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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 01:23:26 -0700 |
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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/20527-8.txt b/20527-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7fd622a --- /dev/null +++ b/20527-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10926 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Sherwood Foresters in the Great War +1914 - 1919, by W.C.C. Weetman + +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 Sherwood Foresters in the Great War 1914 - 1919 + History of the 1/8th Battalion + +Author: W.C.C. Weetman + +Release Date: February 6, 2007 [EBook #20527] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SHERWOOD FORESTERS *** + + + + +Produced by David Clarke, Nicola Kerrison, Christine P. +Travers and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian +Libraries) + + + + + + + + + + HISTORY OF 1/8th BATTALION + SHERWOOD FORESTERS 1914--1919 + + + + + [Illustration: LIEUT.-COL. G. H. FOWLER. + Killed in action at Hohenzollern Redoubt, Oct. 15th, 1915.] + + + + + [Illustration: Arms] + + + + + THE SHERWOOD FORESTERS + IN THE GREAT WAR + 1914--1919 + + + + + 1/8th BATTALION + + By + + CAPTAIN W. C. C. WEETMAN + M.C., CROIX DE GUERRE + + + + + With an introduction by + BRIG-GENERAL C. T. SHIPLEY, C.B. + + + + NOTTINGHAM + THOS. FORMAN & SONS + 1920 + + + + + _To_ + _Our Fallen Comrades_ + + "_In truth they were young Gentlemen, Yeomen and Yeomen's Sons, + and Artificers of the most brave sort, such as went voluntarily + to serve of a gaiety and joyalty of mind: all which kind of + people are the Flower and Force of a Kingdom._" + + Sir John Smyth To Lord Burleigh + On Our Men In Flanders IN 1589-90. + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +It is not only a great honour to have been asked to write an +introduction to this book, but it is a real pleasure to me to be +linked in this manner to a Battalion with which I was so intimately +connected for nearly six years and in which I made so many friends, of +whom many, alas, have passed the "great divide." + +The Battalion has been lucky in finding in Capt. Weetman an author +with such a ready and amusing pen, and one especially who was in a +position to see the workings of the Battalion in almost every phase of +its career and from every standpoint, first as a Company Officer, then +as Adjutant and finally from Brigade Headquarters. + +To me, perhaps naturally, the most interesting part of the book is the +early chapters. From the time, in 1911, when I took over the command +of what, I was informed by a Staff Officer qualified to know, was the +best Territorial Brigade in the Kingdom, I was a firm believer in the +Territorial Force. But I hardly think that the most hardened optimist +would at that time have thought it possible for a Territorial Division +to mobilise and march complete with equipment and Transport to its +Mobilisation area on the sixth day after receiving the order +"Mobilise." The amount of work done by Battalions and Companies was +marvellous and only those who experienced it can have an idea of what +it meant. + +As for the Training, I don't believe better work was ever done than +during those weeks at Harpenden. True we were lucky in the weather and +in the Training area, and the 8th Battalion were specially lucky in +their excellent staff of Sergeant-Instructors. All ranks put their +heart into the work. I remember particularly the excellent work done +by the large batch of recruits which joined the Battalion at that +time, including surely as good a lot of young Officers as ever joined +a regiment. The author has described fully the training carried out at +Harpenden and in Essex, and that the time and labour spent in it were +not wasted is proved by the manner in which all ranks so quickly took +on their responsibilities in the trenches, and with such success. That +the Territorial Force was in many ways neglected by the Higher +Authorities during those early days is well known, but that the Force +amply justified itself is proved by its actions and was fully +recognised by those General Officers under whose command it came. The +following extract from a speech made by Lieut-General Sir C. +Fergusson, Commanding II Corps, to the Brigade at Locre, when it left +his command, is worth recording to show the high opinion he held of +our work in front of Kemmel. "No Battalion," he said, "and no Brigade +could have held the lines better than you have done or have done +better work than you have done.... Your work during the last three +months is work of which any Brigade and any Battalion might be proud." +No higher praise could have been given to any troops by an officer of +such standing and repute. + +I have written rather at length on this period for I consider the +metamorphosis of a Territorial Battalion into as fine a fighting +Battalion as ever took the field, is well worth the study of all those +who have joined since those days or will join in the future. + +It is only fitting that some acknowledgment be made to the memory of +the man who did more than any other to make the North Midland Division +worthy to take its place in line with the Regular Army. I refer to the +late Major-General Hubert Hamilton, who commanded the Division from +1911 to June, 1914, and fell early in the war at Richebourg-St. Vaast. +He foresaw that war with Germany must come and worked with all his +power to make the Division efficient in every way--in Training as in +Organisation. And it was very largely due to his efforts that +Mobilisation was carried out so successfully. + +One word more. I am fully convinced that if every Officer and man who +joined up in 1914 _after_ the outbreak of war, had joined the +Territorial Force and made himself efficient _before_ August, 1914, +there would have been no war. If Germany had known that England could +put 1,000,000 men into the field within a few weeks of the declaration +of war, instead of only 160,000, she would never have dared to embark +on her campaign of spoliation. The risk would have been too great. + +If this story of the doings of a Territorial Battalion in the Great +War can do anything to bring that Battalion up to strength, to keep it +there, and to encourage all ranks to make themselves thoroughly +efficient, I am sure that the author will consider himself well repaid +for all the time and all the trouble he has spent on it. + + C. T. SHIPLEY. +_12th September, 1920._ + + + + +AUTHOR'S NOTE. + + +In compiling this history of the 1/8th Sherwood Foresters in the Great +War, I have relied for my main facts on the Official War Diary, but +from many other sources I have received much help. My thanks are due +especially to Lieut.-Col. H. Mellish, C.B., for advice on many general +points; to Lieut.-Col. A. Hacking, D.S.O., M.C., for much help with +"The Salient" and "Lens" chapters, and for kindly revising the whole +of the book; to Capt. A. L. Ashwell, D.S.O., for most of the +"Hohenzollern" chapter, and for much general assistance; to Capt. A. +Andrews, M.C., for much of the detail of the "Gorre and Essars" +chapter, and information on many other points, and to Capt. A. B. +Miners, M.C., for help with the account of the "Battle of Ramicourt" +and subsequent fighting. + +I have also to thank Capt. C. Davenport for some details of Transport +work; Capt. R. H. Piggford for a few notes and the sketch dealing with +Mining operations; and Lieuts. C. H. S. Stephenson and E. W. Warner, +M.C., for some Signalling items, and the diagram of Signal +communications. I am also indebted to Capt. J. D. Hills, M.C., of the +5th Leicestershire Regiment, for many hints on the general arrangement +of the work, and to Pvte. A. Hunstone of the 6th Battalion for the +excellent plans. To many others who have supplied me with information +and helped me on various points, I offer my grateful thanks. + +The book is not intended in any way to be a literary effort. All that +has been attempted has been a simple narrative of our doings for the +use primarily of persons connected with the Battalion. My main +endeavour throughout, has been to secure accuracy, but it will be +understood that in sifting the mass of material placed at my disposal, +errors may have crept in. I trust, however, that these are few. + + W. C. C. WEETMAN. +_Hereford, October, 1920._ + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER. + Summary of Events + 1. England + 2. France + 3. The Salient + 4. Hohenzollern + 5. Richebourg--Marseilles--Candas + 6. Vimy Ridge + 7. The Battle of Gommecourt + 8. Bellacourt + 9. The Capture of Gommecourt + 10. Lens + 11. St. Elie and Hill 70 + 12. Spring, 1918 + 13. Gorre and Essars + 14. Auchel to Pontruet + 15. Bellenglise + 16. Ramicourt and Montbrehain + 17. The Last Fight + 18. Home Again + + Appendix. + 1. Roll of Honour + 2. Honours + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS. + + + Lieut.-Colonel G. H. Fowler + Officers at Harpenden, Nov. 1914 + The Avenue, Kemmel + Major J. P. Becher, D.S.O. + R.S.M. Westerman and N.C.O.'s of A Company + R.S.M. Mounteney and N.C.O.'s of C Company + Lieut.-Colonel B. W. Vann, V.C., M.C. + The Brasserie, Foncquevillers + Air Photograph of Lens and Loos Area + Air Photograph of Part of St. Elie Sector + The Beuvry--La Bassée Road + Gorre Brewery + The Clock Tower, Béthune + St. Quentin Canal, Bellenglise + + + + +MAPS AND PLANS. + + + Sketch of Mine Galleries + Kemmel Sector + Hooge and Sanctuary Wood + Hohenzollern Redoubt + Gommecourt + Lens District + Diagram of Signal Communications + Battle of Ramicourt + Battle of Regnicourt + Battle of Bellenglise + General Map of Western Front + + + + +SUMMARY OF EVENTS + + + 1914. + + Aug. 4th War declared. Mobilisation ordered. + + " 7th Concentration at Newark. + + " 10th-- + 11th Marched via Radcliffe-on-Trent to Derby. + + " 15th Entrained at Derby for Luton. + + " 21st Moved to Harpenden. + ( Sept. 29th--Inspection + " 22nd-- | by Lord Kitchener + Nov. 15th Training in Harpenden | at Luton Hoo. + Area. < + | Oct. 6th--Inspection by + | Lord Roberts at + ( Sandridge. + + " 16th-18th Marched via Harlow and Dunmow to Bocking. + + " 19th-- + Dec. 27th Trench digging near Bocking. + + " 28th-- By train to Luton for Musketry at Wardown + 1915. and Galley Hill Ranges, and Field Firing at + Jan 5th Dunstable, returning to Bocking. + + " 6th-- ( Feb. 19th--Inspection + Feb. 24th Training in Bocking Area. < by H.M. The King near + ( Bishop's Stortford. + + " 25th Entrained at Bocking for Southampton. + + " 26th-- + Mar. 3rd Crossed by detachments to Havre. + + " 3rd-- + " 4th By train to Cassel and marched to Oudezeele. + + " 9th Marched to Merris. + + " 10th Moved to Bac-St. Maur, for First Battle of Neuve + Chapelle. Temporarily attached to 2nd + Cavalry Division. + + " 13th Marched to Neuf Berquin for training. + + " 24th-- + " 26th Moved via Vieux Berquin to Romarin. + + " 27th-- + " 30th Trench instruction at Ploegsteert and Messines. + + " 31st Marched back to Vieux Berquin. + + April 2nd Marched to Locre. + + " 3rd Took over Kemmel sector. + + ( April 22nd--Gas used + | against French and + | Canadians in Ypres + | Salient. Traces + | in trenches held by + | Battalion. + | + ( In line in Kemmel | April 24--Heavy trench + April 4th--< sector with intervals < mortar bombardment + June 20th | in rest billets at | of front line held by B, + ( Locre. | C and D Companies. + | + | June 15th--Enemy blew + | up by mines and + | raided part of front + ( line. + + " 20th Marched to huts near Vlamertinghe. + + ( In line at Hooge and ) + | Sanctuary Wood, | + " 21st--< with intervals at rest > July 30th--First "liquid + Aug. 28th | in bivouacs near | fire" attack + ( Poperinghe. ) + + ( In line at Middlesex ) Sept. 21st--Inspection + | Wood, adjoining | by Gen. Plumer. + " 29th--< Ypres-Comines Canal, > Sept. 25th--Demonstrations + Sept. 30th | near St. Eloi, with | in conjunction + | rest bivouacs near | with attacks on other + ( Ouderdom. ) portions of the front. + + Oct. 1st Marched from Ouderdom and entrained at Abeele + for Fouquereuil. Billeted in Béthune. + + " 3rd Moved to Mont Bernenchon. + + " 4th Marched back to Béthune, proceeded by 'bus to + Vermelles, and took over reserve trenches near + Lone Tree, North of Loos. + + " 5th Moved back to Mazingarbe. + + " 6th Marched to Fouquières. + + " 13th-- + " 14th Attack on Hohenzollern Redoubt. + + " 16th Moved back to Vaudricourt. + + " 19th Marched to Lapugnoy for training. + + " 26th Marched to Béthune. + + Oct. 28th Composite Company with other troops of XI Corps + inspected by H.M. The King at Hesdigneul. + + Nov 4th-- + " 5th Marched via Epinette to Vieille Chapelle. + + Nov. 6th-- In line in Richebourg sector, with rest billets at + Dec. 2nd Vieille Chapelle and Lacouture. + + " 3rd Marched from Vieille Chapelle to Haverskerque + for training. + + " 19th-- Marched via Wittes to Molinghem and continued + " 26th training. + + 1916. + + Jan. 7th-- + " 9th Entrained at Berguette for Marseilles. + + " 26th-- Returned by train to Pont Remy. Marched to + " 28th Ergnies for training. + + Feb. 10th Marched to Ribeaucourt. + + " 20th Moved by motor lorry to Candas. + + " 21st-- Training and work for R.E.'s on new railway lines + March 5th in Candas area. + + " 6th-- + " 9th Marched via Iverny and Maizières to Acq. + + " 10th-- In line in Vimy sector, with intervals at rest in + April 20th huts behind Mont St. Eloy. Mining activity. + + " 21st By 'bus to billets at Tincques and Bethencourt for + training. + + " 29th Moved to Averdoignt. + + May 6th-- Marched via Rebreuviette and Gaudiempré to + " 10th Bienvillers. + + " 11th-- + June 4th In line in front of Foncquevillers. + + " 5th Moved back to Humbercamp. + + " 6th Marched by night to Le Souich. + + " 8th-- + " 14th Training in attack practice near Sus-St. Leger. + + " 15th Marched to Humbercamp. + + " 16th-- Working parties found for digging cable trenches + " 18th and screening approaches near Bienvillers. + + " 19th-- + " 27th In line in front of Foncquevillers. + + " 28th + " 29th Rested at Pommier. + + " 30th Moved at night to assembly positions in front of + Foncquevillers. + + July 1st Battle of Gommecourt. + + " 2nd Moved back to Gaudiempré. + + " 3rd Marched to huts at Bavincourt. + + " 4th Marched back to Pommier and Bienvillers. + + July 10th Moved to Bellacourt. + + ( In line in front of Bretencourt, with periods + " 11th--< in Support at Bellacourt, and in Reserve at + Oct. 28th | Bailleulval. (Sept. 22nd, Raid by A Company + ( near Blairville.) + + " 29th-- Marched from Bailleulval via Warluzel, Le Souich + Nov. 3rd and Neuvillette to Maison Ponthieu, for training. + + " 22nd-- Marched via Bealcourt and Neuvillette to + " 25th Humbercourt. + + Dec. 6th Moved to Support billets at Foncquevillers and + Souastre. + + ( In line in front of Foncquevillers, with intervals + " 7th--| in Support in posts in and about Foncquevillers, + 1917. < and in billets at Souastre. (Feb. 16th-17th, + Feb. 18th | heavy bombardment with gas shells and + ( bombs.) + + " 19th Moved back to St. Amand. + + " 20th Marched to Iverny for training. + + " 28th-- + March 1st Returned via Grenas to St. Amand. + + " 3rd Took over recently evacuated German trenches at + Gommecourt. + + " 4th-- Followed up enemy to Pigeon Wood, Brayelle + " 13th Farm and Essarts. (March 4th, heavy counter-attack + against C Company.) + + " 17th Moved back to Souastre. + + " 20th-- Marched via Bayencourt, Courcelles-au-Bois and + " 24th Contay to Bertangles. + + " 25th Moved by 'bus through Amiens to Revelles. + + " 28th Entrained at Bacouel. + + " 29th Detrained at Berguette and marched to Westrehem + for training. + + April 13th-- + " 14th Marched via Vendin-lez-Béthune to Houchin. + + " 18th Moved up to Support billets in Liévin. + + " 19th-- + " 22nd Skirmishing in Cité de Riaumont. + + " 23rd Attack on Hill 65 by C Company. + + " 24th-- Held sectors in front of Liévin and Loos, with + June 30th intervals in Support in Liévin and in Reserve + at Marqueffles Farm and Noeux-les-Mines. + + July 1st In Brigade Reserve for attack by 46th Division + West of Lens. + + July 4th On relief by Canadians marched to Bully Grenay + and by 'bus to Chelers for training. + + " 23rd Marched to Verquin. + + " 24th-- In line in St. Elie sector and in Support at + Aug. 15th Philosophe. + + " 16th-- + " 25th Training in Verquin area. + + " 26th-- In line in Cambrin sector and in Support at + Sept. 12th Annequin. + + " 13th-- + " 19th In Divisional Reserve at Fouquières. + + " 20th Marched to Mazingarbe huts. + + " 21st-- In line in Hill 70 sector, in Support in trenches + Nov. 14th North of Loos, and in Reserve at Mazingarbe. + + " 15th-- In line in St. Elie sector, in Support at Philosophe, + 1918. and in Reserve at Verquin. (Jan. 2nd, Raid + Jan. 20th on front held by D Company.) + + " 21st Marched from Verquin to Burbure. + + " 22nd-- Training at Burbure. Large detachment at Mazingarbe + Feb. 8th digging reserve trenches near Vermelles. + + " 9th Marched from Burbure to Laires and Livossart. + + " 13th Moved to Enquin-les-Mines for training. + + March 5th-- + " 6th Marched to Westrehem and by 'bus to Béthune. + + " 14th-- Held Annequin Fosse "Locality," in view of + " 19th heavy attacks expected. + + " 20th-- In line in Cambrin sector. (March 22nd, Heavy + " 23rd bombardment and raid on A Company.) + + " 24th-- + " 26th In Support at Beuvry. + + " 27th-- In line in St. Emile sector, and in Support in + April 10th St. Pierre. + + " 11th On relief by Canadians, moved back to Vaudricourt. + + " 18th Moved to reserve trenches in front of Sailly-Labourse. + Unsuccessful attack by enemy near Givenchy. + + " 20th Returned to Vaudricourt. + + " 23rd Marched to Béthune. + + " 24th-- In line in Gorre and Essars sectors, and in Reserve + Aug. 17th at Fouquières, Vaudricourt Park and Verquin. + + " 18th Occupied Le Touret after driving out enemy + rear-guard. + + " 19th-- In billets at Verquin, Vaudricourt Park, + " 31st Fouquières, Essars and Gorre. + + Sept. 1st Took over front line near Richebourg St. Vaast. + + " 2nd-- + " 3rd Continued to drive back enemy rearguards. + + " 4th Attacked and occupied old British Line in front + of Richebourg l'Avoué. + + " 5th-- + " 7th Moved back via Beuvry to Auchel for training. + + " 11th-- By train from Calonne Ricouart via Amiens to + " 12th Corbie and marched to La Houssoye for training. + + " 18th Marched to Bonnay and by 'bus to Poeuilly. + + " 20th-- + " 25th In line about Pontru and Pontruet. + + " 26th Moved back to bivouacs near Vendelles. + + " 29th Battle of Bellenglise. + + " 30th-- + Oct. 2nd In dug-outs near Lehaucourt and Magny-la-Fosse. + + " 3rd Battle of Ramicourt. + + " 5th-- + " 7th In line at Sequehart. + + " 8th Resting at Lehaucourt. + + " 9th-- Moved via Levergies and Mericourt to Jonnecourt + " 12th Farm, near Bohain. + + " 17th Battle of Regnicourt.--The Last Fight. + + " 18th Moved back to Fresnoy-le-Grand for training. + + " 30th Marched to Bohain. + + Nov. 3rd-- + " 4th Marched via Escaufort to Catillon. + + " 5th Crossed Sambre-Oise Canal and advanced to + Mezières. + + " 6th Occupied Prisches and Cartignies. + + " 7th-- + " 9th At Cartignies. + + " 10th Marched from Cartignies to Boulogne-sur-Helpe. + + " 11th Armistice. + + " 14th Marched to Landrecies. + + " 15th-- + 1919 Clearing battlefield in Landrecies area. + Jan 2nd Demobilisation begun. + + " 3rd Marched from Landrecies to Prisches and continued + clearing battlefield. + + Feb. 19th-- Marched via Bazuel to Bethencourt, near Candry, + " 20th for completion of Demobilisation. + + June 23rd Return of Cadre and Colours to Headquarters at + Newark. + + + + +CHAPTER I + +ENGLAND + + _August 4th, 1914._ _February 25th, 1915._ + + +When the 8th Sherwood Foresters concentrated at Hunmanby, at the end +of July, 1914, for their usual annual training, the International +horizon was clouded with the diplomatic conversations which had +followed the murder of the Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria by +Servians at Sarajevo. Many hoped, no doubt, that the experience of the +Morocco incident of 1905 and the Agadir incident of 1911, would again +be repeated and that once more the clouds of a world war would be +dissipated, but when we reflect upon this period of the world's +history it is easy now to see that war with Germany, sooner or later, +was inevitable. + +The atmosphere was so charged with electricity that it was impossible +to settle down to the normal routine of training, and there was little +surprise when on August 3rd, Bank Holiday, Germany declared war on +France, and when on the following day, August 4th, Great Britain +herself, following upon the violation of the neutrality of Belgium, +joined forces with Russia and France. + +Territorial Camps were at once broken up and all ranks ordered home, +with instructions to hold themselves in readiness for any emergency. + +The Royal Proclamation for the embodiment of the 8th Battalion +Sherwood Foresters (Notts. and Derby Regiment) was issued at 6.45 p.m. +on Tuesday, August 4th, and notified to all units in the briefest +possible telegram--"Mobilise." During Wednesday and Thursday, August +5th and 6th, all Companies were endeavouring to purchase locally and +issue to every man, underclothing and necessaries according to scale. +This was a big undertaking, as the scheme for earmarking such goods +in the case of embodiment had not been completed, and there was, +therefore, some delay in obtaining all requirements. The strength of +the Battalion on mobilisation was 29 officers and 852 other ranks. + +On Friday, August 7th, the Battalion concentrated at Newark, under the +Command of Lieut.-Col. C. J. Huskinson, T.D., with Major G. H. Fowler +second in Command, and Capt. E. N. T. Collin, Adjutant, Companies and +their Officers at this time being as follows:-- + + A Company--Retford.--Lieut. W. R. Smith, 2nd Lieuts. + L. Rose and E. C. A. James. + + B " Newark.--Capt. L. C. B. Appleby, Lieuts. + C. Davenport and A. H. Quibell. + + C " Sutton-in-Ashfield.--Lieut. M. C. Martyn, + 2nd Lieuts. H. G. Wright and R. H. Piggford. + + D " Mansfield.--Capt. A. C. Clarke, 2nd Lieut. J. W. Turner. + + E " Carlton.--Lieut. F. G. Cursham, 2nd Lieut. H. Kirby. + + F " Arnold.--2nd Lieuts. G. Clarke and A. F. O. Dobson. + + G " Worksop.--Capt. E. W. E. Tylden-Wright, Lieut. W. H. Allen. + + H " Southwell.--Capt. J. P. Becher, Lieut. J. K. Lane, + 2nd Lieut. H. B. S. Handford. + +Lieut. A. L. Ashwell was Machine-Gun Officer; Capt. F. W. Johnson, and +Surgeon-Capt. H. Stallard, Medical Officers, and Rev. J. P. Hales, +Chaplain; Major W. N. Sarll was Quarter-Master, but, being medically +unfit, at once handed over his duties to Capt. R. F. B. Hodgkinson, +who joined from the Territorial Force Reserve. Capt. R. J. Wordsworth +mobilised with Brigade Headquarters. + +The Battalion was billeted for the most part in Schools: B Company +were detailed for various duties in the town, and H Company found +guards on bridges and other points on the Great Northern Railway, the +most important being the Tubular Bridge. Nothing of interest happened +except that a too keen sentry one night loosed off at some suspicious +looking persons, who turned out to be innocent platelayers returning +home from work. Fortunately there were no casualties. + +On Monday, August 10th, at 9.30 a.m., we paraded in the Market Place +ready to begin our move to concentration areas. The Mayor (Mr. J. C. +Kew) and Corporation were present, accompanied by Canon Hindley, Vicar +of Newark, and other Clergy, and there was a dense crowd of onlookers. +After an address by the Mayor, who wished us God speed, and a short +service, we marched off via the Fosse Way to Radcliffe-on-Trent, +leaving behind H Company under Capt. Becher, to guard the railway. + +For the first time in its history the Battalion had complete First +Line and Train Transport with it, this being under the command of +Lieut. Davenport, who had been appointed Transport Officer. The +vehicles were not exactly regulation pattern, but little fault could +be found with the horses, all of which had been purchased locally. +Floats from Warwick and Richardson's and Hole's formed the majority of +the Small Arm Ammunition and tool carts, whilst Dickens's Mineral +Water drays and Davy's Brewery drays made fairly good General Service +wagons, when fitted with light wooden sides. A furniture van full of +blankets, two Corporation water carts, and a bread cart with a large +red cross on each side, completed the collection. We feel sure that +few Regimental Transports can have looked more like a circus than did +ours as we left Newark. + +The march of 14 miles to Radcliffe-on-Trent was completed about 4 +p.m., and after a good night's rest we left early on August 11th, and +proceeding via Nottingham, arrived at Derby at 6.30 p.m., after a 23 +mile march. This was a very severe test for all, as few were really +"hard" enough at that time for such a long trek. Route marches were +accordingly carried out, on each of the three extremely hot days spent +at Derby, as the main part of our programme. + +Whilst at Derby the main subject of discussion was that of Imperial +Service for Territorial units. So far as we were concerned a +considerable number of officers and men had already volunteered. There +were many others who had not actually done so, but there was no doubt +as to what their answer would be. Of the remainder many were +practically disqualified from serving abroad by reason of age, +unfitness, family and business ties, and other reasons, and for them, +in the light of the little we knew then, the decision was most +difficult, and the need for it we hardly thought fair. The demand for +volunteers was in the first instance put rather baldly, with little +notice, and with apparently little realisation of the enormous +difficulties under which so many were labouring, and it was not +surprising that this appeal met with little response. A second earnest +appeal, reinforced by the feeling that the honour, even the existence +of the Battalion was in danger, resulted in over 800 volunteering, +which was eminently satisfactory, though it is impossible to avoid the +feeling that many who volunteered then did so against their better +judgment, and that the decision should have been made for them. + +All the other units in the Division having more or less similarly +settled this vital question, training was started in earnest. + +The first area allotted to the Division was Hertfordshire, and we +entrained on August 15th, for the first time, and by no means the +last. Hours went by after our scheduled time before there was any sign +of the train. In an adjoining field, however, the various Company +entertainers had full scope and played to large audiences. Eventually +we got off in two trains, and detraining at Leagrave marched the last +three miles to Luton, where we arrived in the early hours of August +16th. Here we stayed for six days and carried out a little training, +mostly at Luton Hoo and Markyate. We cannot say that we regarded this +as the most pleasant of our experiences, as our billets were not of +the best either for Officers, who were mostly crowded into a few +cottages, and took turns at bathing in small tin baths in the +sculleries, or men who were also crowded in somewhat unwholesome +schools, while our menu consisted monotonously of bully beef and +pickle, and army biscuit and cheese. + +Better things fortunately were in store, for on August 21st, we moved +on a few miles to Harpenden, where we were destined to stay for three +months, and where we received on all sides the greatest possible +hospitality. We are sure that all who were billeted at Harpenden will +look back with the greatest pleasure to the time spent in that +delightful district. The men for the most part were billeted in small +houses, three or four together, and with the more than ample rations +and billeting allowances then in force, both men and billet owners +were exceedingly well off. + +Here we had also the 5th, 6th and 7th Sherwood Foresters, which, with +ourselves, formed the Notts, and Derby Infantry Brigade, under the +Command of Brigadier-General C. T. Shipley, who had Major E. M. Morris +as Brigade Major, and Capt. R. J. Wordsworth as Staff Captain. The +Stafford and Lincoln and Leicester Infantry Brigades completed the +North Midland Division, which was commanded by Major-General The Hon. +E. J. Montagu Stuart-Wortley. + +Fortunately the weather for some time was splendid, and the Battalion +soon began to shew the result of constant and regular drill, and the +turnout and smartness improved rapidly. Training comprised almost +every possible form that could be required to make both officers and +men efficient, and went so far as to include the detailing of +Sergt.-Instructor Mounteney to carry out the by no means easy task of +trying to turn Officers into swordsmen. It is no disparagement of his +efforts to congratulate ourselves that we never had to put our lessons +to the test of stern reality. "Infantry Training" and "Field Service +Regulations" were studied and more or less followed out in practice in +all we did. Most of our drill, musketry instruction, bayonet fighting, +physical exercises, and outpost drill were carried out on the splendid +Common at Harpenden, but our training area extended to most of the +surrounding parks and farms, where the bulk of our more advanced work +in attack practice and tactical exercises was carried out. Perhaps +some of the best remembered places are "High Firs," where we first +spent a night in bivouacs, Sandridge, where there was a small range, +Rothamstead Park, Redbourn, Ayre's End, Hammond's End Farm, Annable's +Farm, Mackery End, Thrale's End Farm, where barbed wire entanglements +were put up, the like of which we never saw in France or anywhere +else, and Cold Harbour. At Sundon, not far from Dunstable, we dug and +occupied our first real trench system, which after a preliminary +skirmish at night, when rockets were used to guide the attacking +troops, had to withstand a heavy dawn attack by the Lincoln and +Leicester Brigade. + +Classification practices were fired at Wardown and Galley Hill ranges, +near Luton, on thoroughly wet and disagreeable days, with ammunition +not intended for the rifle we were using, and altogether under such +adverse conditions, that good scores were impossible. + +In addition to Brigade and Divisional schemes in the neighbourhood of +Harpenden we had big shows on two days at Kinsworth, near Dunstable. +Of our indoor classes, probably the most entertaining were the French +lessons given after mess sometimes by a kind friend from the Y.M.C.A.; +he did his best, but we fear that it was not quite the right time of +day to find a class of Officers in a mood for imbibing instruction. + +Meanwhile there were many changes in personnel: Lieut. James took over +A Company from Lieut. Smith, who was unfit; Capt. Appleby and Lieut. +Cursham proceeded to Dunstable to take charge of Home Service men; +Lieut. Quibell went to the Depôt at Newark; Capt. Tylden-Wright being +unfit, G Company was handed over to Capt. Allen; Lieut. Turner took +over the Machine-Gun Section on Lieut. Ashwell becoming Assistant +Adjutant; Lieut. G. Clarke was Musketry Officer; Lieut. H. B. S. +Handford, Signalling Officer; and Lieut. Piggford, Scout Officer. +Subalterns who joined during these early days included 2nd Lieuts. W. +H. Hollins, J. V. Edge, A. Hacking, E. M. Hacking, W. N. Wright, J. R. +Eddison, B. W. Vann, J. M. Gray. J. S. C. Oates, R. E. Hemingway, A. +P. F. Hamilton, and W. C. C. Weetman. Hamilton soon left us to join +the Divisional Cyclists and afterwards served with the Tank Corps, +winning the M.C. In other ranks there were also changes: +Sergt.-Instructors Hancock, Holmes and Walker went to other units, a +number of men went to Dunstable, and a good many were discharged +medically unfit, but our numbers were constantly being swelled by the +arrival of recruits who kept coming in batches at frequent intervals +from the Depôt, and made up our strength practically to establishment. + +[Illustration: OFFICERS AT HARPENDEN; Nov., 1914. + +_Back Row_: 2nd Lieut. A. F. O. Dobson, 2nd Lieut. J. S. C. Oates, 2nd +Lieut. E. M. Hacking. 2nd Lieut. A. Hacking, 2nd Lieut. W. C. C. +Weetman, Lieut. H. B. S. Handford, Capt. J. K. Lane, 2nd Lieut. J. R. +Eddison, 2nd Lieut. H. Kirby. + +_Middle Row_: 2nd Lieut. J. M. Gray, 2nd Lieut. W. N. Wright, Lieut. +H. G. Wright, 2nd Lieut. B. W. Vann, 2nd Lieut. J. V. Edge, Lieut. G. +Clarke, 2nd Lieut. W. H. Hollins, 2nd Lieut. E. C. A. James, 2nd +Lieut. J. W. Turner, Lieut. C. Davenport. + +_Front Row_: Capt. and Qtr.-Mtr. R. F. B. Hodgkinson, Capt. W. H. +Allen, Major A. C. Clarke, Rev. J. P. Hales, Capt. and Adjt. E. N. T. +Collin, Lieut.-Col. C. J. Huskinson, Major G. H. Fowler, Capt. J. P. +Becher, Capt. M. C. Martyn, Capt. A. L. Ashwell, Surgeon-Capt. H. +Stallard. + +_On Ground_: 2nd Lieut. R. H. Piggford 2nd Lieut. A. P. F. Hamilton. + +_Reproduced by permission of H. A. Valentine, Photographer, +Harpenden._] + +Lieut.-Col. G. S. Foljambe, who had joined from the Territorial Force +Reserve, was in charge at the Depôt, and later commanded for some time +the 3rd Line, with the unenviable task of getting together and +training in an extraordinarily short space of time, personnel to +replenish the 1st and 2nd Lines. Many young Officers and others who +passed through his hands in those days look back with pleasure and +affection to the happy times spent under his kindly care at Newark and +Belton Park. + +Recreations in these early days were run on the usual lines. Padre +Hales had a reading room and organised Battalion Concerts from time to +time, at which much local talent was displayed, but with everyone +living in houses organised entertainment was not so necessary as we +later found it to be in isolated camps, or at out-of-the-way villages +in France. + +We were inspected three times during this period; once at Harpenden by +Lieut.-General Sir Ian Hamilton, commanding the Central Force, again +on September 29th, by Lord Kitchener in Luton Hoo Park, when we +thought we made a very creditable display, and lastly, on October 6th, +after we had carried out an attack scheme ending up on the Sandridge +Rifle Range, when the Battalion had the honour of marching past Lord +Roberts. + +The air, of course, was full of rumours. As early as September 1st, we +were told that we should be off to France in a month: later the date +was fixed for October 30th, and then November 7th, Bordeaux being +mentioned as the elusive objective. On this last occasion it seemed so +certain that we were going that a farewell sermon was preached, which +turned out to be decidedly premature. We heard with every conceivable +detail the delicious stories of the thousands of Russians who kept +pouring through Nottingham, and like others we had the usual +excitements of spy scares, all of which were very entertaining, and +one at least highly dangerous, when one of our chases took some of us +over the railway embankment armed with loaded revolvers. + +Whatever the possibilities of our going out early may have been, one +step was taken which could have had only that object in view, viz. +inoculation against typhoid. We can only hope that the Medical +Officers who operated on us got more fun out of the operation than we +did. + +Marching orders came eventually, and as ever, when least expected. +Late on Sunday evening, November 15th, we were told to be ready to +move at an hour's notice. This was presumed to be due to a feared raid +and landing on the East Coast--at any rate one hopes there was some +equally good reason for it, for quite a number of Officers and men had +been allowed to go on week-end leave, and had to be recalled by +telegram, whilst the following day was to have been a holiday. + +We shall not easily forget that night--the energy we expended in +packing valises, brows sweating, tempers bad, language beyond +description,--all trying the impossible feat of making the wonderful +collection of kit we had got together on the advice of one friend or +another keep within the allotted allowance of 35lbs. + +Apart from our own individual troubles, we had the additional enormous +task set of issuing new equipment to everybody. The 1908 bandolier +pattern had been withdrawn, and new leather equipment (pattern 1914) +had arrived on the previous Friday and Saturday, and the +Quarter-Master's staff had been busy marking it and getting it ready +for issuing. This all had to be issued during the Sunday night, and +was carried round to billets in blankets. The language of something +like 900 men all trying to put together an entirely new set of +equipment, the like of which they had never seen, may well be +imagined. We were the first Battalion to be issued with this +equipment, which on the next day's march proved very unsatisfactory, +many buckles and straps pulling right out of the webbing of the packs +and haversacks. We were glad when a month later it was all withdrawn, +and we were issued with the much more popular and lasting web +equipment. + +Eventually the Battalion paraded at 9 a.m. on November 16th, one hour +late, and in consequence instead of leading the Brigade we had to +march in rear. We got to Harlow, a distance of something like 26 +miles, about 8 p.m. This was a very trying march, and as many men had +only been issued with new boots during the night, it was not +surprising that several fell out. On this march we first realised what +a difficult and technical job "supply" can be. The supply and baggage +wagons appear to have been hopelessly overloaded, and in consequence +both rations and blankets failed to reach us that night. It was +largely owing to the extreme kindness and hospitality of the +inhabitants of the delightful little village of Harlow, amongst whom +was the evergreen veteran Sir Evelyn Wood, V.C., that we were fed and +breakfasted and able to continue the march the following day, 14 miles +to Dunmow. This proved more trying than the previous day, and the +Medical Officer and stretcher-bearers had a busy time attending to +those who fell out. + +On the 18th, we finished the journey by a nine mile march to Bocking, +and there settled down into billets for the rest of our time in +England. Though we were spoilt at Harpenden, we are sure that all +ranks have nothing but pleasant recollections of the time spent at +Braintree and Bocking, where one and all treated us with the greatest +kindness, and we hope were sorry to lose us. Where all were so kind it +is almost invidious to mention names, but one feels (though they +themselves would be the first to deny it) that a special debt of +gratitude is owed to the Nuns of the Convent at Booking, whose +kindness and care for those who were billeted at the Convent, and for +all with whom they came in contact, were beyond all praise. + +In order to prepare for any possible German landing on the Essex coast +orders had been issued for a series of trenches to be dug to form +defensive lines for the protection of London, and we were at once set +on to this work, which was pushed on as rapidly as possible, systems +of trenches, redoubts, gun positions, and other defensive works being +put in hand. Our work was mainly at Panfield, Marks Farm and Black +Notley. It was not an ideal season for trench digging, especially in +the clay of Essex, which was the "genuine" article, and we were glad +when the bulk of it was finished by Christmas. This work was carried +out under Royal Engineers' supervision and was in some ways +instructive, although we thought that the principles we had been +taught in the Military Manuals were frequently violated by the siting +of trenches along the sides of prominent hedgerows. Nevertheless, what +we did was more after the nature of what we were to meet in France, +and therefore of considerable practical value. That our work was +satisfactory was testified to by the insertion in Central Force Orders +of January 23rd, 1915, of the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief's +keen appreciation of the soldierly spirit and enthusiasm shewn for the +work by all ranks. All the same, we have no regrets that it was never +necessary to occupy the trenches for actual warfare. + +Owing to another scare Christmas leave was cancelled. Scarborough had +been bombarded on December 22nd, and there was apparently a bit of a +"breeze." According to one writer this was due to a little lack of +liaison between our Naval and Military authorities. The former had +apparently spread a rumour that an invasion of the German Coast was to +take place, and the enemy concentrated numbers of troops there in +case it happened. This concentration came to the knowledge of our +military spies, who, however were not told of the cause, and their +report appears to have caused our War Office to think that an invasion +of England was contemplated. We were not, however, by any means dull +at Christmas. On December 24th, we beat the 6th Battalion 2--1 in the +first round of the Divisional Football competition, Vann being +skipper, and in the evening the Warrant Officers and N.C.O.'s had a +dance at Braintree Corn Exchange. On Christmas Day there was Church +Parade at Braintree, when the Bishop of Derby preached. Later, dinners +were issued on a sumptuous scale, and in the evening the Officers were +entertained at the White Hart by the Colonel and Major Fowler. + +In a later round of the Divisional Cup Competition, we beat the +Divisional Mechanical Transport Column 3--0, and got into the +semi-final, when, however, we were badly beaten by the 4th Leicesters +at Bishop's Stortford, by 3 goals to nil. In a Brigade paper chase +which was held on December 26th, Pvte. Allen of E Company came in +first. + +On December 28th, we returned to Luton by train to carry out final +firing practices at the Wardown and Galley Hill Ranges, and field +firing practice at Dunstable in appalling weather, when frost, snow +and rain made accurate shooting perfectly impossible, and we were glad +indeed to get back to Bocking on January 6th, 1915. + +The rest of our time was spent in final training, mainly carried out +at Gosfield Park and Abbot's Hall, and in preparations for going out, +in which the inspection and completion of equipment of all kinds +played a prominent part. This was not too easy a job for the young +Company or Section Commanders, as the men by this time were up to all +the "old soldier" tricks, and were very clever at making one article +appear almost simultaneously in half-a-dozen different kits. Drill +included a certain amount of new bayonet fighting and other exercises +under Major A. C. Clarke, who had attended a course at Chelsea. Mules +arrived in January and were objects of much interest; our +miscellaneous transport vehicles were discarded and replaced by new +ordnance pattern issues, to which were added two Lune Valley Cookers, +kindly presented by the ladies of Nottinghamshire. At the end of +January the Battalion had to be completely reorganised in order to +come into line with the regular Battalions: the old 8-Company system +was abolished, and the 1914 Double Company organisation introduced, +entailing an immense amount of work and keeping us busy right up to +the time of our departure. The situation was not helped by the absence +of Major Fowler with eight Subalterns and 407 recruits, who were away +carrying out musketry classification practices at Luton from February +3rd to 20th. + +Our chief relaxation at Bocking in the early part of 1915 was night +searching for elusive spies, who were supposed to carry on lamp +signalling; more often than not when these were tracked down they +turned out to be innocent stable guards doing their nightly rounds. At +other times we picketed the roads to hold up motor cars which were +supposed to be acting as guides to Zeppelins, but it is doubtful +whether either of these occupations did a great deal towards bringing +about the more rapid conclusion of the war. + +One also remembers the excitement caused by the first Boche aeroplane +dropping bombs within a mile of the village, which we, of course, +imagined had been dropped for our especial benefit. One of the Scouts +secured a "dud," which was the object of much interest to everyone, +up to the Divisional Commander. + +It was about this time that the first distinguishing patches were +allotted to Battalions. Our first was a square green patch worn behind +the cap badge, undoubtedly very smart, and the envy of the other +Battalions in the Brigade. When we got to France the Officers of the +Battalion had to wear two short vertical green stripes at the top of +the back of the jacket, to enable them to be picked out from behind, +as all ranks were more or less similarly dressed and Officers' swords +were discarded. Later still these marks were worn by all ranks in the +Battalion, and the practice was continued up to the end of the war. + +On February 15th, confidential orders were received that we were to +proceed abroad at a very early date. Final preparations were put in +hand, equipment, stores and clothing were issued to complete, and +everything was made ready for a move. + +On February 16th, Col. Huskinson received notice of his appointment as +Commander of Base Details on Lines of Communication with Capt. G. +Clarke as his Adjutant. Col. Huskinson had been to a great extent +responsible for the recruiting of the Battalion to full strength +before the war, and his keenness and enthusiasm throughout the +difficult times of reorganisation and training during these first six +months of the war, contributed largely to the high standard of morale +and general efficiency reached in England. One and all were sorry to +lose him, but we were glad indeed to find that Major Fowler was to +succeed him in Command of the Battalion. + +On February 19th, we had the honour of being inspected with the rest +of the Division by H.M. the King, at Hallingbury Place, near Bishop's +Stortford. + +Into the last few days was crowded an immense amount of work, for the +final arrangements never seemed to finish, and changes took place +right up to the last. We were made up to establishment in Officers by +the arrival of Lieuts. G. S. Heathcote and F. B. Lawson, and 2nd +Lieuts. C. L. Hill and T. H. F. Adams, whilst large reinforcements +from the 2/8th Battalion on February 22nd, brought us up to full +strength, and when we left Bocking on February 25th, we were 31 +Officers and 996 other ranks. Second Lieut. R. E. Hemingway was left +behind with 100 men as the First Reinforcement, and the Orderly Room +was handed over to the care of Col.-Sergt. Instructor F. Kieran. We +left by two trains at 7.50 and 9.15 a.m., and by 4.0 p.m. had all +detrained at Southampton Docks. + +On the whole the Battalion was well equipped, and physically everyone +was fit. The chief drawback appeared to be that we had rather a large +percentage of young and inexperienced Officers and N.C.O.'s, but as +all had much to learn of the kind of warfare actually going on, this +was no great disadvantage. With so many late additions and the very +recent reorganisation, few Commanders had had the opportunity of +getting to know their men. So far as training was concerned we had +covered in a way the whole of what the books had to say, and were +fairly well acquainted with ordinary methods of fighting. There was a +tendency towards staleness at the moment, and it is doubtful whether +prolongation of our training in England would have been beneficial. We +felt somewhat ignorant of many practical points affecting trench +warfare, into which the fighting on most of the Western front had +degenerated, and though we had received useful hints from Major Hume, +who had been out, we yet had a great deal to learn; this we did in +France, in the hard school of bitter experience. Whatever our +shortcomings, we felt proud indeed to belong to the first complete +Territorial Division to embark for France. + +At this time the personnel of Battalion and Company Headquarters were +as follows:-- + + Commanding Officer.--Lieut.-Colonel G. H. Fowler. + Second-in-Command.--Major A. C. Clarke. + Adjutant.--Capt. E. N. T. Collin. + Medical Officer.--Surg.-Captain H. Stallard. + Chaplain.--Rev. J. P. Hales. + Quarter-Master.--Capt. R. F. B. Hodgkinson. + Transport Officer.--Lieut. C. Davenport. + Machine-Gun Officer.--Lieut. A. F. O. Dobson. + A Company--(formerly E and F Companies). + Capt. A. L. Ashwell; Lieuts. G. S. + Heathcote, H. Kirby, and F. B. Lawson; + 2nd Lieuts. J. V. Edge, and E. M. Hacking; + Comp. Sergt.-Major A. Mabbott; Comp. + Quar.-Master Sergt. E. Haywood. + B " (formerly B and H Companies). + Capt. J. P. Becher; Capt. J. K. Lane; + Lieut. J. W. Turner; 2nd Lieuts. W. H. + Hollins, J. R. Eddison and B. W. Vann; + Comp. Sergt.-Major W. Mounteney; Comp. + Quar.-Master Sergt. S. C. L. Shelton. + C " (formerly C and D Companies). + Capt. M. C. Martyn; Capt. H. G. Wright; + Lieuts. H. B. S. Handford and R. H. + Piggford; 2nd Lieuts. A. Hacking and + T. H. F. Adams; Comp. Sergt.-Major + E. Hopkinson; Comp. Quar.-Master Sergt. + J. R. Dench. + D " (formerly A and G Companies). + Capt. W. H. Allen; Lieuts. E. C. A. James + and W. C. C. Weetman; 2nd Lieuts. + J. M. Gray, C. L. Hill and J. S. C. Oates. + Comp. Sergt-.Major F. Spencer; Comp. + Quar.-Master Sergt. F. A. Pritchard. + + Acting Regimental Sergt.-Major.--E. A. Westerman. + Regimental Quar.-Master Sergt.--D. Tomlin. + Armourer Quar.-Master Sergt.--R. A. G. Loughman. + Signalling Sergt.--W. Burton. + Machine-Gun Sergt.--F. Parker. + Transport Sergt.--C. Green. + Sergt. Drummer.--W. Clewes. + Provost Sergt.--G. Phillipson. + Sergt.-Cook.--S. Wiffen. + Pioneer Sergt.--J. Caddy. + Acting Sergt.-Tailor.--H. A. Huckerby. + Sergt.-Shoemaker.--G. H. Fletcher. + Orderly Room Sergt.--F. Torrance. + Orderly Room Sergt. (Base).--E. Kirkby. + Orderly Room Clerk.--Corpl. R. Harvey. + Non-Commissioned Officer i/c Stretcher Bearers.--Corpl. R. F. Bescoby. + Medical Orderly.--Corpl. B. Sissons. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +FRANCE + + _February 25th, 1915._ _June 20th, 1915._ + + +As soon as the detrainment was completed, we proceeded on board the +"Mount Temple," with certain Royal Field Artillery Details, the ship +being under the command of Major Kent, R.F.A. At 6.30 p.m. we dropped +down to Netley, imagining we were off, instead of which we anchored +there for the night. The greater part of the next day, February 26th, +was spent on board in physical and other exercises and inspections. +Late in the afternoon, much to our surprise, orders were received that +21 Officers and 763 other ranks were to disembark, presumably because +it was not desirable for so many troops to cross on a slow going boat +like the "Mount Temple." Having left on board Major Clarke, Capt. +Ashwell, and Lieut. Heathcote with two-and-a-half platoons of A +Company, and Capts. Hodgkinson and Davenport with the Signal, +Transport and Machine-Gun Sections, the remainder of us disembarked +about 6.30 p.m., and proceeded to a Rest Camp about three miles +outside Southampton. It was very disappointing to be split up, but +there was nothing to be done but to make the best of it. We cannot say +that our two days' stay at the Rest Camp was exactly enjoyable, for +the camp was uncomfortable, and no passes were allowed to the town. We +therefore fully appreciated the kindness of the ladies of the St. John +Ambulance Association, who had huts near the camp, and gave us most +excellent meals. + +On February 28th, a further contingent of 101 men under Captain Becher +embarked on the "Caledonian," and later in the day the rest of us went +on board a small Clyde pleasure steamer, the "King Edward," where we +were crowded beyond description. Neither party sailed, however, that +day, and we spent the night on board. The next day those on the "King +Edward" had to disembark once again! This took place early in the +morning, and after a little wandering we ultimately obtained billets +for the Officers at the Central Hotel, and for the men at the Watt +Memorial Hall. + +In the end we embarked on the "King Edward" on the afternoon of March +2nd, and sailed the same night. There was so much to interest everyone +until we got out to sea that we had little time in which to indulge +sentimental feelings. That gliding down Southampton Water in silence +broken only by the throbbing of the engines, with lights out, sentries +posted, and in some cases Machine-Guns mounted, the sudden appearance +out of the darkness from somewhere off the Isle of Wight of a +destroyer to pilot us across the Channel, the challenge to the ship as +to who we were, and the order to "carry on," the numberless rays of +searchlights sweeping around on all sides--such was the start of our +great expedition, precisely the same, no doubt, as that of most other +troops who crossed during the war. + +We had an excellent crossing and anchored off Havre early the +following morning, disembarking about 7.30 a.m. The morning was spent +amongst the hangars at the docks, drawing sheep-skin coats and other +equipment. Here we were met by Major Clarke who reported that Capt. +Ashwell with two platoons had already proceeded up country, and that +they had all had a very uncomfortable time at Havre, sleeping in +trucks or wherever they could. They had been joined by M. Lacolle, who +was to be attached to the Battalion as Interpreter. After dinner we +marched down to our entraining point, and were able to entrain more or +less at leisure during the afternoon--our first experience of a +French Troop train. Later on we got accustomed to their ideas, but +certainly for the men, and often for Officers too, the French way is +not quite in accordance with our own ideas, and we must confess it +went very much against the grain to have to crowd 36 to 40 men in +nothing more or less than a cattle truck. "Hommes 40: Chevaux 8," may +be all right for the "Chevaux," but for the "Hommes" we consider a +revised number is required. + +During these first few hours spent at Havre we learnt to appreciate +the Y.M.C.A. huts, which supplied much excellent refreshment, and the +Officers will certainly not forget the delicious tea and cakes so +generously provided by Mrs. Pitt. + +We left for the North at 5.15 p.m. At Rouen a halt was made for the +engine to take in water, and ourselves coffee and rum. The taste of +the latter was new to most of us, but we liked it well enough to hope +that we might make its acquaintance again. Early in the morning of +March 4th, we had a short "halte repas" at Abbeville for breakfast, +and continuing via Calais and St. Omer we eventually, about 1 p.m., +after a 20 hours journey, detrained at Cassel, which if tradition does +not lie, was the happy hunting ground of the good old Duke of York, +who + + "Had ten thousand men, + He marched 'em up to the top of the hill, + And he marched 'em down again." + +If the English Tommy of those days was anything like the modern "Old +Bill" he probably had something pointed to say about the Hill of +Cassel, and was equally unappreciative of the magnificent view one got +from its summit! + +Capt. Ashwell met us at the Station and acted as our guide to the +little village of Oudezeele, which we reached about 5 o'clock after a +trying seven miles' march. The men were tired after their long, +cramped journey; many wore new boots, whilst all were weighed down +with enormous packs, which had been added to by the newly drawn +sheep-skin coats. It was not surprising that under such conditions +many fell out, and that most of us were thoroughly weary by the time +we reached our destination. Ashwell and his party too, had not had a +pleasant time. Strangers in a strange land without Battalion, Brigade +or Divisional Headquarters--or any of the other luxuries which make +life worth living--they had found existence rather precarious. Ashwell +himself had walked 45 miles in three days in search of rations, so +that our arrival with the transport was more than welcome. + +We found our billets rather strange after the houses and cottages to +which we had become accustomed in England, as they consisted mostly of +scattered farms, several platoons and sometimes a whole Company or +more being billeted at one farm, generally in barns. + +Capt. Becher and his party arrived late the following day, having been +kept three days on the "Caledonian," and the Battalion was once more +complete. As the rest of the Brigade had crossed before us and had +already gone up for trench instruction, we were temporarily attached +to the Lincoln and Leicester Brigade. + +We spent a few days training at Oudezeele, including one or two route +marches to get accustomed to the _pavé_ roads, and Edge, as newly +appointed Sniping Officer, gave a little special instruction in that +branch of warfare. We had a visit from Major-General Stuart-Wortley, +who discussed the training to be carried out, and our coming duties in +the trenches. The weather was very cold, and a good deal of work was +in the shape of lectures in billets, and the reading of various +routine and other orders issued to troops on arrival. + +It was during one of our route marches in this district, which took us +through the little village of Wormhoudt, that we made our first +acquaintance with French troops. Many of them were back resting in +billets, and the warm welcome they gave us as we passed through the +narrow streets of the village crowded with French "poilus," the whole +Battalion whistling the "Marseillaise," was an experience which will +not be readily forgotten. + +On March 9th, we marched with the Lincoln and Leicester Brigade via +Cassel, Caestre (where General Smith-Dorrien saw us march past), and +Strazeele to Merris, where we joined up with the rest of our Brigade, +back from their course of instruction in the trenches. Fortunately the +fur coats which had caused us so much trouble on the last march were +now carried for us by motor 'bus. At Merris we saw our first real +signs of fighting, both the Church and the Hospice having been hit +several times by shells, whilst there were isolated graves of both +French and English scattered about the surrounding country. Here too, +we saw our first "fighting" aeroplane (armed with one short French +Rifle), which had crashed just outside the village. It was also at +Merris that we had our first experience of paying a Company "in the +Field." Instructions on the subject had led us to believe that this +was a complicated performance, but in practice it turned out to be +quite easy. Company "Imprests" were at a later date done away with and +a Battalion Imprest instituted, which was much more convenient, as +also was the very handy "Officer's Advance Book," which was introduced +later. At first there seemed but little check on the money that was +drawn, and Field Cashiers appeared to issue money to all and sundry on +the flimsiest authority. + +Preparations were being made about this time for a British offensive +at Neuve Chapelle, and our Brigade was attached temporarily to +General Gough's 2nd Cavalry Division, with the object, if the attack +succeeded, of breaking through in the region of the Bois du Biez. In +order to be nearer the scene of operations we were moved from Merris +at an hour's notice at noon on March 10th, and marched via Rouge Croix +to Bac-St. Maur. This was a memorable experience, but later on we +became accustomed to rapid movement, and the great concentration of +troops which was necessary when fighting was imminent. Transport +marched brigaded, and in passing through Sailly-sur-Lys in the +darkness seemed to be so mixed up in the seething mass of men that we +almost began to doubt if they would ever extricate themselves. Under +the guiding hand and voice of Capt. Davenport, however, our Transport +eventually got clear. During this operation "Davvy" evidently made a +great impression on one soldier (a Regular), by his forcible language, +as the latter was heard to remark "There's a bloke what knows 'is +job." Confusion was great in Bac-St. Maur too, for when we got there, +the billets which we had been allotted were still occupied by +Canadians. Eventually, we all got shelter of a kind, in probably the +dirtiest and poorest billets we ever had either in France or Belgium. +This was our first meeting with our Canadian friends, and we can +hardly say we were impressed, though we all knew well what they were +made of. We have specially vivid recollections of one Canadian sentry +on duty at night opposite D Company's billet, evidently "well away," +loosing off his rifle at intervals, apparently to let us know that he +was "present and correct." One bullet was close enough to be +unpleasant, and fetched a lump off the tree just outside the window. +In this area we were nearer to the line than we had yet been, some of +our guns firing from quite close to the village, and we found it an +interesting experience to see for the first time an aeroplane being +shelled. + +We stood by for two days, ready to move at a moment's notice, hearing +much of the noise of the battle. The attack, however, was not +successful and the Bois du Biez plan, therefore, fell through. On +March 13th, we got orders to move to fresh billets. We had to travel +light as we were still regarded as a "flying column." Much superfluous +kit was left behind, to be sent for later on, and the weird bundles +left at the Estaminet at Bac-St. Maur will not readily be forgotten. +We marched that afternoon _via_ Estaires to Neuf Berquin, where we had +again to be content with rather crowded, if somewhat more comfortable +billets than we had left. + +One or two changes in personnel had already taken place. Capt. +Hodgkinson gave up the appointment of Quar.-Master owing to some +technicalities, and for the moment acted as Censor. In this capacity +he was obliged, to our great annoyance, to carry out the order to +relieve us of our cameras, which were sent home,--no doubt on the +whole a wise and necessary precaution. Capt. Hodgkinson was succeeded +as Quar.-Master by Lieut. Torrance, who was destined, with a short +break in 1918, to carry out the duties up to the end of the war. He +performed them with much success, and in a way that only Torrance +could. On his appointment as Quar. Master, the Orderly Room came under +the charge of Corpl. R. Harvey, who carried out his difficult task +with the utmost devotion, without a break until the last man of the +Battalion was demobilised. Second Lieut. G. W. Fosbery, who received +his Commission as we were about to cross to France, took over his +platoon from Handford, who as Signalling Officer had enough other work +to keep him busy. + +We stayed at Neuf Berquin for ten days and did a considerable amount +of useful training, but unfortunately at this time many men were sick, +owing to the bad water, so that parades were somewhat small. In +addition to continued route marches to keep feet in condition we +practised formations for advancing through woods in the Bois d'Aval, +open warfare attack under the watchful eye of General Gough, and +several trench-to-trench attacks on the leap-frog principle, the first +line capturing and holding the front trench, and other lines passing +through them to attack the support trenches. We also began to practise +making and throwing the old "jam-tin bomb," the beginning of the +attack of "bomb fever," which unfortunately was to play such a +prominent part in the warfare of the next two or three years, +undoubtedly to the detriment of all sound training and tactics. + +Arrangements had meanwhile been made for our initiation into the +mysteries of real trench warfare, and with that object in view we were +moved on March 24th, to Vieux Berquin, and on the 26th, across the +frontier to Romarin in Belgium, being once more attached to the +Lincoln and Leicester Brigade. Much to our regret the rum issue was +stopped the next day! + +We were attached for instruction to the 10th Infantry Brigade, 4th +Division, and the programme arranged allowed each Company to spend two +nights in the trenches, with a break of 24 hours in billets. The +Battalions to which we were attached included the Royal Irish Rifles, +2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 2nd +Seaforth Highlanders, and 2nd Royal Warwicks, who held the trenches +about Ploegsteert and opposite Messines. + +The first night each Officer and man studied the work of his +counterpart in the Battalion to which he was attached, and the second +night platoons were allotted definite lengths of trench, for which +they were held responsible. This first experience was not exactly full +of incident, as on the whole we had a very quiet time, but for us, as +for all others on their first visit to the line, many little +incidents of everyday trench routine were novel and exciting. +Recollection lingers on the long, slow tramp to the trenches, along +corduroy tracks in thick darkness lighted up from time to time by Very +lights from our own trenches and by the infinitely superior ones from +the enemy (we recollect that some of us, faithful to our instructions, +but slightly misguided, began ducking quite five miles behind the line +when a flare went up), the constant order to keep closed up, the whizz +of bullets, at every one of which we ducked instantly, the cracking of +rifles, the 'dead cow' smell which afterwards became so painfully +familiar, the arrival at the trenches and the posting of sentries. +Later the cautious creeping over the parapet to look at the wire and +at dawn stand-to, followed by the frizzling of bacon and the brewing +of tea (in these days each side had a more or less respectable +breakfast, evidenced by the columns of smoke that went up from the +respective front line trenches directly after stand-down). Such +incidents we feel sure were sufficiently novel at the time to impress +themselves vividly on the memories of those whom a kindly fate has +preserved to read these recollections. + +Probably the most uncanny feeling some of us had was, when on starting +from Battalion Headquarters for the trenches, we met a stretcher party +carrying out one of our own men, Comp. Sergt.-Major Hopkinson, who had +been wounded by a sniper, and was our first casualty. It was an +experience that everyone had to go through, but it was not pleasant. +Hopkinson and two men of D Company wounded by shell fire were our only +casualties during our instructional tours. That we did not make a bad +impression is attested by a letter written from an Officer of the 2nd +Seaforths, who says:--"I thought your Officers and men most awfully +keen, and I was immensely struck by the way your men came into the +trench--no noise at all, and perfect discipline and quietness and +keenness. They were awfully willing to act up to any small suggestions +you made as to what they ought to do. They came in so much better than +Regulars, and I was genuinely filled with admiration for them. They +were a splendid body of men." It is, perhaps, needless to say that we +on our part much appreciated the great kindness shewn us by the units +to which we were attached. Those of us who happened to be in or near +Petit Douvre Farm during this attachment were much interested in +finding some of the early drawings of Bairnsfather, as done for the +"Bystander." The interior walls of the farm were covered with his +charcoal sketches, in some cases to the order of Commanding Officers +who were to follow! It was at the same farm that Pvte. Cottam, of D +Company, acted as head butcher in the slaughter of an abandoned pig, +causing a good deal of excitement before final despatch. Most of the +men brought away with them "souveneers" of this first visit, none more +unaccountable than the dud 77 mm. shell carried about in his pack for +several days, by a sturdy sanitary man of A Company--in fact, until +discovered by a rather alarmed Company Commander. + +On March 31st, we left Romarin, and marched back to our old billets at +Vieux Berquin, being met at Doulieu and escorted from there by the 6th +Battalion band. Only one band had been allowed to come out with the +Brigade, and after some discussion that of the 6th Battalion was +selected, and carried on up to the end of the war, virtually as a +Brigade Band. + +Orders were received on April 1st, for our Division to take over its +first portion of the British front in relief of the 28th Division, and +on April 2nd we marched with the rest of the Brigade via Bailleul to +Locre, in Belgium. As few, if any of us, had ever studied Flemish, the +language question in some of the villages of Flanders presented a +little difficulty, but with his guiding principle of "tout-de-suite, +and the touter the sweeter," the British Tommy never seemed to have +any trouble in getting what he wanted. We were disposed to think +sometimes that the Belgians did not look very kindly on us. Perhaps it +was because in our early days we were rather inclined to take too much +notice of the frequent reports we heard of supposed Belgian spies, and +of Belgians being in communication by various means with the Boche on +the other side of the lines. One well remembers the suggestion made +from time to time that signalling was carried on by means of the +windmill on Mont Rouge, or by the display of washing laid out to dry +on the ground by Belgian housewives. At any rate we did find a house +at Locre, where a number of pigeons were kept, a fact which aroused +the suspicions of some of the Officers of D Company, and in the same +house were discovered quantities of British stores of all kinds, which +must have been got from our troops in a not too straightforward +manner. Some of the inhabitants, too, treated us with scant courtesy. +It was here that the lady of the establishment removed the handle from +the pump where Sergt. Markham's platoon was billeted, and not content +with that went a step further, and for some reason best known to +herself, gave him a cold douche when asleep one night. Some of us, on +the other hand, were more fortunate in our billets, and all who went +to the Hospice can have nothing but the most pleasant recollections of +the great kindness of the Mother Superior and other ladies. Padre +Hales, who left us to be attached to Brigade Headquarters, when we +crossed to France, was billeted there with our Field Ambulance, and we +were allowed to go there for baths when out of the line, and always +received much kindness and hospitality. Unfortunately during the +German onslaught in 1918, this delightful place was completely +destroyed. The bathing arrangements in general at this time were +somewhat poor, the nearest military baths being at Bailleul, about +four miles away, so that we were very delighted at receiving during +our stay at Locre, from Miss Gilstrap, of Winthorpe, Newark, three +galvanised iron baths, with boiler complete. With these and other +local devices we were able to get the men bathed at their own billets, +which was a great boon. Another similar consignment from Mrs. John +Becher, unfortunately got lost in the post, but we trust was of +benefit to some other unit. + +[Illustration: THE AVENUE, KEMMEL, 1915. _Reproduced by permission of +Lieut.-Col. C. W. Birkin, C.M.G., T.D._] + +In the afternoon of Easter Eve, April 3rd, we attended a Church +Parade, taken by the Bishop of London, of which many of us have bitter +recollections, as owing to a mistake in Divisional Orders, we were +rigged out in full marching order. Further, as it was a damp and windy +day, few of us could hear a word of the address, and all wanted to get +as much sleep as possible in view of the great adventure before us. +The same night, which turned out to be miserably wet, we left Locre, +to take over the trench sector in front of Kemmel held by the 1st +Devons. Company Commanders had already been in the trenches for 24 +hours to get the lie of the land, and they, together with the guides +of the Devons, met us at the appointed rendezvous, the celebrated band +stand at Kemmel. There were, of course, no lights; rations and trench +fuel, which had been taken up by the Transport, were issued in +sandbags, and water in petrol tins, and each platoon was then led off +by itself. When one looks back on trench reliefs, one is inclined to +wonder how on some occasions they were carried out at all, the +possibilities of going wrong seemed so great. In the present case, +however, nothing untoward happened, and we set off by our various +routes to the front line, passing such favourite spots as the "Sahara +Desert" (the final resting place of every bullet fired within a radius +of five miles, or so it seemed), the "Willows," "Irish Farm" or "The +Orchard," and into the G and H trenches. In our heavy greatcoats and +with full packs, which we continued religiously to carry for many +months for no apparent reason, the journey was not pleasant, and we +were not sorry to get into the trenches, where the relief was +completed about 11 p.m. C Company being mainly composed of miners and +under the command of a Mining Engineer, were put in the right sector +where was our only mine, much to the relief of, at least, one Company +Commander, who had mental visions of a mine as a large black cavern, +where hand-to-hand fighting went on incessantly! A Company had the +centre and D Company the left, B Company occupying the two supporting +points and billets in Kemmel Village. Battalion Headquarters were at +the Doctor's house in Kemmel, and the Transport and Quar.-Master's +Stores remained at Locre. + +There was practically only one trench line at this time, and this, +like most of the trenches in Belgium and the low lying districts, was +a line of breastworks with very little wire in front, and only one or +two small supporting points. The opposing front lines varied from 25 +to about 300 yards apart, being closest at "Peckham Corner," on the +right. Shelters were built mostly of timber and corrugated iron, +strengthened with sandbags, and were generally in the parados of the +trench. + +Easter day--our first day holding a bit of line on our own--was fairly +quiet, except for a little shelling of D Company on the left during +the afternoon. On the right, some men of C Company sang hymns, and the +enemy made overtures for a truce by showing a white flag. About 40 of +them appeared on the parapet, and a brisk conversation ensued for +several minutes across "No Man's Land." A somewhat unflattering remark +from one of the enemy who had a wonderful knowledge of forcible +English, ended the armistice rather hurriedly. + +On most nights during these early days of the war, each side had its +turn at five or ten rounds "rapid" to relieve the monotony of things. +In this we were on equal terms with the enemy, but during the day we +were hopelessly outclassed owing to the great shortage of periscopes, +and the lack of telescopic rifles and well constructed loophole +plates, of all of which the Hun seemed to have an abundant supply. It +was long before we got anything like adequate numbers of these very +necessary trench requisites. It was not surprising, therefore, that +for some time the Boche snipers had the upper hand and could do almost +what they liked. Their shooting was extremely accurate, and as the +trenches were enfiladed on all sides, and there was in many cases +little parados, we soon had casualties, most of which were sentries +shot through the head. Our first fatal casualty was Pvte. Hyde, of A +Company, shot in this way on April 6th. We were also short and +entirely inexperienced in the use of rifle grenades and trench +mortars, with which the enemy made very good practice. A large trench +mortar certainly did find its way up to the trenches by some means one +day, and provided considerable amusement to our men. It is reported to +have dropped its first bomb into the enemy trench, and its second into +our own--its erratic behaviour ultimately making it no doubt more +annoying to ourselves than to the enemy. Lieuts. A. Hacking and +Hollins were the pioneers in the use of rifle grenades, with which +they eventually did good work at "Peckham Corner." + +After a tour of four days which were most uncomfortable owing to +constant rain, we returned to Locre. The system of four days in +trenches and four in billets, taking turns with the 6th Battalion, +continued for some time with little variation. When out of the line +we, of course, had to find those never-to-be-forgotten working +parties, which had become part of the normal trench warfare system. +Having had a hard four days in the trenches, it was never a pleasant +duty to have to march up three or four miles on one or perhaps two +nights out of our few days' rest, to do a job for the Royal Engineers +or some other specialists in the trenches. Otherwise, our stays at +Locre were fairly pleasant. There were no great attractions, but we +had enough to do as a rule in general training and cleaning, and the +country round about was extremely pleasant, either for walking or +riding. Perhaps the greatest excitement was to go down to Bailleul to +shop and call on "Tina." Such luxuries as Canteens for supplying the +wants of the inner man were quite unknown in these early days, when we +had to rely mainly on parcels from home or purchases in the local +towns. + +Work in the trenches consisted mainly of strengthening or rebuilding +the parapet and parados, and in putting out barbed wire defences. As a +rule, we wanted far more sandbags than were ever forthcoming, but in +these days they were used indiscriminately, and in consequence many +very weak structures were built, which could not possibly stand +without support through a single wet season. The barbed wire defences +were very poor, and as soon as we got into the way of doing it much +time was spent in that not too pleasant work, for Boche snipers +did execution by night as well as by day, and made themselves +very objectionable. Our entanglements consisted mainly of +"knife-rests"--wooden frames strung with barbed wire. These were made +by the men in the Brigade workshop at Kemmel, run by Major Wordsworth, +the Staff Captain, to which each Battalion contributed a quota of +pioneers and trade specialists. One Officer learnt a very practical +lesson in their use from the enemy. He had some carefully placed in +position one night, where he thought his wire particularly weak, but +his spirits fell to zero the following morning, when on looking over +the top he saw his precious knife-rests in position guarding the Boche +trenches opposite! From that time onwards knife-rests were securely +fastened to each other and to the ground. Our Brigade (hereafter known +as the 139th Infantry Brigade) had a good reputation for trench work, +and the digging element was used to great advantage by the 6th +Battalion commencing what was one of the first long communication +trenches dug on the British front. It extended from the front line +nearly back to Kemmel and was for ever known as the "Via Gellia." In +its later stages it was worked on by ourselves. This trench was a +great convenience, as it enabled reliefs to be carried out much more +securely by avoiding going over the open, and permitted of visits of +inspection to be made by daylight, and the wounded to be carried back +to the dressing station at Kemmel. In the early days they remained in +the trenches until it was dark enough for the journey to be made over +the top. + +On April 22nd, we experienced a little of the backwash of the first +Hun gas attack against the French and Canadians in the Ypres Salient a +few miles North of us. During most of the time we had been in this +area there had been considerable activity in that quarter, and the +shelling and burning of Ypres could be plainly seen from the Kemmel +trenches. This attack was the beginning of the second battle of Ypres. +The only effect on ourselves of the gas used on this occasion, was to +make our eyes smart and a few men sick. It did, however, cause a +commotion on all sides, and with unaccustomed speed, the first +consignment of respirators was sent out to us--pieces of gauze which +had to be filled with tea-leaves, damped, and fastened round the mouth +in the event of attack. These were improved from time to time, and a +little later we got a gas-proof smoke helmet--the earliest form known +as "P," and the later as "P.H." Vermorel sprayers were also provided +in due course, and some solution for spraying the trenches to clear +them of gas. Bells and gongs formed of shell cartridge cases or pieces +of iron were also hung in the trenches to be sounded by the sentry if +any sign of cloud gas was seen. There was perhaps a natural tendency +to imagine gas when there was none, and an official report of gas by C +Company on the night of May 8th, was found to be due to the proximity +of a dead cow. + +April 24th witnessed our first serious bombardment. We had already had +several somewhat severe baptisms, but they were trifling in +comparison. About 6 p.m., after an exceptionally quiet day, and just +before we were to be relieved, the enemy began an organised trench +mortar bombardment of G1 and 2, occupied by platoons of C and D +Companies, and H 4 held by Lieut. Vann and his platoon of B Company. +It lasted for about an hour, and made large breaches in the parapet of +G1 and 2, and practically demolished the whole of H 4, a small +isolated trench on the extreme left, opposite Petit Bois. Both these +trenches were completely enfiladed by the Boche, so that their +shooting was extremely accurate. It was thought at one time that the +enemy might attempt a raid on G1 and 2, but this did not develop. A +Machine Gun team consisting of L.-Corpl. Sharrock and Pvtes. Hopewell +and Davis, which was posted in G1, behaved most coolly, and Sergt. A. +Phillipson, of D Company, did very gallant work in the same trench +under heavy fire with Pvtes. Coombes and Durand, all in a more or less +dazed condition, helping to dig out the wounded. On the left Vann and +his platoon had a very bad time. Whilst he was digging out wounded a +bomb fell close by, killing four and burying three others, and blowing +Vann himself several yards across the open at the back of the trench, +and practically wiping out the garrison. Major Becher brought up +reinforcements and helped Vann to get the position made good, and +great assistance was given by 2nd Lieut. Hollins and L.-Corpl. +Humberstone. Pvtes. F. Boothby and A. Gleaden of B Company also did +excellent work, helping to dig out and dress the wounded, most of the +time in full view of the enemy, not more than 70 yards away. The 2nd +Royal Scots on our immediate left, also gave us valuable assistance. +Our total casualties during the hour's bombardment were 14 men killed +and two Officers (Vann and Gray), and 14 men wounded. When we were +back at Locre after this tour, General Shipley spoke to the Battalion +on parade and thanked them for the good work done, especially +congratulating Vann, and on the following day the General Officer +Commanding our Division also congratulated the Battalion on its +behaviour under fire. + +Several changes took place during April, owing to casualties. Capt. +Allen went down sick on April 6th, and Lieut. James took over the +command of D Company until the 14th, when Capt. Hodgkinson was +appointed. He, however, also had a short stay there, for on April +22nd, when in an excess of zeal to see what was going on opposite G1, +where some suspicious work was reported, he apparently thought he +could sufficiently camouflage himself behind a pair of field glasses +to gaze over the top of the parapet, the almost immediate result was a +bullet which just grazed his head, and he, too, had to leave us. D +Company then came under Capt. Lane. Second Lieut. Eddison, our first +fatal Officer casualty, was killed on April 21st, being hit by a +bullet whilst out wiring, and though help was instantly rendered by +Drummers Newton and Robb, who pulled him out of the shell-hole of +water, into which he had fallen, and carried him into the trench, he +died in a few minutes. Four Officers were down for a short time with +measles, including Capt. Martyn, who unfortunately was invalided +to England, and was succeeded in command of C Company, by Capt. +H. G. Wright. Martyn served later in Ireland and France, as +Second-in-Command of the 2/8th Battalion and in command of the 2/7th +Battalion, and won the D.S.O. and M.C. Lieut. Lawson got a shell wound +in the shoulder and had to leave, and 2nd Lieuts. Gray and Vann also +had to be in hospital for a short time from what was later known as +"shell-shock." A great loss, too, was Sergt. Wilmore, a very gallant +soldier, who was sniped one day when outside his trench. + +May found us beginning to feel our feet. The Commanding Officer had +talks with Officers as to a more aggressive attitude being taken up; +we had a lecture from Major Howard, R.E., at Kemmel as to the +construction of an invisible loophole, low down in the parapet, and so +built as to afford a good field of fire and permit of our replying +better to the Hun snipers. Sergt.-Drummer Clewes also got into action +with his telescopic rifle from sniping posts cunningly placed behind +the front line, the only possible position from which really +successful sniping could be done, and was not long in getting quite a +good "bag." Shortly afterwards he was put in charge of the +newly-formed Brigade Sniping Section. A trench mortar was actually got +into use, and did a certain amount of damage to the Boche trenches, +but naturally produced considerable retaliation. Further efforts to +fire rifle grenades met with some success, whilst a "Gamage" catapult +introduced to throw bombs provided, at any rate, a little amusement. +In patrolling considerable progress was made. Second Lieut. A. Hacking +did some very daring work at "Peckham Corner," and near Petit Bois; +2nd Lieut. Hollins and L.-Corpls. Heath and G. Gadd of B Company made +splendid reconnaissances of the enemy's wire; and 2nd Lieut. Edge, who +was always to the fore in wiring, no matter how bright the night, +carried out a daring daylight reconnaissance, the first attempted in +the Battalion, getting nearly up to the German front line in company +with Pvte. C. E. Bryan, of A Company. Pvte. W. O'Brien, of the same +Company, was another who knew no danger; in fact, at night it was +difficult to keep these two men in the trench at all. Daring patrols +were also carried out by 2nd Lieut. Vann, Sergt. Pickering and +L.-Corpl. Humberstone. Perhaps the most successful was a fighting +patrol, which went out on the night of May 9-10th under 2nd Lieut. +Oates, with the object of rounding up a Hun patrol. Oates, who had a +party of six men with him, went forward with Pvte. Nicholson, leaving +the remainder behind, to within about 50 yards of the German wire. On +their way back they ran into a Boche patrol. Oates promptly shot one +man, Nicholson bayoneted another, whilst two others who were wounded +got away. Oates and his party got back safely. + +On May 14th, we carried out one of those little manoeuvres which may +have been of immense importance, but appeared to us at the moment to +be so much waste of time, trouble and energy. Instead of proceeding to +the trenches that night according to programme, we got sudden orders +to "embus" for Hill 60, in the Ypres Salient, to dig there under Royal +Engineers' supervision for the 5th Division. The net result was that +of the 600 who went, 400 dug for one-and-a-half hours, and 200 for +three-quarters-of-an-hour, after which the party returned to Locre in +the 'buses. The idea, doubtless, was a good one, as it was necessary +to dig more trenches where part of our line had given way during the +recent fighting, but the organisation of the work seemed to leave a +good deal to be desired. It was the remnants of a Canadian Battalion +returning from this fighting in the Salient shortly after midnight on +one occasion, whilst we were back at Locre, which made us think we +must have had more than an ordinary nightmare, for we awoke with a +start to hear the strains of a brass band coming along the _pavé_,--at +1 a.m. such a proceeding seemed decidedly strange. It was not long, +however, before we found that all was well, and that it was our own +Brigade Band playing the Canadians through the village. This was +evidently appreciated by them, for one of their number in a letter to +the _Daily Telegraph_, after describing the magic effect of the music +on his men, concludes with the remark: "The Canadians will remember +how the band of the Sherwood Foresters played them through the +darkness at midnight out of 'Bloody Ypres.'" + +About the middle of May we began reliefs with the 7th Battalion, and +our sector was extended slightly left to include some of the J +trenches opposite Petit Bois. An interesting entry in the War Diary is +that May 16th, the day following relief, was the first day absolutely +free from casualties since we took over our portion of the line. This, +however, must have been an exceptional day, for bad luck so far as +casualties went pursued us with great regularity. Capt. Lane was badly +wounded on May 26th, when out wiring, and the command of D Company +then passed to Lieut. James. Capt. H. G. Wright, to the great regret +of his friends in all ranks was killed on June 6th, being shot, +through the double loophole plate from which he was firing, and was +succeeded in command of C Company by Capt. G. S. Heathcote. Lieuts. +Kirby and Weetman and 2nd Lieut. Fosbery were wounded in May, and 2nd +Lieut. Oates early in June, and all had to leave the Battalion. Capt. +Ashwell and 2nd Lieut. Edge were also slightly wounded. Our only +reinforcement Officers were 2nd Lieuts. N. L. Hindley and G. G. +Elliott. Comp. Sergt.-Major Mabbott, of A Company, was invalided to +the Base, and was succeeded by Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. Haywood, +Sergt. G. W. Godfrey being promoted Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. in +his place. Comp. Sergt.-Major Mounteney, B Company, was invalided to +England and Sergt. Chappell was appointed Comp. Sergt.-Major of that +Company. Sergt. J. A. Green was appointed Comp. Sergt.-Major of C +Company in place of Comp. Sergt.-Major Hopkinson wounded, and Sergt. +T. Powell became Comp. Sergt.-Major of D Company after Comp. +Sergt.-Major Spencer left, also wounded. The latter obtained a +Commission some time later, only to be killed in France when doing +excellent work in command of a Company of another Battalion of the +Regiment. A change had also taken place in the Brigade Staff, Major E. +M. Morris, the Brigade Major, who had worked so strenuously all +through our period of training in England, and done so much to help us +in learning our job in France, having left on June 1st, to take +command of the 2nd Royal Irish Rifles. He was succeeded by Major W. G. +Neilson, D.S.O., of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. + +Early in June we moved still further left and took over more of the J +and K trenches, with the reserve company at Siege Farm, and Battalion +Headquarters at Rossignol Farm. Our numbers at this time were swelled +by the presence of a Company of the 8th King's Royal Rifle Corps who +were attached for instruction--the first of Kitchener's Army that we +had seen. + +[Illustration: SKETCH SHEWING ARRANGEMENT OF MINE GALLERIES.] + +Our severest handling in the Kemmel area occurred on the last day of +our last tour there, and was begun by the blowing of enemy mines, a +form of warfare which had already developed considerably at various +points along the battle front. Tunnelling Companies of the Royal +Engineers had been formed, but their numbers were not sufficient to +cope with all the work, and in order to help them Mining Sections were +formed in some of the Infantry Brigades as well. From the miners of +the 139th Brigade, it was not difficult to select suitable men for +this purpose, and towards the end of May, a small party was taken from +the Battalion to join the Brigade Mining Section, which was put under +the command of Capt. Piggford. Included in the party were Corpls. Boot +and Attenborough, both of whom later received decorations for +gallantry in underground work. These Brigade Sections were normally +used for defensive mining only--broadly to prevent the enemy blowing +up our trenches. The Royal Engineers' Tunnelling Companies on the +other hand, were employed for offensive work in blowing up the enemy. +Where mining was feared, sentries in the front line had to report at +once if any suspicious sounds were heard, which might indicate that +the enemy were mining in the neighbourhood, in order that protective +measures might be taken. The J trenches, which varied from 30 to 70 +yards away from those of the Boche, were mostly built on water-logged +ground, where to sink shafts and drive galleries was not an easy task. +Nevertheless, for some time signs and sounds had been reported which +seemed to indicate that mining on the part of the enemy was going on +in this very region. Attempts had, therefore, been made by us to sink +shafts and take counter measures, but these had proved unavailing +owing to the bad nature of the ground. The enemy, however, succeeded +where we failed, and on June 15th, exploded three mines, one of which +blew up a portion of J 3 Right. This took place at 9.10 p.m., when the +7th Battalion were just beginning to arrive to relieve us. At the same +time a terrific fire was opened with artillery, trench mortars, rifle +grenades, Machine Guns and rifles, and for over an hour an incessant +cannonade was kept up on our front line, Support Company and Battalion +Dump. Telephone wires were broken--an occurrence looked on later with +less anxiety as it happened so often, and we had no S.O.S. signal; +pigeon service, which had been established in the trenches just before +this time, was, of course, of no avail for night work, and Battalion +Headquarters were out of communication with the trenches except by +runner. Our reply to the bombardment was almost negligible, and +whatever the politicians and their statistics may prove, we know that +our supply of gun ammunition at this time was totally inadequate. Some +of the enemy got into the mine crater, but were driven out by C +Company at the point of the bayonet. Pvte. J. Sharman, of B Company, +who was practically the only man left in the trench when the enemy +tried to occupy it, shot one and drove off another, both of them +having attacked him at the same time. He was hit on the leg by a dud +bomb, and got a bullet through his haversack. Excellent work was +also done by Corpl. Humberstone in reorganising the garrison, and by +L.-Corpl. Templeman and Pvte. Tongue in repairing telephone wires. +Eventually things quietened down, and when the relief was complete, we +returned to Locre for a few days' well-earned rest. Our casualties +were unfortunately heavy, and included two excellent Officers, Eric +Dobson and Humphrey Hollins, also Corpl. Wilcox and eight men killed, +and 29 wounded, whilst the 6th King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, +some of whom were in the trenches with us for instruction, also lost +several men. + +[Illustration: MAP SHEWING KEMMEL SECTOR SPRING. 1915.] + +This was one of the earliest raids that ever took place, and was +planned doubtless to inflict casualties and secure prisoners, but not +to capture trenches. One man of D Company is reported to have blamed +this affair for the loss of a pair of boots, as he assured his Platoon +Commander at a kit inspection a little later "that they were lost when +that there mine at Kemmel went up!" As no man had more than one pair +at a time the Platoon Commander scratched his head. + +Thus ended our stay in the Kemmel sector, which was taken over by the +50th (Northumbrian) Division. We were now beginning to feel quite "old +hands," but our experience had been dearly bought. We had lost heavily +and were sadly in need of a draft, for to balance our total casualties +in other ranks of 49 killed or died of wounds, and 120 wounded, we had +so far received only 20 reinforcements. + +The Corps paid a tribute to the work performed by the Brigade during +our stay at Kemmel. Far more valuable, however, were our first +experiences of trench warfare. The meaning and importance of +responsibility and discipline were for the first time really impressed +upon the minds of Officers and men alike. Gradually, if imperceptibly, +they had learnt something of what would be required of them in the +times of fighting ahead. + +Sometimes one is tempted to compare conditions at Kemmel with trench +routine three years later. In the Kemmel days the Platoon Commander +lived with his Platoon, and seldom even visited his Company +Headquarters and he undoubtedly acquired an intimate knowledge of +every man of his Platoon, which was never equalled in later days. This +further bred a sense of responsibility and initiative which was all to +the good at a time when comfort, safety and enterprise depended so +largely on individual initiative. At the same time it must not be +forgotten that in later days Officers and men alike were called upon +to undertake more patrols and raids, and had to suffer far heavier and +more incessant shelling and trench-mortaring than was our general +experience at Kemmel. + +As a school of instruction our time at Kemmel undoubtedly provided a +very valuable lesson not only to Officers, N.C.O.'s and men of the +Battalion, but to Officers of the Brigade and Divisional Staffs, whose +experience of the new form of warfare could hardly have been learnt +under better conditions than those which obtained during our first two +months of trench routine. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE SALIENT + + _June 20th, 1915._ _October 1st, 1915._ + + +The Canadian's description of it as "Bloody Ypres," referring +doubtless to the Salient in general, was very apt, and will be +endorsed by all who ever had the misfortune to sample it at any period +of the war. We have never met anyone who boasted of having found a +"cushy spot" in it, and so far as we ourselves were concerned, the +three months spent in the Salient were very nearly, if not quite, the +hardest months of the war. + +Leaving Locre on the evening of June 20th, we marched with the rest of +the Brigade to the Ouderdom Huts on the Reninghelst--Vlamertinghe +Road. These were the first "huts" ever occupied by the Battalion; they +were absolutely exposed to view, the surroundings being open ploughed +fields, and when the Boche "Sausage" went up "Silent Percy," a German +long-range gun, warned anyone walking about that movement must cease. +There were, however, deep shelter trenches round the huts, which +afforded good protection, and we escaped without casualties, though +the Transport having had a few shells in the horse lines, deemed it +wise to move back a little. We left there on June 23rd, and marching +via Kruistraat and Zillebeke proceeded to "Sanctuary Wood," where we +relieved the 5th East Yorkshires in trenches 7 to 12. These trenches +were good, being both narrow and deep. There was a good deal of +liveliness on both sides, and things were anything but pleasant in the +region of a wood. whose title was something of a misnomer. The +Transport too, had many good runs for their money when bringing up +rations and stores. The congestion on the road each night was intense. +Only one bridge, "14," over the Ypres-Comines Canal was available for +the transport of all units occupying the centre of the Salient, and +the journey from the transport lines to the dump and back, took +something approaching seven hours. We were not particularly envious of +their job here on many occasions, though never once did they fail to +get supplies up to the dump. This was at the South-West corner of +"Sanctuary Wood," and a very unhealthy spot, where we were lucky +indeed in not getting very heavy casualties. There was hardly any +water fit for drinking in the front area, so that one of the water +carts had to be brought up full every night and left in the shelter of +the wood, and the empty one taken back. + +Rain made the trenches very uncomfortable, and we had plenty to do in +keeping them in order, and in building shelters, of which we were very +short. These consisted for the most part of two or more waterproof +sheets laced together, and held in position across the trench, by +stones placed on the ends on the parapet and parados. Little was done +by us in the way of active operations during our first tour, except a +certain amount of patrolling, in which 2nd Lieut. Adams and Pvte. +Needham were the leading lights, and got some useful information. A +Company had rather a bad time, suffering over 20 casualties from +"Whizz-bangs" (77 mm. shells) and salvoes of 5.9's. + +We were relieved on the night of June 29/30th, after a seven days' +tour, by the 5th Lincolns, and moved back to bivouacs at a charming +camp near Poperinghe, where we spent 12 of the most enjoyable days we +ever had in France. The weather was glorious, and we made the most of +it. We were spared strenuous work as far as possible on the very hot +days, but carried out much useful training of a general kind, and +reorganised and refitted all the units in the Battalion. Two new +Officers, 2nd Lieuts. R. E. Hemingway, and E. S. Strachan joined us, +the former eventually succeeding Lieut. A. Hacking, who had just been +appointed our first Battalion Grenade Officer. A draft of 69 men also +arrived, together with 11 rejoined men,--a most acceptable addition to +our numbers. Several quite interesting cricket matches were played, +the last of which, Officers v. N.C.O's., was won by the Officers. We +managed one concert, which was given entirely by our own artistes, and +went off very successfully. Poperinghe was quite close, and though +possessing no great attraction, yet it was a change to walk or if +possible get a horse for the afternoon and ride over there sometimes +to see what was going on, and call on our little friend "Ginger" at +the café, and do any shopping that was wanted. Here for the first time +we encountered a Divisional Troupe, and enjoyed many a pleasant +evening with the 6th Division "Fancies," with their Belgian artistes +"Vaseline" and "Glycerine." But perhaps the greatest source of +pleasure to all ranks now, was that great institution "Leave" which +had just been started. True it was but four days, and for an extremely +small number, but it was something after all, and encouraged those who +were not lucky enough to have it at the moment, that their turn would +eventually come to get out of the war for a brief space, and return to +their families at home. Capt. Ashwell left us whilst we were here to +take charge of reinforcements at St. Omer. During his absence of five +or six weeks A Company was commanded by Lieut. J. V. Edge. + +We left camp with much regret on the afternoon of July 11th, and +proceeding via Kruistraat, where a halt was made for tea, at the +"White Château," we eventually took over trenches B 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8, +in the Hooge sector, from the North Staffords. The trenches here were +close together, at some points not more than 25 yards apart. This +nearness necessitated in some cases the erection of small-mesh wire +netting to prevent the enemy throwing hand-grenades into our trenches. +Mining was carried on unceasingly, and with both sides displaying +abnormal activity with every kind of war machine invented, life was +not at all pleasant. Possibly we had the greatest dislike for the +rifle grenades which the Hun was in the habit of showering over on +every possible occasion, but his shelling of the whole of our sector, +which he carried out with great regularity, was extremely +uncomfortable, and casualties mounted rapidly. To the more normal +means of trying to wear down the enemy, we were now able to add fixed +rifles and rifle batteries. These were laid on definite targets, and +fired according to a time table specially arranged, and we hope had +the effect desired. Sergt.-Drummer Clewes too, in charge of the +Brigade Sniping Section, was always worrying the Huns on every +possible occasion, and made some splendid "bags." Work in the trenches +was of a more or less normal kind, consisting chiefly of strengthening +fire and support trenches and putting out wire, not forgetting the +never-ending efforts to drain away the water. Good patrols were +carried out by Lieut. James and Corpl. Hotson. + +After a heavy tour of 12 days we were relieved on July 23rd, by the +7th Battalion, and marched back to bivouacs near Ouderdom, a long +trek, the last Company not getting there until 7 a.m. the following +morning. We were shelled out of this camp almost immediately, +doubtless because a Staff Officer anxious for the comfort of the +Officers had had four beautiful white tents put up. Unfortunately they +had been pitched on the Eastern slope of the field in full view of the +"Sausage" already mentioned, and "Silent Percy" soon got busy! On +July 25th, we took over another field near Busseboom, where we were +left in peace, so far as the Hun was concerned, though as the field +had just previously been used by Gunners for horse lines we had in +other ways quite a lively time. Here we were joined by 2nd Lieut. +Everard Handford and an excellent draft from the 2/8th Battalion. + +We had little time during this six days' rest to do more than the +usual refitting and cleaning, as large fatigue parties were required +on two days for Divisional work. Bathing was an easier matter, as we +were now able to use the new Divisional baths at "Pop." So far as the +washing of clothing was concerned, the men did their own, laundries +being very few and far between. + +We had now in front of us what turned out to be the longest and most +trying of all the Battalion's experiences in the trenches, for after +relieving the 7th Battalion in trenches B 3, 4, 7, and 8 at "Sanctuary +Wood" on the night of July 29/30th, we did not get out for 19 days. + +Col. Fowler at this time was on leave, whilst Major A. C. Clarke was +unfit, and a little later had to return to England. Major Becher, who +succeeded him as Second-in-Command was, therefore, in temporary +command of the Battalion. Much to our regret our old friend "Doc" +Stallard had also just left us for a tour of home duty. Well had he +stuck it all through, but he was beginning to feel the strain of his +strenuous duties, which were now taken over by Surgeon-Lieut. C. B. +Johnstone. The latter had a memorable journey to join the Battalion, +which was then in the line, riding up on the front of the horse +ambulance that used to go nightly to "Maple Copse" to evacuate the +previous twenty-four hours' wounded. The road was very rough and +mostly shell holes full of water, and he had a decidedly rough +passage. Other arrivals about this time included three new +subalterns, Lieut. C. M. Houfton, and 2nd Lieuts. R. V. Harvey and A. +H. Date, whose first experience of trench warfare was to be rather +more exciting than the average! Comp. Sergt.-Major J. A. Green was +temporarily acting as Regimental Sergt.-Major in place of Sergt.-Major +Westerman, who had just left for England. + +The trench system taken over ran partly on the outskirts of "Sanctuary +Wood," and partly through the wood itself, which in those days was +most picturesque, with delightful wild flowers and thick undergrowth. +The right was held by B Company (Lieut. J. W. Turner) and C Company +(Capt. G. S. Heathcote) and the left by D Company (Lieut. E. C. A. +James), whilst A Company (Lieut. J. V. Edge) were in reserve. By a +very happy coincidence, we had with us A Company of the 10th Sherwood +Foresters, sent into the line for the first time for instruction. +Capt. G. P. Goodall, subsequently killed at St. Eloi, was in charge of +this Company, amongst whom our men found many friends. + +We occupied the left of the 46th Divisional sector, with the 5th +Battalion on our right, the 7th Battalion in immediate support in +"Maple Copse," and the 6th Battalion in Brigade Reserve. + +The 14th Division, which had only been in France a few weeks, and had +been with us for instruction at Kemmel, had recently taken over the +sector on our left, where there had been much fighting during the past +few weeks for the possession of Hooge, which centred about the stables +and wall running near the Château. It was there that in our last tour +we had seen a brilliant assault by the Gordons and Middlesex, after a +terrific mine explosion. + +At 3.30 a.m. on July 30th, immediately after stand-down, and within a +few hours of our arrival in the trenches, on a perfect summer morning, +the whole of the wood was suddenly surrounded by a ring of fire, +while at the same time a heavy bombardment was opened, concentrating +apparently on the trenches around "Hooge Crater." Under cover of this +bombardment, and behind "flammenwerfer," the enemy attacked the point +of the salient held by C Company, at the same time throwing the +greater weight of his forces against the Hooge sector occupied by +units of the 14th Division. The latter, who like ourselves had only +come into the line the night before, were undoubtedly surprised by the +sudden attack, and by this first use of "flammenwerfer." Their men, +dead tired, had just got down to sleep, and the rapidity of the enemy +attack left little opportunity for organising successful defence. + +The result was that the enemy succeeded at once in gaining the whole +of the front and support trenches on our left, pushing forward into +the North end of the wood, and threatening to cut off the whole of the +salient, and leaving the trenches held by D Company in imminent danger +of being turned from the rear. + +The first attack on the point of the salient was driven off by rifle +and machine gun fire. Here Pvte. Grantham displayed conspicuous +gallantry in remaining at his post, in spite of being surrounded by +flames, and killing several of the enemy at close quarters. Very few +of the enemy succeeded in getting into our lines, though for a short +space of time there was a dangerous gap on the left of C Company, +which was filled up by the presence of mind of 2nd Lieut. Hindley and +Sergts. Sheppard and Smith, and a platoon of B Company, one of whom, +Pvte. Tyne, did particularly fine execution by throwing back +unexploded enemy bombs. This platoon lined the parapet, and by opening +rapid fire prevented the attack from developing. Unfortunately, an +enemy machine gun traversed the parapet, killing many of the men of +this gallant platoon, until a bomb thrown a prodigious distance by +Sergt. G. F. Foster appears to have fallen on the top of it, evidently +knocking it out, and by the volume of smoke produced wrecking a +"flammenwerfer." Several of the enemy were seen to be killed or +wounded by this lucky bomb. + +Further attacks by the enemy on the point of the salient were made +during the day, and a more serious one early next morning, but they +were readily driven off with loss. We should like here to pay a +tribute to the magnificent courage and coolness of the men of the 10th +Battalion, which contributed very largely to the entire defeat of the +enemy's attack on this front. + +Meanwhile the position on the left was uncertain and very alarming, +and Sergt. A. Phillipson in particular, in command of the left +platoon, No. 13, had a most anxious and trying time. Elements of the +14th Division straggled from the left with stories of the German +advance. These accounts might easily have demoralised our +Battalion but for the magnificent example of Lieut. James, his +Second-in-Command, 2nd Lieut. Vann and Sergt. A. Phillipson, and the +coolness and courage of every man of D Company. The situation on this +flank was serious indeed. All the trenches on the left had been +captured, and the enemy were reported as pushing into the wood in the +rear of our trenches. James acted promptly, and immediately pushed out +a left flank-guard. Major Becher at Headquarters sent forward +reinforcements from the Reserve Company, and eventually the 7th +Battalion from "Maple Copse" were despatched by Brigade and did +splendid work in spite of heavy shelling, in digging a switch line +connecting the trenches in the neighbourhood of "Zouave Wood" to our +left flank. + +Early in the afternoon the Reserve Brigade of the 14th Division, who +had only reached bivouacs near Poperinghe at three in the morning, +returned and made a gallant but fruitless counter-attack to recover +the lost trenches. Could it have been expected that men, who had been +in the trenches for a week, marched back during the night no less than +12 miles, only to turn once more, march back those interminable 12 +miles, part of the time under heavy shell fire, dog-tired, without +sleep or food, could without adequate artillery preparation perform a +feat which later required a Division of fresh troops, after one of the +most carefully planned and destructive bombardments at that time +known? The Brigade could but have failed, and to the onlooker it +seemed a tragic blunder, but to those who have read the pathetic story +of a tragic day, the title given by "The Student in Arms" of "The +Honour of the Brigade" alone provides the excuse for an operation +which from every other point of view, was one of the costly blunders +of the war. + +On August 9th, the 6th Division attacked after a very heavy +bombardment and re-established the situation. No troops could have +done finer work. The enemy who had manned the redoubtable "Hooge +Crater" in great strength, suffered very heavily, but the total +prisoners captured in a hard fought attack amounted to five. The 2nd +Sherwood Foresters, under that magnificent Officer Col. Hobbs, who in +pre-war days had at one time been Adjutant of our Battalion, +eventually endeavoured to hold the crater on our left, but this was +soon found to be untenable, and remained in No Man's Land. + +An incident which is not without its humour, while illustrating the +tiredness of our men, may be worth recalling. During the bombardment +preliminary to the counter-attack, when the noise of our own artillery +was deafening, and the proximity of the enemy shelling far from +assuring, a platoon commander discovered one of his men fast asleep on +the firestep. With some difficulty he was aroused and, rubbing his +eyes, he exclaimed, not without a certain degree of indignation that +his slumbers had been cut short--"What's oop?" + +Our casualties during the activities of July 30th and 31st, amounted +to 21 killed and 40 wounded, and the 10th Battalion had ten casualties +in addition. This total was increased from day to day by incessant +shelling, trench mortars and rifle grenades, and by the unfortunate +inaccuracy of one of our 6-inch naval guns, which persisted in firing +into our trenches until its identity was eventually discovered. During +the first fortnight in the line here, our casualties were no fewer +than four Officers wounded (Vann, E. M. Hacking, Hindley and G. G. +Elliott); 36 other ranks killed, or died of wounds, and 90 wounded. +Included amongst the killed were Sergt. A. Phillipson, who throughout +had shewn the utmost coolness and gallantry, and Sergt. E. Layhe, who +had done very good work as Scout Sergeant. "Jimmy" James, who had +struggled on manfully in spite of being very unfit, eventually had to +give up and go to hospital, D Company being taken over by Vann. + +During these days there was much active patrolling in order to make +certain of the dispositions of the enemy, and much daring work was +carried out by Lieuts. Vann, Turner, and H. B. S. Handford, 2nd +Lieuts. A. & E. M. Hacking, Corpl. Gadd, L.-Corpl. Wilson, and Pvtes. +Nicholson and Thompson. Vann in particular was much in the good books +of General Allenby, the Corps Commander, for his splendid work, though +he was once the cause of his very nearly spoiling an immaculate pair +of breeches when showing him with much glee a particularly +un-get-at-able loophole plate in a very muddy trench. We are led to +believe, however, that this crime was forgiven, as Vann was later +honoured by the General with an invitation to dinner. + +[Illustration: MAP TO ILLUSTRATE FIGHTING AT SANCTUARY WOOD. +JULY-AUGUST. 1915.] + +Apart from shelling, which continued intermittently, the rest of our +stay in the line was uneventful. It was not, however, until August +17th, that the Battalion, reduced in numbers but tried at last in real +fighting, were relieved by the 7th Battalion, and marched back to +bivouacs near Ouderdom, dead tired but happy in the thought that they +could hand over intact the trenches which they had taken over three +weeks before. + +The attack had evidently not been an attempt to break through. The +enemy no doubt had hoped to seize our front line system from the right +of B 4 trench northwards. There can be no doubt that had this +succeeded the difficulty of the counter-attack would have been largely +increased. Indeed, at a time when troops could ill have been spared, +it is probable that the Ypres Salient would have been considerably +reduced, and the morale of the enemy proportionately increased. This +was pointed out by General Allenby, who, addressing the Battalion on +parade on August 25th, said: "I have read with great pleasure and +pride the report of the General commanding your Division, telling of +the arduous work which you recently did in the neighbourhood of Hooge. +By your boldness, tenacity, and gallantry, you did work of very great +importance. Perhaps you do not know that not only did your action have +an important bearing on that particular bit of line, but on the whole +campaign, because of the political reason for holding the Salient. The +town of Ypres is nothing to us, but if the Boche took it they would +publish it to the world that they had captured the fortress of Ypres, +which we have held since November, 1914." + +The Battalion also received the special thanks of the Field Marshal +Commanding-in-Chief on their efforts during the tour. To the delight +of everyone, especially all ranks of B Company, John Becher was +awarded the D.S.O., a very well-deserved honour for most splendid +work whilst in command of the Battalion, during one of the most +anxious periods in its history; Vann for his gallantry here and +previously at Kemmel got the M.C. Mention must also be made of the +splendid work of our new Medical Officer (Johnstone), his assistants +Corpls. Sissons, Martin, and Bescoby, and all the stretcher-bearers, +who worked indefatigably day and night, often in circumstances of +great personal risk in dressing and evacuating the wounded, not only +of our own Battalion, but of the King's Royal Rifle Corps, the Rifle +Brigade, and the 2nd Sherwood Foresters. In these operations they +established a reputation for gallantry and devotion to duty which in +the whole Brigade was conspicuous throughout the war. + +Our bivouacs were in a nice spot sheltered from view by a small wood. +Our rest was not a long one, and was much of the usual type, but had +an additional interest in that we were fortunate in getting two very +good entertainments from the 46th Divisional Concert Party, the +"Whizzbangs," which had lately been formed, and was to be a source of +much pleasure from now on to the end of the war. Whilst there we were +joined by two new Officers, 2nd Lieuts. A. H. G. C. Moore and P. C. +Hemingway, and 107 other ranks, but we wanted men badly now, as in +addition to our heavy casualties in the line, we lost during the month +of August 41 N.C.O's. and men, whose term of enlistment expired on the +completion of one year's war service. These included many old hands +who were difficult to replace. + +On August 29th, we took over trenches at "Middlesex Wood," where the +Brigade were holding the line astride the Ypres-Comines Canal, near +St. Eloi, and there we stayed, with one short rest in bivouacs, for a +month of more or less normal trench warfare. Perhaps the main points +of interest were that we were covered by Belgian gunners, who were +not too particular where or when they fired, that we were now getting +a supply of sniperscopes (specially constructed rifles, fitted with +periscopes, for firing from a trench without looking directly over the +parapet), which formed most useful additions to our trench stores, and +seemed to cause the enemy considerable annoyance, and that we were +able on one or two occasions to make good practice with Col. Fowler's +Elephant Gun against some of the enemy's loophole plates. On September +25th, in conjunction with attacks by the French and British, on +various other parts of the Western front, we had to "demonstrate" by +means of artillery, machine gun and rifle fire, and a dummy gas and +smoke attack, which was to be provided by burning on the parapet of +the front line trenches large quantities of damp straw, which had been +carried up with much labour, and a good deal of very frank comment. +Much to the relief of those intimately concerned with this bonfire, +the wind on the day of the attack was unfavourable, and the straw at +least did not end in smoke. The demonstration provided some amusement +to our Grenadiers, who, with the assistance of a "Gamage" catapult, +and two West Spring Throwers succeeded, to their immense delight in +bursting the old Béthune bomb as shrapnel over the German trenches. It +was only when the last bomb was thrown that Sergt. G. F. Foster, the +stoutest Bomber that ever lived and fell, ended a demonstration which +can hardly have caused a flutter in the dove-cotes of the German +Higher Command. + +Here, as on many other occasions, all ranks would have worked more +intelligently, and with greater personal satisfaction, if they had +known something of the general plan, and the part they were being +asked to play. This plan really must have been a big thing, for some +one was kind enough to send us a lot of literature on such subjects +as "How to guard against spies in newly captured territory," and +generally how to behave there; whilst maps and other documents gave us +the most intricate detail of every well, and other supply of water for +at least 20 miles East of where we were. Evidently the sender was an +optimist! + +On the 30th September, the 8th Lincolns took over from us in support +in the Canal dug-outs. The enemy having already given us an extremely +unpleasant afternoon chose this very inconvenient occasion for +"putting up" a mine under the trenches held by the 6th Battalion, on +the South side of the Canal. This operation and the accompanying +bombardment involved a stand-to, and caused a certain number of +casualties both in the trenches and among the troops in the support +dug-outs. The relief was, however, duly carried out, and the Battalion +marched back to tents near Ouderdom in the early hours of October 1st, +where a little later in the day General Allenby came to say goodbye +and wish us luck in our new sphere of action. + +We had previously, on September 21st, had the honour of being +inspected by General Plumer, commanding the Second Army, who expressed +himself as very satisfied with the smart turnout of the Battalion. We +were still very weak, though we had continued to receive small drafts +of reinforcements, and had been joined by five new Officers, 2nd +Lieuts. G. H. F. Payling, R. T. Skinner, R. A. Abrams, G. H. Fisher, +and C. Pickerell; "Dolly" Gray also came out again and rejoined. We +had, however, lost Capt. Collin, the Adjutant, who had just left to +take up a Staff Captaincy, and his place after being held for a few +days by Lieut. A. Hacking, was now taken by Lieut. Weetman, who had +just rejoined. Capt. Piggford had gone home sick, and 2nd Lieut. P. C. +Hemingway wounded; and we had also recently lost M. Lacolle, our one +and only Battalion Interpreter. Henceforth we were not to be allowed +this luxury. + +It is, perhaps, not out of place to mention here an interesting little +episode which had taken place at home, namely the depositing of the +Colours in Newark Parish Church. This ceremony was carried out on July +24th, and was attended by the Mayor and Corporation of Newark. +Lieut.-Col. G. S. Foljambe was in charge of the parade, and Capt. R. +F. B. Hodgkinson commanded the escort to the Colours, which were +carried by 2nd Lieuts. R. J. Shipley and C. Pickerell. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +HOHENZOLLERN REDOUBT + + _October 1st, 1915._ _October 17th, 1915._ + + +We packed up during the afternoon of October 1st, and in the evening +marched to Abeele, where we entrained for a destination unknown to +most of us, but presumed to be somewhere in the far South. We made +ourselves as comfortable as we could for the expected long journey, +only to be rudely awakened after what seemed to be a five minutes' +sleep, and turned out into the cold dark night at Fouquereuil, a +suburb of Béthune. The remainder of the night was spent at a somewhat +elusive Orphanage in the town itself. On the following day we moved +into billets at the Northern end of the town on the banks of the La +Bassée Canal, where we were joined by the Transport which had come +from Ouderdom by road. October 3rd saw us once more on the move to +Mont Bernenchon, a clean, attractive little village, a few miles N.W. +of Béthune. Our hopes of spending a day or two in peace were soon +shattered, for on the following day we made what seemed to be another +emergency move to Béthune, where we embussed for regions unknown. +Shortly after dark we arrived at Vermelles, and picked up guides, who +led us as only guides can, to what proved to be a portion of the +German front line system captured in the fighting a few days before. +The trenches, which were near the "Lone Tree," and within sight of the +famous "Tower Bridge" at Loos, were little damaged, and seemed to have +been captured without a great deal of fighting, but the incessant rain +and scarcity of habitable dug-outs made our stay as uncomfortable as +the most hardened stoic could have desired. Our work consisted of +reversing portions of the original German support trench to form a +fire trench facing the other way. Owing to the distance to the then +German line (1,000 to 1,500 yards) and the low visibility, we were +able to work openly and practically unmolested. Our only casualties +were the result of an unlucky shell which fell on the morning of +October 5th, amongst a party of Signallers, killing L.-Sergt. C. E. +Harrison, Signalling Sergeant, and three men, whilst another man died +of wounds a few days later. + +The same evening we got orders to leave the trenches, and after a +thoroughly unpleasant tramp, in heavy rain and thick darkness over the +slippery chalk tracks, which were guess-work to most of us, we arrived +soon after midnight at Mazingarbe, which for dirt, damp, and general +cheerlessness, almost rivalled our never-to-be-forgotten billets at +Bac-St. Maur. So ended a beastly, tiring, and, for all we ever +learned, quite purposeless expedition. + +After a short meal and much needed rest we felt fit for anything, and +made light of the trek on the early morning of October 6th, to our +rest billets, which we found at Fouquières, a nice clean little +village about a mile west of Béthune. Here we found ourselves, for a +short time, in peace and something approaching luxury. + +Our move South had brought us into the First Army (General Haig) and +XI Corps. (Lt.-General Haking), which had been busy in the recent +fighting, and we now learned definitely for the first time that in the +further fighting that was shortly to take place we were to play a +prominent part. On Saturday, October 9th, preliminary orders and plans +were issued, and we learned that our task was to be the capture of the +"Hohenzollern Redoubt" and "Fosse 8," an admirably constructed scale +model of which had been made on the ground outside Divisional +Headquarters at Gosnay, where Officers and N.C.O.'s (and stray +inhabitants) spent some time in a careful and interested examination +of it. + +In addition, a somewhat hurried reconnaissance of the position itself +was made by Col. Fowler and the Company Commanders from our trenches +in front of Vermelles, from which the attack was to be made. In the +short space of a couple of hours they endeavoured to get a working +knowledge of the maze of communication trenches, and the hostile +ground over which, if all went well, we should have to advance. Sunday +was spent in Church Parade, and in going again through the preliminary +orders and plans, and in the afternoon the Corps Commander interviewed +the Officers of the Division at Divisional Headquarters. We were then +told something more as to the reason and general plan of the attack, +and were informed that we should be supported by the heaviest +concentration of artillery yet known in the war--400 guns of all +calibres,--that all contingencies had been provided for, and that in +spite of the strength of the position, we should probably encounter +very little opposition before reaching our objective. + +The object of the attack, which was to be undertaken by the XI Corps, +was to establish the left flank of the First Army, and to render +possible a further advance in conjunction with the French on the +South. The objective included the "Quarries" and Fosse 8, the 46th +Division being allotted the task of capturing the Hohenzollern Redoubt +and Fosse 8, whilst the 12th Division was to attack on our right, and +be responsible for the Quarries. The Fosse and surroundings had +already been in our hands once, having been attacked and captured +during the last week in September by the 9th Division, who +unfortunately, however, had been compelled to withdraw, and a +subsequent attempt by the 28th Division to recapture it had also +proved a dismal failure. What, we wondered, was in store for the 46th +Division? + +Fosse 8 is, or rather was, a typical colliery pit, with the usual +winding and head gear and other plant, and pit-head pile of slag +(called in this case "The Dump"), which like its neighbour, the famous +Tower of Wingles, overlooked the whole position, whilst in rear there +were the usual rows of miners' cottages. These cottages (called +"Corons") had cellars, and were thus very easy to defend with machine +guns, which could fire with great effect, and comparative safety, from +ground level. In front of the Fosse and protecting it lay the +Hohenzollern Redoubt, consisting of a salient trench system shaped +rather like a big bean, and projecting well in front of the German +main system, to which it was connected by communication trenches, and +by two flank trenches known as "Big Willie" and "Little Willie." The +importance of the position lay in the fact that it was on the top of a +gentle rise, giving command and good observation of our position on +either side. Its capture was rendered difficult by the fact that the +ground in front of it was level, and almost devoid of cover, affording +a very fine field of fire, which could be swept from practically every +direction. From our trenches very little could be seen except the +Dump, and the roof of the manager's house. + +The attack was to be carried out by the 137th Brigade on the right +under Brigadier-General E. Feetham, C.B., and the 138th Brigade on the +left under Brigadier-General G. C. Kemp, whilst the 139th Brigade were +to be in Divisional Reserve under Brigadier-General C. T. Shipley. To +the 137th Brigade were attached 100 Grenadiers from the 139th Brigade, +two sections Divisional Cyclist Company, and the 1/2nd Field Company, +Royal Engineers (less one section), and to the 138th Brigade, the 1st +Monmouthshire Regiment (Divisional Pioneer Battalion), 125 Grenadiers +from the 139th Brigade, two sections Divisional Cyclist Company, and +the 1/1st Field Company, Royal Engineers (less one section), whilst +General Shipley's Divisional Reserve consisted of the 139th Brigade +(less 225 Grenadiers), one Platoon Divisional Cyclist Company, and two +Troops Yorkshire Hussars. The covering Artillery consisted of three +groups of heavy Artillery under the Corps Commander, and one group of +Divisional Artillery (six Brigades of 18-pounders, and one Brigade of +4.5 Howitzers). + +To his immense pleasure, 2nd Lieut. R. E. Hemingway, our Battalion +Grenade Officer, was put in charge of the Grenadiers attached to the +138th Brigade, the party also including the Battalion Grenadier +Sergeant, G. F. Foster. Bombing was now entering on the period of its +greatest importance--always in our humble opinion greatly exaggerated. +The Mills bomb was rapidly ousting all other kinds, and shortly became +almost the only one in normal use. Much time was put in at throwing +practice, and every kind of artifice was adopted by instructors to +make it interesting, and at the same time improve the aim and distance +thrown. A "platoon" of "grenadiers," as they were at first called, was +formed in each Battalion, consisting of a Grenadier Officer, a +sergeant and 32 men, (eight from each Company), and to show how much +we respected them, we put them when on the march at the head of the +Battalion. There was a Brigade Grenadier Officer too, who made himself +generally responsible for the training and work of Grenadiers +throughout the Brigade. The first Officer appointed to this post in +our Brigade was Lieut. A. Hacking, who had taken over the duties just +before the Hohenzollern battle. The task allotted to the Grenadiers in +this fight, was to bomb the various communication trenches leading +from "West Face" to "Fosse Trench," clear dug-outs and establish +blocks in "Fosse Alley." + +Information regarding the enemy, gained by Corps Intelligence during +the attacks of September 25th, and following days from our own +Officers, and from the examination of prisoners, was to the effect +that the enemy trenches in the Redoubt, with the exception of "Dump +Trench" and "South Face," were badly damaged and not strongly wired, +that previous attacks had been exposed to heavy enfilade fire from +"Mad Point" or "Madagascar," that it was not thought there would be +much enfilade fire from the South-East, and that it was not necessary +to waste a lot of heavy shell on the Dump, as it could be made +untenable by both sides. How far this was justifiable will be seen. + +Our few days at Fouquières passed very quickly in the bustle of +completing equipment, going again and again with all ranks through the +maps and plans of attack, detailing and organising bombing squads in +the place of those detached for duty with the other Brigades, and +writing last letters home "in case----" There was little or no +excitement. We had most of us seen too much by this time to be either +unduly pessimistic or over-confident about our own chances, so that +everything seemed to go quietly and smoothly. The first steel helmets +had just arrived--quaint, antique, Japanese looking things, with +ingenious corrugations to catch the bullets--and were issued to the +Machine Gunners, who had also received the first supply of the new Box +Respirator, issued in place of the Smoke Helmet. The Machine Gun +section was now commanded by Lieut. Adams. + +It was at 3.45 p.m. on October 12th, after making our final +inspections and collecting blankets, packs and other surplus stores at +a convenient barn, that we moved off from Fouquières on a fine Autumn +afternoon, leaving behind only 2nd Lieut. Gray, and a few odd men, who +were not fit to go into action. Transport marched in rear of the +Battalion to temporary lines behind Noyelles, where it remained until +after the battle. + +We had a very pleasant and easy march up to Vermelles, where a halt +was made for tea. Here we were passed by one of the Stafford +Battalions who were to make the assault. It was too dark to see their +faces, but their voices were full of confidence and cheeriness, which +it did one good to hear. + +A temporary Quarter-Master's Stores was fitted up at "Clarke's Keep," +Vermelles, where Companies picked up their rations for the 13th, water +in petrol tins, grenades, Vermorel sprayers, and other odds and ends +likely to be required. An emergency ration of cold bacon and bread was +also issued. + +Eventually after a very slow march through Vermelles, which was a +seething mass of men and transport, we arrived about 11 p.m. at our +assembly position in "Sussex Trench," where space was allotted to us +by Lieut. C. L. Hill, Signalling Officer, who had gone on ahead with a +few Signallers for that purpose. We soon settled down and made the +best we could of what remained of the night. This was not long, for +the carrying parties for the 138th Brigade, and others had to report +for duty at Clarke's Keep at 6 a.m. on October 13th. In all we +provided a total of five Officers and 300 other ranks for this duty, +and they were busy most of the morning taking up to the front line +such necessary articles as rations, water, grenades, and rum. His +devotion to the last-named duty was too much for one bloodthirsty, but +very ill-disciplined member of the Battalion, who became +"non-effective" in consequence, and was reported by someone, who saw +him lying in the bottom of a communication trench, as "dead--shot +through the head." He was "dead" right enough, but he lived to +fight--and, it is feared to "die" again--another day! + +Our artillery fire during the morning was normal, "so as not to arouse +the suspicions of the Germans," who, as a fact, probably knew quite +as much as most of us about the time and nature of our attack. But at +12.0 noon, every gun began in real earnest, and it was possible to +stand on the firestep of our trench, and get an undisturbed, if rather +distant, view of the shells bursting all over the German trenches. +After half-an-hour of this most unusual, but very pleasing spectacle, +one felt that there would be little left for us to attack. + +At 1 p.m. the greenish yellow clouds of smoke and chlorine gas (known +for some time as "The Auxiliary") discharged from cylinders in our +front line began to roll towards the enemy lines, the breeze being +exactly right both in strength and direction, and we became happier +still at the thought of paying the Germans back in their own coin. +During the whole of our bombardment we could hear very little reply +from the German guns, though from time to time we could see a few +"woolly bears" and other shell-bursts, at odd points about the forward +trenches. Probably they were saving most of their fire for the actual +assault, and except for a stray machine gun bullet or two, we +ourselves were in no kind of danger. One of those, however, which must +have dropped at a steep angle, slightly wounded Regimental Sergt-Major +Mounteney, who was standing in the trench with the Officers of +Battalion Headquarters. He had only rejoined from England a few days +before, and was our first casualty in the attack. + +At 1.50 p.m. the gas discharge ceased, but the smoke was continued +until 2.0 p.m., when our guns "lifted" from the enemy front line, and +the 137th and 138th Brigades began the assault. As the smoke cleared +away, we could get a fair view of a portion of the attacking troops +(Staffords) on the right as they went steadily, and apparently in +excellent order over the top, but, almost at the same time we heard +with surprise and dismay, the somewhat slow "tap-tap" of numbers of +those enemy machine guns, which were to have been so completely +silenced by our bombardment! We watched the Staffords for a few +moments until they disappeared from view. + +Then followed a period of anxious waiting, and the only information we +got was to the effect that the 138th Brigade on the left had +practically gained their portion of the Redoubt. + +Soon after 3 o'clock, we received orders to move forward, and began to +proceed by way of "Inverness Trench," "Bomb Alley" and "Left Boyau" to +"Reserve Trench." Movement was very slow, owing to the congestion of +the traffic, and the narrowness of the trenches, and took a long time +to complete. There we were destined to remain for several hours, and +suffered a few casualties from shell fire, apparently directed at the +junctions of the trench with "Central" and "Right Boyaux." We were now +nominally at the disposal of General Officer Commanding 137th Brigade, +but never received any orders from him, and eventually drifted to the +command of General Officer Commanding 138th Brigade. + +Traffic became more and more congested by the stream of wounded which +was now pouring down Central Boyau and "Barts Alley," and by carrying +parties and supports endeavouring to get along the Reserve Trench up +to the Redoubt. + +Soon we began to gather scraps of information from those who were +coming down, and to realise that things were going far from well. The +usual answer was "Don't ask me, all I know is it's Hell up there!" It +was now getting too dark to see, and we could only gather that at any +rate we were holding the West Face and having a pretty bad time in +doing so; also that our Grenadiers attached to the 138th Brigade, had +suffered heavily. Sergt. G. F. Foster was carried down dying from +wounds in the body, and Hemingway was reported to be dangerously +wounded, if not already dead. + +Things had not gone well. As we learned afterwards the attack of the +Staffords on the right had been held up almost immediately by machine +gun fire, and very little ground had been made. On the left, the +Lincolns and Leicesters at first were more fortunate, and reaching +West Face with comparatively few casualties, began to make their way +up to Fosse Trench. But the further they advanced, the more heavy +became their losses, until eventually the advance came to a +standstill, the furthest point reached being about 100 yards from +Fosse Trench. From these more advanced positions they were gradually +forced back, until only the West Face was in our hands. It is +abundantly clear that the effect of our bombardment did not come up to +expectations, and that many machine guns were untouched, and, worst of +all, that the Dump, on which "heavy shell need not be wasted, as it +could be made untenable by either side," proved to be a miniature +Gibraltar, honeycombed with shafts and galleries leading to concealed +machine gun emplacements. Small wonder that little ground could be +made or held in the face of such defences. + +The news that things were going badly induced a Battalion Commander of +another Brigade, whose Battalion had been taken from him piecemeal and +scattered to the four winds of heaven, to order A Company, in the +absence of Col. Fowler, to go across to the Redoubt to reinforce the +troops there. Information, however, was brought by L.-Corpl. Simpson +of A Company (killed a few hours later), who made a rapid and +courageous journey over the open to West Face, to the effect that that +trench was already overcrowded, and that the troops there required +thinning, rather than reinforcing. + +It was now getting late and things seemed to be in a very +unsatisfactory state, when orders were issued by Col. Fowler, who had +met General Kemp in the trenches, and received verbal instructions to +be prepared to carry out an attack at short notice on the right +portion of the Redoubt, for Companies (except B who were detached for +other work) to begin to move up in readiness to our front line +trenches. This movement began about 9.0 p.m. very slowly along Reserve +Trench and "Hayward's Heath." The difficulty of moving a Battalion at +night, in single file, through a maze of unfamiliar trenches without +losing touch, may be better imagined than described, and it was after +midnight before we had covered the 400 or 500 yards, which was all we +had to do. + +Whilst this was going on Col. Fowler and the Adjutant, accompanied by +the Staff Captain, Major Wordsworth, made a hasty reconnaissance of +the position, and found that elements of the 138th Brigade and +Monmouths were holding the North-Western portion of West Face, whilst +the Eastern portion of Big Willie was held by the 6th Battalion. +Except for a short distance near the barricade on each flank, the +trench between these points was held by the enemy. + +At 2.45 a.m. on October 14th, we received from General Officer +Commanding 138th Brigade, written orders to attack and consolidate "as +soon as possible" the South-Eastern portion of West Face, the junction +of South Face and Big Willie (shewn on the map as Point 60), and if +possible the "Chord" of the Redoubt. The order stated that the 6th +Battalion in Big Willie would co-operate by a bombing attack along +that trench "at the same time." Owing to the difficulty of getting +messages to and fro, in the maze of unknown trenches in the dark, it +was quite impossible to get in touch with the 6th Battalion so as to +give them any idea when our attack would begin, so that we were not +able to rely on getting much help from them. The Commanding Officer +decided that two Companies would be sufficient for the attack, which +was of course going to be without artillery support, and A Company +(Major A. L. Ashwell), and D Company (Capt. B. W. Vann), were +detailed. A hasty conference was arranged at a small dug-out at which +Col. Fowler, who intended himself to lead the attack, gave the few +orders that were possible in the circumstances:--"A quiet advance, no +firing, and in with the bayonet." + +Owing to the darkness and the unfamiliar ground, it was necessary to +make some arrangement for keeping direction. Major Becher was, +therefore, sent across to the West Face, with instructions to stay at +the extreme right flank of the 138th Brigade position, and there to +show a light from a flash lamp on which the left flank of our attack +would be directed. + +As soon as this was settled, and Company Commanders had issued their +instructions, we began to deploy in front of our original front line +trench, as nearly as possible opposite our objective. + +It was again a very slow job getting the men out of the deep and +narrow support trenches, and over a single duck-board bridge across +the front line into position; indeed many men of D Company never +received the order at all, and remained in the support trench in +ignorance of what was going on. The men were extended to about four +paces, D Company on the right, A on the left. This movement was +carried out very quietly, with entire absence of hesitation or +confusion, and the men were then dressed as nearly as possible on the +required alignment--no easy matter when one has only a map, and has +never seen the objective or the ground in front of it. Rifles were +loaded and bayonets fixed, Col. Fowler with characteristic +unselfishness, giving his rifle to an Officer who had a bayonet, but +no rifle to put it on. All these preliminaries were carried out +without attracting the attention of the enemy, who were about 250 +yards away. Finally at about 3.45 a.m. the order was given to advance, +keeping our left flank on Becher's lamp, which we could see from time +to time across the intervening ground. It was a strange experience, +this slow night advance through the darkness and mist in the almost +uncanny stillness which, sooner or later, always follows heavy +fighting; so like what many of us had done in peace-time "night-ops," +that it was difficult to realise that this was war, and would end in +hand-to-hand fighting; that, however quietly we went, we must +eventually be discovered, and perhaps swept away by machine gun and +rifle fire. The ground was for the most part level, and not badly cut +up, and there was little wire. A few of our dead, one or two severely +wounded still struggling painfully back to our lines, and a number of +abandoned rifles were all that were left to show what had happened on +the previous day. When we were about half-way across it was realised +that we were getting too far to the left, and direction was changed +half-right. It was not until the right of the line was close up to the +old German wire, that we were discovered. Fire was opened from +somewhere half-right, probably in the neighbourhood of Point 60, but +it was not severe, and only a few casualties were caused. On arriving +at West Face it was found to be practically empty on the right, the +few Germans who had been there having probably left hurriedly as we +approached. On the left we found a mixed crowd of Lincolns, +Leicesters, and Monmouths, with a few Robin Hoods, all under the +command of Col. Evill, of the Monmouths. Many of them were wounded, +and nearly all were exhausted by their dreadful experiences of the +previous day. Our arrival was, therefore, very opportune and put +fresh life into them. + +It was now quite evident that we had come too far to the left, and +although we had gained 100 yards or so of the West Face, our right +flank was not in touch with the 6th Battalion in Big Willie. In their +eagerness to get at the Germans, and urged on by the shouts of the +Lincolns and Leicesters, the left half of A Company ran through the +West Face and began pushing on. The enemy, however, were waking up, +and our men were met with much heavier fire, which, although unaimed, +caused a number of casualties. Edge was severely wounded in the arm +and chest, and Everard Handford was killed instantaneously by a bullet +in the head, whilst numbers of men also fell. It was then seen that +any further advance was out of the question. The only thing to be done +was to consolidate what we had, and try to extend our gains laterally +by bombing along the West Face. Grenadiers and grenades (English and +German) were collected, parties were organised by Ashwell and Vann, +and several more yards of trench were gained. Strachan leading one of +these along the trench with utter fearlessness was never seen again, +and was probably killed at once. Shortage of grenades soon made it +clear that we must stop and build a barricade to hold up the Germans, +who as usual seemed to have a never-ending supply. + +On the extreme right, Vann and others of D Company had come across +some Boches out of the trench, apparently preparing to make an attack +over the open. Most of these were slaughtered, and the rest made all +possible haste back to their trench. This appears to have been part of +an organised counter-attack, as the enemy tried a similar attack on +the left as well, which also failed. Nothing was heard of the bombing +in Big Willie by the 6th Battalion, but we learnt afterwards that +they had made several attempts to progress along that trench without +success. + +All available tools and sandbags were got together in the trench to +build a barricade at the right flank. It was now getting light, and +this was attended with much danger, and in the work of filling +sandbags and placing them at the barricade, we had several men killed +in a very short time. + +Vann had already been wounded by a bullet in the left forearm, and had +gone down to be dressed, returning with his usual courage and +tenacity, after having his wound attended to. The Commanding Officer, +however, would not let him stay, and he had to go down again to +hospital. Ashwell was hit by a bullet in the right shoulder a few +minutes after Vann, and he, too, had to leave us. + +The enemy were not more than fifty yards away, and the least exposure +brought a bullet with deadly aim, though in this respect they did not +have things entirely their own way. We could distinctly see the tops +of their helmets over the parapet, and at one time there was such a +collection that we thought they were going to attack, but nothing came +of it, and we settled down to work again. There was no wire or +obstacle of any kind between the two trenches. We were too close to +get our guns on to them, otherwise we could have done much execution. +Practically all the work on the right was done by men of D Company, +who eventually made a barricade, which was more or less bullet-proof, +and dug a length of trench to protect that flank. Here Sergt. W. L. +Green did excellent work, encouraging everyone by his fine example. +For nearly 24 hours he stuck to his post in spite of bombs and rifle +fire. He was ably assisted by Sergt. Turgoose and Pvtes. Keeling, +Hubbard, Dickinson, Offord and Sly of D Company, also Pvte. F. +Attenborough of A Company, whilst L.-Corpl. Skelton did splendid work +in attending to wounded. + +Meanwhile Col. Fowler had made arrangements for the defence of the +trench on the left, from which, much to their relief the Lincolns, +Leicesters, and Monmouths, had been withdrawn during the early hours +of the morning. Their place had been taken by A Company, which having +lost all its Officers, was now commanded by Sergt. L. Bell. Parties +were set to work to improve the trench, which was badly knocked about, +and during the following night the Company dug a new trench a few +yards in front, in order to get a better field of fire and for better +protection. The Northern end of West Face was all this time held by +the 7th Battalion. + +C Company (Capt. H. B. S. Handford, in place of Capt. G. S. Heathcote, +who had left to do duty at the Base) who had been left behind in +Hayward's Heath when A and D Companies went over to attack, stayed +there until 5.0 a.m. when 2nd Lieut. R. A. Abrams and a party of 15 +were detailed to carry grenades up to A Company in the Redoubt, where +many of them remained. The rest of the Company moved up to a +communication trench near the original front line, where they received +orders from a Battalion Commander of another Brigade, to carry water +and grenades over the open to the Redoubt. They started shortly after +7.30 a.m., but as it was quite light, they were seen immediately, and +heavy machine gun and rifle fire was opened on them at once. Basil +Handford and several others were killed instantaneously, and several +were wounded. The attempt was foredoomed to failure, and the men were +ordered back into the trench. For the rest of the day they helped to +carry stores to the Redoubt by way of a new communication trench and +to fetch in and attend to the wounded. Very gallant work was done in +this operation by Comp. Sergt.-Major Haywood, Sergts. Leivers and +Bexton, and Pvtes. Winterbottom, Allen, and Eyre. + +B Company (Capt. Turner) had been detached about 5.0 p.m. on October +13th, and ordered to proceed over the open to reinforce the garrison +of our original front line. They remained for some time in the old +support line, from which all the Company Grenadiers were sent up to +reinforce the men in the Redoubt. One of these, L.-Corpl. G. W. Moore, +did very gallant work in remaining alone for three-quarters-of-an-hour +on the enemy's side of a barricade, which was being built up behind +him, and then continued to bomb the enemy for eight hours. The Company +was later ordered to dig a communication trench to link up the Redoubt +with our old front line. They started about 9.0 p.m., and worked +continuously on it throughout the night, much of the time under heavy +rifle fire, and by dawn a serviceable trench had been dug, and a very +important communication established. Capt. Turner was congratulated by +the Officer Commanding the 7th Battalion on the very good work of his +Company, in the supervision of which he had been most ably assisted by +Sergt. Rawding. + +[Illustration: Map to illustrate the Battle of HOHENZOLLERN. October +13th-15th. 1915.] + +October 14th seemed a never-ending day for those in the Redoubt. +Fortunately in a way, the lines were too close together for us to be +shelled, but bombing went on almost uninterruptedly, and our +casualties mounted rapidly. Grenadier reinforcements were sent along +from time to time from every Company in the Battalion, also from the +5th Battalion, whilst 2nd Lieut. G. H. Fisher, who was acting as +Grenade Officer in the absence of Hemingway, came up during the +morning, and at the right barricade displayed the greatest courage +until he was badly wounded and had to leave, dying a few days later. +Bombing was also going on at the left barricade, and throughout the +day from one flank or the other, the cry was ever "more bombs" or +"more Bombers." We had fortunately been able to get a signal line up +to the Redoubt, and a station established there, in a fairly deep +dug-out, so that most of the time we were in telephonic communication +with those behind. + +Our relief promised for the night of October 14th, never came, and we +were compelled, alas, to remain in the Redoubt. Everyone was tired +out, having had little or no sleep, and very little food, for 48 +hours. As soon as it was dark the Sappers put out some wire in front +of West Face, which encouraged us considerably, and we got through the +night without any untoward incident. About 6.30 a.m., on the morning +of October 15th, we were relieved in West Face by portions of the 5th +and 6th Battalions, and by Grenadiers of the Irish Guards, and +withdrawn to "Railway Reserve Trench," where we joined up with the +remainder of B and C Companies. By the tragic irony of fate, as the +Guards were actually filing into West Face and the relief was nearly +complete, Col. Fowler, who was taking a last glance over the top to +see if he could find any trace of Major Becher, the last signs of whom +had been the flashes of his lamp, to guide us across to the +Redoubt--was killed instantaneously by a sniper's bullet. So +determined had he been to find Becher, that he had himself gone out +during the night with Sergt. Stokes in a gallant but unsuccessful +endeavour to find him. + +Major J. E. Blackwall of the 6th Battalion took over the remnants of +the Battalion the same evening, and shortly before midnight we were +devoutly thankful to be relieved by the Irish Guards. As the relief +was taking place, the enemy attempted an attack against the garrison +of West Face, but as this was now swelled by the relieving troops, +they got rather more than they bargained for, and were beaten off with +heavy loss. At the same time they put down quite a barrage on the +reserve trenches, and made our relief distinctly unpleasant, but +eventually we got it completed without further casualty. + +Much to our delight, just before leaving, we heard that Becher had +been found. It appears that whilst we were going over to the attack, +he had been bombed by the Boches, and badly wounded, as also had +Daniels, his batman, who was with him. They got separated, but both +managed to crawl away, though Becher eventually had to lie by in an +old bit of trench near the German lines. It was from here that, after +having been discovered by an Officer of the Leicesters, he was +eventually rescued on October 15th, by Comp. Sergt.-Major Haywood, and +L.-Sergt. T. Martin, who carried him a distance of 200 yards under +more or less continuous rifle fire. Alas, however, he was not to +recover, and after lingering on for ten weeks, he died in hospital on +January 1st, 1916. In John Becher the Battalion lost one who was +beloved by all, who had throughout ever had at heart the welfare of +his men, whether in or out of the trenches, at work or at play. What +he did in the early trench days at Kemmel, was known to few. Often and +often he was out on patrol at night in "No Man's Land," mainly for the +sake of example, for it was part of his creed never to tell a man to +do anything that he would not dare to do himself. He lies buried in +the British cemetery at Abbeville. It was a hard fate that struck down +John Becher and his two brothers-in-law, Basil and Everard +Handford--two of the most promising young Officers in the +Battalion--within a few hours of each other. + +Much untiring energy and devotion were shewn by many during these +strenuous three days, not by any means the least by our Medical +Officer, Capt. C. B. Johnstone, and his stretcher bearers. Johnstone +himself worked almost incessantly for over 48 hours in attending the +wounded, and in many cases helped to carry them long distances, often +under heavy fire. To him and all his helpers are due our grateful +thanks for their work on that occasion. + +On relief we marched out to the Transport Lines behind Noyelles, +where, in the early hours of October 16th, we got some most welcome +and refreshing tea, supplied by Torrance and his followers, and then +moved on, most of us more asleep than awake, to Vaudricourt, where we +arrived about 6.30 a.m., and at once got down to sleep in some of the +poorest billets it was ever our misfortune to strike. + +Thus ended the more or less fruitless battle of Hohenzollern Redoubt. +Though we held a portion of the Redoubt as a result of the fighting, +it was of no tactical value, and indeed later on was evacuated or +blown up. The 12th Division fared no better, and we can only look back +on the whole attack as, through no fault of our own, a dismal failure. +The battle caused us enormous casualties, all to no purpose. Our +Battalion alone lost seven Officers and 35 other ranks killed or died +of wounds, three Officers and 132 other ranks wounded, and 14 missing, +all of whom were afterwards found to have been killed. Amongst the +casualties were Sergt. H. Hall, killed, and Sergts. Archer, Burn, +Barrow, and I. B. Bell and Corpl. Bruerton wounded. + +It was a pleasure to all to hear a little later that for his gallantry +and splendid work in this attack, and on many other occasions, "Pat" +Ashwell was awarded a well-deserved D.S.O. + +At 5.0 p.m. on the afternoon of October 17th, the whole Battalion and +many Officers of the Brigade and Division, attended the funeral of our +beloved Colonel in the English cemetery, under the Church at +Fouquières, the service being taken by his old friend Padre Hales. +Some 18 months afterwards the Battalion arrived in billets six miles +away from this spot, after a long and tiring march. They were expected +to move into the line the next day, and some Officers who were lucky +enough to be mounted, rode over to see the Colonel's grave. Around the +grave, which had been carefully looked after by the Curé and other +kind friends, and was covered with snowdrops and daffodils just in +bloom, they found a number of the old Warrant Officers and N.C.O.'s of +the Battalion paying a silent tribute to their old Commanding Officer. +Such a tribute, surely is the finest testimonial to the character of a +man who ever inspired in all ranks an affection and respect, which can +never have been exceeded in any unit of the army. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +RICHEBOURG--MARSEILLES--CANDAS + + _October 18th, 1915._ _March 5th, 1916._ + + +We were now little more than a skeleton of a Battalion, so that the +arrival of 103 reinforcements, including Sergt. E. E. Deverall, was +very welcome, but so far as Officers were concerned we remained for +the moment very depleted. Capt. Turner remained in command of B +Company; Lieut. E. M. Hacking took over A; Lieut. Abrams C, and Lieut. +Gray D. + +Major-General Stuart-Wortley came to see us on October 18th, when the +Battalion paraded in a field just outside Vaudricourt, and thanked us +for our work in the battle, and spoke to a few of the N.C.O.'s and +men, whose names had been forwarded as having done specially well. + +The following day we were not sorry to leave our wretched billets and +march to Lapugnoy, where we got very comfortable quarters, and stayed +for a week. Here we were able to do a little reorganising, and were +fortunate in getting several new subalterns, viz.: 2nd Lieuts. A. +Andrews, H. R. Peerless, who shortly became Battalion Grenade Officer, +F. E. Kebblewhite, C. H. Powell, A. H. G. Cox, E. Hopkinson (formerly +Comp. Sergt.-Major of C Company) and H. B. Hammond. With their welcome +arrival. Companies got more or less into shape. We were unfortunate in +having to send a large party by 'bus one day to Sailly Labourse, to +help to fetch out the empty gas cylinders from the Hohenzollern +trenches, but on the whole the few days spent at Lapugnoy were very +pleasant. The "Whizzbangs" were in the same village, and gave several +good shows, which after our recent gruelling were very refreshing, the +more so as on this occasion they were assisted by two French ladies, +who, needless to say, added enormously to the attraction. + +The "Vin blink" of Lapugnoy was also most attractive, and apparently +rather more than usually potent, for it was undoubtedly the cause of +casualties amongst all ranks. We left there on October 26th, and +marched to Béthune, where we were again fortunate in being comfortably +billeted at the Orphanage, with Officers' billets and Headquarters' +Mess in the Rue de Lille. + +Two days later, on October 28th, a review of troops of the XI Corps, +was held by the King and the Prince of Wales at Hesdigneul. +Representatives of all units of the 46th Division were included in the +parade, to which we contributed a composite Company of six Officers +and 250 other ranks, under Capt. Davenport. The parade ground was a +newly ploughed field, and as for several days previously there had +been heavy rain the conditions were extremely unfavourable. After +taking the salute, the King went on to inspect another unit in an +adjoining field, where, unfortunately, he had a nasty accident, and +the last we saw of him was driving away from the parade ground and +looking very ill. + +Further reinforcements joined us at Béthune, mostly from entrenching +Battalions, making our strength up to more normal figures, though for +many months to come, we seldom exceeded 600 to 700 all told. Capt. +Hill was appointed to command D Company, 2nd Lieut. Cox succeeding him +as Signalling Officer. Mounteney rejoined and resumed his duties as +Regimental Sergt.-Major. + +Our next move was to the Richebourg sector--probably the most +miserable trenches we ever met with, and then held by Indian troops. +Leaving Béthune on November 4th, we proceeded via Epinette, where we +spent one night, to Vieille Chapelle and relieved the 58th Rifles +(Meerut Division) in front line trenches on November 6th, with +Battalion Headquarters in "Edward Road," just behind Richebourg +L'Avoué, and the front line a little in front of that village, and +just South of Neuve Chapelle. This was a bad country for trenches, +being flat and low lying, with the water level even at normal times +very near the surface. The Boche as usual had such high ground as +there was. This was mainly in the region of the Bois du Biez on our +left, from which he got a fair view over much of our area. The Indians +had done little trench work, and all that was taken over was a very +poor front line, with a few scraps of support trenches, and one or two +communication trenches, mostly full of water. It was during our first +tour that a waggish Hun called out one night, after one of our Very +lights had made rather a worse display than usual, "Better luck next +time. I'll shew you how to send them "--which he promptly did, adding +later, "I don't want to fight, I've had enough of the war." Towards +the end of our stay in this area, we came across another talkative lot +of Boches, who had a good deal to say one night, enquiring what +regiment we were, and making various remarks about cigarettes and plum +puddings. + +It was towards the end of our first tour that we had the first of our +happily few casualties in this area, Lieut. Houfton being killed early +in the morning of November 11th. He was endeavouring to make his way +with Lieut. Abrams along an absolutely water-logged trench to "Boar's +Head," the extreme right of our Battalion sector, and they were +evidently being carefully watched by a Boche sniper, who was +doubtless able from time to time to catch a glimpse of their caps +above the parapet. Eventually, when they got to a spot where the +parapet was particularly low, he fired, the bullet killing Houfton, +and passing through the peak of Abrams' cap. Sergt. T. Martin +gallantly went to Houfton's aid, across 400 yards of very difficult +and exposed ground. + +The front we held was changed somewhat after a time, and we +side-stepped to the left, with Battalion Headquarters in dug-outs, at +the side of the Rue du Bois. The few odd houses left along this road +were mostly used by the Gunners as observation posts, the principal +being "Ritz," "Carlton," "Princes," and "Trocadero," and as the Boche +gunners probably had a very shrewd suspicion of this, the +neighbourhood of the road was often not a healthy spot, and on one or +two occasions was shelled fairly heavily. It was on one of these, when +we had some men wounded near "Factory Corner," that Pvte. Redfern, the +old bandsman, coolly went to their aid in the midst of the shelling, +and was dressing one of the men when he was himself mortally wounded. +L.-Corpls. W. H. Lacey and S. Matthews also shewed great bravery in +rescuing wounded men at the same time. In connection with this +shelling of areas behind the front line, a somewhat unhappily worded +order was received to the effect that daily reports frequently omitted +to mention the activities of hostile artillery, and that as an example +at a certain time on a certain day, "Guards Trench" was subjected to a +sharp bombardment, and that had it not been for the fact that "a Staff +Officer was accidentally in the front line at the time," nothing would +have been known of this at Divisional Headquarters! + +The Boche machine gunners gave us a certain amount of trouble too, +particularly at night, when they regularly sprayed all the area from +the Rue du Bois to "Windy Corner," doubtless hoping to catch +transport and carrying parties. One particular artiste used to try to +play tunes with his gun and we had no difficulty in recognising his +favourite as an attempt at "Yip-y-addy." It was a very unlucky burst +from one of these one night that killed that very brave soldier Sergt. +Sheppard, who had previously been awarded the D.C.M. for gallantry at +Hooge. Lieut. Adams, our machine gun Officer, did his best to get his +own back against them, and used to stalk out nightly alone, contrary +to all regulations, and fire off his guns at odd times in the hope of +catching someone. He was rewarded one night, after patiently lying in +wait for a search light that the enemy had used occasionally from +their front line parapet, by knocking it out with a burst of fire +almost the instant it shewed itself. But on the whole there was very +little excitement; in fact, we hardly had time for much, as we only +spent a total of 16 days in the trenches here altogether. Cold winter +weather had set in, and there was little or no comfort possible for +the men holding the front line. It was here that we first really found +it necessary to use "gumboots thigh" when they could be got, and to +dress legs and feet daily with whale oil to try and ward off that +horrid complaint "trench feet," which might easily have caused many +casualties in such trenches as these. A most complicated form had to +be filled up with every case sent down to hospital suffering from +trench foot, and no mercy was shewn to any Commanding Officer who did +not take every precaution to prevent it. Fortunately we had a very +good record. Every effort was made to relieve the men in the front +line every 24 hours, and to take them back as often as possible to the +billets near Windy Corner, where they were able to get their clothes +dried, and a good night's rest before going back to the line. + +Our rest billets and Transport were at Vieille Chapelle. The field +where the latter had their lines was nothing but a mass of mud, in +most places knee-deep. The Transport at this time shewed remarkable +activity, limbers going backwards and forwards all day to Lacouture on +some mysterious duty, which was by no means unconnected with the +excitement which arose in "A" Branch of Divisional Headquarters +towards the end of our stay, about some houses missing from that +village! They had been removed piecemeal to the transport lines, where +they were used to form standings. + +During one tour spent in Brigade support, Battalion Headquarters and +two Companies were in that village, and two Companies in billets in +Richebourg St. Vaast, or finding garrisons for "St. Vaast," "Grotto" +and "Angle" posts. An interesting discovery in the rafters of a ruined +house at Richebourg St. Vaast was a pepper box found to contain +several gold _louis_. Capt. E. M. Hacking was the means of their being +handed over to the French authorities and, we hope, eventually +restored to their owner. The billets at Lacouture were not very good, +but we had a great find there in the shape of what had once been a +billiard table in the remains of the Village Institute. At the same +time curiously enough, and for some time afterwards, the +Quarter-Master reported that the demand for green cloth for putting +behind cap badges was extraordinarily small! + +The main drawback to our periods of rest was those wretched working +parties, which seemed to pursue us everywhere. Here the work in hand +was the building of a solid breastwork in continuation of Guards +Trench, just East of the Rue du Bois. Two nights out of each four we +were at rest, we had to send large parties to Richebourg to carry on +this work, which was being done "by the piece." A certain number of +sandbags were issued to each man about half-a-mile before he got to +his work, and he was told that when these had been filled and laid he +could return. It is perhaps needless to say that many of the sandbags +found a resting place in the nearest ditch, not far from the Royal +Engineers' dump, where they were issued, and that the building of the +breastwork did not proceed very rapidly. + +During our stay here several new Officers joined, including 2nd +Lieuts. H. K. Simonet, G. A. P. Rawlings, and A. H. Michie from the +2/8th Battalion, and 2nd Lieuts. A. Bedford, G. G. Elliott, and W. W. +Pitt. We were also given as Second-in-Command, Major E. H. Heathcote, +from the 6th Battalion, whilst his brother Capt. G. S. Heathcote, +rejoined at the end of November and resumed command of C Company. At +the same time Capt. E. M. Hacking went to Brigade Headquarters to +learn Staff duties, leaving A Company under Lieut. Andrews, until +taken over a little later by Capt. A. Hacking, who rejoined from +Brigade. We also lost 2nd Lieut. Pickerell, who was invalided home. +Our losses in other ranks during our stay amounted to three killed and +15 wounded. + +On December 2nd--we retain most pleasant memories of that night--we +were relieved by the 7th Battalion in the left sector, and on one of +the darkest nights known, made our way back in the usual way to +Vieille Chapelle. About 9.30 p.m. a message was received from Brigade +that the Commanding Officer or Adjutant was wanted at once. The +Adjutant was sent and came back with the news that we were to be +"prepared to move at short notice to an unknown destination." At 5.0 +a.m. the next morning further orders were received and we left Vieille +Chapelle at noon the same day, marching via Merville to Haverskerque, +where we got very good if scattered billets. There we proceeded to +clean off some of the mud of the Richebourg trenches. During our march +we met units of the 19th Division, moving up to relieve the troops in +the trenches, and could not help feeling a touch of sympathy for them +having been suddenly fetched away from comfortable billets, to take +over such water-logged trenches, and we felt that for once fortune had +favoured us. + +Rumours of all kinds began to float around, and of all quarters of the +globe that were mentioned "Egypt" was believed to be "it," and it was +not long before we found out that that indeed was our intended +destination. + +Everyone was happy, and we were soon looking smart once more; in fact, +so splendid was the effort at cleaning up, that the Battalion was +congratulated by our Divisional Commander at his inspection on +December 7th, as being the smartest Battalion of the eleven he had +inspected. + +Odd men who had been detached for duty with other units rejoined. We +had a few small drafts, and one new Officer, 2nd Lieut. W. H. B. +Rezin. + +We now settled down for drill, interior economy, and lectures. +Particular attention was given to guard drill and guard mounting +ceremonies, as the Divisional Commander expressed a wish that we +should turn out like the Guards Division, who were in the same Corps. +Fur coats and other winter kit were handed in. A horrid pro forma +certificate reached Orderly Room, and the Commanding Officer found he +had to sign a certificate to the effect that the Battalion was in +possession of every article enumerated in A.F.G. 1098 (Mobilisation +Store Table). This document contained such items as "screws, brass, +buckle roller 1 in. × 7/8 in.--2" "awls, brad--1;" "cordage, tarred +spun yarn,--lbs. 14," and other luxuries which had long been +considered superfluous, and mostly lost in the Salient. We had been +told to indent for anything we wanted in the way of clothing or +equipment, so that there was some consternation on the arrival of a +new and fierce Deputy Assistant Director of Ordnance Services just at +this moment, who told Quarter-Masters that during the last month, the +whole of the Guards Division had not used the number of articles they +were indenting for. Formal indents for "awls, brad," etc., were +therefore out of the question. The Quarter-Master accused the +Transport Officer, and the Transport Officer accused the +Quarter-Master, but in the end the mess cart, which had a good cover, +was requisitioned, and made two or three secret journeys by night to +Merville, and when surprise was expressed that everything on the +Mobilisation Store Table was present, both the individuals concerned +looked supremely innocent, and no more was said about it. It has since +transpired that a jar of rum played a prominent part in this incident. + +Here we parted with "Big Ben," "Old Bob," and other heavy draught +horses, which had been with us since leaving Newark, and received in +exchange mules from the Guards Divisional Ammunition Column, two of +which rejoiced in the aristocratic names of "Harry Thaw," and "Legs +Eleven." + +We were inspected by the Assistant Director of Medical Services; we +had lectures on "Duties on board ship" and "Entraining." Special short +leave was granted to a few lucky ones, and all preparations were made +for a big move. Our billets were very comfortable. We could get good +dinners at the "Corner Café," and those of us who were there, will +never forget the wonderful concert given by the 19th Divisional +Ammunition Column who were billeted there, in which two ladies from +Merville assisted. + +On December 19th, we marched to Wittes, a small village on the La +Bassée Canal, near Aire. This was a short march on a bright Sunday +morning, chiefly memorable for a wonderful equestrian feat on the part +of a certain Company Commander, who went with his horse into a dyke +at the starting point, and instead of coming out with the animal, +stayed in by himself, and for the fact that an unfortunate mistake in +map reading, caused the Battalion to perform a most startling and +snake-like turning feat in a lane only a few feet wide, the mistake +being discovered just as the last transport vehicle had entered the +lane. However, as it was a bright day and we were going away, great +good humour prevailed, and each Company played "Here we go round the +water cart" in its own good time, and the tangle was soon sorted out. + +Our before breakfast parade at Wittes on a few occasions took the +novel form of the whole Battalion doubling up and down along the Canal +side to the accompaniment of the drums. This was entertaining for a +brief space, but the novelty soon wore off. Ordinary training was +continued, and included several route marches. It was during one of +these that the C Company "wag" brought forth a spontaneous remark one +day when passing one of those little dog-carts one used to see so +often. It was very heavily laden and the dog was straining every +nerve. A big, powerful looking woman was walking at the side carrying +a horse whip, but taking no share in the burden. As the Company +passed, our friend remarked "Eh, mum, you've forgotten your spurs!" + +Christmas, 1915, spent at Wittes was a very cheery one. All sorts of +good things had been received from home, including a present for every +Officer and man from the Nottingham Comforts Fund, and altogether we +had a most enjoyable time. Football matches and sports of all kinds +were indulged in, and one has vivid recollections of Sergt. Deverall +giving a wonderful boxing display, and of a poor Frenchman waking up +one morning to find his best wagon at the bottom of the Canal. + +[Illustrated: MAJOR J. P. BECHER, D.S.O. Died of wounds, Jan. 1st, +1916.] + +On Boxing-Day we marched via Aire to fresh billets at Molinghem, which +were probably the most verminous we ever found. In spite of this +drawback we had a very good time, and on January 6th, 1916, had the +pleasure of welcoming the 11th Sherwood Foresters, who marched over +from a neighbouring village and played us at football. After a good +game we beat them by two goals to one. A Brigade inter-Battalion +football competition was also played, in which after beating the 5th +Battalion one--none, and the 7th Battalion three--none, we won the +Brigade championship and some very neat medals. + +Whilst at Molinghem, we got our long expected orders to move South, +and on January 7th, A and C Companies, and half the First Line +Transport vehicles, under Major E. H. Heathcote entrained at +Berguette, and were followed by the remainder of the Battalion on +January 9th, except the horses, which were entrained at Lillers on +January 11th. Eventually, after a train journey of nearly three days, +the Battalion was concentrated at Marseilles, where after some +rearranging, Battalion Headquarters and B and D Companies were +billeted at Camp Moussot, and A and C Companies under Major Heathcote, +at Camp Borely. + +At Marseilles we spent what was probably our happiest fortnight in +France. It is not difficult to imagine the pleasure everyone +experienced at being transported to the shores of the Mediterranean in +January after the filth and mud in the trenches, and wet and fogs of +Northern France. The change was marvellous, and the turnout and +appearance of the men splendid, and indeed the subject of comment by +English people arriving from abroad, who said they could not help +being struck on landing at finding the place full of well set-up and +healthy English Tommies. Truly the change was delightful, though the +Officers who had the misfortune to be billeted for a time in the +draughty bathing establishment opposite Borely Camp, are not likely to +forget the cold nights they spent there. Sea bathing, which we got +almost next door to the Camp, was a great delight, and of course the +town itself was full of attractions. We need only mention such names +as the Cannibière, Theresa's Bar, Lindens, The Alcazar, Castell Muro, +The Palais Crystal, The Bodega, and The Novelty, to recall many +incidents to all those who were fortunate enough to be with us. It was +certainly delightful, but played havoc with our banking accounts, and +must have given Mr. Cox a very busy time. We did a certain amount of +training in our more serious moments, which were not many, ordinary +work normally finishing about 1.0 p.m., and the men being allowed out +from 2.0 p.m. onwards. Many guards and camp and town fatigues had to +be found, however, almost daily, which much depleted our numbers on +parade. Training was mainly of the barrack square type. There was a +certain amount of interest for those at Moussot Camp, in watching the +Indian Troops, whilst those at Borely spent much time either in +dodging the loose horses and mules, which wandered at will about the +Camp, or the Camp Commandant, who had a violent dislike to orange +peel, and if he found any at once arrested the nearest man, whether +guilty or not! + +Four new Officers joined us there, viz., 2nd Lieuts. C. G. Tomlinson, +E. C. Marshall, A. A. Hodgson, and W. S. Jones, and a draft of 39 men, +all of whom no doubt thought it a very "bon" war. + +Plans for our sea journey had got so far advanced that our transport +vehicles had actually been taken down to the docks for loading, when, +alas for us, our hopes of going East were shattered on January 24th, +by the receipt of orders to entrain the next night. + +What exactly caused the sudden change of plans we did not know at the +time, but subsequently heard it was due to the unexpected ease with +which Gallipoli had been evacuated. Needless to say there was much +regret on all sides, especially when we found that we were to go back +to the North of France and join the Third Army on the Western Front. +On the evening of the 25th January, we marched down through cheering +crowds of French people to the Gare d'Arenc, where after waiting about +for four hours, we entrained at 4.10 a.m. on the 26th. It is sad to +think that this wait gave an opportunity once more for light-fingered +people in the Transport Section to annex eight or nine P.L.M. goods +sheets, which were carefully stowed away, one on each limber, and +later proved of great value in several places where there was a +scarcity of billets. + +We detrained at Pont Remy on the morning of January 28th, after a +peculiarly uncomfortable journey, and owing to our guide preferring to +go three miles uphill to one on the flat our march to Ergnies was a +somewhat lengthy business. In this area we followed the Ulster +Division, and we are glad to add that the billets taken over from them +were invariably scrupulously clean, and had evidently been vastly +improved under their able medical authorities. We stayed here for +several days, and had an opportunity of resting the men after their +long journey, and of carrying out a little training. Some of this was +in preparation for a Brigade ceremonial parade, which took place on +February 3rd, when General Shipley spoke of the splendid work done by +the Brigade in France up to that time, and read out a list of the +honours and decorations awarded, of which we had had a fair share. At +Ergnies we had flying visits from Col. Huskinson and "Doc." Stallard, +both of whom we were delighted to see looking very fit. + +On February 10th, we marched to Ribeaucourt, where we stayed for a +little over a week. Here on February 16th, we parted with Lieut. +Adams, 2nd Lieut. Rezin, and 35 N.C.O.'s and men of the Machine Gun +Section, who went to form part of the newly created "Brigade Machine +Gun Company." In place of the Vickers gun thus withdrawn, we were +issued with the new light Lewis Machine Gun, air cooled, mounted on a +bipod and easily carried. Each Company had two of these and the whole +were supervised by a Battalion Lewis Gun Officer, 2nd Lieut. Simonet +being the first to be appointed to this duty. Musketry was carried out +on a 300 yard range, which we fitted up near the village, and bombing +practice under the guidance of 2nd Lieut. Peerless, who made +considerable progress in the use of the West Spring Thrower. Capt. A. +Hacking had been again taken to Brigade Headquarters, to act as +Grenade Officer, and Capt. Lawson who had rejoined at Wittes, was +appointed to command A Company in his place. All this time we were +well in the back regions out of harm's way. The only journey made to +the front area was that by a party of Officers, who one day had to +reconnoitre some reserve lines of trenches near Forceville and Mailly +Maillet. We once had orders to be prepared to take over the line at +Beaumont Hamel, but this fell through. + +Ribeaucourt we shall always remember, owing to the exorbitant claims +made by the inhabitants for damage to billets. Never before nor after +did we receive such demands as those made by the good people of that +village, headed by the Maire, who after showing much hospitality to a +few of us, seemed to want to give the villagers a lead in their +demands! How they were eventually settled we never found out. Here, +too, Capt. Davenport and Sergt. Blunt were chased down the village +street one day by two infuriated women armed with broomsticks, their +store of bully beef and army shirts having been discovered by the +former, when looking for odds and ends to hand into the Deputy +Assistant Director of Ordnance Services in exchange for new articles. +The D.A.D.O.S. had just issued an ultimatum to the effect that he +would issue nothing except on the return of the old article. Transport +men, therefore, scoured the country side for bottoms of nose-bags, +backs of dandy brushes, pieces of rope, etc., which were cleaned and +handed in and quite a good stock of new articles was obtained in +return. + +On February 20th, we were taken in motor 'buses by a somewhat +circuitous route to fresh billets at Candas, where we stayed until +March 6th. Most of this time the weather was extremely cold and there +were several heavy snowstorms. Navvying on new railways was our chief +work, under the supervision of the 112th Company Royal Engineers, +either about Puchevillers, or the station at Candas, in preparation +for the offensive that was to take place later on. Our fortnight at +Candas completed three whole months of what was practically "rest" in +the back areas. We were now to play a more active part in the war. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +VIMY RIDGE + + _March 6th, 1916._ _April 21st, 1916._ + + +Vimy Ridge will always bring up in the minds of those of the 8th +Sherwood Foresters, who were with us at that time the word "Mines." +Everyone seemed somehow or other to have heard that that part of the +line was famous for mining warfare, and as the news was passed on from +one to another that Vimy Ridge was our destination, a kind of whisper +of "Mines" passed with it. The area proved to be a mass of mines, and +we found that mining warfare was extremely unpleasant, though most of +our own experience was confined to the latter part of our stay there. + +The front line in this sector, in the early part of 1915 had run +through the East end of the Lorette Ridge to Carency, and thence to La +Targette, but on September 25th of that year, the French had driven +the enemy back nearly a mile, practically to the foot of the Vimy +Ridge itself. In this area were portions of the front having +such well-known names as "The Labyrinth," and Souchez Sugar +Refinery--reminders of the fact that some of the most savage fighting +of the whole war took place there, owing to the struggle of the enemy +to retain a footing on that splendid line of observation, the Lorette +Ridge. The Arras-Béthune Road, known as the Route de Béthune, and +bordered by a few scraggy trees, ran through the sector more or less +from North to South--about a mile behind the front line, and two miles +in front of Mont St. Eloy. The forward area was a scene of +desolation--trenches and wire, shell-holes everywhere, mine craters +here and there, shewing more or less where No Man's Land was, and +beyond them the gently sloping ridge, with little variation except a +few shattered trees marking the site of La Folie Wood. + +Such was the sector that our advance party of Officers went up to +reconnoitre on March 5th. The French were holding the line, and this +was the Battalion's only experience of taking over from them. We were +not let into the secret of the why and wherefore of the move, but +doubtless we relieved in order to allow them to send much wanted help +to their friends at Verdun, who were now so hard pressed owing to the +enemy's continued attacks. It was hoped that the fact of our taking +over this part of the line could be kept from the Boche, at least +until relief was complete, and to further this object the advance +party were given French "tin hats" to wear so as to maintain the +deception. We fear that despite our efforts, the enemy knew just about +as much of the relief as we did, and rumour says that a Boche scout, +on getting across to the French front line two days before we relieved +them, openly expressed his surprise to the French sentry that the +English had not already arrived! We were shewn the greatest kindness +by the French when we went up to reconnoitre, and they did all they +could to explain the situation, and many an Officer drank confusion to +the enemy in a glass of sweet sparkling wine. Those who were there +will doubtless well remember the group of Officers being assembled +just behind the Arras-Béthune road, in full view of the German lines, +under the French Brigade Major, who was acting as guide, when the Hun +gunners, not being able to let such an opportunity slip, at once put +over a few "pip-squeaks," and we discovered with a considerable amount +of pleasure, that our gallant Allies were just about as good in +getting to ground as ourselves, if not a trifle better. It was, +however, a rude awakening to the fact that a war was still on, which +we had rather forgotten during our stay in the South of France, and in +the back areas. + +Leaving Candas on March 6th, we marched on a very snowy day, via +Doullens, to Iverny, moving on the 8th to Maizières, and on the 9th to +Acq, where we had to make the best of most uncomfortable billets, the +whole village being a seething mass of troops, French and English, and +every billet crowded to its utmost limit. On the occasion of this move +we marched, in accordance with instructions, in column of three's. +This system was tried owing to the narrow roads, but only lasted a few +months. + +On the following day we moved up into support trenches, just in front +of the Route de Béthune, where we stayed for four days cleaning +trenches, carrying out general trench repairs, and improving dug-outs. +There were a certain number of deep dug-outs in this sector--our first +experience of them--proof against all but the heaviest shells, though +in every other respect a bad invention. Further behind, at Berthonval +Farm, were huge caverns hewn out of the chalk, fitted up with wire +beds, absolutely shell-proof, and having accommodation for about two +Companies. The dug-outs in the front line trenches, however, were mere +shelters. Later on we were told to make our shelters in this area of a +uniform pattern in small saps running back from the trenches, and when +men could be spared from other more pressing work, a certain amount of +progress was made in this respect. + +The French dug-outs possessed one unique quality; they were decorated +as only a Frenchman could decorate them, with most wonderful designs +in pokerwork, which were always objects of the greatest interest to +our visitors. + +On March 15th, we were relieved by the 2nd Royal Irish Rifles, and +withdrew for four days to rest billets, which consisted of some French +huts partly in the wood, and partly in the open, just behind Mont St. +Eloy. We are afraid we could not have given our predecessors a "billet +clean" certificate in respect of these huts, many of which were a foot +or more deep with accumulated rubbish of every description. There were +no baths, and we had to rig up home-made ones with ground sheets and +other means, using the cookers for providing the necessary hot water. +We managed, however, to get clean clothing from time to time from the +Staff Captain, Major Wordsworth, who got together a fascinating crowd +of French ladies, and did much useful work as Officer Commanding +Laundry, at Mont St. Eloy. + +We were at this time called upon to provide a contribution towards the +Brigade Mining Section, which was re-formed to help the French Miners +in the sector, and on March 17th, we had to part temporarily with +Lieut. R. V. Harvey, Corpl. Boot and 12 men, who joined the Brigade +Section under Lieut. Webster, of the Robin Hoods. The arrival of 140 +reinforcements the previous day had, however, swelled our numbers +considerably, amongst several old friends in the draft being Sergt. G. +Powell, who shortly became Comp. Sergt.-Major of A Company, Sergts. I. +B. Bell, S. Foster, Collins and Beniston, and Corpl. A. B. North. We +thus had a reasonable trench strength when we relieved the 7th +Battalion in the left sub-sector on March 19th. + +In this area we always kept to the same sub-sector, relieving as on +many other occasions with the Robin Hoods. The 5th and 6th Battalions +shared the right sub-sector, whilst the 138th Brigade were on our +left. Each Company, too, had its own section of trench, finding its +own supports. From right to left they ran in order: D (Capt. Hill), B +(Capt. Turner), C (Major G. S. Heathcote), A (Capt. Vann, who had +recently rejoined; during his absence on a course at 3rd Army School, +his place was taken by Capt. Lawson). Battalion Headquarters was in a +delightful spot just under the steep side of the Talus des Zouaves, +and well nigh out of reach of everything but aeroplane bombs. Second +Lieut. Cox was Signalling Officer, 2nd Lieut. Simonet, Lewis Gun +Officer, 2nd Lieut. Peerless, Grenade Officer, and 2nd Lieut. +Marshall, Intelligence Officer. The last-named was the first Officer +in the Battalion to hold that newly created appointment. + +The enemy front line was close to ours, in most parts about 70 yards +away, but bombing posts in saps were in several cases not more than 10 +to 15 yards apart. Talking and movement in the front line could often +be heard quite plainly, whilst our Bombers in the posts used to +indulge sometimes in lobbing practice, and spent their odd moments in +erecting or repairing wire netting to catch the Boche "potato +mashers." + +Our two communication trenches running forward--"Boyau Central" and +"Avenue Lassale"--though well cared for and kept up by the French, +were almost straight, and hardly traversed at all, particularly the +former, and movement along them was precarious. The fire and support +trenches, bearing such names as "Schiller," "Grange," "Broadmarsh," +"Duffield," and "Bertrand," were in very bad order, and work was at +once concentrated in an effort to make a good line of resistance along +"Guerin Trench," practically the support line. Some work was also done +on a reserve trench, known as "Blanchetière." We felt this all the +more necessary, as just before we took over from the French, the Boche +had driven them out of their front line, and it seemed quite within +the range of possibility that he might try to make a further advance. +Our fears turned out to be correct, for later he did make an +onslaught, though luckily not whilst we were there. + +Unfortunately the enemy in capturing the trenches, had secured the +shafts of all the French mines, and had consequently got a good start +at various points along the front before the French could begin again. +The result was that practically all the French mines were defensive, +and intended merely to try and blow the Germans, before they could get +under our lines. No doubt each side knew almost exactly where the +other side was working, and at what approximate time any particular +mine would go up. These were all shewn to us on a plan, and carefully +explained by the Officer in charge of the French Miners, who were +still at work in the sector. Each Company had a cut-and-dried scheme +for carrying out the instant a mine went up in its own or adjoining +sectors. Anticipating the mine, parties were kept available to seize +the near lip of the crater formed, with covering parties of Lewis +gunners, riflemen, and bombers to go out on each flank, and working +parties behind them to begin at once to dig a trench to join up the +broken front line across the lip of the crater, wire the front and +establish observation posts on the lip. All this work had to be +started the instant the mine was exploded, in order to make certain +that the Boche did not get possession of our lip of the crater, as +well as his own. This entailed constant readiness and considerable +anxiety on the part of those holding the front line. + +The enemy shewed no special activity, though on several occasions our +front and support lines were badly knocked about, both by shells and +trench mortars, which necessitated a vast amount of repairs, and +caused us considerable casualties. In addition to high explosive he +now began to send over for the first time "lachrymatory" gas shells, +having a sweet smell and doing little harm except to make our eyes +water. In the later stages of the war, they became, as we shall see, +much more disagreeable. + +As it was so difficult in this sector for our Gunners to be able to +identify our front line, we had to mark it with "artillery +boards,"--white boards about 3 ft. by 2 ft., marked with different +letters denoting the different sections of the front. These were stuck +up by the Infantry at night, in such a position that they could be +seen by our Gunners but be invisible to the enemy. Whether they were +any real help or not is doubtful. Later on we were given a smaller +portable type of board, coloured brown and marked with a black cross, +a number of which were issued to each Battalion, and carried with us +as part of our equipment. They were intended for use in moving warfare +to mark our advanced positions, but were eventually discarded as +unsuitable. + +We now began seriously to try and harass the enemy with trench +mortars, for which purpose Trench Mortar Batteries were formed. The +medium batteries fired a fairly heavy shell with a long tail (known as +"Footballs" or "Toffee Apples"), and the Stokes batteries a light +shell, which could be fired at the rate of 20 or more per minute. We +had recently sent 2nd Lieut. Kebblewhite and five men to a school for +a course in this work. It is feared, however, that the first efforts +of the trench mortar experts in the trenches were not fully +appreciated. A very nervous Officer would go to his emplacement, fire +off a few shells, and then gracefully, but rapidly retire, leaving the +people on the spot to put up with any retaliation. And we well +remember Capt. Lawson being so annoyed at this going on, that on one +occasion the bed plate mysteriously disappeared. On another occasion +an emplacement was made one night with much care on D Company's front, +ready for a big bombardment, but when completed was found to be in +full view of six enemy sniper plates, about 100 yards away! + +At sniping we more than held our own, though the enemy were very keen, +and used to fire from steel plates fixed round the mine craters. We +were unfortunate in losing at this period Sergt.-Drummer Clewes, who +went home for discharge. He had done much excellent work in charge of +the Brigade Snipers, his own "bag" being stated to amount to +considerably over 100. As some recognition of his good work he was +later awarded the D.C.M. His son, Corpl. G. W. Clewes, another +excellent sniper, left at the same time. L.-Corpl. Hagues took over +the duties of N.C.O. in charge of Snipers, and with 2nd Lieut. +Marshall, did some splendid work, including the blowing-in of several +loophole plates with Col. Fowler's Elephant Gun, which was now brought +into use again. + +Marshall's "pet," however, was the "dummy tree" on the Route de +Béthune. This was a hollow tree about 20 feet high, formed of steel +casing, and covered with imitation bark. Inside there were ledges to +climb up by, and from it a most excellent view for a very long +distance around, could be obtained. It had been erected by the enemy +before they had been driven back. + +Another item in the "Intelligence Department" which now came into use, +was that extraordinary instrument known as the "I-Tok," intended for +picking up enemy telegraphic and telephonic messages. We never were +supposed to know where its operators performed, and rarely did know, +but more often than not they placed themselves near Battalion +Headquarters, and the sheaves of papers they sent to Brigade were +mostly filled with scraps of our own messages. It is doubtful if much +of value was picked up from enemy messages, but they certainly did +good in keeping a check on our own conversations over the telephone, +and were regularly used from now onwards. The "Fullerphone," which +was introduced a little later, and largely superseded the ordinary +telephone, was reputed to be capable of transmitting messages in such +a way that they could not be picked up. + +Our Firework Artistes, too, decided that they ought to have a show, +and accordingly arranged for us one night to have a display of red +rockets in the front line. These rockets had been issued for use for +night S.O.S. When the time came for them to be let off, the only +visible result to those behind watching, was one feeble rocket which +made a short lob, and fell to the earth. Only one other went off at +all, and it had a great tussle with John Turner, nearly knocking him +through a traverse, and then fizzing itself out in the bottom of the +trench. + +Another brainy person, one of our German scholars, decided one day to +try the result of putting up a placard to give the Boche the news that +the L.15 had been sunk in the Thames. This was on April 2nd. Two days +later a notice was put up opposite B Company's front, which said +"Thanks for your news: you are all mad"--shewing, we thought, a lack +of originality on his part. This was one of the very few occasions +upon which we either sent or received a message in this way. + +[Illustration: REGTL.-SERGT.-MAJOR A. WESTERMAN.] + +[Illustration: COMP. SERGT.-MAJOR J. T. SLATER AND N.C.O.'S OF 'A' +COMPANY, 1917.] + +Just about the same time, we had the pleasure of seeing a Hun plane +brought down by one of our own, after a short sharp scrap in mid-air. +Our man dived at the Hun and opened with Lewis gun fire, killing both +the pilot and observer. The plane took charge of itself, and after a +brief wild career, crashed near our Battalion Headquarters. It was no +sooner down than it was shelled by the enemy and eventually set on +fire. Various useful documents, however, were secured from it +including some maps and a signalling code. The bodies of the pilot, +Lieut. Ziemssen, and the observer were buried at Mont St. Eloy by +Padre Hales, who a little later received an appreciative letter from +the pilot's widow. + +With these and sundry other excitements, we got through two six-day +tours in the line, and also spent two periods of similar length at our +rest huts cleaning, training, and reorganising, for we were +continually losing Officers and men in various ways, and fresh ones +were joining. Amongst the former we lost 2nd Lieuts. G. G. Elliott and +Pitt, invalided to England, and the following Warrant Officers and +N.C.O.'s who left us on completion of their term of service: +Regimental Quarter-Master Sergt. Tomlin, Comp. Sergt.-Major Haywood, +Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. Shelton, and Sergts. Murden, Handford and +Kettle. Arrivals included Major Ashwell, Capt. H. Kirby, Lieut. G. +Wright, 2nd Lieut. W. P. Duff, and about 70 men, many of whom were +returned casualties, and in some cases anything but fit to resume +active service. Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. Dench became Regimental +Quarter-Master Sergt., Sergt. Bee Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. of B +Company, and Sergt. Hotson Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. of C Company. + +We were able to offer very little in the way of amusement just at this +period, entertainers either being more or less non-existent, or +somewhat shy. One afternoon, however, we succeeded in rousing +sufficient enthusiasm to organise a boxing contest, one of the very +few ever carried through by the Battalion. In the heavy-weight contest +between those two stalwarts, Sergt. Slater and Corpl. Bryan, the +latter retired after the third round with an injured hand. The +middle-weight competition was won by Sergt. L. Green, and the +lightweight by Sergt. Attenborough. The same evening, we managed an +impromptu concert in one of the huts. + +Our Transport Lines and Quarter-Master's stores during this period +were back at Acq, and were fairly comfortable. Here for the first time +we had the experience of taking rations and stores up to the line on +the light railways, already constructed by the French, a system of +transport in which both they and the Germans were much ahead of us. +Stores were unloaded from the limbers at Ecoivres on to flat trucks, +each of which was pulled by three mules. The "Decauville Track" ran +past "Berthonval Farm," across the Béthune road, branching there right +and left for the various Battalion dumps, ours being in the Talus des +Zouaves, near Battalion Headquarters. At first, the system did not +work well, and there was much confusion, but later it was properly +organised so that rations went up first, and Royal Engineers' stores +about midnight. When we first took over the sector, the French caused +much alarm to our men by carrying their stores to and from the Béthune +Road by electric trucks, actually the chassis and platforms of trains +from Paris Plage, to which the bells used for warning pedestrians were +still attached. One brakesman, Alphonse by name, like a wise person, +usually went about his own business on arrival at the Béthune Road +Dump, which was often a warm spot. The driver meanwhile got his load +to take back, and anxious as all were who ever had a job of work at +that particular spot, to get it done and be off, he adopted the +practice which seemed to us rather foolish, of vigorously sounding his +gong time after time, at the same time shouting "Alphonse, Alphonse," +with the result that all our men vanished "tout-de-suite," leaving him +and the errant Alphonse to face any whizz-bangs which might result. +Truly, the French are a remarkable race! + +We must, however, congratulate them on that excellent institution in +the Vimy sector, Trench Coffee Shops. Where cooking for the trenches +was a matter of some difficulty, as in this sector, it was a great +boon to be able to get such excellent supplies of hot tea and other +comforts as they provided. They were run by the French for some time +after our arrival, but later were taken over by our own Brigade, and +put under the care of Capt. E. M. Hacking, who was attached to Brigade +Headquarters. We feel, however, we must attribute to the somewhat +casual sanitary measures adopted by the French, the presence of so +many rats in this sector. One often met them in droves in the +trenches, and never before or after did we come across such numbers of +the beasts, and such colossal specimens as we found during our stay in +the Vimy trenches. + +On April 12th, after a brief inspection near our huts by Major-General +Stuart-Wortley, we went up to the trenches for our last and most +eventful tour, which was destined to last eight days. Owing to falls +of snow and rain, the trenches were in a deplorable state, and +gumboots were in great demand, and our only means of keeping the men +at all dry. At this time we had no such luxuries as drying-rooms. +Heavy shelling by the enemy during the first three days made things +still more uncomfortable. The real business of the tour, however, +began on April 16th, on which night the French had arranged to blow +one mine on our front, and another on the front of the 6th Battalion. +Combined with this we had arranged for a small raid to be carried out +by Lieut. A. Bedford and 12 other ranks, who immediately the mines +were exploded were to rush forward round the left edge of our crater, +and endeavour to capture any Germans found in a small forward trench +they had recently dug there. The mines were to go up at midnight, and +at the same time our guns and trench mortars were to put down a +barrage on the Boche trenches, which was to be augmented by rifle +grenades and showers of grenades thrown from West Spring Throwers, +under the arrangement of our Grenade Officer. Unfortunately, there +had evidently been some bad synchronisation somewhere, for at five +minutes before zero two Frenchmen suddenly came rushing towards +Bedford, who was waiting in a communication trench with his party, +shouting "Tout-de-suite! Tout-de-suite!" and almost at the same +instant the mines went up. This was very unfortunate, as it enabled +the Boche, who evidently knew all about it, to get their barrage down +before our own Gunners, who were waiting for zero. Bedford at once +pushed on with his party with much dash in face of heavy fire from +machine guns, rifles, trench mortars and bombs. He got as far as the +advanced trench, which, however, was held in considerable strength, +and finding himself bombed on both sides, he had to withdraw without +getting a prisoner. His party got back alright, but unfortunately +Bedford himself was knocked down by a bomb, and although only slightly +wounded had to leave us, and a few days later was invalided to +England. Capt. Hill meanwhile carried out the consolidation with much +success. As soon as the mass of débris, chalk and stones had stopped +falling, parties at once got to work digging a new trench across the +crater which was something like 30 yards wide by 30 feet deep, to +connect the broken front line, establishing observation posts and +putting out fresh wire. In spite of intense fire a sufficient trench +had been dug by dawn, and the position made good. Great assistance was +rendered by Capt. Gray and the N.C.O.'s of D Company. Unfortunately +Sergt. Markham, after most gallantly controlling the fire of his +platoon for nearly two hours, under very heavy fire, was shot through +the head and killed instantly. Another excellent piece of work was +performed by Pvte. E. Dobb, who leapt out of the trench on seeing a +party of Huns trying to get round the crater, and hurled two bombs +right amongst them. If they had had any doubts as to the possibility +of getting round, this made up their minds, and they retired +hurriedly. + +The following night at midnight, the enemy sprang a mine on the front +of our left Company (A), which caused considerable trouble and heavy +loss before the position was finally made good. A portion of our front +line was blown up, and owing to the heavy state of the ground, which +was much water-logged, and to the intense hostile bomb, rifle and +machine gun fire, it was impossible to get a trench dug round our lip +of the crater. It was not until three nights after that the situation +was cleared, and our lip of the crater finally occupied, after some of +the most difficult and miserable nights that it was ever our +misfortune to experience. During these days there was little rest for +anyone, and much excellent work was done by all ranks. Marshall +carried out some splendid patrols, ably assisted by L.-Corpl. +Hinchley, going out nightly through mud and filth, to ascertain the +position around the crater. Duff did almost superhuman work with bombs +and rifle grenades, being at it practically the whole night, for three +nights in succession, and this was only his second tour in the +trenches. The Stretcher Bearers too, as always, did most notable work, +particularly Pvtes. Holbery and Thomas, who fetched in our wounded +from the slopes of the crater only a few yards below and in full view +of the German sentry post, whilst Sergts. Deverall and Collins, and +L.-Corpl. Ostick also did very gallant work, and L.-Corpl. J. T. +Templeman throughout carried out his work of repairing telephone +wires, with his usual skill and courage. So uncanny was the work of +this period, that Lieut. Peerless was able on one occasion to take +deliberate aim, at 30 yards range, at a German digging hard in the +bright moonlight, on the top of a crater. + +On April 19th, the French sprang another mine, just to the left of our +Battalion front, as a result of which we got a certain amount of +hostile shelling, whilst on the 20th, the enemy put up another, +slightly to our left, which also brought its share of shelling on us. +This, however, was our last, for much to our relief, and at +comparatively short notice, the 10th Cheshires (25th Division) took +over our sector on the night of the 20th, and after a weary trudge +over that never-ending duck-board track, we got to Ecoivres by 1 a.m. +on the 21st. Having done full justice to the excellent tea which the +Quarter-Master and his followers had ready for us, we were taken in +'buses to Tincques, where we arrived about 6 a.m., and found that we +were to be billeted partly there, and partly in the neighbouring +village of Bethencourt. We fear we did not present a happy sight at +that early hour to the ladies just going to church on a lovely Good +Friday morning. Dawn is not an ideal time for seeing a Battalion at +its best, especially after an exceptionally hard eight days in +water-logged trenches. Our total casualties in the Vimy sector +amounted to 17 killed or died of wounds, 69 wounded and five missing. + +It was a matter of great regret to us to hear later that the 25th +Division suffered very heavily shortly after we left, when the enemy +made a determined attack on the front recently held by us, and +recaptured several trenches. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE BATTLE OF GOMMECOURT + + _April 22nd, 1916._ _July 2nd, 1916._ + + +At the time of our relief in the Vimy sector, plans at General +Headquarters must have been in a forward state for the great +offensive, which was to take place later in the year, and the part +which the 46th Division was to play in that offensive must also have +been fixed, and all our preparations now were for operations on a +large scale. + +We soon got rid of the mud and filth of the trenches, and were +fortunate in finding at Tincques excellent baths run by the 51st +Division, of which we made the best possible use, and having got our +clothes and boots into respectable order, and everyone generally +tidied up, it was not long before we were in very good form and fit +for anything. Whilst this and other work connected with the interior +economy of the Battalion was going on, some of the Officers had to +spend a rather long day on Easter Monday, April 24th, in making a +reconnaissance of the Corps line between Maroeuil and Mont St. Eloy. + +On April 26th, we were inspected by General Shipley, and felt rather +pleased with the result of our efforts at cleaning, for the Battalion +looked well, and the General expressed his pleasure at the smart +turnout. + +The weather now was improving fast, and though excellent for training, +it seemed too lovely on some of those delightful Spring days, to be +spending our time learning how to kill people. Training included the +new form of bayonet fighting, expounded by Officers and others on +their return from the Third Army School, where they had been duly +instructed in its art by that expert, Major Campbell, who always +succeeded in his inimitable way in so impressing his hearers, that +they were not likely to forget for many a long day that "two inches +well placed" was ample, and many other similar maxims. Many tips were +also given us in bayonet fighting by Sergt.-Major Curly, one of the +travelling Physical Training Instructors, who often came to see us, +and made a great impression on all who ever came under his instruction +by his extraordinary keenness and energy. Eventually we passed on to +practise the attack in "waves," and were initiated into the art of +doing this under the shelter of a smoke screen. In this form of +attack, the advance from the moment of leaving the trenches, was +carried out behind a smoke barrage, formed by lighting smoke bombs in +the front line trench, and heaving them forward over the parapet. If +they were good, a dense cloud of smoke was produced, and, provided the +wind was in the right direction, it was possible to advance concealed +behind the smoke cloud for a considerable distance. This method +depended almost entirely for its success on the strength and direction +of the wind. Later on, when the method was improved in the light of +experience gained, smoke grenades fired from rifles were used, +together with smoke shells fired by the artillery, so that a barrage +could be put down at any required point, and, except in very strong +winds, the smoke made to drift across any desired portion of the front +of attack. In many of the later attacks this was done extensively, and +was on the whole very successful. We practised at Tincques with hand +smoke bombs only, and found it was not very difficult to keep +direction through the smoke, whilst at the same time we were screened +from the vision of the enemy. + +Our period of training at this juncture was not a long one, as we were +required nearer the front to begin the many operations necessary to +prepare for the big attack. During that short period, however, we had +to change our billets, and moved on April 29th, to Averdoignt, a +pretty little village near St. Pol, where we were well housed and very +comfortable. From there we were called upon to send a detachment for a +few weeks' duty at Third Army Headquarters, at St. Pol, and a +composite company consisting of 60 of B Company, and 100 of C under +Major G. S. Heathcote were entrusted with the task. They must have +done excellent work and evidently made a good impression, as a letter +of special praise on their smartness and good work, was sent to the +Battalion, on their return by the Army Commander, General Allenby. + +We moved by easy steps from this area, which we left on May 6th, +marching that day to Rebreuviette, the following day to Gaudiempré, +and on the 10th to Bienvillers. The Transport remained behind at +Gaudiempré, but moved from there on the 11th to La Bazéque Farm, near +Humbercamps. This move brought us into the VII Corps, commanded by +Lieut.-General T. D'O. Snow. + +Up to the time of our arrival this part of the line was reputed to be +almost the quietest on the whole of the Western Front. It was said +that Company Commanders slept in pyjamas, even when holding the front +line, and certainly the personnel of Battalion Headquarters at +Foncquevillers, which was only about 1000 yards from the enemy line, +lived there for all the world, as if in a peaceful country village in +England. The dug-outs were made for comfort rather than safety, and +were in many cases artistically decorated with pictures, doubtless got +from houses in the village, and surrounded with elegant little garden +plots, which showed evident signs of careful tending on the part of +our predecessors. Together they formed a kind of miniature "Garden +City." This comparative quietness lasted for a considerable time +after our arrival; indeed we often failed to understand why the enemy +refrained from shelling, as on many occasions we must have offered +exceptionally favourable targets. Day by day work went on often in +full view of the Hun, and within a range of between one and two miles, +and the roads almost daily were a mass of transport of every kind, +moving to and fro in broad daylight, and literally asking for trouble. +There can be no question that the chief reason was a great shortage of +ammunition at this time amongst the Germans, who were under very +strict orders as to its conservation, otherwise no doubt we should +have had a very disagreeable time. Doubtless they made careful note of +all our doings, and the fact that something big was going to take +place must have been perfectly obvious to them. That it was so we +found afterwards, when in a successful attack, the diary of the German +regiment opposite to us (55th R.I.R.) was captured, and from it we +learned that they had been able to foresee exactly where the attack +was coming. This diary was most interesting reading, as it noted each +day their observations of our doings, and the conclusions they drew +from them. + +The attack of the 46th Division was to be directed against the German +trenches West of Gommecourt, immediately opposite the village of +Foncquevillers. The German trench line here, forming the Gommecourt +salient, was the most Westerly point that they ever held as a +permanent line. The general object of the attack was to cut off this +salient. The 56th Division were to attack on the South, and join hands +with our Division East of the village of Gommecourt, and so establish +the left flank of the whole Somme attack. + +All the efforts of the troops of our Division who were not actually +holding the line, were concentrated on preparing the Divisional front +for the attack. The chief work that we were concerned with, was the +digging out of old communication trenches from Foncquevillers to the +front line, a distance of about 700 yards. There were something like +ten or a dozen of these, several of which were named after our +Division. The principal were "Stafford Avenue," "Lincoln Lane," +"Leicester Street," "Nottingham Street," "Derby Dyke," "Roberts +Avenue," "Rotten Row," "Regent Street," "Raymond Avenue," and +"Crawlboys Lane." All these had to be dug out about two feet below +their existing level, making them about seven feet deep, and boarded +with trench grids from end to end, which entailed an enormous amount +of work. In addition, the front line had to be cleared of the barbed +wire, with which the unoccupied portions had been filled, support and +reserve trenches had to be prepared for the supporting troops in the +attack, forward or "jumping-off" trenches to be dug at the last +moment, for the assaulting troops to attack from, "Russian saps" to be +dug out into No Man's Land to form communication trenches, by knocking +in the thin covering of earth left to hide them, dug-outs to be made +for forward Battalion Headquarters, and several miles of narrow cable +trench to be dug about six feet deep for the protection of telephone +wires from forward Headquarters back to Brigade, Division and +Artillery Headquarters. In addition to all this navvying work, large +quantities of stores had to be carried up to forward dumps in the +trenches, ready for taking forward if the attack succeeded, shelters +had to be made at various points in side trenches, convenient to get +at from communication trenches, for storing large quantities of bombs +of all kinds, small arm ammunition, iron rations, water, picks, +shovels, sandbags, and other Royal Engineers' material likely to be +required to consolidate the ground we hoped to win in the attack. The +transport of all these stores, and of all the necessary Royal +Engineers' material, and the work entailed in all these preparations +was colossal, and our first real experience of anything of the kind. +It is probable that at this time the mass and variety of material +required in an attack, reached a degree of complication never equalled +either before or after. The German comment on this contained in the +diary already mentioned is of interest. "It must be acknowledged," it +states, "that the equipment and preparation of the English attack were +magnificent. The assaulting troops were amply provided with numerous +machine guns, Lewis guns, trench mortars, and storming-ladders. The +Officers were provided with excellent maps, which shewed every German +trench system actually named and gave every detail of our positions. +The sketches had been brought up to date with all our latest work, and +the sectors of attack were shewn on a very large scale. Special +sketches shewing the objectives of the different units, also aeroplane +photographs were found amongst the captured documents." + +During our week at Bienvillers from May 10th to 18th, we were mostly +engaged in improving the defences of the village, and the approach +trenches behind Foncquevillers, and in work on cable trenches. It was +here that one or two civilians roused our suspicions, as they insisted +on ploughing and carrying on their cultivations so very near the +front, some days working with grey horses, others with brown, and our +Battalion Scouts were told to keep a special eye on them. Nothing, +however, happened so far as we were aware that in any way altered the +course of the war, as a result of our or their action. + +On May 19th, we relieved the 5th North Staffords in Foncquevillers, +being then in reserve to our 5th, 6th, and 7th Battalions, who were +holding the front line. Our Transport moved the following day to +Souastre. + +This was a somewhat uneventful period, and after a few days in the +front line mostly spent in improving trenches, we were relieved on +June 5th, by the 4th Leicesters, and marched back to huts at +Humbercamp, preparatory to moving further back for our final training +for the "Big Push." We left there the following night, and arrived in +the early hours of June 7th at Le Souich, where we were destined to +spend one of the least enjoyable periods out of the line that we ever +experienced. We were only there for a week, but into that short time +was crammed an immense amount of work both in training, and in cutting +wood and making wattle hurdles in Lucheux Forest. The weather was very +wet, and our billets were anything but comfortable. In our humble +opinion the training here was too strenuous. We had to march out four +miles to the training ground, and four miles back in full marching +order, practise the attack for two hours through fields of growing +corn three or four feet high soaked with rain, and complete six hours +training daily (not including the marching) with bayonet fighting, +physical exercises, and drill in the fields near our billets. It takes +very little of such intensive training to make men stale. + +The form of attack practised was that ordered for the general attack, +which we now knew was to take place about the end of June: this +allowed each Battalion a frontage of 250 yards, with three Companies +in front, and one in support, each Company having its four platoons +echelonned in depth at distances of about 50 yards, thus forming four +"waves," the men in each wave being extended to about four paces. In +the attack the leading wave was to go through to the final objective, +the other waves occupying and mopping up the trenches passed over by +the leading wave. + +A full size model of the German lines at Gommecourt that we were to +attack, was made near Sus-St. Leger, the trenches being dug to a +depth of about two feet. Tape lines were laid for the men to form up +on, and the whole attack was practised time and again as a "drill," +until eventually we were able to carry it out without losing +direction, with a fair amount of success. + +We were now stronger in Officers than we had ever been during the +campaign, our strength being 38. This was due to the recent arrival of +several reinforcements, including Capt. Piggford and Lieut. Hindley, +rejoined, and 2nd Lieuts. H. de C. Martelli, J. B. White, C. J. Wells, +A. G. T. Lomer, T. G. Day, E. A. Huskinson, H. I. Newton, and A. A. +Field. We had, however, lost Capt. Lawson, who left for a tour of duty +at home, and Major E. H. Heathcote, Capt. Gray, and 2nd Lieut. Hodgson +invalided to England, also 2nd Lieut. Peerless, who unfortunately got +badly hurt one day by accidentally kicking a live rifle grenade, which +had been left lying on the bombing practice ground. His place as +Battalion Grenade Officer was taken by 2nd Lieut. Duff. Lieut. Simonet +had gone to hospital, and was succeeded as Lewis Gun Officer by 2nd +Lieut. Tomlinson. Major G. S. Heathcote was attached to Headquarters, +Third Army, and was succeeded in command of C Company by Capt. +Piggford, whilst Major Ashwell became Second-in-Command. We were not +particularly strong in other ranks, something less than 500 being +available for the attack, though we had recently received over 100 +reinforcements, including a very good draft of 61 from the 2nd +Sherwood Foresters. Fortunately General Headquarters had taken an +excellent step in laying down that certain Officers and other ranks +known as "Battle Details," were now to be left out of every attack to +form a nucleus for carrying on Battalions in the event of their +suffering heavy casualties. This was a very wise precaution, and was +adopted by us for the first time in the attack at Gommecourt. +[Illustration: REGTL.-SERGT.-MAJOR W. MOUNTENEY, D.C.M.] + +[Illustration: COMP. SERGT.-MAJOR W. STOKES, D.C.M. and SERGEANTS OF C +COMPANY, 1917.] + +On June 15th, we marched to Humbercamp, the Transport at the same time +moving to lines at La Bazéque Farm. Capt. H. Kirby was now Transport +Officer, having taken over from Capt. Davenport, who, after being +attached for some time to XVII Corps Light Railway Company, Royal +Engineers, went to Brigade Headquarters to learn Staff work. The +transport vehicles had somewhat camouflaged themselves, having been +decorated on all sides by wonderful and mystic signs, so as to show to +the initiated to what unit they belonged. If you enquired you would be +told that the dark blue square meant "First Line Transport," the +narrow light green oblong edged with white placed on the left of this +square was for the "8th Sherwood Foresters," whilst the square divided +diagonally into red and green, and bordered with white, was the sign +of the "46th Division." It was not an easy matter to arrange all these +coloured patches clear of the odds and ends carried on the different +vehicles, and this problem was still exercising the minds of those in +authority nearly up to the Armistice--such an important part did it +play in the ultimate winning of the war! + +We now knew that in our Brigade we were to be the Battalion in +reserve, the 5th and 7th Battalions having to carry out the assault, +with the 6th Battalion in immediate support. As a consequence much of +the "dirty" work during the final preparations for the attack fell to +our lot. This consisted chiefly in holding the trenches during our +preliminary bombardment, and putting up with such retaliation as the +Hun might choose to carry out, and in completing the final +arrangements in our own trenches. After three days at Humbercamp, +during which we found large working parties for digging cable +trenches, and putting up screens to conceal the approaches to +trenches, we moved to Foncquevillers on June 18th, and took over part +of the left sub-sector from the 5th Lincolns. An immense amount of +work had been done whilst we had been away; the prospects seemed +bright, and our hopes rose. Our Headquarters at Foncquevillers became +a centre of attraction to all and sundry. At every hour of the day and +night we had callers, from the Divisional Commander downwards. The +Brigadier and his staff constantly paid us visits. Gunners galore came +to sample what we kept, and incidentally to see about finding +observation posts. Royal Engineer gentlemen requested our help at +every turn and corner, usually wanting working parties rather larger +than our total strength, whilst "Tock Emma" Officers were on our +doorstep day and night. Indeed so great was the crowd that at one time +we almost had to put Corpl. Cross on to regulate the queue, and all +the time our poor stock of victuals and drinks was getting less and +less. + +All went well until the afternoon of June 23rd, when there was a +violent thunderstorm, which practically undid the whole of the work we +had carried out in the trenches, filling them in most cases to a depth +of two feet or more with mud and water. This area was a difficult one +to drain, and it was impossible to get the water away, so that all +hands had to be got on as soon as possible to man trench pumps, and +endeavour to clear the trenches in that way. This method was extremely +laborious, and very little real progress was made, though every +available man was put on to the work. Our poor dug-outs were knee deep +in water, and the newly constructed bomb and other stores were too +weak to stand such a storm, and in most cases collapsed. Our hopes +sank, for we realised how much depended on all the careful +preparations which had been made, and that the time left before the +attack would be all too short for us to get the damage repaired. + +It is impossible to give anything like an adequate idea of our plight +for the next few days. The artillery scheme, including a six days' +bombardment, began on the following day with wire cutting, causing a +certain amount of retaliation, which added to our trouble. This got +worse on the following days, doubtless owing partly to the fact that +we dug a new advanced trench. This was in a deplorable mess, and our +men who had to occupy it had a most distressing time. Casualties rose +rapidly, especially in B Company, whose front line trench was +enfiladed from Adinfer Wood. Our carrying parties, who had to take up +Royal Engineer material, ammunition of all sorts, rations and other +stores to various points in the line, mostly adopted the very suitable +dress of a sandbag kilt and boots. They were objects of much interest, +but it was the most workmanlike rig-out for our trenches, which in +many cases remained knee deep in mud and water for several days. The +carrying had to go on whatever happened, and continued night and day, +assistance being got from the 6th and 7th Battalions, from the Machine +Gun Company, and from the Transport men of all units, parties of whom +marched up nightly for the purpose. With trenches in such a state, it +is needless to say that it was impossible for men to hold the line for +many days, and in order to give us a brief respite, we were relieved +by the 5th Battalion on the night of June 27th, and moved back to +Pommier. + +The nine strenuous days during which we had held the line, had been a +severe trial, and where everyone did so well it is difficult to single +out any for special mention, but we feel we must say how much we owed +to Capts. Turner, Vann and Hill, for the excellent way in which they +worked to keep up the spirits of their men during those trying times, +and to Sergts. Slater and Rawding, for the splendid way they kept +their men together during several particularly unpleasant "straffs" by +the Boche of our front trenches. During that time, too, much +excellent patrolling was done by Marshall, who unfortunately was +wounded one day when taking rather too great risks in observing the +Boche lines, and Martelli, ably helped by L.-Corpl. Hickman, and Pvte. +E. C. Bryan. Our casualties during those nine days included Capt. +Vann, slightly wounded, Lieut. Hindley, who got a nasty splinter wound +on the nose, 16 other ranks killed, and 44 wounded. + +The chief incident during our two days' stay at Pommier, occurred on +the afternoon of June 30th, when the Huns began shelling the church. +John Turner, Michie and Harvey, were having tea in their mess, which +was only a few yards from the church, when a 5.9 blew in the end of +the house, practically bursting inside the room where they were +sitting. Their escape was little short of a miracle. John Turner, +however, as one would expect, came into Headquarters smiling and +perfectly cool, though covered with dust and blood. Harvey and Michie +were a bit shaken, the former having to go to hospital. + +The attack, having been postponed owing to the bad weather, was +eventually fixed to take place on the morning of July 1st, and we left +Pommier again the night before to take up our position at +Foncquevillers. Our cookers were taken down to the Western edge of the +wood behind the village, where we were issued with soup and rum on +arrival at about 10 p.m. Each man carried in addition to the following +day's ration, his iron ration, and a bacon and bread sandwich. +Equipment carried included 200 rounds small arm ammunition, four +sandbags, two Mills grenades, two gas helmets, haversack, waterproof +sheet, and a supply of wire cutters and gloves. The new pattern "tin +hat," with which we had by this time all been supplied, formed a by no +means unimportant part of our dress. It was not a thing of beauty, +and took a little while to get used to, but it proved a good friend to +many in the days that were to come. + +The attack by the 46th Division was to be carried out with two +Brigades, Staffords and Sherwood Foresters, with the Lincolns and +Leicesters in reserve. The 139th Brigade on the left was to attack +between the Northern edge of Gommecourt Wood and the "Little Z," the +5th Battalion being on the right, and 7th on the left, the 6th +Battalion in support, and 8th in Reserve; the German first, second and +third lines were to be captured, and in conjunction with the 56th +Division on the right, our line was to be carried to a point just East +of Gommecourt village. + +We reached our assembly positions early on the morning of July 1st. +Our bombardment opened at 6.25 a.m. and the discharge of smoke from +our front line began an hour later. Under cover of this the assaulting +Battalions moved off from our advanced trenches at 7.30 a.m. A heavy +and accurate barrage was immediately put down on our front and support +lines by the enemy, who were evidently well aware of the extent of the +attack and ready for it. The attack by the 139th Brigade is described +in the following extracts from the captured diary of the 55th R.I.R., +the times given being German:-- + + "G1. sector 7.30 a.m. An extremely violent bombardment began, + overwhelming all the trenches and sweeping away the wire. + + 8.30 a.m. The enemy's fire lifted. The enemy's attack, which was + made under cover of gas bombs, was perceived. In consequence of + the sharp look-out kept by the Commander of the 4th Company, and + by a Platoon Commander holding the most dangerous portion of the + line, the shell holes were occupied exactly at the right moment, + and the attackers were received with hand grenades. The barrage + fire which had been called for began at once. + + 8.40 a.m. Strong hostile skirmishing lines deployed from Pilier + Farm. They were at once met by heavy machine gun and infantry + fire. Second Lieut. ----, of the 2nd Company who was holding the + 3rd support line of G1, recognised the superior strength of the + enemy's attack which was being carried out against No. 4 Company. + In spite of the intense bombardment he decided to advance with + his Platoon over the open, and, crossing the second line, reached + the front line of G1 at the decisive moment to reinforce No. 4 + Company. + + The enemy built up his firing line and attempted to press forward + with bombers and flame-projectors, but was repulsed everywhere. + + 10.30 a.m. The fine spirit of the troops of the 2nd and 4th + Companies succeeded by their stubborn resistance in annihilating + the thick charging waves of the English. The ground was covered + with numbers of dead, and in front of our trench lay quantities + of English arms and equipment. Gradually the artillery fire + recommenced on the front line trenches and rose to a pitch of + extreme violence in the course of the afternoon. The fact that + all attacks were completely repulsed without the enemy gaining a + footing in the front line of G1. at any point is due, next to the + bravery of the troops, to the carefully thought-out arrangements + of Major ----, to the care of the Officer Commanding No. 4 + Company, and to the energy of the Platoon Commanders." + +To resume our own story. At about 8.0 a.m., as the forward trenches +were cleared of troops, we began to move forward, but everywhere found +the trenches, which were still in many parts deep in mud and water, +blown in, or blocked by dead bodies, or wounded men trying to make +their way back. Little progress was possible, and there was nothing to +be done but to await further developments. + +Although little news came through, it soon became evident that the +attack on our front had not succeeded. We learnt later that, owing to +the difficulty experienced by the supporting waves in getting across +our own water-logged trenches, they lost the advantage of the barrage, +and that the smoke cleared long before the bulk of the assaulting +troops had got across No Man's Land. In spite of our long protracted +artillery bombardment comparatively little damage had been done to the +German trenches and wire, and our men met with heavy rifle and machine +gun fire, not only from their front, but also from the right flank, +where the 137th Brigade were unable to gain the German front line +owing to uncut wire. A few of both the 5th and 7th Battalions got into +the German trenches, but they were soon surrounded and overwhelmed. +Some who were wounded before reaching the wire, crawled for shelter +into shell holes, where in several instances, they were deliberately +bombed or shot by the Boche from their trenches. At 3 p.m. a fresh +bombardment was begun by the right Brigade, and continued on our +front, with a view to an attack being made by two Companies of the 6th +Battalion, but this was cancelled. + +At 5.5 p.m. we were ordered to send out daylight patrols to ascertain +the position of affairs in front. Several volunteers, amongst whom +were Corpls. G. Clay, and C. E. Bryan, L.-Corpls. Moss and Hickman, +and Pvtes. Charles, Brett, Adams, and Nightingall, remained out for +some time, and brought back useful information. Meanwhile much gallant +work was also being done by the Stretcher Bearers and others. Pvtes. +Holbery, Thomas, Nelson, and Shearman worked continuously for nearly +36 hours carrying in wounded, often under heavy fire, whilst Comp. +Sergt.-Major T. Powell, who brought in three wounded men by daylight, +and Sergt. Grainger, who controlled his men with great skill during +the battle and also rescued a wounded man, are deserving of special +mention. + +At 6.10 p.m. we received instructions to take over the original front +and advanced trenches from the 6th, and remnants of the 5th and 7th +Battalions, who were there, and this was done. Later, however, the 5th +Lincolns took over the line as they had been ordered to carry out +another attack at midnight, in order to try and rescue some of the 5th +and 7th Battalions, who it was thought were still in the Boche +trenches. This, however, was not pressed, and finally A Company of our +Battalion were given the melancholy task of scouring No Man's Land to +find the dead and wounded. Eventually the 5th Lincolns took over from +us on the morning of the 2nd July, and we withdrew the same day to +billets at Gaudiempré. + +Even as we left Foncquevillers ill-luck pursued us, for a premature +burst of a shell from one of our guns took place close to us as we +were formed up behind the wood ready to move off, and wounded four, +fortunately not seriously. Otherwise our casualties during the actual +battle had not been heavy, amounting to three killed, two missing +(attached to Trench Mortar Battery) and 37 wounded. + +We cannot look back with anything but regret on that awful battle, +when so many lives were sacrificed apparently to no purpose. July 1st +is not our happiest of days--indeed on two successive occasions it was +our most unfortunate day of the year. It must have been quite obvious +to the enemy that this was to be the flank of the Somme attack, +although some demonstration was made by the 37th Division on our left. +The enemy, therefore, were able to bring all their guns from the +direction of Adinfer Wood to bear on No Man's Land on our front. Lack +of troops had necessitated the employment of the attacking Battalions +in the most exacting fatigues up to the very eve of the assault. +Probably, barely a man had had a full night's sleep for a week prior +to the attack, and there had been scarcely a day or night when rain +had not fallen consistently and heavily, and working parties had not +been soaked through to the skin. Those of us, who eight months later, +stood on some of the German concrete machine gun emplacements +opposite, commanding a magnificent field of fire from positions proof +against the heaviest shells, saw still the lines of dead bodies lying +in No Man's Land, a tragic and pitiable witness, if witness were +needed, that the failure of the attack was in no measure due to any +lack of dash or courage on the part of our indomitable Infantry. +Practically every Officer of the attacking Battalions was killed or +wounded, and a large proportion of the men, and but an insignificant +proportion fell alive into the hands of the enemy. + +It was some slight comfort to receive from the Corps Commander an +appreciation of our efforts, which had kept busy a large number of the +enemy's best troops, and to know that we had a share in the success of +the great Somme attack, and that our terrible losses were not entirely +in vain. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +BELLACOURT + + _July 2nd, 1916._ _October 29th, 1916._ + + +We spent one night at Gaudiempré, and on July 3rd, moved a few miles +North to a delightful Camp at Bavincourt, where we made up our minds +to have a well-earned rest. The Camp was charmingly situated, and we +were preparing to have it run on model lines, when alas, in the early +hours of July 4th, sudden orders were received to move. We had, +however, made the best of our few hours there, most of us going to an +excellent entertainment by the "Barn Owls," the Concert Party of the +37th Division, which cheered us immensely. + +The fighting on the Somme, which had gone successfully for us in many +parts, was causing rapid reorganisation and consequent movement of +troops, so that our sudden move was not altogether surprising. We left +Bavincourt on the morning of July 4th, and after a little excitement +due to the shelling of the road, and a terrific thunderstorm, we +eventually got settled once more at Pommier, with the exception of A +Company, who went on to Bienvillers. The rest of the Battalion joined +them there on July 7th, except Transport and Quarter-Master's Stores, +which moved to La Cauchie. Our most important work there was the +somewhat ticklish procedure on two nights of carrying up to the Monchy +trenches, about two miles North of Foncquevillers, cylinders of gas to +loose off on a suitable occasion. These were drawn at Hannescamp, and +for carrying were fastened to poles, each cylinder requiring two men. +Special precautions were taken to ensure perfect silence, so as not to +give the enemy an idea that gas was being installed. Further, in order +to protect the carrying party, in case any of the cylinders got broken +by shells or otherwise on the way up, every man wore his smoke helmet +rolled up on his head, ready for instantly pulling down over his face. +Neither steel helmets nor caps were worn on these occasions. As the +cylinders had to be got up to our front line trench, the operation was +attended with considerable risk, but fortune favoured us, and it is +believed that the Battalion never suffered a casualty when engaged on +the work, though large parties had to be found on several occasions +for a similar purpose. + +We moved on July 10th, by route march to Bellacourt, a village about +five miles south-west of Arras, and giving its name to a sector which +was to prove easily the most peaceful and enjoyable part of the line +we ever held. Transport moved to Bailleulval, where they got good +lines in a small orchard, and the Quarter-Master's Stores were +comfortably fixed up in billets. + +It was from this department that we were first to hear of the +activities of our new Divisional Commander, Major-General W. Thwaites, +R.A., who made it a practice of frequently visiting transport lines at +early morning stables. Torrance with his ready wit at once dubbed him +"The Mushroom Picker," an epithet which we were told gave him much +pleasure when it reached his ears, but did not have the least effect +upon his early morning visits. + +Several new Officers had recently joined from our 3rd Line, including +2nd Lieuts. C. F. Woodward, F. M. Corry, H. G. Kirby, B. P. Page, W. +B. Easterfield, and D. H. Parker. Second Lieut. A. Bedford also +rejoined, and others who arrived shortly afterwards were Lieut. R. +Whitton, who had been Adjutant of the 3rd Line, 2nd Lieuts. Skinner +and Moore, back for the second time, and 2nd Lieuts. C. H. Hicks, D. +F. Ranson, L. E. King-Stephens, G. F. Visser, F. D. Byrne, B. W. Hall, +and A. D. Bailey. Comp. Sergt.-Major Haywood rejoined with a draft of +72 reinforcements, and was appointed Comp. Sergt.-Major of C Company, +where Sergt. Leivers had been carrying on for a short time in place of +Comp. Sergt.-Major J. A. Green, who had been invalided to England. + +We were thus fairly well off for numbers, when on July 11th, we +relieved the Liverpool Scottish in the left sub-sector of the Brigade +sector, this being one of the rare occasions on which relief was +carried out by daylight. The distribution was as follows: Right--"The +Willows"--A Company (Capt. Vann); Centre "The Osiers"--B Company +(Capt. Turner); Left--"The Ravine"--C Company (Capt. Piggford); +Reserve--Bretencourt--D Company (Capt. Hill). Battalion Headquarters +was in the "Sunken Road," just in front of Bretencourt, off "Engineer +Street." Each Company had two platoons in the front line and two in +support; a system which, besides being more or less in accordance with +Field Service Regulations, worked extremely satisfactorily, for whilst +the front line posts could be held by comparatively few men, either in +the line or at the heads of the various saps running out into No Man's +Land, working parties and patrols were found from the support +platoons, and were thus able to get back to the support line on +completion of their task, and rest in comparative comfort. + +The frontage allotted to us was a long one, and the front line was +thinly held, some of the posts being as much as 200 yards apart. +Frequent visiting patrols were necessary during the night to prevent +any daring Boche from getting into our lines. In the communication +trenches, blocking posts and gates were fixed at various points to +hold up the enemy if they did ever get in and attempt to push forward. +To look after the rear portion of these communication trenches the +system of Trench Wardens was instituted during our stay at Bellacourt. +These were usually light duty, or warworn men drawn from the various +Battalions, whose duty it was to repair broken trench grids, relay any +that required it, clear falls of earth, and generally look after +upkeep. + +This sector was reputed to be the quietest on the British Front, and +though we had one or two lively times, there is no doubt that for the +period of three-and-a-half months we were there, it lived up to its +reputation. Rumour said that some of our troops had been in the habit +of going out and repairing the barbed wire by daylight! Certainly it +was normally extremely peaceful. The trenches were from 300 to 400 +yards apart, and in the region of the Ransart Road on the right, one +could indeed go out for some distance without coming in view of the +Boche trenches. The weather during most of our stay was of the best, +and there could be few things more pleasant than to stroll on a quiet +afternoon round some of the communication trenches, e.g., "Dyke +Street," "Couturelle," and "La Motte," where masses of wild flowers of +every kind and of brilliant colours were in full bloom, and in many +parts completely covered the sides of the trenches. Cooking was +normally done out of the trenches, and hot meals were carried up in +kettles or food containers (something in the nature of large thermos +flasks) by the Reserve Company billeted at Bretencourt. + +We had something of a shock during our first tour in the trenches, and +began to suspect the reports as to the quietness of the sector, for on +our second morning the enemy poured over for nearly an hour, between +4.0 a.m. and 5.0 a.m., showers of heavy trench mortars on to part of +the front line held by B Company. Their aim was very good, several +bombs falling right into the trench and doing considerable damage, +whilst Lieut. Lomer's Platoon, which was holding the part bombarded, +had four men killed and nine wounded. One man had to have his foot +amputated by Johnstone, the Medical Officer, in order to be released +from a shelter that had been smashed by the bombs. Sergts. Tanner and +Yeomans did splendid work in rescuing the wounded, as did also Sergt. +Bescoby, Pvte. Axon and other Stretcher Bearers. This, however, turned +out to be the only "hate" of its particular kind that the enemy +inflicted on us during our stay. Possibly it was to let us know that +he was aware of our recent arrival, and wished to give us a welcome, +but most likely it was what we knew as his "Travelling Circus" which +he brought up at certain times in order to carry out an organised +"straff" on a particular piece of the line. + +For some time after this, and in fact for most of Our sojourn here, +life in the trenches was of a somewhat humdrum character. There were a +few days cf activity now and then, but normally the enemy was very +inoffensive so far as we were concerned. He did, however, raid the 6th +Battalion one night in the right sub-sector, almost completely +levelling one of their communication trenches with heavy trench +mortars during the preliminary bombardment, on account of which we had +to stand-to, when back at our rest billets at Bailleulval. On another +occasion we had a fidgety night owing to a gas alarm having been +given. This however, proved but another case of "wind." + +The work in the trenches was of a normal character, but we welcomed +that new article known as the "A" Frame, consisting as its name +indicates of framing shaped like the letter A. This was the best form +of support for trench revetment that we ever had, and from this time +onwards was used almost universally. A suggestion of this exact form +of framing had been made by Col. Blackwall as early as November 1915. +and submitted to higher authorities, who turned it down as unsuitable. + +A further great advance was made by us here in the provision of deep +dug-outs, for which the chalk soil was eminently adapted. Excellent +plans were drawn out by Major Zeller, commanding the Field Company +attached to our Brigade, for complete systems of these dug-outs to be +made in the support line, and a special Brigade Dug-out Company was +formed for this purpose, to which we contributed, besides a number of +men, 2nd Lieuts. Moore and Powell. Great progress was made with the +work, and before we left the sector a large number had been finished, +and fitted up with wire beds on wooden framework in two tiers, with +rifle racks and other etceteras. The organisation of this work was one +of the first tasks of the new Brigade Major, Capt. W. P. Buckley, +D.S.O., of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, who had succeeded +Major Neilson, when the latter left to take up a higher appointment. +In Major Neilson we lost one who was always ready to help and advise +on every possible occasion, and though it was with the greatest regret +that we said goodbye to him, it was a great pleasure to know that his +hard work had brought its reward. + +At this period after doing six days in the front line, we spent six +days in Brigade Reserve at Bellacourt, where three Companies were in +billets, and usually found large parties for the Royal Engineers for +working in trenches and dug-outs, and one Company provided garrisons +for the four posts in front of the village, "Starfish," "Boundary," +"Burnt Farm" and "Orchard." After a further six days in the front line +we went back for six days to Bailleulval, where we were able to have +our periodical clean up, do a little training, and generally enjoy +life for a brief space. We relieved always with the 7th Battalion, and +held the left of the Brigade sector, which remained the same as +originally taken over, except that we gave up the "Willows" on the +right and took over "Epsom" on the left. + +Our billets at Bailleulval were fairly comfortable, and were +constantly improved, under the guiding hand of Major Wordsworth, the +Staff Captain. We had a splendid parade ground on the high land behind +the village, a good Canteen, a Sergeants' Mess, a Corporals' Mess, +home-made Russian baths erected with much skill by our own Pioneers, +and frequent visits from the "Whizz-bangs," who gave us excellent +programmes. We played cricket, football, both soccer and rugger; we +had Officers' Riding Classes, which were a source of much interest not +to say amusement, to the onlookers, and we got good dinners at the +well-known "Seven Sisters," in the neighbouring village of Basseux. +The weather for the most part was delightful, and life was extremely +pleasant. + +Major-General Thwaites twice inspected us, and all who were in the +Battalion during the time he reigned at Division will remember what an +inspection by him entailed! Our best salute proved very inadequate on +the first occasion, and the Commanding Officer was requested, after +putting himself and his horse in front of the centre of the Battalion, +to do it again! Capt. Turner, too, who was acting Second-in-Command, +got a polite enquiry as to what he was doing with his horse! Poor +"Strawberry" was apparently rather upset over the fixing of bayonets! +As a rule, however, we believe our efforts to make a good show did not +pass unnoticed, though a good deal that was uncomplimentary was said. +On his second inspection Lieut.-General Snow, the Corps Commander, +was with him, and appeared to be quite satisfied with the turnout. + +Training at this time, so far as the Battalion was concerned, +consisted only of such general work as could be done in the few days +we spent periodically at Bailleulval. The Divisional School, however, +was in full going order, Regimental Sergt.-Major Mounteney doing duty +there for a time, and in addition a Brigade School was formed at +Basseux, to which Major Ashwell went as Commandant and expounded the +art of war to young Subalterns and others, taking with him 2nd Lieut. +Hopkinson as his Adjutant. Whilst Major Ashwell was away, Capt. Turner +took over the duties of Second-in-Command, leaving B Company in the +capable hands of Lieut. G. Wright. At an Assault Competition arranged +by the Brigade School on October 12th, we almost swept the board, +winning five out of eight events--Physical Drill, Bayonet Fighting, +Bombing, Relay Race, and Obstacle Race--so we were well satisfied with +our efforts, and the training work that was being done. By this time +the whole Battalion had been fitted out with the short rifle, the last +of the old long rifles being handed to Ordnance on September 26th. + +A new "toy" that was issued in these days was that horrible thing +known as the "Lewis Gun Hand Cart." Tomlinson had some most +entertaining experiences in trying to get mules to pull these +"handcarts," but the mules usually found it more interesting to try +and turn round to see what extraordinary things on wheels they were +now being insulted by being asked to pull, or in going off at +breakneck speeds to try and get rid of them. These carts were never +popular, and never a success, and gradually, by being carefully "left" +by the roadside or some other convenient spots, they were eventually +disposed of. + +The most notable event during this period was undoubtedly Vann's raid, +the first really successful raid carried out by the Battalion. This +took place on the night of September 21/22nd, and was carried out by +Capt. Vann, with practically the whole of his (A) Company. In order to +illustrate the thorough manner in which the scheme was devised and +carried out, the story is given in some detail. + +[Illustration: LIEUT.-COL. B. W. VANN, V.C., M.C. Killed in action at +Ramicourt, Oct. 3rd, 1918, when in command of the 6th Sherwood +Foresters.] + +The point to be raided was a short sap known as "Italy Sap," running +out from the Boche front line about 300 yards away. The wire +protecting the sap was cut during the afternoon of September 21st by +our 2-inch trench mortars, and other gaps were cut on another part of +the front further North, partly as a "blind" and partly for use in a +future operation. In order to verify that the gaps were properly cut, +a wire patrol under L.-Corpl. Hickman went out at 8.0 p.m. and +reported that the gaps were good, and that the ammonal tubes which the +Royal Engineers had in readiness to take out and blow gaps with were +not required. Frequent bursts were fired by our machine guns on to the +gaps to prevent them being repaired by the enemy before the raiding +party got there. At 11.15 p.m., the wire patrol again went out and +laid tapes from the gaps back to "Cavendish Sap" in our own front line +to guide the raiding party across No Man's Land. The party was divided +up into several smaller parties, commanded respectively by Lieut. +Martelli, 2nd Lieuts. Duff, White, and Hall, and Comp. Sergt.-Major G. +Powell. In addition there were two teams of Brigade machine gunners to +guard the flanks, and seven sappers to blow up dug-outs. The total of +the party was five Officers, and 136 other ranks. All identification +marks, badges, letters, etc., had been removed from all members of the +raiding party, and faces, hands and bayonets were blackened. Smoke +helmets were carried in the pocket, and gas and phosphorus bombs +were taken for clearing dug-outs, together with a number of +flashlights and torches. At 12.15 am the enemy trenches in the region +of the area to be raided were bombarded by 18 pounders, 4.5 and 6-inch +howitzers, 2-inch trench mortars, and 3-inch Stokes mortars. The +raiding party guided by the tapes, got as close up to the barrage as +possible, and as soon as it lifted at 12.28 a.m., went through the +gaps and into the enemy trenches. One German who was met was at once +bayoneted. Several dug-outs were bombed, and in some cases set on +fire, one being blown up by the Royal Engineers with an ammonal tube. +An enemy machine gun which opened fire from the right was immediately +silenced by our Lewis and machine guns. The time fixed for the return +of the party was 12.50 a.m. and it was only in the last minute or so +that the main object of the raid, a prisoner, was secured. Most of the +dug-outs were empty, but eventually Vann found one which contained +some Boches. These he at once ordered to come out. Two came up with +bayonets fixed, one of whom was at once shot dead by Vann, and the +other wounded. They were followed by four others, including a +stretcher bearer, who came out with hands up shouting "Kamerad!" +"Kamerad!" They were at once hustled out of the trench with the +scantiest of ceremony and brought back to our lines. Immediately after +this, Vann ordered his bugler to sound the recall signal, and at the +same instant the prearranged signal of six red rockets went up at +Battalion Headquarters. During the last ten minutes of the raid the +enemy had surrounded the occupied portion of the trenches with red +lights and their artillery had begun to shell their front line and +"Italy Sap," but did the party little harm, and every man got back to +our trenches, the only casualties being eight men wounded. The net +result of the raid was that five Germans were killed by the raiding +party, and five taken prisoners, including one wounded, apart from any +casualties inflicted by our bombardments. It is worth noting that a +bombardment of the area around the blind gap was also carried out, and +that the barrage there "lifted" before that on the gaps where the raid +was actually to take place. This was undoubtedly of great assistance +to the raiding party in diverting the enemy's attention, and in +causing his barrage to come down first in No Man's Land opposite the +blind gap, where we had no troops whatever. The number of rounds used +to cut the wire was 670, fired by seven 2-inch trench mortars. + +Many messages of congratulation were received on the success of the +raid, including one from the Corps Commander. It was a great pleasure +to all when it was known shortly afterwards, that Vann, whose +gallantry knew no bounds, had been given a bar to his M.C., and that +the M.C. had been awarded to Duff, who had already done most admirable +work at Vimy, and was one of the pluckiest Officers the Battalion ever +had. Vann was subsequently awarded the French Croix-de-Guerre. + +Much of the success of the raid was undoubtedly due to the excellent +patrolling which had been done by Martelli and his Scouts, L.-Corpl. +Hickman, and Pvtes. Bambrook and Haslam, who throughout worked with +the greatest skill, and left nothing undone to ensure that all was in +order. Many gallant deeds too, were performed in the enemy trenches. +Pvte. Chappel, a leading bayonet man successfully shewed one Boche the +proper way of making the point; Pvte. Walsh wanted to go on to the +German second line when he was unable to find any to kill where he +was; Drummer Heath shewed great bravery and devotion as he had often +done on previous occasions, in carrying messages; Drummer A. L. Smith, +though wounded, remained at his post to the last to sound the recall +signal; while great gallantry was also shewn by Lieut. Martelli, +Comp. Sergt.-Major G. Powell, Sergt. Slater, Corpl. Carrier, and Pvte. +Needham. The raiding party had a special little dinner of their own a +few days after the raid at the canteen at Bailleulval. + +There is but little to record of our other doings in the trenches. We +recall efforts being made to have "Daily Trench Exercises" carried +out, such as physical jerks, bomb throwing, and rifle practice, but +the orders issued on the subject were, we fear, honoured rather in the +breach than the observance! We did, however, appreciate the +opportunity given us in these days of sending Officers from time to +time to our Gunner friends to learn something of the elements of +artillery work, and though these visits were very short, it was +certainly not the fault of the Gunners if we were not wiser for the +instruction they gave us. We on our part were also called upon to do +some instructing, having attached to us at various times Lieut.-Col. +Smeathman of the Hertfordshire Regiment, Lieut. Haslam (afterwards +killed) and 12 men of the Artists' Rifles, and an Officer and 14 men +of the 1st King's Dragoon Guards, to all of whom we imparted as much +of our knowledge of trench warfare as was possible during the short +time they were with us. + +As time wore on changes took place. Vann, who had once more been +slightly wounded during his raid and was not very fit, went to the +Senior Officers' Course at Aldershot, and was succeeded in command of +A Company by Capt. E. M. Hacking. Capt. Davenport after a week's tour +in the trenches for instruction left to attend the Staff Course at +Cambridge. Hicks, who was afterwards killed, went to the Trench Mortar +Battery, E. A. Huskinson to the 138th Brigade to learn Staff duties, +Easterfield to the Machine Gun Corps, where he won the M.C., Corry +(who later died of wounds) and Newton to the Royal Flying Corps, +Woodward to the "Whizz-bangs," and Capt. A. Hacking (from Brigade +Headquarters), Field, Parker and Wells were invalided to England. +Jones, who followed Marshall as Intelligence Officer, got wounded on +patrol, and was succeeded by Martelli. Under the new scheme of sending +home as Instructors, Warrant Officers and N.C.O.'s who were feeling +the strain of long periods of active service, we lost Comp. +Sergt.-Major Chappell, and Sergts. L. Bell, Shore and Wells. Comp. +Quarter-Master-Sergt. Hotson then became Comp. Sergt.-Major of B +Company, and Sergt. Deverall, Comp. Quarter-Master-Sergt. of C +Company. Our casualties during the period amounted to seven killed, +and 37 wounded. Against these losses we were joined by two Officers, +2nd Lieuts. J. M. Johnston, and E. W. Warner, and about 80 men, +including 40 from No. 4 Entrenching Battalion. + +All this time the Somme fighting had been going on, more or less +successfully, and we wondered time and again when our turn would come +to go and take part in it. Divisions around us were moved backwards +and forwards, to and from the fighting area, with almost lightning +rapidity, and still we were left in this peaceful part with few cares, +and almost began to think we had been forgotten, or that the office +boy had scratched our name off the list of Divisions in France! But it +was apparently not so, for on October 20th, we got news of our +approaching move to a training area, preparatory, no doubt, to taking +a more active part in the fighting. Eventually, on October 29th, we +were relieved by the 16th Manchesters and said goodbye to that +delightful area where we had such good times, and to which we shall +always look back with the greatest possible pleasure. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE CAPTURE OF GOMMECOURT + + _October 29th, 1916._ _March 17th, 1917._ + + +Having spent the afternoon of October 29th in packing up, we left +Bailleulval about dusk, and late the same evening arrived at Warluzel, +where we spent the night in indifferent billets. We proceeded the +following day to our old quarters at Le Souich, where we rested for 24 +hours, continuing the march on November 1st to Neuvillette, and on +November 3rd, to our final destination Maison Ponthieu, in the Third +Army (St. Riquier) training area, having completed a march of +something like 40 miles. + +Considering that this area had been used for training for some +considerable time, we cannot say that we found the billets of the best +or well provided with those comforts, which one might reasonably +expect for troops out of the line preparing to take part in an +offensive. Our energies at first were therefore concentrated on trying +to make ourselves comfortable, and a considerable time was spent in +carrying out improvements, making bathing arrangements, cookhouses, +canteen and reading rooms. Rightly or wrongly we were inclined to +think that we were unlucky with regard to billets, as we so often +found ourselves scavenging and cleaning up other people's refuse. +Doubtless every other unit thought the same. In the way of +entertainments we had little or nothing, and Maison Ponthieu itself +boasted nothing more than one or two estaminets. Auxi-le-Château, the +home of the Third Army Training School, had a few shops and was rather +more lively, while, for those who could get there, St. Riquier was +quite interesting, and the battlefield of Crécy was not far off. +Abbeville some distance away, was patronised only by a few lucky ones. + +We stayed in this area for nearly three weeks, and trained hard with a +view to taking part in the Somme offensive. The chief points were to +make everyone fit, and to practise formations for open warfare. For +the former, recreation of every kind and for all ranks was an +essential part of the programme, though we were inclined to think that +perhaps a little too much compulsion was added to this part of the +scheme. Inter-platoon football matches were a prominent part of the +recreational training, and created a great deal of genuine interest +and amusement. There were also inter-battalion football matches in the +Division, in which we started well by beating the 7th Battalion, but +were hopelessly defeated by the 5th Battalion at Noyelle on November +18th, by eight goals to nil. One of the most entertaining matches was +that which took place at Maison Ponthieu, between Divisional +Headquarters and Brigade Headquarters. When the Divisional goal was +threatened S.O.S. rockets were sent up and smoke bombs let off, which +to the onlookers, seemed rather to baffle the defending goalkeeper, +who was none other than the Assistant Provost Marshal, Major Newbold! +Preliminary contests held to select representatives for the Divisional +Boxing Championship, which unfortunately did not materialise, were won +by Sergt. Slater, Sergt. Attenborough, Signaller Gearney, and Pvte. +Hall. + +For open warfare we practised mostly the attack, beginning with +artillery formation. Those who did know something of it had by now +grown very rusty, after so many months in trenches, whilst many +Officers and men in the Battalion at this time, had had practically no +training at all in this kind of warfare, so that much work was +required in the simple practices of shaking out into artillery +formation, lines of companies, half-companies, platoons or sections, +and eventually extending for the final stages of the attack leading up +to the assault. The other main feature of the training, was practice +in night marching on a compass bearing and subsequent deployment for +attack. + +On the whole we must confess we felt that the training was rather +overdone. We had to put in many hours daily, and the march to the +training ground at Yvrencheux and back, some six miles in all, was to +say the least of it somewhat tedious. We were besides, most +unfortunate with regard to weather, which was very unpleasant most of +the time, and we were hardly sorry when our time came to leave the +area. We were not, however, required to take part in the Somme +fighting, as this had by now more or less worn itself out. From what +we read and heard from troops, who came out of it, of the appalling +condition of the ground and the impossibility of making any further +progress during the Winter, we were not surprised or sorry that there +was no need for us in that direction. Our lot was to return once more +to our old trenches at Foncquevillers. + +Changes in personnel during this period were mostly in Officers. Major +Ashwell had rejoined and resumed his duties as Second-in-Command; +Major Lane also rejoined after nearly 18 months in England, as a +result of his wound at Kemmel, and took over A Company from Capt. E. +M. Hacking. A further addition was Lieut. Simonet, who had by some +means managed to get the Hospital Authorities to pass him fit again +for general service. We also had a small draft of 32 men. On the other +hand we had to part with six Officers at extremely short notice to the +12th Rifle Brigade and King's Royal Rifle Corps which had lost very +heavily in the Somme fighting, and sent 2nd Lieuts. Ranson, Hall (who +later won the M.C.), Visser, H. G. Kirby, Byrne and Bailey +(afterwards killed). Second Lieut. Cox also left us to join the Signal +Company of the 14th Division, his place as Signalling Officer being +taken by Lieut. Warner. For good work on a subsequent occasion Cox was +awarded the M.C. Lieut. Martelli was still Intelligence Officer, +Lieut. White, Grenade Officer, and Lieut. Tomlinson, Lewis Gun +Officer. + +We went by easy stages back to the line, leaving Maison Ponthieu on +November 22nd, and proceeding to Bealcourt, and the following day to +Neuvillette. The chief item of interest in our two days' stay there, +was a revolver shooting match between teams of Officers from our own +and the 7th Battalion, in which we were badly beaten. On November +25th, we marched to Humbercourt on a pouring wet morning, arriving +there about mid-day drenched to the skin. Here we stayed for nearly a +fortnight, training and cutting wood in Lucheux Forest. The weather +was wet and cold, and as the village lay in a hollow, we got the full +benefit of all the rain, and consequent flooded streams. On November +30th, we took part in a Divisional cross-country run, a part of the +programme left over from the St. Riquier area. The distance was two +and three-quarter miles, and we felt quite pleased to finish 6th out +of the 13 Battalions running, our pleasure knowing no bounds at seeing +C. B. Johnstone and F. Torrance finish well within the time limit, +happy if breathless. + +On December 2nd, a Brigade Ceremonial Parade was held at Sus-St. +Leger, where we were inspected by Major-General Thwaites. It was a +bitterly cold day, but on the whole the show passed off well. It was +perhaps aided a little by the fog, which covered one or two of our +more intricate and unconventional movements rather successfully. + +On the following day we took part in what was probably one of the most +interesting football matches in the Battalion's history, when a team +of Officers played one from the 7th Battalion, and beat them one-nil +after a great tussle. + +It was at Humbercourt that Sergt. "Sammy" Foster played an important +part in trying to make us all "gas proof." With much success he made +up a gas chamber in the village out of the shed for the "Pompe à +incendie," where all ranks of the Battalion were fitted with the new +small box respirator, which had just arrived. This proved to be much +the most satisfactory form of gas mask we ever had, and continued in +general use up to the end of the war. + +We left Humbercourt on December 6th, and the same day went into +Brigade Reserve, in the Foncquevillers sector, the 46th Division +having taken over this portion of the line from the 49th Division. The +sector was now fairly quiet, everyone having more or less gone into +winter quarters. Our rest billets and Transport Lines were at +Souastre, where, considering all things, we were fairly comfortable. +There were good baths under the control of one of those celebrated +Town Majors, of whom so much has been heard, a Y.M.C.A. hut, and a new +form of entertainment in the shape of a Cinema, which our Division had +recently added to its institutions. The Divisional "Whizz-bangs" were +still showing, but were rather under a cloud, although that great +actor subaltern from the Battalion, Moffat Johnston, gave them a +helping hand for a short time. Being "out to soldier," however, he +preferred the front line, and very soon came back to us. + +When in Divisional Reserve all companies were back at Souastre, and +carried out a little training in addition to the usual refitting and +cleaning. Parties were also generally provided for Town Major's +fatigues. When in Brigade Reserve two companies were at Souastre, and +two at Foncquevillers, the latter finding garrisons for posts on the +Eastern edge of the village, and at "Fort Dick," between +Foncquevillers and Hébuterne. + +When in the line we held the left sub-sector, relieving with the 7th +Battalion, the right company front having its right on the +Foncquevillers-Gommecourt Road, the centre company being disposed +about "Lincoln Lane," and the left company front running from "Roberts +Avenue" to the Brayelle Road. Companies holding the line, had two or +three platoons in the front line, and the remainder in support. The +support Company occupied the dug-outs in "Sniper's Square." + +The trenches throughout this period were in an appalling state, though +efforts had been made to improve them by the 49th Division, who +certainly left Roberts Avenue well revetted, and with a good floor of +trench grids. For the most part, however, they were deep in mud, and +in a deplorable condition, and "gumboots thigh" were in great demand. +Dug-outs were of the poorest, and life in the trenches was not +pleasant. Efforts were made to improve matters during our stay and the +Royal Engineers and Monmouths did a great deal of work, helped by +large parties from all Battalions, but improvement was very slow. + +[Illustration: MAJOR-GENERAL THWAITES OUTSIDE BATTALION HEAD-QUARTERS, +THE BRASSERIE, FONCQUEVILLERS. _Reproduced by permission of the +Imperial War Museum._] + +Fortunately the trenches were no great distance from the village, +where Company cooks had their cookers, whilst the Battalion was in the +line, so that hot meals were sent up regularly, and included a hot +supper issued generally about midnight, the meals being mostly carried +up by the Support Company. During the latter part of January and +beginning of February, we had very hard frosts and much snow, and the +carrying parties had a difficult task in walking on the slippery roads +and trench grids, but this was overcome to a great extent by the use +of sandbags tied over the boots. It was perhaps a somewhat expensive +method to employ with sandbags costing something like a shilling each, +but they served the purpose very well, and were in great demand in +consequence. A drying-room was established at Battalion Headquarters +in the village, in a large cellar, fitted with double-tier wire beds, +stoves, and braziers. A supply of blankets was also available, so that +the men who had been on patrol, or had got wet through, could come +down from the line and get their wet clothes dried and a good rest and +sleep in comfort. Inter-Battalion reliefs were carried out every four +days, whilst Companies were able to relieve their men in the front +line every 48 hours, or, when the weather was extremely bad, every 24 +hours, by taking up the men from the support line. By this means, the +time any particular man was actually in the front line was reduced to +the lowest possible limit. During December and January, reliefs were +carried out by daylight, usually beginning immediately after +breakfast, and being completed by about noon. This system not only +enabled the incomers to settle down in the trenches before night, but +also gave the relieved Battalion four complete nights out, a system +which was very much appreciated. At the end of January we +changed to night reliefs. The main artery for traffic was the +Foncquevillers-Souastre Road, and although it was usually fairly +quiet, we sometimes astonished ourselves at the pace we made along it +on relief nights, and most of us were glad when we got over the crest +into Souastre. + +Martelli and his Scouts and many others did some very good patrols, +but on some nights when the moon was bright, and the ground covered +with snow, this work was not easy. Long white nightshirts complete +with hoods were tried, but not considered very suitable, as they +looked quite dark against the white snow, and on the whole were not a +success. + +Though normally quiet the sector was occasionally trench mortared and +shelled fairly heavily, most attention being paid to the front line +about Roberts Avenue and Lincoln Lane, the Gommecourt Road, the +Orchard in front of the village, where our heavy trench mortars, +familiarly known as "Flying Pigs", had their quarters, and the village +itself. It was in connection with one of these bombardments that the +I-Tok machine professed to have some success. By some means a Boche +map had been secured shewing the areas into which our front was +divided for the purpose of "shoots", and if the I-Tok picked up +messages from which it was inferred that a shoot over a particular +area was likely to take place, the information was at once passed on +to the Battalion concerned. On one occasion when such information was +received, no sooner were the men cleared of the area than it was +indeed shelled! It may have been an accident of course, but the I-Tok +personnel took the credit, which we hope was deserved. + +One night, when the 7th Battalion were in the line, they were raided +after a very heavy bombardment, in which they suffered several +casualties. The following day the Officer Commanding that Battalion +sent us a kind message of appreciation of the prompt way in which +Capt. Turner and B Company, who were in support in Foncquevillers, had +turned out and stood by ready to help. Fortunately their services were +not required. + +The most unpleasant experience we ourselves had was on February 16th, +when we relieved the 7th Battalion for the last time in this sector. +The relief itself was carried out under difficulties, owing to a +certain amount of gas shelling, but later on the Hun sent over perfect +showers of gas bombs, and absolutely deluged the front and support +lines, whilst he also fired a considerable number of gas shells into +the village. It is estimated that in all between 500 and 600 were put +over, mostly filled with phosgene. It was our first experience of any +real gas shell bombardment, and partly owing to this and partly to +the high concentration of the gas used we suffered heavy casualties, +four men being killed and 24 wounded. + +Christmas Day, 1916, was spent in the line, and passed off very +peacefully without anything untoward happening. We were not able to +get our Christmas dinners until early in the New Year, when we were +back at Souastre, and made the most of all the good things that had +been sent out by kind friends at home. Each Company enjoyed a most +sumptuous dinner, followed by a splendid entertainment provided by +local talent, speeches, and so on. + +The Battalion front remained unchanged until early in February, when +we extended Northwards to include the "Crawlboys Lane" area, then held +by the 138th Brigade. + +About the same time we had Companies of the 2/5th, 2/8th, and 2/11th +Battalions London Regiment with us for instruction, and a fine lot of +men they were. Our difficulty was in knowing where to put them, for +whereas we were about 80 per Company, they came out with their full +complement of 250. One dreaded on occasions what might happen if the +enemy suddenly decided to shell the trenches they held, for in some +parts they were almost like the proverbial sardines. They came out +fully equipped, with mobilisation stores made up to completion. Rumour +says that when they had finished their instruction with us they were +wiser not only in trench routine, but also in their Quarter-Master's +Department! + +This period saw several important changes in personnel. With great +regret we had to part with Major Ashwell, who left to take up the +duties of Commandant of the Divisional School. This post, however, he +only held for a brief space, as his excellent services throughout the +war were very soon rewarded by his appointment to command first the +5th, and shortly afterwards the 6th Battalion. He was succeeded as +Second-in-Command by Major Lane. Capt. E. M. Hacking, who commanded A +Company for a time, was appointed Railhead Disbursing Officer, and +handed over his duties to Lieut. Andrews. Capt. Turner stuck to B +Company, but during periods of absence of the Commanding Officer and +Major Lane, acted as Second-in-Command, leaving Lieut. G. Wright to +look after his Company. Capt. Piggford, after struggling on for some +time, although very unfit, eventually had to go down sick, and shortly +afterwards was appointed Divisional Claims Officer, to which he later +added the duties of Divisional Burials Officer. When he left, C +Company was handed over to Lieut. Abrams. Capt. Hill, after a long and +successful period in command of D Company, also had to leave owing to +sickness, and was succeeded by Lieut. Simonet. In 2nd Lieut. +King-Stephens we lost a very gallant Officer, and a great favourite. +He was killed one morning when returning from wiring. The fog which +had been so helpful for the purpose, cleared rather suddenly and a +Boche sniper picked him off just as he was getting back to the trench. +Reinforcement Officers who joined during the period were 2nd Lieuts. +C. H. S. Stephenson, A. E. Geary, and J. E. Mitchell. So far as other +ranks were concerned there were now no discharges as the Military +Service Act, which was in force, gave to very few the opportunity of +getting home. We lost, however, two excellent Comp. Sergt.-Majors, G. +Powell and Hotson, who went to England to train for commissions, and +were shortly followed by Comp. Sergt.-Major T. Powell. George Powell +was destined one day to be awarded the D.S.O., whilst Hotson +unfortunately met his fate in Italy. Sergts. Slater and Rawding, and +Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. Deverall, then became Comp. Sergt.-Majors +of A, B, and D Companies respectively. Our casualties in the line +during this period were not heavy, amounting to seven killed and 47 +wounded. Reinforcements who joined totalled 243, and included several +men from the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry. + +On February 19th, after handing over our portion of the front line to +Battalions of the 138th Brigade, we marched back to St. Amand. + +We now entered upon what turned out to be one of the most interesting +periods in the history of the Battalion. The idea at the moment was +that the 46th Division should take part in an early offensive against +Beaurains, just south of Arras, and the immediate purpose of our +relief was to withdraw to the Sus-St. Leger area and dig a model of +the front to be attacked, ready for one of the other Brigades of the +Division to practise over. With this object we moved back on February +20th, to Ivergny, where we spent the first few days refitting and +reorganising. The latter was now becoming of great moment, for +important changes were taking place. To begin with the Battalion +Grenade Platoon, that picked body of specially trained Bombers, to +which it was everyone's ambition to belong, ceased to exist, and the +personnel rejoined their Companies, in which from this time onward +each platoon had its own section of Bombers. This was only a +preliminary to the absolute reorganisation of the platoon, which was +now rightly coming into its own, and regarded as the most important +tactical fighting unit. We had already been lectured at Souastre by +Lieut.-General Sir Ivor Maxse, our Corps Commander, and later Director +General of Training, also by Major-General Thwaites, on the new +organisation of the platoon, which was now to consist of four +specialist sections: (1) Riflemen, (2) Bombers, (3) Rifle Grenadiers, +(4) Lewis Gunners. We now began the preliminaries of this new +organisation, which was to remain practically unchanged for the rest +of the war. The Signallers were also reorganised under Lieut. Warner, +and divided into "Battalion" and "Company" Signallers. + +After only a few days training in Lucheux Wood, and digging model +trenches near by, we were ordered to move to Simencourt, preparatory +to taking over the line near Beaurains. Just about the same time, +however, the Boche began his great Somme retirement, and on February +27th, the news came through that he was evacuating the Gommecourt +salient. This of course entailed a complete change in our plans, and +instead of moving North, we marched back towards Foncquevillers, +reaching Grenas on February 28th. There we stayed for one night, +proceeding the following morning to St. Amand, where hurried +preparations were made to relieve the 138th Brigade, who were busy +following up the retreating enemy. We left St. Amand early on the +morning of March 3rd, for Gommecourt, where we took over the old Boche +lines from the 5th Leicesters. The enemy were still in the Northern +and Eastern outskirts of the village, and the line was in a more or +less "fluid" state. The enemy's retirement continued slowly during the +day, and our troops kept moving on in close touch. The 7th Battalion +were working in conjunction with us on the left, and the 31st Division +on our right. On March 4th, the withdrawal was more rapid, and it +became somewhat difficult to keep touch. The few dug-outs that were +not set on fire or otherwise destroyed, were found to contain +quantities of stores and rations, and shewed evident signs of having +been evacuated very hurriedly. A neat souvenir in the shape of a Boche +bugle was got from one of these dug-outs, and is now treasured with +the Battalion plate at Newark. One was rather nervous of "booby traps" +in some of them, but so far as our experience went at this time there +were none. "Pigeon Wood" was captured during the afternoon, after +some fighting and an unpleasant sort of game of hide and seek, and we +also occupied Rettemoy Farm, and "The Z." + +Evidently thinking that we were too close on his heels, the enemy +delivered a determined counter-attack about 6 p.m. against C Company, +who were holding the trench line in front of La Brayelle Farm, forcing +them to withdraw slightly. During this attack Lieut. Duff did +magnificent work in holding off a bombing attack, and L.-Sergt. Sansom +gallantly held on to a bombing post which was cut off, until he was +rescued by a party ably led by Corpl. Street, who went forward under +heavy fire, and opening fire on the attacking enemy, enabled the post +to withdraw. Sergt. Henley also did splendid work in holding his post +against a strong bombing attack, until he was eventually wounded in +the head, dying the next day. + +The Battalion suffered a great loss the same day by the death of +Lieut. Abrams, who was killed during the afternoon whilst +reconnoitring near La Brayelle Farm. Thinking, apparently, that the +coast was clear, he was walking across the open with his batman when a +Boche machine gun suddenly opened fire on them at close range, killing +them both instantaneously. C Company then came under the command of +Lieut. A. Bedford. The casualties that day in other ranks, were seven +killed and 17 wounded. + +Very little happened on March 5th, except a certain number of bombing +encounters, and at night the 5th Battalion took over the right portion +of our front from Rettemoy Farm to "Brayelle Graben". On March 6th, we +were relieved by the 6th Battalion, commanded by Major Ashwell, and +moved back to dug-outs in and around Gommecourt. It was with much +regret that we heard on the 9th that Major Ashwell had been badly +wounded the previous night in an attack on "Kite Copse." + +The line had not altered appreciably when we relieved the 6th +Battalion again on March 10th. The weather was cold, and the trenches +were deep in mud and water, and movement was extremely exhausting. The +object now was to force the enemy to retire more rapidly, and orders +were received that we were to seize "Hedge Trench" and "Kite Copse" as +soon as possible, and form a line across to "Rettemoy Graben" on the +right, which was to be captured by the 5th Battalion. As a preliminary +during the night of March 11/12th, a party from C Company under Corpl. +Kirk successfully cut gaps in the wire in front of Hedge Trench. + +At 1.10 a.m. on March 13th--a wet, pitch dark night--the 5th Battalion +attempted to seize Rettemoy Graben in conjunction with a hastily +planned attack by the Staffords on their right. In spite of the most +gallant efforts, these attacks were dismal failures, and attended with +a large number of casualties. At the same time strong parties of A, C +and D Companies made demonstrations along communication trenches +towards Hedge Trench. At 7 a.m. on the same day Capt. A. Hacking, who +had now rejoined the Battalion and taken command of A Company, ordered +Lieut. A. H. Michie with his platoon to seize Kite Copse. Michie made +a rapid reconnaissance, and in a very short time found himself in +possession of this important point, the enemy garrison having nearly +all left to fetch their rations. The water was boiling in the +dug-outs, and a supply of coffee was found, which enabled Michie's +platoon to get breakfast as soon as the position was consolidated. +During the evening the enemy made two determined counter-attacks +against the position, but these were both driven off with heavy loss +by the excellent work of Pvte. Teare with his Lewis gun, Sergt. King +and Corpl. Scrimshaw. + +[Illustration: MAP TO ILLUSTRATE CHAPTERS VII & IX.] + +In the afternoon of the same day Lieut. Hopkinson attempted to push +through the "Burg Graben" to Hedge Trench, but was met by strong +opposition. He, however, withdrew his party without casualties, after +inflicting several on the enemy. For his gallantry here and splendid +work on other occasions "Hoppy" was awarded the M.C. On this occasion +Corpl. Kirk again did splendid work. Many other gallant deeds were +performed during these strenuous days, special credit being due to +Sergt. Edis for good work in charge of a platoon, Corpl. J. Wilson, +who worked unceasingly for 36 hours, when in charge of an advanced +bombing post, Corpls. Blythe and Marvill for good patrol work, and +L.-Corpls. Fern, Martin and Leonard, and Pvtes. Simpson, Crane, +Peplow, W. Barwise, and Bacon. Invaluable work was also done by the +Transport Section, who had a very hard time in getting supplies up to +Gommecourt. The roads were in an appalling state, and every night were +thronged with horses and vehicles, whilst the enemy had ample +ammunition to loose off before retiring, both high explosive and gas, +most of which he sent over to Foncquevillers or Gommecourt, or the +road in between. It was on one of these nights that Pvte. Chapman did +excellent work in clearing a block in the road, in the midst of heavy +shell fire, and enabling the masses of transport to pass. + +In this miniature moving warfare, the Signallers found their task more +entertaining than it had hitherto been. Warner one day went so far as +to try flag-wagging, until he found that his performance was in full +view of the enemy. On another occasion he established a Trench +Wireless set to Brigade, which he maintained successfully for an hour, +but at the end of that period the whole apparatus was dissipated in +the explosion of a German shell. A second effort with new apparatus +met with a precisely similar fate. + +As evidence of the closeness with which we had followed up the +retreating enemy it is interesting to note that at one time Capt. +Hacking reported that from his front line, he could hear perfectly +plainly both our own Gunners and those of the Boche giving their fire +orders. + +An incident in the Quarter-Master's Department that was not without +interest, was a great ride by our great Quarter-Master. In his anxiety +to see that all our wants were provided for (or was it for a heavy +wager?), long before horses were allowed so far forward "Harry" +Torrance arrived one night at Pigeon Wood mounted on "Buster," having +defied the Military Police and all other Traffic Controls. Another +unique experience was that of Lieut. Whitton, who for a brief space +held the appointment of Town Major of Gommecourt, and was we believe, +the one and only person ever to occupy that post of honour. As Officer +Commanding 300 dozen Boche mineral waters found in the village, he was +a very useful person to know. + +On March 14th, we moved back to Gommecourt, where we were finally +relieved by the 4th Leicesters three days later. The enemy were +retiring very rapidly, and on the same day evacuated Essarts and +Bucquoy. Being squeezed out owing to the shortening of the line, the +46th Division began to follow several other Divisions to the back +areas, preparatory to taking part in operations in other spheres. +Never again did we go to Gommecourt, which we believe is being +retained by the French untouched. It will thus ever remain a type of a +completely destroyed village, for it is probably one of the worst +treated in the whole of France. There were certainly one or two spots +where the remains of buildings were still standing, but practically +every sign of a once prosperous village had been obliterated. As a +type of German fortification it was probably one of the best, +containing the deepest and best constructed trenches we ever saw. The +wire in front was almost impossible to break through; each line of +trenches was protected in much the same way; the dug-outs were deep +and proof against all except the very heaviest of shells, and there +was a long subterranean passage built by the Boche from behind +Gommecourt Wood to his second line, along which reinforcements could +be brought in safety to counter-attack any troops that might have +gained a footing in the front line. It was sad to find magnificent +tapestries and valuable pieces of furniture, evidently taken from the +château, which once existed there, adorning the German dug-outs or +ruthlessly cut and knocked about, but sadder still to find the bodies +of our own Officers and men lying unburied exactly as they had fallen +on that fated 1st of July, 1916. It is pleasing, however, to record +that the grave of an Officer of the Brigade was found in Essarts with +the inscription in English on the Cross: "To the memory of a very +gallant British Officer and Gentleman, killed July 1st, 1916." + + + + +CHAPTER X + +LENS + + _March 17th, 1917._ _July 4th, 1917._ + + +After relief at Gommecourt we spent two days at Souastre, and then +marched via Bayencourt and Courcelles-au-Bois to Contay, where we +arrived on March 23rd. The roads for much of this journey were in an +appalling mess, partly as a result of constant shelling, and partly +through being cut up by the masses of transport which had passed over +them during the recent wet weather either in following up the +retreating enemy or in withdrawing to back areas. Vehicles were often +up to the axle in mud, whilst bicycles gave an immense amount of +trouble, and this was not the only occasion on which we found it far +preferable to foot-slog, even with heavy packs, than to be Signallers +with bicycles, which practically had to be carried. Loaded with pack +and other paraphernalia, the heavy army pattern bicycle is not a +lovable companion, except on a more or less perfect road. A really +first-class exhibition of bicycle manoeuvring was given during the +move by Pvte. Bunce, who always seemed to be in trouble, and was a +source of much amusement to his fellow Signallers. We stayed one night +at Contay, moving the following day to Bertangles, and on March 25th +to Revelles, a delightful village about seven miles West of Amiens. We +were taken through Amiens itself in motor 'buses, which picked us up +just North of the town, and deposited us on the other side, leaving us +to finish the journey on foot. + +On passing through one village during this backward march we saw some +men wearing Sherwood Forester badges. They turned out to be men of the +2/8th Battalion, and proved the correctness of rumours we had +recently heard that that Battalion was actually in France. One of the +2/8th men accosted a fellow man of our Battalion, as he passed, with +the remark "Who are you?" "1/8th" was the reply, "Who are you?" +"2/8th"--"Right", said our friend--we believe a Signaller--"You can +tell your mother you've seen some real soldiers now!" + +We were supposed to entrain for the North almost at once, but as five +or six other Divisions were being moved besides ourselves it was not +surprising that trains were running a day or two late, so we were able +to have a short rest at Revelles, which was much enjoyed, especially +as we were able to make trips to Amiens, which at that time had only +been slightly damaged by bombs, and was full of life. The chief +centres of attraction were the Hotel Godbert, The Savoy, Charlie's +Bar, and the Café du Cathédral. + +Eventually we entrained at Bacouel Station in the afternoon of March +28th, the entrainment being one of the most expeditious ever carried +out by the Battalion. Not so, however, the journey! Times without +number we came to a stop with a succession of jerks, not on account of +signals--indeed it would appear that few, if any, existed--but because +other trains were in front. During a tedious night of such progress, +we passed through Abbeville, Boulogne, Calais and St. Omer, and +arrived about 9.0 a.m. on March 29th, at Hazebrouck. Being told there +by a French Railway Official that the train would stop for 15 minutes, +most of the Officers dashed for the buffet on the opposite platform +and ordered "Omelettes et café." As one might have imagined, the train +began to move without warning just as breakfast was started. There was +a wild dash, but all to no purpose, for the train was well under way. +By the best of good luck, however, a supply train was found, which +apparently was going in the same direction, though the guard and +driver appeared to have different views on the subject, which led to a +decidedly heated argument between them. At any rate our party boarded +the train and fortunately found it brought them very shortly to +Berguette Station, where the rest of the Battalion were just +detraining. + +The Adjutant's duty of seeing the Battalion safely across the railway, +near the station, was indeed a pleasant one, and less fortunate +members of the Battalion have accused him of carrying on in an +unseemly manner with the fair keeper of the level crossing. We have +his assurance, however, that though he felt proud indeed at having +such a charming young lady by his side, his behaviour was beyond +reproach! A few hours' march brought us to Westrehem, where we found +most comfortable billets, and were welcomed and treated in the most +cordial manner by all. + +This move brought us into the First Army (General Horne), of which we +were now to form part for many months, and into the II Corps, and +though we only remained in this Corps for a few days the Commander, +Lieut.-General Sir C. Jacob, lost no time in coming to make our +acquaintance, having all the Officers paraded to meet him at the +School at Westrehem, two days after our arrival. + +We spent about a fortnight there refitting and training, the most +important part of the latter being practice in the new Company and +Platoon formations for attack, in which much attention was paid to the +question of the numbers and positions of the personnel attached to +Company and Platoon Headquarters. Practice advances were also carried +out with these formations behind a creeping barrage represented by +flags and drums. Outposts and advance guards were practised, as well +as tactical open warfare schemes, with Officers and N.C.O.'s, and +firing was carried out on a range near the village. One day was +devoted to a Divisional Route March, in which every unit in the +Division took part. It was carried out as a tactical scheme, the +Division supposed to be pursuing a retreating enemy, and the 8th +Battalion forming part of the Advance Guard. + +On the recreational side, football was the chief feature, and several +very interesting matches were played, in one of which the 7th +Battalion Officers got their revenge by beating us three--nil at +Nédonchelle. Westrehem was also the venu of a Rugby football match, +between a team from the 6th and 8th Battalions, and one from the 5th +and Machine Gun Company, which ended after a hard fight in a draw. +Padre Uthwatt, who had recently joined us, did his best to try and +organise amusements, and the Divisional Cinema came over and gave one +or two shows. There was small attraction in the village except one or +two shops and estaminets, but you could get anything from chewing gum +upwards at "Lane's Emporium," and the inhabitants were so extremely +kind that we lacked little. The chief drawback during our stay at +Westrehem was the weather, which at times was very cold, and on +several days there were heavy falls of snow. + +On April 13th, we began to move towards the line once more, spending +that night at Vendin-lez-Béthune, and proceeding the following day to +Houchin. There we went under canvas, sharing a camp with the 7th +Battalion, and had a comfortable if chilly stay of three days. + +Changes which took place about this time included the departure of our +Medical Officer, Capt. C. B. Johnstone, who was replaced for a brief +period by Capt. Walsh, and later by Capt. W. C. Gavin; Capt. E. M. +Hacking, and Lieut. Moore were invalided to England, and "Weetie", +who had been our Adjutant for over 18 months, handed over his duties +to Lieut. Whitton on being attached to Brigade Headquarters. A little +later he succeeded "Peter" Wordsworth, who left to take up a higher +appointment after being Staff Captain for over three years, during +which we were grateful for his kind help on many occasions. Regimental +Quarter-Master Sergt. Dench went home to train for a commission, but +we met him again in the later stages of the war, when he did excellent +work with the 5th Battalion, gaining the M.C. and two bars. His place +was taken by Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. Pritchard, who was succeeded +in D Company by Sergt. Gammon; Armourer Quarter-Master Sergt. Loughman +went to hospital, and from that time onwards no official armourer was +allowed. + +We left Houchin on April 18th, and soon found familiar signs of our +proximity to the front. In Noeux-les-Mines, a not exactly encouraging +notice said "These cross-roads are registered." Needless to say we did +not loiter there, especially as it had been shelled several times +during the preceding few days. Passing Petit Sains and Aix +Noulette--the latter mostly in ruins--another notice warned us that +"Small box Respirators must be worn in the alert position East of this +point". A little further on we found parties of men at work making +good the roads, and laying temporary corduroy tracks across what had +recently been No Man's Land. Passing over this waste we descended to +Angres--known later as "Angry Corner"--and entered Liévin, where we +took over billets from the 13th Middlesex. + +[Illustration: AIR PHOTOGRAPH OF LENS-LOOS AREA, 1917. _Reproduced by +permission of Captain P. Huskinson, M.C._] + +Liévin had only been evacuated by the enemy and occupied by the 24th +Division two days before our arrival. This evacuation was not part of +his general scheme of withdrawing from some of his salients and +shortening his line, which we had experienced at Gommecourt, but had +been forced on him by the capture by the Canadians early in April of +Vimy Ridge. + +Included in the line now held by the enemy West of Lens were the +strong positions of Fosse 3 and Hill 65, opposite the South of the +front taken over by the 46th Division, and Hill 70 on the North. His +outpost line ran through the Cité-de-Riaumont and Eastern outskirts of +Liévin, across the Lens-Liévin Road, through Cité-St. Laurent to Hill +70. Lens itself was one of the most important centres in the mining +district and the whole area was a mass of mining villages or "Cités," +with their rows of cottages and neat gardens, pits or "puits," +slag-heaps, and other usual features of a colliery district. + +The town of Liévin lay astride the Souchez river, about three miles +West of Lens. Previously a thriving mining centre, it had now been +badly knocked about by shelling, though large numbers of houses were +still more or less intact. The Boche had done much work in +strengthening the cellars of the houses by covering them with +concrete, paving setts torn up from the road, bricks and other +material, the only drawback being that much of the extra strengthening +had been put on the side facing the old front line, so that we now got +little advantage from it, and felt we should like to turn the houses +round, as the side towards the enemy was often none too strong. The +evacuation had been so hurried that the enemy had not had time to +destroy or remove much of the furniture and clothing from the houses, +in many of which we found all the available beds collected in the +cellars, which were also well furnished with chairs, tables, +cupboards, cutlery and much other civilian property and made very +comfortable billets. Sappers made an inspection of all these cellars, +and of the dug-outs recently evacuated by the enemy before we occupied +them, in order to ensure the absence of "booby traps," and in this +respect we had no excitement. + +Information from prisoners indicated that a further retreat behind +Lens was imminent, and the impression of the Higher Command was that +only slight pressure was necessary to push the enemy outposts out of +Cité-de-Riaumont and Hill 65, and to establish a line East of that +town. Unfortunately this information was true only up to a point. It +has transpired since that for a day or two before the 46th Division +came into the line there really was something approaching a panic in +the German Command in this sector, and that all preparations had been +made to evacuate Lens. By the time of our arrival, however, the panic +was at an end, and the enemy were undoubtedly holding the Southern +portion of Cité-de-Riaumont and the strong defences of Hill 65 in +considerable strength. Corps and Army Intelligence refused, however, +to believe this to be more than a show, and the general trend of +orders was that attacks by small numbers should be made at once to +clear the enemy out of Cité-de-Riaumont and finally from Hill 65. The +loss of this last covering position should, it was thought, +necessitate their withdrawal from Lens. + +The flexibility of the position is indicated by the fact that a +Divisional Commander, in making a reconnaissance in Riaumont Wood, had +run against an enemy patrol. History does not relate which was the +more surprised, but both escaped without casualties. + +On April 19th we took over the left sub-sector of the Brigade sector +from the 7th Northamptons, commanded by that gallant sportsman, Col. +Mobbs. The main defence just established was on the Eastern edge of +the Bois de Riaumont. The Northern two rows of houses in the village +of Riaumont were occupied by our outposts, and the enemy were reported +to be holding the remainder in force. A Company (Capt. A. Hacking) +took over the outpost line; B Company (Lieut. G. Wright, during the +absence on leave of Capt. Turner) were in support in the Bois de +Riaumont and Cité des-Bureaux, whilst C Company (Capt. A. Bedford) and +D Company (Capt. Simonet) were in billets in the "River Line," not far +from Battalion Headquarters, which were at the White Château. + +It was clear that no attempt to capture Hill 65 would be possible +until the whole of Riaumont village was in our hands, and instructions +to this effect were given to Capt. A. Hacking, operations to secure +which were carried out on the night after relief in conjunction with +the 6th Battalion on our right. The advance took place quietly in +pitch darkness. Several parties of the enemy were encountered, some +being killed and one captured. By midnight the Battalion's objective +had been secured, and posts established in the Railway Cutting along +the Company front. In this difficult and rather uncanny work of +clearing and searching the houses and cellars of the village, Lieut. +Geary, Sergt. Stokes and Corpl. Brett did splendid work, for which the +first-named--who was the last Officer of the Battalion to be killed, a +fortnight before Armistice--was awarded the Military Cross. Later in +the night the enemy opened a sudden and very heavy bombardment, and +parties were seen advancing down one of the streets, but were driven +off with loss. We had no casualties during this operation. + +Meanwhile the 6th Battalion were not able to make good the remainder +of the village South of the cross roads, which the enemy were holding +in greater strength, and it was apparent that he intended to hold the +trench on the South side as part of his Lens outposts. + +The work put into the cellars of the colliery houses here was quite +extraordinary. In several cases, fifteen feet under the cellars, were +found subterranean passages with large dormitories and rooms capable +of accommodating large numbers of men. These were well furnished, but +owing to their depth and the proximity of the enemy, we were unable to +use them as much as we should have liked. + +Further fighting and a good deal of shelling took place during the +night of April 21/22, causing us several casualties, but not any +material alteration in the situation. Particularly good work was done +during that time by Sergt. Bolton. + +It was in these circumstances, and rather to the surprise of those who +were acquainted with the position, that orders were received that we +were to attack and capture Hill 65 in conjunction with the 6th +Battalion, who were at the same time to attack Fosse 3, and make good +the remainder of the village and the enemy trench to the South. The +attack was to be carried out by C Company, starting from the railway +cutting, so far as this had been established by A Company. There was +little time to make any preparations. A hasty reconnaissance was made +from an old Boche reinforced observation post East of the railway +cutting, just off "Absalom" Trench, kindly placed at our disposal by a +Gunner Officer, from which an excellent view was obtained of Hill 65, +a bare hill with a row or two of colliery cottages on the top, later +found to contain the inevitable deep cellars. The rest of the details +were fixed at hurriedly summoned conferences of Officers and N.C.O.'s. +The final objective was "Advance" Trench, just beyond the Hill. The +137th Brigade on the left were to send patrols to gain touch with us +at "Abode" Trench, and the 6th Battalion on the right were to meet our +parties in "Admiral" Trench. Their attack was not in line with ours +but was more or less echelonned in rear. + +As soon as it was dark the Company moved up from their quarters in the +River Line to Cité-de-Riaumont, where the men were safely got into the +cellars of the houses, relieving part of A Company. Pvte. Bradshaw, a +most excellent Company cook, having decided that a Company Mess in +Advance Trench would be a dreary place for his Officers without +whisky, slung on his back a bottle which the Mess President had +thought of leaving behind for the incoming Mess. Unfortunately it +proved to be a case of "Love's Labour Lost," for the man, and it is +feared the bottle too, fell into the hands of the Boche! + +D Company, who were to "mop up," took over the rest of A Company's +area, the latter Company returning to Liévin, and two platoons of B +Company occupied Absalom Trench. The imminence of our attack was +evidently known to the enemy, whose artillery during the night +liberally shelled Absalom Trench, Riaumont Château, the Eastern edge +of the village, and the approaches from Liévin. Trench mortars were +also very active on the village, in fact, at one time it was thought +that the Boche himself might be attacking, and shortly after midnight +C Company were got out of the cellars and ordered to stand to. During +that time Comp. Sergt.-Major Haywood was slightly wounded and had to +go back. Nothing further happened, however, and the Company eventually +took up their final position in the railway cutting about 4.0 a.m. on +April 23rd (after waiting for the rum and tea which were delayed by +the shelling and arrived too late). Several casualties were caused now +by our own artillery firing short, one shell, which luckily was a +"dud," burying itself in the side of the embankment amongst a group of +men. + +Leaving a right flanking party to deal with the enemy in the railway +cutting, the remainder of the Company, deploying from the cutting at +Zero, 4.45 a.m., changed direction half-right and moved forward under +a barrage of artillery and trench mortars. The preliminary bombardment +had more or less destroyed the houses on the hill and cut good gaps +in the wire, which the party had little difficulty in getting through. +The right leading platoon under Lieut. Skinner got into one of the +numerous trenches and at first met with little opposition, but being +separated from the rest of the Company, were rapidly surrounded by +large numbers of the enemy, and practically all were killed or +captured. The left platoon, under 2nd Lieut. Hopkinson, reinforced by +the remainder of the Company, were held up by machine gun fire, which +caused many casualties, until Corpl. Fletcher managed to get a direct +hit on one of the guns with a No. 23 grenade. A message was meanwhile +taken by C Company runner, the redoubtable "Mungo" Marsh, to D +Company, asking them to try and work a party round to the North side +of the houses. Further attempts made to rush another gun which was +doing much damage, were met now with bombs thrown from a trench just +in front of the houses. The folly of attempting the attack with the +Southern half of the cutting still in the hands of the enemy, now +became apparent, for at this moment large parties of the enemy +appeared on the right rear, with which the flanking party had +apparently been quite unable to deal. Then from the cellars of the +houses on top of the hill also emerged many of the enemy, and the now +small remains of the Company were in imminent danger of being +completely surrounded. Orders were given to withdraw, but few returned +to tell the tale. Duff, one of the most heroic and stout-hearted +Officers the Battalion ever possessed, was last seen firing his +revolver amid a horde of the enemy. Hopkinson was never heard of +again. Sergt. Cox died of wounds and Sergts. Curtis, Sansom and Chalk +were amongst the 70 missing, whilst the wounded numbered 34. The +highest praise is due to all ranks of C Company for their magnificent +efforts and especially to Capt. A. Bedford, who throughout worked +incessantly and led the attack with the utmost gallantry. It was only +through a hard fate that his endeavours did not meet with the success +they so well deserved. Very good work was also done by the mopping-up +platoon of D Company, under Sergt. Painter, which helped to cover the +withdrawal of the remnants of C Company. + +The 6th Battalion fared no better, and the attack produced, what was +suspected by those who knew the ground, exactly nothing except a total +of casualties which are felt to have been sacrificed on the altar of +faulty intelligence. + +It is easy, perhaps, to be wise after the event. All information +received by Corps Intelligence indicated an imminent retreat by the +enemy. On no other premises could an attack by so small a force on so +strong a position have been justified. One further principle of +warfare, by no means new, was justified to the hilt--no frontal attack +should ever be attempted unless all counter attack from a flank is +impossible, or unless sufficient forces are available to render such +an attack an impracticability. The ultimate capture of the Hill +necessitated nearly two months' artillery preparation and the +employment at intervals of two Brigades. Perhaps there is one further +illustration of the uncertainty of modern warfare in the history of +Hill 65. With that Hill in our hands, and later on the dominating +position of Hill 70, all the tenets of war would conclude that Lens +would be completely untenable, and yet it was not until more than a +year afterwards that the enemy, in the last stages of the war, +evacuated a town which will, in the history of the Battalion and of +the 46th Division, be for ever associated with the fortunes of Hill +65. + +On April 24th we went back into Brigade Support with Battalion +Headquarters at the Red Mill, and Companies billeted in cellars. Some +readjustments had to be made the following day, when Battalion +Headquarters moved to cellars on the Lens Road. This spot seemed to +be a favourite target for a Whizz-bang, which fired straight down the +road, and was responsible for many sprints and much language at +different times on the part of various members of Battalion +Headquarters. + +Three days later the Brigade was relieved by the 137th Brigade and +moved into Divisional Reserve, the Battalion proceeding to a +delightful little spot known as Marqueffles Farm, nestling under the +wooded slopes of the Lorette Ridge. Here we were extremely +comfortable, and on this and a future occasion spent a most agreeable +time, being especially fortunate in the matter of weather. It was a +stiff climb to the top of the ridge, at the Eastern edge of which were +the remains of Notre Dame de Lorette. This was the favourite spot of +the Gipsy bomber, whose story was told in _Punch_ a few years ago:-- + + "But most he loved to lie upon Lorette + And, couched on cornflowers, gaze across the lines + On Vimy Ridge--we had not Vimy yet-- + Pale Souchez's bones, and Lens among the mines. + Till, eagle-like, with hoarse indignant shrieks. + Gunners arose from some deep-delved lair. + To chase the intruder from their sacred peaks + And cast him down to Ablain-St. Nazaire." + +Torrance on one occasion climbed the ridge with Col. Blackwall, and +can testify that the view from the top was worth the walk! It formed a +perfectly ideal observation post, and we now understood why the Hun +had fought so strenuously to maintain a footing on the ridge. + +The chief item whilst at rest was the reorganisation of C Company, +which was practically non-existent. Each of the other three Companies +contributed a quota, the transfers including Sergt. Stokes, from +A Company, who was appointed Comp.-Sergt. Major. A little later +Sergt. H. J. Wilson, who for a long period had ably superintended +the Battalion cooking arrangements, was appointed Comp. +Quarter-Master-Sergt., and was succeeded as Sergt.-Cook by Corpl. +Bateman. In addition to other casualties we had lost Lieut. G. Wright, +who injured his knee up in the Riaumont sector and was now invalided +to England, whilst 2nd Lieut. White went to England for temporary duty +as a Bombing Instructor, and 2nd Lieut. Mitchell was appointed +Adjutant of I Corps School. Our strength was thus considerably +reduced, whilst reinforcements at the moment were exactly nil. + +On May 6th we relieved the 5th Lincolns in the left sub-sector of the +left Brigade sector, with Battalion Headquarters in the remnants of +some mine galleries at the back of Hart's Crater, just in front of +Loos. There were only two Brigades of the Division in the line at this +period, and each Brigade went to each sector in turn. We always went +into the left sub-sector of each sector, relieving with the 7th +Battalion. The trenches here were very bad, so shallow that it was +almost impossible to get round by day, and considerably overlooked by +the enemy, particularly from the tower of Fosse 14. Their names began +with the letter N, the best known being "Nero," "Novel," "Netley," and +"Nash." They were old Boche trenches taken in the recent advance. The +whole sector had a very desolate appearance and life was not pleasant +there. The discomfort was increased by the enormous number of wing +bombs and rifle grenades and occasional deluges of gas bombs and +shells fired by the enemy, which in our first six-day tour there, +caused us 39 casualties. This was followed by six days in support, +when we lived in dug-outs in some trenches between Loos and the famous +Colliery slag heap, known as the "Double Crassier." Battalion +Headquarters were at an exceptionally fine dug-out known as "Elvaston +Castle," which had been dug by the 2nd Sherwood Foresters. Here, in +addition to ordinary work, we amused ourselves at times by cutting the +vetches which were thriving on some parts of the area, and sending +them back for the transport animals. It was here also that a certain +Padre was overheard one day by the I-Tok, arranging for a funeral at +Maroc, with the result that he was requested to attend at Brigade +Headquarters to explain his indiscretions. + +After a short rest at Noeux-les-Mines, we went back to the Liévin +sector again on May 25th and took over the line from Fosse 9 and +Cité-St. Théodore to just South of the Liévin-Lens Road. Battalion +Headquarters were at the corner house near the "Marble Arch" in +Liévin. Here the monotony of trench life was varied by long distance +patrols, and an enemy raid on the night of May 29/30th on our post at +the junction of "Crocodile" Trench and the railway cutting, when we +lost two men captured, three killed and seven wounded. Casualties +during the whole of this period unfortunately were heavy and +reinforcements few, one Officer, 2nd Lieut. H. C. Orton and 36 men who +joined in May, being our sole additions. We also lost Sergt. Burton, +who had done much excellent work as Signalling-Sergeant. He went for a +Commission, and was succeeded by Corpl. J. T. Templeman. Our strength +at this period was so small that for some time Companies had to be +organised in three platoons instead of four. About the same time, much +to the regret of all those who had been privileged to serve under him +at any time, during the long period in which he so successfully +commanded the Brigade, both in England and France, General +Shipley left for a tour of duty at home, and was succeeded by +Brigadier-General G. G. S. Carey, C.B., R.A. + +The first six days of June were spent in Brigade support in Liévin, at +the end of which time we went back into the line in front of Cité-St. +Théodore, where the only excitements were the pushing forward of +advanced posts to help to protect the left flank of the 138th Brigade +in an attack on Fosse 3, and a number of long distance patrols in +which Lieut. Martelli and his Scouts always played a prominent part. +After another short rest at Marqueffles Farm, where on June 12th we +won first prize for the best Transport turnout at the Brigade Horse +Show, we went back for a short tour in Brigade support in front of +Loos on June 15th. + +We had now fairly sampled most of the area and found little of it to +our liking. Hart's Crater sector was the most monotonous for both +front line and support work, there being nothing but trenches to live +in. In Liévin sector, though the front line work was more interesting +and we had fairly comfortable billets when in support, the enemy +shelled the town itself so incessantly both with high explosive and +gas, that one had to take more than ordinary precautions. Apart from +the fact that our own Division and the Canadians on the right were +carrying out "stunts" of one kind or other almost every day, provoking +considerable retaliation, we had an immense number of batteries tucked +away amongst the houses in Liévin, and under almost every bank round +about it, besides many more or less in the open. The Boche located +these batteries with considerable accuracy, and from time to time +literally rained shells (principally 5.9's) on to them, and almost +every day knocked out numbers of guns. + +Many of the gardens in the area close behind the front line were now +in full bearing and provided a very welcome addition to our rations, +and more than one has pleasant recollections of the excellent dishes +of early asparagus and stewed gooseberries gathered from the garden of +Riaumont Château. Strawberries, currants, gooseberries and rhubarb +were also plentiful in Cité-St. Pierre. Indeed the attractions of the +first were too much for one greedy German, who was so much occupied +in filling his helmet with this luscious fruit that he walked into +one of the outposts of the 6th Battalion. It is doubtful if he was +allowed to reap the fruits of his labour, at any rate when he +eventually arrived at Battalion Headquarters both the helmet and the +strawberries were conspicuous by their absence! + +The Transport and Quarter-Master's Stores were back in a very nice +spot at Sains-en-Gohelle, but their journeys to the line with rations +and stores were almost as unpleasant as they could be. In going to +Liévin they usually got shelled with high explosive and at Loos with +gas, and it says much for the excellent way in which Capt. H. Kirby +and Sergt. Blunt handled the Transport on these occasions that they +never failed to deliver the stores and had scarcely a single casualty. +For a short period in the Liévin sector, stores were sent up by light +railway from Bully Grenay or Aix Noulette. + +The Higher Command all this time had the fixed idea that the enemy +could be driven out of Lens, and all the efforts of the 46th Division +and of the Canadians on the right were concentrated to bring this +about. The idea was probably strengthened by the fact that fires and +explosions were observed almost daily in Lens itself, evidently due to +the enemy's desire to leave as little as possible in the event of his +having to withdraw. Numerous small enterprises carried out from time +to time enabled some slight advance to be made, but towards the end of +June operations took place more frequently and on a larger scale. + +The Canadians having just captured the Generating Station and the high +ground around it, South of the Souchez River, which overlooked the +Boche positions about Fosse 3, the 138th Brigade were ordered to +attack the Fosse again on June 19th, and this time succeeded in taking +it, and on the night June 21/22nd, we relieved the 5th Leicesters in +their new outpost line in "Boot" and "Brick" trenches, having spent +the last three days at Calonne, to which place we had moved from the +Loos area on June 18th. The two days spent there were two of the most +unpleasant in the history of the Battalion. All four Companies were in +the line, there was little accommodation or shelter, the enemy +shelling and trench-mortaring were intense, and there was the constant +fear of a counter-attack from the right--altogether rather a +nightmare. We were lucky in not getting more casualties than we did; +as it was we lost ten killed and 31 wounded in the two days, during +which we were attached in turn to the 138th and 137th Brigades. We +were relieved on the night June 23/24th and went back to Calonne. A +Company had a particularly unpleasant relief, as the enemy chose that +time to send over a number of gas shells and trench mortars, most of +which fell amongst that Company, causing them several casualties. + +On June 25th the 137th Brigade, with little or no trouble, at last +occupied Hill 65, and the same night we were again attached to that +Brigade, and moved into Liévin, with Headquarters at the Red Mill. + +Here we got orders for working parties required for carrying and +digging assembly trenches at Cité-de-Riaumont for the 137th and 138th +Brigades, who were to carry out further operations. Company Commanders +assembled at the Red Mill to get their orders for this work at the +same moment that the Boche had planned to shell a battery of our guns +almost adjacent to it. Heavies arrived in salvoes for some time; +several direct hits were obtained on the guns, the ammunition dump +just behind it was hit and explosions continued for days. It caused +considerable inconvenience to Company Commanders and further entailed +the hasty exit of Lieut. Tomlinson from the delightful bathing pool +which had been made in the stream adjoining the Mill. It was whilst +out with one of these working parties at Riaumont that Moffat +Johnston, temporarily in command of B Company, got badly knocked about +by a shell and had to leave, the Company then being taken over by 2nd +Lieut. Day, Capt. Turner being away with the 46th Division Depôt +Battalion. On the night of June 27/28th we moved back to billets in +Maroc. The following evening the 137th and 138th Brigades made further +progress in another successful attack, the Canadians also pushing on +South of the River Souchez, practically into the outskirts of Lens +itself. At the same time the 6th and 7th Battalions co-operated with +considerable success North of the Lens-Liévin Road. + +[Illustration: MAP TO ILLUSTRATE OPERATIONS NEAR LENS: April-July, +1917.] + +The Higher Authorities were now more convinced than ever that the +Germans opposite us were completely demoralised, and that with a small +push we should capture Lens itself. Hasty plans were accordingly +devised, and, although we were now lamentably weak in numbers, it was +resolved to put the whole Division into a final effort on the morning +of July 1st. The 137th and 138th Brigades were to attack South of the +Lens-Liévin Road and the 139th Brigade North of it. For this attack +the 2nd Sherwood Foresters and the 9th Norfolks from the 6th Division +on our left were attached to our Brigade. The assaulting Battalions +were the 2nd, 5th and 6th Sherwood Foresters. We were in support and +late on June 30th moved into St. Pierre. A and D Companies were +attached to the 6th Battalion, A being now commanded by Capt. Andrews, +who had recently succeeded Capt. A. Hacking on the latter's +appointment as Second-in-Command of the 5th Battalion. This Company +held the 6th Battalion left Company front, whilst D Company remained +in support. B Company were attached to the 2nd Battalion, but were not +required until the following afternoon, when they were taken up to +"Crook Redoubt." Owing to casualties this Company came under the +command of Sergt. Cobb, who carried out his duties and looked after +the Company during a rather trying time in a most excellent manner. C +Company were attached to the 5th Battalion and were in support in +"Cowden" Trench. + +The attack was launched at dawn on July 1st and part of the objective +taken, but an enemy-counter attack found our men too weak to hold the +position, and apart from a small portion in the neighbourhood of +Crocodile Trench, the ground gained had to be evacuated. The 137th and +138th Brigades on the right met with no greater success and Lens +remained in the hands of the enemy. July 1st is not a lucky day in the +history of the 46th Division. + +We remained in St. Pierre, with some Companies still detached, until +the night of July 3/4th, when we were relieved by the 23rd and 27th +Canadian Battalions, and went back to the Square at Bully Grenay, +where 'buses picked us up soon after dawn on July 4th, and took us +back to the delightful little village of Chelers. + +In spite of considerable shelling our casualties during the last few +days had only been two Officers (Day and Hammond) and four men +wounded. Our total casualties during the Lens operations amounted to +five Officers wounded, three missing, 42 other ranks killed, 180 +wounded, and 72 missing. + +The whole history of the Lens operations proves, if proof were needed, +how important a part intelligence plays in modern operations. +Intelligence is gained by reconnaissance by land or from the air, and +from information from prisoners and captured documents. The +responsibility of the Officer, who must judge the truth from what must +often be conflicting reports from these sources, is serious indeed. On +his appreciation of the position depends to an extent not always +recognised the success or failure of active operations. The Infantry +in the line unfortunately take the hard consequences of faulty +information or false appreciation. + +In reviewing the short history of these operations we are inclined to +forget other occasions in which the credit of successes was due not +only to the dash and courage of the Infantry but to the information +sifted from one source or another, weighed in the balance, and finally +put forward as the premises on which operations have been based. In +our humble judgment the Army of the future should take care that this +branch of technical training receives a greater measure of attention +than it had received up to the commencement of the Great War. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +ST. ELIE AND HILL 70 + + _July 4th, 1917._ _January 21st, 1918._ + + +After nearly three months' strenuous fighting, it was a great relief +to us to find ourselves back once more in the quiet regions, and the +change was thoroughly appreciated by all. The weather was delightful +and the country was looking its best, and altogether the 18 days spent +at Chelers were extremely enjoyable. There was not much in the way of +amusement, as there was little opportunity for it, and we were so far +in the heart of the country that visits to towns were impossible, +except for the few lucky ones with horses, for whom the journey to St. +Pol and back was a pleasant afternoon's ride. Billets were quite +comfortable, and Battalion Headquarters were certainly in clover at +the Château, where it was one of their pleasures to bask in the +delightful garden and regale themselves on peaches brought by the +small daughter of the house. Otherwise there was little attraction in +the village, though in "Lizzie Five-Nine," it possessed a pearl of +great price. Major Lane was in command for part of the time, as Col. +Blackwall was on leave. The latter on his return, not being fortunate +enough to be met at Boulogne by a car--Battalion Commanders only got +cars when they were not wanted by the gilded Staff--found, as so often +happened, that Railway Transport Officers knew nothing of our +movements, and sent him off to quite the wrong place, about 30 miles +from Chelers, to which he had to get as best he could. On a hot summer +day this was not a nice experience to pile on to that "end of leave +feeling" that most of us had at getting back. and to make matters +still worse he found on his arrival that the supply of lime-juice at +the Headquarter Mess had run out! The truth of course was that not +being in demand during his absence, it had not been replenished! + +In training special stress was laid on bayonet fighting, taken by +Comp. Sergt.-Major Lowe of the Canadian Army Gymnastic Staff, +musketry, and firing practice on the Rocourt Range, where a two days' +Divisional Rifle Meeting was held on July 19th and 20th, at which our +representatives shot remarkably well, and carried off amongst other +prizes two silver bugles, which now repose with the Battalion Plate at +Newark. A large marquee was erected on the ground, where refreshments +could be obtained, and a band was in attendance each day. All the +arrangements were admirable, and the programme was carried out without +a hitch. Teams from B Company won the Inter-Company Snap-Shooting and +Rapid-Firing competition, and the Lewis Gun competition, whilst a +knock-out competition for Officers was won by our team composed of +Lieut.-Col. Blackwall, Capt. A. Bedford and 2nd Lieuts. Tomlinson and +Martelli. In the final round this team beat the one from Divisional +Headquarters, which included Major-General Thwaites. In the General +Officer Commanding's Cup competition for revolver shooting for +Officers, our team won second prize. On the whole the results from +this competition and the practice leading up to it, were extremely +good, and had a marked effect on the shooting all round, both with +rifle and Lewis gun. Two ceremonial inspections were carried out, one +by the Brigadier on July 11th, and another by the Divisional Commander +on July 17th, both of which went off successfully. + +Our stay at Chelers came to an end on July 23rd, when we started back +once more to the forward area, marching that day to Verquin, where we +billeted for the night. The next night we relieved the 1st Leicesters +(6th Division) in the St. Elie Left sub-sector trenches. We were not +very strong at this time, about 650 all told. Four new subalterns who +had just joined, were 2nd Lieuts. J. H. Hofmeyr, C. J. Elly, W. H. +Sutton, and R. W. Clarke. Second Lieut. White rejoined from duty in +England, and further Officer reinforcements who came up shortly +afterwards, included 2nd Lieuts. H. G. Kirby, F. C. Tucker, C. J. +Wells, D. Tanner, and J. A. Pearce. + +We now entered on what was to be the longest continuous period of +trench warfare that it was ever our lot to take part in, for we were +destined to remain in the forward area, holding trenches with but +short reliefs, for a whole six months, and there was little to break +the monotony except one or two changes of trench areas and the +interspersal, now and then of raids carried out either by ourselves or +the enemy. Raids had now become part and parcel almost of trench +warfare routine. The Divisional Commander's wishes were that they +should be carried out frequently, and he was strongly supported by +General Carey, who insisted on each Battalion preparing a scheme for a +raid, either large or small, as soon as it took over the line, so that +no time should be wasted in preliminary arrangements after the order +was given for a raid to be carried out. The drawback, perhaps, was +that raids were apt to be of much the same type, for it was not easy +to introduce variations. In the normal raid there was always the +cutting of gaps in the enemy wire, which was almost bound to give them +the intimation that something was going to happen, the bombardment +about "Zero" of the area to be raided, and the forming of a "Box +Barrage" round it, to prevent the enemy bringing up reinforcements, +whilst our men dealt with any enemy found within the barrage. + +This sub-sector of trenches, "St. Elie Left," was named after the +village of St. Elie, the remains of which were in the enemy lines +opposite. This sector was just South-East of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, +and was entirely overlooked by that old enemy of former days "The +Dump," which had now for some reason changed its name to "Slag Heap." +It was difficult at first to recognise the front lines, so changed was +their appearance. Instead of a more or less level tract between the +front line trenches, No Man's Land consisted of a chain of whitish +chalk peaks, the sides of huge mine craters, which had entirely +changed the aspect of the area. There were not so many, perhaps, in +the sector in which we were immediately interested, as there were +opposite Hohenzollern itself, but the general appearance of the +so-called front line was much the same in both. All this part of the +front had remained practically unmoved since the finish of the +fighting in the Autumn of 1915. The withdrawal of the enemy further +South early in 1917, and our attacks later at Messines and other parts +to the North, had not affected this portion. Mining had been begun and +carried on pretty regularly by both sides so long as that kind of +warfare was thought worth while,--a method in which the Boche, who was +a nervous miner, had been completely beaten--but for some time before +our arrival it had lapsed, and the only visible signs of it were the +craters, on each lip of which sentry posts had been established by +ourselves and the enemy respectively. A certain amount of excavation +was still going on underground, under the supervision of Australian +Tunnellers, but this was mainly connected with the somewhat +complicated system of "listening" in vogue. Apparatus was fitted up, +and men were always on duty so as to notify at once any indication of +mining operations being started by the enemy. Nothing more as a matter +of fact did happen in the way of mining, which had already had its +day. + +[Illustration: AIR PHOTOGRAPH OF PART OF ST. ELIE SECTOR, 1917.] + +Behind the chain of craters all along this area was another feature +peculiar to this part of the line, an extraordinary system of tunnels. +It is believed that these first originated owing to the necessity for +finding ways up to the front line by day, without using the +communication trenches, which were mostly overlooked from the Slag +Heap, and other prominent points, from which the enemy could get an +excellent view over most of our forward area. Behind the trench system +attempts had been made to obviate this drawback by the erection of +long lengths of camouflage screens, which were a great feature of this +part of the front. In the trench system itself underground passages +were dug some 15 to 25 feet deep, from about the Reserve Line up to +the front. These in due course got connected with the mine levels and +shafts, and eventually rooms were excavated off the passages, timber +and wire beds put up, electric light plant installed, cook houses and +cooking apparatus fixed, wells sunk, and in fact a sort of underground +barracks was formed, and all within 100 to 400 yards of the Boche +front line. It was a remarkable development. + +The posts in the so-called front line were arranged almost entirely +round about the craters, and were reached by flights of steps from the +tunnels. These posts were some distance apart, the system of holding +these trenches being a thin front line of posts well wired in, with No +Man's Land protected by active patrolling, and a strong, well-built, +and well-wired support line or "Line of Resistance," where every +effort would be made to hold up any big attack which might develop. An +elaborate arrangement of doors and gas blankets fixed at entrances, +and at various intermediate points in the tunnels, was made to protect +them in case of gas attack, and a carefully arranged system of +electric bells was fitted up from the sentry posts to the garrison +living in the tunnels, so that warning could be given immediately in +case of an enemy attack. These tunnels served an excellent purpose, +but there is no question that had they been in use to any extent they +might easily have become a great source of weakness, as they +undoubtedly had a very demoralising effect on the troops who had to +live in them. + +The Battalion sector extended from "Fosse" and "Stansfield Posts" on +the right, through "Hairpin Craters," "North" and "South Craters," +"Border Redoubt" and "Rat Creek" to "Hulluch Alley" and "Russian Sap" +on the left. Communication trenches in this sector were the best we +ever met, floorboarded and revetted practically throughout their +entire length. The support trench was also fairly good, and the front +posts not too bad, though they frequently got knocked in with heavy +trench mortars, and required constant repairing. Work in the trenches, +therefore, normally consisted more of general upkeep, than of any +extensive new work. Three companies were in the line, with the fourth +in support, living mostly in "Stansfield Tunnel." Battalion +Headquarters was in a dug-out in "Stansfield Road." Company Commanders +were:--(A) Capt. Andrews, (B) Lieuts. Tomlinson, Lomer and Day in +succession, followed a little later by Capt. Turner, (C) Capt. A. +Bedford, (D) Capt. Simonet. We only had two tours in these trenches at +this time, one of six days, and one of four, during which the enemy +were active mainly with trench mortars, including a large number of +"Wing Bombs" or "Pineapples." A raid which we were ordered to carry +out during this period was left in the capable hands of Capt. Simonet, +and fixed to take place at 11.30 p.m. on August 4th. It was all +carefully rehearsed beforehand, on ground near the support billets at +Philosophe. In addition to his own Company, Simonet had the help of B +Company under Lieut. Tomlinson. The raid was made against the enemy's +first and second line trenches nearly opposite North Crater, and was +intended in addition to inflicting casualties to obtain +identification, and destroy suspected trench mortar emplacements and +dug-outs. Unfortunately success did not attend their efforts on this +occasion, for, though B Company reached the enemy trenches, and a few +men got as far as the second line, they had to be recalled, as D +Company were unable to make any headway owing to heavy machine gun +fire from the flanks. Both Companies suffered a few casualties in +withdrawing. + +It was on the following day, August 5th, when the Battalion was in +Brigade support in Philosophe, that we got what was probably the +heaviest shelling of billets that we ever experienced, for the Boche +deliberately shelled the village without a break from 6 to 10 p.m. +with 4.2's and 5.9's. As soon as the bombardment began, everyone +withdrew to the open fields behind the village, and remained there +until it was over. We were fortunate in escaping without a single +casualty. Some of the billets were badly knocked about, but we saved +our skins, which after all was the main thing. We must confess to +having felt on this occasion almost a suspicion of satisfaction in +seeing Brigade Headquarters get a full share of this shelling. Their +mess was so shaken and upset that the Brigadier had to dine at a much +later hour than usual off cold bully beef. It is perhaps difficult to +understand exactly the reason, but there is no shadow of doubt that in +every formation there was a feeling almost of delight when a unit saw +the Headquarters of the next higher unit being "straffed!" + +On the night August 10/11th, we moved back into support with Battalion +Headquarters, A and C Companies at Noyelles, and B and D Companies in +support trenches. On August 14th, the half Battalion at Noyelles +handed over to the 5th Leicesters, and moved back to billets at +Fouquières, and on the 16th to Verquin, where they were joined by B +and D Companies. + +By a brilliant attack on the previous day, August 15th, the Canadians +finally captured Hill 70, which had so often been a bone of +contention, but was now to remain always in our hands. + +We now had ten very enjoyable days in comfortable and homely billets +at Verquin. Some of the Officers were fortunate enough to be invited +to play tennis at the château, both there and at Fouquières, and owe a +great debt of gratitude to the kind ladies at both those places, for +many acts of kindness and hospitality. It was almost like being at +home to be playing "mixed doubles," and after dinner to have music in +the drawing room. The men, too, had a very nice time in the miners' +cottages in Verquin, and other mining villages. Shops and village life +always had their attraction, and we felt very much at home in this +part of France, which in the end we came to know almost by heart. The +French miner was always particularly kind to us all. It may be that +many of our miners, by exchanging views on their calling, enlisted the +sympathies of the Frenchmen in the Battalion as a whole. Whether this +is so or not, in no part of France did the inhabitants behave to +Officers and men with such invariable kindness and courtesy, as that +exhibited in the various French colliery districts, in which we were +so fortunate as to be billeted at this time. In addition to the +village attractions, we were getting splendid shows given by the +"Whizz-bangs," who were now in good form once more, and did much to +liven things up, whilst Béthune with its many attractions, was within +easy walking distance, and always a popular resort for all ranks. + +There were several training grounds within easy reach, and pleasantly +situated. Training consisted mainly of musketry and attack practice, +whilst the usual Ceremonial was introduced in the shape of a Brigade +Parade, at Vaudricourt Park on August 18th, when the General Officer +Commanding distributed medal ribbons. On August 24th, Regimental +sports were held in a field at Drouvin, in conjunction with the 139th +Machine Gun Company, and 139th Trench Mortar Battery. Perhaps the most +entertaining and amusing feature of a most successful day, was the +winning of the Victoria Cross race on a pack pony by "Doc" Johnstone, +whom we found stationed at Verquin. + +We now entered on the second phase of this long trench warfare period, +relieving the 23rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers (2nd Division) in Cambrin +Left sub-sector on August 26th. There we remained until September +13th, with the exception of a short interval in Brigade support, when +Battalion Headquarters were in billets in Annequin, and Companies in +dug-outs in the reserve trenches in front of Cambrin. It was here that +we first came across our Portugese Allies, who were holding the +trenches North of the La Bassée Canal. + +This sector extended from just North-West of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, +nearly to the Béthune-La Bassée Road, and was of a similar nature to +the St. Elie sector we had recently held, except that it was not so +much overlooked by the enemy. Familiar names in the front line, are +"Railway Craters," "Twin Sap," "Minehead Sap," and "Fusilier Sap." The +support trench was named "Old Boots." There were two main tunnels, +"Munster" on the right, and "Wilson" on the left. The main +communication trenches were "Railway Alley," "Lewis Alley," "Munster +Parade," and "Dundee Walk." After a little rearrangement on first +taking over, all Companies were in the line, finding their own +supports, Battalion Headquarters being in dug-outs just off Railway +Alley. The first tour was very quiet, but was marred by the +unfortunate loss on patrol of 2nd Lieut. D. Tanner, and Corpl. Wright +on August 30th. Tanner very gallantly undertook to reconnoitre a Boche +post, and took out with him Corpl. Wright and two men. The two men got +back safely, but Tanner and the N.C.O. were missing, and were reported +later to have either been killed or to have died of wounds. Another +misfortune occurred in our next trench tour on September 11th, when a +raid was attempted by Capt. Martelli, in command of a party consisting +of C Company and half A Company. The raid was to be carried out +against enemy trenches opposite Railway Craters, at 11.45 p.m. It was +carefully practised beforehand over a taped model. Unfortunately, the +enemy were evidently aware of our intentions, probably divining that a +raid was in prospect from the fact of our having cut gaps in the wire, +and whilst our men were forming up in No Man's Land, they suddenly +opened an intense bombardment, mostly of gas bombs, which fell right +amongst them. Our men immediately put on their box respirators, but in +the dark it was quite impossible to advance with them on, and seeing +that progress was impossible, Martelli, who was himself wounded, +withdrew his party, suffering in casualties during the whole +operation, three other ranks killed, and 30 wounded. C Company were +again unfortunate the following night, when they were bombarded with +heavy trench mortars, and suffered nine more casualties. + +On September 13th, we left this sector on being relieved by the 7th +Battalion, and moved back to Fouquières, where we spent a very +enjoyable week training and refitting. Leaving there on September +20th, we marched to Mazingarbe, where we spent a night in huts, and +the following day took over the support trenches in the Hill 70 +sector, just North of Loos. Shortly after its capture by the +Canadians, Hill 70 had been handed over to the 6th Division to +consolidate, and it now fell to the lot of the 46th Division to +complete the consolidation. + +Just before the change, we had been joined by a new Medical Officer, +Lieut. St. G. L. M. Homan, who replaced Capt. Gavin, and three new +subalterns, Lieut. C. Cursham, and 2nd Lieuts. S. Bridden and E. W. +Hartle; but on the other hand, we lost Lieut. Michie, and 2nd Lieut. +Orton, invalided to England, and 2nd Lieut. Pearce, who joined the +139th Trench Mortar Battery. Comp. Sergt. Major Haywood had also gone +home to train for a commission, only to be killed later when serving +with another Battalion. + +It was an agreeable change for us to occupy such a position as Hill +70, as observation could be got from there over the enemy country for +many miles, and it was pleasant after having almost invariably been +overlooked, to be able now to see something of the other side of the +picture. The enemy, however, had good observation from Hulluch and +Wingles, over our approaches through Loos, in the valley, and movement +was mainly by that never-ending communication trench "Railway Alley," +running from the top of the ridge behind Loos, through the outskirts +of that village up to Hill 70, where it joined up to "Humbug Alley," +the main communication trench of the left sector. The front line which +was in none too good order, was known mainly as to its position with +regard to the remnants of woods in its neighbourhood, "Bois de +Dix-huit" opposite the right, "Bois Rasé" in the centre, and "Bois +Hugo" on the left. All the forward trenches bore names beginning with +H, two of which were "Heaven" and "Hell," but the former was not quite +the Paradise one might expect from its name. Such dug-outs as were +usable, were deep, but small. Many had been blown in, and practically +all the entrances faced the wrong way, which was a distinct drawback. + +For seven weeks, probably the most monotonous in the history of the +Battalion's trench warfare, we helped to hold Hill 70, relieving in +the line with the 7th Battalion. When in Brigade support, we lived in +dug-outs in the old British and German front line trenches in front of +and behind the Loos-Hulluch Road, with Battalion Headquarters in "Tosh +Alley." When in Divisional Reserve, we lived in the Mazingarbe huts, +which were fairly comfortable, but capable of much improvement. +Battalion Headquarters occupying a house in the aristocratic street +known as "Snobs' Alley." Tours in the trenches, in support and reserve +were each of six days. Life in the trenches was of a most humdrum +nature. There was not even a raid of any kind, so far as our Battalion +was concerned. We simply slogged on week after week at real trench +work, making fire-bays and fire-steps, thickening the barbed wire in +front, improving dug-outs, and making good the communication trenches +and reserve line, by revetting and trench gridding. The latter was +probably the most important work carried out, and many were the "A" +frames that were fixed, and trench grids that were placed in position +during those tedious times, to say nothing of the tons of earth that +were dug out in order that this might be done, for the trenches had +mostly been flattened out by our bombardment before the hill was +captured, and needed the expenditure of untold energy and hard work to +get them in good order. Great keenness in connection with this work +was shewn by Capt. E. J. Grinling, M.C., of the Lincolns, who had +recently succeeded that most energetic Officer Capt. Buckley, as +Brigade Major, when the latter left to take up a higher appointment. + +The weather during the early part of October was fine, hot and dry, +but with the inevitable rain which set in later, the trenches, where +not cleaned and floorboarded, soon became in an almost impassable +state, for the mud and chalk together made a sort of paste, two or +three feet deep, of an extraordinarily sticky nature, almost +impossible to get through, so that the carrying of all kinds of stores +was extremely exhausting work. Fortunately we got some slight +assistance by the use of Tump Lines--a leather arrangement by which +the load was carried on the back, but the weight taken by a broad +leather across the forehead--and Yukon packs--a kind of wooden +framework covered with canvas, on which the material was fastened with +thin rope, and the whole carried on the back, and held in position by +straps round the shoulders. Constant practice in their use was carried +out when back at the Mazingarbe huts, and in the end a number of men +became quite expert, and could carry big loads with either of these +devices, with much less fatigue, and in a much shorter time than was +possible in any other way. + +Water was supplied here, as in the Cambrin sector, by a system of +pipes. These were the only two instances we met with where this system +of supply was in vogue. To supply the Hill 70 sector, Australian +Engineers had tapped the water from the mine at the end of the Loos +"Crassier," and pumped it up to tanks fixed at different points in the +trenches. The chief drawback of course was that the pipes were apt to +get broken by shells. It was a drawback to be short of water for more +reasons than one, as an essential part of trench discipline was to +shave regularly, and the visitor to Battalion Headquarters must have +noticed on more than one occasion a petrol tin labelled "Shaving +Water," put in a prominent position so as to catch the eye (of the +Brigadier!) Two of General Carey's pet orders in connection with +trench routine, were that all ranks as far as reasonably possible +should shave every day, and that tea leaves should not be deposited in +or on the sides of the trenches. + +Rations and supplies were mainly brought up by pack mules, the only +sector in which this method was used regularly. The mules were taken +from the Transport lines at Sailly-Labourse by road to Fosse 3, thence +over a cross-country track past Brigade Headquarters at Prèvite +Castle, to the Battalion dumps at Tosh Alley, and the old British +front line. This was a perfectly silent method, and one which, with +little practice, soon became a very expeditious one. During our stay, +work was begun on the laying of tramlines up to Hill 70, but whilst we +were there they were not used to any great extent. + +There was a normal amount of shelling in the area, and an +uncomfortable amount of heavy trench mortaring, particularly of the +Left-Company front, whilst machine gun bullets along the front line, +and about the Tosh Alley dump, which was enfiladed from Hulluch, often +took much dodging. Otherwise the sector so far as we were concerned +was fairly quiet. Our most unpleasant experience undoubtedly was on +October 4th, when we got caught in the bombardment connected with an +attempted Boche raid on the 7th Battalion, whom we were relieving. +They had been very heavily shelled and trench mortared, and suffered +numerous casualties, the clearing of which caused the relief to be a +long and difficult business. Several dug-out entrances were blown in, +and the front line in many parts was almost unrecognisable. B Company +unfortunately got mixed up with some of the shelling, and lost several +men, including Sergt. Drabble, who was killed. Pvte. Frank Green did +very good work on this occasion, in rescuing buried men, working for +five hours on end, though severely shaken as a result of the trench +mortaring, and L.-Corpl. Stewart did excellent work in repairing +broken telephone wires. + +[Illustration: STRAIGHT LINE DIAGRAM OF TRENCH COMMUNICATIONS AT HILL +70. November, 1917.] + +A very good daylight patrol was carried out on November 11th, by 2nd +Lieut. A. C. Fairbrother, a newly joined Subaltern, who managed to get +into the enemy trenches, shoot a Boche, and return with the two men +who were with him without casualty. For this he was awarded the M.C. A +decoration of a different kind ought to have been awarded to another +Officer, who on a perfectly quiet night in the line, when we had +nothing to disturb our peace of mind, boldly sent off the cryptic +message "G.A.S."--only to be used in case of cloud gas attack, and +likely to cause every Officer and man, horse and mule, back almost to +General Headquarters to have their box respirators or gas masks put +on! Not content with that, he turned on a Strombos Horn, which was +also to be used only on occasions of cloud gas, but fortunately it +could not rise to anything more than a painful kind of wheeze. The +cause of all his excitement apparently was that he imagined he heard +another Strombos Horn some miles away! + +Whilst we were in the Hill 70 sector, the 59th Division (our second +line Territorials) took over a portion of the line about Avion, just +South of Lens, and it was a great pleasure to welcome some old friends +who came over to see us, including A. C. Clarke commanding the 2/6th +Battalion, M. C. Martyn commanding the 2/7th Battalion, and F. W. +Johnson, commanding a Field Ambulance in the 59th Division. Over an +excellent little dinner, at Béthune, arranged by our good friend Col. +Barron of the 1/1st North Midland Field Ambulance, we were able to +compare notes, and go over many items of interest. + +We were not sorry when news came that the Divisional General had +decided that, as the Hill 70 sector was the most unpleasant one of the +three held by the Division, an inter-Brigade relief should be carried +out with a view to giving another Brigade a chance of "doing its bit" +there as well. The lot fell on the 138th Brigade, and on November +15th, we were relieved by the 5th Leicesters, and moved back once more +to support in the St. Elie sector, with Battalion Headquarters and two +Companies at Philosophe, and two Companies in trenches, one in support +to each of the two Battalions holding the line. This was the beginning +of the last phase of this trench warfare period. + +Much to the regret of all ranks we now lost Major Lane, who left us +for a tour of duty at home, and was succeeded as Second-in-Command by +Major E. M. Gingell, of the Wiltshires. Capt. A. Bedford also went to +England for a rest at the beginning of November, and Capt. Geary then +took command of C Company. Lieut. Lomer went to Brigade Headquarters, +where he later became Intelligence Officer. Second Lieut. Hofmeyr +unfortunately had been killed whilst we were at Hill 70, and Capt. +Vann after holding various appointments during the summer, had finally +left to take command of the 6th Battalion at the end of September. +Several reinforcement Officers, however, had arrived, including 2nd +Lieuts. T. Saunders, W. B. Newton, A. D. Sims, N. Martin and C. M. +Bedford, and our strength in Officers was consistently kept up to +something over 30, and in other ranks to about 650. + +Our second period in the St. Elie Left sub-sector lasted until the +middle of January, 1918. We continued the old system of six days in +the line, six days in Brigade support at Philosophe, and after a +further six days in the line the same period in Divisional reserve at +Verquin. The weather was now getting very bad, and as few troops as +possible were kept on duty in the front line, which as usual was held +by posts at considerable intervals, the defence of the line being +assured by the activity of patrols which were out in No Man's Land +much of the night, and did some excellent work, on several occasions +getting right inside the enemy lines. + +We were lucky in being out of the line for Christmas, which was spent +at Verquin with much feasting and merriment. There seemed to be no +shortage of good things, and we feel sure that the inhabitants of +Verquin will not think that at any rate at Christmas time we take our +pleasures seriously. Of course tales of all kinds are told of our +doings, and though perhaps some of them may have been exaggerated, +there is no doubt we did ourselves proud. It was a memorable sight to +see the four Company Commanders slogging back to the trenches on +December 28th, to relieve the 7th Battalion in the line. Jack White in +temporary command of A, John Turner of B, Geary of C, and "Simmy" of +D. Passing Brigade Headquarters at Philosophe they wore a look that +seemed to say "another little drink wouldn't do us any harm," and +after a refresher there, they went on looking as if they didn't care +two straws if the Boche attacked or not. As a matter of fact on +January 2nd, 1918, the enemy did actually attempt a raid on our front, +but thanks mainly to much careful planning by Simonet, and supervision +by Major Hacking, who was in temporary command of the Battalion, the +raid was successfully beaten off. The first intimation of anything of +the kind being likely to happen, was a message received from Col. Vann +of the 6th Battalion, on our right, at 3.30 p.m. on that day stating +that an obvious gap had been cut by the enemy in their wire opposite +"Breslau Sap," on the 6th Battalion front, and asking for co-operation +in the event of a raid at that point. Steps were accordingly taken to +cover the front between Breslau and Hairpin Craters with Lewis gun +fire, whilst trench mortar co-operation was also arranged, and all +Companies warned to be particularly alert. The raid was attempted as +anticipated, the intention apparently being to surround Hairpin Crater +post. The barrage began at 9.30 p.m. with heavy trench mortars and +whizz-bangs, opening South of Breslau and gradually extending North. A +barrage was also put down on the front of the Battalion on our left. +The heaviest bombardment was on Hairpin Craters. Lewis gun fire was at +once opened by us along the whole of the front, from Breslau to Border +Redoubt. Various groups of the enemy attempted to push through to our +posts when their barrage lifted, but it was evident that they had lost +direction, and got very disorganised, and we had no difficulty in +driving them off with rifle and Lewis gun fire and bombs, and +eventually things quietened down. Our casualties were only one +Officer, and seven other ranks wounded, all slight, whilst we captured +two unwounded prisoners, and a third was brought in dead. For his +excellent preliminary arrangements, and for his wise judgment and +control of the situation during the attack, Capt. Simonet was awarded +the M.C. Great gallantry was shewn on the same occasion by Sergt. W. +H. Martin, L.-Sergt. Turner, and Pvte. Wildsmith, and good work was +also done by L.-Corpl. Rowley, and Pvte. Crouch. + +During our stay in the St. Elie sector, much more use was made than on +any previous occasion of trench light railway and tram systems. At +first rations and stores were brought up nightly by our own Transport +to the "Mansion House" at Vermelles, and there transferred to small +trench trams, which were taken up to forward dumps by pushing parties +found by the Battalion. As we were so short of men, however, mules +were requisitioned for this purpose. Later on, stores were brought up +all the way from Sailly-Labourse on the light railway. The larger +trucks on this railway were also available on one or two occasions to +take the Battalion on relief to Sailly, a ride which was much +appreciated, and saved some part, at any rate, of the weary tramp back +to billets. + +The chief recreation in these days was as usual football. A "league" +was formed, including practically every Unit in the Division. So that +the notices of matches might not give direct evidence of our identity, +each Unit was allotted a code name. We rejoiced in the name of +"County," whilst teams we played included those having such +aristocratic names as "Dragons," "Miners," "Tigers," "Wyverns," and +"Maconochies." We were not very fortunate and occupied a somewhat +humble position in the final league table. + +Our losses in personnel during the last two months of this period +included Capt. Turner, who after a wonderfully successful and lengthy +period in command of B Company, left to take a commission in the +Indian Army. He was succeeded by Lieut. Day. Second Lieuts. Tucker, +Bridden, Sims, Wells, and E. A. Palmer (a newly joined Subaltern) were +wounded, and Lieut. Cursham went to the Machine Gun Corps. We were +also constantly losing N.C.O.'s on transfer to England to train for +commissions. Fresh Subalterns who joined were 2nd Lieuts. C. P. O. +Bradish, T. R. Christian, H. L. Kennett, A. S. Judd, A. Spinney, J. S. +Whitelegge, A. B. Miners, C. G. Druce, A. Jewell, E. H. Seymour, J. +Bloor, M.M., V. L. Morris and L. Bromham. + +On January 17th, we were relieved in the St. Elie sector and moved to +billets at Verquin, where we spent a few days cleaning, and were +lectured on the all-absorbing topic of "War Savings." Leaving there on +January 21st, we marched to Burbure preparatory to a long period of +training, the 46th Division having been relieved in the line by the +11th Division. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +SPRING, 1918 + + _January 22nd, 1918._ _April 20th, 1918._ + + +What the ultimate object of our training was to have been is somewhat +uncertain. Our withdrawal from the forward area after six months may +have been merely to give us a thorough rest, but with affairs in the +state they then were, we can hardly imagine that the intention was to +fit us for anything of an offensive character for some time to come, +for as a result of the withdrawal of Russia from the war, and the +consequent release of German troops from the Russian front, everything +pointed to the Allies on the Western front being on the defensive for +some considerable time. That the I Corps knew this had been clear for +some time before we left the St. Elie sector. Their Headquarters had +remained in the same billets at Labuissière since the beginning of the +war, and they were taking all precautions not to have them +disturbed--in fact sometimes we used to think that they intended to +end their days there! There was no doubt a genuine fear that the Boche +might try to break through and capture the rest of the mining district +round about Béthune and Bruay, and this caused them to take early +steps to prevent such a catastrophe, and for some time before we left +the St. Elie sector, they had all available labour and material +disposed strengthening the defences behind the line as far back as +Béthune. This mainly consisted of putting up row upon row of +"double-apron" barbed wire entanglements every few hundred yards, +which was looked upon, rightly we think, as the best kind of obstacle +to hold up an attack. With machine guns skilfully placed at +intervals, so as to enfilade these entanglements, it was thought that +the best form of defence had been attained. Work on trenches in the +Division and Corps reserve lines was also pushed on, and the machine +gun emplacements were made ready for occupation in case of need, and +provided with supplies of ammunition and water. We were called upon to +help in this work shortly after we were relieved, and on January 30th, +sent a party of 460 of all ranks by motor lorry to Mazingarbe for this +purpose. They stayed there with Col. Blackwall himself in charge until +February 7th, and during that time worked hard in digging reserve +trenches, constructing anti-tank trenches, and wiring "localities" +under Royal Engineer supervision, near Vermelles. These "localities" +were points in the different reserve lines most suitable for, and +capable of, all-round defence; they were selected mainly as having a +good field of fire on all sides, and so as to command approaches by +which the enemy might advance in case of a break through. + +The detailing of such a large party naturally left us with very few +men for training at Burbure, so that we were able to do little in that +respect. Such refitting as was possible was done, and bathing after a +good deal of trouble was arranged at Lillers, but as was the case in +many of the back areas "billet comforts" were not good. Just at this +time, too, we suffered from a scarcity of clean clothes, and later on +the scarcity became worse. The supply was extremely short, and more +often than not the clothes were rather dirtier on their return from +the Abbeville laundry, than when they were sent off. This was not our +experience in the I Corps, which we had just left, and whatever we may +have thought or said about some of the doings of that Corps, it must +be confessed that many of their "Q" matters were very well worked, and +in the whole of their area, which included the entire region round +about and in front of Béthune, in which we spent many months, we were +seldom short of anything in the nature of supplies which one might +reasonably require, though there may have been some Battalion +Commanders who considered that there should have been a much more +liberal allowance of motor lorries, which they were certainly very +chary about letting us have. + +Economy in all things was now the order of the day, and in order to +make the most of our diminishing forces, and to reduce the number of +units, it was decided to reorganise the Army on the basis of three +instead of four Battalions to a Brigade. This was begun whilst we were +at Burbure, the 46th Division being one of the earliest to undergo the +change. In the 139th Brigade the 7th Battalion was the one selected to +be temporarily broken up. The change was carried out with lightning +rapidity, and within about three days of first getting the order that +they were to be so treated, our old friends the 7th, were scattered +almost to the four winds. We were very glad to be allotted of their +number six Officers, Lieuts. R. B. Gamble, S. E. Cairns, S. Sanders, +who was attached to the 139th Trench Mortar Battery, and B. W. Dale, +and 2nd Lieuts. W. S. Peach and O.S. Kent, also 151 other ranks, who +joined us and were absorbed into our Battalion on January 29th. On the +30th we said "Goodbye" with much regret to their Commander Col. +Toller, who left that day with the bulk of his Headquarter Staff, to +join their corresponding unit in the 59th Division. From the 2/8th +Battalion, which was the Sherwood Forester Battalion of the 59th +Division to be broken up, we also got a quota of five Officers, Major +F. G. Cursham, Capt. C. P. Elliott, M.C., Lieuts. G. G. Elliott, M.C., +and G. Thomas, and 2nd Lieut. E. R. Elphick, and 85 other ranks, who +joined us on January 31. Frank Cursham, who later met such a sad fate +in England, was known to some of the older members of the Battalion, +and G. G. Elliott too, had already served with us. This large influx +sent up our strength with a bound, and at the end of January, we were +probably the strongest we ever touched, viz., 53 Officers and 987 +other ranks. The old nomenclature "1/8th" and "2/8th," used to +designate the 1st and 2nd lines of the Battalion, was no longer +necessary, and we were henceforth known simply as the "8th Sherwood +Foresters." + +On February 9th, the Division moved back by route march to the First +Army Training Area, known officially as the "Bomy Area." This move was +carried out as a sort of scheme, the idea being that the Division was +following up a retreating enemy, and that at the end of the day's move +we should billet just as though we were actually pursuing in a hostile +country, without so much prearrangement as was generally possible. +This did not tend, perhaps, to billeting in as great comfort as one +might have wished, and we were inclined to think it was unnecessary. +Be that as it may, we found ourselves at the end of the day with +Headquarters and two Companies at Laires, and two Companies at +Livossart, all somewhat crowded. This in the nature of things was +unsatisfactory, and steps were at once taken to try and bring about a +change, with the result that on February 13th, we moved to a very nice +little mining village, Enquin-les-Mines, which we had to ourselves. +The Headquarter Mess was at the Maire's House, where we were +particularly comfortable, and received much kindness from the Maire +and his family. There we had rather more callers than on some other +occasions, but none of them seemed disappointed if we were not at +home, so long as they could leave a message with the Maire's charming +daughter, and Officers of the Battalion positively vied with each +other in gallantry! + +Musketry played the most important part in our training, and ranges +were in great demand. An A.R.A. platoon competition was carried out in +the Division and roused considerable interest. The winning platoon in +the Battalion was No. 15 (D Company), but unfortunately in the Brigade +competition, they were beaten by the platoon from the 5th Battalion. +Much open warfare and trench-to-trench attack practice was also +carried out, a very ominous sign being that this consisted mainly of +counter-attacks to regain portions of trenches lost! The training +culminated in a fairly successful Brigade Field Day, near Coyecque. + +Recreation of course figured largely in the training. In a Brigade +inter-Company football competition, B Company's team reached the +semi-final, in which they were knocked out by a team from the 5th +Battalion. For amusements we were not well off, as we were somewhat +isolated. We did, however, manage to get the Divisional Cinema for the +last week of our stay, a very acceptable acquisition. + +Whilst we were at Enquin our "tin hats" which had recently been shorn +of their questionably ornamental or useful sandbags, with which we had +been ordered to keep them covered, were painted a dull green, with, +for some curious reason, the Transport sign (dark blue square), and +narrow light green stripe on the left (denoting 8th Battalion) painted +on the side. The change was doubtless due to the pressing need for +economy. + +By the first week in March, it was realised on all hands that the +great Boche offensive could not long be delayed. The enemy had brought +Division after Division from the Russian front across to the Western, +and, during the Winter, had got together an enormous concentration of +troops in France and Belgium, including at least three Austrian +Divisions, and it was now only a question of knowing exactly when and +where the onslaught would come. In these circumstances our training +was cut short, and on March 5th, we began to retrace our steps once +more towards the forward area, marching that day to Westrehem, where +we had been so comfortably billeted nearly a year before, and were now +enthusiastically greeted by our old friends. Only one night was spent +there, and the next day we were taken in 'buses to Béthune, and +billeted once more at the Orphanage, this being our third time to be +quartered there. We were now back again in the I Corps. + +Then began a period of about seven weeks activity, during which we had +a considerable amount of excitement, some of it of not too pleasant a +nature, and one was never quite certain what a day might bring forth. +The first week, however, was spent in absolute peace at Béthune in +most delightful summer-like weather, and was thoroughly enjoyed by +all. During that time the 46th Division took over the Cambrin sector +again, and on March 14th, we relieved the support Battalion in that +sector, the 5th Lincolns, who were holding the Annequin "Locality," +including the whole of Annequin Fosse and its Colliery cottages, which +was being put in a state of defence, and was to be held to the last in +the event of the enemy breaking through the front line system of +trenches. + +With the greatest regret we had now to say goodbye to Col. Blackwall, +who left us for a tour of duty at home. He had been in command of the +Battalion without a break since October 15th, 1915, and during the +whole time had never been off duty, except when on leave or attending +courses. We feel sure no one felt more than he did what bad luck it +was that he should go just at this important juncture, but he left +with the best wishes of everyone for a well-earned rest at home. At +the same time we welcomed to the command of the Battalion Lieut.-Col. +R. W. Currin, D.S.O., of the York and Lancaster Regiment, who was +destined to remain with us, with only a short break, until the +conclusion of the war. + +Several other changes had recently taken place. Hugh Kirby had left to +take up a commission in the Indian Cavalry, and the Transport was now +under the charge of Capt. Tomlinson. We had also lost Lieuts. White, +Day, and Cairns, who had gone to England for a rest, and were followed +shortly afterwards by Lieut. H. G. Kirby. Lieut. Gamble, and 2nd +Lieuts. Sutton, Peach and Saunders were unfit and were struck off +strength, and 2nd Lieut. Clarke went to the Machine Gun Corps. Major +Cursham had taken over C Company from Capt. Geary, and Capt. C. P. +Elliott had succeeded Lieut. Day in command of B Company. We had been +given a new Padre, W. N. Kempe, who made himself very popular during +his few months' stay with us. Sergt. J. Eggleston, after a long period +of excellent work as Pioneer Sergt., was appointed Comp. +Quarter-Master Sergt. of D Company, in place of Gammon, who went home +for a commission. + +Transport was lucky in being put in lines at Le Quesnoy, probably the +best constructed and best equipped that we ever struck during the +whole war. Units which had been there before had evidently worked hard +on them to carry out improvements, and for once we were really lucky +in finding a good spot. The stables were strongly built, well roofed, +floored, and provided with harness and fodder rooms, and to a certain +extent protected from bomb splinters by earth revetments. + +[Illustration: THE BEUVRY--LA BASSÉE ROAD, NEAR CAMBRIN, 1917. +_Reproduced by permission of the Imperial War Museum._] + +On March 20th, we relieved the 5th Battalion in the Cambrin left +sub-sector, with which we were already well acquainted. On the +following day there took place in the South the first onslaught of the +Boche, in his great Spring Offensive of 1918. There was no actual +attack anywhere near us, the only offensive action on our front being +a "demonstration" in the shape of a heavy bombardment with gas +shells, which was decidedly unpleasant, though not causing us any +casualties. + +During the night of March 21/22nd, we did experience a real touch of +the offensive in the shape of a big raid on the right Company, the +most vulnerable portion of the line on the whole Brigade front. This +front, which was held by A Company was of enormous length, extending +from Railway Craters on the right to Munster Parade on the left, a +distance of about 600 yards. Three platoons (about 60 all told) held +the outpost line in small posts of four or five men, each under a +N.C.O., the fourth platoon being held in support as a counterattacking +platoon in Old Boots Trench at the West end of Munster Tunnel. The +latter was about 400 yards behind the outpost line, and was also +occupied by the support Company, and contained the right Company +Headquarters. The orders laid down were that in case of attack the +platoon detailed for the task was to counter-attack either through the +tunnel (quite impossible if the enemy obtained a footing in the trench +at the tunnel mouth) or over the top. + +Shortly after midnight, the enemy put down an intense barrage of +trench mortars, wing bombs, and shells of all calibres, along the +whole of the Brigade front and support lines, forward communication +trenches, Battalion Headquarters, the Village Line, and extending even +to roads, villages, and batteries far behind the line. Telephone wires +were broken immediately, but the "S.O.S." was sent by signal rocket +and power buzzer, and our artillery and machine guns replied at once. +There had been no preliminary bombardment or warning of any kind. The +enemy entered our trenches directly behind his barrage from the cover +of the craters on the right, between our right post and the left +Company of the 138th Brigade, who were on our right, also near Dundee +Walk in the centre, and just North of Munster Tunnel on the left. +Such wire as had been put up by the few men who were usually available +was swept away by the hurricane bombardment, which prevented movement +of any kind, either to or from the front or support lines. Two runners +were wounded whilst attempting to take messages between Company +Headquarters and Munster Tunnel, a distance of 50 yards. The posts in +the front line were unable, owing to their small numbers, to offer any +prolonged resistance, or on account of the distance between them, to +assist neighbouring posts. + +The front line entrance to Munster Tunnel was held by us the whole +time, and an attempt to blow it in, which was one of the main objects +of the raid, was frustrated, 2nd Lieut. Hartle being wounded by a hand +grenade. That the garrison of the outpost line withstood the onslaught +to their utmost there is no doubt, and to this the pools of blood and +reeking bayonets of some of the rifles found afterwards in the trench, +bore convincing testimony. After the enemy's withdrawal, one unwounded +and one seriously wounded German were left in our hands, the former +having apparently become detached from his party, and being discovered +later in front of our trench with a sheet of newspaper fluttering from +his rifle. + +The thoroughness with which the Boche trained for this raid was proved +from the prisoners' statements and documents, which afterwards came +into our hands. For six weeks the raiding party, consisting of about +250 men, had been training over an exact replica of our trenches, +constructed with the help of an aeroplane photograph. The training had +also included the teaching of several words of English. The work of +the raiders was extraordinary, and our own men in the front line +testified to the remarkable dexterity with which they removed their +casualties. This is the more wonderful inasmuch as they had to +penetrate our barrages, in order to regain their trench, and there is +no doubt that in doing so they lost heavily. Our casualties amounted +to three other ranks killed, including a very gallant N.C.O., Corpl. +Tyne, 26 other ranks missing, and one Officer (Hartle), and ten other +ranks wounded. We should like to pay tribute to the excellent work +done by the Signallers, who as usual worked their hardest, to try and +keep their lines in order, in spite of the heavy shelling. L.-Corpl. +Parry's efforts to repair the broken lines back from one of the front +Companies, were especially praiseworthy. + +Though there was an element of surprise in the raid, there is no doubt +that its success was due to the fact that the defence was designed for +an attack on a large scale, and led inevitably to a weakening of our +outpost line, making it peculiarly vulnerable to a raid or attack with +a limited objective. + +The following night, the whole Battalion was ordered to wire as hard +as possible, and hundreds of reels of barbed wire were put out. Even +Battalion Headquarters shared in the work, the whole staff being out +in an endeavour to wire themselves in. + +On March 24th, we were relieved by the 6th Battalion, Headquarters and +two Companies proceeding to Beuvry, and two Companies remaining in the +trenches in close support. "Wind" at this time was very "high," and +our Intelligence reported that we must be prepared for any +eventuality. The enemy had made enormous progress in their attack in +the South, and everything pointed to the possibility of a general +attack along the whole front. As a matter of fact no such attempt was +ever made on the Cambrin-St. Elie sector, but we had to take every +precaution, and for the next two or three nights, we marched up to our +battle positions in front of Cambrin, in case the expected attack +should mature. We even made arrangements for a possible retreat, and +worse than that, all leave was stopped. + +It was at this juncture that our Brigade Commander, General Carey left +us to take Command of the 20th Division, with everyone's good wishes +and congratulations. He arrived near Amiens in time to assume Command +of a composite Army, known as "Carey's Force," and to assist +materially in finally stopping the great German onslaught. He was +succeeded by General Wood. + +The "wind" in this quarter, dropped for the moment, but we heard that +things just North of Arras were not looking too bright. The enemy were +expected to attack at Vimy, and the Canadians who were holding the +sector opposite Lens, were to be moved to that part to help the +defence. As a result, we got orders on March 25th, to move back once +more to the Lens region, to relieve the Canadians. Hasty plans were +made by which the 11th Division took over from us, and on March 27th, +we marched to Calonne and relieved the 72nd Canadian Battalion there +in reserve, moving up the following night to the St. Emile sector, in +front of St. Pierre, where we took over the right sub-sector front +line from the 78th Canadian Battalion. The completion of the relief +had to be rather hurried, as the enemy attacked at Oppy on March 28th, +and the Canadians were hastily sent there to help. Transport and +Quarter-Master's Stores had meanwhile gone to Fosse 10. + +The front line in this sector was now of course much further forward, +than when we were last there, as the Canadians in connection with +their attack on Hill 70, had forced the enemy out of the whole of St. +Pierre, St. Laurent, and St. Emile Cités, back to the outskirts of +Lens itself. These Cités were now to all intents and purposes +destroyed, and presented nothing but a mass of streets heaped up with +broken tiles, brick and other débris, interspersed here and there with +trenches, the remains of houses, and a few shattered trees. Amongst +the ruins the Canadians had laid a splendid system of tramways, and +the transport of stores and rations to the line was carried out every +night by this means, in a most expeditious manner. Canadian Engineers +continued to run the lines during our stay, and we must confess that +we did not envy the drivers their job, for the lines went up +uncomfortably close to the front line, and a good deal of noise +accompanied the arrival and departure of the trains, unloading of +stores, and loading of empties for the return journey, the guard or +man in charge usually helping matters with a few shrill blasts of his +whistle, quite in approved Canadian fashion. + +After a quiet tour of four days, we were relieved in the early morning +of April 1st, by the 6th Battalion, and went back to Brigade support +at St. Pierre, where we lived in the cellars of the otherwise +destroyed houses. Our stay there was rendered less pleasant than it +might have been, by the fact that practically the whole of the village +was under observation from Lens, so that during the day hardly any +movement was possible, and most of our exercise had to be taken by +night, when we were kept pretty busy with carrying and working +parties. The nightly gas shelling of the village made this work +anything but pleasant. Bathing parades too, were held at night, and +took place in the weirdest bathing establishment we ever met, which +was in the crypt of the church. It was well protected by the ruins of +the church, and had been fitted up with a spray bath. + +On April 3rd, we relieved the 5th Battalion in the line, and had a +somewhat "thin" six days, owing to the enemy being extremely active, +particularly with heavy trench mortars, with which he did a lot of +damage to our front line, being particularly obnoxious on the night +of April 5/6th, in retaliation for one of our gas projector shows. +L.-Corpl. Beech did especially commendable work during these days in +charge of a Lewis gun post. + +One morning during a tour in the front line in this sector. Col. +Currin very nearly lost his runner. It was a rather foggy morning, and +the Commanding Officer sent him to find an Officer in an adjoining +Company. Unfortunately the runner made a mistake at a trench junction, +and gaily followed an old communication trench, running straight to +the enemy's lines. It was doubtful which party was the more surprised +when he suddenly found himself confronted by a Boche sentry post +behind a barricade. At any rate the latter were too amazed to shoot, +whilst true to his calling the runner ran, and never stopped until he +nearly crashed into the arms of the Colonel, who was wondering what on +earth had happened. + +On April 9th, the 6th Battalion relieved us again, and we went back to +St. Pierre. On the same day there happened an event which was to have +an enormous effect on the future of the war, at any rate so far as the +fighting on the Northern portion of the front was concerned, viz., the +attack on the British line immediately North of the La Bassée Canal, +and on the Portuguese in the Neuve Chapelle area. The result was that +whilst the 55th Division put up a magnificent defence on the Canal, +and completely beat off all the enemy attacks, the Portuguese gave +way, and the enemy were able to push on West for a considerable +distance, until brought to a halt by the British, who were later +helped by reinforcements rapidly sent up by the French. This had an +almost immediate effect on us, for on the night of April 11/12th, we +were taken out of the line, being relieved once more by the Canadians +(13th Battalion) who were hurried up from the area North of Arras, +where things seemed to be quiet once more. After a great scramble, +relief was completed by 5.30 a.m. when it was practically daylight. +Some got rides on the trains which brought up the Canadians, but the +rest had to walk, and eventually we all got to Noeux-les-Mines, where +we had breakfast and dinner, and proceeded in the afternoon to +Vaudricourt. The whole Division had been relieved--one of the quickest +reliefs known--and we now found ourselves in Army Reserve, to be sent +to any spot where we might be required. + +Things once more were in a very "nervy" state, as it was felt that ere +long the enemy would make another desperate attempt to capture the +rest of the mining area, either by direct frontal attack from the East +towards Béthune, or by continuing his enveloping movement from the +North, and attacking it from that direction across the La Bassée +Canal. A large part of this area now formed a prominent salient, with +the enemy on the East and North, and the consequence was a rapid +evacuation of the French inhabitants from many of the mining towns and +villages in that district, including Béthune, Beuvry, Annequin, +Sailly-Labourse, Noeux-les-Mines, and Bully Grenay--all of which we +knew well. For several days we watched the wretched inhabitants +toiling along the roads, taking with them by whatever means they +could, the few belongings they most treasured or required. Some had +carts loaded with bedding and furniture, some their little dog carts +full to overflowing, others footed it burdened with loads almost +beyond human strength to carry. Ever the throng kept passing back from +the forward regions, having left everything that they could not carry +just as it was in their houses, with no other protection than locked +doors. Their cattle and horses too, were driven back, and taken to +pounds in villages in safer regions. Several more mines had to cease +work, and the French miners thus thrown out of employment were mostly +set to work in digging line upon line of additional trenches about +Fouquières and Drouvin, for us to fall back on in case of a break +through, as it was determined to contest every bit of the ground to +the very utmost. Right well they worked, and in an incredibly short +time, they had dug miles of trenches, and well wired them in front +with substantial entanglements. Our only fear was that if the enemy +got through, we should not have sufficient men to garrison these +trenches so excellently dug! + +This was probably the darkest period of the war. The inspiring message +from the Commander-in-Chief was read to all ranks, and all indeed +realised that we had our backs to the wall and were fighting for our +very existence, and that it was touch and go whether the Hun would +not, after all, break through the whole line and sweep through to the +coast, and ultimately to England. + +It was in these circumstances, after a few days quiet training about +Vaudricourt, that we got word at 2.30 a.m. on the morning of April +18th, that a German prisoner had been captured, and had given +information to the effect that the enemy were going to make another +desperate attack that morning along the La Bassée Canal. We were +accordingly ordered at once to man part of the Sailly-Labourse +"Locality," known as the "Tuning Fork Line," just in front of that +village, so-called because it formed part of a system of trenches and +breastworks shaped like a tuning fork. There was some slight delay in +getting the orders passed on, and it was 4.30 a.m. before we marched +off. This was unfortunate, for we were not able to reach our battle +position before dawn, when the enemy's barrage began. This as usual +included heavy shelling of the rear roads and villages through which +we had to pass, particularly Verquigneul and Sailly, where we suffered +several casualties, and lost Corpl. Caudwell, who had done such good +work with the Transport, and two men killed and several others +wounded. One of the cookers was also badly blown about by a shell in +Verquigneul. We got to our position at 6.30 a.m. where we were +comparatively comfortable. The enemy had actually attacked at +Givenchy, but once again, thanks to the 1st and 55th Divisions, he was +completely defeated, and never again did he try to get through on this +part of the front. We were kept in our positions here for two days, by +which time things had become normal once more, and in the afternoon of +April 20th, we marched back to our billets at Vaudricourt. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +GORRE AND ESSARS + + _April 21st, 1918._ _September 6th, 1918._ + + +Two days after our return to Vaudricourt, the 46th Division was called +upon to relieve the 3rd Division in the area North of the La Bassée +Canal, afterwards known as Gorre and Essars sectors, where they had +recently held up the German attack. This front extended from the 55th +Division boundary on the right, near Givenchy, where the line bent now +almost at a right angle, to Mesplaux Farm on the Lawe Canal, on the +left, this line being more or less parallel with the La Bassée Canal, +and at the nearest point about two and-a-half miles from Béthune. + +Leaving Vaudricourt on the evening of April 23rd, we marched the short +journey to Béthune, where after some rearrangement, we were eventually +allotted billets in one of the French Barracks. How changed was our +favourite old town of Béthune! From the earliest days of the war a +resting place for the traveller, the chief shopping centre for a very +wide area, probably the most popular and best known town to British +Troops on the whole of the Western Front, full of life, and to a +certain extent gaiety, although within such a short distance of the +line, she had now been deserted by all her inhabitants, and was like a +city of the dead. Previously only hit by a few stray shells on odd +occasions, she was now being bombarded regularly, as the enemy had +brought up his guns much closer, and they had already made their +presence known in no uncertain manner. Everywhere notices had been put +up warning troops against the crime of looting, but is it not more +than human nature can stand to see houses, as they were here, often +open for anyone to walk straight into, filled with all kinds of +valuables, many quite easy to carry away, and all liable at any +instant to be destroyed by shell or fire? + +At the moment, however, we had little time to trouble about the town +ourselves, as on April 24th, we moved out again. After a novel and +amusing cricket match--if such it could be called--in the Barrack +Square in the afternoon, we relieved at night the 2nd Royal Scots in +the right sub-sector of the Essars sector, with two Companies in the +front line and two in support, Battalion Headquarters being at Le +Hamel, in the cellar of a farmhouse. Company Commanders at this time +were: A, Capt. Andrews; B, Capt. C. P. Elliott; C, 2nd Lieut. Kent, +who had taken over command when Major Cursham went to hospital; D, +Capt. Simonet. It was fortunate that they had been up to reconnoitre +the day before, for when platoons reached the appointed rendezvous, +the guides were not there. We had had sufficient experience by this +time to know that, although all possible precautions were taken, it +was a most difficult problem to make certain that every guide was a +picked man, knew exactly where he was to meet his party, what that +party was, and where it was to be guided to, and to be able to do all +this by night without a hitch. Ian Hay has classified guides in two +grades (a) the guide who doesn't know the way and tells you so; (b) +the guide who doesn't know the way and doesn't tell you so until he +has lost both you and himself. We might add to this (c) the guide who +doesn't turn up! In this case however, nothing desperate happened, and +in due course the relief was carried out. + +The conditions here were indeed novel, and more like those of "open +warfare" than any we had yet experienced. It might almost be said that +we had now bidden farewell to real trenches, for, though the line in +the Gorre and Essars sectors, remained stationary for nearly four +months and trenches certainly were dug, from now onwards we never had +quite the same type of front line as we had hitherto been accustomed +to. The German rush had been brought to a halt, not many days before +we took over, so that there were practically no defences of any kind. +The outpost line consisted of a few shell-holes, and small slits dug +in the ground at intervals with a very small amount of barbed wire in +front. The support line, known as the "Liverpool Line," consisted +mainly of a few slits, but was protected for a great portion of its +length by the Beuvry River, and a fair barbed wire entanglement. A few +shelters had already been made in both lines, by putting sheets of +corrugated iron over some of the small trenches which had been dug, +and camouflaging them with earth. Some distance behind the Liverpool +Line there were some old breastworks, forming part of a reserve line, +which some of us remembered seeing the French constructing in the +Autumn of 1915, when we were in the Vieille Chapelle area, just North +of this. In some of these there were small concrete shelters very much +like old-fashioned pigsties, which on the left of the Essars sector, +were used for Battalion Headquarters. There were of course no +communication trenches whatever, all communication to the front posts +being over the top, mostly by tracks through the growing crops. + +The whole area was perfectly flat, and almost entirely under +observation, so that by day no movement was possible, and no work +could be done, and as the nights were now getting shorter and shorter, +very few hours in every 24 could be utilised for doing the work we +were so anxious to get on with. There was nothing to be done by day, +apart from ordinary sentry duty, except to keep out of sight and make +ourselves as comfortable as very cramped quarters would allow. + +A further disadvantage was that the water level in the ground was very +near the surface, so that dug-outs were impossible, and the most we +could do was to put up small corrugated iron shelters, mainly in +T-shaped saps running back from the trenches. These we pushed on with +as rapidly as possible, in order to afford some protection in case of +bad weather. In this respect we were extremely lucky, and for a very +great part of our stay the weather was delightful, days and sometimes +weeks together passing without a single drop of rain. + +The first tour of four days was quiet, except for some gas shelling, +which the Boche was doing much more extensively now, especially about +sunrise and sunset, when he was particularly fond of dosing Battalion +Headquarters at Le Hamel, and Essars and Gorre. At the latter place +the château and the wood were the favourite targets, and on several +occasions were absolutely drenched with gas. At this time it was +mainly "yellow cross" or "mustard" gas that was used, a very deadly +gas, affecting any part of the body exposed to it, and particularly +dangerous when the sun was up. A certain amount of "green cross" or +"phosgene" which was decidedly dangerous, was also used, as well as a +little "blue cross," which apart from making one sneeze had no very +ill effect, unless inhaled in large quantities. During this tour we +did little except get used to the new conditions, and try to find our +way about. It was the simplest thing in the world to get in front of +the outpost line without knowing you were there, and on occasions +people were even discovered in No Man's Land asking for the support +line! Visiting the posts in the front line was also at first more or +less a matter of conjecture, but in course of time most of them were +joined up by a continuous trench. At first the novelty of it all +amused us, and after all it was a very welcome change from ordinary +trench life. + +It was during the first tour that we had the great misfortune to lose +a very gallant Officer and sportsman--H. K. Simonet. He had moved his +Company Headquarters from an unprotected shell-hole to a cottage at +Les Façons, in the outpost line itself, only to get a direct hit on it +almost immediately which resulted in Simonet and his runner, Pvte. +Garratt, one of the most reliable and gallant men in the Battalion, +being badly wounded. Neither recovered, and they were buried near each +other in the Cemetery at Lapugnoy. A most capable Officer, of fine +leadership and magnificent character, "Simmy" was liked by all and his +loss was felt most keenly throughout the Battalion. He was succeeded +in command of D Company by Lieut. Warner, whose place as Signalling +Officer was taken by 2nd Lieut. Stephenson. + +On April 28th, we were relieved by the 5th Leicesters, and moved back +into Divisional Reserve at Fouquières, where we stayed four days, +during which the chief excitement was that we had to stand to in the +early hours of May 1st, as there were rumours of another German +attack, which fortunately did not mature. + +We took over from the 6th South Staffords in support in the Gorre +sector, on May 2nd, and had something of a shock on finding that they +had lost nearly 50 per cent. of their numbers during their tour by +mustard gas poisoning, with which the Boche had literally drenched the +whole of Gorre Wood and château, and most of the village. It was not a +comfortable introduction to the sector! Fortunately most of the +casualties proved to be slight, and the greater part were able to +rejoin a few days later. + +[Illustration: GORRE BREWERY AND BRIDGE, 1918. _Reproduced by +permission of the Imperial War Museum._] + +There was nothing fresh about the kind of work required of us in +support. It was as ever, and was for several more months, the carrying +of Royal Engineers' and other material to front line Battalions, and +the provision of working parties for Royal Engineers. How we blessed +them and their working parties! It would fill a book much larger than +the present one to attempt to put down half what one thought, and what +one heard and said about them, but this shall be our last uncivil +remark! They had a splendid dump at Le Quesnoy, known as "Kantara." +Situated next door to the station and canal, almost adjoining the +road, and having a branch from the tramline running into it, this dump +could not very well have been in a more suitable position, though the +same advantages made it a most convenient target for the Hun gunners. +Almost next door to it was Gorre Brewery, also very well situated, and +having the additional attraction of a tall chimney which gave the +Boche the line of the bridge over the canal a few yards behind it. +Though they did some quite good shooting at these targets and damaged +the canal bridge, the chimney in the end was blown up by our own +Sappers. In view of these facts it seemed at first rather curious that +this spot should have been chosen for the Headquarters of the support +Battalion and the Aid Post. Perhaps the first people went there to +find the beer; if so they certainly took it all, for there was none +left when we got there! + +On May 4th, we relieved the 6th Battalion in the right or "Route A +Keep" sub-sector, undoubtedly the unhealthiest part of the whole +Divisional front. The so-called "Keep" was merely the highest ground +in the locality, overlooking the Boche to a certain extent, and so an +important tactical feature, though having nothing in the way of +defences to warrant the term "Keep." There had been considerable +fighting over its possession during the time the 55th Division held +this area, and counter-attacks were made time and again by the enemy +to get them out. Eventually they got tired, and in the end, after its +capture by the Stafford Brigade on April 29th, they made no further +efforts to retake it. Corpses lay on all sides, both of our own troops +and of the enemy, and made the place distinctly offensive. Life was +made still more unpleasant by constant trench mortaring and shelling, +whilst protection was of the scantiest. We tried to improve this +during our first tour by digging an advanced trench well in front of +the outpost line, and so as to conform with the front lines of flank +battalions. Though the trench was dug with little interruption on the +part of the enemy, we did not exactly look upon it as a masterpiece, +nor by any means our best piece of work in France, but it served its +purpose very well, and in time was considerably improved. + +On May 10th, we went back to bivouacs in Vaudricourt Park, in +Divisional Reserve. These bivouacs and the villages of Fouquières and +Verquin, were from now onwards allotted in rotation to the three +Battalions of the Brigade out at rest. + +The atmosphere during the greater part of May was again very "breezy." +From various sources, including prisoners' statements, our +Intelligence Department were led to believe that another big attack +was going to be made, and might begin at any moment, with the object +of getting Béthune, and the rest of the coalfield. In fact, so great +was the general anxiety on the occasion of our relief on May 10th, +that we had to remain in the Béthune "Locality" all night. The attack +passed off without happening, as did several others! The bridges over +the La Bassée Canal were mined and guarded by Sapper and Infantry +sentries, with instructions as to blowing them up in case a further +withdrawal became necessary. We felt quite certain that they would be +blown up alright should the occasion arise, but had grave doubts as to +what might befall those who happened to be on the wrong side of the +Canal! That well-known landmark, Béthune Church Tower, which commanded +views for miles in all directions, had also had a powerful charge laid +at its base, so that it might be blown up in the event of our +retirement. Ultimately it was blown up, not on account of any +retirement on our part, but by the enemy shelling the town. Having +brought up numbers of guns into the newly-formed Merville salient, +they shelled Béthune daily, until on May 17th, a shell landed near +enough to the base of the Church Tower to explode the charge, and the +remnants of the tower disappeared with the most appalling explosion, +followed by an enormous cloud of dust and débris, bricks and stones +being thrown for hundreds of yards. Numerous incendiary shells were +also fired into the town, and with the delightful weather we were then +having it did not take long to set fire to the whole of the central +congested part, which blazed away for days. It was a glorious sight to +watch the flames and the smoke rolling away, but sad to see so much +useless destruction. + +The constant fear of further enemy attacks, coupled with the absolute +impossibility of our thinking of any offensive action for some +considerable time, decided the authorities that a really strong line +of resistance was of first importance. Work of Battalions holding the +line was, therefore, concentrated on strengthening the Liverpool Line, +whilst Divisional troops, Royal Engineers, Monmouths, and special +working parties found by the Brigade in reserve, were engaged in +building lines behind, known as the "Manchester" and "Newcastle" +lines. To build a double line of breastworks protected by barbed wire +entanglements along the whole Divisional front was a colossal task. +The wire was put up, and long sections of breastwork were more or less +completed, but by that time things had fortunately so altered that no +further defensive work was necessary. The other important work was +the improvement of billets in the forward area, which was destitute of +buildings, except for a few farm houses and cottages, mostly knocked +about by shell fire. With the possible prospect of having to winter +here, efforts were made to improve these buildings, by putting inside +them "Elephant" shelters, covered with concrete. The Royal Engineers +made considerable progress with this work, and before we left, several +comfortable billets had been thus improvised. + +Another work in which all could help--no matter what their rank--and +which took a prominent part in our daily life in these days, was +"Salvage." Undoubtedly there was apt to be great waste by allowing +material to be left lying about, and at this time there was a pressing +need to retrieve everything that could possibly be found. We did our +best and endeavoured to rescue such articles as 18-pounder guns and +limbers, which we thought might come in useful, but judging from the +screeds that were received as to "the true spirit of salvage" we were +wrong, and found that the returns of salvage that got the most marks +were those containing such items as "socks 200" (got generally from +derelict Quarter-Master's Stores found in the forward area, and packed +into a limber in about half-a-minute), but the work entailed in +hauling 18-pounders and limbers out of dangerous parts of the front, +apparently counted for little. Towards the end of our stay, when we +moved into the XIII Corps (Lieut.-General Morland) and Fifth Army +(General Birdwood), even greater attention was paid to salvage, and +every scrap of paper had to be returned to the Paper Dump, bottles to +the Bottle Dump, tins to special incinerators, to have the solder +melted out and collected, and so on, all no doubt of vital necessity, +though seeming at the time rather a bore to carry out. + +By the end of May several changes had taken place in the personnel of +the Battalion, not the least important being that of the +Quarter-Master. Torrance, who had not been well for some time, went to +England for a tour of home duty at the end of April. Lieut. Dale, who +acted in his place for a few days, managed to get wounded, and then +Regimental Quarter-Master Sergt. Pritchard carried on until May 26th, +when Lieut. J. Brewer from the "Pool" of Quarter-Masters at the Base +joined for duty. Kent, in command of C Company, had a very brief +period in which to enjoy the Company Commander's well-earned privilege +of being granted the rank and pay of Captain, for he got badly wounded +by a machine gun bullet on May 31st, in the Gorre sector, and was +succeeded by Capt. Miners. We also lost 2nd Lieuts. Christian, Judd, +Jewel, and Fairbrother--all wounded--and 2nd Lieut. Russell, sick. +Reinforcement Officers who joined were 2nd Lieuts. A. D. H. Dunkin and +H. Hallam. + +Trench reliefs continued more or less according to schedule, 12 days +being spent in the line to six out at rest, and though there were +minor excitements now and then, nothing exceptional happened on our +part of the front for many weeks, although on May 27th, the enemy +renewed his attacks near Rheims in the South, and Locre in the North, +and made some further progress. Of the Brigade sectors, Essars was +looked upon as the more preferable, if only on account of the +excellent vegetables which grew there in large quantities, and +needless to say, found their way to the messes of Officers and men +alike, where they were a most welcome addition to rations. There were +also numbers of livestock left behind by the French, which owing to +the rapid onrush of the Boche they had been unable to take with them. +It is reported that two pigs found at "Tank" or "Portuguese" farm, by +a certain Company Commander were not unconnected with a noticeable +improvement in the rations the next time we were out at rest! A cow +which was kept at Battalion Headquarters for a few days, came to an +unfortunate end by dying of gas poisoning! + +In order that the men might do a little cooking for themselves in the +trenches, as it was impossible to take hot meals up to them by day, +special issues of "Tommies' Cookers" were made, with which they were +able to make hot drinks, and warm their savoury "Maconochies," "Meat +and Vegetables," "Pork and Beans," and other delicacies, whilst during +the night hot porridge and tea were made at Battalion Headquarters, +and sent round in food containers. + +Rations were taken up each night in the early days by our own +Transport, which had been provided with lines in a rather low lying +field at Fouquières, but later moved to the back of Divisional +Headquarters at Gosnay, where timber and corrugated iron brought back +from derelict horse lines in the forward area, made useful huts and +shelters. There was little to choose between the sectors so far as +transport was concerned, for the shelling of roads was a regular +feature of the enemy's offensive action, particularly during the +night. It seemed of little use trying to avoid it by going earlier or +later, for at whatever time transport was about, there were sure to be +shells, mostly gas. The most lively spots were Gorre and Le Quesnoy +villages on the right, and the road between Béthune Cemetery Corner +and Le Hamel on the left, and it was always advisable to "get a move +on" at night along these particular roads. Later on the trench tramway +system, which already existed on the right, was improved and extended +to the Essars sector, and eventually stores of all kinds were taken up +each night to both sectors in that way, the trains being loaded up at +"Speedwell Spur," near Fouquières. The engine was taken off at Essars +on the left, and at Le Quesnoy on the right, and from there the trucks +were man-handled forward to Battalion Headquarters, or other points. + +During the first three and a half months of this period we were not +called upon to carry out a raid or attack of any kind. Gunners and +Trench Mortar people carried out shoots on various occasions, and our +machine gunners, who were now formed into one Battalion for the +Division, made the most horrible noise every night with their +"barrages," but we were let off with nothing more serious than +patrolling. The country was admirably adapted to this form of +reconnaissance, and patrols were out by day almost as much as by +night. The corn crops which covered much of the area, were of course +left untouched (except just in front of our lines, where they were cut +so as to afford a field of fire), and provided excellent cover, as did +also the hedges and ditches, which were fairly frequent, and by these +means it was possible to get right up to the German outpost line by +daylight, and at times even past it. The enemy, of course, played the +same game, and unfortunately on one occasion managed to snaffle the +N.C.O. and two men from one of our posts. Sometimes patrols went out +just before dawn, and remained out the whole of the day, observing +from some ditch or other place of concealment, returning to our lines +again when darkness fell. Of the many splendid patrols carried out, +probably the most daring were those by Capt. Andrews, who had +previously got a good "chit" from the Corps and Divisional Commanders, +for an excellent daylight patrol at "Hairpin Craters," in the St. Elie +sector. It is reported that on one occasion, when trying to get back +to our line he was mistaken for an enemy patrol, and fired on by his +own Lewis gunners, and that when he did eventually get safely back, +the No. 1 of the team got severely straffed for his poor shooting! +Others who did most excellent work in connection with patrolling were +Lieuts. Elphick and G. G. Elliott; 2nd Lieuts. Spinney, C. M. Bedford, +Hallam, Seymour, Sellis, and Fairbrother; Comp. Sergt.-Major Rawding; +Sergts. Brett, Teece and Sharrock; Corpls. T. H. Johnson, Foster, +Brooks and Hurt; L.-Corpl. Beech, and Pvtes. Stanley and Hinton (A +Company), Curley, Walker and Elliott (B Company), Green (a Stretcher +Bearer), and Miller (C Company), and Huckerby, Wildsmith, and +Stubbings (D Company). + +[Illustration: THE CLOCK TOWER, BÉTHUNE, 1918. _Reproduced by +permission of the Imperial War Museum._] + +So far as training was concerned, an important change was made during +this period by the formation of the "Battle Details," into what became +known as the "Divisional Wing." As the periods out of the line, were +too short for any satisfactory Battalion training, to be carried out, +a number of Officers and men selected from each Battalion were left +out of the line at regular intervals, to undergo a short course of +general training. These courses usually lasted for twelve days. The +first assembly was at Bruay, but later more permanent quarters were +found at the aerodrome at Hesdigneul. Each Brigade had its own "Wing," +and each Battalion had a Senior Officer on the spot to supervise the +training. Lieut. C. H. Powell of our Battalion was for some time a +most efficient Adjutant of the 139th Brigade Wing. Lewis gun training +and instruction in the meaning of "Chain of Command" were at this time +perhaps the most important points. Every man in the Battalion had to +be taught to load and fire the Lewis gun, and to know not only who his +commanders were, but how the command might descend to him in case of +casualties. Fresh issues of Lewis guns, which were made from time to +time, allowed each Company to have eight. Their transport was provided +by the allotment of two limbered wagons per Company, which carried, in +addition to the guns, their ammunition "drums," spare parts, some +boxed ammunition, and other paraphernalia. Lieut. Bradish, a most +conscientious Lewis gun Officer, both in and out of the line, was +responsible for the Lewis gun work, in which he was ably helped by +Sergts. King, Teece, and Milne. + +There were two Brigade Ceremonial parades during this period, both of +which were held at Gosnay. On May 28th, the Divisional Commander +inspected us and presented medals, and on June 10th, General Horne, +commanding the First Army, honoured us in a similar way. Both +inspections went off well, and without any adverse criticisms. + +For entertainments we had the "Whizz-bangs," who seldom gave better +shows than we got almost every night in the hut in Vaudricourt Wood, +and the Cinema at Divisional Headquarters at Gosnay. There were the +additional attractions of estaminets and shops in the neighbouring +villages, especially Verquin, where we had many a good dinner, and +drank many bottles of Veuve Cliquot at the estaminet of a great +favourite of the Battalion, Mlle. Bertha. + +On July 18th, a whole day was given up to Battalion Sports, on the +aerodrome at Hesdigneul. Beginning at 9 a.m. they were not over until +7.30 p.m., after a most successful day, which was mainly due to the +excellent arrangements made by Major Gingell, and Sergt. Major +Mounteney. At the Brigade Horse Show and Sports held two days later, +we won first prize for a good type of Officer's Charger, a +chestnut, at one time ridden by Capt. Whitton, and later by the +Second-in-Command (this horse won again a little later at the +Divisional Show), whilst the first three places in the Cross-country +Run also fell to the Battalion, and firsts in the 100 yards and +quarter mile races. Whilst we were not quite so successful at these +shows with Transport turnouts, their smartness reflected great credit +on the Transport Officer, Lieut. Tomlinson, and that veteran N.C.O. +Sergt. Blunt. As they had got the Transport satisfactorily through one +of Major-General Thwaites's critical inspections early in June, we +felt sure there could be little cause for complaint. + +What was, perhaps, from a rather selfish point of view, a drawback to +the long spells of fine weather and brilliant moonlight nights that we +had during this period, was that it enabled the enemy to make frequent +night bombing raids. Our own bombing squadrons of course, did +precisely the same thing, but it was not pleasant to be disturbed at +night when out at rest, by aeroplanes, cruising around and dropping +bombs. Fortunately we escaped with little harm, but the billets and +Transport Lines of many Units suffered severely. For our better +protection in this respect, a regular system of anti-aircraft defence +was devised, and a special allotment of Lewis guns made for the +purpose. These were mounted on poles, fixed at various points in the +trenches, at the Transport Lines, and in the vicinity of the more +important villages behind the line. Though perhaps in a general way +they added to our protection against aeroplanes, for which we had +hitherto relied almost entirely on our anti-aircraft guns, known as +"Archies," we seldom saw them bring anything down, and were inclined +to look upon them as likely to give away the positions they were +supposed to be protecting. + +As the months went by several changes took place in personnel. We lost +Capt. Whitton, who after being Adjutant for 14 months, went for duty +to the First Army Rest Camp at the end of June, and was succeeded by +2nd Lieut. Martin. Capt. Warner went to the Divisional Signal Company +early in July, and D Company was then taken over by Capt. White. +Second Lieuts. Bromham and Russell went down sick, and 2nd Lieut. +Elphick to the Machine Gun Corps. New Officers who joined were 2nd +Lieuts. E. J. Taylor, James Howard Smith, T. J. Sellis, H. M. Toyne, +F. L. Harrap, J. F. Shackleton, F. T. W. Saunders, W. Pennington, S. +A. Tebbutt, and S. Bradwell, D.C.M., and we were given a new Padre in +the person of D. E. Sturt. Sergt. Bescoby, who had done excellent work +in charge of the Stretcher Bearers, became Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. +of A Company, in place of Godfrey, who left to train for a commission. +Our strength was kept fairly level by drafts, and we averaged +throughout this period about 40 Officers, and 920 other ranks. + +Our somewhat humdrum existence eventually came to an end about the +middle of August. By this time the German offensive had finally +ceased, having received its knock-out blow in the fruitless attack +made against the French near Rheims on July 15th. On this occasion the +French had received ample warning of the attack, and were consequently +able to dispose their forces in such a manner as to inflict appalling +casualties on the enemy with insignificant losses to themselves. This +was followed up by a series of attacks by French, Americans, British, +and Italians, which began on July 18th and finally drove the enemy out +of the Marne Valley. Even before that time it had been realised that +the Germans were not likely to make any further attacks on our part of +the front, and about the middle of July we had gone so far as to +contemplate an offensive in the Merville salient. Preliminary plans +were actually made for the attack to be made on July 15th, by the +Canadians and our own Division, but eventually the scheme was +cancelled. + +The offensive in the South met with extraordinary success at all +points, and soon extended to the Third Army area, nearly as far North +as Lens, with the result that in the end the Boche decided that he +must take steps to withdraw from the Merville salient. His offensive +on this front was, undoubtedly, from the first a serious strategic +error. The unexpected ease with which the enemy had advanced on the +Portugese front had induced him to push forward further than had been +the first intention. Consequently, in holding the inner portion of a +most pronounced salient on flat ground, overlooked from the high land +south of the La Bassée Canal, he had at last experienced some of those +difficulties and losses which had been for so long our experience in +the Ypres salient. The many destroyed guns which we ultimately found +on our subsequent advance bore witness, not only to the remarkable +accuracy and efficiency of our own artillery, but to the folly of +attempting to hold the salient when once the possibility of capturing +Béthune and the area South of the Canal had disappeared. Owing to this +mistake of tactics and strategy there is no question that the enemy's +losses had been extremely heavy since his advance in April. + +During the second week in August, whilst we were in the Gorre sector, +we heard that the enemy were carrying out extensive demolitions behind +the line, and our patrols were constantly out, so as to ensure keeping +touch, should he begin to move back. He had already begun to do so on +our left, but we were not actually affected until August 19th, by +which time we had moved across to the Essars right sub-sector. About +noon on that day, our left Company reported that the enemy had +evacuated several of the front line posts astride the Rue-du-Bois. A +and D Companies, which were in the front line, accordingly sent out +strong patrols to keep touch, the remainder moving forward to the old +German front line. Some 600 yards in front of our old line, lay the +hamlet of Le Touret. This was cleared by the leading Companies with +little opposition, except for a few snipers left to harass our +advance, and by evening the line ran East of that place, a total +advance of about 1,000 yards. The same night we handed over to the 6th +North Staffords. On August 26th, the Battalion moved up to support in +the Gorre sector, and was disposed about the Tuning Fork Breastworks, +with Battalion Headquarters by the canal side, near Le Préol. Lieut. +G. G. Elliott was badly wounded here during a bombardment of the +position held by A Company, of which he was then in command. A battery +of guns had been put in the orchard adjoining his Headquarters, in +spite of many protests, and naturally drew a considerable amount of +shelling. Several men were wounded at the same time. "G.G." had +succeeded Capt. Andrews, who had recently been appointed +Second-in-Command on Major Gingell's departure for a tour of duty at +home, and the command of A Company now passed to Lieut. Thomas. + +Re-adjustments of the Divisional front became necessary, owing to the +continued withdrawal of the enemy, and on September 1st, we crossed +over to relieve our 6th Battalion in the left Brigade sector. Here the +withdrawal had been fairly rapid, Lacouture and Vieille Chapelle both +having been evacuated, and the enemy were now holding a line roughly +running from Richebourg St. Vaast through "Windy Corner" to Richebourg +L'Avoué, the general direction of our advance being North-East. At the +time we relieved them, the 6th Battalion were engaged in sharp +encounters trying to dislodge the enemy from a number of posts just +West of Windy Corner. We continued this hole and corner fighting, and +on September 3rd, C Company occupied "Hens Post," Windy Corner, and +"Edward's Post," after some sharp scrapping, taking one wounded +prisoner, whilst B Company occupied "Dogs Post" without opposition. + +Very gallant work was done during this fighting by Corpl. Mosgrove, +who in spite of heavy fire established liaison with the Company on his +right which was held up, thereby enabling the advance to continue; by +Pvte. Stamford, a Stretcher Bearer, who on two separate occasions went +forward into the open, in full view of enemy snipers at close range to +help wounded comrades, and by L.-Corpl. Beech, who did exceptionally +good work in charge of a Lewis gun team. + +Those who had been with the Battalion in the Autumn of 1915, were now +on familiar ground, as the fighting was taking place on what was then +the area just behind the line that we held in the Richebourg sector. +The capture of the posts about Windy Corner straightened out the line, +and enabled us to obtain suitable jumping-off positions for an attack +which was to take place the following day, as it had been decided to +speed up the enemy's retreat in this part, and drive him back far +enough to enable us to retake the old British front line near Neuve +Chapelle, the enemy being at this moment about 2,000 yards West of +that line. + +Instructions for the attack were issued somewhat hurriedly during the +night. B and C were to be the leading Companies, with A and D in +support. The 5th Leicesters were attacking on our right, and the 19th +Division on the left. There was little or no time to make any +reconnaissance. Zero was 5.15 a.m. on September 4th, and the barrage +came down on the stroke 200 yards East of a line through "Haystack," +"Orchard," "Albert," "Dogs" and "Edward's" Posts. Having remained on +this line four minutes it moved forward at the rate of 100 yards in +two minutes, closely followed by the leading troops. The enemy made +little resistance, and had evidently decided not to offer any serious +defence to operations on a large scale, but to get out of the way as +quickly as possible. The result was that within a couple of hours we +had regained possession of the old British front line, and the +"contact aeroplane" which cruised round a little later, saw our ground +flares burning in the identical trenches we held in November, 1915. +The 5th Leicesters met with equal success, and were abreast of us on +the same line. The 19th Division on our left had met with considerable +resistance at Neuve Chapelle, and did not get the whole of their +objective until later in the day. The enemy had decided for the moment +to stand on his old line running through the Bois-du-Biez, a strong +position, from which it would be difficult to dislodge him. The troops +on our left suffered several casualties in a fruitless endeavour to +push platoons forward into the wood. Our casualties were negligible +owing to the feeble resistance offered, and the weak counter-barrage +put down. Battalion Headquarters moved immediately after the attack to +"Lansdowne Post." + +Communication had been well maintained during this and other recent +advances, and we were seldom out of touch by telephone, either with +advanced Companies or with Brigade Headquarters. In fact, on the +advance into Le Touret, there was so much cover available, on or near +the Rue du Bois that a forward Signalling Station, supplied by a South +and a North line, was established only a few hundred yards behind the +front line, within a few minutes of that line being consolidated, and +of these two lines the North line was not a mere ground line, but a +poled cable. We owed it to the untiring efforts of the Signal Section, +under Lieut. Stephenson, ably backed by Sergt. Templeman, Corpl. +Osborne and others, that communications were kept up so well. + +The peace that we enjoyed for the rest of the day, was unfortunately +not maintained, for on September 5th, the Boche made things unpleasant +by shelling the various posts we were holding, which were nothing but +isolated shallow trenches with a few corrugated iron shelters covered +with earth. One of these, which was used as Battalion Headquarters, +got a direct hit with a 4.2 whilst the whole of the Headquarters' +staff, except the Medical Officer were in it. The result was +disastrous. Every Officer in it was wounded, though "Andy" escaped +with nothing worse than a few scratches. Col. Currin got a leg +damaged, Martin the Adjutant, and Elly, Intelligence Officer, both got +broken legs, and several other wounds. Stephenson and Taylor (Works +Officer) were also wounded in the leg, whilst Spinney (Assistant +Adjutant) and Salmon (Artillery Liaison Officer), sustained serious +head and face wounds. Elly died the following day at the Casualty +Clearing Station, at Pernes. + +Owing to the continuance of the shelling, Battalion Headquarters moved +to Hens Post near Windy Corner, but again were not left alone, as the +enemy put over some eight-inch and gas shells in the vicinity. +Altogether it was a decidedly unpleasant day, and we were not sorry to +hear that the 19th Division were to relieve us the same night. The +relieving Battalion, the 9th Cheshires, fortunately for them did not +arrive until things had quietened down, and the relief, if somewhat +lengthy, was carried out more or less in peace. The lucky ones got a +ride from Le Touret on the light railway, but the trains for the rest +failed to turn up, and they had to foot it back to Beuvry, where the +Battalion was billeted, with Major Andrews in temporary command. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +AUCHEL TO PONTRUET + + _Sept. 7th, 1918._ _Sept. 26th, 1918._ + + +We left Beuvry on the morning of Sept. 7th and were taken back on the +light railway to Ferfay. On this occasion, much to our surprise, the +trains moved off at the scheduled time. From Ferfay it was but a short +march to Auchel, another mining village, where we found very good +billets, and were welcomed in their usual hospitable way by the French +miners and their families. Thanks to a most generous Town Major we got +all sorts of little billet comforts, of which he seemed to have an +unlimited supply, whilst opposite the Headquarters Mess was a very +comfortable little restaurant, bearing the sign, "Cosy Corner," where +we found helping to run the show, an old friend known to us in earlier +days at Béthune as "Lily." + +On the day after our arrival Lieut.-Col. J. F. Dempster, D.S.O., 2nd +Manchesters, took over command of the Battalion, Major Andrews +resuming the duties of Second-in-Command, and Lieut. C. H. Powell +temporarily acting as Adjutant. Changes had also taken place in the +Higher Commands in the Division. Brigadier-General John Harington, +D.S.O., from the 46th Machine Gun Battalion, had succeeded General +Wood in command of the 139th Brigade, and Major-General Thwaites, who +had laboured so assiduously to keep the Division up to the highest +pitch of perfection in every respect, had gone to England to take up +the duties of Director of Military Intelligence at the War Office, and +we now had the pleasure of meeting his successor, Major-General G. F. +Boyd, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., D.C.M., who was to command the Division +for the rest of the war. He came to see us at Auchel, and we soon +realised that under his leadership, given ordinary luck, we could not +help doing well. Fresh from the battles of the South, he had much to +tell us about the latest forms of attack, particularly those carried +out in conjunction with Tanks, and we were not long in finding out +that what he could not tell us about the kind of fighting that was +going on was not worth knowing. He introduced to us the system of +advancing in the early stages of the attack in the "Blob" formation, +that is, with Companies on wide frontages, echelonned in depth, with +each Platoon in a line of sections in "blobs," or small and somewhat +open groups. With this formation there was less likelihood of severe +casualties from shelling or machine guns, whilst it was a most simple +formation from which extensions could be carried out, and at the same +time it allowed the Section Commander to retain control of his men up +to the last possible moment. This system we at once set about +practising, and later on used it in all the battles in which we took +part. Very little training was possible during the few days spent at +Auchel owing to the bad weather. + +It was, of course, general knowledge that we were shortly to take an +active part in the fighting in the South, and therefore no surprise +when we received orders to entrain. This was carried out in the early +hours of Sept. 12th, at Calonne-Ricouart Station, and was rendered +extremely uncomfortable by a torrential downpour, which made it +specially difficult to get the transport vehicles up the steep ramps +on to the trucks. C Company had to do the loading for the whole +Brigade, and were at the station for nearly twenty-four hours, working +in shifts. They left by the last train at 12.40 p.m., the main body +having left at 3.16 a.m. This was our farewell to a district of which +we had got to know practically every inch, and of which we shall +always retain most happy recollections. We had been there for +seventeen months without a break. + +Slowly but surely we wended our way Southwards, until we reached +Amiens. At one period the town had been emptied of all civilians, but +they were just beginning to come back and the streets were now showing +slight signs of life again. A certain amount of damage had been done +by shell-fire, and as we moved Eastward from Amiens, signs of the +one-time proximity of the front line became more marked. Eventually we +came to a stop at Corbie Station, where we detrained during the +afternoon, after a journey of about twelve hours. After most welcome +and refreshing tea, which we owed to the forethought of Capt. Salter, +the Acting Staff-Captain, we marched to billets at La Houssoye, some +five miles away, where C Company joined us early the following +morning. We were now in the IX Corps, which formed part of General +Rawlinson's Fourth Army. We were soon able to make ourselves +comfortable, though the village was somewhat battered and contained +very few inhabitants. When we moved further forward, it was, from a +purely military point of view, a decided advantage to find no +civilians at all. All around was a delightfully free rolling country, +and we could wander anywhere according to our own sweet will, those +lucky enough to have horses getting some lovely gallops across the +chalk downs. This area had been too near the front line for the past +few months for any work to be carried out on the land, and such crops +as there were were now being harvested by soldier labour, mostly +Canadian. + +The enemy had been driven back from the neighbourhood during August by +the Australians, who had had particularly hard fighting about +Villers-Bretonneux, not many miles distant from where we were +billeted, and the work of clearing the battlefield was already in +hand. Gangs of Chinese were employed in the task, but we were not +impressed by their industry. Everything had to be carried to dumps by +the roadside, and no matter what the burden the only authorised way of +carrying it was by putting it on the end of a pole, which the "Chink" +carried over his shoulder. It seemed decidedly comical, to say the +least, to see a man walk several hundred yards to retrieve a coat, for +example, hang it on the pole, and walk several more hundred yards with +it to a dump! Nevertheless, this seemed to be the recognised way of +working. + +Such training as we carried out was mostly in the attack and other +operations, such as advanced guards, likely to be required in open +warfare. Little was done in the way of bombing, which had had its day. +There was a good deal of Lewis gun work, and "field-firing" practice +in the shape of Platoon attacks on strong points. Flags to represent +Tanks were introduced into the scheme with a view to giving some idea +of how to follow up a Tank and take possession of the ground it +gained. A good deal of practice in Map Reading and Compass work was +carried out by Officers and N.C.O.'s, which proved most useful in the +days to come. Several Officers and N.C.O.'s here enjoyed their first +aeroplane flight through the kindness of the Officer commanding a +Bombing Squadron in the vicinity. + +Orders for a move came after little delay, but with unexpected +suddenness. We had to break off in the middle of a practice attack on +September 18th, to prepare for our departure, and at 9 p.m. on the +same day we left La Houssoye and marched to Bonnay, where we embussed +for the forward area once more. Transport marched brigaded and was now +under Lieut. Toyne, who took charge when Lieut. Tomlinson broke his +collar-bone in a jumping competition a little while before at +Vaudricourt. Somewhere about midnight the long procession of lorries +moved off. The other two Brigades of the Division were being moved by +the same means, and there is no doubt that the Auxiliary 'Bus +Companies were having a pretty busy time! In the darkness the journey +seemed endless. It was too bumpy to allow even a doze, sleepy as most +of us felt. The whole area was a desolate ruin, but in the darkness we +were, of course, able to see little or nothing of it. For something +like 40 miles, the Somme area, through which we were passing, was +nothing but an immense wilderness--every village practically in ruins, +and hardly sufficient remains in many cases to identify their +position. In one case a signboard had been put up to mark the site of +the village, and on maps they were usually described as "---- ruins +of." Old trenches and barbed wire entanglements existed at various +points. Not a scrap of ground was cultivated--all was wild and uncared +for. Not a living soul was there except a few odd troops of our own, +working mostly on roads or guarding dumps, and French, Italians, +Portuguese and "Chinks" working on the railways. A few odd woods and +shattered trees were practically the only things standing in this +enormous tract of country. Later on we saw all this for ourselves when +we used to cross this devastated area going on leave or for trips to +Amiens, which a generous staff permitted us to indulge in +occasionally. Much of the area had been fought over four +times--firstly, when captured by the enemy in the original advance; +secondly, when he withdrew to the Hindenburg Line early in 1917 and +laid the whole place waste; thirdly, during his offensive of 1918; +and, lastly, when he was driven out once and for all by British and +other troops just before our arrival. + +Eventually, about dawn on September 19th, the long train of lorries +came to a halt, and we were dumped on the road about a mile West of a +one-time village known as Poeuilly, to which we marched, and where we +were told we had to bivouac. + +It was a cheerless prospect to be turned loose into a bare field at +4.0 a.m. on a late September morning. Poeuilly, however, was found to +contain a certain amount of useful material which very soon found its +way to our field, and with the aid of a few "trench shelters," and +taking advantage of some trenches which were there, it was not long +before we had put up some quite useful protection. Though chilly in +the early morning the weather was quite seasonable, and on the whole +we did not fare badly. Our Transport arrived late the same day. + +The Hindenburg Line lay a few miles in front of us, and some of its +outer defences were already in our hands. On the afternoon of +September 20th, we left Poeuilly and relieved the 2nd Royal Sussex in +Brigade Reserve in trenches and dug-outs about Pontru, with Battalion +Headquarters at "Cooker" Quarry, the 5th and 6th Battalions taking +over the front line. At this point we were some seven miles North-West +of St. Quentin, and two to three miles West of Bellenglise, on the St. +Quentin Canal. There was no great excitement during the three days we +spent there except that we had rather bad luck with the Transport. As +the idea was rather pressed on us that we were now taking part in +"moving warfare," some of the horses and Company limbers of bombs and +small arm ammunition were taken forward to the edge of a small wood +just behind Battalion Headquarters. Unfortunately this wood got +shelled and several mules were knocked out, with the result that the +ammunition was dumped, and the limbers and rest of the animals were +sent back to Poeuilly. + +On September 23rd we received orders for certain action to be carried +out by us in connection with an attack which was to be launched the +next day, when the 46th Division were to carry out a "minor operation" +in conjunction with the 1st Division on their right. The Australians +had pushed forward considerably on the left, and the line now bent +back sharply, where the troops we had relieved had been held up by the +village of Pontruet. The attack was planned both to straighten out the +line and to get possession of the high ground on the right. The 138th +Brigade, who had taken over from the Australians on the left, were +ordered to capture the village of Pontruet, and for this purpose +detailed the 5th Leicesters. The attack was to be carried out by an +enveloping movement from the North, and the village was to be rushed +from the East. Our 5th and 6th Battalions were to co-operate by +occupying some trenches about Pontruet, and, on the night following, +the 8th Battalion was to relieve the 5th Leicesters as far North as +the inter-Brigade boundary. + +The attack was launched at 5 a.m. on September 24th, and though the +5th Leicesters made most strenuous efforts to attain their objectives, +they just failed to achieve the full purpose for which they set out, +and at the end of the day Pontruet was not ours. Our 5th Battalion on +the right also had some stiff fighting, and suffered several +casualties, taking their objective on the high ground South of +Pontruet, and capturing about 100 prisoners. Late in the day our +orders to relieve the 5th Leicesters were cancelled, and we had to +take over from our own 5th Battalion, who were holding the Western +edge of Pontruet. This operation was completed just before dawn on the +25th, Battalion Headquarters being in a dug-out in the high ground +South of Pontru. Fortunately we were there only two days, for the +discomfort was very great, the dug-outs and cellars swarming with +flies and vermin, and there was little other protection from the enemy +shelling, which was fairly frequent. On September 26th we were +relieved on an intensely dark night by the 1st Black Watch and went +back to bivouacs just off the Vendelles-Bihécourt Road, put up for us +by the Battle Details, who had moved up from Poeuilly. They, together +with the Transport and Quar.-Master's stores, had had none too +peaceful a time during the last few days. Having moved to Vendelles +they were shelled out of it almost at the moment they arrived, but +eventually found a quiet resting-place for a brief space at Bernes, +where, in addition to ordinary stores, there were piled all the men's +packs and spare kit, and numbers of Lewis gun boxes. All moves now +were done in light "fighting order" and the Quar.-Master and +Quar.-Master-Sergts. had their time fully occupied in thinking how all +the spare kit was to be got forward when it was wanted. + +During our recent moves we had received a regular influx of new +Officers, no fewer than nine having joined between September 3rd and +September 26th. They were 2nd Lieuts. G. Newton, John Henry Smith, A. +N. Davis, R. N. Barker, T. F. Mitchell, W. J. Winter, R. S. Plant, P. +A. Turner, and W. G. Jacques. We had lost 2nd Lieut. Morris, who had +gone to the 139th Trench Mortar Battery; and Comp. Sergt.-Major Slater +and five N.C.O.'s who were sent to England as Instructors. Slater was +succeeded as Comp.-Sergt.-Major of A Company, by Sergt. Attenborough. +Our battle casualties at Pontruet amounted to five killed and 24 +wounded. + +The men were now very fit and the Battalion was on the top of its +form. Our chief anxiety was whether after all we were to be in a real +good push. We suspected that we might have been brought here to be +whittled away in minor trench attacks, and that the opportunity of +really showing what stuff the Battalion was made of would never +present itself. Our fears were not lessened when we saw how the 5th +Leicesters and 5th Sherwood Foresters suffered at Pontruet, and we saw +looming ahead what we imagined to be the never-ending luck of the 46th +Division. Our fears were ill-founded. Better things were before us and +arrived sooner than we expected. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +BELLENGLISE + + _Sept. 26th, 1918._ _Sept. 29th, 1918._ + + +A great effort was to be made to break the Hindenburg Line. +Preliminary orders received on September 26th were to the effect that +the 46th Division, as part of a major operation (simultaneous attacks +by the British and French taking place at several other points), would +at an early date cross the St. Quentin Canal between Bellenglise and +Riquerval Bridge, and capture the Hindenburg Line. The general scheme +was that the 137th Brigade were to capture the canal and hold the +crossings, advancing as far as the "Brown Line" shown on the map, +whilst the 139th Brigade on the right and 138th Brigade on the left, +were to pass through them and consolidate up to and including the +"Green Line." If all went well the 32nd Division were to pass through +and make further progress. The 1st Division were to protect our right +flank, where the enemy were still occupying a large area of ground +which might be decidedly dangerous to us, and in the event of the +enemy withdrawing, they were to follow up and, if possible, capture +Thorigny and the high ground round about it. On our left the 30th +American Division, attached to the Australian Corps, were to seize the +Bellicourt Tunnel (where the canal ran underground) and continue the +attack in that direction. Tanks were to cross the canal by passing +over the tunnel and come down to operate with the 138th and 139th +Brigades and help them to reach their objectives. + +In order to improve our position the 138th Brigade, who were holding +the line running along the high ground just East of "Victoria Cross +Roads," carried out an attack on September 27th against the German +trenches on the high ground North-East of "Chopper Ravine." This was +successful and the trenches were handed over to the 137th Brigade. +Unfortunately, the following morning the enemy delivered a heavy +counter-attack against the Staffords, and recovered so much ground +that at night the latter had to withdraw from the portions still held +and come back to our original line. This set-back, however, had no ill +result. + +Our preparations had to be made on the assumption that the attack +would take place on the early morning of Sunday, September 29th, as it +did. + +From the line held by the Division it was possible to get a good view +of the canal and the ground beyond for some distance, and such +reconnaissance as could be carried out in the time at our disposal was +made by observation from this line. + +[Illustration: THE ST. QUENTIN CANAL, BELLENGLISE--LOOKING +NORTH--1918.] + +Running diagonally across the front, through No Man's Land, down the +slope to the Riquerval Bridge, on the left, was a narrow road known as +"Watling Street." Immediately in front of our trenches was the ridge +which we had had to evacuate, and from there the land again sloped +down to the canal. Immediately the other side of the canal was the +village of Bellenglise, about three-quarters-of-a-mile from our +present front line, but looking much closer. The canal ran in a +cutting, into which it was not possible to see, but from descriptions +obtained from various sources it appeared that it had steep banks +twelve to eighteen yards deep, and we were told that where there was +water we might expect it to be seven to eight feet deep. As a matter +of fact the canal in some parts was quite dry, and in other parts the +water was held up by big dams of concrete. When we did properly see +it, it appeared to be more or less derelict. On the right towards +Bellenglise it was mostly dry. Rising from the canal on the other side +was a fairly gradual, but none the less decided, slope for some +distance, fortified with lines of trenches, barbed wire and concrete +machine gun emplacements, apparently a most unpromising position to +attack--indeed, we thought it impregnable, and no doubt the Boche did +so, too. It was an ideal spot for concealed dug-outs all along the +canal banks. Many were found there, and Bellenglise itself contained a +wonderfully constructed tunnel, estimated to be capable of holding at +least a thousand men. + +The problem of dealing with any water that might be found in the canal +was a difficult but important one, as every preparation had to be made +for getting across on the assumption that all the bridges would be +destroyed. Accordingly the 137th Brigade were equipped with a number +of collapsible boats and rafts, also mats for getting across any soft +mud they might encounter, whilst almost at the last moment, numbers of +lifebelts were sent up for their use, taken from the leave boats. + +As it was doubtless realised that this great stronghold would require +pounding almost to atoms, arrangements were made for getting together +what must have been the largest array of guns that ever was collected, +at any rate in such a short space of time. Battery after battery of +every known calibre took up positions in one or other of the ravines +and valleys behind the line. Indeed, there seemed no room for them all +and many of them were practically in the open. + +Behind the line an immense amount of railway and road work was being +carried out in order to maintain supplies. Probably the most +interesting piece of work was the relaying of the railway line from +Roizel to Vermand, preparatory to its being continued into St. +Quentin as soon as the latter should be liberated. We enjoyed +watching the Canadian Engineers at work rebuilding bridges and +bringing up and relaying fresh sleepers and metals, all the old ones +having been removed by the enemy for several miles. The rapid +reconstruction of the line was of vital importance, as it would form +the main source of transport for all our supplies. + +On the night of September 27/28th, we moved from bivouacs near +Vendelles, and marched to our preliminary assembly position in some +trenches near "Red Wood," about half-a-mile North-West of that +well-known landmark "The Tumulus," a high chalk mound from which an +excellent view could be obtained, but where it was not wise to pause +to admire the scenery. Battalion Headquarters was in a dug-out at +"Hudson's Post," between Red Wood and the "Twin Craters." This move +was carried out without casualty, but the very dark night, coupled +with a certain amount of gas shelling, and the absence of good guiding +marks, made going somewhat difficult. A section from the 139th Trench +Mortar Battery, which was to be attached to us for the battle, joined +us just before the move. + +The attack was to be carried out under a creeping barrage, and the +objective allotted to us was the "Yellow Line" East of Bellenglise. +The frontage allotted to the Battalion was about 1,200 yards, and the +advance in its final stages was to be carried out with two Companies +in the front line and two in support. In each case there were to be +three Platoons leading, with one in support, each front Platoon thus +having a frontage of about 200 yards. The distance between front and +support Companies was to be 200 to 250 yards. The Artillery barrage +was to move at the rate of 100 yards in four minutes, making long +pauses after each objective had been gained in order to allow time for +the rear troops to continue the advance. A machine gun barrage also +was to be fired during the opening stages of the attack, and for this +purpose our Divisional Battalion was strengthened by the addition of +the 2nd Life Guards Machine Gun Battalion and the 100th Machine Gun +Battalion. By a happy coincidence some South Notts. Yeomanry were +included amongst these Machine Gunners. The Royal Engineers and +Monmouth Pioneers, detailed to put emergency bridges on cork piers +across the canal for foot traffic and artillery, were to follow in +rear of the 137th Brigade, and immediately in front of us. Second +Lieut. Davis with ten men was to keep touch with the last Battalion of +the 137th Brigade, whilst 2nd Lieut. Plant was detailed to act as +Liaison Officer with the 137th Brigade Headquarters. Second Lieut. +Bradish was to do similar duty with the 139th Brigade, and 2nd Lieut. +Winter with the 6th Battalion, who were to follow immediately behind +us, the 5th Battalion bringing up the rear. Guides from each Company +were detailed to follow the 137th Brigade and direct their Companies +to the canal crossings. Flags were to be carried to mark Battalion and +Company Headquarters. In addition to red flares for notifying the +position of the advanced troops to our 'contact aeroplanes,' a number +of tin discs were issued, which were to be waved by the men carrying +them so as to catch the eye of the Observers. "Success Signals"--rifle +grenades bursting into "white over white over white"--were to be fired +by the leading Companies as soon as they reached their objective. Pack +transport was arranged in readiness for taking forward ammunition, +water and other supplies, if required, as soon as it was possible to +get them across the canal. + +Enough and more than enough work was entailed in all these details to +keep us busy during the short time available before the attack. +Nevertheless all was ready by the appointed time, and about 3 a.m. on +the morning of September 29th, after a most welcome issue of rum, +which fortunately arrived just in time, we began to move into our +final assembly position on the Eastern side of "Ascension Valley." The +valley never had been a place to linger in, as most nights and early +mornings the Hun was in the habit of treating it liberally with high +explosive and gas shells, and this occasion was no exception, a +combination of the two making things very unpleasant. Further, it was +a dark night, and, worse than all, a dense fog came down over +everything, so that movement over these more or less open spaces with +little or nothing to guide us was extremely difficult. However, in the +end everyone got into position in good time and without accident. +Fortunately most of the shells were then passing over us into the +valley behind. Companies were drawn up as follows: Right Front (A +Company), Capt. Thomas; Left Front (B Company), 2nd Lieut. Bloor; +Right Support (C Company), Lieut. Cairns, in the absence of Capt. +Miners on leave; Left Support (D Company), Capt. White. Capt. C. P. +Elliott was acting as Second-in-Command, Major Andrews being away on +leave. + +Zero was fixed for 5.50 a.m., at which time the 137th Brigade were to +advance from our front line. At the same time the 1st Division were to +advance so as to protect our right flank up to a point near +Bellenglise Bridge. + +Promptly at Zero an uncanny stillness was broken by an inferno of +noise. With a din and roar that can never be forgotten by those who +heard it, one of the greatest concentrations of artillery the World +had ever seen came into action. The crash and rattle were appalling. +Sandwiched as we were, with machine guns blazing away just in front, +and 18-pounders belching out fire just behind, it was perfect +pandemonium. Speech was impossible. Though it was now practically +daylight the fog was so intense that you could not see a yard in +front of you. All over the battlefield it was the same. We could only +imagine the difficulty with which the Staffords were going, if they +were going at all, and we could see nothing. Our right Company, A, had +been detailed to assist that Brigade to mop up the enemy trenches West +of the canal, and on completion re-form in the old German front line, +and await the arrival of the other Companies. This Company advanced in +Artillery formation as soon as the machine guns ceased firing, about +15 minutes after Zero, and reached these trenches without accident. +Little was found to be done there, and having distributed themselves +in the trenches, they awaited the time for the general advance to +begin. The rest of the Battalion moved forward at the same time in a +similar formation to "Nib" and "Quill" trenches on "Hélène Ridge." +Even for this short move direction could only be maintained by means +of compasses. We made ourselves as comfortable as possible there, as +we knew that we should have some time to wait before advancing +further. In any case we were not to move without orders from Brigade +Headquarters, and it was not intended that we should be involved in +the actual fighting until the 137th Brigade were East of the canal, +and then probably not for some time unless they were in difficulties. +The Boche had put down a counter-barrage directly after our attack +began, and a certain number of shells and some machine gun bullets +fell about the ridge where we were, but caused us little +inconvenience. + +In spite of the fog wounded men were finding their way back, and odd +lots of German prisoners were being brought back by escorts of +Staffords. How they did it we never quite knew, but it was reported +that in one case the escort of a party of prisoners having been lost +in the fog, got a captured German Officer to act as guide by marching +due West on a compass bearing! For over three hours we were unable to +get any definite news as to the progress of the battle. The first +official message which reached our Brigade Headquarters to the effect +that the 137th Brigade were across the canal, arrived at 8.30 a.m., +and orders were at once sent to the three Battalions to get on the +move and keep in close touch. Unfortunately our telephone line to +Brigade Headquarters was broken, and the message had to be sent by +runners, who after experiencing the greatest difficulty owing to the +fog, eventually reached us at 9.37 a.m. Orders were sent to Companies +as quickly as possible, and we moved off again in artillery formation, +keeping direction with our compasses. Progress, of course, was +extremely slow. By the time we reached the canal, which seemed much +further away than we had imagined, the fog began to clear and caused +us no more trouble. The canal was crossed by plank foot bridges, +which, fortunately, were still more or less intact, and Companies +pushed on in a direction practically half-right towards the villages +of Bellenglise on the right and La Baraque on the left. + +Here our first real fighting began, considerable opposition being met +with from isolated snipers and machine gun posts, particularly on the +right, where A Company had a very rough time. Two Platoons of that +Company, under 2nd Lieuts. Bradwell and Shackleton, worked their way +along the bend of the canal sheltered by a large ditch, and rushed +several "pill-boxes" from the rear. At one large concrete dug-out a +Boche was discovered just emerging with his machine gun ready to fire. +Bradwell stopped him with a revolver bullet through the chest. The +bullet went through the next man behind him as well, and finished by +lodging in the throat of a third--a very useful shot! A little later +the same Officer got a sniper, who was obstinately holding up the +advance with a small group of men, by a rifle bullet neatly placed +between the eyes at 300 yards. The left of A Company also met with +opposition from machine gun nests in the ruins of the houses. Thomas +himself, in rushing one machine gun, had no time to draw his revolver, +but put one Boche out of action by a kick under the jaw. C Company +reinforced A and shared with them the clearing of Bellenglise, but in +doing so they also had a bad time. Stanley Cairns led them with great +dash, only to be killed in an attack on a group of Boches who were +holding up the left of A Company. They were, however, eventually +rushed and all bayoneted. On the left some of B Company lost direction +and strayed over to the 138th Brigade. Though the resistance on this +flank was not so great it was not altogether easy going, and there was +considerable shelling and machine gun fire. Bloor, in command, got +badly wounded, and Rawding, his very gallant Comp. Sergt.-Major also +fell, dying the next day. Mobilised with the Battalion he went out +with it as a Private and won promotion by sheer merit. All ranks of +the Battalion had the greatest regard for him and his loss was very +keenly felt. D Company, under Capt. White, ably assisted by 2nd Lieut. +Smith, acting as Second-in-Command, also gave a hand in the mopping +up. Casualties were, of course, mounting, as there was heavy shelling +going on most of the time, particularly on the Eastern edge of +Bellenglise. Eventually, however, the village was cleared and we got +to our next starting-point, the "Brown Line," with our right on the +canal, at 11.30 a.m. This was only ten minutes after our scheduled +time which, considering the almost insuperable difficulties caused by +the fog, must be considered excellent. It meant, of course, that our +barrage, which advanced again at 11.20 a.m. (five-and-a-half hours +after Zero) was slightly ahead of us, but that was now too late to be +altered and we had to make the best of it. + +At this point we were to have been joined by a Company of five Tanks, +but they had not turned up. They arrived, however, a little later and +were going forward to help the attack of the 6th Battalion, who +followed us, when they were put out of action by enemy field guns +firing from South of the canal and at point blank range. Our final +advance, therefore, had to be continued without their help. We moved +off this time in extended order and met with little opposition, though +there was considerable machine gun fire from the South side of the +canal, which was not particularly accurate and did little damage. We +reached our final objective about 12.15 p.m., only a few minutes after +scheduled time, and the 6th Battalion immediately pushed on through +us. + +Our right flank was somewhat exposed, as the enemy were still holding +the ground South of the canal, and one or two feeble attempts at +counter-attacks were made from that direction, but were easily broken +up. The 1st Division had been unable to advance to connect across with +us at Bellenglise, but by their demonstration they doubtless prevented +the enemy from concentrating for a counter-attack in that quarter, +which was a decidedly weak spot. + +Our advance had been extremely rapid and to a certain extent our +success was due to that fact. The enemy in many cases were taken +before they had time to get to their battle positions. At the same +time every member of the Battalion was determined to "get there." +Particularly good work was done by Sergt. Peach, who was acting Comp. +Sergt.-Major of C Company, and himself accounted for three of the +enemy at one post, by Sergt. Oldham, Lance-Sergts. Field and Illger, +and Corpl. Slater, when in temporary command of Platoons, also by +Sergt. Claxton, Corpls. Gadsby, Skelton and W. Foster, L.-Corpl. R. +Harvey. and Pvtes. Cook, Titmus, Welbourne and Stapleton. +Communication throughout the day was almost entirely by runners, who +had an exceptionally strenuous time, but in spite of all their +difficulties they never failed to get their messages through. +Specially valuable work was done in this respect by Pvtes. B. +Smithurst, Feighery, Sully, Colton and Parker. The Signallers had a +thankless task in trying to keep their lines repaired. A special word +of praise is due to L.-Corpl. J. North for his work in this +connection. The Medical Officer, Capt. Homan, had a difficult task in +attending to the wounded in open trenches and often under heavy shell +fire. He got great help from Padre Sturt, who was always rendering +faithful service, and from a willing band of Stretcher Bearers, who +worked unceasingly throughout the battle, notably Corpl. Wrigglesworth +and Pvtes. Westnidge and Green. Comp. Sergt.-Major Stokes, who was +acting as Regt.-Sergt.-Major, was also of the greatest service in +looking after ammunition and other stores. + +The sight presented by the enemy defences East of the canal gave no +room for doubt that our guns had done most deadly work. The ground was +literally torn to pieces, trenches and wire being blown to atoms in +all directions, and there seemed to be scarcely a spot that had not +been touched. + +The prisoners taken by us numbered something like 300. There is no +doubt that our bombardment had caused many of them to become more or +less senseless. In many cases all they did was to retire to their +dug-outs and await the end. Full dug-outs emptied themselves at the +first word, and poured out their garrisons, which were as quickly +marshalled by our men and led off to the prisoner cages in batches, 50 +or more in a batch, and very often not more than one of our men in +charge. In addition to prisoners we captured over 40 machine guns and +10 trench mortars. Guns did not come within our province, as they +were all beyond our objective. + +Our casualties, considering all things, were small, and this was +doubtless due to the great rapidity with which the advance had been +carried out. In addition to the two Officer casualties, our losses +during the day were 14 other ranks killed and 80 wounded. + +The battlefield after the fog lifted presented a sight never to be +forgotten. On the left, Tanks could be seen working their way along +the German trenches, followed by groups of Infantry, who at once took +possession of the ground gained. Behind, guns were limbering up and +being got forward to fresh positions; pack ponies and limbers were +being taken up with ammunition; parties of Boche prisoners were +wending their way back from the front areas in batches of 10's, 20's, +up to 200 or more, presenting a very bedraggled appearance. Many of +them had been requisitioned for duty at the forward aid posts and were +carrying back our wounded. Add to the whole, shells bursting here and +there--one knew not when or where the next was coming and didn't +care--and some idea may be formed of what the battlefield of +Bellenglise looked like. It was like an enormous circus. + +The 138th Brigade on the left met with equal success, but North of +them the attack did not go so well, and at the end of the day the +Australians and Americans, though in a satisfactory position for +continuing the attack, were considerably behind their objective. + +During the afternoon the 32nd Division came moving over the back areas +by Companies in artillery formation and pushed on through us, but +there was no time that day for them to make any fresh attacks, and +they had to be content with putting out outposts. There is no doubt +that could their attack have been pushed on at once the fighting of +the next few days would not have been necessary. As it was our line +did not get further than the final objective of the 5th Battalion, and +further preparation was required to push the Boche from the few +remaining points that he still held in the Hindenburg Line. By the +victory of the 46th Division on September 29th the main portion of +that line had been absolutely smashed and the last great turning-point +in the war passed, and from now onwards the final defeat of the enemy +was but a matter of days. It must be confessed that the fog, which +lasted practically the whole morning, largely accounted for our +success. Without it it is very difficult to conceive how we could have +managed to get possession of the canal and the high ground on the East +of it. A naturally strong defensive line itself, it formed with the +addition of the artificial defences made by the enemy, an almost +impregnable position. General Headquarters thought it _was_ +impregnable. + +It has since transpired that our fears that our attack was only in the +nature of a "demonstration" were only too well founded, as it appears +to be a fact that we were not expected to cross the canal at all. +Lieut.-General Sir John Monash, who commanded the Australian Corps on +our left, referring in his book, "The Australian Victories in France +in 1918,"[1] to the action of September 29th, says:-- + + "Quite early in the day news came in that the IX Corps on my + right hand had achieved an astonishing success, that Bellenglise + had been captured, and that the deep canal had been successfully + crossed in several places. It was the 46th Imperial Division to + which this great success was chiefly due.----There can be no + doubt that this success, conceived at first as a demonstration to + distract attention from the Australian Corps' front, materially + assisted me in the situation in which I was placed later on the + same day." + +[Footnote 1: Published by Messrs. Hutchinson & Co.] + +For once General Headquarters' arrangements for the 46th Division +miscarried. + +Sappers got the Riquerval Bridge fit for transport early in the +afternoon, and by 3.0 p.m. guns and other horse transport were passing +over it. Later in the evening, after the 32nd Division had got clear, +some of our Transport and cookers came up, and our hardworking +Quarter-Master-Sergts. brought us very welcome and much-needed +refreshment after a most strenuous day. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +RAMICOURT AND MONTBREHAIN + + _Sept. 30th, 1918._ _October 4th, 1918._ + + +September 30th was spent in dug-outs and trenches in the region of our +objective of the previous day, between Bellenglise and Lehaucourt. +Early that morning the 1st Division advanced and occupied Thorigny and +Talana Hill, South of the canal, thus securing our right flank, the +retreating enemy offering splendid targets for our Lewis guns. The +same day St. Quentin fell to the French. + +In the afternoon the 32nd Division moved forward to the attack, +supported by Cavalry, which it was hoped it would be possible to use +if the Infantry broke through the last remaining fragment of the +Hindenburg Line. This was known as the Beaurevoir-Fonsomme Line and +ran more or less North and South about midway between Joncourt and +Ramicourt. It consisted of a strong barbed wire entanglement and a +double line of shallow trenches about a foot deep, with concrete +machine gun emplacements every 50 yards. The whole was in a very +incomplete state, but at the same time constituted a strong line of +defence. Unfortunately the 32nd Division were unable to break this +line, which the enemy were holding in force. Similarly, the 1st +Division on the right were unable to make any further progress, and +the 2nd Australian Division met with no greater success on the left. +In consequence the Cavalry had to withdraw behind the canal. + +The arrival of the Cavalry a few days previously behind our lines had +presented one of the most picturesque scenes one could wish to see. +Two abreast they came in almost endless streams along the roads and +side-tracks and passed on to forward positions behind the canal, and +the sight was one never to be forgotten. Not less wonderful, perhaps, +was the unceasing flow of transport of every conceivable kind +backwards and forwards along the Vadencourt-Bellenglise Road. The +surface of the road was in excellent condition and in an incredibly +short period the Sappers, who were now having very strenuous times, +erected an Inglis bridge over the canal at Bellenglise, capable of +carrying lorries and guns of all calibres. The way all this work was +pushed on was little short of marvellous, and one could not help being +struck by the enormous amount of organisation it all entailed, and the +care with which every detail connected with the advance had been +arranged. + +The 139th Brigade were now temporarily attached to the 32nd Division, +whilst the 137th and 138th Brigades were concentrated near the canal. +We were supposed at this moment to be ready either for another battle +or for moving forward according to the ordinary rules of warfare, with +advanced guards and so on, if the enemy should give way. Preliminary +orders were indeed received that portions of the Brigade were to be +employed as Advanced Guard to the Corps, with their objective as Le +Cateau. + +With the object, therefore, of reorganising as far as possible, we +were withdrawn from our position near Lehaucourt on October 1st, and +moved about a mile North, to the trench system in "Springbok Valley," +just behind Magny la-Fosse. On the same day the Transport, +Quarter-Master's Stores and Battle Details which had previously moved +to a field near "Hart Copse," a few hundred yards North-West of the +Twin Craters, moved further forward and established themselves in +Chopper Ravine, near the canal. This was not a specially comfortable +spot, and the Quarter-Master's Department was constantly put out of +order by the arrival from time to time of odd shells from a German +long-range gun. Several of the riding horses, the cookers and some of +the ammunition and Lewis gun limbers were up with the Battalion, so +that the amount of transport left behind was not great. Both men and +horses were now having a most strenuous time, and we were lucky at +this juncture in getting back Capt. A. Bedford from a tour of duty at +home. He arrived on September 29th and was at once appointed Transport +Officer. We had been obliged to leave behind at Bernes large +quantities of stores, including packs and Lewis gun tin boxes, owing +to lack of transport, and it was a most trying business, when everyone +was wanting lorries, to get the extra transport necessary to bring +them along. To make matters worse the Hun was just now particularly +active with his aeroplanes, and with fine nights he made frequent +trips over our lines, dropping bombs. When the nights were very dark +he often used to let off brilliant white parachute lights, and as they +descended he was able to get some view of the roads and transport +lines and any movement there might be. Usually he flew extremely low, +and there is no doubt that he did considerable damage; especially as +there were such masses of troops and transport concentrated in a +particularly small area. We unfortunately lost several horses, but +casualties amongst personnel were insignificant. His best bombing +effort was on the evening of October 3rd. Having evidently seen a +large party of men near La Baraque cross-roads, the airman promptly +made for them and let loose two bombs, which fell right amongst them. +Between 40 and 50 were blown to bits, whilst nearly as many were badly +wounded, and the rest scared out of their wits. What the airman +doubtless did not know was that they were a party of Boche prisoners! +Only about six British soldiers were killed. It made a ghastly mess at +the cross-roads, which was a most uninviting spot to pass for days +afterwards. + +During the short time at our disposal we did the best we could to +reorganise our somewhat reduced forces. In spite of our losses at +Bellenglise we still had 46 Officers and 752 other ranks, so were +fairly well off. Second Lieut. Winter was put in command of B Company, +and Capt. Miners, who had just returned from leave, resumed command of +C. + +On October 2nd orders were received that we were to take part in +another big attack in conjunction with the 2nd Australian Division. +Our Divisional Commander only received his orders for this attack at +4.30 p.m. on that day, and the operation was to take place early the +next morning, so that there was very little time to get orders passed +to the lower commanders and the necessary arrangements made. The +orders were explained by the Brigade Commander to Battalion Commanders +at a conference at Brigade Headquarters at Magny-la-Fosse about 9 +p.m., and it was after 10 p.m. before Col. Dempster was able to give +his orders out to Companies. The general scheme was that the 139th +Brigade were to break through the Beaurevoir-Fonsomme Line and capture +the villages of Ramicourt and Montbrehain, whilst the 137th Brigade on +the right and the 2nd Australian Division on the left, were to attack +at the same time, and the 1st Division, on the right of the 137th +Brigade, were to capture Sequehart. + +The objective of the 5th and 8th Battalions was the "Red Line" running +North-West to South-East, just West of Montbrehain, the 5th Battalion +being on the right and the 8th on the left, whilst the 6th Battalion +was to pass through, capture Montbrehain and push out outposts as far +as the "dotted blue line." This was something like 4,000 yards from +our present Outpost Line. A Company of nine Tanks were to co-operate +with the Brigade, advancing immediately behind the first line. The +attack was to be launched at dawn and was to be carried out under an +artillery barrage which, after delaying six minutes on the opening +line, was to move at the rate of 100 yards in four minutes. The delay +was to enable the Infantry to adjust their distance behind the +barrage, which was to open a good deal further in front of them than +usual, owing to the fact that the Artillery had mostly to move into +fresh positions, and we could not, therefore, risk getting up close to +its assumed line, whilst allowance also had to be made for the +attacking troops not being exactly in their right position, owing to +the difficulty of forming up in the dark on an uncertain mark. + +Our jumping-off line ran from near Joncourt Cemetery to the Railway +Cutting. The Battalion frontage was approximately 1,000 yards and was +divided into two Company lengths. A (Thomas) on the right, and B +(Winter) on the left were to lead, with C (Miners) and D (White) in +support about 150 yards behind them. Second Lieut. Plant was sent as +Liaison Officer to the Australian Battalion on our left, 2nd Lieut. +Newton to Brigade Headquarters, and 2nd Lieut. Jacques to the 5th +Battalion. Some additional work was to be thrown on C and D Companies, +who were to follow up the 6th Battalion, mop up for them in +Montbrehain and then return to the "Red Line." There was no time for +reconnaissance. All we knew of the country was what we had gathered +from maps or our Intelligence Department. From personal observation we +knew nothing. Even the front held by the 32nd Division was not at all +certain. We did know, however, that the enemy were holding the +Beaurevoir-Fonsomme Line in force and that the country was of a fairly +open type, sloping gently down to Ramicourt in the valley and up again +beyond to Montbrehain, which would probably be a difficult problem to +tackle. + +It was in these circumstances that we set out shortly before midnight +in the pitch darkness from Springbok Valley. Guides from the 32nd +Division met us at the entrance to Joncourt and conducted us to the +forming-up line, A and B Companies throwing out a screen of scouts in +front as a precaution before we formed up. Though this was a most +precarious proceeding it was carried out successfully, and by 5.30 +a.m. on October 3rd, all troops were in their assembly positions, +leading Companies extended in two lines and support Companies in lines +of "section-blobs." During this operation the enemy did a certain +amount of shelling, but not enough to cause us any great trouble. +There was some fog at first, and this in the early stages of the +battle, combined with smoke from a screen put down by the Artillery to +hide the Tanks, made direction somewhat difficult. Later on it cleared +and the day became quite bright and fine. + +There was not such a concentration of guns as we had had on September +29th, nor had we anything like so many heavies, though there was a +certain number of them firing on a few special targets, such as +villages and other points behind the lines. The Guards Machine Gun +Battalion again helped with the preliminary barrage, which opened +promptly at 6.5 a.m., just as it was beginning to get light. We +adjusted our position to the line of bursting shells and followed on +as soon as the guns lifted. The rate of progress, 100 yards in four +minutes, was throughout found to be too slow in this more open +fighting, and we were constantly either waiting for the barrage to +move on or running into it--not at all a pleasant proceeding. + +It was not long before we began to encounter, in addition to the +enemy's counter-barrage, opposition of a serious nature from his +Infantry. The inevitable delay since we crossed the canal on September +29th had given the enemy time to bring up large reserves, and on this +occasion the 46th Division had opposed to it four Boche Divisions--two +tired and two fresh. Doubtless the enemy realised that every effort +must be made to retain this, his last organised defence on this part +of the front, and certainly the men holding the line we had to attack +put up a most strenuous fight, and in hundreds of cases died bravely, +fighting to the last. + +The Beaurevoir-Fonsomme Line was strongly held. In addition to many +machine guns in the line itself, there were also machine gun sections +in rifle-pits immediately behind it. Unfortunately the barrage put +down by our guns was somewhat thin. There had been no previous +bombardment, and as a result we found that the defences of this line +were practically intact. No machine gun emplacements had been touched +and not a single gap made in the wire, which was very strong, and we +had to manipulate it as best we could. + +A good deal of resistance in the early part of the fight was met with +from the neighbourhood of Wiancourt on the left, and the high ground +South-East of Swiss Cottage, and it was found that the Australians had +not been able to make much progress and were practically held up. This +being the case it was realised that the village of Wiancourt, which +should have been taken by them, would be a serious menace to our left +flank, and it was, therefore, decided that we should go out of our way +and take it in the general advance. Two Platoons of A Company, with +portions of B and D (Companies having got somewhat mixed owing to loss +of direction), penetrated into the village and opened heavy Lewis gun +and rifle fire on its defenders, who offered a stubborn resistance, +mainly from machine gun posts. Eventually some of them were seen to +run back, and our line immediately rushed forward with the bayonet +and killed or captured the whole of the garrison. Several were killed +whilst still holding the handles of their machine guns. Comp. +Sergt.-Major Attenborough, of A Company, here performed several +gallant feats in leading rushes against machine gun groups, and later +did most valuable work in trying to establish liaison with the +Australians, who unfortunately, even after the capture of Wiancourt, +were unable to advance so as to help us. + +Meanwhile the right was not making much headway, and C Company, from +support, had become one with the attacking Company. The advance here +being held up by machine gun fire, L.-Corpl. Vann with much gallantry +crawled forward and managed to knock out the gun team which was +causing most of the trouble. A trench something like 100 yards long, +crowded with the enemy, was thus taken in the flank, and those who did +not surrender were killed in trying to escape. They had, however, +caused us many casualties, including 2nd Lieut. Dunkin and Sergt. Hurt +killed, besides many wounded. One of the most gallant N.C.O.'s in the +Battalion, Sergt. Hurt had already won the D.C.M. and M.M., and his +death was a very great loss. + +Similar actions had been taking place in other parts of the line. +Again and again nests of machine guns were rushed at the point of the +bayonet, which weapon undoubtedly did more deadly work on this +occasion than on any other in our experience. Where they could not be +taken by frontal attack, parties worked round their flanks and rushed +them from the rear. The intensity of the fighting can be imagined from +the fact that after the battle nearly 200 dead Germans were found +along this line of trenches on the front of the 139th Brigade alone. + +The main Fonsomme Line was now ours, though won at heavy cost. +Direction had improved, though we were all too far to the left and +much disorganised. We had to make the best of it and try to straighten +out as we pushed on into the valley towards Ramicourt. Here we were +met with fire from Boche guns firing from behind Montbrehain with open +sights, causing many casualties. The position was as exposed as it +could be, the only shelter being provided by one or two sunken roads. +At the same time four or five of the Tanks, which for some reason had +got behind at the start, had now come up and did much useful work in +the outskirts of Ramicourt, though the same Boche guns brought most +effective fire to bear on them, one of them getting five direct hits. +On the left, B Company, who under Winter's excellent leadership, had +done much fighting, now mixed up with A and reinforced by D, were also +suffering heavily from the enemy artillery fire, and advanced by +section rushes covered by Lewis gun fire. It was here that 2nd Lieut. +T. F. Mitchell, commanding a Platoon of D Company, which he led with +supreme gallantry, caring nothing for his own safety, was mortally +wounded, dying the next day. + +Ramicourt was eventually reached by oddments of A, C and D Companies, +the remainder of the Battalion having got too far left, and passing +through its Northern outskirts. There were several machine guns in the +village, and snipers were active from the windows of the houses. These +were all successfully mopped up with the help of the 6th Battalion, +who pushed up a Company and their Battalion Headquarters, as there +were so few troops at this point, the 5th Battalion having edged off +through the Southern outskirts of the village. Jack White was seen in +the village, wandering round quite unconcerned, revolver in holster--a +small cane which he carried being apparently his most trusty weapon. + +Having completed the capture of the village, which yielded a total of +something like 400 prisoners, the remnants of the troops there were +gathered together and the advance continued. A machine gun nest at +Ramicourt Station having been rushed with the aid of a Tank, we pushed +on to our objective, which, except on the extreme left, we reached +practically up to scheduled time, 10.30 a.m., most of the troops being +disposed in sunken roads on the West of Montbrehain. It had not been a +good day for the Tanks, which in the end were all knocked out, though +the last one working with the 5th Battalion on the right had a good +run and knocked out no fewer than 16 machine guns before being put out +of action. + +As soon as the barrage lifted from the "Red Line," the 6th Battalion +began to push on. They had met with an appalling disaster soon after +crossing the Beaurevoir-Fonsomme Line, where Col. Vann, once more +gallantly leading his Battalion and in the forefront of the battle, +was killed, shot through the head. The 5th Battalion too, lost Col. A. +Hacking, who was wounded in the arm. Thus two old Officers of the 8th +were put out of action almost at the same moment, both leading +Battalions in our own Brigade. Alfred Hacking had done invaluable work +during the few months he had commanded the 5th Battalion, and for his +excellent leadership and gallantry during the fighting of September +29th and October 3rd was awarded the D.S.O. and Bar. Bernard Vann, +affectionately known to some of his earlier friends as "Vasi," was +described on one occasion by General Allenby, as the most fearless +Officer he had ever met, whilst a brother Officer writes of him: "I +can think of him only as a fighter, not merely against the enemy in +the field, but a fighter against everything and everybody that was not +an influence for good to his men. It was his extraordinary courage and +tenacity which will be remembered by all who knew him: he inspired +all by his wonderful example of courage and energy." Wounded at least +eight times, and awarded the M.C. and Bar, and the French Croix de +Guerre with Palm, it was fitting that his constant gallantry and +magnificent example should be further recognised--alas! after his +death--by the award of the Victoria Cross. + +On continuing the advance the 6th Battalion edged towards the South, +going through the centre and right of Montbrehain, and leaving the +Northern portion alone. This left us considerably exposed, and an +enemy machine gun firing from a position at the cross-roads on our +left front, was doing much damage. White, Thomas and Miners held a +hasty conference and decided to rush it, and the two former with a +reconnoitring party went into the village to see if it could be +outflanked from the region of the cemetery. At this moment a little +"Joey" came in with "hands up," and it was decided to try a ruse. It +was suggested to him that he should go and tell his friends to +surrender, and after a little persuasion he went. The Machine gun +stopped firing and he approached the post and disappeared into the +ground, thus telling us what we wanted to know--the way in. Action was +taken at once to deal with it. Second Lieut. Harrap, who had already +done much valuable work, got together some Lewis guns and opened +frontal fire on the position, whilst Miners and Sergt. Stimson worked +round the flank from the village side and by a careful manoeuvre +rushed on to the post the instant Harrap's guns stopped firing. Much +to their surprise the post was found to be a quarry containing +something like ten or a dozen machine guns and 60 or 70 men! A few +bombs and revolver shots and the white flag went up. Harrap, who had +rushed his men forward across the intervening 200 yards, was also at +hand, and the capture of the post was complete. Second Lieut. Barker's +Platoon (A Company) also assisted with rifle and Lewis gun fire, +Barker himself being wounded. + +Out of the medley of troops which collected there--of all Battalions +in the Brigade--some attempt was then made to organise a Company, and +posts were pushed further forward. The rest of the village after a +hard struggle fell into the hands of the 6th Battalion about the +scheduled time, 11.30 a.m. Loud explosions, heard soon after the +village was entered, were caused by the blowing up by the Boche of two +houses in the main street near the Church. Attempts were made to push +out Platoons to the "line of exploitation," beyond the village, but +this was found to be impossible owing to heavy machine gun fire. + +Both in Ramicourt and Montbrehain we found French civilians, whose +pleasure at being at last released from the Hun terror knew no bounds. +About 70 all told had remained behind, refusing to be evacuated by the +Boche. They gave us a great welcome and in spite of shells and +bullets, brought out coffee to our men as they passed by. Later, under +the guidance of the Brigade Interpreter, M. Duflos, they were taken +back to safer regions. + +It soon became evident that further trouble was in store for us owing +to the fact that our left flank was again in the air. The Australians +were not up with us and we were very uncertain of their whereabouts, +though apparently not altogether out of touch with them, for one of +their Officers, who was met in hospital later in the day, reported +having received from someone in our Battalion the laconic message: "We +are at ----. Where is the Australian Corps?" The enemy were still +holding in force a position at no great distance from our left flank, +and indeed, at one time were reported to be massing for a +counter-attack which, however, did not mature. But on the right of the +Brigade the situation was far worse. There the 137th Brigade, after +making some progress, had eventually to give ground, and their left +was now considerably behind our right. We were thus in a most awkward +salient with both flanks exposed. It was, therefore, not surprising to +find soon after noon very evident signs of a real counter-attack being +prepared against the Brigade exposed right flank, and when a little +later this attack was launched, the enemy managed to get round the +South-East of Montbrehain and into that corner of the village in some +strength, and it was decided to withdraw from it. This was +successfully carried out under great difficulties, and eventually the +Brigade took up a line just East of Ramicourt, the 8th Battalion +occupying the railway and sunken road North-East of that village. The +enemy soon reoccupied the whole of Montbrehain, but was unable to +advance further. + +We were now very short of ammunition as no supplies had been sent +forward. This was mainly due to the fact that we had depended on a +"Supply Tank," which did not fetch up quite where we expected. +Fortunately no ill results accrued, but it taught the lesson that the +supply of ammunition to advanced troops in moving warfare requires +very careful prearrangement. + +Company Commanders again conferred and decided to alter their +dispositions, and with a view to protecting our left flank, B and C +Companies moved across to bridge the gap there, leaving A and D +Companies in the railway cutting. In these positions we were left for +the rest of the day more or less in peace. + +In spite of a slight set-back it had been a glorious day for the 8th +Battalion. There was really no comparison between this battle and that +of September 29th. The attack on September 29th was undoubtedly more +spectacular, but in our humble judgment, having regard to the +extremely short notice received, the strength of the enemy and the +many difficulties encountered, the breaking of the Fonsomme Line on +October 3rd may truly be counted as one of the most gallant exploits +of the whole war. + +Where one and all did so well and so many gallant deeds were performed +it is difficult to single out any for special praise, but it is +desired to note specially the good work of the following in addition +to those already mentioned: Sergt. H. Wilson, L.-Sergt. Wicks, Corpl. +Clark, L.-Corpl. Creamer, and Pvtes. Draper, Crowe, Slater, Wesley, +Starr, Baxter, Jackson, and Martin. The day, however, had cost us +much. Our casualties were one Officer and 20 other ranks (including +Sergt. Gurdens) killed, and three Officers (2nd Lieuts. T. F. +Mitchell, who died the next day, Barker, and F. T. W. Saunders), and +86 other ranks wounded. + +Captain Homan had his Regimental Aid Post with Battalion Headquarters +in a dug-out in the sunken road near our jumping-off line. Here he and +Padre Sturt worked for something like 24 hours on end, attending to +the wounded, though both badly gassed, whilst a willing band of +Stretcher Bearers again performed a prodigious amount of work under +most trying circumstances. Particular praise is due to Corpls. +Wrigglesworth and J. Wright, and to Pvtes. L. Thomas and F. Green, the +latter of whom was awarded a bar and the former a second bar to his +M.M., for gallant work on this occasion. + +It was impossible to estimate the actual number of prisoners captured +by us, as there was one "pool" for the whole Brigade, but undoubtedly +we had a very large share of the total, which was 36 Officers and +nearly 1,500 other ranks; in addition to which large numbers were left +on the ground dead. Of machine guns too, we captured a very large +number, but owing to the impossibility of collecting them, little idea +of the total could be formed. + +[Illustration: MAP TO ILLUSTRATE--BATTLE OF RAMICOURT OCT: 3rd 1918. + +Red, Blue & Dotted Blue Lines represent various objectives.] + +During much of the day Horse Artillery and numbers of light +rapid-moving Tanks, known as "Whippets," had been waiting in the +valleys behind Joncourt, ready to push on once the line was broken, +and endeavour to make a clean break through. Unfortunately their +services could not be used, and once more they had to withdraw. + +Late at night we got news that we were being relieved by the 4th +Leicesters. They turned up alright to take over from B and C +Companies, but owing to some error failed to relieve A and D, who were +left holding the line, with little ammunition and no rations, and were +not relieved until the afternoon of October 4th, when they made their +way back to the valley just in front of Magny-la-Fosse and joined the +rest of the Battalion in tents and bivouacs put up by "Tony" Bradish +and Hallam, with the help of the Battle Details. "Bedder" too, was +there, with Regt.-Quarter-Master-Sergt. Pritchard (who during these +strenuous times had to carry on without a Quarter-Master), and the +four Quarter-Master-Sergeants, all of whom did their utmost to make +everyone comfortable. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE LAST FIGHT + + _October 4th, 1918._ _November 11th, 1918._ + + +Such impromptu cleaning up as was possible, was carried out during +what remained of October 4th, and we felt much better. We also carried +out a certain amount of reorganisation of Companies, which were now +thinning rather more rapidly than we cared for, but the opportune +arrival of 85 reinforcements at this moment, helped us considerably. +The enemy caused a certain amount of annoyance, and a few casualties, +by every now and then firing in our direction with a high-velocity +gun, and at night dropped a few bombs uncomfortably near, so that it +was not quite as peaceful as we should have liked. + +The next morning we were rather disturbed at hearing that there was +more work to be done. The 32nd Division on our right had suffered +heavy casualties in trying to get hold of Sequehart, and the 139th +Brigade was now detailed to relieve some of their exhausted troops. At +this moment our Brigade was attached to the 6th Division. Rapid +reconnaissance was made during the day, and at night we relieved the +97th Brigade. So heavy had their casualties been that our three +Companies for the front line and support each relieved a Battalion. +These were Dorsets, Highland Light Infantry and Royal Scots. + +The line taken over ran through the village of Sequehart, and was the +extreme right of the British front, next to the French. C Company were +on the right, D on the left, astride the cross roads, with B in +support and A in reserve. C Company had the unusual privilege of +forming an "International Post" with the French, and Corpl. Simpson, +who spoke the language, was put in charge of our part of the garrison. +We cannot say that after our visits to the French Headquarters, we +felt we quite knew where their front line was, but possibly it was our +fault. When they suggested "we are here," we certainly thought they +were somewhere else, but we managed very well, and materially assisted +them in an attack on the 7th, by conforming to their movements and +giving them flank support, and their Commanding Officer expressed his +grateful thanks for our help. + +We have before spoken of "Bloody Ypres." The Officer Commanding D +Company is reported to have applied the superlative of the same +expressive word to this sector, but then he had cause for doing so, +for during the two days the Battalion held it, his Company +Headquarters got five direct hits. Perhaps under such circumstances, +he was slightly embittered! During the time we were there, the enemy +hardly ceased to shell the village--not desultory shelling, but +veritable barrages from end to end. It had already changed hands three +times, and we wondered if they were going to try and turn us out! +Signs of fierce struggles were on every hand. In the streets and all +around lay bodies still unburied, both of our own and the enemy's. It +was a ghastly place to be in. Signallers and linesmen had a +particularly rough time, and lines were down almost continuously. + +October 6th, was a particularly bad day, as we lost Col. Dempster and +the Second-in-Command (Capt. C. P. Elliott), both wounded. They had +gone to see how things were going on in the forward area, and on +returning to Headquarters, which was in a dug-out behind Levergies, +they were unfortunate enough to be in the neighbourhood of a dump of +shells by the roadside at the same moment as a Hun gunner dropped a +shell right on the dump. The result was that both these Officers began +to soar skywards, as if off for their "harp and wings divine," but +eventually found themselves on mother earth once more, the Commanding +Officer badly shaken and cut about the face, the strap of his tin hat +broken by the force of the explosion, and Pynsent Elliott finding that +for some little time he would have to take his meals off the +mantelpiece! The Commanding Officer was anxious to be allowed to +remain with us, but eventually was persuaded otherwise, and they both +left for the Dressing Station, and Major V. O. Robinson, M.C., of the +6th Battalion, was sent to take over temporary command. + +The following night we were relieved by the Monmouths, who had orders +to clear out the Boche from some machine gun nests on the +Sequehart-Mericourt Road the next morning, in conjunction with an +attack by the 6th Division on the left, and French on the right. +Relief was complete about midnight, and we marched back to Lehaucourt, +where we spent the following day. On October 9th, Col. Dempster +returned, though not looking at all well. Major Robinson remained with +us as Second-in-Command, as Major Andrews had left a few days +previously, to attend the Senior Officers' Course at Aldershot. A day +or two later Capt. Miners was appointed Adjutant, and was succeeded in +command of C Company by 2nd Lieut. Druce. + +Things were now moving rapidly. Although the gallant attack by the +Monmouths had been repulsed with heavy casualties, their action had +enabled the 6th Division to get on, and eventually surround the enemy +and capture the lot. The enemy then withdrew more quickly, closely +followed by the 138th Brigade, who led the pursuit. On October 9th, we +moved to Levergies, and the next day to Mericourt, where we went into +bivouacs. This village was just on the West of Fresnoy-le-Grand, +which was entered by the 138th Brigade the same morning. + +We now took a little more interest in life. Everyone was feeling +better for the rest, and found the rapid movement quite entertaining, +especially as we were now approaching civilisation again. Fresnoy was +the first town of any size that we reached; though showing distinct +signs of shelling here and there, it was not badly damaged. It was +interesting to see the Boche "War Savings Campaign" posters, and +probably the most interesting specimen, painted all over the gable end +of a house, represented "John Bull" on his Island, tearing his hair in +a perfect frenzy, with "U" Boats all around him! Here, too, there were +many inhabitants, who were of course delighted to see us. Much of the +land was under cultivation, and we had really come to the end of that +desolate region which was so distasteful to us all. + +On October 12th, we moved a further step forward, and that afternoon +reached Jonnecourt Farm, between Fresnoy and Bohain. Just before +leaving we had all welcomed back Col. Currin, more or less recovered +from his wound, and with his arrival Col. Dempster left us. Jonnecourt +Farm was somewhat damaged, and said to be mined, so we put up our +bivouacs and tents in the open just by it. The farm had been captured +only a few days before by our Cavalry, and we had the uncongenial task +of burying the bodies of those who had been killed in the attack. We +now had a few days peace, and were able to refit, bath at the old +German baths in Fresnoy, which were excellently fitted up, and +reorganise our diminished forces. A pleasing little ceremony was +performed here, when the "Congratulatory Cards" from the Divisional +Commander for the N.C.O.'s and men, who had been recommended for good +work during the recent fighting, were presented to them by the +Commanding Officer at a Battalion Parade, ending up with the +Battalion marching past the recipients whilst the band played the +Regimental March. + +We were not left here for long, there being more "dirty work" to be +done yet. The 138th Brigade had been joined by the 137th Brigade, and +together they were now held up about the Bois-de-Riquerval, East of +Bohain, where some tough fighting had been going on, the enemy +rear-guard making a stout defence, so as to give his main body time to +get away. With the object, therefore, of clearing the whole of this +front and pushing the enemy back to the Sambre-Oise Canal, a general +attack was arranged to take place on October 17th, by the IX Corps in +conjunction with the French on the right, and the Americans on the +left, the 46th Division being ordered to clear the enemy from the +Bois-de-Riquerval and the Andigny-les-Fermes Ridge. + +On October 16th, we received orders for the attack, which was to take +place early the following morning. The 138th Brigade were to attack on +the left of the 139th Brigade whilst the 137th Brigade were to hold +their present line on the right. The attack of the 139th Brigade was +to be on a one Battalion front, and we were selected to carry out the +attack, with two Companies of the 5th Battalion in close support, the +remainder of the Brigade being in reserve. The objective (The "Blue +Line") was the line of the Andigny-les-Fermes-Bohain Road, the +consolidation of which was to include two strong points, one being the +hamlet of Regnicourt. Royal Engineers were allotted to us to help in +the consolidation, and posts were to be pushed forward South of this +road. The two Companies of the 5th Battalion had two tasks allotted. +One was to move through our right Company, after the objective had +been captured, occupy a small length of trench there, and seize a +small wood, so as to protect our right from possible counter-attack +from Hennechies Wood. The other was to follow our centre Company, mop +up any enemy left in the elements of trenches in that Company's area, +and help to mop up Regnicourt itself. + +Tanks were to assist in the operation, one moving down our right +boundary, and helping to mop up the trenches on the extreme right, and +two others working along the high ground on the left, and assisting if +required in the capture of Regnicourt, proceeding thence to help the +138th Brigade at Andigny-les-Fermes. + +A glance at the map will show that the attack was at right angles to +the general line of our advance, which was North East. It was +therefore impossible for our guns to fire the normal barrage, and the +attack had to be carried out under an enfilade barrage, working +forward on the leap-frog principle. This was difficult to lay +correctly, and the greatest care had to be taken that troops forming +up were well clear of it. After three minutes on the opening line it +was to advance at the rate of 100 yards every three minutes. One round +of smoke shell was to be fired at each lift, which obviously would not +be so easy to identify as in the case of an overhead barrage. A smoke +curtain was also to be fired on the Northern edge of the Forêt +d'Andigny. The Life Guards Machine Gun Battalion were to help with +their barrage, also a Company of the 6th Machine Gun Battalion. Three +sections of our own Machine Gun Battalion were allotted to us, to be +used mainly in defence against possible counter-attacks, and a section +from the 139th Trench Mortar Battery, to assist in the capture of +Regnicourt. + +In order to help matters on our front a "Chinese" or "Dummy" attack +was arranged to take place on the front of the 137th Brigade on the +right. Dummy Tanks and figures were to be placed in position +during the night, so as to appear at dawn as if attacking the +Bois-de-Riquerval from the West, whilst a rolling barrage was +arranged to move through the wood in order to give a further idea of +an attack being in progress there, and, it was hoped, bring down some +of the enemy's barrage in that quarter. + +During the afternoon of October 16th, a reconnaissance was made by the +Commanding Officer, Second-in-Command, and Company Commanders. During +this operation, which was interrupted by a fierce bombardment of our +lines, an old lady could be seen quietly moving her household effects +on a wheelbarrow down that portion of the Vaux-Andigny Road running +between our lines and the enemy's. + +Leaving our surplus stores, bivouacs and other paraphernalia at +Jonnecourt Farm, we moved off about 10.30 p.m., Col. Currin having +previously harangued us in no uncertain way, and in a manner truly +characteristic. On reaching the outskirts of Bohain, we turned off to +the right and proceeded by a track previously taped out by the Royal +Engineers, so as to relieve the roads of traffic, and avoid going +through the town. On reaching the quarry East of Bohain, just off the +Bohain-Vaux-Andigny Road, we halted, and had an excellent issue of hot +porridge, tea and rum--our cookers having gone up to that point +beforehand. Pack mules and limbers with ammunition and other stores, +were a little further behind, but near enough to be got forward +quickly if required during the battle. On this occasion the ammunition +supply was well arranged, thanks to the good work of "Bedder" and +"Tommy" Tomlinson, who got pack mules forward in the attack with Lewis +gun "drums" just at the right moment, to the accompaniment of some +very expressive language on the part of the Transport men. + +We moved on again between 2 and 3 a.m., and without difficulty reached +and formed up on our jumping-off line, which had been previously +taped out by the Brigade Major, Capt. Grinling, about 70 yards South +of the Bohain-Vaux-Andigny Road. We had three Companies in the front +line, A (Toyne, in the absence of Thomas on leave) on the right; B +(Geary) in the centre; and C (Druce) on the left; whilst D (Warner), +in support behind C Company, was in the vicinity of Vallée Hasard +Farm. Battalion Headquarters and the Regimental Aid Post were at a +house near the road. A and B Companies each had attached half a +section of Royal Engineers from the 465th Field Company. Two Companies +of the 5th Battalion were in rear, and the rest of that Battalion were +more or less dug in under the woods on our right. The 6th Battalion +were in reserve North-West of the road. All troops were in position by +3.45 a.m. on October 17th. Our actual forming up line was in the area +of the 6th Division, who had been holding the front we were attacking; +they withdrew from this line some time before "zero" so as to give us +a free course. + +The frontage allotted to us was about 1,200 yards, each of the leading +Companies thus having approximately 400 yards. This was a long space +to cover, especially now that our numbers were so diminished that we +had been forced to reduce platoons to three sections instead of four. +Each of the leading Companies had three platoons in the front line, +with sections in blobs, and one platoon in support, whilst D Company +was formed in a rectangle with a platoon at each corner, and Company +Headquarters in the centre, the three sections of each platoon being +arranged in a kind of arrowhead. + +Zero was 5.20 a.m. The barrage came down punctually, and we started +forward to our last attack. There was a certain amount of mist which +developed into a dense fog, and was doubtless intensified by our own +smoke shells. A troop of our Cavalry in the vicinity of the +Vaux-Andigny road put their gas masks on, and were last seen moving +along the road in that "get-up." + +It is pretty safe to say that everyone was lost almost immediately, +and as a consequence we wandered out of our course, a fact which was +destined to give us much trouble. It was also impossible to judge the +lifts of the barrage, so that there was great confusion, and things +for a long while did not go at all well. On this occasion, too, +compasses do not appear to have proved of great avail. C Company on +the left kept going for some time alright, and got possession of some +high ground after overcoming, under the excellent leadership of 2nd +Lieut. Druce, some opposition from machine gun nests, though some of +these were missed owing to the fog. Then they wandered off in an +Easterly direction and got on to the 138th Brigade area on our left, +and later, when the fog cleared, they found themselves nearly at +Andigny-les-Fermes. B Company in the centre went on until they were +held up by unbroken wire, and heavy machine gun fire from the +Regnicourt Ridge, and from a clearing in the centre of the Battalion +area. Their Commander, Capt. Geary, was killed by machine gun fire +after leading his men with the greatest bravery. On many previous +occasions he had done excellent work, and his loss was most keenly +felt. A Company on the right soon lost touch with B, but got on until +they reached a position near the railway track, in spite of having had +a very nasty time and many casualties from the machine guns in the +same clearing. + +D Company lost touch with everyone at first, and got completely split +up. Company Headquarters were lucky enough to run into a Boche machine +gun post, which they cleared with much skill, capturing 11 men, and +putting the two guns out of action. Then they decided to try and find +Battalion Headquarters, as they concluded they must have got too far +forward. By a somewhat circuitous route they eventually succeeded in +doing so, and found that Col. Currin had also had difficulty in +getting to his advanced Headquarters, which was no more than a "Map +Reference." Of the rest of D Company, three platoons got across to the +right of our front and did good work there, particularly 2nd Lieut. +Newton and his platoon, who were of great assistance to A Company. A +great feat was performed by some members of the other platoon of D +Company, who had kept their direction on the left towards Regnicourt. +Having run up against a couple of machine guns, Sergt. Robinson and +L.-Corpl. Harper went forward to reconnoitre the position, and finding +it strongly held, went back for the rest of the platoon. With a +combination of "fire and movement" they succeeded in getting round the +flank of the post and rushing it. L.-Corpl. Harper, who stood up when +only a few yards from the post in order to be able to aim more +accurately, was shot through the head, and L.-Corpl. Coombes at once +rushed forward, shot six Germans with his revolver, and finished off +the last man who was trying to run away with his Lewis gun. + +When news of all these happenings duly reached him by runners, +stragglers and other means. Col. Currin collected all the oddments who +had wandered to his Headquarters, and sent them forward under Major +Robinson to push the enemy out of the clearing between B and C +Companies. The fog had to a certain extent cleared by this time, but +it was still not easy to keep direction. Very soon, however, it lifted +altogether, and the party found itself on the Western edge of the +clearing and fired at by the enemy both from the clearing and from the +ridge towards their right front, from which the enemy were also +firing into the rear of B Company, who had gone past them. + +The party now advanced by bounds, and was throughout most gallantly +led by Major Robinson, who went out absolutely unarmed, but later +managed to get a Boche pistol lent him, which he very soon lost. +Knowing him as we do we are not surprised that such a small matter did +not worry him in the least! Eventually they got possession of a trench +on the ridge, which afforded them a certain amount of cover. The +garrison of this trench, about 10 men with a machine gun, were very +fortunate in receiving quarter, as they fired on our advancing line up +to the last minute, and then threw up their hands. Most of the trouble +now came from machine guns about half right, and it was determined to +round them up. At this point Sergt. Winson, of C Company, did most +excellent work. Regardless of all risk he kept his Lewis gun trained +on the enemy, whilst a party worked round their right flank, first by +crawling over to a small clearing, and then rushing the post from +there. This manoeuvre was entirely successful, six machine guns, and +about 40 prisoners being captured. + +At the same time that part of C Company, which had wandered away to +the left, turned back and moved towards the high ground East of +Regnicourt. The enemy in the clearing now realised that they were more +or less surrounded, and after little more resistance surrendered, 27 +machine guns and 140 prisoners being taken from this small area. A +Company of the 5th Battalion under our old Regimental Quarter-Master +Sergt., now Capt. Dench, arrived shortly afterwards and took up a +position in the clearing as a reserve. + +A Company on the right had fared very badly, having met with heavy +machine gun and rifle fire and suffered many casualties, including +their commander. Lieut. Toyne, who was wounded, and 2nd Lieut. +Jacques, killed, leaving the Company under the command of 2nd Lieut. +Shackleton. Eventually, owing to their exposed position they had to +retire slightly, but later were reinforced by two Companies from the +5th Battalion, and together they were able, after some very stiff +fighting, to dislodge the enemy and get their objective. Lieut. Thomas +of the 465th Field Company, Royal Engineers, did some very gallant +work here in reorganising parties and leading them forward in attempts +to get on, and the greatest praise is due to him for his splendid +efforts. + +Major Robinson's party, after getting the Ridge, pushed on to +Regnicourt Village, where they found some of the Leicesters, who had +wandered on to our front. Just beyond, one of our Tanks had broken +down, and had a very rough time before its crew could be rescued. It +was now about 10.15 a.m. Capt. Warner was put in charge of the front +line with orders to consolidate, and he accordingly reorganised the +odd parties of men he found under his command, and began to establish +strong points South of the Andigny-les-Fermes-Bohain Road. Some +trouble was caused at this time by a German field gun inside +Hennechies Wood, which was firing on these parties at point blank +range. Once its position was located, however, it was not long before +our Gunners forced it to withdraw, and the posts were eventually +established. + +About 11 a.m. the enemy were seen massing for a counter-attack about +1,500 yards away on our right front, but we got the guns of the whole +"group" turned on to the area in a very short time, and the Boches +were completely broken, only a half-hearted attempt being made, and +only one man reaching our lines. + +By noon the enemy in the Forêt d'Andigny must have begun to feel that +with the 138th Brigade--who had now captured the village of +Andigny-les-Fermes--on their right flank, and the 137th Brigade and +ourselves on their left, it was time they were moving, for a patrol +which we pushed out towards the wood found it occupied only by a few +odd machine guns. Major Robinson himself took charge of this patrol, +which consisted of a platoon of B Company, under Comp. Sergt.-Major +Cobb. On one or two occasions, owing to their small numbers they had +to creep round to avoid these machine guns, but they escaped without +accident, and after proceeding a distance of something like 2,000 +yards in a South-Eastern direction, they eventually found a French +post about 100 yards South of "Forester's House." The "poilus" were +delighted to see them, and shewed their appreciation by giving our men +the whole of the contents of their water bottles. + +About 5 p.m., Companies having been to some extent reorganised, an +outpost line was formed running due North and South from Hennechies +Wood, East of Regnicourt, and joining up on the left with the 138th +Brigade. Later on, the 137th Brigade moved up a Battalion through the +wood to fill the gap between our right flank and the French. + +[Illustration: MAP TO ILLUSTRATE THE BATTLE OF REGNICOURT.] + +During the attack we captured something like 220 prisoners, and nearly +100 machine guns, besides inflicting many other casualties. Our own +losses, too, were heavy--the heaviest in Officers that we had +experienced in the recent fighting. Besides Geary, we lost 2nd Lieuts. +Plant and Jacques killed, and Lieuts. Toyne and Whitelegge, and 2nd +Lieut. John H. Smith wounded, whilst in other ranks we lost 25 killed +or died of wounds, and 54 wounded, including Sergts. Oldham, Sharrock +and Wicks. Deeds of gallantry were conspicuous on all sides, and +especially good work was done by several N.C.O.'s in charge of +platoons. Amongst the following, who did particularly well and have +not already been mentioned in connection with the Battle of +Regnicourt, are several who had previously displayed conspicuous +courage in other recent battles: Sergts. Shepperson, Sharrock, Wallis, +Scrimshaw, and H. Wilson; Corpls. Watson and Francis; L.-Corpls. +Slater, Creamer (killed), Robinson and Beech, and Pvtes. Wesley, +Houghton, Martin, Draper, Jackson, Berresford, C. Smith, Vipond, Lees, +Turpin and Roe. + +In a way it was an unsatisfactory day, and we feel we have hardly had +our deserts for the gallant work done by all ranks against an enemy +holding in much greater strength much more strongly fortified +positions than had been anticipated. The fighting was extremely hard, +if anything harder than at Ramicourt, and the greatest possible credit +is due to all for the gallant way they fought, and the great dash and +determination they displayed to get their objective. Regnicourt is apt +to be looked on as a small matter, but for the 8th Battalion it was +one of the most strenuously fought battles of the war. + +About midnight, we were relieved by the 6th Battalion, and rested for +the night just behind Regnicourt. The following day, as the Brigade +had been squeezed out of the line altogether by the further retirement +of the enemy, we were able to withdraw, and in the evening marched +back to Fresnoy. We were met on the road by our Drums, under the +leadership of Corpl. (shortly to become Sergt.-Drummer) Coupe, who had +got them to a wonderful state of perfection. They cheered everyone up, +and considerably helped the last part of the march. We were glad to +see General Harington waiting for us just before reaching the village, +and his brief "Well done, Sherwoods" as we passed, was the fullest +appreciation of our efforts that we could wish for. + +We now had several days complete rest, and were fortunate in getting, +almost at once, a draft of 120 reinforcements, mostly men of the +Northumberland Hussars, who had not previously seen service abroad. +They were a good lot, and with their addition we felt more like +ourselves once more; in fact our paper strength now totalled 34 +Officers, and 745 other ranks. We had quite a pleasant time doing a +little training, as well as reorganising and cleaning, and devoting +the afternoons to football. + +The fighting moving further off each day, we had to move forward on +October 29th to Bohain. This was carried out as a Brigade march, and +we entered Bohain with bands playing, and the civilian population in +the streets to welcome us. The town had been knocked about very +little, and the billets were extremely comfortable. Our training here +included a route march across the scene of our recent fighting, in +order to imbue the newly arrived with a sense of the honour they +should realise had been done them in posting them to such a fine +Battalion! + +A great drawback to our advance all this time was the business-like +way in which the Boche had mined the roads and blown up railways. +Every railway and river bridge had been systematically blown up, and +mines had been put at every cross roads, and usually in the deep +cuttings and high embankments, so as to give the maximum of trouble in +filling and getting past. In many cases, these mines had actually been +blown and all we found were huge craters. In a few cases delay-action +mines had been laid, which did not explode for some little time. All +this gave our Sappers much work to do in reconnoitring road crossings, +and other points for signs of mining where they were not blown, or in +arranging for temporary roadways to be constructed, or craters to be +filled in where they had been exploded. But on a larger scale the +enemy's very clever system of working his delay-action mines on the +railways, was the biggest nuisance we had to contend with. The +railway having been repaired well forward, a mine would suddenly go up +miles behind, thus preventing trains getting on to the appointed +railhead, and so causing endless worry to the authorities who had to +arrange for our supplies coming up. To them this disorganisation must +have been extremely disconcerting, and it went on altogether for +nearly a month. The mines were so cunningly concealed that it was +impossible to locate them. In spite of everything supplies reached us +in some marvellous way without a hitch. + +On November 3rd, in order to support the 1st and 32nd Divisions, who +were to attack the line of the Sambre-Oise Canal on the following day, +and to exploit the success if they broke through, we moved to the +little village of Escaufort. It was a heavy march, the roads were bad, +and we arrived late in the evening soaked through to spend a dreary +night in poor billets, many of which had suffered during the +bombardment of the last few days, and in bivouacs. Early the following +morning we pushed on to St. Souplet, where we prepared to stay for the +night in a few old barns. Later in the day, however, news was brought +that the attack had been successful, and we moved on to Catillon, on +the Canal. Transport, Quarter-Master's Stores and Battle Details moved +to Mazinghien. The same night we got orders that we were to pass +through the 1st Division and 138th Brigade, and take up the pursuit, +the following day. + +We had been informed that owing to the "blowing" of the bridge over +the Canal at Catillon, we should have to make a détour of several +miles with cookers and Lewis gun limbers to get across by a pontoon +bridge, in order to arrive at our point of assembly on the Catillon-La +Groise Road, which was only about 1,000 yards away! We determined to +see if we could not find some other means of doing this, and thanks +to a reconnaissance by Major Robinson, we found that it was possible +for Infantry to cross the Canal over débris from the blown up bridge, +though the Transport would have to go round. This was a great boon, as +it enabled us to get breakfast before starting considerably later than +would otherwise have been necessary. Capt. A. Bedford arrived with the +rations about 3.0 a.m., we had breakfast at six, and at eight moved +off, being across the Canal, and in our proper position by 8.30. +Limbers and cookers joined us about nine, A Company's cooker having +fallen overboard in crossing the pontoon bridge but having been +extricated without damage. We were the only Battalion in the Brigade +that day to start out with a full stomach and our day's rations with +us! + +Late in the afternoon we moved into poor billets in the village of +Mezières, where we stayed the night, and were joined by Transport, +Stores and Battle Details. Bedford worked uncommonly well, as did also +the Quarter-Master's Branch, in getting up rations, which they had to +man-handle over the canal crossing--still impossible for traffic--and +reload into our transport limbers. For all their efforts we were duly +thankful. + +On November 6th, the 5th Battalion were to attack as the 6th had been +held up just West of Prisches, and we were to move up in support. The +method adopted was for the attacking troops to pass round the village, +whilst the support Battalion, pushing one Company on the road as an +advanced guard, moved by platoons at about 50 yards interval. This was +now true open warfare, and there was no organised line of defence. The +day's objectives were Prisches and Cartignies. After an early start we +continued our march towards Prisches, the attacking troops meeting +with little opposition, and our advanced guard, A Company, were +quickly in after them. The enemy had gone and we had got possession by +10.30 a.m. + +We shall never forget the reception by the inhabitants of Prisches! We +were the first of the relieving troops they had seen, and their +feelings at being thus released after four years of oppression and +slavery at the hands of the Hun, found expression in many +demonstrations of joy and gratitude. Civilians of all ages came out to +greet us. Their national flags--Heaven only knows where they came from +or how they were concealed from the enemy--were displayed on all +sides, and even before the enemy were clear of the village the +Tricolour was floating from the Church Tower! It was truly a wonderful +sight, and a day never to be forgotten. We were surrounded by offers +of coffee and fruit, cider and cognac, plentifully mingled with the +tears and kisses of the grateful inhabitants. Indeed, so insistent +were they that progress became difficult. We eventually, however, +managed to establish Battalion Headquarters in a farmhouse at the East +end of the village, where we again had a great reception, and stayed +for some refreshment during a temporary hold-up of the advanced +troops. + +The attacking troops were to push on through the next village, +Cartignies, and establish an outpost line on the other side of it. So +rapid was the retreat, and so certain were we of success, that whilst +at Prisches we despatched Bradish and a party of N.C.O.'s to get our +billets there for the night! In the afternoon we were able to push on +with the rest of the Battalion, B Company forming the advanced guard. +On arriving at Cartignies we were met by Bradish, who informed us that +he had made arrangements for billeting us, but that half the village +was still in the hands of the enemy, who were firing on the 5th +Battalion with machine guns. The Commanding Officer whilst +reconnoitring near the Church, soon discovered this for himself, so +withdrew diplomatically, deciding that it was not "our war" just +then. Accordingly we got into our billets and posted sentries and +Lewis guns at windows and other points for our protection. Owing to +some of the Staffords who were also in the village, deciding to hold +their outpost line in the village, instead of on the other side the +river, the clearing of the village was a longer process than it should +have been. It caused us no trouble, but we doubt if Tomlinson and +Tebbutt would have slept so comfortably had they known that their +billet was in No Man's Land! However, all was well; we had had another +great reception from the delighted inhabitants, and after a long and +tiring day we were soon asleep in good, comfortable billets. + +For the next three days we stayed there, being joined by the Transport +and Stores, Battle Details and several Officers from England, who had +never been out before. + +The Hun was now going away rapidly, and it was very doubtful if we +should be required again. We never were, and were glad to find we had +done with him. + +There was talk of an Armistice, and we were also warned that German +Envoys were expected, and might come through our lines. This they did +not do and we were not sorry. + +On November 10th, we had to move out of Cartignies to a small village, +Boulogne-sur-Helpe, near by--the most Easterly point the Battalion +ever reached. + +November 11th came in just the same as any other day, but quite early +a wire from Brigade Headquarters stated that the Germans had agreed to +our Armistice terms, and the Great War was over. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +HOME AGAIN + + _November 12th, 1918._ _July 5th, 1919._ + + +For the next few days we lived in an atmosphere of uncertainty. Were +we to be one of the chosen Divisions to go forward as part of the Army +of Occupation, or were we to be left to spend weary months scavenging +in the fair land of France? There may have been a few who did not want +to go on, thinking they would probably lose their chance of an early +return home, but in the main we were anxious to push on and satisfy +our souls by actually setting foot on German soil as part of the +Conquering Army. Our hopes fell from day to day as we heard no orders +to prepare to move forward, and eventually, much to our regret, we +learnt that after all we were not going to Germany. It was nearly the +end of November when we received the following letter from General Sir +H. S. Rawlinson, commanding the Fourth Army:--"It is a matter of very +deep regret to me that the 46th Division is not accompanying the +Fourth Army to the Frontier. I desire, however, to place on record my +appreciation of the splendid performances of the Division during the +recent operations, and to congratulate all ranks on the conspicuous +part they have played in the battles of the 100 days. The forcing of +the main Hindenburg line on the Canal, and the capture of Bellenglise +rank as one of the finest and most dashing exploits of the war. The +attacks of October 3rd, and the subsequent operations about Bohain, +together with the later advance towards the Sambre Canal, constitute a +record of which all ranks of the Division may justly feel proud. I +offer to all ranks my warmest thanks for their great gallantry, and to +the leaders and staffs my admiration of their skilful direction and +staff work throughout these battles. To every Officer, N.C.O., and man +of the Division, I offer my warm thanks and hearty congratulations, +and trust that at some future time they may again form part of the +Fourth Army." + +On the day after the Armistice, Major-General Boyd came to see us, and +presented some medal ribbons, and in the afternoon an entertaining +football match between Officers and N.C.O.'s was won by the latter, +the Officers in a few cases having some difficulty in staying the +course. + +We left Boulogne-sur-Helpe on November 14th, and marched via +Cartignies to Landrecies--a town which had seen much of the recent +fighting, as well as having played a prominent part in the early days +of the war. The whole of the 139th Brigade was concentrated here, and +as our stay was likely to be a lengthy one, we soon set to work to +make ourselves comfortable. Most of the Battalion were billeted in one +of the French Barracks, D Company being allotted a school near by. +Though the town had been considerably damaged by shells, our billets +were more or less watertight, and in fairly good order. The Transport +and Quarter-Master's Stores were also in the town close to the +Barracks. + +On Sunday, November 17th, a Church Parade of the whole Division was +held at Landrecies, as a Thanksgiving Service, and afterwards the +Major-General distributed medal ribbons. He paid us a high compliment +as we marched past after the ceremony, when he said that in all his +military career he had never seen a Battalion march past in better +style! + +The work of clearing the battlefield in the area round about +Landrecies began at once. We did four hours a day at this work on four +days a week, and on the other two days carried out ordinary military +training. Education classes were also started and carried on for +several months, and though the numbers who attended were not large, +there is no doubt that very much useful work was done in this way. +Lieut. C. M. Bedford was responsible for the educational work at +first, handing it over later to Lieut. Tebbutt. Afternoons were +invariably spent in recreation, Inter-Battalion and Inter-Company +"Soccer" matches, cross-country runs, and other sports. There were +also "Rugger" teams in the Division, and later a Brigade Hockey team +was formed. A few lucky ones got trips in Col. Barron's Ambulances to +Brussels, Amiens, Valenciennes, and other towns of interest within +reach, but this luxury did not last long. A recreation room at the +Barracks was started for reading and indoor games, whilst Lieut. +Pennington got an extraordinarily good Concert Party going, which was +known eventually as "The Penguins" and gave entertainments to several +other units. "Robbo" managed to "scrounge" a piano for them from a +ruined house in the town, and during the dark nights we had much to +thank them for. Later on there were whist drives, and some of the +gayer element even went to dances, classes in which gentle art were +held by the 6th Battalion. Padre Sturt, in addition to giving valuable +help with the Education Classes, started a Debating Society, at which +many entertaining topics were discussed. + +On November 29th, the first batch of miners left for demobilisation, +an urgent call having been made for these men owing to the coal +shortage. The batch included several "old hands," who had crossed to +France with the Battalion in 1915. The remainder were sent off in +December, during which month we lost no fewer than 230. + +In the afternoon of December 1st, we were honoured by a visit from the +King, the Prince of Wales, and Prince Albert. They were received by +Major-General Boyd and the Mayor, and afterwards walked through the +town surrounded by masses of troops of the Division. It was all +delightfully informal; they had a wonderful reception, and at times +found it difficult to get on. + +A week later, on December 8th, we were delighted to see a +representative from our own County, in the person of the Duke of +Portland. He was accompanied by Cols. Mellish and Foljambe, the Bishop +of Southwell, and Major E. T. Baines, whilst Padre Hales, who was now +Deputy Chaplain General of a neighbouring Corps, also came over for +the ceremony. The opportunity was taken of getting the Duke to present +medal ribbons to some Officers and men who had been awarded +decorations during the recent fighting. This was done at a Battalion +Parade, at which the Duke gave a short address, saying that he had +brought from the Home County congratulations and greetings on our work +during the last few months. After the Parade the Battalion marched +past the Duke headed by the Brigade band. + +The following week a Colour party consisting of Capt. White, 2nd +Lieut. James H. Smith, Comp.-Sergt.-Major Cobb, Sergt. Martin and +Sergt. Skelton, having been sent to Newark for the special purpose, +arrived with the Colours, which remained with the Battalion for the +rest of our stay in France. + +Amongst numerous Officers who joined us in these days we were +particularly glad to welcome our old friend Torrance, who at once +resumed the duties of Quarter-Master. + +The last item of interest in the great year 1918, was the celebration +of Christmas. The only drawback on this occasion was that we were not +able to celebrate it until Boxing Day, owing to the non-arrival of the +necessary feeding stuffs and drinks. Something had gone wrong in the +back regions, a thing which had been going on for some time, as +canteen stores were always short, and rations at no other period of +the war were so scarce or poor. We poured curses on the Royal Army +Service Corps, and all connected with them, but to no purpose. Boxing +day, however, will live long in our memory. There was plenty of food +and drink, and all sorts of other good things, towards the purchase of +which we had been largely helped by money presents from friends at +home. Each Company had its own dinner, followed by a concert. The +Major-General visited every Company, and was greeted with the greatest +enthusiasm. He wished every one a happy time and prosperity in the New +Year. The children of Landrecies also had a treat, being given a +special show by the Divisional Cinema, and a sumptuous feed, and we +venture to think they will not forget Christmas 1918 for many a long +day--they had certainly not had one like it during the previous four +years. Col. Barron and his excellent Quarter-Master, Major Moreton, of +our Field Ambulance, were largely responsible for the feed, whilst we +helped to buy toys. + +It took us some time to get over Christmas. In fact, Christmas at +Landrecies in 1918 lasted several days, and was full of incident! As +soon as the New Year came in--on January 3rd, 1919--we moved once more +to Prisches, where a fresh area was allotted us to clear. Here we +carried on in much the same way as at Landrecies, but owing to +demobilisation having become more general, we were losing men daily +and our numbers were gradually but surely dropping. Early in the New +Year Major Robinson left us to rejoin the 6th Battalion, and Major +Andrews resumed duty as Second-in-Command. + +On February 19th, we began a Westward move to be nearer railhead, +marching that day to Bazuel, and the following day to Bethencourt, +near Caudry, from which place we were destined finally to be scattered +to the four winds. From here we sent back most of our horses and +mules, with others from the Brigade, to an Auction sale at Prisches, +where they were sold in a most entertaining manner by a French +Auctioneer at good prices to the local inhabitants. Our Transport +vehicles were sent to the Divisional Park at Caudry. + +The same sort of work and play and demobilisation continued, and at +the end of April we were left with only nine Officers and 52 other +ranks. Officers and men who were not demobilised went mostly to the +51st and 52nd Sherwood Foresters (Young Soldiers Battalions), or to +Prisoners of War Camps at Nancy and Péronne. Eventually in June, Col. +Currin and the Cadre left for England, leaving behind only a baggage +guard under Capt. Warner, who came home in July. Col. Currin and his +party arrived at Newark late on June 21st, and the official welcome +took place on June 23rd, when the Mayor met them at the Town Hall, and +the Colours were once more placed at the Drill Hall. With the Colonel +were Regimental Sergt.-Major Mounteney, Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. +Bee, Sergt. Blunt, L.-Corpl. Tuckwood, and Pvte. Durand. With the +exception of two short periods when he was away sick or wounded, +Regimental Sergt.-Major Mounteney served with us the whole of our stay +in France. Both in and out of the line he rendered most valuable +service to the Battalion, and even in the darkest hours we were always +sure of his cheerful help. + +On July 5th, a Memorial Service was held at Southwell Cathedral, for +the Nottinghamshire men who had fallen in the war. After the ceremony, +the men of the Battalion who were present, were entertained to tea in +the schools at Southwell, and Col. Huskinson took that opportunity of +thanking the ladies of the County for their kind help during the war. +We feel sure, that though on this occasion they are put last, they +will none the less accept our kind appreciation of all the work they +were at such pains to do, and for the thousands of comforts they got +together and sent out to us. + +From the time we left England to final disembodiment no fewer than 193 +Officers, and 2,650 other ranks served with the Battalion. There were +21 deaths from sickness and four fatal accidents. Battle casualties +amounted to 26 Officers, and 447 other ranks killed, or died of +wounds, and 64 Officers, and 1,400 other ranks wounded. Such a tragic +total, however, cannot wholly be a measure of the trials and +vicissitudes of three-and-a-half years' fighting. If in this record we +have succeeded in conveying an impression to those who were not so +fortunate as to be with us, or in reminding those who were, of +courage, dogged perseverance, and unselfish devotion to duty in +action, of pleasures, humour and happier times at rest, our efforts +may not, perhaps, be without value in the days that are to come. + + "Speak! Was our course well run? Is there aught wherewith to upbraid us? + Have we fled from the thunder of battle, or flinched at the lightning's + track? + Answer! What need of answer? By the God of Truth who hath made us, + Thou knowest the Flag went forward, and never a foot went back!" + + "THE LAST MUSTER," by _J. S. Arkwright_. + + + + +APPENDIX I. + +ROLL OF HONOUR + +_List of those who were Killed, or Died of Wounds or Sickness._ + + +OFFICERS. + + 1915. + + April 22--2nd Lieut. J. R. Eddison + + June 6--Capt. H. G. Wright + " 15--Lieut. A. F. O. Dobson + " 15--2nd Lieut. W. H. Hollins + Oct. 13--2nd Lieut. R. E. Hemingway + " 14--2nd Lieut. E. F. S. Handford + " 14--Capt. H. B. S. Handford + " 14--2nd Lieut. E. S. Strachan + " 15--Lieut.-Col. G. H. Fowler + " 25--2nd Lieut. G. H. Fisher + Nov. 12--Lieut. C. M. Houfton + + 1916. + + Jan. 1--Major J. P. Becher + Dec. 20--2nd Lieut. L. E. King-Stephens + + 1917. + + March 4--Lieut. R. A. Abrams + April 23--2nd Lieut. W. P. Duff + " 23--2nd Lieut. E. Hopkinson + Aug. 30--2nd Lieut. D. Tanner + Oct. 27--2nd Lieut. J. H. Hofmeyr + + 1918. + + April 29--Capt. H. K. Simonet + Sept. 6--2nd Lieut. C. J. Elly + " 29--Lieut. S. E. Cairns + Oct. 3--2nd Lieut. A. D. H. Dunkin + " 4--2nd Lieut. T. F. Mitchell + " 17--Capt. A. E. Geary + " 17--2nd Lieut. R. S. Plant + " 17--2nd Lieut. W. G. Jacques + + + OTHER RANKS. + + 1914. + + Sept. 28--Drummer R. Baker + Nov. 17--Pvte. S. Shelton + + + 1915. + + April 6--Pvte. J. Hyde + " 11--Pvte. P. Richardson + " 12--Pvte. D. Smith + " 12--Pvte. A. Frary + " 13--Pvte. W. R. Copley + " 15--Pvte. A. E. Hopewell + " 20--Pvte. H. Trickett + " 20--Pvte. J. Wright + " 21--Pvte. T. Murden + " 21--Pvte. A. Bates + " 21--Pvte. F. Adams + " 21--Pvte. J. Berresford + " 21--Sergt. G. Wilmore + " 21--Pvte. T. H. Mayman + " 22--Pvte. H. Sketchley + " 23--Pvte. H. Stevenson + " 23--Pvte. W. Taylor + " 24--Pvte. W. Hunt + " 24--Pvte. C. Redmile + " 24--Pvte. W. Godfrey + " 24--Pvte. C. Hibbert + " 24--Pvte. R. East + " 24--Pvte. J. Bonner + " 24--Pvte. H. Grant + " 24--Pvte. H. Husband + " 24--Pvte. W. Johnson + " 24--Pvte. W. Pattison + " 24--L.-Corpl. W. Ashley + " 24--Pvte. A. E. Hincks + " 24--Pvte. H. Randall + " 24--Pvte. E. Worthington + April 29--Pvte. J. Brindley + " 30--Pvte. H. Foster + " 30--L.-Corpl. E. Markwell + May 2--L.-Corpl. C. Land + " 2--Corpl. E. Parker + " 8--Pvte. H. Kirk + " 8--Pvte. A. V. Soar + " 8--L.-Corpl. W. H. Ridgard + " 10--L.-Corpl. A. Priestley + " 17--Pvte. E. Eaton + " 24--Pvte. W. Widnall + " 24--Pvte. T. Hardy + " 25--Pvte. H. Spademan + June 5--Pvte. R. Mills + " 6--Pvte. T. Massey + " 12--Pvte. F. Paling + " 14--Corpl. C. J. Wilson + " 15--Corpl. F. Wilcox + " 15--Pvte. A. E. Armitage + " 15--Pvte. F. Hill + " 15--Pvte. B. Cox + " 15--Pvte. P. May + " 15--Pvte. R. W. Moakes + " 15--Pvte. W. Richardson + " 15--Pvte. O. L. Bryan + " 15--Pvte. A. Cook + " 16--Pvte. G. Richardson + " 24--Pvte. W. H. Hird + " 27--L.-Corpl. J. Churn + " 27--Pvte. F. Edwards + " 27--Pvte. C. E. Stones + July 12--Pvte. E. Robinson + " 16--Pvte. G. Tinker + " 16--Corpl. F. Godson + " 18--Corpl. E. Dewsnap + " 20--Pvte. E. Richardson + " 21--Pvte. C. Taylor + " 21--Pvte. G. Hinton + " 22--Pvte. J. Bowskill + " 25--Pvte. J. Watson + " 30--Pvte. J. W. Jubb + " 30--Pvte. J. Rudkin + " 30--Pvte. F. Walster + " 30--Pvte. C. Thorpe + " 30--Pvte. R. Downham + " 30--Pvte. S. Oliver + " 30--Pvte. R. Huckerby + " 30--Pvte. F. Ingham + " 30--Pvte. F. Parker + " 30--Pvte. C. Lines + " 30--Pvte. A. Woodhead + " 30--Pvte. A. Coy + " 30--Pvte. J. Rossington + " 30--Pvte. A. R. Walker + " 30--Pvte. H. Taylor + " 30--Pvte. H. W. Raynor + " 31--Corpl. S. Humberstone + " 31--L.-Corpl. I. Webster + " 31--Corpl. R. J. Hotson + " 31--Pvte. T. Davidson + August 1--Pvte. J. Hopewell + " 1--Pvte. H. H. Turner + " 4--Pvte. J. W. Lee + " 5--Pvte. C. Crampton + " 7--Pvte. H. Moore + " 7--Pvte. A. Scott + " 8--Sergt. A. Phillipson + " 8--L.-Corpl. P. Scott + " 8--Pvte. A. Smith + " 8--Pvte. F. Gumsley + " 8--Pvte. E. King + " 13--L.-Sergt. E. Layhe + " 14--Pvte. G. E. Fletcher + " 14--Pvte. A. Walsham + " 14--Pvte. W. Kirkham + " 14--Corpl. G. C. Higham + " 17--Pvte. J. A. Saunders + " 30--Pvte. G. W. Cartwright + " 30--Pvte. G. Richards + Sept. 3--Pvte. H. Key + " 10--Pvte. L. Smith + " 12--Pvte. A. Wesson + " 16--Pvte. W. T. Marshall + " 19--Pvte. G. Barker + " 25--L.-Corpl. T. Humphrey + " 25--Pvte. L. Hayes + " 28--Pvte. R. Gray + " 29--Drummer J. Newton + Oct. 5--L.-Corpl. E. Hale + " 5--Pvte. J. R. Roe + " 5--L.-Sergt. C. E. Harrison + " 8--Pvte. N. Chadbourne + " 14--Sergt. C. E. Cox + " 14--L.-Corpl. A. Spencer + " 14--Corpl. J. C. Simpson + " 14--Pvte. E. Mecklenburgh + " 14--Corpl. W. Wardle + " 14--L.-Corpl. E. Clay + " 14--L.-Corpl. W. J. Herepath + " 14--L.-Corpl. A. H. Hardy + " 14--Pvte. A. Baldwinson + " 14--Pvte. H. L. Smith + " 14--Pvte. E. Kirk + " 14--Pvte. J. W. Renshaw + " 14--Pvte. C. Stimsom + " 14--Pvte. S. P. Huggins + " 14--Pvte. L. H. Flint + Oct. 14--Pvte. F. W. Coleman + " 14--Pvte. G. Simms + " 14--Pvte. A. Fotheringham + " 14--Pvte. S. H. Lister + " 14--Pvte. A. Pettinger + " 14--Pvte. A. Hazzard + " 14--Sergt. M. Millband + " 14--L.-Corpl. H. E. Woodhead + " 14--Pvte. J. Dodsworth + " 14--Corpl. J. Sharman + " 14--L.-Corpl. B. C. Vick + " 14--Pvte. A. Hazlewood + " 14--Pvte. H. Cook + " 14--Pvte. C. S. Harrison + " 14--Pvte. H. Wilkinson + " 14--Pvte. A. Eyre + " 14--Pvte. E. C. Phillipson + " 14--Pvte. W. Anthony + " 14--Pvte. F. Farrand + " 14--Pvte. A. B. Smith + " 14--Pvte. W. Thompson + " 14--Pvte. G. Seymour + " 14--Pvte. F. Bryan + " 14--Sergt. H. Hall + " 14--Pvte. A. Moyses + " 15--Pvte. W. Radford + " 15--Sergt. G. F. Foster + " 15--Pvte. S. Broughton + " 16--Pvte. R. Taylor + " 18--L.-Corpl. F. J. Lowe + " 22--Pvte. A. Woolley + " 27--Pvte. E. Chilvers + " 30--Pvte. R. Hurt + Nov. 22--Sergt. A. Sheppard + Dec. 2--Pvte. C. H. Cliffe + " 8--Pvte. C. Redfern + + 1916. + + March 20--Pvte. J. Evans + " 21--Pvte. F. Footitt + " 25--Pvte. E. Gilbert + " 28--Pvte. C. E. Ellis + April 4--Pvte. J. E. Easton + " 4--Pvte. A. Wright + " 4--Pvte. F. Johnson + " 4--Pvte. J. W. Hempsall + " 5--Pvte. E. A. Hill + " 15--Pvte. G. Wilcockson + " 15--Pvte. L. Chandlee + " 17--Sergt. W. H. Markham + " 17--Pvte. W. North + " 17--Pvte. E. H. Mutton + " 18--Pvte. H. Ellis + " 18--Pvte. E. Nelson + " 18--Pvte. W. Robinson + " 18--L.-Corpl. J. Footitt + " 18--Pvte. G. Marriott + " 18--Pvte. G. H. Johnson + " 18--Pvte. L. J. Moore + " 20--Pvte. H. Hicking + " 20--Pvte. T. B. Terry + " 25--Pvte. C. Wells + June 3--Pvte. H. Skillington + " 20--Pvte. A. E. Pulford + " 20--Pvte. J. Fogg + " 20--Pvte. G. A. Bingley + " 20--Pvte. L. Tyers + " 20--Pvte. T. Stout + " 24--Pvte. A. Froggatt + " 24--Pvte. J. W. Moor + " 24--Pvte. A. English + " 24--Pvte. T. Cope + " 25--Pvte. M. Johnson + " 25--L.-Corpl. A. E. Sooley + " 26--Pvte. E. Toyne + " 26--Corpl. W. G. Moore + " 26--Pvte. E. Judson + " 27--L.-Corpl. A. A. Grant + " 27--Pvte. F. W. Bonser + July 1--Pvte. F. Clarke + " 1--Corpl. E. Allen + " 1--Pvte. J. W. Edwards + " 1--Pvte. G. Seagrave + " 1--Corpl. S. Matthews + " 1--Corpl. J. J. Alvey + " 1--Pvte. T. F. Barlow + " 3--Pvte. A. Bousfield + " 6--Pvte. G. Talbot + " 10--Pvte. G. Jeffery + " 12--L.-Corpl. W. Young + " 13--L.-Corpl. E. Pride + " 13--Pvte. W. E. Beardsley + " 14--Corpl. A. E. Paling + " 17--Pvte. J. F. Wood + " 24--Pvte. J. R. Seymour + August 8--Pvte. J. Burke + Sept. 21--Pvte. A. Stocks + Oct. 7--Pvte. W. Hammond + + 1917. + + Jan. 24--Pvte. J. H. Spence + " 24--Pvte. J. Stafford + " 24--Pvte. R. Knee + Feb. 12--Pvte. F. Robertson + " 16--Pvte. F. W. Beighton + " 17--L.-Corpl. E. Slack + " 17--Pvte. J. W. Sharman + " 17--Pvte. F. Makin + " 17--Pvte. G. Addison + March 4--L.-Corpl. R. Marriott + " 4--Pvte. H. Rimes + " 4--Pvte. J. Myatt + " 4--Pvte. P. Faulkner + " 4--Pvte. F. S. Cooper + " 5--Sergt. J. Henley + " 5--Pvte. S. J. Preece + " 6--Pvte. J. H. Haslam + " 15--Pvte. C. H. Bryan + April 21--Pvte. G. Stubbins + " 21--Pvte. J. E. Wilkinson + " 21--Pvte. L. Burrows + " 23--Corpl. W. Street + " 23--L.-Corpl. R. Vacey + " 23--L.-Corpl. J. Hinchley + " 23--L.-Corpl. W. Ward + " 23--Pvte. W. Barwise + " 23--Pvte. G. Garbett + " 23--Pvte. G. H. Smith + " 23--Pvte. E. Goodacre + " 23--Pvte. E. R. Hewson + " 23--Pvte. J. Holwell + " 23--Pvte. T. H. Jones + " 23--Pvte. G. Miller + " 23--Pvte. F. Phillips + " 23--Pvte. W. Steele + " 23--Pvte. H. Barnes + " 23--Pvte. S. Hodgkinson + " 24--Corpl. A. Cox + " 26--Pvte. J. Nicholson + May 8--Pvte. D. McGlure + " 10--Pvte. R. Short + " 10--Pvte. C. Perkins + " 11--Pvte. F. W. Brown + " 11--Pvte. G. Nicholls + " 12--Pvte. A. L. Varley + " 12--Pvte. J. Sinclair + " 12--Pvte. R. Turner + " 19--Pvte. J. K. Strachan + " 28--L.-Corpl. H. Newman + " 28--Pvte. R. Morris + " 29--Pvte. F. Marshall + " 30--Pvte. L. Houeton + " 30--Pvte. T. Sherratt + " 30--Pvte. H. Simpson + " 30--Pvte. S. Morley + June 2--Pvte. W. Gale + " 3--Pvte. S. Peach + " 6--Pvte. A. L. Reekie + " 8--Pvte. J. H. Whitehead + " 8--Pvte. G. W. Henley + June 8--Pvte. G. S. Reiace + " 8--Corpl. F. S. Pickering + " 8--Pvte. T. Clarke + " 9--Pvte. A. Fitzhugh + " 22--Pvte. W. N. Stone + " 22--Pvte. J. W. Bradbury + " 22--Pvte. A. Simpson + " 22--L.-Corpl. E. Johnson + " 22--Pvte. A. Mawson + " 23--Pvte. T. Grosse + " 23--Pvte. H. F. Buckler + " 23--Corpl. A. Humberstone + " 23--Pvte. G. F. Collins + " 23--Pvte. J. Buswell + " 26--Pvte. C. E. Allen + " 26--Pvte. J. H. Fox + " 26--Drummer S. R. Willingham + July 1--Pvte. P. N. Coupe + " 26--Pvte. G. H. Stubbins + " 28--L.-Corpl. A. Huntbach + " 28--L.-Corpl. W. Bulman + " 30--Pvte. G. F. Allen + August 4--L.-Corpl. H. Taylor + " 5--L.-Sergt. S. Bowler + " 30--Corpl. H. Wright + Sept. 2--Pvte. A. Robertson + " 3--Pvte. A. P. Frettingham + " 12--Pvte. H. Wilson + " 12--L.-Sergt. J. Blythe + " 12--L.-Corpl. H. C. Key + " 13--Pvte. L. Lilley + " 13--Pvte. G. Darwin + " 13--L.-Corpl. C. Parkin + " 13--Pvte. W. S. Bell + " 13--Pvte. W. A. Beckett + " 13--Pvte. W. C. Randall + " 13--Pvte. E. Stewart + " 13--Pvte. S. Thorne + " 29--Pvte. T. Gilbert + " 29--Pvte. H. C. Smedley + Oct. 4--Sergt. W. H. Drabble + " 4--Pvte. G. H. West + " 4--Pvte. A. Lovegrove + " 5--Pvte. H. Shufflebottom + " 14--Pvte. J. Bennett + Nov. 2--Pvte. E. Sharpe + " 4--Pvte. H. Syson + " 23--Pvte. W. Blackshaw + " 28--Pvte. H. Fox + Dec. 6--Pvte. W. J. Palmer + " 9--L.-Corpl. A. Dean + " 11--Pvte. H. Moult + " 21--Pvte. G. Large + + 1918. + + March 17--Pvte. F. L. Chapman + " 22--Pvte. S. S. Ives + " 22--Pvte. J. Thompson + " 22--Corpl. H. Tyne + April 8--Pvte. C. Scholes + " 18--Corpl. G. Caudwell + " 18--Pvte. C. H. Aram + " 18--Pvte. A. Leader + " 28--Pvte. E. Cross + " 28--Pvte. F. Townsend + " 29--Pvte. G. F. Garratt + May 5--Pvte. A. E. Cliff + " 5--Pvte. A. H. Wheway + " 9--Pvte. E. H. Asling + " 15--Pvte. A. Beastall + " 18--Pvte. H. Cooper + " 19--Pvte. A. Armstrong + June 15--Pvte. W. H. Baldwin + " 15--Pvte. W. Buckley + " 16--Pvte. G. R. Atkinson + " 16--Pvte. A. Lover + " 19--Pvte. W. Clarke + " 23--Pvte. W. Tudbury + " 29--Pvte. C. J. Rickett + July 10--L.-Corpl. H. Smith + August 7--Pvte. G. Chadwick + " 13--Pvte. J. G. Boothby + " 14--L.-Corpl. F. Peck + " 17--Pvte. G. Rowley + " 26--Pvte. S. Berry + " 28--Pvte. E. Powell + " 28--Pvte. G. Williamson + " 29--Pvte. J. A. Riley + " 29--Pvte. G. Stendall + " 29--Pvte. G. Renshaw + " 29--Pvte. F. H. Heighway + Sept. 22--Pvte. G. F. Rogers + " 25--Corpl. A. E. Lambert + " 25--Pvte. W. Rogers + " 26--Pvte. W. J. Phippard + " 26--Corpl. J. W. Elcock + " 29--Pvte. I. Evans + " 29--Pvte. T. Rennie + " 29--Corpl. H. Russell + " 29--L.-Corpl. J. Hoe + " 29--Pvte. J. E. Tinkler + " 29--Pvte. G. S. Goodbourne + " 29--Pvte. F. Conway + " 29--L.-Corpl. T. H. Swann + " 29--Pvte. F. Key + " 29--Pvte. E. Leek + " 29--Pvte. J. Rice + " 29--Pvte. C. E. Goddard + " 30--Comp. Sergt.-Major J. F. Rawding + " 30--Pvte. E. Walker + " 30--Pvte. T. Johnson + Oct. 1--Pvte. A. Watson + " 3--Pvte. J. E. Smith + " 3--L.-Corpl. G. T. Tolly + " 3--Pvte. G. Ballington + " 3--Pvte. D. Irvine + " 3--Pvte. S. Spencer + " 3--Pvte. J. Taylor + " 3--Sergt. C. H. Genders + " 3--Pvte. J. Holmes + " 3--Pvte. J. R. Rush + " 3--L.-Corpl. A. Mantle + " 3--Pvte. H. F. Russell + " 3--Pvte. F. W. Lambert + " 3--Pvte. H. Keech + " 3--Pvte. H. G. Handley + " 3--Pvte. S. Guy + " 3--Sergt. S. Hurt + " 3--Pvte. J. Sulley + " 3--Pvte. W. Barksby + " 3--Pvte. J. W. North + " 3--Pvte. A. Goldsmith + " 3--Pvte. A. E. Ward + " 3--Pvte. J. Moon + " 4--Pvte. F. J. Lewis + " 4--L.-Corpl. C. H. Chadbourne + " 7--Pvte. A. Clemerson + " 8--Pvte. H. Silvester + " 9--L.-Corpl. A. H. Penford + " 12--Pvte. W. Walters + " 13--Pvte. A. S. Roberts + " 14--Pvte. C. E. Hallam + " 17--Pvte. W. Godson + " 17--Pvte. J. Bailey + " 17--Pvte. G. E. Smith + " 17--Pvte. G. E. P. Dennis + " 17--Pvte. H. Adlington + " 17--Pvte. S. Seal + " 17--Pvte. H. Simmons + " 17--Pvte. T. W. Horne + " 17--Pvte. F. Woodhead + " 17--Pvte. A. Jones + " 17--Pvte. J. W. Stewart + " 17--Pvte. G. Floyd + " 17--Pvte. F. N. Guttridge + " 17--Pvte. T. Turner + " 17--Pvte. A. Diggle + " 17--Pvte. E. Goddard + " 17--L.-Corpl. F. H. Clarke + Oct. 17--L.-Corpl. W. C. Creamer + " 17--Pvte. G. Wildsmith + " 17--L.-Corpl. J. F. Harper + " 17--Pvte. G. Welbourne + " 17--Pvte. G. Redfern + " 18--Pvte. T. Sedgewick + " 18--Pvte. J. Robinson + " 18--Pvte. C. Whittaker + " 18--Corpl. A. C. Scott + " 18--Pvte. A. Bacon + " 22--Pvte. G. W. Rollett + " 23--L.-Corpl. L. Horton + " 23--Pvte. B. A. Cutler + " 24--Pvte. A. Gittens + Nov. 1--Pvte. W. J. Coates + " 5--Pvte. C. Wagstaff + " 11--Pvte. T. S. Handy + " 13--Pvte. R. Hand + Dec. 24--Pvte. H. Buzan + + +_Officers who were Killed or Died of Wounds whilst serving with other +Units._ + + 2nd Lieut. A. D. Bailey + 2nd Lieut. F. E. Kebblewhite + 2nd Lieut. F. M. Corry + Lieut. C. H. Hicks + Lieut.-Col. B. W. Vann + + +_Other Ranks who were Killed or Died of Wounds, after being granted +Commissions in other Units._ + + Comp. Sergt.-Major J. A. Green + Comp. Sergt.-Major F. Spencer + L.-Corpl. F. L. Wilson + L.-Corpl. F. B. Gill + Comp. Sergt.-Major E. Haywood + Comp. Sergt.-Major W. H. M. Hotson + Pvte. J. A. Christie + + + + +APPENDIX II. + +HONOURS. + + + BAR to D.S.O. + + Lieut.-Col. J. F. Dempster + Lieut.-Col. R. W. Currin + + + D.S.O. + + Lieut.-Col. J. E. Blackwall + Major A. L. Ashwell + Rev. J. P. Hales + Major J. P. Becher + Major R. J. Wordsworth + + + 2nd BAR to M.C. + + Major V. O. Robinson + + + M.C. and BAR. + + Capt. B. W. Vann + + + M.C. + + 2nd Lieut. J. S. C. Oates + Capt. A. Hacking + Capt. W. C. C. Weetman + 2nd Lieut. W. P. Duff + 2nd Lieut. E. Hopkinson + Capt. A. E. Geary + Capt. J. W. Turner + 2nd Lieut. A. C. Fairbrother + Capt. H. de C. Martelli + Capt. H. K. Simonet + Major A. Andrews + Capt. E. A. Huskinson + 2nd Lieut. S. Bradwell + 2nd Lieut. James Howard Smith + Capt. G. Thomas + Capt. J. B. White + 2nd Lieut. J. Bloor + 2nd Lieut. W. J. Winter + Capt. A. B. Miners + 2nd Lieut. F. L. Harrap + Lieut. S. E. Cairns + 2nd Lieut. T. F. Mitchell + Capt. St. G. L. M. Homan, R.A.M.C. + Rev. D. E. Sturt + Capt. C. G. Druce + Capt. E. W. Warner + 2nd Lieut. J. F. Shackleton + Capt. A. Bedford + Lieut. A. G. T. Lomer + + + O.B.E. and M.V.O. + + Major G. S. Heathcote + + + O.B.E. and BREVET MAJORITY. + + Major G. Clarke + + + O.B.E. + + Lieut.-Col. C. J. Huskinson + Lieut.-Col. R. F. B. Hodgkinson + + + D.C.M. and BAR. + + Comp. Sergt.-Major F. Attenborough + + + D.C.M. AND M.M. + + L.-Sergt. C. Claxton + Pvte. G. H. Wesley + + D.C.M. and M.S.M. + + Comp. Sergt.-Major J. F. Rawding + + + D.C.M. + + Regimental Sergt.-Major W. Mounteney + Sergt. A. Sheppard + Corpl. H. Tyne + Sergt. E. Grantham + Pvte. J. Nicholson + Corpl. W. E. Boot + Sergt.-Drummer W. Clewes + L.-Sergt. T. Turgoose + Pvte. R. Kerling + Comp. Sergt.-Major E. Haywood + Sergt. C. E. Crooks + Sergt. H. Scrimshaw + Sergt. J. L. Peach + Corpl. R. Francis + Comp. Sergt.-Major A. Cobb + Comp. Sergt.-Major W. Stokes + L.-Corpl. W. Beech + Sergt. H. Wilson + + + M.M. and 2 BARS. + + Pvte. L. Thomas + + + M.M. and BAR. + + Pvte. F. Green + + + M.M. and M.S.M. + + Pvte. J. Nelson + + + M.M. + + Sergt. J. T. Templeman + Corpl. W. H. Lacey + Corpl. S. Matthews + L.-Sergt. T. Martin + Pvte. G. F. Holbery + Sergt. C. Grainger + L.-Corpl. H. J. Walsh + Corpl. H. Hickman + Corpl. C. E. Bryan + Corpl. J. W. Wilson + Sergt. W. L. Green + Sergt. L. Bell + Sergt. C. T. Blunt + Comp. Sergt.-Major E. E. Deverall + Sergt. J. G. Collins + Sergt. W. G. Oldfield + Corpl. T. W. Lowe + Pvte. W. Heath + Sergt. J. Henley + Corpl. W. Street + L.-Corpl. W. Teare + Corpl. C. Hagues + Sergt. R. H. Bolton + L.-Corpl. J. F. Stewart + Pvte. G. F. Garratt + Sergt. W. H. Martin + L.-Sergt. R. Turner + Pvte. G. Wildsmith + Pvte. W. H. Tailby + Pvte. G. Stamford + Pvte. G. Cook + L.-Sergt. W. Field + L.-Sergt. F. Illger + L.-Corpl. J. North + Pvte. G. Feighery + Pvte. W. Westnidge + Corpl. G. Skelton + Pvte. B. Smithurst + Pvte. W. Titmus + Pvte. A. W. Colton + Pvte. C. Welbourne + Pvte. G. Sulley + Corpl. S. Slater + Corpl. W. Foster + Pvte. W. Parker + Pvte. A. W. Stapleton + Corpl. R. Harvey + Sergt. J. Stimson + Pvte. E. Crow + Sergt. C. Vann + L.-Corpl. S. Slater + Corpl. J. Wright + Pvte. J. W. Starr + L.-Corpl. F. Baxter + Corpl. W. Clark + Sergt. W. Wrigglesworth + Sergt. C. Sharrock + Pvte. W. H. Martin + Sergt. H. Shepperson + Sergt. A. Winson + Pvte. J. Roe + L.-Corpl. J. U. Coombs + Pvte. F. Draper + Pvte. A. Jackson + Pvte. A. Turpin + Pvte. N. Lees + Pvte. J. Vipond + Pvte. W. Houghton + Pvte. W. G. Nicholson + Pvte. C. Smith + Pvte. H. Beresford + Corpl. S. Gadsby + Pvte. E. Mosgrove + + + M.S.M. + + Comp. Sergt.-Major A. Mabbott + Sergt T. Taylor + Sergt. J. Eggleston + Sergt. R. Harvey + Regtl. Qtr.-Mtr. Sergt. F. A. Pritchard + Comp. Qtr.-Mtr. Sergt. H. J. Wilson + Comp. Qtr.-Mtr. Sergt. G. E. Bee + Comp. Qtr.-Mtr. Sergt. W. I. Dale + + + MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES. + + Lieut.-Col. G. H. Fowler + Major J. P. Becher + Major A. L. Ashwell + Major R. J. Wordsworth (2) + 2nd Lieut. J. S. C. Oates + Capt. E. C. A. James + Capt. E. N. T. Collin + Capt. B. W. Vann + Capt. A. Hacking + Capt. J. W. Turner + Lieut.-Col. J. E. Blackwall + Rev. J. P. Hales (2) + Lieut.-Col. C. J. Huskinson (2) + Capt. C. L. Hill + Major G. Clarke + Lieut. W. H. B. Rezin (2) + Hon. Lieut, and Quarter-Master F. Torrance + Capt. R. Whitton + Capt. C. G. Tomlinson + Lieut. C. H. S. Stephenson + Lieut.-Col. R. W. Currin + Capt. N. L. Hindley + Lieut. S. Sanders + Sergt. E. Grantham + Comp. Sergt.-Major J. F. Rawding + Sergt. J. T. Templeman + Sergt. C. T. Blunt + Pvte. F. Holland + Regtl. Sergt.-Major W. Mounteney + Sergt. A. Phillipson + Pvte. S. Boothby + Pvte. C. Redfern + Corpl. G. Caudwell + Pvte. H. Needham + Comp. Sergt.-Major T. Powell + Comp. Sergt-Major J. T. Slater + Sergt. R. F. Bescoby. + Regtl. Qtr.-Mtr. Sergt. F. A. Pritchard + Sergt. R. Harvey + L.-Corpl. W. Beech + Comp. Sergt.-Major E. E. Deverall + Corpl. E. Dexter + Sergt. F. Lobley + L.-Sergt. J. Wicks + + + FOREIGN DECORATIONS. + + FRENCH:-- + + Légion d'Honneur (Chevalier). + + Lieut.-Col. J. E. Blackwall + + + Croix de Guerre. + + Capt. B. W. Vann + Capt. W. C. C. Weetman + Comp. Sergt.-Major A. Cobb + Pvte. F. Holland + Sergt. T. Oldham + + + BELGIAN:-- + + Croix de Guerre. + + Regimental Sergt.-Major W. Mounteney + + + RUSSIAN:-- + Medal of St. George (4th Class). + + Drummer J. Newton + Drummer W. Robb + Corpl. J. Sharman + + + +[Illustration: MAP TO ILLUSTRATE BATTLE OF BELLENGLISE. SEPT: 29th +1918.] + + + + PRINTED BY THOS. FORMAN AND SONS + NOTTINGHAM + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Sherwood Foresters in the Great +War 1914 - 1919, by W.C.C. 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Author: Captain W. C. C. Weetman</title> + + +<style type="text/css"> +<!-- + +body {font-size: 1em; text-align: justify; margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 5%;} + +h1 {font-size: 1.4em; text-align: center; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} +h2 {font-size: 1.3em; text-align: center; margin-top: 4em; margin-bottom: 2em;} +h3 {font-size: 1.3em; text-align: center; margin-top: 4em; margin-bottom: 1em;} +h4 {font-size: 1em; text-align: center; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} +h5 {font-size: 1em; text-align: center; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + +a {text-decoration: none;} + +table {border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; + width: 90%; margin-left: 5%;} + +.p0 {margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em;} +.p2 {margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} +.p4 {margin-top: 4em;} + +.pagenum {visibility: hidden; position: absolute; right:0; + font-size: 0.8em; text-align: right; + color: #C0C0C0; background-color: inherit;} + +.smcap2 {font-variant: small-caps; font-size: 85%;} +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps; font-size: 95%;} + +.col-30 {margin-left: -30%;} +.col05 {margin-left: 05%; margin-right: 25%; text-align: left;} +.col30 {margin-left: 30%; margin-right: 10%; text-align: left;} +.col50 {margin-left: 50%;} + +.left05 {margin-left: 05%;} + +.add2em {margin-left: 2em;} + +.figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center; + margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;} + +.td-center {text-align: center;} +.td-right {text-align: right;} + +--> +</style> + +</head> + +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Sherwood Foresters in the Great War +1914 - 1919, by W.C.C. Weetman + +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 Sherwood Foresters in the Great War 1914 - 1919 + History of the 1/8th Battalion + +Author: W.C.C. Weetman + +Release Date: February 6, 2007 [EBook #20527] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SHERWOOD FORESTERS *** + + + + +Produced by David Clarke, Nicola Kerrison, Christine P. +Travers and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian +Libraries) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<h2>HISTORY OF 1/8<span class="smcap">th</span> BATTALION<br><br> +SHERWOOD FORESTERS 1914—1919</h2> + +<a id="img001" name="img001"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img001.jpg" width="400" height="612" alt="LIEUT.-COL. G. H. FOWLER. +Killed in action at Hohenzollern Redoubt, Oct. 15th, 1915." title="LIEUT.-COL. G. H. FOWLER. +Killed in action at Hohenzollern Redoubt, Oct. 15th, 1915."> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Lieut.-col. G. H. Fowler.<br> +Killed in action at Hohenzollern Redoubt, Oct. 15th, 1915.</p> + +<p class="p4"></p> + +<a id="img002" name="img002"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img002.jpg" width="100" height="108" alt="Arms" title="Arms"> +</div> + + +<h1>THE SHERWOOD FORESTERS<br> +IN THE GREAT WAR<br> +1914—1919</h1> + +<h1>1/8<span class="smcap2">th</span> Battalion</h1> + +<h4>By<br><br> +CAPTAIN W. C. C. WEETMAN<br> +<span class="smcap2">M.C., CROIX DE GUERRE</span></h4> + +<h5>With an introduction by<br> +BRIG-GENERAL C. T. SHIPLEY, C.B.</h5> + +<h4><span class="smcap2">NOTTINGHAM<br> +THOS. FORMAN & SONS<br> +1920</span></h4> + + +<p class="left05"><i>To</i> <span class="pagenum"><a id="page004" name="page004"></a>(p. 004)</span><br> +<i>Our Fallen Comrades</i></p> + +<p class="left05">"<i>In truth they were young Gentlemen, Yeomen and +Yeomen's Sons, and Artificers of the most brave sort, +such as went voluntarily to serve of a gaiety and +joyalty of mind: all which kind of people are the +Flower and Force of a Kingdom.</i>"</p> + +<p class="col50 smcap">Sir John Smyth to Lord Burleigh<br> +on our Men in Flanders in 1589-90.</p> + + + + + +<h2>INTRODUCTION <span class="pagenum"><a id="page005" name="page005"></a>(p. 005)</span></h2> + + +<p>It is not only a great honour to have been asked to +write an introduction to this book, but it is a real +pleasure to me to be linked in this manner to a Battalion +with which I was so intimately connected for nearly +six years and in which I made so many friends, of whom +many, alas, have passed the "great divide."</p> + +<p>The Battalion has been lucky in finding in Capt. +Weetman an author with such a ready and amusing pen, +and one especially who was in a position to see the +workings of the Battalion in almost every phase of its +career and from every standpoint, first as a Company +Officer, then as Adjutant and finally from Brigade +Headquarters.</p> + +<p>To me, perhaps naturally, the most interesting part +of the book is the early chapters. From the time, in +1911, when I took over the command of what, I was +informed by a Staff Officer qualified to know, was the +best Territorial Brigade in the Kingdom, I was a firm +believer in the Territorial Force. But I hardly think +that the most hardened optimist would at that time +have thought it possible for a Territorial Division to +mobilise and march complete with equipment and +Transport to its Mobilisation area on the sixth day +after receiving the order "Mobilise." The amount of +work done by Battalions and Companies was marvellous +and only those who experienced it can have an idea +of what it meant.</p> + +<p>As <span class="pagenum"><a id="page006" name="page006"></a>(p. 006)</span> for the Training, I don't believe better work +was ever done than during those weeks at Harpenden. +True we were lucky in the weather and in the Training +area, and the 8th Battalion were specially lucky in their +excellent staff of Sergeant-Instructors. All ranks put +their heart into the work. I remember particularly +the excellent work done by the large batch of recruits +which joined the Battalion at that time, including +surely as good a lot of young Officers as ever joined +a regiment. The author has described fully the training +carried out at Harpenden and in Essex, and that the +time and labour spent in it were not wasted is proved +by the manner in which all ranks so quickly took on +their responsibilities in the trenches, and with such +success. That the Territorial Force was in many ways +neglected by the Higher Authorities during those early +days is well known, but that the Force amply justified +itself is proved by its actions and was fully recognised +by those General Officers under whose command it +came. The following extract from a speech made by +Lieut-General Sir C. Fergusson, Commanding II Corps, +to the Brigade at Locre, when it left his command, is +worth recording to show the high opinion he held of our +work in front of Kemmel. "No Battalion," he said, +"and no Brigade could have held the lines better than +you have done or have done better work than you have +done.... Your work during the last three +months is work of which any Brigade and any Battalion +might be proud." No higher praise could have been +given to any troops by an officer of such standing and +repute.</p> + +<p>I have written rather at length on this period for +I consider the metamorphosis of a Territorial Battalion +into as fine a fighting Battalion as ever took the field, +is well worth the study of all those who have joined +since those days or will join in the future.</p> + +<p>It <span class="pagenum"><a id="page007" name="page007"></a>(p. 007)</span> is only fitting that some acknowledgment be made +to the memory of the man who did more than any +other to make the North Midland Division worthy to +take its place in line with the Regular Army. I refer +to the late Major-General Hubert Hamilton, who +commanded the Division from 1911 to June, 1914, and +fell early in the war at Richebourg-St. Vaast. He +foresaw that war with Germany must come and worked +with all his power to make the Division efficient in +every way—in Training as in Organisation. And it was +very largely due to his efforts that Mobilisation was +carried out so successfully.</p> + +<p>One word more. I am fully convinced that if every +Officer and man who joined up in 1914 <i>after</i> the outbreak +of war, had joined the Territorial Force and made +himself efficient <i>before</i> August, 1914, there would have +been no war. If Germany had known that England +could put 1,000,000 men into the field within a few +weeks of the declaration of war, instead of only 160,000, +she would never have dared to embark on her campaign +of spoliation. The risk would have been too great.</p> + +<p>If this story of the doings of a Territorial Battalion +in the Great War can do anything to bring that Battalion +up to strength, to keep it there, and to encourage all +ranks to make themselves thoroughly efficient, I am +sure that the author will consider himself well repaid +for all the time and all the trouble he has spent on it.</p> + +<p><span class="col50">C. T. SHIPLEY.</span><br> +<i>12th September, 1920.</i></p> + + + + +<h2>AUTHOR'S NOTE. <span class="pagenum"><a id="page008" name="page008"></a>(p. 008)</span></h2> + + +<p>In compiling this history of the 1/8th Sherwood +Foresters in the Great War, I have relied for my +main facts on the Official War Diary, but from many +other sources I have received much help. My thanks +are due especially to Lieut.-Col. H. Mellish, C.B., +for advice on many general points; to Lieut.-Col. +A. Hacking, D.S.O., M.C., for much help with "The +Salient" and "Lens" chapters, and for kindly revising +the whole of the book; to Capt. A. L. Ashwell, D.S.O., +for most of the "Hohenzollern" chapter, and for much +general assistance; to Capt. A. Andrews, M.C., for much +of the detail of the "Gorre and Essars" chapter, and +information on many other points, and to Capt. A. B. +Miners, M.C., for help with the account of the "Battle +of Ramicourt" and subsequent fighting.</p> + +<p>I have also to thank Capt. C. Davenport for some +details of Transport work; Capt. R. H. Piggford for +a few notes and the sketch dealing with Mining +operations; and Lieuts. C. H. S. Stephenson and E. W. +Warner, M.C., for some Signalling items, and the diagram +of Signal communications. I am also indebted to +Capt. J. D. Hills, M.C., of the 5th Leicestershire +Regiment, for many hints on the general arrangement +of the work, and to Pvte. A. Hunstone of the 6th +Battalion for the excellent plans. To many others +who have supplied me with information and helped +me on various points, I offer my grateful thanks.</p> + +<p>The book is not intended in any way to be a literary +effort. All that has been attempted has been a simple +narrative of our doings for the use primarily of persons +connected with the Battalion. My main endeavour +throughout, has been to secure accuracy, but it will +be understood that in sifting the mass of material +placed at my disposal, errors may have crept in. I +trust, however, that these are few.</p> + +<p><span class="col50">W. C. C. WEETMAN.</span><br> +<i>Hereford, October, 1920.</i></p> + + +<h3>CONTENTS. <span class="pagenum"><a id="page009" name="page009"></a>(p. 009)</span></h3> + +<h5>CHAPTER.</h5> + +<p class="col05"> +<a href="#page013"><span class="smcap">Summary of Events</span></a><br> + 1. <a href="#page019"><span class="smcap">England</span></a><br> + 2. <a href="#page036"><span class="smcap">France</span></a><br> + 3. <a href="#page062"><span class="smcap">The Salient</span></a><br> + 4. <a href="#page077"><span class="smcap">Hohenzollern</span></a><br> + 5. <a href="#page098"><span class="smcap">Richebourg—Marseilles—Candas</span></a><br> + 6. <a href="#page113"><span class="smcap">Vimy Ridge</span></a><br> + 7. <a href="#page128"><span class="smcap">The Battle of Gommecourt</span></a><br> + 8. <a href="#page145"><span class="smcap">Bellacourt</span></a><br> + 9. <a href="#page158"><span class="smcap">The Capture of Gommecourt</span></a><br> +10. <a href="#page175"><span class="smcap">Lens</span></a><br> +11. <a href="#page196"><span class="smcap">St. Elie and Hill 70</span></a><br> +12. <a href="#page215"><span class="smcap">Spring, 1918</span></a><br> +13. <a href="#page231"><span class="smcap">Gorre and Essars</span></a><br> +14. <a href="#page252"><span class="smcap">Auchel to Pontruet</span></a><br> +15. <a href="#page260"><span class="smcap">Bellenglise</span></a><br> +16. <a href="#page274"><span class="smcap">Ramicourt and Montbrehain</span></a><br> +17. <a href="#page289"><span class="smcap">The Last Fight</span></a><br> +18. <a href="#page308"><span class="smcap">Home Again</span></a><br> +<a href="#page315"><span class="smcap">Appendix.</span></a><br> + 1. <a href="#page315"><span class="smcap">Roll of Honour</span></a><br> + 2. <a href="#page321"><span class="smcap">Honours</span></a></p> + +<h4>ILLUSTRATIONS. <span class="pagenum"><a id="page010" name="page010"></a>(p. 010)</span></h4> + +<p class="col05"> +<a href="#img001"><span class="smcap">Lieut.-Colonel G. H. Fowler</span></a><br> +<a href="#img003"><span class="smcap">Officers at Harpenden, Nov. 1914</span></a><br> +<a href="#img004"><span class="smcap">The Avenue, Kemmel</span></a><br> +<a href="#img009"><span class="smcap">Major J. P. Becher, D.S.O.</span></a><br> +<a href="#img010"><span class="smcap">R.S.M. Westerman and N.C.O.'s of A Company</span></a><br> +<a href="#img012"><span class="smcap">R.S.M. Mounteney and N.C.O.'s of C Company</span></a><br> +<a href="#img014"><span class="smcap">Lieut.-Colonel B. W. Vann, V.C., M.C.</span></a><br> +<a href="#img015"><span class="smcap">The Brasserie, Foncquevillers</span></a><br> +<a href="#img017"><span class="smcap">Air Photograph of Lens and Loos Area</span></a><br> +<a href="#img019"><span class="smcap">Air Photograph of Part of St. Elie Sector</span></a><br> +<a href="#img021"><span class="smcap">The Beuvry—La Bassée Road</span></a><br> +<a href="#img022"><span class="smcap">Gorre Brewery</span></a><br> +<a href="#img023"><span class="smcap">The Clock Tower, Béthune</span></a><br> +<a href="#img024"><span class="smcap">St. Quentin Canal, Bellenglise</span></a><br> +</p> + +<h4>MAPS AND PLANS. <span class="pagenum"><a id="page011" name="page011"></a>(p. 011)</span></h4> + + +<p class="col05"> +<a href="#img005"><span class="smcap">Sketch of Mine Galleries</span></a><br> +<a href="#img006"><span class="smcap">Kemmel Sector</span></a><br> +<a href="#img007"><span class="smcap">Hooge and Sanctuary Wood</span></a><br> +<a href="#img008"><span class="smcap">Hohenzollern Redoubt</span></a><br> +<a href="#img016"><span class="smcap">Gommecourt</span></a><br> +<a href="#img018"><span class="smcap">Lens District</span></a><br> +<a href="#img020"><span class="smcap">Diagram of Signal Communications</span></a><br> +<a href="#img025"><span class="smcap">Battle of Ramicourt</span></a><br> +<a href="#img026"><span class="smcap">Battle of Regnicourt</span></a><br> +<a href="#img027"><span class="smcap">Battle of Bellenglise</span></a><br> +<a href="#img028"><span class="smcap">General Map of Western Front</span></a><br> +</p> + +<h4>SUMMARY OF EVENTS <span class="pagenum"><a id="page013" name="page013"></a>(p. 013)</span> +1914.</h4> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" summary="Summary Of Events"> +<colgroup> +<col width="7"> +<col width="10"> +<col width="3"> +<col width="30"> +<col width="50"> +</colgroup> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Aug. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 4th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + War declared. Mobilisation ordered. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 7th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Concentration at Newark. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 10th<br>11th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched via Radcliffe-on-Trent to Derby. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 15th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Entrained at Derby for Luton. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 21st + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved to Harpenden. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 22nd + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td rowspan="2"> + Training in Harpenden Area. + </td> + <td rowspan="2">Sept. 29th—Inspection by Lord Kitchener at Luton Hoo.<br> + Oct. 6th—Inspection by Lord Roberts at Sandridge. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Nov. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 15th + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 16th<br>18th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched via Harlow and Dunmow to Bocking. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 19th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td rowspan="2" colspan="2"> + Trench digging near Bocking. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Dec. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 27th + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 28th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan ="2" rowspan="3"> + By train to Luton for Musketry at Wardown and Galley Hill Ranges, and Field Firing at + Dunstable, returning to Bocking. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + 1915 + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Jan + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 5th + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 6th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td rowspan="2"> + Training in Bocking Area. + </td> + <td rowspan="2"> + Feb. 19th—Inspection by H.M. The King near Bishop's Stortford. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Feb. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 24th + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 25th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Entrained at Bocking for Southampton. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 26th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2" rowspan="2"> + Crossed by detachments to Havre. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Mar. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 3rd + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 3rd<br>4th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + By train to Cassel and marched to Oudezeele. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 9th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched to Merris. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 10th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved to Bac-St. Maur, for First Battle of Neuve Chapelle. Temporarily attached to 2nd Cavalry Division. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 13th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched to Neuf Berquin for training. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 24th<br>26th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved via Vieux Berquin to Romarin. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 27th<br>30th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Trench instruction at Ploegsteert and Messines. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 31st + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched back to Vieux Berquin. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + April + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 2nd + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched to Locre. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 3rd + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Took over Kemmel sector. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + April + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 4th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td rowspan="2"> + In line in Kemmel sector with intervals in rest billets at Locre. + </td> + <td rowspan="2"> + April 22nd—Gas used against French and Canadians in Ypres Salient. Traces in trenches held by Battalion.<br> + April 24—Heavy trench mortar bombardment of front line held by B, C and D Companies.<br> + June 15th—Enemy blew up by mines and raided part of front line. + <span class="pagenum"><a id="page014" name="page014"></a>(p. 014)</span> + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + June + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 20th + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 20th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched to huts near Vlamertinghe. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 21th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td rowspan="2"> + In line at Hooge and Sanctuary Wood, with intervals at rest in bivouacs near Poperinghe. + </td> + <td rowspan="2"> + July 30th—First "liquid fire" attack. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Aug. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 28th + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 29th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td rowspan="2"> + In line at Middlesex Wood, adjoining Ypres-Comines Canal, near St. Eloi, with rest bivouacs near Ouderdom. + </td> + <td rowspan="2"> + Sept. 21st—Inspection by Gen. Plumer.<br> + Sept. 25th—Demonstrations in conjunction with attacks on other portions of the front. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Sept. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 30th + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Oct. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 1st + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched from Ouderdom and entrained at Abeele for Fouquereuil. Billeted in Béthune. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 3rd + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved to Mont Bernenchon. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 4th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched back to Béthune, proceeded by 'bus to Vermelles, and took over reserve trenches near Lone Tree, + North of Loos. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 5th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved back to Mazingarbe. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 6th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched to Fouquières. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 13th<br>14th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Attack on Hohenzollern Redoubt. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 16th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved back to Vaudricourt. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 19th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched to Lapugnoy for training. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 26th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched to Béthune. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Oct. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 28th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Composite Company with other troops of XI Corps inspected by H.M. The King at Hesdigneul. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Nov. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 4th<br>5th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched via Epinette to Vieille Chapelle. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 6th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2" rowspan="2"> + In line in Richebourg sector, with rest billets at Vieille Chapelle and Lacouture. + <span class="pagenum"><a id="page015" name="page015"></a>(p. 015)</span> + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Dec. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 2nd + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 3rd + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched from Vieille Chapelle to Haverskerque for training. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 19th<br>26th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched via Wittes to Molinghem and continued training. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + 1916. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Jan. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 7th<br>9th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Entrained at Berguette for Marseilles. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Jan. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 26th<br>28th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Returned by train to Pont Remy. Marched to Ergnies for training. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Feb. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 10th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched to Ribeaucourt. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 20th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved by motor lorry to Candas. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 21st + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2" rowspan="2"> + Training and work for R.E.'s on new railway lines in Candas area. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + March + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 5th + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 6th<br>9th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched via Iverny and Maizières to Acq. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 10th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2" rowspan="2"> + In line in Vimy sector, with intervals at rest in huts behind Mont St. Eloy. Mining activity. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + April + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 20th + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 21st + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + By 'bus to billets at Tincques and Bethencourt for training. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 29th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved to Averdoignt. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + May + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 6th<br>10th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched via Rebreuviette and Gaudiempré to Bienvillers. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 11th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2" rowspan="2"> + In line in front of Foncquevillers. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + June + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 4th + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 5th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved back to Humbercamp. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 6th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched by night to Le Souich. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 8th<br>14th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Training in attack practice near Sus-St. Leger. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 15th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched to Humbercamp. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 16th<br>18th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Working parties found for digging cable trenches and screening approaches near Bienvillers. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 19th<br>27th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + In line in front of Foncquevillers. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 28th<br>29th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Rested at Pommier. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 30th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved at night to assembly positions in front of Foncquevillers. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + July + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 1st + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Battle of Gommecourt. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 2nd + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved back to Gaudiempré. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 3rd + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched to huts at Bavincourt. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 4th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched back to Pommier and Bienvillers. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + July + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 10th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved to Bellacourt. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page016" name="page016"></a>(p. 016)</span> + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 11th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2" rowspan="2"> + In line in front of Bretencourt, with periods in Support at Bellacourt, and in Reserve at + Bailleulval. (Sept. 22nd, Raid by A Company near Blairville.) + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Oct. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 28th + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 29th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2" rowspan="2"> + Marched from Bailleulval via Warluzel, Le Souich and Neuvillette to Maison Ponthieu, for training. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Nov. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 3rd + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 22nd<br>25th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched via Bealcourt and Neuvillette to Humbercourt. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Dec. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 6th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved to Support billets at Foncquevillers and Souastre. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 7th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2" rowspan="3"> + In line in front of Foncquevillers, with intervals in Support in posts in and about Foncquevillers, + and in billets at Souastre. (Feb. 16th—17th, heavy bombardment with gas shells and + bombs.) + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + 1917. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Feb. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 18th + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 19th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved back to St. Amand. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 20th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched to Iverny for training. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 28th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2" rowspan="2"> + Returned via Grenas to St. Amand. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + March + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 1st + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 3rd + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Took over recently evacuated German trenches at Gommecourt. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 4th<br>13th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Followed up enemy to Pigeon Wood, Brayelle Farm and Essarts. (March 4th, heavy counter-attack + against C Company.) + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 17th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved back to Souastre. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 20th<br>24th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched via Bayencourt, Courcelles-au-Bois and Contay to Bertangles. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 25th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved by 'bus through Amiens to Revelles. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 28th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Entrained at Bacouel. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 29th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Detrained at Berguette and marched to Westrehem for training. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + April + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 13th<br>14th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched via Vendin-lez-Béthune to Houchin. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 18th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved up to Support billets in Liévin. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 19th<br>22nd + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Skirmishing in Cité de Riaumont. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 23rd + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Attack on Hill 65 by C Company. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 24th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2" rowspan="2"> + Held sectors in front of Liévin and Loos, with intervals in Support in Liévin and in Reserve + at Marqueffles Farm and Noeux-les-Mines. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + June + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 30th + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + July + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 1st + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + In Brigade Reserve for attack by 46th Division West of Lens. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 4th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + On relief by Canadians marched to Bully Grenay and by 'bus to Chelers for training. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page017" name="page017"></a>(p. 017)</span> + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 23rd + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched to Verquin. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 24th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2" rowspan="2"> + In line in St. Elie sector and in Support at Philosophe. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Aug. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 15th + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 16th<br>25th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Training in Verquin area. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 26th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2" rowspan="2"> + In line in Cambrin sector and in Support at Annequin. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Sept. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 12th + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 13th<br>19th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + In Divisional Reserve at Fouquières. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 20th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched to Mazingarbe huts. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 21st + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2" rowspan="2"> + In line in Hill 70 sector, in Support in trenches North of Loos, and in Reserve at Mazingarbe. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Nov. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 14th + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 15th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2" rowspan="3"> + In line in St. Elie sector, in Support at Philosophe, and in Reserve at Verquin. (Jan. 2nd, Raid + on front held by D Company.) + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + 1918. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Jan. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 20th + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 21st + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched from Verquin to Burbure. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 22nd + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2" rowspan="2"> + Training at Burbure. Large detachment at Mazingarbe digging reserve trenches near Vermelles. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Feb. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 8th + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 9th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched from Burbure to Laires and Livossart. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 13th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved to Enquin-les-Mines for training. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + March + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 5th<br>6th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched to Westrehem and by 'bus to Béthune. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 14th<br>19th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Held Annequin Fosse "Locality," in view of heavy attacks expected. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 20th<br>23rd + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + In line in Cambrin sector. (March 22nd, Heavy bombardment and raid on A Company.) + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 24th<br>26th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + In Support at Beuvry. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 27th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2" rowspan="2"> + In line in St. Emile sector, and in Support in St. Pierre. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + April + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 10th + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 11th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + On relief by Canadians, moved back to Vaudricourt. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 18th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved to reserve trenches in front of Sailly-Labourse. Unsuccessful attack by enemy near Givenchy. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 20th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Returned to Vaudricourt. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 23rd + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched to Béthune. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 24th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2" rowspan="2"> + In line in Gorre and Essars sectors, and in Reserve at Fouquières, Vaudricourt Park and Verquin. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Aug. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 17th + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 18th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Occupied Le Touret after driving out enemy rear-guard. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 19th<br>31st + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + In billets at Verquin, Vaudricourt Park, Fouquières, Essars and Gorre. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Sept. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 1st + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Took over front line near Richebourg St. Vaast. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page018" name="page018"></a>(p. 018)</span> + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 2nd<br>3rd + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Continued to drive back enemy rearguards. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 4th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Attacked and occupied old British Line in front of Richebourg l'Avoué. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 5th<br>7th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved back via Beuvry to Auchel for training. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 11th<br>12th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + By train from Calonne Ricouart via Amiens to Corbie and marched to La Houssoye for training. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 18th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched to Bonnay and by 'bus to Poeuilly. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 20th<br>25th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + In line about Pontru and Pontruet. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 26th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved back to bivouacs near Vendelles. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 29th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Battle of Bellenglise. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 30th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2" rowspan="2"> + In dug-outs near Lehaucourt and Magny-la-Fosse. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Oct. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 2nd + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 3rd + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Battle of Ramicourt. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 5th<br>7th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + In line at Sequehart. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 8th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Resting at Lehaucourt. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 9th<br>12th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved via Levergies and Mericourt to Jonnecourt Farm, near Bohain. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 17th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Battle of Regnicourt.—The Last Fight. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 18th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Moved back to Fresnoy-le-Grand for training. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 30th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched to Bohain. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Nov. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 3rd<br>4th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched via Escaufort to Catillon. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 5th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Crossed Sambre-Oise Canal and advanced to Mezières. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 6th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Occupied Prisches and Cartignies. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 7th<br>9th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + At Cartignies. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 10th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched from Cartignies to Boulogne-sur-Helpe. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 11th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Armistice. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 14th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched to Landrecies. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 15th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2" rowspan="3"> + Clearing battlefield in Landrecies area. Demobilisation begun. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + 1919. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Jan. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 2nd + </td> + <td> + + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + " + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 3rd + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched from Landrecies to Prisches and continued clearing battlefield. + </td> +</tr> + +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + Feb. + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 19th<br>20th + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Marched via Bazuel to Bethencourt, near Candry, for completion of Demobilisation. + </td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td class="td-center"> + June + </td> + <td class="td-right"> + 23rd + </td> + <td> + + </td> + <td colspan="2"> + Return of Cadre and Colours to Headquarters at Newark. + </td> +</tr> +</table> + + + +<h3>CHAPTER I <span class="pagenum"><a id="page019" name="page019"></a>(p. 019)</span></h3> + +<h5>ENGLAND</h5> + + +<p class="figcenter"><i>August 4th, 1914.</i>—<i>February 25th, 1915.</i></p> + +<p class="p2">When the 8th Sherwood Foresters concentrated +at Hunmanby, at the end of July, 1914, for +their usual annual training, the International horizon +was clouded with the diplomatic conversations which +had followed the murder of the Archduke Francis +Ferdinand of Austria by Servians at Sarajevo. Many +hoped, no doubt, that the experience of the Morocco +incident of 1905 and the Agadir incident of 1911, would +again be repeated and that once more the clouds of a +world war would be dissipated, but when we reflect upon +this period of the world's history it is easy now to see +that war with Germany, sooner or later, was inevitable.</p> + +<p>The atmosphere was so charged with electricity +that it was impossible to settle down to the normal +routine of training, and there was little surprise when +on August 3rd, Bank Holiday, Germany declared war +on France, and when on the following day, August 4th, +Great Britain herself, following upon the violation of +the neutrality of Belgium, joined forces with Russia +and France.</p> + +<p>Territorial Camps were at once broken up and all +ranks ordered home, with instructions to hold themselves +in readiness for any emergency.</p> + +<p>The Royal Proclamation for the embodiment of +the 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts. and Derby +Regiment) was issued at 6.45 p.m. on Tuesday, +August 4th, and notified to all units in the briefest +possible telegram—"Mobilise." During Wednesday and +Thursday, August 5th and 6th, all Companies were +endeavouring to purchase locally and issue to every +man, underclothing and necessaries according to scale. +This <span class="pagenum"><a id="page020" name="page020"></a>(p. 020)</span> was a big undertaking, as the scheme for earmarking +such goods in the case of embodiment had not been +completed, and there was, therefore, some delay in +obtaining all requirements. The strength of the Battalion +on mobilisation was 29 officers and 852 other ranks.</p> + +<p>On Friday, August 7th, the Battalion concentrated +at Newark, under the Command of Lieut.-Col. C. J. +Huskinson, T.D., with Major G. H. Fowler second in +Command, and Capt. E. N. T. Collin, Adjutant, +Companies and their Officers at this time being as +follows:—</p> + +<p class="col30"> +<span class="col-30">A Company—Retford.—Lieut. W. R. Smith, 2nd Lieuts. + L. Rose and E. C. A. James.</span><br> + +<span class="col-30">B " Newark.—Capt. L. C. B. Appleby, Lieuts. + C. Davenport and A. H. Quibell.</span><br> + +<span class="col-30">C " Sutton-in-Ashfield.—Lieut. M. C. Martyn, + 2nd Lieuts. H. G. Wright and R. H. Piggford.</span><br> + +<span class="col-30">D " Mansfield.—Capt. A. C. Clarke, 2nd Lieut. J. W. Turner.</span><br> + +<span class="col-30">E " Carlton.—Lieut. F. G. Cursham, 2nd Lieut. H. Kirby.</span><br> + +<span class="col-30">F " Arnold.—2nd Lieuts. G. Clarke and A. F. O. Dobson.</span><br> + +<span class="col-30">G " Worksop.—Capt. E. W. E. Tylden-Wright, Lieut. W. H. Allen.</span><br> + +<span class="col-30">H " Southwell.—Capt. J. P. Becher, Lieut. J. K. Lane, + 2nd Lieut. H. B. S. Handford.</span></p> + + +<p>Lieut. A. L. Ashwell was Machine-Gun Officer; Capt. +F. W. Johnson, and Surgeon-Capt. H. Stallard, Medical +Officers, and Rev. J. P. Hales, Chaplain; Major W. N. +Sarll was Quarter-Master, but, being medically unfit, +at once handed over his duties to Capt. R. F. B. +Hodgkinson, who joined from the Territorial Force +Reserve. Capt. R. J. Wordsworth mobilised with Brigade +Headquarters.</p> + +<p>The <span class="pagenum"><a id="page021" name="page021"></a>(p. 021)</span> Battalion was billeted for the most part in +Schools: B Company were detailed for various duties +in the town, and H Company found guards on bridges +and other points on the Great Northern Railway, the +most important being the Tubular Bridge. Nothing of +interest happened except that a too keen sentry one night +loosed off at some suspicious looking persons, who turned +out to be innocent platelayers returning home from +work. Fortunately there were no casualties.</p> + +<p>On Monday, August 10th, at 9.30 a.m., we paraded +in the Market Place ready to begin our move to concentration +areas. The Mayor (Mr. J. C. Kew) and +Corporation were present, accompanied by Canon +Hindley, Vicar of Newark, and other Clergy, and there +was a dense crowd of onlookers. After an address by +the Mayor, who wished us God speed, and a short service, +we marched off via the Fosse Way to Radcliffe-on-Trent, +leaving behind H Company under Capt. Becher, to +guard the railway.</p> + +<p>For the first time in its history the Battalion had +complete First Line and Train Transport with it, this +being under the command of Lieut. Davenport, who had +been appointed Transport Officer. The vehicles were not +exactly regulation pattern, but little fault could be found +with the horses, all of which had been purchased locally. +Floats from Warwick and Richardson's and Hole's +formed the majority of the Small Arm Ammunition and +tool carts, whilst Dickens's Mineral Water drays and +Davy's Brewery drays made fairly good General Service +wagons, when fitted with light wooden sides. A furniture +van full of blankets, two Corporation water carts, and +a bread cart with a large red cross on each side, +completed the collection. We feel sure that few +Regimental Transports can have looked more like a circus +than did ours as we left Newark.</p> + +<p>The <span class="pagenum"><a id="page022" name="page022"></a>(p. 022)</span> march of 14 miles to Radcliffe-on-Trent was +completed about 4 p.m., and after a good night's rest +we left early on August 11th, and proceeding via +Nottingham, arrived at Derby at 6.30 p.m., after a +23 mile march. This was a very severe test for all, +as few were really "hard" enough at that time for +such a long trek. Route marches were accordingly +carried out, on each of the three extremely hot days +spent at Derby, as the main part of our programme.</p> + +<p>Whilst at Derby the main subject of discussion +was that of Imperial Service for Territorial units. So +far as we were concerned a considerable number of +officers and men had already volunteered. There +were many others who had not actually done so, but +there was no doubt as to what their answer would be. +Of the remainder many were practically disqualified +from serving abroad by reason of age, unfitness, family +and business ties, and other reasons, and for them, +in the light of the little we knew then, the decision was +most difficult, and the need for it we hardly thought +fair. The demand for volunteers was in the first instance +put rather baldly, with little notice, and with apparently +little realisation of the enormous difficulties under +which so many were labouring, and it was not surprising +that this appeal met with little response. A second +earnest appeal, reinforced by the feeling that the honour, +even the existence of the Battalion was in danger, +resulted in over 800 volunteering, which was eminently +satisfactory, though it is impossible to avoid the feeling +that many who volunteered then did so against their +better judgment, and that the decision should have +been made for them.</p> + +<p>All the other units in the Division having more or +less similarly settled this vital question, training was +started in earnest.</p> + +<p>The <span class="pagenum"><a id="page023" name="page023"></a>(p. 023)</span> first area allotted to the Division was Hertfordshire, +and we entrained on August 15th, for the +first time, and by no means the last. Hours went +by after our scheduled time before there was any sign +of the train. In an adjoining field, however, the +various Company entertainers had full scope and played +to large audiences. Eventually we got off in two trains, +and detraining at Leagrave marched the last three miles +to Luton, where we arrived in the early hours of August +16th. Here we stayed for six days and carried out a +little training, mostly at Luton Hoo and Markyate. +We cannot say that we regarded this as the most pleasant +of our experiences, as our billets were not of the best +either for Officers, who were mostly crowded into a few +cottages, and took turns at bathing in small tin baths +in the sculleries, or men who were also crowded in somewhat +unwholesome schools, while our menu consisted +monotonously of bully beef and pickle, and army biscuit +and cheese.</p> + +<p>Better things fortunately were in store, for on +August 21st, we moved on a few miles to Harpenden, +where we were destined to stay for three months, and +where we received on all sides the greatest possible +hospitality. We are sure that all who were billeted at +Harpenden will look back with the greatest pleasure +to the time spent in that delightful district. The men +for the most part were billeted in small houses, three +or four together, and with the more than ample rations +and billeting allowances then in force, both men and +billet owners were exceedingly well off.</p> + +<p>Here we had also the 5th, 6th and 7th Sherwood +Foresters, which, with ourselves, formed the Notts, +and Derby Infantry Brigade, under the Command of +Brigadier-General C. T. Shipley, who had Major E. M. +Morris as Brigade Major, and Capt. R. J. Wordsworth as +Staff Captain. The Stafford and Lincoln and Leicester +Infantry <span class="pagenum"><a id="page024" name="page024"></a>(p. 024)</span> Brigades completed the North Midland Division, +which was commanded by Major-General The Hon. +E. J. Montagu Stuart-Wortley.</p> + +<p>Fortunately the weather for some time was splendid, +and the Battalion soon began to shew the result of +constant and regular drill, and the turnout and smartness +improved rapidly. Training comprised almost every +possible form that could be required to make both +officers and men efficient, and went so far as to include +the detailing of Sergt.-Instructor Mounteney to carry out +the by no means easy task of trying to turn Officers +into swordsmen. It is no disparagement of his efforts to +congratulate ourselves that we never had to put our lessons +to the test of stern reality. "Infantry Training" and +"Field Service Regulations" were studied and more or less +followed out in practice in all we did. Most of our drill, +musketry instruction, bayonet fighting, physical exercises, +and outpost drill were carried out on the splendid +Common at Harpenden, but our training area extended +to most of the surrounding parks and farms, where the +bulk of our more advanced work in attack practice and +tactical exercises was carried out. Perhaps some of +the best remembered places are "High Firs," where we +first spent a night in bivouacs, Sandridge, where there +was a small range, Rothamstead Park, Redbourn, +Ayre's End, Hammond's End Farm, Annable's Farm, +Mackery End, Thrale's End Farm, where barbed wire +entanglements were put up, the like of which we never +saw in France or anywhere else, and Cold Harbour. +At Sundon, not far from Dunstable, we dug and occupied +our first real trench system, which after a preliminary +skirmish at night, when rockets were used to guide the +attacking troops, had to withstand a heavy dawn attack +by the Lincoln and Leicester Brigade.</p> + +<p>Classification practices were fired at Wardown and +Galley Hill ranges, near Luton, on thoroughly wet and +disagreeable <span class="pagenum"><a id="page025" name="page025"></a>(p. 025)</span> days, with ammunition not intended for the +rifle we were using, and altogether under such adverse +conditions, that good scores were impossible.</p> + +<p>In addition to Brigade and Divisional schemes in +the neighbourhood of Harpenden we had big shows on +two days at Kinsworth, near Dunstable. Of our indoor +classes, probably the most entertaining were the French +lessons given after mess sometimes by a kind friend +from the Y.M.C.A.; he did his best, but we fear that +it was not quite the right time of day to find a class +of Officers in a mood for imbibing instruction.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile there were many changes in personnel: +Lieut. James took over A Company from Lieut. Smith, +who was unfit; Capt. Appleby and Lieut. Cursham +proceeded to Dunstable to take charge of Home Service +men; Lieut. Quibell went to the Depôt at Newark; +Capt. Tylden-Wright being unfit, G Company was +handed over to Capt. Allen; Lieut. Turner took over +the Machine-Gun Section on Lieut. Ashwell becoming +Assistant Adjutant; Lieut. G. Clarke was Musketry +Officer; Lieut. H. B. S. Handford, Signalling Officer; +and Lieut. Piggford, Scout Officer. Subalterns who +joined during these early days included 2nd Lieuts. +W. H. Hollins, J. V. Edge, A. Hacking, E. M. Hacking, +W. N. Wright, J. R. Eddison, B. W. Vann, J. M. Gray. +J. S. C. Oates, R. E. Hemingway, A. P. F. Hamilton, and +W. C. C. Weetman. Hamilton soon left us to join the +Divisional Cyclists and afterwards served with the Tank +Corps, winning the M.C. In other ranks there were also +changes: Sergt.-Instructors Hancock, Holmes and Walker +went to other units, a number of men went to Dunstable, +and a good many were discharged medically unfit, +but our numbers were constantly being swelled by the +arrival of recruits who kept coming in batches at frequent +intervals from the Depôt, and made up our strength +practically to establishment.</p> + +<a id="img003" name="img003"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img003.jpg" width="600" height="410" alt="OFFICERS AT HARPENDEN; Nov., 1914." title="OFFICERS AT HARPENDEN; Nov., 1914."> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Officers At Harpenden; Nov., 1914.<br> + +<i>Back Row</i>: 2nd Lieut. A. F. O. Dobson, 2nd Lieut. J. S. C. Oates, 2nd Lieut. E. M. Hacking. 2nd Lieut. A. Hacking, 2nd Lieut. W. C. C. Weetman, + Lieut. H. B. S. Handford, Capt. J. K. Lane, 2nd Lieut. J. R. Eddison, 2nd Lieut. H. Kirby.<br> + +<i>Middle Row</i>: 2nd Lieut. J. M. Gray, 2nd Lieut. W. N. Wright, Lieut. H. G. Wright, 2nd Lieut. B. W. Vann, 2nd Lieut. J. V. Edge, + Lieut. G. Clarke, 2nd Lieut. W. H. Hollins, 2nd Lieut. E. C. A. James, 2nd Lieut. J. W. Turner, Lieut. C. Davenport.<br> + +<i>Front Row</i>: Capt. and Qtr.-Mtr. R. F. B. Hodgkinson, Capt. W. H. Allen, Major A. C. Clarke, Rev. J. P. Hales, Capt. and Adjt. E. N. T. Collin, + Lieut.-Col. C. J. Huskinson, Major G. H. Fowler, Capt. J. P. Becher, Capt. M. C. Martyn, Capt. A. L. Ashwell, Surgeon-Capt. H. Stallard.<br> + +<i>On Ground</i>: 2nd Lieut. R. H. Piggford 2nd Lieut. A. P. F. Hamilton.<br> + +<i>Reproduced by permission of H. A. Valentine, Photographer, Harpenden.</i></p> + +<p>Lieut.-Col. <span class="pagenum"><a id="page026" name="page026"></a>(p. 026)</span> G. S. Foljambe, who had joined from +the Territorial Force Reserve, was in charge at the +Depôt, and later commanded for some time the 3rd +Line, with the unenviable task of getting together +and training in an extraordinarily short space of time, +personnel to replenish the 1st and 2nd Lines. Many +young Officers and others who passed through his hands +in those days look back with pleasure and affection to +the happy times spent under his kindly care at Newark +and Belton Park.</p> + +<p>Recreations in these early days were run on the +usual lines. Padre Hales had a reading room and +organised Battalion Concerts from time to time, at +which much local talent was displayed, but with everyone +living in houses organised entertainment was not so +necessary as we later found it to be in isolated camps, +or at out-of-the-way villages in France.</p> + +<p>We were inspected three times during this period; +once at Harpenden by Lieut.-General Sir Ian Hamilton, +commanding the Central Force, again on September +29th, by Lord Kitchener in Luton Hoo Park, when we +thought we made a very creditable display, and lastly, +on October 6th, after we had carried out an attack +scheme ending up on the Sandridge Rifle Range, when the +Battalion had the honour of marching past Lord Roberts.</p> + +<p>The air, of course, was full of rumours. As early +as September 1st, we were told that we should be +off to France in a month: later the date was fixed for +October 30th, and then November 7th, Bordeaux being +mentioned as the elusive objective. On this last occasion +it seemed so certain that we were going that a farewell +sermon was preached, which turned out to be decidedly +premature. We heard with every conceivable detail +the delicious stories of the thousands of Russians +who kept pouring through Nottingham, and like +others we had the usual excitements of spy scares, +all of which were very entertaining, and one at least +highly <span class="pagenum"><a id="page027" name="page027"></a>(p. 027)</span> dangerous, when one of our chases took some of +us over the railway embankment armed with loaded +revolvers.</p> + +<p>Whatever the possibilities of our going out early +may have been, one step was taken which could have +had only that object in view, viz. inoculation against +typhoid. We can only hope that the Medical Officers +who operated on us got more fun out of the operation +than we did.</p> + +<p>Marching orders came eventually, and as ever, when +least expected. Late on Sunday evening, November +15th, we were told to be ready to move at an hour's +notice. This was presumed to be due to a feared raid +and landing on the East Coast—at any rate one hopes +there was some equally good reason for it, for quite a +number of Officers and men had been allowed to go on +week-end leave, and had to be recalled by telegram, +whilst the following day was to have been a holiday.</p> + +<p>We shall not easily forget that night—the energy +we expended in packing valises, brows sweating, tempers +bad, language beyond description,—all trying the +impossible feat of making the wonderful collection of +kit we had got together on the advice of one friend or +another keep within the allotted allowance of 35lbs.</p> + +<p>Apart from our own individual troubles, we had the +additional enormous task set of issuing new equipment +to everybody. The 1908 bandolier pattern had been +withdrawn, and new leather equipment (pattern 1914) +had arrived on the previous Friday and Saturday, and +the Quarter-Master's staff had been busy marking it and +getting it ready for issuing. This all had to be issued +during the Sunday night, and was carried round to billets +in blankets. The language of something like 900 men all +trying to put together an entirely new set of equipment, +the like of which they had never seen, may well be +imagined. We were the first Battalion to be issued +with this equipment, which on the next day's march +proved <span class="pagenum"><a id="page028" name="page028"></a>(p. 028)</span> very unsatisfactory, many buckles and straps +pulling right out of the webbing of the packs and haversacks. +We were glad when a month later it was all +withdrawn, and we were issued with the much more +popular and lasting web equipment.</p> + +<p>Eventually the Battalion paraded at 9 a.m. on +November 16th, one hour late, and in consequence +instead of leading the Brigade we had to march in rear. +We got to Harlow, a distance of something like 26 miles, +about 8 p.m. This was a very trying march, and as +many men had only been issued with new boots during +the night, it was not surprising that several fell out. On +this march we first realised what a difficult and technical +job "supply" can be. The supply and baggage wagons +appear to have been hopelessly overloaded, and in +consequence both rations and blankets failed to reach +us that night. It was largely owing to the extreme +kindness and hospitality of the inhabitants of the delightful +little village of Harlow, amongst whom was the +evergreen veteran Sir Evelyn Wood, V.C., that we were +fed and breakfasted and able to continue the march the +following day, 14 miles to Dunmow. This proved +more trying than the previous day, and the Medical +Officer and stretcher-bearers had a busy time attending +to those who fell out.</p> + +<p>On the 18th, we finished the journey by a nine mile +march to Bocking, and there settled down into billets +for the rest of our time in England. Though we were +spoilt at Harpenden, we are sure that all ranks have +nothing but pleasant recollections of the time spent at +Braintree and Bocking, where one and all treated us +with the greatest kindness, and we hope were sorry to +lose us. Where all were so kind it is almost invidious +to mention names, but one feels (though they themselves +would be the first to deny it) that a special debt +of gratitude is owed to the Nuns of the Convent at +Booking, <span class="pagenum"><a id="page029" name="page029"></a>(p. 029)</span> whose kindness and care for those who were +billeted at the Convent, and for all with whom they +came in contact, were beyond all praise.</p> + +<p>In order to prepare for any possible German landing +on the Essex coast orders had been issued for a series +of trenches to be dug to form defensive lines for the +protection of London, and we were at once set on to this +work, which was pushed on as rapidly as possible, systems +of trenches, redoubts, gun positions, and other defensive +works being put in hand. Our work was mainly at Panfield, +Marks Farm and Black Notley. It was not an +ideal season for trench digging, especially in the clay +of Essex, which was the "genuine" article, and we were +glad when the bulk of it was finished by Christmas. +This work was carried out under Royal Engineers' +supervision and was in some ways instructive, although +we thought that the principles we had been taught in +the Military Manuals were frequently violated by the +siting of trenches along the sides of prominent hedgerows. +Nevertheless, what we did was more after the +nature of what we were to meet in France, and therefore +of considerable practical value. That our work was +satisfactory was testified to by the insertion in Central +Force Orders of January 23rd, 1915, of the General +Officer Commanding-in-Chief's keen appreciation of the +soldierly spirit and enthusiasm shewn for the work +by all ranks. All the same, we have no regrets that it +was never necessary to occupy the trenches for actual +warfare.</p> + +<p>Owing to another scare Christmas leave was +cancelled. Scarborough had been bombarded on +December 22nd, and there was apparently a bit of a +"breeze." According to one writer this was due to a +little lack of liaison between our Naval and Military +authorities. The former had apparently spread a +rumour that an invasion of the German Coast was to +take <span class="pagenum"><a id="page030" name="page030"></a>(p. 030)</span> place, and the enemy concentrated numbers of +troops there in case it happened. This concentration +came to the knowledge of our military spies, who, however +were not told of the cause, and their report appears to +have caused our War Office to think that an invasion of +England was contemplated. We were not, however, +by any means dull at Christmas. On December 24th, +we beat the 6th Battalion 2—1 in the first round of +the Divisional Football competition, Vann being skipper, +and in the evening the Warrant Officers and N.C.O.'s had +a dance at Braintree Corn Exchange. On Christmas Day +there was Church Parade at Braintree, when the Bishop +of Derby preached. Later, dinners were issued on a +sumptuous scale, and in the evening the Officers were +entertained at the White Hart by the Colonel and Major +Fowler.</p> + +<p>In a later round of the Divisional Cup Competition, +we beat the Divisional Mechanical Transport Column +3—0, and got into the semi-final, when, however, we were +badly beaten by the 4th Leicesters at Bishop's Stortford, +by 3 goals to nil. In a Brigade paper chase which was +held on December 26th, Pvte. Allen of E Company +came in first.</p> + +<p>On December 28th, we returned to Luton by train +to carry out final firing practices at the Wardown and +Galley Hill Ranges, and field firing practice at Dunstable +in appalling weather, when frost, snow and rain made +accurate shooting perfectly impossible, and we were +glad indeed to get back to Bocking on January 6th, +1915.</p> + +<p>The rest of our time was spent in final training, +mainly carried out at Gosfield Park and Abbot's Hall, +and in preparations for going out, in which the inspection +and completion of equipment of all kinds played a +prominent part. This was not too easy a job for the +young Company or Section Commanders, as the men by +this <span class="pagenum"><a id="page031" name="page031"></a>(p. 031)</span> time were up to all the "old soldier" tricks, and +were very clever at making one article appear +almost simultaneously in half-a-dozen different kits. +Drill included a certain amount of new bayonet +fighting and other exercises under Major A. C. +Clarke, who had attended a course at Chelsea. Mules +arrived in January and were objects of much interest; +our miscellaneous transport vehicles were discarded and +replaced by new ordnance pattern issues, to which were +added two Lune Valley Cookers, kindly presented by +the ladies of Nottinghamshire. At the end of January +the Battalion had to be completely reorganised in order +to come into line with the regular Battalions: the old +8-Company system was abolished, and the 1914 +Double Company organisation introduced, entailing an +immense amount of work and keeping us busy right up +to the time of our departure. The situation was not +helped by the absence of Major Fowler with eight +Subalterns and 407 recruits, who were away carrying +out musketry classification practices at Luton from +February 3rd to 20th.</p> + +<p>Our chief relaxation at Bocking in the early +part of 1915 was night searching for elusive spies, +who were supposed to carry on lamp signalling; +more often than not when these were tracked down +they turned out to be innocent stable guards doing their +nightly rounds. At other times we picketed the roads +to hold up motor cars which were supposed to be acting +as guides to Zeppelins, but it is doubtful whether either +of these occupations did a great deal towards bringing +about the more rapid conclusion of the war.</p> + +<p>One also remembers the excitement caused by +the first Boche aeroplane dropping bombs within a +mile of the village, which we, of course, imagined had +been dropped for our especial benefit. One of the +Scouts secured a "dud," which was the object of +much <span class="pagenum"><a id="page032" name="page032"></a>(p. 032)</span> interest to everyone, up to the Divisional +Commander.</p> + +<p>It was about this time that the first distinguishing +patches were allotted to Battalions. Our first was a +square green patch worn behind the cap badge, undoubtedly +very smart, and the envy of the other +Battalions in the Brigade. When we got to France the +Officers of the Battalion had to wear two short vertical +green stripes at the top of the back of the jacket, to enable +them to be picked out from behind, as all ranks were +more or less similarly dressed and Officers' swords were +discarded. Later still these marks were worn by all +ranks in the Battalion, and the practice was continued +up to the end of the war.</p> + +<p>On February 15th, confidential orders were received +that we were to proceed abroad at a very early date. +Final preparations were put in hand, equipment, stores +and clothing were issued to complete, and everything +was made ready for a move.</p> + +<p>On February 16th, Col. Huskinson received notice +of his appointment as Commander of Base Details on +Lines of Communication with Capt. G. Clarke as his +Adjutant. Col. Huskinson had been to a great extent +responsible for the recruiting of the Battalion to full +strength before the war, and his keenness and enthusiasm +throughout the difficult times of reorganisation and +training during these first six months of the war, contributed +largely to the high standard of morale and +general efficiency reached in England. One and all were +sorry to lose him, but we were glad indeed to find +that Major Fowler was to succeed him in Command of +the Battalion.</p> + +<p>On February 19th, we had the honour of being +inspected with the rest of the Division by H.M. the King, +at Hallingbury Place, near Bishop's Stortford.</p> + +<p>Into <span class="pagenum"><a id="page033" name="page033"></a>(p. 033)</span> the last few days was crowded an immense +amount of work, for the final arrangements never seemed +to finish, and changes took place right up to the last. +We were made up to establishment in Officers by the +arrival of Lieuts. G. S. Heathcote and F. B. Lawson, +and 2nd Lieuts. C. L. Hill and T. H. F. Adams, whilst +large reinforcements from the 2/8th Battalion on +February 22nd, brought us up to full strength, and when +we left Bocking on February 25th, we were 31 Officers +and 996 other ranks. Second Lieut. R. E. Hemingway +was left behind with 100 men as the First Reinforcement, +and the Orderly Room was handed over to the care of +Col.-Sergt. Instructor F. Kieran. We left by two trains +at 7.50 and 9.15 a.m., and by 4.0 p.m. had all +detrained at Southampton Docks.</p> + +<p>On the whole the Battalion was well equipped, and +physically everyone was fit. The chief drawback +appeared to be that we had rather a large percentage of +young and inexperienced Officers and N.C.O.'s, but as +all had much to learn of the kind of warfare actually +going on, this was no great disadvantage. With so +many late additions and the very recent reorganisation, +few Commanders had had the opportunity of getting to +know their men. So far as training was concerned we +had covered in a way the whole of what the books had +to say, and were fairly well acquainted with ordinary +methods of fighting. There was a tendency towards +staleness at the moment, and it is doubtful whether +prolongation of our training in England would have been +beneficial. We felt somewhat ignorant of many practical +points affecting trench warfare, into which the fighting +on most of the Western front had degenerated, and +though we had received useful hints from Major Hume, +who had been out, we yet had a great deal to learn; this +we did in France, in the hard school of bitter experience. +Whatever our shortcomings, we felt proud indeed to +belong <span class="pagenum"><a id="page034" name="page034"></a>(p. 034)</span> to the first complete Territorial Division to +embark for France.</p> + +<p>At this time the personnel of Battalion and +Company Headquarters were as follows:—</p> + +<div> +Commanding Officer.—Lieut.-Colonel G. H. Fowler.<br> +Second-in-Command.—Major A. C. Clarke.<br> +Adjutant.—Capt. E. N. T. Collin.<br> +Medical Officer.—Surg.-Captain H. Stallard.<br> +Chaplain.—Rev. J. P. Hales.<br> +Quarter-Master.—Capt. R. F. B. Hodgkinson.<br> +Transport Officer.—Lieut. C. Davenport.<br> +Machine-Gun Officer.—Lieut. A. F. O. Dobson.<br> +<p class="p0">A Company—(formerly E and F Companies).</p> +<p class="p0 col30">Capt. A. L. Ashwell; Lieuts. G. S. + Heathcote, H. Kirby, and F. B. Lawson; + 2nd Lieuts. J. V. Edge, and E. M. Hacking; + Comp. Sergt.-Major A. Mabbott; Comp. + Quar.-Master Sergt. E. Haywood.</p> +<p class="p0">B " (formerly B and H Companies).</p> +<p class="p0 col30">Capt. J. P. Becher; Capt. J. K. Lane; + Lieut. J. W. Turner; 2nd Lieuts. W. H. + Hollins, J. R. Eddison and B. W. Vann; + Comp. Sergt.-Major W. Mounteney; Comp. + Quar.-Master Sergt. S. C. L. Shelton.</p> +<p class="p0">C " (formerly C and D Companies).</p> +<p class="p0 col30">Capt. M. C. Martyn; Capt. H. G. Wright; + Lieuts. H. B. S. Handford and R. H. + Piggford; 2nd Lieuts. A. Hacking and + T. H. F. Adams; Comp. Sergt.-Major + E. Hopkinson; Comp. Quar.-Master Sergt. + J. R. Dench.</p> +<p class="p0">D " (formerly A and G Companies).</p> +<p class="p0 col30">Capt. W. H. Allen; Lieuts. E. C. A. James + and W. C. C. Weetman; 2nd Lieuts. + J. M. Gray, C. L. Hill and J. S. C. Oates. + Comp. Sergt-.Major F. Spencer; Comp. + Quar.-Master Sergt. F. A. Pritchard.</p> +Acting <span class="pagenum"><a id="page035" name="page035"></a>(p. 035)</span> Regimental Sergt.-Major.—E. A. Westerman.<br> +Regimental Quar.-Master Sergt.—D. Tomlin.<br> +Armourer Quar.-Master Sergt.—R. A. G. Loughman.<br> +Signalling Sergt.—W. Burton.<br> +Machine-Gun Sergt.—F. Parker.<br> +Transport Sergt.—C. Green.<br> +Sergt. Drummer.—W. Clewes.<br> +Provost Sergt.—G. Phillipson.<br> +Sergt.-Cook.—S. Wiffen.<br> +Pioneer Sergt.—J. Caddy.<br> +Acting Sergt.-Tailor.—H. A. Huckerby.<br> +Sergt.-Shoemaker.—G. H. Fletcher.<br> +Orderly Room Sergt.—F. Torrance.<br> +Orderly Room Sergt. (Base).—E. Kirkby.<br> +Orderly Room Clerk.—Corpl. R. Harvey.<br> +Non-Commissioned Officer i/c Stretcher Bearers.—Corpl. R. F. Bescoby.<br> +Medical Orderly.—Corpl. B. Sissons.</div> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER II <span class="pagenum"><a id="page036" name="page036"></a>(p. 036)</span></h3> + +<h5>FRANCE</h5> + + +<p class="figcenter"><i>February 25th, 1915.</i>—<i>June 20th, 1915.</i></p> + +<p class="p2">As soon as the detrainment was completed, we +proceeded on board the "Mount Temple," with +certain Royal Field Artillery Details, the ship being under +the command of Major Kent, R.F.A. At 6.30 p.m. we +dropped down to Netley, imagining we were off, instead +of which we anchored there for the night. The greater +part of the next day, February 26th, was spent on board +in physical and other exercises and inspections. Late in +the afternoon, much to our surprise, orders were received +that 21 Officers and 763 other ranks were to disembark, +presumably because it was not desirable for so many +troops to cross on a slow going boat like the "Mount +Temple." Having left on board Major Clarke, Capt. +Ashwell, and Lieut. Heathcote with two-and-a-half +platoons of A Company, and Capts. Hodgkinson and +Davenport with the Signal, Transport and Machine-Gun +Sections, the remainder of us disembarked about 6.30 p.m., +and proceeded to a Rest Camp about three miles outside +Southampton. It was very disappointing to be split up, +but there was nothing to be done but to make the best +of it. We cannot say that our two days' stay at the +Rest Camp was exactly enjoyable, for the camp was +uncomfortable, and no passes were allowed to the town. +We therefore fully appreciated the kindness of the ladies +of the St. John Ambulance Association, who had huts +near the camp, and gave us most excellent meals.</p> + +<p>On February 28th, a further contingent of 101 men +under Captain Becher embarked on the "Caledonian," +and later in the day the rest of us went on board a small +Clyde <span class="pagenum"><a id="page037" name="page037"></a>(p. 037)</span> pleasure steamer, the "King Edward," where we +were crowded beyond description. Neither party sailed, +however, that day, and we spent the night on board. +The next day those on the "King Edward" had to +disembark once again! This took place early in the +morning, and after a little wandering we ultimately +obtained billets for the Officers at the Central Hotel, +and for the men at the Watt Memorial Hall.</p> + +<p>In the end we embarked on the "King Edward" +on the afternoon of March 2nd, and sailed the same night. +There was so much to interest everyone until we got +out to sea that we had little time in which to indulge +sentimental feelings. That gliding down Southampton +Water in silence broken only by the throbbing of +the engines, with lights out, sentries posted, and in some +cases Machine-Guns mounted, the sudden appearance +out of the darkness from somewhere off the Isle of Wight +of a destroyer to pilot us across the Channel, the challenge +to the ship as to who we were, and the order to "carry +on," the numberless rays of searchlights sweeping around +on all sides—such was the start of our great expedition, +precisely the same, no doubt, as that of most other troops +who crossed during the war.</p> + +<p>We had an excellent crossing and anchored off +Havre early the following morning, disembarking about +7.30 a.m. The morning was spent amongst the hangars +at the docks, drawing sheep-skin coats and other +equipment. Here we were met by Major Clarke who +reported that Capt. Ashwell with two platoons had +already proceeded up country, and that they had all +had a very uncomfortable time at Havre, sleeping in +trucks or wherever they could. They had been joined +by M. Lacolle, who was to be attached to the Battalion +as Interpreter. After dinner we marched down to our +entraining point, and were able to entrain more or +less at leisure during the afternoon—our first experience +of <span class="pagenum"><a id="page038" name="page038"></a>(p. 038)</span> a French Troop train. Later on we got accustomed +to their ideas, but certainly for the men, and often for +Officers too, the French way is not quite in accordance +with our own ideas, and we must confess it went very +much against the grain to have to crowd 36 to 40 men +in nothing more or less than a cattle truck. "Hommes +40: Chevaux 8," may be all right for the "Chevaux," +but for the "Hommes" we consider a revised number +is required.</p> + +<p>During these first few hours spent at Havre we +learnt to appreciate the Y.M.C.A. huts, which supplied +much excellent refreshment, and the Officers will certainly +not forget the delicious tea and cakes so generously +provided by Mrs. Pitt.</p> + +<p>We left for the North at 5.15 p.m. At Rouen a +halt was made for the engine to take in water, and ourselves +coffee and rum. The taste of the latter was new +to most of us, but we liked it well enough to hope that +we might make its acquaintance again. Early in the +morning of March 4th, we had a short "halte repas" +at Abbeville for breakfast, and continuing via Calais +and St. Omer we eventually, about 1 p.m., after a +20 hours journey, detrained at Cassel, which if tradition +does not lie, was the happy hunting ground of the +good old Duke of York, who</p> + +<p class="left05"> +"Had ten thousand men,<br> +He marched 'em up to the top of the hill,<br> +And he marched 'em down again." +</p> + +<p>If the English Tommy of those days was anything like +the modern "Old Bill" he probably had something +pointed to say about the Hill of Cassel, and was equally +unappreciative of the magnificent view one got from +its summit!</p> + +<p>Capt. Ashwell met us at the Station and acted as +our guide to the little village of Oudezeele, which we +reached about 5 o'clock after a trying seven miles' march. +The <span class="pagenum"><a id="page039" name="page039"></a>(p. 039)</span> men were tired after their long, cramped journey; +many wore new boots, whilst all were weighed down +with enormous packs, which had been added to by the +newly drawn sheep-skin coats. It was not surprising +that under such conditions many fell out, and that most +of us were thoroughly weary by the time we reached our +destination. Ashwell and his party too, had not had a +pleasant time. Strangers in a strange land without +Battalion, Brigade or Divisional Headquarters—or any +of the other luxuries which make life worth living—they +had found existence rather precarious. Ashwell himself +had walked 45 miles in three days in search of rations, +so that our arrival with the transport was more than +welcome.</p> + +<p>We found our billets rather strange after the houses +and cottages to which we had become accustomed in +England, as they consisted mostly of scattered farms, +several platoons and sometimes a whole Company or +more being billeted at one farm, generally in barns.</p> + +<p>Capt. Becher and his party arrived late the following +day, having been kept three days on the "Caledonian," +and the Battalion was once more complete. As the +rest of the Brigade had crossed before us and had already +gone up for trench instruction, we were temporarily +attached to the Lincoln and Leicester Brigade.</p> + +<p>We spent a few days training at Oudezeele, including +one or two route marches to get accustomed to the <i>pavé</i> +roads, and Edge, as newly appointed Sniping Officer, +gave a little special instruction in that branch of warfare. +We had a visit from Major-General Stuart-Wortley, +who discussed the training to be carried out, and our +coming duties in the trenches. The weather was very +cold, and a good deal of work was in the shape of lectures +in billets, and the reading of various routine and other +orders issued to troops on arrival.</p> + +<p>It <span class="pagenum"><a id="page040" name="page040"></a>(p. 040)</span> was during one of our route marches in this +district, which took us through the little village of +Wormhoudt, that we made our first acquaintance with +French troops. Many of them were back resting in +billets, and the warm welcome they gave us as we +passed through the narrow streets of the village crowded +with French "poilus," the whole Battalion whistling +the "Marseillaise," was an experience which will not +be readily forgotten.</p> + +<p>On March 9th, we marched with the Lincoln and +Leicester Brigade via Cassel, Caestre (where General +Smith-Dorrien saw us march past), and Strazeele to +Merris, where we joined up with the rest of our Brigade, +back from their course of instruction in the trenches. +Fortunately the fur coats which had caused us so much +trouble on the last march were now carried for us by +motor 'bus. At Merris we saw our first real signs of +fighting, both the Church and the Hospice having been +hit several times by shells, whilst there were isolated +graves of both French and English scattered about the +surrounding country. Here too, we saw our first +"fighting" aeroplane (armed with one short French Rifle), +which had crashed just outside the village. It was +also at Merris that we had our first experience of paying +a Company "in the Field." Instructions on the subject +had led us to believe that this was a complicated +performance, but in practice it turned out to be quite +easy. Company "Imprests" were at a later date done +away with and a Battalion Imprest instituted, which +was much more convenient, as also was the very handy +"Officer's Advance Book," which was introduced later. +At first there seemed but little check on the money +that was drawn, and Field Cashiers appeared to issue +money to all and sundry on the flimsiest authority.</p> + +<p>Preparations were being made about this time for +a British offensive at Neuve Chapelle, and our Brigade +was <span class="pagenum"><a id="page041" name="page041"></a>(p. 041)</span> attached temporarily to General Gough's 2nd +Cavalry Division, with the object, if the attack succeeded, +of breaking through in the region of the Bois du Biez. +In order to be nearer the scene of operations we were +moved from Merris at an hour's notice at noon on +March 10th, and marched via Rouge Croix to Bac-St. +Maur. This was a memorable experience, but later on we +became accustomed to rapid movement, and the great +concentration of troops which was necessary when +fighting was imminent. Transport marched brigaded, +and in passing through Sailly-sur-Lys in the darkness +seemed to be so mixed up in the seething mass of +men that we almost began to doubt if they would +ever extricate themselves. Under the guiding hand +and voice of Capt. Davenport, however, our Transport +eventually got clear. During this operation "Davvy" +evidently made a great impression on one soldier (a +Regular), by his forcible language, as the latter was +heard to remark "There's a bloke what knows 'is job." +Confusion was great in Bac-St. Maur too, for when we +got there, the billets which we had been allotted were +still occupied by Canadians. Eventually, we all got +shelter of a kind, in probably the dirtiest and poorest +billets we ever had either in France or Belgium. This +was our first meeting with our Canadian friends, and we +can hardly say we were impressed, though we all knew +well what they were made of. We have specially vivid +recollections of one Canadian sentry on duty at night +opposite D Company's billet, evidently "well away," +loosing off his rifle at intervals, apparently to let us +know that he was "present and correct." One bullet +was close enough to be unpleasant, and fetched a lump +off the tree just outside the window. In this area we +were nearer to the line than we had yet been, some of +our guns firing from quite close to the village, and we +found it an interesting experience to see for the first +time an aeroplane being shelled.</p> + +<p>We <span class="pagenum"><a id="page042" name="page042"></a>(p. 042)</span> stood by for two days, ready to move at a +moment's notice, hearing much of the noise of the +battle. The attack, however, was not successful and the +Bois du Biez plan, therefore, fell through. On March 13th, +we got orders to move to fresh billets. We had to travel +light as we were still regarded as a "flying column." +Much superfluous kit was left behind, to be sent for +later on, and the weird bundles left at the Estaminet +at Bac-St. Maur will not readily be forgotten. We +marched that afternoon <i>via</i> Estaires to Neuf Berquin, +where we had again to be content with rather crowded, +if somewhat more comfortable billets than we had left.</p> + +<p>One or two changes in personnel had already taken +place. Capt. Hodgkinson gave up the appointment of +Quar.-Master owing to some technicalities, and for the +moment acted as Censor. In this capacity he was obliged, +to our great annoyance, to carry out the order to relieve +us of our cameras, which were sent home,—no doubt on the +whole a wise and necessary precaution. Capt. Hodgkinson +was succeeded as Quar.-Master by Lieut. Torrance, who +was destined, with a short break in 1918, to carry out the +duties up to the end of the war. He performed them +with much success, and in a way that only Torrance could. +On his appointment as Quar. Master, the Orderly Room +came under the charge of Corpl. R. Harvey, who carried +out his difficult task with the utmost devotion, without +a break until the last man of the Battalion was +demobilised. Second Lieut. G. W. Fosbery, who +received his Commission as we were about to cross to +France, took over his platoon from Handford, who as +Signalling Officer had enough other work to keep him +busy.</p> + +<p>We stayed at Neuf Berquin for ten days and did a +considerable amount of useful training, but unfortunately +at this time many men were sick, owing to the bad +water, so that parades were somewhat small. In addition +to <span class="pagenum"><a id="page043" name="page043"></a>(p. 043)</span> continued route marches to keep feet in condition +we practised formations for advancing through woods +in the Bois d'Aval, open warfare attack under the +watchful eye of General Gough, and several trench-to-trench +attacks on the leap-frog principle, the first line +capturing and holding the front trench, and other lines +passing through them to attack the support trenches. +We also began to practise making and throwing the +old "jam-tin bomb," the beginning of the attack of +"bomb fever," which unfortunately was to play such +a prominent part in the warfare of the next two or three +years, undoubtedly to the detriment of all sound training +and tactics.</p> + +<p>Arrangements had meanwhile been made for our +initiation into the mysteries of real trench warfare, and +with that object in view we were moved on March 24th, +to Vieux Berquin, and on the 26th, across the frontier +to Romarin in Belgium, being once more attached to +the Lincoln and Leicester Brigade. Much to our regret +the rum issue was stopped the next day!</p> + +<p>We were attached for instruction to the 10th +Infantry Brigade, 4th Division, and the programme +arranged allowed each Company to spend two nights +in the trenches, with a break of 24 hours in billets. The +Battalions to which we were attached included the +Royal Irish Rifles, 2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers, Argyll +and Sutherland Highlanders, 2nd Seaforth Highlanders, +and 2nd Royal Warwicks, who held the trenches about +Ploegsteert and opposite Messines.</p> + +<p>The first night each Officer and man studied the +work of his counterpart in the Battalion to which he +was attached, and the second night platoons were allotted +definite lengths of trench, for which they were held +responsible. This first experience was not exactly full +of incident, as on the whole we had a very quiet time, +but for us, as for all others on their first visit to the +line, <span class="pagenum"><a id="page044" name="page044"></a>(p. 044)</span> many little incidents of everyday trench routine +were novel and exciting. Recollection lingers on the +long, slow tramp to the trenches, along corduroy tracks +in thick darkness lighted up from time to time by +Very lights from our own trenches and by the infinitely +superior ones from the enemy (we recollect that some of +us, faithful to our instructions, but slightly misguided, +began ducking quite five miles behind the line when a flare +went up), the constant order to keep closed up, the +whizz of bullets, at every one of which we ducked +instantly, the cracking of rifles, the 'dead cow' smell +which afterwards became so painfully familiar, the +arrival at the trenches and the posting of sentries. +Later the cautious creeping over the parapet to look +at the wire and at dawn stand-to, followed by the +frizzling of bacon and the brewing of tea (in these days +each side had a more or less respectable breakfast, +evidenced by the columns of smoke that went up from +the respective front line trenches directly after stand-down). +Such incidents we feel sure were sufficiently +novel at the time to impress themselves vividly on the +memories of those whom a kindly fate has preserved to +read these recollections.</p> + +<p>Probably the most uncanny feeling some of us had +was, when on starting from Battalion Headquarters for the +trenches, we met a stretcher party carrying out one of our +own men, Comp. Sergt.-Major Hopkinson, who had been +wounded by a sniper, and was our first casualty. It was +an experience that everyone had to go through, but it +was not pleasant. Hopkinson and two men of D Company +wounded by shell fire were our only casualties during +our instructional tours. That we did not make a bad +impression is attested by a letter written from an Officer +of the 2nd Seaforths, who says:—"I thought your +Officers and men most awfully keen, and I was immensely +struck by the way your men came into the trench—no +noise <span class="pagenum"><a id="page045" name="page045"></a>(p. 045)</span> at all, and perfect discipline and quietness and +keenness. They were awfully willing to act up to any +small suggestions you made as to what they ought to +do. They came in so much better than Regulars, +and I was genuinely filled with admiration for them. +They were a splendid body of men." It is, perhaps, +needless to say that we on our part much appreciated +the great kindness shewn us by the units to which we +were attached. Those of us who happened to be in +or near Petit Douvre Farm during this attachment were +much interested in finding some of the early drawings of +Bairnsfather, as done for the "Bystander." The interior +walls of the farm were covered with his charcoal sketches, +in some cases to the order of Commanding Officers who +were to follow! It was at the same farm that Pvte. Cottam, +of D Company, acted as head butcher in the slaughter +of an abandoned pig, causing a good deal of excitement +before final despatch. Most of the men brought away +with them "souveneers" of this first visit, none more +unaccountable than the dud 77 mm. shell carried about +in his pack for several days, by a sturdy sanitary man +of A Company—in fact, until discovered by a rather +alarmed Company Commander.</p> + +<p>On March 31st, we left Romarin, and marched back +to our old billets at Vieux Berquin, being met at +Doulieu and escorted from there by the 6th Battalion +band. Only one band had been allowed to come out +with the Brigade, and after some discussion that of the +6th Battalion was selected, and carried on up to the end +of the war, virtually as a Brigade Band.</p> + +<p>Orders were received on April 1st, for our Division +to take over its first portion of the British front in relief +of the 28th Division, and on April 2nd we marched with +the rest of the Brigade via Bailleul to Locre, in Belgium. +As few, if any of us, had ever studied Flemish, the +language question in some of the villages of Flanders +presented <span class="pagenum"><a id="page046" name="page046"></a>(p. 046)</span> a little difficulty, but with his guiding principle +of "tout-de-suite, and the touter the sweeter," the British +Tommy never seemed to have any trouble in getting +what he wanted. We were disposed to think sometimes +that the Belgians did not look very kindly on us. +Perhaps it was because in our early days we were rather +inclined to take too much notice of the frequent reports +we heard of supposed Belgian spies, and of Belgians +being in communication by various means with the +Boche on the other side of the lines. One well remembers +the suggestion made from time to time that signalling +was carried on by means of the windmill on Mont Rouge, +or by the display of washing laid out to dry on the ground +by Belgian housewives. At any rate we did find a house +at Locre, where a number of pigeons were kept, a fact +which aroused the suspicions of some of the Officers of +D Company, and in the same house were discovered +quantities of British stores of all kinds, which must have +been got from our troops in a not too straightforward +manner. Some of the inhabitants, too, treated us with +scant courtesy. It was here that the lady of the +establishment removed the handle from the pump +where Sergt. Markham's platoon was billeted, and not +content with that went a step further, and for some +reason best known to herself, gave him a cold douche +when asleep one night. Some of us, on the other hand, +were more fortunate in our billets, and all who went to +the Hospice can have nothing but the most pleasant +recollections of the great kindness of the Mother Superior +and other ladies. Padre Hales, who left us to be attached +to Brigade Headquarters, when we crossed to France, +was billeted there with our Field Ambulance, and we +were allowed to go there for baths when out of the line, +and always received much kindness and hospitality. +Unfortunately during the German onslaught in 1918, this +delightful place was completely destroyed. The bathing +arrangements <span class="pagenum"><a id="page047" name="page047"></a>(p. 047)</span> in general at this time were somewhat poor, +the nearest military baths being at Bailleul, about four +miles away, so that we were very delighted at receiving +during our stay at Locre, from Miss Gilstrap, of +Winthorpe, Newark, three galvanised iron baths, with +boiler complete. With these and other local devices +we were able to get the men bathed at their own billets, +which was a great boon. Another similar consignment +from Mrs. John Becher, unfortunately got lost in the +post, but we trust was of benefit to some other unit.</p> + +<a id="img004" name="img004"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img004.jpg" width="400" height="601" alt="The Avenue Kemmel, 1915." title="The Avenue Kemmel, 1915."> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">The Avenue Kemmel, 1915.<br> +<i>Reproduced by permission of Lieut.-Col. C. W. Birkin, C.M.G., T.D.</i></p> + +<p>In the afternoon of Easter Eve, April 3rd, we +attended a Church Parade, taken by the Bishop of +London, of which many of us have bitter recollections, +as owing to a mistake in Divisional Orders, we were +rigged out in full marching order. Further, as it was +a damp and windy day, few of us could hear a word of +the address, and all wanted to get as much sleep as +possible in view of the great adventure before us. +The same night, which turned out to be miserably wet, +we left Locre, to take over the trench sector in front of +Kemmel held by the 1st Devons. Company Commanders +had already been in the trenches for 24 hours to get the +lie of the land, and they, together with the guides of the +Devons, met us at the appointed rendezvous, the celebrated +band stand at Kemmel. There were, of course, +no lights; rations and trench fuel, which had been +taken up by the Transport, were issued in sandbags, +and water in petrol tins, and each platoon was then led +off by itself. When one looks back on trench reliefs, +one is inclined to wonder how on some occasions they +were carried out at all, the possibilities of going wrong +seemed so great. In the present case, however, nothing +untoward happened, and we set off by our various +routes to the front line, passing such favourite spots as +the "Sahara Desert" (the final resting place of every +bullet fired within a radius of five miles, or so it seemed), +the <span class="pagenum"><a id="page048" name="page048"></a>(p. 048)</span> "Willows," "Irish Farm" or "The Orchard," +and into the G and H trenches. In our heavy greatcoats +and with full packs, which we continued religiously +to carry for many months for no apparent reason, the +journey was not pleasant, and we were not sorry to get +into the trenches, where the relief was completed about +11 p.m. C Company being mainly composed of miners +and under the command of a Mining Engineer, were +put in the right sector where was our only mine, much +to the relief of, at least, one Company Commander, who +had mental visions of a mine as a large black cavern, +where hand-to-hand fighting went on incessantly! A +Company had the centre and D Company the left, B +Company occupying the two supporting points and +billets in Kemmel Village. Battalion Headquarters +were at the Doctor's house in Kemmel, and the Transport +and Quar.-Master's Stores remained at Locre.</p> + +<p>There was practically only one trench line at this +time, and this, like most of the trenches in Belgium and +the low lying districts, was a line of breastworks with +very little wire in front, and only one or two small supporting +points. The opposing front lines varied from +25 to about 300 yards apart, being closest at "Peckham +Corner," on the right. Shelters were built mostly of +timber and corrugated iron, strengthened with sandbags, +and were generally in the parados of the trench.</p> + +<p>Easter day—our first day holding a bit of line on +our own—was fairly quiet, except for a little shelling +of D Company on the left during the afternoon. On +the right, some men of C Company sang hymns, and +the enemy made overtures for a truce by showing +a white flag. About 40 of them appeared on the +parapet, and a brisk conversation ensued for several +minutes across "No Man's Land." A somewhat unflattering +remark from one of the enemy who had a +wonderful knowledge of forcible English, ended the +armistice rather hurriedly.</p> + +<p>On <span class="pagenum"><a id="page049" name="page049"></a>(p. 049)</span> most nights during these early days of the war, +each side had its turn at five or ten rounds "rapid" +to relieve the monotony of things. In this we were on +equal terms with the enemy, but during the day we +were hopelessly outclassed owing to the great shortage +of periscopes, and the lack of telescopic rifles and well +constructed loophole plates, of all of which the Hun +seemed to have an abundant supply. It was long before +we got anything like adequate numbers of these very +necessary trench requisites. It was not surprising, +therefore, that for some time the Boche snipers had the +upper hand and could do almost what they liked. Their +shooting was extremely accurate, and as the trenches +were enfiladed on all sides, and there was in many cases +little parados, we soon had casualties, most of which +were sentries shot through the head. Our first fatal +casualty was Pvte. Hyde, of A Company, shot in this +way on April 6th. We were also short and entirely +inexperienced in the use of rifle grenades and trench +mortars, with which the enemy made very good practice. +A large trench mortar certainly did find its way up to the +trenches by some means one day, and provided considerable +amusement to our men. It is reported to have +dropped its first bomb into the enemy trench, and its +second into our own—its erratic behaviour ultimately +making it no doubt more annoying to ourselves than +to the enemy. Lieuts. A. Hacking and Hollins were +the pioneers in the use of rifle grenades, with which +they eventually did good work at "Peckham Corner."</p> + +<p>After a tour of four days which were most +uncomfortable owing to constant rain, we returned +to Locre. The system of four days in trenches and +four in billets, taking turns with the 6th Battalion, +continued for some time with little variation. When +out of the line we, of course, had to find those never-to-be-forgotten +working parties, which had become +part <span class="pagenum"><a id="page050" name="page050"></a>(p. 050)</span> of the normal trench warfare system. Having +had a hard four days in the trenches, it was never a +pleasant duty to have to march up three or four miles on +one or perhaps two nights out of our few days' rest, to do +a job for the Royal Engineers or some other specialists in +the trenches. Otherwise, our stays at Locre were fairly +pleasant. There were no great attractions, but we had +enough to do as a rule in general training and cleaning, +and the country round about was extremely pleasant, +either for walking or riding. Perhaps the greatest +excitement was to go down to Bailleul to shop and call +on "Tina." Such luxuries as Canteens for supplying +the wants of the inner man were quite unknown in these +early days, when we had to rely mainly on parcels from +home or purchases in the local towns.</p> + +<p>Work in the trenches consisted mainly of +strengthening or rebuilding the parapet and parados, +and in putting out barbed wire defences. As a rule, we +wanted far more sandbags than were ever forthcoming, +but in these days they were used indiscriminately, and +in consequence many very weak structures were built, +which could not possibly stand without support through +a single wet season. The barbed wire defences were +very poor, and as soon as we got into the way of doing +it much time was spent in that not too pleasant work, +for Boche snipers did execution by night as well as by +day, and made themselves very objectionable. Our +entanglements consisted mainly of "knife-rests"—wooden +frames strung with barbed wire. These were +made by the men in the Brigade workshop at Kemmel, +run by Major Wordsworth, the Staff Captain, to which +each Battalion contributed a quota of pioneers and +trade specialists. One Officer learnt a very practical +lesson in their use from the enemy. He had some +carefully placed in position one night, where he +thought his wire particularly weak, but his spirits fell +to <span class="pagenum"><a id="page051" name="page051"></a>(p. 051)</span> zero the following morning, when on looking over +the top he saw his precious knife-rests in position +guarding the Boche trenches opposite! From that time +onwards knife-rests were securely fastened to each other +and to the ground. Our Brigade (hereafter known as +the 139th Infantry Brigade) had a good reputation for +trench work, and the digging element was used to great +advantage by the 6th Battalion commencing what was +one of the first long communication trenches dug on the +British front. It extended from the front line nearly +back to Kemmel and was for ever known as the "Via +Gellia." In its later stages it was worked on by ourselves. +This trench was a great convenience, as it enabled reliefs +to be carried out much more securely by avoiding going +over the open, and permitted of visits of inspection to be +made by daylight, and the wounded to be carried back +to the dressing station at Kemmel. In the early days +they remained in the trenches until it was dark enough +for the journey to be made over the top.</p> + +<p>On April 22nd, we experienced a little of the backwash +of the first Hun gas attack against the French and +Canadians in the Ypres Salient a few miles North of us. +During most of the time we had been in this area there +had been considerable activity in that quarter, and the +shelling and burning of Ypres could be plainly seen from +the Kemmel trenches. This attack was the beginning +of the second battle of Ypres. The only effect on +ourselves of the gas used on this occasion, was to make +our eyes smart and a few men sick. It did, however, +cause a commotion on all sides, and with unaccustomed +speed, the first consignment of respirators was sent out to +us—pieces of gauze which had to be filled with tea-leaves, +damped, and fastened round the mouth in the event of +attack. These were improved from time to time, and a +little later we got a gas-proof smoke helmet—the earliest +form known as "P," and the later as "P.H." Vermorel +sprayers <span class="pagenum"><a id="page052" name="page052"></a>(p. 052)</span> were also provided in due course, and some +solution for spraying the trenches to clear them of gas. +Bells and gongs formed of shell cartridge cases or pieces +of iron were also hung in the trenches to be sounded +by the sentry if any sign of cloud gas was seen. +There was perhaps a natural tendency to imagine gas +when there was none, and an official report of gas by C +Company on the night of May 8th, was found to be due +to the proximity of a dead cow.</p> + +<p>April 24th witnessed our first serious bombardment. +We had already had several somewhat severe baptisms, +but they were trifling in comparison. About 6 p.m., after +an exceptionally quiet day, and just before we were to +be relieved, the enemy began an organised trench mortar +bombardment of G1 and 2, occupied by platoons of C +and D Companies, and H 4 held by Lieut. Vann and his +platoon of B Company. It lasted for about an hour, and +made large breaches in the parapet of G1 and 2, and +practically demolished the whole of H 4, a small isolated +trench on the extreme left, opposite Petit Bois. Both +these trenches were completely enfiladed by the Boche, +so that their shooting was extremely accurate. It was +thought at one time that the enemy might attempt a +raid on G1 and 2, but this did not develop. A Machine +Gun team consisting of L.-Corpl. Sharrock and Pvtes. +Hopewell and Davis, which was posted in G1, behaved +most coolly, and Sergt. A. Phillipson, of D Company, did +very gallant work in the same trench under heavy fire with +Pvtes. Coombes and Durand, all in a more or less dazed +condition, helping to dig out the wounded. On the left +Vann and his platoon had a very bad time. Whilst he +was digging out wounded a bomb fell close by, killing +four and burying three others, and blowing Vann himself +several yards across the open at the back of the trench, +and practically wiping out the garrison. Major Becher +brought up reinforcements and helped Vann to get the +position <span class="pagenum"><a id="page053" name="page053"></a>(p. 053)</span> made good, and great assistance was given by +2nd Lieut. Hollins and L.-Corpl. Humberstone. Pvtes. +F. Boothby and A. Gleaden of B Company also did +excellent work, helping to dig out and dress the wounded, +most of the time in full view of the enemy, not more +than 70 yards away. The 2nd Royal Scots on our +immediate left, also gave us valuable assistance. Our +total casualties during the hour's bombardment were +14 men killed and two Officers (Vann and Gray), and +14 men wounded. When we were back at Locre +after this tour, General Shipley spoke to the Battalion +on parade and thanked them for the good work done, +especially congratulating Vann, and on the following +day the General Officer Commanding our Division also +congratulated the Battalion on its behaviour under fire.</p> + +<p>Several changes took place during April, owing to +casualties. Capt. Allen went down sick on April 6th, +and Lieut. James took over the command of D Company +until the 14th, when Capt. Hodgkinson was appointed. +He, however, also had a short stay there, for on April +22nd, when in an excess of zeal to see what was going on +opposite G1, where some suspicious work was reported, +he apparently thought he could sufficiently camouflage +himself behind a pair of field glasses to gaze over the +top of the parapet, the almost immediate result was a +bullet which just grazed his head, and he, too, had to +leave us. D Company then came under Capt. Lane. +Second Lieut. Eddison, our first fatal Officer casualty, +was killed on April 21st, being hit by a bullet whilst out +wiring, and though help was instantly rendered by +Drummers Newton and Robb, who pulled him out of +the shell-hole of water, into which he had fallen, and +carried him into the trench, he died in a few minutes. +Four Officers were down for a short time with measles, +including Capt. Martyn, who unfortunately was +invalided to England, and was succeeded in command +of <span class="pagenum"><a id="page054" name="page054"></a>(p. 054)</span> C Company, by Capt. H. G. Wright. Martyn served +later in Ireland and France, as Second-in-Command of +the 2/8th Battalion and in command of the 2/7th +Battalion, and won the D.S.O. and M.C. Lieut. Lawson +got a shell wound in the shoulder and had to leave, and +2nd Lieuts. Gray and Vann also had to be in hospital +for a short time from what was later known as "shell-shock." +A great loss, too, was Sergt. Wilmore, a very +gallant soldier, who was sniped one day when outside +his trench.</p> + +<p>May found us beginning to feel our feet. The Commanding +Officer had talks with Officers as to a more +aggressive attitude being taken up; we had a lecture +from Major Howard, R.E., at Kemmel as to the construction +of an invisible loophole, low down in the parapet, +and so built as to afford a good field of fire and permit of +our replying better to the Hun snipers. Sergt.-Drummer +Clewes also got into action with his telescopic rifle from +sniping posts cunningly placed behind the front line, +the only possible position from which really successful +sniping could be done, and was not long in getting +quite a good "bag." Shortly afterwards he was put +in charge of the newly-formed Brigade Sniping Section. +A trench mortar was actually got into use, and did +a certain amount of damage to the Boche trenches, but +naturally produced considerable retaliation. Further +efforts to fire rifle grenades met with some success, +whilst a "Gamage" catapult introduced to throw bombs +provided, at any rate, a little amusement. In patrolling +considerable progress was made. Second Lieut. A. +Hacking did some very daring work at "Peckham +Corner," and near Petit Bois; 2nd Lieut. Hollins and +L.-Corpls. Heath and G. Gadd of B Company made +splendid reconnaissances of the enemy's wire; and 2nd +Lieut. Edge, who was always to the fore in wiring, no +matter how bright the night, carried out a daring daylight +reconnaissance, <span class="pagenum"><a id="page055" name="page055"></a>(p. 055)</span> the first attempted in the Battalion, +getting nearly up to the German front line in company +with Pvte. C. E. Bryan, of A Company. Pvte. W. O'Brien, +of the same Company, was another who knew no danger; +in fact, at night it was difficult to keep these two men +in the trench at all. Daring patrols were also carried +out by 2nd Lieut. Vann, Sergt. Pickering and L.-Corpl. +Humberstone. Perhaps the most successful was a +fighting patrol, which went out on the night of May +9-10th under 2nd Lieut. Oates, with the object of +rounding up a Hun patrol. Oates, who had a party +of six men with him, went forward with Pvte. Nicholson, +leaving the remainder behind, to within about 50 +yards of the German wire. On their way back they +ran into a Boche patrol. Oates promptly shot one +man, Nicholson bayoneted another, whilst two others +who were wounded got away. Oates and his party +got back safely.</p> + +<p>On May 14th, we carried out one of those little +manoeuvres which may have been of immense importance, +but appeared to us at the moment to be so much waste +of time, trouble and energy. Instead of proceeding to +the trenches that night according to programme, we got +sudden orders to "embus" for Hill 60, in the Ypres +Salient, to dig there under Royal Engineers' supervision +for the 5th Division. The net result was that of the 600 +who went, 400 dug for one-and-a-half hours, and 200 for +three-quarters-of-an-hour, after which the party returned +to Locre in the 'buses. The idea, doubtless, was a good +one, as it was necessary to dig more trenches where part +of our line had given way during the recent fighting, +but the organisation of the work seemed to leave a good +deal to be desired. It was the remnants of a Canadian +Battalion returning from this fighting in the Salient +shortly after midnight on one occasion, whilst we were +back at Locre, which made us think we must have had +more <span class="pagenum"><a id="page056" name="page056"></a>(p. 056)</span> than an ordinary nightmare, for we awoke with +a start to hear the strains of a brass band coming along +the <i>pavé</i>,—at 1 a.m. such a proceeding seemed decidedly +strange. It was not long, however, before we found +that all was well, and that it was our own Brigade +Band playing the Canadians through the village. This +was evidently appreciated by them, for one of their +number in a letter to the <i>Daily Telegraph</i>, after describing +the magic effect of the music on his men, concludes with +the remark: "The Canadians will remember how the band +of the Sherwood Foresters played them through the +darkness at midnight out of 'Bloody Ypres.'"</p> + +<p>About the middle of May we began reliefs with +the 7th Battalion, and our sector was extended slightly +left to include some of the J trenches opposite Petit +Bois. An interesting entry in the War Diary is that +May 16th, the day following relief, was the first day +absolutely free from casualties since we took over our +portion of the line. This, however, must have been +an exceptional day, for bad luck so far as casualties +went pursued us with great regularity. Capt. Lane +was badly wounded on May 26th, when out wiring, and +the command of D Company then passed to Lieut. +James. Capt. H. G. Wright, to the great regret of +his friends in all ranks was killed on June 6th, being +shot, through the double loophole plate from which he +was firing, and was succeeded in command of C Company +by Capt. G. S. Heathcote. Lieuts. Kirby and Weetman +and 2nd Lieut. Fosbery were wounded in May, and +2nd Lieut. Oates early in June, and all had to leave +the Battalion. Capt. Ashwell and 2nd Lieut. Edge +were also slightly wounded. Our only reinforcement +Officers were 2nd Lieuts. N. L. Hindley and G. G. +Elliott. Comp. Sergt.-Major Mabbott, of A Company, +was invalided to the Base, and was succeeded by +Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. Haywood, Sergt. G. W. +Godfrey <span class="pagenum"><a id="page057" name="page057"></a>(p. 057)</span> being promoted Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. +in his place. Comp. Sergt.-Major Mounteney, B Company, +was invalided to England and Sergt. Chappell +was appointed Comp. Sergt.-Major of that Company. +Sergt. J. A. Green was appointed Comp. Sergt.-Major of +C Company in place of Comp. Sergt.-Major Hopkinson +wounded, and Sergt. T. Powell became Comp. Sergt.-Major +of D Company after Comp. Sergt.-Major Spencer +left, also wounded. The latter obtained a Commission +some time later, only to be killed in France when +doing excellent work in command of a Company of +another Battalion of the Regiment. A change had also +taken place in the Brigade Staff, Major E. M. Morris, +the Brigade Major, who had worked so strenuously all +through our period of training in England, and done +so much to help us in learning our job in France, having +left on June 1st, to take command of the 2nd Royal +Irish Rifles. He was succeeded by Major W. G. Neilson, +D.S.O., of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.</p> + +<p>Early in June we moved still further left and took +over more of the J and K trenches, with the reserve +company at Siege Farm, and Battalion Headquarters +at Rossignol Farm. Our numbers at this time were +swelled by the presence of a Company of the 8th King's +Royal Rifle Corps who were attached for instruction—the +first of Kitchener's Army that we had seen.</p> + +<a id="img005" name="img005"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img005.jpg" width="400" height="298" alt="Sketch Shewing Arrangement Of Mine Galleries." title="Sketch Shewing Arrangement Of Mine Galleries."> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Sketch Shewing Arrangement Of Mine Galleries.</p> + +<p>Our severest handling in the Kemmel area occurred +on the last day of our last tour there, and was begun +by the blowing of enemy mines, a form of warfare +which had already developed considerably at various +points along the battle front. Tunnelling Companies +of the Royal Engineers had been formed, but their +numbers were not sufficient to cope with all the work, +and in order to help them Mining Sections were formed +in some of the Infantry Brigades as well. From the +miners of the 139th Brigade, it was not difficult to select +suitable <span class="pagenum"><a id="page058" name="page058"></a>(p. 058)</span> men for this purpose, and towards the end of +May, a small party was taken from the Battalion to +join the Brigade Mining Section, which was put under +the command of Capt. Piggford. Included in the party +were Corpls. Boot and Attenborough, both of whom later +received decorations for gallantry in underground work. +These Brigade Sections were normally used for defensive +mining only—broadly to prevent the enemy blowing +up our trenches. The Royal Engineers' Tunnelling +Companies on the other hand, were employed for offensive +work in blowing up the enemy. Where mining was +feared, sentries in the front line had to report at once if +any suspicious sounds were heard, which might indicate +that the enemy were mining in the neighbourhood, in +order <span class="pagenum"><a id="page059" name="page059"></a>(p. 059)</span> that protective measures might be taken. The +J trenches, which varied from 30 to 70 yards away +from those of the Boche, were mostly built on water-logged +ground, where to sink shafts and drive galleries +was not an easy task. Nevertheless, for some time +signs and sounds had been reported which seemed to +indicate that mining on the part of the enemy was +going on in this very region. Attempts had, therefore, +been made by us to sink shafts and take counter measures, +but these had proved unavailing owing to the bad nature +of the ground. The enemy, however, succeeded where +we failed, and on June 15th, exploded three mines, one +of which blew up a portion of J 3 Right. This took +place at 9.10 p.m., when the 7th Battalion were just +beginning to arrive to relieve us. At the same time +a terrific fire was opened with artillery, trench mortars, +rifle grenades, Machine Guns and rifles, and for over an +hour an incessant cannonade was kept up on our front +line, Support Company and Battalion Dump. Telephone +wires were broken—an occurrence looked on later with +less anxiety as it happened so often, and we had +no S.O.S. signal; pigeon service, which had been +established in the trenches just before this time, was, of +course, of no avail for night work, and Battalion Headquarters +were out of communication with the trenches +except by runner. Our reply to the bombardment was +almost negligible, and whatever the politicians and their +statistics may prove, we know that our supply of gun +ammunition at this time was totally inadequate. Some +of the enemy got into the mine crater, but were driven +out by C Company at the point of the bayonet. Pvte. +J. Sharman, of B Company, who was practically the only +man left in the trench when the enemy tried to occupy +it, shot one and drove off another, both of them having +attacked him at the same time. He was hit on the leg +by a dud bomb, and got a bullet through his haversack. +Excellent <span class="pagenum"><a id="page060" name="page060"></a>(p. 060)</span> work was also done by Corpl. Humberstone +in reorganising the garrison, and by L.-Corpl. Templeman +and Pvte. Tongue in repairing telephone wires. Eventually +things quietened down, and when the relief was complete, +we returned to Locre for a few days' well-earned rest. +Our casualties were unfortunately heavy, and included +two excellent Officers, Eric Dobson and Humphrey +Hollins, also Corpl. Wilcox and eight men killed, and +29 wounded, whilst the 6th King's Own Yorkshire Light +Infantry, some of whom were in the trenches with us for +instruction, also lost several men.</p> + +<a id="img006" name="img006"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img006.jpg" width="500" height="665" alt="Map Shewing Kemmel Sector Spring. 1915." title="Map Shewing Kemmel Sector Spring. 1915."> +</div> +<p class="figcenter">Map Shewing Kemmel Sector Spring. 1915.</p> + +<p>This was one of the earliest raids that ever took +place, and was planned doubtless to inflict casualties +and secure prisoners, but not to capture trenches. One +man of D Company is reported to have blamed this +affair for the loss of a pair of boots, as he assured his +Platoon Commander at a kit inspection a little later +"that they were lost when that there mine at Kemmel +went up!" As no man had more than one pair at a +time the Platoon Commander scratched his head.</p> + +<p>Thus ended our stay in the Kemmel sector, which +was taken over by the 50th (Northumbrian) Division. +We were now beginning to feel quite "old hands," but +our experience had been dearly bought. We had lost +heavily and were sadly in need of a draft, for to balance +our total casualties in other ranks of 49 killed or died +of wounds, and 120 wounded, we had so far received only +20 reinforcements.</p> + +<p>The Corps paid a tribute to the work performed by +the Brigade during our stay at Kemmel. Far more +valuable, however, were our first experiences of trench +warfare. The meaning and importance of responsibility +and discipline were for the first time really impressed +upon the minds of Officers and men alike. Gradually, +if imperceptibly, they had learnt something of what +would be required of them in the times of fighting ahead.</p> + +<p>Sometimes <span class="pagenum"><a id="page061" name="page061"></a>(p. 061)</span> one is tempted to compare conditions +at Kemmel with trench routine three years later. In the +Kemmel days the Platoon Commander lived with his +Platoon, and seldom even visited his Company Headquarters +and he undoubtedly acquired an intimate +knowledge of every man of his Platoon, which was +never equalled in later days. This further bred a sense +of responsibility and initiative which was all to the good +at a time when comfort, safety and enterprise depended +so largely on individual initiative. At the same time it +must not be forgotten that in later days Officers and +men alike were called upon to undertake more patrols +and raids, and had to suffer far heavier and more +incessant shelling and trench-mortaring than was our +general experience at Kemmel.</p> + +<p>As a school of instruction our time at Kemmel +undoubtedly provided a very valuable lesson not only +to Officers, N.C.O.'s and men of the Battalion, but to +Officers of the Brigade and Divisional Staffs, whose +experience of the new form of warfare could hardly +have been learnt under better conditions than those +which obtained during our first two months of trench +routine.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER III <span class="pagenum"><a id="page062" name="page062"></a>(p. 062)</span></h3> + +<h5>THE SALIENT</h5> + + +<p class="figcenter"><i>June 20th, 1915.</i>— +<i>October 1st, 1915.</i></p> + +<p class="p2">The Canadian's description of it as "Bloody Ypres," +referring doubtless to the Salient in general, was +very apt, and will be endorsed by all who ever had the +misfortune to sample it at any period of the war. We +have never met anyone who boasted of having found +a "cushy spot" in it, and so far as we ourselves were +concerned, the three months spent in the Salient were +very nearly, if not quite, the hardest months of the +war.</p> + +<p>Leaving Locre on the evening of June 20th, we +marched with the rest of the Brigade to the Ouderdom +Huts on the Reninghelst—Vlamertinghe Road. These +were the first "huts" ever occupied by the Battalion; +they were absolutely exposed to view, the surroundings +being open ploughed fields, and when the Boche +"Sausage" went up "Silent Percy," a German long-range +gun, warned anyone walking about that movement +must cease. There were, however, deep shelter trenches +round the huts, which afforded good protection, and +we escaped without casualties, though the Transport +having had a few shells in the horse lines, deemed it +wise to move back a little. We left there on June +23rd, and marching via Kruistraat and Zillebeke +proceeded to "Sanctuary Wood," where we relieved +the 5th East Yorkshires in trenches 7 to 12. These +trenches were good, being both narrow and deep. There +was a good deal of liveliness on both sides, and things +were anything but pleasant in the region of a wood. +whose <span class="pagenum"><a id="page063" name="page063"></a>(p. 063)</span> title was something of a misnomer. The Transport +too, had many good runs for their money when bringing +up rations and stores. The congestion on the road each +night was intense. Only one bridge, "14," over the +Ypres-Comines Canal was available for the transport of +all units occupying the centre of the Salient, and the +journey from the transport lines to the dump and back, +took something approaching seven hours. We were not +particularly envious of their job here on many occasions, +though never once did they fail to get supplies up to +the dump. This was at the South-West corner of +"Sanctuary Wood," and a very unhealthy spot, where +we were lucky indeed in not getting very heavy casualties. +There was hardly any water fit for drinking in the front +area, so that one of the water carts had to be brought +up full every night and left in the shelter of the wood, +and the empty one taken back.</p> + +<p>Rain made the trenches very uncomfortable, and +we had plenty to do in keeping them in order, and in +building shelters, of which we were very short. These +consisted for the most part of two or more waterproof +sheets laced together, and held in position across the +trench, by stones placed on the ends on the parapet +and parados. Little was done by us in the way of +active operations during our first tour, except a certain +amount of patrolling, in which 2nd Lieut. Adams and +Pvte. Needham were the leading lights, and got some +useful information. A Company had rather a bad time, +suffering over 20 casualties from "Whizz-bangs" (77 mm. +shells) and salvoes of 5.9's.</p> + +<p>We were relieved on the night of June 29/30th, +after a seven days' tour, by the 5th Lincolns, and moved +back to bivouacs at a charming camp near Poperinghe, +where we spent 12 of the most enjoyable days we +ever had in France. The weather was glorious, and we +made the most of it. We were spared strenuous work +as <span class="pagenum"><a id="page064" name="page064"></a>(p. 064)</span> far as possible on the very hot days, but carried out +much useful training of a general kind, and reorganised +and refitted all the units in the Battalion. Two new +Officers, 2nd Lieuts. R. E. Hemingway, and E. S. Strachan +joined us, the former eventually succeeding Lieut. A. +Hacking, who had just been appointed our first Battalion +Grenade Officer. A draft of 69 men also arrived, +together with 11 rejoined men,—a most acceptable +addition to our numbers. Several quite interesting +cricket matches were played, the last of which, Officers +v. N.C.O's., was won by the Officers. We managed +one concert, which was given entirely by our own artistes, +and went off very successfully. Poperinghe was quite +close, and though possessing no great attraction, yet +it was a change to walk or if possible get a horse for +the afternoon and ride over there sometimes to see +what was going on, and call on our little friend "Ginger" +at the café, and do any shopping that was wanted. +Here for the first time we encountered a Divisional +Troupe, and enjoyed many a pleasant evening with +the 6th Division "Fancies," with their Belgian artistes +"Vaseline" and "Glycerine." But perhaps the +greatest source of pleasure to all ranks now, was +that great institution "Leave" which had just been +started. True it was but four days, and for an extremely +small number, but it was something after all, and +encouraged those who were not lucky enough to have +it at the moment, that their turn would eventually +come to get out of the war for a brief space, and return +to their families at home. Capt. Ashwell left us whilst +we were here to take charge of reinforcements at St. +Omer. During his absence of five or six weeks A +Company was commanded by Lieut. J. V. Edge.</p> + +<p>We left camp with much regret on the afternoon +of July 11th, and proceeding via Kruistraat, where a +halt was made for tea, at the "White Château," we +eventually <span class="pagenum"><a id="page065" name="page065"></a>(p. 065)</span> took over trenches B 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8, in +the Hooge sector, from the North Staffords. The +trenches here were close together, at some points not +more than 25 yards apart. This nearness necessitated +in some cases the erection of small-mesh wire netting +to prevent the enemy throwing hand-grenades into +our trenches. Mining was carried on unceasingly, and +with both sides displaying abnormal activity with +every kind of war machine invented, life was not at all +pleasant. Possibly we had the greatest dislike for the +rifle grenades which the Hun was in the habit of showering +over on every possible occasion, but his shelling of the +whole of our sector, which he carried out with great +regularity, was extremely uncomfortable, and casualties +mounted rapidly. To the more normal means of trying +to wear down the enemy, we were now able to add +fixed rifles and rifle batteries. These were laid on +definite targets, and fired according to a time table +specially arranged, and we hope had the effect desired. +Sergt.-Drummer Clewes too, in charge of the Brigade +Sniping Section, was always worrying the Huns on every +possible occasion, and made some splendid "bags." +Work in the trenches was of a more or less normal +kind, consisting chiefly of strengthening fire and support +trenches and putting out wire, not forgetting the never-ending +efforts to drain away the water. Good patrols +were carried out by Lieut. James and Corpl. Hotson.</p> + +<p>After a heavy tour of 12 days we were relieved +on July 23rd, by the 7th Battalion, and marched back +to bivouacs near Ouderdom, a long trek, the last Company +not getting there until 7 a.m. the following morning. +We were shelled out of this camp almost immediately, +doubtless because a Staff Officer anxious for the comfort +of the Officers had had four beautiful white tents put +up. Unfortunately they had been pitched on the +Eastern slope of the field in full view of the "Sausage" +already <span class="pagenum"><a id="page066" name="page066"></a>(p. 066)</span> mentioned, and "Silent Percy" soon got busy! +On July 25th, we took over another field near Busseboom, +where we were left in peace, so far as the Hun was +concerned, though as the field had just previously been +used by Gunners for horse lines we had in other ways +quite a lively time. Here we were joined by 2nd Lieut. +Everard Handford and an excellent draft from the +2/8th Battalion.</p> + +<p>We had little time during this six days' rest to do +more than the usual refitting and cleaning, as large +fatigue parties were required on two days for Divisional +work. Bathing was an easier matter, as we were now +able to use the new Divisional baths at "Pop." So +far as the washing of clothing was concerned, the men +did their own, laundries being very few and far between.</p> + +<p>We had now in front of us what turned out to be +the longest and most trying of all the Battalion's experiences +in the trenches, for after relieving the 7th +Battalion in trenches B 3, 4, 7, and 8 at "Sanctuary +Wood" on the night of July 29/30th, we did not get +out for 19 days.</p> + +<p>Col. Fowler at this time was on leave, whilst Major +A. C. Clarke was unfit, and a little later had to return +to England. Major Becher, who succeeded him as Second-in-Command +was, therefore, in temporary command of +the Battalion. Much to our regret our old friend "Doc" +Stallard had also just left us for a tour of home duty. +Well had he stuck it all through, but he was beginning +to feel the strain of his strenuous duties, which were now +taken over by Surgeon-Lieut. C. B. Johnstone. The +latter had a memorable journey to join the Battalion, +which was then in the line, riding up on the front of the +horse ambulance that used to go nightly to "Maple +Copse" to evacuate the previous twenty-four hours' +wounded. The road was very rough and mostly shell +holes full of water, and he had a decidedly rough passage. +Other <span class="pagenum"><a id="page067" name="page067"></a>(p. 067)</span> arrivals about this time included three new +subalterns, Lieut. C. M. Houfton, and 2nd Lieuts. R. V. +Harvey and A. H. Date, whose first experience of trench +warfare was to be rather more exciting than the average! +Comp. Sergt.-Major J. A. Green was temporarily acting +as Regimental Sergt.-Major in place of Sergt.-Major +Westerman, who had just left for England.</p> + +<p>The trench system taken over ran partly on the +outskirts of "Sanctuary Wood," and partly through the +wood itself, which in those days was most picturesque, +with delightful wild flowers and thick undergrowth. +The right was held by B Company (Lieut. J. W. Turner) +and C Company (Capt. G. S. Heathcote) and the left +by D Company (Lieut. E. C. A. James), whilst A +Company (Lieut. J. V. Edge) were in reserve. By a +very happy coincidence, we had with us A Company +of the 10th Sherwood Foresters, sent into the line for +the first time for instruction. Capt. G. P. Goodall, +subsequently killed at St. Eloi, was in charge of this +Company, amongst whom our men found many friends.</p> + +<p>We occupied the left of the 46th Divisional sector, +with the 5th Battalion on our right, the 7th Battalion +in immediate support in "Maple Copse," and the 6th +Battalion in Brigade Reserve.</p> + +<p>The 14th Division, which had only been in France +a few weeks, and had been with us for instruction at +Kemmel, had recently taken over the sector on our left, +where there had been much fighting during the past few +weeks for the possession of Hooge, which centred about +the stables and wall running near the Château. It was +there that in our last tour we had seen a brilliant assault +by the Gordons and Middlesex, after a terrific mine +explosion.</p> + +<p>At 3.30 a.m. on July 30th, immediately after stand-down, +and within a few hours of our arrival in the +trenches, on a perfect summer morning, the whole of +the <span class="pagenum"><a id="page068" name="page068"></a>(p. 068)</span> wood was suddenly surrounded by a ring of fire, +while at the same time a heavy bombardment was +opened, concentrating apparently on the trenches +around "Hooge Crater." Under cover of this bombardment, +and behind "flammenwerfer," the enemy attacked +the point of the salient held by C Company, at the same +time throwing the greater weight of his forces against +the Hooge sector occupied by units of the 14th Division. +The latter, who like ourselves had only come into the +line the night before, were undoubtedly surprised by the +sudden attack, and by this first use of "flammenwerfer." +Their men, dead tired, had just got down to sleep, +and the rapidity of the enemy attack left little opportunity +for organising successful defence.</p> + +<p>The result was that the enemy succeeded at once +in gaining the whole of the front and support trenches +on our left, pushing forward into the North end of the +wood, and threatening to cut off the whole of the salient, +and leaving the trenches held by D Company in imminent +danger of being turned from the rear.</p> + +<p>The first attack on the point of the salient was +driven off by rifle and machine gun fire. Here Pvte. +Grantham displayed conspicuous gallantry in remaining +at his post, in spite of being surrounded by flames, and +killing several of the enemy at close quarters. Very few +of the enemy succeeded in getting into our lines, though +for a short space of time there was a dangerous gap on +the left of C Company, which was filled up by the presence +of mind of 2nd Lieut. Hindley and Sergts. Sheppard and +Smith, and a platoon of B Company, one of whom, +Pvte. Tyne, did particularly fine execution by throwing +back unexploded enemy bombs. This platoon lined +the parapet, and by opening rapid fire prevented the +attack from developing. Unfortunately, an enemy +machine gun traversed the parapet, killing many of the +men of this gallant platoon, until a bomb thrown a +prodigious <span class="pagenum"><a id="page069" name="page069"></a>(p. 069)</span> distance by Sergt. G. F. Foster appears to have +fallen on the top of it, evidently knocking it out, and by +the volume of smoke produced wrecking a "flammenwerfer." +Several of the enemy were seen to be killed +or wounded by this lucky bomb.</p> + +<p>Further attacks by the enemy on the point of the +salient were made during the day, and a more serious +one early next morning, but they were readily driven +off with loss. We should like here to pay a tribute to +the magnificent courage and coolness of the men of the +10th Battalion, which contributed very largely to the +entire defeat of the enemy's attack on this front.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the position on the left was uncertain +and very alarming, and Sergt. A. Phillipson in particular, +in command of the left platoon, No. 13, had a most +anxious and trying time. Elements of the 14th Division +straggled from the left with stories of the German +advance. These accounts might easily have demoralised +our Battalion but for the magnificent example of Lieut. +James, his Second-in-Command, 2nd Lieut. Vann and +Sergt. A. Phillipson, and the coolness and courage of +every man of D Company. The situation on this flank +was serious indeed. All the trenches on the left had been +captured, and the enemy were reported as pushing into +the wood in the rear of our trenches. James acted +promptly, and immediately pushed out a left flank-guard. +Major Becher at Headquarters sent forward +reinforcements from the Reserve Company, and +eventually the 7th Battalion from "Maple Copse" +were despatched by Brigade and did splendid work in +spite of heavy shelling, in digging a switch line connecting +the trenches in the neighbourhood of "Zouave Wood" +to our left flank.</p> + +<p>Early in the afternoon the Reserve Brigade of the +14th Division, who had only reached bivouacs near +Poperinghe at three in the morning, returned and +made <span class="pagenum"><a id="page070" name="page070"></a>(p. 070)</span> a gallant but fruitless counter-attack to recover +the lost trenches. Could it have been expected that +men, who had been in the trenches for a week, marched +back during the night no less than 12 miles, only +to turn once more, march back those interminable +12 miles, part of the time under heavy shell fire, +dog-tired, without sleep or food, could without adequate +artillery preparation perform a feat which later required +a Division of fresh troops, after one of the most carefully +planned and destructive bombardments at that time +known? The Brigade could but have failed, and to the +onlooker it seemed a tragic blunder, but to those who +have read the pathetic story of a tragic day, the title +given by "The Student in Arms" of "The Honour +of the Brigade" alone provides the excuse for an operation +which from every other point of view, was one of the +costly blunders of the war.</p> + +<p>On August 9th, the 6th Division attacked after a +very heavy bombardment and re-established the +situation. No troops could have done finer work. +The enemy who had manned the redoubtable "Hooge +Crater" in great strength, suffered very heavily, but +the total prisoners captured in a hard fought attack +amounted to five. The 2nd Sherwood Foresters, under +that magnificent Officer Col. Hobbs, who in pre-war +days had at one time been Adjutant of our Battalion, +eventually endeavoured to hold the crater on our left, +but this was soon found to be untenable, and remained +in No Man's Land.</p> + +<p>An incident which is not without its humour, while +illustrating the tiredness of our men, may be worth +recalling. During the bombardment preliminary to +the counter-attack, when the noise of our own artillery +was deafening, and the proximity of the enemy shelling +far from assuring, a platoon commander discovered one +of his men fast asleep on the firestep. With some +difficulty <span class="pagenum"><a id="page071" name="page071"></a>(p. 071)</span> he was aroused and, rubbing his eyes, he +exclaimed, not without a certain degree of indignation +that his slumbers had been cut short—"What's oop?"</p> + +<p>Our casualties during the activities of July 30th +and 31st, amounted to 21 killed and 40 wounded, +and the 10th Battalion had ten casualties in addition. +This total was increased from day to day by incessant +shelling, trench mortars and rifle grenades, and by +the unfortunate inaccuracy of one of our 6-inch naval +guns, which persisted in firing into our trenches +until its identity was eventually discovered. During +the first fortnight in the line here, our casualties were +no fewer than four Officers wounded (Vann, E. M. +Hacking, Hindley and G. G. Elliott); 36 other +ranks killed, or died of wounds, and 90 wounded. +Included amongst the killed were Sergt. A. Phillipson, +who throughout had shewn the utmost coolness and +gallantry, and Sergt. E. Layhe, who had done very good +work as Scout Sergeant. "Jimmy" James, who had +struggled on manfully in spite of being very unfit, +eventually had to give up and go to hospital, D +Company being taken over by Vann.</p> + +<p>During these days there was much active patrolling +in order to make certain of the dispositions of +the enemy, and much daring work was carried out by +Lieuts. Vann, Turner, and H. B. S. Handford, 2nd +Lieuts. A. & E. M. Hacking, Corpl. Gadd, L.-Corpl. Wilson, +and Pvtes. Nicholson and Thompson. Vann in particular +was much in the good books of General Allenby, the +Corps Commander, for his splendid work, though he was +once the cause of his very nearly spoiling an immaculate +pair of breeches when showing him with much glee +a particularly un-get-at-able loophole plate in a very +muddy trench. We are led to believe, however, that +this crime was forgiven, as Vann was later honoured by +the General with an invitation to dinner.</p> + +<a id="img007" name="img007"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img007.jpg" width="500" height="657" alt="Map To Illustrate Fighting At Sanctuary Wood. July-august. 1915." title="Map To Illustrate Fighting At Sanctuary Wood. July-august. 1915."> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Map To Illustrate Fighting At Sanctuary Wood. July-august. 1915.</p> + +<p>Apart <span class="pagenum"><a id="page072" name="page072"></a>(p. 072)</span> from shelling, which continued intermittently, +the rest of our stay in the line was uneventful. It was +not, however, until August 17th, that the Battalion, +reduced in numbers but tried at last in real fighting, were +relieved by the 7th Battalion, and marched back to +bivouacs near Ouderdom, dead tired but happy in the +thought that they could hand over intact the trenches +which they had taken over three weeks before.</p> + +<p>The attack had evidently not been an attempt to +break through. The enemy no doubt had hoped to +seize our front line system from the right of B 4 +trench northwards. There can be no doubt that had +this succeeded the difficulty of the counter-attack +would have been largely increased. Indeed, at a time +when troops could ill have been spared, it is probable +that the Ypres Salient would have been considerably +reduced, and the morale of the enemy proportionately +increased. This was pointed out by General Allenby, +who, addressing the Battalion on parade on August +25th, said: "I have read with great pleasure and +pride the report of the General commanding your +Division, telling of the arduous work which you recently +did in the neighbourhood of Hooge. By your boldness, +tenacity, and gallantry, you did work of very great +importance. Perhaps you do not know that not only +did your action have an important bearing on that +particular bit of line, but on the whole campaign, because +of the political reason for holding the Salient. The +town of Ypres is nothing to us, but if the Boche took it +they would publish it to the world that they had captured +the fortress of Ypres, which we have held since November, +1914."</p> + +<p>The Battalion also received the special thanks of +the Field Marshal Commanding-in-Chief on their efforts +during the tour. To the delight of everyone, especially +all ranks of B Company, John Becher was awarded the +D.S.O., <span class="pagenum"><a id="page073" name="page073"></a>(p. 073)</span> a very well-deserved honour for most splendid +work whilst in command of the Battalion, during one of +the most anxious periods in its history; Vann for his +gallantry here and previously at Kemmel got the M.C. +Mention must also be made of the splendid work of +our new Medical Officer (Johnstone), his assistants Corpls. +Sissons, Martin, and Bescoby, and all the stretcher-bearers, +who worked indefatigably day and night, often +in circumstances of great personal risk in dressing and +evacuating the wounded, not only of our own Battalion, +but of the King's Royal Rifle Corps, the Rifle Brigade, +and the 2nd Sherwood Foresters. In these operations +they established a reputation for gallantry and devotion +to duty which in the whole Brigade was conspicuous +throughout the war.</p> + +<p>Our bivouacs were in a nice spot sheltered from +view by a small wood. Our rest was not a long one, +and was much of the usual type, but had an additional +interest in that we were fortunate in getting two very +good entertainments from the 46th Divisional Concert +Party, the "Whizzbangs," which had lately been +formed, and was to be a source of much pleasure from +now on to the end of the war. Whilst there we were +joined by two new Officers, 2nd Lieuts. A. H. G. C. +Moore and P. C. Hemingway, and 107 other ranks, but +we wanted men badly now, as in addition to our heavy +casualties in the line, we lost during the month of August +41 N.C.O's. and men, whose term of enlistment expired +on the completion of one year's war service. These +included many old hands who were difficult to replace.</p> + +<p>On August 29th, we took over trenches at +"Middlesex Wood," where the Brigade were holding +the line astride the Ypres-Comines Canal, near St. +Eloi, and there we stayed, with one short rest in bivouacs, +for a month of more or less normal trench warfare. +Perhaps the main points of interest were that we were +covered <span class="pagenum"><a id="page074" name="page074"></a>(p. 074)</span> by Belgian gunners, who were not too particular +where or when they fired, that we were now getting a +supply of sniperscopes (specially constructed rifles, +fitted with periscopes, for firing from a trench without +looking directly over the parapet), which formed most +useful additions to our trench stores, and seemed to cause +the enemy considerable annoyance, and that we were +able on one or two occasions to make good practice +with Col. Fowler's Elephant Gun against some of +the enemy's loophole plates. On September 25th, +in conjunction with attacks by the French and British, +on various other parts of the Western front, we had to +"demonstrate" by means of artillery, machine gun +and rifle fire, and a dummy gas and smoke attack, which +was to be provided by burning on the parapet of the +front line trenches large quantities of damp straw, +which had been carried up with much labour, and a +good deal of very frank comment. Much to the relief +of those intimately concerned with this bonfire, the +wind on the day of the attack was unfavourable, and +the straw at least did not end in smoke. The +demonstration provided some amusement to our +Grenadiers, who, with the assistance of a "Gamage" +catapult, and two West Spring Throwers succeeded, +to their immense delight in bursting the old Béthune +bomb as shrapnel over the German trenches. It was +only when the last bomb was thrown that Sergt. G. F. +Foster, the stoutest Bomber that ever lived and fell, +ended a demonstration which can hardly have caused +a flutter in the dove-cotes of the German Higher +Command.</p> + +<p>Here, as on many other occasions, all ranks would +have worked more intelligently, and with greater personal +satisfaction, if they had known something of the general +plan, and the part they were being asked to play. This +plan really must have been a big thing, for some one +was <span class="pagenum"><a id="page075" name="page075"></a>(p. 075)</span> kind enough to send us a lot of literature on such +subjects as "How to guard against spies in newly +captured territory," and generally how to behave there; +whilst maps and other documents gave us the most +intricate detail of every well, and other supply of water +for at least 20 miles East of where we were. Evidently +the sender was an optimist!</p> + +<p>On the 30th September, the 8th Lincolns took over +from us in support in the Canal dug-outs. The enemy +having already given us an extremely unpleasant afternoon +chose this very inconvenient occasion for "putting +up" a mine under the trenches held by the 6th Battalion, +on the South side of the Canal. This operation and the +accompanying bombardment involved a stand-to, and +caused a certain number of casualties both in the trenches +and among the troops in the support dug-outs. The +relief was, however, duly carried out, and the Battalion +marched back to tents near Ouderdom in the early +hours of October 1st, where a little later in the day +General Allenby came to say goodbye and wish us +luck in our new sphere of action.</p> + +<p>We had previously, on September 21st, had the +honour of being inspected by General Plumer, commanding +the Second Army, who expressed himself as +very satisfied with the smart turnout of the Battalion. +We were still very weak, though we had continued to +receive small drafts of reinforcements, and had been +joined by five new Officers, 2nd Lieuts. G. H. F. Payling, +R. T. Skinner, R. A. Abrams, G. H. Fisher, and C. +Pickerell; "Dolly" Gray also came out again and +rejoined. We had, however, lost Capt. Collin, the +Adjutant, who had just left to take up a Staff Captaincy, +and his place after being held for a few days by Lieut. +A. Hacking, was now taken by Lieut. Weetman, who +had just rejoined. Capt. Piggford had gone home +sick, and 2nd Lieut. P. C. Hemingway wounded; and +we <span class="pagenum"><a id="page076" name="page076"></a>(p. 076)</span> had also recently lost M. Lacolle, our one and only +Battalion Interpreter. Henceforth we were not to be +allowed this luxury.</p> + +<p>It is, perhaps, not out of place to mention here an +interesting little episode which had taken place at +home, namely the depositing of the Colours in Newark +Parish Church. This ceremony was carried out on +July 24th, and was attended by the Mayor and Corporation +of Newark. Lieut.-Col. G. S. Foljambe was in +charge of the parade, and Capt. R. F. B. Hodgkinson +commanded the escort to the Colours, which were +carried by 2nd Lieuts. R. J. Shipley and C. Pickerell.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER IV <span class="pagenum"><a id="page077" name="page077"></a>(p. 077)</span></h3> + +<h5>HOHENZOLLERN REDOUBT</h5> + + +<p class="figcenter"><i>October 1st, 1915.</i>— +<i>October 17th, 1915.</i></p> + +<p class="p2">We packed up during the afternoon of October 1st, +and in the evening marched to Abeele, where we +entrained for a destination unknown to most of us, but +presumed to be somewhere in the far South. We made +ourselves as comfortable as we could for the expected +long journey, only to be rudely awakened after what +seemed to be a five minutes' sleep, and turned out into +the cold dark night at Fouquereuil, a suburb of Béthune. +The remainder of the night was spent at a somewhat +elusive Orphanage in the town itself. On the following +day we moved into billets at the Northern end of the town +on the banks of the La Bassée Canal, where we were +joined by the Transport which had come from Ouderdom +by road. October 3rd saw us once more on the move to +Mont Bernenchon, a clean, attractive little village, a +few miles N.W. of Béthune. Our hopes of spending a +day or two in peace were soon shattered, for on the +following day we made what seemed to be another +emergency move to Béthune, where we embussed for +regions unknown. Shortly after dark we arrived at +Vermelles, and picked up guides, who led us as only +guides can, to what proved to be a portion of the German +front line system captured in the fighting a few days +before. The trenches, which were near the "Lone Tree," +and within sight of the famous "Tower Bridge" at Loos, +were little damaged, and seemed to have been captured +without a great deal of fighting, but the incessant rain and +scarcity of habitable dug-outs made our stay as uncomfortable +as the most hardened stoic could have desired. +Our <span class="pagenum"><a id="page078" name="page078"></a>(p. 078)</span> work consisted of reversing portions of the original +German support trench to form a fire trench facing the +other way. Owing to the distance to the then German +line (1,000 to 1,500 yards) and the low visibility, we +were able to work openly and practically unmolested. +Our only casualties were the result of an unlucky shell +which fell on the morning of October 5th, amongst +a party of Signallers, killing L.-Sergt. C. E. Harrison, +Signalling Sergeant, and three men, whilst another +man died of wounds a few days later.</p> + +<p>The same evening we got orders to leave the trenches, +and after a thoroughly unpleasant tramp, in heavy rain +and thick darkness over the slippery chalk tracks, +which were guess-work to most of us, we arrived soon +after midnight at Mazingarbe, which for dirt, damp, +and general cheerlessness, almost rivalled our never-to-be-forgotten +billets at Bac-St. Maur. So ended a +beastly, tiring, and, for all we ever learned, quite purposeless +expedition.</p> + +<p>After a short meal and much needed rest we felt +fit for anything, and made light of the trek on the early +morning of October 6th, to our rest billets, which we +found at Fouquières, a nice clean little village about a +mile west of Béthune. Here we found ourselves, for a +short time, in peace and something approaching luxury.</p> + +<p>Our move South had brought us into the First +Army (General Haig) and XI Corps. (Lt.-General Haking), +which had been busy in the recent fighting, and we now +learned definitely for the first time that in the further +fighting that was shortly to take place we were to play +a prominent part. On Saturday, October 9th, preliminary +orders and plans were issued, and we learned that our +task was to be the capture of the "Hohenzollern +Redoubt" and "Fosse 8," an admirably constructed +scale model of which had been made on the ground +outside Divisional Headquarters at Gosnay, where +Officers <span class="pagenum"><a id="page079" name="page079"></a>(p. 079)</span> and N.C.O.'s (and stray inhabitants) spent some +time in a careful and interested examination of it.</p> + +<p>In addition, a somewhat hurried reconnaissance of +the position itself was made by Col. Fowler and the +Company Commanders from our trenches in front of +Vermelles, from which the attack was to be made. In +the short space of a couple of hours they endeavoured +to get a working knowledge of the maze of communication +trenches, and the hostile ground over which, if all went +well, we should have to advance. Sunday was spent +in Church Parade, and in going again through the +preliminary orders and plans, and in the afternoon the +Corps Commander interviewed the Officers of the +Division at Divisional Headquarters. We were then +told something more as to the reason and general plan +of the attack, and were informed that we should be +supported by the heaviest concentration of artillery +yet known in the war—400 guns of all calibres,—that all +contingencies had been provided for, and that in spite +of the strength of the position, we should probably +encounter very little opposition before reaching our +objective.</p> + +<p>The object of the attack, which was to be undertaken +by the XI Corps, was to establish the left flank of +the First Army, and to render possible a further advance +in conjunction with the French on the South. The +objective included the "Quarries" and Fosse 8, +the 46th Division being allotted the task of capturing +the Hohenzollern Redoubt and Fosse 8, whilst the +12th Division was to attack on our right, and be +responsible for the Quarries. The Fosse and surroundings +had already been in our hands once, having +been attacked and captured during the last week in +September by the 9th Division, who unfortunately, +however, had been compelled to withdraw, and a +subsequent attempt by the 28th Division to recapture +it <span class="pagenum"><a id="page080" name="page080"></a>(p. 080)</span> had also proved a dismal failure. What, we wondered, +was in store for the 46th Division?</p> + +<p>Fosse 8 is, or rather was, a typical colliery pit, +with the usual winding and head gear and other plant, +and pit-head pile of slag (called in this case "The Dump"), +which like its neighbour, the famous Tower of Wingles, +overlooked the whole position, whilst in rear there were +the usual rows of miners' cottages. These cottages (called +"Corons") had cellars, and were thus very easy to defend +with machine guns, which could fire with great effect, +and comparative safety, from ground level. In front +of the Fosse and protecting it lay the Hohenzollern +Redoubt, consisting of a salient trench system shaped +rather like a big bean, and projecting well in front of the +German main system, to which it was connected by +communication trenches, and by two flank trenches +known as "Big Willie" and "Little Willie." The +importance of the position lay in the fact that it was +on the top of a gentle rise, giving command and good +observation of our position on either side. Its capture +was rendered difficult by the fact that the ground in +front of it was level, and almost devoid of cover, affording +a very fine field of fire, which could be swept from +practically every direction. From our trenches very +little could be seen except the Dump, and the roof of +the manager's house.</p> + +<p>The attack was to be carried out by the 137th +Brigade on the right under Brigadier-General E. Feetham, +C.B., and the 138th Brigade on the left under Brigadier-General +G. C. Kemp, whilst the 139th Brigade were to +be in Divisional Reserve under Brigadier-General C. T. +Shipley. To the 137th Brigade were attached 100 Grenadiers +from the 139th Brigade, two sections Divisional +Cyclist Company, and the 1/2nd Field Company, Royal +Engineers (less one section), and to the 138th Brigade, +the 1st Monmouthshire Regiment (Divisional Pioneer +Battalion), <span class="pagenum"><a id="page081" name="page081"></a>(p. 081)</span> 125 Grenadiers from the 139th Brigade, two +sections Divisional Cyclist Company, and the 1/1st Field +Company, Royal Engineers (less one section), whilst +General Shipley's Divisional Reserve consisted of the +139th Brigade (less 225 Grenadiers), one Platoon Divisional +Cyclist Company, and two Troops Yorkshire Hussars. +The covering Artillery consisted of three groups of heavy +Artillery under the Corps Commander, and one group +of Divisional Artillery (six Brigades of 18-pounders, +and one Brigade of 4.5 Howitzers).</p> + +<p>To his immense pleasure, 2nd Lieut. R. E. +Hemingway, our Battalion Grenade Officer, was put +in charge of the Grenadiers attached to the 138th Brigade, +the party also including the Battalion Grenadier Sergeant, +G. F. Foster. Bombing was now entering on the period +of its greatest importance—always in our humble +opinion greatly exaggerated. The Mills bomb was +rapidly ousting all other kinds, and shortly became +almost the only one in normal use. Much time was put +in at throwing practice, and every kind of artifice was +adopted by instructors to make it interesting, and at +the same time improve the aim and distance thrown. +A "platoon" of "grenadiers," as they were at first +called, was formed in each Battalion, consisting of a +Grenadier Officer, a sergeant and 32 men, (eight from +each Company), and to show how much we respected +them, we put them when on the march at the head of +the Battalion. There was a Brigade Grenadier Officer +too, who made himself generally responsible for the +training and work of Grenadiers throughout the Brigade. +The first Officer appointed to this post in our Brigade +was Lieut. A. Hacking, who had taken over the duties +just before the Hohenzollern battle. The task allotted +to the Grenadiers in this fight, was to bomb the various +communication trenches leading from "West Face" +to "Fosse Trench," clear dug-outs and establish blocks +in "Fosse Alley."</p> + +<p>Information <span class="pagenum"><a id="page082" name="page082"></a>(p. 082)</span> regarding the enemy, gained by Corps +Intelligence during the attacks of September 25th, +and following days from our own Officers, and from the +examination of prisoners, was to the effect that the +enemy trenches in the Redoubt, with the exception +of "Dump Trench" and "South Face," were badly +damaged and not strongly wired, that previous attacks +had been exposed to heavy enfilade fire from "Mad Point" +or "Madagascar," that it was not thought there +would be much enfilade fire from the South-East, and +that it was not necessary to waste a lot of heavy shell +on the Dump, as it could be made untenable by +both sides. How far this was justifiable will be seen.</p> + +<p>Our few days at Fouquières passed very quickly in +the bustle of completing equipment, going again and +again with all ranks through the maps and plans of attack, +detailing and organising bombing squads in the place of +those detached for duty with the other Brigades, and +writing last letters home "in case——" There was little +or no excitement. We had most of us seen too much by +this time to be either unduly pessimistic or over-confident +about our own chances, so that everything seemed to +go quietly and smoothly. The first steel helmets had +just arrived—quaint, antique, Japanese looking things, +with ingenious corrugations to catch the bullets—and +were issued to the Machine Gunners, who had also +received the first supply of the new Box Respirator, +issued in place of the Smoke Helmet. The Machine +Gun section was now commanded by Lieut. Adams.</p> + +<p>It was at 3.45 p.m. on October 12th, after making +our final inspections and collecting blankets, packs and +other surplus stores at a convenient barn, that we moved +off from Fouquières on a fine Autumn afternoon, leaving +behind only 2nd Lieut. Gray, and a few odd men, who +were not fit to go into action. Transport marched in +rear of the Battalion to temporary lines behind Noyelles, +where it remained until after the battle.</p> + +<p>We <span class="pagenum"><a id="page083" name="page083"></a>(p. 083)</span> had a very pleasant and easy march up to +Vermelles, where a halt was made for tea. Here we +were passed by one of the Stafford Battalions who were +to make the assault. It was too dark to see their faces, +but their voices were full of confidence and cheeriness, +which it did one good to hear.</p> + +<p>A temporary Quarter-Master's Stores was fitted up +at "Clarke's Keep," Vermelles, where Companies picked +up their rations for the 13th, water in petrol tins, +grenades, Vermorel sprayers, and other odds and ends +likely to be required. An emergency ration of cold +bacon and bread was also issued.</p> + +<p>Eventually after a very slow march through +Vermelles, which was a seething mass of men and +transport, we arrived about 11 p.m. at our assembly +position in "Sussex Trench," where space was allotted +to us by Lieut. C. L. Hill, Signalling Officer, who had +gone on ahead with a few Signallers for that purpose. +We soon settled down and made the best we could of +what remained of the night. This was not long, for the +carrying parties for the 138th Brigade, and others had +to report for duty at Clarke's Keep at 6 a.m. on +October 13th. In all we provided a total of five Officers +and 300 other ranks for this duty, and they were +busy most of the morning taking up to the front line +such necessary articles as rations, water, grenades, +and rum. His devotion to the last-named duty was +too much for one bloodthirsty, but very ill-disciplined +member of the Battalion, who became "non-effective" +in consequence, and was reported by someone, who +saw him lying in the bottom of a communication trench, +as "dead—shot through the head." He was "dead" +right enough, but he lived to fight—and, it is feared to +"die" again—another day!</p> + +<p>Our artillery fire during the morning was normal, +"so as not to arouse the suspicions of the Germans," +who, <span class="pagenum"><a id="page084" name="page084"></a>(p. 084)</span> as a fact, probably knew quite as much as +most of us about the time and nature of our attack. +But at 12.0 noon, every gun began in real earnest, and +it was possible to stand on the firestep of our trench, +and get an undisturbed, if rather distant, view of the +shells bursting all over the German trenches. After +half-an-hour of this most unusual, but very pleasing +spectacle, one felt that there would be little left for us +to attack.</p> + +<p>At 1 p.m. the greenish yellow clouds of smoke and +chlorine gas (known for some time as "The Auxiliary") +discharged from cylinders in our front line began to +roll towards the enemy lines, the breeze being exactly +right both in strength and direction, and we became +happier still at the thought of paying the Germans back +in their own coin. During the whole of our bombardment +we could hear very little reply from the German guns, +though from time to time we could see a few "woolly +bears" and other shell-bursts, at odd points about the +forward trenches. Probably they were saving most +of their fire for the actual assault, and except for a stray +machine gun bullet or two, we ourselves were in no kind +of danger. One of those, however, which must have +dropped at a steep angle, slightly wounded Regimental +Sergt-Major Mounteney, who was standing in the trench +with the Officers of Battalion Headquarters. He had +only rejoined from England a few days before, and +was our first casualty in the attack.</p> + +<p>At 1.50 p.m. the gas discharge ceased, but the +smoke was continued until 2.0 p.m., when our guns +"lifted" from the enemy front line, and the 137th and +138th Brigades began the assault. As the smoke +cleared away, we could get a fair view of a portion of +the attacking troops (Staffords) on the right as they +went steadily, and apparently in excellent order over +the top, but, almost at the same time we heard with +surprise <span class="pagenum"><a id="page085" name="page085"></a>(p. 085)</span> and dismay, the somewhat slow "tap-tap" +of numbers of those enemy machine guns, which were +to have been so completely silenced by our bombardment! +We watched the Staffords for a few moments +until they disappeared from view.</p> + +<p>Then followed a period of anxious waiting, and the +only information we got was to the effect that the 138th +Brigade on the left had practically gained their portion +of the Redoubt.</p> + +<p>Soon after 3 o'clock, we received orders to move +forward, and began to proceed by way of "Inverness +Trench," "Bomb Alley" and "Left Boyau" to +"Reserve Trench." Movement was very slow, owing +to the congestion of the traffic, and the narrowness of +the trenches, and took a long time to complete. There +we were destined to remain for several hours, and suffered +a few casualties from shell fire, apparently directed at +the junctions of the trench with "Central" and "Right +Boyaux." We were now nominally at the disposal of +General Officer Commanding 137th Brigade, but never +received any orders from him, and eventually drifted +to the command of General Officer Commanding 138th +Brigade.</p> + +<p>Traffic became more and more congested by the +stream of wounded which was now pouring down +Central Boyau and "Barts Alley," and by carrying +parties and supports endeavouring to get along the +Reserve Trench up to the Redoubt.</p> + +<p>Soon we began to gather scraps of information +from those who were coming down, and to realise that +things were going far from well. The usual answer +was "Don't ask me, all I know is it's Hell up there!" +It was now getting too dark to see, and we could only +gather that at any rate we were holding the West +Face and having a pretty bad time in doing so; also +that our Grenadiers attached to the 138th Brigade, had +suffered <span class="pagenum"><a id="page086" name="page086"></a>(p. 086)</span> heavily. Sergt. G. F. Foster was carried down +dying from wounds in the body, and Hemingway was +reported to be dangerously wounded, if not already dead.</p> + +<p>Things had not gone well. As we learned afterwards +the attack of the Staffords on the right had been held +up almost immediately by machine gun fire, and very +little ground had been made. On the left, the Lincolns +and Leicesters at first were more fortunate, and reaching +West Face with comparatively few casualties, began +to make their way up to Fosse Trench. But the +further they advanced, the more heavy became their +losses, until eventually the advance came to a standstill, +the furthest point reached being about 100 yards from +Fosse Trench. From these more advanced positions +they were gradually forced back, until only the West +Face was in our hands. It is abundantly clear that the +effect of our bombardment did not come up to expectations, +and that many machine guns were untouched, and, +worst of all, that the Dump, on which "heavy shell +need not be wasted, as it could be made untenable by +either side," proved to be a miniature Gibraltar, honeycombed +with shafts and galleries leading to concealed +machine gun emplacements. Small wonder that little +ground could be made or held in the face of such defences.</p> + +<p>The news that things were going badly induced a +Battalion Commander of another Brigade, whose +Battalion had been taken from him piecemeal and +scattered to the four winds of heaven, to order A +Company, in the absence of Col. Fowler, to go across +to the Redoubt to reinforce the troops there. Information, +however, was brought by L.-Corpl. Simpson of A +Company (killed a few hours later), who made a rapid +and courageous journey over the open to West Face, +to the effect that that trench was already overcrowded, +and that the troops there required thinning, rather +than reinforcing.</p> + +<p>It <span class="pagenum"><a id="page087" name="page087"></a>(p. 087)</span> was now getting late and things seemed to be in +a very unsatisfactory state, when orders were issued +by Col. Fowler, who had met General Kemp in the +trenches, and received verbal instructions to be prepared +to carry out an attack at short notice on the right portion +of the Redoubt, for Companies (except B who were +detached for other work) to begin to move up in readiness +to our front line trenches. This movement began about +9.0 p.m. very slowly along Reserve Trench and +"Hayward's Heath." The difficulty of moving a +Battalion at night, in single file, through a maze of +unfamiliar trenches without losing touch, may be better +imagined than described, and it was after midnight +before we had covered the 400 or 500 yards, which was +all we had to do.</p> + +<p>Whilst this was going on Col. Fowler and the +Adjutant, accompanied by the Staff Captain, Major +Wordsworth, made a hasty reconnaissance of the position, +and found that elements of the 138th Brigade and +Monmouths were holding the North-Western portion +of West Face, whilst the Eastern portion of Big +Willie was held by the 6th Battalion. Except for +a short distance near the barricade on each flank, the +trench between these points was held by the enemy.</p> + +<p>At 2.45 a.m. on October 14th, we received from +General Officer Commanding 138th Brigade, written +orders to attack and consolidate "as soon as possible" +the South-Eastern portion of West Face, the junction +of South Face and Big Willie (shewn on the map +as Point 60), and if possible the "Chord" of the +Redoubt. The order stated that the 6th Battalion in +Big Willie would co-operate by a bombing attack +along that trench "at the same time." Owing to the +difficulty of getting messages to and fro, in the maze +of unknown trenches in the dark, it was quite impossible +to get in touch with the 6th Battalion so as to give them +any <span class="pagenum"><a id="page088" name="page088"></a>(p. 088)</span> idea when our attack would begin, so that we were +not able to rely on getting much help from them. The +Commanding Officer decided that two Companies would +be sufficient for the attack, which was of course going to +be without artillery support, and A Company (Major +A. L. Ashwell), and D Company (Capt. B. W. Vann), +were detailed. A hasty conference was arranged at a +small dug-out at which Col. Fowler, who intended himself +to lead the attack, gave the few orders that were +possible in the circumstances:—"A quiet advance, no +firing, and in with the bayonet."</p> + +<p>Owing to the darkness and the unfamiliar ground, +it was necessary to make some arrangement for keeping +direction. Major Becher was, therefore, sent across +to the West Face, with instructions to stay at the +extreme right flank of the 138th Brigade position, and +there to show a light from a flash lamp on which the +left flank of our attack would be directed.</p> + +<p>As soon as this was settled, and Company Commanders +had issued their instructions, we began to +deploy in front of our original front line trench, as nearly +as possible opposite our objective.</p> + +<p>It was again a very slow job getting the men out +of the deep and narrow support trenches, and over a +single duck-board bridge across the front line into +position; indeed many men of D Company never +received the order at all, and remained in the support +trench in ignorance of what was going on. The men +were extended to about four paces, D Company on +the right, A on the left. This movement was carried +out very quietly, with entire absence of hesitation or +confusion, and the men were then dressed as nearly as +possible on the required alignment—no easy matter +when one has only a map, and has never seen the objective +or the ground in front of it. Rifles were loaded +and bayonets fixed, Col. Fowler with characteristic +unselfishness, <span class="pagenum"><a id="page089" name="page089"></a>(p. 089)</span> giving his rifle to an Officer who had a +bayonet, but no rifle to put it on. All these preliminaries +were carried out without attracting the attention of the +enemy, who were about 250 yards away. Finally at +about 3.45 a.m. the order was given to advance, keeping +our left flank on Becher's lamp, which we could see +from time to time across the intervening ground. It +was a strange experience, this slow night advance through +the darkness and mist in the almost uncanny stillness +which, sooner or later, always follows heavy fighting; +so like what many of us had done in peace-time "night-ops," +that it was difficult to realise that this was war, +and would end in hand-to-hand fighting; that, however +quietly we went, we must eventually be discovered, +and perhaps swept away by machine gun and rifle fire. +The ground was for the most part level, and not badly +cut up, and there was little wire. A few of our dead, one +or two severely wounded still struggling painfully back +to our lines, and a number of abandoned rifles were +all that were left to show what had happened on the +previous day. When we were about half-way across +it was realised that we were getting too far to the left, +and direction was changed half-right. It was not +until the right of the line was close up to the old German +wire, that we were discovered. Fire was opened from +somewhere half-right, probably in the neighbourhood +of Point 60, but it was not severe, and only a few +casualties were caused. On arriving at West Face +it was found to be practically empty on the right, the +few Germans who had been there having probably left +hurriedly as we approached. On the left we found +a mixed crowd of Lincolns, Leicesters, and Monmouths, +with a few Robin Hoods, all under the command of +Col. Evill, of the Monmouths. Many of them were +wounded, and nearly all were exhausted by their dreadful +experiences of the previous day. Our arrival was, +therefore, <span class="pagenum"><a id="page090" name="page090"></a>(p. 090)</span> very opportune and put fresh life into +them.</p> + +<p>It was now quite evident that we had come too +far to the left, and although we had gained 100 yards +or so of the West Face, our right flank was not in +touch with the 6th Battalion in Big Willie. In their +eagerness to get at the Germans, and urged on by the +shouts of the Lincolns and Leicesters, the left half of +A Company ran through the West Face and began +pushing on. The enemy, however, were waking up, +and our men were met with much heavier fire, which, +although unaimed, caused a number of casualties. +Edge was severely wounded in the arm and chest, and +Everard Handford was killed instantaneously by a +bullet in the head, whilst numbers of men also fell. It +was then seen that any further advance was out of the +question. The only thing to be done was to consolidate +what we had, and try to extend our gains laterally +by bombing along the West Face. Grenadiers and +grenades (English and German) were collected, parties +were organised by Ashwell and Vann, and several more +yards of trench were gained. Strachan leading one of +these along the trench with utter fearlessness was never +seen again, and was probably killed at once. Shortage +of grenades soon made it clear that we must stop and +build a barricade to hold up the Germans, who as usual +seemed to have a never-ending supply.</p> + +<p>On the extreme right, Vann and others of D Company +had come across some Boches out of the trench, +apparently preparing to make an attack over the open. +Most of these were slaughtered, and the rest made all +possible haste back to their trench. This appears to +have been part of an organised counter-attack, as the +enemy tried a similar attack on the left as well, which +also failed. Nothing was heard of the bombing in Big +Willie by the 6th Battalion, but we learnt afterwards +that <span class="pagenum"><a id="page091" name="page091"></a>(p. 091)</span> they had made several attempts to progress along +that trench without success.</p> + +<p>All available tools and sandbags were got together +in the trench to build a barricade at the right flank. +It was now getting light, and this was attended with +much danger, and in the work of filling sandbags and +placing them at the barricade, we had several men +killed in a very short time.</p> + +<p>Vann had already been wounded by a bullet in the +left forearm, and had gone down to be dressed, returning +with his usual courage and tenacity, after having his +wound attended to. The Commanding Officer, however, +would not let him stay, and he had to go down again +to hospital. Ashwell was hit by a bullet in the right +shoulder a few minutes after Vann, and he, too, had to +leave us.</p> + +<p>The enemy were not more than fifty yards away, +and the least exposure brought a bullet with deadly +aim, though in this respect they did not have things +entirely their own way. We could distinctly see the +tops of their helmets over the parapet, and at one time +there was such a collection that we thought they were +going to attack, but nothing came of it, and we settled +down to work again. There was no wire or obstacle +of any kind between the two trenches. We were too +close to get our guns on to them, otherwise we could +have done much execution. Practically all the work +on the right was done by men of D Company, who +eventually made a barricade, which was more or less +bullet-proof, and dug a length of trench to protect that +flank. Here Sergt. W. L. Green did excellent work, +encouraging everyone by his fine example. For nearly +24 hours he stuck to his post in spite of bombs +and rifle fire. He was ably assisted by Sergt. Turgoose +and Pvtes. Keeling, Hubbard, Dickinson, Offord and +Sly of D Company, also Pvte. F. Attenborough of A +Company, <span class="pagenum"><a id="page092" name="page092"></a>(p. 092)</span> whilst L.-Corpl. Skelton did splendid work +in attending to wounded.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Col. Fowler had made arrangements for +the defence of the trench on the left, from which, much to +their relief the Lincolns, Leicesters, and Monmouths, had +been withdrawn during the early hours of the morning. +Their place had been taken by A Company, which +having lost all its Officers, was now commanded by Sergt. +L. Bell. Parties were set to work to improve the trench, +which was badly knocked about, and during the following +night the Company dug a new trench a few yards in +front, in order to get a better field of fire and for better +protection. The Northern end of West Face was all +this time held by the 7th Battalion.</p> + +<p>C Company (Capt. H. B. S. Handford, in place +of Capt. G. S. Heathcote, who had left to do duty at +the Base) who had been left behind in Hayward's +Heath when A and D Companies went over to attack, +stayed there until 5.0 a.m. when 2nd Lieut. R. A. +Abrams and a party of 15 were detailed to carry grenades +up to A Company in the Redoubt, where many of them +remained. The rest of the Company moved up to a +communication trench near the original front line, +where they received orders from a Battalion Commander +of another Brigade, to carry water and grenades over +the open to the Redoubt. They started shortly after +7.30 a.m., but as it was quite light, they were seen +immediately, and heavy machine gun and rifle fire +was opened on them at once. Basil Handford and +several others were killed instantaneously, and several +were wounded. The attempt was foredoomed to failure, +and the men were ordered back into the trench. For +the rest of the day they helped to carry stores to the +Redoubt by way of a new communication trench and +to fetch in and attend to the wounded. Very gallant +work was done in this operation by Comp. Sergt.-Major +Haywood, <span class="pagenum"><a id="page093" name="page093"></a>(p. 093)</span> Sergts. Leivers and Bexton, and Pvtes. +Winterbottom, Allen, and Eyre.</p> + +<p>B Company (Capt. Turner) had been detached +about 5.0 p.m. on October 13th, and ordered to proceed +over the open to reinforce the garrison of our original +front line. They remained for some time in the old +support line, from which all the Company Grenadiers +were sent up to reinforce the men in the Redoubt. +One of these, L.-Corpl. G. W. Moore, did very gallant +work in remaining alone for three-quarters-of-an-hour +on the enemy's side of a barricade, which was being +built up behind him, and then continued to bomb the +enemy for eight hours. The Company was later ordered +to dig a communication trench to link up the Redoubt +with our old front line. They started about 9.0 p.m., +and worked continuously on it throughout the night, +much of the time under heavy rifle fire, and by dawn +a serviceable trench had been dug, and a very important +communication established. Capt. Turner was congratulated +by the Officer Commanding the 7th Battalion +on the very good work of his Company, in the supervision +of which he had been most ably assisted by Sergt. +Rawding.</p> + +<a id="img008" name="img008"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img008.jpg" width="500" height="362" alt="Map to illustrate the Battle of HOHENZOLLERN. October 13th-15th. 1915." title="Map to illustrate the Battle of HOHENZOLLERN. October 13th-15th. 1915."> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Map to illustrate the Battle of HOHENZOLLERN. October 13th-15th. 1915.</p> + +<p>October 14th seemed a never-ending day for those in +the Redoubt. Fortunately in a way, the lines were too +close together for us to be shelled, but bombing went +on almost uninterruptedly, and our casualties mounted +rapidly. Grenadier reinforcements were sent along +from time to time from every Company in the Battalion, +also from the 5th Battalion, whilst 2nd Lieut. G. H. +Fisher, who was acting as Grenade Officer in the absence +of Hemingway, came up during the morning, and at the +right barricade displayed the greatest courage until +he was badly wounded and had to leave, dying a few +days later. Bombing was also going on at the left +barricade, and throughout the day from one flank or +the <span class="pagenum"><a id="page094" name="page094"></a>(p. 094)</span> other, the cry was ever "more bombs" or "more +Bombers." We had fortunately been able to get a +signal line up to the Redoubt, and a station established +there, in a fairly deep dug-out, so that most of the time +we were in telephonic communication with those behind.</p> + +<p>Our relief promised for the night of October 14th, +never came, and we were compelled, alas, to remain +in the Redoubt. Everyone was tired out, having had +little or no sleep, and very little food, for 48 hours. +As soon as it was dark the Sappers put out some wire +in front of West Face, which encouraged us considerably, +and we got through the night without any +untoward incident. About 6.30 a.m., on the morning +of October 15th, we were relieved in West Face by +portions of the 5th and 6th Battalions, and by +Grenadiers of the Irish Guards, and withdrawn to +"Railway Reserve Trench," where we joined up with +the remainder of B and C Companies. By the tragic +irony of fate, as the Guards were actually filing +into West Face and the relief was nearly complete, +Col. Fowler, who was taking a last glance over the +top to see if he could find any trace of Major Becher, +the last signs of whom had been the flashes of his lamp, +to guide us across to the Redoubt—was killed instantaneously +by a sniper's bullet. So determined had he +been to find Becher, that he had himself gone out during +the night with Sergt. Stokes in a gallant but unsuccessful +endeavour to find him.</p> + +<p>Major J. E. Blackwall of the 6th Battalion took +over the remnants of the Battalion the same evening, +and shortly before midnight we were devoutly thankful +to be relieved by the Irish Guards. As the relief was +taking place, the enemy attempted an attack against +the garrison of West Face, but as this was now swelled +by the relieving troops, they got rather more than they +bargained for, and were beaten off with heavy loss. At +the <span class="pagenum"><a id="page095" name="page095"></a>(p. 095)</span> same time they put down quite a barrage on the +reserve trenches, and made our relief distinctly unpleasant, +but eventually we got it completed without +further casualty.</p> + +<p>Much to our delight, just before leaving, we heard +that Becher had been found. It appears that whilst +we were going over to the attack, he had been bombed +by the Boches, and badly wounded, as also had Daniels, +his batman, who was with him. They got separated, +but both managed to crawl away, though Becher eventually +had to lie by in an old bit of trench near the German +lines. It was from here that, after having been discovered +by an Officer of the Leicesters, he was eventually rescued +on October 15th, by Comp. Sergt.-Major Haywood, and +L.-Sergt. T. Martin, who carried him a distance of 200 +yards under more or less continuous rifle fire. Alas, however, +he was not to recover, and after lingering on for ten +weeks, he died in hospital on January 1st, 1916. In John +Becher the Battalion lost one who was beloved by all, +who had throughout ever had at heart the welfare of +his men, whether in or out of the trenches, at work or +at play. What he did in the early trench days at +Kemmel, was known to few. Often and often he was out +on patrol at night in "No Man's Land," mainly for the +sake of example, for it was part of his creed never to +tell a man to do anything that he would not dare to do +himself. He lies buried in the British cemetery at +Abbeville. It was a hard fate that struck down John +Becher and his two brothers-in-law, Basil and Everard +Handford—two of the most promising young Officers in +the Battalion—within a few hours of each other.</p> + +<p>Much untiring energy and devotion were shewn +by many during these strenuous three days, not by any +means the least by our Medical Officer, Capt. C. B. +Johnstone, and his stretcher bearers. Johnstone himself +worked almost incessantly for over 48 hours in attending +the <span class="pagenum"><a id="page096" name="page096"></a>(p. 096)</span> wounded, and in many cases helped to carry them +long distances, often under heavy fire. To him and all +his helpers are due our grateful thanks for their work +on that occasion.</p> + +<p>On relief we marched out to the Transport Lines +behind Noyelles, where, in the early hours of October +16th, we got some most welcome and refreshing tea, +supplied by Torrance and his followers, and then moved +on, most of us more asleep than awake, to Vaudricourt, +where we arrived about 6.30 a.m., and at once got down +to sleep in some of the poorest billets it was ever our +misfortune to strike.</p> + +<p>Thus ended the more or less fruitless battle of +Hohenzollern Redoubt. Though we held a portion +of the Redoubt as a result of the fighting, it was of no +tactical value, and indeed later on was evacuated or +blown up. The 12th Division fared no better, and we +can only look back on the whole attack as, through no +fault of our own, a dismal failure. The battle caused +us enormous casualties, all to no purpose. Our Battalion +alone lost seven Officers and 35 other ranks killed or +died of wounds, three Officers and 132 other ranks +wounded, and 14 missing, all of whom were afterwards +found to have been killed. Amongst the casualties +were Sergt. H. Hall, killed, and Sergts. Archer, Burn, +Barrow, and I. B. Bell and Corpl. Bruerton wounded.</p> + +<p>It was a pleasure to all to hear a little later that for +his gallantry and splendid work in this attack, and on +many other occasions, "Pat" Ashwell was awarded +a well-deserved D.S.O.</p> + +<p>At 5.0 p.m. on the afternoon of October 17th, the +whole Battalion and many Officers of the Brigade and +Division, attended the funeral of our beloved Colonel +in the English cemetery, under the Church at Fouquières, +the service being taken by his old friend Padre Hales. +Some 18 months afterwards the Battalion arrived in billets +six <span class="pagenum"><a id="page097" name="page097"></a>(p. 097)</span> miles away from this spot, after a long and tiring +march. They were expected to move into the line the +next day, and some Officers who were lucky enough to +be mounted, rode over to see the Colonel's grave. Around +the grave, which had been carefully looked after by +the Curé and other kind friends, and was covered +with snowdrops and daffodils just in bloom, they found +a number of the old Warrant Officers and N.C.O.'s of +the Battalion paying a silent tribute to their old +Commanding Officer. Such a tribute, surely is the +finest testimonial to the character of a man who ever +inspired in all ranks an affection and respect, which can +never have been exceeded in any unit of the army.</p> + + + +<H3>CHAPTER V <span class="pagenum"><a id="page098" name="page098"></a>(p. 098)</span></h3> + +<h5>RICHEBOURG—MARSEILLES—CANDAS</h5> + + +<p class="figcenter"><i>October 18th, 1915.</i>— +<i>March 5th, 1916.</i></p> + +<p class="p2">We were now little more than a skeleton of a +Battalion, so that the arrival of 103 reinforcements, +including Sergt. E. E. Deverall, was very +welcome, but so far as Officers were concerned we +remained for the moment very depleted. Capt. Turner +remained in command of B Company; Lieut. E. M. +Hacking took over A; Lieut. Abrams C, and Lieut. +Gray D.</p> + +<p>Major-General Stuart-Wortley came to see us on +October 18th, when the Battalion paraded in a field +just outside Vaudricourt, and thanked us for our work +in the battle, and spoke to a few of the N.C.O.'s and +men, whose names had been forwarded as having done +specially well.</p> + +<p>The following day we were not sorry to leave our +wretched billets and march to Lapugnoy, where we +got very comfortable quarters, and stayed for a week. +Here we were able to do a little reorganising, and were +fortunate in getting several new subalterns, viz.: 2nd +Lieuts. A. Andrews, H. R. Peerless, who shortly became +Battalion Grenade Officer, F. E. Kebblewhite, C. H. +Powell, A. H. G. Cox, E. Hopkinson (formerly Comp. +Sergt.-Major of C Company) and H. B. Hammond. +With their welcome arrival. Companies got more or less +into shape. We were unfortunate in having to send a +large party by 'bus one day to Sailly Labourse, to +help to fetch out the empty gas cylinders from the +Hohenzollern <span class="pagenum"><a id="page099" name="page099"></a>(p. 099)</span> trenches, but on the whole the few days +spent at Lapugnoy were very pleasant. The "Whizzbangs" +were in the same village, and gave several good +shows, which after our recent gruelling were very +refreshing, the more so as on this occasion they were +assisted by two French ladies, who, needless to say, +added enormously to the attraction.</p> + +<p>The "Vin blink" of Lapugnoy was also most +attractive, and apparently rather more than usually +potent, for it was undoubtedly the cause of casualties +amongst all ranks. We left there on October 26th, and +marched to Béthune, where we were again fortunate +in being comfortably billeted at the Orphanage, with +Officers' billets and Headquarters' Mess in the Rue de +Lille.</p> + +<p>Two days later, on October 28th, a review of troops +of the XI Corps, was held by the King and the Prince +of Wales at Hesdigneul. Representatives of all units of +the 46th Division were included in the parade, to which +we contributed a composite Company of six Officers and +250 other ranks, under Capt. Davenport. The parade +ground was a newly ploughed field, and as for several +days previously there had been heavy rain the conditions +were extremely unfavourable. After taking the +salute, the King went on to inspect another unit in an +adjoining field, where, unfortunately, he had a nasty +accident, and the last we saw of him was driving +away from the parade ground and looking very ill.</p> + +<p>Further reinforcements joined us at Béthune, +mostly from entrenching Battalions, making our strength +up to more normal figures, though for many months to +come, we seldom exceeded 600 to 700 all told. +Capt. Hill was appointed to command D Company, +2nd Lieut. Cox succeeding him as Signalling Officer. +Mounteney rejoined and resumed his duties as Regimental +Sergt.-Major.</p> + +<p>Our <span class="pagenum"><a id="page100" name="page100"></a>(p. 100)</span> next move was to the Richebourg sector—probably +the most miserable trenches we ever met with, +and then held by Indian troops. Leaving Béthune on +November 4th, we proceeded via Epinette, where we +spent one night, to Vieille Chapelle and relieved the +58th Rifles (Meerut Division) in front line trenches on +November 6th, with Battalion Headquarters in "Edward +Road," just behind Richebourg L'Avoué, and the front +line a little in front of that village, and just South of +Neuve Chapelle. This was a bad country for trenches, +being flat and low lying, with the water level even at +normal times very near the surface. The Boche as +usual had such high ground as there was. This was +mainly in the region of the Bois du Biez on our left, from +which he got a fair view over much of our area. The +Indians had done little trench work, and all that was +taken over was a very poor front line, with a few scraps +of support trenches, and one or two communication +trenches, mostly full of water. It was during our first +tour that a waggish Hun called out one night, after one +of our Very lights had made rather a worse display than +usual, "Better luck next time. I'll shew you how to +send them "—which he promptly did, adding later, "I +don't want to fight, I've had enough of the war." Towards +the end of our stay in this area, we came across +another talkative lot of Boches, who had a good deal to +say one night, enquiring what regiment we were, and +making various remarks about cigarettes and plum +puddings.</p> + +<p>It was towards the end of our first tour that we +had the first of our happily few casualties in this area, +Lieut. Houfton being killed early in the morning of +November 11th. He was endeavouring to make his way +with Lieut. Abrams along an absolutely water-logged +trench to "Boar's Head," the extreme right of our +Battalion sector, and they were evidently being carefully +watched <span class="pagenum"><a id="page101" name="page101"></a>(p. 101)</span> by a Boche sniper, who was doubtless able from +time to time to catch a glimpse of their caps above the +parapet. Eventually, when they got to a spot where the +parapet was particularly low, he fired, the bullet killing +Houfton, and passing through the peak of Abrams' cap. +Sergt. T. Martin gallantly went to Houfton's aid, across +400 yards of very difficult and exposed ground.</p> + +<p>The front we held was changed somewhat after a +time, and we side-stepped to the left, with Battalion +Headquarters in dug-outs, at the side of the Rue du Bois. +The few odd houses left along this road were mostly +used by the Gunners as observation posts, the principal +being "Ritz," "Carlton," "Princes," and "Trocadero," +and as the Boche gunners probably had a very shrewd +suspicion of this, the neighbourhood of the road was +often not a healthy spot, and on one or two occasions +was shelled fairly heavily. It was on one of these, when +we had some men wounded near "Factory Corner," that +Pvte. Redfern, the old bandsman, coolly went to their +aid in the midst of the shelling, and was dressing one of the +men when he was himself mortally wounded. L.-Corpls. +W. H. Lacey and S. Matthews also shewed great bravery +in rescuing wounded men at the same time. In +connection with this shelling of areas behind the front +line, a somewhat unhappily worded order was received +to the effect that daily reports frequently omitted +to mention the activities of hostile artillery, and that +as an example at a certain time on a certain day, +"Guards Trench" was subjected to a sharp bombardment, +and that had it not been for the fact that "a +Staff Officer was accidentally in the front line at the +time," nothing would have been known of this at +Divisional Headquarters!</p> + +<p>The Boche machine gunners gave us a certain amount +of trouble too, particularly at night, when they regularly +sprayed all the area from the Rue du Bois to "Windy +Corner," <span class="pagenum"><a id="page102" name="page102"></a>(p. 102)</span> doubtless hoping to catch transport and +carrying parties. One particular artiste used to try to +play tunes with his gun and we had no difficulty in +recognising his favourite as an attempt at "Yip-y-addy." +It was a very unlucky burst from one of these one night +that killed that very brave soldier Sergt. Sheppard, who +had previously been awarded the D.C.M. for gallantry at +Hooge. Lieut. Adams, our machine gun Officer, did his +best to get his own back against them, and used to stalk +out nightly alone, contrary to all regulations, and fire off +his guns at odd times in the hope of catching someone. +He was rewarded one night, after patiently lying in +wait for a search light that the enemy had used occasionally +from their front line parapet, by knocking it out +with a burst of fire almost the instant it shewed itself. +But on the whole there was very little excitement; +in fact, we hardly had time for much, as we only spent +a total of 16 days in the trenches here altogether. Cold +winter weather had set in, and there was little or no +comfort possible for the men holding the front line. It +was here that we first really found it necessary to use +"gumboots thigh" when they could be got, and to +dress legs and feet daily with whale oil to try and ward +off that horrid complaint "trench feet," which might +easily have caused many casualties in such trenches +as these. A most complicated form had to be filled up +with every case sent down to hospital suffering from +trench foot, and no mercy was shewn to any Commanding +Officer who did not take every precaution to prevent it. +Fortunately we had a very good record. Every effort +was made to relieve the men in the front line every +24 hours, and to take them back as often as possible +to the billets near Windy Corner, where they were able +to get their clothes dried, and a good night's rest before +going back to the line.</p> + +<p>Our <span class="pagenum"><a id="page103" name="page103"></a>(p. 103)</span> rest billets and Transport were at Vieille Chapelle. +The field where the latter had their lines was nothing +but a mass of mud, in most places knee-deep. The +Transport at this time shewed remarkable activity, +limbers going backwards and forwards all day to +Lacouture on some mysterious duty, which was by no +means unconnected with the excitement which arose +in "A" Branch of Divisional Headquarters towards +the end of our stay, about some houses missing from +that village! They had been removed piecemeal to the +transport lines, where they were used to form standings.</p> + +<p>During one tour spent in Brigade support, Battalion +Headquarters and two Companies were in that village, +and two Companies in billets in Richebourg St. Vaast, +or finding garrisons for "St. Vaast," "Grotto" and +"Angle" posts. An interesting discovery in the rafters +of a ruined house at Richebourg St. Vaast was a pepper +box found to contain several gold <i>louis</i>. Capt. E. M. +Hacking was the means of their being handed over to +the French authorities and, we hope, eventually restored +to their owner. The billets at Lacouture were not very +good, but we had a great find there in the shape of what +had once been a billiard table in the remains of the +Village Institute. At the same time curiously enough, +and for some time afterwards, the Quarter-Master reported +that the demand for green cloth for putting +behind cap badges was extraordinarily small!</p> + +<p>The main drawback to our periods of rest was those +wretched working parties, which seemed to pursue us +everywhere. Here the work in hand was the building +of a solid breastwork in continuation of Guards Trench, +just East of the Rue du Bois. Two nights out of each +four we were at rest, we had to send large parties to +Richebourg to carry on this work, which was being done +"by the piece." A certain number of sandbags were +issued to each man about half-a-mile before he got to +his <span class="pagenum"><a id="page104" name="page104"></a>(p. 104)</span> work, and he was told that when these had been +filled and laid he could return. It is perhaps needless +to say that many of the sandbags found a resting place +in the nearest ditch, not far from the Royal Engineers' +dump, where they were issued, and that the building of +the breastwork did not proceed very rapidly.</p> + +<p>During our stay here several new Officers joined, +including 2nd Lieuts. H. K. Simonet, G. A. P. Rawlings, +and A. H. Michie from the 2/8th Battalion, and 2nd +Lieuts. A. Bedford, G. G. Elliott, and W. W. Pitt. We +were also given as Second-in-Command, Major E. H. +Heathcote, from the 6th Battalion, whilst his brother +Capt. G. S. Heathcote, rejoined at the end of November +and resumed command of C Company. At the same +time Capt. E. M. Hacking went to Brigade Headquarters +to learn Staff duties, leaving A Company +under Lieut. Andrews, until taken over a little later +by Capt. A. Hacking, who rejoined from Brigade. We +also lost 2nd Lieut. Pickerell, who was invalided home. +Our losses in other ranks during our stay amounted +to three killed and 15 wounded.</p> + +<p>On December 2nd—we retain most pleasant +memories of that night—we were relieved by the 7th +Battalion in the left sector, and on one of the darkest +nights known, made our way back in the usual way to +Vieille Chapelle. About 9.30 p.m. a message was +received from Brigade that the Commanding Officer or +Adjutant was wanted at once. The Adjutant was sent +and came back with the news that we were to be +"prepared to move at short notice to an unknown +destination." At 5.0 a.m. the next morning further +orders were received and we left Vieille Chapelle at noon +the same day, marching via Merville to Haverskerque, +where we got very good if scattered billets. There we +proceeded to clean off some of the mud of the Richebourg +trenches. During our march we met units of the +19th <span class="pagenum"><a id="page105" name="page105"></a>(p. 105)</span> Division, moving up to relieve the troops in the +trenches, and could not help feeling a touch of sympathy +for them having been suddenly fetched away from +comfortable billets, to take over such water-logged +trenches, and we felt that for once fortune had +favoured us.</p> + +<p>Rumours of all kinds began to float around, and of +all quarters of the globe that were mentioned "Egypt" +was believed to be "it," and it was not long before we +found out that that indeed was our intended destination.</p> + +<p>Everyone was happy, and we were soon looking smart +once more; in fact, so splendid was the effort at cleaning +up, that the Battalion was congratulated by our +Divisional Commander at his inspection on December +7th, as being the smartest Battalion of the eleven he +had inspected.</p> + +<p>Odd men who had been detached for duty with +other units rejoined. We had a few small drafts, and +one new Officer, 2nd Lieut. W. H. B. Rezin.</p> + +<p>We now settled down for drill, interior economy, +and lectures. Particular attention was given to guard +drill and guard mounting ceremonies, as the Divisional +Commander expressed a wish that we should turn out +like the Guards Division, who were in the same Corps. +Fur coats and other winter kit were handed in. A +horrid pro forma certificate reached Orderly Room, and +the Commanding Officer found he had to sign a +certificate to the effect that the Battalion was in +possession of every article enumerated in A.F.G. 1098 +(Mobilisation Store Table). This document contained +such items as "screws, brass, buckle roller 1 in. × 7/8 in.—2" +"awls, brad—1;" "cordage, tarred spun yarn,—lbs. +14," and other luxuries which had long been +considered superfluous, and mostly lost in the Salient. +We had been told to indent for anything we wanted +in the way of clothing or equipment, so that there +was <span class="pagenum"><a id="page106" name="page106"></a>(p. 106)</span> some consternation on the arrival of a new and +fierce Deputy Assistant Director of Ordnance Services +just at this moment, who told Quarter-Masters that +during the last month, the whole of the Guards Division +had not used the number of articles they were indenting +for. Formal indents for "awls, brad," etc., were therefore +out of the question. The Quarter-Master accused +the Transport Officer, and the Transport Officer accused +the Quarter-Master, but in the end the mess cart, which +had a good cover, was requisitioned, and made two +or three secret journeys by night to Merville, and +when surprise was expressed that everything on the +Mobilisation Store Table was present, both the individuals +concerned looked supremely innocent, and no more was +said about it. It has since transpired that a jar of +rum played a prominent part in this incident.</p> + +<p>Here we parted with "Big Ben," "Old Bob," +and other heavy draught horses, which had been with +us since leaving Newark, and received in exchange mules +from the Guards Divisional Ammunition Column, two +of which rejoiced in the aristocratic names of "Harry +Thaw," and "Legs Eleven."</p> + +<p>We were inspected by the Assistant Director of +Medical Services; we had lectures on "Duties on board +ship" and "Entraining." Special short leave was +granted to a few lucky ones, and all preparations were +made for a big move. Our billets were very comfortable. +We could get good dinners at the "Corner Café," +and those of us who were there, will never forget the +wonderful concert given by the 19th Divisional Ammunition +Column who were billeted there, in which two +ladies from Merville assisted.</p> + +<p>On December 19th, we marched to Wittes, a small +village on the La Bassée Canal, near Aire. This was +a short march on a bright Sunday morning, chiefly +memorable for a wonderful equestrian feat on the part +of <span class="pagenum"><a id="page107" name="page107"></a>(p. 107)</span> a certain Company Commander, who went with his +horse into a dyke at the starting point, and instead of +coming out with the animal, stayed in by himself, and +for the fact that an unfortunate mistake in map reading, +caused the Battalion to perform a most startling and +snake-like turning feat in a lane only a few feet wide, +the mistake being discovered just as the last transport +vehicle had entered the lane. However, as it was a +bright day and we were going away, great good humour +prevailed, and each Company played "Here we go +round the water cart" in its own good time, and the +tangle was soon sorted out.</p> + +<p>Our before breakfast parade at Wittes on a few +occasions took the novel form of the whole Battalion +doubling up and down along the Canal side to the +accompaniment of the drums. This was entertaining +for a brief space, but the novelty soon wore off. Ordinary +training was continued, and included several route +marches. It was during one of these that the C Company +"wag" brought forth a spontaneous remark one day +when passing one of those little dog-carts one used to +see so often. It was very heavily laden and the dog +was straining every nerve. A big, powerful looking +woman was walking at the side carrying a horse whip, +but taking no share in the burden. As the Company +passed, our friend remarked "Eh, mum, you've forgotten +your spurs!"</p> + +<p>Christmas, 1915, spent at Wittes was a very cheery +one. All sorts of good things had been received from +home, including a present for every Officer and man +from the Nottingham Comforts Fund, and altogether +we had a most enjoyable time. Football matches and +sports of all kinds were indulged in, and one has vivid +recollections of Sergt. Deverall giving a wonderful boxing +display, and of a poor Frenchman waking up one morning +to find his best wagon at the bottom of the Canal.</p> + +<a id="img009" name="img009"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img009.jpg" width="400" height="590" alt="Major J. P. Becher, D.S.O. +Died of wounds, Jan. 1st, 1916." title="Major J. P. Becher, D.S.O. +Died of wounds, Jan. 1st, 1916."> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Major J. P. Becher, D.S.O. +Died of wounds, Jan. 1st, 1916.</p> + +<p>On <span class="pagenum"><a id="page108" name="page108"></a>(p. 108)</span> Boxing-Day we marched via Aire to fresh +billets at Molinghem, which were probably the most +verminous we ever found. In spite of this drawback +we had a very good time, and on January 6th, 1916, +had the pleasure of welcoming the 11th Sherwood +Foresters, who marched over from a neighbouring +village and played us at football. After a good game +we beat them by two goals to one. A Brigade inter-Battalion +football competition was also played, in which +after beating the 5th Battalion one—none, and the 7th +Battalion three—none, we won the Brigade championship +and some very neat medals.</p> + +<p>Whilst at Molinghem, we got our long expected +orders to move South, and on January 7th, A and C +Companies, and half the First Line Transport vehicles, +under Major E. H. Heathcote entrained at Berguette, +and were followed by the remainder of the Battalion on +January 9th, except the horses, which were entrained at +Lillers on January 11th. Eventually, after a train +journey of nearly three days, the Battalion was concentrated +at Marseilles, where after some rearranging, +Battalion Headquarters and B and D Companies were +billeted at Camp Moussot, and A and C Companies under +Major Heathcote, at Camp Borely.</p> + +<p>At Marseilles we spent what was probably our +happiest fortnight in France. It is not difficult to +imagine the pleasure everyone experienced at being +transported to the shores of the Mediterranean in January +after the filth and mud in the trenches, and wet and +fogs of Northern France. The change was marvellous, +and the turnout and appearance of the men splendid, +and indeed the subject of comment by English people +arriving from abroad, who said they could not help being +struck on landing at finding the place full of well set-up +and healthy English Tommies. Truly the change was +delightful, though the Officers who had the misfortune +to <span class="pagenum"><a id="page109" name="page109"></a>(p. 109)</span> be billeted for a time in the draughty bathing establishment +opposite Borely Camp, are not likely to forget +the cold nights they spent there. Sea bathing, which +we got almost next door to the Camp, was a great +delight, and of course the town itself was full of +attractions. We need only mention such names as +the Cannibière, Theresa's Bar, Lindens, The Alcazar, +Castell Muro, The Palais Crystal, The Bodega, and The +Novelty, to recall many incidents to all those who +were fortunate enough to be with us. It was certainly +delightful, but played havoc with our banking accounts, +and must have given Mr. Cox a very busy time. +We did a certain amount of training in our more +serious moments, which were not many, ordinary work +normally finishing about 1.0 p.m., and the men being +allowed out from 2.0 p.m. onwards. Many guards +and camp and town fatigues had to be found, however, +almost daily, which much depleted our numbers +on parade. Training was mainly of the barrack square +type. There was a certain amount of interest for those +at Moussot Camp, in watching the Indian Troops, +whilst those at Borely spent much time either in +dodging the loose horses and mules, which wandered +at will about the Camp, or the Camp Commandant, +who had a violent dislike to orange peel, and if he +found any at once arrested the nearest man, whether +guilty or not!</p> + +<p>Four new Officers joined us there, viz., 2nd Lieuts. +C. G. Tomlinson, E. C. Marshall, A. A. Hodgson, and +W. S. Jones, and a draft of 39 men, all of whom no +doubt thought it a very "bon" war.</p> + +<p>Plans for our sea journey had got so far advanced +that our transport vehicles had actually been taken down +to the docks for loading, when, alas for us, our hopes of +going East were shattered on January 24th, by the +receipt of orders to entrain the next night.</p> + +<p>What <span class="pagenum"><a id="page110" name="page110"></a>(p. 110)</span> exactly caused the sudden change of plans we +did not know at the time, but subsequently heard it was +due to the unexpected ease with which Gallipoli had +been evacuated. Needless to say there was much regret +on all sides, especially when we found that we were to +go back to the North of France and join the Third Army +on the Western Front. On the evening of the +25th January, we marched down through cheering crowds +of French people to the Gare d'Arenc, where after +waiting about for four hours, we entrained at 4.10 a.m. +on the 26th. It is sad to think that this wait gave an +opportunity once more for light-fingered people in the +Transport Section to annex eight or nine P.L.M. goods +sheets, which were carefully stowed away, one on each +limber, and later proved of great value in several places +where there was a scarcity of billets.</p> + +<p>We detrained at Pont Remy on the morning of +January 28th, after a peculiarly uncomfortable journey, +and owing to our guide preferring to go three miles +uphill to one on the flat our march to Ergnies was a +somewhat lengthy business. In this area we followed +the Ulster Division, and we are glad to add that the +billets taken over from them were invariably scrupulously +clean, and had evidently been vastly improved under +their able medical authorities. We stayed here for +several days, and had an opportunity of resting the men +after their long journey, and of carrying out a little +training. Some of this was in preparation for a Brigade +ceremonial parade, which took place on February 3rd, +when General Shipley spoke of the splendid work done +by the Brigade in France up to that time, and read out +a list of the honours and decorations awarded, of which +we had had a fair share. At Ergnies we had flying +visits from Col. Huskinson and "Doc." Stallard, both +of whom we were delighted to see looking very fit.</p> + +<p>On <span class="pagenum"><a id="page111" name="page111"></a>(p. 111)</span> February 10th, we marched to Ribeaucourt, +where we stayed for a little over a week. Here on +February 16th, we parted with Lieut. Adams, 2nd Lieut. +Rezin, and 35 N.C.O.'s and men of the Machine Gun +Section, who went to form part of the newly created +"Brigade Machine Gun Company." In place of the +Vickers gun thus withdrawn, we were issued with the new +light Lewis Machine Gun, air cooled, mounted on a bipod +and easily carried. Each Company had two of these +and the whole were supervised by a Battalion Lewis +Gun Officer, 2nd Lieut. Simonet being the first to be +appointed to this duty. Musketry was carried out on +a 300 yard range, which we fitted up near the village, +and bombing practice under the guidance of 2nd Lieut. +Peerless, who made considerable progress in the use of +the West Spring Thrower. Capt. A. Hacking had +been again taken to Brigade Headquarters, to act as +Grenade Officer, and Capt. Lawson who had rejoined +at Wittes, was appointed to command A Company +in his place. All this time we were well in the back +regions out of harm's way. The only journey made to +the front area was that by a party of Officers, who one +day had to reconnoitre some reserve lines of trenches +near Forceville and Mailly Maillet. We once had orders +to be prepared to take over the line at Beaumont Hamel, +but this fell through.</p> + +<p>Ribeaucourt we shall always remember, owing to +the exorbitant claims made by the inhabitants for +damage to billets. Never before nor after did +we receive such demands as those made by the good +people of that village, headed by the Maire, who after +showing much hospitality to a few of us, seemed to want +to give the villagers a lead in their demands! How +they were eventually settled we never found out. Here, +too, Capt. Davenport and Sergt. Blunt were chased +down the village street one day by two infuriated women +armed <span class="pagenum"><a id="page112" name="page112"></a>(p. 112)</span> with broomsticks, their store of bully beef and +army shirts having been discovered by the former, when +looking for odds and ends to hand into the Deputy +Assistant Director of Ordnance Services in exchange for +new articles. The D.A.D.O.S. had just issued an +ultimatum to the effect that he would issue nothing +except on the return of the old article. Transport +men, therefore, scoured the country side for bottoms of +nose-bags, backs of dandy brushes, pieces of rope, etc., +which were cleaned and handed in and quite a good +stock of new articles was obtained in return.</p> + +<p>On February 20th, we were taken in motor 'buses +by a somewhat circuitous route to fresh billets at +Candas, where we stayed until March 6th. Most of +this time the weather was extremely cold and there +were several heavy snowstorms. Navvying on new railways +was our chief work, under the supervision of the +112th Company Royal Engineers, either about Puchevillers, +or the station at Candas, in preparation for the +offensive that was to take place later on. Our fortnight +at Candas completed three whole months of what was +practically "rest" in the back areas. We were now to +play a more active part in the war.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER VI <span class="pagenum"><a id="page113" name="page113"></a>(p. 113)</span></h3> + +<h5>VIMY RIDGE</h5> + + +<p class="figcenter"><i>March 6th, 1916.</i>— +<i>April 21st, 1916.</i></p> + +<p class="p2">Vimy Ridge will always bring up in the minds of +those of the 8th Sherwood Foresters, who were +with us at that time the word "Mines." Everyone +seemed somehow or other to have heard that that part +of the line was famous for mining warfare, and as the +news was passed on from one to another that Vimy +Ridge was our destination, a kind of whisper of "Mines" +passed with it. The area proved to be a mass of mines, +and we found that mining warfare was extremely unpleasant, +though most of our own experience was confined +to the latter part of our stay there.</p> + +<p>The front line in this sector, in the early part of 1915 +had run through the East end of the Lorette Ridge to +Carency, and thence to La Targette, but on September 25th +of that year, the French had driven the enemy back +nearly a mile, practically to the foot of the Vimy +Ridge itself. In this area were portions of the front +having such well-known names as "The Labyrinth," +and Souchez Sugar Refinery—reminders of the fact that +some of the most savage fighting of the whole war took +place there, owing to the struggle of the enemy to +retain a footing on that splendid line of observation, +the Lorette Ridge. The Arras-Béthune Road, known +as the Route de Béthune, and bordered by a few +scraggy trees, ran through the sector more or less +from North to South—about a mile behind the front +line, and two miles in front of Mont St. Eloy. The +forward area was a scene of desolation—trenches and +wire, shell-holes everywhere, mine craters here and +there, <span class="pagenum"><a id="page114" name="page114"></a>(p. 114)</span> shewing more or less where No Man's Land +was, and beyond them the gently sloping ridge, with +little variation except a few shattered trees marking the +site of La Folie Wood.</p> + +<p>Such was the sector that our advance party of +Officers went up to reconnoitre on March 5th. The +French were holding the line, and this was the Battalion's +only experience of taking over from them. We were +not let into the secret of the why and wherefore of the +move, but doubtless we relieved in order to allow them +to send much wanted help to their friends at Verdun, +who were now so hard pressed owing to the enemy's +continued attacks. It was hoped that the fact of our +taking over this part of the line could be kept from the +Boche, at least until relief was complete, and to further +this object the advance party were given French "tin +hats" to wear so as to maintain the deception. We fear +that despite our efforts, the enemy knew just about as +much of the relief as we did, and rumour says that a +Boche scout, on getting across to the French front line +two days before we relieved them, openly expressed +his surprise to the French sentry that the English had +not already arrived! We were shewn the greatest kindness +by the French when we went up to reconnoitre, +and they did all they could to explain the situation, +and many an Officer drank confusion to the enemy +in a glass of sweet sparkling wine. Those who were +there will doubtless well remember the group of Officers +being assembled just behind the Arras-Béthune road, +in full view of the German lines, under the French Brigade +Major, who was acting as guide, when the Hun gunners, +not being able to let such an opportunity slip, at once +put over a few "pip-squeaks," and we discovered +with a considerable amount of pleasure, that our gallant +Allies were just about as good in getting to ground +as ourselves, if not a trifle better. It was, however, +a <span class="pagenum"><a id="page115" name="page115"></a>(p. 115)</span> rude awakening to the fact that a war was still on, +which we had rather forgotten during our stay in the +South of France, and in the back areas.</p> + +<p>Leaving Candas on March 6th, we marched on a +very snowy day, via Doullens, to Iverny, moving on the +8th to Maizières, and on the 9th to Acq, where we had to +make the best of most uncomfortable billets, the whole +village being a seething mass of troops, French and +English, and every billet crowded to its utmost limit. +On the occasion of this move we marched, in accordance +with instructions, in column of three's. This system +was tried owing to the narrow roads, but only lasted a +few months.</p> + +<p>On the following day we moved up into support +trenches, just in front of the Route de Béthune, where +we stayed for four days cleaning trenches, carrying out +general trench repairs, and improving dug-outs. There +were a certain number of deep dug-outs in this sector—our +first experience of them—proof against all but the +heaviest shells, though in every other respect a bad +invention. Further behind, at Berthonval Farm, were +huge caverns hewn out of the chalk, fitted up with wire +beds, absolutely shell-proof, and having accommodation +for about two Companies. The dug-outs in the front +line trenches, however, were mere shelters. Later on +we were told to make our shelters in this area of a uniform +pattern in small saps running back from the trenches, +and when men could be spared from other more pressing +work, a certain amount of progress was made in this +respect.</p> + +<p>The French dug-outs possessed one unique quality; +they were decorated as only a Frenchman could decorate +them, with most wonderful designs in pokerwork, which +were always objects of the greatest interest to our +visitors.</p> + +<p>On <span class="pagenum"><a id="page116" name="page116"></a>(p. 116)</span> March 15th, we were relieved by the 2nd Royal +Irish Rifles, and withdrew for four days to rest billets, +which consisted of some French huts partly in the wood, +and partly in the open, just behind Mont St. Eloy. +We are afraid we could not have given our predecessors +a "billet clean" certificate in respect of these huts, +many of which were a foot or more deep with accumulated +rubbish of every description. There were no baths, +and we had to rig up home-made ones with ground +sheets and other means, using the cookers for providing +the necessary hot water. We managed, however, to get +clean clothing from time to time from the Staff Captain, +Major Wordsworth, who got together a fascinating +crowd of French ladies, and did much useful work as +Officer Commanding Laundry, at Mont St. Eloy.</p> + +<p>We were at this time called upon to provide a +contribution towards the Brigade Mining Section, which +was re-formed to help the French Miners in the sector, +and on March 17th, we had to part temporarily with +Lieut. R. V. Harvey, Corpl. Boot and 12 men, who joined +the Brigade Section under Lieut. Webster, of the Robin +Hoods. The arrival of 140 reinforcements the previous +day had, however, swelled our numbers considerably, +amongst several old friends in the draft being Sergt. +G. Powell, who shortly became Comp. Sergt.-Major of +A Company, Sergts. I. B. Bell, S. Foster, Collins and +Beniston, and Corpl. A. B. North. We thus had a reasonable +trench strength when we relieved the 7th Battalion +in the left sub-sector on March 19th.</p> + +<p>In this area we always kept to the same sub-sector, +relieving as on many other occasions with the Robin +Hoods. The 5th and 6th Battalions shared the right +sub-sector, whilst the 138th Brigade were on our left. +Each Company, too, had its own section of trench, +finding its own supports. From right to left they ran +in order: D (Capt. Hill), B (Capt. Turner), C (Major +G. S. Heathcote), <span class="pagenum"><a id="page117" name="page117"></a>(p. 117)</span> A (Capt. Vann, who had recently +rejoined; during his absence on a course at 3rd Army +School, his place was taken by Capt. Lawson). Battalion +Headquarters was in a delightful spot just under the +steep side of the Talus des Zouaves, and well nigh out +of reach of everything but aeroplane bombs. Second +Lieut. Cox was Signalling Officer, 2nd Lieut. Simonet, +Lewis Gun Officer, 2nd Lieut. Peerless, Grenade Officer, +and 2nd Lieut. Marshall, Intelligence Officer. The last-named +was the first Officer in the Battalion to hold that +newly created appointment.</p> + +<p>The enemy front line was close to ours, in most parts +about 70 yards away, but bombing posts in saps were +in several cases not more than 10 to 15 yards apart. +Talking and movement in the front line could often +be heard quite plainly, whilst our Bombers in the posts +used to indulge sometimes in lobbing practice, and +spent their odd moments in erecting or repairing wire +netting to catch the Boche "potato mashers."</p> + +<p>Our two communication trenches running forward—"Boyau +Central" and "Avenue Lassale"—though well +cared for and kept up by the French, were almost straight, +and hardly traversed at all, particularly the former, and +movement along them was precarious. The fire and support +trenches, bearing such names as "Schiller," "Grange," +"Broadmarsh," "Duffield," and "Bertrand," were in +very bad order, and work was at once concentrated in +an effort to make a good line of resistance along "Guerin +Trench," practically the support line. Some work was +also done on a reserve trench, known as "Blanchetière." +We felt this all the more necessary, as just before we +took over from the French, the Boche had driven them +out of their front line, and it seemed quite within the +range of possibility that he might try to make a further +advance. Our fears turned out to be correct, for later +he did make an onslaught, though luckily not whilst we +were there.</p> + +<p>Unfortunately <span class="pagenum"><a id="page118" name="page118"></a>(p. 118)</span> the enemy in capturing the trenches, +had secured the shafts of all the French mines, and +had consequently got a good start at various points +along the front before the French could begin again. +The result was that practically all the French mines +were defensive, and intended merely to try and blow +the Germans, before they could get under our lines. +No doubt each side knew almost exactly where the +other side was working, and at what approximate time +any particular mine would go up. These were all shewn +to us on a plan, and carefully explained by the Officer +in charge of the French Miners, who were still at work +in the sector. Each Company had a cut-and-dried +scheme for carrying out the instant a mine went up in +its own or adjoining sectors. Anticipating the mine, +parties were kept available to seize the near lip of the +crater formed, with covering parties of Lewis gunners, +riflemen, and bombers to go out on each flank, and working +parties behind them to begin at once to dig a trench to +join up the broken front line across the lip of the crater, +wire the front and establish observation posts on the +lip. All this work had to be started the instant the +mine was exploded, in order to make certain that the +Boche did not get possession of our lip of the crater, +as well as his own. This entailed constant readiness +and considerable anxiety on the part of those holding +the front line.</p> + +<p>The enemy shewed no special activity, though on +several occasions our front and support lines were badly +knocked about, both by shells and trench mortars, which +necessitated a vast amount of repairs, and caused us +considerable casualties. In addition to high explosive he +now began to send over for the first time "lachrymatory" +gas shells, having a sweet smell and doing little harm +except to make our eyes water. In the later stages of +the war, they became, as we shall see, much more disagreeable.</p> + +<p>As <span class="pagenum"><a id="page119" name="page119"></a>(p. 119)</span> it was so difficult in this sector for our Gunners +to be able to identify our front line, we had to mark it +with "artillery boards,"—white boards about 3 ft. by +2 ft., marked with different letters denoting the different +sections of the front. These were stuck up by the +Infantry at night, in such a position that they could +be seen by our Gunners but be invisible to the enemy. +Whether they were any real help or not is doubtful. +Later on we were given a smaller portable type of board, +coloured brown and marked with a black cross, a number +of which were issued to each Battalion, and carried with +us as part of our equipment. They were intended for +use in moving warfare to mark our advanced positions, +but were eventually discarded as unsuitable.</p> + +<p>We now began seriously to try and harass the +enemy with trench mortars, for which purpose Trench +Mortar Batteries were formed. The medium batteries +fired a fairly heavy shell with a long tail (known +as "Footballs" or "Toffee Apples"), and the Stokes +batteries a light shell, which could be fired at the rate +of 20 or more per minute. We had recently sent +2nd Lieut. Kebblewhite and five men to a school for +a course in this work. It is feared, however, that the +first efforts of the trench mortar experts in the trenches +were not fully appreciated. A very nervous Officer would +go to his emplacement, fire off a few shells, and then +gracefully, but rapidly retire, leaving the people on the +spot to put up with any retaliation. And we well remember +Capt. Lawson being so annoyed at this going on, +that on one occasion the bed plate mysteriously disappeared. +On another occasion an emplacement was +made one night with much care on D Company's front, +ready for a big bombardment, but when completed was +found to be in full view of six enemy sniper plates, +about 100 yards away!</p> + +<p>At <span class="pagenum"><a id="page120" name="page120"></a>(p. 120)</span> sniping we more than held our own, though the +enemy were very keen, and used to fire from steel plates +fixed round the mine craters. We were unfortunate +in losing at this period Sergt.-Drummer Clewes, who +went home for discharge. He had done much excellent +work in charge of the Brigade Snipers, his own "bag" +being stated to amount to considerably over 100. As +some recognition of his good work he was later awarded +the D.C.M. His son, Corpl. G. W. Clewes, another excellent +sniper, left at the same time. L.-Corpl. Hagues took +over the duties of N.C.O. in charge of Snipers, and +with 2nd Lieut. Marshall, did some splendid work, +including the blowing-in of several loophole plates with +Col. Fowler's Elephant Gun, which was now brought +into use again.</p> + +<p>Marshall's "pet," however, was the "dummy +tree" on the Route de Béthune. This was a hollow +tree about 20 feet high, formed of steel casing, and +covered with imitation bark. Inside there were ledges +to climb up by, and from it a most excellent view for +a very long distance around, could be obtained. It +had been erected by the enemy before they had been +driven back.</p> + +<p>Another item in the "Intelligence Department" +which now came into use, was that extraordinary +instrument known as the "I-Tok," intended for picking +up enemy telegraphic and telephonic messages. We +never were supposed to know where its operators performed, +and rarely did know, but more often than not +they placed themselves near Battalion Headquarters, +and the sheaves of papers they sent to Brigade were +mostly filled with scraps of our own messages. It is +doubtful if much of value was picked up from enemy +messages, but they certainly did good in keeping a +check on our own conversations over the telephone, +and were regularly used from now onwards. The +"Fullerphone," <span class="pagenum"><a id="page121" name="page121"></a>(p. 121)</span> which was introduced a little later, and +largely superseded the ordinary telephone, was reputed +to be capable of transmitting messages in such a way +that they could not be picked up.</p> + +<p>Our Firework Artistes, too, decided that they +ought to have a show, and accordingly arranged for us +one night to have a display of red rockets in the front +line. These rockets had been issued for use for night +S.O.S. When the time came for them to be let off, the +only visible result to those behind watching, was one +feeble rocket which made a short lob, and fell to the +earth. Only one other went off at all, and it had a great +tussle with John Turner, nearly knocking him through +a traverse, and then fizzing itself out in the bottom of +the trench.</p> + +<p>Another brainy person, one of our German scholars, +decided one day to try the result of putting up a placard +to give the Boche the news that the L.15 had been sunk +in the Thames. This was on April 2nd. Two days +later a notice was put up opposite B Company's +front, which said "Thanks for your news: you are all +mad"—shewing, we thought, a lack of originality on +his part. This was one of the very few occasions upon +which we either sent or received a message in this +way.</p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" summary="Pictures"> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center"> +<a id="img010" name="img010"></a> +<img src="images/img010.jpg" width="200" height="305" alt="Regtl.-sergt.-major A. Westerman." title="Regtl.-sergt.-major A. Westerman."> +</td> +<td class="td-center"> +<a id="img011" name="img011"></a> +<img src="images/img011.jpg" width="200" height="308" alt="Comp. Sergt.-major J. T. Slater And N.C.O.'s Of +'A' Company, 1917." title="Comp. Sergt.-major J. T. Slater And N.C.O.'s Of +'A' Company, 1917."> +</td> +<tr> +<td class="td-center"> +Regtl.-sergt.-major A. Westerman. +</td> +<td class="td-center"> +Comp. Sergt.-major J. T. Slater And N.C.O.'s Of +'A' Company, 1917. +</td> +</tr> +</table> + +<p>Just about the same time, we had the pleasure of +seeing a Hun plane brought down by one of our own, +after a short sharp scrap in mid-air. Our man dived +at the Hun and opened with Lewis gun fire, killing both +the pilot and observer. The plane took charge of +itself, and after a brief wild career, crashed near our +Battalion Headquarters. It was no sooner down than +it was shelled by the enemy and eventually set on fire. +Various useful documents, however, were secured from +it including some maps and a signalling code. The +bodies of the pilot, Lieut. Ziemssen, and the observer +were <span class="pagenum"><a id="page122" name="page122"></a>(p. 122)</span> buried at Mont St. Eloy by Padre Hales, who a +little later received an appreciative letter from the pilot's +widow.</p> + +<p>With these and sundry other excitements, we got +through two six-day tours in the line, and also spent +two periods of similar length at our rest huts cleaning, +training, and reorganising, for we were continually +losing Officers and men in various ways, and fresh ones +were joining. Amongst the former we lost 2nd Lieuts. +G. G. Elliott and Pitt, invalided to England, and the +following Warrant Officers and N.C.O.'s who left us on +completion of their term of service: Regimental Quarter-Master +Sergt. Tomlin, Comp. Sergt.-Major Haywood, +Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. Shelton, and Sergts. Murden, +Handford and Kettle. Arrivals included Major Ashwell, +Capt. H. Kirby, Lieut. G. Wright, 2nd Lieut. W. P. Duff, +and about 70 men, many of whom were returned +casualties, and in some cases anything but fit to +resume active service. Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. +Dench became Regimental Quarter-Master Sergt., Sergt. +Bee Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. of B Company, +and Sergt. Hotson Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. of C +Company.</p> + +<p>We were able to offer very little in the way of +amusement just at this period, entertainers either +being more or less non-existent, or somewhat shy. +One afternoon, however, we succeeded in rousing +sufficient enthusiasm to organise a boxing contest, +one of the very few ever carried through by the Battalion. +In the heavy-weight contest between those two stalwarts, +Sergt. Slater and Corpl. Bryan, the latter retired after the +third round with an injured hand. The middle-weight +competition was won by Sergt. L. Green, and the lightweight +by Sergt. Attenborough. The same evening, we +managed an impromptu concert in one of the huts.</p> + +<p>Our <span class="pagenum"><a id="page123" name="page123"></a>(p. 123)</span> Transport Lines and Quarter-Master's stores +during this period were back at Acq, and were fairly +comfortable. Here for the first time we had the experience +of taking rations and stores up to the line on the light +railways, already constructed by the French, a system of +transport in which both they and the Germans were much +ahead of us. Stores were unloaded from the limbers at +Ecoivres on to flat trucks, each of which was pulled by +three mules. The "Decauville Track" ran past +"Berthonval Farm," across the Béthune road, branching +there right and left for the various Battalion dumps, ours +being in the Talus des Zouaves, near Battalion Headquarters. +At first, the system did not work well, and there +was much confusion, but later it was properly organised so +that rations went up first, and Royal Engineers' stores +about midnight. When we first took over the sector, the +French caused much alarm to our men by carrying their +stores to and from the Béthune Road by electric trucks, +actually the chassis and platforms of trains from Paris +Plage, to which the bells used for warning pedestrians were +still attached. One brakesman, Alphonse by name, +like a wise person, usually went about his own business +on arrival at the Béthune Road Dump, which was often +a warm spot. The driver meanwhile got his load to +take back, and anxious as all were who ever had a job +of work at that particular spot, to get it done and be off, +he adopted the practice which seemed to us rather +foolish, of vigorously sounding his gong time after time, +at the same time shouting "Alphonse, Alphonse," with +the result that all our men vanished "tout-de-suite," +leaving him and the errant Alphonse to face any whizz-bangs +which might result. Truly, the French are a +remarkable race!</p> + +<p>We must, however, congratulate them on that +excellent institution in the Vimy sector, Trench Coffee +Shops. Where cooking for the trenches was a matter +of <span class="pagenum"><a id="page124" name="page124"></a>(p. 124)</span> some difficulty, as in this sector, it was a great +boon to be able to get such excellent supplies of hot tea +and other comforts as they provided. They were run +by the French for some time after our arrival, but +later were taken over by our own Brigade, and put +under the care of Capt. E. M. Hacking, who was attached +to Brigade Headquarters. We feel, however, we must +attribute to the somewhat casual sanitary measures +adopted by the French, the presence of so many rats +in this sector. One often met them in droves in the +trenches, and never before or after did we come across +such numbers of the beasts, and such colossal specimens +as we found during our stay in the Vimy trenches.</p> + +<p>On April 12th, after a brief inspection near our +huts by Major-General Stuart-Wortley, we went up to +the trenches for our last and most eventful tour, which +was destined to last eight days. Owing to falls of snow +and rain, the trenches were in a deplorable state, and +gumboots were in great demand, and our only means of +keeping the men at all dry. At this time we had no such +luxuries as drying-rooms. Heavy shelling by the enemy +during the first three days made things still more uncomfortable. +The real business of the tour, however, +began on April 16th, on which night the French had +arranged to blow one mine on our front, and another +on the front of the 6th Battalion. Combined with this +we had arranged for a small raid to be carried out by +Lieut. A. Bedford and 12 other ranks, who immediately +the mines were exploded were to rush forward round +the left edge of our crater, and endeavour to capture +any Germans found in a small forward trench they had +recently dug there. The mines were to go up at midnight, +and at the same time our guns and trench mortars +were to put down a barrage on the Boche trenches, +which was to be augmented by rifle grenades and showers +of grenades thrown from West Spring Throwers, under +the <span class="pagenum"><a id="page125" name="page125"></a>(p. 125)</span> arrangement of our Grenade Officer. Unfortunately, +there had evidently been some bad synchronisation +somewhere, for at five minutes before zero two Frenchmen +suddenly came rushing towards Bedford, who was +waiting in a communication trench with his party, +shouting "Tout-de-suite! Tout-de-suite!" and almost +at the same instant the mines went up. This was very +unfortunate, as it enabled the Boche, who evidently +knew all about it, to get their barrage down before our +own Gunners, who were waiting for zero. Bedford at +once pushed on with his party with much dash in face +of heavy fire from machine guns, rifles, trench mortars +and bombs. He got as far as the advanced trench, +which, however, was held in considerable strength, and +finding himself bombed on both sides, he had to withdraw +without getting a prisoner. His party got back alright, +but unfortunately Bedford himself was knocked down +by a bomb, and although only slightly wounded had +to leave us, and a few days later was invalided to +England. Capt. Hill meanwhile carried out the consolidation +with much success. As soon as the mass +of débris, chalk and stones had stopped falling, parties +at once got to work digging a new trench across the +crater which was something like 30 yards wide by 30 +feet deep, to connect the broken front line, establishing +observation posts and putting out fresh wire. In spite +of intense fire a sufficient trench had been dug by +dawn, and the position made good. Great assistance +was rendered by Capt. Gray and the N.C.O.'s of D +Company. Unfortunately Sergt. Markham, after most +gallantly controlling the fire of his platoon for nearly +two hours, under very heavy fire, was shot through the +head and killed instantly. Another excellent piece +of work was performed by Pvte. E. Dobb, who leapt out +of the trench on seeing a party of Huns trying to get +round the crater, and hurled two bombs right amongst +them. <span class="pagenum"><a id="page126" name="page126"></a>(p. 126)</span> If they had had any doubts as to the possibility of +getting round, this made up their minds, and they +retired hurriedly.</p> + +<p>The following night at midnight, the enemy sprang +a mine on the front of our left Company (A), which +caused considerable trouble and heavy loss before the +position was finally made good. A portion of our front +line was blown up, and owing to the heavy state of the +ground, which was much water-logged, and to the +intense hostile bomb, rifle and machine gun fire, it was +impossible to get a trench dug round our lip of the crater. +It was not until three nights after that the situation was +cleared, and our lip of the crater finally occupied, after +some of the most difficult and miserable nights that it was +ever our misfortune to experience. During these days +there was little rest for anyone, and much excellent +work was done by all ranks. Marshall carried out +some splendid patrols, ably assisted by L.-Corpl. +Hinchley, going out nightly through mud and filth, +to ascertain the position around the crater. Duff +did almost superhuman work with bombs and rifle +grenades, being at it practically the whole night, +for three nights in succession, and this was only his +second tour in the trenches. The Stretcher Bearers too, +as always, did most notable work, particularly Pvtes. +Holbery and Thomas, who fetched in our wounded +from the slopes of the crater only a few yards below +and in full view of the German sentry post, whilst Sergts. +Deverall and Collins, and L.-Corpl. Ostick also did very +gallant work, and L.-Corpl. J. T. Templeman throughout +carried out his work of repairing telephone wires, with +his usual skill and courage. So uncanny was the work of +this period, that Lieut. Peerless was able on one occasion +to take deliberate aim, at 30 yards range, at a German +digging hard in the bright moonlight, on the top of +a crater.</p> + +<p>On <span class="pagenum"><a id="page127" name="page127"></a>(p. 127)</span> April 19th, the French sprang another mine, +just to the left of our Battalion front, as a result of which +we got a certain amount of hostile shelling, whilst on the +20th, the enemy put up another, slightly to our left, +which also brought its share of shelling on us. This, +however, was our last, for much to our relief, and at +comparatively short notice, the 10th Cheshires (25th +Division) took over our sector on the night of the 20th, +and after a weary trudge over that never-ending duck-board +track, we got to Ecoivres by 1 a.m. on the 21st. +Having done full justice to the excellent tea which the +Quarter-Master and his followers had ready for us, we +were taken in 'buses to Tincques, where we arrived about +6 a.m., and found that we were to be billeted partly there, +and partly in the neighbouring village of Bethencourt. +We fear we did not present a happy sight at that early +hour to the ladies just going to church on a lovely Good +Friday morning. Dawn is not an ideal time for seeing a +Battalion at its best, especially after an exceptionally +hard eight days in water-logged trenches. Our total +casualties in the Vimy sector amounted to 17 killed or +died of wounds, 69 wounded and five missing.</p> + +<p>It was a matter of great regret to us to hear later +that the 25th Division suffered very heavily shortly +after we left, when the enemy made a determined attack +on the front recently held by us, and recaptured several +trenches.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER VII <span class="pagenum"><a id="page128" name="page128"></a>(p. 128)</span></h3> + +<h5>THE BATTLE OF GOMMECOURT</h5> + + +<p class="figcenter"><i>April 22nd, 1916.</i>— +<i>July, 2nd, 1916.</i></p> + +<p class="p2">At the time of our relief in the Vimy sector, plans at +General Headquarters must have been in a forward +state for the great offensive, which was to take place +later in the year, and the part which the 46th Division +was to play in that offensive must also have been fixed, +and all our preparations now were for operations on +a large scale.</p> + +<p>We soon got rid of the mud and filth of the trenches, +and were fortunate in finding at Tincques excellent +baths run by the 51st Division, of which we made the +best possible use, and having got our clothes and boots +into respectable order, and everyone generally tidied up, +it was not long before we were in very good form and +fit for anything. Whilst this and other work connected +with the interior economy of the Battalion was going +on, some of the Officers had to spend a rather long day +on Easter Monday, April 24th, in making a reconnaissance +of the Corps line between Maroeuil and Mont St. +Eloy.</p> + +<p>On April 26th, we were inspected by General Shipley, +and felt rather pleased with the result of our efforts at +cleaning, for the Battalion looked well, and the General +expressed his pleasure at the smart turnout.</p> + +<p>The weather now was improving fast, and though +excellent for training, it seemed too lovely on some +of those delightful Spring days, to be spending our time +learning how to kill people. Training included the +new form of bayonet fighting, expounded by Officers +and others on their return from the Third Army School, +where <span class="pagenum"><a id="page129" name="page129"></a>(p. 129)</span> they had been duly instructed in its art by that +expert, Major Campbell, who always succeeded in his +inimitable way in so impressing his hearers, that they +were not likely to forget for many a long day that "two +inches well placed" was ample, and many other similar +maxims. Many tips were also given us in bayonet +fighting by Sergt.-Major Curly, one of the travelling +Physical Training Instructors, who often came to see us, +and made a great impression on all who ever came under +his instruction by his extraordinary keenness and energy. +Eventually we passed on to practise the attack in +"waves," and were initiated into the art of doing this +under the shelter of a smoke screen. In this form of +attack, the advance from the moment of leaving the +trenches, was carried out behind a smoke barrage, formed +by lighting smoke bombs in the front line trench, and +heaving them forward over the parapet. If they were +good, a dense cloud of smoke was produced, and, provided +the wind was in the right direction, it was possible to +advance concealed behind the smoke cloud for a considerable +distance. This method depended almost entirely for +its success on the strength and direction of the wind. +Later on, when the method was improved in the light +of experience gained, smoke grenades fired from rifles +were used, together with smoke shells fired by the +artillery, so that a barrage could be put down at any +required point, and, except in very strong winds, the +smoke made to drift across any desired portion of the +front of attack. In many of the later attacks this was +done extensively, and was on the whole very successful. +We practised at Tincques with hand smoke bombs +only, and found it was not very difficult to keep direction +through the smoke, whilst at the same time we were +screened from the vision of the enemy.</p> + +<p>Our period of training at this juncture was not a +long one, as we were required nearer the front to begin +the <span class="pagenum"><a id="page130" name="page130"></a>(p. 130)</span> many operations necessary to prepare for the big +attack. During that short period, however, we had to +change our billets, and moved on April 29th, to +Averdoignt, a pretty little village near St. Pol, where +we were well housed and very comfortable. From +there we were called upon to send a detachment for a +few weeks' duty at Third Army Headquarters, at +St. Pol, and a composite company consisting of 60 of +B Company, and 100 of C under Major G. S. Heathcote +were entrusted with the task. They must have done +excellent work and evidently made a good impression, +as a letter of special praise on their smartness and +good work, was sent to the Battalion, on their return +by the Army Commander, General Allenby.</p> + +<p>We moved by easy steps from this area, which we +left on May 6th, marching that day to Rebreuviette, +the following day to Gaudiempré, and on the 10th to +Bienvillers. The Transport remained behind at +Gaudiempré, but moved from there on the 11th to +La Bazéque Farm, near Humbercamps. This move +brought us into the VII Corps, commanded by Lieut.-General +T. D'O. Snow.</p> + +<p>Up to the time of our arrival this part of the line +was reputed to be almost the quietest on the whole of +the Western Front. It was said that Company Commanders +slept in pyjamas, even when holding the front +line, and certainly the personnel of Battalion Headquarters +at Foncquevillers, which was only about 1000 +yards from the enemy line, lived there for all the world, +as if in a peaceful country village in England. The dug-outs +were made for comfort rather than safety, and were in +many cases artistically decorated with pictures, doubtless +got from houses in the village, and surrounded with +elegant little garden plots, which showed evident signs of +careful tending on the part of our predecessors. Together +they formed a kind of miniature "Garden City." This +comparative <span class="pagenum"><a id="page131" name="page131"></a>(p. 131)</span> quietness lasted for a considerable time +after our arrival; indeed we often failed to understand +why the enemy refrained from shelling, as on many +occasions we must have offered exceptionally favourable +targets. Day by day work went on often in full view +of the Hun, and within a range of between one and two +miles, and the roads almost daily were a mass of +transport of every kind, moving to and fro in broad +daylight, and literally asking for trouble. There can be +no question that the chief reason was a great shortage +of ammunition at this time amongst the Germans, who +were under very strict orders as to its conservation, +otherwise no doubt we should have had a very disagreeable +time. Doubtless they made careful note of all +our doings, and the fact that something big was going +to take place must have been perfectly obvious to them. +That it was so we found afterwards, when in a successful +attack, the diary of the German regiment opposite to us +(55th R.I.R.) was captured, and from it we learned +that they had been able to foresee exactly where the +attack was coming. This diary was most interesting +reading, as it noted each day their observations of our +doings, and the conclusions they drew from them.</p> + +<p>The attack of the 46th Division was to be directed +against the German trenches West of Gommecourt, +immediately opposite the village of Foncquevillers. +The German trench line here, forming the Gommecourt +salient, was the most Westerly point that they ever +held as a permanent line. The general object of +the attack was to cut off this salient. The 56th +Division were to attack on the South, and join hands +with our Division East of the village of Gommecourt, +and so establish the left flank of the whole Somme +attack.</p> + +<p>All the efforts of the troops of our Division who +were not actually holding the line, were concentrated +on <span class="pagenum"><a id="page132" name="page132"></a>(p. 132)</span> preparing the Divisional front for the attack. The +chief work that we were concerned with, was the digging +out of old communication trenches from Foncquevillers +to the front line, a distance of about 700 yards. There +were something like ten or a dozen of these, several of +which were named after our Division. The principal +were "Stafford Avenue," "Lincoln Lane," "Leicester +Street," "Nottingham Street," "Derby Dyke," +"Roberts Avenue," "Rotten Row," "Regent Street," +"Raymond Avenue," and "Crawlboys Lane." All +these had to be dug out about two feet below their +existing level, making them about seven feet deep, +and boarded with trench grids from end to end, which +entailed an enormous amount of work. In addition, the +front line had to be cleared of the barbed wire, with which +the unoccupied portions had been filled, support and +reserve trenches had to be prepared for the supporting +troops in the attack, forward or "jumping-off" trenches +to be dug at the last moment, for the assaulting troops +to attack from, "Russian saps" to be dug out into No +Man's Land to form communication trenches, by +knocking in the thin covering of earth left to hide them, +dug-outs to be made for forward Battalion Headquarters, +and several miles of narrow cable trench to be dug about +six feet deep for the protection of telephone wires from +forward Headquarters back to Brigade, Division and +Artillery Headquarters. In addition to all this navvying +work, large quantities of stores had to be carried up to +forward dumps in the trenches, ready for taking forward if +the attack succeeded, shelters had to be made at various +points in side trenches, convenient to get at from +communication trenches, for storing large quantities of +bombs of all kinds, small arm ammunition, iron rations, +water, picks, shovels, sandbags, and other Royal +Engineers' material likely to be required to consolidate the +ground we hoped to win in the attack. The transport +of <span class="pagenum"><a id="page133" name="page133"></a>(p. 133)</span> all these stores, and of all the necessary Royal +Engineers' material, and the work entailed in all these +preparations was colossal, and our first real experience of +anything of the kind. It is probable that at this time +the mass and variety of material required in an attack, +reached a degree of complication never equalled either +before or after. The German comment on this contained +in the diary already mentioned is of interest. "It must +be acknowledged," it states, "that the equipment and +preparation of the English attack were magnificent. +The assaulting troops were amply provided with numerous +machine guns, Lewis guns, trench mortars, and storming-ladders. +The Officers were provided with excellent +maps, which shewed every German trench system +actually named and gave every detail of our positions. +The sketches had been brought up to date with all +our latest work, and the sectors of attack were shewn +on a very large scale. Special sketches shewing the +objectives of the different units, also aeroplane photographs +were found amongst the captured documents."</p> + +<p>During our week at Bienvillers from May 10th to +18th, we were mostly engaged in improving the defences +of the village, and the approach trenches behind +Foncquevillers, and in work on cable trenches. It +was here that one or two civilians roused our suspicions, +as they insisted on ploughing and carrying on their +cultivations so very near the front, some days working +with grey horses, others with brown, and our Battalion +Scouts were told to keep a special eye on them. Nothing, +however, happened so far as we were aware that in any +way altered the course of the war, as a result of our or +their action.</p> + +<p>On May 19th, we relieved the 5th North Staffords +in Foncquevillers, being then in reserve to our 5th, 6th, +and 7th Battalions, who were holding the front line. +Our Transport moved the following day to Souastre.</p> + +<p>This <span class="pagenum"><a id="page134" name="page134"></a>(p. 134)</span> was a somewhat uneventful period, and after +a few days in the front line mostly spent in improving +trenches, we were relieved on June 5th, by the 4th +Leicesters, and marched back to huts at Humbercamp, +preparatory to moving further back for our final training +for the "Big Push." We left there the following +night, and arrived in the early hours of June 7th at +Le Souich, where we were destined to spend one of the +least enjoyable periods out of the line that we ever +experienced. We were only there for a week, but into +that short time was crammed an immense amount of +work both in training, and in cutting wood and making +wattle hurdles in Lucheux Forest. The weather was +very wet, and our billets were anything but comfortable. +In our humble opinion the training here was too +strenuous. We had to march out four miles to the training +ground, and four miles back in full marching order, +practise the attack for two hours through fields of growing +corn three or four feet high soaked with rain, and complete +six hours training daily (not including the marching) +with bayonet fighting, physical exercises, and drill in +the fields near our billets. It takes very little of such +intensive training to make men stale.</p> + +<p>The form of attack practised was that ordered for +the general attack, which we now knew was to take place +about the end of June: this allowed each Battalion a +frontage of 250 yards, with three Companies in front, +and one in support, each Company having its four +platoons echelonned in depth at distances of about +50 yards, thus forming four "waves," the men in each +wave being extended to about four paces. In the attack +the leading wave was to go through to the final objective, +the other waves occupying and mopping up the trenches +passed over by the leading wave.</p> + +<p>A full size model of the German lines at Gommecourt +that we were to attack, was made near Sus-St. Leger, +the <span class="pagenum"><a id="page135" name="page135"></a>(p. 135)</span> trenches being dug to a depth of about two feet. +Tape lines were laid for the men to form up on, and the +whole attack was practised time and again as a "drill," +until eventually we were able to carry it out without +losing direction, with a fair amount of success.</p> + +<p>We were now stronger in Officers than we had ever +been during the campaign, our strength being 38. This +was due to the recent arrival of several reinforcements, +including Capt. Piggford and Lieut. Hindley, rejoined, +and 2nd Lieuts. H. de C. Martelli, J. B. White, C. J. +Wells, A. G. T. Lomer, T. G. Day, E. A. Huskinson, +H. I. Newton, and A. A. Field. We had, however, +lost Capt. Lawson, who left for a tour of duty at home, +and Major E. H. Heathcote, Capt. Gray, and 2nd +Lieut. Hodgson invalided to England, also 2nd Lieut. +Peerless, who unfortunately got badly hurt one day by +accidentally kicking a live rifle grenade, which had +been left lying on the bombing practice ground. His +place as Battalion Grenade Officer was taken by 2nd +Lieut. Duff. Lieut. Simonet had gone to hospital, and +was succeeded as Lewis Gun Officer by 2nd Lieut. +Tomlinson. Major G. S. Heathcote was attached to +Headquarters, Third Army, and was succeeded in +command of C Company by Capt. Piggford, whilst +Major Ashwell became Second-in-Command. We were +not particularly strong in other ranks, something less +than 500 being available for the attack, though we had +recently received over 100 reinforcements, including a +very good draft of 61 from the 2nd Sherwood Foresters. +Fortunately General Headquarters had taken an excellent +step in laying down that certain Officers and other +ranks known as "Battle Details," were now to be left +out of every attack to form a nucleus for carrying on +Battalions in the event of their suffering heavy casualties. +This was a very wise precaution, and was adopted by +us for the first time in the attack at Gommecourt.</p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" summary="Pictures"> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center"> +<a id="img012" name="img012"></a> +<img src="images/img012.jpg" width="200" height="288" alt="Regtl.-sergt.-major W. Mounteney, D.C.M." title="Regtl.-sergt.-major W. Mounteney, D.C.M."> +</td> +<td class="td-center"> +<a id="img013" name="img013"></a> +<img src="images/img013.jpg" width="200" height="289" alt="Comp. Sergt.-major W. Stokes, D.C.M. and Sergeants +Of C Company, 1917" title="Comp. Sergt.-major W. Stokes, D.C.M. and Sergeants +Of C Company, 1917"> +</td> +<tr> +<td class="td-center"> +Regtl.-sergt.-major W. Mounteney, D.C.M. +</td> +<td class="td-center"> +Comp. Sergt.-major W. Stokes, D.C.M. and Sergeants +Of C Company, 1917. +</td> +</tr> +</table> + + +<p>On <span class="pagenum"><a id="page136" name="page136"></a>(p. 136)</span> June 15th, we marched to Humbercamp, the +Transport at the same time moving to lines at La Bazéque +Farm. Capt. H. Kirby was now Transport Officer, having +taken over from Capt. Davenport, who, after being +attached for some time to XVII Corps Light Railway +Company, Royal Engineers, went to Brigade Headquarters +to learn Staff work. The transport vehicles had somewhat +camouflaged themselves, having been decorated +on all sides by wonderful and mystic signs, so as to show +to the initiated to what unit they belonged. If you enquired +you would be told that the dark blue square meant +"First Line Transport," the narrow light green oblong +edged with white placed on the left of this square was +for the "8th Sherwood Foresters," whilst the square +divided diagonally into red and green, and bordered +with white, was the sign of the "46th Division." It was +not an easy matter to arrange all these coloured patches +clear of the odds and ends carried on the different +vehicles, and this problem was still exercising the minds +of those in authority nearly up to the Armistice—such +an important part did it play in the ultimate winning +of the war!</p> + +<p>We now knew that in our Brigade we were to be the +Battalion in reserve, the 5th and 7th Battalions having +to carry out the assault, with the 6th Battalion in +immediate support. As a consequence much of the +"dirty" work during the final preparations for the +attack fell to our lot. This consisted chiefly in holding +the trenches during our preliminary bombardment, +and putting up with such retaliation as the Hun might +choose to carry out, and in completing the final arrangements +in our own trenches. After three days at Humbercamp, +during which we found large working parties +for digging cable trenches, and putting up screens to +conceal the approaches to trenches, we moved to +Foncquevillers on June 18th, and took over part of the +left <span class="pagenum"><a id="page137" name="page137"></a>(p. 137)</span> sub-sector from the 5th Lincolns. An immense +amount of work had been done whilst we had been +away; the prospects seemed bright, and our hopes +rose. Our Headquarters at Foncquevillers became a +centre of attraction to all and sundry. At every hour +of the day and night we had callers, from the Divisional +Commander downwards. The Brigadier and his staff +constantly paid us visits. Gunners galore came to +sample what we kept, and incidentally to see about +finding observation posts. Royal Engineer gentlemen +requested our help at every turn and corner, usually +wanting working parties rather larger than our total +strength, whilst "Tock Emma" Officers were on our +doorstep day and night. Indeed so great was the crowd +that at one time we almost had to put Corpl. Cross on +to regulate the queue, and all the time our poor stock +of victuals and drinks was getting less and less.</p> + +<p>All went well until the afternoon of June 23rd, +when there was a violent thunderstorm, which practically +undid the whole of the work we had carried out in the +trenches, filling them in most cases to a depth of two +feet or more with mud and water. This area was a +difficult one to drain, and it was impossible to get the +water away, so that all hands had to be got on as soon as +possible to man trench pumps, and endeavour to clear +the trenches in that way. This method was extremely +laborious, and very little real progress was made, though +every available man was put on to the work. Our poor +dug-outs were knee deep in water, and the newly constructed +bomb and other stores were too weak to stand +such a storm, and in most cases collapsed. Our hopes +sank, for we realised how much depended on all the +careful preparations which had been made, and that the +time left before the attack would be all too short for us +to get the damage repaired.</p> + +<p>It <span class="pagenum"><a id="page138" name="page138"></a>(p. 138)</span> is impossible to give anything like an adequate +idea of our plight for the next few days. The artillery +scheme, including a six days' bombardment, began on +the following day with wire cutting, causing a certain +amount of retaliation, which added to our trouble. This +got worse on the following days, doubtless owing partly +to the fact that we dug a new advanced trench. This was +in a deplorable mess, and our men who had to occupy it +had a most distressing time. Casualties rose rapidly, especially +in B Company, whose front line trench was enfiladed +from Adinfer Wood. Our carrying parties, who had to +take up Royal Engineer material, ammunition of all sorts, +rations and other stores to various points in the line, +mostly adopted the very suitable dress of a sandbag kilt +and boots. They were objects of much interest, but it +was the most workmanlike rig-out for our trenches, which +in many cases remained knee deep in mud and water for +several days. The carrying had to go on whatever +happened, and continued night and day, assistance being +got from the 6th and 7th Battalions, from the Machine +Gun Company, and from the Transport men of all units, +parties of whom marched up nightly for the purpose. +With trenches in such a state, it is needless to say that +it was impossible for men to hold the line for many days, +and in order to give us a brief respite, we were relieved +by the 5th Battalion on the night of June 27th, and +moved back to Pommier.</p> + +<p>The nine strenuous days during which we had held the +line, had been a severe trial, and where everyone did so +well it is difficult to single out any for special mention, +but we feel we must say how much we owed to Capts. +Turner, Vann and Hill, for the excellent way in which +they worked to keep up the spirits of their men during +those trying times, and to Sergts. Slater and Rawding, +for the splendid way they kept their men together +during several particularly unpleasant "straffs" by +the <span class="pagenum"><a id="page139" name="page139"></a>(p. 139)</span> Boche of our front trenches. During that time, +too, much excellent patrolling was done by Marshall, +who unfortunately was wounded one day when taking +rather too great risks in observing the Boche lines, and +Martelli, ably helped by L.-Corpl. Hickman, and Pvte. E. C. +Bryan. Our casualties during those nine days included +Capt. Vann, slightly wounded, Lieut. Hindley, who got +a nasty splinter wound on the nose, 16 other ranks +killed, and 44 wounded.</p> + +<p>The chief incident during our two days' stay at +Pommier, occurred on the afternoon of June 30th, when +the Huns began shelling the church. John Turner, +Michie and Harvey, were having tea in their mess, +which was only a few yards from the church, when a +5.9 blew in the end of the house, practically bursting +inside the room where they were sitting. Their escape +was little short of a miracle. John Turner, however, +as one would expect, came into Headquarters smiling +and perfectly cool, though covered with dust and blood. +Harvey and Michie were a bit shaken, the former having +to go to hospital.</p> + +<p>The attack, having been postponed owing to the +bad weather, was eventually fixed to take place on the +morning of July 1st, and we left Pommier again the night +before to take up our position at Foncquevillers. Our +cookers were taken down to the Western edge of the wood +behind the village, where we were issued with soup and +rum on arrival at about 10 p.m. Each man carried +in addition to the following day's ration, his iron ration, +and a bacon and bread sandwich. Equipment carried +included 200 rounds small arm ammunition, four sandbags, +two Mills grenades, two gas helmets, haversack, +waterproof sheet, and a supply of wire cutters and +gloves. The new pattern "tin hat," with which we had +by this time all been supplied, formed a by no means +unimportant part of our dress. It was not a thing of +beauty, <span class="pagenum"><a id="page140" name="page140"></a>(p. 140)</span> and took a little while to get used to, but it proved +a good friend to many in the days that were to come.</p> + +<p>The attack by the 46th Division was to be carried +out with two Brigades, Staffords and Sherwood Foresters, +with the Lincolns and Leicesters in reserve. The 139th +Brigade on the left was to attack between the Northern +edge of Gommecourt Wood and the "Little Z," the +5th Battalion being on the right, and 7th on the +left, the 6th Battalion in support, and 8th in Reserve; +the German first, second and third lines were to be +captured, and in conjunction with the 56th Division on +the right, our line was to be carried to a point just East +of Gommecourt village.</p> + +<p>We reached our assembly positions early on the +morning of July 1st. Our bombardment opened at 6.25 +a.m. and the discharge of smoke from our front line +began an hour later. Under cover of this the assaulting +Battalions moved off from our advanced trenches at +7.30 a.m. A heavy and accurate barrage was immediately +put down on our front and support lines by the enemy, +who were evidently well aware of the extent of the +attack and ready for it. The attack by the 139th Brigade +is described in the following extracts from the captured +diary of the 55th R.I.R., the times given being German:—</p> + +<p>"G1. sector 7.30 a.m. An extremely violent bombardment +began, overwhelming all the trenches and +sweeping away the wire.</p> + +<p>8.30 a.m. The enemy's fire lifted. The enemy's +attack, which was made under cover of gas bombs, was +perceived. In consequence of the sharp look-out kept +by the Commander of the 4th Company, and by a Platoon +Commander holding the most dangerous portion of +the line, the shell holes were occupied exactly at the +right moment, and the attackers were received with +hand grenades. The barrage fire which had been called +for began at once.</p> + +<p>8.40 a.m. <span class="pagenum"><a id="page141" name="page141"></a>(p. 141)</span> Strong hostile skirmishing lines deployed +from Pilier Farm. They were at once met by heavy +machine gun and infantry fire. Second Lieut. ——, +of the 2nd Company who was holding the 3rd support +line of G1, recognised the superior strength of the +enemy's attack which was being carried out against +No. 4 Company. In spite of the intense bombardment +he decided to advance with his Platoon over the open, +and, crossing the second line, reached the front line of +G1 at the decisive moment to reinforce No. 4 Company.</p> + +<p>The enemy built up his firing line and attempted +to press forward with bombers and flame-projectors, +but was repulsed everywhere.</p> + +<p>10.30 a.m. The fine spirit of the troops of the +2nd and 4th Companies succeeded by their stubborn +resistance in annihilating the thick charging waves of the +English. The ground was covered with numbers of +dead, and in front of our trench lay quantities of English +arms and equipment. Gradually the artillery fire +recommenced on the front line trenches and rose to a +pitch of extreme violence in the course of the afternoon. +The fact that all attacks were completely repulsed +without the enemy gaining a footing in the front line +of G1. at any point is due, next to the bravery of the +troops, to the carefully thought-out arrangements of +Major ——, to the care of the Officer Commanding +No. 4 Company, and to the energy of the Platoon +Commanders."</p> + +<p>To resume our own story. At about 8.0 a.m., as +the forward trenches were cleared of troops, we began +to move forward, but everywhere found the trenches, +which were still in many parts deep in mud and water, +blown in, or blocked by dead bodies, or wounded men +trying to make their way back. Little progress was +possible, and there was nothing to be done but to await +further developments.</p> + +<p>Although <span class="pagenum"><a id="page142" name="page142"></a>(p. 142)</span> little news came through, it soon became +evident that the attack on our front had not succeeded. +We learnt later that, owing to the difficulty experienced +by the supporting waves in getting across our own +water-logged trenches, they lost the advantage of the +barrage, and that the smoke cleared long before the +bulk of the assaulting troops had got across No Man's +Land. In spite of our long protracted artillery +bombardment comparatively little damage had been +done to the German trenches and wire, and our men +met with heavy rifle and machine gun fire, not only +from their front, but also from the right flank, where +the 137th Brigade were unable to gain the German front +line owing to uncut wire. A few of both the 5th and 7th +Battalions got into the German trenches, but they were +soon surrounded and overwhelmed. Some who were +wounded before reaching the wire, crawled for shelter +into shell holes, where in several instances, they were +deliberately bombed or shot by the Boche from their +trenches. At 3 p.m. a fresh bombardment was begun +by the right Brigade, and continued on our front, with +a view to an attack being made by two Companies of +the 6th Battalion, but this was cancelled.</p> + +<p>At 5.5 p.m. we were ordered to send out daylight +patrols to ascertain the position of affairs in front. +Several volunteers, amongst whom were Corpls. G. Clay, +and C. E. Bryan, L.-Corpls. Moss and Hickman, and +Pvtes. Charles, Brett, Adams, and Nightingall, remained +out for some time, and brought back useful information. +Meanwhile much gallant work was also being done by the +Stretcher Bearers and others. Pvtes. Holbery, Thomas, +Nelson, and Shearman worked continuously for nearly +36 hours carrying in wounded, often under heavy fire, +whilst Comp. Sergt.-Major T. Powell, who brought in +three wounded men by daylight, and Sergt. Grainger, +who controlled his men with great skill during the battle +and <span class="pagenum"><a id="page143" name="page143"></a>(p. 143)</span> also rescued a wounded man, are deserving of special +mention.</p> + +<p>At 6.10 p.m. we received instructions to take over +the original front and advanced trenches from the 6th, and +remnants of the 5th and 7th Battalions, who were there, +and this was done. Later, however, the 5th Lincolns +took over the line as they had been ordered to carry +out another attack at midnight, in order to try and +rescue some of the 5th and 7th Battalions, who it was +thought were still in the Boche trenches. This, however, +was not pressed, and finally A Company of our Battalion +were given the melancholy task of scouring No Man's +Land to find the dead and wounded. Eventually the +5th Lincolns took over from us on the morning of the +2nd July, and we withdrew the same day to billets at +Gaudiempré.</p> + +<p>Even as we left Foncquevillers ill-luck pursued us, +for a premature burst of a shell from one of our guns +took place close to us as we were formed up behind the +wood ready to move off, and wounded four, fortunately +not seriously. Otherwise our casualties during the actual +battle had not been heavy, amounting to three killed, +two missing (attached to Trench Mortar Battery) and +37 wounded.</p> + +<p>We cannot look back with anything but regret +on that awful battle, when so many lives were sacrificed +apparently to no purpose. July 1st is not our happiest +of days—indeed on two successive occasions it was our +most unfortunate day of the year. It must have been +quite obvious to the enemy that this was to be the flank +of the Somme attack, although some demonstration was +made by the 37th Division on our left. The enemy, therefore, +were able to bring all their guns from the direction +of Adinfer Wood to bear on No Man's Land on our front. +Lack of troops had necessitated the employment of the +attacking Battalions in the most exacting fatigues +up <span class="pagenum"><a id="page144" name="page144"></a>(p. 144)</span> to the very eve of the assault. Probably, barely a +man had had a full night's sleep for a week prior to the +attack, and there had been scarcely a day or night when +rain had not fallen consistently and heavily, and working +parties had not been soaked through to the skin. Those +of us, who eight months later, stood on some of the +German concrete machine gun emplacements opposite, +commanding a magnificent field of fire from positions +proof against the heaviest shells, saw still the lines of +dead bodies lying in No Man's Land, a tragic and pitiable +witness, if witness were needed, that the failure of +the attack was in no measure due to any lack of dash or +courage on the part of our indomitable Infantry. +Practically every Officer of the attacking Battalions +was killed or wounded, and a large proportion of the +men, and but an insignificant proportion fell alive into +the hands of the enemy.</p> + +<p>It was some slight comfort to receive from the +Corps Commander an appreciation of our efforts, which +had kept busy a large number of the enemy's best +troops, and to know that we had a share in the success +of the great Somme attack, and that our terrible losses +were not entirely in vain.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER VIII <span class="pagenum"><a id="page145" name="page145"></a>(p. 145)</span></h3> + +<h5>BELLACOURT</h5> + + +<p class="figcenter"><i>July 2nd, 1916.</i>— +<i>October 29th, 1916.</i></p> + +<p class="p2">We spent one night at Gaudiempré, and on July 3rd, +moved a few miles North to a delightful Camp +at Bavincourt, where we made up our minds to have a +well-earned rest. The Camp was charmingly situated, +and we were preparing to have it run on model lines, +when alas, in the early hours of July 4th, sudden orders +were received to move. We had, however, made the +best of our few hours there, most of us going to an +excellent entertainment by the "Barn Owls," the +Concert Party of the 37th Division, which cheered us +immensely.</p> + +<p>The fighting on the Somme, which had gone successfully +for us in many parts, was causing rapid reorganisation +and consequent movement of troops, so that +our sudden move was not altogether surprising. We +left Bavincourt on the morning of July 4th, and after +a little excitement due to the shelling of the road, and +a terrific thunderstorm, we eventually got settled once +more at Pommier, with the exception of A Company, +who went on to Bienvillers. The rest of the Battalion +joined them there on July 7th, except Transport and +Quarter-Master's Stores, which moved to La Cauchie. Our +most important work there was the somewhat ticklish +procedure on two nights of carrying up to the Monchy +trenches, about two miles North of Foncquevillers, +cylinders of gas to loose off on a suitable occasion. +These were drawn at Hannescamp, and for carrying +were fastened to poles, each cylinder requiring two +men. <span class="pagenum"><a id="page146" name="page146"></a>(p. 146)</span> Special precautions were taken to ensure perfect +silence, so as not to give the enemy an idea that gas was +being installed. Further, in order to protect the carrying +party, in case any of the cylinders got broken by shells +or otherwise on the way up, every man wore his smoke +helmet rolled up on his head, ready for instantly pulling +down over his face. Neither steel helmets nor caps +were worn on these occasions. As the cylinders had +to be got up to our front line trench, the operation was +attended with considerable risk, but fortune favoured +us, and it is believed that the Battalion never suffered +a casualty when engaged on the work, though large +parties had to be found on several occasions for a +similar purpose.</p> + +<p>We moved on July 10th, by route march to +Bellacourt, a village about five miles south-west of +Arras, and giving its name to a sector which was to +prove easily the most peaceful and enjoyable part of +the line we ever held. Transport moved to Bailleulval, +where they got good lines in a small orchard, and +the Quarter-Master's Stores were comfortably fixed up +in billets.</p> + +<p>It was from this department that we were first to +hear of the activities of our new Divisional Commander, +Major-General W. Thwaites, R.A., who made it a practice +of frequently visiting transport lines at early morning +stables. Torrance with his ready wit at once dubbed +him "The Mushroom Picker," an epithet which we +were told gave him much pleasure when it reached his +ears, but did not have the least effect upon his early +morning visits.</p> + +<p>Several new Officers had recently joined from our +3rd Line, including 2nd Lieuts. C. F. Woodward, F. M. +Corry, H. G. Kirby, B. P. Page, W. B. Easterfield, and +D. H. Parker. Second Lieut. A. Bedford also rejoined, +and others who arrived shortly afterwards were Lieut. +R. Whitton, <span class="pagenum"><a id="page147" name="page147"></a>(p. 147)</span> who had been Adjutant of the 3rd Line, +2nd Lieuts. Skinner and Moore, back for the second +time, and 2nd Lieuts. C. H. Hicks, D. F. Ranson, +L. E. King-Stephens, G. F. Visser, F. D. Byrne, B. W. +Hall, and A. D. Bailey. Comp. Sergt.-Major Haywood +rejoined with a draft of 72 reinforcements, and was +appointed Comp. Sergt.-Major of C Company, where +Sergt. Leivers had been carrying on for a short time in +place of Comp. Sergt.-Major J. A. Green, who had been +invalided to England.</p> + +<p>We were thus fairly well off for numbers, when on +July 11th, we relieved the Liverpool Scottish in the +left sub-sector of the Brigade sector, this being one of +the rare occasions on which relief was carried out by +daylight. The distribution was as follows: Right—"The +Willows"—A Company (Capt. Vann); Centre +"The Osiers"—B Company (Capt. Turner); Left—"The +Ravine"—C Company (Capt. Piggford); Reserve—Bretencourt—D +Company (Capt. Hill). Battalion +Headquarters was in the "Sunken Road," just in +front of Bretencourt, off "Engineer Street." Each +Company had two platoons in the front line and two in +support; a system which, besides being more or less in +accordance with Field Service Regulations, worked +extremely satisfactorily, for whilst the front line posts +could be held by comparatively few men, either in the +line or at the heads of the various saps running out into +No Man's Land, working parties and patrols were +found from the support platoons, and were thus able +to get back to the support line on completion of their +task, and rest in comparative comfort.</p> + +<p>The frontage allotted to us was a long one, and +the front line was thinly held, some of the posts being +as much as 200 yards apart. Frequent visiting patrols +were necessary during the night to prevent any daring +Boche from getting into our lines. In the communication +trenches, <span class="pagenum"><a id="page148" name="page148"></a>(p. 148)</span> blocking posts and gates were fixed at various +points to hold up the enemy if they did ever get in and +attempt to push forward. To look after the rear +portion of these communication trenches the system +of Trench Wardens was instituted during our stay at +Bellacourt. These were usually light duty, or warworn +men drawn from the various Battalions, whose +duty it was to repair broken trench grids, relay any +that required it, clear falls of earth, and generally +look after upkeep.</p> + +<p>This sector was reputed to be the quietest on the +British Front, and though we had one or two lively times, +there is no doubt that for the period of three-and-a-half +months we were there, it lived up to its reputation. +Rumour said that some of our troops had been in the +habit of going out and repairing the barbed wire by +daylight! Certainly it was normally extremely peaceful. +The trenches were from 300 to 400 yards apart, and in +the region of the Ransart Road on the right, one could +indeed go out for some distance without coming in view +of the Boche trenches. The weather during most +of our stay was of the best, and there could be few +things more pleasant than to stroll on a quiet afternoon +round some of the communication trenches, e.g., "Dyke +Street," "Couturelle," and "La Motte," where masses +of wild flowers of every kind and of brilliant colours +were in full bloom, and in many parts completely covered +the sides of the trenches. Cooking was normally done +out of the trenches, and hot meals were carried up in +kettles or food containers (something in the nature of +large thermos flasks) by the Reserve Company billeted +at Bretencourt.</p> + +<p>We had something of a shock during our first tour +in the trenches, and began to suspect the reports as to +the quietness of the sector, for on our second morning +the enemy poured over for nearly an hour, between +4.0 a.m. <span class="pagenum"><a id="page149" name="page149"></a>(p. 149)</span> and 5.0 a.m., showers of heavy trench mortars +on to part of the front line held by B Company. Their +aim was very good, several bombs falling right into +the trench and doing considerable damage, whilst Lieut. +Lomer's Platoon, which was holding the part bombarded, +had four men killed and nine wounded. One man +had to have his foot amputated by Johnstone, the +Medical Officer, in order to be released from a shelter +that had been smashed by the bombs. Sergts. Tanner and +Yeomans did splendid work in rescuing the wounded, +as did also Sergt. Bescoby, Pvte. Axon and other +Stretcher Bearers. This, however, turned out to be +the only "hate" of its particular kind that the enemy +inflicted on us during our stay. Possibly it was to let +us know that he was aware of our recent arrival, and +wished to give us a welcome, but most likely it was +what we knew as his "Travelling Circus" which he +brought up at certain times in order to carry out an +organised "straff" on a particular piece of the line.</p> + +<p>For some time after this, and in fact for most of +Our sojourn here, life in the trenches was of a somewhat +humdrum character. There were a few days cf activity +now and then, but normally the enemy was very inoffensive +so far as we were concerned. He did, however, +raid the 6th Battalion one night in the right sub-sector, +almost completely levelling one of their communication +trenches with heavy trench mortars during the preliminary +bombardment, on account of which we had +to stand-to, when back at our rest billets at Bailleulval. +On another occasion we had a fidgety night owing to +a gas alarm having been given. This however, proved +but another case of "wind."</p> + +<p>The work in the trenches was of a normal character, +but we welcomed that new article known as the "A" +Frame, consisting as its name indicates of framing +shaped like the letter A. This was the best form of +support <span class="pagenum"><a id="page150" name="page150"></a>(p. 150)</span> for trench revetment that we ever had, and +from this time onwards was used almost universally. +A suggestion of this exact form of framing had been +made by Col. Blackwall as early as November 1915. +and submitted to higher authorities, who turned it down +as unsuitable.</p> + +<p>A further great advance was made by us here in the +provision of deep dug-outs, for which the chalk soil was +eminently adapted. Excellent plans were drawn out +by Major Zeller, commanding the Field Company +attached to our Brigade, for complete systems of these +dug-outs to be made in the support line, and a special +Brigade Dug-out Company was formed for this purpose, +to which we contributed, besides a number of men, +2nd Lieuts. Moore and Powell. Great progress was made +with the work, and before we left the sector a large +number had been finished, and fitted up with wire +beds on wooden framework in two tiers, with rifle racks +and other etceteras. The organisation of this work +was one of the first tasks of the new Brigade Major, +Capt. W. P. Buckley, D.S.O., of the Duke of Cornwall's +Light Infantry, who had succeeded Major Neilson, when +the latter left to take up a higher appointment. In +Major Neilson we lost one who was always ready to +help and advise on every possible occasion, and though +it was with the greatest regret that we said goodbye +to him, it was a great pleasure to know that his hard +work had brought its reward.</p> + +<p>At this period after doing six days in the front line, +we spent six days in Brigade Reserve at Bellacourt, +where three Companies were in billets, and usually found +large parties for the Royal Engineers for working in +trenches and dug-outs, and one Company provided garrisons +for the four posts in front of the village, "Starfish," +"Boundary," "Burnt Farm" and "Orchard." +After a further six days in the front line we went back +for <span class="pagenum"><a id="page151" name="page151"></a>(p. 151)</span> six days to Bailleulval, where we were able to have +our periodical clean up, do a little training, and generally +enjoy life for a brief space. We relieved always with +the 7th Battalion, and held the left of the Brigade sector, +which remained the same as originally taken over, except +that we gave up the "Willows" on the right and took +over "Epsom" on the left.</p> + +<p>Our billets at Bailleulval were fairly comfortable, +and were constantly improved, under the guiding hand +of Major Wordsworth, the Staff Captain. We had a +splendid parade ground on the high land behind the +village, a good Canteen, a Sergeants' Mess, a Corporals' +Mess, home-made Russian baths erected with much skill +by our own Pioneers, and frequent visits from the +"Whizz-bangs," who gave us excellent programmes. We +played cricket, football, both soccer and rugger; we +had Officers' Riding Classes, which were a source of +much interest not to say amusement, to the onlookers, +and we got good dinners at the well-known "Seven +Sisters," in the neighbouring village of Basseux. The +weather for the most part was delightful, and life was +extremely pleasant.</p> + +<p>Major-General Thwaites twice inspected us, and +all who were in the Battalion during the time he reigned +at Division will remember what an inspection by him +entailed! Our best salute proved very inadequate on +the first occasion, and the Commanding Officer was +requested, after putting himself and his horse in front +of the centre of the Battalion, to do it again! Capt. +Turner, too, who was acting Second-in-Command, got +a polite enquiry as to what he was doing with his +horse! Poor "Strawberry" was apparently rather +upset over the fixing of bayonets! As a rule, +however, we believe our efforts to make a good show +did not pass unnoticed, though a good deal that was +uncomplimentary was said. On his second inspection +Lieut.-General <span class="pagenum"><a id="page152" name="page152"></a>(p. 152)</span> Snow, the Corps Commander, was with +him, and appeared to be quite satisfied with the turnout.</p> + +<p>Training at this time, so far as the Battalion was +concerned, consisted only of such general work as could be +done in the few days we spent periodically at Bailleulval. +The Divisional School, however, was in full going order, +Regimental Sergt.-Major Mounteney doing duty there +for a time, and in addition a Brigade School was formed +at Basseux, to which Major Ashwell went as Commandant +and expounded the art of war to young Subalterns and +others, taking with him 2nd Lieut. Hopkinson as his +Adjutant. Whilst Major Ashwell was away, Capt. Turner +took over the duties of Second-in-Command, leaving +B Company in the capable hands of Lieut. G. Wright. At +an Assault Competition arranged by the Brigade School +on October 12th, we almost swept the board, winning +five out of eight events—Physical Drill, Bayonet Fighting, +Bombing, Relay Race, and Obstacle Race—so we were +well satisfied with our efforts, and the training work +that was being done. By this time the whole Battalion +had been fitted out with the short rifle, the last of +the old long rifles being handed to Ordnance on +September 26th.</p> + +<p>A new "toy" that was issued in these days was +that horrible thing known as the "Lewis Gun Hand +Cart." Tomlinson had some most entertaining +experiences in trying to get mules to pull these "handcarts," +but the mules usually found it more interesting +to try and turn round to see what extraordinary things +on wheels they were now being insulted by being asked +to pull, or in going off at breakneck speeds to try and +get rid of them. These carts were never popular, and +never a success, and gradually, by being carefully "left" +by the roadside or some other convenient spots, they +were eventually disposed of.</p> + +<p>The <span class="pagenum"><a id="page153" name="page153"></a>(p. 153)</span> most notable event during this period was +undoubtedly Vann's raid, the first really successful +raid carried out by the Battalion. This took place on +the night of September 21/22nd, and was carried out +by Capt. Vann, with practically the whole of his (A) +Company. In order to illustrate the thorough manner +in which the scheme was devised and carried out, the +story is given in some detail.</p> + +<a id="img014" name="img014"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img014.jpg" width="400" height="652" alt="Lieut.-col. B. W. Vann, V.C., M.C." title="Lieut.-col. B. W. Vann, V.C., M.C."> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Lieut.-col. B. W. Vann, V.C., M.C. +Killed in action at Ramicourt, Oct. 3rd, 1918, when in command of the 6th Sherwood +Foresters.</p> + +<p>The point to be raided was a short sap known +as "Italy Sap," running out from the Boche front +line about 300 yards away. The wire protecting the +sap was cut during the afternoon of September 21st +by our 2-inch trench mortars, and other gaps were +cut on another part of the front further North, partly +as a "blind" and partly for use in a future operation. +In order to verify that the gaps were properly cut, a +wire patrol under L.-Corpl. Hickman went out at 8.0 p.m. +and reported that the gaps were good, and that the +ammonal tubes which the Royal Engineers had in readiness +to take out and blow gaps with were not required. +Frequent bursts were fired by our machine guns on to +the gaps to prevent them being repaired by the enemy +before the raiding party got there. At 11.15 p.m., the +wire patrol again went out and laid tapes from the gaps +back to "Cavendish Sap" in our own front line to +guide the raiding party across No Man's Land. The +party was divided up into several smaller parties, +commanded respectively by Lieut. Martelli, 2nd Lieuts. +Duff, White, and Hall, and Comp. Sergt.-Major G. Powell. +In addition there were two teams of Brigade machine +gunners to guard the flanks, and seven sappers to blow +up dug-outs. The total of the party was five Officers, +and 136 other ranks. All identification marks, badges, +letters, etc., had been removed from all members of the +raiding party, and faces, hands and bayonets were +blackened. Smoke helmets were carried in the pocket, +and <span class="pagenum"><a id="page154" name="page154"></a>(p. 154)</span> gas and phosphorus bombs were taken for clearing +dug-outs, together with a number of flashlights and +torches. At 12.15 am the enemy trenches in the +region of the area to be raided were bombarded by +18 pounders, 4.5 and 6-inch howitzers, 2-inch trench +mortars, and 3-inch Stokes mortars. The raiding party +guided by the tapes, got as close up to the barrage as +possible, and as soon as it lifted at 12.28 a.m., went +through the gaps and into the enemy trenches. One +German who was met was at once bayoneted. Several +dug-outs were bombed, and in some cases set on fire, one +being blown up by the Royal Engineers with an ammonal +tube. An enemy machine gun which opened fire from the +right was immediately silenced by our Lewis and machine +guns. The time fixed for the return of the party was +12.50 a.m. and it was only in the last minute or so that +the main object of the raid, a prisoner, was secured. +Most of the dug-outs were empty, but eventually Vann +found one which contained some Boches. These he at +once ordered to come out. Two came up with bayonets +fixed, one of whom was at once shot dead by Vann, +and the other wounded. They were followed by four +others, including a stretcher bearer, who came out with +hands up shouting "Kamerad!" "Kamerad!" They +were at once hustled out of the trench with the scantiest +of ceremony and brought back to our lines. Immediately +after this, Vann ordered his bugler to sound the recall +signal, and at the same instant the prearranged signal +of six red rockets went up at Battalion Headquarters. +During the last ten minutes of the raid the enemy had +surrounded the occupied portion of the trenches with +red lights and their artillery had begun to shell their +front line and "Italy Sap," but did the party little +harm, and every man got back to our trenches, the only +casualties being eight men wounded. The net result +of the raid was that five Germans were killed by the +raiding <span class="pagenum"><a id="page155" name="page155"></a>(p. 155)</span> party, and five taken prisoners, including one +wounded, apart from any casualties inflicted by our +bombardments. It is worth noting that a bombardment +of the area around the blind gap was also carried out, and +that the barrage there "lifted" before that on the gaps +where the raid was actually to take place. This was +undoubtedly of great assistance to the raiding party in +diverting the enemy's attention, and in causing his +barrage to come down first in No Man's Land opposite +the blind gap, where we had no troops whatever. The +number of rounds used to cut the wire was 670, fired +by seven 2-inch trench mortars.</p> + +<p>Many messages of congratulation were received on the +success of the raid, including one from the Corps Commander. +It was a great pleasure to all when it was known +shortly afterwards, that Vann, whose gallantry knew no +bounds, had been given a bar to his M.C., and that the +M.C. had been awarded to Duff, who had already done +most admirable work at Vimy, and was one of the +pluckiest Officers the Battalion ever had. Vann was +subsequently awarded the French Croix-de-Guerre.</p> + +<p>Much of the success of the raid was undoubtedly +due to the excellent patrolling which had been done by +Martelli and his Scouts, L.-Corpl. Hickman, and Pvtes. +Bambrook and Haslam, who throughout worked with +the greatest skill, and left nothing undone to ensure +that all was in order. Many gallant deeds too, were +performed in the enemy trenches. Pvte. Chappel, a +leading bayonet man successfully shewed one Boche +the proper way of making the point; Pvte. Walsh +wanted to go on to the German second line when he +was unable to find any to kill where he was; Drummer +Heath shewed great bravery and devotion as he had +often done on previous occasions, in carrying messages; +Drummer A. L. Smith, though wounded, remained +at his post to the last to sound the recall signal; while +great <span class="pagenum"><a id="page156" name="page156"></a>(p. 156)</span> gallantry was also shewn by Lieut. Martelli, +Comp. Sergt.-Major G. Powell, Sergt. Slater, Corpl. +Carrier, and Pvte. Needham. The raiding party had a +special little dinner of their own a few days after the +raid at the canteen at Bailleulval.</p> + +<p>There is but little to record of our other doings in +the trenches. We recall efforts being made to have "Daily +Trench Exercises" carried out, such as physical jerks, +bomb throwing, and rifle practice, but the orders issued +on the subject were, we fear, honoured rather in the +breach than the observance! We did, however, appreciate +the opportunity given us in these days of sending Officers +from time to time to our Gunner friends to learn something +of the elements of artillery work, and though +these visits were very short, it was certainly not the fault +of the Gunners if we were not wiser for the instruction +they gave us. We on our part were also called upon to +do some instructing, having attached to us at various +times Lieut.-Col. Smeathman of the Hertfordshire +Regiment, Lieut. Haslam (afterwards killed) and 12 men +of the Artists' Rifles, and an Officer and 14 men of the +1st King's Dragoon Guards, to all of whom we imparted +as much of our knowledge of trench warfare as was +possible during the short time they were with us.</p> + +<p>As time wore on changes took place. Vann, who +had once more been slightly wounded during his raid +and was not very fit, went to the Senior Officers' Course +at Aldershot, and was succeeded in command of A +Company by Capt. E. M. Hacking. Capt. Davenport +after a week's tour in the trenches for instruction left +to attend the Staff Course at Cambridge. Hicks, who +was afterwards killed, went to the Trench Mortar +Battery, E. A. Huskinson to the 138th Brigade to learn +Staff duties, Easterfield to the Machine Gun Corps, +where he won the M.C., Corry (who later died of wounds) +and Newton to the Royal Flying Corps, Woodward to +the <span class="pagenum"><a id="page157" name="page157"></a>(p. 157)</span> "Whizz-bangs," and Capt. A. Hacking (from Brigade +Headquarters), Field, Parker and Wells were invalided +to England. Jones, who followed Marshall as Intelligence +Officer, got wounded on patrol, and was succeeded by +Martelli. Under the new scheme of sending home as +Instructors, Warrant Officers and N.C.O.'s who were +feeling the strain of long periods of active service, we +lost Comp. Sergt.-Major Chappell, and Sergts. L. Bell, +Shore and Wells. Comp. Quarter-Master-Sergt. Hotson +then became Comp. Sergt.-Major of B Company, and +Sergt. Deverall, Comp. Quarter-Master-Sergt. of C Company. +Our casualties during the period amounted to +seven killed, and 37 wounded. Against these losses we +were joined by two Officers, 2nd Lieuts. J. M. Johnston, +and E. W. Warner, and about 80 men, including 40 from +No. 4 Entrenching Battalion.</p> + +<p>All this time the Somme fighting had been going +on, more or less successfully, and we wondered time and +again when our turn would come to go and take part +in it. Divisions around us were moved backwards +and forwards, to and from the fighting area, with almost +lightning rapidity, and still we were left in this peaceful +part with few cares, and almost began to think we had +been forgotten, or that the office boy had scratched +our name off the list of Divisions in France! But it was +apparently not so, for on October 20th, we got news of +our approaching move to a training area, preparatory, +no doubt, to taking a more active part in the fighting. +Eventually, on October 29th, we were relieved by the +16th Manchesters and said goodbye to that delightful +area where we had such good times, and to which we +shall always look back with the greatest possible pleasure.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER IX <span class="pagenum"><a id="page158" name="page158"></a>(p. 158)</span></h3> + +<h5>THE CAPTURE OF GOMMECOURT</h5> + + +<p class="figcenter"><i>October 29th, 1916.</i>— +<i>March 17th, 1917.</i></p> + +<p class="p2">Having spent the afternoon of October 29th in +packing up, we left Bailleulval about dusk, and +late the same evening arrived at Warluzel, where we +spent the night in indifferent billets. We proceeded +the following day to our old quarters at Le Souich, +where we rested for 24 hours, continuing the march on +November 1st to Neuvillette, and on November 3rd, +to our final destination Maison Ponthieu, in the Third +Army (St. Riquier) training area, having completed +a march of something like 40 miles.</p> + +<p>Considering that this area had been used for training +for some considerable time, we cannot say that we found +the billets of the best or well provided with those comforts, +which one might reasonably expect for troops out of +the line preparing to take part in an offensive. Our +energies at first were therefore concentrated on trying +to make ourselves comfortable, and a considerable time +was spent in carrying out improvements, making bathing +arrangements, cookhouses, canteen and reading rooms. +Rightly or wrongly we were inclined to think that we +were unlucky with regard to billets, as we so often found +ourselves scavenging and cleaning up other people's +refuse. Doubtless every other unit thought the same. +In the way of entertainments we had little or nothing, +and Maison Ponthieu itself boasted nothing more than +one or two estaminets. Auxi-le-Château, the home of +the Third Army Training School, had a few shops and was +rather more lively, while, for those who could get there, +St. <span class="pagenum"><a id="page159" name="page159"></a>(p. 159)</span> Riquier was quite interesting, and the battlefield of +Crécy was not far off. Abbeville some distance away, +was patronised only by a few lucky ones.</p> + +<p>We stayed in this area for nearly three weeks, +and trained hard with a view to taking part in the +Somme offensive. The chief points were to make everyone +fit, and to practise formations for open warfare. For +the former, recreation of every kind and for all ranks +was an essential part of the programme, though we +were inclined to think that perhaps a little too much +compulsion was added to this part of the scheme. Inter-platoon +football matches were a prominent part of the +recreational training, and created a great deal of genuine +interest and amusement. There were also inter-battalion +football matches in the Division, in which we started +well by beating the 7th Battalion, but were hopelessly +defeated by the 5th Battalion at Noyelle on November +18th, by eight goals to nil. One of the most entertaining +matches was that which took place at Maison Ponthieu, +between Divisional Headquarters and Brigade Headquarters. +When the Divisional goal was threatened +S.O.S. rockets were sent up and smoke bombs let off, +which to the onlookers, seemed rather to baffle the +defending goalkeeper, who was none other than the +Assistant Provost Marshal, Major Newbold! Preliminary +contests held to select representatives for the Divisional +Boxing Championship, which unfortunately did not +materialise, were won by Sergt. Slater, Sergt. Attenborough, +Signaller Gearney, and Pvte. Hall.</p> + +<p>For open warfare we practised mostly the attack, +beginning with artillery formation. Those who did +know something of it had by now grown very rusty, +after so many months in trenches, whilst many Officers +and men in the Battalion at this time, had had +practically no training at all in this kind of warfare, so +that much work was required in the simple practices +of <span class="pagenum"><a id="page160" name="page160"></a>(p. 160)</span> shaking out into artillery formation, lines of companies, +half-companies, platoons or sections, and eventually +extending for the final stages of the attack leading up +to the assault. The other main feature of the training, +was practice in night marching on a compass bearing +and subsequent deployment for attack.</p> + +<p>On the whole we must confess we felt that the +training was rather overdone. We had to put in many +hours daily, and the march to the training ground at +Yvrencheux and back, some six miles in all, was to say +the least of it somewhat tedious. We were besides, +most unfortunate with regard to weather, which was +very unpleasant most of the time, and we were hardly +sorry when our time came to leave the area. We were +not, however, required to take part in the Somme fighting, +as this had by now more or less worn itself out. From +what we read and heard from troops, who came out of it, +of the appalling condition of the ground and the +impossibility of making any further progress during the +Winter, we were not surprised or sorry that there was +no need for us in that direction. Our lot was to return +once more to our old trenches at Foncquevillers.</p> + +<p>Changes in personnel during this period were mostly +in Officers. Major Ashwell had rejoined and resumed +his duties as Second-in-Command; Major Lane also rejoined +after nearly 18 months in England, as a result of +his wound at Kemmel, and took over A Company from +Capt. E. M. Hacking. A further addition was Lieut. +Simonet, who had by some means managed to get the +Hospital Authorities to pass him fit again for general +service. We also had a small draft of 32 men. On +the other hand we had to part with six Officers at +extremely short notice to the 12th Rifle Brigade and +King's Royal Rifle Corps which had lost very heavily +in the Somme fighting, and sent 2nd Lieuts. Ranson, +Hall (who later won the M.C.), Visser, H. G. Kirby, +Byrne <span class="pagenum"><a id="page161" name="page161"></a>(p. 161)</span> and Bailey (afterwards killed). Second Lieut. Cox +also left us to join the Signal Company of the 14th +Division, his place as Signalling Officer being taken by +Lieut. Warner. For good work on a subsequent occasion +Cox was awarded the M.C. Lieut. Martelli was still +Intelligence Officer, Lieut. White, Grenade Officer, and +Lieut. Tomlinson, Lewis Gun Officer.</p> + +<p>We went by easy stages back to the line, leaving +Maison Ponthieu on November 22nd, and proceeding +to Bealcourt, and the following day to Neuvillette. The +chief item of interest in our two days' stay there, was a +revolver shooting match between teams of Officers from +our own and the 7th Battalion, in which we were badly +beaten. On November 25th, we marched to Humbercourt +on a pouring wet morning, arriving there about mid-day +drenched to the skin. Here we stayed for nearly a fortnight, +training and cutting wood in Lucheux Forest. +The weather was wet and cold, and as the village lay +in a hollow, we got the full benefit of all the rain, and +consequent flooded streams. On November 30th, we +took part in a Divisional cross-country run, a part of the +programme left over from the St. Riquier area. The +distance was two and three-quarter miles, and we felt +quite pleased to finish 6th out of the 13 Battalions running, +our pleasure knowing no bounds at seeing C. B. Johnstone +and F. Torrance finish well within the time limit, happy +if breathless.</p> + +<p>On December 2nd, a Brigade Ceremonial Parade +was held at Sus-St. Leger, where we were inspected by +Major-General Thwaites. It was a bitterly cold day, +but on the whole the show passed off well. It was +perhaps aided a little by the fog, which covered one or +two of our more intricate and unconventional movements +rather successfully.</p> + +<p>On the following day we took part in what was +probably one of the most interesting football matches +in the Battalion's history, when a team of Officers +played <span class="pagenum"><a id="page162" name="page162"></a>(p. 162)</span> one from the 7th Battalion, and beat them one-nil +after a great tussle.</p> + +<p>It was at Humbercourt that Sergt. "Sammy" Foster +played an important part in trying to make us all +"gas proof." With much success he made up a gas +chamber in the village out of the shed for the "Pompe +à incendie," where all ranks of the Battalion were fitted +with the new small box respirator, which had just +arrived. This proved to be much the most satisfactory +form of gas mask we ever had, and continued in general +use up to the end of the war.</p> + +<p>We left Humbercourt on December 6th, and the +same day went into Brigade Reserve, in the Foncquevillers +sector, the 46th Division having taken over this +portion of the line from the 49th Division. The sector +was now fairly quiet, everyone having more or less gone +into winter quarters. Our rest billets and Transport Lines +were at Souastre, where, considering all things, we were +fairly comfortable. There were good baths under the +control of one of those celebrated Town Majors, of whom +so much has been heard, a Y.M.C.A. hut, and a new +form of entertainment in the shape of a Cinema, which +our Division had recently added to its institutions. The +Divisional "Whizz-bangs" were still showing, but were +rather under a cloud, although that great actor subaltern +from the Battalion, Moffat Johnston, gave them a +helping hand for a short time. Being "out to soldier," +however, he preferred the front line, and very soon +came back to us.</p> + +<p>When in Divisional Reserve all companies were back +at Souastre, and carried out a little training in addition +to the usual refitting and cleaning. Parties were also +generally provided for Town Major's fatigues. When +in Brigade Reserve two companies were at Souastre, and +two at Foncquevillers, the latter finding garrisons for +posts on the Eastern edge of the village, and at "Fort +Dick," between Foncquevillers and Hébuterne.</p> + +<p>When <span class="pagenum"><a id="page163" name="page163"></a>(p. 163)</span> in the line we held the left sub-sector, relieving +with the 7th Battalion, the right company front having +its right on the Foncquevillers-Gommecourt Road, the +centre company being disposed about "Lincoln Lane," +and the left company front running from "Roberts +Avenue" to the Brayelle Road. Companies holding +the line, had two or three platoons in the front line, +and the remainder in support. The support Company +occupied the dug-outs in "Sniper's Square."</p> + +<p>The trenches throughout this period were in an +appalling state, though efforts had been made to improve +them by the 49th Division, who certainly left Roberts +Avenue well revetted, and with a good floor of trench +grids. For the most part, however, they were deep in +mud, and in a deplorable condition, and "gumboots +thigh" were in great demand. Dug-outs were of the +poorest, and life in the trenches was not pleasant. +Efforts were made to improve matters during our stay +and the Royal Engineers and Monmouths did a great +deal of work, helped by large parties from all Battalions, +but improvement was very slow.</p> + +<a id="img015" name="img015"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img015.jpg" width="500" height="437" alt="Major-general Thwaites +Outside Battalion Head-quarters, The Brasserie, Foncquevillers." title="Major-general Thwaites +Outside Battalion Head-quarters, The Brasserie, Foncquevillers."> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Major-general Thwaites +Outside Battalion Head-quarters, The Brasserie, Foncquevillers. +<i>Reproduced by permission of the Imperial War Museum.</i></p> + +<p>Fortunately the trenches were no great distance +from the village, where Company cooks had their +cookers, whilst the Battalion was in the line, so that +hot meals were sent up regularly, and included a hot +supper issued generally about midnight, the meals being +mostly carried up by the Support Company. During +the latter part of January and beginning of February, +we had very hard frosts and much snow, and the +carrying parties had a difficult task in walking on the +slippery roads and trench grids, but this was overcome +to a great extent by the use of sandbags tied over the +boots. It was perhaps a somewhat expensive method to +employ with sandbags costing something like a shilling +each, but they served the purpose very well, and +were in great demand in consequence. A drying-room +was <span class="pagenum"><a id="page164" name="page164"></a>(p. 164)</span> established at Battalion Headquarters in the +village, in a large cellar, fitted with double-tier wire +beds, stoves, and braziers. A supply of blankets was +also available, so that the men who had been on +patrol, or had got wet through, could come down +from the line and get their wet clothes dried and a good +rest and sleep in comfort. Inter-Battalion reliefs +were carried out every four days, whilst Companies +were able to relieve their men in the front line +every 48 hours, or, when the weather was extremely +bad, every 24 hours, by taking up the men from the +support line. By this means, the time any particular +man was actually in the front line was reduced to the +lowest possible limit. During December and January, +reliefs were carried out by daylight, usually beginning +immediately after breakfast, and being completed by +about noon. This system not only enabled the incomers +to settle down in the trenches before night, but also +gave the relieved Battalion four complete nights out, +a system which was very much appreciated. At the +end of January we changed to night reliefs. The main +artery for traffic was the Foncquevillers-Souastre +Road, and although it was usually fairly quiet, we +sometimes astonished ourselves at the pace we made +along it on relief nights, and most of us were glad when +we got over the crest into Souastre.</p> + +<p>Martelli and his Scouts and many others did some +very good patrols, but on some nights when the moon +was bright, and the ground covered with snow, this +work was not easy. Long white nightshirts complete +with hoods were tried, but not considered very suitable, +as they looked quite dark against the white snow, and on +the whole were not a success.</p> + +<p>Though normally quiet the sector was occasionally +trench mortared and shelled fairly heavily, +most attention being paid to the front line about +Roberts <span class="pagenum"><a id="page165" name="page165"></a>(p. 165)</span> Avenue and Lincoln Lane, the Gommecourt +Road, the Orchard in front of the village, where our +heavy trench mortars, familiarly known as "Flying +Pigs", had their quarters, and the village itself. It +was in connection with one of these bombardments +that the I-Tok machine professed to have some success. +By some means a Boche map had been secured shewing +the areas into which our front was divided for the purpose +of "shoots", and if the I-Tok picked up messages from +which it was inferred that a shoot over a particular +area was likely to take place, the information was at +once passed on to the Battalion concerned. On one +occasion when such information was received, no sooner +were the men cleared of the area than it was indeed +shelled! It may have been an accident of course, but the +I-Tok personnel took the credit, which we hope was +deserved.</p> + +<p>One night, when the 7th Battalion were in the line, +they were raided after a very heavy bombardment, in +which they suffered several casualties. The following +day the Officer Commanding that Battalion sent us a kind +message of appreciation of the prompt way in which +Capt. Turner and B Company, who were in support in +Foncquevillers, had turned out and stood by ready to help. +Fortunately their services were not required.</p> + +<p>The most unpleasant experience we ourselves +had was on February 16th, when we relieved the 7th +Battalion for the last time in this sector. The relief +itself was carried out under difficulties, owing to a certain +amount of gas shelling, but later on the Hun sent over +perfect showers of gas bombs, and absolutely deluged +the front and support lines, whilst he also fired a considerable +number of gas shells into the village. It is estimated +that in all between 500 and 600 were put over, mostly +filled with phosgene. It was our first experience of any +real gas shell bombardment, and partly owing to this +and <span class="pagenum"><a id="page166" name="page166"></a>(p. 166)</span> partly to the high concentration of the gas used +we suffered heavy casualties, four men being killed and +24 wounded.</p> + +<p>Christmas Day, 1916, was spent in the line, and +passed off very peacefully without anything untoward +happening. We were not able to get our Christmas +dinners until early in the New Year, when we were back +at Souastre, and made the most of all the good things +that had been sent out by kind friends at home. Each +Company enjoyed a most sumptuous dinner, followed by +a splendid entertainment provided by local talent, +speeches, and so on.</p> + +<p>The Battalion front remained unchanged until +early in February, when we extended Northwards to +include the "Crawlboys Lane" area, then held by the +138th Brigade.</p> + +<p>About the same time we had Companies of the +2/5th, 2/8th, and 2/11th Battalions London Regiment +with us for instruction, and a fine lot of men they were. +Our difficulty was in knowing where to put them, for +whereas we were about 80 per Company, they came +out with their full complement of 250. One dreaded +on occasions what might happen if the enemy suddenly +decided to shell the trenches they held, for in some +parts they were almost like the proverbial sardines. +They came out fully equipped, with mobilisation stores +made up to completion. Rumour says that when they +had finished their instruction with us they were wiser +not only in trench routine, but also in their Quarter-Master's +Department!</p> + +<p>This period saw several important changes in +personnel. With great regret we had to part with +Major Ashwell, who left to take up the duties of Commandant +of the Divisional School. This post, however, +he only held for a brief space, as his excellent services +throughout the war were very soon rewarded by his +appointment <span class="pagenum"><a id="page167" name="page167"></a>(p. 167)</span> to command first the 5th, and shortly +afterwards the 6th Battalion. He was succeeded as +Second-in-Command by Major Lane. Capt. E. M. +Hacking, who commanded A Company for a time, +was appointed Railhead Disbursing Officer, and handed +over his duties to Lieut. Andrews. Capt. Turner stuck +to B Company, but during periods of absence of the +Commanding Officer and Major Lane, acted as Second-in-Command, +leaving Lieut. G. Wright to look after his +Company. Capt. Piggford, after struggling on for some +time, although very unfit, eventually had to go down +sick, and shortly afterwards was appointed Divisional +Claims Officer, to which he later added the duties of +Divisional Burials Officer. When he left, C Company +was handed over to Lieut. Abrams. Capt. Hill, after +a long and successful period in command of D Company, +also had to leave owing to sickness, and was succeeded +by Lieut. Simonet. In 2nd Lieut. King-Stephens we lost +a very gallant Officer, and a great favourite. He was +killed one morning when returning from wiring. The fog +which had been so helpful for the purpose, cleared +rather suddenly and a Boche sniper picked him off +just as he was getting back to the trench. Reinforcement +Officers who joined during the period were +2nd Lieuts. C. H. S. Stephenson, A. E. Geary, and +J. E. Mitchell. So far as other ranks were concerned +there were now no discharges as the Military Service Act, +which was in force, gave to very few the opportunity +of getting home. We lost, however, two excellent +Comp. Sergt.-Majors, G. Powell and Hotson, who went +to England to train for commissions, and were shortly +followed by Comp. Sergt.-Major T. Powell. George Powell +was destined one day to be awarded the D.S.O., whilst +Hotson unfortunately met his fate in Italy. Sergts. +Slater and Rawding, and Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. +Deverall, then became Comp. Sergt.-Majors of A, B, and +D <span class="pagenum"><a id="page168" name="page168"></a>(p. 168)</span> Companies respectively. Our casualties in the line +during this period were not heavy, amounting to seven +killed and 47 wounded. Reinforcements who joined +totalled 243, and included several men from the Sherwood +Rangers Yeomanry.</p> + +<p>On February 19th, after handing over our portion +of the front line to Battalions of the 138th Brigade, we +marched back to St. Amand.</p> + +<p>We now entered upon what turned out to be one +of the most interesting periods in the history of the +Battalion. The idea at the moment was that the 46th +Division should take part in an early offensive against +Beaurains, just south of Arras, and the immediate purpose +of our relief was to withdraw to the Sus-St. Leger area +and dig a model of the front to be attacked, ready for +one of the other Brigades of the Division to practise over. +With this object we moved back on February 20th, +to Ivergny, where we spent the first few days refitting +and reorganising. The latter was now becoming of +great moment, for important changes were taking +place. To begin with the Battalion Grenade Platoon, +that picked body of specially trained Bombers, to which +it was everyone's ambition to belong, ceased to exist, +and the personnel rejoined their Companies, in which +from this time onward each platoon had its own section +of Bombers. This was only a preliminary to the absolute +reorganisation of the platoon, which was now rightly +coming into its own, and regarded as the most important +tactical fighting unit. We had already been lectured +at Souastre by Lieut.-General Sir Ivor Maxse, our Corps +Commander, and later Director General of Training, also +by Major-General Thwaites, on the new organisation +of the platoon, which was now to consist of four specialist +sections: (1) Riflemen, (2) Bombers, (3) Rifle Grenadiers, +(4) Lewis Gunners. We now began the preliminaries +of this new organisation, which was to remain practically +unchanged <span class="pagenum"><a id="page169" name="page169"></a>(p. 169)</span> for the rest of the war. The Signallers were +also reorganised under Lieut. Warner, and divided into +"Battalion" and "Company" Signallers.</p> + +<p>After only a few days training in Lucheux Wood, +and digging model trenches near by, we were ordered +to move to Simencourt, preparatory to taking over the +line near Beaurains. Just about the same time, however, +the Boche began his great Somme retirement, and on +February 27th, the news came through that he was +evacuating the Gommecourt salient. This of course +entailed a complete change in our plans, and instead +of moving North, we marched back towards Foncquevillers, +reaching Grenas on February 28th. There we +stayed for one night, proceeding the following morning +to St. Amand, where hurried preparations were made +to relieve the 138th Brigade, who were busy following +up the retreating enemy. We left St. Amand early +on the morning of March 3rd, for Gommecourt, where +we took over the old Boche lines from the 5th Leicesters. +The enemy were still in the Northern and Eastern +outskirts of the village, and the line was in a more +or less "fluid" state. The enemy's retirement continued +slowly during the day, and our troops kept +moving on in close touch. The 7th Battalion were +working in conjunction with us on the left, and the +31st Division on our right. On March 4th, the withdrawal +was more rapid, and it became somewhat +difficult to keep touch. The few dug-outs that were +not set on fire or otherwise destroyed, were found to +contain quantities of stores and rations, and shewed +evident signs of having been evacuated very hurriedly. +A neat souvenir in the shape of a Boche +bugle was got from one of these dug-outs, and is now +treasured with the Battalion plate at Newark. One +was rather nervous of "booby traps" in some of them, +but so far as our experience went at this time there +were <span class="pagenum"><a id="page170" name="page170"></a>(p. 170)</span> none. "Pigeon Wood" was captured during the +afternoon, after some fighting and an unpleasant sort +of game of hide and seek, and we also occupied Rettemoy +Farm, and "The Z."</p> + +<p>Evidently thinking that we were too close on his +heels, the enemy delivered a determined counter-attack +about 6 p.m. against C Company, who were holding +the trench line in front of La Brayelle Farm, forcing +them to withdraw slightly. During this attack Lieut. +Duff did magnificent work in holding off a bombing +attack, and L.-Sergt. Sansom gallantly held on to a +bombing post which was cut off, until he was rescued +by a party ably led by Corpl. Street, who went forward +under heavy fire, and opening fire on the attacking +enemy, enabled the post to withdraw. Sergt. Henley +also did splendid work in holding his post against a strong +bombing attack, until he was eventually wounded in +the head, dying the next day.</p> + +<p>The Battalion suffered a great loss the same day +by the death of Lieut. Abrams, who was killed during +the afternoon whilst reconnoitring near La Brayelle +Farm. Thinking, apparently, that the coast was clear, +he was walking across the open with his batman when +a Boche machine gun suddenly opened fire on them +at close range, killing them both instantaneously. +C Company then came under the command of Lieut. A. +Bedford. The casualties that day in other ranks, were +seven killed and 17 wounded.</p> + +<p>Very little happened on March 5th, except a certain +number of bombing encounters, and at night the 5th +Battalion took over the right portion of our front from +Rettemoy Farm to "Brayelle Graben". On March 6th, +we were relieved by the 6th Battalion, commanded by +Major Ashwell, and moved back to dug-outs in and +around Gommecourt. It was with much regret that +we heard on the 9th that Major Ashwell had been badly +wounded <span class="pagenum"><a id="page171" name="page171"></a>(p. 171)</span> the previous night in an attack on "Kite +Copse."</p> + +<p>The line had not altered appreciably when we +relieved the 6th Battalion again on March 10th. The +weather was cold, and the trenches were deep in mud +and water, and movement was extremely exhausting. +The object now was to force the enemy to retire more +rapidly, and orders were received that we were to seize +"Hedge Trench" and "Kite Copse" as soon as possible, +and form a line across to "Rettemoy Graben" on the +right, which was to be captured by the 5th Battalion. +As a preliminary during the night of March 11/12th, a +party from C Company under Corpl. Kirk successfully +cut gaps in the wire in front of Hedge Trench.</p> + +<p>At 1.10 a.m. on March 13th—a wet, pitch dark +night—the 5th Battalion attempted to seize Rettemoy +Graben in conjunction with a hastily planned attack +by the Staffords on their right. In spite of the most +gallant efforts, these attacks were dismal failures, and +attended with a large number of casualties. At the +same time strong parties of A, C and D Companies +made demonstrations along communication trenches +towards Hedge Trench. At 7 a.m. on the same day +Capt. A. Hacking, who had now rejoined the Battalion and +taken command of A Company, ordered Lieut. A. H. +Michie with his platoon to seize Kite Copse. Michie +made a rapid reconnaissance, and in a very short time +found himself in possession of this important point, the +enemy garrison having nearly all left to fetch their +rations. The water was boiling in the dug-outs, and +a supply of coffee was found, which enabled Michie's +platoon to get breakfast as soon as the position was +consolidated. During the evening the enemy made two +determined counter-attacks against the position, but +these were both driven off with heavy loss by the +excellent work of Pvte. Teare with his Lewis gun, +Sergt. King and Corpl. Scrimshaw.</p> + +<a id="img016" name="img016"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img016.jpg" width="500" height="637" alt="Map To Illustrate Chapters VII & IX." title="Map To Illustrate Chapters VII & IX."> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Map To Illustrate Chapters VII & IX.</p> + +<p>In <span class="pagenum"><a id="page172" name="page172"></a>(p. 172)</span> the afternoon of the same day Lieut. Hopkinson +attempted to push through the "Burg Graben" to +Hedge Trench, but was met by strong opposition. He, +however, withdrew his party without casualties, after +inflicting several on the enemy. For his gallantry here +and splendid work on other occasions "Hoppy" was +awarded the M.C. On this occasion Corpl. Kirk again +did splendid work. Many other gallant deeds were +performed during these strenuous days, special credit +being due to Sergt. Edis for good work in charge of a +platoon, Corpl. J. Wilson, who worked unceasingly for 36 +hours, when in charge of an advanced bombing post, +Corpls. Blythe and Marvill for good patrol work, and +L.-Corpls. Fern, Martin and Leonard, and Pvtes. Simpson, +Crane, Peplow, W. Barwise, and Bacon. Invaluable work +was also done by the Transport Section, who had a very +hard time in getting supplies up to Gommecourt. The +roads were in an appalling state, and every night were +thronged with horses and vehicles, whilst the enemy +had ample ammunition to loose off before retiring, both +high explosive and gas, most of which he sent over to +Foncquevillers or Gommecourt, or the road in between. +It was on one of these nights that Pvte. Chapman did +excellent work in clearing a block in the road, in the midst +of heavy shell fire, and enabling the masses of transport to +pass.</p> + +<p>In this miniature moving warfare, the Signallers +found their task more entertaining than it had hitherto +been. Warner one day went so far as to try flag-wagging, +until he found that his performance was in full view of +the enemy. On another occasion he established a +Trench Wireless set to Brigade, which he maintained +successfully for an hour, but at the end of that period +the whole apparatus was dissipated in the explosion +of a German shell. A second effort with new apparatus +met with a precisely similar fate.</p> + +<p>As <span class="pagenum"><a id="page173" name="page173"></a>(p. 173)</span> evidence of the closeness with which we had +followed up the retreating enemy it is interesting to +note that at one time Capt. Hacking reported that +from his front line, he could hear perfectly plainly both +our own Gunners and those of the Boche giving their +fire orders.</p> + +<p>An incident in the Quarter-Master's Department +that was not without interest, was a great ride by +our great Quarter-Master. In his anxiety to see that +all our wants were provided for (or was it for a heavy +wager?), long before horses were allowed so far forward +"Harry" Torrance arrived one night at Pigeon Wood +mounted on "Buster," having defied the Military Police +and all other Traffic Controls. Another unique experience +was that of Lieut. Whitton, who for a brief space held +the appointment of Town Major of Gommecourt, and +was we believe, the one and only person ever to occupy +that post of honour. As Officer Commanding 300 dozen +Boche mineral waters found in the village, he was a very +useful person to know.</p> + +<p>On March 14th, we moved back to Gommecourt, +where we were finally relieved by the 4th Leicesters +three days later. The enemy were retiring very rapidly, +and on the same day evacuated Essarts and Bucquoy. +Being squeezed out owing to the shortening of the line, +the 46th Division began to follow several other Divisions +to the back areas, preparatory to taking part in operations +in other spheres. Never again did we go to Gommecourt, +which we believe is being retained by the French untouched. +It will thus ever remain a type of a completely +destroyed village, for it is probably one of the worst +treated in the whole of France. There were certainly +one or two spots where the remains of buildings were +still standing, but practically every sign of a once +prosperous village had been obliterated. As a type of +German fortification it was probably one of the best, +containing <span class="pagenum"><a id="page174" name="page174"></a>(p. 174)</span> the deepest and best constructed trenches we +ever saw. The wire in front was almost impossible to +break through; each line of trenches was protected in +much the same way; the dug-outs were deep and proof +against all except the very heaviest of shells, and there +was a long subterranean passage built by the Boche +from behind Gommecourt Wood to his second line, along +which reinforcements could be brought in safety to +counter-attack any troops that might have gained a +footing in the front line. It was sad to find magnificent +tapestries and valuable pieces of furniture, evidently +taken from the château, which once existed there, +adorning the German dug-outs or ruthlessly cut and +knocked about, but sadder still to find the bodies of our +own Officers and men lying unburied exactly as they +had fallen on that fated 1st of July, 1916. It is pleasing, +however, to record that the grave of an Officer of the +Brigade was found in Essarts with the inscription in +English on the Cross: "To the memory of a very +gallant British Officer and Gentleman, killed July 1st, +1916."</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER X <span class="pagenum"><a id="page175" name="page175"></a>(p. 175)</span></h3> + +<h5>LENS</h5> + + +<p class="figcenter"><i>March 17th, 1917.</i>— +<i>July 4th, 1917.</i></p> + +<p class="p2">After relief at Gommecourt we spent two days at +Souastre, and then marched via Bayencourt and +Courcelles-au-Bois to Contay, where we arrived on March +23rd. The roads for much of this journey were in an +appalling mess, partly as a result of constant shelling, +and partly through being cut up by the masses of transport +which had passed over them during the recent +wet weather either in following up the retreating enemy +or in withdrawing to back areas. Vehicles were often +up to the axle in mud, whilst bicycles gave an immense +amount of trouble, and this was not the only occasion +on which we found it far preferable to foot-slog, even +with heavy packs, than to be Signallers with bicycles, +which practically had to be carried. Loaded with pack +and other paraphernalia, the heavy army pattern bicycle +is not a lovable companion, except on a more or less +perfect road. A really first-class exhibition of bicycle +manoeuvring was given during the move by Pvte. Bunce, +who always seemed to be in trouble, and was a source +of much amusement to his fellow Signallers. We stayed +one night at Contay, moving the following day to +Bertangles, and on March 25th to Revelles, a delightful +village about seven miles West of Amiens. We were +taken through Amiens itself in motor 'buses, which +picked us up just North of the town, and deposited us +on the other side, leaving us to finish the journey on +foot.</p> + +<p>On passing through one village during this backward +march we saw some men wearing Sherwood Forester +badges. They turned out to be men of the 2/8th +Battalion, <span class="pagenum"><a id="page176" name="page176"></a>(p. 176)</span> and proved the correctness of rumours we +had recently heard that that Battalion was actually +in France. One of the 2/8th men accosted a fellow man +of our Battalion, as he passed, with the remark "Who +are you?" "1/8th" was the reply, "Who are you?" +"2/8th"—"Right", said our friend—we believe a +Signaller—"You can tell your mother you've seen some +real soldiers now!"</p> + +<p>We were supposed to entrain for the North almost +at once, but as five or six other Divisions were being +moved besides ourselves it was not surprising that +trains were running a day or two late, so we were able +to have a short rest at Revelles, which was much enjoyed, +especially as we were able to make trips to Amiens, +which at that time had only been slightly damaged +by bombs, and was full of life. The chief centres of +attraction were the Hotel Godbert, The Savoy, +Charlie's Bar, and the Café du Cathédral.</p> + +<p>Eventually we entrained at Bacouel Station in the +afternoon of March 28th, the entrainment being one of +the most expeditious ever carried out by the Battalion. +Not so, however, the journey! Times without number +we came to a stop with a succession of jerks, not on +account of signals—indeed it would appear that few, +if any, existed—but because other trains were in front. +During a tedious night of such progress, we passed through +Abbeville, Boulogne, Calais and St. Omer, and arrived +about 9.0 a.m. on March 29th, at Hazebrouck. Being +told there by a French Railway Official that the train +would stop for 15 minutes, most of the Officers dashed +for the buffet on the opposite platform and ordered +"Omelettes et café." As one might have imagined, +the train began to move without warning just as breakfast +was started. There was a wild dash, but all to no +purpose, for the train was well under way. By the +best of good luck, however, a supply train was found, +which <span class="pagenum"><a id="page177" name="page177"></a>(p. 177)</span> apparently was going in the same direction, though +the guard and driver appeared to have different views +on the subject, which led to a decidedly heated argument +between them. At any rate our party boarded the train +and fortunately found it brought them very shortly to +Berguette Station, where the rest of the Battalion were +just detraining.</p> + +<p>The Adjutant's duty of seeing the Battalion safely +across the railway, near the station, was indeed a pleasant +one, and less fortunate members of the Battalion have +accused him of carrying on in an unseemly manner +with the fair keeper of the level crossing. We have his +assurance, however, that though he felt proud indeed +at having such a charming young lady by his side, his +behaviour was beyond reproach! A few hours' march +brought us to Westrehem, where we found most comfortable +billets, and were welcomed and treated in the most +cordial manner by all.</p> + +<p>This move brought us into the First Army (General +Horne), of which we were now to form part for many +months, and into the II Corps, and though we only +remained in this Corps for a few days the Commander, +Lieut.-General Sir C. Jacob, lost no time in coming to +make our acquaintance, having all the Officers paraded +to meet him at the School at Westrehem, two days +after our arrival.</p> + +<p>We spent about a fortnight there refitting and +training, the most important part of the latter being +practice in the new Company and Platoon formations +for attack, in which much attention was paid to the +question of the numbers and positions of the personnel +attached to Company and Platoon Headquarters. +Practice advances were also carried out with these +formations behind a creeping barrage represented by +flags and drums. Outposts and advance guards were +practised, as well as tactical open warfare schemes, +with <span class="pagenum"><a id="page178" name="page178"></a>(p. 178)</span> Officers and N.C.O.'s, and firing was carried out on +a range near the village. One day was devoted to a +Divisional Route March, in which every unit in the +Division took part. It was carried out as a tactical +scheme, the Division supposed to be pursuing a retreating +enemy, and the 8th Battalion forming part of the +Advance Guard.</p> + +<p>On the recreational side, football was the chief +feature, and several very interesting matches were +played, in one of which the 7th Battalion Officers got +their revenge by beating us three—nil at Nédonchelle. +Westrehem was also the venu of a Rugby football match, +between a team from the 6th and 8th Battalions, and one +from the 5th and Machine Gun Company, which ended +after a hard fight in a draw. Padre Uthwatt, who had +recently joined us, did his best to try and organise +amusements, and the Divisional Cinema came over and +gave one or two shows. There was small attraction in +the village except one or two shops and estaminets, but +you could get anything from chewing gum upwards at +"Lane's Emporium," and the inhabitants were so extremely +kind that we lacked little. The chief drawback +during our stay at Westrehem was the weather, which at +times was very cold, and on several days there were +heavy falls of snow.</p> + +<p>On April 13th, we began to move towards the line +once more, spending that night at Vendin-lez-Béthune, +and proceeding the following day to Houchin. There +we went under canvas, sharing a camp with the 7th +Battalion, and had a comfortable if chilly stay of three +days.</p> + +<p>Changes which took place about this time included +the departure of our Medical Officer, Capt. C. B. Johnstone, +who was replaced for a brief period by Capt. Walsh, +and later by Capt. W. C. Gavin; Capt. E. M. Hacking, +and Lieut. Moore were invalided to England, and +"Weetie", <span class="pagenum"><a id="page179" name="page179"></a>(p. 179)</span> who had been our Adjutant for over 18 +months, handed over his duties to Lieut. Whitton on +being attached to Brigade Headquarters. A little +later he succeeded "Peter" Wordsworth, who left to +take up a higher appointment after being Staff Captain +for over three years, during which we were grateful for +his kind help on many occasions. Regimental Quarter-Master +Sergt. Dench went home to train for a commission, +but we met him again in the later stages of +the war, when he did excellent work with the 5th Battalion, +gaining the M.C. and two bars. His place was +taken by Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. Pritchard, who +was succeeded in D Company by Sergt. Gammon; +Armourer Quarter-Master Sergt. Loughman went to +hospital, and from that time onwards no official +armourer was allowed.</p> + +<p>We left Houchin on April 18th, and soon found +familiar signs of our proximity to the front. In Noeux-les-Mines, +a not exactly encouraging notice said "These +cross-roads are registered." Needless to say we did +not loiter there, especially as it had been shelled several +times during the preceding few days. Passing Petit +Sains and Aix Noulette—the latter mostly in ruins—another +notice warned us that "Small box Respirators +must be worn in the alert position East of this point". +A little further on we found parties of men at work +making good the roads, and laying temporary corduroy +tracks across what had recently been No Man's Land. +Passing over this waste we descended to Angres—known +later as "Angry Corner"—and entered Liévin, where we +took over billets from the 13th Middlesex.</p> + +<a id="img017" name="img017"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img017.jpg" width="500" height="385" alt="Air Photograph Of Lens-loos Area, 1917." title="Air Photograph Of Lens-loos Area, 1917."> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Air Photograph Of Lens-loos Area, 1917. +<i>Reproduced by permission of Captain P. Huskinson, M.C.</i></p> + +<p>Liévin had only been evacuated by the enemy +and occupied by the 24th Division two days before our +arrival. This evacuation was not part of his general +scheme of withdrawing from some of his salients and +shortening his line, which we had experienced at +Gommecourt, <span class="pagenum"><a id="page180" name="page180"></a>(p. 180)</span> but had been forced on him by the capture +by the Canadians early in April of Vimy Ridge.</p> + +<p>Included in the line now held by the enemy West +of Lens were the strong positions of Fosse 3 and Hill 65, +opposite the South of the front taken over by the 46th +Division, and Hill 70 on the North. His outpost line ran +through the Cité-de-Riaumont and Eastern outskirts of +Liévin, across the Lens-Liévin Road, through Cité-St. +Laurent to Hill 70. Lens itself was one of the most +important centres in the mining district and the whole +area was a mass of mining villages or "Cités," with their +rows of cottages and neat gardens, pits or "puits," +slag-heaps, and other usual features of a colliery district.</p> + +<p>The town of Liévin lay astride the Souchez river, +about three miles West of Lens. Previously a thriving +mining centre, it had now been badly knocked about by +shelling, though large numbers of houses were still +more or less intact. The Boche had done much work in +strengthening the cellars of the houses by covering +them with concrete, paving setts torn up from the road, +bricks and other material, the only drawback being that +much of the extra strengthening had been put on the +side facing the old front line, so that we now got little +advantage from it, and felt we should like to turn +the houses round, as the side towards the enemy was +often none too strong. The evacuation had been so +hurried that the enemy had not had time to destroy or +remove much of the furniture and clothing from the +houses, in many of which we found all the available beds +collected in the cellars, which were also well furnished +with chairs, tables, cupboards, cutlery and much other +civilian property and made very comfortable billets. +Sappers made an inspection of all these cellars, and of +the dug-outs recently evacuated by the enemy before +we occupied them, in order to ensure the absence of +"booby traps," and in this respect we had no +excitement.</p> + +<p>Information <span class="pagenum"><a id="page181" name="page181"></a>(p. 181)</span> from prisoners indicated that a further +retreat behind Lens was imminent, and the impression +of the Higher Command was that only slight pressure +was necessary to push the enemy outposts out of +Cité-de-Riaumont and Hill 65, and to establish a line +East of that town. Unfortunately this information was +true only up to a point. It has transpired since that +for a day or two before the 46th Division came into the +line there really was something approaching a panic in +the German Command in this sector, and that all +preparations had been made to evacuate Lens. By the +time of our arrival, however, the panic was at an end, +and the enemy were undoubtedly holding the Southern +portion of Cité-de-Riaumont and the strong defences +of Hill 65 in considerable strength. Corps and Army +Intelligence refused, however, to believe this to be more +than a show, and the general trend of orders was that +attacks by small numbers should be made at once to +clear the enemy out of Cité-de-Riaumont and finally +from Hill 65. The loss of this last covering position +should, it was thought, necessitate their withdrawal +from Lens.</p> + +<p>The flexibility of the position is indicated by the +fact that a Divisional Commander, in making a reconnaissance +in Riaumont Wood, had run against an enemy +patrol. History does not relate which was the more +surprised, but both escaped without casualties.</p> + +<p>On April 19th we took over the left sub-sector of +the Brigade sector from the 7th Northamptons, commanded +by that gallant sportsman, Col. Mobbs. The +main defence just established was on the Eastern edge +of the Bois de Riaumont. The Northern two rows of +houses in the village of Riaumont were occupied by +our outposts, and the enemy were reported to be holding +the remainder in force. A Company (Capt. A. Hacking) +took over the outpost line; B Company (Lieut. G. +Wright, <span class="pagenum"><a id="page182" name="page182"></a>(p. 182)</span> during the absence on leave of Capt. Turner) +were in support in the Bois de Riaumont and Cité des-Bureaux, +whilst C Company (Capt. A. Bedford) and +D Company (Capt. Simonet) were in billets in the "River +Line," not far from Battalion Headquarters, which were +at the White Château.</p> + +<p>It was clear that no attempt to capture Hill 65 +would be possible until the whole of Riaumont village +was in our hands, and instructions to this effect were +given to Capt. A. Hacking, operations to secure which +were carried out on the night after relief in conjunction +with the 6th Battalion on our right. The advance +took place quietly in pitch darkness. Several parties of +the enemy were encountered, some being killed and one +captured. By midnight the Battalion's objective had +been secured, and posts established in the Railway +Cutting along the Company front. In this difficult and +rather uncanny work of clearing and searching the +houses and cellars of the village, Lieut. Geary, Sergt. +Stokes and Corpl. Brett did splendid work, for which +the first-named—who was the last Officer of the Battalion +to be killed, a fortnight before Armistice—was awarded +the Military Cross. Later in the night the enemy opened +a sudden and very heavy bombardment, and parties +were seen advancing down one of the streets, but were +driven off with loss. We had no casualties during this +operation.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the 6th Battalion were not able to make +good the remainder of the village South of the cross +roads, which the enemy were holding in greater strength, +and it was apparent that he intended to hold the trench +on the South side as part of his Lens outposts.</p> + +<p>The work put into the cellars of the colliery +houses here was quite extraordinary. In several cases, +fifteen feet under the cellars, were found subterranean +passages with large dormitories and rooms capable of +accommodating <span class="pagenum"><a id="page183" name="page183"></a>(p. 183)</span> large numbers of men. These were well +furnished, but owing to their depth and the proximity +of the enemy, we were unable to use them as much as +we should have liked.</p> + +<p>Further fighting and a good deal of shelling took +place during the night of April 21/22, causing us several +casualties, but not any material alteration in the +situation. Particularly good work was done during that +time by Sergt. Bolton.</p> + +<p>It was in these circumstances, and rather to the +surprise of those who were acquainted with the position, +that orders were received that we were to attack and +capture Hill 65 in conjunction with the 6th Battalion, +who were at the same time to attack Fosse 3, and make +good the remainder of the village and the enemy trench +to the South. The attack was to be carried out by +C Company, starting from the railway cutting, so far +as this had been established by A Company. There was +little time to make any preparations. A hasty reconnaissance +was made from an old Boche reinforced observation +post East of the railway cutting, just off "Absalom" +Trench, kindly placed at our disposal by a Gunner Officer, +from which an excellent view was obtained of Hill 65, +a bare hill with a row or two of colliery cottages on the +top, later found to contain the inevitable deep cellars. +The rest of the details were fixed at hurriedly summoned +conferences of Officers and N.C.O.'s. The final objective +was "Advance" Trench, just beyond the Hill. The +137th Brigade on the left were to send patrols to gain +touch with us at "Abode" Trench, and the 6th Battalion +on the right were to meet our parties in "Admiral" +Trench. Their attack was not in line with ours but was +more or less echelonned in rear.</p> + +<p>As soon as it was dark the Company moved up +from their quarters in the River Line to Cité-de-Riaumont, +where the men were safely got into the cellars +of <span class="pagenum"><a id="page184" name="page184"></a>(p. 184)</span> the houses, relieving part of A Company. Pvte. +Bradshaw, a most excellent Company cook, having +decided that a Company Mess in Advance Trench +would be a dreary place for his Officers without whisky, +slung on his back a bottle which the Mess President had +thought of leaving behind for the incoming Mess. +Unfortunately it proved to be a case of "Love's Labour +Lost," for the man, and it is feared the bottle too, fell +into the hands of the Boche!</p> + +<p>D Company, who were to "mop up," took over the +rest of A Company's area, the latter Company returning +to Liévin, and two platoons of B Company occupied +Absalom Trench. The imminence of our attack was +evidently known to the enemy, whose artillery during +the night liberally shelled Absalom Trench, Riaumont +Château, the Eastern edge of the village, and the +approaches from Liévin. Trench mortars were also very +active on the village, in fact, at one time it was thought +that the Boche himself might be attacking, and shortly +after midnight C Company were got out of the cellars +and ordered to stand to. During that time Comp. Sergt.-Major +Haywood was slightly wounded and had to go +back. Nothing further happened, however, and the +Company eventually took up their final position in the +railway cutting about 4.0 a.m. on April 23rd (after +waiting for the rum and tea which were delayed by the +shelling and arrived too late). Several casualties were +caused now by our own artillery firing short, one shell, +which luckily was a "dud," burying itself in the side +of the embankment amongst a group of men.</p> + +<p>Leaving a right flanking party to deal with the +enemy in the railway cutting, the remainder of the +Company, deploying from the cutting at Zero, 4.45 a.m., +changed direction half-right and moved forward under a +barrage of artillery and trench mortars. The preliminary +bombardment had more or less destroyed the houses on +the <span class="pagenum"><a id="page185" name="page185"></a>(p. 185)</span> hill and cut good gaps in the wire, which the party +had little difficulty in getting through. The right leading +platoon under Lieut. Skinner got into one of the numerous +trenches and at first met with little opposition, but +being separated from the rest of the Company, were +rapidly surrounded by large numbers of the enemy, and +practically all were killed or captured. The left platoon, +under 2nd Lieut. Hopkinson, reinforced by the remainder +of the Company, were held up by machine gun fire, +which caused many casualties, until Corpl. Fletcher +managed to get a direct hit on one of the guns with a +No. 23 grenade. A message was meanwhile taken by +C Company runner, the redoubtable "Mungo" Marsh, to +D Company, asking them to try and work a party round +to the North side of the houses. Further attempts made +to rush another gun which was doing much damage, +were met now with bombs thrown from a trench just +in front of the houses. The folly of attempting the attack +with the Southern half of the cutting still in the hands +of the enemy, now became apparent, for at this moment +large parties of the enemy appeared on the right rear, +with which the flanking party had apparently been +quite unable to deal. Then from the cellars of the houses +on top of the hill also emerged many of the enemy, and +the now small remains of the Company were in imminent +danger of being completely surrounded. Orders were +given to withdraw, but few returned to tell the tale. +Duff, one of the most heroic and stout-hearted Officers +the Battalion ever possessed, was last seen firing his +revolver amid a horde of the enemy. Hopkinson was +never heard of again. Sergt. Cox died of wounds and +Sergts. Curtis, Sansom and Chalk were amongst the 70 +missing, whilst the wounded numbered 34. The highest +praise is due to all ranks of C Company for their +magnificent efforts and especially to Capt. A. Bedford, +who throughout worked incessantly and led the attack +with <span class="pagenum"><a id="page186" name="page186"></a>(p. 186)</span> the utmost gallantry. It was only through a hard +fate that his endeavours did not meet with the success +they so well deserved. Very good work was also done +by the mopping-up platoon of D Company, under +Sergt. Painter, which helped to cover the withdrawal +of the remnants of C Company.</p> + +<p>The 6th Battalion fared no better, and the attack +produced, what was suspected by those who knew the +ground, exactly nothing except a total of casualties +which are felt to have been sacrificed on the altar of +faulty intelligence.</p> + +<p>It is easy, perhaps, to be wise after the event. All +information received by Corps Intelligence indicated +an imminent retreat by the enemy. On no other premises +could an attack by so small a force on so strong a position +have been justified. One further principle of warfare, +by no means new, was justified to the hilt—no frontal +attack should ever be attempted unless all counter +attack from a flank is impossible, or unless sufficient +forces are available to render such an attack an impracticability. +The ultimate capture of the Hill necessitated +nearly two months' artillery preparation and the +employment at intervals of two Brigades. Perhaps there +is one further illustration of the uncertainty of modern +warfare in the history of Hill 65. With that Hill in our +hands, and later on the dominating position of Hill 70, +all the tenets of war would conclude that Lens would +be completely untenable, and yet it was not until more +than a year afterwards that the enemy, in the last stages +of the war, evacuated a town which will, in the history +of the Battalion and of the 46th Division, be for ever +associated with the fortunes of Hill 65.</p> + +<p>On April 24th we went back into Brigade Support +with Battalion Headquarters at the Red Mill, and +Companies billeted in cellars. Some readjustments +had to be made the following day, when Battalion +Headquarters <span class="pagenum"><a id="page187" name="page187"></a>(p. 187)</span> moved to cellars on the Lens Road. This +spot seemed to be a favourite target for a Whizz-bang, +which fired straight down the road, and was responsible +for many sprints and much language at different times on +the part of various members of Battalion Headquarters.</p> + +<p>Three days later the Brigade was relieved by the +137th Brigade and moved into Divisional Reserve, the +Battalion proceeding to a delightful little spot known as +Marqueffles Farm, nestling under the wooded slopes of +the Lorette Ridge. Here we were extremely comfortable, +and on this and a future occasion spent a most agreeable +time, being especially fortunate in the matter of weather. +It was a stiff climb to the top of the ridge, at the Eastern +edge of which were the remains of Notre Dame de +Lorette. This was the favourite spot of the Gipsy bomber, +whose story was told in <i>Punch</i> a few years ago:—</p> + +<p class="left05"> +"But most he loved to lie upon Lorette<br> +<span class="add2em">And, couched on cornflowers, gaze across the lines</span><br> +On Vimy Ridge—we had not Vimy yet—<br> +<span class="add2em">Pale Souchez's bones, and Lens among the mines.</span><br> +Till, eagle-like, with hoarse indignant shrieks.<br> +<span class="add2em">Gunners arose from some deep-delved lair.</span><br> +To chase the intruder from their sacred peaks<br> +<span class="add2em">And cast him down to Ablain-St. Nazaire."</span></p> + +<p>Torrance on one occasion climbed the ridge with +Col. Blackwall, and can testify that the view from the +top was worth the walk! It formed a perfectly ideal +observation post, and we now understood why the Hun +had fought so strenuously to maintain a footing on the +ridge.</p> + +<p>The chief item whilst at rest was the reorganisation +of C Company, which was practically non-existent. +Each of the other three Companies contributed a quota, +the transfers including Sergt. Stokes, from A Company, +who was appointed Comp.-Sergt. Major. A little later +Sergt. H. J. Wilson, who for a long period had ably +superintended the Battalion cooking arrangements, +was <span class="pagenum"><a id="page188" name="page188"></a>(p. 188)</span> appointed Comp. Quarter-Master-Sergt., and was +succeeded as Sergt.-Cook by Corpl. Bateman. In addition +to other casualties we had lost Lieut. G. Wright, who +injured his knee up in the Riaumont sector and was +now invalided to England, whilst 2nd Lieut. White went +to England for temporary duty as a Bombing Instructor, +and 2nd Lieut. Mitchell was appointed Adjutant of +I Corps School. Our strength was thus considerably +reduced, whilst reinforcements at the moment were +exactly nil.</p> + +<p>On May 6th we relieved the 5th Lincolns in the left +sub-sector of the left Brigade sector, with Battalion +Headquarters in the remnants of some mine galleries +at the back of Hart's Crater, just in front of Loos. There +were only two Brigades of the Division in the line at +this period, and each Brigade went to each sector in turn. +We always went into the left sub-sector of each sector, +relieving with the 7th Battalion. The trenches here +were very bad, so shallow that it was almost impossible +to get round by day, and considerably overlooked by the +enemy, particularly from the tower of Fosse 14. Their +names began with the letter N, the best known being +"Nero," "Novel," "Netley," and "Nash." They were +old Boche trenches taken in the recent advance. The +whole sector had a very desolate appearance and life +was not pleasant there. The discomfort was increased +by the enormous number of wing bombs and rifle grenades +and occasional deluges of gas bombs and shells fired by +the enemy, which in our first six-day tour there, caused +us 39 casualties. This was followed by six days in +support, when we lived in dug-outs in some trenches +between Loos and the famous Colliery slag heap, known +as the "Double Crassier." Battalion Headquarters were +at an exceptionally fine dug-out known as "Elvaston +Castle," which had been dug by the 2nd Sherwood +Foresters. Here, in addition to ordinary work, we +amused <span class="pagenum"><a id="page189" name="page189"></a>(p. 189)</span> ourselves at times by cutting the vetches which +were thriving on some parts of the area, and sending +them back for the transport animals. It was here also +that a certain Padre was overheard one day by the +I-Tok, arranging for a funeral at Maroc, with the result +that he was requested to attend at Brigade Headquarters +to explain his indiscretions.</p> + +<p>After a short rest at Noeux-les-Mines, we went back +to the Liévin sector again on May 25th and took over +the line from Fosse 9 and Cité-St. Théodore to just South +of the Liévin-Lens Road. Battalion Headquarters were +at the corner house near the "Marble Arch" in Liévin. +Here the monotony of trench life was varied by long +distance patrols, and an enemy raid on the night of +May 29/30th on our post at the junction of "Crocodile" +Trench and the railway cutting, when we lost two men +captured, three killed and seven wounded. Casualties +during the whole of this period unfortunately were +heavy and reinforcements few, one Officer, 2nd Lieut. +H. C. Orton and 36 men who joined in May, being our +sole additions. We also lost Sergt. Burton, who had done +much excellent work as Signalling-Sergeant. He went for +a Commission, and was succeeded by Corpl. J. T. +Templeman. Our strength at this period was so small +that for some time Companies had to be organised in +three platoons instead of four. About the same time, +much to the regret of all those who had been privileged +to serve under him at any time, during the long period +in which he so successfully commanded the Brigade, +both in England and France, General Shipley left for +a tour of duty at home, and was succeeded by Brigadier-General +G. G. S. Carey, C.B., R.A.</p> + +<p>The first six days of June were spent in Brigade +support in Liévin, at the end of which time we went +back into the line in front of Cité-St. Théodore, where +the only excitements were the pushing forward of +advanced <span class="pagenum"><a id="page190" name="page190"></a>(p. 190)</span> posts to help to protect the left flank of the +138th Brigade in an attack on Fosse 3, and a number of +long distance patrols in which Lieut. Martelli and his +Scouts always played a prominent part. After another +short rest at Marqueffles Farm, where on June 12th we +won first prize for the best Transport turnout at the +Brigade Horse Show, we went back for a short tour in +Brigade support in front of Loos on June 15th.</p> + +<p>We had now fairly sampled most of the area and +found little of it to our liking. Hart's Crater sector +was the most monotonous for both front line and support +work, there being nothing but trenches to live in. In +Liévin sector, though the front line work was more +interesting and we had fairly comfortable billets when in +support, the enemy shelled the town itself so incessantly +both with high explosive and gas, that one had to take +more than ordinary precautions. Apart from the fact +that our own Division and the Canadians on the right +were carrying out "stunts" of one kind or other almost +every day, provoking considerable retaliation, we had +an immense number of batteries tucked away amongst +the houses in Liévin, and under almost every bank round +about it, besides many more or less in the open. The +Boche located these batteries with considerable accuracy, +and from time to time literally rained shells (principally +5.9's) on to them, and almost every day knocked out +numbers of guns.</p> + +<p>Many of the gardens in the area close behind the +front line were now in full bearing and provided a very +welcome addition to our rations, and more than one +has pleasant recollections of the excellent dishes of early +asparagus and stewed gooseberries gathered from the +garden of Riaumont Château. Strawberries, currants, +gooseberries and rhubarb were also plentiful in Cité-St. +Pierre. Indeed the attractions of the first were too +much for one greedy German, who was so much occupied +in <span class="pagenum"><a id="page191" name="page191"></a>(p. 191)</span> filling his helmet with this luscious fruit that he +walked into one of the outposts of the 6th Battalion. +It is doubtful if he was allowed to reap the fruits of his +labour, at any rate when he eventually arrived at +Battalion Headquarters both the helmet and the strawberries +were conspicuous by their absence!</p> + +<p>The Transport and Quarter-Master's Stores were +back in a very nice spot at Sains-en-Gohelle, but their +journeys to the line with rations and stores were almost +as unpleasant as they could be. In going to Liévin they +usually got shelled with high explosive and at Loos with +gas, and it says much for the excellent way in which +Capt. H. Kirby and Sergt. Blunt handled the Transport +on these occasions that they never failed to deliver the +stores and had scarcely a single casualty. For a short +period in the Liévin sector, stores were sent up by light +railway from Bully Grenay or Aix Noulette.</p> + +<p>The Higher Command all this time had the fixed +idea that the enemy could be driven out of Lens, and all +the efforts of the 46th Division and of the Canadians on +the right were concentrated to bring this about. The +idea was probably strengthened by the fact that fires +and explosions were observed almost daily in Lens itself, +evidently due to the enemy's desire to leave as little as +possible in the event of his having to withdraw. Numerous +small enterprises carried out from time to time enabled +some slight advance to be made, but towards the end of +June operations took place more frequently and on a +larger scale.</p> + +<p>The Canadians having just captured the Generating +Station and the high ground around it, South of the +Souchez River, which overlooked the Boche positions +about Fosse 3, the 138th Brigade were ordered to attack +the Fosse again on June 19th, and this time succeeded +in taking it, and on the night June 21/22nd, we +relieved the 5th Leicesters in their new outpost line in +"Boot" <span class="pagenum"><a id="page192" name="page192"></a>(p. 192)</span> and "Brick" trenches, having spent the last +three days at Calonne, to which place we had moved +from the Loos area on June 18th. The two days spent +there were two of the most unpleasant in the history of +the Battalion. All four Companies were in the line, there +was little accommodation or shelter, the enemy shelling +and trench-mortaring were intense, and there was the +constant fear of a counter-attack from the right—altogether +rather a nightmare. We were lucky in not +getting more casualties than we did; as it was we lost +ten killed and 31 wounded in the two days, during +which we were attached in turn to the 138th and 137th +Brigades. We were relieved on the night June 23/24th +and went back to Calonne. A Company had a particularly +unpleasant relief, as the enemy chose that time to send +over a number of gas shells and trench mortars, most +of which fell amongst that Company, causing them several +casualties.</p> + +<p>On June 25th the 137th Brigade, with little or no +trouble, at last occupied Hill 65, and the same night +we were again attached to that Brigade, and moved +into Liévin, with Headquarters at the Red Mill.</p> + +<p>Here we got orders for working parties required for +carrying and digging assembly trenches at Cité-de-Riaumont +for the 137th and 138th Brigades, who were +to carry out further operations. Company Commanders +assembled at the Red Mill to get their orders for this +work at the same moment that the Boche had planned +to shell a battery of our guns almost adjacent to it. +Heavies arrived in salvoes for some time; several direct +hits were obtained on the guns, the ammunition dump +just behind it was hit and explosions continued for +days. It caused considerable inconvenience to Company +Commanders and further entailed the hasty exit of +Lieut. Tomlinson from the delightful bathing pool which +had been made in the stream adjoining the Mill. It was +whilst <span class="pagenum"><a id="page193" name="page193"></a>(p. 193)</span> out with one of these working parties at Riaumont +that Moffat Johnston, temporarily in command of B +Company, got badly knocked about by a shell and had to +leave, the Company then being taken over by 2nd Lieut. +Day, Capt. Turner being away with the 46th Division +Depôt Battalion. On the night of June 27/28th we +moved back to billets in Maroc. The following evening +the 137th and 138th Brigades made further progress in +another successful attack, the Canadians also pushing +on South of the River Souchez, practically into the +outskirts of Lens itself. At the same time the 6th and +7th Battalions co-operated with considerable success +North of the Lens-Liévin Road.</p> + +<a id="img018" name="img018"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img018.jpg" width="500" height="361" alt="Map To Illustrate Operations +Near Lens." title="Map To Illustrate Operations +Near Lens."> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Map To Illustrate Operations +Near Lens: <span class="smcap">April-July</span>. 1917.</p> + +<p>The Higher Authorities were now more convinced +than ever that the Germans opposite us were completely +demoralised, and that with a small push we should +capture Lens itself. Hasty plans were accordingly +devised, and, although we were now lamentably weak +in numbers, it was resolved to put the whole Division +into a final effort on the morning of July 1st. The 137th +and 138th Brigades were to attack South of the Lens-Liévin +Road and the 139th Brigade North of it. For this +attack the 2nd Sherwood Foresters and the 9th Norfolks +from the 6th Division on our left were attached to our +Brigade. The assaulting Battalions were the 2nd, 5th +and 6th Sherwood Foresters. We were in support and +late on June 30th moved into St. Pierre. A and D Companies +were attached to the 6th Battalion, A being now +commanded by Capt. Andrews, who had recently +succeeded Capt. A. Hacking on the latter's appointment +as Second-in-Command of the 5th Battalion. This +Company held the 6th Battalion left Company front, +whilst D Company remained in support. B Company +were attached to the 2nd Battalion, but were not required +until the following afternoon, when they were taken up +to "Crook Redoubt." Owing to casualties this Company +came <span class="pagenum"><a id="page194" name="page194"></a>(p. 194)</span> under the command of Sergt. Cobb, who carried +out his duties and looked after the Company during a +rather trying time in a most excellent manner. C Company +were attached to the 5th Battalion and were in +support in "Cowden" Trench.</p> + +<p>The attack was launched at dawn on July 1st and +part of the objective taken, but an enemy-counter attack +found our men too weak to hold the position, and apart +from a small portion in the neighbourhood of Crocodile +Trench, the ground gained had to be evacuated. The +137th and 138th Brigades on the right met with no +greater success and Lens remained in the hands of the +enemy. July 1st is not a lucky day in the history of the +46th Division.</p> + +<p>We remained in St. Pierre, with some Companies +still detached, until the night of July 3/4th, when we +were relieved by the 23rd and 27th Canadian Battalions, +and went back to the Square at Bully Grenay, where +'buses picked us up soon after dawn on July 4th, and +took us back to the delightful little village of Chelers.</p> + +<p>In spite of considerable shelling our casualties +during the last few days had only been two Officers +(Day and Hammond) and four men wounded. Our total +casualties during the Lens operations amounted to five +Officers wounded, three missing, 42 other ranks killed, +180 wounded, and 72 missing.</p> + +<p>The whole history of the Lens operations proves, +if proof were needed, how important a part intelligence +plays in modern operations. Intelligence is gained by +reconnaissance by land or from the air, and from information +from prisoners and captured documents. The +responsibility of the Officer, who must judge the truth +from what must often be conflicting reports from these +sources, is serious indeed. On his appreciation of the +position depends to an extent not always recognised the +success or failure of active operations. The Infantry +in <span class="pagenum"><a id="page195" name="page195"></a>(p. 195)</span> the line unfortunately take the hard consequences of +faulty information or false appreciation.</p> + +<p>In reviewing the short history of these operations +we are inclined to forget other occasions in which the +credit of successes was due not only to the dash and +courage of the Infantry but to the information sifted +from one source or another, weighed in the balance, and +finally put forward as the premises on which operations +have been based. In our humble judgment the Army of +the future should take care that this branch of technical +training receives a greater measure of attention than it +had received up to the commencement of the Great War.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER XI <span class="pagenum"><a id="page196" name="page196"></a>(p. 196)</span></h3> + +<h5>ST. ELIE AND HILL 70</h5> + + +<p class="figcenter"><i>July 4th, 1917.</i>— +<i>January 21st, 1918.</i></p> + +<p class="p2">After nearly three months' strenuous fighting, +it was a great relief to us to find ourselves back +once more in the quiet regions, and the change was +thoroughly appreciated by all. The weather was +delightful and the country was looking its best, and +altogether the 18 days spent at Chelers were extremely +enjoyable. There was not much in the way of amusement, +as there was little opportunity for it, and we +were so far in the heart of the country that visits to +towns were impossible, except for the few lucky ones +with horses, for whom the journey to St. Pol and back +was a pleasant afternoon's ride. Billets were quite +comfortable, and Battalion Headquarters were certainly +in clover at the Château, where it was one of their +pleasures to bask in the delightful garden and regale +themselves on peaches brought by the small daughter +of the house. Otherwise there was little attraction in the +village, though in "Lizzie Five-Nine," it possessed a pearl +of great price. Major Lane was in command for part of +the time, as Col. Blackwall was on leave. The latter on +his return, not being fortunate enough to be met at +Boulogne by a car—Battalion Commanders only got cars +when they were not wanted by the gilded Staff—found, as +so often happened, that Railway Transport Officers knew +nothing of our movements, and sent him off to quite +the wrong place, about 30 miles from Chelers, to which +he had to get as best he could. On a hot summer day +this was not a nice experience to pile on to that "end +of leave feeling" that most of us had at getting back. +and <span class="pagenum"><a id="page197" name="page197"></a>(p. 197)</span> to make matters still worse he found on his arrival +that the supply of lime-juice at the Headquarter Mess +had run out! The truth of course was that not being in +demand during his absence, it had not been replenished!</p> + +<p>In training special stress was laid on bayonet +fighting, taken by Comp. Sergt.-Major Lowe of the +Canadian Army Gymnastic Staff, musketry, and firing +practice on the Rocourt Range, where a two days' +Divisional Rifle Meeting was held on July 19th and +20th, at which our representatives shot remarkably +well, and carried off amongst other prizes two silver +bugles, which now repose with the Battalion Plate at +Newark. A large marquee was erected on the ground, +where refreshments could be obtained, and a band was +in attendance each day. All the arrangements were +admirable, and the programme was carried out without +a hitch. Teams from B Company won the Inter-Company +Snap-Shooting and Rapid-Firing competition, +and the Lewis Gun competition, whilst a knock-out +competition for Officers was won by our team composed +of Lieut.-Col. Blackwall, Capt. A. Bedford and +2nd Lieuts. Tomlinson and Martelli. In the final +round this team beat the one from Divisional Headquarters, +which included Major-General Thwaites. In +the General Officer Commanding's Cup competition for +revolver shooting for Officers, our team won second +prize. On the whole the results from this competition +and the practice leading up to it, were extremely +good, and had a marked effect on the shooting all +round, both with rifle and Lewis gun. Two ceremonial +inspections were carried out, one by the Brigadier on +July 11th, and another by the Divisional Commander +on July 17th, both of which went off successfully.</p> + +<p>Our stay at Chelers came to an end on July 23rd, +when we started back once more to the forward area, +marching that day to Verquin, where we billeted for +the <span class="pagenum"><a id="page198" name="page198"></a>(p. 198)</span> night. The next night we relieved the 1st Leicesters +(6th Division) in the St. Elie Left sub-sector +trenches. We were not very strong at this time, about +650 all told. Four new subalterns who had just joined, +were 2nd Lieuts. J. H. Hofmeyr, C. J. Elly, W. H. +Sutton, and R. W. Clarke. Second Lieut. White rejoined +from duty in England, and further Officer reinforcements +who came up shortly afterwards, included 2nd +Lieuts. H. G. Kirby, F. C. Tucker, C. J. Wells, +D. Tanner, and J. A. Pearce.</p> + +<p>We now entered on what was to be the longest +continuous period of trench warfare that it was ever our +lot to take part in, for we were destined to remain in the +forward area, holding trenches with but short reliefs, +for a whole six months, and there was little to break the +monotony except one or two changes of trench areas +and the interspersal, now and then of raids carried +out either by ourselves or the enemy. Raids had now +become part and parcel almost of trench warfare routine. +The Divisional Commander's wishes were that they +should be carried out frequently, and he was strongly +supported by General Carey, who insisted on each Battalion +preparing a scheme for a raid, either large or small, +as soon as it took over the line, so that no time should +be wasted in preliminary arrangements after the order +was given for a raid to be carried out. The drawback, +perhaps, was that raids were apt to be of much the +same type, for it was not easy to introduce variations. +In the normal raid there was always the cutting of +gaps in the enemy wire, which was almost bound to +give them the intimation that something was going to +happen, the bombardment about "Zero" of the area +to be raided, and the forming of a "Box Barrage" +round it, to prevent the enemy bringing up reinforcements, +whilst our men dealt with any enemy found +within the barrage.</p> + +<p>This <span class="pagenum"><a id="page199" name="page199"></a>(p. 199)</span> sub-sector of trenches, "St. Elie Left," was +named after the village of St. Elie, the remains of which +were in the enemy lines opposite. This sector was just +South-East of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, and was +entirely overlooked by that old enemy of former days +"The Dump," which had now for some reason changed +its name to "Slag Heap." It was difficult at first to +recognise the front lines, so changed was their appearance. +Instead of a more or less level tract between the front +line trenches, No Man's Land consisted of a chain of +whitish chalk peaks, the sides of huge mine craters, +which had entirely changed the aspect of the area. +There were not so many, perhaps, in the sector in which +we were immediately interested, as there were opposite +Hohenzollern itself, but the general appearance of the +so-called front line was much the same in both. All +this part of the front had remained practically unmoved +since the finish of the fighting in the Autumn of +1915. The withdrawal of the enemy further South +early in 1917, and our attacks later at Messines and +other parts to the North, had not affected this portion. +Mining had been begun and carried on pretty regularly +by both sides so long as that kind of warfare was +thought worth while,—a method in which the Boche, who +was a nervous miner, had been completely beaten—but +for some time before our arrival it had lapsed, and the +only visible signs of it were the craters, on each lip of +which sentry posts had been established by ourselves +and the enemy respectively. A certain amount of +excavation was still going on underground, under the +supervision of Australian Tunnellers, but this was +mainly connected with the somewhat complicated +system of "listening" in vogue. Apparatus was fitted +up, and men were always on duty so as to notify at +once any indication of mining operations being started +by the enemy. Nothing more as a matter of fact +did <span class="pagenum"><a id="page200" name="page200"></a>(p. 200)</span> happen in the way of mining, which had already had +its day.</p> + +<a id="img019" name="img019"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img019.jpg" width="500" height="586" alt="Map To Illustrate Operations +Near Lens." title="Map To Illustrate Operations +Near Lens."> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Air Photograph Of Part Of St. Elie Sector, 1917.</p> + +<p>Behind the chain of craters all along this area was +another feature peculiar to this part of the line, an +extraordinary system of tunnels. It is believed that +these first originated owing to the necessity for finding +ways up to the front line by day, without using the +communication trenches, which were mostly overlooked +from the Slag Heap, and other prominent points, from +which the enemy could get an excellent view over most +of our forward area. Behind the trench system attempts +had been made to obviate this drawback by the erection +of long lengths of camouflage screens, which were a +great feature of this part of the front. In the trench +system itself underground passages were dug some 15 +to 25 feet deep, from about the Reserve Line up to the +front. These in due course got connected with the mine +levels and shafts, and eventually rooms were excavated +off the passages, timber and wire beds put up, electric +light plant installed, cook houses and cooking apparatus +fixed, wells sunk, and in fact a sort of underground +barracks was formed, and all within 100 to 400 yards +of the Boche front line. It was a remarkable +development.</p> + +<p>The posts in the so-called front line were arranged +almost entirely round about the craters, and were reached +by flights of steps from the tunnels. These posts were +some distance apart, the system of holding these trenches +being a thin front line of posts well wired in, with No +Man's Land protected by active patrolling, and a +strong, well-built, and well-wired support line or "Line of +Resistance," where every effort would be made to +hold up any big attack which might develop. An +elaborate arrangement of doors and gas blankets fixed +at entrances, and at various intermediate points in the +tunnels, was made to protect them in case of gas attack, +and <span class="pagenum"><a id="page201" name="page201"></a>(p. 201)</span> a carefully arranged system of electric bells was +fitted up from the sentry posts to the garrison living +in the tunnels, so that warning could be given immediately +in case of an enemy attack. These tunnels +served an excellent purpose, but there is no question +that had they been in use to any extent they might +easily have become a great source of weakness, as they +undoubtedly had a very demoralising effect on the +troops who had to live in them.</p> + +<p>The Battalion sector extended from "Fosse" and +"Stansfield Posts" on the right, through "Hairpin +Craters," "North" and "South Craters," "Border +Redoubt" and "Rat Creek" to "Hulluch Alley" and +"Russian Sap" on the left. Communication trenches in +this sector were the best we ever met, floorboarded and +revetted practically throughout their entire length. The +support trench was also fairly good, and the front posts +not too bad, though they frequently got knocked in with +heavy trench mortars, and required constant repairing. +Work in the trenches, therefore, normally consisted +more of general upkeep, than of any extensive new +work. Three companies were in the line, with the +fourth in support, living mostly in "Stansfield Tunnel." +Battalion Headquarters was in a dug-out in "Stansfield +Road." Company Commanders were:—(A) Capt. +Andrews, (B) Lieuts. Tomlinson, Lomer and Day in +succession, followed a little later by Capt. Turner, (C) +Capt. A. Bedford, (D) Capt. Simonet. We only had +two tours in these trenches at this time, one of six days, +and one of four, during which the enemy were active +mainly with trench mortars, including a large number +of "Wing Bombs" or "Pineapples." A raid which +we were ordered to carry out during this period was +left in the capable hands of Capt. Simonet, and fixed +to take place at 11.30 p.m. on August 4th. It was all +carefully rehearsed beforehand, on ground near the +support <span class="pagenum"><a id="page202" name="page202"></a>(p. 202)</span> billets at Philosophe. In addition to his own +Company, Simonet had the help of B Company under +Lieut. Tomlinson. The raid was made against the +enemy's first and second line trenches nearly opposite +North Crater, and was intended in addition to +inflicting casualties to obtain identification, and destroy +suspected trench mortar emplacements and dug-outs. +Unfortunately success did not attend their efforts on this +occasion, for, though B Company reached the enemy +trenches, and a few men got as far as the second line, +they had to be recalled, as D Company were unable to +make any headway owing to heavy machine gun fire +from the flanks. Both Companies suffered a few +casualties in withdrawing.</p> + +<p>It was on the following day, August 5th, when the +Battalion was in Brigade support in Philosophe, that +we got what was probably the heaviest shelling of billets +that we ever experienced, for the Boche deliberately +shelled the village without a break from 6 to 10 p.m. +with 4.2's and 5.9's. As soon as the bombardment +began, everyone withdrew to the open fields behind the +village, and remained there until it was over. We were +fortunate in escaping without a single casualty. Some +of the billets were badly knocked about, but we saved +our skins, which after all was the main thing. We +must confess to having felt on this occasion almost a +suspicion of satisfaction in seeing Brigade Headquarters +get a full share of this shelling. Their mess was so +shaken and upset that the Brigadier had to dine at a +much later hour than usual off cold bully beef. It is +perhaps difficult to understand exactly the reason, but +there is no shadow of doubt that in every formation +there was a feeling almost of delight when a unit saw the +Headquarters of the next higher unit being "straffed!"</p> + +<p>On the night August 10/11th, we moved back into +support with Battalion Headquarters, A and C Companies +at <span class="pagenum"><a id="page203" name="page203"></a>(p. 203)</span> Noyelles, and B and D Companies in support trenches. +On August 14th, the half Battalion at Noyelles handed +over to the 5th Leicesters, and moved back to billets +at Fouquières, and on the 16th to Verquin, where they +were joined by B and D Companies.</p> + +<p>By a brilliant attack on the previous day, August +15th, the Canadians finally captured Hill 70, which +had so often been a bone of contention, but was now +to remain always in our hands.</p> + +<p>We now had ten very enjoyable days in comfortable +and homely billets at Verquin. Some of the Officers +were fortunate enough to be invited to play tennis at +the château, both there and at Fouquières, and owe a +great debt of gratitude to the kind ladies at both those +places, for many acts of kindness and hospitality. It was +almost like being at home to be playing "mixed doubles," +and after dinner to have music in the drawing room. +The men, too, had a very nice time in the miners' cottages +in Verquin, and other mining villages. Shops and village +life always had their attraction, and we felt very much +at home in this part of France, which in the end we came +to know almost by heart. The French miner was +always particularly kind to us all. It may be that +many of our miners, by exchanging views on their +calling, enlisted the sympathies of the Frenchmen in +the Battalion as a whole. Whether this is so or not, +in no part of France did the inhabitants behave to +Officers and men with such invariable kindness and +courtesy, as that exhibited in the various French colliery +districts, in which we were so fortunate as to be billeted +at this time. In addition to the village attractions, we +were getting splendid shows given by the "Whizz-bangs," +who were now in good form once more, and did much to +liven things up, whilst Béthune with its many attractions, +was within easy walking distance, and always a popular +resort for all ranks.</p> + +<p>There <span class="pagenum"><a id="page204" name="page204"></a>(p. 204)</span> were several training grounds within easy +reach, and pleasantly situated. Training consisted +mainly of musketry and attack practice, whilst the +usual Ceremonial was introduced in the shape of a +Brigade Parade, at Vaudricourt Park on August 18th, +when the General Officer Commanding distributed +medal ribbons. On August 24th, Regimental sports +were held in a field at Drouvin, in conjunction with the +139th Machine Gun Company, and 139th Trench Mortar +Battery. Perhaps the most entertaining and amusing +feature of a most successful day, was the winning of the +Victoria Cross race on a pack pony by "Doc" Johnstone, +whom we found stationed at Verquin.</p> + +<p>We now entered on the second phase of this long +trench warfare period, relieving the 23rd Battalion +Royal Fusiliers (2nd Division) in Cambrin Left sub-sector +on August 26th. There we remained until +September 13th, with the exception of a short interval +in Brigade support, when Battalion Headquarters were +in billets in Annequin, and Companies in dug-outs in the +reserve trenches in front of Cambrin. It was here that +we first came across our Portugese Allies, who were +holding the trenches North of the La Bassée Canal.</p> + +<p>This sector extended from just North-West of the +Hohenzollern Redoubt, nearly to the Béthune-La Bassée +Road, and was of a similar nature to the St. Elie sector +we had recently held, except that it was not so much +overlooked by the enemy. Familiar names in the front +line, are "Railway Craters," "Twin Sap," "Minehead +Sap," and "Fusilier Sap." The support trench was +named "Old Boots." There were two main tunnels, +"Munster" on the right, and "Wilson" on the left. +The main communication trenches were "Railway +Alley," "Lewis Alley," "Munster Parade," and "Dundee +Walk." After a little rearrangement on first taking +over, all Companies were in the line, finding their own +supports, <span class="pagenum"><a id="page205" name="page205"></a>(p. 205)</span> Battalion Headquarters being in dug-outs +just off Railway Alley. The first tour was very quiet, +but was marred by the unfortunate loss on patrol of +2nd Lieut. D. Tanner, and Corpl. Wright on August +30th. Tanner very gallantly undertook to reconnoitre +a Boche post, and took out with him Corpl. Wright +and two men. The two men got back safely, but Tanner +and the N.C.O. were missing, and were reported later to +have either been killed or to have died of wounds. Another +misfortune occurred in our next trench tour on September +11th, when a raid was attempted by Capt. Martelli, +in command of a party consisting of C Company and +half A Company. The raid was to be carried out against +enemy trenches opposite Railway Craters, at 11.45 +p.m. It was carefully practised beforehand over a +taped model. Unfortunately, the enemy were evidently +aware of our intentions, probably divining that a raid +was in prospect from the fact of our having cut gaps in +the wire, and whilst our men were forming up in No +Man's Land, they suddenly opened an intense bombardment, +mostly of gas bombs, which fell right amongst +them. Our men immediately put on their box respirators, +but in the dark it was quite impossible to advance with +them on, and seeing that progress was impossible, +Martelli, who was himself wounded, withdrew his party, +suffering in casualties during the whole operation, three +other ranks killed, and 30 wounded. C Company +were again unfortunate the following night, when they +were bombarded with heavy trench mortars, and suffered +nine more casualties.</p> + +<p>On September 13th, we left this sector on being +relieved by the 7th Battalion, and moved back to +Fouquières, where we spent a very enjoyable week +training and refitting. Leaving there on September +20th, we marched to Mazingarbe, where we spent a night +in huts, and the following day took over the support +trenches <span class="pagenum"><a id="page206" name="page206"></a>(p. 206)</span> in the Hill 70 sector, just North of Loos. +Shortly after its capture by the Canadians, Hill 70 +had been handed over to the 6th Division to consolidate, +and it now fell to the lot of the 46th Division to complete +the consolidation.</p> + +<p>Just before the change, we had been joined by a +new Medical Officer, Lieut. St. G. L. M. Homan, who +replaced Capt. Gavin, and three new subalterns, Lieut. +C. Cursham, and 2nd Lieuts. S. Bridden and E. W. +Hartle; but on the other hand, we lost Lieut. Michie, +and 2nd Lieut. Orton, invalided to England, and 2nd +Lieut. Pearce, who joined the 139th Trench Mortar +Battery. Comp. Sergt. Major Haywood had also gone +home to train for a commission, only to be killed later +when serving with another Battalion.</p> + +<p>It was an agreeable change for us to occupy such a +position as Hill 70, as observation could be got from +there over the enemy country for many miles, and it was +pleasant after having almost invariably been overlooked, +to be able now to see something of the other side of the +picture. The enemy, however, had good observation +from Hulluch and Wingles, over our approaches through +Loos, in the valley, and movement was mainly by that +never-ending communication trench "Railway Alley," +running from the top of the ridge behind Loos, through +the outskirts of that village up to Hill 70, where it +joined up to "Humbug Alley," the main communication +trench of the left sector. The front line which was in none +too good order, was known mainly as to its position with +regard to the remnants of woods in its neighbourhood, +"Bois de Dix-huit" opposite the right, "Bois Rasé" +in the centre, and "Bois Hugo" on the left. All +the forward trenches bore names beginning with H, +two of which were "Heaven" and "Hell," but the +former was not quite the Paradise one might expect from +its name. Such dug-outs as were usable, were deep, but +small. <span class="pagenum"><a id="page207" name="page207"></a>(p. 207)</span> Many had been blown in, and practically all +the entrances faced the wrong way, which was a distinct +drawback.</p> + +<p>For seven weeks, probably the most monotonous +in the history of the Battalion's trench warfare, we +helped to hold Hill 70, relieving in the line with the +7th Battalion. When in Brigade support, we lived in +dug-outs in the old British and German front line trenches +in front of and behind the Loos-Hulluch Road, with +Battalion Headquarters in "Tosh Alley." When in +Divisional Reserve, we lived in the Mazingarbe huts, +which were fairly comfortable, but capable of much +improvement. Battalion Headquarters occupying a +house in the aristocratic street known as "Snobs' Alley." +Tours in the trenches, in support and reserve were each +of six days. Life in the trenches was of a most humdrum +nature. There was not even a raid of any kind, so far +as our Battalion was concerned. We simply slogged on +week after week at real trench work, making fire-bays +and fire-steps, thickening the barbed wire in front, +improving dug-outs, and making good the communication +trenches and reserve line, by revetting and trench gridding. +The latter was probably the most important work +carried out, and many were the "A" frames that were +fixed, and trench grids that were placed in position +during those tedious times, to say nothing of the tons of +earth that were dug out in order that this might be done, +for the trenches had mostly been flattened out by our +bombardment before the hill was captured, and needed +the expenditure of untold energy and hard work to get +them in good order. Great keenness in connection with +this work was shewn by Capt. E. J. Grinling, M.C., of the +Lincolns, who had recently succeeded that most energetic +Officer Capt. Buckley, as Brigade Major, when the latter +left to take up a higher appointment.</p> + +<p>The <span class="pagenum"><a id="page208" name="page208"></a>(p. 208)</span> weather during the early part of October was +fine, hot and dry, but with the inevitable rain which set +in later, the trenches, where not cleaned and floorboarded, +soon became in an almost impassable state, for the mud +and chalk together made a sort of paste, two or three +feet deep, of an extraordinarily sticky nature, almost +impossible to get through, so that the carrying of all +kinds of stores was extremely exhausting work. +Fortunately we got some slight assistance by the use +of Tump Lines—a leather arrangement by which the +load was carried on the back, but the weight taken by +a broad leather across the forehead—and Yukon packs—a +kind of wooden framework covered with canvas, on +which the material was fastened with thin rope, and the +whole carried on the back, and held in position by straps +round the shoulders. Constant practice in their use +was carried out when back at the Mazingarbe huts, and +in the end a number of men became quite expert, and +could carry big loads with either of these devices, with +much less fatigue, and in a much shorter time than was +possible in any other way.</p> + +<p>Water was supplied here, as in the Cambrin sector, +by a system of pipes. These were the only two instances +we met with where this system of supply was in vogue. +To supply the Hill 70 sector, Australian Engineers had +tapped the water from the mine at the end of the Loos +"Crassier," and pumped it up to tanks fixed at different +points in the trenches. The chief drawback of course +was that the pipes were apt to get broken by shells. +It was a drawback to be short of water for more reasons +than one, as an essential part of trench discipline was to +shave regularly, and the visitor to Battalion Headquarters +must have noticed on more than one occasion a petrol tin +labelled "Shaving Water," put in a prominent position +so as to catch the eye (of the Brigadier!) Two of General +Carey's pet orders in connection with trench routine, +were <span class="pagenum"><a id="page209" name="page209"></a>(p. 209)</span> that all ranks as far as reasonably possible should +shave every day, and that tea leaves should not be +deposited in or on the sides of the trenches.</p> + +<p>Rations and supplies were mainly brought up by +pack mules, the only sector in which this method was +used regularly. The mules were taken from the Transport +lines at Sailly-Labourse by road to Fosse 3, thence +over a cross-country track past Brigade Headquarters +at Prèvite Castle, to the Battalion dumps at Tosh +Alley, and the old British front line. This was a +perfectly silent method, and one which, with little +practice, soon became a very expeditious one. During +our stay, work was begun on the laying of tramlines +up to Hill 70, but whilst we were there they were not +used to any great extent.</p> + +<p>There was a normal amount of shelling in the area, +and an uncomfortable amount of heavy trench mortaring, +particularly of the Left-Company front, whilst machine +gun bullets along the front line, and about the Tosh +Alley dump, which was enfiladed from Hulluch, often +took much dodging. Otherwise the sector so far as +we were concerned was fairly quiet. Our most unpleasant +experience undoubtedly was on October 4th, +when we got caught in the bombardment connected +with an attempted Boche raid on the 7th Battalion, +whom we were relieving. They had been very heavily +shelled and trench mortared, and suffered numerous +casualties, the clearing of which caused the relief to be +a long and difficult business. Several dug-out entrances +were blown in, and the front line in many parts was +almost unrecognisable. B Company unfortunately got +mixed up with some of the shelling, and lost several men, +including Sergt. Drabble, who was killed. Pvte. Frank +Green did very good work on this occasion, in rescuing +buried men, working for five hours on end, though +severely shaken as a result of the trench mortaring, and +L.-Corpl. <span class="pagenum"><a id="page210" name="page210"></a>(p. 210)</span> Stewart did excellent work in repairing broken +telephone wires.</p> + +<a id="img020" name="img020"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img020.jpg" width="400" height="535" alt="Straight Line Diagram Of Trench Communications +At Hill 70." title="Straight Line Diagram Of Trench Communications +At Hill 70."> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Straight Line Diagram Of Trench Communications +At Hill 70. <span class="smcap">November.</span> 1917.</p> + +<p>A very good daylight patrol was carried out on +November 11th, by 2nd Lieut. A. C. Fairbrother, a +newly joined Subaltern, who managed to get into the +enemy trenches, shoot a Boche, and return with the +two men who were with him without casualty. For +this he was awarded the M.C. A decoration of a different +kind ought to have been awarded to another Officer, +who on a perfectly quiet night in the line, when we had +nothing to disturb our peace of mind, boldly sent off +the cryptic message "G.A.S."—only to be used in case +of cloud gas attack, and likely to cause every Officer +and man, horse and mule, back almost to General +Headquarters to have their box respirators or gas masks +put on! Not content with that, he turned on a Strombos +Horn, which was also to be used only on occasions of +cloud gas, but fortunately it could not rise to anything +more than a painful kind of wheeze. The cause of all +his excitement apparently was that he imagined he heard +another Strombos Horn some miles away!</p> + +<p>Whilst we were in the Hill 70 sector, the 59th +Division (our second line Territorials) took over a portion +of the line about Avion, just South of Lens, and it was a +great pleasure to welcome some old friends who came +over to see us, including A. C. Clarke commanding the +2/6th Battalion, M. C. Martyn commanding the 2/7th +Battalion, and F. W. Johnson, commanding a Field +Ambulance in the 59th Division. Over an excellent +little dinner, at Béthune, arranged by our good friend +Col. Barron of the 1/1st North Midland Field Ambulance, +we were able to compare notes, and go over many +items of interest.</p> + +<p>We were not sorry when news came that the +Divisional General had decided that, as the Hill 70 +sector was the most unpleasant one of the three held +by <span class="pagenum"><a id="page211" name="page211"></a>(p. 211)</span> the Division, an inter-Brigade relief should be +carried out with a view to giving another Brigade a +chance of "doing its bit" there as well. The lot fell +on the 138th Brigade, and on November 15th, we were +relieved by the 5th Leicesters, and moved back once +more to support in the St. Elie sector, with Battalion +Headquarters and two Companies at Philosophe, and +two Companies in trenches, one in support to each of +the two Battalions holding the line. This was the +beginning of the last phase of this trench warfare period.</p> + +<p>Much to the regret of all ranks we now lost Major +Lane, who left us for a tour of duty at home, and was +succeeded as Second-in-Command by Major E. M. +Gingell, of the Wiltshires. Capt. A. Bedford also went +to England for a rest at the beginning of November, +and Capt. Geary then took command of C Company. +Lieut. Lomer went to Brigade Headquarters, where he +later became Intelligence Officer. Second Lieut. Hofmeyr +unfortunately had been killed whilst we were at Hill 70, +and Capt. Vann after holding various appointments +during the summer, had finally left to take command +of the 6th Battalion at the end of September. Several +reinforcement Officers, however, had arrived, including +2nd Lieuts. T. Saunders, W. B. Newton, A. D. Sims, +N. Martin and C. M. Bedford, and our strength in Officers +was consistently kept up to something over 30, and in +other ranks to about 650.</p> + +<p>Our second period in the St. Elie Left sub-sector +lasted until the middle of January, 1918. We continued +the old system of six days in the line, six days in Brigade +support at Philosophe, and after a further six days in +the line the same period in Divisional reserve at Verquin. +The weather was now getting very bad, and as few troops +as possible were kept on duty in the front line, which +as usual was held by posts at considerable intervals, the +defence of the line being assured by the activity of patrols +which <span class="pagenum"><a id="page212" name="page212"></a>(p. 212)</span> were out in No Man's Land much of the night, +and did some excellent work, on several occasions +getting right inside the enemy lines.</p> + +<p>We were lucky in being out of the line for Christmas, +which was spent at Verquin with much feasting and +merriment. There seemed to be no shortage of good +things, and we feel sure that the inhabitants of Verquin +will not think that at any rate at Christmas time we +take our pleasures seriously. Of course tales of all +kinds are told of our doings, and though perhaps some +of them may have been exaggerated, there is no doubt +we did ourselves proud. It was a memorable sight +to see the four Company Commanders slogging back +to the trenches on December 28th, to relieve the 7th +Battalion in the line. Jack White in temporary command +of A, John Turner of B, Geary of C, and "Simmy" of +D. Passing Brigade Headquarters at Philosophe they +wore a look that seemed to say "another little drink +wouldn't do us any harm," and after a refresher there, +they went on looking as if they didn't care two straws +if the Boche attacked or not. As a matter of fact on +January 2nd, 1918, the enemy did actually attempt a raid +on our front, but thanks mainly to much careful planning +by Simonet, and supervision by Major Hacking, who was +in temporary command of the Battalion, the raid was +successfully beaten off. The first intimation of anything +of the kind being likely to happen, was a message received +from Col. Vann of the 6th Battalion, on our right, at 3.30 +p.m. on that day stating that an obvious gap had been +cut by the enemy in their wire opposite "Breslau Sap," +on the 6th Battalion front, and asking for co-operation +in the event of a raid at that point. Steps were +accordingly taken to cover the front between Breslau +and Hairpin Craters with Lewis gun fire, whilst +trench mortar co-operation was also arranged, and all +Companies warned to be particularly alert. The raid +was <span class="pagenum"><a id="page213" name="page213"></a>(p. 213)</span> attempted as anticipated, the intention apparently +being to surround Hairpin Crater post. The barrage +began at 9.30 p.m. with heavy trench mortars and +whizz-bangs, opening South of Breslau and gradually +extending North. A barrage was also put down on +the front of the Battalion on our left. The heaviest +bombardment was on Hairpin Craters. Lewis gun +fire was at once opened by us along the whole of +the front, from Breslau to Border Redoubt. Various +groups of the enemy attempted to push through to +our posts when their barrage lifted, but it was evident +that they had lost direction, and got very disorganised, +and we had no difficulty in driving them off with rifle +and Lewis gun fire and bombs, and eventually things +quietened down. Our casualties were only one Officer, +and seven other ranks wounded, all slight, whilst we +captured two unwounded prisoners, and a third was +brought in dead. For his excellent preliminary arrangements, +and for his wise judgment and control of the +situation during the attack, Capt. Simonet was awarded +the M.C. Great gallantry was shewn on the same +occasion by Sergt. W. H. Martin, L.-Sergt. Turner, +and Pvte. Wildsmith, and good work was also done +by L.-Corpl. Rowley, and Pvte. Crouch.</p> + +<p>During our stay in the St. Elie sector, much more +use was made than on any previous occasion of trench +light railway and tram systems. At first rations and +stores were brought up nightly by our own Transport +to the "Mansion House" at Vermelles, and there +transferred to small trench trams, which were taken up +to forward dumps by pushing parties found by the +Battalion. As we were so short of men, however, +mules were requisitioned for this purpose. Later on, +stores were brought up all the way from Sailly-Labourse +on the light railway. The larger trucks on this railway +were also available on one or two occasions to take +the <span class="pagenum"><a id="page214" name="page214"></a>(p. 214)</span> Battalion on relief to Sailly, a ride which was +much appreciated, and saved some part, at any +rate, of the weary tramp back to billets.</p> + +<p>The chief recreation in these days was as usual +football. A "league" was formed, including practically +every Unit in the Division. So that the notices of +matches might not give direct evidence of our identity, +each Unit was allotted a code name. We rejoiced in the +name of "County," whilst teams we played included +those having such aristocratic names as "Dragons," +"Miners," "Tigers," "Wyverns," and "Maconochies." +We were not very fortunate and occupied a somewhat +humble position in the final league table.</p> + +<p>Our losses in personnel during the last two months +of this period included Capt. Turner, who after a +wonderfully successful and lengthy period in command +of B Company, left to take a commission in the +Indian Army. He was succeeded by Lieut. Day. Second +Lieuts. Tucker, Bridden, Sims, Wells, and E. A. Palmer +(a newly joined Subaltern) were wounded, and Lieut. +Cursham went to the Machine Gun Corps. We were also +constantly losing N.C.O.'s on transfer to England to train +for commissions. Fresh Subalterns who joined were 2nd +Lieuts. C. P. O. Bradish, T. R. Christian, H. L. Kennett, +A. S. Judd, A. Spinney, J. S. Whitelegge, A. B. Miners, +C. G. Druce, A. Jewell, E. H. Seymour, J. Bloor, M.M., +V. L. Morris and L. Bromham.</p> + +<p>On January 17th, we were relieved in the St. Elie +sector and moved to billets at Verquin, where we spent a +few days cleaning, and were lectured on the all-absorbing +topic of "War Savings." Leaving there on January +21st, we marched to Burbure preparatory to a long +period of training, the 46th Division having been relieved +in the line by the 11th Division.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER XII <span class="pagenum"><a id="page215" name="page215"></a>(p. 215)</span></h3> + +<h5>SPRING, 1918</h5> + + +<p class="figcenter"><i>January 22nd, 1918.</i>— +<i>April 20th, 1918.</i></p> + +<p class="p2">What the ultimate object of our training was to +have been is somewhat uncertain. Our withdrawal +from the forward area after six months may have +been merely to give us a thorough rest, but with affairs in +the state they then were, we can hardly imagine that the +intention was to fit us for anything of an offensive +character for some time to come, for as a result of the +withdrawal of Russia from the war, and the consequent +release of German troops from the Russian front, +everything pointed to the Allies on the Western front +being on the defensive for some considerable time. +That the I Corps knew this had been clear for some +time before we left the St. Elie sector. Their Headquarters +had remained in the same billets at Labuissière +since the beginning of the war, and they were taking all +precautions not to have them disturbed—in fact sometimes +we used to think that they intended to end their +days there! There was no doubt a genuine fear that the +Boche might try to break through and capture the rest +of the mining district round about Béthune and Bruay, +and this caused them to take early steps to prevent +such a catastrophe, and for some time before we left the +St. Elie sector, they had all available labour and material +disposed strengthening the defences behind the line as +far back as Béthune. This mainly consisted of putting +up row upon row of "double-apron" barbed wire +entanglements every few hundred yards, which was +looked upon, rightly we think, as the best kind of obstacle +to <span class="pagenum"><a id="page216" name="page216"></a>(p. 216)</span> hold up an attack. With machine guns skilfully +placed at intervals, so as to enfilade these entanglements, +it was thought that the best form of defence had been +attained. Work on trenches in the Division and Corps +reserve lines was also pushed on, and the machine gun +emplacements were made ready for occupation in case +of need, and provided with supplies of ammunition and +water. We were called upon to help in this work +shortly after we were relieved, and on January 30th, sent +a party of 460 of all ranks by motor lorry to Mazingarbe +for this purpose. They stayed there with Col. Blackwall +himself in charge until February 7th, and during that +time worked hard in digging reserve trenches, constructing +anti-tank trenches, and wiring "localities" under +Royal Engineer supervision, near Vermelles. These +"localities" were points in the different reserve lines +most suitable for, and capable of, all-round defence; +they were selected mainly as having a good field of fire +on all sides, and so as to command approaches by which +the enemy might advance in case of a break through.</p> + +<p>The detailing of such a large party naturally left +us with very few men for training at Burbure, so that we +were able to do little in that respect. Such refitting +as was possible was done, and bathing after a good deal +of trouble was arranged at Lillers, but as was the case +in many of the back areas "billet comforts" were +not good. Just at this time, too, we suffered from a +scarcity of clean clothes, and later on the scarcity +became worse. The supply was extremely short, and more +often than not the clothes were rather dirtier on their +return from the Abbeville laundry, than when they +were sent off. This was not our experience in the +I Corps, which we had just left, and whatever we +may have thought or said about some of the doings +of that Corps, it must be confessed that many of +their "Q" matters were very well worked, and in +the <span class="pagenum"><a id="page217" name="page217"></a>(p. 217)</span> whole of their area, which included the entire region +round about and in front of Béthune, in which we +spent many months, we were seldom short of anything +in the nature of supplies which one might reasonably +require, though there may have been some Battalion +Commanders who considered that there should have +been a much more liberal allowance of motor lorries, +which they were certainly very chary about letting us +have.</p> + +<p>Economy in all things was now the order of the day, +and in order to make the most of our diminishing +forces, and to reduce the number of units, it was decided +to reorganise the Army on the basis of three instead of +four Battalions to a Brigade. This was begun whilst +we were at Burbure, the 46th Division being one of the +earliest to undergo the change. In the 139th Brigade +the 7th Battalion was the one selected to be temporarily +broken up. The change was carried out with lightning +rapidity, and within about three days of first getting +the order that they were to be so treated, our old friends +the 7th, were scattered almost to the four winds. We +were very glad to be allotted of their number six Officers, +Lieuts. R. B. Gamble, S. E. Cairns, S. Sanders, who +was attached to the 139th Trench Mortar Battery, +and B. W. Dale, and 2nd Lieuts. W. S. Peach and O.S. +Kent, also 151 other ranks, who joined us and were +absorbed into our Battalion on January 29th. On +the 30th we said "Goodbye" with much regret to +their Commander Col. Toller, who left that day with the +bulk of his Headquarter Staff, to join their corresponding +unit in the 59th Division. From the 2/8th Battalion, +which was the Sherwood Forester Battalion of the +59th Division to be broken up, we also got a quota +of five Officers, Major F. G. Cursham, Capt. C. P. +Elliott, M.C., Lieuts. G. G. Elliott, M.C., and G. Thomas, +and 2nd Lieut. E. R. Elphick, and 85 other ranks, +who <span class="pagenum"><a id="page218" name="page218"></a>(p. 218)</span> joined us on January 31. Frank Cursham, who +later met such a sad fate in England, was known to +some of the older members of the Battalion, and G. G. +Elliott too, had already served with us. This large +influx sent up our strength with a bound, and at the end +of January, we were probably the strongest we ever +touched, viz., 53 Officers and 987 other ranks. The old +nomenclature "1/8th" and "2/8th," used to designate +the 1st and 2nd lines of the Battalion, was no longer +necessary, and we were henceforth known simply as the +"8th Sherwood Foresters."</p> + +<p>On February 9th, the Division moved back by +route march to the First Army Training Area, known +officially as the "Bomy Area." This move was carried +out as a sort of scheme, the idea being that the Division +was following up a retreating enemy, and that at the end +of the day's move we should billet just as though we +were actually pursuing in a hostile country, without +so much prearrangement as was generally possible. +This did not tend, perhaps, to billeting in as great comfort +as one might have wished, and we were inclined to think +it was unnecessary. Be that as it may, we found +ourselves at the end of the day with Headquarters +and two Companies at Laires, and two Companies at +Livossart, all somewhat crowded. This in the nature +of things was unsatisfactory, and steps were at once +taken to try and bring about a change, with the result +that on February 13th, we moved to a very nice little +mining village, Enquin-les-Mines, which we had to ourselves. +The Headquarter Mess was at the Maire's House, +where we were particularly comfortable, and received +much kindness from the Maire and his family. There +we had rather more callers than on some other occasions, +but none of them seemed disappointed if we were not at +home, so long as they could leave a message with the +Maire's charming daughter, and Officers of the Battalion +positively vied with each other in gallantry!</p> + +<p>Musketry <span class="pagenum"><a id="page219" name="page219"></a>(p. 219)</span> played the most important part in our +training, and ranges were in great demand. An A.R.A. +platoon competition was carried out in the Division +and roused considerable interest. The winning platoon +in the Battalion was No. 15 (D Company), but unfortunately +in the Brigade competition, they were +beaten by the platoon from the 5th Battalion. Much +open warfare and trench-to-trench attack practice was +also carried out, a very ominous sign being that this +consisted mainly of counter-attacks to regain portions +of trenches lost! The training culminated in a fairly +successful Brigade Field Day, near Coyecque.</p> + +<p>Recreation of course figured largely in the training. +In a Brigade inter-Company football competition, B +Company's team reached the semi-final, in which they +were knocked out by a team from the 5th Battalion. +For amusements we were not well off, as we were +somewhat isolated. We did, however, manage to get +the Divisional Cinema for the last week of our stay, a +very acceptable acquisition.</p> + +<p>Whilst we were at Enquin our "tin hats" which +had recently been shorn of their questionably ornamental +or useful sandbags, with which we had been ordered to +keep them covered, were painted a dull green, with, for +some curious reason, the Transport sign (dark blue square), +and narrow light green stripe on the left (denoting 8th +Battalion) painted on the side. The change was doubtless +due to the pressing need for economy.</p> + +<p>By the first week in March, it was realised on all +hands that the great Boche offensive could not long be +delayed. The enemy had brought Division after +Division from the Russian front across to the Western, +and, during the Winter, had got together an enormous +concentration of troops in France and Belgium, including +at least three Austrian Divisions, and it was now only +a question of knowing exactly when and where the +onslaught <span class="pagenum"><a id="page220" name="page220"></a>(p. 220)</span> would come. In these circumstances our +training was cut short, and on March 5th, we began to +retrace our steps once more towards the forward area, +marching that day to Westrehem, where we had been +so comfortably billeted nearly a year before, and were +now enthusiastically greeted by our old friends. Only +one night was spent there, and the next day we were +taken in 'buses to Béthune, and billeted once more at +the Orphanage, this being our third time to be quartered +there. We were now back again in the I Corps.</p> + +<p>Then began a period of about seven weeks activity, +during which we had a considerable amount of excitement, +some of it of not too pleasant a nature, and one was +never quite certain what a day might bring forth. The +first week, however, was spent in absolute peace at +Béthune in most delightful summer-like weather, and +was thoroughly enjoyed by all. During that time the +46th Division took over the Cambrin sector again, and +on March 14th, we relieved the support Battalion in +that sector, the 5th Lincolns, who were holding the +Annequin "Locality," including the whole of Annequin +Fosse and its Colliery cottages, which was being put in +a state of defence, and was to be held to the last in the +event of the enemy breaking through the front line +system of trenches.</p> + +<p>With the greatest regret we had now to say goodbye +to Col. Blackwall, who left us for a tour of duty at home. +He had been in command of the Battalion without a +break since October 15th, 1915, and during the whole +time had never been off duty, except when on leave or +attending courses. We feel sure no one felt more than +he did what bad luck it was that he should go just at +this important juncture, but he left with the best wishes +of everyone for a well-earned rest at home. At the same +time we welcomed to the command of the Battalion +Lieut.-Col. R. W. Currin, D.S.O., of the York and +Lancaster Regiment, who was destined to remain with +us, <span class="pagenum"><a id="page221" name="page221"></a>(p. 221)</span> with only a short break, until the conclusion of the +war.</p> + +<p>Several other changes had recently taken place. +Hugh Kirby had left to take up a commission in the +Indian Cavalry, and the Transport was now under the +charge of Capt. Tomlinson. We had also lost Lieuts. +White, Day, and Cairns, who had gone to England for +a rest, and were followed shortly afterwards by Lieut. +H. G. Kirby. Lieut. Gamble, and 2nd Lieuts. Sutton, +Peach and Saunders were unfit and were struck off +strength, and 2nd Lieut. Clarke went to the Machine +Gun Corps. Major Cursham had taken over C Company +from Capt. Geary, and Capt. C. P. Elliott had succeeded +Lieut. Day in command of B Company. We had been +given a new Padre, W. N. Kempe, who made himself +very popular during his few months' stay with us. +Sergt. J. Eggleston, after a long period of excellent +work as Pioneer Sergt., was appointed Comp. Quarter-Master +Sergt. of D Company, in place of Gammon, who +went home for a commission.</p> + +<p>Transport was lucky in being put in lines at Le +Quesnoy, probably the best constructed and best equipped +that we ever struck during the whole war. Units which +had been there before had evidently worked hard on +them to carry out improvements, and for once we were +really lucky in finding a good spot. The stables were +strongly built, well roofed, floored, and provided with +harness and fodder rooms, and to a certain extent +protected from bomb splinters by earth revetments.</p> + +<a id="img021" name="img021"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img021.jpg" width="500" height="400" alt="The Beuvry—la Bassée Road, Near Cambrin, 1917." title="The Beuvry—la Bassée Road, Near Cambrin, 1917."> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">The Beuvry—la Bassée Road, Near Cambrin, 1917. +<i>Reproduced by permission of the Imperial War Museum.</i></p> + +<p>On March 20th, we relieved the 5th Battalion in +the Cambrin left sub-sector, with which we were already +well acquainted. On the following day there took place +in the South the first onslaught of the Boche, in his +great Spring Offensive of 1918. There was no actual +attack anywhere near us, the only offensive action on +our front being a "demonstration" in the shape of a +heavy <span class="pagenum"><a id="page222" name="page222"></a>(p. 222)</span> bombardment with gas shells, which was decidedly +unpleasant, though not causing us any casualties.</p> + +<p>During the night of March 21/22nd, we did experience +a real touch of the offensive in the shape of a big raid on +the right Company, the most vulnerable portion of the +line on the whole Brigade front. This front, which +was held by A Company was of enormous length, +extending from Railway Craters on the right to Munster +Parade on the left, a distance of about 600 yards. +Three platoons (about 60 all told) held the outpost line +in small posts of four or five men, each under a N.C.O., +the fourth platoon being held in support as a counterattacking +platoon in Old Boots Trench at the West +end of Munster Tunnel. The latter was about 400 +yards behind the outpost line, and was also occupied +by the support Company, and contained the right +Company Headquarters. The orders laid down were +that in case of attack the platoon detailed for the task +was to counter-attack either through the tunnel (quite +impossible if the enemy obtained a footing in the trench +at the tunnel mouth) or over the top.</p> + +<p>Shortly after midnight, the enemy put down an +intense barrage of trench mortars, wing bombs, and shells +of all calibres, along the whole of the Brigade front and +support lines, forward communication trenches, Battalion +Headquarters, the Village Line, and extending even +to roads, villages, and batteries far behind the line. +Telephone wires were broken immediately, but the +"S.O.S." was sent by signal rocket and power buzzer, +and our artillery and machine guns replied at once. +There had been no preliminary bombardment or warning +of any kind. The enemy entered our trenches directly +behind his barrage from the cover of the craters on the +right, between our right post and the left Company of +the 138th Brigade, who were on our right, also near +Dundee Walk in the centre, and just North of +Munster <span class="pagenum"><a id="page223" name="page223"></a>(p. 223)</span> Tunnel on the left. Such wire as had been +put up by the few men who were usually available was +swept away by the hurricane bombardment, which +prevented movement of any kind, either to or from the +front or support lines. Two runners were wounded +whilst attempting to take messages between Company +Headquarters and Munster Tunnel, a distance of 50 +yards. The posts in the front line were unable, +owing to their small numbers, to offer any prolonged +resistance, or on account of the distance between them, +to assist neighbouring posts.</p> + +<p>The front line entrance to Munster Tunnel was +held by us the whole time, and an attempt to blow it +in, which was one of the main objects of the raid, was +frustrated, 2nd Lieut. Hartle being wounded by a hand +grenade. That the garrison of the outpost line withstood +the onslaught to their utmost there is no doubt, +and to this the pools of blood and reeking bayonets +of some of the rifles found afterwards in the trench, +bore convincing testimony. After the enemy's withdrawal, +one unwounded and one seriously wounded +German were left in our hands, the former having +apparently become detached from his party, and being +discovered later in front of our trench with a sheet of +newspaper fluttering from his rifle.</p> + +<p>The thoroughness with which the Boche trained for +this raid was proved from the prisoners' statements +and documents, which afterwards came into our hands. +For six weeks the raiding party, consisting of about +250 men, had been training over an exact replica of our +trenches, constructed with the help of an aeroplane +photograph. The training had also included the teaching +of several words of English. The work of the raiders +was extraordinary, and our own men in the front line +testified to the remarkable dexterity with which they +removed their casualties. This is the more wonderful +inasmuch <span class="pagenum"><a id="page224" name="page224"></a>(p. 224)</span> as they had to penetrate our barrages, in +order to regain their trench, and there is no doubt that +in doing so they lost heavily. Our casualties amounted +to three other ranks killed, including a very gallant +N.C.O., Corpl. Tyne, 26 other ranks missing, and one +Officer (Hartle), and ten other ranks wounded. We +should like to pay tribute to the excellent work done by +the Signallers, who as usual worked their hardest, to try +and keep their lines in order, in spite of the heavy +shelling. L.-Corpl. Parry's efforts to repair the broken +lines back from one of the front Companies, were especially +praiseworthy.</p> + +<p>Though there was an element of surprise in the raid, +there is no doubt that its success was due to the fact that +the defence was designed for an attack on a large scale, +and led inevitably to a weakening of our outpost line, +making it peculiarly vulnerable to a raid or attack with +a limited objective.</p> + +<p>The following night, the whole Battalion was +ordered to wire as hard as possible, and hundreds of reels +of barbed wire were put out. Even Battalion Headquarters +shared in the work, the whole staff being out +in an endeavour to wire themselves in.</p> + +<p>On March 24th, we were relieved by the 6th +Battalion, Headquarters and two Companies proceeding +to Beuvry, and two Companies remaining in the +trenches in close support. "Wind" at this time +was very "high," and our Intelligence reported that +we must be prepared for any eventuality. The enemy +had made enormous progress in their attack in the +South, and everything pointed to the possibility of a +general attack along the whole front. As a matter of +fact no such attempt was ever made on the Cambrin-St. +Elie sector, but we had to take every precaution, +and for the next two or three nights, we marched up to +our battle positions in front of Cambrin, in case the +expected <span class="pagenum"><a id="page225" name="page225"></a>(p. 225)</span> attack should mature. We even made arrangements +for a possible retreat, and worse than that, all +leave was stopped.</p> + +<p>It was at this juncture that our Brigade Commander, +General Carey left us to take Command of the 20th +Division, with everyone's good wishes and congratulations. +He arrived near Amiens in time to assume +Command of a composite Army, known as "Carey's +Force," and to assist materially in finally stopping the +great German onslaught. He was succeeded by General +Wood.</p> + +<p>The "wind" in this quarter, dropped for the +moment, but we heard that things just North of Arras +were not looking too bright. The enemy were expected +to attack at Vimy, and the Canadians who were holding +the sector opposite Lens, were to be moved to that part +to help the defence. As a result, we got orders on +March 25th, to move back once more to the Lens region, +to relieve the Canadians. Hasty plans were made by +which the 11th Division took over from us, and on +March 27th, we marched to Calonne and relieved +the 72nd Canadian Battalion there in reserve, moving +up the following night to the St. Emile sector, in front of +St. Pierre, where we took over the right sub-sector front +line from the 78th Canadian Battalion. The completion +of the relief had to be rather hurried, as the enemy +attacked at Oppy on March 28th, and the Canadians +were hastily sent there to help. Transport and Quarter-Master's +Stores had meanwhile gone to Fosse 10.</p> + +<p>The front line in this sector was now of course much +further forward, than when we were last there, as the +Canadians in connection with their attack on Hill 70, +had forced the enemy out of the whole of St. Pierre, +St. Laurent, and St. Emile Cités, back to the outskirts +of Lens itself. These Cités were now to all intents +and purposes destroyed, and presented nothing but +a <span class="pagenum"><a id="page226" name="page226"></a>(p. 226)</span> mass of streets heaped up with broken tiles, brick +and other débris, interspersed here and there with +trenches, the remains of houses, and a few shattered +trees. Amongst the ruins the Canadians had laid a +splendid system of tramways, and the transport of +stores and rations to the line was carried out every +night by this means, in a most expeditious manner. +Canadian Engineers continued to run the lines during +our stay, and we must confess that we did not envy the +drivers their job, for the lines went up uncomfortably +close to the front line, and a good deal of noise +accompanied the arrival and departure of the trains, +unloading of stores, and loading of empties for the +return journey, the guard or man in charge usually +helping matters with a few shrill blasts of his whistle, +quite in approved Canadian fashion.</p> + +<p>After a quiet tour of four days, we were relieved in +the early morning of April 1st, by the 6th Battalion, and +went back to Brigade support at St. Pierre, where we +lived in the cellars of the otherwise destroyed houses. +Our stay there was rendered less pleasant than it might +have been, by the fact that practically the whole of the +village was under observation from Lens, so that during +the day hardly any movement was possible, and most +of our exercise had to be taken by night, when we were +kept pretty busy with carrying and working parties. +The nightly gas shelling of the village made this work +anything but pleasant. Bathing parades too, were +held at night, and took place in the weirdest bathing +establishment we ever met, which was in the crypt of +the church. It was well protected by the ruins of the +church, and had been fitted up with a spray bath.</p> + +<p>On April 3rd, we relieved the 5th Battalion in the +line, and had a somewhat "thin" six days, owing to the +enemy being extremely active, particularly with heavy +trench mortars, with which he did a lot of damage to our +front <span class="pagenum"><a id="page227" name="page227"></a>(p. 227)</span> line, being particularly obnoxious on the night of +April 5/6th, in retaliation for one of our gas projector +shows. L.-Corpl. Beech did especially commendable +work during these days in charge of a Lewis gun post.</p> + +<p>One morning during a tour in the front line in this +sector. Col. Currin very nearly lost his runner. It was a +rather foggy morning, and the Commanding Officer +sent him to find an Officer in an adjoining Company. +Unfortunately the runner made a mistake at a trench +junction, and gaily followed an old communication +trench, running straight to the enemy's lines. It was +doubtful which party was the more surprised when he +suddenly found himself confronted by a Boche sentry +post behind a barricade. At any rate the latter were +too amazed to shoot, whilst true to his calling the runner +ran, and never stopped until he nearly crashed into the +arms of the Colonel, who was wondering what on earth +had happened.</p> + +<p>On April 9th, the 6th Battalion relieved us again, +and we went back to St. Pierre. On the same day there +happened an event which was to have an enormous +effect on the future of the war, at any rate so far as +the fighting on the Northern portion of the front was +concerned, viz., the attack on the British line immediately +North of the La Bassée Canal, and on the Portuguese in +the Neuve Chapelle area. The result was that whilst +the 55th Division put up a magnificent defence on the +Canal, and completely beat off all the enemy attacks, the +Portuguese gave way, and the enemy were able to push +on West for a considerable distance, until brought to +a halt by the British, who were later helped by reinforcements +rapidly sent up by the French. This had an +almost immediate effect on us, for on the night of April +11/12th, we were taken out of the line, being relieved +once more by the Canadians (13th Battalion) who were +hurried up from the area North of Arras, where things +seemed <span class="pagenum"><a id="page228" name="page228"></a>(p. 228)</span> to be quiet once more. After a great scramble, +relief was completed by 5.30 a.m. when it was practically +daylight. Some got rides on the trains which brought +up the Canadians, but the rest had to walk, and eventually +we all got to Noeux-les-Mines, where we had +breakfast and dinner, and proceeded in the afternoon +to Vaudricourt. The whole Division had been relieved—one +of the quickest reliefs known—and we now found +ourselves in Army Reserve, to be sent to any spot where +we might be required.</p> + +<p>Things once more were in a very "nervy" state, +as it was felt that ere long the enemy would make +another desperate attempt to capture the rest of the +mining area, either by direct frontal attack from the +East towards Béthune, or by continuing his enveloping +movement from the North, and attacking it from that +direction across the La Bassée Canal. A large part of +this area now formed a prominent salient, with the enemy +on the East and North, and the consequence was a +rapid evacuation of the French inhabitants from many +of the mining towns and villages in that district, including +Béthune, Beuvry, Annequin, Sailly-Labourse, Noeux-les-Mines, +and Bully Grenay—all of which we knew well. +For several days we watched the wretched inhabitants +toiling along the roads, taking with them by whatever +means they could, the few belongings they most treasured +or required. Some had carts loaded with bedding and +furniture, some their little dog carts full to overflowing, +others footed it burdened with loads almost beyond +human strength to carry. Ever the throng kept passing +back from the forward regions, having left everything +that they could not carry just as it was in their houses, +with no other protection than locked doors. Their cattle +and horses too, were driven back, and taken to pounds +in villages in safer regions. Several more mines had to +cease work, and the French miners thus thrown out of +employment <span class="pagenum"><a id="page229" name="page229"></a>(p. 229)</span> were mostly set to work in digging line upon +line of additional trenches about Fouquières and Drouvin, +for us to fall back on in case of a break through, as it +was determined to contest every bit of the ground to +the very utmost. Right well they worked, and in an +incredibly short time, they had dug miles of trenches, +and well wired them in front with substantial entanglements. +Our only fear was that if the enemy got through, +we should not have sufficient men to garrison these +trenches so excellently dug!</p> + +<p>This was probably the darkest period of the war. +The inspiring message from the Commander-in-Chief +was read to all ranks, and all indeed realised that we +had our backs to the wall and were fighting for our +very existence, and that it was touch and go whether +the Hun would not, after all, break through the whole +line and sweep through to the coast, and ultimately +to England.</p> + +<p>It was in these circumstances, after a few days +quiet training about Vaudricourt, that we got word at +2.30 a.m. on the morning of April 18th, that a German +prisoner had been captured, and had given information +to the effect that the enemy were going to make another +desperate attack that morning along the La Bassée +Canal. We were accordingly ordered at once to man +part of the Sailly-Labourse "Locality," known as the +"Tuning Fork Line," just in front of that village, so-called +because it formed part of a system of trenches and +breastworks shaped like a tuning fork. There was +some slight delay in getting the orders passed on, and +it was 4.30 a.m. before we marched off. This was +unfortunate, for we were not able to reach our battle +position before dawn, when the enemy's barrage began. +This as usual included heavy shelling of the rear roads +and villages through which we had to pass, particularly +Verquigneul and Sailly, where we suffered several +casualties, <span class="pagenum"><a id="page230" name="page230"></a>(p. 230)</span> and lost Corpl. Caudwell, who had done such +good work with the Transport, and two men killed and +several others wounded. One of the cookers was also +badly blown about by a shell in Verquigneul. We got +to our position at 6.30 a.m. where we were comparatively +comfortable. The enemy had actually attacked at +Givenchy, but once again, thanks to the 1st and 55th +Divisions, he was completely defeated, and never again +did he try to get through on this part of the front. We +were kept in our positions here for two days, by which +time things had become normal once more, and in the +afternoon of April 20th, we marched back to our billets +at Vaudricourt.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER XIII <span class="pagenum"><a id="page231" name="page231"></a>(p. 231)</span></h3> + +<h5>GORRE AND ESSARS</h5> + +<p class="figcenter"><i>April 21st, 1918.</i>— +<i>September 6th, 1918.</i></p> + +<p class="p2">Two days after our return to Vaudricourt, the +46th Division was called upon to relieve the 3rd +Division in the area North of the La Bassée Canal, afterwards +known as Gorre and Essars sectors, where they +had recently held up the German attack. This front +extended from the 55th Division boundary on the right, +near Givenchy, where the line bent now almost at a right +angle, to Mesplaux Farm on the Lawe Canal, on the left, +this line being more or less parallel with the La Bassée +Canal, and at the nearest point about two and-a-half +miles from Béthune.</p> + +<p>Leaving Vaudricourt on the evening of April 23rd, +we marched the short journey to Béthune, where after +some rearrangement, we were eventually allotted billets +in one of the French Barracks. How changed was our +favourite old town of Béthune! From the earliest days +of the war a resting place for the traveller, the chief +shopping centre for a very wide area, probably the most +popular and best known town to British Troops on the +whole of the Western Front, full of life, and to a certain +extent gaiety, although within such a short distance +of the line, she had now been deserted by all her +inhabitants, and was like a city of the dead. Previously +only hit by a few stray shells on odd occasions, she +was now being bombarded regularly, as the enemy had +brought up his guns much closer, and they had already +made their presence known in no uncertain manner. +Everywhere notices had been put up warning troops +against the crime of looting, but is it not more than +human <span class="pagenum"><a id="page232" name="page232"></a>(p. 232)</span> nature can stand to see houses, as they were +here, often open for anyone to walk straight into, filled +with all kinds of valuables, many quite easy to carry +away, and all liable at any instant to be destroyed by +shell or fire?</p> + +<p>At the moment, however, we had little time to +trouble about the town ourselves, as on April 24th, we +moved out again. After a novel and amusing cricket +match—if such it could be called—in the Barrack Square +in the afternoon, we relieved at night the 2nd Royal +Scots in the right sub-sector of the Essars sector, with +two Companies in the front line and two in support, +Battalion Headquarters being at Le Hamel, in the cellar +of a farmhouse. Company Commanders at this time +were: A, Capt. Andrews; B, Capt. C. P. Elliott; +C, 2nd Lieut. Kent, who had taken over command when +Major Cursham went to hospital; D, Capt. Simonet. +It was fortunate that they had been up to reconnoitre +the day before, for when platoons reached the appointed +rendezvous, the guides were not there. We had had +sufficient experience by this time to know that, +although all possible precautions were taken, it was +a most difficult problem to make certain that every +guide was a picked man, knew exactly where he was +to meet his party, what that party was, and where +it was to be guided to, and to be able to do all this +by night without a hitch. Ian Hay has classified guides +in two grades (a) the guide who doesn't know the way +and tells you so; (b) the guide who doesn't know the +way and doesn't tell you so until he has lost both you +and himself. We might add to this (c) the guide who +doesn't turn up! In this case however, nothing desperate +happened, and in due course the relief was carried out.</p> + +<p>The conditions here were indeed novel, and more +like those of "open warfare" than any we had yet +experienced. It might almost be said that we had now +bidden <span class="pagenum"><a id="page233" name="page233"></a>(p. 233)</span> farewell to real trenches, for, though the line in +the Gorre and Essars sectors, remained stationary for +nearly four months and trenches certainly were dug, +from now onwards we never had quite the same type +of front line as we had hitherto been accustomed to. +The German rush had been brought to a halt, not many +days before we took over, so that there were practically +no defences of any kind. The outpost line consisted of +a few shell-holes, and small slits dug in the ground at +intervals with a very small amount of barbed wire in +front. The support line, known as the "Liverpool Line," +consisted mainly of a few slits, but was protected for a +great portion of its length by the Beuvry River, and a +fair barbed wire entanglement. A few shelters had +already been made in both lines, by putting sheets of +corrugated iron over some of the small trenches which +had been dug, and camouflaging them with earth. +Some distance behind the Liverpool Line there +were some old breastworks, forming part of a reserve +line, which some of us remembered seeing the French +constructing in the Autumn of 1915, when we were in +the Vieille Chapelle area, just North of this. In some +of these there were small concrete shelters very much +like old-fashioned pigsties, which on the left of the +Essars sector, were used for Battalion Headquarters. +There were of course no communication trenches +whatever, all communication to the front posts being +over the top, mostly by tracks through the growing +crops.</p> + +<p>The whole area was perfectly flat, and almost +entirely under observation, so that by day no movement +was possible, and no work could be done, and as the +nights were now getting shorter and shorter, very few +hours in every 24 could be utilised for doing the work +we were so anxious to get on with. There was nothing +to be done by day, apart from ordinary sentry duty, +except <span class="pagenum"><a id="page234" name="page234"></a>(p. 234)</span> to keep out of sight and make ourselves as +comfortable as very cramped quarters would allow.</p> + +<p>A further disadvantage was that the water level in +the ground was very near the surface, so that dug-outs +were impossible, and the most we could do was to put +up small corrugated iron shelters, mainly in T-shaped +saps running back from the trenches. These we pushed +on with as rapidly as possible, in order to afford some +protection in case of bad weather. In this respect we +were extremely lucky, and for a very great part of our +stay the weather was delightful, days and sometimes +weeks together passing without a single drop of rain.</p> + +<p>The first tour of four days was quiet, except for some +gas shelling, which the Boche was doing much more +extensively now, especially about sunrise and sunset, +when he was particularly fond of dosing Battalion +Headquarters at Le Hamel, and Essars and Gorre. +At the latter place the château and the wood were +the favourite targets, and on several occasions were +absolutely drenched with gas. At this time it was mainly +"yellow cross" or "mustard" gas that was used, a very +deadly gas, affecting any part of the body exposed to +it, and particularly dangerous when the sun was up. +A certain amount of "green cross" or "phosgene" +which was decidedly dangerous, was also used, as well +as a little "blue cross," which apart from making one +sneeze had no very ill effect, unless inhaled in large +quantities. During this tour we did little except get used +to the new conditions, and try to find our way about. +It was the simplest thing in the world to get in front of the +outpost line without knowing you were there, and on +occasions people were even discovered in No Man's Land +asking for the support line! Visiting the posts in the +front line was also at first more or less a matter of +conjecture, but in course of time most of them were +joined up by a continuous trench. At first the novelty +of <span class="pagenum"><a id="page235" name="page235"></a>(p. 235)</span> it all amused us, and after all it was a very welcome +change from ordinary trench life.</p> + +<p>It was during the first tour that we had the great +misfortune to lose a very gallant Officer and sportsman—H. K. +Simonet. He had moved his Company Headquarters +from an unprotected shell-hole to a cottage at +Les Façons, in the outpost line itself, only to get a direct +hit on it almost immediately which resulted in Simonet +and his runner, Pvte. Garratt, one of the most reliable +and gallant men in the Battalion, being badly wounded. +Neither recovered, and they were buried near each other +in the Cemetery at Lapugnoy. A most capable Officer, +of fine leadership and magnificent character, "Simmy" +was liked by all and his loss was felt most keenly throughout +the Battalion. He was succeeded in command of +D Company by Lieut. Warner, whose place as Signalling +Officer was taken by 2nd Lieut. Stephenson.</p> + +<p>On April 28th, we were relieved by the 5th Leicesters, +and moved back into Divisional Reserve at Fouquières, +where we stayed four days, during which the chief +excitement was that we had to stand to in the early +hours of May 1st, as there were rumours of another +German attack, which fortunately did not mature.</p> + +<p>We took over from the 6th South Staffords in support +in the Gorre sector, on May 2nd, and had something of +a shock on finding that they had lost nearly 50 per +cent. of their numbers during their tour by mustard +gas poisoning, with which the Boche had literally +drenched the whole of Gorre Wood and château, and +most of the village. It was not a comfortable +introduction to the sector! Fortunately most of the +casualties proved to be slight, and the greater part were +able to rejoin a few days later.</p> + +<a id="img022" name="img022"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img022.jpg" width="500" height="401" alt="Gorre Brewery And Bridge, 1918." title="Gorre Brewery And Bridge, 1918."> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Gorre Brewery And Bridge, 1918. +<i>Reproduced by permission of the Imperial War Museum.</i></p> + +<p>There was nothing fresh about the kind of work +required of us in support. It was as ever, and was for +several more months, the carrying of Royal Engineers' +and <span class="pagenum"><a id="page236" name="page236"></a>(p. 236)</span> other material to front line Battalions, and the +provision of working parties for Royal Engineers. +How we blessed them and their working parties! It +would fill a book much larger than the present one to +attempt to put down half what one thought, and what +one heard and said about them, but this shall be our last +uncivil remark! They had a splendid dump at Le +Quesnoy, known as "Kantara." Situated next door +to the station and canal, almost adjoining the road, +and having a branch from the tramline running into it, +this dump could not very well have been in a more +suitable position, though the same advantages made it +a most convenient target for the Hun gunners. Almost +next door to it was Gorre Brewery, also very well situated, +and having the additional attraction of a tall chimney +which gave the Boche the line of the bridge over the +canal a few yards behind it. Though they did some +quite good shooting at these targets and damaged the +canal bridge, the chimney in the end was blown up by +our own Sappers. In view of these facts it seemed at +first rather curious that this spot should have been chosen +for the Headquarters of the support Battalion and the +Aid Post. Perhaps the first people went there to find +the beer; if so they certainly took it all, for there was +none left when we got there!</p> + +<p>On May 4th, we relieved the 6th Battalion in the +right or "Route A Keep" sub-sector, undoubtedly the +unhealthiest part of the whole Divisional front. The +so-called "Keep" was merely the highest ground in +the locality, overlooking the Boche to a certain extent, +and so an important tactical feature, though having +nothing in the way of defences to warrant the term +"Keep." There had been considerable fighting over +its possession during the time the 55th Division held +this area, and counter-attacks were made time and +again by the enemy to get them out. Eventually they +got <span class="pagenum"><a id="page237" name="page237"></a>(p. 237)</span> tired, and in the end, after its capture by the +Stafford Brigade on April 29th, they made no further +efforts to retake it. Corpses lay on all sides, both of +our own troops and of the enemy, and made the place +distinctly offensive. Life was made still more unpleasant +by constant trench mortaring and shelling, +whilst protection was of the scantiest. We tried to +improve this during our first tour by digging an advanced +trench well in front of the outpost line, and so as to +conform with the front lines of flank battalions. Though +the trench was dug with little interruption on the part +of the enemy, we did not exactly look upon it as a +masterpiece, nor by any means our best piece of work +in France, but it served its purpose very well, and in time +was considerably improved.</p> + +<p>On May 10th, we went back to bivouacs in +Vaudricourt Park, in Divisional Reserve. These +bivouacs and the villages of Fouquières and Verquin, +were from now onwards allotted in rotation to the +three Battalions of the Brigade out at rest.</p> + +<p>The atmosphere during the greater part of May was +again very "breezy." From various sources, including +prisoners' statements, our Intelligence Department +were led to believe that another big attack was going to +be made, and might begin at any moment, with the +object of getting Béthune, and the rest of the coalfield. +In fact, so great was the general anxiety on the occasion +of our relief on May 10th, that we had to remain in the +Béthune "Locality" all night. The attack passed +off without happening, as did several others! The +bridges over the La Bassée Canal were mined and +guarded by Sapper and Infantry sentries, with instructions +as to blowing them up in case a further withdrawal +became necessary. We felt quite certain that they +would be blown up alright should the occasion arise, +but had grave doubts as to what might befall those who +happened <span class="pagenum"><a id="page238" name="page238"></a>(p. 238)</span> to be on the wrong side of the Canal! That +well-known landmark, Béthune Church Tower, which +commanded views for miles in all directions, had also +had a powerful charge laid at its base, so that it might +be blown up in the event of our retirement. Ultimately +it was blown up, not on account of any retirement on +our part, but by the enemy shelling the town. Having +brought up numbers of guns into the newly-formed +Merville salient, they shelled Béthune daily, until on +May 17th, a shell landed near enough to the base of the +Church Tower to explode the charge, and the remnants +of the tower disappeared with the most appalling +explosion, followed by an enormous cloud of dust and +débris, bricks and stones being thrown for hundreds of +yards. Numerous incendiary shells were also fired into +the town, and with the delightful weather we were then +having it did not take long to set fire to the whole of the +central congested part, which blazed away for days. It +was a glorious sight to watch the flames and the smoke +rolling away, but sad to see so much useless destruction.</p> + +<p>The constant fear of further enemy attacks, coupled +with the absolute impossibility of our thinking of any +offensive action for some considerable time, decided +the authorities that a really strong line of resistance +was of first importance. Work of Battalions holding +the line was, therefore, concentrated on strengthening +the Liverpool Line, whilst Divisional troops, Royal +Engineers, Monmouths, and special working parties +found by the Brigade in reserve, were engaged in building +lines behind, known as the "Manchester" and +"Newcastle" lines. To build a double line of breastworks +protected by barbed wire entanglements along the +whole Divisional front was a colossal task. The wire +was put up, and long sections of breastwork were more +or less completed, but by that time things had fortunately +so altered that no further defensive work was necessary. +The <span class="pagenum"><a id="page239" name="page239"></a>(p. 239)</span> other important work was the improvement of +billets in the forward area, which was destitute of +buildings, except for a few farm houses and cottages, +mostly knocked about by shell fire. With the possible +prospect of having to winter here, efforts were made to +improve these buildings, by putting inside them +"Elephant" shelters, covered with concrete. The +Royal Engineers made considerable progress with this +work, and before we left, several comfortable billets +had been thus improvised.</p> + +<p>Another work in which all could help—no matter +what their rank—and which took a prominent part in +our daily life in these days, was "Salvage." Undoubtedly +there was apt to be great waste by allowing material to +be left lying about, and at this time there was a pressing +need to retrieve everything that could possibly be +found. We did our best and endeavoured to rescue such +articles as 18-pounder guns and limbers, which we thought +might come in useful, but judging from the screeds that +were received as to "the true spirit of salvage" we +were wrong, and found that the returns of salvage that +got the most marks were those containing such items as +"socks 200" (got generally from derelict Quarter-Master's +Stores found in the forward area, and packed +into a limber in about half-a-minute), but the work +entailed in hauling 18-pounders and limbers out of +dangerous parts of the front, apparently counted for +little. Towards the end of our stay, when we moved into +the XIII Corps (Lieut.-General Morland) and Fifth Army +(General Birdwood), even greater attention was paid to +salvage, and every scrap of paper had to be returned +to the Paper Dump, bottles to the Bottle Dump, tins to +special incinerators, to have the solder melted out and +collected, and so on, all no doubt of vital necessity, +though seeming at the time rather a bore to carry out.</p> + +<p>By <span class="pagenum"><a id="page240" name="page240"></a>(p. 240)</span> the end of May several changes had taken place +in the personnel of the Battalion, not the least important +being that of the Quarter-Master. Torrance, who had not +been well for some time, went to England for a tour of +home duty at the end of April. Lieut. Dale, who acted +in his place for a few days, managed to get wounded, and +then Regimental Quarter-Master Sergt. Pritchard carried +on until May 26th, when Lieut. J. Brewer from the +"Pool" of Quarter-Masters at the Base joined for duty. +Kent, in command of C Company, had a very brief +period in which to enjoy the Company Commander's +well-earned privilege of being granted the rank and pay +of Captain, for he got badly wounded by a machine +gun bullet on May 31st, in the Gorre sector, and was +succeeded by Capt. Miners. We also lost 2nd Lieuts. +Christian, Judd, Jewel, and Fairbrother—all wounded—and +2nd Lieut. Russell, sick. Reinforcement Officers +who joined were 2nd Lieuts. A. D. H. Dunkin and +H. Hallam.</p> + +<p>Trench reliefs continued more or less according to +schedule, 12 days being spent in the line to six out at +rest, and though there were minor excitements now and +then, nothing exceptional happened on our part of the +front for many weeks, although on May 27th, the enemy +renewed his attacks near Rheims in the South, and +Locre in the North, and made some further progress. +Of the Brigade sectors, Essars was looked upon as the +more preferable, if only on account of the excellent +vegetables which grew there in large quantities, and +needless to say, found their way to the messes of Officers +and men alike, where they were a most welcome addition +to rations. There were also numbers of livestock left +behind by the French, which owing to the rapid onrush +of the Boche they had been unable to take with them. +It is reported that two pigs found at "Tank" or +"Portuguese" farm, by a certain Company Commander +were <span class="pagenum"><a id="page241" name="page241"></a>(p. 241)</span> not unconnected with a noticeable improvement +in the rations the next time we were out at rest! A cow +which was kept at Battalion Headquarters for a few +days, came to an unfortunate end by dying of gas +poisoning!</p> + +<p>In order that the men might do a little cooking for +themselves in the trenches, as it was impossible to take +hot meals up to them by day, special issues of "Tommies' +Cookers" were made, with which they were able to make +hot drinks, and warm their savoury "Maconochies," +"Meat and Vegetables," "Pork and Beans," and other +delicacies, whilst during the night hot porridge and +tea were made at Battalion Headquarters, and sent round +in food containers.</p> + +<p>Rations were taken up each night in the early days +by our own Transport, which had been provided with lines +in a rather low lying field at Fouquières, but later moved +to the back of Divisional Headquarters at Gosnay, +where timber and corrugated iron brought back from +derelict horse lines in the forward area, made useful huts +and shelters. There was little to choose between the +sectors so far as transport was concerned, for the shelling +of roads was a regular feature of the enemy's offensive +action, particularly during the night. It seemed of +little use trying to avoid it by going earlier or later, +for at whatever time transport was about, there were +sure to be shells, mostly gas. The most lively spots +were Gorre and Le Quesnoy villages on the right, and the +road between Béthune Cemetery Corner and Le Hamel +on the left, and it was always advisable to "get a move +on" at night along these particular roads. Later on +the trench tramway system, which already existed on +the right, was improved and extended to the Essars +sector, and eventually stores of all kinds were taken up +each night to both sectors in that way, the trains being +loaded up at "Speedwell Spur," near Fouquières. +The <span class="pagenum"><a id="page242" name="page242"></a>(p. 242)</span> engine was taken off at Essars on the left, and at +Le Quesnoy on the right, and from there the trucks +were man-handled forward to Battalion Headquarters, +or other points.</p> + +<p>During the first three and a half months of this +period we were not called upon to carry out a raid or +attack of any kind. Gunners and Trench Mortar people +carried out shoots on various occasions, and our machine +gunners, who were now formed into one Battalion for +the Division, made the most horrible noise every night +with their "barrages," but we were let off with nothing +more serious than patrolling. The country was admirably +adapted to this form of reconnaissance, and patrols +were out by day almost as much as by night. The corn +crops which covered much of the area, were of course +left untouched (except just in front of our lines, where +they were cut so as to afford a field of fire), and provided +excellent cover, as did also the hedges and ditches, which +were fairly frequent, and by these means it was possible +to get right up to the German outpost line by daylight, +and at times even past it. The enemy, of course, played +the same game, and unfortunately on one occasion +managed to snaffle the N.C.O. and two men from one +of our posts. Sometimes patrols went out just before +dawn, and remained out the whole of the day, observing +from some ditch or other place of concealment, returning +to our lines again when darkness fell. Of the many +splendid patrols carried out, probably the most daring +were those by Capt. Andrews, who had previously got +a good "chit" from the Corps and Divisional Commanders, +for an excellent daylight patrol at "Hairpin +Craters," in the St. Elie sector. It is reported that on +one occasion, when trying to get back to our line +he was mistaken for an enemy patrol, and fired on by +his own Lewis gunners, and that when he did eventually +get safely back, the No. 1 of the team got severely +straffed <span class="pagenum"><a id="page243" name="page243"></a>(p. 243)</span> for his poor shooting! Others who did most +excellent work in connection with patrolling were Lieuts. +Elphick and G. G. Elliott; 2nd Lieuts. Spinney, C. M. +Bedford, Hallam, Seymour, Sellis, and Fairbrother; +Comp. Sergt.-Major Rawding; Sergts. Brett, Teece and +Sharrock; Corpls. T. H. Johnson, Foster, Brooks and +Hurt; L.-Corpl. Beech, and Pvtes. Stanley and Hinton +(A Company), Curley, Walker and Elliott (B Company), +Green (a Stretcher Bearer), and Miller (C Company), +and Huckerby, Wildsmith, and Stubbings (D Company).</p> + +<a id="img023" name="img023"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img023.jpg" width="500" height="390" alt="The Clock Tower, Béthune, 1918." title="The Clock Tower, Béthune, 1918."> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">The Clock Tower, Béthune, 1918. +<i>Reproduced by permission of the Imperial War Museum.</i></p> + +<p>So far as training was concerned, an important +change was made during this period by the formation +of the "Battle Details," into what became known as +the "Divisional Wing." As the periods out of the line, +were too short for any satisfactory Battalion training, +to be carried out, a number of Officers and men selected +from each Battalion were left out of the line at regular +intervals, to undergo a short course of general training. +These courses usually lasted for twelve days. The +first assembly was at Bruay, but later more permanent +quarters were found at the aerodrome at Hesdigneul. +Each Brigade had its own "Wing," and each Battalion +had a Senior Officer on the spot to supervise the training. +Lieut. C. H. Powell of our Battalion was for some time +a most efficient Adjutant of the 139th Brigade Wing. +Lewis gun training and instruction in the meaning of +"Chain of Command" were at this time perhaps the +most important points. Every man in the Battalion +had to be taught to load and fire the Lewis gun, and to +know not only who his commanders were, but how the +command might descend to him in case of casualties. +Fresh issues of Lewis guns, which were made from time +to time, allowed each Company to have eight. Their +transport was provided by the allotment of two limbered +wagons per Company, which carried, in addition to the +guns, their ammunition "drums," spare parts, some +boxed <span class="pagenum"><a id="page244" name="page244"></a>(p. 244)</span> ammunition, and other paraphernalia. Lieut. +Bradish, a most conscientious Lewis gun Officer, both +in and out of the line, was responsible for the Lewis +gun work, in which he was ably helped by Sergts. King, +Teece, and Milne.</p> + +<p>There were two Brigade Ceremonial parades during +this period, both of which were held at Gosnay. On +May 28th, the Divisional Commander inspected us and +presented medals, and on June 10th, General Horne, +commanding the First Army, honoured us in a similar +way. Both inspections went off well, and without +any adverse criticisms.</p> + +<p>For entertainments we had the "Whizz-bangs," +who seldom gave better shows than we got almost every +night in the hut in Vaudricourt Wood, and the Cinema +at Divisional Headquarters at Gosnay. There were the +additional attractions of estaminets and shops in the +neighbouring villages, especially Verquin, where we had +many a good dinner, and drank many bottles of Veuve +Cliquot at the estaminet of a great favourite of the +Battalion, Mlle. Bertha.</p> + +<p>On July 18th, a whole day was given up to Battalion +Sports, on the aerodrome at Hesdigneul. Beginning +at 9 a.m. they were not over until 7.30 p.m., after a most +successful day, which was mainly due to the excellent +arrangements made by Major Gingell, and Sergt. Major +Mounteney. At the Brigade Horse Show and Sports +held two days later, we won first prize for a good type +of Officer's Charger, a chestnut, at one time ridden by +Capt. Whitton, and later by the Second-in-Command +(this horse won again a little later at the Divisional +Show), whilst the first three places in the Cross-country +Run also fell to the Battalion, and firsts in +the 100 yards and quarter mile races. Whilst we were +not quite so successful at these shows with Transport +turnouts, their smartness reflected great credit on the +Transport <span class="pagenum"><a id="page245" name="page245"></a>(p. 245)</span> Officer, Lieut. Tomlinson, and that veteran +N.C.O. Sergt. Blunt. As they had got the Transport +satisfactorily through one of Major-General Thwaites's +critical inspections early in June, we felt sure there +could be little cause for complaint.</p> + +<p>What was, perhaps, from a rather selfish point of +view, a drawback to the long spells of fine weather and +brilliant moonlight nights that we had during this period, +was that it enabled the enemy to make frequent night +bombing raids. Our own bombing squadrons of course, +did precisely the same thing, but it was not pleasant to +be disturbed at night when out at rest, by aeroplanes, +cruising around and dropping bombs. Fortunately +we escaped with little harm, but the billets and Transport +Lines of many Units suffered severely. For our better +protection in this respect, a regular system of anti-aircraft +defence was devised, and a special allotment +of Lewis guns made for the purpose. These were mounted +on poles, fixed at various points in the trenches, at the +Transport Lines, and in the vicinity of the more important +villages behind the line. Though perhaps in a general +way they added to our protection against aeroplanes, +for which we had hitherto relied almost entirely on our +anti-aircraft guns, known as "Archies," we seldom +saw them bring anything down, and were inclined to +look upon them as likely to give away the positions +they were supposed to be protecting.</p> + +<p>As the months went by several changes took place in +personnel. We lost Capt. Whitton, who after being +Adjutant for 14 months, went for duty to the First Army +Rest Camp at the end of June, and was succeeded by +2nd Lieut. Martin. Capt. Warner went to the Divisional +Signal Company early in July, and D Company was +then taken over by Capt. White. Second Lieuts. +Bromham and Russell went down sick, and 2nd Lieut. +Elphick to the Machine Gun Corps. New Officers who +joined <span class="pagenum"><a id="page246" name="page246"></a>(p. 246)</span> were 2nd Lieuts. E. J. Taylor, James Howard +Smith, T. J. Sellis, H. M. Toyne, F. L. Harrap, J. F. +Shackleton, F. T. W. Saunders, W. Pennington, S. A. +Tebbutt, and S. Bradwell, D.C.M., and we were given a +new Padre in the person of D. E. Sturt. Sergt. Bescoby, +who had done excellent work in charge of the Stretcher +Bearers, became Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. of A +Company, in place of Godfrey, who left to train for a +commission. Our strength was kept fairly level by +drafts, and we averaged throughout this period about +40 Officers, and 920 other ranks.</p> + +<p>Our somewhat humdrum existence eventually +came to an end about the middle of August. By this +time the German offensive had finally ceased, having +received its knock-out blow in the fruitless attack made +against the French near Rheims on July 15th. On +this occasion the French had received ample warning +of the attack, and were consequently able to dispose +their forces in such a manner as to inflict appalling +casualties on the enemy with insignificant losses to +themselves. This was followed up by a series of attacks +by French, Americans, British, and Italians, which +began on July 18th and finally drove the enemy out +of the Marne Valley. Even before that time it had +been realised that the Germans were not likely to make +any further attacks on our part of the front, and about +the middle of July we had gone so far as to contemplate +an offensive in the Merville salient. Preliminary plans +were actually made for the attack to be made on July +15th, by the Canadians and our own Division, but +eventually the scheme was cancelled.</p> + +<p>The offensive in the South met with extraordinary +success at all points, and soon extended to the Third +Army area, nearly as far North as Lens, with the result +that in the end the Boche decided that he must take +steps to withdraw from the Merville salient. His +offensive <span class="pagenum"><a id="page247" name="page247"></a>(p. 247)</span> on this front was, undoubtedly, from the +first a serious strategic error. The unexpected ease +with which the enemy had advanced on the Portugese +front had induced him to push forward further than +had been the first intention. Consequently, in holding +the inner portion of a most pronounced salient on flat +ground, overlooked from the high land south of the +La Bassée Canal, he had at last experienced some of +those difficulties and losses which had been for so long +our experience in the Ypres salient. The many destroyed +guns which we ultimately found on our subsequent +advance bore witness, not only to the remarkable +accuracy and efficiency of our own artillery, but to +the folly of attempting to hold the salient when once +the possibility of capturing Béthune and the area South +of the Canal had disappeared. Owing to this mistake +of tactics and strategy there is no question that the +enemy's losses had been extremely heavy since his +advance in April.</p> + +<p>During the second week in August, whilst we were +in the Gorre sector, we heard that the enemy were +carrying out extensive demolitions behind the line, and +our patrols were constantly out, so as to ensure keeping +touch, should he begin to move back. He had already +begun to do so on our left, but we were not actually +affected until August 19th, by which time we had moved +across to the Essars right sub-sector. About noon on +that day, our left Company reported that the enemy had +evacuated several of the front line posts astride the +Rue-du-Bois. A and D Companies, which were in the +front line, accordingly sent out strong patrols to keep +touch, the remainder moving forward to the old German +front line. Some 600 yards in front of our old line, +lay the hamlet of Le Touret. This was cleared by the +leading Companies with little opposition, except for a +few snipers left to harass our advance, and by evening +the <span class="pagenum"><a id="page248" name="page248"></a>(p. 248)</span> line ran East of that place, a total advance of about +1,000 yards. The same night we handed over to the 6th +North Staffords. On August 26th, the Battalion moved +up to support in the Gorre sector, and was disposed +about the Tuning Fork Breastworks, with Battalion +Headquarters by the canal side, near Le Préol. Lieut. +G. G. Elliott was badly wounded here during a bombardment +of the position held by A Company, of which he +was then in command. A battery of guns had been +put in the orchard adjoining his Headquarters, in spite +of many protests, and naturally drew a considerable +amount of shelling. Several men were wounded at the +same time. "G.G." had succeeded Capt. Andrews, +who had recently been appointed Second-in-Command +on Major Gingell's departure for a tour of duty at home, +and the command of A Company now passed to Lieut. +Thomas.</p> + +<p>Re-adjustments of the Divisional front became +necessary, owing to the continued withdrawal of the +enemy, and on September 1st, we crossed over to relieve +our 6th Battalion in the left Brigade sector. Here +the withdrawal had been fairly rapid, Lacouture and +Vieille Chapelle both having been evacuated, and the +enemy were now holding a line roughly running from +Richebourg St. Vaast through "Windy Corner" to +Richebourg L'Avoué, the general direction of our advance +being North-East. At the time we relieved them, the +6th Battalion were engaged in sharp encounters trying +to dislodge the enemy from a number of posts just West +of Windy Corner. We continued this hole and corner +fighting, and on September 3rd, C Company occupied +"Hens Post," Windy Corner, and "Edward's Post," +after some sharp scrapping, taking one wounded prisoner, +whilst B Company occupied "Dogs Post" without +opposition.</p> + +<p>Very <span class="pagenum"><a id="page249" name="page249"></a>(p. 249)</span> gallant work was done during this fighting +by Corpl. Mosgrove, who in spite of heavy fire +established liaison with the Company on his right which +was held up, thereby enabling the advance to continue; +by Pvte. Stamford, a Stretcher Bearer, who on two +separate occasions went forward into the open, in full +view of enemy snipers at close range to help wounded +comrades, and by L.-Corpl. Beech, who did exceptionally +good work in charge of a Lewis gun team.</p> + +<p>Those who had been with the Battalion in the +Autumn of 1915, were now on familiar ground, as the +fighting was taking place on what was then the area +just behind the line that we held in the Richebourg +sector. The capture of the posts about Windy Corner +straightened out the line, and enabled us to obtain +suitable jumping-off positions for an attack which was +to take place the following day, as it had been decided +to speed up the enemy's retreat in this part, and drive +him back far enough to enable us to retake the old +British front line near Neuve Chapelle, the enemy being +at this moment about 2,000 yards West of that line.</p> + +<p>Instructions for the attack were issued somewhat +hurriedly during the night. B and C were to be the +leading Companies, with A and D in support. The 5th +Leicesters were attacking on our right, and the 19th +Division on the left. There was little or no time to make +any reconnaissance. Zero was 5.15 a.m. on September +4th, and the barrage came down on the stroke 200 +yards East of a line through "Haystack," "Orchard," +"Albert," "Dogs" and "Edward's" Posts. Having +remained on this line four minutes it moved forward +at the rate of 100 yards in two minutes, closely followed +by the leading troops. The enemy made little resistance, +and had evidently decided not to offer any serious +defence to operations on a large scale, but to get out of +the way as quickly as possible. The result was that +within <span class="pagenum"><a id="page250" name="page250"></a>(p. 250)</span> a couple of hours we had regained possession of the +old British front line, and the "contact aeroplane" +which cruised round a little later, saw our ground flares +burning in the identical trenches we held in November, +1915. The 5th Leicesters met with equal success, and +were abreast of us on the same line. The 19th Division +on our left had met with considerable resistance at +Neuve Chapelle, and did not get the whole of their +objective until later in the day. The enemy had decided +for the moment to stand on his old line running through +the Bois-du-Biez, a strong position, from which it would +be difficult to dislodge him. The troops on our left +suffered several casualties in a fruitless endeavour to +push platoons forward into the wood. Our casualties +were negligible owing to the feeble resistance offered, +and the weak counter-barrage put down. Battalion +Headquarters moved immediately after the attack to +"Lansdowne Post."</p> + +<p>Communication had been well maintained during +this and other recent advances, and we were seldom +out of touch by telephone, either with advanced +Companies or with Brigade Headquarters. In fact, +on the advance into Le Touret, there was so much +cover available, on or near the Rue du Bois that a forward +Signalling Station, supplied by a South and a North +line, was established only a few hundred yards behind +the front line, within a few minutes of that line being +consolidated, and of these two lines the North line +was not a mere ground line, but a poled cable. We owed +it to the untiring efforts of the Signal Section, under +Lieut. Stephenson, ably backed by Sergt. Templeman, +Corpl. Osborne and others, that communications were +kept up so well.</p> + +<p>The peace that we enjoyed for the rest of the day, +was unfortunately not maintained, for on September +5th, the Boche made things unpleasant by shelling the +various <span class="pagenum"><a id="page251" name="page251"></a>(p. 251)</span> posts we were holding, which were nothing but +isolated shallow trenches with a few corrugated iron +shelters covered with earth. One of these, which was +used as Battalion Headquarters, got a direct hit with +a 4.2 whilst the whole of the Headquarters' staff, except +the Medical Officer were in it. The result was disastrous. +Every Officer in it was wounded, though "Andy" +escaped with nothing worse than a few scratches. Col. +Currin got a leg damaged, Martin the Adjutant, and +Elly, Intelligence Officer, both got broken legs, and +several other wounds. Stephenson and Taylor (Works +Officer) were also wounded in the leg, whilst Spinney +(Assistant Adjutant) and Salmon (Artillery Liaison +Officer), sustained serious head and face wounds. Elly +died the following day at the Casualty Clearing Station, +at Pernes.</p> + +<p>Owing to the continuance of the shelling, Battalion +Headquarters moved to Hens Post near Windy +Corner, but again were not left alone, as the enemy +put over some eight-inch and gas shells in the vicinity. +Altogether it was a decidedly unpleasant day, and we +were not sorry to hear that the 19th Division were to +relieve us the same night. The relieving Battalion, the +9th Cheshires, fortunately for them did not arrive until +things had quietened down, and the relief, if somewhat +lengthy, was carried out more or less in peace. The +lucky ones got a ride from Le Touret on the light railway, +but the trains for the rest failed to turn up, and +they had to foot it back to Beuvry, where the Battalion +was billeted, with Major Andrews in temporary +command.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER XIV <span class="pagenum"><a id="page252" name="page252"></a>(p. 252)</span></h3> + +<h5>AUCHEL TO PONTRUET</h5> + +<p class="figcenter"><i>Sept. 7th, 1918.</i>— +<i>Sept. 26th, 1918.</i></p> + +<p class="p2">We left Beuvry on the morning of Sept. 7th and +were taken back on the light railway to Ferfay. +On this occasion, much to our surprise, the trains moved +off at the scheduled time. From Ferfay it was but a +short march to Auchel, another mining village, where +we found very good billets, and were welcomed in their +usual hospitable way by the French miners and their +families. Thanks to a most generous Town Major we +got all sorts of little billet comforts, of which he seemed to +have an unlimited supply, whilst opposite the Headquarters +Mess was a very comfortable little restaurant, +bearing the sign, "Cosy Corner," where we found helping +to run the show, an old friend known to us in earlier +days at Béthune as "Lily."</p> + +<p>On the day after our arrival Lieut.-Col. J. F. +Dempster, D.S.O., 2nd Manchesters, took over command +of the Battalion, Major Andrews resuming the duties of +Second-in-Command, and Lieut. C. H. Powell temporarily +acting as Adjutant. Changes had also taken place in the +Higher Commands in the Division. Brigadier-General +John Harington, D.S.O., from the 46th Machine Gun +Battalion, had succeeded General Wood in command of +the 139th Brigade, and Major-General Thwaites, who +had laboured so assiduously to keep the Division up to +the highest pitch of perfection in every respect, had gone +to England to take up the duties of Director of Military +Intelligence at the War Office, and we now had the +pleasure of meeting his successor, Major-General G. F. +Boyd, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., D.C.M., who was to command +the <span class="pagenum"><a id="page253" name="page253"></a>(p. 253)</span> Division for the rest of the war. He came to see us +at Auchel, and we soon realised that under his leadership, +given ordinary luck, we could not help doing well. Fresh +from the battles of the South, he had much to tell us +about the latest forms of attack, particularly those +carried out in conjunction with Tanks, and we were not +long in finding out that what he could not tell us about +the kind of fighting that was going on was not worth +knowing. He introduced to us the system of advancing +in the early stages of the attack in the "Blob" formation, +that is, with Companies on wide frontages, echelonned in +depth, with each Platoon in a line of sections in "blobs," +or small and somewhat open groups. With this formation +there was less likelihood of severe casualties from shelling +or machine guns, whilst it was a most simple formation +from which extensions could be carried out, and at the +same time it allowed the Section Commander to retain +control of his men up to the last possible moment. This +system we at once set about practising, and later on +used it in all the battles in which we took part. Very +little training was possible during the few days spent at +Auchel owing to the bad weather.</p> + +<p>It was, of course, general knowledge that we were +shortly to take an active part in the fighting in the South, +and therefore no surprise when we received orders to +entrain. This was carried out in the early hours of +Sept. 12th, at Calonne-Ricouart Station, and was rendered +extremely uncomfortable by a torrential downpour, +which made it specially difficult to get the transport +vehicles up the steep ramps on to the trucks. C Company +had to do the loading for the whole Brigade, and were +at the station for nearly twenty-four hours, working in +shifts. They left by the last train at 12.40 p.m., the +main body having left at 3.16 a.m. This was our farewell +to a district of which we had got to know practically +every inch, and of which we shall always retain most +happy <span class="pagenum"><a id="page254" name="page254"></a>(p. 254)</span> recollections. We had been there for seventeen +months without a break.</p> + +<p>Slowly but surely we wended our way Southwards, +until we reached Amiens. At one period the town had +been emptied of all civilians, but they were just beginning +to come back and the streets were now showing slight +signs of life again. A certain amount of damage had been +done by shell-fire, and as we moved Eastward from +Amiens, signs of the one-time proximity of the front +line became more marked. Eventually we came to a stop +at Corbie Station, where we detrained during the afternoon, +after a journey of about twelve hours. After +most welcome and refreshing tea, which we owed to the +forethought of Capt. Salter, the Acting Staff-Captain, we +marched to billets at La Houssoye, some five miles away, +where C Company joined us early the following morning. +We were now in the IX Corps, which formed part of +General Rawlinson's Fourth Army. We were soon able +to make ourselves comfortable, though the village was +somewhat battered and contained very few inhabitants. +When we moved further forward, it was, from a purely +military point of view, a decided advantage to find no +civilians at all. All around was a delightfully free rolling +country, and we could wander anywhere according to +our own sweet will, those lucky enough to have horses +getting some lovely gallops across the chalk downs. +This area had been too near the front line for the past +few months for any work to be carried out on the land, +and such crops as there were were now being harvested +by soldier labour, mostly Canadian.</p> + +<p>The enemy had been driven back from the neighbourhood +during August by the Australians, who had had +particularly hard fighting about Villers-Bretonneux, +not many miles distant from where we were billeted, +and the work of clearing the battlefield was already in +hand. Gangs of Chinese were employed in the task, but +we <span class="pagenum"><a id="page255" name="page255"></a>(p. 255)</span> were not impressed by their industry. Everything +had to be carried to dumps by the roadside, and no +matter what the burden the only authorised way of +carrying it was by putting it on the end of a pole, which +the "Chink" carried over his shoulder. It seemed +decidedly comical, to say the least, to see a man walk +several hundred yards to retrieve a coat, for example, +hang it on the pole, and walk several more hundred +yards with it to a dump! Nevertheless, this seemed to +be the recognised way of working.</p> + +<p>Such training as we carried out was mostly in the +attack and other operations, such as advanced guards, +likely to be required in open warfare. Little was done +in the way of bombing, which had had its day. There +was a good deal of Lewis gun work, and "field-firing" +practice in the shape of Platoon attacks on strong points. +Flags to represent Tanks were introduced into the scheme +with a view to giving some idea of how to follow up a +Tank and take possession of the ground it gained. A +good deal of practice in Map Reading and Compass work +was carried out by Officers and N.C.O.'s, which proved +most useful in the days to come. Several Officers and +N.C.O.'s here enjoyed their first aeroplane flight through +the kindness of the Officer commanding a Bombing +Squadron in the vicinity.</p> + +<p>Orders for a move came after little delay, but with +unexpected suddenness. We had to break off in the +middle of a practice attack on September 18th, to prepare +for our departure, and at 9 p.m. on the same day we +left La Houssoye and marched to Bonnay, where we +embussed for the forward area once more. Transport +marched brigaded and was now under Lieut. Toyne, who +took charge when Lieut. Tomlinson broke his collar-bone +in a jumping competition a little while before at +Vaudricourt. Somewhere about midnight the long +procession of lorries moved off. The other two Brigades +of <span class="pagenum"><a id="page256" name="page256"></a>(p. 256)</span> the Division were being moved by the same means, +and there is no doubt that the Auxiliary 'Bus Companies +were having a pretty busy time! In the darkness the +journey seemed endless. It was too bumpy to allow even +a doze, sleepy as most of us felt. The whole area was a +desolate ruin, but in the darkness we were, of course, +able to see little or nothing of it. For something like +40 miles, the Somme area, through which we were passing, +was nothing but an immense wilderness—every village +practically in ruins, and hardly sufficient remains in +many cases to identify their position. In one case a +signboard had been put up to mark the site of the +village, and on maps they were usually described as +"—— ruins of." Old trenches and barbed wire entanglements +existed at various points. Not a scrap of ground +was cultivated—all was wild and uncared for. Not a +living soul was there except a few odd troops of our own, +working mostly on roads or guarding dumps, and French, +Italians, Portuguese and "Chinks" working on the +railways. A few odd woods and shattered trees were +practically the only things standing in this enormous +tract of country. Later on we saw all this for ourselves +when we used to cross this devastated area going on +leave or for trips to Amiens, which a generous staff +permitted us to indulge in occasionally. Much of the area +had been fought over four times—firstly, when captured +by the enemy in the original advance; secondly, when +he withdrew to the Hindenburg Line early in 1917 and +laid the whole place waste; thirdly, during his offensive +of 1918; and, lastly, when he was driven out once and +for all by British and other troops just before our +arrival.</p> + +<p>Eventually, about dawn on September 19th, the +long train of lorries came to a halt, and we were dumped +on the road about a mile West of a one-time village +known <span class="pagenum"><a id="page257" name="page257"></a>(p. 257)</span> as Poeuilly, to which we marched, and where +we were told we had to bivouac.</p> + +<p>It was a cheerless prospect to be turned loose into +a bare field at 4.0 a.m. on a late September morning. +Poeuilly, however, was found to contain a certain amount +of useful material which very soon found its way to our +field, and with the aid of a few "trench shelters," and +taking advantage of some trenches which were there, +it was not long before we had put up some quite useful +protection. Though chilly in the early morning the +weather was quite seasonable, and on the whole we did +not fare badly. Our Transport arrived late the same day.</p> + +<p>The Hindenburg Line lay a few miles in front of us, +and some of its outer defences were already in our hands. +On the afternoon of September 20th, we left Poeuilly +and relieved the 2nd Royal Sussex in Brigade Reserve +in trenches and dug-outs about Pontru, with Battalion +Headquarters at "Cooker" Quarry, the 5th and 6th +Battalions taking over the front line. At this point we +were some seven miles North-West of St. Quentin, and +two to three miles West of Bellenglise, on the St. Quentin +Canal. There was no great excitement during the three +days we spent there except that we had rather bad luck +with the Transport. As the idea was rather pressed on us +that we were now taking part in "moving warfare," some +of the horses and Company limbers of bombs and small +arm ammunition were taken forward to the edge of a +small wood just behind Battalion Headquarters. Unfortunately +this wood got shelled and several mules were +knocked out, with the result that the ammunition was +dumped, and the limbers and rest of the animals were +sent back to Poeuilly.</p> + +<p>On September 23rd we received orders for certain +action to be carried out by us in connection with an attack +which was to be launched the next day, when the 46th +Division were to carry out a "minor operation" in +conjunction <span class="pagenum"><a id="page258" name="page258"></a>(p. 258)</span> with the 1st Division on their right. The +Australians had pushed forward considerably on the +left, and the line now bent back sharply, where the +troops we had relieved had been held up by the village +of Pontruet. The attack was planned both to straighten +out the line and to get possession of the high ground on +the right. The 138th Brigade, who had taken over from +the Australians on the left, were ordered to capture the +village of Pontruet, and for this purpose detailed the +5th Leicesters. The attack was to be carried out by an +enveloping movement from the North, and the village +was to be rushed from the East. Our 5th and 6th +Battalions were to co-operate by occupying some trenches +about Pontruet, and, on the night following, the 8th +Battalion was to relieve the 5th Leicesters as far North +as the inter-Brigade boundary.</p> + +<p>The attack was launched at 5 a.m. on September +24th, and though the 5th Leicesters made most strenuous +efforts to attain their objectives, they just failed to +achieve the full purpose for which they set out, and at +the end of the day Pontruet was not ours. Our 5th +Battalion on the right also had some stiff fighting, and +suffered several casualties, taking their objective on the +high ground South of Pontruet, and capturing about +100 prisoners. Late in the day our orders to relieve the +5th Leicesters were cancelled, and we had to take over +from our own 5th Battalion, who were holding the Western +edge of Pontruet. This operation was completed just +before dawn on the 25th, Battalion Headquarters being in +a dug-out in the high ground South of Pontru. Fortunately +we were there only two days, for the discomfort +was very great, the dug-outs and cellars swarming with +flies and vermin, and there was little other protection +from the enemy shelling, which was fairly frequent. On +September 26th we were relieved on an intensely dark +night by the 1st Black Watch and went back to bivouacs +just off the Vendelles-Bihécourt Road, put up for us by +the <span class="pagenum"><a id="page259" name="page259"></a>(p. 259)</span> Battle Details, who had moved up from Poeuilly. +They, together with the Transport and Quar.-Master's +stores, had had none too peaceful a time during the last +few days. Having moved to Vendelles they were shelled +out of it almost at the moment they arrived, but +eventually found a quiet resting-place for a brief space +at Bernes, where, in addition to ordinary stores, there +were piled all the men's packs and spare kit, and +numbers of Lewis gun boxes. All moves now were done +in light "fighting order" and the Quar.-Master and +Quar.-Master-Sergts. had their time fully occupied in +thinking how all the spare kit was to be got forward +when it was wanted.</p> + +<p>During our recent moves we had received a regular +influx of new Officers, no fewer than nine having joined +between September 3rd and September 26th. They were +2nd Lieuts. G. Newton, John Henry Smith, A. N. Davis, +R. N. Barker, T. F. Mitchell, W. J. Winter, R. S. Plant, +P. A. Turner, and W. G. Jacques. We had lost 2nd Lieut. +Morris, who had gone to the 139th Trench Mortar +Battery; and Comp. Sergt.-Major Slater and five N.C.O.'s +who were sent to England as Instructors. Slater was +succeeded as Comp.-Sergt.-Major of A Company, by +Sergt. Attenborough. Our battle casualties at Pontruet +amounted to five killed and 24 wounded.</p> + +<p>The men were now very fit and the Battalion was on +the top of its form. Our chief anxiety was whether after +all we were to be in a real good push. We suspected that +we might have been brought here to be whittled away +in minor trench attacks, and that the opportunity of +really showing what stuff the Battalion was made of +would never present itself. Our fears were not lessened +when we saw how the 5th Leicesters and 5th Sherwood +Foresters suffered at Pontruet, and we saw looming ahead +what we imagined to be the never-ending luck of the +46th Division. Our fears were ill-founded. Better things +were before us and arrived sooner than we expected.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER XV <span class="pagenum"><a id="page260" name="page260"></a>(p. 260)</span></h3> + +<h5>BELLENGLISE</h5> + +<p class="figcenter"><i>Sept. 26th, 1918.</i>— +<i>Sept. 29th, 1918.</i></p> + +<p class="p2">A great effort was to be made to break the +Hindenburg Line. Preliminary orders received +on September 26th were to the effect that the 46th +Division, as part of a major operation (simultaneous +attacks by the British and French taking place at +several other points), would at an early date cross the +St. Quentin Canal between Bellenglise and Riquerval +Bridge, and capture the Hindenburg Line. The general +scheme was that the 137th Brigade were to capture the +canal and hold the crossings, advancing as far as the +"Brown Line" shown on the map, whilst the 139th +Brigade on the right and 138th Brigade on the left, +were to pass through them and consolidate up to and +including the "Green Line." If all went well the 32nd +Division were to pass through and make further progress. +The 1st Division were to protect our right flank, where +the enemy were still occupying a large area of ground +which might be decidedly dangerous to us, and in the +event of the enemy withdrawing, they were to follow up +and, if possible, capture Thorigny and the high ground +round about it. On our left the 30th American Division, +attached to the Australian Corps, were to seize the +Bellicourt Tunnel (where the canal ran underground) +and continue the attack in that direction. Tanks were +to cross the canal by passing over the tunnel and come +down to operate with the 138th and 139th Brigades and +help them to reach their objectives.</p> + +<p>In <span class="pagenum"><a id="page261" name="page261"></a>(p. 261)</span> order to improve our position the 138th Brigade, +who were holding the line running along the high ground +just East of "Victoria Cross Roads," carried out an +attack on September 27th against the German trenches +on the high ground North-East of "Chopper Ravine." +This was successful and the trenches were handed over to +the 137th Brigade. Unfortunately, the following morning +the enemy delivered a heavy counter-attack against the +Staffords, and recovered so much ground that at night +the latter had to withdraw from the portions still held +and come back to our original line. This set-back, +however, had no ill result.</p> + +<p>Our preparations had to be made on the assumption +that the attack would take place on the early morning +of Sunday, September 29th, as it did.</p> + +<p>From the line held by the Division it was possible +to get a good view of the canal and the ground beyond +for some distance, and such reconnaissance as could be +carried out in the time at our disposal was made by +observation from this line.</p> + +<a id="img024" name="img024"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img024.jpg" width="500" height="399" alt="The St. Quentin Canal, Bellenglise—looking North—1918." title="The St. Quentin Canal, Bellenglise—looking North—1918."> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">The St. Quentin Canal, Bellenglise—looking North—1918.] + +<p>Running diagonally across the front, through +No Man's Land, down the slope to the Riquerval Bridge, +on the left, was a narrow road known as "Watling +Street." Immediately in front of our trenches was the +ridge which we had had to evacuate, and from there the +land again sloped down to the canal. Immediately the +other side of the canal was the village of Bellenglise, about +three-quarters-of-a-mile from our present front line, but +looking much closer. The canal ran in a cutting, into +which it was not possible to see, but from descriptions +obtained from various sources it appeared that it had +steep banks twelve to eighteen yards deep, and we were +told that where there was water we might expect it to be +seven to eight feet deep. As a matter of fact the canal +in some parts was quite dry, and in other parts the water +was held up by big dams of concrete. When we did +properly <span class="pagenum"><a id="page262" name="page262"></a>(p. 262)</span> see it, it appeared to be more or less derelict. +On the right towards Bellenglise it was mostly dry. +Rising from the canal on the other side was a fairly +gradual, but none the less decided, slope for some +distance, fortified with lines of trenches, barbed wire +and concrete machine gun emplacements, apparently +a most unpromising position to attack—indeed, we +thought it impregnable, and no doubt the Boche did so, +too. It was an ideal spot for concealed dug-outs all along +the canal banks. Many were found there, and Bellenglise +itself contained a wonderfully constructed tunnel, +estimated to be capable of holding at least a thousand +men.</p> + +<p>The problem of dealing with any water that might +be found in the canal was a difficult but important one, +as every preparation had to be made for getting across +on the assumption that all the bridges would be destroyed. +Accordingly the 137th Brigade were equipped with +a number of collapsible boats and rafts, also mats for +getting across any soft mud they might encounter, +whilst almost at the last moment, numbers of lifebelts +were sent up for their use, taken from the leave boats.</p> + +<p>As it was doubtless realised that this great +stronghold would require pounding almost to atoms, +arrangements were made for getting together what must +have been the largest array of guns that ever was +collected, at any rate in such a short space of time. +Battery after battery of every known calibre took up +positions in one or other of the ravines and valleys +behind the line. Indeed, there seemed no room for them +all and many of them were practically in the open.</p> + +<p>Behind the line an immense amount of railway and +road work was being carried out in order to maintain +supplies. Probably the most interesting piece of work +was the relaying of the railway line from Roizel to +Vermand, preparatory to its being continued into St. +Quentin <span class="pagenum"><a id="page263" name="page263"></a>(p. 263)</span> as soon as the latter should be liberated. We +enjoyed watching the Canadian Engineers at work +rebuilding bridges and bringing up and relaying fresh +sleepers and metals, all the old ones having been removed +by the enemy for several miles. The rapid reconstruction +of the line was of vital importance, as it would form the +main source of transport for all our supplies.</p> + +<p>On the night of September 27/28th, we moved from +bivouacs near Vendelles, and marched to our preliminary +assembly position in some trenches near "Red Wood," +about half-a-mile North-West of that well-known landmark +"The Tumulus," a high chalk mound from which +an excellent view could be obtained, but where it was +not wise to pause to admire the scenery. Battalion +Headquarters was in a dug-out at "Hudson's Post," +between Red Wood and the "Twin Craters." This +move was carried out without casualty, but the very dark +night, coupled with a certain amount of gas shelling, +and the absence of good guiding marks, made going +somewhat difficult. A section from the 139th Trench +Mortar Battery, which was to be attached to us for the +battle, joined us just before the move.</p> + +<p>The attack was to be carried out under a creeping +barrage, and the objective allotted to us was the +"Yellow Line" East of Bellenglise. The frontage +allotted to the Battalion was about 1,200 yards, and +the advance in its final stages was to be carried out with +two Companies in the front line and two in support. +In each case there were to be three Platoons leading, with +one in support, each front Platoon thus having a frontage +of about 200 yards. The distance between front and +support Companies was to be 200 to 250 yards. The +Artillery barrage was to move at the rate of 100 yards +in four minutes, making long pauses after each objective +had been gained in order to allow time for the rear +troops to continue the advance. A machine gun +barrage <span class="pagenum"><a id="page264" name="page264"></a>(p. 264)</span> also was to be fired during the opening stages +of the attack, and for this purpose our Divisional +Battalion was strengthened by the addition of the 2nd +Life Guards Machine Gun Battalion and the 100th +Machine Gun Battalion. By a happy coincidence some +South Notts. Yeomanry were included amongst these +Machine Gunners. The Royal Engineers and Monmouth +Pioneers, detailed to put emergency bridges on cork +piers across the canal for foot traffic and artillery, were +to follow in rear of the 137th Brigade, and immediately +in front of us. Second Lieut. Davis with ten men was to +keep touch with the last Battalion of the 137th Brigade, +whilst 2nd Lieut. Plant was detailed to act as Liaison +Officer with the 137th Brigade Headquarters. Second +Lieut. Bradish was to do similar duty with the 139th +Brigade, and 2nd Lieut. Winter with the 6th Battalion, +who were to follow immediately behind us, the 5th Battalion +bringing up the rear. Guides from each Company +were detailed to follow the 137th Brigade and direct +their Companies to the canal crossings. Flags were to be +carried to mark Battalion and Company Headquarters. +In addition to red flares for notifying the position +of the advanced troops to our 'contact aeroplanes,' a +number of tin discs were issued, which were to be waved +by the men carrying them so as to catch the eye of the +Observers. "Success Signals"—rifle grenades bursting +into "white over white over white"—were to be fired +by the leading Companies as soon as they reached their +objective. Pack transport was arranged in readiness +for taking forward ammunition, water and other supplies, +if required, as soon as it was possible to get them across +the canal.</p> + +<p>Enough and more than enough work was entailed in +all these details to keep us busy during the short time +available before the attack. Nevertheless all was ready +by the appointed time, and about 3 a.m. on the morning +of <span class="pagenum"><a id="page265" name="page265"></a>(p. 265)</span> September 29th, after a most welcome issue of rum, +which fortunately arrived just in time, we began to +move into our final assembly position on the Eastern +side of "Ascension Valley." The valley never had been +a place to linger in, as most nights and early mornings +the Hun was in the habit of treating it liberally with high +explosive and gas shells, and this occasion was no +exception, a combination of the two making things very +unpleasant. Further, it was a dark night, and, worse +than all, a dense fog came down over everything, so +that movement over these more or less open spaces with +little or nothing to guide us was extremely difficult. +However, in the end everyone got into position in good +time and without accident. Fortunately most of the +shells were then passing over us into the valley behind. +Companies were drawn up as follows: Right Front (A +Company), Capt. Thomas; Left Front (B Company), +2nd Lieut. Bloor; Right Support (C Company), Lieut. +Cairns, in the absence of Capt. Miners on leave; Left +Support (D Company), Capt. White. Capt. C. P. Elliott +was acting as Second-in-Command, Major Andrews being +away on leave.</p> + +<p>Zero was fixed for 5.50 a.m., at which time the 137th +Brigade were to advance from our front line. At the same +time the 1st Division were to advance so as to protect +our right flank up to a point near Bellenglise Bridge.</p> + +<p>Promptly at Zero an uncanny stillness was broken +by an inferno of noise. With a din and roar that can +never be forgotten by those who heard it, one of the +greatest concentrations of artillery the World had ever +seen came into action. The crash and rattle were +appalling. Sandwiched as we were, with machine guns +blazing away just in front, and 18-pounders belching +out fire just behind, it was perfect pandemonium. Speech +was impossible. Though it was now practically daylight +the fog was so intense that you could not see a yard +in <span class="pagenum"><a id="page266" name="page266"></a>(p. 266)</span> front of you. All over the battlefield it was the same. +We could only imagine the difficulty with which the +Staffords were going, if they were going at all, and we +could see nothing. Our right Company, A, had been +detailed to assist that Brigade to mop up the enemy +trenches West of the canal, and on completion re-form +in the old German front line, and await the arrival of +the other Companies. This Company advanced in +Artillery formation as soon as the machine guns ceased +firing, about 15 minutes after Zero, and reached these +trenches without accident. Little was found to be +done there, and having distributed themselves in the +trenches, they awaited the time for the general advance +to begin. The rest of the Battalion moved forward +at the same time in a similar formation to "Nib" +and "Quill" trenches on "Hélène Ridge." Even for +this short move direction could only be maintained by +means of compasses. We made ourselves as comfortable +as possible there, as we knew that we should +have some time to wait before advancing further. +In any case we were not to move without orders +from Brigade Headquarters, and it was not intended +that we should be involved in the actual fighting until +the 137th Brigade were East of the canal, and then +probably not for some time unless they were in difficulties. +The Boche had put down a counter-barrage directly +after our attack began, and a certain number of shells +and some machine gun bullets fell about the ridge where +we were, but caused us little inconvenience.</p> + +<p>In spite of the fog wounded men were finding their +way back, and odd lots of German prisoners were +being brought back by escorts of Staffords. How they +did it we never quite knew, but it was reported that +in one case the escort of a party of prisoners having been +lost in the fog, got a captured German Officer to act as +guide by marching due West on a compass bearing! +For <span class="pagenum"><a id="page267" name="page267"></a>(p. 267)</span> over three hours we were unable to get any definite +news as to the progress of the battle. The first official +message which reached our Brigade Headquarters to +the effect that the 137th Brigade were across the canal, +arrived at 8.30 a.m., and orders were at once sent to +the three Battalions to get on the move and keep in close +touch. Unfortunately our telephone line to Brigade +Headquarters was broken, and the message had to be +sent by runners, who after experiencing the greatest +difficulty owing to the fog, eventually reached us at +9.37 a.m. Orders were sent to Companies as quickly as +possible, and we moved off again in artillery formation, +keeping direction with our compasses. Progress, of +course, was extremely slow. By the time we reached +the canal, which seemed much further away than we +had imagined, the fog began to clear and caused us no +more trouble. The canal was crossed by plank foot +bridges, which, fortunately, were still more or less intact, +and Companies pushed on in a direction practically half-right +towards the villages of Bellenglise on the right and +La Baraque on the left.</p> + +<p>Here our first real fighting began, considerable +opposition being met with from isolated snipers and +machine gun posts, particularly on the right, where +A Company had a very rough time. Two Platoons of +that Company, under 2nd Lieuts. Bradwell and +Shackleton, worked their way along the bend of the +canal sheltered by a large ditch, and rushed several +"pill-boxes" from the rear. At one large concrete +dug-out a Boche was discovered just emerging with his +machine gun ready to fire. Bradwell stopped him with +a revolver bullet through the chest. The bullet went +through the next man behind him as well, and finished +by lodging in the throat of a third—a very useful shot! +A little later the same Officer got a sniper, who was +obstinately holding up the advance with a small group +of <span class="pagenum"><a id="page268" name="page268"></a>(p. 268)</span> men, by a rifle bullet neatly placed between the eyes +at 300 yards. The left of A Company also met with +opposition from machine gun nests in the ruins of the +houses. Thomas himself, in rushing one machine gun, +had no time to draw his revolver, but put one Boche out +of action by a kick under the jaw. C Company reinforced +A and shared with them the clearing of Bellenglise, but +in doing so they also had a bad time. Stanley Cairns led +them with great dash, only to be killed in an attack on +a group of Boches who were holding up the left of A +Company. They were, however, eventually rushed and +all bayoneted. On the left some of B Company lost +direction and strayed over to the 138th Brigade. Though +the resistance on this flank was not so great it was not +altogether easy going, and there was considerable shelling +and machine gun fire. Bloor, in command, got badly +wounded, and Rawding, his very gallant Comp. Sergt.-Major +also fell, dying the next day. Mobilised with the +Battalion he went out with it as a Private and won promotion +by sheer merit. All ranks of the Battalion had the +greatest regard for him and his loss was very keenly +felt. D Company, under Capt. White, ably assisted by +2nd Lieut. Smith, acting as Second-in-Command, also +gave a hand in the mopping up. Casualties were, of +course, mounting, as there was heavy shelling going +on most of the time, particularly on the Eastern edge +of Bellenglise. Eventually, however, the village was +cleared and we got to our next starting-point, the +"Brown Line," with our right on the canal, at 11.30 a.m. +This was only ten minutes after our scheduled time +which, considering the almost insuperable difficulties +caused by the fog, must be considered excellent. It +meant, of course, that our barrage, which advanced again +at 11.20 a.m. (five-and-a-half hours after Zero) was +slightly ahead of us, but that was now too late to be +altered and we had to make the best of it.</p> + +<p>At <span class="pagenum"><a id="page269" name="page269"></a>(p. 269)</span> this point we were to have been joined by a +Company of five Tanks, but they had not turned up. +They arrived, however, a little later and were going +forward to help the attack of the 6th Battalion, who +followed us, when they were put out of action by enemy +field guns firing from South of the canal and at point +blank range. Our final advance, therefore, had to be +continued without their help. We moved off this time +in extended order and met with little opposition, though +there was considerable machine gun fire from the South +side of the canal, which was not particularly accurate +and did little damage. We reached our final objective +about 12.15 p.m., only a few minutes after scheduled +time, and the 6th Battalion immediately pushed on +through us.</p> + +<p>Our right flank was somewhat exposed, as the enemy +were still holding the ground South of the canal, and one +or two feeble attempts at counter-attacks were made +from that direction, but were easily broken up. The 1st +Division had been unable to advance to connect across +with us at Bellenglise, but by their demonstration they +doubtless prevented the enemy from concentrating for +a counter-attack in that quarter, which was a decidedly +weak spot.</p> + +<p>Our advance had been extremely rapid and to +a certain extent our success was due to that fact. The +enemy in many cases were taken before they had +time to get to their battle positions. At the same time +every member of the Battalion was determined to +"get there." Particularly good work was done by +Sergt. Peach, who was acting Comp. Sergt.-Major of +C Company, and himself accounted for three of the +enemy at one post, by Sergt. Oldham, Lance-Sergts. +Field and Illger, and Corpl. Slater, when in temporary +command of Platoons, also by Sergt. Claxton, Corpls. +Gadsby, Skelton and W. Foster, L.-Corpl. R. Harvey. +and <span class="pagenum"><a id="page270" name="page270"></a>(p. 270)</span> Pvtes. Cook, Titmus, Welbourne and Stapleton. +Communication throughout the day was almost entirely +by runners, who had an exceptionally strenuous time, +but in spite of all their difficulties they never failed +to get their messages through. Specially valuable work +was done in this respect by Pvtes. B. Smithurst, Feighery, +Sully, Colton and Parker. The Signallers had a thankless +task in trying to keep their lines repaired. A special word +of praise is due to L.-Corpl. J. North for his work in +this connection. The Medical Officer, Capt. Homan, had +a difficult task in attending to the wounded in open +trenches and often under heavy shell fire. He got great +help from Padre Sturt, who was always rendering faithful +service, and from a willing band of Stretcher Bearers, +who worked unceasingly throughout the battle, notably +Corpl. Wrigglesworth and Pvtes. Westnidge and Green. +Comp. Sergt.-Major Stokes, who was acting as Regt.-Sergt.-Major, +was also of the greatest service in looking +after ammunition and other stores.</p> + +<p>The sight presented by the enemy defences East of +the canal gave no room for doubt that our guns had done +most deadly work. The ground was literally torn to +pieces, trenches and wire being blown to atoms in all +directions, and there seemed to be scarcely a spot that +had not been touched.</p> + +<p>The prisoners taken by us numbered something +like 300. There is no doubt that our bombardment had +caused many of them to become more or less senseless. +In many cases all they did was to retire to their +dug-outs and await the end. Full dug-outs emptied +themselves at the first word, and poured out their +garrisons, which were as quickly marshalled by our +men and led off to the prisoner cages in batches, 50 or +more in a batch, and very often not more than one +of our men in charge. In addition to prisoners we +captured over 40 machine guns and 10 trench mortars. +Guns <span class="pagenum"><a id="page271" name="page271"></a>(p. 271)</span> did not come within our province, as they were +all beyond our objective.</p> + +<p>Our casualties, considering all things, were small, +and this was doubtless due to the great rapidity with +which the advance had been carried out. In addition +to the two Officer casualties, our losses during the day +were 14 other ranks killed and 80 wounded.</p> + +<p>The battlefield after the fog lifted presented a sight +never to be forgotten. On the left, Tanks could be +seen working their way along the German trenches, +followed by groups of Infantry, who at once took +possession of the ground gained. Behind, guns were +limbering up and being got forward to fresh positions; +pack ponies and limbers were being taken up with +ammunition; parties of Boche prisoners were wending +their way back from the front areas in batches of +10's, 20's, up to 200 or more, presenting a very +bedraggled appearance. Many of them had been +requisitioned for duty at the forward aid posts and were +carrying back our wounded. Add to the whole, shells +bursting here and there—one knew not when or where +the next was coming and didn't care—and some idea +may be formed of what the battlefield of Bellenglise +looked like. It was like an enormous circus.</p> + +<p>The 138th Brigade on the left met with equal +success, but North of them the attack did not go so well, +and at the end of the day the Australians and Americans, +though in a satisfactory position for continuing the +attack, were considerably behind their objective.</p> + +<p>During the afternoon the 32nd Division came moving +over the back areas by Companies in artillery formation +and pushed on through us, but there was no time that +day for them to make any fresh attacks, and they had +to be content with putting out outposts. There is no +doubt that could their attack have been pushed on at +once the fighting of the next few days would not have +been <span class="pagenum"><a id="page272" name="page272"></a>(p. 272)</span> necessary. As it was our line did not get further +than the final objective of the 5th Battalion, and further +preparation was required to push the Boche from the +few remaining points that he still held in the Hindenburg +Line. By the victory of the 46th Division on September +29th the main portion of that line had been absolutely +smashed and the last great turning-point in the war +passed, and from now onwards the final defeat of the +enemy was but a matter of days. It must be confessed +that the fog, which lasted practically the whole morning, +largely accounted for our success. Without it it is very +difficult to conceive how we could have managed to +get possession of the canal and the high ground on the +East of it. A naturally strong defensive line itself, +it formed with the addition of the artificial defences +made by the enemy, an almost impregnable position. +General Headquarters thought it <i>was</i> impregnable.</p> + +<p>It has since transpired that our fears that our +attack was only in the nature of a "demonstration" +were only too well founded, as it appears to be a fact +that we were not expected to cross the canal at all. +Lieut.-General Sir John Monash, who commanded the +Australian Corps on our left, referring in his book, +"The Australian Victories in France in +1918,"<a id="footnotetag1" name="footnotetag1"></a><a href="#footnote1">[1]</a> to the +action of September 29th, says:—</p> + +<p class="left05">"Quite early in the day news came in that the +IX Corps on my right hand had achieved an astonishing +success, that Bellenglise had been captured, and that +the deep canal had been successfully crossed in several +places. It was the 46th Imperial Division to which +this great success was chiefly due.——There can +be no doubt that this success, conceived at first as +a demonstration to distract attention from the +Australian Corps' front, materially assisted me in the +situation in which I was placed later on the same day."</p> + + +<p>For <span class="pagenum"><a id="page273" name="page273"></a>(p. 273)</span> once General Headquarters' arrangements for +the 46th Division miscarried.</p> + +<p>Sappers got the Riquerval Bridge fit for transport +early in the afternoon, and by 3.0 p.m. guns and other +horse transport were passing over it. Later in the evening, +after the 32nd Division had got clear, some of our +Transport and cookers came up, and our hardworking +Quarter-Master-Sergts. brought us very welcome and +much-needed refreshment after a most strenuous day.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER XVI <span class="pagenum"><a id="page274" name="page274"></a>(p. 274)</span></h3> + +<h5>RAMICOURT AND MONTBREHAIN</h5> + +<p class="figcenter"><i>Sept. 30th, 1918.</i>— +<i>October 4th, 1918.</i></p> + +<p class="p2">September 30th was spent in dug-outs and +trenches in the region of our objective of the +previous day, between Bellenglise and Lehaucourt. +Early that morning the 1st Division advanced and +occupied Thorigny and Talana Hill, South of the canal, +thus securing our right flank, the retreating enemy +offering splendid targets for our Lewis guns. The +same day St. Quentin fell to the French.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon the 32nd Division moved forward +to the attack, supported by Cavalry, which it was hoped +it would be possible to use if the Infantry broke through +the last remaining fragment of the Hindenburg Line. +This was known as the Beaurevoir-Fonsomme Line +and ran more or less North and South about midway +between Joncourt and Ramicourt. It consisted of +a strong barbed wire entanglement and a double line of +shallow trenches about a foot deep, with concrete +machine gun emplacements every 50 yards. The whole +was in a very incomplete state, but at the same time +constituted a strong line of defence. Unfortunately the +32nd Division were unable to break this line, which the +enemy were holding in force. Similarly, the 1st Division +on the right were unable to make any further progress, +and the 2nd Australian Division met with no greater +success on the left. In consequence the Cavalry had to +withdraw behind the canal.</p> + +<p>The arrival of the Cavalry a few days previously +behind our lines had presented one of the most +picturesque scenes one could wish to see. Two abreast +they <span class="pagenum"><a id="page275" name="page275"></a>(p. 275)</span> came in almost endless streams along the roads and +side-tracks and passed on to forward positions behind +the canal, and the sight was one never to be forgotten. +Not less wonderful, perhaps, was the unceasing flow of +transport of every conceivable kind backwards and +forwards along the Vadencourt-Bellenglise Road. +The surface of the road was in excellent condition and +in an incredibly short period the Sappers, who were +now having very strenuous times, erected an Inglis +bridge over the canal at Bellenglise, capable of carrying +lorries and guns of all calibres. The way all this work +was pushed on was little short of marvellous, and one +could not help being struck by the enormous amount of +organisation it all entailed, and the care with which +every detail connected with the advance had been +arranged.</p> + +<p>The 139th Brigade were now temporarily attached +to the 32nd Division, whilst the 137th and 138th Brigades +were concentrated near the canal. We were supposed +at this moment to be ready either for another battle or +for moving forward according to the ordinary rules of +warfare, with advanced guards and so on, if the enemy +should give way. Preliminary orders were indeed +received that portions of the Brigade were to be employed +as Advanced Guard to the Corps, with their objective +as Le Cateau.</p> + +<p>With the object, therefore, of reorganising as far +as possible, we were withdrawn from our position near +Lehaucourt on October 1st, and moved about a mile +North, to the trench system in "Springbok Valley," +just behind Magny la-Fosse. On the same day the +Transport, Quarter-Master's Stores and Battle Details +which had previously moved to a field near "Hart +Copse," a few hundred yards North-West of the Twin +Craters, moved further forward and established themselves +in Chopper Ravine, near the canal. This was +not <span class="pagenum"><a id="page276" name="page276"></a>(p. 276)</span> a specially comfortable spot, and the Quarter-Master's +Department was constantly put out of order by the +arrival from time to time of odd shells from a German +long-range gun. Several of the riding horses, the +cookers and some of the ammunition and Lewis gun +limbers were up with the Battalion, so that the amount +of transport left behind was not great. Both men and +horses were now having a most strenuous time, and we +were lucky at this juncture in getting back Capt. A. +Bedford from a tour of duty at home. He arrived on +September 29th and was at once appointed Transport +Officer. We had been obliged to leave behind at Bernes +large quantities of stores, including packs and Lewis gun +tin boxes, owing to lack of transport, and it was a most +trying business, when everyone was wanting lorries, to +get the extra transport necessary to bring them along. +To make matters worse the Hun was just now particularly +active with his aeroplanes, and with fine nights he made +frequent trips over our lines, dropping bombs. When +the nights were very dark he often used to let off +brilliant white parachute lights, and as they descended +he was able to get some view of the roads and transport +lines and any movement there might be. Usually he +flew extremely low, and there is no doubt that he did +considerable damage; especially as there were such +masses of troops and transport concentrated in +a particularly small area. We unfortunately lost several +horses, but casualties amongst personnel were +insignificant. His best bombing effort was on the evening +of October 3rd. Having evidently seen a large party of +men near La Baraque cross-roads, the airman promptly +made for them and let loose two bombs, which fell +right amongst them. Between 40 and 50 were blown +to bits, whilst nearly as many were badly wounded, and +the rest scared out of their wits. What the airman +doubtless did not know was that they were a party of +Boche <span class="pagenum"><a id="page277" name="page277"></a>(p. 277)</span> prisoners! Only about six British soldiers were +killed. It made a ghastly mess at the cross-roads, which +was a most uninviting spot to pass for days afterwards.</p> + +<p>During the short time at our disposal we did the +best we could to reorganise our somewhat reduced +forces. In spite of our losses at Bellenglise we still had +46 Officers and 752 other ranks, so were fairly well off. +Second Lieut. Winter was put in command of B Company, +and Capt. Miners, who had just returned from leave, +resumed command of C.</p> + +<p>On October 2nd orders were received that we were +to take part in another big attack in conjunction with +the 2nd Australian Division. Our Divisional Commander +only received his orders for this attack at 4.30 p.m. on +that day, and the operation was to take place early the +next morning, so that there was very little time to get +orders passed to the lower commanders and the necessary +arrangements made. The orders were explained by the +Brigade Commander to Battalion Commanders at +a conference at Brigade Headquarters at Magny-la-Fosse +about 9 p.m., and it was after 10 p.m. before +Col. Dempster was able to give his orders out to +Companies. The general scheme was that the 139th +Brigade were to break through the Beaurevoir-Fonsomme +Line and capture the villages of Ramicourt +and Montbrehain, whilst the 137th Brigade on the right +and the 2nd Australian Division on the left, were to +attack at the same time, and the 1st Division, on the +right of the 137th Brigade, were to capture Sequehart.</p> + +<p>The objective of the 5th and 8th Battalions was the +"Red Line" running North-West to South-East, just +West of Montbrehain, the 5th Battalion being on the +right and the 8th on the left, whilst the 6th Battalion +was to pass through, capture Montbrehain and push out +outposts as far as the "dotted blue line." This was +something like 4,000 yards from our present Outpost Line. +A <span class="pagenum"><a id="page278" name="page278"></a>(p. 278)</span> Company of nine Tanks were to co-operate with the +Brigade, advancing immediately behind the first line. +The attack was to be launched at dawn and was to be +carried out under an artillery barrage which, after +delaying six minutes on the opening line, was to move +at the rate of 100 yards in four minutes. The delay was +to enable the Infantry to adjust their distance behind +the barrage, which was to open a good deal further in +front of them than usual, owing to the fact that the +Artillery had mostly to move into fresh positions, and +we could not, therefore, risk getting up close to its +assumed line, whilst allowance also had to be made for +the attacking troops not being exactly in their right +position, owing to the difficulty of forming up in the +dark on an uncertain mark.</p> + +<p>Our jumping-off line ran from near Joncourt +Cemetery to the Railway Cutting. The Battalion +frontage was approximately 1,000 yards and was divided +into two Company lengths. A (Thomas) on the right, +and B (Winter) on the left were to lead, with C (Miners) +and D (White) in support about 150 yards behind them. +Second Lieut. Plant was sent as Liaison Officer to the +Australian Battalion on our left, 2nd Lieut. Newton to +Brigade Headquarters, and 2nd Lieut. Jacques to the +5th Battalion. Some additional work was to be thrown +on C and D Companies, who were to follow up the 6th +Battalion, mop up for them in Montbrehain and then +return to the "Red Line." There was no time for +reconnaissance. All we knew of the country was what +we had gathered from maps or our Intelligence Department. +From personal observation we knew nothing. +Even the front held by the 32nd Division was not at +all certain. We did know, however, that the enemy were +holding the Beaurevoir-Fonsomme Line in force and +that the country was of a fairly open type, sloping gently +down to Ramicourt in the valley and up again beyond +to <span class="pagenum"><a id="page279" name="page279"></a>(p. 279)</span> Montbrehain, which would probably be a difficult +problem to tackle.</p> + +<p>It was in these circumstances that we set out +shortly before midnight in the pitch darkness from +Springbok Valley. Guides from the 32nd Division +met us at the entrance to Joncourt and conducted us to +the forming-up line, A and B Companies throwing out +a screen of scouts in front as a precaution before we +formed up. Though this was a most precarious proceeding +it was carried out successfully, and by 5.30 a.m. on +October 3rd, all troops were in their assembly positions, +leading Companies extended in two lines and support +Companies in lines of "section-blobs." During this +operation the enemy did a certain amount of shelling, +but not enough to cause us any great trouble. There +was some fog at first, and this in the early stages of the +battle, combined with smoke from a screen put down +by the Artillery to hide the Tanks, made direction +somewhat difficult. Later on it cleared and the day +became quite bright and fine.</p> + +<p>There was not such a concentration of guns as we +had had on September 29th, nor had we anything like +so many heavies, though there was a certain number +of them firing on a few special targets, such as villages +and other points behind the lines. The Guards Machine +Gun Battalion again helped with the preliminary barrage, +which opened promptly at 6.5 a.m., just as it was +beginning to get light. We adjusted our position to the +line of bursting shells and followed on as soon as the +guns lifted. The rate of progress, 100 yards in four +minutes, was throughout found to be too slow in this +more open fighting, and we were constantly either +waiting for the barrage to move on or running into it—not +at all a pleasant proceeding.</p> + +<p>It was not long before we began to encounter, in +addition to the enemy's counter-barrage, opposition of +a <span class="pagenum"><a id="page280" name="page280"></a>(p. 280)</span> serious nature from his Infantry. The inevitable delay +since we crossed the canal on September 29th had given +the enemy time to bring up large reserves, and on this +occasion the 46th Division had opposed to it four Boche +Divisions—two tired and two fresh. Doubtless the +enemy realised that every effort must be made to retain +this, his last organised defence on this part of the +front, and certainly the men holding the line we had to +attack put up a most strenuous fight, and in hundreds +of cases died bravely, fighting to the last.</p> + +<p>The Beaurevoir-Fonsomme Line was strongly +held. In addition to many machine guns in the line +itself, there were also machine gun sections in rifle-pits +immediately behind it. Unfortunately the barrage put +down by our guns was somewhat thin. There had been +no previous bombardment, and as a result we found +that the defences of this line were practically intact. +No machine gun emplacements had been touched and +not a single gap made in the wire, which was very strong, +and we had to manipulate it as best we could.</p> + +<p>A good deal of resistance in the early part of the +fight was met with from the neighbourhood of Wiancourt +on the left, and the high ground South-East of Swiss +Cottage, and it was found that the Australians had not +been able to make much progress and were practically +held up. This being the case it was realised that the +village of Wiancourt, which should have been taken by +them, would be a serious menace to our left flank, and +it was, therefore, decided that we should go out of our +way and take it in the general advance. Two Platoons +of A Company, with portions of B and D (Companies +having got somewhat mixed owing to loss of direction), +penetrated into the village and opened heavy Lewis gun +and rifle fire on its defenders, who offered a stubborn +resistance, mainly from machine gun posts. Eventually +some of them were seen to run back, and our line +immediately <span class="pagenum"><a id="page281" name="page281"></a>(p. 281)</span> rushed forward with the bayonet and killed +or captured the whole of the garrison. Several were +killed whilst still holding the handles of their machine +guns. Comp. Sergt.-Major Attenborough, of A Company, +here performed several gallant feats in leading rushes +against machine gun groups, and later did most valuable +work in trying to establish liaison with the Australians, +who unfortunately, even after the capture of Wiancourt, +were unable to advance so as to help us.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the right was not making much headway, +and C Company, from support, had become one with +the attacking Company. The advance here being held +up by machine gun fire, L.-Corpl. Vann with much +gallantry crawled forward and managed to knock out +the gun team which was causing most of the trouble. +A trench something like 100 yards long, crowded with +the enemy, was thus taken in the flank, and those who +did not surrender were killed in trying to escape. They +had, however, caused us many casualties, including +2nd Lieut. Dunkin and Sergt. Hurt killed, besides many +wounded. One of the most gallant N.C.O.'s in the +Battalion, Sergt. Hurt had already won the D.C.M. and +M.M., and his death was a very great loss.</p> + +<p>Similar actions had been taking place in other parts +of the line. Again and again nests of machine guns +were rushed at the point of the bayonet, which weapon +undoubtedly did more deadly work on this occasion +than on any other in our experience. Where they could +not be taken by frontal attack, parties worked round +their flanks and rushed them from the rear. The intensity +of the fighting can be imagined from the fact that after +the battle nearly 200 dead Germans were found along +this line of trenches on the front of the 139th Brigade +alone.</p> + +<p>The main Fonsomme Line was now ours, though +won at heavy cost. Direction had improved, though we +were <span class="pagenum"><a id="page282" name="page282"></a>(p. 282)</span> all too far to the left and much disorganised. We +had to make the best of it and try to straighten out as +we pushed on into the valley towards Ramicourt. Here +we were met with fire from Boche guns firing from +behind Montbrehain with open sights, causing many +casualties. The position was as exposed as it could be, +the only shelter being provided by one or two sunken +roads. At the same time four or five of the Tanks, which +for some reason had got behind at the start, had now +come up and did much useful work in the outskirts of +Ramicourt, though the same Boche guns brought most +effective fire to bear on them, one of them getting five +direct hits. On the left, B Company, who under Winter's +excellent leadership, had done much fighting, now +mixed up with A and reinforced by D, were also suffering +heavily from the enemy artillery fire, and advanced by +section rushes covered by Lewis gun fire. It was here +that 2nd Lieut. T. F. Mitchell, commanding a Platoon +of D Company, which he led with supreme gallantry, +caring nothing for his own safety, was mortally wounded, +dying the next day.</p> + +<p>Ramicourt was eventually reached by oddments of +A, C and D Companies, the remainder of the Battalion +having got too far left, and passing through its Northern +outskirts. There were several machine guns in the +village, and snipers were active from the windows +of the houses. These were all successfully mopped +up with the help of the 6th Battalion, who pushed up +a Company and their Battalion Headquarters, as there +were so few troops at this point, the 5th Battalion +having edged off through the Southern outskirts of +the village. Jack White was seen in the village, +wandering round quite unconcerned, revolver in holster—a +small cane which he carried being apparently his +most trusty weapon.</p> + +<p>Having <span class="pagenum"><a id="page283" name="page283"></a>(p. 283)</span> completed the capture of the village, which +yielded a total of something like 400 prisoners, the +remnants of the troops there were gathered together and +the advance continued. A machine gun nest at Ramicourt +Station having been rushed with the aid of a Tank, we +pushed on to our objective, which, except on the extreme +left, we reached practically up to scheduled time, +10.30 a.m., most of the troops being disposed in sunken +roads on the West of Montbrehain. It had not been a good +day for the Tanks, which in the end were all knocked out, +though the last one working with the 5th Battalion +on the right had a good run and knocked out no fewer +than 16 machine guns before being put out of action.</p> + +<p>As soon as the barrage lifted from the "Red Line," +the 6th Battalion began to push on. They had met with +an appalling disaster soon after crossing the Beaurevoir-Fonsomme +Line, where Col. Vann, once more gallantly +leading his Battalion and in the forefront of the battle, +was killed, shot through the head. The 5th Battalion +too, lost Col. A. Hacking, who was wounded in the arm. +Thus two old Officers of the 8th were put out of action +almost at the same moment, both leading Battalions +in our own Brigade. Alfred Hacking had done invaluable +work during the few months he had commanded the +5th Battalion, and for his excellent leadership and +gallantry during the fighting of September 29th and +October 3rd was awarded the D.S.O. and Bar. Bernard +Vann, affectionately known to some of his earlier friends +as "Vasi," was described on one occasion by General +Allenby, as the most fearless Officer he had ever met, +whilst a brother Officer writes of him: "I can think +of him only as a fighter, not merely against the enemy +in the field, but a fighter against everything and everybody +that was not an influence for good to his men. +It was his extraordinary courage and tenacity which +will be remembered by all who knew him: he inspired +all <span class="pagenum"><a id="page284" name="page284"></a>(p. 284)</span> by his wonderful example of courage and energy." +Wounded at least eight times, and awarded the M.C. +and Bar, and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm, +it was fitting that his constant gallantry and magnificent +example should be further recognised—alas! after his +death—by the award of the Victoria Cross.</p> + +<p>On continuing the advance the 6th Battalion edged +towards the South, going through the centre and right +of Montbrehain, and leaving the Northern portion alone. +This left us considerably exposed, and an enemy machine +gun firing from a position at the cross-roads on our left +front, was doing much damage. White, Thomas and +Miners held a hasty conference and decided to rush it, +and the two former with a reconnoitring party went +into the village to see if it could be outflanked from the +region of the cemetery. At this moment a little "Joey" +came in with "hands up," and it was decided to try +a ruse. It was suggested to him that he should go and +tell his friends to surrender, and after a little persuasion +he went. The Machine gun stopped firing and he +approached the post and disappeared into the ground, +thus telling us what we wanted to know—the way in. +Action was taken at once to deal with it. Second Lieut. +Harrap, who had already done much valuable work, +got together some Lewis guns and opened frontal fire on +the position, whilst Miners and Sergt. Stimson worked +round the flank from the village side and by a careful +manoeuvre rushed on to the post the instant Harrap's +guns stopped firing. Much to their surprise the post +was found to be a quarry containing something like ten +or a dozen machine guns and 60 or 70 men! A few +bombs and revolver shots and the white flag went up. +Harrap, who had rushed his men forward across the +intervening 200 yards, was also at hand, and the capture +of the post was complete. Second Lieut. Barker's +Platoon (A Company) also assisted with rifle and Lewis +gun fire, Barker himself being wounded.</p> + +<p>Out <span class="pagenum"><a id="page285" name="page285"></a>(p. 285)</span> of the medley of troops which collected there—of +all Battalions in the Brigade—some attempt was +then made to organise a Company, and posts were +pushed further forward. The rest of the village after +a hard struggle fell into the hands of the 6th Battalion +about the scheduled time, 11.30 a.m. Loud explosions, +heard soon after the village was entered, were caused by +the blowing up by the Boche of two houses in the main +street near the Church. Attempts were made to push +out Platoons to the "line of exploitation," beyond the +village, but this was found to be impossible owing to +heavy machine gun fire.</p> + +<p>Both in Ramicourt and Montbrehain we found +French civilians, whose pleasure at being at last released +from the Hun terror knew no bounds. About 70 all told +had remained behind, refusing to be evacuated by the +Boche. They gave us a great welcome and in spite of +shells and bullets, brought out coffee to our men as they +passed by. Later, under the guidance of the Brigade +Interpreter, M. Duflos, they were taken back to safer +regions.</p> + +<p>It soon became evident that further trouble was +in store for us owing to the fact that our left flank was +again in the air. The Australians were not up with us +and we were very uncertain of their whereabouts, though +apparently not altogether out of touch with them, for +one of their Officers, who was met in hospital later in +the day, reported having received from someone in our +Battalion the laconic message: "We are at ——. +Where is the Australian Corps?" The enemy were still +holding in force a position at no great distance from our +left flank, and indeed, at one time were reported to be +massing for a counter-attack which, however, did not +mature. But on the right of the Brigade the situation +was far worse. There the 137th Brigade, after making +some progress, had eventually to give ground, and their +left <span class="pagenum"><a id="page286" name="page286"></a>(p. 286)</span> was now considerably behind our right. We were +thus in a most awkward salient with both flanks exposed. +It was, therefore, not surprising to find soon after noon +very evident signs of a real counter-attack being prepared +against the Brigade exposed right flank, and when a +little later this attack was launched, the enemy managed +to get round the South-East of Montbrehain and into +that corner of the village in some strength, and it was +decided to withdraw from it. This was successfully +carried out under great difficulties, and eventually the +Brigade took up a line just East of Ramicourt, the 8th +Battalion occupying the railway and sunken road +North-East of that village. The enemy soon reoccupied +the whole of Montbrehain, but was unable to advance +further.</p> + +<p>We were now very short of ammunition as no supplies +had been sent forward. This was mainly due to the fact +that we had depended on a "Supply Tank," which did +not fetch up quite where we expected. Fortunately no +ill results accrued, but it taught the lesson that the +supply of ammunition to advanced troops in moving +warfare requires very careful prearrangement.</p> + +<p>Company Commanders again conferred and decided +to alter their dispositions, and with a view to protecting +our left flank, B and C Companies moved across to bridge +the gap there, leaving A and D Companies in the railway +cutting. In these positions we were left for the rest of +the day more or less in peace.</p> + +<p>In spite of a slight set-back it had been a glorious day +for the 8th Battalion. There was really no comparison +between this battle and that of September 29th. The +attack on September 29th was undoubtedly more +spectacular, but in our humble judgment, having regard +to the extremely short notice received, the strength of +the enemy and the many difficulties encountered, the +breaking of the Fonsomme Line on October 3rd may +truly <span class="pagenum"><a id="page287" name="page287"></a>(p. 287)</span> be counted as one of the most gallant exploits +of the whole war.</p> + +<p>Where one and all did so well and so many gallant +deeds were performed it is difficult to single out any for +special praise, but it is desired to note specially the +good work of the following in addition to those +already mentioned: Sergt. H. Wilson, L.-Sergt. Wicks, +Corpl. Clark, L.-Corpl. Creamer, and Pvtes. Draper, +Crowe, Slater, Wesley, Starr, Baxter, Jackson, and Martin. +The day, however, had cost us much. Our casualties +were one Officer and 20 other ranks (including Sergt. +Gurdens) killed, and three Officers (2nd Lieuts. T. F. +Mitchell, who died the next day, Barker, and F. T. W. +Saunders), and 86 other ranks wounded.</p> + +<p>Captain Homan had his Regimental Aid Post with +Battalion Headquarters in a dug-out in the sunken road +near our jumping-off line. Here he and Padre Sturt +worked for something like 24 hours on end, attending to +the wounded, though both badly gassed, whilst a willing +band of Stretcher Bearers again performed a prodigious +amount of work under most trying circumstances. +Particular praise is due to Corpls. Wrigglesworth and +J. Wright, and to Pvtes. L. Thomas and F. Green, +the latter of whom was awarded a bar and the +former a second bar to his M.M., for gallant work on +this occasion.</p> + +<p>It was impossible to estimate the actual number of +prisoners captured by us, as there was one "pool" +for the whole Brigade, but undoubtedly we had a very +large share of the total, which was 36 Officers and nearly +1,500 other ranks; in addition to which large numbers +were left on the ground dead. Of machine guns too, +we captured a very large number, but owing to the +impossibility of collecting them, little idea of the total +could be formed.</p> + +<a id="img025" name="img025"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img025.jpg" width="600" height="399" alt="Map To Illustrate— +Battle Of Ramicourt Oct: 3rd 1918." title="Map To Illustrate— +Battle Of Ramicourt Oct: 3rd 1918."> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Map To Illustrate— +Battle Of Ramicourt Oct: 3rd 1918. +<span class="smcap">Red, Blue & Dotted Blue Lines</span> +Represent various Objectives.</p> + +<p>During <span class="pagenum"><a id="page288" name="page288"></a>(p. 288)</span> much of the day Horse Artillery and +numbers of light rapid-moving Tanks, known as +"Whippets," had been waiting in the valleys behind +Joncourt, ready to push on once the line was broken, +and endeavour to make a clean break through. Unfortunately +their services could not be used, and once more +they had to withdraw.</p> + +<p>Late at night we got news that we were being +relieved by the 4th Leicesters. They turned up alright +to take over from B and C Companies, but owing to some +error failed to relieve A and D, who were left holding +the line, with little ammunition and no rations, and +were not relieved until the afternoon of October 4th, +when they made their way back to the valley just in +front of Magny-la-Fosse and joined the rest of the +Battalion in tents and bivouacs put up by "Tony" +Bradish and Hallam, with the help of the Battle Details. +"Bedder" too, was there, with Regt.-Quarter-Master-Sergt. +Pritchard (who during these strenuous times had +to carry on without a Quarter-Master), and the four +Quarter-Master-Sergeants, all of whom did their utmost +to make everyone comfortable.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER XVII <span class="pagenum"><a id="page289" name="page289"></a>(p. 289)</span></h3> + +<h5>THE LAST FIGHT</h5> + +<p class="figcenter"><i>October 4th, 1918.</i>— +<i>November 11th, 1918.</i></p> + +<p class="p2">Such impromptu cleaning up as was possible, was +carried out during what remained of October 4th, +and we felt much better. We also carried out a certain +amount of reorganisation of Companies, which were +now thinning rather more rapidly than we cared for, +but the opportune arrival of 85 reinforcements at this +moment, helped us considerably. The enemy caused +a certain amount of annoyance, and a few casualties, +by every now and then firing in our direction with a +high-velocity gun, and at night dropped a few bombs +uncomfortably near, so that it was not quite as peaceful +as we should have liked.</p> + +<p>The next morning we were rather disturbed at +hearing that there was more work to be done. The +32nd Division on our right had suffered heavy casualties +in trying to get hold of Sequehart, and the 139th Brigade +was now detailed to relieve some of their exhausted +troops. At this moment our Brigade was attached to +the 6th Division. Rapid reconnaissance was made +during the day, and at night we relieved the 97th Brigade. +So heavy had their casualties been that our three Companies +for the front line and support each relieved a +Battalion. These were Dorsets, Highland Light Infantry +and Royal Scots.</p> + +<p>The line taken over ran through the village of +Sequehart, and was the extreme right of the British +front, next to the French. C Company were on the right, +D on the left, astride the cross roads, with B in support +and <span class="pagenum"><a id="page290" name="page290"></a>(p. 290)</span> A in reserve. C Company had the unusual privilege +of forming an "International Post" with the French, +and Corpl. Simpson, who spoke the language, was put +in charge of our part of the garrison. We cannot say +that after our visits to the French Headquarters, we felt +we quite knew where their front line was, but possibly +it was our fault. When they suggested "we are here," +we certainly thought they were somewhere else, but we +managed very well, and materially assisted them in an +attack on the 7th, by conforming to their movements +and giving them flank support, and their Commanding +Officer expressed his grateful thanks for our help.</p> + +<p>We have before spoken of "Bloody Ypres." The +Officer Commanding D Company is reported to have +applied the superlative of the same expressive word to +this sector, but then he had cause for doing so, for during +the two days the Battalion held it, his Company Headquarters +got five direct hits. Perhaps under such +circumstances, he was slightly embittered! During the +time we were there, the enemy hardly ceased to shell +the village—not desultory shelling, but veritable barrages +from end to end. It had already changed hands three +times, and we wondered if they were going to try and +turn us out! Signs of fierce struggles were on every +hand. In the streets and all around lay bodies still +unburied, both of our own and the enemy's. It was a +ghastly place to be in. Signallers and linesmen had a +particularly rough time, and lines were down almost +continuously.</p> + +<p>October 6th, was a particularly bad day, as we lost +Col. Dempster and the Second-in-Command (Capt. C. P. +Elliott), both wounded. They had gone to see how things +were going on in the forward area, and on returning to +Headquarters, which was in a dug-out behind Levergies, +they were unfortunate enough to be in the neighbourhood +of a dump of shells by the roadside at the same moment +as <span class="pagenum"><a id="page291" name="page291"></a>(p. 291)</span> a Hun gunner dropped a shell right on the dump. +The result was that both these Officers began to soar +skywards, as if off for their "harp and wings divine," +but eventually found themselves on mother earth once +more, the Commanding Officer badly shaken and cut +about the face, the strap of his tin hat broken by the +force of the explosion, and Pynsent Elliott finding that +for some little time he would have to take his meals off +the mantelpiece! The Commanding Officer was anxious +to be allowed to remain with us, but eventually was +persuaded otherwise, and they both left for the Dressing +Station, and Major V. O. Robinson, M.C., of the 6th +Battalion, was sent to take over temporary command.</p> + +<p>The following night we were relieved by the +Monmouths, who had orders to clear out the Boche from +some machine gun nests on the Sequehart-Mericourt +Road the next morning, in conjunction with an attack +by the 6th Division on the left, and French on the right. +Relief was complete about midnight, and we marched +back to Lehaucourt, where we spent the following day. +On October 9th, Col. Dempster returned, though not +looking at all well. Major Robinson remained with us +as Second-in-Command, as Major Andrews had left a few +days previously, to attend the Senior Officers' Course +at Aldershot. A day or two later Capt. Miners was +appointed Adjutant, and was succeeded in command of +C Company by 2nd Lieut. Druce.</p> + +<p>Things were now moving rapidly. Although the +gallant attack by the Monmouths had been repulsed +with heavy casualties, their action had enabled the 6th +Division to get on, and eventually surround the enemy +and capture the lot. The enemy then withdrew +more quickly, closely followed by the 138th Brigade, +who led the pursuit. On October 9th, we moved to +Levergies, and the next day to Mericourt, where we +went into bivouacs. This village was just on the West +of <span class="pagenum"><a id="page292" name="page292"></a>(p. 292)</span> Fresnoy-le-Grand, which was entered by the 138th +Brigade the same morning.</p> + +<p>We now took a little more interest in life. Everyone +was feeling better for the rest, and found the rapid +movement quite entertaining, especially as we were now +approaching civilisation again. Fresnoy was the first +town of any size that we reached; though showing +distinct signs of shelling here and there, it was not badly +damaged. It was interesting to see the Boche "War +Savings Campaign" posters, and probably the most +interesting specimen, painted all over the gable end +of a house, represented "John Bull" on his Island, +tearing his hair in a perfect frenzy, with "U" Boats +all around him! Here, too, there were many inhabitants, +who were of course delighted to see us. Much of the +land was under cultivation, and we had really come +to the end of that desolate region which was so +distasteful to us all.</p> + +<p>On October 12th, we moved a further step forward, +and that afternoon reached Jonnecourt Farm, between +Fresnoy and Bohain. Just before leaving we had all +welcomed back Col. Currin, more or less recovered from +his wound, and with his arrival Col. Dempster left us. +Jonnecourt Farm was somewhat damaged, and said to +be mined, so we put up our bivouacs and tents in the open +just by it. The farm had been captured only a few days +before by our Cavalry, and we had the uncongenial +task of burying the bodies of those who had been killed +in the attack. We now had a few days peace, and were +able to refit, bath at the old German baths in Fresnoy, +which were excellently fitted up, and reorganise our +diminished forces. A pleasing little ceremony was +performed here, when the "Congratulatory Cards" +from the Divisional Commander for the N.C.O.'s and +men, who had been recommended for good work during +the recent fighting, were presented to them by the +Commanding <span class="pagenum"><a id="page293" name="page293"></a>(p. 293)</span> Officer at a Battalion Parade, ending up +with the Battalion marching past the recipients whilst +the band played the Regimental March.</p> + +<p>We were not left here for long, there being more +"dirty work" to be done yet. The 138th Brigade had +been joined by the 137th Brigade, and together they +were now held up about the Bois-de-Riquerval, East of +Bohain, where some tough fighting had been going on, +the enemy rear-guard making a stout defence, so as to +give his main body time to get away. With the object, +therefore, of clearing the whole of this front and pushing +the enemy back to the Sambre-Oise Canal, a general +attack was arranged to take place on October 17th, by +the IX Corps in conjunction with the French on the +right, and the Americans on the left, the 46th Division +being ordered to clear the enemy from the Bois-de-Riquerval +and the Andigny-les-Fermes Ridge.</p> + +<p>On October 16th, we received orders for the attack, +which was to take place early the following morning. +The 138th Brigade were to attack on the left of the +139th Brigade whilst the 137th Brigade were to hold their +present line on the right. The attack of the 139th Brigade +was to be on a one Battalion front, and we were selected +to carry out the attack, with two Companies of the 5th +Battalion in close support, the remainder of the Brigade +being in reserve. The objective (The "Blue Line") was +the line of the Andigny-les-Fermes-Bohain Road, the +consolidation of which was to include two strong points, +one being the hamlet of Regnicourt. Royal Engineers +were allotted to us to help in the consolidation, and +posts were to be pushed forward South of this road. +The two Companies of the 5th Battalion had two tasks +allotted. One was to move through our right Company, +after the objective had been captured, occupy a small +length of trench there, and seize a small wood, so as +to protect our right from possible counter-attack from +Hennechies <span class="pagenum"><a id="page294" name="page294"></a>(p. 294)</span> Wood. The other was to follow our centre +Company, mop up any enemy left in the elements of +trenches in that Company's area, and help to mop up +Regnicourt itself.</p> + +<p>Tanks were to assist in the operation, one moving +down our right boundary, and helping to mop up the +trenches on the extreme right, and two others working +along the high ground on the left, and assisting if required +in the capture of Regnicourt, proceeding thence to help +the 138th Brigade at Andigny-les-Fermes.</p> + +<p>A glance at the map will show that the attack was +at right angles to the general line of our advance, which +was North East. It was therefore impossible for our +guns to fire the normal barrage, and the attack had to be +carried out under an enfilade barrage, working forward +on the leap-frog principle. This was difficult to lay +correctly, and the greatest care had to be taken that +troops forming up were well clear of it. After three +minutes on the opening line it was to advance at the rate +of 100 yards every three minutes. One round of smoke +shell was to be fired at each lift, which obviously would +not be so easy to identify as in the case of an overhead +barrage. A smoke curtain was also to be fired on the +Northern edge of the Forêt d'Andigny. The Life +Guards Machine Gun Battalion were to help with their +barrage, also a Company of the 6th Machine Gun +Battalion. Three sections of our own Machine Gun +Battalion were allotted to us, to be used mainly in +defence against possible counter-attacks, and a section +from the 139th Trench Mortar Battery, to assist in the +capture of Regnicourt.</p> + +<p>In order to help matters on our front a "Chinese" +or "Dummy" attack was arranged to take place on the +front of the 137th Brigade on the right. Dummy +Tanks and figures were to be placed in position during +the night, so as to appear at dawn as if attacking the +Bois-de-Riquerval <span class="pagenum"><a id="page295" name="page295"></a>(p. 295)</span> from the West, whilst a rolling barrage +was arranged to move through the wood in order to give +a further idea of an attack being in progress there, and, +it was hoped, bring down some of the enemy's barrage +in that quarter.</p> + +<p>During the afternoon of October 16th, a reconnaissance +was made by the Commanding Officer, Second-in-Command, +and Company Commanders. During this +operation, which was interrupted by a fierce bombardment +of our lines, an old lady could be seen quietly +moving her household effects on a wheelbarrow down that +portion of the Vaux-Andigny Road running between our +lines and the enemy's.</p> + +<p>Leaving our surplus stores, bivouacs and other +paraphernalia at Jonnecourt Farm, we moved off about +10.30 p.m., Col. Currin having previously harangued +us in no uncertain way, and in a manner truly +characteristic. On reaching the outskirts of Bohain, +we turned off to the right and proceeded by a track +previously taped out by the Royal Engineers, so as to +relieve the roads of traffic, and avoid going through the +town. On reaching the quarry East of Bohain, just off +the Bohain-Vaux-Andigny Road, we halted, and had an +excellent issue of hot porridge, tea and rum—our cookers +having gone up to that point beforehand. Pack mules +and limbers with ammunition and other stores, were a +little further behind, but near enough to be got forward +quickly if required during the battle. On this occasion +the ammunition supply was well arranged, thanks to the +good work of "Bedder" and "Tommy" Tomlinson, +who got pack mules forward in the attack with Lewis +gun "drums" just at the right moment, to the +accompaniment of some very expressive language on the +part of the Transport men.</p> + +<p>We moved on again between 2 and 3 a.m., and without +difficulty reached and formed up on our jumping-off +line, <span class="pagenum"><a id="page296" name="page296"></a>(p. 296)</span> which had been previously taped out by the +Brigade Major, Capt. Grinling, about 70 yards South of +the Bohain-Vaux-Andigny Road. We had three +Companies in the front line, A (Toyne, in the absence +of Thomas on leave) on the right; B (Geary) in the +centre; and C (Druce) on the left; whilst D (Warner), +in support behind C Company, was in the vicinity of +Vallée Hasard Farm. Battalion Headquarters and the +Regimental Aid Post were at a house near the road. +A and B Companies each had attached half a section +of Royal Engineers from the 465th Field Company. +Two Companies of the 5th Battalion were in rear, and +the rest of that Battalion were more or less dug in under +the woods on our right. The 6th Battalion were in +reserve North-West of the road. All troops were in +position by 3.45 a.m. on October 17th. Our actual +forming up line was in the area of the 6th Division, who +had been holding the front we were attacking; they +withdrew from this line some time before "zero" so as +to give us a free course.</p> + +<p>The frontage allotted to us was about 1,200 yards, +each of the leading Companies thus having approximately +400 yards. This was a long space to cover, especially +now that our numbers were so diminished that we +had been forced to reduce platoons to three sections +instead of four. Each of the leading Companies had +three platoons in the front line, with sections in blobs, +and one platoon in support, whilst D Company was +formed in a rectangle with a platoon at each corner, +and Company Headquarters in the centre, the three +sections of each platoon being arranged in a kind of +arrowhead.</p> + +<p>Zero was 5.20 a.m. The barrage came down +punctually, and we started forward to our last attack. +There was a certain amount of mist which developed +into a dense fog, and was doubtless intensified by our +own <span class="pagenum"><a id="page297" name="page297"></a>(p. 297)</span> smoke shells. A troop of our Cavalry in the +vicinity of the Vaux-Andigny road put their gas masks +on, and were last seen moving along the road in that +"get-up."</p> + +<p>It is pretty safe to say that everyone was lost +almost immediately, and as a consequence we wandered +out of our course, a fact which was destined to give us +much trouble. It was also impossible to judge the +lifts of the barrage, so that there was great confusion, +and things for a long while did not go at all well. On +this occasion, too, compasses do not appear to have +proved of great avail. C Company on the left kept +going for some time alright, and got possession of some +high ground after overcoming, under the excellent +leadership of 2nd Lieut. Druce, some opposition from +machine gun nests, though some of these were missed +owing to the fog. Then they wandered off in an Easterly +direction and got on to the 138th Brigade area on our +left, and later, when the fog cleared, they found +themselves nearly at Andigny-les-Fermes. B Company +in the centre went on until they were held up by +unbroken wire, and heavy machine gun fire from the +Regnicourt Ridge, and from a clearing in the centre of +the Battalion area. Their Commander, Capt. Geary, +was killed by machine gun fire after leading his men +with the greatest bravery. On many previous occasions +he had done excellent work, and his loss was most keenly +felt. A Company on the right soon lost touch with +B, but got on until they reached a position near the +railway track, in spite of having had a very nasty time +and many casualties from the machine guns in the same +clearing.</p> + +<p>D Company lost touch with everyone at first, and got +completely split up. Company Headquarters were +lucky enough to run into a Boche machine gun post, +which they cleared with much skill, capturing 11 men, +and <span class="pagenum"><a id="page298" name="page298"></a>(p. 298)</span> putting the two guns out of action. Then they +decided to try and find Battalion Headquarters, as they +concluded they must have got too far forward. By a +somewhat circuitous route they eventually succeeded in +doing so, and found that Col. Currin had also had difficulty +in getting to his advanced Headquarters, which was no +more than a "Map Reference." Of the rest of D +Company, three platoons got across to the right of our +front and did good work there, particularly 2nd Lieut. +Newton and his platoon, who were of great assistance +to A Company. A great feat was performed by some +members of the other platoon of D Company, who had +kept their direction on the left towards Regnicourt. +Having run up against a couple of machine guns, Sergt. +Robinson and L.-Corpl. Harper went forward to +reconnoitre the position, and finding it strongly held, +went back for the rest of the platoon. With a combination +of "fire and movement" they succeeded in getting +round the flank of the post and rushing it. L.-Corpl. +Harper, who stood up when only a few yards from the +post in order to be able to aim more accurately, was shot +through the head, and L.-Corpl. Coombes at once rushed +forward, shot six Germans with his revolver, and finished +off the last man who was trying to run away with his +Lewis gun.</p> + +<p>When news of all these happenings duly reached +him by runners, stragglers and other means. Col. +Currin collected all the oddments who had wandered to +his Headquarters, and sent them forward under Major +Robinson to push the enemy out of the clearing between +B and C Companies. The fog had to a certain extent +cleared by this time, but it was still not easy to keep +direction. Very soon, however, it lifted altogether, +and the party found itself on the Western edge of the +clearing and fired at by the enemy both from the clearing +and from the ridge towards their right front, from which +the <span class="pagenum"><a id="page299" name="page299"></a>(p. 299)</span> enemy were also firing into the rear of B Company, +who had gone past them.</p> + +<p>The party now advanced by bounds, and was +throughout most gallantly led by Major Robinson, who +went out absolutely unarmed, but later managed to get +a Boche pistol lent him, which he very soon lost. +Knowing him as we do we are not surprised that such a +small matter did not worry him in the least! Eventually +they got possession of a trench on the ridge, which +afforded them a certain amount of cover. The garrison +of this trench, about 10 men with a machine gun, were +very fortunate in receiving quarter, as they fired on +our advancing line up to the last minute, and then +threw up their hands. Most of the trouble now came +from machine guns about half right, and it was +determined to round them up. At this point Sergt. +Winson, of C Company, did most excellent work. +Regardless of all risk he kept his Lewis gun trained on +the enemy, whilst a party worked round their right +flank, first by crawling over to a small clearing, and then +rushing the post from there. This manoeuvre was +entirely successful, six machine guns, and about 40 +prisoners being captured.</p> + +<p>At the same time that part of C Company, which +had wandered away to the left, turned back and moved +towards the high ground East of Regnicourt. The +enemy in the clearing now realised that they were more +or less surrounded, and after little more resistance +surrendered, 27 machine guns and 140 prisoners being +taken from this small area. A Company of the 5th +Battalion under our old Regimental Quarter-Master +Sergt., now Capt. Dench, arrived shortly afterwards +and took up a position in the clearing as a reserve.</p> + +<p>A Company on the right had fared very badly, +having met with heavy machine gun and rifle fire and +suffered many casualties, including their commander. +Lieut. <span class="pagenum"><a id="page300" name="page300"></a>(p. 300)</span> Toyne, who was wounded, and 2nd Lieut. Jacques, +killed, leaving the Company under the command of +2nd Lieut. Shackleton. Eventually, owing to their +exposed position they had to retire slightly, but later +were reinforced by two Companies from the 5th Battalion, +and together they were able, after some very stiff fighting, +to dislodge the enemy and get their objective. Lieut. +Thomas of the 465th Field Company, Royal Engineers, +did some very gallant work here in reorganising parties +and leading them forward in attempts to get on, and +the greatest praise is due to him for his splendid efforts.</p> + +<p>Major Robinson's party, after getting the Ridge, +pushed on to Regnicourt Village, where they found some +of the Leicesters, who had wandered on to our front. +Just beyond, one of our Tanks had broken down, and +had a very rough time before its crew could be rescued. +It was now about 10.15 a.m. Capt. Warner was put +in charge of the front line with orders to consolidate, +and he accordingly reorganised the odd parties of men +he found under his command, and began to establish +strong points South of the Andigny-les-Fermes-Bohain +Road. Some trouble was caused at this time by a +German field gun inside Hennechies Wood, which was +firing on these parties at point blank range. Once its +position was located, however, it was not long before +our Gunners forced it to withdraw, and the posts were +eventually established.</p> + +<p>About 11 a.m. the enemy were seen massing for a +counter-attack about 1,500 yards away on our right +front, but we got the guns of the whole "group" turned +on to the area in a very short time, and the Boches were +completely broken, only a half-hearted attempt being +made, and only one man reaching our lines.</p> + +<p>By noon the enemy in the Forêt d'Andigny must +have begun to feel that with the 138th Brigade—who +had now captured the village of Andigny-les-Fermes—on +their <span class="pagenum"><a id="page301" name="page301"></a>(p. 301)</span> right flank, and the 137th Brigade and ourselves +on their left, it was time they were moving, for +a patrol which we pushed out towards the wood found +it occupied only by a few odd machine guns. Major +Robinson himself took charge of this patrol, which +consisted of a platoon of B Company, under Comp. +Sergt.-Major Cobb. On one or two occasions, owing to +their small numbers they had to creep round to avoid +these machine guns, but they escaped without accident, +and after proceeding a distance of something like 2,000 +yards in a South-Eastern direction, they eventually +found a French post about 100 yards South of +"Forester's House." The "poilus" were delighted +to see them, and shewed their appreciation by giving our +men the whole of the contents of their water bottles.</p> + +<p>About 5 p.m., Companies having been to some +extent reorganised, an outpost line was formed running +due North and South from Hennechies Wood, East of +Regnicourt, and joining up on the left with the 138th +Brigade. Later on, the 137th Brigade moved up a +Battalion through the wood to fill the gap between our +right flank and the French.</p> + +<a id="img026" name="img026"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img026.jpg" width="400" height="556" alt="Map To Illustrate The Battle Of Regnicourt." title="Map To Illustrate The Battle Of Regnicourt."> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Map To Illustrate The Battle Of Regnicourt.</p> + +<p>During the attack we captured something like +220 prisoners, and nearly 100 machine guns, besides +inflicting many other casualties. Our own losses, too, +were heavy—the heaviest in Officers that we had experienced +in the recent fighting. Besides Geary, we +lost 2nd Lieuts. Plant and Jacques killed, and Lieuts. +Toyne and Whitelegge, and 2nd Lieut. John H. Smith +wounded, whilst in other ranks we lost 25 killed or died +of wounds, and 54 wounded, including Sergts. Oldham, +Sharrock and Wicks. Deeds of gallantry were +conspicuous on all sides, and especially good work +was done by several N.C.O.'s in charge of platoons. +Amongst the following, who did particularly well +and have not already been mentioned in connection +with <span class="pagenum"><a id="page302" name="page302"></a>(p. 302)</span> the Battle of Regnicourt, are several who had +previously displayed conspicuous courage in other recent +battles: Sergts. Shepperson, Sharrock, Wallis, Scrimshaw, +and H. Wilson; Corpls. Watson and Francis; +L.-Corpls. Slater, Creamer (killed), Robinson and Beech, +and Pvtes. Wesley, Houghton, Martin, Draper, Jackson, +Berresford, C. Smith, Vipond, Lees, Turpin and Roe.</p> + +<p>In a way it was an unsatisfactory day, and we feel +we have hardly had our deserts for the gallant work +done by all ranks against an enemy holding in much +greater strength much more strongly fortified positions +than had been anticipated. The fighting was extremely +hard, if anything harder than at Ramicourt, and the +greatest possible credit is due to all for the gallant way +they fought, and the great dash and determination they +displayed to get their objective. Regnicourt is apt to +be looked on as a small matter, but for the 8th Battalion +it was one of the most strenuously fought battles +of the war.</p> + +<p>About midnight, we were relieved by the 6th +Battalion, and rested for the night just behind Regnicourt. +The following day, as the Brigade had been squeezed +out of the line altogether by the further retirement +of the enemy, we were able to withdraw, and in the +evening marched back to Fresnoy. We were met on +the road by our Drums, under the leadership of Corpl. +(shortly to become Sergt.-Drummer) Coupe, who had got +them to a wonderful state of perfection. They cheered +everyone up, and considerably helped the last part of +the march. We were glad to see General Harington +waiting for us just before reaching the village, and his +brief "Well done, Sherwoods" as we passed, was the +fullest appreciation of our efforts that we could wish +for.</p> + +<p>We now had several days complete rest, and were +fortunate in getting, almost at once, a draft of 120 +reinforcements, <span class="pagenum"><a id="page303" name="page303"></a>(p. 303)</span> mostly men of the Northumberland +Hussars, who had not previously seen service abroad. +They were a good lot, and with their addition we felt +more like ourselves once more; in fact our paper strength +now totalled 34 Officers, and 745 other ranks. We had +quite a pleasant time doing a little training, as well as +reorganising and cleaning, and devoting the afternoons +to football.</p> + +<p>The fighting moving further off each day, we had to +move forward on October 29th to Bohain. This was +carried out as a Brigade march, and we entered Bohain +with bands playing, and the civilian population in the +streets to welcome us. The town had been knocked about +very little, and the billets were extremely comfortable. +Our training here included a route march across the +scene of our recent fighting, in order to imbue the newly +arrived with a sense of the honour they should realise +had been done them in posting them to such a fine +Battalion!</p> + +<p>A great drawback to our advance all this time was +the business-like way in which the Boche had mined the +roads and blown up railways. Every railway and river +bridge had been systematically blown up, and mines +had been put at every cross roads, and usually in the +deep cuttings and high embankments, so as to give the +maximum of trouble in filling and getting past. In +many cases, these mines had actually been blown and +all we found were huge craters. In a few cases delay-action +mines had been laid, which did not explode for +some little time. All this gave our Sappers much work +to do in reconnoitring road crossings, and other points +for signs of mining where they were not blown, or in +arranging for temporary roadways to be constructed, +or craters to be filled in where they had been exploded. +But on a larger scale the enemy's very clever system of +working his delay-action mines on the railways, was the +biggest <span class="pagenum"><a id="page304" name="page304"></a>(p. 304)</span> nuisance we had to contend with. The railway +having been repaired well forward, a mine would suddenly +go up miles behind, thus preventing trains getting on to +the appointed railhead, and so causing endless worry to +the authorities who had to arrange for our supplies +coming up. To them this disorganisation must have +been extremely disconcerting, and it went on altogether +for nearly a month. The mines were so cunningly +concealed that it was impossible to locate them. In +spite of everything supplies reached us in some marvellous +way without a hitch.</p> + +<p>On November 3rd, in order to support the 1st and +32nd Divisions, who were to attack the line of the +Sambre-Oise Canal on the following day, and to exploit +the success if they broke through, we moved to the +little village of Escaufort. It was a heavy march, the +roads were bad, and we arrived late in the evening +soaked through to spend a dreary night in poor billets, +many of which had suffered during the bombardment +of the last few days, and in bivouacs. Early the +following morning we pushed on to St. Souplet, where +we prepared to stay for the night in a few old barns. +Later in the day, however, news was brought that the +attack had been successful, and we moved on to Catillon, +on the Canal. Transport, Quarter-Master's Stores and +Battle Details moved to Mazinghien. The same night +we got orders that we were to pass through the 1st +Division and 138th Brigade, and take up the pursuit, the +following day.</p> + +<p>We had been informed that owing to the "blowing" +of the bridge over the Canal at Catillon, we should have +to make a détour of several miles with cookers and +Lewis gun limbers to get across by a pontoon bridge, +in order to arrive at our point of assembly on the Catillon-La +Groise Road, which was only about 1,000 yards +away! We determined to see if we could not find some +other <span class="pagenum"><a id="page305" name="page305"></a>(p. 305)</span> means of doing this, and thanks to a reconnaissance +by Major Robinson, we found that it was possible for +Infantry to cross the Canal over débris from the blown +up bridge, though the Transport would have to go round. +This was a great boon, as it enabled us to get breakfast +before starting considerably later than would otherwise +have been necessary. Capt. A. Bedford arrived with +the rations about 3.0 a.m., we had breakfast at six, +and at eight moved off, being across the Canal, and +in our proper position by 8.30. Limbers and cookers +joined us about nine, A Company's cooker having fallen +overboard in crossing the pontoon bridge but having +been extricated without damage. We were the only +Battalion in the Brigade that day to start out with a +full stomach and our day's rations with us!</p> + +<p>Late in the afternoon we moved into poor billets in +the village of Mezières, where we stayed the night, and +were joined by Transport, Stores and Battle Details. +Bedford worked uncommonly well, as did also the +Quarter-Master's Branch, in getting up rations, which +they had to man-handle over the canal crossing—still +impossible for traffic—and reload into our transport +limbers. For all their efforts we were duly thankful.</p> + +<p>On November 6th, the 5th Battalion were to attack +as the 6th had been held up just West of Prisches, and +we were to move up in support. The method adopted +was for the attacking troops to pass round the village, +whilst the support Battalion, pushing one Company on +the road as an advanced guard, moved by platoons at +about 50 yards interval. This was now true open +warfare, and there was no organised line of defence. +The day's objectives were Prisches and Cartignies. After +an early start we continued our march towards Prisches, +the attacking troops meeting with little opposition, and +our advanced guard, A Company, were quickly in after +them. The enemy had gone and we had got possession +by 10.30 a.m.</p> + +<p>We <span class="pagenum"><a id="page306" name="page306"></a>(p. 306)</span> shall never forget the reception by the +inhabitants of Prisches! We were the first of the relieving +troops they had seen, and their feelings at being thus +released after four years of oppression and slavery +at the hands of the Hun, found expression in many +demonstrations of joy and gratitude. Civilians of all +ages came out to greet us. Their national flags—Heaven +only knows where they came from or how they +were concealed from the enemy—were displayed on all +sides, and even before the enemy were clear of the village +the Tricolour was floating from the Church Tower! It +was truly a wonderful sight, and a day never to be +forgotten. We were surrounded by offers of coffee and +fruit, cider and cognac, plentifully mingled with the +tears and kisses of the grateful inhabitants. Indeed, +so insistent were they that progress became difficult. +We eventually, however, managed to establish Battalion +Headquarters in a farmhouse at the East end of +the village, where we again had a great reception, and +stayed for some refreshment during a temporary hold-up +of the advanced troops.</p> + +<p>The attacking troops were to push on through the +next village, Cartignies, and establish an outpost line +on the other side of it. So rapid was the retreat, and +so certain were we of success, that whilst at Prisches we +despatched Bradish and a party of N.C.O.'s to get our +billets there for the night! In the afternoon we were +able to push on with the rest of the Battalion, B Company +forming the advanced guard. On arriving at Cartignies +we were met by Bradish, who informed us that he had +made arrangements for billeting us, but that half the +village was still in the hands of the enemy, who were +firing on the 5th Battalion with machine guns. The +Commanding Officer whilst reconnoitring near the +Church, soon discovered this for himself, so withdrew +diplomatically, deciding that it was not "our war" +just <span class="pagenum"><a id="page307" name="page307"></a>(p. 307)</span> then. Accordingly we got into our billets and +posted sentries and Lewis guns at windows and other +points for our protection. Owing to some of the Staffords +who were also in the village, deciding to hold their outpost +line in the village, instead of on the other side the +river, the clearing of the village was a longer process +than it should have been. It caused us no trouble, but +we doubt if Tomlinson and Tebbutt would have slept so +comfortably had they known that their billet was in +No Man's Land! However, all was well; we had had +another great reception from the delighted inhabitants, +and after a long and tiring day we were soon asleep +in good, comfortable billets.</p> + +<p>For the next three days we stayed there, being +joined by the Transport and Stores, Battle Details and +several Officers from England, who had never been out +before.</p> + +<p>The Hun was now going away rapidly, and it +was very doubtful if we should be required again. +We never were, and were glad to find we had done +with him.</p> + +<p>There was talk of an Armistice, and we were also +warned that German Envoys were expected, and might +come through our lines. This they did not do and we +were not sorry.</p> + +<p>On November 10th, we had to move out of Cartignies +to a small village, Boulogne-sur-Helpe, near by—the +most Easterly point the Battalion ever reached.</p> + +<p>November 11th came in just the same as any other +day, but quite early a wire from Brigade Headquarters +stated that the Germans had agreed to our Armistice +terms, and the Great War was over.</p> + + + + +<h3>CHAPTER XVIII <span class="pagenum"><a id="page308" name="page308"></a>(p. 308)</span></h3> + +<h5>HOME AGAIN</h5> + +<p class="figcenter"><i>November 12th, 1918.</i>— +<i>July 5th, 1919.</i></p> + +<p class="p2">For the next few days we lived in an atmosphere +of uncertainty. Were we to be one of the chosen +Divisions to go forward as part of the Army of Occupation, +or were we to be left to spend weary months scavenging +in the fair land of France? There may have been a few +who did not want to go on, thinking they would probably +lose their chance of an early return home, but in the +main we were anxious to push on and satisfy our souls +by actually setting foot on German soil as part of the +Conquering Army. Our hopes fell from day to day as +we heard no orders to prepare to move forward, and +eventually, much to our regret, we learnt that after +all we were not going to Germany. It was nearly +the end of November when we received the following +letter from General Sir H. S. Rawlinson, commanding +the Fourth Army:—"It is a matter of very deep regret +to me that the 46th Division is not accompanying the +Fourth Army to the Frontier. I desire, however, to +place on record my appreciation of the splendid performances +of the Division during the recent operations, +and to congratulate all ranks on the conspicuous part +they have played in the battles of the 100 days. The +forcing of the main Hindenburg line on the Canal, and the +capture of Bellenglise rank as one of the finest and most +dashing exploits of the war. The attacks of October 3rd, +and the subsequent operations about Bohain, together +with the later advance towards the Sambre Canal, +constitute a record of which all ranks of the Division +may <span class="pagenum"><a id="page309" name="page309"></a>(p. 309)</span> justly feel proud. I offer to all ranks my warmest +thanks for their great gallantry, and to the leaders and +staffs my admiration of their skilful direction and staff +work throughout these battles. To every Officer, N.C.O., +and man of the Division, I offer my warm thanks and +hearty congratulations, and trust that at some future +time they may again form part of the Fourth Army."</p> + +<p>On the day after the Armistice, Major-General +Boyd came to see us, and presented some medal ribbons, +and in the afternoon an entertaining football match +between Officers and N.C.O.'s was won by the latter, the +Officers in a few cases having some difficulty in staying +the course.</p> + +<p>We left Boulogne-sur-Helpe on November 14th, +and marched via Cartignies to Landrecies—a town +which had seen much of the recent fighting, as well as +having played a prominent part in the early days of the +war. The whole of the 139th Brigade was concentrated +here, and as our stay was likely to be a lengthy one, we +soon set to work to make ourselves comfortable. Most +of the Battalion were billeted in one of the French +Barracks, D Company being allotted a school near by. +Though the town had been considerably damaged by +shells, our billets were more or less watertight, and in +fairly good order. The Transport and Quarter-Master's +Stores were also in the town close to the Barracks.</p> + +<p>On Sunday, November 17th, a Church Parade of +the whole Division was held at Landrecies, as a Thanksgiving +Service, and afterwards the Major-General +distributed medal ribbons. He paid us a high +compliment as we marched past after the ceremony, +when he said that in all his military career he had never +seen a Battalion march past in better style!</p> + +<p>The work of clearing the battlefield in the area +round about Landrecies began at once. We did four +hours a day at this work on four days a week, and on +the <span class="pagenum"><a id="page310" name="page310"></a>(p. 310)</span> other two days carried out ordinary military training. +Education classes were also started and carried on for +several months, and though the numbers who attended +were not large, there is no doubt that very much useful +work was done in this way. Lieut. C. M. Bedford was +responsible for the educational work at first, handing +it over later to Lieut. Tebbutt. Afternoons were +invariably spent in recreation, Inter-Battalion and +Inter-Company "Soccer" matches, cross-country runs, +and other sports. There were also "Rugger" teams +in the Division, and later a Brigade Hockey team was +formed. A few lucky ones got trips in Col. Barron's +Ambulances to Brussels, Amiens, Valenciennes, and other +towns of interest within reach, but this luxury did not +last long. A recreation room at the Barracks was +started for reading and indoor games, whilst Lieut. +Pennington got an extraordinarily good Concert Party +going, which was known eventually as "The Penguins" +and gave entertainments to several other units. +"Robbo" managed to "scrounge" a piano for them +from a ruined house in the town, and during the dark +nights we had much to thank them for. Later on there +were whist drives, and some of the gayer element even +went to dances, classes in which gentle art were held +by the 6th Battalion. Padre Sturt, in addition to giving +valuable help with the Education Classes, started +a Debating Society, at which many entertaining topics +were discussed.</p> + +<p>On November 29th, the first batch of miners left +for demobilisation, an urgent call having been made +for these men owing to the coal shortage. The batch +included several "old hands," who had crossed to +France with the Battalion in 1915. The remainder +were sent off in December, during which month we lost +no fewer than 230.</p> + +<p>In <span class="pagenum"><a id="page311" name="page311"></a>(p. 311)</span> the afternoon of December 1st, we were honoured +by a visit from the King, the Prince of Wales, and Prince +Albert. They were received by Major-General Boyd +and the Mayor, and afterwards walked through the +town surrounded by masses of troops of the Division. +It was all delightfully informal; they had a wonderful +reception, and at times found it difficult to get on.</p> + +<p>A week later, on December 8th, we were delighted +to see a representative from our own County, in the +person of the Duke of Portland. He was accompanied +by Cols. Mellish and Foljambe, the Bishop of Southwell, +and Major E. T. Baines, whilst Padre Hales, who was +now Deputy Chaplain General of a neighbouring Corps, +also came over for the ceremony. The opportunity was +taken of getting the Duke to present medal ribbons to +some Officers and men who had been awarded decorations +during the recent fighting. This was done at a Battalion +Parade, at which the Duke gave a short address, saying +that he had brought from the Home County congratulations +and greetings on our work during the last few +months. After the Parade the Battalion marched past +the Duke headed by the Brigade band.</p> + +<p>The following week a Colour party consisting of Capt. +White, 2nd Lieut. James H. Smith, Comp.-Sergt.-Major +Cobb, Sergt. Martin and Sergt. Skelton, having been sent +to Newark for the special purpose, arrived with the +Colours, which remained with the Battalion for the rest +of our stay in France.</p> + +<p>Amongst numerous Officers who joined us in these +days we were particularly glad to welcome our old +friend Torrance, who at once resumed the duties of +Quarter-Master.</p> + +<p>The last item of interest in the great year 1918, +was the celebration of Christmas. The only drawback +on this occasion was that we were not able to celebrate +it until Boxing Day, owing to the non-arrival of the +necessary <span class="pagenum"><a id="page312" name="page312"></a>(p. 312)</span> feeding stuffs and drinks. Something had +gone wrong in the back regions, a thing which had been +going on for some time, as canteen stores were always +short, and rations at no other period of the war were so +scarce or poor. We poured curses on the Royal Army +Service Corps, and all connected with them, but to no +purpose. Boxing day, however, will live long in our +memory. There was plenty of food and drink, and all +sorts of other good things, towards the purchase of which +we had been largely helped by money presents from +friends at home. Each Company had its own dinner, +followed by a concert. The Major-General visited every +Company, and was greeted with the greatest enthusiasm. +He wished every one a happy time and prosperity in the +New Year. The children of Landrecies also had a treat, +being given a special show by the Divisional Cinema, +and a sumptuous feed, and we venture to think they +will not forget Christmas 1918 for many a long day—they +had certainly not had one like it during the previous +four years. Col. Barron and his excellent Quarter-Master, +Major Moreton, of our Field Ambulance, were +largely responsible for the feed, whilst we helped to buy +toys.</p> + +<p>It took us some time to get over Christmas. In +fact, Christmas at Landrecies in 1918 lasted several +days, and was full of incident! As soon as the New +Year came in—on January 3rd, 1919—we moved once +more to Prisches, where a fresh area was allotted us +to clear. Here we carried on in much the same way +as at Landrecies, but owing to demobilisation having +become more general, we were losing men daily and +our numbers were gradually but surely dropping. Early +in the New Year Major Robinson left us to rejoin the +6th Battalion, and Major Andrews resumed duty as +Second-in-Command.</p> + +<p>On <span class="pagenum"><a id="page313" name="page313"></a>(p. 313)</span> February 19th, we began a Westward move to +be nearer railhead, marching that day to Bazuel, and +the following day to Bethencourt, near Caudry, from +which place we were destined finally to be scattered to +the four winds. From here we sent back most of our +horses and mules, with others from the Brigade, to an +Auction sale at Prisches, where they were sold in a most +entertaining manner by a French Auctioneer at good +prices to the local inhabitants. Our Transport vehicles +were sent to the Divisional Park at Caudry.</p> + +<p>The same sort of work and play and demobilisation +continued, and at the end of April we were left with +only nine Officers and 52 other ranks. Officers and +men who were not demobilised went mostly to the +51st and 52nd Sherwood Foresters (Young Soldiers +Battalions), or to Prisoners of War Camps at Nancy +and Péronne. Eventually in June, Col. Currin and the +Cadre left for England, leaving behind only a baggage +guard under Capt. Warner, who came home in July. +Col. Currin and his party arrived at Newark late on +June 21st, and the official welcome took place on +June 23rd, when the Mayor met them at the Town Hall, +and the Colours were once more placed at the Drill Hall. +With the Colonel were Regimental Sergt.-Major +Mounteney, Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. Bee, Sergt. +Blunt, L.-Corpl. Tuckwood, and Pvte. Durand. With +the exception of two short periods when he was away +sick or wounded, Regimental Sergt.-Major Mounteney +served with us the whole of our stay in France. Both +in and out of the line he rendered most valuable service +to the Battalion, and even in the darkest hours we +were always sure of his cheerful help.</p> + +<p>On July 5th, a Memorial Service was held at +Southwell Cathedral, for the Nottinghamshire men who +had fallen in the war. After the ceremony, the men +of the Battalion who were present, were entertained +to <span class="pagenum"><a id="page314" name="page314"></a>(p. 314)</span> tea in the schools at Southwell, and Col. Huskinson +took that opportunity of thanking the ladies of the +County for their kind help during the war. We feel +sure, that though on this occasion they are put last, +they will none the less accept our kind appreciation of +all the work they were at such pains to do, and for the +thousands of comforts they got together and sent out to +us.</p> + +<p>From the time we left England to final disembodiment +no fewer than 193 Officers, and 2,650 other ranks +served with the Battalion. There were 21 deaths from +sickness and four fatal accidents. Battle casualties +amounted to 26 Officers, and 447 other ranks killed, +or died of wounds, and 64 Officers, and 1,400 other +ranks wounded. Such a tragic total, however, cannot +wholly be a measure of the trials and vicissitudes of +three-and-a-half years' fighting. If in this record we +have succeeded in conveying an impression to those +who were not so fortunate as to be with us, or in reminding +those who were, of courage, dogged perseverance, +and unselfish devotion to duty in action, of +pleasures, humour and happier times at rest, our efforts +may not, perhaps, be without value in the days that +are to come.</p> + +<div> +<p class="p0 left05">"Speak! Was our course well run? Is there aught wherewith to upbraid us?<br> +Have we fled from the thunder of battle, or flinched at the lightning's track?<br> +Answer! What need of answer? By the God of Truth who hath made us,<br> +Thou knowest the Flag went forward, and never a foot went back!"</p> + +<p class="p0 col30"> +<span class="smcap">"The Last Muster,"</span> by <i>J. S. Arkwright</i>.</p></div> + + + + + +<h3>APPENDIX I. <span class="pagenum"><a id="page315" name="page315"></a>(p. 315)</span></h3> + +<h5>ROLL OF HONOUR</h5> + +<p class="figcenter"><i>List of those who were Killed, or Died of Wounds or Sickness.</i></p> + +<p class="figcenter">OFFICERS.</p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" summary="Officers"> +<colgroup> +<col width="7%"> +<col width="7%"> +<col width="35%"> +<col width="2%"> +<col width="7%"> +<col width="7%"> +<col width="35%"> +</colgroup> + +<tr> +<td colspan="3" class="td-center">1915.</td> +<td> </td> +<td colspan="3" class="td-center">1917.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>April</td> +<td class="td-right">22—</td> +<td>2nd Lieut. <span class="smcap">J. R. Eddison</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>March</td> +<td class="td-right">4—</td> +<td>Lieut. <span class="smcap">R. A. Abrams</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>June</td> +<td class="td-right">6—</td> +<td>Capt. <span class="smcap">H. G. Wright</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>April</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>2nd Lieut. <span class="smcap">W. P. Duff</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Lieut. <span class="smcap">A. F. O. Dobson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>2nd Lieut. <span class="smcap">E. Hopkinson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>2nd Lieut. <span class="smcap">W. H. Hollins</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>Aug.</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>2nd Lieut. <span class="smcap">D. Tanner</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>Oct.</td> +<td class="td-right">13—</td> +<td>2nd Lieut. <span class="smcap">R. E. Hemingway</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>Oct.</td> +<td class="td-right">27—</td> +<td>2nd Lieut. <span class="smcap">J. H. Hofmeyr</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>2nd Lieut. <span class="smcap">E. F. S. Handford</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td colspan="3" rowspan="2" class="td-center">1918.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Capt. <span class="smcap">H. B. S. Handford</span></td> +<td> </td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>2nd Lieut. <span class="smcap">E. S. Strachan</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>April</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Capt. <span class="smcap">H. K. Simonet</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Lieut.-Col. <span class="smcap">G. H. Fowler</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>Sept.</td> +<td class="td-right">6—</td> +<td>2nd Lieut. <span class="smcap">C. J. Elly</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">25—</td> +<td>2nd Lieut. <span class="smcap">G. H. Fisher</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Lieut. <span class="smcap">S. E. Cairns</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>Nov.</td> +<td class="td-right">12—</td> +<td>Lieut. <span class="smcap">C. M. Houfton</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>Oct.</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>2nd Lieut. <span class="smcap">A. D. H. Dunkin</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td colspan="3" rowspan="2" class="td-center">1916.</td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">4—</td> +<td>2nd Lieut. <span class="smcap">T. F. Mitchell</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Capt. <span class="smcap">A. E. Geary</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>Jan.</td> +<td class="td-right">1—</td> +<td>Major <span class="smcap">J. P. Becher</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>2nd Lieut. <span class="smcap">R. S. Plant</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>Dec.</td> +<td class="td-right">20—</td> +<td>2nd Lieut. <span class="smcap">L. E. King-Stephens</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>2nd Lieut. <span class="smcap">W. G. Jacques</span></td> +</tr> + +</table> + +<p class="figcenter"><br>OTHER RANKS.</p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="1" summary="Other ranks"> +<colgroup> +<col width="7%"> +<col width="7%"> +<col width="35%"> +<col width="2%"> +<col width="7%"> +<col width="7%"> +<col width="35%"> +</colgroup> + +<tr> +<td colspan="7" class="td-center">1914.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>Sept.</td> +<td class="td-right">28—</td> +<td>Drummer <span class="smcap">R. Baker</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>Nov.</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">S. Shelton</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td colspan="7" class="td-center">1915.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>April</td> +<td class="td-right">6—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Hyde</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>April</td> +<td class="td-right">11—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">P. Richardson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">12—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">D. Smith</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">12—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Frary</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">13—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. R. Copley</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. E. Hopewell</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">20—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Trickett</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">20—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Wright</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">21—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">T. Murden</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">21—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Bates</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">21—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Adams</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">21—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Berresford</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">21—</td> +<td>Sergt. <span class="smcap">G. Wilmore</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">21—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">T. H. Mayman</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">22—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Sketchley</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Stevenson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Taylor</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Hunt</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. Redmile</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Godfrey</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. Hibbert</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">R. East</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Bonner</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Grant</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Husband</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Johnson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Pattison</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">W. Ashley</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. E. Hincks</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Randall</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. Worthington</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page316" name="page316"></a>(p. 316)</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Brindley</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Foster</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">E. Markwell</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>May</td> +<td class="td-right">2—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">C. Land</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>May</td> +<td class="td-right">2—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">E. Parker</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">8—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Kirk</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">8—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. V. Soar</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">8—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">W. H. Ridgard</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">10—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">A. Priestley</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. Eaton</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Widnall</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">T. Hardy</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">25—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Spademan</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>June</td> +<td class="td-right">5—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">R. Mills</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>June</td> +<td class="td-right">6—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">T. Massey</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">12—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Paling</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">C. J. Wilson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">F. Wilcox</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. E. Armitage</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Hill</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">B. Cox</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">P. May</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">R. W. Moakes</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Richardson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">O. L. Bryan</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Cook</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">16—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Richardson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. H. Hird</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">27—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">J. Churn</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">27—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Edwards</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">27—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. E. Stones</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>July</td> +<td class="td-right">12—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. Robinson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>July</td> +<td class="td-right">16—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Tinker</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">16—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">F. Godson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">18—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">E. Dewsnap</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">20—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. Richardson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">21—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. Taylor</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">21—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Hinton</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">22—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Bowskill</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">25—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Watson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. W. Jubb</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Rudkin</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Walster</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. Thorpe</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">R. Downham</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">S. Oliver</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">R. Huckerby</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Ingham</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Parker</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. Lines</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Woodhead</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Coy</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Rossington</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. R. Walker</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Taylor</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. W. Raynor</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">31—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">S. Humberstone</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">31—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">I. Webster</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">31—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">R. J. Hotson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">31—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">T. Davidson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>August</td> +<td class="td-right">1—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Hopewell</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>August</td> +<td class="td-right">1—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. H. Turner</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">4—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. W. Lee</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">5—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. Crampton</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">7—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Moore</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">7—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Scott</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">8—</td> +<td>Sergt. <span class="smcap">A. Phillipson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">8—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">P. Scott</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">8—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Smith</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">8—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Gumsley</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">8—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. King</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">13—</td> +<td>L.-Sergt. <span class="smcap">E. Layhe</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. E. Fletcher</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Walsham</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Kirkham</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">G. C. Higham</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. A. Saunders</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. W. Cartwright</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Richards</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>Sept.</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Key</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>Sept.</td> +<td class="td-right">10—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">L. Smith</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">12—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Wesson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">16—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. T. Marshall</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">19—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Barker</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">25—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">T. Humphrey</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">25—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">L. Hayes</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">28—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">R. Gray</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Drummer <span class="smcap">J. Newton</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>Oct.</td> +<td class="td-right">5—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">E. Hale</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>Oct.</td> +<td class="td-right">5—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. R. Roe</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">5—</td> +<td>L.-Sergt. <span class="smcap">C. E. Harrison</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">8—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">N. Chadbourne</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Sergt. <span class="smcap">C. E. Cox</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">A. Spencer</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">J. C. Simpson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. Mecklenburgh</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">W. Wardle</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">E. Clay</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">W. J. Herepath</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">A. H. Hardy</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Baldwinson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. L. Smith</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. Kirk</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. W. Renshaw</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. Stimsom</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">S. P. Huggins</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">L. H. Flint</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. W. Coleman</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page317" name="page317"></a>(p. 317)</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Simms</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Fotheringham</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">S. H. Lister</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Pettinger</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Hazzard</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Sergt. <span class="smcap">M. Millband</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">H. E. Woodhead</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Dodsworth</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">J. Sharman</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">B. C. Vick</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Hazlewood</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Cook</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. S. Harrison</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Wilkinson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Eyre</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. C. Phillipson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Anthony</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Farrand</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. B. Smith</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Thompson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Seymour</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Bryan</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Sergt. <span class="smcap">H. Hall</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Moyses</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Radford</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Sergt. <span class="smcap">G. F. Foster</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">S. Broughton</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">16—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">R. Taylor</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">18—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">F. J. Lowe</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">22—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Woolley</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">27—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. Chilvers</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">R. Hurt</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>Nov.</td> +<td class="td-right">22—</td> +<td>Sergt. <span class="smcap">A. Sheppard</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>Dec.</td> +<td class="td-right">2—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. H. Cliffe</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>Dec.</td> +<td class="td-right">8—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. Redfern</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td colspan="7" class="td-center">1916.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>March</td> +<td class="td-right">20—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Evans</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>March</td> +<td class="td-right">21—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Footitt</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">25—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. Gilbert</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">28—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. E. Ellis</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>April</td> +<td class="td-right">4—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. E. Easton</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>April</td> +<td class="td-right">4—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Wright</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">4—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Johnson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">4—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. W. Hempsall</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">5—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. A. Hill</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Wilcockson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">L. Chandlee</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Sergt. <span class="smcap">W. H. Markham</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. North</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. H. Mutton</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">18—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Ellis</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">18—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. Nelson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">18—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Robinson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">18—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">J. Footitt</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">18—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Marriott</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">18—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. H. Johnson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">18—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">L. J. Moore</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">20—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Hicking</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">20—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">T. B. Terry</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">25—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. Wells</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>June</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Skillington</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>June</td> +<td class="td-right">20—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. E. Pulford</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">20—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Fogg</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">20—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. A. Bingley</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">20—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">L. Tyers</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">20—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">T. Stout</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Froggatt</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. W. Moor</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. English</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">T. Cope</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">25—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">M. Johnson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">25—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">A. E. Sooley</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">26—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. Toyne</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">26—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">W. G. Moore</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">26—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. Judson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">27—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">A. A. Grant</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">27—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. W. Bonser</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>July</td> +<td class="td-right">1—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Clarke</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>July</td> +<td class="td-right">1—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">E. Allen</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">1—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. W. Edwards</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">1—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Seagrave</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">1—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">S. Matthews</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">1—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">J. J. Alvey</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">1—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">T. F. Barlow</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Bousfield</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">6—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Talbot</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">10—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Jeffery</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">12—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">W. Young</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">13—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">E. Pride</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">13—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. E. Beardsley</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">A. E. Paling</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. F. Wood</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. R. Seymour</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>August</td> +<td class="td-right">8—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Burke</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>Sept.</td> +<td class="td-right">21—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Stocks</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>Oct.</td> +<td class="td-right">7—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Hammond</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td colspan="7" class="td-center">1917.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>Jan.</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. H. Spence</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>Jan.</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Stafford</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">R. Knee</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>Feb.</td> +<td class="td-right">12—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Robertson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>Feb.</td> +<td class="td-right">16—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. W. Beighton</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">E. Slack</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. W. Sharman</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page318" name="page318"></a>(p. 318)</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Makin</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Addison</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>March</td> +<td class="td-right">4—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">R. Marriott</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>March</td> +<td class="td-right">4—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Rimes</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">4—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Myatt</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">4—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">P. Faulkner</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">4—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. S. Cooper</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">5—</td> +<td>Sergt. <span class="smcap">J. Henley</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">5—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">S. J. Preece</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">6—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. H. Haslam</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. H. Bryan</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>April</td> +<td class="td-right">21—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Stubbins</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>April</td> +<td class="td-right">21—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. E. Wilkinson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">21—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">L. Burrows</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">W. Street</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">R. Vacey</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">J. Hinchley</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">W. Ward</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Barwise</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Garbett</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. H. Smith</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. Goodacre</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. R. Hewson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Holwell</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">T. H. Jones</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Miller</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Phillips</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Steele</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Barnes</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">S. Hodgkinson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">A. Cox</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">26—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Nicholson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>May</td> +<td class="td-right">8—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">D. McGlure</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>May</td> +<td class="td-right">10—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">R. Short</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">10—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. Perkins</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">11—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. W. Brown</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">11—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Nicholls</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">12—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. L. Varley</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">12—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Sinclair</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">12—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">R. Turner</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">19—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. K. Strachan</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">28—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">H. Newman</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">28—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">R. Morris</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Marshall</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">L. Houeton</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">T. Sherratt</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Simpson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">S. Morley</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>June</td> +<td class="td-right">2—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Gale</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>June</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">S. Peach</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">6—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. L. Reekie</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">8—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. H. Whitehead</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">8—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. W. Henley</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">8—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. S. Reiace</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">8—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">F. S. Pickering</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">8—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">T. Clarke</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">9—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Fitzhugh</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">22—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. N. Stone</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">22—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. W. Bradbury</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">22—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Simpson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">22—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">E. Johnson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">22—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Mawson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">T. Grosse</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. F. Buckler</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">A. Humberstone</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. F. Collins</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Buswell</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">26—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. E. Allen</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">26—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. H. Fox</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">26—</td> +<td>Drummer <span class="smcap">S. R. Willingham</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>July</td> +<td class="td-right">1—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">P. N. Coupe</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>July</td> +<td class="td-right">26—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. H. Stubbins</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">28—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">A. Huntbach</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">28—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">W. Bulman</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. F. Allen</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>August</td> +<td class="td-right">4—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">H. Taylor</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>August</td> +<td class="td-right">5—</td> +<td>L.-Sergt. <span class="smcap">S. Bowler</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">H. Wright</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>Sept.</td> +<td class="td-right">2—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Robertson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>Sept.</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. P. Frettingham</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">12—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Wilson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">12—</td> +<td>L.-Sergt. <span class="smcap">J. Blythe</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">12—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">H. C. Key</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">13—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">L. Lilley</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">13—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Darwin</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">13—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">C. Parkin</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">13—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. S. Bell</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">13—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. A. Beckett</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">13—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. C. Randall</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">13—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. Stewart</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">13—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">S. Thorne</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">T. Gilbert</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. C. Smedley</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>Oct.</td> +<td class="td-right">4—</td> +<td>Sergt. <span class="smcap">W. H. Drabble</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>Oct.</td> +<td class="td-right">4—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. H. West</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">4—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Lovegrove</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">5—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Shufflebottom</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Bennett</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>Nov.</td> +<td class="td-right">2—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. Sharpe</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>Nov.</td> +<td class="td-right">4—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Syson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Blackshaw</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">28—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Fox</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>Dec.</td> +<td class="td-right">6—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. J. Palmer</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>Dec.</td> +<td class="td-right">9—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">A. Dean</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">11—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Moult</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">21—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Large</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td colspan="7" class="td-center">1918.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>March</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. L. Chapman</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page319" name="page319"></a>(p. 319)</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>March</td> +<td class="td-right">22—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">S. S. Ives</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">22—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Thompson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">22—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">H. Tyne</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>April</td> +<td class="td-right">8—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. Scholes</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>April</td> +<td class="td-right">18—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">G. Caudwell</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">18—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. H. Aram</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">18—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Leader</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">28—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. Cross</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">28—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Townsend</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. F. Garratt</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>May</td> +<td class="td-right">5—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. E. Cliff</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>May</td> +<td class="td-right">5—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. H. Wheway</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">9—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. H. Asling</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Beastall</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">18—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Cooper</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">19—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Armstrong</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>June</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. H. Baldwin</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>June</td> +<td class="td-right">15—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Buckley</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">16—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. R. Atkinson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">16—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Lover</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">19—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Clarke</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Tudbury</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. J. Rickett</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>July</td> +<td class="td-right">10—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">H. Smith</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>August</td> +<td class="td-right">7—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Chadwick</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>August</td> +<td class="td-right">13—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. G. Boothby</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">F. Peck</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Rowley</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">26—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">S. Berry</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">28—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. Powell</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">28—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Williamson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. A. Riley</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Stendall</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Renshaw</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. H. Heighway</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>Sept.</td> +<td class="td-right">22—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. F. Rogers</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>Sept.</td> +<td class="td-right">25—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">A. E. Lambert</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">25—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Rogers</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">26—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. J. Phippard</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">26—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">J. W. Elcock</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">I. Evans</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">T. Rennie</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Corpl. <span class="smcap">H. Russell</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">J. Hoe</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. E. Tinkler</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. S. Goodbourne</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Conway</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">T. H. Swann</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Key</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. Leek</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Rice</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">29—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. E. Goddard</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Comp. Sergt.-Major <span class="smcap">J. F. Rawding</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. Walker</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">30—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">T. Johnson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>Oct.</td> +<td class="td-right">1—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Watson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>Oct.</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. E. Smith</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">G. T. Tolly</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Ballington</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">D. Irvine</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">S. Spencer</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Taylor</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Sergt. <span class="smcap">C. H. Genders</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Holmes</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. R. Rush</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">A. Mantle</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. F. Russell</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. W. Lambert</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Keech</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. G. Handley</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">S. Guy</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Sergt. <span class="smcap">S. Hurt</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Sulley</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Barksby</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. W. North</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Goldsmith</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. E. Ward</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">3—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Moon</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">4—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. J. Lewis</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">4—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">C. H. Chadbourne</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">7—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Clemerson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">8—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Silvester</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">9—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">A. H. Penford</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">12—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Walters</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">13—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. S. Roberts</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">14—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">C. E. Hallam</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">W. Godson</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. Bailey</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. E. Smith</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. E. P. Dennis</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Adlington</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">S. Seal</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">H. Simmons</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">T. W. Horne</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. Woodhead</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Jones</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">J. W. Stewart</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">G. Floyd</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">F. N. Guttridge</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">T. Turner</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">A. Diggle</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. <span class="smcap">E. Goddard</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. <span class="smcap">F. H. Clarke</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. W. C. <span class="smcap">Creamer</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page320" name="page320"></a>(p. 320)</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. G. <span class="smcap">Wildsmith</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. J. F. <span class="smcap">Harper</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. G. <span class="smcap">Welbourne</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">17—</td> +<td>Pvte. G. <span class="smcap">Redfern</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">18—</td> +<td>Pvte. T. <span class="smcap">Sedgewick</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">18—</td> +<td>Pvte. J. <span class="smcap">Robinson</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">18—</td> +<td>Pvte. C. <span class="smcap">Whittaker</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">18—</td> +<td>Corpl. A. C. <span class="smcap">Scott</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">18—</td> +<td>Pvte. A. <span class="smcap">Bacon</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">22—</td> +<td>Pvte. G. W. <span class="smcap">Rollett</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>L.-Corpl. L. <span class="smcap">Horton</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">23—</td> +<td>Pvte. B. A. <span class="smcap">Cutler</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. A. <span class="smcap">Gittens</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>Nov.</td> +<td class="td-right">1—</td> +<td>Pvte. W. J. <span class="smcap">Coates</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td>Nov.</td> +<td class="td-right">5—</td> +<td>Pvte. C. <span class="smcap">Wagstaff</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">11—</td> +<td>Pvte. T. S. <span class="smcap">Handy</span></td> +<td> </td> +<td class="td-center">"</td> +<td class="td-right">13—</td> +<td>Pvte. R. <span class="smcap">Hand</span></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td>Dec.</td> +<td class="td-right">24—</td> +<td>Pvte. H. <span class="smcap">Buzan</span></td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +</table> + +<p class="figcenter"><i>Officers who were Killed or Died of Wounds whilst serving with +other Units.</i></p> + +<p class="left05"> +2nd Lieut. A. D. <span class="smcap">Bailey</span><br> +2nd Lieut. F. E. <span class="smcap">Kebblewhite</span><br> +2nd Lieut. F. M. <span class="smcap">Corry</span><br> +Lieut. C. H. <span class="smcap">Hicks</span><br> +Lieut.-Col. B. W. <span class="smcap">Vann</span></p> + +<p class="figcenter"><i>Other Ranks who were Killed or Died of Wounds, after being +granted Commissions in other Units.</i></p> + +<p class="left05"> +Comp. Sergt.-Major J. A. <span class="smcap">Green</span><br> +Comp. Sergt.-Major F. <span class="smcap">Spencer</span><br> +L.-Corpl. F. L. <span class="smcap">Wilson</span><br> +L.-Corpl. F. B. <span class="smcap">Gill</span><br> +Comp. Sergt.-Major E. <span class="smcap">Haywood</span><br> +Comp. Sergt.-Major W. H. M. <span class="smcap">Hotson</span><br> +Pvte. J. A. <span class="smcap">Christie</span></p> + + + + +<h3>APPENDIX II. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page321" name="page321"></a>(p. 321)</span> +</h3> + +<h5>HONOURS.</h5> + + +<p class="figcenter"><span class="smcap">Bar to</span> D.S.O.</p> + +<p class="left05"> +Lieut.-Col. J. F. <span class="smcap">Dempster</span><br> +Lieut.-Col. R. W. <span class="smcap">Currin</span></p> + + +<p class="figcenter">D.S.O.</p> + +<p class="left05"> +Lieut.-Col. J. E. <span class="smcap">Blackwall</span><br> +Major A. L. <span class="smcap">Ashwell</span><br> +Rev. J. P. <span class="smcap">Hales</span><br> +Major J. P. <span class="smcap">Becher</span><br> +Major R. J. <span class="smcap">Wordsworth</span></p> + + +<p class="figcenter"><span class="smcap">2nd Bar to</span> M.C.</p> + +<p class="left05"> +Major V. O. <span class="smcap">Robinson</span></p> + + +<p class="figcenter">M.C. <span class="smcap">and Bar</span>.</p> + +<p class="left05"> +Capt. B. W. <span class="smcap">Vann</span></p> + + +<p class="figcenter">M.C.</p> + +<p class="left05"> +2nd Lieut. J. S. C. <span class="smcap">Oates</span><br> +Capt. A. <span class="smcap">Hacking</span><br> +Capt. W. C. C. <span class="smcap">Weetman</span><br> +2nd Lieut. W. P. <span class="smcap">Duff</span><br> +2nd Lieut. E. <span class="smcap">Hopkinson</span><br> +Capt. A. E. <span class="smcap">Geary</span><br> +Capt. J. W. <span class="smcap">Turner</span><br> +2nd Lieut. A. C. <span class="smcap">Fairbrother</span><br> +Capt. H. <span class="smcap">de C. Martelli</span><br> +Capt. H. K. <span class="smcap">Simonet</span><br> +Major A. <span class="smcap">Andrews</span><br> +Capt. E. A. <span class="smcap">Huskinson</span><br> +2nd Lieut. S. <span class="smcap">Bradwell</span><br> +2nd Lieut. <span class="smcap">James Howard Smith</span><br> +Capt. G. <span class="smcap">Thomas</span><br> +Capt. J. B. <span class="smcap">White</span><br> +2nd Lieut. J. <span class="smcap">Bloor</span><br> +2nd Lieut. W. J. <span class="smcap">Winter</span><br> +Capt. A. B. <span class="smcap">Miners</span><br> +2nd Lieut. F. L. <span class="smcap">Harrap</span><br> +Lieut. S. E. <span class="smcap">Cairns</span><br> +2nd Lieut. T. F. <span class="smcap">Mitchell</span><br> +Capt. St. G. L. M. <span class="smcap">Homan</span>, R.A.M.C.<br> +Rev. D. E. <span class="smcap">Sturt</span><br> +Capt. C. G. <span class="smcap">Druce</span><br> +Capt. E. W. <span class="smcap">Warner</span><br> +2nd Lieut. J. F. <span class="smcap">Shackleton</span><br> +Capt. A. <span class="smcap">Bedford</span><br> +Lieut. A. G. T. <span class="smcap">Lomer</span></p> + + +<p class="figcenter"><span class="smcap">O.B.E. and M.V.O.</span></p> + +<p class="left05"> +Major G. S. <span class="smcap">Heathcote</span></p> + + +<p class="figcenter">O.B.E. <span class="smcap">and Brevet Majority</span>.</p> + +<p class="left05"> +Major G. <span class="smcap">Clarke</span></p> + + +<p class="figcenter">O.B.E.</p> + +<p class="left05"> +Lieut.-Col. C. J. <span class="smcap">Huskinson</span><br> +Lieut.-Col. R. F. B. <span class="smcap">Hodgkinson</span></p> + + +<p class="figcenter">D.C.M. <span class="smcap">and Bar</span>.</p> + +<p class="left05"> +Comp. Sergt.-Major F. <span class="smcap">Attenborough</span></p> + + +<p class="figcenter">D.C.M. AND M.M.</p> + +<p class="left05"> +L.-Sergt. C. <span class="smcap">Claxton</span><br> +Pvte. G. H. <span class="smcap">Wesley</span></p> + +<p class="figcenter"><span class="smcap">D.C.M. and M.S.M.</span></p> + +<p class="left05"> +Comp. Sergt.-Major J. F. <span class="smcap">Rawding</span> + <span class="pagenum"><a id="page322" name="page322"></a>(p. 322)</span></p> + + +<p class="figcenter">D.C.M.</p> + +<p class="left05"> +Regimental Sergt.-Major W. <span class="smcap">Mounteney</span><br> +Sergt. A. <span class="smcap">Sheppard</span><br> +Corpl. H. <span class="smcap">Tyne</span><br> +Sergt. E. <span class="smcap">Grantham</span><br> +Pvte. J. <span class="smcap">Nicholson</span><br> +Corpl. W. E. <span class="smcap">Boot</span><br> +Sergt.-Drummer W. <span class="smcap">Clewes</span><br> +L.-Sergt. T. <span class="smcap">Turgoose</span><br> +Pvte. R. <span class="smcap">Kerling</span><br> +Comp. Sergt.-Major E. <span class="smcap">Haywood</span><br> +Sergt. C. E. <span class="smcap">Crooks</span><br> +Sergt. H. <span class="smcap">Scrimshaw</span><br> +Sergt. J. L. <span class="smcap">Peach</span><br> +Corpl. R. <span class="smcap">Francis</span><br> +Comp. Sergt.-Major A. <span class="smcap">Cobb</span><br> +Comp. Sergt.-Major W. <span class="smcap">Stokes</span><br> +L.-Corpl. W. <span class="smcap">Beech</span><br> +Sergt. H. <span class="smcap">Wilson</span></p> + + +<p class="figcenter"><span class="smcap">M.M. and 2 Bars</span>.</p> + +<p class="left05"> +Pvte. L. <span class="smcap">Thomas</span></p> + + +<p class="figcenter">M.M. <span class="smcap">and Bar</span>.</p> + +<p class="left05"> +Pvte. F. <span class="smcap">Green</span></p> + + +<p class="figcenter">M.M. <span class="smcap">and M. S. M.</span></p> + +<p class="left05"> +Pvte. J. <span class="smcap">Nelson</span></p> + +<p class="figcenter">M.M.</p> + +<p class="left05"> +Sergt. J. T. <span class="smcap">Templeman</span><br> +Corpl. W. H. <span class="smcap">Lacey</span><br> +Corpl. S. <span class="smcap">Matthews</span><br> +L.-Sergt. T. <span class="smcap">Martin</span><br> +Pvte. G. F. <span class="smcap">Holbery</span><br> +Sergt. C. <span class="smcap">Grainger</span><br> +L.-Corpl. H. J. <span class="smcap">Walsh</span><br> +Corpl. H. <span class="smcap">Hickman</span><br> +Corpl. C. E. <span class="smcap">Bryan</span><br> +Corpl. J. W. <span class="smcap">Wilson</span><br> +Sergt. W. L. <span class="smcap">Green</span><br> +Sergt. L. <span class="smcap">Bell</span><br> +Sergt. C. T. <span class="smcap">Blunt</span><br> +Comp. Sergt.-Major E. E. <span class="smcap">Deverall</span><br> +Sergt. J. G. <span class="smcap">Collins</span><br> +Sergt. W. G. <span class="smcap">Oldfield</span><br> +Corpl. T. W. <span class="smcap">Lowe</span><br> +Pvte. W. <span class="smcap">Heath</span><br> +Sergt. J. <span class="smcap">Henley</span><br> +Corpl. W. <span class="smcap">Street</span><br> +L.-Corpl. W. <span class="smcap">Teare</span><br> +Corpl. C. <span class="smcap">Hagues</span><br> +Sergt. R. H. <span class="smcap">Bolton</span><br> +L.-Corpl. J. F. <span class="smcap">Stewart</span><br> +Pvte. G. F. <span class="smcap">Garratt</span><br> +Sergt. W. H. <span class="smcap">Martin</span><br> +L.-Sergt. R. <span class="smcap">Turner</span><br> +Pvte. G. <span class="smcap">Wildsmith</span><br> +Pvte. W. H. <span class="smcap">Tailby</span><br> +Pvte. G. <span class="smcap">Stamford</span><br> +Pvte. G. <span class="smcap">Cook</span><br> +L.-Sergt. W. <span class="smcap">Field</span><br> +L.-Sergt. F. <span class="smcap">Illger</span><br> +L.-Corpl. J. <span class="smcap">North</span><br> +Pvte. G. <span class="smcap">Feighery</span><br> +Pvte. W. <span class="smcap">Westnidge</span><br> +Corpl. G. <span class="smcap">Skelton</span><br> +Pvte. B. <span class="smcap">Smithurst</span><br> +Pvte. W. <span class="smcap">Titmus</span><br> +Pvte. A. W. <span class="smcap">Colton</span><br> +Pvte. C. <span class="smcap">Welbourne</span><br> +Pvte. G. <span class="smcap">Sulley</span><br> +Corpl. S. <span class="smcap">Slater</span><br> +Corpl. W. <span class="smcap">Foster</span><br> +Pvte. W. <span class="smcap">Parker</span><br> +Pvte. A. W. <span class="smcap">Stapleton</span><br> +Corpl. R. <span class="smcap">Harvey</span><br> +Sergt. J. <span class="smcap">Stimson</span><br> +Pvte. E. <span class="smcap">Crow</span><br> +Sergt. C. <span class="smcap">Vann</span><br> +L.-Corpl. S. <span class="smcap">Slater</span><br> +Corpl. J. <span class="smcap">Wright</span><br> +Pvte. J. W. <span class="smcap">Starr</span><br> +L.-Corpl. F. <span class="smcap">Baxter</span><br> +Corpl. W. <span class="smcap">Clark</span><br> +Sergt. W. <span class="smcap">Wrigglesworth</span><br> +Sergt. C. <span class="smcap">Sharrock</span><br> +Pvte. W. H. <span class="smcap">Martin</span><br> +Sergt. H. <span class="smcap">Shepperson</span><br> +Sergt. A. <span class="smcap">Winson</span><br> +Pvte. J. <span class="smcap">Roe</span><br> +L.-Corpl. J. U. <span class="smcap">Coombs</span><br> +Pvte. F. <span class="smcap">Draper</span><br> +Pvte. A. <span class="smcap">Jackson</span><br> +Pvte. A. <span class="smcap">Turpin</span><br> +Pvte. N. <span class="smcap">Lees</span><br> +Pvte. J. <span class="smcap">Vipond</span><br> +Pvte. W. <span class="smcap">Houghton</span><br> +Pvte. W. G. <span class="smcap">Nicholson</span><br> +Pvte. C. <span class="smcap">Smith</span><br> +Pvte. H. <span class="smcap">Beresford</span><br> +Corpl. S. <span class="smcap">Gadsby</span><br> +Pvte. E. <span class="smcap">Mosgrove</span></p> + + +<p class="figcenter">M.S.M. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page323" name="page323"></a>(p. 323)</span> +</p> + +<p class="left05"> +Comp. Sergt.-Major A. <span class="smcap">Mabbott</span><br> +Sergt T. <span class="smcap">Taylor</span><br> +Sergt. J. <span class="smcap">Eggleston</span><br> +Sergt. R. <span class="smcap">Harvey</span><br> +Regtl. Qtr.-Mtr. Sergt. F. A. <span class="smcap">Pritchard</span><br> +Comp. Qtr.-Mtr. Sergt. H. J. <span class="smcap">Wilson</span><br> +Comp. Qtr.-Mtr. Sergt. G. E. <span class="smcap">Bee</span><br> +Comp. Qtr.-Mtr. Sergt. W. I. <span class="smcap">Dale</span></p> + + +<p class="figcenter"><span class="smcap">Mentioned in Despatches</span>.</p> + +<p class="left05"> +Lieut.-Col. G. H. <span class="smcap">Fowler</span><br> +Major J. P. <span class="smcap">Becher</span><br> +Major A. L. <span class="smcap">Ashwell</span><br> +Major R. J. <span class="smcap">Wordsworth</span> (2)<br> +2nd Lieut. J. S. C. <span class="smcap">Oates</span><br> +Capt. E. C. A. <span class="smcap">James</span><br> +Capt. E. N. T. <span class="smcap">Collin</span><br> +Capt. B. W. <span class="smcap">Vann</span><br> +Capt. A. <span class="smcap">Hacking</span><br> +Capt. J. W. <span class="smcap">Turner</span><br> +Lieut.-Col. J. E. <span class="smcap">Blackwall</span><br> +Rev. J. P. <span class="smcap">Hales</span> (2)<br> +Lieut.-Col. C. J. <span class="smcap">Huskinson</span> (2)<br> +Capt. C. L. <span class="smcap">Hill</span><br> +Major G. <span class="smcap">Clarke</span><br> +Lieut. W. H. B. <span class="smcap">Rezin</span> (2)<br> +Hon. Lieut, and Quarter-Master F. <span class="smcap">Torrance</span><br> +Capt. R. <span class="smcap">Whitton</span><br> +Capt. C. G. <span class="smcap">Tomlinson</span><br> +Lieut. C. H. S. <span class="smcap">Stephenson</span><br> +Lieut.-Col. R. W. <span class="smcap">Currin</span><br> +Capt. N. L. <span class="smcap">Hindley</span><br> +Lieut. S. <span class="smcap">Sanders</span><br> +Sergt. E. <span class="smcap">Grantham</span><br> +Comp. Sergt.-Major J. F. <span class="smcap">Rawding</span><br> +Sergt. J. T. <span class="smcap">Templeman</span><br> +Sergt. C. T. <span class="smcap">Blunt</span><br> +Pvte. F. <span class="smcap">Holland</span><br> +Regtl. Sergt.-Major W. <span class="smcap">Mounteney</span><br> +Sergt. A. <span class="smcap">Phillipson</span><br> +Pvte. S. <span class="smcap">Boothby</span><br> +Pvte. C. <span class="smcap">Redfern</span><br> +Corpl. G. <span class="smcap">Caudwell</span><br> +Pvte. H. <span class="smcap">Needham</span><br> +Comp. Sergt.-Major T. <span class="smcap">Powell</span><br> +Comp. Sergt-Major J. T. <span class="smcap">Slater</span><br> +Sergt. R. F. <span class="smcap">Bescoby</span>.<br> +Regtl. Qtr.-Mtr. Sergt. F. A. <span class="smcap">Pritchard</span><br> +Sergt. R. <span class="smcap">Harvey</span><br> +L.-Corpl. W. <span class="smcap">Beech</span><br> +Comp. Sergt.-Major E. E. <span class="smcap">Deverall</span><br> +Corpl. E. <span class="smcap">Dexter</span><br> +Sergt. F. <span class="smcap">Lobley</span><br> +L.-Sergt. J. <span class="smcap">Wicks</span></p> + + +<p class="figcenter">FOREIGN DECORATIONS.</p> + +<p class="figcenter"> +<span class="smcap">French</span>:—<br> +<span class="smcap">Légion d'Honneur (Chevalier</span>).</p> + +<p class="left05"> +Lieut.-Col. J. E. <span class="smcap">Blackwall</span></p> + +<p class="figcenter"> +<span class="smcap">Croix de Guerre</span>.</p> + +<p class="left05"> +Capt. B. W. <span class="smcap">Vann</span><br> +Capt. W. C. C. <span class="smcap">Weetman</span><br> +Comp. Sergt.-Major A. <span class="smcap">Cobb</span><br> +Pvte. F. <span class="smcap">Holland</span><br> +Sergt. T. <span class="smcap">Oldham</span></p> + +<p class="figcenter"> +<span class="smcap">Belgian</span>:—<br> +<span class="smcap">Croix de Guerre</span>.</p> + +<p class="left05"> +Regimental Sergt.-Major W. <span class="smcap">Mounteney</span></p> + +<p class="figcenter"> +<span class="smcap">Russian</span>:—<br> +<span class="smcap">Medal of St. George</span> (<span class="smcap">4th Class</span>).</p> + +<p class="left05"> +Drummer J. <span class="smcap">Newton</span><br> +Drummer W. <span class="smcap">Robb</span><br> +Corpl. J. <span class="smcap">Sharman</span></p> + + +<a id="img027" name="img027"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<a href="images/img027b.jpg"> +<img src="images/img027.jpg" width="500" height="258" alt="Map To Illustrate Battle Of Bellenglise. Sept: 29th 1918." title="Map To Illustrate Battle Of Bellenglise. Sept: 29th 1918."></a> +</div> + +<p class="figcenter">Map To Illustrate Battle Of Bellenglise. Sept: 29th 1918.</p> + +<p class="figcenter"> +<span class="smcap">Printed by Thos. Forman and Sons +Nottingham</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page324" name="page324"></a>(p. 324)</span></p> + +<a id="img028" name="img028"></a> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/img028.jpg" width="600" height="639" alt="General map." title="General map."> +</div> + +<p><a id="footnote1" name="footnote1"></a> +<b>Footnote 1:</b> Published by Messrs. Hutchinson & Co.<a href="#footnotetag1">(back)</a></p> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Sherwood Foresters in the Great +War 1914 - 1919, by W.C.C. 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Weetman + +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 Sherwood Foresters in the Great War 1914 - 1919 + History of the 1/8th Battalion + +Author: W.C.C. Weetman + +Release Date: February 6, 2007 [EBook #20527] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SHERWOOD FORESTERS *** + + + + +Produced by David Clarke, Nicola Kerrison, Christine P. +Travers and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian +Libraries) + + + + + + + + + + HISTORY OF 1/8th BATTALION + SHERWOOD FORESTERS 1914--1919 + + + + + [Illustration: LIEUT.-COL. G. H. FOWLER. + Killed in action at Hohenzollern Redoubt, Oct. 15th, 1915.] + + + + + [Illustration: Arms] + + + + + THE SHERWOOD FORESTERS + IN THE GREAT WAR + 1914--1919 + + + + + 1/8th BATTALION + + By + + CAPTAIN W. C. C. WEETMAN + M.C., CROIX DE GUERRE + + + + + With an introduction by + BRIG-GENERAL C. T. SHIPLEY, C.B. + + + + NOTTINGHAM + THOS. FORMAN & SONS + 1920 + + + + + _To_ + _Our Fallen Comrades_ + + "_In truth they were young Gentlemen, Yeomen and Yeomen's Sons, + and Artificers of the most brave sort, such as went voluntarily + to serve of a gaiety and joyalty of mind: all which kind of + people are the Flower and Force of a Kingdom._" + + Sir John Smyth To Lord Burleigh + On Our Men In Flanders IN 1589-90. + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +It is not only a great honour to have been asked to write an +introduction to this book, but it is a real pleasure to me to be +linked in this manner to a Battalion with which I was so intimately +connected for nearly six years and in which I made so many friends, of +whom many, alas, have passed the "great divide." + +The Battalion has been lucky in finding in Capt. Weetman an author +with such a ready and amusing pen, and one especially who was in a +position to see the workings of the Battalion in almost every phase of +its career and from every standpoint, first as a Company Officer, then +as Adjutant and finally from Brigade Headquarters. + +To me, perhaps naturally, the most interesting part of the book is the +early chapters. From the time, in 1911, when I took over the command +of what, I was informed by a Staff Officer qualified to know, was the +best Territorial Brigade in the Kingdom, I was a firm believer in the +Territorial Force. But I hardly think that the most hardened optimist +would at that time have thought it possible for a Territorial Division +to mobilise and march complete with equipment and Transport to its +Mobilisation area on the sixth day after receiving the order +"Mobilise." The amount of work done by Battalions and Companies was +marvellous and only those who experienced it can have an idea of what +it meant. + +As for the Training, I don't believe better work was ever done than +during those weeks at Harpenden. True we were lucky in the weather and +in the Training area, and the 8th Battalion were specially lucky in +their excellent staff of Sergeant-Instructors. All ranks put their +heart into the work. I remember particularly the excellent work done +by the large batch of recruits which joined the Battalion at that +time, including surely as good a lot of young Officers as ever joined +a regiment. The author has described fully the training carried out at +Harpenden and in Essex, and that the time and labour spent in it were +not wasted is proved by the manner in which all ranks so quickly took +on their responsibilities in the trenches, and with such success. That +the Territorial Force was in many ways neglected by the Higher +Authorities during those early days is well known, but that the Force +amply justified itself is proved by its actions and was fully +recognised by those General Officers under whose command it came. The +following extract from a speech made by Lieut-General Sir C. +Fergusson, Commanding II Corps, to the Brigade at Locre, when it left +his command, is worth recording to show the high opinion he held of +our work in front of Kemmel. "No Battalion," he said, "and no Brigade +could have held the lines better than you have done or have done +better work than you have done.... Your work during the last three +months is work of which any Brigade and any Battalion might be proud." +No higher praise could have been given to any troops by an officer of +such standing and repute. + +I have written rather at length on this period for I consider the +metamorphosis of a Territorial Battalion into as fine a fighting +Battalion as ever took the field, is well worth the study of all those +who have joined since those days or will join in the future. + +It is only fitting that some acknowledgment be made to the memory of +the man who did more than any other to make the North Midland Division +worthy to take its place in line with the Regular Army. I refer to the +late Major-General Hubert Hamilton, who commanded the Division from +1911 to June, 1914, and fell early in the war at Richebourg-St. Vaast. +He foresaw that war with Germany must come and worked with all his +power to make the Division efficient in every way--in Training as in +Organisation. And it was very largely due to his efforts that +Mobilisation was carried out so successfully. + +One word more. I am fully convinced that if every Officer and man who +joined up in 1914 _after_ the outbreak of war, had joined the +Territorial Force and made himself efficient _before_ August, 1914, +there would have been no war. If Germany had known that England could +put 1,000,000 men into the field within a few weeks of the declaration +of war, instead of only 160,000, she would never have dared to embark +on her campaign of spoliation. The risk would have been too great. + +If this story of the doings of a Territorial Battalion in the Great +War can do anything to bring that Battalion up to strength, to keep it +there, and to encourage all ranks to make themselves thoroughly +efficient, I am sure that the author will consider himself well repaid +for all the time and all the trouble he has spent on it. + + C. T. SHIPLEY. +_12th September, 1920._ + + + + +AUTHOR'S NOTE. + + +In compiling this history of the 1/8th Sherwood Foresters in the Great +War, I have relied for my main facts on the Official War Diary, but +from many other sources I have received much help. My thanks are due +especially to Lieut.-Col. H. Mellish, C.B., for advice on many general +points; to Lieut.-Col. A. Hacking, D.S.O., M.C., for much help with +"The Salient" and "Lens" chapters, and for kindly revising the whole +of the book; to Capt. A. L. Ashwell, D.S.O., for most of the +"Hohenzollern" chapter, and for much general assistance; to Capt. A. +Andrews, M.C., for much of the detail of the "Gorre and Essars" +chapter, and information on many other points, and to Capt. A. B. +Miners, M.C., for help with the account of the "Battle of Ramicourt" +and subsequent fighting. + +I have also to thank Capt. C. Davenport for some details of Transport +work; Capt. R. H. Piggford for a few notes and the sketch dealing with +Mining operations; and Lieuts. C. H. S. Stephenson and E. W. Warner, +M.C., for some Signalling items, and the diagram of Signal +communications. I am also indebted to Capt. J. D. Hills, M.C., of the +5th Leicestershire Regiment, for many hints on the general arrangement +of the work, and to Pvte. A. Hunstone of the 6th Battalion for the +excellent plans. To many others who have supplied me with information +and helped me on various points, I offer my grateful thanks. + +The book is not intended in any way to be a literary effort. All that +has been attempted has been a simple narrative of our doings for the +use primarily of persons connected with the Battalion. My main +endeavour throughout, has been to secure accuracy, but it will be +understood that in sifting the mass of material placed at my disposal, +errors may have crept in. I trust, however, that these are few. + + W. C. C. WEETMAN. +_Hereford, October, 1920._ + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER. + Summary of Events + 1. England + 2. France + 3. The Salient + 4. Hohenzollern + 5. Richebourg--Marseilles--Candas + 6. Vimy Ridge + 7. The Battle of Gommecourt + 8. Bellacourt + 9. The Capture of Gommecourt + 10. Lens + 11. St. Elie and Hill 70 + 12. Spring, 1918 + 13. Gorre and Essars + 14. Auchel to Pontruet + 15. Bellenglise + 16. Ramicourt and Montbrehain + 17. The Last Fight + 18. Home Again + + Appendix. + 1. Roll of Honour + 2. Honours + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS. + + + Lieut.-Colonel G. H. Fowler + Officers at Harpenden, Nov. 1914 + The Avenue, Kemmel + Major J. P. Becher, D.S.O. + R.S.M. Westerman and N.C.O.'s of A Company + R.S.M. Mounteney and N.C.O.'s of C Company + Lieut.-Colonel B. W. Vann, V.C., M.C. + The Brasserie, Foncquevillers + Air Photograph of Lens and Loos Area + Air Photograph of Part of St. Elie Sector + The Beuvry--La Bassee Road + Gorre Brewery + The Clock Tower, Bethune + St. Quentin Canal, Bellenglise + + + + +MAPS AND PLANS. + + + Sketch of Mine Galleries + Kemmel Sector + Hooge and Sanctuary Wood + Hohenzollern Redoubt + Gommecourt + Lens District + Diagram of Signal Communications + Battle of Ramicourt + Battle of Regnicourt + Battle of Bellenglise + General Map of Western Front + + + + +SUMMARY OF EVENTS + + + 1914. + + Aug. 4th War declared. Mobilisation ordered. + + " 7th Concentration at Newark. + + " 10th-- + 11th Marched via Radcliffe-on-Trent to Derby. + + " 15th Entrained at Derby for Luton. + + " 21st Moved to Harpenden. + ( Sept. 29th--Inspection + " 22nd-- | by Lord Kitchener + Nov. 15th Training in Harpenden | at Luton Hoo. + Area. < + | Oct. 6th--Inspection by + | Lord Roberts at + ( Sandridge. + + " 16th-18th Marched via Harlow and Dunmow to Bocking. + + " 19th-- + Dec. 27th Trench digging near Bocking. + + " 28th-- By train to Luton for Musketry at Wardown + 1915. and Galley Hill Ranges, and Field Firing at + Jan 5th Dunstable, returning to Bocking. + + " 6th-- ( Feb. 19th--Inspection + Feb. 24th Training in Bocking Area. < by H.M. The King near + ( Bishop's Stortford. + + " 25th Entrained at Bocking for Southampton. + + " 26th-- + Mar. 3rd Crossed by detachments to Havre. + + " 3rd-- + " 4th By train to Cassel and marched to Oudezeele. + + " 9th Marched to Merris. + + " 10th Moved to Bac-St. Maur, for First Battle of Neuve + Chapelle. Temporarily attached to 2nd + Cavalry Division. + + " 13th Marched to Neuf Berquin for training. + + " 24th-- + " 26th Moved via Vieux Berquin to Romarin. + + " 27th-- + " 30th Trench instruction at Ploegsteert and Messines. + + " 31st Marched back to Vieux Berquin. + + April 2nd Marched to Locre. + + " 3rd Took over Kemmel sector. + + ( April 22nd--Gas used + | against French and + | Canadians in Ypres + | Salient. Traces + | in trenches held by + | Battalion. + | + ( In line in Kemmel | April 24--Heavy trench + April 4th--< sector with intervals < mortar bombardment + June 20th | in rest billets at | of front line held by B, + ( Locre. | C and D Companies. + | + | June 15th--Enemy blew + | up by mines and + | raided part of front + ( line. + + " 20th Marched to huts near Vlamertinghe. + + ( In line at Hooge and ) + | Sanctuary Wood, | + " 21st--< with intervals at rest > July 30th--First "liquid + Aug. 28th | in bivouacs near | fire" attack + ( Poperinghe. ) + + ( In line at Middlesex ) Sept. 21st--Inspection + | Wood, adjoining | by Gen. Plumer. + " 29th--< Ypres-Comines Canal, > Sept. 25th--Demonstrations + Sept. 30th | near St. Eloi, with | in conjunction + | rest bivouacs near | with attacks on other + ( Ouderdom. ) portions of the front. + + Oct. 1st Marched from Ouderdom and entrained at Abeele + for Fouquereuil. Billeted in Bethune. + + " 3rd Moved to Mont Bernenchon. + + " 4th Marched back to Bethune, proceeded by 'bus to + Vermelles, and took over reserve trenches near + Lone Tree, North of Loos. + + " 5th Moved back to Mazingarbe. + + " 6th Marched to Fouquieres. + + " 13th-- + " 14th Attack on Hohenzollern Redoubt. + + " 16th Moved back to Vaudricourt. + + " 19th Marched to Lapugnoy for training. + + " 26th Marched to Bethune. + + Oct. 28th Composite Company with other troops of XI Corps + inspected by H.M. The King at Hesdigneul. + + Nov 4th-- + " 5th Marched via Epinette to Vieille Chapelle. + + Nov. 6th-- In line in Richebourg sector, with rest billets at + Dec. 2nd Vieille Chapelle and Lacouture. + + " 3rd Marched from Vieille Chapelle to Haverskerque + for training. + + " 19th-- Marched via Wittes to Molinghem and continued + " 26th training. + + 1916. + + Jan. 7th-- + " 9th Entrained at Berguette for Marseilles. + + " 26th-- Returned by train to Pont Remy. Marched to + " 28th Ergnies for training. + + Feb. 10th Marched to Ribeaucourt. + + " 20th Moved by motor lorry to Candas. + + " 21st-- Training and work for R.E.'s on new railway lines + March 5th in Candas area. + + " 6th-- + " 9th Marched via Iverny and Maizieres to Acq. + + " 10th-- In line in Vimy sector, with intervals at rest in + April 20th huts behind Mont St. Eloy. Mining activity. + + " 21st By 'bus to billets at Tincques and Bethencourt for + training. + + " 29th Moved to Averdoignt. + + May 6th-- Marched via Rebreuviette and Gaudiempre to + " 10th Bienvillers. + + " 11th-- + June 4th In line in front of Foncquevillers. + + " 5th Moved back to Humbercamp. + + " 6th Marched by night to Le Souich. + + " 8th-- + " 14th Training in attack practice near Sus-St. Leger. + + " 15th Marched to Humbercamp. + + " 16th-- Working parties found for digging cable trenches + " 18th and screening approaches near Bienvillers. + + " 19th-- + " 27th In line in front of Foncquevillers. + + " 28th + " 29th Rested at Pommier. + + " 30th Moved at night to assembly positions in front of + Foncquevillers. + + July 1st Battle of Gommecourt. + + " 2nd Moved back to Gaudiempre. + + " 3rd Marched to huts at Bavincourt. + + " 4th Marched back to Pommier and Bienvillers. + + July 10th Moved to Bellacourt. + + ( In line in front of Bretencourt, with periods + " 11th--< in Support at Bellacourt, and in Reserve at + Oct. 28th | Bailleulval. (Sept. 22nd, Raid by A Company + ( near Blairville.) + + " 29th-- Marched from Bailleulval via Warluzel, Le Souich + Nov. 3rd and Neuvillette to Maison Ponthieu, for training. + + " 22nd-- Marched via Bealcourt and Neuvillette to + " 25th Humbercourt. + + Dec. 6th Moved to Support billets at Foncquevillers and + Souastre. + + ( In line in front of Foncquevillers, with intervals + " 7th--| in Support in posts in and about Foncquevillers, + 1917. < and in billets at Souastre. (Feb. 16th-17th, + Feb. 18th | heavy bombardment with gas shells and + ( bombs.) + + " 19th Moved back to St. Amand. + + " 20th Marched to Iverny for training. + + " 28th-- + March 1st Returned via Grenas to St. Amand. + + " 3rd Took over recently evacuated German trenches at + Gommecourt. + + " 4th-- Followed up enemy to Pigeon Wood, Brayelle + " 13th Farm and Essarts. (March 4th, heavy counter-attack + against C Company.) + + " 17th Moved back to Souastre. + + " 20th-- Marched via Bayencourt, Courcelles-au-Bois and + " 24th Contay to Bertangles. + + " 25th Moved by 'bus through Amiens to Revelles. + + " 28th Entrained at Bacouel. + + " 29th Detrained at Berguette and marched to Westrehem + for training. + + April 13th-- + " 14th Marched via Vendin-lez-Bethune to Houchin. + + " 18th Moved up to Support billets in Lievin. + + " 19th-- + " 22nd Skirmishing in Cite de Riaumont. + + " 23rd Attack on Hill 65 by C Company. + + " 24th-- Held sectors in front of Lievin and Loos, with + June 30th intervals in Support in Lievin and in Reserve + at Marqueffles Farm and Noeux-les-Mines. + + July 1st In Brigade Reserve for attack by 46th Division + West of Lens. + + July 4th On relief by Canadians marched to Bully Grenay + and by 'bus to Chelers for training. + + " 23rd Marched to Verquin. + + " 24th-- In line in St. Elie sector and in Support at + Aug. 15th Philosophe. + + " 16th-- + " 25th Training in Verquin area. + + " 26th-- In line in Cambrin sector and in Support at + Sept. 12th Annequin. + + " 13th-- + " 19th In Divisional Reserve at Fouquieres. + + " 20th Marched to Mazingarbe huts. + + " 21st-- In line in Hill 70 sector, in Support in trenches + Nov. 14th North of Loos, and in Reserve at Mazingarbe. + + " 15th-- In line in St. Elie sector, in Support at Philosophe, + 1918. and in Reserve at Verquin. (Jan. 2nd, Raid + Jan. 20th on front held by D Company.) + + " 21st Marched from Verquin to Burbure. + + " 22nd-- Training at Burbure. Large detachment at Mazingarbe + Feb. 8th digging reserve trenches near Vermelles. + + " 9th Marched from Burbure to Laires and Livossart. + + " 13th Moved to Enquin-les-Mines for training. + + March 5th-- + " 6th Marched to Westrehem and by 'bus to Bethune. + + " 14th-- Held Annequin Fosse "Locality," in view of + " 19th heavy attacks expected. + + " 20th-- In line in Cambrin sector. (March 22nd, Heavy + " 23rd bombardment and raid on A Company.) + + " 24th-- + " 26th In Support at Beuvry. + + " 27th-- In line in St. Emile sector, and in Support in + April 10th St. Pierre. + + " 11th On relief by Canadians, moved back to Vaudricourt. + + " 18th Moved to reserve trenches in front of Sailly-Labourse. + Unsuccessful attack by enemy near Givenchy. + + " 20th Returned to Vaudricourt. + + " 23rd Marched to Bethune. + + " 24th-- In line in Gorre and Essars sectors, and in Reserve + Aug. 17th at Fouquieres, Vaudricourt Park and Verquin. + + " 18th Occupied Le Touret after driving out enemy + rear-guard. + + " 19th-- In billets at Verquin, Vaudricourt Park, + " 31st Fouquieres, Essars and Gorre. + + Sept. 1st Took over front line near Richebourg St. Vaast. + + " 2nd-- + " 3rd Continued to drive back enemy rearguards. + + " 4th Attacked and occupied old British Line in front + of Richebourg l'Avoue. + + " 5th-- + " 7th Moved back via Beuvry to Auchel for training. + + " 11th-- By train from Calonne Ricouart via Amiens to + " 12th Corbie and marched to La Houssoye for training. + + " 18th Marched to Bonnay and by 'bus to Poeuilly. + + " 20th-- + " 25th In line about Pontru and Pontruet. + + " 26th Moved back to bivouacs near Vendelles. + + " 29th Battle of Bellenglise. + + " 30th-- + Oct. 2nd In dug-outs near Lehaucourt and Magny-la-Fosse. + + " 3rd Battle of Ramicourt. + + " 5th-- + " 7th In line at Sequehart. + + " 8th Resting at Lehaucourt. + + " 9th-- Moved via Levergies and Mericourt to Jonnecourt + " 12th Farm, near Bohain. + + " 17th Battle of Regnicourt.--The Last Fight. + + " 18th Moved back to Fresnoy-le-Grand for training. + + " 30th Marched to Bohain. + + Nov. 3rd-- + " 4th Marched via Escaufort to Catillon. + + " 5th Crossed Sambre-Oise Canal and advanced to + Mezieres. + + " 6th Occupied Prisches and Cartignies. + + " 7th-- + " 9th At Cartignies. + + " 10th Marched from Cartignies to Boulogne-sur-Helpe. + + " 11th Armistice. + + " 14th Marched to Landrecies. + + " 15th-- + 1919 Clearing battlefield in Landrecies area. + Jan 2nd Demobilisation begun. + + " 3rd Marched from Landrecies to Prisches and continued + clearing battlefield. + + Feb. 19th-- Marched via Bazuel to Bethencourt, near Candry, + " 20th for completion of Demobilisation. + + June 23rd Return of Cadre and Colours to Headquarters at + Newark. + + + + +CHAPTER I + +ENGLAND + + _August 4th, 1914._ _February 25th, 1915._ + + +When the 8th Sherwood Foresters concentrated at Hunmanby, at the end +of July, 1914, for their usual annual training, the International +horizon was clouded with the diplomatic conversations which had +followed the murder of the Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria by +Servians at Sarajevo. Many hoped, no doubt, that the experience of the +Morocco incident of 1905 and the Agadir incident of 1911, would again +be repeated and that once more the clouds of a world war would be +dissipated, but when we reflect upon this period of the world's +history it is easy now to see that war with Germany, sooner or later, +was inevitable. + +The atmosphere was so charged with electricity that it was impossible +to settle down to the normal routine of training, and there was little +surprise when on August 3rd, Bank Holiday, Germany declared war on +France, and when on the following day, August 4th, Great Britain +herself, following upon the violation of the neutrality of Belgium, +joined forces with Russia and France. + +Territorial Camps were at once broken up and all ranks ordered home, +with instructions to hold themselves in readiness for any emergency. + +The Royal Proclamation for the embodiment of the 8th Battalion +Sherwood Foresters (Notts. and Derby Regiment) was issued at 6.45 p.m. +on Tuesday, August 4th, and notified to all units in the briefest +possible telegram--"Mobilise." During Wednesday and Thursday, August +5th and 6th, all Companies were endeavouring to purchase locally and +issue to every man, underclothing and necessaries according to scale. +This was a big undertaking, as the scheme for earmarking such goods +in the case of embodiment had not been completed, and there was, +therefore, some delay in obtaining all requirements. The strength of +the Battalion on mobilisation was 29 officers and 852 other ranks. + +On Friday, August 7th, the Battalion concentrated at Newark, under the +Command of Lieut.-Col. C. J. Huskinson, T.D., with Major G. H. Fowler +second in Command, and Capt. E. N. T. Collin, Adjutant, Companies and +their Officers at this time being as follows:-- + + A Company--Retford.--Lieut. W. R. Smith, 2nd Lieuts. + L. Rose and E. C. A. James. + + B " Newark.--Capt. L. C. B. Appleby, Lieuts. + C. Davenport and A. H. Quibell. + + C " Sutton-in-Ashfield.--Lieut. M. C. Martyn, + 2nd Lieuts. H. G. Wright and R. H. Piggford. + + D " Mansfield.--Capt. A. C. Clarke, 2nd Lieut. J. W. Turner. + + E " Carlton.--Lieut. F. G. Cursham, 2nd Lieut. H. Kirby. + + F " Arnold.--2nd Lieuts. G. Clarke and A. F. O. Dobson. + + G " Worksop.--Capt. E. W. E. Tylden-Wright, Lieut. W. H. Allen. + + H " Southwell.--Capt. J. P. Becher, Lieut. J. K. Lane, + 2nd Lieut. H. B. S. Handford. + +Lieut. A. L. Ashwell was Machine-Gun Officer; Capt. F. W. Johnson, and +Surgeon-Capt. H. Stallard, Medical Officers, and Rev. J. P. Hales, +Chaplain; Major W. N. Sarll was Quarter-Master, but, being medically +unfit, at once handed over his duties to Capt. R. F. B. Hodgkinson, +who joined from the Territorial Force Reserve. Capt. R. J. Wordsworth +mobilised with Brigade Headquarters. + +The Battalion was billeted for the most part in Schools: B Company +were detailed for various duties in the town, and H Company found +guards on bridges and other points on the Great Northern Railway, the +most important being the Tubular Bridge. Nothing of interest happened +except that a too keen sentry one night loosed off at some suspicious +looking persons, who turned out to be innocent platelayers returning +home from work. Fortunately there were no casualties. + +On Monday, August 10th, at 9.30 a.m., we paraded in the Market Place +ready to begin our move to concentration areas. The Mayor (Mr. J. C. +Kew) and Corporation were present, accompanied by Canon Hindley, Vicar +of Newark, and other Clergy, and there was a dense crowd of onlookers. +After an address by the Mayor, who wished us God speed, and a short +service, we marched off via the Fosse Way to Radcliffe-on-Trent, +leaving behind H Company under Capt. Becher, to guard the railway. + +For the first time in its history the Battalion had complete First +Line and Train Transport with it, this being under the command of +Lieut. Davenport, who had been appointed Transport Officer. The +vehicles were not exactly regulation pattern, but little fault could +be found with the horses, all of which had been purchased locally. +Floats from Warwick and Richardson's and Hole's formed the majority of +the Small Arm Ammunition and tool carts, whilst Dickens's Mineral +Water drays and Davy's Brewery drays made fairly good General Service +wagons, when fitted with light wooden sides. A furniture van full of +blankets, two Corporation water carts, and a bread cart with a large +red cross on each side, completed the collection. We feel sure that +few Regimental Transports can have looked more like a circus than did +ours as we left Newark. + +The march of 14 miles to Radcliffe-on-Trent was completed about 4 +p.m., and after a good night's rest we left early on August 11th, and +proceeding via Nottingham, arrived at Derby at 6.30 p.m., after a 23 +mile march. This was a very severe test for all, as few were really +"hard" enough at that time for such a long trek. Route marches were +accordingly carried out, on each of the three extremely hot days spent +at Derby, as the main part of our programme. + +Whilst at Derby the main subject of discussion was that of Imperial +Service for Territorial units. So far as we were concerned a +considerable number of officers and men had already volunteered. There +were many others who had not actually done so, but there was no doubt +as to what their answer would be. Of the remainder many were +practically disqualified from serving abroad by reason of age, +unfitness, family and business ties, and other reasons, and for them, +in the light of the little we knew then, the decision was most +difficult, and the need for it we hardly thought fair. The demand for +volunteers was in the first instance put rather baldly, with little +notice, and with apparently little realisation of the enormous +difficulties under which so many were labouring, and it was not +surprising that this appeal met with little response. A second earnest +appeal, reinforced by the feeling that the honour, even the existence +of the Battalion was in danger, resulted in over 800 volunteering, +which was eminently satisfactory, though it is impossible to avoid the +feeling that many who volunteered then did so against their better +judgment, and that the decision should have been made for them. + +All the other units in the Division having more or less similarly +settled this vital question, training was started in earnest. + +The first area allotted to the Division was Hertfordshire, and we +entrained on August 15th, for the first time, and by no means the +last. Hours went by after our scheduled time before there was any sign +of the train. In an adjoining field, however, the various Company +entertainers had full scope and played to large audiences. Eventually +we got off in two trains, and detraining at Leagrave marched the last +three miles to Luton, where we arrived in the early hours of August +16th. Here we stayed for six days and carried out a little training, +mostly at Luton Hoo and Markyate. We cannot say that we regarded this +as the most pleasant of our experiences, as our billets were not of +the best either for Officers, who were mostly crowded into a few +cottages, and took turns at bathing in small tin baths in the +sculleries, or men who were also crowded in somewhat unwholesome +schools, while our menu consisted monotonously of bully beef and +pickle, and army biscuit and cheese. + +Better things fortunately were in store, for on August 21st, we moved +on a few miles to Harpenden, where we were destined to stay for three +months, and where we received on all sides the greatest possible +hospitality. We are sure that all who were billeted at Harpenden will +look back with the greatest pleasure to the time spent in that +delightful district. The men for the most part were billeted in small +houses, three or four together, and with the more than ample rations +and billeting allowances then in force, both men and billet owners +were exceedingly well off. + +Here we had also the 5th, 6th and 7th Sherwood Foresters, which, with +ourselves, formed the Notts, and Derby Infantry Brigade, under the +Command of Brigadier-General C. T. Shipley, who had Major E. M. Morris +as Brigade Major, and Capt. R. J. Wordsworth as Staff Captain. The +Stafford and Lincoln and Leicester Infantry Brigades completed the +North Midland Division, which was commanded by Major-General The Hon. +E. J. Montagu Stuart-Wortley. + +Fortunately the weather for some time was splendid, and the Battalion +soon began to shew the result of constant and regular drill, and the +turnout and smartness improved rapidly. Training comprised almost +every possible form that could be required to make both officers and +men efficient, and went so far as to include the detailing of +Sergt.-Instructor Mounteney to carry out the by no means easy task of +trying to turn Officers into swordsmen. It is no disparagement of his +efforts to congratulate ourselves that we never had to put our lessons +to the test of stern reality. "Infantry Training" and "Field Service +Regulations" were studied and more or less followed out in practice in +all we did. Most of our drill, musketry instruction, bayonet fighting, +physical exercises, and outpost drill were carried out on the splendid +Common at Harpenden, but our training area extended to most of the +surrounding parks and farms, where the bulk of our more advanced work +in attack practice and tactical exercises was carried out. Perhaps +some of the best remembered places are "High Firs," where we first +spent a night in bivouacs, Sandridge, where there was a small range, +Rothamstead Park, Redbourn, Ayre's End, Hammond's End Farm, Annable's +Farm, Mackery End, Thrale's End Farm, where barbed wire entanglements +were put up, the like of which we never saw in France or anywhere +else, and Cold Harbour. At Sundon, not far from Dunstable, we dug and +occupied our first real trench system, which after a preliminary +skirmish at night, when rockets were used to guide the attacking +troops, had to withstand a heavy dawn attack by the Lincoln and +Leicester Brigade. + +Classification practices were fired at Wardown and Galley Hill ranges, +near Luton, on thoroughly wet and disagreeable days, with ammunition +not intended for the rifle we were using, and altogether under such +adverse conditions, that good scores were impossible. + +In addition to Brigade and Divisional schemes in the neighbourhood of +Harpenden we had big shows on two days at Kinsworth, near Dunstable. +Of our indoor classes, probably the most entertaining were the French +lessons given after mess sometimes by a kind friend from the Y.M.C.A.; +he did his best, but we fear that it was not quite the right time of +day to find a class of Officers in a mood for imbibing instruction. + +Meanwhile there were many changes in personnel: Lieut. James took over +A Company from Lieut. Smith, who was unfit; Capt. Appleby and Lieut. +Cursham proceeded to Dunstable to take charge of Home Service men; +Lieut. Quibell went to the Depot at Newark; Capt. Tylden-Wright being +unfit, G Company was handed over to Capt. Allen; Lieut. Turner took +over the Machine-Gun Section on Lieut. Ashwell becoming Assistant +Adjutant; Lieut. G. Clarke was Musketry Officer; Lieut. H. B. S. +Handford, Signalling Officer; and Lieut. Piggford, Scout Officer. +Subalterns who joined during these early days included 2nd Lieuts. W. +H. Hollins, J. V. Edge, A. Hacking, E. M. Hacking, W. N. Wright, J. R. +Eddison, B. W. Vann, J. M. Gray. J. S. C. Oates, R. E. Hemingway, A. +P. F. Hamilton, and W. C. C. Weetman. Hamilton soon left us to join +the Divisional Cyclists and afterwards served with the Tank Corps, +winning the M.C. In other ranks there were also changes: +Sergt.-Instructors Hancock, Holmes and Walker went to other units, a +number of men went to Dunstable, and a good many were discharged +medically unfit, but our numbers were constantly being swelled by the +arrival of recruits who kept coming in batches at frequent intervals +from the Depot, and made up our strength practically to establishment. + +[Illustration: OFFICERS AT HARPENDEN; Nov., 1914. + +_Back Row_: 2nd Lieut. A. F. O. Dobson, 2nd Lieut. J. S. C. Oates, 2nd +Lieut. E. M. Hacking. 2nd Lieut. A. Hacking, 2nd Lieut. W. C. C. +Weetman, Lieut. H. B. S. Handford, Capt. J. K. Lane, 2nd Lieut. J. R. +Eddison, 2nd Lieut. H. Kirby. + +_Middle Row_: 2nd Lieut. J. M. Gray, 2nd Lieut. W. N. Wright, Lieut. +H. G. Wright, 2nd Lieut. B. W. Vann, 2nd Lieut. J. V. Edge, Lieut. G. +Clarke, 2nd Lieut. W. H. Hollins, 2nd Lieut. E. C. A. James, 2nd +Lieut. J. W. Turner, Lieut. C. Davenport. + +_Front Row_: Capt. and Qtr.-Mtr. R. F. B. Hodgkinson, Capt. W. H. +Allen, Major A. C. Clarke, Rev. J. P. Hales, Capt. and Adjt. E. N. T. +Collin, Lieut.-Col. C. J. Huskinson, Major G. H. Fowler, Capt. J. P. +Becher, Capt. M. C. Martyn, Capt. A. L. Ashwell, Surgeon-Capt. H. +Stallard. + +_On Ground_: 2nd Lieut. R. H. Piggford 2nd Lieut. A. P. F. Hamilton. + +_Reproduced by permission of H. A. Valentine, Photographer, +Harpenden._] + +Lieut.-Col. G. S. Foljambe, who had joined from the Territorial Force +Reserve, was in charge at the Depot, and later commanded for some time +the 3rd Line, with the unenviable task of getting together and +training in an extraordinarily short space of time, personnel to +replenish the 1st and 2nd Lines. Many young Officers and others who +passed through his hands in those days look back with pleasure and +affection to the happy times spent under his kindly care at Newark and +Belton Park. + +Recreations in these early days were run on the usual lines. Padre +Hales had a reading room and organised Battalion Concerts from time to +time, at which much local talent was displayed, but with everyone +living in houses organised entertainment was not so necessary as we +later found it to be in isolated camps, or at out-of-the-way villages +in France. + +We were inspected three times during this period; once at Harpenden by +Lieut.-General Sir Ian Hamilton, commanding the Central Force, again +on September 29th, by Lord Kitchener in Luton Hoo Park, when we +thought we made a very creditable display, and lastly, on October 6th, +after we had carried out an attack scheme ending up on the Sandridge +Rifle Range, when the Battalion had the honour of marching past Lord +Roberts. + +The air, of course, was full of rumours. As early as September 1st, we +were told that we should be off to France in a month: later the date +was fixed for October 30th, and then November 7th, Bordeaux being +mentioned as the elusive objective. On this last occasion it seemed so +certain that we were going that a farewell sermon was preached, which +turned out to be decidedly premature. We heard with every conceivable +detail the delicious stories of the thousands of Russians who kept +pouring through Nottingham, and like others we had the usual +excitements of spy scares, all of which were very entertaining, and +one at least highly dangerous, when one of our chases took some of us +over the railway embankment armed with loaded revolvers. + +Whatever the possibilities of our going out early may have been, one +step was taken which could have had only that object in view, viz. +inoculation against typhoid. We can only hope that the Medical +Officers who operated on us got more fun out of the operation than we +did. + +Marching orders came eventually, and as ever, when least expected. +Late on Sunday evening, November 15th, we were told to be ready to +move at an hour's notice. This was presumed to be due to a feared raid +and landing on the East Coast--at any rate one hopes there was some +equally good reason for it, for quite a number of Officers and men had +been allowed to go on week-end leave, and had to be recalled by +telegram, whilst the following day was to have been a holiday. + +We shall not easily forget that night--the energy we expended in +packing valises, brows sweating, tempers bad, language beyond +description,--all trying the impossible feat of making the wonderful +collection of kit we had got together on the advice of one friend or +another keep within the allotted allowance of 35lbs. + +Apart from our own individual troubles, we had the additional enormous +task set of issuing new equipment to everybody. The 1908 bandolier +pattern had been withdrawn, and new leather equipment (pattern 1914) +had arrived on the previous Friday and Saturday, and the +Quarter-Master's staff had been busy marking it and getting it ready +for issuing. This all had to be issued during the Sunday night, and +was carried round to billets in blankets. The language of something +like 900 men all trying to put together an entirely new set of +equipment, the like of which they had never seen, may well be +imagined. We were the first Battalion to be issued with this +equipment, which on the next day's march proved very unsatisfactory, +many buckles and straps pulling right out of the webbing of the packs +and haversacks. We were glad when a month later it was all withdrawn, +and we were issued with the much more popular and lasting web +equipment. + +Eventually the Battalion paraded at 9 a.m. on November 16th, one hour +late, and in consequence instead of leading the Brigade we had to +march in rear. We got to Harlow, a distance of something like 26 +miles, about 8 p.m. This was a very trying march, and as many men had +only been issued with new boots during the night, it was not +surprising that several fell out. On this march we first realised what +a difficult and technical job "supply" can be. The supply and baggage +wagons appear to have been hopelessly overloaded, and in consequence +both rations and blankets failed to reach us that night. It was +largely owing to the extreme kindness and hospitality of the +inhabitants of the delightful little village of Harlow, amongst whom +was the evergreen veteran Sir Evelyn Wood, V.C., that we were fed and +breakfasted and able to continue the march the following day, 14 miles +to Dunmow. This proved more trying than the previous day, and the +Medical Officer and stretcher-bearers had a busy time attending to +those who fell out. + +On the 18th, we finished the journey by a nine mile march to Bocking, +and there settled down into billets for the rest of our time in +England. Though we were spoilt at Harpenden, we are sure that all +ranks have nothing but pleasant recollections of the time spent at +Braintree and Bocking, where one and all treated us with the greatest +kindness, and we hope were sorry to lose us. Where all were so kind it +is almost invidious to mention names, but one feels (though they +themselves would be the first to deny it) that a special debt of +gratitude is owed to the Nuns of the Convent at Booking, whose +kindness and care for those who were billeted at the Convent, and for +all with whom they came in contact, were beyond all praise. + +In order to prepare for any possible German landing on the Essex coast +orders had been issued for a series of trenches to be dug to form +defensive lines for the protection of London, and we were at once set +on to this work, which was pushed on as rapidly as possible, systems +of trenches, redoubts, gun positions, and other defensive works being +put in hand. Our work was mainly at Panfield, Marks Farm and Black +Notley. It was not an ideal season for trench digging, especially in +the clay of Essex, which was the "genuine" article, and we were glad +when the bulk of it was finished by Christmas. This work was carried +out under Royal Engineers' supervision and was in some ways +instructive, although we thought that the principles we had been +taught in the Military Manuals were frequently violated by the siting +of trenches along the sides of prominent hedgerows. Nevertheless, what +we did was more after the nature of what we were to meet in France, +and therefore of considerable practical value. That our work was +satisfactory was testified to by the insertion in Central Force Orders +of January 23rd, 1915, of the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief's +keen appreciation of the soldierly spirit and enthusiasm shewn for the +work by all ranks. All the same, we have no regrets that it was never +necessary to occupy the trenches for actual warfare. + +Owing to another scare Christmas leave was cancelled. Scarborough had +been bombarded on December 22nd, and there was apparently a bit of a +"breeze." According to one writer this was due to a little lack of +liaison between our Naval and Military authorities. The former had +apparently spread a rumour that an invasion of the German Coast was to +take place, and the enemy concentrated numbers of troops there in +case it happened. This concentration came to the knowledge of our +military spies, who, however were not told of the cause, and their +report appears to have caused our War Office to think that an invasion +of England was contemplated. We were not, however, by any means dull +at Christmas. On December 24th, we beat the 6th Battalion 2--1 in the +first round of the Divisional Football competition, Vann being +skipper, and in the evening the Warrant Officers and N.C.O.'s had a +dance at Braintree Corn Exchange. On Christmas Day there was Church +Parade at Braintree, when the Bishop of Derby preached. Later, dinners +were issued on a sumptuous scale, and in the evening the Officers were +entertained at the White Hart by the Colonel and Major Fowler. + +In a later round of the Divisional Cup Competition, we beat the +Divisional Mechanical Transport Column 3--0, and got into the +semi-final, when, however, we were badly beaten by the 4th Leicesters +at Bishop's Stortford, by 3 goals to nil. In a Brigade paper chase +which was held on December 26th, Pvte. Allen of E Company came in +first. + +On December 28th, we returned to Luton by train to carry out final +firing practices at the Wardown and Galley Hill Ranges, and field +firing practice at Dunstable in appalling weather, when frost, snow +and rain made accurate shooting perfectly impossible, and we were glad +indeed to get back to Bocking on January 6th, 1915. + +The rest of our time was spent in final training, mainly carried out +at Gosfield Park and Abbot's Hall, and in preparations for going out, +in which the inspection and completion of equipment of all kinds +played a prominent part. This was not too easy a job for the young +Company or Section Commanders, as the men by this time were up to all +the "old soldier" tricks, and were very clever at making one article +appear almost simultaneously in half-a-dozen different kits. Drill +included a certain amount of new bayonet fighting and other exercises +under Major A. C. Clarke, who had attended a course at Chelsea. Mules +arrived in January and were objects of much interest; our +miscellaneous transport vehicles were discarded and replaced by new +ordnance pattern issues, to which were added two Lune Valley Cookers, +kindly presented by the ladies of Nottinghamshire. At the end of +January the Battalion had to be completely reorganised in order to +come into line with the regular Battalions: the old 8-Company system +was abolished, and the 1914 Double Company organisation introduced, +entailing an immense amount of work and keeping us busy right up to +the time of our departure. The situation was not helped by the absence +of Major Fowler with eight Subalterns and 407 recruits, who were away +carrying out musketry classification practices at Luton from February +3rd to 20th. + +Our chief relaxation at Bocking in the early part of 1915 was night +searching for elusive spies, who were supposed to carry on lamp +signalling; more often than not when these were tracked down they +turned out to be innocent stable guards doing their nightly rounds. At +other times we picketed the roads to hold up motor cars which were +supposed to be acting as guides to Zeppelins, but it is doubtful +whether either of these occupations did a great deal towards bringing +about the more rapid conclusion of the war. + +One also remembers the excitement caused by the first Boche aeroplane +dropping bombs within a mile of the village, which we, of course, +imagined had been dropped for our especial benefit. One of the Scouts +secured a "dud," which was the object of much interest to everyone, +up to the Divisional Commander. + +It was about this time that the first distinguishing patches were +allotted to Battalions. Our first was a square green patch worn behind +the cap badge, undoubtedly very smart, and the envy of the other +Battalions in the Brigade. When we got to France the Officers of the +Battalion had to wear two short vertical green stripes at the top of +the back of the jacket, to enable them to be picked out from behind, +as all ranks were more or less similarly dressed and Officers' swords +were discarded. Later still these marks were worn by all ranks in the +Battalion, and the practice was continued up to the end of the war. + +On February 15th, confidential orders were received that we were to +proceed abroad at a very early date. Final preparations were put in +hand, equipment, stores and clothing were issued to complete, and +everything was made ready for a move. + +On February 16th, Col. Huskinson received notice of his appointment as +Commander of Base Details on Lines of Communication with Capt. G. +Clarke as his Adjutant. Col. Huskinson had been to a great extent +responsible for the recruiting of the Battalion to full strength +before the war, and his keenness and enthusiasm throughout the +difficult times of reorganisation and training during these first six +months of the war, contributed largely to the high standard of morale +and general efficiency reached in England. One and all were sorry to +lose him, but we were glad indeed to find that Major Fowler was to +succeed him in Command of the Battalion. + +On February 19th, we had the honour of being inspected with the rest +of the Division by H.M. the King, at Hallingbury Place, near Bishop's +Stortford. + +Into the last few days was crowded an immense amount of work, for the +final arrangements never seemed to finish, and changes took place +right up to the last. We were made up to establishment in Officers by +the arrival of Lieuts. G. S. Heathcote and F. B. Lawson, and 2nd +Lieuts. C. L. Hill and T. H. F. Adams, whilst large reinforcements +from the 2/8th Battalion on February 22nd, brought us up to full +strength, and when we left Bocking on February 25th, we were 31 +Officers and 996 other ranks. Second Lieut. R. E. Hemingway was left +behind with 100 men as the First Reinforcement, and the Orderly Room +was handed over to the care of Col.-Sergt. Instructor F. Kieran. We +left by two trains at 7.50 and 9.15 a.m., and by 4.0 p.m. had all +detrained at Southampton Docks. + +On the whole the Battalion was well equipped, and physically everyone +was fit. The chief drawback appeared to be that we had rather a large +percentage of young and inexperienced Officers and N.C.O.'s, but as +all had much to learn of the kind of warfare actually going on, this +was no great disadvantage. With so many late additions and the very +recent reorganisation, few Commanders had had the opportunity of +getting to know their men. So far as training was concerned we had +covered in a way the whole of what the books had to say, and were +fairly well acquainted with ordinary methods of fighting. There was a +tendency towards staleness at the moment, and it is doubtful whether +prolongation of our training in England would have been beneficial. We +felt somewhat ignorant of many practical points affecting trench +warfare, into which the fighting on most of the Western front had +degenerated, and though we had received useful hints from Major Hume, +who had been out, we yet had a great deal to learn; this we did in +France, in the hard school of bitter experience. Whatever our +shortcomings, we felt proud indeed to belong to the first complete +Territorial Division to embark for France. + +At this time the personnel of Battalion and Company Headquarters were +as follows:-- + + Commanding Officer.--Lieut.-Colonel G. H. Fowler. + Second-in-Command.--Major A. C. Clarke. + Adjutant.--Capt. E. N. T. Collin. + Medical Officer.--Surg.-Captain H. Stallard. + Chaplain.--Rev. J. P. Hales. + Quarter-Master.--Capt. R. F. B. Hodgkinson. + Transport Officer.--Lieut. C. Davenport. + Machine-Gun Officer.--Lieut. A. F. O. Dobson. + A Company--(formerly E and F Companies). + Capt. A. L. Ashwell; Lieuts. G. S. + Heathcote, H. Kirby, and F. B. Lawson; + 2nd Lieuts. J. V. Edge, and E. M. Hacking; + Comp. Sergt.-Major A. Mabbott; Comp. + Quar.-Master Sergt. E. Haywood. + B " (formerly B and H Companies). + Capt. J. P. Becher; Capt. J. K. Lane; + Lieut. J. W. Turner; 2nd Lieuts. W. H. + Hollins, J. R. Eddison and B. W. Vann; + Comp. Sergt.-Major W. Mounteney; Comp. + Quar.-Master Sergt. S. C. L. Shelton. + C " (formerly C and D Companies). + Capt. M. C. Martyn; Capt. H. G. Wright; + Lieuts. H. B. S. Handford and R. H. + Piggford; 2nd Lieuts. A. Hacking and + T. H. F. Adams; Comp. Sergt.-Major + E. Hopkinson; Comp. Quar.-Master Sergt. + J. R. Dench. + D " (formerly A and G Companies). + Capt. W. H. Allen; Lieuts. E. C. A. James + and W. C. C. Weetman; 2nd Lieuts. + J. M. Gray, C. L. Hill and J. S. C. Oates. + Comp. Sergt-.Major F. Spencer; Comp. + Quar.-Master Sergt. F. A. Pritchard. + + Acting Regimental Sergt.-Major.--E. A. Westerman. + Regimental Quar.-Master Sergt.--D. Tomlin. + Armourer Quar.-Master Sergt.--R. A. G. Loughman. + Signalling Sergt.--W. Burton. + Machine-Gun Sergt.--F. Parker. + Transport Sergt.--C. Green. + Sergt. Drummer.--W. Clewes. + Provost Sergt.--G. Phillipson. + Sergt.-Cook.--S. Wiffen. + Pioneer Sergt.--J. Caddy. + Acting Sergt.-Tailor.--H. A. Huckerby. + Sergt.-Shoemaker.--G. H. Fletcher. + Orderly Room Sergt.--F. Torrance. + Orderly Room Sergt. (Base).--E. Kirkby. + Orderly Room Clerk.--Corpl. R. Harvey. + Non-Commissioned Officer i/c Stretcher Bearers.--Corpl. R. F. Bescoby. + Medical Orderly.--Corpl. B. Sissons. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +FRANCE + + _February 25th, 1915._ _June 20th, 1915._ + + +As soon as the detrainment was completed, we proceeded on board the +"Mount Temple," with certain Royal Field Artillery Details, the ship +being under the command of Major Kent, R.F.A. At 6.30 p.m. we dropped +down to Netley, imagining we were off, instead of which we anchored +there for the night. The greater part of the next day, February 26th, +was spent on board in physical and other exercises and inspections. +Late in the afternoon, much to our surprise, orders were received that +21 Officers and 763 other ranks were to disembark, presumably because +it was not desirable for so many troops to cross on a slow going boat +like the "Mount Temple." Having left on board Major Clarke, Capt. +Ashwell, and Lieut. Heathcote with two-and-a-half platoons of A +Company, and Capts. Hodgkinson and Davenport with the Signal, +Transport and Machine-Gun Sections, the remainder of us disembarked +about 6.30 p.m., and proceeded to a Rest Camp about three miles +outside Southampton. It was very disappointing to be split up, but +there was nothing to be done but to make the best of it. We cannot say +that our two days' stay at the Rest Camp was exactly enjoyable, for +the camp was uncomfortable, and no passes were allowed to the town. We +therefore fully appreciated the kindness of the ladies of the St. John +Ambulance Association, who had huts near the camp, and gave us most +excellent meals. + +On February 28th, a further contingent of 101 men under Captain Becher +embarked on the "Caledonian," and later in the day the rest of us went +on board a small Clyde pleasure steamer, the "King Edward," where we +were crowded beyond description. Neither party sailed, however, that +day, and we spent the night on board. The next day those on the "King +Edward" had to disembark once again! This took place early in the +morning, and after a little wandering we ultimately obtained billets +for the Officers at the Central Hotel, and for the men at the Watt +Memorial Hall. + +In the end we embarked on the "King Edward" on the afternoon of March +2nd, and sailed the same night. There was so much to interest everyone +until we got out to sea that we had little time in which to indulge +sentimental feelings. That gliding down Southampton Water in silence +broken only by the throbbing of the engines, with lights out, sentries +posted, and in some cases Machine-Guns mounted, the sudden appearance +out of the darkness from somewhere off the Isle of Wight of a +destroyer to pilot us across the Channel, the challenge to the ship as +to who we were, and the order to "carry on," the numberless rays of +searchlights sweeping around on all sides--such was the start of our +great expedition, precisely the same, no doubt, as that of most other +troops who crossed during the war. + +We had an excellent crossing and anchored off Havre early the +following morning, disembarking about 7.30 a.m. The morning was spent +amongst the hangars at the docks, drawing sheep-skin coats and other +equipment. Here we were met by Major Clarke who reported that Capt. +Ashwell with two platoons had already proceeded up country, and that +they had all had a very uncomfortable time at Havre, sleeping in +trucks or wherever they could. They had been joined by M. Lacolle, who +was to be attached to the Battalion as Interpreter. After dinner we +marched down to our entraining point, and were able to entrain more or +less at leisure during the afternoon--our first experience of a +French Troop train. Later on we got accustomed to their ideas, but +certainly for the men, and often for Officers too, the French way is +not quite in accordance with our own ideas, and we must confess it +went very much against the grain to have to crowd 36 to 40 men in +nothing more or less than a cattle truck. "Hommes 40: Chevaux 8," may +be all right for the "Chevaux," but for the "Hommes" we consider a +revised number is required. + +During these first few hours spent at Havre we learnt to appreciate +the Y.M.C.A. huts, which supplied much excellent refreshment, and the +Officers will certainly not forget the delicious tea and cakes so +generously provided by Mrs. Pitt. + +We left for the North at 5.15 p.m. At Rouen a halt was made for the +engine to take in water, and ourselves coffee and rum. The taste of +the latter was new to most of us, but we liked it well enough to hope +that we might make its acquaintance again. Early in the morning of +March 4th, we had a short "halte repas" at Abbeville for breakfast, +and continuing via Calais and St. Omer we eventually, about 1 p.m., +after a 20 hours journey, detrained at Cassel, which if tradition does +not lie, was the happy hunting ground of the good old Duke of York, +who + + "Had ten thousand men, + He marched 'em up to the top of the hill, + And he marched 'em down again." + +If the English Tommy of those days was anything like the modern "Old +Bill" he probably had something pointed to say about the Hill of +Cassel, and was equally unappreciative of the magnificent view one got +from its summit! + +Capt. Ashwell met us at the Station and acted as our guide to the +little village of Oudezeele, which we reached about 5 o'clock after a +trying seven miles' march. The men were tired after their long, +cramped journey; many wore new boots, whilst all were weighed down +with enormous packs, which had been added to by the newly drawn +sheep-skin coats. It was not surprising that under such conditions +many fell out, and that most of us were thoroughly weary by the time +we reached our destination. Ashwell and his party too, had not had a +pleasant time. Strangers in a strange land without Battalion, Brigade +or Divisional Headquarters--or any of the other luxuries which make +life worth living--they had found existence rather precarious. Ashwell +himself had walked 45 miles in three days in search of rations, so +that our arrival with the transport was more than welcome. + +We found our billets rather strange after the houses and cottages to +which we had become accustomed in England, as they consisted mostly of +scattered farms, several platoons and sometimes a whole Company or +more being billeted at one farm, generally in barns. + +Capt. Becher and his party arrived late the following day, having been +kept three days on the "Caledonian," and the Battalion was once more +complete. As the rest of the Brigade had crossed before us and had +already gone up for trench instruction, we were temporarily attached +to the Lincoln and Leicester Brigade. + +We spent a few days training at Oudezeele, including one or two route +marches to get accustomed to the _pave_ roads, and Edge, as newly +appointed Sniping Officer, gave a little special instruction in that +branch of warfare. We had a visit from Major-General Stuart-Wortley, +who discussed the training to be carried out, and our coming duties in +the trenches. The weather was very cold, and a good deal of work was +in the shape of lectures in billets, and the reading of various +routine and other orders issued to troops on arrival. + +It was during one of our route marches in this district, which took us +through the little village of Wormhoudt, that we made our first +acquaintance with French troops. Many of them were back resting in +billets, and the warm welcome they gave us as we passed through the +narrow streets of the village crowded with French "poilus," the whole +Battalion whistling the "Marseillaise," was an experience which will +not be readily forgotten. + +On March 9th, we marched with the Lincoln and Leicester Brigade via +Cassel, Caestre (where General Smith-Dorrien saw us march past), and +Strazeele to Merris, where we joined up with the rest of our Brigade, +back from their course of instruction in the trenches. Fortunately the +fur coats which had caused us so much trouble on the last march were +now carried for us by motor 'bus. At Merris we saw our first real +signs of fighting, both the Church and the Hospice having been hit +several times by shells, whilst there were isolated graves of both +French and English scattered about the surrounding country. Here too, +we saw our first "fighting" aeroplane (armed with one short French +Rifle), which had crashed just outside the village. It was also at +Merris that we had our first experience of paying a Company "in the +Field." Instructions on the subject had led us to believe that this +was a complicated performance, but in practice it turned out to be +quite easy. Company "Imprests" were at a later date done away with and +a Battalion Imprest instituted, which was much more convenient, as +also was the very handy "Officer's Advance Book," which was introduced +later. At first there seemed but little check on the money that was +drawn, and Field Cashiers appeared to issue money to all and sundry on +the flimsiest authority. + +Preparations were being made about this time for a British offensive +at Neuve Chapelle, and our Brigade was attached temporarily to +General Gough's 2nd Cavalry Division, with the object, if the attack +succeeded, of breaking through in the region of the Bois du Biez. In +order to be nearer the scene of operations we were moved from Merris +at an hour's notice at noon on March 10th, and marched via Rouge Croix +to Bac-St. Maur. This was a memorable experience, but later on we +became accustomed to rapid movement, and the great concentration of +troops which was necessary when fighting was imminent. Transport +marched brigaded, and in passing through Sailly-sur-Lys in the +darkness seemed to be so mixed up in the seething mass of men that we +almost began to doubt if they would ever extricate themselves. Under +the guiding hand and voice of Capt. Davenport, however, our Transport +eventually got clear. During this operation "Davvy" evidently made a +great impression on one soldier (a Regular), by his forcible language, +as the latter was heard to remark "There's a bloke what knows 'is +job." Confusion was great in Bac-St. Maur too, for when we got there, +the billets which we had been allotted were still occupied by +Canadians. Eventually, we all got shelter of a kind, in probably the +dirtiest and poorest billets we ever had either in France or Belgium. +This was our first meeting with our Canadian friends, and we can +hardly say we were impressed, though we all knew well what they were +made of. We have specially vivid recollections of one Canadian sentry +on duty at night opposite D Company's billet, evidently "well away," +loosing off his rifle at intervals, apparently to let us know that he +was "present and correct." One bullet was close enough to be +unpleasant, and fetched a lump off the tree just outside the window. +In this area we were nearer to the line than we had yet been, some of +our guns firing from quite close to the village, and we found it an +interesting experience to see for the first time an aeroplane being +shelled. + +We stood by for two days, ready to move at a moment's notice, hearing +much of the noise of the battle. The attack, however, was not +successful and the Bois du Biez plan, therefore, fell through. On +March 13th, we got orders to move to fresh billets. We had to travel +light as we were still regarded as a "flying column." Much superfluous +kit was left behind, to be sent for later on, and the weird bundles +left at the Estaminet at Bac-St. Maur will not readily be forgotten. +We marched that afternoon _via_ Estaires to Neuf Berquin, where we had +again to be content with rather crowded, if somewhat more comfortable +billets than we had left. + +One or two changes in personnel had already taken place. Capt. +Hodgkinson gave up the appointment of Quar.-Master owing to some +technicalities, and for the moment acted as Censor. In this capacity +he was obliged, to our great annoyance, to carry out the order to +relieve us of our cameras, which were sent home,--no doubt on the +whole a wise and necessary precaution. Capt. Hodgkinson was succeeded +as Quar.-Master by Lieut. Torrance, who was destined, with a short +break in 1918, to carry out the duties up to the end of the war. He +performed them with much success, and in a way that only Torrance +could. On his appointment as Quar. Master, the Orderly Room came under +the charge of Corpl. R. Harvey, who carried out his difficult task +with the utmost devotion, without a break until the last man of the +Battalion was demobilised. Second Lieut. G. W. Fosbery, who received +his Commission as we were about to cross to France, took over his +platoon from Handford, who as Signalling Officer had enough other work +to keep him busy. + +We stayed at Neuf Berquin for ten days and did a considerable amount +of useful training, but unfortunately at this time many men were sick, +owing to the bad water, so that parades were somewhat small. In +addition to continued route marches to keep feet in condition we +practised formations for advancing through woods in the Bois d'Aval, +open warfare attack under the watchful eye of General Gough, and +several trench-to-trench attacks on the leap-frog principle, the first +line capturing and holding the front trench, and other lines passing +through them to attack the support trenches. We also began to practise +making and throwing the old "jam-tin bomb," the beginning of the +attack of "bomb fever," which unfortunately was to play such a +prominent part in the warfare of the next two or three years, +undoubtedly to the detriment of all sound training and tactics. + +Arrangements had meanwhile been made for our initiation into the +mysteries of real trench warfare, and with that object in view we were +moved on March 24th, to Vieux Berquin, and on the 26th, across the +frontier to Romarin in Belgium, being once more attached to the +Lincoln and Leicester Brigade. Much to our regret the rum issue was +stopped the next day! + +We were attached for instruction to the 10th Infantry Brigade, 4th +Division, and the programme arranged allowed each Company to spend two +nights in the trenches, with a break of 24 hours in billets. The +Battalions to which we were attached included the Royal Irish Rifles, +2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 2nd +Seaforth Highlanders, and 2nd Royal Warwicks, who held the trenches +about Ploegsteert and opposite Messines. + +The first night each Officer and man studied the work of his +counterpart in the Battalion to which he was attached, and the second +night platoons were allotted definite lengths of trench, for which +they were held responsible. This first experience was not exactly full +of incident, as on the whole we had a very quiet time, but for us, as +for all others on their first visit to the line, many little +incidents of everyday trench routine were novel and exciting. +Recollection lingers on the long, slow tramp to the trenches, along +corduroy tracks in thick darkness lighted up from time to time by Very +lights from our own trenches and by the infinitely superior ones from +the enemy (we recollect that some of us, faithful to our instructions, +but slightly misguided, began ducking quite five miles behind the line +when a flare went up), the constant order to keep closed up, the whizz +of bullets, at every one of which we ducked instantly, the cracking of +rifles, the 'dead cow' smell which afterwards became so painfully +familiar, the arrival at the trenches and the posting of sentries. +Later the cautious creeping over the parapet to look at the wire and +at dawn stand-to, followed by the frizzling of bacon and the brewing +of tea (in these days each side had a more or less respectable +breakfast, evidenced by the columns of smoke that went up from the +respective front line trenches directly after stand-down). Such +incidents we feel sure were sufficiently novel at the time to impress +themselves vividly on the memories of those whom a kindly fate has +preserved to read these recollections. + +Probably the most uncanny feeling some of us had was, when on starting +from Battalion Headquarters for the trenches, we met a stretcher party +carrying out one of our own men, Comp. Sergt.-Major Hopkinson, who had +been wounded by a sniper, and was our first casualty. It was an +experience that everyone had to go through, but it was not pleasant. +Hopkinson and two men of D Company wounded by shell fire were our only +casualties during our instructional tours. That we did not make a bad +impression is attested by a letter written from an Officer of the 2nd +Seaforths, who says:--"I thought your Officers and men most awfully +keen, and I was immensely struck by the way your men came into the +trench--no noise at all, and perfect discipline and quietness and +keenness. They were awfully willing to act up to any small suggestions +you made as to what they ought to do. They came in so much better than +Regulars, and I was genuinely filled with admiration for them. They +were a splendid body of men." It is, perhaps, needless to say that we +on our part much appreciated the great kindness shewn us by the units +to which we were attached. Those of us who happened to be in or near +Petit Douvre Farm during this attachment were much interested in +finding some of the early drawings of Bairnsfather, as done for the +"Bystander." The interior walls of the farm were covered with his +charcoal sketches, in some cases to the order of Commanding Officers +who were to follow! It was at the same farm that Pvte. Cottam, of D +Company, acted as head butcher in the slaughter of an abandoned pig, +causing a good deal of excitement before final despatch. Most of the +men brought away with them "souveneers" of this first visit, none more +unaccountable than the dud 77 mm. shell carried about in his pack for +several days, by a sturdy sanitary man of A Company--in fact, until +discovered by a rather alarmed Company Commander. + +On March 31st, we left Romarin, and marched back to our old billets at +Vieux Berquin, being met at Doulieu and escorted from there by the 6th +Battalion band. Only one band had been allowed to come out with the +Brigade, and after some discussion that of the 6th Battalion was +selected, and carried on up to the end of the war, virtually as a +Brigade Band. + +Orders were received on April 1st, for our Division to take over its +first portion of the British front in relief of the 28th Division, and +on April 2nd we marched with the rest of the Brigade via Bailleul to +Locre, in Belgium. As few, if any of us, had ever studied Flemish, the +language question in some of the villages of Flanders presented a +little difficulty, but with his guiding principle of "tout-de-suite, +and the touter the sweeter," the British Tommy never seemed to have +any trouble in getting what he wanted. We were disposed to think +sometimes that the Belgians did not look very kindly on us. Perhaps it +was because in our early days we were rather inclined to take too much +notice of the frequent reports we heard of supposed Belgian spies, and +of Belgians being in communication by various means with the Boche on +the other side of the lines. One well remembers the suggestion made +from time to time that signalling was carried on by means of the +windmill on Mont Rouge, or by the display of washing laid out to dry +on the ground by Belgian housewives. At any rate we did find a house +at Locre, where a number of pigeons were kept, a fact which aroused +the suspicions of some of the Officers of D Company, and in the same +house were discovered quantities of British stores of all kinds, which +must have been got from our troops in a not too straightforward +manner. Some of the inhabitants, too, treated us with scant courtesy. +It was here that the lady of the establishment removed the handle from +the pump where Sergt. Markham's platoon was billeted, and not content +with that went a step further, and for some reason best known to +herself, gave him a cold douche when asleep one night. Some of us, on +the other hand, were more fortunate in our billets, and all who went +to the Hospice can have nothing but the most pleasant recollections of +the great kindness of the Mother Superior and other ladies. Padre +Hales, who left us to be attached to Brigade Headquarters, when we +crossed to France, was billeted there with our Field Ambulance, and we +were allowed to go there for baths when out of the line, and always +received much kindness and hospitality. Unfortunately during the +German onslaught in 1918, this delightful place was completely +destroyed. The bathing arrangements in general at this time were +somewhat poor, the nearest military baths being at Bailleul, about +four miles away, so that we were very delighted at receiving during +our stay at Locre, from Miss Gilstrap, of Winthorpe, Newark, three +galvanised iron baths, with boiler complete. With these and other +local devices we were able to get the men bathed at their own billets, +which was a great boon. Another similar consignment from Mrs. John +Becher, unfortunately got lost in the post, but we trust was of +benefit to some other unit. + +[Illustration: THE AVENUE, KEMMEL, 1915. _Reproduced by permission of +Lieut.-Col. C. W. Birkin, C.M.G., T.D._] + +In the afternoon of Easter Eve, April 3rd, we attended a Church +Parade, taken by the Bishop of London, of which many of us have bitter +recollections, as owing to a mistake in Divisional Orders, we were +rigged out in full marching order. Further, as it was a damp and windy +day, few of us could hear a word of the address, and all wanted to get +as much sleep as possible in view of the great adventure before us. +The same night, which turned out to be miserably wet, we left Locre, +to take over the trench sector in front of Kemmel held by the 1st +Devons. Company Commanders had already been in the trenches for 24 +hours to get the lie of the land, and they, together with the guides +of the Devons, met us at the appointed rendezvous, the celebrated band +stand at Kemmel. There were, of course, no lights; rations and trench +fuel, which had been taken up by the Transport, were issued in +sandbags, and water in petrol tins, and each platoon was then led off +by itself. When one looks back on trench reliefs, one is inclined to +wonder how on some occasions they were carried out at all, the +possibilities of going wrong seemed so great. In the present case, +however, nothing untoward happened, and we set off by our various +routes to the front line, passing such favourite spots as the "Sahara +Desert" (the final resting place of every bullet fired within a radius +of five miles, or so it seemed), the "Willows," "Irish Farm" or "The +Orchard," and into the G and H trenches. In our heavy greatcoats and +with full packs, which we continued religiously to carry for many +months for no apparent reason, the journey was not pleasant, and we +were not sorry to get into the trenches, where the relief was +completed about 11 p.m. C Company being mainly composed of miners and +under the command of a Mining Engineer, were put in the right sector +where was our only mine, much to the relief of, at least, one Company +Commander, who had mental visions of a mine as a large black cavern, +where hand-to-hand fighting went on incessantly! A Company had the +centre and D Company the left, B Company occupying the two supporting +points and billets in Kemmel Village. Battalion Headquarters were at +the Doctor's house in Kemmel, and the Transport and Quar.-Master's +Stores remained at Locre. + +There was practically only one trench line at this time, and this, +like most of the trenches in Belgium and the low lying districts, was +a line of breastworks with very little wire in front, and only one or +two small supporting points. The opposing front lines varied from 25 +to about 300 yards apart, being closest at "Peckham Corner," on the +right. Shelters were built mostly of timber and corrugated iron, +strengthened with sandbags, and were generally in the parados of the +trench. + +Easter day--our first day holding a bit of line on our own--was fairly +quiet, except for a little shelling of D Company on the left during +the afternoon. On the right, some men of C Company sang hymns, and the +enemy made overtures for a truce by showing a white flag. About 40 of +them appeared on the parapet, and a brisk conversation ensued for +several minutes across "No Man's Land." A somewhat unflattering remark +from one of the enemy who had a wonderful knowledge of forcible +English, ended the armistice rather hurriedly. + +On most nights during these early days of the war, each side had its +turn at five or ten rounds "rapid" to relieve the monotony of things. +In this we were on equal terms with the enemy, but during the day we +were hopelessly outclassed owing to the great shortage of periscopes, +and the lack of telescopic rifles and well constructed loophole +plates, of all of which the Hun seemed to have an abundant supply. It +was long before we got anything like adequate numbers of these very +necessary trench requisites. It was not surprising, therefore, that +for some time the Boche snipers had the upper hand and could do almost +what they liked. Their shooting was extremely accurate, and as the +trenches were enfiladed on all sides, and there was in many cases +little parados, we soon had casualties, most of which were sentries +shot through the head. Our first fatal casualty was Pvte. Hyde, of A +Company, shot in this way on April 6th. We were also short and +entirely inexperienced in the use of rifle grenades and trench +mortars, with which the enemy made very good practice. A large trench +mortar certainly did find its way up to the trenches by some means one +day, and provided considerable amusement to our men. It is reported to +have dropped its first bomb into the enemy trench, and its second into +our own--its erratic behaviour ultimately making it no doubt more +annoying to ourselves than to the enemy. Lieuts. A. Hacking and +Hollins were the pioneers in the use of rifle grenades, with which +they eventually did good work at "Peckham Corner." + +After a tour of four days which were most uncomfortable owing to +constant rain, we returned to Locre. The system of four days in +trenches and four in billets, taking turns with the 6th Battalion, +continued for some time with little variation. When out of the line +we, of course, had to find those never-to-be-forgotten working +parties, which had become part of the normal trench warfare system. +Having had a hard four days in the trenches, it was never a pleasant +duty to have to march up three or four miles on one or perhaps two +nights out of our few days' rest, to do a job for the Royal Engineers +or some other specialists in the trenches. Otherwise, our stays at +Locre were fairly pleasant. There were no great attractions, but we +had enough to do as a rule in general training and cleaning, and the +country round about was extremely pleasant, either for walking or +riding. Perhaps the greatest excitement was to go down to Bailleul to +shop and call on "Tina." Such luxuries as Canteens for supplying the +wants of the inner man were quite unknown in these early days, when we +had to rely mainly on parcels from home or purchases in the local +towns. + +Work in the trenches consisted mainly of strengthening or rebuilding +the parapet and parados, and in putting out barbed wire defences. As a +rule, we wanted far more sandbags than were ever forthcoming, but in +these days they were used indiscriminately, and in consequence many +very weak structures were built, which could not possibly stand +without support through a single wet season. The barbed wire defences +were very poor, and as soon as we got into the way of doing it much +time was spent in that not too pleasant work, for Boche snipers +did execution by night as well as by day, and made themselves +very objectionable. Our entanglements consisted mainly of +"knife-rests"--wooden frames strung with barbed wire. These were made +by the men in the Brigade workshop at Kemmel, run by Major Wordsworth, +the Staff Captain, to which each Battalion contributed a quota of +pioneers and trade specialists. One Officer learnt a very practical +lesson in their use from the enemy. He had some carefully placed in +position one night, where he thought his wire particularly weak, but +his spirits fell to zero the following morning, when on looking over +the top he saw his precious knife-rests in position guarding the Boche +trenches opposite! From that time onwards knife-rests were securely +fastened to each other and to the ground. Our Brigade (hereafter known +as the 139th Infantry Brigade) had a good reputation for trench work, +and the digging element was used to great advantage by the 6th +Battalion commencing what was one of the first long communication +trenches dug on the British front. It extended from the front line +nearly back to Kemmel and was for ever known as the "Via Gellia." In +its later stages it was worked on by ourselves. This trench was a +great convenience, as it enabled reliefs to be carried out much more +securely by avoiding going over the open, and permitted of visits of +inspection to be made by daylight, and the wounded to be carried back +to the dressing station at Kemmel. In the early days they remained in +the trenches until it was dark enough for the journey to be made over +the top. + +On April 22nd, we experienced a little of the backwash of the first +Hun gas attack against the French and Canadians in the Ypres Salient a +few miles North of us. During most of the time we had been in this +area there had been considerable activity in that quarter, and the +shelling and burning of Ypres could be plainly seen from the Kemmel +trenches. This attack was the beginning of the second battle of Ypres. +The only effect on ourselves of the gas used on this occasion, was to +make our eyes smart and a few men sick. It did, however, cause a +commotion on all sides, and with unaccustomed speed, the first +consignment of respirators was sent out to us--pieces of gauze which +had to be filled with tea-leaves, damped, and fastened round the mouth +in the event of attack. These were improved from time to time, and a +little later we got a gas-proof smoke helmet--the earliest form known +as "P," and the later as "P.H." Vermorel sprayers were also provided +in due course, and some solution for spraying the trenches to clear +them of gas. Bells and gongs formed of shell cartridge cases or pieces +of iron were also hung in the trenches to be sounded by the sentry if +any sign of cloud gas was seen. There was perhaps a natural tendency +to imagine gas when there was none, and an official report of gas by C +Company on the night of May 8th, was found to be due to the proximity +of a dead cow. + +April 24th witnessed our first serious bombardment. We had already had +several somewhat severe baptisms, but they were trifling in +comparison. About 6 p.m., after an exceptionally quiet day, and just +before we were to be relieved, the enemy began an organised trench +mortar bombardment of G1 and 2, occupied by platoons of C and D +Companies, and H 4 held by Lieut. Vann and his platoon of B Company. +It lasted for about an hour, and made large breaches in the parapet of +G1 and 2, and practically demolished the whole of H 4, a small +isolated trench on the extreme left, opposite Petit Bois. Both these +trenches were completely enfiladed by the Boche, so that their +shooting was extremely accurate. It was thought at one time that the +enemy might attempt a raid on G1 and 2, but this did not develop. A +Machine Gun team consisting of L.-Corpl. Sharrock and Pvtes. Hopewell +and Davis, which was posted in G1, behaved most coolly, and Sergt. A. +Phillipson, of D Company, did very gallant work in the same trench +under heavy fire with Pvtes. Coombes and Durand, all in a more or less +dazed condition, helping to dig out the wounded. On the left Vann and +his platoon had a very bad time. Whilst he was digging out wounded a +bomb fell close by, killing four and burying three others, and blowing +Vann himself several yards across the open at the back of the trench, +and practically wiping out the garrison. Major Becher brought up +reinforcements and helped Vann to get the position made good, and +great assistance was given by 2nd Lieut. Hollins and L.-Corpl. +Humberstone. Pvtes. F. Boothby and A. Gleaden of B Company also did +excellent work, helping to dig out and dress the wounded, most of the +time in full view of the enemy, not more than 70 yards away. The 2nd +Royal Scots on our immediate left, also gave us valuable assistance. +Our total casualties during the hour's bombardment were 14 men killed +and two Officers (Vann and Gray), and 14 men wounded. When we were +back at Locre after this tour, General Shipley spoke to the Battalion +on parade and thanked them for the good work done, especially +congratulating Vann, and on the following day the General Officer +Commanding our Division also congratulated the Battalion on its +behaviour under fire. + +Several changes took place during April, owing to casualties. Capt. +Allen went down sick on April 6th, and Lieut. James took over the +command of D Company until the 14th, when Capt. Hodgkinson was +appointed. He, however, also had a short stay there, for on April +22nd, when in an excess of zeal to see what was going on opposite G1, +where some suspicious work was reported, he apparently thought he +could sufficiently camouflage himself behind a pair of field glasses +to gaze over the top of the parapet, the almost immediate result was a +bullet which just grazed his head, and he, too, had to leave us. D +Company then came under Capt. Lane. Second Lieut. Eddison, our first +fatal Officer casualty, was killed on April 21st, being hit by a +bullet whilst out wiring, and though help was instantly rendered by +Drummers Newton and Robb, who pulled him out of the shell-hole of +water, into which he had fallen, and carried him into the trench, he +died in a few minutes. Four Officers were down for a short time with +measles, including Capt. Martyn, who unfortunately was invalided +to England, and was succeeded in command of C Company, by Capt. +H. G. Wright. Martyn served later in Ireland and France, as +Second-in-Command of the 2/8th Battalion and in command of the 2/7th +Battalion, and won the D.S.O. and M.C. Lieut. Lawson got a shell wound +in the shoulder and had to leave, and 2nd Lieuts. Gray and Vann also +had to be in hospital for a short time from what was later known as +"shell-shock." A great loss, too, was Sergt. Wilmore, a very gallant +soldier, who was sniped one day when outside his trench. + +May found us beginning to feel our feet. The Commanding Officer had +talks with Officers as to a more aggressive attitude being taken up; +we had a lecture from Major Howard, R.E., at Kemmel as to the +construction of an invisible loophole, low down in the parapet, and so +built as to afford a good field of fire and permit of our replying +better to the Hun snipers. Sergt.-Drummer Clewes also got into action +with his telescopic rifle from sniping posts cunningly placed behind +the front line, the only possible position from which really +successful sniping could be done, and was not long in getting quite a +good "bag." Shortly afterwards he was put in charge of the +newly-formed Brigade Sniping Section. A trench mortar was actually got +into use, and did a certain amount of damage to the Boche trenches, +but naturally produced considerable retaliation. Further efforts to +fire rifle grenades met with some success, whilst a "Gamage" catapult +introduced to throw bombs provided, at any rate, a little amusement. +In patrolling considerable progress was made. Second Lieut. A. Hacking +did some very daring work at "Peckham Corner," and near Petit Bois; +2nd Lieut. Hollins and L.-Corpls. Heath and G. Gadd of B Company made +splendid reconnaissances of the enemy's wire; and 2nd Lieut. Edge, who +was always to the fore in wiring, no matter how bright the night, +carried out a daring daylight reconnaissance, the first attempted in +the Battalion, getting nearly up to the German front line in company +with Pvte. C. E. Bryan, of A Company. Pvte. W. O'Brien, of the same +Company, was another who knew no danger; in fact, at night it was +difficult to keep these two men in the trench at all. Daring patrols +were also carried out by 2nd Lieut. Vann, Sergt. Pickering and +L.-Corpl. Humberstone. Perhaps the most successful was a fighting +patrol, which went out on the night of May 9-10th under 2nd Lieut. +Oates, with the object of rounding up a Hun patrol. Oates, who had a +party of six men with him, went forward with Pvte. Nicholson, leaving +the remainder behind, to within about 50 yards of the German wire. On +their way back they ran into a Boche patrol. Oates promptly shot one +man, Nicholson bayoneted another, whilst two others who were wounded +got away. Oates and his party got back safely. + +On May 14th, we carried out one of those little manoeuvres which may +have been of immense importance, but appeared to us at the moment to +be so much waste of time, trouble and energy. Instead of proceeding to +the trenches that night according to programme, we got sudden orders +to "embus" for Hill 60, in the Ypres Salient, to dig there under Royal +Engineers' supervision for the 5th Division. The net result was that +of the 600 who went, 400 dug for one-and-a-half hours, and 200 for +three-quarters-of-an-hour, after which the party returned to Locre in +the 'buses. The idea, doubtless, was a good one, as it was necessary +to dig more trenches where part of our line had given way during the +recent fighting, but the organisation of the work seemed to leave a +good deal to be desired. It was the remnants of a Canadian Battalion +returning from this fighting in the Salient shortly after midnight on +one occasion, whilst we were back at Locre, which made us think we +must have had more than an ordinary nightmare, for we awoke with a +start to hear the strains of a brass band coming along the _pave_,--at +1 a.m. such a proceeding seemed decidedly strange. It was not long, +however, before we found that all was well, and that it was our own +Brigade Band playing the Canadians through the village. This was +evidently appreciated by them, for one of their number in a letter to +the _Daily Telegraph_, after describing the magic effect of the music +on his men, concludes with the remark: "The Canadians will remember +how the band of the Sherwood Foresters played them through the +darkness at midnight out of 'Bloody Ypres.'" + +About the middle of May we began reliefs with the 7th Battalion, and +our sector was extended slightly left to include some of the J +trenches opposite Petit Bois. An interesting entry in the War Diary is +that May 16th, the day following relief, was the first day absolutely +free from casualties since we took over our portion of the line. This, +however, must have been an exceptional day, for bad luck so far as +casualties went pursued us with great regularity. Capt. Lane was badly +wounded on May 26th, when out wiring, and the command of D Company +then passed to Lieut. James. Capt. H. G. Wright, to the great regret +of his friends in all ranks was killed on June 6th, being shot, +through the double loophole plate from which he was firing, and was +succeeded in command of C Company by Capt. G. S. Heathcote. Lieuts. +Kirby and Weetman and 2nd Lieut. Fosbery were wounded in May, and 2nd +Lieut. Oates early in June, and all had to leave the Battalion. Capt. +Ashwell and 2nd Lieut. Edge were also slightly wounded. Our only +reinforcement Officers were 2nd Lieuts. N. L. Hindley and G. G. +Elliott. Comp. Sergt.-Major Mabbott, of A Company, was invalided to +the Base, and was succeeded by Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. Haywood, +Sergt. G. W. Godfrey being promoted Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. in +his place. Comp. Sergt.-Major Mounteney, B Company, was invalided to +England and Sergt. Chappell was appointed Comp. Sergt.-Major of that +Company. Sergt. J. A. Green was appointed Comp. Sergt.-Major of C +Company in place of Comp. Sergt.-Major Hopkinson wounded, and Sergt. +T. Powell became Comp. Sergt.-Major of D Company after Comp. +Sergt.-Major Spencer left, also wounded. The latter obtained a +Commission some time later, only to be killed in France when doing +excellent work in command of a Company of another Battalion of the +Regiment. A change had also taken place in the Brigade Staff, Major E. +M. Morris, the Brigade Major, who had worked so strenuously all +through our period of training in England, and done so much to help us +in learning our job in France, having left on June 1st, to take +command of the 2nd Royal Irish Rifles. He was succeeded by Major W. G. +Neilson, D.S.O., of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. + +Early in June we moved still further left and took over more of the J +and K trenches, with the reserve company at Siege Farm, and Battalion +Headquarters at Rossignol Farm. Our numbers at this time were swelled +by the presence of a Company of the 8th King's Royal Rifle Corps who +were attached for instruction--the first of Kitchener's Army that we +had seen. + +[Illustration: SKETCH SHEWING ARRANGEMENT OF MINE GALLERIES.] + +Our severest handling in the Kemmel area occurred on the last day of +our last tour there, and was begun by the blowing of enemy mines, a +form of warfare which had already developed considerably at various +points along the battle front. Tunnelling Companies of the Royal +Engineers had been formed, but their numbers were not sufficient to +cope with all the work, and in order to help them Mining Sections were +formed in some of the Infantry Brigades as well. From the miners of +the 139th Brigade, it was not difficult to select suitable men for +this purpose, and towards the end of May, a small party was taken from +the Battalion to join the Brigade Mining Section, which was put under +the command of Capt. Piggford. Included in the party were Corpls. Boot +and Attenborough, both of whom later received decorations for +gallantry in underground work. These Brigade Sections were normally +used for defensive mining only--broadly to prevent the enemy blowing +up our trenches. The Royal Engineers' Tunnelling Companies on the +other hand, were employed for offensive work in blowing up the enemy. +Where mining was feared, sentries in the front line had to report at +once if any suspicious sounds were heard, which might indicate that +the enemy were mining in the neighbourhood, in order that protective +measures might be taken. The J trenches, which varied from 30 to 70 +yards away from those of the Boche, were mostly built on water-logged +ground, where to sink shafts and drive galleries was not an easy task. +Nevertheless, for some time signs and sounds had been reported which +seemed to indicate that mining on the part of the enemy was going on +in this very region. Attempts had, therefore, been made by us to sink +shafts and take counter measures, but these had proved unavailing +owing to the bad nature of the ground. The enemy, however, succeeded +where we failed, and on June 15th, exploded three mines, one of which +blew up a portion of J 3 Right. This took place at 9.10 p.m., when the +7th Battalion were just beginning to arrive to relieve us. At the same +time a terrific fire was opened with artillery, trench mortars, rifle +grenades, Machine Guns and rifles, and for over an hour an incessant +cannonade was kept up on our front line, Support Company and Battalion +Dump. Telephone wires were broken--an occurrence looked on later with +less anxiety as it happened so often, and we had no S.O.S. signal; +pigeon service, which had been established in the trenches just before +this time, was, of course, of no avail for night work, and Battalion +Headquarters were out of communication with the trenches except by +runner. Our reply to the bombardment was almost negligible, and +whatever the politicians and their statistics may prove, we know that +our supply of gun ammunition at this time was totally inadequate. Some +of the enemy got into the mine crater, but were driven out by C +Company at the point of the bayonet. Pvte. J. Sharman, of B Company, +who was practically the only man left in the trench when the enemy +tried to occupy it, shot one and drove off another, both of them +having attacked him at the same time. He was hit on the leg by a dud +bomb, and got a bullet through his haversack. Excellent work was +also done by Corpl. Humberstone in reorganising the garrison, and by +L.-Corpl. Templeman and Pvte. Tongue in repairing telephone wires. +Eventually things quietened down, and when the relief was complete, we +returned to Locre for a few days' well-earned rest. Our casualties +were unfortunately heavy, and included two excellent Officers, Eric +Dobson and Humphrey Hollins, also Corpl. Wilcox and eight men killed, +and 29 wounded, whilst the 6th King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, +some of whom were in the trenches with us for instruction, also lost +several men. + +[Illustration: MAP SHEWING KEMMEL SECTOR SPRING. 1915.] + +This was one of the earliest raids that ever took place, and was +planned doubtless to inflict casualties and secure prisoners, but not +to capture trenches. One man of D Company is reported to have blamed +this affair for the loss of a pair of boots, as he assured his Platoon +Commander at a kit inspection a little later "that they were lost when +that there mine at Kemmel went up!" As no man had more than one pair +at a time the Platoon Commander scratched his head. + +Thus ended our stay in the Kemmel sector, which was taken over by the +50th (Northumbrian) Division. We were now beginning to feel quite "old +hands," but our experience had been dearly bought. We had lost heavily +and were sadly in need of a draft, for to balance our total casualties +in other ranks of 49 killed or died of wounds, and 120 wounded, we had +so far received only 20 reinforcements. + +The Corps paid a tribute to the work performed by the Brigade during +our stay at Kemmel. Far more valuable, however, were our first +experiences of trench warfare. The meaning and importance of +responsibility and discipline were for the first time really impressed +upon the minds of Officers and men alike. Gradually, if imperceptibly, +they had learnt something of what would be required of them in the +times of fighting ahead. + +Sometimes one is tempted to compare conditions at Kemmel with trench +routine three years later. In the Kemmel days the Platoon Commander +lived with his Platoon, and seldom even visited his Company +Headquarters and he undoubtedly acquired an intimate knowledge of +every man of his Platoon, which was never equalled in later days. This +further bred a sense of responsibility and initiative which was all to +the good at a time when comfort, safety and enterprise depended so +largely on individual initiative. At the same time it must not be +forgotten that in later days Officers and men alike were called upon +to undertake more patrols and raids, and had to suffer far heavier and +more incessant shelling and trench-mortaring than was our general +experience at Kemmel. + +As a school of instruction our time at Kemmel undoubtedly provided a +very valuable lesson not only to Officers, N.C.O.'s and men of the +Battalion, but to Officers of the Brigade and Divisional Staffs, whose +experience of the new form of warfare could hardly have been learnt +under better conditions than those which obtained during our first two +months of trench routine. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE SALIENT + + _June 20th, 1915._ _October 1st, 1915._ + + +The Canadian's description of it as "Bloody Ypres," referring +doubtless to the Salient in general, was very apt, and will be +endorsed by all who ever had the misfortune to sample it at any period +of the war. We have never met anyone who boasted of having found a +"cushy spot" in it, and so far as we ourselves were concerned, the +three months spent in the Salient were very nearly, if not quite, the +hardest months of the war. + +Leaving Locre on the evening of June 20th, we marched with the rest of +the Brigade to the Ouderdom Huts on the Reninghelst--Vlamertinghe +Road. These were the first "huts" ever occupied by the Battalion; they +were absolutely exposed to view, the surroundings being open ploughed +fields, and when the Boche "Sausage" went up "Silent Percy," a German +long-range gun, warned anyone walking about that movement must cease. +There were, however, deep shelter trenches round the huts, which +afforded good protection, and we escaped without casualties, though +the Transport having had a few shells in the horse lines, deemed it +wise to move back a little. We left there on June 23rd, and marching +via Kruistraat and Zillebeke proceeded to "Sanctuary Wood," where we +relieved the 5th East Yorkshires in trenches 7 to 12. These trenches +were good, being both narrow and deep. There was a good deal of +liveliness on both sides, and things were anything but pleasant in the +region of a wood. whose title was something of a misnomer. The +Transport too, had many good runs for their money when bringing up +rations and stores. The congestion on the road each night was intense. +Only one bridge, "14," over the Ypres-Comines Canal was available for +the transport of all units occupying the centre of the Salient, and +the journey from the transport lines to the dump and back, took +something approaching seven hours. We were not particularly envious of +their job here on many occasions, though never once did they fail to +get supplies up to the dump. This was at the South-West corner of +"Sanctuary Wood," and a very unhealthy spot, where we were lucky +indeed in not getting very heavy casualties. There was hardly any +water fit for drinking in the front area, so that one of the water +carts had to be brought up full every night and left in the shelter of +the wood, and the empty one taken back. + +Rain made the trenches very uncomfortable, and we had plenty to do in +keeping them in order, and in building shelters, of which we were very +short. These consisted for the most part of two or more waterproof +sheets laced together, and held in position across the trench, by +stones placed on the ends on the parapet and parados. Little was done +by us in the way of active operations during our first tour, except a +certain amount of patrolling, in which 2nd Lieut. Adams and Pvte. +Needham were the leading lights, and got some useful information. A +Company had rather a bad time, suffering over 20 casualties from +"Whizz-bangs" (77 mm. shells) and salvoes of 5.9's. + +We were relieved on the night of June 29/30th, after a seven days' +tour, by the 5th Lincolns, and moved back to bivouacs at a charming +camp near Poperinghe, where we spent 12 of the most enjoyable days we +ever had in France. The weather was glorious, and we made the most of +it. We were spared strenuous work as far as possible on the very hot +days, but carried out much useful training of a general kind, and +reorganised and refitted all the units in the Battalion. Two new +Officers, 2nd Lieuts. R. E. Hemingway, and E. S. Strachan joined us, +the former eventually succeeding Lieut. A. Hacking, who had just been +appointed our first Battalion Grenade Officer. A draft of 69 men also +arrived, together with 11 rejoined men,--a most acceptable addition to +our numbers. Several quite interesting cricket matches were played, +the last of which, Officers v. N.C.O's., was won by the Officers. We +managed one concert, which was given entirely by our own artistes, and +went off very successfully. Poperinghe was quite close, and though +possessing no great attraction, yet it was a change to walk or if +possible get a horse for the afternoon and ride over there sometimes +to see what was going on, and call on our little friend "Ginger" at +the cafe, and do any shopping that was wanted. Here for the first time +we encountered a Divisional Troupe, and enjoyed many a pleasant +evening with the 6th Division "Fancies," with their Belgian artistes +"Vaseline" and "Glycerine." But perhaps the greatest source of +pleasure to all ranks now, was that great institution "Leave" which +had just been started. True it was but four days, and for an extremely +small number, but it was something after all, and encouraged those who +were not lucky enough to have it at the moment, that their turn would +eventually come to get out of the war for a brief space, and return to +their families at home. Capt. Ashwell left us whilst we were here to +take charge of reinforcements at St. Omer. During his absence of five +or six weeks A Company was commanded by Lieut. J. V. Edge. + +We left camp with much regret on the afternoon of July 11th, and +proceeding via Kruistraat, where a halt was made for tea, at the +"White Chateau," we eventually took over trenches B 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8, +in the Hooge sector, from the North Staffords. The trenches here were +close together, at some points not more than 25 yards apart. This +nearness necessitated in some cases the erection of small-mesh wire +netting to prevent the enemy throwing hand-grenades into our trenches. +Mining was carried on unceasingly, and with both sides displaying +abnormal activity with every kind of war machine invented, life was +not at all pleasant. Possibly we had the greatest dislike for the +rifle grenades which the Hun was in the habit of showering over on +every possible occasion, but his shelling of the whole of our sector, +which he carried out with great regularity, was extremely +uncomfortable, and casualties mounted rapidly. To the more normal +means of trying to wear down the enemy, we were now able to add fixed +rifles and rifle batteries. These were laid on definite targets, and +fired according to a time table specially arranged, and we hope had +the effect desired. Sergt.-Drummer Clewes too, in charge of the +Brigade Sniping Section, was always worrying the Huns on every +possible occasion, and made some splendid "bags." Work in the trenches +was of a more or less normal kind, consisting chiefly of strengthening +fire and support trenches and putting out wire, not forgetting the +never-ending efforts to drain away the water. Good patrols were +carried out by Lieut. James and Corpl. Hotson. + +After a heavy tour of 12 days we were relieved on July 23rd, by the +7th Battalion, and marched back to bivouacs near Ouderdom, a long +trek, the last Company not getting there until 7 a.m. the following +morning. We were shelled out of this camp almost immediately, +doubtless because a Staff Officer anxious for the comfort of the +Officers had had four beautiful white tents put up. Unfortunately they +had been pitched on the Eastern slope of the field in full view of the +"Sausage" already mentioned, and "Silent Percy" soon got busy! On +July 25th, we took over another field near Busseboom, where we were +left in peace, so far as the Hun was concerned, though as the field +had just previously been used by Gunners for horse lines we had in +other ways quite a lively time. Here we were joined by 2nd Lieut. +Everard Handford and an excellent draft from the 2/8th Battalion. + +We had little time during this six days' rest to do more than the +usual refitting and cleaning, as large fatigue parties were required +on two days for Divisional work. Bathing was an easier matter, as we +were now able to use the new Divisional baths at "Pop." So far as the +washing of clothing was concerned, the men did their own, laundries +being very few and far between. + +We had now in front of us what turned out to be the longest and most +trying of all the Battalion's experiences in the trenches, for after +relieving the 7th Battalion in trenches B 3, 4, 7, and 8 at "Sanctuary +Wood" on the night of July 29/30th, we did not get out for 19 days. + +Col. Fowler at this time was on leave, whilst Major A. C. Clarke was +unfit, and a little later had to return to England. Major Becher, who +succeeded him as Second-in-Command was, therefore, in temporary +command of the Battalion. Much to our regret our old friend "Doc" +Stallard had also just left us for a tour of home duty. Well had he +stuck it all through, but he was beginning to feel the strain of his +strenuous duties, which were now taken over by Surgeon-Lieut. C. B. +Johnstone. The latter had a memorable journey to join the Battalion, +which was then in the line, riding up on the front of the horse +ambulance that used to go nightly to "Maple Copse" to evacuate the +previous twenty-four hours' wounded. The road was very rough and +mostly shell holes full of water, and he had a decidedly rough +passage. Other arrivals about this time included three new +subalterns, Lieut. C. M. Houfton, and 2nd Lieuts. R. V. Harvey and A. +H. Date, whose first experience of trench warfare was to be rather +more exciting than the average! Comp. Sergt.-Major J. A. Green was +temporarily acting as Regimental Sergt.-Major in place of Sergt.-Major +Westerman, who had just left for England. + +The trench system taken over ran partly on the outskirts of "Sanctuary +Wood," and partly through the wood itself, which in those days was +most picturesque, with delightful wild flowers and thick undergrowth. +The right was held by B Company (Lieut. J. W. Turner) and C Company +(Capt. G. S. Heathcote) and the left by D Company (Lieut. E. C. A. +James), whilst A Company (Lieut. J. V. Edge) were in reserve. By a +very happy coincidence, we had with us A Company of the 10th Sherwood +Foresters, sent into the line for the first time for instruction. +Capt. G. P. Goodall, subsequently killed at St. Eloi, was in charge of +this Company, amongst whom our men found many friends. + +We occupied the left of the 46th Divisional sector, with the 5th +Battalion on our right, the 7th Battalion in immediate support in +"Maple Copse," and the 6th Battalion in Brigade Reserve. + +The 14th Division, which had only been in France a few weeks, and had +been with us for instruction at Kemmel, had recently taken over the +sector on our left, where there had been much fighting during the past +few weeks for the possession of Hooge, which centred about the stables +and wall running near the Chateau. It was there that in our last tour +we had seen a brilliant assault by the Gordons and Middlesex, after a +terrific mine explosion. + +At 3.30 a.m. on July 30th, immediately after stand-down, and within a +few hours of our arrival in the trenches, on a perfect summer morning, +the whole of the wood was suddenly surrounded by a ring of fire, +while at the same time a heavy bombardment was opened, concentrating +apparently on the trenches around "Hooge Crater." Under cover of this +bombardment, and behind "flammenwerfer," the enemy attacked the point +of the salient held by C Company, at the same time throwing the +greater weight of his forces against the Hooge sector occupied by +units of the 14th Division. The latter, who like ourselves had only +come into the line the night before, were undoubtedly surprised by the +sudden attack, and by this first use of "flammenwerfer." Their men, +dead tired, had just got down to sleep, and the rapidity of the enemy +attack left little opportunity for organising successful defence. + +The result was that the enemy succeeded at once in gaining the whole +of the front and support trenches on our left, pushing forward into +the North end of the wood, and threatening to cut off the whole of the +salient, and leaving the trenches held by D Company in imminent danger +of being turned from the rear. + +The first attack on the point of the salient was driven off by rifle +and machine gun fire. Here Pvte. Grantham displayed conspicuous +gallantry in remaining at his post, in spite of being surrounded by +flames, and killing several of the enemy at close quarters. Very few +of the enemy succeeded in getting into our lines, though for a short +space of time there was a dangerous gap on the left of C Company, +which was filled up by the presence of mind of 2nd Lieut. Hindley and +Sergts. Sheppard and Smith, and a platoon of B Company, one of whom, +Pvte. Tyne, did particularly fine execution by throwing back +unexploded enemy bombs. This platoon lined the parapet, and by opening +rapid fire prevented the attack from developing. Unfortunately, an +enemy machine gun traversed the parapet, killing many of the men of +this gallant platoon, until a bomb thrown a prodigious distance by +Sergt. G. F. Foster appears to have fallen on the top of it, evidently +knocking it out, and by the volume of smoke produced wrecking a +"flammenwerfer." Several of the enemy were seen to be killed or +wounded by this lucky bomb. + +Further attacks by the enemy on the point of the salient were made +during the day, and a more serious one early next morning, but they +were readily driven off with loss. We should like here to pay a +tribute to the magnificent courage and coolness of the men of the 10th +Battalion, which contributed very largely to the entire defeat of the +enemy's attack on this front. + +Meanwhile the position on the left was uncertain and very alarming, +and Sergt. A. Phillipson in particular, in command of the left +platoon, No. 13, had a most anxious and trying time. Elements of the +14th Division straggled from the left with stories of the German +advance. These accounts might easily have demoralised our +Battalion but for the magnificent example of Lieut. James, his +Second-in-Command, 2nd Lieut. Vann and Sergt. A. Phillipson, and the +coolness and courage of every man of D Company. The situation on this +flank was serious indeed. All the trenches on the left had been +captured, and the enemy were reported as pushing into the wood in the +rear of our trenches. James acted promptly, and immediately pushed out +a left flank-guard. Major Becher at Headquarters sent forward +reinforcements from the Reserve Company, and eventually the 7th +Battalion from "Maple Copse" were despatched by Brigade and did +splendid work in spite of heavy shelling, in digging a switch line +connecting the trenches in the neighbourhood of "Zouave Wood" to our +left flank. + +Early in the afternoon the Reserve Brigade of the 14th Division, who +had only reached bivouacs near Poperinghe at three in the morning, +returned and made a gallant but fruitless counter-attack to recover +the lost trenches. Could it have been expected that men, who had been +in the trenches for a week, marched back during the night no less than +12 miles, only to turn once more, march back those interminable 12 +miles, part of the time under heavy shell fire, dog-tired, without +sleep or food, could without adequate artillery preparation perform a +feat which later required a Division of fresh troops, after one of the +most carefully planned and destructive bombardments at that time +known? The Brigade could but have failed, and to the onlooker it +seemed a tragic blunder, but to those who have read the pathetic story +of a tragic day, the title given by "The Student in Arms" of "The +Honour of the Brigade" alone provides the excuse for an operation +which from every other point of view, was one of the costly blunders +of the war. + +On August 9th, the 6th Division attacked after a very heavy +bombardment and re-established the situation. No troops could have +done finer work. The enemy who had manned the redoubtable "Hooge +Crater" in great strength, suffered very heavily, but the total +prisoners captured in a hard fought attack amounted to five. The 2nd +Sherwood Foresters, under that magnificent Officer Col. Hobbs, who in +pre-war days had at one time been Adjutant of our Battalion, +eventually endeavoured to hold the crater on our left, but this was +soon found to be untenable, and remained in No Man's Land. + +An incident which is not without its humour, while illustrating the +tiredness of our men, may be worth recalling. During the bombardment +preliminary to the counter-attack, when the noise of our own artillery +was deafening, and the proximity of the enemy shelling far from +assuring, a platoon commander discovered one of his men fast asleep on +the firestep. With some difficulty he was aroused and, rubbing his +eyes, he exclaimed, not without a certain degree of indignation that +his slumbers had been cut short--"What's oop?" + +Our casualties during the activities of July 30th and 31st, amounted +to 21 killed and 40 wounded, and the 10th Battalion had ten casualties +in addition. This total was increased from day to day by incessant +shelling, trench mortars and rifle grenades, and by the unfortunate +inaccuracy of one of our 6-inch naval guns, which persisted in firing +into our trenches until its identity was eventually discovered. During +the first fortnight in the line here, our casualties were no fewer +than four Officers wounded (Vann, E. M. Hacking, Hindley and G. G. +Elliott); 36 other ranks killed, or died of wounds, and 90 wounded. +Included amongst the killed were Sergt. A. Phillipson, who throughout +had shewn the utmost coolness and gallantry, and Sergt. E. Layhe, who +had done very good work as Scout Sergeant. "Jimmy" James, who had +struggled on manfully in spite of being very unfit, eventually had to +give up and go to hospital, D Company being taken over by Vann. + +During these days there was much active patrolling in order to make +certain of the dispositions of the enemy, and much daring work was +carried out by Lieuts. Vann, Turner, and H. B. S. Handford, 2nd +Lieuts. A. & E. M. Hacking, Corpl. Gadd, L.-Corpl. Wilson, and Pvtes. +Nicholson and Thompson. Vann in particular was much in the good books +of General Allenby, the Corps Commander, for his splendid work, though +he was once the cause of his very nearly spoiling an immaculate pair +of breeches when showing him with much glee a particularly +un-get-at-able loophole plate in a very muddy trench. We are led to +believe, however, that this crime was forgiven, as Vann was later +honoured by the General with an invitation to dinner. + +[Illustration: MAP TO ILLUSTRATE FIGHTING AT SANCTUARY WOOD. +JULY-AUGUST. 1915.] + +Apart from shelling, which continued intermittently, the rest of our +stay in the line was uneventful. It was not, however, until August +17th, that the Battalion, reduced in numbers but tried at last in real +fighting, were relieved by the 7th Battalion, and marched back to +bivouacs near Ouderdom, dead tired but happy in the thought that they +could hand over intact the trenches which they had taken over three +weeks before. + +The attack had evidently not been an attempt to break through. The +enemy no doubt had hoped to seize our front line system from the right +of B 4 trench northwards. There can be no doubt that had this +succeeded the difficulty of the counter-attack would have been largely +increased. Indeed, at a time when troops could ill have been spared, +it is probable that the Ypres Salient would have been considerably +reduced, and the morale of the enemy proportionately increased. This +was pointed out by General Allenby, who, addressing the Battalion on +parade on August 25th, said: "I have read with great pleasure and +pride the report of the General commanding your Division, telling of +the arduous work which you recently did in the neighbourhood of Hooge. +By your boldness, tenacity, and gallantry, you did work of very great +importance. Perhaps you do not know that not only did your action have +an important bearing on that particular bit of line, but on the whole +campaign, because of the political reason for holding the Salient. The +town of Ypres is nothing to us, but if the Boche took it they would +publish it to the world that they had captured the fortress of Ypres, +which we have held since November, 1914." + +The Battalion also received the special thanks of the Field Marshal +Commanding-in-Chief on their efforts during the tour. To the delight +of everyone, especially all ranks of B Company, John Becher was +awarded the D.S.O., a very well-deserved honour for most splendid +work whilst in command of the Battalion, during one of the most +anxious periods in its history; Vann for his gallantry here and +previously at Kemmel got the M.C. Mention must also be made of the +splendid work of our new Medical Officer (Johnstone), his assistants +Corpls. Sissons, Martin, and Bescoby, and all the stretcher-bearers, +who worked indefatigably day and night, often in circumstances of +great personal risk in dressing and evacuating the wounded, not only +of our own Battalion, but of the King's Royal Rifle Corps, the Rifle +Brigade, and the 2nd Sherwood Foresters. In these operations they +established a reputation for gallantry and devotion to duty which in +the whole Brigade was conspicuous throughout the war. + +Our bivouacs were in a nice spot sheltered from view by a small wood. +Our rest was not a long one, and was much of the usual type, but had +an additional interest in that we were fortunate in getting two very +good entertainments from the 46th Divisional Concert Party, the +"Whizzbangs," which had lately been formed, and was to be a source of +much pleasure from now on to the end of the war. Whilst there we were +joined by two new Officers, 2nd Lieuts. A. H. G. C. Moore and P. C. +Hemingway, and 107 other ranks, but we wanted men badly now, as in +addition to our heavy casualties in the line, we lost during the month +of August 41 N.C.O's. and men, whose term of enlistment expired on the +completion of one year's war service. These included many old hands +who were difficult to replace. + +On August 29th, we took over trenches at "Middlesex Wood," where the +Brigade were holding the line astride the Ypres-Comines Canal, near +St. Eloi, and there we stayed, with one short rest in bivouacs, for a +month of more or less normal trench warfare. Perhaps the main points +of interest were that we were covered by Belgian gunners, who were +not too particular where or when they fired, that we were now getting +a supply of sniperscopes (specially constructed rifles, fitted with +periscopes, for firing from a trench without looking directly over the +parapet), which formed most useful additions to our trench stores, and +seemed to cause the enemy considerable annoyance, and that we were +able on one or two occasions to make good practice with Col. Fowler's +Elephant Gun against some of the enemy's loophole plates. On September +25th, in conjunction with attacks by the French and British, on +various other parts of the Western front, we had to "demonstrate" by +means of artillery, machine gun and rifle fire, and a dummy gas and +smoke attack, which was to be provided by burning on the parapet of +the front line trenches large quantities of damp straw, which had been +carried up with much labour, and a good deal of very frank comment. +Much to the relief of those intimately concerned with this bonfire, +the wind on the day of the attack was unfavourable, and the straw at +least did not end in smoke. The demonstration provided some amusement +to our Grenadiers, who, with the assistance of a "Gamage" catapult, +and two West Spring Throwers succeeded, to their immense delight in +bursting the old Bethune bomb as shrapnel over the German trenches. It +was only when the last bomb was thrown that Sergt. G. F. Foster, the +stoutest Bomber that ever lived and fell, ended a demonstration which +can hardly have caused a flutter in the dove-cotes of the German +Higher Command. + +Here, as on many other occasions, all ranks would have worked more +intelligently, and with greater personal satisfaction, if they had +known something of the general plan, and the part they were being +asked to play. This plan really must have been a big thing, for some +one was kind enough to send us a lot of literature on such subjects +as "How to guard against spies in newly captured territory," and +generally how to behave there; whilst maps and other documents gave us +the most intricate detail of every well, and other supply of water for +at least 20 miles East of where we were. Evidently the sender was an +optimist! + +On the 30th September, the 8th Lincolns took over from us in support +in the Canal dug-outs. The enemy having already given us an extremely +unpleasant afternoon chose this very inconvenient occasion for +"putting up" a mine under the trenches held by the 6th Battalion, on +the South side of the Canal. This operation and the accompanying +bombardment involved a stand-to, and caused a certain number of +casualties both in the trenches and among the troops in the support +dug-outs. The relief was, however, duly carried out, and the Battalion +marched back to tents near Ouderdom in the early hours of October 1st, +where a little later in the day General Allenby came to say goodbye +and wish us luck in our new sphere of action. + +We had previously, on September 21st, had the honour of being +inspected by General Plumer, commanding the Second Army, who expressed +himself as very satisfied with the smart turnout of the Battalion. We +were still very weak, though we had continued to receive small drafts +of reinforcements, and had been joined by five new Officers, 2nd +Lieuts. G. H. F. Payling, R. T. Skinner, R. A. Abrams, G. H. Fisher, +and C. Pickerell; "Dolly" Gray also came out again and rejoined. We +had, however, lost Capt. Collin, the Adjutant, who had just left to +take up a Staff Captaincy, and his place after being held for a few +days by Lieut. A. Hacking, was now taken by Lieut. Weetman, who had +just rejoined. Capt. Piggford had gone home sick, and 2nd Lieut. P. C. +Hemingway wounded; and we had also recently lost M. Lacolle, our one +and only Battalion Interpreter. Henceforth we were not to be allowed +this luxury. + +It is, perhaps, not out of place to mention here an interesting little +episode which had taken place at home, namely the depositing of the +Colours in Newark Parish Church. This ceremony was carried out on July +24th, and was attended by the Mayor and Corporation of Newark. +Lieut.-Col. G. S. Foljambe was in charge of the parade, and Capt. R. +F. B. Hodgkinson commanded the escort to the Colours, which were +carried by 2nd Lieuts. R. J. Shipley and C. Pickerell. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +HOHENZOLLERN REDOUBT + + _October 1st, 1915._ _October 17th, 1915._ + + +We packed up during the afternoon of October 1st, and in the evening +marched to Abeele, where we entrained for a destination unknown to +most of us, but presumed to be somewhere in the far South. We made +ourselves as comfortable as we could for the expected long journey, +only to be rudely awakened after what seemed to be a five minutes' +sleep, and turned out into the cold dark night at Fouquereuil, a +suburb of Bethune. The remainder of the night was spent at a somewhat +elusive Orphanage in the town itself. On the following day we moved +into billets at the Northern end of the town on the banks of the La +Bassee Canal, where we were joined by the Transport which had come +from Ouderdom by road. October 3rd saw us once more on the move to +Mont Bernenchon, a clean, attractive little village, a few miles N.W. +of Bethune. Our hopes of spending a day or two in peace were soon +shattered, for on the following day we made what seemed to be another +emergency move to Bethune, where we embussed for regions unknown. +Shortly after dark we arrived at Vermelles, and picked up guides, who +led us as only guides can, to what proved to be a portion of the +German front line system captured in the fighting a few days before. +The trenches, which were near the "Lone Tree," and within sight of the +famous "Tower Bridge" at Loos, were little damaged, and seemed to have +been captured without a great deal of fighting, but the incessant rain +and scarcity of habitable dug-outs made our stay as uncomfortable as +the most hardened stoic could have desired. Our work consisted of +reversing portions of the original German support trench to form a +fire trench facing the other way. Owing to the distance to the then +German line (1,000 to 1,500 yards) and the low visibility, we were +able to work openly and practically unmolested. Our only casualties +were the result of an unlucky shell which fell on the morning of +October 5th, amongst a party of Signallers, killing L.-Sergt. C. E. +Harrison, Signalling Sergeant, and three men, whilst another man died +of wounds a few days later. + +The same evening we got orders to leave the trenches, and after a +thoroughly unpleasant tramp, in heavy rain and thick darkness over the +slippery chalk tracks, which were guess-work to most of us, we arrived +soon after midnight at Mazingarbe, which for dirt, damp, and general +cheerlessness, almost rivalled our never-to-be-forgotten billets at +Bac-St. Maur. So ended a beastly, tiring, and, for all we ever +learned, quite purposeless expedition. + +After a short meal and much needed rest we felt fit for anything, and +made light of the trek on the early morning of October 6th, to our +rest billets, which we found at Fouquieres, a nice clean little +village about a mile west of Bethune. Here we found ourselves, for a +short time, in peace and something approaching luxury. + +Our move South had brought us into the First Army (General Haig) and +XI Corps. (Lt.-General Haking), which had been busy in the recent +fighting, and we now learned definitely for the first time that in the +further fighting that was shortly to take place we were to play a +prominent part. On Saturday, October 9th, preliminary orders and plans +were issued, and we learned that our task was to be the capture of the +"Hohenzollern Redoubt" and "Fosse 8," an admirably constructed scale +model of which had been made on the ground outside Divisional +Headquarters at Gosnay, where Officers and N.C.O.'s (and stray +inhabitants) spent some time in a careful and interested examination +of it. + +In addition, a somewhat hurried reconnaissance of the position itself +was made by Col. Fowler and the Company Commanders from our trenches +in front of Vermelles, from which the attack was to be made. In the +short space of a couple of hours they endeavoured to get a working +knowledge of the maze of communication trenches, and the hostile +ground over which, if all went well, we should have to advance. Sunday +was spent in Church Parade, and in going again through the preliminary +orders and plans, and in the afternoon the Corps Commander interviewed +the Officers of the Division at Divisional Headquarters. We were then +told something more as to the reason and general plan of the attack, +and were informed that we should be supported by the heaviest +concentration of artillery yet known in the war--400 guns of all +calibres,--that all contingencies had been provided for, and that in +spite of the strength of the position, we should probably encounter +very little opposition before reaching our objective. + +The object of the attack, which was to be undertaken by the XI Corps, +was to establish the left flank of the First Army, and to render +possible a further advance in conjunction with the French on the +South. The objective included the "Quarries" and Fosse 8, the 46th +Division being allotted the task of capturing the Hohenzollern Redoubt +and Fosse 8, whilst the 12th Division was to attack on our right, and +be responsible for the Quarries. The Fosse and surroundings had +already been in our hands once, having been attacked and captured +during the last week in September by the 9th Division, who +unfortunately, however, had been compelled to withdraw, and a +subsequent attempt by the 28th Division to recapture it had also +proved a dismal failure. What, we wondered, was in store for the 46th +Division? + +Fosse 8 is, or rather was, a typical colliery pit, with the usual +winding and head gear and other plant, and pit-head pile of slag +(called in this case "The Dump"), which like its neighbour, the famous +Tower of Wingles, overlooked the whole position, whilst in rear there +were the usual rows of miners' cottages. These cottages (called +"Corons") had cellars, and were thus very easy to defend with machine +guns, which could fire with great effect, and comparative safety, from +ground level. In front of the Fosse and protecting it lay the +Hohenzollern Redoubt, consisting of a salient trench system shaped +rather like a big bean, and projecting well in front of the German +main system, to which it was connected by communication trenches, and +by two flank trenches known as "Big Willie" and "Little Willie." The +importance of the position lay in the fact that it was on the top of a +gentle rise, giving command and good observation of our position on +either side. Its capture was rendered difficult by the fact that the +ground in front of it was level, and almost devoid of cover, affording +a very fine field of fire, which could be swept from practically every +direction. From our trenches very little could be seen except the +Dump, and the roof of the manager's house. + +The attack was to be carried out by the 137th Brigade on the right +under Brigadier-General E. Feetham, C.B., and the 138th Brigade on the +left under Brigadier-General G. C. Kemp, whilst the 139th Brigade were +to be in Divisional Reserve under Brigadier-General C. T. Shipley. To +the 137th Brigade were attached 100 Grenadiers from the 139th Brigade, +two sections Divisional Cyclist Company, and the 1/2nd Field Company, +Royal Engineers (less one section), and to the 138th Brigade, the 1st +Monmouthshire Regiment (Divisional Pioneer Battalion), 125 Grenadiers +from the 139th Brigade, two sections Divisional Cyclist Company, and +the 1/1st Field Company, Royal Engineers (less one section), whilst +General Shipley's Divisional Reserve consisted of the 139th Brigade +(less 225 Grenadiers), one Platoon Divisional Cyclist Company, and two +Troops Yorkshire Hussars. The covering Artillery consisted of three +groups of heavy Artillery under the Corps Commander, and one group of +Divisional Artillery (six Brigades of 18-pounders, and one Brigade of +4.5 Howitzers). + +To his immense pleasure, 2nd Lieut. R. E. Hemingway, our Battalion +Grenade Officer, was put in charge of the Grenadiers attached to the +138th Brigade, the party also including the Battalion Grenadier +Sergeant, G. F. Foster. Bombing was now entering on the period of its +greatest importance--always in our humble opinion greatly exaggerated. +The Mills bomb was rapidly ousting all other kinds, and shortly became +almost the only one in normal use. Much time was put in at throwing +practice, and every kind of artifice was adopted by instructors to +make it interesting, and at the same time improve the aim and distance +thrown. A "platoon" of "grenadiers," as they were at first called, was +formed in each Battalion, consisting of a Grenadier Officer, a +sergeant and 32 men, (eight from each Company), and to show how much +we respected them, we put them when on the march at the head of the +Battalion. There was a Brigade Grenadier Officer too, who made himself +generally responsible for the training and work of Grenadiers +throughout the Brigade. The first Officer appointed to this post in +our Brigade was Lieut. A. Hacking, who had taken over the duties just +before the Hohenzollern battle. The task allotted to the Grenadiers in +this fight, was to bomb the various communication trenches leading +from "West Face" to "Fosse Trench," clear dug-outs and establish +blocks in "Fosse Alley." + +Information regarding the enemy, gained by Corps Intelligence during +the attacks of September 25th, and following days from our own +Officers, and from the examination of prisoners, was to the effect +that the enemy trenches in the Redoubt, with the exception of "Dump +Trench" and "South Face," were badly damaged and not strongly wired, +that previous attacks had been exposed to heavy enfilade fire from +"Mad Point" or "Madagascar," that it was not thought there would be +much enfilade fire from the South-East, and that it was not necessary +to waste a lot of heavy shell on the Dump, as it could be made +untenable by both sides. How far this was justifiable will be seen. + +Our few days at Fouquieres passed very quickly in the bustle of +completing equipment, going again and again with all ranks through the +maps and plans of attack, detailing and organising bombing squads in +the place of those detached for duty with the other Brigades, and +writing last letters home "in case----" There was little or no +excitement. We had most of us seen too much by this time to be either +unduly pessimistic or over-confident about our own chances, so that +everything seemed to go quietly and smoothly. The first steel helmets +had just arrived--quaint, antique, Japanese looking things, with +ingenious corrugations to catch the bullets--and were issued to the +Machine Gunners, who had also received the first supply of the new Box +Respirator, issued in place of the Smoke Helmet. The Machine Gun +section was now commanded by Lieut. Adams. + +It was at 3.45 p.m. on October 12th, after making our final +inspections and collecting blankets, packs and other surplus stores at +a convenient barn, that we moved off from Fouquieres on a fine Autumn +afternoon, leaving behind only 2nd Lieut. Gray, and a few odd men, who +were not fit to go into action. Transport marched in rear of the +Battalion to temporary lines behind Noyelles, where it remained until +after the battle. + +We had a very pleasant and easy march up to Vermelles, where a halt +was made for tea. Here we were passed by one of the Stafford +Battalions who were to make the assault. It was too dark to see their +faces, but their voices were full of confidence and cheeriness, which +it did one good to hear. + +A temporary Quarter-Master's Stores was fitted up at "Clarke's Keep," +Vermelles, where Companies picked up their rations for the 13th, water +in petrol tins, grenades, Vermorel sprayers, and other odds and ends +likely to be required. An emergency ration of cold bacon and bread was +also issued. + +Eventually after a very slow march through Vermelles, which was a +seething mass of men and transport, we arrived about 11 p.m. at our +assembly position in "Sussex Trench," where space was allotted to us +by Lieut. C. L. Hill, Signalling Officer, who had gone on ahead with a +few Signallers for that purpose. We soon settled down and made the +best we could of what remained of the night. This was not long, for +the carrying parties for the 138th Brigade, and others had to report +for duty at Clarke's Keep at 6 a.m. on October 13th. In all we +provided a total of five Officers and 300 other ranks for this duty, +and they were busy most of the morning taking up to the front line +such necessary articles as rations, water, grenades, and rum. His +devotion to the last-named duty was too much for one bloodthirsty, but +very ill-disciplined member of the Battalion, who became +"non-effective" in consequence, and was reported by someone, who saw +him lying in the bottom of a communication trench, as "dead--shot +through the head." He was "dead" right enough, but he lived to +fight--and, it is feared to "die" again--another day! + +Our artillery fire during the morning was normal, "so as not to arouse +the suspicions of the Germans," who, as a fact, probably knew quite +as much as most of us about the time and nature of our attack. But at +12.0 noon, every gun began in real earnest, and it was possible to +stand on the firestep of our trench, and get an undisturbed, if rather +distant, view of the shells bursting all over the German trenches. +After half-an-hour of this most unusual, but very pleasing spectacle, +one felt that there would be little left for us to attack. + +At 1 p.m. the greenish yellow clouds of smoke and chlorine gas (known +for some time as "The Auxiliary") discharged from cylinders in our +front line began to roll towards the enemy lines, the breeze being +exactly right both in strength and direction, and we became happier +still at the thought of paying the Germans back in their own coin. +During the whole of our bombardment we could hear very little reply +from the German guns, though from time to time we could see a few +"woolly bears" and other shell-bursts, at odd points about the forward +trenches. Probably they were saving most of their fire for the actual +assault, and except for a stray machine gun bullet or two, we +ourselves were in no kind of danger. One of those, however, which must +have dropped at a steep angle, slightly wounded Regimental Sergt-Major +Mounteney, who was standing in the trench with the Officers of +Battalion Headquarters. He had only rejoined from England a few days +before, and was our first casualty in the attack. + +At 1.50 p.m. the gas discharge ceased, but the smoke was continued +until 2.0 p.m., when our guns "lifted" from the enemy front line, and +the 137th and 138th Brigades began the assault. As the smoke cleared +away, we could get a fair view of a portion of the attacking troops +(Staffords) on the right as they went steadily, and apparently in +excellent order over the top, but, almost at the same time we heard +with surprise and dismay, the somewhat slow "tap-tap" of numbers of +those enemy machine guns, which were to have been so completely +silenced by our bombardment! We watched the Staffords for a few +moments until they disappeared from view. + +Then followed a period of anxious waiting, and the only information we +got was to the effect that the 138th Brigade on the left had +practically gained their portion of the Redoubt. + +Soon after 3 o'clock, we received orders to move forward, and began to +proceed by way of "Inverness Trench," "Bomb Alley" and "Left Boyau" to +"Reserve Trench." Movement was very slow, owing to the congestion of +the traffic, and the narrowness of the trenches, and took a long time +to complete. There we were destined to remain for several hours, and +suffered a few casualties from shell fire, apparently directed at the +junctions of the trench with "Central" and "Right Boyaux." We were now +nominally at the disposal of General Officer Commanding 137th Brigade, +but never received any orders from him, and eventually drifted to the +command of General Officer Commanding 138th Brigade. + +Traffic became more and more congested by the stream of wounded which +was now pouring down Central Boyau and "Barts Alley," and by carrying +parties and supports endeavouring to get along the Reserve Trench up +to the Redoubt. + +Soon we began to gather scraps of information from those who were +coming down, and to realise that things were going far from well. The +usual answer was "Don't ask me, all I know is it's Hell up there!" It +was now getting too dark to see, and we could only gather that at any +rate we were holding the West Face and having a pretty bad time in +doing so; also that our Grenadiers attached to the 138th Brigade, had +suffered heavily. Sergt. G. F. Foster was carried down dying from +wounds in the body, and Hemingway was reported to be dangerously +wounded, if not already dead. + +Things had not gone well. As we learned afterwards the attack of the +Staffords on the right had been held up almost immediately by machine +gun fire, and very little ground had been made. On the left, the +Lincolns and Leicesters at first were more fortunate, and reaching +West Face with comparatively few casualties, began to make their way +up to Fosse Trench. But the further they advanced, the more heavy +became their losses, until eventually the advance came to a +standstill, the furthest point reached being about 100 yards from +Fosse Trench. From these more advanced positions they were gradually +forced back, until only the West Face was in our hands. It is +abundantly clear that the effect of our bombardment did not come up to +expectations, and that many machine guns were untouched, and, worst of +all, that the Dump, on which "heavy shell need not be wasted, as it +could be made untenable by either side," proved to be a miniature +Gibraltar, honeycombed with shafts and galleries leading to concealed +machine gun emplacements. Small wonder that little ground could be +made or held in the face of such defences. + +The news that things were going badly induced a Battalion Commander of +another Brigade, whose Battalion had been taken from him piecemeal and +scattered to the four winds of heaven, to order A Company, in the +absence of Col. Fowler, to go across to the Redoubt to reinforce the +troops there. Information, however, was brought by L.-Corpl. Simpson +of A Company (killed a few hours later), who made a rapid and +courageous journey over the open to West Face, to the effect that that +trench was already overcrowded, and that the troops there required +thinning, rather than reinforcing. + +It was now getting late and things seemed to be in a very +unsatisfactory state, when orders were issued by Col. Fowler, who had +met General Kemp in the trenches, and received verbal instructions to +be prepared to carry out an attack at short notice on the right +portion of the Redoubt, for Companies (except B who were detached for +other work) to begin to move up in readiness to our front line +trenches. This movement began about 9.0 p.m. very slowly along Reserve +Trench and "Hayward's Heath." The difficulty of moving a Battalion at +night, in single file, through a maze of unfamiliar trenches without +losing touch, may be better imagined than described, and it was after +midnight before we had covered the 400 or 500 yards, which was all we +had to do. + +Whilst this was going on Col. Fowler and the Adjutant, accompanied by +the Staff Captain, Major Wordsworth, made a hasty reconnaissance of +the position, and found that elements of the 138th Brigade and +Monmouths were holding the North-Western portion of West Face, whilst +the Eastern portion of Big Willie was held by the 6th Battalion. +Except for a short distance near the barricade on each flank, the +trench between these points was held by the enemy. + +At 2.45 a.m. on October 14th, we received from General Officer +Commanding 138th Brigade, written orders to attack and consolidate "as +soon as possible" the South-Eastern portion of West Face, the junction +of South Face and Big Willie (shewn on the map as Point 60), and if +possible the "Chord" of the Redoubt. The order stated that the 6th +Battalion in Big Willie would co-operate by a bombing attack along +that trench "at the same time." Owing to the difficulty of getting +messages to and fro, in the maze of unknown trenches in the dark, it +was quite impossible to get in touch with the 6th Battalion so as to +give them any idea when our attack would begin, so that we were not +able to rely on getting much help from them. The Commanding Officer +decided that two Companies would be sufficient for the attack, which +was of course going to be without artillery support, and A Company +(Major A. L. Ashwell), and D Company (Capt. B. W. Vann), were +detailed. A hasty conference was arranged at a small dug-out at which +Col. Fowler, who intended himself to lead the attack, gave the few +orders that were possible in the circumstances:--"A quiet advance, no +firing, and in with the bayonet." + +Owing to the darkness and the unfamiliar ground, it was necessary to +make some arrangement for keeping direction. Major Becher was, +therefore, sent across to the West Face, with instructions to stay at +the extreme right flank of the 138th Brigade position, and there to +show a light from a flash lamp on which the left flank of our attack +would be directed. + +As soon as this was settled, and Company Commanders had issued their +instructions, we began to deploy in front of our original front line +trench, as nearly as possible opposite our objective. + +It was again a very slow job getting the men out of the deep and +narrow support trenches, and over a single duck-board bridge across +the front line into position; indeed many men of D Company never +received the order at all, and remained in the support trench in +ignorance of what was going on. The men were extended to about four +paces, D Company on the right, A on the left. This movement was +carried out very quietly, with entire absence of hesitation or +confusion, and the men were then dressed as nearly as possible on the +required alignment--no easy matter when one has only a map, and has +never seen the objective or the ground in front of it. Rifles were +loaded and bayonets fixed, Col. Fowler with characteristic +unselfishness, giving his rifle to an Officer who had a bayonet, but +no rifle to put it on. All these preliminaries were carried out +without attracting the attention of the enemy, who were about 250 +yards away. Finally at about 3.45 a.m. the order was given to advance, +keeping our left flank on Becher's lamp, which we could see from time +to time across the intervening ground. It was a strange experience, +this slow night advance through the darkness and mist in the almost +uncanny stillness which, sooner or later, always follows heavy +fighting; so like what many of us had done in peace-time "night-ops," +that it was difficult to realise that this was war, and would end in +hand-to-hand fighting; that, however quietly we went, we must +eventually be discovered, and perhaps swept away by machine gun and +rifle fire. The ground was for the most part level, and not badly cut +up, and there was little wire. A few of our dead, one or two severely +wounded still struggling painfully back to our lines, and a number of +abandoned rifles were all that were left to show what had happened on +the previous day. When we were about half-way across it was realised +that we were getting too far to the left, and direction was changed +half-right. It was not until the right of the line was close up to the +old German wire, that we were discovered. Fire was opened from +somewhere half-right, probably in the neighbourhood of Point 60, but +it was not severe, and only a few casualties were caused. On arriving +at West Face it was found to be practically empty on the right, the +few Germans who had been there having probably left hurriedly as we +approached. On the left we found a mixed crowd of Lincolns, +Leicesters, and Monmouths, with a few Robin Hoods, all under the +command of Col. Evill, of the Monmouths. Many of them were wounded, +and nearly all were exhausted by their dreadful experiences of the +previous day. Our arrival was, therefore, very opportune and put +fresh life into them. + +It was now quite evident that we had come too far to the left, and +although we had gained 100 yards or so of the West Face, our right +flank was not in touch with the 6th Battalion in Big Willie. In their +eagerness to get at the Germans, and urged on by the shouts of the +Lincolns and Leicesters, the left half of A Company ran through the +West Face and began pushing on. The enemy, however, were waking up, +and our men were met with much heavier fire, which, although unaimed, +caused a number of casualties. Edge was severely wounded in the arm +and chest, and Everard Handford was killed instantaneously by a bullet +in the head, whilst numbers of men also fell. It was then seen that +any further advance was out of the question. The only thing to be done +was to consolidate what we had, and try to extend our gains laterally +by bombing along the West Face. Grenadiers and grenades (English and +German) were collected, parties were organised by Ashwell and Vann, +and several more yards of trench were gained. Strachan leading one of +these along the trench with utter fearlessness was never seen again, +and was probably killed at once. Shortage of grenades soon made it +clear that we must stop and build a barricade to hold up the Germans, +who as usual seemed to have a never-ending supply. + +On the extreme right, Vann and others of D Company had come across +some Boches out of the trench, apparently preparing to make an attack +over the open. Most of these were slaughtered, and the rest made all +possible haste back to their trench. This appears to have been part of +an organised counter-attack, as the enemy tried a similar attack on +the left as well, which also failed. Nothing was heard of the bombing +in Big Willie by the 6th Battalion, but we learnt afterwards that +they had made several attempts to progress along that trench without +success. + +All available tools and sandbags were got together in the trench to +build a barricade at the right flank. It was now getting light, and +this was attended with much danger, and in the work of filling +sandbags and placing them at the barricade, we had several men killed +in a very short time. + +Vann had already been wounded by a bullet in the left forearm, and had +gone down to be dressed, returning with his usual courage and +tenacity, after having his wound attended to. The Commanding Officer, +however, would not let him stay, and he had to go down again to +hospital. Ashwell was hit by a bullet in the right shoulder a few +minutes after Vann, and he, too, had to leave us. + +The enemy were not more than fifty yards away, and the least exposure +brought a bullet with deadly aim, though in this respect they did not +have things entirely their own way. We could distinctly see the tops +of their helmets over the parapet, and at one time there was such a +collection that we thought they were going to attack, but nothing came +of it, and we settled down to work again. There was no wire or +obstacle of any kind between the two trenches. We were too close to +get our guns on to them, otherwise we could have done much execution. +Practically all the work on the right was done by men of D Company, +who eventually made a barricade, which was more or less bullet-proof, +and dug a length of trench to protect that flank. Here Sergt. W. L. +Green did excellent work, encouraging everyone by his fine example. +For nearly 24 hours he stuck to his post in spite of bombs and rifle +fire. He was ably assisted by Sergt. Turgoose and Pvtes. Keeling, +Hubbard, Dickinson, Offord and Sly of D Company, also Pvte. F. +Attenborough of A Company, whilst L.-Corpl. Skelton did splendid work +in attending to wounded. + +Meanwhile Col. Fowler had made arrangements for the defence of the +trench on the left, from which, much to their relief the Lincolns, +Leicesters, and Monmouths, had been withdrawn during the early hours +of the morning. Their place had been taken by A Company, which having +lost all its Officers, was now commanded by Sergt. L. Bell. Parties +were set to work to improve the trench, which was badly knocked about, +and during the following night the Company dug a new trench a few +yards in front, in order to get a better field of fire and for better +protection. The Northern end of West Face was all this time held by +the 7th Battalion. + +C Company (Capt. H. B. S. Handford, in place of Capt. G. S. Heathcote, +who had left to do duty at the Base) who had been left behind in +Hayward's Heath when A and D Companies went over to attack, stayed +there until 5.0 a.m. when 2nd Lieut. R. A. Abrams and a party of 15 +were detailed to carry grenades up to A Company in the Redoubt, where +many of them remained. The rest of the Company moved up to a +communication trench near the original front line, where they received +orders from a Battalion Commander of another Brigade, to carry water +and grenades over the open to the Redoubt. They started shortly after +7.30 a.m., but as it was quite light, they were seen immediately, and +heavy machine gun and rifle fire was opened on them at once. Basil +Handford and several others were killed instantaneously, and several +were wounded. The attempt was foredoomed to failure, and the men were +ordered back into the trench. For the rest of the day they helped to +carry stores to the Redoubt by way of a new communication trench and +to fetch in and attend to the wounded. Very gallant work was done in +this operation by Comp. Sergt.-Major Haywood, Sergts. Leivers and +Bexton, and Pvtes. Winterbottom, Allen, and Eyre. + +B Company (Capt. Turner) had been detached about 5.0 p.m. on October +13th, and ordered to proceed over the open to reinforce the garrison +of our original front line. They remained for some time in the old +support line, from which all the Company Grenadiers were sent up to +reinforce the men in the Redoubt. One of these, L.-Corpl. G. W. Moore, +did very gallant work in remaining alone for three-quarters-of-an-hour +on the enemy's side of a barricade, which was being built up behind +him, and then continued to bomb the enemy for eight hours. The Company +was later ordered to dig a communication trench to link up the Redoubt +with our old front line. They started about 9.0 p.m., and worked +continuously on it throughout the night, much of the time under heavy +rifle fire, and by dawn a serviceable trench had been dug, and a very +important communication established. Capt. Turner was congratulated by +the Officer Commanding the 7th Battalion on the very good work of his +Company, in the supervision of which he had been most ably assisted by +Sergt. Rawding. + +[Illustration: Map to illustrate the Battle of HOHENZOLLERN. October +13th-15th. 1915.] + +October 14th seemed a never-ending day for those in the Redoubt. +Fortunately in a way, the lines were too close together for us to be +shelled, but bombing went on almost uninterruptedly, and our +casualties mounted rapidly. Grenadier reinforcements were sent along +from time to time from every Company in the Battalion, also from the +5th Battalion, whilst 2nd Lieut. G. H. Fisher, who was acting as +Grenade Officer in the absence of Hemingway, came up during the +morning, and at the right barricade displayed the greatest courage +until he was badly wounded and had to leave, dying a few days later. +Bombing was also going on at the left barricade, and throughout the +day from one flank or the other, the cry was ever "more bombs" or +"more Bombers." We had fortunately been able to get a signal line up +to the Redoubt, and a station established there, in a fairly deep +dug-out, so that most of the time we were in telephonic communication +with those behind. + +Our relief promised for the night of October 14th, never came, and we +were compelled, alas, to remain in the Redoubt. Everyone was tired +out, having had little or no sleep, and very little food, for 48 +hours. As soon as it was dark the Sappers put out some wire in front +of West Face, which encouraged us considerably, and we got through the +night without any untoward incident. About 6.30 a.m., on the morning +of October 15th, we were relieved in West Face by portions of the 5th +and 6th Battalions, and by Grenadiers of the Irish Guards, and +withdrawn to "Railway Reserve Trench," where we joined up with the +remainder of B and C Companies. By the tragic irony of fate, as the +Guards were actually filing into West Face and the relief was nearly +complete, Col. Fowler, who was taking a last glance over the top to +see if he could find any trace of Major Becher, the last signs of whom +had been the flashes of his lamp, to guide us across to the +Redoubt--was killed instantaneously by a sniper's bullet. So +determined had he been to find Becher, that he had himself gone out +during the night with Sergt. Stokes in a gallant but unsuccessful +endeavour to find him. + +Major J. E. Blackwall of the 6th Battalion took over the remnants of +the Battalion the same evening, and shortly before midnight we were +devoutly thankful to be relieved by the Irish Guards. As the relief +was taking place, the enemy attempted an attack against the garrison +of West Face, but as this was now swelled by the relieving troops, +they got rather more than they bargained for, and were beaten off with +heavy loss. At the same time they put down quite a barrage on the +reserve trenches, and made our relief distinctly unpleasant, but +eventually we got it completed without further casualty. + +Much to our delight, just before leaving, we heard that Becher had +been found. It appears that whilst we were going over to the attack, +he had been bombed by the Boches, and badly wounded, as also had +Daniels, his batman, who was with him. They got separated, but both +managed to crawl away, though Becher eventually had to lie by in an +old bit of trench near the German lines. It was from here that, after +having been discovered by an Officer of the Leicesters, he was +eventually rescued on October 15th, by Comp. Sergt.-Major Haywood, and +L.-Sergt. T. Martin, who carried him a distance of 200 yards under +more or less continuous rifle fire. Alas, however, he was not to +recover, and after lingering on for ten weeks, he died in hospital on +January 1st, 1916. In John Becher the Battalion lost one who was +beloved by all, who had throughout ever had at heart the welfare of +his men, whether in or out of the trenches, at work or at play. What +he did in the early trench days at Kemmel, was known to few. Often and +often he was out on patrol at night in "No Man's Land," mainly for the +sake of example, for it was part of his creed never to tell a man to +do anything that he would not dare to do himself. He lies buried in +the British cemetery at Abbeville. It was a hard fate that struck down +John Becher and his two brothers-in-law, Basil and Everard +Handford--two of the most promising young Officers in the +Battalion--within a few hours of each other. + +Much untiring energy and devotion were shewn by many during these +strenuous three days, not by any means the least by our Medical +Officer, Capt. C. B. Johnstone, and his stretcher bearers. Johnstone +himself worked almost incessantly for over 48 hours in attending the +wounded, and in many cases helped to carry them long distances, often +under heavy fire. To him and all his helpers are due our grateful +thanks for their work on that occasion. + +On relief we marched out to the Transport Lines behind Noyelles, +where, in the early hours of October 16th, we got some most welcome +and refreshing tea, supplied by Torrance and his followers, and then +moved on, most of us more asleep than awake, to Vaudricourt, where we +arrived about 6.30 a.m., and at once got down to sleep in some of the +poorest billets it was ever our misfortune to strike. + +Thus ended the more or less fruitless battle of Hohenzollern Redoubt. +Though we held a portion of the Redoubt as a result of the fighting, +it was of no tactical value, and indeed later on was evacuated or +blown up. The 12th Division fared no better, and we can only look back +on the whole attack as, through no fault of our own, a dismal failure. +The battle caused us enormous casualties, all to no purpose. Our +Battalion alone lost seven Officers and 35 other ranks killed or died +of wounds, three Officers and 132 other ranks wounded, and 14 missing, +all of whom were afterwards found to have been killed. Amongst the +casualties were Sergt. H. Hall, killed, and Sergts. Archer, Burn, +Barrow, and I. B. Bell and Corpl. Bruerton wounded. + +It was a pleasure to all to hear a little later that for his gallantry +and splendid work in this attack, and on many other occasions, "Pat" +Ashwell was awarded a well-deserved D.S.O. + +At 5.0 p.m. on the afternoon of October 17th, the whole Battalion and +many Officers of the Brigade and Division, attended the funeral of our +beloved Colonel in the English cemetery, under the Church at +Fouquieres, the service being taken by his old friend Padre Hales. +Some 18 months afterwards the Battalion arrived in billets six miles +away from this spot, after a long and tiring march. They were expected +to move into the line the next day, and some Officers who were lucky +enough to be mounted, rode over to see the Colonel's grave. Around the +grave, which had been carefully looked after by the Cure and other +kind friends, and was covered with snowdrops and daffodils just in +bloom, they found a number of the old Warrant Officers and N.C.O.'s of +the Battalion paying a silent tribute to their old Commanding Officer. +Such a tribute, surely is the finest testimonial to the character of a +man who ever inspired in all ranks an affection and respect, which can +never have been exceeded in any unit of the army. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +RICHEBOURG--MARSEILLES--CANDAS + + _October 18th, 1915._ _March 5th, 1916._ + + +We were now little more than a skeleton of a Battalion, so that the +arrival of 103 reinforcements, including Sergt. E. E. Deverall, was +very welcome, but so far as Officers were concerned we remained for +the moment very depleted. Capt. Turner remained in command of B +Company; Lieut. E. M. Hacking took over A; Lieut. Abrams C, and Lieut. +Gray D. + +Major-General Stuart-Wortley came to see us on October 18th, when the +Battalion paraded in a field just outside Vaudricourt, and thanked us +for our work in the battle, and spoke to a few of the N.C.O.'s and +men, whose names had been forwarded as having done specially well. + +The following day we were not sorry to leave our wretched billets and +march to Lapugnoy, where we got very comfortable quarters, and stayed +for a week. Here we were able to do a little reorganising, and were +fortunate in getting several new subalterns, viz.: 2nd Lieuts. A. +Andrews, H. R. Peerless, who shortly became Battalion Grenade Officer, +F. E. Kebblewhite, C. H. Powell, A. H. G. Cox, E. Hopkinson (formerly +Comp. Sergt.-Major of C Company) and H. B. Hammond. With their welcome +arrival. Companies got more or less into shape. We were unfortunate in +having to send a large party by 'bus one day to Sailly Labourse, to +help to fetch out the empty gas cylinders from the Hohenzollern +trenches, but on the whole the few days spent at Lapugnoy were very +pleasant. The "Whizzbangs" were in the same village, and gave several +good shows, which after our recent gruelling were very refreshing, the +more so as on this occasion they were assisted by two French ladies, +who, needless to say, added enormously to the attraction. + +The "Vin blink" of Lapugnoy was also most attractive, and apparently +rather more than usually potent, for it was undoubtedly the cause of +casualties amongst all ranks. We left there on October 26th, and +marched to Bethune, where we were again fortunate in being comfortably +billeted at the Orphanage, with Officers' billets and Headquarters' +Mess in the Rue de Lille. + +Two days later, on October 28th, a review of troops of the XI Corps, +was held by the King and the Prince of Wales at Hesdigneul. +Representatives of all units of the 46th Division were included in the +parade, to which we contributed a composite Company of six Officers +and 250 other ranks, under Capt. Davenport. The parade ground was a +newly ploughed field, and as for several days previously there had +been heavy rain the conditions were extremely unfavourable. After +taking the salute, the King went on to inspect another unit in an +adjoining field, where, unfortunately, he had a nasty accident, and +the last we saw of him was driving away from the parade ground and +looking very ill. + +Further reinforcements joined us at Bethune, mostly from entrenching +Battalions, making our strength up to more normal figures, though for +many months to come, we seldom exceeded 600 to 700 all told. Capt. +Hill was appointed to command D Company, 2nd Lieut. Cox succeeding him +as Signalling Officer. Mounteney rejoined and resumed his duties as +Regimental Sergt.-Major. + +Our next move was to the Richebourg sector--probably the most +miserable trenches we ever met with, and then held by Indian troops. +Leaving Bethune on November 4th, we proceeded via Epinette, where we +spent one night, to Vieille Chapelle and relieved the 58th Rifles +(Meerut Division) in front line trenches on November 6th, with +Battalion Headquarters in "Edward Road," just behind Richebourg +L'Avoue, and the front line a little in front of that village, and +just South of Neuve Chapelle. This was a bad country for trenches, +being flat and low lying, with the water level even at normal times +very near the surface. The Boche as usual had such high ground as +there was. This was mainly in the region of the Bois du Biez on our +left, from which he got a fair view over much of our area. The Indians +had done little trench work, and all that was taken over was a very +poor front line, with a few scraps of support trenches, and one or two +communication trenches, mostly full of water. It was during our first +tour that a waggish Hun called out one night, after one of our Very +lights had made rather a worse display than usual, "Better luck next +time. I'll shew you how to send them "--which he promptly did, adding +later, "I don't want to fight, I've had enough of the war." Towards +the end of our stay in this area, we came across another talkative lot +of Boches, who had a good deal to say one night, enquiring what +regiment we were, and making various remarks about cigarettes and plum +puddings. + +It was towards the end of our first tour that we had the first of our +happily few casualties in this area, Lieut. Houfton being killed early +in the morning of November 11th. He was endeavouring to make his way +with Lieut. Abrams along an absolutely water-logged trench to "Boar's +Head," the extreme right of our Battalion sector, and they were +evidently being carefully watched by a Boche sniper, who was +doubtless able from time to time to catch a glimpse of their caps +above the parapet. Eventually, when they got to a spot where the +parapet was particularly low, he fired, the bullet killing Houfton, +and passing through the peak of Abrams' cap. Sergt. T. Martin +gallantly went to Houfton's aid, across 400 yards of very difficult +and exposed ground. + +The front we held was changed somewhat after a time, and we +side-stepped to the left, with Battalion Headquarters in dug-outs, at +the side of the Rue du Bois. The few odd houses left along this road +were mostly used by the Gunners as observation posts, the principal +being "Ritz," "Carlton," "Princes," and "Trocadero," and as the Boche +gunners probably had a very shrewd suspicion of this, the +neighbourhood of the road was often not a healthy spot, and on one or +two occasions was shelled fairly heavily. It was on one of these, when +we had some men wounded near "Factory Corner," that Pvte. Redfern, the +old bandsman, coolly went to their aid in the midst of the shelling, +and was dressing one of the men when he was himself mortally wounded. +L.-Corpls. W. H. Lacey and S. Matthews also shewed great bravery in +rescuing wounded men at the same time. In connection with this +shelling of areas behind the front line, a somewhat unhappily worded +order was received to the effect that daily reports frequently omitted +to mention the activities of hostile artillery, and that as an example +at a certain time on a certain day, "Guards Trench" was subjected to a +sharp bombardment, and that had it not been for the fact that "a Staff +Officer was accidentally in the front line at the time," nothing would +have been known of this at Divisional Headquarters! + +The Boche machine gunners gave us a certain amount of trouble too, +particularly at night, when they regularly sprayed all the area from +the Rue du Bois to "Windy Corner," doubtless hoping to catch +transport and carrying parties. One particular artiste used to try to +play tunes with his gun and we had no difficulty in recognising his +favourite as an attempt at "Yip-y-addy." It was a very unlucky burst +from one of these one night that killed that very brave soldier Sergt. +Sheppard, who had previously been awarded the D.C.M. for gallantry at +Hooge. Lieut. Adams, our machine gun Officer, did his best to get his +own back against them, and used to stalk out nightly alone, contrary +to all regulations, and fire off his guns at odd times in the hope of +catching someone. He was rewarded one night, after patiently lying in +wait for a search light that the enemy had used occasionally from +their front line parapet, by knocking it out with a burst of fire +almost the instant it shewed itself. But on the whole there was very +little excitement; in fact, we hardly had time for much, as we only +spent a total of 16 days in the trenches here altogether. Cold winter +weather had set in, and there was little or no comfort possible for +the men holding the front line. It was here that we first really found +it necessary to use "gumboots thigh" when they could be got, and to +dress legs and feet daily with whale oil to try and ward off that +horrid complaint "trench feet," which might easily have caused many +casualties in such trenches as these. A most complicated form had to +be filled up with every case sent down to hospital suffering from +trench foot, and no mercy was shewn to any Commanding Officer who did +not take every precaution to prevent it. Fortunately we had a very +good record. Every effort was made to relieve the men in the front +line every 24 hours, and to take them back as often as possible to the +billets near Windy Corner, where they were able to get their clothes +dried, and a good night's rest before going back to the line. + +Our rest billets and Transport were at Vieille Chapelle. The field +where the latter had their lines was nothing but a mass of mud, in +most places knee-deep. The Transport at this time shewed remarkable +activity, limbers going backwards and forwards all day to Lacouture on +some mysterious duty, which was by no means unconnected with the +excitement which arose in "A" Branch of Divisional Headquarters +towards the end of our stay, about some houses missing from that +village! They had been removed piecemeal to the transport lines, where +they were used to form standings. + +During one tour spent in Brigade support, Battalion Headquarters and +two Companies were in that village, and two Companies in billets in +Richebourg St. Vaast, or finding garrisons for "St. Vaast," "Grotto" +and "Angle" posts. An interesting discovery in the rafters of a ruined +house at Richebourg St. Vaast was a pepper box found to contain +several gold _louis_. Capt. E. M. Hacking was the means of their being +handed over to the French authorities and, we hope, eventually +restored to their owner. The billets at Lacouture were not very good, +but we had a great find there in the shape of what had once been a +billiard table in the remains of the Village Institute. At the same +time curiously enough, and for some time afterwards, the +Quarter-Master reported that the demand for green cloth for putting +behind cap badges was extraordinarily small! + +The main drawback to our periods of rest was those wretched working +parties, which seemed to pursue us everywhere. Here the work in hand +was the building of a solid breastwork in continuation of Guards +Trench, just East of the Rue du Bois. Two nights out of each four we +were at rest, we had to send large parties to Richebourg to carry on +this work, which was being done "by the piece." A certain number of +sandbags were issued to each man about half-a-mile before he got to +his work, and he was told that when these had been filled and laid he +could return. It is perhaps needless to say that many of the sandbags +found a resting place in the nearest ditch, not far from the Royal +Engineers' dump, where they were issued, and that the building of the +breastwork did not proceed very rapidly. + +During our stay here several new Officers joined, including 2nd +Lieuts. H. K. Simonet, G. A. P. Rawlings, and A. H. Michie from the +2/8th Battalion, and 2nd Lieuts. A. Bedford, G. G. Elliott, and W. W. +Pitt. We were also given as Second-in-Command, Major E. H. Heathcote, +from the 6th Battalion, whilst his brother Capt. G. S. Heathcote, +rejoined at the end of November and resumed command of C Company. At +the same time Capt. E. M. Hacking went to Brigade Headquarters to +learn Staff duties, leaving A Company under Lieut. Andrews, until +taken over a little later by Capt. A. Hacking, who rejoined from +Brigade. We also lost 2nd Lieut. Pickerell, who was invalided home. +Our losses in other ranks during our stay amounted to three killed and +15 wounded. + +On December 2nd--we retain most pleasant memories of that night--we +were relieved by the 7th Battalion in the left sector, and on one of +the darkest nights known, made our way back in the usual way to +Vieille Chapelle. About 9.30 p.m. a message was received from Brigade +that the Commanding Officer or Adjutant was wanted at once. The +Adjutant was sent and came back with the news that we were to be +"prepared to move at short notice to an unknown destination." At 5.0 +a.m. the next morning further orders were received and we left Vieille +Chapelle at noon the same day, marching via Merville to Haverskerque, +where we got very good if scattered billets. There we proceeded to +clean off some of the mud of the Richebourg trenches. During our march +we met units of the 19th Division, moving up to relieve the troops in +the trenches, and could not help feeling a touch of sympathy for them +having been suddenly fetched away from comfortable billets, to take +over such water-logged trenches, and we felt that for once fortune had +favoured us. + +Rumours of all kinds began to float around, and of all quarters of the +globe that were mentioned "Egypt" was believed to be "it," and it was +not long before we found out that that indeed was our intended +destination. + +Everyone was happy, and we were soon looking smart once more; in fact, +so splendid was the effort at cleaning up, that the Battalion was +congratulated by our Divisional Commander at his inspection on +December 7th, as being the smartest Battalion of the eleven he had +inspected. + +Odd men who had been detached for duty with other units rejoined. We +had a few small drafts, and one new Officer, 2nd Lieut. W. H. B. +Rezin. + +We now settled down for drill, interior economy, and lectures. +Particular attention was given to guard drill and guard mounting +ceremonies, as the Divisional Commander expressed a wish that we +should turn out like the Guards Division, who were in the same Corps. +Fur coats and other winter kit were handed in. A horrid pro forma +certificate reached Orderly Room, and the Commanding Officer found he +had to sign a certificate to the effect that the Battalion was in +possession of every article enumerated in A.F.G. 1098 (Mobilisation +Store Table). This document contained such items as "screws, brass, +buckle roller 1 in. x 7/8 in.--2" "awls, brad--1;" "cordage, tarred +spun yarn,--lbs. 14," and other luxuries which had long been +considered superfluous, and mostly lost in the Salient. We had been +told to indent for anything we wanted in the way of clothing or +equipment, so that there was some consternation on the arrival of a +new and fierce Deputy Assistant Director of Ordnance Services just at +this moment, who told Quarter-Masters that during the last month, the +whole of the Guards Division had not used the number of articles they +were indenting for. Formal indents for "awls, brad," etc., were +therefore out of the question. The Quarter-Master accused the +Transport Officer, and the Transport Officer accused the +Quarter-Master, but in the end the mess cart, which had a good cover, +was requisitioned, and made two or three secret journeys by night to +Merville, and when surprise was expressed that everything on the +Mobilisation Store Table was present, both the individuals concerned +looked supremely innocent, and no more was said about it. It has since +transpired that a jar of rum played a prominent part in this incident. + +Here we parted with "Big Ben," "Old Bob," and other heavy draught +horses, which had been with us since leaving Newark, and received in +exchange mules from the Guards Divisional Ammunition Column, two of +which rejoiced in the aristocratic names of "Harry Thaw," and "Legs +Eleven." + +We were inspected by the Assistant Director of Medical Services; we +had lectures on "Duties on board ship" and "Entraining." Special short +leave was granted to a few lucky ones, and all preparations were made +for a big move. Our billets were very comfortable. We could get good +dinners at the "Corner Cafe," and those of us who were there, will +never forget the wonderful concert given by the 19th Divisional +Ammunition Column who were billeted there, in which two ladies from +Merville assisted. + +On December 19th, we marched to Wittes, a small village on the La +Bassee Canal, near Aire. This was a short march on a bright Sunday +morning, chiefly memorable for a wonderful equestrian feat on the part +of a certain Company Commander, who went with his horse into a dyke +at the starting point, and instead of coming out with the animal, +stayed in by himself, and for the fact that an unfortunate mistake in +map reading, caused the Battalion to perform a most startling and +snake-like turning feat in a lane only a few feet wide, the mistake +being discovered just as the last transport vehicle had entered the +lane. However, as it was a bright day and we were going away, great +good humour prevailed, and each Company played "Here we go round the +water cart" in its own good time, and the tangle was soon sorted out. + +Our before breakfast parade at Wittes on a few occasions took the +novel form of the whole Battalion doubling up and down along the Canal +side to the accompaniment of the drums. This was entertaining for a +brief space, but the novelty soon wore off. Ordinary training was +continued, and included several route marches. It was during one of +these that the C Company "wag" brought forth a spontaneous remark one +day when passing one of those little dog-carts one used to see so +often. It was very heavily laden and the dog was straining every +nerve. A big, powerful looking woman was walking at the side carrying +a horse whip, but taking no share in the burden. As the Company +passed, our friend remarked "Eh, mum, you've forgotten your spurs!" + +Christmas, 1915, spent at Wittes was a very cheery one. All sorts of +good things had been received from home, including a present for every +Officer and man from the Nottingham Comforts Fund, and altogether we +had a most enjoyable time. Football matches and sports of all kinds +were indulged in, and one has vivid recollections of Sergt. Deverall +giving a wonderful boxing display, and of a poor Frenchman waking up +one morning to find his best wagon at the bottom of the Canal. + +[Illustrated: MAJOR J. P. BECHER, D.S.O. Died of wounds, Jan. 1st, +1916.] + +On Boxing-Day we marched via Aire to fresh billets at Molinghem, which +were probably the most verminous we ever found. In spite of this +drawback we had a very good time, and on January 6th, 1916, had the +pleasure of welcoming the 11th Sherwood Foresters, who marched over +from a neighbouring village and played us at football. After a good +game we beat them by two goals to one. A Brigade inter-Battalion +football competition was also played, in which after beating the 5th +Battalion one--none, and the 7th Battalion three--none, we won the +Brigade championship and some very neat medals. + +Whilst at Molinghem, we got our long expected orders to move South, +and on January 7th, A and C Companies, and half the First Line +Transport vehicles, under Major E. H. Heathcote entrained at +Berguette, and were followed by the remainder of the Battalion on +January 9th, except the horses, which were entrained at Lillers on +January 11th. Eventually, after a train journey of nearly three days, +the Battalion was concentrated at Marseilles, where after some +rearranging, Battalion Headquarters and B and D Companies were +billeted at Camp Moussot, and A and C Companies under Major Heathcote, +at Camp Borely. + +At Marseilles we spent what was probably our happiest fortnight in +France. It is not difficult to imagine the pleasure everyone +experienced at being transported to the shores of the Mediterranean in +January after the filth and mud in the trenches, and wet and fogs of +Northern France. The change was marvellous, and the turnout and +appearance of the men splendid, and indeed the subject of comment by +English people arriving from abroad, who said they could not help +being struck on landing at finding the place full of well set-up and +healthy English Tommies. Truly the change was delightful, though the +Officers who had the misfortune to be billeted for a time in the +draughty bathing establishment opposite Borely Camp, are not likely to +forget the cold nights they spent there. Sea bathing, which we got +almost next door to the Camp, was a great delight, and of course the +town itself was full of attractions. We need only mention such names +as the Cannibiere, Theresa's Bar, Lindens, The Alcazar, Castell Muro, +The Palais Crystal, The Bodega, and The Novelty, to recall many +incidents to all those who were fortunate enough to be with us. It was +certainly delightful, but played havoc with our banking accounts, and +must have given Mr. Cox a very busy time. We did a certain amount of +training in our more serious moments, which were not many, ordinary +work normally finishing about 1.0 p.m., and the men being allowed out +from 2.0 p.m. onwards. Many guards and camp and town fatigues had to +be found, however, almost daily, which much depleted our numbers on +parade. Training was mainly of the barrack square type. There was a +certain amount of interest for those at Moussot Camp, in watching the +Indian Troops, whilst those at Borely spent much time either in +dodging the loose horses and mules, which wandered at will about the +Camp, or the Camp Commandant, who had a violent dislike to orange +peel, and if he found any at once arrested the nearest man, whether +guilty or not! + +Four new Officers joined us there, viz., 2nd Lieuts. C. G. Tomlinson, +E. C. Marshall, A. A. Hodgson, and W. S. Jones, and a draft of 39 men, +all of whom no doubt thought it a very "bon" war. + +Plans for our sea journey had got so far advanced that our transport +vehicles had actually been taken down to the docks for loading, when, +alas for us, our hopes of going East were shattered on January 24th, +by the receipt of orders to entrain the next night. + +What exactly caused the sudden change of plans we did not know at the +time, but subsequently heard it was due to the unexpected ease with +which Gallipoli had been evacuated. Needless to say there was much +regret on all sides, especially when we found that we were to go back +to the North of France and join the Third Army on the Western Front. +On the evening of the 25th January, we marched down through cheering +crowds of French people to the Gare d'Arenc, where after waiting about +for four hours, we entrained at 4.10 a.m. on the 26th. It is sad to +think that this wait gave an opportunity once more for light-fingered +people in the Transport Section to annex eight or nine P.L.M. goods +sheets, which were carefully stowed away, one on each limber, and +later proved of great value in several places where there was a +scarcity of billets. + +We detrained at Pont Remy on the morning of January 28th, after a +peculiarly uncomfortable journey, and owing to our guide preferring to +go three miles uphill to one on the flat our march to Ergnies was a +somewhat lengthy business. In this area we followed the Ulster +Division, and we are glad to add that the billets taken over from them +were invariably scrupulously clean, and had evidently been vastly +improved under their able medical authorities. We stayed here for +several days, and had an opportunity of resting the men after their +long journey, and of carrying out a little training. Some of this was +in preparation for a Brigade ceremonial parade, which took place on +February 3rd, when General Shipley spoke of the splendid work done by +the Brigade in France up to that time, and read out a list of the +honours and decorations awarded, of which we had had a fair share. At +Ergnies we had flying visits from Col. Huskinson and "Doc." Stallard, +both of whom we were delighted to see looking very fit. + +On February 10th, we marched to Ribeaucourt, where we stayed for a +little over a week. Here on February 16th, we parted with Lieut. +Adams, 2nd Lieut. Rezin, and 35 N.C.O.'s and men of the Machine Gun +Section, who went to form part of the newly created "Brigade Machine +Gun Company." In place of the Vickers gun thus withdrawn, we were +issued with the new light Lewis Machine Gun, air cooled, mounted on a +bipod and easily carried. Each Company had two of these and the whole +were supervised by a Battalion Lewis Gun Officer, 2nd Lieut. Simonet +being the first to be appointed to this duty. Musketry was carried out +on a 300 yard range, which we fitted up near the village, and bombing +practice under the guidance of 2nd Lieut. Peerless, who made +considerable progress in the use of the West Spring Thrower. Capt. A. +Hacking had been again taken to Brigade Headquarters, to act as +Grenade Officer, and Capt. Lawson who had rejoined at Wittes, was +appointed to command A Company in his place. All this time we were +well in the back regions out of harm's way. The only journey made to +the front area was that by a party of Officers, who one day had to +reconnoitre some reserve lines of trenches near Forceville and Mailly +Maillet. We once had orders to be prepared to take over the line at +Beaumont Hamel, but this fell through. + +Ribeaucourt we shall always remember, owing to the exorbitant claims +made by the inhabitants for damage to billets. Never before nor after +did we receive such demands as those made by the good people of that +village, headed by the Maire, who after showing much hospitality to a +few of us, seemed to want to give the villagers a lead in their +demands! How they were eventually settled we never found out. Here, +too, Capt. Davenport and Sergt. Blunt were chased down the village +street one day by two infuriated women armed with broomsticks, their +store of bully beef and army shirts having been discovered by the +former, when looking for odds and ends to hand into the Deputy +Assistant Director of Ordnance Services in exchange for new articles. +The D.A.D.O.S. had just issued an ultimatum to the effect that he +would issue nothing except on the return of the old article. Transport +men, therefore, scoured the country side for bottoms of nose-bags, +backs of dandy brushes, pieces of rope, etc., which were cleaned and +handed in and quite a good stock of new articles was obtained in +return. + +On February 20th, we were taken in motor 'buses by a somewhat +circuitous route to fresh billets at Candas, where we stayed until +March 6th. Most of this time the weather was extremely cold and there +were several heavy snowstorms. Navvying on new railways was our chief +work, under the supervision of the 112th Company Royal Engineers, +either about Puchevillers, or the station at Candas, in preparation +for the offensive that was to take place later on. Our fortnight at +Candas completed three whole months of what was practically "rest" in +the back areas. We were now to play a more active part in the war. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +VIMY RIDGE + + _March 6th, 1916._ _April 21st, 1916._ + + +Vimy Ridge will always bring up in the minds of those of the 8th +Sherwood Foresters, who were with us at that time the word "Mines." +Everyone seemed somehow or other to have heard that that part of the +line was famous for mining warfare, and as the news was passed on from +one to another that Vimy Ridge was our destination, a kind of whisper +of "Mines" passed with it. The area proved to be a mass of mines, and +we found that mining warfare was extremely unpleasant, though most of +our own experience was confined to the latter part of our stay there. + +The front line in this sector, in the early part of 1915 had run +through the East end of the Lorette Ridge to Carency, and thence to La +Targette, but on September 25th of that year, the French had driven +the enemy back nearly a mile, practically to the foot of the Vimy +Ridge itself. In this area were portions of the front having +such well-known names as "The Labyrinth," and Souchez Sugar +Refinery--reminders of the fact that some of the most savage fighting +of the whole war took place there, owing to the struggle of the enemy +to retain a footing on that splendid line of observation, the Lorette +Ridge. The Arras-Bethune Road, known as the Route de Bethune, and +bordered by a few scraggy trees, ran through the sector more or less +from North to South--about a mile behind the front line, and two miles +in front of Mont St. Eloy. The forward area was a scene of +desolation--trenches and wire, shell-holes everywhere, mine craters +here and there, shewing more or less where No Man's Land was, and +beyond them the gently sloping ridge, with little variation except a +few shattered trees marking the site of La Folie Wood. + +Such was the sector that our advance party of Officers went up to +reconnoitre on March 5th. The French were holding the line, and this +was the Battalion's only experience of taking over from them. We were +not let into the secret of the why and wherefore of the move, but +doubtless we relieved in order to allow them to send much wanted help +to their friends at Verdun, who were now so hard pressed owing to the +enemy's continued attacks. It was hoped that the fact of our taking +over this part of the line could be kept from the Boche, at least +until relief was complete, and to further this object the advance +party were given French "tin hats" to wear so as to maintain the +deception. We fear that despite our efforts, the enemy knew just about +as much of the relief as we did, and rumour says that a Boche scout, +on getting across to the French front line two days before we relieved +them, openly expressed his surprise to the French sentry that the +English had not already arrived! We were shewn the greatest kindness +by the French when we went up to reconnoitre, and they did all they +could to explain the situation, and many an Officer drank confusion to +the enemy in a glass of sweet sparkling wine. Those who were there +will doubtless well remember the group of Officers being assembled +just behind the Arras-Bethune road, in full view of the German lines, +under the French Brigade Major, who was acting as guide, when the Hun +gunners, not being able to let such an opportunity slip, at once put +over a few "pip-squeaks," and we discovered with a considerable amount +of pleasure, that our gallant Allies were just about as good in +getting to ground as ourselves, if not a trifle better. It was, +however, a rude awakening to the fact that a war was still on, which +we had rather forgotten during our stay in the South of France, and in +the back areas. + +Leaving Candas on March 6th, we marched on a very snowy day, via +Doullens, to Iverny, moving on the 8th to Maizieres, and on the 9th to +Acq, where we had to make the best of most uncomfortable billets, the +whole village being a seething mass of troops, French and English, and +every billet crowded to its utmost limit. On the occasion of this move +we marched, in accordance with instructions, in column of three's. +This system was tried owing to the narrow roads, but only lasted a few +months. + +On the following day we moved up into support trenches, just in front +of the Route de Bethune, where we stayed for four days cleaning +trenches, carrying out general trench repairs, and improving dug-outs. +There were a certain number of deep dug-outs in this sector--our first +experience of them--proof against all but the heaviest shells, though +in every other respect a bad invention. Further behind, at Berthonval +Farm, were huge caverns hewn out of the chalk, fitted up with wire +beds, absolutely shell-proof, and having accommodation for about two +Companies. The dug-outs in the front line trenches, however, were mere +shelters. Later on we were told to make our shelters in this area of a +uniform pattern in small saps running back from the trenches, and when +men could be spared from other more pressing work, a certain amount of +progress was made in this respect. + +The French dug-outs possessed one unique quality; they were decorated +as only a Frenchman could decorate them, with most wonderful designs +in pokerwork, which were always objects of the greatest interest to +our visitors. + +On March 15th, we were relieved by the 2nd Royal Irish Rifles, and +withdrew for four days to rest billets, which consisted of some French +huts partly in the wood, and partly in the open, just behind Mont St. +Eloy. We are afraid we could not have given our predecessors a "billet +clean" certificate in respect of these huts, many of which were a foot +or more deep with accumulated rubbish of every description. There were +no baths, and we had to rig up home-made ones with ground sheets and +other means, using the cookers for providing the necessary hot water. +We managed, however, to get clean clothing from time to time from the +Staff Captain, Major Wordsworth, who got together a fascinating crowd +of French ladies, and did much useful work as Officer Commanding +Laundry, at Mont St. Eloy. + +We were at this time called upon to provide a contribution towards the +Brigade Mining Section, which was re-formed to help the French Miners +in the sector, and on March 17th, we had to part temporarily with +Lieut. R. V. Harvey, Corpl. Boot and 12 men, who joined the Brigade +Section under Lieut. Webster, of the Robin Hoods. The arrival of 140 +reinforcements the previous day had, however, swelled our numbers +considerably, amongst several old friends in the draft being Sergt. G. +Powell, who shortly became Comp. Sergt.-Major of A Company, Sergts. I. +B. Bell, S. Foster, Collins and Beniston, and Corpl. A. B. North. We +thus had a reasonable trench strength when we relieved the 7th +Battalion in the left sub-sector on March 19th. + +In this area we always kept to the same sub-sector, relieving as on +many other occasions with the Robin Hoods. The 5th and 6th Battalions +shared the right sub-sector, whilst the 138th Brigade were on our +left. Each Company, too, had its own section of trench, finding its +own supports. From right to left they ran in order: D (Capt. Hill), B +(Capt. Turner), C (Major G. S. Heathcote), A (Capt. Vann, who had +recently rejoined; during his absence on a course at 3rd Army School, +his place was taken by Capt. Lawson). Battalion Headquarters was in a +delightful spot just under the steep side of the Talus des Zouaves, +and well nigh out of reach of everything but aeroplane bombs. Second +Lieut. Cox was Signalling Officer, 2nd Lieut. Simonet, Lewis Gun +Officer, 2nd Lieut. Peerless, Grenade Officer, and 2nd Lieut. +Marshall, Intelligence Officer. The last-named was the first Officer +in the Battalion to hold that newly created appointment. + +The enemy front line was close to ours, in most parts about 70 yards +away, but bombing posts in saps were in several cases not more than 10 +to 15 yards apart. Talking and movement in the front line could often +be heard quite plainly, whilst our Bombers in the posts used to +indulge sometimes in lobbing practice, and spent their odd moments in +erecting or repairing wire netting to catch the Boche "potato +mashers." + +Our two communication trenches running forward--"Boyau Central" and +"Avenue Lassale"--though well cared for and kept up by the French, +were almost straight, and hardly traversed at all, particularly the +former, and movement along them was precarious. The fire and support +trenches, bearing such names as "Schiller," "Grange," "Broadmarsh," +"Duffield," and "Bertrand," were in very bad order, and work was at +once concentrated in an effort to make a good line of resistance along +"Guerin Trench," practically the support line. Some work was also done +on a reserve trench, known as "Blanchetiere." We felt this all the +more necessary, as just before we took over from the French, the Boche +had driven them out of their front line, and it seemed quite within +the range of possibility that he might try to make a further advance. +Our fears turned out to be correct, for later he did make an +onslaught, though luckily not whilst we were there. + +Unfortunately the enemy in capturing the trenches, had secured the +shafts of all the French mines, and had consequently got a good start +at various points along the front before the French could begin again. +The result was that practically all the French mines were defensive, +and intended merely to try and blow the Germans, before they could get +under our lines. No doubt each side knew almost exactly where the +other side was working, and at what approximate time any particular +mine would go up. These were all shewn to us on a plan, and carefully +explained by the Officer in charge of the French Miners, who were +still at work in the sector. Each Company had a cut-and-dried scheme +for carrying out the instant a mine went up in its own or adjoining +sectors. Anticipating the mine, parties were kept available to seize +the near lip of the crater formed, with covering parties of Lewis +gunners, riflemen, and bombers to go out on each flank, and working +parties behind them to begin at once to dig a trench to join up the +broken front line across the lip of the crater, wire the front and +establish observation posts on the lip. All this work had to be +started the instant the mine was exploded, in order to make certain +that the Boche did not get possession of our lip of the crater, as +well as his own. This entailed constant readiness and considerable +anxiety on the part of those holding the front line. + +The enemy shewed no special activity, though on several occasions our +front and support lines were badly knocked about, both by shells and +trench mortars, which necessitated a vast amount of repairs, and +caused us considerable casualties. In addition to high explosive he +now began to send over for the first time "lachrymatory" gas shells, +having a sweet smell and doing little harm except to make our eyes +water. In the later stages of the war, they became, as we shall see, +much more disagreeable. + +As it was so difficult in this sector for our Gunners to be able to +identify our front line, we had to mark it with "artillery +boards,"--white boards about 3 ft. by 2 ft., marked with different +letters denoting the different sections of the front. These were stuck +up by the Infantry at night, in such a position that they could be +seen by our Gunners but be invisible to the enemy. Whether they were +any real help or not is doubtful. Later on we were given a smaller +portable type of board, coloured brown and marked with a black cross, +a number of which were issued to each Battalion, and carried with us +as part of our equipment. They were intended for use in moving warfare +to mark our advanced positions, but were eventually discarded as +unsuitable. + +We now began seriously to try and harass the enemy with trench +mortars, for which purpose Trench Mortar Batteries were formed. The +medium batteries fired a fairly heavy shell with a long tail (known as +"Footballs" or "Toffee Apples"), and the Stokes batteries a light +shell, which could be fired at the rate of 20 or more per minute. We +had recently sent 2nd Lieut. Kebblewhite and five men to a school for +a course in this work. It is feared, however, that the first efforts +of the trench mortar experts in the trenches were not fully +appreciated. A very nervous Officer would go to his emplacement, fire +off a few shells, and then gracefully, but rapidly retire, leaving the +people on the spot to put up with any retaliation. And we well +remember Capt. Lawson being so annoyed at this going on, that on one +occasion the bed plate mysteriously disappeared. On another occasion +an emplacement was made one night with much care on D Company's front, +ready for a big bombardment, but when completed was found to be in +full view of six enemy sniper plates, about 100 yards away! + +At sniping we more than held our own, though the enemy were very keen, +and used to fire from steel plates fixed round the mine craters. We +were unfortunate in losing at this period Sergt.-Drummer Clewes, who +went home for discharge. He had done much excellent work in charge of +the Brigade Snipers, his own "bag" being stated to amount to +considerably over 100. As some recognition of his good work he was +later awarded the D.C.M. His son, Corpl. G. W. Clewes, another +excellent sniper, left at the same time. L.-Corpl. Hagues took over +the duties of N.C.O. in charge of Snipers, and with 2nd Lieut. +Marshall, did some splendid work, including the blowing-in of several +loophole plates with Col. Fowler's Elephant Gun, which was now brought +into use again. + +Marshall's "pet," however, was the "dummy tree" on the Route de +Bethune. This was a hollow tree about 20 feet high, formed of steel +casing, and covered with imitation bark. Inside there were ledges to +climb up by, and from it a most excellent view for a very long +distance around, could be obtained. It had been erected by the enemy +before they had been driven back. + +Another item in the "Intelligence Department" which now came into use, +was that extraordinary instrument known as the "I-Tok," intended for +picking up enemy telegraphic and telephonic messages. We never were +supposed to know where its operators performed, and rarely did know, +but more often than not they placed themselves near Battalion +Headquarters, and the sheaves of papers they sent to Brigade were +mostly filled with scraps of our own messages. It is doubtful if much +of value was picked up from enemy messages, but they certainly did +good in keeping a check on our own conversations over the telephone, +and were regularly used from now onwards. The "Fullerphone," which +was introduced a little later, and largely superseded the ordinary +telephone, was reputed to be capable of transmitting messages in such +a way that they could not be picked up. + +Our Firework Artistes, too, decided that they ought to have a show, +and accordingly arranged for us one night to have a display of red +rockets in the front line. These rockets had been issued for use for +night S.O.S. When the time came for them to be let off, the only +visible result to those behind watching, was one feeble rocket which +made a short lob, and fell to the earth. Only one other went off at +all, and it had a great tussle with John Turner, nearly knocking him +through a traverse, and then fizzing itself out in the bottom of the +trench. + +Another brainy person, one of our German scholars, decided one day to +try the result of putting up a placard to give the Boche the news that +the L.15 had been sunk in the Thames. This was on April 2nd. Two days +later a notice was put up opposite B Company's front, which said +"Thanks for your news: you are all mad"--shewing, we thought, a lack +of originality on his part. This was one of the very few occasions +upon which we either sent or received a message in this way. + +[Illustration: REGTL.-SERGT.-MAJOR A. WESTERMAN.] + +[Illustration: COMP. SERGT.-MAJOR J. T. SLATER AND N.C.O.'S OF 'A' +COMPANY, 1917.] + +Just about the same time, we had the pleasure of seeing a Hun plane +brought down by one of our own, after a short sharp scrap in mid-air. +Our man dived at the Hun and opened with Lewis gun fire, killing both +the pilot and observer. The plane took charge of itself, and after a +brief wild career, crashed near our Battalion Headquarters. It was no +sooner down than it was shelled by the enemy and eventually set on +fire. Various useful documents, however, were secured from it +including some maps and a signalling code. The bodies of the pilot, +Lieut. Ziemssen, and the observer were buried at Mont St. Eloy by +Padre Hales, who a little later received an appreciative letter from +the pilot's widow. + +With these and sundry other excitements, we got through two six-day +tours in the line, and also spent two periods of similar length at our +rest huts cleaning, training, and reorganising, for we were +continually losing Officers and men in various ways, and fresh ones +were joining. Amongst the former we lost 2nd Lieuts. G. G. Elliott and +Pitt, invalided to England, and the following Warrant Officers and +N.C.O.'s who left us on completion of their term of service: +Regimental Quarter-Master Sergt. Tomlin, Comp. Sergt.-Major Haywood, +Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. Shelton, and Sergts. Murden, Handford and +Kettle. Arrivals included Major Ashwell, Capt. H. Kirby, Lieut. G. +Wright, 2nd Lieut. W. P. Duff, and about 70 men, many of whom were +returned casualties, and in some cases anything but fit to resume +active service. Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. Dench became Regimental +Quarter-Master Sergt., Sergt. Bee Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. of B +Company, and Sergt. Hotson Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. of C Company. + +We were able to offer very little in the way of amusement just at this +period, entertainers either being more or less non-existent, or +somewhat shy. One afternoon, however, we succeeded in rousing +sufficient enthusiasm to organise a boxing contest, one of the very +few ever carried through by the Battalion. In the heavy-weight contest +between those two stalwarts, Sergt. Slater and Corpl. Bryan, the +latter retired after the third round with an injured hand. The +middle-weight competition was won by Sergt. L. Green, and the +lightweight by Sergt. Attenborough. The same evening, we managed an +impromptu concert in one of the huts. + +Our Transport Lines and Quarter-Master's stores during this period +were back at Acq, and were fairly comfortable. Here for the first time +we had the experience of taking rations and stores up to the line on +the light railways, already constructed by the French, a system of +transport in which both they and the Germans were much ahead of us. +Stores were unloaded from the limbers at Ecoivres on to flat trucks, +each of which was pulled by three mules. The "Decauville Track" ran +past "Berthonval Farm," across the Bethune road, branching there right +and left for the various Battalion dumps, ours being in the Talus des +Zouaves, near Battalion Headquarters. At first, the system did not +work well, and there was much confusion, but later it was properly +organised so that rations went up first, and Royal Engineers' stores +about midnight. When we first took over the sector, the French caused +much alarm to our men by carrying their stores to and from the Bethune +Road by electric trucks, actually the chassis and platforms of trains +from Paris Plage, to which the bells used for warning pedestrians were +still attached. One brakesman, Alphonse by name, like a wise person, +usually went about his own business on arrival at the Bethune Road +Dump, which was often a warm spot. The driver meanwhile got his load +to take back, and anxious as all were who ever had a job of work at +that particular spot, to get it done and be off, he adopted the +practice which seemed to us rather foolish, of vigorously sounding his +gong time after time, at the same time shouting "Alphonse, Alphonse," +with the result that all our men vanished "tout-de-suite," leaving him +and the errant Alphonse to face any whizz-bangs which might result. +Truly, the French are a remarkable race! + +We must, however, congratulate them on that excellent institution in +the Vimy sector, Trench Coffee Shops. Where cooking for the trenches +was a matter of some difficulty, as in this sector, it was a great +boon to be able to get such excellent supplies of hot tea and other +comforts as they provided. They were run by the French for some time +after our arrival, but later were taken over by our own Brigade, and +put under the care of Capt. E. M. Hacking, who was attached to Brigade +Headquarters. We feel, however, we must attribute to the somewhat +casual sanitary measures adopted by the French, the presence of so +many rats in this sector. One often met them in droves in the +trenches, and never before or after did we come across such numbers of +the beasts, and such colossal specimens as we found during our stay in +the Vimy trenches. + +On April 12th, after a brief inspection near our huts by Major-General +Stuart-Wortley, we went up to the trenches for our last and most +eventful tour, which was destined to last eight days. Owing to falls +of snow and rain, the trenches were in a deplorable state, and +gumboots were in great demand, and our only means of keeping the men +at all dry. At this time we had no such luxuries as drying-rooms. +Heavy shelling by the enemy during the first three days made things +still more uncomfortable. The real business of the tour, however, +began on April 16th, on which night the French had arranged to blow +one mine on our front, and another on the front of the 6th Battalion. +Combined with this we had arranged for a small raid to be carried out +by Lieut. A. Bedford and 12 other ranks, who immediately the mines +were exploded were to rush forward round the left edge of our crater, +and endeavour to capture any Germans found in a small forward trench +they had recently dug there. The mines were to go up at midnight, and +at the same time our guns and trench mortars were to put down a +barrage on the Boche trenches, which was to be augmented by rifle +grenades and showers of grenades thrown from West Spring Throwers, +under the arrangement of our Grenade Officer. Unfortunately, there +had evidently been some bad synchronisation somewhere, for at five +minutes before zero two Frenchmen suddenly came rushing towards +Bedford, who was waiting in a communication trench with his party, +shouting "Tout-de-suite! Tout-de-suite!" and almost at the same +instant the mines went up. This was very unfortunate, as it enabled +the Boche, who evidently knew all about it, to get their barrage down +before our own Gunners, who were waiting for zero. Bedford at once +pushed on with his party with much dash in face of heavy fire from +machine guns, rifles, trench mortars and bombs. He got as far as the +advanced trench, which, however, was held in considerable strength, +and finding himself bombed on both sides, he had to withdraw without +getting a prisoner. His party got back alright, but unfortunately +Bedford himself was knocked down by a bomb, and although only slightly +wounded had to leave us, and a few days later was invalided to +England. Capt. Hill meanwhile carried out the consolidation with much +success. As soon as the mass of debris, chalk and stones had stopped +falling, parties at once got to work digging a new trench across the +crater which was something like 30 yards wide by 30 feet deep, to +connect the broken front line, establishing observation posts and +putting out fresh wire. In spite of intense fire a sufficient trench +had been dug by dawn, and the position made good. Great assistance was +rendered by Capt. Gray and the N.C.O.'s of D Company. Unfortunately +Sergt. Markham, after most gallantly controlling the fire of his +platoon for nearly two hours, under very heavy fire, was shot through +the head and killed instantly. Another excellent piece of work was +performed by Pvte. E. Dobb, who leapt out of the trench on seeing a +party of Huns trying to get round the crater, and hurled two bombs +right amongst them. If they had had any doubts as to the possibility +of getting round, this made up their minds, and they retired +hurriedly. + +The following night at midnight, the enemy sprang a mine on the front +of our left Company (A), which caused considerable trouble and heavy +loss before the position was finally made good. A portion of our front +line was blown up, and owing to the heavy state of the ground, which +was much water-logged, and to the intense hostile bomb, rifle and +machine gun fire, it was impossible to get a trench dug round our lip +of the crater. It was not until three nights after that the situation +was cleared, and our lip of the crater finally occupied, after some of +the most difficult and miserable nights that it was ever our +misfortune to experience. During these days there was little rest for +anyone, and much excellent work was done by all ranks. Marshall +carried out some splendid patrols, ably assisted by L.-Corpl. +Hinchley, going out nightly through mud and filth, to ascertain the +position around the crater. Duff did almost superhuman work with bombs +and rifle grenades, being at it practically the whole night, for three +nights in succession, and this was only his second tour in the +trenches. The Stretcher Bearers too, as always, did most notable work, +particularly Pvtes. Holbery and Thomas, who fetched in our wounded +from the slopes of the crater only a few yards below and in full view +of the German sentry post, whilst Sergts. Deverall and Collins, and +L.-Corpl. Ostick also did very gallant work, and L.-Corpl. J. T. +Templeman throughout carried out his work of repairing telephone +wires, with his usual skill and courage. So uncanny was the work of +this period, that Lieut. Peerless was able on one occasion to take +deliberate aim, at 30 yards range, at a German digging hard in the +bright moonlight, on the top of a crater. + +On April 19th, the French sprang another mine, just to the left of our +Battalion front, as a result of which we got a certain amount of +hostile shelling, whilst on the 20th, the enemy put up another, +slightly to our left, which also brought its share of shelling on us. +This, however, was our last, for much to our relief, and at +comparatively short notice, the 10th Cheshires (25th Division) took +over our sector on the night of the 20th, and after a weary trudge +over that never-ending duck-board track, we got to Ecoivres by 1 a.m. +on the 21st. Having done full justice to the excellent tea which the +Quarter-Master and his followers had ready for us, we were taken in +'buses to Tincques, where we arrived about 6 a.m., and found that we +were to be billeted partly there, and partly in the neighbouring +village of Bethencourt. We fear we did not present a happy sight at +that early hour to the ladies just going to church on a lovely Good +Friday morning. Dawn is not an ideal time for seeing a Battalion at +its best, especially after an exceptionally hard eight days in +water-logged trenches. Our total casualties in the Vimy sector +amounted to 17 killed or died of wounds, 69 wounded and five missing. + +It was a matter of great regret to us to hear later that the 25th +Division suffered very heavily shortly after we left, when the enemy +made a determined attack on the front recently held by us, and +recaptured several trenches. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE BATTLE OF GOMMECOURT + + _April 22nd, 1916._ _July 2nd, 1916._ + + +At the time of our relief in the Vimy sector, plans at General +Headquarters must have been in a forward state for the great +offensive, which was to take place later in the year, and the part +which the 46th Division was to play in that offensive must also have +been fixed, and all our preparations now were for operations on a +large scale. + +We soon got rid of the mud and filth of the trenches, and were +fortunate in finding at Tincques excellent baths run by the 51st +Division, of which we made the best possible use, and having got our +clothes and boots into respectable order, and everyone generally +tidied up, it was not long before we were in very good form and fit +for anything. Whilst this and other work connected with the interior +economy of the Battalion was going on, some of the Officers had to +spend a rather long day on Easter Monday, April 24th, in making a +reconnaissance of the Corps line between Maroeuil and Mont St. Eloy. + +On April 26th, we were inspected by General Shipley, and felt rather +pleased with the result of our efforts at cleaning, for the Battalion +looked well, and the General expressed his pleasure at the smart +turnout. + +The weather now was improving fast, and though excellent for training, +it seemed too lovely on some of those delightful Spring days, to be +spending our time learning how to kill people. Training included the +new form of bayonet fighting, expounded by Officers and others on +their return from the Third Army School, where they had been duly +instructed in its art by that expert, Major Campbell, who always +succeeded in his inimitable way in so impressing his hearers, that +they were not likely to forget for many a long day that "two inches +well placed" was ample, and many other similar maxims. Many tips were +also given us in bayonet fighting by Sergt.-Major Curly, one of the +travelling Physical Training Instructors, who often came to see us, +and made a great impression on all who ever came under his instruction +by his extraordinary keenness and energy. Eventually we passed on to +practise the attack in "waves," and were initiated into the art of +doing this under the shelter of a smoke screen. In this form of +attack, the advance from the moment of leaving the trenches, was +carried out behind a smoke barrage, formed by lighting smoke bombs in +the front line trench, and heaving them forward over the parapet. If +they were good, a dense cloud of smoke was produced, and, provided the +wind was in the right direction, it was possible to advance concealed +behind the smoke cloud for a considerable distance. This method +depended almost entirely for its success on the strength and direction +of the wind. Later on, when the method was improved in the light of +experience gained, smoke grenades fired from rifles were used, +together with smoke shells fired by the artillery, so that a barrage +could be put down at any required point, and, except in very strong +winds, the smoke made to drift across any desired portion of the front +of attack. In many of the later attacks this was done extensively, and +was on the whole very successful. We practised at Tincques with hand +smoke bombs only, and found it was not very difficult to keep +direction through the smoke, whilst at the same time we were screened +from the vision of the enemy. + +Our period of training at this juncture was not a long one, as we were +required nearer the front to begin the many operations necessary to +prepare for the big attack. During that short period, however, we had +to change our billets, and moved on April 29th, to Averdoignt, a +pretty little village near St. Pol, where we were well housed and very +comfortable. From there we were called upon to send a detachment for a +few weeks' duty at Third Army Headquarters, at St. Pol, and a +composite company consisting of 60 of B Company, and 100 of C under +Major G. S. Heathcote were entrusted with the task. They must have +done excellent work and evidently made a good impression, as a letter +of special praise on their smartness and good work, was sent to the +Battalion, on their return by the Army Commander, General Allenby. + +We moved by easy steps from this area, which we left on May 6th, +marching that day to Rebreuviette, the following day to Gaudiempre, +and on the 10th to Bienvillers. The Transport remained behind at +Gaudiempre, but moved from there on the 11th to La Bazeque Farm, near +Humbercamps. This move brought us into the VII Corps, commanded by +Lieut.-General T. D'O. Snow. + +Up to the time of our arrival this part of the line was reputed to be +almost the quietest on the whole of the Western Front. It was said +that Company Commanders slept in pyjamas, even when holding the front +line, and certainly the personnel of Battalion Headquarters at +Foncquevillers, which was only about 1000 yards from the enemy line, +lived there for all the world, as if in a peaceful country village in +England. The dug-outs were made for comfort rather than safety, and +were in many cases artistically decorated with pictures, doubtless got +from houses in the village, and surrounded with elegant little garden +plots, which showed evident signs of careful tending on the part of +our predecessors. Together they formed a kind of miniature "Garden +City." This comparative quietness lasted for a considerable time +after our arrival; indeed we often failed to understand why the enemy +refrained from shelling, as on many occasions we must have offered +exceptionally favourable targets. Day by day work went on often in +full view of the Hun, and within a range of between one and two miles, +and the roads almost daily were a mass of transport of every kind, +moving to and fro in broad daylight, and literally asking for trouble. +There can be no question that the chief reason was a great shortage of +ammunition at this time amongst the Germans, who were under very +strict orders as to its conservation, otherwise no doubt we should +have had a very disagreeable time. Doubtless they made careful note of +all our doings, and the fact that something big was going to take +place must have been perfectly obvious to them. That it was so we +found afterwards, when in a successful attack, the diary of the German +regiment opposite to us (55th R.I.R.) was captured, and from it we +learned that they had been able to foresee exactly where the attack +was coming. This diary was most interesting reading, as it noted each +day their observations of our doings, and the conclusions they drew +from them. + +The attack of the 46th Division was to be directed against the German +trenches West of Gommecourt, immediately opposite the village of +Foncquevillers. The German trench line here, forming the Gommecourt +salient, was the most Westerly point that they ever held as a +permanent line. The general object of the attack was to cut off this +salient. The 56th Division were to attack on the South, and join hands +with our Division East of the village of Gommecourt, and so establish +the left flank of the whole Somme attack. + +All the efforts of the troops of our Division who were not actually +holding the line, were concentrated on preparing the Divisional front +for the attack. The chief work that we were concerned with, was the +digging out of old communication trenches from Foncquevillers to the +front line, a distance of about 700 yards. There were something like +ten or a dozen of these, several of which were named after our +Division. The principal were "Stafford Avenue," "Lincoln Lane," +"Leicester Street," "Nottingham Street," "Derby Dyke," "Roberts +Avenue," "Rotten Row," "Regent Street," "Raymond Avenue," and +"Crawlboys Lane." All these had to be dug out about two feet below +their existing level, making them about seven feet deep, and boarded +with trench grids from end to end, which entailed an enormous amount +of work. In addition, the front line had to be cleared of the barbed +wire, with which the unoccupied portions had been filled, support and +reserve trenches had to be prepared for the supporting troops in the +attack, forward or "jumping-off" trenches to be dug at the last +moment, for the assaulting troops to attack from, "Russian saps" to be +dug out into No Man's Land to form communication trenches, by knocking +in the thin covering of earth left to hide them, dug-outs to be made +for forward Battalion Headquarters, and several miles of narrow cable +trench to be dug about six feet deep for the protection of telephone +wires from forward Headquarters back to Brigade, Division and +Artillery Headquarters. In addition to all this navvying work, large +quantities of stores had to be carried up to forward dumps in the +trenches, ready for taking forward if the attack succeeded, shelters +had to be made at various points in side trenches, convenient to get +at from communication trenches, for storing large quantities of bombs +of all kinds, small arm ammunition, iron rations, water, picks, +shovels, sandbags, and other Royal Engineers' material likely to be +required to consolidate the ground we hoped to win in the attack. The +transport of all these stores, and of all the necessary Royal +Engineers' material, and the work entailed in all these preparations +was colossal, and our first real experience of anything of the kind. +It is probable that at this time the mass and variety of material +required in an attack, reached a degree of complication never equalled +either before or after. The German comment on this contained in the +diary already mentioned is of interest. "It must be acknowledged," it +states, "that the equipment and preparation of the English attack were +magnificent. The assaulting troops were amply provided with numerous +machine guns, Lewis guns, trench mortars, and storming-ladders. The +Officers were provided with excellent maps, which shewed every German +trench system actually named and gave every detail of our positions. +The sketches had been brought up to date with all our latest work, and +the sectors of attack were shewn on a very large scale. Special +sketches shewing the objectives of the different units, also aeroplane +photographs were found amongst the captured documents." + +During our week at Bienvillers from May 10th to 18th, we were mostly +engaged in improving the defences of the village, and the approach +trenches behind Foncquevillers, and in work on cable trenches. It was +here that one or two civilians roused our suspicions, as they insisted +on ploughing and carrying on their cultivations so very near the +front, some days working with grey horses, others with brown, and our +Battalion Scouts were told to keep a special eye on them. Nothing, +however, happened so far as we were aware that in any way altered the +course of the war, as a result of our or their action. + +On May 19th, we relieved the 5th North Staffords in Foncquevillers, +being then in reserve to our 5th, 6th, and 7th Battalions, who were +holding the front line. Our Transport moved the following day to +Souastre. + +This was a somewhat uneventful period, and after a few days in the +front line mostly spent in improving trenches, we were relieved on +June 5th, by the 4th Leicesters, and marched back to huts at +Humbercamp, preparatory to moving further back for our final training +for the "Big Push." We left there the following night, and arrived in +the early hours of June 7th at Le Souich, where we were destined to +spend one of the least enjoyable periods out of the line that we ever +experienced. We were only there for a week, but into that short time +was crammed an immense amount of work both in training, and in cutting +wood and making wattle hurdles in Lucheux Forest. The weather was very +wet, and our billets were anything but comfortable. In our humble +opinion the training here was too strenuous. We had to march out four +miles to the training ground, and four miles back in full marching +order, practise the attack for two hours through fields of growing +corn three or four feet high soaked with rain, and complete six hours +training daily (not including the marching) with bayonet fighting, +physical exercises, and drill in the fields near our billets. It takes +very little of such intensive training to make men stale. + +The form of attack practised was that ordered for the general attack, +which we now knew was to take place about the end of June: this +allowed each Battalion a frontage of 250 yards, with three Companies +in front, and one in support, each Company having its four platoons +echelonned in depth at distances of about 50 yards, thus forming four +"waves," the men in each wave being extended to about four paces. In +the attack the leading wave was to go through to the final objective, +the other waves occupying and mopping up the trenches passed over by +the leading wave. + +A full size model of the German lines at Gommecourt that we were to +attack, was made near Sus-St. Leger, the trenches being dug to a +depth of about two feet. Tape lines were laid for the men to form up +on, and the whole attack was practised time and again as a "drill," +until eventually we were able to carry it out without losing +direction, with a fair amount of success. + +We were now stronger in Officers than we had ever been during the +campaign, our strength being 38. This was due to the recent arrival of +several reinforcements, including Capt. Piggford and Lieut. Hindley, +rejoined, and 2nd Lieuts. H. de C. Martelli, J. B. White, C. J. Wells, +A. G. T. Lomer, T. G. Day, E. A. Huskinson, H. I. Newton, and A. A. +Field. We had, however, lost Capt. Lawson, who left for a tour of duty +at home, and Major E. H. Heathcote, Capt. Gray, and 2nd Lieut. Hodgson +invalided to England, also 2nd Lieut. Peerless, who unfortunately got +badly hurt one day by accidentally kicking a live rifle grenade, which +had been left lying on the bombing practice ground. His place as +Battalion Grenade Officer was taken by 2nd Lieut. Duff. Lieut. Simonet +had gone to hospital, and was succeeded as Lewis Gun Officer by 2nd +Lieut. Tomlinson. Major G. S. Heathcote was attached to Headquarters, +Third Army, and was succeeded in command of C Company by Capt. +Piggford, whilst Major Ashwell became Second-in-Command. We were not +particularly strong in other ranks, something less than 500 being +available for the attack, though we had recently received over 100 +reinforcements, including a very good draft of 61 from the 2nd +Sherwood Foresters. Fortunately General Headquarters had taken an +excellent step in laying down that certain Officers and other ranks +known as "Battle Details," were now to be left out of every attack to +form a nucleus for carrying on Battalions in the event of their +suffering heavy casualties. This was a very wise precaution, and was +adopted by us for the first time in the attack at Gommecourt. +[Illustration: REGTL.-SERGT.-MAJOR W. MOUNTENEY, D.C.M.] + +[Illustration: COMP. SERGT.-MAJOR W. STOKES, D.C.M. and SERGEANTS OF C +COMPANY, 1917.] + +On June 15th, we marched to Humbercamp, the Transport at the same time +moving to lines at La Bazeque Farm. Capt. H. Kirby was now Transport +Officer, having taken over from Capt. Davenport, who, after being +attached for some time to XVII Corps Light Railway Company, Royal +Engineers, went to Brigade Headquarters to learn Staff work. The +transport vehicles had somewhat camouflaged themselves, having been +decorated on all sides by wonderful and mystic signs, so as to show to +the initiated to what unit they belonged. If you enquired you would be +told that the dark blue square meant "First Line Transport," the +narrow light green oblong edged with white placed on the left of this +square was for the "8th Sherwood Foresters," whilst the square divided +diagonally into red and green, and bordered with white, was the sign +of the "46th Division." It was not an easy matter to arrange all these +coloured patches clear of the odds and ends carried on the different +vehicles, and this problem was still exercising the minds of those in +authority nearly up to the Armistice--such an important part did it +play in the ultimate winning of the war! + +We now knew that in our Brigade we were to be the Battalion in +reserve, the 5th and 7th Battalions having to carry out the assault, +with the 6th Battalion in immediate support. As a consequence much of +the "dirty" work during the final preparations for the attack fell to +our lot. This consisted chiefly in holding the trenches during our +preliminary bombardment, and putting up with such retaliation as the +Hun might choose to carry out, and in completing the final +arrangements in our own trenches. After three days at Humbercamp, +during which we found large working parties for digging cable +trenches, and putting up screens to conceal the approaches to +trenches, we moved to Foncquevillers on June 18th, and took over part +of the left sub-sector from the 5th Lincolns. An immense amount of +work had been done whilst we had been away; the prospects seemed +bright, and our hopes rose. Our Headquarters at Foncquevillers became +a centre of attraction to all and sundry. At every hour of the day and +night we had callers, from the Divisional Commander downwards. The +Brigadier and his staff constantly paid us visits. Gunners galore came +to sample what we kept, and incidentally to see about finding +observation posts. Royal Engineer gentlemen requested our help at +every turn and corner, usually wanting working parties rather larger +than our total strength, whilst "Tock Emma" Officers were on our +doorstep day and night. Indeed so great was the crowd that at one time +we almost had to put Corpl. Cross on to regulate the queue, and all +the time our poor stock of victuals and drinks was getting less and +less. + +All went well until the afternoon of June 23rd, when there was a +violent thunderstorm, which practically undid the whole of the work we +had carried out in the trenches, filling them in most cases to a depth +of two feet or more with mud and water. This area was a difficult one +to drain, and it was impossible to get the water away, so that all +hands had to be got on as soon as possible to man trench pumps, and +endeavour to clear the trenches in that way. This method was extremely +laborious, and very little real progress was made, though every +available man was put on to the work. Our poor dug-outs were knee deep +in water, and the newly constructed bomb and other stores were too +weak to stand such a storm, and in most cases collapsed. Our hopes +sank, for we realised how much depended on all the careful +preparations which had been made, and that the time left before the +attack would be all too short for us to get the damage repaired. + +It is impossible to give anything like an adequate idea of our plight +for the next few days. The artillery scheme, including a six days' +bombardment, began on the following day with wire cutting, causing a +certain amount of retaliation, which added to our trouble. This got +worse on the following days, doubtless owing partly to the fact that +we dug a new advanced trench. This was in a deplorable mess, and our +men who had to occupy it had a most distressing time. Casualties rose +rapidly, especially in B Company, whose front line trench was +enfiladed from Adinfer Wood. Our carrying parties, who had to take up +Royal Engineer material, ammunition of all sorts, rations and other +stores to various points in the line, mostly adopted the very suitable +dress of a sandbag kilt and boots. They were objects of much interest, +but it was the most workmanlike rig-out for our trenches, which in +many cases remained knee deep in mud and water for several days. The +carrying had to go on whatever happened, and continued night and day, +assistance being got from the 6th and 7th Battalions, from the Machine +Gun Company, and from the Transport men of all units, parties of whom +marched up nightly for the purpose. With trenches in such a state, it +is needless to say that it was impossible for men to hold the line for +many days, and in order to give us a brief respite, we were relieved +by the 5th Battalion on the night of June 27th, and moved back to +Pommier. + +The nine strenuous days during which we had held the line, had been a +severe trial, and where everyone did so well it is difficult to single +out any for special mention, but we feel we must say how much we owed +to Capts. Turner, Vann and Hill, for the excellent way in which they +worked to keep up the spirits of their men during those trying times, +and to Sergts. Slater and Rawding, for the splendid way they kept +their men together during several particularly unpleasant "straffs" by +the Boche of our front trenches. During that time, too, much +excellent patrolling was done by Marshall, who unfortunately was +wounded one day when taking rather too great risks in observing the +Boche lines, and Martelli, ably helped by L.-Corpl. Hickman, and Pvte. +E. C. Bryan. Our casualties during those nine days included Capt. +Vann, slightly wounded, Lieut. Hindley, who got a nasty splinter wound +on the nose, 16 other ranks killed, and 44 wounded. + +The chief incident during our two days' stay at Pommier, occurred on +the afternoon of June 30th, when the Huns began shelling the church. +John Turner, Michie and Harvey, were having tea in their mess, which +was only a few yards from the church, when a 5.9 blew in the end of +the house, practically bursting inside the room where they were +sitting. Their escape was little short of a miracle. John Turner, +however, as one would expect, came into Headquarters smiling and +perfectly cool, though covered with dust and blood. Harvey and Michie +were a bit shaken, the former having to go to hospital. + +The attack, having been postponed owing to the bad weather, was +eventually fixed to take place on the morning of July 1st, and we left +Pommier again the night before to take up our position at +Foncquevillers. Our cookers were taken down to the Western edge of the +wood behind the village, where we were issued with soup and rum on +arrival at about 10 p.m. Each man carried in addition to the following +day's ration, his iron ration, and a bacon and bread sandwich. +Equipment carried included 200 rounds small arm ammunition, four +sandbags, two Mills grenades, two gas helmets, haversack, waterproof +sheet, and a supply of wire cutters and gloves. The new pattern "tin +hat," with which we had by this time all been supplied, formed a by no +means unimportant part of our dress. It was not a thing of beauty, +and took a little while to get used to, but it proved a good friend to +many in the days that were to come. + +The attack by the 46th Division was to be carried out with two +Brigades, Staffords and Sherwood Foresters, with the Lincolns and +Leicesters in reserve. The 139th Brigade on the left was to attack +between the Northern edge of Gommecourt Wood and the "Little Z," the +5th Battalion being on the right, and 7th on the left, the 6th +Battalion in support, and 8th in Reserve; the German first, second and +third lines were to be captured, and in conjunction with the 56th +Division on the right, our line was to be carried to a point just East +of Gommecourt village. + +We reached our assembly positions early on the morning of July 1st. +Our bombardment opened at 6.25 a.m. and the discharge of smoke from +our front line began an hour later. Under cover of this the assaulting +Battalions moved off from our advanced trenches at 7.30 a.m. A heavy +and accurate barrage was immediately put down on our front and support +lines by the enemy, who were evidently well aware of the extent of the +attack and ready for it. The attack by the 139th Brigade is described +in the following extracts from the captured diary of the 55th R.I.R., +the times given being German:-- + + "G1. sector 7.30 a.m. An extremely violent bombardment began, + overwhelming all the trenches and sweeping away the wire. + + 8.30 a.m. The enemy's fire lifted. The enemy's attack, which was + made under cover of gas bombs, was perceived. In consequence of + the sharp look-out kept by the Commander of the 4th Company, and + by a Platoon Commander holding the most dangerous portion of the + line, the shell holes were occupied exactly at the right moment, + and the attackers were received with hand grenades. The barrage + fire which had been called for began at once. + + 8.40 a.m. Strong hostile skirmishing lines deployed from Pilier + Farm. They were at once met by heavy machine gun and infantry + fire. Second Lieut. ----, of the 2nd Company who was holding the + 3rd support line of G1, recognised the superior strength of the + enemy's attack which was being carried out against No. 4 Company. + In spite of the intense bombardment he decided to advance with + his Platoon over the open, and, crossing the second line, reached + the front line of G1 at the decisive moment to reinforce No. 4 + Company. + + The enemy built up his firing line and attempted to press forward + with bombers and flame-projectors, but was repulsed everywhere. + + 10.30 a.m. The fine spirit of the troops of the 2nd and 4th + Companies succeeded by their stubborn resistance in annihilating + the thick charging waves of the English. The ground was covered + with numbers of dead, and in front of our trench lay quantities + of English arms and equipment. Gradually the artillery fire + recommenced on the front line trenches and rose to a pitch of + extreme violence in the course of the afternoon. The fact that + all attacks were completely repulsed without the enemy gaining a + footing in the front line of G1. at any point is due, next to the + bravery of the troops, to the carefully thought-out arrangements + of Major ----, to the care of the Officer Commanding No. 4 + Company, and to the energy of the Platoon Commanders." + +To resume our own story. At about 8.0 a.m., as the forward trenches +were cleared of troops, we began to move forward, but everywhere found +the trenches, which were still in many parts deep in mud and water, +blown in, or blocked by dead bodies, or wounded men trying to make +their way back. Little progress was possible, and there was nothing to +be done but to await further developments. + +Although little news came through, it soon became evident that the +attack on our front had not succeeded. We learnt later that, owing to +the difficulty experienced by the supporting waves in getting across +our own water-logged trenches, they lost the advantage of the barrage, +and that the smoke cleared long before the bulk of the assaulting +troops had got across No Man's Land. In spite of our long protracted +artillery bombardment comparatively little damage had been done to the +German trenches and wire, and our men met with heavy rifle and machine +gun fire, not only from their front, but also from the right flank, +where the 137th Brigade were unable to gain the German front line +owing to uncut wire. A few of both the 5th and 7th Battalions got into +the German trenches, but they were soon surrounded and overwhelmed. +Some who were wounded before reaching the wire, crawled for shelter +into shell holes, where in several instances, they were deliberately +bombed or shot by the Boche from their trenches. At 3 p.m. a fresh +bombardment was begun by the right Brigade, and continued on our +front, with a view to an attack being made by two Companies of the 6th +Battalion, but this was cancelled. + +At 5.5 p.m. we were ordered to send out daylight patrols to ascertain +the position of affairs in front. Several volunteers, amongst whom +were Corpls. G. Clay, and C. E. Bryan, L.-Corpls. Moss and Hickman, +and Pvtes. Charles, Brett, Adams, and Nightingall, remained out for +some time, and brought back useful information. Meanwhile much gallant +work was also being done by the Stretcher Bearers and others. Pvtes. +Holbery, Thomas, Nelson, and Shearman worked continuously for nearly +36 hours carrying in wounded, often under heavy fire, whilst Comp. +Sergt.-Major T. Powell, who brought in three wounded men by daylight, +and Sergt. Grainger, who controlled his men with great skill during +the battle and also rescued a wounded man, are deserving of special +mention. + +At 6.10 p.m. we received instructions to take over the original front +and advanced trenches from the 6th, and remnants of the 5th and 7th +Battalions, who were there, and this was done. Later, however, the 5th +Lincolns took over the line as they had been ordered to carry out +another attack at midnight, in order to try and rescue some of the 5th +and 7th Battalions, who it was thought were still in the Boche +trenches. This, however, was not pressed, and finally A Company of our +Battalion were given the melancholy task of scouring No Man's Land to +find the dead and wounded. Eventually the 5th Lincolns took over from +us on the morning of the 2nd July, and we withdrew the same day to +billets at Gaudiempre. + +Even as we left Foncquevillers ill-luck pursued us, for a premature +burst of a shell from one of our guns took place close to us as we +were formed up behind the wood ready to move off, and wounded four, +fortunately not seriously. Otherwise our casualties during the actual +battle had not been heavy, amounting to three killed, two missing +(attached to Trench Mortar Battery) and 37 wounded. + +We cannot look back with anything but regret on that awful battle, +when so many lives were sacrificed apparently to no purpose. July 1st +is not our happiest of days--indeed on two successive occasions it was +our most unfortunate day of the year. It must have been quite obvious +to the enemy that this was to be the flank of the Somme attack, +although some demonstration was made by the 37th Division on our left. +The enemy, therefore, were able to bring all their guns from the +direction of Adinfer Wood to bear on No Man's Land on our front. Lack +of troops had necessitated the employment of the attacking Battalions +in the most exacting fatigues up to the very eve of the assault. +Probably, barely a man had had a full night's sleep for a week prior +to the attack, and there had been scarcely a day or night when rain +had not fallen consistently and heavily, and working parties had not +been soaked through to the skin. Those of us, who eight months later, +stood on some of the German concrete machine gun emplacements +opposite, commanding a magnificent field of fire from positions proof +against the heaviest shells, saw still the lines of dead bodies lying +in No Man's Land, a tragic and pitiable witness, if witness were +needed, that the failure of the attack was in no measure due to any +lack of dash or courage on the part of our indomitable Infantry. +Practically every Officer of the attacking Battalions was killed or +wounded, and a large proportion of the men, and but an insignificant +proportion fell alive into the hands of the enemy. + +It was some slight comfort to receive from the Corps Commander an +appreciation of our efforts, which had kept busy a large number of the +enemy's best troops, and to know that we had a share in the success of +the great Somme attack, and that our terrible losses were not entirely +in vain. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +BELLACOURT + + _July 2nd, 1916._ _October 29th, 1916._ + + +We spent one night at Gaudiempre, and on July 3rd, moved a few miles +North to a delightful Camp at Bavincourt, where we made up our minds +to have a well-earned rest. The Camp was charmingly situated, and we +were preparing to have it run on model lines, when alas, in the early +hours of July 4th, sudden orders were received to move. We had, +however, made the best of our few hours there, most of us going to an +excellent entertainment by the "Barn Owls," the Concert Party of the +37th Division, which cheered us immensely. + +The fighting on the Somme, which had gone successfully for us in many +parts, was causing rapid reorganisation and consequent movement of +troops, so that our sudden move was not altogether surprising. We left +Bavincourt on the morning of July 4th, and after a little excitement +due to the shelling of the road, and a terrific thunderstorm, we +eventually got settled once more at Pommier, with the exception of A +Company, who went on to Bienvillers. The rest of the Battalion joined +them there on July 7th, except Transport and Quarter-Master's Stores, +which moved to La Cauchie. Our most important work there was the +somewhat ticklish procedure on two nights of carrying up to the Monchy +trenches, about two miles North of Foncquevillers, cylinders of gas to +loose off on a suitable occasion. These were drawn at Hannescamp, and +for carrying were fastened to poles, each cylinder requiring two men. +Special precautions were taken to ensure perfect silence, so as not to +give the enemy an idea that gas was being installed. Further, in order +to protect the carrying party, in case any of the cylinders got broken +by shells or otherwise on the way up, every man wore his smoke helmet +rolled up on his head, ready for instantly pulling down over his face. +Neither steel helmets nor caps were worn on these occasions. As the +cylinders had to be got up to our front line trench, the operation was +attended with considerable risk, but fortune favoured us, and it is +believed that the Battalion never suffered a casualty when engaged on +the work, though large parties had to be found on several occasions +for a similar purpose. + +We moved on July 10th, by route march to Bellacourt, a village about +five miles south-west of Arras, and giving its name to a sector which +was to prove easily the most peaceful and enjoyable part of the line +we ever held. Transport moved to Bailleulval, where they got good +lines in a small orchard, and the Quarter-Master's Stores were +comfortably fixed up in billets. + +It was from this department that we were first to hear of the +activities of our new Divisional Commander, Major-General W. Thwaites, +R.A., who made it a practice of frequently visiting transport lines at +early morning stables. Torrance with his ready wit at once dubbed him +"The Mushroom Picker," an epithet which we were told gave him much +pleasure when it reached his ears, but did not have the least effect +upon his early morning visits. + +Several new Officers had recently joined from our 3rd Line, including +2nd Lieuts. C. F. Woodward, F. M. Corry, H. G. Kirby, B. P. Page, W. +B. Easterfield, and D. H. Parker. Second Lieut. A. Bedford also +rejoined, and others who arrived shortly afterwards were Lieut. R. +Whitton, who had been Adjutant of the 3rd Line, 2nd Lieuts. Skinner +and Moore, back for the second time, and 2nd Lieuts. C. H. Hicks, D. +F. Ranson, L. E. King-Stephens, G. F. Visser, F. D. Byrne, B. W. Hall, +and A. D. Bailey. Comp. Sergt.-Major Haywood rejoined with a draft of +72 reinforcements, and was appointed Comp. Sergt.-Major of C Company, +where Sergt. Leivers had been carrying on for a short time in place of +Comp. Sergt.-Major J. A. Green, who had been invalided to England. + +We were thus fairly well off for numbers, when on July 11th, we +relieved the Liverpool Scottish in the left sub-sector of the Brigade +sector, this being one of the rare occasions on which relief was +carried out by daylight. The distribution was as follows: Right--"The +Willows"--A Company (Capt. Vann); Centre "The Osiers"--B Company +(Capt. Turner); Left--"The Ravine"--C Company (Capt. Piggford); +Reserve--Bretencourt--D Company (Capt. Hill). Battalion Headquarters +was in the "Sunken Road," just in front of Bretencourt, off "Engineer +Street." Each Company had two platoons in the front line and two in +support; a system which, besides being more or less in accordance with +Field Service Regulations, worked extremely satisfactorily, for whilst +the front line posts could be held by comparatively few men, either in +the line or at the heads of the various saps running out into No Man's +Land, working parties and patrols were found from the support +platoons, and were thus able to get back to the support line on +completion of their task, and rest in comparative comfort. + +The frontage allotted to us was a long one, and the front line was +thinly held, some of the posts being as much as 200 yards apart. +Frequent visiting patrols were necessary during the night to prevent +any daring Boche from getting into our lines. In the communication +trenches, blocking posts and gates were fixed at various points to +hold up the enemy if they did ever get in and attempt to push forward. +To look after the rear portion of these communication trenches the +system of Trench Wardens was instituted during our stay at Bellacourt. +These were usually light duty, or warworn men drawn from the various +Battalions, whose duty it was to repair broken trench grids, relay any +that required it, clear falls of earth, and generally look after +upkeep. + +This sector was reputed to be the quietest on the British Front, and +though we had one or two lively times, there is no doubt that for the +period of three-and-a-half months we were there, it lived up to its +reputation. Rumour said that some of our troops had been in the habit +of going out and repairing the barbed wire by daylight! Certainly it +was normally extremely peaceful. The trenches were from 300 to 400 +yards apart, and in the region of the Ransart Road on the right, one +could indeed go out for some distance without coming in view of the +Boche trenches. The weather during most of our stay was of the best, +and there could be few things more pleasant than to stroll on a quiet +afternoon round some of the communication trenches, e.g., "Dyke +Street," "Couturelle," and "La Motte," where masses of wild flowers of +every kind and of brilliant colours were in full bloom, and in many +parts completely covered the sides of the trenches. Cooking was +normally done out of the trenches, and hot meals were carried up in +kettles or food containers (something in the nature of large thermos +flasks) by the Reserve Company billeted at Bretencourt. + +We had something of a shock during our first tour in the trenches, and +began to suspect the reports as to the quietness of the sector, for on +our second morning the enemy poured over for nearly an hour, between +4.0 a.m. and 5.0 a.m., showers of heavy trench mortars on to part of +the front line held by B Company. Their aim was very good, several +bombs falling right into the trench and doing considerable damage, +whilst Lieut. Lomer's Platoon, which was holding the part bombarded, +had four men killed and nine wounded. One man had to have his foot +amputated by Johnstone, the Medical Officer, in order to be released +from a shelter that had been smashed by the bombs. Sergts. Tanner and +Yeomans did splendid work in rescuing the wounded, as did also Sergt. +Bescoby, Pvte. Axon and other Stretcher Bearers. This, however, turned +out to be the only "hate" of its particular kind that the enemy +inflicted on us during our stay. Possibly it was to let us know that +he was aware of our recent arrival, and wished to give us a welcome, +but most likely it was what we knew as his "Travelling Circus" which +he brought up at certain times in order to carry out an organised +"straff" on a particular piece of the line. + +For some time after this, and in fact for most of Our sojourn here, +life in the trenches was of a somewhat humdrum character. There were a +few days cf activity now and then, but normally the enemy was very +inoffensive so far as we were concerned. He did, however, raid the 6th +Battalion one night in the right sub-sector, almost completely +levelling one of their communication trenches with heavy trench +mortars during the preliminary bombardment, on account of which we had +to stand-to, when back at our rest billets at Bailleulval. On another +occasion we had a fidgety night owing to a gas alarm having been +given. This however, proved but another case of "wind." + +The work in the trenches was of a normal character, but we welcomed +that new article known as the "A" Frame, consisting as its name +indicates of framing shaped like the letter A. This was the best form +of support for trench revetment that we ever had, and from this time +onwards was used almost universally. A suggestion of this exact form +of framing had been made by Col. Blackwall as early as November 1915. +and submitted to higher authorities, who turned it down as unsuitable. + +A further great advance was made by us here in the provision of deep +dug-outs, for which the chalk soil was eminently adapted. Excellent +plans were drawn out by Major Zeller, commanding the Field Company +attached to our Brigade, for complete systems of these dug-outs to be +made in the support line, and a special Brigade Dug-out Company was +formed for this purpose, to which we contributed, besides a number of +men, 2nd Lieuts. Moore and Powell. Great progress was made with the +work, and before we left the sector a large number had been finished, +and fitted up with wire beds on wooden framework in two tiers, with +rifle racks and other etceteras. The organisation of this work was one +of the first tasks of the new Brigade Major, Capt. W. P. Buckley, +D.S.O., of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, who had succeeded +Major Neilson, when the latter left to take up a higher appointment. +In Major Neilson we lost one who was always ready to help and advise +on every possible occasion, and though it was with the greatest regret +that we said goodbye to him, it was a great pleasure to know that his +hard work had brought its reward. + +At this period after doing six days in the front line, we spent six +days in Brigade Reserve at Bellacourt, where three Companies were in +billets, and usually found large parties for the Royal Engineers for +working in trenches and dug-outs, and one Company provided garrisons +for the four posts in front of the village, "Starfish," "Boundary," +"Burnt Farm" and "Orchard." After a further six days in the front line +we went back for six days to Bailleulval, where we were able to have +our periodical clean up, do a little training, and generally enjoy +life for a brief space. We relieved always with the 7th Battalion, and +held the left of the Brigade sector, which remained the same as +originally taken over, except that we gave up the "Willows" on the +right and took over "Epsom" on the left. + +Our billets at Bailleulval were fairly comfortable, and were +constantly improved, under the guiding hand of Major Wordsworth, the +Staff Captain. We had a splendid parade ground on the high land behind +the village, a good Canteen, a Sergeants' Mess, a Corporals' Mess, +home-made Russian baths erected with much skill by our own Pioneers, +and frequent visits from the "Whizz-bangs," who gave us excellent +programmes. We played cricket, football, both soccer and rugger; we +had Officers' Riding Classes, which were a source of much interest not +to say amusement, to the onlookers, and we got good dinners at the +well-known "Seven Sisters," in the neighbouring village of Basseux. +The weather for the most part was delightful, and life was extremely +pleasant. + +Major-General Thwaites twice inspected us, and all who were in the +Battalion during the time he reigned at Division will remember what an +inspection by him entailed! Our best salute proved very inadequate on +the first occasion, and the Commanding Officer was requested, after +putting himself and his horse in front of the centre of the Battalion, +to do it again! Capt. Turner, too, who was acting Second-in-Command, +got a polite enquiry as to what he was doing with his horse! Poor +"Strawberry" was apparently rather upset over the fixing of bayonets! +As a rule, however, we believe our efforts to make a good show did not +pass unnoticed, though a good deal that was uncomplimentary was said. +On his second inspection Lieut.-General Snow, the Corps Commander, +was with him, and appeared to be quite satisfied with the turnout. + +Training at this time, so far as the Battalion was concerned, +consisted only of such general work as could be done in the few days +we spent periodically at Bailleulval. The Divisional School, however, +was in full going order, Regimental Sergt.-Major Mounteney doing duty +there for a time, and in addition a Brigade School was formed at +Basseux, to which Major Ashwell went as Commandant and expounded the +art of war to young Subalterns and others, taking with him 2nd Lieut. +Hopkinson as his Adjutant. Whilst Major Ashwell was away, Capt. Turner +took over the duties of Second-in-Command, leaving B Company in the +capable hands of Lieut. G. Wright. At an Assault Competition arranged +by the Brigade School on October 12th, we almost swept the board, +winning five out of eight events--Physical Drill, Bayonet Fighting, +Bombing, Relay Race, and Obstacle Race--so we were well satisfied with +our efforts, and the training work that was being done. By this time +the whole Battalion had been fitted out with the short rifle, the last +of the old long rifles being handed to Ordnance on September 26th. + +A new "toy" that was issued in these days was that horrible thing +known as the "Lewis Gun Hand Cart." Tomlinson had some most +entertaining experiences in trying to get mules to pull these +"handcarts," but the mules usually found it more interesting to try +and turn round to see what extraordinary things on wheels they were +now being insulted by being asked to pull, or in going off at +breakneck speeds to try and get rid of them. These carts were never +popular, and never a success, and gradually, by being carefully "left" +by the roadside or some other convenient spots, they were eventually +disposed of. + +The most notable event during this period was undoubtedly Vann's raid, +the first really successful raid carried out by the Battalion. This +took place on the night of September 21/22nd, and was carried out by +Capt. Vann, with practically the whole of his (A) Company. In order to +illustrate the thorough manner in which the scheme was devised and +carried out, the story is given in some detail. + +[Illustration: LIEUT.-COL. B. W. VANN, V.C., M.C. Killed in action at +Ramicourt, Oct. 3rd, 1918, when in command of the 6th Sherwood +Foresters.] + +The point to be raided was a short sap known as "Italy Sap," running +out from the Boche front line about 300 yards away. The wire +protecting the sap was cut during the afternoon of September 21st by +our 2-inch trench mortars, and other gaps were cut on another part of +the front further North, partly as a "blind" and partly for use in a +future operation. In order to verify that the gaps were properly cut, +a wire patrol under L.-Corpl. Hickman went out at 8.0 p.m. and +reported that the gaps were good, and that the ammonal tubes which the +Royal Engineers had in readiness to take out and blow gaps with were +not required. Frequent bursts were fired by our machine guns on to the +gaps to prevent them being repaired by the enemy before the raiding +party got there. At 11.15 p.m., the wire patrol again went out and +laid tapes from the gaps back to "Cavendish Sap" in our own front line +to guide the raiding party across No Man's Land. The party was divided +up into several smaller parties, commanded respectively by Lieut. +Martelli, 2nd Lieuts. Duff, White, and Hall, and Comp. Sergt.-Major G. +Powell. In addition there were two teams of Brigade machine gunners to +guard the flanks, and seven sappers to blow up dug-outs. The total of +the party was five Officers, and 136 other ranks. All identification +marks, badges, letters, etc., had been removed from all members of the +raiding party, and faces, hands and bayonets were blackened. Smoke +helmets were carried in the pocket, and gas and phosphorus bombs +were taken for clearing dug-outs, together with a number of +flashlights and torches. At 12.15 am the enemy trenches in the region +of the area to be raided were bombarded by 18 pounders, 4.5 and 6-inch +howitzers, 2-inch trench mortars, and 3-inch Stokes mortars. The +raiding party guided by the tapes, got as close up to the barrage as +possible, and as soon as it lifted at 12.28 a.m., went through the +gaps and into the enemy trenches. One German who was met was at once +bayoneted. Several dug-outs were bombed, and in some cases set on +fire, one being blown up by the Royal Engineers with an ammonal tube. +An enemy machine gun which opened fire from the right was immediately +silenced by our Lewis and machine guns. The time fixed for the return +of the party was 12.50 a.m. and it was only in the last minute or so +that the main object of the raid, a prisoner, was secured. Most of the +dug-outs were empty, but eventually Vann found one which contained +some Boches. These he at once ordered to come out. Two came up with +bayonets fixed, one of whom was at once shot dead by Vann, and the +other wounded. They were followed by four others, including a +stretcher bearer, who came out with hands up shouting "Kamerad!" +"Kamerad!" They were at once hustled out of the trench with the +scantiest of ceremony and brought back to our lines. Immediately after +this, Vann ordered his bugler to sound the recall signal, and at the +same instant the prearranged signal of six red rockets went up at +Battalion Headquarters. During the last ten minutes of the raid the +enemy had surrounded the occupied portion of the trenches with red +lights and their artillery had begun to shell their front line and +"Italy Sap," but did the party little harm, and every man got back to +our trenches, the only casualties being eight men wounded. The net +result of the raid was that five Germans were killed by the raiding +party, and five taken prisoners, including one wounded, apart from any +casualties inflicted by our bombardments. It is worth noting that a +bombardment of the area around the blind gap was also carried out, and +that the barrage there "lifted" before that on the gaps where the raid +was actually to take place. This was undoubtedly of great assistance +to the raiding party in diverting the enemy's attention, and in +causing his barrage to come down first in No Man's Land opposite the +blind gap, where we had no troops whatever. The number of rounds used +to cut the wire was 670, fired by seven 2-inch trench mortars. + +Many messages of congratulation were received on the success of the +raid, including one from the Corps Commander. It was a great pleasure +to all when it was known shortly afterwards, that Vann, whose +gallantry knew no bounds, had been given a bar to his M.C., and that +the M.C. had been awarded to Duff, who had already done most admirable +work at Vimy, and was one of the pluckiest Officers the Battalion ever +had. Vann was subsequently awarded the French Croix-de-Guerre. + +Much of the success of the raid was undoubtedly due to the excellent +patrolling which had been done by Martelli and his Scouts, L.-Corpl. +Hickman, and Pvtes. Bambrook and Haslam, who throughout worked with +the greatest skill, and left nothing undone to ensure that all was in +order. Many gallant deeds too, were performed in the enemy trenches. +Pvte. Chappel, a leading bayonet man successfully shewed one Boche the +proper way of making the point; Pvte. Walsh wanted to go on to the +German second line when he was unable to find any to kill where he +was; Drummer Heath shewed great bravery and devotion as he had often +done on previous occasions, in carrying messages; Drummer A. L. Smith, +though wounded, remained at his post to the last to sound the recall +signal; while great gallantry was also shewn by Lieut. Martelli, +Comp. Sergt.-Major G. Powell, Sergt. Slater, Corpl. Carrier, and Pvte. +Needham. The raiding party had a special little dinner of their own a +few days after the raid at the canteen at Bailleulval. + +There is but little to record of our other doings in the trenches. We +recall efforts being made to have "Daily Trench Exercises" carried +out, such as physical jerks, bomb throwing, and rifle practice, but +the orders issued on the subject were, we fear, honoured rather in the +breach than the observance! We did, however, appreciate the +opportunity given us in these days of sending Officers from time to +time to our Gunner friends to learn something of the elements of +artillery work, and though these visits were very short, it was +certainly not the fault of the Gunners if we were not wiser for the +instruction they gave us. We on our part were also called upon to do +some instructing, having attached to us at various times Lieut.-Col. +Smeathman of the Hertfordshire Regiment, Lieut. Haslam (afterwards +killed) and 12 men of the Artists' Rifles, and an Officer and 14 men +of the 1st King's Dragoon Guards, to all of whom we imparted as much +of our knowledge of trench warfare as was possible during the short +time they were with us. + +As time wore on changes took place. Vann, who had once more been +slightly wounded during his raid and was not very fit, went to the +Senior Officers' Course at Aldershot, and was succeeded in command of +A Company by Capt. E. M. Hacking. Capt. Davenport after a week's tour +in the trenches for instruction left to attend the Staff Course at +Cambridge. Hicks, who was afterwards killed, went to the Trench Mortar +Battery, E. A. Huskinson to the 138th Brigade to learn Staff duties, +Easterfield to the Machine Gun Corps, where he won the M.C., Corry +(who later died of wounds) and Newton to the Royal Flying Corps, +Woodward to the "Whizz-bangs," and Capt. A. Hacking (from Brigade +Headquarters), Field, Parker and Wells were invalided to England. +Jones, who followed Marshall as Intelligence Officer, got wounded on +patrol, and was succeeded by Martelli. Under the new scheme of sending +home as Instructors, Warrant Officers and N.C.O.'s who were feeling +the strain of long periods of active service, we lost Comp. +Sergt.-Major Chappell, and Sergts. L. Bell, Shore and Wells. Comp. +Quarter-Master-Sergt. Hotson then became Comp. Sergt.-Major of B +Company, and Sergt. Deverall, Comp. Quarter-Master-Sergt. of C +Company. Our casualties during the period amounted to seven killed, +and 37 wounded. Against these losses we were joined by two Officers, +2nd Lieuts. J. M. Johnston, and E. W. Warner, and about 80 men, +including 40 from No. 4 Entrenching Battalion. + +All this time the Somme fighting had been going on, more or less +successfully, and we wondered time and again when our turn would come +to go and take part in it. Divisions around us were moved backwards +and forwards, to and from the fighting area, with almost lightning +rapidity, and still we were left in this peaceful part with few cares, +and almost began to think we had been forgotten, or that the office +boy had scratched our name off the list of Divisions in France! But it +was apparently not so, for on October 20th, we got news of our +approaching move to a training area, preparatory, no doubt, to taking +a more active part in the fighting. Eventually, on October 29th, we +were relieved by the 16th Manchesters and said goodbye to that +delightful area where we had such good times, and to which we shall +always look back with the greatest possible pleasure. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE CAPTURE OF GOMMECOURT + + _October 29th, 1916._ _March 17th, 1917._ + + +Having spent the afternoon of October 29th in packing up, we left +Bailleulval about dusk, and late the same evening arrived at Warluzel, +where we spent the night in indifferent billets. We proceeded the +following day to our old quarters at Le Souich, where we rested for 24 +hours, continuing the march on November 1st to Neuvillette, and on +November 3rd, to our final destination Maison Ponthieu, in the Third +Army (St. Riquier) training area, having completed a march of +something like 40 miles. + +Considering that this area had been used for training for some +considerable time, we cannot say that we found the billets of the best +or well provided with those comforts, which one might reasonably +expect for troops out of the line preparing to take part in an +offensive. Our energies at first were therefore concentrated on trying +to make ourselves comfortable, and a considerable time was spent in +carrying out improvements, making bathing arrangements, cookhouses, +canteen and reading rooms. Rightly or wrongly we were inclined to +think that we were unlucky with regard to billets, as we so often +found ourselves scavenging and cleaning up other people's refuse. +Doubtless every other unit thought the same. In the way of +entertainments we had little or nothing, and Maison Ponthieu itself +boasted nothing more than one or two estaminets. Auxi-le-Chateau, the +home of the Third Army Training School, had a few shops and was rather +more lively, while, for those who could get there, St. Riquier was +quite interesting, and the battlefield of Crecy was not far off. +Abbeville some distance away, was patronised only by a few lucky ones. + +We stayed in this area for nearly three weeks, and trained hard with a +view to taking part in the Somme offensive. The chief points were to +make everyone fit, and to practise formations for open warfare. For +the former, recreation of every kind and for all ranks was an +essential part of the programme, though we were inclined to think that +perhaps a little too much compulsion was added to this part of the +scheme. Inter-platoon football matches were a prominent part of the +recreational training, and created a great deal of genuine interest +and amusement. There were also inter-battalion football matches in the +Division, in which we started well by beating the 7th Battalion, but +were hopelessly defeated by the 5th Battalion at Noyelle on November +18th, by eight goals to nil. One of the most entertaining matches was +that which took place at Maison Ponthieu, between Divisional +Headquarters and Brigade Headquarters. When the Divisional goal was +threatened S.O.S. rockets were sent up and smoke bombs let off, which +to the onlookers, seemed rather to baffle the defending goalkeeper, +who was none other than the Assistant Provost Marshal, Major Newbold! +Preliminary contests held to select representatives for the Divisional +Boxing Championship, which unfortunately did not materialise, were won +by Sergt. Slater, Sergt. Attenborough, Signaller Gearney, and Pvte. +Hall. + +For open warfare we practised mostly the attack, beginning with +artillery formation. Those who did know something of it had by now +grown very rusty, after so many months in trenches, whilst many +Officers and men in the Battalion at this time, had had practically no +training at all in this kind of warfare, so that much work was +required in the simple practices of shaking out into artillery +formation, lines of companies, half-companies, platoons or sections, +and eventually extending for the final stages of the attack leading up +to the assault. The other main feature of the training, was practice +in night marching on a compass bearing and subsequent deployment for +attack. + +On the whole we must confess we felt that the training was rather +overdone. We had to put in many hours daily, and the march to the +training ground at Yvrencheux and back, some six miles in all, was to +say the least of it somewhat tedious. We were besides, most +unfortunate with regard to weather, which was very unpleasant most of +the time, and we were hardly sorry when our time came to leave the +area. We were not, however, required to take part in the Somme +fighting, as this had by now more or less worn itself out. From what +we read and heard from troops, who came out of it, of the appalling +condition of the ground and the impossibility of making any further +progress during the Winter, we were not surprised or sorry that there +was no need for us in that direction. Our lot was to return once more +to our old trenches at Foncquevillers. + +Changes in personnel during this period were mostly in Officers. Major +Ashwell had rejoined and resumed his duties as Second-in-Command; +Major Lane also rejoined after nearly 18 months in England, as a +result of his wound at Kemmel, and took over A Company from Capt. E. +M. Hacking. A further addition was Lieut. Simonet, who had by some +means managed to get the Hospital Authorities to pass him fit again +for general service. We also had a small draft of 32 men. On the other +hand we had to part with six Officers at extremely short notice to the +12th Rifle Brigade and King's Royal Rifle Corps which had lost very +heavily in the Somme fighting, and sent 2nd Lieuts. Ranson, Hall (who +later won the M.C.), Visser, H. G. Kirby, Byrne and Bailey +(afterwards killed). Second Lieut. Cox also left us to join the Signal +Company of the 14th Division, his place as Signalling Officer being +taken by Lieut. Warner. For good work on a subsequent occasion Cox was +awarded the M.C. Lieut. Martelli was still Intelligence Officer, +Lieut. White, Grenade Officer, and Lieut. Tomlinson, Lewis Gun +Officer. + +We went by easy stages back to the line, leaving Maison Ponthieu on +November 22nd, and proceeding to Bealcourt, and the following day to +Neuvillette. The chief item of interest in our two days' stay there, +was a revolver shooting match between teams of Officers from our own +and the 7th Battalion, in which we were badly beaten. On November +25th, we marched to Humbercourt on a pouring wet morning, arriving +there about mid-day drenched to the skin. Here we stayed for nearly a +fortnight, training and cutting wood in Lucheux Forest. The weather +was wet and cold, and as the village lay in a hollow, we got the full +benefit of all the rain, and consequent flooded streams. On November +30th, we took part in a Divisional cross-country run, a part of the +programme left over from the St. Riquier area. The distance was two +and three-quarter miles, and we felt quite pleased to finish 6th out +of the 13 Battalions running, our pleasure knowing no bounds at seeing +C. B. Johnstone and F. Torrance finish well within the time limit, +happy if breathless. + +On December 2nd, a Brigade Ceremonial Parade was held at Sus-St. +Leger, where we were inspected by Major-General Thwaites. It was a +bitterly cold day, but on the whole the show passed off well. It was +perhaps aided a little by the fog, which covered one or two of our +more intricate and unconventional movements rather successfully. + +On the following day we took part in what was probably one of the most +interesting football matches in the Battalion's history, when a team +of Officers played one from the 7th Battalion, and beat them one-nil +after a great tussle. + +It was at Humbercourt that Sergt. "Sammy" Foster played an important +part in trying to make us all "gas proof." With much success he made +up a gas chamber in the village out of the shed for the "Pompe a +incendie," where all ranks of the Battalion were fitted with the new +small box respirator, which had just arrived. This proved to be much +the most satisfactory form of gas mask we ever had, and continued in +general use up to the end of the war. + +We left Humbercourt on December 6th, and the same day went into +Brigade Reserve, in the Foncquevillers sector, the 46th Division +having taken over this portion of the line from the 49th Division. The +sector was now fairly quiet, everyone having more or less gone into +winter quarters. Our rest billets and Transport Lines were at +Souastre, where, considering all things, we were fairly comfortable. +There were good baths under the control of one of those celebrated +Town Majors, of whom so much has been heard, a Y.M.C.A. hut, and a new +form of entertainment in the shape of a Cinema, which our Division had +recently added to its institutions. The Divisional "Whizz-bangs" were +still showing, but were rather under a cloud, although that great +actor subaltern from the Battalion, Moffat Johnston, gave them a +helping hand for a short time. Being "out to soldier," however, he +preferred the front line, and very soon came back to us. + +When in Divisional Reserve all companies were back at Souastre, and +carried out a little training in addition to the usual refitting and +cleaning. Parties were also generally provided for Town Major's +fatigues. When in Brigade Reserve two companies were at Souastre, and +two at Foncquevillers, the latter finding garrisons for posts on the +Eastern edge of the village, and at "Fort Dick," between +Foncquevillers and Hebuterne. + +When in the line we held the left sub-sector, relieving with the 7th +Battalion, the right company front having its right on the +Foncquevillers-Gommecourt Road, the centre company being disposed +about "Lincoln Lane," and the left company front running from "Roberts +Avenue" to the Brayelle Road. Companies holding the line, had two or +three platoons in the front line, and the remainder in support. The +support Company occupied the dug-outs in "Sniper's Square." + +The trenches throughout this period were in an appalling state, though +efforts had been made to improve them by the 49th Division, who +certainly left Roberts Avenue well revetted, and with a good floor of +trench grids. For the most part, however, they were deep in mud, and +in a deplorable condition, and "gumboots thigh" were in great demand. +Dug-outs were of the poorest, and life in the trenches was not +pleasant. Efforts were made to improve matters during our stay and the +Royal Engineers and Monmouths did a great deal of work, helped by +large parties from all Battalions, but improvement was very slow. + +[Illustration: MAJOR-GENERAL THWAITES OUTSIDE BATTALION HEAD-QUARTERS, +THE BRASSERIE, FONCQUEVILLERS. _Reproduced by permission of the +Imperial War Museum._] + +Fortunately the trenches were no great distance from the village, +where Company cooks had their cookers, whilst the Battalion was in the +line, so that hot meals were sent up regularly, and included a hot +supper issued generally about midnight, the meals being mostly carried +up by the Support Company. During the latter part of January and +beginning of February, we had very hard frosts and much snow, and the +carrying parties had a difficult task in walking on the slippery roads +and trench grids, but this was overcome to a great extent by the use +of sandbags tied over the boots. It was perhaps a somewhat expensive +method to employ with sandbags costing something like a shilling each, +but they served the purpose very well, and were in great demand in +consequence. A drying-room was established at Battalion Headquarters +in the village, in a large cellar, fitted with double-tier wire beds, +stoves, and braziers. A supply of blankets was also available, so that +the men who had been on patrol, or had got wet through, could come +down from the line and get their wet clothes dried and a good rest and +sleep in comfort. Inter-Battalion reliefs were carried out every four +days, whilst Companies were able to relieve their men in the front +line every 48 hours, or, when the weather was extremely bad, every 24 +hours, by taking up the men from the support line. By this means, the +time any particular man was actually in the front line was reduced to +the lowest possible limit. During December and January, reliefs were +carried out by daylight, usually beginning immediately after +breakfast, and being completed by about noon. This system not only +enabled the incomers to settle down in the trenches before night, but +also gave the relieved Battalion four complete nights out, a system +which was very much appreciated. At the end of January we +changed to night reliefs. The main artery for traffic was the +Foncquevillers-Souastre Road, and although it was usually fairly +quiet, we sometimes astonished ourselves at the pace we made along it +on relief nights, and most of us were glad when we got over the crest +into Souastre. + +Martelli and his Scouts and many others did some very good patrols, +but on some nights when the moon was bright, and the ground covered +with snow, this work was not easy. Long white nightshirts complete +with hoods were tried, but not considered very suitable, as they +looked quite dark against the white snow, and on the whole were not a +success. + +Though normally quiet the sector was occasionally trench mortared and +shelled fairly heavily, most attention being paid to the front line +about Roberts Avenue and Lincoln Lane, the Gommecourt Road, the +Orchard in front of the village, where our heavy trench mortars, +familiarly known as "Flying Pigs", had their quarters, and the village +itself. It was in connection with one of these bombardments that the +I-Tok machine professed to have some success. By some means a Boche +map had been secured shewing the areas into which our front was +divided for the purpose of "shoots", and if the I-Tok picked up +messages from which it was inferred that a shoot over a particular +area was likely to take place, the information was at once passed on +to the Battalion concerned. On one occasion when such information was +received, no sooner were the men cleared of the area than it was +indeed shelled! It may have been an accident of course, but the I-Tok +personnel took the credit, which we hope was deserved. + +One night, when the 7th Battalion were in the line, they were raided +after a very heavy bombardment, in which they suffered several +casualties. The following day the Officer Commanding that Battalion +sent us a kind message of appreciation of the prompt way in which +Capt. Turner and B Company, who were in support in Foncquevillers, had +turned out and stood by ready to help. Fortunately their services were +not required. + +The most unpleasant experience we ourselves had was on February 16th, +when we relieved the 7th Battalion for the last time in this sector. +The relief itself was carried out under difficulties, owing to a +certain amount of gas shelling, but later on the Hun sent over perfect +showers of gas bombs, and absolutely deluged the front and support +lines, whilst he also fired a considerable number of gas shells into +the village. It is estimated that in all between 500 and 600 were put +over, mostly filled with phosgene. It was our first experience of any +real gas shell bombardment, and partly owing to this and partly to +the high concentration of the gas used we suffered heavy casualties, +four men being killed and 24 wounded. + +Christmas Day, 1916, was spent in the line, and passed off very +peacefully without anything untoward happening. We were not able to +get our Christmas dinners until early in the New Year, when we were +back at Souastre, and made the most of all the good things that had +been sent out by kind friends at home. Each Company enjoyed a most +sumptuous dinner, followed by a splendid entertainment provided by +local talent, speeches, and so on. + +The Battalion front remained unchanged until early in February, when +we extended Northwards to include the "Crawlboys Lane" area, then held +by the 138th Brigade. + +About the same time we had Companies of the 2/5th, 2/8th, and 2/11th +Battalions London Regiment with us for instruction, and a fine lot of +men they were. Our difficulty was in knowing where to put them, for +whereas we were about 80 per Company, they came out with their full +complement of 250. One dreaded on occasions what might happen if the +enemy suddenly decided to shell the trenches they held, for in some +parts they were almost like the proverbial sardines. They came out +fully equipped, with mobilisation stores made up to completion. Rumour +says that when they had finished their instruction with us they were +wiser not only in trench routine, but also in their Quarter-Master's +Department! + +This period saw several important changes in personnel. With great +regret we had to part with Major Ashwell, who left to take up the +duties of Commandant of the Divisional School. This post, however, he +only held for a brief space, as his excellent services throughout the +war were very soon rewarded by his appointment to command first the +5th, and shortly afterwards the 6th Battalion. He was succeeded as +Second-in-Command by Major Lane. Capt. E. M. Hacking, who commanded A +Company for a time, was appointed Railhead Disbursing Officer, and +handed over his duties to Lieut. Andrews. Capt. Turner stuck to B +Company, but during periods of absence of the Commanding Officer and +Major Lane, acted as Second-in-Command, leaving Lieut. G. Wright to +look after his Company. Capt. Piggford, after struggling on for some +time, although very unfit, eventually had to go down sick, and shortly +afterwards was appointed Divisional Claims Officer, to which he later +added the duties of Divisional Burials Officer. When he left, C +Company was handed over to Lieut. Abrams. Capt. Hill, after a long and +successful period in command of D Company, also had to leave owing to +sickness, and was succeeded by Lieut. Simonet. In 2nd Lieut. +King-Stephens we lost a very gallant Officer, and a great favourite. +He was killed one morning when returning from wiring. The fog which +had been so helpful for the purpose, cleared rather suddenly and a +Boche sniper picked him off just as he was getting back to the trench. +Reinforcement Officers who joined during the period were 2nd Lieuts. +C. H. S. Stephenson, A. E. Geary, and J. E. Mitchell. So far as other +ranks were concerned there were now no discharges as the Military +Service Act, which was in force, gave to very few the opportunity of +getting home. We lost, however, two excellent Comp. Sergt.-Majors, G. +Powell and Hotson, who went to England to train for commissions, and +were shortly followed by Comp. Sergt.-Major T. Powell. George Powell +was destined one day to be awarded the D.S.O., whilst Hotson +unfortunately met his fate in Italy. Sergts. Slater and Rawding, and +Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. Deverall, then became Comp. Sergt.-Majors +of A, B, and D Companies respectively. Our casualties in the line +during this period were not heavy, amounting to seven killed and 47 +wounded. Reinforcements who joined totalled 243, and included several +men from the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry. + +On February 19th, after handing over our portion of the front line to +Battalions of the 138th Brigade, we marched back to St. Amand. + +We now entered upon what turned out to be one of the most interesting +periods in the history of the Battalion. The idea at the moment was +that the 46th Division should take part in an early offensive against +Beaurains, just south of Arras, and the immediate purpose of our +relief was to withdraw to the Sus-St. Leger area and dig a model of +the front to be attacked, ready for one of the other Brigades of the +Division to practise over. With this object we moved back on February +20th, to Ivergny, where we spent the first few days refitting and +reorganising. The latter was now becoming of great moment, for +important changes were taking place. To begin with the Battalion +Grenade Platoon, that picked body of specially trained Bombers, to +which it was everyone's ambition to belong, ceased to exist, and the +personnel rejoined their Companies, in which from this time onward +each platoon had its own section of Bombers. This was only a +preliminary to the absolute reorganisation of the platoon, which was +now rightly coming into its own, and regarded as the most important +tactical fighting unit. We had already been lectured at Souastre by +Lieut.-General Sir Ivor Maxse, our Corps Commander, and later Director +General of Training, also by Major-General Thwaites, on the new +organisation of the platoon, which was now to consist of four +specialist sections: (1) Riflemen, (2) Bombers, (3) Rifle Grenadiers, +(4) Lewis Gunners. We now began the preliminaries of this new +organisation, which was to remain practically unchanged for the rest +of the war. The Signallers were also reorganised under Lieut. Warner, +and divided into "Battalion" and "Company" Signallers. + +After only a few days training in Lucheux Wood, and digging model +trenches near by, we were ordered to move to Simencourt, preparatory +to taking over the line near Beaurains. Just about the same time, +however, the Boche began his great Somme retirement, and on February +27th, the news came through that he was evacuating the Gommecourt +salient. This of course entailed a complete change in our plans, and +instead of moving North, we marched back towards Foncquevillers, +reaching Grenas on February 28th. There we stayed for one night, +proceeding the following morning to St. Amand, where hurried +preparations were made to relieve the 138th Brigade, who were busy +following up the retreating enemy. We left St. Amand early on the +morning of March 3rd, for Gommecourt, where we took over the old Boche +lines from the 5th Leicesters. The enemy were still in the Northern +and Eastern outskirts of the village, and the line was in a more or +less "fluid" state. The enemy's retirement continued slowly during the +day, and our troops kept moving on in close touch. The 7th Battalion +were working in conjunction with us on the left, and the 31st Division +on our right. On March 4th, the withdrawal was more rapid, and it +became somewhat difficult to keep touch. The few dug-outs that were +not set on fire or otherwise destroyed, were found to contain +quantities of stores and rations, and shewed evident signs of having +been evacuated very hurriedly. A neat souvenir in the shape of a Boche +bugle was got from one of these dug-outs, and is now treasured with +the Battalion plate at Newark. One was rather nervous of "booby traps" +in some of them, but so far as our experience went at this time there +were none. "Pigeon Wood" was captured during the afternoon, after +some fighting and an unpleasant sort of game of hide and seek, and we +also occupied Rettemoy Farm, and "The Z." + +Evidently thinking that we were too close on his heels, the enemy +delivered a determined counter-attack about 6 p.m. against C Company, +who were holding the trench line in front of La Brayelle Farm, forcing +them to withdraw slightly. During this attack Lieut. Duff did +magnificent work in holding off a bombing attack, and L.-Sergt. Sansom +gallantly held on to a bombing post which was cut off, until he was +rescued by a party ably led by Corpl. Street, who went forward under +heavy fire, and opening fire on the attacking enemy, enabled the post +to withdraw. Sergt. Henley also did splendid work in holding his post +against a strong bombing attack, until he was eventually wounded in +the head, dying the next day. + +The Battalion suffered a great loss the same day by the death of +Lieut. Abrams, who was killed during the afternoon whilst +reconnoitring near La Brayelle Farm. Thinking, apparently, that the +coast was clear, he was walking across the open with his batman when a +Boche machine gun suddenly opened fire on them at close range, killing +them both instantaneously. C Company then came under the command of +Lieut. A. Bedford. The casualties that day in other ranks, were seven +killed and 17 wounded. + +Very little happened on March 5th, except a certain number of bombing +encounters, and at night the 5th Battalion took over the right portion +of our front from Rettemoy Farm to "Brayelle Graben". On March 6th, we +were relieved by the 6th Battalion, commanded by Major Ashwell, and +moved back to dug-outs in and around Gommecourt. It was with much +regret that we heard on the 9th that Major Ashwell had been badly +wounded the previous night in an attack on "Kite Copse." + +The line had not altered appreciably when we relieved the 6th +Battalion again on March 10th. The weather was cold, and the trenches +were deep in mud and water, and movement was extremely exhausting. The +object now was to force the enemy to retire more rapidly, and orders +were received that we were to seize "Hedge Trench" and "Kite Copse" as +soon as possible, and form a line across to "Rettemoy Graben" on the +right, which was to be captured by the 5th Battalion. As a preliminary +during the night of March 11/12th, a party from C Company under Corpl. +Kirk successfully cut gaps in the wire in front of Hedge Trench. + +At 1.10 a.m. on March 13th--a wet, pitch dark night--the 5th Battalion +attempted to seize Rettemoy Graben in conjunction with a hastily +planned attack by the Staffords on their right. In spite of the most +gallant efforts, these attacks were dismal failures, and attended with +a large number of casualties. At the same time strong parties of A, C +and D Companies made demonstrations along communication trenches +towards Hedge Trench. At 7 a.m. on the same day Capt. A. Hacking, who +had now rejoined the Battalion and taken command of A Company, ordered +Lieut. A. H. Michie with his platoon to seize Kite Copse. Michie made +a rapid reconnaissance, and in a very short time found himself in +possession of this important point, the enemy garrison having nearly +all left to fetch their rations. The water was boiling in the +dug-outs, and a supply of coffee was found, which enabled Michie's +platoon to get breakfast as soon as the position was consolidated. +During the evening the enemy made two determined counter-attacks +against the position, but these were both driven off with heavy loss +by the excellent work of Pvte. Teare with his Lewis gun, Sergt. King +and Corpl. Scrimshaw. + +[Illustration: MAP TO ILLUSTRATE CHAPTERS VII & IX.] + +In the afternoon of the same day Lieut. Hopkinson attempted to push +through the "Burg Graben" to Hedge Trench, but was met by strong +opposition. He, however, withdrew his party without casualties, after +inflicting several on the enemy. For his gallantry here and splendid +work on other occasions "Hoppy" was awarded the M.C. On this occasion +Corpl. Kirk again did splendid work. Many other gallant deeds were +performed during these strenuous days, special credit being due to +Sergt. Edis for good work in charge of a platoon, Corpl. J. Wilson, +who worked unceasingly for 36 hours, when in charge of an advanced +bombing post, Corpls. Blythe and Marvill for good patrol work, and +L.-Corpls. Fern, Martin and Leonard, and Pvtes. Simpson, Crane, +Peplow, W. Barwise, and Bacon. Invaluable work was also done by the +Transport Section, who had a very hard time in getting supplies up to +Gommecourt. The roads were in an appalling state, and every night were +thronged with horses and vehicles, whilst the enemy had ample +ammunition to loose off before retiring, both high explosive and gas, +most of which he sent over to Foncquevillers or Gommecourt, or the +road in between. It was on one of these nights that Pvte. Chapman did +excellent work in clearing a block in the road, in the midst of heavy +shell fire, and enabling the masses of transport to pass. + +In this miniature moving warfare, the Signallers found their task more +entertaining than it had hitherto been. Warner one day went so far as +to try flag-wagging, until he found that his performance was in full +view of the enemy. On another occasion he established a Trench +Wireless set to Brigade, which he maintained successfully for an hour, +but at the end of that period the whole apparatus was dissipated in +the explosion of a German shell. A second effort with new apparatus +met with a precisely similar fate. + +As evidence of the closeness with which we had followed up the +retreating enemy it is interesting to note that at one time Capt. +Hacking reported that from his front line, he could hear perfectly +plainly both our own Gunners and those of the Boche giving their fire +orders. + +An incident in the Quarter-Master's Department that was not without +interest, was a great ride by our great Quarter-Master. In his anxiety +to see that all our wants were provided for (or was it for a heavy +wager?), long before horses were allowed so far forward "Harry" +Torrance arrived one night at Pigeon Wood mounted on "Buster," having +defied the Military Police and all other Traffic Controls. Another +unique experience was that of Lieut. Whitton, who for a brief space +held the appointment of Town Major of Gommecourt, and was we believe, +the one and only person ever to occupy that post of honour. As Officer +Commanding 300 dozen Boche mineral waters found in the village, he was +a very useful person to know. + +On March 14th, we moved back to Gommecourt, where we were finally +relieved by the 4th Leicesters three days later. The enemy were +retiring very rapidly, and on the same day evacuated Essarts and +Bucquoy. Being squeezed out owing to the shortening of the line, the +46th Division began to follow several other Divisions to the back +areas, preparatory to taking part in operations in other spheres. +Never again did we go to Gommecourt, which we believe is being +retained by the French untouched. It will thus ever remain a type of a +completely destroyed village, for it is probably one of the worst +treated in the whole of France. There were certainly one or two spots +where the remains of buildings were still standing, but practically +every sign of a once prosperous village had been obliterated. As a +type of German fortification it was probably one of the best, +containing the deepest and best constructed trenches we ever saw. The +wire in front was almost impossible to break through; each line of +trenches was protected in much the same way; the dug-outs were deep +and proof against all except the very heaviest of shells, and there +was a long subterranean passage built by the Boche from behind +Gommecourt Wood to his second line, along which reinforcements could +be brought in safety to counter-attack any troops that might have +gained a footing in the front line. It was sad to find magnificent +tapestries and valuable pieces of furniture, evidently taken from the +chateau, which once existed there, adorning the German dug-outs or +ruthlessly cut and knocked about, but sadder still to find the bodies +of our own Officers and men lying unburied exactly as they had fallen +on that fated 1st of July, 1916. It is pleasing, however, to record +that the grave of an Officer of the Brigade was found in Essarts with +the inscription in English on the Cross: "To the memory of a very +gallant British Officer and Gentleman, killed July 1st, 1916." + + + + +CHAPTER X + +LENS + + _March 17th, 1917._ _July 4th, 1917._ + + +After relief at Gommecourt we spent two days at Souastre, and then +marched via Bayencourt and Courcelles-au-Bois to Contay, where we +arrived on March 23rd. The roads for much of this journey were in an +appalling mess, partly as a result of constant shelling, and partly +through being cut up by the masses of transport which had passed over +them during the recent wet weather either in following up the +retreating enemy or in withdrawing to back areas. Vehicles were often +up to the axle in mud, whilst bicycles gave an immense amount of +trouble, and this was not the only occasion on which we found it far +preferable to foot-slog, even with heavy packs, than to be Signallers +with bicycles, which practically had to be carried. Loaded with pack +and other paraphernalia, the heavy army pattern bicycle is not a +lovable companion, except on a more or less perfect road. A really +first-class exhibition of bicycle manoeuvring was given during the +move by Pvte. Bunce, who always seemed to be in trouble, and was a +source of much amusement to his fellow Signallers. We stayed one night +at Contay, moving the following day to Bertangles, and on March 25th +to Revelles, a delightful village about seven miles West of Amiens. We +were taken through Amiens itself in motor 'buses, which picked us up +just North of the town, and deposited us on the other side, leaving us +to finish the journey on foot. + +On passing through one village during this backward march we saw some +men wearing Sherwood Forester badges. They turned out to be men of the +2/8th Battalion, and proved the correctness of rumours we had +recently heard that that Battalion was actually in France. One of the +2/8th men accosted a fellow man of our Battalion, as he passed, with +the remark "Who are you?" "1/8th" was the reply, "Who are you?" +"2/8th"--"Right", said our friend--we believe a Signaller--"You can +tell your mother you've seen some real soldiers now!" + +We were supposed to entrain for the North almost at once, but as five +or six other Divisions were being moved besides ourselves it was not +surprising that trains were running a day or two late, so we were able +to have a short rest at Revelles, which was much enjoyed, especially +as we were able to make trips to Amiens, which at that time had only +been slightly damaged by bombs, and was full of life. The chief +centres of attraction were the Hotel Godbert, The Savoy, Charlie's +Bar, and the Cafe du Cathedral. + +Eventually we entrained at Bacouel Station in the afternoon of March +28th, the entrainment being one of the most expeditious ever carried +out by the Battalion. Not so, however, the journey! Times without +number we came to a stop with a succession of jerks, not on account of +signals--indeed it would appear that few, if any, existed--but because +other trains were in front. During a tedious night of such progress, +we passed through Abbeville, Boulogne, Calais and St. Omer, and +arrived about 9.0 a.m. on March 29th, at Hazebrouck. Being told there +by a French Railway Official that the train would stop for 15 minutes, +most of the Officers dashed for the buffet on the opposite platform +and ordered "Omelettes et cafe." As one might have imagined, the train +began to move without warning just as breakfast was started. There was +a wild dash, but all to no purpose, for the train was well under way. +By the best of good luck, however, a supply train was found, which +apparently was going in the same direction, though the guard and +driver appeared to have different views on the subject, which led to a +decidedly heated argument between them. At any rate our party boarded +the train and fortunately found it brought them very shortly to +Berguette Station, where the rest of the Battalion were just +detraining. + +The Adjutant's duty of seeing the Battalion safely across the railway, +near the station, was indeed a pleasant one, and less fortunate +members of the Battalion have accused him of carrying on in an +unseemly manner with the fair keeper of the level crossing. We have +his assurance, however, that though he felt proud indeed at having +such a charming young lady by his side, his behaviour was beyond +reproach! A few hours' march brought us to Westrehem, where we found +most comfortable billets, and were welcomed and treated in the most +cordial manner by all. + +This move brought us into the First Army (General Horne), of which we +were now to form part for many months, and into the II Corps, and +though we only remained in this Corps for a few days the Commander, +Lieut.-General Sir C. Jacob, lost no time in coming to make our +acquaintance, having all the Officers paraded to meet him at the +School at Westrehem, two days after our arrival. + +We spent about a fortnight there refitting and training, the most +important part of the latter being practice in the new Company and +Platoon formations for attack, in which much attention was paid to the +question of the numbers and positions of the personnel attached to +Company and Platoon Headquarters. Practice advances were also carried +out with these formations behind a creeping barrage represented by +flags and drums. Outposts and advance guards were practised, as well +as tactical open warfare schemes, with Officers and N.C.O.'s, and +firing was carried out on a range near the village. One day was +devoted to a Divisional Route March, in which every unit in the +Division took part. It was carried out as a tactical scheme, the +Division supposed to be pursuing a retreating enemy, and the 8th +Battalion forming part of the Advance Guard. + +On the recreational side, football was the chief feature, and several +very interesting matches were played, in one of which the 7th +Battalion Officers got their revenge by beating us three--nil at +Nedonchelle. Westrehem was also the venu of a Rugby football match, +between a team from the 6th and 8th Battalions, and one from the 5th +and Machine Gun Company, which ended after a hard fight in a draw. +Padre Uthwatt, who had recently joined us, did his best to try and +organise amusements, and the Divisional Cinema came over and gave one +or two shows. There was small attraction in the village except one or +two shops and estaminets, but you could get anything from chewing gum +upwards at "Lane's Emporium," and the inhabitants were so extremely +kind that we lacked little. The chief drawback during our stay at +Westrehem was the weather, which at times was very cold, and on +several days there were heavy falls of snow. + +On April 13th, we began to move towards the line once more, spending +that night at Vendin-lez-Bethune, and proceeding the following day to +Houchin. There we went under canvas, sharing a camp with the 7th +Battalion, and had a comfortable if chilly stay of three days. + +Changes which took place about this time included the departure of our +Medical Officer, Capt. C. B. Johnstone, who was replaced for a brief +period by Capt. Walsh, and later by Capt. W. C. Gavin; Capt. E. M. +Hacking, and Lieut. Moore were invalided to England, and "Weetie", +who had been our Adjutant for over 18 months, handed over his duties +to Lieut. Whitton on being attached to Brigade Headquarters. A little +later he succeeded "Peter" Wordsworth, who left to take up a higher +appointment after being Staff Captain for over three years, during +which we were grateful for his kind help on many occasions. Regimental +Quarter-Master Sergt. Dench went home to train for a commission, but +we met him again in the later stages of the war, when he did excellent +work with the 5th Battalion, gaining the M.C. and two bars. His place +was taken by Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. Pritchard, who was succeeded +in D Company by Sergt. Gammon; Armourer Quarter-Master Sergt. Loughman +went to hospital, and from that time onwards no official armourer was +allowed. + +We left Houchin on April 18th, and soon found familiar signs of our +proximity to the front. In Noeux-les-Mines, a not exactly encouraging +notice said "These cross-roads are registered." Needless to say we did +not loiter there, especially as it had been shelled several times +during the preceding few days. Passing Petit Sains and Aix +Noulette--the latter mostly in ruins--another notice warned us that +"Small box Respirators must be worn in the alert position East of this +point". A little further on we found parties of men at work making +good the roads, and laying temporary corduroy tracks across what had +recently been No Man's Land. Passing over this waste we descended to +Angres--known later as "Angry Corner"--and entered Lievin, where we +took over billets from the 13th Middlesex. + +[Illustration: AIR PHOTOGRAPH OF LENS-LOOS AREA, 1917. _Reproduced by +permission of Captain P. Huskinson, M.C._] + +Lievin had only been evacuated by the enemy and occupied by the 24th +Division two days before our arrival. This evacuation was not part of +his general scheme of withdrawing from some of his salients and +shortening his line, which we had experienced at Gommecourt, but had +been forced on him by the capture by the Canadians early in April of +Vimy Ridge. + +Included in the line now held by the enemy West of Lens were the +strong positions of Fosse 3 and Hill 65, opposite the South of the +front taken over by the 46th Division, and Hill 70 on the North. His +outpost line ran through the Cite-de-Riaumont and Eastern outskirts of +Lievin, across the Lens-Lievin Road, through Cite-St. Laurent to Hill +70. Lens itself was one of the most important centres in the mining +district and the whole area was a mass of mining villages or "Cites," +with their rows of cottages and neat gardens, pits or "puits," +slag-heaps, and other usual features of a colliery district. + +The town of Lievin lay astride the Souchez river, about three miles +West of Lens. Previously a thriving mining centre, it had now been +badly knocked about by shelling, though large numbers of houses were +still more or less intact. The Boche had done much work in +strengthening the cellars of the houses by covering them with +concrete, paving setts torn up from the road, bricks and other +material, the only drawback being that much of the extra strengthening +had been put on the side facing the old front line, so that we now got +little advantage from it, and felt we should like to turn the houses +round, as the side towards the enemy was often none too strong. The +evacuation had been so hurried that the enemy had not had time to +destroy or remove much of the furniture and clothing from the houses, +in many of which we found all the available beds collected in the +cellars, which were also well furnished with chairs, tables, +cupboards, cutlery and much other civilian property and made very +comfortable billets. Sappers made an inspection of all these cellars, +and of the dug-outs recently evacuated by the enemy before we occupied +them, in order to ensure the absence of "booby traps," and in this +respect we had no excitement. + +Information from prisoners indicated that a further retreat behind +Lens was imminent, and the impression of the Higher Command was that +only slight pressure was necessary to push the enemy outposts out of +Cite-de-Riaumont and Hill 65, and to establish a line East of that +town. Unfortunately this information was true only up to a point. It +has transpired since that for a day or two before the 46th Division +came into the line there really was something approaching a panic in +the German Command in this sector, and that all preparations had been +made to evacuate Lens. By the time of our arrival, however, the panic +was at an end, and the enemy were undoubtedly holding the Southern +portion of Cite-de-Riaumont and the strong defences of Hill 65 in +considerable strength. Corps and Army Intelligence refused, however, +to believe this to be more than a show, and the general trend of +orders was that attacks by small numbers should be made at once to +clear the enemy out of Cite-de-Riaumont and finally from Hill 65. The +loss of this last covering position should, it was thought, +necessitate their withdrawal from Lens. + +The flexibility of the position is indicated by the fact that a +Divisional Commander, in making a reconnaissance in Riaumont Wood, had +run against an enemy patrol. History does not relate which was the +more surprised, but both escaped without casualties. + +On April 19th we took over the left sub-sector of the Brigade sector +from the 7th Northamptons, commanded by that gallant sportsman, Col. +Mobbs. The main defence just established was on the Eastern edge of +the Bois de Riaumont. The Northern two rows of houses in the village +of Riaumont were occupied by our outposts, and the enemy were reported +to be holding the remainder in force. A Company (Capt. A. Hacking) +took over the outpost line; B Company (Lieut. G. Wright, during the +absence on leave of Capt. Turner) were in support in the Bois de +Riaumont and Cite des-Bureaux, whilst C Company (Capt. A. Bedford) and +D Company (Capt. Simonet) were in billets in the "River Line," not far +from Battalion Headquarters, which were at the White Chateau. + +It was clear that no attempt to capture Hill 65 would be possible +until the whole of Riaumont village was in our hands, and instructions +to this effect were given to Capt. A. Hacking, operations to secure +which were carried out on the night after relief in conjunction with +the 6th Battalion on our right. The advance took place quietly in +pitch darkness. Several parties of the enemy were encountered, some +being killed and one captured. By midnight the Battalion's objective +had been secured, and posts established in the Railway Cutting along +the Company front. In this difficult and rather uncanny work of +clearing and searching the houses and cellars of the village, Lieut. +Geary, Sergt. Stokes and Corpl. Brett did splendid work, for which the +first-named--who was the last Officer of the Battalion to be killed, a +fortnight before Armistice--was awarded the Military Cross. Later in +the night the enemy opened a sudden and very heavy bombardment, and +parties were seen advancing down one of the streets, but were driven +off with loss. We had no casualties during this operation. + +Meanwhile the 6th Battalion were not able to make good the remainder +of the village South of the cross roads, which the enemy were holding +in greater strength, and it was apparent that he intended to hold the +trench on the South side as part of his Lens outposts. + +The work put into the cellars of the colliery houses here was quite +extraordinary. In several cases, fifteen feet under the cellars, were +found subterranean passages with large dormitories and rooms capable +of accommodating large numbers of men. These were well furnished, but +owing to their depth and the proximity of the enemy, we were unable to +use them as much as we should have liked. + +Further fighting and a good deal of shelling took place during the +night of April 21/22, causing us several casualties, but not any +material alteration in the situation. Particularly good work was done +during that time by Sergt. Bolton. + +It was in these circumstances, and rather to the surprise of those who +were acquainted with the position, that orders were received that we +were to attack and capture Hill 65 in conjunction with the 6th +Battalion, who were at the same time to attack Fosse 3, and make good +the remainder of the village and the enemy trench to the South. The +attack was to be carried out by C Company, starting from the railway +cutting, so far as this had been established by A Company. There was +little time to make any preparations. A hasty reconnaissance was made +from an old Boche reinforced observation post East of the railway +cutting, just off "Absalom" Trench, kindly placed at our disposal by a +Gunner Officer, from which an excellent view was obtained of Hill 65, +a bare hill with a row or two of colliery cottages on the top, later +found to contain the inevitable deep cellars. The rest of the details +were fixed at hurriedly summoned conferences of Officers and N.C.O.'s. +The final objective was "Advance" Trench, just beyond the Hill. The +137th Brigade on the left were to send patrols to gain touch with us +at "Abode" Trench, and the 6th Battalion on the right were to meet our +parties in "Admiral" Trench. Their attack was not in line with ours +but was more or less echelonned in rear. + +As soon as it was dark the Company moved up from their quarters in the +River Line to Cite-de-Riaumont, where the men were safely got into the +cellars of the houses, relieving part of A Company. Pvte. Bradshaw, a +most excellent Company cook, having decided that a Company Mess in +Advance Trench would be a dreary place for his Officers without +whisky, slung on his back a bottle which the Mess President had +thought of leaving behind for the incoming Mess. Unfortunately it +proved to be a case of "Love's Labour Lost," for the man, and it is +feared the bottle too, fell into the hands of the Boche! + +D Company, who were to "mop up," took over the rest of A Company's +area, the latter Company returning to Lievin, and two platoons of B +Company occupied Absalom Trench. The imminence of our attack was +evidently known to the enemy, whose artillery during the night +liberally shelled Absalom Trench, Riaumont Chateau, the Eastern edge +of the village, and the approaches from Lievin. Trench mortars were +also very active on the village, in fact, at one time it was thought +that the Boche himself might be attacking, and shortly after midnight +C Company were got out of the cellars and ordered to stand to. During +that time Comp. Sergt.-Major Haywood was slightly wounded and had to +go back. Nothing further happened, however, and the Company eventually +took up their final position in the railway cutting about 4.0 a.m. on +April 23rd (after waiting for the rum and tea which were delayed by +the shelling and arrived too late). Several casualties were caused now +by our own artillery firing short, one shell, which luckily was a +"dud," burying itself in the side of the embankment amongst a group of +men. + +Leaving a right flanking party to deal with the enemy in the railway +cutting, the remainder of the Company, deploying from the cutting at +Zero, 4.45 a.m., changed direction half-right and moved forward under +a barrage of artillery and trench mortars. The preliminary bombardment +had more or less destroyed the houses on the hill and cut good gaps +in the wire, which the party had little difficulty in getting through. +The right leading platoon under Lieut. Skinner got into one of the +numerous trenches and at first met with little opposition, but being +separated from the rest of the Company, were rapidly surrounded by +large numbers of the enemy, and practically all were killed or +captured. The left platoon, under 2nd Lieut. Hopkinson, reinforced by +the remainder of the Company, were held up by machine gun fire, which +caused many casualties, until Corpl. Fletcher managed to get a direct +hit on one of the guns with a No. 23 grenade. A message was meanwhile +taken by C Company runner, the redoubtable "Mungo" Marsh, to D +Company, asking them to try and work a party round to the North side +of the houses. Further attempts made to rush another gun which was +doing much damage, were met now with bombs thrown from a trench just +in front of the houses. The folly of attempting the attack with the +Southern half of the cutting still in the hands of the enemy, now +became apparent, for at this moment large parties of the enemy +appeared on the right rear, with which the flanking party had +apparently been quite unable to deal. Then from the cellars of the +houses on top of the hill also emerged many of the enemy, and the now +small remains of the Company were in imminent danger of being +completely surrounded. Orders were given to withdraw, but few returned +to tell the tale. Duff, one of the most heroic and stout-hearted +Officers the Battalion ever possessed, was last seen firing his +revolver amid a horde of the enemy. Hopkinson was never heard of +again. Sergt. Cox died of wounds and Sergts. Curtis, Sansom and Chalk +were amongst the 70 missing, whilst the wounded numbered 34. The +highest praise is due to all ranks of C Company for their magnificent +efforts and especially to Capt. A. Bedford, who throughout worked +incessantly and led the attack with the utmost gallantry. It was only +through a hard fate that his endeavours did not meet with the success +they so well deserved. Very good work was also done by the mopping-up +platoon of D Company, under Sergt. Painter, which helped to cover the +withdrawal of the remnants of C Company. + +The 6th Battalion fared no better, and the attack produced, what was +suspected by those who knew the ground, exactly nothing except a total +of casualties which are felt to have been sacrificed on the altar of +faulty intelligence. + +It is easy, perhaps, to be wise after the event. All information +received by Corps Intelligence indicated an imminent retreat by the +enemy. On no other premises could an attack by so small a force on so +strong a position have been justified. One further principle of +warfare, by no means new, was justified to the hilt--no frontal attack +should ever be attempted unless all counter attack from a flank is +impossible, or unless sufficient forces are available to render such +an attack an impracticability. The ultimate capture of the Hill +necessitated nearly two months' artillery preparation and the +employment at intervals of two Brigades. Perhaps there is one further +illustration of the uncertainty of modern warfare in the history of +Hill 65. With that Hill in our hands, and later on the dominating +position of Hill 70, all the tenets of war would conclude that Lens +would be completely untenable, and yet it was not until more than a +year afterwards that the enemy, in the last stages of the war, +evacuated a town which will, in the history of the Battalion and of +the 46th Division, be for ever associated with the fortunes of Hill +65. + +On April 24th we went back into Brigade Support with Battalion +Headquarters at the Red Mill, and Companies billeted in cellars. Some +readjustments had to be made the following day, when Battalion +Headquarters moved to cellars on the Lens Road. This spot seemed to +be a favourite target for a Whizz-bang, which fired straight down the +road, and was responsible for many sprints and much language at +different times on the part of various members of Battalion +Headquarters. + +Three days later the Brigade was relieved by the 137th Brigade and +moved into Divisional Reserve, the Battalion proceeding to a +delightful little spot known as Marqueffles Farm, nestling under the +wooded slopes of the Lorette Ridge. Here we were extremely +comfortable, and on this and a future occasion spent a most agreeable +time, being especially fortunate in the matter of weather. It was a +stiff climb to the top of the ridge, at the Eastern edge of which were +the remains of Notre Dame de Lorette. This was the favourite spot of +the Gipsy bomber, whose story was told in _Punch_ a few years ago:-- + + "But most he loved to lie upon Lorette + And, couched on cornflowers, gaze across the lines + On Vimy Ridge--we had not Vimy yet-- + Pale Souchez's bones, and Lens among the mines. + Till, eagle-like, with hoarse indignant shrieks. + Gunners arose from some deep-delved lair. + To chase the intruder from their sacred peaks + And cast him down to Ablain-St. Nazaire." + +Torrance on one occasion climbed the ridge with Col. Blackwall, and +can testify that the view from the top was worth the walk! It formed a +perfectly ideal observation post, and we now understood why the Hun +had fought so strenuously to maintain a footing on the ridge. + +The chief item whilst at rest was the reorganisation of C Company, +which was practically non-existent. Each of the other three Companies +contributed a quota, the transfers including Sergt. Stokes, from +A Company, who was appointed Comp.-Sergt. Major. A little later +Sergt. H. J. Wilson, who for a long period had ably superintended +the Battalion cooking arrangements, was appointed Comp. +Quarter-Master-Sergt., and was succeeded as Sergt.-Cook by Corpl. +Bateman. In addition to other casualties we had lost Lieut. G. Wright, +who injured his knee up in the Riaumont sector and was now invalided +to England, whilst 2nd Lieut. White went to England for temporary duty +as a Bombing Instructor, and 2nd Lieut. Mitchell was appointed +Adjutant of I Corps School. Our strength was thus considerably +reduced, whilst reinforcements at the moment were exactly nil. + +On May 6th we relieved the 5th Lincolns in the left sub-sector of the +left Brigade sector, with Battalion Headquarters in the remnants of +some mine galleries at the back of Hart's Crater, just in front of +Loos. There were only two Brigades of the Division in the line at this +period, and each Brigade went to each sector in turn. We always went +into the left sub-sector of each sector, relieving with the 7th +Battalion. The trenches here were very bad, so shallow that it was +almost impossible to get round by day, and considerably overlooked by +the enemy, particularly from the tower of Fosse 14. Their names began +with the letter N, the best known being "Nero," "Novel," "Netley," and +"Nash." They were old Boche trenches taken in the recent advance. The +whole sector had a very desolate appearance and life was not pleasant +there. The discomfort was increased by the enormous number of wing +bombs and rifle grenades and occasional deluges of gas bombs and +shells fired by the enemy, which in our first six-day tour there, +caused us 39 casualties. This was followed by six days in support, +when we lived in dug-outs in some trenches between Loos and the famous +Colliery slag heap, known as the "Double Crassier." Battalion +Headquarters were at an exceptionally fine dug-out known as "Elvaston +Castle," which had been dug by the 2nd Sherwood Foresters. Here, in +addition to ordinary work, we amused ourselves at times by cutting the +vetches which were thriving on some parts of the area, and sending +them back for the transport animals. It was here also that a certain +Padre was overheard one day by the I-Tok, arranging for a funeral at +Maroc, with the result that he was requested to attend at Brigade +Headquarters to explain his indiscretions. + +After a short rest at Noeux-les-Mines, we went back to the Lievin +sector again on May 25th and took over the line from Fosse 9 and +Cite-St. Theodore to just South of the Lievin-Lens Road. Battalion +Headquarters were at the corner house near the "Marble Arch" in +Lievin. Here the monotony of trench life was varied by long distance +patrols, and an enemy raid on the night of May 29/30th on our post at +the junction of "Crocodile" Trench and the railway cutting, when we +lost two men captured, three killed and seven wounded. Casualties +during the whole of this period unfortunately were heavy and +reinforcements few, one Officer, 2nd Lieut. H. C. Orton and 36 men who +joined in May, being our sole additions. We also lost Sergt. Burton, +who had done much excellent work as Signalling-Sergeant. He went for a +Commission, and was succeeded by Corpl. J. T. Templeman. Our strength +at this period was so small that for some time Companies had to be +organised in three platoons instead of four. About the same time, much +to the regret of all those who had been privileged to serve under him +at any time, during the long period in which he so successfully +commanded the Brigade, both in England and France, General +Shipley left for a tour of duty at home, and was succeeded by +Brigadier-General G. G. S. Carey, C.B., R.A. + +The first six days of June were spent in Brigade support in Lievin, at +the end of which time we went back into the line in front of Cite-St. +Theodore, where the only excitements were the pushing forward of +advanced posts to help to protect the left flank of the 138th Brigade +in an attack on Fosse 3, and a number of long distance patrols in +which Lieut. Martelli and his Scouts always played a prominent part. +After another short rest at Marqueffles Farm, where on June 12th we +won first prize for the best Transport turnout at the Brigade Horse +Show, we went back for a short tour in Brigade support in front of +Loos on June 15th. + +We had now fairly sampled most of the area and found little of it to +our liking. Hart's Crater sector was the most monotonous for both +front line and support work, there being nothing but trenches to live +in. In Lievin sector, though the front line work was more interesting +and we had fairly comfortable billets when in support, the enemy +shelled the town itself so incessantly both with high explosive and +gas, that one had to take more than ordinary precautions. Apart from +the fact that our own Division and the Canadians on the right were +carrying out "stunts" of one kind or other almost every day, provoking +considerable retaliation, we had an immense number of batteries tucked +away amongst the houses in Lievin, and under almost every bank round +about it, besides many more or less in the open. The Boche located +these batteries with considerable accuracy, and from time to time +literally rained shells (principally 5.9's) on to them, and almost +every day knocked out numbers of guns. + +Many of the gardens in the area close behind the front line were now +in full bearing and provided a very welcome addition to our rations, +and more than one has pleasant recollections of the excellent dishes +of early asparagus and stewed gooseberries gathered from the garden of +Riaumont Chateau. Strawberries, currants, gooseberries and rhubarb +were also plentiful in Cite-St. Pierre. Indeed the attractions of the +first were too much for one greedy German, who was so much occupied +in filling his helmet with this luscious fruit that he walked into +one of the outposts of the 6th Battalion. It is doubtful if he was +allowed to reap the fruits of his labour, at any rate when he +eventually arrived at Battalion Headquarters both the helmet and the +strawberries were conspicuous by their absence! + +The Transport and Quarter-Master's Stores were back in a very nice +spot at Sains-en-Gohelle, but their journeys to the line with rations +and stores were almost as unpleasant as they could be. In going to +Lievin they usually got shelled with high explosive and at Loos with +gas, and it says much for the excellent way in which Capt. H. Kirby +and Sergt. Blunt handled the Transport on these occasions that they +never failed to deliver the stores and had scarcely a single casualty. +For a short period in the Lievin sector, stores were sent up by light +railway from Bully Grenay or Aix Noulette. + +The Higher Command all this time had the fixed idea that the enemy +could be driven out of Lens, and all the efforts of the 46th Division +and of the Canadians on the right were concentrated to bring this +about. The idea was probably strengthened by the fact that fires and +explosions were observed almost daily in Lens itself, evidently due to +the enemy's desire to leave as little as possible in the event of his +having to withdraw. Numerous small enterprises carried out from time +to time enabled some slight advance to be made, but towards the end of +June operations took place more frequently and on a larger scale. + +The Canadians having just captured the Generating Station and the high +ground around it, South of the Souchez River, which overlooked the +Boche positions about Fosse 3, the 138th Brigade were ordered to +attack the Fosse again on June 19th, and this time succeeded in taking +it, and on the night June 21/22nd, we relieved the 5th Leicesters in +their new outpost line in "Boot" and "Brick" trenches, having spent +the last three days at Calonne, to which place we had moved from the +Loos area on June 18th. The two days spent there were two of the most +unpleasant in the history of the Battalion. All four Companies were in +the line, there was little accommodation or shelter, the enemy +shelling and trench-mortaring were intense, and there was the constant +fear of a counter-attack from the right--altogether rather a +nightmare. We were lucky in not getting more casualties than we did; +as it was we lost ten killed and 31 wounded in the two days, during +which we were attached in turn to the 138th and 137th Brigades. We +were relieved on the night June 23/24th and went back to Calonne. A +Company had a particularly unpleasant relief, as the enemy chose that +time to send over a number of gas shells and trench mortars, most of +which fell amongst that Company, causing them several casualties. + +On June 25th the 137th Brigade, with little or no trouble, at last +occupied Hill 65, and the same night we were again attached to that +Brigade, and moved into Lievin, with Headquarters at the Red Mill. + +Here we got orders for working parties required for carrying and +digging assembly trenches at Cite-de-Riaumont for the 137th and 138th +Brigades, who were to carry out further operations. Company Commanders +assembled at the Red Mill to get their orders for this work at the +same moment that the Boche had planned to shell a battery of our guns +almost adjacent to it. Heavies arrived in salvoes for some time; +several direct hits were obtained on the guns, the ammunition dump +just behind it was hit and explosions continued for days. It caused +considerable inconvenience to Company Commanders and further entailed +the hasty exit of Lieut. Tomlinson from the delightful bathing pool +which had been made in the stream adjoining the Mill. It was whilst +out with one of these working parties at Riaumont that Moffat +Johnston, temporarily in command of B Company, got badly knocked about +by a shell and had to leave, the Company then being taken over by 2nd +Lieut. Day, Capt. Turner being away with the 46th Division Depot +Battalion. On the night of June 27/28th we moved back to billets in +Maroc. The following evening the 137th and 138th Brigades made further +progress in another successful attack, the Canadians also pushing on +South of the River Souchez, practically into the outskirts of Lens +itself. At the same time the 6th and 7th Battalions co-operated with +considerable success North of the Lens-Lievin Road. + +[Illustration: MAP TO ILLUSTRATE OPERATIONS NEAR LENS: April-July, +1917.] + +The Higher Authorities were now more convinced than ever that the +Germans opposite us were completely demoralised, and that with a small +push we should capture Lens itself. Hasty plans were accordingly +devised, and, although we were now lamentably weak in numbers, it was +resolved to put the whole Division into a final effort on the morning +of July 1st. The 137th and 138th Brigades were to attack South of the +Lens-Lievin Road and the 139th Brigade North of it. For this attack +the 2nd Sherwood Foresters and the 9th Norfolks from the 6th Division +on our left were attached to our Brigade. The assaulting Battalions +were the 2nd, 5th and 6th Sherwood Foresters. We were in support and +late on June 30th moved into St. Pierre. A and D Companies were +attached to the 6th Battalion, A being now commanded by Capt. Andrews, +who had recently succeeded Capt. A. Hacking on the latter's +appointment as Second-in-Command of the 5th Battalion. This Company +held the 6th Battalion left Company front, whilst D Company remained +in support. B Company were attached to the 2nd Battalion, but were not +required until the following afternoon, when they were taken up to +"Crook Redoubt." Owing to casualties this Company came under the +command of Sergt. Cobb, who carried out his duties and looked after +the Company during a rather trying time in a most excellent manner. C +Company were attached to the 5th Battalion and were in support in +"Cowden" Trench. + +The attack was launched at dawn on July 1st and part of the objective +taken, but an enemy-counter attack found our men too weak to hold the +position, and apart from a small portion in the neighbourhood of +Crocodile Trench, the ground gained had to be evacuated. The 137th and +138th Brigades on the right met with no greater success and Lens +remained in the hands of the enemy. July 1st is not a lucky day in the +history of the 46th Division. + +We remained in St. Pierre, with some Companies still detached, until +the night of July 3/4th, when we were relieved by the 23rd and 27th +Canadian Battalions, and went back to the Square at Bully Grenay, +where 'buses picked us up soon after dawn on July 4th, and took us +back to the delightful little village of Chelers. + +In spite of considerable shelling our casualties during the last few +days had only been two Officers (Day and Hammond) and four men +wounded. Our total casualties during the Lens operations amounted to +five Officers wounded, three missing, 42 other ranks killed, 180 +wounded, and 72 missing. + +The whole history of the Lens operations proves, if proof were needed, +how important a part intelligence plays in modern operations. +Intelligence is gained by reconnaissance by land or from the air, and +from information from prisoners and captured documents. The +responsibility of the Officer, who must judge the truth from what must +often be conflicting reports from these sources, is serious indeed. On +his appreciation of the position depends to an extent not always +recognised the success or failure of active operations. The Infantry +in the line unfortunately take the hard consequences of faulty +information or false appreciation. + +In reviewing the short history of these operations we are inclined to +forget other occasions in which the credit of successes was due not +only to the dash and courage of the Infantry but to the information +sifted from one source or another, weighed in the balance, and finally +put forward as the premises on which operations have been based. In +our humble judgment the Army of the future should take care that this +branch of technical training receives a greater measure of attention +than it had received up to the commencement of the Great War. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +ST. ELIE AND HILL 70 + + _July 4th, 1917._ _January 21st, 1918._ + + +After nearly three months' strenuous fighting, it was a great relief +to us to find ourselves back once more in the quiet regions, and the +change was thoroughly appreciated by all. The weather was delightful +and the country was looking its best, and altogether the 18 days spent +at Chelers were extremely enjoyable. There was not much in the way of +amusement, as there was little opportunity for it, and we were so far +in the heart of the country that visits to towns were impossible, +except for the few lucky ones with horses, for whom the journey to St. +Pol and back was a pleasant afternoon's ride. Billets were quite +comfortable, and Battalion Headquarters were certainly in clover at +the Chateau, where it was one of their pleasures to bask in the +delightful garden and regale themselves on peaches brought by the +small daughter of the house. Otherwise there was little attraction in +the village, though in "Lizzie Five-Nine," it possessed a pearl of +great price. Major Lane was in command for part of the time, as Col. +Blackwall was on leave. The latter on his return, not being fortunate +enough to be met at Boulogne by a car--Battalion Commanders only got +cars when they were not wanted by the gilded Staff--found, as so often +happened, that Railway Transport Officers knew nothing of our +movements, and sent him off to quite the wrong place, about 30 miles +from Chelers, to which he had to get as best he could. On a hot summer +day this was not a nice experience to pile on to that "end of leave +feeling" that most of us had at getting back. and to make matters +still worse he found on his arrival that the supply of lime-juice at +the Headquarter Mess had run out! The truth of course was that not +being in demand during his absence, it had not been replenished! + +In training special stress was laid on bayonet fighting, taken by +Comp. Sergt.-Major Lowe of the Canadian Army Gymnastic Staff, +musketry, and firing practice on the Rocourt Range, where a two days' +Divisional Rifle Meeting was held on July 19th and 20th, at which our +representatives shot remarkably well, and carried off amongst other +prizes two silver bugles, which now repose with the Battalion Plate at +Newark. A large marquee was erected on the ground, where refreshments +could be obtained, and a band was in attendance each day. All the +arrangements were admirable, and the programme was carried out without +a hitch. Teams from B Company won the Inter-Company Snap-Shooting and +Rapid-Firing competition, and the Lewis Gun competition, whilst a +knock-out competition for Officers was won by our team composed of +Lieut.-Col. Blackwall, Capt. A. Bedford and 2nd Lieuts. Tomlinson and +Martelli. In the final round this team beat the one from Divisional +Headquarters, which included Major-General Thwaites. In the General +Officer Commanding's Cup competition for revolver shooting for +Officers, our team won second prize. On the whole the results from +this competition and the practice leading up to it, were extremely +good, and had a marked effect on the shooting all round, both with +rifle and Lewis gun. Two ceremonial inspections were carried out, one +by the Brigadier on July 11th, and another by the Divisional Commander +on July 17th, both of which went off successfully. + +Our stay at Chelers came to an end on July 23rd, when we started back +once more to the forward area, marching that day to Verquin, where we +billeted for the night. The next night we relieved the 1st Leicesters +(6th Division) in the St. Elie Left sub-sector trenches. We were not +very strong at this time, about 650 all told. Four new subalterns who +had just joined, were 2nd Lieuts. J. H. Hofmeyr, C. J. Elly, W. H. +Sutton, and R. W. Clarke. Second Lieut. White rejoined from duty in +England, and further Officer reinforcements who came up shortly +afterwards, included 2nd Lieuts. H. G. Kirby, F. C. Tucker, C. J. +Wells, D. Tanner, and J. A. Pearce. + +We now entered on what was to be the longest continuous period of +trench warfare that it was ever our lot to take part in, for we were +destined to remain in the forward area, holding trenches with but +short reliefs, for a whole six months, and there was little to break +the monotony except one or two changes of trench areas and the +interspersal, now and then of raids carried out either by ourselves or +the enemy. Raids had now become part and parcel almost of trench +warfare routine. The Divisional Commander's wishes were that they +should be carried out frequently, and he was strongly supported by +General Carey, who insisted on each Battalion preparing a scheme for a +raid, either large or small, as soon as it took over the line, so that +no time should be wasted in preliminary arrangements after the order +was given for a raid to be carried out. The drawback, perhaps, was +that raids were apt to be of much the same type, for it was not easy +to introduce variations. In the normal raid there was always the +cutting of gaps in the enemy wire, which was almost bound to give them +the intimation that something was going to happen, the bombardment +about "Zero" of the area to be raided, and the forming of a "Box +Barrage" round it, to prevent the enemy bringing up reinforcements, +whilst our men dealt with any enemy found within the barrage. + +This sub-sector of trenches, "St. Elie Left," was named after the +village of St. Elie, the remains of which were in the enemy lines +opposite. This sector was just South-East of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, +and was entirely overlooked by that old enemy of former days "The +Dump," which had now for some reason changed its name to "Slag Heap." +It was difficult at first to recognise the front lines, so changed was +their appearance. Instead of a more or less level tract between the +front line trenches, No Man's Land consisted of a chain of whitish +chalk peaks, the sides of huge mine craters, which had entirely +changed the aspect of the area. There were not so many, perhaps, in +the sector in which we were immediately interested, as there were +opposite Hohenzollern itself, but the general appearance of the +so-called front line was much the same in both. All this part of the +front had remained practically unmoved since the finish of the +fighting in the Autumn of 1915. The withdrawal of the enemy further +South early in 1917, and our attacks later at Messines and other parts +to the North, had not affected this portion. Mining had been begun and +carried on pretty regularly by both sides so long as that kind of +warfare was thought worth while,--a method in which the Boche, who was +a nervous miner, had been completely beaten--but for some time before +our arrival it had lapsed, and the only visible signs of it were the +craters, on each lip of which sentry posts had been established by +ourselves and the enemy respectively. A certain amount of excavation +was still going on underground, under the supervision of Australian +Tunnellers, but this was mainly connected with the somewhat +complicated system of "listening" in vogue. Apparatus was fitted up, +and men were always on duty so as to notify at once any indication of +mining operations being started by the enemy. Nothing more as a matter +of fact did happen in the way of mining, which had already had its +day. + +[Illustration: AIR PHOTOGRAPH OF PART OF ST. ELIE SECTOR, 1917.] + +Behind the chain of craters all along this area was another feature +peculiar to this part of the line, an extraordinary system of tunnels. +It is believed that these first originated owing to the necessity for +finding ways up to the front line by day, without using the +communication trenches, which were mostly overlooked from the Slag +Heap, and other prominent points, from which the enemy could get an +excellent view over most of our forward area. Behind the trench system +attempts had been made to obviate this drawback by the erection of +long lengths of camouflage screens, which were a great feature of this +part of the front. In the trench system itself underground passages +were dug some 15 to 25 feet deep, from about the Reserve Line up to +the front. These in due course got connected with the mine levels and +shafts, and eventually rooms were excavated off the passages, timber +and wire beds put up, electric light plant installed, cook houses and +cooking apparatus fixed, wells sunk, and in fact a sort of underground +barracks was formed, and all within 100 to 400 yards of the Boche +front line. It was a remarkable development. + +The posts in the so-called front line were arranged almost entirely +round about the craters, and were reached by flights of steps from the +tunnels. These posts were some distance apart, the system of holding +these trenches being a thin front line of posts well wired in, with No +Man's Land protected by active patrolling, and a strong, well-built, +and well-wired support line or "Line of Resistance," where every +effort would be made to hold up any big attack which might develop. An +elaborate arrangement of doors and gas blankets fixed at entrances, +and at various intermediate points in the tunnels, was made to protect +them in case of gas attack, and a carefully arranged system of +electric bells was fitted up from the sentry posts to the garrison +living in the tunnels, so that warning could be given immediately in +case of an enemy attack. These tunnels served an excellent purpose, +but there is no question that had they been in use to any extent they +might easily have become a great source of weakness, as they +undoubtedly had a very demoralising effect on the troops who had to +live in them. + +The Battalion sector extended from "Fosse" and "Stansfield Posts" on +the right, through "Hairpin Craters," "North" and "South Craters," +"Border Redoubt" and "Rat Creek" to "Hulluch Alley" and "Russian Sap" +on the left. Communication trenches in this sector were the best we +ever met, floorboarded and revetted practically throughout their +entire length. The support trench was also fairly good, and the front +posts not too bad, though they frequently got knocked in with heavy +trench mortars, and required constant repairing. Work in the trenches, +therefore, normally consisted more of general upkeep, than of any +extensive new work. Three companies were in the line, with the fourth +in support, living mostly in "Stansfield Tunnel." Battalion +Headquarters was in a dug-out in "Stansfield Road." Company Commanders +were:--(A) Capt. Andrews, (B) Lieuts. Tomlinson, Lomer and Day in +succession, followed a little later by Capt. Turner, (C) Capt. A. +Bedford, (D) Capt. Simonet. We only had two tours in these trenches at +this time, one of six days, and one of four, during which the enemy +were active mainly with trench mortars, including a large number of +"Wing Bombs" or "Pineapples." A raid which we were ordered to carry +out during this period was left in the capable hands of Capt. Simonet, +and fixed to take place at 11.30 p.m. on August 4th. It was all +carefully rehearsed beforehand, on ground near the support billets at +Philosophe. In addition to his own Company, Simonet had the help of B +Company under Lieut. Tomlinson. The raid was made against the enemy's +first and second line trenches nearly opposite North Crater, and was +intended in addition to inflicting casualties to obtain +identification, and destroy suspected trench mortar emplacements and +dug-outs. Unfortunately success did not attend their efforts on this +occasion, for, though B Company reached the enemy trenches, and a few +men got as far as the second line, they had to be recalled, as D +Company were unable to make any headway owing to heavy machine gun +fire from the flanks. Both Companies suffered a few casualties in +withdrawing. + +It was on the following day, August 5th, when the Battalion was in +Brigade support in Philosophe, that we got what was probably the +heaviest shelling of billets that we ever experienced, for the Boche +deliberately shelled the village without a break from 6 to 10 p.m. +with 4.2's and 5.9's. As soon as the bombardment began, everyone +withdrew to the open fields behind the village, and remained there +until it was over. We were fortunate in escaping without a single +casualty. Some of the billets were badly knocked about, but we saved +our skins, which after all was the main thing. We must confess to +having felt on this occasion almost a suspicion of satisfaction in +seeing Brigade Headquarters get a full share of this shelling. Their +mess was so shaken and upset that the Brigadier had to dine at a much +later hour than usual off cold bully beef. It is perhaps difficult to +understand exactly the reason, but there is no shadow of doubt that in +every formation there was a feeling almost of delight when a unit saw +the Headquarters of the next higher unit being "straffed!" + +On the night August 10/11th, we moved back into support with Battalion +Headquarters, A and C Companies at Noyelles, and B and D Companies in +support trenches. On August 14th, the half Battalion at Noyelles +handed over to the 5th Leicesters, and moved back to billets at +Fouquieres, and on the 16th to Verquin, where they were joined by B +and D Companies. + +By a brilliant attack on the previous day, August 15th, the Canadians +finally captured Hill 70, which had so often been a bone of +contention, but was now to remain always in our hands. + +We now had ten very enjoyable days in comfortable and homely billets +at Verquin. Some of the Officers were fortunate enough to be invited +to play tennis at the chateau, both there and at Fouquieres, and owe a +great debt of gratitude to the kind ladies at both those places, for +many acts of kindness and hospitality. It was almost like being at +home to be playing "mixed doubles," and after dinner to have music in +the drawing room. The men, too, had a very nice time in the miners' +cottages in Verquin, and other mining villages. Shops and village life +always had their attraction, and we felt very much at home in this +part of France, which in the end we came to know almost by heart. The +French miner was always particularly kind to us all. It may be that +many of our miners, by exchanging views on their calling, enlisted the +sympathies of the Frenchmen in the Battalion as a whole. Whether this +is so or not, in no part of France did the inhabitants behave to +Officers and men with such invariable kindness and courtesy, as that +exhibited in the various French colliery districts, in which we were +so fortunate as to be billeted at this time. In addition to the +village attractions, we were getting splendid shows given by the +"Whizz-bangs," who were now in good form once more, and did much to +liven things up, whilst Bethune with its many attractions, was within +easy walking distance, and always a popular resort for all ranks. + +There were several training grounds within easy reach, and pleasantly +situated. Training consisted mainly of musketry and attack practice, +whilst the usual Ceremonial was introduced in the shape of a Brigade +Parade, at Vaudricourt Park on August 18th, when the General Officer +Commanding distributed medal ribbons. On August 24th, Regimental +sports were held in a field at Drouvin, in conjunction with the 139th +Machine Gun Company, and 139th Trench Mortar Battery. Perhaps the most +entertaining and amusing feature of a most successful day, was the +winning of the Victoria Cross race on a pack pony by "Doc" Johnstone, +whom we found stationed at Verquin. + +We now entered on the second phase of this long trench warfare period, +relieving the 23rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers (2nd Division) in Cambrin +Left sub-sector on August 26th. There we remained until September +13th, with the exception of a short interval in Brigade support, when +Battalion Headquarters were in billets in Annequin, and Companies in +dug-outs in the reserve trenches in front of Cambrin. It was here that +we first came across our Portugese Allies, who were holding the +trenches North of the La Bassee Canal. + +This sector extended from just North-West of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, +nearly to the Bethune-La Bassee Road, and was of a similar nature to +the St. Elie sector we had recently held, except that it was not so +much overlooked by the enemy. Familiar names in the front line, are +"Railway Craters," "Twin Sap," "Minehead Sap," and "Fusilier Sap." The +support trench was named "Old Boots." There were two main tunnels, +"Munster" on the right, and "Wilson" on the left. The main +communication trenches were "Railway Alley," "Lewis Alley," "Munster +Parade," and "Dundee Walk." After a little rearrangement on first +taking over, all Companies were in the line, finding their own +supports, Battalion Headquarters being in dug-outs just off Railway +Alley. The first tour was very quiet, but was marred by the +unfortunate loss on patrol of 2nd Lieut. D. Tanner, and Corpl. Wright +on August 30th. Tanner very gallantly undertook to reconnoitre a Boche +post, and took out with him Corpl. Wright and two men. The two men got +back safely, but Tanner and the N.C.O. were missing, and were reported +later to have either been killed or to have died of wounds. Another +misfortune occurred in our next trench tour on September 11th, when a +raid was attempted by Capt. Martelli, in command of a party consisting +of C Company and half A Company. The raid was to be carried out +against enemy trenches opposite Railway Craters, at 11.45 p.m. It was +carefully practised beforehand over a taped model. Unfortunately, the +enemy were evidently aware of our intentions, probably divining that a +raid was in prospect from the fact of our having cut gaps in the wire, +and whilst our men were forming up in No Man's Land, they suddenly +opened an intense bombardment, mostly of gas bombs, which fell right +amongst them. Our men immediately put on their box respirators, but in +the dark it was quite impossible to advance with them on, and seeing +that progress was impossible, Martelli, who was himself wounded, +withdrew his party, suffering in casualties during the whole +operation, three other ranks killed, and 30 wounded. C Company were +again unfortunate the following night, when they were bombarded with +heavy trench mortars, and suffered nine more casualties. + +On September 13th, we left this sector on being relieved by the 7th +Battalion, and moved back to Fouquieres, where we spent a very +enjoyable week training and refitting. Leaving there on September +20th, we marched to Mazingarbe, where we spent a night in huts, and +the following day took over the support trenches in the Hill 70 +sector, just North of Loos. Shortly after its capture by the +Canadians, Hill 70 had been handed over to the 6th Division to +consolidate, and it now fell to the lot of the 46th Division to +complete the consolidation. + +Just before the change, we had been joined by a new Medical Officer, +Lieut. St. G. L. M. Homan, who replaced Capt. Gavin, and three new +subalterns, Lieut. C. Cursham, and 2nd Lieuts. S. Bridden and E. W. +Hartle; but on the other hand, we lost Lieut. Michie, and 2nd Lieut. +Orton, invalided to England, and 2nd Lieut. Pearce, who joined the +139th Trench Mortar Battery. Comp. Sergt. Major Haywood had also gone +home to train for a commission, only to be killed later when serving +with another Battalion. + +It was an agreeable change for us to occupy such a position as Hill +70, as observation could be got from there over the enemy country for +many miles, and it was pleasant after having almost invariably been +overlooked, to be able now to see something of the other side of the +picture. The enemy, however, had good observation from Hulluch and +Wingles, over our approaches through Loos, in the valley, and movement +was mainly by that never-ending communication trench "Railway Alley," +running from the top of the ridge behind Loos, through the outskirts +of that village up to Hill 70, where it joined up to "Humbug Alley," +the main communication trench of the left sector. The front line which +was in none too good order, was known mainly as to its position with +regard to the remnants of woods in its neighbourhood, "Bois de +Dix-huit" opposite the right, "Bois Rase" in the centre, and "Bois +Hugo" on the left. All the forward trenches bore names beginning with +H, two of which were "Heaven" and "Hell," but the former was not quite +the Paradise one might expect from its name. Such dug-outs as were +usable, were deep, but small. Many had been blown in, and practically +all the entrances faced the wrong way, which was a distinct drawback. + +For seven weeks, probably the most monotonous in the history of the +Battalion's trench warfare, we helped to hold Hill 70, relieving in +the line with the 7th Battalion. When in Brigade support, we lived in +dug-outs in the old British and German front line trenches in front of +and behind the Loos-Hulluch Road, with Battalion Headquarters in "Tosh +Alley." When in Divisional Reserve, we lived in the Mazingarbe huts, +which were fairly comfortable, but capable of much improvement. +Battalion Headquarters occupying a house in the aristocratic street +known as "Snobs' Alley." Tours in the trenches, in support and reserve +were each of six days. Life in the trenches was of a most humdrum +nature. There was not even a raid of any kind, so far as our Battalion +was concerned. We simply slogged on week after week at real trench +work, making fire-bays and fire-steps, thickening the barbed wire in +front, improving dug-outs, and making good the communication trenches +and reserve line, by revetting and trench gridding. The latter was +probably the most important work carried out, and many were the "A" +frames that were fixed, and trench grids that were placed in position +during those tedious times, to say nothing of the tons of earth that +were dug out in order that this might be done, for the trenches had +mostly been flattened out by our bombardment before the hill was +captured, and needed the expenditure of untold energy and hard work to +get them in good order. Great keenness in connection with this work +was shewn by Capt. E. J. Grinling, M.C., of the Lincolns, who had +recently succeeded that most energetic Officer Capt. Buckley, as +Brigade Major, when the latter left to take up a higher appointment. + +The weather during the early part of October was fine, hot and dry, +but with the inevitable rain which set in later, the trenches, where +not cleaned and floorboarded, soon became in an almost impassable +state, for the mud and chalk together made a sort of paste, two or +three feet deep, of an extraordinarily sticky nature, almost +impossible to get through, so that the carrying of all kinds of stores +was extremely exhausting work. Fortunately we got some slight +assistance by the use of Tump Lines--a leather arrangement by which +the load was carried on the back, but the weight taken by a broad +leather across the forehead--and Yukon packs--a kind of wooden +framework covered with canvas, on which the material was fastened with +thin rope, and the whole carried on the back, and held in position by +straps round the shoulders. Constant practice in their use was carried +out when back at the Mazingarbe huts, and in the end a number of men +became quite expert, and could carry big loads with either of these +devices, with much less fatigue, and in a much shorter time than was +possible in any other way. + +Water was supplied here, as in the Cambrin sector, by a system of +pipes. These were the only two instances we met with where this system +of supply was in vogue. To supply the Hill 70 sector, Australian +Engineers had tapped the water from the mine at the end of the Loos +"Crassier," and pumped it up to tanks fixed at different points in the +trenches. The chief drawback of course was that the pipes were apt to +get broken by shells. It was a drawback to be short of water for more +reasons than one, as an essential part of trench discipline was to +shave regularly, and the visitor to Battalion Headquarters must have +noticed on more than one occasion a petrol tin labelled "Shaving +Water," put in a prominent position so as to catch the eye (of the +Brigadier!) Two of General Carey's pet orders in connection with +trench routine, were that all ranks as far as reasonably possible +should shave every day, and that tea leaves should not be deposited in +or on the sides of the trenches. + +Rations and supplies were mainly brought up by pack mules, the only +sector in which this method was used regularly. The mules were taken +from the Transport lines at Sailly-Labourse by road to Fosse 3, thence +over a cross-country track past Brigade Headquarters at Previte +Castle, to the Battalion dumps at Tosh Alley, and the old British +front line. This was a perfectly silent method, and one which, with +little practice, soon became a very expeditious one. During our stay, +work was begun on the laying of tramlines up to Hill 70, but whilst we +were there they were not used to any great extent. + +There was a normal amount of shelling in the area, and an +uncomfortable amount of heavy trench mortaring, particularly of the +Left-Company front, whilst machine gun bullets along the front line, +and about the Tosh Alley dump, which was enfiladed from Hulluch, often +took much dodging. Otherwise the sector so far as we were concerned +was fairly quiet. Our most unpleasant experience undoubtedly was on +October 4th, when we got caught in the bombardment connected with an +attempted Boche raid on the 7th Battalion, whom we were relieving. +They had been very heavily shelled and trench mortared, and suffered +numerous casualties, the clearing of which caused the relief to be a +long and difficult business. Several dug-out entrances were blown in, +and the front line in many parts was almost unrecognisable. B Company +unfortunately got mixed up with some of the shelling, and lost several +men, including Sergt. Drabble, who was killed. Pvte. Frank Green did +very good work on this occasion, in rescuing buried men, working for +five hours on end, though severely shaken as a result of the trench +mortaring, and L.-Corpl. Stewart did excellent work in repairing +broken telephone wires. + +[Illustration: STRAIGHT LINE DIAGRAM OF TRENCH COMMUNICATIONS AT HILL +70. November, 1917.] + +A very good daylight patrol was carried out on November 11th, by 2nd +Lieut. A. C. Fairbrother, a newly joined Subaltern, who managed to get +into the enemy trenches, shoot a Boche, and return with the two men +who were with him without casualty. For this he was awarded the M.C. A +decoration of a different kind ought to have been awarded to another +Officer, who on a perfectly quiet night in the line, when we had +nothing to disturb our peace of mind, boldly sent off the cryptic +message "G.A.S."--only to be used in case of cloud gas attack, and +likely to cause every Officer and man, horse and mule, back almost to +General Headquarters to have their box respirators or gas masks put +on! Not content with that, he turned on a Strombos Horn, which was +also to be used only on occasions of cloud gas, but fortunately it +could not rise to anything more than a painful kind of wheeze. The +cause of all his excitement apparently was that he imagined he heard +another Strombos Horn some miles away! + +Whilst we were in the Hill 70 sector, the 59th Division (our second +line Territorials) took over a portion of the line about Avion, just +South of Lens, and it was a great pleasure to welcome some old friends +who came over to see us, including A. C. Clarke commanding the 2/6th +Battalion, M. C. Martyn commanding the 2/7th Battalion, and F. W. +Johnson, commanding a Field Ambulance in the 59th Division. Over an +excellent little dinner, at Bethune, arranged by our good friend Col. +Barron of the 1/1st North Midland Field Ambulance, we were able to +compare notes, and go over many items of interest. + +We were not sorry when news came that the Divisional General had +decided that, as the Hill 70 sector was the most unpleasant one of the +three held by the Division, an inter-Brigade relief should be carried +out with a view to giving another Brigade a chance of "doing its bit" +there as well. The lot fell on the 138th Brigade, and on November +15th, we were relieved by the 5th Leicesters, and moved back once more +to support in the St. Elie sector, with Battalion Headquarters and two +Companies at Philosophe, and two Companies in trenches, one in support +to each of the two Battalions holding the line. This was the beginning +of the last phase of this trench warfare period. + +Much to the regret of all ranks we now lost Major Lane, who left us +for a tour of duty at home, and was succeeded as Second-in-Command by +Major E. M. Gingell, of the Wiltshires. Capt. A. Bedford also went to +England for a rest at the beginning of November, and Capt. Geary then +took command of C Company. Lieut. Lomer went to Brigade Headquarters, +where he later became Intelligence Officer. Second Lieut. Hofmeyr +unfortunately had been killed whilst we were at Hill 70, and Capt. +Vann after holding various appointments during the summer, had finally +left to take command of the 6th Battalion at the end of September. +Several reinforcement Officers, however, had arrived, including 2nd +Lieuts. T. Saunders, W. B. Newton, A. D. Sims, N. Martin and C. M. +Bedford, and our strength in Officers was consistently kept up to +something over 30, and in other ranks to about 650. + +Our second period in the St. Elie Left sub-sector lasted until the +middle of January, 1918. We continued the old system of six days in +the line, six days in Brigade support at Philosophe, and after a +further six days in the line the same period in Divisional reserve at +Verquin. The weather was now getting very bad, and as few troops as +possible were kept on duty in the front line, which as usual was held +by posts at considerable intervals, the defence of the line being +assured by the activity of patrols which were out in No Man's Land +much of the night, and did some excellent work, on several occasions +getting right inside the enemy lines. + +We were lucky in being out of the line for Christmas, which was spent +at Verquin with much feasting and merriment. There seemed to be no +shortage of good things, and we feel sure that the inhabitants of +Verquin will not think that at any rate at Christmas time we take our +pleasures seriously. Of course tales of all kinds are told of our +doings, and though perhaps some of them may have been exaggerated, +there is no doubt we did ourselves proud. It was a memorable sight to +see the four Company Commanders slogging back to the trenches on +December 28th, to relieve the 7th Battalion in the line. Jack White in +temporary command of A, John Turner of B, Geary of C, and "Simmy" of +D. Passing Brigade Headquarters at Philosophe they wore a look that +seemed to say "another little drink wouldn't do us any harm," and +after a refresher there, they went on looking as if they didn't care +two straws if the Boche attacked or not. As a matter of fact on +January 2nd, 1918, the enemy did actually attempt a raid on our front, +but thanks mainly to much careful planning by Simonet, and supervision +by Major Hacking, who was in temporary command of the Battalion, the +raid was successfully beaten off. The first intimation of anything of +the kind being likely to happen, was a message received from Col. Vann +of the 6th Battalion, on our right, at 3.30 p.m. on that day stating +that an obvious gap had been cut by the enemy in their wire opposite +"Breslau Sap," on the 6th Battalion front, and asking for co-operation +in the event of a raid at that point. Steps were accordingly taken to +cover the front between Breslau and Hairpin Craters with Lewis gun +fire, whilst trench mortar co-operation was also arranged, and all +Companies warned to be particularly alert. The raid was attempted as +anticipated, the intention apparently being to surround Hairpin Crater +post. The barrage began at 9.30 p.m. with heavy trench mortars and +whizz-bangs, opening South of Breslau and gradually extending North. A +barrage was also put down on the front of the Battalion on our left. +The heaviest bombardment was on Hairpin Craters. Lewis gun fire was at +once opened by us along the whole of the front, from Breslau to Border +Redoubt. Various groups of the enemy attempted to push through to our +posts when their barrage lifted, but it was evident that they had lost +direction, and got very disorganised, and we had no difficulty in +driving them off with rifle and Lewis gun fire and bombs, and +eventually things quietened down. Our casualties were only one +Officer, and seven other ranks wounded, all slight, whilst we captured +two unwounded prisoners, and a third was brought in dead. For his +excellent preliminary arrangements, and for his wise judgment and +control of the situation during the attack, Capt. Simonet was awarded +the M.C. Great gallantry was shewn on the same occasion by Sergt. W. +H. Martin, L.-Sergt. Turner, and Pvte. Wildsmith, and good work was +also done by L.-Corpl. Rowley, and Pvte. Crouch. + +During our stay in the St. Elie sector, much more use was made than on +any previous occasion of trench light railway and tram systems. At +first rations and stores were brought up nightly by our own Transport +to the "Mansion House" at Vermelles, and there transferred to small +trench trams, which were taken up to forward dumps by pushing parties +found by the Battalion. As we were so short of men, however, mules +were requisitioned for this purpose. Later on, stores were brought up +all the way from Sailly-Labourse on the light railway. The larger +trucks on this railway were also available on one or two occasions to +take the Battalion on relief to Sailly, a ride which was much +appreciated, and saved some part, at any rate, of the weary tramp back +to billets. + +The chief recreation in these days was as usual football. A "league" +was formed, including practically every Unit in the Division. So that +the notices of matches might not give direct evidence of our identity, +each Unit was allotted a code name. We rejoiced in the name of +"County," whilst teams we played included those having such +aristocratic names as "Dragons," "Miners," "Tigers," "Wyverns," and +"Maconochies." We were not very fortunate and occupied a somewhat +humble position in the final league table. + +Our losses in personnel during the last two months of this period +included Capt. Turner, who after a wonderfully successful and lengthy +period in command of B Company, left to take a commission in the +Indian Army. He was succeeded by Lieut. Day. Second Lieuts. Tucker, +Bridden, Sims, Wells, and E. A. Palmer (a newly joined Subaltern) were +wounded, and Lieut. Cursham went to the Machine Gun Corps. We were +also constantly losing N.C.O.'s on transfer to England to train for +commissions. Fresh Subalterns who joined were 2nd Lieuts. C. P. O. +Bradish, T. R. Christian, H. L. Kennett, A. S. Judd, A. Spinney, J. S. +Whitelegge, A. B. Miners, C. G. Druce, A. Jewell, E. H. Seymour, J. +Bloor, M.M., V. L. Morris and L. Bromham. + +On January 17th, we were relieved in the St. Elie sector and moved to +billets at Verquin, where we spent a few days cleaning, and were +lectured on the all-absorbing topic of "War Savings." Leaving there on +January 21st, we marched to Burbure preparatory to a long period of +training, the 46th Division having been relieved in the line by the +11th Division. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +SPRING, 1918 + + _January 22nd, 1918._ _April 20th, 1918._ + + +What the ultimate object of our training was to have been is somewhat +uncertain. Our withdrawal from the forward area after six months may +have been merely to give us a thorough rest, but with affairs in the +state they then were, we can hardly imagine that the intention was to +fit us for anything of an offensive character for some time to come, +for as a result of the withdrawal of Russia from the war, and the +consequent release of German troops from the Russian front, everything +pointed to the Allies on the Western front being on the defensive for +some considerable time. That the I Corps knew this had been clear for +some time before we left the St. Elie sector. Their Headquarters had +remained in the same billets at Labuissiere since the beginning of the +war, and they were taking all precautions not to have them +disturbed--in fact sometimes we used to think that they intended to +end their days there! There was no doubt a genuine fear that the Boche +might try to break through and capture the rest of the mining district +round about Bethune and Bruay, and this caused them to take early +steps to prevent such a catastrophe, and for some time before we left +the St. Elie sector, they had all available labour and material +disposed strengthening the defences behind the line as far back as +Bethune. This mainly consisted of putting up row upon row of +"double-apron" barbed wire entanglements every few hundred yards, +which was looked upon, rightly we think, as the best kind of obstacle +to hold up an attack. With machine guns skilfully placed at +intervals, so as to enfilade these entanglements, it was thought that +the best form of defence had been attained. Work on trenches in the +Division and Corps reserve lines was also pushed on, and the machine +gun emplacements were made ready for occupation in case of need, and +provided with supplies of ammunition and water. We were called upon to +help in this work shortly after we were relieved, and on January 30th, +sent a party of 460 of all ranks by motor lorry to Mazingarbe for this +purpose. They stayed there with Col. Blackwall himself in charge until +February 7th, and during that time worked hard in digging reserve +trenches, constructing anti-tank trenches, and wiring "localities" +under Royal Engineer supervision, near Vermelles. These "localities" +were points in the different reserve lines most suitable for, and +capable of, all-round defence; they were selected mainly as having a +good field of fire on all sides, and so as to command approaches by +which the enemy might advance in case of a break through. + +The detailing of such a large party naturally left us with very few +men for training at Burbure, so that we were able to do little in that +respect. Such refitting as was possible was done, and bathing after a +good deal of trouble was arranged at Lillers, but as was the case in +many of the back areas "billet comforts" were not good. Just at this +time, too, we suffered from a scarcity of clean clothes, and later on +the scarcity became worse. The supply was extremely short, and more +often than not the clothes were rather dirtier on their return from +the Abbeville laundry, than when they were sent off. This was not our +experience in the I Corps, which we had just left, and whatever we may +have thought or said about some of the doings of that Corps, it must +be confessed that many of their "Q" matters were very well worked, and +in the whole of their area, which included the entire region round +about and in front of Bethune, in which we spent many months, we were +seldom short of anything in the nature of supplies which one might +reasonably require, though there may have been some Battalion +Commanders who considered that there should have been a much more +liberal allowance of motor lorries, which they were certainly very +chary about letting us have. + +Economy in all things was now the order of the day, and in order to +make the most of our diminishing forces, and to reduce the number of +units, it was decided to reorganise the Army on the basis of three +instead of four Battalions to a Brigade. This was begun whilst we were +at Burbure, the 46th Division being one of the earliest to undergo the +change. In the 139th Brigade the 7th Battalion was the one selected to +be temporarily broken up. The change was carried out with lightning +rapidity, and within about three days of first getting the order that +they were to be so treated, our old friends the 7th, were scattered +almost to the four winds. We were very glad to be allotted of their +number six Officers, Lieuts. R. B. Gamble, S. E. Cairns, S. Sanders, +who was attached to the 139th Trench Mortar Battery, and B. W. Dale, +and 2nd Lieuts. W. S. Peach and O.S. Kent, also 151 other ranks, who +joined us and were absorbed into our Battalion on January 29th. On the +30th we said "Goodbye" with much regret to their Commander Col. +Toller, who left that day with the bulk of his Headquarter Staff, to +join their corresponding unit in the 59th Division. From the 2/8th +Battalion, which was the Sherwood Forester Battalion of the 59th +Division to be broken up, we also got a quota of five Officers, Major +F. G. Cursham, Capt. C. P. Elliott, M.C., Lieuts. G. G. Elliott, M.C., +and G. Thomas, and 2nd Lieut. E. R. Elphick, and 85 other ranks, who +joined us on January 31. Frank Cursham, who later met such a sad fate +in England, was known to some of the older members of the Battalion, +and G. G. Elliott too, had already served with us. This large influx +sent up our strength with a bound, and at the end of January, we were +probably the strongest we ever touched, viz., 53 Officers and 987 +other ranks. The old nomenclature "1/8th" and "2/8th," used to +designate the 1st and 2nd lines of the Battalion, was no longer +necessary, and we were henceforth known simply as the "8th Sherwood +Foresters." + +On February 9th, the Division moved back by route march to the First +Army Training Area, known officially as the "Bomy Area." This move was +carried out as a sort of scheme, the idea being that the Division was +following up a retreating enemy, and that at the end of the day's move +we should billet just as though we were actually pursuing in a hostile +country, without so much prearrangement as was generally possible. +This did not tend, perhaps, to billeting in as great comfort as one +might have wished, and we were inclined to think it was unnecessary. +Be that as it may, we found ourselves at the end of the day with +Headquarters and two Companies at Laires, and two Companies at +Livossart, all somewhat crowded. This in the nature of things was +unsatisfactory, and steps were at once taken to try and bring about a +change, with the result that on February 13th, we moved to a very nice +little mining village, Enquin-les-Mines, which we had to ourselves. +The Headquarter Mess was at the Maire's House, where we were +particularly comfortable, and received much kindness from the Maire +and his family. There we had rather more callers than on some other +occasions, but none of them seemed disappointed if we were not at +home, so long as they could leave a message with the Maire's charming +daughter, and Officers of the Battalion positively vied with each +other in gallantry! + +Musketry played the most important part in our training, and ranges +were in great demand. An A.R.A. platoon competition was carried out in +the Division and roused considerable interest. The winning platoon in +the Battalion was No. 15 (D Company), but unfortunately in the Brigade +competition, they were beaten by the platoon from the 5th Battalion. +Much open warfare and trench-to-trench attack practice was also +carried out, a very ominous sign being that this consisted mainly of +counter-attacks to regain portions of trenches lost! The training +culminated in a fairly successful Brigade Field Day, near Coyecque. + +Recreation of course figured largely in the training. In a Brigade +inter-Company football competition, B Company's team reached the +semi-final, in which they were knocked out by a team from the 5th +Battalion. For amusements we were not well off, as we were somewhat +isolated. We did, however, manage to get the Divisional Cinema for the +last week of our stay, a very acceptable acquisition. + +Whilst we were at Enquin our "tin hats" which had recently been shorn +of their questionably ornamental or useful sandbags, with which we had +been ordered to keep them covered, were painted a dull green, with, +for some curious reason, the Transport sign (dark blue square), and +narrow light green stripe on the left (denoting 8th Battalion) painted +on the side. The change was doubtless due to the pressing need for +economy. + +By the first week in March, it was realised on all hands that the +great Boche offensive could not long be delayed. The enemy had brought +Division after Division from the Russian front across to the Western, +and, during the Winter, had got together an enormous concentration of +troops in France and Belgium, including at least three Austrian +Divisions, and it was now only a question of knowing exactly when and +where the onslaught would come. In these circumstances our training +was cut short, and on March 5th, we began to retrace our steps once +more towards the forward area, marching that day to Westrehem, where +we had been so comfortably billeted nearly a year before, and were now +enthusiastically greeted by our old friends. Only one night was spent +there, and the next day we were taken in 'buses to Bethune, and +billeted once more at the Orphanage, this being our third time to be +quartered there. We were now back again in the I Corps. + +Then began a period of about seven weeks activity, during which we had +a considerable amount of excitement, some of it of not too pleasant a +nature, and one was never quite certain what a day might bring forth. +The first week, however, was spent in absolute peace at Bethune in +most delightful summer-like weather, and was thoroughly enjoyed by +all. During that time the 46th Division took over the Cambrin sector +again, and on March 14th, we relieved the support Battalion in that +sector, the 5th Lincolns, who were holding the Annequin "Locality," +including the whole of Annequin Fosse and its Colliery cottages, which +was being put in a state of defence, and was to be held to the last in +the event of the enemy breaking through the front line system of +trenches. + +With the greatest regret we had now to say goodbye to Col. Blackwall, +who left us for a tour of duty at home. He had been in command of the +Battalion without a break since October 15th, 1915, and during the +whole time had never been off duty, except when on leave or attending +courses. We feel sure no one felt more than he did what bad luck it +was that he should go just at this important juncture, but he left +with the best wishes of everyone for a well-earned rest at home. At +the same time we welcomed to the command of the Battalion Lieut.-Col. +R. W. Currin, D.S.O., of the York and Lancaster Regiment, who was +destined to remain with us, with only a short break, until the +conclusion of the war. + +Several other changes had recently taken place. Hugh Kirby had left to +take up a commission in the Indian Cavalry, and the Transport was now +under the charge of Capt. Tomlinson. We had also lost Lieuts. White, +Day, and Cairns, who had gone to England for a rest, and were followed +shortly afterwards by Lieut. H. G. Kirby. Lieut. Gamble, and 2nd +Lieuts. Sutton, Peach and Saunders were unfit and were struck off +strength, and 2nd Lieut. Clarke went to the Machine Gun Corps. Major +Cursham had taken over C Company from Capt. Geary, and Capt. C. P. +Elliott had succeeded Lieut. Day in command of B Company. We had been +given a new Padre, W. N. Kempe, who made himself very popular during +his few months' stay with us. Sergt. J. Eggleston, after a long period +of excellent work as Pioneer Sergt., was appointed Comp. +Quarter-Master Sergt. of D Company, in place of Gammon, who went home +for a commission. + +Transport was lucky in being put in lines at Le Quesnoy, probably the +best constructed and best equipped that we ever struck during the +whole war. Units which had been there before had evidently worked hard +on them to carry out improvements, and for once we were really lucky +in finding a good spot. The stables were strongly built, well roofed, +floored, and provided with harness and fodder rooms, and to a certain +extent protected from bomb splinters by earth revetments. + +[Illustration: THE BEUVRY--LA BASSEE ROAD, NEAR CAMBRIN, 1917. +_Reproduced by permission of the Imperial War Museum._] + +On March 20th, we relieved the 5th Battalion in the Cambrin left +sub-sector, with which we were already well acquainted. On the +following day there took place in the South the first onslaught of the +Boche, in his great Spring Offensive of 1918. There was no actual +attack anywhere near us, the only offensive action on our front being +a "demonstration" in the shape of a heavy bombardment with gas +shells, which was decidedly unpleasant, though not causing us any +casualties. + +During the night of March 21/22nd, we did experience a real touch of +the offensive in the shape of a big raid on the right Company, the +most vulnerable portion of the line on the whole Brigade front. This +front, which was held by A Company was of enormous length, extending +from Railway Craters on the right to Munster Parade on the left, a +distance of about 600 yards. Three platoons (about 60 all told) held +the outpost line in small posts of four or five men, each under a +N.C.O., the fourth platoon being held in support as a counterattacking +platoon in Old Boots Trench at the West end of Munster Tunnel. The +latter was about 400 yards behind the outpost line, and was also +occupied by the support Company, and contained the right Company +Headquarters. The orders laid down were that in case of attack the +platoon detailed for the task was to counter-attack either through the +tunnel (quite impossible if the enemy obtained a footing in the trench +at the tunnel mouth) or over the top. + +Shortly after midnight, the enemy put down an intense barrage of +trench mortars, wing bombs, and shells of all calibres, along the +whole of the Brigade front and support lines, forward communication +trenches, Battalion Headquarters, the Village Line, and extending even +to roads, villages, and batteries far behind the line. Telephone wires +were broken immediately, but the "S.O.S." was sent by signal rocket +and power buzzer, and our artillery and machine guns replied at once. +There had been no preliminary bombardment or warning of any kind. The +enemy entered our trenches directly behind his barrage from the cover +of the craters on the right, between our right post and the left +Company of the 138th Brigade, who were on our right, also near Dundee +Walk in the centre, and just North of Munster Tunnel on the left. +Such wire as had been put up by the few men who were usually available +was swept away by the hurricane bombardment, which prevented movement +of any kind, either to or from the front or support lines. Two runners +were wounded whilst attempting to take messages between Company +Headquarters and Munster Tunnel, a distance of 50 yards. The posts in +the front line were unable, owing to their small numbers, to offer any +prolonged resistance, or on account of the distance between them, to +assist neighbouring posts. + +The front line entrance to Munster Tunnel was held by us the whole +time, and an attempt to blow it in, which was one of the main objects +of the raid, was frustrated, 2nd Lieut. Hartle being wounded by a hand +grenade. That the garrison of the outpost line withstood the onslaught +to their utmost there is no doubt, and to this the pools of blood and +reeking bayonets of some of the rifles found afterwards in the trench, +bore convincing testimony. After the enemy's withdrawal, one unwounded +and one seriously wounded German were left in our hands, the former +having apparently become detached from his party, and being discovered +later in front of our trench with a sheet of newspaper fluttering from +his rifle. + +The thoroughness with which the Boche trained for this raid was proved +from the prisoners' statements and documents, which afterwards came +into our hands. For six weeks the raiding party, consisting of about +250 men, had been training over an exact replica of our trenches, +constructed with the help of an aeroplane photograph. The training had +also included the teaching of several words of English. The work of +the raiders was extraordinary, and our own men in the front line +testified to the remarkable dexterity with which they removed their +casualties. This is the more wonderful inasmuch as they had to +penetrate our barrages, in order to regain their trench, and there is +no doubt that in doing so they lost heavily. Our casualties amounted +to three other ranks killed, including a very gallant N.C.O., Corpl. +Tyne, 26 other ranks missing, and one Officer (Hartle), and ten other +ranks wounded. We should like to pay tribute to the excellent work +done by the Signallers, who as usual worked their hardest, to try and +keep their lines in order, in spite of the heavy shelling. L.-Corpl. +Parry's efforts to repair the broken lines back from one of the front +Companies, were especially praiseworthy. + +Though there was an element of surprise in the raid, there is no doubt +that its success was due to the fact that the defence was designed for +an attack on a large scale, and led inevitably to a weakening of our +outpost line, making it peculiarly vulnerable to a raid or attack with +a limited objective. + +The following night, the whole Battalion was ordered to wire as hard +as possible, and hundreds of reels of barbed wire were put out. Even +Battalion Headquarters shared in the work, the whole staff being out +in an endeavour to wire themselves in. + +On March 24th, we were relieved by the 6th Battalion, Headquarters and +two Companies proceeding to Beuvry, and two Companies remaining in the +trenches in close support. "Wind" at this time was very "high," and +our Intelligence reported that we must be prepared for any +eventuality. The enemy had made enormous progress in their attack in +the South, and everything pointed to the possibility of a general +attack along the whole front. As a matter of fact no such attempt was +ever made on the Cambrin-St. Elie sector, but we had to take every +precaution, and for the next two or three nights, we marched up to our +battle positions in front of Cambrin, in case the expected attack +should mature. We even made arrangements for a possible retreat, and +worse than that, all leave was stopped. + +It was at this juncture that our Brigade Commander, General Carey left +us to take Command of the 20th Division, with everyone's good wishes +and congratulations. He arrived near Amiens in time to assume Command +of a composite Army, known as "Carey's Force," and to assist +materially in finally stopping the great German onslaught. He was +succeeded by General Wood. + +The "wind" in this quarter, dropped for the moment, but we heard that +things just North of Arras were not looking too bright. The enemy were +expected to attack at Vimy, and the Canadians who were holding the +sector opposite Lens, were to be moved to that part to help the +defence. As a result, we got orders on March 25th, to move back once +more to the Lens region, to relieve the Canadians. Hasty plans were +made by which the 11th Division took over from us, and on March 27th, +we marched to Calonne and relieved the 72nd Canadian Battalion there +in reserve, moving up the following night to the St. Emile sector, in +front of St. Pierre, where we took over the right sub-sector front +line from the 78th Canadian Battalion. The completion of the relief +had to be rather hurried, as the enemy attacked at Oppy on March 28th, +and the Canadians were hastily sent there to help. Transport and +Quarter-Master's Stores had meanwhile gone to Fosse 10. + +The front line in this sector was now of course much further forward, +than when we were last there, as the Canadians in connection with +their attack on Hill 70, had forced the enemy out of the whole of St. +Pierre, St. Laurent, and St. Emile Cites, back to the outskirts of +Lens itself. These Cites were now to all intents and purposes +destroyed, and presented nothing but a mass of streets heaped up with +broken tiles, brick and other debris, interspersed here and there with +trenches, the remains of houses, and a few shattered trees. Amongst +the ruins the Canadians had laid a splendid system of tramways, and +the transport of stores and rations to the line was carried out every +night by this means, in a most expeditious manner. Canadian Engineers +continued to run the lines during our stay, and we must confess that +we did not envy the drivers their job, for the lines went up +uncomfortably close to the front line, and a good deal of noise +accompanied the arrival and departure of the trains, unloading of +stores, and loading of empties for the return journey, the guard or +man in charge usually helping matters with a few shrill blasts of his +whistle, quite in approved Canadian fashion. + +After a quiet tour of four days, we were relieved in the early morning +of April 1st, by the 6th Battalion, and went back to Brigade support +at St. Pierre, where we lived in the cellars of the otherwise +destroyed houses. Our stay there was rendered less pleasant than it +might have been, by the fact that practically the whole of the village +was under observation from Lens, so that during the day hardly any +movement was possible, and most of our exercise had to be taken by +night, when we were kept pretty busy with carrying and working +parties. The nightly gas shelling of the village made this work +anything but pleasant. Bathing parades too, were held at night, and +took place in the weirdest bathing establishment we ever met, which +was in the crypt of the church. It was well protected by the ruins of +the church, and had been fitted up with a spray bath. + +On April 3rd, we relieved the 5th Battalion in the line, and had a +somewhat "thin" six days, owing to the enemy being extremely active, +particularly with heavy trench mortars, with which he did a lot of +damage to our front line, being particularly obnoxious on the night +of April 5/6th, in retaliation for one of our gas projector shows. +L.-Corpl. Beech did especially commendable work during these days in +charge of a Lewis gun post. + +One morning during a tour in the front line in this sector. Col. +Currin very nearly lost his runner. It was a rather foggy morning, and +the Commanding Officer sent him to find an Officer in an adjoining +Company. Unfortunately the runner made a mistake at a trench junction, +and gaily followed an old communication trench, running straight to +the enemy's lines. It was doubtful which party was the more surprised +when he suddenly found himself confronted by a Boche sentry post +behind a barricade. At any rate the latter were too amazed to shoot, +whilst true to his calling the runner ran, and never stopped until he +nearly crashed into the arms of the Colonel, who was wondering what on +earth had happened. + +On April 9th, the 6th Battalion relieved us again, and we went back to +St. Pierre. On the same day there happened an event which was to have +an enormous effect on the future of the war, at any rate so far as the +fighting on the Northern portion of the front was concerned, viz., the +attack on the British line immediately North of the La Bassee Canal, +and on the Portuguese in the Neuve Chapelle area. The result was that +whilst the 55th Division put up a magnificent defence on the Canal, +and completely beat off all the enemy attacks, the Portuguese gave +way, and the enemy were able to push on West for a considerable +distance, until brought to a halt by the British, who were later +helped by reinforcements rapidly sent up by the French. This had an +almost immediate effect on us, for on the night of April 11/12th, we +were taken out of the line, being relieved once more by the Canadians +(13th Battalion) who were hurried up from the area North of Arras, +where things seemed to be quiet once more. After a great scramble, +relief was completed by 5.30 a.m. when it was practically daylight. +Some got rides on the trains which brought up the Canadians, but the +rest had to walk, and eventually we all got to Noeux-les-Mines, where +we had breakfast and dinner, and proceeded in the afternoon to +Vaudricourt. The whole Division had been relieved--one of the quickest +reliefs known--and we now found ourselves in Army Reserve, to be sent +to any spot where we might be required. + +Things once more were in a very "nervy" state, as it was felt that ere +long the enemy would make another desperate attempt to capture the +rest of the mining area, either by direct frontal attack from the East +towards Bethune, or by continuing his enveloping movement from the +North, and attacking it from that direction across the La Bassee +Canal. A large part of this area now formed a prominent salient, with +the enemy on the East and North, and the consequence was a rapid +evacuation of the French inhabitants from many of the mining towns and +villages in that district, including Bethune, Beuvry, Annequin, +Sailly-Labourse, Noeux-les-Mines, and Bully Grenay--all of which we +knew well. For several days we watched the wretched inhabitants +toiling along the roads, taking with them by whatever means they +could, the few belongings they most treasured or required. Some had +carts loaded with bedding and furniture, some their little dog carts +full to overflowing, others footed it burdened with loads almost +beyond human strength to carry. Ever the throng kept passing back from +the forward regions, having left everything that they could not carry +just as it was in their houses, with no other protection than locked +doors. Their cattle and horses too, were driven back, and taken to +pounds in villages in safer regions. Several more mines had to cease +work, and the French miners thus thrown out of employment were mostly +set to work in digging line upon line of additional trenches about +Fouquieres and Drouvin, for us to fall back on in case of a break +through, as it was determined to contest every bit of the ground to +the very utmost. Right well they worked, and in an incredibly short +time, they had dug miles of trenches, and well wired them in front +with substantial entanglements. Our only fear was that if the enemy +got through, we should not have sufficient men to garrison these +trenches so excellently dug! + +This was probably the darkest period of the war. The inspiring message +from the Commander-in-Chief was read to all ranks, and all indeed +realised that we had our backs to the wall and were fighting for our +very existence, and that it was touch and go whether the Hun would +not, after all, break through the whole line and sweep through to the +coast, and ultimately to England. + +It was in these circumstances, after a few days quiet training about +Vaudricourt, that we got word at 2.30 a.m. on the morning of April +18th, that a German prisoner had been captured, and had given +information to the effect that the enemy were going to make another +desperate attack that morning along the La Bassee Canal. We were +accordingly ordered at once to man part of the Sailly-Labourse +"Locality," known as the "Tuning Fork Line," just in front of that +village, so-called because it formed part of a system of trenches and +breastworks shaped like a tuning fork. There was some slight delay in +getting the orders passed on, and it was 4.30 a.m. before we marched +off. This was unfortunate, for we were not able to reach our battle +position before dawn, when the enemy's barrage began. This as usual +included heavy shelling of the rear roads and villages through which +we had to pass, particularly Verquigneul and Sailly, where we suffered +several casualties, and lost Corpl. Caudwell, who had done such good +work with the Transport, and two men killed and several others +wounded. One of the cookers was also badly blown about by a shell in +Verquigneul. We got to our position at 6.30 a.m. where we were +comparatively comfortable. The enemy had actually attacked at +Givenchy, but once again, thanks to the 1st and 55th Divisions, he was +completely defeated, and never again did he try to get through on this +part of the front. We were kept in our positions here for two days, by +which time things had become normal once more, and in the afternoon of +April 20th, we marched back to our billets at Vaudricourt. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +GORRE AND ESSARS + + _April 21st, 1918._ _September 6th, 1918._ + + +Two days after our return to Vaudricourt, the 46th Division was called +upon to relieve the 3rd Division in the area North of the La Bassee +Canal, afterwards known as Gorre and Essars sectors, where they had +recently held up the German attack. This front extended from the 55th +Division boundary on the right, near Givenchy, where the line bent now +almost at a right angle, to Mesplaux Farm on the Lawe Canal, on the +left, this line being more or less parallel with the La Bassee Canal, +and at the nearest point about two and-a-half miles from Bethune. + +Leaving Vaudricourt on the evening of April 23rd, we marched the short +journey to Bethune, where after some rearrangement, we were eventually +allotted billets in one of the French Barracks. How changed was our +favourite old town of Bethune! From the earliest days of the war a +resting place for the traveller, the chief shopping centre for a very +wide area, probably the most popular and best known town to British +Troops on the whole of the Western Front, full of life, and to a +certain extent gaiety, although within such a short distance of the +line, she had now been deserted by all her inhabitants, and was like a +city of the dead. Previously only hit by a few stray shells on odd +occasions, she was now being bombarded regularly, as the enemy had +brought up his guns much closer, and they had already made their +presence known in no uncertain manner. Everywhere notices had been put +up warning troops against the crime of looting, but is it not more +than human nature can stand to see houses, as they were here, often +open for anyone to walk straight into, filled with all kinds of +valuables, many quite easy to carry away, and all liable at any +instant to be destroyed by shell or fire? + +At the moment, however, we had little time to trouble about the town +ourselves, as on April 24th, we moved out again. After a novel and +amusing cricket match--if such it could be called--in the Barrack +Square in the afternoon, we relieved at night the 2nd Royal Scots in +the right sub-sector of the Essars sector, with two Companies in the +front line and two in support, Battalion Headquarters being at Le +Hamel, in the cellar of a farmhouse. Company Commanders at this time +were: A, Capt. Andrews; B, Capt. C. P. Elliott; C, 2nd Lieut. Kent, +who had taken over command when Major Cursham went to hospital; D, +Capt. Simonet. It was fortunate that they had been up to reconnoitre +the day before, for when platoons reached the appointed rendezvous, +the guides were not there. We had had sufficient experience by this +time to know that, although all possible precautions were taken, it +was a most difficult problem to make certain that every guide was a +picked man, knew exactly where he was to meet his party, what that +party was, and where it was to be guided to, and to be able to do all +this by night without a hitch. Ian Hay has classified guides in two +grades (a) the guide who doesn't know the way and tells you so; (b) +the guide who doesn't know the way and doesn't tell you so until he +has lost both you and himself. We might add to this (c) the guide who +doesn't turn up! In this case however, nothing desperate happened, and +in due course the relief was carried out. + +The conditions here were indeed novel, and more like those of "open +warfare" than any we had yet experienced. It might almost be said that +we had now bidden farewell to real trenches, for, though the line in +the Gorre and Essars sectors, remained stationary for nearly four +months and trenches certainly were dug, from now onwards we never had +quite the same type of front line as we had hitherto been accustomed +to. The German rush had been brought to a halt, not many days before +we took over, so that there were practically no defences of any kind. +The outpost line consisted of a few shell-holes, and small slits dug +in the ground at intervals with a very small amount of barbed wire in +front. The support line, known as the "Liverpool Line," consisted +mainly of a few slits, but was protected for a great portion of its +length by the Beuvry River, and a fair barbed wire entanglement. A few +shelters had already been made in both lines, by putting sheets of +corrugated iron over some of the small trenches which had been dug, +and camouflaging them with earth. Some distance behind the Liverpool +Line there were some old breastworks, forming part of a reserve line, +which some of us remembered seeing the French constructing in the +Autumn of 1915, when we were in the Vieille Chapelle area, just North +of this. In some of these there were small concrete shelters very much +like old-fashioned pigsties, which on the left of the Essars sector, +were used for Battalion Headquarters. There were of course no +communication trenches whatever, all communication to the front posts +being over the top, mostly by tracks through the growing crops. + +The whole area was perfectly flat, and almost entirely under +observation, so that by day no movement was possible, and no work +could be done, and as the nights were now getting shorter and shorter, +very few hours in every 24 could be utilised for doing the work we +were so anxious to get on with. There was nothing to be done by day, +apart from ordinary sentry duty, except to keep out of sight and make +ourselves as comfortable as very cramped quarters would allow. + +A further disadvantage was that the water level in the ground was very +near the surface, so that dug-outs were impossible, and the most we +could do was to put up small corrugated iron shelters, mainly in +T-shaped saps running back from the trenches. These we pushed on with +as rapidly as possible, in order to afford some protection in case of +bad weather. In this respect we were extremely lucky, and for a very +great part of our stay the weather was delightful, days and sometimes +weeks together passing without a single drop of rain. + +The first tour of four days was quiet, except for some gas shelling, +which the Boche was doing much more extensively now, especially about +sunrise and sunset, when he was particularly fond of dosing Battalion +Headquarters at Le Hamel, and Essars and Gorre. At the latter place +the chateau and the wood were the favourite targets, and on several +occasions were absolutely drenched with gas. At this time it was +mainly "yellow cross" or "mustard" gas that was used, a very deadly +gas, affecting any part of the body exposed to it, and particularly +dangerous when the sun was up. A certain amount of "green cross" or +"phosgene" which was decidedly dangerous, was also used, as well as a +little "blue cross," which apart from making one sneeze had no very +ill effect, unless inhaled in large quantities. During this tour we +did little except get used to the new conditions, and try to find our +way about. It was the simplest thing in the world to get in front of +the outpost line without knowing you were there, and on occasions +people were even discovered in No Man's Land asking for the support +line! Visiting the posts in the front line was also at first more or +less a matter of conjecture, but in course of time most of them were +joined up by a continuous trench. At first the novelty of it all +amused us, and after all it was a very welcome change from ordinary +trench life. + +It was during the first tour that we had the great misfortune to lose +a very gallant Officer and sportsman--H. K. Simonet. He had moved his +Company Headquarters from an unprotected shell-hole to a cottage at +Les Facons, in the outpost line itself, only to get a direct hit on it +almost immediately which resulted in Simonet and his runner, Pvte. +Garratt, one of the most reliable and gallant men in the Battalion, +being badly wounded. Neither recovered, and they were buried near each +other in the Cemetery at Lapugnoy. A most capable Officer, of fine +leadership and magnificent character, "Simmy" was liked by all and his +loss was felt most keenly throughout the Battalion. He was succeeded +in command of D Company by Lieut. Warner, whose place as Signalling +Officer was taken by 2nd Lieut. Stephenson. + +On April 28th, we were relieved by the 5th Leicesters, and moved back +into Divisional Reserve at Fouquieres, where we stayed four days, +during which the chief excitement was that we had to stand to in the +early hours of May 1st, as there were rumours of another German +attack, which fortunately did not mature. + +We took over from the 6th South Staffords in support in the Gorre +sector, on May 2nd, and had something of a shock on finding that they +had lost nearly 50 per cent. of their numbers during their tour by +mustard gas poisoning, with which the Boche had literally drenched the +whole of Gorre Wood and chateau, and most of the village. It was not a +comfortable introduction to the sector! Fortunately most of the +casualties proved to be slight, and the greater part were able to +rejoin a few days later. + +[Illustration: GORRE BREWERY AND BRIDGE, 1918. _Reproduced by +permission of the Imperial War Museum._] + +There was nothing fresh about the kind of work required of us in +support. It was as ever, and was for several more months, the carrying +of Royal Engineers' and other material to front line Battalions, and +the provision of working parties for Royal Engineers. How we blessed +them and their working parties! It would fill a book much larger than +the present one to attempt to put down half what one thought, and what +one heard and said about them, but this shall be our last uncivil +remark! They had a splendid dump at Le Quesnoy, known as "Kantara." +Situated next door to the station and canal, almost adjoining the +road, and having a branch from the tramline running into it, this dump +could not very well have been in a more suitable position, though the +same advantages made it a most convenient target for the Hun gunners. +Almost next door to it was Gorre Brewery, also very well situated, and +having the additional attraction of a tall chimney which gave the +Boche the line of the bridge over the canal a few yards behind it. +Though they did some quite good shooting at these targets and damaged +the canal bridge, the chimney in the end was blown up by our own +Sappers. In view of these facts it seemed at first rather curious that +this spot should have been chosen for the Headquarters of the support +Battalion and the Aid Post. Perhaps the first people went there to +find the beer; if so they certainly took it all, for there was none +left when we got there! + +On May 4th, we relieved the 6th Battalion in the right or "Route A +Keep" sub-sector, undoubtedly the unhealthiest part of the whole +Divisional front. The so-called "Keep" was merely the highest ground +in the locality, overlooking the Boche to a certain extent, and so an +important tactical feature, though having nothing in the way of +defences to warrant the term "Keep." There had been considerable +fighting over its possession during the time the 55th Division held +this area, and counter-attacks were made time and again by the enemy +to get them out. Eventually they got tired, and in the end, after its +capture by the Stafford Brigade on April 29th, they made no further +efforts to retake it. Corpses lay on all sides, both of our own troops +and of the enemy, and made the place distinctly offensive. Life was +made still more unpleasant by constant trench mortaring and shelling, +whilst protection was of the scantiest. We tried to improve this +during our first tour by digging an advanced trench well in front of +the outpost line, and so as to conform with the front lines of flank +battalions. Though the trench was dug with little interruption on the +part of the enemy, we did not exactly look upon it as a masterpiece, +nor by any means our best piece of work in France, but it served its +purpose very well, and in time was considerably improved. + +On May 10th, we went back to bivouacs in Vaudricourt Park, in +Divisional Reserve. These bivouacs and the villages of Fouquieres and +Verquin, were from now onwards allotted in rotation to the three +Battalions of the Brigade out at rest. + +The atmosphere during the greater part of May was again very "breezy." +From various sources, including prisoners' statements, our +Intelligence Department were led to believe that another big attack +was going to be made, and might begin at any moment, with the object +of getting Bethune, and the rest of the coalfield. In fact, so great +was the general anxiety on the occasion of our relief on May 10th, +that we had to remain in the Bethune "Locality" all night. The attack +passed off without happening, as did several others! The bridges over +the La Bassee Canal were mined and guarded by Sapper and Infantry +sentries, with instructions as to blowing them up in case a further +withdrawal became necessary. We felt quite certain that they would be +blown up alright should the occasion arise, but had grave doubts as to +what might befall those who happened to be on the wrong side of the +Canal! That well-known landmark, Bethune Church Tower, which commanded +views for miles in all directions, had also had a powerful charge laid +at its base, so that it might be blown up in the event of our +retirement. Ultimately it was blown up, not on account of any +retirement on our part, but by the enemy shelling the town. Having +brought up numbers of guns into the newly-formed Merville salient, +they shelled Bethune daily, until on May 17th, a shell landed near +enough to the base of the Church Tower to explode the charge, and the +remnants of the tower disappeared with the most appalling explosion, +followed by an enormous cloud of dust and debris, bricks and stones +being thrown for hundreds of yards. Numerous incendiary shells were +also fired into the town, and with the delightful weather we were then +having it did not take long to set fire to the whole of the central +congested part, which blazed away for days. It was a glorious sight to +watch the flames and the smoke rolling away, but sad to see so much +useless destruction. + +The constant fear of further enemy attacks, coupled with the absolute +impossibility of our thinking of any offensive action for some +considerable time, decided the authorities that a really strong line +of resistance was of first importance. Work of Battalions holding the +line was, therefore, concentrated on strengthening the Liverpool Line, +whilst Divisional troops, Royal Engineers, Monmouths, and special +working parties found by the Brigade in reserve, were engaged in +building lines behind, known as the "Manchester" and "Newcastle" +lines. To build a double line of breastworks protected by barbed wire +entanglements along the whole Divisional front was a colossal task. +The wire was put up, and long sections of breastwork were more or less +completed, but by that time things had fortunately so altered that no +further defensive work was necessary. The other important work was +the improvement of billets in the forward area, which was destitute of +buildings, except for a few farm houses and cottages, mostly knocked +about by shell fire. With the possible prospect of having to winter +here, efforts were made to improve these buildings, by putting inside +them "Elephant" shelters, covered with concrete. The Royal Engineers +made considerable progress with this work, and before we left, several +comfortable billets had been thus improvised. + +Another work in which all could help--no matter what their rank--and +which took a prominent part in our daily life in these days, was +"Salvage." Undoubtedly there was apt to be great waste by allowing +material to be left lying about, and at this time there was a pressing +need to retrieve everything that could possibly be found. We did our +best and endeavoured to rescue such articles as 18-pounder guns and +limbers, which we thought might come in useful, but judging from the +screeds that were received as to "the true spirit of salvage" we were +wrong, and found that the returns of salvage that got the most marks +were those containing such items as "socks 200" (got generally from +derelict Quarter-Master's Stores found in the forward area, and packed +into a limber in about half-a-minute), but the work entailed in +hauling 18-pounders and limbers out of dangerous parts of the front, +apparently counted for little. Towards the end of our stay, when we +moved into the XIII Corps (Lieut.-General Morland) and Fifth Army +(General Birdwood), even greater attention was paid to salvage, and +every scrap of paper had to be returned to the Paper Dump, bottles to +the Bottle Dump, tins to special incinerators, to have the solder +melted out and collected, and so on, all no doubt of vital necessity, +though seeming at the time rather a bore to carry out. + +By the end of May several changes had taken place in the personnel of +the Battalion, not the least important being that of the +Quarter-Master. Torrance, who had not been well for some time, went to +England for a tour of home duty at the end of April. Lieut. Dale, who +acted in his place for a few days, managed to get wounded, and then +Regimental Quarter-Master Sergt. Pritchard carried on until May 26th, +when Lieut. J. Brewer from the "Pool" of Quarter-Masters at the Base +joined for duty. Kent, in command of C Company, had a very brief +period in which to enjoy the Company Commander's well-earned privilege +of being granted the rank and pay of Captain, for he got badly wounded +by a machine gun bullet on May 31st, in the Gorre sector, and was +succeeded by Capt. Miners. We also lost 2nd Lieuts. Christian, Judd, +Jewel, and Fairbrother--all wounded--and 2nd Lieut. Russell, sick. +Reinforcement Officers who joined were 2nd Lieuts. A. D. H. Dunkin and +H. Hallam. + +Trench reliefs continued more or less according to schedule, 12 days +being spent in the line to six out at rest, and though there were +minor excitements now and then, nothing exceptional happened on our +part of the front for many weeks, although on May 27th, the enemy +renewed his attacks near Rheims in the South, and Locre in the North, +and made some further progress. Of the Brigade sectors, Essars was +looked upon as the more preferable, if only on account of the +excellent vegetables which grew there in large quantities, and +needless to say, found their way to the messes of Officers and men +alike, where they were a most welcome addition to rations. There were +also numbers of livestock left behind by the French, which owing to +the rapid onrush of the Boche they had been unable to take with them. +It is reported that two pigs found at "Tank" or "Portuguese" farm, by +a certain Company Commander were not unconnected with a noticeable +improvement in the rations the next time we were out at rest! A cow +which was kept at Battalion Headquarters for a few days, came to an +unfortunate end by dying of gas poisoning! + +In order that the men might do a little cooking for themselves in the +trenches, as it was impossible to take hot meals up to them by day, +special issues of "Tommies' Cookers" were made, with which they were +able to make hot drinks, and warm their savoury "Maconochies," "Meat +and Vegetables," "Pork and Beans," and other delicacies, whilst during +the night hot porridge and tea were made at Battalion Headquarters, +and sent round in food containers. + +Rations were taken up each night in the early days by our own +Transport, which had been provided with lines in a rather low lying +field at Fouquieres, but later moved to the back of Divisional +Headquarters at Gosnay, where timber and corrugated iron brought back +from derelict horse lines in the forward area, made useful huts and +shelters. There was little to choose between the sectors so far as +transport was concerned, for the shelling of roads was a regular +feature of the enemy's offensive action, particularly during the +night. It seemed of little use trying to avoid it by going earlier or +later, for at whatever time transport was about, there were sure to be +shells, mostly gas. The most lively spots were Gorre and Le Quesnoy +villages on the right, and the road between Bethune Cemetery Corner +and Le Hamel on the left, and it was always advisable to "get a move +on" at night along these particular roads. Later on the trench tramway +system, which already existed on the right, was improved and extended +to the Essars sector, and eventually stores of all kinds were taken up +each night to both sectors in that way, the trains being loaded up at +"Speedwell Spur," near Fouquieres. The engine was taken off at Essars +on the left, and at Le Quesnoy on the right, and from there the trucks +were man-handled forward to Battalion Headquarters, or other points. + +During the first three and a half months of this period we were not +called upon to carry out a raid or attack of any kind. Gunners and +Trench Mortar people carried out shoots on various occasions, and our +machine gunners, who were now formed into one Battalion for the +Division, made the most horrible noise every night with their +"barrages," but we were let off with nothing more serious than +patrolling. The country was admirably adapted to this form of +reconnaissance, and patrols were out by day almost as much as by +night. The corn crops which covered much of the area, were of course +left untouched (except just in front of our lines, where they were cut +so as to afford a field of fire), and provided excellent cover, as did +also the hedges and ditches, which were fairly frequent, and by these +means it was possible to get right up to the German outpost line by +daylight, and at times even past it. The enemy, of course, played the +same game, and unfortunately on one occasion managed to snaffle the +N.C.O. and two men from one of our posts. Sometimes patrols went out +just before dawn, and remained out the whole of the day, observing +from some ditch or other place of concealment, returning to our lines +again when darkness fell. Of the many splendid patrols carried out, +probably the most daring were those by Capt. Andrews, who had +previously got a good "chit" from the Corps and Divisional Commanders, +for an excellent daylight patrol at "Hairpin Craters," in the St. Elie +sector. It is reported that on one occasion, when trying to get back +to our line he was mistaken for an enemy patrol, and fired on by his +own Lewis gunners, and that when he did eventually get safely back, +the No. 1 of the team got severely straffed for his poor shooting! +Others who did most excellent work in connection with patrolling were +Lieuts. Elphick and G. G. Elliott; 2nd Lieuts. Spinney, C. M. Bedford, +Hallam, Seymour, Sellis, and Fairbrother; Comp. Sergt.-Major Rawding; +Sergts. Brett, Teece and Sharrock; Corpls. T. H. Johnson, Foster, +Brooks and Hurt; L.-Corpl. Beech, and Pvtes. Stanley and Hinton (A +Company), Curley, Walker and Elliott (B Company), Green (a Stretcher +Bearer), and Miller (C Company), and Huckerby, Wildsmith, and +Stubbings (D Company). + +[Illustration: THE CLOCK TOWER, BETHUNE, 1918. _Reproduced by +permission of the Imperial War Museum._] + +So far as training was concerned, an important change was made during +this period by the formation of the "Battle Details," into what became +known as the "Divisional Wing." As the periods out of the line, were +too short for any satisfactory Battalion training, to be carried out, +a number of Officers and men selected from each Battalion were left +out of the line at regular intervals, to undergo a short course of +general training. These courses usually lasted for twelve days. The +first assembly was at Bruay, but later more permanent quarters were +found at the aerodrome at Hesdigneul. Each Brigade had its own "Wing," +and each Battalion had a Senior Officer on the spot to supervise the +training. Lieut. C. H. Powell of our Battalion was for some time a +most efficient Adjutant of the 139th Brigade Wing. Lewis gun training +and instruction in the meaning of "Chain of Command" were at this time +perhaps the most important points. Every man in the Battalion had to +be taught to load and fire the Lewis gun, and to know not only who his +commanders were, but how the command might descend to him in case of +casualties. Fresh issues of Lewis guns, which were made from time to +time, allowed each Company to have eight. Their transport was provided +by the allotment of two limbered wagons per Company, which carried, in +addition to the guns, their ammunition "drums," spare parts, some +boxed ammunition, and other paraphernalia. Lieut. Bradish, a most +conscientious Lewis gun Officer, both in and out of the line, was +responsible for the Lewis gun work, in which he was ably helped by +Sergts. King, Teece, and Milne. + +There were two Brigade Ceremonial parades during this period, both of +which were held at Gosnay. On May 28th, the Divisional Commander +inspected us and presented medals, and on June 10th, General Horne, +commanding the First Army, honoured us in a similar way. Both +inspections went off well, and without any adverse criticisms. + +For entertainments we had the "Whizz-bangs," who seldom gave better +shows than we got almost every night in the hut in Vaudricourt Wood, +and the Cinema at Divisional Headquarters at Gosnay. There were the +additional attractions of estaminets and shops in the neighbouring +villages, especially Verquin, where we had many a good dinner, and +drank many bottles of Veuve Cliquot at the estaminet of a great +favourite of the Battalion, Mlle. Bertha. + +On July 18th, a whole day was given up to Battalion Sports, on the +aerodrome at Hesdigneul. Beginning at 9 a.m. they were not over until +7.30 p.m., after a most successful day, which was mainly due to the +excellent arrangements made by Major Gingell, and Sergt. Major +Mounteney. At the Brigade Horse Show and Sports held two days later, +we won first prize for a good type of Officer's Charger, a +chestnut, at one time ridden by Capt. Whitton, and later by the +Second-in-Command (this horse won again a little later at the +Divisional Show), whilst the first three places in the Cross-country +Run also fell to the Battalion, and firsts in the 100 yards and +quarter mile races. Whilst we were not quite so successful at these +shows with Transport turnouts, their smartness reflected great credit +on the Transport Officer, Lieut. Tomlinson, and that veteran N.C.O. +Sergt. Blunt. As they had got the Transport satisfactorily through one +of Major-General Thwaites's critical inspections early in June, we +felt sure there could be little cause for complaint. + +What was, perhaps, from a rather selfish point of view, a drawback to +the long spells of fine weather and brilliant moonlight nights that we +had during this period, was that it enabled the enemy to make frequent +night bombing raids. Our own bombing squadrons of course, did +precisely the same thing, but it was not pleasant to be disturbed at +night when out at rest, by aeroplanes, cruising around and dropping +bombs. Fortunately we escaped with little harm, but the billets and +Transport Lines of many Units suffered severely. For our better +protection in this respect, a regular system of anti-aircraft defence +was devised, and a special allotment of Lewis guns made for the +purpose. These were mounted on poles, fixed at various points in the +trenches, at the Transport Lines, and in the vicinity of the more +important villages behind the line. Though perhaps in a general way +they added to our protection against aeroplanes, for which we had +hitherto relied almost entirely on our anti-aircraft guns, known as +"Archies," we seldom saw them bring anything down, and were inclined +to look upon them as likely to give away the positions they were +supposed to be protecting. + +As the months went by several changes took place in personnel. We lost +Capt. Whitton, who after being Adjutant for 14 months, went for duty +to the First Army Rest Camp at the end of June, and was succeeded by +2nd Lieut. Martin. Capt. Warner went to the Divisional Signal Company +early in July, and D Company was then taken over by Capt. White. +Second Lieuts. Bromham and Russell went down sick, and 2nd Lieut. +Elphick to the Machine Gun Corps. New Officers who joined were 2nd +Lieuts. E. J. Taylor, James Howard Smith, T. J. Sellis, H. M. Toyne, +F. L. Harrap, J. F. Shackleton, F. T. W. Saunders, W. Pennington, S. +A. Tebbutt, and S. Bradwell, D.C.M., and we were given a new Padre in +the person of D. E. Sturt. Sergt. Bescoby, who had done excellent work +in charge of the Stretcher Bearers, became Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. +of A Company, in place of Godfrey, who left to train for a commission. +Our strength was kept fairly level by drafts, and we averaged +throughout this period about 40 Officers, and 920 other ranks. + +Our somewhat humdrum existence eventually came to an end about the +middle of August. By this time the German offensive had finally +ceased, having received its knock-out blow in the fruitless attack +made against the French near Rheims on July 15th. On this occasion the +French had received ample warning of the attack, and were consequently +able to dispose their forces in such a manner as to inflict appalling +casualties on the enemy with insignificant losses to themselves. This +was followed up by a series of attacks by French, Americans, British, +and Italians, which began on July 18th and finally drove the enemy out +of the Marne Valley. Even before that time it had been realised that +the Germans were not likely to make any further attacks on our part of +the front, and about the middle of July we had gone so far as to +contemplate an offensive in the Merville salient. Preliminary plans +were actually made for the attack to be made on July 15th, by the +Canadians and our own Division, but eventually the scheme was +cancelled. + +The offensive in the South met with extraordinary success at all +points, and soon extended to the Third Army area, nearly as far North +as Lens, with the result that in the end the Boche decided that he +must take steps to withdraw from the Merville salient. His offensive +on this front was, undoubtedly, from the first a serious strategic +error. The unexpected ease with which the enemy had advanced on the +Portugese front had induced him to push forward further than had been +the first intention. Consequently, in holding the inner portion of a +most pronounced salient on flat ground, overlooked from the high land +south of the La Bassee Canal, he had at last experienced some of those +difficulties and losses which had been for so long our experience in +the Ypres salient. The many destroyed guns which we ultimately found +on our subsequent advance bore witness, not only to the remarkable +accuracy and efficiency of our own artillery, but to the folly of +attempting to hold the salient when once the possibility of capturing +Bethune and the area South of the Canal had disappeared. Owing to this +mistake of tactics and strategy there is no question that the enemy's +losses had been extremely heavy since his advance in April. + +During the second week in August, whilst we were in the Gorre sector, +we heard that the enemy were carrying out extensive demolitions behind +the line, and our patrols were constantly out, so as to ensure keeping +touch, should he begin to move back. He had already begun to do so on +our left, but we were not actually affected until August 19th, by +which time we had moved across to the Essars right sub-sector. About +noon on that day, our left Company reported that the enemy had +evacuated several of the front line posts astride the Rue-du-Bois. A +and D Companies, which were in the front line, accordingly sent out +strong patrols to keep touch, the remainder moving forward to the old +German front line. Some 600 yards in front of our old line, lay the +hamlet of Le Touret. This was cleared by the leading Companies with +little opposition, except for a few snipers left to harass our +advance, and by evening the line ran East of that place, a total +advance of about 1,000 yards. The same night we handed over to the 6th +North Staffords. On August 26th, the Battalion moved up to support in +the Gorre sector, and was disposed about the Tuning Fork Breastworks, +with Battalion Headquarters by the canal side, near Le Preol. Lieut. +G. G. Elliott was badly wounded here during a bombardment of the +position held by A Company, of which he was then in command. A battery +of guns had been put in the orchard adjoining his Headquarters, in +spite of many protests, and naturally drew a considerable amount of +shelling. Several men were wounded at the same time. "G.G." had +succeeded Capt. Andrews, who had recently been appointed +Second-in-Command on Major Gingell's departure for a tour of duty at +home, and the command of A Company now passed to Lieut. Thomas. + +Re-adjustments of the Divisional front became necessary, owing to the +continued withdrawal of the enemy, and on September 1st, we crossed +over to relieve our 6th Battalion in the left Brigade sector. Here the +withdrawal had been fairly rapid, Lacouture and Vieille Chapelle both +having been evacuated, and the enemy were now holding a line roughly +running from Richebourg St. Vaast through "Windy Corner" to Richebourg +L'Avoue, the general direction of our advance being North-East. At the +time we relieved them, the 6th Battalion were engaged in sharp +encounters trying to dislodge the enemy from a number of posts just +West of Windy Corner. We continued this hole and corner fighting, and +on September 3rd, C Company occupied "Hens Post," Windy Corner, and +"Edward's Post," after some sharp scrapping, taking one wounded +prisoner, whilst B Company occupied "Dogs Post" without opposition. + +Very gallant work was done during this fighting by Corpl. Mosgrove, +who in spite of heavy fire established liaison with the Company on his +right which was held up, thereby enabling the advance to continue; by +Pvte. Stamford, a Stretcher Bearer, who on two separate occasions went +forward into the open, in full view of enemy snipers at close range to +help wounded comrades, and by L.-Corpl. Beech, who did exceptionally +good work in charge of a Lewis gun team. + +Those who had been with the Battalion in the Autumn of 1915, were now +on familiar ground, as the fighting was taking place on what was then +the area just behind the line that we held in the Richebourg sector. +The capture of the posts about Windy Corner straightened out the line, +and enabled us to obtain suitable jumping-off positions for an attack +which was to take place the following day, as it had been decided to +speed up the enemy's retreat in this part, and drive him back far +enough to enable us to retake the old British front line near Neuve +Chapelle, the enemy being at this moment about 2,000 yards West of +that line. + +Instructions for the attack were issued somewhat hurriedly during the +night. B and C were to be the leading Companies, with A and D in +support. The 5th Leicesters were attacking on our right, and the 19th +Division on the left. There was little or no time to make any +reconnaissance. Zero was 5.15 a.m. on September 4th, and the barrage +came down on the stroke 200 yards East of a line through "Haystack," +"Orchard," "Albert," "Dogs" and "Edward's" Posts. Having remained on +this line four minutes it moved forward at the rate of 100 yards in +two minutes, closely followed by the leading troops. The enemy made +little resistance, and had evidently decided not to offer any serious +defence to operations on a large scale, but to get out of the way as +quickly as possible. The result was that within a couple of hours we +had regained possession of the old British front line, and the +"contact aeroplane" which cruised round a little later, saw our ground +flares burning in the identical trenches we held in November, 1915. +The 5th Leicesters met with equal success, and were abreast of us on +the same line. The 19th Division on our left had met with considerable +resistance at Neuve Chapelle, and did not get the whole of their +objective until later in the day. The enemy had decided for the moment +to stand on his old line running through the Bois-du-Biez, a strong +position, from which it would be difficult to dislodge him. The troops +on our left suffered several casualties in a fruitless endeavour to +push platoons forward into the wood. Our casualties were negligible +owing to the feeble resistance offered, and the weak counter-barrage +put down. Battalion Headquarters moved immediately after the attack to +"Lansdowne Post." + +Communication had been well maintained during this and other recent +advances, and we were seldom out of touch by telephone, either with +advanced Companies or with Brigade Headquarters. In fact, on the +advance into Le Touret, there was so much cover available, on or near +the Rue du Bois that a forward Signalling Station, supplied by a South +and a North line, was established only a few hundred yards behind the +front line, within a few minutes of that line being consolidated, and +of these two lines the North line was not a mere ground line, but a +poled cable. We owed it to the untiring efforts of the Signal Section, +under Lieut. Stephenson, ably backed by Sergt. Templeman, Corpl. +Osborne and others, that communications were kept up so well. + +The peace that we enjoyed for the rest of the day, was unfortunately +not maintained, for on September 5th, the Boche made things unpleasant +by shelling the various posts we were holding, which were nothing but +isolated shallow trenches with a few corrugated iron shelters covered +with earth. One of these, which was used as Battalion Headquarters, +got a direct hit with a 4.2 whilst the whole of the Headquarters' +staff, except the Medical Officer were in it. The result was +disastrous. Every Officer in it was wounded, though "Andy" escaped +with nothing worse than a few scratches. Col. Currin got a leg +damaged, Martin the Adjutant, and Elly, Intelligence Officer, both got +broken legs, and several other wounds. Stephenson and Taylor (Works +Officer) were also wounded in the leg, whilst Spinney (Assistant +Adjutant) and Salmon (Artillery Liaison Officer), sustained serious +head and face wounds. Elly died the following day at the Casualty +Clearing Station, at Pernes. + +Owing to the continuance of the shelling, Battalion Headquarters moved +to Hens Post near Windy Corner, but again were not left alone, as the +enemy put over some eight-inch and gas shells in the vicinity. +Altogether it was a decidedly unpleasant day, and we were not sorry to +hear that the 19th Division were to relieve us the same night. The +relieving Battalion, the 9th Cheshires, fortunately for them did not +arrive until things had quietened down, and the relief, if somewhat +lengthy, was carried out more or less in peace. The lucky ones got a +ride from Le Touret on the light railway, but the trains for the rest +failed to turn up, and they had to foot it back to Beuvry, where the +Battalion was billeted, with Major Andrews in temporary command. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +AUCHEL TO PONTRUET + + _Sept. 7th, 1918._ _Sept. 26th, 1918._ + + +We left Beuvry on the morning of Sept. 7th and were taken back on the +light railway to Ferfay. On this occasion, much to our surprise, the +trains moved off at the scheduled time. From Ferfay it was but a short +march to Auchel, another mining village, where we found very good +billets, and were welcomed in their usual hospitable way by the French +miners and their families. Thanks to a most generous Town Major we got +all sorts of little billet comforts, of which he seemed to have an +unlimited supply, whilst opposite the Headquarters Mess was a very +comfortable little restaurant, bearing the sign, "Cosy Corner," where +we found helping to run the show, an old friend known to us in earlier +days at Bethune as "Lily." + +On the day after our arrival Lieut.-Col. J. F. Dempster, D.S.O., 2nd +Manchesters, took over command of the Battalion, Major Andrews +resuming the duties of Second-in-Command, and Lieut. C. H. Powell +temporarily acting as Adjutant. Changes had also taken place in the +Higher Commands in the Division. Brigadier-General John Harington, +D.S.O., from the 46th Machine Gun Battalion, had succeeded General +Wood in command of the 139th Brigade, and Major-General Thwaites, who +had laboured so assiduously to keep the Division up to the highest +pitch of perfection in every respect, had gone to England to take up +the duties of Director of Military Intelligence at the War Office, and +we now had the pleasure of meeting his successor, Major-General G. F. +Boyd, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., D.C.M., who was to command the Division +for the rest of the war. He came to see us at Auchel, and we soon +realised that under his leadership, given ordinary luck, we could not +help doing well. Fresh from the battles of the South, he had much to +tell us about the latest forms of attack, particularly those carried +out in conjunction with Tanks, and we were not long in finding out +that what he could not tell us about the kind of fighting that was +going on was not worth knowing. He introduced to us the system of +advancing in the early stages of the attack in the "Blob" formation, +that is, with Companies on wide frontages, echelonned in depth, with +each Platoon in a line of sections in "blobs," or small and somewhat +open groups. With this formation there was less likelihood of severe +casualties from shelling or machine guns, whilst it was a most simple +formation from which extensions could be carried out, and at the same +time it allowed the Section Commander to retain control of his men up +to the last possible moment. This system we at once set about +practising, and later on used it in all the battles in which we took +part. Very little training was possible during the few days spent at +Auchel owing to the bad weather. + +It was, of course, general knowledge that we were shortly to take an +active part in the fighting in the South, and therefore no surprise +when we received orders to entrain. This was carried out in the early +hours of Sept. 12th, at Calonne-Ricouart Station, and was rendered +extremely uncomfortable by a torrential downpour, which made it +specially difficult to get the transport vehicles up the steep ramps +on to the trucks. C Company had to do the loading for the whole +Brigade, and were at the station for nearly twenty-four hours, working +in shifts. They left by the last train at 12.40 p.m., the main body +having left at 3.16 a.m. This was our farewell to a district of which +we had got to know practically every inch, and of which we shall +always retain most happy recollections. We had been there for +seventeen months without a break. + +Slowly but surely we wended our way Southwards, until we reached +Amiens. At one period the town had been emptied of all civilians, but +they were just beginning to come back and the streets were now showing +slight signs of life again. A certain amount of damage had been done +by shell-fire, and as we moved Eastward from Amiens, signs of the +one-time proximity of the front line became more marked. Eventually we +came to a stop at Corbie Station, where we detrained during the +afternoon, after a journey of about twelve hours. After most welcome +and refreshing tea, which we owed to the forethought of Capt. Salter, +the Acting Staff-Captain, we marched to billets at La Houssoye, some +five miles away, where C Company joined us early the following +morning. We were now in the IX Corps, which formed part of General +Rawlinson's Fourth Army. We were soon able to make ourselves +comfortable, though the village was somewhat battered and contained +very few inhabitants. When we moved further forward, it was, from a +purely military point of view, a decided advantage to find no +civilians at all. All around was a delightfully free rolling country, +and we could wander anywhere according to our own sweet will, those +lucky enough to have horses getting some lovely gallops across the +chalk downs. This area had been too near the front line for the past +few months for any work to be carried out on the land, and such crops +as there were were now being harvested by soldier labour, mostly +Canadian. + +The enemy had been driven back from the neighbourhood during August by +the Australians, who had had particularly hard fighting about +Villers-Bretonneux, not many miles distant from where we were +billeted, and the work of clearing the battlefield was already in +hand. Gangs of Chinese were employed in the task, but we were not +impressed by their industry. Everything had to be carried to dumps by +the roadside, and no matter what the burden the only authorised way of +carrying it was by putting it on the end of a pole, which the "Chink" +carried over his shoulder. It seemed decidedly comical, to say the +least, to see a man walk several hundred yards to retrieve a coat, for +example, hang it on the pole, and walk several more hundred yards with +it to a dump! Nevertheless, this seemed to be the recognised way of +working. + +Such training as we carried out was mostly in the attack and other +operations, such as advanced guards, likely to be required in open +warfare. Little was done in the way of bombing, which had had its day. +There was a good deal of Lewis gun work, and "field-firing" practice +in the shape of Platoon attacks on strong points. Flags to represent +Tanks were introduced into the scheme with a view to giving some idea +of how to follow up a Tank and take possession of the ground it +gained. A good deal of practice in Map Reading and Compass work was +carried out by Officers and N.C.O.'s, which proved most useful in the +days to come. Several Officers and N.C.O.'s here enjoyed their first +aeroplane flight through the kindness of the Officer commanding a +Bombing Squadron in the vicinity. + +Orders for a move came after little delay, but with unexpected +suddenness. We had to break off in the middle of a practice attack on +September 18th, to prepare for our departure, and at 9 p.m. on the +same day we left La Houssoye and marched to Bonnay, where we embussed +for the forward area once more. Transport marched brigaded and was now +under Lieut. Toyne, who took charge when Lieut. Tomlinson broke his +collar-bone in a jumping competition a little while before at +Vaudricourt. Somewhere about midnight the long procession of lorries +moved off. The other two Brigades of the Division were being moved by +the same means, and there is no doubt that the Auxiliary 'Bus +Companies were having a pretty busy time! In the darkness the journey +seemed endless. It was too bumpy to allow even a doze, sleepy as most +of us felt. The whole area was a desolate ruin, but in the darkness we +were, of course, able to see little or nothing of it. For something +like 40 miles, the Somme area, through which we were passing, was +nothing but an immense wilderness--every village practically in ruins, +and hardly sufficient remains in many cases to identify their +position. In one case a signboard had been put up to mark the site of +the village, and on maps they were usually described as "---- ruins +of." Old trenches and barbed wire entanglements existed at various +points. Not a scrap of ground was cultivated--all was wild and uncared +for. Not a living soul was there except a few odd troops of our own, +working mostly on roads or guarding dumps, and French, Italians, +Portuguese and "Chinks" working on the railways. A few odd woods and +shattered trees were practically the only things standing in this +enormous tract of country. Later on we saw all this for ourselves when +we used to cross this devastated area going on leave or for trips to +Amiens, which a generous staff permitted us to indulge in +occasionally. Much of the area had been fought over four +times--firstly, when captured by the enemy in the original advance; +secondly, when he withdrew to the Hindenburg Line early in 1917 and +laid the whole place waste; thirdly, during his offensive of 1918; +and, lastly, when he was driven out once and for all by British and +other troops just before our arrival. + +Eventually, about dawn on September 19th, the long train of lorries +came to a halt, and we were dumped on the road about a mile West of a +one-time village known as Poeuilly, to which we marched, and where we +were told we had to bivouac. + +It was a cheerless prospect to be turned loose into a bare field at +4.0 a.m. on a late September morning. Poeuilly, however, was found to +contain a certain amount of useful material which very soon found its +way to our field, and with the aid of a few "trench shelters," and +taking advantage of some trenches which were there, it was not long +before we had put up some quite useful protection. Though chilly in +the early morning the weather was quite seasonable, and on the whole +we did not fare badly. Our Transport arrived late the same day. + +The Hindenburg Line lay a few miles in front of us, and some of its +outer defences were already in our hands. On the afternoon of +September 20th, we left Poeuilly and relieved the 2nd Royal Sussex in +Brigade Reserve in trenches and dug-outs about Pontru, with Battalion +Headquarters at "Cooker" Quarry, the 5th and 6th Battalions taking +over the front line. At this point we were some seven miles North-West +of St. Quentin, and two to three miles West of Bellenglise, on the St. +Quentin Canal. There was no great excitement during the three days we +spent there except that we had rather bad luck with the Transport. As +the idea was rather pressed on us that we were now taking part in +"moving warfare," some of the horses and Company limbers of bombs and +small arm ammunition were taken forward to the edge of a small wood +just behind Battalion Headquarters. Unfortunately this wood got +shelled and several mules were knocked out, with the result that the +ammunition was dumped, and the limbers and rest of the animals were +sent back to Poeuilly. + +On September 23rd we received orders for certain action to be carried +out by us in connection with an attack which was to be launched the +next day, when the 46th Division were to carry out a "minor operation" +in conjunction with the 1st Division on their right. The Australians +had pushed forward considerably on the left, and the line now bent +back sharply, where the troops we had relieved had been held up by the +village of Pontruet. The attack was planned both to straighten out the +line and to get possession of the high ground on the right. The 138th +Brigade, who had taken over from the Australians on the left, were +ordered to capture the village of Pontruet, and for this purpose +detailed the 5th Leicesters. The attack was to be carried out by an +enveloping movement from the North, and the village was to be rushed +from the East. Our 5th and 6th Battalions were to co-operate by +occupying some trenches about Pontruet, and, on the night following, +the 8th Battalion was to relieve the 5th Leicesters as far North as +the inter-Brigade boundary. + +The attack was launched at 5 a.m. on September 24th, and though the +5th Leicesters made most strenuous efforts to attain their objectives, +they just failed to achieve the full purpose for which they set out, +and at the end of the day Pontruet was not ours. Our 5th Battalion on +the right also had some stiff fighting, and suffered several +casualties, taking their objective on the high ground South of +Pontruet, and capturing about 100 prisoners. Late in the day our +orders to relieve the 5th Leicesters were cancelled, and we had to +take over from our own 5th Battalion, who were holding the Western +edge of Pontruet. This operation was completed just before dawn on the +25th, Battalion Headquarters being in a dug-out in the high ground +South of Pontru. Fortunately we were there only two days, for the +discomfort was very great, the dug-outs and cellars swarming with +flies and vermin, and there was little other protection from the enemy +shelling, which was fairly frequent. On September 26th we were +relieved on an intensely dark night by the 1st Black Watch and went +back to bivouacs just off the Vendelles-Bihecourt Road, put up for us +by the Battle Details, who had moved up from Poeuilly. They, together +with the Transport and Quar.-Master's stores, had had none too +peaceful a time during the last few days. Having moved to Vendelles +they were shelled out of it almost at the moment they arrived, but +eventually found a quiet resting-place for a brief space at Bernes, +where, in addition to ordinary stores, there were piled all the men's +packs and spare kit, and numbers of Lewis gun boxes. All moves now +were done in light "fighting order" and the Quar.-Master and +Quar.-Master-Sergts. had their time fully occupied in thinking how all +the spare kit was to be got forward when it was wanted. + +During our recent moves we had received a regular influx of new +Officers, no fewer than nine having joined between September 3rd and +September 26th. They were 2nd Lieuts. G. Newton, John Henry Smith, A. +N. Davis, R. N. Barker, T. F. Mitchell, W. J. Winter, R. S. Plant, P. +A. Turner, and W. G. Jacques. We had lost 2nd Lieut. Morris, who had +gone to the 139th Trench Mortar Battery; and Comp. Sergt.-Major Slater +and five N.C.O.'s who were sent to England as Instructors. Slater was +succeeded as Comp.-Sergt.-Major of A Company, by Sergt. Attenborough. +Our battle casualties at Pontruet amounted to five killed and 24 +wounded. + +The men were now very fit and the Battalion was on the top of its +form. Our chief anxiety was whether after all we were to be in a real +good push. We suspected that we might have been brought here to be +whittled away in minor trench attacks, and that the opportunity of +really showing what stuff the Battalion was made of would never +present itself. Our fears were not lessened when we saw how the 5th +Leicesters and 5th Sherwood Foresters suffered at Pontruet, and we saw +looming ahead what we imagined to be the never-ending luck of the 46th +Division. Our fears were ill-founded. Better things were before us and +arrived sooner than we expected. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +BELLENGLISE + + _Sept. 26th, 1918._ _Sept. 29th, 1918._ + + +A great effort was to be made to break the Hindenburg Line. +Preliminary orders received on September 26th were to the effect that +the 46th Division, as part of a major operation (simultaneous attacks +by the British and French taking place at several other points), would +at an early date cross the St. Quentin Canal between Bellenglise and +Riquerval Bridge, and capture the Hindenburg Line. The general scheme +was that the 137th Brigade were to capture the canal and hold the +crossings, advancing as far as the "Brown Line" shown on the map, +whilst the 139th Brigade on the right and 138th Brigade on the left, +were to pass through them and consolidate up to and including the +"Green Line." If all went well the 32nd Division were to pass through +and make further progress. The 1st Division were to protect our right +flank, where the enemy were still occupying a large area of ground +which might be decidedly dangerous to us, and in the event of the +enemy withdrawing, they were to follow up and, if possible, capture +Thorigny and the high ground round about it. On our left the 30th +American Division, attached to the Australian Corps, were to seize the +Bellicourt Tunnel (where the canal ran underground) and continue the +attack in that direction. Tanks were to cross the canal by passing +over the tunnel and come down to operate with the 138th and 139th +Brigades and help them to reach their objectives. + +In order to improve our position the 138th Brigade, who were holding +the line running along the high ground just East of "Victoria Cross +Roads," carried out an attack on September 27th against the German +trenches on the high ground North-East of "Chopper Ravine." This was +successful and the trenches were handed over to the 137th Brigade. +Unfortunately, the following morning the enemy delivered a heavy +counter-attack against the Staffords, and recovered so much ground +that at night the latter had to withdraw from the portions still held +and come back to our original line. This set-back, however, had no ill +result. + +Our preparations had to be made on the assumption that the attack +would take place on the early morning of Sunday, September 29th, as it +did. + +From the line held by the Division it was possible to get a good view +of the canal and the ground beyond for some distance, and such +reconnaissance as could be carried out in the time at our disposal was +made by observation from this line. + +[Illustration: THE ST. QUENTIN CANAL, BELLENGLISE--LOOKING +NORTH--1918.] + +Running diagonally across the front, through No Man's Land, down the +slope to the Riquerval Bridge, on the left, was a narrow road known as +"Watling Street." Immediately in front of our trenches was the ridge +which we had had to evacuate, and from there the land again sloped +down to the canal. Immediately the other side of the canal was the +village of Bellenglise, about three-quarters-of-a-mile from our +present front line, but looking much closer. The canal ran in a +cutting, into which it was not possible to see, but from descriptions +obtained from various sources it appeared that it had steep banks +twelve to eighteen yards deep, and we were told that where there was +water we might expect it to be seven to eight feet deep. As a matter +of fact the canal in some parts was quite dry, and in other parts the +water was held up by big dams of concrete. When we did properly see +it, it appeared to be more or less derelict. On the right towards +Bellenglise it was mostly dry. Rising from the canal on the other side +was a fairly gradual, but none the less decided, slope for some +distance, fortified with lines of trenches, barbed wire and concrete +machine gun emplacements, apparently a most unpromising position to +attack--indeed, we thought it impregnable, and no doubt the Boche did +so, too. It was an ideal spot for concealed dug-outs all along the +canal banks. Many were found there, and Bellenglise itself contained a +wonderfully constructed tunnel, estimated to be capable of holding at +least a thousand men. + +The problem of dealing with any water that might be found in the canal +was a difficult but important one, as every preparation had to be made +for getting across on the assumption that all the bridges would be +destroyed. Accordingly the 137th Brigade were equipped with a number +of collapsible boats and rafts, also mats for getting across any soft +mud they might encounter, whilst almost at the last moment, numbers of +lifebelts were sent up for their use, taken from the leave boats. + +As it was doubtless realised that this great stronghold would require +pounding almost to atoms, arrangements were made for getting together +what must have been the largest array of guns that ever was collected, +at any rate in such a short space of time. Battery after battery of +every known calibre took up positions in one or other of the ravines +and valleys behind the line. Indeed, there seemed no room for them all +and many of them were practically in the open. + +Behind the line an immense amount of railway and road work was being +carried out in order to maintain supplies. Probably the most +interesting piece of work was the relaying of the railway line from +Roizel to Vermand, preparatory to its being continued into St. +Quentin as soon as the latter should be liberated. We enjoyed +watching the Canadian Engineers at work rebuilding bridges and +bringing up and relaying fresh sleepers and metals, all the old ones +having been removed by the enemy for several miles. The rapid +reconstruction of the line was of vital importance, as it would form +the main source of transport for all our supplies. + +On the night of September 27/28th, we moved from bivouacs near +Vendelles, and marched to our preliminary assembly position in some +trenches near "Red Wood," about half-a-mile North-West of that +well-known landmark "The Tumulus," a high chalk mound from which an +excellent view could be obtained, but where it was not wise to pause +to admire the scenery. Battalion Headquarters was in a dug-out at +"Hudson's Post," between Red Wood and the "Twin Craters." This move +was carried out without casualty, but the very dark night, coupled +with a certain amount of gas shelling, and the absence of good guiding +marks, made going somewhat difficult. A section from the 139th Trench +Mortar Battery, which was to be attached to us for the battle, joined +us just before the move. + +The attack was to be carried out under a creeping barrage, and the +objective allotted to us was the "Yellow Line" East of Bellenglise. +The frontage allotted to the Battalion was about 1,200 yards, and the +advance in its final stages was to be carried out with two Companies +in the front line and two in support. In each case there were to be +three Platoons leading, with one in support, each front Platoon thus +having a frontage of about 200 yards. The distance between front and +support Companies was to be 200 to 250 yards. The Artillery barrage +was to move at the rate of 100 yards in four minutes, making long +pauses after each objective had been gained in order to allow time for +the rear troops to continue the advance. A machine gun barrage also +was to be fired during the opening stages of the attack, and for this +purpose our Divisional Battalion was strengthened by the addition of +the 2nd Life Guards Machine Gun Battalion and the 100th Machine Gun +Battalion. By a happy coincidence some South Notts. Yeomanry were +included amongst these Machine Gunners. The Royal Engineers and +Monmouth Pioneers, detailed to put emergency bridges on cork piers +across the canal for foot traffic and artillery, were to follow in +rear of the 137th Brigade, and immediately in front of us. Second +Lieut. Davis with ten men was to keep touch with the last Battalion of +the 137th Brigade, whilst 2nd Lieut. Plant was detailed to act as +Liaison Officer with the 137th Brigade Headquarters. Second Lieut. +Bradish was to do similar duty with the 139th Brigade, and 2nd Lieut. +Winter with the 6th Battalion, who were to follow immediately behind +us, the 5th Battalion bringing up the rear. Guides from each Company +were detailed to follow the 137th Brigade and direct their Companies +to the canal crossings. Flags were to be carried to mark Battalion and +Company Headquarters. In addition to red flares for notifying the +position of the advanced troops to our 'contact aeroplanes,' a number +of tin discs were issued, which were to be waved by the men carrying +them so as to catch the eye of the Observers. "Success Signals"--rifle +grenades bursting into "white over white over white"--were to be fired +by the leading Companies as soon as they reached their objective. Pack +transport was arranged in readiness for taking forward ammunition, +water and other supplies, if required, as soon as it was possible to +get them across the canal. + +Enough and more than enough work was entailed in all these details to +keep us busy during the short time available before the attack. +Nevertheless all was ready by the appointed time, and about 3 a.m. on +the morning of September 29th, after a most welcome issue of rum, +which fortunately arrived just in time, we began to move into our +final assembly position on the Eastern side of "Ascension Valley." The +valley never had been a place to linger in, as most nights and early +mornings the Hun was in the habit of treating it liberally with high +explosive and gas shells, and this occasion was no exception, a +combination of the two making things very unpleasant. Further, it was +a dark night, and, worse than all, a dense fog came down over +everything, so that movement over these more or less open spaces with +little or nothing to guide us was extremely difficult. However, in the +end everyone got into position in good time and without accident. +Fortunately most of the shells were then passing over us into the +valley behind. Companies were drawn up as follows: Right Front (A +Company), Capt. Thomas; Left Front (B Company), 2nd Lieut. Bloor; +Right Support (C Company), Lieut. Cairns, in the absence of Capt. +Miners on leave; Left Support (D Company), Capt. White. Capt. C. P. +Elliott was acting as Second-in-Command, Major Andrews being away on +leave. + +Zero was fixed for 5.50 a.m., at which time the 137th Brigade were to +advance from our front line. At the same time the 1st Division were to +advance so as to protect our right flank up to a point near +Bellenglise Bridge. + +Promptly at Zero an uncanny stillness was broken by an inferno of +noise. With a din and roar that can never be forgotten by those who +heard it, one of the greatest concentrations of artillery the World +had ever seen came into action. The crash and rattle were appalling. +Sandwiched as we were, with machine guns blazing away just in front, +and 18-pounders belching out fire just behind, it was perfect +pandemonium. Speech was impossible. Though it was now practically +daylight the fog was so intense that you could not see a yard in +front of you. All over the battlefield it was the same. We could only +imagine the difficulty with which the Staffords were going, if they +were going at all, and we could see nothing. Our right Company, A, had +been detailed to assist that Brigade to mop up the enemy trenches West +of the canal, and on completion re-form in the old German front line, +and await the arrival of the other Companies. This Company advanced in +Artillery formation as soon as the machine guns ceased firing, about +15 minutes after Zero, and reached these trenches without accident. +Little was found to be done there, and having distributed themselves +in the trenches, they awaited the time for the general advance to +begin. The rest of the Battalion moved forward at the same time in a +similar formation to "Nib" and "Quill" trenches on "Helene Ridge." +Even for this short move direction could only be maintained by means +of compasses. We made ourselves as comfortable as possible there, as +we knew that we should have some time to wait before advancing +further. In any case we were not to move without orders from Brigade +Headquarters, and it was not intended that we should be involved in +the actual fighting until the 137th Brigade were East of the canal, +and then probably not for some time unless they were in difficulties. +The Boche had put down a counter-barrage directly after our attack +began, and a certain number of shells and some machine gun bullets +fell about the ridge where we were, but caused us little +inconvenience. + +In spite of the fog wounded men were finding their way back, and odd +lots of German prisoners were being brought back by escorts of +Staffords. How they did it we never quite knew, but it was reported +that in one case the escort of a party of prisoners having been lost +in the fog, got a captured German Officer to act as guide by marching +due West on a compass bearing! For over three hours we were unable to +get any definite news as to the progress of the battle. The first +official message which reached our Brigade Headquarters to the effect +that the 137th Brigade were across the canal, arrived at 8.30 a.m., +and orders were at once sent to the three Battalions to get on the +move and keep in close touch. Unfortunately our telephone line to +Brigade Headquarters was broken, and the message had to be sent by +runners, who after experiencing the greatest difficulty owing to the +fog, eventually reached us at 9.37 a.m. Orders were sent to Companies +as quickly as possible, and we moved off again in artillery formation, +keeping direction with our compasses. Progress, of course, was +extremely slow. By the time we reached the canal, which seemed much +further away than we had imagined, the fog began to clear and caused +us no more trouble. The canal was crossed by plank foot bridges, +which, fortunately, were still more or less intact, and Companies +pushed on in a direction practically half-right towards the villages +of Bellenglise on the right and La Baraque on the left. + +Here our first real fighting began, considerable opposition being met +with from isolated snipers and machine gun posts, particularly on the +right, where A Company had a very rough time. Two Platoons of that +Company, under 2nd Lieuts. Bradwell and Shackleton, worked their way +along the bend of the canal sheltered by a large ditch, and rushed +several "pill-boxes" from the rear. At one large concrete dug-out a +Boche was discovered just emerging with his machine gun ready to fire. +Bradwell stopped him with a revolver bullet through the chest. The +bullet went through the next man behind him as well, and finished by +lodging in the throat of a third--a very useful shot! A little later +the same Officer got a sniper, who was obstinately holding up the +advance with a small group of men, by a rifle bullet neatly placed +between the eyes at 300 yards. The left of A Company also met with +opposition from machine gun nests in the ruins of the houses. Thomas +himself, in rushing one machine gun, had no time to draw his revolver, +but put one Boche out of action by a kick under the jaw. C Company +reinforced A and shared with them the clearing of Bellenglise, but in +doing so they also had a bad time. Stanley Cairns led them with great +dash, only to be killed in an attack on a group of Boches who were +holding up the left of A Company. They were, however, eventually +rushed and all bayoneted. On the left some of B Company lost direction +and strayed over to the 138th Brigade. Though the resistance on this +flank was not so great it was not altogether easy going, and there was +considerable shelling and machine gun fire. Bloor, in command, got +badly wounded, and Rawding, his very gallant Comp. Sergt.-Major also +fell, dying the next day. Mobilised with the Battalion he went out +with it as a Private and won promotion by sheer merit. All ranks of +the Battalion had the greatest regard for him and his loss was very +keenly felt. D Company, under Capt. White, ably assisted by 2nd Lieut. +Smith, acting as Second-in-Command, also gave a hand in the mopping +up. Casualties were, of course, mounting, as there was heavy shelling +going on most of the time, particularly on the Eastern edge of +Bellenglise. Eventually, however, the village was cleared and we got +to our next starting-point, the "Brown Line," with our right on the +canal, at 11.30 a.m. This was only ten minutes after our scheduled +time which, considering the almost insuperable difficulties caused by +the fog, must be considered excellent. It meant, of course, that our +barrage, which advanced again at 11.20 a.m. (five-and-a-half hours +after Zero) was slightly ahead of us, but that was now too late to be +altered and we had to make the best of it. + +At this point we were to have been joined by a Company of five Tanks, +but they had not turned up. They arrived, however, a little later and +were going forward to help the attack of the 6th Battalion, who +followed us, when they were put out of action by enemy field guns +firing from South of the canal and at point blank range. Our final +advance, therefore, had to be continued without their help. We moved +off this time in extended order and met with little opposition, though +there was considerable machine gun fire from the South side of the +canal, which was not particularly accurate and did little damage. We +reached our final objective about 12.15 p.m., only a few minutes after +scheduled time, and the 6th Battalion immediately pushed on through +us. + +Our right flank was somewhat exposed, as the enemy were still holding +the ground South of the canal, and one or two feeble attempts at +counter-attacks were made from that direction, but were easily broken +up. The 1st Division had been unable to advance to connect across with +us at Bellenglise, but by their demonstration they doubtless prevented +the enemy from concentrating for a counter-attack in that quarter, +which was a decidedly weak spot. + +Our advance had been extremely rapid and to a certain extent our +success was due to that fact. The enemy in many cases were taken +before they had time to get to their battle positions. At the same +time every member of the Battalion was determined to "get there." +Particularly good work was done by Sergt. Peach, who was acting Comp. +Sergt.-Major of C Company, and himself accounted for three of the +enemy at one post, by Sergt. Oldham, Lance-Sergts. Field and Illger, +and Corpl. Slater, when in temporary command of Platoons, also by +Sergt. Claxton, Corpls. Gadsby, Skelton and W. Foster, L.-Corpl. R. +Harvey. and Pvtes. Cook, Titmus, Welbourne and Stapleton. +Communication throughout the day was almost entirely by runners, who +had an exceptionally strenuous time, but in spite of all their +difficulties they never failed to get their messages through. +Specially valuable work was done in this respect by Pvtes. B. +Smithurst, Feighery, Sully, Colton and Parker. The Signallers had a +thankless task in trying to keep their lines repaired. A special word +of praise is due to L.-Corpl. J. North for his work in this +connection. The Medical Officer, Capt. Homan, had a difficult task in +attending to the wounded in open trenches and often under heavy shell +fire. He got great help from Padre Sturt, who was always rendering +faithful service, and from a willing band of Stretcher Bearers, who +worked unceasingly throughout the battle, notably Corpl. Wrigglesworth +and Pvtes. Westnidge and Green. Comp. Sergt.-Major Stokes, who was +acting as Regt.-Sergt.-Major, was also of the greatest service in +looking after ammunition and other stores. + +The sight presented by the enemy defences East of the canal gave no +room for doubt that our guns had done most deadly work. The ground was +literally torn to pieces, trenches and wire being blown to atoms in +all directions, and there seemed to be scarcely a spot that had not +been touched. + +The prisoners taken by us numbered something like 300. There is no +doubt that our bombardment had caused many of them to become more or +less senseless. In many cases all they did was to retire to their +dug-outs and await the end. Full dug-outs emptied themselves at the +first word, and poured out their garrisons, which were as quickly +marshalled by our men and led off to the prisoner cages in batches, 50 +or more in a batch, and very often not more than one of our men in +charge. In addition to prisoners we captured over 40 machine guns and +10 trench mortars. Guns did not come within our province, as they +were all beyond our objective. + +Our casualties, considering all things, were small, and this was +doubtless due to the great rapidity with which the advance had been +carried out. In addition to the two Officer casualties, our losses +during the day were 14 other ranks killed and 80 wounded. + +The battlefield after the fog lifted presented a sight never to be +forgotten. On the left, Tanks could be seen working their way along +the German trenches, followed by groups of Infantry, who at once took +possession of the ground gained. Behind, guns were limbering up and +being got forward to fresh positions; pack ponies and limbers were +being taken up with ammunition; parties of Boche prisoners were +wending their way back from the front areas in batches of 10's, 20's, +up to 200 or more, presenting a very bedraggled appearance. Many of +them had been requisitioned for duty at the forward aid posts and were +carrying back our wounded. Add to the whole, shells bursting here and +there--one knew not when or where the next was coming and didn't +care--and some idea may be formed of what the battlefield of +Bellenglise looked like. It was like an enormous circus. + +The 138th Brigade on the left met with equal success, but North of +them the attack did not go so well, and at the end of the day the +Australians and Americans, though in a satisfactory position for +continuing the attack, were considerably behind their objective. + +During the afternoon the 32nd Division came moving over the back areas +by Companies in artillery formation and pushed on through us, but +there was no time that day for them to make any fresh attacks, and +they had to be content with putting out outposts. There is no doubt +that could their attack have been pushed on at once the fighting of +the next few days would not have been necessary. As it was our line +did not get further than the final objective of the 5th Battalion, and +further preparation was required to push the Boche from the few +remaining points that he still held in the Hindenburg Line. By the +victory of the 46th Division on September 29th the main portion of +that line had been absolutely smashed and the last great turning-point +in the war passed, and from now onwards the final defeat of the enemy +was but a matter of days. It must be confessed that the fog, which +lasted practically the whole morning, largely accounted for our +success. Without it it is very difficult to conceive how we could have +managed to get possession of the canal and the high ground on the East +of it. A naturally strong defensive line itself, it formed with the +addition of the artificial defences made by the enemy, an almost +impregnable position. General Headquarters thought it _was_ +impregnable. + +It has since transpired that our fears that our attack was only in the +nature of a "demonstration" were only too well founded, as it appears +to be a fact that we were not expected to cross the canal at all. +Lieut.-General Sir John Monash, who commanded the Australian Corps on +our left, referring in his book, "The Australian Victories in France +in 1918,"[1] to the action of September 29th, says:-- + + "Quite early in the day news came in that the IX Corps on my + right hand had achieved an astonishing success, that Bellenglise + had been captured, and that the deep canal had been successfully + crossed in several places. It was the 46th Imperial Division to + which this great success was chiefly due.----There can be no + doubt that this success, conceived at first as a demonstration to + distract attention from the Australian Corps' front, materially + assisted me in the situation in which I was placed later on the + same day." + +[Footnote 1: Published by Messrs. Hutchinson & Co.] + +For once General Headquarters' arrangements for the 46th Division +miscarried. + +Sappers got the Riquerval Bridge fit for transport early in the +afternoon, and by 3.0 p.m. guns and other horse transport were passing +over it. Later in the evening, after the 32nd Division had got clear, +some of our Transport and cookers came up, and our hardworking +Quarter-Master-Sergts. brought us very welcome and much-needed +refreshment after a most strenuous day. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +RAMICOURT AND MONTBREHAIN + + _Sept. 30th, 1918._ _October 4th, 1918._ + + +September 30th was spent in dug-outs and trenches in the region of our +objective of the previous day, between Bellenglise and Lehaucourt. +Early that morning the 1st Division advanced and occupied Thorigny and +Talana Hill, South of the canal, thus securing our right flank, the +retreating enemy offering splendid targets for our Lewis guns. The +same day St. Quentin fell to the French. + +In the afternoon the 32nd Division moved forward to the attack, +supported by Cavalry, which it was hoped it would be possible to use +if the Infantry broke through the last remaining fragment of the +Hindenburg Line. This was known as the Beaurevoir-Fonsomme Line and +ran more or less North and South about midway between Joncourt and +Ramicourt. It consisted of a strong barbed wire entanglement and a +double line of shallow trenches about a foot deep, with concrete +machine gun emplacements every 50 yards. The whole was in a very +incomplete state, but at the same time constituted a strong line of +defence. Unfortunately the 32nd Division were unable to break this +line, which the enemy were holding in force. Similarly, the 1st +Division on the right were unable to make any further progress, and +the 2nd Australian Division met with no greater success on the left. +In consequence the Cavalry had to withdraw behind the canal. + +The arrival of the Cavalry a few days previously behind our lines had +presented one of the most picturesque scenes one could wish to see. +Two abreast they came in almost endless streams along the roads and +side-tracks and passed on to forward positions behind the canal, and +the sight was one never to be forgotten. Not less wonderful, perhaps, +was the unceasing flow of transport of every conceivable kind +backwards and forwards along the Vadencourt-Bellenglise Road. The +surface of the road was in excellent condition and in an incredibly +short period the Sappers, who were now having very strenuous times, +erected an Inglis bridge over the canal at Bellenglise, capable of +carrying lorries and guns of all calibres. The way all this work was +pushed on was little short of marvellous, and one could not help being +struck by the enormous amount of organisation it all entailed, and the +care with which every detail connected with the advance had been +arranged. + +The 139th Brigade were now temporarily attached to the 32nd Division, +whilst the 137th and 138th Brigades were concentrated near the canal. +We were supposed at this moment to be ready either for another battle +or for moving forward according to the ordinary rules of warfare, with +advanced guards and so on, if the enemy should give way. Preliminary +orders were indeed received that portions of the Brigade were to be +employed as Advanced Guard to the Corps, with their objective as Le +Cateau. + +With the object, therefore, of reorganising as far as possible, we +were withdrawn from our position near Lehaucourt on October 1st, and +moved about a mile North, to the trench system in "Springbok Valley," +just behind Magny la-Fosse. On the same day the Transport, +Quarter-Master's Stores and Battle Details which had previously moved +to a field near "Hart Copse," a few hundred yards North-West of the +Twin Craters, moved further forward and established themselves in +Chopper Ravine, near the canal. This was not a specially comfortable +spot, and the Quarter-Master's Department was constantly put out of +order by the arrival from time to time of odd shells from a German +long-range gun. Several of the riding horses, the cookers and some of +the ammunition and Lewis gun limbers were up with the Battalion, so +that the amount of transport left behind was not great. Both men and +horses were now having a most strenuous time, and we were lucky at +this juncture in getting back Capt. A. Bedford from a tour of duty at +home. He arrived on September 29th and was at once appointed Transport +Officer. We had been obliged to leave behind at Bernes large +quantities of stores, including packs and Lewis gun tin boxes, owing +to lack of transport, and it was a most trying business, when everyone +was wanting lorries, to get the extra transport necessary to bring +them along. To make matters worse the Hun was just now particularly +active with his aeroplanes, and with fine nights he made frequent +trips over our lines, dropping bombs. When the nights were very dark +he often used to let off brilliant white parachute lights, and as they +descended he was able to get some view of the roads and transport +lines and any movement there might be. Usually he flew extremely low, +and there is no doubt that he did considerable damage; especially as +there were such masses of troops and transport concentrated in a +particularly small area. We unfortunately lost several horses, but +casualties amongst personnel were insignificant. His best bombing +effort was on the evening of October 3rd. Having evidently seen a +large party of men near La Baraque cross-roads, the airman promptly +made for them and let loose two bombs, which fell right amongst them. +Between 40 and 50 were blown to bits, whilst nearly as many were badly +wounded, and the rest scared out of their wits. What the airman +doubtless did not know was that they were a party of Boche prisoners! +Only about six British soldiers were killed. It made a ghastly mess at +the cross-roads, which was a most uninviting spot to pass for days +afterwards. + +During the short time at our disposal we did the best we could to +reorganise our somewhat reduced forces. In spite of our losses at +Bellenglise we still had 46 Officers and 752 other ranks, so were +fairly well off. Second Lieut. Winter was put in command of B Company, +and Capt. Miners, who had just returned from leave, resumed command of +C. + +On October 2nd orders were received that we were to take part in +another big attack in conjunction with the 2nd Australian Division. +Our Divisional Commander only received his orders for this attack at +4.30 p.m. on that day, and the operation was to take place early the +next morning, so that there was very little time to get orders passed +to the lower commanders and the necessary arrangements made. The +orders were explained by the Brigade Commander to Battalion Commanders +at a conference at Brigade Headquarters at Magny-la-Fosse about 9 +p.m., and it was after 10 p.m. before Col. Dempster was able to give +his orders out to Companies. The general scheme was that the 139th +Brigade were to break through the Beaurevoir-Fonsomme Line and capture +the villages of Ramicourt and Montbrehain, whilst the 137th Brigade on +the right and the 2nd Australian Division on the left, were to attack +at the same time, and the 1st Division, on the right of the 137th +Brigade, were to capture Sequehart. + +The objective of the 5th and 8th Battalions was the "Red Line" running +North-West to South-East, just West of Montbrehain, the 5th Battalion +being on the right and the 8th on the left, whilst the 6th Battalion +was to pass through, capture Montbrehain and push out outposts as far +as the "dotted blue line." This was something like 4,000 yards from +our present Outpost Line. A Company of nine Tanks were to co-operate +with the Brigade, advancing immediately behind the first line. The +attack was to be launched at dawn and was to be carried out under an +artillery barrage which, after delaying six minutes on the opening +line, was to move at the rate of 100 yards in four minutes. The delay +was to enable the Infantry to adjust their distance behind the +barrage, which was to open a good deal further in front of them than +usual, owing to the fact that the Artillery had mostly to move into +fresh positions, and we could not, therefore, risk getting up close to +its assumed line, whilst allowance also had to be made for the +attacking troops not being exactly in their right position, owing to +the difficulty of forming up in the dark on an uncertain mark. + +Our jumping-off line ran from near Joncourt Cemetery to the Railway +Cutting. The Battalion frontage was approximately 1,000 yards and was +divided into two Company lengths. A (Thomas) on the right, and B +(Winter) on the left were to lead, with C (Miners) and D (White) in +support about 150 yards behind them. Second Lieut. Plant was sent as +Liaison Officer to the Australian Battalion on our left, 2nd Lieut. +Newton to Brigade Headquarters, and 2nd Lieut. Jacques to the 5th +Battalion. Some additional work was to be thrown on C and D Companies, +who were to follow up the 6th Battalion, mop up for them in +Montbrehain and then return to the "Red Line." There was no time for +reconnaissance. All we knew of the country was what we had gathered +from maps or our Intelligence Department. From personal observation we +knew nothing. Even the front held by the 32nd Division was not at all +certain. We did know, however, that the enemy were holding the +Beaurevoir-Fonsomme Line in force and that the country was of a fairly +open type, sloping gently down to Ramicourt in the valley and up again +beyond to Montbrehain, which would probably be a difficult problem to +tackle. + +It was in these circumstances that we set out shortly before midnight +in the pitch darkness from Springbok Valley. Guides from the 32nd +Division met us at the entrance to Joncourt and conducted us to the +forming-up line, A and B Companies throwing out a screen of scouts in +front as a precaution before we formed up. Though this was a most +precarious proceeding it was carried out successfully, and by 5.30 +a.m. on October 3rd, all troops were in their assembly positions, +leading Companies extended in two lines and support Companies in lines +of "section-blobs." During this operation the enemy did a certain +amount of shelling, but not enough to cause us any great trouble. +There was some fog at first, and this in the early stages of the +battle, combined with smoke from a screen put down by the Artillery to +hide the Tanks, made direction somewhat difficult. Later on it cleared +and the day became quite bright and fine. + +There was not such a concentration of guns as we had had on September +29th, nor had we anything like so many heavies, though there was a +certain number of them firing on a few special targets, such as +villages and other points behind the lines. The Guards Machine Gun +Battalion again helped with the preliminary barrage, which opened +promptly at 6.5 a.m., just as it was beginning to get light. We +adjusted our position to the line of bursting shells and followed on +as soon as the guns lifted. The rate of progress, 100 yards in four +minutes, was throughout found to be too slow in this more open +fighting, and we were constantly either waiting for the barrage to +move on or running into it--not at all a pleasant proceeding. + +It was not long before we began to encounter, in addition to the +enemy's counter-barrage, opposition of a serious nature from his +Infantry. The inevitable delay since we crossed the canal on September +29th had given the enemy time to bring up large reserves, and on this +occasion the 46th Division had opposed to it four Boche Divisions--two +tired and two fresh. Doubtless the enemy realised that every effort +must be made to retain this, his last organised defence on this part +of the front, and certainly the men holding the line we had to attack +put up a most strenuous fight, and in hundreds of cases died bravely, +fighting to the last. + +The Beaurevoir-Fonsomme Line was strongly held. In addition to many +machine guns in the line itself, there were also machine gun sections +in rifle-pits immediately behind it. Unfortunately the barrage put +down by our guns was somewhat thin. There had been no previous +bombardment, and as a result we found that the defences of this line +were practically intact. No machine gun emplacements had been touched +and not a single gap made in the wire, which was very strong, and we +had to manipulate it as best we could. + +A good deal of resistance in the early part of the fight was met with +from the neighbourhood of Wiancourt on the left, and the high ground +South-East of Swiss Cottage, and it was found that the Australians had +not been able to make much progress and were practically held up. This +being the case it was realised that the village of Wiancourt, which +should have been taken by them, would be a serious menace to our left +flank, and it was, therefore, decided that we should go out of our way +and take it in the general advance. Two Platoons of A Company, with +portions of B and D (Companies having got somewhat mixed owing to loss +of direction), penetrated into the village and opened heavy Lewis gun +and rifle fire on its defenders, who offered a stubborn resistance, +mainly from machine gun posts. Eventually some of them were seen to +run back, and our line immediately rushed forward with the bayonet +and killed or captured the whole of the garrison. Several were killed +whilst still holding the handles of their machine guns. Comp. +Sergt.-Major Attenborough, of A Company, here performed several +gallant feats in leading rushes against machine gun groups, and later +did most valuable work in trying to establish liaison with the +Australians, who unfortunately, even after the capture of Wiancourt, +were unable to advance so as to help us. + +Meanwhile the right was not making much headway, and C Company, from +support, had become one with the attacking Company. The advance here +being held up by machine gun fire, L.-Corpl. Vann with much gallantry +crawled forward and managed to knock out the gun team which was +causing most of the trouble. A trench something like 100 yards long, +crowded with the enemy, was thus taken in the flank, and those who did +not surrender were killed in trying to escape. They had, however, +caused us many casualties, including 2nd Lieut. Dunkin and Sergt. Hurt +killed, besides many wounded. One of the most gallant N.C.O.'s in the +Battalion, Sergt. Hurt had already won the D.C.M. and M.M., and his +death was a very great loss. + +Similar actions had been taking place in other parts of the line. +Again and again nests of machine guns were rushed at the point of the +bayonet, which weapon undoubtedly did more deadly work on this +occasion than on any other in our experience. Where they could not be +taken by frontal attack, parties worked round their flanks and rushed +them from the rear. The intensity of the fighting can be imagined from +the fact that after the battle nearly 200 dead Germans were found +along this line of trenches on the front of the 139th Brigade alone. + +The main Fonsomme Line was now ours, though won at heavy cost. +Direction had improved, though we were all too far to the left and +much disorganised. We had to make the best of it and try to straighten +out as we pushed on into the valley towards Ramicourt. Here we were +met with fire from Boche guns firing from behind Montbrehain with open +sights, causing many casualties. The position was as exposed as it +could be, the only shelter being provided by one or two sunken roads. +At the same time four or five of the Tanks, which for some reason had +got behind at the start, had now come up and did much useful work in +the outskirts of Ramicourt, though the same Boche guns brought most +effective fire to bear on them, one of them getting five direct hits. +On the left, B Company, who under Winter's excellent leadership, had +done much fighting, now mixed up with A and reinforced by D, were also +suffering heavily from the enemy artillery fire, and advanced by +section rushes covered by Lewis gun fire. It was here that 2nd Lieut. +T. F. Mitchell, commanding a Platoon of D Company, which he led with +supreme gallantry, caring nothing for his own safety, was mortally +wounded, dying the next day. + +Ramicourt was eventually reached by oddments of A, C and D Companies, +the remainder of the Battalion having got too far left, and passing +through its Northern outskirts. There were several machine guns in the +village, and snipers were active from the windows of the houses. These +were all successfully mopped up with the help of the 6th Battalion, +who pushed up a Company and their Battalion Headquarters, as there +were so few troops at this point, the 5th Battalion having edged off +through the Southern outskirts of the village. Jack White was seen in +the village, wandering round quite unconcerned, revolver in holster--a +small cane which he carried being apparently his most trusty weapon. + +Having completed the capture of the village, which yielded a total of +something like 400 prisoners, the remnants of the troops there were +gathered together and the advance continued. A machine gun nest at +Ramicourt Station having been rushed with the aid of a Tank, we pushed +on to our objective, which, except on the extreme left, we reached +practically up to scheduled time, 10.30 a.m., most of the troops being +disposed in sunken roads on the West of Montbrehain. It had not been a +good day for the Tanks, which in the end were all knocked out, though +the last one working with the 5th Battalion on the right had a good +run and knocked out no fewer than 16 machine guns before being put out +of action. + +As soon as the barrage lifted from the "Red Line," the 6th Battalion +began to push on. They had met with an appalling disaster soon after +crossing the Beaurevoir-Fonsomme Line, where Col. Vann, once more +gallantly leading his Battalion and in the forefront of the battle, +was killed, shot through the head. The 5th Battalion too, lost Col. A. +Hacking, who was wounded in the arm. Thus two old Officers of the 8th +were put out of action almost at the same moment, both leading +Battalions in our own Brigade. Alfred Hacking had done invaluable work +during the few months he had commanded the 5th Battalion, and for his +excellent leadership and gallantry during the fighting of September +29th and October 3rd was awarded the D.S.O. and Bar. Bernard Vann, +affectionately known to some of his earlier friends as "Vasi," was +described on one occasion by General Allenby, as the most fearless +Officer he had ever met, whilst a brother Officer writes of him: "I +can think of him only as a fighter, not merely against the enemy in +the field, but a fighter against everything and everybody that was not +an influence for good to his men. It was his extraordinary courage and +tenacity which will be remembered by all who knew him: he inspired +all by his wonderful example of courage and energy." Wounded at least +eight times, and awarded the M.C. and Bar, and the French Croix de +Guerre with Palm, it was fitting that his constant gallantry and +magnificent example should be further recognised--alas! after his +death--by the award of the Victoria Cross. + +On continuing the advance the 6th Battalion edged towards the South, +going through the centre and right of Montbrehain, and leaving the +Northern portion alone. This left us considerably exposed, and an +enemy machine gun firing from a position at the cross-roads on our +left front, was doing much damage. White, Thomas and Miners held a +hasty conference and decided to rush it, and the two former with a +reconnoitring party went into the village to see if it could be +outflanked from the region of the cemetery. At this moment a little +"Joey" came in with "hands up," and it was decided to try a ruse. It +was suggested to him that he should go and tell his friends to +surrender, and after a little persuasion he went. The Machine gun +stopped firing and he approached the post and disappeared into the +ground, thus telling us what we wanted to know--the way in. Action was +taken at once to deal with it. Second Lieut. Harrap, who had already +done much valuable work, got together some Lewis guns and opened +frontal fire on the position, whilst Miners and Sergt. Stimson worked +round the flank from the village side and by a careful manoeuvre +rushed on to the post the instant Harrap's guns stopped firing. Much +to their surprise the post was found to be a quarry containing +something like ten or a dozen machine guns and 60 or 70 men! A few +bombs and revolver shots and the white flag went up. Harrap, who had +rushed his men forward across the intervening 200 yards, was also at +hand, and the capture of the post was complete. Second Lieut. Barker's +Platoon (A Company) also assisted with rifle and Lewis gun fire, +Barker himself being wounded. + +Out of the medley of troops which collected there--of all Battalions +in the Brigade--some attempt was then made to organise a Company, and +posts were pushed further forward. The rest of the village after a +hard struggle fell into the hands of the 6th Battalion about the +scheduled time, 11.30 a.m. Loud explosions, heard soon after the +village was entered, were caused by the blowing up by the Boche of two +houses in the main street near the Church. Attempts were made to push +out Platoons to the "line of exploitation," beyond the village, but +this was found to be impossible owing to heavy machine gun fire. + +Both in Ramicourt and Montbrehain we found French civilians, whose +pleasure at being at last released from the Hun terror knew no bounds. +About 70 all told had remained behind, refusing to be evacuated by the +Boche. They gave us a great welcome and in spite of shells and +bullets, brought out coffee to our men as they passed by. Later, under +the guidance of the Brigade Interpreter, M. Duflos, they were taken +back to safer regions. + +It soon became evident that further trouble was in store for us owing +to the fact that our left flank was again in the air. The Australians +were not up with us and we were very uncertain of their whereabouts, +though apparently not altogether out of touch with them, for one of +their Officers, who was met in hospital later in the day, reported +having received from someone in our Battalion the laconic message: "We +are at ----. Where is the Australian Corps?" The enemy were still +holding in force a position at no great distance from our left flank, +and indeed, at one time were reported to be massing for a +counter-attack which, however, did not mature. But on the right of the +Brigade the situation was far worse. There the 137th Brigade, after +making some progress, had eventually to give ground, and their left +was now considerably behind our right. We were thus in a most awkward +salient with both flanks exposed. It was, therefore, not surprising to +find soon after noon very evident signs of a real counter-attack being +prepared against the Brigade exposed right flank, and when a little +later this attack was launched, the enemy managed to get round the +South-East of Montbrehain and into that corner of the village in some +strength, and it was decided to withdraw from it. This was +successfully carried out under great difficulties, and eventually the +Brigade took up a line just East of Ramicourt, the 8th Battalion +occupying the railway and sunken road North-East of that village. The +enemy soon reoccupied the whole of Montbrehain, but was unable to +advance further. + +We were now very short of ammunition as no supplies had been sent +forward. This was mainly due to the fact that we had depended on a +"Supply Tank," which did not fetch up quite where we expected. +Fortunately no ill results accrued, but it taught the lesson that the +supply of ammunition to advanced troops in moving warfare requires +very careful prearrangement. + +Company Commanders again conferred and decided to alter their +dispositions, and with a view to protecting our left flank, B and C +Companies moved across to bridge the gap there, leaving A and D +Companies in the railway cutting. In these positions we were left for +the rest of the day more or less in peace. + +In spite of a slight set-back it had been a glorious day for the 8th +Battalion. There was really no comparison between this battle and that +of September 29th. The attack on September 29th was undoubtedly more +spectacular, but in our humble judgment, having regard to the +extremely short notice received, the strength of the enemy and the +many difficulties encountered, the breaking of the Fonsomme Line on +October 3rd may truly be counted as one of the most gallant exploits +of the whole war. + +Where one and all did so well and so many gallant deeds were performed +it is difficult to single out any for special praise, but it is +desired to note specially the good work of the following in addition +to those already mentioned: Sergt. H. Wilson, L.-Sergt. Wicks, Corpl. +Clark, L.-Corpl. Creamer, and Pvtes. Draper, Crowe, Slater, Wesley, +Starr, Baxter, Jackson, and Martin. The day, however, had cost us +much. Our casualties were one Officer and 20 other ranks (including +Sergt. Gurdens) killed, and three Officers (2nd Lieuts. T. F. +Mitchell, who died the next day, Barker, and F. T. W. Saunders), and +86 other ranks wounded. + +Captain Homan had his Regimental Aid Post with Battalion Headquarters +in a dug-out in the sunken road near our jumping-off line. Here he and +Padre Sturt worked for something like 24 hours on end, attending to +the wounded, though both badly gassed, whilst a willing band of +Stretcher Bearers again performed a prodigious amount of work under +most trying circumstances. Particular praise is due to Corpls. +Wrigglesworth and J. Wright, and to Pvtes. L. Thomas and F. Green, the +latter of whom was awarded a bar and the former a second bar to his +M.M., for gallant work on this occasion. + +It was impossible to estimate the actual number of prisoners captured +by us, as there was one "pool" for the whole Brigade, but undoubtedly +we had a very large share of the total, which was 36 Officers and +nearly 1,500 other ranks; in addition to which large numbers were left +on the ground dead. Of machine guns too, we captured a very large +number, but owing to the impossibility of collecting them, little idea +of the total could be formed. + +[Illustration: MAP TO ILLUSTRATE--BATTLE OF RAMICOURT OCT: 3rd 1918. + +Red, Blue & Dotted Blue Lines represent various objectives.] + +During much of the day Horse Artillery and numbers of light +rapid-moving Tanks, known as "Whippets," had been waiting in the +valleys behind Joncourt, ready to push on once the line was broken, +and endeavour to make a clean break through. Unfortunately their +services could not be used, and once more they had to withdraw. + +Late at night we got news that we were being relieved by the 4th +Leicesters. They turned up alright to take over from B and C +Companies, but owing to some error failed to relieve A and D, who were +left holding the line, with little ammunition and no rations, and were +not relieved until the afternoon of October 4th, when they made their +way back to the valley just in front of Magny-la-Fosse and joined the +rest of the Battalion in tents and bivouacs put up by "Tony" Bradish +and Hallam, with the help of the Battle Details. "Bedder" too, was +there, with Regt.-Quarter-Master-Sergt. Pritchard (who during these +strenuous times had to carry on without a Quarter-Master), and the +four Quarter-Master-Sergeants, all of whom did their utmost to make +everyone comfortable. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE LAST FIGHT + + _October 4th, 1918._ _November 11th, 1918._ + + +Such impromptu cleaning up as was possible, was carried out during +what remained of October 4th, and we felt much better. We also carried +out a certain amount of reorganisation of Companies, which were now +thinning rather more rapidly than we cared for, but the opportune +arrival of 85 reinforcements at this moment, helped us considerably. +The enemy caused a certain amount of annoyance, and a few casualties, +by every now and then firing in our direction with a high-velocity +gun, and at night dropped a few bombs uncomfortably near, so that it +was not quite as peaceful as we should have liked. + +The next morning we were rather disturbed at hearing that there was +more work to be done. The 32nd Division on our right had suffered +heavy casualties in trying to get hold of Sequehart, and the 139th +Brigade was now detailed to relieve some of their exhausted troops. At +this moment our Brigade was attached to the 6th Division. Rapid +reconnaissance was made during the day, and at night we relieved the +97th Brigade. So heavy had their casualties been that our three +Companies for the front line and support each relieved a Battalion. +These were Dorsets, Highland Light Infantry and Royal Scots. + +The line taken over ran through the village of Sequehart, and was the +extreme right of the British front, next to the French. C Company were +on the right, D on the left, astride the cross roads, with B in +support and A in reserve. C Company had the unusual privilege of +forming an "International Post" with the French, and Corpl. Simpson, +who spoke the language, was put in charge of our part of the garrison. +We cannot say that after our visits to the French Headquarters, we +felt we quite knew where their front line was, but possibly it was our +fault. When they suggested "we are here," we certainly thought they +were somewhere else, but we managed very well, and materially assisted +them in an attack on the 7th, by conforming to their movements and +giving them flank support, and their Commanding Officer expressed his +grateful thanks for our help. + +We have before spoken of "Bloody Ypres." The Officer Commanding D +Company is reported to have applied the superlative of the same +expressive word to this sector, but then he had cause for doing so, +for during the two days the Battalion held it, his Company +Headquarters got five direct hits. Perhaps under such circumstances, +he was slightly embittered! During the time we were there, the enemy +hardly ceased to shell the village--not desultory shelling, but +veritable barrages from end to end. It had already changed hands three +times, and we wondered if they were going to try and turn us out! +Signs of fierce struggles were on every hand. In the streets and all +around lay bodies still unburied, both of our own and the enemy's. It +was a ghastly place to be in. Signallers and linesmen had a +particularly rough time, and lines were down almost continuously. + +October 6th, was a particularly bad day, as we lost Col. Dempster and +the Second-in-Command (Capt. C. P. Elliott), both wounded. They had +gone to see how things were going on in the forward area, and on +returning to Headquarters, which was in a dug-out behind Levergies, +they were unfortunate enough to be in the neighbourhood of a dump of +shells by the roadside at the same moment as a Hun gunner dropped a +shell right on the dump. The result was that both these Officers began +to soar skywards, as if off for their "harp and wings divine," but +eventually found themselves on mother earth once more, the Commanding +Officer badly shaken and cut about the face, the strap of his tin hat +broken by the force of the explosion, and Pynsent Elliott finding that +for some little time he would have to take his meals off the +mantelpiece! The Commanding Officer was anxious to be allowed to +remain with us, but eventually was persuaded otherwise, and they both +left for the Dressing Station, and Major V. O. Robinson, M.C., of the +6th Battalion, was sent to take over temporary command. + +The following night we were relieved by the Monmouths, who had orders +to clear out the Boche from some machine gun nests on the +Sequehart-Mericourt Road the next morning, in conjunction with an +attack by the 6th Division on the left, and French on the right. +Relief was complete about midnight, and we marched back to Lehaucourt, +where we spent the following day. On October 9th, Col. Dempster +returned, though not looking at all well. Major Robinson remained with +us as Second-in-Command, as Major Andrews had left a few days +previously, to attend the Senior Officers' Course at Aldershot. A day +or two later Capt. Miners was appointed Adjutant, and was succeeded in +command of C Company by 2nd Lieut. Druce. + +Things were now moving rapidly. Although the gallant attack by the +Monmouths had been repulsed with heavy casualties, their action had +enabled the 6th Division to get on, and eventually surround the enemy +and capture the lot. The enemy then withdrew more quickly, closely +followed by the 138th Brigade, who led the pursuit. On October 9th, we +moved to Levergies, and the next day to Mericourt, where we went into +bivouacs. This village was just on the West of Fresnoy-le-Grand, +which was entered by the 138th Brigade the same morning. + +We now took a little more interest in life. Everyone was feeling +better for the rest, and found the rapid movement quite entertaining, +especially as we were now approaching civilisation again. Fresnoy was +the first town of any size that we reached; though showing distinct +signs of shelling here and there, it was not badly damaged. It was +interesting to see the Boche "War Savings Campaign" posters, and +probably the most interesting specimen, painted all over the gable end +of a house, represented "John Bull" on his Island, tearing his hair in +a perfect frenzy, with "U" Boats all around him! Here, too, there were +many inhabitants, who were of course delighted to see us. Much of the +land was under cultivation, and we had really come to the end of that +desolate region which was so distasteful to us all. + +On October 12th, we moved a further step forward, and that afternoon +reached Jonnecourt Farm, between Fresnoy and Bohain. Just before +leaving we had all welcomed back Col. Currin, more or less recovered +from his wound, and with his arrival Col. Dempster left us. Jonnecourt +Farm was somewhat damaged, and said to be mined, so we put up our +bivouacs and tents in the open just by it. The farm had been captured +only a few days before by our Cavalry, and we had the uncongenial task +of burying the bodies of those who had been killed in the attack. We +now had a few days peace, and were able to refit, bath at the old +German baths in Fresnoy, which were excellently fitted up, and +reorganise our diminished forces. A pleasing little ceremony was +performed here, when the "Congratulatory Cards" from the Divisional +Commander for the N.C.O.'s and men, who had been recommended for good +work during the recent fighting, were presented to them by the +Commanding Officer at a Battalion Parade, ending up with the +Battalion marching past the recipients whilst the band played the +Regimental March. + +We were not left here for long, there being more "dirty work" to be +done yet. The 138th Brigade had been joined by the 137th Brigade, and +together they were now held up about the Bois-de-Riquerval, East of +Bohain, where some tough fighting had been going on, the enemy +rear-guard making a stout defence, so as to give his main body time to +get away. With the object, therefore, of clearing the whole of this +front and pushing the enemy back to the Sambre-Oise Canal, a general +attack was arranged to take place on October 17th, by the IX Corps in +conjunction with the French on the right, and the Americans on the +left, the 46th Division being ordered to clear the enemy from the +Bois-de-Riquerval and the Andigny-les-Fermes Ridge. + +On October 16th, we received orders for the attack, which was to take +place early the following morning. The 138th Brigade were to attack on +the left of the 139th Brigade whilst the 137th Brigade were to hold +their present line on the right. The attack of the 139th Brigade was +to be on a one Battalion front, and we were selected to carry out the +attack, with two Companies of the 5th Battalion in close support, the +remainder of the Brigade being in reserve. The objective (The "Blue +Line") was the line of the Andigny-les-Fermes-Bohain Road, the +consolidation of which was to include two strong points, one being the +hamlet of Regnicourt. Royal Engineers were allotted to us to help in +the consolidation, and posts were to be pushed forward South of this +road. The two Companies of the 5th Battalion had two tasks allotted. +One was to move through our right Company, after the objective had +been captured, occupy a small length of trench there, and seize a +small wood, so as to protect our right from possible counter-attack +from Hennechies Wood. The other was to follow our centre Company, mop +up any enemy left in the elements of trenches in that Company's area, +and help to mop up Regnicourt itself. + +Tanks were to assist in the operation, one moving down our right +boundary, and helping to mop up the trenches on the extreme right, and +two others working along the high ground on the left, and assisting if +required in the capture of Regnicourt, proceeding thence to help the +138th Brigade at Andigny-les-Fermes. + +A glance at the map will show that the attack was at right angles to +the general line of our advance, which was North East. It was +therefore impossible for our guns to fire the normal barrage, and the +attack had to be carried out under an enfilade barrage, working +forward on the leap-frog principle. This was difficult to lay +correctly, and the greatest care had to be taken that troops forming +up were well clear of it. After three minutes on the opening line it +was to advance at the rate of 100 yards every three minutes. One round +of smoke shell was to be fired at each lift, which obviously would not +be so easy to identify as in the case of an overhead barrage. A smoke +curtain was also to be fired on the Northern edge of the Foret +d'Andigny. The Life Guards Machine Gun Battalion were to help with +their barrage, also a Company of the 6th Machine Gun Battalion. Three +sections of our own Machine Gun Battalion were allotted to us, to be +used mainly in defence against possible counter-attacks, and a section +from the 139th Trench Mortar Battery, to assist in the capture of +Regnicourt. + +In order to help matters on our front a "Chinese" or "Dummy" attack +was arranged to take place on the front of the 137th Brigade on the +right. Dummy Tanks and figures were to be placed in position +during the night, so as to appear at dawn as if attacking the +Bois-de-Riquerval from the West, whilst a rolling barrage was +arranged to move through the wood in order to give a further idea of +an attack being in progress there, and, it was hoped, bring down some +of the enemy's barrage in that quarter. + +During the afternoon of October 16th, a reconnaissance was made by the +Commanding Officer, Second-in-Command, and Company Commanders. During +this operation, which was interrupted by a fierce bombardment of our +lines, an old lady could be seen quietly moving her household effects +on a wheelbarrow down that portion of the Vaux-Andigny Road running +between our lines and the enemy's. + +Leaving our surplus stores, bivouacs and other paraphernalia at +Jonnecourt Farm, we moved off about 10.30 p.m., Col. Currin having +previously harangued us in no uncertain way, and in a manner truly +characteristic. On reaching the outskirts of Bohain, we turned off to +the right and proceeded by a track previously taped out by the Royal +Engineers, so as to relieve the roads of traffic, and avoid going +through the town. On reaching the quarry East of Bohain, just off the +Bohain-Vaux-Andigny Road, we halted, and had an excellent issue of hot +porridge, tea and rum--our cookers having gone up to that point +beforehand. Pack mules and limbers with ammunition and other stores, +were a little further behind, but near enough to be got forward +quickly if required during the battle. On this occasion the ammunition +supply was well arranged, thanks to the good work of "Bedder" and +"Tommy" Tomlinson, who got pack mules forward in the attack with Lewis +gun "drums" just at the right moment, to the accompaniment of some +very expressive language on the part of the Transport men. + +We moved on again between 2 and 3 a.m., and without difficulty reached +and formed up on our jumping-off line, which had been previously +taped out by the Brigade Major, Capt. Grinling, about 70 yards South +of the Bohain-Vaux-Andigny Road. We had three Companies in the front +line, A (Toyne, in the absence of Thomas on leave) on the right; B +(Geary) in the centre; and C (Druce) on the left; whilst D (Warner), +in support behind C Company, was in the vicinity of Vallee Hasard +Farm. Battalion Headquarters and the Regimental Aid Post were at a +house near the road. A and B Companies each had attached half a +section of Royal Engineers from the 465th Field Company. Two Companies +of the 5th Battalion were in rear, and the rest of that Battalion were +more or less dug in under the woods on our right. The 6th Battalion +were in reserve North-West of the road. All troops were in position by +3.45 a.m. on October 17th. Our actual forming up line was in the area +of the 6th Division, who had been holding the front we were attacking; +they withdrew from this line some time before "zero" so as to give us +a free course. + +The frontage allotted to us was about 1,200 yards, each of the leading +Companies thus having approximately 400 yards. This was a long space +to cover, especially now that our numbers were so diminished that we +had been forced to reduce platoons to three sections instead of four. +Each of the leading Companies had three platoons in the front line, +with sections in blobs, and one platoon in support, whilst D Company +was formed in a rectangle with a platoon at each corner, and Company +Headquarters in the centre, the three sections of each platoon being +arranged in a kind of arrowhead. + +Zero was 5.20 a.m. The barrage came down punctually, and we started +forward to our last attack. There was a certain amount of mist which +developed into a dense fog, and was doubtless intensified by our own +smoke shells. A troop of our Cavalry in the vicinity of the +Vaux-Andigny road put their gas masks on, and were last seen moving +along the road in that "get-up." + +It is pretty safe to say that everyone was lost almost immediately, +and as a consequence we wandered out of our course, a fact which was +destined to give us much trouble. It was also impossible to judge the +lifts of the barrage, so that there was great confusion, and things +for a long while did not go at all well. On this occasion, too, +compasses do not appear to have proved of great avail. C Company on +the left kept going for some time alright, and got possession of some +high ground after overcoming, under the excellent leadership of 2nd +Lieut. Druce, some opposition from machine gun nests, though some of +these were missed owing to the fog. Then they wandered off in an +Easterly direction and got on to the 138th Brigade area on our left, +and later, when the fog cleared, they found themselves nearly at +Andigny-les-Fermes. B Company in the centre went on until they were +held up by unbroken wire, and heavy machine gun fire from the +Regnicourt Ridge, and from a clearing in the centre of the Battalion +area. Their Commander, Capt. Geary, was killed by machine gun fire +after leading his men with the greatest bravery. On many previous +occasions he had done excellent work, and his loss was most keenly +felt. A Company on the right soon lost touch with B, but got on until +they reached a position near the railway track, in spite of having had +a very nasty time and many casualties from the machine guns in the +same clearing. + +D Company lost touch with everyone at first, and got completely split +up. Company Headquarters were lucky enough to run into a Boche machine +gun post, which they cleared with much skill, capturing 11 men, and +putting the two guns out of action. Then they decided to try and find +Battalion Headquarters, as they concluded they must have got too far +forward. By a somewhat circuitous route they eventually succeeded in +doing so, and found that Col. Currin had also had difficulty in +getting to his advanced Headquarters, which was no more than a "Map +Reference." Of the rest of D Company, three platoons got across to the +right of our front and did good work there, particularly 2nd Lieut. +Newton and his platoon, who were of great assistance to A Company. A +great feat was performed by some members of the other platoon of D +Company, who had kept their direction on the left towards Regnicourt. +Having run up against a couple of machine guns, Sergt. Robinson and +L.-Corpl. Harper went forward to reconnoitre the position, and finding +it strongly held, went back for the rest of the platoon. With a +combination of "fire and movement" they succeeded in getting round the +flank of the post and rushing it. L.-Corpl. Harper, who stood up when +only a few yards from the post in order to be able to aim more +accurately, was shot through the head, and L.-Corpl. Coombes at once +rushed forward, shot six Germans with his revolver, and finished off +the last man who was trying to run away with his Lewis gun. + +When news of all these happenings duly reached him by runners, +stragglers and other means. Col. Currin collected all the oddments who +had wandered to his Headquarters, and sent them forward under Major +Robinson to push the enemy out of the clearing between B and C +Companies. The fog had to a certain extent cleared by this time, but +it was still not easy to keep direction. Very soon, however, it lifted +altogether, and the party found itself on the Western edge of the +clearing and fired at by the enemy both from the clearing and from the +ridge towards their right front, from which the enemy were also +firing into the rear of B Company, who had gone past them. + +The party now advanced by bounds, and was throughout most gallantly +led by Major Robinson, who went out absolutely unarmed, but later +managed to get a Boche pistol lent him, which he very soon lost. +Knowing him as we do we are not surprised that such a small matter did +not worry him in the least! Eventually they got possession of a trench +on the ridge, which afforded them a certain amount of cover. The +garrison of this trench, about 10 men with a machine gun, were very +fortunate in receiving quarter, as they fired on our advancing line up +to the last minute, and then threw up their hands. Most of the trouble +now came from machine guns about half right, and it was determined to +round them up. At this point Sergt. Winson, of C Company, did most +excellent work. Regardless of all risk he kept his Lewis gun trained +on the enemy, whilst a party worked round their right flank, first by +crawling over to a small clearing, and then rushing the post from +there. This manoeuvre was entirely successful, six machine guns, and +about 40 prisoners being captured. + +At the same time that part of C Company, which had wandered away to +the left, turned back and moved towards the high ground East of +Regnicourt. The enemy in the clearing now realised that they were more +or less surrounded, and after little more resistance surrendered, 27 +machine guns and 140 prisoners being taken from this small area. A +Company of the 5th Battalion under our old Regimental Quarter-Master +Sergt., now Capt. Dench, arrived shortly afterwards and took up a +position in the clearing as a reserve. + +A Company on the right had fared very badly, having met with heavy +machine gun and rifle fire and suffered many casualties, including +their commander. Lieut. Toyne, who was wounded, and 2nd Lieut. +Jacques, killed, leaving the Company under the command of 2nd Lieut. +Shackleton. Eventually, owing to their exposed position they had to +retire slightly, but later were reinforced by two Companies from the +5th Battalion, and together they were able, after some very stiff +fighting, to dislodge the enemy and get their objective. Lieut. Thomas +of the 465th Field Company, Royal Engineers, did some very gallant +work here in reorganising parties and leading them forward in attempts +to get on, and the greatest praise is due to him for his splendid +efforts. + +Major Robinson's party, after getting the Ridge, pushed on to +Regnicourt Village, where they found some of the Leicesters, who had +wandered on to our front. Just beyond, one of our Tanks had broken +down, and had a very rough time before its crew could be rescued. It +was now about 10.15 a.m. Capt. Warner was put in charge of the front +line with orders to consolidate, and he accordingly reorganised the +odd parties of men he found under his command, and began to establish +strong points South of the Andigny-les-Fermes-Bohain Road. Some +trouble was caused at this time by a German field gun inside +Hennechies Wood, which was firing on these parties at point blank +range. Once its position was located, however, it was not long before +our Gunners forced it to withdraw, and the posts were eventually +established. + +About 11 a.m. the enemy were seen massing for a counter-attack about +1,500 yards away on our right front, but we got the guns of the whole +"group" turned on to the area in a very short time, and the Boches +were completely broken, only a half-hearted attempt being made, and +only one man reaching our lines. + +By noon the enemy in the Foret d'Andigny must have begun to feel that +with the 138th Brigade--who had now captured the village of +Andigny-les-Fermes--on their right flank, and the 137th Brigade and +ourselves on their left, it was time they were moving, for a patrol +which we pushed out towards the wood found it occupied only by a few +odd machine guns. Major Robinson himself took charge of this patrol, +which consisted of a platoon of B Company, under Comp. Sergt.-Major +Cobb. On one or two occasions, owing to their small numbers they had +to creep round to avoid these machine guns, but they escaped without +accident, and after proceeding a distance of something like 2,000 +yards in a South-Eastern direction, they eventually found a French +post about 100 yards South of "Forester's House." The "poilus" were +delighted to see them, and shewed their appreciation by giving our men +the whole of the contents of their water bottles. + +About 5 p.m., Companies having been to some extent reorganised, an +outpost line was formed running due North and South from Hennechies +Wood, East of Regnicourt, and joining up on the left with the 138th +Brigade. Later on, the 137th Brigade moved up a Battalion through the +wood to fill the gap between our right flank and the French. + +[Illustration: MAP TO ILLUSTRATE THE BATTLE OF REGNICOURT.] + +During the attack we captured something like 220 prisoners, and nearly +100 machine guns, besides inflicting many other casualties. Our own +losses, too, were heavy--the heaviest in Officers that we had +experienced in the recent fighting. Besides Geary, we lost 2nd Lieuts. +Plant and Jacques killed, and Lieuts. Toyne and Whitelegge, and 2nd +Lieut. John H. Smith wounded, whilst in other ranks we lost 25 killed +or died of wounds, and 54 wounded, including Sergts. Oldham, Sharrock +and Wicks. Deeds of gallantry were conspicuous on all sides, and +especially good work was done by several N.C.O.'s in charge of +platoons. Amongst the following, who did particularly well and have +not already been mentioned in connection with the Battle of +Regnicourt, are several who had previously displayed conspicuous +courage in other recent battles: Sergts. Shepperson, Sharrock, Wallis, +Scrimshaw, and H. Wilson; Corpls. Watson and Francis; L.-Corpls. +Slater, Creamer (killed), Robinson and Beech, and Pvtes. Wesley, +Houghton, Martin, Draper, Jackson, Berresford, C. Smith, Vipond, Lees, +Turpin and Roe. + +In a way it was an unsatisfactory day, and we feel we have hardly had +our deserts for the gallant work done by all ranks against an enemy +holding in much greater strength much more strongly fortified +positions than had been anticipated. The fighting was extremely hard, +if anything harder than at Ramicourt, and the greatest possible credit +is due to all for the gallant way they fought, and the great dash and +determination they displayed to get their objective. Regnicourt is apt +to be looked on as a small matter, but for the 8th Battalion it was +one of the most strenuously fought battles of the war. + +About midnight, we were relieved by the 6th Battalion, and rested for +the night just behind Regnicourt. The following day, as the Brigade +had been squeezed out of the line altogether by the further retirement +of the enemy, we were able to withdraw, and in the evening marched +back to Fresnoy. We were met on the road by our Drums, under the +leadership of Corpl. (shortly to become Sergt.-Drummer) Coupe, who had +got them to a wonderful state of perfection. They cheered everyone up, +and considerably helped the last part of the march. We were glad to +see General Harington waiting for us just before reaching the village, +and his brief "Well done, Sherwoods" as we passed, was the fullest +appreciation of our efforts that we could wish for. + +We now had several days complete rest, and were fortunate in getting, +almost at once, a draft of 120 reinforcements, mostly men of the +Northumberland Hussars, who had not previously seen service abroad. +They were a good lot, and with their addition we felt more like +ourselves once more; in fact our paper strength now totalled 34 +Officers, and 745 other ranks. We had quite a pleasant time doing a +little training, as well as reorganising and cleaning, and devoting +the afternoons to football. + +The fighting moving further off each day, we had to move forward on +October 29th to Bohain. This was carried out as a Brigade march, and +we entered Bohain with bands playing, and the civilian population in +the streets to welcome us. The town had been knocked about very +little, and the billets were extremely comfortable. Our training here +included a route march across the scene of our recent fighting, in +order to imbue the newly arrived with a sense of the honour they +should realise had been done them in posting them to such a fine +Battalion! + +A great drawback to our advance all this time was the business-like +way in which the Boche had mined the roads and blown up railways. +Every railway and river bridge had been systematically blown up, and +mines had been put at every cross roads, and usually in the deep +cuttings and high embankments, so as to give the maximum of trouble in +filling and getting past. In many cases, these mines had actually been +blown and all we found were huge craters. In a few cases delay-action +mines had been laid, which did not explode for some little time. All +this gave our Sappers much work to do in reconnoitring road crossings, +and other points for signs of mining where they were not blown, or in +arranging for temporary roadways to be constructed, or craters to be +filled in where they had been exploded. But on a larger scale the +enemy's very clever system of working his delay-action mines on the +railways, was the biggest nuisance we had to contend with. The +railway having been repaired well forward, a mine would suddenly go up +miles behind, thus preventing trains getting on to the appointed +railhead, and so causing endless worry to the authorities who had to +arrange for our supplies coming up. To them this disorganisation must +have been extremely disconcerting, and it went on altogether for +nearly a month. The mines were so cunningly concealed that it was +impossible to locate them. In spite of everything supplies reached us +in some marvellous way without a hitch. + +On November 3rd, in order to support the 1st and 32nd Divisions, who +were to attack the line of the Sambre-Oise Canal on the following day, +and to exploit the success if they broke through, we moved to the +little village of Escaufort. It was a heavy march, the roads were bad, +and we arrived late in the evening soaked through to spend a dreary +night in poor billets, many of which had suffered during the +bombardment of the last few days, and in bivouacs. Early the following +morning we pushed on to St. Souplet, where we prepared to stay for the +night in a few old barns. Later in the day, however, news was brought +that the attack had been successful, and we moved on to Catillon, on +the Canal. Transport, Quarter-Master's Stores and Battle Details moved +to Mazinghien. The same night we got orders that we were to pass +through the 1st Division and 138th Brigade, and take up the pursuit, +the following day. + +We had been informed that owing to the "blowing" of the bridge over +the Canal at Catillon, we should have to make a detour of several +miles with cookers and Lewis gun limbers to get across by a pontoon +bridge, in order to arrive at our point of assembly on the Catillon-La +Groise Road, which was only about 1,000 yards away! We determined to +see if we could not find some other means of doing this, and thanks +to a reconnaissance by Major Robinson, we found that it was possible +for Infantry to cross the Canal over debris from the blown up bridge, +though the Transport would have to go round. This was a great boon, as +it enabled us to get breakfast before starting considerably later than +would otherwise have been necessary. Capt. A. Bedford arrived with the +rations about 3.0 a.m., we had breakfast at six, and at eight moved +off, being across the Canal, and in our proper position by 8.30. +Limbers and cookers joined us about nine, A Company's cooker having +fallen overboard in crossing the pontoon bridge but having been +extricated without damage. We were the only Battalion in the Brigade +that day to start out with a full stomach and our day's rations with +us! + +Late in the afternoon we moved into poor billets in the village of +Mezieres, where we stayed the night, and were joined by Transport, +Stores and Battle Details. Bedford worked uncommonly well, as did also +the Quarter-Master's Branch, in getting up rations, which they had to +man-handle over the canal crossing--still impossible for traffic--and +reload into our transport limbers. For all their efforts we were duly +thankful. + +On November 6th, the 5th Battalion were to attack as the 6th had been +held up just West of Prisches, and we were to move up in support. The +method adopted was for the attacking troops to pass round the village, +whilst the support Battalion, pushing one Company on the road as an +advanced guard, moved by platoons at about 50 yards interval. This was +now true open warfare, and there was no organised line of defence. The +day's objectives were Prisches and Cartignies. After an early start we +continued our march towards Prisches, the attacking troops meeting +with little opposition, and our advanced guard, A Company, were +quickly in after them. The enemy had gone and we had got possession by +10.30 a.m. + +We shall never forget the reception by the inhabitants of Prisches! We +were the first of the relieving troops they had seen, and their +feelings at being thus released after four years of oppression and +slavery at the hands of the Hun, found expression in many +demonstrations of joy and gratitude. Civilians of all ages came out to +greet us. Their national flags--Heaven only knows where they came from +or how they were concealed from the enemy--were displayed on all +sides, and even before the enemy were clear of the village the +Tricolour was floating from the Church Tower! It was truly a wonderful +sight, and a day never to be forgotten. We were surrounded by offers +of coffee and fruit, cider and cognac, plentifully mingled with the +tears and kisses of the grateful inhabitants. Indeed, so insistent +were they that progress became difficult. We eventually, however, +managed to establish Battalion Headquarters in a farmhouse at the East +end of the village, where we again had a great reception, and stayed +for some refreshment during a temporary hold-up of the advanced +troops. + +The attacking troops were to push on through the next village, +Cartignies, and establish an outpost line on the other side of it. So +rapid was the retreat, and so certain were we of success, that whilst +at Prisches we despatched Bradish and a party of N.C.O.'s to get our +billets there for the night! In the afternoon we were able to push on +with the rest of the Battalion, B Company forming the advanced guard. +On arriving at Cartignies we were met by Bradish, who informed us that +he had made arrangements for billeting us, but that half the village +was still in the hands of the enemy, who were firing on the 5th +Battalion with machine guns. The Commanding Officer whilst +reconnoitring near the Church, soon discovered this for himself, so +withdrew diplomatically, deciding that it was not "our war" just +then. Accordingly we got into our billets and posted sentries and +Lewis guns at windows and other points for our protection. Owing to +some of the Staffords who were also in the village, deciding to hold +their outpost line in the village, instead of on the other side the +river, the clearing of the village was a longer process than it should +have been. It caused us no trouble, but we doubt if Tomlinson and +Tebbutt would have slept so comfortably had they known that their +billet was in No Man's Land! However, all was well; we had had another +great reception from the delighted inhabitants, and after a long and +tiring day we were soon asleep in good, comfortable billets. + +For the next three days we stayed there, being joined by the Transport +and Stores, Battle Details and several Officers from England, who had +never been out before. + +The Hun was now going away rapidly, and it was very doubtful if we +should be required again. We never were, and were glad to find we had +done with him. + +There was talk of an Armistice, and we were also warned that German +Envoys were expected, and might come through our lines. This they did +not do and we were not sorry. + +On November 10th, we had to move out of Cartignies to a small village, +Boulogne-sur-Helpe, near by--the most Easterly point the Battalion +ever reached. + +November 11th came in just the same as any other day, but quite early +a wire from Brigade Headquarters stated that the Germans had agreed to +our Armistice terms, and the Great War was over. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +HOME AGAIN + + _November 12th, 1918._ _July 5th, 1919._ + + +For the next few days we lived in an atmosphere of uncertainty. Were +we to be one of the chosen Divisions to go forward as part of the Army +of Occupation, or were we to be left to spend weary months scavenging +in the fair land of France? There may have been a few who did not want +to go on, thinking they would probably lose their chance of an early +return home, but in the main we were anxious to push on and satisfy +our souls by actually setting foot on German soil as part of the +Conquering Army. Our hopes fell from day to day as we heard no orders +to prepare to move forward, and eventually, much to our regret, we +learnt that after all we were not going to Germany. It was nearly the +end of November when we received the following letter from General Sir +H. S. Rawlinson, commanding the Fourth Army:--"It is a matter of very +deep regret to me that the 46th Division is not accompanying the +Fourth Army to the Frontier. I desire, however, to place on record my +appreciation of the splendid performances of the Division during the +recent operations, and to congratulate all ranks on the conspicuous +part they have played in the battles of the 100 days. The forcing of +the main Hindenburg line on the Canal, and the capture of Bellenglise +rank as one of the finest and most dashing exploits of the war. The +attacks of October 3rd, and the subsequent operations about Bohain, +together with the later advance towards the Sambre Canal, constitute a +record of which all ranks of the Division may justly feel proud. I +offer to all ranks my warmest thanks for their great gallantry, and to +the leaders and staffs my admiration of their skilful direction and +staff work throughout these battles. To every Officer, N.C.O., and man +of the Division, I offer my warm thanks and hearty congratulations, +and trust that at some future time they may again form part of the +Fourth Army." + +On the day after the Armistice, Major-General Boyd came to see us, and +presented some medal ribbons, and in the afternoon an entertaining +football match between Officers and N.C.O.'s was won by the latter, +the Officers in a few cases having some difficulty in staying the +course. + +We left Boulogne-sur-Helpe on November 14th, and marched via +Cartignies to Landrecies--a town which had seen much of the recent +fighting, as well as having played a prominent part in the early days +of the war. The whole of the 139th Brigade was concentrated here, and +as our stay was likely to be a lengthy one, we soon set to work to +make ourselves comfortable. Most of the Battalion were billeted in one +of the French Barracks, D Company being allotted a school near by. +Though the town had been considerably damaged by shells, our billets +were more or less watertight, and in fairly good order. The Transport +and Quarter-Master's Stores were also in the town close to the +Barracks. + +On Sunday, November 17th, a Church Parade of the whole Division was +held at Landrecies, as a Thanksgiving Service, and afterwards the +Major-General distributed medal ribbons. He paid us a high compliment +as we marched past after the ceremony, when he said that in all his +military career he had never seen a Battalion march past in better +style! + +The work of clearing the battlefield in the area round about +Landrecies began at once. We did four hours a day at this work on four +days a week, and on the other two days carried out ordinary military +training. Education classes were also started and carried on for +several months, and though the numbers who attended were not large, +there is no doubt that very much useful work was done in this way. +Lieut. C. M. Bedford was responsible for the educational work at +first, handing it over later to Lieut. Tebbutt. Afternoons were +invariably spent in recreation, Inter-Battalion and Inter-Company +"Soccer" matches, cross-country runs, and other sports. There were +also "Rugger" teams in the Division, and later a Brigade Hockey team +was formed. A few lucky ones got trips in Col. Barron's Ambulances to +Brussels, Amiens, Valenciennes, and other towns of interest within +reach, but this luxury did not last long. A recreation room at the +Barracks was started for reading and indoor games, whilst Lieut. +Pennington got an extraordinarily good Concert Party going, which was +known eventually as "The Penguins" and gave entertainments to several +other units. "Robbo" managed to "scrounge" a piano for them from a +ruined house in the town, and during the dark nights we had much to +thank them for. Later on there were whist drives, and some of the +gayer element even went to dances, classes in which gentle art were +held by the 6th Battalion. Padre Sturt, in addition to giving valuable +help with the Education Classes, started a Debating Society, at which +many entertaining topics were discussed. + +On November 29th, the first batch of miners left for demobilisation, +an urgent call having been made for these men owing to the coal +shortage. The batch included several "old hands," who had crossed to +France with the Battalion in 1915. The remainder were sent off in +December, during which month we lost no fewer than 230. + +In the afternoon of December 1st, we were honoured by a visit from the +King, the Prince of Wales, and Prince Albert. They were received by +Major-General Boyd and the Mayor, and afterwards walked through the +town surrounded by masses of troops of the Division. It was all +delightfully informal; they had a wonderful reception, and at times +found it difficult to get on. + +A week later, on December 8th, we were delighted to see a +representative from our own County, in the person of the Duke of +Portland. He was accompanied by Cols. Mellish and Foljambe, the Bishop +of Southwell, and Major E. T. Baines, whilst Padre Hales, who was now +Deputy Chaplain General of a neighbouring Corps, also came over for +the ceremony. The opportunity was taken of getting the Duke to present +medal ribbons to some Officers and men who had been awarded +decorations during the recent fighting. This was done at a Battalion +Parade, at which the Duke gave a short address, saying that he had +brought from the Home County congratulations and greetings on our work +during the last few months. After the Parade the Battalion marched +past the Duke headed by the Brigade band. + +The following week a Colour party consisting of Capt. White, 2nd +Lieut. James H. Smith, Comp.-Sergt.-Major Cobb, Sergt. Martin and +Sergt. Skelton, having been sent to Newark for the special purpose, +arrived with the Colours, which remained with the Battalion for the +rest of our stay in France. + +Amongst numerous Officers who joined us in these days we were +particularly glad to welcome our old friend Torrance, who at once +resumed the duties of Quarter-Master. + +The last item of interest in the great year 1918, was the celebration +of Christmas. The only drawback on this occasion was that we were not +able to celebrate it until Boxing Day, owing to the non-arrival of the +necessary feeding stuffs and drinks. Something had gone wrong in the +back regions, a thing which had been going on for some time, as +canteen stores were always short, and rations at no other period of +the war were so scarce or poor. We poured curses on the Royal Army +Service Corps, and all connected with them, but to no purpose. Boxing +day, however, will live long in our memory. There was plenty of food +and drink, and all sorts of other good things, towards the purchase of +which we had been largely helped by money presents from friends at +home. Each Company had its own dinner, followed by a concert. The +Major-General visited every Company, and was greeted with the greatest +enthusiasm. He wished every one a happy time and prosperity in the New +Year. The children of Landrecies also had a treat, being given a +special show by the Divisional Cinema, and a sumptuous feed, and we +venture to think they will not forget Christmas 1918 for many a long +day--they had certainly not had one like it during the previous four +years. Col. Barron and his excellent Quarter-Master, Major Moreton, of +our Field Ambulance, were largely responsible for the feed, whilst we +helped to buy toys. + +It took us some time to get over Christmas. In fact, Christmas at +Landrecies in 1918 lasted several days, and was full of incident! As +soon as the New Year came in--on January 3rd, 1919--we moved once more +to Prisches, where a fresh area was allotted us to clear. Here we +carried on in much the same way as at Landrecies, but owing to +demobilisation having become more general, we were losing men daily +and our numbers were gradually but surely dropping. Early in the New +Year Major Robinson left us to rejoin the 6th Battalion, and Major +Andrews resumed duty as Second-in-Command. + +On February 19th, we began a Westward move to be nearer railhead, +marching that day to Bazuel, and the following day to Bethencourt, +near Caudry, from which place we were destined finally to be scattered +to the four winds. From here we sent back most of our horses and +mules, with others from the Brigade, to an Auction sale at Prisches, +where they were sold in a most entertaining manner by a French +Auctioneer at good prices to the local inhabitants. Our Transport +vehicles were sent to the Divisional Park at Caudry. + +The same sort of work and play and demobilisation continued, and at +the end of April we were left with only nine Officers and 52 other +ranks. Officers and men who were not demobilised went mostly to the +51st and 52nd Sherwood Foresters (Young Soldiers Battalions), or to +Prisoners of War Camps at Nancy and Peronne. Eventually in June, Col. +Currin and the Cadre left for England, leaving behind only a baggage +guard under Capt. Warner, who came home in July. Col. Currin and his +party arrived at Newark late on June 21st, and the official welcome +took place on June 23rd, when the Mayor met them at the Town Hall, and +the Colours were once more placed at the Drill Hall. With the Colonel +were Regimental Sergt.-Major Mounteney, Comp. Quarter-Master Sergt. +Bee, Sergt. Blunt, L.-Corpl. Tuckwood, and Pvte. Durand. With the +exception of two short periods when he was away sick or wounded, +Regimental Sergt.-Major Mounteney served with us the whole of our stay +in France. Both in and out of the line he rendered most valuable +service to the Battalion, and even in the darkest hours we were always +sure of his cheerful help. + +On July 5th, a Memorial Service was held at Southwell Cathedral, for +the Nottinghamshire men who had fallen in the war. After the ceremony, +the men of the Battalion who were present, were entertained to tea in +the schools at Southwell, and Col. Huskinson took that opportunity of +thanking the ladies of the County for their kind help during the war. +We feel sure, that though on this occasion they are put last, they +will none the less accept our kind appreciation of all the work they +were at such pains to do, and for the thousands of comforts they got +together and sent out to us. + +From the time we left England to final disembodiment no fewer than 193 +Officers, and 2,650 other ranks served with the Battalion. There were +21 deaths from sickness and four fatal accidents. Battle casualties +amounted to 26 Officers, and 447 other ranks killed, or died of +wounds, and 64 Officers, and 1,400 other ranks wounded. Such a tragic +total, however, cannot wholly be a measure of the trials and +vicissitudes of three-and-a-half years' fighting. If in this record we +have succeeded in conveying an impression to those who were not so +fortunate as to be with us, or in reminding those who were, of +courage, dogged perseverance, and unselfish devotion to duty in +action, of pleasures, humour and happier times at rest, our efforts +may not, perhaps, be without value in the days that are to come. + + "Speak! Was our course well run? Is there aught wherewith to upbraid us? + Have we fled from the thunder of battle, or flinched at the lightning's + track? + Answer! What need of answer? By the God of Truth who hath made us, + Thou knowest the Flag went forward, and never a foot went back!" + + "THE LAST MUSTER," by _J. S. Arkwright_. + + + + +APPENDIX I. + +ROLL OF HONOUR + +_List of those who were Killed, or Died of Wounds or Sickness._ + + +OFFICERS. + + 1915. + + April 22--2nd Lieut. J. R. Eddison + + June 6--Capt. H. G. Wright + " 15--Lieut. A. F. O. Dobson + " 15--2nd Lieut. W. H. Hollins + Oct. 13--2nd Lieut. R. E. Hemingway + " 14--2nd Lieut. E. F. S. Handford + " 14--Capt. H. B. S. Handford + " 14--2nd Lieut. E. S. Strachan + " 15--Lieut.-Col. G. H. Fowler + " 25--2nd Lieut. G. H. Fisher + Nov. 12--Lieut. C. M. Houfton + + 1916. + + Jan. 1--Major J. P. Becher + Dec. 20--2nd Lieut. L. E. King-Stephens + + 1917. + + March 4--Lieut. R. A. Abrams + April 23--2nd Lieut. W. P. Duff + " 23--2nd Lieut. E. Hopkinson + Aug. 30--2nd Lieut. D. Tanner + Oct. 27--2nd Lieut. J. H. Hofmeyr + + 1918. + + April 29--Capt. H. K. Simonet + Sept. 6--2nd Lieut. C. J. Elly + " 29--Lieut. S. E. Cairns + Oct. 3--2nd Lieut. A. D. H. Dunkin + " 4--2nd Lieut. T. F. Mitchell + " 17--Capt. A. E. Geary + " 17--2nd Lieut. R. S. Plant + " 17--2nd Lieut. W. G. Jacques + + + OTHER RANKS. + + 1914. + + Sept. 28--Drummer R. Baker + Nov. 17--Pvte. S. Shelton + + + 1915. + + April 6--Pvte. J. Hyde + " 11--Pvte. P. Richardson + " 12--Pvte. D. Smith + " 12--Pvte. A. Frary + " 13--Pvte. W. R. Copley + " 15--Pvte. A. E. Hopewell + " 20--Pvte. H. Trickett + " 20--Pvte. J. Wright + " 21--Pvte. T. Murden + " 21--Pvte. A. Bates + " 21--Pvte. F. Adams + " 21--Pvte. J. Berresford + " 21--Sergt. G. Wilmore + " 21--Pvte. T. H. Mayman + " 22--Pvte. H. Sketchley + " 23--Pvte. H. Stevenson + " 23--Pvte. W. Taylor + " 24--Pvte. W. Hunt + " 24--Pvte. C. Redmile + " 24--Pvte. W. Godfrey + " 24--Pvte. C. Hibbert + " 24--Pvte. R. East + " 24--Pvte. J. Bonner + " 24--Pvte. H. Grant + " 24--Pvte. H. Husband + " 24--Pvte. W. Johnson + " 24--Pvte. W. Pattison + " 24--L.-Corpl. W. Ashley + " 24--Pvte. A. E. Hincks + " 24--Pvte. H. Randall + " 24--Pvte. E. Worthington + April 29--Pvte. J. Brindley + " 30--Pvte. H. Foster + " 30--L.-Corpl. E. Markwell + May 2--L.-Corpl. C. Land + " 2--Corpl. E. Parker + " 8--Pvte. H. Kirk + " 8--Pvte. A. V. Soar + " 8--L.-Corpl. W. H. Ridgard + " 10--L.-Corpl. A. Priestley + " 17--Pvte. E. Eaton + " 24--Pvte. W. Widnall + " 24--Pvte. T. Hardy + " 25--Pvte. H. Spademan + June 5--Pvte. R. Mills + " 6--Pvte. T. Massey + " 12--Pvte. F. Paling + " 14--Corpl. C. J. Wilson + " 15--Corpl. F. Wilcox + " 15--Pvte. A. E. Armitage + " 15--Pvte. F. Hill + " 15--Pvte. B. Cox + " 15--Pvte. P. May + " 15--Pvte. R. W. Moakes + " 15--Pvte. W. Richardson + " 15--Pvte. O. L. Bryan + " 15--Pvte. A. Cook + " 16--Pvte. G. Richardson + " 24--Pvte. W. H. Hird + " 27--L.-Corpl. J. Churn + " 27--Pvte. F. Edwards + " 27--Pvte. C. E. Stones + July 12--Pvte. E. Robinson + " 16--Pvte. G. Tinker + " 16--Corpl. F. Godson + " 18--Corpl. E. Dewsnap + " 20--Pvte. E. Richardson + " 21--Pvte. C. Taylor + " 21--Pvte. G. Hinton + " 22--Pvte. J. Bowskill + " 25--Pvte. J. Watson + " 30--Pvte. J. W. Jubb + " 30--Pvte. J. Rudkin + " 30--Pvte. F. Walster + " 30--Pvte. C. Thorpe + " 30--Pvte. R. Downham + " 30--Pvte. S. Oliver + " 30--Pvte. R. Huckerby + " 30--Pvte. F. Ingham + " 30--Pvte. F. Parker + " 30--Pvte. C. Lines + " 30--Pvte. A. Woodhead + " 30--Pvte. A. Coy + " 30--Pvte. J. Rossington + " 30--Pvte. A. R. Walker + " 30--Pvte. H. Taylor + " 30--Pvte. H. W. Raynor + " 31--Corpl. S. Humberstone + " 31--L.-Corpl. I. Webster + " 31--Corpl. R. J. Hotson + " 31--Pvte. T. Davidson + August 1--Pvte. J. Hopewell + " 1--Pvte. H. H. Turner + " 4--Pvte. J. W. Lee + " 5--Pvte. C. Crampton + " 7--Pvte. H. Moore + " 7--Pvte. A. Scott + " 8--Sergt. A. Phillipson + " 8--L.-Corpl. P. Scott + " 8--Pvte. A. Smith + " 8--Pvte. F. Gumsley + " 8--Pvte. E. King + " 13--L.-Sergt. E. Layhe + " 14--Pvte. G. E. Fletcher + " 14--Pvte. A. Walsham + " 14--Pvte. W. Kirkham + " 14--Corpl. G. C. Higham + " 17--Pvte. J. A. Saunders + " 30--Pvte. G. W. Cartwright + " 30--Pvte. G. Richards + Sept. 3--Pvte. H. Key + " 10--Pvte. L. Smith + " 12--Pvte. A. Wesson + " 16--Pvte. W. T. Marshall + " 19--Pvte. G. Barker + " 25--L.-Corpl. T. Humphrey + " 25--Pvte. L. Hayes + " 28--Pvte. R. Gray + " 29--Drummer J. Newton + Oct. 5--L.-Corpl. E. Hale + " 5--Pvte. J. R. Roe + " 5--L.-Sergt. C. E. Harrison + " 8--Pvte. N. Chadbourne + " 14--Sergt. C. E. Cox + " 14--L.-Corpl. A. Spencer + " 14--Corpl. J. C. Simpson + " 14--Pvte. E. Mecklenburgh + " 14--Corpl. W. Wardle + " 14--L.-Corpl. E. Clay + " 14--L.-Corpl. W. J. Herepath + " 14--L.-Corpl. A. H. Hardy + " 14--Pvte. A. Baldwinson + " 14--Pvte. H. L. Smith + " 14--Pvte. E. Kirk + " 14--Pvte. J. W. Renshaw + " 14--Pvte. C. Stimsom + " 14--Pvte. S. P. Huggins + " 14--Pvte. L. H. Flint + Oct. 14--Pvte. F. W. Coleman + " 14--Pvte. G. Simms + " 14--Pvte. A. Fotheringham + " 14--Pvte. S. H. Lister + " 14--Pvte. A. Pettinger + " 14--Pvte. A. Hazzard + " 14--Sergt. M. Millband + " 14--L.-Corpl. H. E. Woodhead + " 14--Pvte. J. Dodsworth + " 14--Corpl. J. Sharman + " 14--L.-Corpl. B. C. Vick + " 14--Pvte. A. Hazlewood + " 14--Pvte. H. Cook + " 14--Pvte. C. S. Harrison + " 14--Pvte. H. Wilkinson + " 14--Pvte. A. Eyre + " 14--Pvte. E. C. Phillipson + " 14--Pvte. W. Anthony + " 14--Pvte. F. Farrand + " 14--Pvte. A. B. Smith + " 14--Pvte. W. Thompson + " 14--Pvte. G. Seymour + " 14--Pvte. F. Bryan + " 14--Sergt. H. Hall + " 14--Pvte. A. Moyses + " 15--Pvte. W. Radford + " 15--Sergt. G. F. Foster + " 15--Pvte. S. Broughton + " 16--Pvte. R. Taylor + " 18--L.-Corpl. F. J. Lowe + " 22--Pvte. A. Woolley + " 27--Pvte. E. Chilvers + " 30--Pvte. R. Hurt + Nov. 22--Sergt. A. Sheppard + Dec. 2--Pvte. C. H. Cliffe + " 8--Pvte. C. Redfern + + 1916. + + March 20--Pvte. J. Evans + " 21--Pvte. F. Footitt + " 25--Pvte. E. Gilbert + " 28--Pvte. C. E. Ellis + April 4--Pvte. J. E. Easton + " 4--Pvte. A. Wright + " 4--Pvte. F. Johnson + " 4--Pvte. J. W. Hempsall + " 5--Pvte. E. A. Hill + " 15--Pvte. G. Wilcockson + " 15--Pvte. L. Chandlee + " 17--Sergt. W. H. Markham + " 17--Pvte. W. North + " 17--Pvte. E. H. Mutton + " 18--Pvte. H. Ellis + " 18--Pvte. E. Nelson + " 18--Pvte. W. Robinson + " 18--L.-Corpl. J. Footitt + " 18--Pvte. G. Marriott + " 18--Pvte. G. H. Johnson + " 18--Pvte. L. J. Moore + " 20--Pvte. H. Hicking + " 20--Pvte. T. B. Terry + " 25--Pvte. C. Wells + June 3--Pvte. H. Skillington + " 20--Pvte. A. E. Pulford + " 20--Pvte. J. Fogg + " 20--Pvte. G. A. Bingley + " 20--Pvte. L. Tyers + " 20--Pvte. T. Stout + " 24--Pvte. A. Froggatt + " 24--Pvte. J. W. Moor + " 24--Pvte. A. English + " 24--Pvte. T. Cope + " 25--Pvte. M. Johnson + " 25--L.-Corpl. A. E. Sooley + " 26--Pvte. E. Toyne + " 26--Corpl. W. G. Moore + " 26--Pvte. E. Judson + " 27--L.-Corpl. A. A. Grant + " 27--Pvte. F. W. Bonser + July 1--Pvte. F. Clarke + " 1--Corpl. E. Allen + " 1--Pvte. J. W. Edwards + " 1--Pvte. G. Seagrave + " 1--Corpl. S. Matthews + " 1--Corpl. J. J. Alvey + " 1--Pvte. T. F. Barlow + " 3--Pvte. A. Bousfield + " 6--Pvte. G. Talbot + " 10--Pvte. G. Jeffery + " 12--L.-Corpl. W. Young + " 13--L.-Corpl. E. Pride + " 13--Pvte. W. E. Beardsley + " 14--Corpl. A. E. Paling + " 17--Pvte. J. F. Wood + " 24--Pvte. J. R. Seymour + August 8--Pvte. J. Burke + Sept. 21--Pvte. A. Stocks + Oct. 7--Pvte. W. Hammond + + 1917. + + Jan. 24--Pvte. J. H. Spence + " 24--Pvte. J. Stafford + " 24--Pvte. R. Knee + Feb. 12--Pvte. F. Robertson + " 16--Pvte. F. W. Beighton + " 17--L.-Corpl. E. Slack + " 17--Pvte. J. W. Sharman + " 17--Pvte. F. Makin + " 17--Pvte. G. Addison + March 4--L.-Corpl. R. Marriott + " 4--Pvte. H. Rimes + " 4--Pvte. J. Myatt + " 4--Pvte. P. Faulkner + " 4--Pvte. F. S. Cooper + " 5--Sergt. J. Henley + " 5--Pvte. S. J. Preece + " 6--Pvte. J. H. Haslam + " 15--Pvte. C. H. Bryan + April 21--Pvte. G. Stubbins + " 21--Pvte. J. E. Wilkinson + " 21--Pvte. L. Burrows + " 23--Corpl. W. Street + " 23--L.-Corpl. R. Vacey + " 23--L.-Corpl. J. Hinchley + " 23--L.-Corpl. W. Ward + " 23--Pvte. W. Barwise + " 23--Pvte. G. Garbett + " 23--Pvte. G. H. Smith + " 23--Pvte. E. Goodacre + " 23--Pvte. E. R. Hewson + " 23--Pvte. J. Holwell + " 23--Pvte. T. H. Jones + " 23--Pvte. G. Miller + " 23--Pvte. F. Phillips + " 23--Pvte. W. Steele + " 23--Pvte. H. Barnes + " 23--Pvte. S. Hodgkinson + " 24--Corpl. A. Cox + " 26--Pvte. J. Nicholson + May 8--Pvte. D. McGlure + " 10--Pvte. R. Short + " 10--Pvte. C. Perkins + " 11--Pvte. F. W. Brown + " 11--Pvte. G. Nicholls + " 12--Pvte. A. L. Varley + " 12--Pvte. J. Sinclair + " 12--Pvte. R. Turner + " 19--Pvte. J. K. Strachan + " 28--L.-Corpl. H. Newman + " 28--Pvte. R. Morris + " 29--Pvte. F. Marshall + " 30--Pvte. L. Houeton + " 30--Pvte. T. Sherratt + " 30--Pvte. H. Simpson + " 30--Pvte. S. Morley + June 2--Pvte. W. Gale + " 3--Pvte. S. Peach + " 6--Pvte. A. L. Reekie + " 8--Pvte. J. H. Whitehead + " 8--Pvte. G. W. Henley + June 8--Pvte. G. S. Reiace + " 8--Corpl. F. S. Pickering + " 8--Pvte. T. Clarke + " 9--Pvte. A. Fitzhugh + " 22--Pvte. W. N. Stone + " 22--Pvte. J. W. Bradbury + " 22--Pvte. A. Simpson + " 22--L.-Corpl. E. Johnson + " 22--Pvte. A. Mawson + " 23--Pvte. T. Grosse + " 23--Pvte. H. F. Buckler + " 23--Corpl. A. Humberstone + " 23--Pvte. G. F. Collins + " 23--Pvte. J. Buswell + " 26--Pvte. C. E. Allen + " 26--Pvte. J. H. Fox + " 26--Drummer S. R. Willingham + July 1--Pvte. P. N. Coupe + " 26--Pvte. G. H. Stubbins + " 28--L.-Corpl. A. Huntbach + " 28--L.-Corpl. W. Bulman + " 30--Pvte. G. F. Allen + August 4--L.-Corpl. H. Taylor + " 5--L.-Sergt. S. Bowler + " 30--Corpl. H. Wright + Sept. 2--Pvte. A. Robertson + " 3--Pvte. A. P. Frettingham + " 12--Pvte. H. Wilson + " 12--L.-Sergt. J. Blythe + " 12--L.-Corpl. H. C. Key + " 13--Pvte. L. Lilley + " 13--Pvte. G. Darwin + " 13--L.-Corpl. C. Parkin + " 13--Pvte. W. S. Bell + " 13--Pvte. W. A. Beckett + " 13--Pvte. W. C. Randall + " 13--Pvte. E. Stewart + " 13--Pvte. S. Thorne + " 29--Pvte. T. Gilbert + " 29--Pvte. H. C. Smedley + Oct. 4--Sergt. W. H. Drabble + " 4--Pvte. G. H. West + " 4--Pvte. A. Lovegrove + " 5--Pvte. H. Shufflebottom + " 14--Pvte. J. Bennett + Nov. 2--Pvte. E. Sharpe + " 4--Pvte. H. Syson + " 23--Pvte. W. Blackshaw + " 28--Pvte. H. Fox + Dec. 6--Pvte. W. J. Palmer + " 9--L.-Corpl. A. Dean + " 11--Pvte. H. Moult + " 21--Pvte. G. Large + + 1918. + + March 17--Pvte. F. L. Chapman + " 22--Pvte. S. S. Ives + " 22--Pvte. J. Thompson + " 22--Corpl. H. Tyne + April 8--Pvte. C. Scholes + " 18--Corpl. G. Caudwell + " 18--Pvte. C. H. Aram + " 18--Pvte. A. Leader + " 28--Pvte. E. Cross + " 28--Pvte. F. Townsend + " 29--Pvte. G. F. Garratt + May 5--Pvte. A. E. Cliff + " 5--Pvte. A. H. Wheway + " 9--Pvte. E. H. Asling + " 15--Pvte. A. Beastall + " 18--Pvte. H. Cooper + " 19--Pvte. A. Armstrong + June 15--Pvte. W. H. Baldwin + " 15--Pvte. W. Buckley + " 16--Pvte. G. R. Atkinson + " 16--Pvte. A. Lover + " 19--Pvte. W. Clarke + " 23--Pvte. W. Tudbury + " 29--Pvte. C. J. Rickett + July 10--L.-Corpl. H. Smith + August 7--Pvte. G. Chadwick + " 13--Pvte. J. G. Boothby + " 14--L.-Corpl. F. Peck + " 17--Pvte. G. Rowley + " 26--Pvte. S. Berry + " 28--Pvte. E. Powell + " 28--Pvte. G. Williamson + " 29--Pvte. J. A. Riley + " 29--Pvte. G. Stendall + " 29--Pvte. G. Renshaw + " 29--Pvte. F. H. Heighway + Sept. 22--Pvte. G. F. Rogers + " 25--Corpl. A. E. Lambert + " 25--Pvte. W. Rogers + " 26--Pvte. W. J. Phippard + " 26--Corpl. J. W. Elcock + " 29--Pvte. I. Evans + " 29--Pvte. T. Rennie + " 29--Corpl. H. Russell + " 29--L.-Corpl. J. Hoe + " 29--Pvte. J. E. Tinkler + " 29--Pvte. G. S. Goodbourne + " 29--Pvte. F. Conway + " 29--L.-Corpl. T. H. Swann + " 29--Pvte. F. Key + " 29--Pvte. E. Leek + " 29--Pvte. J. Rice + " 29--Pvte. C. E. Goddard + " 30--Comp. Sergt.-Major J. F. Rawding + " 30--Pvte. E. Walker + " 30--Pvte. T. Johnson + Oct. 1--Pvte. A. Watson + " 3--Pvte. J. E. Smith + " 3--L.-Corpl. G. T. Tolly + " 3--Pvte. G. Ballington + " 3--Pvte. D. Irvine + " 3--Pvte. S. Spencer + " 3--Pvte. J. Taylor + " 3--Sergt. C. H. Genders + " 3--Pvte. J. Holmes + " 3--Pvte. J. R. Rush + " 3--L.-Corpl. A. Mantle + " 3--Pvte. H. F. Russell + " 3--Pvte. F. W. Lambert + " 3--Pvte. H. Keech + " 3--Pvte. H. G. Handley + " 3--Pvte. S. Guy + " 3--Sergt. S. Hurt + " 3--Pvte. J. Sulley + " 3--Pvte. W. Barksby + " 3--Pvte. J. W. North + " 3--Pvte. A. Goldsmith + " 3--Pvte. A. E. Ward + " 3--Pvte. J. Moon + " 4--Pvte. F. J. Lewis + " 4--L.-Corpl. C. H. Chadbourne + " 7--Pvte. A. Clemerson + " 8--Pvte. H. Silvester + " 9--L.-Corpl. A. H. Penford + " 12--Pvte. W. Walters + " 13--Pvte. A. S. Roberts + " 14--Pvte. C. E. Hallam + " 17--Pvte. W. Godson + " 17--Pvte. J. Bailey + " 17--Pvte. G. E. Smith + " 17--Pvte. G. E. P. Dennis + " 17--Pvte. H. Adlington + " 17--Pvte. S. Seal + " 17--Pvte. H. Simmons + " 17--Pvte. T. W. Horne + " 17--Pvte. F. Woodhead + " 17--Pvte. A. Jones + " 17--Pvte. J. W. Stewart + " 17--Pvte. G. Floyd + " 17--Pvte. F. N. Guttridge + " 17--Pvte. T. Turner + " 17--Pvte. A. Diggle + " 17--Pvte. E. Goddard + " 17--L.-Corpl. F. H. Clarke + Oct. 17--L.-Corpl. W. C. Creamer + " 17--Pvte. G. Wildsmith + " 17--L.-Corpl. J. F. Harper + " 17--Pvte. G. Welbourne + " 17--Pvte. G. Redfern + " 18--Pvte. T. Sedgewick + " 18--Pvte. J. Robinson + " 18--Pvte. C. Whittaker + " 18--Corpl. A. C. Scott + " 18--Pvte. A. Bacon + " 22--Pvte. G. W. Rollett + " 23--L.-Corpl. L. Horton + " 23--Pvte. B. A. Cutler + " 24--Pvte. A. Gittens + Nov. 1--Pvte. W. J. Coates + " 5--Pvte. C. Wagstaff + " 11--Pvte. T. S. Handy + " 13--Pvte. R. Hand + Dec. 24--Pvte. H. Buzan + + +_Officers who were Killed or Died of Wounds whilst serving with other +Units._ + + 2nd Lieut. A. D. Bailey + 2nd Lieut. F. E. Kebblewhite + 2nd Lieut. F. M. Corry + Lieut. C. H. Hicks + Lieut.-Col. B. W. Vann + + +_Other Ranks who were Killed or Died of Wounds, after being granted +Commissions in other Units._ + + Comp. Sergt.-Major J. A. Green + Comp. Sergt.-Major F. Spencer + L.-Corpl. F. L. Wilson + L.-Corpl. F. B. Gill + Comp. Sergt.-Major E. Haywood + Comp. Sergt.-Major W. H. M. Hotson + Pvte. J. A. Christie + + + + +APPENDIX II. + +HONOURS. + + + BAR to D.S.O. + + Lieut.-Col. J. F. Dempster + Lieut.-Col. R. W. Currin + + + D.S.O. + + Lieut.-Col. J. E. Blackwall + Major A. L. Ashwell + Rev. J. P. Hales + Major J. P. Becher + Major R. J. Wordsworth + + + 2nd BAR to M.C. + + Major V. O. Robinson + + + M.C. and BAR. + + Capt. B. W. Vann + + + M.C. + + 2nd Lieut. J. S. C. Oates + Capt. A. Hacking + Capt. W. C. C. Weetman + 2nd Lieut. W. P. Duff + 2nd Lieut. E. Hopkinson + Capt. A. E. Geary + Capt. J. W. Turner + 2nd Lieut. A. C. Fairbrother + Capt. H. de C. Martelli + Capt. H. K. Simonet + Major A. Andrews + Capt. E. A. Huskinson + 2nd Lieut. S. Bradwell + 2nd Lieut. James Howard Smith + Capt. G. Thomas + Capt. J. B. White + 2nd Lieut. J. Bloor + 2nd Lieut. W. J. Winter + Capt. A. B. Miners + 2nd Lieut. F. L. Harrap + Lieut. S. E. Cairns + 2nd Lieut. T. F. Mitchell + Capt. St. G. L. M. Homan, R.A.M.C. + Rev. D. E. Sturt + Capt. C. G. Druce + Capt. E. W. Warner + 2nd Lieut. J. F. Shackleton + Capt. A. Bedford + Lieut. A. G. T. Lomer + + + O.B.E. and M.V.O. + + Major G. S. Heathcote + + + O.B.E. and BREVET MAJORITY. + + Major G. Clarke + + + O.B.E. + + Lieut.-Col. C. J. Huskinson + Lieut.-Col. R. F. B. Hodgkinson + + + D.C.M. and BAR. + + Comp. Sergt.-Major F. Attenborough + + + D.C.M. AND M.M. + + L.-Sergt. C. Claxton + Pvte. G. H. Wesley + + D.C.M. and M.S.M. + + Comp. Sergt.-Major J. F. Rawding + + + D.C.M. + + Regimental Sergt.-Major W. Mounteney + Sergt. A. Sheppard + Corpl. H. Tyne + Sergt. E. Grantham + Pvte. J. Nicholson + Corpl. W. E. Boot + Sergt.-Drummer W. Clewes + L.-Sergt. T. Turgoose + Pvte. R. Kerling + Comp. Sergt.-Major E. Haywood + Sergt. C. E. Crooks + Sergt. H. Scrimshaw + Sergt. J. L. Peach + Corpl. R. Francis + Comp. Sergt.-Major A. Cobb + Comp. Sergt.-Major W. Stokes + L.-Corpl. W. Beech + Sergt. H. Wilson + + + M.M. and 2 BARS. + + Pvte. L. Thomas + + + M.M. and BAR. + + Pvte. F. Green + + + M.M. and M.S.M. + + Pvte. J. Nelson + + + M.M. + + Sergt. J. T. Templeman + Corpl. W. H. Lacey + Corpl. S. Matthews + L.-Sergt. T. Martin + Pvte. G. F. Holbery + Sergt. C. Grainger + L.-Corpl. H. J. Walsh + Corpl. H. Hickman + Corpl. C. E. Bryan + Corpl. J. W. Wilson + Sergt. W. L. Green + Sergt. L. Bell + Sergt. C. T. Blunt + Comp. Sergt.-Major E. E. Deverall + Sergt. J. G. Collins + Sergt. W. G. Oldfield + Corpl. T. W. Lowe + Pvte. W. Heath + Sergt. J. Henley + Corpl. W. Street + L.-Corpl. W. Teare + Corpl. C. Hagues + Sergt. R. H. Bolton + L.-Corpl. J. F. Stewart + Pvte. G. F. Garratt + Sergt. W. H. Martin + L.-Sergt. R. Turner + Pvte. G. Wildsmith + Pvte. W. H. Tailby + Pvte. G. Stamford + Pvte. G. Cook + L.-Sergt. W. Field + L.-Sergt. F. Illger + L.-Corpl. J. North + Pvte. G. Feighery + Pvte. W. Westnidge + Corpl. G. Skelton + Pvte. B. Smithurst + Pvte. W. Titmus + Pvte. A. W. Colton + Pvte. C. Welbourne + Pvte. G. Sulley + Corpl. S. Slater + Corpl. W. Foster + Pvte. W. Parker + Pvte. A. W. Stapleton + Corpl. R. Harvey + Sergt. J. Stimson + Pvte. E. Crow + Sergt. C. Vann + L.-Corpl. S. Slater + Corpl. J. Wright + Pvte. J. W. Starr + L.-Corpl. F. Baxter + Corpl. W. Clark + Sergt. W. Wrigglesworth + Sergt. C. Sharrock + Pvte. W. H. Martin + Sergt. H. Shepperson + Sergt. A. Winson + Pvte. J. Roe + L.-Corpl. J. U. Coombs + Pvte. F. Draper + Pvte. A. Jackson + Pvte. A. Turpin + Pvte. N. Lees + Pvte. J. Vipond + Pvte. W. Houghton + Pvte. W. G. Nicholson + Pvte. C. Smith + Pvte. H. Beresford + Corpl. S. Gadsby + Pvte. E. Mosgrove + + + M.S.M. + + Comp. Sergt.-Major A. Mabbott + Sergt T. Taylor + Sergt. J. Eggleston + Sergt. R. Harvey + Regtl. Qtr.-Mtr. Sergt. F. A. Pritchard + Comp. Qtr.-Mtr. Sergt. H. J. Wilson + Comp. Qtr.-Mtr. Sergt. G. E. Bee + Comp. Qtr.-Mtr. Sergt. W. I. Dale + + + MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES. + + Lieut.-Col. G. H. Fowler + Major J. P. Becher + Major A. L. Ashwell + Major R. J. Wordsworth (2) + 2nd Lieut. J. S. C. Oates + Capt. E. C. A. James + Capt. E. N. T. Collin + Capt. B. W. Vann + Capt. A. Hacking + Capt. J. W. Turner + Lieut.-Col. J. E. Blackwall + Rev. J. P. Hales (2) + Lieut.-Col. C. J. Huskinson (2) + Capt. C. L. Hill + Major G. Clarke + Lieut. W. H. B. Rezin (2) + Hon. Lieut, and Quarter-Master F. Torrance + Capt. R. Whitton + Capt. C. G. Tomlinson + Lieut. C. H. S. Stephenson + Lieut.-Col. R. W. Currin + Capt. N. L. Hindley + Lieut. S. Sanders + Sergt. E. Grantham + Comp. Sergt.-Major J. F. Rawding + Sergt. J. T. Templeman + Sergt. C. T. Blunt + Pvte. F. Holland + Regtl. Sergt.-Major W. Mounteney + Sergt. A. Phillipson + Pvte. S. Boothby + Pvte. C. Redfern + Corpl. G. Caudwell + Pvte. H. Needham + Comp. Sergt.-Major T. Powell + Comp. Sergt-Major J. T. Slater + Sergt. R. F. Bescoby. + Regtl. Qtr.-Mtr. Sergt. F. A. Pritchard + Sergt. R. Harvey + L.-Corpl. W. Beech + Comp. Sergt.-Major E. E. Deverall + Corpl. E. Dexter + Sergt. F. Lobley + L.-Sergt. J. Wicks + + + FOREIGN DECORATIONS. + + FRENCH:-- + + Legion d'Honneur (Chevalier). + + Lieut.-Col. J. E. Blackwall + + + Croix de Guerre. + + Capt. B. W. Vann + Capt. W. C. C. Weetman + Comp. Sergt.-Major A. Cobb + Pvte. F. Holland + Sergt. T. Oldham + + + BELGIAN:-- + + Croix de Guerre. + + Regimental Sergt.-Major W. Mounteney + + + RUSSIAN:-- + Medal of St. George (4th Class). + + Drummer J. Newton + Drummer W. Robb + Corpl. J. Sharman + + + +[Illustration: MAP TO ILLUSTRATE BATTLE OF BELLENGLISE. SEPT: 29th +1918.] + + + + PRINTED BY THOS. FORMAN AND SONS + NOTTINGHAM + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Sherwood Foresters in the Great +War 1914 - 1919, by W.C.C. 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