R.A.) Competition. +This competition was for a platoon, and included rifle and Lewis gun +shooting and bayonet fighting, fire discipline and control, and the +general principles of the advance. The platoon had to fire at various +ranges, advancing from one to the other, and bayoneting sacks on the +way. There were Battalion, Brigade, and Divisional Competitions, and to +the Divisional winners the A.R.A. were to present silver medals. In the +Battalion competition, No. 1 Platoon of "A" Company, under 2nd Lieut. +Roberts and Serjeant H. Beardsmore, was victorious, but the other +competitions could not be held until February, after our next move. +Finally, this same platoon, beating the other Battalions in the Brigade, +beat also the Staffordshires' and Sherwood Foresters' best platoons, and +carried off the silver medals. + +At this time there were several important changes in the Battalion. +First, we were very glad indeed to see Captains Tomson and Petch back +again with us, the former to command "B," the latter to "A" Company. At +the same time, Capt. Barrowcliffe returned to the Royal Engineers. +Lieuts. C.S. Allen and R.W. Edge went to England for six months, and 2nd +Lieut. Todd became Transport Officer. We also received a large draft +from the 2nd/5th Battalion. Finding that it was impossible to obtain +sufficient recruits to supply all the Battalions formed at the beginning +of the war, each Brigade was now reduced to three Battalions, and we +lost from our Brigade the 4th Lincolnshires. In the 59th Division, the +2nd/5th Leicestershires were broken up and divided into drafts for the +4th Battalion and ourselves. Capts. J.A. Ball and W.H. Oliver, Lieuts. +S.G.H. Steel and A.D. Pierrepont, 2nd Lieuts. A.B. Bedford, H. Coxell, +K. Ashdowne, and, later, A.E. Hawley and Everett came to us, bringing +with them 200 N.C.O.'s and men. Amongst the latter were several +Serjeants, one of them, Serjeant T. Marston, M.M., destined to add +further laurels to the honours he had already won with the 2nd/5th. +There were also several "old hands" who returned to us, amongst them, +Privates Garfield and Law of "D" Company, both original members of the +1914 Battalion. These reinforcements enabled us to form again four +platoons per Company, and we became once more a full Battalion. + +Another batch of reinforcements, which arrived at Busnettes, contained +several drummers of the 1st and 3rd Battalions. We already had a few, +and L/Cpl. Perry was given the rank of Serjeant Drummer and formed a +Corps of Drums. With Drummer Price, an expert of many years' service +with the side drum, and L/Cpl. Tyers, an old bandsman, to help him, he +soon produced an excellent Corps, and all of them worked hard and keenly +to make a good show. Within a week they played us on route marches and +appeared at guard-mounting. Within two months they played at Mess, and +the Fifes gave several very good concerts. + +While in the Busnettes area, we were in Reserve for the 1st Army, and in +case of attack were liable to be sent to support the Portuguese on the +Neuve Chapelle-La Bassée front. In case of this, the C.O. and Adjutant +spent a day reconnoitering the Locon, le Hamel, le Touret area and its +keeps and strong points, many of which we afterwards occupied when the +Portuguese had been driven out. + +On the 8th of February, we moved to Fiefs through Lillers, and the +following day marched to Reclinghem in the Bomy training area. The march +took the form of a tactical field day, and we ended by taking up an +outpost position on the river Lys at Reclinghem, where "B" and "D" +Companies and Headquarters were billeted. The other two Companies were +at Vincly, a little more than a mile further South. A fortnight later, +to the great regret of all ranks, Colonel Currin had to leave us, after +being only three months in command. During this time we had become very +fond of him, and there is no doubt that his never-failing cheerfulness, +his reckless courage, and the atmosphere of "the fighting spirit" which +always accompanied him, did more than anything else could have done to +raise our "fighting spirit" to a high pitch. His successor, Lieut. Col. +G.B.G. Wood, D.S.O., of the Lancashire Fusiliers, had commanded the +2nd/5th Battalion until he was wounded, and now, returning to France, +was sent to us as his Battalion had been broken up. + +Towards the end of February, the Staff became more than ever convinced +that the enemy intended making a big spring offensive, and our training +was devoted almost entirely to counter-attack practice and the +re-taking a line of trenches which had been temporarily lost. We had +several large field days near Bomy, with this as the general idea, and +would have had several more had not the Division been suddenly recalled +to the line. On the 1st March, in a snow storm, we marched to +Ligny-les-Aire, and the next day moved on again to Ecquedecques, where +we stayed three days. Our billets were fairly comfortable, but there +were very few for the officers; this, however, was soon righted after +the first night, when we discovered many officers' billets occupied by +Serjeants of an A.S.C. Company who were permanent "garrison" of the +village. + +On the 5th of March we marched through Lillers and Béthune again to +Beuvry and, after staying one night there, moved the following day to +Annequin and Sailly Labourse, where we were responsible for the defence +of the Annequin locality. The 1st Corps scheme of defence was a series +of fortified localities, Philosophe, Cambrin, Annequin, Noyelles, and +many others further West as far as Vaudricourt. Each locality had its +trenches, dug-outs, stores of ammunition and rations, and was ready for +defence at any moment. The German offensive was expected to start any +day, and the "wind" was terribly "up." This, however, did not prevent +the Infantry from amusing themselves whenever possible, and though the +higher authorities may have been sleeping in their boots, we managed to +get some football. General Rowley gave a cup for a Brigade Company +Competition, and, while at Sailly, our "A" Company beat Brigade +Headquarters in the "final," after which "Tinker" Evans, the captain of +the team, received the cup from the Brigadier. + +The following morning we went once more to the line, back into the +familiar Cambrin right sector. Unfortunately there was now a change. The +Engineers, in an endeavour to make Headquarters less elegant and more +shell-proof, had thrown up so much white chalk, that they had attracted +the attention of the German artillery, who had promptly shelled the +place out of existence. The Headquarters now lived in the old left +Headquarters under Railway Alley. We had only two Companies in the line, +one in support, and one in Reserve near the Factory; we were thus +organized "in depth" to meet the coming offensive. + +The enemy's artillery had certainly become more active during our two +months' absence, and he was now using far more gas shells than before. +These were of three sorts: "Green Cross," the most deadly, was filled +with phosgene; "Blue Cross," the least harmful, with arsenic; both these +were very light gases and soon blew away. Far more dangerous were the +"Yellow Cross," mustard shells, which now made their appearance in ever +increasing numbers. The mustard hung round the shell holes and was not +blown away; in cold weather it had no effect, but as soon as the sun +came out it became exceedingly powerful. A mustard shell falling on +frozen snow might have no effect until the thaw came several weeks +later, when it would be just as powerful as if it had only just been +fired. A very little of this gas was sufficient to cause temporary +blindness and loss of voice, burns and bad blisters. Much of it was +fatal. During this tour, however, we did not suffer any casualties, and +nothing of any importance occurred until our last morning before relief, +the 16th of March. + +At about 1-0 a.m. on this morning, Privates Culpeck and Johnson were +sentries together at one of "D" Company's Lewis gun posts. Hearing a +noise in the wire, one of them challenged, and, receiving no answer, +fired his Lewis gun. Two minutes later, two Boche, one an unwounded +warrant officer, the other a wounded soldier, were being escorted down +Railway Alley to Headquarters. Neither of the two prisoners would say +much, but what they did say still further confirmed the opinion of the +Staff that the attack was soon coming. + +"Brigade Support" now consisted of the Headquarters and two Companies in +Sailly Labourse, the remainder at Windy Corner near Factory Dug-outs. To +this last area went Major Griffiths and the Right Half Battalion. They +had an unpleasant time and were more than once heavily shelled, on one +occasion having a narrow escape. The officers were sitting in a dug-out +when an armour piercing field gun shell passed through the roof and out +of the door, hurting no one. Major Griffiths and 2nd Lieut. Dunlop +received slight scratches, as also did Adams, one of the batmen, but no +serious damage was done. After four days of this, the 5th Lincolnshires +relieved us, and we marched to Beuvry to be in Divisional Reserve. While +here, the new Battalion distinguishing marks arrived from England, and +were taken into use--a half-inch yellow ring, two inches in +diameter--worn just under the shoulder on the sleeve. They were rather +bright at first, and earned us the name (amongst other ruder epithets) +of the "Corn-plasters." + +On arrival at Beuvry we were told that the Major General would inspect +us at Fouquičres two days later, the 22nd of March. This was +considerably more alarming than the prospect of the German offensive, +and we at once started training, cleaning equipment, and revising our +platoon organisation. Meanwhile, the offensive did begin in the South, +and the Boche on the morning of the 22nd actually launched a big raid +against the Divisional front. However, the Inspection was not postponed, +as we had hoped, and for several hours we performed at Fouquičres. Our +ceremonial was by no means bad, considering we had done none for months +it was very good, but what most pleased General Thwaites was our +organization. In vain he tried to find mistakes. Soldier after soldier +was asked "Who is your Section Commander?" "Who takes charge if he is +killed?" "When will it be your turn to take charge?" etc. etc., and +soldier after soldier answered promptly and correctly. The result was a +good word for all of us, and we went back to billets much relieved and +feeling quite elated. + +Meanwhile, the morning's raid had left a prisoner in our hands, and he +had now caused about as much sensation as one man could, by stating +quite definitely that the Boche would attack from the la Bassée Canal to +"Hill 70" on the 25th of March with three Divisions. We went into the +Cambrin sector again on the 24th, this time with three Companies in the +line. News of the disaster to the 5th Army in the South had reached us, +and what with Generals coming round to pay farewell visits, and +conferences every few hours, everything was as depressing as possible. +Curiously enough we were not depressed, and, though most of us regarded +the attack as a certainty, the private soldiers were particularly more +cheerful than usual. Late at night we were ordered to withdraw all +except the tunnel sentries from the front line, so as to minimise the +casualties during the enemy's preliminary bombardment, and to +concentrate everything on the defence of the Reserve Line, which must be +held at all costs. Some of the N.C.O.'s and men grumbled a little at +what they called giving up the front line, more especially as patrols +reported that the enemy was busy strengthening his wire, which did not +seem the prelude to an attack. Finally, by 2-0 a.m. on the 25th all was +ready. The Staff at Corps Headquarters, ten miles back, slept in their +boots, all support and reserve Battalions moved to "battle" positions +and stood to, we in the line behaved very much as usual. All waited for +dawn. + +Dawn came at last--the quietest since war began, not a shot was fired. +Morning followed and high noon, still no movement; the Staff breathed a +sigh of relief, the Infantry groused, and we occupied our front line, +preparing to pass a normal night. However, this was not to be. We had +scarcely posted our night sentries when at 8-30 p.m. came another +message to say that the prisoner who had originally caused the alarm had +remembered that the attack was for the 26th, not the 25th. All +precautions were to be taken as for the previous night. With this +arrived a long epistle from the Intelligence department, showing that +various new dumps and camouflaged screens had been seen in the German +lines, motor transport had been increased, etc. etc. etc.--all tending +to confirm their wretched prisoner's statement. Once more we evacuated +our front line, once more we waited and once more we were disappointed. +The 26th was as quiet as the 25th, and, except for a humorous telephone +message from "C" Company, which caused much laughter as far back as +Divisional Headquarters, there was nothing to disturb the morning's +peace. + +The following evening the 11th Division took over our sector, and we +marched out--the Headquarters and Left Half Battalion to Sailly, Right +Half to Labourse. It was a cold and rather miserable night, for, owing +to a sudden move of our Q.M. Stores to Noeux les Mines, we had no +blankets. Meanwhile, all schools and classes were closed, and those +students who had not been taken to stop the German advance on Amiens +returned to us. The situation was serious, and another blow was expected +at any moment in the neighbourhood of Vimy. The Canadian Corps was +chosen to oppose this, and we were consequently ordered to relieve any +units of that Corps still left on "Hill 70." But on the 28th March +before relief had started the expected attack came--at Oppy. It was a +miserable failure, we lost a few front line trenches, but our line stood +firm; however, the Canadians were wanted in a hurry and we were sent up +to relieve them at once. The other Battalions went into the front line, +we relieved the 46th Canadians in support round Loos Crassier and +Railway Alley. Relief was complete by 10-35 p.m., an almost incredible +performance, considering that there had been no time for reconnaissance +and practically no arrangements made for guides. + +It had rained hard throughout the relief, but our first two days in the +line were dry and warm, and we managed to dry our clothing and make +ourselves fairly comfortable. The enemy after the failure at Oppy was +very quiet on our front, though his documents captured in that battle +showed that, had he succeeded in his first day's attempt, the second day +was to include an attack on the Hulluch front. So the "state of +readiness" in the Cambrin sector had not been entirely without +justification. On the 31st the weather broke again, but this did not +prevent the Padre holding his Easter services at each of the Company +Headquarters. The following evening we relieved the 5th Lincolnshires in +the "Hill 70" right sub-sector. + +Our new sector was very much the same as the "Hill 70 left," which we +had held in November. The reserve line was the main line of defence, and +was in fairly good condition; the front line was shallow, wet, and +dangerous. Opposite our right and centre was Cité St. Auguste, strongly +held by the enemy; opposite the left, Bois "Dixhuit" and a broken down +farm. There was one tunnel, "Hythe," leading from the reserve line to a +railway cutting in the front line, but except in cases of extreme +emergency this was not intended to be used by the Infantry. Battalion +Headquarters occupied a small and evil smelling German dug-out on the +reverse slope of the hill. Our tour lasted eight days, and almost every +hour was eventful. + +We started the tour with a gas bombardment soon after relief on "C" +Company's support platoon, who occupied an old "pill-box" near Cité St. +Pierre dynamite magazine. The gas appliances were defective at the +dug-out entrance, and several men were slightly gassed. At 8-0 a.m. the +following morning, the 11th Division on our left carried out a very +successful raid. This did not in itself affect us very much, but a +bomb-dropping aeronaut during the raid observed large bodies of troops +massing near Meurchin, a large town behind Hulluch. Immediately the old +alarm about a coming attack was renewed, and we once more were ordered +to be in readiness. However, by evening as nothing had happened, we +resumed normal conditions. + +This same evening we were given an entirely new scheme of defence, +consequent upon the failure of our trench system to stop the enemy's +advance in the South. The front line was to be held by isolated +observation posts only, and there was to be no garrison within effective +trench mortar range of the enemy. We were to consider the Reserve or +"Red" Line the line of defence, and this must be rebuilt if necessary, +to ensure that it was everywhere out of reach of the enemy's +minenwerfer. Our chief difficulty was to find accommodation for the +front line troops as they were withdrawn; however, we cleared out old +dug-outs, and, after a few days of terribly hard work, were able to +comply with the order. + +Meanwhile, the enemy's artillery became very active, and in addition to +frequent gas bombardments of Loos and the Crassier, he harassed our +transport very badly as they came along the main road. Some of this gas +blew back over our lines, and for several hours we lived in an +atmosphere of gas, scarcely noticeable, but none the less dangerous. + +The 5th of April was particularly noisy. At 3-0 a.m. we discharged a +large number of gas projectors on to Bois "Dixhuit" and Cité St. +Auguste, to which the enemy replied by shelling our reserve line, +fortunately doing no damage. In the evening, however, he replied in +earnest, and, just after "C" Company had relieved "B" in the front line, +he put down a "box barrage" round their posts. Coloured lights were +fired in all directions, the noise was terrific, and Captain Moore, +expecting a raid, sent the "S.O.S." This was promptly answered, and +within a few minutes the gunners were hammering away vigorously at the +enemy's lines, until he stopped shooting. Our front line was damaged in +many places, but by extraordinary good fortune we escaped without a +casualty. During the day, however, "A" Company lost another very good +N.C.O. in Serjeant Putt, who was wounded and had to go to Hospital. + +Throughout the 6th the shelling of Loos continued, and the following +morning, in retaliation to a heavy gas projection on our part, the enemy +turned his attention again to our front line. This time we were less +fortunate, and a Lewis gun post of "D" Company was wiped out by a direct +hit: two of the gunners, C.H. Payne and T.P. Hardy, were killed. In the +evening, in spite of a slight West wind, the enemy poured blue cross gas +shells into Loos, and much of the gas again drifted back across the +lines. During the night, Lieut. Banwell, exploring the enemy's lines, +single-handed ran into three of the enemy, who were almost on top of him +before he could use his weapons. However, he managed to make his way +out, and returned to our lines, having lost nothing worse than a little +breath. + +On the 8th of April, the enemy's artillery was never silent. Mustard gas +was fired into the plain East of Vermelles and Philosophe almost without +intermission, while Mazingarbe and Les brebis were similarly bombarded, +only with larger shells. 2nd Lieut. Todd and Serjeant Yeabsley were both +gassed with the transport, the latter so badly that he was several weeks +in Hospital. The following morning in a thick mist the enemy attacked +the Portuguese and drove them from their trenches, pushing his advance +Westwards towards Estaires and Locon. The mustard gas bombardment of the +plain still continued, but the front lines were comparatively quiet. +That night we were relieved by the 4th Battalion, and went once more +into Brigade support. After relief, Capt. A.G. Moore, M.C., and +forty-three other ranks were sent to Hospital with gas poisoning. This +was not due to any one bombardment, but to the fact that for the past +week "Hill 70" had hardly ever been entirely free from gas, and though +never in very large quantities this had gradually taken effect. Capt. +Moore was sent to England, where for some months he was seriously ill +with gas poisoning, and never returned. He and Capt. Shields commanded +Companies longer than any other officers in the Battalion. No amount of +tedious trench warfare could shake their enthusiasm or damp their +spirits, "soft jobs" and six months' rest were not for them; they simply +stayed with their Companies until wounds took them to England--a really +magnificent record. + +For three days we remained in support, and the whole time the plain +behind us was full of gas. The Artillery suffered most heavily, for they +could not always wear their masks, and after the first 24 hours there +was a continuous stream of blinded gunners helping each other back along +the road to Philosophe--a terrible sight. We too had several casualties, +for the platoons, on their way to bath at Les brebis, had to pass across +the plain. At Philosophe we lost two mules, through a direct hit with a +heavy shell, and the driver, H. Gamble, was very lucky to escape with +nothing more than a bad wound. It was a miracle he was not killed. On +the 12th the battle became quieter, and that night, relieved by the +Canadians, who arrived very late owing to a railway accident, we marched +out to Bracquemont. Before we went the Germans to the North had advanced +so far that we could see their lights in our left rear. Béthune, too, +was in flames, so we were not sorry to be leaving the sector. Most +thankful of all were the transport drivers, for there are not many worse +places than the Loos road, and few more desolate spots than Philosophe +coal mine on a dark wet night, when the wind is making the loose sheets +of iron rattle, and the horses have "got the wind up." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +GORRE AND ESSARS AT PEACE. + +12th April, 1918. 10th Aug., 1918. + + +Bracquemont was sadly changed. Instead of the gay, almost fashionable +suburb of Noeux les Mines, with numbers of people in the streets, it was +now a wilderness of empty houses; the only sign of life, the piteous +little groups of women and children waiting by the roadside for some +French car to come and take them to a place of safety. The miners alone +remained. Inspired by Clemenceau, who had visited the place a day or two +before, they were working day and night, regardless of bombardments and +nightly bombing raids. The furnaces at the Noeux Mines could be seen for +miles round, and were a constant mark for every German gun and +aeroplane, but still the plucky miners carried on their work, knowing +that on them alone depended the coal supply of France. We were billeted +in the Convent formerly occupied by the Casualty Clearing Station. The +following morning the Drums gave a short concert in the Bandstand, and +after dinner we were taken by lorries to Hersin Coupigny. + +Hersin Coupigny was still fairly thickly populated, but the news from +the Merville and Kemmel area where the enemy seemed to be making good +progress, together with the arrival each evening of a few high-velocity +shells, were fast driving the inhabitants to seek safety further West. +We remained here until the 24th of April, the first few days in huts, +the remainder in the Tile Factory. It was not an enjoyable rest--in fact +it was no rest at all. All ranks were ready to move at short notice, and +one expected almost hourly to be sent forward to fill some new gap in +the line. + +Pamphlets poured in--"How to fortify farmhouses for defence"--"Notes on +recent German offensives"--Plans of rear defences. Generals made +speeches telling the troops to be brave, artillery officers reconnoitred +new gun positions miles behind the lines, and the entire Labour Corps +seemed to be digging "last ditches." It was all very depressing, and +many men were heard to remark that they wished the Boche would attack, +so that there might be an end of words, and a chance for a few deeds. No +one doubted that the Division was perfectly capable of looking after +itself and dealing with any German attack. + +Then came Influenza, and with it the end of all chance of immediate +action for the Battalion. Officers and men were attacked alike, and in a +few days more than 250 were sent to Hospital. Fortunately a temporary +place was fitted up at Bruay, and the majority of cases were dealt with +there and not sent down the line, where they would have been +irretrievably lost. The cause of the complaint will be for ever a +mystery; its symptoms were temperature--weakness, fainting and loss of +voice. Some blamed the gas, others the huts, and others the Bracquemont +hospital buildings. The Medical Officer, wise man, would give no +opinion. The weather was damp and raw and at times very cold. +Consequently no one was very sorry when, on the 24th, the Brigade +marched to Bruay. The Battalion and a 9" high velocity German shell +arrived in Bruay about the same time and found the place deserted. +Several houses had been hit, and the inhabitants had wisely decided to +take no risks, so, with the exception of the colliers, had all gone. +This made billeting very difficult. Buildings were all locked up and no +one had the key. Eventually everybody was squashed into the Girls' +School--the officers occupied one of the dormitories, and, though +uncomfortable, all had at least shelter from the rain which fell in +torrents. At intervals a tremendous roar followed by a crash announced +the arrival of what became known as "another toute suiter"; fortunately +no one was hurt. The following day the Brigade moved into Fouquičres; +the 4th Battalion occupied the old Hospital huts, and we shared the +remainder of the village with the 5th Lincolnshire Regiment. Battalion +Headquarters were in the Chateau, still occupied by the two ladies, now +the only civilians left in the village. With the most wonderfully +cheerful courage did these two remain, though their servants had gone, +though food was almost unobtainable, and though there was seldom an hour +without a shell falling in some part of the village or its surroundings. +The Battalion was exceedingly lucky and escaped with practically no +casualties; not so the 4th Battalion, which lost several men in the +huts. Most of the influenza cases now returned, and we were once more +strong enough to take the field. On the 26th we lost Captain and +Quartermaster A.A. Worley who went to England never to return. For some +time his health had been bad, but though unfit for duty he had refused +to leave the Battalion until he had seen the stores properly organized +for battle. Except for a short stay in England in 1917, he had been +with us since the beginning. His one thought was always for the welfare +of the Battalion, and no one ever gave more devoted service than he did. +His place was taken in June by Captain and Quartermaster W.A. Nicholson, +of the Essex Regiment. During the interval the duties were very ably +carried out by R.Q.M.S. Gorse. + +On the 24th of April the Sherwood Foresters and Staffords had taken over +the line from Route "A" Keep to the Canal just South of Locon. Four days +later we were ordered to relieve the Sherwood Foresters in the right +half of the left sector. Various reconnoitering parties went up +beforehand, and at dusk we moved off by platoons through Béthune and +Essars. The former town had already suffered very badly. All roads +through the centre were completely blocked, and troops had to find their +way round its Western edge and past the Prison. Civilians had all been +evacuated and the only permanent occupants were the Tunnelling Company +assisted by some French colliers. The route to trenches was the main +road through Essars, and parts of this were constantly "harassed" by the +enemy's artillery. The Battalion was particularly unfortunate on this +first relief. Headquarter Officers were riding, and, in passing the +column, had just come level with the head of "C" Company, when the enemy +suddenly opened fire on the road with a field battery. Captain Banwell +was thrown from his horse which was hit, and the remainder of the +chargers immediately bolted across a field. The plunging animals and the +shells (about 50 of which were fired in two minutes) threw the leading +platoon of "C" Company into confusion, and, as the ditch at the side of +the road gave no cover, the casualties were high; but for the coolness +of the Platoon Commander, 2nd Lieut. H. Coxell, they would have been +higher still. The rear platoon of "B" Company also suffered heavily. The +shells were gas, and those men who were hit had small or no chance of +putting on their masks. Captain Jack, the Medical Officer, was as usual +wonderfully calm, and quite regardless of his own personal safety, +succeeded in getting several men under the wall of a house, where he was +able to dress their wounds. The remainder of the relief was carried out +without molestation. + +Our new sector was very different from anything we had previously seen. +The front line--practically the outpost line--marked the limit of the +German offensive in April; on the right was Route "A" Keep, one of the +old 1915 strong points with two concrete machine-gun emplacements. It +was now a mere heap of shattered trees, shattered trenches and the usual +remains of many fights, for in 20 days it changed hands nine times. The +Staffords captured it for the last time on the 29th of April, and from +then onwards it remained British. The line then ran between Loisne +Chateau and Raux Farm--our old Brigade Headquarters of 1915, now a +German machine gun and trench mortar nest--to the S.W. outskirts of Le +Touret and on to the canal at Mesplaux. Except for the old keeps at +intervals, it consisted entirely of a few small holes dug more or less +at random, with little or no wire in front. Behind this, along the whole +Divisional front ran the Liverpool Line or Reserve Line, slightly deeper +and better sighted than the frontline, and defended by the "Beuvry +river," a small stream running between steep banks and reputed to be +uncrossable by tanks. Gorre and Le Hamel villages came behind this +line, and provided Battalion Headquarters with cellar accommodation, and +the Support Battalions with billets of a sort. + +Farms in the front line were not too plentiful, and Company Headquarters +usually consisted of a hole 4ft. by 2ft. by 2ft. into which the Company +Commander could just squeeze himself, and curl up his feet to avoid +having them kicked and trodden on by the men passing along the ditch +outside. Rations came to Gorre and Essars by rail and limber, and were +carried forward by hand over the top to the front line. Except for +occasional bursts of fire on certain roads and villages, particularly +Essars and Gorre, the enemy was on the whole quiet. These were small gas +bombardments, and one or two really bad days, but for the most part it +was a quiet sector, except round Route A. + +Behind the villages came the La Bassée Canal with all the bridges mined +and demolition parties ready to blow them up in the event of a hostile +attack. The idea of course was that they should be blown after the last +Englishman N. of the Canal had either been killed or had crossed it. +That the bridges would get demolished all right, none of us ever doubted +for a moment; we were equally certain that this would take place on the +first alarm of any attack, and those of us who happened to be on the +North bank would thus be compelled to fight to the end or swim. +Fortunately these warriors were never called on to perform. + +Vaudricourt Park was the rest area. At first, bell tents and a few +bivouacs were all the available cover, but in time, as corrugated iron +could be sent down from old horse lines in the forward area, messhuts, +cook-houses and canteens were built. There were no long spells of wet +weather and when it was fine the Camp in the Park was delightful. It was +never shelled and never bombed, and it is hard to imagine a better +place. Verquin and Vaudricourt provided the necessary estaminets and the +soldiers could obtain as much vin blanc (or "Jimmy Blink" as it was more +popularly called) as they desired; while one Bertha made large sums of +money by inserting a slip of lemon peel into a glass as cheap champagne +and selling it to officers at an exorbitant price as a "champagne +cocktail." The country round provided good ground for a sports meeting, +in which "A" Company were victorious, while "D" Company managed to +finish a close second in most events. Lieutenants Everitt and Quint and +Private R.O. Start were the chief runners, but large numbers took part +and tremendous keenness was displayed by all. There was cricket almost +every day in the Park, and great enthusiasm was shown in the Battalion +Championship, won by Headquarters. + +From the beginning of May to the middle of August the Brigade never left +these two sectors, Gorre and Essars, and during this time there was no +change in the front line. It was seldom that anything happened of +sufficient importance to find its way into the day's communiqué, but +every tour was full of interesting incidents, all of which show how the +warfare was rapidly changing. + +Our first relief was remarkable for the fact that we took over at +Battalion Headquarters two cows (and with them a daily supply of fresh +milk), for whom L/Cpl. "Pat" Collins was self-appointed cowman--while +the left Company found a plentiful supply of eggs. A stray mule was +found wandering round the outposts on the "wrong" side of the Beuvry +river, while in the farm actually in the front line we discovered still +alive after 21 days without food--a cow and calf, two bullocks, an old +white horse and a pig; they were in a terrible condition of starvation +and had to be killed by the Intelligence Officer, 2nd Lieut. Hewson, who +found it a most unpleasant task. There were of course many dogs--one, at +a cottage in no man's land, being particularly unpleasant for +patrolling. In addition to Lance-Corporal Collins' cows, two others and +a goat were led out by Private Muggleton. The goat came to an untimely +end, being done to death in Vaudricourt Park by its Company Commander, +outside whose tent it was noisily bewailing its captivity. + +In front of us, there was little or no wire, and our first encounter +with the enemy was on the 6th of May when a Corporal and three men of +"D" Company went out to wire their post and marched straight on to a +patrol of about 15 enemy waiting for them. The enemy opened fire at +close range and the wiring party threw down their wire and replied. Two +of the party were hit in the first few seconds and a third--Private +Smith--who had come to us from the 2nd/5th in January--was attacked by +two Germans and carried off struggling. The Corporal fired at the enemy +who then made off, leaving one dead man behind them. The Platoon +Commander (2nd Lieut. W.M. Cole) came up and, after assisting the +wounded back, set off to look for Smith. Except, however, for the dead +man, nothing could be found of the enemy, and by dawn the search was +given up as hopeless. The following night Smith returned. It appears +that the enemy meeting more opposition than they expected, made off as +soon as they had got their prisoner, and, as there were plenty of +bullets about, the remainder of the patrol, leaving prisoner and escort +to follow as best they could, hurried back to their lines. Smith watched +his chance; suddenly stooping, he kicked one man amidships, seized his +rifle, gave the other a jab with the bayonet, and ran for his life. He +got away, but had to lie up until the next evening to get back. For this +he was awarded the Military Medal. + +The following tour, in the Gorre right sector, was very successful until +the last two days when Battalion Headquarters received the just +punishment for tempting fortune too far. Both 4th and 5th Battalions had +their Headquarters in the cellar of Gorre Chateau--cramped and stuffy at +any time, and in the hot weather unendurable. Our Headquarters, +therefore, cleared out a room on the first floor for a mess--it had a +carpet and other luxuries, and its only blemish was a shell-hole in the +corner of the window. With great pride we invited Brigadiers and others +to our new mess, until on the 17th of May the crash came. The enemy had +fired several salvoes towards the Chateau during the afternoon, and at +8-15 p.m. he started in earnest. The wood, the Chateau and the corner by +the Church were shelled unceasingly--first with 77 and 105 m.m. +shells--later on with 5.9's. The mess was knocked in, the wood was +filled with gas, the kitchen and signal office both had direct hits. The +Transport had a terrible time on the road, and it was only the devoted +work of the Transport Officer, 2nd Lieut. W.R. Todd, with his drivers, +particularly Hill and Randall and the Provost Serjeant Bennett, which +enabled rations to be taken up. An advance party of Stafford Officers +got to the cellar and couldn't leave it for two hours, until finally +Colonel Wood took them up the line himself, returning alone through the +wood. + +The Companies were comparatively immune except near the "Tuning Fork." +General Thwaites was visiting the line at the time and had a narrow +escape himself, while his A.D.C. was badly wounded. Towards morning the +shelling somewhat subsided, but one very unlucky shot hit the cellar +ventilator and filled it with gas. Then came the sun and with it the +mustard; not very many mustard shells had been fired, but, as the day +advanced, the heat kept drawing the gas out of the ground and the +Chateau became a death trap. We all cleared out early and went into the +fields, but even so it was too late; many men's clothes were tainted, +and by 6-0 p.m. all the servants and more than half the other +Headquarter details were blind and had to go. Serjeant Bent, of the +Regimental Aid Post, and Allbright, the Orderly Room Clerk, were amongst +those who went down. Our Medical Officer (Captain W.B. Jack), +Intelligence Officer (2nd Lieut. J.A. Hewson) and Lieut. K. Ashdowne all +went to Hospital, while the 4th Battalion lost all their Headquarter +Officers. By night the Commanding Officer was unable to speak, the +Adjutant half blind, and the Padre was doing everybody's job with his +wonderful energy. It was a very sorrowful Battalion Headquarters that +handed over to the Staffordshires and found its way slowly back to +Vaudricourt. + +Soon after that--on the 29th of May--"C" Company had another gas +misfortune while in support in Gorre village. Their house was heavily +shelled with mustard, and though all men were taken out as soon as +possible 40% of the Company, together with 2nd Lieuts. H. Coxell and O. +Darlington had to be evacuated. There was so much gas at this time that +special compartments were set apart for gassed men and gassed clothing +on the Fouquičres-Le Quesnoy-Kantara Dump light railway. + +Towards the end of the month the crops began to get very high, and by +the first week in June hardly a day passed without some daylight patrol +taking advantage of them. Captain Banwell first made the experiment. +Accompanied by his runner, Smiles, he visited the "crashed" aeroplane +just N. of the Rue du Bois and found a most elaborate German night post +in a tree, with wires to machine gun posts. His example was followed on +the 9th of June by 2nd Lieut. Cole, who went out one morning with +Lance-Corporal Thurman and a party from "D" Company. They crawled +through some wire and found themselves close to a German shell-hole +post. 2nd Lieut. Cole himself reconnoitred this post, and finding the +sentry dozing called up his Corporal. The latter hit the sentry on the +head with his rifle "to attract his attention" (so read the patrol +report), and leaning over the hole whispered "Ici yer ----er." The +Boche, however, was too frightened to "ici" and looked like giving the +alarm, so 2nd Lieut. Cole jumped down and fired his revolver to hurry +him along. This caused a considerable disturbance. Two German Machine +Gun posts only a few yards away joined in the fight and for a moment +things looked bad for the patrol. The latter, finding they could not get +a prisoner, made a note of his Regiment, shot him, and made off under a +heavy fire from the machine gun posts. They all got away safely. The +Corps Commander described 2nd Lieut. Cole's work as "a very fine piece +of patrol work, and called for courage, initiative and cunning of a high +degree." Ten days later--on the 10th of June--the enemy suddenly shelled +the "Tuning Fork Switch" trench, and this very gallant young officer was +badly wounded in the arm. He was taken down to the Casualty Clearing +Station at once, but in spite of all the Doctors' efforts, blood +poisoning set in, and on the 29th Lieut. Maurice Cole died. The same +evening he was awarded the Military Cross for his patrol fight. He lies +now in Pernes cemetery. No officer was ever more loved by his men, and +justly so, for he was not only their leader in danger, but their first +friend in difficulty. In the Mess "Bill" Cole was as popular as in the +field. Patrolling was not confined to these two Companies, and many +officers and men spent quite a large proportion of their time crawling +through the corn. Chief among these were 2nd Lieuts. Asher, Argyle, +Boarland, Christy, Davies, Serjeants T. Marston, M.M., Haines, Foster, +M.S.M., P. Bowler, T. Tunks, T. Needham, Clamp and others. + +With the hot weather the La Bassée Canal became a very useful asset, and +not only were there constant bathing parties, but it was actually +possible at the end of July to hold a swimming gala in the "Brewery +Reach." There were several well contested races and diving competitions, +uninterrupted by hostile aircraft, and a very pleasant afternoon +(considering the Boche were less than a mile away) was spent in this +way. The chief race was won by Signaller Stanton. + +Towards the end of July, as there was no sign of the long expected +German attack, preparations were made for the coming winter. Houses +were reinforced, and had concrete houses built inside them, and some +very comfortable Headquarters were built in this way. Perhaps the best +of these was the Battalion Headquarters of the Route A sector--a cottage +on the banks of the canal and screened from any observation by the +woods. It had its own bathing place (where Serjt. Wilbur nearly got +drowned) and its own private approach by the tow path--incidentally, of +course, its own mosquitoes, but one got used to them in time. + +On the 13th of July we lost Captain Banwell, who went into hospital for +a few weeks with his fifth wound--an aeroplane bullet in the stomach. It +was not at all a slight wound, but he managed to persuade the Pernes +Doctors that it was, and so contrived not to be evacuated beyond the +C.C.S. He eventually returned in August, and after a few days as A.D.C. +to General Rowley, who was then Commanding the Division, went off on a +month's leave to get fit. + +On the 6th of August the Staff had reason to believe that the Boche +might be contemplating a withdrawal that morning, and we were asked to +make sure that we could still get in touch with the enemy. Accordingly, +Lieut. Pearson, Lance-Corporal "Anty" Carr and Pte. Ferrin, all of "A" +Company, crawled out at dawn towards the ruined houses and battery +positions opposite Route A Keep. It was the anniversary of Carr's 1916 +experience and before they went several of his friends jestingly warned +him not to be captured this time. The patrol crawled via several dykes +and got close to the house without disturbing anyone, until, to get a +better view Lieut. Pearson knelt up to use glasses. A machine gun then +opened fire on them at close range, so they returned. On the way back +they were suddenly fired at by a post in their path--the occupants must +have been asleep on the way out. Pte. Ferrin was hit and died almost at +once, but the others tried to bomb the enemy out, and, finding they +could not, decided to lie still until evening. However, the enemy proved +more resolute than usual and soon surrounded and captured the whole +party. The fight was seen by several of the front line posts and also by +a patrol of "D" Company under 2nd Lieut. Christy. This latter was quite +unable to give any help as it was itself having very great difficulty in +getting away from two large Boche patrols who were trying to cut it off. +A few days later, while we were in support at Le Quesnoy, the enemy +started his withdrawal, and the Gorre-Essars front once more became a +battle sector. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +GORRE AND ESSARS AT WAR. + +10th Aug., 1918. 12th Sept., 1918. + + +The enemy started his withdrawal North of the Lawe Canal, and it was not +until the latter half of August that the Gorre sector was affected. +However, all preparations for more open warfare were made, and the +supply of rations and ammunition was reorganised in such a way that +either limbers or pack animals could be used at short notice. During our +tour in the Right Sector from the 14th to 18th of August all rations for +"Route A" were taken up to forward Company Headquarters on mules and +ponies; the latter, under the skilful handling of their drivers, showed +a most admirable fortitude in the face of machine-gun fire. Each night a +little column of heavily laden ponies under Corporal Archer or +Lance-Corporal Foster could be seen moving slowly along the Tuning Fork +Road, first with rations then with water; towards midnight they returned +("drivers up") at a much brisker pace. + +On the 18th we left trenches and came into support for three days at Le +Quesnoy. Colonel Wood was away Commanding the Brigade for a short time +and Major Griffiths was in Command. All available men were set to work +cutting the corn, which was now ripe and would soon spoil if not cut and +carried in. Bayonets took the place of scythes as the latter were +almost unobtainable, and it was surprising to find what progress was +made with these weapons. In a few days several train loads were sent +down on the light railway to Fouquičres. All this time the news from the +South was most encouraging. The great attack of the 8th had freed Amiens +and each day brought us news of further successes. On the 20th the +Staffordshires on the left found some of the enemy's advanced posts +unoccupied, and the same day prisoners taken on the Lawe Canal spoke of +an impending retreat to the Le Touret-Lacouture line. On the 21st the +Commanding Officer returned, and the same day the Brigade moved into and +occupied the old German front line near Cense du Raux Farm. That night +we relieved the 4th Battalion in the old Right Sector and occupied the +Liverpool Line as Support Battalion to the other two, both of whom were +in and forward of the old front line. On the 22nd General Rowley decided +to have one outpost Battalion for the whole frontage, and the following +day we took over the line from the junction with the 55th Division (in +the old front line E. of "Route A Keep") to the junction with the +Sherwood Foresters N.E. of Le Touret village. + +On the extreme right we had pushed forward across the road where they +were opposed in the centre by Epinette East Post, and on the left by +some houses in the Rue itself, to both of which the Boche was still +clinging tenaciously. On the left the line was continued by "D" Company +(Lieut. T.H. Ball in the absence of Captain Brooke) who held positions +astride the Rue du Bois. The extreme left platoon was about 200 yards up +the Rue de Cailloux and occupied one of the old keeps in the +Sailly--Tuning Fork--Vielle Chapelle Line. Here, and on the Rue de +L'Epinette, the enemy was active with snipers and trench mortars--in the +centre thing's were very quiet. "C" Company (Hawley) and "B" Company +(Tomson) were in Support in the old front line; Battalion Headquarters +lived in Loisne Chateau, now "Railhead" for the light railway. There was +no front line in the old sense--it was simply "outposts" as laid down in +Field Service Regulations. Very few of the Company Officers had had any +previous experience of this work, but Colonel Wood soon put us straight, +and organized things himself. He was absolutely indefatigable and day +and night was up in the line sighting good positions and studying the +enemy. The latter were distinctly alert as they showed by their +behaviour on the 24th and 25th when we not only made no progress, but +had several casualties. First, on the extreme right, an "A" Company +patrol tried to reconnoitre the Epinette East Post by night. They were +seen and fired at heavily and had to come back leaving one of their +number dead behind them. Soon afterwards, in an attempt to recover his +body, Lance-Serjeant Clamp was himself hit and died a few hours later. +"A" Company could ill afford to lose this N.C.O., who had shown himself +as gallant a leader in battle, as he was an efficient instructor on the +Parade ground. The following morning, accompanied by his runner, +Lance-Corporal Collins, and the Adjutant, the Commanding Officer started +on a tour round the outpost line. He visited "A" Company's posts and +passed on to "D" Company. On reaching the Rue du Bois he got on to the +road, and, as it was misty, started to walk Westward along it. Whether +the little party was seen or not will never be known; what happened +would seem to show that they were. They had not gone seventy yards +before a "whizz-bang" burst a few yards North of the road hitting a +Stretcher Bearer. Another followed, this time the burst was only a few +yards behind the party. The others escaped, but Colonel Wood was hit in +the back of the head and was thrown stunned on to the road. More shells +followed, and the three lay in a ditch till it was over, and then made +their way back to Battalion Headquarters. The Colonel refused to be +carried and walked all the way to the Aid Post, where the Doctor found +that a shell splinter had grazed the back of his skull, and had only +been prevented by the steel helmet from doing more damage. The Colonel +wished to remain with the Battalion, but the Medical Officer was +obdurate, and he was finally evacuated, and a week later sent to +England. He had been in Command only a short time, but we had learnt in +that time what a very gallant soldier he was, and how his one care was +to make us the first Battalion in the Division. His place was taken by +Major J.L. Griffiths who had been Second in Command since 1916, while +Captain John Burnett took over the latter's duties. + +The same afternoon we had further bad luck. On the extreme left No. 13 +Platoon (Christy) had been very actively sniping the enemy on the +Cailloux Road, and soon after midday, came the retaliation in the form +of heavy shelling which lasted about an hour. There was little cover, +and one post was wiped out, including a promising young soldier, +Lance-Corporal Harries, whose name had been recommended for a +Commission. 2nd Lieut. Christy managed, in spite of the difficulty of +moving men in daylight, to get the majority of his Platoon out of the +Keep, and took up positions on either flank; this action undoubtedly +saved many casualties. Corporal Hamill, one of the old soldiers of the +Battalion and a well-known long distance runner, was killed at the same +time. The Platoon was naturally rather shaken, and its place was +therefore taken by a Platoon of "C" Company. The following night we were +relieved by the Sherwood Foresters and went back to Vaudricourt. The +Relief was carried out without interference from the enemy except for +Battalion Headquarter Officers, who had to leave Loisne Chateau at the +gallop. Salvoes of whizz-bangs were arriving at frequent intervals, and +there was just time to mount and gallop 300 yards down the road between +the bursts. + +The next six days at Vaudricourt were delightful; we all needed a rest, +and the weather for once was excellent. At this time Major General W. +Thwaites, C.B., who had Commanded the Division since 1916, was appointed +Director of Military Intelligence at the War Office, and his place was +taken by Major General G.F. Boyd, C.M.G., D.S.O., D.C.M. It is +impossible even now to estimate all that General Thwaites did for the +Division, and it was very bad luck for him that he had to leave just at +the time when the Division was to reap the fruits of his training. He +took us over after the Gommecourt battle, and we were tired and weak, as +is to be expected after heavy casualties; if he had stayed another month +he would have seen us doing as no Division had done before. There are +many of us who would cheerfully have been "crumped" to escape a +"G.O.C.'s Inspection," but we have lived to be thankful even for these; +they made our Platoon and Company organisation perfect. + +On the 30th we all went and listened to a lecture on Co-operation with +Tanks, given by an Officer who had taken part in the recent fighting +down South. It was a bloodthirsty and blood-curdling recital, and at the +end of it we all felt ready for an enormous battle, provided we could +have a tank or two to help. The following day, being the Brigade Boxing +Tournament Finals, some of the N.C.O.'s and men got an opportunity of +slaking their battle lust. This they did very successfully, as at the +end of the day we were equal with the 5th Lincolns, who had previously +always been winners. Serjeants Wardle, Ptes. "Mat" Moore and Martin, all +won their weights, and in addition Serjeant Wardle won the open catch +weight championship. This N.C.O. then challenged any one of the 5th +Lincolns' side to fight a "one round" deciding bout, and, beating his +opponent, won the day for the Battalion. The Brigadier gave away the +prizes and also the Sports Cup which we had won. There was a very +gratifying predominance of "yellow rings" throughout this part of the +proceedings. + +The following day--the 1st of September--we returned to trenches, and +went into support with Battalion Headquarters in Le Quesnoy and the +Companies in and around Gorre village. As the new Divisional Commander +had not yet arrived Brigadier General Rowley was still in command of the +Division and Lieut.-Colonel Foster, of the 4th Battalion, commanded the +Brigade. The Germans were withdrawing very slowly, and by the 3rd the +Staff decided that as soon as the 5th Lincolnshires had gained "Rum +Corner" on the Rue du Bois, where the Boche had a strong pill box, we +should go forward with a barrage with Princes' Road as our objective. +Orders did not arrive until after midday and then Rum Corner had not +fallen; it was, however, expected to fall by 4-0 p.m., and our attack +was ordered for 8-0 p.m. the same evening. There was no time for +reconnaissance and little for getting out orders, but we managed to +arrange for an assembly position and a barrage, which was to advance in +jumps of 100yds. every 4 minutes. Everybody had a hurried tea and set +out between 5-0 p.m. and 6-0 p.m. for the line. It was not very +satisfactory and we were all glad when, owing to the stout resistance of +Rum Corner the advance was postponed until 5-15 the following +morning--the 4th of September. It was a warm night and the Companies +remained in the trenches round Loisne and were able to have a good meal +before starting. Late that night the 5th Lincolnshires reported the +taking of the "Corner," so that all was now ready for the battle. We did +not expect much resistance. Shortly before midnight fresh orders arrived +making our objective the old breastwork through Tube Station and Factory +Post (the support line in 1915). If possible we were to push patrols on +to the old British front line in front of Fme. Cour D'Avoué and Fme. du +Bois. + +Soon after 4-0 a.m. we were all in our assembly positions--the three +attacking Companies along a line running N. and S. about 300 yards E. of +Epinette Road, with our left just North of Rue du Bois; the Support +Company 100 yards behind them. "D" Company (Brooke) was on the right +with orders to protect that flank, if necessary facing right to do so as +they advanced, "A" Company (Petch) was in the centre, and "B" Company +(Pierrepont) left, astride the Rue du Bois, "C" Company (Hawley) was in +support. Battalion Headquarters were in Epinette East Post with an +Orderly Room and rear Headquarters in Loisne. About an hour before we +were due to start a curious thing happened: It was suddenly discovered +that a considerable number of the 5th Lincolnshires were now some +distance E. of our "jumping off line," and consequently beyond where the +barrage was due to start. The Brigadier tried to get the barrage +advanced, but it was found impossible to tell the Artillery in time, and +in the end the Lincolnshires, much to their disgust, had to be +withdrawn. As their leading men had gone as far as Princes' Road, it did +not look as though we should have much opposition that far at all +events. + +Promptly at 5-15 a.m. the barrage came down and the advance began. +Princes' Road was reached and crossed, the breastwork was found empty, +and, after a short pause in the latter, the right centre Companies went +on to the old front line. The left Company had slightly more difficult +ground, and arrived half-an-hour later; nowhere had a German been met, +though one or two had been seen making for the Aubers Ridge. It was a +bloodless victory, and by 7-0 a.m. the Battalion was occupying the +identical sector that it occupied in 1915. The barrage had not been +needed, but it was none the less very useful, for we all learnt how +close we could keep and how to judge the "lifts." Consolidation was not +a difficult matter except on the right flank, where we could not until +evening get touch with the 55th Division. It was consequently necessary +for "D" Company to swing back their right through Tube Station and Dead +Cow Post and face South. On the left Colonel Currin with his Sherwood +Foresters was in touch with us at the Factory Keep. Battalion +Headquarters moved up just before midday to a small shelter 200 yards +west of Princes' Road. In most of the captured dug-outs the following +notice was found:-- + + Dear Tommy,-- + + You are welcome to all we are leaving, when we stop we shall stop, + and stop you in a manner you won't appreciate. FRITZ. + +It was neatly printed in English block capitals and caused much +amusement. The whole day was in a way one great joke--the un-needed +barrage, the empty trenches, these farewell notices, all combined to +make us very happy. + +At first we thought we were going to be let off without any retaliation +at all, but the following morning at "stand to" a fairly heavy barrage +came down for half-an-hour on the breastwork support line--presumably to +break up any intended attack. "B" Company Headquarters most unluckily +received a direct hit causing six casualties. Two Serjeants who could +ill be spared, A. Cross and E. Bottomley were both badly wounded, the +latter mortally; two servants, C. Payne and L. Brotheridge, were wounded +not very seriously, and the two runners, G.S. Bott and G. Dewsbury were +hit, Bott so badly that he died in Hospital. These two runners, +inseparable friends, had long been associated with "B" Company +Headquarters, and had always done yeoman service, for there was probably +never a better pair. In the afternoon orders came that we should be +relieved at dusk by the 19th Division, but that we must be certain that +we were in touch with the enemy when handing over. Accordingly orders +were sent up to Captain Petch to try and locate the exact position of +the enemy. At first the patrol sent out was unable to draw fire, so, +taking C.S.M. Passmore, Serjt. Bowler and others with him, Captain Petch +went out himself, and the two waved their arms and shouted to imaginary +platoons to make the enemy think an attack was coming. The ruse was +successful, a machine gun opened fire from close quarters. The two +dropped into a shell hole and started to crawl their way back; there was +plenty of cover, and if they had been patient all would have been well. +Unfortunately C.S.M. Passmore thinking it was sufficiently dark, got up +and walked towards our lines. He was hit and killed outright. This +warrant officer joined us at Gommecourt in 1917; his energy and +fearlessness at once brought him to the front, and he soon rose from +Serjeant to be Company-Serjeant-Major. His place in "A" Company was +taken by Serjeant Wardle, of "C" Company. As soon as they were relieved +Companies marched to Loisne Chateau, where they were to entrain. Trains +were not ready, but after a long wait, the well-nigh frantic efforts of +Captain Schiller produced them, much to everybody's delight, and +somewhere about midnight we marched back to Vaudricourt Park. + +Two days later the new Major-General was introduced to us, and at once +won his way to our hearts by his wonderful charm of manner. He must have +been surprised to see outside the mess a long line of horses and mules +all waiting saddled up. We had arranged an officers' paper chase and +every officer attended; those who couldn't find chargers had perforce to +ride mules. The hares (Captain Burnett on "Mrs. Wilson" and 2/Lieut. +Todd on the frisky black) were given ten minutes' grace and then, led by +"Sunloch" (Lieut.-Colonel Griffiths "up") the rest of us swung out of +the Park and off towards Labuissičre. The pace was very hot and most of +us soon dropped behind, though the mules, keeping as usual all together +and led by Padre Buck, managed to stay the whole course. Four riders, +finding they were getting left behind, started to make a short cut +through Hesdigneul and there on the village green met the hares on the +way home. It was a dramatic moment witnessed by large crowds of gunners, +and Lieut. Brodribb on the Colonel's pony, and Lieut. Hawley on the +faithful and well-intentioned "Charlie," dashed after the hares. The +effect, however, was somewhat spoilt by "Lady Sybil," unused no doubt to +audiences, throwing the Adjutant over her head on to the middle of the +green. The hares were finally caught after a 9-mile run within a few +hundred yards of home. It was a great performance. + +Our stay at Vaudricourt was not a long one, and we soon moved to +Béthune, preparatory to entrainment for the South, for it was now no +longer a secret that we were going down to fight a real battle at last. +The new General introduced a "Blob" formation, which was both easy and +effective, and we practised this once or twice outside the town. Our +first line transport was also reorganised in such a way that each +Company had its own two limbers with Lewis Guns and ammunition, bombs +and all necessaries. On one small Field Day the Signallers with their +flags turned out as Tanks, and we practised everything as realistically +as possible. We were all very keen, and better still, very fit; in fact, +the Battalion never looked in better form than on one of these training +days when we marched past the Brigadier. + +From the 9th to the 11th of September we remained in Béthune, a +depressing town now, to those of us who had known it in its days of +prosperity. We managed to have one very good concert in the Barracks and +it was surprising how much really good talent we found, conjuror, +humourists and sentimental singer were all ready to amuse us. At +midnight 11/12th we fell in on the Parade Ground and marched to +Chocques--the irrepressible Drums giving us one or two tunes on the way. +It rained hard at the Station and there was a terrible shortage of +accommodation. At length, with much shoving, swearing and +puddle-splashing we got on board, and at 4-0 a.m. left the Béthune Area. +We had been on the Lens-La Bassée Sector for seventeen months: we never +saw it again. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +PONTRUET. + +14th Sept., 1918. 25th Sept., 1918. + + +Our journey Southwards was uncomfortable and uneventful. The only +remarkable feature was the acrobatic skill displayed by the mess staff, +transferring meals from the kitchen-cattle-truck to the officers +mess-cattle-truck. Even at the usual speed of a French troop train, it +is no easy task to drop off the train with a pile of plates in one hand, +a dish of potatoes in the other, walk fast enough to catch up the +carriage in front, and finally, in spite of signal wires, sleepers and +other pitfalls, deliver all safely at the "Mess." Yet this was done not +once but often. We spent the whole day in the train passing St. Pol, +Amiens, and Corbie, and finally towards evening reached Ribemont, where +we found our billeting party waiting for us. Billets consisted of some +distant dug-outs across a swampy moor, and the recent rains had made +what few tracks there were too slippery for the horses. It was all very +unpleasant, and we spent a cold and cheerless night. "A" Company, which +had remained at Chocques doing loading duties, did not arrive until +midnight--very wet and tired. + +The next day was bright and warm, and we soon discovered that the two +villages, Treux and Buire would hold Headquarters and half the +Battalion, so moved into them without delay and evacuated all except the +more sumptuous and easily approached dug-outs. We were now fairly +comfortable, and our only grouse was the absence of any canteen or even +French civilians for miles and miles, and the consequent lack of +tobacco, beer and other little luxuries. + +Our move had brought us into General Rawlinson's Fourth Army, and, as we +were apparently not needed at once for a battle, we started vigorous +training. Route marches, and even "field-firing" practices were carried +out, and there was one big Divisional Field day, which ended +triumphantly with the Brigade and Battalion Staffs picking mushrooms on +the final objective. Meanwhile the Second in Command's Department under +Major Burnett fixed up baths and other comforts for us and, by the 18th +of September, we were really very comfortable. This same day we were +ordered to move at short notice. + +Motor lorries took us on to the main Amiens road at Corbie, and turning +East along it we jolted and bumped and splashed our way through +Brie-sur-Somme to Tertry. The country--what we could see of it in the +dark--seemed to consist of a barren waste of shell holes with here and +there a shattered tree or the remains of some burnt-out Tank standing +forlornly near some dark and stagnant swamp. Villages were practically +non-existent, and Tertry was no exception, but we soon settled down +under waterproof sheets, corrugated iron and a few old bricks. The +transport under Major Burnett and Serjt. Yeabsley came all the way by +road, and arrived some hours later; but much of our stores had to be +left behind with two storemen in Buire. Many efforts were made during +the following months to retrieve these stores, but it was not until +after the armistice that we were finally successful. + +We were now IXth. Corps, and found our neighbours were old friends from +the Béthune area--the 1st and 6th Divisions. The Transport lines and +"battle details" of the 1st and 11th Battalions of the Regiment were +quite close to us, and we paid several calls. On the 20th, Captains +Tomson and Banwell returned from leave, much to the delight of their +Companies, for the following day we went into trenches, relieving the +14th and 45th Australians in the Hindenburg Outpost line, that they had +so brilliantly captured a few days before. We were in Brigade support +along Ascension Ridge, called after a farm of that name, and the other +two Battalions held the line in front of us. + +In their attack, the Australians had pushed forward further than anyone +else, while the English troops on their right, after some very hard +fighting, had been held up by the village of Pontruet. Consequently +there was a sharp bend in the line, and the Australian right flank, +though on high ground, was somewhat exposed. The line ran roughly as +follows:-- + +[Illustration: Sketch of the line at Pontruet.] + +The enemy still held posts on the ridge close to the Australian front +line, and were known to have several posts in Forgan's trench, which was +the Southward continuation of our front line across the valley. Pontruet +was overlooked from everywhere, and constantly bombarded by our +Artillery, so it did not seem likely that it held many Boche. The +Sherwood Foresters held the right of the Divisional line and joined with +the 1st Division on the high ground South of the village. There was no +sign of any intended operation, and it certainly looked as if we could +not move until the troops on our right had advanced. Accordingly on the +22nd the Adjutant rode back to Brie to go on leave. Capt. Banwell, +really a "battle detail," went up to assist the Headquarters, while the +other "details"--Major Burnett, Captain Petch, Lieut. Pierrepont, 2nd +Lieuts. Edwardes, Griffiths, Taylor, C.S.M.'s Cooper and +Martin--remained with the Q.M. Stores. + +No sooner had the Adjutant gone, than orders came for a battle. At dawn +on the 24th the Division on our right was going to advance, and the 46th +Division, by way of assisting them, was to capture Pontruet and hold +Forgan's trench as a final objective. The 138th Brigade were chosen for +this fight, and General Rowley decided to use one Battalion +only--ourselves. We were to attack the village from the rear, by +advancing into the valley from the North and then turning West, while +one Company turning East would capture and hold Forgan's. There was +little time for preparation, so Colonel Griffiths called a Company +Commanders' meeting, reconnoitred the village from above, and decided on +his plan of attack. At the same time a runner was sent after the +Adjutant, and found him just boarding the leave train. It was a near +thing, but not for anything would he have missed the next few weeks. + +The Colonel's plan was as follows:--To assemble the Battalion in lines +of platoons in fours facing South, just behind the right of our front +line. "A" would be on the right, "D" on the left. At Zero all would move +forward with a barrage, keeping about 50 yards distance and interval +between platoons. All would cross the Bellenglise road and finally, when +the leading platoons were level with the farther, i.e., South, edge of +Pontruet, "A" and "B" would turn to the right, sweep through and reform +on the West side of it. "D" would turn left and capture Forgan's trench, +having a platoon of "C" Company to help them. The rest of "C" would +assist which ever party seemed to be in difficulties. The Headquarters +would move to the high ground, whence the fight would be visible, and +there was every hope of opening signal communication with the attacking +Companies. Artillery arrangements were made accordingly, and +bombardments ordered for the supposed posts in Forgan's. Unfortunately, +much against our wishes, and in opposition to the Brigadier's scheme, a +heavy smoke barrage was to be placed on the Western edge of the village. +A West wind would make this a thick blanket and seriously hinder our +advance, and West winds are very common; however, we could not alter +this part of the scheme. The Sherwood Foresters were ordered to assist +by pushing up to the village after we had captured it. Zero would be 5-0 +a.m. on the 24th of September. + +As soon as it was dark on the 23rd, Captain Banwell taped out a +"jumping off" line for the leading platoons. There was some unpleasant +shelling at the time, but he completed his task successfully, and also +taped out the route to this assembly position. At midnight, relieved by +the 6th South Staffordshires (Lister), we marched off after an issue of +hot tea and rum to the assembly ground, leaving great coats behind and +wearing fighting order. On arrival we found that the Lincolnshires had +been raided in their North end of Forgan's trench a short time before, +and, as there might still be some of the enemy near the trench, "D" +Company were ordered to form up in it, instead of on the top. It was not +a dark night, and had we been seen assembling all would have been lost. +There was some scattered shelling, and Lieut. Brodribb, commanding "A" +Company, was wounded in the leg. He had it dressed at the R.A.P., and, +finding he could still walk, rejoined his Company before the advance +began. In absolute silence we lay in shell holes waiting for Zero. A +mist had started to blow up from the valley, and the Battalion was +almost invisible. Here and there a few heads, the muzzle of a Lewis gun, +the end of a stretcher might be seen just above the ground, and +occasionally one could see the tall figure of Capt. Tomson, +imperturbable as ever, walking quietly round his Company with a word of +encouragement for all. As the time went on, the mist became thicker and +thicker, and by 4-50 a.m. platoons and Companies were unable to see each +other. The shelling had ceased, it was very quiet. + +Punctually at 5-0 a.m. the barrage opened, and the advance started. The +timing of the Artillery was perfect and, with the road to guide them, +"A" Company on the right swept across the Bellenglise road, keeping +close to the barrage. By 5-14 a.m. No. 1 Platoon (Quint), which was +leading, was ready for the right turn. The rest of this Company +followed, and, though No. 4 Platoon (Dennis) slightly lost direction for +a time, they soon regained their place, so that the whole Company was +ready to turn together. It was still half dark, and, as we had feared, +the smoke barrage blew across and shrouded us in a thick blanket of fog. +During their advance, "A" Company had found the machine gun and rifle +fire very hot from their left flank, apparently from Forgan's trench, +and had already lost Serjt. P. Bowler, who was killed outright. They had +met no enemy outside the village, and could not see more than a few +yards through the smoke. The other Companies were out of sight. + +Turning into Pontruet, "A" Company found it full of the enemy. Odd +lengths of trenches here and there, cellars in every direction were +filled with bombers and machine gun teams, some facing West, others, who +had realised our intentions, facing East. Led by Lieut. Brodribb and +their platoon commanders, "A" Company dashed in with the bayonet. Here +and there a bomb was thrown down a cellar, or a Lewis gun turned against +some party which resisted, but for the most part the bayonet was the +weapon of the day. The enemy were scattered, a few tried to fight, but +large numbers were killed trying to escape, while 120 were captured, and +50 more driven into the Sherwood Foresters' lines. The work on the North +side was the easiest. Here, small parties led by 2nd Lieut. Dennis, who +was slightly wounded, C.S.M. Wardle, Serjt. Toon, and others carried all +before them, cleared the lower road and the cemetery, and formed up +outside the N.W. corner, where they were joined by their Company +Commander. + +[Illustration: DIAGRAM (not to scale) to illustrate positions +of Companies at 5.14 A.M. Sept 24th 1918 during attack on Pontruet.] + +In the centre there was more fighting, and while L/Cpls. Downs and +Starbuck and Pte. Meakin led their parties through with tremendous dash, +one Lewis Gun section under Dakin, a "No. 1" Lewis Gunner, found itself +held up by a strong German post. The "No. 2" was killed, and Dakin +himself was shot through both thighs almost at once, so that there was +no one left to work the gun. However, Hyden, an untrained soldier, came +forward and fired the gun, while Dakin, bleeding freely and with both +thighs broken, lay beside him and corrected stoppages, until he +succumbed to his injuries. + +The Company's heaviest losses were on the Southern or upper side of the +village. For, in the S.W. corner, the Germans had two lengths of well +defended trench, supported by a block house, and against these 2nd. +Lieuts. Aster and Quint and Corporal Tyers led their men. The two +officers were killed almost together at the second trench, but the +Corporal broke clean through, only to be shot through the head when +almost outside the village. Seven others of this same gallant party were +killed at this corner, and the remainder, unable to deal with the +blockhouse, fought their way through to the main part of the Company. + +Meanwhile, the rest of the Battalion had been far less fortunate, and, +with no road to guide them, had been baffled by the fog. 2nd Lieut. +Lewin and Serjt. Harrison with a small party of "B" Company crossed the +valley and, turning right, followed No. 1 Platoon into the Southern half +of the village. They were too small a body to clear the blockhouse +corner, and first Serjt. Harrison, then 2nd Lieut. Levin were killed as +they gallantly tried to get forward. Two others of their men were hit, +and the rest were scattered. + +One platoon of "B" Company remained intact. 2nd Lieut. Cosgrove, finding +he could not keep direction and advance at the required pace, dropped +behind. Stopping every few yards to take a compass bearing, this officer +finally brought his platoon to its allotted turning point and entered +the village. Following the lower road, the platoon split into two halves +and "mopped up" anything left by "A" Company, making sure that the whole +of this side of the village was absolutely clear of the enemy. 2nd +Lieut. Cosgrove with his two sections joined Lieut. Brodribb outside the +village. Corporal Barber with his Lewis gun section took up a position +inside near the Cemetery. + +The rest of "B" Company and the left half Battalion fared badly. +Forgan's trench, supposed to be held by a few odd posts, was strongly +manned from end to end. It was wired in front and lateral belts had been +placed at frequent intervals across it. It would have been a stiff task +for a Company to take it with a direct frontal attack; to "work up" it +was impossible. None the less, "D" Company (Brooke) did their utmost. +Led by their Company Commander in person, the Company left the trench at +Zero and started to work along it. There was wire everywhere, and the +going was very bad on top, so that many men of the rear platoons dropped +back into the trench and made their way along it--a fatal mistake. On +nearing the Bellenglise road this Company was met with a perfect +hurricane of machine gun bullets from three guns in a nest near the +road. Captain Brooke was hit but continued to lead his men, and, ably +backed by Serjt. Darby, made a gallant attempt to rush the position. The +men still in the trench could give no assistance, and though two +prisoners were taken the rush failed, and the German machine guns +remained unharmed. Captain Brooke was twice hit again and with 2nd +Lieuts. Sloper and Buckley, who were both wounded, had to leave the +fight. Serjt. Darby and L/Cpl. Smith had been killed close to the +enemy's guns, Serjeant Sullivan was wounded, and for the moment the +Company was leaderless. Lieut. Corah came up to take command, but by the +time he reached the head of the Company it was too late to act, and +Forgan's trench remained full of the enemy. + +The occupants of Forgan's, mostly machine gunners, appear to have +realised almost at once the direction of our attack, and opened a hot +fire on our left flank as we crossed the Bellenglise road and set off +across the valley. "A" Company felt this severely, but far more severe +were the losses of "C" Company and those platoons of "B" which did not +make their turn into the village. These were nearer to Forgan's trench, +and both lost heavily. The mist and smoke were very thick, connecting +files were useless, and the various officers, collecting what men they +could find, made their way as far as possible in the right direction. +Lieut. Hawley with the bulk of "C" Company found a few of the enemy +still in the Eastern end of Pontruet, turned them out, and occupied a +trench along the edge of the village, facing East. Further South along +this same trench another party of "C" under Lieut. Steel made use of a +small road bridge, and took up a position facing the same way. The rest +of the Company followed Lieut. Barrett and Serjt. Spencer and reached +the far side of the valley, being joined on the way by some of "B" +Company. A few yards up the bank on the Southern side, Lieut. Barrett +found to his surprise a trench across his route. The fog was still +thick, and this puzzled him--it had been newly dug during the +night--but, as it was full of Germans, he rushed it, got inside, and +turned towards Forgan's. He was hit doing so. Reaching Forgan's, this +party, in which Serjeant Spencer was conspicuous, quickly disposed of +three German machine gun posts and their teams, but were then themselves +fired at and bombed from several directions. Undeterred, Lieut. Barrett, +though again wounded, drew his revolver and with it held up one bombing +party, while Serjeant Spencer dealt with another. A bomb burst close to +Lieut. Barrett's pistol arm and put it out of action, and by this time +he was becoming exhausted. Calling his N.C.O.'s together, he explained +what had happened and gave them careful directions as to how to get out, +himself quite calm the whole time. Acting on his instructions, those of +the party who were left cut their way out; Lieut. Barrett, refusing +help, started to crawl through the wire, and was again wounded. He +eventually reached the R.A.P. literally covered with wounds. Contrary to +the Doctor's expectations, however, he not only lived to receive his +Victoria Cross, but soon made a complete recovery. + +At the same time, Captain Tomson, finding his Company now consisted only +of his signallers, runners, and batmen, and unable to find out where the +rest had gone, determined to try and rush the machine guns which were +keeping up such a steady fire close to his left flank. His little party +forced their way through some wire and found themselves opposed by three +guns. With a shout of "Come along Tigers, show them what you can do," +Captain Tomson led them straight at the enemy. Two of the gun teams were +overcome, but the third could not be reached, and fired at them point +blank. L/Cpl. Signaller J. Smith was wounded and fell, Captain Tomson, +bending down to tie him up, was shot through the head. Only two men got +away, leaving their leader, now dead, in a small shelter outside the +trench. Smith, mortally wounded, refused to be taken away, saying "Leave +me with Captain Tomson, I shall be all right"--and there he died next to +his Company Commander. So perished the kindest hearted and bravest +gentleman that ever commanded a Company in the Regiment. Calm, cheerful, +with a friendly word for all, Captain Tomson was the father of his men, +and a warm friend to his brother officers and N.C.O.'s. + +By 6-30 a.m. it was daylight, but the fog and smoke still lay like a +thick blanket along the valley, hiding the village and all that was +going on there. It was not until 7-45 a.m. that the wind blew this away, +and we were at last able to see how we had fared. The village, with the +exception of the blockhouse corner, was in our hands. "C" Company were +holding more than half its Eastern side, while "A" and part of "B" had +reformed after the attack and were dug in just outside the N.W. corner. +The only troops actually in Pontruet were those with Corpl. Barber at +the Cemetery. The road leading West from the village was thronged with +prisoners and stretcher bearers making their way towards the large +crater on the main road, used as a Company Headquarters by the Sherwood +Foresters. Captain Jack had established his Aid Post at the bottom of +the little valley running down to the road, and here, helped by the +never-tiring Padre Buck, was busily employed with our wounded. + +In Forgan's trench there was a deadlock. Across the valley and on the +Southern slopes it was still full of the enemy, who had many machine +guns. Daylight made an attack over the open by "D" Company impossible, +for as soon as anyone was seen to leave our lines he was at once fired +upon. Every effort was made with bombs and rifle grenades to dislodge +the German machine gunners from their posts on the main road, but, +though Serjts. Marston and Haynes and L/Cpl. Thurman did their utmost, +no progress could be made. Here, therefore, "D" Company had to stay +throughout the day, almost powerless to help, except by harassing the +enemy with stokes mortars from the high ground. With daylight, the enemy +also had complete command of the Eastern edge of Pontruet, and Lieuts. +Hawley and Steel had to lie very quiet; the slightest movement attracted +the attention of the snipers in Forgan's. + +At 8-0 a.m. the battle was practically at a standstill, and the C.O. +sent the Adjutant forward to see what could be done to improve our +position. The enemy's artillery was now fairly quiet, and, except for +the one machine gun post near the blockhouse, there seemed to be no +Germans in Pontruet. "A" and "B" Companies had exhausted all their +grenades and Lewis gun ammunition in their efforts to capture this one +post, but had failed, and our only hope was now that a 1st Divisional +Tank would do it for us. This Tank was seen coming up from the West, +and, to attract its attention, we waved our helmets on our rifles. It +turned towards us, but suddenly broke down, and soon afterwards was put +completely out of action. + +At the same time, efforts were made to signal to Battalion Headquarters +for ammunition, but the signal apparatus had all been destroyed in the +fight. The only flag available was one of the "red, white and black" +Regimental flags, which the Adjutant happened to have in his pocket, and +though this was vigorously waved, it could not be seen. A runner had to +be sent instead. + +Meanwhile, though we had practically cleared the village of the enemy, +we were not, as far as we knew at the Western end of it, holding it very +strongly. The only post known to "A" Company was Corporal Barber's at +the Cemetery. "C" Company were supposed to be "somewhere at the other +end," but no one quite knew where. However, with Corporal Barber was a +"C" Company soldier--Coles--who undertook to find his way back to his +Company. Our idea was to form a line through the village at once, and, +when ammunition arrived, push the line through to the far side. Coles +found "C" Company, but so hot was the sniping from Forgan's, that any +idea of moving men in that direction had to be abandoned, at any rate +until darkness. Coles himself was unable to return, so that the exact +position of "C" Company was never known at Headquarters. + +On the return of the Adjutant, Battalion Headquarters moved up to the +valley next the R.A.P. At the same time a large supply of ammunition and +bombs was brought up as far as the crater. Colonel Griffiths himself +set off to visit "A" Company, but he had not gone many yards along the +road before he was heavily sniped by the enemy machine gunners. The +latter had established several posts on the high ground S.E. of +Pontruet, and were now making the road impassable. For a long time the +Colonel, making use of shell holes, tried to make his way to the +village, but every time he was "spotted" and finally he had to return. +Ammunition carrying parties lost very heavily and never got near our +companies; the village seemed to be completely cut off from us. To add +to our discomfort the enemy's artillery was again active and gas shells +were fired wherever movement was seen. The Headquarters and the R.A.P. +were frequently bombarded. At the same time the enemy's infantry started +to dribble back by Forgan's and the new trench, into the S.W. corner of +the village, probably to counter-attack. Observers saw this movement +from the Tumulus Ridge, and, as soon as Corpl. Barber's post could be +withdrawn, the suspected area was heavily shelled by our gunners, and no +attack developed. + +During the afternoon, the Headquarters, finding that in their new +position they were in touch with neither Brigade Headquarters nor their +Companies, moved back to the hill-top. Captain Jack and the Padre +remained with the R.A.P., though their valley was almost continuously +shelled, and never entirely free from gas. The devoted work these two +did that day is beyond description and too great for praise. + +At 4-0 p.m., as our position was materially unchanged, we received +orders for a fresh advance, to be made in conjunction with one Company +of the 6th Sherwood Foresters. Our objective was to be a line along the +Southern edge of the village, to link up with "C" Company, or at least +to extend to where we imagined "C" Company to be. Captain Pink, of the +Sherwood Foresters, commanded the Company which was to help us, and no +one could have worked harder than he did to make our advance a success, +but the uncertainty of "C" Company's exact position, and the +impossibility of sending them any orders, made our task very difficult. +Late in the afternoon we at last got news of Lieut. Steel. In spite of +shells and machine-gun bullets, a runner came along the main road from +St. Hélčne to the crater. This runner, Private F. Lane, had had to crawl +250 yards across the open under direct observation, had had to kill two +Germans before he could get clear of the village, and had then run the +gauntlet of shells and bullets along the road--all this alone. Not +content with having delivered his message, he refused to rest, and, +though exhausted, made his way back by the same way that he had come. We +now knew where Lieut. Steel was under the bridge, but still we knew +nothing of the main part of "C" Company. + +At 7-30 p.m., as it was getting dusk, the combined advance started +without a barrage. It was a big frontage for so small a force and +parties lost touch with each other amongst the ruins. "A" Company's left +kept close to the Sherwood Foresters, but the outer flanks of both were +"in the air," for "C" Company could not be found. It was dark when the +South side of the village was reached, and it was found terribly +difficult to keep direction amongst the ruins and trenches. A Lewis Gun +Section, under C.S.M. Wardle, disposed of the only party of the enemy +who were encountered, but the post near the Blockhouse could not be +found. Finally at 9-0 p.m. the Sherwood Foresters fell back to Fourmi +trench near the main road, and 2nd Lieut. Dennis, now commanding "A" +Company, ordered his platoons to return to their former positions. We +had accomplished nothing. + +The original plan had been that we should be relieved as soon as it was +dark, but our present line was so uncertain that the relieving Battalion +refused to take it over as we had it. The men were tired out, and it was +impossible to expect them to make another attempt to form a line round +the village. "C" Company were found, but too far North to link up with +the others. Eventually, at 2-0 a.m. on the 25th, we were ordered to +withdraw all our Companies and evacuate the village. This we did by 4-0 +a.m. What was left of the Battalion then marched back to where we had +left our greatcoats, while the Sherwood Foresters took over the line +north and west of Pontruet. The Adjutant saw the last parties out of the +village, and the Colonel, though tired out, insisted on going round the +lines and visiting each platoon as it came in. + +The following day we received this message from General Boyd:-- + + "Please congratulate Lieut.-Colonel Griffiths and the 1/5th Bn. + Leicestershire Regiment on the good fight they put up yesterday, + and tell them I am quite satisfied. They captured many prisoners + and accounted for numbers of the enemy. Owing to unexpected + reinforcements they attacked an enemy twice as strong as + themselves, and moreover in a strong position. Although we did not + reach our objective, the enemy was prevented from reinforcing the + troops opposed to the Division on our right." + + (sd.) G.F. BOYD, Major-General. + +We had lost one Company Commander and three subalterns killed, one +Company Commander and six subalterns wounded. Of the rank and file, +thirty were killed, of whom three were Serjeants, one hundred were +wounded, and eight were missing. But we had proved that five platoons +could clear a village held by three Battalions (so said one of the +prisoners) of the enemy; we had shown that when N.C.O.'s became +casualties, private soldiers were ready to assume command and become +leaders, and, most important of all, the battle had proved to each +individual soldier that if he went with his bayonet he was +irresistible. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +CROSSING THE CANAL. + +25th Sept., 1918. 4th Oct., 1918. + + +The two days following this action were spent in refitting and +re-organizing what was left of the Battalion. All available officers +from the "battle details" were ordered to join us, and Captains Petch +and Banwell resumed command of their Companies, while Lieuts. Hawley and +Corah took over "B" and "D." Major Burnett also came up and, though we +were still in trenches and holes in the ground, managed to produce hot +baths for everybody. The line was very quiet, the weather warm, we +needed a rest, and for two days we had it. The Brigade was to be +relieved by the Staffordshires on the evening of the 27th, and our first +orders were to go into various trenches and dug-outs round Grand Priel +Farm. These orders, however, were cancelled before relief, and we were +allotted instead a quarry and some trenches just North of le Verguier. + +Up to the evening of the 26th all had been very quiet and there was not +the slightest sign that any active operations were intended. However on +this evening, the Transport drivers, bringing up rations, told us that +all the roads behind the lines were thick with guns, lorries and +waggons, all moving up. At the same time Colonel Griffiths returned +from a Conference, with some orders so secret that they were told to no +one. The following day we saw that during the night many new batteries +had taken up positions on the Ascension Ridge, guns had been carefully +camouflaged, men hidden away in copses, and all was still very quiet. +The same day, officers of another division came up reconnoitering--all +with considerable secrecy--though one was seen to be carrying a map with +a red line on it, somewhere four miles East of the St. Quentin Canal. +The following night more batteries silently took up their positions; +large bomb, water and ammunition dumps were made wherever a house or +copse would screen them from the enemy's aircraft, everything was being +prepared for some gigantic enterprise. As we went out to le Verguier, we +passed some of the Staffordshires going to the front line. It was a very +dark night, but we could see that they were carrying more than usual and +that their equipment looked very bulky. They were wearing life belts. + +The secret could now be kept no longer, and as soon as possible orders +were made known to all. They were brief: "The 46th Division will on a +certain date, as part of a major operation, cross the St. Quentin Canal, +capture the Hindenburg Line, and advance to a position on the high +ground East of Magny la Fosse and Lehaucourt (2 miles E. of the Canal)." + +The St. Quentin Canal, or Canal du Nord, as it is called further North, +runs for the most part North and South. At Bellicourt, opposite the +Americans, 1,000 yards North of our sector, it enters a tunnel and is +for a considerable distance underground. At Bellenglise, opposite the +right of our Divisional sector, it takes a sharp turn to the East, and +runs, past Lehaucourt and le Tronquoy, for 2˝ miles before again +turning South. The main Hindenburg Line followed the line of the Canal, +just East of it. The Americans would attack the line above the tunnel, +and North of them British Divisions would continue the advance far to +the North. The 46th Division would attack with its right on Bellenglise, +and a gap of 1,000 yards from its left to the Americans. South of us no +attack would be necessary; for, once across the Canal, our right flank +would be defended all the way to le Tronquoy by the Canal itself and +this portion of the Hindenburg Line, which we should "roll up" from the +flank. Tanks could not cross the Canal except over the tunnel at +Bellicourt. Consequently the IXth Tank Battalion, allotted to our +Division for the attack, would advance with the Americans, and, once in +Bellicourt, turn south and join us to assist in the advance to the +village objectives and the heights. To the Staffordshire Brigade was +alloted the crossing of the Canal and the taking of the Hindenburg Line. +Then, after a pause to allow the Tanks to come round, the Sherwood +Foresters on the right and our Brigade on the left would sweep on, still +under a barrage, to the final objective. We should have to deal with +Magny village, the Right Brigade with Bellenglise and Lehaucourt. On the +final objective there would be another pause, then, if all had gone +well, the 32nd Division would come through to the "Red" Line of +exploitation--another two miles still further East. Maps were issued +with the objective of each unit shown in colour. The Staffordshires had +the "Blue," which was the Hindenburg Line, and the "Brown" further E. to +hold till we came up; the 4th Leicestershires had the "Yellow," which +included Knobkerry Ridge, the 5th Lincolnshires the "Dotted Blue"--just +beyond Magny village; we had the last of all, the "Green" line, +including a sunken cross-roads, an old mill on some very high ground, +and a small copse called Fosse Wood. It was argued that by this time +either the attack would have failed and we should not be wanted, or, if +successful, there could not be very much resistance; we were very weak +after Pontruet, and this was considered the easiest task. The day chosen +was September 29th--the time, dawn. + +Outside le Verguier there runs a muddy lane with an old quarry beside +it. In this quarry, in an evil-smelling but very deep dug-out lived +Battalion Headquarters; everybody else occupied trenches in the fields +round about. On the opposite side of the lane was a battery of 9.2's, +firing almost continuously day and night, making it almost impossible to +reach the Headquarters, and quite impossible to ride down the lane. +Altogether our surroundings were unpleasant. The enemy soon made them +worse, for about an hour before dawn on the 28th he suddenly put over a +few small shells, apparently high explosive, round "B" Company's +trenches, while one or two also fell round "C" and "A" Companies. +Finally he pitched three clean into the quarry, and the sentry wake up +to the fact that they were not only high explosive, but contained a very +fair percentage of mustard gas. It was about an hour before the +discovery was made and still longer before all troops were moved away. +"C" Company wisely took no risks and were soon across the road, and "A" +and "D" were practically unaffected. "B" Company, however, were not +warned, and it was nearly two hours after the first shell had come +before they were finally moved grumbling to another area. Apparently no +one was gassed, but we knew mustard only too well and feared very much +what the enemy would bring forth. However, at 9-0 a.m. it came on to +pour with rain, and we got more hopeful. + +At 11 o'clock Col. Griffiths, taking the Adjutant and Company Commanders +with him, set off to a Conference with the Tank officers at Brigade +Headquarters. The enemy were shelling le Verguier, the 9.2's were firing +vigorously, it was pouring with rain, and the horses were very nervous. +The ride was consequently exciting. Led as usual by "Sunloch," the party +galloped past the 9.2's and halted at the entrance to the village to try +and "time" the Boche shells. One came, they dashed in, turned the corner +and just got clear in time; the next shell skimmed over the last groom's +head and wounded a German prisoner. + +Our conference with the Tank officers caused a slight alteration in +Colonel Griffiths' plan of attack. He had intended to advance with two +companies in front and two in support, but finding that a three company +frontage was more suitable for Tank co-operation, this was adopted--"A" +Company (Petch) to be on the right, "C" Company (Banwell) to be in the +centre, and "D" Company (Corah) on the left. "B" Company (Hawley) would +be in support. The front line Company Commanders arranged rendezvous +with their Tank Commanders, and we rode back. + +By evening our worst fears had been realized, and forty-five of "B" +Company had to be sent to Hospital, too blind from the mustard gas to be +of any use. C.S.M. Wardle and about five men from each of the other +Companies had also to go, while Headquarters lost Mess Corporal J. +Buswell. As we had lost L/Cpl. Bourne a few days before, this left us +rather helpless, and, but for our energetic Padre-Mess-President, should +probably have starved. We had one consolation. Towards evening on the +28th the rain stopped, the weather brightened, and there seemed to be +every prospect of a fine Sunday. Bombs, flares and extra rations were +distributed at dusk, and we turned in for the night during which, except +for a few aeroplane bombs, the evening left us in peace. + +At 5-0 a.m., Sunday, the 29th of September, the barrage started. There +was the usual thick morning mist, and even at 7-0 a.m. we were unable to +see more than a few yards in any direction. Even gun flashes could not +be seen, and the only intimation we had of the progress of the fight, +was the continuous "chug-chug-chug," of the tanks, moving along the +valley North of us, completely out of sight. As we were not due to move +until 9-0 a.m. we spent the time having breakfasts and reorganizing the +remains of "B" Company. Lieut. Hawley, with the aid of the recently +returned C.S.M. J.B. Weir, D.C.M., formed one large platoon with as many +Lewis Guns as possible. Between 7-0 and 8-0 a.m. the mist lifted once +for a few seconds only, and, looking Northwards we could see the top of +the next ridge. Along the skyline as far as the eye could see from West +to East stretched a long column of horses, guns and wagons--moving +forward. Below them, in the shadow, moved a long procession of Tanks. +Then the mist closed down and we saw no more. + +As soon as breakfasts were finished, picked N.C.O.'s and men were sent +forward to get in touch with the rest of the Brigade and reconnoitre +roads forward to the Canal. At 7-45 a.m. came a message from Brigade +Headquarters, to say that, as the mist was worse further East, we had +better start moving at once. Parade was accordingly ordered for 8-30 +a.m., instead of 9-0 a.m., and we tried to form up in a field near the +quarry. The mist was so thick one could not see from one end of a +Company to the other, and it was nearly nine o'clock before Capt. Jack +and his orderlies with their medical box appeared in the field, and we +were ready to move off. Even so, we had to leave the mess staff behind, +but the Padre promised to bring them along. + +At 9-0 a.m. we moved off in single file, Col. Griffiths leading, and the +Companies following in the order "A," "C," "D," Battalion Headquarters, +and "B." It was terribly difficult to keep touch, as, with many oaths, +we stumbled over ditches and holes until we reached the lane from le +Verguier to Grand Priel. Here we picked up the Headquarter horses, and +also were much cheered by some wounded soldiers, who told us the Boche +was running away for all he was worth. Unfortunately our column was cut +in half by some artillery coming down the line, who passed between "D" +Company and Headquarters. Alongside us, moving on the same track, were +the other Sherwood Foresters, also bound for the "Green Line"; their +"all up" was passed to the head of our column, and the Colonel, thinking +we were intact, moved on. At Ascension Farm, the Adjutant was sent in to +report to Brigade Headquarters and the Colonel struck off into the +mist, marching entirely by compass bearing. Periodically he and Captain +Petch stopped to check their direction and then moved slowly on again; +there was some barbed wire and the horses were sent back. Eventually, +after crossing the old front line and going half way down the next slope +the Colonel halted, and allowing the Companies to form up by platoons, +waited until it was time to go on. He judged that he should be somewhere +near the original starting line of the Staffordshires. "C" and "D" +Companies came up but there was no Battalion Headquarters and no "B" +Company--incidentally no Adjutant. The latter, coming out from Brigade +Headquarters, found that the Battalion had gone and tried to ride after +them. He merely succeeded in getting into a wire entanglement and having +no groom had to leave his mare. With Lieut. Ashdowne, the Intelligence +Officer, and Scout-Corporal Gilbert--the only ones left of Battalion +Headquarters--he went on, hoping to catch up the Battalion before they +reached the Canal. Fortunately at 10-45 the mist blew right away, and +the sudden daylight which followed showed him where the Battalion lay; +it also showed the Staffordshire's starting tape only 60 yards from +where the Colonel had halted. + +Until 11-20 we sat in the sun and waited in the hopes that some of the +missing people might join us. We held a short Conference, and the +Colonel decided that if there was any more fog or difficulty of any +sort, Company Commanders should make their way at once to their places +in the "dotted blue" line. Scouts were sent out to reconnoitre Canal +crossings, and as soon as the barrage started for the 4th Battalion's +advance, we moved forward in rear of the 5th Lincolnshires. There was +some scattered shelling, but our formation--lines of platoons in +fours--was found very suitable. On reaching the Canal the two right +Companies crossed by the remains of an old dam, the left by Riquerval +Bridge, and all formed up in the ruins of the famous Hindenburg Line on +the far side. It had been terribly battered, and here and there the +remains of its occupants showed how deadly our barrage, and how fierce +the assault of the Staffordshires had been. As we reached the Canal a +single Tank was seen coming down from the North, another followed and +then others; "our" Battalion had crossed successfully at Bellicourt, so +the battle must be going well. + +After a short pause, the advance up towards Knobkerry Ridge started. As +we crossed Springbok Valley we could see the 4th Battalion consolidating +their newly-won positions on the top, and there was little opposition +from this quarter. On our right, however, there seemed to be a stiff +fight going on in Bellenglise, and several dropping shots from machine +guns fell round us. We deployed into the "blob" formation, before +ascending the ridge, and for the next half-mile our advance was worthy +of a plate in Field Service Regulations. In front the Colonel, with his +eye on Magny village, kept the direction right. Behind him the three +Companies deployed, their "distance" and "interval" perfect, and working +so well together that if one was checked for a time, the others saw it +at once and conformed. Behind the centre a small red cross flag and the +"red, white and black" marked the position of the Regimental Aid Post +and Battalion Headquarters. The latter's flag was already becoming +famous; it was the one with which "A" Company had tried to signal from +Pontruet. A few yards short of the summit of the Ridge we halted and lay +down again while the 5th Lincolnshires did their advance. While we were +here, the Tanks came up, and so excellent had been the liaison, that +from the Tank which stopped behind "A" and "C" Companies stepped the +officer with whom they had arranged details the day before. + +At about 1 o'clock we moved on again--our centre through Magny la Fosse +and our Flank Companies on each side of it. The fight in Bellenglise +seemed to be over, and for the moment things were very quiet. Swarms of +prisoners, waving their arms, were seen coming from various trenches and +the village; no one was looking after them, we were all much too keen on +getting forward. Here and there, when a few Boches showed signs of +getting into a trench instead of keeping to the open, some soldier would +administer a friendly jab with the bayonet to show them what was +expected of them. The Tanks came along behind us, meaning to form up in +Magny woods, and wait there till we went on. As the Lincolnshires got +their objective without trouble, we moved close up to them and once more +lay down to wait for 1-40 p.m., the time for our own barrage and +advance. + +Unfortunately, though screened from the East, the corner of Magny Woods, +was visible from the South. Across the Canal on the high ground, some +German gunner must have seen the Tanks assembling, and, finding no +attack was coming his way, started to shoot at point blank range at our +right flank. The right and centre became very unpleasant, and there was +a veritable barrage round "A" Company. Through it, very hot and very +angry at being shelled, suddenly appeared Padre Buck, a heavy pack of +food on his back, and behind him the Regimental Serjeant-Major and the +missing Headquarters. He had found them near Ascension Farm and knowing +enough of the plan of attack, had "sweated" them along as hard as he +could. It is impossible to imagine what we should have done without +runners, signallers or batmen, to say nothing of the food. As we were +now only 600 yards from our final objective the Padre and Captain Jack +went off to find a Regimental Aid Post and finally settled in a small +dug-out in a sunken road just outside the village. + +At 1-40 p.m. our barrage started and our advance began; our shelling was +slightly ragged in one or two places, but for the most part it was very +accurate--wonderfully so, as guns were firing at extreme range. On the +right "A" Company working along, and on both sides of an old trench, +reached their objective without difficulty except for the shelling +which, aimed at the Tanks, was falling all round the Company. Captain +Petch, after L/Cpl. Downs and others had removed some twenty-one Boches +from a hole under the road, made his Headquarters there, went round his +outposts, and sent patrols out to his right flank, where the Sherwood +Foresters, delayed in Bellenglise, had not yet reached Lehaucourt. They +soon came up, however, and our right flank was secured. In the centre +"C" Company had even more shells and did not have the satisfaction of +evicting any Boches. They reached their objective and put outposts round +the Mill and along a sunken road to connect with "A" Company. The +protective barrage was still in front of them, and through it, in the +direction of Levergies, could be seen several German batteries +limbering up. One was quite close. This was too much for C.S.M. Angrave +and Serjeant Tunks, who collected some twenty men and, regardless of the +barrage, took advantage of the cover of a sunken road running East, and +pushed forward. They could not cross the open, but, using their rifles, +drove off the gunners and killed the horses, so that the battery +remained in our hands. This very enterprising party then went on under +Serjeant Tunks and had a look at Levergies, finally returning after it +was dark. + +Behind "C" Company, the Colonel and Adjutant after lying for some time +in a small hole, and wondering whether they would be rolled on by one of +our Tanks, or hit by the shells aimed at it, finally planted their flag +outside a little dug-out on the N.E. corner of Magny Woods. However, the +Colonel would not rest here, but was off again at once to see how we had +fared. He first met Captain Banwell looking for a "success rocket"; this +sounded satisfactory, and, as about the same time, Lieut. Hawley +appeared with "B" Company, and we once more had a "reserve," all looked +well. On the left--"D" Company (Corah), after chalking their names on a +battery of deserted whizz-bangs, collected a Boche officer and some 50 +men from a 4.2 gun battery without any trouble; hurrying on, they found +some 20 others trying to blow up a 5.9 Howitzer in Fosse Wood, +demonstrated that this could not be allowed and took them all prisoners; +then, without further opposition, they dug in round the E. side of the +wood and continued the line Northwards to the Divisional boundary. After +visiting these, the Colonel went off to look at the left flank, and +here, except for an Australian Machine Gun Section under a Serjeant +there was no one. The Americans were not up to their objective, they had +not even taken Etricourt, and for nearly a mile back our left was "in +the air." Worse still, the Australian Serjeant had just been ordered to +withdraw; the Colonel pointed out the situation, and the Serjeant, dying +for an excuse to stay where he could see enemy to shoot at, called back +his men and said "he'd stay as long as we wanted him." It was not very +satisfactory, but we could do nothing else except pray hard for the +arrival of the 32nd Division. When the Colonel arrived back at Battalion +Headquarters we thought at first that our casualties had been very light +indeed, but it was not long before we got some bad news. On our right +flank the Tanks had suffered heavily at the hands of the German gunners +on the Le Tronquoy high ground, and one of them, disabled and on fire, +was a mark for several German batteries. Some of the crew managed to +escape, but others, too badly wounded, were left inside; one crawled to +our Aid Post. Padre Buck heard of this and at once went off to the +rescue. The shelling was very heavy, and he was hit almost at once and +wounded in many places. He was carried back to the Aid Post, but died +soon afterwards, conscious to the last, but not in great pain. The Padre +had been with us two years, and during all that time, there was never a +trench or outpost that he had not visited, no matter how dangerous or +exposed. In addition to his Chaplain's duties, he had been O.C. Games, +Recreation Room and often Mess President--a thorough sportsman and a +brave soldier, we felt his loss keenly. + +Meanwhile every effort was being made to tell Brigade of our success, +and, while one aeroplane with British markings bombed us (in spite of +numerous red flares), another took down a message from the "Popham" +sheet, which Serjeant Signaller Wilbur was operating. Soon after 4.0 +p.m. Captain D. Hill, the Brigade Major, appeared and told us that the +32nd Division would soon arrive, and at 5-15 p.m. their leading +Battalions came through us. However, they found it was now too late to +go forward, so put out Outposts just in front of our line. Their +appearance provoked the Boche to further shelling, and an unlucky hit +killed Serjeant Taylor, an experienced and valuable platoon Serjeant of +"C" Company. Serjeants Marshall of "C" Company and Clarke of "D" +Company, were also wounded, but our total casualties for the day were +under 25. We had reached our objective at all points and captured 8 guns +and about 100 prisoners. The Division altogether had taken 4,000 +prisoners and 80 guns and had smashed the Hindenburg Line. + +Though the machine-gun fire from low flying aeroplanes was somewhat +troublesome at dusk, we had a quiet night after the battle, and were +able to distribute rations and ammunition to the companies soon after +midnight. At the time, we hardly gave a thought to this last, but it was +a feat deserving of the highest praise. We had advanced some four miles +into the enemy's country across a canal, and by dusk bridges and roads +had been built sufficient to enable horse transport to carry rations and +ammunition to the most advanced units. Ours were delivered just outside +Battalion Headquarters, and the Companies fetched them from there. The +admirable organization of the Staff, and the skill and pluck of our +Transport Drivers, had enabled us to go into action carrying only our +rations for the one day--very different from the Germans in their March +offensive, when each man was loaded up with food for five days. + +The following morning, the 32nd Division continued the advance, with a +small barrage, against Sequehart, Joncourt and, in the near centre, +Levergies. The enemy had found it impossible to remain in their +positions at Pontruet and South of the Canal, and hustled by the 1st and +French Divisions, had evacuated them. The French were now therefore +continuing our line Southwards from Lehaucourt. The attack started at +dawn and soon afterwards the valley past Fosse Wood was thronged with +Whippet tanks and cavalry, waiting in case of a possible +"break-through." It was the first time most of us had seen Cavalry in +action, and they made an imposing sight as they filed along the valley +in the morning mist. At the same time several batteries of Horse +Artillery trotted up and taking up positions near our "D" Company, +opened fire to assist the attack. Levergies, overlooked from two sides, +was soon taken and several prisoners were captured on the left, but +elsewhere the enemy had been strongly reinforced, and the attacks on +Sequehart, Preselles and Joncourt broke down under heavy machine gun +fire. Apparently a stand was to be made along the "Fonsomme" trench +line--running N. and S. along the next ridge. After waiting all day, the +Cavalry and "whippets" slowly withdrew again in the evening. + +That night and the following day, as the 32nd Division had now +definitely taken over the outpost line, the Companies were brought into +more comfortable quarters near Magny la Fosse and Headquarters moved +into an old German Artillery dug-out on the hill. In these positions "A" +Company had the misfortune to lose Serjeant Toon, a most energetic and +cheerful Platoon Serjeant, who was wounded by a chance machine-gun +bullet, but otherwise we had a quiet time. Reorganization and refitting +once more occupied our minds, and, as "B" Company's gas casualties had +made them so weak, all "battle details" were ordered to join us. The +following day they arrived under C.S.M. Cooper, who resumed his duties +with "D" Company. 2nd Lieuts. Todd and Argyle also rejoined us from +leave, and the Stores and Transport moved up to Magny village. The same +afternoon there was a Battalion parade and General Rowley complimented +us on our work during our two battles. He had visited Pontruet since the +attack and was unable to find words to express his admiration for our +fight in the village. The arrival of the "Daily Mail," and the discovery +that at last the name "North Midland" figured in the head lines cheered +us all immensely, and the fall of St. Quentin to the French gave a +practical proof of the value of our efforts. We were all very happy and +said "Now we shall have a good rest to re-fit." + +Nothing, however, appeared to be further from the intentions of the +Higher Command, and on October 2nd the other two Brigades came through +us to take over the line from the 32nd, and again attempt to break the +"Fonsomme" Line--on the 3rd. The French would attack on the right, the +32nd Division would be responsible for Sequehart, and the 46th, with +Staffordshires on the right and Sherwood Foresters on the left, would +sweep over Preselles, Ramicourt and Montbrehain, and make a break for +the cavalry and "whippets." Joncourt had already been captured and +the left flank was therefore secure. Our Brigade was in support, and +would not be wanted to move until 8-0 a.m. There was not much time for +making preparations, and the Artillery, who had particularly short +notice, spent the night before the battle getting into position near our +Headquarters. + +[Illustration: SKETCH MAP OF CAMBRAI-ST. QUENTIN-AVESNES AREA +To illustrate battles of Sept Oct Nov 1918] + +Once more a thick morning mist covered our attack and the first waves, +advancing with the barrage at dawn, quickly got possession of Preselles +and the Fonsomme Line, killing many Germans and taking large numbers of +prisoners. There was considerable resistance in the centre, but the +Sherwood Foresters, led by such men as Colonel Vann, disposed of it, and +by 10.0 a.m. all objectives were gained and everything ready for the +Cavalry. Meanwhile, soon after 8-0 a.m., the Battalion was ordered to +move up at once and support the Staffordshires. We were to be under the +orders of General Campbell, but would not be used for any purpose except +holding the Fonsomme Line, to which we were now to go. We had been +warned the previous evening that, if used at all, it would be on the +right flank, and reconnoitering parties had already gone forward to get +in touch with the Staffordshires; these had not yet returned, so we +started without them. + +Soon after 9-0 a.m. we left Magny la Fosse and moved down the hill +towards Levergies, which we decided to leave on our right flank, as it +was full of gas. We were in lines of platoons in fours--"D" Company +(Corah) and "C" (Banwell) leading, bound for the Fonsomme Line, "A" +Company (Petch) and "B" (Hawley) following with orders to find support +positions to the other two. The Headquarters moved by the railway line +N.E. of Levergies to take up a position as near as possible to the +Support Battalion Headquarters of the Staffordshires. All went well +until the leading Companies were beginning to climb the hill E. of +Levergies, when a runner from Brigade Headquarters caught us up with a +message to say that the 32nd Division had not taken Sequehart in the +first attack, and that it was uncertain in whose hands the village now +was. Every effort was made to warn the Companies, but we could not reach +"D" and "A" in time, and we could only hope that if Sequehart was still +in the enemy's hands, they would be warned of it in time to deploy their +right platoons, which would otherwise march in fours close to the edge +of the village. + +Sequehart, however, if not at this time actually in our hands, was at +all events clear of the enemy, and our right flank had no trouble. The +mist and smoke made communication between the Companies very difficult, +and so each moved, more or less independently, to its allotted station. +"C" was the first to reach the "Fonsomme Line," only to find that the +line was nowhere more than six inches deep, and, except for its concrete +machine gun posts, was only a "big work" when photographed from the air. +Captain Banwell accordingly took up his position in a sunken lane +running between Sequehart and Preselles. Meanwhile, the other leading +Company, "D," had moved too far to the left, a very fortunate +circumstance, because Colonel Griffiths was able to change their +direction and dispose them facing right, to form a defensive right flank +opposite Sequehart. "B" Company was also ordered to face right in +support to "D" Company. "A" Company, however, had not made the same +error as "D," and Captain Petch, keeping his direction, found, as "C" +Company had, that the "Fonsomme Line" gave him no cover. He, therefore, +occupied the same sunken lane, about 300 yards south of "C" Company. +Soon afterwards an intercepted message told Captain Petch of our changed +dispositions, and, to protect his right, he too moved his Company to +conform with "D." Battalion Headquarters had by this time occupied a +large bank at the bottom of the hill, where Colonel White, of the 5th +South Staffordshires, had already planted his flag. + +From our new positions we had an extensive view to the East. Mannequin +Ridge was on the right flank with Doon Hill at the end of it, held by +the enemy, though we could see the Staffordshires holding the ridge. In +the foreground was a valley, and on our left another ridge stretching +from Preselles to Ramicourt. The Staffordshires did not appear very +numerous for their large frontage, and it was clear that unless the +Cavalry appeared soon, there was danger that they would be +counter-attacked. But at 10-0 a.m. the leading Cavalry were only just +beginning to appear over the Magny heights. The enemy was fairly quiet, +except for one field gun, 2,000 yards away on our extreme right, beyond +Sequehart. C.S.M. Angrave kept sniping at the gunners, who replied to +each of his shots with a whizz-bang. + +It soon became obvious that so long as the enemy remained on Doon Hill, +the Cavalry could not advance, and shortly after midday we received +orders to place two Companies at the disposal of the 137th Brigade, to +assist in an attack on the Hill. Colonel Griffiths decided to use "A" +and "D" Companies, and Captain Fetch and Lieut. Corah were at once +summoned to Headquarters, when we were told the attack was to be made by +the North Staffordshires, Colonel Evans, and that our Companies would be +in support. Accordingly Colonel Griffiths and the Company Commanders set +off for Colonel Evans' headquarters while the two Companies moved over +the open to "C" Company's sunken lane, where they formed up for the +attack. A few of "A" Company under 2nd Lieut. Whetton crossed the lane +and reached the Staffordshires' front line. There was no fixed time for +the assault, but the hill was to be shelled by our Artillery until 2.30 +p.m. This shelling ceased as our Companies reached the lane, nearly a +mile from the objective, and Colonel Evans tried in vain to have it +renewed. + +Meanwhile the enemy had been assembling out of sight behind Mannequin +Ridge, and now suddenly attacked the Staffordshires heavily, driving +them from their positions on the crest. At the same time the valley was +swept from end to end by bursts of machine gun fire, and it was obvious +that an advance across the open could only be made with very heavy loss. +Colonel Griffiths wished to stop the attack at least until Mannequin +Ridge was retaken, but, before anything could be done, the enemy opened +a heavy artillery barrage on the lane, and the Colonel was badly +wounded. Some of "A" Company had pushed forward a little, and Captain +Petch and 2nd Lieut. Dennis managed to find some cover for No. 4 Platoon +about 200 yards East of the Lane. It was now about 3-0 p.m. and Colonel +Evans, probably intending to alter his plans, sent for the Company +Commanders. As they arrived a shell fell on the party, killing the +Colonel, Lieut. Corah and 2nd Lieut. Christy, wounding Captain Petch. A +few minutes later 2nd Lieut. Mace was hit in the leg with a bullet, and +both he and Captain Petch were sent down. "D" Company was officerless, +"A" had three isolated groups, two forward and unapproachable, the third +under 2nd Lieut. Edwardes in the Sunken Lane. There were no orders and +no one knew what to do, so C.S.M. Cooper collected "D" and 2nd Lieut. +Edwardes and C.S.M. Smith collected all they could find of "A," and both +prolonged "C" Company's line to the left. The lane here was less sunken +than on the right, and the cover was very poor, affording little +protection against the enemy's shells, which came from front and flank. + +We were now very short of officers. The Adjutant, Captain J.D. Hills, +was in command, with Lieut. Ashdowne as Adjutant; 2nd Lieut. Argyle was +acting Liaison Officer with the Staffordshires, so there was no one else +except the M.O. at Headquarters. Captain Jack, it is true, was a host in +himself, for, when not tying up the wounded, he was always ready with +some merry remark to cheer us up; we needed it, for our railway line was +as heavily shelled as the sunken lane. In addition to the killed and +wounded the Companies had also lost two new subaltern officers who had +joined the previous day and gone away slightly gassed, while 2nd Lieut. +Griffiths, who had gone forward with the reconnoitering parties, had not +been seen since. Captain Banwell was therefore alone with "C" Company. +Lieut. Steel was at once sent to command "D," and, on arrival at the +sunken lane, at once received a shell splinter in the leg; fortunately, +however, this was not serious, and he and C.S.M. Cooper were soon hard +at work straightening out the Company. This Warrant Officer and C.S.M. +Smith of "A" Company were admirable; it was largely due to them that +both Companies, badly shaken after their gruelling, were within a few +hours once more fit for anything. Our shortage of officers was likely to +continue, for our only "battle detail," Major Burnett, had just gone to +England, to the Senior Officers' School at Aldershot. Our casualties +during the afternoon included one who could ill be spared. A direct hit +with a shell on "C" Company Headquarters wounded C.S.M. Angrave in the +back. He died a few days later. One of the original Territorials, he had +served with us the whole time, and even four years of France had failed +to lessen his devotion to "C" Company. + +[Illustration: Company Headquarters, Loisne, 1918.] + +[Illustration: The Bathing Pool, Gorre Brewery, 1918.] + +Soon after 3-0 p.m. General Campbell himself rode up to Battalion +Headquarters and after explaining the situation, pointed out the +importance of holding a little group of trenches on some high ground +three-quarters of a mile E. of Preselles. Accordingly "B" Company +(Hawley), now only 25 strong, were sent there with two Lewis Guns; at +the same time some of the Monmouthshires were sent to help him. +Meanwhile, all the afternoon and evening, the enemy kept making small +attacks on Mannequin Ridge and towards Sequehart; several of these were +broken up by Artillery fire, and after his first efforts he had no +further successes. Our Cavalry, having arrived too late in the morning +to pass through when the enemy was really disorganized, waited all day +in the valley behind Preselles, and after losing several men and +horses in the shelling, had once more to withdraw at dusk. Their horses +were sent back, but as many men as could be spared were sent up +dismounted, with rifles and bayonets, to help hold the "Fonsomme Line" +in case of strong enemy counter attacks. They did not move up until dark +and, of course, could not find the "Fonsomme Line," any more than we +could in the morning, so started to dig where they could. Fortunately +the Commanding Officer, going round the line, found them, and, sending +one party up to help "B" Company, who were now alone, he and Captain +Banwell guided the rest across the valley, where they could find some +cover on the hill side. Had they been allowed to remain where they had +started to dig, they would probably have suffered very heavily in the +morning from the Ridge opposite, whence the enemy would have had a +beautiful view of them. + +Rations arrived soon after dark. During the afternoon 2nd Lieut. Todd +had reconnoitred a route for his limbers, and, after a narrow escape +from some heavy shells, had managed to find a passable road. With the +limbers came also 2nd Lieut. Griffiths, who had been wandering all over +the countryside in his efforts to find us. By midnight the companies had +their rations and their mail, and, even in the sunken lane, a smile +could be seen here and there. The night was quiet, and we were able to +collect all scattered parties and see what our casualties had been. +Fortunately the loss of other ranks was not in the same proportion as of +officers, but we had started so weak that we could ill afford to lose +the seven killed and 30 wounded which were our total casualties for the +day. "A" and "D" Companies had been hardest hit and Lance-Corporal +Meakin was amongst the killed; Serjeant Ward had been wounded, Serjeant +Peach of "B" Company had also been killed, while "C" Company, in +addition to their C.S.M., lost Serjt. Bond gassed and Cpl. Foulds +wounded. + +[Illustration: Pontruet.] + +At dawn on the 4th, as there was no sign of any attempted counter-attack +on the part of the enemy, most of the dismounted cavalry were withdrawn, +and we remained in our positions of the previous day. The morning was +slightly misty and Battalion Headquarters had one bad scare. The +Commanding Officer and Adjutant were out looking for new quarters, when +they suddenly saw coming over the hill W. of Sequehart--behind their +right flank--a number of Germans in open order. A battery of 60 pounders +in Levergies saw them at the same time and opened fire at point blank +range. It was fully five minutes before a few leisurely French soldiers +appearing over the same crest, showed that the Germans were merely a +large batch of prisoners collected by the French at dawn. Throughout the +day the enemy shelled various parts of the back area, and in this +respect Headquarters came off worst, being more bombarded than even the +sunken road. The bank under which they sat did not give them much cover, +and the Boche managed to drop his shells with great accuracy on the +Railway line and even hit the R.A.P. By the afternoon they were so tired +of being chased backwards and forwards along the bank that they followed +the example of the M.O., who with a wonderful display of calmness, which +he did not in the least feel, sat reading a book of poems and refused to +move. He admitted afterwards that he had not read a line, but it looked +very well, and as usual he kept us all cheerful. + +Late in the afternoon the long expected orders for relief came and we +learnt that we were to come out that night with the Staffordshires. "B" +Company on the left were actually relieved, but the other Companies had +merely to wait until the front line Battalions were clear and then march +out. The Boche shelled Headquarters once more just as they were going +and fired a considerable amount of gas shells all over the countrywide, +but no one was hurt, and eventually, some by Magny, some by Joncourt, +all arrived at the little village of Etricourt. Some of us rolled into +dug-outs, some into ruined houses, some in the road; all of us murmured +"Now we shall have our real rest at last," and went to sleep--tired +out. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +FRESNOY AND RIQUERVAL WOODS. + +5th Oct., 1918. 11th Oct., 1918. + + +One night was all we spent in Etricourt, bitterly cold but quiet and +unmolested by the enemy. The following day, the 5th of September, was +bright and warm, so we at once set about improving our surroundings, +started to bring some of our stores from Magny La Fosse, and were just +beginning to think we might make the place fairly comfortable, when +orders came for another move. There was going to be another battle, and, +though we were not taking part, our area was wanted for a Support +Division, so we were to go back across the Canal, and take over some +shelters in the old front line trench on the Ridge. This sounded rather +cold, but at all events we were going backwards to that long expected +rest; not too soon, for at midday an observation balloon made its +appearance, and its section chose Etricourt for their home, with the +result of course of annoying the Boche to such an extent that he fired +some shells over the village. At 5-0 p.m. we fell in and marched by +Riquerval Bridge over the Canal and up to the Ridge, passing the +Brigadier on the main road by the Canal, and found the Brigade we were +to relieve, sitting very comfortably in their shelters and huts. +Unfortunately they had no intention of moving until the following +morning. It was now 6-30 p.m. and would soon be dark, so we were faced +with two alternatives--one to sit on the road, send for the Staff, and +wail loudly, the other to help ourselves. + +The other two Battalions chose the former; we, being now very old +soldiers, chose the latter. An open patch of ground with some good large +shell holes was before us, we had a tool cart with us, and here and +there might be seen a sheet or two of corrugated iron. Long before it +was dark a thin curl of smoke coming out of the ground, a snatch of +song, or someone grousing in a loud voice, were the only indications +that there were four Companies of Infantry living there. The officers +were a little less fortunate; knowing that there were bell tents coming +on the limbers, they waited for them. At last they came, and very good +tents, too, but someone had forgotten to bring the poles. In spite of +this, we were soon all under cover, and in Headquarter Mess were +actually having a hot dinner when the Staff arrived and informed the +other two Battalions that they would now (in the dark) have to make the +best of whatever cover they could find. + +The following morning our tent poles arrived, and, having planted the +red, white and black flag outside the C.O.'s, tent and mounted guard, we +felt quite respectable again. By the afternoon we had so far increased +in pride that the Drums not only blew "Retreat," but gave us an +excellent concert while the guards were changed. We expected every hour +or so to get orders to go back to some place of greater comfort for our +rest, but thought it best to take no risks, and, on the morning of the +7th, gave everybody a hot bath. Two wagon covers and a cooker on the +Canal worked wonders in this way. This day we lost two more +officers--2nd Lieut. Whetton went on leave, and Lieut. Steel had to go +to Hospital as the wound in his leg would not heal. "B" Company, being +little larger than an ordinary Platoon, Lieut. Hawley was transferred to +"D," and 2nd Lieut. Cosgrove commanded "B." Captain Banwell had 2nd +Lieut. Griffiths in "C" Company, and 2nd Lieuts. Edwards and Dennis were +still with "A." There were no other Company officers, as 2nd Lieut. +Argyle was kept at Headquarters for Intelligence work. Fortunately 2nd +Lieut. Todd still remained to look after the Transport, which throughout +the fighting had been excellent, and Capt. Nicholson, though suffering +from "flu," stuck nobly to his work and looked after our comfort at the +Stores. + +Just after 10 o'clock on the 7th, orders came from Brigade for a move on +the following day--forward, not further back, and once more our hopes of +the promised rest were dashed. This time the attack was going to be made +by the other Divisions, and the 46th was to move at Zero to some +assembly areas round Magny La Fosse, and wait there in case the enemy +were sufficiently "broken" to allow of a general advance. Zero was five +minutes past five--a most uncomfortable hour for a move, especially as +breakfasts had to be eaten beforehand. Almost everybody was in bed +before orders came, but there were some who had no sleep that night: the +Orderly Room producing operation orders, the Quartermaster's department +(whose wagons arrived at 3-0 a.m.!), and the cooks getting breakfasts +ready, were the most unlucky, but so well did all ranks and all +departments do their work, that at 5-0 a.m. the Battalion fell in ready +to move. Packs had been stacked, ammunition and bombs distributed, most +important of all, we had had a good breakfast. There is no doubt that +our discipline and spirit were never better than during those strenuous +weeks. + +Seldom has more bad language been heard than on that early morning march +down to the Canal again. It was half dark and there were Units +assembling and marching in every direction. Eventually, finding we +should be late at the starting point if we waited for the Regiment which +should have been ahead of us, we decided to go on at once, and set off +down the rough and slippery track to Riquerval Bridge. All went +moderately well until a "C" Company limber stuck. Before it could be +drawn clear, a Company of another Regiment marched up and round it, +entirely preventing our efforts to free it. Curses were loud on both +sides, but nothing could equal the flow of language that the two Company +Commanders flung at each other over the heads of their perspiring +Companies. + +Eventually the limber was on the road again, and we reached the Bridge, +near which the Boche every few minutes dropped a shell. This fact, +coupled with a long line of Artillery horses going to "water," and the +Brigadier trying to get his Brigade across the Canal, produced an effect +which completely eclipsed the limber scene. However, as we crossed, the +Boche stopped shelling, daylight came and we found the road good, though +traffic made the rate of march very slow. The blaspheming consequently +subsided, and, finding a field track going in the right direction, we +continued our march at a fine pace until we reached our assembly +position--an open stretch of ground on the South side of the +Magny-Joncourt Road. Along this road were batteries of heavy guns, +standing almost wheel to wheel and firing rapidly, so, in view of +possible retaliation, the Companies were scattered over various little +groups of trenches in the neighbourhood. The cookers came up and we +prepared to make ourselves as comfortable as possible, while we once +more had the pleasure of watching the Cavalry waiting to be used, and +once more saw them go slowly back. + +In the afternoon we moved into the next valley Eastwards, so as to be +nearer the "line" if wanted; there was also better and less scattered +accommodation. Gun pits, dug-outs and the inevitable grassy bank +provided all we wanted, and when, an hour later, some few gas shells +fell in the valley, we were all snugly under cover. All that is to say +except the cookers and with them Serjeant Thomson and his cooks; these +were in a shallow sunken road, and had a shell within a few yards of +them, fortunately doing no damage. Thinking it best to take all the rest +we could, we had the evening meal early, and long before it was dark +most of the Battalion were asleep. The Commanding-Officer himself +retired before 9-30 p.m., and was consequently fast asleep when, soon +after 10-0 p.m., a runner appeared with the usual "B.G.C. will see all +Commanding Officers at once." The rendezvous this time was Preselles, +some two miles away across country. It was a dark night, but with the +aid of a compass he found his way there all right and received orders +from General Rowley for an immediate move. The Brigade was to relieve a +Brigade of the 6th Division in the right British sector next the +French; the Battalion would relieve the West Yorks R. in the right +sub-sector. The following morning the Brigade would move forward into +Mericourt which was supposed to have been evacuated by the enemy; we +were to be "squeezed out" by the 5th Line. R. and French joining hands +across our front, and would come into support. Guides would meet us for +the relief at Preselles at midnight, October 8th/9th. + +The Commanding Officer at once hurried back to the Battalion and +verbally issued relief orders while the Companies were falling in. In a +little more than half an hour all were ready to move, and Companies +marched independently to Preselles, where, under cover of the hill side, +the Battalion assembled soon after midnight. There were no guides, so, +after waiting some time in vain, the C.O. once more went to Brigade +Headquarters and asked for instructions. He was given a map +reference--supposed to be that of the Battalion Headquarters of the West +Yorks., and once more the Battalion moved off. In single file, with no +intervals between platoons for fear of losing touch, and a very +uncertain knowledge of the position of the enemy, we marched slowly +across country towards where we hoped to find Battalion Headquarters. +Reaching the famous sunken road of the battle of the 3rd, we halted +while a search was made; we had come to the place referred to on the +map, there was nothing there. Fortunately, just as we were wondering +what on earth to do, two W. Yorks. guides appeared, led us to their +Battalion Headquarters, and soon afterwards the Companies disappeared +Eastwards. + +Battalion Headquarters was in a small cellar under an isolated house +just outside Sequehart on the Preselles Road. It was a most +extraordinary relief in many ways, and perhaps the most extraordinary +part was the scene in that Headquarters. There were four of us with the +M.O., five West Yorks., a French Interpreter, a Padre, and an +indescribable heap of runners and signallers, to say nothing of batmen, +in a cellar which might have held four people comfortably. On one of the +beds in the corner lay an officer. Noticing that he was not wearing W. +Yorks badges, we asked who he was. They did not know, he had been there +since they came in and had never moved; "perhaps he was gassed or dead," +they remarked casually. This was typical of how we all felt, much too +tired to worry over other people's troubles. As it happened he was not +dead, and, though to this day we have never discovered who he was, he +eventually disappeared--going out to look for his own Regiment. For some +hours we sat in the most terrible atmosphere waiting for the relief to +be finished, and at last, just as dawn was breaking, as three Companies +had reported that they were in position, we agreed to take over the +line, and the W. Yorks. marched out--to take part in some other battle +further North. As soon as they had gone, the C.O., with a map in one +hand and a slice of bread and jam in the other, went up to look at our +front line and see whether the Boche had really left Mericourt. + +The Battalion sector was astride the Sequehart-Mericourt Road which ran +due East along the valley South of Mannequin Ridge. Sequehart village +and the valley were both full of mist and gas which hung about in +patches, and made walking very unpleasant. There were many German dead +round the village and in the concrete emplacements of the Fonsomme +line, and the fighting in this part must have been heavy. Keeping to the +main road, the C.O. found "B" Company at a small cross-roads about one +mile East of Sequehart; "A" Company, according to the West Yorkshires, +should also have been here, but as this was the Company which had not +yet reported "relief complete," he was not surprised when he could not +find them. At the next cross-roads, half a mile short of Mericourt, were +"C" and "D" Companies on the right and left respectively of the road. +Small patrols had already been out towards the village and had not found +any enemy, and both Companies were now engaged in finding the Units on +their flanks. On the left a post of the Lincolnshires was soon found, +and on the right the French were only a few yards away. The liaison here +was perfect. After an exchange of courtesies by the Company Commanders, +the flank posts fraternized vigorously, and the Frenchmen, by producing +some "Jimmy Blink," cemented the Entente Cordiale. They were in great +spirits, and since dawn had been formed up with bayonets fixed, waiting +to make an attack; "Zero" hour had not been told them, but that did not +worry them in the least. To improve the co-operation between us, the +French sent a platoon under a Subaltern officer to work with us. + +By 6-30 a.m. the mist had lifted enough for us to see Mericourt village +plainly, and a strong patrol under 2nd Lieut. Griffiths was sent out to +reconnoitre it. They met with no opposition. A few minutes later, a +mounted Officer of the Staffordshires, without stopping at our front +line to ask about the situation, rode into the village. We were all much +too interested in watching to see what became of him, to think of +warning him that the Boche might still be there. Soon afterwards, as +there was still no sign of the enemy, "C" Company moved into and +occupied the East side of the village, and "B" and "D" Companies moved +on to the West edge. Messages were sent back to tell Brigade that we +held Mericourt, and to bring the Headquarters up there--at present they +were about three miles back. From "C" Company's position on the high +ground East of the village we looked across a large valley, at the North +end of which could be seen Fresnoy le Grand; along the bottom ran the +main Fresnoy-St. Quentin Railway, and on the other side a collection of +small copses was marked on the map as Bois D'Etaves. Nowhere was there +the slightest sign of the enemy. In view of the fact that we were +particularly ordered to be in Support if an advance was made, the C.O. +would not push on further without orders from the Brigadier. Meanwhile, +he went off to look for the missing "A" Company, leaving the three +Companies, "B," "C" and "D," holding the village and watching the +valley. + +At 7-30 the leading platoon of the 5th Linc. Regt. came up on our left, +and about an hour later the French started their advance, and, passing +Mericourt on the South side, deployed down the slopes towards the +Railway line. + +As soon as General Rowley heard that Mericourt was in our hands, he rode +up to the village and reconnoitred the valley and Fresnoy himself from +"C" Company's high ground. Seeing that the French were meeting nothing +more than machine gun fire, and were apparently making good progress, he +ordered Captain Banwell to move at once into Fresnoy; there was no one +else available at the moment, so we ceased to be in Support. The main +road had been blown up in two places, but there were no other obstacles, +and the Company reached the town without difficulty. The machine gun +fire had been very heavy from the Bois D'Etaves on their right and from +the Railway embankment, but they had had no casualties, and passed +rapidly along the streets, finding no enemy, but meeting to their +surprise several civilians, who, over-joyed at their "deliverance," +were doing all they could with cups of coffee to welcome their rescuers. + +For four years these unhappy people had lived under the heel of the +German, and the rotting carcases of six-months' dead horses which +littered the street showed what life they had lived during that time. +They had been taught to hate the English, whom they only knew as +night-bombers, and yet, when the Boche was being hunted out and offered +to take all civilians back to safety in motor lorries, 300 men, women +and children, headed by the Deputy Mayor, heroically refused to leave +their town, preferring, as they said, to risk the bombardment and the +"brutal English" than to remain one day longer in slavery. + +At 9-0 o'clock, other Units made their appearance in Fresnoy, and the +5th Lincolnshires, with two Company Headquarters in the Quarry just +outside the S.W. corner of the town, pushed some platoons through +towards the Eastern edge--on the right of our "C" Company. Capt. Nichols +of this Battalion had his Company round the large house used by the +Germans as a Hospital, but, except for this, no one seemed inclined to +push forward in any strength. At 11-0 a.m. the Brigadier moved his +Headquarters into Mericourt, and the Boche, presumably thinking the +village was now as full as it was likely to be during the day, shelled +it vigorously with gas and High Explosive. He paid particular attention +to our ridge of observation, and, having pounded us off this, proceeded +to hammer the other end of the village, whither we had moved for greater +comfort. At the same time several salvoes were fired into Fresnoy. Soon +afterwards a message from Captain Banwell told us that, with the +exception of the Railway and Station, the whole town was in our hands. +He had tried hard to reach the Railway Embankment from his side of the +town, but the machine gun fire was very hot, the ground absolutely open, +and after losing Gosden, a Lewis Gunner, killed, and one or two men +wounded, had decided to wait for some Artillery. Meanwhile, the French +had reached the Railway further South, so the C.O. sent Lieut. Hawley +with half "D" Company to try and take the Station from this side. He +moved off to do so at midday, leaving C.S.M. Cooper to command the other +half Company. "A" Company (Edwards) now arrived, and, with "B" Company +(Cosgrove), dug themselves into a bank on the South side of Mericourt +village. + +Lieut. Hawley and his party made their way rapidly down to the Quarry, +and keeping just inside the Southern outskirts of the town, soon found +the French left flank, from which they were able to reconnoitre the +Railway Station. This last seemed to be the only place where the enemy +was still offering any resistance, and there were apparently three +machine guns somewhere near the Base of a large factory chimney in the +Station yard. Lieut. Hawley divided his party into two, and while he +himself gradually worked his way direct, the other party under Serjt. +Marston, M.M., armed with as many bombs as they could carry, rapidly +made their way round towards the enemy's rear. The Boche apparently +thought he would soon be turned out, and some twenty of them, hurried +along by one of our Lewis Guns, managed to escape before we arrived. +However, they did not all get away, and when Serjt Marston lobbed his +bombs on to them from behind and the others came up in front, they found +five Germans still sitting there with their gun. These were promptly +captured and sent down, and the town was now entirely in our hands. + +Between 5-0 and 6-0 p.m. we received orders that the 5th Lincolnshires +would take over the whole of the Railway, and that we were to come back +into Mericourt and rest as much as possible. At the same time the enemy +started to bombard Fresnoy with every available gun and howitzer. For an +hour gas and high explosive shells fell in every corner of the town and +its immediate surroundings. Capt. Banwell, who was returning to his +Company from Headquarters, and the C.O., who was trying to find "D" +Company, both had a very unpleasant time. One runner with the orders for +the relief did manage to reach "D" Company without being hit, and soon +after 8-30 p.m. they moved out from Fresnoy and dug into a bank just +outside Mericourt. "C" Company, however, no one was able to find; it was +a dark night and consequently very difficult to keep one's direction +amongst the little streets and sunken lanes in the Northern end of the +town, where they had taken up their position. The C.O. himself spent a +large part of the night looking for them without success, but one of +the messages, which he left at every post and Headquarters he called at, +eventually found its way to Capt. Banwell, and between midnight and 1 +a.m. on the 10th "C" Company at last came out and occupied a bank near +"D" Company. Most of us had not had any sleep since we left our +"shell-holes" Camp at dawn on the 8th--some of us none since the 7th, +and when we finally lay down, tired out, we slept far into the next day. + +Soon after midday on the 10th Major R.S. Dyer Bennet reported for duty +and took over command of the Battalion, Capt. Hills resumed his former +duties of Adjutant, and for the next few weeks we had no Second in +Command. At the same time orders came that the Brigade would continue +its advance on the "leap-frog" principle. Each Battalion would be given +a definite objective for the whole of the Brigade frontage, the rear +Battalion passing on to the next line as soon as each objective was +gained. We were now rear Battalion, and moved after dinners to the +Railway Cutting just outside Fresnoy on the Bohain line, where, while we +waited for further orders, we had teas and distributed rations for the +following day. The Lewis Gun limbers and cookers were now allotted to +Companies, and the remainder of the 1st Line Transport occupied a field +close to us. 2nd Lieut. Dunlop, D.C.M., and 2nd Lieut. Taylor returned +from leave and went to "D" and "C" Companies respectively. Lieut. +Ashdowne again became Intelligence Officer and 2nd Lieut. Argyle +returned to "B" Company. Each Company had now two officers and "C" +Company had three. Soon after six o'clock we had orders to move at dusk +to the line of the Aisonville-Bohain road, now held by the 4th +Battalion, and push forward from there to the edge of the Bois de +Riquerval. At the same time a patrol of Corps Cyclists was being sent +along the main road towards Regnicourt, and if they reported that the +enemy had evacuated this village, our orders were to advance during the +night to a line running Southwards from there, through the Bois, to gain +touch with the French at Retheuil Farm. At a Company Commanders' +Conference, held as soon as these orders were received, Major Dyer +Bennet decided that if Regnicourt was clear of the enemy, "C" and "D" +Companies should advance up the main road as far as the village, and, on +reaching it, turn Southwards into the Bois, spreading out along the line +of our objective. "A" Company, keeping touch with the French, were to +advance up the "ride" on the Southern boundary of the Brigade, while "B" +Company, followed by Headquarters, would go straight through the wood in +the centre. We would all form up in the present positions of the 4th +Leicestershire and start our advance without a barrage at 2-0 a.m.--the +11th of October. + +[Illustration: Lieut. J.C. Barrett, V.C. +_Photo by Swaine._] + +As soon as it was dark we moved off with our Lewis Gun limbers and +medical cart, keeping as far as possible to cross-country tracks and +avoiding all main roads. There was some gas hanging round the Bois +D'Etaves, but we were not worried by this, and soon reached the +Seboncourt-Bohain Road, held by the 5th Lincolnshires. From here onwards +the route was not so easy to find, but we managed to take our limbers to +within a few hundred yards of the 4th Battalion Headquarters and here, +after distributing Lewis Guns and Ammunition to Platoons, the Companies +were met by guides and moved forward to their assembly positions. +Meanwhile Battalion Headquarters moved into the farm house already +occupied by the 4th Battalion. In the cellar we found, in addition to +the usual Headquarter Officers, a French Interpreter, and part of a +French Liaison platoon, no air, very little light, but plenty of tobacco +smoke. Soon after we arrived a message from Brigade told us that the +Cyclists had met with no enemy as far as Regnicourt, but had found a +patrol of about twenty in that village and had been fired on by them. We +were discussing this, when suddenly there was a scuffling overhead and +we were told that there was "something ticking somewhere," and that +everyone had left the house. The cellar occupants were not slow to +follow, and thinking of time-bombs and infernal machines managed to +empty the cellar in a record time. We settled down uncomfortably under a +hedge, and prepared to read and write orders with a concealed electric +torch--the maximum of discomfort. However, we did not have to stay there +long, as a runner came to tell us that the origin of the "ticking" had +now been discovered, and, as it was nothing more formidable than the +recently wound up dining room clock, we returned to the cellar. Major +Dyer Bennet, arguing that, if the Cyclists could get as far as +Regnicourt, we should reach our objective without difficulty, decided +that the attack should be carried out as arranged, and, sending the +Adjutant to find the 6th Division, moved up himself to the Aisonville +Road, leaving only the Aid Post and some Signallers and servants at the +Farm. + +[Illustration: The Cadre at Loughborough, June, 1919.] + +The Aisonville Road ran almost due N. and South along a valley; between +it and the edge of the Bois de Riquerval was open ground for about 300 +yards sloping gently up to the wood. A small cottage marked the start +of "A" Company's "ride," and the stretch of road immediately N. of this +was deeply sunken. Here "A" Company formed up and tried to find the +French who were considerably further South than we expected. +Incidentally they were not as far forward as we were, and the Boche +enfiladed the road about midnight with a whizz-bang battery from the +South. "B" Company formed up in an isolated copse about 100 yards East +of the road into which the 4th Battalion had made their way during the +afternoon. The left half Battalion remained along the road bank and in a +dry ditch 50 yards W. of it, near to the junction with the Regnicourt +Road up which they were to advance. There was one solitary house, +protected by the hillside, which provided Company Headquarters with a +certain amount of cover. The night was dark and the enemy, except for +the whizz-bangs on "A" Company, very quiet. + +Soon after midnight the Adjutant returned from the 6th Division. He had +found that the 1st Leicestershires were on their right flank, and that +they were going to continue their advance at 5-15 a.m. on the 11th. +Major Dyer Bennet therefore decided to postpone our attack until that +hour, so that we might all go forward together. In any case it seemed +likely that this would be a better plan, as it would be daylight soon +after the advance started; and, on so wide a frontage, it would have +been almost impossible to maintain direction in the woods by night, +especially without a moon. At 5 o'clock we were all formed up along the +road, Battalion Headquarters close to "A" Company, and at 5-15 a.m. in +absolute silence and without a barrage we started to climb the rise +towards the edge of the wood. + +The left half Battalion along the Regnicourt Road made most progress +without meeting any opposition. "D" Company leading, they advanced by +platoons on both sides of the road, keeping touch with the 1st Battalion +on their left, and had gone nearly a mile before they were checked by +machine-gun fire ahead of them. Half-way from their starting point to +Regnicourt stood a little group of houses at the top of a small hill, +and from here, as well as from the thick scrub and undergrowth which +covered the country on both sides, the enemy's machine gunners had a +good target. Thinking that this was probably some small post left behind +by the Boche as he retired, and knowing that the cyclists had been +through the previous night, Lieut. Hawley decided to attack at once, and +"D" Company, making use of all the cover they could find, worked their +way up the hill and soon captured the house. One German came out into +the road with his machine gun and started to fire at them point blank, +but the leading Platoon got their Lewis Gun into action, and, knocking +out the Boche, captured the gun. The two leading Platoons of "D" Company +had deployed, and, with 2nd Lieut. Dunlop on the left of the road and +the others on the right, tried to continue their advance. Seen from +below, the group of houses had seemed to be on the top of the hill, but +beyond them the road, after a slight dip, rose again to a ridge 300 +yards further East, and here the enemy were in considerable force. +Several gallant attempts to advance were frustrated by very heavy +machine gun fire, and having lost Serjts. Bradshaw and Dimmocks killed, +and several others wounded, the Company was compelled to remain lying +flat just beyond the houses. One little party had taken cover in the +ditch along the roadside and were seen by the German machine gunner. The +ditch became a death trap. Hodges and Longden, the runners, and Maw, the +Signaller, were killed, and Hall, another runner, badly wounded; Serjt. +Foster and L/Cpl. Osborne, both of whom had done particularly good work, +were wounded, and the casualties were very heavy indeed. In half-an-hour +this Company lost 10 killed 14 wounded and one prisoner. It was obvious +that the Cyclists had never been further than these houses, which they +must have mistaken for Regnicourt, and their report was consequently +worthless. + +Capt. Banwell now arrived with two platoons of "C" Company, and thinking +it possible that the Companies on the right might not have got as far +even as "D" Company, decided to protect the right flank from any +possible counter-attack. He sent off Serjt. Tunks and No. 11 Platoon to +prolong "D" Company's line to the right; they did this and managed to +advance a few yards further before being compelled to dig in and keep +very flat by the enemy's machine guns. A few minutes later 2nd Lieut. +Griffiths followed with his platoon, to work Southwards into the woods +to try and find the centre Company, or at least discover how they were +situated. They managed to advance about 400 yards before they too met +with fierce opposition, and had three men cut off and captured by a +strong party of Boche concealed in the undergrowth. Eventually, unable +to find any trace of "B" Company, 2nd Lieut. Griffiths decided to "dig +in" where he was, and by doing so extended "C" Company's line still +further to the right, bending back slightly to protect the flank. At 8-0 +a.m. the 1st Battalion on the left had reached the same line and were +similarly held up. Capt. Banwell therefore reported to Headquarters that +further advance without artillery support was impossible, and that "C" +and "D" Companies were holding a line running Southwards for 400 yards +from the group of houses, into the Bois de Riquerval, and would wait +there for instructions. + +Meanwhile the centre and right had fared even worse. In the centre "B" +Company, formed up originally in an isolated copse, moved forward at +5-15 a.m. in two parties towards the main part of the wood. The left +hand party under 2nd Lieut. Argyle had plenty of cover for the first +half-mile and pushed on rapidly, until, coming over a small crest into +the open, they too met with heavy machine-gun fire. After several +ineffectual efforts to advance, they dug themselves in and remained +there for the rest of the day, replying to the Boche fire with their +Lewis Guns, but with no visible effect. (It was afterwards discovered +that this party were less than 100 yards behind 2nd Lieut. Griffiths' +platoon, unable to see each other owing to a "fold" in the ground.) The +other half Company under 2nd Lieut. Cosgrove started their advance +across an absolutely open patch of ground, sloping gently downwards +towards the centre of the woods. They had gone a few yards when the +daylight showed their position to the Boche, and for the next half-hour +they suffered heavily. Lying on the forward slope, with no cover, they +saw 50 yards away on their right two small but deep trenches. One man +tried to run there and was hit a few yards from them; another had better +luck and got there safely, through a perfect stream of bullets from +three guns. 2nd Lieut. Cosgrove himself was badly wounded and had to be +carried out, so also was Serjt. Muggleston. The others, some crawling +and some running, gradually collected in the two trenches and remained +there for the rest of the day. + +On the extreme right "A" Company (Edwards) made no headway at all. +Between the road and the edge of the wood was about 150 yards of open +ground, across which ran a Z-shaped hedge, while, at the point where the +"ride" entered the wood, stood a Chateau and a large black hut +commanding all the country round. Daylight came soon after they left the +road and with it a burst of heavy machine-gun fire from the Chateau at +close range, which split the Company into three parts. Headquarters and +one platoon found some cover round the little house on the corner where +they started; near them in a bank was 2nd Lieut. Dennis with his +platoon, while the remainder, under Cpls. Thompson and Shilton, were in +the Z-shaped hedge, unable to show themselves without being fired at. On +their right the French had captured Retheuil and Forte Farms. + +At 5-20 a.m., Major Dyer Bennet, finding it impossible to see anything +of "A" and "B" Companies, decided to advance his Headquarters, keeping +as far as possible to the centre of the Brigade frontage. Accompanied by +the Adjutant, R.S.M., a few runners, and the French Interpreter, he set +off for the edge of the wood, which was reached without loss; but the +enemy's machine guns at the Chateau, 200 yards away on the right, and +slightly below us, plainly told us that "A" Company had not gone +forward. A similar distance away on the left, concealed by a wall and +the corner of the wood, another gun was firing across at "B" Company, +who could be seen on the opposite hillside trying to reach the cover of +their two trenches. The Headquarter party was too small to be able to +help, so while the Adjutant went back to try and find some +reinforcements, the Interpreter, Henri Letu, made a most gallant +reconnaissance into the woods to see if he could gather any information. +The "reinforcements" consisted of a platoon of French soldiers, a Lewis +Gun team of the 4th Battalion and two signallers. At the same time the +M.O. and Intelligence Officer (Lieut. Ashdowne) arrived, and the latter, +taking two men with him, soon drove out the enemy from the "corner wall" +post on the left. The Battalion Headquarter flag was hung out in a +conspicuous tree, signal communication was opened with the original +Headquarter Farmhouse, and at about 8 o'clock the party was still +further reinforced by the arrival of Cpl. Thompson and No. 1 Platoon of +"A" Company, whom the Adjutant had discovered under the "Z" shaped +hedge. All these movements had to be carried out with great care, as any +visible activity at once drew fire from the Chateau. + +This Chateau Major Dyer Bennet now decided to attack, and soon after 9.0 +a.m. a party consisting of No. 1 Platoon and some Frenchmen set off +under the Adjutant to do so. Cpl. Shilton and a few men were sent +through some gardens to engage the enemy on their right flank; the Lewis +gun, under Cpl. Thompson, went through the woods to try and attack the +buildings from the rear; the Frenchmen advancing still further into the +woods, protected the left flank. Cpl. Thompson's party were soon +engaged. They had pushed forward rapidly for about 50 yards when +suddenly Pte. Underwood, who was leading, jumped behind a tree and +fired. Nine Boches seemed to come out of the ground almost at our feet, +and for a few minutes there was some lively fighting around the trees. +The Germans managed to kill Pte. Blythe, a very old soldier of the +Battalion, and then made off, leaving one wounded man behind them. This +little fight had given the alarm to the party in the Chateau, and though +Cpl. Thompson pushed forward with great courage it was too late to catch +them, and we entered the house and grounds without further opposition. +The fall of the Chateau enabled the remainder of "A" Company to advance +and occupy the edge of the wood, which they at once did, putting out +several posts round the buildings. The Adjutant's party then returned to +Battalion Headquarters which had been left very weak during the attack. +Soon afterwards, as the situation now seemed fairly satisfactory the +wounded prisoner was sent down under the 4th Leic. Lewis Gun Section, +who were no longer required. + +At 10-0 a.m. we were just considering the possibility of pushing forward +still further when a sudden burst of machine gun fire, sweeping low over +our positions, drove us to cover. The French had apparently been +counter-attacked out of Retheuil and Forte Farms and the Boche from +these new positions overlooked us completely. Under cover of this fire a +strong hostile counter-attack was launched against the Chateau, and "A" +Company were once more driven back to the road, leaving several men +prisoners behind them. But the road too was now overlooked and, though +sunken, was no protection, so that, unable to stay in it, they moved to +a small bank on the W. side of it and dug in there. 2nd Lieut. Edwards +was wounded and sent down, and the Company was commanded by 2nd Lieut. +Dennis. At Headquarters, L/Cpl. Exton, who had just arrived with a +message from "B" Company, was killed and a stretcher-bearer badly +wounded. Capt. Jack, the M.O. went off to tend the latter, and was +himself badly hit in the body; another stretcher-bearer was hit trying +to get to him, and for a short time he had to be left. A few minutes +later the enemy's fire slackened; the M.O. was carried away, and, though +he lived to reach the Ambulance, died there in the evening. Captain Jack +had been with us just a year, and we felt very keenly the loss of his +cheerful presence at Battalion Headquarters, for he was one of those men +who were never depressed, and even in the worst of places and at the +worst of times used to keep us happy. + +The Adjutant now went back again to the old Farm House to see if he +could find out what had happened to the other two Companies. The 4th +Leicestershires had been relieved, and the 5th South Staffordshires had +taken over the Farm and were now preparing to relieve us in the line if +possible. Captain Salter was there from Brigade Headquarters and +undertook to send relief orders to the Left half Battalion, whose +position was now known. + +Meanwhile the South Staffordshires moved up to the copse whence "B" +Company had started, and a Company occupied the line along the bottom of +the "Z" hedge to the "wall and corner" position--i.e., about 200 yards +behind the line held by Battalion Headquarters and "A" Company. The +relief of the Left half Battalion, though difficult, was carried out in +daylight, and was complete by 11-30 a.m., largely owing to the energy of +the Staffordshire Company Commanders. Crossing the crest by the group of +houses was by no means an easy matter, and both relievers and relieved +had to crawl through the scrub, in which 2nd Lieut. F.G. Taylor of "C" +Company did particularly good work, while for "D" Company C.S.M. Cooper +worked magnificently. Three Platoon Serjeants had become casualties and +this Warrant Officer did all their work himself, rendering invaluable +assistance to his Company Commander. + +The relief of Battalion Headquarters and the Right half Battalion was +impossible during daylight, and the G.O.C. 137th Infantry Brigade took +over the command of the line as soon as our "C" and "D" Companies were +relieved, while the rest of our Brigade moved back into billets at +Fresnoy le Grand; we were to follow when relieved. Meanwhile, +arrangements were being made for some Artillery and Tank support, and it +was proposed to try a further advance during the afternoon. At the same +time the Chateau was recaptured from us, the position on the edge of the +wood had become so badly enfiladed that the Headquarters moved out and +started to dig a new line in the open, where, as the Staffordshires were +holding the "wall and corner" position, we were fairly safe. About +mid-day, however, as the enemy had become quieter, we returned once more +to the edge of the wood. It was never very comfortable in this isolated +position, but Lieut. Ashdowne and R.S.M. Lovett showed the most +wonderful coolness, and were continually out looking for new positions +or watching the flanks. At 2-0 p.m. the Staffordshires received orders +that they would have the help of two Tanks for their attack, which would +start at 4-0 p.m. from the isolated copse. At about 3-0 p.m. the enemy +again started to enfilade our wood position so badly, that for the last +time we decided to leave it and came back to our line in the open, which +we deepened as quickly as possible; it was hard work as the men had to +dig with their entrenching tools as they lay flat. We had not, however, +been long in this position before the Staffordshires behind us withdrew +to form up for the attack, and, though the party at the "Z" hedge +remained, the other party left the "wall and corner" unprotected. +Meanwhile, thinking that, if not relieved soon, we should be surrounded +from the right flank, Major Dyer Bennet went back to reconnoitre some +deep short lengths of trenches about 100 yards in rear, deciding that if +the attack did not prove successful he would bring Battalion +Headquarters back into them. + +At 4-0 p.m. there was no sign of the attack. Instead, a German machine +gun crew returned to the now empty "wall and corner" position and +started to enfilade our left flank, making the hill side almost +uncrossable. The C.O. decided to withdraw at once, and at 4-30 p.m. the +runner, Blindley, set off with the message. It was a hazardous journey, +but he succeeded in crawling to within a few yards of the end man and +passed a message along. Steadied by the R.S.M., the party started one by +one to withdraw, while the enemy kept up a heavy fire at them. For a +moment it looked as though it would be impossible to get back, but Pte. +Caunter--Lewis Gunner of No. 1 Platoon--calmly mounted his gun and +"traversed" the whole edge of the wood. The Boche were silenced for the +moment, and the party, making a rush at the same time, managed to reach +the trenches in safety. Last of all Caunter calmly picked up his gun and +came away himself, fired at, but never hit. Half-an-hour later two +tanks appeared, and keeping on the West side of the Aisonville Road, +climbed the rise towards Retheuil Farm. Whether the enemy imagined a +general attack was coming, or merely wanted to make the road dangerous, +is not known, but at 5-0 p.m. he started to bombard the area at the foot +of the "Z" shaped hedge, where a Company of Staffordshires, our +Battalion Headquarters, and our "A" Company were all gathered, and for +nearly an hour gas and H.E. shells of every calibre fell all round. +There was little or no cover, and had the shells been all H.E. the +casualties would have been tremendous. As it was we escaped lightly, but +the valley became full of gas and we could see nothing. The position was +bad, so Major Dyer Bennet ordered a general withdrawal to a line along +high ground on both sides of the Aisonville-road--the remains of "B" +Company under Lieut. Ashdowne to the left and "A" Company to the right. +Here we once more dug a line of pits, and by 7-30 p.m. had our new +position in fighting condition, while a succession of explosions, coming +from two blazing heaps near Retheuil Farm, showed how the Tanks had +fared. The whole of these operations had been most difficult and, in +addition to those who had been conspicuous in the attack on the Chateau +in the morning, many other N.C.O.'s and men showed the utmost courage +and coolness. A/C.S.M. Smith, of "A" Company, and Serjts. Wilbur and +Swift and Cpl. Hubbard of Battalion Headquarters, worked particularly +well. + +At 8-0 p.m. we were relieved by the 5th South Staffordshires and, after +placing Lewis Guns on the limbers, which had been waiting all day for us +behind the farm, went to Fresnoy. It can hardly be called a march, and +few of us remember much about it. Those on horses slept, those on foot +walked in their sleep and woke up whenever there was a halt, because +they hit their heads against the haversacks of the men in front. Soon +after 11-0 p.m., tired out, we reached Fresnoy and dropped down in the +billets the Right half Battalion had found for us, murmuring as we did +so--"Now we shall have our rest." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE LAST FIGHT. + +12th Oct., 1918. 11th Nov., 1918. + + +The following day--the 12th of October--our hopes of the long expected +rest were still further raised by the news that General Rowley was going +to England on leave, for we all knew that he would never be absent if +there were any prospect of a fight, and we accordingly began at once to +make ourselves comfortable. Fuel was plentiful, and baths were soon +fitted in "C" Company's factory, while in another part of the same +building we found and used an excellent concert room. R.S.M. Lovett also +went on leave, taking with him to Loughborough one or two small battle +trophies, including our Headquarter flag, which had seen so much +fighting during the past few weeks. Many of "B" Company's gassed men now +returned, and these, with a large draft of N.C.O.'s and men, proved a +welcome reinforcement, but we still had very few officers. The new draft +was composed mostly of young soldiers who had not seen service before, +but fortunately this did not matter, as we still had a number of our +experienced junior N.C.O.'s left, and some "new blood" was useful. + +Meanwhile the Staffordshires stayed in the line, and, as by the 13th +there was no prospect of their being relieved, we were not surprised on +the 14th to receive some more battle orders, and consign our rest hopes, +like their predecessors, to an early grave. It appeared that all frontal +attacks on Riquerval Wood had proved disastrous, and, although the 6th +Division on the left had reached the outskirts of Vaux Andigny, our +Divisional front was still the same as we had left it on the 11th. The +new attack, to take place on the 17th, would therefore be directed +against the North West flank of the wood, and would be made by ourselves +and the 139th Brigade, while the Staffordshires made a frontal display. +The French, on the right, were making a similar movement, and there +would be a general attack North of us. It was hoped that by the end of +the day, or before if possible, the French and ourselves would meet on +the East side of the woods at Mennevret, and so cut off any Germans who +remained on the Staffordshires' front. The actual objective for the +Brigade was the same Regnicourt road up which the Left half Battalion +had advanced on the 11th; this was to be taken by the other two +Battalions, while we were kept in reserve near Vaux Andigny. + +The usual reconnaissances were carried out on the 15th, and the +following morning the customary distribution of bombs, flares, rockets +and other warlike paraphernalia took place. This was done with great +regularity before every battle, and yet on reaching an objective we +could never find the required rockets. The men carrying them seemed +invariably to become casualties. It was the same with equipment and +other necessaries--we started the day with everything and ended with +nothing. A very welcome issue was the new map of Riquerval Woods, made +from the most recent aeroplane photographs, and accurate; the old one, +compiled from a pre-war survey, still showed as thick forest the ground +where the Boche had cut down every vestige of a tree, and its +inaccuracies in this respect had been one of our greatest difficulties +in the previous battle. With the map came an issue of officers, five +reporting during the afternoon, but as they were all new to the +Battalion, they remained with the Stores. + +Our march to the Assembly position was tedious, but we were not worried +at all by the enemy, for, to avoid Bohain, which was at this time +frequently shelled, a track had been taped out across country. As we +were the first to use this, we escaped the usual slipping and ploughing +through mud, which are a bad feature of most tracks in autumn. Lewis Gun +limbers and Tool carts went by the road and reached the +Andigny-Becquigny Railway line--our assembly position--before us, so +that as each Platoon arrived it was able to collect its guns and tools +and move straight to its position. We rapidly dug ourselves some +excellent cover, and were able to take no notice of some four point twos +which arrived during the night, though the other two Battalions, who had +to assemble near the Andigny Road, suffered fairly heavily. + +At 5-20 a.m. on the 17th the barrage opened and the battle began in a +mist, which was thicker even than usual. Many Tanks accompanied by the +Highlanders of the 1st Division, came through our position and passed +down the hill towards Andigny, but of our own Brigade we could see +nothing, and could only judge by the lessening of the enemy's machine +gun fire, that the attack was successful. It must be admitted that our +attention was somewhat distracted by the appearance of a hare, rather +frightened by a Tank, and we forgot the battle to give chase. It was a +short but exciting run, and the victim was finally done to death by "D" +Company and provided the Serjeants with a good dinner. It was not until +10-0 a.m. that we first learnt how the attackers had fared. On the right +our Brigade had taken their Regnicourt road objective, but in the fog +several posts of the German front line had been missed and were still +causing trouble, preventing the complete capture of the village of +Andigny les Fermes, the left of our objective. In the same way the 6th +Division had missed posts in the two farms Gobelets and Bellevue on +their front, and we were ordered to send two companies to clean up these +places and generally assist with the left of the attack. A few minutes +later, however, this order was cancelled, as the 5th Lincolnshires and +6th Division both reported that they now held all objectives. Instead, +"B" Company (Pierrepont) and "C" Company (Banwell) were placed at the +disposal of Colonel Wilson of the 5th Lincolnshires, to exploit his +success and patrol the Mennevret road to meet the French, and at 11-30 +a.m. these two Companies moved off to the old German front line and +waited there for instructions. Col. Wilson decided to use one Company +only, and at 2-0 p.m. Capt. Pierrepont moved his Headquarters into +Andigny les Fermes and sent off a strong patrol under 2nd Lieut. Davies +towards Mennevret. As the enemy was still holding the woods in +considerable strength, and the first mile of the road was under direct +observation, the patrol met with heavy machine-gun fire at once, and 2nd +Lieut. Davies returned for the time, preparing to make another attempt +when the advance of the Divisions on our left had made it impossible for +the Boche to remain in his positions near the E. edge of the village. +Half "A" Company had already been attached to the 4th Leicestershires +for carrying work, so that we had now only "D" Company (Hawley) and the +remainder of "A" Company with Battalion Headquarters. No more orders +came for us, and during the afternoon, as the sounds of war had become +more and more distant, Cavalry and Whippets had disappeared Eastwards +and there was nothing to do, we lay and basked in the sun, which was +very hot and pleasant. + +At 6-0 p.m., just as the Boche started to fire gas shells into the +valley up which all troops had to pass to reach Andigny les Fermes, +orders came that we should take over the Brigade front. Accordingly, "A" +and "D" Companies were sent to relieve the 4th Battalion on the right, +"C" Company was made responsible for Andigny les Fermes, and the extreme +left was held by "B" Company, whose duty it still was to find the +French. The relief in the village might have been a very lengthy and +difficult proceeding had not Capt. Nichols, of the Lincolnshires, taken +great trouble to co-ordinate the work of all their three Companies, and +so been able to hand over to Captain Banwell a single complete scheme of +defence. Our Headquarters moved into the sunken road between Regnicourt +and Vaux Andigny. It was a dark, foggy and bitterly cold night, and, +experts as we had now become in the art of living in banks and sunken +roads, still it was impossible to be comfortable, and German waterproof +sheets spread over slots cut in the banks, failed most miserably to keep +us warm. Transport arrived before midnight and the drivers, as usual, +saved us endless carrying parties by taking the limbers right up to +Company Headquarters in the village. They were unmolested by the enemy, +and 2nd Lieut. Davies, seeing this, made another attempt to reach +Mennevret. His patrol made much more progress, and was only held up at +La Nation, a cross-roads a few hundred yards from his goal, but here he +met with bombs and more machine guns and had once more to fall back. + +At 1-0 a.m., the 18th, we were ordered to take over the line on the East +side of the village from a Battalion of the 1st Division, who had +relieved the 6th Division and were now on our left flank. For this +purpose the luckless "D" Company, who had just settled down after +relieving the 4th Battalion, had to move across our front and take over +the new line, which consisted of four large shell holes and a shallow +sunken lane. In spite of the difficulties of darkness and fog, relief +was complete before dawn when the 1st Division moved forward towards +Wassigny, and we were able to look round our new sector. We found a +ghastly relic in the sunken lane where a German cooks' wagon had been +hit by one of our shells as it tried to escape, and now, in the early +morning light, the scattered remains of wagon, horses and cooks, all +smashed up, were a horrible sight. + +At last, at 5-30 a.m., 2nd Lieut. Davies and Serjt. Whitworth met the +French near Mennevret, and after an enthusiastic exchange of greetings, +accompanied by much handshaking, arrangements were made for establishing +a line along the Nation road, and so cutting out the other two Brigades, +who for some time past had been arguing vigorously as to whose duty it +was to fill the gap between ourselves and the French. At the same time +a single weak-looking Boche came out of the now completely surrounded +Riquerval Wood and surrendered to "C" Company, into whose cellar +Headquarters he was at once escorted. Here, while being questioned by +two officers, neither of whom could speak German, he absent-mindedly +picked up a German grenade which was lying on the floor, creating, of +course, an immediate disturbance. Revolvers appeared on all sides, and +the visitor's life was nearly ended, but as it was really +absent-mindedness and not the fighting spirit which prompted him, peace +was soon restored, and he explained that there were 24 others who wished +to surrender. He wanted to go back and fetch them, and seemed in fact +quite pained when we would not let him and sent him down instead. A few +minutes later a battery of 8in. howitzers with tractors and motor +lorries came along the main road as far as the end of the village, +having been told that the road was clear up to Andigny les Fermes. The +Colonel of R.G.A. who commanded was surprised to hear of the 24 Boche, +who for all we knew might be within 100 yards of his lorries, but +instead of withdrawing for the time, he set off with Capt. Banwell into +the woods to look for them, happy as a schoolboy engaged in some +forbidden adventure. They found no one, but probably, if there were any +at all, they had by this time surrendered to the Staffordshires. + +From dawn until 10-30 a.m. the enemy bombarded our village with gas and +H.E., and the Brigade Major (Capt. D. Hill, M.C.) who tried to go round +the front line posts at this time had an unpleasant journey, while, +shortly after him, the C.O. and Adjutant were similarly treated and had +to hurry in a most undignified manner through an orchard. However, no +damage was done, and, when at midday we were relieved by the +Staffordshires, we had had no casualties. As we marched out past the +little group of houses on the Regnicourt Road, where "D" Company had +fought so gallantly on the 11th, the Burial Party were just burying +Serjeants Bradshaw, Dimmocks and the others in a little cemetery which +had been made in one of the cottage gardens, and they lie now within a +few yards of where they fell. The rest of the march was a cheerful +affair, for it was a bright afternoon and we were not as tired as usual +after a battle. Drums and Band came out to meet us, the people of Bohain +greeted us on the way, and our old friends in Fresnoy gave us their +customary warm welcome. Here we were a little more crowded than before, +but still had plenty of room, and could look forward to a comfortable +rest. The following day, after a full Divisional Church Parade to return +thanks for our victories, we were definitely promised a fortnight's +rest, and General Boyd and many others went home on leave. + +For the rest of the month the Battalion remained in Fresnoy le Grand, +training, refitting, and playing games. Here, Lt.-Col. A.J. Digan, +D.S.O., of the Connaught Rangers came to command us, and Major R.N. +Holmes, M.C., of the Lincolnshires to be 2nd in Command. As we had +already Major Dyer Bennet and the Adjutant, who had "put up" crowns +before going on leave, as aspirants for this position, Major Holmes was +transferred to the 137th Brigade. Lieut. T.H. Ball returned from leave, +and in addition to the five, nine other officers arrived, including +Capt. E.G. Snaith, M.C., from the 2/4th Battalion, and the two "old +hands" Lieut. C.S. Allen and 2nd Lieut. J.A. Hewson. Capt. Snaith went +to "A" Company, and the other two became Signalling and Intelligence +officers respectively as soon as active operations began again. Our work +consisted of steady drill, musketry and, in the evenings, lectures, the +best of which were Col. Jerram's on the "Royal Navy," and the Brigade +Interpreter M. Dovet's on "French Army Life," the latter was +particularly interesting. The Drums now under Serjt. Drummer Price +performed on every possible occasion, and made an excellent display with +the two new Tenor Drums which had arrived during the fighting, and now +appeared in public for the first time. The weather throughout the +fortnight was not perfect, but might have been far worse, and we were +able to play games almost every afternoon. Our fixtures included two +football matches against the French. The first, at Seboncourt, was +against the 55th Infantry, whose liaison platoon had done such splendid +work at Riquerval, and the game, thanks to the efforts of Start and +Corporal Shirley Hubbard, ended in a victory, 5-1--a fact which merely +increased the fervour of the welcome we received from our opponents. A +few days later some French sappers came to play us at Fresnoy, and they, +too, were defeated, 5-0, in an excellent game watched by many people. +The language on both these occasions would sound as foreign in London as +in Paris, but this did not in the least diminish the cordiality of the +Entente. In this way the fortnight soon passed, and on November 1st we +left Fresnoy. + +Our first move was to Becquigny, where we arrived soon after midday, and +found good billets with plenty of accommodation. In the evening, orders +came that at an early date the IXth. Corps, with 1st and 32nd Divisions +in front and 46th in Reserve, would attack the German positions on the +Sambre-Oise Canal, which had been holding out for the past ten days. The +next day the officers rode through Molain to Ribeauville and, leaving +horses there, reconnoitred an assembly position North of Mazinghien. The +C.O. and Company Commanders then went forward and reconnoitred a second +position near Rejet de Beaulieu, about 1,000 yards West of the Canal. On +the 3rd, orders arrived for the attack to take place the following +morning, and at 5-0 p.m. we moved off in pouring rain through Vaux +Andigny to a bivouac position near the Railway North of Molain--a bad +march, for the roads were very muddy and hopelessly congested with +traffic, and the men heavily laden. It rained hard all night, but a +small house for Headquarters, and the usual tents and "bivvie" sheets +kept out some of the wet, and we should have been far worse in the open. +Unfortunately, 2nd Lieut. J.A. Hewson, who had never really recovered +from his gassing in May and had returned before he was fit, had to leave +us, unable to stand the exposure in such weather. It was very bad luck, +for there was never a keener officer. + +At 5-45 a.m., the 4th, the battle began, and we fell in outside +Headquarters, having previously had hot breakfasts and distributed large +numbers of bombs and flares, also a generous supply of sickles and bill +hooks, as the country was reported to be full of hedges. We marched at +once to our first assembly position, Mazinghien, and at midday, as the +battle reports were good, moved forward again, passing the Brigadier in +the village; he seemed very cheerful, and we saw several droves of +German prisoners, so concluded that everything must be satisfactory. In +order to avoid the main roads, the C.O. led us round to Beaulieu by a +field track which he had reconnoitred; unfortunately the night's rain +had made the going very heavy, and this not only tired the men, who were +heavily laden, but also proved difficult for the limbers, several of +which stuck and had to be man-handled. At Beaulieu we had dinners and +rested while parties reconnoitred the Canal crossings and discovered +various pontoon bridges built by the Engineers soon after the attack. As +no orders came, we waited here until soon after 3-0 p.m., when we were +sent forward to support the 2nd Brigade on the right flank of the +advance. + +The C.O. with the right half Battalion crossed the Canal opposite Bois +L'Abbaye, and pushed on into the village untroubled by shell fire, which +was at the time mostly directed against the left half Battalion, which, +with Battalion Headquarters, crossed further South. The country beyond +was very thick, and by the time the left Companies reached L'Ermitage it +was almost dark, and consequently communications were difficult between +the two half Battalions, more particularly as the C.O. was separated +from his runners and signallers. The Companies at L'Ermitage dug +themselves in and were fairly comfortable, but they were not destined to +remain so for long, for orders soon came that they would relieve the 2nd +Brigade. These orders, however, were cancelled before being sent out, +and instead the Brigade was ordered to relieve the 1st Brigade, who were +on the left. The reason for this was that the 32nd Division, who were on +the left of the Corps attack, had not yet reported the capture of all +objectives, and it was consequently necessary to secure the 1st +Division's left flank. While, therefore, the other two Battalions took +over the line facing East, we found a defensive flank facing North--the +Battalion being organized in depth on a single Company front. "A" +Company (Snaith), with "B" Company (Pierrepont) in close support, was a +few yards South of the main Catillon-La Groise Road; behind them came +"C" Company (Banwell), while Battalion Headquarters and "D" Company (T. +Ball) remained in Bois L'Abbaye. These positions we occupied all night. + +At dawn the following day the advance was continued by the 137th and +139th Brigades who passed through us, but, as the 32nd Division had +still no definite information, we maintained our defensive flank +position--a ludicrous performance in view of the streams of unmolested +traffic which passed along the road in front of us. Later in the +morning, however, "B" and "C" Companies were sent forward to occupy the +line that the Lincolnshires had held during the night, where they found +no cover except one large farm house which the Boche was shelling +heavily. It was raining hard, and for some time they sat in the fields +hoping for the rain or the shelling to stop; the latter did eventually +cease, but not until a large shell had gone through the roof of the farm +house, making it uninhabitable. During the afternoon the weather became +so appalling that they all moved into houses in Mezičres and spent the +night there, while the remainder of the Battalion concentrated in Bois +L'Abbaye. + +The battle still went on the next day in the pouring rain, and our +Brigade moved slowly forward in Divisional support, halting for dinners +at Erruart, and reaching Prisches late in the afternoon; our only +excitement throughout the day was to watch a battery of 60 pounders get +into difficulties in a muddy field. At Prisches we learnt that +Cartignies had been cleared by the other Brigades, and we were +accordingly ordered to move up at once and take over the outpost line +which was now just West of the Petite Helpe river. We moved off in fours +along the road, and in the same formation marched into Cartignies, a +village full of civilians and blazing with lights, although a German +machine gun less than 400 yards away kept sending bullets over the main +street. No one seemed very certain where the outposts were, nor who was +responsible, so we mounted some sentries in the best positions we could +find, and soon after midnight Colonel Digan, who had been to Brigade +Headquarters, held a conference and explained the next day's plan of +attack. It was now obvious that the Boche was in full retreat. + +The weather the next day, the 7th of November, was fortunately much +better, and we moved down to the Petite Helpe soon after dawn. Patrols +had been out during the night to look for crossings, but beyond +reporting that the main road bridge had been blown up, which we already +knew, they gathered no information of importance, so "C" Company, who +were leading, had to make use of tree trunks and cross as best they +could. However, the Engineers soon appeared, and the rest of the +Battalion crossed by a pontoon bridge. With the French on the right and +Lincolnshires on the left, "D" Company (T. Ball) and "C" Company +(Banwell) now pushed forward rapidly, and in spite of a thick mist had +soon gained the first two objectives and reached the road running North +and South through a group of houses called Cheval Blanc. Battalion +Headquarters and the right half followed, and at midday were quartered +in a group of farm houses about 600 yards West of Cheval Blanc, where +they were joined by Capt. Hills, who returned from leave and resumed his +duties as Adjutant. As soon as they had had dinners, "A" Company +(Snaith) and "B" Company (Pierrepont) moved forward so as to be in +closer support to "C" and "D" Companies respectively. + +After passing the second objective, the leading Companies soon began to +meet with opposition, and a machine gun cleverly concealed at the next +cross-roads made further advance by "C" Company impossible. As the +Lincolnshires were similarly held up on their left, the flank could not +be turned. "D" Company, however, pushed forward further in the mist, +and, though there was plenty of machine gun fire, it was unaimed and did +no damage. The leading Platoon, under 2nd Lieut. Bettles, crossed a +valley and started to climb the rise beyond, on the top of which they +expected to find the main Avesnes Road. Suddenly, as they burst through +a hedge almost on the road, they came upon a German four gun field +battery--officers and men standing round their guns, apparently not +expecting any attack, and horses tethered near by. The platoon rushed in +with bayonets, captured or killed all they could find and, led by 2nd +Lieut. Bettles, dashed across the road into some houses on the far side, +where they saw some enemy. 2nd Lieut. Bettles was killed with a pistol +bullet, but the Boche were driven out, and Lieut. Ball came up and +started at once to consolidate his captured position. One officer, 29 +men and eight horses were sent down as prisoners. + +"D" Company's position was precarious. Right and left, German machine +gunners held the main road, and shooting along it made crossing +impossible, while at the same time they took care to prevent any attempt +on our part to move the captured guns. This we found impossible, so set +about rendering them useless, and had already removed breach block and +sights from one when a counter attack was launched from the South East. +This was beaten off, but Lieut. Ball, unable to find troops on either +flank and already short of ammunition, sent back 2nd Lieut. S.D. Lamming +on a captured horse to ask for help. Before, however, he could return, +the enemy, intent on recapturing his guns, made two more counter attacks +in rapid succession, in the second of which, after losing several men, +including Bolton, who had never left his Platoon during four years' +service, killed and L/Cpl. Thurman wounded, the little isolated party +fired the last of its ammunition and had to withdraw. The Boche +recaptured his battery, and, after firing one or two rounds into Cheval +Blanc, took away the guns. + +At 2-0 p.m., Battalion Headquarters moved up to Cheval Blanc, but the +attacking Companies still reported that they were unable to advance, +and, to add to our difficulties, we were not in touch with the French on +our right nor could our patrols find any trace of them. On the whole of +our front the enemy had probably not more than eight machine guns, but +so cleverly were they placed and so well were they served that we found +it impossible to dislodge them with our weapons. Artillery or better +still Stokes mortars would no doubt have cleared the country very +quickly, but these were not for the time obtainable, so, until they +arrived, Col. Digan determined to make every effort to find the French +and protect the right flank. Capt. Pierrepont was ordered to send out +frequent patrols towards Etroeungt, and, as we now had no Battalion +reserve, Col. Digan asked for two Companies of the 4th Battalion to help +us. These soon arrived, and while one, Capt. Holden's, remained with us +at Cheval Blanc, the other, Capt. Scaramowicz's, took up a defensive +flank position along the Brigade Southern boundary. At last, just as it +was getting dark, Capt. Pierrepont reported having found the French in +Etroeungt, and so this flank was now secure, though it had cost us the +loss of 2nd Lieut. Byles and Serjt. Stretton who were both wounded. In +spite of this, the forward Companies were still unable to advance, and +we remained in these positions all night. + +In view of the fact that the Boche was now running away, our casualties +during the day had been heavy, and the Staff therefore decided on a +different plan for the next morning. The Cavalry were to come up at dawn +and we were not to move until they had reconnoitred the country, so that +if they reported the enemy still holding out, the Artillery would be +ordered to cover our advance with a small barrage. There was no doubt +that the German retreat was continuing and that this was only a +temporary check, for all night long the sky Eastwards was lit up with +enormous flashes, as dumps, railways, cross-roads and bridges were blown +up. This demolition was one of the most remarkable features of the Boche +retreat, for hardly a road junction in the country was left untouched, +while Railways were so cunningly mined that every single line had to be +relaid. The consequent delay to our communications was appalling, and +though, thanks to the Engineers and Pioneers, our 1st line Transport +always reached us by the evening, and field batteries advanced almost as +quickly as we did, yet our heavy Artillery was days behind us, and there +was always a shortage of ammunition. + +As ordered, the Scots Greys' patrols rode through our lines at dawn the +next day, November 8th, and found the enemy's machine guns still very +active in the same positions. The barrage was therefore arranged, and, +covered by these very few shells, "A" and "B" Companies pushed forward, +only to find that the Boche took as little notice of the barrage as he +did of our rifle fire. On the left, as before, the attack was soon held +up, this time with considerable loss to us, for the Boche allowed "A" +Company to come close to his guns before opening fire. When he did, 2nd +Lieut. Coleman and ten men were wounded and three men killed, and though +the others made a most gallant attempt to rush the enemy with the +bayonet, they were held up by hedges, and compelled to dig in once more +and wait. On the right, however, we had better fortune. 2nd Lieut. +Davies and the leading platoon of "B" Company reached the Avesnes main +road, and in spite of very heavy machine gun fire managed one by one to +make their way across. Once on the far side, this Platoon Commander, +ably helped by L/Cpl. Sharpe, Pte. Beaver and others, soon worked his +way from house to house until at 11-0 a.m. the Boche, finding we had a +firm hold on the main road, withdrew all his guns. While this took +place, Colonel Jerram from Divisional Headquarters visited us, bringing +the news that the German envoys asking for an Armistice had been taken +through the French lines. + +As soon as they found the Germans had gone, the leading Companies pushed +rapidly forward, with orders to establish an outpost line along the +Zorees-Semeries road as soon as possible, in which position we were told +we would be relieved by the 137th Brigade. At the same time, "D" Company +moved into the houses on the Avesnes road near where they had captured +and lost their battery, and "C" Company occupied the farm house which +had held them up so long, being welcomed with coffee and cognac by the +inhabitants, who had remained in the cellar. A troop of Scots Greys was +also attached to us to act as mounted orderlies, a task which up to the +present had been very efficiently performed by our grooms--Huntington, +Dennis, Rogers and others. At dusk, as the leading Companies were within +a few hundred yards of the Zorees road, Battalion Headquarters and "C" +Company moved to the cross roads on the Avesnes road, and occupied a +large farm, where the two attached 4th Leicestershire Companies were +also billeted. Except for distant explosions in the East, it was a quiet +night, and the M.O., Capt. Aylward, to prove we were really winning the +war, solemnly went to bed in pyjamas regardless of the proximity of the +enemy. Soon after midnight, "B" Company reached their outpost line, and +at 7-0 a.m. the following morning, "A" Company were also in position, +and we sent off Lieut. Ashdowne to billet for us in the area to which we +were told we should go as soon as relieved. + +The country here was in a pitiable state, for the Germans as they +retired carried off everything--livestock, vehicles, all food, and most +of the male population. The civilians that were left behind took refuge +in the cellars during the fighting, coming out as soon as the Boche had +gone, and bestowing kisses and cups of coffee with great liberality on +the leading platoons as they entered each farm house or hamlet. The +feeding of all these people had to be undertaken by the British Army, +and as our advance continued the French Mission were kept very busily +employed. + +The Brigade relief was already in progress when, at 10-0 a.m., November +9th, it was cancelled, and instead we were ordered to push forward at +once and establish a new outpost line East of Sains du Nord--a small +town through which the Cavalry had passed in the morning. The right half +Battalion was ordered to concentrate in Zorees, while the rest of us +with the two Companies of the 4th Battalion formed up near Battalion +Headquarters, had dinners, and at 2-15 p.m. moved off. As we did so, an +amusing incident occurred. A certain Company Commander, picking up his +box respirator, found that he had thrown it off into a patch of filth; +copious oaths followed, and he vowed that he would murder the next Boche +he saw. Some half hour later, as we entered Zorees, a cyclist patrol met +us, escorting one undersized little prisoner, splay footed and +bespectacled. The Company was delighted, and with one accord hailed +their Commander with cries of "Now's your chance, Sir." No other enemy +were seen, and we marched straight into Sains by the Railway station, to +receive a welcome from the civilians which rivalled even Fresnoy in +cordiality. They thronged the streets with flags and great bunches of +chrysanthemums which they showered upon us, so that by the time we +reached the Mairie we looked like a walking flower show--every man +having a flower in his hat. The 4th Battalion Companies found the +outposts, and we billeted in a large factory which had been used as a +Hospital, while Battalion and Company Headquarters occupied various +magnificent Chateaux. + +Throughout the following day, November 10th, we remained inactive, +unable to move because our supplies and rear communications could not +move at our pace owing to the German demolitions. All day long reports +came in from the East showing the hopeless state of confusion to which +the German Army had come. Civilians told us of Artillery drawn by cows, +airmen reported roads congested with traffic and columns of troops, it +really looked as though at last we should have a chance of delivering a +crushing blow. Late that night came the telegram ending hostilities, and +the chance was gone for ever. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +HOME AGAIN. + +11th Nov., 1918. 28th June, 1919. + + +For the first few days after the signing of the Armistice we remained in +Sains, the outpost line was maintained, roads to the East were +reconnoitred, and everything was made ready for a resumption of +hostilities. But it was soon obvious that the Germans had no more fight +in them, and our only interest was in whether or no we should form part +of the Army of Occupation. It was known that the 4th Army was going to +Germany, and some of us hoped to go with it, but it was not to be, and +we were transferred to the 3rd Army, XIIIth. Corps. When we went, +General Rawlinson, genuinely sorry to lose us from his Army, expressed +his appreciation of our services during the past three months, in a +farewell letter, copies of which were given to all ranks. Soon after our +transfer, we moved to the Landrecies area, and went into billets in the +dirty little town of Bousies. + +Our duties were now threefold--to clean up France, to get demobilised, +and to amuse ourselves in our spare time. Cleaning up was a gigantic and +not very pleasant task, for it meant filling up shell holes, collecting +empty bully-beef tins, and generally becoming scavengers. +Demobilisation, though more congenial, was at first inclined to be +slow, and it was with considerable annoyance that we saw among the first +to go, young men who had joined us since the Armistice, because they +were "pivotal." Coal-miners were soon called for, and under this heading +we lost many of our oldest and best soldiers, so that by Christmas the +Battalion was no longer the same. To amuse us, various sports meetings +were arranged--all rather hampered by the weather, though we managed to +gain much credit in football and running, while the Divisional Rugby +football side won the Corps Championship. In these games we were lucky +to have the assistance of a new Padre, the Rev. H.P. Walton, who came to +take the place of Padre Buck. Concert parties became more numerous, and, +in addition to the "Whizzbangs," who worked very hard, the Brigade had a +show of their own, known as the "138's." + +While at Bousies we marched one Sunday to Landrecies, where H.M. the +King paid a visit. It was an informal affair, no guard of honour and no +lining the road, and none of us will ever forget the scene. The King of +England followed by his officers, all on foot, walking down the little +street of the old French town, while both pavements were packed with +soldiers and French civilians, who cheered, shouted, sang and rushed +into the road to gain a nearer view of His Majesty. + +In January we moved to Pommereuil, a clean little village, where Mayor +and people did their utmost to make us comfortable. Here, under the new +scheme, demobilisation became more rapid, and the older soldiers were +sent home in consideration of their service. We also learnt for the +first time that the Battalion was to be reduced to a Cadre, and all +short service or retainable soldiers would be sent to the 11th Battalion +on the Rhine. Before this last move could take place, we moved again--to +Solesmes, where we stayed for a fortnight and then moved to St. Hilaire. +A new feature was now introduced in the "amusements" department, which +was much appreciated by all of us. Once or twice a week we were given +one or two motor lorries to take parties to Douai, Valenciennes or the +recent battlefields. We had many pleasant trips, and saw several towns +in France which we should never otherwise have seen. + +At St. Hilaire the C.O. left us to rejoin the Connaught Rangers, and we +were reduced to a Cadre, consisting of five officers, forty-six men and +the Colours. A large draft of 200 all ranks, with Lieuts. Steel, +Ashdowne, Todd, Dunlop, Argyle and other officers who volunteered for +further service, went to the 11th Battalion, and the rest were +demobilised. The Cadre was chosen so as to include as far as possible +W.O.'s, N.C.O.'s, and men of long and distinguished service, who would +form a suitable guard for the Colours; at the same time we tried to have +representatives of each of the larger towns in Leicestershire, and in +this we were successful. + +In April we moved to Inchy Beaumont, where we stayed until the Cadre +finally went home in June. Wagons and all transport were sent to Caudry, +and we settled down to a wearisome existence, having too little to do. +Cricket succeeded football, and we beat the 4th Battalion at both, and +had several other victories. Finally, on the 28th of June, leaving Capt. +Nicholson, 2nd Lieut. Griffiths, R.Q.M.S. Gorse and 11 others with the +stores, the remnant of the Battalion sailed for England, landed at +Dover, and reached Leicester the same night. The next day the Mayor +(Ald. Coltman) and people of Loughborough turned out to give us welcome, +and our long months of waiting in France were soon forgotten in the +fervour and enthusiasm of the greeting we received, as we marched +through the old town and placed our Colours in the Hall. Six weeks later +the baggage guard returned, and the Battalion was finally disembodied. + + + + + APPENDIX 1. + + OFFICERS WHO SAILED TO FRANCE WITH THE REGIMENT, FEBRUARY, + 1915. + + Lieut. Colonel C.H. Jones. + Major R.E. Martin. + Captain and Adjutant W.T. Bromfield. + + + "A" COMPANY. "C" COMPANY. + + Major W.S.N. Toller. Captain T.C.P. Beasley. + Captain P.C.J.R. Rawdon Hastings. Captain C. Bland. + Lieut. A.T. Sharpe (Machine Lieut. R.D. Farmer. + Gun Officer). 2nd Lieut. G. Aked. + Lieut. J.D.A. Vincent. 2nd. Lieut. G.W. Allen. + 2nd Lieut. D.B. Petch. 2nd Lieut. R. Ward Jackson. + 2nd Lieut. J.W. Tomson. + + + "B" COMPANY. "D" COMPANY. + + Captain J.L. Griffiths. Captain H.J.F. Jeffries. + Lieut. A.P. Marsh. Captain J. Chapman. + Lieut. E.G. Langdale. Lieut. A.G. de A. Moore. + 2nd Lieut. C.H.F. Wollaston. 2nd Lieut. R.C.L. Mould. + 2nd Lieut. C.W. Selwyn. 2nd Lieut. C.R. Knighton. + 2nd Lieut. R.B. Farrer. 2nd Lieut. J.D. Hills. + + Transport Officer Lieut. J. Burnett. + Quartermaster Lieut. A.A. Worley. + Medical Officer Lieut. G.H.H. Manfield, R.A.M.C. + + + + + APPENDIX II. + + + HONOURS. + + + ~V.C.~ + + Lieut. J.C. BARRETT.--Pontruet, Sept. 24th, 1918. + + + C.M.G. + + C.H. Jones. + R.E. Martin. + + + D.S.O. + + W.S.N. Toller. + J.L. Griffiths. + + + M.C. & BAR + + G.B. Williams. + G.E. Banwell. + D.B. Petch. + J.D. Hills. + + + M.C. + + A.G. de A. Moore. + M.H. Barton. + C.H.F. Wollaston. + A.N. Barrowcliffe. + T.P. Creed. + J.R. Brooke. + R.H. Stentiford. + C.P. Shields. + W.M. Cole. + H.G. Lovett. + A.E. Brodribb. + W.B. Jack. + C.B.W. Buck. + S.G.H. Steel. + A.E. Hawley. + K. Ashdowne. + T.H. Ball. + S.D. Lanning. + C.H. Davies. + + + D.C.M. & BAR. + + T. Tunks. + A. Wilbur. + + + D.C.M. + + H.G. Starbuck. + W.H. Hallam. + R.E. Small. + J. Emmerson. + C. Hurley. + E.M. Hewson. + J. Hill. + T. Needham. + A. Brooks. + A. Passmore. + J.B. Weir. + C.W. Jordan. + P. Lane. + W. Toon. + J. Wardle. + H.G. Lovett. + J. Cooper. + W. Hubbard. + + + M.M. & TWO BARS. + + T. Marston. + + + M.M. & BAR. + + J. Burbidge. + R. Downs. + A. Thurman. + W. Lilley. + F.W. Gorf. + + + M.M. + + J.T. Knott. R. Hollingsworth. A. Hewerdine. + W.A. Berridge. A.W. Martin. W. Smith. + H. Beardmore. J.W. Tookey. G.W. Tomblin. + G.A. Bent. H.W. Stone. L.F. Crocker. + W. Braybrook. T. Andrews. E. Cooper. + F. Clapham. D. Mackey. H. Edge. + E. Diggle. H. Whitmore. W. Mouldsworth. + E. Foulds. G.O. Pickles. S.W. Taylor. + R. Goodman. W. Raven. W. Orton. + C.B. Love. J.H. Bullen. W. Powell. + M. O'Brien. H. Cato. A. Daniels. + W. Pickering. A.H. Culpin. J. Coles. + T. Slaymaker. A.E. Palmer. A. Holmes. + B. Staniforth. A. Baker. R.B. Haynes. + T. Hawkesworth. F.P. Pymm. G. Emmitt. + F. Eastwood. E.R. Smith. G. Bedford. + A. Passmore. W. Bennett. F. Smith. + J. Meakin. J. Balderstone. P. Thompson. + T. Marshall. H. Pollard. J.H. Caunter. + H. Dawes. J. Ryder. F. Bindley. + A. Carr. T. Starbuck. L.H. Fortnum. + J.T. Allen. J. Hyden. R. Redden. + E.V. Woolley. S.G. Barber. A. Sharpe. + E. Crow. F. Bloodworth. A. Beaver. + J.W. Putt. A. Wedge. H. Shepherd. + A. Hickling. S. Dawson. T. Parker. + W.E. Lester. H.B. Garrett. A. Randall. + S. Satchwell. + + + M.S.M. + + J. Cooper. H. Foster. J.H. Robinson. + W. Fairbrother. R. Gorse. N. Yeabsley. + C.F. Bailey. + + + MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES. + + C.H. Jones (2). W. Fisher. + W.S.N. Toller. H. Swift. + W.T. Bromfield. A.A. Archer. + J.L. Griffiths (2). J.A. Walton. + E.G. Langdale. T. Foster. + C.H.F. Wollaston. R. Gorse. + M.H. Barton. W. Agar. + A.G. de A. Moore. C. Brown. + J.D. Hills (2). A. Hurst. + J. Burnett (2). T.F. Marston. + C.F. Shields. J. Lincoln. + G.W. Allen. F.J. Williamson. + T.W. Tomson. + W.R. Todd. + F.G. Taylor. + + + FOREIGN DECORATIONS. + + + FRENCH. + + Légion d'Honneur (Officier) C.H. Jones. + Croix de Guerre (with palm) L.H. Pearson. + Croix de Guerre (with silver + star) A.D. Pierrepont J. Whitworth. + Croix de Guerre (with bronze + star) J.D. Hills W. Green. + Medaille Militaire E. Angrave. + + + BELGIAN. + + + Décoration Militaire A. Wilbur. + + + + + APPENDIX III. + + + THE CADRE AND EQUIPMENT GUARD. + + + Major J.D. Hills, M.C. + Captain G.E. Banwell, M.C. + Captain C.S. Allen. + Captain and Quartermaster W.A. Nicholson. + 2nd Lieut. G.H. Griffiths. + + R.Q.M.S. Gorse, R. L/Cpl. Underwood, A. + Col.-Serjt. Hanson, A.W. " Caunter, J. + Corpl. Lincoln, J. Pte. Lewis, B. + Serjt. Yeabsley, N. " Clarke, G.L. + Pte. Hughes, E. Corpl. Baker, A. + " Ribbons, F. Pte. Deacon, W. + " Rawlings, G. " Morley, G. + " Mutton, E. " Hunt, G. + " Nichols, L. L/Cpl. Tookey, J. + " Hewerdine, A. Pte. Wormleighton, R. + " Major, T.O. " Sear, W.J. + " Bradshaw, R. " Myers, J.T. + Corpl. Bartram, E. " Godsmark, G. + Serjt. Sills, R. Corpl. Mead, B. + Pte. Rock, F. L/Cpl. Law, A.B. + " Webbs, H. " Harris, J. + " Rogers, A.A. Pte. Allen, W. + " Riley. S. " Moule, F.T. + " Beards, A. Corpl. Goss, J. + " Brampton, T.C. Pte. Smith, E.A. + Sig. Rollson, E. " Neaverson, R. + C.Q.M.S. Hurst, A. " Hayward, J.R. + Serjt. Slaymaker, T. 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Hills, M.C., Croix de Guerre. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + img {border:0;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + visibility: hidden; + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + + .left {float: left; text-align: left;} + .right {float: right; text-align: right;} + .author {text-align: right; margin-right: 5%;} + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Fifth Leicestershire, by J.D. Hills + +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 Fifth Leicestershire + A Record Of The 1/5th Battalion The Leicestershire Regiment, + T.F., During The War, 1914-1919. + +Author: J.D. Hills + +Release Date: December 22, 2005 [EBook #17369] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FIFTH LEICESTERSHIRE *** + + + + +Produced by David Clarke, Janet Blenkinship and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<table cellpadding="6" summary="Transcriber's Note"> + <tr> + <td> + <b>Transcriber's Note:</b> + </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td> + Many inconsistencies appeared in the original book and were retained in + this version. + </td> + </tr> +</table> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + + +<div class="figcenter"><a name="frontis-001" id="frontis-001"></a> + <img src="images/frontis-001.jpg" + alt="OFFICERS, 1914." /><br /> + <b>OFFICERS, 1914.</b> + </div> + + + +<h1>THE<br /> +FIFTH LEICESTERSHIRE.</h1> + +<h5>A record of the 1/5th Battalion the Leicestershire Regiment, T.F., +during the War, 1914-1919.</h5> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By</span></h4> + +<h3><span class="smcap">Captain</span> J.D. HILLS, M.C., Croix de Guerre.</h3> + +<p class='center'>With an introduction by</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">Lt.-Colonel</span> C.H. JONES, C.M.G., T.D., Légion d'honneur +(officier).<br /><br /><br /><br /></h4> + +<p class='center'>LOUGHBOROUGH.<br /> + +PRINTED AND PUBLISHED AT THE ECHO PRESS.<br /> +1919.<br /><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<h3>THE FIFTH LEICESTERSHIRE.</h3> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/logo.jpg" alt="Regiment motif." title="Regiment motif." /></div> + +<h4>XVII.<br /> +5.</h4> + + +<h4>To</h4> + +<h3>COLONEL HIS GRACE DUKE OF RUTLAND, K.G.,</h3> +<p class='center'>who has watched over us and lived with us<br /> +in all our losses and in all our joys,<br /> +this book is gratefully dedicated.<br /></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>PREFACE.</h2> + + +<p>No literary merit is claimed for this book. It is intended to be a diary +of our progress as a Battalion since mobilisation until the signing of +peace, and the return of the Colours to Loughborough. I have written the +first chapter, the remainder, including the maps, has been done by +Captain J.D. Hills.</p> + +<p>This is scarcely the place to attempt an estimate of what the members of +our County Territorial Force Association, individually and collectively, +have done for the 5th Leicestershire Regiment. We would merely place +this on record, that there has ever been one keen feeling of brotherhood +uniting us all, from President or Chairman, to the latest joined recruit +or humblest member of the regiment, whether actively engaged on the +battlefield, or just as actively engaged at home. Never has the +Executive Committee failed us. And to Major C.M. Serjeantson, O.B.E., we +would offer a special tribute for his untiring work, wonderful powers of +organisation and grasp of detail, and hearty good fellowship at all +times.</p> + +<p>To the men of the regiment we hope that the incidents which we narrate +here will recall great times we spent together, and serve as a framework +on which to weave other stories too numerous for the short space of one +book.</p> + +<p class='author'>C.H. JONES.</p> +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;" class="smcap">Meadhurst,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;" class="smcap">Uppingham</span>,<br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><i>Sept., 1919.</i></span><br /> +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>AUTHOR'S NOTE.</h2> + + +<p>The following narrative is based mainly on the Regimental War Diary. For +the rest, my thanks are due to Lt.-Colonels C.H. Jones, C.M.G., T.D., +and J. Ll. Griffiths, D.S.O., Major C. Bland, T.D., Captains D.B. Petch, +M.C., J.R. Brooke, M.C., and A.D. Pierrepont, and R.Q.M.S. R. Gorse, +M.S.M., for sending me notes and anecdotes; to Captains G.E. Banwell, +M.C., and C.S. Allen, Corpl. J. Lincoln, and L/Corpl. A.B. Law, for +taking me round the battlefields and explaining the Lens fighting of +1917; to 2nd Lieut. G.H. Griffiths, for supplying me with many of the +battlefield photographs; to all officers, N.C.O.'s and men of the +Battalion who have always been ready to answer my questions and to give +me information; to Major D. Hill, M.C., Brigade Major, for the loan of +his Brigade documents; and lastly to Mr. Deakin of Loughborough, for +undertaking the publication of this book and for giving to it so much +time and personal care.</p> + +<p class='author'> +J.D. HILLS.</p> +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;" class="smcap">16, Somerset St.,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">London, W.1.</span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;" class="smcap"><i>Sept., 1919.</i></span><br /> +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + + + +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" width="80%" cellspacing="0" summary="Table of Contents"> +<tr><td align='left'> </td><td align='left'>CHAPTER</td><td align='right'>PAGE.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan='3'> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>1.</td><td align='left'>England</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_1'><b>1</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>2.</td><td align='left'>Early Experiences</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_16'><b>16</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>3.</td><td align='left'>The Salient</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_39'><b>39</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>4.</td><td align='left'>Hohenzollern</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_70'><b>70</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>5.</td><td align='left'>Flanders Mud to the Mediterranean</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_90'><b>90</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>6.</td><td align='left'>The Vimy Ridge</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_106'><b>106</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>7.</td><td align='left'>Gommecourt</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_127'><b>127</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>8.</td><td align='left'>Monchy au Bois</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_145'><b>145</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>9.</td><td align='left'>Gommecourt Again</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_163'><b>163</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>10.</td><td align='left'> Lens</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_179'><b>179</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>11.</td><td align='left'> Hill 65</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_196'><b>196</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>12.</td><td align='left'> St. Elie Left</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_206'><b>206</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>13.</td><td align='left'> Cambrin Right</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_227'><b>227</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>14.</td><td align='left'> Gorre and Essars at Peace</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_253'><b>253</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>15.</td><td align='left'> Gorre and Essars at War</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_267'><b>267</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>16.</td><td align='left'> Pontruet</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_279'><b>279</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>17.</td><td align='left'> Crossing the Canal</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_298'><b>298</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>18.</td><td align='left'> Fresnoy and Riquerval Woods</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_325'><b>325</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>19.</td><td align='left'> The Last Fight</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_352'><b>352</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>20.</td><td align='left'> Home Again</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_372'><b>372</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan='3'> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'> </td><td align='left'>APPENDIX.</td><td align='left'> </td></tr> +<tr><td colspan='3'> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>I.</td><td align='left'> Officers, Feb., 1915</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_376'><b>376</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>II.</td><td align='left'> Honours</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_377'><b>377</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>III.</td><td align='left'> The Cadre, 1919</td><td align='right'><a href='#APPENDIX_III'><b>379</b></a></td></tr> +</table> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>ILLUSTRATIONS.</h2> + + + +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" width="80%" cellspacing="0" summary="List of Illustrations"> +<tr><td align='left'> </td><td align='left'> </td><td align='right'>PAGE.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>1.</td><td align='left'>Officers, 1914</td><td align='right'><a href='#frontis-001'><b>Frontispiece.</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>2.</td><td align='left'>R.S.M.s Small and Lovett, R.Q.M.S. Gorse</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_34'><b>34</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>3.</td><td align='left'>Ypres</td><td align='right'><a href='#img45a'><b>35</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>4.</td><td align='left'>Hohenzollern Memorial</td><td align='right'><a href='#img50'><b>50</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>5.</td><td align='left'>Vermelles Water Tower</td><td align='right'><a href='#img51'><b>51</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>6.</td><td align='left'>Lens from the Air</td><td align='right'><a href='#img130a'><b>130</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>7.</td><td align='left'>Officers at Marqueffles</td><td align='right'><a href='#img131'><b>131</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>8.</td><td align='left'>Red Mill and Riaumont Hill</td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_146'><b>146</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>9.</td><td align='left'>Hohenzollern Craters, 1917</td><td align='right'><a href='#img147'><b>147</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>10.</td><td align='left'>Company Headquarters, Loisne, and Gorre Canal</td><td align='right'><a href='#img322a'><b>322</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>11.</td><td align='left'>Pontruet</td><td align='right'><a href='#img323'><b>323</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>12.</td><td align='left'>Lieut. J.C. Barrett, V.C.</td><td align='right'><a href='#img338'><b>338</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>13.</td><td align='left'>The Cadre at Loughborough</td><td align='right'><a href='#img339'><b>339</b></a></td></tr> +</table> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>MAPS.</h2> + + +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" width="80%" cellspacing="0" summary="MAPS"> +<tr><td> </td><td> </td><td align='right'>PAGE.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>1.</td><td align='left'>Ypres District</td><td align='right'><a href='#img44'><b>44</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>2.</td><td align='left'>Bethune District</td><td align='right'><a href='#img82'><b>82</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>3.</td><td align='left'>Attack on Gommecourt, 1/7/16</td><td align='right'><a href='#img130'><b>130</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>4.</td><td align='left'>Monchy District</td><td align='right'><a href='#img154'><b>154</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>5.</td><td align='left'>Lens District</td><td align='right'><a href='#img190-tb'><b>190</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>6.</td><td align='left'>Attack on Pontruet, 24/9/18</td><td align='right'><a href='#img286-tb'><b>286</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>7.</td><td align='left'>Advance, 24/9/18 to 11/11/18</td><td align='right'><a href='#img314-tb'><b>314</b></a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><br /><br /></p> +<h3>CHAPTER 1.</h3> + +<h4>ENGLAND.</h4> + +<p><span class="left">4th Aug., 1914.</span><span class="right">25th Feb., 1915.</span><br /></p> + +<p>The Territorial Force, founded in 1908, undoubtedly attracted many men +who had not devoted themselves previously to military training, +nevertheless it took its character and tone from men who had seen long +service in the old Volunteer Force. Hence, those who created the +Territorial Force did nothing more than re-organise, and build upon what +already existed. In the 5th Leicestershire Regiment there crossed with +us to France men who had over 30 years' service. At the outbreak of war +in 1914, R.Q.M.S. Stimson could look back on 36 years of service, and, +amongst other accomplishments he spoke French fluently. Other names that +occur to us are Serjt. Heafield, with 28 years, and C.S.M. Hill with 16 +years, both of Ashby, and both of whom served in the Volunteer Company +in South Africa. R.S.M. Lovett (27 years), of Loughborough, also wears +the South African medal for service in the same Company. Then there are +Pioneer-Serjt. Clay (27 years' service), C.S.M. Garratt, of Ashby, +C.S.M. Wade, of Melton, R.Q.M.S. Gorse, of Loughborough, Signal-Serjeant +Diggle, of Hinckley—all long service men. The senior N.C.O. in Rutland +was C.S.M. Kernick, who had done 18 years' service when war was +declared.</p> + +<p>The infantry of the 46th (North Midland) Division<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span> consisted of the +Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, the Lincolnshire and Leicestershire, and +the Staffordshire Brigades. Our brigade, the 138th, was commanded at +first by General A.W. Taylor, who was succeeded a few days before we +left England by General W.R. Clifford. Staff officers changed +frequently, and we hope we did not break the hearts of too many. +Staff-Captain J.E. Viccars survived most of them, and we owe him much +for the able and vigorous assistance he was always ready cheerfully to +give us.</p> + +<p>The 5th Leicestershire was a County Battalion, organised in eight +companies, with headquarters respectively at Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Oakham, +Melton Mowbray, Hinckley, Market Harborough, Mountsorrel, Shepshed, and +one at Regimental Headquarters at Loughborough. The companies thus were +much scattered, and it was only at the annual training camps that we met +as a battalion.</p> + +<p>The Territorial Force was better prepared for mobilisation than is +generally supposed, and if the history of the assembly of the regiment +at Loughborough in the first week, their train journey to Duffield in +the second week, the purchase of horses, the collection of stores, the +requisitions for food and the sharpening of bayonets, be demanded, it +can be read in the orders printed many months before war even +threatened. The orders were drawn up by Lt.-Colonel G. German, T.D., our +former commanding officer, now D.S.O., and by his conscientious and +indefatigable adjutant, Captain W.G. King Peirce, who was killed early +in the war fighting with his old regiment, the Manchesters. It is due to +these officers to record that every detail was studiously followed and +found exactly correct. We heard of one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span> officer who, at the time the +printed book of orders was issued, was so fearful lest it should fall +into the hands of some indiscreet or improper person, that he packed and +sealed it, addressed it to his executors, and locked it up in a safe, so +that even sudden death on his part would not force him to betray his +trust.</p> + +<p>Of all hard-worked people in the early days it is possible that upon +Major R.E. Martin fell the greatest share. Not only did he see that +supplies were forthcoming, and that dealers delivered the goods expected +of them, but he set himself to design water-carts, and +troughs-water-feet-for-the-washing-of, and cunningly to adapt stock +material to the better service and greater comfort of all, many of whom +were for the first time dragged from the civilities and luxuries of home +life.</p> + +<p>At Loughborough from the 5th to the 11th of August we did little more +than pull ourselves together generally, and enjoy the good will of the +inhabitants, led by our firm friend, the oft-repeated Mayor, Mr. Mayo, +J.P.</p> + +<p>It did not demand much wit to foretell that sooner or later we should be +asked to offer ourselves for service abroad. The question was put for +the first time on the 13th of August, at Duffield. A rough estimate was +made that at least 70 per cent. would consent gladly and without further +thought, and of the others hesitation was caused in many cases because +men wondered whether in view of their positions in civil life they had +the right to answer for themselves. It should be understood that a very +large number were skilled men, and had joined the home army merely +because they thought it a good thing to do. And because they liked it, +and knew it was a good thing to do, they were content to accept humble +places in a force formed for home service<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span> and home defence only. Also, +at that stage it was not perfectly certain that everyone would be +wanted, and when the question of war service abroad was raised, and +other men were not serving at all, it is only natural that the thought +passed through some men's minds that the appeal was not for them. We +think that the battalion might be congratulated upon the general spirit +of willingness shown, especially as in the 17th August when the question +was put again more definitely, the percentage of those ready to extend +the terms of service was estimated at 90.</p> + +<p>There were other phases of this call for extension of service, too +numerous to detail here; for example, on one occasion we were asked to +get six companies ready at once. This for a time upset everything, for, +as we have said, the original eight companies were taken from different +parts of the county, and there was a strong company comradeship, as well +as a battalion unity; and if six be taken out of eight it means +omissions, amalgamations, grafts, and all sorts of disturbances.</p> + +<p>We left Duffield on the 15th of August, and marched to Derby Station. +Our train was timed to start at 11 p.m., and seeing that we arrived at +Luton at 2 p.m. the next day, the rate of motion was about 6 miles an +hour, not too fast for a train. But the truth is we did not start at 11 +p.m., but spent hours standing in the cattle yard at Derby, while trucks +and guns were being arranged to fit one another. As that was our first +experience of such delay, the incident was impressed upon our minds, and +it counts one to the number of bars we said our medal should have.</p> + +<p>As in Loughborough, so in Luton, our billets were schools. There was one +advantage about the Beech<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> Hill Schools of Luton, namely, that the whole +battalion could assemble in the big room, sit on the floor, and listen +in comfort to words of instruction and advice. But day schools were not +intended for lodging purposes, and here again was displayed Major +Martin's skill in the erection of cookhouses and more wash-tubs and +other domestic essentials. The moment we got settled, however happened +to coincide with the moment at which the education branch of the Town +Council determined that the future of a nation depended upon the +education of her children, and thus it came to pass that on the 28th of +August we moved out of the schools, and entered billets in West Luton.</p> + +<p>The long rows of houses were admirably suited to company billets. +Occupiers dismantled the ground floor front and took in three, and +generally four men at various rates. On the 2nd of October a universal +rate of 9d. a day each man was fixed. That made twenty-one shillings a +week towards paying off a rent which would average at the most twelve +shillings. The billets delighted us, and we hope the owners were as +pleased. We thank them and all we met in those billeting times for their +kind forbearance.</p> + +<p>The headquarters and billets of senior officers were at Ceylon Hall. The +building was owned by the Baptists, and we found their committee most +willing and obliging. On one occasion they lent us their chapel and +organ for a Sunday service, and set their own service at a time to suit +ours, when churches in the town could not help us.</p> + +<p>Altogether we were in Luton just 3 months training for war. To a great +extent the training was on ordinary lines. A routine was followed, and +all routines become dull and wearisome. We had been asked to go<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> abroad, +we had expressed our willingness to go. This willingness grew into a +desire, which at intervals expressed itself in petulant words of +longing—"Are we ever going to France?" The answer was always the same: +"You will go soon enough, and you will stay long enough." This increased +our irritation. Suddenly, on one still and dark November day, parade was +sharply cancelled, we clad ourselves in full marching order, there was +just a moment to scrawl on a postcard a few last words home, tender +words were exchanged with our friends in the billets, and with heavy +tread and in solemn silence we marched forth along the Bedford Road. +There was a pillar box beside the road. It was only the leading +companies that could put the farewell card actually in the box, for it +was quickly crowded out, and in the end the upper portion of the red +pillar was visible standing on a conical pile of postcards.</p> + +<p>Never had a field day passed without some reference to the 16th +milestone on the Bedford Road, but on this particular day orders did not +even mention the milestone. This in itself was sufficient to convince us +that real war had at length begun. Long before the 16th milestone was +sighted, we were diverted into a field, our kit was commented upon, and +we marched back to the same old billets. For convenience of reference +this incident is entered in our diary as the march to France along the +Bedford Road, and no bar was awarded. The march formed a crisis in our +history, for subsequent to it leave home was not sought so eagerly. +Positively the last words of farewell had been said, and it was +difficult to devise other forms of good-bye nearer the absolute ultimate +with which to engage our home<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span> friends, who, to our credit be it said, +were just as anxious as we were.</p> + +<p>It was about this time that our attention was drawn to the anomaly of +the discharge rule. A man who had served for four years could take his +discharge as a time-expired soldier. At the same time men were enlisting +freely. One young man of under 21 was said to have claimed his discharge +on the very day that his grandfather, newly enlisted, entered upon three +days' "C.B." for coming on parade with dirty boots.</p> + +<p>It was in Luton, too, that we overcame our distrust and dislike of +vaccination and inoculation against typhoid. We remember C.S.M. Lovett +being inoculated in public to give a lead to others, and we smile now to +think that in those days it was power of character and leadership only +that accomplished things, and incidentally made the way smooth for a +Government's compulsory bill.</p> + +<p>We were inspected several times, in fact so often that the clause "We +are respected by everyone," which comes in our regimental ditty—(and +how could it not!!)—was given the alternative rendering "inspected." +Twice his Majesty the King honoured us with a visit, and in addition +General Ian Hamilton, Lord Kitchener, and others.</p> + +<p>Regiments differ much; each has its peculiarities. The 5th +Leicestershire a county battalion, if in nothing else, excelled +individually in work across country. Though all may not have been as +clever as "Pat" Collins (G.A.), who acted as guide to the commanding +officer for many months—and we have the commanding officer's permission +to add "counsellor and friend"—there was never any difficulty in +finding the way in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> day or at night. If we may anticipate our early +days in France, a few months hence, we can remember being occupied all +one night in extricating parties of men who had lost their way +hopelessly in open country in the dark. Those were men who came from a +city battalion, brought up amongst labelled thoroughfares, street lamps, +and brilliantly-illuminated shop windows. We practised night work at +Luton, and all was easy and natural, though we added to our experiences, +as on the night when in the thrilling silence of a night attack the fair +chestnut bolted with the machine gun; and having kicked two men and lost +his character, reverted to the rank of officer's charger.</p> + +<p>On a day in October the whole division had entrenched itself in the +vicinity of Sharpenhoe and Sundon. To enliven the exercise night +manœuvres were hastily planned. Our share was to march at about 11 +p.m., after a hard day and half a tea, and to continue marching through +the most intricate country until five o'clock the next morning. At that +time we were within charging distance of the enemy, and day was +breaking. Filing through a railway arch we wheeled into extended order +and lay down till all were ready. When the advance was ordered, though +we had lain down for two minutes only, the greater number were fast +asleep. Despite this hitch the position was taken, and then a march home +brought the exercise to an end at 8.10 a.m. For this operation we voted +a second bar to our medal.</p> + +<p>To those who knew all the details of the plan the most brilliant feature +was the wonderfully accurate leading of our Brigade Major, now +Brigadier-General Aldercron. He led us behind the advanced posts of the +enemy and it was their second line that we attacked.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p> + +<p>Many officers were joining us. Since war had been declared, E.G. +Langdale, R.C.L. Mould, C.R. Knighton, S.R. Pullinger, C.H. Wollaston, +G.W. Allen, J.D. Hills, and R. Ward-Jackson had all been added to our +strength. Later came D.B. Petch, R.B. Farrer, and J. Wyndham Tomson, of +whom Petch was straight from school, and he, with the last two named, +served a fortnight in France before being gazetted. Their further +careers can be followed in later chapters with the exception, perhaps, +of Hills, who himself writes those chapters. As his service is a +combination of details, many of which are typical of the young officer +who fought in the early days of the war, for general information we +narrate so much. John David Hills, though not 20, had already seen six +years' service in his school O.T.C., including one year as a Cadet +Officer. He surrendered his Oxford Scholarship and what that might have +meant in order to join up at once. He passed through the battalion from +end to end, occupying at various times every possible place: signalling +officer, intelligence officer, platoon commander, company commander, +adjutant, 2nd in command, and finished up in command of what was called +"the cadre." For some time, too, he was attached to the brigade staff, +and when we add that he excelled in every position separately and +distinctly, and won the admiration and love of all, we may spare him +further embarrassment and let the honours he has won speak for him.</p> + +<p>Clothing was a lasting trouble. We were now wearing out our first suits, +and from time to time there confronted us statements that sounded rather +like weather reports, for example—"No trousers to-day;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> tunics +plentiful." Then the question arose as to whether a man should wear a +vest, and, if so, might he have two, one on the man, the other at the +wash. Patient endurance was rewarded by an answer in the affirmative to +the first part of the question, but the correspondence over the second +portion has only just reached the armistice stage.</p> + +<p>And as with men, so with animals. "The waggon and horses" sounds +beautifully complete as well as highly attractive, but in the army we +must not forget to see that harness comes as well. And this thought, the +lack of harness, carries us to another great event in our history, the +end of the Luton days, the march to Ware.</p> + +<p>Why was the march to Ware planned exactly like that? It is not in the +hope of getting an answer we ask the question. Waggons and horses and no +harness, and whose fault? Waggons and horses with harness, and carrying +a double load to make up,—no fault, a necessity. Officers away on +leave,—but let us set things down in order. Barely a fortnight after +the march to France along the Bedford Road, on Saturday, the 14th of +November, a proportion of officers and men went on leave as usual till +Monday, and all was calm and still. At 1 a.m. on Monday, orders were +received to move at 7 a.m., complete for Ware, a distance, by the route +set, of 25 to 30 miles,—some say 50 to 100 miles. Official +clear-the-line telegrams were poured out recalling the leave takers. +Waggons were packed—(were they not packed!)—billets were cleared, and +we toed the line at the correct time. For want of harness, the four +cooks' carts and two water carts were left behind; for want of time, +meat was issued raw; for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> want of orders, no long halt was given at +mid-day. One short and sharp bit of hill on the way was too much for the +horses, and such regimental transport as we had with us had to be +man-handled. This little diversion gave regiments a choice of two +systems, gaps between regiments, or gaps between sections of the same +regiment, and gave spectators, who had come in considerable numbers, a +subject for discussion. But the chief feature of the day was that we +reached Ware that day as complete as we started. We arrived at 7-20 p.m. +except for two Companies who were detached as rear guard to the +Division. The tail end of the Divisional train lost touch and took the +wrong turning, and for this reason the two Companies did not come in +till 11-30 p.m. We understand that the third bar on our medal will be +the march to Ware.</p> + +<p>Amongst those who watched us pass near the half-way post we noticed our +neighbour, General Sir A.E. Codrington, then commanding the London +District, who as an experienced soldier knew the difficulties and gave +us, as a regiment, kindly words of praise and encouragement.</p> + +<p>We have often wondered what was the verdict of the authorities upon this +march. As this is regimental history only, it may be permitted to give +the regiment's opinion. We fancied we accomplished passing well an +almost impossible task. It is true that not long afterwards we were well +fitted out and sent to France. We are persuaded, too, to add here that +we said we owed one thing at least to our Divisional Commander, General +E. Montagu-Stuart-Wortley; we were the first complete Territorial Force +Division to cross the seas and go into action as a Division against the +Ger<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span>mans. And it may be that the whole Territorial Force owe to our +General, too, that they went in Divisions, and were not sent piecemeal +as some earlier battalions, and dovetailed into the Regular Army, or, +perhaps, even into the New Army. We live in the assurance that the +confidence the Army Council extended to us was not misplaced.</p> + +<p>Having rested a day at Ware, we marched to Bishops Stortford, where we +cannot say we were billeted neither can we use again the word rest, for +the town was over-crowded, and queues were formed up to billets; queues +composed of all arms of the service, and infantry did not take the front +place. Let us say we were "stationed" there one week. The week was +enlivened by strange rumour of German air attacks, and large patrols +were kept on the watch at night.</p> + +<p>On the 26th of November, the time of our life began when the regiment +marched into billets at Sawbridgeworth. The town was built for one +infantry regiment and no more. The inhabitants were delightful, and we +have heard, indirectly, more than once that they were pleased with us. +We soon learnt to love the town and all it contained, and we dare not +say that our love has grown cold even now. The wedding bells have +already rung for the regiment once at Sawbridgeworth, when Lieut. R.C.L. +Mould married Miss Barrett, and we do not know that they may not ring +again for a similar reason. In Sawbridgeworth, our vigorous adjutant, +Captain W.T. Bromfield, was at his best. Everyone was seized and pulled +up to the last notch of efficiency, pay books were ready in time, +company returns were faultless, deficiency lists complete, saluting was +severer than ever, and echos of heel clicks rattled<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> from the windows in +the street. Best of all were the drums. Daily at Retreat, Drum Sergt. +Skinner would salute the orderly officer, the orderly officer would +salute the senior officer, then all the officers would salute all the +ladies, the crowd would move slowly away, and wheel traffic was +permitted once more in the High Street.</p> + +<p>The ordinary routine of military life was broken into at times by sudden +and violent efforts dictated by lightning ideas of the Divisional or +Brigade Staff, or by the latest news from the front. There was a time, +for example, when we could think of one thing only,—the recessed +trench. That gave place to the half company trench, a complete system, +embracing fire trenches, supports, inspection trenches, with cook +houses, wash houses, and all that a well regulated house could require; +and so important was it, and its dimensions so precise, that an +annotated copy was printed on handkerchiefs.</p> + +<p>Then came a sudden desire to cross streams, however swollen, and a party +rode off to Bishops Stortford to learn the very latest plans. We had +just received a set of beautiful mules, well trained for hard work in +the transport. As horses were scarce, and the party large, our +resourceful adjutant ordered mules. Several mules returned at once, +though many went with their riders to the model bridge, and in their +intelligent anxiety to get a really close view, went into the water with +them.</p> + +<p>On another day we did a great march through Harlow, and saluted Sir +Evelyn Wood, V.C., who stood at his gate to see us pass.</p> + +<p>Football, boxing and concerts, not to mention dancing, filled our spare +time, and there was the famous<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> race which ended:—<span class="smcap">Bob</span>, Major +Toller, a, 1., <span class="smcap">Berlin</span>, Capt. Bromfield, a, 2. And we are not +forgetting that it was at Sawbridgeworth that we ate our first Christmas +war dinner. Never was such a feed. The eight companies had each a +separate room, and the Commanding officer, Major Martin, and the +adjutant made a tour of visits, drinking the health of each company in +turn—eight healths, eight drinks, and which of the three stood it best? +Some say the second in command shirked.</p> + +<p>Officers had their dinner, too. After the loyal toast there was one +only—"Colour Sergt. Joe Collins, and may he live for ever!" The reply +was short—"Gentlemen, I think you are all looking very well." It was +his only thought, and we were well. We know how much we owe to him as +our mess sergeant; he studied our individual tastes and requirements, +and kept us well for many months. Good luck to him!</p> + +<p>It was not till January, 1915, that a most important, and as a matter of +fact the very simplest, change in our organisation was made. To be in +keeping with the regular forces, our eight companies were re-organised +as four. This system would always have suited our County battalion even +in 1908, and our only wonder is that it was not introduced before.</p> + +<p>When, on the 18th of February, the G.O.C. returned from a week's visit +to France, and gave us a lecture upon the very latest things, we knew we +might go at any time. Actually at noon on the 25th we got the order to +entrain at Harlow at midnight, and the next morning we were on +Southampton Docks.</p> + +<p>We left behind at Sawbridgeworth Captain R.S. Goward, now Lieut. Colonel +and T.D., in command of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> a company which afterwards developed into a +battalion called the 3rd 5th Leicestershire. This battalion was a +nursery and rest house for officers and men for the 1st Fifth. It +existed as a separate unit until the 1st of September, 1916, and during +those months successfully initiated all ranks in the ways of the +regiment, and kept alive the spirit which has carried us through the +Great War.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>CHAPTER II.</h3> + +<h4>EARLY EXPERIENCES.</h4> + + +<p><span class="left">26th Feb., 1915.</span><span class="right">16th June, 1915.</span><br /></p> + + +<p>After spending the greater part of the day (the 26th February) lounging +about the Hangars at Southampton, we at length embarked late in the +afternoon—Headquarters and the right half battalion in S.S. Duchess of +Argyle, left half, under Major Martin, in S.S. Atalanta. The transport, +under Capt. Burnett, was due to sail later in S.S. Mazaran, since +torpedoed in the Channel, but they embarked at the same time as the +rest. Four other ships containing Divisional Headquarters and some of +the Sherwood Foresters were to sail with us, and at 9 p.m., to the +accompaniment of several syrens blowing "Farewell," we steamed out, S.S. +Duchess of Argyle leading. The Captain of the ship asked us to post a +signaller to read any signals, Serjt. Diggle was told to keep a look out +and assist the official signaller, a sort of nondescript Swede or other +neutral, like the rest of the crew. We soon sighted some war vessel, and +asked if they had any orders, the reply being, according to Serjt. +Diggle, "No go"—according to the Swede, "No no." The Captain preferred +to believe the latter, and as there were no orders continued his course, +though we could see the remainder of our little fleet turn round and +sail back. The weather was appalling, the sea very<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> rough, and long +before we had reached half way we were all very ill. This was not +surprising, as our transport was built for pleasure work on the Clyde, +and, though fast, was never intended to face a Channel storm. Each time +a wave crashed into the ship's side we imagined we had been torpedoed; +in fact, it was one long night of concentrated misery.</p> + +<p>We reached Le Havre in the early hours of the morning, and disembarked, +feeling, and probably looking, very bedraggled. From the quay we crawled +up a long and terribly steep hill to the rest camp—some lines of tents +in a muddy field. Here, while we waited 24 hours for our left half +Battalion, of whom we had no news, we were joined by our first +interpreter, M. Furby. M. Furby was very anxious to please, but +unfortunately failed to realise the terrible majesty of the Adjutant, a +fact which caused his almost immediate relegation to the Q.M. Stores, +where he always procured the best billets for Capt. Worley and himself. +On the morning of the 28th we received an issue of sheepskin coats and +extra socks, the latter a present from H.M. the Queen, and after dinners +moved down to the Railway Station, where we found Major Martin and the +left half. Their experiences in the Channel had been worse than ours. +Most of them, wishing to sleep, had started to do so before the ship +left Southampton on the 26th; they were almost all ill during the night, +so were glad to find a harbour wall outside their port-holes the +following morning, and at once went on deck "to look at France"—only to +find they were back in Southampton. They stayed there all day, and +eventually crossed the next night, arriving on the 28th, feeling as bad +as we did, and having had all the horrors of two voyages.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span></p> + +<p>We were kept waiting many hours on the platform, while the French +Railway staff gradually built an enormous train, composed of those +wonderful wagons labelled "<span class="smcap">hommes 36-40, chevaux en long 8</span>," +which we now saw for the first time. Hot in summer, cold in winter, +always very hard and smelly, and full of refuse, they none the less +answered their purpose, and a French troop train undoubtedly carries the +maximum number of men in the minimum of accommodation. During this long +wait we should all have starved had it not been for the kindness of an +English lady, Mrs. Sidney Pitt, who, with other English ladies, served +out an unlimited supply of tea and buns to all. Eventually at 5 p.m. our +train was ready, and we entrained—all except two platoons, for whom +there was no room. The transport was loaded on to flats which were +hooked on behind our wagons, and we finally started up country at about +7 o'clock. The train moved slowly northwards all night, stopping for a +few minutes at Rouen, and reaching Abbeville just as dawn broke at 7 +a.m. Here, amidst a desolation of railway lines and tin sheds, we stayed +for half an hour and stretched our cramped limbs, while six large +cauldrons provided enough hot tea for all. From this point our progress +became slower, and the waits between stations proportionally longer, +until at last we reached a small village, where, according to our train +orders, we should stop long enough to water horses. This we began to do, +when suddenly, without any whistling or other warning, the train moved +on, and Major Martin and Captain Burnett, who were with the horses, only +just managed to catch the train, and had to travel the next stage on a +flat with a limber. At St. Omer we were told where we should detrain, a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> +fact hitherto concealed from us, and eventually at 2-35 p.m. in a +blizzard and snow storm we reached Arneke, detrained at once, and +marched about five miles to the little village of Hardifort, where we +arrived in the dark.</p> + +<p>We were, of course, entirely inexperienced at this time, and in the +light of subsequent events, this, our first attempt at billeting, was a +most ludicrous performance. The Battalion halted on the road in fours +outside the village, at the entrance to which stood a group headed by +the C.O. with a note-book; behind him was the Mayor—small, intoxicated +and supremely happy, the Brigade Interpreter, M. Löst, with a list of +billets, and the Adjutant, angry at having caught a corporal in the act +of taking a sly drink. Around them was a group of some dozen small boys +who were to act as guides. The Interpreter read out a name followed by a +number of officers and men; the C.O. made a note of it and called up the +next platoon; the Mayor shouted the name at the top of his voice, waved +his arms, staggered, smacked a small boy, and again shouted, at which +from three to five small boys would step out and offer to guide the +platoon, each choosing a different direction. How we ever found our +homes is still a mystery, and yet by 10 p.m. we were all comfortably +settled in quarters. We were joined the next morning by the two +remaining platoons, 2nd Lieuts. Mould and Farrer.</p> + +<p>The billets were slightly re-arranged as soon as daylight enabled us to +see where we were, and we soon settled down and made ourselves +comfortable, being told that we should remain at Hardifort until the 4th +March, when we should go into trenches for a week's instruction with +some Regular Division. We had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> nothing much to do except recover from +the effects of our journey, and this, with good billets and not too bad +weather, we soon did. The remainder of our Brigade had not yet arrived, +so we were attached temporarily to the Sherwood Foresters, whose 8th +Battalion was also absent, and with them on the 4th moved off Eastwards, +having the previous day received some preliminary instructions in trench +warfare from General Montagu-Stuart-Wortley, who spoke to all the +officers.</p> + +<p>Preceded by our billeting party, which left at 5 a.m., we marched from +Hardifort at 9 a.m., and, passing through Terdeghen, reached the main +road at St. Sylvestre Capel, and went along it to Caestre. On the way we +met General Smith-Dorrien, our Army Commander, and while the Battalion +halted he talked to all the officers, gave us some very valuable hints, +and then watched the Battalion march past, having impressed us all with +his wonderful kindness and charm of manner. At Caestre we found motor +buses waiting for us, and we were glad to see them, for though no one +had fallen out, we were somewhat tired after marching nine miles, +carrying, in addition to full marching order, blankets, sheepskin coats +and some extra warm clothing. The buses took us through Bailleul and +Nieppe to Armentières, at that time a town infested with the most +appalling stinks and very full of inhabitants, although the front line +trenches ran through the eastern suburbs. Having "debussed," we marched +to le Bizet, a little village a mile north of the town, and stayed there +in billets for the night. During the evening we stood outside our +billets, gazed at the continuous line of flares and listened to the +rifle fire, imagining in our innocence that there must be a terrific +battle with so many lights.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span></p> + +<p>The next day our instruction started, and for four days we worked hard, +trying to learn all we could about trench warfare from the 12th Brigade, +to whom we were attached. While some went off to learn grenade throwing, +a skilled science in those days when there was no Mills but only the +"stick" grenades, others helped dig back lines of defence and learned +the mysteries of revetting under the Engineers. Each platoon spent 24 +hours in the line with a platoon either of the Essex Regt., King's Own +or Lancashire Fusiliers, who were holding the sector from "Plugstreet" +to Le Touquet Station. It was a quiet sector except for rifle fire at +night, and it was very bad luck that during our first few hours in +trenches we lost 2nd Lieut. G. Aked, who was killed by a stray bullet in +the front line. There was some slight shelling of back areas with +"Little Willies," German field gun shells, but these did no damage, and +gave us in consequence a useful contempt for this kind of projectile. +Trench mortars were not yet invented, and we were spared all heavy +shells, so that, when on the 9th we left Armentières, we felt confident +that trenches, though wet and uncomfortable, were not after all so very +dreadful, and that, if at any time we should be asked to hold the line, +we should acquit ourselves with credit.</p> + +<p>Our next home was the dirty little village of Strazeele, which we +reached by march route, and where we found Lieut. E.G. Langdale who +rejoined us, having finished his disembarkation duties. Here we occupied +five large farm houses, all very scattered and very smelly, the +smelliest being Battalion Headquarters, called by Major Martin "La Ferme +de L'Odeur affreuse." The Signalling officer attempted to link up the +farms by<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> telephone, but his lines, which consisted of the thin +enamelled wire issued at the time, were constantly broken by the +farmers' manure carts, and the signallers will always remember the place +with considerable disgust. One farmer was very pleased with himself, +having rolled up some 200 yards of our line under the impression that +all thin wire must be German. The rest of the Brigade had now arrived, +and the other three Battalions were much annoyed to find that we were +already experienced soldiers—a fact which we took care to point out to +them on every possible occasion. Our only other amusement was the +leg-pulling of some newspaper correspondents, who, as the result of an +interview, made Major Martin a "quarry official," and Lieut. Vincent a +poultry farmer of considerable repute!</p> + +<p>On the 11th March we marched to Sailly sur la Lys, better known as +"Sally on the loose," where with the Canadian Division we should be in +reserve, though we did not know it, for the battle of Neuve Chapelle. +The little town was crowded before even our billeting party arrived, and +it was only by some most brazen billet stealing, which lost us for ever +the friendship of the Divisional Cyclists, that we were able to find +cover for all, while many of the Lincolnshires had to bivouac in the +fields. Here we remained during the battle, but though the Canadians +moved up to the line, we were not used, and spent our time standing by +and listening to the gun fire. A 15" Howitzer, commanded by Admiral +Bacon and manned by Marine Artillery, gave us something to look at, and +it was indeed a remarkable sight to watch the houses in the +neighbourhood gradually falling down as each shell went off. There was +also an armoured train which mounted three guns, and gave<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> us much +pleasure to watch, though whether it did any damage to the enemy we +never discovered. Finally, on the 16th, having taken no part in the +battle, we marched to some farms near Doulieu, and thence on the 19th to +a new area near Bailleul, including the hamlets of Nooteboom, Steent-je +(pronounced Stench), and Blanche Maison, where we stayed until the end +of the month, while the rest of the Brigade went to Armentières for +their tours of instruction.</p> + +<p>Our new area contained some excellent farm houses, and we were very +comfortably billeted though somewhat scattered. The time was mostly +spent in training, which consisted then of trench digging and +occasionally practising a "trench to trench" attack, with the assistance +of gunners and telephonists, about whose duties we had learnt almost +nothing in England. General Smith Dorrien came to watch one of these +practices, and, though he passed one or two criticisms, seemed very +pleased with our efforts. We also carried out some extraordinarily +dangerous experiments with bombs, under Captain Ellwood of the +Lincolnshires and Lieut. A.G. de A. Moore, who was our first bomb +officer. It was just about this time that the Staff came to the +conclusion that something simpler in the way of grenades was required +than the "Hales" and other long handled types, and to meet this demand +someone had invented the "jam tin"—an ordinary small tin filled with a +few nails and some explosive, into the top of which was wired a +detonator and friction lighter. For practice purposes the explosive was +left out, and the detonator wired into an empty tin. Each day lines of +men could be seen about the country standing behind a hedge, over which +they threw jam tins at imaginary trenches,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> the aim and object of all +being to make the tin burst as soon as possible after hitting the +ground. We were given five seconds fuses, and our orders were, "turn the +handle, count four slowly, and then throw." Most soldiers wisely counted +four fairly rapidly, but Pte. G. Kelly, of "D" Company, greatly +distinguished himself by holding on well past "five," with the result +that the infernal machine exploded within a yard of his head, +fortunately doing no damage.</p> + +<p>All this time we were about nine miles from the line, and were left in +peace by the Boche, except for a single night visit from one of his +aeroplanes, which dropped two bombs near Bailleul Station and woke us +all up. We did not know what they were at the time, so were not as +alarmed as we might otherwise have been. In fact "B" Company had a much +more trying time when, a few nights later, one of the cows at their +billet calved shortly after midnight. The sentry on duty woke Captain +Griffiths, who in turn woke the farmer and tried to explain what had +happened. All to no purpose, for the farmer was quite unable to +understand, and in the end was only made to realise the gravity of the +situation by the more general and less scientific explanation that "La +vache est malade."</p> + +<p>On the 1st April we received a warning order to the effect that the +Division would take over shortly a sector of the line South of St. Eloi +from the 28th Division, and two days later we marched through Bailleul +to some huts on the Dranoutre-Locre road, where we relieved the +Northumberland Fusiliers in Brigade support. The same evening the +Company Commanders went with the C.O. and Adjutant to reconnoitre the +sector of trenches we were to occupy. It rained hard all night, and was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> +consequently pitch dark, so that the reconnoitring party could see very +little and had a most unpleasant journey, returning to the huts at 2 +o'clock the next morning (Easter Day), tired out and soaked to the skin. +During the day the weather improved, and it was a fine night when at 10 +p.m., the Battalion paraded and marched in fours though Dranoutre and +along the road to within half a mile of Wulverghem. Here, at "Packhorse" +Farm, we were met by guides of the Welsh Regiment (Col. Marden) and +taken into the line.</p> + +<p>Our first sector of trenches consisted of two disconnected lengths of +front line, called trenches 14 and 15, behind each of which a few +shelters, which were neither organised for defence nor even +splinter-proof, were known as 14 S and 15 S—the S presumably meaning +Support. On the left some 150 yards from the front line a little +circular sandbag keep, about 40 yards in diameter and known as S.P. 1, +formed a Company Headquarters and fortified post, while a series of +holes covered by sheets of iron and called E4 dug-outs provided some +more accommodation—of a very inferior order, since the slightest +movement by day drew fire from the snipers' posts on "Hill 76." As this +hill, Spanbroek Molen on the map, which lies between Wulverghem and +Wytschaete was held by the Boche, our trenches which were on its slopes +were overlooked, and we had to be most careful not to expose ourselves +anywhere near the front line, for to do so meant immediate death at the +hands of his snipers, who were far more accurate than any others we have +met since. To add to our difficulties our trench parapets, which owing +to the wet were entirely above ground, were composed only of sandbags, +and were in many places not bullet proof.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> There were large numbers of +small farm houses all over the country (surrounded by their five-months' +dead live stock), and as the war had not yet been in progress many +months these houses were still recognizable as such. Those actually in +the line were roofless, but the others, wonderfully preserved, were +inhabited by support Companies, who, thanks to the inactivity of the +enemy's artillery, were able to live in peace though under direct +observation. In our present sector we found six such farms; "Cookers," +the most famous, stood 500 yards behind S.P. 1, and was the centre of +attraction for most of the bullets at night. It contained a Company +Headquarters, signal office, and the platoon on the ground floor, and +one platoon in the attic! Behind this, and partly screened from view, +were "Frenchman's" occupied by Battalion Headquarters, "Pond" where half +the Reserve Company lived, and "Packhorse" containing the other half +Reserve and Regimental Aid Post. This last was also the burying ground +for the sector, and rendezvous for transport and working parties. Two +other farms—"Cob" and "T"—lay on the Wulverghem Road and were not used +until our second tour, when Battalion Headquarters moved into "Cob" as +being pleasanter than "Frenchman's," and "Pond" also had to be +evacuated, as the Lincolnshires had had heavy casualties there.</p> + +<p>The enemy opposite to us, popularly supposed to be Bavarians, seemed +content to leave everything by day to his snipers. These certainly were +exceptionally good, as we learnt by bitter experience. By night there +was greater activity, and rifle bullets fell thickly round Cookers Farm +and the surrounding country. There were also fixed rifles at intervals +along the enemy's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> lines aimed at our communication tracks, and these, +fired frequently during the early part of the night, made life very +unpleasant for the carrying parties. There were no communication +trenches and no light railways, so that all stores and rations, which +could be taken by limbers as far as Packhorse Farm only, had to be +carried by hand to the front line. This was done by platoons of the +support and reserve companies who had frequently to make two or three +journeys during the night, along the slippery track past Pond Farm and +Cookers Corner—the last a famous and much loathed spot. There were +grids to walk on, but these more resembled greasy poles, for the slabs +had been placed longitudinally on cross runners, and many of us used to +slide off the end into some swampy hole. One of "B" Company's officers +was a particular adept at this, and fell into some hole or other almost +every night. These parties often managed to add to our general +excitement by discovering some real or supposed spy along their route, +and on one occasion there was quite a small stir round Cookers Farm by +"something which moved, was fired at, and dropped into a trench with a +splash, making its escape." A subsequent telephone conversation between +"Cracker" Bass and his friend Stokes revealed the truth that the +"something" was "a ——y great cat with white eyes."</p> + +<p>Like the enemy's, our artillery was comparatively inactive. Our gunners, +though from their Observation Posts, "O.P.'s," on Kemmel Hill they could +see many excellent targets, were unable to fire more than a few rounds +daily owing to lack of ammunition; what little they had was all of the +"pip-squeak" variety, and not very formidable. Our snipers were quite +incapable of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> dealing with the Bavarians, and except for Lieut. A.P. +Marsh, who went about smashing Boche loophole plates with General +Clifford's elephant gun, we did nothing in this respect.</p> + +<p>In one sphere, however, we were masters—namely, patrolling. At +Armentières we had had no practice in this art, and our first venture +into No Man's Land was consequently a distinctly hazardous enterprise +for those who undertook it—2nd Lieut. J.W. Tomson, Corpl. Staniforth, +Ptes. Biddles, Tebbutt, and Tailby, all of "A" Company (Toller). Their +second night in the line, in 15 trench, this little party crawled +between the two halves of a dead cow, and, scrambling over our wire, +explored No Man's Land, returning some half hour later. Others followed +their lead, and during the whole of our stay in this sector, though our +patrols were out almost every night, they never met a German.</p> + +<p>We stayed in these trenches for a month, taking alternate tours of four +days each with the 4th Lincolnshires (Col. Jessop). We lost about two +killed and ten wounded each tour, mostly from snipers and stray bullets, +for we did not come into actual conflict with the enemy at all. Amongst +the wounded was C.S.M. J. Kernick, of "B" Company, whose place was taken +by H.G. Lovett. This company also lost Serjt. Nadin, who was killed a +few weeks later.</p> + +<p>Although we fought no pitched battles, the month included several little +excitements of a minor sort, both in trenches and when out at rest. The +first of these was the appearance of a Zeppelin over Dranoutre, where we +were billeted. Fortunately only one bomb dropped anywhere near us, and +this did no damage; the rest were all aimed at Bailleul and its +aerodromes. We all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> turned out of bed, and stood in the streets to look +at it, while many sentries blazed away with their rifles, forgetting +that it was many hundred feet beyond the range of any rifle.</p> + +<p>By the middle of April the Staff began to expect a possible German +attack, and we "stood to" all night the 15/16th, having been warned that +it would be made on our front and that asphyxiating gases would be +used—we had, of course, no respirators. Two nights later the 5th +Division attacked Hill 60, and for four hours and a quarter, from 4 p.m. +to 8-15 p.m., we fired our rifles, three rounds a minute, with sights at +2,500 yards and rifles set on a bearing of 59°, in order to harass the +enemy's back areas behind the Hill—a task which later was always given +to the machine gunners. In those days it was a rare thing to hear a +machine gun at all, and ours scarcely ever fired. A week afterwards, +when out at rest, we heard that the second battle of Ypres had begun, +and learnt with horror and disgust of the famous first gas attack and +its ghastly results. Within a few days the first primitive respirators +arrived and were issued; they were nothing but a pad of wool and some +gauze, and would have been little use; fortunately we did not know this, +and our confidence in them was quite complete. On the 10th May, just +before we left the sector, we had a little excitement in the front line. +A German bombing party suddenly rushed "E1 Left," a rotten little +"grouse-butt" trench only 37 yards from the enemy, and held by the 4th +Leicestershires, and succeeded in inflicting several casualties before +they made off, leaving one dead behind them. This in itself was not +much, but both sides opened rapid rifle fire, and the din was so +terrific that supports were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> rushed up, reserves "stood to" to +counter-attack, and it was nearly an hour before we were able to resume +normal conditions. The following day we returned to the huts, where we +were joined by 2nd Lieut. L.H. Pearson who was posted to "A" Company; +2nd Lieut. Aked's place had already been filled by Lieut. C.F. Shields +from the Reserve Battalion. 2nd Lieut. G.W. Allen, who had been away +with measles, also returned to us during April.</p> + +<p>Our next stay in the Locre huts can hardly be called a rest. First, on +the 12th May, the enemy raided the 4th Lincolnshires in G1 and G2 +trenches, where, at "Peckham Corner," they hoped to be able to destroy +one of our mine galleries. The raid was preceded by a strong trench +mortar bombardment, during which the Lincolnshire trenches were badly +smashed about, and several yards of them so completely destroyed that +our "A" Company were sent up the next evening to assist in their repair. +They stayed in the line for twenty-four hours, returning to the huts at +4 p.m. on the 14th, to find that the rest of the Battalion was about to +move to the Ypres neighbourhood. The previous day the German attacks had +increased in intensity, and the cavalry who had been sent up to fill the +gap had suffered very heavily, among them being the Leicestershire +Yeomanry, who had fought for many hours against overwhelming odds, +losing Col. Evans-Freke and many others. There was great danger that if +these attacks continued, the enemy would break through, and consequently +all available troops were being sent up to dig a new trench line of +resistance near Zillebeke—the line afterwards known as the "Zillebeke +switch." None of us had ever been to the "Salient," but it was a well +known and much<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> dreaded name, and most of us imagined we were likely to +have a bad night, and gloomily looked forward to heavy casualties.</p> + +<p>Starting at 6-40 p.m., we went by motor bus with four hundred Sherwood +Foresters through Reninghelst, Ouderdom, and Vlamertinghe to +Kruisstraat, which we reached in three hours. Hence guides of the 4th +Gordons led us by Bridge 16 over the Canal and along the track of the +Lille Road. It was a dark night, and as we stumbled along in single +file, we could see the Towers of Ypres smouldering with a dull red glow +to our left, while the salient front line was lit up by bursting shells +and trench mortars. Our route lay past Shrapnel Corner and along the +railway line to Zillebeke Station, and was rendered particularly +unpleasant by the rifle fire from "Hill 60" on our right. The railway +embankment was high and we seemed to be unnecessarily exposing ourselves +by walking along the top of it, but as the guides were supposed to know +the best route we could not interfere. At Zillebeke Church we found +Colonel Jones, who came earlier by car, waiting to show us our work +which we eventually started at midnight; as we had to leave the Church +again at 1 a.m., to be clear of the Salient before daylight, we had not +much time for work. However, so numerous were the bullets that all +digging records were broken, especially by the Signallers, whose one +desire, very wisely, was to get to ground with as little delay as +possible, and when we left our work, the trench was in places several +feet deep. The coming of daylight and several salvoes of Boche shells +dissuaded us from lingering in the Salient, and, after once more +stumbling along the Railway Line, we reached our motor buses and +returned to the huts,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> arriving at 5-30 a.m. A May night is so short, +that the little digging done seemed hardly worth the casualties, but +perhaps we were not in a position to judge.</p> + +<p>Two days later we went into a new sector, trenches on the immediate left +of the last Brigade sector, and previously held by the Sherwood +Foresters. The front line consisting of trenches "F4, 5 and 6," "G1 and +2", was more or less continuous, though a gap between the "F's" and +"G's," across which one had to run, added a distinct element of risk to +a tour round the line. The worst part was Peckham Corner, where the +Lincolnshires had already suffered; for it was badly sighted, badly +built, and completely overlooked by the enemy's sniping redoubt on "Hill +76." In addition to this it contained a mine shaft running towards the +enemy's lines, some 40 yards away, and at this the Boche constantly +threw his "Sausages," small trench mortars made of lengths of stove +piping stopped at the ends. It was also suspected that he was +counter-mining. In this sector three Companies were in the front line, +the fourth lived with Battalion Headquarters, which were now at +Lindenhoek Châlet near the cross roads, a pretty little house on the +lower slopes of Mont Kemmel. Though the back area was better, the +trenches on the whole were not so comfortable as those we had left, and +during our first tour we had reason to regret the change. First, 2nd +Lieut. C.W. Selwyn, taking out a patrol in front of "F5," was shot +through both thighs, and, though wonderfully cheerful when carried in, +died a few days later at Bailleul. The next morning, while looking at +the enemy's snipers' redoubt, Captain J. Chapman, 2nd in Command of "D" +Company, was shot through the head, and though he lived for a few days, +died soon<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> after reaching England. This place was taken by Lieut. J.D.A. +Vincent, and at the same time Lieut. Langdale was appointed 2nd in +Command of "C." There were also other changes, for Major R.E. Martin was +given Command of the 4th Battalion, and was succeeded as 2nd in Command +by Major W.S.N. Toller, while Captain C. Bland became skipper of "A" +Company.</p> + +<p>During this same tour, the Brigade suffered its first serious disaster, +when the enemy mined and blew up trench "E1 left," held at the time by +the 5th Lincolnshire Regiment. This regiment had many casualties, and +the trench was of course destroyed, while several men were buried or +half-buried in the débris, where they became a mark for German snipers. +To rescue one of these, Lieut. Gosling, R.E., who was working in the G +trenches, went across to E1, and with the utmost gallantry worked his +way to the mine crater. Finding a soldier half buried, he started to dig +him out, and had just completed his task when he fell to a sniper's +bullet and was killed outright. As at this time the Royal Engineers' +Tunnelling Companies were not sufficient to cover the whole British +front, none had been allotted to this, which was generally considered a +quiet sector. Gen. Clifford, therefore, decided to have his own Brigade +Tunnellers, and a company was at once formed, under Lieut. A.G. Moore, +to which we contributed 24 men, coalminers by profession. Lieut. Moore +soon got to work and, so well did the "amateurs" perform this new task, +that within a few days galleries had been started, and we were already +in touch with the Boche underground. In an incredibly short space of +time, thanks very largely to the personal efforts of Lieut. Moore, who +spent hours every day down below within a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span>few feet of the enemy's +miners, two German mine-shafts and their occupants were blown in by a +"camouflet," and both E1 left and E1 right were completely protected +from further mining attacks by a defensive gallery along their front. +For this Lieut. Moore was awarded a very well deserved Military Cross.</p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figleft"> + <img src="images/img34a.jpg" + alt=" R.S.M. R.E. Small, D.C.M." /><br /> + <b>R.S.M. R.E. Small, D.C.M.</b> + </div> +<div class="figright"> + <img src="images/img34b.jpg" + alt="R.Q.M.S. R. Gorse, M.S.M. R.S.M. H.G. Lovett, M.C., D.C.M." /><br /> + <b>R.Q.M.S. R. Gorse, M.S.M.<br />R.S.M. H.G. Lovett, M.C., D.C.M.</b> + </div> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<p>After the second tour in this sector we again made a slight change in +the line, giving up the "F" trenches and taking instead "G3", "G4," +"G4a," "H1," "H2" and "H5," again relieving the Sherwood Foresters, who +extended their line to the left. Unfortunately, they still retained the +Doctor's House in Kemmel as their Headquarters, and, as Lindenhoek +Châlet was now too far South, Colonel Jones had to find a new home in +the village, and chose a small shop in one of the lesser streets. We had +scarcely been 24 hours in the new billet when, at mid-day, the 4th June, +the Boche started to bombard the place with 5.9's, just when Colonel +Jessop, of the 4th Lincolnshires, was talking to Colonel Jones in the +road outside the house, while an orderly held the two horses close by. +The first shell fell almost on the party, killing Colonel Jessop, the +two orderlies, Bacchus and Blackham, and both horses. Colonel Jones was +wounded in the hand, neck and thigh, fortunately not very seriously, +though he had to be sent at once to England, having escaped death by +little short of a miracle. His loss was very keenly felt by all of us, +for ever since we had come to France, he had been the life and soul of +the Battalion, and it was hard to imagine trenches, where we should not +receive his daily cheerful visit. We had two reassuring thoughts, one +that the General had promised to keep his command open for him as soon +as he should<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> return, the second that during his absence we should be +commanded by Major Toller, who had been with us all the time, and was +consequently well known to all of us.</p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figleft"><a name="img45a" id="img45a"></a> + <img src="images/img45a.jpg" + alt="Bomb Corner, Ypres 1915." /><br /> + <b>Bomb Corner, Ypres 1915.</b> + </div> + +<div class="figright"> + <img src="images/img45b.jpg" + alt="Bomb Corner, Ypres 1915." /><br /> + <b>Bomb Corner, Ypres 1915.</b> + </div> +<div class="figleft"> + <img src="images/img45c.jpg" + alt="Barracks, Ypres 1915." /><br /> + <b>Barracks, Ypres 1915.</b> + </div> + +<h5>(<i>Photos by Capt. C.R. Knighton.</i>)</h5> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p>Meanwhile we had considerably advanced in our own esteem by having +become instructors to one of the first "New Army" Divisions to come to +France, the 14th Light Infantry Division, composed of three battalions +of Rifle Brigade and 60th, and a battalion of each of the British Light +Infantry Regiments. They were attached to us, just as we had been +attached to the 12th Brigade at Armentières, to learn the little details +of Trench warfare that cannot be taught at home, and their platoons were +with us during both our tours in the "G's" and "H's." They were composed +almost entirely of officers and men who had volunteered in August, 1914, +and their physique, drill and discipline were excellent—a fact which +they took care to point out to everybody, adding generally that they had +come to France "not to sit in trenches, but to capture woods, villages, +etc." We listened, of course, politely to all this, smiled, and went on +with our instructing. Many stories are told of the great pride and +assurance of our visitors, one of the most amusing being of an incident +which happened in trench "H2." Before marching to trenches the visiting +Platoon Commander had, in a small speech to his platoon, told them to +learn all they could from us about trenches, but that they must remember +that we were not regulars, and consequently our discipline was not the +same as theirs. All this and more he poured into the ears of his host in +the line, until he was interrupted by the entry of his Platoon Sergeant +to report the accidental wounding of Pte. X by Pte. Y, who fired a round +when cleaning his rifle. There was no need for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> the host to rub it in, +he heard no more about discipline.</p> + +<p>Credit, however, must be given where credit is due, and the following +tour our visitors distinguished themselves. On the 15th June, at 9.10 +p.m., when the night was comparatively quiet, the enemy suddenly blew up +a trench on our left, held by the Sherwood Foresters, at the same time +opening heavy rifle fire on our back areas and shelling our front line. +Captain Griffiths, who held our left flank with "B" Company, found that +his flank was in the air, so very promptly set about moving some of his +supports to cover this flank, and soon made all secure. Meanwhile Lieut. +Rosher, machine gun officer of the visiting Durham Light Infantry, +hearing the terrific din and gathering that something out of the +ordinary was happening, though he did not know what, slung a maxim +tripod over his shoulders, picked up a gun under each arm, and went +straightaway to the centre of activity—a feat not only of wonderful +physical strength, but considerable initiative and courage. We did not +suffer heavy casualties, but 2nd Lieut. Mould's platoon had their +parapet destroyed in one or two places, and had to re-build it under +heavy fire, in which Pte. J.H. Cramp, the Battalion hairdresser, +distinguished himself. Except for this one outburst on the part of the +Boche we had a quiet time, though Peckham Corner was always rather a +cause of anxiety, for neither R.E. nor the Brigade Tunnellers could +spare a permanent party on the mine shaft. Consequently, it was left to +the Company Commander to blow up the mine, and with it some of the +German trench, in case of emergency, and it was left to the infantry to +supply listeners down the shaft to listen for counter-mining. On one +occasion when Captain Bland took over the trench with "A"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> Company, he +found the pump out of order, the water rising in the shaft, and the +gallery full of foul air, all of which difficulties were overcome +without the R.E.'s help, by the courage and ingenuity of Serjeant +Garratt.</p> + +<p>There was one remarkable feature of the whole of this period of the war +which cannot be passed over, and that was the very decided superiority +of our Flying Corps. During the whole of our three months in the Kemmel +area we never once saw a German aeroplane cross our lines without being +instantly attacked, and on one occasion we watched a most exciting +battle between two planes, which ended in the German falling in flames +into Messines, at which we cheered, and the Boche shelled us. Towards +the end of the war the air was often thick with aeroplanes of all +nationalities and descriptions, but in those days, before bombing +flights and battle squadrons had appeared, it was seldom one saw as many +as eight planes in the air at a time, and tactical formations either for +reconnaissance or attack seemed to be unknown; it was all "one man" +work, and each one man worked well.</p> + +<p>On the night of the 16th June the Battalion came out of trenches and +marched to the Locre huts for the last time, looking forward to a few +days' rest in good weather before moving to the Salient, which we were +told was shortly to be our fate. We had been very fortunate in keeping +these huts as our rest billets throughout our stay in the sector, for +though a wooden floor is not so comfortable as a bed in a billet, the +camp was well sited and very convenient. The Stores and Transport were +lodged only a few yards away at Locrehof Farm, and Captain Worley used +to have everything ready for us when we came out of the line.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> During +the long march back from trenches, we could always look forward to hot +drinks and big fires waiting for us at the huts, while there was no more +inspiring sight for the officers than Mess Colour-Sergeant J. Collins' +cheery smile, as he stirred a cauldron of hot rum punch. Bailleul was +only two miles away, and officers and men used often to ride or walk +into the town to call on "Tina," buy lace, or have hot baths (a great +luxury) at the Lunatic Asylum. Dividing our time between this and +cricket, for which there was plenty of room around the huts, we +generally managed to pass a very pleasant four or six days' rest.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>CHAPTER III.</h3> + +<h4>"THE SALIENT."</h4> + + +<p><span class="left">22nd June, 1915.</span><span class="right">1st Oct., 1915.</span><br /></p> + + +<p>On the 22nd June, 1915, after resting for five days in the Huts, where +General Ferguson, our Corps Commander, came to say good-bye, we marched +at 9.0 p.m. to Ouderdom, while our place in the line was taken by the +50th Northumbrian Territorial Division, who had been very badly +hammered, and were being sent for a rest to a quiet sector. At Ouderdom, +which we reached about midnight, we discovered that our billets +consisted of a farm house and a large field, not very cheering to those +who had expected a village, or at least huts, but better than one or two +units who had fields only, without the farm. It was our first experience +in bivouacs, but fortunately a fine night, so we soon all crawled under +waterproof sheets, and slept until daylight allowed us to arrange +something more substantial. The next day, with the aid of a few +"scrounged" top poles and some string, every man made himself some sort +of weather-proof hutch, while the combined tent-valises of the officers +were grouped together near the farm, which was used as mess and +Quartermaster's Stores. Unfortunately, we had no sooner made ourselves +really comfortable than the Staffordshires claimed the field as part of +their area, and we had to move to a similar<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> billeting area a few +hundred yards outside Reninghelst where we stayed until the 28th. The +weather remained hot and fine, except for two very heavy showers in the +middle of one day, when most of the officers could be seen making +furious efforts to dig drains round their bivouacs from inside, while +the other ranks stood stark naked round the field and enjoyed the +pleasures of a cold shower-bath. We spent our time training and +providing working parties, one of which, consisting of 400 men under +Capt. Jeffries, for work at Zillebeke, proved an even greater fiasco +than its predecessor in May. For on this occasion, not only was the +night very short, but the guides failed to find the work, and the party +eventually returned to bivouacs, having done nothing except wander about +the salient for three hours. Two days before we left Reninghelst the +first reinforcements arrived for us, consisting of 12 returned +casualties and 80 N.C.O.'s and men from England—a very welcome addition +to our strength.</p> + +<p>The time eventually arrived for us to go into the line, and on the 29th +the officers went up by day to take over from the Sherwood Foresters, +while the remainder of the Battalion followed as soon as it was dark. +Mud roads and broad cross-country tracks brought us over the plain to +the "Indian Transport Field," near Kruisstraat White Chateau, still +standing untouched because, it was said, its peace-time owner was a +Boche. Leaving the Chateau on our right, and passing Brigade +Headquarters Chalet on our left, we kept to the road through Kruisstraat +as far as the outskirts of Ypres, where a track to the right led us to +Bridge 14 over the Ypres-Comines Canal. Thence, by field tracks, we +crossed the Lille road a few yards north of Shrapnel Corner, and +leaving<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> on our left the long, low, red buildings of the "Ecole de +Bienfaisance," reached Zillebeke Lake close to the white house at the +N.W. corner. The lake is triangular and entirely artificial, being +surrounded by a broad causeway, 6 feet high, with a pathway along the +top. On the western edge the ground falls away, leaving a bank some +twenty feet high, in which were built the "Lake Dug-outs,"—the home of +one of the support battalions. From the corner house to the trenches +there were two routes, one by the south side of the Lake, past Railway +Dug-outs—cut into the embankment of the Comines Railway—and Manor Farm +to Square Wood; the other, which we followed, along the North side of +the Lake, where a trench cut into the causeway gave us cover from +observation from "Hill 60." At Zillebeke we left the trench, and crossed +the main road at the double, on account of a machine gun which the Boche +kept at the "Hill 60" end of it, and kept moving until past the +Church—another unpleasant locality. Thence a screened track led to +Maple Copse, an isolated little wood with several dug-outs in it, and on +to Sanctuary Wood, which we found 400 yards further East. Here in +dug-outs lived the Supports, for whom at this time was no fighting +accommodation except one or two absurdly miniature keeps. At the corner +of the larger wood we passed the Ration Dump, and then, leaving this on +our left, turned into Armagh Wood on our right.</p> + +<p>From the southern end of Zillebeke village two roads ran to the front +line. One, almost due South, kept close to the railway and was lost in +the ruins of Zwartelen village on "Hill 60"; the other, turning East +along a ridge, passed between Sanctuary and Armagh<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> Woods, and crossed +our front line between the "A" and "B" trenches, the left of our new +sector. The ridge, called Observatory, on account of its numerous +O.P.'s, was sacred to the Gunners, and no one was allowed to linger +there, for fear of betraying these points of vantage. Beyond it was a +valley, and beyond that again some high ground N.E. of the hill, +afterwards known as Mountsorrel, on account of Colonel Martin's +Headquarters, which were on it. The line ran over the top of this high +ground, which was the meeting place of the old winter trenches (numbered +46 to 50) on the right, and, on the left the new trenches "A," "B," +etc., built for our retirement during the 2nd Battle. The 5th Division +held the old trenches, we relieved the Sherwood Foresters in the new +"A1" to "A8," with three companies in the line and only one in support. +The last was near Battalion Headquarters, called Uppingham in Colonel +Jones' honour, which were in a bank about 200 yards behind the front +line. Some of the dug-outs were actually in the bank, but the most +extraordinary erection of all was the mess, a single sandbag thick +house, built entirely above ground, and standing by itself, unprotected +by any bank or fold in the ground, absolutely incapable, of course, of +protecting its occupants from even an anti-aircraft "dud."</p> + +<p>We soon discovered during our first tour the difference between the +Salient and other sectors of the line, for, whereas at Kemmel we were +rarely shelled more than once a day, and then only with a few small +shells, now scarcely three hours went by without some part of the +Battalion's front being bombarded, usually with whizz-bangs. The Ypres +whizz-bang, too, was a thing one could not despise. The country round +Klein Zillebeke<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> was very close, and the Boche was able to keep his +batteries only a few hundred yards behind his front line, with the +result that the "Bang" generally arrived before the whizz. "A6" and "A7" +suffered most, and on the 1st July Captain T.C.P. Beasley, commanding +"C" Company, and Lieut. A.P. Marsh, of "B" Company, were both wounded, +and had to be sent away to Hospital some hours later. The same night we +gave up these undesirable trenches, together with "A5" and "A8" to the +4th Battalion, and took instead "49," "50" and the Support "51" from the +Cheshires of the 5th Division. These trenches were about 200 yards from +the enemy except at the junction of "49" and "50," where a small salient +in his line brought him to within 80 yards. The sniping here was as +deadly as at Kemmel, though round the corner in "A1" we could have +danced on the parapet and attracted no attention. On the other hand "49" +and "50" were comfortably built, whereas "A1" was shallow and narrow and +half filled with tunnellers' sandbags, for it contained three long mine +shafts, two of which were already under the German lines. "A2," "3" and +"4" were the most peaceful of our sector, and the only disturbance here +during the tour was when one of a small burst of crumps blew up our bomb +store and blocked the trench for a time. This was on the 5th, and after +it we were left in peace, until, relieved by the Staffordshires, we +marched back to Ouderdom, feeling that we had escaped from our first +tour in the ill-famed salient fairly cheaply. Even so, we had lost two +officers and 24 O. Ranks wounded, and seven killed, a rate which, if +kept up, would soon very seriously deplete our ranks.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a name="img44" id="img44"></a> + <a href="images/img44.jpg"><img + src="images/img44-tb.jpg" + alt="GENERAL MAP OF FLANDERS to illustrate Chap' II & III." /></a><br /> + <b>GENERAL MAP OF FLANDERS<br />to illustrate Chap' II & III.</b> + </div> + +<p>On reaching Ouderdom, we found that some huts on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span>the Vlamertinghe road +had now been allotted us instead of our bivouac field, and as on the +following day it rained hard, we were not sorry. Our satisfaction, +however, was short-lived, for the hut roofs were of wood only, and +leaked in so many places that many were absolutely uninhabitable and had +to be abandoned. At the same time some short lengths of shelter trench +which we had dug in case of shelling were completely filled with water, +so that anyone desiring shelter must needs have a bath as well. This wet +weather, coupled with a previous shortage of water in the trenches, and +the generally unhealthy state of the salient, brought a considerable +amount of sickness and slight dysentry, and although we did not send +many to Hospital, the health of the Battalion on the whole was bad, and +we seemed to have lost for the time our energy. Probably a fortnight in +good surroundings would have cured us completely, and even after eight +days at rest we were in a better state, but on the 13th we were once +more ordered into the line and the good work was undone, for the +sickness returned with increased vigour.</p> + +<p>Between the Railway Cutting at "Hill 60" and the Comines Canal further +south, the lines at this time were very close together, and at one +point, called Bomb Corner, less than 50 yards separated our parapet from +the Boche's. This sector, containing trenches "35" at Bomb Corner, "36" +and "37" up to the Railway, was held by the 1st Norfolks of the 5th +Division, who were finding their own reliefs, and, with one company +resting at a time, had been more than two months in this same front +line. On the 11th July the Boche blew a mine under trench "37" doing +considerable damage to the parapet, and on the following night "36" was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> +similarly treated, and a length of the trench blotted out. The night +after this we came in to relieve the Norfolks, who not unnaturally were +expecting "35" to share the same fate, and had consequently evacuated +their front line for the night, while they sat in the second line and +waited for it to go up in the air. Captain Jefferies with "D" Company +took over "35," while the two damaged trenches were held by "B" Company +(Capt. J.L. Griffiths). "A" and "C" held a keep near Verbranden +Molen—an old mill about three hundred yards behind our front line—and +Battalion Headquarters lived in some dug-outs in the woods behind "35." +Behind this again, the solitary Blaupoort Farm provided R.A.P. and +ration dump with a certain amount of cover, though the number of dud +shells in the courtyard made it necessary to walk with extreme caution +on a dark night. In spite of the numerous reports of listening-posts, +who heard "rapping underground," we were not blown up during our four +days in residence, and our chief worry was not mines, but again +whizz-bangs. One battery was particularly offensive, and three times on +the 15th Capt. Griffiths had his parapet blown away by salvoes of these +very disagreeable little shells. One's parapet in this area was one's +trench, for digging was impossible, and we lived behind a sort of +glorified sandbag grouse butt, six feet thick at the base and two to +three feet at the top, sometimes, but not always, bullet-proof.</p> + +<p>One or two amusing stories are told about the infantry opposite "33," +who were Saxons, and inclined to be friendly with the English. On one +occasion the following message, tied to a stone, was thrown into our +trench: "We are going to send a 40lb. bomb. We have got to do it, but +don't want to. I will come this<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> evening, and we will whistle first to +warn you." All of this happened. A few days later they apparently +mistrusted the German official news, for they sent a further message +saying, "Send us an English newspaper that we may learn the verity."</p> + +<p>The weather throughout the tour was bad, but on the night of 17th/18th, +when we were relieved at midnight by the Sherwood Foresters, it became +appalling. We were not yet due for a rest, having been only four days in +the line, and our orders were to spend the night in bivouacs at +Kruisstraat and return to trenches the following evening, taking over +our old sector "50" to "A7." Weakened with sickness and soaked to the +skin, we stumbled through black darkness along the track to +Kruisstraat—three miles of slippery mud and water-logged shell +holes—only to find that our bivouac field was flooded, and we must +march back to Ouderdom and spend the night in the huts, five miles +further west. We reached home as dawn was breaking, tired out and wet +through, and lay down at once to snatch what sleep we could before +moving off again at 6-30 p.m. But for many it was too much, and 150 men +reported sick and were in such a weak condition that they were left +behind at the huts, where later they were joined by some 40 more who had +tried hard to reach trenches but had had to give up and fall out on the +way. The rest of us, marching slowly and by short stages, did eventually +relieve the Sherwood Foresters, but so tired as to be absolutely unfit +for trenches. Fortunately for two days the weather was good and the +Boche very quiet, there was time for all to get a thorough rest, and by +the 20th we had very largely recovered our vigour—which was just as +well, for it proved an exciting tour.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span></p> + +<p>The excitement started about a mile away on our left, when, on the +evening of the 19th, the next Division blew up an enormous mine at +Hooge, and, with the aid of an intense artillery bombardment, attacked +and captured part of the village, including the chateau stables. The +enemy counter-attacked the following night, and, though he made no +headway and was driven out with heavy loss, he none the less bombarded +our new ground continuously and caused us many casualties. Accordingly, +to make a counter attraction, the Tunnelling Company working with us was +asked to blow up part of the enemy's lines as soon as possible; the blow +would be accompanied by an artillery "strafe" by us. There was at this +time such a network of mine galleries in front of "A1," that Lieut. +Tulloch, R.E., was afraid that the Boche would hear him loading one of +the galleries, so, to take no risks, blew a preliminary camouflet on the +evening of the 21st, destroying the enemy's nearest sap. This was +successful, and the work of loading and tamping the mines started at +once. 1500 lbs. of ammonal were packed at the end of a gallery +underneath the German redoubt opposite "A1," while at the end of another +short gallery a smaller mine was laid, in order to destroy as much as +possible of his mine workings. The date chosen was the 23rd, the time 7 +p.m.</p> + +<p>At 6-55 p.m., having vacated "A1" for the time, we blew the smaller of +the two mines—in order, it was said, to attract as many of the enemy as +possible into his redoubt. To judge by the volume of rifle fire which +came from his lines, this part of the programme was successful, but we +did not have long to think about it, for at 7 p.m. the 1500 lbs. went +off, and Boche<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> redoubt, sandbags, and occupants went into the air, +together with some tons of the salient, much of which fell into our +trenches. A minute later our Artillery opened their bombardment, and for +the next half hour the enemy must have had a thoroughly bad time in +every way. His retaliation was insignificant, and consisted of a very +few little shells fired more or less at random—a disquieting feature to +those of us who knew the Germans' love of an instant and heavy reply to +our slightest offensive action. "Stand to," the usual time for the +evening "hate," passed off very quietly, and, as we sat down to our +evening meal, we began to wonder whether we were to have any reply at +all. Meanwhile, three new officers arrived—2nd. Lieut. R.C. Lawton, of +"A" Company, who had been prevented by sickness from coming abroad with +us, and 2nd Lieuts. E.E. Wynne and N.C. Marriott, both of whom were sent +to "B" Company, where they joined Capt. Griffiths at dinner. They were +half way through their meal when, without the slightest warning, the +ground heaved, pieces of the roof fell on the table, and they heard the +ominous whirr of falling clods, which betokens a mine at close quarters.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a name="img50" id="img50"> + <img src="images/img50.jpg" + alt="Hohenzollern Memorial." /></a><br /> + <b>Hohenzollern Memorial.</b> + </div> + +<p>Before the débris had stopped falling, Capt. Griffiths was out of his +dug-out and scrambling along his half-filled trench, to find out what +had happened. Reaching the right end of "50," he found his front line +had been completely destroyed, and where his listening post had been, +was now a large crater, into which the Boche was firing trench mortars, +while heavy rifle fire came from his front line. Except for a few +wounded men, he could see nothing of Serjt. Bunn and the garrison of the +trench, most of whom he soon <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span>realized must have been buried, where the +tip of the crater had engulfed what had been the front line. For about +80 yards no front line existed, nor had he sufficient men in the left of +his trench to bring across to help the right, so, sending down a report +of his condition, he started, with any orderlies and batmen he could +collect, to rescue those of his Company who had been only partially +buried. Meanwhile, help was coming from two quarters. On the right, +Colonel Martin, of the 4th Battalion, also disturbed at dinner, was soon +up in "49" trench, where he found that his left flank had also suffered +from the explosion, but not so badly. His first thought was to form some +continuous line of defence across the gap, if possible linking up with +the crater at the same time, and, with this object in view he personally +reconnoitred the ground and discovered a small disused trench running in +front of "49" towards the crater. Quickly organizing parties of men, he +sent them along this cut, first to continue it up to the crater, then +with sandbags for the defence of the "lip." He himself superintended the +work inside the crater, where he had a miraculous escape from a trench +mortar, which wounded all standing round him. At the same time, R.S.M. +Small, finding a dazed man of "B" Company wandering near Battalion +Headquarters, heard what had happened, and without waiting for further +orders sent off every available man he could find with shovels and +sandbags to assist Capt. Griffiths. Half an hour later, Capt. Bland also +arrived with two platoons of "C" Company, sent across from the left of +our line, and by dawn with their help a trench had been cut through from +"50" to "49." This, though not organized for defence, yet<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> enabled one +to pass through the damaged area. At the same time the miners started to +make a small tunnel into the bottom of the crater, so that it would no +longer be necessary to climb over the lip to reach the bomb post which +was built inside.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a name="img51" id="img51"></a> + <img src="images/img51.jpg" + alt="The Water Tower and Railway Track, Vermelles." /><br /> + <b>The Water Tower and Railway Track, Vermelles.</b> + </div> + +<p>During the next day we were fortunately not much harassed by the enemy, +and were consequently able to continue the repair work on "50." "B" +Company had had 42 casualties from the mine itself, of whom eight were +killed and seven, including Sergt. Bunn, were missing, while in the rest +of the Battalion about 30 men were wounded, mostly by trench mortars or +rifle fire when digging out "50" trench. At the time of the explosion +the enemy had thrown several bombs at "A2," and it was thought for a +time that he intended making an attack here, but rapid fire was opened +by the garrison, and nothing followed. On the evening of the 24th we +were due for relief, but, as "50" was still only partially cleared, and +we had not yet traced all our missing, we stayed in for another 24 +hours, during which time we thoroughly reorganized the sector, and were +able to hand over a properly traversed fire trench to the Lincolnshires +when they came in. Before we left we found Sergt. Bunn's body; he had +been buried at his post, and was still holding in his hand the flare +pistol which he was going to fire when the mine exploded. The men of the +listening post were not found until some time later, for they had been +thrown several hundred yards by the explosion.</p> + +<p>On relief, we marched back to Ouderdom, taking with us the officers and +men of the 17th Division, who had been attached for instruction during +the last<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> tour, and reached a bivouac field near the windmill at 4-30 +a.m. Here we stayed 24 hours, and then moved into the "E" huts—an +excellent camp, further E. along the Vlamertinghe road than that which +we had previously occupied. We were due to remain here for six days, and +accordingly started our usual training in bomb and bayonet fighting. +Meanwhile, Lieut. Moore and the Battalion Tunnellers were once more hard +at work helping the R.E. in "50" and "A1," and on the 30th July two of +them, Serjt. J. Emmerson and Pte. H.G. Starbuck, working underground, +came upon a German gallery. Without a moment's hesitation, Starbuck +broke in and found that the charge was already laid, and wires could be +seen leading back to the enemy's lines. If the Germans had heard him at +work there was no doubt that they would blow their mine at once, but +heedless of this danger, he stayed in the gallery until he had cut the +leads, and so made it possible for the Engineers to remove the half ton +of "Westphalite" which they found already in position, immediately under +"49." For their daring work, the two miners were awarded the D.C.M., +Starbuck getting his at once, Serjt. Emmerson in the next honours list. +Two nights later the enemy suddenly opened rapid rifle fire opposite +"49," which equally suddenly died away, and we like to think that some +Boche officer had at the same time pressed the starting button to +explode his "Westphalite," only to find that nothing happened.</p> + +<p>Towards the end of June, there appeared in the German official +communiqué a statement that the French had been using liquid fire in the +Champagne fighting, and those who had studied the Boche methods +recognized this as a warning that he intended to make use<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> of it himself +at an early date. The prophets were right, and at dawn on the 30th July +the enemy, anxious to recapture Hooge, attacked the 14th Division who +were holding the village, preceding the attack with streams of liquid +fire, under which the garrison either succumbed or were driven out. At +the same time an intense bombardment was opened, and we, whose rest was +not due to end until the following day, were ordered to stand by ready +to move at 30 minutes' notice. As we waited we wondered whether the 3rd +Battle of Ypres had begun, there certainly seemed to be enough noise. By +mid-day, however, we had not been used, and as no news of the battle +reached us we were preparing to settle down again for another day of +peace, when at 2-30 p.m. orders came for us to go to Kruisstraat at +once. We marched by Companies, and on arrival bivouacked in a field +close to the Indian Transport Lines, where we met several Battalions of +the 3rd Division on their way up to Hooge, though they were unable to +tell us anything definite about what had happened. The wildest rumours +were heard everywhere, that the Germans had used burning oil, vitriol, +and almost every other acid ever invented, that the salient was broken, +that our Division had been surrounded. One thing was certain—that at 4 +p.m. the gunfire had almost ceased, and there was no sign of any German +near Ypres.</p> + +<p>As soon as it was dark we left Kruisstraat and marched by Bridge 14 and +Zillebeke to Maple Copse, where we were told to bivouac for the night, +still being ready to move at very short notice if required. Here we +found a Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters, from whom we were at last +able to learn the truth of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> morning's battle. It appeared that at +dawn the enemy, carrying flame projectors, had crept close up to the +front line trenches in Hooge, and suddenly lighting these machines had +sent a spray of burning vaporised oil over the trench. The garrison, +14th Division, were surprised, many of them burnt, and all thrown into +confusion, during which the Boche attacked in considerable force, drove +them out and broke in as far as Zouave Wood. The left of the Sherwood +Foresters had been attacked, but stood firm, even though the Germans in +Zouave Wood were almost behind them, until General Shipley ordered the +flank to be dropped back to conform with the new line. A counter-attack +was delivered during the day by two Battalions of the Rifle Brigade, +who, relieved the night before, had marched eight miles out to rest and +eight miles back again at once, and were hopelessly tired before they +started. In spite of this, they made a gallant effort, and were wiped +out almost to a man in Zouave Wood. At the time of the morning attack +the Germans could if they liked have walked on into Ypres, for they had +broken into the salient, and there was no other organized line of +defence between them and the town. Fortunately they did not realise +this, or, as is more probable, they never imagined that their flame +attack would prove so successful. Still, they might make a further +effort at any moment, and it was to meet this that we had been moved +into Maple Copse.</p> + +<p>All through the night and the following day there were continual short +artillery bombardments by both sides, and on four occasions the Copse +was shelled with salvoes of shrapnel in rapid succession. As not more +than half of us had any sort of dug-outs, and the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> remainder had to rely +mainly on tree trunks for protection, our casualties were fairly heavy, +and in a short time we had lost 23 wounded, including H. West, the mess +cook, L.-Corpl. J.H. Cramp, and several other notabilities. We might, +during the day, have built ourselves some sort of cover, but every +available man had to be sent carrying bombs, ammunition, and trench +mortars for the Sherwood Foresters, whose left flank was constantly in +touch with the enemy. One of these carrying parties found by "D" Company +had the misfortune to be led by a guide, who lost his way, into the +corner of Zouave Wood, and in a few minutes six of them were wounded by +a machine gun which opened fire on them at twenty yards' range; they +were carried out by the rest of the party, who escaped under cover of +the brushwood, but one, Carroll, died a few days later. By the evening +of the 31st the situation was more satisfactory, and a new front line +trench had been organized west of the wood, linking up with the Sherwood +Foresters, who now no longer required carrying parties. Meanwhile, it +was discovered that from his newly captured position, the Boche +completely overlooked the track from Zillebeke to Maple Copse, and +accordingly we were ordered to start at once to dig a communication +trench alongside the track. All that night, the next day, Bank Holiday, +and the following night, we worked till we could hardly hold our +shovels, and by the time we stopped, at dawn on the 3rd, there was a +trench the whole way—not very deep in places and not perhaps very +scientifically dug, but still enough to give cover. As soon as work was +over we returned to the copse and slept, for at dusk that night we were +to go once more to the line and relieve the Lincolnshires in "50" to +"A7." Maple Copse had cost us altogether 35 killed and wounded.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span></p> + +<p>We found the trenches very much as we had left them except that "A1" had +been battered into an almost unrecognizable condition by the enemy's +latest trench weapon, the heavy Minenwerfer. Unlike the "Rum Jar" or +"Cannister," which was a home-made article consisting of any old tin +filled with explosive, this new bomb was shaped like a shell, fitted +with a copper driving band and fired from a rifled mortar. It weighed +over 200 lbs., was either two feet two inches or three feet six inches +long and nine inches in diameter, and produced on exploding a crater as +big as a small mine. It could fortunately be seen in the air, and the +position of the mortar was roughly known, so we posted a sentry whose +duty was to listen for the report of discharge, sight the bomb, and cry +at the top of his voice "Sausage left" or "Sausage right." Our Artillery +had tried hard to destroy the mortar, but it apparently had a small +railway to itself, and moved away as soon as we opened fire. For +retaliation we had nothing except rifle grenades, which were like +flea-bites to an elephant, or the Howitzers, who had to be called on the +telephone, all of which took time.</p> + +<p>The rest of the line was fairly quiet except for a few small "sausages" +on trench "50," and our chief concern was now the shortage of men. In +those days a trench was not considered adequately garrisoned unless +there were at least three men in every fire bay, so that although we had +many more men to the yard than we have many times had since, we +imagined, when we found it necessary to have one or two empty fire bays, +that we were impossibly weak. So much was this the case, that, on the +night of the 4th August, C.Q.M. Serjeants Gorse and Gilding were ordered +to bring all available men from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> the stores at Poperinghe to help hold +the line—a most unpleasant journey because the Boche, always fond of +celebrating anniversaries, commemorated the declaration of war with a +"strafe" of special magnitude. As most of this came between Ypres and +Zillebeke, the two Quartermaster Serjeants had a harassing time, and did +not reach their bivouacs in Poperinghe until 5-15 the following morning. +All through the tour the pounding of "A1" continued, while our only +effort at retaliation was a 60lb. mortar which the Royal Garrison +Artillery placed in rear of "50" trench. This one day fired six rounds, +the last of which fell in the German front line, and for nearly +twenty-four hours we were left in peace, while a "switch" line was built +across the back of "A1" salient. All hope of ever recovering the old +"A1" was given up.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, the Division on our left was not being idle. For the past +week our Artillery in the salient had fired a half-hour bombardment +every morning at 2-45, and on the 9th this was repeated as usual. The +Boche had become used to it, and retired to his dug-outs, where he was +found a few minutes later by the 6th Division, who had relieved the +14th, and were now trying to recapture all the lost ground. The surprise +was perfect, and the enemy, never for a moment expecting an attack at +that hour, were killed in large numbers before they could even +"stand-to." During the battle 200 of the 4th Lincolnshires occupied our +support trenches, in case of any trouble on our front, and in the +evening the rest of the Battalion arrived and took over the line, while +we replaced them in Brigade Support—Battalion Headquarters, "B" and "C" +Companies in the "Lake" dug-outs, "A" and "D" Companies in the Barracks +of Ypres.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span></p> + +<p>During the next six days we were worked harder than we had been worked +before, digging, carrying, and trench revetting. Fortunately both halves +of the Battalion had fairly comfortable quarters to which to return +after work was over, though those in Ypres lived a somewhat noisy life. +The barracks were close to the centre of the town, and each day the +Boche fired his 17in. Howitzer from dawn to dusk, mostly at the +Cathedral and Cloth Hall, with occasional pauses to shoot at the Ecole +de Bienfaisance, just outside the Menin gate. The shell, arriving with +great regularity every 15 minutes, was generally known as the "Ypres +express," for it arrived with the most terrifying roar, buried itself +deep in the ground before exploding, and then made an enormous crater. +As it burst, not only did every house shake, but the whole street seemed +to lift a few feet in the air and settle down again. In the barracks we +had bricks and falling débris from the Cloth Hall, but nothing more, and +these slight disadvantages were easily outweighed by the comfort in +which we lived. Every man had a bed, and, as the barracks' water supply +was still in working order, we all had baths. A piano was borrowed from +the Artillery, and provided us with an excellent concert, which was held +in one of the larger rooms, and helped us to forget the war for a time, +in spite of a 40-foot crater in the Barrack Square, and the ever-present +possibility that another would arrive. Incidentally, the piano became +later a cause of much trouble to us, for the police refused to allow us +to move it through the streets without a permit from the Town Major; the +Town Major would have nothing to do with the matter, having only just +arrived in place of his predecessor, who had given us permission to +have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> the piano, and had then been wounded (Town Majors never lasted +long in Ypres); and the Gendarmerie would not accept responsibility, so +in the end we had to leave it in the barracks. The other two companies, +though not so comfortably housed, none the less had an enjoyable time by +the lake side, chasing the wild fowl, and watching the shelling of +Ypres.</p> + +<p>Just at this time several changes took place in the personnel of the +Brigade and the Battalion. First, Brig.-Gen. G.C. Kemp, R.E., late +C.R.E., 6th Division, was appointed our Brigade Commander in place of +General Clifford, who left us to take up an appointment in England, +having been exactly six months in command. Capt. Bromfield, our +Adjutant, whose health had been bad for the past month, was finally +compelled to go to Hospital, whence he was shortly afterwards +transferred to England. As his assistant, Lieut. Vincent was also away +sick, Lieut. Langdale was appointed Adjutant, while 2nd Lieut. C.H.F. +Wollaston took the place of Lieut. A.T. Sharpe as machine gun officer, +the latter having left sick to Hospital at the end of July. Lieut. Moore +sprained his ankle, and 2nd Lieut. R.C.L. Mould went down with fever, +both being sent home, and with them went 2nd Lieut. L.H. Pearson, who +had severe concussion, as the result of being knocked down by a +Minenwerfer bomb. Capt. Bland became 2nd in command with the rank of +Major, and Captain R. Hastings and Lieut. R.D. Farmer were now +commanding "A" and "C" Companies. Capt. M. Barton, our original medical +officer, had come out in June and relieved Lieut. Manfield, who had been +temporarily taking his place. We had also one reinforcement—2nd Lieut. +G.B. Williams, posted to "D" Company, who the following<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> tour lost 2nd +Lieut. C.R. Knighton who sprained his knee. At the same time Serjt. A. +Garratt, of "A" Company, became C.S.M. of "D" in place of C.S.M. J. +Cooper, who was sent home with fever.</p> + +<p>On the 16th August we went once more to the line for a six-day tour, +which proved to be the first in which our artillery began to show a +distinct superiority to the enemy's, not only in accuracy but in weight +of shell. Several 8" and 9.2" Howitzers appeared in the Salient and, on +the evening of the 18th, we carried out an organized bombardment of the +lines opposite "50" trench, paying special attention to the +neighbourhood of the Minenwerfer. The accuracy of these large Howitzers +was surprising, and they obtained several direct hits on the Boche front +line, the resulting display of flying sandbags and trench timbers being +watched with the utmost pleasure by almost every man in the Battalion. +The enemy retaliated with salvoes of whizz-bangs on "50," and a few on +"A6" and "A7," but did not carry out any extensive bombardment, though, +when relieved by the Lincolnshires on the 22nd, we had had upwards of 45 +casualties. Among the killed was L/Cpl. Biddles of "A" Company, who had +risked death many times on patrol, only to be hit when sitting quietly +in a trench eating his breakfast. This N.C.O., old enough to have his +son serving in the company with him, was never happier than when +wandering about in No Man's Land, either by day or night, and from the +first to the last day of every tour he spent his time either patrolling, +or preparing for his next patrol. Early in the morning of the 23rd we +reached once more the huts at Ouderdom, having at last had the sense to +have the limbers to meet us at Kruisstraat to carry packs,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> which at +this time we always took into the line with us. We had been away from +even hut civilisation for twenty-four days—quite long enough when those +days have to be spent in the mud, noise and discomfort of the Salient.</p> + +<p>Our rest, while fortunately comparatively free of working parties, +contained two features of interest, an inspection by our new Brigadier, +and an officers' cricket match against the 16th Lancers. For the first +we were able, with the aid of a recently-arrived draft of 100 men, to +parade moderately strong, and Gen. Kemp was well satisfied with our +"turn-out." It was, however, to be regretted that the only soldier to +whom he spoke happened to be a blacksmith, for which trade we had the +previous day sent to Brigade Headquarters a "nil" return. The cricket +match was a great success, and thanks to some excellent batting by +Lieut. Langdale, we came away victorious. The light training which we +carried out each day now included a very considerable amount of bomb +throwing, and it seemed as though the bomb was to be made the chief +weapon of the infantry soldier, instead of the rifle and bayonet, which +always has been, and always will be, a far better weapon than any bomb. +However, the new act had to be learnt, and a Battalion bomb squad was +soon formed under 2nd Lieut. R. Ward Jackson, whose chief assistants +were L/Cpl. R.H. Goodman, Ptes. W.H. Hallam, P. Bowler, E.M. Hewson, A. +Archer, F. Whitbread, J.W. Percival and others, many of whom afterwards +became N.C.O.'s. Every officer and man had to throw a live grenade, and, +as there were eight or nine different kinds, he also had to have some +mechanical knowledge, while the instructor had to know considerably more +about explosives than a sapper.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span></p> + +<p>The excitement of our next tour started before we reached Kruisstraat. +All day long (the 28th August) a single 9.2" Howitzer had been firing +behind a farm house on the track to the Indian Transport Field, and, as +we marched past the position by platoons, all of us interested in +watching the loading process, it suddenly blew up, sending breach-block, +sheets of cast iron and enormous fragments of base plate and carriage +several hundred yards through the air. We ran at once to the nearest +cover, but three men were hit by falling fragments, and we were lucky +not to lose more, for several of us, including 2nd Lieut. J.W. Tomson, +had narrow escapes. We eventually reached the line, and relieved the +Lincolnshires in Trenches "49" to "A3." The 3rd Division had now taken +"A4" to "A7." Three days later 2nd Lieuts. H. Moss, N.C. Stoneham and +C.B. Clay joined us, and were posted to "A," "D" and "B" Companies +respectively. At the same time 2nd Lieut. J.D. Hills was appointed +Brigade Intelligence Officer, a new post just introduced by General +Kemp.</p> + +<p>We suffered the usual scattered shelling and trench mortaring during the +first half of the tour, to which our Artillery could only reply lightly +because they were saving ammunition for an organised bombardment further +North. However, no serious damage was done, so this did not matter. The +bombardment took place at dawn on the 1st September, and in reply the +Germans, instead of shelling the left as was expected, concentrated all +their efforts on the "50," "A1" corner, starting with salvoes of +whizz-bangs, and finishing with a heavy shoot, 8", 5.9" and shrapnel, +from 10.45 to mid-day. Our Artillery replied at once, but nothing would +stop the Boche, who had the most extraordinary good fortune<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> in hitting +our dug-outs, causing many casualties. 2nd Lieut. Clay, not yet 24 hours +in trenches, was among the first to be wounded, and soon afterwards +Serjt. B. Smith, of "B" Company, received a bad wound, to which he +succumbed a few hours later. In "A" Company, except for C.S.M. Gorse's +and the Signallers', every dug-out was hit, and C.E. Scott and F.W. +Pringle, the two officers' batmen, were killed, while A.H. Cassell was +badly wounded. The officers themselves had two miraculous escapes. +First, 2nd Lieuts. Tomson and Moss were sitting in their dug-out, when a +5.9" dud passed straight through the roof and on into the ground almost +grazing 2nd Lieut. Tomson's side. These two then went round to wake +Capt. Hastings, who was resting in another dug-out, and the three had +only just left, when this too was blown in, burying Capt. Hastings' Sam +Browne belt and all his papers. Many brave deeds were done during the +shelling, two of which stand out. T. Whitbread, of "A" Company, hearing +of the burying of the two officers' servants, rushed to the spot, and, +regardless of the shells which were falling all round, started to dig +them out, scraping the earth away with his hands, until joined by +Sergeants Gore and Baxter, who came up with shovels. The other, whose +work cannot be passed over, was our M.O., Captain Barton. Always calm +and collected, yet always first on the spot if any were wounded, he +seemed to be in his element during a bombardment, and this day was no +exception. He was everywhere, tying up wounds, helping the Stretcher +Bearers, encouraging everyone he met, and many a soldier owed his life +to the ever-present "Doc."</p> + +<p>On the 2nd September we were relieved by the Lincolnshires again, and +once more became Brigade reserve for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> six days—six of the most +unpleasant days we spent in the Salient. First the Railway dug-outs, to +which Battalion Headquarters and half the Battalion should have gone, +had been so badly shelled while the Lincolnshires were there that only +one company was allowed to go, while the remainder were sent to bivouac +at Kruisstraat. The fine weather came to an end the same day, and it +rained hard all the time, which would have been bad enough in bivouacs, +and was worse for us who had to spend most of our day on some +working-party, either dug-outs, or trying to drain some hopelessly +water-logged communication trench, such as the one from Manor Farm to +Square Wood. Altogether we had a poor time, and were quite glad on the +8th to return to trenches, where we were joined two days later by +Lieut.-Col. C.H. Jones, who had returned from England and took over +command. He had had the greatest difficulty in returning to France, and +it was only when he had applied to the War Office for command of a +Brigade in Gallipoli that the authorities at last took notice of him and +sent him back to us. On his arrival Major Toller resumed his duties of +2nd in command; Major Bland was at the time in England sick.</p> + +<p>The arrival of an officer reinforcement was always the signal for a +Boche strafe, and the return of the Colonel they celebrated with a two +days' "hate" instead of one. "A1" and "50" and their supports suffered +most, and much damage to trenches was done by heavy Minenwerfer, 8" and +5.9" shells. Towards evening the situation became quieter, but just +before 10 o'clock the Boche exploded a camouflet against one of our "A1" +mine galleries, and killed three Tunnellers, whose bodies we could not +rescue owing to the gasses in the mine,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> which remained there for more +than twenty-four hours. The next day the bombardment of "50" and "50S" +continued, and amongst other casualties, which were heavy, Capt. J.L. +Griffiths and 2nd Lieut. R.B. Farrer of "B" Company were both hit and +had to be evacuated, the one with 13, the other 35 small fragments of +shell in him. The enemy had now become so persistent that we asked for +help from our heavy artillery, and the following day—our last in the +line—we carried out several organized bombardments of important enemy +centres, such as "Hill 60," to which he replied with a few more large +"crumps" on "50" support and was then silent. In the evening the +Lincolnshires took our place, and, having lost 11 killed and 39 wounded +in 6 days, we marched back to rest at Dickebusch huts.</p> + +<p>For some considerable time there had been many rumours about a coming +autumn offensive on our part, and on the 22nd September, having returned +to trenches two days previously, we received our first orders about it. +We were told nothing very definite except that the 3rd and 14th +Divisions would attack at Hooge, while we made a vigorous demonstration +to draw retaliation from their front to ourselves, and that there would +also be attacks on other parts of the British front. We were to make a +feint gas attack by throwing smoke-bombs and lighting straw in front of +our parapet, to frighten the Boche into expecting an attack along the +"Hill 60"—Sanctuary Wood front. Capt. Burnett and his transport were, +therefore, ordered to bring up wagon-loads of straw, much to their +annoyance, for they already had a bad journey every night with the +rations, and extra horses meant extra anxiety. It was seldom that the +transport reached Armagh Wood without being shelled<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> on an ordinary +night, and whenever there was fighting in any part of the Salient, the +area round Maple Copse became so hot that they had to watch for an +opportunity and gallop through. In spite of this they never failed us, +and rations always arrived, even in the worst of times.</p> + +<p>On the 23rd there were two preliminary bombardments, one short but very +heavy at Hooge, the other lasting most of the morning on "Hill 60"—a +bluff. During the night it rained and the arrival of our straw was +consequently postponed until the following night, which proved to be +little better. The wagons were late and there was not much time to +complete our task; however, all worked their utmost, and by 1.0 a.m. on +the 25th a line of damp straw had been spread along our wire in front of +"50." Unfortunately, the Battalion on our right were unable to put their +straw in position in time, but as the Brigade beyond them had theirs, we +thought this would not make any difference to the operation. Just before +daylight a general order from G.H.Q. arrived, starting with the words, +"At Dawn, on the 25th September, the British Armies will take the +offensive on the Western Front." We felt that the time had now come when +the war was going to be won and the Boche driven out of France, and some +of us were a little sorry that our part was to consist of nothing more +than setting fire to some damp straw.</p> + +<p>At 3.50 a.m. Hooge battle started with an intense artillery bombardment +from every gun in the salient, and it was an inspiring sight to stand on +the ridge behind "50" trench and watch, through the half-light, the line +of flashes to the west, an occasional glare showing us the towers of +Ypres over the trees. The Germans<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> replied at once on "A1" trench, but +finding that we remained quiet, their batteries soon ceased fire and +opened instead on Sanctuary Wood and Hooge. This was expected, for it +was not in the initial attack, but during the consolidation that the 3rd +Division wanted to draw the enemy's fire. At a few minutes before six +our time had come, smoke bombs were thrown, and, though the wind was +against us, Col. Jones, feeling that we must make the biggest possible +display, ordered the straw to be lit. This promptly drew fire, and in +five minutes there was not one single gun on our side of the Salient +still firing at Hooge, they had all turned on us. At first sight of the +smoke several machine guns had opened fire opposite "50" and "49," but +these died away almost at once as the Boche, thoroughly frightened at +the prospect of gas, evacuated his trenches. Half-an-hour later he +actually bombarded his own lines on the Northern slopes of "Hill 60" +with 11" shells, presumably imagining that we had occupied them. The +bluff was complete.</p> + +<p>But such a success cannot be purchased without loss, and our losses had +been heavy. The Staffordshires had not lit their straw because of the +wind, so that the enemy's retaliation, which should have been spread +along the whole front from "A1" to "Hill 60" was concentrated entirely +on our three trenches "40," "50" and "A1." "C" Company (Lt. R.D. Farmer) +in "50" suffered most. Choked and blinded by the smoke from the straw, +which blew back and filled the trench, their parapet blown away by salvo +after salvo of small shells, their supports battered with 8" and heavy +mortars, with no cover against the unceasing rain of shells from front +and left, they had to bear it all in silence, unable to hit<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> back. +Serjts. J.G. Burnham and J. Birkin were killed, and with them 10 others +of the battalion, while 30 more were wounded. Once more the "Doc." and +his stretcher-bearers were everywhere, and many who might otherwise have +bled to death, owed their lives to this marvellous man, who wandered +round and dressed their wounds wherever the shelling was hottest. At the +first opening of the battle our telephone lines to the Artillery were +broken, and for some time we could get no support, but the Derby +Howitzers and one of the Lincolnshire batteries fired a number of rounds +for us, and later, thanks to the efforts of Lieut. C. Morgan, R.F.A., +the F.O.O., we were able to call on Major Meynell's Staffordshire +battery as well. By 7.15 a.m. all was once more quiet, and we spent the +rest of the day evacuating our casualties, and trying to clear away some +of the litter of straw from our trenches.</p> + +<p>The following day passed quietly, and in the evening, relieved by the +Lincolnshires, we marched out of trenches. Ten minutes later the enemy +blew up trench "47" and opened heavy rifle fire on all sides of the +salient. The Battalion was marching by companies, and "A" and "D" had +just reached Manor Farm when the noise began, and bullets fell all round +them. Capt. Jefferies, who was leading, was hit almost at once and fell +mortally wounded, never again recovering consciousness, and several +others became casualties before the party could reach cover on the far +side of the Farm. "B" and "C" were still in Armagh Wood, so Colonel +Jones at once decided to man the new breastwork between it and Square +Wood, and there they remained until the situation became once more +quiet. Finally, at midnight, we moved into our Brigade Sup<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span>port +positions, Headquarters and "B" Company in Railway Dug-outs, "C" Company +in Deeping Dug-outs near the Lake, and the others in Kruisstraat +bivouacs. Even now we were not allowed to live in peace, for the +following morning, at 11.0 a.m., the enemy bombarded Railway Dug-outs +for two hours, firing 90 8" shells, and (so says the War Diary) "plenty +of shrapnel." No one was hit, though Col. Jones' dug-out and the Orderly +Room were destroyed, and the bomb store, which was hit and set on fire, +was only saved from destruction by the efforts of C.S.M. Lovett, who +with Pte. Love and one or two others, fetched water from the pond and +put out the fire. From 6.30 to 7.30 p.m. the dug-outs were again +bombarded and a few more destroyed, so that we were not sorry when, on +the 1st October the Wiltshire Regiment came to relieve us, and we +marched back to bivouacs at Ouderdom.</p> + +<p>On the 2nd, after a farewell address to the officers by the Corps +Commander, the Battalion marched during the morning to Abeele, where at +3.30 p.m. we entrained for the South and said good-bye to the "Salient" +for ever. We were not sorry to go, even though there were rumours of a +coming battle, and our future destination was unknown.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>CHAPTER IV.</h3> + +<h4>"HOHENZOLLERN."</h4> + + +<p><span class="left">1st Oct., 1915.</span><span class="right">15th Oct., 1915.</span><br /></p> + +<p>We journeyed southwards in three parts. Battalion Headquarters and the +four Companies went first, reached Fouquereuil Station near Béthune +after a six hours' run, and marched at once to Bellerive near Gonnehem. +Here, at noon the following day—the 3rd October—they were joined by +Lieut. Wollaston with the machine guns and ammunition limbers which had +entrained at Godewaersvelde and travelled all night, and at 4.30 p.m., +by Capt. John Burnett with the rest of the Transport. The latter had +come by road, spending one night in bivouacs at Vieux Berquin on the +way. This move brought us into the First Army under Sir Douglas Haig, +who took an early opportunity of being introduced to all Commanding +Officers and Adjutants in the Division, coming to Brigade Headquarters +at Gonnehem on the afternoon of the 3rd, where Col. Jones and Lieut. +G.W. Allen went to a conference. Lieut. Allen had become Adjutant when +Capt. Griffiths was wounded, and Capt. Langdale was wanted for command +of "B" Company. Our other Company Commanders remained unchanged except +that Major Bland returned from England and took charge of "D."</p> + +<p>The billets at Bellerive, consisting of large, clean<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> farmhouses, were +very comfortable, but we were not destined to stay there long, and on +the 6th marched through Chocques to Hesdigneul, where there was less +accommodation. The following day there was a conference at Brigade +Headquarters, and we learnt our fate. On the 25th September, the opening +day of the Loos battle, the left of the British attack had been directed +against "Fosse 8"—a coal mine with its machine buildings, miners' +cottages and large low slag dump—protected by a system of trenches +known as the "Hohenzollern Redoubt," standing on a small rise 1,000 +yards west of the mine. This had all been captured by the 9th Division, +but owing to counter-attacks from Auchy and Haisnes, had had to be +abandoned, and the enemy had once more occupied the Redoubt. A second +attempt, made a few days later by the 28th Division, had been +disastrous, for we had had heavy casualties, and gained practically no +ground, and except on the right, where we had occupied part of "Big +Willie" trench, the Redoubt was still intact. Another attempt was now to +be made at an early date, and, while 12th and 1st Divisions attacked to +the South, the North Midland was to sweep over the Redoubt and capture +Fosse 8, consolidating a new line on the East side of it.</p> + +<p>Apart from the Fosse itself, where the fortifications and their strength +were practically unknown, the Redoubt alone was a very strong point. It +formed a salient in the enemy's line and both the Northern area, "Little +Willie," and the southern "Big Willie," were deep, well-fortified +trenches, with several machine gun positions. Behind these, ran from +N.E. and S.E. into the 2nd line of the Redoubt, two more deep trenches, +"N. Face" and "S. Face," thought to be used for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> communication purposes +only, and leading back to "Fosse" and "Dump" trenches nearer the +slag-heap. The last two were said to be shallow and unoccupied. In +addition to these defences, the redoubt and its approach from our line +were well covered by machine gun posts, for, on the North, "Mad Point" +overlooked our present front line and No Man's Land, while "Madagascar" +Cottages and the slag-heap commanded all the rest of the country. The +scheme for the battle was that the Staffordshires on the right and our +Brigade with the Monmouthshires on the left would make the assault, the +Sherwood Foresters remain in reserve. Before the attack there would be +an intense artillery bombardment, which would effectually deal with "Mad +Point" and other strongholds. In our Brigade, General Kemp decided to +attack with two Battalions side by side in front, 4th Leicestershires +and 5th Lincolnshires, followed by 4th Lincolnshires and Monmouthshires, +each extended along the whole Brigade frontage, while, except for one or +two carrying parties, he would keep us as his own reserve. The date for +the battle had not been fixed, but it would probably be the 10th.</p> + +<p>Reconnaissances started at once, and on the 8th Col. Jones and all +Company Commanders and 2nds in Command went by motor 'bus to Vermelles, +and reconnoitred our trenches, held at the time by the Guards Division. +Our first three lines, where the assembly would take place the night +before the battle, were all carefully reconnoitred as well as the "Up" +and "Down" communication trenches—Barts Alley, Central, Water and Left +Boyaus. These were simply cut into the chalk and had not been boarded, +so, with the slightest rain, became hopelessly slippery, while to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> make +walking worse a drain generally ran down the centre of the trench, too +narrow to walk in and too broad to allow one to walk with one foot each +side. From the front line we were able to see the edge of the Redoubt, +Mad Point, and the mine with its buildings and Slag-heap. The last +dominated everything, and could be seen from everywhere. It was not very +encouraging to see the numbers of our dead from the previous two +attacks, still lying out in No Man's Land, whence it had not yet been +possible to carry them in. The party reached home soon after 5 p.m., and +a few minutes later a heavy bombardment in the direction of Vermelles +was followed by an order to "stand to," which we did until midnight, +when all was quiet again, and we were allowed to go to bed.</p> + +<p>The following day the remainder of the officers and a party of selected +N.C.O.'s went again to the line to reconnoitre. While they were away we +heard the meaning of the previous night's noise. The Boche had attacked +our posts in "Big Willie" held by a Battalion of the Coldstream Guards, +and after a long fight had been driven back with heavy losses, leaving +many dead behind them. Both sides had used no other weapon than the +bomb, and our success was attributed to our new Mills grenade, which +could be thrown further and was easier to handle than the German stick +bomb, and the Coldstreams were said to have thrown more than 5,000 of +these during the fight. This little encounter had two results. First, it +definitely postponed our attack to the 13th; secondly, it brought the +Mills grenade into so much prominence that we were ordered to practise +with that and that only, and to ensure that during the next three days +every man threw them<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> frequently. At the same time we were definitely +promised that no other grenade would be issued during our coming battle.</p> + +<p>As it was not intended that we should go into trenches until the night +before the assault, only very few of the N.C.O.'s and none of the men +would have any opportunity of previously studying the ground. In order, +therefore, that all might be made familiar with the general appearance +and proportionate distances of the various objectives, a small scale +model of the Redoubt and Fosse 8 was built opposite Divisional +Headquarters at Gosnay, and Sunday afternoon was spent in studying this +and explaining full details to all concerned. In the evening the Corps +Commander, General Haking, spoke to all officers of the Division in the +Chateau courtyard, and told us some further details of the attack. We +were to be supported by the largest artillery concentration ever made by +the British during the war up to that time, and there would be 400 guns +covering the Divisional front. Under their fire we need have no fear +that any machine guns could possibly be left in "Mad Point," +"Madagascar," or any of the other points due for bombardment. At the +same time he told us that if the wind were in the right direction we +should be further assisted by the "auxiliary." In this case there would +be an hour's bombardment, followed by an hour's "auxiliary," during +which time the guns would have to be silent because High Explosive was +apt to disperse chlorine gas. At the end of the second hour we should +advance and find the occupants all dead. Attacks at dawn and dusk had +become very common lately and seemed to be expected by the Boche; we +would therefore attack at 2 p.m.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span></p> + +<p>During the next two days we spent most of our time throwing Mills +grenades, and certainly found them a very handy weapon, which could be +thrown much further than our previous patterns. We also had to make +several eleventh hour changes in personnel, Major Bland and Lieut. Allen +were both compelled by sickness to go to Hospital—the former to +England. It was exceptionally bad luck for both, to endure the routine +of six months' trenches and training and then have to leave their unit +on the eve of its first great fight, in which both these officers were +so keen to take part. In their places Lieut. Hills was appointed to "D" +Company, but as he was taken by General Kemp for Intelligence Work, 2nd +Lieut. G.B. Williams took command. No one was appointed Adjutant, and +Colonel Jones decided that as officers were scarce he and Major Toller +would between them share the work at Battalion Headquarters. Two new +officers also arrived and were posted, 2nd Lieut. G.T. Shipston to "C" +and 2nd Lieut. L. Trevor Jones to "D" Company.</p> + +<p>On the 12th, after some last words of advice from Colonel Jones, who +addressed the Battalion, we set off to march to trenches, wearing what +afterwards became known as "Fighting Order," with great coats rolled and +strapped to our backs. The Brigade band accompanied us through Verquin, +and a Staffordshire band played us into Sailly Labourse, where General +Montagu-Stuart-Wortley watched us turn on to the main road. There was an +hour's halt for teas between here and Noyelles, and finally at 10-5 p.m. +we marched into Vermelles. The next eight hours were bad, for it took +eight hours to reach our assembly position, the third line—eight hours +standing in hopelessly congested com<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span>munication trenches, waiting to +move forward. For men heavily laden—each carried six sandbags and every +third man a shovel—this delay was very tiring, for it meant continuous +standing with no room to rest, and resulted in our arriving in the line +tired out, to find that it was already time to have breakfasts. The +Reserve Line was full of troops, but it was found possible to give all a +hot breakfast, and many managed to snatch a couple of hours' sleep +before the bombardment opened at 12 noon.</p> + +<p>Compared with the bombardments of the Somme and the later battles, our +bombardment was small, but it seemed to us at the time terrific, and it +was very encouraging to see direct hits on the mine workings and the +various trenches. The enemy retaliated mostly on communication trenches, +using some very heavy shells, but not doing a great deal of damage. At 1 +p.m. chlorine gas was discharged from cylinders packed in our front +line, and at the same time a quantity of smoke bombs and mortar shells +were fired towards the Redoubt by parties of our Divisional Artillery +who were not covering us in the battle. The enemy at once altered his +retaliation targets, and opened a heavy fire on our front line, trying +to burst the gas cylinders, and succeeding in filling the trench with +gas in three places by so doing. At 1-50 p.m. the gas and smoke was +gradually diminished and allowed to disperse, and, ten minutes later, +wearing gas helmets rolled on their heads, the leading waves moved out +to the assault.</p> + +<p>The start was disastrous. Colonel Martin and his Adjutant were both +wounded, Colonel Sandall was wounded and his Adjutant killed in the +first few minutes, and the machine gun fire along the whole of our +front<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> was terrific. Still, the nature of the ground afforded them some +protection and they pushed forward, losing heavily at every step, until +they had crossed the first line of the Redoubt. The 4th Lincolnshires +and Monmouthshires followed, and we moved up towards the front line so +as to be ready if required, and at the same time a party of our +Signallers went forward to lay a line to the newly captured position. +L.-Corpl. Fisher himself took the cable and, regardless of the machine +gun fire, calmly reeled out his line across No Man's Land, passed +through the enemy's wire and reached the Redoubt. Communication was +established, and we were able to learn that all waves had crossed the +first German line and were going forward against considerable +opposition. Meanwhile, on the right the Staffordshires had fared far +worse even than our Brigade. Starting from their second line, they were +more exposed to machine gun fire from all sides, and very few reached +even their own front line, whilst row upon row were wiped out in their +gallant effort to advance.</p> + +<p>In case of failure and the consequent necessity of holding our original +front line against strong counter attacks, it had been arranged that our +machine guns should take up permanent positions in this line. This was +done, and Lieut. Wollaston was supervising the work of his teams and +improving their positions when he saw that a considerable number of men +were coming back from the Redoubt. Their officers and N.C.O.'s killed, +they themselves, worn out by the exertions of the past 24 hours, half +gassed by the chlorine which still hung about the shell holes, shot at +by machine guns from every quarter, had been broken by bombing attacks +from every trench they attacked and now, having<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> thrown all their bombs, +were coming back. The situation was critical, and Lieut. Wollaston, +deciding to leave his guns now that they were in good positions, made +his way along the trench and tried to rally the stragglers. Many were +too badly shaken to go forward again, but some answered his call and +collecting some more grenades the little party started back towards the +Redoubt. Lieut. Wollaston was knocked down and wounded in the back by a +shell, but still went forward, and, reaching the first German line, +turned left towards "Little Willie," which the Boche was still holding +in force. At the same time General Kemp ordered two of our Companies to +be sent up to assist, and Colonel Jones sent word to "B" and "A" to move +up. One message from the Redoubt which reached Colonel Jones at this +time said "Please send bombs and officers."</p> + +<p>Captain Langdale decided to advance in line, and leaving their trenches +the four platoons started off in that formation. The platoon commanders +became casualties in the first few yards, 2nd Lieut. Marriott being +wounded and the two others gassed, and by the time they reached our +front line the Company Commander was leading them himself. Walking along +with his pipe in his mouth, Captain Langdale might have been at a Field +Day, as he calmly signalled his right platoon to keep up in line, with +"keep it up, Oakham," as they crossed our trench. The line was kept, and +so perfectly that many of the stragglers who had come back turned and +went forward again with them. But once more as they were reaching the +German front line came that deadly machine gun fire, and their gallant +Commander was one of the first to fall, killed with a bullet in the +head. C.S.M. Lovett was badly wounded at the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> same time, Serjt. Franks +killed, and the Company, now leaderless, was broken into isolated +parties fighting with bombs in the various trenches.</p> + +<p>"A" Company followed. Keeping his platoons more together and on a +smaller frontage, Captain Hastings decided to attempt a bayonet attack +against the German opposition on the left of the Redoubt, and himself +led his men up to the attack. Again Platoon Commanders were the first to +fall, and as they climbed out of our trenches, 2nd Lieut. Lawton was +mortally wounded in the stomach and 2nd Lieut. Petch badly shot through +the arm. However, this did not delay the attack, and the Company, +crossing the German front line, quickened their pace and made for the +junctions of "Little Willie" and "N. Face." Once more bombs and machine +guns were too hot for them, and first Capt. Hastings, then 2nd Lieut. +Moss were killed near the German second line, leaving the Company in the +hands of 2nd Lieut. Tomson and C.S.M. Gorse, who at once organized the +platoons for the defence of the second line, realizing that it was +useless to try to advance further. 2nd Lieut. Petch, in spite of his +wound, remained several hours with his platoon, but eventually had to +leave them. The ground was covered with the dead and wounded of the +other Battalions, Fosse and Dump trenches were filled with Germans and +machine guns, "S. Face" and both "Willies" were full of bombers, and +worst of all the machine guns of Mad Point, Madagascar and the Slag-heap +had apparently escaped untouched. There was only one thing left to do, +and that to hold what we had got against these bombing attacks, and +consolidate our new position without delay.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span></p> + +<p>Meanwhile, in addition to our two Companies, there were several other +parties and units fighting in various parts of the Redoubt, and of these +Colonel Evill, of the Monmouthshires, himself on the spot, took command, +sending down for more men and more bombs. Of these little parties the +most successful was that under Lieut. Wollaston, who, although wounded, +led a bombing attack into "Little Willie," and pushed on so resolutely +that he gained some eighty yards of trench before being compelled to +withdraw owing to lack of bombs and ammunition. Unfortunately there was +no other party near to help him, or "Little Willie" would probably have +been ours. On the right, Lieut. Madge, of the Lincolnshires, held on for +an incredibly long time with only a few machine gunners far in advance +of anyone else, only coming back after 5 p.m., when he found that part +of the captured ground had been evacuated by us. Here, too, Lieut. +Morgan, of the Staffordshire Brigade R.F.A., was killed leading his +gunners forward to help the infantry who were in difficulties. Some of +"D" Company were also in action at this time. Thirteen and Fourteen +Platoons set off, as originally ordered, under Royal Engineer officers, +to put out barbed wire in front of the Redoubt, but as they reached our +front line were heavily shelled and lost touch with the Engineers, many +of whom were killed. 2nd Lieut. Stoneham had already been badly wounded, +and Lieut. Williams, with a blood-stained bandage tying up a wounded +ear, was with his other half Company, so the two platoons were left +without officers. Serjt W.G. Phipps, who was leading, knew nothing about +the wiring orders, having been told simply to follow the R.E., so he +ordered his platoon to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> collect all the bombs they could find and make +for the Redoubt. Serjt. G. Billings with 14 followed, and the half +Company entered the fight soon after "A" Company. Their fate was the +same. Serjt. Billings, with Corporals A. Freeman and T.W. Squires, were +all killed trying to use their bayonets against "N. Face," and the rest +were scattered and joined the various bomb parties. F. Whitbread and +A.B. Law found themselves in "Little Willie," and helped rush the enemy +along it, only to be forced back each time through lack of bombs. +Whitbread was particularly brave later, when he went alone over the top +to find out the situation on their flank. One other officer was +conspicuous, in the Redoubt, in our trenches, everywhere in fact where +he could be of use—Captain Ellwood, in charge of machine guns and +forward bomb stores, was absolutely indefatigable, and quiet and +fearless performed miracles of energy and endurance.</p> + +<p>At 3 p.m., the German bombing attacks increased in vigour, and this time +a large part of our garrison of the German second line trench gave way +and came back to the original front line of the Redoubt—some even to +our front line. Who gave the order for this withdrawal was never +discovered, but there was undoubtedly an order "Retire" passed along the +line, possibly started by the Boche himself. Such a message coming to +tired and leaderless men was sure to have a disastrous effect, and in a +few minutes we had given up all except Point 60, a trench junction at +the N. end of "Big Willie," and the front line of the Redoubt. In this +last there were still plenty of men, and these, led by a few resolute +officers and N.C.O.'s such as 2nd Lieut. Tomson, C.S.M. Gorse, and +others, were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> prepared to hold it against all attacks. The original +parados was cut into fire steps, bomb blocks were built in "Little +Willie" and "North Face," and the garrison generally reorganized. +Messages were sent for more bombs, and these were carried up in bags and +boxes from Brewery Keep, Vermelles to the old front line, and thence +across No Man's Land by parties of "C" and "D" Company.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a name="img82" id="img82"></a><a href="images/img82.jpg"><img src="images/img82-tb.jpg" alt="General map of Arras-Bethune area" title="General map of Arras-Bethune area" /></a></div> +<h4>General map of Arras-Bethune area<br />to illustrate Chapters +IV, V, VI, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV & XV.</h4> + +<p>While this took place in the Redoubt, Colonel Jones occupied the old +front line with "C" Company (Lieuts. Farmer and Shields), and elements +of "D" Company occupying the bays which were free from gas. The trench +had been badly battered by shells at mid-day, and there were many killed +and wounded still in it, amongst the latter being Colonel Martin, of the +4th Battalion, who garrisoned about 100 yards by himself. Shot through +the knee and in great pain, he refused to go down, but sat at the top of +"Barts Alley" receiving reports, sending information to Brigade, and +directing as far as possible the remnants of his Battalion. For +twenty-one hours he remained, calm and collected as ever, and only +consented to be carried out when sure that all his Battalion had left +the Redoubt. Meanwhile further to the left along the same trench, +Colonel Jones made it his business to keep the Redoubt supplied with +bombs. He was here, there, and everywhere, directing parties, finding +bomb stores, helping, encouraging, and giving a new lease of life to all +he met. Many brave deeds were done by N.C.O.'s and men and never heard +of, but one stands out remembered by all who were there. L.-Corpl. +Clayson, of "D" Company, during the time that his platoon was in this +trench, spent all his time out in the old No Man's Land, under heavy<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> +machine gun fire, carrying in the wounded, many of whom would have +perished but for his bravery.</p> + +<p>With darkness came orders that the Sherwood Foresters would take over +the line from us, but long before they could arrive our Companies in the +Redoubt were being very hard pressed, and scarcely held their own. The +German bombers never for a moment ceased their attack, and for some time +our bombers held them with difficulty. Then came the cruellest blow of +fortune, for many of the bags and boxes of bombs sent up during the +afternoon were found to contain bombs without detonators, many others +were filled with types of grenades we had never seen. In spite of this +there was one officer who always managed to find the wherewithal to +reply to the German attacks. Escaping death by a miracle, for his great +height made him very conspicuous, 2nd Lieut. Tomson stood for hours at +one of the bombing blocks, smoking cigarettes and throwing bombs. With +him was Pte. P. Bowler, who proved absolutely tireless, while in another +part of the line Pte. W.H. Hallam and one or two others carried out a +successful bombing exploit on their own, driving back the enemy far +enough to allow a substantial block to be built in a vital place. To add +to the horrors of the situation, the garrison had ever in their ears the +cries of the many wounded, who lay around calling for Stretcher Bearers +or for water, and to whom they could give no help. The Bearers had +worked all day magnificently, but there is a limit to human endurance, +and they could carry no more. Even so, when no one else was strong +enough, Captain Barton was out in front of the Redoubt, regardless of +bombs, and thinking only of the wounded, many of whom he helped to our +lines,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> while to others, too badly hit to move, he gave water or +morphia. Hour after hour he worked on alone, and no one will ever know +how many lives he saved that night.</p> + +<p>Soon after 6 p.m., the Sherwood Foresters started to arrive and +gradually worked their way up towards the Redoubt, a long slow business, +for the communication trenches were all choked and no one was very +certain of the route. One large party arriving at midnight happened to +meet Colonel Jones, who advised them to try going over the top, and +actually gave them their direction by the stars. So accurate were his +instructions that the party arrived exactly at the Redoubt—incidentally +at a moment when the Germans were launching a counter attack over the +open. Such an attack might well have been disastrous, but the Boche, +seeing the Sherwood Foresters and over-estimating their strength, +retired hurriedly. By dawn the Sherwood Foresters had taken over the +whole Redoubt, though many of our "A" and "B" Companies were not +relieved and stayed there until the following night. Our task now was +the defence of the original British front line, for which Colonel Jones +was made responsible, and which we garrisoned with "C" (Farmer) right, +"D" (Williams) centre, and "A" and "B" (Tomson) left. Major Toller, +several times knocked down by shells and suffering from concussion, +Lieut. Wollaston wounded, and 2nd Lieut. Wynne gassed, had all been sent +down, and 2nd Lieut. Williams followed some hours later. Our only other +officer, Lieut. R. Ward Jackson, was in charge of the Grenadiers, and +spent his time in the Redoubt organizing bomb attacks and posts and +trench blocks, himself throwing many bombs, and in a very quiet way +doing a very great deal.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span></p> + +<p>Twice during the night General Kemp visited the line, and went round the +Redoubt before it was handed over to the Sherwood Foresters. He wanted +very much to do more for the wounded, but the Stretcher Bearers were +worked out, and though volunteers worked hard and rescued many, there +were still numbers who had to be left until the following night. Rations +were brought by the Company Q.M. Serjeants under Capt. Worley to the +Quarry—a few hundred yards behind the left of our old front line—and +waited there until parties could be sent for them, a matter of several +hours. However, they were distributed at dawn, when they were very +welcome, for many had been nearly twenty-four hours without food. 2nd +Lieut. Tomson was one of these, remarking, as C.S.M. Gorse gave him +some rum, that he had had nothing since the attack but "two biscuits and +over 300 cigarettes!"</p> + +<p>Throughout the following day we remained in our old front line, +listening to the continuous bombing attacks in the Redoubt, and giving +what assistance we could with carrying parties. The morning was very +misty, and in expectation of a counter attack we were ordered to keep +double sentries, so that the trench was more than usually full of men, +when the enemy suddenly bombarded it with heavy shells. There were +several direct hits, and the trench was blown in in many places, while +one shell fell into the middle of a machine gun team. Serjt. W. Hall, of +"D" Company, L/Corpl. A.F. Brodribb, and Pte. Bartlam were all killed, +and the rest of the team were badly shaken, until C.S.M. Gorse and +Corpl. B. Staniforth came along and helped to reorganize the post with a +few new men. The trench contained no real cover, and the bombardment +lasted for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> about half an hour; a severe ordeal for men who had already +had a stiff fight followed by a night of bombing. Many of the telephone +lines were broken, and L.-Corpl. Fisher, who had done such gallant work +the previous day, was killed entering our trench just after he had +re-opened communication. In the afternoon we were again bombarded, this +time with lachrymatory as well as H.E. shells, but our casualties were +not so heavy, though the trench was again demolished in several places. +Finally at 11-30 p.m. the Sherwood Foresters started to relieve us. They +arrived in small parties, and some did not appear until dawn the +following day, so that relief was not complete until 8 a.m. We then went +back to Lancashire trench between the Railway and Vermelles, where we +slept for several hours.</p> + +<p>At 2 p.m., motor 'buses arrived to take the Brigade back to Hesdigneul, +and made several journeys, but had not room for all the Battalion, so 70 +set off to march under Major Toller, who had returned to us in +Lancashire trench. It proved to be a dark night, and the party lost +their way slightly in Verquigneul, but finally arrived singing (led by +C.S.M. Gorse) at Hesdigneul, and reached their billets about midnight.</p> + +<p>In so far that Fosse 8 still remained in the hands of the enemy, the +battle was a failure, but in capturing the Redoubt the Brigade had +prevented it being a complete failure. Though we only held the German +front line and one small point in advance of it, we made it impossible +for the enemy to hold any of the Redoubt himself, and so robbed him of +his commanding position on the high ground. Our casualties had been +heavy, and the two attacking Battalions had only one officer left +between them, while we in reserve had lost four<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> officers and 22 men +killed, six officers and 132 men wounded and 13 men missing. Two +officers and 22 men had been gassed, but presently returned to us. The +causes of our failure were mainly two. First, the failure of the +Artillery to wipe out "Mad Point" and Madagascar and their machine guns; +secondly, the gas. This last was undoubtedly a mistake. It caused us +several casualties; it made it necessary for the attackers to wear +rolled up gas masks which impeded them, it stopped our H.E. bombardment +an hour before the assault and so enabled German machine gunners to come +back to their guns, and above all it had a bad effect on us, for we knew +its deadly effects, and many a man swallowing a mouthful or smelling it +became frightened of the consequences and was useless for further +fighting. There was also the mistake of leaving Fosse and Dump trenches +untouched by the bombardment, because they were reported weeks before to +be shallow and unoccupied; as it happened we found them full of men. +Finally, there were the bombs. We had been promised Mills only, and yet +found many other types during the battle. Possibly a shortage of Mills +might account for this, but there can be no possible excuse for sending +grenades into a fight without detonators, and no punishment could be too +harsh for the officer who was responsible for this.</p> + +<p>Honours and Rewards were not given in those days as they were later, and +many a brave deed went unrecognized. There were only nine D.C.M.'s in +the Division, and of these the Brigade won seven, to which we +contributed one, Hallam, the grenadier. Of the officers, Capt. Barton, +Lieut. Wollaston, and 2nd Lieut. Williams received the Military Cross, +and the Colonel's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> name appeared in the next list for a C.M.G. It was +not until long afterwards that those who had been with him began to talk +of the splendid deeds of 2nd Lieut. Tomson throughout the day and night +of the 13th, and he was never one to talk about himself. Had anyone in +authority known at the time he, too, would have had some decoration.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>CHAPTER V.</h3> + +<h4>FLANDERS MUD TO THE MEDITERRANEAN.</h4> + + +<p><span class="left">15th Oct., 1915.</span><span class="right">28th Jan., 1916.</span><br /></p> + + +<p>The whole Brigade was left very weak after the battle, and there was a +serious shortage of officers. As in this respect we, as a Battalion, had +suffered least, we had to supply the needs of other units, and Major +Toller went to command the 4th Battalion, taking with him 2nd Lieut. +Trevor Jones, as they had no subaltern officers. At the same time 2nd +Lieut. H.E. Chapman was sent to help the 5th Lincolnshires, and Capt. +Burnett and Lieut. Ward Jackson went to Brigade Headquarters to look +after Transport and Bombs, while their duties in the Battalion were +performed by Serjt. Brodribb and Serjt. Goodman. We could not afford a +machine gun officer, so Serjt. Jacques was made responsible for the guns +until an officer reinforcement should arrive. "A," "B" and "D" Companies +were commanded by Lieuts. Tomson, Wynne, and Shields, and, as Lieut. +Allen was still in hospital, Lieut. Hills acted as Adjutant. The +officers all messed together at first, and tried to maintain the old +cheerful spirit of the Battalion mess—a little difficult after losing +in one day more than three-quarters of the mess.</p> + +<p>On Sunday, General Montagu-Stuart-Wortley came<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> to talk to the Battalion +after Church parade, and congratulated us on the fighting, saying that, +considering the odds against us, he thought we had done very well +indeed. He then went round the ranks talking to some of the men who had +taken part in the battle, and was very amused by some of the answers he +received to his questions. One soldier, asked what he had done in the +fight, replied that he had "blown half a Boche officer's leg off with a +bomb." The General thought this excellent, but wanted to know why he had +chosen half an officer only, and not a whole one.</p> + +<p>We stayed ten days at Hesdigneul, and then moved to Drouvin and +Vaudricourt, where the billets were better, and we were able to have a +Battalion officers' mess. During this time, many reinforcement officers +arrived and two large drafts of other ranks. Two of our original +officers returned—Capt. Beasley, who now took command of "B" Company, +and Lieut. Knighton, who returned to "D" as 2nd in Command. The +remainder were new to us, and were posted as follows: "A" Company—2nd +Lieuts. M.A. Hepworth, C.H. Pickworth, and G. Russell; "B" Company—2nd +Lieuts. J.W. Brittain and, when they returned, the two officers lent to +other Battalions; "C" Company—Capt. S.J. Fowler, 2nd Lieuts. A.M. +Barrowcliffe and A.L. Macbeth; "D" Company—2nd Lieuts. A.H. Dawes, +H.W. Oliver, and J.R. Brooke. 2nd Lieut. C.L. Saunders became Machine +Gun Officer. With these additions we were able to start training again, +and devoted our time to route marching, bayonet fighting, and, most of +all, bomb throwing. At no time during the war was more reliance placed +on bombs, and scheme after scheme was invented for "bombing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> attacks up +a trench," to such an extent that the platoon organisation was now +re-modelled with the one idea of forming bomb parties. The rifle seemed +to be temporarily forgotten.</p> + +<p>On the 28th October, as many Units as possible of the 1st Army were +inspected by H.M. The King. Our Brigade formed a composite Battalion +commanded by Col. Jones, and, with the rest of the Division, and +representatives of other Divisions, was drawn up along the +Hesdigneul-Labuissière Road. His Majesty rode past us from Labuissière +and, after taking the salute, came down the hill again in his car with +the Prince of Wales. He acknowledged our cheers with a smile, and it was +not until afterwards that we learnt of his accident soon after passing +us, and knew the pain he was suffering during his drive back, pain which +he had so admirably concealed.</p> + +<p>After the inspection we sent a large party, six officers and 230 +N.C.O.'s and men, to Sailly Labourse, to carry gas cylinders and other +material to trenches, but except for this we were spared all fatigues +during our period of rest. A week later we marched through Béthune and +Robecq to Calonne sur la Lys, a little village outside Merville, where +we remained another week before going to the line. Lieut. Allen rejoined +us and became Adjutant; Lieut. Hills, after a few days with "A" Company, +went to Brigade Headquarters as a Staff Learner. At the same time, Major +Toller returned to the Battalion as 2nd in Command. After commanding the +4th Battalion until a new Colonel arrived for them, he had been posted +to the 5th Lincolnshires, and for a time it looked as though he would be +permanently given command. However, bad luck pursued him,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> and, as two +new Colonels arrived for that Battalion the same day, he again lost his +Command. Considering that he had commanded us for three months during +the summer with great success, and was easily senior Major in the +Brigade, it was exceptionally bad luck that he had to wait another eight +months before finally getting his Battalion.</p> + +<p>On the 10th November, we were told that we should once more take over a +part of the line, and the following morning we marched to Lacouture and +went into billets for one night. "B" Co. (Beasley) went on at once and +spent the night in support positions near the Rue du Bois between +Festubert and Neuve Chapelle. The rest of us moved up the next day and +took over our new line from the Sherwood Foresters the same night. +Battalion Headquarters lived in a little cottage, "No. 1" Albert Road, +two Companies occupied a large farm house in the same neighbourhood +fitted up as a rest house, one Company lived in a series of curiously +named keeps—"Haystack," "Z Orchard," "Path," and "Dead Cow," and one +Company only was in the front line.</p> + +<p>The Brigade now held the line from "Kinkroo," a corruption of La Quinque +Rue, crossing to the "Boar's Head," and of this we held the stretch +opposite the two farms in No Man's Land, Fme du Bois and Fme Cour +d'Avoué. The latter, surrounded by a moat, had an evil reputation, and +was said to have been the death-trap of many patrols, which had gone +there and never been seen since. The trenches had been dug in the summer +when the country was dry, with no regard to the fact that in winter the +water level rises to within two inches of the surface of the ground. In +conse<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span>quence, the trenches were full of mud and water, and most of the +bivouacs and shelters were afloat. The mud was the worst, for although +only two feet deep, yet it was of the clinging variety, and made walking +impossible, so much so, that many a man has found it impossible to +withdraw his foot, has had to leave his gum-boot behind, go on in his +socks, and come back later with a shovel to rescue his boot. The water +was deeper and often came over one's gum-boots and up to one's waist, +but at least it was possible to walk slowly through it without fear of +getting stuck. To add to the discomfort of the garrison, the weather was +bitterly cold and often very wet, and though no Company remained more +than 24 hours in the front line, yet that was long enough for many to +become chilled and so start the terrible "trench foot."</p> + +<p>"Trench foot," as it was called, was one of the most terrible +afflictions of winter trenches. After standing for a long period in +water or mud, or with wet rubber boots, the feet became gradually numbed +and the circulation ceased, while as the numbed area increased a dull +aching pain spread over the whole foot. Exercise to restore the +circulation would have prevented this, but for men who were compelled to +spend the entire day in one fire bay, exercise was impossible, and by +evening the numbness had almost always started. As soon, therefore, as a +Company came from the front line, it marched to the rest house. Here, +every man was given a hot drink, his wet boots and socks were taken +away, his feet rubbed by the Stretcher Bearers until the circulation was +restored, and then with dry socks and dry boots he remained for the next +24 hours in the warmer atmosphere of the rest house.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> Should action not +be taken in time, and a man be left for 48 hours with wet boots and +socks, the rest house treatment was insufficient, and he had to be sent +to Hospital, where, if gangrene had not set in, he could still be cured. +Many in the early days did not realize its dangers, for once gangrene +starts, the foot has to be amputated.</p> + +<p>The enemy's trenches were probably as bad as our own, and he only manned +his front line at night, leaving a few snipers to hold it by day. These +were active for the first hour or two after morning "stand to," but then +had breakfast and apparently slept for the rest of the day, at all +events they troubled us no more. This was a distinct advantage, for it +enabled communication to be kept between posts and from front to rear, +without the orderly having either to swim up a communication trench or +run a serious risk of being sniped. One, Kelly, a famous "D" Company +character, tried to walk too soon one morning to fetch his rum ration +and was hit in the knee, much to his annoyance; but on the whole there +were very few casualties. By night, too, there was not much firing, +probably because both sides were hard at work taking up rations, +relieving front line posts, or trying to get dry with the aid of a walk +"on top." In our case, with 24 hour reliefs, there were no ration +parties, because each Company as it went to the line took its rations +and fuel with it.</p> + +<p>Our only communication trench was "Cadbury's," which started near +"Chocolat Menier," corner of the Rue du Bois, so called after an +advertisement for this chocolate fastened to the side of a house. It was +even more water logged than the front line, and consequently, except +when the ice was thick enough to walk<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> on, was seldom used. With a +little care it was possible to reach the front line even by day without +the help of a trench at all, and Lieut. Saunders always used to visit +his machine guns in this way, making the journey both ways over the top +every day that we held the sector, and never once being shot at.</p> + +<p>The Rue du Bois we used as little as possible, for every other house was +an O.P., and the gunners preferred us at a distance. The "Ritz," +"Carlton," "Trocadero," and "Princes" all gave one an excellent view of +the enemy's front line, and, knowing this, the Boche concentrated most +of the little artillery he used on this neighbourhood. There was seldom +any heavy shelling, mostly field artillery only, and this of a poor +order, for not only were there many "duds" in every shoot, but also the +gunners seemed to lack imagination. So regular were they in their choice +of targets, times of shooting, and number of rounds fired, that, after +being in the line one or two days, Col. Jones had discovered their +system, and knew to a minute where the next shell would fall. His +calculations were very accurate, and he was able to take what seemed to +uninitiated Staff Officers big risks, knowing that the shelling would +stop before he reached the place being shelled.</p> + +<p>Amongst the new subaltern officers was one unlike any we had seen +before—2nd Lieut. J.R. Brooke. He loved patrolling for its own sake, +and during his first few days in the line explored everything he could +find including the German wire and trenches. From this time onwards he +spent more of his days crawling about on his stomach than sitting like a +respectable soldier in a trench, and even when years later he became a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> +Company Commander it was found impossible to break him of the habit. +Captains were forbidden to go on patrol, but this did not matter to him, +he would take a subaltern with him and make the latter write the report, +calling it 2nd Lieut. —— and one other Rank. One would expect such a +man to be large, strong, and of a fierce countenance; 2nd Lieut. Brooke +was small, of delicate health, and looked as though his proper vacation +in life was to hand cups of tea to fair ladies at a village tea fight.</p> + +<p>It seemed probable that we should have to remain in this sector for the +whole winter, and our first thought was, therefore, how to make the +trenches somewhat more habitable. It was obvious that digging was out of +the question, and that nothing less than a large breastwork, built +entirely above ground, would be of any use. General Kemp visited the +lines several times before finally deciding on his plan, and then +sighted two works, the front a few yards behind our present front line, +the second just behind what was called the "old British Line," now used +for our supports. It was a gigantic task, and the work was very slow, +even though every available man worked all night. The inside of the +breastwork was to be revetted with frames of woodwork and expanded +metal, and, in order that the parapet might be really bullet proof, the +soil for it had to be dug from a "borrow pit" several yards in front. +The soil was sticky and would not leave the shovel, which added terribly +to the work; for each man had literally to dig a shovel full, walk five +or six yards and deposit it against the revetting frames. Fortunately +for us the Boche did not seem to object to our work, in any case he left +us in peace each night.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span></p> + +<p>While this was in progress, an effort was also made to try and drain the +area. In many places water was lying, held up by sandbag walls and old +trenches, actually above the ground level, and it was hoped that by +cleaning ditches and arranging a general drainage scheme for the whole +area, this surplus water might be drained off, and, in time, the whole +water level lowered. Lieut. A.G. Moore, M.C., who returned from England +at this time, was made "O.C. Drainage," and set to work at once with +what men he could collect, but so big were the parties working on the +breastworks each night, that only a very few could be spared for this +other work, and not very much could be done.</p> + +<p>Soon after Lieut. Moore, 2nd. Lieut. G.B. Williams also returned to us, +and became Battalion Intelligence Officer, a post now started for the +first time. At the same time four new officers arrived—2nd Lieuts. G. +Selwyn and W. Ashwell to "A" Company, 2nd Lieut. A.N. Bloor to "B," and +2nd Lieut. V.J. Jones to "D." C.S.M. Gilding and Serjt. Brodribb both +left us to be trained as officers, and their places were taken by +C.Q.M.S. Johnson who became C.S.M. of "C" Company, and Corpl. Roberts +who took charge of the Transport. The latter was still under the special +care of Capt. Burnett, although he had all the Transport of the Brigade +to look after.</p> + +<p>Our first tour ended on the 25th, when, after 12 days' mud and frost, we +were relieved by the 4th Lincolnshires, and came back to billets in the +Rue des Chavattes, not far from Lacouture, where Stores and Transport +remained throughout this time. Our casualties had not been very heavy, +and we lost more<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> through the weather conditions than at the hands of +the enemy, for Capt. Fowler and several N.C.O.'s and men, unable to +stand the exposure, had to be sent to Hospital. Our billeting area +included several keeps or strong points—L'Epinette, le Touret, and +others—for which we found caretakers, little thinking, as we stocked +them with reserve rations, that the Boche would eventually eat our +"Bully," and it would fall to our lot in three years time to drive him +from these very positions. The day after relief, the Brigadier went on +leave, and Col. Jones took his place at Brigade Headquarters—"Cense du +Raux" Farm—somewhat to the annoyance of one or two of the other +Commanding Officers, who, though junior to the Colonel, were all +"Regular Time-serving Soldiers."</p> + +<p>Up to this time our covering Artillery had belonged to another (New +Army) Division, but now our own Gunners took over the line, making it +more than ever certain that we were to spend the whole winter in these +abominable trenches. We were very glad to see our own Artillery again, +for, though their predecessors had done quite well, we always preferred +our own, even in the days of 15 pounders and 5 inch howitzers. Not only +were they more accurate than other people, but they were also more +helpful, and were obviously intent on serving us Infantry, not, as some +others, on carrying on a small war of their own. Besides, we knew the +F.O.O.'s so well and looked forward to seeing them in the Mess, where, +between occasional squabbles about real or imaginary short shooting, +they were the most cheerful companions. Lieuts. Wright, Morris-Eyton, +Watson of the 1st Staffs., Morgan, Anson of the 4th, and Lyttelton, +Morris, and Dixie of the 2nd Lincoln<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span>shires, were the most frequent +visitors for the "pip squeaks," while Lieuts. Newton, Cattle, and F. +Joyce performed the same duties for the Derby Howitzers. They always +took care to maintain their superiority over the mere foot soldier by a +judicious use of long technical words which they produced one at a time. +At Kemmel they were always "registering"; at Ypres, as we, too, had +learnt the meaning of "register" and even dared to use the word +ourselves, they introduced "bracketing," and as this became too common, +"calibrating" and so on; the more famous of recent years being "datum +point" and M.P.I, (mean point of impact). Occasionally our officers used +to visit the Batteries, in order to learn how a gun was fired—an +opportunity for any F.O.O. to wreak vengeance on some innocent Infantry +Subaltern, who had dared to suggest that he had been shooting short. The +Infantryman would be led down to the gun pit, and told to stand with one +leg on each side of the trail, "so that he could watch the shell leave +the gun"; some Gunner would then pull a string and the poor spectator, +besides being nearly deaf, would see some hideous recoiling portion +shoot straight at his stomach, stop within an eighth of an inch of his +belt buckle, and slide slowly back—a ghastly ordeal.</p> + +<p>On the night of the 2nd December, we went once more to the line and +relieved the 4th Lincolnshires in our old sector, which we found very +much as we had left it, perhaps a little wetter, as it had been raining. +For this tour we slightly altered our dispositions, and instead of each +of the four Companies taking a tour in the front line, two Companies +only would do so for this tour, the other two doing the same the +following tour.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> It was hoped that in this way the garrison would take +more interest in improving their surroundings if they knew they would +return to the same place every other day. Under the old system, no one +took much interest in a trench which he only occupied for 24 hours, and +would not see again for four days. We did not, however, have a chance of +testing this new arrangement, for at 3-45 the following morning, orders +came that the Division would be relieved the following night, and was +under orders to go to the East. As soon as it was dark, the 19th +Division took our place in the line, and we marched back for the night +to the Rue des Chavattes, whence, after ridding ourselves of gum-boots, +sheepskin coats, and extra blankets, we marched the following day by +Locon, Lestrem and Merville to Caudescure, a little village on the edge +of Nieppe Forest.</p> + +<p>We found fairly good billets here, though they were too scattered to +allow of a Battalion Mess, and we spent a very enjoyable fortnight +training, playing football, and listening to rumours about our +destination. The most persistent of the last was Egypt, based in the +first instance on a telephone conversation between a Corps and +Divisional Signaller, overhead by a telephonist at Brigade, in which the +Corps Signaller told his friend that he had seen a paper in one of the +offices which said that we were to go to Egypt. On the other hand, +Lieut. X of the Lincolnshires had a brother in the Flying Corps, who had +ridden on a lorry with an A.S.C. Serjeant from G.H.Q., and had been told +that all the Territorial Divisions in India were being relieved by +Divisions from France. Against this was Captain Z's batman, who had a +friend in the Staffordshires who was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> batman to an officer who had a +cousin in the War Office, and he said we were going to the Dardenelles. +On the top of all these came General Montagu-Stuart-Wortley to inspect +us, and, incidentally, to tell us that he himself had not the slightest +idea where we were going.</p> + +<p>On the 19th we moved to the little hamlet of Tannay, still on the edge +of the woods, between Haverskerque and Thiennes. As we paraded in the +morning there were many who said they could smell gas, but as the wind +was N.E. and the line very far away, we thought they must be mistaken. +However, the next day the official communiqué told us of a big gas +attack at Ypres on the 9th and 49th Divisions, and though Ypres was 18 +miles away, it must have been this that could be smelt. In these new +billets we spent Christmas—the first Christmas in France for us, and +managed with the aid of plum puddings and other luxuries sent out to us +by the good people at home, to enjoy ourselves immensely. Not only were +many good things to eat sent us, but we also received some very welcome +gifts of tobacco, cigarettes, books and stationery from the "Leicester +Daily Post and Mercury" funds. Both these papers have been most faithful +throughout the war, never failing to send us "themselves," and often +adding boxes of comforts for all. Our celebrations included a Brigade +Football Cup competition, for which we entered a hot side, including +many of our old players—"Banger" Neal, "Mush" Taylor, Toon, Archer, +Skelly, Fish, Serjt. Allan, Kirchin and others. We met the 5th +Lincolnshires in the semi-finals and beat them 2—1, and then turned our +attention to their 4th Battalion, who after beating our 4th Battalion, +our old rivals, met us in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> final and went down 1—0. The final was a +keen, hard game, played well to the finish, and we deserved our win. The +trophy—a clock, mounted into a French "75" shell—was taken back to +Leicestershire by Capt. Farmer when he next went on leave.</p> + +<p>On the 27th we again moved, this time to some farms round Widdebroucq, +just west of Aire, to be nearer our entraining station Berguette, which +with Lillers had already been reconnoitred. As Captains Hills and Ward +Jackson had already gone forward with an advance party to Marseilles, it +began to look as though we really should go East before the end of the +war—a fact which some of us were beginning to doubt. Training still +continued each day, special attention being paid to open warfare +tactics, which fortunately included more musketry and less bombing, and +we also carried out a number of route marches and field days. Scouts, +having become obsolete, were resurrected, and Field Service Regulations +rescued from the dim recesses of valises. It was a pleasant change after +the previous nine months' trench work.</p> + +<p>At last, on the 6th January, we marched to Berguette station and boarded +a long train of cattle trucks, leaving at 4.40 p.m. The first part of +the journey was uninteresting, but after passing Paris, the train seemed +happier, went quite fast at times, and did not stop so long between +stations. The weather on the 8th was lovely, and the third day's +travelling under a hot sun was delicious; doors were pushed back, and +those for whom there was no room on the foot-boards, sat on the carriage +roofs. Finally, at 1.0 a.m. on the 9th, the train reached Marseilles, +and we marched out to a camp on the west side of the town, in a suburb +called Santi,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> where there were tents for all, and a large room for an +officers' mess. Here we remained 14 days in the most excellent +surroundings, and with heavenly weather.</p> + +<p>The Staffordshires and Lincolnshires had already sailed for Egypt when +we arrived, and a few days later another ship carried some Padres and +other officers of the Division to the same destination. For the rest of +us there were for the moment no transports, so we had to wait—not a +very terrible task, when our most strenuous exercise was sea-bathing or +playing water polo, and our recreation consisted of walking into the +town, to which an almost unlimited number of passes were given. Here, it +must be admitted, there was often too much to eat and far too much to +drink, and the attractions were so great that everybody waited for the +last possible tram back to camp, with the result that this vehicle +arrived with human forms clinging to every corner of the sides, ends and +roof—a most extraordinary sight. On one occasion two well-known +soldiers who had dined too well and not too wisely, stood solemnly at +the side of the road holding up their hands to a tram to stop, when a +party of lively French scavengers turned the hosepipe on to them, and +they had to be rescued from the gutter, where they lay with the water +running in at their collars and out at their ankles. The officers, too, +had many popular resorts, such as Therese's Bar and the Bodega for +cocktails, the Novelty for dinner, and a host of entertainments to +follow, ranging from the opera, which was first-class, for the serious, +through the "Alcazar" and "Palais de Crystal" for the frivolous, to the +picture palaces for the utterly depraved.</p> + +<p>On the 20th we learnt that our Transport was now ready for us, and the +following morning we marched to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> the docks and embarked in H.M.T. +"Andania," late Cunard, which can only be described as a floating +palace, fitted with every modern luxury. We were all rather glad to be +leaving Marseilles, for it was an expensive place, and many of the +officers were beginning to be a little apprehensive about the lengths to +which Mr. Cox would let them go. However, all would now be right, +because once in the desert we should draw extra pay and find no Bodegas. +We were to sail on the morning of the 22nd, and soon after dawn orders +arrived—to disembark! Sadly we left our palace and walked back to Santi +Camp—now hateful to look upon, as we realised that within a few days we +should be back once more in the mud, rain, cold and snow of Flanders. +The reason for the sudden change, for taking half the Division to Egypt +for a fortnight only, was never told us, but probably it was owing to +the successful evacuation of the Dardanelles. Had this been a failure, +had we been compelled to surrender large numbers to save the rest, the +Turks would have been free to attack Egypt, which had at that time a +small garrison only. As it was the Division from Gallipoli went to +Egypt, and we were not wanted.</p> + +<p>On the 27th Pte. Gregory, who died as the result of a tram accident, was +given a full military funeral, and the following day at 4.30 a.m. we +left Marseilles for the North.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>CHAPTER VI.</h3> + +<h4>THE VIMY RIDGE.</h4> + +<p><span class="left">6th Feb., 1916.</span><span class="right">9th May, 1916.</span><br /></p> + +<p>Our return train journey was uneventful until we reached Paris, where a +German air raid started just as we arrived, and the train was compelled +to stop. We had a beautiful view, and, as the French depended more on +their own planes than on anti-aircraft guns, it was well worth watching. +The French machines all carried small searchlights, and, in addition to +these, the sky was light up with the larger searchlights from below, +while the efforts of the Boche to avoid the lights, and the French to +catch their opponents, produced some wonderful air-manœuvering, which +ended in the retirement of the Boche. As soon as they had gone, our +train went on, and we reached Pont Remy station outside Abbeville at +8-30 a.m. on the 30th—back once more in rain, snow, and mud.</p> + +<p>We marched at once to Yaucourt Bussus, a small village with comfortable +billets, which we occupied for nearly a fortnight, spending our time +training and playing football. Meanwhile, as the Brigadier and the two +Lincolnshire Battalions had not yet returned from Egypt, Col. Jones, +taking with him 2nd Lieut. Williams as Staff Officer, went to command +the half Brigade and lived with Captain Burnett at Ailly le haut +Clocher,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> another small village, to which the Brigadier came on his +return on the 11th. While the Colonel was away, Major Toller took +command and Major T.C.P. Beasley acted as 2nd in Command. For the time +no one seemed to have the slightest idea what was going to happen to the +Division next.</p> + +<p>On the 10th we marched to Gorenflos, and the following day were taken by +lorries to billets in Candas, where, with an East wind, we could +occasionally hear the distant sounds of gunfire for the first time for +two months. Our new area we found was full of preparation for something; +what the exact nature of this something might be we did not know. +Several large railways and dumps were being built, new roads made, and +here and there with great secrecy big concrete gun platforms were laid. +Each day we sent large numbers to work, mostly on the railways, and once +more we heard the words "Big Push." We were always living on the verge +of the Big Push, and many times in 1915 had thought that it had +started—at Neuve Chapelle, Givenchy, Loos—only to give up hope when +these battles stagnated after a day or two. Now there were preparations +going forward again, this time apparently on a much larger scale than we +had ever seen before, so we felt justified once more in hoping for the +great event. Curiously enough the possibilities of a Boche big push were +never considered, and everyone of us was firmly convinced that, except +perhaps for a blow at Ypres, offensive action on the part of the enemy +was out of the question. This spirit animated all our work, which was +consequently very different from our opponents. Our trenches always had +a we-shall-not-stay-here-long air about them, his were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> built to resist +to the last man. It was the same in training and in billets, we +unconsciously considered ourselves an advancing army, and thereby, +though we may not have realized it, we ourselves supplied the finest +possible stimulant to our moral.</p> + +<p>The IIIrd. Army (Gen. Allenby), to which we now belonged, introduced at +this time the Army School—an important innovation, shortly taken up by +all the other Armies. This School, first commanded by Col. +Kentish—afterwards Commandant of the Senior Aldershot School—aimed at +training junior officers to be Company Commanders, who owing to +casualties were now hard to find. The course, which lasted five weeks, +consisted of drill, tactical exercises, physical training, musketry, +bayonet fighting and bombing, lectures on esprit de corps—in fact +everything that a Company Commander should know, but many things that in +trench warfare had been forgotten. The Instructors were always +up-to-date, and the best use was at once made of any of the latest +inventions, while the school also kept a very efficient "Liaison" +between all parts of the Army. Students from one Division would exchange +latest schemes, ruses, and devices with others from another part of the +line, and so no valuable lessons were lost or known to a few only. Our +first students to this school were Capt. Ward Jackson, who was in charge +of "A" Company, and Capt. G.W. Allen, the latter for a special +Adjutant's refresher course. After these, all the Company Commanders +went in turn, first to Flixecourt, and later to Auxi le Chateau, whither +the school moved in the early summer. There were similar courses for +senior N.C.O.'s, which were of the utmost value.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span></p> + +<p>Another important innovation at this time was the introduction of the +Lewis light machine gun. The Maxim, and even the Vickers machine gun had +been found for many reasons unsuitable for infantry work, being too +heavy and cumbersome for rapid movement, too conspicuous for easy +concealment. It was therefore decided to form Brigade Machine Gun +Companies, who would be armed with Vickers guns, while Battalions would +have Lewis guns only, on a scale of two per Company, for they were to be +considered a company rather than a Battalion weapon. This light gun had +no tripod, was air-cooled, and fired a pan instead of a belt of +ammunition. It was as easy to carry as to conceal, and was in every way +an enormous improvement on the "Vickers" from the infantry point of +view. Training in the new weapon started at once, and as 2nd Lieut. +Saunders and Serjt. Jacques were required for the Brigade Machine Gun +Company, 2nd Lieut. Shipston was made Lewis Gun Officer, with Corporal +Swift to help him, and these two trained as many men as possible with +the two guns issued to us, so that when more arrived the teams would be +ready for them. Captain Ellwood commanded the Brigade Machine Gunners, +and in addition to our chief instructors, we also sent 2nd Lieut. +Stentiford and 30 N.C.O.'s and men to start the Company. 2nd Lieut. +Stentiford was a new subaltern officer who, with 2nd Lieuts. T.P. Creed +and C.J. Morris, had arrived while the battalion was at Marseilles.</p> + +<p>On the 16th February orders came that at an early date we should take +over the line North of the River Ancre, opposite Beaumont Hamel, and the +following day several lorry loads of officers reconnoitred the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> country +round Forceville, Englebelmer and Mailly Maillet, where there were some +rear defence lines. Maps of the front were issued, and we were about to +arrange trench reconnaissances, when the orders were cancelled and we +moved instead, on the 20th, to Bernaville, and joined the rest of the +Brigade. The other Battalions and Brigade Headquarters were in the +neighbouring villages. At this time the people of Leicestershire were +once more very good to us, and our War Diary contains a note that "This +day the C.O. acknowledges with thanks the gifts of 30,000 cigarettes +from our 2/5th Battalion, also a hand ambulance from Messrs. Symington +and Co., Market Harborough." The last survived the rough usages of war +for a very long time, and many a wounded man has been thankful for its +springs and rubber tyres.</p> + +<p>The rest of the month was spent in doing a little training and a deal of +road-clearing. It snowed very hard once or twice, and many of the roads +became impossible for traffic, so each Battalion was allotted a road to +keep clean, ours being the main road to Fienvillers, along which we +spread ourselves armed with picks and shovels, while the village boys +threw snowballs at us. The 5th Division were moving North at the time, +and a whole day was spent by some of the Battalions dragging their +transport up a steep hill, a task beyond the strength of the horses. +Fortunately we were spared this, probably because we took care not to +clear the road to Brigade Headquarters, and so were left untouched. +During this very bad weather we lost 2nd Lieut. Brooke, who had to go to +Hospital with nephritis.</p> + +<p>On the 29th we moved to Doullens, where we spent<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> an enjoyable week, and +were introduced to yet another innovation. In August, 1915, the French +had introduced a steel helmet for their machine gunners, finally +extending the issue to all ranks. This had been found of the greatest +value, and there had been at once a marked decrease in the percentage of +head wounds. The British helmet now appeared, and was generally voted, +as it first seemed, a hideous flat object, though some humorists +admitted that it might have distinct possibilities as a washing basin. A +few soldiers of the vainer sort thought they looked more "becoming" with +a "tin-hat" over one eye, but the vast majority hated them, and it was +with the greatest difficulty that those to whom they were issued, could +be persuaded not to throw them away. This aversion, however, soon +passed, and within a few months the infantryman standing under an +aeroplane battle without his "tin-hat" felt distinctly naked.</p> + +<p>It was now definitely decided that we were to relieve the French in the +Neuville St. Vaast-Souchez Sector, both places where the French had had +terrific fighting the previous year, and consequently a sector with a +bad reputation. The roads were still in bad condition, and a +char-a-banc, full of officers, who tried to reconnoitre reached no +further than the French Brigade Headquarters and had to return. On the +6th March we marched to Magnicourt and two days later to +Villers-au-bois, about three miles behind the line, going up to trenches +on the 9th.</p> + +<p>Early in 1915 the French line North of Arras had run through la +Targette, Carency and over the East end of the Lorette heights to Aix +Noulette. In May our allies made their first attack here and, driving +the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> Boche from the heights, gained possession, after terrific fighting, +of Ablain St. Nazaire, Souchez and Neuville St. Vaast. Later, in +conjunction with our September attack at Loos, they had again advanced, +and finally a brilliant assault by the Zouaves carried the line to the +Vimy ridge and on to these heights, beyond which the roads to Lens and +Douai lay open. The fighting for the summit had been severe, and in the +end each side retained its grip on the hill top, the opposing trenches +running 30 yards apart along the ridge. Active mining operations had +started soon afterwards, and shortly before our arrival the French had +been compelled to give up a considerable portion of their line, and so +lose their hold on the summit. With it they lost also their view +Eastwards, while the Boche, occupying their evacuated trenches, regained +his view of the next ridge to the West.</p> + +<p>This second ridge was more in the nature of a large plateau, stretching +back to Villers-au-bois, and separated from the Vimy ridge by a narrow +steep-sided valley—the "Talus des Zouaves," where the support Battalion +lived in dug-outs. Crossing the plateau from North to South was the main +Béthune, Souchez, Arras road, on which stood the remains of an old inn, +the Cabaret Rouge, where some excellent deep dug-outs provided +accommodation for the French Poste de Colonel and an Advanced Dressing +Station. The plateau was two miles wide, and over the first half (up to +"Point G") ran a long and very tiring duck-board track; beyond "Point G" +were two communication trenches to the line. One, "Boyau 1, 2, 3," was +seldom used, being in bad condition; the other, "Boyau d'Ersatz," was +boarded and well cared<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> for, and used by all. It ran via the Cabaret +Rouge into the Talus des Zouaves, most of the way revetted with a +wonderful "wedding arch" revetment, and thence to the front line, +passing the left Poste de Commandant. The forward part of "Boyau 1, 2, +3," East of the "Talus," was called "Boyau Internationale," leading to +"Boyau Vincent" and so to the front line past the right Poste de +Commandant. Carency, Ablain and Souchez were houseless, Villers au bois +was little better, and our rest billets were huts at Camblain L'Abbé, +about four miles behind the line.</p> + +<p>The Brigade took over the left sector of the Divisional front and we +were allotted the left sub-sector, our right and left boundaries being +the two Boyaus "Internationale" and "Ersatz." The whole relief was to be +kept as secret as possible, and all reconnoitering and advance parties +were given French helmets to wear in the line, so that the Boche might +have no idea what was going to happen. It was a little disconcerting, +therefore, when a French listening post, two days before the relief, +reported that a Boche had suddenly looked into their post, and after +saying "Les Anglais n'sont pas encore donc arrivés," equally suddenly +disappeared. In spite of this we were not disturbed during the relief +and by 10-30 p.m. on the 9th had taken the place of the 68th Regiment, +who marched out at one end of the trench as we appeared at the other, +having told us that we had come to a very quiet sector. The trenches +were in fair condition, though very dirty, and we had a quiet night so +began to hope that the sector might not be too terrible after all. The +next day the French left the area, leaving behind them two companies of +Engineers to carry on the mining opera<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span>tions on the Divisional front. In +handing over their posts the French had said nothing about their +countrymen whom they were leaving in the mines, and during the first +night several of them, coming up from below and talking a strange +language, narrowly escaped being killed for Boche.</p> + +<p>The enemy opposite us were very quiet, and obviously knowing of the +relief, were waiting to see what we should do. With the French there is +no doubt that they had had a tacit understanding not to wage a vigorous +war, though, while seeming inactive, they had all the time been +undermining the French trenches. With us they were uncertain what to do, +so for 24 hours did nothing except fire a few rifle shots, one of which +came through the parapet and killed C.S.M. E. Thompson, of "B" Company. +On the evening of the second day they went one step further, and threw a +single grenade, received two in return, and remained quiet for the +night. The next morning, the 11th, they threw six more, all short, and +we replied with 10, five of which fell in their trench and apparently +convinced them that we intended war; at any rate they made no more +tentative efforts, but in the afternoon started more or less in earnest. +At 4.45 p.m. they blew up a small mine opposite "A" Company, demolished +a sap-head, and half buried the solitary occupant, who escaped with +bruises only; after this they bombed, or tried to bomb us, until 8-0 +p.m., while we replied at the rate of two to one. Unfortunately, the +explosions caused a collapse in our parapet, about 10 yards of which +fell down suddenly, and had to be re-built during the night.</p> + +<p>The following night proved to be still more exciting.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> Soon after +midnight a French sapper, narrowly escaping several sentries who thought +he was a Boche, came running along the line excitedly waving his arms, +and saying: "Mine, mine, faire sauter, demi-heure." No one knew what he +meant, though we gathered a mine would probably go up somewhere in +half-an-hour, whether ours or theirs we had not the least idea. +Eventually he was led to Battalion Headquarters, where he explained that +the French were going to blow a camouflet in half-an-hour. It was +already nearly an hour since he first said this, and nothing had yet +happened, so we hurriedly cleared a small portion of our front line and +waited, while we sent for the Tunnelling Officer. He arrived, and the +"blow" was arranged for 5-0 a.m., at which hour there was a terrific +explosion, a forty-foot crater was formed, and another ten yards of our +parapet fell down. Such an explosion must have been caused by a much +bigger charge than we had laid, so we probably included in our "blow" a +Boche mine laid ready for us. We easily bombed off a party of his which +tried to rush the crater, and spent the day re-building our fallen +parapet.</p> + +<p>Rations, ammunition and R.E. material in this sector were brought to the +"Talus des Zouaves" on mule-drawn trucks along a narrow-gauge Railway +from Mont St. Eloi. Here, at a big Corps R.E. Dump, the trucks were +loaded every evening, the mule teams hooked in, and the party set off, +much harassed at times by bullets and shells, and seldom reaching home +without losing one, and often two animals. The Dump in the "Talus" also +got shelled; but the steep banks made the danger light and not much +damage was done in this way, though the Boche kept up a prolonged<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> +bombardment at it with 5.9's on the evening of the 14th. Except for +this, the rest of the tour passed quietly, and on the following night +the 4th Lincolnshires relieved us, and we went back to rest in Camblain +L'Abbé huts, where we stayed for six days.</p> + +<p>Our second tour started on the 21st, and from this day onwards until we +finally left the sector, we had a bad time. Our first trouble was the +weather. Alternate frosts and thaws, rain and snow, soon filled our +trenches with mud and slush, into which parapets and parados either +crumbled gradually or collapsed wholesale. No sooner could we repair one +length, than another would give way, and through it all many posts had +to live with water over their ankles and no proper drying accommodation. +There had to be three companies in the line, so 24-hour reliefs were +impossible, and to increase our troubles our stay in a warm climate had +made us less capable of standing the exposure to cold and wet, and there +were many cases of trench fever, trench foot, and some pneumonia, while +the health of all was considerably impaired. One of the most pitiful +sights of the war was to see 20 of our men crawling on hands and knees +to the Aid Post—their feet so bad that they could not walk.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the underground war was not as satisfactory as we should have +liked, and the Boche undoubtedly had the upper hand in the mining. Our +galleries were few and short, and in consequence useless for either +offence or defence, while his were known to be near our trenches in +several places. In one place between the right and centre companies the +Lincolnshires had expected a "blow" at any moment, and evacuating their +front line, had dug a new trench<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> ten yards in rear of it. This seemed +to have been sighted in such a haphazard sort of way that it was at once +named the "Harry Tate" trench by some humorist, who pictured a Company +Commander coming out and saying "What shall we do next? Let's dig a +trench." And so they dug this one—quite useless, for it was bound to be +engulfed by any mine which exploded under the front line. The Boche, +however, thought more of the new trench than we did, and the day after +it was built, bombarded it with heavy minenwerfer shells until it was +unrecognisable.</p> + +<p>In this state we found it when we came in for our second tour, "C" +Company (Farmer) on the right and "A" Company (Ward Jackson) in the +centre. Our first morning the Boche started just before midday, and for +four hours rained heavy minenwerfer shells on these two Companies, and +particularly on the new trench. Fortunately there was no one in this, +and equally fortunately most of the shells fell between our front line +and supports; there was a thick mist at the time, and it was almost +impossible to judge their flight. Through it all Capt. Farmer walked +calmly from post to post, cheering the garrison, and just before the end +of the bombardment at 4-0 p.m., made his way down the small +communication trench towards his support platoon. Thence he went to call +on "B" Company, but was caught on the way back by a mortar, which he +probably could not see coming in the mist (for no one was more accurate +at judging their flight than he), and was killed instantly, being blown +out of the trench and lost for several hours. Captain Farmer was perhaps +the quietest, certainly the bravest, officer of his time, for he feared +nothing, and nothing could shake his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span> calm, while it was said of him +that he was never angry and never despondent. When he was killed, "C" +Company lost their leader, and every man his best friend, while the mess +lost one who was the most cheerful comrade of every officer.</p> + +<p>This bombardment left our front line in a terrible condition, and +General Kemp decided to build a new main line of resistance 50 yards in +rear, holding the front with odd posts only. Meanwhile the front parapet +must be repaired, and the night was spent in doing this as far as we +could—a hopeless task, for the following afternoon we were again +hammered. This time "A" Company suffered most, and Corporal Williamson +and one man were killed, Serjt. Staniforth and one other wounded, while +the trench was blown in for several yards and a dug-out demolished. +Dug-outs were few, and consisted only of little hutches formed by +putting a sheet of iron over some slot. Even Company Headquarters of the +centre Company had little more than this, though Battalion Headquarters +and the other companies had a half-deep dug-out.</p> + +<p>The bombardments now became daily, and all our efforts at retaliation +either with artillery or trench mortars proved entirely ineffectual. +There was nothing we could do except clear as many men as possible away +from the danger area, and come back at dusk to rebuild our parapet. +Towards the end of the tour the Boche started firing rifle grenades +before each mortar, so that we should stoop to avoid the former and so +miss seeing the flight of the latter. The tour ended with a four-inch +fall of snow on the 26th, which melted almost at once and filled the +trenches with water, which no amount of pumping would remedy. After<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> +relief we went to the "Talus des Zouaves" in Brigade support, except for +"C" Company (Moore), which went to the Cabaret Rouge—now used as +Brigade advanced Headquarters.</p> + +<p>The East side of the valley, where the Support Battalion's dug-outs had +been built, was immune from German shells owing to the steepness of the +hill side, and here for six days we had comparative rest, except at +nights, when we most of us went digging on the new line. The Battalion +Grenadiers under Serjeant Goodman particularly enjoyed themselves, and +their dug-out in the valley became a regular anarchists' arsenal. +Fiendish missiles were made out of empty bottles stuffed with ammonal +and other explosives, which they managed to obtain in large quantities +from the French miners, while the strength of various poisons and gases +was tested against the rats, against whose habitations they carried on +an endless war. A catapult was erected for practice purposes, and our +bombers became adepts in its use, knowing exactly how much fuse to +attach to a T.N.T.-filled glass beer bottle to make it burst two seconds +after landing in the Boche trench. The valley was a little dangerous +during practice hours, but nobody minded this so long as the enemy +suffered in the end.</p> + +<p>At the same time another innovation was introduced in the shape of the +Stokes light trench mortar—a stove-pipe-like gun firing a cylindrical +shell some 400 yards at the rate of 8 in the air at once. It was simply +necessary to drop the shell into the gun, at the bottom of which was a +striker, and the rest was automatic and almost noiseless, the shock of +discharge being rather like a polite cough. Brigade Trench Mortar +Companies<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> were formed, in our case 2nd Lieuts. A.N. Bloor and W.R. +Ashwell, with several other ranks, went to join the first company.</p> + +<p>On the 2nd March, having received a draft of three N.C.O.'s and 106 men, +we went once more to the line and took over from the 4th Lincolnshires. +This time we were able to have two Companies in front, one in Boisselet +trench, part of the new work, and one in reserve, a far more +satisfactory distribution. The trenches were still in a very bad state, +and it was found in many places quite impossible to dig new lines, +because the ground had been so shaken by continuous bombardment for more +than a year, that the soil would no longer bind, and the sides of any +new trench collapsed almost as soon as they were dug. The tour was +fairly quiet, though Boche snipers and artillery were more active than +before, and we reached Camblain L'Abbé at the end of it without having +suffered any repetition of the trench mortar bombardments.</p> + +<p>Our six days' rest included two big working parties, two inspections, +and one demonstration, to say nothing of such minor details as church +parades, conferences, baths, and the usual overhauling of boots and +clothing. The work consisted of clearing dug-outs in the Bois des +Alleux, and only lasted two days, after which we polished ourselves for +General Kemp, who inspected us in a field near Camblain, and said that +he was much pleased indeed with our turnout. General +Montagu-Stuart-Wortley was equally complimentary at the second +inspection, and congratulated all ranks on their appearance and +smartness, which, considering the state of the trenches, was very +creditable. The demonstra<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span>tion was particularly interesting, and proved +the futility of the famous German flame projector. As many men as +possible were placed in a trench, while the demonstrator, standing at 30 +feet away with the machine, turned on the flame. The wind was behind +him, and the flame, with a tremendous roar, leapt out about 30 yards. +But the noise was the worst part, for the burning liquid, vapourising as +it left the machine, became lighter than air, and in spite of all the +efforts of the Demonstrator, could not be made to sink into the trench, +whose occupants were untouched. The men were all rather amused at the +whole performance and suggested that we should bring the machine into +the line to warm them up on cold days.</p> + +<p>On the 12th we marched once more to the line and relieved the 4th +Lincolnshires, this time for a four-day tour. We found on arrival that +the Boche a few hours previously had blown a large mine in the left +sector, to be occupied by "D" Company (Shields), so that in addition to +the work on the new trench, we had to supply many men for repairing this +new damage—no light task, for many yards of our front trench had +disappeared. To make work more difficult the Boche was continually +throwing bombs and rifle grenades to try and catch our working parties, +and it was only after two days' vigorous retaliation that we taught him +that it was wiser to keep quiet. The leading spirit in this retaliation +was Captain Shields himself, who would sit in his dug-out listening for +a German bomb. If he heard one he would rush out, coat off and sleeves +rolled up, and throw back as many Mills' bombs as he could lay hands on, +a formidable attack, for he could throw a tremendous distance. 2nd +Lieut. A.E.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> Brodribb was also a keen bomber who would stand at a post +and send back bomb for bomb until he had the Boche beaten. Meanwhile the +Battalion anarchists, though they had bad luck with the "West" spring +gun, which got buried in the bombardment, were very successful in other +ways. Serjeant Goodman, with his catapult, flinging home-made infernal +machines, first from one post, then from another, must have been very +annoying to the German sentries, while Cpl. Archer, firing salvoes of +rifle grenades, eight at a time, always had a quietening effect on any +Boche bomber who ventured to try his luck in this way. So far as bombs +were concerned we had the upper hand, but the Boche could always start +heavy shelling or mortaring, and against this we seemed to have no +effective retaliation. He did particularly heavy damage with these one +morning in this tour, a few hours after we had been visited by General +Byng, the Corps Commander, who went round the front line. On this +occasion we had two killed and six wounded by a direct hit on the +trench, while the F.O.O., who was observing at the time, was also badly +wounded.</p> + +<p>Towards the end of the tour the situation became quieter and we went +once more into the Talus to wait for relief by the 25th Division, whose +advance parties had already visited the line, and who were expected in a +few days. The Boyau d'Ersatz, re-named Ersatz Alley for the sake of +simplicity, had lately been heavily shelled, and it was therefore +decided to open up Boyau 1, 2, 3, as an alternative route to trenches, +calling it "Wortley Avenue," in honour of the Major General. Parties +from all companies worked day and night at this, soon making it +passable, though it would always<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> be dangerously exposed to view. +Unfortunately "A" Company were shelled one day while at work, and we +lost 2nd Lieut. Pickworth, who had to be sent to Hospital, and +eventually to England, with a bad wound in the lungs.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile offensive mining operations were being undertaken by both +sides with increased activity. The British Tunnellers, who had relieved +the French mining companies, found that in several places, unless they +themselves blew big mines at once, the Boche would blow them instead, so +blew big craters without delay. To this the Boche retaliated, and for +the past week there had been an average of two mines a night on the +Divisional front, most of them in the sector on our right. But on the +night of the 20th our Brigade was also involved, and the 4th +Lincolnshires lost most of their centre company in an explosion which +demolished nearly 100 yards of their front line. The shock was terrific, +and could be felt so violently even in our valley behind, that Captain +Barton went to see what had happened. Some half-hour later, when the +Lincolnshire C.O. went to the scene of the disaster, he found the "Doc" +there by himself, digging out an injured man in the middle of the gap. +No British troops had yet arrived, and his nearest neighbours were the +Boche lobbing bombs from the other side of the new crater.</p> + +<p>This latest blow shattered our front line so badly that it was quite +unfit to hand over to a new Division, taking over this part of the line +for the first time, and, as the Lincolnshires had not enough men to +repair it themselves, we had to help them. On the 21st, therefore, when +the rest of the Battalion was relieved by the Lancashire Fusiliers and +went back for the night to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> Camblain L'Abbé, "D" Company stayed behind +in the Talus till dusk and then went up to work, spending the night +under R.E. supervision, digging in the gap. A screen of bombers lay out +on the crater lip, while the rest worked, through mud, water and pouring +rain to try and produce some kind of fighting trench. As fast as they +dug, their new work collapsed, but at last a cut was made, and by +morning there was at least communication across the gap, though the +trench was terribly shallow and gave no real protection. The following +day, "D" Company on lorries, the rest of the Battalion by march route, +we moved through Cambligneul and Aubigny to Penin-Doffine, where we were +to billet for a rest. "B" and "C" Companies were with Brigade +Headquarters and the Lincolnshires in Penin. The Headquarters and "D" +Company had a large farm, and "A" Company billets in the hamlet of +Doffine.</p> + +<p>Here we stayed for a week. A Staff ride under the Brigadier formed the +chief incident in our training, while our recreation was enlivened by an +excellent Battalion Sports Meeting. Great keenness was shown in every +event, and there were consequently some well-contested races:—"A" and +"C" Companies divided the prizes between them. "A" Company won the +long-distance bomb-throwing, tug-of-war, relay and stretcher-bearer +races, "C" the accurate bomb-throwing, ¼-mile, sack and three-legged +races. Brigade Headquarters came to watch, bringing their band with +them, and the General gave away the prizes at the end of the day. The +weather was good and we all spent a very pleasant afternoon.</p> + +<p>The 27th April brought us orders to return again to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> the line, this time +to work with the Tunnellers, French and English, in the neighbourhood of +Neuville St. Vaast. The following day the C.O. and most of the Company +Officers went to Mont St. Eloi to reconnoitre, returning in the evening. +While getting into a car in St. Eloi Colonel Jones was slightly wounded +in the left hand by a six-inch shell, which burst alongside the car. He +was sent to Hospital, but returned to us ten days later. On the 29th we +moved into Neuville St. Vaast, living in tunnels and dug-outs, and +provided large working parties in the mines. Tactically we were at the +disposal of the 25th Division, to whom we lent one or two Lewis Gun +teams. The work consisted almost entirely of clearing sandbags from the +mine-shafts and distributing them along our trenches, as far as possible +out of sight. It was hard and dangerous work, as was proved by an +accident which happened on the 7th May, the night before we were +relieved. The enemy blew a counter-mine close to one of the saps where +"D" Company were working, burying the French miners, and completely +destroying the whole sap. Two of the four men at work were never seen +again; the other two, bruised and shaken, managed to crawl half-naked +out of the wreckage.</p> + +<p>On the 9th May, after spending a night in tents at Mont St. Eloi, we +went by motor-'bus through Avesnes-le-comte, Liencourt, Grand +Rullecourt, to Lucheux, where we went into billets. We left at Vimy a +party of 25 men under Lieut. A.M. Barrowcliffe, working with the R.E. +(Tunnellers). Most of them gradually became sappers, and we saw very few +of them ever again. During these two last months there had been only one +important change in the personnel. R.Q.M.S.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> Stimson, who had been at +the Stores since the beginning of the war, and whose knowledge of French +had been as invaluable to Captain Worley as his energy and skill with +"mobilisation store stables," returned to England. C.S.M. Gorse became +R.Q.M.S., and in his place J. Hill became C.S.M. of "A" Company.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>CHAPTER VII.</h3> + +<h4>GOMMECOURT.</h4> + +<p><span class="left">10th May, 1916.</span><span class="right">3rd July, 1916.</span><br /></p> + + +<p>The next ten days, spent in Lucheux, were as pleasant as any in the war. +After the mud, cold and damp of Vimy, we could well appreciate the +spring weather, the good billets and the excellent country in which we +now found ourselves. Lucheux, a very old French village with its castle +and gateway, stands on the edge of a still older forest a few miles +North of Doullens, and the majority of the inhabitants, under the +guidance of a very energetic Mayor, did all they could to make us +comfortable. Work was not too hard, and our chief labour was making +wattle revetments in the forest—a good task for a hot day—and +practising musketry on a home-made rifle range outside the village. The +mounted officers were particularly fortunate, for the forest was full of +tracks and rides, and each morning soon after dawn the more energetic +could be seen cantering under the dripping trees in the early morning +May mists—bare headed and in shirt sleeves.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the arrival of some new officers filled the gaps in the Mess +caused by Vimy. First Colonel Jones returned, with the piece of shrapnel +still in his hand, but otherwise very fit. Soon afterwards two new +officers, 2nd Lieutenants H.A. Lowe and G.E. Banwell, joined us, and at +the same time Capt. R.C.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> L. Mould and Lieut. D.B. Fetch returned from +England. Several large drafts of N.C.O.'s and men arrived, many of them +old hands, who had been wounded, some of them more than once, although +as we know well there were many soldiers in England who had never yet +seen a day's fighting.</p> + +<p>Just at this time another important change was made in our training. For +many months now we had been taught the bomb to the exclusion of almost +every other weapon, now at last the bayonet was returning to its former +position of importance. The great exponent of the art of bayonet +fighting was a Major Campbell, of the Army Gymnastic Staff, whose +lectures were already well known at the Army Schools, and who was now +sent round the country to talk to all Battalions. He had devised an +entirely new scheme of bayonet instruction on very simple yet practical +lines, doing away with many of the old drill-book "points and parries," +and training arm and rifle to act with the eye, not on a word of +command. His powers as a lecturer were as great as his keenness for his +subject, and for two hours he held the attention of a hall full of all +ranks, speaking so vividly that not one of us but came away feeling that +we were good enough to fight six Boche, given a bayonet. He was +particularly insistent on not driving the bayonet home too far, and we +shall always remember his "throat two inches is enough, kidneys only +four inches, just in and out." His system has now been adopted +throughout the British Army, and all 1917 recruits were trained in it, +but to us it came none too soon, for we were fast forgetting that we +ever had such a weapon as a bayonet.</p> + +<p>On the 20th May our work in the forest came to an<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span> end and, as the +Brigade was wanted for fatigues nearer the line, we moved by Pommera and +Pas to Souastre, a village about three miles from the front trenches. +The Sherwood Foresters were at present holding the Divisional front, and +our chief task in the new area was digging cable trenches from back +Headquarter positions to forward batteries and observation posts, +building and stocking ammunition and bomb stores, and assisting in the +construction of numerous gun pits. In fact, we were once more preparing +as fast as possible for a "big push," though at the moment it was not +quite certain who was going to do the pushing; rumour allotted this task +to the 46th Division. The work was very hard, for digging a deep narrow +trench, or loading flints at Warlincourt quarries are no light tasks, +and the weather made conditions even more difficult than they might +otherwise have been. One day it was so hot as to make continuous work +for more than a few hours impossible, while the next, there would be +three or four torrential rain storms, filling all the trenches, and +turning the cross-country tracks to avenues of mud.</p> + +<p>However, in spite of our work, we managed to have some football, and the +Divisional Commander once more presented a cup. We started well, beating +the 5th Lincolnshires in the second round, but then found ourselves +opposed to our old rivals, the 4th Battalion, for the Brigade finals. +The game caused the keenest excitement, and with the score at two goals +all, the enthusiasm through the second half was immense. Unfortunately, +there is a fate against our defeating the 4th Battalion, and, just +before the end, our opponents managed to score the winning goal.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"><a name="img130a" id="img130a"></a> + <img src="images/img130a.jpg" + alt="Lens from the Air." /><br /> + <b>Lens from the Air<br />(showing Fosse III and Hols de Riaument).</b> + </div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span></p> + + +<div class="figcenter"><a name="img130" id="img130"></a><a href="images/img130.jpg"><img src="images/img130-tb.jpg" alt="Sketch map of Gommecourt" title="Sketch map of Gommecourt" /></a></div> +<h4>Sketch map of Gommecourt to illustrate the attack of the +1st July 1916.<br /><b>German trenches in RED</b></h4> + +<div class="figcenter"><a name="img131" id="img131"></a> + <img src="images/img131.jpg" + alt="Lt.-Col. J.B.O. Trimble, D.S.O., M.C., with the Officers, +Marqueffles Farm, June, 1917." /><br /> + <b>Lt.-Col. J.B.O. Trimble, D.S.O., M.C., with the Officers, +Marqueffles Farm, June, 1917.</b> + </div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span></p> + +<p>On the 24th May the heavy rain had made the trenches so wet that the +garrison was unable to keep them clear, and in consequence we had to +send a large working party up the line to help the Sherwood Foresters. +The line, which we now saw for the first time, ran from about half a +mile North of Hébuterne, just East of Foncquevillers, and northwards +towards Monchy-au-bois, held by the enemy. Foncquevillers was the centre +of the position, and opposite it lay Gommecourt, a small village and +Chateau, with a wood on one flank and the Chateau park on the other—a +strong position strongly held. Further North, Pigeon Wood and a little +salient of trenches called the "Z" were opposite the left of our +Divisional front, while in the middle of No Man's Land, which averaged +about 400 yards wide, stood the ruins of Gommecourt Sucrerie, twenty +yards from the main Foncquevillers-Gommecourt Road.</p> + +<p>Our trenches were in a somewhat curious condition. During the winter the +Division occupying this sector had found that they were too weak to hold +the whole trench, so had selected certain positions which they had +strongly fortified and wired, and then filled the remainder of the +trench with loose wire. The bad weather soon caused the disused sections +of the trench to collapse, fixing the loose wire very firmly on either +side. From a purely defensive point of view there was no harm in this, +but any attacking force would need the whole trench for assembly +purposes and to "jump off," and the work of clearing the long wired-up +sections was very hard indeed. The posts themselves were well dug and +well sighted, there were one or two good communication trenches, and +Foncquevillers, still well preserved in spite of its proximity to the +Boche,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> provided excellent homes for Battalion Headquarters, support +Companies, and even baths and canteen. The enemy, except for some "rum +jars" and heavy trench mortars from Gommecourt, was fairly quiet on the +whole front, and, except when trousers had to be discarded to allow of +wading in the front line, the trenches were by no means uncomfortable.</p> + +<p>For the rest of May we stayed at Souastre, occasionally visiting the +line with working parties, or on tours of inspection, but for the most +part working in the Foncquevillers plain, where battery positions +without number were being built. By the end of the month we learnt the +meaning of all these preparations. Gommecourt was to be attacked in the +near future in conjunction with other greater attacks further South. The +Staffords and the Sherwood Foresters were going to do the attack with +their right on the Sucrerie, their left on the "Z," while the 56th +Division on our right would attack the village from the S.E. The Park, +most of the village, and the Chateau would thus not be directly +attacked, but it was hoped that the two Divisions would meet on the East +side, and so cut off large numbers of Germans in the isolated area. Our +Brigade was to be in reserve. Meanwhile, a large full-sized model of the +German lines was dug near Lucheux forest, where the attacking Brigades +started practising at once. Incidentally the model took many acres of +arable land, and, though it was very well paid for, the French grumbled +loudly, and the 46th Division was known in Lucheux as "les autres +Boches."</p> + +<p>On the evening of the 4th June we moved up through Foncquevillers, and +relieved the 5th Sherwood Foresters in the right sector, opposite +Gommecourt<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span> Park. A road and bank, running parallel with the front line, +and about 100 yards behind it, provided Battalion Headquarters. Behind +this again, the "Bluff," a steep bank, gave the support Company a good +home. Here we remained until the 21st, with a two-days' holiday at +Humbercamps in the middle, a holiday spent in digging cable trenches and +carrying trench mortars and ammunition. It was a long time to remain in +the line, but one Company lived always in a large house in +Foncquevillers, where they were very comfortable, and could get baths +and other luxuries.</p> + +<p>The enemy was not very active, and our most important task was now to +prevent him from guessing our intentions. This soon became impossible, +for, in addition to the ever increasing Artillery, the new cable +trenches, and the Lucheux model, we started to dig a new line of +trenches some 100 yards in front of our front line, along the attack +sector. We, being opposite the Park, did not have to do this, but the +Division on our right and the rest of our Brigade on the left were both +out digging every night. After the first night it became exceedingly +dangerous, for the Boche, knowing exactly where we were working, kept up +a steady bombardment on the right with trench mortars, and, on the left, +swept the ground continuously with accurate machine gun fire. We were +ordered to keep all hostile patrols out of No Man's Land, and +consequently our parties were out most of the night. The Boche, however, +showed no inclination to do the same, and, even though we fixed up an +insulting notice board in front of his wire, never put in an appearance. +Incidentally the back of the board was covered with luminous paint, and +a Lewis gun was trained on it, so that any interference would have been +promptly dealt with.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span></p> + +<p>Before we left the sector we were reinforced by a draft of eight +subaltern officers—2nd Lieuts. A. Emmerson, F.W.A. Salmon, W.H. +Reynolds, A.S. Heffill, A.W.C. Zelley, M.J.S. Dyson, W.K. Callard, and +S.G.H. Street, while at the same time we lost 2nd Lieut. Brittain, who +went to Hospital and thence to England.</p> + +<p>After practising their attack several times, the Staffordshires found +that they had more tasks to fulfill than they could accomplish. +Accordingly they asked for help, and were allotted one Battalion from +our Brigade, for which duty we, having suffered least at Hohenzollern, +were chosen. We were to advance as a ninth wave behind the attackers, +carrying stores and ammunition; while one Company was to dig a trench +joining the Sucrerie to the German front line—a communication trench +for use after the fight. As soon as we left trenches and reached a hut +camp at Warlincourt we, too, started practising for the battle, which, +we were told, would take place at dawn on the 29th June.</p> + +<p>Any account of our doings during this month would be incomplete without +a reference to our one relaxation. The Divisional Concert Party, started +in 1915, had more or less ceased to exist, but in Souastre in a large +barn, the 56th Divisional troupe, the "Bow Bells," performed nightly to +crowded houses. Many of us found time to go more than once, and will +always remember with pleasure the songs, dances, and sketches, the +drummer-ballet-dancer, and the catching melodies of "O Roger Rum" and +other nonsense.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, feverish preparations were being made for the coming battle, +while the weather was as bad as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> possible. There never was a wetter +June, and the new assembly trenches, the recently cleared or newly dug +communication trenches, Derby Dyke, Nottingham, Stafford, Lincoln and +Leicester Lanes, Roberts Avenue and "Crawl Boys Lane," and the cable +trenches were always full of water. Work on the gun pits was seriously +delayed, and many batteries had to move in before their pits were +complete. Fortunately the enemy's artillery was not too active, and +Foncquevillers was almost left alone, though he did one day bombard the +Church. No damage was done, except that afterwards the one remaining +face of the clock stated the time as 2-15 instead of 11-45, as for the +past many months. The village was full of stores and explosives, and +almost every cellar held a bomb or ammunition reserve, while the Church +crypt was filled with Mills and Stokes mortars under the care of +Serjeant Goodman.</p> + +<p>On the 24th June our Artillery registration started, and, with early +morning bombardments and sudden harassing shoots at night, we made a +considerable noise—"the sullen puffs of high explosives bursting in +battalions," as Beach Thomas wrote in the "Daily Mail"—and clearly +showed the Boche that we meant business. This apparently was the +intention of the Staff, for, as the main attack was to be South of us, +it was the object of the IIIrd. Army to attract as many enemy as +possible on this the extreme flank of the attack. So successful were we, +that we did actually frighten the enemy into reinforcing the Gommecourt +area with an extra Division—unfortunate for us who were to attack the +place, but doubtless of value to the 4th Army, who would thus have one +Division less<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> against them, Gommecourt was naturally strong, and this +addition to the garrison made it doubly so, while the Artillery found it +very difficult to destroy the wire which was thick along the whole +front. The trees in the wood were all wired, and there were strong belts +in front of every trench, so that our field guns and trench mortars were +kept hard at work almost all day every day in their efforts to cut +sufficient gaps for us. The enemy's guns replied by registering our +communication trenches, and then remained silent.</p> + +<p>The camp at Warlincourt was uncomfortable, and had no officers' mess, a +luxury which we much needed. However, Colour-Serjeant Collins displayed +his usual skill, and, while Major Toller fixed up a home-made marquee of +wagon sheets and odd tarpaulins, he managed to carry on the cooking +almost in the open. In spite of the rain which came through the roof and +under the sides we had some excellent evenings, and managed to enjoy +ourselves. Our work was mostly training, which now included rapid +wiring. In this we held a competition, finally won by "B" Company, who +put out a "double apron" French wire fence 20 yards long in just over +four minutes—a good performance, though the other Companies declared +that this fence would not have stopped a rabbit, to say nothing of a +Boche. Meanwhile, Major Toller suddenly received orders to report to the +51st Division to command a battalion of the Argyle and Sutherland +Highlanders, and, much to his disgust, had to leave us just before the +fight. In any case he would have been out of the fight, for the +authorities had at last realized the madness of sending a whole +Battalion into action, and to avoid a repetition of the +post-Hohenzollern difficulties,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> every Battalion was ordered to leave +behind, at Souastre, the 2nd in Command and a proportion of officers, +N.C.O.'s and specialists. These, known as the "Battle Details," were +subsequently increased in number, and later a G.H.Q. publication fixed +exactly who would and who would not accompany a battalion into battle. +As Major Beasley had left us at Vimy and not returned, Capt. Shields +became 2nd in Command and had to stay behind, a cruel blow to him, for +he was essentially a fighting man. His Company, "D," was taken by Lieut. +J.W. Tomson of "A" Company. Capt. Ward Jackson had "A," Capt. Knighton +"B," and Capt. Moore "C." R.S.M. R.E. Small was accidentally wounded +during revolver practice, and during the few weeks that he was away his +place was taken by C.S.M. J. Weir.</p> + +<p>During the last two days before the battle the weather became worse, and +the rain fell in torrents. Ours was a comparatively dry sector of the +line, and yet our trenches were full of water, so that the country in +the neighbourhood of the Somme valley became impossible. So bad was it +that at the last moment the whole offensive was postponed until 48 hours +later—the 1st July. The attacking Brigades had already occupied their +front line and assembly positions before the new cancelling order +arrived, and the Staff had now to decide whether to leave them for 48 +hours in these hopelessly wet trenches, or take them back to rest—the +latter course would necessitate two marches, in and out, in two days. +The matter was settled by the Corps Commander, who wished to see another +practice attack over the Lucheux trenches, so the 4th Leicestershires +and 4th Lincolnshires held the line while Staffords and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> Sherwood +Foresters marched back. It was a long way, nearly eleven miles, from +Foncquevillers to Lucheux, and by the time they returned to trenches on +the 30th they were all very tired. However, every man knew exactly what +to do, where to go and when; the most minute details had been worked +out, and even individuals as well as sections and platoons had been +given definite tasks, so there was every prospect of a successful fight +the next day. It was true the wire was in several places uncut, but +still there were plenty of gaps, and this should be no obstacle.</p> + +<p>Soon after midnight 30th June/1st July all the attacking troops were in +position, and we moved up to Midland Trench, an assembly trench running +North and South about 700 yards West of Foncquevillers Church. "A" +Company (Ward Jackson) and "D" Company (Tomson) were in cellars and +dug-outs in the village, since they would be wanted first. There were +many communication trenches along the front, up which we should advance, +for at the last moment all were made "up" trenches until after the +attack; originally some were "up" and some "down." This eleventh hour +alteration caused considerable confusion later. Meanwhile, throughout +the night our gunners fired continuously on the Boche trenches, +villages, and particularly roads and railways, for we wished, if +possible, to stop all rations and ammunition from the Gommecourt +garrison.</p> + +<p>Dawn came at last—a fine day. At 6-24 our barrage started, far more +intense than anything we had used during the previous days, so that the +Boche may have guessed what was going to happen. Smoke shells were mixed +with the H.E., and at 7-30 a smoke trench<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span> mortar screen was put down, +and the Infantry advanced. Four waves crossed No Man's Land, and then +the smoke blew away and the whole of our attack was revealed. On the +right the Staffords, passing the Sucrerie, found the German wire still +strong, and had to struggle through where they could, only to find many +enemy with their machine guns undamaged by our bombardment. On the left +the 5th and 7th Sherwood Foresters entered the Wood and pressed on, +leaving the first enemy lines to the rear waves. But the smoke had gone +and these rear waves had no protection. As the fifth line left our +trenches it was met with machine gun fire from the North, from the "Z" +and from the front line, over which the Sherwood Foresters had passed. +None the less the wave struggled on, until artillery was added to +machine guns, field guns from Monchy enfiladed No Man's Land, every +German battery sent its shells into the carrying parties, and the attack +was stopped. The two leading Staffordshire Battalions, except for a few +who reached the enemy's lines, were held up on his wire or near the +Sucrerie, where many fell. The two leading Sherwood Foresters had +crossed No Man's Land almost unscathed, had entered the German lines +complete, and were never seen again. Commanding Officers, Battalion +Headquarters and their Companies were lost. The other four Battalions, +after losing their leading wave, remained in our front trenches and sent +back messages for more smoke, while here and there gallant efforts were +made by platoons and sections to take help into the wood.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, Capt. Ward Jackson with his Company Serjeant Major—J.R. +Hill—and two platoons (Hep<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span>worth and Salmon) went forward with the +leading parties to dig their trench from the Sucrerie. In spite of the +heavy fire, and the losses of the attacking Brigades, they started work +and actually marked out their trench. But their task was impossible. +Capt. Ward Jackson, hit in the back and shoulder and very badly wounded, +was only saved by Serjt. Major Hill, who pluckily carried him out of the +fight; and, seeing that the attack had failed, 2nd Lieut. Hepworth +ordered the party back to our lines, where they found the rest of the +Battalion in the support line and communication trenches, waiting for +the Staffordshires to move forward.</p> + +<p>The situation was now critical. So far as we knew, the attack of the +56th Division on our right had been successful, yet, if we did not meet +them by 2 p.m. on the far side of Gommecourt, not only would the +operation be a failure, but there was every probability of their being +cut off by the Germans in Gommecourt Park. An attempt was therefore made +to re-organize at once for another attack, but this was found +impossible. Our lines, hopelessly sticky from the bad weather, were now +congested with dead and wounded; the communication trenches were jammed +with stretcher cases and parties coming in, the "up" and "down" rules +were not observed, and, above all, the enemy's artillery enfiladed the +front line from the North, the communications from the East. The +Division on our left did nothing by way of counter battery work, and we +were left to face their opposing artillery as well as our own. There was +also another serious difficulty to re-organization. The men were too +well trained in their particular duties. A private soldier who has been +told<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> every day for a month that his one duty will be to carry a box of +bombs to point Q, cannot readily forget that, and take an efficient part +in an ordinary unrehearsed attack. This, the Staff soon discovered, and, +to give time for all arrangements to be made, a new attack was ordered +for 3-30 p.m. with artillery and, if possible, a smoke screen.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, the enemy's artillery was still active, and we suffered. 2nd +Lieut. Callard, a most promising junior officer, was killed, and with +him C.S.M. F. Johnson of "C" Company. 2nd Lieuts. Russell and Creed were +both wounded, and six men killed and several wounded at the same time, +nearly all by shells in the communication trenches.</p> + +<p>At 3-30 p.m. our Artillery opened once more and our Companies started +forward, only to find that the Staffordshires made no move. It was not +surprising. Many of them had not yet heard the time for the new attack, +many were too tired to be much use, no one was really ready though some +few tried to leave our lines. Such an assault was bound to fail, and +fortunately Col. Jones, who was on the spot and just about to start with +Capt. Allen, received the order to cancel the attack. It would have been +a useless waste of lives, for no good could have come of such a +half-hearted effort. Half-an-hour later the Staffordshires were ordered +to withdraw and the 5th Leicestershires to take over the front line, +while the 5th Lincolnshires came in on our left and relieved the +Sherwood Foresters.</p> + +<p>All hope of trying to help the Division on our right had to be +abandoned. They had reached the enemy's third line and captured several +prisoners in the morning; some of them actually reached the meeting +place,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> but they, too, had to face two sectors of opposing artillery, +for the attack on Serre on their right had failed, and their carrying +parties and all supports for the leading units were hopelessly enfiladed +from the South. Their losses were very heavy, and in the evening, when +it became obvious that we could never help them, they left the enemy's +lines and returned to their own trenches. But there was still hope of +saving some of the missing Sherwood Foresters. They were known to have +reached the wood, for their lights had been seen by our contact patrol +aeroplane. Unfortunately at mid-day this aeroplane ran into the cable of +the kite balloon, and both were out of action for some hours—a most +unlucky accident. In case some of these Sherwood Foresters might be +still alive, the 5th Lincolnshires made another advance at +midnight—only a few minutes after arriving in the line—but found the +enemy present in strength, and lost heavily before they could regain our +lines.</p> + +<p>The rest of the night and all the following day were spent in collecting +the wounded and dead from our lines, from the newly dug and now +water-logged assembly trench in front, and from No Man's Land. Once more +Capt. Barton displayed the most wonderful courage, rescuing three men +from a shell hole, in broad daylight, less than 200 yards from the +German lines, and spending the whole day wandering about from one part +to another, quite regardless of the danger so long as he could find a +wounded man to help. The next day was spent in the same way, and by the +evening the trenches had been considerably tidied up, when, at 9 p.m. we +were relieved by the London Regt. (Rangers), and marched back to +Bienvillers au Bois, leaving some<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span> guides behind to help the newcomers. +These last two days cost us several casualties, amongst them Serjt. R.E. +Foster, who was badly wounded by a shell.</p> + +<p>After the battle, General Snow, the Corps Commander, sent round the +following message:—"The Corps Commander wishes to congratulate the +troops of the 46th Division for the manner in which they fought and +endured during the fighting on the 1st July. Many gallant acts, both by +units and individuals, are to hand. Although Gommecourt has not fallen +into our hands, the purpose of the attack, which was mainly to contain +and kill Germans, was accomplished." To this was added: "The Major +General Commanding wishes all ranks to understand thoroughly that our +recent attack on the Gommecourt salient in concert with the 50th +Division embraced two purposes: (a) The capture of the position; (b) The +retaining of considerable numbers of German troops in our immediate +front in order to prevent them taking part in resisting the advance of +our troops in the South. Although the first purpose was not achieved, +the second was fulfilled, and there is no doubt that our action on the +first materially assisted our troops in the 4th Army and contributed to +their success. The above to be read to all troops on parade."</p> + +<p>In spite of this somewhat comforting message, our action on the 1st was +a failure. This cannot be denied. The retaining enemy's troops on our +front was done by our Artillery and other preparation, and the extra +German Division was lured into the line opposite us at least three days +before the battle. Our assault made not the slightest difference to +this. Our object on the 1st was to capture Gommecourt, and this we +failed to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> do. It is comparatively easy to criticise after the event and +find mistakes, but there were one or two obvious reasons for the failure +which were apparent to all. The rapid dispersal of the smoke barrage, +the terrible enfilade bombardment from the left consequent on the +inactivity of the Division on our left, the failure of our Artillery to +smash up German posts, and in some cases German wire, and, perhaps the +fact that our preparations were so obvious that the Boche was waiting +for us. But in the face of all this, fresh troops in ideal conditions +might have succeeded. Ours were tired after their journey to Lucheux and +back, had had to live several nights in hopelessly foul and water-logged +trenches, and, so far from fresh, were almost worn before they started +to attack.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>CHAPTER VIII.</h3> + +<h4>MONCHY AU BOIS.</h4> + +<p><span class="left">3rd July, 1916.</span><span class="right">29th Oct., 1916.</span><br /></p> + +<p>North of Gommecourt the enemy's line, after passing Pigeon wood, ran a +few yards West of Essarts village along the high ground to within a +short distance of Monchy au Bois, then, turning West, made a small +salient round this village, which lay in a cup-like hollow. Between +Essarts and Monchy, and on higher ground still, stood Le Quesnoy Farm, +which, with some long tall hedges in the neighbourhood, provided the +Boche with excellent and well concealed observation posts and battery +positions. Behind Monchy itself, and again on high ground, was Adinfer +wood, and near it Douchy village, both full of well concealed batteries, +while the trees in Monchy itself gave the enemy plenty of cover for +machine guns and trench mortars. Opposite this our line was almost +entirely in the open. From Foncquevillers it ran due North to the +Hannescamps-Monchy road, more than 1,000 yards from the enemy opposite +Essarts and Le Quesnoy; then, crossing the ridge, dropped steeply to the +Monchy cup, where, at the Bienvillers road, the lines were only 200 +yards apart. The only buildings near the line were the two Monchy mills, +North and South, both about 80 yards from the front line and both little +more than <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146a" id="Page_146a">[Pg 146]</a></span>a heap of bricks with an O.P. concealed in the middle. Just +South of the Bienvillers road a small salient, some 180 yards across ran +out towards the enemy's lines, overlooked from two sides, and always +being battered out of recognition by trench mortars and bombs.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<div class="figleft"><a name="Page_146"></a> + <img src="images/img146a.jpg" + alt="Red Mill, Lens, 1917." /><br /> + <b> Red Mill, Lens, 1917.</b> + </div> + +<div class="figright"> + <img src="images/img146b.jpg" + alt="Bois de Riaumont from the Slag Heap. Boot Trench in +Foreground." /><br /> + <b>Bois de Riaumont from the Slag Heap.<br />Boot Trench in +Foreground.</b> + </div> +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + + +<p>The rest of our front line system was more or less ordinary—deep +trenches with, at intervals, a ruined dug-out for Company Headquarters. +Owing to the appalling weather all trenches were very wet, including the +communication trenches, of which there were several—Chiswick Avenue +opposite Essarts, Lulu Lane alongside the Hannescamps road, with +Collingbourne Avenue branching off it, and, on the Monchy side, Shell +Street in the middle, and Stoneygate Street alongside the Bienvillers +road. The last had been so named by the Leicestershire "New Army" +Brigade, who had originally built the trench. Hannescamps, a minute +village, lay 1,000 yards from the line, partly hidden by a hollow, and, +with an excellent bank full of dug-outs, was a home for Battalion +Headquarters and one Company. Another Headquarters was in Shell Street, +and the Support Battalion, with many batteries and others, lived in +Bienvillers au Bois, about 1½ behind the line. Pommier, la Cauchie, +and occasionally Humbercamps were rest billets still further back. +Beyond them a large farm, la Bazéque, was the home of all the Brigade +transport and Q.M. Stores. Such was the sector into which the Division +went after Gommecourt to rest and gradually recuperate. Our Brigade had +the Monchy front and the stretch with the wide No Man's Land opposite +Essarts; we, as a Battalion, were sometimes North, sometimes South of +the Hannescamps Road, the other Brigades were further North, in the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span>Ransart, Bailleulval and Berles area. Here we stayed, with one rest +later on, for eight months.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a name="img147" id="img147"></a> + <img src="images/img147.jpg" + alt="Hohenzollern Craters, 1917-1918." /><br /> + <b>Hohenzollern Craters, 1917-1918.</b> + </div> + +<p>Soon after our arrival in Bienvillers, we were much surprised to see +Colonel Toller again return to us. We thought that he really had got a +permanent Command when he went to the Highlanders, but apparently a +former Colonel returned a few days after he arrived there, and he was +consequently sent back. However, there were now many vacancies in our +Division, and Col. Toller was at once sent to command the 7th Sherwood +Foresters, the Robin Hoods—an appointment which proved to be permanent, +and which he held for the next two years. At the same time, Lieut. N.C. +Marriott, wounded at Hohenzollern, returned to us, and soon afterwards +2nd Lieut. J.C. Barrett joined us from England, while we lost 2nd Lieut. +G.E. Banwell, who was slightly wounded at Gommecourt, and, after several +efforts to remain with his unit, had to go to Hospital with a badly +poisoned foot. We also lost our Divisional Commander, Major General the +Hon. E.J. Montagu-Stuart-Wortley, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., M.V.O., who went +to England. Before he went, the following notice appeared in +orders:—"On relinquishing the Command of the Division, General +Stuart-Wortley wishes to thank all ranks, especially those who have been +with the Division since mobilization, for their loyalty to him and +unfailing spirit of devotion to duty. He trusts the friendship formed +may be lasting, and wishes the Division good luck and God speed." To +quote the Battalion War Diary—"The Major General has commanded the +Division since 1914; universal regret is openly expressed at his +departure."</p> + +<p>The new Divisional Commander, Major General W.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> Thwaites, R.A., arrived +soon afterwards, and soon made himself known to all units, introducing +himself with a ceremonial inspection. Ours was at Bailleulmont, where we +were billeted for a few days, and on the afternoon of the 13th we formed +up 650 strong to receive him. After inspecting each man very carefully, +the General addressed the Battalion, calling Col. Jones "Col. Holland," +and us the 5th Leicesters, two mistakes which were never forgotten, +though soon forgiven.</p> + +<p>He congratulated us on our appearance, and said that he read +determination in our faces, promising to know us better by seeing us in +the trenches. We then marched past him and went home.</p> + +<p>Our first few tours in this new sector might well be described as a +nightmare of H<sub>2</sub>O and H<sub>2</sub>S. It rained very hard, and all the +trenches at once became full of water—in some places so full that the +garrison, as the weather was warm, discarded trousers and walked about +with shirts tucked into sandbag bathing drawers. Some of the +communication trenches were in a particularly bad condition, and worst of +all was the very deep Berlin Trench running alongside the road from +Bienvillers to Hannescamps. A sort of "Southend-pier" gridded walk had +been built into one side of this about four feet from the floor of the +trench, and in some places even this was covered, so that the water in +the trench itself was nearly six feet deep. Pumps proved almost useless, +and it was obvious that something drastic would have to be done if we +were to remain in this part of the world for the winter.</p> + +<p>The H<sub>2</sub>S was in cylinders. For some unknown reason the Special Brigade +R.E., or "gas merchants" as they were more popularly called, considered +the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> Monchy hollow a particularly suitable place for their poison +attacks. The result was that we spent all our rest periods carrying very +heavy cylinders into the line or out again, terribly clumsy, awkward and +dangerous things to carry, while our trenches, already ruined by the +weather, were still further damaged, under-cut and generally turned +upside down to make room for these cylinders. Then again, the actual gas +projection caused a most appalling amount of trouble. The wind had to be +exactly West, for a touch of North or South would carry the poison over +our miserable little salient, but at times the wind was due East, and on +one occasion it remained obstinately in the wrong quarter for three +weeks, while we lived in daily terror of some chance Boche shell hitting +one of the cylinders. On several occasions we had to assist with smoke +candles and smoke bombs, and this, too, caused us much worry. Perhaps at +dusk the wind would be favourable, and orders would arrive that gas +would be discharged at 11-34. At 11-34 we, having heard nothing to the +contrary, would light our smoke machines, and find no gas turned on. At +12-55 we should get another message by some orderly to say "discharge +postponed until 12-55"—then, of course, no time to warn anybody, and no +smoke left.</p> + +<p>The reason for this delay in the communication of orders was that our +telephones were in a state of transition. We had discovered that the +Boche with his listening sets could overhear all conversations carried +on by the ordinary field telephone, and consequently it was absolutely +forbidden to use this instrument, except in emergency, within 2,000 +yards of the front line. A new instrument, the "Fullerphone," was being +intro<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span>duced which could not be overheard, but one could not use it for +talking; all messages had to be "buzzed." Incidentally the "buzzing" +process produced a continuous whining noise, and this, in a small +Company Headquarter dug-out, was almost enough to drive the unhappy +Company Commander off his head. The Fullerphone, too, was very scarce at +first, so that almost all messages had to be sent by orderly, or runner +as he now began to be called. This caused so much trouble that the next +stage was the introduction of codes and code names. At first these were +very simple, we were "John" after Col. Jones, the 5th Lincolnshires +"Sand," from Sandall, etc., while "gas" became the innocent "Gertie," +and to attack was "to tickle." One very famous message was sent when an +expected gas attack had to be suddenly postponed—"John can sleep quiet +to-night, Gertie will not tickle." Later we became "Sceptre," when all +units in the Division were called after race-horses, and still later, +when Brigade Headquarters became "Girl," we each had a lady's name; we +were "Gertrude." It sounded somewhat curious to hear a Staff Captain who +had lost his Brigadier ringing up a Battalion Headquarters to ask "have +you seen a 'Girl' about anywhere?" The "Bab" code was also introduced, a +three-figure code with innumerable permutations and combinations. The +whole thing was very secret, and added much to the worries of the +Company Commander, who not only had to be careful not to lose the code +book, but had to remember, without writing it down, the Corps code +letter and number for the week.</p> + +<p>In the same way the Artillery had all manner of codes for every +conceivable occasion. Various mes<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span>sages were devised and entered in the +Defence Scheme for retaliation, S.O.S., raid purposes, etc., and woe +betide the luckless F.O.O. or Infantryman who sent the wrong message. +There were "concentrates" and "Test concentrates," and "attacks" and +"Test attacks," and "S.O.S." and many others. If anything serious really +happened, the lines were always broken at once, and there remained only +the rockets and coloured lights. The S.O.S. signal was almost sacred, +not to be used for a hostile raid, or when retaliation was needed, but +only in the event of the enemy massing for a general attack. However, it +was once used—in a rather curious little battle fought on the 4th +August, 1916.</p> + +<p>Our trench strength at the time was very weak, because two days later we +were to raid the enemy's lines opposite Monchy salient, and the raiding +party had been left out of the line at Pommier to practice. At 3-30 a.m. +on the 4th the Boche, either annoyed at our wire-cutting, or to +celebrate his favourite anniversary, the declaration of war, opened a +heavy fire with guns, mortars, rifle grenades, coloured lights and +everything else imaginable. The noise was terrific, and the C.O. and +Adjutant rushed to the Defence Scheme to find what was the correct +message to send; most of the noise was at trench 86. They decided to +tell the Gunners "assist L," but, between F.O.O. and signals, this +reached the Artillery as "assist 86," which was meaningless, so they did +nothing. Meanwhile, our Lewis Guns could be heard, so Col. Jones, unable +to telephone to Companies whose lines were all cut, finally sent the +S.O.S. The reply was prompt and terrific. There was plenty of +ammunition, and all the gunners,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span> wakened by the bombardment, were only +too anxious to shoot, so that within a few minutes every weapon, from an +18 pounder to a 12" gun on railway mounting, was raining shells into +Monchy and its surroundings. It was very effective, but none the less +there had to be an enquiry into "who had dared to use the S.O.S.," and, +when the facts were all brought to light, the F.O.O., Lieut. Cave, +partly responsible for the initial mistake, earned the name of "S.O.S. +Cave," which stuck to him till he left the Division.</p> + +<p>The raid was not a great success. For several days "C" Company, who were +chosen for the task, carried out continuous practices at Pommier, first +under Capt. Mould, and later, when he had to go to Hospital with septic +tonsilitis, under Capt. Shields. Capt. Moore was at the Army School at +the time. The Infantry arrangements were made satisfactorily, but there +was little or no opportunity for the Gunners to observe the result of +their wire-cutting, with the result that, when the party went over on +the evening of the 5th, they found no gaps. The raiding party advanced +in four groups, each group with bombers, bayonet men, and sappers for +demolition work, and each under an officer—2nd Lieuts. Steel, Barrett, +Heffill and Morris. The party removed all marks of identification, but +wore their collars turned up, and a small patch of white on the back of +their collars for mutual recognition.</p> + +<p>At 11-0 p.m. the party left our trenches and lay out in front of our +wire, waiting for our bombardment, which 15 minutes later opened on the +enemy's front line. The shooting was excellent, but the backward burst +from our 6 inch Howitzers caused several casualties; amongst others 2nd +Lieut. Steel was badly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span> wounded in the leg. At Zero, 11-25 p.m., we +advanced, but found no means of getting through the wire, while the +Boche sent numbers of bombs and rifle grenades along the whole front. +The party acted very coolly and searched carefully for gaps, but, +finding none, threw their bombs and returned, guided to our lines by +rockets and lanterns. Six men were missing. A curious thing happened +when our search party, under L/Cpl. Archer, went out to look for them. A +German machine gun, hearing the movement, opened fire, and, at the same +moment, our "Flying Pig"—240 mm. trench mortar—which had jammed during +the barrage, suddenly went off and dropped its shell exactly on the gun +team. The following night Cobley's body, one of the raiders, was found +in a shell-hole, and soon afterwards two others, Worth and Sommers, +returned to our lines, having been lost the previous night. Barkby was +found dead a day later, and Duckett's body was buried by a patrol which +found it during the following tour. The sixth was Private "Arty" Carr, +who returned unhurt at 11-0 p.m. on the 8th, after three days. During +the raid he had left his party, and, while they worked to the left, +looking for a gap, had gone to the right, where, outside the raid area, +he found the wire thin. He had entered the German lines, had some +exciting times with a post which he bombed, and then tried to get out, +only to find that he had moved away from his original gap, and was now +confronted by some very strong wire. He did not get through until dawn +on the 6th, so then lay in a shell hole until dark, when he started to +return. Tired and somewhat exhausted, he lost his way in the waste<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> of +shell holes and mortar craters round the Monchy Salient, and did not +finally find our lines until the 8th.</p> +<p><a name="img154" id="img154"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/img154.jpg"><img src="images/img154-tb.jpg" alt="General map to illustrate chapters VII, VIII and IX." title="General map to illustrate chapters VII, VIII and IX." /></a></div> +<h4>General map to illustrate chapters VII, VIII &. IX.</h4> + +<p>Our total casualties were three killed and one officer and 15 wounded. +To these must be added Captain Barton, who had a most unfortunate +accident. Always wanting to be "up and doing," he watched the raid and +helped the wounded, standing on our front line parapet, but, turning to +re-enter the trench, slipped and bayonetted himself in the thigh. It was +not a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span> very serious wound, but would not heal, and he had to be sent to +England. With him we lost another valuable officer, 2nd Lieut. Williams, +who, while acting as bomb instructor at Brigade Headquarters, met with +an accident, and was wounded in the head. Not long afterwards, Serjt. +Goodman, our chief N.C.O. Instructor, who was wounded, and lost one of +his legs and part of an arm as the result of a bombing accident at the +Divisional School. During this first month our casualties, "holding the +line," were very slight, though we lost three good N.C.O.'s through +shell fire. Serjt. Shreeves, of "C" Company, died of wounds, Cpl. +Ambrose, of "B" Company, was killed outright near Hannescamps, and later +Serjt. W. Gartshore, of "C" Company.</p> + +<p>Between raids and gas attacks we were kept hard at work repairing our +trenches. General Kemp was a sapper before he became an Infantry +Brigadier, and we were soon instructed in the mysteries of sump-holes, +"berms" and "batters," interlocking trench floor boards, and the correct +angles for the sloping sides of a trench, while anyone who dared to +undercut a parapet for any purpose had better not be present the next +time that the General appeared. As far as possible all the carpentry +work was done by the Sappers out of trenches and sump-frames were sent +up ready made, also small dug-outs in numbered parts, easily put +together; all we had to do was to dig the necessary holes. At the same +time some genius invented the "A" frame, a really wonderful labour +saving device. Hitherto floorboards had been supported on piles and +crossbars, while further and longer stakes were driven in to carry the +rivetment. The new frame shaped like<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span> a flat-topped letter "A," was put +in the floor of the trench upside down. The legs held the revetment +against the sides, the floorboards rested on the cross-piece, and the +space between the cross-piece and the flat top formed a good drain. +These were first used in communication trenches only, where the +Monmouthshires were at work for us; later we used them in all trenches +wherever possible.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/img156.jpg" alt="Sketch of a trench." title="Sketch of a trench." /></div> + +<p>Meanwhile, when not in trenches, we rested, first at Bienvillers and +later at Pommier. Bienvillers had many good billets, but was too full of +our heavy artillery to be pleasant, for the noise was often very +disturbing. The enemy, too, used to shell the place, and 2nd Lieut. +Shipston had a most remarkable escape one day when standing in front of +a first floor window, shaving. A whizz-bang hit the window sill and +carried itself, sill and many bricks, between his legs into the room; he +himself was untouched. Another early morning bombardment found the +Doctor in his bath. He left it hurriedly and hastened, dripping and +unclothed, to the cellar, which he found already contained several +officers and the ladies of his billet. But this stay in Bienvillers is +most remembered on account of a slight fracas which occurred between +Col. Jones and a visiting Army Sanitation Officer. A full account is +given in two entries in the War Diary. The first, dated the 23rd July, +says simply—"Major T——, Sanitation Officer, IIIrd. Army, came to look +at billets. We received him coldly, and in consequence got a bad<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span> +report, see later." The second entry, a week later, is dated 30th July. +"The Sanitary report referred to came and we replied. The report +detailed many ways in which we, as a Regiment, were living in dirt, and +making no attempt to follow common-sense rules, or to improve our state. +It stated that we had been in the village <i>three days</i>, and thus implied +that there could be no excuse. Our reply asserted that the inaccuracy of +the report made it worthless. That, though the Regiment had been there +three days, the Army, which the gallant Major T. represented and worked +for, had been in the village some months. That Major T.'s party had done +nothing to put or keep the billets in order, to put up incinerators, or +in any way to make suitable billets for soldiers resting from trench +duty. It suggested that Major T. had neglected his duty, and thus was +not in a position to judge a Regiment."</p> + +<p>Pommier was much pleasanter, and was very seldom shelled. Brigade +Headquarters lived there, and, with the aid of an energetic Mayor and +our invaluable interpreter, M. Bonassieux, had done much to improve the +billets. There were plenty of civilians who were good to us, though, to +quote the War Diary again, 26th August, "A complaint was made by the +Maire that certain of our officers were bathing in the open, and that +this was not counted amongst the indecencies the French permitted." At +about the same time, during one of our rest periods, we were inspected +by General Thwaites—a full ceremonial inspection, the first of many of +these much dreaded ordeals. Again it is impossible to improve on the +account given by the War Diary. "At 2-30 we were drawn up in close +column in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span> Ceremonial—Companies sized. We received the new G.O.C. with +several salutes, the last was probably the worst. The Battalion was then +closely inspected, and a few names taken for unsteadiness, dirty +buttons, badly fitted packs, and the like. A slight confusion between +the terms packs and equipment led us to take off equipment, and we then +formed up as a Battalion in Brigade. We saluted again, this time we had +no bayonets, and then marched past by Companies and back in close column +several times. Then, by a questionable, though not questioned, +manœuvre, we came back again and advanced in review order. The +Brigade Band was in attendance and played the Brigade March in place of +the Regimental March, because it did not know the latter. While still in +Ceremonial order, we finished by doing Battalion drill, under the +general idea 'keep moving.' We kept moving for two hours in all, and it +was universally conceded that the men moved very well. One or two of the +newly arrived officers were unequal to the occasion. It was a good day +in the country, and, in the senior officers, stirred up pleasant +memories of old peace time annual inspections." The exceeding fierceness +of the General on this Inspection had an amusing sequel when, a week +later, two of our soldiers were repairing a road outside the Brigade +office. One regarded the other's work for a few minutes critically, and +then exclaimed fiercely, "Very ragged, very ragged, do it again!" It is +only fair to add, that, terrible as was the ordeal of a Divisional +Inspection, the General kept his original promise, and spent many hours +in the foremost trenches, "that he might know us well."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span></p> + +<p>The evening of this same inspection was one of the few occasions on +which Pommier was bombarded. A sudden two minutes' "hate" of about 40 +shells, 4.2 and 5.9, wounded three men and killed both the C.O.'s +horses, "Silvertail" and "Baby"; both came out with the Battalion. We +still, however, had some good animals left, as was obvious at the +Brigade Sports and Race meeting held on the 11th September at la Bazéque +Farm. This was a most successful show, and the only pity was that we +were in trenches at the time, and so could only send a limited number of +all ranks to take part. The great event of the day was the steeplechase. +The Staff Captain, Major J.E. Viccars, on "Solomon," led all the way, +but was beaten in the last twenty yards by Major Newton, R.F.A. Lieut. +L.H. Pearson was third on "Sunlock II.," the transport Serjeant's horse. +It was a remarkable performance, for he only decided to ride at the last +moment, and neither he nor horse had trained at all. The Battalion did +well in other events, winning 1st and 2nd places in both obstacle and +mule races, and providing the best cooker and best pack pony; the two +last were a great credit to the Transport Section. One of the features +of the day was the Bookies' G.S. wagon, where two officers disguised +with top hats, yellow waistcoats and pyjamas, carried on a successful +business as "turf accountants." At a VIIth. Corps meeting, held a +fortnight later on the same course, we secured two places for the +Battalion: Capt. Burnett came home 2nd in an open steeplechase, and +Capt. Moore 3rd in one for Infantry officers only.</p> + +<p>During September our Mess, already up to strength, was considerably +increased by a large draft of Officers.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span> First we were glad to see Major +Griffiths back as Second in Command, though sorry for Captain John +Burnett, who had to go back to Transport for the time. With Major +Griffiths came 2nd Lieuts. J.R. Brooke, S. Corah, and W.I. Nelson, while +within the same month, or shortly afterwards, 2nd. Lieuts. L.A. Nelson, +J.H. Ball, P. Measures, T.L. Boynton, W.C. Walley, W. Lambert, M.F. +Poynor, and J.A. Wortley all arrived. In October also Serjeant +Beardmore, M.M., of "C" Company, who had latterly being doing +exceptionally good work with the Battalion Scouts, was given his +Commission in the Field, and reposted as a platoon Commander to the old +Company. Capt. Barton's place as M.O. was taken by Captain T.D. Morgan, +of the 2nd Field Ambulance. At the same time a stroke of bad luck robbed +us of 2nd Lieut. Coles, who was badly wounded. During a raid of the 4th +Lincolnshires in October it was our duty to cause a diversion by blowing +up some tubes of ammonal in the Boche wire. The party, led by 2nd Lieut. +Coles, was about to leave our trenches when a rifle grenade or "pine +apple" bomb dropped in their midst and exploded one of the tubes, doing +much damage.</p> + +<p>During these long months of trench warfare a considerable advance was +made in the work of the Intelligence department of the Infantry +Battalion. A year ago one officer did duty for a whole Brigade, now each +Battalion had its Intelligence officer, its scouts and observers, and +its snipers, sometimes the last under a separate officer. The duties of +the Intelligence section were many. They must see and report every +little thing which happened in the enemy's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span> lines, no small detail must +be omitted. The number and colours of his signal lights on different +occasions, the relative activity of his different batteries and their +positions, the movement of his transport, the location of his mortars +and machine guns, the trench reliefs, all these must be watched. The +immediate purpose was of course retaliation, counter battery work, the +making of our bombardments more effective by picking out the tender +spots in his lines, and generally harassing the enemy; but there was a +further purpose. It was particularly necessary that the higher commands +should be kept informed of all the big movements of troops, the state of +the enemy's discipline, etc., and often some little incident seen in the +front line would give the clue to one of these. Lieut. L.H. Pearson was +at this time Intelligence officer, helped by Serjt. Beardmore, M.M., +the humorous side to their work, and many amusing things were seen, or +said to be seen, through the observers' telescopes. The old white-haired +Boche, digging near Monchy, who looked so benign that no one would shoot +him, became quite a famous character, until one day his real nature was +revealed, for he shook his fist at one of our low-flying aeroplanes, and +obviously uttered a string of curses, so one of the snipers shot him. +Then again there was the lady of Douchy, who could be seen each evening +coming out to hang up the washing; she was popularly known as Mary, and +figured in the reports nearly every day.</p> + +<p>With the observers worked the snipers. After nearly two years, +telescopic sights at last appeared, and we tried to train the once +despised "Bisley shot."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span> They were very keen, and had much success, of +which they were duly proud, as their individual reports showed. "We +watched for ¾ of an hour until our viggillance was rewarded by seeing +a Boche; he exposed half of himself above the parapet, I, Pte. ——, shot +him," so said one report, the name has unfortunately been lost. Some +snipers even kept a book of their "kills," with entries such as "June +1st, 9-30 a.m. Boche sentry looking over, shot in shoulder, had grey +hair almost bald very red face and no hat." It was just the right +spirit, and it had its results. Autumn, 1915, saw us hardly daring to +look over the top for fear of being sniped; Autumn, 1916, saw us +masters, doing just what we pleased, when we pleased.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>CHAPTER IX.</h3> + +<h4>GOMMECOURT AGAIN.</h4> + +<p><span class="left">29th Oct., 1916.</span><span class="right">15th April, 1917.</span><br /></p> + +<p>Many Divisions were now taking part in the Somme battle for the second +time, and as we suddenly left Pommier on the 29th October—our final +destination unknown—we naturally thought it probable that we, too, +should soon be once more in the thick of the fighting. However, our +fears were groundless, and we moved due West, not South. Our first night +we spent in Mondicourt, and then moved the next day in pouring rain to +Halloy, where we stayed two days. On the 1st November we marched 14 +miles through Doullens to Villers L'Hôpital, on the Auxi le Chateau +road, where we found our new Padre waiting for us, the Rev. C.B.W. Buck. +The march was good, and no one fell out until the last half mile, a +steep hill into billets, which was too much for six men; as we had done +no real marching for several months, this was very satisfactory. There +was only one incident of interest on the way, a small collision between +the heavily laden mess cart and the level crossing gates at Doullens, +due to the anxiety of the lady gate-keeper to close the gates and let +the Paris express through, a feat which she accomplished, despite all +the efforts of our Transport, which was consequently cut in half.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span> The +following day it rained again, and we marched to Conteville, stayed a +night, and went on to Millencourt the next morning. Here we found good +billets and, as we were told we were likely to remain a month, fixed up +a Battalion Mess in the Farm Chateau.</p> + +<p>We were soon informed that we had not come to Millencourt to rest, but +to carry out "intensive training" to fit us for offensive action. This +meant very hard work all the morning, many afternoons, and two or three +nights a week as well. The idea was to devote the first week to Platoon +and Company work, the next to Battalion drill and training, and to +finish our course with some big Brigade and Divisional days. The weather +was not very good, but we managed to do many hours work, the usual +physical training, bayonet fighting, steady drill, and extended order +work, night compass work and lectures. The most exciting event was one +of the night trainings, when Col. Jones combined cross country running +with keeping direction in the dark. The running was very successful, but +the runners failed to keep direction, and ran for many miles, getting in +many cases completely lost; far into the night the plaintive notes of +the recall bugle could be heard in the various villages of the +neighbourhood.</p> + +<p>Soon after our arrival a Divisional Sports Committee drew up a programme +for a meeting to be held at the end of our training, and to consist of +football, boxing, and cross country running. Eliminating heats and +events had to be decided beforehand, and, with Lieut. Heffill and Serjt. +J. Wardle to look after the boxing, and Capt. Shields as "O.C. +Football," we started training without delay. At the football we had our +usual luck, for, after a good victory over the 4th<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span> Lincolnshires, we +were once more beaten by our own 4th Battalion. The last game was very +exciting, and feeling ran so high that the language on the touch line +became terrible, and would have shocked even a Brigadier. The finals of +the boxing and cross country running could not take place until later +when we had left the area. On one or two of the spare afternoons we +managed to get some Rugby football, and had some excellent games, during +which we discovered that our Padre was a performer of considerable +merit.</p> + +<p>On the 22nd November we started back Eastwards, and, after a night at +Prouville and two at Fortel, arrived in the pouring rain at Halloy, +where we were told we should stay for about a week. We were put into the +huts, which were unfinished and entirely unfit for habitation, while to +make matters worse, the field in which they stood had become a sea of +mud. After the good billets of Millencourt, this change for the worse +produced the inevitable sickness, and, in addition to many N.C.O.'s and +men who went away with fever and influenza, we lost for a short time +Col. Jones, and several of the officers. Amongst them was 2nd Lieut. +J.R. Brooke, who had long ago been warned against the danger of again +getting nephritis, but in spite of this refused to stay away from the +Battalion, and insisted on braving even the worst weather and the +wettest trenches. About the same time, Captain Burnett went to England, +going to Hospital from the Army School.</p> + +<p>The week in these horrible surroundings was lengthened to a fortnight, +and we were at last able to hold the finals of the cross country run. +Many of the Battalion entered, and over two hundred came<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> home in the +time, a very good performance, though not good enough to win. The boxing +tournament was held still later at St. Amand, and we sent two entries. +In the heavy weights, Boobyer was beaten on points after a plucky fight, +and in the feather weights, O'Shaugnessy knocked his opponent all over +the place, and won in the second round.</p> + +<p>On the 6th December we marched to the Souastre huts, where the Colonel +returned to us, and we once more began to feel fit; the huts here were +not palaces, but were far better than those we had left at Halloy. On +the 11th we moved up through Bienvillers and went into our old trenches +opposite Monchy. But the recent heavy rains had undone all the good that +we had done in the early autumn, and they were now in a very bad state. +On the right of the Hannescamps road they were particularly bad, and +Liverpool Street, which ran from Lulu Lane to the front line, was almost +impassable. There was the same terrible clinging mud, feet deep, that we +had found at Richebourg a year before, and the old troubles of lost gum +boots began again. Fortunately we were now prepared, and were able to +combat the dangers of "trench foot." Each Company had its drying room—a +dug-out occupied by the Stretcher bearers, and kept warm by an ever +burning brazier. Here at least once in every 24 hours every man who +could possibly have got wet feet, and every man wearing rubber boots, +came, had his feet rubbed, and was given dry socks and boots, while at +Headquarters and in Bienvillers were large drying rooms where the wet +boots could be dealt with. In this way we were able to keep almost free +from the complaint, and the few men whose feet did fail were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span> all men +who had had "trench feet" the previous winter, and were consequently +always liable to it.</p> + +<p>All this time it was not only wet, but cold, and after Christmas it +became colder until the first week in January, when heavy snow fell. +Thenceforward, until the middle of February, there was continuous frost +with occasional heavy falls of snow, though generally the days and +nights were fine and clear. For several feet down, the ground was frozen +hard, and digging became absolutely impossible. There was now solid ice +instead of water in the trenches, and the front line sentries found +their task a particularly cold one. Fortunately by this time the trench +cook-house was not only an established thing but had become a very +successful affair, and four times a day hot meals were carried in tanks +and food containers from Battalion Headquarters to the front line. For +this purpose the rectangular tanks from the cooks' wagons were used, +being carried by two men, on a wooden framework or stretcher. Along a +road or up a well made communication trench this was a comparatively +light task, but to carry a tank full of hot tea over slippery shell +holes and through knee-deep mud was a difficult matter, and on more than +one occasion a platoon lost its hot drink at night through the +disappearance of the carriers into some shell hole. The wonderful thing +was that both tea-less platoon and drenched carriers would laugh over it +all.</p> + +<p>Christmas Day was spent in trenches. We were relieved in the afternoon +by the 4th Battalion, who had their festivities on Christmas eve, and +went back to Souastre, where the following day we, too, had our dinner. +Pigs had been bought and killed, and we all gorged ourselves on roast +pork and plum pudding,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span> washing them down with beer—a very satisfactory +performance. There were also the usual games and Company dinners, and we +all spent a very enjoyable few days. Later on we managed to arrange a +Battalion concert which was a tremendous success, and voted by all a +most excellent evening; the "star" turn was Colonel Jones, who gave a +recitation.</p> + +<p>The weather made raids and active operations impossible, and though we +made all preparations for a rifle grenade demonstration to assist a +Staffordshire raid on New Year's night, this had to be cancelled on +account of the snow. Patrols, however, still continued to tour No Man's +Land in the hopes of finding a stray Boche, or encountering a Boche +patrol. In front of Essarts the lines were so far apart that there was +plenty of room for a small pitched battle, and night after night Lieuts. +Pearson, Creed, Poynor, and others visited such familiar haunts as the +"Osier Bed," "Thistle Patch," "Lonely Tree," and other well-known +places. The first to meet the enemy was Lieut. Pearson, who came upon a +small party in the "Thistle Patch," who made off rapidly back to their +lines. Our patrol used their rifles, but, though they hit one of the +enemy, failed to take a prisoner, and for a week or two the Boche did +not show himself. Then on the 10th January, 2nd Lieut. Creed, with a +mixed party of scouts from all Companies, while reconnoitering the +"Osier Bed" suddenly found that a party of the enemy was in their right +rear and close to our wire, where four of them could be seen. Our patrol +turned at once and ran straight at the four as fast as they could, +coming, as they ran, under a heavy fire from a Boche covering party +lying some 50 yards out. Pte. A. Garner was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span> killed outright, but the +remainder, led by 2nd Lieut. Creed and Pte. Frank Eastwood of "C" +Company, rushed on and wounded and captured one of the four, who was +found to be the officer. The remainder of the enemy took the alarm in +time and made off. The officer proved to be an English-speaking +subaltern of the 55th Regt.—our old opponents of Hohenzollern in +October, 1915. He was led down to the Aid Post to have his wound +dressed, much to the disgust of Captain Terry, the M.O., who would have +liked to have killed him outright, though Serjeant Bent, the medical +orderly, took compassion on his shivering prisoner and fed him on hot +tea, and actually gave him a foot warmer!</p> + +<p>This little affair caused the Boche extreme annoyance, and the following +day he spent the morning shooting at Berlin Trench, the Bienvillers road +and Bienvillers itself, round the Church. As we were relieved during the +morning we had to march out through it all, and found it particularly +unpleasant, especially when a shell hit the R.E. Dump, exploded an +ammunition store, and sent the house at the Church corner several +hundred feet into the air.</p> + +<p>At this time there were again several changes in the personnel. Capt. +G.W. Allen went to Brigade Headquarters and thence to the Corps School +as an Instructor; Capt. J.D. Hills, who took his place, fell down and +injured his knee so badly that it took him to England for six months; +Capt. Knighton was made Town Major at St. Amand, and Captain Mould went +to England. Capt. Wollaston rejoined us, bringing with him 2nd Lieut. +Banwell and a new subaltern, 2nd Lieut. D. Campbell. 2nd Lieut. C.H. +Morris acted as Adjutant. 2nd Lieut. J.R. Brooke paid one of his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span> +periodical visits to the R.A.M.C., driven thither by the M.O., who was +afraid he would die on his hands, but returned to us again soon +afterwards.</p> + +<p>During the last fortnight of January we had several Units of the 58th +(London) Division attached to us for instruction. They were one of the +first "second-line" Territorial Divisions to reach France, and were +followed by our own second-line, the 59th, who went for their initiation +to the most Southern end of the British front, and we consequently did +not see them. Nothing of any note happened during their stay, except a +heavy gas shell bombardment on "D" Company's (Capt. Shields') trenches. +The men were all warned in time and put on helmets, so that we had no +casualties. The shells were almost noiseless, so that when the gas blew +over the crest into "B" Company (Capt. Wollaston), who were in support, +it was thought to be cloud gas and the Strombos horns were sounded. The +flank Units sounded theirs, too, and Bienvillers took it up, much to the +annoyance of the batteries and staffs who were thus unnecessarily +disturbed, since the Strombos should never be used for gas shells only. +It was a very natural mistake, but we were severely "strafed" by the +authorities; however, as we had no casualties, and there had been many +in other Units, we ended by being congratulated.</p> + +<p>On the 14th February came the beginnings of the thaw, and with it the +first rumours of a German withdrawal. Three days later the enemy shelled +Foncquevillers heavily, apparently with a view to a raid, or possibly to +deceive us into thinking that he did not mean to retire. Our guns +replied, and the Right Half Battalion under Major Griffiths, who was +already<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span> quartered in the village, stood to, but nothing happened. The +remainder of the Battalion with the Headquarters was now in Bienvillers +in Brigade reserve. The weather once more became frosty, and there was a +thick mist almost every day. On the 23rd we relieved the 4th Battalion, +and occupied some 2,500 yards of front line opposite Gommecourt, where +the Huns shelled us at intervals all the next day, but did no damage. At +midnight 24th/25th the Brigadier had reason to believe the Boche was +going to leave his lines, and a strong patrol under Major Griffiths went +out to reconnoitre. They cut many gaps in the wire, but found the German +front line still held. At dawn it was very foggy, and there was some +shouting heard in Gommecourt, which sounded like "Bonsoir," but at 7-10 +a.m. the enemy opened a heavy bombardment which lasted 3½ hours. +Shells of every kind were fired and our trenches hit in several places; +one man was killed. The next night patrols were again out and, though it +was found that the Boche had evacuated Gommecourt Park, he was still in +the village, where the following morning dug-outs were seen to be on +fire. Wire was cut and everything prepared for the advance.</p> + +<p>However, the Boche still hung on to his line, and on the evening of the +26th and at dawn the following morning our patrols still found him +there. 2nd Lieuts. Banwell and Beardmore and Serjt. Growdridge were +constantly out, waiting for a chance to enter his lines, but the chance +never came, and, on the 27th, we were relieved by the 4th Battalion, and +returned to Souastre. That evening the Boche retired, and the 4th +Battalion entered Gommecourt. At this point we lost Captain J.W. Tomson, +who had been far from well for some<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span> time, and now went to England with +fever. He had never missed a day's work for two years. Lieut. D.B. +Petch took his place in command of "A" Company.</p> + +<p>The German withdrawal was very slow, and we spent the next day having +baths in Souastre. On the 1st March we moved into the new front line, +round the East edge of Gommecourt, while the Boche was still holding +Pigeon Wood. The enemy was very alert, as General H.M. Campbell, the +C.R.A., discovered; he went into the wood, thinking it unoccupied, and +was chased out by a fat Boche throwing "potato mashers." In the evening +the Headquarters moved into a German dug-out, but the enemy still +occupied the "Z." The front line between there and Gommecourt was filled +with deep dug-outs, all connected underground, so the Boche occupied one +end, while 2nd Lieuts. Banwell and Barrett sat in the other, of the same +tunnel. There were many booby traps, such as loose boards exploding a +bomb when trodden on; trip wires at the bottom of dug-out steps bringing +down the roof, and other such infernal machines. We were warned of +these, and had no casualties.</p> + +<p>On the 2nd March we continued to press the enemy, having as our +objective a circle 900 yards round Gommecourt Church. 2nd Lieut. Corah +was slightly wounded by a sniper, and one or two men were hit with +splinters of bomb, but there were no serious casualties. Our bombing +parties were very vigorous, and in one case consumed the hot coffee and +onions left by a party disturbed at breakfast. In this bombing work, +Serjeants A. Passmore, Cave and Meakin, Cpl. Marshall, and L/Cpls. Dawes +and A. Carr all distinguished themselves. Gommecourt wood was soon<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span> +cleared, and by the evening we had gained the whole of the circular +objective. The next morning early the 8th Sherwood Foresters came up to +relieve us, but, though the other Companies were relieved, "A" Company +(Petch) refused to be. They were busy chasing the Boche, and were quite +annoyed when told that they must come away. Relieved, we marched back to +Souastre.</p> + +<p>We stayed at Souastre until the 11th March, and then moved up once more +to the line, taking over 2,600 yards of frontage from the la Brayelle +Road to the Hannescamps-Monchy Road. Our time in reserve had been spent +almost entirely in lectures on the attack, and on lessons drawn from the +enemy's recent withdrawal from Gommecourt, and we had more than once +been congratulated on our patrol work, which was excellent throughout +this time. Between Essarts and Monchy the Boche was still holding his +original line, and though expected to retire at any time, he made no +movement during the three days we stayed in the line. On the 13th we +were ordered, during the afternoon, to make certain that the enemy were +still present, so 2nd Lieut. T.H. Ball marched up the Essarts Road with +two platoons, until fire was opened on them from more than one +direction, and the strength of the enemy was apparent. That evening we +were relieved by the Lothian and Border Horse, and marched on relief to +Foncquevillers. The same night, just before midnight, the Staffordshires +made an attack on Bucquoy Graben, a strong Boche trench, and the +outskirts of Bucquoy village. It was very wet and dark, and the +operation altogether most difficult, so that the Staffordshires, though +they made a very gallant attack, lost heavily and gained little ground.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span></p> + +<p>At dawn the following morning, 14th March, we were ordered to be ready +to go and support the Staffordshires, but, after considerable +uncertainty and waiting, this order was cancelled. Instead, a flagged +plan of the Bucquoy trenches was made on the plain N.W. of our village, +and here we practised the attack. The weather was bad, but we managed to +make all the necessary arrangements and do some attack drill. In the +village we had a singular stroke of ill luck. One solitary German +Howitzer shell dropped amongst a party of "D" Company, killing Pte. J.T. +Allen, who had done good work in the bombing at Gommecourt, and wounding +six others, one of whom, W. Clarke, died of wounds afterwards. The +practised attack, which should have taken place from Biez Wood on the +16th, never came off, for it was made unnecessary by the rapidity of the +German retirement.</p> + +<p>After this the weather improved, and it was bright and warm when, on the +17th, we moved during the afternoon into Gommecourt and came temporarily +under orders of the 139th Brigade. The following day we moved again, +this time to dug-outs and fields 500 yards North of Essarts, country +which the enemy had now entirely evacuated. The villages and farms had +all been very badly battered by our Artillery, and the Boche had found +time to destroy almost everything before he went, except at Douchy, +where there was some good dug-out timber. Needless to say, the famous +Mary of that village was not to be found. The French were immensely +pleased at regaining part of their lost territory, though it was a +pathetic sight to see some of the old people coming to look at the piles +of bricks which had once been their homes. Two ladies<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span> came to +Gommecourt with a key, little thinking that so far from finding a lock +they would find not even a door or door-way—there was not even a brick +wall more than two feet high. Those officers who could get horses rode +round to look at the country which for nine months we had been watching +through telescopes, and the concrete emplacements of Monchy and Le +Quesnoy Farm were all explored, while No Man's Land, the only place free +from wire and shell holes, provided an excellent canter. The Companies +were largely employed in road mending, filling up German mine craters, +and making tracks across the trenches for our Artillery. The enemy +seemed to be really on the move at last, and we were all looking forward +to seeing some new country, but on the 20th the weather broke, there was +another fall of snow, and we were not sorry to be ordered back to +Souastre, where we went into the huts for two nights.</p> + +<p>For the rest of March we were constantly on the move, mostly by march +route. First, on the 22nd, we marched via Couin and Bus-les-Artois to +Bertrancourt, where we found some huts and much mud. One very large +"Nissen" hut provided an Officers' Mess, but was completely devoid of +all furniture until the Colonel invented some wonderful hanging +tables—table tops hung from the ceiling on telephone wires. Here we +were joined by 2nd Lieuts. C.C. Craggs, S.R. Mee, and B.G. Bligh, all +new-comers. 2nd Lieuts. R.C. Broughton and A. Ramsden had joined a week +or two before, so we now had our full complement of Platoon Commanders. +Soon afterwards, however, 2nd Lieut. and A/Adjt. C.H. Morris went to the +Indian Army, and his place was taken by Lieut. L.H. Pearson. In<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> +Bertrancourt we found some German prisoners working, one of whom +obviously received the latest news from London quicker than we did, for +he told us that as the result of an air raid "London was in bits"! After +one night here we marched via Acheux, Lealvillers and Arquèves to +Raincheval, where we again stayed one night—a hard frost. The next day +we moved on again, passing through Puchevillers, Rubempré and Pierregot +to Rainnevillers. The march was made particularly uncomfortable by the +number of different Units on the road, marching in all directions, and +we had to keep big intervals between Companies.</p> + +<p>Rainnevillers was only six kilometres from Amiens, and many officers +availed themselves of this opportunity of visiting the town. The +mysteries of Charlie's Bar, Godbert's, the Café du Cathédral, and other +haunts were revealed for the first time, and proved so attractive that +two senior officers made a very wet night the excuse for staying in a +Hotel. They returned at dawn, but did not realise how early the Colonel +rose, and met him at the breakfast table, to be congratulated on their +(most unusual) earliness! We stayed here two days, and the G.O.C. came +and presented medal ribbons to those who had been awarded decorations at +Gommecourt. On the 26th March we "embussed" with the 4th +Leicestershires, and were taken through Amiens to Dury, whence we +marched a short distance to St. Fuscien, and went into billets. We were +still near enough to Amiens for those who wished to "joy ride" into the +town.</p> + +<p>Two days later, on the 28th March, we marched to Saleux and entrained +for the North. Passing through<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span> Doullens we arrived at Lillers early the +next morning, and marched thence to Laires, twelve miles through the +driving rain. We reached billets all wet through. "B" Company followed +by a later train, and joined us in billets just after midnight.</p> + +<p>We were now in the 2nd Corps, and, before we had time to look round our +new billets, the Corps Commander, General Jacob, came and was introduced +to all officers, speaking to us in the village school room. After that +we looked round our new quarters and found them excellent, so settled +down to have, if possible, an enjoyable rest. Marie, of the "Cheval +Blanc," provided a room where officers might meet and drink beer, +subalterns, of course, champagne, and her name must be added to the long +list of Tina's, Bertha's, and others who all over France welcomed the +British officer so cordially at their estaminets. Meanwhile, we spent +our days training, and particular attention was paid to route marching, +in which we were severely handicapped by the bad state of our boots. For +some reason there was at the time a shortage of leather, so Serjeant +Huddleston, our shoemaker, could do nothing to improve matters, and we +had to make the best of a bad job. It was really remarkable on some of +the longer marches how few men fell out considering that many had +practically no soles to their boots. However, the pleasant billets at +Laire amply repaid us for our other troubles, and we were all sorry when +on the 13th April, 2nd Lieut. Brooke and the rest of us bade farewell to +Marie and marched to Manqueville.</p> + +<p>Here we continued training so far as the weather allowed, but a +considerable amount of rain rather hampered us. On the 15th we lost +Colonel Jones who<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span> went to England for three months' rest. With the +exception of a few weeks in 1915 he had been with us since the +beginning, and there was not an officer or man who did not regret his +going. There was never a trench or post which he did not visit, no +matter how exposed or how dangerous the approach to it. Moreover, he was +never downhearted, and while he was in it, the Battalion Headquarters of +the 5th Leicestershire Regiment was known throughout the Division as one +of the most cheerful, if not the most cheerful, spot in France. Major +Griffiths took temporary command until, on the 23rd, Major Trimble, +M.C., of the E. Yorks. Regt. arrived from the 6th Division and took over +from him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>CHAPTER X.</h3> + +<h4>LENS.</h4> + +<p><span class="left">16th April, 1917.</span><span class="right">10th June, 1917.</span><br /></p> + +<p>On the 16th of April we learnt that we were once more to go to trenches, +and the same day we moved to Annezin, just outside Béthune. The march +will always be remembered on account of the tremendous energy displayed +by Captain Shields, who was acting second in command. Just before the +start he insisted on the reduction of all officers' kits to their +authorised weight, thereby causing much consternation amongst those +whose trench kits included gramophones, field boots, and other such +articles of modern warfare. However, on arrival at Annezin all such +worries were dispersed by the radiant smiles of the ladies at the C.O.'s +billet, with whom all the Subaltern Officers, and one or two Captains at +once fell in love.</p> + +<p>Two days later Major Griffiths and some of the Company Officers went to +reconnoitre the area round Bully Grenay and the western outskirts of +Lens, which we were told would be our new area. The capture of Vimy by +the Canadians a few days before, had made an advance on Lens more +possible than it had ever been before, and there were many who thought +that the Boche would be compelled to evacuate the town. But the Germans +had not yet any intention of doing this.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span> Though the Vimy heights were +lost to them, they still held "Hill 70" on the North side, and due West +of Lens, near the Souchez river, Fosse 3 and "Hill 65" were naturally +strong positions. South of this again, and just the other side of the +river, was another small rise, on which stood an electric generating +station, another commanding position held by the enemy. Our line ran +through the houses of Liévin, across the Lens road, round the Eastern +edge of Cité St. Pierre, and through Cité St. Edouard to the slopes of +"Hill 70."</p> + +<p>The whole neighbourhood was covered with coal mines. Each had its +machine buildings, its slag heap, and its rows of miners' cottages, +called "Corons," all in perfectly straight lines. The mine complete was +known as a "Cité," and a Cité in the case of a large mine, covered a +considerable tract of country, and had several hundred cottages. As the +mines increased in number or grew in size, these Cités became more and +more numerous, until when war began the country was fast becoming one +large town. The trenches ran from cellar to cellar, through houses, +along roadsides, were very irregular, and mostly short, unconnected and +isolated lengths. Streets were the only means of communication, and +these could not be used except at night. We were at a great disadvantage +in this area. The Boche had but lately occupied the line we were now +holding; he knew its whereabouts exactly, knew every corner of it, and +could observe it from his heights on both flanks. We on the other hand +never quite knew where the Boche was living, had no observation of his +front line, and were consequently unable to retaliate as effectively as +we should have wished to his trench mortars.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span></p> + +<p>On the 19th of April Lt. Col. J.B.O. Trimble, M.C., arrived and took +command, and the same night we marched through Béthune and Noeux les +Mines to the "Double Crassier"—a long double slag heap near Loos—where +we lived for two days in cellars and dug-outs, in Brigade Reserve. The +day after we arrived an attempt was made by the Division on our left to +capture "Hill 70." It failed, and during the enemy's retaliatory +bombardment our positions were heavily shelled, and five men wounded. +The next night we moved back to Maroc and Bully Grenay, where we stayed +until the 23rd, when we relieved the 4th Battalion in the front line.</p> + +<p>Our new sector was one of the worst we ever held. The front line, "A" +Company (Petch), consisted of "Cooper Trench"—an exposed salient in +front of Cité St. Pierre, overlooked and shelled from every direction +and absolutely unapproachable during daylight, except for those who were +willing to crawl. "B" and "C" Companies (Wynne and Moore) were behind in +cellars, and "D" (Shields) and Battalion Headquarters still further back +in the Cité. On the left could be seen the low slag heap and railway +line of St. Pierre coal mine, held by our 1st Battalion, under which the +6th Division a few days previously had lost an entire platoon buried in +a collapsed dug-out.</p> + +<p>The tour lasted six days, and at the end of the second "D" Company +relieved "A" in Cooper trench. It was originally intended to relieve "D" +in the same way two nights later, but this was impossible, because we +had to take over a new sector of line on the right, where "B" Company +now relieved the 4th Lincolnshires, astride the Cité St. Edouard road. +The new<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span> sector was not so exposed to view, and consequently to shelling +as Cooper trench, but had other disadvantages, chief among which was its +peculiar shape. A sharp pointed salient ran out along the Cité St. +Edouard road, while South of this the line bent back to the right until +it reached the outskirts of St. Pierre.</p> + +<p>The shelling was very hot throughout the tour, and, at night +particularly, there was plenty of machine-gun fire up the streets, which +made ration carrying a dangerous job. "D" Company suffered most in +casualties, nearly all of which were caused by shell fire on Cooper +Trench, where they were unlucky in losing, in addition to some twenty +others, Serjeants Williams, Queenborough and Goode, all of whom were +wounded. The other Companies had some ten casualties between them.</p> + +<p>All this time the enemy were inclined to be nervous after our attack on +"Hill 70," and almost every day the columns of smoke in Lens showed us +where he was burning houses and stores in case he should be forced to +retire. His Infantry remained comparatively inactive in the front line, +and when one night 2nd Lieut. Banwell and his platoon of "C" Company +raided Cité St. Edouard Church they found no enemy there.</p> + +<p>One humorous episode is handed down concerning this otherwise rather +grim tour. Battalion Headquarters lived in a very small cellar—mess and +office below, clerks and signallers and runners on the stairs. The +Boche, the previous occupants, had left a suspicious looking red and +black object on one end of the table which we used for meals and work. +This took up a large part of our very scanty room, so an R.E. Specialist +was called in to examine it. He<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span> examined the object, at once condemned +the cellar as dangerous, and advised our immediate departure. Cellars +were hard to find, we consulted another specialist. His actions are best +described in the words of one of those present: "He (R.E.) clears +dug-out, or rather dug-out clears itself, and ties string gingerly to +object; the string he leads upstairs and along a trench to what he +considers is a safe distance. When all is ready the string is pulled. +Nothing happens. Suspense—a long pause—two hours—several drinks—R.E. +proceeds to examine result lying on floor—an improvised lantern used +for photography!"</p> + +<p>On the 29th, after a big gas bombardment against the enemy's positions +in Cité St. Edouard and St. Theodore, we were relieved by the 4th +Battalion, and went into the St. Pierre cellars—in Brigade support. The +whole place was under direct observation, and movement by day was +impossible, which made our existence very unpleasant. It was while here +that we began to realize what a magnificent man was Padre Buck. Nothing +worried him, and even Cooper trench formed part of his parish, to be +visited each night. In St. Pierre he held a service every evening in one +of the cellars, undeterred although on one occasion a shell burst in the +doorway, scattering its bits inside, but doing no damage.</p> + +<p>On the 3rd of May we again relieved the 4th Battalion and stayed for +three days in the Cooper trench sector. We had a quieter time than +before, and only lost one killed and nine wounded during the tour. +Amongst the latter were L/Cpl. Waterfield and "Pat" Collins the runner, +who were both hit by a shell, which burst on the orderly room. Our chief +difficulty was the water<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span> supply. With the hot weather the demand for +water increased, and it all had to be brought to the line in petrol +cans. Fortunately the limbers could come as far as Battalion +Headquarters, and cans had to be carried forward from there only; even +this took many men, and our numbers were by no means large.</p> + +<p>At the end of this tour, the Brigade went into Divisional reserve, and +we, relieved by the Sherwood Foresters, went back to Fosse 10, near +Petit Sains. Here we stayed for six days training, playing games, and, +by way of work, wiring a new line of defence. During this time we lost +several officers. Capt. Wollaston and Lieut. H.E. Chapman went to +Hospital, Lieut. Petch, 2nd Lieuts Clay and Bligh had already gone, and +2nd Lieut. Hepworth left a few days later to join the Indian Army. +Captain Shields went on leave and "D" Company was commanded by Captain +John Burnett, who, on his return from England, had been sent to the 4th +Battalion, but soon worked his way back to us.</p> + +<p>It was now our turn to go to the right Brigade sector, previously held +by the Staffordshires, and on the 12th May we marched up to Red Mill, +between Angres and Liévin. It was a disastrous march, for we were +heavily shelled, and lost L/Cpl. Startin and Pte. Norton killed, and +three L/Cpls., Ellis, Richardson and Roper, wounded—four of these were +"No. 1" Lewis Gunners. Once at Red Mill all was well, and for the next +two days we had an enjoyable time. The Mill proved to be a large +red-brick Chateau, now sadly knocked about, on the banks of the Souchez +river. The weather was bright and warm, so a dam was built, and we soon +had an excellent bathing pool, much patronized by all ranks.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span> 2nd Lieut. +J.C. Barrett was the star performer, and never left the water, so that +those who had nothing better to do used to "go and see the Signalling +Officer swim"—it was one of the recognised recreations of the place.</p> + +<p>At night we provided carrying and wiring parties, all of which had to go +through Liévin, a bad place for shells. The Church stood at a +particularly hot corner, and here, on the 11th, 2nd Lieut. T.P. Creed, +M.C., was wounded in the head and foot and had to be sent to England, a +great loss to "D" Company. We had two killed and nine wounded about the +same time, and lost amongst the wounded one of our old soldiers, +O'Shaugnessy, the boxer.</p> + +<p>On the 15th May we relieved our 4th Battalion in the right sub-sector, +staying there for ten days, with a three days' holiday at Red Mill in +the middle. We were very weak, and our strength in trenches was barely +450, for in addition to casualties we had to send many away on leave or +to courses. Our new sector lay between the Souchez river and the +Lens-Liévin road, while across the river were the Canadians. Opposite +them and our right flank, was the ridge with the generating station, +opposite our centre Fosse 3 and "Hill 65." Fosse 3 had a large group of +mine buildings standing on a slag heap, which ran Southwards from "Hill +65," ending above the river with a thirty foot slope. The Western face +was the same height, and at its foot on our side was a large lake. The +Corons were on the slopes of the Hill and round its base on the Western +side. Those at the bottom we held, but the enemy had those on the +slopes, and one building in particular, the "L-shaped house," was very +strongly fortified. The<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span> right Company had its outposts in the cellars +and shell-holes round the N. and W. edges of the lake, the centre and +left companies had cellars and trenches, through the Cités de Riaumont +and du Bois de Liévin, down to the main Lens road. Left Company +Headquarters had a beautiful chateau, with a fruit and asparagus garden, +known after its first occupant as "John Burnett's Chateau." There were +two communication trenches, one each side of the Riaumont Hill: "Assign" +on the South, shallow and unsafe in daylight, and "Absalom" on the +North. "Hill 65" dominated everything, and gave the Boche a tremendous +advantage. We had the Riaumont hill, 500 yards West of our front line, +and could use the Bois de Riaumont on its summit as an O.P., but this +was always being shelled, and though the view was excellent, one was +seldom left in peace long enough to enjoy it. Battalion Headquarters had +a strong German concrete dug-out in Liévin, said to have been formerly +occupied by Prince Ruprecht of Bavaria.</p> + +<p>The enemy confined his activity to his artillery, which hammered our +back areas, and his trench mortars, which constantly bombarded our +outposts. A row of houses along an absolutely straight street forms a +comparatively easy target, and a cellar is no protection against a +240 lbs. Minenwerfer shell. On one occasion the enemy, starting at one +end, dropped a shell on every house in turn down one side, smashing each +cellar; it was a nerve-racking performance for those who lived in one of +the cellars and had to watch the shells coming nearer, knowing that to +go into the street meant instant death at the hands of some sniper. The +headquarters of No. 15 Platoon had a direct hit, but fortunately 2nd +Lieuts. Brooke and Ramsden were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span> both out crawling about somewhere, and +the only damage was to their dinner. Every mortar, whose position was +known, was given a name and marked on a map, so as to simplify quick +retaliation. Captain Burnett spent much time at the telephone demanding +the slaughter of "Bear," "Bat," "Pharaoh," "Philis," "Philistine," +"Moses," "Aaron," etc. etc.</p> + +<p>It was impossible to visit any of the outpost line by day, and those +from Battalion Headquarters who wanted to do so had perforce to go at +night. Nights were dark; the ground was covered with shell-holes, some +of them of great size. Once Major Griffiths, going out with Grogan, his +runner, suddenly disappeared from view in an enormous hole which had +apparently amalgamated itself with some well or sewer. The Major was +almost drowned, but came to the surface in time to hear Grogan say: "You +haven't fallen in, have you, sir?" He was fished out and scraped down +and went on his way to "John Burnett's Chateau," where he was given +warmth and comfort, and whence he eventually returned to Liévin—taking +care to rob the asparagus bed before leaving.</p> + +<p>Towards the end of the tour the enemy attempted a small raid against our +somewhat isolated right post, but was easily driven off by our Lewis +guns, and made no other attempts. On the 25th of May the Sherwood +Foresters took our place, and we marched out to Marqueffles Farm. The +tour had cost us twenty-four casualties, three of whom were killed; we +had some narrow escapes in the cellars, and were fortunate not to lose +more. "D" Company had had a particularly bad time, and owe much to +Serjeant Burbidge, who seemed in his element in the midst of terrific +explosions<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span> and rocking cellars, and saved many casualties by his +calmness.</p> + +<p>Marqueffles Farm stands next to Marqueffles coal mine, at the foot of +the Northern slopes of the Lorette ridge. The Companies were all +billeted in the farm, and the officers in tents outside, while a +home-made marquee formed an excellent mess. After our first difficulty, +which was to find the place at all in the utter darkness of relief +night, we spent a very happy twelve days in beautiful weather. After +coal mines and squalid narrow streets, the woods of Lorette, the little +village of Bouvigny, and the open country were delightful, for the +scenery to the south was all very pleasing. Games of all descriptions +were our programme for the first two days, while our chief amusement was +to watch the enemy's attempts to hit the observation balloon above us. +His shells, fitted with clockwork fuzes, burst very high, and were quite +harmless.</p> + +<p>But our stay in Marqueffles was not merely a rest, we were there to +practice for an attack to be made shortly on Fosse 3. A plan of the +Fosse and its trenches was marked out, and each day the assaulting +Companies, "B" and "C," practiced their attack over it, until each man +knew his task exactly. In addition to this "C" Company were able to +scale the Marqueffles slag-heap, and so prepare themselves for Fosse 3, +whose 30 feet they would have to climb in the battle. General Kemp had +had to go to Hospital with a poisoned foot and Colonel Thorpe, the +Divisional Staff Officer, who took his place, came often to watch our +practice, making on the last occasion a very encouraging, if somewhat +bloodthirsty speech. Through it all we enjoyed ourselves immensely. For +a change<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span> canteen stores were plentiful, and a generous supply of +cigarettes, beer, and other luxuries, did much to raise our spirits. The +officers, too, had many pleasant evenings, and, on more than one +occasion, the night was disturbed by the old familiar strains of "Come +Landlord fill the flowing Bowl," "John Peel," and other classical +ditties.</p> + +<p>On the 6th of June we moved up to Liévin and took over the line from the +5th Sherwood Foresters. For the first time the officers were clothed +exactly as the men. "D" Co. (Burnett) was in front, "A" Co. (Broughton) +in support, and "B" and "C" (Wynne and Moore) in the row of houses just +west of Riaumont Hill. These had hardly settled down before a shell +burst in the doorway of "C" Company Headquarters killing Serjeant +Harper, the Lewis Gun N.C.O., and wounding six others, amongst them +another Gunner, L/Cpl. Morris. At the same time 2nd Lieut. A.L. Macbeth +had to go to Hospital with fever; Capt. Wynne was also far from well, +but refused to leave his Company on the eve of the attack.</p> + +<p>The final preparations were made on the night of the 7th/8th, when two +parties went out to cut wire, 2nd Lieut. Banwell and 2nd Lieut. C.S. +Allen. The first party found some thick wire, placed their ammonal tubes +and successfully blew several gaps. The others, under 2nd Lieut. Allen, +found no uncut wire, so brought their tubes back. Everything was ready +by dawn on the 8th, and Zero was ordered for 8-30 p.m. the same day.</p> + +<p>For several days the Monmouthshires had been at work deepening "Assign" +trench, and had done much, but it was still shallow, and there is no +doubt that as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span> <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span>"B" and "C" Companies came up it between 5.0 and 6.0 +p.m., they were seen from the top of "Hill 65." For as "B" Company +passed the group of cottages South of Riaumont Hill, the Boche opened a +heavy fire on the trench and dropped a shell right amongst the Company +Headquarters. Capt. Wynne was untouched, but his Serjeant-Major, Gore, +and his runner, Ghent, both first-class soldiers, were killed by his +side. Assembly was complete by 6.0 p.m. and "B," "C," with "D" Co. in +close support, waited for Zero in some short lengths of trench, dug +amongst the houses at the East end of "Assign" trench. "A" Co., who were +to carry ammunition and stores for the attackers, formed up near +Battalion Headquarters, in the group of houses half way up the trench. +Capt. Wynne, though worn out with fever, and hardly able to stand, still +stuck to his Company.</p> +<p><a name="img190-tb" id="img190-tb"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/img190.jpg"><img src="images/img190-tb.jpg" alt="SKETCH MAP TO ILLUSTRATE FIGHTING AT LENS" title="SKETCH MAP TO ILLUSTRATE FIGHTING AT LENS" /></a></div> + +<h4>SKETCH MAP TO ILLUSTRATE FIGHTING AT LENS -MAY, JUNE +1917-</h4> + +<p>At 8.30 p.m. the barrage opened, and the attack started. Almost the +first shell exploded some ammunition dump on the far side of the slag +heap, and the whole battle was lit up by the gigantic fire which +followed. Against the red glow the black figures of "C" Company could be +seen swarming up the slag-heap, clearing the two trenches, "Boot" and +"Brick," on its summit, and sweeping on to clean out the dug-outs +beyond. There were many Germans on and around the heap, and in a short +time between 80 and 100 were killed, nearly all with the bayonet. +Serjeant Needham stormed a trench mortar emplacement, himself accounting +for most of the crew. Serjeant Roberts, formerly of the Transport, and +with his Company for the first time, was much annoyed to find a bayonet +through his arm, but did not stop until he had dealt<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span> with its owner and +any of his friends he could find. Pte. Tookey and many others showed +splendid dash, bombing dug-outs, bayonetting stray Huns, and +occasionally taking a prisoner or two. But the central figure of the +fight was 2nd Lieut. Banwell. Armed with a rifle and bayonet he simply +ran amock and slaughtered some eight of the enemy by himself, while +their leader he ran to the edge of the slag-heap and kicked over the +side into the lake, where he broke his neck and was drowned. Altogether +this Company took eight prisoners and destroyed three machine guns and +two trench mortars.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the attack on the left had failed. At Zero Captain Wynne led +"B" Company from their trenches and advanced towards the "L-shaped" +building. They had hardly started before their ranks were swept from end +to end with machine gun fire from the houses to their left and front. +Capt. Wynne and 2nd Lieut. R.B. Farrer were killed, 2nd Lieut. W.I. +Nelson was wounded, and the company had no officers left. Still, under +the N.C.O.'s, they tried to push forward, only to meet with more losses. +They were compelled to stop, and, under Serjeant Martin, the senior +N.C.O. left, began to dig a line a few yards east of their starting +trench. Serjeant Passmore, who was acting Serjt.-Major, Serjts. Kemp, +Thorpe and Hibbert were all wounded, L/Cpl. Aris and nine others killed, +and more than half the Company wounded. For some time Battalion +Headquarters knew nothing of this disaster, and it was only when the +Signaller L/Cpl. Woolley came back to report, that Col. Trimble heard +what had happened. He at once ordered "D" Company to fill the gap, so as +to protect the left flank of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span> "C" Company, which he knew must be +seriously exposed.</p> + +<p>"A" Company, carrying ammunition, had also had their casualties, and 2nd +Lieut. Broughton, after being hit more than once, eventually had to +leave them. He had been personally organizing most of the parties, and +during the battle was everywhere, quite regardless of danger. +Consequently, when he went, "A" Company became scattered; parties which +had delivered their ammunition did not know where to go; and some of +them, a few under Serjeant Putt and Pte. Dakin, wandered into the +slag-heap and took part in the battle, helping to kill some of the Boche +there. "D" Company lost two killed and ten wounded, for their position, +joining the two flanks, was exposed to a considerable amount of enfilade +fire. As soon as they had cleared the summit of the slag-heap "C" +Company started to consolidate "Boot" and "Brick" trenches, while the +most forward of the attackers formed a protective screen. Their position +was precarious. They were exposed to heavy fire from the generating +station and "Hill 65," while unable to keep a watch on the low ground of +the Souchez river valley or East of the slag-heap, where numbers of +Boche could assemble unseen. The "L-shaped" building, too, was a thorn +in their left flank. Still they were well established, when Col. Thorpe +and Captain Wade, the Brigade Major, came round the line and looked at +our new positions. They left the slag-heap just before dawn, and a few +minutes later, when they were talking to Capt. Moore in his headquarters +in the cottages below, a runner came in to announce a big Boche +counter-attack. It was still too dark to see<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span> much, but our sentries +could make out large numbers of men closing in on them from three sides, +and fire was opened. The Boche dropped into shell holes, but continued +his advance steadily, making use of all available cover. "C" Company, +finding their rifles useless and very short of ammunition, waited until +they came near enough to start bombing, and then gave them a volley of +Mills grenades. But once again we were ruined by the inefficiency of +those in rear; the bombs had no detonators. In a few minutes the Company +would have been completely surrounded, so slowly and in good order they +withdrew, first to the edge of the heap, and then down to the cottages +at the bottom. One group of men stayed for an incredibly long time on a +ledge partway down the face, but in the end they too had to come away. +During the night the Company lost one killed and twenty-eight wounded, +five of whom stayed at duty; two others were badly wounded during the +counter-attack, were subsequently captured, and died as prisoners in +Germany—Privates A. Beck and R. Collins. At the time, the withdrawal +from the slag-heap seemed like a defeat, but, had we stayed, our +casualties would have been far worse and the result the same; for with +daylight, nothing could have lived on the heap, so long as the +Generating Station and "Hill 65" remained in German hands.</p> + +<p>The night after the battle we were relieved by the 5th Lincolnshires and +marched out to Red Mill again for a few days' rest. We were +congratulated by the General on the fight, and Captain Moore and "C" +Company came in for special praise for their work with the bayonet. +Capt. Wynne and 2nd Lieut. Farrer were buried in Bully Grenay, and +Lieut. N.C.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span> Marriott took over "B" Company. For the last twenty four +hours it had been commanded by Lieut. Petch, who returned from Hospital +in the middle of the battle. He now went to "A" Company again, and was +promoted Captain. Lieut. Marriott got his Captaincy a few weeks later. +Capt. Shields returned from leave and took command of "D" again, while +Capt. Burnett went to Headquarters.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>CHAPTER XI.</h3> + +<h4>HILL 65.</h4> + +<p><span class="left">13th June, 1917.</span><span class="right">4th July, 1917.</span><br /></p> + +<p>Those who had hoped for a rest after the battle were disappointed, for, +on the 13th of June, we once more went into the line opposite Fosse 3. +The enemy seemed to have recovered from our attack on the 8th, and we +spent a quiet five days, gaining no ground and suffering practically no +casualties. Towards the end of the tour the Canadians gained a footing +on the Southern corner of the slag-heap and established a post there, +and at the same time took the whole of the Generating Station and the +high ground round it. It seemed improbable that the Boche could hold +Boot and Brick trenches much longer, so the General brought the 5th +Lincolnshires into the line on the evening of the 18th to make a new +attack on Fosse 3. This attack was to take the form of a large raid.</p> + +<p>Leaving "A" Company (Petch) in close support in Cité des Garennes we +went out to Red Mill while the attack took place, and the following day, +the 19th, the Lincolnshires sent us down 24 prisoners to guard. Their +raid had been a great success, they had cleared the slag-heap and the +machine buildings and killed many Boche as well as taken prisoners. As a +result of this the Lincolnshires were able to move into Boot<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span> and Brick +for their outpost line, and here on the 20th we relieved them. Twice +during the relief the S.O.S. Signal was fired by our posts in the front +line on account of suspected counter-attacks, but our artillery replied +so promptly and so efficiently that nothing materialized.</p> + +<p>Our second night in the line was disastrous. During this fighting round +Lens, any progress made was the result of minor operations, raids and +even patrol fights, and there was seldom a large scale battle. It was +naturally difficult to keep all units informed of the latest progress, +and this difficulty was particularly great in our case, when trying to +maintain liaison with the Canadians. The Souchez river was the boundary +between the two corps, and made it impossible for us to visit their +front line troops. We had therefore to rely on Division and Corps +headquarters keeping each other posted as to the latest progress, and on +more than one occasion this liaison broke down, and we suffered very +heavily.</p> + +<p>At dusk on the 21st we received a message, and at once warned all ranks, +that the Special Brigade R.E. were going to carry out a gas bombardment +of the mine buildings of Fosse 3. Projectors would be fired by a Company +operating with the Canadian Corps, from whose front the buildings could +be best attacked. The wind was satisfactory, and the buildings were at +least 150 yards away from our nearest trenches, so there seemed no need +of any special precautions. "C" Company, occupying Boot and Brick +trenches, heard the familiar explosion as the projectors went off, and +waited to hear them fall in the buildings. Instead, they fell in our +trenches, several hundred of them; in a few seconds, and before any +warning could be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span> shouted, the trenches were full of phosgene, the +deadliest of all gasses. Officers and men worked hard to rouse those +resting, and, in particular, 2nd Lieut. Banwell taking no heed for his +own safety, went everywhere, rousing, rescuing and helping the badly +gassed. But it was too late, and all through the night and next morning +casualties were being carried out to Liévin and down the line. 2nd +Lieuts. Craggs and Macbeth both went to England, and, almost the last to +leave the slag-heap, 2nd Lieut. Banwell. His great strength had enabled +him to survive longer than the others, but no constitution could stand +all that phosgene, and during the morning he suddenly fainted, and had +to be carried down. By the time he reached Liévin he was almost dead, +and the Doctors held out no hope of his recovery. However, fed on oxygen +and champagne he lasted a week, and then, to everybody's surprise, began +to recover. The greatest surprise of all was when this marvellous man +refused to go to England, but preferred to remain in Hospital in France +until fit enough to rejoin his own Battalion. With the exception of +Capt. Moore, who was fortunately on leave at the time, "C" Company was +wiped out and temporarily ceased to exist. Twenty-four died from the +poison, and in all sixty-two others of the Company went to Hospital. +Most of these found their way to England, though one or two, such as +Serjt. Needham and L/Cpl. Tookey, both fighting men, preferred to remain +and return to us. "D" Company also had their losses, and Serjeant +Sullivan and nine others were gassed, ten others wounded. The rest of +the Battalion escaped untouched.</p> + +<p>The following night the 8th Sherwood Foresters came into the line, and +we went back to Marqueffles Farm.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span> Our losses had been heavy and so far +we had had practically no reinforcements, so had to reorganise our three +remaining Companies with three platoons each instead of four. We were +also becoming short of officers, having lost eight and only received one +reinforcement—Lieut. R.J.H.F. Watherstone, who came to us from England.</p> + +<p>We spent two days resting and cleaning ourselves, and trying to recover +from the effects of the battle, before starting on any more serious +work. On the Sunday, at Church Parade, General Thwaites came and spoke +to us, congratulating us once more on the 8th, and praising especially +"C" Company for their bayonet work. He was very angry indeed about the +gas disaster and explained the cause. It appeared that the Company +carrying out the operation had never been informed of our occupation of +the trenches on the slag heap, and that, when they said they were going +to bombard the mine buildings, they meant the whole area, including +these trenches, which they imagined were still held by the enemy.</p> + +<p>The whole Division was now very weak, for the series of small battles +during the past six weeks had been expensive. However, the higher +authorities considered we were still fit for battle and decided to give +us one more show, before sending us to some quiet trenches to +recuperate. The objective this time was "Hill 65," "Adjunct," "Adjacent" +and "Advance" trenches and the outskirts of the Cité du Moulin—the last +of the Cités outside Lens itself. Three Battalions would attack, +ourselves on the right, our 4th Battalion in the centre, and the 5th S. +Staffordshires on the left. Practice started at once over a flagged +course, and our<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span> new Brigadier, General F.G.M. Rowley, C.M.G., of the +Middlesex Regiment, came to watch us at work. Our formation differed +slightly from that used in previous fights, for we gave great prominence +to the "Moppers." Several times lately the leading waves of an assault +had gone straight to their final objective, consolidated, and then found +themselves cut off by parties of the enemy, over whom they had passed +during the advance. Now a line of "moppers" was detailed to follow ten +yards behind each wave, with orders to mop up everything and leave no +living Boche anywhere behind the assaulting troops. In our case "D" +Company (Shields) would mop up, "A" and "B" (Petch and Marriott) would +make the attack, while two Companies of the 4th Lincolnshires were +detailed to assist us with carrying parties.</p> + +<p>While we were practising this, on the 25th the troops in the line made +further progress, somewhat lightening our task, but not necessitating +any alteration in our plans of attack. The battle was ordered for the +28th June, and the previous evening we moved up Assign trench to our +assembly positions, Boot and Brick Trenches on the slag heap. We were to +relieve partly Lincolnshires and partly Monmouthshires, and for some +reason or other there was confusion among the guides. Those detailed for +"A" Company wanted to lead them to the right instead of the left of the +assaulting frontage, while "B" Company had "A's" guides. Fortunately +Capt. Petch was able to catch his platoons in time, and, dismissing the +guides, sent each to its correct position. Serjeant Putt, who had +started first, he could not warn in time, but fortunately this N.C.O. +knew enough of the plans to know that he was being led wrongly, and so<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span> +retraced his steps and rejoined the rest of his Company on the +slag-heap. "A" Company were in position by 10.0 p.m., but the other +companies were seriously delayed and wandered about most of the night +under guides, who took them the wrong way. To add to the confusion our +liaison with the Canadians again broke down, and without any warning the +Division on our right suddenly launched an attack. Barrages followed by +both sides and the noise continued throughout the night. Long after the +attack was over the noise went on, for every few minutes some post would +get nervous and send up an S.O.S. signal, immediately calling down a +barrage, to which the other side would reply in kind. All this took +place on the other side of the Souchez river, but we came in for much +shelling, and the relief was not finally complete until 5.0 a.m. At dawn +we were all in position. "B" Company (Marriott) was on the right with a +frontage from the Souchez river to the Southern edge of the mine +buildings; "A" (Petch) was on the left, with the length of the buildings +as their frontage; "D" (Shields) assembled under the slag-heap behind +them. Zero was ordered for 7.20 p.m.</p> + +<p>The original plan had been for the assaulting Companies to leave their +assembly trenches a few minutes before Zero, and, moving forward +carefully, to form up for the attack a few yards in front. At 7.0 p.m. +it was still, of course, bright daylight; the enemy had two observation +balloons up, and there were several aeroplanes about. It seemed that any +such movement must be noticed. However, fate was on our side, and at +7.13 p.m. a rain storm burst over the country, completely obscuring the +view, and by Zero the assault<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span>ing troops were lying out ready. They had +not been seen.</p> + +<p>At 7-20 p.m. the rain stopped, the barrage started, and we went forward. +At the same time real and dummy gas attacks were made North of the +Liévin-Lens road, and the enemy must have wondered very much where the +main attack would be. The result was satisfactory; we met no real +barrage and no very heavy machine gun fire, though there was a +considerable amount of scattered shooting of both kinds. This did not +delay our advance, though 2nd Lieut. Dawes was wounded and had to leave +his Company. Our only difficulty was the mine building, through which +"A" Company were supposed to advance; this was found to be impenetrable, +and Captain Petch had to send half his Company through "B" Company's +frontage, and half through the 4th Leicestershires, so as to avoid it. +"Adjunct" and "Adjacent" trenches were reached practically without loss, +but the enemy did not stay to receive us, and we found them empty. At +7.40 p.m. Yates, the "A" Company runner, reached headquarters with the +news of the success of the battle.</p> + +<p>"Adjacent" trench was organised as our new outpost line and several +strong points were built along it. We also secured the Western end of +"Almanac," a communication trench running N.E. alongside the railway. +Halfway up this trench a deserted Boche machine gun post would have +provided us with an excellent forward post, but unfortunately it was in +our defensive barrage line and we were not allowed to occupy it. We had, +therefore, to content ourselves with collecting the souvenirs, which +included a telephone, and to come away. We had several casualties while +consolidating, and lost<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span> another officer, 2nd Lieut. M.J.S. Dyson, who +was slightly wounded by a stray shell. "B" Company lost Cpl. Baker +wounded, and L/Cpl. Snow of "A" was also hit, in addition to two killed +and twenty-five others wounded in the Battalion. The scattered shelling +became somewhat more concentrated after our arrival, but did not stop +our consolidation, which went forward rapidly with only one pause. About +8.0 p.m. there was a terrific rainstorm and everyone stopped work to put +on waterproof sheets. The enemy must have done the same, and it was +curious to notice how the battle stopped while everybody sheltered, for +while the rain lasted there was complete silence, and neither side fired +a shot.</p> + +<p>Our task the next morning was to discover how far the Boche had retired. +The Canadians South of the river had pushed on to the outskirts of Cité +St. Antoine, almost in Lens itself, and, with "Hill 65" in our hands, +the German positions in the Cité du Moulin were overlooked from +everywhere. Patrols were sent forward to investigate, and 2nd Lieut. +Brooke, with some of "D" Company, pushed forward up "Almanac" trench as +far as the Arras road. Here they caught sight of a Boche patrol, which +promptly fled as fast as possible. Except for this, the day passed +quietly, as did the following morning.</p> + +<p>The afternoon of the 30th, however, was far from quiet, and for several +hours our new line was heavily shelled. In addition to the usual field +batteries, there was one heavy gun which fired continuously on "A" +Company's lines, obtaining a direct hit on Company Headquarters. Capt. +Petch and 2nd Lieut. Campbell were both buried but not seriously hurt. +Serjt. Ault,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span> the acting Serjeant-Major, Wheeldon and Stevenson, the two +runners, all three old soldiers of exceptional ability, were killed. +Raven, another runner, was wounded, Downs had already been hit, and was +again severely shaken, but both these stayed at duty, while they helped +Lilley and Balderstone, who pluckily came along, to dig out those who +were buried. In all twenty-eight were wounded, making our casualties for +the battle three officers and ninety other ranks. That night the 4th +Lincolnshires relieved us, and we went into Brigade reserve, two +Companies in Cité des Garennes, the other in Liévin.</p> + +<p>A few hours after relieving us the Lincolnshires made another attack, +but failed to gain much ground, and met with considerable opposition +from the neighbourhood of the Arras road. Their casualties were +consequently heavy, and they asked to be relieved again the following +night, so we were ordered to go up once more and take over their new +line. Guides were to have met us at the "Broken bridge" near "Adjacent" +trench, but only those for "A" and "B" Companies arrived, and for +several hours Captain Shields waited with "D" Company, not knowing where +to take his men. Apparently there had been some further operations, and +the Lincolnshires had been shelled, in any case no guides appeared, and +it was nearly dawn. At last, Capt. Shields, knowing that in a few +minutes he would not have time to reach the front line, even if guides +did arrive, gave the order to "about turn," and marched back. This +caused considerable discussion at Battalion Headquarters, and Brigade +finally decided that Col. Trimble should take over the line with two +companies of the 4th Lincolnshires in front<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span> in the outpost line, two of +our Companies in "Acorn" and "Adjunct," and one Company of ours under +the slag-heap. We were all well dug in, and consequently did not lose +very heavily when the following day, the 2nd of July, we were shelled +continuously for several hours. Our telephone lines were almost all cut, +so that messages had to be sent by the runners, whose task was far from +pleasant on these occasions. Throughout these two months of fighting in +Lens the runners, both Battalion and Company, had proved themselves to +be very fine soldiers. We relied on them almost entirely in battle, for +telephone wires never lasted long, and pigeons, once released, did not +return. But the runners never failed, and what is more were always +cheerful. Cheerfully they crawled along some exposed street, or dodged +round houses in the Cité St. Pierre, cheerfully they faced "Assign" +trench and Liévin corner, and equally cheerfully they crossed the +slag-heap, often having to go actually through a barrage to reach their +destination. Grogan, Collins, Sullivan, Raven, Kilcoyne and others, +always ready and always willing, they would work till they dropped, and +the Battalion owes much to their courage and endurance.</p> + +<p>The 3rd of July passed quietly, and that night we were relieved by the +25th Canadians and marched to Aix Noulette, where we embussed and went +to Monchy Breton for a rest.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>CHAPTER XII.</h3> + +<h4>ST. ELIE LEFT.</h4> + +<p><span class="left">4th July, 1917.</span><span class="right">23rd Nov., 1917.</span><br /></p> + +<p>We stayed for three weeks at Monchy Breton and enjoyed ourselves +immensely, with good weather, good billets and plenty of games. The +Headquarters lived and messed at M. le Curé's, where they consumed a +disgraceful amount of strawberries and cream, while the other officers +under Captain Burnett messed together in another house. But the chief +feature of this period of rest was the Divisional Rifle meeting, a +regular Bisley meeting, which took place at the end of it. It was a +triumph for the 5th Leicestershires, for we carried off amongst other +trophies the G.O.C.'s Cup. R.S.M. Small, D.C.M., had one "first" and two +"seconds," Corporal F.H.J. Spencer, M.M., one "first" and one "second," +in the individual competitions, while Serjt. Clancy and Pte. F. Bindley +won the assault course and individual "pools." On the second day "A" and +"B" Companies each got third place in the Company Assault Course and +Snap-shooting Competitions, and "C" was second in the Company +"Knock-out" and third in the "running man" competitions. In this last +Pte. Pepper won third place in the pool. Finally our officers' team won +the revolver shoot. The rifle shooting throughout both<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span> days was of a +very high order, but the same cannot be said for the revolver work, and +we only won this last competition by being not quite so terribly bad as +anybody else.</p> + +<p>On the 20th of July we received orders to go into action again—this +time to a quiet sector near Hulluch—and the following day we moved to +Vaudricourt. The C.O. and most of the officers went by motor-'bus +through to Philosophe to reconnoitre the new line; the rest of the +Battalion set out under Captain Burnett to march. The previous evening +had been spent in celebrating our rifle-shooting victories and we felt +like anything rather than marching twenty miles under a blazing July +sun. Those who took part in it will never forget that march; it was +worse than "Luton to Ware" in 1914. Packs seemed heavier than ever +before, the hill at Houdain was too much for many, and the beer and +white wine of the previous evening proved stronger than march +discipline, and many fell out. We finally crawled into Vaudricourt at +4-0 p.m.—tired out.</p> + +<p>The following evening our Transport lines and Quartermaster's Stores +moved to Labourse and we went into the line, relieving the 2nd York and +Lancaster Regiment in the Hulluch right sector. For six days we lived in +tunnels, with a front line which consisted of odd isolated posts at the +end of each passage. The old front line trench seemed to have +disappeared entirely. We were not much worried by the enemy, in fact, +except for one trench mortar near Hulluch, called the "Goose," he kept +very quiet. At the end of the tour we were relieved by the 4th Battalion +and went into billets at Noeux les Mines.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span></p> + +<p>Noeux was not shelled during our stay, so we had a peaceful time, though +one officer was somewhat troubled on waking the first morning to find +attached to his house the following notice: "<span class="smcap">This Cross Roads is +Registered. No Parties to Halt Here</span>." We did not stay long, +however, for on the 30th July we were suddenly ordered to move to +Fouquières to prepare for a coming raid, and marched there during the +afternoon, Battalion Headquarters to the Chateau, Companies to the +village. For some reason best known to himself the billeting officer had +billeted all officers with the wrong companies, but this was soon +rectified, and we were very comfortable.</p> + +<p>Our coming raid was to be carried out against the enemy's trenches West +of Hulluch on a frontage of 300 yards. The sector chosen was bounded on +the North by Hendon and on the South by Hicks Alley, while Herring Alley +was in the centre. There were three German lines, and on the left a +small extra line between the first and second, which we named Hinckley +Trench. The scheme was for two Companies to take and hold the German +third line, one Company to mop up behind them, and the fourth Company to +follow with some Engineers to demolish dug-outs. One of the forward +Companies would have to send a special party to deal with the "Goose" +trench mortar. All wire cutting would be done by the Artillery, who were +allowed a fortnight for it, so that they might not excite the enemy too +much by heavy shooting. During this time we were to detail an officer to +stay in the line, watch the shooting, and patrol the gaps at night. We +would also practise the attack over a flagged course.</p> + +<p>The flagged course was set out very elaborately at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span> Hesdigneul, and not +only was each trench shown, but small notice boards denoted the position +of every supposed machine gun, trench mortar, or deep dug-out. Practices +took place first by day and finally by night, for the raid was to be a +night attack, and various lamp signals were arranged to assist the +withdrawal. The position of Hulluch village was indicated on the +practice ground by a large notice board—<span class="smcap">Hulluch</span>—which +probably gave any spies there might be in Hesdigneul a very fair idea of +what was intended.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, we received various reinforcements. Lieut. G.E. Russell +returned, 2nd Lieut. W.M. Cole came from the Artists' Rifles, 2nd +Lieuts. R.W. Edge, T.R.L. Gibson, R.B. Rawson, C.P. Shilton, R.W. +Sanders, L.W. Mandy, and J.S. Plumer came to us for the first time from +England. At the same time a large party of men, arriving at Monchy +Breton, had enabled us to reconstitute "C" Company, so that we now had +four Companies of three platoons each, and enough officers for two +Battalions. Lieut. Pearson went to Hospital and thence to England, and +Capt. Wollaston acted Adjutant. The Company Commanders were unchanged.</p> + +<p>For the second week of our fortnight we slightly relaxed the vigour of +our practices, and devoted more time to musketry, bombing, and training +the demolition parties for their work. The officers to take part in the +raid were also chosen, and various tasks allotted to the others. Capt. +Shields with 2nd Lieut. Cole and "D" Company would make the right +attack; Capt. Petch with 2nd Lieut. Gibson and "A" Company, the left. +"B" Company (Capt. Marriott and 2nd Lieut. C.S. Allen) would be the +supports, and the two<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span> demolition parties would be found by "C" Company +under 2nd Lieuts. Lowe and Edge. 2nd Lieut. Plumer was detailed to take +a party of "D" Company to destroy the "Goose." Lieut. G.E. Russell was +"O.C. Searchlight," and various other officers were chosen to count the +raiding party when they returned.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, up in trenches the most wonderful work was being done by 2nd +Lieut. Brooke and six other ranks of "D" Company—L/Cpl. Clapham, Ptes. +Haines, Hanford, Johnson, Mason, and Rolls. This was the party left in +the line with the Staffordshires to observe the wire cutting and patrol +the gaps. At first, 2nd Lieut. Brooke spent his days with the F.O.O. and +confined his patrolling to the hours of darkness, but later he was out +in front both day and night. On two occasions he came into contact with +the enemy. First, on his very first patrol, he had just reached the +enemy's wire, and was trying to find a way through, when the enemy +opened a heavy fire at close range. L/Cpl. Clapham was killed, shot +through the head, and it was only with the utmost difficulty that the +rest of the party escaped with their lives. The second encounter was in +daylight. The Staffordshires had reported that they believed the German +front line to be unoccupied, so on the 13th August, in the middle of the +afternoon, 2nd Lieut. Brooke crossed No Man's Land, passed through the +wire and entered the Boche front line. He was just exploring it when a +very surprised German came round a corner and saw him. 2nd Lieut. Brooke +at once left the trench and took shelter as quickly as possible in a +shell hole outside. A perfect shower of bombs and rifle grenades were +thrown after him, but he was untouched, and regained our lines without a +scratch.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span></p> + +<p>On the 14th August, after a very happy fortnight at Fouquières, we moved +to the huts at Noyelles, where the special stores for the coming raid +were issued. At the same time all pay books, badges, identity discs and +personal kits were handed in, and to each man was issued a small round +cardboard disc with a number on it. The following morning we paraded at +10 a.m., and marched through Vermelles to Lone Trench and Tenth Avenue, +where we were to wait until it was time to assemble. On the way, "B" +Company had a serious disaster. A shell, intended for one of our +batteries West of Vermelles, fell on the Company as they were passing +the Mansion House Dump. They were marching in fours and had practically +a whole platoon wiped out, for eleven were killed and fourteen wounded. +Amongst the killed was Freddie Chambers, self-appointed Company +humorist, and one of the best known and most cheerful soldiers in the +Battalion.</p> + +<p>Our Patrol party was waiting for us in Lone Trench, but their report was +far from satisfactory. 2nd Lieut. Brooke declared that there were by no +means enough gaps, in fact none at all on the left, and Colonel Trimble +asked for the raid to be postponed. Meanwhile, 2nd Lieut. Brooke went +off to the front line, where he finally was able to convince the +Divisional Intelligence Officer that there were not sufficient gaps, and +at the last moment, as the Companies were preparing to move to their +assembly positions, the raid was postponed for 24 hours. Accordingly we +spent the night in our somewhat cramped surroundings in Lone Trench, and +the following day the Artillery continued to cut the wire, this time +with better success.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span></p> + +<p>One of the original objects of the raid had been to detract attention +from a Canadian attack on "Hill 70" to be made at the same time. This +attack we watched from the back of Lone trench, and later in the day +were able to give material assistance. The German counter attack came +from behind Hulluch, near Wingles, and the troops for it assembled and +started their attack in view of our posts. Captain Ellwood and his +machine gunners at once got to work and did terrific execution, being +chiefly responsible for the failure of the enemy's efforts, and enabling +the Canadians to hold the Hill.</p> + +<p>So successful was the wire cutting on the 16th, that our patrol reported +all ready for the raid, and accordingly we moved at dusk to our assembly +positions. One alteration in the plan of attack had to be made at the +last minute. It had originally been intended that the attacking +platoons, after passing in file through our wire, should spread out in +No Man's Land into lines. As the German wire was only cut into gaps and +not obliterated, it was now decided that platoons should keep in file +until through that belt also, and spread out on entering the front line. +Bridges were placed over our front line, all faces were blackened, and +by 10-30 p.m. all were ready for Zero, which was to be 10-58 p.m.</p> + +<p>The barrage started promptly, and the advance began. The enemy's wire +was a little thick on both flanks, but all passed through fairly easily +and entered the front line, where, as arranged, each man shouted to show +he had arrived. Two enemy were found and killed, but much of the trench +was full of wire. The attackers passed on rapidly to the second and +third<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span> lines, finding the wire thicker in front of each line, but +finally reaching their objective and building bombing blocks. It was a +dark night, and to avoid losing touch, Captains Petch and Shields had +arranged to call each other's names as they went forward. Suddenly +Captain Shield's voice stopped with one last cry, and Captain Petch +hurrying to the spot found he had been hit by a shell and terribly +wounded in both legs. However, his Company reached the third line, and +the party under 2nd Lieut. Plumer set out to destroy the Goose.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, the mopping up and demolition continued behind the attack. +Several Germans were found and killed in the second line, but on the +whole very few enemy were seen, somehow they had managed to escape. +Probably there were many tunnels, and in the dark it was quite +impossible to tell what was a tunnel entrance and what merely a dug-out. +Many of the latter were destroyed by "C" Company, though they lost 2nd +Lieut. Lowe, who was slightly wounded, through being too keen to watch +the effect of one of his own Mills bombs. Corporal Tunks and Pte. Baker +did particularly good work with these demolition parties.</p> + +<p>Back at Battalion Headquarters was a listening set, and this managed to +overhear the German Company Commander's telephone report to his +headquarters. "We are being attacked, ... front line penetrated, ... +second line wrecked ... third line entered ... send up two sections." +The two sections came in two parts. A strong bombing attack was made up +Hicks Alley which was held by our bombing party at the newly built +block; at the same time our left was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span> attacked over the open. "A" +Company were ready for them, and Lilley, the Lewis Gunner, soon +accounted for many and broke up the attack. "D" Company also had some +fighting, in which both 2nd Lieut. Cole and Serjeant Growdridge +distinguished themselves.</p> + +<p>The time finally came for the withdrawal, and the special flare lights +were fired. Unfortunately they failed to light, and messages had to be +sent at once to the raid area. The enemy were held off while the +withdrawal was carried out, and by 2-0 a.m. the 17th the majority of the +raiding party had returned. Captain Shields was carried in by C.S.M. +Passmore, who very gallantly stayed out some time after the others were +all back, but nothing could be found of Capt. Marriott or 2nd Lieut. +Plumer and the "Goose" party. Capt. Marriott had been last seen in the +second German line, but he had been missed in the withdrawal, and was +never seen again. We brought no prisoners and no identifications, though +one man brought back a rifle and another some papers from a dug-out. +Several of the enemy had undoubtedly been killed, but no one had thought +to cut off shoulder straps or search for pay books. At 3-0 a.m. we +returned to Noyelles, where we spent the day cleaning and repairing our +clothing.</p> + +<p>The raid had not been a success. We lost Captain Marriott, 2nd Lieut. +Plumer, and seven men missing, whom we never heard of again. Three more +men were known to be killed, and three others were afterwards reported +prisoners, while no less than fifty-one were wounded. Capt. Shields, the +most cheerful, strenuous, and popular of Company Commanders, would never +fight again. He reached Chocques hospital with one leg almost blown off +and the other badly shattered, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span> the Doctors decided to amputate the +one at once. It is still recorded as a unique feat, that throughout the +operation neither the patient's pulse nor temperature altered, thanks to +his wonderful constitution. The other leg soon healed, and within a few +months he was hopping over fences in England in the best of spirits. "B" +Company had lost their second Company Commander in two months. Like his +friend Capt. Wynne, Captain Marriott had soon won his way to the hearts +of his Company, with whom he rose from Platoon Commander, while in the +Mess he was one of the merriest of companions and the friend of all.</p> + +<p>There is no doubt that the enemy had been prepared for us. The rapidity +with which his barrage started, the partly wired trenches, empty +dug-outs and absence of garrison all pointed to this. He probably waited +for us at his tunnel entrances, and hurried away as soon as we arrived; +the few we found were those who had been too slow in getting away. As +far as we ourselves were concerned, we only made one mistake—failing to +bring back any identification. Apart from this all ranks had worked +well, and we were congratulated by General Thwaites on our efforts.</p> + +<p>Five days after the raid we relieved the 4th Leicestershires in a new +trench sector, the "St. Elie left," and for nearly three months the +Brigade remained in this same part of the line. The sector had its name +from a much battered coal mine, the Cité St. Elie, which stood just +inside the German lines opposite. About five hundred yards on our right, +the Vermelles-Hulluch road crossed No Man's Land, while a similar +distance on our left, Fosse 8 and its slag heaps formed the chief +feature. All through 1916 active mining operations had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span> been carried out +along the whole front, and though there was now a deadlock underground, +the craters still remained a bone of contention; each side tried to +retain its hold on the near lip. Our right Company held a line of six of +these craters, joined together, called "Hairpin" on account of their +shape on the aeroplane photographs. The centre Company held another +group called Border Redoubt, consisting amongst other things of two +enormous craters, the Northern and Southern. Between these two groups +lay "Rats' Creek," a short length of trench, 200 yards from the enemy, +and without a crater. The left Company held another isolated +post—"Russian Sap"—500 yards from the centre and not connected with it +by any usable trench. The old front line between Border and Hairpin, via +Rats' Creek, a distance of 400 yards, could be used by liaison patrols +at night, but was impossible by day.</p> + +<p>The various posts in "Hairpin" were connected by an underground tunnel +with four exits to the trench, while another with two exits did the same +for Border Redoubt. From each of these, a 300-yard tunnel ran Westwards +to what had been the old support line, where they were connected +underground by another long passage—Feetham Tunnel. A branch of the +Border tunnel led to "Rats' Creek." At various points along these +tunnels exits were built up to fortified shell holes, occupied by Lewis +gun teams; these were our only supports. Down below lived Company +Headquarters, the garrison, one or two tunnelling experts and the +specialists, stokes mortars, machine gunners and others. It was a +dreadful existence. The passages were damp and slippery, the walls +covered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span> in evil-looking red and yellow spongey fungus, the roof too low +to allow one to walk upright, the ventilation practically non existent, +the atmosphere, always bad, became in the early mornings intolerable, +all combined to ruin the health of those who had to live there. But not +only was one's health ruined, one's "nerves" were seriously impaired, +and the tunnels had a bad effect on one's moral. Knowing we could always +slip down a staircase to safety, we lost the art of walking on top, we +fancied the dangers of the open air much greater than they really were, +in every way we got into bad condition.</p> + +<p>The entrance to this tunnel system was at the end of our only +communication trench, Stansfield Road, a deep well-gridded trench +running all the way from Vermelles. Battalion Headquarters lived in it, +in a small deep dug-out, 200 yards from the tunnel entrance, and at its +junction with the only real fire trench, O.B.1, the reserve line. In +this trench the reserve Company lived in a group of dug-outs, near the +Dump, called Exeter Castle. The left Company, with one platoon in +Russian Sap and the remainder back in O.B.1, alone had no tunnels. But +after our first few tours, the system was altered, and the support +Company, living in tunnels, provided the Russian Sap garrison. Battalion +Headquarters had a private tunnel, part of the mining system, leading to +Feetham, which could be used in emergency, but as this was unlit, it was +quicker to use the trench. The main tunnel system was lit, or rather +supposed to be lit, with electric light. This often failed, and produced +of course indescribable chaos.</p> + +<p>Although the tunnels had all these disadvantages, it is only fair to say +that they reduced our casualties<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span> enormously, for during the three +months we lost only three officers slightly wounded and eighteen men; of +these at least four were hit out on patrol. We also managed to live far +more comfortably as regards food than we should otherwise have been +able. Elaborate kitchens were built in Stansfield Road, and hot tea, +soup, the inevitable stew, biscuit pudding, and other "luxuries," were +carried up in hot food containers to the most forward posts. The only +difficulty was with Russian Sap, for its approach, Gordon Alley, was in +a bad state; but as the garrison was there at night only, they needed +nothing more than "midnight tea," and this could be taken to them over +the top.</p> + +<p>A light railway ran all the way from Sailly Labourse to Vermelles, and +thence to the various forward dumps, ours at Exeter Castle. Rations and +R.E. material were loaded at Sailly, taken by train to the Mansion House +Dump at Vermelles, and then by mule-drawn trucks to the front. The +Exeter Dump was lively at times, especially when a machine gunner on +Fosse 8 slag heap, popularly known as Ludendorf, was pointing his gun in +that direction. But beyond a mule falling on its back into O.B.1, we had +no serious troubles, and got our rations every night with great +regularity.</p> + +<p>The enemy were not very active, although they were reported to be the +6th Bavarians, "Prince Rupprecht's Specials." An occasional patrol was +met, and our parties were sometimes bombed, but on the whole the Boche +confined his energies to machine gun fire at night, scattered shelling +at any time, and heavy trench mortaring, mostly by day. Fortunately +there was not much mortaring at night, and what there was we managed to +avoid by carefully watching the line of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span> flight, as betrayed by the +burning fuse. These heavy mortar shells with their terrific explosion +and enormous crater were very terrifying, and few soldiers could face +them with the indifference shown to other missiles. One exception was +them with the utmost scorn, and used to fire "rapid" with a rifle at +them, as they came through the air.</p> + +<p>All this time the system of holding the Brigade sector was to have two +Battalions in the line, one in Brigade support, and one resting at +Fouquières. Thus, one rested every eighteen days for six days, while +one's trench tour was broken by six days in the middle in Brigade +support. This last meant Battalion Headquarters and two Companies in +Philosophe, the remainder in Curly Crescent, a support trench several +hundred yards behind O.B.1. Philosophe was a dirty place, but had the +advantage of being much less shelled than the neighbouring Vermelles, +and we were not much molested.</p> + +<p>Fouquières was always pleasant. The Chateau and its tennis court and +grounds made a delightful Battalion Headquarters, and the Companies had +very comfortable billets in the village. We played plenty of football, +and were within easy reach of Béthune, at this time a very fashionable +town. The 25th Divisional Pierrots occupied the theatre which was packed +nightly, and the Club, the "Union Jack" Shop, and other famous +establishments, not to mention the "Oyster Shop," provided excellent +fare at wonderfully exorbitant prices.</p> + +<p>During these three months we received many new officers, some of them +staying for a few days before passing on to Tank Corps, Flying Corps, or +Machine<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span> Gun Corps, others proving themselves worthy of our best +traditions. One party in particular, 2nd. Lieuts. F.G. Taylor, H.C. +Davies, G.K. Dunlop, and W.R. Todd, provided four who came to stay, a +very valuable asset, when so many merely looked in for tea and then went +away. Others who came to fight were 2nd Lieuts. W. Norman, A.J. Mace, +J.S. Argyle, C.D. Boarland, J.G. Christy, A. Asher, A.M. Edwards, and, +later, Lieut. P. Measures, who had been with us in 1916 for a few weeks. +Col. Trimble and Capt. Moore each had a month's leave, and Major +Griffiths, after commanding during the Colonel's absence, went to +Aldershot for a three months' course. Capt. Burnett became 2nd in +Command with the acting rank of Major. Capt. Hills, the Adjutant, +returned from England and resumed his duties, while Captain Wollaston +took charge of "B" Company for a short time, and then went to the Army +School, where he stayed as an Instructor and was lost to us. Captain +Barrowcliffe came to us for a short time in command of "D" Company, but +then went to the Army School, and handed the Company over to Lieut. +Brooke, who had been granted an M.C. and three weeks' leave for his +Hulluch patrols. 2nd Lieut. Campbell went to Hospital with the results +of gas poisoning and had to go to England, whither also went 2nd Lieuts. +Rawson and Gibson who were invalided. A great loss to us was our Doctor, +Captain Morgan, who had been with us for many months and was now sent to +Mesopotamia, and was replaced by a succession of stop-gaps until we +finally got the invaluable W.B. Jack. There were changes, too, in the +ranks. Most important was the departure of R.S.M. Small, D.C.M., our +Serjeant Major since mobilization. He had been<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span> unwell for some time and +at length had to go to Hospital and home to England. Debarred by his age +from taking a Commission, for which he was so well suited, he had +rendered three years' very faithful service to the Battalion, untiring +alike in action and on the parade ground, and popular with all, +officers, N.C.O.'s and men. He was succeeded by C.S.M. H.G. Lovett, +formerly of "B" Company, and latterly serving with the 2nd/5th +Battalion. At the same time, Serjt. N. Yeabsley, a very capable horseman +and horse master, came to us from the 4th Battalion as Transport +Serjeant.</p> + +<p>This long tour of trench warfare was not entirely devoid of interest, +and several little incidents occurred to break the monotony. The first +was a big "strafe" on the 25th of August, when for some unknown reason +the enemy shelled Stansfield Road very vigorously, and obtained a direct +hit on "C" Company Headquarters. Lieuts. Banwell and Edge were occupying +the dug-out at the time, and were both shaken, though the former as +usual did not take long to recover. Lieut. Edge, however, was sent to +the Stores for a time and for some months acted as Transport Officer. On +another occasion, 2nd Lieut. Norman was firing rifle grenades from +"Hairpin" craters, when he received one in reply, and had to go to +England with one or two pieces in him.</p> + +<p>Except for these two incidents, all other excitement occurred in No +Man's Land, where we had patrols every night in the hopes of catching a +Boche. The first to meet the enemy was 2nd Lieut. Mandy, who was almost +surrounded by a large party of them just North of Northern crater. He +managed to fight his way out,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></span> though for a time he lost one of his +party, Pte. Brotheridge, who did some fighting on his own and returned +to us at dawn. After a time, tired of finding no one, our patrols became +more venturesome, and most nights entered the German lines at some point +or other. "A" and "C" Companies worked mostly round the Hairpin craters, +and Lieuts. Banwell and Russell, 2nd Lieuts. Dunlop and Norman, all +explored the enemy's front line. On one occasion Capt. Petch himself +accompanied Lieut. Russell and Serjeant Toon to look at the enemy, and +for a change found his front line held. They were caught peering over +the parapet, and got a warm reception. Both officers were slightly +wounded and had to go to England. Meanwhile, Lieut. Banwell took command +of "A" Company. He, too, on another occasion explored the same piece of +trench and found it empty, nor could he attract any enemy, though he and +his party shouted, whistled and made noises of every description.</p> + +<p>Border Redoubt and Rats' Creek were the hunting ground of "B" and "D" +Companies, and here Lieuts. Ball and Measures more than once nearly +captured a Boche post. But the enemy was too alert, and slipped away +always down some tunnel or deep dug-out. But the best patrolling was +done from Russian Sap, by 2nd Lieut. Cole and his gang from "D" Company, +including Serjt. Burbidge, Cpl. Foster, L/Cpl. Haynes, Ptes. Thurman, +Oldham and others. They had very bad luck, for on two occasions they lay +in wait for the enemy in his own front line and he never came, though he +had occupied the post the previous night, and the party, wet through and +frozen, had to return empty handed except for a bomb or two.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span></p> + +<p>There was one other unusual occurrence before we left the St. Elie +sector. We were visited one day by a local newspaper reporter, Mr. +Wilkes of the "Leicester Mail," who came to see us in trenches, and was +introduced to the tunnels and all the "grim horrors" of trench warfare. +It seemed curious to see a civilian in a grey suit, adorned with a steel +helmet and box respirator, wandering about the communication trenches.</p> + +<p>On the 14th of November, while in Brigade Support at Philosophe, we were +ordered to reconnoitre the "Hill 70" sector, with a view to taking over +the line from the Sherwood Foresters. The same day we moved to some +particularly cold and uncomfortable huts at Mazingarbe, going to the +line the next night. Our route lay along the main Lens road past Fosse +III. and Fosse VII., then by tracks past Privet Castle to Railway Alley. +This endless communication trench led all the way past the famous Loos +Crucifix, still standing, to what had been the front line before the +Canadian attack. Thence various other alleys led to the front line. Our +new sector was by no means luxurious. There was a front line trench and +portions of a reserve line, all rather the worse for wear, while the +communication trenches, "Hurrah" and "Humbug" Alleys, were unspeakably +filthy. The whole area at the top of the hill was an appalling mess of +tangled machinery from Puits 14 bis, battered trenches, the remains of +two woods, Bois Hugo and Bois Razé, and shell holes of every size and +shape. There was mud and wet chalk everywhere, and a very poor water +supply for drinking purposes. What few dug-outs existed were the usual +small German front line post's funk holes, and all faced the wrong way. +It was a bad place. There was, how<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span>ever, one redeeming feature. From the +hill we could see everything, Hulluch, Wingles, Vendin and Cité St. +Auguste lay spread out before us; we could see the slightest movement. +Behind the hill, Support Companies were out of sight, and those not +actually in the front line could almost all wander about on top without +fear of being seen. Furthermore, there were no tunnels. We spent all our +time working, for there was much to be done. Our chief tasks were +clearing out existing trenches and digging new communication trenches +where they were wanted. Digging was both difficult, for the ground was +sodden, and dangerous on account of the number of "dud" shells and bombs +everywhere. Two men of "B" Company were injured by the explosion of a +grenade which one of them struck with a shovel, and the next day Captain +Moore had a miraculous escape. Clearing the trench outside his Company +Headquarters, at the junction of "Horse" and "Hell" Alleys, he put his +pick clean through a Mills bomb; fortunately it did not explode. Padre +Buck also had a busy time, for there were many unburied dead still lying +about. Hearing of one body some sixty yards out in No Man's Land, where +it had been found by a patrol, the Padre went out with his orderly, +Darby, to bury it. It was a misty morning, and they were unmolested +until suddenly the mist lifted and they were seen. Darby was wounded in +the head, and they were heavily fired on, but this did not worry the +Padre, who brought his orderly back to our lines, and came in without a +scratch.</p> + +<p>We remained only seven days in this sector, and did not come into +contact with the enemy at all at close quarters. A few bombs were thrown +in the Bois<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span> Hugo trenches, and a raid by the 11th Division on our right +caused a considerable amount of retaliation to fall on our heads, but on +the whole the enemy was quiet, and we had practically no casualties. +There was not time to learn the ground well enough to do any extensive +patrolling, though Lieut. Watherstone earned the Divisional Commander's +praise for a bold reconnaissance from the Bois Razé. The transport had +as bad a time as anyone, bringing rations on the light railway through +Loos, which was never a pleasant spot. Once again a mule succeeded in +falling into a trench, and it took R.S.M. Lovett and a party of men more +than an hour to extricate it.</p> + +<p>The 4th Battalion took our places at the end of the tour, and we marched +back to Mazingarbe. Our billets had been slightly improved, and +Headquarters now had a house in the Boulevard, commonly called "Snobs' +Alley." While here a new horse, a large chestnut, which arrived for the +Padre, caused considerable commotion in the Regiment. First he bolted +with the Padre half-way from Mazingarbe to Labourse, when he finally +pulled him up and dismounted. He then refused to move at all, and went +down on his knees to Padre Buck, who was most disconcerted, especially +when the animal moaned as though truly penitent. The next day the +Adjutant tried to ride him, and once more he bolted. This time his +career was short, for horse and rider came down on the Mazingarbe +cobbled high road, and the Adjutant had to go to Chocques hospital with +a broken head, and was away for a week.</p> + +<p>During his absence we lost Colonel Trimble, who, much against his will, +was ordered to take command of his own Battalion, the 1st East +Yorkshires. He had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</a></span> been with us for seven months, and we were all very +fond of him and very sorry indeed when he had to go. Worse still, there +seemed no chance of Col. Jones returning to us. For six weeks, September +and October, he had been close to us in Noeux les Mines, attached to the +1st Battalion, and more than once had come over to see us, but now the +6th Division had moved away and we did not know their whereabouts. The +matter was finally settled by the arrival of a new Commanding Officer in +the same car which came to fetch Col. Trimble. Lieut. Colonel R.W. +Currin, D.S.O., of the York and Lancaster Regiment, had come to take +command.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>CHAPTER XIII.</h3> + +<h4>CAMBRIN RIGHT.</h4> + +<p><span class="left">1st Dec., 1917.</span><span class="right">12th April, 1918.</span><br /></p> + +<p>Colonel Currin, our new Commanding Officer, was a South African, a large +man of enormous physical strength. He at once terrified us with his +language, which can only be described as volcanic, and won our respect +by his wonderful fearlessness. Of this last there was no question. In +trenches, he would wander about, with his hands in his pockets, often +with neither helmet nor gas-bag, and quite heedless of whether or no the +enemy could see him. More than once he was shot at, and more than once +he had a narrow escape at the hands of some hostile sniper, but this +appeared to have no effect on him, and after such an escape he was just +as reckless as before. He had withal a kind heart and a great sense of +humour.</p> + +<p>A few days before his arrival we had moved from Mazingarbe to Drouvin +and Vaudricourt, and here we were now warned that on the 1st December +General Thwaites would inspect the Brigade in review order. A rehearsal +was carried out in a field near Noeux les Mines, a rehearsal so amusing +in many ways, that the Colonel loved to tell the story of what he called +his first experience with the 5th Battalion: "On approaching the parade +ground I sent forward A——, who was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span> acting Adjutant, to find where we +were to fall in. My Adjutant was in Hospital as the result of falling +off his horse. When I reached the field, I saw an officer galloping +about waving his arms, but whether he was signalling to me, or trying to +manage his horse I could not tell, so sent Burnett to find out. +Burnett's horse promptly stumbled, fell and rolled on him, so I went +myself and found the luckless A—— quite incapable of managing his +pony. I told him to dismount, while I marched the Battalion into place, +but subsequently found he had not done so because he couldn't! +Eventually the Serjeant-Major seized him round the waist, someone else +led the pony forward, and A——was left in the Serjeant-Major's arms and +lowered to the ground. All this in front of the Brigade drawn up for a +ceremonial parade!" The parade itself also had its amusing side, chiefly +owing to the ignorance of certain Staff Officers on matters of drill. +However, a friendly crump, arriving in the next field, put an end to the +proceedings, and we marched home.</p> + +<p>After all this bother the actual inspection was cancelled and we went +into trenches again instead. Our sector this time was Cambrin, called +after the village next North of Vermelles, and the sector immediately on +the left of our last—St. Elie. On the morning of the 1st of December we +marched to Annequin, on the Beuvry-La Bassée Road, and relieved some +Loyal North Lancashires, Worcestershires and Portuguese in the Brigade +support positions. The Headquarters and two Companies were in Annequin +village, the other two Companies in two groups of dug-outs, "Maison +Rouge" and "Factory," about 500 yards East of Cambrin. We only stayed +here twenty-four hours and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span> then went into the front line, "Cambrin +Right" sub-sector.</p> + +<p>Cambrin Right was very like St. Elie Left with the good points left out. +The right Company had tunnels but they were not safe, though just as +smelly as our old ones. It was the same on the left, while in the +centre, there were deep enough tunnels, but they were unconnected with +anything and unlit. The front line consisted mostly of craters, a large +series of which occupied what had once been the Hohenzollern Redoubt. At +intervals along the lips were odd posts, each at the end of a short +trench leading back into Northampton trench or the tunnel system. The +right group of tunnels, the Savile tunnel, started half-way up Savile +Row, a communication trench which had originally run from the Reserve +line to Northampton trench, but now stopped at the tunnel entrance. The +centre group had no name, started from Northampton trench, and had no +proper communication trench. The left group was the "Quarry" tunnel +system, starting from the old quarry and running leftwards from the +Northern edge of the Hohenzollern craters almost to our posts opposite +Mad Point. The left Company had no posts actually on crater lips, though +they had one or two craters in No Man's Land. "Quarry" Alley led to the +"Quarry" and a newly dug trench ran from this to Northampton near the +centre tunnels, but it was in bad condition and seldom used. As a rule, +those who wished to visit the centre went through either Savile or +Quarry tunnels to get there. One other trench led forward from the +Reserve Line, Bart's Alley, but this ended in a large pile of sandbags +and one of the Tunnelling Company's private entrances to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</a></span> mining +galleries. Between the Reserve Line and Northampton a few ends of gas +piping, sticking out of the ground, showed where our 1915 front line had +been, from which we had attacked on the 13th October. The two flank +Company Headquarters were in the tunnels, the centre Company in a deep +dug-out in Northampton trench. The Reserve Company, with one platoon of +each of the front line Companies, lived in the Reserve Line.</p> + +<p>The Reserve Line was about the best trench in the sector. It was deep, +well traversed, and had many good dug-outs. It also contained our +cook-houses and dumps. The light railway from Vermelles, on which came +rations and "R.E. material," ran along behind it, so that Company +Quartermaster Serjeants could deliver their rations to the reserve +platoon of their Company, and there was no fear of a carrying party from +another Company "pinching" some of the rum. Westwards from this trench +ran three communication trenches, all in good condition, Bart's Alley, +Left Boyau and Quarry Alley, all leading to the Vermelles broad guage +railway line, whose hedges concealed Sussex trench. Here, in some very +elegant, but not very shell-proof dug-outs, lived Battalion +Headquarters. The officers' bedrooms, and the Mess were on one side, the +offices on the other. Here, Corporal Lincoln and Pte. Allbright, the +Orderly Room clerks, took it in turn to look after the papers, keep the +fire alight and generally make a happy home out of a crazy shanty with a +wobbly roof and a door facing the Boche. Many would have preferred to go +elsewhere in case of shelling, but these two never left their papers, +though more than once the roof came perilously near being whisked off by +some whizz-bang.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</a></span> Philosopher James Lincoln was particularly +imperturbable, as he sat surrounded by pipes and beautifully-sharpened +pencils, discussing the weather and the crops with any who chanced to +pass by.</p> + +<p>Further down this same trench Serjeant Archer and "Buller" Clarke looked +after the bombs, not quite such a popular weapon now-a-days, and the +Pioneers under Serjeant Waterfield and L/Cpl. Wakefield had their home +next door. Here also was Serjeant Wilbur and that very hard working body +of men the Signallers, "strafed" by everybody when telephones went +wrong, and seldom praised during months and months without a mishap. +Then came Serjeant Major Lovett in a small dug-out by himself, and near +him Serjeant Bennett and the Regimental Police; the latter in trenches +became general handy men, carrying rations, acting as gas sentries, and +doing all the odd jobs. Round the corner a large dug-out with two +entrances provided the Canteen with a home large enough to contain, when +it was procurable, a barrel or two of beer. L/Cpls. Hubbard and Collins +and the runners lived wherever they could find an empty shelter, and as +usual spent most of their time carrying messages or showing visitors +round the lines.</p> + +<p>There was one other trench, Railway Alley. This, like its namesake to +"Hill 70," was of enormous length. It started at Cambrin, passed the +Factory and Factory Dug-outs, and, following the Annequin-Haisnes +Railway to its junction with the Vermelles Line, acted as dividing line +between the two halves of the Brigade Sector. From the left Battalion +Headquarters to the front line, an often much battered part of it, it +belonged to the left sector. Our Headquarters had a private<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</a></span> trench +running to it, "Kensington Walk," deep and completely covered with +brushwood by way of camouflage.</p> + +<p>In the St. Elie sector we had been three months almost without an +incident of any importance; we were only six weeks in Cambrin, and every +tour contained some item of interest. We started disastrously. On the +night after relief Lieut. Watherston was visiting "B" Company's posts in +the centre sector, when a party of the enemy crept up to and suddenly +rushed the Lewis Gun Section he had just visited. Lieut. Watherston +turned back, drew his revolver, and rushed into the fight, but was +himself shot through the head and killed instantaneously. He had fired +three shots with his revolver, but was unable to stop the enemy who, +having wounded the sentry and blown the N.C.O. off the firestep with a +bomb, now escaped, taking the Lewis Gun with them. The N.C.O., Cpl. +Watts, got up and gave chase, but lost touch with the enemy amongst the +craters, and after being nearly killed himself had to return +empty-handed. Our predecessors in the line seemed to have made no effort +to wire this part of the line at all, presumably thinking the line of +craters a sufficient protection. A few nights later 2nd Lieut. Boarland +reconnoitred the whole area with a patrol, and found that not only had +the Boche got a well-worn track across No Man's Land between two +craters, but close to the raided post had fitted up a small dug-out with +a blanket and a coat in it. This would, of course, have been impossible +had the previous occupants of the line done any patrolling; we suffered +through their gross negligence.</p> + +<p>Towards the end of the same tour, the enemy made<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</a></span> another very similar +attempt against our extreme right pasts held by "A" Company. L/Cpl. +Beale and Pte. Foster were with their gun on the parapet, when they were +suddenly rushed by three or four of the enemy who had crept close up to +them, and were on top of them before they could open fire. L/Cpl. Beale +used his fists on a German who seized him round the throat, but was then +shot in the chest and fell backwards on the rest of the section who were +coming to help. The Germans tried to carry off the gun, but Foster put +up a fight, and they dropped it just outside the trench. However, one of +them managed to knock Foster on the head, and, before help could arrive, +he was carried off as a prisoner. Once again we suffered through the +carelessness of our predecessors, for in this case, too, there was no +protective barbed wire. We spent every night of the tour wiring hard, +but could not of course finish the whole sector in five days.</p> + +<p>The tour also contained a very severe Artillery and Trench Mortar +bombardment, which seriously damaged our left and centre trenches. But +more serious than this was the loss to "B" Company of L/Cpl. J.T. +Pawlett, one of the best Lewis Gun N.C.O.'s in the Battalion, who was +mortally wounded during the shelling. A few days later we lost another +excellent Lewis Gun N.C.O., L/Cpl. Stredder, of "D" Company, who went to +England wounded, fortunately not very seriously.</p> + +<p>The tour ended on the 8th, and for the next six days we remained in +Brigade Support, Annequin, Maison Rouge, and Factory Dug-outs. Even here +we were not left in peace, for on two occasions the enemy opened very +heavy bombardments against the Cambrin<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</a></span> sector. The second occasion, the +night of the 12th/13th of December, this was so terrific, and so much +gas was used, that we had to "stand to" at midnight, while many +messages, "Poison Cambrin" etc., were flying about. The damage to +trenches, and more particularly to the tunnels, caused by this +bombardment was very great, as we soon learnt when, two nights later, we +returned to the line. Savile tunnel was blown in in several places, and +the Company Headquarters completely cut off and unusable. The tunnel +entrances were shattered, and the whole system so badly damaged as to be +almost useless except as dug-outs for the various posts. Quarry tunnel +was not so badly damaged, but several of the left posts had been +isolated by having the main connecting tunnel blown in behind them. +Fortunately the front line trench on the left was still in existence, +and could be used instead of the tunnels. Finally, Northampton trench +was literally obliterated in the centre, and a famous "island" traverse, +no small earth-work, so completely wiped out that we could never +afterwards discover its exact whereabouts.</p> + +<p>Once more we had bad luck at the start of the tour, for we had only been +a few hours in the line when a shell on Quarry Alley caught a small +party of men coming down. Signaller Newton and Stretcher Bearer Cooke +were killed outright, and Serjeant Woolley, acting Serjeant Signaller +while Serjeant Wilbur was away, was wounded and had to go to Hospital. +In addition to the wiring we now had the tunnels to dig out, and there +was so much work to do that we had to have assistance from Brigade; this +took the form of a Brigade Wiring Platoon and a Company of +Mon<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</a></span>mouthshires. On one occasion these two parties, both of course +working "on top," saw fit to imagine each other were Boche, and a small +fight ensued. Fortunately no one was injured, though one of the +Monmouthshires was only saved from a bullet through the head by his +steel helmet.</p> + +<p>The rest of the tour passed off quickly, and the irrepressible Capt. +Brooke and 2nd Lieut. Cole of "D" Company started once more wandering +about No Man's Land and the enemy's lines. They did the most incredible +things, and gained invaluable information about the enemy, though +awkward questions were often asked about the name of the "one other +rank" who, according to the patrol reports, accompanied 2nd Lieut. Cole +on these expeditions.</p> + +<p>Our Christmas "rest" was spent in Beuvry, and here we arrived on the +20th of December at the end of our second tour. Our first duty was to +inspect a large draft of 140 N.C.O.'s and men who had come to us while +we had been in the line. Most of them came from the 11th (Pioneer) +Battalion of the Regiment, and were men of good physique, very well +trained, and excellent alike at drill, work, games, and in the line. +During the whole time we were in France we never had a better draft than +this. Meanwhile, although the enemy were apparently willing to allow us +a Christmas rest, and kindly refrained from bombarding our billets, the +higher command were not so gracious, and we had much work to do. Ever +since the defection of Russia, the Staff had realized the possibility of +a German offensive on a large scale, and every effort was being made to +organize our defences. With this object, a new "village line" had been +built, including Cambrin,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</a></span> Annequin, Vermelles and other villages, and +this had now to be wired. Accordingly, on the night of the 22nd/23rd +December, the whole Battalion marched up to this line by parties, and +worked hard for several hours putting out a "double apron fence." So +well had Major Zeller and his Engineers organized the work, and so well +did the Battalion work, mainly thanks to the newly arrived Pioneers who +were experts, that we did an incredible amount during the night, and +received the congratulations of the G.O.C. on our efforts.</p> + +<p>The actual Christmas festivities had to be held on Christmas Eve, as we +were due to go into trenches on the morning of Boxing Day. Everything +combined to make the day a great success. Plum puddings arrived from +England, large pigs, which Major Burnett had been leading about on a +string for some days, were turned into the most delicious pork, and +there was plenty of beer. The Serjeants' Mess also had a very lively +dinner in the evening, though one Company Quarter Master Serjeant spent +much of his time dragging the Beuvry river for his Company Serjeant +Major whom he had lost. This Warrant Officer was eventually discovered +asleep in an old sentry box, with his false teeth clenched in his hand. +The Germans, in spite of their boast, dropped in a message from an +aeroplane, "to eat their Christmas dinners in Béthune," caused no +disturbance, and did not show the slightest sign of being offensive. +Christmas, 1917, was unique in one respect. We produced a Battalion +Christmas Card for the first and last time during the war. It contained +a picture, drawn by 2nd Lieut. Shilton, of a big-footed Englishman +standing on a slag-heap, from which a Hun was flying as though kicked. +It was very popular.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</a></span></p> + +<p>Boxing Day, for us "Relief Day," was bitterly cold, and an occasional +blizzard made getting into trenches all the more difficult. The ground +was covered with snow, and each night there was a bright moon, so that +the snipers of both sides were on the watch day and night for the +slightest movement. Our snipers claimed to hit several of the enemy +during the tour, but we, too, had our losses. First, F. Eastwood, M.M., +of "C" Company, a soldier who had scarcely missed a day since the +beginning, was shot through the head and killed outside "C" Company +Headquarters in Northampton trench. A few nights later, on the 30th +December, Lieut. P. Measures, commanding "B" Company, was sniped while +fixing a sniper's post in the front line, and also killed instantly. He +had not been with us very long, but both he and Lieut. Watherston had +proved themselves very keen subaltern officers, and both had been +praised by the General for their work on patrol. Lieut. T.H. Ball +temporarily took command of "B" Company.</p> + +<p>Whenever work was possible—it was often too light even at night—we +worked at two new trenches, "Cardiff" and "Currin," connecting Bart's +Alley with Savile tunnel, as an alternative to Savile Row. These had +been dug by the Monmouthshires, and now had to be wired, and here, also, +we suffered at the hands of a German sniper. Serjeant W.E. Cave, a very +fine N.C.O. of "A" Company, was killed with a wiring party, and one or +two others had narrow escapes. The New Year, 1918, was ushered in with +several bursts of machine gun fire at midnight, but nothing of +importance occurred.</p> + +<p>Our stay at Annequin was once again disturbed,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</a></span> this time more +disastrously than before. A curious accident occurred on the 6th of +January, when three of our aeroplanes collided and fell near the +village. The enemy as usual opened fire at once with one or two +batteries, and an unlucky shell fell amongst our Headquarter runners as +they were leaving their billet. The two Corporals escaped, Collins with +a slight wound and Hubbard untouched, but W. Raven, M.M., was killed +outright, and A. Grogan, D.C.M., F. Smith, H. Eady, and H. Kirby, so +badly wounded that they died soon afterwards. It is impossible to +estimate the amount of work that these runners had done for the +Battalion, not only as message carriers, but some of them as personal +orderlies to the C.O. and other Headquarter Officers. In Lens they had +proved themselves not only capable of wonderful endurance, but to be +possessed of the greatest courage, fearing neither the enemy himself nor +his barrages. To lose so many at one blow was indeed a severe loss for +the Battalion. After this, there followed two comparatively quiet tours +in trenches with the usual six days at Beuvry in between them. The +enemy's snipers were mastered, and we suffered no more casualties at +their hands, but our bad luck still pursued us, and on the 10th and 11th +January the left of the Reserve Line was badly battered by trench +mortars. The left half Battalion cook-house was blown in, and Serjeant +Growdridge of "D" Company was killed, while several others were wounded. +In Serjeant Growdridge, "D" Company lost a most capable platoon +Serjeant, the leader of many a daring and successful patrol, and of the +highest courage in battle. On the 20th of January we were relieved by +the 11th Division, and, after spending one night in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</a></span> Beuvry, marched +through Béthune to Busnettes, between Chocques and Lillers, for a long +rest.</p> + +<p>We stayed at Busnettes for three weeks, training and playing games, and +doing our best to recover from the ill effects of tunnels and wet +trenches. Our training was carried out on various areas round Chocques +and Allouagne, and near the latter was a good rifle range, over which we +practised for the Associated Rifle Association (A.R.A.) Competition. +This competition was for a platoon, and included rifle and Lewis gun +shooting and bayonet fighting, fire discipline and control, and the +general principles of the advance. The platoon had to fire at various +ranges, advancing from one to the other, and bayoneting sacks on the +way. There were Battalion, Brigade, and Divisional Competitions, and to +the Divisional winners the A.R.A. were to present silver medals. In the +Battalion competition, No. 1 Platoon of "A" Company, under 2nd Lieut. +Roberts and Serjeant H. Beardsmore, was victorious, but the other +competitions could not be held until February, after our next move. +Finally, this same platoon, beating the other Battalions in the Brigade, +beat also the Staffordshires' and Sherwood Foresters' best platoons, and +carried off the silver medals.</p> + +<p>At this time there were several important changes in the Battalion. +First, we were very glad indeed to see Captains Tomson and Petch back +again with us, the former to command "B," the latter to "A" Company. At +the same time, Capt. Barrowcliffe returned to the Royal Engineers. +Lieuts. C.S. Allen and R.W. Edge went to England for six months, and 2nd +Lieut. Todd became Transport Officer. We also received a large<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</a></span> draft +from the 2nd/5th Battalion. Finding that it was impossible to obtain +sufficient recruits to supply all the Battalions formed at the beginning +of the war, each Brigade was now reduced to three Battalions, and we +lost from our Brigade the 4th Lincolnshires. In the 59th Division, the +2nd/5th Leicestershires were broken up and divided into drafts for the +4th Battalion and ourselves. Capts. J.A. Ball and W.H. Oliver, Lieuts. +S.G.H. Steel and A.D. Pierrepont, 2nd Lieuts. A.B. Bedford, H. Coxell, +K. Ashdowne, and, later, A.E. Hawley and Everett came to us, bringing +with them 200 N.C.O.'s and men. Amongst the latter were several +Serjeants, one of them, Serjeant T. Marston, M.M., destined to add +further laurels to the honours he had already won with the 2nd/5th. +There were also several "old hands" who returned to us, amongst them, +Privates Garfield and Law of "D" Company, both original members of the +1914 Battalion. These reinforcements enabled us to form again four +platoons per Company, and we became once more a full Battalion.</p> + +<p>Another batch of reinforcements, which arrived at Busnettes, contained +several drummers of the 1st and 3rd Battalions. We already had a few, +and L/Cpl. Perry was given the rank of Serjeant Drummer and formed a +Corps of Drums. With Drummer Price, an expert of many years' service +with the side drum, and L/Cpl. Tyers, an old bandsman, to help him, he +soon produced an excellent Corps, and all of them worked hard and keenly +to make a good show. Within a week they played us on route marches and +appeared at guard-mounting. Within two months they played at Mess, and +the Fifes gave several very good concerts.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</a></span></p> + +<p>While in the Busnettes area, we were in Reserve for the 1st Army, and in +case of attack were liable to be sent to support the Portuguese on the +Neuve Chapelle-La Bassée front. In case of this, the C.O. and Adjutant +spent a day reconnoitering the Locon, le Hamel, le Touret area and its +keeps and strong points, many of which we afterwards occupied when the +Portuguese had been driven out.</p> + +<p>On the 8th of February, we moved to Fiefs through Lillers, and the +following day marched to Reclinghem in the Bomy training area. The march +took the form of a tactical field day, and we ended by taking up an +outpost position on the river Lys at Reclinghem, where "B" and "D" +Companies and Headquarters were billeted. The other two Companies were +at Vincly, a little more than a mile further South. A fortnight later, +to the great regret of all ranks, Colonel Currin had to leave us, after +being only three months in command. During this time we had become very +fond of him, and there is no doubt that his never-failing cheerfulness, +his reckless courage, and the atmosphere of "the fighting spirit" which +always accompanied him, did more than anything else could have done to +raise our "fighting spirit" to a high pitch. His successor, Lieut. Col. +G.B.G. Wood, D.S.O., of the Lancashire Fusiliers, had commanded the +2nd/5th Battalion until he was wounded, and now, returning to France, +was sent to us as his Battalion had been broken up.</p> + +<p>Towards the end of February, the Staff became more than ever convinced +that the enemy intended making a big spring offensive, and our training +was devoted almost entirely to counter-attack practice and the +re-<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</a></span>taking a line of trenches which had been temporarily lost. We had +several large field days near Bomy, with this as the general idea, and +would have had several more had not the Division been suddenly recalled +to the line. On the 1st March, in a snow storm, we marched to +Ligny-les-Aire, and the next day moved on again to Ecquedecques, where +we stayed three days. Our billets were fairly comfortable, but there +were very few for the officers; this, however, was soon righted after +the first night, when we discovered many officers' billets occupied by +Serjeants of an A.S.C. Company who were permanent "garrison" of the +village.</p> + +<p>On the 5th of March we marched through Lillers and Béthune again to +Beuvry and, after staying one night there, moved the following day to +Annequin and Sailly Labourse, where we were responsible for the defence +of the Annequin locality. The 1st Corps scheme of defence was a series +of fortified localities, Philosophe, Cambrin, Annequin, Noyelles, and +many others further West as far as Vaudricourt. Each locality had its +trenches, dug-outs, stores of ammunition and rations, and was ready for +defence at any moment. The German offensive was expected to start any +day, and the "wind" was terribly "up." This, however, did not prevent +the Infantry from amusing themselves whenever possible, and though the +higher authorities may have been sleeping in their boots, we managed to +get some football. General Rowley gave a cup for a Brigade Company +Competition, and, while at Sailly, our "A" Company beat Brigade +Headquarters in the "final," after which "Tinker" Evans, the captain of +the team, received the cup from the Brigadier.</p> + +<p>The following morning we went once more to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</a></span> line, back into the +familiar Cambrin right sector. Unfortunately there was now a change. The +Engineers, in an endeavour to make Headquarters less elegant and more +shell-proof, had thrown up so much white chalk, that they had attracted +the attention of the German artillery, who had promptly shelled the +place out of existence. The Headquarters now lived in the old left +Headquarters under Railway Alley. We had only two Companies in the line, +one in support, and one in Reserve near the Factory; we were thus +organized "in depth" to meet the coming offensive.</p> + +<p>The enemy's artillery had certainly become more active during our two +months' absence, and he was now using far more gas shells than before. +These were of three sorts: "Green Cross," the most deadly, was filled +with phosgene; "Blue Cross," the least harmful, with arsenic; both these +were very light gases and soon blew away. Far more dangerous were the +"Yellow Cross," mustard shells, which now made their appearance in ever +increasing numbers. The mustard hung round the shell holes and was not +blown away; in cold weather it had no effect, but as soon as the sun +came out it became exceedingly powerful. A mustard shell falling on +frozen snow might have no effect until the thaw came several weeks +later, when it would be just as powerful as if it had only just been +fired. A very little of this gas was sufficient to cause temporary +blindness and loss of voice, burns and bad blisters. Much of it was +fatal. During this tour, however, we did not suffer any casualties, and +nothing of any importance occurred until our last morning before relief, +the 16th of March.</p> + +<p>At about 1-0 a.m. on this morning, Privates Culpeck<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</a></span> and Johnson were +sentries together at one of "D" Company's Lewis gun posts. Hearing a +noise in the wire, one of them challenged, and, receiving no answer, +fired his Lewis gun. Two minutes later, two Boche, one an unwounded +warrant officer, the other a wounded soldier, were being escorted down +Railway Alley to Headquarters. Neither of the two prisoners would say +much, but what they did say still further confirmed the opinion of the +Staff that the attack was soon coming.</p> + +<p>"Brigade Support" now consisted of the Headquarters and two Companies in +Sailly Labourse, the remainder at Windy Corner near Factory Dug-outs. To +this last area went Major Griffiths and the Right Half Battalion. They +had an unpleasant time and were more than once heavily shelled, on one +occasion having a narrow escape. The officers were sitting in a dug-out +when an armour piercing field gun shell passed through the roof and out +of the door, hurting no one. Major Griffiths and 2nd Lieut. Dunlop +received slight scratches, as also did Adams, one of the batmen, but no +serious damage was done. After four days of this, the 5th Lincolnshires +relieved us, and we marched to Beuvry to be in Divisional Reserve. While +here, the new Battalion distinguishing marks arrived from England, and +were taken into use—a half-inch yellow ring, two inches in +diameter—worn just under the shoulder on the sleeve. They were rather +bright at first, and earned us the name (amongst other ruder epithets) +of the "Corn-plasters."</p> + +<p>On arrival at Beuvry we were told that the Major General would inspect +us at Fouquières two days later, the 22nd of March. This was +considerably more alarming than the prospect of the German offensive,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</a></span> +and we at once started training, cleaning equipment, and revising our +platoon organisation. Meanwhile, the offensive did begin in the South, +and the Boche on the morning of the 22nd actually launched a big raid +against the Divisional front. However, the Inspection was not postponed, +as we had hoped, and for several hours we performed at Fouquières. Our +ceremonial was by no means bad, considering we had done none for months +it was very good, but what most pleased General Thwaites was our +organization. In vain he tried to find mistakes. Soldier after soldier +was asked "Who is your Section Commander?" "Who takes charge if he is +killed?" "When will it be your turn to take charge?" etc. etc., and +soldier after soldier answered promptly and correctly. The result was a +good word for all of us, and we went back to billets much relieved and +feeling quite elated.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, the morning's raid had left a prisoner in our hands, and he +had now caused about as much sensation as one man could, by stating +quite definitely that the Boche would attack from the la Bassée Canal to +"Hill 70" on the 25th of March with three Divisions. We went into the +Cambrin sector again on the 24th, this time with three Companies in the +line. News of the disaster to the 5th Army in the South had reached us, +and what with Generals coming round to pay farewell visits, and +conferences every few hours, everything was as depressing as possible. +Curiously enough we were not depressed, and, though most of us regarded +the attack as a certainty, the private soldiers were particularly more +cheerful than usual. Late at night we were ordered to withdraw all +except the tunnel sentries from the front line, so as to minimise the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</a></span> +casualties during the enemy's preliminary bombardment, and to +concentrate everything on the defence of the Reserve Line, which must be +held at all costs. Some of the N.C.O.'s and men grumbled a little at +what they called giving up the front line, more especially as patrols +reported that the enemy was busy strengthening his wire, which did not +seem the prelude to an attack. Finally, by 2-0 a.m. on the 25th all was +ready. The Staff at Corps Headquarters, ten miles back, slept in their +boots, all support and reserve Battalions moved to "battle" positions +and stood to, we in the line behaved very much as usual. All waited for +dawn.</p> + +<p>Dawn came at last—the quietest since war began, not a shot was fired. +Morning followed and high noon, still no movement; the Staff breathed a +sigh of relief, the Infantry groused, and we occupied our front line, +preparing to pass a normal night. However, this was not to be. We had +scarcely posted our night sentries when at 8-30 p.m. came another +message to say that the prisoner who had originally caused the alarm had +remembered that the attack was for the 26th, not the 25th. All +precautions were to be taken as for the previous night. With this +arrived a long epistle from the Intelligence department, showing that +various new dumps and camouflaged screens had been seen in the German +lines, motor transport had been increased, etc. etc. etc.—all tending +to confirm their wretched prisoner's statement. Once more we evacuated +our front line, once more we waited and once more we were disappointed. +The 26th was as quiet as the 25th, and, except for a humorous telephone +message from "C" Company, which caused much laughter as far back as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</a></span> +Divisional Headquarters, there was nothing to disturb the morning's +peace.</p> + +<p>The following evening the 11th Division took over our sector, and we +marched out—the Headquarters and Left Half Battalion to Sailly, Right +Half to Labourse. It was a cold and rather miserable night, for, owing +to a sudden move of our Q.M. Stores to Noeux les Mines, we had no +blankets. Meanwhile, all schools and classes were closed, and those +students who had not been taken to stop the German advance on Amiens +returned to us. The situation was serious, and another blow was expected +at any moment in the neighbourhood of Vimy. The Canadian Corps was +chosen to oppose this, and we were consequently ordered to relieve any +units of that Corps still left on "Hill 70." But on the 28th March +before relief had started the expected attack came—at Oppy. It was a +miserable failure, we lost a few front line trenches, but our line stood +firm; however, the Canadians were wanted in a hurry and we were sent up +to relieve them at once. The other Battalions went into the front line, +we relieved the 46th Canadians in support round Loos Crassier and +Railway Alley. Relief was complete by 10-35 p.m., an almost incredible +performance, considering that there had been no time for reconnaissance +and practically no arrangements made for guides.</p> + +<p>It had rained hard throughout the relief, but our first two days in the +line were dry and warm, and we managed to dry our clothing and make +ourselves fairly comfortable. The enemy after the failure at Oppy was +very quiet on our front, though his documents captured in that battle +showed that, had he succeeded in his first day's attempt, the second day +was to include<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</a></span> an attack on the Hulluch front. So the "state of +readiness" in the Cambrin sector had not been entirely without +justification. On the 31st the weather broke again, but this did not +prevent the Padre holding his Easter services at each of the Company +Headquarters. The following evening we relieved the 5th Lincolnshires in +the "Hill 70" right sub-sector.</p> + +<p>Our new sector was very much the same as the "Hill 70 left," which we +had held in November. The reserve line was the main line of defence, and +was in fairly good condition; the front line was shallow, wet, and +dangerous. Opposite our right and centre was Cité St. Auguste, strongly +held by the enemy; opposite the left, Bois "Dixhuit" and a broken down +farm. There was one tunnel, "Hythe," leading from the reserve line to a +railway cutting in the front line, but except in cases of extreme +emergency this was not intended to be used by the Infantry. Battalion +Headquarters occupied a small and evil smelling German dug-out on the +reverse slope of the hill. Our tour lasted eight days, and almost every +hour was eventful.</p> + +<p>We started the tour with a gas bombardment soon after relief on "C" +Company's support platoon, who occupied an old "pill-box" near Cité St. +Pierre dynamite magazine. The gas appliances were defective at the +dug-out entrance, and several men were slightly gassed. At 8-0 a.m. the +following morning, the 11th Division on our left carried out a very +successful raid. This did not in itself affect us very much, but a +bomb-dropping aeronaut during the raid observed large bodies of troops +massing near Meurchin, a large town behind Hulluch. Immediately the old +alarm about a coming attack was renewed, and we once more were ordered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</a></span> +to be in readiness. However, by evening as nothing had happened, we +resumed normal conditions.</p> + +<p>This same evening we were given an entirely new scheme of defence, +consequent upon the failure of our trench system to stop the enemy's +advance in the South. The front line was to be held by isolated +observation posts only, and there was to be no garrison within effective +trench mortar range of the enemy. We were to consider the Reserve or +"Red" Line the line of defence, and this must be rebuilt if necessary, +to ensure that it was everywhere out of reach of the enemy's +minenwerfer. Our chief difficulty was to find accommodation for the +front line troops as they were withdrawn; however, we cleared out old +dug-outs, and, after a few days of terribly hard work, were able to +comply with the order.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, the enemy's artillery became very active, and in addition to +frequent gas bombardments of Loos and the Crassier, he harassed our +transport very badly as they came along the main road. Some of this gas +blew back over our lines, and for several hours we lived in an +atmosphere of gas, scarcely noticeable, but none the less dangerous.</p> + +<p>The 5th of April was particularly noisy. At 3-0 a.m. we discharged a +large number of gas projectors on to Bois "Dixhuit" and Cité St. +Auguste, to which the enemy replied by shelling our reserve line, +fortunately doing no damage. In the evening, however, he replied in +earnest, and, just after "C" Company had relieved "B" in the front line, +he put down a "box barrage" round their posts. Coloured lights were +fired in all directions, the noise was terrific, and Captain Moore, +expecting a raid, sent the "S.O.S." This was promptly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</a></span> answered, and +within a few minutes the gunners were hammering away vigorously at the +enemy's lines, until he stopped shooting. Our front line was damaged in +many places, but by extraordinary good fortune we escaped without a +casualty. During the day, however, "A" Company lost another very good +N.C.O. in Serjeant Putt, who was wounded and had to go to Hospital.</p> + +<p>Throughout the 6th the shelling of Loos continued, and the following +morning, in retaliation to a heavy gas projection on our part, the enemy +turned his attention again to our front line. This time we were less +fortunate, and a Lewis gun post of "D" Company was wiped out by a direct +hit: two of the gunners, C.H. Payne and T.P. Hardy, were killed. In the +evening, in spite of a slight West wind, the enemy poured blue cross gas +shells into Loos, and much of the gas again drifted back across the +lines. During the night, Lieut. Banwell, exploring the enemy's lines, +single-handed ran into three of the enemy, who were almost on top of him +before he could use his weapons. However, he managed to make his way +out, and returned to our lines, having lost nothing worse than a little +breath.</p> + +<p>On the 8th of April, the enemy's artillery was never silent. Mustard gas +was fired into the plain East of Vermelles and Philosophe almost without +intermission, while Mazingarbe and Les brebis were similarly bombarded, +only with larger shells. 2nd Lieut. Todd and Serjeant Yeabsley were both +gassed with the transport, the latter so badly that he was several weeks +in Hospital. The following morning in a thick mist the enemy attacked +the Portuguese and drove them from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</a></span> their trenches, pushing his advance +Westwards towards Estaires and Locon. The mustard gas bombardment of the +plain still continued, but the front lines were comparatively quiet. +That night we were relieved by the 4th Battalion, and went once more +into Brigade support. After relief, Capt. A.G. Moore, M.C., and +forty-three other ranks were sent to Hospital with gas poisoning. This +was not due to any one bombardment, but to the fact that for the past +week "Hill 70" had hardly ever been entirely free from gas, and though +never in very large quantities this had gradually taken effect. Capt. +Moore was sent to England, where for some months he was seriously ill +with gas poisoning, and never returned. He and Capt. Shields commanded +Companies longer than any other officers in the Battalion. No amount of +tedious trench warfare could shake their enthusiasm or damp their +spirits, "soft jobs" and six months' rest were not for them; they simply +stayed with their Companies until wounds took them to England—a really +magnificent record.</p> + +<p>For three days we remained in support, and the whole time the plain +behind us was full of gas. The Artillery suffered most heavily, for they +could not always wear their masks, and after the first 24 hours there +was a continuous stream of blinded gunners helping each other back along +the road to Philosophe—a terrible sight. We too had several casualties, +for the platoons, on their way to bath at Les brebis, had to pass across +the plain. At Philosophe we lost two mules, through a direct hit with a +heavy shell, and the driver, H. Gamble, was very lucky to escape with +nothing more than a bad wound. It was a miracle he was not killed. On +the 12th the battle became quieter, and that night, relieved<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</a></span> by the +Canadians, who arrived very late owing to a railway accident, we marched +out to Bracquemont. Before we went the Germans to the North had advanced +so far that we could see their lights in our left rear. Béthune, too, +was in flames, so we were not sorry to be leaving the sector. Most +thankful of all were the transport drivers, for there are not many worse +places than the Loos road, and few more desolate spots than Philosophe +coal mine on a dark wet night, when the wind is making the loose sheets +of iron rattle, and the horses have "got the wind up."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>CHAPTER XIV.</h3> + +<h4>GORRE AND ESSARS AT PEACE.</h4> + +<p><span class="left">12th April, 1918.</span><span class="right">10th Aug., 1918.</span><br /></p> + +<p>Bracquemont was sadly changed. Instead of the gay, almost fashionable +suburb of Noeux les Mines, with numbers of people in the streets, it was +now a wilderness of empty houses; the only sign of life, the piteous +little groups of women and children waiting by the roadside for some +French car to come and take them to a place of safety. The miners alone +remained. Inspired by Clemenceau, who had visited the place a day or two +before, they were working day and night, regardless of bombardments and +nightly bombing raids. The furnaces at the Noeux Mines could be seen for +miles round, and were a constant mark for every German gun and +aeroplane, but still the plucky miners carried on their work, knowing +that on them alone depended the coal supply of France. We were billeted +in the Convent formerly occupied by the Casualty Clearing Station. The +following morning the Drums gave a short concert in the Bandstand, and +after dinner we were taken by lorries to Hersin Coupigny.</p> + +<p>Hersin Coupigny was still fairly thickly populated, but the news from +the Merville and Kemmel area where the enemy seemed to be making good +progress, together with the arrival each evening of a few high-velocity<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</a></span> +shells, were fast driving the inhabitants to seek safety further West. +We remained here until the 24th of April, the first few days in huts, +the remainder in the Tile Factory. It was not an enjoyable rest—in fact +it was no rest at all. All ranks were ready to move at short notice, and +one expected almost hourly to be sent forward to fill some new gap in +the line.</p> + +<p>Pamphlets poured in—"How to fortify farmhouses for defence"—"Notes on +recent German offensives"—Plans of rear defences. Generals made +speeches telling the troops to be brave, artillery officers reconnoitred +new gun positions miles behind the lines, and the entire Labour Corps +seemed to be digging "last ditches." It was all very depressing, and +many men were heard to remark that they wished the Boche would attack, +so that there might be an end of words, and a chance for a few deeds. No +one doubted that the Division was perfectly capable of looking after +itself and dealing with any German attack.</p> + +<p>Then came Influenza, and with it the end of all chance of immediate +action for the Battalion. Officers and men were attacked alike, and in a +few days more than 250 were sent to Hospital. Fortunately a temporary +place was fitted up at Bruay, and the majority of cases were dealt with +there and not sent down the line, where they would have been +irretrievably lost. The cause of the complaint will be for ever a +mystery; its symptoms were temperature—weakness, fainting and loss of +voice. Some blamed the gas, others the huts, and others the Bracquemont +hospital buildings. The Medical Officer, wise man, would give no +opinion. The weather was damp and raw and at times very cold. +Consequently no one was very sorry when, on the 24th, the Brigade +marched to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[Pg 255]</a></span> Bruay. The Battalion and a 9" high velocity German shell +arrived in Bruay about the same time and found the place deserted. +Several houses had been hit, and the inhabitants had wisely decided to +take no risks, so, with the exception of the colliers, had all gone. +This made billeting very difficult. Buildings were all locked up and no +one had the key. Eventually everybody was squashed into the Girls' +School—the officers occupied one of the dormitories, and, though +uncomfortable, all had at least shelter from the rain which fell in +torrents. At intervals a tremendous roar followed by a crash announced +the arrival of what became known as "another toute suiter"; fortunately +no one was hurt. The following day the Brigade moved into Fouquières; +the 4th Battalion occupied the old Hospital huts, and we shared the +remainder of the village with the 5th Lincolnshire Regiment. Battalion +Headquarters were in the Chateau, still occupied by the two ladies, now +the only civilians left in the village. With the most wonderfully +cheerful courage did these two remain, though their servants had gone, +though food was almost unobtainable, and though there was seldom an hour +without a shell falling in some part of the village or its surroundings. +The Battalion was exceedingly lucky and escaped with practically no +casualties; not so the 4th Battalion, which lost several men in the +huts. Most of the influenza cases now returned, and we were once more +strong enough to take the field. On the 26th we lost Captain and +Quartermaster A.A. Worley who went to England never to return. For some +time his health had been bad, but though unfit for duty he had refused +to leave the Battalion until he had seen the stores properly organized +for battle. Except for a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[Pg 256]</a></span> short stay in England in 1917, he had been +with us since the beginning. His one thought was always for the welfare +of the Battalion, and no one ever gave more devoted service than he did. +His place was taken in June by Captain and Quartermaster W.A. Nicholson, +of the Essex Regiment. During the interval the duties were very ably +carried out by R.Q.M.S. Gorse.</p> + +<p>On the 24th of April the Sherwood Foresters and Staffords had taken over +the line from Route "A" Keep to the Canal just South of Locon. Four days +later we were ordered to relieve the Sherwood Foresters in the right +half of the left sector. Various reconnoitering parties went up +beforehand, and at dusk we moved off by platoons through Béthune and +Essars. The former town had already suffered very badly. All roads +through the centre were completely blocked, and troops had to find their +way round its Western edge and past the Prison. Civilians had all been +evacuated and the only permanent occupants were the Tunnelling Company +assisted by some French colliers. The route to trenches was the main +road through Essars, and parts of this were constantly "harassed" by the +enemy's artillery. The Battalion was particularly unfortunate on this +first relief. Headquarter Officers were riding, and, in passing the +column, had just come level with the head of "C" Company, when the enemy +suddenly opened fire on the road with a field battery. Captain Banwell +was thrown from his horse which was hit, and the remainder of the +chargers immediately bolted across a field. The plunging animals and the +shells (about 50 of which were fired in two minutes) threw the leading +platoon of "C" Company into confusion, and, as the ditch at the side of +the road gave<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[Pg 257]</a></span> no cover, the casualties were high; but for the coolness +of the Platoon Commander, 2nd Lieut. H. Coxell, they would have been +higher still. The rear platoon of "B" Company also suffered heavily. The +shells were gas, and those men who were hit had small or no chance of +putting on their masks. Captain Jack, the Medical Officer, was as usual +wonderfully calm, and quite regardless of his own personal safety, +succeeded in getting several men under the wall of a house, where he was +able to dress their wounds. The remainder of the relief was carried out +without molestation.</p> + +<p>Our new sector was very different from anything we had previously seen. +The front line—practically the outpost line—marked the limit of the +German offensive in April; on the right was Route "A" Keep, one of the +old 1915 strong points with two concrete machine-gun emplacements. It +was now a mere heap of shattered trees, shattered trenches and the usual +remains of many fights, for in 20 days it changed hands nine times. The +Staffords captured it for the last time on the 29th of April, and from +then onwards it remained British. The line then ran between Loisne +Chateau and Raux Farm—our old Brigade Headquarters of 1915, now a +German machine gun and trench mortar nest—to the S.W. outskirts of Le +Touret and on to the canal at Mesplaux. Except for the old keeps at +intervals, it consisted entirely of a few small holes dug more or less +at random, with little or no wire in front. Behind this, along the whole +Divisional front ran the Liverpool Line or Reserve Line, slightly deeper +and better sighted than the frontline, and defended by the "Beuvry +river," a small stream running between steep banks and reputed to be +uncrossable by tanks. Gorre and Le<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[Pg 258]</a></span> Hamel villages came behind this +line, and provided Battalion Headquarters with cellar accommodation, and +the Support Battalions with billets of a sort.</p> + +<p>Farms in the front line were not too plentiful, and Company Headquarters +usually consisted of a hole 4ft. by 2ft. by 2ft. into which the Company +Commander could just squeeze himself, and curl up his feet to avoid +having them kicked and trodden on by the men passing along the ditch +outside. Rations came to Gorre and Essars by rail and limber, and were +carried forward by hand over the top to the front line. Except for +occasional bursts of fire on certain roads and villages, particularly +Essars and Gorre, the enemy was on the whole quiet. These were small gas +bombardments, and one or two really bad days, but for the most part it +was a quiet sector, except round Route A.</p> + +<p>Behind the villages came the La Bassée Canal with all the bridges mined +and demolition parties ready to blow them up in the event of a hostile +attack. The idea of course was that they should be blown after the last +Englishman N. of the Canal had either been killed or had crossed it. +That the bridges would get demolished all right, none of us ever doubted +for a moment; we were equally certain that this would take place on the +first alarm of any attack, and those of us who happened to be on the +North bank would thus be compelled to fight to the end or swim. +Fortunately these warriors were never called on to perform.</p> + +<p>Vaudricourt Park was the rest area. At first, bell tents and a few +bivouacs were all the available cover, but in time, as corrugated iron +could be sent down from old horse lines in the forward area, messhuts, +cookhouses and canteens were built. There were no long<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[Pg 259]</a></span> spells of wet +weather and when it was fine the Camp in the Park was delightful. It was +never shelled and never bombed, and it is hard to imagine a better +place. Verquin and Vaudricourt provided the necessary estaminets and the +soldiers could obtain as much vin blanc (or "Jimmy Blink" as it was more +popularly called) as they desired; while one Bertha made large sums of +money by inserting a slip of lemon peel into a glass as cheap champagne +and selling it to officers at an exorbitant price as a "champagne +cocktail." The country round provided good ground for a sports meeting, +in which "A" Company were victorious, while "D" Company managed to +finish a close second in most events. Lieutenants Everitt and Quint and +Private R.O. Start were the chief runners, but large numbers took part +and tremendous keenness was displayed by all. There was cricket almost +every day in the Park, and great enthusiasm was shown in the Battalion +Championship, won by Headquarters.</p> + +<p>From the beginning of May to the middle of August the Brigade never left +these two sectors, Gorre and Essars, and during this time there was no +change in the front line. It was seldom that anything happened of +sufficient importance to find its way into the day's communiqué, but +every tour was full of interesting incidents, all of which show how the +warfare was rapidly changing.</p> + +<p>Our first relief was remarkable for the fact that we took over at +Battalion Headquarters two cows (and with them a daily supply of fresh +milk), for whom L/Cpl. "Pat" Collins was self-appointed cowman—while +the left Company found a plentiful supply of eggs. A stray mule was +found wandering round the outposts<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[Pg 260]</a></span> on the "wrong" side of the Beuvry +river, while in the farm actually in the front line we discovered still +alive after 21 days without food—a cow and calf, two bullocks, an old +white horse and a pig; they were in a terrible condition of starvation +and had to be killed by the Intelligence Officer, 2nd Lieut. Hewson, who +found it a most unpleasant task. There were of course many dogs—one, at +a cottage in no man's land, being particularly unpleasant for +patrolling. In addition to Lance-Corporal Collins' cows, two others and +a goat were led out by Private Muggleton. The goat came to an untimely +end, being done to death in Vaudricourt Park by its Company Commander, +outside whose tent it was noisily bewailing its captivity.</p> + +<p>In front of us, there was little or no wire, and our first encounter +with the enemy was on the 6th of May when a Corporal and three men of +"D" Company went out to wire their post and marched straight on to a +patrol of about 15 enemy waiting for them. The enemy opened fire at +close range and the wiring party threw down their wire and replied. Two +of the party were hit in the first few seconds and a third—Private +Smith—who had come to us from the 2nd/5th in January—was attacked by +two Germans and carried off struggling. The Corporal fired at the enemy +who then made off, leaving one dead man behind them. The Platoon +Commander (2nd Lieut. W.M. Cole) came up and, after assisting the +wounded back, set off to look for Smith. Except, however, for the dead +man, nothing could be found of the enemy, and by dawn the search was +given up as hopeless. The following night Smith returned. It appears +that the enemy meeting more opposition than they expected, made off as +soon as they had got their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[Pg 261]</a></span> prisoner, and, as there were plenty of +bullets about, the remainder of the patrol, leaving prisoner and escort +to follow as best they could, hurried back to their lines. Smith watched +his chance; suddenly stooping, he kicked one man amidships, seized his +rifle, gave the other a jab with the bayonet, and ran for his life. He +got away, but had to lie up until the next evening to get back. For this +he was awarded the Military Medal.</p> + +<p>The following tour, in the Gorre right sector, was very successful until +the last two days when Battalion Headquarters received the just +punishment for tempting fortune too far. Both 4th and 5th Battalions had +their Headquarters in the cellar of Gorre Chateau—cramped and stuffy at +any time, and in the hot weather unendurable. Our Headquarters, +therefore, cleared out a room on the first floor for a mess—it had a +carpet and other luxuries, and its only blemish was a shell-hole in the +corner of the window. With great pride we invited Brigadiers and others +to our new mess, until on the 17th of May the crash came. The enemy had +fired several salvoes towards the Chateau during the afternoon, and at +8-15 p.m. he started in earnest. The wood, the Chateau and the corner by +the Church were shelled unceasingly—first with 77 and 105 m.m. +shells—later on with 5.9's. The mess was knocked in, the wood was +filled with gas, the kitchen and signal office both had direct hits. The +Transport had a terrible time on the road, and it was only the devoted +work of the Transport Officer, 2nd Lieut. W.R. Todd, with his drivers, +particularly Hill and Randall and the Provost Serjeant Bennett, which +enabled rations to be taken up. An advance party of Stafford Officers +got to the cellar<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[Pg 262]</a></span> and couldn't leave it for two hours, until finally +Colonel Wood took them up the line himself, returning alone through the +wood.</p> + +<p>The Companies were comparatively immune except near the "Tuning Fork." +General Thwaites was visiting the line at the time and had a narrow +escape himself, while his A.D.C. was badly wounded. Towards morning the +shelling somewhat subsided, but one very unlucky shot hit the cellar +ventilator and filled it with gas. Then came the sun and with it the +mustard; not very many mustard shells had been fired, but, as the day +advanced, the heat kept drawing the gas out of the ground and the +Chateau became a death trap. We all cleared out early and went into the +fields, but even so it was too late; many men's clothes were tainted, +and by 6-0 p.m. all the servants and more than half the other +Headquarter details were blind and had to go. Serjeant Bent, of the +Regimental Aid Post, and Allbright, the Orderly Room Clerk, were amongst +those who went down. Our Medical Officer (Captain W.B. Jack), +Intelligence Officer (2nd Lieut. J.A. Hewson) and Lieut. K. Ashdowne all +went to Hospital, while the 4th Battalion lost all their Headquarter +Officers. By night the Commanding Officer was unable to speak, the +Adjutant half blind, and the Padre was doing everybody's job with his +wonderful energy. It was a very sorrowful Battalion Headquarters that +handed over to the Staffordshires and found its way slowly back to +Vaudricourt.</p> + +<p>Soon after that—on the 29th of May—"C" Company had another gas +misfortune while in support in Gorre village. Their house was heavily +shelled with mustard, and though all men were taken out as soon<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[Pg 263]</a></span> as +possible 40% of the Company, together with 2nd Lieuts. H. Coxell and O. +Darlington had to be evacuated. There was so much gas at this time that +special compartments were set apart for gassed men and gassed clothing +on the Fouquières-Le Quesnoy-Kantara Dump light railway.</p> + +<p>Towards the end of the month the crops began to get very high, and by +the first week in June hardly a day passed without some daylight patrol +taking advantage of them. Captain Banwell first made the experiment. +Accompanied by his runner, Smiles, he visited the "crashed" aeroplane +just N. of the Rue du Bois and found a most elaborate German night post +in a tree, with wires to machine gun posts. His example was followed on +the 9th of June by 2nd Lieut. Cole, who went out one morning with +Lance-Corporal Thurman and a party from "D" Company. They crawled +through some wire and found themselves close to a German shell-hole +post. 2nd Lieut. Cole himself reconnoitred this post, and finding the +sentry dozing called up his Corporal. The latter hit the sentry on the +head with his rifle "to attract his attention" (so read the patrol +report), and leaning over the hole whispered "Ici yer ——er." The +Boche, however, was too frightened to "ici" and looked like giving the +alarm, so 2nd Lieut. Cole jumped down and fired his revolver to hurry +him along. This caused a considerable disturbance. Two German Machine +Gun posts only a few yards away joined in the fight and for a moment +things looked bad for the patrol. The latter, finding they could not get +a prisoner, made a note of his Regiment, shot him, and made off under a +heavy fire from the machine gun posts. They all got away safely.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[Pg 264]</a></span> The +Corps Commander described 2nd Lieut. Cole's work as "a very fine piece +of patrol work, and called for courage, initiative and cunning of a high +degree." Ten days later—on the 10th of June—the enemy suddenly shelled +the "Tuning Fork Switch" trench, and this very gallant young officer was +badly wounded in the arm. He was taken down to the Casualty Clearing +Station at once, but in spite of all the Doctors' efforts, blood +poisoning set in, and on the 29th Lieut. Maurice Cole died. The same +evening he was awarded the Military Cross for his patrol fight. He lies +now in Pernes cemetery. No officer was ever more loved by his men, and +justly so, for he was not only their leader in danger, but their first +friend in difficulty. In the Mess "Bill" Cole was as popular as in the +field. Patrolling was not confined to these two Companies, and many +officers and men spent quite a large proportion of their time crawling +through the corn. Chief among these were 2nd Lieuts. Asher, Argyle, +Boarland, Christy, Davies, Serjeants T. Marston, M.M., Haines, Foster, +M.S.M., P. Bowler, T. Tunks, T. Needham, Clamp and others.</p> + +<p>With the hot weather the La Bassée Canal became a very useful asset, and +not only were there constant bathing parties, but it was actually +possible at the end of July to hold a swimming gala in the "Brewery +Reach." There were several well contested races and diving competitions, +uninterrupted by hostile aircraft, and a very pleasant afternoon +(considering the Boche were less than a mile away) was spent in this +way. The chief race was won by Signaller Stanton.</p> + +<p>Towards the end of July, as there was no sign of the long expected +German attack, preparations were made<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[Pg 265]</a></span> for the coming winter. Houses +were reinforced, and had concrete houses built inside them, and some +very comfortable Headquarters were built in this way. Perhaps the best +of these was the Battalion Headquarters of the Route A sector—a cottage +on the banks of the canal and screened from any observation by the +woods. It had its own bathing place (where Serjt. Wilbur nearly got +drowned) and its own private approach by the tow path—incidentally, of +course, its own mosquitoes, but one got used to them in time.</p> + +<p>On the 13th of July we lost Captain Banwell, who went into hospital for +a few weeks with his fifth wound—an aeroplane bullet in the stomach. It +was not at all a slight wound, but he managed to persuade the Pernes +Doctors that it was, and so contrived not to be evacuated beyond the +C.C.S. He eventually returned in August, and after a few days as A.D.C. +to General Rowley, who was then Commanding the Division, went off on a +month's leave to get fit.</p> + +<p>On the 6th of August the Staff had reason to believe that the Boche +might be contemplating a withdrawal that morning, and we were asked to +make sure that we could still get in touch with the enemy. Accordingly, +Lieut. Pearson, Lance-Corporal "Anty" Carr and Pte. Ferrin, all of "A" +Company, crawled out at dawn towards the ruined houses and battery +positions opposite Route A Keep. It was the anniversary of Carr's 1916 +experience and before they went several of his friends jestingly warned +him not to be captured this time. The patrol crawled via several dykes +and got close to the house without disturbing anyone, until, to get a +better view Lieut. Pearson knelt up to use glasses. A machine gun then +opened fire on them at close range,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[Pg 266]</a></span> so they returned. On the way back +they were suddenly fired at by a post in their path—the occupants must +have been asleep on the way out. Pte. Ferrin was hit and died almost at +once, but the others tried to bomb the enemy out, and, finding they +could not, decided to lie still until evening. However, the enemy proved +more resolute than usual and soon surrounded and captured the whole +party. The fight was seen by several of the front line posts and also by +a patrol of "D" Company under 2nd Lieut. Christy. This latter was quite +unable to give any help as it was itself having very great difficulty in +getting away from two large Boche patrols who were trying to cut it off. +A few days later, while we were in support at Le Quesnoy, the enemy +started his withdrawal, and the Gorre-Essars front once more became a +battle sector.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[Pg 267]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>CHAPTER XV.</h3> + +<h4>GORRE AND ESSARS AT WAR.</h4> + +<p><span class="left">10th Aug., 1918.</span><span class="right">12th Sept., 1918.</span><br /></p> + +<p>The enemy started his withdrawal North of the Lawe Canal, and it was not +until the latter half of August that the Gorre sector was affected. +However, all preparations for more open warfare were made, and the +supply of rations and ammunition was reorganised in such a way that +either limbers or pack animals could be used at short notice. During our +tour in the Right Sector from the 14th to 18th of August all rations for +"Route A" were taken up to forward Company Headquarters on mules and +ponies; the latter, under the skilful handling of their drivers, showed +a most admirable fortitude in the face of machine-gun fire. Each night a +little column of heavily laden ponies under Corporal Archer or +Lance-Corporal Foster could be seen moving slowly along the Tuning Fork +Road, first with rations then with water; towards midnight they returned +("drivers up") at a much brisker pace.</p> + +<p>On the 18th we left trenches and came into support for three days at Le +Quesnoy. Colonel Wood was away Commanding the Brigade for a short time +and Major Griffiths was in Command. All available men were set to work +cutting the corn, which was now ripe and would soon spoil if not cut and +carried in.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[Pg 268]</a></span> Bayonets took the place of scythes as the latter were +almost unobtainable, and it was surprising to find what progress was +made with these weapons. In a few days several train loads were sent +down on the light railway to Fouquières. All this time the news from the +South was most encouraging. The great attack of the 8th had freed Amiens +and each day brought us news of further successes. On the 20th the +Staffordshires on the left found some of the enemy's advanced posts +unoccupied, and the same day prisoners taken on the Lawe Canal spoke of +an impending retreat to the Le Touret-Lacouture line. On the 21st the +Commanding Officer returned, and the same day the Brigade moved into and +occupied the old German front line near Cense du Raux Farm. That night +we relieved the 4th Battalion in the old Right Sector and occupied the +Liverpool Line as Support Battalion to the other two, both of whom were +in and forward of the old front line. On the 22nd General Rowley decided +to have one outpost Battalion for the whole frontage, and the following +day we took over the line from the junction with the 55th Division (in +the old front line E. of "Route A Keep") to the junction with the +Sherwood Foresters N.E. of Le Touret village.</p> + +<p>On the extreme right we had pushed forward across the road where they +were opposed in the centre by Epinette East Post, and on the left by +some houses in the Rue itself, to both of which the Boche was still +clinging tenaciously. On the left the line was continued by "D" Company +(Lieut. T.H. Ball in the absence of Captain Brooke) who held positions +astride the Rue du Bois. The extreme left platoon was about 200 yards up +the Rue de Cailloux and occupied one of the old<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[Pg 269]</a></span> keeps in the +Sailly—Tuning Fork—Vielle Chapelle Line. Here, and on the Rue de +L'Epinette, the enemy was active with snipers and trench mortars—in the +centre thing's were very quiet. "C" Company (Hawley) and "B" Company +(Tomson) were in Support in the old front line; Battalion Headquarters +lived in Loisne Chateau, now "Railhead" for the light railway. There was +no front line in the old sense—it was simply "outposts" as laid down in +Field Service Regulations. Very few of the Company Officers had had any +previous experience of this work, but Colonel Wood soon put us straight, +and organized things himself. He was absolutely indefatigable and day +and night was up in the line sighting good positions and studying the +enemy. The latter were distinctly alert as they showed by their +behaviour on the 24th and 25th when we not only made no progress, but +had several casualties. First, on the extreme right, an "A" Company +patrol tried to reconnoitre the Epinette East Post by night. They were +seen and fired at heavily and had to come back leaving one of their +number dead behind them. Soon afterwards, in an attempt to recover his +body, Lance-Serjeant Clamp was himself hit and died a few hours later. +"A" Company could ill afford to lose this N.C.O., who had shown himself +as gallant a leader in battle, as he was an efficient instructor on the +Parade ground. The following morning, accompanied by his runner, +Lance-Corporal Collins, and the Adjutant, the Commanding Officer started +on a tour round the outpost line. He visited "A" Company's posts and +passed on to "D" Company. On reaching the Rue du Bois he got on to the +road, and, as it was misty, started to walk Westward along it. Whether +the little<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[Pg 270]</a></span> party was seen or not will never be known; what happened +would seem to show that they were. They had not gone seventy yards +before a "whizz-bang" burst a few yards North of the road hitting a +Stretcher Bearer. Another followed, this time the burst was only a few +yards behind the party. The others escaped, but Colonel Wood was hit in +the back of the head and was thrown stunned on to the road. More shells +followed, and the three lay in a ditch till it was over, and then made +their way back to Battalion Headquarters. The Colonel refused to be +carried and walked all the way to the Aid Post, where the Doctor found +that a shell splinter had grazed the back of his skull, and had only +been prevented by the steel helmet from doing more damage. The Colonel +wished to remain with the Battalion, but the Medical Officer was +obdurate, and he was finally evacuated, and a week later sent to +England. He had been in Command only a short time, but we had learnt in +that time what a very gallant soldier he was, and how his one care was +to make us the first Battalion in the Division. His place was taken by +Major J.L. Griffiths who had been Second in Command since 1916, while +Captain John Burnett took over the latter's duties.</p> + +<p>The same afternoon we had further bad luck. On the extreme left No. 13 +Platoon (Christy) had been very actively sniping the enemy on the +Cailloux Road, and soon after midday, came the retaliation in the form +of heavy shelling which lasted about an hour. There was little cover, +and one post was wiped out, including a promising young soldier, +Lance-Corporal Harries, whose name had been recommended for a +Commission. 2nd Lieut. Christy managed, in spite of the difficulty of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[Pg 271]</a></span> +moving men in daylight, to get the majority of his Platoon out of the +Keep, and took up positions on either flank; this action undoubtedly +saved many casualties. Corporal Hamill, one of the old soldiers of the +Battalion and a well-known long distance runner, was killed at the same +time. The Platoon was naturally rather shaken, and its place was +therefore taken by a Platoon of "C" Company. The following night we were +relieved by the Sherwood Foresters and went back to Vaudricourt. The +Relief was carried out without interference from the enemy except for +Battalion Headquarter Officers, who had to leave Loisne Chateau at the +gallop. Salvoes of whizz-bangs were arriving at frequent intervals, and +there was just time to mount and gallop 300 yards down the road between +the bursts.</p> + +<p>The next six days at Vaudricourt were delightful; we all needed a rest, +and the weather for once was excellent. At this time Major General W. +Thwaites, C.B., who had Commanded the Division since 1916, was appointed +Director of Military Intelligence at the War Office, and his place was +taken by Major General G.F. Boyd, C.M.G., D.S.O., D.C.M. It is +impossible even now to estimate all that General Thwaites did for the +Division, and it was very bad luck for him that he had to leave just at +the time when the Division was to reap the fruits of his training. He +took us over after the Gommecourt battle, and we were tired and weak, as +is to be expected after heavy casualties; if he had stayed another month +he would have seen us doing as no Division had done before. There are +many of us who would cheerfully have been "crumped" to escape a +"G.O.C.'s Inspection," but we have lived to be thankful even for these; +they made our Platoon and Company organisation perfect.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[Pg 272]</a></span></p> + +<p>On the 30th we all went and listened to a lecture on Co-operation with +Tanks, given by an Officer who had taken part in the recent fighting +down South. It was a bloodthirsty and blood-curdling recital, and at the +end of it we all felt ready for an enormous battle, provided we could +have a tank or two to help. The following day, being the Brigade Boxing +Tournament Finals, some of the N.C.O.'s and men got an opportunity of +slaking their battle lust. This they did very successfully, as at the +end of the day we were equal with the 5th Lincolns, who had previously +always been winners. Serjeants Wardle, Ptes. "Mat" Moore and Martin, all +won their weights, and in addition Serjeant Wardle won the open catch +weight championship. This N.C.O. then challenged any one of the 5th +Lincolns' side to fight a "one round" deciding bout, and, beating his +opponent, won the day for the Battalion. The Brigadier gave away the +prizes and also the Sports Cup which we had won. There was a very +gratifying predominance of "yellow rings" throughout this part of the +proceedings.</p> + +<p>The following day—the 1st of September—we returned to trenches, and +went into support with Battalion Headquarters in Le Quesnoy and the +Companies in and around Gorre village. As the new Divisional Commander +had not yet arrived Brigadier General Rowley was still in command of the +Division and Lieut.-Colonel Foster, of the 4th Battalion, commanded the +Brigade. The Germans were withdrawing very slowly, and by the 3rd the +Staff decided that as soon as the 5th Lincolnshires had gained "Rum +Corner" on the Rue du Bois, where the Boche had a strong pill box, we +should go forward with a barrage<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[Pg 273]</a></span> with Princes' Road as our objective. +Orders did not arrive until after midday and then Rum Corner had not +fallen; it was, however, expected to fall by 4-0 p.m., and our attack +was ordered for 8-0 p.m. the same evening. There was no time for +reconnaissance and little for getting out orders, but we managed to +arrange for an assembly position and a barrage, which was to advance in +jumps of 100yds. every 4 minutes. Everybody had a hurried tea and set +out between 5-0 p.m. and 6-0 p.m. for the line. It was not very +satisfactory and we were all glad when, owing to the stout resistance of +Rum Corner the advance was postponed until 5-15 the following +morning—the 4th of September. It was a warm night and the Companies +remained in the trenches round Loisne and were able to have a good meal +before starting. Late that night the 5th Lincolnshires reported the +taking of the "Corner," so that all was now ready for the battle. We did +not expect much resistance. Shortly before midnight fresh orders arrived +making our objective the old breastwork through Tube Station and Factory +Post (the support line in 1915). If possible we were to push patrols on +to the old British front line in front of Fme. Cour D'Avoué and Fme. du +Bois.</p> + +<p>Soon after 4-0 a.m. we were all in our assembly positions—the three +attacking Companies along a line running N. and S. about 300 yards E. of +Epinette Road, with our left just North of Rue du Bois; the Support +Company 100 yards behind them. "D" Company (Brooke) was on the right +with orders to protect that flank, if necessary facing right to do so as +they advanced, "A" Company (Petch) was in the centre, and "B" Company +(Pierrepont) left, astride the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[Pg 274]</a></span> Rue du Bois, "C" Company (Hawley) was in +support. Battalion Headquarters were in Epinette East Post with an +Orderly Room and rear Headquarters in Loisne. About an hour before we +were due to start a curious thing happened: It was suddenly discovered +that a considerable number of the 5th Lincolnshires were now some +distance E. of our "jumping off line," and consequently beyond where the +barrage was due to start. The Brigadier tried to get the barrage +advanced, but it was found impossible to tell the Artillery in time, and +in the end the Lincolnshires, much to their disgust, had to be +withdrawn. As their leading men had gone as far as Princes' Road, it did +not look as though we should have much opposition that far at all +events.</p> + +<p>Promptly at 5-15 a.m. the barrage came down and the advance began. +Princes' Road was reached and crossed, the breastwork was found empty, +and, after a short pause in the latter, the right centre Companies went +on to the old front line. The left Company had slightly more difficult +ground, and arrived half-an-hour later; nowhere had a German been met, +though one or two had been seen making for the Aubers Ridge. It was a +bloodless victory, and by 7-0 a.m. the Battalion was occupying the +identical sector that it occupied in 1915. The barrage had not been +needed, but it was none the less very useful, for we all learnt how +close we could keep and how to judge the "lifts." Consolidation was not +a difficult matter except on the right flank, where we could not until +evening get touch with the 55th Division. It was consequently necessary +for "D" Company to swing back their right through Tube Station and Dead +Cow Post and face South. On the left Colonel Currin with his Sherwood +Foresters was in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[Pg 275]</a></span> touch with us at the Factory Keep. Battalion +Headquarters moved up just before midday to a small shelter 200 yards +west of Princes' Road. In most of the captured dug-outs the following +notice was found:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Dear Tommy,—</p> + +<p>You are welcome to all we are leaving, when we stop we shall stop, +and stop you in a manner you won't appreciate. <span class="smcap">Fritz</span>. </p></div> + +<p>It was neatly printed in English block capitals and caused much +amusement. The whole day was in a way one great joke—the un-needed +barrage, the empty trenches, these farewell notices, all combined to +make us very happy.</p> + +<p>At first we thought we were going to be let off without any retaliation +at all, but the following morning at "stand to" a fairly heavy barrage +came down for half-an-hour on the breastwork support line—presumably to +break up any intended attack. "B" Company Headquarters most unluckily +received a direct hit causing six casualties. Two Serjeants who could +ill be spared, A. Cross and E. Bottomley were both badly wounded, the +latter mortally; two servants, C. Payne and L. Brotheridge, were wounded +not very seriously, and the two runners, G.S. Bott and G. Dewsbury were +hit, Bott so badly that he died in Hospital. These two runners, +inseparable friends, had long been associated with "B" Company +Headquarters, and had always done yeoman service, for there was probably +never a better pair. In the afternoon orders came that we should be +relieved at dusk by the 19th Division, but that we must be certain that +we were in touch with the enemy when handing over. Accordingly orders +were sent up to Captain Petch to try and locate the exact<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[Pg 276]</a></span> position of +the enemy. At first the patrol sent out was unable to draw fire, so, +taking C.S.M. Passmore, Serjt. Bowler and others with him, Captain Petch +went out himself, and the two waved their arms and shouted to imaginary +platoons to make the enemy think an attack was coming. The ruse was +successful, a machine gun opened fire from close quarters. The two +dropped into a shell hole and started to crawl their way back; there was +plenty of cover, and if they had been patient all would have been well. +Unfortunately C.S.M. Passmore thinking it was sufficiently dark, got up +and walked towards our lines. He was hit and killed outright. This +warrant officer joined us at Gommecourt in 1917; his energy and +fearlessness at once brought him to the front, and he soon rose from +Serjeant to be Company-Serjeant-Major. His place in "A" Company was +taken by Serjeant Wardle, of "C" Company. As soon as they were relieved +Companies marched to Loisne Chateau, where they were to entrain. Trains +were not ready, but after a long wait, the well-nigh frantic efforts of +Captain Schiller produced them, much to everybody's delight, and +somewhere about midnight we marched back to Vaudricourt Park.</p> + +<p>Two days later the new Major-General was introduced to us, and at once +won his way to our hearts by his wonderful charm of manner. He must have +been surprised to see outside the mess a long line of horses and mules +all waiting saddled up. We had arranged an officers' paper chase and +every officer attended; those who couldn't find chargers had perforce to +ride mules. The hares (Captain Burnett on "Mrs. Wilson" and 2/Lieut. +Todd on the frisky black) were given ten minutes' grace and then, led by +"Sunloch" (Lieut.-<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[Pg 277]</a></span>Colonel Griffiths "up") the rest of us swung out of +the Park and off towards Labuissière. The pace was very hot and most of +us soon dropped behind, though the mules, keeping as usual all together +and led by Padre Buck, managed to stay the whole course. Four riders, +finding they were getting left behind, started to make a short cut +through Hesdigneul and there on the village green met the hares on the +way home. It was a dramatic moment witnessed by large crowds of gunners, +and Lieut. Brodribb on the Colonel's pony, and Lieut. Hawley on the +faithful and well-intentioned "Charlie," dashed after the hares. The +effect, however, was somewhat spoilt by "Lady Sybil," unused no doubt to +audiences, throwing the Adjutant over her head on to the middle of the +green. The hares were finally caught after a 9-mile run within a few +hundred yards of home. It was a great performance.</p> + +<p>Our stay at Vaudricourt was not a long one, and we soon moved to +Béthune, preparatory to entrainment for the South, for it was now no +longer a secret that we were going down to fight a real battle at last. +The new General introduced a "Blob" formation, which was both easy and +effective, and we practised this once or twice outside the town. Our +first line transport was also reorganised in such a way that each +Company had its own two limbers with Lewis Guns and ammunition, bombs +and all necessaries. On one small Field Day the Signallers with their +flags turned out as Tanks, and we practised everything as realistically +as possible. We were all very keen, and better still, very fit; in fact, +the Battalion never looked in better form than on one of these training +days when we marched past the Brigadier.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[Pg 278]</a></span></p> + +<p>From the 9th to the 11th of September we remained in Béthune, a +depressing town now, to those of us who had known it in its days of +prosperity. We managed to have one very good concert in the Barracks and +it was surprising how much really good talent we found, conjuror, +humourists and sentimental singer were all ready to amuse us. At +midnight 11/12th we fell in on the Parade Ground and marched to +Chocques—the irrepressible Drums giving us one or two tunes on the way. +It rained hard at the Station and there was a terrible shortage of +accommodation. At length, with much shoving, swearing and +puddle-splashing we got on board, and at 4-0 a.m. left the Béthune Area. +We had been on the Lens-La Bassée Sector for seventeen months: we never +saw it again.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[Pg 279]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>CHAPTER XVI.</h3> + +<h4>PONTRUET.</h4> + +<p><span class="left">14th Sept., 1918.</span><span class="right">25th Sept., 1918.</span><br /></p> + +<p>Our journey Southwards was uncomfortable and uneventful. The only +remarkable feature was the acrobatic skill displayed by the mess staff, +transferring meals from the kitchen-cattle-truck to the officers +mess-cattle-truck. Even at the usual speed of a French troop train, it +is no easy task to drop off the train with a pile of plates in one hand, +a dish of potatoes in the other, walk fast enough to catch up the +carriage in front, and finally, in spite of signal wires, sleepers and +other pitfalls, deliver all safely at the "Mess." Yet this was done not +once but often. We spent the whole day in the train passing St. Pol, +Amiens, and Corbie, and finally towards evening reached Ribemont, where +we found our billeting party waiting for us. Billets consisted of some +distant dug-outs across a swampy moor, and the recent rains had made +what few tracks there were too slippery for the horses. It was all very +unpleasant, and we spent a cold and cheerless night. "A" Company, which +had remained at Chocques doing loading duties, did not arrive until +midnight—very wet and tired.</p> + +<p>The next day was bright and warm, and we soon discovered that the two +villages, Treux and Buire would<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[Pg 280]</a></span> hold Headquarters and half the +Battalion, so moved into them without delay and evacuated all except the +more sumptuous and easily approached dug-outs. We were now fairly +comfortable, and our only grouse was the absence of any canteen or even +French civilians for miles and miles, and the consequent lack of +tobacco, beer and other little luxuries.</p> + +<p>Our move had brought us into General Rawlinson's Fourth Army, and, as we +were apparently not needed at once for a battle, we started vigorous +training. Route marches, and even "field-firing" practices were carried +out, and there was one big Divisional Field day, which ended +triumphantly with the Brigade and Battalion Staffs picking mushrooms on +the final objective. Meanwhile the Second in Command's Department under +Major Burnett fixed up baths and other comforts for us and, by the 18th +of September, we were really very comfortable. This same day we were +ordered to move at short notice.</p> + +<p>Motor lorries took us on to the main Amiens road at Corbie, and turning +East along it we jolted and bumped and splashed our way through +Brie-sur-Somme to Tertry. The country—what we could see of it in the +dark—seemed to consist of a barren waste of shell holes with here and +there a shattered tree or the remains of some burnt-out Tank standing +forlornly near some dark and stagnant swamp. Villages were practically +non-existent, and Tertry was no exception, but we soon settled down +under waterproof sheets, corrugated iron and a few old bricks. The +transport under Major Burnett and Serjt. Yeabsley came all the way by +road, and arrived some hours later; but much of our stores had to be +left behind with two storemen in Buire.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[Pg 281]</a></span> Many efforts were made during +the following months to retrieve these stores, but it was not until +after the armistice that we were finally successful.</p> + +<p>We were now IXth. Corps, and found our neighbours were old friends from +the Béthune area—the 1st and 6th Divisions. The Transport lines and +"battle details" of the 1st and 11th Battalions of the Regiment were +quite close to us, and we paid several calls. On the 20th, Captains +Tomson and Banwell returned from leave, much to the delight of their +Companies, for the following day we went into trenches, relieving the +14th and 45th Australians in the Hindenburg Outpost line, that they had +so brilliantly captured a few days before. We were in Brigade support +along Ascension Ridge, called after a farm of that name, and the other +two Battalions held the line in front of us.</p> + +<p>In their attack, the Australians had pushed forward further than anyone +else, while the English troops on their right, after some very hard +fighting, had been held up by the village of Pontruet. Consequently +there was a sharp bend in the line, and the Australian right flank, +though on high ground, was somewhat exposed. The line ran roughly as +follows:—</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/img281.jpg" alt="Sketch of the line at Pontruet." title="Sketch of the line at Pontruet." /></div> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[Pg 282]</a></span></p> + +<p>The enemy still held posts on the ridge close to the Australian front +line, and were known to have several posts in Forgan's trench, which was +the Southward continuation of our front line across the valley. Pontruet +was overlooked from everywhere, and constantly bombarded by our +Artillery, so it did not seem likely that it held many Boche. The +Sherwood Foresters held the right of the Divisional line and joined with +the 1st Division on the high ground South of the village. There was no +sign of any intended operation, and it certainly looked as if we could +not move until the troops on our right had advanced. Accordingly on the +22nd the Adjutant rode back to Brie to go on leave. Capt. Banwell, +really a "battle detail," went up to assist the Headquarters, while the +other "details"—Major Burnett, Captain Petch, Lieut. Pierrepont, 2nd +Lieuts. Edwardes, Griffiths, Taylor, C.S.M.'s Cooper and +Martin—remained with the Q.M. Stores.</p> + +<p>No sooner had the Adjutant gone, than orders came for a battle. At dawn +on the 24th the Division on our right was going to advance, and the 46th +Division, by way of assisting them, was to capture Pontruet and hold +Forgan's trench as a final objective. The 138th Brigade were chosen for +this fight, and General Rowley decided to use one Battalion +only—ourselves. We were to attack the village from the rear, by +advancing into the valley from the North and then turning West, while +one Company turning East would capture and hold Forgan's. There was +little time for preparation, so Colonel Griffiths called a Company +Commanders' meeting, reconnoitred the village from above, and decided on +his plan of attack. At the same time a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[Pg 283]</a></span> runner was sent after the +Adjutant, and found him just boarding the leave train. It was a near +thing, but not for anything would he have missed the next few weeks.</p> + +<p>The Colonel's plan was as follows:—To assemble the Battalion in lines +of platoons in fours facing South, just behind the right of our front +line. "A" would be on the right, "D" on the left. At Zero all would move +forward with a barrage, keeping about 50 yards distance and interval +between platoons. All would cross the Bellenglise road and finally, when +the leading platoons were level with the farther, i.e., South, edge of +Pontruet, "A" and "B" would turn to the right, sweep through and reform +on the West side of it. "D" would turn left and capture Forgan's trench, +having a platoon of "C" Company to help them. The rest of "C" would +assist which ever party seemed to be in difficulties. The Headquarters +would move to the high ground, whence the fight would be visible, and +there was every hope of opening signal communication with the attacking +Companies. Artillery arrangements were made accordingly, and +bombardments ordered for the supposed posts in Forgan's. Unfortunately, +much against our wishes, and in opposition to the Brigadier's scheme, a +heavy smoke barrage was to be placed on the Western edge of the village. +A West wind would make this a thick blanket and seriously hinder our +advance, and West winds are very common; however, we could not alter +this part of the scheme. The Sherwood Foresters were ordered to assist +by pushing up to the village after we had captured it. Zero would be 5-0 +a.m. on the 24th of September.</p> + +<p>As soon as it was dark on the 23rd, Captain Banwell<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[Pg 284]</a></span> taped out a +"jumping off" line for the leading platoons. There was some unpleasant +shelling at the time, but he completed his task successfully, and also +taped out the route to this assembly position. At midnight, relieved by +the 6th South Staffordshires (Lister), we marched off after an issue of +hot tea and rum to the assembly ground, leaving great coats behind and +wearing fighting order. On arrival we found that the Lincolnshires had +been raided in their North end of Forgan's trench a short time before, +and, as there might still be some of the enemy near the trench, "D" +Company were ordered to form up in it, instead of on the top. It was not +a dark night, and had we been seen assembling all would have been lost. +There was some scattered shelling, and Lieut. Brodribb, commanding "A" +Company, was wounded in the leg. He had it dressed at the R.A.P., and, +finding he could still walk, rejoined his Company before the advance +began. In absolute silence we lay in shell holes waiting for Zero. A +mist had started to blow up from the valley, and the Battalion was +almost invisible. Here and there a few heads, the muzzle of a Lewis gun, +the end of a stretcher might be seen just above the ground, and +occasionally one could see the tall figure of Capt. Tomson, +imperturbable as ever, walking quietly round his Company with a word of +encouragement for all. As the time went on, the mist became thicker and +thicker, and by 4-50 a.m. platoons and Companies were unable to see each +other. The shelling had ceased, it was very quiet.</p> + +<p>Punctually at 5-0 a.m. the barrage opened, and the advance started. The +timing of the Artillery was perfect and, with the road to guide them, +"A" Com<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[Pg 285]</a></span>pany on the right swept across the Bellenglise road, keeping +close to the barrage. By 5-14 a.m. No. 1 Platoon (Quint), which was +leading, was ready for the right turn. The rest of this Company +followed, and, though No. 4 Platoon (Dennis) slightly lost direction for +a time, they soon regained their place, so that the whole Company was +ready to turn together. It was still half dark, and, as we had feared, +the smoke barrage blew across and shrouded us in a thick blanket of fog. +During their advance, "A" Company had found the machine gun and rifle +fire very hot from their left flank, apparently from Forgan's trench, +and had already lost Serjt. P. Bowler, who was killed outright. They had +met no enemy outside the village, and could not see more than a few +yards through the smoke. The other Companies were out of sight.</p> + +<p>Turning into Pontruet, "A" Company found it full of the enemy. Odd +lengths of trenches here and there, cellars in every direction were +filled with bombers and machine gun teams, some facing West, others, who +had realised our intentions, facing East. Led by Lieut. Brodribb and +their platoon commanders, "A" Company dashed in with the bayonet. Here +and there a bomb was thrown down a cellar, or a Lewis gun turned against +some party which resisted, but for the most part the bayonet was the +weapon of the day. The enemy were scattered, a few tried to fight, but +large numbers were killed trying to escape, while 120 were captured, and +50 more driven into the Sherwood Foresters' lines. The work on the North +side was the easiest. Here, small parties led by 2nd Lieut. Dennis, who +was slightly wounded, C.S.M. Wardle, Serjt. Toon, and others carried all +before them, cleared the lower road<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[Pg 286]</a></span> <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[Pg 287]</a></span>and the cemetery, and formed up +outside the N.W. corner, where they were joined by their Company +Commander.</p> + +<p><a name="img286-tb" id="img286-tb"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/img286.jpg"><img src="images/img286-tb.jpg" alt="Diagram to illustrate positions at Pontruet." title="Diagram to illustrate positions at Pontruet." /></a></div> +<h4><span class="smcap">Diagram</span> (not to scale) to illustrate positions +of Companies at 5.14 A.M. Sept 24th 1918 during attack on Pontruet.</h4> + +<p>In the centre there was more fighting, and while L/Cpls. Downs and +Starbuck and Pte. Meakin led their parties through with tremendous dash, +one Lewis Gun section under Dakin, a "No. 1" Lewis Gunner, found itself +held up by a strong German post. The "No. 2" was killed, and Dakin +himself was shot through both thighs almost at once, so that there was +no one left to work the gun. However, Hyden, an untrained soldier, came +forward and fired the gun, while Dakin, bleeding freely and with both +thighs broken, lay beside him and corrected stoppages, until he +succumbed to his injuries.</p> + +<p>The Company's heaviest losses were on the Southern or upper side of the +village. For, in the S.W. corner, the Germans had two lengths of well +defended trench, supported by a block house, and against these 2nd. +Lieuts. Aster and Quint and Corporal Tyers led their men. The two +officers were killed almost together at the second trench, but the +Corporal broke clean through, only to be shot through the head when +almost outside the village. Seven others of this same gallant party were +killed at this corner, and the remainder, unable to deal with the +blockhouse, fought their way through to the main part of the Company.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, the rest of the Battalion had been far less fortunate, and, +with no road to guide them, had been baffled by the fog. 2nd Lieut. +Lewin and Serjt. Harrison with a small party of "B" Company crossed the +valley and, turning right, followed No. 1 Platoon into the Southern half +of the village. They were too<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[Pg 288]</a></span> small a body to clear the blockhouse +corner, and first Serjt. Harrison, then 2nd Lieut. Levin were killed as +they gallantly tried to get forward. Two others of their men were hit, +and the rest were scattered.</p> + +<p>One platoon of "B" Company remained intact. 2nd Lieut. Cosgrove, finding +he could not keep direction and advance at the required pace, dropped +behind. Stopping every few yards to take a compass bearing, this officer +finally brought his platoon to its allotted turning point and entered +the village. Following the lower road, the platoon split into two halves +and "mopped up" anything left by "A" Company, making sure that the whole +of this side of the village was absolutely clear of the enemy. 2nd +Lieut. Cosgrove with his two sections joined Lieut. Brodribb outside the +village. Corporal Barber with his Lewis gun section took up a position +inside near the Cemetery.</p> + +<p>The rest of "B" Company and the left half Battalion fared badly. +Forgan's trench, supposed to be held by a few odd posts, was strongly +manned from end to end. It was wired in front and lateral belts had been +placed at frequent intervals across it. It would have been a stiff task +for a Company to take it with a direct frontal attack; to "work up" it +was impossible. None the less, "D" Company (Brooke) did their utmost. +Led by their Company Commander in person, the Company left the trench at +Zero and started to work along it. There was wire everywhere, and the +going was very bad on top, so that many men of the rear platoons dropped +back into the trench and made their way along it—a fatal mistake. On +nearing the Bellenglise road this Company was met with a perfect +hurricane of machine gun bullets from three guns in a nest near the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[Pg 289]</a></span> +road. Captain Brooke was hit but continued to lead his men, and, ably +backed by Serjt. Darby, made a gallant attempt to rush the position. The +men still in the trench could give no assistance, and though two +prisoners were taken the rush failed, and the German machine guns +remained unharmed. Captain Brooke was twice hit again and with 2nd +Lieuts. Sloper and Buckley, who were both wounded, had to leave the +fight. Serjt. Darby and L/Cpl. Smith had been killed close to the +enemy's guns, Serjeant Sullivan was wounded, and for the moment the +Company was leaderless. Lieut. Corah came up to take command, but by the +time he reached the head of the Company it was too late to act, and +Forgan's trench remained full of the enemy.</p> + +<p>The occupants of Forgan's, mostly machine gunners, appear to have +realised almost at once the direction of our attack, and opened a hot +fire on our left flank as we crossed the Bellenglise road and set off +across the valley. "A" Company felt this severely, but far more severe +were the losses of "C" Company and those platoons of "B" which did not +make their turn into the village. These were nearer to Forgan's trench, +and both lost heavily. The mist and smoke were very thick, connecting +files were useless, and the various officers, collecting what men they +could find, made their way as far as possible in the right direction. +Lieut. Hawley with the bulk of "C" Company found a few of the enemy +still in the Eastern end of Pontruet, turned them out, and occupied a +trench along the edge of the village, facing East. Further South along +this same trench another party of "C" under Lieut. Steel made use of a +small road bridge, and took up a position<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[Pg 290]</a></span> facing the same way. The rest +of the Company followed Lieut. Barrett and Serjt. Spencer and reached +the far side of the valley, being joined on the way by some of "B" +Company. A few yards up the bank on the Southern side, Lieut. Barrett +found to his surprise a trench across his route. The fog was still +thick, and this puzzled him—it had been newly dug during the +night—but, as it was full of Germans, he rushed it, got inside, and +turned towards Forgan's. He was hit doing so. Reaching Forgan's, this +party, in which Serjeant Spencer was conspicuous, quickly disposed of +three German machine gun posts and their teams, but were then themselves +fired at and bombed from several directions. Undeterred, Lieut. Barrett, +though again wounded, drew his revolver and with it held up one bombing +party, while Serjeant Spencer dealt with another. A bomb burst close to +Lieut. Barrett's pistol arm and put it out of action, and by this time +he was becoming exhausted. Calling his N.C.O.'s together, he explained +what had happened and gave them careful directions as to how to get out, +himself quite calm the whole time. Acting on his instructions, those of +the party who were left cut their way out; Lieut. Barrett, refusing +help, started to crawl through the wire, and was again wounded. He +eventually reached the R.A.P. literally covered with wounds. Contrary to +the Doctor's expectations, however, he not only lived to receive his +Victoria Cross, but soon made a complete recovery.</p> + +<p>At the same time, Captain Tomson, finding his Company now consisted only +of his signallers, runners, and batmen, and unable to find out where the +rest had gone, determined to try and rush the machine guns which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[Pg 291]</a></span> were +keeping up such a steady fire close to his left flank. His little party +forced their way through some wire and found themselves opposed by three +guns. With a shout of "Come along Tigers, show them what you can do," +Captain Tomson led them straight at the enemy. Two of the gun teams were +overcome, but the third could not be reached, and fired at them point +blank. L/Cpl. Signaller J. Smith was wounded and fell, Captain Tomson, +bending down to tie him up, was shot through the head. Only two men got +away, leaving their leader, now dead, in a small shelter outside the +trench. Smith, mortally wounded, refused to be taken away, saying "Leave +me with Captain Tomson, I shall be all right"—and there he died next to +his Company Commander. So perished the kindest hearted and bravest +gentleman that ever commanded a Company in the Regiment. Calm, cheerful, +with a friendly word for all, Captain Tomson was the father of his men, +and a warm friend to his brother officers and N.C.O.'s.</p> + +<p>By 6-30 a.m. it was daylight, but the fog and smoke still lay like a +thick blanket along the valley, hiding the village and all that was +going on there. It was not until 7-45 a.m. that the wind blew this away, +and we were at last able to see how we had fared. The village, with the +exception of the blockhouse corner, was in our hands. "C" Company were +holding more than half its Eastern side, while "A" and part of "B" had +reformed after the attack and were dug in just outside the N.W. corner. +The only troops actually in Pontruet were those with Corpl. Barber at +the Cemetery. The road leading West from the village was thronged with +prisoners and stretcher bearers making<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[Pg 292]</a></span> their way towards the large +crater on the main road, used as a Company Headquarters by the Sherwood +Foresters. Captain Jack had established his Aid Post at the bottom of +the little valley running down to the road, and here, helped by the +never-tiring Padre Buck, was busily employed with our wounded.</p> + +<p>In Forgan's trench there was a deadlock. Across the valley and on the +Southern slopes it was still full of the enemy, who had many machine +guns. Daylight made an attack over the open by "D" Company impossible, +for as soon as anyone was seen to leave our lines he was at once fired +upon. Every effort was made with bombs and rifle grenades to dislodge +the German machine gunners from their posts on the main road, but, +though Serjts. Marston and Haynes and L/Cpl. Thurman did their utmost, +no progress could be made. Here, therefore, "D" Company had to stay +throughout the day, almost powerless to help, except by harassing the +enemy with stokes mortars from the high ground. With daylight, the enemy +also had complete command of the Eastern edge of Pontruet, and Lieuts. +Hawley and Steel had to lie very quiet; the slightest movement attracted +the attention of the snipers in Forgan's.</p> + +<p>At 8-0 a.m. the battle was practically at a standstill, and the C.O. +sent the Adjutant forward to see what could be done to improve our +position. The enemy's artillery was now fairly quiet, and, except for +the one machine gun post near the blockhouse, there seemed to be no +Germans in Pontruet. "A" and "B" Companies had exhausted all their +grenades and Lewis gun ammunition in their efforts to capture this one +post, but had failed, and our only hope was now that a 1st<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[Pg 293]</a></span> Divisional +Tank would do it for us. This Tank was seen coming up from the West, +and, to attract its attention, we waved our helmets on our rifles. It +turned towards us, but suddenly broke down, and soon afterwards was put +completely out of action.</p> + +<p>At the same time, efforts were made to signal to Battalion Headquarters +for ammunition, but the signal apparatus had all been destroyed in the +fight. The only flag available was one of the "red, white and black" +Regimental flags, which the Adjutant happened to have in his pocket, and +though this was vigorously waved, it could not be seen. A runner had to +be sent instead.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, though we had practically cleared the village of the enemy, +we were not, as far as we knew at the Western end of it, holding it very +strongly. The only post known to "A" Company was Corporal Barber's at +the Cemetery. "C" Company were supposed to be "somewhere at the other +end," but no one quite knew where. However, with Corporal Barber was a +"C" Company soldier—Coles—who undertook to find his way back to his +Company. Our idea was to form a line through the village at once, and, +when ammunition arrived, push the line through to the far side. Coles +found "C" Company, but so hot was the sniping from Forgan's, that any +idea of moving men in that direction had to be abandoned, at any rate +until darkness. Coles himself was unable to return, so that the exact +position of "C" Company was never known at Headquarters.</p> + +<p>On the return of the Adjutant, Battalion Headquarters moved up to the +valley next the R.A.P. At the same time a large supply of ammunition and +bombs was brought up as far as the crater. Colonel Griffiths<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[Pg 294]</a></span> himself +set off to visit "A" Company, but he had not gone many yards along the +road before he was heavily sniped by the enemy machine gunners. The +latter had established several posts on the high ground S.E. of +Pontruet, and were now making the road impassable. For a long time the +Colonel, making use of shell holes, tried to make his way to the +village, but every time he was "spotted" and finally he had to return. +Ammunition carrying parties lost very heavily and never got near our +companies; the village seemed to be completely cut off from us. To add +to our discomfort the enemy's artillery was again active and gas shells +were fired wherever movement was seen. The Headquarters and the R.A.P. +were frequently bombarded. At the same time the enemy's infantry started +to dribble back by Forgan's and the new trench, into the S.W. corner of +the village, probably to counter-attack. Observers saw this movement +from the Tumulus Ridge, and, as soon as Corpl. Barber's post could be +withdrawn, the suspected area was heavily shelled by our gunners, and no +attack developed.</p> + +<p>During the afternoon, the Headquarters, finding that in their new +position they were in touch with neither Brigade Headquarters nor their +Companies, moved back to the hill-top. Captain Jack and the Padre +remained with the R.A.P., though their valley was almost continuously +shelled, and never entirely free from gas. The devoted work these two +did that day is beyond description and too great for praise.</p> + +<p>At 4-0 p.m., as our position was materially unchanged, we received +orders for a fresh advance, to be made in conjunction with one Company +of the 6th Sherwood Foresters. Our objective was to be a line<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[Pg 295]</a></span> along the +Southern edge of the village, to link up with "C" Company, or at least +to extend to where we imagined "C" Company to be. Captain Pink, of the +Sherwood Foresters, commanded the Company which was to help us, and no +one could have worked harder than he did to make our advance a success, +but the uncertainty of "C" Company's exact position, and the +impossibility of sending them any orders, made our task very difficult. +Late in the afternoon we at last got news of Lieut. Steel. In spite of +shells and machine-gun bullets, a runner came along the main road from +St. Hélène to the crater. This runner, Private F. Lane, had had to crawl +250 yards across the open under direct observation, had had to kill two +Germans before he could get clear of the village, and had then run the +gauntlet of shells and bullets along the road—all this alone. Not +content with having delivered his message, he refused to rest, and, +though exhausted, made his way back by the same way that he had come. We +now knew where Lieut. Steel was under the bridge, but still we knew +nothing of the main part of "C" Company.</p> + +<p>At 7-30 p.m., as it was getting dusk, the combined advance started +without a barrage. It was a big frontage for so small a force and +parties lost touch with each other amongst the ruins. "A" Company's left +kept close to the Sherwood Foresters, but the outer flanks of both were +"in the air," for "C" Company could not be found. It was dark when the +South side of the village was reached, and it was found terribly +difficult to keep direction amongst the ruins and trenches. A Lewis Gun +Section, under C.S.M. Wardle, disposed of the only party of the enemy +who were encountered, but the post near the Blockhouse could not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[Pg 296]</a></span> be +found. Finally at 9-0 p.m. the Sherwood Foresters fell back to Fourmi +trench near the main road, and 2nd Lieut. Dennis, now commanding "A" +Company, ordered his platoons to return to their former positions. We +had accomplished nothing.</p> + +<p>The original plan had been that we should be relieved as soon as it was +dark, but our present line was so uncertain that the relieving Battalion +refused to take it over as we had it. The men were tired out, and it was +impossible to expect them to make another attempt to form a line round +the village. "C" Company were found, but too far North to link up with +the others. Eventually, at 2-0 a.m. on the 25th, we were ordered to +withdraw all our Companies and evacuate the village. This we did by 4-0 +a.m. What was left of the Battalion then marched back to where we had +left our greatcoats, while the Sherwood Foresters took over the line +north and west of Pontruet. The Adjutant saw the last parties out of the +village, and the Colonel, though tired out, insisted on going round the +lines and visiting each platoon as it came in.</p> + +<p>The following day we received this message from General Boyd:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Please congratulate Lieut.-Colonel Griffiths and the 1/5th Bn. +Leicestershire Regiment on the good fight they put up yesterday, +and tell them I am quite satisfied. They captured many prisoners +and accounted for numbers of the enemy. Owing to unexpected +reinforcements they attacked an enemy twice as strong as +themselves, and moreover in a strong position. Although we did not +reach our objective, the enemy was prevented from reinforcing the +troops opposed to the Division on our right."</p> + +<p>(sd.) G.F. BOYD, Major-General. </p></div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[Pg 297]</a></span></p> + +<p>We had lost one Company Commander and three subalterns killed, one +Company Commander and six subalterns wounded. Of the rank and file, +thirty were killed, of whom three were Serjeants, one hundred were +wounded, and eight were missing. But we had proved that five platoons +could clear a village held by three Battalions (so said one of the +prisoners) of the enemy; we had shown that when N.C.O.'s became +casualties, private soldiers were ready to assume command and become +leaders, and, most important of all, the battle had proved to each +individual soldier that if he went with his bayonet he was +irresistible.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[Pg 298]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>CHAPTER XVII.</h3> + +<h4>CROSSING THE CANAL.</h4> + +<p><span class="left">25th Sept., 1918.</span><span class="right">4th Oct., 1918.</span><br /></p> + +<p>The two days following this action were spent in refitting and +re-organizing what was left of the Battalion. All available officers +from the "battle details" were ordered to join us, and Captains Petch +and Banwell resumed command of their Companies, while Lieuts. Hawley and +Corah took over "B" and "D." Major Burnett also came up and, though we +were still in trenches and holes in the ground, managed to produce hot +baths for everybody. The line was very quiet, the weather warm, we +needed a rest, and for two days we had it. The Brigade was to be +relieved by the Staffordshires on the evening of the 27th, and our first +orders were to go into various trenches and dug-outs round Grand Priel +Farm. These orders, however, were cancelled before relief, and we were +allotted instead a quarry and some trenches just North of le Verguier.</p> + +<p>Up to the evening of the 26th all had been very quiet and there was not +the slightest sign that any active operations were intended. However on +this evening, the Transport drivers, bringing up rations, told us that +all the roads behind the lines were thick with guns, lorries and +waggons, all moving up. At the same<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[Pg 299]</a></span> time Colonel Griffiths returned +from a Conference, with some orders so secret that they were told to no +one. The following day we saw that during the night many new batteries +had taken up positions on the Ascension Ridge, guns had been carefully +camouflaged, men hidden away in copses, and all was still very quiet. +The same day, officers of another division came up reconnoitering—all +with considerable secrecy—though one was seen to be carrying a map with +a red line on it, somewhere four miles East of the St. Quentin Canal. +The following night more batteries silently took up their positions; +large bomb, water and ammunition dumps were made wherever a house or +copse would screen them from the enemy's aircraft, everything was being +prepared for some gigantic enterprise. As we went out to le Verguier, we +passed some of the Staffordshires going to the front line. It was a very +dark night, but we could see that they were carrying more than usual and +that their equipment looked very bulky. They were wearing life belts.</p> + +<p>The secret could now be kept no longer, and as soon as possible orders +were made known to all. They were brief: "The 46th Division will on a +certain date, as part of a major operation, cross the St. Quentin Canal, +capture the Hindenburg Line, and advance to a position on the high +ground East of Magny la Fosse and Lehaucourt (2 miles E. of the Canal)."</p> + +<p>The St. Quentin Canal, or Canal du Nord, as it is called further North, +runs for the most part North and South. At Bellicourt, opposite the +Americans, 1,000 yards North of our sector, it enters a tunnel and is +for a considerable distance underground. At Bellenglise, opposite the +right of our Divisional sector, it takes a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[Pg 300]</a></span> sharp turn to the East, and +runs, past Lehaucourt and le Tronquoy, for 2½ miles before again +turning South. The main Hindenburg Line followed the line of the Canal, +just East of it. The Americans would attack the line above the tunnel, +and North of them British Divisions would continue the advance far to +the North. The 46th Division would attack with its right on Bellenglise, +and a gap of 1,000 yards from its left to the Americans. South of us no +attack would be necessary; for, once across the Canal, our right flank +would be defended all the way to le Tronquoy by the Canal itself and +this portion of the Hindenburg Line, which we should "roll up" from the +flank. Tanks could not cross the Canal except over the tunnel at +Bellicourt. Consequently the IXth Tank Battalion, allotted to our +Division for the attack, would advance with the Americans, and, once in +Bellicourt, turn south and join us to assist in the advance to the +village objectives and the heights. To the Staffordshire Brigade was +alloted the crossing of the Canal and the taking of the Hindenburg Line. +Then, after a pause to allow the Tanks to come round, the Sherwood +Foresters on the right and our Brigade on the left would sweep on, still +under a barrage, to the final objective. We should have to deal with +Magny village, the Right Brigade with Bellenglise and Lehaucourt. On the +final objective there would be another pause, then, if all had gone +well, the 32nd Division would come through to the "Red" Line of +exploitation—another two miles still further East. Maps were issued +with the objective of each unit shown in colour. The Staffordshires had +the "Blue," which was the Hindenburg Line, and the "Brown" further E. to +hold till<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[Pg 301]</a></span> we came up; the 4th Leicestershires had the "Yellow," which +included Knobkerry Ridge, the 5th Lincolnshires the "Dotted Blue"—just +beyond Magny village; we had the last of all, the "Green" line, +including a sunken cross-roads, an old mill on some very high ground, +and a small copse called Fosse Wood. It was argued that by this time +either the attack would have failed and we should not be wanted, or, if +successful, there could not be very much resistance; we were very weak +after Pontruet, and this was considered the easiest task. The day chosen +was September 29th—the time, dawn.</p> + +<p>Outside le Verguier there runs a muddy lane with an old quarry beside +it. In this quarry, in an evil-smelling but very deep dug-out lived +Battalion Headquarters; everybody else occupied trenches in the fields +round about. On the opposite side of the lane was a battery of 9.2's, +firing almost continuously day and night, making it almost impossible to +reach the Headquarters, and quite impossible to ride down the lane. +Altogether our surroundings were unpleasant. The enemy soon made them +worse, for about an hour before dawn on the 28th he suddenly put over a +few small shells, apparently high explosive, round "B" Company's +trenches, while one or two also fell round "C" and "A" Companies. +Finally he pitched three clean into the quarry, and the sentry wake up +to the fact that they were not only high explosive, but contained a very +fair percentage of mustard gas. It was about an hour before the +discovery was made and still longer before all troops were moved away. +"C" Company wisely took no risks and were soon across the road, and "A" +and "D" were practically unaffected. "B"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[Pg 302]</a></span> Company, however, were not +warned, and it was nearly two hours after the first shell had come +before they were finally moved grumbling to another area. Apparently no +one was gassed, but we knew mustard only too well and feared very much +what the enemy would bring forth. However, at 9-0 a.m. it came on to +pour with rain, and we got more hopeful.</p> + +<p>At 11 o'clock Col. Griffiths, taking the Adjutant and Company Commanders +with him, set off to a Conference with the Tank officers at Brigade +Headquarters. The enemy were shelling le Verguier, the 9.2's were firing +vigorously, it was pouring with rain, and the horses were very nervous. +The ride was consequently exciting. Led as usual by "Sunloch," the party +galloped past the 9.2's and halted at the entrance to the village to try +and "time" the Boche shells. One came, they dashed in, turned the corner +and just got clear in time; the next shell skimmed over the last groom's +head and wounded a German prisoner.</p> + +<p>Our conference with the Tank officers caused a slight alteration in +Colonel Griffiths' plan of attack. He had intended to advance with two +companies in front and two in support, but finding that a three company +frontage was more suitable for Tank co-operation, this was adopted—"A" +Company (Petch) to be on the right, "C" Company (Banwell) to be in the +centre, and "D" Company (Corah) on the left. "B" Company (Hawley) would +be in support. The front line Company Commanders arranged rendezvous +with their Tank Commanders, and we rode back.</p> + +<p>By evening our worst fears had been realized, and forty-five of "B" +Company had to be sent to Hospital, too blind from the mustard gas to be +of any use.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[Pg 303]</a></span> C.S.M. Wardle and about five men from each of the other +Companies had also to go, while Headquarters lost Mess Corporal J. +Buswell. As we had lost L/Cpl. Bourne a few days before, this left us +rather helpless, and, but for our energetic Padre-Mess-President, should +probably have starved. We had one consolation. Towards evening on the +28th the rain stopped, the weather brightened, and there seemed to be +every prospect of a fine Sunday. Bombs, flares and extra rations were +distributed at dusk, and we turned in for the night during which, except +for a few aeroplane bombs, the evening left us in peace.</p> + +<p>At 5-0 a.m., Sunday, the 29th of September, the barrage started. There +was the usual thick morning mist, and even at 7-0 a.m. we were unable to +see more than a few yards in any direction. Even gun flashes could not +be seen, and the only intimation we had of the progress of the fight, +was the continuous "chug-chug-chug," of the tanks, moving along the +valley North of us, completely out of sight. As we were not due to move +until 9-0 a.m. we spent the time having breakfasts and reorganizing the +remains of "B" Company. Lieut. Hawley, with the aid of the recently +returned C.S.M. J.B. Weir, D.C.M., formed one large platoon with as many +Lewis Guns as possible. Between 7-0 and 8-0 a.m. the mist lifted once +for a few seconds only, and, looking Northwards we could see the top of +the next ridge. Along the skyline as far as the eye could see from West +to East stretched a long column of horses, guns and wagons—moving +forward. Below them, in the shadow, moved a long procession of Tanks. +Then the mist closed down and we saw no more.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[Pg 304]</a></span></p> + +<p>As soon as breakfasts were finished, picked N.C.O.'s and men were sent +forward to get in touch with the rest of the Brigade and reconnoitre +roads forward to the Canal. At 7-45 a.m. came a message from Brigade +Headquarters, to say that, as the mist was worse further East, we had +better start moving at once. Parade was accordingly ordered for 8-30 +a.m., instead of 9-0 a.m., and we tried to form up in a field near the +quarry. The mist was so thick one could not see from one end of a +Company to the other, and it was nearly nine o'clock before Capt. Jack +and his orderlies with their medical box appeared in the field, and we +were ready to move off. Even so, we had to leave the mess staff behind, +but the Padre promised to bring them along.</p> + +<p>At 9-0 a.m. we moved off in single file, Col. Griffiths leading, and the +Companies following in the order "A," "C," "D," Battalion Headquarters, +and "B." It was terribly difficult to keep touch, as, with many oaths, +we stumbled over ditches and holes until we reached the lane from le +Verguier to Grand Priel. Here we picked up the Headquarter horses, and +also were much cheered by some wounded soldiers, who told us the Boche +was running away for all he was worth. Unfortunately our column was cut +in half by some artillery coming down the line, who passed between "D" +Company and Headquarters. Alongside us, moving on the same track, were +the other Sherwood Foresters, also bound for the "Green Line"; their +"all up" was passed to the head of our column, and the Colonel, thinking +we were intact, moved on. At Ascension Farm, the Adjutant was sent in to +report to Brigade Headquarters and the Colonel struck off into<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[Pg 305]</a></span> the +mist, marching entirely by compass bearing. Periodically he and Captain +Petch stopped to check their direction and then moved slowly on again; +there was some barbed wire and the horses were sent back. Eventually, +after crossing the old front line and going half way down the next slope +the Colonel halted, and allowing the Companies to form up by platoons, +waited until it was time to go on. He judged that he should be somewhere +near the original starting line of the Staffordshires. "C" and "D" +Companies came up but there was no Battalion Headquarters and no "B" +Company—incidentally no Adjutant. The latter, coming out from Brigade +Headquarters, found that the Battalion had gone and tried to ride after +them. He merely succeeded in getting into a wire entanglement and having +no groom had to leave his mare. With Lieut. Ashdowne, the Intelligence +Officer, and Scout-Corporal Gilbert—the only ones left of Battalion +Headquarters—he went on, hoping to catch up the Battalion before they +reached the Canal. Fortunately at 10-45 the mist blew right away, and +the sudden daylight which followed showed him where the Battalion lay; +it also showed the Staffordshire's starting tape only 60 yards from +where the Colonel had halted.</p> + +<p>Until 11-20 we sat in the sun and waited in the hopes that some of the +missing people might join us. We held a short Conference, and the +Colonel decided that if there was any more fog or difficulty of any +sort, Company Commanders should make their way at once to their places +in the "dotted blue" line. Scouts were sent out to reconnoitre Canal +crossings, and as soon as the barrage started for the 4th Battalion's +advance, we moved forward in rear of the 5th Lincolnshires.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">[Pg 306]</a></span> There was +some scattered shelling, but our formation—lines of platoons in +fours—was found very suitable. On reaching the Canal the two right +Companies crossed by the remains of an old dam, the left by Riquerval +Bridge, and all formed up in the ruins of the famous Hindenburg Line on +the far side. It had been terribly battered, and here and there the +remains of its occupants showed how deadly our barrage, and how fierce +the assault of the Staffordshires had been. As we reached the Canal a +single Tank was seen coming down from the North, another followed and +then others; "our" Battalion had crossed successfully at Bellicourt, so +the battle must be going well.</p> + +<p>After a short pause, the advance up towards Knobkerry Ridge started. As +we crossed Springbok Valley we could see the 4th Battalion consolidating +their newly-won positions on the top, and there was little opposition +from this quarter. On our right, however, there seemed to be a stiff +fight going on in Bellenglise, and several dropping shots from machine +guns fell round us. We deployed into the "blob" formation, before +ascending the ridge, and for the next half-mile our advance was worthy +of a plate in Field Service Regulations. In front the Colonel, with his +eye on Magny village, kept the direction right. Behind him the three +Companies deployed, their "distance" and "interval" perfect, and working +so well together that if one was checked for a time, the others saw it +at once and conformed. Behind the centre a small red cross flag and the +"red, white and black" marked the position of the Regimental Aid Post +and Battalion Headquarters. The latter's flag was already becoming +famous; it was the one with which "A" Company had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">[Pg 307]</a></span> tried to signal from +Pontruet. A few yards short of the summit of the Ridge we halted and lay +down again while the 5th Lincolnshires did their advance. While we were +here, the Tanks came up, and so excellent had been the liaison, that +from the Tank which stopped behind "A" and "C" Companies stepped the +officer with whom they had arranged details the day before.</p> + +<p>At about 1 o'clock we moved on again—our centre through Magny la Fosse +and our Flank Companies on each side of it. The fight in Bellenglise +seemed to be over, and for the moment things were very quiet. Swarms of +prisoners, waving their arms, were seen coming from various trenches and +the village; no one was looking after them, we were all much too keen on +getting forward. Here and there, when a few Boches showed signs of +getting into a trench instead of keeping to the open, some soldier would +administer a friendly jab with the bayonet to show them what was +expected of them. The Tanks came along behind us, meaning to form up in +Magny woods, and wait there till we went on. As the Lincolnshires got +their objective without trouble, we moved close up to them and once more +lay down to wait for 1-40 p.m., the time for our own barrage and +advance.</p> + +<p>Unfortunately, though screened from the East, the corner of Magny Woods, +was visible from the South. Across the Canal on the high ground, some +German gunner must have seen the Tanks assembling, and, finding no +attack was coming his way, started to shoot at point blank range at our +right flank. The right and centre became very unpleasant, and there was +a veritable barrage round "A" Company. Through it, very hot and very +angry at being shelled, suddenly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">[Pg 308]</a></span> appeared Padre Buck, a heavy pack of +food on his back, and behind him the Regimental Serjeant-Major and the +missing Headquarters. He had found them near Ascension Farm and knowing +enough of the plan of attack, had "sweated" them along as hard as he +could. It is impossible to imagine what we should have done without +runners, signallers or batmen, to say nothing of the food. As we were +now only 600 yards from our final objective the Padre and Captain Jack +went off to find a Regimental Aid Post and finally settled in a small +dug-out in a sunken road just outside the village.</p> + +<p>At 1-40 p.m. our barrage started and our advance began; our shelling was +slightly ragged in one or two places, but for the most part it was very +accurate—wonderfully so, as guns were firing at extreme range. On the +right "A" Company working along, and on both sides of an old trench, +reached their objective without difficulty except for the shelling +which, aimed at the Tanks, was falling all round the Company. Captain +Petch, after L/Cpl. Downs and others had removed some twenty-one Boches +from a hole under the road, made his Headquarters there, went round his +outposts, and sent patrols out to his right flank, where the Sherwood +Foresters, delayed in Bellenglise, had not yet reached Lehaucourt. They +soon came up, however, and our right flank was secured. In the centre +"C" Company had even more shells and did not have the satisfaction of +evicting any Boches. They reached their objective and put outposts round +the Mill and along a sunken road to connect with "A" Company. The +protective barrage was still in front of them, and through it, in the +direction of Levergies, could be seen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">[Pg 309]</a></span> several German batteries +limbering up. One was quite close. This was too much for C.S.M. Angrave +and Serjeant Tunks, who collected some twenty men and, regardless of the +barrage, took advantage of the cover of a sunken road running East, and +pushed forward. They could not cross the open, but, using their rifles, +drove off the gunners and killed the horses, so that the battery +remained in our hands. This very enterprising party then went on under +Serjeant Tunks and had a look at Levergies, finally returning after it +was dark.</p> + +<p>Behind "C" Company, the Colonel and Adjutant after lying for some time +in a small hole, and wondering whether they would be rolled on by one of +our Tanks, or hit by the shells aimed at it, finally planted their flag +outside a little dug-out on the N.E. corner of Magny Woods. However, the +Colonel would not rest here, but was off again at once to see how we had +fared. He first met Captain Banwell looking for a "success rocket"; this +sounded satisfactory, and, as about the same time, Lieut. Hawley +appeared with "B" Company, and we once more had a "reserve," all looked +well. On the left—"D" Company (Corah), after chalking their names on a +battery of deserted whizz-bangs, collected a Boche officer and some 50 +men from a 4.2 gun battery without any trouble; hurrying on, they found +some 20 others trying to blow up a 5.9 Howitzer in Fosse Wood, +demonstrated that this could not be allowed and took them all prisoners; +then, without further opposition, they dug in round the E. side of the +wood and continued the line Northwards to the Divisional boundary. After +visiting these, the Colonel went off to look at the left flank, and +here, except for an Australian Machine Gun Section under a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">[Pg 310]</a></span> Serjeant +there was no one. The Americans were not up to their objective, they had +not even taken Etricourt, and for nearly a mile back our left was "in +the air." Worse still, the Australian Serjeant had just been ordered to +withdraw; the Colonel pointed out the situation, and the Serjeant, dying +for an excuse to stay where he could see enemy to shoot at, called back +his men and said "he'd stay as long as we wanted him." It was not very +satisfactory, but we could do nothing else except pray hard for the +arrival of the 32nd Division. When the Colonel arrived back at Battalion +Headquarters we thought at first that our casualties had been very light +indeed, but it was not long before we got some bad news. On our right +flank the Tanks had suffered heavily at the hands of the German gunners +on the Le Tronquoy high ground, and one of them, disabled and on fire, +was a mark for several German batteries. Some of the crew managed to +escape, but others, too badly wounded, were left inside; one crawled to +our Aid Post. Padre Buck heard of this and at once went off to the +rescue. The shelling was very heavy, and he was hit almost at once and +wounded in many places. He was carried back to the Aid Post, but died +soon afterwards, conscious to the last, but not in great pain. The Padre +had been with us two years, and during all that time, there was never a +trench or outpost that he had not visited, no matter how dangerous or +exposed. In addition to his Chaplain's duties, he had been O.C. Games, +Recreation Room and often Mess President—a thorough sportsman and a +brave soldier, we felt his loss keenly.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile every effort was being made to tell Brigade of our success, +and, while one aeroplane with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">[Pg 311]</a></span> British markings bombed us (in spite of +numerous red flares), another took down a message from the "Popham" +sheet, which Serjeant Signaller Wilbur was operating. Soon after 4.0 +p.m. Captain D. Hill, the Brigade Major, appeared and told us that the +32nd Division would soon arrive, and at 5-15 p.m. their leading +Battalions came through us. However, they found it was now too late to +go forward, so put out Outposts just in front of our line. Their +appearance provoked the Boche to further shelling, and an unlucky hit +killed Serjeant Taylor, an experienced and valuable platoon Serjeant of +"C" Company. Serjeants Marshall of "C" Company and Clarke of "D" +Company, were also wounded, but our total casualties for the day were +under 25. We had reached our objective at all points and captured 8 guns +and about 100 prisoners. The Division altogether had taken 4,000 +prisoners and 80 guns and had smashed the Hindenburg Line.</p> + +<p>Though the machine-gun fire from low flying aeroplanes was somewhat +troublesome at dusk, we had a quiet night after the battle, and were +able to distribute rations and ammunition to the companies soon after +midnight. At the time, we hardly gave a thought to this last, but it was +a feat deserving of the highest praise. We had advanced some four miles +into the enemy's country across a canal, and by dusk bridges and roads +had been built sufficient to enable horse transport to carry rations and +ammunition to the most advanced units. Ours were delivered just outside +Battalion Headquarters, and the Companies fetched them from there. The +admirable organization of the Staff, and the skill and pluck of our +Transport Drivers,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">[Pg 312]</a></span> had enabled us to go into action carrying only our +rations for the one day—very different from the Germans in their March +offensive, when each man was loaded up with food for five days.</p> + +<p>The following morning, the 32nd Division continued the advance, with a +small barrage, against Sequehart, Joncourt and, in the near centre, +Levergies. The enemy had found it impossible to remain in their +positions at Pontruet and South of the Canal, and hustled by the 1st and +French Divisions, had evacuated them. The French were now therefore +continuing our line Southwards from Lehaucourt. The attack started at +dawn and soon afterwards the valley past Fosse Wood was thronged with +Whippet tanks and cavalry, waiting in case of a possible +"break-through." It was the first time most of us had seen Cavalry in +action, and they made an imposing sight as they filed along the valley +in the morning mist. At the same time several batteries of Horse +Artillery trotted up and taking up positions near our "D" Company, +opened fire to assist the attack. Levergies, overlooked from two sides, +was soon taken and several prisoners were captured on the left, but +elsewhere the enemy had been strongly reinforced, and the attacks on +Sequehart, Preselles and Joncourt broke down under heavy machine gun +fire. Apparently a stand was to be made along the "Fonsomme" trench +line—running N. and S. along the next ridge. After waiting all day, the +Cavalry and "whippets" slowly withdrew again in the evening.</p> + +<p>That night and the following day, as the 32nd Division had now +definitely taken over the outpost line, the Companies were brought into +more comfortable quarters near Magny la Fosse and Headquarters moved<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">[Pg 313]</a></span> +into an old German Artillery dug-out on the hill. In these positions "A" +Company had the misfortune to lose Serjeant Toon, a most energetic and +cheerful Platoon Serjeant, who was wounded by a chance machine-gun +bullet, but otherwise we had a quiet time. Reorganization and refitting +once more occupied our minds, and, as "B" Company's gas casualties had +made them so weak, all "battle details" were ordered to join us. The +following day they arrived under C.S.M. Cooper, who resumed his duties +with "D" Company. 2nd Lieuts. Todd and Argyle also rejoined us from +leave, and the Stores and Transport moved up to Magny village. The same +afternoon there was a Battalion parade and General Rowley complimented +us on our work during our two battles. He had visited Pontruet since the +attack and was unable to find words to express his admiration for our +fight in the village. The arrival of the "Daily Mail," and the discovery +that at last the name "North Midland" figured in the head lines cheered +us all immensely, and the fall of St. Quentin to the French gave a +practical proof of the value of our efforts. We were all very happy and +said "Now we shall have a good rest to re-fit."</p> + +<p>Nothing, however, appeared to be further from the intentions of the +Higher Command, and on October 2nd the other two Brigades came through +us to take over the line from the 32nd, and again attempt to break the +"Fonsomme" Line—on the 3rd. The French would attack on the right, the +32nd Division would be responsible for Sequehart, and the 46th, with +Staffordshires on the right and Sherwood Foresters on the left, would +sweep over Preselles, Ramicourt and Montbrehain, and make a break for +the cavalry and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">[Pg 316]</a></span><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">[Pg 315]</a></span><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">[Pg 314]</a></span> "whippets." Joncourt had already been captured and +the left flank was therefore secure. Our Brigade was in support, and +would not be wanted to move until 8-0 a.m. There was not much time for +making preparations, and the Artillery, who had particularly short +notice, spent the night before the battle getting into position near our +Headquarters.</p> + +<p><a name="img314-tb" id="img314-tb"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/img314.jpg"><img src="images/img314-tb.jpg" alt="SKETCH MAP OF CAMBRAI-ST. QUENTIN-AVESNES AREA" title="SKETCH MAP OF CAMBRAI-ST. QUENTIN-AVESNES AREA" /></a></div> +<h4>SKETCH MAP OF CAMBRAI-ST. QUENTIN-AVESNES AREA<br /> +To illustrate battles of Sept Oct Nov 1918</h4> + +<p>Once more a thick morning mist covered our attack and the first waves, +advancing with the barrage at dawn, quickly got possession of Preselles +and the Fonsomme Line, killing many Germans and taking large numbers of +prisoners. There was considerable resistance in the centre, but the +Sherwood Foresters, led by such men as Colonel Vann, disposed of it, and +by 10.0 a.m. all objectives were gained and everything ready for the +Cavalry. Meanwhile, soon after 8-0 a.m., the Battalion was ordered to +move up at once and support the Staffordshires. We were to be under the +orders of General Campbell, but would not be used for any purpose except +holding the Fonsomme Line, to which we were now to go. We had been +warned the previous evening that, if used at all, it would be on the +right flank, and reconnoitering parties had already gone forward to get +in touch with the Staffordshires; these had not yet returned, so we +started without them.</p> + +<p>Soon after 9-0 a.m. we left Magny la Fosse and moved down the hill +towards Levergies, which we decided to leave on our right flank, as it +was full of gas. We were in lines of platoons in fours—"D" Company +(Corah) and "C" (Banwell) leading, bound for the Fonsomme Line, "A" +Company (Petch) and "B" (Hawley) following with orders to find support +positions to the other two. The Headquarters moved<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">[Pg 317]</a></span> by the railway line +N.E. of Levergies to take up a position as near as possible to the +Support Battalion Headquarters of the Staffordshires. All went well +until the leading Companies were beginning to climb the hill E. of +Levergies, when a runner from Brigade Headquarters caught us up with a +message to say that the 32nd Division had not taken Sequehart in the +first attack, and that it was uncertain in whose hands the village now +was. Every effort was made to warn the Companies, but we could not reach +"D" and "A" in time, and we could only hope that if Sequehart was still +in the enemy's hands, they would be warned of it in time to deploy their +right platoons, which would otherwise march in fours close to the edge +of the village.</p> + +<p>Sequehart, however, if not at this time actually in our hands, was at +all events clear of the enemy, and our right flank had no trouble. The +mist and smoke made communication between the Companies very difficult, +and so each moved, more or less independently, to its allotted station. +"C" was the first to reach the "Fonsomme Line," only to find that the +line was nowhere more than six inches deep, and, except for its concrete +machine gun posts, was only a "big work" when photographed from the air. +Captain Banwell accordingly took up his position in a sunken lane +running between Sequehart and Preselles. Meanwhile, the other leading +Company, "D," had moved too far to the left, a very fortunate +circumstance, because Colonel Griffiths was able to change their +direction and dispose them facing right, to form a defensive right flank +opposite Sequehart. "B" Company was also ordered to face right in +support to "D" Company. "A" Company, however, had not made the same +error<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">[Pg 318]</a></span> as "D," and Captain Petch, keeping his direction, found, as "C" +Company had, that the "Fonsomme Line" gave him no cover. He, therefore, +occupied the same sunken lane, about 300 yards south of "C" Company. +Soon afterwards an intercepted message told Captain Petch of our changed +dispositions, and, to protect his right, he too moved his Company to +conform with "D." Battalion Headquarters had by this time occupied a +large bank at the bottom of the hill, where Colonel White, of the 5th +South Staffordshires, had already planted his flag.</p> + +<p>From our new positions we had an extensive view to the East. Mannequin +Ridge was on the right flank with Doon Hill at the end of it, held by +the enemy, though we could see the Staffordshires holding the ridge. In +the foreground was a valley, and on our left another ridge stretching +from Preselles to Ramicourt. The Staffordshires did not appear very +numerous for their large frontage, and it was clear that unless the +Cavalry appeared soon, there was danger that they would be +counter-attacked. But at 10-0 a.m. the leading Cavalry were only just +beginning to appear over the Magny heights. The enemy was fairly quiet, +except for one field gun, 2,000 yards away on our extreme right, beyond +Sequehart. C.S.M. Angrave kept sniping at the gunners, who replied to +each of his shots with a whizz-bang.</p> + +<p>It soon became obvious that so long as the enemy remained on Doon Hill, +the Cavalry could not advance, and shortly after midday we received +orders to place two Companies at the disposal of the 137th Brigade, to +assist in an attack on the Hill. Colonel Griffiths decided to use "A" +and "D"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">[Pg 319]</a></span> Companies, and Captain Fetch and Lieut. Corah were at once +summoned to Headquarters, when we were told the attack was to be made by +the North Staffordshires, Colonel Evans, and that our Companies would be +in support. Accordingly Colonel Griffiths and the Company Commanders set +off for Colonel Evans' headquarters while the two Companies moved over +the open to "C" Company's sunken lane, where they formed up for the +attack. A few of "A" Company under 2nd Lieut. Whetton crossed the lane +and reached the Staffordshires' front line. There was no fixed time for +the assault, but the hill was to be shelled by our Artillery until 2.30 +p.m. This shelling ceased as our Companies reached the lane, nearly a +mile from the objective, and Colonel Evans tried in vain to have it +renewed.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the enemy had been assembling out of sight behind Mannequin +Ridge, and now suddenly attacked the Staffordshires heavily, driving +them from their positions on the crest. At the same time the valley was +swept from end to end by bursts of machine gun fire, and it was obvious +that an advance across the open could only be made with very heavy loss. +Colonel Griffiths wished to stop the attack at least until Mannequin +Ridge was retaken, but, before anything could be done, the enemy opened +a heavy artillery barrage on the lane, and the Colonel was badly +wounded. Some of "A" Company had pushed forward a little, and Captain +Petch and 2nd Lieut. Dennis managed to find some cover for No. 4 Platoon +about 200 yards East of the Lane. It was now about 3-0 p.m. and Colonel +Evans, probably intending to alter his plans, sent for the Company +Commanders.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">[Pg 320]</a></span> As they arrived a shell fell on the party, killing the +Colonel, Lieut. Corah and 2nd Lieut. Christy, wounding Captain Petch. A +few minutes later 2nd Lieut. Mace was hit in the leg with a bullet, and +both he and Captain Petch were sent down. "D" Company was officerless, +"A" had three isolated groups, two forward and unapproachable, the third +under 2nd Lieut. Edwardes in the Sunken Lane. There were no orders and +no one knew what to do, so C.S.M. Cooper collected "D" and 2nd Lieut. +Edwardes and C.S.M. Smith collected all they could find of "A," and both +prolonged "C" Company's line to the left. The lane here was less sunken +than on the right, and the cover was very poor, affording little +protection against the enemy's shells, which came from front and flank.</p> + +<p>We were now very short of officers. The Adjutant, Captain J.D. Hills, +was in command, with Lieut. Ashdowne as Adjutant; 2nd Lieut. Argyle was +acting Liaison Officer with the Staffordshires, so there was no one else +except the M.O. at Headquarters. Captain Jack, it is true, was a host in +himself, for, when not tying up the wounded, he was always ready with +some merry remark to cheer us up; we needed it, for our railway line was +as heavily shelled as the sunken lane. In addition to the killed and +wounded the Companies had also lost two new subaltern officers who had +joined the previous day and gone away slightly gassed, while 2nd Lieut. +Griffiths, who had gone forward with the reconnoitering parties, had not +been seen since. Captain Banwell was therefore alone with "C" Company. +Lieut. Steel was at once sent to command "D," and, on arrival at the +sunken lane, at once received a shell splinter in the leg; fortunately, +how<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">[Pg 321]</a></span>ever, this was not serious, and he and C.S.M. Cooper were soon hard +at work straightening out the Company. This Warrant Officer and C.S.M. +Smith of "A" Company were admirable; it was largely due to them that +both Companies, badly shaken after their gruelling, were within a few +hours once more fit for anything. Our shortage of officers was likely to +continue, for our only "battle detail," Major Burnett, had just gone to +England, to the Senior Officers' School at Aldershot. Our casualties +during the afternoon included one who could ill be spared. A direct hit +with a shell on "C" Company Headquarters wounded C.S.M. Angrave in the +back. He died a few days later. One of the original Territorials, he had +served with us the whole time, and even four years of France had failed +to lessen his devotion to "C" Company.</p> +<p><a name="img322a" id="img322a"></a></p> +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<div class="figleft"> + <img src="images/img322a.jpg" + alt="Company Headquarters, Loisne, 1918." /><br /> + <b>Company Headquarters, Loisne, 1918.</b> + </div> + +<div class="figright"><a name="Page_322"></a> + <img src="images/img322b.jpg" + alt="The Bathing Pool, Gorre Brewery, 1918." /><br /> + <b>The Bathing Pool, Gorre Brewery, 1918.</b> + </div> +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Soon after 3-0 p.m. General Campbell himself rode up to Battalion +Headquarters and after explaining the situation, pointed out the +importance of holding a little group of trenches on some high ground +three-quarters of a mile E. of Preselles. Accordingly "B" Company +(Hawley), now only 25 strong, were sent there with two Lewis Guns; at +the same time some of the Monmouthshires were sent to help him. +Meanwhile, all the afternoon and evening, the enemy kept making small +attacks on Mannequin Ridge and towards Sequehart; several of these were +broken up by Artillery fire, and after his first efforts he had no +further successes. Our Cavalry, having arrived too late in the morning +to pass through when the enemy was really disorganized, waited all day +in the valley behind Preselles, and after losing several men and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_322a" id="Page_322a">[Pg 322]</a></span>horses in the shelling, had once more to withdraw at dusk. Their horses +were sent back, but as many men as could be spared were sent up +dismounted, with rifles and bayonets, to help hold the "Fonsomme Line" +in case of strong enemy counter attacks. They did not move up until dark +and, of course, could not find the "Fonsomme Line," any more than we +could in the morning, so started to dig where they could. Fortunately +the Commanding Officer, going round the line, found them, and, sending +one party up to help "B" Company, who were now alone, he and Captain +Banwell guided the rest across the valley, where they could find some +cover on the hill side. Had they been allowed to remain where they had +started to dig, they would probably have suffered very heavily in the +morning from the Ridge opposite, whence the enemy would have had a +beautiful view of them.</p> + +<p>Rations arrived soon after dark. During the afternoon 2nd Lieut. Todd +had reconnoitred a route for his limbers, and, after a narrow escape +from some heavy shells, had managed to find a passable road. With the +limbers came also 2nd Lieut. Griffiths, who had been wandering all over +the countryside in his efforts to find us. By midnight the companies had +their rations and their mail, and, even in the sunken lane, a smile +could be seen here and there. The night was quiet, and we were able to +collect all scattered parties and see what our casualties had been. +Fortunately the loss of other ranks was not in the same proportion as of +officers, but we had started so weak that we could ill afford to lose +the seven killed and 30 wounded which were our total casualties for the +day. "A" and "D" Companies had been hardest hit and Lance-Corporal +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">[Pg 323]</a></span> +Meakin was amongst the killed; Serjeant Ward had been wounded, Serjeant +Peach of "B" Company had also been killed, while "C" Company, in +addition to their C.S.M., lost Serjt. Bond gassed and Cpl. Foulds +wounded.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a name="img323" id="img323"></a> + <img src="images/img323.jpg" + alt=" Pontruet." /><br /> + <b> Pontruet.</b> + </div> + +<p>At dawn on the 4th, as there was no sign of any attempted counter-attack +on the part of the enemy, most of the dismounted cavalry were withdrawn, +and we remained in our positions of the previous day. The morning was +slightly misty and Battalion Headquarters had one bad scare. The +Commanding Officer and Adjutant were out looking for new quarters, when +they suddenly saw coming over the hill W. of Sequehart—behind their +right flank—a number of Germans in open order. A battery of 60 pounders +in Levergies saw them at the same time and opened fire at point blank +range. It was fully five minutes before a few leisurely French soldiers +appearing over the same crest, showed that the Germans were merely a +large batch of prisoners collected by the French at dawn. Throughout the +day the enemy shelled various parts of the back area, and in this +respect Headquarters came off worst, being more bombarded than even the +sunken road. The bank under which they sat did not give them much cover, +and the Boche managed to drop his shells with great accuracy on the +Railway line and even hit the R.A.P. By the afternoon they were so tired +of being chased backwards and forwards along the bank that they followed +the example of the M.O., who with a wonderful display of calmness, which +he did not in the least feel, sat reading a book of poems and refused to +move. He admitted afterwards that he had not read a line, but it looked +very well, and as usual he kept us all cheerful.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">[Pg 324]</a></span></p> + +<p>Late in the afternoon the long expected orders for relief came and we +learnt that we were to come out that night with the Staffordshires. "B" +Company on the left were actually relieved, but the other Companies had +merely to wait until the front line Battalions were clear and then march +out. The Boche shelled Headquarters once more just as they were going +and fired a considerable amount of gas shells all over the countrywide, +but no one was hurt, and eventually, some by Magny, some by Joncourt, +all arrived at the little village of Etricourt. Some of us rolled into +dug-outs, some into ruined houses, some in the road; all of us murmured +"Now we shall have our real rest at last," and went to sleep—tired +out.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">[Pg 325]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>CHAPTER XVIII.</h3> + +<h4>FRESNOY AND RIQUERVAL WOODS.</h4> + +<p><span class="left">5th Oct., 1918.</span><span class="right">11th Oct., 1918.</span><br /></p> + +<p>One night was all we spent in Etricourt, bitterly cold but quiet and +unmolested by the enemy. The following day, the 5th of September, was +bright and warm, so we at once set about improving our surroundings, +started to bring some of our stores from Magny La Fosse, and were just +beginning to think we might make the place fairly comfortable, when +orders came for another move. There was going to be another battle, and, +though we were not taking part, our area was wanted for a Support +Division, so we were to go back across the Canal, and take over some +shelters in the old front line trench on the Ridge. This sounded rather +cold, but at all events we were going backwards to that long expected +rest; not too soon, for at midday an observation balloon made its +appearance, and its section chose Etricourt for their home, with the +result of course of annoying the Boche to such an extent that he fired +some shells over the village. At 5-0 p.m. we fell in and marched by +Riquerval Bridge over the Canal and up to the Ridge, passing the +Brigadier on the main road by the Canal, and found the Brigade we were +to relieve, sitting very comfortably in their shelters and huts. +Unfortunately they had no intention of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">[Pg 326]</a></span> moving until the following +morning. It was now 6-30 p.m. and would soon be dark, so we were faced +with two alternatives—one to sit on the road, send for the Staff, and +wail loudly, the other to help ourselves.</p> + +<p>The other two Battalions chose the former; we, being now very old +soldiers, chose the latter. An open patch of ground with some good large +shell holes was before us, we had a tool cart with us, and here and +there might be seen a sheet or two of corrugated iron. Long before it +was dark a thin curl of smoke coming out of the ground, a snatch of +song, or someone grousing in a loud voice, were the only indications +that there were four Companies of Infantry living there. The officers +were a little less fortunate; knowing that there were bell tents coming +on the limbers, they waited for them. At last they came, and very good +tents, too, but someone had forgotten to bring the poles. In spite of +this, we were soon all under cover, and in Headquarter Mess were +actually having a hot dinner when the Staff arrived and informed the +other two Battalions that they would now (in the dark) have to make the +best of whatever cover they could find.</p> + +<p>The following morning our tent poles arrived, and, having planted the +red, white and black flag outside the C.O.'s, tent and mounted guard, we +felt quite respectable again. By the afternoon we had so far increased +in pride that the Drums not only blew "Retreat," but gave us an +excellent concert while the guards were changed. We expected every hour +or so to get orders to go back to some place of greater comfort for our +rest, but thought it best to take no risks, and, on the morning of the +7th, gave everybody<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">[Pg 327]</a></span> a hot bath. Two wagon covers and a cooker on the +Canal worked wonders in this way. This day we lost two more +officers—2nd Lieut. Whetton went on leave, and Lieut. Steel had to go +to Hospital as the wound in his leg would not heal. "B" Company, being +little larger than an ordinary Platoon, Lieut. Hawley was transferred to +"D," and 2nd Lieut. Cosgrove commanded "B." Captain Banwell had 2nd +Lieut. Griffiths in "C" Company, and 2nd Lieuts. Edwards and Dennis were +still with "A." There were no other Company officers, as 2nd Lieut. +Argyle was kept at Headquarters for Intelligence work. Fortunately 2nd +Lieut. Todd still remained to look after the Transport, which throughout +the fighting had been excellent, and Capt. Nicholson, though suffering +from "flu," stuck nobly to his work and looked after our comfort at the +Stores.</p> + +<p>Just after 10 o'clock on the 7th, orders came from Brigade for a move on +the following day—forward, not further back, and once more our hopes of +the promised rest were dashed. This time the attack was going to be made +by the other Divisions, and the 46th was to move at Zero to some +assembly areas round Magny La Fosse, and wait there in case the enemy +were sufficiently "broken" to allow of a general advance. Zero was five +minutes past five—a most uncomfortable hour for a move, especially as +breakfasts had to be eaten beforehand. Almost everybody was in bed +before orders came, but there were some who had no sleep that night: the +Orderly Room producing operation orders, the Quartermaster's department +(whose wagons arrived at 3-0 a.m.!), and the cooks getting breakfasts +ready, were the most unlucky,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">[Pg 328]</a></span> but so well did all ranks and all +departments do their work, that at 5-0 a.m. the Battalion fell in ready +to move. Packs had been stacked, ammunition and bombs distributed, most +important of all, we had had a good breakfast. There is no doubt that +our discipline and spirit were never better than during those strenuous +weeks.</p> + +<p>Seldom has more bad language been heard than on that early morning march +down to the Canal again. It was half dark and there were Units +assembling and marching in every direction. Eventually, finding we +should be late at the starting point if we waited for the Regiment which +should have been ahead of us, we decided to go on at once, and set off +down the rough and slippery track to Riquerval Bridge. All went +moderately well until a "C" Company limber stuck. Before it could be +drawn clear, a Company of another Regiment marched up and round it, +entirely preventing our efforts to free it. Curses were loud on both +sides, but nothing could equal the flow of language that the two Company +Commanders flung at each other over the heads of their perspiring +Companies.</p> + +<p>Eventually the limber was on the road again, and we reached the Bridge, +near which the Boche every few minutes dropped a shell. This fact, +coupled with a long line of Artillery horses going to "water," and the +Brigadier trying to get his Brigade across the Canal, produced an effect +which completely eclipsed the limber scene. However, as we crossed, the +Boche stopped shelling, daylight came and we found the road good, though +traffic made the rate of march very slow. The blaspheming consequently +subsided, and, finding a field track going in the right direction, we +continued<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">[Pg 329]</a></span> our march at a fine pace until we reached our assembly +position—an open stretch of ground on the South side of the +Magny-Joncourt Road. Along this road were batteries of heavy guns, +standing almost wheel to wheel and firing rapidly, so, in view of +possible retaliation, the Companies were scattered over various little +groups of trenches in the neighbourhood. The cookers came up and we +prepared to make ourselves as comfortable as possible, while we once +more had the pleasure of watching the Cavalry waiting to be used, and +once more saw them go slowly back.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon we moved into the next valley Eastwards, so as to be +nearer the "line" if wanted; there was also better and less scattered +accommodation. Gun pits, dug-outs and the inevitable grassy bank +provided all we wanted, and when, an hour later, some few gas shells +fell in the valley, we were all snugly under cover. All that is to say +except the cookers and with them Serjeant Thomson and his cooks; these +were in a shallow sunken road, and had a shell within a few yards of +them, fortunately doing no damage. Thinking it best to take all the rest +we could, we had the evening meal early, and long before it was dark +most of the Battalion were asleep. The Commanding-Officer himself +retired before 9-30 p.m., and was consequently fast asleep when, soon +after 10-0 p.m., a runner appeared with the usual "B.G.C. will see all +Commanding Officers at once." The rendezvous this time was Preselles, +some two miles away across country. It was a dark night, but with the +aid of a compass he found his way there all right and received orders +from General Rowley for an immediate move. The Brigade was to relieve a +Brigade of the 6th<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">[Pg 330]</a></span> Division in the right British sector next the +French; the Battalion would relieve the West Yorks R. in the right +sub-sector. The following morning the Brigade would move forward into +Mericourt which was supposed to have been evacuated by the enemy; we +were to be "squeezed out" by the 5th Line. R. and French joining hands +across our front, and would come into support. Guides would meet us for +the relief at Preselles at midnight, October 8th/9th.</p> + +<p>The Commanding Officer at once hurried back to the Battalion and +verbally issued relief orders while the Companies were falling in. In a +little more than half an hour all were ready to move, and Companies +marched independently to Preselles, where, under cover of the hill side, +the Battalion assembled soon after midnight. There were no guides, so, +after waiting some time in vain, the C.O. once more went to Brigade +Headquarters and asked for instructions. He was given a map +reference—supposed to be that of the Battalion Headquarters of the West +Yorks., and once more the Battalion moved off. In single file, with no +intervals between platoons for fear of losing touch, and a very +uncertain knowledge of the position of the enemy, we marched slowly +across country towards where we hoped to find Battalion Headquarters. +Reaching the famous sunken road of the battle of the 3rd, we halted +while a search was made; we had come to the place referred to on the +map, there was nothing there. Fortunately, just as we were wondering +what on earth to do, two W. Yorks. guides appeared, led us to their +Battalion Headquarters, and soon afterwards the Companies disappeared +Eastwards.</p> + +<p>Battalion Headquarters was in a small cellar under<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">[Pg 331]</a></span> an isolated house +just outside Sequehart on the Preselles Road. It was a most +extraordinary relief in many ways, and perhaps the most extraordinary +part was the scene in that Headquarters. There were four of us with the +M.O., five West Yorks., a French Interpreter, a Padre, and an +indescribable heap of runners and signallers, to say nothing of batmen, +in a cellar which might have held four people comfortably. On one of the +beds in the corner lay an officer. Noticing that he was not wearing W. +Yorks badges, we asked who he was. They did not know, he had been there +since they came in and had never moved; "perhaps he was gassed or dead," +they remarked casually. This was typical of how we all felt, much too +tired to worry over other people's troubles. As it happened he was not +dead, and, though to this day we have never discovered who he was, he +eventually disappeared—going out to look for his own Regiment. For some +hours we sat in the most terrible atmosphere waiting for the relief to +be finished, and at last, just as dawn was breaking, as three Companies +had reported that they were in position, we agreed to take over the +line, and the W. Yorks. marched out—to take part in some other battle +further North. As soon as they had gone, the C.O., with a map in one +hand and a slice of bread and jam in the other, went up to look at our +front line and see whether the Boche had really left Mericourt.</p> + +<p>The Battalion sector was astride the Sequehart-Mericourt Road which ran +due East along the valley South of Mannequin Ridge. Sequehart village +and the valley were both full of mist and gas which hung about in +patches, and made walking very unpleasant. There were many German dead +round the village and in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">[Pg 332]</a></span> concrete emplacements of the Fonsomme +line, and the fighting in this part must have been heavy. Keeping to the +main road, the C.O. found "B" Company at a small cross-roads about one +mile East of Sequehart; "A" Company, according to the West Yorkshires, +should also have been here, but as this was the Company which had not +yet reported "relief complete," he was not surprised when he could not +find them. At the next cross-roads, half a mile short of Mericourt, were +"C" and "D" Companies on the right and left respectively of the road. +Small patrols had already been out towards the village and had not found +any enemy, and both Companies were now engaged in finding the Units on +their flanks. On the left a post of the Lincolnshires was soon found, +and on the right the French were only a few yards away. The liaison here +was perfect. After an exchange of courtesies by the Company Commanders, +the flank posts fraternized vigorously, and the Frenchmen, by producing +some "Jimmy Blink," cemented the Entente Cordiale. They were in great +spirits, and since dawn had been formed up with bayonets fixed, waiting +to make an attack; "Zero" hour had not been told them, but that did not +worry them in the least. To improve the co-operation between us, the +French sent a platoon under a Subaltern officer to work with us.</p> + +<p>By 6-30 a.m. the mist had lifted enough for us to see Mericourt village +plainly, and a strong patrol under 2nd Lieut. Griffiths was sent out to +reconnoitre it. They met with no opposition. A few minutes later, a +mounted Officer of the Staffordshires, without stopping at our front +line to ask about the situation, rode into the village. We were all much +too interested in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">[Pg 333]</a></span> watching to see what became of him, to think of +warning him that the Boche might still be there. Soon afterwards, as +there was still no sign of the enemy, "C" Company moved into and +occupied the East side of the village, and "B" and "D" Companies moved +on to the West edge. Messages were sent back to tell Brigade that we +held Mericourt, and to bring the Headquarters up there—at present they +were about three miles back. From "C" Company's position on the high +ground East of the village we looked across a large valley, at the North +end of which could be seen Fresnoy le Grand; along the bottom ran the +main Fresnoy-St. Quentin Railway, and on the other side a collection of +small copses was marked on the map as Bois D'Etaves. Nowhere was there +the slightest sign of the enemy. In view of the fact that we were +particularly ordered to be in Support if an advance was made, the C.O. +would not push on further without orders from the Brigadier. Meanwhile, +he went off to look for the missing "A" Company, leaving the three +Companies, "B," "C" and "D," holding the village and watching the +valley.</p> + +<p>At 7-30 the leading platoon of the 5th Linc. Regt. came up on our left, +and about an hour later the French started their advance, and, passing +Mericourt on the South side, deployed down the slopes towards the +Railway line.</p> + +<p>As soon as General Rowley heard that Mericourt was in our hands, he rode +up to the village and reconnoitred the valley and Fresnoy himself from +"C" Company's high ground. Seeing that the French were meeting nothing +more than machine gun fire, and were apparently making good progress, he +ordered Captain<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">[Pg 334]</a></span> Banwell to move at once into Fresnoy; there was no one +else available at the moment, so we ceased to be in Support. The main +road had been blown up in two places, but there were no other obstacles, +and the Company reached the town without difficulty. The machine gun +fire had been very heavy from the Bois D'Etaves on their right and from +the Railway embankment, but they had had no casualties, and passed +rapidly along the streets, finding no enemy, but meeting to their +surprise several civilians, who, over-joyed at their "deliverance," +were doing all they could with cups of coffee to welcome their rescuers.</p> + +<p>For four years these unhappy people had lived under the heel of the +German, and the rotting carcases of six-months' dead horses which +littered the street showed what life they had lived during that time. +They had been taught to hate the English, whom they only knew as +night-bombers, and yet, when the Boche was being hunted out and offered +to take all civilians back to safety in motor lorries, 300 men, women +and children, headed by the Deputy Mayor, heroically refused to leave +their town, preferring, as they said, to risk the bombardment and the +"brutal English" than to remain one day longer in slavery.</p> + +<p>At 9-0 o'clock, other Units made their appearance in Fresnoy, and the +5th Lincolnshires, with two Company Headquarters in the Quarry just +outside the S.W. corner of the town, pushed some platoons through +towards the Eastern edge—on the right of our "C" Company. Capt. Nichols +of this Battalion had his Company round the large house used by the +Germans as a Hospital, but, except for this, no one seemed inclined to +push forward in any strength. At 11-0 a.m.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">[Pg 335]</a></span> the Brigadier moved his +Headquarters into Mericourt, and the Boche, presumably thinking the +village was now as full as it was likely to be during the day, shelled +it vigorously with gas and High Explosive. He paid particular attention +to our ridge of observation, and, having pounded us off this, proceeded +to hammer the other end of the village, whither we had moved for greater +comfort. At the same time several salvoes were fired into Fresnoy. Soon +afterwards a message from Captain Banwell told us that, with the +exception of the Railway and Station, the whole town was in our hands. +He had tried hard to reach the Railway Embankment from his side of the +town, but the machine gun fire was very hot, the ground absolutely open, +and after losing Gosden, a Lewis Gunner, killed, and one or two men +wounded, had decided to wait for some Artillery. Meanwhile, the French +had reached the Railway further South, so the C.O. sent Lieut. Hawley +with half "D" Company to try and take the Station from this side. He +moved off to do so at midday, leaving C.S.M. Cooper to command the other +half Company. "A" Company (Edwards) now arrived, and, with "B" Company +(Cosgrove), dug themselves into a bank on the South side of Mericourt +village.</p> + +<p>Lieut. Hawley and his party made their way rapidly down to the Quarry, +and keeping just inside the Southern outskirts of the town, soon found +the French left flank, from which they were able to reconnoitre the +Railway Station. This last seemed to be the only place where the enemy +was still offering any resistance, and there were apparently three +machine guns somewhere near the Base of a large factory chimney in the +Station yard. Lieut. Hawley divided his party into two, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">[Pg 336]</a></span> while he +himself gradually worked his way direct, the other party under Serjt. +Marston, M.M., armed with as many bombs as they could carry, rapidly +made their way round towards the enemy's rear. The Boche apparently +thought he would soon be turned out, and some twenty of them, hurried +along by one of our Lewis Guns, managed to escape before we arrived. +However, they did not all get away, and when Serjt Marston lobbed his +bombs on to them from behind and the others came up in front, they found +five Germans still sitting there with their gun. These were promptly +captured and sent down, and the town was now entirely in our hands.</p> + +<p>Between 5-0 and 6-0 p.m. we received orders that the 5th Lincolnshires +would take over the whole of the Railway, and that we were to come back +into Mericourt and rest as much as possible. At the same time the enemy +started to bombard Fresnoy with every available gun and howitzer. For an +hour gas and high explosive shells fell in every corner of the town and +its immediate surroundings. Capt. Banwell, who was returning to his +Company from Headquarters, and the C.O., who was trying to find "D" +Company, both had a very unpleasant time. One runner with the orders for +the relief did manage to reach "D" Company without being hit, and soon +after 8-30 p.m. they moved out from Fresnoy and dug into a bank just +outside Mericourt. "C" Company, however, no one was able to find; it was +a dark night and consequently very difficult to keep one's direction +amongst the little streets and sunken lanes in the Northern end of the +town, where they had taken up their position. The C.O. himself spent a +large part of the night looking for them without success,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_337" id="Page_337">[Pg 337]</a></span> but one of +the messages, which he left at every post and Headquarters he called at, +eventually found its way to Capt. Banwell, and between midnight and 1 +a.m. on the 10th "C" Company at last came out and occupied a bank near +"D" Company. Most of us had not had any sleep since we left our +"shell-holes" Camp at dawn on the 8th—some of us none since the 7th, +and when we finally lay down, tired out, we slept far into the next day.</p> + +<p>Soon after midday on the 10th Major R.S. Dyer Bennet reported for duty +and took over command of the Battalion, Capt. Hills resumed his former +duties of Adjutant, and for the next few weeks we had no Second in +Command. At the same time orders came that the Brigade would continue +its advance on the "leap-frog" principle. Each Battalion would be given +a definite objective for the whole of the Brigade frontage, the rear +Battalion passing on to the next line as soon as each objective was +gained. We were now rear Battalion, and moved after dinners to the +Railway Cutting just outside Fresnoy on the Bohain line, where, while we +waited for further orders, we had teas and distributed rations for the +following day. The Lewis Gun limbers and cookers were now allotted to +Companies, and the remainder of the 1st Line Transport occupied a field +close to us. 2nd Lieut. Dunlop, D.C.M., and 2nd Lieut. Taylor returned +from leave and went to "D" and "C" Companies respectively. Lieut. +Ashdowne again became Intelligence Officer and 2nd Lieut. Argyle +returned to "B" Company. Each Company had now two officers and "C" +Company had three. Soon after six o'clock we had orders to move at dusk +to the line of the Aisonville-Bohain road, now<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_338" id="Page_338">[Pg 338]</a></span> held by the 4th +Battalion, and push forward from there to the edge of the Bois de +Riquerval. At the same time a patrol of Corps Cyclists was being sent +along the main road towards Regnicourt, and if they reported that the +enemy had evacuated this village, our orders were to advance during the +night to a line running Southwards from there, through the Bois, to gain +touch with the French at Retheuil Farm. At a Company Commanders' +Conference, held as soon as these orders were received, Major Dyer +Bennet decided that if Regnicourt was clear of the enemy, "C" and "D" +Companies should advance up the main road as far as the village, and, on +reaching it, turn Southwards into the Bois, spreading out along the line +of our objective. "A" Company, keeping touch with the French, were to +advance up the "ride" on the Southern boundary of the Brigade, while "B" +Company, followed by Headquarters, would go straight through the wood in +the centre. We would all form up in the present positions of the 4th +Leicestershire and start our advance without a barrage at 2-0 a.m.—the +11th of October.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a name="img338" id="img338"></a> + <img src="images/img338.jpg" + alt="Lieut. J.C. Barrett, V.C. Photo by Swaine." /><br /> + <b>Lieut. J.C. Barrett, V.C.</b><br /><i>Photo by Swaine.</i> + </div> + +<p>As soon as it was dark we moved off with our Lewis Gun limbers and +medical cart, keeping as far as possible to cross-country tracks and +avoiding all main roads. There was some gas hanging round the Bois +D'Etaves, but we were not worried by this, and soon reached the +Seboncourt-Bohain Road, held by the 5th Lincolnshires. From here onwards +the route was not so easy to find, but we managed to take our limbers to +within a few hundred yards of the 4th Battalion Headquarters and here, +after distributing Lewis Guns and Ammunition to Platoons, the Companies +were met by guides and moved forward to their assembly positions. +Meanwhile <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339">[Pg 339]</a></span>Battalion Headquarters moved into the farm house already +occupied by the 4th Battalion. In the cellar we found, in addition to +the usual Headquarter Officers, a French Interpreter, and part of a +French Liaison platoon, no air, very little light, but plenty of tobacco +smoke. Soon after we arrived a message from Brigade told us that the +Cyclists had met with no enemy as far as Regnicourt, but had found a +patrol of about twenty in that village and had been fired on by them. We +were discussing this, when suddenly there was a scuffling overhead and +we were told that there was "something ticking somewhere," and that +everyone had left the house. The cellar occupants were not slow to +follow, and thinking of time-bombs and infernal machines managed to +empty the cellar in a record time. We settled down uncomfortably under a +hedge, and prepared to read and write orders with a concealed electric +torch—the maximum of discomfort. However, we did not have to stay there +long, as a runner came to tell us that the origin of the "ticking" had +now been discovered, and, as it was nothing more formidable than the +recently wound up dining room clock, we returned to the cellar. Major +Dyer Bennet, arguing that, if the Cyclists could get as far as +Regnicourt, we should reach our objective without difficulty, decided +that the attack should be carried out as arranged, and, sending the +Adjutant to find the 6th Division, moved up himself to the Aisonville +Road, leaving only the Aid Post and some Signallers and servants at the +Farm.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a name="img339" id="img339"></a> + <a href="images/img339.jpg"><img + src="images/img339-tb.jpg" + alt="The Cadre at Loughborough, June, 1919." /></a><br /> + The Cadre at Loughborough, June, 1919. + </div> + +<p>The Aisonville Road ran almost due N. and South along a valley; between +it and the edge of the Bois de Riquerval was open ground for about 300 +yards sloping gently up to the wood. A small cottage marked the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_340" id="Page_340">[Pg 340]</a></span> start +of "A" Company's "ride," and the stretch of road immediately N. of this +was deeply sunken. Here "A" Company formed up and tried to find the +French who were considerably further South than we expected. +Incidentally they were not as far forward as we were, and the Boche +enfiladed the road about midnight with a whizz-bang battery from the +South. "B" Company formed up in an isolated copse about 100 yards East +of the road into which the 4th Battalion had made their way during the +afternoon. The left half Battalion remained along the road bank and in a +dry ditch 50 yards W. of it, near to the junction with the Regnicourt +Road up which they were to advance. There was one solitary house, +protected by the hillside, which provided Company Headquarters with a +certain amount of cover. The night was dark and the enemy, except for +the whizz-bangs on "A" Company, very quiet.</p> + +<p>Soon after midnight the Adjutant returned from the 6th Division. He had +found that the 1st Leicestershires were on their right flank, and that +they were going to continue their advance at 5-15 a.m. on the 11th. +Major Dyer Bennet therefore decided to postpone our attack until that +hour, so that we might all go forward together. In any case it seemed +likely that this would be a better plan, as it would be daylight soon +after the advance started; and, on so wide a frontage, it would have +been almost impossible to maintain direction in the woods by night, +especially without a moon. At 5 o'clock we were all formed up along the +road, Battalion Headquarters close to "A" Company, and at 5-15 a.m. in +absolute silence and without a barrage we started to climb the rise +towards the edge of the wood.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_341" id="Page_341">[Pg 341]</a></span></p> + +<p>The left half Battalion along the Regnicourt Road made most progress +without meeting any opposition. "D" Company leading, they advanced by +platoons on both sides of the road, keeping touch with the 1st Battalion +on their left, and had gone nearly a mile before they were checked by +machine-gun fire ahead of them. Half-way from their starting point to +Regnicourt stood a little group of houses at the top of a small hill, +and from here, as well as from the thick scrub and undergrowth which +covered the country on both sides, the enemy's machine gunners had a +good target. Thinking that this was probably some small post left behind +by the Boche as he retired, and knowing that the cyclists had been +through the previous night, Lieut. Hawley decided to attack at once, and +"D" Company, making use of all the cover they could find, worked their +way up the hill and soon captured the house. One German came out into +the road with his machine gun and started to fire at them point blank, +but the leading Platoon got their Lewis Gun into action, and, knocking +out the Boche, captured the gun. The two leading Platoons of "D" Company +had deployed, and, with 2nd Lieut. Dunlop on the left of the road and +the others on the right, tried to continue their advance. Seen from +below, the group of houses had seemed to be on the top of the hill, but +beyond them the road, after a slight dip, rose again to a ridge 300 +yards further East, and here the enemy were in considerable force. +Several gallant attempts to advance were frustrated by very heavy +machine gun fire, and having lost Serjts. Bradshaw and Dimmocks killed, +and several others wounded, the Company was compelled to remain lying +flat just beyond the houses. One little party had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_342" id="Page_342">[Pg 342]</a></span> taken cover in the +ditch along the roadside and were seen by the German machine gunner. The +ditch became a death trap. Hodges and Longden, the runners, and Maw, the +Signaller, were killed, and Hall, another runner, badly wounded; Serjt. +Foster and L/Cpl. Osborne, both of whom had done particularly good work, +were wounded, and the casualties were very heavy indeed. In half-an-hour +this Company lost 10 killed 14 wounded and one prisoner. It was obvious +that the Cyclists had never been further than these houses, which they +must have mistaken for Regnicourt, and their report was consequently +worthless.</p> + +<p>Capt. Banwell now arrived with two platoons of "C" Company, and thinking +it possible that the Companies on the right might not have got as far +even as "D" Company, decided to protect the right flank from any +possible counter-attack. He sent off Serjt. Tunks and No. 11 Platoon to +prolong "D" Company's line to the right; they did this and managed to +advance a few yards further before being compelled to dig in and keep +very flat by the enemy's machine guns. A few minutes later 2nd Lieut. +Griffiths followed with his platoon, to work Southwards into the woods +to try and find the centre Company, or at least discover how they were +situated. They managed to advance about 400 yards before they too met +with fierce opposition, and had three men cut off and captured by a +strong party of Boche concealed in the undergrowth. Eventually, unable +to find any trace of "B" Company, 2nd Lieut. Griffiths decided to "dig +in" where he was, and by doing so extended "C" Company's line still +further to the right, bending back slightly to protect the flank. At 8-0 +a.m. the 1st Battalion on the left had reached<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_343" id="Page_343">[Pg 343]</a></span> the same line and were +similarly held up. Capt. Banwell therefore reported to Headquarters that +further advance without artillery support was impossible, and that "C" +and "D" Companies were holding a line running Southwards for 400 yards +from the group of houses, into the Bois de Riquerval, and would wait +there for instructions.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the centre and right had fared even worse. In the centre "B" +Company, formed up originally in an isolated copse, moved forward at +5-15 a.m. in two parties towards the main part of the wood. The left +hand party under 2nd Lieut. Argyle had plenty of cover for the first +half-mile and pushed on rapidly, until, coming over a small crest into +the open, they too met with heavy machine-gun fire. After several +ineffectual efforts to advance, they dug themselves in and remained +there for the rest of the day, replying to the Boche fire with their +Lewis Guns, but with no visible effect. (It was afterwards discovered +that this party were less than 100 yards behind 2nd Lieut. Griffiths' +platoon, unable to see each other owing to a "fold" in the ground.) The +other half Company under 2nd Lieut. Cosgrove started their advance +across an absolutely open patch of ground, sloping gently downwards +towards the centre of the woods. They had gone a few yards when the +daylight showed their position to the Boche, and for the next half-hour +they suffered heavily. Lying on the forward slope, with no cover, they +saw 50 yards away on their right two small but deep trenches. One man +tried to run there and was hit a few yards from them; another had better +luck and got there safely, through a perfect stream of bullets from +three guns. 2nd Lieut. Cosgrove himself was badly wounded and had to be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_344" id="Page_344">[Pg 344]</a></span> +carried out, so also was Serjt. Muggleston. The others, some crawling +and some running, gradually collected in the two trenches and remained +there for the rest of the day.</p> + +<p>On the extreme right "A" Company (Edwards) made no headway at all. +Between the road and the edge of the wood was about 150 yards of open +ground, across which ran a Z-shaped hedge, while, at the point where the +"ride" entered the wood, stood a Chateau and a large black hut +commanding all the country round. Daylight came soon after they left the +road and with it a burst of heavy machine-gun fire from the Chateau at +close range, which split the Company into three parts. Headquarters and +one platoon found some cover round the little house on the corner where +they started; near them in a bank was 2nd Lieut. Dennis with his +platoon, while the remainder, under Cpls. Thompson and Shilton, were in +the Z-shaped hedge, unable to show themselves without being fired at. On +their right the French had captured Retheuil and Forte Farms.</p> + +<p>At 5-20 a.m., Major Dyer Bennet, finding it impossible to see anything +of "A" and "B" Companies, decided to advance his Headquarters, keeping +as far as possible to the centre of the Brigade frontage. Accompanied by +the Adjutant, R.S.M., a few runners, and the French Interpreter, he set +off for the edge of the wood, which was reached without loss; but the +enemy's machine guns at the Chateau, 200 yards away on the right, and +slightly below us, plainly told us that "A" Company had not gone +forward. A similar distance away on the left, concealed by a wall and +the corner of the wood, another gun was firing across at "B"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_345" id="Page_345">[Pg 345]</a></span> Company, +who could be seen on the opposite hillside trying to reach the cover of +their two trenches. The Headquarter party was too small to be able to +help, so while the Adjutant went back to try and find some +reinforcements, the Interpreter, Henri Letu, made a most gallant +reconnaissance into the woods to see if he could gather any information. +The "reinforcements" consisted of a platoon of French soldiers, a Lewis +Gun team of the 4th Battalion and two signallers. At the same time the +M.O. and Intelligence Officer (Lieut. Ashdowne) arrived, and the latter, +taking two men with him, soon drove out the enemy from the "corner wall" +post on the left. The Battalion Headquarter flag was hung out in a +conspicuous tree, signal communication was opened with the original +Headquarter Farmhouse, and at about 8 o'clock the party was still +further reinforced by the arrival of Cpl. Thompson and No. 1 Platoon of +"A" Company, whom the Adjutant had discovered under the "Z" shaped +hedge. All these movements had to be carried out with great care, as any +visible activity at once drew fire from the Chateau.</p> + +<p>This Chateau Major Dyer Bennet now decided to attack, and soon after 9.0 +a.m. a party consisting of No. 1 Platoon and some Frenchmen set off +under the Adjutant to do so. Cpl. Shilton and a few men were sent +through some gardens to engage the enemy on their right flank; the Lewis +gun, under Cpl. Thompson, went through the woods to try and attack the +buildings from the rear; the Frenchmen advancing still further into the +woods, protected the left flank. Cpl. Thompson's party were soon +engaged. They had pushed forward rapidly for about 50 yards when +suddenly Pte. Underwood, who was leading, jumped behind a tree<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_346" id="Page_346">[Pg 346]</a></span> and +fired. Nine Boches seemed to come out of the ground almost at our feet, +and for a few minutes there was some lively fighting around the trees. +The Germans managed to kill Pte. Blythe, a very old soldier of the +Battalion, and then made off, leaving one wounded man behind them. This +little fight had given the alarm to the party in the Chateau, and though +Cpl. Thompson pushed forward with great courage it was too late to catch +them, and we entered the house and grounds without further opposition. +The fall of the Chateau enabled the remainder of "A" Company to advance +and occupy the edge of the wood, which they at once did, putting out +several posts round the buildings. The Adjutant's party then returned to +Battalion Headquarters which had been left very weak during the attack. +Soon afterwards, as the situation now seemed fairly satisfactory the +wounded prisoner was sent down under the 4th Leic. Lewis Gun Section, +who were no longer required.</p> + +<p>At 10-0 a.m. we were just considering the possibility of pushing forward +still further when a sudden burst of machine gun fire, sweeping low over +our positions, drove us to cover. The French had apparently been +counter-attacked out of Retheuil and Forte Farms and the Boche from +these new positions overlooked us completely. Under cover of this fire a +strong hostile counter-attack was launched against the Chateau, and "A" +Company were once more driven back to the road, leaving several men +prisoners behind them. But the road too was now overlooked and, though +sunken, was no protection, so that, unable to stay in it, they moved to +a small bank on the W. side of it and dug in there. 2nd Lieut. Edwards +was wounded and sent down, and the Company was commanded by 2nd Lieut.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_347" id="Page_347">[Pg 347]</a></span> +Dennis. At Headquarters, L/Cpl. Exton, who had just arrived with a +message from "B" Company, was killed and a stretcher-bearer badly +wounded. Capt. Jack, the M.O. went off to tend the latter, and was +himself badly hit in the body; another stretcher-bearer was hit trying +to get to him, and for a short time he had to be left. A few minutes +later the enemy's fire slackened; the M.O. was carried away, and, though +he lived to reach the Ambulance, died there in the evening. Captain Jack +had been with us just a year, and we felt very keenly the loss of his +cheerful presence at Battalion Headquarters, for he was one of those men +who were never depressed, and even in the worst of places and at the +worst of times used to keep us happy.</p> + +<p>The Adjutant now went back again to the old Farm House to see if he +could find out what had happened to the other two Companies. The 4th +Leicestershires had been relieved, and the 5th South Staffordshires had +taken over the Farm and were now preparing to relieve us in the line if +possible. Captain Salter was there from Brigade Headquarters and +undertook to send relief orders to the Left half Battalion, whose +position was now known.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the South Staffordshires moved up to the copse whence "B" +Company had started, and a Company occupied the line along the bottom of +the "Z" hedge to the "wall and corner" position—i.e., about 200 yards +behind the line held by Battalion Headquarters and "A" Company. The +relief of the Left half Battalion, though difficult, was carried out in +daylight, and was complete by 11-30 a.m., largely owing to the energy of +the Staffordshire Company Commanders. Crossing the crest by the group of +houses was by no<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_348" id="Page_348">[Pg 348]</a></span> means an easy matter, and both relievers and relieved +had to crawl through the scrub, in which 2nd Lieut. F.G. Taylor of "C" +Company did particularly good work, while for "D" Company C.S.M. Cooper +worked magnificently. Three Platoon Serjeants had become casualties and +this Warrant Officer did all their work himself, rendering invaluable +assistance to his Company Commander.</p> + +<p>The relief of Battalion Headquarters and the Right half Battalion was +impossible during daylight, and the G.O.C. 137th Infantry Brigade took +over the command of the line as soon as our "C" and "D" Companies were +relieved, while the rest of our Brigade moved back into billets at +Fresnoy le Grand; we were to follow when relieved. Meanwhile, +arrangements were being made for some Artillery and Tank support, and it +was proposed to try a further advance during the afternoon. At the same +time the Chateau was recaptured from us, the position on the edge of the +wood had become so badly enfiladed that the Headquarters moved out and +started to dig a new line in the open, where, as the Staffordshires were +holding the "wall and corner" position, we were fairly safe. About +mid-day, however, as the enemy had become quieter, we returned once more +to the edge of the wood. It was never very comfortable in this isolated +position, but Lieut. Ashdowne and R.S.M. Lovett showed the most +wonderful coolness, and were continually out looking for new positions +or watching the flanks. At 2-0 p.m. the Staffordshires received orders +that they would have the help of two Tanks for their attack, which would +start at 4-0 p.m. from the isolated copse. At about 3-0 p.m. the enemy +again started to enfilade our wood<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_349" id="Page_349">[Pg 349]</a></span> position so badly, that for the last +time we decided to leave it and came back to our line in the open, which +we deepened as quickly as possible; it was hard work as the men had to +dig with their entrenching tools as they lay flat. We had not, however, +been long in this position before the Staffordshires behind us withdrew +to form up for the attack, and, though the party at the "Z" hedge +remained, the other party left the "wall and corner" unprotected. +Meanwhile, thinking that, if not relieved soon, we should be surrounded +from the right flank, Major Dyer Bennet went back to reconnoitre some +deep short lengths of trenches about 100 yards in rear, deciding that if +the attack did not prove successful he would bring Battalion +Headquarters back into them.</p> + +<p>At 4-0 p.m. there was no sign of the attack. Instead, a German machine +gun crew returned to the now empty "wall and corner" position and +started to enfilade our left flank, making the hill side almost +uncrossable. The C.O. decided to withdraw at once, and at 4-30 p.m. the +runner, Blindley, set off with the message. It was a hazardous journey, +but he succeeded in crawling to within a few yards of the end man and +passed a message along. Steadied by the R.S.M., the party started one by +one to withdraw, while the enemy kept up a heavy fire at them. For a +moment it looked as though it would be impossible to get back, but Pte. +Caunter—Lewis Gunner of No. 1 Platoon—calmly mounted his gun and +"traversed" the whole edge of the wood. The Boche were silenced for the +moment, and the party, making a rush at the same time, managed to reach +the trenches in safety. Last of all Caunter calmly picked up his gun and +came away<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_350" id="Page_350">[Pg 350]</a></span> himself, fired at, but never hit. Half-an-hour later two +tanks appeared, and keeping on the West side of the Aisonville Road, +climbed the rise towards Retheuil Farm. Whether the enemy imagined a +general attack was coming, or merely wanted to make the road dangerous, +is not known, but at 5-0 p.m. he started to bombard the area at the foot +of the "Z" shaped hedge, where a Company of Staffordshires, our +Battalion Headquarters, and our "A" Company were all gathered, and for +nearly an hour gas and H.E. shells of every calibre fell all round. +There was little or no cover, and had the shells been all H.E. the +casualties would have been tremendous. As it was we escaped lightly, but +the valley became full of gas and we could see nothing. The position was +bad, so Major Dyer Bennet ordered a general withdrawal to a line along +high ground on both sides of the Aisonville-road—the remains of "B" +Company under Lieut. Ashdowne to the left and "A" Company to the right. +Here we once more dug a line of pits, and by 7-30 p.m. had our new +position in fighting condition, while a succession of explosions, coming +from two blazing heaps near Retheuil Farm, showed how the Tanks had +fared. The whole of these operations had been most difficult and, in +addition to those who had been conspicuous in the attack on the Chateau +in the morning, many other N.C.O.'s and men showed the utmost courage +and coolness. A/C.S.M. Smith, of "A" Company, and Serjts. Wilbur and +Swift and Cpl. Hubbard of Battalion Headquarters, worked particularly +well.</p> + +<p>At 8-0 p.m. we were relieved by the 5th South Staffordshires and, after +placing Lewis Guns on the limbers, which had been waiting all day for us +behind<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_351" id="Page_351">[Pg 351]</a></span> the farm, went to Fresnoy. It can hardly be called a march, and +few of us remember much about it. Those on horses slept, those on foot +walked in their sleep and woke up whenever there was a halt, because +they hit their heads against the haversacks of the men in front. Soon +after 11-0 p.m., tired out, we reached Fresnoy and dropped down in the +billets the Right half Battalion had found for us, murmuring as we did +so—"Now we shall have our rest."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_352" id="Page_352">[Pg 352]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>CHAPTER XIX.</h3> + +<h4>THE LAST FIGHT.</h4> + +<p><span class="left">12th Oct., 1918.</span><span class="right">11th Nov., 1918.</span><br /></p> + +<p>The following day—the 12th of October—our hopes of the long expected +rest were still further raised by the news that General Rowley was going +to England on leave, for we all knew that he would never be absent if +there were any prospect of a fight, and we accordingly began at once to +make ourselves comfortable. Fuel was plentiful, and baths were soon +fitted in "C" Company's factory, while in another part of the same +building we found and used an excellent concert room. R.S.M. Lovett also +went on leave, taking with him to Loughborough one or two small battle +trophies, including our Headquarter flag, which had seen so much +fighting during the past few weeks. Many of "B" Company's gassed men now +returned, and these, with a large draft of N.C.O.'s and men, proved a +welcome reinforcement, but we still had very few officers. The new draft +was composed mostly of young soldiers who had not seen service before, +but fortunately this did not matter, as we still had a number of our +experienced junior N.C.O.'s left, and some "new blood" was useful.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the Staffordshires stayed in the line, and, as by the 13th +there was no prospect of their being<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_353" id="Page_353">[Pg 353]</a></span> relieved, we were not surprised on +the 14th to receive some more battle orders, and consign our rest hopes, +like their predecessors, to an early grave. It appeared that all frontal +attacks on Riquerval Wood had proved disastrous, and, although the 6th +Division on the left had reached the outskirts of Vaux Andigny, our +Divisional front was still the same as we had left it on the 11th. The +new attack, to take place on the 17th, would therefore be directed +against the North West flank of the wood, and would be made by ourselves +and the 139th Brigade, while the Staffordshires made a frontal display. +The French, on the right, were making a similar movement, and there +would be a general attack North of us. It was hoped that by the end of +the day, or before if possible, the French and ourselves would meet on +the East side of the woods at Mennevret, and so cut off any Germans who +remained on the Staffordshires' front. The actual objective for the +Brigade was the same Regnicourt road up which the Left half Battalion +had advanced on the 11th; this was to be taken by the other two +Battalions, while we were kept in reserve near Vaux Andigny.</p> + +<p>The usual reconnaissances were carried out on the 15th, and the +following morning the customary distribution of bombs, flares, rockets +and other warlike paraphernalia took place. This was done with great +regularity before every battle, and yet on reaching an objective we +could never find the required rockets. The men carrying them seemed +invariably to become casualties. It was the same with equipment and +other necessaries—we started the day with everything and ended with +nothing. A very welcome issue was the new map of Riquerval Woods, made +from the most<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_354" id="Page_354">[Pg 354]</a></span> recent aeroplane photographs, and accurate; the old one, +compiled from a pre-war survey, still showed as thick forest the ground +where the Boche had cut down every vestige of a tree, and its +inaccuracies in this respect had been one of our greatest difficulties +in the previous battle. With the map came an issue of officers, five +reporting during the afternoon, but as they were all new to the +Battalion, they remained with the Stores.</p> + +<p>Our march to the Assembly position was tedious, but we were not worried +at all by the enemy, for, to avoid Bohain, which was at this time +frequently shelled, a track had been taped out across country. As we +were the first to use this, we escaped the usual slipping and ploughing +through mud, which are a bad feature of most tracks in autumn. Lewis Gun +limbers and Tool carts went by the road and reached the +Andigny-Becquigny Railway line—our assembly position—before us, so +that as each Platoon arrived it was able to collect its guns and tools +and move straight to its position. We rapidly dug ourselves some +excellent cover, and were able to take no notice of some four point twos +which arrived during the night, though the other two Battalions, who had +to assemble near the Andigny Road, suffered fairly heavily.</p> + +<p>At 5-20 a.m. on the 17th the barrage opened and the battle began in a +mist, which was thicker even than usual. Many Tanks accompanied by the +Highlanders of the 1st Division, came through our position and passed +down the hill towards Andigny, but of our own Brigade we could see +nothing, and could only judge by the lessening of the enemy's machine +gun fire, that the attack was successful. It must be admitted that our<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_355" id="Page_355">[Pg 355]</a></span> +attention was somewhat distracted by the appearance of a hare, rather +frightened by a Tank, and we forgot the battle to give chase. It was a +short but exciting run, and the victim was finally done to death by "D" +Company and provided the Serjeants with a good dinner. It was not until +10-0 a.m. that we first learnt how the attackers had fared. On the right +our Brigade had taken their Regnicourt road objective, but in the fog +several posts of the German front line had been missed and were still +causing trouble, preventing the complete capture of the village of +Andigny les Fermes, the left of our objective. In the same way the 6th +Division had missed posts in the two farms Gobelets and Bellevue on +their front, and we were ordered to send two companies to clean up these +places and generally assist with the left of the attack. A few minutes +later, however, this order was cancelled, as the 5th Lincolnshires and +6th Division both reported that they now held all objectives. Instead, +"B" Company (Pierrepont) and "C" Company (Banwell) were placed at the +disposal of Colonel Wilson of the 5th Lincolnshires, to exploit his +success and patrol the Mennevret road to meet the French, and at 11-30 +a.m. these two Companies moved off to the old German front line and +waited there for instructions. Col. Wilson decided to use one Company +only, and at 2-0 p.m. Capt. Pierrepont moved his Headquarters into +Andigny les Fermes and sent off a strong patrol under 2nd Lieut. Davies +towards Mennevret. As the enemy was still holding the woods in +considerable strength, and the first mile of the road was under direct +observation, the patrol met with heavy machine-gun fire at once, and 2nd +Lieut. Davies returned for the time, preparing to make another<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_356" id="Page_356">[Pg 356]</a></span> attempt +when the advance of the Divisions on our left had made it impossible for +the Boche to remain in his positions near the E. edge of the village. +Half "A" Company had already been attached to the 4th Leicestershires +for carrying work, so that we had now only "D" Company (Hawley) and the +remainder of "A" Company with Battalion Headquarters. No more orders +came for us, and during the afternoon, as the sounds of war had become +more and more distant, Cavalry and Whippets had disappeared Eastwards +and there was nothing to do, we lay and basked in the sun, which was +very hot and pleasant.</p> + +<p>At 6-0 p.m., just as the Boche started to fire gas shells into the +valley up which all troops had to pass to reach Andigny les Fermes, +orders came that we should take over the Brigade front. Accordingly, "A" +and "D" Companies were sent to relieve the 4th Battalion on the right, +"C" Company was made responsible for Andigny les Fermes, and the extreme +left was held by "B" Company, whose duty it still was to find the +French. The relief in the village might have been a very lengthy and +difficult proceeding had not Capt. Nichols, of the Lincolnshires, taken +great trouble to co-ordinate the work of all their three Companies, and +so been able to hand over to Captain Banwell a single complete scheme of +defence. Our Headquarters moved into the sunken road between Regnicourt +and Vaux Andigny. It was a dark, foggy and bitterly cold night, and, +experts as we had now become in the art of living in banks and sunken +roads, still it was impossible to be comfortable, and German waterproof +sheets spread over slots cut in the banks, failed most miserably to keep +us warm. Transport arrived before midnight and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_357" id="Page_357">[Pg 357]</a></span> the drivers, as usual, +saved us endless carrying parties by taking the limbers right up to +Company Headquarters in the village. They were unmolested by the enemy, +and 2nd Lieut. Davies, seeing this, made another attempt to reach +Mennevret. His patrol made much more progress, and was only held up at +La Nation, a cross-roads a few hundred yards from his goal, but here he +met with bombs and more machine guns and had once more to fall back.</p> + +<p>At 1-0 a.m., the 18th, we were ordered to take over the line on the East +side of the village from a Battalion of the 1st Division, who had +relieved the 6th Division and were now on our left flank. For this +purpose the luckless "D" Company, who had just settled down after +relieving the 4th Battalion, had to move across our front and take over +the new line, which consisted of four large shell holes and a shallow +sunken lane. In spite of the difficulties of darkness and fog, relief +was complete before dawn when the 1st Division moved forward towards +Wassigny, and we were able to look round our new sector. We found a +ghastly relic in the sunken lane where a German cooks' wagon had been +hit by one of our shells as it tried to escape, and now, in the early +morning light, the scattered remains of wagon, horses and cooks, all +smashed up, were a horrible sight.</p> + +<p>At last, at 5-30 a.m., 2nd Lieut. Davies and Serjt. Whitworth met the +French near Mennevret, and after an enthusiastic exchange of greetings, +accompanied by much handshaking, arrangements were made for establishing +a line along the Nation road, and so cutting out the other two Brigades, +who for some time past had been arguing vigorously as to whose duty it +was to fill the gap between ourselves and the French. At<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_358" id="Page_358">[Pg 358]</a></span> the same time +a single weak-looking Boche came out of the now completely surrounded +Riquerval Wood and surrendered to "C" Company, into whose cellar +Headquarters he was at once escorted. Here, while being questioned by +two officers, neither of whom could speak German, he absent-mindedly +picked up a German grenade which was lying on the floor, creating, of +course, an immediate disturbance. Revolvers appeared on all sides, and +the visitor's life was nearly ended, but as it was really +absent-mindedness and not the fighting spirit which prompted him, peace +was soon restored, and he explained that there were 24 others who wished +to surrender. He wanted to go back and fetch them, and seemed in fact +quite pained when we would not let him and sent him down instead. A few +minutes later a battery of 8in. howitzers with tractors and motor +lorries came along the main road as far as the end of the village, +having been told that the road was clear up to Andigny les Fermes. The +Colonel of R.G.A. who commanded was surprised to hear of the 24 Boche, +who for all we knew might be within 100 yards of his lorries, but +instead of withdrawing for the time, he set off with Capt. Banwell into +the woods to look for them, happy as a schoolboy engaged in some +forbidden adventure. They found no one, but probably, if there were any +at all, they had by this time surrendered to the Staffordshires.</p> + +<p>From dawn until 10-30 a.m. the enemy bombarded our village with gas and +H.E., and the Brigade Major (Capt. D. Hill, M.C.) who tried to go round +the front line posts at this time had an unpleasant journey, while, +shortly after him, the C.O. and Adjutant were similarly treated and had +to hurry in a most undignified manner<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_359" id="Page_359">[Pg 359]</a></span> through an orchard. However, no +damage was done, and, when at midday we were relieved by the +Staffordshires, we had had no casualties. As we marched out past the +little group of houses on the Regnicourt Road, where "D" Company had +fought so gallantly on the 11th, the Burial Party were just burying +Serjeants Bradshaw, Dimmocks and the others in a little cemetery which +had been made in one of the cottage gardens, and they lie now within a +few yards of where they fell. The rest of the march was a cheerful +affair, for it was a bright afternoon and we were not as tired as usual +after a battle. Drums and Band came out to meet us, the people of Bohain +greeted us on the way, and our old friends in Fresnoy gave us their +customary warm welcome. Here we were a little more crowded than before, +but still had plenty of room, and could look forward to a comfortable +rest. The following day, after a full Divisional Church Parade to return +thanks for our victories, we were definitely promised a fortnight's +rest, and General Boyd and many others went home on leave.</p> + +<p>For the rest of the month the Battalion remained in Fresnoy le Grand, +training, refitting, and playing games. Here, Lt.-Col. A.J. Digan, +D.S.O., of the Connaught Rangers came to command us, and Major R.N. +Holmes, M.C., of the Lincolnshires to be 2nd in Command. As we had +already Major Dyer Bennet and the Adjutant, who had "put up" crowns +before going on leave, as aspirants for this position, Major Holmes was +transferred to the 137th Brigade. Lieut. T.H. Ball returned from leave, +and in addition to the five, nine other officers arrived, including +Capt. E.G. Snaith, M.C., from the 2/4th Battalion, and the two<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_360" id="Page_360">[Pg 360]</a></span> "old +hands" Lieut. C.S. Allen and 2nd Lieut. J.A. Hewson. Capt. Snaith went +to "A" Company, and the other two became Signalling and Intelligence +officers respectively as soon as active operations began again. Our work +consisted of steady drill, musketry and, in the evenings, lectures, the +best of which were Col. Jerram's on the "Royal Navy," and the Brigade +Interpreter M. Dovet's on "French Army Life," the latter was +particularly interesting. The Drums now under Serjt. Drummer Price +performed on every possible occasion, and made an excellent display with +the two new Tenor Drums which had arrived during the fighting, and now +appeared in public for the first time. The weather throughout the +fortnight was not perfect, but might have been far worse, and we were +able to play games almost every afternoon. Our fixtures included two +football matches against the French. The first, at Seboncourt, was +against the 55th Infantry, whose liaison platoon had done such splendid +work at Riquerval, and the game, thanks to the efforts of Start and +Corporal Shirley Hubbard, ended in a victory, 5-1—a fact which merely +increased the fervour of the welcome we received from our opponents. A +few days later some French sappers came to play us at Fresnoy, and they, +too, were defeated, 5-0, in an excellent game watched by many people. +The language on both these occasions would sound as foreign in London as +in Paris, but this did not in the least diminish the cordiality of the +Entente. In this way the fortnight soon passed, and on November 1st we +left Fresnoy.</p> + +<p>Our first move was to Becquigny, where we arrived soon after midday, and +found good billets with plenty of accommodation. In the evening, orders +came that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_361" id="Page_361">[Pg 361]</a></span> at an early date the IXth. Corps, with 1st and 32nd Divisions +in front and 46th in Reserve, would attack the German positions on the +Sambre-Oise Canal, which had been holding out for the past ten days. The +next day the officers rode through Molain to Ribeauville and, leaving +horses there, reconnoitred an assembly position North of Mazinghien. The +C.O. and Company Commanders then went forward and reconnoitred a second +position near Rejet de Beaulieu, about 1,000 yards West of the Canal. On +the 3rd, orders arrived for the attack to take place the following +morning, and at 5-0 p.m. we moved off in pouring rain through Vaux +Andigny to a bivouac position near the Railway North of Molain—a bad +march, for the roads were very muddy and hopelessly congested with +traffic, and the men heavily laden. It rained hard all night, but a +small house for Headquarters, and the usual tents and "bivvie" sheets +kept out some of the wet, and we should have been far worse in the open. +Unfortunately, 2nd Lieut. J.A. Hewson, who had never really recovered +from his gassing in May and had returned before he was fit, had to leave +us, unable to stand the exposure in such weather. It was very bad luck, +for there was never a keener officer.</p> + +<p>At 5-45 a.m., the 4th, the battle began, and we fell in outside +Headquarters, having previously had hot breakfasts and distributed large +numbers of bombs and flares, also a generous supply of sickles and bill +hooks, as the country was reported to be full of hedges. We marched at +once to our first assembly position, Mazinghien, and at midday, as the +battle reports were good, moved forward again, passing the Brigadier in +the village; he seemed very cheerful, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_362" id="Page_362">[Pg 362]</a></span> we saw several droves of +German prisoners, so concluded that everything must be satisfactory. In +order to avoid the main roads, the C.O. led us round to Beaulieu by a +field track which he had reconnoitred; unfortunately the night's rain +had made the going very heavy, and this not only tired the men, who were +heavily laden, but also proved difficult for the limbers, several of +which stuck and had to be man-handled. At Beaulieu we had dinners and +rested while parties reconnoitred the Canal crossings and discovered +various pontoon bridges built by the Engineers soon after the attack. As +no orders came, we waited here until soon after 3-0 p.m., when we were +sent forward to support the 2nd Brigade on the right flank of the +advance.</p> + +<p>The C.O. with the right half Battalion crossed the Canal opposite Bois +L'Abbaye, and pushed on into the village untroubled by shell fire, which +was at the time mostly directed against the left half Battalion, which, +with Battalion Headquarters, crossed further South. The country beyond +was very thick, and by the time the left Companies reached L'Ermitage it +was almost dark, and consequently communications were difficult between +the two half Battalions, more particularly as the C.O. was separated +from his runners and signallers. The Companies at L'Ermitage dug +themselves in and were fairly comfortable, but they were not destined to +remain so for long, for orders soon came that they would relieve the 2nd +Brigade. These orders, however, were cancelled before being sent out, +and instead the Brigade was ordered to relieve the 1st Brigade, who were +on the left. The reason for this was that the 32nd Division, who were on +the left of the Corps attack, had not yet reported the capture of all +objec<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_363" id="Page_363">[Pg 363]</a></span>tives, and it was consequently necessary to secure the 1st +Division's left flank. While, therefore, the other two Battalions took +over the line facing East, we found a defensive flank facing North—the +Battalion being organized in depth on a single Company front. "A" +Company (Snaith), with "B" Company (Pierrepont) in close support, was a +few yards South of the main Catillon-La Groise Road; behind them came +"C" Company (Banwell), while Battalion Headquarters and "D" Company (T. +Ball) remained in Bois L'Abbaye. These positions we occupied all night.</p> + +<p>At dawn the following day the advance was continued by the 137th and +139th Brigades who passed through us, but, as the 32nd Division had +still no definite information, we maintained our defensive flank +position—a ludicrous performance in view of the streams of unmolested +traffic which passed along the road in front of us. Later in the +morning, however, "B" and "C" Companies were sent forward to occupy the +line that the Lincolnshires had held during the night, where they found +no cover except one large farm house which the Boche was shelling +heavily. It was raining hard, and for some time they sat in the fields +hoping for the rain or the shelling to stop; the latter did eventually +cease, but not until a large shell had gone through the roof of the farm +house, making it uninhabitable. During the afternoon the weather became +so appalling that they all moved into houses in Mezières and spent the +night there, while the remainder of the Battalion concentrated in Bois +L'Abbaye.</p> + +<p>The battle still went on the next day in the pouring rain, and our +Brigade moved slowly forward in Divisional support, halting for dinners +at Erruart, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_364" id="Page_364">[Pg 364]</a></span> reaching Prisches late in the afternoon; our only +excitement throughout the day was to watch a battery of 60 pounders get +into difficulties in a muddy field. At Prisches we learnt that +Cartignies had been cleared by the other Brigades, and we were +accordingly ordered to move up at once and take over the outpost line +which was now just West of the Petite Helpe river. We moved off in fours +along the road, and in the same formation marched into Cartignies, a +village full of civilians and blazing with lights, although a German +machine gun less than 400 yards away kept sending bullets over the main +street. No one seemed very certain where the outposts were, nor who was +responsible, so we mounted some sentries in the best positions we could +find, and soon after midnight Colonel Digan, who had been to Brigade +Headquarters, held a conference and explained the next day's plan of +attack. It was now obvious that the Boche was in full retreat.</p> + +<p>The weather the next day, the 7th of November, was fortunately much +better, and we moved down to the Petite Helpe soon after dawn. Patrols +had been out during the night to look for crossings, but beyond +reporting that the main road bridge had been blown up, which we already +knew, they gathered no information of importance, so "C" Company, who +were leading, had to make use of tree trunks and cross as best they +could. However, the Engineers soon appeared, and the rest of the +Battalion crossed by a pontoon bridge. With the French on the right and +Lincolnshires on the left, "D" Company (T. Ball) and "C" Company +(Banwell) now pushed forward rapidly, and in spite of a thick mist had +soon gained the first two objectives and reached the road running North<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_365" id="Page_365">[Pg 365]</a></span> +and South through a group of houses called Cheval Blanc. Battalion +Headquarters and the right half followed, and at midday were quartered +in a group of farm houses about 600 yards West of Cheval Blanc, where +they were joined by Capt. Hills, who returned from leave and resumed his +duties as Adjutant. As soon as they had had dinners, "A" Company +(Snaith) and "B" Company (Pierrepont) moved forward so as to be in +closer support to "C" and "D" Companies respectively.</p> + +<p>After passing the second objective, the leading Companies soon began to +meet with opposition, and a machine gun cleverly concealed at the next +cross-roads made further advance by "C" Company impossible. As the +Lincolnshires were similarly held up on their left, the flank could not +be turned. "D" Company, however, pushed forward further in the mist, +and, though there was plenty of machine gun fire, it was unaimed and did +no damage. The leading Platoon, under 2nd Lieut. Bettles, crossed a +valley and started to climb the rise beyond, on the top of which they +expected to find the main Avesnes Road. Suddenly, as they burst through +a hedge almost on the road, they came upon a German four gun field +battery—officers and men standing round their guns, apparently not +expecting any attack, and horses tethered near by. The platoon rushed in +with bayonets, captured or killed all they could find and, led by 2nd +Lieut. Bettles, dashed across the road into some houses on the far side, +where they saw some enemy. 2nd Lieut. Bettles was killed with a pistol +bullet, but the Boche were driven out, and Lieut. Ball came up and +started at once to consolidate his captured position. One officer, 29 +men and eight horses were sent down as prisoners.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_366" id="Page_366">[Pg 366]</a></span></p> + +<p>"D" Company's position was precarious. Right and left, German machine +gunners held the main road, and shooting along it made crossing +impossible, while at the same time they took care to prevent any attempt +on our part to move the captured guns. This we found impossible, so set +about rendering them useless, and had already removed breach block and +sights from one when a counter attack was launched from the South East. +This was beaten off, but Lieut. Ball, unable to find troops on either +flank and already short of ammunition, sent back 2nd Lieut. S.D. Lamming +on a captured horse to ask for help. Before, however, he could return, +the enemy, intent on recapturing his guns, made two more counter attacks +in rapid succession, in the second of which, after losing several men, +including Bolton, who had never left his Platoon during four years' +service, killed and L/Cpl. Thurman wounded, the little isolated party +fired the last of its ammunition and had to withdraw. The Boche +recaptured his battery, and, after firing one or two rounds into Cheval +Blanc, took away the guns.</p> + +<p>At 2-0 p.m., Battalion Headquarters moved up to Cheval Blanc, but the +attacking Companies still reported that they were unable to advance, +and, to add to our difficulties, we were not in touch with the French on +our right nor could our patrols find any trace of them. On the whole of +our front the enemy had probably not more than eight machine guns, but +so cleverly were they placed and so well were they served that we found +it impossible to dislodge them with our weapons. Artillery or better +still Stokes mortars would no doubt have cleared the country very +quickly, but these were not for the time obtainable, so, until they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_367" id="Page_367">[Pg 367]</a></span> +arrived, Col. Digan determined to make every effort to find the French +and protect the right flank. Capt. Pierrepont was ordered to send out +frequent patrols towards Etroeungt, and, as we now had no Battalion +reserve, Col. Digan asked for two Companies of the 4th Battalion to help +us. These soon arrived, and while one, Capt. Holden's, remained with us +at Cheval Blanc, the other, Capt. Scaramowicz's, took up a defensive +flank position along the Brigade Southern boundary. At last, just as it +was getting dark, Capt. Pierrepont reported having found the French in +Etroeungt, and so this flank was now secure, though it had cost us the +loss of 2nd Lieut. Byles and Serjt. Stretton who were both wounded. In +spite of this, the forward Companies were still unable to advance, and +we remained in these positions all night.</p> + +<p>In view of the fact that the Boche was now running away, our casualties +during the day had been heavy, and the Staff therefore decided on a +different plan for the next morning. The Cavalry were to come up at dawn +and we were not to move until they had reconnoitred the country, so that +if they reported the enemy still holding out, the Artillery would be +ordered to cover our advance with a small barrage. There was no doubt +that the German retreat was continuing and that this was only a +temporary check, for all night long the sky Eastwards was lit up with +enormous flashes, as dumps, railways, cross-roads and bridges were blown +up. This demolition was one of the most remarkable features of the Boche +retreat, for hardly a road junction in the country was left untouched, +while Railways were so cunningly mined that every single line had to be +relaid. The consequent delay to our communications<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_368" id="Page_368">[Pg 368]</a></span> was appalling, and +though, thanks to the Engineers and Pioneers, our 1st line Transport +always reached us by the evening, and field batteries advanced almost as +quickly as we did, yet our heavy Artillery was days behind us, and there +was always a shortage of ammunition.</p> + +<p>As ordered, the Scots Greys' patrols rode through our lines at dawn the +next day, November 8th, and found the enemy's machine guns still very +active in the same positions. The barrage was therefore arranged, and, +covered by these very few shells, "A" and "B" Companies pushed forward, +only to find that the Boche took as little notice of the barrage as he +did of our rifle fire. On the left, as before, the attack was soon held +up, this time with considerable loss to us, for the Boche allowed "A" +Company to come close to his guns before opening fire. When he did, 2nd +Lieut. Coleman and ten men were wounded and three men killed, and though +the others made a most gallant attempt to rush the enemy with the +bayonet, they were held up by hedges, and compelled to dig in once more +and wait. On the right, however, we had better fortune. 2nd Lieut. +Davies and the leading platoon of "B" Company reached the Avesnes main +road, and in spite of very heavy machine gun fire managed one by one to +make their way across. Once on the far side, this Platoon Commander, +ably helped by L/Cpl. Sharpe, Pte. Beaver and others, soon worked his +way from house to house until at 11-0 a.m. the Boche, finding we had a +firm hold on the main road, withdrew all his guns. While this took +place, Colonel Jerram from Divisional Headquarters visited us, bringing +the news that the German envoys asking for an Armistice had been taken +through the French lines.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_369" id="Page_369">[Pg 369]</a></span></p> + +<p>As soon as they found the Germans had gone, the leading Companies pushed +rapidly forward, with orders to establish an outpost line along the +Zorees-Semeries road as soon as possible, in which position we were told +we would be relieved by the 137th Brigade. At the same time, "D" Company +moved into the houses on the Avesnes road near where they had captured +and lost their battery, and "C" Company occupied the farm house which +had held them up so long, being welcomed with coffee and cognac by the +inhabitants, who had remained in the cellar. A troop of Scots Greys was +also attached to us to act as mounted orderlies, a task which up to the +present had been very efficiently performed by our grooms—Huntington, +Dennis, Rogers and others. At dusk, as the leading Companies were within +a few hundred yards of the Zorees road, Battalion Headquarters and "C" +Company moved to the cross roads on the Avesnes road, and occupied a +large farm, where the two attached 4th Leicestershire Companies were +also billeted. Except for distant explosions in the East, it was a quiet +night, and the M.O., Capt. Aylward, to prove we were really winning the +war, solemnly went to bed in pyjamas regardless of the proximity of the +enemy. Soon after midnight, "B" Company reached their outpost line, and +at 7-0 a.m. the following morning, "A" Company were also in position, +and we sent off Lieut. Ashdowne to billet for us in the area to which we +were told we should go as soon as relieved.</p> + +<p>The country here was in a pitiable state, for the Germans as they +retired carried off everything—livestock, vehicles, all food, and most +of the male population. The civilians that were left behind took refuge<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_370" id="Page_370">[Pg 370]</a></span> +in the cellars during the fighting, coming out as soon as the Boche had +gone, and bestowing kisses and cups of coffee with great liberality on +the leading platoons as they entered each farm house or hamlet. The +feeding of all these people had to be undertaken by the British Army, +and as our advance continued the French Mission were kept very busily +employed.</p> + +<p>The Brigade relief was already in progress when, at 10-0 a.m., November +9th, it was cancelled, and instead we were ordered to push forward at +once and establish a new outpost line East of Sains du Nord—a small +town through which the Cavalry had passed in the morning. The right half +Battalion was ordered to concentrate in Zorees, while the rest of us +with the two Companies of the 4th Battalion formed up near Battalion +Headquarters, had dinners, and at 2-15 p.m. moved off. As we did so, an +amusing incident occurred. A certain Company Commander, picking up his +box respirator, found that he had thrown it off into a patch of filth; +copious oaths followed, and he vowed that he would murder the next Boche +he saw. Some half hour later, as we entered Zorees, a cyclist patrol met +us, escorting one undersized little prisoner, splay footed and +bespectacled. The Company was delighted, and with one accord hailed +their Commander with cries of "Now's your chance, Sir." No other enemy +were seen, and we marched straight into Sains by the Railway station, to +receive a welcome from the civilians which rivalled even Fresnoy in +cordiality. They thronged the streets with flags and great bunches of +chrysanthemums which they showered upon us, so that by the time we +reached the Mairie we looked like a walking flower show—every man +having a flower in his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_371" id="Page_371">[Pg 371]</a></span> hat. The 4th Battalion Companies found the +outposts, and we billeted in a large factory which had been used as a +Hospital, while Battalion and Company Headquarters occupied various +magnificent Chateaux.</p> + +<p>Throughout the following day, November 10th, we remained inactive, +unable to move because our supplies and rear communications could not +move at our pace owing to the German demolitions. All day long reports +came in from the East showing the hopeless state of confusion to which +the German Army had come. Civilians told us of Artillery drawn by cows, +airmen reported roads congested with traffic and columns of troops, it +really looked as though at last we should have a chance of delivering a +crushing blow. Late that night came the telegram ending hostilities, and +the chance was gone for ever.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_372" id="Page_372">[Pg 372]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3>CHAPTER XX.</h3> + +<h4>HOME AGAIN.</h4> + +<p><span class="left">11th Nov., 1918.</span><span class="right">28th June, 1919.</span><br /></p> + +<p>For the first few days after the signing of the Armistice we remained in +Sains, the outpost line was maintained, roads to the East were +reconnoitred, and everything was made ready for a resumption of +hostilities. But it was soon obvious that the Germans had no more fight +in them, and our only interest was in whether or no we should form part +of the Army of Occupation. It was known that the 4th Army was going to +Germany, and some of us hoped to go with it, but it was not to be, and +we were transferred to the 3rd Army, XIIIth. Corps. When we went, +General Rawlinson, genuinely sorry to lose us from his Army, expressed +his appreciation of our services during the past three months, in a +farewell letter, copies of which were given to all ranks. Soon after our +transfer, we moved to the Landrecies area, and went into billets in the +dirty little town of Bousies.</p> + +<p>Our duties were now threefold—to clean up France, to get demobilised, +and to amuse ourselves in our spare time. Cleaning up was a gigantic and +not very pleasant task, for it meant filling up shell holes, collecting +empty bully-beef tins, and generally becoming scavengers. +Demobilisation, though more congenial, was at first<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_373" id="Page_373">[Pg 373]</a></span> inclined to be +slow, and it was with considerable annoyance that we saw among the first +to go, young men who had joined us since the Armistice, because they +were "pivotal." Coal-miners were soon called for, and under this heading +we lost many of our oldest and best soldiers, so that by Christmas the +Battalion was no longer the same. To amuse us, various sports meetings +were arranged—all rather hampered by the weather, though we managed to +gain much credit in football and running, while the Divisional Rugby +football side won the Corps Championship. In these games we were lucky +to have the assistance of a new Padre, the Rev. H.P. Walton, who came to +take the place of Padre Buck. Concert parties became more numerous, and, +in addition to the "Whizzbangs," who worked very hard, the Brigade had a +show of their own, known as the "138's."</p> + +<p>While at Bousies we marched one Sunday to Landrecies, where H.M. the +King paid a visit. It was an informal affair, no guard of honour and no +lining the road, and none of us will ever forget the scene. The King of +England followed by his officers, all on foot, walking down the little +street of the old French town, while both pavements were packed with +soldiers and French civilians, who cheered, shouted, sang and rushed +into the road to gain a nearer view of His Majesty.</p> + +<p>In January we moved to Pommereuil, a clean little village, where Mayor +and people did their utmost to make us comfortable. Here, under the new +scheme, demobilisation became more rapid, and the older soldiers were +sent home in consideration of their service. We also learnt for the +first time that the Battalion was to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_374" id="Page_374">[Pg 374]</a></span> be reduced to a Cadre, and all +short service or retainable soldiers would be sent to the 11th Battalion +on the Rhine. Before this last move could take place, we moved again—to +Solesmes, where we stayed for a fortnight and then moved to St. Hilaire. +A new feature was now introduced in the "amusements" department, which +was much appreciated by all of us. Once or twice a week we were given +one or two motor lorries to take parties to Douai, Valenciennes or the +recent battlefields. We had many pleasant trips, and saw several towns +in France which we should never otherwise have seen.</p> + +<p>At St. Hilaire the C.O. left us to rejoin the Connaught Rangers, and we +were reduced to a Cadre, consisting of five officers, forty-six men and +the Colours. A large draft of 200 all ranks, with Lieuts. Steel, +Ashdowne, Todd, Dunlop, Argyle and other officers who volunteered for +further service, went to the 11th Battalion, and the rest were +demobilised. The Cadre was chosen so as to include as far as possible +W.O.'s, N.C.O.'s, and men of long and distinguished service, who would +form a suitable guard for the Colours; at the same time we tried to have +representatives of each of the larger towns in Leicestershire, and in +this we were successful.</p> + +<p>In April we moved to Inchy Beaumont, where we stayed until the Cadre +finally went home in June. Wagons and all transport were sent to Caudry, +and we settled down to a wearisome existence, having too little to do. +Cricket succeeded football, and we beat the 4th Battalion at both, and +had several other victories. Finally, on the 28th of June, leaving Capt. +Nicholson, 2nd Lieut. Griffiths, R.Q.M.S. Gorse and 11 others with the +stores, the remnant of the Battalion sailed for England, landed at +Dover, and reached Leicester the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_375" id="Page_375">[Pg 375]</a></span> same night. The next day the Mayor +(Ald. Coltman) and people of Loughborough turned out to give us welcome, +and our long months of waiting in France were soon forgotten in the +fervour and enthusiasm of the greeting we received, as we marched +through the old town and placed our Colours in the Hall. Six weeks later +the baggage guard returned, and the Battalion was finally disembodied.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_376" id="Page_376">[Pg 376]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>APPENDIX 1.</h2> + + +<h4><span class="smcap">Officers who sailed To France with the Regiment, February, 1915.</span></h4> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" summary="Officers who sailed To France with the Regiment, February, 1915."> +<tr><td align='left'>Lieut. Colonel C.H. Jones.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Major R.E. Martin.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Captain and Adjutant W.T. Bromfield.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>"A" COMPANY.</td><td align='left'>"C" COMPANY.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Major W.S.N. Toller.</td><td align='left'>Captain T.C.P. Beasley.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Captain P.C.J.R. Rawdon Hastings.</td><td align='left'>Captain C. Bland.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Lieut. A.T. Sharpe (Machine Gun Officer).</td><td align='left'>Lieut. R.D. Farmer.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Lieut. J.D.A. Vincent.</td><td align='left'>2nd Lieut. G. Aked.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>2nd Lieut. D.B. Petch.</td><td align='left'>2nd. Lieut. G.W. Allen.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>2nd Lieut. J.W. Tomson.</td><td align='left'>2nd Lieut. R. Ward Jackson.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>"B" COMPANY.</td><td align='left'>"D" COMPANY.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Captain J.L. Griffiths.</td><td align='left'>Captain H.J.F. Jeffries.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Lieut. A.P. Marsh.</td><td align='left'>Captain J. Chapman.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Lieut. E.G. Langdale.</td><td align='left'>Lieut. A.G. de A. Moore.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>2nd Lieut. C.H.F. Wollaston.</td><td align='left'>2nd Lieut. R.C.L. Mould.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>2nd Lieut. C.W. Selwyn.</td><td align='left'>2nd Lieut. C.R. Knighton.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>2nd Lieut. R.B. Farrer.</td><td align='left'>2nd Lieut. J.D. Hills.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Transport Officer</td><td align='left'>Lieut. J. Burnett.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Quartermaster</td><td align='left'>Lieut. A.A. Worley.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Medical Officer</td><td align='left'>Lieut. G.H.H. Manfield, R.A.M.C.</td></tr> +</table></div> + + + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_377" id="Page_377">[Pg 377]</a></span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>APPENDIX II.</h2> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><span class="smcap">Honours.</span></h3> +<p><br /><br /></p> + +<h3><big>V.C.</big></h3> + +<p class='center'>Lieut. J.C. BARRETT.—Pontruet, Sept. 24th, 1918.</p> +<p><br /><br /></p> + + +<table border="0" cellpadding="1" width="60%" cellspacing="0" summary="HONOURS"> +<tr><th>C.M.G.</th></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td>C.H. Jones.</td><td>R.E. Martin.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><th>D.S.O.</th></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>W.S.N. Toller.</td><td align='left'>J.L. Griffiths.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><th>M.C. & BAR</th></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>G.B. Williams.</td><td align='left'>G.E. Banwell.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>D.B. Petch.</td><td align='left'>J.D. Hills.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><th>M.C.</th></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>A.G. de A. Moore.</td><td align='left'>A.E. Brodribb.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>M.H. Barton.</td><td align='left'>W.B. Jack.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>C.H.F. Wollaston.</td><td align='left'>C.B.W. Buck.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>A.N. Barrowcliffe.</td><td align='left'>S.G.H. Steel.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>T.P. Creed.</td><td align='left'>A.E. Hawley.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>J.R. Brooke.</td><td align='left'>K. Ashdowne.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>R.H. Stentiford.</td><td align='left'>T.H. Ball.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>C.P. Shields.</td><td align='left'>S.D. Lanning.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>W.M. Cole.</td><td align='left'>C.H. Davies.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>H.G. Lovett.</td><td align='left'> </td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><th>D.C.M. & BAR.</th></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>T. Tunks.</td><td align='left'>A. Wilbur.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><th>D.C.M.</th></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>H.G. Starbuck.</td><td align='left'>A. Passmore.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>W.H. Hallam.</td><td align='left'>J.B. Weir.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>R.E. Small.</td><td align='left'>C.W. Jordan.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>J. Emmerson.</td><td align='left'>P. Lane.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>C. Hurley.</td><td align='left'>W. Toon.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>E.M. Hewson.</td><td align='left'>J. Wardle.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>J. Hill.</td><td align='left'>H.G. Lovett.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>T. Needham.</td><td align='left'>J. Cooper.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>A. Brooks.</td><td align='left'>W. Hubbard.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><th>M.M. & TWO BARS.</th></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='center'>T. Marston.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><th>M.M. & BAR.</th></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>J. Burbidge.</td><td align='left'>W. Lilley.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>R. Downs.</td><td align='left'>F.W. Gorf.</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>A. Thurman.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_378" id="Page_378">[Pg 378]</a></span></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +</table> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="1" width="60%" cellspacing="0" summary="HONOURS"> +<tr><td></td><td align='left'> <b>M. M.</b></td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="3"> </td></tr> +<tr><td>J.T. Knott.</td><td>R. Hollingsworth.</td><td>A. Hewerdine.</td></tr> +<tr><td>W.A. Berridge.</td><td>A.W. Martin.</td><td>W. Smith.</td></tr> +<tr><td>H. Beardmore.</td><td>J.W. Tookey.</td><td>G.W. Tomblin.</td></tr> +<tr><td>G.A. Bent.</td><td>H.W. Stone.</td><td>L.F. Crocker.</td></tr> +<tr><td>W. Braybrook.</td><td>T. Andrews.</td><td>E. Cooper.</td></tr> +<tr><td>F. Clapham.</td><td>D. Mackey.</td><td>H. Edge.</td></tr> +<tr><td>E. Diggle.</td><td>H. Whitmore.</td><td>W. Mouldsworth.</td></tr> +<tr><td>E. Foulds.</td><td>G.O. Pickles.</td><td>S.W. Taylor.</td></tr> +<tr><td>R. Goodman.</td><td>W. Raven.</td><td>W. Orton.</td></tr> +<tr><td>C.B. Love.</td><td>J.H. Bullen.</td><td>W. Powell.</td></tr> +<tr><td>M. O'Brien.</td><td>H. Cato.</td><td>A. Daniels.</td></tr> +<tr><td>W. Pickering.</td><td>A.H. Culpin.</td><td>J. Coles.</td></tr> +<tr><td>T. Slaymaker.</td><td>A.E. Palmer.</td><td>A. Holmes.</td></tr> +<tr><td>B. Staniforth.</td><td>A. Baker.</td><td>R.B. Haynes.</td></tr> +<tr><td>T. Hawkesworth.</td><td>F.P. Pymm.</td><td>G. Emmitt.</td></tr> +<tr><td>F. Eastwood.</td><td>E.R. Smith.</td><td>G. Bedford.</td></tr> +<tr><td>A. Passmore.</td><td>W. Bennett.</td><td>F. Smith.</td></tr> +<tr><td>J. Meakin.</td><td>J. Balderstone.</td><td>P. Thompson.</td></tr> +<tr><td>T. Marshall.</td><td>H. Pollard.</td><td>J.H. Caunter.</td></tr> +<tr><td>H. Dawes.</td><td>J. Ryder.</td><td>F. Bindley.</td></tr> +<tr><td>A. Carr.</td><td>T. Starbuck.</td><td>L.H. Fortnum.</td></tr> +<tr><td>J.T. Allen.</td><td>J. Hyden.</td><td>R. Redden.</td></tr> +<tr><td>E.V. Woolley.</td><td>S.G. Barber.</td><td>A. Sharpe.</td></tr> +<tr><td>E. Crow.</td><td>F. Bloodworth.</td><td>A. Beaver.</td></tr> +<tr><td>J.W. Putt.</td><td>A. Wedge.</td><td>H. Shepherd.</td></tr> +<tr><td>A. Hickling.</td><td>S. Dawson.</td><td>T. Parker.</td></tr> +<tr><td>W.E. Lester.</td><td>H.B. Garrett.</td><td>A. Randall.</td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td>S. Satchwell.</td><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="3"> </td></tr> +<tr><td></td><td align='left'> <b>M .S. M.</b></td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="3"> </td></tr> +<tr><td>J. Cooper.</td><td>H. Foster.</td><td>J.H. Robinson.</td></tr> +<tr><td>W. Fairbrother.</td><td>R. Gorse.</td><td>N. Yeabsley.</td></tr> +<tr><td>C.F. Bailey.</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr> +</table> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="1" width="60%" cellspacing="0" summary="MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES."> +<tr><th colspan="2">MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES.</th></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td>C.H. Jones (2).</td><td>W. Fisher.</td></tr> +<tr><td>W.S.N. Toller.</td><td>H. Swift.</td></tr> +<tr><td>W.T. Bromfield.</td><td>A.A. Archer.</td></tr> +<tr><td>J.L. Griffiths (2).</td><td>J.A. Walton.</td></tr> +<tr><td>E.G. Langdale.</td><td>T. Foster.</td></tr> +<tr><td>C.H.F. Wollaston.</td><td>R. Gorse.</td></tr> +<tr><td>M.H. Barton.</td><td>W. Agar.</td></tr> +<tr><td>A.G. de A. Moore.</td><td>C. Brown.</td></tr> +<tr><td>J.D. Hills (2).</td><td>A. Hurst.</td></tr> +<tr><td>J. Burnett (2).</td><td>T.F. Marston.</td></tr> +<tr><td>C.F. Shields.</td><td>J. Lincoln.</td></tr> +<tr><td>G.W. Allen.</td><td>F.J. Williamson.</td></tr> +<tr><td>T.W. Tomson.</td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td>W.R. Todd.</td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td>F.G. Taylor.</td><td> </td></tr> +</table> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_379" id="Page_379">[Pg 379]</a></span></p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="1" width="60%" cellspacing="0" summary="FOREIGN DECORATIONS."> +<tr><th colspan="2">FOREIGN DECORATIONS.</th></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><th colspan="2">FRENCH.</th></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td>Légion d'Honneur (Officier</td><td>C.H. Jones.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Croix de Guerre (with palm)</td><td>L.H. Pearson.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Croix de Guerre (with silver star)</td><td>A.D. Pierrepont</td><td>J. Whitworth.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Croix de Guerre (with bronze star)</td><td>J.D. Hills</td><td>W. Green.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Medaille Militaire</td><td>E. Angrave.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><th colspan="2">BELGIAN.</th></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td>Décoration Militaire</td><td>A. Wilbur.</td></tr> +</table> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="APPENDIX_III" id="APPENDIX_III"></a>APPENDIX III.</h2> + + +<table border="0" cellpadding="1" width="60%" cellspacing="0" summary="The Cadre and Equipment Guard."> +<tr><th colspan="2" class="smcap" align="center"><b>The Cadre and Equipment Guard.</b></th></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2" align='center'>Major J.D. Hills, M.C.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2" align='center'>Captain G.E. Banwell, M.C.</td></tr> + <tr><td colspan="2" align='center'>Captain C.S. Allen.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2" align='center'>Captain and Quartermaster W.A. Nicholson.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2" align='center'>2nd Lieut. G.H. Griffiths.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td>R.Q.M.S. Gorse, R.</td><td>L/Cpl. Underwood, A.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Col.-Serjt. Hanson, A.W.</td><td>L/Cpl. Caunter, J.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Corpl. Lincoln, J.</td><td>Pte. Lewis, B.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Serjt. Yeabsley, N.</td><td>Pte. Clarke, G.L.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Pte. Hughes, E.</td><td>Corpl. Baker, A.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Pte. Ribbons, F.</td><td>Pte. Deacon, W.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Pte. Rawlings, G.</td><td>Pte. Morley, G.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Pte. Mutton, E.</td><td>Pte. Hunt, G.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Pte. Nichols, L.</td><td>L/Cpl. Tookey, J.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Pte. Hewerdine, A.</td><td>Pte. Wormleighton, R.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Pte. Major, T.O.</td><td>Pte. Sear, W.J.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Pte. Bradshaw, R.</td><td>Pte. Myers, J.T.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Corpl. Bartram, E.</td><td>Pte. Godsmark, G.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Serjt. Sills, R.</td><td>Corpl. Mead, B.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Pte. Rock, F.</td><td>L/Cpl. Law, A.B.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Pte. Webbs, H.</td><td>L/Cpl. Harris, J.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Pte. Rogers, A.A.</td><td>Pte. Allen, W.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Pte. Riley. S.</td><td>Pte. Moule, F.T.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Pte. Beards, A.</td><td>Corpl. Goss, J.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Pte. Brampton, T.C.</td><td>Pte. Smith, E.A.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Sig. Rollson, E.</td><td>Pte. Neaverson, R.</td></tr> +<tr><td>C.Q.M.S. Hurst, A.</td><td>Pte. Hayward, J.R.</td></tr> +<tr><td>Serjt. Slaymaker, T.</td><td>Pte. Ratcliffe, G.</td></tr> +</table> + + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FIFTH LEICESTERSHIRE *** + +***** This file should be named 17369-h.htm or 17369-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/7/3/6/17369/ + +Produced by David Clarke, Janet Blenkinship and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The 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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mode 100644 index 0000000..ca7f2dc --- /dev/null +++ b/17369.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10372 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Fifth Leicestershire, by J.D. Hills + +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 Fifth Leicestershire + A Record Of The 1/5th Battalion The Leicestershire Regiment, + T.F., During The War, 1914-1919. + +Author: J.D. Hills + +Release Date: December 22, 2005 [EBook #17369] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FIFTH LEICESTERSHIRE *** + + + + +Produced by David Clarke, Janet Blenkinship and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) + + + + + +[Transcribers note: Many inconsistencies appeared in the original book +and were retained in this version.] + + + + [Illustration: OFFICERS, 1914.] + + + + + THE FIFTH LEICESTERSHIRE. + + A record of the 1/5th Battalion the Leicestershire Regiment, T.F., + during the War, 1914-1919. + + BY + + CAPTAIN J.D. HILLS, M.C., Croix de Guerre. + + With an introduction by + + LT.-COLONEL C.H. JONES, C.M.G., T.D., Legion d'honneur + (officier). + + LOUGHBOROUGH. + + PRINTED AND PUBLISHED AT THE ECHO PRESS. + + 1919. + + THE FIFTH LEICESTERSHIRE. + + [Illustration] + + XVII. + + 5. + + + + + To + + COLONEL HIS GRACE DUKE OF RUTLAND, K.G., + + who has watched over us and lived with us + in all our losses and in all our joys, + this book is gratefully dedicated. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +No literary merit is claimed for this book. It is intended to be a diary +of our progress as a Battalion since mobilisation until the signing of +peace, and the return of the Colours to Loughborough. I have written the +first chapter, the remainder, including the maps, has been done by +Captain J.D. Hills. + +This is scarcely the place to attempt an estimate of what the members of +our County Territorial Force Association, individually and collectively, +have done for the 5th Leicestershire Regiment. We would merely place +this on record, that there has ever been one keen feeling of brotherhood +uniting us all, from President or Chairman, to the latest joined recruit +or humblest member of the regiment, whether actively engaged on the +battlefield, or just as actively engaged at home. Never has the +Executive Committee failed us. And to Major C.M. Serjeantson, O.B.E., we +would offer a special tribute for his untiring work, wonderful powers of +organisation and grasp of detail, and hearty good fellowship at all +times. + +To the men of the regiment we hope that the incidents which we narrate +here will recall great times we spent together, and serve as a framework +on which to weave other stories too numerous for the short space of one +book. + + C.H. JONES. + + MEADHURST, + UPPINGHAM, + + _Sept., 1919._ + + + + +AUTHOR'S NOTE. + + +The following narrative is based mainly on the Regimental War Diary. For +the rest, my thanks are due to Lt.-Colonels C.H. Jones, C.M.G., T.D., +and J. Ll. Griffiths, D.S.O., Major C. Bland, T.D., Captains D.B. Petch, +M.C., J.R. Brooke, M.C., and A.D. Pierrepont, and R.Q.M.S. R. Gorse, +M.S.M., for sending me notes and anecdotes; to Captains G.E. Banwell, +M.C., and C.S. Allen, Corpl. J. Lincoln, and L/Corpl. A.B. Law, for +taking me round the battlefields and explaining the Lens fighting of +1917; to 2nd Lieut. G.H. Griffiths, for supplying me with many of the +battle-field photographs; to all officers, N.C.O.'s and men of the +Battalion who have always been ready to answer my questions and to give +me information; to Major D. Hill, M.C., Brigade Major, for the loan of +his Brigade documents; and lastly to Mr. Deakin of Loughborough, for +undertaking the publication of this book and for giving to it so much +time and personal care. + + J.D. HILLS. + + 16, SOMERSET ST., + LONDON, W.1. + + _Sept., 1919._ + + + + + CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER PAGE. + + 1. ENGLAND 1 + + 2. EARLY EXPERIENCES 16 + + 3. THE SALIENT 39 + + 4. HOHENZOLLERN 70 + + 5. FLANDERS MUD TO THE MEDITERRANEAN 90 + + 6. THE VIMY RIDGE 106 + + 7. GOMMECOURT 127 + + 8. MONCHY AU BOIS 145 + + 9. GOMMECOURT AGAIN 163 + + 10. LENS 179 + + 11. HILL 65 196 + + 12. ST. ELIE LEFT 206 + + 13. CAMBRIN RIGHT 227 + + 14. GORRE AND ESSARS AT PEACE 253 + + 15. GORRE AND ESSARS AT WAR 267 + + 16. PONTRUET 279 + + 17. CROSSING THE CANAL 298 + + 18. FRESNOY AND RIQUERVAL WOODS 325 + + 19. THE LAST FIGHT 352 + + 20. HOME AGAIN 372 + + + APPENDIX. + + I. OFFICERS, FEB., 1915 376 + + II. HONOURS 377 + + III. THE CADRE, 1919 379 + + + ILLUSTRATIONS. + + PAGE. + + 1. OFFICERS, 1914 (Frontispiece). + + 2. R.S.M.S SMALL AND LOVETT, + R.Q.M.S. GORSE 34 + + 3. YPRES 35 + + 4. HOHENZOLLERN MEMORIAL 50 + + 5. VERMELLES WATER TOWER 51 + + 6. LENS FROM THE AIR 130 + + 7. OFFICERS AT MARQUEFFLES 131 + + 8. RED MILL AND RIAUMONT HILL 146 + + 9. HOHENZOLLERN CRATERS, 1917 147 + + 10. COMPANY HEADQUARTERS, LOISNE, AND + GORRE CANAL 322 + + 11. PONTRUET 323 + + 12. LIEUT. J.C. BARRETT, V.C. 338 + + 13. THE CADRE AT LOUGHBOROUGH 339 + + + MAPS. + + PAGE. + + 1. YPRES DISTRICT 44 + + 2. BETHUNE DISTRICT 82 + + 3. ATTACK ON GOMMECOURT, 1/7/16 130 + + 4. MONCHY DISTRICT 154 + + 5. LENS DISTRICT 190 + + 6. ATTACK ON PONTRUET, 24/9/18 286 + + 7. ADVANCE, 24/9/18 to 11/11/18 314 & 315 + + + + +CHAPTER 1. + +ENGLAND. + +4th Aug., 1914. 25th Feb., 1915. + + +The Territorial Force, founded in 1908, undoubtedly attracted many men +who had not devoted themselves previously to military training, +nevertheless it took its character and tone from men who had seen long +service in the old Volunteer Force. Hence, those who created the +Territorial Force did nothing more than re-organise, and build upon what +already existed. In the 5th Leicestershire Regiment there crossed with +us to France men who had over 30 years' service. At the outbreak of war +in 1914, R.Q.M.S. Stimson could look back on 36 years of service, and, +amongst other accomplishments he spoke French fluently. Other names that +occur to us are Serjt. Heafield, with 28 years, and C.S.M. Hill with 16 +years, both of Ashby, and both of whom served in the Volunteer Company +in South Africa. R.S.M. Lovett (27 years), of Loughborough, also wears +the South African medal for service in the same Company. Then there are +Pioneer-Serjt. Clay (27 years' service), C.S.M. Garratt, of Ashby, +C.S.M. Wade, of Melton, R.Q.M.S. Gorse, of Loughborough, Signal-Serjeant +Diggle, of Hinckley--all long service men. The senior N.C.O. in Rutland +was C.S.M. Kernick, who had done 18 years' service when war was +declared. + +The infantry of the 46th (North Midland) Division consisted of the +Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, the Lincolnshire and Leicestershire, and +the Staffordshire Brigades. Our brigade, the 138th, was commanded at +first by General A.W. Taylor, who was succeeded a few days before we +left England by General W.R. Clifford. Staff officers changed +frequently, and we hope we did not break the hearts of too many. +Staff-Captain J.E. Viccars survived most of them, and we owe him much +for the able and vigorous assistance he was always ready cheerfully to +give us. + +The 5th Leicestershire was a County Battalion, organised in eight +companies, with headquarters respectively at Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Oakham, +Melton Mowbray, Hinckley, Market Harborough, Mountsorrel, Shepshed, and +one at Regimental Headquarters at Loughborough. The companies thus were +much scattered, and it was only at the annual training camps that we met +as a battalion. + +The Territorial Force was better prepared for mobilisation than is +generally supposed, and if the history of the assembly of the regiment +at Loughborough in the first week, their train journey to Duffield in +the second week, the purchase of horses, the collection of stores, the +requisitions for food and the sharpening of bayonets, be demanded, it +can be read in the orders printed many months before war even +threatened. The orders were drawn up by Lt.-Colonel G. German, T.D., our +former commanding officer, now D.S.O., and by his conscientious and +indefatigable adjutant, Captain W.G. King Peirce, who was killed early +in the war fighting with his old regiment, the Manchesters. It is due to +these officers to record that every detail was studiously followed and +found exactly correct. We heard of one officer who, at the time the +printed book of orders was issued, was so fearful lest it should fall +into the hands of some indiscreet or improper person, that he packed and +sealed it, addressed it to his executors, and locked it up in a safe, so +that even sudden death on his part would not force him to betray his +trust. + +Of all hard-worked people in the early days it is possible that upon +Major R.E. Martin fell the greatest share. Not only did he see that +supplies were forthcoming, and that dealers delivered the +goods expected of them, but he set himself to design water-carts, and +troughs-water-feet-for-the-washing-of, and cunningly to adapt stock +material to the better service and greater comfort of all, many of whom +were for the first time dragged from the civilities and luxuries of home +life. + +At Loughborough from the 5th to the 11th of August we did little more +than pull ourselves together generally, and enjoy the good will of the +inhabitants, led by our firm friend, the oft-repeated Mayor, Mr. Mayo, +J.P. + +It did not demand much wit to foretell that sooner or later we should be +asked to offer ourselves for service abroad. The question was put for +the first time on the 13th of August, at Duffield. A rough estimate was +made that at least 70 per cent. would consent gladly and without further +thought, and of the others hesitation was caused in many cases because +men wondered whether in view of their positions in civil life they had +the right to answer for themselves. It should be understood that a very +large number were skilled men, and had joined the home army merely +because they thought it a good thing to do. And because they liked it, +and knew it was a good thing to do, they were content to accept humble +places in a force formed for home service and home defence only. Also, +at that stage it was not perfectly certain that everyone would be +wanted, and when the question of war service abroad was raised, and +other men were not serving at all, it is only natural that the thought +passed through some men's minds that the appeal was not for them. We +think that the battalion might be congratulated upon the general spirit +of willingness shown, especially as in the 17th August when the question +was put again more definitely, the percentage of those ready to extend +the terms of service was estimated at 90. + +There were other phases of this call for extension of service, too +numerous to detail here; for example, on one occasion we were asked to +get six companies ready at once. This for a time upset everything, for, +as we have said, the original eight companies were taken from different +parts of the county, and there was a strong company comradeship, as well +as a battalion unity; and if six be taken out of eight it means +omissions, amalgamations, grafts, and all sorts of disturbances. + +We left Duffield on the 15th of August, and marched to Derby Station. +Our train was timed to start at 11 p.m., and seeing that we arrived at +Luton at 2 p.m. the next day, the rate of motion was about 6 miles an +hour, not too fast for a train. But the truth is we did not start at 11 +p.m., but spent hours standing in the cattle yard at Derby, while trucks +and guns were being arranged to fit one another. As that was our first +experience of such delay, the incident was impressed upon our minds, and +it counts one to the number of bars we said our medal should have. + +As in Loughborough, so in Luton, our billets were schools. There was one +advantage about the Beech Hill Schools of Luton, namely, that the whole +battalion could assemble in the big room, sit on the floor, and listen +in comfort to words of instruction and advice. But day schools were not +intended for lodging purposes, and here again was displayed Major +Martin's skill in the erection of cookhouses and more wash-tubs and +other domestic essentials. The moment we got settled, however happened +to coincide with the moment at which the education branch of the Town +Council determined that the future of a nation depended upon the +education of her children, and thus it came to pass that on the 28th of +August we moved out of the schools, and entered billets in West Luton. + +The long rows of houses were admirably suited to company billets. +Occupiers dismantled the ground floor front and took in three, and +generally four men at various rates. On the 2nd of October a universal +rate of 9d. a day each man was fixed. That made twenty-one shillings a +week towards paying off a rent which would average at the most twelve +shillings. The billets delighted us, and we hope the owners were as +pleased. We thank them and all we met in those billeting times for their +kind forbearance. + +The headquarters and billets of senior officers were at Ceylon Hall. The +building was owned by the Baptists, and we found their committee most +willing and obliging. On one occasion they lent us their chapel and +organ for a Sunday service, and set their own service at a time to suit +ours, when churches in the town could not help us. + +Altogether we were in Luton just 3 months training for war. To a great +extent the training was on ordinary lines. A routine was followed, and +all routines become dull and wearisome. We had been asked to go abroad, +we had expressed our willingness to go. This willingness grew into a +desire, which at intervals expressed itself in petulant words of +longing--"Are we ever going to France?" The answer was always the same: +"You will go soon enough, and you will stay long enough." This increased +our irritation. Suddenly, on one still and dark November day, parade was +sharply cancelled, we clad ourselves in full marching order, there was +just a moment to scrawl on a postcard a few last words home, tender +words were exchanged with our friends in the billets, and with heavy +tread and in solemn silence we marched forth along the Bedford Road. +There was a pillar box beside the road. It was only the leading +companies that could put the farewell card actually in the box, for it +was quickly crowded out, and in the end the upper portion of the red +pillar was visible standing on a conical pile of postcards. + +Never had a field day passed without some reference to the 16th +milestone on the Bedford Road, but on this particular day orders did not +even mention the milestone. This in itself was sufficient to convince us +that real war had at length begun. Long before the 16th milestone was +sighted, we were diverted into a field, our kit was commented upon, and +we marched back to the same old billets. For convenience of reference +this incident is entered in our diary as the march to France along the +Bedford Road, and no bar was awarded. The march formed a crisis in our +history, for subsequent to it leave home was not sought so eagerly. +Positively the last words of farewell had been said, and it was +difficult to devise other forms of good-bye nearer the absolute ultimate +with which to engage our home friends, who, to our credit be it said, +were just as anxious as we were. + +It was about this time that our attention was drawn to the anomaly of +the discharge rule. A man who had served for four years could take his +discharge as a time-expired soldier. At the same time men were enlisting +freely. One young man of under 21 was said to have claimed his discharge +on the very day that his grandfather, newly enlisted, entered upon three +days' "C.B." for coming on parade with dirty boots. + +It was in Luton, too, that we overcame our distrust and dislike of +vaccination and inoculation against typhoid. We remember C.S.M. Lovett +being inoculated in public to give a lead to others, and we smile now to +think that in those days it was power of character and leadership only +that accomplished things, and incidentally made the way smooth for a +Government's compulsory bill. + +We were inspected several times, in fact so often that the clause "We +are respected by everyone," which comes in our regimental ditty--(and +how could it not!!)--was given the alternative rendering "inspected." +Twice his Majesty the King honoured us with a visit, and in addition +General Ian Hamilton, Lord Kitchener, and others. + +Regiments differ much; each has its peculiarities. The 5th +Leicestershire a county battalion, if in nothing else, excelled +individually in work across country. Though all may not have been as +clever as "Pat" Collins (G.A.), who acted as guide to the commanding +officer for many months--and we have the commanding officer's permission +to add "counsellor and friend"--there was never any difficulty in +finding the way in the day or at night. If we may anticipate our early +days in France, a few months hence, we can remember being occupied all +one night in extricating parties of men who had lost their way +hopelessly in open country in the dark. Those were men who came from a +city battalion, brought up amongst labelled thoroughfares, street lamps, +and brilliantly-illuminated shop windows. We practised night work at +Luton, and all was easy and natural, though we added to our experiences, +as on the night when in the thrilling silence of a night attack the fair +chestnut bolted with the machine gun; and having kicked two men and lost +his character, reverted to the rank of officer's charger. + +On a day in October the whole division had entrenched itself in the +vicinity of Sharpenhoe and Sundon. To enliven the exercise night +manoeuvres were hastily planned. Our share was to march at about 11 +p.m., after a hard day and half a tea, and to continue marching through +the most intricate country until five o'clock the next morning. At that +time we were within charging distance of the enemy, and day was +breaking. Filing through a railway arch we wheeled into extended order +and lay down till all were ready. When the advance was ordered, though +we had lain down for two minutes only, the greater number were fast +asleep. Despite this hitch the position was taken, and then a march home +brought the exercise to an end at 8.10 a.m. For this operation we voted +a second bar to our medal. + +To those who knew all the details of the plan the most brilliant feature +was the wonderfully accurate leading of our Brigade Major, now +Brigadier-General Aldercron. He led us behind the advanced posts of the +enemy and it was their second line that we attacked. + +Many officers were joining us. Since war had been declared, E.G. +Langdale, R.C.L. Mould, C.R. Knighton, S.R. Pullinger, C.H. Wollaston, +G.W. Allen, J.D. Hills, and R. Ward-Jackson had all been added to our +strength. Later came D.B. Petch, R.B. Farrer, and J. Wyndham Tomson, of +whom Petch was straight from school, and he, with the last two named, +served a fortnight in France before being gazetted. Their further +careers can be followed in later chapters with the exception, perhaps, +of Hills, who himself writes those chapters. As his service is a +combination of details, many of which are typical of the young officer +who fought in the early days of the war, for general information we +narrate so much. John David Hills, though not 20, had already seen six +years' service in his school O.T.C., including one year as a Cadet +Officer. He surrendered his Oxford Scholarship and what that might have +meant in order to join up at once. He passed through the battalion from +end to end, occupying at various times every possible place: signalling +officer, intelligence officer, platoon commander, company commander, +adjutant, 2nd in command, and finished up in command of what was called +"the cadre." For some time, too, he was attached to the brigade staff, +and when we add that he excelled in every position separately and +distinctly, and won the admiration and love of all, we may spare him +further embarrassment and let the honours he has won speak for him. + +Clothing was a lasting trouble. We were now wearing out our first suits, +and from time to time there confronted us statements that sounded rather +like weather reports, for example--"No trousers to-day; tunics +plentiful." Then the question arose as to whether a man should wear a +vest, and, if so, might he have two, one on the man, the other at the +wash. Patient endurance was rewarded by an answer in the affirmative to +the first part of the question, but the correspondence over the second +portion has only just reached the armistice stage. + +And as with men, so with animals. "The waggon and horses" sounds +beautifully complete as well as highly attractive, but in the army we +must not forget to see that harness comes as well. And this thought, the +lack of harness, carries us to another great event in our history, the +end of the Luton days, the march to Ware. + +Why was the march to Ware planned exactly like that? It is not in the +hope of getting an answer we ask the question. Waggons and horses and no +harness, and whose fault? Waggons and horses with harness, and carrying +a double load to make up,--no fault, a necessity. Officers away on +leave,--but let us set things down in order. Barely a fortnight after +the march to France along the Bedford Road, on Saturday, the 14th of +November, a proportion of officers and men went on leave as usual till +Monday, and all was calm and still. At 1 a.m. on Monday, orders were +received to move at 7 a.m., complete for Ware, a distance, by the route +set, of 25 to 30 miles,--some say 50 to 100 miles. Official +clear-the-line telegrams were poured out recalling the leave takers. +Waggons were packed--(were they not packed!)--billets were cleared, and +we toed the line at the correct time. For want of harness, the four +cooks' carts and two water carts were left behind; for want of time, +meat was issued raw; for want of orders, no long halt was given at +mid-day. One short and sharp bit of hill on the way was too much for the +horses, and such regimental transport as we had with us had to be +man-handled. This little diversion gave regiments a choice of two +systems, gaps between regiments, or gaps between sections of the same +regiment, and gave spectators, who had come in considerable numbers, a +subject for discussion. But the chief feature of the day was that we +reached Ware that day as complete as we started. We arrived at 7-20 p.m. +except for two Companies who were detached as rear guard to the +Division. The tail end of the Divisional train lost touch and took the +wrong turning, and for this reason the two Companies did not come in +till 11-30 p.m. We understand that the third bar on our medal will be +the march to Ware. + +Amongst those who watched us pass near the half-way post we noticed our +neighbour, General Sir A.E. Codrington, then commanding the London +District, who as an experienced soldier knew the difficulties and gave +us, as a regiment, kindly words of praise and encouragement. + +We have often wondered what was the verdict of the authorities upon this +march. As this is regimental history only, it may be permitted to give +the regiment's opinion. We fancied we accomplished passing well an +almost impossible task. It is true that not long afterwards we were well +fitted out and sent to France. We are persuaded, too, to add here that +we said we owed one thing at least to our Divisional Commander, General +E. Montagu-Stuart-Wortley; we were the first complete Territorial Force +Division to cross the seas and go into action as a Division against the +Germans. And it may be that the whole Territorial Force owe to our +General, too, that they went in Divisions, and were not sent piecemeal +as some earlier battalions, and dovetailed into the Regular Army, or, +perhaps, even into the New Army. We live in the assurance that the +confidence the Army Council extended to us was not misplaced. + +Having rested a day at Ware, we marched to Bishops Stortford, where we +cannot say we were billeted neither can we use again the word rest, for +the town was over-crowded, and queues were formed up to billets; queues +composed of all arms of the service, and infantry did not take the front +place. Let us say we were "stationed" there one week. The week was +enlivened by strange rumour of German air attacks, and large patrols +were kept on the watch at night. + +On the 26th of November, the time of our life began when the regiment +marched into billets at Sawbridgeworth. The town was built for one +infantry regiment and no more. The inhabitants were delightful, and we +have heard, indirectly, more than once that they were pleased with us. +We soon learnt to love the town and all it contained, and we dare not +say that our love has grown cold even now. The wedding bells have +already rung for the regiment once at Sawbridgeworth, when Lieut. R.C.L. +Mould married Miss Barrett, and we do not know that they may not ring +again for a similar reason. In Sawbridgeworth, our vigorous adjutant, +Captain W.T. Bromfield, was at his best. Everyone was seized and pulled +up to the last notch of efficiency, pay books were ready in time, +company returns were faultless, deficiency lists complete, saluting was +severer than ever, and echos of heel clicks rattled from the windows in +the street. Best of all were the drums. Daily at Retreat, Drum Sergt. +Skinner would salute the orderly officer, the orderly officer would +salute the senior officer, then all the officers would salute all the +ladies, the crowd would move slowly away, and wheel traffic was +permitted once more in the High Street. + +The ordinary routine of military life was broken into at times by sudden +and violent efforts dictated by lightning ideas of the Divisional or +Brigade Staff, or by the latest news from the front. There was a time, +for example, when we could think of one thing only,--the recessed +trench. That gave place to the half company trench, a complete system, +embracing fire trenches, supports, inspection trenches, with cook +houses, wash houses, and all that a well regulated house could require; +and so important was it, and its dimensions so precise, that an +annotated copy was printed on handkerchiefs. + +Then came a sudden desire to cross streams, however swollen, and a party +rode off to Bishops Stortford to learn the very latest plans. We had +just received a set of beautiful mules, well trained for hard work in +the transport. As horses were scarce, and the party large, our +resourceful adjutant ordered mules. Several mules returned at once, +though many went with their riders to the model bridge, and in their +intelligent anxiety to get a really close view, went into the water with +them. + +On another day we did a great march through Harlow, and saluted Sir +Evelyn Wood, V.C., who stood at his gate to see us pass. + +Football, boxing and concerts, not to mention dancing, filled our spare +time, and there was the famous race which ended:--BOB, Major +Toller, a, 1., BERLIN, Capt. Bromfield, a, 2. And we are not +forgetting that it was at Sawbridgeworth that we ate our first Christmas +war dinner. Never was such a feed. The eight companies had each a +separate room, and the Commanding officer, Major Martin, and the +adjutant made a tour of visits, drinking the health of each company in +turn--eight healths, eight drinks, and which of the three stood it best? +Some say the second in command shirked. + +Officers had their dinner, too. After the loyal toast there was one +only--"Colour Sergt. Joe Collins, and may he live for ever!" The reply +was short--"Gentlemen, I think you are all looking very well." It was +his only thought, and we were well. We know how much we owe to him as +our mess sergeant; he studied our individual tastes and requirements, +and kept us well for many months. Good luck to him! + +It was not till January, 1915, that a most important, and as a matter of +fact the very simplest, change in our organisation was made. To be in +keeping with the regular forces, our eight companies were re-organised +as four. This system would always have suited our County battalion even +in 1908, and our only wonder is that it was not introduced before. + +When, on the 18th of February, the G.O.C. returned from a week's visit +to France, and gave us a lecture upon the very latest things, we knew we +might go at any time. Actually at noon on the 25th we got the order to +entrain at Harlow at midnight, and the next morning we were on +Southampton Docks. + +We left behind at Sawbridgeworth Captain R.S. Goward, now Lieut. Colonel +and T.D., in command of a company which afterwards developed into a +battalion called the 3rd 5th Leicestershire. This battalion was a +nursery and rest house for officers and men for the 1st Fifth. It +existed as a separate unit until the 1st of September, 1916, and during +those months successfully initiated all ranks in the ways of the +regiment, and kept alive the spirit which has carried us through the +Great War. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +EARLY EXPERIENCES. + +26th Feb., 1915. 16th June, 1915. + + +After spending the greater part of the day (the 26th February) lounging +about the Hangars at Southampton, we at length embarked late in the +afternoon--Headquarters and the right half battalion in S.S. Duchess of +Argyle, left half, under Major Martin, in S.S. Atalanta. The transport, +under Capt. Burnett, was due to sail later in S.S. Mazaran, since +torpedoed in the Channel, but they embarked at the same time as the +rest. Four other ships containing Divisional Headquarters and some of +the Sherwood Foresters were to sail with us, and at 9 p.m., to the +accompaniment of several syrens blowing "Farewell," we steamed out, S.S. +Duchess of Argyle leading. The Captain of the ship asked us to post a +signaller to read any signals, Serjt. Diggle was told to keep a look out +and assist the official signaller, a sort of nondescript Swede or other +neutral, like the rest of the crew. We soon sighted some war vessel, and +asked if they had any orders, the reply being, according to Serjt. +Diggle, "No go"--according to the Swede, "No no." The Captain preferred +to believe the latter, and as there were no orders continued his course, +though we could see the remainder of our little fleet turn round and +sail back. The weather was appalling, the sea very rough, and long +before we had reached half way we were all very ill. This was not +surprising, as our transport was built for pleasure work on the Clyde, +and, though fast, was never intended to face a Channel storm. Each time +a wave crashed into the ship's side we imagined we had been torpedoed; +in fact, it was one long night of concentrated misery. + +We reached Le Havre in the early hours of the morning, and disembarked, +feeling, and probably looking, very bedraggled. From the quay we crawled +up a long and terribly steep hill to the rest camp--some lines of tents +in a muddy field. Here, while we waited 24 hours for our left half +Battalion, of whom we had no news, we were joined by our first +interpreter, M. Furby. M. Furby was very anxious to please, but +unfortunately failed to realise the terrible majesty of the Adjutant, a +fact which caused his almost immediate relegation to the Q.M. Stores, +where he always procured the best billets for Capt. Worley and himself. +On the morning of the 28th we received an issue of sheepskin coats and +extra socks, the latter a present from H.M. the Queen, and after dinners +moved down to the Railway Station, where we found Major Martin and the +left half. Their experiences in the Channel had been worse than ours. +Most of them, wishing to sleep, had started to do so before the ship +left Southampton on the 26th; they were almost all ill during the night, +so were glad to find a harbour wall outside their port-holes the +following morning, and at once went on deck "to look at France"--only to +find they were back in Southampton. They stayed there all day, and +eventually crossed the next night, arriving on the 28th, feeling as bad +as we did, and having had all the horrors of two voyages. + +We were kept waiting many hours on the platform, while the French +Railway staff gradually built an enormous train, composed of those +wonderful wagons labelled "HOMMES 36-40, CHEVAUX EN LONG 8," +which we now saw for the first time. Hot in summer, cold in winter, +always very hard and smelly, and full of refuse, they none the less +answered their purpose, and a French troop train undoubtedly carries the +maximum number of men in the minimum of accommodation. During this long +wait we should all have starved had it not been for the kindness of an +English lady, Mrs. Sidney Pitt, who, with other English ladies, served +out an unlimited supply of tea and buns to all. Eventually at 5 p.m. our +train was ready, and we entrained--all except two platoons, for whom +there was no room. The transport was loaded on to flats which were +hooked on behind our wagons, and we finally started up country at about +7 o'clock. The train moved slowly northwards all night, stopping for a +few minutes at Rouen, and reaching Abbeville just as dawn broke at 7 +a.m. Here, amidst a desolation of railway lines and tin sheds, we stayed +for half an hour and stretched our cramped limbs, while six large +cauldrons provided enough hot tea for all. From this point our progress +became slower, and the waits between stations proportionally longer, +until at last we reached a small village, where, according to our train +orders, we should stop long enough to water horses. This we began to do, +when suddenly, without any whistling or other warning, the train moved +on, and Major Martin and Captain Burnett, who were with the horses, only +just managed to catch the train, and had to travel the next stage on a +flat with a limber. At St. Omer we were told where we should detrain, a +fact hitherto concealed from us, and eventually at 2-35 p.m. in a +blizzard and snow storm we reached Arneke, detrained at once, and +marched about five miles to the little village of Hardifort, where we +arrived in the dark. + +We were, of course, entirely inexperienced at this time, and in the +light of subsequent events, this, our first attempt at billeting, was a +most ludicrous performance. The Battalion halted on the road in fours +outside the village, at the entrance to which stood a group headed by +the C.O. with a note-book; behind him was the Mayor--small, intoxicated +and supremely happy, the Brigade Interpreter, M. Loest, with a list of +billets, and the Adjutant, angry at having caught a corporal in the act +of taking a sly drink. Around them was a group of some dozen small boys +who were to act as guides. The Interpreter read out a name followed by a +number of officers and men; the C.O. made a note of it and called up the +next platoon; the Mayor shouted the name at the top of his voice, waved +his arms, staggered, smacked a small boy, and again shouted, at which +from three to five small boys would step out and offer to guide the +platoon, each choosing a different direction. How we ever found our +homes is still a mystery, and yet by 10 p.m. we were all comfortably +settled in quarters. We were joined the next morning by the two +remaining platoons, 2nd Lieuts. Mould and Farrer. + +The billets were slightly re-arranged as soon as daylight enabled us to +see where we were, and we soon settled down and made ourselves +comfortable, being told that we should remain at Hardifort until the 4th +March, when we should go into trenches for a week's instruction with +some Regular Division. We had nothing much to do except recover from +the effects of our journey, and this, with good billets and not too bad +weather, we soon did. The remainder of our Brigade had not yet arrived, +so we were attached temporarily to the Sherwood Foresters, whose 8th +Battalion was also absent, and with them on the 4th moved off Eastwards, +having the previous day received some preliminary instructions in trench +warfare from General Montagu-Stuart-Wortley, who spoke to all the +officers. + +Preceded by our billeting party, which left at 5 a.m., we marched from +Hardifort at 9 a.m., and, passing through Terdeghen, reached the main +road at St. Sylvestre Capel, and went along it to Caestre. On the way we +met General Smith-Dorrien, our Army Commander, and while the Battalion +halted he talked to all the officers, gave us some very valuable hints, +and then watched the Battalion march past, having impressed us all with +his wonderful kindness and charm of manner. At Caestre we found motor +buses waiting for us, and we were glad to see them, for though no one +had fallen out, we were somewhat tired after marching nine miles, +carrying, in addition to full marching order, blankets, sheepskin coats +and some extra warm clothing. The buses took us through Bailleul and +Nieppe to Armentieres, at that time a town infested with the most +appalling stinks and very full of inhabitants, although the front line +trenches ran through the eastern suburbs. Having "debussed," we marched +to le Bizet, a little village a mile north of the town, and stayed there +in billets for the night. During the evening we stood outside our +billets, gazed at the continuous line of flares and listened to the +rifle fire, imagining in our innocence that there must be a terrific +battle with so many lights. + +The next day our instruction started, and for four days we worked hard, +trying to learn all we could about trench warfare from the 12th Brigade, +to whom we were attached. While some went off to learn grenade throwing, +a skilled science in those days when there was no Mills but only the +"stick" grenades, others helped dig back lines of defence and learned +the mysteries of revetting under the Engineers. Each platoon spent 24 +hours in the line with a platoon either of the Essex Regt., King's Own +or Lancashire Fusiliers, who were holding the sector from "Plugstreet" +to Le Touquet Station. It was a quiet sector except for rifle fire at +night, and it was very bad luck that during our first few hours in +trenches we lost 2nd Lieut. G. Aked, who was killed by a stray bullet in +the front line. There was some slight shelling of back areas with +"Little Willies," German field gun shells, but these did no damage, and +gave us in consequence a useful contempt for this kind of projectile. +Trench mortars were not yet invented, and we were spared all heavy +shells, so that, when on the 9th we left Armentieres, we felt confident +that trenches, though wet and uncomfortable, were not after all so very +dreadful, and that, if at any time we should be asked to hold the line, +we should acquit ourselves with credit. + +Our next home was the dirty little village of Strazeele, which we +reached by march route, and where we found Lieut. E.G. Langdale who +rejoined us, having finished his disembarkation duties. Here we occupied +five large farm houses, all very scattered and very smelly, the +smelliest being Battalion Headquarters, called by Major Martin "La Ferme +de L'Odeur affreuse." The Signalling officer attempted to link up the +farms by telephone, but his lines, which consisted of the thin +enamelled wire issued at the time, were constantly broken by the +farmers' manure carts, and the signallers will always remember the place +with considerable disgust. One farmer was very pleased with himself, +having rolled up some 200 yards of our line under the impression that +all thin wire must be German. The rest of the Brigade had now arrived, +and the other three Battalions were much annoyed to find that we were +already experienced soldiers--a fact which we took care to point out to +them on every possible occasion. Our only other amusement was the +leg-pulling of some newspaper correspondents, who, as the result of an +interview, made Major Martin a "quarry official," and Lieut. Vincent a +poultry farmer of considerable repute! + +On the 11th March we marched to Sailly sur la Lys, better known as +"Sally on the loose," where with the Canadian Division we should be in +reserve, though we did not know it, for the battle of Neuve Chapelle. +The little town was crowded before even our billeting party arrived, and +it was only by some most brazen billet stealing, which lost us for ever +the friendship of the Divisional Cyclists, that we were able to find +cover for all, while many of the Lincolnshires had to bivouac in the +fields. Here we remained during the battle, but though the Canadians +moved up to the line, we were not used, and spent our time standing by +and listening to the gun fire. A 15" Howitzer, commanded by Admiral +Bacon and manned by Marine Artillery, gave us something to look at, and +it was indeed a remarkable sight to watch the houses in the +neighbourhood gradually falling down as each shell went off. There was +also an armoured train which mounted three guns, and gave us much +pleasure to watch, though whether it did any damage to the enemy we +never discovered. Finally, on the 16th, having taken no part in the +battle, we marched to some farms near Doulieu, and thence on the 19th to +a new area near Bailleul, including the hamlets of Nooteboom, Steent-je +(pronounced Stench), and Blanche Maison, where we stayed until the end +of the month, while the rest of the Brigade went to Armentieres for +their tours of instruction. + +Our new area contained some excellent farm houses, and we were very +comfortably billeted though somewhat scattered. The time was mostly +spent in training, which consisted then of trench digging and +occasionally practising a "trench to trench" attack, with the assistance +of gunners and telephonists, about whose duties we had learnt almost +nothing in England. General Smith Dorrien came to watch one of these +practices, and, though he passed one or two criticisms, seemed very +pleased with our efforts. We also carried out some extraordinarily +dangerous experiments with bombs, under Captain Ellwood of the +Lincolnshires and Lieut. A.G. de A. Moore, who was our first bomb +officer. It was just about this time that the Staff came to the +conclusion that something simpler in the way of grenades was required +than the "Hales" and other long handled types, and to meet this demand +someone had invented the "jam tin"--an ordinary small tin filled with a +few nails and some explosive, into the top of which was wired a +detonator and friction lighter. For practice purposes the explosive was +left out, and the detonator wired into an empty tin. Each day lines of +men could be seen about the country standing behind a hedge, over which +they threw jam tins at imaginary trenches, the aim and object of all +being to make the tin burst as soon as possible after hitting the +ground. We were given five seconds fuses, and our orders were, "turn the +handle, count four slowly, and then throw." Most soldiers wisely counted +four fairly rapidly, but Pte. G. Kelly, of "D" Company, greatly +distinguished himself by holding on well past "five," with the result +that the infernal machine exploded within a yard of his head, +fortunately doing no damage. + +All this time we were about nine miles from the line, and were left in +peace by the Boche, except for a single night visit from one of his +aeroplanes, which dropped two bombs near Bailleul Station and woke us +all up. We did not know what they were at the time, so were not as +alarmed as we might otherwise have been. In fact "B" Company had a much +more trying time when, a few nights later, one of the cows at their +billet calved shortly after midnight. The sentry on duty woke Captain +Griffiths, who in turn woke the farmer and tried to explain what had +happened. All to no purpose, for the farmer was quite unable to +understand, and in the end was only made to realise the gravity of the +situation by the more general and less scientific explanation that "La +vache est malade." + +On the 1st April we received a warning order to the effect that the +Division would take over shortly a sector of the line South of St. Eloi +from the 28th Division, and two days later we marched through Bailleul +to some huts on the Dranoutre-Locre road, where we relieved the +Northumberland Fusiliers in Brigade support. The same evening the +Company Commanders went with the C.O. and Adjutant to reconnoitre the +sector of trenches we were to occupy. It rained hard all night, and was +consequently pitch dark, so that the reconnoitring party could see very +little and had a most unpleasant journey, returning to the huts at 2 +o'clock the next morning (Easter Day), tired out and soaked to the skin. +During the day the weather improved, and it was a fine night when at 10 +p.m., the Battalion paraded and marched in fours though Dranoutre and +along the road to within half a mile of Wulverghem. Here, at "Packhorse" +Farm, we were met by guides of the Welsh Regiment (Col. Marden) and +taken into the line. + +Our first sector of trenches consisted of two disconnected lengths of +front line, called trenches 14 and 15, behind each of which a few +shelters, which were neither organised for defence nor even +splinter-proof, were known as 14 S and 15 S--the S presumably meaning +Support. On the left some 150 yards from the front line a little +circular sandbag keep, about 40 yards in diameter and known as S.P. 1, +formed a Company Headquarters and fortified post, while a series of +holes covered by sheets of iron and called E4 dug-outs provided some +more accommodation--of a very inferior order, since the slightest +movement by day drew fire from the snipers' posts on "Hill 76." As this +hill, Spanbroek Molen on the map, which lies between Wulverghem and +Wytschaete was held by the Boche, our trenches which were on its slopes +were overlooked, and we had to be most careful not to expose ourselves +anywhere near the front line, for to do so meant immediate death at the +hands of his snipers, who were far more accurate than any others we have +met since. To add to our difficulties our trench parapets, which owing +to the wet were entirely above ground, were composed only of sandbags, +and were in many places not bullet proof. There were large numbers of +small farm houses all over the country (surrounded by their five-months' +dead live stock), and as the war had not yet been in progress many +months these houses were still recognizable as such. Those actually in +the line were roofless, but the others, wonderfully preserved, were +inhabited by support Companies, who, thanks to the inactivity of the +enemy's artillery, were able to live in peace though under direct +observation. In our present sector we found six such farms; "Cookers," +the most famous, stood 500 yards behind S.P. 1, and was the centre of +attraction for most of the bullets at night. It contained a Company +Headquarters, signal office, and the platoon on the ground floor, and +one platoon in the attic! Behind this, and partly screened from view, +were "Frenchman's" occupied by Battalion Headquarters, "Pond" where half +the Reserve Company lived, and "Packhorse" containing the other half +Reserve and Regimental Aid Post. This last was also the burying ground +for the sector, and rendezvous for transport and working parties. Two +other farms--"Cob" and "T"--lay on the Wulverghem Road and were not used +until our second tour, when Battalion Headquarters moved into "Cob" as +being pleasanter than "Frenchman's," and "Pond" also had to be +evacuated, as the Lincolnshires had had heavy casualties there. + +The enemy opposite to us, popularly supposed to be Bavarians, seemed +content to leave everything by day to his snipers. These certainly were +exceptionally good, as we learnt by bitter experience. By night there +was greater activity, and rifle bullets fell thickly round Cookers Farm +and the surrounding country. There were also fixed rifles at intervals +along the enemy's lines aimed at our communication tracks, and these, +fired frequently during the early part of the night, made life very +unpleasant for the carrying parties. There were no communication +trenches and no light railways, so that all stores and rations, which +could be taken by limbers as far as Packhorse Farm only, had to be +carried by hand to the front line. This was done by platoons of the +support and reserve companies who had frequently to make two or three +journeys during the night, along the slippery track past Pond Farm and +Cookers Corner--the last a famous and much loathed spot. There were +grids to walk on, but these more resembled greasy poles, for the slabs +had been placed longitudinally on cross runners, and many of us used to +slide off the end into some swampy hole. One of "B" Company's officers +was a particular adept at this, and fell into some hole or other almost +every night. These parties often managed to add to our general +excitement by discovering some real or supposed spy along their route, +and on one occasion there was quite a small stir round Cookers Farm by +"something which moved, was fired at, and dropped into a trench with a +splash, making its escape." A subsequent telephone conversation between +"Cracker" Bass and his friend Stokes revealed the truth that the +"something" was "a ----y great cat with white eyes." + +Like the enemy's, our artillery was comparatively inactive. Our gunners, +though from their Observation Posts, "O.P.'s," on Kemmel Hill they could +see many excellent targets, were unable to fire more than a few rounds +daily owing to lack of ammunition; what little they had was all of the +"pip-squeak" variety, and not very formidable. Our snipers were quite +incapable of dealing with the Bavarians, and except for Lieut. A.P. +Marsh, who went about smashing Boche loophole plates with General +Clifford's elephant gun, we did nothing in this respect. + +In one sphere, however, we were masters--namely, patrolling. At +Armentieres we had had no practice in this art, and our first venture +into No Man's Land was consequently a distinctly hazardous enterprise +for those who undertook it--2nd Lieut. J.W. Tomson, Corpl. Staniforth, +Ptes. Biddles, Tebbutt, and Tailby, all of "A" Company (Toller). Their +second night in the line, in 15 trench, this little party crawled +between the two halves of a dead cow, and, scrambling over our wire, +explored No Man's Land, returning some half hour later. Others followed +their lead, and during the whole of our stay in this sector, though our +patrols were out almost every night, they never met a German. + +We stayed in these trenches for a month, taking alternate tours of four +days each with the 4th Lincolnshires (Col. Jessop). We lost about two +killed and ten wounded each tour, mostly from snipers and stray bullets, +for we did not come into actual conflict with the enemy at all. Amongst +the wounded was C.S.M. J. Kernick, of "B" Company, whose place was taken +by H.G. Lovett. This company also lost Serjt. Nadin, who was killed a +few weeks later. + +Although we fought no pitched battles, the month included several little +excitements of a minor sort, both in trenches and when out at rest. The +first of these was the appearance of a Zeppelin over Dranoutre, where we +were billeted. Fortunately only one bomb dropped anywhere near us, and +this did no damage; the rest were all aimed at Bailleul and its +aerodromes. We all turned out of bed, and stood in the streets to look +at it, while many sentries blazed away with their rifles, forgetting +that it was many hundred feet beyond the range of any rifle. + +By the middle of April the Staff began to expect a possible German +attack, and we "stood to" all night the 15/16th, having been warned that +it would be made on our front and that asphyxiating gases would be +used--we had, of course, no respirators. Two nights later the 5th +Division attacked Hill 60, and for four hours and a quarter, from 4 p.m. +to 8-15 p.m., we fired our rifles, three rounds a minute, with sights at +2,500 yards and rifles set on a bearing of 59 deg., in order to harass the +enemy's back areas behind the Hill--a task which later was always given +to the machine gunners. In those days it was a rare thing to hear a +machine gun at all, and ours scarcely ever fired. A week afterwards, +when out at rest, we heard that the second battle of Ypres had begun, +and learnt with horror and disgust of the famous first gas attack and +its ghastly results. Within a few days the first primitive respirators +arrived and were issued; they were nothing but a pad of wool and some +gauze, and would have been little use; fortunately we did not know this, +and our confidence in them was quite complete. On the 10th May, just +before we left the sector, we had a little excitement in the front line. +A German bombing party suddenly rushed "E1 Left," a rotten little +"grouse-butt" trench only 37 yards from the enemy, and held by the 4th +Leicestershires, and succeeded in inflicting several casualties before +they made off, leaving one dead behind them. This in itself was not +much, but both sides opened rapid rifle fire, and the din was so +terrific that supports were rushed up, reserves "stood to" to +counter-attack, and it was nearly an hour before we were able to resume +normal conditions. The following day we returned to the huts, where we +were joined by 2nd Lieut. L.H. Pearson who was posted to "A" Company; +2nd Lieut. Aked's place had already been filled by Lieut. C.F. Shields +from the Reserve Battalion. 2nd Lieut. G.W. Allen, who had been away +with measles, also returned to us during April. + +Our next stay in the Locre huts can hardly be called a rest. First, on +the 12th May, the enemy raided the 4th Lincolnshires in G1 and G2 +trenches, where, at "Peckham Corner," they hoped to be able to destroy +one of our mine galleries. The raid was preceded by a strong trench +mortar bombardment, during which the Lincolnshire trenches were badly +smashed about, and several yards of them so completely destroyed that +our "A" Company were sent up the next evening to assist in their repair. +They stayed in the line for twenty-four hours, returning to the huts at +4 p.m. on the 14th, to find that the rest of the Battalion was about to +move to the Ypres neighbourhood. The previous day the German attacks had +increased in intensity, and the cavalry who had been sent up to fill the +gap had suffered very heavily, among them being the Leicestershire +Yeomanry, who had fought for many hours against overwhelming odds, +losing Col. Evans-Freke and many others. There was great danger that if +these attacks continued, the enemy would break through, and consequently +all available troops were being sent up to dig a new trench line of +resistance near Zillebeke--the line afterwards known as the "Zillebeke +switch." None of us had ever been to the "Salient," but it was a well +known and much dreaded name, and most of us imagined we were likely to +have a bad night, and gloomily looked forward to heavy casualties. + +Starting at 6-40 p.m., we went by motor bus with four hundred Sherwood +Foresters through Reninghelst, Ouderdom, and Vlamertinghe to +Kruisstraat, which we reached in three hours. Hence guides of the 4th +Gordons led us by Bridge 16 over the Canal and along the track of the +Lille Road. It was a dark night, and as we stumbled along in single +file, we could see the Towers of Ypres smouldering with a dull red glow +to our left, while the salient front line was lit up by bursting shells +and trench mortars. Our route lay past Shrapnel Corner and along the +railway line to Zillebeke Station, and was rendered particularly +unpleasant by the rifle fire from "Hill 60" on our right. The railway +embankment was high and we seemed to be unnecessarily exposing ourselves +by walking along the top of it, but as the guides were supposed to know +the best route we could not interfere. At Zillebeke Church we found +Colonel Jones, who came earlier by car, waiting to show us our work +which we eventually started at midnight; as we had to leave the Church +again at 1 a.m., to be clear of the Salient before daylight, we had not +much time for work. However, so numerous were the bullets that all +digging records were broken, especially by the Signallers, whose one +desire, very wisely, was to get to ground with as little delay as +possible, and when we left our work, the trench was in places several +feet deep. The coming of daylight and several salvoes of Boche shells +dissuaded us from lingering in the Salient, and, after once more +stumbling along the Railway Line, we reached our motor buses and +returned to the huts, arriving at 5-30 a.m. A May night is so short, +that the little digging done seemed hardly worth the casualties, but +perhaps we were not in a position to judge. + +Two days later we went into a new sector, trenches on the immediate left +of the last Brigade sector, and previously held by the Sherwood +Foresters. The front line consisting of trenches "F4, 5 and 6," "G1 and +2", was more or less continuous, though a gap between the "F's" and +"G's," across which one had to run, added a distinct element of risk to +a tour round the line. The worst part was Peckham Corner, where the +Lincolnshires had already suffered; for it was badly sighted, badly +built, and completely overlooked by the enemy's sniping redoubt on "Hill +76." In addition to this it contained a mine shaft running towards the +enemy's lines, some 40 yards away, and at this the Boche constantly +threw his "Sausages," small trench mortars made of lengths of stove +piping stopped at the ends. It was also suspected that he was +counter-mining. In this sector three Companies were in the front line, +the fourth lived with Battalion Headquarters, which were now at +Lindenhoek Chalet near the cross roads, a pretty little house on the +lower slopes of Mont Kemmel. Though the back area was better, the +trenches on the whole were not so comfortable as those we had left, and +during our first tour we had reason to regret the change. First, 2nd +Lieut. C.W. Selwyn, taking out a patrol in front of "F5," was shot +through both thighs, and, though wonderfully cheerful when carried in, +died a few days later at Bailleul. The next morning, while looking at +the enemy's snipers' redoubt, Captain J. Chapman, 2nd in Command of "D" +Company, was shot through the head, and though he lived for a few days, +died soon after reaching England. This place was taken by Lieut. J.D.A. +Vincent, and at the same time Lieut. Langdale was appointed 2nd in +Command of "C." There were also other changes, for Major R.E. Martin was +given Command of the 4th Battalion, and was succeeded as 2nd in Command +by Major W.S.N. Toller, while Captain C. Bland became skipper of "A" +Company. + +During this same tour, the Brigade suffered its first serious disaster, +when the enemy mined and blew up trench "E1 left," held at the time by +the 5th Lincolnshire Regiment. This regiment had many casualties, and +the trench was of course destroyed, while several men were buried or +half-buried in the debris, where they became a mark for German snipers. +To rescue one of these, Lieut. Gosling, R.E., who was working in the G +trenches, went across to E1, and with the utmost gallantry worked his +way to the mine crater. Finding a soldier half buried, he started to dig +him out, and had just completed his task when he fell to a sniper's +bullet and was killed outright. As at this time the Royal Engineers' +Tunnelling Companies were not sufficient to cover the whole British +front, none had been allotted to this, which was generally considered a +quiet sector. Gen. Clifford, therefore, decided to have his own Brigade +Tunnellers, and a company was at once formed, under Lieut. A.G. Moore, +to which we contributed 24 men, coalminers by profession. Lieut. Moore +soon got to work and, so well did the "amateurs" perform this new task, +that within a few days galleries had been started, and we were already +in touch with the Boche underground. In an incredibly short space of +time, thanks very largely to the personal efforts of Lieut. Moore, who +spent hours every day down below within a few feet of the enemy's +miners, two German mine-shafts and their occupants were blown in by a +"camouflet," and both E1 left and E1 right were completely protected +from further mining attacks by a defensive gallery along their front. +For this Lieut. Moore was awarded a very well deserved Military Cross. + +[Illustration: R.S.M. R.E. Small, D.C.M.] + +[Illustration: R.Q.M.S R. Gorse, M.S.M. +R.S.M. H.G. Lovett, M.C., D.C.M.] + +After the second tour in this sector we again made a slight change in +the line, giving up the "F" trenches and taking instead "G3", "G4," +"G4a," "H1," "H2" and "H5," again relieving the Sherwood Foresters, who +extended their line to the left. Unfortunately, they still retained the +Doctor's House in Kemmel as their Headquarters, and, as Lindenhoek +Chalet was now too far South, Colonel Jones had to find a new home in +the village, and chose a small shop in one of the lesser streets. We had +scarcely been 24 hours in the new billet when, at mid-day, the 4th June, +the Boche started to bombard the place with 5.9's, just when Colonel +Jessop, of the 4th Lincolnshires, was talking to Colonel Jones in the +road outside the house, while an orderly held the two horses close by. +The first shell fell almost on the party, killing Colonel Jessop, the +two orderlies, Bacchus and Blackham, and both horses. Colonel Jones was +wounded in the hand, neck and thigh, fortunately not very seriously, +though he had to be sent at once to England, having escaped death by +little short of a miracle. His loss was very keenly felt by all of us, +for ever since we had come to France, he had been the life and soul of +the Battalion, and it was hard to imagine trenches, where we should not +receive his daily cheerful visit. We had two reassuring thoughts, one +that the General had promised to keep his command open for him as soon +as he should return, the second that during his absence we should be +commanded by Major Toller, who had been with us all the time, and was +consequently well known to all of us. + +[Illustration: Bomb Corner, Ypres 1915.] + +[Illustration: Bomb Corner, Ypres 1915.] + +[Illustration: Barracks, Ypres 1915.] + +(_Photos by Capt. C.R. Knighton._) + +Meanwhile we had considerably advanced in our own esteem by having +become instructors to one of the first "New Army" Divisions to come to +France, the 14th Light Infantry Division, composed of three battalions +of Rifle Brigade and 60th, and a battalion of each of the British Light +Infantry Regiments. They were attached to us, just as we had been +attached to the 12th Brigade at Armentieres, to learn the little details +of Trench warfare that cannot be taught at home, and their platoons were +with us during both our tours in the "G's" and "H's." They were composed +almost entirely of officers and men who had volunteered in August, 1914, +and their physique, drill and discipline were excellent--a fact which +they took care to point out to everybody, adding generally that they had +come to France "not to sit in trenches, but to capture woods, villages, +etc." We listened, of course, politely to all this, smiled, and went on +with our instructing. Many stories are told of the great pride and +assurance of our visitors, one of the most amusing being of an incident +which happened in trench "H2." Before marching to trenches the visiting +Platoon Commander had, in a small speech to his platoon, told them to +learn all they could from us about trenches, but that they must remember +that we were not regulars, and consequently our discipline was not the +same as theirs. All this and more he poured into the ears of his host in +the line, until he was interrupted by the entry of his Platoon Sergeant +to report the accidental wounding of Pte. X by Pte. Y, who fired a round +when cleaning his rifle. There was no need for the host to rub it in, +he heard no more about discipline. + +Credit, however, must be given where credit is due, and the following +tour our visitors distinguished themselves. On the 15th June, at 9.10 +p.m., when the night was comparatively quiet, the enemy suddenly blew up +a trench on our left, held by the Sherwood Foresters, at the same time +opening heavy rifle fire on our back areas and shelling our front line. +Captain Griffiths, who held our left flank with "B" Company, found that +his flank was in the air, so very promptly set about moving some of his +supports to cover this flank, and soon made all secure. Meanwhile Lieut. +Rosher, machine gun officer of the visiting Durham Light Infantry, +hearing the terrific din and gathering that something out of the +ordinary was happening, though he did not know what, slung a maxim +tripod over his shoulders, picked up a gun under each arm, and went +straightaway to the centre of activity--a feat not only of wonderful +physical strength, but considerable initiative and courage. We did not +suffer heavy casualties, but 2nd Lieut. Mould's platoon had their +parapet destroyed in one or two places, and had to re-build it under +heavy fire, in which Pte. J.H. Cramp, the Battalion hairdresser, +distinguished himself. Except for this one outburst on the part of the +Boche we had a quiet time, though Peckham Corner was always rather a +cause of anxiety, for neither R.E. nor the Brigade Tunnellers could +spare a permanent party on the mine shaft. Consequently, it was left to +the Company Commander to blow up the mine, and with it some of the +German trench, in case of emergency, and it was left to the infantry to +supply listeners down the shaft to listen for counter-mining. On one +occasion when Captain Bland took over the trench with "A" Company, he +found the pump out of order, the water rising in the shaft, and the +gallery full of foul air, all of which difficulties were overcome +without the R.E.'s help, by the courage and ingenuity of Serjeant +Garratt. + +There was one remarkable feature of the whole of this period of the war +which cannot be passed over, and that was the very decided superiority +of our Flying Corps. During the whole of our three months in the Kemmel +area we never once saw a German aeroplane cross our lines without being +instantly attacked, and on one occasion we watched a most exciting +battle between two planes, which ended in the German falling in flames +into Messines, at which we cheered, and the Boche shelled us. Towards +the end of the war the air was often thick with aeroplanes of all +nationalities and descriptions, but in those days, before bombing +flights and battle squadrons had appeared, it was seldom one saw as many +as eight planes in the air at a time, and tactical formations either for +reconnaissance or attack seemed to be unknown; it was all "one man" +work, and each one man worked well. + +On the night of the 16th June the Battalion came out of trenches and +marched to the Locre huts for the last time, looking forward to a few +days' rest in good weather before moving to the Salient, which we were +told was shortly to be our fate. We had been very fortunate in keeping +these huts as our rest billets throughout our stay in the sector, for +though a wooden floor is not so comfortable as a bed in a billet, the +camp was well sited and very convenient. The Stores and Transport were +lodged only a few yards away at Locrehof Farm, and Captain Worley used +to have everything ready for us when we came out of the line. During +the long march back from trenches, we could always look forward to hot +drinks and big fires waiting for us at the huts, while there was no more +inspiring sight for the officers than Mess Colour-Sergeant J. Collins' +cheery smile, as he stirred a cauldron of hot rum punch. Bailleul was +only two miles away, and officers and men used often to ride or walk +into the town to call on "Tina," buy lace, or have hot baths (a great +luxury) at the Lunatic Asylum. Dividing our time between this and +cricket, for which there was plenty of room around the huts, we +generally managed to pass a very pleasant four or six days' rest. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +"THE SALIENT." + +22nd June, 1915. 1st Oct., 1915. + + +On the 22nd June, 1915, after resting for five days in the Huts, where +General Ferguson, our Corps Commander, came to say good-bye, we marched +at 9.0 p.m. to Ouderdom, while our place in the line was taken by the +50th Northumbrian Territorial Division, who had been very badly +hammered, and were being sent for a rest to a quiet sector. At Ouderdom, +which we reached about midnight, we discovered that our billets +consisted of a farm house and a large field, not very cheering to those +who had expected a village, or at least huts, but better than one or two +units who had fields only, without the farm. It was our first experience +in bivouacs, but fortunately a fine night, so we soon all crawled under +waterproof sheets, and slept until daylight allowed us to arrange +something more substantial. The next day, with the aid of a few +"scrounged" top poles and some string, every man made himself some sort +of weather-proof hutch, while the combined tent-valises of the officers +were grouped together near the farm, which was used as mess and +Quartermaster's Stores. Unfortunately, we had no sooner made ourselves +really comfortable than the Staffordshires claimed the field as part of +their area, and we had to move to a similar billeting area a few +hundred yards outside Reninghelst where we stayed until the 28th. The +weather remained hot and fine, except for two very heavy showers in the +middle of one day, when most of the officers could be seen making +furious efforts to dig drains round their bivouacs from inside, while +the other ranks stood stark naked round the field and enjoyed the +pleasures of a cold shower-bath. We spent our time training and +providing working parties, one of which, consisting of 400 men under +Capt. Jeffries, for work at Zillebeke, proved an even greater fiasco +than its predecessor in May. For on this occasion, not only was the +night very short, but the guides failed to find the work, and the party +eventually returned to bivouacs, having done nothing except wander about +the salient for three hours. Two days before we left Reninghelst the +first reinforcements arrived for us, consisting of 12 returned +casualties and 80 N.C.O.'s and men from England--a very welcome addition +to our strength. + +The time eventually arrived for us to go into the line, and on the 29th +the officers went up by day to take over from the Sherwood Foresters, +while the remainder of the Battalion followed as soon as it was dark. +Mud roads and broad cross-country tracks brought us over the plain to +the "Indian Transport Field," near Kruisstraat White Chateau, still +standing untouched because, it was said, its peace-time owner was a +Boche. Leaving the Chateau on our right, and passing Brigade +Headquarters Chalet on our left, we kept to the road through Kruisstraat +as far as the outskirts of Ypres, where a track to the right led us to +Bridge 14 over the Ypres-Comines Canal. Thence, by field tracks, we +crossed the Lille road a few yards north of Shrapnel Corner, and +leaving on our left the long, low, red buildings of the "Ecole de +Bienfaisance," reached Zillebeke Lake close to the white house at the +N.W. corner. The lake is triangular and entirely artificial, being +surrounded by a broad causeway, 6 feet high, with a pathway along the +top. On the western edge the ground falls away, leaving a bank some +twenty feet high, in which were built the "Lake Dug-outs,"--the home of +one of the support battalions. From the corner house to the trenches +there were two routes, one by the south side of the Lake, past Railway +Dug-outs--cut into the embankment of the Comines Railway--and Manor Farm +to Square Wood; the other, which we followed, along the North side of +the Lake, where a trench cut into the causeway gave us cover from +observation from "Hill 60." At Zillebeke we left the trench, and crossed +the main road at the double, on account of a machine gun which the Boche +kept at the "Hill 60" end of it, and kept moving until past the +Church--another unpleasant locality. Thence a screened track led to +Maple Copse, an isolated little wood with several dug-outs in it, and on +to Sanctuary Wood, which we found 400 yards further East. Here in +dug-outs lived the Supports, for whom at this time was no fighting +accommodation except one or two absurdly miniature keeps. At the corner +of the larger wood we passed the Ration Dump, and then, leaving this on +our left, turned into Armagh Wood on our right. + +From the southern end of Zillebeke village two roads ran to the front +line. One, almost due South, kept close to the railway and was lost in +the ruins of Zwartelen village on "Hill 60"; the other, turning East +along a ridge, passed between Sanctuary and Armagh Woods, and crossed +our front line between the "A" and "B" trenches, the left of our new +sector. The ridge, called Observatory, on account of its numerous +O.P.'s, was sacred to the Gunners, and no one was allowed to linger +there, for fear of betraying these points of vantage. Beyond it was a +valley, and beyond that again some high ground N.E. of the hill, +afterwards known as Mountsorrel, on account of Colonel Martin's +Headquarters, which were on it. The line ran over the top of this high +ground, which was the meeting place of the old winter trenches (numbered +46 to 50) on the right, and, on the left the new trenches "A," "B," +etc., built for our retirement during the 2nd Battle. The 5th Division +held the old trenches, we relieved the Sherwood Foresters in the new +"A1" to "A8," with three companies in the line and only one in support. +The last was near Battalion Headquarters, called Uppingham in Colonel +Jones' honour, which were in a bank about 200 yards behind the front +line. Some of the dug-outs were actually in the bank, but the most +extraordinary erection of all was the mess, a single sandbag thick +house, built entirely above ground, and standing by itself, unprotected +by any bank or fold in the ground, absolutely incapable, of course, of +protecting its occupants from even an anti-aircraft "dud." + +We soon discovered during our first tour the difference between the +Salient and other sectors of the line, for, whereas at Kemmel we were +rarely shelled more than once a day, and then only with a few small +shells, now scarcely three hours went by without some part of the +Battalion's front being bombarded, usually with whizz-bangs. The Ypres +whizz-bang, too, was a thing one could not despise. The country round +Klein Zillebeke was very close, and the Boche was able to keep his +batteries only a few hundred yards behind his front line, with the +result that the "Bang" generally arrived before the whizz. "A6" and "A7" +suffered most, and on the 1st July Captain T.C.P. Beasley, commanding +"C" Company, and Lieut. A.P. Marsh, of "B" Company, were both wounded, +and had to be sent away to Hospital some hours later. The same night we +gave up these undesirable trenches, together with "A5" and "A8" to the +4th Battalion, and took instead "49," "50" and the Support "51" from the +Cheshires of the 5th Division. These trenches were about 200 yards from +the enemy except at the junction of "49" and "50," where a small salient +in his line brought him to within 80 yards. The sniping here was as +deadly as at Kemmel, though round the corner in "A1" we could have +danced on the parapet and attracted no attention. On the other hand "49" +and "50" were comfortably built, whereas "A1" was shallow and narrow and +half filled with tunnellers' sandbags, for it contained three long mine +shafts, two of which were already under the German lines. "A2," "3" and +"4" were the most peaceful of our sector, and the only disturbance here +during the tour was when one of a small burst of crumps blew up our bomb +store and blocked the trench for a time. This was on the 5th, and after +it we were left in peace, until, relieved by the Staffordshires, we +marched back to Ouderdom, feeling that we had escaped from our first +tour in the ill-famed salient fairly cheaply. Even so, we had lost two +officers and 24 O. Ranks wounded, and seven killed, a rate which, if +kept up, would soon very seriously deplete our ranks. + +[Illustration: GENERAL MAP OF FLANDERS to illustrate Chap' II & III.] + +On reaching Ouderdom, we found that some huts on the Vlamertinghe road +had now been allotted us instead of our bivouac field, and as on the +following day it rained hard, we were not sorry. Our satisfaction, +however, was short-lived, for the hut roofs were of wood only, and +leaked in so many places that many were absolutely uninhabitable and had +to be abandoned. At the same time some short lengths of shelter trench +which we had dug in case of shelling were completely filled with water, +so that anyone desiring shelter must needs have a bath as well. This wet +weather, coupled with a previous shortage of water in the trenches, and +the generally unhealthy state of the salient, brought a considerable +amount of sickness and slight dysentry, and although we did not send +many to Hospital, the health of the Battalion on the whole was bad, and +we seemed to have lost for the time our energy. Probably a fortnight in +good surroundings would have cured us completely, and even after eight +days at rest we were in a better state, but on the 13th we were once +more ordered into the line and the good work was undone, for the +sickness returned with increased vigour. + +Between the Railway Cutting at "Hill 60" and the Comines Canal further +south, the lines at this time were very close together, and at one +point, called Bomb Corner, less than 50 yards separated our parapet from +the Boche's. This sector, containing trenches "35" at Bomb Corner, "36" +and "37" up to the Railway, was held by the 1st Norfolks of the 5th +Division, who were finding their own reliefs, and, with one company +resting at a time, had been more than two months in this same front +line. On the 11th July the Boche blew a mine under trench "37" doing +considerable damage to the parapet, and on the following night "36" was +similarly treated, and a length of the trench blotted out. The night +after this we came in to relieve the Norfolks, who not unnaturally were +expecting "35" to share the same fate, and had consequently evacuated +their front line for the night, while they sat in the second line and +waited for it to go up in the air. Captain Jefferies with "D" Company +took over "35," while the two damaged trenches were held by "B" Company +(Capt. J.L. Griffiths). "A" and "C" held a keep near Verbranden +Molen--an old mill about three hundred yards behind our front line--and +Battalion Headquarters lived in some dug-outs in the woods behind "35." +Behind this again, the solitary Blaupoort Farm provided R.A.P. and +ration dump with a certain amount of cover, though the number of dud +shells in the courtyard made it necessary to walk with extreme caution +on a dark night. In spite of the numerous reports of listening-posts, +who heard "rapping underground," we were not blown up during our four +days in residence, and our chief worry was not mines, but again +whizz-bangs. One battery was particularly offensive, and three times on +the 15th Capt. Griffiths had his parapet blown away by salvoes of these +very disagreeable little shells. One's parapet in this area was one's +trench, for digging was impossible, and we lived behind a sort of +glorified sandbag grouse butt, six feet thick at the base and two to +three feet at the top, sometimes, but not always, bullet-proof. + +One or two amusing stories are told about the infantry opposite "33," +who were Saxons, and inclined to be friendly with the English. On one +occasion the following message, tied to a stone, was thrown into our +trench: "We are going to send a 40 lb. bomb. We have got to do it, but +don't want to. I will come this evening, and we will whistle first to +warn you." All of this happened. A few days later they apparently +mistrusted the German official news, for they sent a further message +saying, "Send us an English newspaper that we may learn the verity." + +The weather throughout the tour was bad, but on the night of 17th/18th, +when we were relieved at midnight by the Sherwood Foresters, it became +appalling. We were not yet due for a rest, having been only four days in +the line, and our orders were to spend the night in bivouacs at +Kruisstraat and return to trenches the following evening, taking over +our old sector "50" to "A7." Weakened with sickness and soaked to the +skin, we stumbled through black darkness along the track to +Kruisstraat--three miles of slippery mud and water-logged shell +holes--only to find that our bivouac field was flooded, and we must +march back to Ouderdom and spend the night in the huts, five miles +further west. We reached home as dawn was breaking, tired out and wet +through, and lay down at once to snatch what sleep we could before +moving off again at 6-30 p.m. But for many it was too much, and 150 men +reported sick and were in such a weak condition that they were left +behind at the huts, where later they were joined by some 40 more who had +tried hard to reach trenches but had had to give up and fall out on the +way. The rest of us, marching slowly and by short stages, did eventually +relieve the Sherwood Foresters, but so tired as to be absolutely unfit +for trenches. Fortunately for two days the weather was good and the +Boche very quiet, there was time for all to get a thorough rest, and by +the 20th we had very largely recovered our vigour--which was just as +well, for it proved an exciting tour. + +The excitement started about a mile away on our left, when, on the +evening of the 19th, the next Division blew up an enormous mine at +Hooge, and, with the aid of an intense artillery bombardment, attacked +and captured part of the village, including the chateau stables. The +enemy counter-attacked the following night, and, though he made no +headway and was driven out with heavy loss, he none the less bombarded +our new ground continuously and caused us many casualties. Accordingly, +to make a counter attraction, the Tunnelling Company working with us was +asked to blow up part of the enemy's lines as soon as possible; the blow +would be accompanied by an artillery "strafe" by us. There was at this +time such a network of mine galleries in front of "A1," that Lieut. +Tulloch, R.E., was afraid that the Boche would hear him loading one of +the galleries, so, to take no risks, blew a preliminary camouflet on the +evening of the 21st, destroying the enemy's nearest sap. This was +successful, and the work of loading and tamping the mines started at +once. 1500 lbs. of ammonal were packed at the end of a gallery +underneath the German redoubt opposite "A1," while at the end of another +short gallery a smaller mine was laid, in order to destroy as much as +possible of his mine workings. The date chosen was the 23rd, the time 7 +p.m. + +At 6-55 p.m., having vacated "A1" for the time, we blew the smaller of +the two mines--in order, it was said, to attract as many of the enemy as +possible into his redoubt. To judge by the volume of rifle fire which +came from his lines, this part of the programme was successful, but we +did not have long to think about it, for at 7 p.m. the 1500 lbs. went +off, and Boche redoubt, sandbags, and occupants went into the air, +together with some tons of the salient, much of which fell into our +trenches. A minute later our Artillery opened their bombardment, and for +the next half hour the enemy must have had a thoroughly bad time in +every way. His retaliation was insignificant, and consisted of a very +few little shells fired more or less at random--a disquieting feature to +those of us who knew the Germans' love of an instant and heavy reply to +our slightest offensive action. "Stand to," the usual time for the +evening "hate," passed off very quietly, and, as we sat down to our +evening meal, we began to wonder whether we were to have any reply at +all. Meanwhile, three new officers arrived--2nd. Lieut. R.C. Lawton, of +"A" Company, who had been prevented by sickness from coming abroad with +us, and 2nd Lieuts. E.E. Wynne and N.C. Marriott, both of whom were sent +to "B" Company, where they joined Capt. Griffiths at dinner. They were +half way through their meal when, without the slightest warning, the +ground heaved, pieces of the roof fell on the table, and they heard the +ominous whirr of falling clods, which betokens a mine at close quarters. + +[Illustration: Hohenzollern Memorial.] + +Before the debris had stopped falling, Capt. Griffiths was out of his +dug-out and scrambling along his half-filled trench, to find out what +had happened. Reaching the right end of "50," he found his front line +had been completely destroyed, and where his listening post had been, +was now a large crater, into which the Boche was firing trench mortars, +while heavy rifle fire came from his front line. Except for a few +wounded men, he could see nothing of Serjt. Bunn and the garrison of the +trench, most of whom he soon realized must have been buried, where the +tip of the crater had engulfed what had been the front line. For about +80 yards no front line existed, nor had he sufficient men in the left of +his trench to bring across to help the right, so, sending down a report +of his condition, he started, with any orderlies and batmen he could +collect, to rescue those of his Company who had been only partially +buried. Meanwhile, help was coming from two quarters. On the right, +Colonel Martin, of the 4th Battalion, also disturbed at dinner, was soon +up in "49" trench, where he found that his left flank had also suffered +from the explosion, but not so badly. His first thought was to form some +continuous line of defence across the gap, if possible linking up with +the crater at the same time, and, with this object in view he personally +reconnoitred the ground and discovered a small disused trench running in +front of "49" towards the crater. Quickly organizing parties of men, he +sent them along this cut, first to continue it up to the crater, then +with sandbags for the defence of the "lip." He himself superintended the +work inside the crater, where he had a miraculous escape from a trench +mortar, which wounded all standing round him. At the same time, R.S.M. +Small, finding a dazed man of "B" Company wandering near Battalion +Headquarters, heard what had happened, and without waiting for further +orders sent off every available man he could find with shovels and +sandbags to assist Capt. Griffiths. Half an hour later, Capt. Bland also +arrived with two platoons of "C" Company, sent across from the left of +our line, and by dawn with their help a trench had been cut through from +"50" to "49." This, though not organized for defence, yet enabled one +to pass through the damaged area. At the same time the miners started to +make a small tunnel into the bottom of the crater, so that it would no +longer be necessary to climb over the lip to reach the bomb post which +was built inside. + +[Illustration: The Water Tower and Railway Track, Vermelles.] + +During the next day we were fortunately not much harassed by the enemy, +and were consequently able to continue the repair work on "50." "B" +Company had had 42 casualties from the mine itself, of whom eight were +killed and seven, including Sergt. Bunn, were missing, while in the rest +of the Battalion about 30 men were wounded, mostly by trench mortars or +rifle fire when digging out "50" trench. At the time of the explosion +the enemy had thrown several bombs at "A2," and it was thought for a +time that he intended making an attack here, but rapid fire was opened +by the garrison, and nothing followed. On the evening of the 24th we +were due for relief, but, as "50" was still only partially cleared, and +we had not yet traced all our missing, we stayed in for another 24 +hours, during which time we thoroughly reorganized the sector, and were +able to hand over a properly traversed fire trench to the Lincolnshires +when they came in. Before we left we found Sergt. Bunn's body; he had +been buried at his post, and was still holding in his hand the flare +pistol which he was going to fire when the mine exploded. The men of the +listening post were not found until some time later, for they had been +thrown several hundred yards by the explosion. + +On relief, we marched back to Ouderdom, taking with us the officers and +men of the 17th Division, who had been attached for instruction during +the last tour, and reached a bivouac field near the windmill at 4-30 +a.m. Here we stayed 24 hours, and then moved into the "E" huts--an +excellent camp, further E. along the Vlamertinghe road than that which +we had previously occupied. We were due to remain here for six days, and +accordingly started our usual training in bomb and bayonet fighting. +Meanwhile, Lieut. Moore and the Battalion Tunnellers were once more hard +at work helping the R.E. in "50" and "A1," and on the 30th July two of +them, Serjt. J. Emmerson and Pte. H.G. Starbuck, working underground, +came upon a German gallery. Without a moment's hesitation, Starbuck +broke in and found that the charge was already laid, and wires could be +seen leading back to the enemy's lines. If the Germans had heard him at +work there was no doubt that they would blow their mine at once, but +heedless of this danger, he stayed in the gallery until he had cut the +leads, and so made it possible for the Engineers to remove the half ton +of "Westphalite" which they found already in position, immediately under +"49." For their daring work, the two miners were awarded the D.C.M., +Starbuck getting his at once, Serjt. Emmerson in the next honours list. +Two nights later the enemy suddenly opened rapid rifle fire opposite +"49," which equally suddenly died away, and we like to think that some +Boche officer had at the same time pressed the starting button to +explode his "Westphalite," only to find that nothing happened. + +Towards the end of June, there appeared in the German official +communique a statement that the French had been using liquid fire in the +Champagne fighting, and those who had studied the Boche methods +recognized this as a warning that he intended to make use of it himself +at an early date. The prophets were right, and at dawn on the 30th July +the enemy, anxious to recapture Hooge, attacked the 14th Division who +were holding the village, preceding the attack with streams of liquid +fire, under which the garrison either succumbed or were driven out. At +the same time an intense bombardment was opened, and we, whose rest was +not due to end until the following day, were ordered to stand by ready +to move at 30 minutes' notice. As we waited we wondered whether the 3rd +Battle of Ypres had begun, there certainly seemed to be enough noise. By +mid-day, however, we had not been used, and as no news of the battle +reached us we were preparing to settle down again for another day of +peace, when at 2-30 p.m. orders came for us to go to Kruisstraat at +once. We marched by Companies, and on arrival bivouacked in a field +close to the Indian Transport Lines, where we met several Battalions of +the 3rd Division on their way up to Hooge, though they were unable to +tell us anything definite about what had happened. The wildest rumours +were heard everywhere, that the Germans had used burning oil, vitriol, +and almost every other acid ever invented, that the salient was broken, +that our Division had been surrounded. One thing was certain--that at 4 +p.m. the gunfire had almost ceased, and there was no sign of any German +near Ypres. + +As soon as it was dark we left Kruisstraat and marched by Bridge 14 and +Zillebeke to Maple Copse, where we were told to bivouac for the night, +still being ready to move at very short notice if required. Here we +found a Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters, from whom we were at last +able to learn the truth of the morning's battle. It appeared that at +dawn the enemy, carrying flame projectors, had crept close up to the +front line trenches in Hooge, and suddenly lighting these machines had +sent a spray of burning vaporised oil over the trench. The garrison, +14th Division, were surprised, many of them burnt, and all thrown into +confusion, during which the Boche attacked in considerable force, drove +them out and broke in as far as Zouave Wood. The left of the Sherwood +Foresters had been attacked, but stood firm, even though the Germans in +Zouave Wood were almost behind them, until General Shipley ordered the +flank to be dropped back to conform with the new line. A counter-attack +was delivered during the day by two Battalions of the Rifle Brigade, +who, relieved the night before, had marched eight miles out to rest and +eight miles back again at once, and were hopelessly tired before they +started. In spite of this, they made a gallant effort, and were wiped +out almost to a man in Zouave Wood. At the time of the morning attack +the Germans could if they liked have walked on into Ypres, for they had +broken into the salient, and there was no other organized line of +defence between them and the town. Fortunately they did not realise +this, or, as is more probable, they never imagined that their flame +attack would prove so successful. Still, they might make a further +effort at any moment, and it was to meet this that we had been moved +into Maple Copse. + +All through the night and the following day there were continual short +artillery bombardments by both sides, and on four occasions the Copse +was shelled with salvoes of shrapnel in rapid succession. As not more +than half of us had any sort of dug-outs, and the remainder had to rely +mainly on tree trunks for protection, our casualties were fairly heavy, +and in a short time we had lost 23 wounded, including H. West, the mess +cook, L.-Corpl. J.H. Cramp, and several other notabilities. We might, +during the day, have built ourselves some sort of cover, but every +available man had to be sent carrying bombs, ammunition, and trench +mortars for the Sherwood Foresters, whose left flank was constantly in +touch with the enemy. One of these carrying parties found by "D" Company +had the misfortune to be led by a guide, who lost his way, into the +corner of Zouave Wood, and in a few minutes six of them were wounded by +a machine gun which opened fire on them at twenty yards' range; they +were carried out by the rest of the party, who escaped under cover of +the brushwood, but one, Carroll, died a few days later. By the evening +of the 31st the situation was more satisfactory, and a new front line +trench had been organized west of the wood, linking up with the Sherwood +Foresters, who now no longer required carrying parties. Meanwhile, it +was discovered that from his newly captured position, the Boche +completely overlooked the track from Zillebeke to Maple Copse, and +accordingly we were ordered to start at once to dig a communication +trench alongside the track. All that night, the next day, Bank Holiday, +and the following night, we worked till we could hardly hold our +shovels, and by the time we stopped, at dawn on the 3rd, there was a +trench the whole way--not very deep in places and not perhaps very +scientifically dug, but still enough to give cover. As soon as work was +over we returned to the copse and slept, for at dusk that night we were +to go once more to the line and relieve the Lincolnshires in "50" to +"A7." Maple Copse had cost us altogether 35 killed and wounded. + +We found the trenches very much as we had left them except that "A1" had +been battered into an almost unrecognizable condition by the enemy's +latest trench weapon, the heavy Minenwerfer. Unlike the "Rum Jar" or +"Cannister," which was a home-made article consisting of any old tin +filled with explosive, this new bomb was shaped like a shell, fitted +with a copper driving band and fired from a rifled mortar. It weighed +over 200 lbs., was either two feet two inches or three feet six inches +long and nine inches in diameter, and produced on exploding a crater as +big as a small mine. It could fortunately be seen in the air, and the +position of the mortar was roughly known, so we posted a sentry whose +duty was to listen for the report of discharge, sight the bomb, and cry +at the top of his voice "Sausage left" or "Sausage right." Our Artillery +had tried hard to destroy the mortar, but it apparently had a small +railway to itself, and moved away as soon as we opened fire. For +retaliation we had nothing except rifle grenades, which were like +flea-bites to an elephant, or the Howitzers, who had to be called on the +telephone, all of which took time. + +The rest of the line was fairly quiet except for a few small "sausages" +on trench "50," and our chief concern was now the shortage of men. In +those days a trench was not considered adequately garrisoned unless +there were at least three men in every fire bay, so that although we had +many more men to the yard than we have many times had since, we +imagined, when we found it necessary to have one or two empty fire bays, +that we were impossibly weak. So much was this the case, that, on the +night of the 4th August, C.Q.M. Serjeants Gorse and Gilding were ordered +to bring all available men from the stores at Poperinghe to help hold +the line--a most unpleasant journey because the Boche, always fond of +celebrating anniversaries, commemorated the declaration of war with a +"strafe" of special magnitude. As most of this came between Ypres and +Zillebeke, the two Quartermaster Serjeants had a harassing time, and did +not reach their bivouacs in Poperinghe until 5-15 the following morning. +All through the tour the pounding of "A1" continued, while our only +effort at retaliation was a 60 lb. mortar which the Royal Garrison +Artillery placed in rear of "50" trench. This one day fired six rounds, +the last of which fell in the German front line, and for nearly +twenty-four hours we were left in peace, while a "switch" line was built +across the back of "A1" salient. All hope of ever recovering the old +"A1" was given up. + +Meanwhile, the Division on our left was not being idle. For the past +week our Artillery in the salient had fired a half-hour bombardment +every morning at 2-45, and on the 9th this was repeated as usual. The +Boche had become used to it, and retired to his dug-outs, where he was +found a few minutes later by the 6th Division, who had relieved the +14th, and were now trying to recapture all the lost ground. The surprise +was perfect, and the enemy, never for a moment expecting an attack at +that hour, were killed in large numbers before they could even +"stand-to." During the battle 200 of the 4th Lincolnshires occupied our +support trenches, in case of any trouble on our front, and in the +evening the rest of the Battalion arrived and took over the line, while +we replaced them in Brigade Support--Battalion Headquarters, "B" and "C" +Companies in the "Lake" dug-outs, "A" and "D" Companies in the Barracks +of Ypres. + +During the next six days we were worked harder than we had been worked +before, digging, carrying, and trench revetting. Fortunately both halves +of the Battalion had fairly comfortable quarters to which to return +after work was over, though those in Ypres lived a somewhat noisy life. +The barracks were close to the centre of the town, and each day the +Boche fired his 17 in. Howitzer from dawn to dusk, mostly at the +Cathedral and Cloth Hall, with occasional pauses to shoot at the Ecole +de Bienfaisance, just outside the Menin gate. The shell, arriving with +great regularity every 15 minutes, was generally known as the "Ypres +express," for it arrived with the most terrifying roar, buried itself +deep in the ground before exploding, and then made an enormous crater. +As it burst, not only did every house shake, but the whole street seemed +to lift a few feet in the air and settle down again. In the barracks we +had bricks and falling debris from the Cloth Hall, but nothing more, and +these slight disadvantages were easily outweighed by the comfort in +which we lived. Every man had a bed, and, as the barracks' water supply +was still in working order, we all had baths. A piano was borrowed from +the Artillery, and provided us with an excellent concert, which was held +in one of the larger rooms, and helped us to forget the war for a time, +in spite of a 40-foot crater in the Barrack Square, and the ever-present +possibility that another would arrive. Incidentally, the piano became +later a cause of much trouble to us, for the police refused to allow us +to move it through the streets without a permit from the Town Major; the +Town Major would have nothing to do with the matter, having only just +arrived in place of his predecessor, who had given us permission to +have the piano, and had then been wounded (Town Majors never lasted +long in Ypres); and the Gendarmerie would not accept responsibility, so +in the end we had to leave it in the barracks. The other two companies, +though not so comfortably housed, none the less had an enjoyable time by +the lake side, chasing the wild fowl, and watching the shelling of +Ypres. + +Just at this time several changes took place in the personnel of the +Brigade and the Battalion. First, Brig.-Gen. G.C. Kemp, R.E., late +C.R.E., 6th Division, was appointed our Brigade Commander in place of +General Clifford, who left us to take up an appointment in England, +having been exactly six months in command. Capt. Bromfield, our +Adjutant, whose health had been bad for the past month, was finally +compelled to go to Hospital, whence he was shortly afterwards +transferred to England. As his assistant, Lieut. Vincent was also away +sick, Lieut. Langdale was appointed Adjutant, while 2nd Lieut. C.H.F. +Wollaston took the place of Lieut. A.T. Sharpe as machine gun officer, +the latter having left sick to Hospital at the end of July. Lieut. Moore +sprained his ankle, and 2nd Lieut. R.C.L. Mould went down with fever, +both being sent home, and with them went 2nd Lieut. L.H. Pearson, who +had severe concussion, as the result of being knocked down by a +Minenwerfer bomb. Capt. Bland became 2nd in command with the rank of +Major, and Captain R. Hastings and Lieut. R.D. Farmer were now +commanding "A" and "C" Companies. Capt. M. Barton, our original medical +officer, had come out in June and relieved Lieut. Manfield, who had been +temporarily taking his place. We had also one reinforcement--2nd Lieut. +G.B. Williams, posted to "D" Company, who the following tour lost 2nd +Lieut. C.R. Knighton who sprained his knee. At the same time Serjt. A. +Garratt, of "A" Company, became C.S.M. of "D" in place of C.S.M. J. +Cooper, who was sent home with fever. + +On the 16th August we went once more to the line for a six-day tour, +which proved to be the first in which our artillery began to show a +distinct superiority to the enemy's, not only in accuracy but in weight +of shell. Several 8" and 9.2" Howitzers appeared in the Salient and, on +the evening of the 18th, we carried out an organized bombardment of the +lines opposite "50" trench, paying special attention to the +neighbourhood of the Minenwerfer. The accuracy of these large Howitzers +was surprising, and they obtained several direct hits on the Boche front +line, the resulting display of flying sandbags and trench timbers being +watched with the utmost pleasure by almost every man in the Battalion. +The enemy retaliated with salvoes of whizz-bangs on "50," and a few on +"A6" and "A7," but did not carry out any extensive bombardment, though, +when relieved by the Lincolnshires on the 22nd, we had had upwards of 45 +casualties. Among the killed was L/Cpl. Biddles of "A" Company, who had +risked death many times on patrol, only to be hit when sitting quietly +in a trench eating his breakfast. This N.C.O., old enough to have his +son serving in the company with him, was never happier than when +wandering about in No Man's Land, either by day or night, and from the +first to the last day of every tour he spent his time either patrolling, +or preparing for his next patrol. Early in the morning of the 23rd we +reached once more the huts at Ouderdom, having at last had the sense to +have the limbers to meet us at Kruisstraat to carry packs, which at +this time we always took into the line with us. We had been away from +even hut civilisation for twenty-four days--quite long enough when those +days have to be spent in the mud, noise and discomfort of the Salient. + +Our rest, while fortunately comparatively free of working parties, +contained two features of interest, an inspection by our new Brigadier, +and an officers' cricket match against the 16th Lancers. For the first +we were able, with the aid of a recently-arrived draft of 100 men, to +parade moderately strong, and Gen. Kemp was well satisfied with our +"turn-out." It was, however, to be regretted that the only soldier to +whom he spoke happened to be a blacksmith, for which trade we had the +previous day sent to Brigade Headquarters a "nil" return. The cricket +match was a great success, and thanks to some excellent batting by +Lieut. Langdale, we came away victorious. The light training which we +carried out each day now included a very considerable amount of bomb +throwing, and it seemed as though the bomb was to be made the chief +weapon of the infantry soldier, instead of the rifle and bayonet, which +always has been, and always will be, a far better weapon than any bomb. +However, the new act had to be learnt, and a Battalion bomb squad was +soon formed under 2nd Lieut. R. Ward Jackson, whose chief assistants +were L/Cpl. R.H. Goodman, Ptes. W.H. Hallam, P. Bowler, E.M. Hewson, A. +Archer, F. Whitbread, J.W. Percival and others, many of whom afterwards +became N.C.O.'s. Every officer and man had to throw a live grenade, and, +as there were eight or nine different kinds, he also had to have some +mechanical knowledge, while the instructor had to know considerably more +about explosives than a sapper. + +The excitement of our next tour started before we reached Kruisstraat. +All day long (the 28th August) a single 9.2" Howitzer had been firing +behind a farm house on the track to the Indian Transport Field, and, as +we marched past the position by platoons, all of us interested in +watching the loading process, it suddenly blew up, sending breach-block, +sheets of cast iron and enormous fragments of base plate and carriage +several hundred yards through the air. We ran at once to the nearest +cover, but three men were hit by falling fragments, and we were lucky +not to lose more, for several of us, including 2nd Lieut. J.W. Tomson, +had narrow escapes. We eventually reached the line, and relieved the +Lincolnshires in Trenches "49" to "A3." The 3rd Division had now taken +"A4" to "A7." Three days later 2nd Lieuts. H. Moss, N.C. Stoneham and +C.B. Clay joined us, and were posted to "A," "D" and "B" Companies +respectively. At the same time 2nd Lieut. J.D. Hills was appointed +Brigade Intelligence Officer, a new post just introduced by General +Kemp. + +We suffered the usual scattered shelling and trench mortaring during the +first half of the tour, to which our Artillery could only reply lightly +because they were saving ammunition for an organised bombardment further +North. However, no serious damage was done, so this did not matter. The +bombardment took place at dawn on the 1st September, and in reply the +Germans, instead of shelling the left as was expected, concentrated all +their efforts on the "50," "A1" corner, starting with salvoes of +whizz-bangs, and finishing with a heavy shoot, 8", 5.9" and shrapnel, +from 10.45 to mid-day. Our Artillery replied at once, but nothing would +stop the Boche, who had the most extraordinary good fortune in hitting +our dug-outs, causing many casualties. 2nd Lieut. Clay, not yet 24 hours +in trenches, was among the first to be wounded, and soon afterwards +Serjt. B. Smith, of "B" Company, received a bad wound, to which he +succumbed a few hours later. In "A" Company, except for C.S.M. Gorse's +and the Signallers', every dug-out was hit, and C.E. Scott and F.W. +Pringle, the two officers' batmen, were killed, while A.H. Cassell was +badly wounded. The officers themselves had two miraculous escapes. +First, 2nd Lieuts. Tomson and Moss were sitting in their dug-out, when a +5.9" dud passed straight through the roof and on into the ground almost +grazing 2nd Lieut. Tomson's side. These two then went round to wake +Capt. Hastings, who was resting in another dug-out, and the three had +only just left, when this too was blown in, burying Capt. Hastings' Sam +Browne belt and all his papers. Many brave deeds were done during the +shelling, two of which stand out. T. Whitbread, of "A" Company, hearing +of the burying of the two officers' servants, rushed to the spot, and, +regardless of the shells which were falling all round, started to dig +them out, scraping the earth away with his hands, until joined by +Sergeants Gore and Baxter, who came up with shovels. The other, whose +work cannot be passed over, was our M.O., Captain Barton. Always calm +and collected, yet always first on the spot if any were wounded, he +seemed to be in his element during a bombardment, and this day was no +exception. He was everywhere, tying up wounds, helping the Stretcher +Bearers, encouraging everyone he met, and many a soldier owed his life +to the ever-present "Doc." + +On the 2nd September we were relieved by the Lincolnshires again, and +once more became Brigade reserve for six days--six of the most +unpleasant days we spent in the Salient. First the Railway dug-outs, to +which Battalion Headquarters and half the Battalion should have gone, +had been so badly shelled while the Lincolnshires were there that only +one company was allowed to go, while the remainder were sent to bivouac +at Kruisstraat. The fine weather came to an end the same day, and it +rained hard all the time, which would have been bad enough in bivouacs, +and was worse for us who had to spend most of our day on some +working-party, either dug-outs, or trying to drain some hopelessly +water-logged communication trench, such as the one from Manor Farm to +Square Wood. Altogether we had a poor time, and were quite glad on the +8th to return to trenches, where we were joined two days later by +Lieut.-Col. C.H. Jones, who had returned from England and took over +command. He had had the greatest difficulty in returning to France, and +it was only when he had applied to the War Office for command of a +Brigade in Gallipoli that the authorities at last took notice of him and +sent him back to us. On his arrival Major Toller resumed his duties of +2nd in command; Major Bland was at the time in England sick. + +The arrival of an officer reinforcement was always the signal for a +Boche strafe, and the return of the Colonel they celebrated with a two +days' "hate" instead of one. "A1" and "50" and their supports suffered +most, and much damage to trenches was done by heavy Minenwerfer, 8" and +5.9" shells. Towards evening the situation became quieter, but just +before 10 o'clock the Boche exploded a camouflet against one of our "A1" +mine galleries, and killed three Tunnellers, whose bodies we could not +rescue owing to the gasses in the mine, which remained there for more +than twenty-four hours. The next day the bombardment of "50" and "50S" +continued, and amongst other casualties, which were heavy, Capt. J.L. +Griffiths and 2nd Lieut. R.B. Farrer of "B" Company were both hit and +had to be evacuated, the one with 13, the other 35 small fragments of +shell in him. The enemy had now become so persistent that we asked for +help from our heavy artillery, and the following day--our last in the +line--we carried out several organized bombardments of important enemy +centres, such as "Hill 60," to which he replied with a few more large +"crumps" on "50" support and was then silent. In the evening the +Lincolnshires took our place, and, having lost 11 killed and 39 wounded +in 6 days, we marched back to rest at Dickebusch huts. + +For some considerable time there had been many rumours about a coming +autumn offensive on our part, and on the 22nd September, having returned +to trenches two days previously, we received our first orders about it. +We were told nothing very definite except that the 3rd and 14th +Divisions would attack at Hooge, while we made a vigorous demonstration +to draw retaliation from their front to ourselves, and that there would +also be attacks on other parts of the British front. We were to make a +feint gas attack by throwing smoke-bombs and lighting straw in front of +our parapet, to frighten the Boche into expecting an attack along the +"Hill 60"--Sanctuary Wood front. Capt. Burnett and his transport were, +therefore, ordered to bring up wagon-loads of straw, much to their +annoyance, for they already had a bad journey every night with the +rations, and extra horses meant extra anxiety. It was seldom that the +transport reached Armagh Wood without being shelled on an ordinary +night, and whenever there was fighting in any part of the Salient, the +area round Maple Copse became so hot that they had to watch for an +opportunity and gallop through. In spite of this they never failed us, +and rations always arrived, even in the worst of times. + +On the 23rd there were two preliminary bombardments, one short but very +heavy at Hooge, the other lasting most of the morning on "Hill 60"--a +bluff. During the night it rained and the arrival of our straw was +consequently postponed until the following night, which proved to be +little better. The wagons were late and there was not much time to +complete our task; however, all worked their utmost, and by 1.0 a.m. on +the 25th a line of damp straw had been spread along our wire in front of +"50." Unfortunately, the Battalion on our right were unable to put their +straw in position in time, but as the Brigade beyond them had theirs, we +thought this would not make any difference to the operation. Just before +daylight a general order from G.H.Q. arrived, starting with the words, +"At Dawn, on the 25th September, the British Armies will take the +offensive on the Western Front." We felt that the time had now come when +the war was going to be won and the Boche driven out of France, and some +of us were a little sorry that our part was to consist of nothing more +than setting fire to some damp straw. + +At 3.50 a.m. Hooge battle started with an intense artillery bombardment +from every gun in the salient, and it was an inspiring sight to stand on +the ridge behind "50" trench and watch, through the half-light, the line +of flashes to the west, an occasional glare showing us the towers of +Ypres over the trees. The Germans replied at once on "A1" trench, but +finding that we remained quiet, their batteries soon ceased fire and +opened instead on Sanctuary Wood and Hooge. This was expected, for it +was not in the initial attack, but during the consolidation that the 3rd +Division wanted to draw the enemy's fire. At a few minutes before six +our time had come, smoke bombs were thrown, and, though the wind was +against us, Col. Jones, feeling that we must make the biggest possible +display, ordered the straw to be lit. This promptly drew fire, and in +five minutes there was not one single gun on our side of the Salient +still firing at Hooge, they had all turned on us. At first sight of the +smoke several machine guns had opened fire opposite "50" and "49," but +these died away almost at once as the Boche, thoroughly frightened at +the prospect of gas, evacuated his trenches. Half-an-hour later he +actually bombarded his own lines on the Northern slopes of "Hill 60" +with 11" shells, presumably imagining that we had occupied them. The +bluff was complete. + +But such a success cannot be purchased without loss, and our losses had +been heavy. The Staffordshires had not lit their straw because of the +wind, so that the enemy's retaliation, which should have been spread +along the whole front from "A1" to "Hill 60" was concentrated entirely +on our three trenches "40," "50" and "A1." "C" Company (Lt. R.D. Farmer) +in "50" suffered most. Choked and blinded by the smoke from the straw, +which blew back and filled the trench, their parapet blown away by salvo +after salvo of small shells, their supports battered with 8" and heavy +mortars, with no cover against the unceasing rain of shells from front +and left, they had to bear it all in silence, unable to hit back. +Serjts. J.G. Burnham and J. Birkin were killed, and with them 10 others +of the battalion, while 30 more were wounded. Once more the "Doc." and +his stretcher-bearers were everywhere, and many who might otherwise have +bled to death, owed their lives to this marvellous man, who wandered +round and dressed their wounds wherever the shelling was hottest. At the +first opening of the battle our telephone lines to the Artillery were +broken, and for some time we could get no support, but the Derby +Howitzers and one of the Lincolnshire batteries fired a number of rounds +for us, and later, thanks to the efforts of Lieut. C. Morgan, R.F.A., +the F.O.O., we were able to call on Major Meynell's Staffordshire +battery as well. By 7.15 a.m. all was once more quiet, and we spent the +rest of the day evacuating our casualties, and trying to clear away some +of the litter of straw from our trenches. + +The following day passed quietly, and in the evening, relieved by the +Lincolnshires, we marched out of trenches. Ten minutes later the enemy +blew up trench "47" and opened heavy rifle fire on all sides of the +salient. The Battalion was marching by companies, and "A" and "D" had +just reached Manor Farm when the noise began, and bullets fell all round +them. Capt. Jefferies, who was leading, was hit almost at once and fell +mortally wounded, never again recovering consciousness, and several +others became casualties before the party could reach cover on the far +side of the Farm. "B" and "C" were still in Armagh Wood, so Colonel +Jones at once decided to man the new breastwork between it and Square +Wood, and there they remained until the situation became once more +quiet. Finally, at midnight, we moved into our Brigade Support +positions, Headquarters and "B" Company in Railway Dug-outs, "C" Company +in Deeping Dug-outs near the Lake, and the others in Kruisstraat +bivouacs. Even now we were not allowed to live in peace, for the +following morning, at 11.0 a.m., the enemy bombarded Railway Dug-outs +for two hours, firing 90 8" shells, and (so says the War Diary) "plenty +of shrapnel." No one was hit, though Col. Jones' dug-out and the Orderly +Room were destroyed, and the bomb store, which was hit and set on fire, +was only saved from destruction by the efforts of C.S.M. Lovett, who +with Pte. Love and one or two others, fetched water from the pond and +put out the fire. From 6.30 to 7.30 p.m. the dug-outs were again +bombarded and a few more destroyed, so that we were not sorry when, on +the 1st October the Wiltshire Regiment came to relieve us, and we +marched back to bivouacs at Ouderdom. + +On the 2nd, after a farewell address to the officers by the Corps +Commander, the Battalion marched during the morning to Abeele, where at +3.30 p.m. we entrained for the South and said good-bye to the "Salient" +for ever. We were not sorry to go, even though there were rumours of a +coming battle, and our future destination was unknown. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +"HOHENZOLLERN." + +1st Oct., 1915. 15th Oct., 1915. + + +We journeyed southwards in three parts. Battalion Headquarters and the +four Companies went first, reached Fouquereuil Station near Bethune +after a six hours' run, and marched at once to Bellerive near Gonnehem. +Here, at noon the following day--the 3rd October--they were joined by +Lieut. Wollaston with the machine guns and ammunition limbers which had +entrained at Godewaersvelde and travelled all night, and at 4.30 p.m., +by Capt. John Burnett with the rest of the Transport. The latter had +come by road, spending one night in bivouacs at Vieux Berquin on the +way. This move brought us into the First Army under Sir Douglas Haig, +who took an early opportunity of being introduced to all Commanding +Officers and Adjutants in the Division, coming to Brigade Headquarters +at Gonnehem on the afternoon of the 3rd, where Col. Jones and Lieut. +G.W. Allen went to a conference. Lieut. Allen had become Adjutant when +Capt. Griffiths was wounded, and Capt. Langdale was wanted for command +of "B" Company. Our other Company Commanders remained unchanged except +that Major Bland returned from England and took charge of "D." + +The billets at Bellerive, consisting of large, clean farmhouses, were +very comfortable, but we were not destined to stay there long, and on +the 6th marched through Chocques to Hesdigneul, where there was less +accommodation. The following day there was a conference at Brigade +Headquarters, and we learnt our fate. On the 25th September, the opening +day of the Loos battle, the left of the British attack had been directed +against "Fosse 8"--a coal mine with its machine buildings, miners' +cottages and large low slag dump--protected by a system of trenches +known as the "Hohenzollern Redoubt," standing on a small rise 1,000 +yards west of the mine. This had all been captured by the 9th Division, +but owing to counter-attacks from Auchy and Haisnes, had had to be +abandoned, and the enemy had once more occupied the Redoubt. A second +attempt, made a few days later by the 28th Division, had been +disastrous, for we had had heavy casualties, and gained practically no +ground, and except on the right, where we had occupied part of "Big +Willie" trench, the Redoubt was still intact. Another attempt was now to +be made at an early date, and, while 12th and 1st Divisions attacked to +the South, the North Midland was to sweep over the Redoubt and capture +Fosse 8, consolidating a new line on the East side of it. + +Apart from the Fosse itself, where the fortifications and their strength +were practically unknown, the Redoubt alone was a very strong point. It +formed a salient in the enemy's line and both the Northern area, "Little +Willie," and the southern "Big Willie," were deep, well-fortified +trenches, with several machine gun positions. Behind these, ran from +N.E. and S.E. into the 2nd line of the Redoubt, two more deep trenches, +"N. Face" and "S. Face," thought to be used for communication purposes +only, and leading back to "Fosse" and "Dump" trenches nearer the +slag-heap. The last two were said to be shallow and unoccupied. In +addition to these defences, the redoubt and its approach from our line +were well covered by machine gun posts, for, on the North, "Mad Point" +overlooked our present front line and No Man's Land, while "Madagascar" +Cottages and the slag-heap commanded all the rest of the country. The +scheme for the battle was that the Staffordshires on the right and our +Brigade with the Monmouthshires on the left would make the assault, the +Sherwood Foresters remain in reserve. Before the attack there would be +an intense artillery bombardment, which would effectually deal with "Mad +Point" and other strongholds. In our Brigade, General Kemp decided to +attack with two Battalions side by side in front, 4th Leicestershires +and 5th Lincolnshires, followed by 4th Lincolnshires and Monmouthshires, +each extended along the whole Brigade frontage, while, except for one or +two carrying parties, he would keep us as his own reserve. The date for +the battle had not been fixed, but it would probably be the 10th. + +Reconnaissances started at once, and on the 8th Col. Jones and all +Company Commanders and 2nds in Command went by motor 'bus to Vermelles, +and reconnoitred our trenches, held at the time by the Guards Division. +Our first three lines, where the assembly would take place the night +before the battle, were all carefully reconnoitred as well as the "Up" +and "Down" communication trenches--Barts Alley, Central, Water and Left +Boyaus. These were simply cut into the chalk and had not been boarded, +so, with the slightest rain, became hopelessly slippery, while to make +walking worse a drain generally ran down the centre of the trench, too +narrow to walk in and too broad to allow one to walk with one foot each +side. From the front line we were able to see the edge of the Redoubt, +Mad Point, and the mine with its buildings and Slag-heap. The last +dominated everything, and could be seen from everywhere. It was not very +encouraging to see the numbers of our dead from the previous two +attacks, still lying out in No Man's Land, whence it had not yet been +possible to carry them in. The party reached home soon after 5 p.m., and +a few minutes later a heavy bombardment in the direction of Vermelles +was followed by an order to "stand to," which we did until midnight, +when all was quiet again, and we were allowed to go to bed. + +The following day the remainder of the officers and a party of selected +N.C.O.'s went again to the line to reconnoitre. While they were away we +heard the meaning of the previous night's noise. The Boche had attacked +our posts in "Big Willie" held by a Battalion of the Coldstream Guards, +and after a long fight had been driven back with heavy losses, leaving +many dead behind them. Both sides had used no other weapon than the +bomb, and our success was attributed to our new Mills grenade, which +could be thrown further and was easier to handle than the German stick +bomb, and the Coldstreams were said to have thrown more than 5,000 of +these during the fight. This little encounter had two results. First, it +definitely postponed our attack to the 13th; secondly, it brought the +Mills grenade into so much prominence that we were ordered to practise +with that and that only, and to ensure that during the next three days +every man threw them frequently. At the same time we were definitely +promised that no other grenade would be issued during our coming battle. + +As it was not intended that we should go into trenches until the night +before the assault, only very few of the N.C.O.'s and none of the men +would have any opportunity of previously studying the ground. In order, +therefore, that all might be made familiar with the general appearance +and proportionate distances of the various objectives, a small scale +model of the Redoubt and Fosse 8 was built opposite Divisional +Headquarters at Gosnay, and Sunday afternoon was spent in studying this +and explaining full details to all concerned. In the evening the Corps +Commander, General Haking, spoke to all officers of the Division in the +Chateau courtyard, and told us some further details of the attack. We +were to be supported by the largest artillery concentration ever made by +the British during the war up to that time, and there would be 400 guns +covering the Divisional front. Under their fire we need have no fear +that any machine guns could possibly be left in "Mad Point," +"Madagascar," or any of the other points due for bombardment. At the +same time he told us that if the wind were in the right direction we +should be further assisted by the "auxiliary." In this case there would +be an hour's bombardment, followed by an hour's "auxiliary," during +which time the guns would have to be silent because High Explosive was +apt to disperse chlorine gas. At the end of the second hour we should +advance and find the occupants all dead. Attacks at dawn and dusk had +become very common lately and seemed to be expected by the Boche; we +would therefore attack at 2 p.m. + +During the next two days we spent most of our time throwing Mills +grenades, and certainly found them a very handy weapon, which could be +thrown much further than our previous patterns. We also had to make +several eleventh hour changes in personnel, Major Bland and Lieut. Allen +were both compelled by sickness to go to Hospital--the former to +England. It was exceptionally bad luck for both, to endure the routine +of six months' trenches and training and then have to leave their unit +on the eve of its first great fight, in which both these officers were +so keen to take part. In their places Lieut. Hills was appointed to "D" +Company, but as he was taken by General Kemp for Intelligence Work, 2nd +Lieut. G.B. Williams took command. No one was appointed Adjutant, and +Colonel Jones decided that as officers were scarce he and Major Toller +would between them share the work at Battalion Headquarters. Two new +officers also arrived and were posted, 2nd Lieut. G.T. Shipston to "C" +and 2nd Lieut. L. Trevor Jones to "D" Company. + +On the 12th, after some last words of advice from Colonel Jones, who +addressed the Battalion, we set off to march to trenches, wearing what +afterwards became known as "Fighting Order," with great coats rolled and +strapped to our backs. The Brigade band accompanied us through Verquin, +and a Staffordshire band played us into Sailly Labourse, where General +Montagu-Stuart-Wortley watched us turn on to the main road. There was an +hour's halt for teas between here and Noyelles, and finally at 10-5 p.m. +we marched into Vermelles. The next eight hours were bad, for it took +eight hours to reach our assembly position, the third line--eight hours +standing in hopelessly congested communication trenches, waiting to +move forward. For men heavily laden--each carried six sandbags and every +third man a shovel--this delay was very tiring, for it meant continuous +standing with no room to rest, and resulted in our arriving in the line +tired out, to find that it was already time to have breakfasts. The +Reserve Line was full of troops, but it was found possible to give all a +hot breakfast, and many managed to snatch a couple of hours' sleep +before the bombardment opened at 12 noon. + +Compared with the bombardments of the Somme and the later battles, our +bombardment was small, but it seemed to us at the time terrific, and it +was very encouraging to see direct hits on the mine workings and the +various trenches. The enemy retaliated mostly on communication trenches, +using some very heavy shells, but not doing a great deal of damage. At 1 +p.m. chlorine gas was discharged from cylinders packed in our front +line, and at the same time a quantity of smoke bombs and mortar shells +were fired towards the Redoubt by parties of our Divisional Artillery +who were not covering us in the battle. The enemy at once altered his +retaliation targets, and opened a heavy fire on our front line, trying +to burst the gas cylinders, and succeeding in filling the trench with +gas in three places by so doing. At 1-50 p.m. the gas and smoke was +gradually diminished and allowed to disperse, and, ten minutes later, +wearing gas helmets rolled on their heads, the leading waves moved out +to the assault. + +The start was disastrous. Colonel Martin and his Adjutant were both +wounded, Colonel Sandall was wounded and his Adjutant killed in the +first few minutes, and the machine gun fire along the whole of our +front was terrific. Still, the nature of the ground afforded them some +protection and they pushed forward, losing heavily at every step, until +they had crossed the first line of the Redoubt. The 4th Lincolnshires +and Monmouthshires followed, and we moved up towards the front line so +as to be ready if required, and at the same time a party of our +Signallers went forward to lay a line to the newly captured position. +L.-Corpl. Fisher himself took the cable and, regardless of the machine +gun fire, calmly reeled out his line across No Man's Land, passed +through the enemy's wire and reached the Redoubt. Communication was +established, and we were able to learn that all waves had crossed the +first German line and were going forward against considerable +opposition. Meanwhile, on the right the Staffordshires had fared far +worse even than our Brigade. Starting from their second line, they were +more exposed to machine gun fire from all sides, and very few reached +even their own front line, whilst row upon row were wiped out in their +gallant effort to advance. + +In case of failure and the consequent necessity of holding our original +front line against strong counter attacks, it had been arranged that our +machine guns should take up permanent positions in this line. This was +done, and Lieut. Wollaston was supervising the work of his teams and +improving their positions when he saw that a considerable number of men +were coming back from the Redoubt. Their officers and N.C.O.'s killed, +they themselves, worn out by the exertions of the past 24 hours, half +gassed by the chlorine which still hung about the shell holes, shot at +by machine guns from every quarter, had been broken by bombing attacks +from every trench they attacked and now, having thrown all their bombs, +were coming back. The situation was critical, and Lieut. Wollaston, +deciding to leave his guns now that they were in good positions, made +his way along the trench and tried to rally the stragglers. Many were +too badly shaken to go forward again, but some answered his call and +collecting some more grenades the little party started back towards the +Redoubt. Lieut. Wollaston was knocked down and wounded in the back by a +shell, but still went forward, and, reaching the first German line, +turned left towards "Little Willie," which the Boche was still holding +in force. At the same time General Kemp ordered two of our Companies to +be sent up to assist, and Colonel Jones sent word to "B" and "A" to move +up. One message from the Redoubt which reached Colonel Jones at this +time said "Please send bombs and officers." + +Captain Langdale decided to advance in line, and leaving their trenches +the four platoons started off in that formation. The platoon commanders +became casualties in the first few yards, 2nd Lieut. Marriott being +wounded and the two others gassed, and by the time they reached our +front line the Company Commander was leading them himself. Walking along +with his pipe in his mouth, Captain Langdale might have been at a Field +Day, as he calmly signalled his right platoon to keep up in line, with +"keep it up, Oakham," as they crossed our trench. The line was kept, and +so perfectly that many of the stragglers who had come back turned and +went forward again with them. But once more as they were reaching the +German front line came that deadly machine gun fire, and their gallant +Commander was one of the first to fall, killed with a bullet in the +head. C.S.M. Lovett was badly wounded at the same time, Serjt. Franks +killed, and the Company, now leaderless, was broken into isolated +parties fighting with bombs in the various trenches. + +"A" Company followed. Keeping his platoons more together and on a +smaller frontage, Captain Hastings decided to attempt a bayonet attack +against the German opposition on the left of the Redoubt, and himself +led his men up to the attack. Again Platoon Commanders were the first to +fall, and as they climbed out of our trenches, 2nd Lieut. Lawton was +mortally wounded in the stomach and 2nd Lieut. Petch badly shot through +the arm. However, this did not delay the attack, and the Company, +crossing the German front line, quickened their pace and made for the +junctions of "Little Willie" and "N. Face." Once more bombs and machine +guns were too hot for them, and first Capt. Hastings, then 2nd Lieut. +Moss were killed near the German second line, leaving the Company in the +hands of 2nd Lieut. Tomson and C.S.M. Gorse, who at once organized the +platoons for the defence of the second line, realizing that it was +useless to try to advance further. 2nd Lieut. Petch, in spite of his +wound, remained several hours with his platoon, but eventually had to +leave them. The ground was covered with the dead and wounded of the +other Battalions, Fosse and Dump trenches were filled with Germans and +machine guns, "S. Face" and both "Willies" were full of bombers, and +worst of all the machine guns of Mad Point, Madagascar and the Slag-heap +had apparently escaped untouched. There was only one thing left to do, +and that to hold what we had got against these bombing attacks, and +consolidate our new position without delay. + +Meanwhile, in addition to our two Companies, there were several other +parties and units fighting in various parts of the Redoubt, and of these +Colonel Evill, of the Monmouthshires, himself on the spot, took command, +sending down for more men and more bombs. Of these little parties the +most successful was that under Lieut. Wollaston, who, although wounded, +led a bombing attack into "Little Willie," and pushed on so resolutely +that he gained some eighty yards of trench before being compelled to +withdraw owing to lack of bombs and ammunition. Unfortunately there was +no other party near to help him, or "Little Willie" would probably have +been ours. On the right, Lieut. Madge, of the Lincolnshires, held on for +an incredibly long time with only a few machine gunners far in advance +of anyone else, only coming back after 5 p.m., when he found that part +of the captured ground had been evacuated by us. Here, too, Lieut. +Morgan, of the Staffordshire Brigade R.F.A., was killed leading his +gunners forward to help the infantry who were in difficulties. Some of +"D" Company were also in action at this time. Thirteen and Fourteen +Platoons set off, as originally ordered, under Royal Engineer officers, +to put out barbed wire in front of the Redoubt, but as they reached our +front line were heavily shelled and lost touch with the Engineers, many +of whom were killed. 2nd Lieut. Stoneham had already been badly wounded, +and Lieut. Williams, with a blood-stained bandage tying up a wounded +ear, was with his other half Company, so the two platoons were left +without officers. Serjt W.G. Phipps, who was leading, knew nothing about +the wiring orders, having been told simply to follow the R.E., so he +ordered his platoon to collect all the bombs they could find and make +for the Redoubt. Serjt. G. Billings with 14 followed, and the half +Company entered the fight soon after "A" Company. Their fate was the +same. Serjt. Billings, with Corporals A. Freeman and T.W. Squires, were +all killed trying to use their bayonets against "N. Face," and the rest +were scattered and joined the various bomb parties. F. Whitbread and +A.B. Law found themselves in "Little Willie," and helped rush the enemy +along it, only to be forced back each time through lack of bombs. +Whitbread was particularly brave later, when he went alone over the top +to find out the situation on their flank. One other officer was +conspicuous, in the Redoubt, in our trenches, everywhere in fact where +he could be of use--Captain Ellwood, in charge of machine guns and +forward bomb stores, was absolutely indefatigable, and quiet and +fearless performed miracles of energy and endurance. + +At 3 p.m., the German bombing attacks increased in vigour, and this time +a large part of our garrison of the German second line trench gave way +and came back to the original front line of the Redoubt--some even to +our front line. Who gave the order for this withdrawal was never +discovered, but there was undoubtedly an order "Retire" passed along the +line, possibly started by the Boche himself. Such a message coming to +tired and leaderless men was sure to have a disastrous effect, and in a +few minutes we had given up all except Point 60, a trench junction at +the N. end of "Big Willie," and the front line of the Redoubt. In this +last there were still plenty of men, and these, led by a few resolute +officers and N.C.O.'s such as 2nd Lieut. Tomson, C.S.M. Gorse, and +others, were prepared to hold it against all attacks. The original +parados was cut into fire steps, bomb blocks were built in "Little +Willie" and "North Face," and the garrison generally reorganized. +Messages were sent for more bombs, and these were carried up in bags and +boxes from Brewery Keep, Vermelles to the old front line, and thence +across No Man's Land by parties of "C" and "D" Company. + +[Illustration: General map of Arras-Bethune area to illustrate Chapters +IV, V, VI, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV & XV.] + +While this took place in the Redoubt, Colonel Jones occupied the old +front line with "C" Company (Lieuts. Farmer and Shields), and elements +of "D" Company occupying the bays which were free from gas. The trench +had been badly battered by shells at mid-day, and there were many killed +and wounded still in it, amongst the latter being Colonel Martin, of the +4th Battalion, who garrisoned about 100 yards by himself. Shot through +the knee and in great pain, he refused to go down, but sat at the top of +"Barts Alley" receiving reports, sending information to Brigade, and +directing as far as possible the remnants of his Battalion. For +twenty-one hours he remained, calm and collected as ever, and only +consented to be carried out when sure that all his Battalion had left +the Redoubt. Meanwhile further to the left along the same trench, +Colonel Jones made it his business to keep the Redoubt supplied with +bombs. He was here, there, and everywhere, directing parties, finding +bomb stores, helping, encouraging, and giving a new lease of life to all +he met. Many brave deeds were done by N.C.O.'s and men and never heard +of, but one stands out remembered by all who were there. L.-Corpl. +Clayson, of "D" Company, during the time that his platoon was in this +trench, spent all his time out in the old No Man's Land, under heavy +machine gun fire, carrying in the wounded, many of whom would have +perished but for his bravery. + +With darkness came orders that the Sherwood Foresters would take over +the line from us, but long before they could arrive our Companies in the +Redoubt were being very hard pressed, and scarcely held their own. The +German bombers never for a moment ceased their attack, and for some time +our bombers held them with difficulty. Then came the cruellest blow of +fortune, for many of the bags and boxes of bombs sent up during the +afternoon were found to contain bombs without detonators, many others +were filled with types of grenades we had never seen. In spite of this +there was one officer who always managed to find the wherewithal to +reply to the German attacks. Escaping death by a miracle, for his great +height made him very conspicuous, 2nd Lieut. Tomson stood for hours at +one of the bombing blocks, smoking cigarettes and throwing bombs. With +him was Pte. P. Bowler, who proved absolutely tireless, while in another +part of the line Pte. W.H. Hallam and one or two others carried out a +successful bombing exploit on their own, driving back the enemy far +enough to allow a substantial block to be built in a vital place. To add +to the horrors of the situation, the garrison had ever in their ears the +cries of the many wounded, who lay around calling for Stretcher Bearers +or for water, and to whom they could give no help. The Bearers had +worked all day magnificently, but there is a limit to human endurance, +and they could carry no more. Even so, when no one else was strong +enough, Captain Barton was out in front of the Redoubt, regardless of +bombs, and thinking only of the wounded, many of whom he helped to our +lines, while to others, too badly hit to move, he gave water or +morphia. Hour after hour he worked on alone, and no one will ever know +how many lives he saved that night. + +Soon after 6 p.m., the Sherwood Foresters started to arrive and +gradually worked their way up towards the Redoubt, a long slow business, +for the communication trenches were all choked and no one was very +certain of the route. One large party arriving at midnight happened to +meet Colonel Jones, who advised them to try going over the top, and +actually gave them their direction by the stars. So accurate were his +instructions that the party arrived exactly at the Redoubt--incidentally +at a moment when the Germans were launching a counter attack over the +open. Such an attack might well have been disastrous, but the Boche, +seeing the Sherwood Foresters and over-estimating their strength, +retired hurriedly. By dawn the Sherwood Foresters had taken over the +whole Redoubt, though many of our "A" and "B" Companies were not +relieved and stayed there until the following night. Our task now was +the defence of the original British front line, for which Colonel Jones +was made responsible, and which we garrisoned with "C" (Farmer) right, +"D" (Williams) centre, and "A" and "B" (Tomson) left. Major Toller, +several times knocked down by shells and suffering from concussion, +Lieut. Wollaston wounded, and 2nd Lieut. Wynne gassed, had all been sent +down, and 2nd Lieut. Williams followed some hours later. Our only other +officer, Lieut. R. Ward Jackson, was in charge of the Grenadiers, and +spent his time in the Redoubt organizing bomb attacks and posts and +trench blocks, himself throwing many bombs, and in a very quiet way +doing a very great deal. + +Twice during the night General Kemp visited the line, and went round the +Redoubt before it was handed over to the Sherwood Foresters. He wanted +very much to do more for the wounded, but the Stretcher Bearers were +worked out, and though volunteers worked hard and rescued many, there +were still numbers who had to be left until the following night. Rations +were brought by the Company Q.M. Serjeants under Capt. Worley to the +Quarry--a few hundred yards behind the left of our old front line--and +waited there until parties could be sent for them, a matter of several +hours. However, they were distributed at dawn, when they were very +welcome, for many had been nearly twenty-four hours without food. 2nd +Lieut. Tomson was one of these, remarking, as C.S.M. Gorse gave him +some rum, that he had had nothing since the attack but "two biscuits and +over 300 cigarettes!" + +Throughout the following day we remained in our old front line, +listening to the continuous bombing attacks in the Redoubt, and giving +what assistance we could with carrying parties. The morning was very +misty, and in expectation of a counter attack we were ordered to keep +double sentries, so that the trench was more than usually full of men, +when the enemy suddenly bombarded it with heavy shells. There were +several direct hits, and the trench was blown in in many places, while +one shell fell into the middle of a machine gun team. Serjt. W. Hall, of +"D" Company, L/Corpl. A.F. Brodribb, and Pte. Bartlam were all killed, +and the rest of the team were badly shaken, until C.S.M. Gorse and +Corpl. B. Staniforth came along and helped to reorganize the post with a +few new men. The trench contained no real cover, and the bombardment +lasted for about half an hour; a severe ordeal for men who had already +had a stiff fight followed by a night of bombing. Many of the telephone +lines were broken, and L.-Corpl. Fisher, who had done such gallant work +the previous day, was killed entering our trench just after he had +re-opened communication. In the afternoon we were again bombarded, this +time with lachrymatory as well as H.E. shells, but our casualties were +not so heavy, though the trench was again demolished in several places. +Finally at 11-30 p.m. the Sherwood Foresters started to relieve us. They +arrived in small parties, and some did not appear until dawn the +following day, so that relief was not complete until 8 a.m. We then went +back to Lancashire trench between the Railway and Vermelles, where we +slept for several hours. + +At 2 p.m., motor 'buses arrived to take the Brigade back to Hesdigneul, +and made several journeys, but had not room for all the Battalion, so 70 +set off to march under Major Toller, who had returned to us in +Lancashire trench. It proved to be a dark night, and the party lost +their way slightly in Verquigneul, but finally arrived singing (led by +C.S.M. Gorse) at Hesdigneul, and reached their billets about midnight. + +In so far that Fosse 8 still remained in the hands of the enemy, the +battle was a failure, but in capturing the Redoubt the Brigade had +prevented it being a complete failure. Though we only held the German +front line and one small point in advance of it, we made it impossible +for the enemy to hold any of the Redoubt himself, and so robbed him of +his commanding position on the high ground. Our casualties had been +heavy, and the two attacking Battalions had only one officer left +between them, while we in reserve had lost four officers and 22 men +killed, six officers and 132 men wounded and 13 men missing. Two +officers and 22 men had been gassed, but presently returned to us. The +causes of our failure were mainly two. First, the failure of the +Artillery to wipe out "Mad Point" and Madagascar and their machine guns; +secondly, the gas. This last was undoubtedly a mistake. It caused us +several casualties; it made it necessary for the attackers to wear +rolled up gas masks which impeded them, it stopped our H.E. bombardment +an hour before the assault and so enabled German machine gunners to come +back to their guns, and above all it had a bad effect on us, for we knew +its deadly effects, and many a man swallowing a mouthful or smelling it +became frightened of the consequences and was useless for further +fighting. There was also the mistake of leaving Fosse and Dump trenches +untouched by the bombardment, because they were reported weeks before to +be shallow and unoccupied; as it happened we found them full of men. +Finally, there were the bombs. We had been promised Mills only, and yet +found many other types during the battle. Possibly a shortage of Mills +might account for this, but there can be no possible excuse for sending +grenades into a fight without detonators, and no punishment could be too +harsh for the officer who was responsible for this. + +Honours and Rewards were not given in those days as they were later, and +many a brave deed went unrecognized. There were only nine D.C.M.'s in +the Division, and of these the Brigade won seven, to which we +contributed one, Hallam, the grenadier. Of the officers, Capt. Barton, +Lieut. Wollaston, and 2nd Lieut. Williams received the Military Cross, +and the Colonel's name appeared in the next list for a C.M.G. It was +not until long afterwards that those who had been with him began to talk +of the splendid deeds of 2nd Lieut. Tomson throughout the day and night +of the 13th, and he was never one to talk about himself. Had anyone in +authority known at the time he, too, would have had some decoration. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +FLANDERS MUD TO THE MEDITERRANEAN. + +15th Oct., 1915. 28th Jan., 1916. + + +The whole Brigade was left very weak after the battle, and there was a +serious shortage of officers. As in this respect we, as a Battalion, had +suffered least, we had to supply the needs of other units, and Major +Toller went to command the 4th Battalion, taking with him 2nd Lieut. +Trevor Jones, as they had no subaltern officers. At the same time 2nd +Lieut. H.E. Chapman was sent to help the 5th Lincolnshires, and Capt. +Burnett and Lieut. Ward Jackson went to Brigade Headquarters to look +after Transport and Bombs, while their duties in the Battalion were +performed by Serjt. Brodribb and Serjt. Goodman. We could not afford a +machine gun officer, so Serjt. Jacques was made responsible for the guns +until an officer reinforcement should arrive. "A," "B" and "D" Companies +were commanded by Lieuts. Tomson, Wynne, and Shields, and, as Lieut. +Allen was still in hospital, Lieut. Hills acted as Adjutant. The +officers all messed together at first, and tried to maintain the old +cheerful spirit of the Battalion mess--a little difficult after losing +in one day more than three-quarters of the mess. + +On Sunday, General Montagu-Stuart-Wortley came to talk to the Battalion +after Church parade, and congratulated us on the fighting, saying that, +considering the odds against us, he thought we had done very well +indeed. He then went round the ranks talking to some of the men who had +taken part in the battle, and was very amused by some of the answers he +received to his questions. One soldier, asked what he had done in the +fight, replied that he had "blown half a Boche officer's leg off with a +bomb." The General thought this excellent, but wanted to know why he had +chosen half an officer only, and not a whole one. + +We stayed ten days at Hesdigneul, and then moved to Drouvin and +Vaudricourt, where the billets were better, and we were able to have a +Battalion officers' mess. During this time, many reinforcement officers +arrived and two large drafts of other ranks. Two of our original +officers returned--Capt. Beasley, who now took command of "B" Company, +and Lieut. Knighton, who returned to "D" as 2nd in Command. The +remainder were new to us, and were posted as follows: "A" Company--2nd +Lieuts. M.A. Hepworth, C.H. Pickworth, and G. Russell; "B" Company--2nd +Lieuts. J.W. Brittain and, when they returned, the two officers lent to +other Battalions; "C" Company--Capt. S.J. Fowler, 2nd Lieuts. A.M. +Barrowcliffe and A.L. Macbeth; "D" Company--2nd Lieuts. A.H. Dawes, +H.W. Oliver, and J.R. Brooke. 2nd Lieut. C.L. Saunders became Machine +Gun Officer. With these additions we were able to start training again, +and devoted our time to route marching, bayonet fighting, and, most of +all, bomb throwing. At no time during the war was more reliance placed +on bombs, and scheme after scheme was invented for "bombing attacks up +a trench," to such an extent that the platoon organisation was now +re-modelled with the one idea of forming bomb parties. The rifle seemed +to be temporarily forgotten. + +On the 28th October, as many Units as possible of the 1st Army were +inspected by H.M. The King. Our Brigade formed a composite Battalion +commanded by Col. Jones, and, with the rest of the Division, and +representatives of other Divisions, was drawn up along the +Hesdigneul-Labuissiere Road. His Majesty rode past us from Labuissiere +and, after taking the salute, came down the hill again in his car with +the Prince of Wales. He acknowledged our cheers with a smile, and it was +not until afterwards that we learnt of his accident soon after passing +us, and knew the pain he was suffering during his drive back, pain which +he had so admirably concealed. + +After the inspection we sent a large party, six officers and 230 +N.C.O.'s and men, to Sailly Labourse, to carry gas cylinders and other +material to trenches, but except for this we were spared all fatigues +during our period of rest. A week later we marched through Bethune and +Robecq to Calonne sur la Lys, a little village outside Merville, where +we remained another week before going to the line. Lieut. Allen rejoined +us and became Adjutant; Lieut. Hills, after a few days with "A" Company, +went to Brigade Headquarters as a Staff Learner. At the same time, Major +Toller returned to the Battalion as 2nd in Command. After commanding the +4th Battalion until a new Colonel arrived for them, he had been posted +to the 5th Lincolnshires, and for a time it looked as though he would be +permanently given command. However, bad luck pursued him, and, as two +new Colonels arrived for that Battalion the same day, he again lost his +Command. Considering that he had commanded us for three months during +the summer with great success, and was easily senior Major in the +Brigade, it was exceptionally bad luck that he had to wait another eight +months before finally getting his Battalion. + +On the 10th November, we were told that we should once more take over a +part of the line, and the following morning we marched to Lacouture and +went into billets for one night. "B" Co. (Beasley) went on at once and +spent the night in support positions near the Rue du Bois between +Festubert and Neuve Chapelle. The rest of us moved up the next day and +took over our new line from the Sherwood Foresters the same night. +Battalion Headquarters lived in a little cottage, "No. 1" Albert Road, +two Companies occupied a large farm house in the same neighbourhood +fitted up as a rest house, one Company lived in a series of curiously +named keeps--"Haystack," "Z Orchard," "Path," and "Dead Cow," and one +Company only was in the front line. + +The Brigade now held the line from "Kinkroo," a corruption of La Quinque +Rue, crossing to the "Boar's Head," and of this we held the stretch +opposite the two farms in No Man's Land, Fme du Bois and Fme Cour +d'Avoue. The latter, surrounded by a moat, had an evil reputation, and +was said to have been the death-trap of many patrols, which had gone +there and never been seen since. The trenches had been dug in the summer +when the country was dry, with no regard to the fact that in winter the +water level rises to within two inches of the surface of the ground. In +consequence, the trenches were full of mud and water, and most of the +bivouacs and shelters were afloat. The mud was the worst, for although +only two feet deep, yet it was of the clinging variety, and made walking +impossible, so much so, that many a man has found it impossible to +withdraw his foot, has had to leave his gum-boot behind, go on in his +socks, and come back later with a shovel to rescue his boot. The water +was deeper and often came over one's gum-boots and up to one's waist, +but at least it was possible to walk slowly through it without fear of +getting stuck. To add to the discomfort of the garrison, the weather was +bitterly cold and often very wet, and though no Company remained more +than 24 hours in the front line, yet that was long enough for many to +become chilled and so start the terrible "trench foot." + +"Trench foot," as it was called, was one of the most terrible +afflictions of winter trenches. After standing for a long period in +water or mud, or with wet rubber boots, the feet became gradually numbed +and the circulation ceased, while as the numbed area increased a dull +aching pain spread over the whole foot. Exercise to restore the +circulation would have prevented this, but for men who were compelled to +spend the entire day in one fire bay, exercise was impossible, and by +evening the numbness had almost always started. As soon, therefore, as a +Company came from the front line, it marched to the rest house. Here, +every man was given a hot drink, his wet boots and socks were taken +away, his feet rubbed by the Stretcher Bearers until the circulation was +restored, and then with dry socks and dry boots he remained for the next +24 hours in the warmer atmosphere of the rest house. Should action not +be taken in time, and a man be left for 48 hours with wet boots and +socks, the rest house treatment was insufficient, and he had to be sent +to Hospital, where, if gangrene had not set in, he could still be cured. +Many in the early days did not realize its dangers, for once gangrene +starts, the foot has to be amputated. + +The enemy's trenches were probably as bad as our own, and he only manned +his front line at night, leaving a few snipers to hold it by day. These +were active for the first hour or two after morning "stand to," but then +had breakfast and apparently slept for the rest of the day, at all +events they troubled us no more. This was a distinct advantage, for it +enabled communication to be kept between posts and from front to rear, +without the orderly having either to swim up a communication trench or +run a serious risk of being sniped. One, Kelly, a famous "D" Company +character, tried to walk too soon one morning to fetch his rum ration +and was hit in the knee, much to his annoyance; but on the whole there +were very few casualties. By night, too, there was not much firing, +probably because both sides were hard at work taking up rations, +relieving front line posts, or trying to get dry with the aid of a walk +"on top." In our case, with 24 hour reliefs, there were no ration +parties, because each Company as it went to the line took its rations +and fuel with it. + +Our only communication trench was "Cadbury's," which started near +"Chocolat Menier," corner of the Rue du Bois, so called after an +advertisement for this chocolate fastened to the side of a house. It was +even more water logged than the front line, and consequently, except +when the ice was thick enough to walk on, was seldom used. With a +little care it was possible to reach the front line even by day without +the help of a trench at all, and Lieut. Saunders always used to visit +his machine guns in this way, making the journey both ways over the top +every day that we held the sector, and never once being shot at. + +The Rue du Bois we used as little as possible, for every other house was +an O.P., and the gunners preferred us at a distance. The "Ritz," +"Carlton," "Trocadero," and "Princes" all gave one an excellent view of +the enemy's front line, and, knowing this, the Boche concentrated most +of the little artillery he used on this neighbourhood. There was seldom +any heavy shelling, mostly field artillery only, and this of a poor +order, for not only were there many "duds" in every shoot, but also the +gunners seemed to lack imagination. So regular were they in their choice +of targets, times of shooting, and number of rounds fired, that, after +being in the line one or two days, Col. Jones had discovered their +system, and knew to a minute where the next shell would fall. His +calculations were very accurate, and he was able to take what seemed to +uninitiated Staff Officers big risks, knowing that the shelling would +stop before he reached the place being shelled. + +Amongst the new subaltern officers was one unlike any we had seen +before--2nd Lieut. J.R. Brooke. He loved patrolling for its own sake, +and during his first few days in the line explored everything he could +find including the German wire and trenches. From this time onwards he +spent more of his days crawling about on his stomach than sitting like a +respectable soldier in a trench, and even when years later he became a +Company Commander it was found impossible to break him of the habit. +Captains were forbidden to go on patrol, but this did not matter to him, +he would take a subaltern with him and make the latter write the report, +calling it 2nd Lieut. ---- and one other Rank. One would expect such a +man to be large, strong, and of a fierce countenance; 2nd Lieut. Brooke +was small, of delicate health, and looked as though his proper vacation +in life was to hand cups of tea to fair ladies at a village tea fight. + +It seemed probable that we should have to remain in this sector for the +whole winter, and our first thought was, therefore, how to make the +trenches somewhat more habitable. It was obvious that digging was out of +the question, and that nothing less than a large breastwork, built +entirely above ground, would be of any use. General Kemp visited the +lines several times before finally deciding on his plan, and then +sighted two works, the front a few yards behind our present front line, +the second just behind what was called the "old British Line," now used +for our supports. It was a gigantic task, and the work was very slow, +even though every available man worked all night. The inside of the +breastwork was to be revetted with frames of woodwork and expanded +metal, and, in order that the parapet might be really bullet proof, the +soil for it had to be dug from a "borrow pit" several yards in front. +The soil was sticky and would not leave the shovel, which added terribly +to the work; for each man had literally to dig a shovel full, walk five +or six yards and deposit it against the revetting frames. Fortunately +for us the Boche did not seem to object to our work, in any case he left +us in peace each night. + +While this was in progress, an effort was also made to try and drain the +area. In many places water was lying, held up by sandbag walls and old +trenches, actually above the ground level, and it was hoped that by +cleaning ditches and arranging a general drainage scheme for the whole +area, this surplus water might be drained off, and, in time, the whole +water level lowered. Lieut. A.G. Moore, M.C., who returned from England +at this time, was made "O.C. Drainage," and set to work at once with +what men he could collect, but so big were the parties working on the +breastworks each night, that only a very few could be spared for this +other work, and not very much could be done. + +Soon after Lieut. Moore, 2nd. Lieut. G.B. Williams also returned to us, +and became Battalion Intelligence Officer, a post now started for the +first time. At the same time four new officers arrived--2nd Lieuts. G. +Selwyn and W. Ashwell to "A" Company, 2nd Lieut. A.N. Bloor to "B," and +2nd Lieut. V.J. Jones to "D." C.S.M. Gilding and Serjt. Brodribb both +left us to be trained as officers, and their places were taken by +C.Q.M.S. Johnson who became C.S.M. of "C" Company, and Corpl. Roberts +who took charge of the Transport. The latter was still under the special +care of Capt. Burnett, although he had all the Transport of the Brigade +to look after. + +Our first tour ended on the 25th, when, after 12 days' mud and frost, we +were relieved by the 4th Lincolnshires, and came back to billets in the +Rue des Chavattes, not far from Lacouture, where Stores and Transport +remained throughout this time. Our casualties had not been very heavy, +and we lost more through the weather conditions than at the hands of +the enemy, for Capt. Fowler and several N.C.O.'s and men, unable to +stand the exposure, had to be sent to Hospital. Our billeting area +included several keeps or strong points--L'Epinette, le Touret, and +others--for which we found caretakers, little thinking, as we stocked +them with reserve rations, that the Boche would eventually eat our +"Bully," and it would fall to our lot in three years time to drive him +from these very positions. The day after relief, the Brigadier went on +leave, and Col. Jones took his place at Brigade Headquarters--"Cense du +Raux" Farm--somewhat to the annoyance of one or two of the other +Commanding Officers, who, though junior to the Colonel, were all +"Regular Time-serving Soldiers." + +Up to this time our covering Artillery had belonged to another (New +Army) Division, but now our own Gunners took over the line, making it +more than ever certain that we were to spend the whole winter in these +abominable trenches. We were very glad to see our own Artillery again, +for, though their predecessors had done quite well, we always preferred +our own, even in the days of 15 pounders and 5 inch howitzers. Not only +were they more accurate than other people, but they were also more +helpful, and were obviously intent on serving us Infantry, not, as some +others, on carrying on a small war of their own. Besides, we knew the +F.O.O.'s so well and looked forward to seeing them in the Mess, where, +between occasional squabbles about real or imaginary short shooting, +they were the most cheerful companions. Lieuts. Wright, Morris-Eyton, +Watson of the 1st Staffs., Morgan, Anson of the 4th, and Lyttelton, +Morris, and Dixie of the 2nd Lincolnshires, were the most frequent +visitors for the "pip squeaks," while Lieuts. Newton, Cattle, and F. +Joyce performed the same duties for the Derby Howitzers. They always +took care to maintain their superiority over the mere foot soldier by a +judicious use of long technical words which they produced one at a time. +At Kemmel they were always "registering"; at Ypres, as we, too, had +learnt the meaning of "register" and even dared to use the word +ourselves, they introduced "bracketing," and as this became too common, +"calibrating" and so on; the more famous of recent years being "datum +point" and M.P.I, (mean point of impact). Occasionally our officers used +to visit the Batteries, in order to learn how a gun was fired--an +opportunity for any F.O.O. to wreak vengeance on some innocent Infantry +Subaltern, who had dared to suggest that he had been shooting short. The +Infantryman would be led down to the gun pit, and told to stand with one +leg on each side of the trail, "so that he could watch the shell leave +the gun"; some Gunner would then pull a string and the poor spectator, +besides being nearly deaf, would see some hideous recoiling portion +shoot straight at his stomach, stop within an eighth of an inch of his +belt buckle, and slide slowly back--a ghastly ordeal. + +On the night of the 2nd December, we went once more to the line and +relieved the 4th Lincolnshires in our old sector, which we found very +much as we had left it, perhaps a little wetter, as it had been raining. +For this tour we slightly altered our dispositions, and instead of each +of the four Companies taking a tour in the front line, two Companies +only would do so for this tour, the other two doing the same the +following tour. It was hoped that in this way the garrison would take +more interest in improving their surroundings if they knew they would +return to the same place every other day. Under the old system, no one +took much interest in a trench which he only occupied for 24 hours, and +would not see again for four days. We did not, however, have a chance of +testing this new arrangement, for at 3-45 the following morning, orders +came that the Division would be relieved the following night, and was +under orders to go to the East. As soon as it was dark, the 19th +Division took our place in the line, and we marched back for the night +to the Rue des Chavattes, whence, after ridding ourselves of gum-boots, +sheepskin coats, and extra blankets, we marched the following day by +Locon, Lestrem and Merville to Caudescure, a little village on the edge +of Nieppe Forest. + +We found fairly good billets here, though they were too scattered to +allow of a Battalion Mess, and we spent a very enjoyable fortnight +training, playing football, and listening to rumours about our +destination. The most persistent of the last was Egypt, based in the +first instance on a telephone conversation between a Corps and +Divisional Signaller, overhead by a telephonist at Brigade, in which the +Corps Signaller told his friend that he had seen a paper in one of the +offices which said that we were to go to Egypt. On the other hand, +Lieut. X of the Lincolnshires had a brother in the Flying Corps, who had +ridden on a lorry with an A.S.C. Serjeant from G.H.Q., and had been told +that all the Territorial Divisions in India were being relieved by +Divisions from France. Against this was Captain Z's batman, who had a +friend in the Staffordshires who was batman to an officer who had a +cousin in the War Office, and he said we were going to the Dardenelles. +On the top of all these came General Montagu-Stuart-Wortley to inspect +us, and, incidentally, to tell us that he himself had not the slightest +idea where we were going. + +On the 19th we moved to the little hamlet of Tannay, still on the edge +of the woods, between Haverskerque and Thiennes. As we paraded in the +morning there were many who said they could smell gas, but as the wind +was N.E. and the line very far away, we thought they must be mistaken. +However, the next day the official communique told us of a big gas +attack at Ypres on the 9th and 49th Divisions, and though Ypres was 18 +miles away, it must have been this that could be smelt. In these new +billets we spent Christmas--the first Christmas in France for us, and +managed with the aid of plum puddings and other luxuries sent out to us +by the good people at home, to enjoy ourselves immensely. Not only were +many good things to eat sent us, but we also received some very welcome +gifts of tobacco, cigarettes, books and stationery from the "Leicester +Daily Post and Mercury" funds. Both these papers have been most faithful +throughout the war, never failing to send us "themselves," and often +adding boxes of comforts for all. Our celebrations included a Brigade +Football Cup competition, for which we entered a hot side, including +many of our old players--"Banger" Neal, "Mush" Taylor, Toon, Archer, +Skelly, Fish, Serjt. Allan, Kirchin and others. We met the 5th +Lincolnshires in the semi-finals and beat them 2--1, and then turned our +attention to their 4th Battalion, who after beating our 4th Battalion, +our old rivals, met us in the final and went down 1--0. The final was a +keen, hard game, played well to the finish, and we deserved our win. The +trophy--a clock, mounted into a French "75" shell--was taken back to +Leicestershire by Capt. Farmer when he next went on leave. + +On the 27th we again moved, this time to some farms round Widdebroucq, +just west of Aire, to be nearer our entraining station Berguette, which +with Lillers had already been reconnoitred. As Captains Hills and Ward +Jackson had already gone forward with an advance party to Marseilles, it +began to look as though we really should go East before the end of the +war--a fact which some of us were beginning to doubt. Training still +continued each day, special attention being paid to open warfare +tactics, which fortunately included more musketry and less bombing, and +we also carried out a number of route marches and field days. Scouts, +having become obsolete, were resurrected, and Field Service Regulations +rescued from the dim recesses of valises. It was a pleasant change after +the previous nine months' trench work. + +At last, on the 6th January, we marched to Berguette station and boarded +a long train of cattle trucks, leaving at 4.40 p.m. The first part of +the journey was uninteresting, but after passing Paris, the train seemed +happier, went quite fast at times, and did not stop so long between +stations. The weather on the 8th was lovely, and the third day's +travelling under a hot sun was delicious; doors were pushed back, and +those for whom there was no room on the foot-boards, sat on the carriage +roofs. Finally, at 1.0 a.m. on the 9th, the train reached Marseilles, +and we marched out to a camp on the west side of the town, in a suburb +called Santi, where there were tents for all, and a large room for an +officers' mess. Here we remained 14 days in the most excellent +surroundings, and with heavenly weather. + +The Staffordshires and Lincolnshires had already sailed for Egypt when +we arrived, and a few days later another ship carried some Padres and +other officers of the Division to the same destination. For the rest of +us there were for the moment no transports, so we had to wait--not a +very terrible task, when our most strenuous exercise was sea-bathing or +playing water polo, and our recreation consisted of walking into the +town, to which an almost unlimited number of passes were given. Here, it +must be admitted, there was often too much to eat and far too much to +drink, and the attractions were so great that everybody waited for the +last possible tram back to camp, with the result that this vehicle +arrived with human forms clinging to every corner of the sides, ends and +roof--a most extraordinary sight. On one occasion two well-known +soldiers who had dined too well and not too wisely, stood solemnly at +the side of the road holding up their hands to a tram to stop, when a +party of lively French scavengers turned the hosepipe on to them, and +they had to be rescued from the gutter, where they lay with the water +running in at their collars and out at their ankles. The officers, too, +had many popular resorts, such as Therese's Bar and the Bodega for +cocktails, the Novelty for dinner, and a host of entertainments to +follow, ranging from the opera, which was first-class, for the serious, +through the "Alcazar" and "Palais de Crystal" for the frivolous, to the +picture palaces for the utterly depraved. + +On the 20th we learnt that our Transport was now ready for us, and the +following morning we marched to the docks and embarked in H.M.T. +"Andania," late Cunard, which can only be described as a floating +palace, fitted with every modern luxury. We were all rather glad to be +leaving Marseilles, for it was an expensive place, and many of the +officers were beginning to be a little apprehensive about the lengths to +which Mr. Cox would let them go. However, all would now be right, +because once in the desert we should draw extra pay and find no Bodegas. +We were to sail on the morning of the 22nd, and soon after dawn orders +arrived--to disembark! Sadly we left our palace and walked back to Santi +Camp--now hateful to look upon, as we realised that within a few days we +should be back once more in the mud, rain, cold and snow of Flanders. +The reason for the sudden change, for taking half the Division to Egypt +for a fortnight only, was never told us, but probably it was owing to +the successful evacuation of the Dardanelles. Had this been a failure, +had we been compelled to surrender large numbers to save the rest, the +Turks would have been free to attack Egypt, which had at that time a +small garrison only. As it was the Division from Gallipoli went to +Egypt, and we were not wanted. + +On the 27th Pte. Gregory, who died as the result of a tram accident, was +given a full military funeral, and the following day at 4.30 a.m. we +left Marseilles for the North. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE VIMY RIDGE. + +6th Feb., 1916. 9th May, 1916. + + +Our return train journey was uneventful until we reached Paris, where a +German air raid started just as we arrived, and the train was compelled +to stop. We had a beautiful view, and, as the French depended more on +their own planes than on anti-aircraft guns, it was well worth watching. +The French machines all carried small searchlights, and, in addition to +these, the sky was light up with the larger searchlights from below, +while the efforts of the Boche to avoid the lights, and the French to +catch their opponents, produced some wonderful air-manoeuvering, which +ended in the retirement of the Boche. As soon as they had gone, our +train went on, and we reached Pont Remy station outside Abbeville at +8-30 a.m. on the 30th--back once more in rain, snow, and mud. + +We marched at once to Yaucourt Bussus, a small village with comfortable +billets, which we occupied for nearly a fortnight, spending our time +training and playing football. Meanwhile, as the Brigadier and the two +Lincolnshire Battalions had not yet returned from Egypt, Col. Jones, +taking with him 2nd Lieut. Williams as Staff Officer, went to command +the half Brigade and lived with Captain Burnett at Ailly le haut +Clocher, another small village, to which the Brigadier came on his +return on the 11th. While the Colonel was away, Major Toller took +command and Major T.C.P. Beasley acted as 2nd in Command. For the time +no one seemed to have the slightest idea what was going to happen to the +Division next. + +On the 10th we marched to Gorenflos, and the following day were taken by +lorries to billets in Candas, where, with an East wind, we could +occasionally hear the distant sounds of gunfire for the first time for +two months. Our new area we found was full of preparation for something; +what the exact nature of this something might be we did not know. +Several large railways and dumps were being built, new roads made, and +here and there with great secrecy big concrete gun platforms were laid. +Each day we sent large numbers to work, mostly on the railways, and once +more we heard the words "Big Push." We were always living on the verge +of the Big Push, and many times in 1915 had thought that it had +started--at Neuve Chapelle, Givenchy, Loos--only to give up hope when +these battles stagnated after a day or two. Now there were preparations +going forward again, this time apparently on a much larger scale than we +had ever seen before, so we felt justified once more in hoping for the +great event. Curiously enough the possibilities of a Boche big push were +never considered, and everyone of us was firmly convinced that, except +perhaps for a blow at Ypres, offensive action on the part of the enemy +was out of the question. This spirit animated all our work, which was +consequently very different from our opponents. Our trenches always had +a we-shall-not-stay-here-long air about them, his were built to resist +to the last man. It was the same in training and in billets, we +unconsciously considered ourselves an advancing army, and thereby, +though we may not have realized it, we ourselves supplied the finest +possible stimulant to our moral. + +The IIIrd. Army (Gen. Allenby), to which we now belonged, introduced at +this time the Army School--an important innovation, shortly taken up by +all the other Armies. This School, first commanded by Col. +Kentish--afterwards Commandant of the Senior Aldershot School--aimed at +training junior officers to be Company Commanders, who owing to +casualties were now hard to find. The course, which lasted five weeks, +consisted of drill, tactical exercises, physical training, musketry, +bayonet fighting and bombing, lectures on esprit de corps--in fact +everything that a Company Commander should know, but many things that in +trench warfare had been forgotten. The Instructors were always +up-to-date, and the best use was at once made of any of the latest +inventions, while the school also kept a very efficient "Liaison" +between all parts of the Army. Students from one Division would exchange +latest schemes, ruses, and devices with others from another part of the +line, and so no valuable lessons were lost or known to a few only. Our +first students to this school were Capt. Ward Jackson, who was in charge +of "A" Company, and Capt. G.W. Allen, the latter for a special +Adjutant's refresher course. After these, all the Company Commanders +went in turn, first to Flixecourt, and later to Auxi le Chateau, whither +the school moved in the early summer. There were similar courses for +senior N.C.O.'s, which were of the utmost value. + +Another important innovation at this time was the introduction of the +Lewis light machine gun. The Maxim, and even the Vickers machine gun had +been found for many reasons unsuitable for infantry work, being too +heavy and cumbersome for rapid movement, too conspicuous for easy +concealment. It was therefore decided to form Brigade Machine Gun +Companies, who would be armed with Vickers guns, while Battalions would +have Lewis guns only, on a scale of two per Company, for they were to be +considered a company rather than a Battalion weapon. This light gun had +no tripod, was air-cooled, and fired a pan instead of a belt of +ammunition. It was as easy to carry as to conceal, and was in every way +an enormous improvement on the "Vickers" from the infantry point of +view. Training in the new weapon started at once, and as 2nd Lieut. +Saunders and Serjt. Jacques were required for the Brigade Machine Gun +Company, 2nd Lieut. Shipston was made Lewis Gun Officer, with Corporal +Swift to help him, and these two trained as many men as possible with +the two guns issued to us, so that when more arrived the teams would be +ready for them. Captain Ellwood commanded the Brigade Machine Gunners, +and in addition to our chief instructors, we also sent 2nd Lieut. +Stentiford and 30 N.C.O.'s and men to start the Company. 2nd Lieut. +Stentiford was a new subaltern officer who, with 2nd Lieuts. T.P. Creed +and C.J. Morris, had arrived while the battalion was at Marseilles. + +On the 16th February orders came that at an early date we should take +over the line North of the River Ancre, opposite Beaumont Hamel, and the +following day several lorry loads of officers reconnoitred the country +round Forceville, Englebelmer and Mailly Maillet, where there were some +rear defence lines. Maps of the front were issued, and we were about to +arrange trench reconnaissances, when the orders were cancelled and we +moved instead, on the 20th, to Bernaville, and joined the rest of the +Brigade. The other Battalions and Brigade Headquarters were in the +neighbouring villages. At this time the people of Leicestershire were +once more very good to us, and our War Diary contains a note that "This +day the C.O. acknowledges with thanks the gifts of 30,000 cigarettes +from our 2/5th Battalion, also a hand ambulance from Messrs. Symington +and Co., Market Harborough." The last survived the rough usages of war +for a very long time, and many a wounded man has been thankful for its +springs and rubber tyres. + +The rest of the month was spent in doing a little training and a deal of +road-clearing. It snowed very hard once or twice, and many of the roads +became impossible for traffic, so each Battalion was allotted a road to +keep clean, ours being the main road to Fienvillers, along which we +spread ourselves armed with picks and shovels, while the village boys +threw snowballs at us. The 5th Division were moving North at the time, +and a whole day was spent by some of the Battalions dragging their +transport up a steep hill, a task beyond the strength of the horses. +Fortunately we were spared this, probably because we took care not to +clear the road to Brigade Headquarters, and so were left untouched. +During this very bad weather we lost 2nd Lieut. Brooke, who had to go to +Hospital with nephritis. + +On the 29th we moved to Doullens, where we spent an enjoyable week, and +were introduced to yet another innovation. In August, 1915, the French +had introduced a steel helmet for their machine gunners, finally +extending the issue to all ranks. This had been found of the greatest +value, and there had been at once a marked decrease in the percentage of +head wounds. The British helmet now appeared, and was generally voted, +as it first seemed, a hideous flat object, though some humorists +admitted that it might have distinct possibilities as a washing basin. A +few soldiers of the vainer sort thought they looked more "becoming" with +a "tin-hat" over one eye, but the vast majority hated them, and it was +with the greatest difficulty that those to whom they were issued, could +be persuaded not to throw them away. This aversion, however, soon +passed, and within a few months the infantryman standing under an +aeroplane battle without his "tin-hat" felt distinctly naked. + +It was now definitely decided that we were to relieve the French in the +Neuville St. Vaast-Souchez Sector, both places where the French had had +terrific fighting the previous year, and consequently a sector with a +bad reputation. The roads were still in bad condition, and a +char-a-banc, full of officers, who tried to reconnoitre reached no +further than the French Brigade Headquarters and had to return. On the +6th March we marched to Magnicourt and two days later to +Villers-au-bois, about three miles behind the line, going up to trenches +on the 9th. + +Early in 1915 the French line North of Arras had run through la +Targette, Carency and over the East end of the Lorette heights to Aix +Noulette. In May our allies made their first attack here and, driving +the Boche from the heights, gained possession, after terrific fighting, +of Ablain St. Nazaire, Souchez and Neuville St. Vaast. Later, in +conjunction with our September attack at Loos, they had again advanced, +and finally a brilliant assault by the Zouaves carried the line to the +Vimy ridge and on to these heights, beyond which the roads to Lens and +Douai lay open. The fighting for the summit had been severe, and in the +end each side retained its grip on the hill top, the opposing trenches +running 30 yards apart along the ridge. Active mining operations had +started soon afterwards, and shortly before our arrival the French had +been compelled to give up a considerable portion of their line, and so +lose their hold on the summit. With it they lost also their view +Eastwards, while the Boche, occupying their evacuated trenches, regained +his view of the next ridge to the West. + +This second ridge was more in the nature of a large plateau, stretching +back to Villers-au-bois, and separated from the Vimy ridge by a narrow +steep-sided valley--the "Talus des Zouaves," where the support Battalion +lived in dug-outs. Crossing the plateau from North to South was the main +Bethune, Souchez, Arras road, on which stood the remains of an old inn, +the Cabaret Rouge, where some excellent deep dug-outs provided +accommodation for the French Poste de Colonel and an Advanced Dressing +Station. The plateau was two miles wide, and over the first half (up to +"Point G") ran a long and very tiring duck-board track; beyond "Point G" +were two communication trenches to the line. One, "Boyau 1, 2, 3," was +seldom used, being in bad condition; the other, "Boyau d'Ersatz," was +boarded and well cared for, and used by all. It ran via the Cabaret +Rouge into the Talus des Zouaves, most of the way revetted with a +wonderful "wedding arch" revetment, and thence to the front line, +passing the left Poste de Commandant. The forward part of "Boyau 1, 2, +3," East of the "Talus," was called "Boyau Internationale," leading to +"Boyau Vincent" and so to the front line past the right Poste de +Commandant. Carency, Ablain and Souchez were houseless, Villers au bois +was little better, and our rest billets were huts at Camblain L'Abbe, +about four miles behind the line. + +The Brigade took over the left sector of the Divisional front and we +were allotted the left sub-sector, our right and left boundaries being +the two Boyaus "Internationale" and "Ersatz." The whole relief was to be +kept as secret as possible, and all reconnoitering and advance parties +were given French helmets to wear in the line, so that the Boche might +have no idea what was going to happen. It was a little disconcerting, +therefore, when a French listening post, two days before the relief, +reported that a Boche had suddenly looked into their post, and after +saying "Les Anglais n'sont pas encore donc arrives," equally suddenly +disappeared. In spite of this we were not disturbed during the relief +and by 10-30 p.m. on the 9th had taken the place of the 68th Regiment, +who marched out at one end of the trench as we appeared at the other, +having told us that we had come to a very quiet sector. The trenches +were in fair condition, though very dirty, and we had a quiet night so +began to hope that the sector might not be too terrible after all. The +next day the French left the area, leaving behind them two companies of +Engineers to carry on the mining operations on the Divisional front. In +handing over their posts the French had said nothing about their +countrymen whom they were leaving in the mines, and during the first +night several of them, coming up from below and talking a strange +language, narrowly escaped being killed for Boche. + +The enemy opposite us were very quiet, and obviously knowing of the +relief, were waiting to see what we should do. With the French there is +no doubt that they had had a tacit understanding not to wage a vigorous +war, though, while seeming inactive, they had all the time been +undermining the French trenches. With us they were uncertain what to do, +so for 24 hours did nothing except fire a few rifle shots, one of which +came through the parapet and killed C.S.M. E. Thompson, of "B" Company. +On the evening of the second day they went one step further, and threw a +single grenade, received two in return, and remained quiet for the +night. The next morning, the 11th, they threw six more, all short, and +we replied with 10, five of which fell in their trench and apparently +convinced them that we intended war; at any rate they made no more +tentative efforts, but in the afternoon started more or less in earnest. +At 4.45 p.m. they blew up a small mine opposite "A" Company, demolished +a sap-head, and half buried the solitary occupant, who escaped with +bruises only; after this they bombed, or tried to bomb us, until 8-0 +p.m., while we replied at the rate of two to one. Unfortunately, the +explosions caused a collapse in our parapet, about 10 yards of which +fell down suddenly, and had to be re-built during the night. + +The following night proved to be still more exciting. Soon after +midnight a French sapper, narrowly escaping several sentries who thought +he was a Boche, came running along the line excitedly waving his arms, +and saying: "Mine, mine, faire sauter, demi-heure." No one knew what he +meant, though we gathered a mine would probably go up somewhere in +half-an-hour, whether ours or theirs we had not the least idea. +Eventually he was led to Battalion Headquarters, where he explained that +the French were going to blow a camouflet in half-an-hour. It was +already nearly an hour since he first said this, and nothing had yet +happened, so we hurriedly cleared a small portion of our front line and +waited, while we sent for the Tunnelling Officer. He arrived, and the +"blow" was arranged for 5-0 a.m., at which hour there was a terrific +explosion, a forty-foot crater was formed, and another ten yards of our +parapet fell down. Such an explosion must have been caused by a much +bigger charge than we had laid, so we probably included in our "blow" a +Boche mine laid ready for us. We easily bombed off a party of his which +tried to rush the crater, and spent the day re-building our fallen +parapet. + +Rations, ammunition and R.E. material in this sector were brought to the +"Talus des Zouaves" on mule-drawn trucks along a narrow-gauge Railway +from Mont St. Eloi. Here, at a big Corps R.E. Dump, the trucks were +loaded every evening, the mule teams hooked in, and the party set off, +much harassed at times by bullets and shells, and seldom reaching home +without losing one, and often two animals. The Dump in the "Talus" also +got shelled; but the steep banks made the danger light and not much +damage was done in this way, though the Boche kept up a prolonged +bombardment at it with 5.9's on the evening of the 14th. Except for +this, the rest of the tour passed quietly, and on the following night +the 4th Lincolnshires relieved us, and we went back to rest in Camblain +L'Abbe huts, where we stayed for six days. + +Our second tour started on the 21st, and from this day onwards until we +finally left the sector, we had a bad time. Our first trouble was the +weather. Alternate frosts and thaws, rain and snow, soon filled our +trenches with mud and slush, into which parapets and parados either +crumbled gradually or collapsed wholesale. No sooner could we repair one +length, than another would give way, and through it all many posts had +to live with water over their ankles and no proper drying accommodation. +There had to be three companies in the line, so 24-hour reliefs were +impossible, and to increase our troubles our stay in a warm climate had +made us less capable of standing the exposure to cold and wet, and there +were many cases of trench fever, trench foot, and some pneumonia, while +the health of all was considerably impaired. One of the most pitiful +sights of the war was to see 20 of our men crawling on hands and knees +to the Aid Post--their feet so bad that they could not walk. + +Meanwhile the underground war was not as satisfactory as we should have +liked, and the Boche undoubtedly had the upper hand in the mining. Our +galleries were few and short, and in consequence useless for either +offence or defence, while his were known to be near our trenches in +several places. In one place between the right and centre companies the +Lincolnshires had expected a "blow" at any moment, and evacuating their +front line, had dug a new trench ten yards in rear of it. This seemed +to have been sighted in such a haphazard sort of way that it was at once +named the "Harry Tate" trench by some humorist, who pictured a Company +Commander coming out and saying "What shall we do next? Let's dig a +trench." And so they dug this one--quite useless, for it was bound to be +engulfed by any mine which exploded under the front line. The Boche, +however, thought more of the new trench than we did, and the day after +it was built, bombarded it with heavy minenwerfer shells until it was +unrecognisable. + +In this state we found it when we came in for our second tour, "C" +Company (Farmer) on the right and "A" Company (Ward Jackson) in the +centre. Our first morning the Boche started just before midday, and for +four hours rained heavy minenwerfer shells on these two Companies, and +particularly on the new trench. Fortunately there was no one in this, +and equally fortunately most of the shells fell between our front line +and supports; there was a thick mist at the time, and it was almost +impossible to judge their flight. Through it all Capt. Farmer walked +calmly from post to post, cheering the garrison, and just before the end +of the bombardment at 4-0 p.m., made his way down the small +communication trench towards his support platoon. Thence he went to call +on "B" Company, but was caught on the way back by a mortar, which he +probably could not see coming in the mist (for no one was more accurate +at judging their flight than he), and was killed instantly, being blown +out of the trench and lost for several hours. Captain Farmer was perhaps +the quietest, certainly the bravest, officer of his time, for he feared +nothing, and nothing could shake his calm, while it was said of him +that he was never angry and never despondent. When he was killed, "C" +Company lost their leader, and every man his best friend, while the mess +lost one who was the most cheerful comrade of every officer. + +This bombardment left our front line in a terrible condition, and +General Kemp decided to build a new main line of resistance 50 yards in +rear, holding the front with odd posts only. Meanwhile the front parapet +must be repaired, and the night was spent in doing this as far as we +could--a hopeless task, for the following afternoon we were again +hammered. This time "A" Company suffered most, and Corporal Williamson +and one man were killed, Serjt. Staniforth and one other wounded, while +the trench was blown in for several yards and a dug-out demolished. +Dug-outs were few, and consisted only of little hutches formed by +putting a sheet of iron over some slot. Even Company Headquarters of the +centre Company had little more than this, though Battalion Headquarters +and the other companies had a half-deep dug-out. + +The bombardments now became daily, and all our efforts at retaliation +either with artillery or trench mortars proved entirely ineffectual. +There was nothing we could do except clear as many men as possible away +from the danger area, and come back at dusk to rebuild our parapet. +Towards the end of the tour the Boche started firing rifle grenades +before each mortar, so that we should stoop to avoid the former and so +miss seeing the flight of the latter. The tour ended with a four-inch +fall of snow on the 26th, which melted almost at once and filled the +trenches with water, which no amount of pumping would remedy. After +relief we went to the "Talus des Zouaves" in Brigade support, except for +"C" Company (Moore), which went to the Cabaret Rouge--now used as +Brigade advanced Headquarters. + +The East side of the valley, where the Support Battalion's dug-outs had +been built, was immune from German shells owing to the steepness of the +hill side, and here for six days we had comparative rest, except at +nights, when we most of us went digging on the new line. The Battalion +Grenadiers under Serjeant Goodman particularly enjoyed themselves, and +their dug-out in the valley became a regular anarchists' arsenal. +Fiendish missiles were made out of empty bottles stuffed with ammonal +and other explosives, which they managed to obtain in large quantities +from the French miners, while the strength of various poisons and gases +was tested against the rats, against whose habitations they carried on +an endless war. A catapult was erected for practice purposes, and our +bombers became adepts in its use, knowing exactly how much fuse to +attach to a T.N.T.-filled glass beer bottle to make it burst two seconds +after landing in the Boche trench. The valley was a little dangerous +during practice hours, but nobody minded this so long as the enemy +suffered in the end. + +At the same time another innovation was introduced in the shape of the +Stokes light trench mortar--a stove-pipe-like gun firing a cylindrical +shell some 400 yards at the rate of 8 in the air at once. It was simply +necessary to drop the shell into the gun, at the bottom of which was a +striker, and the rest was automatic and almost noiseless, the shock of +discharge being rather like a polite cough. Brigade Trench Mortar +Companies were formed, in our case 2nd Lieuts. A.N. Bloor and W.R. +Ashwell, with several other ranks, went to join the first company. + +On the 2nd March, having received a draft of three N.C.O.'s and 106 men, +we went once more to the line and took over from the 4th Lincolnshires. +This time we were able to have two Companies in front, one in Boisselet +trench, part of the new work, and one in reserve, a far more +satisfactory distribution. The trenches were still in a very bad state, +and it was found in many places quite impossible to dig new lines, +because the ground had been so shaken by continuous bombardment for more +than a year, that the soil would no longer bind, and the sides of any +new trench collapsed almost as soon as they were dug. The tour was +fairly quiet, though Boche snipers and artillery were more active than +before, and we reached Camblain L'Abbe at the end of it without having +suffered any repetition of the trench mortar bombardments. + +Our six days' rest included two big working parties, two inspections, +and one demonstration, to say nothing of such minor details as church +parades, conferences, baths, and the usual overhauling of boots and +clothing. The work consisted of clearing dug-outs in the Bois des +Alleux, and only lasted two days, after which we polished ourselves for +General Kemp, who inspected us in a field near Camblain, and +said that he was much pleased indeed with our turnout. General +Montagu-Stuart-Wortley was equally complimentary at the second +inspection, and congratulated all ranks on their appearance and +smartness, which, considering the state of the trenches, was very +creditable. The demonstration was particularly interesting, and proved +the futility of the famous German flame projector. As many men as +possible were placed in a trench, while the demonstrator, standing at 30 +feet away with the machine, turned on the flame. The wind was behind +him, and the flame, with a tremendous roar, leapt out about 30 yards. +But the noise was the worst part, for the burning liquid, vapourising as +it left the machine, became lighter than air, and in spite of all the +efforts of the Demonstrator, could not be made to sink into the trench, +whose occupants were untouched. The men were all rather amused at the +whole performance and suggested that we should bring the machine into +the line to warm them up on cold days. + +On the 12th we marched once more to the line and relieved the 4th +Lincolnshires, this time for a four-day tour. We found on arrival that +the Boche a few hours previously had blown a large mine in the left +sector, to be occupied by "D" Company (Shields), so that in addition to +the work on the new trench, we had to supply many men for repairing this +new damage--no light task, for many yards of our front trench had +disappeared. To make work more difficult the Boche was continually +throwing bombs and rifle grenades to try and catch our working parties, +and it was only after two days' vigorous retaliation that we taught him +that it was wiser to keep quiet. The leading spirit in this retaliation +was Captain Shields himself, who would sit in his dug-out listening for +a German bomb. If he heard one he would rush out, coat off and sleeves +rolled up, and throw back as many Mills' bombs as he could lay hands on, +a formidable attack, for he could throw a tremendous distance. 2nd +Lieut. A.E. Brodribb was also a keen bomber who would stand at a post +and send back bomb for bomb until he had the Boche beaten. Meanwhile the +Battalion anarchists, though they had bad luck with the "West" spring +gun, which got buried in the bombardment, were very successful in other +ways. Serjeant Goodman, with his catapult, flinging home-made infernal +machines, first from one post, then from another, must have been very +annoying to the German sentries, while Cpl. Archer, firing salvoes of +rifle grenades, eight at a time, always had a quietening effect on any +Boche bomber who ventured to try his luck in this way. So far as bombs +were concerned we had the upper hand, but the Boche could always start +heavy shelling or mortaring, and against this we seemed to have no +effective retaliation. He did particularly heavy damage with these one +morning in this tour, a few hours after we had been visited by General +Byng, the Corps Commander, who went round the front line. On this +occasion we had two killed and six wounded by a direct hit on the +trench, while the F.O.O., who was observing at the time, was also badly +wounded. + +Towards the end of the tour the situation became quieter and we went +once more into the Talus to wait for relief by the 25th Division, whose +advance parties had already visited the line, and who were expected in a +few days. The Boyau d'Ersatz, re-named Ersatz Alley for the sake of +simplicity, had lately been heavily shelled, and it was therefore +decided to open up Boyau 1, 2, 3, as an alternative route to trenches, +calling it "Wortley Avenue," in honour of the Major General. Parties +from all companies worked day and night at this, soon making it +passable, though it would always be dangerously exposed to view. +Unfortunately "A" Company were shelled one day while at work, and we +lost 2nd Lieut. Pickworth, who had to be sent to Hospital, and +eventually to England, with a bad wound in the lungs. + +Meanwhile offensive mining operations were being undertaken by both +sides with increased activity. The British Tunnellers, who had relieved +the French mining companies, found that in several places, unless they +themselves blew big mines at once, the Boche would blow them instead, so +blew big craters without delay. To this the Boche retaliated, and for +the past week there had been an average of two mines a night on the +Divisional front, most of them in the sector on our right. But on the +night of the 20th our Brigade was also involved, and the 4th +Lincolnshires lost most of their centre company in an explosion which +demolished nearly 100 yards of their front line. The shock was terrific, +and could be felt so violently even in our valley behind, that Captain +Barton went to see what had happened. Some half-hour later, when the +Lincolnshire C.O. went to the scene of the disaster, he found the "Doc" +there by himself, digging out an injured man in the middle of the gap. +No British troops had yet arrived, and his nearest neighbours were the +Boche lobbing bombs from the other side of the new crater. + +This latest blow shattered our front line so badly that it was quite +unfit to hand over to a new Division, taking over this part of the line +for the first time, and, as the Lincolnshires had not enough men to +repair it themselves, we had to help them. On the 21st, therefore, when +the rest of the Battalion was relieved by the Lancashire Fusiliers and +went back for the night to Camblain L'Abbe, "D" Company stayed behind +in the Talus till dusk and then went up to work, spending the night +under R.E. supervision, digging in the gap. A screen of bombers lay out +on the crater lip, while the rest worked, through mud, water and pouring +rain to try and produce some kind of fighting trench. As fast as they +dug, their new work collapsed, but at last a cut was made, and by +morning there was at least communication across the gap, though the +trench was terribly shallow and gave no real protection. The following +day, "D" Company on lorries, the rest of the Battalion by march route, +we moved through Cambligneul and Aubigny to Penin-Doffine, where we were +to billet for a rest. "B" and "C" Companies were with Brigade +Headquarters and the Lincolnshires in Penin. The Headquarters and "D" +Company had a large farm, and "A" Company billets in the hamlet of +Doffine. + +Here we stayed for a week. A Staff ride under the Brigadier formed the +chief incident in our training, while our recreation was enlivened by an +excellent Battalion Sports Meeting. Great keenness was shown in every +event, and there were consequently some well-contested races:--"A" and +"C" Companies divided the prizes between them. "A" Company won the +long-distance bomb-throwing, tug-of-war, relay and stretcher-bearer +races, "C" the accurate bomb-throwing, 1/4-mile, sack and three-legged +races. Brigade Headquarters came to watch, bringing their band with +them, and the General gave away the prizes at the end of the day. The +weather was good and we all spent a very pleasant afternoon. + +The 27th April brought us orders to return again to the line, this time +to work with the Tunnellers, French and English, in the neighbourhood of +Neuville St. Vaast. The following day the C.O. and most of the Company +Officers went to Mont St. Eloi to reconnoitre, returning in the evening. +While getting into a car in St. Eloi Colonel Jones was slightly wounded +in the left hand by a six-inch shell, which burst alongside the car. He +was sent to Hospital, but returned to us ten days later. On the 29th we +moved into Neuville St. Vaast, living in tunnels and dug-outs, and +provided large working parties in the mines. Tactically we were at the +disposal of the 25th Division, to whom we lent one or two Lewis Gun +teams. The work consisted almost entirely of clearing sandbags from the +mine-shafts and distributing them along our trenches, as far as possible +out of sight. It was hard and dangerous work, as was proved by an +accident which happened on the 7th May, the night before we were +relieved. The enemy blew a counter-mine close to one of the saps where +"D" Company were working, burying the French miners, and completely +destroying the whole sap. Two of the four men at work were never seen +again; the other two, bruised and shaken, managed to crawl half-naked +out of the wreckage. + +On the 9th May, after spending a night in tents at Mont St. Eloi, we +went by motor-'bus through Avesnes-le-comte, Liencourt, Grand +Rullecourt, to Lucheux, where we went into billets. We left at Vimy a +party of 25 men under Lieut. A.M. Barrowcliffe, working with the R.E. +(Tunnellers). Most of them gradually became sappers, and we saw very few +of them ever again. During these two last months there had been only one +important change in the personnel. R.Q.M.S. Stimson, who had been at +the Stores since the beginning of the war, and whose knowledge of French +had been as invaluable to Captain Worley as his energy and skill with +"mobilisation store stables," returned to England. C.S.M. Gorse became +R.Q.M.S., and in his place J. Hill became C.S.M. of "A" Company. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +GOMMECOURT. + +10th May, 1916. 3rd July, 1916. + + +The next ten days, spent in Lucheux, were as pleasant as any in the war. +After the mud, cold and damp of Vimy, we could well appreciate the +spring weather, the good billets and the excellent country in which we +now found ourselves. Lucheux, a very old French village with its castle +and gateway, stands on the edge of a still older forest a few miles +North of Doullens, and the majority of the inhabitants, under the +guidance of a very energetic Mayor, did all they could to make us +comfortable. Work was not too hard, and our chief labour was making +wattle revetments in the forest--a good task for a hot day--and +practising musketry on a home-made rifle range outside the village. The +mounted officers were particularly fortunate, for the forest was full of +tracks and rides, and each morning soon after dawn the more energetic +could be seen cantering under the dripping trees in the early morning +May mists--bare headed and in shirt sleeves. + +Meanwhile the arrival of some new officers filled the gaps in the Mess +caused by Vimy. First Colonel Jones returned, with the piece of shrapnel +still in his hand, but otherwise very fit. Soon afterwards two new +officers, 2nd Lieutenants H.A. Lowe and G.E. Banwell, joined us, and at +the same time Capt. R.C. L. Mould and Lieut. D.B. Fetch returned from +England. Several large drafts of N.C.O.'s and men arrived, many of them +old hands, who had been wounded, some of them more than once, although +as we know well there were many soldiers in England who had never yet +seen a day's fighting. + +Just at this time another important change was made in our training. For +many months now we had been taught the bomb to the exclusion of almost +every other weapon, now at last the bayonet was returning to its former +position of importance. The great exponent of the art of bayonet +fighting was a Major Campbell, of the Army Gymnastic Staff, whose +lectures were already well known at the Army Schools, and who was now +sent round the country to talk to all Battalions. He had devised an +entirely new scheme of bayonet instruction on very simple yet practical +lines, doing away with many of the old drill-book "points and parries," +and training arm and rifle to act with the eye, not on a word of +command. His powers as a lecturer were as great as his keenness for his +subject, and for two hours he held the attention of a hall full of all +ranks, speaking so vividly that not one of us but came away feeling that +we were good enough to fight six Boche, given a bayonet. He was +particularly insistent on not driving the bayonet home too far, and we +shall always remember his "throat two inches is enough, kidneys only +four inches, just in and out." His system has now been adopted +throughout the British Army, and all 1917 recruits were trained in it, +but to us it came none too soon, for we were fast forgetting that we +ever had such a weapon as a bayonet. + +On the 20th May our work in the forest came to an end and, as the +Brigade was wanted for fatigues nearer the line, we moved by Pommera and +Pas to Souastre, a village about three miles from the front trenches. +The Sherwood Foresters were at present holding the Divisional front, and +our chief task in the new area was digging cable trenches from back +Headquarter positions to forward batteries and observation posts, +building and stocking ammunition and bomb stores, and assisting in the +construction of numerous gun pits. In fact, we were once more preparing +as fast as possible for a "big push," though at the moment it was not +quite certain who was going to do the pushing; rumour allotted this task +to the 46th Division. The work was very hard, for digging a deep narrow +trench, or loading flints at Warlincourt quarries are no light tasks, +and the weather made conditions even more difficult than they might +otherwise have been. One day it was so hot as to make continuous work +for more than a few hours impossible, while the next, there would be +three or four torrential rain storms, filling all the trenches, and +turning the cross-country tracks to avenues of mud. + +However, in spite of our work, we managed to have some football, and the +Divisional Commander once more presented a cup. We started well, beating +the 5th Lincolnshires in the second round, but then found ourselves +opposed to our old rivals, the 4th Battalion, for the Brigade finals. +The game caused the keenest excitement, and with the score at two goals +all, the enthusiasm through the second half was immense. Unfortunately, +there is a fate against our defeating the 4th Battalion, and, just +before the end, our opponents managed to score the winning goal. + +[Illustration: Lens from the Air +(showing Fosse III. and Bois de Riaumont).] + +[Illustration: Sketch map of Gommecourt to illustrate the attack of the +1st July 1916. ~German trenches in RED~] + +[Illustration: Lt.-Col. J.B.O. Trimble, D.S.O., M.C., with the Officers, +Marqueffles Farm, June, 1917.] + +On the 24th May the heavy rain had made the trenches so wet that the +garrison was unable to keep them clear, and in consequence we had to +send a large working party up the line to help the Sherwood Foresters. +The line, which we now saw for the first time, ran from about half a +mile North of Hebuterne, just East of Foncquevillers, and northwards +towards Monchy-au-bois, held by the enemy. Foncquevillers was the centre +of the position, and opposite it lay Gommecourt, a small village and +Chateau, with a wood on one flank and the Chateau park on the other--a +strong position strongly held. Further North, Pigeon Wood and a little +salient of trenches called the "Z" were opposite the left of our +Divisional front, while in the middle of No Man's Land, which averaged +about 400 yards wide, stood the ruins of Gommecourt Sucrerie, twenty +yards from the main Foncquevillers-Gommecourt Road. + +Our trenches were in a somewhat curious condition. During the winter the +Division occupying this sector had found that they were too weak to hold +the whole trench, so had selected certain positions which they had +strongly fortified and wired, and then filled the remainder of the +trench with loose wire. The bad weather soon caused the disused sections +of the trench to collapse, fixing the loose wire very firmly on either +side. From a purely defensive point of view there was no harm in this, +but any attacking force would need the whole trench for assembly +purposes and to "jump off," and the work of clearing the long wired-up +sections was very hard indeed. The posts themselves were well dug and +well sighted, there were one or two good communication trenches, and +Foncquevillers, still well preserved in spite of its proximity to the +Boche, provided excellent homes for Battalion Headquarters, support +Companies, and even baths and canteen. The enemy, except for some "rum +jars" and heavy trench mortars from Gommecourt, was fairly quiet on the +whole front, and, except when trousers had to be discarded to allow of +wading in the front line, the trenches were by no means uncomfortable. + +For the rest of May we stayed at Souastre, occasionally visiting the +line with working parties, or on tours of inspection, but for the most +part working in the Foncquevillers plain, where battery positions +without number were being built. By the end of the month we learnt the +meaning of all these preparations. Gommecourt was to be attacked in the +near future in conjunction with other greater attacks further South. The +Staffords and the Sherwood Foresters were going to do the attack with +their right on the Sucrerie, their left on the "Z," while the 56th +Division on our right would attack the village from the S.E. The Park, +most of the village, and the Chateau would thus not be directly +attacked, but it was hoped that the two Divisions would meet on the East +side, and so cut off large numbers of Germans in the isolated area. Our +Brigade was to be in reserve. Meanwhile, a large full-sized model of the +German lines was dug near Lucheux forest, where the attacking Brigades +started practising at once. Incidentally the model took many acres of +arable land, and, though it was very well paid for, the French grumbled +loudly, and the 46th Division was known in Lucheux as "les autres +Boches." + +On the evening of the 4th June we moved up through Foncquevillers, and +relieved the 5th Sherwood Foresters in the right sector, opposite +Gommecourt Park. A road and bank, running parallel with the front line, +and about 100 yards behind it, provided Battalion Headquarters. Behind +this again, the "Bluff," a steep bank, gave the support Company a good +home. Here we remained until the 21st, with a two-days' holiday at +Humbercamps in the middle, a holiday spent in digging cable trenches and +carrying trench mortars and ammunition. It was a long time to remain in +the line, but one Company lived always in a large house in +Foncquevillers, where they were very comfortable, and could get baths +and other luxuries. + +The enemy was not very active, and our most important task was now to +prevent him from guessing our intentions. This soon became impossible, +for, in addition to the ever increasing Artillery, the new cable +trenches, and the Lucheux model, we started to dig a new line of +trenches some 100 yards in front of our front line, along the attack +sector. We, being opposite the Park, did not have to do this, but the +Division on our right and the rest of our Brigade on the left were both +out digging every night. After the first night it became exceedingly +dangerous, for the Boche, knowing exactly where we were working, kept up +a steady bombardment on the right with trench mortars, and, on the left, +swept the ground continuously with accurate machine gun fire. We were +ordered to keep all hostile patrols out of No Man's Land, and +consequently our parties were out most of the night. The Boche, however, +showed no inclination to do the same, and, even though we fixed up an +insulting notice board in front of his wire, never put in an appearance. +Incidentally the back of the board was covered with luminous paint, and +a Lewis gun was trained on it, so that any interference would have been +promptly dealt with. + +Before we left the sector we were reinforced by a draft of eight +subaltern officers--2nd Lieuts. A. Emmerson, F.W.A. Salmon, W.H. +Reynolds, A.S. Heffill, A.W.C. Zelley, M.J.S. Dyson, W.K. Callard, and +S.G.H. Street, while at the same time we lost 2nd Lieut. Brittain, who +went to Hospital and thence to England. + +After practising their attack several times, the Staffordshires found +that they had more tasks to fulfill than they could accomplish. +Accordingly they asked for help, and were allotted one Battalion from +our Brigade, for which duty we, having suffered least at Hohenzollern, +were chosen. We were to advance as a ninth wave behind the attackers, +carrying stores and ammunition; while one Company was to dig a trench +joining the Sucrerie to the German front line--a communication trench +for use after the fight. As soon as we left trenches and reached a hut +camp at Warlincourt we, too, started practising for the battle, which, +we were told, would take place at dawn on the 29th June. + +Any account of our doings during this month would be incomplete without +a reference to our one relaxation. The Divisional Concert Party, started +in 1915, had more or less ceased to exist, but in Souastre in a large +barn, the 56th Divisional troupe, the "Bow Bells," performed nightly to +crowded houses. Many of us found time to go more than once, and will +always remember with pleasure the songs, dances, and sketches, the +drummer-ballet-dancer, and the catching melodies of "O Roger Rum" and +other nonsense. + +Meanwhile, feverish preparations were being made for the coming battle, +while the weather was as bad as possible. There never was a wetter +June, and the new assembly trenches, the recently cleared or newly dug +communication trenches, Derby Dyke, Nottingham, Stafford, Lincoln and +Leicester Lanes, Roberts Avenue and "Crawl Boys Lane," and the cable +trenches were always full of water. Work on the gun pits was seriously +delayed, and many batteries had to move in before their pits were +complete. Fortunately the enemy's artillery was not too active, and +Foncquevillers was almost left alone, though he did one day bombard the +Church. No damage was done, except that afterwards the one remaining +face of the clock stated the time as 2-15 instead of 11-45, as for the +past many months. The village was full of stores and explosives, and +almost every cellar held a bomb or ammunition reserve, while the Church +crypt was filled with Mills and Stokes mortars under the care of +Serjeant Goodman. + +On the 24th June our Artillery registration started, and, with early +morning bombardments and sudden harassing shoots at night, we made a +considerable noise--"the sullen puffs of high explosives bursting in +battalions," as Beach Thomas wrote in the "Daily Mail"--and clearly +showed the Boche that we meant business. This apparently was the +intention of the Staff, for, as the main attack was to be South of us, +it was the object of the IIIrd. Army to attract as many enemy as +possible on this the extreme flank of the attack. So successful were we, +that we did actually frighten the enemy into reinforcing the Gommecourt +area with an extra Division--unfortunate for us who were to attack the +place, but doubtless of value to the 4th Army, who would thus have one +Division less against them, Gommecourt was naturally strong, and this +addition to the garrison made it doubly so, while the Artillery found it +very difficult to destroy the wire which was thick along the whole +front. The trees in the wood were all wired, and there were strong belts +in front of every trench, so that our field guns and trench mortars were +kept hard at work almost all day every day in their efforts to cut +sufficient gaps for us. The enemy's guns replied by registering our +communication trenches, and then remained silent. + +The camp at Warlincourt was uncomfortable, and had no officers' mess, a +luxury which we much needed. However, Colour-Serjeant Collins displayed +his usual skill, and, while Major Toller fixed up a home-made marquee of +wagon sheets and odd tarpaulins, he managed to carry on the cooking +almost in the open. In spite of the rain which came through the roof and +under the sides we had some excellent evenings, and managed to enjoy +ourselves. Our work was mostly training, which now included rapid +wiring. In this we held a competition, finally won by "B" Company, who +put out a "double apron" French wire fence 20 yards long in just over +four minutes--a good performance, though the other Companies declared +that this fence would not have stopped a rabbit, to say nothing of a +Boche. Meanwhile, Major Toller suddenly received orders to report to the +51st Division to command a battalion of the Argyle and Sutherland +Highlanders, and, much to his disgust, had to leave us just before the +fight. In any case he would have been out of the fight, for the +authorities had at last realized the madness of sending a whole +Battalion into action, and to avoid a repetition of the +post-Hohenzollern difficulties, every Battalion was ordered to leave +behind, at Souastre, the 2nd in Command and a proportion of officers, +N.C.O.'s and specialists. These, known as the "Battle Details," were +subsequently increased in number, and later a G.H.Q. publication fixed +exactly who would and who would not accompany a battalion into battle. +As Major Beasley had left us at Vimy and not returned, Capt. Shields +became 2nd in Command and had to stay behind, a cruel blow to him, for +he was essentially a fighting man. His Company, "D," was taken by Lieut. +J.W. Tomson of "A" Company. Capt. Ward Jackson had "A," Capt. Knighton +"B," and Capt. Moore "C." R.S.M. R.E. Small was accidentally wounded +during revolver practice, and during the few weeks that he was away his +place was taken by C.S.M. J. Weir. + +During the last two days before the battle the weather became worse, and +the rain fell in torrents. Ours was a comparatively dry sector of the +line, and yet our trenches were full of water, so that the country in +the neighbourhood of the Somme valley became impossible. So bad was it +that at the last moment the whole offensive was postponed until 48 hours +later--the 1st July. The attacking Brigades had already occupied their +front line and assembly positions before the new cancelling order +arrived, and the Staff had now to decide whether to leave them for 48 +hours in these hopelessly wet trenches, or take them back to rest--the +latter course would necessitate two marches, in and out, in two days. +The matter was settled by the Corps Commander, who wished to see another +practice attack over the Lucheux trenches, so the 4th Leicestershires +and 4th Lincolnshires held the line while Staffords and Sherwood +Foresters marched back. It was a long way, nearly eleven miles, from +Foncquevillers to Lucheux, and by the time they returned to trenches on +the 30th they were all very tired. However, every man knew exactly what +to do, where to go and when; the most minute details had been worked +out, and even individuals as well as sections and platoons had been +given definite tasks, so there was every prospect of a successful fight +the next day. It was true the wire was in several places uncut, but +still there were plenty of gaps, and this should be no obstacle. + +Soon after midnight 30th June/1st July all the attacking troops were in +position, and we moved up to Midland Trench, an assembly trench running +North and South about 700 yards West of Foncquevillers Church. "A" +Company (Ward Jackson) and "D" Company (Tomson) were in cellars and +dug-outs in the village, since they would be wanted first. There were +many communication trenches along the front, up which we should advance, +for at the last moment all were made "up" trenches until after the +attack; originally some were "up" and some "down." This eleventh hour +alteration caused considerable confusion later. Meanwhile, throughout +the night our gunners fired continuously on the Boche trenches, +villages, and particularly roads and railways, for we wished, if +possible, to stop all rations and ammunition from the Gommecourt +garrison. + +Dawn came at last--a fine day. At 6-24 our barrage started, far more +intense than anything we had used during the previous days, so that the +Boche may have guessed what was going to happen. Smoke shells were mixed +with the H.E., and at 7-30 a smoke trench mortar screen was put down, +and the Infantry advanced. Four waves crossed No Man's Land, and then +the smoke blew away and the whole of our attack was revealed. On the +right the Staffords, passing the Sucrerie, found the German wire still +strong, and had to struggle through where they could, only to find many +enemy with their machine guns undamaged by our bombardment. On the left +the 5th and 7th Sherwood Foresters entered the Wood and pressed on, +leaving the first enemy lines to the rear waves. But the smoke had gone +and these rear waves had no protection. As the fifth line left our +trenches it was met with machine gun fire from the North, from the "Z" +and from the front line, over which the Sherwood Foresters had passed. +None the less the wave struggled on, until artillery was added to +machine guns, field guns from Monchy enfiladed No Man's Land, every +German battery sent its shells into the carrying parties, and the attack +was stopped. The two leading Staffordshire Battalions, except for a few +who reached the enemy's lines, were held up on his wire or near the +Sucrerie, where many fell. The two leading Sherwood Foresters had +crossed No Man's Land almost unscathed, had entered the German lines +complete, and were never seen again. Commanding Officers, Battalion +Headquarters and their Companies were lost. The other four Battalions, +after losing their leading wave, remained in our front trenches and sent +back messages for more smoke, while here and there gallant efforts were +made by platoons and sections to take help into the wood. + +Meanwhile, Capt. Ward Jackson with his Company Serjeant Major--J.R. +Hill--and two platoons (Hepworth and Salmon) went forward with the +leading parties to dig their trench from the Sucrerie. In spite of the +heavy fire, and the losses of the attacking Brigades, they started work +and actually marked out their trench. But their task was impossible. +Capt. Ward Jackson, hit in the back and shoulder and very badly wounded, +was only saved by Serjt. Major Hill, who pluckily carried him out of the +fight; and, seeing that the attack had failed, 2nd Lieut. Hepworth +ordered the party back to our lines, where they found the rest of the +Battalion in the support line and communication trenches, waiting for +the Staffordshires to move forward. + +The situation was now critical. So far as we knew, the attack of the +56th Division on our right had been successful, yet, if we did not meet +them by 2 p.m. on the far side of Gommecourt, not only would the +operation be a failure, but there was every probability of their being +cut off by the Germans in Gommecourt Park. An attempt was therefore made +to re-organize at once for another attack, but this was found +impossible. Our lines, hopelessly sticky from the bad weather, were now +congested with dead and wounded; the communication trenches were jammed +with stretcher cases and parties coming in, the "up" and "down" rules +were not observed, and, above all, the enemy's artillery enfiladed the +front line from the North, the communications from the East. The +Division on our left did nothing by way of counter battery work, and we +were left to face their opposing artillery as well as our own. There was +also another serious difficulty to re-organization. The men were too +well trained in their particular duties. A private soldier who has been +told every day for a month that his one duty will be to carry a box of +bombs to point Q, cannot readily forget that, and take an efficient part +in an ordinary unrehearsed attack. This, the Staff soon discovered, and, +to give time for all arrangements to be made, a new attack was ordered +for 3-30 p.m. with artillery and, if possible, a smoke screen. + +Meanwhile, the enemy's artillery was still active, and we suffered. 2nd +Lieut. Callard, a most promising junior officer, was killed, and with +him C.S.M. F. Johnson of "C" Company. 2nd Lieuts. Russell and Creed were +both wounded, and six men killed and several wounded at the same time, +nearly all by shells in the communication trenches. + +At 3-30 p.m. our Artillery opened once more and our Companies started +forward, only to find that the Staffordshires made no move. It was not +surprising. Many of them had not yet heard the time for the new attack, +many were too tired to be much use, no one was really ready though some +few tried to leave our lines. Such an assault was bound to fail, and +fortunately Col. Jones, who was on the spot and just about to start with +Capt. Allen, received the order to cancel the attack. It would have been +a useless waste of lives, for no good could have come of such a +half-hearted effort. Half-an-hour later the Staffordshires were ordered +to withdraw and the 5th Leicestershires to take over the front line, +while the 5th Lincolnshires came in on our left and relieved the +Sherwood Foresters. + +All hope of trying to help the Division on our right had to be +abandoned. They had reached the enemy's third line and captured several +prisoners in the morning; some of them actually reached the meeting +place, but they, too, had to face two sectors of opposing artillery, +for the attack on Serre on their right had failed, and their carrying +parties and all supports for the leading units were hopelessly enfiladed +from the South. Their losses were very heavy, and in the evening, when +it became obvious that we could never help them, they left the enemy's +lines and returned to their own trenches. But there was still hope of +saving some of the missing Sherwood Foresters. They were known to have +reached the wood, for their lights had been seen by our contact patrol +aeroplane. Unfortunately at mid-day this aeroplane ran into the cable of +the kite balloon, and both were out of action for some hours--a most +unlucky accident. In case some of these Sherwood Foresters might be +still alive, the 5th Lincolnshires made another advance at +midnight--only a few minutes after arriving in the line--but found the +enemy present in strength, and lost heavily before they could regain our +lines. + +The rest of the night and all the following day were spent in collecting +the wounded and dead from our lines, from the newly dug and now +water-logged assembly trench in front, and from No Man's Land. Once more +Capt. Barton displayed the most wonderful courage, rescuing three men +from a shell hole, in broad daylight, less than 200 yards from the +German lines, and spending the whole day wandering about from one part +to another, quite regardless of the danger so long as he could find a +wounded man to help. The next day was spent in the same way, and by the +evening the trenches had been considerably tidied up, when, at 9 p.m. we +were relieved by the London Regt. (Rangers), and marched back to +Bienvillers au Bois, leaving some guides behind to help the newcomers. +These last two days cost us several casualties, amongst them Serjt. R.E. +Foster, who was badly wounded by a shell. + +After the battle, General Snow, the Corps Commander, sent round the +following message:--"The Corps Commander wishes to congratulate the +troops of the 46th Division for the manner in which they fought and +endured during the fighting on the 1st July. Many gallant acts, both by +units and individuals, are to hand. Although Gommecourt has not fallen +into our hands, the purpose of the attack, which was mainly to contain +and kill Germans, was accomplished." To this was added: "The Major +General Commanding wishes all ranks to understand thoroughly that our +recent attack on the Gommecourt salient in concert with the 50th +Division embraced two purposes: (a) The capture of the position; (b) The +retaining of considerable numbers of German troops in our immediate +front in order to prevent them taking part in resisting the advance of +our troops in the South. Although the first purpose was not achieved, +the second was fulfilled, and there is no doubt that our action on the +first materially assisted our troops in the 4th Army and contributed to +their success. The above to be read to all troops on parade." + +In spite of this somewhat comforting message, our action on the 1st was +a failure. This cannot be denied. The retaining enemy's troops on our +front was done by our Artillery and other preparation, and the extra +German Division was lured into the line opposite us at least three days +before the battle. Our assault made not the slightest difference to +this. Our object on the 1st was to capture Gommecourt, and this we +failed to do. It is comparatively easy to criticise after the event and +find mistakes, but there were one or two obvious reasons for the failure +which were apparent to all. The rapid dispersal of the smoke barrage, +the terrible enfilade bombardment from the left consequent on the +inactivity of the Division on our left, the failure of our Artillery to +smash up German posts, and in some cases German wire, and, perhaps the +fact that our preparations were so obvious that the Boche was waiting +for us. But in the face of all this, fresh troops in ideal conditions +might have succeeded. Ours were tired after their journey to Lucheux and +back, had had to live several nights in hopelessly foul and water-logged +trenches, and, so far from fresh, were almost worn before they started +to attack. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +MONCHY AU BOIS. + +3rd July, 1916. 29th Oct., 1916. + + +North of Gommecourt the enemy's line, after passing Pigeon wood, ran a +few yards West of Essarts village along the high ground to within a +short distance of Monchy au Bois, then, turning West, made a small +salient round this village, which lay in a cup-like hollow. Between +Essarts and Monchy, and on higher ground still, stood Le Quesnoy Farm, +which, with some long tall hedges in the neighbourhood, provided the +Boche with excellent and well concealed observation posts and battery +positions. Behind Monchy itself, and again on high ground, was Adinfer +wood, and near it Douchy village, both full of well concealed batteries, +while the trees in Monchy itself gave the enemy plenty of cover for +machine guns and trench mortars. Opposite this our line was almost +entirely in the open. From Foncquevillers it ran due North to the +Hannescamps-Monchy road, more than 1,000 yards from the enemy opposite +Essarts and Le Quesnoy; then, crossing the ridge, dropped steeply to the +Monchy cup, where, at the Bienvillers road, the lines were only 200 +yards apart. The only buildings near the line were the two Monchy mills, +North and South, both about 80 yards from the front line and both little +more than a heap of bricks with an O.P. concealed in the middle. Just +South of the Bienvillers road a small salient, some 180 yards across ran +out towards the enemy's lines, overlooked from two sides, and always +being battered out of recognition by trench mortars and bombs. + +[Illustration: Red Mill, Lens, 1917.] + +[Illustration: Bois de Riaumont from the Slag Heap. Boot Trench in +Foreground.] + +The rest of our front line system was more or less ordinary--deep +trenches with, at intervals, a ruined dug-out for Company Headquarters. +Owing to the appalling weather all trenches were very wet, including the +communication trenches, of which there were several--Chiswick Avenue +opposite Essarts, Lulu Lane alongside the Hannescamps road, with +Collingbourne Avenue branching off it, and, on the Monchy side, Shell +Street in the middle, and Stoneygate Street alongside the Bienvillers +road. The last had been so named by the Leicestershire "New Army" +Brigade, who had originally built the trench. Hannescamps, a minute +village, lay 1,000 yards from the line, partly hidden by a hollow, and, +with an excellent bank full of dug-outs, was a home for Battalion +Headquarters and one Company. Another Headquarters was in Shell Street, +and the Support Battalion, with many batteries and others, lived in +Bienvillers au Bois, about 11/2 behind the line. Pommier, la Cauchie, +and occasionally Humbercamps were rest billets still further back. +Beyond them a large farm, la Bazeque, was the home of all the Brigade +transport and Q.M. Stores. Such was the sector into which the Division +went after Gommecourt to rest and gradually recuperate. Our Brigade had +the Monchy front and the stretch with the wide No Man's Land opposite +Essarts; we, as a Battalion, were sometimes North, sometimes South of +the Hannescamps Road, the other Brigades were further North, in the +Ransart, Bailleulval and Berles area. Here we stayed, with one rest +later on, for eight months. + +[Illustration: Hohenzollern Craters, 1917-1918.] + +Soon after our arrival in Bienvillers, we were much surprised to see +Colonel Toller again return to us. We thought that he really had got a +permanent Command when he went to the Highlanders, but apparently a +former Colonel returned a few days after he arrived there, and he was +consequently sent back. However, there were now many vacancies in our +Division, and Col. Toller was at once sent to command the 7th Sherwood +Foresters, the Robin Hoods--an appointment which proved to be permanent, +and which he held for the next two years. At the same time, Lieut. N.C. +Marriott, wounded at Hohenzollern, returned to us, and soon afterwards +2nd Lieut. J.C. Barrett joined us from England, while we lost 2nd Lieut. +G.E. Banwell, who was slightly wounded at Gommecourt, and, after several +efforts to remain with his unit, had to go to Hospital with a badly +poisoned foot. We also lost our Divisional Commander, Major General the +Hon. E.J. Montagu-Stuart-Wortley, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., M.V.O., who went +to England. Before he went, the following notice appeared in +orders:--"On relinquishing the Command of the Division, General +Stuart-Wortley wishes to thank all ranks, especially those who have been +with the Division since mobilization, for their loyalty to him and +unfailing spirit of devotion to duty. He trusts the friendship formed +may be lasting, and wishes the Division good luck and God speed." To +quote the Battalion War Diary--"The Major General has commanded the +Division since 1914; universal regret is openly expressed at his +departure." + +The new Divisional Commander, Major General W. Thwaites, R.A., arrived +soon afterwards, and soon made himself known to all units, introducing +himself with a ceremonial inspection. Ours was at Bailleulmont, where we +were billeted for a few days, and on the afternoon of the 13th we formed +up 650 strong to receive him. After inspecting each man very carefully, +the General addressed the Battalion, calling Col. Jones "Col. Holland," +and us the 5th Leicesters, two mistakes which were never forgotten, +though soon forgiven. + +He congratulated us on our appearance, and said that he read +determination in our faces, promising to know us better by seeing us in +the trenches. We then marched past him and went home. + +Our first few tours in this new sector might well be described as a +nightmare of H squaredO and H squaredS. It rained very hard, and all the +trenches at once became full of water--in some places so full that the +garrison, as the weather was warm, discarded trousers and walked about +with shirts tucked into sandbag bathing drawers. Some of the +communication trenches were in a particularly bad condition, and worst of +all was the very deep Berlin Trench running alongside the road from +Bienvillers to Hannescamps. A sort of "Southend-pier" gridded walk had +been built into one side of this about four feet from the floor of the +trench, and in some places even this was covered, so that the water in +the trench itself was nearly six feet deep. Pumps proved almost useless, +and it was obvious that something drastic would have to be done if we +were to remain in this part of the world for the winter. + +The H squaredS was in cylinders. For some unknown reason the Special Brigade +R.E., or "gas merchants" as they were more popularly called, considered +the Monchy hollow a particularly suitable place for their poison +attacks. The result was that we spent all our rest periods carrying very +heavy cylinders into the line or out again, terribly clumsy, awkward and +dangerous things to carry, while our trenches, already ruined by the +weather, were still further damaged, under-cut and generally turned +upside down to make room for these cylinders. Then again, the actual gas +projection caused a most appalling amount of trouble. The wind had to be +exactly West, for a touch of North or South would carry the poison over +our miserable little salient, but at times the wind was due East, and on +one occasion it remained obstinately in the wrong quarter for three +weeks, while we lived in daily terror of some chance Boche shell hitting +one of the cylinders. On several occasions we had to assist with smoke +candles and smoke bombs, and this, too, caused us much worry. Perhaps at +dusk the wind would be favourable, and orders would arrive that gas +would be discharged at 11-34. At 11-34 we, having heard nothing to the +contrary, would light our smoke machines, and find no gas turned on. At +12-55 we should get another message by some orderly to say "discharge +postponed until 12-55"--then, of course, no time to warn anybody, and no +smoke left. + +The reason for this delay in the communication of orders was that our +telephones were in a state of transition. We had discovered that the +Boche with his listening sets could overhear all conversations carried +on by the ordinary field telephone, and consequently it was absolutely +forbidden to use this instrument, except in emergency, within 2,000 +yards of the front line. A new instrument, the "Fullerphone," was being +introduced which could not be overheard, but one could not use it for +talking; all messages had to be "buzzed." Incidentally the "buzzing" +process produced a continuous whining noise, and this, in a small +Company Headquarter dug-out, was almost enough to drive the unhappy +Company Commander off his head. The Fullerphone, too, was very scarce at +first, so that almost all messages had to be sent by orderly, or runner +as he now began to be called. This caused so much trouble that the next +stage was the introduction of codes and code names. At first these were +very simple, we were "John" after Col. Jones, the 5th Lincolnshires +"Sand," from Sandall, etc., while "gas" became the innocent "Gertie," +and to attack was "to tickle." One very famous message was sent when an +expected gas attack had to be suddenly postponed--"John can sleep quiet +to-night, Gertie will not tickle." Later we became "Sceptre," when all +units in the Division were called after race-horses, and still later, +when Brigade Headquarters became "Girl," we each had a lady's name; we +were "Gertrude." It sounded somewhat curious to hear a Staff Captain who +had lost his Brigadier ringing up a Battalion Headquarters to ask "have +you seen a 'Girl' about anywhere?" The "Bab" code was also introduced, a +three-figure code with innumerable permutations and combinations. The +whole thing was very secret, and added much to the worries of the +Company Commander, who not only had to be careful not to lose the code +book, but had to remember, without writing it down, the Corps code +letter and number for the week. + +In the same way the Artillery had all manner of codes for every +conceivable occasion. Various messages were devised and entered in the +Defence Scheme for retaliation, S.O.S., raid purposes, etc., and woe +betide the luckless F.O.O. or Infantryman who sent the wrong message. +There were "concentrates" and "Test concentrates," and "attacks" and +"Test attacks," and "S.O.S." and many others. If anything serious really +happened, the lines were always broken at once, and there remained only +the rockets and coloured lights. The S.O.S. signal was almost sacred, +not to be used for a hostile raid, or when retaliation was needed, but +only in the event of the enemy massing for a general attack. However, it +was once used--in a rather curious little battle fought on the 4th +August, 1916. + +Our trench strength at the time was very weak, because two days later we +were to raid the enemy's lines opposite Monchy salient, and the raiding +party had been left out of the line at Pommier to practice. At 3-30 a.m. +on the 4th the Boche, either annoyed at our wire-cutting, or to +celebrate his favourite anniversary, the declaration of war, opened a +heavy fire with guns, mortars, rifle grenades, coloured lights and +everything else imaginable. The noise was terrific, and the C.O. and +Adjutant rushed to the Defence Scheme to find what was the correct +message to send; most of the noise was at trench 86. They decided to +tell the Gunners "assist L," but, between F.O.O. and signals, this +reached the Artillery as "assist 86," which was meaningless, so they did +nothing. Meanwhile, our Lewis Guns could be heard, so Col. Jones, unable +to telephone to Companies whose lines were all cut, finally sent the +S.O.S. The reply was prompt and terrific. There was plenty of +ammunition, and all the gunners, wakened by the bombardment, were only +too anxious to shoot, so that within a few minutes every weapon, from an +18 pounder to a 12" gun on railway mounting, was raining shells into +Monchy and its surroundings. It was very effective, but none the less +there had to be an enquiry into "who had dared to use the S.O.S.," and, +when the facts were all brought to light, the F.O.O., Lieut. Cave, +partly responsible for the initial mistake, earned the name of "S.O.S. +Cave," which stuck to him till he left the Division. + +The raid was not a great success. For several days "C" Company, who were +chosen for the task, carried out continuous practices at Pommier, first +under Capt. Mould, and later, when he had to go to Hospital with septic +tonsilitis, under Capt. Shields. Capt. Moore was at the Army School at +the time. The Infantry arrangements were made satisfactorily, but there +was little or no opportunity for the Gunners to observe the result of +their wire-cutting, with the result that, when the party went over on +the evening of the 5th, they found no gaps. The raiding party advanced +in four groups, each group with bombers, bayonet men, and sappers for +demolition work, and each under an officer--2nd Lieuts. Steel, Barrett, +Heffill and Morris. The party removed all marks of identification, but +wore their collars turned up, and a small patch of white on the back of +their collars for mutual recognition. + +At 11-0 p.m. the party left our trenches and lay out in front of our +wire, waiting for our bombardment, which 15 minutes later opened on the +enemy's front line. The shooting was excellent, but the backward burst +from our 6 inch Howitzers caused several casualties; amongst others 2nd +Lieut. Steel was badly wounded in the leg. At Zero, 11-25 p.m., we +advanced, but found no means of getting through the wire, while the +Boche sent numbers of bombs and rifle grenades along the whole front. +The party acted very coolly and searched carefully for gaps, but, +finding none, threw their bombs and returned, guided to our lines by +rockets and lanterns. Six men were missing. A curious thing happened +when our search party, under L/Cpl. Archer, went out to look for them. A +German machine gun, hearing the movement, opened fire, and, at the same +moment, our "Flying Pig"--240 mm. trench mortar--which had jammed during +the barrage, suddenly went off and dropped its shell exactly on the gun +team. The following night Cobley's body, one of the raiders, was found +in a shell-hole, and soon afterwards two others, Worth and Sommers, +returned to our lines, having been lost the previous night. Barkby was +found dead a day later, and Duckett's body was buried by a patrol which +found it during the following tour. The sixth was Private "Arty" Carr, +who returned unhurt at 11-0 p.m. on the 8th, after three days. During +the raid he had left his party, and, while they worked to the left, +looking for a gap, had gone to the right, where, outside the raid area, +he found the wire thin. He had entered the German lines, had some +exciting times with a post which he bombed, and then tried to get out, +only to find that he had moved away from his original gap, and was now +confronted by some very strong wire. He did not get through until dawn +on the 6th, so then lay in a shell hole until dark, when he started to +return. Tired and somewhat exhausted, he lost his way in the waste of +shell holes and mortar craters round the Monchy Salient, and did not +finally find our lines until the 8th. + +[Illustration: General map to illustrate chapters VII, VIII &. IX.] + +Our total casualties were three killed and one officer and 15 wounded. +To these must be added Captain Barton, who had a most unfortunate +accident. Always wanting to be "up and doing," he watched the raid and +helped the wounded, standing on our front line parapet, but, turning to +re-enter the trench, slipped and bayonetted himself in the thigh. It was +not a very serious wound, but would not heal, and he had to be sent to +England. With him we lost another valuable officer, 2nd Lieut. Williams, +who, while acting as bomb instructor at Brigade Headquarters, met with +an accident, and was wounded in the head. Not long afterwards, Serjt. +Goodman, our chief N.C.O. Instructor, who was wounded, and lost one of +his legs and part of an arm as the result of a bombing accident at the +Divisional School. During this first month our casualties, "holding the +line," were very slight, though we lost three good N.C.O.'s through +shell fire. Serjt. Shreeves, of "C" Company, died of wounds, Cpl. +Ambrose, of "B" Company, was killed outright near Hannescamps, and later +Serjt. W. Gartshore, of "C" Company. + +Between raids and gas attacks we were kept hard at work repairing our +trenches. General Kemp was a sapper before he became an Infantry +Brigadier, and we were soon instructed in the mysteries of sump-holes, +"berms" and "batters," interlocking trench floor boards, and the correct +angles for the sloping sides of a trench, while anyone who dared to +undercut a parapet for any purpose had better not be present the next +time that the General appeared. As far as possible all the carpentry +work was done by the Sappers out of trenches and sump-frames were sent +up ready made, also small dug-outs in numbered parts, easily put +together; all we had to do was to dig the necessary holes. At the same +time some genius invented the "A" frame, a really wonderful labour +saving device. Hitherto floorboards had been supported on piles and +crossbars, while further and longer stakes were driven in to carry the +rivetment. The new frame shaped like a flat-topped letter "A," was put +in the floor of the trench upside down. The legs held the revetment +against the sides, the floorboards rested on the cross-piece, and the +space between the cross-piece and the flat top formed a good drain. +These were first used in communication trenches only, where the +Monmouthshires were at work for us; later we used them in all trenches +wherever possible. + +[Illustration: Sketch of a trench.] + +Meanwhile, when not in trenches, we rested, first at Bienvillers and +later at Pommier. Bienvillers had many good billets, but was too full of +our heavy artillery to be pleasant, for the noise was often very +disturbing. The enemy, too, used to shell the place, and 2nd Lieut. +Shipston had a most remarkable escape one day when standing in front of +a first floor window, shaving. A whizz-bang hit the window sill and +carried itself, sill and many bricks, between his legs into the room; he +himself was untouched. Another early morning bombardment found the +Doctor in his bath. He left it hurriedly and hastened, dripping and +unclothed, to the cellar, which he found already contained several +officers and the ladies of his billet. But this stay in Bienvillers is +most remembered on account of a slight fracas which occurred between +Col. Jones and a visiting Army Sanitation Officer. A full account is +given in two entries in the War Diary. The first, dated the 23rd July, +says simply--"Major T----, Sanitation Officer, IIIrd. Army, came to look +at billets. We received him coldly, and in consequence got a bad +report, see later." The second entry, a week later, is dated 30th July. +"The Sanitary report referred to came and we replied. The report +detailed many ways in which we, as a Regiment, were living in dirt, and +making no attempt to follow common-sense rules, or to improve our state. +It stated that we had been in the village _three days_, and thus implied +that there could be no excuse. Our reply asserted that the inaccuracy of +the report made it worthless. That, though the Regiment had been there +three days, the Army, which the gallant Major T. represented and worked +for, had been in the village some months. That Major T.'s party had done +nothing to put or keep the billets in order, to put up incinerators, or +in any way to make suitable billets for soldiers resting from trench +duty. It suggested that Major T. had neglected his duty, and thus was +not in a position to judge a Regiment." + +Pommier was much pleasanter, and was very seldom shelled. Brigade +Headquarters lived there, and, with the aid of an energetic Mayor and +our invaluable interpreter, M. Bonassieux, had done much to improve the +billets. There were plenty of civilians who were good to us, though, to +quote the War Diary again, 26th August, "A complaint was made by the +Maire that certain of our officers were bathing in the open, and that +this was not counted amongst the indecencies the French permitted." At +about the same time, during one of our rest periods, we were inspected +by General Thwaites--a full ceremonial inspection, the first of many of +these much dreaded ordeals. Again it is impossible to improve on the +account given by the War Diary. "At 2-30 we were drawn up in close +column in Ceremonial--Companies sized. We received the new G.O.C. with +several salutes, the last was probably the worst. The Battalion was then +closely inspected, and a few names taken for unsteadiness, dirty +buttons, badly fitted packs, and the like. A slight confusion between +the terms packs and equipment led us to take off equipment, and we then +formed up as a Battalion in Brigade. We saluted again, this time we had +no bayonets, and then marched past by Companies and back in close column +several times. Then, by a questionable, though not questioned, +manoeuvre, we came back again and advanced in review order. The +Brigade Band was in attendance and played the Brigade March in place of +the Regimental March, because it did not know the latter. While still in +Ceremonial order, we finished by doing Battalion drill, under the +general idea 'keep moving.' We kept moving for two hours in all, and it +was universally conceded that the men moved very well. One or two of the +newly arrived officers were unequal to the occasion. It was a good day +in the country, and, in the senior officers, stirred up pleasant +memories of old peace time annual inspections." The exceeding fierceness +of the General on this Inspection had an amusing sequel when, a week +later, two of our soldiers were repairing a road outside the Brigade +office. One regarded the other's work for a few minutes critically, and +then exclaimed fiercely, "Very ragged, very ragged, do it again!" It is +only fair to add, that, terrible as was the ordeal of a Divisional +Inspection, the General kept his original promise, and spent many hours +in the foremost trenches, "that he might know us well." + +The evening of this same inspection was one of the few occasions on +which Pommier was bombarded. A sudden two minutes' "hate" of about 40 +shells, 4.2 and 5.9, wounded three men and killed both the C.O.'s +horses, "Silvertail" and "Baby"; both came out with the Battalion. We +still, however, had some good animals left, as was obvious at the +Brigade Sports and Race meeting held on the 11th September at la Bazeque +Farm. This was a most successful show, and the only pity was that we +were in trenches at the time, and so could only send a limited number of +all ranks to take part. The great event of the day was the steeplechase. +The Staff Captain, Major J.E. Viccars, on "Solomon," led all the way, +but was beaten in the last twenty yards by Major Newton, R.F.A. Lieut. +L.H. Pearson was third on "Sunlock II.," the transport Serjeant's horse. +It was a remarkable performance, for he only decided to ride at the last +moment, and neither he nor horse had trained at all. The Battalion did +well in other events, winning 1st and 2nd places in both obstacle and +mule races, and providing the best cooker and best pack pony; the two +last were a great credit to the Transport Section. One of the features +of the day was the Bookies' G.S. wagon, where two officers disguised +with top hats, yellow waistcoats and pyjamas, carried on a successful +business as "turf accountants." At a VIIth. Corps meeting, held a +fortnight later on the same course, we secured two places for the +Battalion: Capt. Burnett came home 2nd in an open steeplechase, and +Capt. Moore 3rd in one for Infantry officers only. + +During September our Mess, already up to strength, was considerably +increased by a large draft of Officers. First we were glad to see Major +Griffiths back as Second in Command, though sorry for Captain John +Burnett, who had to go back to Transport for the time. With Major +Griffiths came 2nd Lieuts. J.R. Brooke, S. Corah, and W.I. Nelson, while +within the same month, or shortly afterwards, 2nd. Lieuts. L.A. Nelson, +J.H. Ball, P. Measures, T.L. Boynton, W.C. Walley, W. Lambert, M.F. +Poynor, and J.A. Wortley all arrived. In October also Serjeant +Beardmore, M.M., of "C" Company, who had latterly being doing +exceptionally good work with the Battalion Scouts, was given his +Commission in the Field, and reposted as a platoon Commander to the old +Company. Capt. Barton's place as M.O. was taken by Captain T.D. Morgan, +of the 2nd Field Ambulance. At the same time a stroke of bad luck robbed +us of 2nd Lieut. Coles, who was badly wounded. During a raid of the 4th +Lincolnshires in October it was our duty to cause a diversion by blowing +up some tubes of ammonal in the Boche wire. The party, led by 2nd Lieut. +Coles, was about to leave our trenches when a rifle grenade or "pine +apple" bomb dropped in their midst and exploded one of the tubes, doing +much damage. + +During these long months of trench warfare a considerable advance was +made in the work of the Intelligence department of the Infantry +Battalion. A year ago one officer did duty for a whole Brigade, now each +Battalion had its Intelligence officer, its scouts and observers, and +its snipers, sometimes the last under a separate officer. The duties of +the Intelligence section were many. They must see and report every +little thing which happened in the enemy's lines, no small detail must +be omitted. The number and colours of his signal lights on different +occasions, the relative activity of his different batteries and their +positions, the movement of his transport, the location of his mortars +and machine guns, the trench reliefs, all these must be watched. The +immediate purpose was of course retaliation, counter battery work, the +making of our bombardments more effective by picking out the tender +spots in his lines, and generally harassing the enemy; but there was a +further purpose. It was particularly necessary that the higher commands +should be kept informed of all the big movements of troops, the state of +the enemy's discipline, etc., and often some little incident seen in the +front line would give the clue to one of these. Lieut. L.H. Pearson was +at this time Intelligence officer, helped by Serjt. Beardmore, M.M., +the humorous side to their work, and many amusing things were seen, or +said to be seen, through the observers' telescopes. The old white-haired +Boche, digging near Monchy, who looked so benign that no one would shoot +him, became quite a famous character, until one day his real nature was +revealed, for he shook his fist at one of our low-flying aeroplanes, and +obviously uttered a string of curses, so one of the snipers shot him. +Then again there was the lady of Douchy, who could be seen each evening +coming out to hang up the washing; she was popularly known as Mary, and +figured in the reports nearly every day. + +With the observers worked the snipers. After nearly two years, +telescopic sights at last appeared, and we tried to train the once +despised "Bisley shot." They were very keen, and had much success, of +which they were duly proud, as their individual reports showed. "We +watched for 3/4 of an hour until our viggillance was rewarded by seeing +a Boche; he exposed half of himself above the parapet, I, Pte. ----, shot +him," so said one report, the name has unfortunately been lost. Some +snipers even kept a book of their "kills," with entries such as "June +1st, 9-30 a.m. Boche sentry looking over, shot in shoulder, had grey +hair almost bald very red face and no hat." It was just the right +spirit, and it had its results. Autumn, 1915, saw us hardly daring to +look over the top for fear of being sniped; Autumn, 1916, saw us +masters, doing just what we pleased, when we pleased. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +GOMMECOURT AGAIN. + +29th Oct., 1916. 15th April, 1917. + + +Many Divisions were now taking part in the Somme battle for the second +time, and as we suddenly left Pommier on the 29th October--our final +destination unknown--we naturally thought it probable that we, too, +should soon be once more in the thick of the fighting. However, our +fears were groundless, and we moved due West, not South. Our first night +we spent in Mondicourt, and then moved the next day in pouring rain to +Halloy, where we stayed two days. On the 1st November we marched 14 +miles through Doullens to Villers L'Hopital, on the Auxi le Chateau +road, where we found our new Padre waiting for us, the Rev. C.B.W. Buck. +The march was good, and no one fell out until the last half mile, a +steep hill into billets, which was too much for six men; as we had done +no real marching for several months, this was very satisfactory. There +was only one incident of interest on the way, a small collision between +the heavily laden mess cart and the level crossing gates at Doullens, +due to the anxiety of the lady gate-keeper to close the gates and let +the Paris express through, a feat which she accomplished, despite all +the efforts of our Transport, which was consequently cut in half. The +following day it rained again, and we marched to Conteville, stayed a +night, and went on to Millencourt the next morning. Here we found good +billets and, as we were told we were likely to remain a month, fixed up +a Battalion Mess in the Farm Chateau. + +We were soon informed that we had not come to Millencourt to rest, but +to carry out "intensive training" to fit us for offensive action. This +meant very hard work all the morning, many afternoons, and two or three +nights a week as well. The idea was to devote the first week to Platoon +and Company work, the next to Battalion drill and training, and to +finish our course with some big Brigade and Divisional days. The weather +was not very good, but we managed to do many hours work, the usual +physical training, bayonet fighting, steady drill, and extended order +work, night compass work and lectures. The most exciting event was one +of the night trainings, when Col. Jones combined cross country running +with keeping direction in the dark. The running was very successful, but +the runners failed to keep direction, and ran for many miles, getting in +many cases completely lost; far into the night the plaintive notes of +the recall bugle could be heard in the various villages of the +neighbourhood. + +Soon after our arrival a Divisional Sports Committee drew up a programme +for a meeting to be held at the end of our training, and to consist of +football, boxing, and cross country running. Eliminating heats and +events had to be decided beforehand, and, with Lieut. Heffill and Serjt. +J. Wardle to look after the boxing, and Capt. Shields as "O.C. +Football," we started training without delay. At the football we had our +usual luck, for, after a good victory over the 4th Lincolnshires, we +were once more beaten by our own 4th Battalion. The last game was very +exciting, and feeling ran so high that the language on the touch line +became terrible, and would have shocked even a Brigadier. The finals of +the boxing and cross country running could not take place until later +when we had left the area. On one or two of the spare afternoons we +managed to get some Rugby football, and had some excellent games, during +which we discovered that our Padre was a performer of considerable +merit. + +On the 22nd November we started back Eastwards, and, after a night at +Prouville and two at Fortel, arrived in the pouring rain at Halloy, +where we were told we should stay for about a week. We were put into the +huts, which were unfinished and entirely unfit for habitation, while to +make matters worse, the field in which they stood had become a sea of +mud. After the good billets of Millencourt, this change for the worse +produced the inevitable sickness, and, in addition to many N.C.O.'s and +men who went away with fever and influenza, we lost for a short time +Col. Jones, and several of the officers. Amongst them was 2nd Lieut. +J.R. Brooke, who had long ago been warned against the danger of again +getting nephritis, but in spite of this refused to stay away from the +Battalion, and insisted on braving even the worst weather and the +wettest trenches. About the same time, Captain Burnett went to England, +going to Hospital from the Army School. + +The week in these horrible surroundings was lengthened to a fortnight, +and we were at last able to hold the finals of the cross country run. +Many of the Battalion entered, and over two hundred came home in the +time, a very good performance, though not good enough to win. The boxing +tournament was held still later at St. Amand, and we sent two entries. +In the heavy weights, Boobyer was beaten on points after a plucky fight, +and in the feather weights, O'Shaugnessy knocked his opponent all over +the place, and won in the second round. + +On the 6th December we marched to the Souastre huts, where the Colonel +returned to us, and we once more began to feel fit; the huts here were +not palaces, but were far better than those we had left at Halloy. On +the 11th we moved up through Bienvillers and went into our old trenches +opposite Monchy. But the recent heavy rains had undone all the good that +we had done in the early autumn, and they were now in a very bad state. +On the right of the Hannescamps road they were particularly bad, and +Liverpool Street, which ran from Lulu Lane to the front line, was almost +impassable. There was the same terrible clinging mud, feet deep, that we +had found at Richebourg a year before, and the old troubles of lost gum +boots began again. Fortunately we were now prepared, and were able to +combat the dangers of "trench foot." Each Company had its drying room--a +dug-out occupied by the Stretcher bearers, and kept warm by an ever +burning brazier. Here at least once in every 24 hours every man who +could possibly have got wet feet, and every man wearing rubber boots, +came, had his feet rubbed, and was given dry socks and boots, while at +Headquarters and in Bienvillers were large drying rooms where the wet +boots could be dealt with. In this way we were able to keep almost free +from the complaint, and the few men whose feet did fail were all men +who had had "trench feet" the previous winter, and were consequently +always liable to it. + +All this time it was not only wet, but cold, and after Christmas it +became colder until the first week in January, when heavy snow fell. +Thenceforward, until the middle of February, there was continuous frost +with occasional heavy falls of snow, though generally the days and +nights were fine and clear. For several feet down, the ground was frozen +hard, and digging became absolutely impossible. There was now solid ice +instead of water in the trenches, and the front line sentries found +their task a particularly cold one. Fortunately by this time the trench +cook-house was not only an established thing but had become a very +successful affair, and four times a day hot meals were carried in tanks +and food containers from Battalion Headquarters to the front line. For +this purpose the rectangular tanks from the cooks' wagons were used, +being carried by two men, on a wooden framework or stretcher. Along a +road or up a well made communication trench this was a comparatively +light task, but to carry a tank full of hot tea over slippery shell +holes and through knee-deep mud was a difficult matter, and on more than +one occasion a platoon lost its hot drink at night through the +disappearance of the carriers into some shell hole. The wonderful thing +was that both tea-less platoon and drenched carriers would laugh over it +all. + +Christmas Day was spent in trenches. We were relieved in the afternoon +by the 4th Battalion, who had their festivities on Christmas eve, and +went back to Souastre, where the following day we, too, had our dinner. +Pigs had been bought and killed, and we all gorged ourselves on roast +pork and plum pudding, washing them down with beer--a very satisfactory +performance. There were also the usual games and Company dinners, and we +all spent a very enjoyable few days. Later on we managed to arrange a +Battalion concert which was a tremendous success, and voted by all a +most excellent evening; the "star" turn was Colonel Jones, who gave a +recitation. + +The weather made raids and active operations impossible, and though we +made all preparations for a rifle grenade demonstration to assist a +Staffordshire raid on New Year's night, this had to be cancelled on +account of the snow. Patrols, however, still continued to tour No Man's +Land in the hopes of finding a stray Boche, or encountering a Boche +patrol. In front of Essarts the lines were so far apart that there was +plenty of room for a small pitched battle, and night after night Lieuts. +Pearson, Creed, Poynor, and others visited such familiar haunts as the +"Osier Bed," "Thistle Patch," "Lonely Tree," and other well-known +places. The first to meet the enemy was Lieut. Pearson, who came upon a +small party in the "Thistle Patch," who made off rapidly back to their +lines. Our patrol used their rifles, but, though they hit one of the +enemy, failed to take a prisoner, and for a week or two the Boche did +not show himself. Then on the 10th January, 2nd Lieut. Creed, with a +mixed party of scouts from all Companies, while reconnoitering the +"Osier Bed" suddenly found that a party of the enemy was in their right +rear and close to our wire, where four of them could be seen. Our patrol +turned at once and ran straight at the four as fast as they could, +coming, as they ran, under a heavy fire from a Boche covering party +lying some 50 yards out. Pte. A. Garner was killed outright, but the +remainder, led by 2nd Lieut. Creed and Pte. Frank Eastwood of "C" +Company, rushed on and wounded and captured one of the four, who was +found to be the officer. The remainder of the enemy took the alarm in +time and made off. The officer proved to be an English-speaking +subaltern of the 55th Regt.--our old opponents of Hohenzollern in +October, 1915. He was led down to the Aid Post to have his wound +dressed, much to the disgust of Captain Terry, the M.O., who would have +liked to have killed him outright, though Serjeant Bent, the medical +orderly, took compassion on his shivering prisoner and fed him on hot +tea, and actually gave him a foot warmer! + +This little affair caused the Boche extreme annoyance, and the following +day he spent the morning shooting at Berlin Trench, the Bienvillers road +and Bienvillers itself, round the Church. As we were relieved during the +morning we had to march out through it all, and found it particularly +unpleasant, especially when a shell hit the R.E. Dump, exploded an +ammunition store, and sent the house at the Church corner several +hundred feet into the air. + +At this time there were again several changes in the personnel. Capt. +G.W. Allen went to Brigade Headquarters and thence to the Corps School +as an Instructor; Capt. J.D. Hills, who took his place, fell down and +injured his knee so badly that it took him to England for six months; +Capt. Knighton was made Town Major at St. Amand, and Captain Mould went +to England. Capt. Wollaston rejoined us, bringing with him 2nd Lieut. +Banwell and a new subaltern, 2nd Lieut. D. Campbell. 2nd Lieut. C.H. +Morris acted as Adjutant. 2nd Lieut. J.R. Brooke paid one of his +periodical visits to the R.A.M.C., driven thither by the M.O., who was +afraid he would die on his hands, but returned to us again soon +afterwards. + +During the last fortnight of January we had several Units of the 58th +(London) Division attached to us for instruction. They were one of the +first "second-line" Territorial Divisions to reach France, and were +followed by our own second-line, the 59th, who went for their initiation +to the most Southern end of the British front, and we consequently did +not see them. Nothing of any note happened during their stay, except a +heavy gas shell bombardment on "D" Company's (Capt. Shields') trenches. +The men were all warned in time and put on helmets, so that we had no +casualties. The shells were almost noiseless, so that when the gas blew +over the crest into "B" Company (Capt. Wollaston), who were in support, +it was thought to be cloud gas and the Strombos horns were sounded. The +flank Units sounded theirs, too, and Bienvillers took it up, much to the +annoyance of the batteries and staffs who were thus unnecessarily +disturbed, since the Strombos should never be used for gas shells only. +It was a very natural mistake, but we were severely "strafed" by the +authorities; however, as we had no casualties, and there had been many +in other Units, we ended by being congratulated. + +On the 14th February came the beginnings of the thaw, and with it the +first rumours of a German withdrawal. Three days later the enemy shelled +Foncquevillers heavily, apparently with a view to a raid, or possibly to +deceive us into thinking that he did not mean to retire. Our guns +replied, and the Right Half Battalion under Major Griffiths, who was +already quartered in the village, stood to, but nothing happened. The +remainder of the Battalion with the Headquarters was now in Bienvillers +in Brigade reserve. The weather once more became frosty, and there was a +thick mist almost every day. On the 23rd we relieved the 4th Battalion, +and occupied some 2,500 yards of front line opposite Gommecourt, where +the Huns shelled us at intervals all the next day, but did no damage. At +midnight 24th/25th the Brigadier had reason to believe the Boche was +going to leave his lines, and a strong patrol under Major Griffiths went +out to reconnoitre. They cut many gaps in the wire, but found the German +front line still held. At dawn it was very foggy, and there was some +shouting heard in Gommecourt, which sounded like "Bonsoir," but at 7-10 +a.m. the enemy opened a heavy bombardment which lasted 31/2 hours. +Shells of every kind were fired and our trenches hit in several places; +one man was killed. The next night patrols were again out and, though it +was found that the Boche had evacuated Gommecourt Park, he was still in +the village, where the following morning dug-outs were seen to be on +fire. Wire was cut and everything prepared for the advance. + +However, the Boche still hung on to his line, and on the evening of the +26th and at dawn the following morning our patrols still found him +there. 2nd Lieuts. Banwell and Beardmore and Serjt. Growdridge were +constantly out, waiting for a chance to enter his lines, but the chance +never came, and, on the 27th, we were relieved by the 4th Battalion, and +returned to Souastre. That evening the Boche retired, and the 4th +Battalion entered Gommecourt. At this point we lost Captain J.W. Tomson, +who had been far from well for some time, and now went to England with +fever. He had never missed a day's work for two years. Lieut. D.B. +Petch took his place in command of "A" Company. + +The German withdrawal was very slow, and we spent the next day having +baths in Souastre. On the 1st March we moved into the new front line, +round the East edge of Gommecourt, while the Boche was still holding +Pigeon Wood. The enemy was very alert, as General H.M. Campbell, the +C.R.A., discovered; he went into the wood, thinking it unoccupied, and +was chased out by a fat Boche throwing "potato mashers." In the evening +the Headquarters moved into a German dug-out, but the enemy still +occupied the "Z." The front line between there and Gommecourt was filled +with deep dug-outs, all connected underground, so the Boche occupied one +end, while 2nd Lieuts. Banwell and Barrett sat in the other, of the same +tunnel. There were many booby traps, such as loose boards exploding a +bomb when trodden on; trip wires at the bottom of dug-out steps bringing +down the roof, and other such infernal machines. We were warned of +these, and had no casualties. + +On the 2nd March we continued to press the enemy, having as our +objective a circle 900 yards round Gommecourt Church. 2nd Lieut. Corah +was slightly wounded by a sniper, and one or two men were hit with +splinters of bomb, but there were no serious casualties. Our bombing +parties were very vigorous, and in one case consumed the hot coffee and +onions left by a party disturbed at breakfast. In this bombing work, +Serjeants A. Passmore, Cave and Meakin, Cpl. Marshall, and L/Cpls. Dawes +and A. Carr all distinguished themselves. Gommecourt wood was soon +cleared, and by the evening we had gained the whole of the circular +objective. The next morning early the 8th Sherwood Foresters came up to +relieve us, but, though the other Companies were relieved, "A" Company +(Petch) refused to be. They were busy chasing the Boche, and were quite +annoyed when told that they must come away. Relieved, we marched back to +Souastre. + +We stayed at Souastre until the 11th March, and then moved up once more +to the line, taking over 2,600 yards of frontage from the la Brayelle +Road to the Hannescamps-Monchy Road. Our time in reserve had been spent +almost entirely in lectures on the attack, and on lessons drawn from the +enemy's recent withdrawal from Gommecourt, and we had more than once +been congratulated on our patrol work, which was excellent throughout +this time. Between Essarts and Monchy the Boche was still holding his +original line, and though expected to retire at any time, he made no +movement during the three days we stayed in the line. On the 13th we +were ordered, during the afternoon, to make certain that the enemy were +still present, so 2nd Lieut. T.H. Ball marched up the Essarts Road with +two platoons, until fire was opened on them from more than one +direction, and the strength of the enemy was apparent. That evening we +were relieved by the Lothian and Border Horse, and marched on relief to +Foncquevillers. The same night, just before midnight, the Staffordshires +made an attack on Bucquoy Graben, a strong Boche trench, and the +outskirts of Bucquoy village. It was very wet and dark, and the +operation altogether most difficult, so that the Staffordshires, though +they made a very gallant attack, lost heavily and gained little ground. + +At dawn the following morning, 14th March, we were ordered to be ready +to go and support the Staffordshires, but, after considerable +uncertainty and waiting, this order was cancelled. Instead, a flagged +plan of the Bucquoy trenches was made on the plain N.W. of our village, +and here we practised the attack. The weather was bad, but we managed to +make all the necessary arrangements and do some attack drill. In the +village we had a singular stroke of ill luck. One solitary German +Howitzer shell dropped amongst a party of "D" Company, killing Pte. J.T. +Allen, who had done good work in the bombing at Gommecourt, and wounding +six others, one of whom, W. Clarke, died of wounds afterwards. The +practised attack, which should have taken place from Biez Wood on the +16th, never came off, for it was made unnecessary by the rapidity of the +German retirement. + +After this the weather improved, and it was bright and warm when, on the +17th, we moved during the afternoon into Gommecourt and came temporarily +under orders of the 139th Brigade. The following day we moved again, +this time to dug-outs and fields 500 yards North of Essarts, country +which the enemy had now entirely evacuated. The villages and farms had +all been very badly battered by our Artillery, and the Boche had found +time to destroy almost everything before he went, except at Douchy, +where there was some good dug-out timber. Needless to say, the famous +Mary of that village was not to be found. The French were immensely +pleased at regaining part of their lost territory, though it was a +pathetic sight to see some of the old people coming to look at the piles +of bricks which had once been their homes. Two ladies came to +Gommecourt with a key, little thinking that so far from finding a lock +they would find not even a door or door-way--there was not even a brick +wall more than two feet high. Those officers who could get horses rode +round to look at the country which for nine months we had been watching +through telescopes, and the concrete emplacements of Monchy and Le +Quesnoy Farm were all explored, while No Man's Land, the only place free +from wire and shell holes, provided an excellent canter. The Companies +were largely employed in road mending, filling up German mine craters, +and making tracks across the trenches for our Artillery. The enemy +seemed to be really on the move at last, and we were all looking forward +to seeing some new country, but on the 20th the weather broke, there was +another fall of snow, and we were not sorry to be ordered back to +Souastre, where we went into the huts for two nights. + +For the rest of March we were constantly on the move, mostly by march +route. First, on the 22nd, we marched via Couin and Bus-les-Artois to +Bertrancourt, where we found some huts and much mud. One very large +"Nissen" hut provided an Officers' Mess, but was completely devoid of +all furniture until the Colonel invented some wonderful hanging +tables--table tops hung from the ceiling on telephone wires. Here we +were joined by 2nd Lieuts. C.C. Craggs, S.R. Mee, and B.G. Bligh, all +new-comers. 2nd Lieuts. R.C. Broughton and A. Ramsden had joined a week +or two before, so we now had our full complement of Platoon Commanders. +Soon afterwards, however, 2nd Lieut. and A/Adjt. C.H. Morris went to the +Indian Army, and his place was taken by Lieut. L.H. Pearson. In +Bertrancourt we found some German prisoners working, one of whom +obviously received the latest news from London quicker than we did, for +he told us that as the result of an air raid "London was in bits"! After +one night here we marched via Acheux, Lealvillers and Arqueves to +Raincheval, where we again stayed one night--a hard frost. The next day +we moved on again, passing through Puchevillers, Rubempre and Pierregot +to Rainnevillers. The march was made particularly uncomfortable by the +number of different Units on the road, marching in all directions, and +we had to keep big intervals between Companies. + +Rainnevillers was only six kilometres from Amiens, and many officers +availed themselves of this opportunity of visiting the town. The +mysteries of Charlie's Bar, Godbert's, the Cafe du Cathedral, and other +haunts were revealed for the first time, and proved so attractive that +two senior officers made a very wet night the excuse for staying in a +Hotel. They returned at dawn, but did not realise how early the Colonel +rose, and met him at the breakfast table, to be congratulated on their +(most unusual) earliness! We stayed here two days, and the G.O.C. came +and presented medal ribbons to those who had been awarded decorations at +Gommecourt. On the 26th March we "embussed" with the 4th +Leicestershires, and were taken through Amiens to Dury, whence we +marched a short distance to St. Fuscien, and went into billets. We were +still near enough to Amiens for those who wished to "joy ride" into the +town. + +Two days later, on the 28th March, we marched to Saleux and entrained +for the North. Passing through Doullens we arrived at Lillers early the +next morning, and marched thence to Laires, twelve miles through the +driving rain. We reached billets all wet through. "B" Company followed +by a later train, and joined us in billets just after midnight. + +We were now in the 2nd Corps, and, before we had time to look round our +new billets, the Corps Commander, General Jacob, came and was introduced +to all officers, speaking to us in the village school room. After that +we looked round our new quarters and found them excellent, so settled +down to have, if possible, an enjoyable rest. Marie, of the "Cheval +Blanc," provided a room where officers might meet and drink beer, +subalterns, of course, champagne, and her name must be added to the long +list of Tina's, Bertha's, and others who all over France welcomed the +British officer so cordially at their estaminets. Meanwhile, we spent +our days training, and particular attention was paid to route marching, +in which we were severely handicapped by the bad state of our boots. For +some reason there was at the time a shortage of leather, so Serjeant +Huddleston, our shoemaker, could do nothing to improve matters, and we +had to make the best of a bad job. It was really remarkable on some of +the longer marches how few men fell out considering that many had +practically no soles to their boots. However, the pleasant billets at +Laire amply repaid us for our other troubles, and we were all sorry when +on the 13th April, 2nd Lieut. Brooke and the rest of us bade farewell to +Marie and marched to Manqueville. + +Here we continued training so far as the weather allowed, but a +considerable amount of rain rather hampered us. On the 15th we lost +Colonel Jones who went to England for three months' rest. With the +exception of a few weeks in 1915 he had been with us since the +beginning, and there was not an officer or man who did not regret his +going. There was never a trench or post which he did not visit, no +matter how exposed or how dangerous the approach to it. Moreover, he was +never downhearted, and while he was in it, the Battalion Headquarters of +the 5th Leicestershire Regiment was known throughout the Division as one +of the most cheerful, if not the most cheerful, spot in France. Major +Griffiths took temporary command until, on the 23rd, Major Trimble, +M.C., of the E. Yorks. Regt. arrived from the 6th Division and took over +from him. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +LENS. + +16th April, 1917. 10th June, 1917. + + +On the 16th of April we learnt that we were once more to go to trenches, +and the same day we moved to Annezin, just outside Bethune. The march +will always be remembered on account of the tremendous energy displayed +by Captain Shields, who was acting second in command. Just before the +start he insisted on the reduction of all officers' kits to their +authorised weight, thereby causing much consternation amongst those +whose trench kits included gramophones, field boots, and other such +articles of modern warfare. However, on arrival at Annezin all such +worries were dispersed by the radiant smiles of the ladies at the C.O.'s +billet, with whom all the Subaltern Officers, and one or two Captains at +once fell in love. + +Two days later Major Griffiths and some of the Company Officers went to +reconnoitre the area round Bully Grenay and the western outskirts of +Lens, which we were told would be our new area. The capture of Vimy by +the Canadians a few days before, had made an advance on Lens more +possible than it had ever been before, and there were many who thought +that the Boche would be compelled to evacuate the town. But the Germans +had not yet any intention of doing this. Though the Vimy heights were +lost to them, they still held "Hill 70" on the North side, and due West +of Lens, near the Souchez river, Fosse 3 and "Hill 65" were naturally +strong positions. South of this again, and just the other side of the +river, was another small rise, on which stood an electric generating +station, another commanding position held by the enemy. Our line ran +through the houses of Lievin, across the Lens road, round the Eastern +edge of Cite St. Pierre, and through Cite St. Edouard to the slopes of +"Hill 70." + +The whole neighbourhood was covered with coal mines. Each had its +machine buildings, its slag heap, and its rows of miners' cottages, +called "Corons," all in perfectly straight lines. The mine complete was +known as a "Cite," and a Cite in the case of a large mine, covered a +considerable tract of country, and had several hundred cottages. As the +mines increased in number or grew in size, these Cites became more and +more numerous, until when war began the country was fast becoming one +large town. The trenches ran from cellar to cellar, through houses, +along roadsides, were very irregular, and mostly short, unconnected and +isolated lengths. Streets were the only means of communication, and +these could not be used except at night. We were at a great disadvantage +in this area. The Boche had but lately occupied the line we were now +holding; he knew its whereabouts exactly, knew every corner of it, and +could observe it from his heights on both flanks. We on the other hand +never quite knew where the Boche was living, had no observation of his +front line, and were consequently unable to retaliate as effectively as +we should have wished to his trench mortars. + +On the 19th of April Lt. Col. J.B.O. Trimble, M.C., arrived and took +command, and the same night we marched through Bethune and Noeux les +Mines to the "Double Crassier"--a long double slag heap near Loos--where +we lived for two days in cellars and dug-outs, in Brigade Reserve. The +day after we arrived an attempt was made by the Division on our left to +capture "Hill 70." It failed, and during the enemy's retaliatory +bombardment our positions were heavily shelled, and five men wounded. +The next night we moved back to Maroc and Bully Grenay, where we stayed +until the 23rd, when we relieved the 4th Battalion in the front line. + +Our new sector was one of the worst we ever held. The front line, "A" +Company (Petch), consisted of "Cooper Trench"--an exposed salient in +front of Cite St. Pierre, overlooked and shelled from every direction +and absolutely unapproachable during daylight, except for those who were +willing to crawl. "B" and "C" Companies (Wynne and Moore) were behind in +cellars, and "D" (Shields) and Battalion Headquarters still further back +in the Cite. On the left could be seen the low slag heap and railway +line of St. Pierre coal mine, held by our 1st Battalion, under which the +6th Division a few days previously had lost an entire platoon buried in +a collapsed dug-out. + +The tour lasted six days, and at the end of the second "D" Company +relieved "A" in Cooper trench. It was originally intended to relieve "D" +in the same way two nights later, but this was impossible, because we +had to take over a new sector of line on the right, where "B" Company +now relieved the 4th Lincolnshires, astride the Cite St. Edouard road. +The new sector was not so exposed to view, and consequently to shelling +as Cooper trench, but had other disadvantages, chief among which was its +peculiar shape. A sharp pointed salient ran out along the Cite St. +Edouard road, while South of this the line bent back to the right until +it reached the outskirts of St. Pierre. + +The shelling was very hot throughout the tour, and, at night +particularly, there was plenty of machine-gun fire up the streets, which +made ration carrying a dangerous job. "D" Company suffered most in +casualties, nearly all of which were caused by shell fire on Cooper +Trench, where they were unlucky in losing, in addition to some twenty +others, Serjeants Williams, Queenborough and Goode, all of whom were +wounded. The other Companies had some ten casualties between them. + +All this time the enemy were inclined to be nervous after our attack on +"Hill 70," and almost every day the columns of smoke in Lens showed us +where he was burning houses and stores in case he should be forced to +retire. His Infantry remained comparatively inactive in the front line, +and when one night 2nd Lieut. Banwell and his platoon of "C" Company +raided Cite St. Edouard Church they found no enemy there. + +One humorous episode is handed down concerning this otherwise rather +grim tour. Battalion Headquarters lived in a very small cellar--mess and +office below, clerks and signallers and runners on the stairs. The +Boche, the previous occupants, had left a suspicious looking red and +black object on one end of the table which we used for meals and work. +This took up a large part of our very scanty room, so an R.E. Specialist +was called in to examine it. He examined the object, at once condemned +the cellar as dangerous, and advised our immediate departure. Cellars +were hard to find, we consulted another specialist. His actions are best +described in the words of one of those present: "He (R.E.) clears +dug-out, or rather dug-out clears itself, and ties string gingerly to +object; the string he leads upstairs and along a trench to what he +considers is a safe distance. When all is ready the string is pulled. +Nothing happens. Suspense--a long pause--two hours--several drinks--R.E. +proceeds to examine result lying on floor--an improvised lantern used +for photography!" + +On the 29th, after a big gas bombardment against the enemy's positions +in Cite St. Edouard and St. Theodore, we were relieved by the 4th +Battalion, and went into the St. Pierre cellars--in Brigade support. The +whole place was under direct observation, and movement by day was +impossible, which made our existence very unpleasant. It was while here +that we began to realize what a magnificent man was Padre Buck. Nothing +worried him, and even Cooper trench formed part of his parish, to be +visited each night. In St. Pierre he held a service every evening in one +of the cellars, undeterred although on one occasion a shell burst in the +doorway, scattering its bits inside, but doing no damage. + +On the 3rd of May we again relieved the 4th Battalion and stayed for +three days in the Cooper trench sector. We had a quieter time than +before, and only lost one killed and nine wounded during the tour. +Amongst the latter were L/Cpl. Waterfield and "Pat" Collins the runner, +who were both hit by a shell, which burst on the orderly room. Our chief +difficulty was the water supply. With the hot weather the demand for +water increased, and it all had to be brought to the line in petrol +cans. Fortunately the limbers could come as far as Battalion +Headquarters, and cans had to be carried forward from there only; even +this took many men, and our numbers were by no means large. + +At the end of this tour, the Brigade went into Divisional reserve, and +we, relieved by the Sherwood Foresters, went back to Fosse 10, near +Petit Sains. Here we stayed for six days training, playing games, and, +by way of work, wiring a new line of defence. During this time we lost +several officers. Capt. Wollaston and Lieut. H.E. Chapman went to +Hospital, Lieut. Petch, 2nd Lieuts Clay and Bligh had already gone, and +2nd Lieut. Hepworth left a few days later to join the Indian Army. +Captain Shields went on leave and "D" Company was commanded by Captain +John Burnett, who, on his return from England, had been sent to the 4th +Battalion, but soon worked his way back to us. + +It was now our turn to go to the right Brigade sector, previously held +by the Staffordshires, and on the 12th May we marched up to Red Mill, +between Angres and Lievin. It was a disastrous march, for we were +heavily shelled, and lost L/Cpl. Startin and Pte. Norton killed, and +three L/Cpls., Ellis, Richardson and Roper, wounded--four of these were +"No. 1" Lewis Gunners. Once at Red Mill all was well, and for the next +two days we had an enjoyable time. The Mill proved to be a large +red-brick Chateau, now sadly knocked about, on the banks of the Souchez +river. The weather was bright and warm, so a dam was built, and we soon +had an excellent bathing pool, much patronized by all ranks. 2nd Lieut. +J.C. Barrett was the star performer, and never left the water, so that +those who had nothing better to do used to "go and see the Signalling +Officer swim"--it was one of the recognised recreations of the place. + +At night we provided carrying and wiring parties, all of which had to go +through Lievin, a bad place for shells. The Church stood at a +particularly hot corner, and here, on the 11th, 2nd Lieut. T.P. Creed, +M.C., was wounded in the head and foot and had to be sent to England, a +great loss to "D" Company. We had two killed and nine wounded about the +same time, and lost amongst the wounded one of our old soldiers, +O'Shaugnessy, the boxer. + +On the 15th May we relieved our 4th Battalion in the right sub-sector, +staying there for ten days, with a three days' holiday at Red Mill in +the middle. We were very weak, and our strength in trenches was barely +450, for in addition to casualties we had to send many away on leave or +to courses. Our new sector lay between the Souchez river and the +Lens-Lievin road, while across the river were the Canadians. Opposite +them and our right flank, was the ridge with the generating station, +opposite our centre Fosse 3 and "Hill 65." Fosse 3 had a large group of +mine buildings standing on a slag heap, which ran Southwards from "Hill +65," ending above the river with a thirty foot slope. The Western face +was the same height, and at its foot on our side was a large lake. The +Corons were on the slopes of the Hill and round its base on the Western +side. Those at the bottom we held, but the enemy had those on the +slopes, and one building in particular, the "L-shaped house," was very +strongly fortified. The right Company had its outposts in the cellars +and shell-holes round the N. and W. edges of the lake, the centre and +left companies had cellars and trenches, through the Cites de Riaumont +and du Bois de Lievin, down to the main Lens road. Left Company +Headquarters had a beautiful chateau, with a fruit and asparagus garden, +known after its first occupant as "John Burnett's Chateau." There were +two communication trenches, one each side of the Riaumont Hill: "Assign" +on the South, shallow and unsafe in daylight, and "Absalom" on the +North. "Hill 65" dominated everything, and gave the Boche a tremendous +advantage. We had the Riaumont hill, 500 yards West of our front line, +and could use the Bois de Riaumont on its summit as an O.P., but this +was always being shelled, and though the view was excellent, one was +seldom left in peace long enough to enjoy it. Battalion Headquarters had +a strong German concrete dug-out in Lievin, said to have been formerly +occupied by Prince Ruprecht of Bavaria. + +The enemy confined his activity to his artillery, which hammered our +back areas, and his trench mortars, which constantly bombarded our +outposts. A row of houses along an absolutely straight street forms a +comparatively easy target, and a cellar is no protection against a +240 lbs. Minenwerfer shell. On one occasion the enemy, starting at one +end, dropped a shell on every house in turn down one side, smashing each +cellar; it was a nerve-racking performance for those who lived in one of +the cellars and had to watch the shells coming nearer, knowing that to +go into the street meant instant death at the hands of some sniper. The +headquarters of No. 15 Platoon had a direct hit, but fortunately 2nd +Lieuts. Brooke and Ramsden were both out crawling about somewhere, and +the only damage was to their dinner. Every mortar, whose position was +known, was given a name and marked on a map, so as to simplify quick +retaliation. Captain Burnett spent much time at the telephone demanding +the slaughter of "Bear," "Bat," "Pharaoh," "Philis," "Philistine," +"Moses," "Aaron," etc. etc. + +It was impossible to visit any of the outpost line by day, and those +from Battalion Headquarters who wanted to do so had perforce to go at +night. Nights were dark; the ground was covered with shell-holes, some +of them of great size. Once Major Griffiths, going out with Grogan, his +runner, suddenly disappeared from view in an enormous hole which had +apparently amalgamated itself with some well or sewer. The Major was +almost drowned, but came to the surface in time to hear Grogan say: "You +haven't fallen in, have you, sir?" He was fished out and scraped down +and went on his way to "John Burnett's Chateau," where he was given +warmth and comfort, and whence he eventually returned to Lievin--taking +care to rob the asparagus bed before leaving. + +Towards the end of the tour the enemy attempted a small raid against our +somewhat isolated right post, but was easily driven off by our Lewis +guns, and made no other attempts. On the 25th of May the Sherwood +Foresters took our place, and we marched out to Marqueffles Farm. The +tour had cost us twenty-four casualties, three of whom were killed; we +had some narrow escapes in the cellars, and were fortunate not to lose +more. "D" Company had had a particularly bad time, and owe much to +Serjeant Burbidge, who seemed in his element in the midst of terrific +explosions and rocking cellars, and saved many casualties by his +calmness. + +Marqueffles Farm stands next to Marqueffles coal mine, at the foot of +the Northern slopes of the Lorette ridge. The Companies were all +billeted in the farm, and the officers in tents outside, while a +home-made marquee formed an excellent mess. After our first difficulty, +which was to find the place at all in the utter darkness of relief +night, we spent a very happy twelve days in beautiful weather. After +coal mines and squalid narrow streets, the woods of Lorette, the little +village of Bouvigny, and the open country were delightful, for the +scenery to the south was all very pleasing. Games of all descriptions +were our programme for the first two days, while our chief amusement was +to watch the enemy's attempts to hit the observation balloon above us. +His shells, fitted with clockwork fuzes, burst very high, and were quite +harmless. + +But our stay in Marqueffles was not merely a rest, we were there to +practice for an attack to be made shortly on Fosse 3. A plan of the +Fosse and its trenches was marked out, and each day the assaulting +Companies, "B" and "C," practiced their attack over it, until each man +knew his task exactly. In addition to this "C" Company were able to +scale the Marqueffles slag-heap, and so prepare themselves for Fosse 3, +whose 30 feet they would have to climb in the battle. General Kemp had +had to go to Hospital with a poisoned foot and Colonel Thorpe, the +Divisional Staff Officer, who took his place, came often to watch our +practice, making on the last occasion a very encouraging, if somewhat +bloodthirsty speech. Through it all we enjoyed ourselves immensely. For +a change canteen stores were plentiful, and a generous supply of +cigarettes, beer, and other luxuries, did much to raise our spirits. The +officers, too, had many pleasant evenings, and, on more than one +occasion, the night was disturbed by the old familiar strains of "Come +Landlord fill the flowing Bowl," "John Peel," and other classical +ditties. + +On the 6th of June we moved up to Lievin and took over the line from the +5th Sherwood Foresters. For the first time the officers were clothed +exactly as the men. "D" Co. (Burnett) was in front, "A" Co. (Broughton) +in support, and "B" and "C" (Wynne and Moore) in the row of houses just +west of Riaumont Hill. These had hardly settled down before a shell +burst in the doorway of "C" Company Headquarters killing Serjeant +Harper, the Lewis Gun N.C.O., and wounding six others, amongst them +another Gunner, L/Cpl. Morris. At the same time 2nd Lieut. A.L. Macbeth +had to go to Hospital with fever; Capt. Wynne was also far from well, +but refused to leave his Company on the eve of the attack. + +The final preparations were made on the night of the 7th/8th, when two +parties went out to cut wire, 2nd Lieut. Banwell and 2nd Lieut. C.S. +Allen. The first party found some thick wire, placed their ammonal tubes +and successfully blew several gaps. The others, under 2nd Lieut. Allen, +found no uncut wire, so brought their tubes back. Everything was ready +by dawn on the 8th, and Zero was ordered for 8-30 p.m. the same day. + +For several days the Monmouthshires had been at work deepening "Assign" +trench, and had done much, but it was still shallow, and there is no +doubt that as "B" and "C" Companies came up it between 5.0 and 6.0 +p.m., they were seen from the top of "Hill 65." For as "B" Company +passed the group of cottages South of Riaumont Hill, the Boche opened a +heavy fire on the trench and dropped a shell right amongst the Company +Headquarters. Capt. Wynne was untouched, but his Serjeant-Major, Gore, +and his runner, Ghent, both first-class soldiers, were killed by his +side. Assembly was complete by 6.0 p.m. and "B," "C," with "D" Co. in +close support, waited for Zero in some short lengths of trench, dug +amongst the houses at the East end of "Assign" trench. "A" Co., who were +to carry ammunition and stores for the attackers, formed up near +Battalion Headquarters, in the group of houses half way up the trench. +Capt. Wynne, though worn out with fever, and hardly able to stand, still +stuck to his Company. + +[Illustration: SKETCH MAP TO ILLUSTRATE FIGHTING AT LENS +-MAY, JUNE 1917.-] + +At 8.30 p.m. the barrage opened, and the attack started. Almost the +first shell exploded some ammunition dump on the far side of the slag +heap, and the whole battle was lit up by the gigantic fire which +followed. Against the red glow the black figures of "C" Company could be +seen swarming up the slag-heap, clearing the two trenches, "Boot" and +"Brick," on its summit, and sweeping on to clean out the dug-outs +beyond. There were many Germans on and around the heap, and in a short +time between 80 and 100 were killed, nearly all with the bayonet. +Serjeant Needham stormed a trench mortar emplacement, himself accounting +for most of the crew. Serjeant Roberts, formerly of the Transport, and +with his Company for the first time, was much annoyed to find a bayonet +through his arm, but did not stop until he had dealt with its owner and +any of his friends he could find. Pte. Tookey and many others showed +splendid dash, bombing dug-outs, bayonetting stray Huns, and +occasionally taking a prisoner or two. But the central figure of the +fight was 2nd Lieut. Banwell. Armed with a rifle and bayonet he simply +ran amock and slaughtered some eight of the enemy by himself, while +their leader he ran to the edge of the slag-heap and kicked over the +side into the lake, where he broke his neck and was drowned. Altogether +this Company took eight prisoners and destroyed three machine guns and +two trench mortars. + +Meanwhile the attack on the left had failed. At Zero Captain Wynne led +"B" Company from their trenches and advanced towards the "L-shaped" +building. They had hardly started before their ranks were swept from end +to end with machine gun fire from the houses to their left and front. +Capt. Wynne and 2nd Lieut. R.B. Farrer were killed, 2nd Lieut. W.I. +Nelson was wounded, and the company had no officers left. Still, under +the N.C.O.'s, they tried to push forward, only to meet with more losses. +They were compelled to stop, and, under Serjeant Martin, the senior +N.C.O. left, began to dig a line a few yards east of their starting +trench. Serjeant Passmore, who was acting Serjt.-Major, Serjts. Kemp, +Thorpe and Hibbert were all wounded, L/Cpl. Aris and nine others killed, +and more than half the Company wounded. For some time Battalion +Headquarters knew nothing of this disaster, and it was only when the +Signaller L/Cpl. Woolley came back to report, that Col. Trimble heard +what had happened. He at once ordered "D" Company to fill the gap, so as +to protect the left flank of "C" Company, which he knew must be +seriously exposed. + +"A" Company, carrying ammunition, had also had their casualties, and 2nd +Lieut. Broughton, after being hit more than once, eventually had to +leave them. He had been personally organizing most of the parties, and +during the battle was everywhere, quite regardless of danger. +Consequently, when he went, "A" Company became scattered; parties which +had delivered their ammunition did not know where to go; and some of +them, a few under Serjeant Putt and Pte. Dakin, wandered into the +slag-heap and took part in the battle, helping to kill some of the Boche +there. "D" Company lost two killed and ten wounded, for their position, +joining the two flanks, was exposed to a considerable amount of enfilade +fire. As soon as they had cleared the summit of the slag-heap "C" +Company started to consolidate "Boot" and "Brick" trenches, while the +most forward of the attackers formed a protective screen. Their position +was precarious. They were exposed to heavy fire from the generating +station and "Hill 65," while unable to keep a watch on the low ground of +the Souchez river valley or East of the slag-heap, where numbers of +Boche could assemble unseen. The "L-shaped" building, too, was a thorn +in their left flank. Still they were well established, when Col. Thorpe +and Captain Wade, the Brigade Major, came round the line and looked at +our new positions. They left the slag-heap just before dawn, and a few +minutes later, when they were talking to Capt. Moore in his headquarters +in the cottages below, a runner came in to announce a big Boche +counter-attack. It was still too dark to see much, but our sentries +could make out large numbers of men closing in on them from three sides, +and fire was opened. The Boche dropped into shell holes, but continued +his advance steadily, making use of all available cover. "C" Company, +finding their rifles useless and very short of ammunition, waited until +they came near enough to start bombing, and then gave them a volley of +Mills grenades. But once again we were ruined by the inefficiency of +those in rear; the bombs had no detonators. In a few minutes the Company +would have been completely surrounded, so slowly and in good order they +withdrew, first to the edge of the heap, and then down to the cottages +at the bottom. One group of men stayed for an incredibly long time on a +ledge partway down the face, but in the end they too had to come away. +During the night the Company lost one killed and twenty-eight wounded, +five of whom stayed at duty; two others were badly wounded during the +counter-attack, were subsequently captured, and died as prisoners in +Germany--Privates A. Beck and R. Collins. At the time, the withdrawal +from the slag-heap seemed like a defeat, but, had we stayed, our +casualties would have been far worse and the result the same; for with +daylight, nothing could have lived on the heap, so long as the +Generating Station and "Hill 65" remained in German hands. + +The night after the battle we were relieved by the 5th Lincolnshires and +marched out to Red Mill again for a few days' rest. We were +congratulated by the General on the fight, and Captain Moore and "C" +Company came in for special praise for their work with the bayonet. +Capt. Wynne and 2nd Lieut. Farrer were buried in Bully Grenay, and +Lieut. N.C. Marriott took over "B" Company. For the last twenty four +hours it had been commanded by Lieut. Petch, who returned from Hospital +in the middle of the battle. He now went to "A" Company again, and was +promoted Captain. Lieut. Marriott got his Captaincy a few weeks later. +Capt. Shields returned from leave and took command of "D" again, while +Capt. Burnett went to Headquarters. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +HILL 65. + +13th June, 1917. 4th July, 1917. + + +Those who had hoped for a rest after the battle were disappointed, for, +on the 13th of June, we once more went into the line opposite Fosse 3. +The enemy seemed to have recovered from our attack on the 8th, and we +spent a quiet five days, gaining no ground and suffering practically no +casualties. Towards the end of the tour the Canadians gained a footing +on the Southern corner of the slag-heap and established a post there, +and at the same time took the whole of the Generating Station and the +high ground round it. It seemed improbable that the Boche could hold +Boot and Brick trenches much longer, so the General brought the 5th +Lincolnshires into the line on the evening of the 18th to make a new +attack on Fosse 3. This attack was to take the form of a large raid. + +Leaving "A" Company (Petch) in close support in Cite des Garennes we +went out to Red Mill while the attack took place, and the following day, +the 19th, the Lincolnshires sent us down 24 prisoners to guard. Their +raid had been a great success, they had cleared the slag-heap and the +machine buildings and killed many Boche as well as taken prisoners. As a +result of this the Lincolnshires were able to move into Boot and Brick +for their outpost line, and here on the 20th we relieved them. Twice +during the relief the S.O.S. Signal was fired by our posts in the front +line on account of suspected counter-attacks, but our artillery replied +so promptly and so efficiently that nothing materialized. + +Our second night in the line was disastrous. During this fighting round +Lens, any progress made was the result of minor operations, raids and +even patrol fights, and there was seldom a large scale battle. It was +naturally difficult to keep all units informed of the latest progress, +and this difficulty was particularly great in our case, when trying to +maintain liaison with the Canadians. The Souchez river was the boundary +between the two corps, and made it impossible for us to visit their +front line troops. We had therefore to rely on Division and Corps +headquarters keeping each other posted as to the latest progress, and on +more than one occasion this liaison broke down, and we suffered very +heavily. + +At dusk on the 21st we received a message, and at once warned all ranks, +that the Special Brigade R.E. were going to carry out a gas bombardment +of the mine buildings of Fosse 3. Projectors would be fired by a Company +operating with the Canadian Corps, from whose front the buildings could +be best attacked. The wind was satisfactory, and the buildings were at +least 150 yards away from our nearest trenches, so there seemed no need +of any special precautions. "C" Company, occupying Boot and Brick +trenches, heard the familiar explosion as the projectors went off, and +waited to hear them fall in the buildings. Instead, they fell in our +trenches, several hundred of them; in a few seconds, and before any +warning could be shouted, the trenches were full of phosgene, the +deadliest of all gasses. Officers and men worked hard to rouse those +resting, and, in particular, 2nd Lieut. Banwell taking no heed for his +own safety, went everywhere, rousing, rescuing and helping the badly +gassed. But it was too late, and all through the night and next morning +casualties were being carried out to Lievin and down the line. 2nd +Lieuts. Craggs and Macbeth both went to England, and, almost the last to +leave the slag-heap, 2nd Lieut. Banwell. His great strength had enabled +him to survive longer than the others, but no constitution could stand +all that phosgene, and during the morning he suddenly fainted, and had +to be carried down. By the time he reached Lievin he was almost dead, +and the Doctors held out no hope of his recovery. However, fed on oxygen +and champagne he lasted a week, and then, to everybody's surprise, began +to recover. The greatest surprise of all was when this marvellous man +refused to go to England, but preferred to remain in Hospital in France +until fit enough to rejoin his own Battalion. With the exception of +Capt. Moore, who was fortunately on leave at the time, "C" Company was +wiped out and temporarily ceased to exist. Twenty-four died from the +poison, and in all sixty-two others of the Company went to Hospital. +Most of these found their way to England, though one or two, such as +Serjt. Needham and L/Cpl. Tookey, both fighting men, preferred to remain +and return to us. "D" Company also had their losses, and Serjeant +Sullivan and nine others were gassed, ten others wounded. The rest of +the Battalion escaped untouched. + +The following night the 8th Sherwood Foresters came into the line, and +we went back to Marqueffles Farm. Our losses had been heavy and so far +we had had practically no reinforcements, so had to reorganise our three +remaining Companies with three platoons each instead of four. We were +also becoming short of officers, having lost eight and only received one +reinforcement--Lieut. R.J.H.F. Watherstone, who came to us from England. + +We spent two days resting and cleaning ourselves, and trying to recover +from the effects of the battle, before starting on any more serious +work. On the Sunday, at Church Parade, General Thwaites came and spoke +to us, congratulating us once more on the 8th, and praising especially +"C" Company for their bayonet work. He was very angry indeed about the +gas disaster and explained the cause. It appeared that the Company +carrying out the operation had never been informed of our occupation of +the trenches on the slag heap, and that, when they said they were going +to bombard the mine buildings, they meant the whole area, including +these trenches, which they imagined were still held by the enemy. + +The whole Division was now very weak, for the series of small battles +during the past six weeks had been expensive. However, the higher +authorities considered we were still fit for battle and decided to give +us one more show, before sending us to some quiet trenches to +recuperate. The objective this time was "Hill 65," "Adjunct," "Adjacent" +and "Advance" trenches and the outskirts of the Cite du Moulin--the last +of the Cites outside Lens itself. Three Battalions would attack, +ourselves on the right, our 4th Battalion in the centre, and the 5th S. +Staffordshires on the left. Practice started at once over a flagged +course, and our new Brigadier, General F.G.M. Rowley, C.M.G., of the +Middlesex Regiment, came to watch us at work. Our formation differed +slightly from that used in previous fights, for we gave great prominence +to the "Moppers." Several times lately the leading waves of an assault +had gone straight to their final objective, consolidated, and then found +themselves cut off by parties of the enemy, over whom they had passed +during the advance. Now a line of "moppers" was detailed to follow ten +yards behind each wave, with orders to mop up everything and leave no +living Boche anywhere behind the assaulting troops. In our case "D" +Company (Shields) would mop up, "A" and "B" (Petch and Marriott) would +make the attack, while two Companies of the 4th Lincolnshires were +detailed to assist us with carrying parties. + +While we were practising this, on the 25th the troops in the line made +further progress, somewhat lightening our task, but not necessitating +any alteration in our plans of attack. The battle was ordered for the +28th June, and the previous evening we moved up Assign trench to our +assembly positions, Boot and Brick Trenches on the slag heap. We were to +relieve partly Lincolnshires and partly Monmouthshires, and for some +reason or other there was confusion among the guides. Those detailed for +"A" Company wanted to lead them to the right instead of the left of the +assaulting frontage, while "B" Company had "A's" guides. Fortunately +Capt. Petch was able to catch his platoons in time, and, dismissing the +guides, sent each to its correct position. Serjeant Putt, who had +started first, he could not warn in time, but fortunately this N.C.O. +knew enough of the plans to know that he was being led wrongly, and so +retraced his steps and rejoined the rest of his Company on the +slag-heap. "A" Company were in position by 10.0 p.m., but the other +companies were seriously delayed and wandered about most of the night +under guides, who took them the wrong way. To add to the confusion our +liaison with the Canadians again broke down, and without any warning the +Division on our right suddenly launched an attack. Barrages followed by +both sides and the noise continued throughout the night. Long after the +attack was over the noise went on, for every few minutes some post would +get nervous and send up an S.O.S. signal, immediately calling down a +barrage, to which the other side would reply in kind. All this took +place on the other side of the Souchez river, but we came in for much +shelling, and the relief was not finally complete until 5.0 a.m. At dawn +we were all in position. "B" Company (Marriott) was on the right with a +frontage from the Souchez river to the Southern edge of the mine +buildings; "A" (Petch) was on the left, with the length of the buildings +as their frontage; "D" (Shields) assembled under the slag-heap behind +them. Zero was ordered for 7.20 p.m. + +The original plan had been for the assaulting Companies to leave their +assembly trenches a few minutes before Zero, and, moving forward +carefully, to form up for the attack a few yards in front. At 7.0 p.m. +it was still, of course, bright daylight; the enemy had two observation +balloons up, and there were several aeroplanes about. It seemed that any +such movement must be noticed. However, fate was on our side, and at +7.13 p.m. a rain storm burst over the country, completely obscuring the +view, and by Zero the assaulting troops were lying out ready. They had +not been seen. + +At 7-20 p.m. the rain stopped, the barrage started, and we went forward. +At the same time real and dummy gas attacks were made North of the +Lievin-Lens road, and the enemy must have wondered very much where the +main attack would be. The result was satisfactory; we met no real +barrage and no very heavy machine gun fire, though there was a +considerable amount of scattered shooting of both kinds. This did not +delay our advance, though 2nd Lieut. Dawes was wounded and had to leave +his Company. Our only difficulty was the mine building, through which +"A" Company were supposed to advance; this was found to be impenetrable, +and Captain Petch had to send half his Company through "B" Company's +frontage, and half through the 4th Leicestershires, so as to avoid it. +"Adjunct" and "Adjacent" trenches were reached practically without loss, +but the enemy did not stay to receive us, and we found them empty. At +7.40 p.m. Yates, the "A" Company runner, reached headquarters with the +news of the success of the battle. + +"Adjacent" trench was organised as our new outpost line and several +strong points were built along it. We also secured the Western end of +"Almanac," a communication trench running N.E. alongside the railway. +Halfway up this trench a deserted Boche machine gun post would have +provided us with an excellent forward post, but unfortunately it was in +our defensive barrage line and we were not allowed to occupy it. We had, +therefore, to content ourselves with collecting the souvenirs, which +included a telephone, and to come away. We had several casualties while +consolidating, and lost another officer, 2nd Lieut. M.J.S. Dyson, who +was slightly wounded by a stray shell. "B" Company lost Cpl. Baker +wounded, and L/Cpl. Snow of "A" was also hit, in addition to two killed +and twenty-five others wounded in the Battalion. The scattered shelling +became somewhat more concentrated after our arrival, but did not stop +our consolidation, which went forward rapidly with only one pause. About +8.0 p.m. there was a terrific rainstorm and everyone stopped work to put +on waterproof sheets. The enemy must have done the same, and it was +curious to notice how the battle stopped while everybody sheltered, for +while the rain lasted there was complete silence, and neither side fired +a shot. + +Our task the next morning was to discover how far the Boche had retired. +The Canadians South of the river had pushed on to the outskirts of Cite +St. Antoine, almost in Lens itself, and, with "Hill 65" in our hands, +the German positions in the Cite du Moulin were overlooked from +everywhere. Patrols were sent forward to investigate, and 2nd Lieut. +Brooke, with some of "D" Company, pushed forward up "Almanac" trench as +far as the Arras road. Here they caught sight of a Boche patrol, which +promptly fled as fast as possible. Except for this, the day passed +quietly, as did the following morning. + +The afternoon of the 30th, however, was far from quiet, and for several +hours our new line was heavily shelled. In addition to the usual field +batteries, there was one heavy gun which fired continuously on "A" +Company's lines, obtaining a direct hit on Company Headquarters. Capt. +Petch and 2nd Lieut. Campbell were both buried but not seriously hurt. +Serjt. Ault, the acting Serjeant-Major, Wheeldon and Stevenson, the two +runners, all three old soldiers of exceptional ability, were killed. +Raven, another runner, was wounded, Downs had already been hit, and was +again severely shaken, but both these stayed at duty, while they helped +Lilley and Balderstone, who pluckily came along, to dig out those who +were buried. In all twenty-eight were wounded, making our casualties for +the battle three officers and ninety other ranks. That night the 4th +Lincolnshires relieved us, and we went into Brigade reserve, two +Companies in Cite des Garennes, the other in Lievin. + +A few hours after relieving us the Lincolnshires made another attack, +but failed to gain much ground, and met with considerable opposition +from the neighbourhood of the Arras road. Their casualties were +consequently heavy, and they asked to be relieved again the following +night, so we were ordered to go up once more and take over their new +line. Guides were to have met us at the "Broken bridge" near "Adjacent" +trench, but only those for "A" and "B" Companies arrived, and for +several hours Captain Shields waited with "D" Company, not knowing where +to take his men. Apparently there had been some further operations, and +the Lincolnshires had been shelled, in any case no guides appeared, and +it was nearly dawn. At last, Capt. Shields, knowing that in a few +minutes he would not have time to reach the front line, even if guides +did arrive, gave the order to "about turn," and marched back. This +caused considerable discussion at Battalion Headquarters, and Brigade +finally decided that Col. Trimble should take over the line with two +companies of the 4th Lincolnshires in front in the outpost line, two of +our Companies in "Acorn" and "Adjunct," and one Company of ours under +the slag-heap. We were all well dug in, and consequently did not lose +very heavily when the following day, the 2nd of July, we were shelled +continuously for several hours. Our telephone lines were almost all cut, +so that messages had to be sent by the runners, whose task was far from +pleasant on these occasions. Throughout these two months of fighting in +Lens the runners, both Battalion and Company, had proved themselves to +be very fine soldiers. We relied on them almost entirely in battle, for +telephone wires never lasted long, and pigeons, once released, did not +return. But the runners never failed, and what is more were always +cheerful. Cheerfully they crawled along some exposed street, or dodged +round houses in the Cite St. Pierre, cheerfully they faced "Assign" +trench and Lievin corner, and equally cheerfully they crossed the +slag-heap, often having to go actually through a barrage to reach their +destination. Grogan, Collins, Sullivan, Raven, Kilcoyne and others, +always ready and always willing, they would work till they dropped, and +the Battalion owes much to their courage and endurance. + +The 3rd of July passed quietly, and that night we were relieved by the +25th Canadians and marched to Aix Noulette, where we embussed and went +to Monchy Breton for a rest. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +ST. ELIE LEFT. + +4th July, 1917. 23rd Nov., 1917. + + +We stayed for three weeks at Monchy Breton and enjoyed ourselves +immensely, with good weather, good billets and plenty of games. The +Headquarters lived and messed at M. le Cure's, where they consumed a +disgraceful amount of strawberries and cream, while the other officers +under Captain Burnett messed together in another house. But the chief +feature of this period of rest was the Divisional Rifle meeting, a +regular Bisley meeting, which took place at the end of it. It was a +triumph for the 5th Leicestershires, for we carried off amongst other +trophies the G.O.C.'s Cup. R.S.M. Small, D.C.M., had one "first" and two +"seconds," Corporal F.H.J. Spencer, M.M., one "first" and one "second," +in the individual competitions, while Serjt. Clancy and Pte. F. Bindley +won the assault course and individual "pools." On the second day "A" and +"B" Companies each got third place in the Company Assault Course and +Snap-shooting Competitions, and "C" was second in the Company +"Knock-out" and third in the "running man" competitions. In this last +Pte. Pepper won third place in the pool. Finally our officers' team won +the revolver shoot. The rifle shooting throughout both days was of a +very high order, but the same cannot be said for the revolver work, and +we only won this last competition by being not quite so terribly bad as +anybody else. + +On the 20th of July we received orders to go into action again--this +time to a quiet sector near Hulluch--and the following day we moved to +Vaudricourt. The C.O. and most of the officers went by motor-'bus +through to Philosophe to reconnoitre the new line; the rest of the +Battalion set out under Captain Burnett to march. The previous evening +had been spent in celebrating our rifle-shooting victories and we felt +like anything rather than marching twenty miles under a blazing July +sun. Those who took part in it will never forget that march; it was +worse than "Luton to Ware" in 1914. Packs seemed heavier than ever +before, the hill at Houdain was too much for many, and the beer and +white wine of the previous evening proved stronger than march +discipline, and many fell out. We finally crawled into Vaudricourt at +4-0 p.m.--tired out. + +The following evening our Transport lines and Quartermaster's Stores +moved to Labourse and we went into the line, relieving the 2nd York and +Lancaster Regiment in the Hulluch right sector. For six days we lived in +tunnels, with a front line which consisted of odd isolated posts at the +end of each passage. The old front line trench seemed to have +disappeared entirely. We were not much worried by the enemy, in fact, +except for one trench mortar near Hulluch, called the "Goose," he kept +very quiet. At the end of the tour we were relieved by the 4th Battalion +and went into billets at Noeux les Mines. + +Noeux was not shelled during our stay, so we had a peaceful time, though +one officer was somewhat troubled on waking the first morning to find +attached to his house the following notice: "THIS CROSS ROADS IS +REGISTERED. NO PARTIES TO HALT HERE." We did not stay long, +however, for on the 30th July we were suddenly ordered to move to +Fouquieres to prepare for a coming raid, and marched there during the +afternoon, Battalion Headquarters to the Chateau, Companies to the +village. For some reason best known to himself the billeting officer had +billeted all officers with the wrong companies, but this was soon +rectified, and we were very comfortable. + +Our coming raid was to be carried out against the enemy's trenches West +of Hulluch on a frontage of 300 yards. The sector chosen was bounded on +the North by Hendon and on the South by Hicks Alley, while Herring Alley +was in the centre. There were three German lines, and on the left a +small extra line between the first and second, which we named Hinckley +Trench. The scheme was for two Companies to take and hold the German +third line, one Company to mop up behind them, and the fourth Company to +follow with some Engineers to demolish dug-outs. One of the forward +Companies would have to send a special party to deal with the "Goose" +trench mortar. All wire cutting would be done by the Artillery, who were +allowed a fortnight for it, so that they might not excite the enemy too +much by heavy shooting. During this time we were to detail an officer to +stay in the line, watch the shooting, and patrol the gaps at night. We +would also practise the attack over a flagged course. + +The flagged course was set out very elaborately at Hesdigneul, and not +only was each trench shown, but small notice boards denoted the position +of every supposed machine gun, trench mortar, or deep dug-out. Practices +took place first by day and finally by night, for the raid was to be a +night attack, and various lamp signals were arranged to assist the +withdrawal. The position of Hulluch village was indicated on the +practice ground by a large notice board--HULLUCH--which +probably gave any spies there might be in Hesdigneul a very fair idea of +what was intended. + +Meanwhile, we received various reinforcements. Lieut. G.E. Russell +returned, 2nd Lieut. W.M. Cole came from the Artists' Rifles, 2nd +Lieuts. R.W. Edge, T.R.L. Gibson, R.B. Rawson, C.P. Shilton, R.W. +Sanders, L.W. Mandy, and J.S. Plumer came to us for the first time from +England. At the same time a large party of men, arriving at Monchy +Breton, had enabled us to reconstitute "C" Company, so that we now had +four Companies of three platoons each, and enough officers for two +Battalions. Lieut. Pearson went to Hospital and thence to England, and +Capt. Wollaston acted Adjutant. The Company Commanders were unchanged. + +For the second week of our fortnight we slightly relaxed the vigour of +our practices, and devoted more time to musketry, bombing, and training +the demolition parties for their work. The officers to take part in the +raid were also chosen, and various tasks allotted to the others. Capt. +Shields with 2nd Lieut. Cole and "D" Company would make the right +attack; Capt. Petch with 2nd Lieut. Gibson and "A" Company, the left. +"B" Company (Capt. Marriott and 2nd Lieut. C.S. Allen) would be the +supports, and the two demolition parties would be found by "C" Company +under 2nd Lieuts. Lowe and Edge. 2nd Lieut. Plumer was detailed to take +a party of "D" Company to destroy the "Goose." Lieut. G.E. Russell was +"O.C. Searchlight," and various other officers were chosen to count the +raiding party when they returned. + +Meanwhile, up in trenches the most wonderful work was being done by 2nd +Lieut. Brooke and six other ranks of "D" Company--L/Cpl. Clapham, Ptes. +Haines, Hanford, Johnson, Mason, and Rolls. This was the party left in +the line with the Staffordshires to observe the wire cutting and patrol +the gaps. At first, 2nd Lieut. Brooke spent his days with the F.O.O. and +confined his patrolling to the hours of darkness, but later he was out +in front both day and night. On two occasions he came into contact with +the enemy. First, on his very first patrol, he had just reached the +enemy's wire, and was trying to find a way through, when the enemy +opened a heavy fire at close range. L/Cpl. Clapham was killed, shot +through the head, and it was only with the utmost difficulty that the +rest of the party escaped with their lives. The second encounter was in +daylight. The Staffordshires had reported that they believed the German +front line to be unoccupied, so on the 13th August, in the middle of the +afternoon, 2nd Lieut. Brooke crossed No Man's Land, passed through the +wire and entered the Boche front line. He was just exploring it when a +very surprised German came round a corner and saw him. 2nd Lieut. Brooke +at once left the trench and took shelter as quickly as possible in a +shell hole outside. A perfect shower of bombs and rifle grenades were +thrown after him, but he was untouched, and regained our lines without a +scratch. + +On the 14th August, after a very happy fortnight at Fouquieres, we moved +to the huts at Noyelles, where the special stores for the coming raid +were issued. At the same time all pay books, badges, identity discs and +personal kits were handed in, and to each man was issued a small round +cardboard disc with a number on it. The following morning we paraded at +10 a.m., and marched through Vermelles to Lone Trench and Tenth Avenue, +where we were to wait until it was time to assemble. On the way, "B" +Company had a serious disaster. A shell, intended for one of our +batteries West of Vermelles, fell on the Company as they were passing +the Mansion House Dump. They were marching in fours and had practically +a whole platoon wiped out, for eleven were killed and fourteen wounded. +Amongst the killed was Freddie Chambers, self-appointed Company +humorist, and one of the best known and most cheerful soldiers in the +Battalion. + +Our Patrol party was waiting for us in Lone Trench, but their report was +far from satisfactory. 2nd Lieut. Brooke declared that there were by no +means enough gaps, in fact none at all on the left, and Colonel Trimble +asked for the raid to be postponed. Meanwhile, 2nd Lieut. Brooke went +off to the front line, where he finally was able to convince the +Divisional Intelligence Officer that there were not sufficient gaps, and +at the last moment, as the Companies were preparing to move to their +assembly positions, the raid was postponed for 24 hours. Accordingly we +spent the night in our somewhat cramped surroundings in Lone Trench, and +the following day the Artillery continued to cut the wire, this time +with better success. + +One of the original objects of the raid had been to detract attention +from a Canadian attack on "Hill 70" to be made at the same time. This +attack we watched from the back of Lone trench, and later in the day +were able to give material assistance. The German counter attack came +from behind Hulluch, near Wingles, and the troops for it assembled and +started their attack in view of our posts. Captain Ellwood and his +machine gunners at once got to work and did terrific execution, being +chiefly responsible for the failure of the enemy's efforts, and enabling +the Canadians to hold the Hill. + +So successful was the wire cutting on the 16th, that our patrol reported +all ready for the raid, and accordingly we moved at dusk to our assembly +positions. One alteration in the plan of attack had to be made at the +last minute. It had originally been intended that the attacking +platoons, after passing in file through our wire, should spread out in +No Man's Land into lines. As the German wire was only cut into gaps and +not obliterated, it was now decided that platoons should keep in file +until through that belt also, and spread out on entering the front line. +Bridges were placed over our front line, all faces were blackened, and +by 10-30 p.m. all were ready for Zero, which was to be 10-58 p.m. + +The barrage started promptly, and the advance began. The enemy's wire +was a little thick on both flanks, but all passed through fairly easily +and entered the front line, where, as arranged, each man shouted to show +he had arrived. Two enemy were found and killed, but much of the trench +was full of wire. The attackers passed on rapidly to the second and +third lines, finding the wire thicker in front of each line, but +finally reaching their objective and building bombing blocks. It was a +dark night, and to avoid losing touch, Captains Petch and Shields had +arranged to call each other's names as they went forward. Suddenly +Captain Shield's voice stopped with one last cry, and Captain Petch +hurrying to the spot found he had been hit by a shell and terribly +wounded in both legs. However, his Company reached the third line, and +the party under 2nd Lieut. Plumer set out to destroy the Goose. + +Meanwhile, the mopping up and demolition continued behind the attack. +Several Germans were found and killed in the second line, but on the +whole very few enemy were seen, somehow they had managed to escape. +Probably there were many tunnels, and in the dark it was quite +impossible to tell what was a tunnel entrance and what merely a dug-out. +Many of the latter were destroyed by "C" Company, though they lost 2nd +Lieut. Lowe, who was slightly wounded, through being too keen to watch +the effect of one of his own Mills bombs. Corporal Tunks and Pte. Baker +did particularly good work with these demolition parties. + +Back at Battalion Headquarters was a listening set, and this managed to +overhear the German Company Commander's telephone report to his +headquarters. "We are being attacked, ... front line penetrated, ... +second line wrecked ... third line entered ... send up two sections." +The two sections came in two parts. A strong bombing attack was made up +Hicks Alley which was held by our bombing party at the newly built +block; at the same time our left was attacked over the open. "A" +Company were ready for them, and Lilley, the Lewis Gunner, soon +accounted for many and broke up the attack. "D" Company also had some +fighting, in which both 2nd Lieut. Cole and Serjeant Growdridge +distinguished themselves. + +The time finally came for the withdrawal, and the special flare lights +were fired. Unfortunately they failed to light, and messages had to be +sent at once to the raid area. The enemy were held off while the +withdrawal was carried out, and by 2-0 a.m. the 17th the majority of the +raiding party had returned. Captain Shields was carried in by C.S.M. +Passmore, who very gallantly stayed out some time after the others were +all back, but nothing could be found of Capt. Marriott or 2nd Lieut. +Plumer and the "Goose" party. Capt. Marriott had been last seen in the +second German line, but he had been missed in the withdrawal, and was +never seen again. We brought no prisoners and no identifications, though +one man brought back a rifle and another some papers from a dug-out. +Several of the enemy had undoubtedly been killed, but no one had thought +to cut off shoulder straps or search for pay books. At 3-0 a.m. we +returned to Noyelles, where we spent the day cleaning and repairing our +clothing. + +The raid had not been a success. We lost Captain Marriott, 2nd Lieut. +Plumer, and seven men missing, whom we never heard of again. Three more +men were known to be killed, and three others were afterwards reported +prisoners, while no less than fifty-one were wounded. Capt. Shields, the +most cheerful, strenuous, and popular of Company Commanders, would never +fight again. He reached Chocques hospital with one leg almost blown off +and the other badly shattered, and the Doctors decided to amputate the +one at once. It is still recorded as a unique feat, that throughout the +operation neither the patient's pulse nor temperature altered, thanks to +his wonderful constitution. The other leg soon healed, and within a few +months he was hopping over fences in England in the best of spirits. "B" +Company had lost their second Company Commander in two months. Like his +friend Capt. Wynne, Captain Marriott had soon won his way to the hearts +of his Company, with whom he rose from Platoon Commander, while in the +Mess he was one of the merriest of companions and the friend of all. + +There is no doubt that the enemy had been prepared for us. The rapidity +with which his barrage started, the partly wired trenches, empty +dug-outs and absence of garrison all pointed to this. He probably waited +for us at his tunnel entrances, and hurried away as soon as we arrived; +the few we found were those who had been too slow in getting away. As +far as we ourselves were concerned, we only made one mistake--failing to +bring back any identification. Apart from this all ranks had worked +well, and we were congratulated by General Thwaites on our efforts. + +Five days after the raid we relieved the 4th Leicestershires in a new +trench sector, the "St. Elie left," and for nearly three months the +Brigade remained in this same part of the line. The sector had its name +from a much battered coal mine, the Cite St. Elie, which stood just +inside the German lines opposite. About five hundred yards on our right, +the Vermelles-Hulluch road crossed No Man's Land, while a similar +distance on our left, Fosse 8 and its slag heaps formed the chief +feature. All through 1916 active mining operations had been carried out +along the whole front, and though there was now a deadlock underground, +the craters still remained a bone of contention; each side tried to +retain its hold on the near lip. Our right Company held a line of six of +these craters, joined together, called "Hairpin" on account of their +shape on the aeroplane photographs. The centre Company held another +group called Border Redoubt, consisting amongst other things of two +enormous craters, the Northern and Southern. Between these two groups +lay "Rats' Creek," a short length of trench, 200 yards from the enemy, +and without a crater. The left Company held another isolated +post--"Russian Sap"--500 yards from the centre and not connected with it +by any usable trench. The old front line between Border and Hairpin, via +Rats' Creek, a distance of 400 yards, could be used by liaison patrols +at night, but was impossible by day. + +The various posts in "Hairpin" were connected by an underground tunnel +with four exits to the trench, while another with two exits did the same +for Border Redoubt. From each of these, a 300-yard tunnel ran Westwards +to what had been the old support line, where they were connected +underground by another long passage--Feetham Tunnel. A branch of the +Border tunnel led to "Rats' Creek." At various points along these +tunnels exits were built up to fortified shell holes, occupied by Lewis +gun teams; these were our only supports. Down below lived Company +Headquarters, the garrison, one or two tunnelling experts and the +specialists, stokes mortars, machine gunners and others. It was a +dreadful existence. The passages were damp and slippery, the walls +covered in evil-looking red and yellow spongey fungus, the roof too low +to allow one to walk upright, the ventilation practically non existent, +the atmosphere, always bad, became in the early mornings intolerable, +all combined to ruin the health of those who had to live there. But not +only was one's health ruined, one's "nerves" were seriously impaired, +and the tunnels had a bad effect on one's moral. Knowing we could always +slip down a staircase to safety, we lost the art of walking on top, we +fancied the dangers of the open air much greater than they really were, +in every way we got into bad condition. + +The entrance to this tunnel system was at the end of our only +communication trench, Stansfield Road, a deep well-gridded trench +running all the way from Vermelles. Battalion Headquarters lived in it, +in a small deep dug-out, 200 yards from the tunnel entrance, and at its +junction with the only real fire trench, O.B.1, the reserve line. In +this trench the reserve Company lived in a group of dug-outs, near the +Dump, called Exeter Castle. The left Company, with one platoon in +Russian Sap and the remainder back in O.B.1, alone had no tunnels. But +after our first few tours, the system was altered, and the support +Company, living in tunnels, provided the Russian Sap garrison. Battalion +Headquarters had a private tunnel, part of the mining system, leading to +Feetham, which could be used in emergency, but as this was unlit, it was +quicker to use the trench. The main tunnel system was lit, or rather +supposed to be lit, with electric light. This often failed, and produced +of course indescribable chaos. + +Although the tunnels had all these disadvantages, it is only fair to say +that they reduced our casualties enormously, for during the three +months we lost only three officers slightly wounded and eighteen men; of +these at least four were hit out on patrol. We also managed to live far +more comfortably as regards food than we should otherwise have been +able. Elaborate kitchens were built in Stansfield Road, and hot tea, +soup, the inevitable stew, biscuit pudding, and other "luxuries," were +carried up in hot food containers to the most forward posts. The only +difficulty was with Russian Sap, for its approach, Gordon Alley, was in +a bad state; but as the garrison was there at night only, they needed +nothing more than "midnight tea," and this could be taken to them over +the top. + +A light railway ran all the way from Sailly Labourse to Vermelles, and +thence to the various forward dumps, ours at Exeter Castle. Rations and +R.E. material were loaded at Sailly, taken by train to the Mansion House +Dump at Vermelles, and then by mule-drawn trucks to the front. The +Exeter Dump was lively at times, especially when a machine gunner on +Fosse 8 slag heap, popularly known as Ludendorf, was pointing his gun in +that direction. But beyond a mule falling on its back into O.B.1, we had +no serious troubles, and got our rations every night with great +regularity. + +The enemy were not very active, although they were reported to be the +6th Bavarians, "Prince Rupprecht's Specials." An occasional patrol was +met, and our parties were sometimes bombed, but on the whole the Boche +confined his energies to machine gun fire at night, scattered shelling +at any time, and heavy trench mortaring, mostly by day. Fortunately +there was not much mortaring at night, and what there was we managed to +avoid by carefully watching the line of flight, as betrayed by the +burning fuse. These heavy mortar shells with their terrific explosion +and enormous crater were very terrifying, and few soldiers could face +them with the indifference shown to other missiles. One exception was +them with the utmost scorn, and used to fire "rapid" with a rifle at +them, as they came through the air. + +All this time the system of holding the Brigade sector was to have two +Battalions in the line, one in Brigade support, and one resting at +Fouquieres. Thus, one rested every eighteen days for six days, while +one's trench tour was broken by six days in the middle in Brigade +support. This last meant Battalion Headquarters and two Companies in +Philosophe, the remainder in Curly Crescent, a support trench several +hundred yards behind O.B.1. Philosophe was a dirty place, but had the +advantage of being much less shelled than the neighbouring Vermelles, +and we were not much molested. + +Fouquieres was always pleasant. The Chateau and its tennis court and +grounds made a delightful Battalion Headquarters, and the Companies had +very comfortable billets in the village. We played plenty of football, +and were within easy reach of Bethune, at this time a very fashionable +town. The 25th Divisional Pierrots occupied the theatre which was packed +nightly, and the Club, the "Union Jack" Shop, and other famous +establishments, not to mention the "Oyster Shop," provided excellent +fare at wonderfully exorbitant prices. + +During these three months we received many new officers, some of them +staying for a few days before passing on to Tank Corps, Flying Corps, or +Machine Gun Corps, others proving themselves worthy of our best +traditions. One party in particular, 2nd. Lieuts. F.G. Taylor, H.C. +Davies, G.K. Dunlop, and W.R. Todd, provided four who came to stay, a +very valuable asset, when so many merely looked in for tea and then went +away. Others who came to fight were 2nd Lieuts. W. Norman, A.J. Mace, +J.S. Argyle, C.D. Boarland, J.G. Christy, A. Asher, A.M. Edwards, and, +later, Lieut. P. Measures, who had been with us in 1916 for a few weeks. +Col. Trimble and Capt. Moore each had a month's leave, and Major +Griffiths, after commanding during the Colonel's absence, went to +Aldershot for a three months' course. Capt. Burnett became 2nd in +Command with the acting rank of Major. Capt. Hills, the Adjutant, +returned from England and resumed his duties, while Captain Wollaston +took charge of "B" Company for a short time, and then went to the Army +School, where he stayed as an Instructor and was lost to us. Captain +Barrowcliffe came to us for a short time in command of "D" Company, but +then went to the Army School, and handed the Company over to Lieut. +Brooke, who had been granted an M.C. and three weeks' leave for his +Hulluch patrols. 2nd Lieut. Campbell went to Hospital with the results +of gas poisoning and had to go to England, whither also went 2nd Lieuts. +Rawson and Gibson who were invalided. A great loss to us was our Doctor, +Captain Morgan, who had been with us for many months and was now sent to +Mesopotamia, and was replaced by a succession of stop-gaps until we +finally got the invaluable W.B. Jack. There were changes, too, in the +ranks. Most important was the departure of R.S.M. Small, D.C.M., our +Serjeant Major since mobilization. He had been unwell for some time and +at length had to go to Hospital and home to England. Debarred by his age +from taking a Commission, for which he was so well suited, he had +rendered three years' very faithful service to the Battalion, untiring +alike in action and on the parade ground, and popular with all, +officers, N.C.O.'s and men. He was succeeded by C.S.M. H.G. Lovett, +formerly of "B" Company, and latterly serving with the 2nd/5th +Battalion. At the same time, Serjt. N. Yeabsley, a very capable horseman +and horse master, came to us from the 4th Battalion as Transport +Serjeant. + +This long tour of trench warfare was not entirely devoid of interest, +and several little incidents occurred to break the monotony. The first +was a big "strafe" on the 25th of August, when for some unknown reason +the enemy shelled Stansfield Road very vigorously, and obtained a direct +hit on "C" Company Headquarters. Lieuts. Banwell and Edge were occupying +the dug-out at the time, and were both shaken, though the former as +usual did not take long to recover. Lieut. Edge, however, was sent to +the Stores for a time and for some months acted as Transport Officer. On +another occasion, 2nd Lieut. Norman was firing rifle grenades from +"Hairpin" craters, when he received one in reply, and had to go to +England with one or two pieces in him. + +Except for these two incidents, all other excitement occurred in No +Man's Land, where we had patrols every night in the hopes of catching a +Boche. The first to meet the enemy was 2nd Lieut. Mandy, who was almost +surrounded by a large party of them just North of Northern crater. He +managed to fight his way out, though for a time he lost one of his +party, Pte. Brotheridge, who did some fighting on his own and returned +to us at dawn. After a time, tired of finding no one, our patrols became +more venturesome, and most nights entered the German lines at some point +or other. "A" and "C" Companies worked mostly round the Hairpin craters, +and Lieuts. Banwell and Russell, 2nd Lieuts. Dunlop and Norman, all +explored the enemy's front line. On one occasion Capt. Petch himself +accompanied Lieut. Russell and Serjeant Toon to look at the enemy, and +for a change found his front line held. They were caught peering over +the parapet, and got a warm reception. Both officers were slightly +wounded and had to go to England. Meanwhile, Lieut. Banwell took command +of "A" Company. He, too, on another occasion explored the same piece of +trench and found it empty, nor could he attract any enemy, though he and +his party shouted, whistled and made noises of every description. + +Border Redoubt and Rats' Creek were the hunting ground of "B" and "D" +Companies, and here Lieuts. Ball and Measures more than once nearly +captured a Boche post. But the enemy was too alert, and slipped away +always down some tunnel or deep dug-out. But the best patrolling was +done from Russian Sap, by 2nd Lieut. Cole and his gang from "D" Company, +including Serjt. Burbidge, Cpl. Foster, L/Cpl. Haynes, Ptes. Thurman, +Oldham and others. They had very bad luck, for on two occasions they lay +in wait for the enemy in his own front line and he never came, though he +had occupied the post the previous night, and the party, wet through and +frozen, had to return empty handed except for a bomb or two. + +There was one other unusual occurrence before we left the St. Elie +sector. We were visited one day by a local newspaper reporter, Mr. +Wilkes of the "Leicester Mail," who came to see us in trenches, and was +introduced to the tunnels and all the "grim horrors" of trench warfare. +It seemed curious to see a civilian in a grey suit, adorned with a steel +helmet and box respirator, wandering about the communication trenches. + +On the 14th of November, while in Brigade Support at Philosophe, we were +ordered to reconnoitre the "Hill 70" sector, with a view to taking over +the line from the Sherwood Foresters. The same day we moved to some +particularly cold and uncomfortable huts at Mazingarbe, going to the +line the next night. Our route lay along the main Lens road past Fosse +III. and Fosse VII., then by tracks past Privet Castle to Railway Alley. +This endless communication trench led all the way past the famous Loos +Crucifix, still standing, to what had been the front line before the +Canadian attack. Thence various other alleys led to the front line. Our +new sector was by no means luxurious. There was a front line trench and +portions of a reserve line, all rather the worse for wear, while the +communication trenches, "Hurrah" and "Humbug" Alleys, were unspeakably +filthy. The whole area at the top of the hill was an appalling mess of +tangled machinery from Puits 14 bis, battered trenches, the remains of +two woods, Bois Hugo and Bois Raze, and shell holes of every size and +shape. There was mud and wet chalk everywhere, and a very poor water +supply for drinking purposes. What few dug-outs existed were the usual +small German front line post's funk holes, and all faced the wrong way. +It was a bad place. There was, however, one redeeming feature. From the +hill we could see everything, Hulluch, Wingles, Vendin and Cite St. +Auguste lay spread out before us; we could see the slightest movement. +Behind the hill, Support Companies were out of sight, and those not +actually in the front line could almost all wander about on top without +fear of being seen. Furthermore, there were no tunnels. We spent all our +time working, for there was much to be done. Our chief tasks were +clearing out existing trenches and digging new communication trenches +where they were wanted. Digging was both difficult, for the ground was +sodden, and dangerous on account of the number of "dud" shells and bombs +everywhere. Two men of "B" Company were injured by the explosion of a +grenade which one of them struck with a shovel, and the next day Captain +Moore had a miraculous escape. Clearing the trench outside his Company +Headquarters, at the junction of "Horse" and "Hell" Alleys, he put his +pick clean through a Mills bomb; fortunately it did not explode. Padre +Buck also had a busy time, for there were many unburied dead still lying +about. Hearing of one body some sixty yards out in No Man's Land, where +it had been found by a patrol, the Padre went out with his orderly, +Darby, to bury it. It was a misty morning, and they were unmolested +until suddenly the mist lifted and they were seen. Darby was wounded in +the head, and they were heavily fired on, but this did not worry the +Padre, who brought his orderly back to our lines, and came in without a +scratch. + +We remained only seven days in this sector, and did not come into +contact with the enemy at all at close quarters. A few bombs were thrown +in the Bois Hugo trenches, and a raid by the 11th Division on our right +caused a considerable amount of retaliation to fall on our heads, but on +the whole the enemy was quiet, and we had practically no casualties. +There was not time to learn the ground well enough to do any extensive +patrolling, though Lieut. Watherstone earned the Divisional Commander's +praise for a bold reconnaissance from the Bois Raze. The transport had +as bad a time as anyone, bringing rations on the light railway through +Loos, which was never a pleasant spot. Once again a mule succeeded in +falling into a trench, and it took R.S.M. Lovett and a party of men more +than an hour to extricate it. + +The 4th Battalion took our places at the end of the tour, and we marched +back to Mazingarbe. Our billets had been slightly improved, and +Headquarters now had a house in the Boulevard, commonly called "Snobs' +Alley." While here a new horse, a large chestnut, which arrived for the +Padre, caused considerable commotion in the Regiment. First he bolted +with the Padre half-way from Mazingarbe to Labourse, when he finally +pulled him up and dismounted. He then refused to move at all, and went +down on his knees to Padre Buck, who was most disconcerted, especially +when the animal moaned as though truly penitent. The next day the +Adjutant tried to ride him, and once more he bolted. This time his +career was short, for horse and rider came down on the Mazingarbe +cobbled high road, and the Adjutant had to go to Chocques hospital with +a broken head, and was away for a week. + +During his absence we lost Colonel Trimble, who, much against his will, +was ordered to take command of his own Battalion, the 1st East +Yorkshires. He had been with us for seven months, and we were all very +fond of him and very sorry indeed when he had to go. Worse still, there +seemed no chance of Col. Jones returning to us. For six weeks, September +and October, he had been close to us in Noeux les Mines, attached to the +1st Battalion, and more than once had come over to see us, but now the +6th Division had moved away and we did not know their whereabouts. The +matter was finally settled by the arrival of a new Commanding Officer in +the same car which came to fetch Col. Trimble. Lieut. Colonel R.W. +Currin, D.S.O., of the York and Lancaster Regiment, had come to take +command. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +CAMBRIN RIGHT. + +1st Dec., 1917. 12th April, 1918. + + +Colonel Currin, our new Commanding Officer, was a South African, a large +man of enormous physical strength. He at once terrified us with his +language, which can only be described as volcanic, and won our respect +by his wonderful fearlessness. Of this last there was no question. In +trenches, he would wander about, with his hands in his pockets, often +with neither helmet nor gas-bag, and quite heedless of whether or no the +enemy could see him. More than once he was shot at, and more than once +he had a narrow escape at the hands of some hostile sniper, but this +appeared to have no effect on him, and after such an escape he was just +as reckless as before. He had withal a kind heart and a great sense of +humour. + +A few days before his arrival we had moved from Mazingarbe to Drouvin +and Vaudricourt, and here we were now warned that on the 1st December +General Thwaites would inspect the Brigade in review order. A rehearsal +was carried out in a field near Noeux les Mines, a rehearsal so amusing +in many ways, that the Colonel loved to tell the story of what he called +his first experience with the 5th Battalion: "On approaching the parade +ground I sent forward A----, who was acting Adjutant, to find where we +were to fall in. My Adjutant was in Hospital as the result of falling +off his horse. When I reached the field, I saw an officer galloping +about waving his arms, but whether he was signalling to me, or trying to +manage his horse I could not tell, so sent Burnett to find out. +Burnett's horse promptly stumbled, fell and rolled on him, so I went +myself and found the luckless A---- quite incapable of managing his +pony. I told him to dismount, while I marched the Battalion into place, +but subsequently found he had not done so because he couldn't! +Eventually the Serjeant-Major seized him round the waist, someone else +led the pony forward, and A---- was left in the Serjeant-Major's arms and +lowered to the ground. All this in front of the Brigade drawn up for a +ceremonial parade!" The parade itself also had its amusing side, chiefly +owing to the ignorance of certain Staff Officers on matters of drill. +However, a friendly crump, arriving in the next field, put an end to the +proceedings, and we marched home. + +After all this bother the actual inspection was cancelled and we went +into trenches again instead. Our sector this time was Cambrin, called +after the village next North of Vermelles, and the sector immediately on +the left of our last--St. Elie. On the morning of the 1st of December we +marched to Annequin, on the Beuvry-La Bassee Road, and relieved some +Loyal North Lancashires, Worcestershires and Portuguese in the Brigade +support positions. The Headquarters and two Companies were in Annequin +village, the other two Companies in two groups of dug-outs, "Maison +Rouge" and "Factory," about 500 yards East of Cambrin. We only stayed +here twenty-four hours and then went into the front line, "Cambrin +Right" sub-sector. + +Cambrin Right was very like St. Elie Left with the good points left out. +The right Company had tunnels but they were not safe, though just as +smelly as our old ones. It was the same on the left, while in the +centre, there were deep enough tunnels, but they were unconnected with +anything and unlit. The front line consisted mostly of craters, a large +series of which occupied what had once been the Hohenzollern Redoubt. At +intervals along the lips were odd posts, each at the end of a short +trench leading back into Northampton trench or the tunnel system. The +right group of tunnels, the Savile tunnel, started half-way up Savile +Row, a communication trench which had originally run from the Reserve +line to Northampton trench, but now stopped at the tunnel entrance. The +centre group had no name, started from Northampton trench, and had no +proper communication trench. The left group was the "Quarry" tunnel +system, starting from the old quarry and running leftwards from the +Northern edge of the Hohenzollern craters almost to our posts opposite +Mad Point. The left Company had no posts actually on crater lips, though +they had one or two craters in No Man's Land. "Quarry" Alley led to the +"Quarry" and a newly dug trench ran from this to Northampton near the +centre tunnels, but it was in bad condition and seldom used. As a rule, +those who wished to visit the centre went through either Savile or +Quarry tunnels to get there. One other trench led forward from the +Reserve Line, Bart's Alley, but this ended in a large pile of sandbags +and one of the Tunnelling Company's private entrances to the mining +galleries. Between the Reserve Line and Northampton a few ends of gas +piping, sticking out of the ground, showed where our 1915 front line had +been, from which we had attacked on the 13th October. The two flank +Company Headquarters were in the tunnels, the centre Company in a deep +dug-out in Northampton trench. The Reserve Company, with one platoon of +each of the front line Companies, lived in the Reserve Line. + +The Reserve Line was about the best trench in the sector. It was deep, +well traversed, and had many good dug-outs. It also contained our +cook-houses and dumps. The light railway from Vermelles, on which came +rations and "R.E. material," ran along behind it, so that Company +Quartermaster Serjeants could deliver their rations to the reserve +platoon of their Company, and there was no fear of a carrying party from +another Company "pinching" some of the rum. Westwards from this trench +ran three communication trenches, all in good condition, Bart's Alley, +Left Boyau and Quarry Alley, all leading to the Vermelles broad gauge +railway line, whose hedges concealed Sussex trench. Here, in some very +elegant, but not very shell-proof dug-outs, lived Battalion +Headquarters. The officers' bedrooms, and the Mess were on one side, the +offices on the other. Here, Corporal Lincoln and Pte. Allbright, the +Orderly Room clerks, took it in turn to look after the papers, keep the +fire alight and generally make a happy home out of a crazy shanty with a +wobbly roof and a door facing the Boche. Many would have preferred to go +elsewhere in case of shelling, but these two never left their papers, +though more than once the roof came perilously near being whisked off by +some whizz-bang. Philosopher James Lincoln was particularly +imperturbable, as he sat surrounded by pipes and beautifully-sharpened +pencils, discussing the weather and the crops with any who chanced to +pass by. + +Further down this same trench Serjeant Archer and "Buller" Clarke looked +after the bombs, not quite such a popular weapon now-a-days, and the +Pioneers under Serjeant Waterfield and L/Cpl. Wakefield had their home +next door. Here also was Serjeant Wilbur and that very hard working body +of men the Signallers, "strafed" by everybody when telephones went +wrong, and seldom praised during months and months without a mishap. +Then came Serjeant Major Lovett in a small dug-out by himself, and near +him Serjeant Bennett and the Regimental Police; the latter in trenches +became general handy men, carrying rations, acting as gas sentries, and +doing all the odd jobs. Round the corner a large dug-out with two +entrances provided the Canteen with a home large enough to contain, when +it was procurable, a barrel or two of beer. L/Cpls. Hubbard and Collins +and the runners lived wherever they could find an empty shelter, and as +usual spent most of their time carrying messages or showing visitors +round the lines. + +There was one other trench, Railway Alley. This, like its namesake to +"Hill 70," was of enormous length. It started at Cambrin, passed the +Factory and Factory Dug-outs, and, following the Annequin-Haisnes +Railway to its junction with the Vermelles Line, acted as dividing line +between the two halves of the Brigade Sector. From the left Battalion +Headquarters to the front line, an often much battered part of it, it +belonged to the left sector. Our Headquarters had a private trench +running to it, "Kensington Walk," deep and completely covered with +brushwood by way of camouflage. + +In the St. Elie sector we had been three months almost without an +incident of any importance; we were only six weeks in Cambrin, and every +tour contained some item of interest. We started disastrously. On the +night after relief Lieut. Watherston was visiting "B" Company's posts in +the centre sector, when a party of the enemy crept up to and suddenly +rushed the Lewis Gun Section he had just visited. Lieut. Watherston +turned back, drew his revolver, and rushed into the fight, but was +himself shot through the head and killed instantaneously. He had fired +three shots with his revolver, but was unable to stop the enemy who, +having wounded the sentry and blown the N.C.O. off the firestep with a +bomb, now escaped, taking the Lewis Gun with them. The N.C.O., Cpl. +Watts, got up and gave chase, but lost touch with the enemy amongst the +craters, and after being nearly killed himself had to return +empty-handed. Our predecessors in the line seemed to have made no effort +to wire this part of the line at all, presumably thinking the line of +craters a sufficient protection. A few nights later 2nd Lieut. Boarland +reconnoitred the whole area with a patrol, and found that not only had +the Boche got a well-worn track across No Man's Land between two +craters, but close to the raided post had fitted up a small dug-out with +a blanket and a coat in it. This would, of course, have been impossible +had the previous occupants of the line done any patrolling; we suffered +through their gross negligence. + +Towards the end of the same tour, the enemy made another very similar +attempt against our extreme right pasts held by "A" Company. L/Cpl. +Beale and Pte. Foster were with their gun on the parapet, when they were +suddenly rushed by three or four of the enemy who had crept close up to +them, and were on top of them before they could open fire. L/Cpl. Beale +used his fists on a German who seized him round the throat, but was then +shot in the chest and fell backwards on the rest of the section who were +coming to help. The Germans tried to carry off the gun, but Foster put +up a fight, and they dropped it just outside the trench. However, one of +them managed to knock Foster on the head, and, before help could arrive, +he was carried off as a prisoner. Once again we suffered through the +carelessness of our predecessors, for in this case, too, there was no +protective barbed wire. We spent every night of the tour wiring hard, +but could not of course finish the whole sector in five days. + +The tour also contained a very severe Artillery and Trench Mortar +bombardment, which seriously damaged our left and centre trenches. But +more serious than this was the loss to "B" Company of L/Cpl. J.T. +Pawlett, one of the best Lewis Gun N.C.O.'s in the Battalion, who was +mortally wounded during the shelling. A few days later we lost another +excellent Lewis Gun N.C.O., L/Cpl. Stredder, of "D" Company, who went to +England wounded, fortunately not very seriously. + +The tour ended on the 8th, and for the next six days we remained in +Brigade Support, Annequin, Maison Rouge, and Factory Dug-outs. Even here +we were not left in peace, for on two occasions the enemy opened very +heavy bombardments against the Cambrin sector. The second occasion, the +night of the 12th/13th of December, this was so terrific, and so much +gas was used, that we had to "stand to" at midnight, while many +messages, "Poison Cambrin" etc., were flying about. The damage to +trenches, and more particularly to the tunnels, caused by this +bombardment was very great, as we soon learnt when, two nights later, we +returned to the line. Savile tunnel was blown in in several places, and +the Company Headquarters completely cut off and unusable. The tunnel +entrances were shattered, and the whole system so badly damaged as to be +almost useless except as dug-outs for the various posts. Quarry tunnel +was not so badly damaged, but several of the left posts had been +isolated by having the main connecting tunnel blown in behind them. +Fortunately the front line trench on the left was still in existence, +and could be used instead of the tunnels. Finally, Northampton trench +was literally obliterated in the centre, and a famous "island" traverse, +no small earth-work, so completely wiped out that we could never +afterwards discover its exact whereabouts. + +Once more we had bad luck at the start of the tour, for we had only been +a few hours in the line when a shell on Quarry Alley caught a small +party of men coming down. Signaller Newton and Stretcher Bearer Cooke +were killed outright, and Serjeant Woolley, acting Serjeant Signaller +while Serjeant Wilbur was away, was wounded and had to go to Hospital. +In addition to the wiring we now had the tunnels to dig out, and there +was so much work to do that we had to have assistance from Brigade; this +took the form of a Brigade Wiring Platoon and a Company of +Monmouthshires. On one occasion these two parties, both of course +working "on top," saw fit to imagine each other were Boche, and a small +fight ensued. Fortunately no one was injured, though one of the +Monmouthshires was only saved from a bullet through the head by his +steel helmet. + +The rest of the tour passed off quickly, and the irrepressible Capt. +Brooke and 2nd Lieut. Cole of "D" Company started once more wandering +about No Man's Land and the enemy's lines. They did the most incredible +things, and gained invaluable information about the enemy, though +awkward questions were often asked about the name of the "one other +rank" who, according to the patrol reports, accompanied 2nd Lieut. Cole +on these expeditions. + +Our Christmas "rest" was spent in Beuvry, and here we arrived on the +20th of December at the end of our second tour. Our first duty was to +inspect a large draft of 140 N.C.O.'s and men who had come to us while +we had been in the line. Most of them came from the 11th (Pioneer) +Battalion of the Regiment, and were men of good physique, very well +trained, and excellent alike at drill, work, games, and in the line. +During the whole time we were in France we never had a better draft than +this. Meanwhile, although the enemy were apparently willing to allow us +a Christmas rest, and kindly refrained from bombarding our billets, the +higher command were not so gracious, and we had much work to do. Ever +since the defection of Russia, the Staff had realized the possibility of +a German offensive on a large scale, and every effort was being made to +organize our defences. With this object, a new "village line" had been +built, including Cambrin, Annequin, Vermelles and other villages, and +this had now to be wired. Accordingly, on the night of the 22nd/23rd +December, the whole Battalion marched up to this line by parties, and +worked hard for several hours putting out a "double apron fence." So +well had Major Zeller and his Engineers organized the work, and so well +did the Battalion work, mainly thanks to the newly arrived Pioneers who +were experts, that we did an incredible amount during the night, and +received the congratulations of the G.O.C. on our efforts. + +The actual Christmas festivities had to be held on Christmas Eve, as we +were due to go into trenches on the morning of Boxing Day. Everything +combined to make the day a great success. Plum puddings arrived from +England, large pigs, which Major Burnett had been leading about on a +string for some days, were turned into the most delicious pork, and +there was plenty of beer. The Serjeants' Mess also had a very lively +dinner in the evening, though one Company Quarter Master Serjeant spent +much of his time dragging the Beuvry river for his Company Serjeant +Major whom he had lost. This Warrant Officer was eventually discovered +asleep in an old sentry box, with his false teeth clenched in his hand. +The Germans, in spite of their boast, dropped in a message from an +aeroplane, "to eat their Christmas dinners in Bethune," caused no +disturbance, and did not show the slightest sign of being offensive. +Christmas, 1917, was unique in one respect. We produced a Battalion +Christmas Card for the first and last time during the war. It contained +a picture, drawn by 2nd Lieut. Shilton, of a big-footed Englishman +standing on a slag-heap, from which a Hun was flying as though kicked. +It was very popular. + +Boxing Day, for us "Relief Day," was bitterly cold, and an occasional +blizzard made getting into trenches all the more difficult. The ground +was covered with snow, and each night there was a bright moon, so that +the snipers of both sides were on the watch day and night for the +slightest movement. Our snipers claimed to hit several of the enemy +during the tour, but we, too, had our losses. First, F. Eastwood, M.M., +of "C" Company, a soldier who had scarcely missed a day since the +beginning, was shot through the head and killed outside "C" Company +Headquarters in Northampton trench. A few nights later, on the 30th +December, Lieut. P. Measures, commanding "B" Company, was sniped while +fixing a sniper's post in the front line, and also killed instantly. He +had not been with us very long, but both he and Lieut. Watherston had +proved themselves very keen subaltern officers, and both had been +praised by the General for their work on patrol. Lieut. T.H. Ball +temporarily took command of "B" Company. + +Whenever work was possible--it was often too light even at night--we +worked at two new trenches, "Cardiff" and "Currin," connecting Bart's +Alley with Savile tunnel, as an alternative to Savile Row. These had +been dug by the Monmouthshires, and now had to be wired, and here, also, +we suffered at the hands of a German sniper. Serjeant W.E. Cave, a very +fine N.C.O. of "A" Company, was killed with a wiring party, and one or +two others had narrow escapes. The New Year, 1918, was ushered in with +several bursts of machine gun fire at midnight, but nothing of +importance occurred. + +Our stay at Annequin was once again disturbed, this time more +disastrously than before. A curious accident occurred on the 6th of +January, when three of our aeroplanes collided and fell near the +village. The enemy as usual opened fire at once with one or two +batteries, and an unlucky shell fell amongst our Headquarter runners as +they were leaving their billet. The two Corporals escaped, Collins with +a slight wound and Hubbard untouched, but W. Raven, M.M., was killed +outright, and A. Grogan, D.C.M., F. Smith, H. Eady, and H. Kirby, so +badly wounded that they died soon afterwards. It is impossible to +estimate the amount of work that these runners had done for the +Battalion, not only as message carriers, but some of them as personal +orderlies to the C.O. and other Headquarter Officers. In Lens they had +proved themselves not only capable of wonderful endurance, but to be +possessed of the greatest courage, fearing neither the enemy himself nor +his barrages. To lose so many at one blow was indeed a severe loss for +the Battalion. After this, there followed two comparatively quiet tours +in trenches with the usual six days at Beuvry in between them. The +enemy's snipers were mastered, and we suffered no more casualties at +their hands, but our bad luck still pursued us, and on the 10th and 11th +January the left of the Reserve Line was badly battered by trench +mortars. The left half Battalion cook-house was blown in, and Serjeant +Growdridge of "D" Company was killed, while several others were wounded. +In Serjeant Growdridge, "D" Company lost a most capable platoon +Serjeant, the leader of many a daring and successful patrol, and of the +highest courage in battle. On the 20th of January we were relieved by +the 11th Division, and, after spending one night in Beuvry, marched +through Bethune to Busnettes, between Chocques and Lillers, for a long +rest. + +We stayed at Busnettes for three weeks, training and playing games, and +doing our best to recover from the ill effects of tunnels and wet +trenches. Our training was carried out on various areas round Chocques +and Allouagne, and near the latter was a good rifle range, over which we +practised for the Associated Rifle Association (A.R.A.) Competition. +This competition was for a platoon, and included rifle and Lewis gun +shooting and bayonet fighting, fire discipline and control, and the +general principles of the advance. The platoon had to fire at various +ranges, advancing from one to the other, and bayoneting sacks on the +way. There were Battalion, Brigade, and Divisional Competitions, and to +the Divisional winners the A.R.A. were to present silver medals. In the +Battalion competition, No. 1 Platoon of "A" Company, under 2nd Lieut. +Roberts and Serjeant H. Beardsmore, was victorious, but the other +competitions could not be held until February, after our next move. +Finally, this same platoon, beating the other Battalions in the Brigade, +beat also the Staffordshires' and Sherwood Foresters' best platoons, and +carried off the silver medals. + +At this time there were several important changes in the Battalion. +First, we were very glad indeed to see Captains Tomson and Petch back +again with us, the former to command "B," the latter to "A" Company. At +the same time, Capt. Barrowcliffe returned to the Royal Engineers. +Lieuts. C.S. Allen and R.W. Edge went to England for six months, and 2nd +Lieut. Todd became Transport Officer. We also received a large draft +from the 2nd/5th Battalion. Finding that it was impossible to obtain +sufficient recruits to supply all the Battalions formed at the beginning +of the war, each Brigade was now reduced to three Battalions, and we +lost from our Brigade the 4th Lincolnshires. In the 59th Division, the +2nd/5th Leicestershires were broken up and divided into drafts for the +4th Battalion and ourselves. Capts. J.A. Ball and W.H. Oliver, Lieuts. +S.G.H. Steel and A.D. Pierrepont, 2nd Lieuts. A.B. Bedford, H. Coxell, +K. Ashdowne, and, later, A.E. Hawley and Everett came to us, bringing +with them 200 N.C.O.'s and men. Amongst the latter were several +Serjeants, one of them, Serjeant T. Marston, M.M., destined to add +further laurels to the honours he had already won with the 2nd/5th. +There were also several "old hands" who returned to us, amongst them, +Privates Garfield and Law of "D" Company, both original members of the +1914 Battalion. These reinforcements enabled us to form again four +platoons per Company, and we became once more a full Battalion. + +Another batch of reinforcements, which arrived at Busnettes, contained +several drummers of the 1st and 3rd Battalions. We already had a few, +and L/Cpl. Perry was given the rank of Serjeant Drummer and formed a +Corps of Drums. With Drummer Price, an expert of many years' service +with the side drum, and L/Cpl. Tyers, an old bandsman, to help him, he +soon produced an excellent Corps, and all of them worked hard and keenly +to make a good show. Within a week they played us on route marches and +appeared at guard-mounting. Within two months they played at Mess, and +the Fifes gave several very good concerts. + +While in the Busnettes area, we were in Reserve for the 1st Army, and in +case of attack were liable to be sent to support the Portuguese on the +Neuve Chapelle-La Bassee front. In case of this, the C.O. and Adjutant +spent a day reconnoitering the Locon, le Hamel, le Touret area and its +keeps and strong points, many of which we afterwards occupied when the +Portuguese had been driven out. + +On the 8th of February, we moved to Fiefs through Lillers, and the +following day marched to Reclinghem in the Bomy training area. The march +took the form of a tactical field day, and we ended by taking up an +outpost position on the river Lys at Reclinghem, where "B" and "D" +Companies and Headquarters were billeted. The other two Companies were +at Vincly, a little more than a mile further South. A fortnight later, +to the great regret of all ranks, Colonel Currin had to leave us, after +being only three months in command. During this time we had become very +fond of him, and there is no doubt that his never-failing cheerfulness, +his reckless courage, and the atmosphere of "the fighting spirit" which +always accompanied him, did more than anything else could have done to +raise our "fighting spirit" to a high pitch. His successor, Lieut. Col. +G.B.G. Wood, D.S.O., of the Lancashire Fusiliers, had commanded the +2nd/5th Battalion until he was wounded, and now, returning to France, +was sent to us as his Battalion had been broken up. + +Towards the end of February, the Staff became more than ever convinced +that the enemy intended making a big spring offensive, and our training +was devoted almost entirely to counter-attack practice and the +re-taking a line of trenches which had been temporarily lost. We had +several large field days near Bomy, with this as the general idea, and +would have had several more had not the Division been suddenly recalled +to the line. On the 1st March, in a snow storm, we marched to +Ligny-les-Aire, and the next day moved on again to Ecquedecques, where +we stayed three days. Our billets were fairly comfortable, but there +were very few for the officers; this, however, was soon righted after +the first night, when we discovered many officers' billets occupied by +Serjeants of an A.S.C. Company who were permanent "garrison" of the +village. + +On the 5th of March we marched through Lillers and Bethune again to +Beuvry and, after staying one night there, moved the following day to +Annequin and Sailly Labourse, where we were responsible for the defence +of the Annequin locality. The 1st Corps scheme of defence was a series +of fortified localities, Philosophe, Cambrin, Annequin, Noyelles, and +many others further West as far as Vaudricourt. Each locality had its +trenches, dug-outs, stores of ammunition and rations, and was ready for +defence at any moment. The German offensive was expected to start any +day, and the "wind" was terribly "up." This, however, did not prevent +the Infantry from amusing themselves whenever possible, and though the +higher authorities may have been sleeping in their boots, we managed to +get some football. General Rowley gave a cup for a Brigade Company +Competition, and, while at Sailly, our "A" Company beat Brigade +Headquarters in the "final," after which "Tinker" Evans, the captain of +the team, received the cup from the Brigadier. + +The following morning we went once more to the line, back into the +familiar Cambrin right sector. Unfortunately there was now a change. The +Engineers, in an endeavour to make Headquarters less elegant and more +shell-proof, had thrown up so much white chalk, that they had attracted +the attention of the German artillery, who had promptly shelled the +place out of existence. The Headquarters now lived in the old left +Headquarters under Railway Alley. We had only two Companies in the line, +one in support, and one in Reserve near the Factory; we were thus +organized "in depth" to meet the coming offensive. + +The enemy's artillery had certainly become more active during our two +months' absence, and he was now using far more gas shells than before. +These were of three sorts: "Green Cross," the most deadly, was filled +with phosgene; "Blue Cross," the least harmful, with arsenic; both these +were very light gases and soon blew away. Far more dangerous were the +"Yellow Cross," mustard shells, which now made their appearance in ever +increasing numbers. The mustard hung round the shell holes and was not +blown away; in cold weather it had no effect, but as soon as the sun +came out it became exceedingly powerful. A mustard shell falling on +frozen snow might have no effect until the thaw came several weeks +later, when it would be just as powerful as if it had only just been +fired. A very little of this gas was sufficient to cause temporary +blindness and loss of voice, burns and bad blisters. Much of it was +fatal. During this tour, however, we did not suffer any casualties, and +nothing of any importance occurred until our last morning before relief, +the 16th of March. + +At about 1-0 a.m. on this morning, Privates Culpeck and Johnson were +sentries together at one of "D" Company's Lewis gun posts. Hearing a +noise in the wire, one of them challenged, and, receiving no answer, +fired his Lewis gun. Two minutes later, two Boche, one an unwounded +warrant officer, the other a wounded soldier, were being escorted down +Railway Alley to Headquarters. Neither of the two prisoners would say +much, but what they did say still further confirmed the opinion of the +Staff that the attack was soon coming. + +"Brigade Support" now consisted of the Headquarters and two Companies in +Sailly Labourse, the remainder at Windy Corner near Factory Dug-outs. To +this last area went Major Griffiths and the Right Half Battalion. They +had an unpleasant time and were more than once heavily shelled, on one +occasion having a narrow escape. The officers were sitting in a dug-out +when an armour piercing field gun shell passed through the roof and out +of the door, hurting no one. Major Griffiths and 2nd Lieut. Dunlop +received slight scratches, as also did Adams, one of the batmen, but no +serious damage was done. After four days of this, the 5th Lincolnshires +relieved us, and we marched to Beuvry to be in Divisional Reserve. While +here, the new Battalion distinguishing marks arrived from England, and +were taken into use--a half-inch yellow ring, two inches in +diameter--worn just under the shoulder on the sleeve. They were rather +bright at first, and earned us the name (amongst other ruder epithets) +of the "Corn-plasters." + +On arrival at Beuvry we were told that the Major General would inspect +us at Fouquieres two days later, the 22nd of March. This was +considerably more alarming than the prospect of the German offensive, +and we at once started training, cleaning equipment, and revising our +platoon organisation. Meanwhile, the offensive did begin in the South, +and the Boche on the morning of the 22nd actually launched a big raid +against the Divisional front. However, the Inspection was not postponed, +as we had hoped, and for several hours we performed at Fouquieres. Our +ceremonial was by no means bad, considering we had done none for months +it was very good, but what most pleased General Thwaites was our +organization. In vain he tried to find mistakes. Soldier after soldier +was asked "Who is your Section Commander?" "Who takes charge if he is +killed?" "When will it be your turn to take charge?" etc. etc., and +soldier after soldier answered promptly and correctly. The result was a +good word for all of us, and we went back to billets much relieved and +feeling quite elated. + +Meanwhile, the morning's raid had left a prisoner in our hands, and he +had now caused about as much sensation as one man could, by stating +quite definitely that the Boche would attack from the la Bassee Canal to +"Hill 70" on the 25th of March with three Divisions. We went into the +Cambrin sector again on the 24th, this time with three Companies in the +line. News of the disaster to the 5th Army in the South had reached us, +and what with Generals coming round to pay farewell visits, and +conferences every few hours, everything was as depressing as possible. +Curiously enough we were not depressed, and, though most of us regarded +the attack as a certainty, the private soldiers were particularly more +cheerful than usual. Late at night we were ordered to withdraw all +except the tunnel sentries from the front line, so as to minimise the +casualties during the enemy's preliminary bombardment, and to +concentrate everything on the defence of the Reserve Line, which must be +held at all costs. Some of the N.C.O.'s and men grumbled a little at +what they called giving up the front line, more especially as patrols +reported that the enemy was busy strengthening his wire, which did not +seem the prelude to an attack. Finally, by 2-0 a.m. on the 25th all was +ready. The Staff at Corps Headquarters, ten miles back, slept in their +boots, all support and reserve Battalions moved to "battle" positions +and stood to, we in the line behaved very much as usual. All waited for +dawn. + +Dawn came at last--the quietest since war began, not a shot was fired. +Morning followed and high noon, still no movement; the Staff breathed a +sigh of relief, the Infantry groused, and we occupied our front line, +preparing to pass a normal night. However, this was not to be. We had +scarcely posted our night sentries when at 8-30 p.m. came another +message to say that the prisoner who had originally caused the alarm had +remembered that the attack was for the 26th, not the 25th. All +precautions were to be taken as for the previous night. With this +arrived a long epistle from the Intelligence department, showing that +various new dumps and camouflaged screens had been seen in the German +lines, motor transport had been increased, etc. etc. etc.--all tending +to confirm their wretched prisoner's statement. Once more we evacuated +our front line, once more we waited and once more we were disappointed. +The 26th was as quiet as the 25th, and, except for a humorous telephone +message from "C" Company, which caused much laughter as far back as +Divisional Headquarters, there was nothing to disturb the morning's +peace. + +The following evening the 11th Division took over our sector, and we +marched out--the Headquarters and Left Half Battalion to Sailly, Right +Half to Labourse. It was a cold and rather miserable night, for, owing +to a sudden move of our Q.M. Stores to Noeux les Mines, we had no +blankets. Meanwhile, all schools and classes were closed, and those +students who had not been taken to stop the German advance on Amiens +returned to us. The situation was serious, and another blow was expected +at any moment in the neighbourhood of Vimy. The Canadian Corps was +chosen to oppose this, and we were consequently ordered to relieve any +units of that Corps still left on "Hill 70." But on the 28th March +before relief had started the expected attack came--at Oppy. It was a +miserable failure, we lost a few front line trenches, but our line stood +firm; however, the Canadians were wanted in a hurry and we were sent up +to relieve them at once. The other Battalions went into the front line, +we relieved the 46th Canadians in support round Loos Crassier and +Railway Alley. Relief was complete by 10-35 p.m., an almost incredible +performance, considering that there had been no time for reconnaissance +and practically no arrangements made for guides. + +It had rained hard throughout the relief, but our first two days in the +line were dry and warm, and we managed to dry our clothing and make +ourselves fairly comfortable. The enemy after the failure at Oppy was +very quiet on our front, though his documents captured in that battle +showed that, had he succeeded in his first day's attempt, the second day +was to include an attack on the Hulluch front. So the "state of +readiness" in the Cambrin sector had not been entirely without +justification. On the 31st the weather broke again, but this did not +prevent the Padre holding his Easter services at each of the Company +Headquarters. The following evening we relieved the 5th Lincolnshires in +the "Hill 70" right sub-sector. + +Our new sector was very much the same as the "Hill 70 left," which we +had held in November. The reserve line was the main line of defence, and +was in fairly good condition; the front line was shallow, wet, and +dangerous. Opposite our right and centre was Cite St. Auguste, strongly +held by the enemy; opposite the left, Bois "Dixhuit" and a broken down +farm. There was one tunnel, "Hythe," leading from the reserve line to a +railway cutting in the front line, but except in cases of extreme +emergency this was not intended to be used by the Infantry. Battalion +Headquarters occupied a small and evil smelling German dug-out on the +reverse slope of the hill. Our tour lasted eight days, and almost every +hour was eventful. + +We started the tour with a gas bombardment soon after relief on "C" +Company's support platoon, who occupied an old "pill-box" near Cite St. +Pierre dynamite magazine. The gas appliances were defective at the +dug-out entrance, and several men were slightly gassed. At 8-0 a.m. the +following morning, the 11th Division on our left carried out a very +successful raid. This did not in itself affect us very much, but a +bomb-dropping aeronaut during the raid observed large bodies of troops +massing near Meurchin, a large town behind Hulluch. Immediately the old +alarm about a coming attack was renewed, and we once more were ordered +to be in readiness. However, by evening as nothing had happened, we +resumed normal conditions. + +This same evening we were given an entirely new scheme of defence, +consequent upon the failure of our trench system to stop the enemy's +advance in the South. The front line was to be held by isolated +observation posts only, and there was to be no garrison within effective +trench mortar range of the enemy. We were to consider the Reserve or +"Red" Line the line of defence, and this must be rebuilt if necessary, +to ensure that it was everywhere out of reach of the enemy's +minenwerfer. Our chief difficulty was to find accommodation for the +front line troops as they were withdrawn; however, we cleared out old +dug-outs, and, after a few days of terribly hard work, were able to +comply with the order. + +Meanwhile, the enemy's artillery became very active, and in addition to +frequent gas bombardments of Loos and the Crassier, he harassed our +transport very badly as they came along the main road. Some of this gas +blew back over our lines, and for several hours we lived in an +atmosphere of gas, scarcely noticeable, but none the less dangerous. + +The 5th of April was particularly noisy. At 3-0 a.m. we discharged a +large number of gas projectors on to Bois "Dixhuit" and Cite St. +Auguste, to which the enemy replied by shelling our reserve line, +fortunately doing no damage. In the evening, however, he replied in +earnest, and, just after "C" Company had relieved "B" in the front line, +he put down a "box barrage" round their posts. Coloured lights were +fired in all directions, the noise was terrific, and Captain Moore, +expecting a raid, sent the "S.O.S." This was promptly answered, and +within a few minutes the gunners were hammering away vigorously at the +enemy's lines, until he stopped shooting. Our front line was damaged in +many places, but by extraordinary good fortune we escaped without a +casualty. During the day, however, "A" Company lost another very good +N.C.O. in Serjeant Putt, who was wounded and had to go to Hospital. + +Throughout the 6th the shelling of Loos continued, and the following +morning, in retaliation to a heavy gas projection on our part, the enemy +turned his attention again to our front line. This time we were less +fortunate, and a Lewis gun post of "D" Company was wiped out by a direct +hit: two of the gunners, C.H. Payne and T.P. Hardy, were killed. In the +evening, in spite of a slight West wind, the enemy poured blue cross gas +shells into Loos, and much of the gas again drifted back across the +lines. During the night, Lieut. Banwell, exploring the enemy's lines, +single-handed ran into three of the enemy, who were almost on top of him +before he could use his weapons. However, he managed to make his way +out, and returned to our lines, having lost nothing worse than a little +breath. + +On the 8th of April, the enemy's artillery was never silent. Mustard gas +was fired into the plain East of Vermelles and Philosophe almost without +intermission, while Mazingarbe and Les brebis were similarly bombarded, +only with larger shells. 2nd Lieut. Todd and Serjeant Yeabsley were both +gassed with the transport, the latter so badly that he was several weeks +in Hospital. The following morning in a thick mist the enemy attacked +the Portuguese and drove them from their trenches, pushing his advance +Westwards towards Estaires and Locon. The mustard gas bombardment of the +plain still continued, but the front lines were comparatively quiet. +That night we were relieved by the 4th Battalion, and went once more +into Brigade support. After relief, Capt. A.G. Moore, M.C., and +forty-three other ranks were sent to Hospital with gas poisoning. This +was not due to any one bombardment, but to the fact that for the past +week "Hill 70" had hardly ever been entirely free from gas, and though +never in very large quantities this had gradually taken effect. Capt. +Moore was sent to England, where for some months he was seriously ill +with gas poisoning, and never returned. He and Capt. Shields commanded +Companies longer than any other officers in the Battalion. No amount of +tedious trench warfare could shake their enthusiasm or damp their +spirits, "soft jobs" and six months' rest were not for them; they simply +stayed with their Companies until wounds took them to England--a really +magnificent record. + +For three days we remained in support, and the whole time the plain +behind us was full of gas. The Artillery suffered most heavily, for they +could not always wear their masks, and after the first 24 hours there +was a continuous stream of blinded gunners helping each other back along +the road to Philosophe--a terrible sight. We too had several casualties, +for the platoons, on their way to bath at Les brebis, had to pass across +the plain. At Philosophe we lost two mules, through a direct hit with a +heavy shell, and the driver, H. Gamble, was very lucky to escape with +nothing more than a bad wound. It was a miracle he was not killed. On +the 12th the battle became quieter, and that night, relieved by the +Canadians, who arrived very late owing to a railway accident, we marched +out to Bracquemont. Before we went the Germans to the North had advanced +so far that we could see their lights in our left rear. Bethune, too, +was in flames, so we were not sorry to be leaving the sector. Most +thankful of all were the transport drivers, for there are not many worse +places than the Loos road, and few more desolate spots than Philosophe +coal mine on a dark wet night, when the wind is making the loose sheets +of iron rattle, and the horses have "got the wind up." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +GORRE AND ESSARS AT PEACE. + +12th April, 1918. 10th Aug., 1918. + + +Bracquemont was sadly changed. Instead of the gay, almost fashionable +suburb of Noeux les Mines, with numbers of people in the streets, it was +now a wilderness of empty houses; the only sign of life, the piteous +little groups of women and children waiting by the roadside for some +French car to come and take them to a place of safety. The miners alone +remained. Inspired by Clemenceau, who had visited the place a day or two +before, they were working day and night, regardless of bombardments and +nightly bombing raids. The furnaces at the Noeux Mines could be seen for +miles round, and were a constant mark for every German gun and +aeroplane, but still the plucky miners carried on their work, knowing +that on them alone depended the coal supply of France. We were billeted +in the Convent formerly occupied by the Casualty Clearing Station. The +following morning the Drums gave a short concert in the Bandstand, and +after dinner we were taken by lorries to Hersin Coupigny. + +Hersin Coupigny was still fairly thickly populated, but the news from +the Merville and Kemmel area where the enemy seemed to be making good +progress, together with the arrival each evening of a few high-velocity +shells, were fast driving the inhabitants to seek safety further West. +We remained here until the 24th of April, the first few days in huts, +the remainder in the Tile Factory. It was not an enjoyable rest--in fact +it was no rest at all. All ranks were ready to move at short notice, and +one expected almost hourly to be sent forward to fill some new gap in +the line. + +Pamphlets poured in--"How to fortify farmhouses for defence"--"Notes on +recent German offensives"--Plans of rear defences. Generals made +speeches telling the troops to be brave, artillery officers reconnoitred +new gun positions miles behind the lines, and the entire Labour Corps +seemed to be digging "last ditches." It was all very depressing, and +many men were heard to remark that they wished the Boche would attack, +so that there might be an end of words, and a chance for a few deeds. No +one doubted that the Division was perfectly capable of looking after +itself and dealing with any German attack. + +Then came Influenza, and with it the end of all chance of immediate +action for the Battalion. Officers and men were attacked alike, and in a +few days more than 250 were sent to Hospital. Fortunately a temporary +place was fitted up at Bruay, and the majority of cases were dealt with +there and not sent down the line, where they would have been +irretrievably lost. The cause of the complaint will be for ever a +mystery; its symptoms were temperature--weakness, fainting and loss of +voice. Some blamed the gas, others the huts, and others the Bracquemont +hospital buildings. The Medical Officer, wise man, would give no +opinion. The weather was damp and raw and at times very cold. +Consequently no one was very sorry when, on the 24th, the Brigade +marched to Bruay. The Battalion and a 9" high velocity German shell +arrived in Bruay about the same time and found the place deserted. +Several houses had been hit, and the inhabitants had wisely decided to +take no risks, so, with the exception of the colliers, had all gone. +This made billeting very difficult. Buildings were all locked up and no +one had the key. Eventually everybody was squashed into the Girls' +School--the officers occupied one of the dormitories, and, though +uncomfortable, all had at least shelter from the rain which fell in +torrents. At intervals a tremendous roar followed by a crash announced +the arrival of what became known as "another toute suiter"; fortunately +no one was hurt. The following day the Brigade moved into Fouquieres; +the 4th Battalion occupied the old Hospital huts, and we shared the +remainder of the village with the 5th Lincolnshire Regiment. Battalion +Headquarters were in the Chateau, still occupied by the two ladies, now +the only civilians left in the village. With the most wonderfully +cheerful courage did these two remain, though their servants had gone, +though food was almost unobtainable, and though there was seldom an hour +without a shell falling in some part of the village or its surroundings. +The Battalion was exceedingly lucky and escaped with practically no +casualties; not so the 4th Battalion, which lost several men in the +huts. Most of the influenza cases now returned, and we were once more +strong enough to take the field. On the 26th we lost Captain and +Quartermaster A.A. Worley who went to England never to return. For some +time his health had been bad, but though unfit for duty he had refused +to leave the Battalion until he had seen the stores properly organized +for battle. Except for a short stay in England in 1917, he had been +with us since the beginning. His one thought was always for the welfare +of the Battalion, and no one ever gave more devoted service than he did. +His place was taken in June by Captain and Quartermaster W.A. Nicholson, +of the Essex Regiment. During the interval the duties were very ably +carried out by R.Q.M.S. Gorse. + +On the 24th of April the Sherwood Foresters and Staffords had taken over +the line from Route "A" Keep to the Canal just South of Locon. Four days +later we were ordered to relieve the Sherwood Foresters in the right +half of the left sector. Various reconnoitering parties went up +beforehand, and at dusk we moved off by platoons through Bethune and +Essars. The former town had already suffered very badly. All roads +through the centre were completely blocked, and troops had to find their +way round its Western edge and past the Prison. Civilians had all been +evacuated and the only permanent occupants were the Tunnelling Company +assisted by some French colliers. The route to trenches was the main +road through Essars, and parts of this were constantly "harassed" by the +enemy's artillery. The Battalion was particularly unfortunate on this +first relief. Headquarter Officers were riding, and, in passing the +column, had just come level with the head of "C" Company, when the enemy +suddenly opened fire on the road with a field battery. Captain Banwell +was thrown from his horse which was hit, and the remainder of the +chargers immediately bolted across a field. The plunging animals and the +shells (about 50 of which were fired in two minutes) threw the leading +platoon of "C" Company into confusion, and, as the ditch at the side of +the road gave no cover, the casualties were high; but for the coolness +of the Platoon Commander, 2nd Lieut. H. Coxell, they would have been +higher still. The rear platoon of "B" Company also suffered heavily. The +shells were gas, and those men who were hit had small or no chance of +putting on their masks. Captain Jack, the Medical Officer, was as usual +wonderfully calm, and quite regardless of his own personal safety, +succeeded in getting several men under the wall of a house, where he was +able to dress their wounds. The remainder of the relief was carried out +without molestation. + +Our new sector was very different from anything we had previously seen. +The front line--practically the outpost line--marked the limit of the +German offensive in April; on the right was Route "A" Keep, one of the +old 1915 strong points with two concrete machine-gun emplacements. It +was now a mere heap of shattered trees, shattered trenches and the usual +remains of many fights, for in 20 days it changed hands nine times. The +Staffords captured it for the last time on the 29th of April, and from +then onwards it remained British. The line then ran between Loisne +Chateau and Raux Farm--our old Brigade Headquarters of 1915, now a +German machine gun and trench mortar nest--to the S.W. outskirts of Le +Touret and on to the canal at Mesplaux. Except for the old keeps at +intervals, it consisted entirely of a few small holes dug more or less +at random, with little or no wire in front. Behind this, along the whole +Divisional front ran the Liverpool Line or Reserve Line, slightly deeper +and better sighted than the frontline, and defended by the "Beuvry +river," a small stream running between steep banks and reputed to be +uncrossable by tanks. Gorre and Le Hamel villages came behind this +line, and provided Battalion Headquarters with cellar accommodation, and +the Support Battalions with billets of a sort. + +Farms in the front line were not too plentiful, and Company Headquarters +usually consisted of a hole 4ft. by 2ft. by 2ft. into which the Company +Commander could just squeeze himself, and curl up his feet to avoid +having them kicked and trodden on by the men passing along the ditch +outside. Rations came to Gorre and Essars by rail and limber, and were +carried forward by hand over the top to the front line. Except for +occasional bursts of fire on certain roads and villages, particularly +Essars and Gorre, the enemy was on the whole quiet. These were small gas +bombardments, and one or two really bad days, but for the most part it +was a quiet sector, except round Route A. + +Behind the villages came the La Bassee Canal with all the bridges mined +and demolition parties ready to blow them up in the event of a hostile +attack. The idea of course was that they should be blown after the last +Englishman N. of the Canal had either been killed or had crossed it. +That the bridges would get demolished all right, none of us ever doubted +for a moment; we were equally certain that this would take place on the +first alarm of any attack, and those of us who happened to be on the +North bank would thus be compelled to fight to the end or swim. +Fortunately these warriors were never called on to perform. + +Vaudricourt Park was the rest area. At first, bell tents and a few +bivouacs were all the available cover, but in time, as corrugated iron +could be sent down from old horse lines in the forward area, messhuts, +cook-houses and canteens were built. There were no long spells of wet +weather and when it was fine the Camp in the Park was delightful. It was +never shelled and never bombed, and it is hard to imagine a better +place. Verquin and Vaudricourt provided the necessary estaminets and the +soldiers could obtain as much vin blanc (or "Jimmy Blink" as it was more +popularly called) as they desired; while one Bertha made large sums of +money by inserting a slip of lemon peel into a glass as cheap champagne +and selling it to officers at an exorbitant price as a "champagne +cocktail." The country round provided good ground for a sports meeting, +in which "A" Company were victorious, while "D" Company managed to +finish a close second in most events. Lieutenants Everitt and Quint and +Private R.O. Start were the chief runners, but large numbers took part +and tremendous keenness was displayed by all. There was cricket almost +every day in the Park, and great enthusiasm was shown in the Battalion +Championship, won by Headquarters. + +From the beginning of May to the middle of August the Brigade never left +these two sectors, Gorre and Essars, and during this time there was no +change in the front line. It was seldom that anything happened of +sufficient importance to find its way into the day's communique, but +every tour was full of interesting incidents, all of which show how the +warfare was rapidly changing. + +Our first relief was remarkable for the fact that we took over at +Battalion Headquarters two cows (and with them a daily supply of fresh +milk), for whom L/Cpl. "Pat" Collins was self-appointed cowman--while +the left Company found a plentiful supply of eggs. A stray mule was +found wandering round the outposts on the "wrong" side of the Beuvry +river, while in the farm actually in the front line we discovered still +alive after 21 days without food--a cow and calf, two bullocks, an old +white horse and a pig; they were in a terrible condition of starvation +and had to be killed by the Intelligence Officer, 2nd Lieut. Hewson, who +found it a most unpleasant task. There were of course many dogs--one, at +a cottage in no man's land, being particularly unpleasant for +patrolling. In addition to Lance-Corporal Collins' cows, two others and +a goat were led out by Private Muggleton. The goat came to an untimely +end, being done to death in Vaudricourt Park by its Company Commander, +outside whose tent it was noisily bewailing its captivity. + +In front of us, there was little or no wire, and our first encounter +with the enemy was on the 6th of May when a Corporal and three men of +"D" Company went out to wire their post and marched straight on to a +patrol of about 15 enemy waiting for them. The enemy opened fire at +close range and the wiring party threw down their wire and replied. Two +of the party were hit in the first few seconds and a third--Private +Smith--who had come to us from the 2nd/5th in January--was attacked by +two Germans and carried off struggling. The Corporal fired at the enemy +who then made off, leaving one dead man behind them. The Platoon +Commander (2nd Lieut. W.M. Cole) came up and, after assisting the +wounded back, set off to look for Smith. Except, however, for the dead +man, nothing could be found of the enemy, and by dawn the search was +given up as hopeless. The following night Smith returned. It appears +that the enemy meeting more opposition than they expected, made off as +soon as they had got their prisoner, and, as there were plenty of +bullets about, the remainder of the patrol, leaving prisoner and escort +to follow as best they could, hurried back to their lines. Smith watched +his chance; suddenly stooping, he kicked one man amidships, seized his +rifle, gave the other a jab with the bayonet, and ran for his life. He +got away, but had to lie up until the next evening to get back. For this +he was awarded the Military Medal. + +The following tour, in the Gorre right sector, was very successful until +the last two days when Battalion Headquarters received the just +punishment for tempting fortune too far. Both 4th and 5th Battalions had +their Headquarters in the cellar of Gorre Chateau--cramped and stuffy at +any time, and in the hot weather unendurable. Our Headquarters, +therefore, cleared out a room on the first floor for a mess--it had a +carpet and other luxuries, and its only blemish was a shell-hole in the +corner of the window. With great pride we invited Brigadiers and others +to our new mess, until on the 17th of May the crash came. The enemy had +fired several salvoes towards the Chateau during the afternoon, and at +8-15 p.m. he started in earnest. The wood, the Chateau and the corner by +the Church were shelled unceasingly--first with 77 and 105 m.m. +shells--later on with 5.9's. The mess was knocked in, the wood was +filled with gas, the kitchen and signal office both had direct hits. The +Transport had a terrible time on the road, and it was only the devoted +work of the Transport Officer, 2nd Lieut. W.R. Todd, with his drivers, +particularly Hill and Randall and the Provost Serjeant Bennett, which +enabled rations to be taken up. An advance party of Stafford Officers +got to the cellar and couldn't leave it for two hours, until finally +Colonel Wood took them up the line himself, returning alone through the +wood. + +The Companies were comparatively immune except near the "Tuning Fork." +General Thwaites was visiting the line at the time and had a narrow +escape himself, while his A.D.C. was badly wounded. Towards morning the +shelling somewhat subsided, but one very unlucky shot hit the cellar +ventilator and filled it with gas. Then came the sun and with it the +mustard; not very many mustard shells had been fired, but, as the day +advanced, the heat kept drawing the gas out of the ground and the +Chateau became a death trap. We all cleared out early and went into the +fields, but even so it was too late; many men's clothes were tainted, +and by 6-0 p.m. all the servants and more than half the other +Headquarter details were blind and had to go. Serjeant Bent, of the +Regimental Aid Post, and Allbright, the Orderly Room Clerk, were amongst +those who went down. Our Medical Officer (Captain W.B. Jack), +Intelligence Officer (2nd Lieut. J.A. Hewson) and Lieut. K. Ashdowne all +went to Hospital, while the 4th Battalion lost all their Headquarter +Officers. By night the Commanding Officer was unable to speak, the +Adjutant half blind, and the Padre was doing everybody's job with his +wonderful energy. It was a very sorrowful Battalion Headquarters that +handed over to the Staffordshires and found its way slowly back to +Vaudricourt. + +Soon after that--on the 29th of May--"C" Company had another gas +misfortune while in support in Gorre village. Their house was heavily +shelled with mustard, and though all men were taken out as soon as +possible 40% of the Company, together with 2nd Lieuts. H. Coxell and O. +Darlington had to be evacuated. There was so much gas at this time that +special compartments were set apart for gassed men and gassed clothing +on the Fouquieres-Le Quesnoy-Kantara Dump light railway. + +Towards the end of the month the crops began to get very high, and by +the first week in June hardly a day passed without some daylight patrol +taking advantage of them. Captain Banwell first made the experiment. +Accompanied by his runner, Smiles, he visited the "crashed" aeroplane +just N. of the Rue du Bois and found a most elaborate German night post +in a tree, with wires to machine gun posts. His example was followed on +the 9th of June by 2nd Lieut. Cole, who went out one morning with +Lance-Corporal Thurman and a party from "D" Company. They crawled +through some wire and found themselves close to a German shell-hole +post. 2nd Lieut. Cole himself reconnoitred this post, and finding the +sentry dozing called up his Corporal. The latter hit the sentry on the +head with his rifle "to attract his attention" (so read the patrol +report), and leaning over the hole whispered "Ici yer ----er." The +Boche, however, was too frightened to "ici" and looked like giving the +alarm, so 2nd Lieut. Cole jumped down and fired his revolver to hurry +him along. This caused a considerable disturbance. Two German Machine +Gun posts only a few yards away joined in the fight and for a moment +things looked bad for the patrol. The latter, finding they could not get +a prisoner, made a note of his Regiment, shot him, and made off under a +heavy fire from the machine gun posts. They all got away safely. The +Corps Commander described 2nd Lieut. Cole's work as "a very fine piece +of patrol work, and called for courage, initiative and cunning of a high +degree." Ten days later--on the 10th of June--the enemy suddenly shelled +the "Tuning Fork Switch" trench, and this very gallant young officer was +badly wounded in the arm. He was taken down to the Casualty Clearing +Station at once, but in spite of all the Doctors' efforts, blood +poisoning set in, and on the 29th Lieut. Maurice Cole died. The same +evening he was awarded the Military Cross for his patrol fight. He lies +now in Pernes cemetery. No officer was ever more loved by his men, and +justly so, for he was not only their leader in danger, but their first +friend in difficulty. In the Mess "Bill" Cole was as popular as in the +field. Patrolling was not confined to these two Companies, and many +officers and men spent quite a large proportion of their time crawling +through the corn. Chief among these were 2nd Lieuts. Asher, Argyle, +Boarland, Christy, Davies, Serjeants T. Marston, M.M., Haines, Foster, +M.S.M., P. Bowler, T. Tunks, T. Needham, Clamp and others. + +With the hot weather the La Bassee Canal became a very useful asset, and +not only were there constant bathing parties, but it was actually +possible at the end of July to hold a swimming gala in the "Brewery +Reach." There were several well contested races and diving competitions, +uninterrupted by hostile aircraft, and a very pleasant afternoon +(considering the Boche were less than a mile away) was spent in this +way. The chief race was won by Signaller Stanton. + +Towards the end of July, as there was no sign of the long expected +German attack, preparations were made for the coming winter. Houses +were reinforced, and had concrete houses built inside them, and some +very comfortable Headquarters were built in this way. Perhaps the best +of these was the Battalion Headquarters of the Route A sector--a cottage +on the banks of the canal and screened from any observation by the +woods. It had its own bathing place (where Serjt. Wilbur nearly got +drowned) and its own private approach by the tow path--incidentally, of +course, its own mosquitoes, but one got used to them in time. + +On the 13th of July we lost Captain Banwell, who went into hospital for +a few weeks with his fifth wound--an aeroplane bullet in the stomach. It +was not at all a slight wound, but he managed to persuade the Pernes +Doctors that it was, and so contrived not to be evacuated beyond the +C.C.S. He eventually returned in August, and after a few days as A.D.C. +to General Rowley, who was then Commanding the Division, went off on a +month's leave to get fit. + +On the 6th of August the Staff had reason to believe that the Boche +might be contemplating a withdrawal that morning, and we were asked to +make sure that we could still get in touch with the enemy. Accordingly, +Lieut. Pearson, Lance-Corporal "Anty" Carr and Pte. Ferrin, all of "A" +Company, crawled out at dawn towards the ruined houses and battery +positions opposite Route A Keep. It was the anniversary of Carr's 1916 +experience and before they went several of his friends jestingly warned +him not to be captured this time. The patrol crawled via several dykes +and got close to the house without disturbing anyone, until, to get a +better view Lieut. Pearson knelt up to use glasses. A machine gun then +opened fire on them at close range, so they returned. On the way back +they were suddenly fired at by a post in their path--the occupants must +have been asleep on the way out. Pte. Ferrin was hit and died almost at +once, but the others tried to bomb the enemy out, and, finding they +could not, decided to lie still until evening. However, the enemy proved +more resolute than usual and soon surrounded and captured the whole +party. The fight was seen by several of the front line posts and also by +a patrol of "D" Company under 2nd Lieut. Christy. This latter was quite +unable to give any help as it was itself having very great difficulty in +getting away from two large Boche patrols who were trying to cut it off. +A few days later, while we were in support at Le Quesnoy, the enemy +started his withdrawal, and the Gorre-Essars front once more became a +battle sector. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +GORRE AND ESSARS AT WAR. + +10th Aug., 1918. 12th Sept., 1918. + + +The enemy started his withdrawal North of the Lawe Canal, and it was not +until the latter half of August that the Gorre sector was affected. +However, all preparations for more open warfare were made, and the +supply of rations and ammunition was reorganised in such a way that +either limbers or pack animals could be used at short notice. During our +tour in the Right Sector from the 14th to 18th of August all rations for +"Route A" were taken up to forward Company Headquarters on mules and +ponies; the latter, under the skilful handling of their drivers, showed +a most admirable fortitude in the face of machine-gun fire. Each night a +little column of heavily laden ponies under Corporal Archer or +Lance-Corporal Foster could be seen moving slowly along the Tuning Fork +Road, first with rations then with water; towards midnight they returned +("drivers up") at a much brisker pace. + +On the 18th we left trenches and came into support for three days at Le +Quesnoy. Colonel Wood was away Commanding the Brigade for a short time +and Major Griffiths was in Command. All available men were set to work +cutting the corn, which was now ripe and would soon spoil if not cut and +carried in. Bayonets took the place of scythes as the latter were +almost unobtainable, and it was surprising to find what progress was +made with these weapons. In a few days several train loads were sent +down on the light railway to Fouquieres. All this time the news from the +South was most encouraging. The great attack of the 8th had freed Amiens +and each day brought us news of further successes. On the 20th the +Staffordshires on the left found some of the enemy's advanced posts +unoccupied, and the same day prisoners taken on the Lawe Canal spoke of +an impending retreat to the Le Touret-Lacouture line. On the 21st the +Commanding Officer returned, and the same day the Brigade moved into and +occupied the old German front line near Cense du Raux Farm. That night +we relieved the 4th Battalion in the old Right Sector and occupied the +Liverpool Line as Support Battalion to the other two, both of whom were +in and forward of the old front line. On the 22nd General Rowley decided +to have one outpost Battalion for the whole frontage, and the following +day we took over the line from the junction with the 55th Division (in +the old front line E. of "Route A Keep") to the junction with the +Sherwood Foresters N.E. of Le Touret village. + +On the extreme right we had pushed forward across the road where they +were opposed in the centre by Epinette East Post, and on the left by +some houses in the Rue itself, to both of which the Boche was still +clinging tenaciously. On the left the line was continued by "D" Company +(Lieut. T.H. Ball in the absence of Captain Brooke) who held positions +astride the Rue du Bois. The extreme left platoon was about 200 yards up +the Rue de Cailloux and occupied one of the old keeps in the +Sailly--Tuning Fork--Vielle Chapelle Line. Here, and on the Rue de +L'Epinette, the enemy was active with snipers and trench mortars--in the +centre thing's were very quiet. "C" Company (Hawley) and "B" Company +(Tomson) were in Support in the old front line; Battalion Headquarters +lived in Loisne Chateau, now "Railhead" for the light railway. There was +no front line in the old sense--it was simply "outposts" as laid down in +Field Service Regulations. Very few of the Company Officers had had any +previous experience of this work, but Colonel Wood soon put us straight, +and organized things himself. He was absolutely indefatigable and day +and night was up in the line sighting good positions and studying the +enemy. The latter were distinctly alert as they showed by their +behaviour on the 24th and 25th when we not only made no progress, but +had several casualties. First, on the extreme right, an "A" Company +patrol tried to reconnoitre the Epinette East Post by night. They were +seen and fired at heavily and had to come back leaving one of their +number dead behind them. Soon afterwards, in an attempt to recover his +body, Lance-Serjeant Clamp was himself hit and died a few hours later. +"A" Company could ill afford to lose this N.C.O., who had shown himself +as gallant a leader in battle, as he was an efficient instructor on the +Parade ground. The following morning, accompanied by his runner, +Lance-Corporal Collins, and the Adjutant, the Commanding Officer started +on a tour round the outpost line. He visited "A" Company's posts and +passed on to "D" Company. On reaching the Rue du Bois he got on to the +road, and, as it was misty, started to walk Westward along it. Whether +the little party was seen or not will never be known; what happened +would seem to show that they were. They had not gone seventy yards +before a "whizz-bang" burst a few yards North of the road hitting a +Stretcher Bearer. Another followed, this time the burst was only a few +yards behind the party. The others escaped, but Colonel Wood was hit in +the back of the head and was thrown stunned on to the road. More shells +followed, and the three lay in a ditch till it was over, and then made +their way back to Battalion Headquarters. The Colonel refused to be +carried and walked all the way to the Aid Post, where the Doctor found +that a shell splinter had grazed the back of his skull, and had only +been prevented by the steel helmet from doing more damage. The Colonel +wished to remain with the Battalion, but the Medical Officer was +obdurate, and he was finally evacuated, and a week later sent to +England. He had been in Command only a short time, but we had learnt in +that time what a very gallant soldier he was, and how his one care was +to make us the first Battalion in the Division. His place was taken by +Major J.L. Griffiths who had been Second in Command since 1916, while +Captain John Burnett took over the latter's duties. + +The same afternoon we had further bad luck. On the extreme left No. 13 +Platoon (Christy) had been very actively sniping the enemy on the +Cailloux Road, and soon after midday, came the retaliation in the form +of heavy shelling which lasted about an hour. There was little cover, +and one post was wiped out, including a promising young soldier, +Lance-Corporal Harries, whose name had been recommended for a +Commission. 2nd Lieut. Christy managed, in spite of the difficulty of +moving men in daylight, to get the majority of his Platoon out of the +Keep, and took up positions on either flank; this action undoubtedly +saved many casualties. Corporal Hamill, one of the old soldiers of the +Battalion and a well-known long distance runner, was killed at the same +time. The Platoon was naturally rather shaken, and its place was +therefore taken by a Platoon of "C" Company. The following night we were +relieved by the Sherwood Foresters and went back to Vaudricourt. The +Relief was carried out without interference from the enemy except for +Battalion Headquarter Officers, who had to leave Loisne Chateau at the +gallop. Salvoes of whizz-bangs were arriving at frequent intervals, and +there was just time to mount and gallop 300 yards down the road between +the bursts. + +The next six days at Vaudricourt were delightful; we all needed a rest, +and the weather for once was excellent. At this time Major General W. +Thwaites, C.B., who had Commanded the Division since 1916, was appointed +Director of Military Intelligence at the War Office, and his place was +taken by Major General G.F. Boyd, C.M.G., D.S.O., D.C.M. It is +impossible even now to estimate all that General Thwaites did for the +Division, and it was very bad luck for him that he had to leave just at +the time when the Division was to reap the fruits of his training. He +took us over after the Gommecourt battle, and we were tired and weak, as +is to be expected after heavy casualties; if he had stayed another month +he would have seen us doing as no Division had done before. There are +many of us who would cheerfully have been "crumped" to escape a +"G.O.C.'s Inspection," but we have lived to be thankful even for these; +they made our Platoon and Company organisation perfect. + +On the 30th we all went and listened to a lecture on Co-operation with +Tanks, given by an Officer who had taken part in the recent fighting +down South. It was a bloodthirsty and blood-curdling recital, and at the +end of it we all felt ready for an enormous battle, provided we could +have a tank or two to help. The following day, being the Brigade Boxing +Tournament Finals, some of the N.C.O.'s and men got an opportunity of +slaking their battle lust. This they did very successfully, as at the +end of the day we were equal with the 5th Lincolns, who had previously +always been winners. Serjeants Wardle, Ptes. "Mat" Moore and Martin, all +won their weights, and in addition Serjeant Wardle won the open catch +weight championship. This N.C.O. then challenged any one of the 5th +Lincolns' side to fight a "one round" deciding bout, and, beating his +opponent, won the day for the Battalion. The Brigadier gave away the +prizes and also the Sports Cup which we had won. There was a very +gratifying predominance of "yellow rings" throughout this part of the +proceedings. + +The following day--the 1st of September--we returned to trenches, and +went into support with Battalion Headquarters in Le Quesnoy and the +Companies in and around Gorre village. As the new Divisional Commander +had not yet arrived Brigadier General Rowley was still in command of the +Division and Lieut.-Colonel Foster, of the 4th Battalion, commanded the +Brigade. The Germans were withdrawing very slowly, and by the 3rd the +Staff decided that as soon as the 5th Lincolnshires had gained "Rum +Corner" on the Rue du Bois, where the Boche had a strong pill box, we +should go forward with a barrage with Princes' Road as our objective. +Orders did not arrive until after midday and then Rum Corner had not +fallen; it was, however, expected to fall by 4-0 p.m., and our attack +was ordered for 8-0 p.m. the same evening. There was no time for +reconnaissance and little for getting out orders, but we managed to +arrange for an assembly position and a barrage, which was to advance in +jumps of 100yds. every 4 minutes. Everybody had a hurried tea and set +out between 5-0 p.m. and 6-0 p.m. for the line. It was not very +satisfactory and we were all glad when, owing to the stout resistance of +Rum Corner the advance was postponed until 5-15 the following +morning--the 4th of September. It was a warm night and the Companies +remained in the trenches round Loisne and were able to have a good meal +before starting. Late that night the 5th Lincolnshires reported the +taking of the "Corner," so that all was now ready for the battle. We did +not expect much resistance. Shortly before midnight fresh orders arrived +making our objective the old breastwork through Tube Station and Factory +Post (the support line in 1915). If possible we were to push patrols on +to the old British front line in front of Fme. Cour D'Avoue and Fme. du +Bois. + +Soon after 4-0 a.m. we were all in our assembly positions--the three +attacking Companies along a line running N. and S. about 300 yards E. of +Epinette Road, with our left just North of Rue du Bois; the Support +Company 100 yards behind them. "D" Company (Brooke) was on the right +with orders to protect that flank, if necessary facing right to do so as +they advanced, "A" Company (Petch) was in the centre, and "B" Company +(Pierrepont) left, astride the Rue du Bois, "C" Company (Hawley) was in +support. Battalion Headquarters were in Epinette East Post with an +Orderly Room and rear Headquarters in Loisne. About an hour before we +were due to start a curious thing happened: It was suddenly discovered +that a considerable number of the 5th Lincolnshires were now some +distance E. of our "jumping off line," and consequently beyond where the +barrage was due to start. The Brigadier tried to get the barrage +advanced, but it was found impossible to tell the Artillery in time, and +in the end the Lincolnshires, much to their disgust, had to be +withdrawn. As their leading men had gone as far as Princes' Road, it did +not look as though we should have much opposition that far at all +events. + +Promptly at 5-15 a.m. the barrage came down and the advance began. +Princes' Road was reached and crossed, the breastwork was found empty, +and, after a short pause in the latter, the right centre Companies went +on to the old front line. The left Company had slightly more difficult +ground, and arrived half-an-hour later; nowhere had a German been met, +though one or two had been seen making for the Aubers Ridge. It was a +bloodless victory, and by 7-0 a.m. the Battalion was occupying the +identical sector that it occupied in 1915. The barrage had not been +needed, but it was none the less very useful, for we all learnt how +close we could keep and how to judge the "lifts." Consolidation was not +a difficult matter except on the right flank, where we could not until +evening get touch with the 55th Division. It was consequently necessary +for "D" Company to swing back their right through Tube Station and Dead +Cow Post and face South. On the left Colonel Currin with his Sherwood +Foresters was in touch with us at the Factory Keep. Battalion +Headquarters moved up just before midday to a small shelter 200 yards +west of Princes' Road. In most of the captured dug-outs the following +notice was found:-- + + Dear Tommy,-- + + You are welcome to all we are leaving, when we stop we shall stop, + and stop you in a manner you won't appreciate. FRITZ. + +It was neatly printed in English block capitals and caused much +amusement. The whole day was in a way one great joke--the un-needed +barrage, the empty trenches, these farewell notices, all combined to +make us very happy. + +At first we thought we were going to be let off without any retaliation +at all, but the following morning at "stand to" a fairly heavy barrage +came down for half-an-hour on the breastwork support line--presumably to +break up any intended attack. "B" Company Headquarters most unluckily +received a direct hit causing six casualties. Two Serjeants who could +ill be spared, A. Cross and E. Bottomley were both badly wounded, the +latter mortally; two servants, C. Payne and L. Brotheridge, were wounded +not very seriously, and the two runners, G.S. Bott and G. Dewsbury were +hit, Bott so badly that he died in Hospital. These two runners, +inseparable friends, had long been associated with "B" Company +Headquarters, and had always done yeoman service, for there was probably +never a better pair. In the afternoon orders came that we should be +relieved at dusk by the 19th Division, but that we must be certain that +we were in touch with the enemy when handing over. Accordingly orders +were sent up to Captain Petch to try and locate the exact position of +the enemy. At first the patrol sent out was unable to draw fire, so, +taking C.S.M. Passmore, Serjt. Bowler and others with him, Captain Petch +went out himself, and the two waved their arms and shouted to imaginary +platoons to make the enemy think an attack was coming. The ruse was +successful, a machine gun opened fire from close quarters. The two +dropped into a shell hole and started to crawl their way back; there was +plenty of cover, and if they had been patient all would have been well. +Unfortunately C.S.M. Passmore thinking it was sufficiently dark, got up +and walked towards our lines. He was hit and killed outright. This +warrant officer joined us at Gommecourt in 1917; his energy and +fearlessness at once brought him to the front, and he soon rose from +Serjeant to be Company-Serjeant-Major. His place in "A" Company was +taken by Serjeant Wardle, of "C" Company. As soon as they were relieved +Companies marched to Loisne Chateau, where they were to entrain. Trains +were not ready, but after a long wait, the well-nigh frantic efforts of +Captain Schiller produced them, much to everybody's delight, and +somewhere about midnight we marched back to Vaudricourt Park. + +Two days later the new Major-General was introduced to us, and at once +won his way to our hearts by his wonderful charm of manner. He must have +been surprised to see outside the mess a long line of horses and mules +all waiting saddled up. We had arranged an officers' paper chase and +every officer attended; those who couldn't find chargers had perforce to +ride mules. The hares (Captain Burnett on "Mrs. Wilson" and 2/Lieut. +Todd on the frisky black) were given ten minutes' grace and then, led by +"Sunloch" (Lieut.-Colonel Griffiths "up") the rest of us swung out of +the Park and off towards Labuissiere. The pace was very hot and most of +us soon dropped behind, though the mules, keeping as usual all together +and led by Padre Buck, managed to stay the whole course. Four riders, +finding they were getting left behind, started to make a short cut +through Hesdigneul and there on the village green met the hares on the +way home. It was a dramatic moment witnessed by large crowds of gunners, +and Lieut. Brodribb on the Colonel's pony, and Lieut. Hawley on the +faithful and well-intentioned "Charlie," dashed after the hares. The +effect, however, was somewhat spoilt by "Lady Sybil," unused no doubt to +audiences, throwing the Adjutant over her head on to the middle of the +green. The hares were finally caught after a 9-mile run within a few +hundred yards of home. It was a great performance. + +Our stay at Vaudricourt was not a long one, and we soon moved to +Bethune, preparatory to entrainment for the South, for it was now no +longer a secret that we were going down to fight a real battle at last. +The new General introduced a "Blob" formation, which was both easy and +effective, and we practised this once or twice outside the town. Our +first line transport was also reorganised in such a way that each +Company had its own two limbers with Lewis Guns and ammunition, bombs +and all necessaries. On one small Field Day the Signallers with their +flags turned out as Tanks, and we practised everything as realistically +as possible. We were all very keen, and better still, very fit; in fact, +the Battalion never looked in better form than on one of these training +days when we marched past the Brigadier. + +From the 9th to the 11th of September we remained in Bethune, a +depressing town now, to those of us who had known it in its days of +prosperity. We managed to have one very good concert in the Barracks and +it was surprising how much really good talent we found, conjuror, +humourists and sentimental singer were all ready to amuse us. At +midnight 11/12th we fell in on the Parade Ground and marched to +Chocques--the irrepressible Drums giving us one or two tunes on the way. +It rained hard at the Station and there was a terrible shortage of +accommodation. At length, with much shoving, swearing and +puddle-splashing we got on board, and at 4-0 a.m. left the Bethune Area. +We had been on the Lens-La Bassee Sector for seventeen months: we never +saw it again. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +PONTRUET. + +14th Sept., 1918. 25th Sept., 1918. + + +Our journey Southwards was uncomfortable and uneventful. The only +remarkable feature was the acrobatic skill displayed by the mess staff, +transferring meals from the kitchen-cattle-truck to the officers +mess-cattle-truck. Even at the usual speed of a French troop train, it +is no easy task to drop off the train with a pile of plates in one hand, +a dish of potatoes in the other, walk fast enough to catch up the +carriage in front, and finally, in spite of signal wires, sleepers and +other pitfalls, deliver all safely at the "Mess." Yet this was done not +once but often. We spent the whole day in the train passing St. Pol, +Amiens, and Corbie, and finally towards evening reached Ribemont, where +we found our billeting party waiting for us. Billets consisted of some +distant dug-outs across a swampy moor, and the recent rains had made +what few tracks there were too slippery for the horses. It was all very +unpleasant, and we spent a cold and cheerless night. "A" Company, which +had remained at Chocques doing loading duties, did not arrive until +midnight--very wet and tired. + +The next day was bright and warm, and we soon discovered that the two +villages, Treux and Buire would hold Headquarters and half the +Battalion, so moved into them without delay and evacuated all except the +more sumptuous and easily approached dug-outs. We were now fairly +comfortable, and our only grouse was the absence of any canteen or even +French civilians for miles and miles, and the consequent lack of +tobacco, beer and other little luxuries. + +Our move had brought us into General Rawlinson's Fourth Army, and, as we +were apparently not needed at once for a battle, we started vigorous +training. Route marches, and even "field-firing" practices were carried +out, and there was one big Divisional Field day, which ended +triumphantly with the Brigade and Battalion Staffs picking mushrooms on +the final objective. Meanwhile the Second in Command's Department under +Major Burnett fixed up baths and other comforts for us and, by the 18th +of September, we were really very comfortable. This same day we were +ordered to move at short notice. + +Motor lorries took us on to the main Amiens road at Corbie, and turning +East along it we jolted and bumped and splashed our way through +Brie-sur-Somme to Tertry. The country--what we could see of it in the +dark--seemed to consist of a barren waste of shell holes with here and +there a shattered tree or the remains of some burnt-out Tank standing +forlornly near some dark and stagnant swamp. Villages were practically +non-existent, and Tertry was no exception, but we soon settled down +under waterproof sheets, corrugated iron and a few old bricks. The +transport under Major Burnett and Serjt. Yeabsley came all the way by +road, and arrived some hours later; but much of our stores had to be +left behind with two storemen in Buire. Many efforts were made during +the following months to retrieve these stores, but it was not until +after the armistice that we were finally successful. + +We were now IXth. Corps, and found our neighbours were old friends from +the Bethune area--the 1st and 6th Divisions. The Transport lines and +"battle details" of the 1st and 11th Battalions of the Regiment were +quite close to us, and we paid several calls. On the 20th, Captains +Tomson and Banwell returned from leave, much to the delight of their +Companies, for the following day we went into trenches, relieving the +14th and 45th Australians in the Hindenburg Outpost line, that they had +so brilliantly captured a few days before. We were in Brigade support +along Ascension Ridge, called after a farm of that name, and the other +two Battalions held the line in front of us. + +In their attack, the Australians had pushed forward further than anyone +else, while the English troops on their right, after some very hard +fighting, had been held up by the village of Pontruet. Consequently +there was a sharp bend in the line, and the Australian right flank, +though on high ground, was somewhat exposed. The line ran roughly as +follows:-- + +[Illustration: Sketch of the line at Pontruet.] + +The enemy still held posts on the ridge close to the Australian front +line, and were known to have several posts in Forgan's trench, which was +the Southward continuation of our front line across the valley. Pontruet +was overlooked from everywhere, and constantly bombarded by our +Artillery, so it did not seem likely that it held many Boche. The +Sherwood Foresters held the right of the Divisional line and joined with +the 1st Division on the high ground South of the village. There was no +sign of any intended operation, and it certainly looked as if we could +not move until the troops on our right had advanced. Accordingly on the +22nd the Adjutant rode back to Brie to go on leave. Capt. Banwell, +really a "battle detail," went up to assist the Headquarters, while the +other "details"--Major Burnett, Captain Petch, Lieut. Pierrepont, 2nd +Lieuts. Edwardes, Griffiths, Taylor, C.S.M.'s Cooper and +Martin--remained with the Q.M. Stores. + +No sooner had the Adjutant gone, than orders came for a battle. At dawn +on the 24th the Division on our right was going to advance, and the 46th +Division, by way of assisting them, was to capture Pontruet and hold +Forgan's trench as a final objective. The 138th Brigade were chosen for +this fight, and General Rowley decided to use one Battalion +only--ourselves. We were to attack the village from the rear, by +advancing into the valley from the North and then turning West, while +one Company turning East would capture and hold Forgan's. There was +little time for preparation, so Colonel Griffiths called a Company +Commanders' meeting, reconnoitred the village from above, and decided on +his plan of attack. At the same time a runner was sent after the +Adjutant, and found him just boarding the leave train. It was a near +thing, but not for anything would he have missed the next few weeks. + +The Colonel's plan was as follows:--To assemble the Battalion in lines +of platoons in fours facing South, just behind the right of our front +line. "A" would be on the right, "D" on the left. At Zero all would move +forward with a barrage, keeping about 50 yards distance and interval +between platoons. All would cross the Bellenglise road and finally, when +the leading platoons were level with the farther, i.e., South, edge of +Pontruet, "A" and "B" would turn to the right, sweep through and reform +on the West side of it. "D" would turn left and capture Forgan's trench, +having a platoon of "C" Company to help them. The rest of "C" would +assist which ever party seemed to be in difficulties. The Headquarters +would move to the high ground, whence the fight would be visible, and +there was every hope of opening signal communication with the attacking +Companies. Artillery arrangements were made accordingly, and +bombardments ordered for the supposed posts in Forgan's. Unfortunately, +much against our wishes, and in opposition to the Brigadier's scheme, a +heavy smoke barrage was to be placed on the Western edge of the village. +A West wind would make this a thick blanket and seriously hinder our +advance, and West winds are very common; however, we could not alter +this part of the scheme. The Sherwood Foresters were ordered to assist +by pushing up to the village after we had captured it. Zero would be 5-0 +a.m. on the 24th of September. + +As soon as it was dark on the 23rd, Captain Banwell taped out a +"jumping off" line for the leading platoons. There was some unpleasant +shelling at the time, but he completed his task successfully, and also +taped out the route to this assembly position. At midnight, relieved by +the 6th South Staffordshires (Lister), we marched off after an issue of +hot tea and rum to the assembly ground, leaving great coats behind and +wearing fighting order. On arrival we found that the Lincolnshires had +been raided in their North end of Forgan's trench a short time before, +and, as there might still be some of the enemy near the trench, "D" +Company were ordered to form up in it, instead of on the top. It was not +a dark night, and had we been seen assembling all would have been lost. +There was some scattered shelling, and Lieut. Brodribb, commanding "A" +Company, was wounded in the leg. He had it dressed at the R.A.P., and, +finding he could still walk, rejoined his Company before the advance +began. In absolute silence we lay in shell holes waiting for Zero. A +mist had started to blow up from the valley, and the Battalion was +almost invisible. Here and there a few heads, the muzzle of a Lewis gun, +the end of a stretcher might be seen just above the ground, and +occasionally one could see the tall figure of Capt. Tomson, +imperturbable as ever, walking quietly round his Company with a word of +encouragement for all. As the time went on, the mist became thicker and +thicker, and by 4-50 a.m. platoons and Companies were unable to see each +other. The shelling had ceased, it was very quiet. + +Punctually at 5-0 a.m. the barrage opened, and the advance started. The +timing of the Artillery was perfect and, with the road to guide them, +"A" Company on the right swept across the Bellenglise road, keeping +close to the barrage. By 5-14 a.m. No. 1 Platoon (Quint), which was +leading, was ready for the right turn. The rest of this Company +followed, and, though No. 4 Platoon (Dennis) slightly lost direction for +a time, they soon regained their place, so that the whole Company was +ready to turn together. It was still half dark, and, as we had feared, +the smoke barrage blew across and shrouded us in a thick blanket of fog. +During their advance, "A" Company had found the machine gun and rifle +fire very hot from their left flank, apparently from Forgan's trench, +and had already lost Serjt. P. Bowler, who was killed outright. They had +met no enemy outside the village, and could not see more than a few +yards through the smoke. The other Companies were out of sight. + +Turning into Pontruet, "A" Company found it full of the enemy. Odd +lengths of trenches here and there, cellars in every direction were +filled with bombers and machine gun teams, some facing West, others, who +had realised our intentions, facing East. Led by Lieut. Brodribb and +their platoon commanders, "A" Company dashed in with the bayonet. Here +and there a bomb was thrown down a cellar, or a Lewis gun turned against +some party which resisted, but for the most part the bayonet was the +weapon of the day. The enemy were scattered, a few tried to fight, but +large numbers were killed trying to escape, while 120 were captured, and +50 more driven into the Sherwood Foresters' lines. The work on the North +side was the easiest. Here, small parties led by 2nd Lieut. Dennis, who +was slightly wounded, C.S.M. Wardle, Serjt. Toon, and others carried all +before them, cleared the lower road and the cemetery, and formed up +outside the N.W. corner, where they were joined by their Company +Commander. + +[Illustration: DIAGRAM (not to scale) to illustrate positions +of Companies at 5.14 A.M. Sept 24th 1918 during attack on Pontruet.] + +In the centre there was more fighting, and while L/Cpls. Downs and +Starbuck and Pte. Meakin led their parties through with tremendous dash, +one Lewis Gun section under Dakin, a "No. 1" Lewis Gunner, found itself +held up by a strong German post. The "No. 2" was killed, and Dakin +himself was shot through both thighs almost at once, so that there was +no one left to work the gun. However, Hyden, an untrained soldier, came +forward and fired the gun, while Dakin, bleeding freely and with both +thighs broken, lay beside him and corrected stoppages, until he +succumbed to his injuries. + +The Company's heaviest losses were on the Southern or upper side of the +village. For, in the S.W. corner, the Germans had two lengths of well +defended trench, supported by a block house, and against these 2nd. +Lieuts. Aster and Quint and Corporal Tyers led their men. The two +officers were killed almost together at the second trench, but the +Corporal broke clean through, only to be shot through the head when +almost outside the village. Seven others of this same gallant party were +killed at this corner, and the remainder, unable to deal with the +blockhouse, fought their way through to the main part of the Company. + +Meanwhile, the rest of the Battalion had been far less fortunate, and, +with no road to guide them, had been baffled by the fog. 2nd Lieut. +Lewin and Serjt. Harrison with a small party of "B" Company crossed the +valley and, turning right, followed No. 1 Platoon into the Southern half +of the village. They were too small a body to clear the blockhouse +corner, and first Serjt. Harrison, then 2nd Lieut. Levin were killed as +they gallantly tried to get forward. Two others of their men were hit, +and the rest were scattered. + +One platoon of "B" Company remained intact. 2nd Lieut. Cosgrove, finding +he could not keep direction and advance at the required pace, dropped +behind. Stopping every few yards to take a compass bearing, this officer +finally brought his platoon to its allotted turning point and entered +the village. Following the lower road, the platoon split into two halves +and "mopped up" anything left by "A" Company, making sure that the whole +of this side of the village was absolutely clear of the enemy. 2nd +Lieut. Cosgrove with his two sections joined Lieut. Brodribb outside the +village. Corporal Barber with his Lewis gun section took up a position +inside near the Cemetery. + +The rest of "B" Company and the left half Battalion fared badly. +Forgan's trench, supposed to be held by a few odd posts, was strongly +manned from end to end. It was wired in front and lateral belts had been +placed at frequent intervals across it. It would have been a stiff task +for a Company to take it with a direct frontal attack; to "work up" it +was impossible. None the less, "D" Company (Brooke) did their utmost. +Led by their Company Commander in person, the Company left the trench at +Zero and started to work along it. There was wire everywhere, and the +going was very bad on top, so that many men of the rear platoons dropped +back into the trench and made their way along it--a fatal mistake. On +nearing the Bellenglise road this Company was met with a perfect +hurricane of machine gun bullets from three guns in a nest near the +road. Captain Brooke was hit but continued to lead his men, and, ably +backed by Serjt. Darby, made a gallant attempt to rush the position. The +men still in the trench could give no assistance, and though two +prisoners were taken the rush failed, and the German machine guns +remained unharmed. Captain Brooke was twice hit again and with 2nd +Lieuts. Sloper and Buckley, who were both wounded, had to leave the +fight. Serjt. Darby and L/Cpl. Smith had been killed close to the +enemy's guns, Serjeant Sullivan was wounded, and for the moment the +Company was leaderless. Lieut. Corah came up to take command, but by the +time he reached the head of the Company it was too late to act, and +Forgan's trench remained full of the enemy. + +The occupants of Forgan's, mostly machine gunners, appear to have +realised almost at once the direction of our attack, and opened a hot +fire on our left flank as we crossed the Bellenglise road and set off +across the valley. "A" Company felt this severely, but far more severe +were the losses of "C" Company and those platoons of "B" which did not +make their turn into the village. These were nearer to Forgan's trench, +and both lost heavily. The mist and smoke were very thick, connecting +files were useless, and the various officers, collecting what men they +could find, made their way as far as possible in the right direction. +Lieut. Hawley with the bulk of "C" Company found a few of the enemy +still in the Eastern end of Pontruet, turned them out, and occupied a +trench along the edge of the village, facing East. Further South along +this same trench another party of "C" under Lieut. Steel made use of a +small road bridge, and took up a position facing the same way. The rest +of the Company followed Lieut. Barrett and Serjt. Spencer and reached +the far side of the valley, being joined on the way by some of "B" +Company. A few yards up the bank on the Southern side, Lieut. Barrett +found to his surprise a trench across his route. The fog was still +thick, and this puzzled him--it had been newly dug during the +night--but, as it was full of Germans, he rushed it, got inside, and +turned towards Forgan's. He was hit doing so. Reaching Forgan's, this +party, in which Serjeant Spencer was conspicuous, quickly disposed of +three German machine gun posts and their teams, but were then themselves +fired at and bombed from several directions. Undeterred, Lieut. Barrett, +though again wounded, drew his revolver and with it held up one bombing +party, while Serjeant Spencer dealt with another. A bomb burst close to +Lieut. Barrett's pistol arm and put it out of action, and by this time +he was becoming exhausted. Calling his N.C.O.'s together, he explained +what had happened and gave them careful directions as to how to get out, +himself quite calm the whole time. Acting on his instructions, those of +the party who were left cut their way out; Lieut. Barrett, refusing +help, started to crawl through the wire, and was again wounded. He +eventually reached the R.A.P. literally covered with wounds. Contrary to +the Doctor's expectations, however, he not only lived to receive his +Victoria Cross, but soon made a complete recovery. + +At the same time, Captain Tomson, finding his Company now consisted only +of his signallers, runners, and batmen, and unable to find out where the +rest had gone, determined to try and rush the machine guns which were +keeping up such a steady fire close to his left flank. His little party +forced their way through some wire and found themselves opposed by three +guns. With a shout of "Come along Tigers, show them what you can do," +Captain Tomson led them straight at the enemy. Two of the gun teams were +overcome, but the third could not be reached, and fired at them point +blank. L/Cpl. Signaller J. Smith was wounded and fell, Captain Tomson, +bending down to tie him up, was shot through the head. Only two men got +away, leaving their leader, now dead, in a small shelter outside the +trench. Smith, mortally wounded, refused to be taken away, saying "Leave +me with Captain Tomson, I shall be all right"--and there he died next to +his Company Commander. So perished the kindest hearted and bravest +gentleman that ever commanded a Company in the Regiment. Calm, cheerful, +with a friendly word for all, Captain Tomson was the father of his men, +and a warm friend to his brother officers and N.C.O.'s. + +By 6-30 a.m. it was daylight, but the fog and smoke still lay like a +thick blanket along the valley, hiding the village and all that was +going on there. It was not until 7-45 a.m. that the wind blew this away, +and we were at last able to see how we had fared. The village, with the +exception of the blockhouse corner, was in our hands. "C" Company were +holding more than half its Eastern side, while "A" and part of "B" had +reformed after the attack and were dug in just outside the N.W. corner. +The only troops actually in Pontruet were those with Corpl. Barber at +the Cemetery. The road leading West from the village was thronged with +prisoners and stretcher bearers making their way towards the large +crater on the main road, used as a Company Headquarters by the Sherwood +Foresters. Captain Jack had established his Aid Post at the bottom of +the little valley running down to the road, and here, helped by the +never-tiring Padre Buck, was busily employed with our wounded. + +In Forgan's trench there was a deadlock. Across the valley and on the +Southern slopes it was still full of the enemy, who had many machine +guns. Daylight made an attack over the open by "D" Company impossible, +for as soon as anyone was seen to leave our lines he was at once fired +upon. Every effort was made with bombs and rifle grenades to dislodge +the German machine gunners from their posts on the main road, but, +though Serjts. Marston and Haynes and L/Cpl. Thurman did their utmost, +no progress could be made. Here, therefore, "D" Company had to stay +throughout the day, almost powerless to help, except by harassing the +enemy with stokes mortars from the high ground. With daylight, the enemy +also had complete command of the Eastern edge of Pontruet, and Lieuts. +Hawley and Steel had to lie very quiet; the slightest movement attracted +the attention of the snipers in Forgan's. + +At 8-0 a.m. the battle was practically at a standstill, and the C.O. +sent the Adjutant forward to see what could be done to improve our +position. The enemy's artillery was now fairly quiet, and, except for +the one machine gun post near the blockhouse, there seemed to be no +Germans in Pontruet. "A" and "B" Companies had exhausted all their +grenades and Lewis gun ammunition in their efforts to capture this one +post, but had failed, and our only hope was now that a 1st Divisional +Tank would do it for us. This Tank was seen coming up from the West, +and, to attract its attention, we waved our helmets on our rifles. It +turned towards us, but suddenly broke down, and soon afterwards was put +completely out of action. + +At the same time, efforts were made to signal to Battalion Headquarters +for ammunition, but the signal apparatus had all been destroyed in the +fight. The only flag available was one of the "red, white and black" +Regimental flags, which the Adjutant happened to have in his pocket, and +though this was vigorously waved, it could not be seen. A runner had to +be sent instead. + +Meanwhile, though we had practically cleared the village of the enemy, +we were not, as far as we knew at the Western end of it, holding it very +strongly. The only post known to "A" Company was Corporal Barber's at +the Cemetery. "C" Company were supposed to be "somewhere at the other +end," but no one quite knew where. However, with Corporal Barber was a +"C" Company soldier--Coles--who undertook to find his way back to his +Company. Our idea was to form a line through the village at once, and, +when ammunition arrived, push the line through to the far side. Coles +found "C" Company, but so hot was the sniping from Forgan's, that any +idea of moving men in that direction had to be abandoned, at any rate +until darkness. Coles himself was unable to return, so that the exact +position of "C" Company was never known at Headquarters. + +On the return of the Adjutant, Battalion Headquarters moved up to the +valley next the R.A.P. At the same time a large supply of ammunition and +bombs was brought up as far as the crater. Colonel Griffiths himself +set off to visit "A" Company, but he had not gone many yards along the +road before he was heavily sniped by the enemy machine gunners. The +latter had established several posts on the high ground S.E. of +Pontruet, and were now making the road impassable. For a long time the +Colonel, making use of shell holes, tried to make his way to the +village, but every time he was "spotted" and finally he had to return. +Ammunition carrying parties lost very heavily and never got near our +companies; the village seemed to be completely cut off from us. To add +to our discomfort the enemy's artillery was again active and gas shells +were fired wherever movement was seen. The Headquarters and the R.A.P. +were frequently bombarded. At the same time the enemy's infantry started +to dribble back by Forgan's and the new trench, into the S.W. corner of +the village, probably to counter-attack. Observers saw this movement +from the Tumulus Ridge, and, as soon as Corpl. Barber's post could be +withdrawn, the suspected area was heavily shelled by our gunners, and no +attack developed. + +During the afternoon, the Headquarters, finding that in their new +position they were in touch with neither Brigade Headquarters nor their +Companies, moved back to the hill-top. Captain Jack and the Padre +remained with the R.A.P., though their valley was almost continuously +shelled, and never entirely free from gas. The devoted work these two +did that day is beyond description and too great for praise. + +At 4-0 p.m., as our position was materially unchanged, we received +orders for a fresh advance, to be made in conjunction with one Company +of the 6th Sherwood Foresters. Our objective was to be a line along the +Southern edge of the village, to link up with "C" Company, or at least +to extend to where we imagined "C" Company to be. Captain Pink, of the +Sherwood Foresters, commanded the Company which was to help us, and no +one could have worked harder than he did to make our advance a success, +but the uncertainty of "C" Company's exact position, and the +impossibility of sending them any orders, made our task very difficult. +Late in the afternoon we at last got news of Lieut. Steel. In spite of +shells and machine-gun bullets, a runner came along the main road from +St. Helene to the crater. This runner, Private F. Lane, had had to crawl +250 yards across the open under direct observation, had had to kill two +Germans before he could get clear of the village, and had then run the +gauntlet of shells and bullets along the road--all this alone. Not +content with having delivered his message, he refused to rest, and, +though exhausted, made his way back by the same way that he had come. We +now knew where Lieut. Steel was under the bridge, but still we knew +nothing of the main part of "C" Company. + +At 7-30 p.m., as it was getting dusk, the combined advance started +without a barrage. It was a big frontage for so small a force and +parties lost touch with each other amongst the ruins. "A" Company's left +kept close to the Sherwood Foresters, but the outer flanks of both were +"in the air," for "C" Company could not be found. It was dark when the +South side of the village was reached, and it was found terribly +difficult to keep direction amongst the ruins and trenches. A Lewis Gun +Section, under C.S.M. Wardle, disposed of the only party of the enemy +who were encountered, but the post near the Blockhouse could not be +found. Finally at 9-0 p.m. the Sherwood Foresters fell back to Fourmi +trench near the main road, and 2nd Lieut. Dennis, now commanding "A" +Company, ordered his platoons to return to their former positions. We +had accomplished nothing. + +The original plan had been that we should be relieved as soon as it was +dark, but our present line was so uncertain that the relieving Battalion +refused to take it over as we had it. The men were tired out, and it was +impossible to expect them to make another attempt to form a line round +the village. "C" Company were found, but too far North to link up with +the others. Eventually, at 2-0 a.m. on the 25th, we were ordered to +withdraw all our Companies and evacuate the village. This we did by 4-0 +a.m. What was left of the Battalion then marched back to where we had +left our greatcoats, while the Sherwood Foresters took over the line +north and west of Pontruet. The Adjutant saw the last parties out of the +village, and the Colonel, though tired out, insisted on going round the +lines and visiting each platoon as it came in. + +The following day we received this message from General Boyd:-- + + "Please congratulate Lieut.-Colonel Griffiths and the 1/5th Bn. + Leicestershire Regiment on the good fight they put up yesterday, + and tell them I am quite satisfied. They captured many prisoners + and accounted for numbers of the enemy. Owing to unexpected + reinforcements they attacked an enemy twice as strong as + themselves, and moreover in a strong position. Although we did not + reach our objective, the enemy was prevented from reinforcing the + troops opposed to the Division on our right." + + (sd.) G.F. BOYD, Major-General. + +We had lost one Company Commander and three subalterns killed, one +Company Commander and six subalterns wounded. Of the rank and file, +thirty were killed, of whom three were Serjeants, one hundred were +wounded, and eight were missing. But we had proved that five platoons +could clear a village held by three Battalions (so said one of the +prisoners) of the enemy; we had shown that when N.C.O.'s became +casualties, private soldiers were ready to assume command and become +leaders, and, most important of all, the battle had proved to each +individual soldier that if he went with his bayonet he was +irresistible. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +CROSSING THE CANAL. + +25th Sept., 1918. 4th Oct., 1918. + + +The two days following this action were spent in refitting and +re-organizing what was left of the Battalion. All available officers +from the "battle details" were ordered to join us, and Captains Petch +and Banwell resumed command of their Companies, while Lieuts. Hawley and +Corah took over "B" and "D." Major Burnett also came up and, though we +were still in trenches and holes in the ground, managed to produce hot +baths for everybody. The line was very quiet, the weather warm, we +needed a rest, and for two days we had it. The Brigade was to be +relieved by the Staffordshires on the evening of the 27th, and our first +orders were to go into various trenches and dug-outs round Grand Priel +Farm. These orders, however, were cancelled before relief, and we were +allotted instead a quarry and some trenches just North of le Verguier. + +Up to the evening of the 26th all had been very quiet and there was not +the slightest sign that any active operations were intended. However on +this evening, the Transport drivers, bringing up rations, told us that +all the roads behind the lines were thick with guns, lorries and +waggons, all moving up. At the same time Colonel Griffiths returned +from a Conference, with some orders so secret that they were told to no +one. The following day we saw that during the night many new batteries +had taken up positions on the Ascension Ridge, guns had been carefully +camouflaged, men hidden away in copses, and all was still very quiet. +The same day, officers of another division came up reconnoitering--all +with considerable secrecy--though one was seen to be carrying a map with +a red line on it, somewhere four miles East of the St. Quentin Canal. +The following night more batteries silently took up their positions; +large bomb, water and ammunition dumps were made wherever a house or +copse would screen them from the enemy's aircraft, everything was being +prepared for some gigantic enterprise. As we went out to le Verguier, we +passed some of the Staffordshires going to the front line. It was a very +dark night, but we could see that they were carrying more than usual and +that their equipment looked very bulky. They were wearing life belts. + +The secret could now be kept no longer, and as soon as possible orders +were made known to all. They were brief: "The 46th Division will on a +certain date, as part of a major operation, cross the St. Quentin Canal, +capture the Hindenburg Line, and advance to a position on the high +ground East of Magny la Fosse and Lehaucourt (2 miles E. of the Canal)." + +The St. Quentin Canal, or Canal du Nord, as it is called further North, +runs for the most part North and South. At Bellicourt, opposite the +Americans, 1,000 yards North of our sector, it enters a tunnel and is +for a considerable distance underground. At Bellenglise, opposite the +right of our Divisional sector, it takes a sharp turn to the East, and +runs, past Lehaucourt and le Tronquoy, for 21/2 miles before again +turning South. The main Hindenburg Line followed the line of the Canal, +just East of it. The Americans would attack the line above the tunnel, +and North of them British Divisions would continue the advance far to +the North. The 46th Division would attack with its right on Bellenglise, +and a gap of 1,000 yards from its left to the Americans. South of us no +attack would be necessary; for, once across the Canal, our right flank +would be defended all the way to le Tronquoy by the Canal itself and +this portion of the Hindenburg Line, which we should "roll up" from the +flank. Tanks could not cross the Canal except over the tunnel at +Bellicourt. Consequently the IXth Tank Battalion, allotted to our +Division for the attack, would advance with the Americans, and, once in +Bellicourt, turn south and join us to assist in the advance to the +village objectives and the heights. To the Staffordshire Brigade was +alloted the crossing of the Canal and the taking of the Hindenburg Line. +Then, after a pause to allow the Tanks to come round, the Sherwood +Foresters on the right and our Brigade on the left would sweep on, still +under a barrage, to the final objective. We should have to deal with +Magny village, the Right Brigade with Bellenglise and Lehaucourt. On the +final objective there would be another pause, then, if all had gone +well, the 32nd Division would come through to the "Red" Line of +exploitation--another two miles still further East. Maps were issued +with the objective of each unit shown in colour. The Staffordshires had +the "Blue," which was the Hindenburg Line, and the "Brown" further E. to +hold till we came up; the 4th Leicestershires had the "Yellow," which +included Knobkerry Ridge, the 5th Lincolnshires the "Dotted Blue"--just +beyond Magny village; we had the last of all, the "Green" line, +including a sunken cross-roads, an old mill on some very high ground, +and a small copse called Fosse Wood. It was argued that by this time +either the attack would have failed and we should not be wanted, or, if +successful, there could not be very much resistance; we were very weak +after Pontruet, and this was considered the easiest task. The day chosen +was September 29th--the time, dawn. + +Outside le Verguier there runs a muddy lane with an old quarry beside +it. In this quarry, in an evil-smelling but very deep dug-out lived +Battalion Headquarters; everybody else occupied trenches in the fields +round about. On the opposite side of the lane was a battery of 9.2's, +firing almost continuously day and night, making it almost impossible to +reach the Headquarters, and quite impossible to ride down the lane. +Altogether our surroundings were unpleasant. The enemy soon made them +worse, for about an hour before dawn on the 28th he suddenly put over a +few small shells, apparently high explosive, round "B" Company's +trenches, while one or two also fell round "C" and "A" Companies. +Finally he pitched three clean into the quarry, and the sentry wake up +to the fact that they were not only high explosive, but contained a very +fair percentage of mustard gas. It was about an hour before the +discovery was made and still longer before all troops were moved away. +"C" Company wisely took no risks and were soon across the road, and "A" +and "D" were practically unaffected. "B" Company, however, were not +warned, and it was nearly two hours after the first shell had come +before they were finally moved grumbling to another area. Apparently no +one was gassed, but we knew mustard only too well and feared very much +what the enemy would bring forth. However, at 9-0 a.m. it came on to +pour with rain, and we got more hopeful. + +At 11 o'clock Col. Griffiths, taking the Adjutant and Company Commanders +with him, set off to a Conference with the Tank officers at Brigade +Headquarters. The enemy were shelling le Verguier, the 9.2's were firing +vigorously, it was pouring with rain, and the horses were very nervous. +The ride was consequently exciting. Led as usual by "Sunloch," the party +galloped past the 9.2's and halted at the entrance to the village to try +and "time" the Boche shells. One came, they dashed in, turned the corner +and just got clear in time; the next shell skimmed over the last groom's +head and wounded a German prisoner. + +Our conference with the Tank officers caused a slight alteration in +Colonel Griffiths' plan of attack. He had intended to advance with two +companies in front and two in support, but finding that a three company +frontage was more suitable for Tank co-operation, this was adopted--"A" +Company (Petch) to be on the right, "C" Company (Banwell) to be in the +centre, and "D" Company (Corah) on the left. "B" Company (Hawley) would +be in support. The front line Company Commanders arranged rendezvous +with their Tank Commanders, and we rode back. + +By evening our worst fears had been realized, and forty-five of "B" +Company had to be sent to Hospital, too blind from the mustard gas to be +of any use. C.S.M. Wardle and about five men from each of the other +Companies had also to go, while Headquarters lost Mess Corporal J. +Buswell. As we had lost L/Cpl. Bourne a few days before, this left us +rather helpless, and, but for our energetic Padre-Mess-President, should +probably have starved. We had one consolation. Towards evening on the +28th the rain stopped, the weather brightened, and there seemed to be +every prospect of a fine Sunday. Bombs, flares and extra rations were +distributed at dusk, and we turned in for the night during which, except +for a few aeroplane bombs, the evening left us in peace. + +At 5-0 a.m., Sunday, the 29th of September, the barrage started. There +was the usual thick morning mist, and even at 7-0 a.m. we were unable to +see more than a few yards in any direction. Even gun flashes could not +be seen, and the only intimation we had of the progress of the fight, +was the continuous "chug-chug-chug," of the tanks, moving along the +valley North of us, completely out of sight. As we were not due to move +until 9-0 a.m. we spent the time having breakfasts and reorganizing the +remains of "B" Company. Lieut. Hawley, with the aid of the recently +returned C.S.M. J.B. Weir, D.C.M., formed one large platoon with as many +Lewis Guns as possible. Between 7-0 and 8-0 a.m. the mist lifted once +for a few seconds only, and, looking Northwards we could see the top of +the next ridge. Along the skyline as far as the eye could see from West +to East stretched a long column of horses, guns and wagons--moving +forward. Below them, in the shadow, moved a long procession of Tanks. +Then the mist closed down and we saw no more. + +As soon as breakfasts were finished, picked N.C.O.'s and men were sent +forward to get in touch with the rest of the Brigade and reconnoitre +roads forward to the Canal. At 7-45 a.m. came a message from Brigade +Headquarters, to say that, as the mist was worse further East, we had +better start moving at once. Parade was accordingly ordered for 8-30 +a.m., instead of 9-0 a.m., and we tried to form up in a field near the +quarry. The mist was so thick one could not see from one end of a +Company to the other, and it was nearly nine o'clock before Capt. Jack +and his orderlies with their medical box appeared in the field, and we +were ready to move off. Even so, we had to leave the mess staff behind, +but the Padre promised to bring them along. + +At 9-0 a.m. we moved off in single file, Col. Griffiths leading, and the +Companies following in the order "A," "C," "D," Battalion Headquarters, +and "B." It was terribly difficult to keep touch, as, with many oaths, +we stumbled over ditches and holes until we reached the lane from le +Verguier to Grand Priel. Here we picked up the Headquarter horses, and +also were much cheered by some wounded soldiers, who told us the Boche +was running away for all he was worth. Unfortunately our column was cut +in half by some artillery coming down the line, who passed between "D" +Company and Headquarters. Alongside us, moving on the same track, were +the other Sherwood Foresters, also bound for the "Green Line"; their +"all up" was passed to the head of our column, and the Colonel, thinking +we were intact, moved on. At Ascension Farm, the Adjutant was sent in to +report to Brigade Headquarters and the Colonel struck off into the +mist, marching entirely by compass bearing. Periodically he and Captain +Petch stopped to check their direction and then moved slowly on again; +there was some barbed wire and the horses were sent back. Eventually, +after crossing the old front line and going half way down the next slope +the Colonel halted, and allowing the Companies to form up by platoons, +waited until it was time to go on. He judged that he should be somewhere +near the original starting line of the Staffordshires. "C" and "D" +Companies came up but there was no Battalion Headquarters and no "B" +Company--incidentally no Adjutant. The latter, coming out from Brigade +Headquarters, found that the Battalion had gone and tried to ride after +them. He merely succeeded in getting into a wire entanglement and having +no groom had to leave his mare. With Lieut. Ashdowne, the Intelligence +Officer, and Scout-Corporal Gilbert--the only ones left of Battalion +Headquarters--he went on, hoping to catch up the Battalion before they +reached the Canal. Fortunately at 10-45 the mist blew right away, and +the sudden daylight which followed showed him where the Battalion lay; +it also showed the Staffordshire's starting tape only 60 yards from +where the Colonel had halted. + +Until 11-20 we sat in the sun and waited in the hopes that some of the +missing people might join us. We held a short Conference, and the +Colonel decided that if there was any more fog or difficulty of any +sort, Company Commanders should make their way at once to their places +in the "dotted blue" line. Scouts were sent out to reconnoitre Canal +crossings, and as soon as the barrage started for the 4th Battalion's +advance, we moved forward in rear of the 5th Lincolnshires. There was +some scattered shelling, but our formation--lines of platoons in +fours--was found very suitable. On reaching the Canal the two right +Companies crossed by the remains of an old dam, the left by Riquerval +Bridge, and all formed up in the ruins of the famous Hindenburg Line on +the far side. It had been terribly battered, and here and there the +remains of its occupants showed how deadly our barrage, and how fierce +the assault of the Staffordshires had been. As we reached the Canal a +single Tank was seen coming down from the North, another followed and +then others; "our" Battalion had crossed successfully at Bellicourt, so +the battle must be going well. + +After a short pause, the advance up towards Knobkerry Ridge started. As +we crossed Springbok Valley we could see the 4th Battalion consolidating +their newly-won positions on the top, and there was little opposition +from this quarter. On our right, however, there seemed to be a stiff +fight going on in Bellenglise, and several dropping shots from machine +guns fell round us. We deployed into the "blob" formation, before +ascending the ridge, and for the next half-mile our advance was worthy +of a plate in Field Service Regulations. In front the Colonel, with his +eye on Magny village, kept the direction right. Behind him the three +Companies deployed, their "distance" and "interval" perfect, and working +so well together that if one was checked for a time, the others saw it +at once and conformed. Behind the centre a small red cross flag and the +"red, white and black" marked the position of the Regimental Aid Post +and Battalion Headquarters. The latter's flag was already becoming +famous; it was the one with which "A" Company had tried to signal from +Pontruet. A few yards short of the summit of the Ridge we halted and lay +down again while the 5th Lincolnshires did their advance. While we were +here, the Tanks came up, and so excellent had been the liaison, that +from the Tank which stopped behind "A" and "C" Companies stepped the +officer with whom they had arranged details the day before. + +At about 1 o'clock we moved on again--our centre through Magny la Fosse +and our Flank Companies on each side of it. The fight in Bellenglise +seemed to be over, and for the moment things were very quiet. Swarms of +prisoners, waving their arms, were seen coming from various trenches and +the village; no one was looking after them, we were all much too keen on +getting forward. Here and there, when a few Boches showed signs of +getting into a trench instead of keeping to the open, some soldier would +administer a friendly jab with the bayonet to show them what was +expected of them. The Tanks came along behind us, meaning to form up in +Magny woods, and wait there till we went on. As the Lincolnshires got +their objective without trouble, we moved close up to them and once more +lay down to wait for 1-40 p.m., the time for our own barrage and +advance. + +Unfortunately, though screened from the East, the corner of Magny Woods, +was visible from the South. Across the Canal on the high ground, some +German gunner must have seen the Tanks assembling, and, finding no +attack was coming his way, started to shoot at point blank range at our +right flank. The right and centre became very unpleasant, and there was +a veritable barrage round "A" Company. Through it, very hot and very +angry at being shelled, suddenly appeared Padre Buck, a heavy pack of +food on his back, and behind him the Regimental Serjeant-Major and the +missing Headquarters. He had found them near Ascension Farm and knowing +enough of the plan of attack, had "sweated" them along as hard as he +could. It is impossible to imagine what we should have done without +runners, signallers or batmen, to say nothing of the food. As we were +now only 600 yards from our final objective the Padre and Captain Jack +went off to find a Regimental Aid Post and finally settled in a small +dug-out in a sunken road just outside the village. + +At 1-40 p.m. our barrage started and our advance began; our shelling was +slightly ragged in one or two places, but for the most part it was very +accurate--wonderfully so, as guns were firing at extreme range. On the +right "A" Company working along, and on both sides of an old trench, +reached their objective without difficulty except for the shelling +which, aimed at the Tanks, was falling all round the Company. Captain +Petch, after L/Cpl. Downs and others had removed some twenty-one Boches +from a hole under the road, made his Headquarters there, went round his +outposts, and sent patrols out to his right flank, where the Sherwood +Foresters, delayed in Bellenglise, had not yet reached Lehaucourt. They +soon came up, however, and our right flank was secured. In the centre +"C" Company had even more shells and did not have the satisfaction of +evicting any Boches. They reached their objective and put outposts round +the Mill and along a sunken road to connect with "A" Company. The +protective barrage was still in front of them, and through it, in the +direction of Levergies, could be seen several German batteries +limbering up. One was quite close. This was too much for C.S.M. Angrave +and Serjeant Tunks, who collected some twenty men and, regardless of the +barrage, took advantage of the cover of a sunken road running East, and +pushed forward. They could not cross the open, but, using their rifles, +drove off the gunners and killed the horses, so that the battery +remained in our hands. This very enterprising party then went on under +Serjeant Tunks and had a look at Levergies, finally returning after it +was dark. + +Behind "C" Company, the Colonel and Adjutant after lying for some time +in a small hole, and wondering whether they would be rolled on by one of +our Tanks, or hit by the shells aimed at it, finally planted their flag +outside a little dug-out on the N.E. corner of Magny Woods. However, the +Colonel would not rest here, but was off again at once to see how we had +fared. He first met Captain Banwell looking for a "success rocket"; this +sounded satisfactory, and, as about the same time, Lieut. Hawley +appeared with "B" Company, and we once more had a "reserve," all looked +well. On the left--"D" Company (Corah), after chalking their names on a +battery of deserted whizz-bangs, collected a Boche officer and some 50 +men from a 4.2 gun battery without any trouble; hurrying on, they found +some 20 others trying to blow up a 5.9 Howitzer in Fosse Wood, +demonstrated that this could not be allowed and took them all prisoners; +then, without further opposition, they dug in round the E. side of the +wood and continued the line Northwards to the Divisional boundary. After +visiting these, the Colonel went off to look at the left flank, and +here, except for an Australian Machine Gun Section under a Serjeant +there was no one. The Americans were not up to their objective, they had +not even taken Etricourt, and for nearly a mile back our left was "in +the air." Worse still, the Australian Serjeant had just been ordered to +withdraw; the Colonel pointed out the situation, and the Serjeant, dying +for an excuse to stay where he could see enemy to shoot at, called back +his men and said "he'd stay as long as we wanted him." It was not very +satisfactory, but we could do nothing else except pray hard for the +arrival of the 32nd Division. When the Colonel arrived back at Battalion +Headquarters we thought at first that our casualties had been very light +indeed, but it was not long before we got some bad news. On our right +flank the Tanks had suffered heavily at the hands of the German gunners +on the Le Tronquoy high ground, and one of them, disabled and on fire, +was a mark for several German batteries. Some of the crew managed to +escape, but others, too badly wounded, were left inside; one crawled to +our Aid Post. Padre Buck heard of this and at once went off to the +rescue. The shelling was very heavy, and he was hit almost at once and +wounded in many places. He was carried back to the Aid Post, but died +soon afterwards, conscious to the last, but not in great pain. The Padre +had been with us two years, and during all that time, there was never a +trench or outpost that he had not visited, no matter how dangerous or +exposed. In addition to his Chaplain's duties, he had been O.C. Games, +Recreation Room and often Mess President--a thorough sportsman and a +brave soldier, we felt his loss keenly. + +Meanwhile every effort was being made to tell Brigade of our success, +and, while one aeroplane with British markings bombed us (in spite of +numerous red flares), another took down a message from the "Popham" +sheet, which Serjeant Signaller Wilbur was operating. Soon after 4.0 +p.m. Captain D. Hill, the Brigade Major, appeared and told us that the +32nd Division would soon arrive, and at 5-15 p.m. their leading +Battalions came through us. However, they found it was now too late to +go forward, so put out Outposts just in front of our line. Their +appearance provoked the Boche to further shelling, and an unlucky hit +killed Serjeant Taylor, an experienced and valuable platoon Serjeant of +"C" Company. Serjeants Marshall of "C" Company and Clarke of "D" +Company, were also wounded, but our total casualties for the day were +under 25. We had reached our objective at all points and captured 8 guns +and about 100 prisoners. The Division altogether had taken 4,000 +prisoners and 80 guns and had smashed the Hindenburg Line. + +Though the machine-gun fire from low flying aeroplanes was somewhat +troublesome at dusk, we had a quiet night after the battle, and were +able to distribute rations and ammunition to the companies soon after +midnight. At the time, we hardly gave a thought to this last, but it was +a feat deserving of the highest praise. We had advanced some four miles +into the enemy's country across a canal, and by dusk bridges and roads +had been built sufficient to enable horse transport to carry rations and +ammunition to the most advanced units. Ours were delivered just outside +Battalion Headquarters, and the Companies fetched them from there. The +admirable organization of the Staff, and the skill and pluck of our +Transport Drivers, had enabled us to go into action carrying only our +rations for the one day--very different from the Germans in their March +offensive, when each man was loaded up with food for five days. + +The following morning, the 32nd Division continued the advance, with a +small barrage, against Sequehart, Joncourt and, in the near centre, +Levergies. The enemy had found it impossible to remain in their +positions at Pontruet and South of the Canal, and hustled by the 1st and +French Divisions, had evacuated them. The French were now therefore +continuing our line Southwards from Lehaucourt. The attack started at +dawn and soon afterwards the valley past Fosse Wood was thronged with +Whippet tanks and cavalry, waiting in case of a possible +"break-through." It was the first time most of us had seen Cavalry in +action, and they made an imposing sight as they filed along the valley +in the morning mist. At the same time several batteries of Horse +Artillery trotted up and taking up positions near our "D" Company, +opened fire to assist the attack. Levergies, overlooked from two sides, +was soon taken and several prisoners were captured on the left, but +elsewhere the enemy had been strongly reinforced, and the attacks on +Sequehart, Preselles and Joncourt broke down under heavy machine gun +fire. Apparently a stand was to be made along the "Fonsomme" trench +line--running N. and S. along the next ridge. After waiting all day, the +Cavalry and "whippets" slowly withdrew again in the evening. + +That night and the following day, as the 32nd Division had now +definitely taken over the outpost line, the Companies were brought into +more comfortable quarters near Magny la Fosse and Headquarters moved +into an old German Artillery dug-out on the hill. In these positions "A" +Company had the misfortune to lose Serjeant Toon, a most energetic and +cheerful Platoon Serjeant, who was wounded by a chance machine-gun +bullet, but otherwise we had a quiet time. Reorganization and refitting +once more occupied our minds, and, as "B" Company's gas casualties had +made them so weak, all "battle details" were ordered to join us. The +following day they arrived under C.S.M. Cooper, who resumed his duties +with "D" Company. 2nd Lieuts. Todd and Argyle also rejoined us from +leave, and the Stores and Transport moved up to Magny village. The same +afternoon there was a Battalion parade and General Rowley complimented +us on our work during our two battles. He had visited Pontruet since the +attack and was unable to find words to express his admiration for our +fight in the village. The arrival of the "Daily Mail," and the discovery +that at last the name "North Midland" figured in the head lines cheered +us all immensely, and the fall of St. Quentin to the French gave a +practical proof of the value of our efforts. We were all very happy and +said "Now we shall have a good rest to re-fit." + +Nothing, however, appeared to be further from the intentions of the +Higher Command, and on October 2nd the other two Brigades came through +us to take over the line from the 32nd, and again attempt to break the +"Fonsomme" Line--on the 3rd. The French would attack on the right, the +32nd Division would be responsible for Sequehart, and the 46th, with +Staffordshires on the right and Sherwood Foresters on the left, would +sweep over Preselles, Ramicourt and Montbrehain, and make a break for +the cavalry and "whippets." Joncourt had already been captured and +the left flank was therefore secure. Our Brigade was in support, and +would not be wanted to move until 8-0 a.m. There was not much time for +making preparations, and the Artillery, who had particularly short +notice, spent the night before the battle getting into position near our +Headquarters. + +[Illustration: SKETCH MAP OF CAMBRAI-ST. QUENTIN-AVESNES AREA +To illustrate battles of Sept Oct Nov 1918] + +Once more a thick morning mist covered our attack and the first waves, +advancing with the barrage at dawn, quickly got possession of Preselles +and the Fonsomme Line, killing many Germans and taking large numbers of +prisoners. There was considerable resistance in the centre, but the +Sherwood Foresters, led by such men as Colonel Vann, disposed of it, and +by 10.0 a.m. all objectives were gained and everything ready for the +Cavalry. Meanwhile, soon after 8-0 a.m., the Battalion was ordered to +move up at once and support the Staffordshires. We were to be under the +orders of General Campbell, but would not be used for any purpose except +holding the Fonsomme Line, to which we were now to go. We had been +warned the previous evening that, if used at all, it would be on the +right flank, and reconnoitering parties had already gone forward to get +in touch with the Staffordshires; these had not yet returned, so we +started without them. + +Soon after 9-0 a.m. we left Magny la Fosse and moved down the hill +towards Levergies, which we decided to leave on our right flank, as it +was full of gas. We were in lines of platoons in fours--"D" Company +(Corah) and "C" (Banwell) leading, bound for the Fonsomme Line, "A" +Company (Petch) and "B" (Hawley) following with orders to find support +positions to the other two. The Headquarters moved by the railway line +N.E. of Levergies to take up a position as near as possible to the +Support Battalion Headquarters of the Staffordshires. All went well +until the leading Companies were beginning to climb the hill E. of +Levergies, when a runner from Brigade Headquarters caught us up with a +message to say that the 32nd Division had not taken Sequehart in the +first attack, and that it was uncertain in whose hands the village now +was. Every effort was made to warn the Companies, but we could not reach +"D" and "A" in time, and we could only hope that if Sequehart was still +in the enemy's hands, they would be warned of it in time to deploy their +right platoons, which would otherwise march in fours close to the edge +of the village. + +Sequehart, however, if not at this time actually in our hands, was at +all events clear of the enemy, and our right flank had no trouble. The +mist and smoke made communication between the Companies very difficult, +and so each moved, more or less independently, to its allotted station. +"C" was the first to reach the "Fonsomme Line," only to find that the +line was nowhere more than six inches deep, and, except for its concrete +machine gun posts, was only a "big work" when photographed from the air. +Captain Banwell accordingly took up his position in a sunken lane +running between Sequehart and Preselles. Meanwhile, the other leading +Company, "D," had moved too far to the left, a very fortunate +circumstance, because Colonel Griffiths was able to change their +direction and dispose them facing right, to form a defensive right flank +opposite Sequehart. "B" Company was also ordered to face right in +support to "D" Company. "A" Company, however, had not made the same +error as "D," and Captain Petch, keeping his direction, found, as "C" +Company had, that the "Fonsomme Line" gave him no cover. He, therefore, +occupied the same sunken lane, about 300 yards south of "C" Company. +Soon afterwards an intercepted message told Captain Petch of our changed +dispositions, and, to protect his right, he too moved his Company to +conform with "D." Battalion Headquarters had by this time occupied a +large bank at the bottom of the hill, where Colonel White, of the 5th +South Staffordshires, had already planted his flag. + +From our new positions we had an extensive view to the East. Mannequin +Ridge was on the right flank with Doon Hill at the end of it, held by +the enemy, though we could see the Staffordshires holding the ridge. In +the foreground was a valley, and on our left another ridge stretching +from Preselles to Ramicourt. The Staffordshires did not appear very +numerous for their large frontage, and it was clear that unless the +Cavalry appeared soon, there was danger that they would be +counter-attacked. But at 10-0 a.m. the leading Cavalry were only just +beginning to appear over the Magny heights. The enemy was fairly quiet, +except for one field gun, 2,000 yards away on our extreme right, beyond +Sequehart. C.S.M. Angrave kept sniping at the gunners, who replied to +each of his shots with a whizz-bang. + +It soon became obvious that so long as the enemy remained on Doon Hill, +the Cavalry could not advance, and shortly after midday we received +orders to place two Companies at the disposal of the 137th Brigade, to +assist in an attack on the Hill. Colonel Griffiths decided to use "A" +and "D" Companies, and Captain Fetch and Lieut. Corah were at once +summoned to Headquarters, when we were told the attack was to be made by +the North Staffordshires, Colonel Evans, and that our Companies would be +in support. Accordingly Colonel Griffiths and the Company Commanders set +off for Colonel Evans' headquarters while the two Companies moved over +the open to "C" Company's sunken lane, where they formed up for the +attack. A few of "A" Company under 2nd Lieut. Whetton crossed the lane +and reached the Staffordshires' front line. There was no fixed time for +the assault, but the hill was to be shelled by our Artillery until 2.30 +p.m. This shelling ceased as our Companies reached the lane, nearly a +mile from the objective, and Colonel Evans tried in vain to have it +renewed. + +Meanwhile the enemy had been assembling out of sight behind Mannequin +Ridge, and now suddenly attacked the Staffordshires heavily, driving +them from their positions on the crest. At the same time the valley was +swept from end to end by bursts of machine gun fire, and it was obvious +that an advance across the open could only be made with very heavy loss. +Colonel Griffiths wished to stop the attack at least until Mannequin +Ridge was retaken, but, before anything could be done, the enemy opened +a heavy artillery barrage on the lane, and the Colonel was badly +wounded. Some of "A" Company had pushed forward a little, and Captain +Petch and 2nd Lieut. Dennis managed to find some cover for No. 4 Platoon +about 200 yards East of the Lane. It was now about 3-0 p.m. and Colonel +Evans, probably intending to alter his plans, sent for the Company +Commanders. As they arrived a shell fell on the party, killing the +Colonel, Lieut. Corah and 2nd Lieut. Christy, wounding Captain Petch. A +few minutes later 2nd Lieut. Mace was hit in the leg with a bullet, and +both he and Captain Petch were sent down. "D" Company was officerless, +"A" had three isolated groups, two forward and unapproachable, the third +under 2nd Lieut. Edwardes in the Sunken Lane. There were no orders and +no one knew what to do, so C.S.M. Cooper collected "D" and 2nd Lieut. +Edwardes and C.S.M. Smith collected all they could find of "A," and both +prolonged "C" Company's line to the left. The lane here was less sunken +than on the right, and the cover was very poor, affording little +protection against the enemy's shells, which came from front and flank. + +We were now very short of officers. The Adjutant, Captain J.D. Hills, +was in command, with Lieut. Ashdowne as Adjutant; 2nd Lieut. Argyle was +acting Liaison Officer with the Staffordshires, so there was no one else +except the M.O. at Headquarters. Captain Jack, it is true, was a host in +himself, for, when not tying up the wounded, he was always ready with +some merry remark to cheer us up; we needed it, for our railway line was +as heavily shelled as the sunken lane. In addition to the killed and +wounded the Companies had also lost two new subaltern officers who had +joined the previous day and gone away slightly gassed, while 2nd Lieut. +Griffiths, who had gone forward with the reconnoitering parties, had not +been seen since. Captain Banwell was therefore alone with "C" Company. +Lieut. Steel was at once sent to command "D," and, on arrival at the +sunken lane, at once received a shell splinter in the leg; fortunately, +however, this was not serious, and he and C.S.M. Cooper were soon hard +at work straightening out the Company. This Warrant Officer and C.S.M. +Smith of "A" Company were admirable; it was largely due to them that +both Companies, badly shaken after their gruelling, were within a few +hours once more fit for anything. Our shortage of officers was likely to +continue, for our only "battle detail," Major Burnett, had just gone to +England, to the Senior Officers' School at Aldershot. Our casualties +during the afternoon included one who could ill be spared. A direct hit +with a shell on "C" Company Headquarters wounded C.S.M. Angrave in the +back. He died a few days later. One of the original Territorials, he had +served with us the whole time, and even four years of France had failed +to lessen his devotion to "C" Company. + +[Illustration: Company Headquarters, Loisne, 1918.] + +[Illustration: The Bathing Pool, Gorre Brewery, 1918.] + +Soon after 3-0 p.m. General Campbell himself rode up to Battalion +Headquarters and after explaining the situation, pointed out the +importance of holding a little group of trenches on some high ground +three-quarters of a mile E. of Preselles. Accordingly "B" Company +(Hawley), now only 25 strong, were sent there with two Lewis Guns; at +the same time some of the Monmouthshires were sent to help him. +Meanwhile, all the afternoon and evening, the enemy kept making small +attacks on Mannequin Ridge and towards Sequehart; several of these were +broken up by Artillery fire, and after his first efforts he had no +further successes. Our Cavalry, having arrived too late in the morning +to pass through when the enemy was really disorganized, waited all day +in the valley behind Preselles, and after losing several men and +horses in the shelling, had once more to withdraw at dusk. Their horses +were sent back, but as many men as could be spared were sent up +dismounted, with rifles and bayonets, to help hold the "Fonsomme Line" +in case of strong enemy counter attacks. They did not move up until dark +and, of course, could not find the "Fonsomme Line," any more than we +could in the morning, so started to dig where they could. Fortunately +the Commanding Officer, going round the line, found them, and, sending +one party up to help "B" Company, who were now alone, he and Captain +Banwell guided the rest across the valley, where they could find some +cover on the hill side. Had they been allowed to remain where they had +started to dig, they would probably have suffered very heavily in the +morning from the Ridge opposite, whence the enemy would have had a +beautiful view of them. + +Rations arrived soon after dark. During the afternoon 2nd Lieut. Todd +had reconnoitred a route for his limbers, and, after a narrow escape +from some heavy shells, had managed to find a passable road. With the +limbers came also 2nd Lieut. Griffiths, who had been wandering all over +the countryside in his efforts to find us. By midnight the companies had +their rations and their mail, and, even in the sunken lane, a smile +could be seen here and there. The night was quiet, and we were able to +collect all scattered parties and see what our casualties had been. +Fortunately the loss of other ranks was not in the same proportion as of +officers, but we had started so weak that we could ill afford to lose +the seven killed and 30 wounded which were our total casualties for the +day. "A" and "D" Companies had been hardest hit and Lance-Corporal +Meakin was amongst the killed; Serjeant Ward had been wounded, Serjeant +Peach of "B" Company had also been killed, while "C" Company, in +addition to their C.S.M., lost Serjt. Bond gassed and Cpl. Foulds +wounded. + +[Illustration: Pontruet.] + +At dawn on the 4th, as there was no sign of any attempted counter-attack +on the part of the enemy, most of the dismounted cavalry were withdrawn, +and we remained in our positions of the previous day. The morning was +slightly misty and Battalion Headquarters had one bad scare. The +Commanding Officer and Adjutant were out looking for new quarters, when +they suddenly saw coming over the hill W. of Sequehart--behind their +right flank--a number of Germans in open order. A battery of 60 pounders +in Levergies saw them at the same time and opened fire at point blank +range. It was fully five minutes before a few leisurely French soldiers +appearing over the same crest, showed that the Germans were merely a +large batch of prisoners collected by the French at dawn. Throughout the +day the enemy shelled various parts of the back area, and in this +respect Headquarters came off worst, being more bombarded than even the +sunken road. The bank under which they sat did not give them much cover, +and the Boche managed to drop his shells with great accuracy on the +Railway line and even hit the R.A.P. By the afternoon they were so tired +of being chased backwards and forwards along the bank that they followed +the example of the M.O., who with a wonderful display of calmness, which +he did not in the least feel, sat reading a book of poems and refused to +move. He admitted afterwards that he had not read a line, but it looked +very well, and as usual he kept us all cheerful. + +Late in the afternoon the long expected orders for relief came and we +learnt that we were to come out that night with the Staffordshires. "B" +Company on the left were actually relieved, but the other Companies had +merely to wait until the front line Battalions were clear and then march +out. The Boche shelled Headquarters once more just as they were going +and fired a considerable amount of gas shells all over the countrywide, +but no one was hurt, and eventually, some by Magny, some by Joncourt, +all arrived at the little village of Etricourt. Some of us rolled into +dug-outs, some into ruined houses, some in the road; all of us murmured +"Now we shall have our real rest at last," and went to sleep--tired +out. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +FRESNOY AND RIQUERVAL WOODS. + +5th Oct., 1918. 11th Oct., 1918. + + +One night was all we spent in Etricourt, bitterly cold but quiet and +unmolested by the enemy. The following day, the 5th of September, was +bright and warm, so we at once set about improving our surroundings, +started to bring some of our stores from Magny La Fosse, and were just +beginning to think we might make the place fairly comfortable, when +orders came for another move. There was going to be another battle, and, +though we were not taking part, our area was wanted for a Support +Division, so we were to go back across the Canal, and take over some +shelters in the old front line trench on the Ridge. This sounded rather +cold, but at all events we were going backwards to that long expected +rest; not too soon, for at midday an observation balloon made its +appearance, and its section chose Etricourt for their home, with the +result of course of annoying the Boche to such an extent that he fired +some shells over the village. At 5-0 p.m. we fell in and marched by +Riquerval Bridge over the Canal and up to the Ridge, passing the +Brigadier on the main road by the Canal, and found the Brigade we were +to relieve, sitting very comfortably in their shelters and huts. +Unfortunately they had no intention of moving until the following +morning. It was now 6-30 p.m. and would soon be dark, so we were faced +with two alternatives--one to sit on the road, send for the Staff, and +wail loudly, the other to help ourselves. + +The other two Battalions chose the former; we, being now very old +soldiers, chose the latter. An open patch of ground with some good large +shell holes was before us, we had a tool cart with us, and here and +there might be seen a sheet or two of corrugated iron. Long before it +was dark a thin curl of smoke coming out of the ground, a snatch of +song, or someone grousing in a loud voice, were the only indications +that there were four Companies of Infantry living there. The officers +were a little less fortunate; knowing that there were bell tents coming +on the limbers, they waited for them. At last they came, and very good +tents, too, but someone had forgotten to bring the poles. In spite of +this, we were soon all under cover, and in Headquarter Mess were +actually having a hot dinner when the Staff arrived and informed the +other two Battalions that they would now (in the dark) have to make the +best of whatever cover they could find. + +The following morning our tent poles arrived, and, having planted the +red, white and black flag outside the C.O.'s, tent and mounted guard, we +felt quite respectable again. By the afternoon we had so far increased +in pride that the Drums not only blew "Retreat," but gave us an +excellent concert while the guards were changed. We expected every hour +or so to get orders to go back to some place of greater comfort for our +rest, but thought it best to take no risks, and, on the morning of the +7th, gave everybody a hot bath. Two wagon covers and a cooker on the +Canal worked wonders in this way. This day we lost two more +officers--2nd Lieut. Whetton went on leave, and Lieut. Steel had to go +to Hospital as the wound in his leg would not heal. "B" Company, being +little larger than an ordinary Platoon, Lieut. Hawley was transferred to +"D," and 2nd Lieut. Cosgrove commanded "B." Captain Banwell had 2nd +Lieut. Griffiths in "C" Company, and 2nd Lieuts. Edwards and Dennis were +still with "A." There were no other Company officers, as 2nd Lieut. +Argyle was kept at Headquarters for Intelligence work. Fortunately 2nd +Lieut. Todd still remained to look after the Transport, which throughout +the fighting had been excellent, and Capt. Nicholson, though suffering +from "flu," stuck nobly to his work and looked after our comfort at the +Stores. + +Just after 10 o'clock on the 7th, orders came from Brigade for a move on +the following day--forward, not further back, and once more our hopes of +the promised rest were dashed. This time the attack was going to be made +by the other Divisions, and the 46th was to move at Zero to some +assembly areas round Magny La Fosse, and wait there in case the enemy +were sufficiently "broken" to allow of a general advance. Zero was five +minutes past five--a most uncomfortable hour for a move, especially as +breakfasts had to be eaten beforehand. Almost everybody was in bed +before orders came, but there were some who had no sleep that night: the +Orderly Room producing operation orders, the Quartermaster's department +(whose wagons arrived at 3-0 a.m.!), and the cooks getting breakfasts +ready, were the most unlucky, but so well did all ranks and all +departments do their work, that at 5-0 a.m. the Battalion fell in ready +to move. Packs had been stacked, ammunition and bombs distributed, most +important of all, we had had a good breakfast. There is no doubt that +our discipline and spirit were never better than during those strenuous +weeks. + +Seldom has more bad language been heard than on that early morning march +down to the Canal again. It was half dark and there were Units +assembling and marching in every direction. Eventually, finding we +should be late at the starting point if we waited for the Regiment which +should have been ahead of us, we decided to go on at once, and set off +down the rough and slippery track to Riquerval Bridge. All went +moderately well until a "C" Company limber stuck. Before it could be +drawn clear, a Company of another Regiment marched up and round it, +entirely preventing our efforts to free it. Curses were loud on both +sides, but nothing could equal the flow of language that the two Company +Commanders flung at each other over the heads of their perspiring +Companies. + +Eventually the limber was on the road again, and we reached the Bridge, +near which the Boche every few minutes dropped a shell. This fact, +coupled with a long line of Artillery horses going to "water," and the +Brigadier trying to get his Brigade across the Canal, produced an effect +which completely eclipsed the limber scene. However, as we crossed, the +Boche stopped shelling, daylight came and we found the road good, though +traffic made the rate of march very slow. The blaspheming consequently +subsided, and, finding a field track going in the right direction, we +continued our march at a fine pace until we reached our assembly +position--an open stretch of ground on the South side of the +Magny-Joncourt Road. Along this road were batteries of heavy guns, +standing almost wheel to wheel and firing rapidly, so, in view of +possible retaliation, the Companies were scattered over various little +groups of trenches in the neighbourhood. The cookers came up and we +prepared to make ourselves as comfortable as possible, while we once +more had the pleasure of watching the Cavalry waiting to be used, and +once more saw them go slowly back. + +In the afternoon we moved into the next valley Eastwards, so as to be +nearer the "line" if wanted; there was also better and less scattered +accommodation. Gun pits, dug-outs and the inevitable grassy bank +provided all we wanted, and when, an hour later, some few gas shells +fell in the valley, we were all snugly under cover. All that is to say +except the cookers and with them Serjeant Thomson and his cooks; these +were in a shallow sunken road, and had a shell within a few yards of +them, fortunately doing no damage. Thinking it best to take all the rest +we could, we had the evening meal early, and long before it was dark +most of the Battalion were asleep. The Commanding-Officer himself +retired before 9-30 p.m., and was consequently fast asleep when, soon +after 10-0 p.m., a runner appeared with the usual "B.G.C. will see all +Commanding Officers at once." The rendezvous this time was Preselles, +some two miles away across country. It was a dark night, but with the +aid of a compass he found his way there all right and received orders +from General Rowley for an immediate move. The Brigade was to relieve a +Brigade of the 6th Division in the right British sector next the +French; the Battalion would relieve the West Yorks R. in the right +sub-sector. The following morning the Brigade would move forward into +Mericourt which was supposed to have been evacuated by the enemy; we +were to be "squeezed out" by the 5th Line. R. and French joining hands +across our front, and would come into support. Guides would meet us for +the relief at Preselles at midnight, October 8th/9th. + +The Commanding Officer at once hurried back to the Battalion and +verbally issued relief orders while the Companies were falling in. In a +little more than half an hour all were ready to move, and Companies +marched independently to Preselles, where, under cover of the hill side, +the Battalion assembled soon after midnight. There were no guides, so, +after waiting some time in vain, the C.O. once more went to Brigade +Headquarters and asked for instructions. He was given a map +reference--supposed to be that of the Battalion Headquarters of the West +Yorks., and once more the Battalion moved off. In single file, with no +intervals between platoons for fear of losing touch, and a very +uncertain knowledge of the position of the enemy, we marched slowly +across country towards where we hoped to find Battalion Headquarters. +Reaching the famous sunken road of the battle of the 3rd, we halted +while a search was made; we had come to the place referred to on the +map, there was nothing there. Fortunately, just as we were wondering +what on earth to do, two W. Yorks. guides appeared, led us to their +Battalion Headquarters, and soon afterwards the Companies disappeared +Eastwards. + +Battalion Headquarters was in a small cellar under an isolated house +just outside Sequehart on the Preselles Road. It was a most +extraordinary relief in many ways, and perhaps the most extraordinary +part was the scene in that Headquarters. There were four of us with the +M.O., five West Yorks., a French Interpreter, a Padre, and an +indescribable heap of runners and signallers, to say nothing of batmen, +in a cellar which might have held four people comfortably. On one of the +beds in the corner lay an officer. Noticing that he was not wearing W. +Yorks badges, we asked who he was. They did not know, he had been there +since they came in and had never moved; "perhaps he was gassed or dead," +they remarked casually. This was typical of how we all felt, much too +tired to worry over other people's troubles. As it happened he was not +dead, and, though to this day we have never discovered who he was, he +eventually disappeared--going out to look for his own Regiment. For some +hours we sat in the most terrible atmosphere waiting for the relief to +be finished, and at last, just as dawn was breaking, as three Companies +had reported that they were in position, we agreed to take over the +line, and the W. Yorks. marched out--to take part in some other battle +further North. As soon as they had gone, the C.O., with a map in one +hand and a slice of bread and jam in the other, went up to look at our +front line and see whether the Boche had really left Mericourt. + +The Battalion sector was astride the Sequehart-Mericourt Road which ran +due East along the valley South of Mannequin Ridge. Sequehart village +and the valley were both full of mist and gas which hung about in +patches, and made walking very unpleasant. There were many German dead +round the village and in the concrete emplacements of the Fonsomme +line, and the fighting in this part must have been heavy. Keeping to the +main road, the C.O. found "B" Company at a small cross-roads about one +mile East of Sequehart; "A" Company, according to the West Yorkshires, +should also have been here, but as this was the Company which had not +yet reported "relief complete," he was not surprised when he could not +find them. At the next cross-roads, half a mile short of Mericourt, were +"C" and "D" Companies on the right and left respectively of the road. +Small patrols had already been out towards the village and had not found +any enemy, and both Companies were now engaged in finding the Units on +their flanks. On the left a post of the Lincolnshires was soon found, +and on the right the French were only a few yards away. The liaison here +was perfect. After an exchange of courtesies by the Company Commanders, +the flank posts fraternized vigorously, and the Frenchmen, by producing +some "Jimmy Blink," cemented the Entente Cordiale. They were in great +spirits, and since dawn had been formed up with bayonets fixed, waiting +to make an attack; "Zero" hour had not been told them, but that did not +worry them in the least. To improve the co-operation between us, the +French sent a platoon under a Subaltern officer to work with us. + +By 6-30 a.m. the mist had lifted enough for us to see Mericourt village +plainly, and a strong patrol under 2nd Lieut. Griffiths was sent out to +reconnoitre it. They met with no opposition. A few minutes later, a +mounted Officer of the Staffordshires, without stopping at our front +line to ask about the situation, rode into the village. We were all much +too interested in watching to see what became of him, to think of +warning him that the Boche might still be there. Soon afterwards, as +there was still no sign of the enemy, "C" Company moved into and +occupied the East side of the village, and "B" and "D" Companies moved +on to the West edge. Messages were sent back to tell Brigade that we +held Mericourt, and to bring the Headquarters up there--at present they +were about three miles back. From "C" Company's position on the high +ground East of the village we looked across a large valley, at the North +end of which could be seen Fresnoy le Grand; along the bottom ran the +main Fresnoy-St. Quentin Railway, and on the other side a collection of +small copses was marked on the map as Bois D'Etaves. Nowhere was there +the slightest sign of the enemy. In view of the fact that we were +particularly ordered to be in Support if an advance was made, the C.O. +would not push on further without orders from the Brigadier. Meanwhile, +he went off to look for the missing "A" Company, leaving the three +Companies, "B," "C" and "D," holding the village and watching the +valley. + +At 7-30 the leading platoon of the 5th Linc. Regt. came up on our left, +and about an hour later the French started their advance, and, passing +Mericourt on the South side, deployed down the slopes towards the +Railway line. + +As soon as General Rowley heard that Mericourt was in our hands, he rode +up to the village and reconnoitred the valley and Fresnoy himself from +"C" Company's high ground. Seeing that the French were meeting nothing +more than machine gun fire, and were apparently making good progress, he +ordered Captain Banwell to move at once into Fresnoy; there was no one +else available at the moment, so we ceased to be in Support. The main +road had been blown up in two places, but there were no other obstacles, +and the Company reached the town without difficulty. The machine gun +fire had been very heavy from the Bois D'Etaves on their right and from +the Railway embankment, but they had had no casualties, and passed +rapidly along the streets, finding no enemy, but meeting to their +surprise several civilians, who, over-joyed at their "deliverance," +were doing all they could with cups of coffee to welcome their rescuers. + +For four years these unhappy people had lived under the heel of the +German, and the rotting carcases of six-months' dead horses which +littered the street showed what life they had lived during that time. +They had been taught to hate the English, whom they only knew as +night-bombers, and yet, when the Boche was being hunted out and offered +to take all civilians back to safety in motor lorries, 300 men, women +and children, headed by the Deputy Mayor, heroically refused to leave +their town, preferring, as they said, to risk the bombardment and the +"brutal English" than to remain one day longer in slavery. + +At 9-0 o'clock, other Units made their appearance in Fresnoy, and the +5th Lincolnshires, with two Company Headquarters in the Quarry just +outside the S.W. corner of the town, pushed some platoons through +towards the Eastern edge--on the right of our "C" Company. Capt. Nichols +of this Battalion had his Company round the large house used by the +Germans as a Hospital, but, except for this, no one seemed inclined to +push forward in any strength. At 11-0 a.m. the Brigadier moved his +Headquarters into Mericourt, and the Boche, presumably thinking the +village was now as full as it was likely to be during the day, shelled +it vigorously with gas and High Explosive. He paid particular attention +to our ridge of observation, and, having pounded us off this, proceeded +to hammer the other end of the village, whither we had moved for greater +comfort. At the same time several salvoes were fired into Fresnoy. Soon +afterwards a message from Captain Banwell told us that, with the +exception of the Railway and Station, the whole town was in our hands. +He had tried hard to reach the Railway Embankment from his side of the +town, but the machine gun fire was very hot, the ground absolutely open, +and after losing Gosden, a Lewis Gunner, killed, and one or two men +wounded, had decided to wait for some Artillery. Meanwhile, the French +had reached the Railway further South, so the C.O. sent Lieut. Hawley +with half "D" Company to try and take the Station from this side. He +moved off to do so at midday, leaving C.S.M. Cooper to command the other +half Company. "A" Company (Edwards) now arrived, and, with "B" Company +(Cosgrove), dug themselves into a bank on the South side of Mericourt +village. + +Lieut. Hawley and his party made their way rapidly down to the Quarry, +and keeping just inside the Southern outskirts of the town, soon found +the French left flank, from which they were able to reconnoitre the +Railway Station. This last seemed to be the only place where the enemy +was still offering any resistance, and there were apparently three +machine guns somewhere near the Base of a large factory chimney in the +Station yard. Lieut. Hawley divided his party into two, and while he +himself gradually worked his way direct, the other party under Serjt. +Marston, M.M., armed with as many bombs as they could carry, rapidly +made their way round towards the enemy's rear. The Boche apparently +thought he would soon be turned out, and some twenty of them, hurried +along by one of our Lewis Guns, managed to escape before we arrived. +However, they did not all get away, and when Serjt Marston lobbed his +bombs on to them from behind and the others came up in front, they found +five Germans still sitting there with their gun. These were promptly +captured and sent down, and the town was now entirely in our hands. + +Between 5-0 and 6-0 p.m. we received orders that the 5th Lincolnshires +would take over the whole of the Railway, and that we were to come back +into Mericourt and rest as much as possible. At the same time the enemy +started to bombard Fresnoy with every available gun and howitzer. For an +hour gas and high explosive shells fell in every corner of the town and +its immediate surroundings. Capt. Banwell, who was returning to his +Company from Headquarters, and the C.O., who was trying to find "D" +Company, both had a very unpleasant time. One runner with the orders for +the relief did manage to reach "D" Company without being hit, and soon +after 8-30 p.m. they moved out from Fresnoy and dug into a bank just +outside Mericourt. "C" Company, however, no one was able to find; it was +a dark night and consequently very difficult to keep one's direction +amongst the little streets and sunken lanes in the Northern end of the +town, where they had taken up their position. The C.O. himself spent a +large part of the night looking for them without success, but one of +the messages, which he left at every post and Headquarters he called at, +eventually found its way to Capt. Banwell, and between midnight and 1 +a.m. on the 10th "C" Company at last came out and occupied a bank near +"D" Company. Most of us had not had any sleep since we left our +"shell-holes" Camp at dawn on the 8th--some of us none since the 7th, +and when we finally lay down, tired out, we slept far into the next day. + +Soon after midday on the 10th Major R.S. Dyer Bennet reported for duty +and took over command of the Battalion, Capt. Hills resumed his former +duties of Adjutant, and for the next few weeks we had no Second in +Command. At the same time orders came that the Brigade would continue +its advance on the "leap-frog" principle. Each Battalion would be given +a definite objective for the whole of the Brigade frontage, the rear +Battalion passing on to the next line as soon as each objective was +gained. We were now rear Battalion, and moved after dinners to the +Railway Cutting just outside Fresnoy on the Bohain line, where, while we +waited for further orders, we had teas and distributed rations for the +following day. The Lewis Gun limbers and cookers were now allotted to +Companies, and the remainder of the 1st Line Transport occupied a field +close to us. 2nd Lieut. Dunlop, D.C.M., and 2nd Lieut. Taylor returned +from leave and went to "D" and "C" Companies respectively. Lieut. +Ashdowne again became Intelligence Officer and 2nd Lieut. Argyle +returned to "B" Company. Each Company had now two officers and "C" +Company had three. Soon after six o'clock we had orders to move at dusk +to the line of the Aisonville-Bohain road, now held by the 4th +Battalion, and push forward from there to the edge of the Bois de +Riquerval. At the same time a patrol of Corps Cyclists was being sent +along the main road towards Regnicourt, and if they reported that the +enemy had evacuated this village, our orders were to advance during the +night to a line running Southwards from there, through the Bois, to gain +touch with the French at Retheuil Farm. At a Company Commanders' +Conference, held as soon as these orders were received, Major Dyer +Bennet decided that if Regnicourt was clear of the enemy, "C" and "D" +Companies should advance up the main road as far as the village, and, on +reaching it, turn Southwards into the Bois, spreading out along the line +of our objective. "A" Company, keeping touch with the French, were to +advance up the "ride" on the Southern boundary of the Brigade, while "B" +Company, followed by Headquarters, would go straight through the wood in +the centre. We would all form up in the present positions of the 4th +Leicestershire and start our advance without a barrage at 2-0 a.m.--the +11th of October. + +[Illustration: Lieut. J.C. Barrett, V.C. +_Photo by Swaine._] + +As soon as it was dark we moved off with our Lewis Gun limbers and +medical cart, keeping as far as possible to cross-country tracks and +avoiding all main roads. There was some gas hanging round the Bois +D'Etaves, but we were not worried by this, and soon reached the +Seboncourt-Bohain Road, held by the 5th Lincolnshires. From here onwards +the route was not so easy to find, but we managed to take our limbers to +within a few hundred yards of the 4th Battalion Headquarters and here, +after distributing Lewis Guns and Ammunition to Platoons, the Companies +were met by guides and moved forward to their assembly positions. +Meanwhile Battalion Headquarters moved into the farm house already +occupied by the 4th Battalion. In the cellar we found, in addition to +the usual Headquarter Officers, a French Interpreter, and part of a +French Liaison platoon, no air, very little light, but plenty of tobacco +smoke. Soon after we arrived a message from Brigade told us that the +Cyclists had met with no enemy as far as Regnicourt, but had found a +patrol of about twenty in that village and had been fired on by them. We +were discussing this, when suddenly there was a scuffling overhead and +we were told that there was "something ticking somewhere," and that +everyone had left the house. The cellar occupants were not slow to +follow, and thinking of time-bombs and infernal machines managed to +empty the cellar in a record time. We settled down uncomfortably under a +hedge, and prepared to read and write orders with a concealed electric +torch--the maximum of discomfort. However, we did not have to stay there +long, as a runner came to tell us that the origin of the "ticking" had +now been discovered, and, as it was nothing more formidable than the +recently wound up dining room clock, we returned to the cellar. Major +Dyer Bennet, arguing that, if the Cyclists could get as far as +Regnicourt, we should reach our objective without difficulty, decided +that the attack should be carried out as arranged, and, sending the +Adjutant to find the 6th Division, moved up himself to the Aisonville +Road, leaving only the Aid Post and some Signallers and servants at the +Farm. + +[Illustration: The Cadre at Loughborough, June, 1919.] + +The Aisonville Road ran almost due N. and South along a valley; between +it and the edge of the Bois de Riquerval was open ground for about 300 +yards sloping gently up to the wood. A small cottage marked the start +of "A" Company's "ride," and the stretch of road immediately N. of this +was deeply sunken. Here "A" Company formed up and tried to find the +French who were considerably further South than we expected. +Incidentally they were not as far forward as we were, and the Boche +enfiladed the road about midnight with a whizz-bang battery from the +South. "B" Company formed up in an isolated copse about 100 yards East +of the road into which the 4th Battalion had made their way during the +afternoon. The left half Battalion remained along the road bank and in a +dry ditch 50 yards W. of it, near to the junction with the Regnicourt +Road up which they were to advance. There was one solitary house, +protected by the hillside, which provided Company Headquarters with a +certain amount of cover. The night was dark and the enemy, except for +the whizz-bangs on "A" Company, very quiet. + +Soon after midnight the Adjutant returned from the 6th Division. He had +found that the 1st Leicestershires were on their right flank, and that +they were going to continue their advance at 5-15 a.m. on the 11th. +Major Dyer Bennet therefore decided to postpone our attack until that +hour, so that we might all go forward together. In any case it seemed +likely that this would be a better plan, as it would be daylight soon +after the advance started; and, on so wide a frontage, it would have +been almost impossible to maintain direction in the woods by night, +especially without a moon. At 5 o'clock we were all formed up along the +road, Battalion Headquarters close to "A" Company, and at 5-15 a.m. in +absolute silence and without a barrage we started to climb the rise +towards the edge of the wood. + +The left half Battalion along the Regnicourt Road made most progress +without meeting any opposition. "D" Company leading, they advanced by +platoons on both sides of the road, keeping touch with the 1st Battalion +on their left, and had gone nearly a mile before they were checked by +machine-gun fire ahead of them. Half-way from their starting point to +Regnicourt stood a little group of houses at the top of a small hill, +and from here, as well as from the thick scrub and undergrowth which +covered the country on both sides, the enemy's machine gunners had a +good target. Thinking that this was probably some small post left behind +by the Boche as he retired, and knowing that the cyclists had been +through the previous night, Lieut. Hawley decided to attack at once, and +"D" Company, making use of all the cover they could find, worked their +way up the hill and soon captured the house. One German came out into +the road with his machine gun and started to fire at them point blank, +but the leading Platoon got their Lewis Gun into action, and, knocking +out the Boche, captured the gun. The two leading Platoons of "D" Company +had deployed, and, with 2nd Lieut. Dunlop on the left of the road and +the others on the right, tried to continue their advance. Seen from +below, the group of houses had seemed to be on the top of the hill, but +beyond them the road, after a slight dip, rose again to a ridge 300 +yards further East, and here the enemy were in considerable force. +Several gallant attempts to advance were frustrated by very heavy +machine gun fire, and having lost Serjts. Bradshaw and Dimmocks killed, +and several others wounded, the Company was compelled to remain lying +flat just beyond the houses. One little party had taken cover in the +ditch along the roadside and were seen by the German machine gunner. The +ditch became a death trap. Hodges and Longden, the runners, and Maw, the +Signaller, were killed, and Hall, another runner, badly wounded; Serjt. +Foster and L/Cpl. Osborne, both of whom had done particularly good work, +were wounded, and the casualties were very heavy indeed. In half-an-hour +this Company lost 10 killed 14 wounded and one prisoner. It was obvious +that the Cyclists had never been further than these houses, which they +must have mistaken for Regnicourt, and their report was consequently +worthless. + +Capt. Banwell now arrived with two platoons of "C" Company, and thinking +it possible that the Companies on the right might not have got as far +even as "D" Company, decided to protect the right flank from any +possible counter-attack. He sent off Serjt. Tunks and No. 11 Platoon to +prolong "D" Company's line to the right; they did this and managed to +advance a few yards further before being compelled to dig in and keep +very flat by the enemy's machine guns. A few minutes later 2nd Lieut. +Griffiths followed with his platoon, to work Southwards into the woods +to try and find the centre Company, or at least discover how they were +situated. They managed to advance about 400 yards before they too met +with fierce opposition, and had three men cut off and captured by a +strong party of Boche concealed in the undergrowth. Eventually, unable +to find any trace of "B" Company, 2nd Lieut. Griffiths decided to "dig +in" where he was, and by doing so extended "C" Company's line still +further to the right, bending back slightly to protect the flank. At 8-0 +a.m. the 1st Battalion on the left had reached the same line and were +similarly held up. Capt. Banwell therefore reported to Headquarters that +further advance without artillery support was impossible, and that "C" +and "D" Companies were holding a line running Southwards for 400 yards +from the group of houses, into the Bois de Riquerval, and would wait +there for instructions. + +Meanwhile the centre and right had fared even worse. In the centre "B" +Company, formed up originally in an isolated copse, moved forward at +5-15 a.m. in two parties towards the main part of the wood. The left +hand party under 2nd Lieut. Argyle had plenty of cover for the first +half-mile and pushed on rapidly, until, coming over a small crest into +the open, they too met with heavy machine-gun fire. After several +ineffectual efforts to advance, they dug themselves in and remained +there for the rest of the day, replying to the Boche fire with their +Lewis Guns, but with no visible effect. (It was afterwards discovered +that this party were less than 100 yards behind 2nd Lieut. Griffiths' +platoon, unable to see each other owing to a "fold" in the ground.) The +other half Company under 2nd Lieut. Cosgrove started their advance +across an absolutely open patch of ground, sloping gently downwards +towards the centre of the woods. They had gone a few yards when the +daylight showed their position to the Boche, and for the next half-hour +they suffered heavily. Lying on the forward slope, with no cover, they +saw 50 yards away on their right two small but deep trenches. One man +tried to run there and was hit a few yards from them; another had better +luck and got there safely, through a perfect stream of bullets from +three guns. 2nd Lieut. Cosgrove himself was badly wounded and had to be +carried out, so also was Serjt. Muggleston. The others, some crawling +and some running, gradually collected in the two trenches and remained +there for the rest of the day. + +On the extreme right "A" Company (Edwards) made no headway at all. +Between the road and the edge of the wood was about 150 yards of open +ground, across which ran a Z-shaped hedge, while, at the point where the +"ride" entered the wood, stood a Chateau and a large black hut +commanding all the country round. Daylight came soon after they left the +road and with it a burst of heavy machine-gun fire from the Chateau at +close range, which split the Company into three parts. Headquarters and +one platoon found some cover round the little house on the corner where +they started; near them in a bank was 2nd Lieut. Dennis with his +platoon, while the remainder, under Cpls. Thompson and Shilton, were in +the Z-shaped hedge, unable to show themselves without being fired at. On +their right the French had captured Retheuil and Forte Farms. + +At 5-20 a.m., Major Dyer Bennet, finding it impossible to see anything +of "A" and "B" Companies, decided to advance his Headquarters, keeping +as far as possible to the centre of the Brigade frontage. Accompanied by +the Adjutant, R.S.M., a few runners, and the French Interpreter, he set +off for the edge of the wood, which was reached without loss; but the +enemy's machine guns at the Chateau, 200 yards away on the right, and +slightly below us, plainly told us that "A" Company had not gone +forward. A similar distance away on the left, concealed by a wall and +the corner of the wood, another gun was firing across at "B" Company, +who could be seen on the opposite hillside trying to reach the cover of +their two trenches. The Headquarter party was too small to be able to +help, so while the Adjutant went back to try and find some +reinforcements, the Interpreter, Henri Letu, made a most gallant +reconnaissance into the woods to see if he could gather any information. +The "reinforcements" consisted of a platoon of French soldiers, a Lewis +Gun team of the 4th Battalion and two signallers. At the same time the +M.O. and Intelligence Officer (Lieut. Ashdowne) arrived, and the latter, +taking two men with him, soon drove out the enemy from the "corner wall" +post on the left. The Battalion Headquarter flag was hung out in a +conspicuous tree, signal communication was opened with the original +Headquarter Farmhouse, and at about 8 o'clock the party was still +further reinforced by the arrival of Cpl. Thompson and No. 1 Platoon of +"A" Company, whom the Adjutant had discovered under the "Z" shaped +hedge. All these movements had to be carried out with great care, as any +visible activity at once drew fire from the Chateau. + +This Chateau Major Dyer Bennet now decided to attack, and soon after 9.0 +a.m. a party consisting of No. 1 Platoon and some Frenchmen set off +under the Adjutant to do so. Cpl. Shilton and a few men were sent +through some gardens to engage the enemy on their right flank; the Lewis +gun, under Cpl. Thompson, went through the woods to try and attack the +buildings from the rear; the Frenchmen advancing still further into the +woods, protected the left flank. Cpl. Thompson's party were soon +engaged. They had pushed forward rapidly for about 50 yards when +suddenly Pte. Underwood, who was leading, jumped behind a tree and +fired. Nine Boches seemed to come out of the ground almost at our feet, +and for a few minutes there was some lively fighting around the trees. +The Germans managed to kill Pte. Blythe, a very old soldier of the +Battalion, and then made off, leaving one wounded man behind them. This +little fight had given the alarm to the party in the Chateau, and though +Cpl. Thompson pushed forward with great courage it was too late to catch +them, and we entered the house and grounds without further opposition. +The fall of the Chateau enabled the remainder of "A" Company to advance +and occupy the edge of the wood, which they at once did, putting out +several posts round the buildings. The Adjutant's party then returned to +Battalion Headquarters which had been left very weak during the attack. +Soon afterwards, as the situation now seemed fairly satisfactory the +wounded prisoner was sent down under the 4th Leic. Lewis Gun Section, +who were no longer required. + +At 10-0 a.m. we were just considering the possibility of pushing forward +still further when a sudden burst of machine gun fire, sweeping low over +our positions, drove us to cover. The French had apparently been +counter-attacked out of Retheuil and Forte Farms and the Boche from +these new positions overlooked us completely. Under cover of this fire a +strong hostile counter-attack was launched against the Chateau, and "A" +Company were once more driven back to the road, leaving several men +prisoners behind them. But the road too was now overlooked and, though +sunken, was no protection, so that, unable to stay in it, they moved to +a small bank on the W. side of it and dug in there. 2nd Lieut. Edwards +was wounded and sent down, and the Company was commanded by 2nd Lieut. +Dennis. At Headquarters, L/Cpl. Exton, who had just arrived with a +message from "B" Company, was killed and a stretcher-bearer badly +wounded. Capt. Jack, the M.O. went off to tend the latter, and was +himself badly hit in the body; another stretcher-bearer was hit trying +to get to him, and for a short time he had to be left. A few minutes +later the enemy's fire slackened; the M.O. was carried away, and, though +he lived to reach the Ambulance, died there in the evening. Captain Jack +had been with us just a year, and we felt very keenly the loss of his +cheerful presence at Battalion Headquarters, for he was one of those men +who were never depressed, and even in the worst of places and at the +worst of times used to keep us happy. + +The Adjutant now went back again to the old Farm House to see if he +could find out what had happened to the other two Companies. The 4th +Leicestershires had been relieved, and the 5th South Staffordshires had +taken over the Farm and were now preparing to relieve us in the line if +possible. Captain Salter was there from Brigade Headquarters and +undertook to send relief orders to the Left half Battalion, whose +position was now known. + +Meanwhile the South Staffordshires moved up to the copse whence "B" +Company had started, and a Company occupied the line along the bottom of +the "Z" hedge to the "wall and corner" position--i.e., about 200 yards +behind the line held by Battalion Headquarters and "A" Company. The +relief of the Left half Battalion, though difficult, was carried out in +daylight, and was complete by 11-30 a.m., largely owing to the energy of +the Staffordshire Company Commanders. Crossing the crest by the group of +houses was by no means an easy matter, and both relievers and relieved +had to crawl through the scrub, in which 2nd Lieut. F.G. Taylor of "C" +Company did particularly good work, while for "D" Company C.S.M. Cooper +worked magnificently. Three Platoon Serjeants had become casualties and +this Warrant Officer did all their work himself, rendering invaluable +assistance to his Company Commander. + +The relief of Battalion Headquarters and the Right half Battalion was +impossible during daylight, and the G.O.C. 137th Infantry Brigade took +over the command of the line as soon as our "C" and "D" Companies were +relieved, while the rest of our Brigade moved back into billets at +Fresnoy le Grand; we were to follow when relieved. Meanwhile, +arrangements were being made for some Artillery and Tank support, and it +was proposed to try a further advance during the afternoon. At the same +time the Chateau was recaptured from us, the position on the edge of the +wood had become so badly enfiladed that the Headquarters moved out and +started to dig a new line in the open, where, as the Staffordshires were +holding the "wall and corner" position, we were fairly safe. About +mid-day, however, as the enemy had become quieter, we returned once more +to the edge of the wood. It was never very comfortable in this isolated +position, but Lieut. Ashdowne and R.S.M. Lovett showed the most +wonderful coolness, and were continually out looking for new positions +or watching the flanks. At 2-0 p.m. the Staffordshires received orders +that they would have the help of two Tanks for their attack, which would +start at 4-0 p.m. from the isolated copse. At about 3-0 p.m. the enemy +again started to enfilade our wood position so badly, that for the last +time we decided to leave it and came back to our line in the open, which +we deepened as quickly as possible; it was hard work as the men had to +dig with their entrenching tools as they lay flat. We had not, however, +been long in this position before the Staffordshires behind us withdrew +to form up for the attack, and, though the party at the "Z" hedge +remained, the other party left the "wall and corner" unprotected. +Meanwhile, thinking that, if not relieved soon, we should be surrounded +from the right flank, Major Dyer Bennet went back to reconnoitre some +deep short lengths of trenches about 100 yards in rear, deciding that if +the attack did not prove successful he would bring Battalion +Headquarters back into them. + +At 4-0 p.m. there was no sign of the attack. Instead, a German machine +gun crew returned to the now empty "wall and corner" position and +started to enfilade our left flank, making the hill side almost +uncrossable. The C.O. decided to withdraw at once, and at 4-30 p.m. the +runner, Blindley, set off with the message. It was a hazardous journey, +but he succeeded in crawling to within a few yards of the end man and +passed a message along. Steadied by the R.S.M., the party started one by +one to withdraw, while the enemy kept up a heavy fire at them. For a +moment it looked as though it would be impossible to get back, but Pte. +Caunter--Lewis Gunner of No. 1 Platoon--calmly mounted his gun and +"traversed" the whole edge of the wood. The Boche were silenced for the +moment, and the party, making a rush at the same time, managed to reach +the trenches in safety. Last of all Caunter calmly picked up his gun and +came away himself, fired at, but never hit. Half-an-hour later two +tanks appeared, and keeping on the West side of the Aisonville Road, +climbed the rise towards Retheuil Farm. Whether the enemy imagined a +general attack was coming, or merely wanted to make the road dangerous, +is not known, but at 5-0 p.m. he started to bombard the area at the foot +of the "Z" shaped hedge, where a Company of Staffordshires, our +Battalion Headquarters, and our "A" Company were all gathered, and for +nearly an hour gas and H.E. shells of every calibre fell all round. +There was little or no cover, and had the shells been all H.E. the +casualties would have been tremendous. As it was we escaped lightly, but +the valley became full of gas and we could see nothing. The position was +bad, so Major Dyer Bennet ordered a general withdrawal to a line along +high ground on both sides of the Aisonville-road--the remains of "B" +Company under Lieut. Ashdowne to the left and "A" Company to the right. +Here we once more dug a line of pits, and by 7-30 p.m. had our new +position in fighting condition, while a succession of explosions, coming +from two blazing heaps near Retheuil Farm, showed how the Tanks had +fared. The whole of these operations had been most difficult and, in +addition to those who had been conspicuous in the attack on the Chateau +in the morning, many other N.C.O.'s and men showed the utmost courage +and coolness. A/C.S.M. Smith, of "A" Company, and Serjts. Wilbur and +Swift and Cpl. Hubbard of Battalion Headquarters, worked particularly +well. + +At 8-0 p.m. we were relieved by the 5th South Staffordshires and, after +placing Lewis Guns on the limbers, which had been waiting all day for us +behind the farm, went to Fresnoy. It can hardly be called a march, and +few of us remember much about it. Those on horses slept, those on foot +walked in their sleep and woke up whenever there was a halt, because +they hit their heads against the haversacks of the men in front. Soon +after 11-0 p.m., tired out, we reached Fresnoy and dropped down in the +billets the Right half Battalion had found for us, murmuring as we did +so--"Now we shall have our rest." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE LAST FIGHT. + +12th Oct., 1918. 11th Nov., 1918. + + +The following day--the 12th of October--our hopes of the long expected +rest were still further raised by the news that General Rowley was going +to England on leave, for we all knew that he would never be absent if +there were any prospect of a fight, and we accordingly began at once to +make ourselves comfortable. Fuel was plentiful, and baths were soon +fitted in "C" Company's factory, while in another part of the same +building we found and used an excellent concert room. R.S.M. Lovett also +went on leave, taking with him to Loughborough one or two small battle +trophies, including our Headquarter flag, which had seen so much +fighting during the past few weeks. Many of "B" Company's gassed men now +returned, and these, with a large draft of N.C.O.'s and men, proved a +welcome reinforcement, but we still had very few officers. The new draft +was composed mostly of young soldiers who had not seen service before, +but fortunately this did not matter, as we still had a number of our +experienced junior N.C.O.'s left, and some "new blood" was useful. + +Meanwhile the Staffordshires stayed in the line, and, as by the 13th +there was no prospect of their being relieved, we were not surprised on +the 14th to receive some more battle orders, and consign our rest hopes, +like their predecessors, to an early grave. It appeared that all frontal +attacks on Riquerval Wood had proved disastrous, and, although the 6th +Division on the left had reached the outskirts of Vaux Andigny, our +Divisional front was still the same as we had left it on the 11th. The +new attack, to take place on the 17th, would therefore be directed +against the North West flank of the wood, and would be made by ourselves +and the 139th Brigade, while the Staffordshires made a frontal display. +The French, on the right, were making a similar movement, and there +would be a general attack North of us. It was hoped that by the end of +the day, or before if possible, the French and ourselves would meet on +the East side of the woods at Mennevret, and so cut off any Germans who +remained on the Staffordshires' front. The actual objective for the +Brigade was the same Regnicourt road up which the Left half Battalion +had advanced on the 11th; this was to be taken by the other two +Battalions, while we were kept in reserve near Vaux Andigny. + +The usual reconnaissances were carried out on the 15th, and the +following morning the customary distribution of bombs, flares, rockets +and other warlike paraphernalia took place. This was done with great +regularity before every battle, and yet on reaching an objective we +could never find the required rockets. The men carrying them seemed +invariably to become casualties. It was the same with equipment and +other necessaries--we started the day with everything and ended with +nothing. A very welcome issue was the new map of Riquerval Woods, made +from the most recent aeroplane photographs, and accurate; the old one, +compiled from a pre-war survey, still showed as thick forest the ground +where the Boche had cut down every vestige of a tree, and its +inaccuracies in this respect had been one of our greatest difficulties +in the previous battle. With the map came an issue of officers, five +reporting during the afternoon, but as they were all new to the +Battalion, they remained with the Stores. + +Our march to the Assembly position was tedious, but we were not worried +at all by the enemy, for, to avoid Bohain, which was at this time +frequently shelled, a track had been taped out across country. As we +were the first to use this, we escaped the usual slipping and ploughing +through mud, which are a bad feature of most tracks in autumn. Lewis Gun +limbers and Tool carts went by the road and reached the +Andigny-Becquigny Railway line--our assembly position--before us, so +that as each Platoon arrived it was able to collect its guns and tools +and move straight to its position. We rapidly dug ourselves some +excellent cover, and were able to take no notice of some four point twos +which arrived during the night, though the other two Battalions, who had +to assemble near the Andigny Road, suffered fairly heavily. + +At 5-20 a.m. on the 17th the barrage opened and the battle began in a +mist, which was thicker even than usual. Many Tanks accompanied by the +Highlanders of the 1st Division, came through our position and passed +down the hill towards Andigny, but of our own Brigade we could see +nothing, and could only judge by the lessening of the enemy's machine +gun fire, that the attack was successful. It must be admitted that our +attention was somewhat distracted by the appearance of a hare, rather +frightened by a Tank, and we forgot the battle to give chase. It was a +short but exciting run, and the victim was finally done to death by "D" +Company and provided the Serjeants with a good dinner. It was not until +10-0 a.m. that we first learnt how the attackers had fared. On the right +our Brigade had taken their Regnicourt road objective, but in the fog +several posts of the German front line had been missed and were still +causing trouble, preventing the complete capture of the village of +Andigny les Fermes, the left of our objective. In the same way the 6th +Division had missed posts in the two farms Gobelets and Bellevue on +their front, and we were ordered to send two companies to clean up these +places and generally assist with the left of the attack. A few minutes +later, however, this order was cancelled, as the 5th Lincolnshires and +6th Division both reported that they now held all objectives. Instead, +"B" Company (Pierrepont) and "C" Company (Banwell) were placed at the +disposal of Colonel Wilson of the 5th Lincolnshires, to exploit his +success and patrol the Mennevret road to meet the French, and at 11-30 +a.m. these two Companies moved off to the old German front line and +waited there for instructions. Col. Wilson decided to use one Company +only, and at 2-0 p.m. Capt. Pierrepont moved his Headquarters into +Andigny les Fermes and sent off a strong patrol under 2nd Lieut. Davies +towards Mennevret. As the enemy was still holding the woods in +considerable strength, and the first mile of the road was under direct +observation, the patrol met with heavy machine-gun fire at once, and 2nd +Lieut. Davies returned for the time, preparing to make another attempt +when the advance of the Divisions on our left had made it impossible for +the Boche to remain in his positions near the E. edge of the village. +Half "A" Company had already been attached to the 4th Leicestershires +for carrying work, so that we had now only "D" Company (Hawley) and the +remainder of "A" Company with Battalion Headquarters. No more orders +came for us, and during the afternoon, as the sounds of war had become +more and more distant, Cavalry and Whippets had disappeared Eastwards +and there was nothing to do, we lay and basked in the sun, which was +very hot and pleasant. + +At 6-0 p.m., just as the Boche started to fire gas shells into the +valley up which all troops had to pass to reach Andigny les Fermes, +orders came that we should take over the Brigade front. Accordingly, "A" +and "D" Companies were sent to relieve the 4th Battalion on the right, +"C" Company was made responsible for Andigny les Fermes, and the extreme +left was held by "B" Company, whose duty it still was to find the +French. The relief in the village might have been a very lengthy and +difficult proceeding had not Capt. Nichols, of the Lincolnshires, taken +great trouble to co-ordinate the work of all their three Companies, and +so been able to hand over to Captain Banwell a single complete scheme of +defence. Our Headquarters moved into the sunken road between Regnicourt +and Vaux Andigny. It was a dark, foggy and bitterly cold night, and, +experts as we had now become in the art of living in banks and sunken +roads, still it was impossible to be comfortable, and German waterproof +sheets spread over slots cut in the banks, failed most miserably to keep +us warm. Transport arrived before midnight and the drivers, as usual, +saved us endless carrying parties by taking the limbers right up to +Company Headquarters in the village. They were unmolested by the enemy, +and 2nd Lieut. Davies, seeing this, made another attempt to reach +Mennevret. His patrol made much more progress, and was only held up at +La Nation, a cross-roads a few hundred yards from his goal, but here he +met with bombs and more machine guns and had once more to fall back. + +At 1-0 a.m., the 18th, we were ordered to take over the line on the East +side of the village from a Battalion of the 1st Division, who had +relieved the 6th Division and were now on our left flank. For this +purpose the luckless "D" Company, who had just settled down after +relieving the 4th Battalion, had to move across our front and take over +the new line, which consisted of four large shell holes and a shallow +sunken lane. In spite of the difficulties of darkness and fog, relief +was complete before dawn when the 1st Division moved forward towards +Wassigny, and we were able to look round our new sector. We found a +ghastly relic in the sunken lane where a German cooks' wagon had been +hit by one of our shells as it tried to escape, and now, in the early +morning light, the scattered remains of wagon, horses and cooks, all +smashed up, were a horrible sight. + +At last, at 5-30 a.m., 2nd Lieut. Davies and Serjt. Whitworth met the +French near Mennevret, and after an enthusiastic exchange of greetings, +accompanied by much handshaking, arrangements were made for establishing +a line along the Nation road, and so cutting out the other two Brigades, +who for some time past had been arguing vigorously as to whose duty it +was to fill the gap between ourselves and the French. At the same time +a single weak-looking Boche came out of the now completely surrounded +Riquerval Wood and surrendered to "C" Company, into whose cellar +Headquarters he was at once escorted. Here, while being questioned by +two officers, neither of whom could speak German, he absent-mindedly +picked up a German grenade which was lying on the floor, creating, of +course, an immediate disturbance. Revolvers appeared on all sides, and +the visitor's life was nearly ended, but as it was really +absent-mindedness and not the fighting spirit which prompted him, peace +was soon restored, and he explained that there were 24 others who wished +to surrender. He wanted to go back and fetch them, and seemed in fact +quite pained when we would not let him and sent him down instead. A few +minutes later a battery of 8in. howitzers with tractors and motor +lorries came along the main road as far as the end of the village, +having been told that the road was clear up to Andigny les Fermes. The +Colonel of R.G.A. who commanded was surprised to hear of the 24 Boche, +who for all we knew might be within 100 yards of his lorries, but +instead of withdrawing for the time, he set off with Capt. Banwell into +the woods to look for them, happy as a schoolboy engaged in some +forbidden adventure. They found no one, but probably, if there were any +at all, they had by this time surrendered to the Staffordshires. + +From dawn until 10-30 a.m. the enemy bombarded our village with gas and +H.E., and the Brigade Major (Capt. D. Hill, M.C.) who tried to go round +the front line posts at this time had an unpleasant journey, while, +shortly after him, the C.O. and Adjutant were similarly treated and had +to hurry in a most undignified manner through an orchard. However, no +damage was done, and, when at midday we were relieved by the +Staffordshires, we had had no casualties. As we marched out past the +little group of houses on the Regnicourt Road, where "D" Company had +fought so gallantly on the 11th, the Burial Party were just burying +Serjeants Bradshaw, Dimmocks and the others in a little cemetery which +had been made in one of the cottage gardens, and they lie now within a +few yards of where they fell. The rest of the march was a cheerful +affair, for it was a bright afternoon and we were not as tired as usual +after a battle. Drums and Band came out to meet us, the people of Bohain +greeted us on the way, and our old friends in Fresnoy gave us their +customary warm welcome. Here we were a little more crowded than before, +but still had plenty of room, and could look forward to a comfortable +rest. The following day, after a full Divisional Church Parade to return +thanks for our victories, we were definitely promised a fortnight's +rest, and General Boyd and many others went home on leave. + +For the rest of the month the Battalion remained in Fresnoy le Grand, +training, refitting, and playing games. Here, Lt.-Col. A.J. Digan, +D.S.O., of the Connaught Rangers came to command us, and Major R.N. +Holmes, M.C., of the Lincolnshires to be 2nd in Command. As we had +already Major Dyer Bennet and the Adjutant, who had "put up" crowns +before going on leave, as aspirants for this position, Major Holmes was +transferred to the 137th Brigade. Lieut. T.H. Ball returned from leave, +and in addition to the five, nine other officers arrived, including +Capt. E.G. Snaith, M.C., from the 2/4th Battalion, and the two "old +hands" Lieut. C.S. Allen and 2nd Lieut. J.A. Hewson. Capt. Snaith went +to "A" Company, and the other two became Signalling and Intelligence +officers respectively as soon as active operations began again. Our work +consisted of steady drill, musketry and, in the evenings, lectures, the +best of which were Col. Jerram's on the "Royal Navy," and the Brigade +Interpreter M. Dovet's on "French Army Life," the latter was +particularly interesting. The Drums now under Serjt. Drummer Price +performed on every possible occasion, and made an excellent display with +the two new Tenor Drums which had arrived during the fighting, and now +appeared in public for the first time. The weather throughout the +fortnight was not perfect, but might have been far worse, and we were +able to play games almost every afternoon. Our fixtures included two +football matches against the French. The first, at Seboncourt, was +against the 55th Infantry, whose liaison platoon had done such splendid +work at Riquerval, and the game, thanks to the efforts of Start and +Corporal Shirley Hubbard, ended in a victory, 5-1--a fact which merely +increased the fervour of the welcome we received from our opponents. A +few days later some French sappers came to play us at Fresnoy, and they, +too, were defeated, 5-0, in an excellent game watched by many people. +The language on both these occasions would sound as foreign in London as +in Paris, but this did not in the least diminish the cordiality of the +Entente. In this way the fortnight soon passed, and on November 1st we +left Fresnoy. + +Our first move was to Becquigny, where we arrived soon after midday, and +found good billets with plenty of accommodation. In the evening, orders +came that at an early date the IXth. Corps, with 1st and 32nd Divisions +in front and 46th in Reserve, would attack the German positions on the +Sambre-Oise Canal, which had been holding out for the past ten days. The +next day the officers rode through Molain to Ribeauville and, leaving +horses there, reconnoitred an assembly position North of Mazinghien. The +C.O. and Company Commanders then went forward and reconnoitred a second +position near Rejet de Beaulieu, about 1,000 yards West of the Canal. On +the 3rd, orders arrived for the attack to take place the following +morning, and at 5-0 p.m. we moved off in pouring rain through Vaux +Andigny to a bivouac position near the Railway North of Molain--a bad +march, for the roads were very muddy and hopelessly congested with +traffic, and the men heavily laden. It rained hard all night, but a +small house for Headquarters, and the usual tents and "bivvie" sheets +kept out some of the wet, and we should have been far worse in the open. +Unfortunately, 2nd Lieut. J.A. Hewson, who had never really recovered +from his gassing in May and had returned before he was fit, had to leave +us, unable to stand the exposure in such weather. It was very bad luck, +for there was never a keener officer. + +At 5-45 a.m., the 4th, the battle began, and we fell in outside +Headquarters, having previously had hot breakfasts and distributed large +numbers of bombs and flares, also a generous supply of sickles and bill +hooks, as the country was reported to be full of hedges. We marched at +once to our first assembly position, Mazinghien, and at midday, as the +battle reports were good, moved forward again, passing the Brigadier in +the village; he seemed very cheerful, and we saw several droves of +German prisoners, so concluded that everything must be satisfactory. In +order to avoid the main roads, the C.O. led us round to Beaulieu by a +field track which he had reconnoitred; unfortunately the night's rain +had made the going very heavy, and this not only tired the men, who were +heavily laden, but also proved difficult for the limbers, several of +which stuck and had to be man-handled. At Beaulieu we had dinners and +rested while parties reconnoitred the Canal crossings and discovered +various pontoon bridges built by the Engineers soon after the attack. As +no orders came, we waited here until soon after 3-0 p.m., when we were +sent forward to support the 2nd Brigade on the right flank of the +advance. + +The C.O. with the right half Battalion crossed the Canal opposite Bois +L'Abbaye, and pushed on into the village untroubled by shell fire, which +was at the time mostly directed against the left half Battalion, which, +with Battalion Headquarters, crossed further South. The country beyond +was very thick, and by the time the left Companies reached L'Ermitage it +was almost dark, and consequently communications were difficult between +the two half Battalions, more particularly as the C.O. was separated +from his runners and signallers. The Companies at L'Ermitage dug +themselves in and were fairly comfortable, but they were not destined to +remain so for long, for orders soon came that they would relieve the 2nd +Brigade. These orders, however, were cancelled before being sent out, +and instead the Brigade was ordered to relieve the 1st Brigade, who were +on the left. The reason for this was that the 32nd Division, who were on +the left of the Corps attack, had not yet reported the capture of all +objectives, and it was consequently necessary to secure the 1st +Division's left flank. While, therefore, the other two Battalions took +over the line facing East, we found a defensive flank facing North--the +Battalion being organized in depth on a single Company front. "A" +Company (Snaith), with "B" Company (Pierrepont) in close support, was a +few yards South of the main Catillon-La Groise Road; behind them came +"C" Company (Banwell), while Battalion Headquarters and "D" Company (T. +Ball) remained in Bois L'Abbaye. These positions we occupied all night. + +At dawn the following day the advance was continued by the 137th and +139th Brigades who passed through us, but, as the 32nd Division had +still no definite information, we maintained our defensive flank +position--a ludicrous performance in view of the streams of unmolested +traffic which passed along the road in front of us. Later in the +morning, however, "B" and "C" Companies were sent forward to occupy the +line that the Lincolnshires had held during the night, where they found +no cover except one large farm house which the Boche was shelling +heavily. It was raining hard, and for some time they sat in the fields +hoping for the rain or the shelling to stop; the latter did eventually +cease, but not until a large shell had gone through the roof of the farm +house, making it uninhabitable. During the afternoon the weather became +so appalling that they all moved into houses in Mezieres and spent the +night there, while the remainder of the Battalion concentrated in Bois +L'Abbaye. + +The battle still went on the next day in the pouring rain, and our +Brigade moved slowly forward in Divisional support, halting for dinners +at Erruart, and reaching Prisches late in the afternoon; our only +excitement throughout the day was to watch a battery of 60 pounders get +into difficulties in a muddy field. At Prisches we learnt that +Cartignies had been cleared by the other Brigades, and we were +accordingly ordered to move up at once and take over the outpost line +which was now just West of the Petite Helpe river. We moved off in fours +along the road, and in the same formation marched into Cartignies, a +village full of civilians and blazing with lights, although a German +machine gun less than 400 yards away kept sending bullets over the main +street. No one seemed very certain where the outposts were, nor who was +responsible, so we mounted some sentries in the best positions we could +find, and soon after midnight Colonel Digan, who had been to Brigade +Headquarters, held a conference and explained the next day's plan of +attack. It was now obvious that the Boche was in full retreat. + +The weather the next day, the 7th of November, was fortunately much +better, and we moved down to the Petite Helpe soon after dawn. Patrols +had been out during the night to look for crossings, but beyond +reporting that the main road bridge had been blown up, which we already +knew, they gathered no information of importance, so "C" Company, who +were leading, had to make use of tree trunks and cross as best they +could. However, the Engineers soon appeared, and the rest of the +Battalion crossed by a pontoon bridge. With the French on the right and +Lincolnshires on the left, "D" Company (T. Ball) and "C" Company +(Banwell) now pushed forward rapidly, and in spite of a thick mist had +soon gained the first two objectives and reached the road running North +and South through a group of houses called Cheval Blanc. Battalion +Headquarters and the right half followed, and at midday were quartered +in a group of farm houses about 600 yards West of Cheval Blanc, where +they were joined by Capt. Hills, who returned from leave and resumed his +duties as Adjutant. As soon as they had had dinners, "A" Company +(Snaith) and "B" Company (Pierrepont) moved forward so as to be in +closer support to "C" and "D" Companies respectively. + +After passing the second objective, the leading Companies soon began to +meet with opposition, and a machine gun cleverly concealed at the next +cross-roads made further advance by "C" Company impossible. As the +Lincolnshires were similarly held up on their left, the flank could not +be turned. "D" Company, however, pushed forward further in the mist, +and, though there was plenty of machine gun fire, it was unaimed and did +no damage. The leading Platoon, under 2nd Lieut. Bettles, crossed a +valley and started to climb the rise beyond, on the top of which they +expected to find the main Avesnes Road. Suddenly, as they burst through +a hedge almost on the road, they came upon a German four gun field +battery--officers and men standing round their guns, apparently not +expecting any attack, and horses tethered near by. The platoon rushed in +with bayonets, captured or killed all they could find and, led by 2nd +Lieut. Bettles, dashed across the road into some houses on the far side, +where they saw some enemy. 2nd Lieut. Bettles was killed with a pistol +bullet, but the Boche were driven out, and Lieut. Ball came up and +started at once to consolidate his captured position. One officer, 29 +men and eight horses were sent down as prisoners. + +"D" Company's position was precarious. Right and left, German machine +gunners held the main road, and shooting along it made crossing +impossible, while at the same time they took care to prevent any attempt +on our part to move the captured guns. This we found impossible, so set +about rendering them useless, and had already removed breach block and +sights from one when a counter attack was launched from the South East. +This was beaten off, but Lieut. Ball, unable to find troops on either +flank and already short of ammunition, sent back 2nd Lieut. S.D. Lamming +on a captured horse to ask for help. Before, however, he could return, +the enemy, intent on recapturing his guns, made two more counter attacks +in rapid succession, in the second of which, after losing several men, +including Bolton, who had never left his Platoon during four years' +service, killed and L/Cpl. Thurman wounded, the little isolated party +fired the last of its ammunition and had to withdraw. The Boche +recaptured his battery, and, after firing one or two rounds into Cheval +Blanc, took away the guns. + +At 2-0 p.m., Battalion Headquarters moved up to Cheval Blanc, but the +attacking Companies still reported that they were unable to advance, +and, to add to our difficulties, we were not in touch with the French on +our right nor could our patrols find any trace of them. On the whole of +our front the enemy had probably not more than eight machine guns, but +so cleverly were they placed and so well were they served that we found +it impossible to dislodge them with our weapons. Artillery or better +still Stokes mortars would no doubt have cleared the country very +quickly, but these were not for the time obtainable, so, until they +arrived, Col. Digan determined to make every effort to find the French +and protect the right flank. Capt. Pierrepont was ordered to send out +frequent patrols towards Etroeungt, and, as we now had no Battalion +reserve, Col. Digan asked for two Companies of the 4th Battalion to help +us. These soon arrived, and while one, Capt. Holden's, remained with us +at Cheval Blanc, the other, Capt. Scaramowicz's, took up a defensive +flank position along the Brigade Southern boundary. At last, just as it +was getting dark, Capt. Pierrepont reported having found the French in +Etroeungt, and so this flank was now secure, though it had cost us the +loss of 2nd Lieut. Byles and Serjt. Stretton who were both wounded. In +spite of this, the forward Companies were still unable to advance, and +we remained in these positions all night. + +In view of the fact that the Boche was now running away, our casualties +during the day had been heavy, and the Staff therefore decided on a +different plan for the next morning. The Cavalry were to come up at dawn +and we were not to move until they had reconnoitred the country, so that +if they reported the enemy still holding out, the Artillery would be +ordered to cover our advance with a small barrage. There was no doubt +that the German retreat was continuing and that this was only a +temporary check, for all night long the sky Eastwards was lit up with +enormous flashes, as dumps, railways, cross-roads and bridges were blown +up. This demolition was one of the most remarkable features of the Boche +retreat, for hardly a road junction in the country was left untouched, +while Railways were so cunningly mined that every single line had to be +relaid. The consequent delay to our communications was appalling, and +though, thanks to the Engineers and Pioneers, our 1st line Transport +always reached us by the evening, and field batteries advanced almost as +quickly as we did, yet our heavy Artillery was days behind us, and there +was always a shortage of ammunition. + +As ordered, the Scots Greys' patrols rode through our lines at dawn the +next day, November 8th, and found the enemy's machine guns still very +active in the same positions. The barrage was therefore arranged, and, +covered by these very few shells, "A" and "B" Companies pushed forward, +only to find that the Boche took as little notice of the barrage as he +did of our rifle fire. On the left, as before, the attack was soon held +up, this time with considerable loss to us, for the Boche allowed "A" +Company to come close to his guns before opening fire. When he did, 2nd +Lieut. Coleman and ten men were wounded and three men killed, and though +the others made a most gallant attempt to rush the enemy with the +bayonet, they were held up by hedges, and compelled to dig in once more +and wait. On the right, however, we had better fortune. 2nd Lieut. +Davies and the leading platoon of "B" Company reached the Avesnes main +road, and in spite of very heavy machine gun fire managed one by one to +make their way across. Once on the far side, this Platoon Commander, +ably helped by L/Cpl. Sharpe, Pte. Beaver and others, soon worked his +way from house to house until at 11-0 a.m. the Boche, finding we had a +firm hold on the main road, withdrew all his guns. While this took +place, Colonel Jerram from Divisional Headquarters visited us, bringing +the news that the German envoys asking for an Armistice had been taken +through the French lines. + +As soon as they found the Germans had gone, the leading Companies pushed +rapidly forward, with orders to establish an outpost line along the +Zorees-Semeries road as soon as possible, in which position we were told +we would be relieved by the 137th Brigade. At the same time, "D" Company +moved into the houses on the Avesnes road near where they had captured +and lost their battery, and "C" Company occupied the farm house which +had held them up so long, being welcomed with coffee and cognac by the +inhabitants, who had remained in the cellar. A troop of Scots Greys was +also attached to us to act as mounted orderlies, a task which up to the +present had been very efficiently performed by our grooms--Huntington, +Dennis, Rogers and others. At dusk, as the leading Companies were within +a few hundred yards of the Zorees road, Battalion Headquarters and "C" +Company moved to the cross roads on the Avesnes road, and occupied a +large farm, where the two attached 4th Leicestershire Companies were +also billeted. Except for distant explosions in the East, it was a quiet +night, and the M.O., Capt. Aylward, to prove we were really winning the +war, solemnly went to bed in pyjamas regardless of the proximity of the +enemy. Soon after midnight, "B" Company reached their outpost line, and +at 7-0 a.m. the following morning, "A" Company were also in position, +and we sent off Lieut. Ashdowne to billet for us in the area to which we +were told we should go as soon as relieved. + +The country here was in a pitiable state, for the Germans as they +retired carried off everything--livestock, vehicles, all food, and most +of the male population. The civilians that were left behind took refuge +in the cellars during the fighting, coming out as soon as the Boche had +gone, and bestowing kisses and cups of coffee with great liberality on +the leading platoons as they entered each farm house or hamlet. The +feeding of all these people had to be undertaken by the British Army, +and as our advance continued the French Mission were kept very busily +employed. + +The Brigade relief was already in progress when, at 10-0 a.m., November +9th, it was cancelled, and instead we were ordered to push forward at +once and establish a new outpost line East of Sains du Nord--a small +town through which the Cavalry had passed in the morning. The right half +Battalion was ordered to concentrate in Zorees, while the rest of us +with the two Companies of the 4th Battalion formed up near Battalion +Headquarters, had dinners, and at 2-15 p.m. moved off. As we did so, an +amusing incident occurred. A certain Company Commander, picking up his +box respirator, found that he had thrown it off into a patch of filth; +copious oaths followed, and he vowed that he would murder the next Boche +he saw. Some half hour later, as we entered Zorees, a cyclist patrol met +us, escorting one undersized little prisoner, splay footed and +bespectacled. The Company was delighted, and with one accord hailed +their Commander with cries of "Now's your chance, Sir." No other enemy +were seen, and we marched straight into Sains by the Railway station, to +receive a welcome from the civilians which rivalled even Fresnoy in +cordiality. They thronged the streets with flags and great bunches of +chrysanthemums which they showered upon us, so that by the time we +reached the Mairie we looked like a walking flower show--every man +having a flower in his hat. The 4th Battalion Companies found the +outposts, and we billeted in a large factory which had been used as a +Hospital, while Battalion and Company Headquarters occupied various +magnificent Chateaux. + +Throughout the following day, November 10th, we remained inactive, +unable to move because our supplies and rear communications could not +move at our pace owing to the German demolitions. All day long reports +came in from the East showing the hopeless state of confusion to which +the German Army had come. Civilians told us of Artillery drawn by cows, +airmen reported roads congested with traffic and columns of troops, it +really looked as though at last we should have a chance of delivering a +crushing blow. Late that night came the telegram ending hostilities, and +the chance was gone for ever. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +HOME AGAIN. + +11th Nov., 1918. 28th June, 1919. + + +For the first few days after the signing of the Armistice we remained in +Sains, the outpost line was maintained, roads to the East were +reconnoitred, and everything was made ready for a resumption of +hostilities. But it was soon obvious that the Germans had no more fight +in them, and our only interest was in whether or no we should form part +of the Army of Occupation. It was known that the 4th Army was going to +Germany, and some of us hoped to go with it, but it was not to be, and +we were transferred to the 3rd Army, XIIIth. Corps. When we went, +General Rawlinson, genuinely sorry to lose us from his Army, expressed +his appreciation of our services during the past three months, in a +farewell letter, copies of which were given to all ranks. Soon after our +transfer, we moved to the Landrecies area, and went into billets in the +dirty little town of Bousies. + +Our duties were now threefold--to clean up France, to get demobilised, +and to amuse ourselves in our spare time. Cleaning up was a gigantic and +not very pleasant task, for it meant filling up shell holes, collecting +empty bully-beef tins, and generally becoming scavengers. +Demobilisation, though more congenial, was at first inclined to be +slow, and it was with considerable annoyance that we saw among the first +to go, young men who had joined us since the Armistice, because they +were "pivotal." Coal-miners were soon called for, and under this heading +we lost many of our oldest and best soldiers, so that by Christmas the +Battalion was no longer the same. To amuse us, various sports meetings +were arranged--all rather hampered by the weather, though we managed to +gain much credit in football and running, while the Divisional Rugby +football side won the Corps Championship. In these games we were lucky +to have the assistance of a new Padre, the Rev. H.P. Walton, who came to +take the place of Padre Buck. Concert parties became more numerous, and, +in addition to the "Whizzbangs," who worked very hard, the Brigade had a +show of their own, known as the "138's." + +While at Bousies we marched one Sunday to Landrecies, where H.M. the +King paid a visit. It was an informal affair, no guard of honour and no +lining the road, and none of us will ever forget the scene. The King of +England followed by his officers, all on foot, walking down the little +street of the old French town, while both pavements were packed with +soldiers and French civilians, who cheered, shouted, sang and rushed +into the road to gain a nearer view of His Majesty. + +In January we moved to Pommereuil, a clean little village, where Mayor +and people did their utmost to make us comfortable. Here, under the new +scheme, demobilisation became more rapid, and the older soldiers were +sent home in consideration of their service. We also learnt for the +first time that the Battalion was to be reduced to a Cadre, and all +short service or retainable soldiers would be sent to the 11th Battalion +on the Rhine. Before this last move could take place, we moved again--to +Solesmes, where we stayed for a fortnight and then moved to St. Hilaire. +A new feature was now introduced in the "amusements" department, which +was much appreciated by all of us. Once or twice a week we were given +one or two motor lorries to take parties to Douai, Valenciennes or the +recent battlefields. We had many pleasant trips, and saw several towns +in France which we should never otherwise have seen. + +At St. Hilaire the C.O. left us to rejoin the Connaught Rangers, and we +were reduced to a Cadre, consisting of five officers, forty-six men and +the Colours. A large draft of 200 all ranks, with Lieuts. Steel, +Ashdowne, Todd, Dunlop, Argyle and other officers who volunteered for +further service, went to the 11th Battalion, and the rest were +demobilised. The Cadre was chosen so as to include as far as possible +W.O.'s, N.C.O.'s, and men of long and distinguished service, who would +form a suitable guard for the Colours; at the same time we tried to have +representatives of each of the larger towns in Leicestershire, and in +this we were successful. + +In April we moved to Inchy Beaumont, where we stayed until the Cadre +finally went home in June. Wagons and all transport were sent to Caudry, +and we settled down to a wearisome existence, having too little to do. +Cricket succeeded football, and we beat the 4th Battalion at both, and +had several other victories. Finally, on the 28th of June, leaving Capt. +Nicholson, 2nd Lieut. Griffiths, R.Q.M.S. Gorse and 11 others with the +stores, the remnant of the Battalion sailed for England, landed at +Dover, and reached Leicester the same night. The next day the Mayor +(Ald. Coltman) and people of Loughborough turned out to give us welcome, +and our long months of waiting in France were soon forgotten in the +fervour and enthusiasm of the greeting we received, as we marched +through the old town and placed our Colours in the Hall. Six weeks later +the baggage guard returned, and the Battalion was finally disembodied. + + + + + APPENDIX 1. + + OFFICERS WHO SAILED TO FRANCE WITH THE REGIMENT, FEBRUARY, + 1915. + + Lieut. Colonel C.H. Jones. + Major R.E. Martin. + Captain and Adjutant W.T. Bromfield. + + + "A" COMPANY. "C" COMPANY. + + Major W.S.N. Toller. Captain T.C.P. Beasley. + Captain P.C.J.R. Rawdon Hastings. Captain C. Bland. + Lieut. A.T. Sharpe (Machine Lieut. R.D. Farmer. + Gun Officer). 2nd Lieut. G. Aked. + Lieut. J.D.A. Vincent. 2nd. Lieut. G.W. Allen. + 2nd Lieut. D.B. Petch. 2nd Lieut. R. Ward Jackson. + 2nd Lieut. J.W. Tomson. + + + "B" COMPANY. "D" COMPANY. + + Captain J.L. Griffiths. Captain H.J.F. Jeffries. + Lieut. A.P. Marsh. Captain J. Chapman. + Lieut. E.G. Langdale. Lieut. A.G. de A. Moore. + 2nd Lieut. C.H.F. Wollaston. 2nd Lieut. R.C.L. Mould. + 2nd Lieut. C.W. Selwyn. 2nd Lieut. C.R. Knighton. + 2nd Lieut. R.B. Farrer. 2nd Lieut. J.D. Hills. + + Transport Officer Lieut. J. Burnett. + Quartermaster Lieut. A.A. Worley. + Medical Officer Lieut. G.H.H. Manfield, R.A.M.C. + + + + + APPENDIX II. + + + HONOURS. + + + ~V.C.~ + + Lieut. J.C. BARRETT.--Pontruet, Sept. 24th, 1918. + + + C.M.G. + + C.H. Jones. + R.E. Martin. + + + D.S.O. + + W.S.N. Toller. + J.L. Griffiths. + + + M.C. & BAR + + G.B. Williams. + G.E. Banwell. + D.B. Petch. + J.D. Hills. + + + M.C. + + A.G. de A. Moore. + M.H. Barton. + C.H.F. Wollaston. + A.N. Barrowcliffe. + T.P. Creed. + J.R. Brooke. + R.H. Stentiford. + C.P. Shields. + W.M. Cole. + H.G. Lovett. + A.E. Brodribb. + W.B. Jack. + C.B.W. Buck. + S.G.H. Steel. + A.E. Hawley. + K. Ashdowne. + T.H. Ball. + S.D. Lanning. + C.H. Davies. + + + D.C.M. & BAR. + + T. Tunks. + A. Wilbur. + + + D.C.M. + + H.G. Starbuck. + W.H. Hallam. + R.E. Small. + J. Emmerson. + C. Hurley. + E.M. Hewson. + J. Hill. + T. Needham. + A. Brooks. + A. Passmore. + J.B. Weir. + C.W. Jordan. + P. Lane. + W. Toon. + J. Wardle. + H.G. Lovett. + J. Cooper. + W. Hubbard. + + + M.M. & TWO BARS. + + T. Marston. + + + M.M. & BAR. + + J. Burbidge. + R. Downs. + A. Thurman. + W. Lilley. + F.W. Gorf. + + + M.M. + + J.T. Knott. R. Hollingsworth. A. Hewerdine. + W.A. Berridge. A.W. Martin. W. Smith. + H. Beardmore. J.W. Tookey. G.W. Tomblin. + G.A. Bent. H.W. Stone. L.F. Crocker. + W. Braybrook. T. Andrews. E. Cooper. + F. Clapham. D. Mackey. H. Edge. + E. Diggle. H. Whitmore. W. Mouldsworth. + E. Foulds. G.O. Pickles. S.W. Taylor. + R. Goodman. W. Raven. W. Orton. + C.B. Love. J.H. Bullen. W. Powell. + M. O'Brien. H. Cato. A. Daniels. + W. Pickering. A.H. Culpin. J. Coles. + T. Slaymaker. A.E. Palmer. A. Holmes. + B. Staniforth. A. Baker. R.B. Haynes. + T. Hawkesworth. F.P. Pymm. G. Emmitt. + F. Eastwood. E.R. Smith. G. Bedford. + A. Passmore. W. Bennett. F. Smith. + J. Meakin. J. Balderstone. P. Thompson. + T. Marshall. H. Pollard. J.H. Caunter. + H. Dawes. J. Ryder. F. Bindley. + A. Carr. T. Starbuck. L.H. Fortnum. + J.T. Allen. J. Hyden. R. Redden. + E.V. Woolley. S.G. Barber. A. Sharpe. + E. Crow. F. Bloodworth. A. Beaver. + J.W. Putt. A. Wedge. H. Shepherd. + A. Hickling. S. Dawson. T. Parker. + W.E. Lester. H.B. Garrett. A. Randall. + S. Satchwell. + + + M.S.M. + + J. Cooper. H. Foster. J.H. Robinson. + W. Fairbrother. R. Gorse. N. Yeabsley. + C.F. Bailey. + + + MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES. + + C.H. Jones (2). W. Fisher. + W.S.N. Toller. H. Swift. + W.T. Bromfield. A.A. Archer. + J.L. Griffiths (2). J.A. Walton. + E.G. Langdale. T. Foster. + C.H.F. Wollaston. R. Gorse. + M.H. Barton. W. Agar. + A.G. de A. Moore. C. Brown. + J.D. Hills (2). A. Hurst. + J. Burnett (2). T.F. Marston. + C.F. Shields. J. Lincoln. + G.W. Allen. F.J. Williamson. + T.W. Tomson. + W.R. Todd. + F.G. Taylor. + + + FOREIGN DECORATIONS. + + + FRENCH. + + Legion d'Honneur (Officier) C.H. Jones. + Croix de Guerre (with palm) L.H. Pearson. + Croix de Guerre (with silver + star) A.D. Pierrepont J. Whitworth. + Croix de Guerre (with bronze + star) J.D. Hills W. Green. + Medaille Militaire E. Angrave. + + + BELGIAN. + + + Decoration Militaire A. Wilbur. + + + + + APPENDIX III. + + + THE CADRE AND EQUIPMENT GUARD. + + + Major J.D. Hills, M.C. + Captain G.E. Banwell, M.C. + Captain C.S. Allen. + Captain and Quartermaster W.A. Nicholson. + 2nd Lieut. G.H. Griffiths. + + R.Q.M.S. Gorse, R. L/Cpl. Underwood, A. + Col.-Serjt. Hanson, A.W. " Caunter, J. + Corpl. Lincoln, J. Pte. Lewis, B. + Serjt. Yeabsley, N. " Clarke, G.L. + Pte. Hughes, E. Corpl. Baker, A. + " Ribbons, F. Pte. Deacon, W. + " Rawlings, G. " Morley, G. + " Mutton, E. " Hunt, G. + " Nichols, L. L/Cpl. Tookey, J. + " Hewerdine, A. Pte. Wormleighton, R. + " Major, T.O. " Sear, W.J. + " Bradshaw, R. " Myers, J.T. + Corpl. Bartram, E. " Godsmark, G. + Serjt. Sills, R. Corpl. Mead, B. + Pte. Rock, F. L/Cpl. Law, A.B. + " Webbs, H. " Harris, J. + " Rogers, A.A. Pte. Allen, W. + " Riley. S. " Moule, F.T. + " Beards, A. Corpl. Goss, J. + " Brampton, T.C. Pte. Smith, E.A. + Sig. Rollson, E. " Neaverson, R. + C.Q.M.S. Hurst, A. " Hayward, J.R. + Serjt. Slaymaker, T. " Ratcliffe, G. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FIFTH LEICESTERSHIRE *** + +***** This file should be named 17369.txt or 17369.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/7/3/6/17369/ + +Produced by David Clarke, Janet Blenkinship and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The 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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