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+The Project Gutenberg eBook, The War Service of the 1/4 Royal Berkshire
+Regiment (T. F.), by Charles Robert Mowbray Fraser Cruttwell
+
+
+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 War Service of the 1/4 Royal Berkshire Regiment (T. F.)
+
+
+Author: Charles Robert Mowbray Fraser Cruttwell
+
+
+
+Release Date: July 9, 2007  [eBook #22028]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)
+
+
+***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WAR SERVICE OF THE 1/4 ROYAL
+BERKSHIRE REGIMENT (T. F.)***
+
+
+E-text prepared by David Clarke, Christine P. Travers, and the Project
+Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net) from
+page images generously made available by Internet Archive/Canadian
+Libraries (http://www.archive.org/details/toronto)
+
+
+
+Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this
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+
+
+      Images of the original pages are available through
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+      http://www.archive.org/details/warserviceberk00crutuoft
+
+
+Transcriber's note:
+
+      Obvious printer's errors have been corrected. All other
+      inconsistencies are as in the original. The author's spelling
+      has been maintained.
+
+      The original book used for this file did not contain a table
+      of contents, and one has been added for the convenience of the
+      reader.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE WAR SERVICE OF THE 1/4 ROYAL BERKSHIRE REGIMENT (T.F.)
+
+by
+
+C. R. M. F. CRUTTWELL
+
+Late Captain 1/4 Royal Berks. Regt., Fellow Of Hertford
+College, And Formerly Fellow Of All Souls College, Oxford
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: Colonel O. PEARCE-SEROCOLD, C.M.G., V.D.
+Commanding On Mobilization 5 Aug. 1914 To 14 Feb. 1916.]
+
+
+
+Oxford Basil Blackwell
+MCMXXII
+
+Oxford
+Fox, Jones & Co.,
+Kemp Hall Press,
+High Street.
+
+
+
+
+TABLE OF CONTENTS.
+
+
+  Preface.
+
+  Chapter I
+    Mobilisation and training.
+
+  Chapter II
+    First Days on Active Service.
+
+  Chapter III
+    Holding the Line at 'Plugstreet'.
+
+  Chapter IV
+    On the Move and in Corps Reserve.
+
+  Chapter V
+    Relieving the French at Hebuterne.
+
+  Chapter VI
+    Summer and Autumn in Artois.
+
+  Chapter VII
+    Winter in the Trenches.
+
+  Chapter VIII
+    The new Trench and the Raid.
+
+  Chapter IX
+    Before the Battle.
+
+  Chapter X
+    The July Fighting at Pozieres.
+
+  Chapter XI
+    Rest and Battle.
+
+  Chapter XII
+    Uneventful Days.
+
+  Chapter XIII
+    In the Slough of Despond.
+
+  Chapter XIV
+    The Winter and the German Retreat.
+
+  Chapter XV
+    Ronssoy.
+
+  Chapter XVI
+    Towards the Hindenburg Line.
+
+  Chapter XVII
+    The Renewal of Trench Warfare.
+
+  Chapter XVIII
+    The Third Battle of Ypres.
+
+  Chapter XIX
+    Last Days in France and the Journey to Italy.
+
+  Chapter XX
+    The Italian Winter.
+
+  Chapter XXI
+    Mountain Warfare.
+
+  Chapter XXII
+    The Last Summer.
+
+  Chapter XXIII
+    Victory.
+
+  Appendix A.
+
+  Appendix B.
+
+
+
+
+PREFACE.
+
+
+This little work was undertaken at the request of Lieut.-Col. R. J.
+Clarke, C.M.G., D.S.O., while the war was still in progress. The
+Editor of the _Berkshire Chronicle_ kindly gave it the hospitality of
+his columns in 1920. Its republication in book form is due to the
+generous support of Berkshire people; and I have been very fortunate
+in persuading Mr. Basil Blackwell to act as its publisher. The earlier
+portion is based on my own personal recollections, the latter on the
+war diary of the Battalion, which was admirably kept, and on
+information supplied by officers and men.
+
+I have to thank Lieut.-Col. Ewen and Capt. Goodenough, M.C., for the
+trouble which they have taken to supply me with all available
+documents: and, among many others, Major G. A. Battcock, Captains W.
+E. H. Blandy, O. B. Challenor, M.C., G. H. W. Cruttwell, and Sergts.
+Page and Riddell for giving me personal details, and thereby clearing
+up many points which must otherwise have remained obscure.
+
+The fortunes in battle of a small unit, like a Battalion, in the late
+war, can never make easy reading, but I hope that with the aid of the
+large-scale maps inserted in the text they may prove fairly
+intelligible. The Appendices are due to the present Adjutant, Capt. L.
+Goodenough, M.C.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+MOBILISATION AND TRAINING
+
+
+Late in the afternoon of August 2nd, 1914, the 4th Royal Berks
+Regiment joined the remainder of the South Midland Infantry Brigade
+for their annual camp on a hill above Marlow. War had broken out on
+the previous day between Germany and Russia, and few expected that the
+15 days' training would run its normal course. It was not, therefore,
+a complete surprise when in the twilight of the next morning the
+battalion re-entered the same trains which had brought them, and
+returned to Reading. Soon after arrival, in accordance with orders
+received, the battalion proceeded to disband; but many of the men,
+unwilling to return to the distant parts of the county when further
+developments were confidently expected, remained at their respective
+armouries throughout that famous Bank Holiday. At last, at 7.20 p.m.
+on the next day, August 4th, the order for mobilisation was received,
+and conveyed throughout the county that night by the police and eager
+parties of volunteers. The plan of mobilisation had been closely
+studied in all its details, and worked with complete smoothness. By 2
+p.m. on the 5th the assemblage at Reading was complete, and after a
+laborious day spent in medical inspection, drawing of equipment and of
+ammunition, 28 officers and 800 other ranks entrained in the evening
+for their war station at Portsmouth, while 2 officers and 65 other
+ranks remained at Reading to receive the transport from the remount
+depot. At Portsmouth three days were spent mainly in digging, until a
+new move on the 9th brought the whole of the South Midland Division
+together at Swindon. Here on the 14th the battalion was invited by
+telegram from the War Office to volunteer immediately for foreign
+service. At this date the formation of the new service units had
+scarcely begun, and few realised how widely the common burden of
+responsibility would be shouldered in the next few weeks. The
+question, therefore, arose naturally in many minds, why those whose
+patriotism had led them without encouragement and sometimes with
+derision to qualify for the defence of the country in peace, should be
+the first called upon to extend their statutory obligation when
+emergency arose. None the less, within a few days a large majority of
+the men, and practically all the officers, had volunteered. History
+will, I believe, honour this prompt decision and recognise its value.
+
+On August 16th, the division entrained for Leighton Buzzard, and the
+battalion spent four days in billets at Dunstable, 8 miles away,
+before setting out on the 20th on a 70-mile trek to its final
+destination at Chelmsford. In spite of the heat, the dusty roads and
+the small opportunities afforded since mobilisation for practice in
+marching, the journey was successfully accomplished in four days. The
+inhabitants of Stevenage, Hoddesden, Waltham Abbey and Fyfield, where
+we billeted in succession, to whom the passage of troops was still a
+pleasing novelty, and the provision of billets more than a business
+transaction, received us with every kindness. Thus Chelmsford became
+the adopted home and theatre of training for the battalion, except for
+the period September 24th-October 16th, which was spent in three
+adjacent villages, Broomfield and Great and Little Waltham. The relations
+between the town and the soldiers were excellent throughout, and many
+warm friendships were made; while in the surrounding country the
+landowners and farmers made the troops free of their land, thereby
+greatly assisting the field training, which was carried on uninterruptedly
+through a fine autumn and a wet winter. We lost in September for duty
+with the New Armies the permanent sergeant-instructors, one of whom had
+been attached to each company in peace time, but were fortunately
+allowed to retain our regular adjutant, Captain G. M. Sharpe, and the
+R.S.-M. (afterwards Lieut. Hanney, M.C.). About the close of the year
+the double-company system was adopted, under which the two headquarter
+companies became 'A' Company, under the command of Major Hedges, while
+Captain Battcock commanded B Company, composed of the men from
+Wallingford, Wantage and Newbury, Captain Lewis C Company, from
+Windsor and Maidenhead, and Captain Thorne D Company, from Abingdon
+and Wokingham. Many memories will remain with us of the laborious days
+and nights spent throughout those seven months, of company training in
+Highlands, fights on Galleywood Common, route marches up the long
+slope of Danbury Hill, journeys to Boreham Range in the darkness of a
+winter dawn, returning after dusk with a day's firing behind, and long
+hours spent in guarding the Marconi station in rain, snow and mist.
+All ranks were very keen and eager, especially before illness, the
+monotony of routine and disappointment at receiving no orders for
+overseas, produced some inevitable reaction. Colonel Serocold has
+indeed expressed his opinion that the battalion, while under his
+command, was never better trained than at the end of November, 1914.
+
+At last, however, on the evening of March 30th, 1915, amidst many
+expressions of goodwill and regret from the townsfolk, who thronged
+the streets, the battalion entrained for France, and left Folkestone
+in the S.E.R. packet boat _Onward_ at 11 p.m.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+FIRST DAYS ON ACTIVE SERVICE
+
+
+The night was calm and bright with stars as, with an escorting
+destroyer, we crossed rapidly to Boulogne. After disembarking we
+marched to the Blue Base above the town, clattering over the cobbles,
+and drawing the heads of the curious to their bedroom windows. Here we
+lay down in tents and endured with the mitigation of one blanket a
+bitter frost. That evening we continued our journey towards the
+unknown from Pont des Briques station, where we found our train
+already contained the transport from Havre, two of whose number had
+been deposited on the line en route by the activities of a restive
+horse. The men were crowded into those forbidding trucks labelled
+"Hommes, 40, chevaux, 8," and suffered much discomfort as the train
+crept through a frozen night, whose full moon illuminated a succession
+of dykes and water meadows stiff with hoarfrost, and bearded French
+Territorials with flaming braziers guarding the line. As dawn was
+breaking we detrained on the long platform of Cassel, and after the
+transport was unloaded moved up that steep hill which is so well known
+a landmark in Flanders. When we reached the summit, leaving the town
+on our left, we looked over the great Flemish plain, and heard for the
+first time the faint pulsing of the guns. The sun had now fully risen,
+and dissipated the thin morning mist; the level country parcelled out
+into innumerable farms and clumps of trees stretched endlessly to the
+east. Only to the northward the steep outline of the Mont des Cats
+with the long ridge of the Mont Noir behind broke the plain. We
+descended, and made our way wearily to Winnezeele, a straggling
+village of outlying farms, close to the Belgian frontier. Here we
+remained three days, and with the zeal of new troops obeyed every
+letter of the law. Orderly sergeants descended into the village in
+marching order with full packs, no officer was ever seen without his
+revolver, while every billet was guarded as if at any moment it might
+be taken by assault.
+
+On April 2nd we marched to Steenvoorde, where Lieut.-General Sir H.
+Smith-Dorrien, commanding 2nd Army, inspected the 145th Brigade. He
+congratulated them on their smart appearance, and spoke most warmly of
+the work already done by Territorials in the war. He also cheered us
+greatly by his anticipation of the fall of Budapest and of the forcing
+of the Dardanelles within the next few weeks.
+
+On Easter Sunday, April 9th, we marched to Fletre, a village on the
+great paved road to Lille, 3 miles short of Bailleul. Here long lines
+of lorries attested the importance of this main artery of the Army;
+while the effects of war were plainly seen in the bullet-riddled
+houses, the random little trenches and crosses dotted around, which
+recalled the successful fighting of the 4th Division on October 14th.
+The chateau which Headquarters occupied was said to have been
+similarly used for eight days by General von Kluck. Here for three
+days we enjoyed the rain of Flanders, and a foretaste of its eternal
+mud, before moving a stage nearer to the battle line, the flares of
+which had been an object of much interest at nights. Our next journey,
+on the 7th, led through Bailleul, where the band of the Artists'
+Rifles played in the great square, and the Warwicks of the 143rd
+Brigade viewed us with the superior air of men who had already been in
+the trenches with the 6th Division; then between the poplars along
+the Armentieres road, until we turned to the left at Rabot, and soon
+arrived at our destination, a small village called Romarin. It lies
+just within the Belgian frontier, a bare 3 miles behind the firing
+line, whence the crackle of rifle fire was plainly audible, whilst
+from the coppiced slopes of Neuve Eglise, which bounded the northward
+view, intermittent flashes denoted the presence of the field
+batteries. The battalion was now attached to the 10th Brigade of the
+4th Division, who were still holding the same ground where their
+victorious advance had come to a standstill in October in front of
+Ploegsteert Wood and northward round the base of Messines Hill. The
+four Companies were divided for their period of 48 hours in the line
+between 1st Warwicks, 2nd Seaforths, Royal Irish, Dublin Fusiliers,
+and 7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (T.F.). The time passed
+without casualties or special incident, except for the shelling of a
+night working party under Lieut. Challoner, which escaped disaster
+only by good fortune. All will remember with gratitude the good
+comradeship and helpfulness of this Regular brigade, from whom we
+learnt much during our short period of attachment. On its conclusion
+we marched back to billets at Steenwerck, a station on the Lille line
+midway between Bailleul and Armentieres. Here we endeavoured
+unsuccessfully, with the aid of a French officer, to locate a chain of
+signalling lamps impudently displayed from Bailleul right away towards
+the German lines.
+
+On April 13th a Rugger match was played at Pont de Nieppe between
+teams representing the 4th and 48th Divisions, and resulted in a
+victory for the latter. Here Lieut. Ronald Poulton-Palmer, who
+captained the side, played his last game. On April 15th we moved up
+again, and took over for the first time our own line from the 2nd
+Hants at Le Gheer. The trenches ran here with singular angles and
+salients along the east face of Ploegsteert Wood; many disconnected
+posts, which could only be relieved by night, strong points in ruined
+houses with such suggestive names as First and Second German House
+were reminiscent rather of outposts than orthodox trench warfare. The
+weather was bright, the enemy entirely inactive, and the wood, with
+its oxlips and other spring flowers, its budding branches unscarred by
+shell fire, was a picture of charm rare in modern warfare. Forty-eight
+hours only were spent in this idyllic spot before we returned to
+Romarin to the accompaniment of the roar of mines, artillery, and
+concentrated rifle fire and machine gun fire, which heralded the
+sudden outbreak of the Battle of Hill 60, 4 miles to the north, just
+before sunset on April 17th. Our relief of the 4th Division was now
+complete, and our instructors marched to billets in Bailleul, only to
+be thrown within a few days into the furnace of the second Battle of
+Ypres. Before leaving they placed a great board just outside the
+Regent Street entrance to the wood, stating that it had been taken by
+the 4th Division on October, 1914, and handed over intact to us.
+
+[Illustration: Berkshire Line At Ploegsteert.]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+HOLDING THE LINE AT 'PLUGSTREET'
+
+
+The line held by the Division for the next two months was wholly
+within Belgian territory, with a frontage of about 5,000 yards, which
+stretched from a point about 500 yards south-east of Wulverghem on the
+north to just below Le Gheer. The 143rd Brigade were on the left,
+145th in the centre, and the 144th on the right. We were on the left
+of the 145th, and worked on a self-relieving system by which two
+Companies spent alternate periods of four days in the trenches and in
+local reserve. B and C Companies on the right shared trenches 37 and
+38, also named Berkshire and Argyll; A and D in turn inhabited
+trenches 39 and 40, or Sutherland and Oxford, with a total frontage of
+700 yards. The trenches ran along low ground between the wood and the
+River Douve; on the left the famous hill of Messines peered into our
+positions, and though itself barely 200 feet above sea-level loomed
+like a mountain among the mole-heaps of Flanders. The distance between
+the opposing lines varied from 450 to 250 yards. Reliefs could be
+carried out by day across the open on the right to Prowse Point
+(called after Major Prowse, of the Somerset L.I., who here organised a
+successful counter-attack in November, 1914, and afterwards was killed
+as a brigadier in the Somme battles); but the left was much in the
+air, as the only communication trench led up to some reserve
+breastworks near the Messines road, barely shoulder high, and
+themselves incapable of secure daylight approach, and all rations,
+stores, etc., had to be brought up overland by night over
+bullet-swept ground, but with negligible casualties.
+
+The amenities of trench life depend almost wholly on the enemy and the
+weather. In both these respects we were fortunate. The Saxons who
+faced us lived up to their reputation, and apart from some accurate
+sniping which did more damage to periscopes than to human life, made
+no attempt to annoy us. No gas was ever emitted against us, though but
+a few miles to the north the enemy was using this new weapon
+incessantly. Throughout the end of April and for many days in May the
+wind blew steadily out of a cloudless sky from the north-east, and
+every morning we anxiously sniffed the breeze as we fingered the
+inadequate and clumsy respirators of those times. Every day a new
+pattern arrived with a new set of instructions. Then our sappers were
+ordered to make boxes of gun-powder which were to be fired by fuse and
+thrown over the parapet to dissipate the gas. In doing this they
+succeeded in blowing up several of their own number in their infernal
+den at Doo-Doo Farm. Scarcely, however, were these boxes ensconced in
+their weather-proof niches in each traverse than they were condemned,
+and the sweating infantry who had brought them up returned them with
+many curses to store.
+
+The guns also left our sector in peace, which was the more fortunate
+as our artillery was not in a position to reply effectively to even a
+modest bombardment. Every now and then a little gun, apparently
+mounted on an armoured car which ran along the avenue just behind the
+German lines at dusk, would loose off half a dozen shells which burst
+without any warning, like a pair of gigantic hands clapping. Sometimes
+a few 'Little Willies' would strike Anton's Farm, which was included
+in our trench line, but no attempt was made to level this valuable
+ruin, which concealed patient and boastful snipers. The Warwicks on
+our left expiated the sins of the whole Division, and on most days it
+was possible to watch with a feeling of complete security a variety of
+shells bursting among them a few hundred yards away; while overhead
+flew the liberal daily ration expended on the Chateau de la Hutte on
+Hill 63 behind. From the lovely garden which surrounded it, luxuriant
+with lilac, Judas trees, tamarisk, wygelia and guelder-rose in full
+bloom, you could view, like Moses, the unapproachable land of promise,
+Lille and Roubaix, lying afar in the plain, with the smoke of enemy
+activity rising from their numerous tall chimneys.
+
+We had our little excitements, as on May 9th, when the French attacked
+at Souchez, which was long remembered as 'the day of hate.' An
+elaborate demonstration was prepared by the brigade, of which the
+chief items were the exposure of trench-bridges 'obviously concealed,'
+and the firing throughout the day of long bursts of rapid fire. These
+interesting devices failed to deceive the enemy, who took little
+notice beyond shelling the unhappy Warwicks and the town of
+Ploegsteert with unusual severity. My company was in the wood that day
+in reserve, and lay about pretending to be in readiness. It was, in
+fact, the only day in which we had nothing to do.
+
+We also had our mine, which was exploded opposite the Oxfords after
+two false starts with much pomp and ceremony. A green rocket was sent
+up one mile west of Ploegsteert 'to deceive the enemy,' as the Staff
+memorandum hopefully remarked. Captain Hadden, of the 1st/4th Oxfords,
+opposite whose trench the explosion was to occur, was ordered to keep
+half his company in the fire trench with the rifles and bayonets of
+the other half. These were to be ostentatiously waved above the
+parapet. The other half company spent some time marching up and down
+the corduroy paths in the wood, that the sound of their feet might
+suggest the arrival of large reinforcements. When the Brigade invited
+further suggestions of the same deceptive nature Hadden declared that
+he indented for magic mirrors _a la_ Maskelyne and Devant, which would
+show the Oxfords not only in front but in rear of their enemy.
+
+There was also the occasion when the gunners promised to destroy a new
+work erected by the Huns in front of their lines. They were heavily
+handicapped at the outset by the necessity of employing percussion
+shrapnel against a strong breastwork. But even when allowances were
+made, it seemed unnecessary that their first shell, a premature,
+should burst in the trees far behind on the Messines road, that the
+second should fall in our trenches, and the third damage our wire. The
+fourth, however, it is fair to say, reached if it did not seriously
+disturb its objective.
+
+The ground between the lines offered many opportunities for
+patrolling; a belt of clover and rank weeds, knee-deep, in which our
+wire was enclosed, was succeeded by a deep watery ditch, also
+festooned with wire, and, beyond a fringe of willows on the further
+side, ran a wide field of rye able to conceal the tallest man. Each
+side cleared the ground immediately in front of their wire, and at
+nights the sickle of the enemy reaper could be plainly heard cutting
+swathes. More than once ambushes were laid in the daytime under cover
+of the rye, which waited for an opportunity against him till late at
+night, but without success. Lieut. Gathorne-Hardy, who was the pioneer
+of these daylight patrols, on one occasion, stayed out from noon till
+4 p.m. with his faithful follower, Sergt. Westall, examining the
+German wire, for which exploit the former received the M.C. and the
+latter the D.C.M. (to which was added a bar next year during the
+fighting at Pozieres for devotion to the wounded). Our losses during
+these ten weeks were very light, but included Lieut. Ronald
+Poulton-Palmer, who was shot through the heart by a random bullet
+while superintending the building of a dugout just after midnight, May
+4th, 1915. He had been nearly four years with the Battalion and was
+greatly beloved by all ranks; as I went down the line at stand-to that
+morning many of the men of old F Company, which he commanded at
+Chelmsford, were crying. He was the first officer to fall, and was
+buried by the Bishop of Pretoria in the Battalion cemetery in the wood
+on the east side of the Messines road, about 200 yards short of Hyde
+Park Corner.
+
+The actual routine of life in the trenches was pleasant enough. The
+men knew exactly where they were. There was a time to eat, a time to
+sleep, a time for fatigues, and a time for sentry-go. There was little
+rain, and no bitter nights. The shelters, which held two or three men
+a-piece, though mere flimsy shell-traps, were comfortable, and either
+boarded or lined with straw, which was frequently renewed. When the
+Warwicks took over from us they exclaimed in admiring surprise, 'Why,
+they're all officers' dugouts.' Each section had its little oven made
+of a biscuit tin built round with clay. For the officers' mess in D
+Company we had the kitchen range from Anton's Farm, and a large
+zinc-covered erection in which six people could eat or play cards at
+once. The domestic element was supplied by two cats, who safely reared
+their offspring among us. Indeed, the calm of that placid series of
+days was such that it was difficult to realise that the second Battle
+of Ypres was raging with unbroken ferocity a few miles to the north,
+until we listened to the unwearied rumble of the guns and saw by night
+the great light in the sky where the doomed city blazed.
+
+When in reserve our days were mainly spent in or close to the famous
+wood, which was at that time regarded as the show-place, _par
+excellence_, of the British front. Its natural glories have long since
+departed under the devastating shell fire of the latter days of the
+war, but in the spring and summer of 1915 it was a beautiful place,
+where one might fancy that the many British dead rested more easily
+beneath oaks and among familiar flowers than in most of the cemeteries
+of this dreary land. The wood was about 1-1/2 miles long, with a
+maximum depth of 1,400 yards, and its undergrowth, where not cut away,
+was densely intertwined with alder, hazel, ash, and blackthorn, with
+water standing in large pools on parts of its boggy surface. In one
+corner was the picturesque Fosse Labarre, a wide horseshoe moat
+enclosing a little garden, now a machine-gun emplacement, where grew
+the cumfrey, teazle and yellow flag. Everywhere the dog violet and
+blue veronica flourished in enormous clumps, and near the Strand was a
+great patch of Solomon's seal. It was a continual pleasure to see the
+wood clothe itself from the nakedness of early April and increase in
+fulness of life until we left at midsummer. The nightingale sang there
+unwearingly, but other birds were few, and I never noticed a nest in
+the wood. The few pheasants which survived a winter with the 4th
+Division were, I fear, exterminated by us. Rabbits continued plentiful
+in spite of rifles and snares, and every now and then a hare was
+started in the deserted fields.
+
+Our predecessors had spent much labour and ingenuity in fitting up the
+wood for comfortable military habitation. It was everywhere
+intersected by corduroy paths, which though tiring to the feet,
+completely saved one from the horrors of the mud, and enabled rations
+and engineering stores to be brought up with ease in even the worst
+weather. Near the centre of the wood was Piccadilly Circus, whence
+many of these paths radiated; Regent Street and the Strand were the
+two great lateral highways; Bunhill Row preserved the memory of the
+London Rifle Brigade; Mud Lane served to remind us of those days when
+corduroy was still non-existent, whilst Spy Corner hinted at some grim
+and secret episode in the wood's history.
+
+Meanwhile, screened from aeroplane observation by the dense foliage,
+the reserve Companies of the Brigade, lived in canvas tents
+fantastically daubed or in log huts. Some of the more elaborate of
+these latter served the double purpose of mess and bedroom for the
+Company Officers, the sides being taken up by two tiers of bunks made
+of wire and filled with straw. Outside the devices of the various
+regiments which had built or occupied them were carved or painted.
+Around them were little gardens, some of which with happy forethought
+had been planted in the winter. The most elaborate of all boasted a
+clump of Madonna lilies, and a red rose. We sowed vegetable seeds
+also, and ate our own mustard and cress, lettuces and radishes. In
+this connection, too, I should mention the 4,000 cabbages sent by
+Messrs. Sutton & Sons, which, planted in the transport lines at Rabot,
+were left for the consumption of the 5th Battalion when we moved
+south. These sylvan billets we generally shared with the 4th Oxfords,
+Hunterston North and South, peaceful spots, seldom visited by shells
+or stray bullets; less fortunate were the Bucks and 5th Gloucesters at
+Somerset House, further to the east. Here by night a steady drizzle of
+lead descended, and on one occasion 70 incendiary shells fell close to
+Headquarters. One of these was a dud, and the Bucks, determined to
+omit no precaution, sprinkled its resting place with chloride of lime!
+On the west side of the Messines road, just outside the wood, our
+Headquarters, with one reserve Company, inhabited the Piggeries, the
+enormous bricked and covered sties of which easily accommodated 200
+men. The owner had only just completed his venture before war began,
+and the place was unmarked on the map, which possibly accounted for
+its immunity from shell fire.
+
+Life in the wood would have been wholly pleasant but for two things,
+fatigues and lack of sleep. There is little doubt that if the war had
+gone on for fifty years, its last month would have found the men as
+strenuously employed in improving and strengthening the defences as in
+those early days. Soldiers are naturally inclined to think when
+depressed that (like the persons mentioned in the Bible) when 'they
+have done all that is required of them they are but unprofitable
+servants.' But at Plugstreet at least there was much which cried out
+urgently to be done. A great gap in the trench line just east of
+Prowse Point called for attention on our arrival. The work might, of
+course, have been highly dangerous, for it was carried on within 200
+yards of the enemy. But no attempt was made to interfere with our
+labours. Presumably the mild Hun who faced us was afraid that he would
+be called upon to attack through the gap and rejoiced to see it
+filled. Every night the picks and shovels of 300 or 400 men could be
+heard merrily at work with the inevitable undercurrent of conversation
+as familiarity increased security. When the moon was bright the enemy
+could be seen peacefully attending to his own wire, while sometimes we
+were reminded that the hour had come to break off by a voice from
+opposite calling out, 'Time to pack up, sappers; go to bed.' Every
+morning a new length of enormous breastwork invited shells, which
+never came. On such occasions the thought arose that we must be taking
+part in the most expensive farce in the history of the world.
+
+The lack of sleep was a more serious hardship, especially as it
+appeared avoidable. Owing, presumably, to the thinness with which the
+line was held, and to the lack of potential reinforcements behind, we
+were not allowed to sleep in the wood. Every night we made our way
+either to the lower or higher breastworks. The former were just off
+Mud Lane, and were consequently protected by the ridge from view, and
+to a certain extent from bullets. Here you could bivouac in the open
+under waterproof sheets, and except when the weather was very wet,
+enjoy a tolerable night. The latter, however, were on the forward
+slope, freely exposed to the continual fire with which the Huns
+replied to the provocation of the Warwicks. It was therefore necessary
+to lie at the bottom of a narrow and stinking trench on a 9-inch
+board. You had hardly fallen into an insecure doze when you were
+awakened and had to move out, for these breastworks, being barely
+shoulder high, were always evacuated at dawn, and dawn comes very
+early in June. The men naturally preferred the regular hours and the
+clean and comfortable shelters of the fire trench. Whenever any of the
+men desired to get rid of their pay quickly they had only to walk a
+few hundred yards to Ploegsteert village, where, within a mile of the
+firing line, some hundreds of the inhabitants still remaining sold bad
+beer, tinned fruit, and gaudy postcards at Flemish rates, which are
+the highest in the world. When shelling was severe they locked up
+their houses and disappeared mysteriously for a day or two until a
+renewed lull enabled them to restart their profitable shop-keeping.
+Many alleged spies lived here unharassed, especially in the outlying
+farms; and credibility was lent to the current tales by the number of
+carrier pigeons seen passing over the lines, or by the incident of
+the two dogs which suddenly appeared early one dawn from the German
+lines, leapt our trenches, and were lost in the darkness behind, in
+spite of Challoner's frenzied attempts to shoot them.
+
+Besides its inhabitants Ploegsteert offered little of interest. The
+church, in spite of a dozen holes in the roof, and a great chip out of
+the east end, still reared its tall red-brick spire. On to the square
+outside the Huns directed a short afternoon hate at 3.30 punctually
+every day, reaching their target with wonderful precision, but doing
+little harm except when, as on May 9th, they employed incendiary
+shells. When baths and the disinfecting of trench-soiled clothing were
+required, the men marched to Nieppe, and wallowed in the famous vats,
+where Mr. Asquith, one day arriving unexpectedly, found himself
+cheered by a multitude of naked and steaming soldiers. From there it
+was but a short walk to Armentieres, that centre of the great world,
+where Perrier water champagne and other delights could be obtained,
+where in a luxurious tea-room you were waited upon by female
+attendants of seductive aspect, and where two variety entertainments,
+the "Follies" and "Frivolities," were on view most nights. The ugly
+industrial town had then been little injured by shells, though every
+now and then it received its share. The Huns sometimes playfully
+directed against it French 220's captured at Maubeuge, and to point
+the witticism sent over a few duds inscribed '_Un Souvenir de
+Maubeuge_.'
+
+So passed seven weeks during which we learned the routine of war under
+singularly favourable conditions.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+ON THE MOVE AND IN CORPS RESERVE
+
+
+During the first week in June the three Brigades left their own
+quarters and exchanged trench sections. The 145th moved from the
+centre to the left, to the joy of the Warwicks, whose losses had been
+considerable. While this move was in process the Battalion was taken
+out of the wood, and marched to huts at Korte Pyp, on a plateau with a
+wide prospect on the southern slopes of Neuve Eglise Hill. The site
+was admirable, the huts well-built and commodious, and (rarest of
+sights in the rich cultivation of Flanders) a good-sized grass field
+was at hand sufficiently level to make a decent cricket pitch. Here
+for four days we were free of fatigues, were inspected by the new
+G.O.C. of the Division, Major-General Fanshawe, enjoyed the sun, and
+endured a violent thunderstorm. Thence returning to the wood we
+sampled White Lodge, the Warwick's home under the steep wooded bluff
+of Hill 63, where the rats made merry among the dirt and unburied
+food; also La Plus Douce, a pastoral but dangerous spot, where the
+Douve flowed muddily amidst neglected water-meadows stretching along
+to Wulverghem with its battered church tower showing among the trees.
+On the opposite slope were two broken farms called St. Quentin and
+South Midland, wherein lay great quantities of abandoned tobacco,
+while all around were the tarnished scabbards thrown away by De
+Lisle's cavalry during the fighting at Messines of the previous
+October.
+
+On June 15th the whole Battalion returned to the trenches, and held a
+total length of 1,450 yards, stretching from our old right, Trench 37,
+across the Messines road to a ruined cottage, close by which our
+trenches were carried over the Douve by a wooden bridge. Our line was
+thus drawn in a curve right round the south of Messines Hill, which
+twinkled with points of fire at every morning 'stand-to' from the
+tiers of trenches which honeycombed its face. Contrary to
+expectations, the centenary of Waterloo passed without incident during
+this tour, in spite of the Huns' reputed fondness for such
+celebrations.
+
+At this time we were fortunate in having with us our 5th Battalion for
+instruction, who had come out about a fortnight before with the 12th
+Division, and there were many meetings of friends, both among the
+officers and the men.
+
+We then returned for the last time to our familiar haunts in the wood,
+where we found the wild strawberries, which we had watched creeping
+timidly out of the earth, ripening everywhere in countless numbers.
+Meanwhile the 12th Division abode in billets in Armentieres and
+Nieppe, and rumours grew strong that they would take over from us. The
+secret was well kept, but on Thursday morning, June 24th, as the
+Company Commanders were on their way to visit the Worcester trenches
+they were recalled by orderly with the news that the Battalion was
+moving to Bailleul that night. The evening was hot and steamy, the men
+soft from lack of exercise and sleep, and the 8 miles seemed
+interminable. We arrived at Bailleul about 1 a.m., and billeted in the
+quarter adjoining the railway station. For the first time since
+leaving England I slept in a bed with sheets in a room to myself.
+
+A fierce thunderstorm next day had failed to clear the air, when we
+set out again about 9.30 p.m. in an atmosphere of clinging dampness.
+The whole brigade marched together with our faces turned south towards
+unfamiliar country, and just before daybreak we arrived at Vieux
+Berquin, a village of detached farmhouses with gardens full of all
+manner of fruit and vegetables. Here a dozen crosses with a smaller
+black cross painted on the wood testified to the presence of the
+Bavarians last autumn. That night, with the moon about the full,
+though often obscured by clouds, the brigade made a long and weary
+march south-west, edging gradually away from the flares and the
+distant rifle shots. Towards midnight we had a long check at Merville,
+a placid little town with tree-planted boulevards along the banks of
+the Lys, while Canadian guns and transport passed us going north from
+their second great fight at Festubert and Givenchy. Day had broken and
+the sun was climbing an eastern sky ribbed with red and gold, when we
+reached our destination, the village of Gonnehem, which boasts an
+ancient and beautiful church decorated with a quiet simplicity not
+often found in these parts. No enemy had entered here since the
+beginning of the war. It stands at the southern limit of the great
+plain; beyond are the low wooded hills of Artois, and away to the west
+the great slag heaps of Marles-les-Mines loomed through the thunder
+clouds like pyramids. That Sunday evening we completed our last stage
+of 4 miles by daylight, moving south-west again to the large
+industrial village of Lapugnoy, with a station on the St. Pol railway
+5 miles west of Bethune, lying in a valley overlooked on either side
+by densely-timbered hills.
+
+Here, withdrawn 10 miles behind the line and comfortably housed, we
+spent 17 days in a succession of drills, route marches and wood
+fighting. We were now in the 1st Army and behind the southern
+extremity of the then British line. From the calvary above the
+village the eye rested on many famous landmarks: the great cathedral
+of Bethune, untouched by the Hun, the church of Givenchy, the slag
+heaps of La Bassee, and the low ridge of Aubers, which barred the road
+to Lille, a dim frame in the background. We visited Bethune, a
+gracious little city girdled about with poplars, limes and chestnuts,
+where most things could be bought, including the latest English
+novels. The Guards had their Headquarters in the town, and impressed
+everyone with their physical fitness and splendid discipline. We
+consumed a morning waiting on the Lillers-Bethune road to see Lord
+Kitchener drive past in a motor; we watched the Indians going up to
+the trenches in motor 'buses, and a motley crew of picturesque French
+Colonials going by train to Souchez: Zouaves, turbaned and bearded,
+Algerians, with thick-lipped niggers from Congo and Senegal, who ran
+along the open trucks shouting and gesticulating. On July 11th a
+memorable meeting took place between the 1st and 4th Battalions in a
+field near Fouquieres-les-Bethune, where they spent the day together.
+This momentary gathering of so many brothers, relatives and friends on
+active service gave the greatest pleasure to all. In the improvised
+sports which ensued the men of the 1st Battalion beat the 4th at a
+tug-of-war, while in the officers' tug the result was reversed. The
+1st Battalion were at this time commanded by Captain Bird, as their
+late C.O., Major Hill, had been killed not many days before by a shell
+which demolished the Headquarters' mess at Cuinchy.
+
+The next evening found the brigade on the move again, through the
+mining villages of Marles-les-Mines and Bruay, to a wretched hamlet
+called Houchin, where the only accommodation provided for the
+battalion was a field of standing rye ripe for the scythe. When day
+broke we found ourselves in a desolate country with the high naked
+ridge of Notre Dame de Lorette shutting out the southern horizon. Here
+in shelter of boughs and waterproof sheets we spent three days of
+great discomfort under pouring rain and wind, employed day and night
+in digging a reserve line some 4 miles away. As we worked near
+Sailly-Labourse we gazed with curiosity at an arid gentle slope some 2
+miles away, pitted by trenches and crowned by an elaborate iron
+structure with two towers. This ground was the scene of the main
+British attack on Loos two months later, and the building was the
+famous Tower Bridge. The squalid little town between Houchin and
+Sailly, at whose busy coal-mine the enemy intermittently threw shells,
+was Noeux-les-Mines, where Lord French had his forward headquarters
+during the fighting. But even then there was an abundance of the sound
+of battle, for on the second evening a furious cannonade burst out to
+the south-east, which signalled the recapture by the enemy of Souchez
+Cemetery: the last scene in that terrific fight which had endured
+almost incessantly since May 9th.
+
+The day on which we went on the trek again (July 16th) was long
+remembered. We had expected in due course to go into the trenches
+somewhere near Grenay, but it suddenly became known that the brigade
+was to march back to the neighbourhood of Lillers preparatory to
+entraining for an unknown destination. Half the battalion that day had
+done their daily trip to Sailly and came back about 4 p.m., after
+marching 8 miles and digging for four hours. At 9 p.m. we moved off in
+driving rain for an all-night march of 15 miles. The brigade transport
+was in front, and checks were naturally frequent as we retraced our
+steps through Bruay and Marles, thence on to Burbure, where our guide
+misled us through a narrow inky lane, in which most of the Brigade
+lost touch. Just as the dawn was breaking and our troubles seemed
+nearly over our guide again mistook the way, and we found ourselves
+bogged in a cart track at the top of a down. The rain and hail
+descended in a sudden most violent squall and wetted us to the skin;
+while far away in the east the morning flares twinkled for 30 miles in
+a great arc. One of the signallers was heard plaintively to remark as
+we waited, 'What 'ave we done to deserve all this?' Finally we
+descended into Lieres, a pleasant remote village in a fold of the
+chalk, full of cherry trees, and slept peaceably till noon.
+
+After a day's rest we marched on Sunday afternoon, July 18th, to La
+Berguette station, on the Hazebrouck line west of Lillers. Here we met
+detachments of our old friends of the wood, the L.R.B., who, reduced
+in strength to 70 men during the Ypres fighting, had been put on lines
+of communication. We knew by now that our journey would take us to
+Doullens, a sub-prefecture of the Somme, and that we were to take over
+a portion of the French line. So back again in the cattle trucks and
+second-class carriages, the Battalion moved off south under far more
+pleasant circumstances. The rate of speed, too, was comparatively high
+and can hardly have fallen short of 15 miles an hour.
+
+We reached our destination as usual in the early hours of the morning,
+and after unloading drew out of the town, passing on the right the old
+Citadelle with its red ramparts high upon a hill, and the point of
+elderly Territorials at the junction of the great Amiens road. Thence
+we followed the south bank of the Authie River, enclosed on either
+side by rounded chalk hills 400 or 500 feet high. We breakfasted by
+the road opposite the Chateau of Autheuille, where Major Barron and
+his M.T. lived luxuriously for many months 11 miles behind the firing
+line; then plodded on past Sarton, where the 5th Gloucesters watched
+us from their billets, and finally bivouacked in the beech woods of
+Marieux. Close by was the site of the French aerodrome, now deserted
+save for empty petrol tins; down in the valley, Mon Plaisir, an
+enormous country house was being prepared for the Headquarters of the
+7th Corps; in the orchards were parked two batteries of long French
+155's. The roads were encumbered with the impedimenta of two armies.
+We were starting on another stage of the great adventure, and felt
+again to a lesser degree the uncertainty of essaying the unknown.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+RELIEVING THE FRENCH AT HEBUTERNE
+
+
+After 36 hours in the wood we packed up again and moved by night
+through Authie, afterwards most familiar and welcome of rest billets,
+passing Coignieux, where the French gunners, sitting by their fires in
+the horse lines, called out greetings, and ascended the northern hill
+to Bayencourt, a stinking little village full of flies and odours.
+
+By now the enemy had apparently got wind of the coming of the English
+(which was first confirmed, according to prisoners, by the discovery
+of English bullets fired at their trenches), for during the next few
+days aeroplanes flew constantly over the village at a great height. In
+a field close by a French 75, which moved with a circular traverse
+round a platform of greased wood let into a small pit, endeavoured to
+arrest their progress with a wonderfully rapid barrage, and to throw
+them back into the area covered by the next gun. Its adjutant had
+spent several years in a solicitor's office at Ealing, and spoke
+excellent English.
+
+Our ultimate destination was now the sector of Hebuterne, which had
+leapt into prominence on the occasion of the successful French attack
+on Touvent Farm, June 12th, but was now, from all accounts, peaceful
+enough. The 5th Gloucesters and 4th Oxfords were the two first to go
+into the trenches, where the French received them with enthusiasm,
+putting fresh flowers in all the dugouts, and writing up everywhere
+greetings of welcome.
+
+My brother (Captain G. H. W. Cruttwell) went before us into Hebuterne
+with part of B Company to relieve the guards of the 93rd Regiment
+posted round the village, a ceremony more interesting and impressive
+than the relief of the trenches by reason of its greater formality. He
+dined with their officers afterwards, and was presented, as a farewell
+gift, with the best mattress in the village. The rest of the battalion
+started after sunset on July 22nd, passing a battalion of Frenchmen
+returning by half platoons from the trenches, and marched into
+Hebuterne, a most interesting example of the ruined village organised
+for defence, situated 600 yards only behind the front line trenches.
+It was destined to be our forward billet for many months, and to
+become as familiar to us in the smallest details as our own homes. A
+somewhat detailed description will therefore perhaps not be without
+interest.
+
+Hebuterne was a good-sized village of about 1,000 inhabitants, on no
+highway but the converging point of many small roads, lying in a very
+slight pocket of the rolling chalk plateaux of Artois, surrounded on
+every side by the orchards of the local bitter cider apple, with a
+village green in the centre, and a pond surrounded by tall poplars.
+The length of the village was about 900 yards, and its average breadth
+about 500 yards. Almost every house was a one-storied farm of three to
+four rooms, with considerable outbuildings of mud and plaster, capable
+of accommodating in close billets one or two platoons. There were no
+large houses, the so-called chateau on the Bucquoy road being a very
+moderate mansion, and, apart from it, the rectory, mairie, the mill by
+the pond used as Brigade Headquarters, and the pleasant villa called
+Poste Cambronne, alone stood out in modest prominence. There were very
+few inns, the largest of which bore the touching and appropriate sign,
+'_A la Renaissance_.'
+
+At the south end of the village stood the church, a broken gaping
+shell of red brick with imitation marble pillars; it was afterwards
+razed to the ground by the sappers, who required its bricks and
+perhaps thought it too good a range-mark to exist so near their store.
+
+When we arrived we found, to our surprise, two civil inhabitants
+clinging to their ruinous homes; one who held some vague post of
+authority called himself a Garde Champetre; another, an aged crone,
+suddenly emerged cursing from her hovel to expostulate with me for
+unwittingly stealing her peas and young carrots. They were cleared out
+immediately after our arrival. The flight of the remainder had been
+evidently precipitate. Not only had beds, tables, and all bulkier
+pieces of furniture been abandoned, but knives, forks, crockery and
+many little china ornaments. The village had been reoccupied after a
+stubborn fight in October, 1914, and the enemy pushed well beyond its
+uttermost limits. In the western orchards was the large French
+cemetery, and hard by that of our own division, adjoining a cricket
+pitch, where we had many spirited games of tip and run.
+
+Though naturally much broken up, with perhaps a dozen houses left
+intact, the village had never been so populous in days of peace. Not
+less then 3,000 troops lived there above or below ground, including
+the brigadier and at least three battalion commanders. That portion of
+the village which lies north of the pond had been made into a
+fortified redoubt known as the Keep, the garrison of which was the
+equivalent of one battalion, whose O.C. lived in the Poste Cambronne,
+a much desired residence until an 8.2 shell demolished its upper story
+in December. Very few shells indeed ever fell in the Keep until the
+beginning of 1916, the chief targets being the pond and the area round
+the church. The village was fortunate in being practically screened
+from direct observation by a slight rise in ground between it and the
+enemy, and the indirect machine gun fire which raked the streets at
+odd intervals was curiously ineffective, for the majority of shots
+went high, though on occasions one had to abandon respect and lie flat
+in the mud, until the shower was overpast.
+
+We sampled all corners of the village--the Serre Cross Roads, where
+the rain came through the roof and the machine gun bullets through the
+wall of our crazy billet; the chateau, with its broken conservatory,
+its fig tree, Christmas roses, and what we believed to be the only
+arm-chair in Northern France; 'D' Farm, where Private Meads, our first
+casualty in the village, was killed by a 4.2-inch just outside the
+window; and 'B' Farm, with its collection of plates and ornaments
+amassed on the first morning before most of the village was out of
+bed. Battalion Headquarters were first in the house on the
+Mailly-Maillet road, afterwards appropriated by the Brigade, who
+hollowed out for themselves great caverns in the earth: then in the
+little house by Serre Cross Roads, where the owners had chalked up an
+appeal to the French to take care of their newly-weaned calf; and
+finally in the factory by the pond, where shells through Q.M. Payne's
+bedroom and the gate posts drove them, too, underground, and led to
+the erection of an enormous bulwark of sandbags 15 feet high, to
+protect the mess.
+
+[Illustration: Map.]
+
+The defences of the village were formidable, and when one got to know
+them, simple, in spite of the bewilderment caused by a first
+inspection of what appeared to be a mere labyrinth. The Keep, as has
+been mentioned, was simply a redoubt with trenches facing all points
+of the compass, its two points of chief tactical importance being the
+Mound, eminently suited for enfilade machine gun fire, and the
+barricades which closed the Keep to any enemy already in possession of
+the village to the south of the pond. It will be seen, by studying the
+map, that the whole of the eastern face of Hebuterne was protected by
+two lines of defences, outer and inner. The former were 200 to 300
+yards beyond the edge of the houses, and were excellently sited along
+a hedge for almost the whole of their length. They were connected with
+the first line fire trench by communication trenches about every 100
+yards. The inner defence, running through the orchards, just covered
+the village, and was connected both with the outer line and with the
+cellars of the houses by numerous communication trenches. Finally the
+western exits of the village were commanded by a group of trenches
+astride the Sailly road on rising ground. All this scheme had been
+completed by the French before our arrival, and reflected great credit
+on both their tactical skill and the energy required in construction.
+
+When we turned from the village to the trenches we found also many
+points of interest and contrast. In Artois, unlike Flanders, you can
+dig to your heart's content, or, to speak more accurately, you can get
+a surfeit of digging. The soil is either a light manageable clay, or
+more frequently chalk. Here, then, we met with none of the conspicuous
+breastworks of our old home, but fire trenches more than 6 feet deep,
+and communicators whose bottoms were 8 or 9 feet below ground level.
+Many of the dugouts, moreover, were elaborate caves, large enough to
+accommodate 25 men, and capable, with their roofs of logs heaped over
+with many feet of earth, of resisting the direct impact of a 5.9-inch
+shell. The increase in security was naturally great, and bombardments
+which would have destroyed whole trench sections at Ploegsteert were
+almost ineffective. In the winter, however, under stress of rain and
+snow, the dugouts fell in, together with the sides of the trench,
+which, from lack of material, could not be efficiently revetted. Then
+men sighed for Trench 40, and the little sandbag shelters too small to
+collect such quantities of water. But as we viewed them then the
+dugouts seemed the last word in luxury; one of those which I inhabited
+contained a mattress, two chairs, a table, a large gilt-framed mirror,
+some artificial flowers, a portrait of the Czar and his wife, and an
+engraving called 'Le Repos du Marin,' which depicted an old sailor
+drinking peacefully under a tree. All would have been well but for the
+small game; lice, a legacy from the French, enormous red slugs, which
+ate any food which lay about, and left a viscous trail behind every
+movement, countless swarms of mice and gigantic rats, some of which
+were so bold as to gnaw through the men's haversacks, as they slept,
+in search of the food contained therein.
+
+We naturally examined every detail of these new trenches with minute
+interest, and compared English and French models. The first sensation
+was of bewilderment. For at Ploegsteert we had been content with a
+very simple system; wayfaring men, though fools, could scarcely err
+therein. But here we had to learn our way about a perfect maze of
+trench, where it was easy, or rather inevitable, at first to go wrong,
+and, finding yourself enclosed by earth walls towering above your
+head, to lose all sense of direction. This difficulty was not lessened
+for the men by our retention of all the French names for the trenches,
+most of which were christened after their Generals. Such names as
+Bugeaud, Poniatowski, Bataille, and the like, were so many pieces of
+gibberish which it was hardly possible for a self-respecting English
+soldier to pronounce, while Boyau, Abri, Feuillee and Puisard were not
+helpful forms of identification. But anyone who had become familiar
+with the labyrinth would at once admit that for purposes of relief and
+inter-communication it was far superior to anything he had yet seen.
+
+Another useful novelty was the systematic use of saps for night-posts.
+A sentry in the fire trench will always find his attention distracted
+to a certain degree, especially when he is 500 yards from the enemy,
+but put him in a sap-head with only a few yards of wire to protect
+him, and the acuteness of his vision and hearing will be marvellously
+increased.
+
+On the other hand, in certain points the French trenches fell below
+the standards to which we had accustomed ourselves. Owing to their
+superiority in artillery, and to the thinness with which they held
+their front line, they did not bother to build strong traverses
+between the inordinately long fire bays, which were, in consequence,
+seriously exposed to oblique gun fire. Again, no attempt had been made
+to provide any flooring for the trenches, and the Battalion spent many
+happy hours working under the August sun as amateur bricklayers, with
+the material ready to hand from the village, in the hope, which the
+winter was to bring utterly to naught, of thereby providing a solid
+bottom.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+SUMMER AND AUTUMN IN ARTOIS
+
+
+During the six weeks after our arrival the weather was very broken,
+with many violent thunderstorms and very little heat. Except for eight
+days at Sailly, where fear of aeroplanes was fortunately sufficient to
+prevent parades, but not cricket in the orchards, we spent all our
+time at Hebuterne. The Battalion, for the most part, relieved itself
+as at Plugstreet, but had no fixed dwelling-place, sometimes extending
+as far to the right as Trench Bugeaud, half way up the north slope of
+the hill of Serre, where the ground was littered with the debris and
+decomposing bodies of the June fighting, sometimes as far to the left
+as Trench Morand, about 300 yards north of where the Bucquoy road
+crossed the trenches. From Morand to Hoche the lie of the land was all
+in our favour; the trenches were sited just in front of the gentle
+rise which covered Hebuterne; 500 to 600 yards away, at the bottom of
+the dip lay the enemy, about 40 feet below us, and behind him the
+ground again rose leisurely and showed its slope towards us for 3,000
+yards, with the hand of the Hun writ large in chalk, revealing his
+second and third line with the great covered communication trenches
+which connected them. The left of the picture was closed by Gommecourt
+Wood, of sinister memory, with its pretty little red-roofed village
+encased therein, and its gaping cemetery sticking out from the
+south-east corner. On the skyline appeared several battered farms, La
+Brayelle, Les Essarts, and Rettemoy, each surrounded by copses and
+orchards, and on their right the Bois de Biez, which provided a home
+for those thorns in our flesh, the 5.9-inch howitzers. On its right
+flank again running down the hill towards us was the Bois Rossignol,
+where an active battery of field guns made music less tuneful than
+that of the bird whence the wood was named.
+
+Straight in front of Trench Bataille, about 900 yards away, stood the
+skeleton of the little farm called by the French Sans Nom. It was the
+favourite point on which every type of gun registered, and the Germans
+attached great importance to its bowels, for night after night
+hand-carts unloaded there, and men could be heard by patrols talking
+and hammering. Much interest and amusement could be obtained from this
+panorama with field glasses and telescope. Along the road which ran
+obliquely from Les Essarts to Gommecourt came cyclists, fatigue men,
+and occasionally formed bodies of troops, who, when assailed with long
+range machine gun fire, extended and advanced in short rushes. One day
+two fat Huns carrying a dixie walked along the side of the great chalk
+communication trench, who, when Sergeant Daniels fired a shot at 1,200
+yards, dropped their burden and leapt nimbly into the trench. One
+morning when Goolden and I were looking through a telescope we noticed
+a trestle table being put up near Rettemoy Farm: this was followed by
+half a dozen German officers accompanied by two ladies dressed in
+white, who, after surveying the view, sat down to lunch. We thought
+this too good an opportunity to miss, and informed the F.O.O. By
+describing this little gathering as a working party, he obtained the
+major's permission to fire, and the ladies' meal was soon interrupted
+by four rounds of shrapnel.
+
+Opposite Lassalle a shoulder ran out towards the German lines with its
+steep northern face covered with dense thickets of thorn, apt cover
+for night adventures; this shoulder so restricted our view that from
+one trench the field of fire amounted to no more than 10 yards. If
+you walked south you passed the Puisieux road, opposite which and some
+500 yards away was a clump of tall poplars between the lines generally
+known as the Seven Sisters. There was a superstition that this was
+held by the enemy, but when explored by a daylight patrol of the 5th
+Gloucesters nothing was discovered in the nature of defences. South of
+the road the line curved south-west into lower ground and became
+separated from the opposing trench by 900 yards. From here another
+wide prospect unfolded itself, with Puisieux 2 miles away, lifting its
+white spire from a knoll enclosed on three sides by beech woods.
+Behind an occasional wisp of smoke showed that a train was making its
+way between Achiet and Miraumont, whose supply depots were frequently
+visited by our bombarding squadrons. A mile to the south the hamlet of
+Serre, twice fruitlessly attacked next year, topped a barren and
+shell-blown ridge. About this point, notorious for frequent visits
+from the earth-shelling aerial torpedo, began the lines of the 4th
+Division, once again our neighbours. They were our sister division in
+the 7th Corps, which was completed by the arrival at the end of August
+of the 37th Division, who after spending some days with us for
+instruction relieved the French on our left at Fonquevillers and
+Hannescamps. The commander of the 3rd Army, which was gradually
+increased until its line extended to the southern marshes of the
+Somme, was at this time Sir C. Monro, afterwards Commander-in-chief in
+India.
+
+The month of August passed quietly with us, though rendered notable by
+the great German successes in Russia. The fate of Warsaw moved the
+enemy to put up notice-boards announcing the event, one of which had
+on one side 'Warschau Gefallen,' and on the other, apparently
+reversable by a string, 'Gott Strafe England.' With commendable
+caution, however, they were planted so near their own trench that it
+required a field glass to read them. A few days later, when the German
+Fleet met with misfortune in the Gulf of Riga, Sergt. Tester posted a
+board with details of that reverse just in front of their barbed wire.
+The French batteries remained with us for a month, while our gunners
+were registering, and given a free hand in accordance with the British
+custom of annoying the enemy incessantly, showed a complete mastery
+over him.
+
+Throughout the night at uncertain intervals their guns threw shells
+into Gommecourt. It was difficult to believe that the terrible
+explosions which resulted were caused by a shell lighter than our 18
+pounders, whose shrapnel burst with an almost inaudible 'pip.'
+Practically the only retaliation indulged in by the Germans was to
+shell our batteries as they were getting into their gun-pits, though
+without serious damage. About the end of the month, however, a serious
+misfortune befell A Company, one of whose platoons was half destroyed
+by a 4.2-inch, which struck the Brickfields, a dangerous and
+conspicuous supporting point. The men had just returned from bathing
+in the village, when the shell fell among them, killing five and
+wounding nine. At the same spot also Lance-Corpl. Boston, of B
+Company, was blown to pieces while gallantly remaining out to see that
+the working party under his charge had taken cover safely.
+
+On September 3rd, Captain (now Major, O.B.E.) Porter, Secretary of the
+County Association, spent a night with the Battalion in the trenches,
+and was thus able to assure the people of Berkshire, if such assurance
+was needed, that its Territorial Battalion was doing its fair share of
+the laborious task of holding the British front line. Next day, after
+a month's continuous residence in Hebuterne or the trenches, we were
+relieved by the 144th Brigade. The relief was carried out in daylight,
+both Brigades marching boldly along the Sailly road, the crest of
+which was in clear distant view of the enemy. The two intermediate
+communication trenches, Larrey and Jena, some 2,500 yards long, were
+not yet sufficiently repaired for our passage. This labour of love was
+accomplished by the 5th Sussex, who were attached to the Brigade as
+Pioneer Battalion, and lived at Sailly. We marched to Authie, 7 miles
+back, and remained there 12 days; this village was until January to be
+the rest billets of ourselves and the 4th Gloucesters for alternate
+periods. It lies in the valley of the Authie River, between downs of
+chalk, beech-covered, which put on beautiful colours as soon as the
+first frosts of autumn touched them. The whole countryside is indeed
+strangely reminiscent of the Chiltern Hills of Oxfordshire and Bucks.
+Battalion Headquarters were at the Chateau, a substantially-built,
+comfortable house under the southern slopes of the hills, belonging to
+a widow, Madame De Wailly, who lived there with her two daughters.
+Most of the best billets were occupied by the elderly heroes of the
+A.O.D. and the Ammunition Column, but it is a roomy village, and
+accommodated us without difficulty. The measure of its prosperity may
+be gauged by the fact that whereas before the war there were three
+shops, there were now 27. Our principal work was to make thousands of
+hurdles in the Bois de Warnimont, which greatly to the men's disgust
+mysteriously disappeared as soon as made; for when we indented for
+them in the trenches we received no more than 17 for the whole
+Brigade. Presumably they went to beautify the corps line, which was
+such a model of perfected trench artistry that it seemed almost a pity
+that it was never likely to be used. In this wood in company with a
+few fallow deer, a Navvies' Battalion lived under canvas, who
+performed most useful work in digging flints and repairing the roads.
+In age they ranged from 40 to 70, and were a cheery crew, mainly from
+Wales. Their notions of military discipline were, as may be imagined,
+singular, and it is credibly reported that on one occasion, when
+General Fanshawe rebuked a navvy for not saluting him, the offender
+beckoned with his thumb towards a pal and exclaimed, ''Ere, Bill, come
+and 'ave a look at this.'
+
+On September 7th General Monro, G.O.C. 3rd Army, inspected the
+Battalion, who were drawn up in old quarter-column formation with 12
+paces interval in the Berkshire field on the west outskirts of the
+village. He was greatly pleased with the appearance of the Battalion,
+and in his subsequent address thus expressed his satisfaction:--
+
+'After hearing what your Divisional General has said of you, I
+expected to see a very fine body of men on parade to-day, and I can
+assure you--I say so straight out--that I am not in the very least
+disappointed. Your bearing as well as your order and steadiness in the
+ranks, and the way in which you put your equipment on, all go to show
+that you know the right thing, and prove the high standard which you
+set before you. I am well acquainted with your 1st Battalion, and have
+served with them in this present war. They have lived up to the high
+traditions which attach to the regiment, and to the good name which
+they have won in the past. You are proud to belong to such a regiment;
+you have already reached a high standard, and I hope and believe you
+will continue to retain that high standard.... I hear from your
+Divisional Commander that you have conscientiously carried out all the
+work allotted to you. In the sentry line your vigilance has been
+beyond all criticism. You have done good work in all that pertains to
+the work of the trenches, digging and so on. Moreover, your conduct in
+the village and in billets has been uniformly good.'
+
+During this stay at Authie rumours began to be active. It was
+persistently reported that the 'great offensive' would be in full
+swing before September was out. Some of the A.S.C., who had been
+buying coal at Marles-les-Mines, reported that the country round
+Bethune was incredibly thick with guns, while a similar and more
+detailed forecast was brought back by officers who had dined with the
+4th Divisional Headquarters. Then leave, which had been on more or
+less regularly since the beginning of June, was indefinitely stopped.
+Thus, though no one yet knew the date arranged for the opening of the
+battle, expectations were abroad, and each morning the significance of
+any unusual cannonade was eagerly discussed. Amidst such an atmosphere
+of uncertainty we relieved the 4th Gloucesters at Hebuterne on
+September 17th, making the passage from Sailly over the brow of the
+hill for the first time by the congested Boyau Larrey.
+
+For a few days we lived our ordinary trench life, and helped to
+instruct a company of the 13th Manchesters; but on September 21st the
+bombardment from the sea to the Vosges opened in our sector, with
+short fierce bursts of fire on the enemy villages and roads. On
+September 23rd, at 7.30 a.m., a squadron of 21 aeroplanes, spread
+loosely over the sky, flew over Hebuterne to attack the station of
+Valenciennes; throughout this day the roar of the guns to north and
+south was continuous; as the sun set a fierce thunderstorm came up,
+and the rival rumblings and flashes of nature and machinery in the
+dusk made a sufficiently lurid prelude for battle. On the 24th it
+became generally known that in certain contingent events, carefully
+kept secret, the Brigade would attack between Gommecourt Wood and the
+Puisieux road, with the Berks and the Bucks in the leading waves.
+Accordingly, the gunners got to work, and the 18-pounders cut three
+narrow lanes in the enemy wire (which each night the patient Hun
+carefully repaired), while the howitzers played on the forts and
+beehive structures in Gommecourt Wood and near Ferme Sans Nom. It was
+far and away their biggest show up to date, but the number of rounds
+fired by the Divisional Artillery in the three hottest days was only
+5,000, an amount which, by present-day standards, appears ludicrously
+small. Meanwhile, two platoons of 5th Sussex, cursing the fortune
+which had brought them up again to the trenches, were packed into the
+battalion sector to look after our belongings, if we went over.
+
+Saturday, the 25th, broke wet and misty; the lovely autumn weather of
+the past fortnight had gone for good. The gunners were unable clearly
+to see their targets, or to mark by the spurt of dry earth the exact
+strike of their wire-cutting shrapnel. Through the mist on that most
+inappropriate morning appeared a herd of cows and men harvesting
+between Rossignol and Puisieux, not much more than a mile from our
+lines.
+
+During the day a notable series of messages came through from G.H.Q.,
+and it seemed at first as if the attack had broken the German lines,
+as we identified on our maps those names then unfamiliar--Loos, Hill
+70, Hulluch, Cite St. Elie, and Cite St. Auguste--which successive
+messages announced as having passed into our hands. Then came the
+reports from Champagne with their impressive and ever-growing lists of
+guns and prisoners. The men were in high spirits, and some of B
+Company were heard making bets as to who would take the first German
+prisoner. Towards evening, however, the messages spoke only of
+violent counter-attacks and ground lost, while it was announced that
+the attack of the French Corps on our immediate left had failed
+completely. When this message reached Major Hedges in the Keep just as
+he was turning in, he summed up our general feeling by his remark:
+'Well, I think I can take my boots off now.' Throughout the whole of
+Sunday expectation was at its highest pitch, for all believed that if
+the general advance was coming it would come quickly. But there was
+little positive news beyond the short French statement: 'We have taken
+Souchez.' Yet in the evening all the last preparations for attack were
+hastily carried through. A Berks and a Bucks dump were dug in the
+trenches, in which were collected all the engineering material
+required for an assault--tools, sandbags, trench bridges and flags for
+marking out positions in the captured line. The Brigade Signallers
+were busy putting up directions everywhere for the Bucks, who were to
+take over the left of our line: and new maps were issued to come into
+use at midnight. The night was very disturbed with bursts of rapid
+fire, and once a great cheer from the Warwicks at Fonquevillers, who
+were simulating an attack; while thousands of spent bullets from the
+37th Division in the loop north of Gommecourt came wearily to rest in
+our trenches, several of which struck sentries in the sap-heads
+without doing them any harm. Early next morning a British aeroplane
+flew very low over the enemy trenches and, as desired, drew heavy
+fire, thereby proving them to be full of men, a matter in doubt
+before, as they had not responded to our attempts at provocation. But
+during the day it became increasingly clear that the great scheme had
+failed; for, although a message came from 3rd Army saying 'that in
+view of the great Allied successes both north and south it is
+possible that the Germans may evacuate their trenches, and in that
+case you must be prepared to slip quietly into them at a moment's
+notice,' its effect was more than discounted by a simple message which
+read: 'Work may now be resumed as usual in the trenches.' The enemy,
+meanwhile, appeared to be well acquainted with our plans, for voices
+were heard calling out, 'Come on, Bucks, come on, Berks!' 'The Royal
+Berks will lead the attack,' while a humorist shouted from the fort at
+Gommecourt, 'Run away, English; go away home.' The enemy had indeed
+good reason to be confident in the strength of these positions, which
+twice next year were to defy capture after the most elaborate
+preparation. The turmoil of the last few days was now succeeded by a
+complete calm in which scarcely a gun spoke.
+
+On September 30th we were relieved in due course by the 6th
+Gloucesters, but went not to Authie, which was considered too far
+away, but to Souastre, a village in the area of the 37th Division,
+five kilometres west of Fonquevillers. As we approached we were played
+into the village by our band of drums and fifes, which had just
+arrived from England. Here the Battalion remained for six days in
+readiness to move at half an hour's notice, with baggage and transport
+reduced to a minimum, before we returned to Authie and resumed for
+many months to come our customary alternation of trench duty and rest,
+though the respective periods were in future lessened from 12 days to
+8.
+
+By our next return to the trenches autumn was already merging into
+early winter in this chilly tableland, with sharp night frosts and
+thick white mists. For days on end it was almost impossible to
+distinguish the hostile lines: and so the guns maintained their
+silence, for it was unprofitable to fire where you could not observe,
+and our own people had the strictest orders to economise rigorously
+until the expenditure of the Loos battles had been again made good.
+Such weather gave the finest opportunity for patrols, whose wanderings
+were made easier by the apparent indifference of the enemy. His saps
+and barbed wire were examined more than once, but though hares were
+started constantly in the thick tangled grass, only once were his
+patrols encountered. On this occasion a party of ten, moving in a
+dense fog and pitch darkness along the enemy wire, was challenged, and
+a lively fight ensued for a few minutes with rifles, revolvers and
+bombs, in the course of which Private A. Gibbs, of D Company, a huge,
+stout-hearted soldier, specially distinguished himself. As generally
+happens in these blind affrays, there was more noise than damage, and
+our patrol, which was considerably outnumbered, made its way safely
+back. One man who became separated from his comrades remained,
+uncertain of his direction, in No Man's Land for eight hours, until
+sunrise showed him his bearings. An officer and sergeant of the 10th
+Royal Irish Rifles, who formed part of the patrol, were spending their
+first tour of instruction with us in the trenches.
+
+On October 17th-18th the general calm was rudely broken by the
+performance of the Bavarian Circus, a travelling siege train of 5.9's
+with a few heavier pieces, which retaliated effectively from the Bois
+de Biez for our September bombardments. The first day's firing was
+directed on the forward billets, Hebuterne, Sailly and Colincamps,
+with short fierce bursts from six or seven batteries firing
+simultaneously. Next day it was the turn of the Trenches. On the left
+of the battalion sector part of D Company held a little salient
+position which enclosed a thicket standing steeply some 12 feet above
+the Bucquoy road. The enemy apparently believed it to be used for
+observation purposes, and frequently directed fire upon it, but in
+point of fact it was untenanted by day. On this salient and on its
+approaches, a total trench line of about 150 yards, the Bavarians
+threw during an hour about 400 5.9's, not to mention smaller shells,
+while two field guns galloped into Gommecourt Park and unlimbering in
+full view fired obliquely at the wire from point-blank range. They
+were harassed and eventually forced to retire by the action of Lieut.
+Coombes, of the Bucks, on our left, who gallantly got a machine gun
+into the open and took them in the flank. Our own guns were not
+available at the time, as they were themselves engaged in a 'shoot'
+and busy on pre-arranged targets. Although the trenches were cut to
+pieces and the thicket levelled by the fire, which was of extreme
+accuracy, not a single serious casualty was incurred. Captain Thorne
+had his Company Headquarters just behind the salient, and his dugout
+received several hits, and bulged ominously, but did not give way. All
+wires were cut, but were promptly repaired by the Company Signallers
+in the heat of the bombardment. Meanwhile, the Oxfords had been
+assailed with much greater violence, and over 2,000 shells fell in
+their lines; while their communication trenches were barraged with
+lachrymatory shells. It almost seemed as if an infantry attack might
+be imminent, and colour was lent to this theory by an aeroplane
+message saying that what appeared to be gas cylinders were observed
+along the enemy trenches between Gommecourt and Serre. Accordingly we
+stood-to all night repairing the shattered trenches and re-erecting
+the wire. The hostile infantry who probably disapproved of their
+artillery's activity as likely to bring future trouble upon
+themselves, made no attempt to hinder with rifle or machine-gun fire
+our all-night task. This was by far the heaviest and most concentrated
+bombardment which the Battalion had yet sustained.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+WINTER IN THE TRENCHES
+
+
+In spite of many rumours of a rest the 48th Division remained in the
+line throughout the whole of the winter, and, indeed, as we shall see,
+until the spring of 1916 was far spent. Meanwhile, the wastage of the
+Battalion was considerable, and was not made good by drafts, whose
+total number up to March 1st, 1916, amounted only to 103 men.
+Companies, therefore, with a fighting strength of from 90 to 110 men
+had to hold (under far more trying conditions) the same frontage
+(about 1,400 yards as a rule) which had been allotted to them when at
+practically full strength in the summer. It is true that a company of
+some New Army battalion was constantly arriving for instruction, but
+during the two or three days of their visit they could not relieve our
+men of any of the burden. On the contrary, the work and
+responsibility, especially for officers and N.C.O.'s was considerably
+increased, and the difficulty of finding accommodation in the teeming
+hive of Hebuterne for an extra 250 men added to the general
+discomfort. A certain amount of change, however, from trench routine
+was afforded by the courses now established at the various schools of
+instruction behind the line; for instance, one officer and 30 men went
+every fortnight to the Brigade Bomb School at Sailly, and in spite of
+constant shelling found reasonably comfortable billets.
+
+Although casualties still, happily, remained light, and no officer had
+been killed since Lieut. Poulton-Palmer, considerable changes took
+place during the winter which it is convenient to summarise here.
+Colonel Serocold left the Battalion on February 14th, 1916. He had
+served with the regiment for 32 years, and had commanded it for
+11-1/2. All Berkshire people know of the affection and respect with
+which he was regarded by the regiment, which alone can fully
+appreciate the debt they owe to his training and personal example. He
+was succeeded by Major (now Lieut.-Colonel) R. J. Clarke, C.M.G.,
+D.S.O. The adjutant, Captain G. M. Sharpe, had already left in the
+previous October, and was afterwards to command his first Battalion.
+In losing him we all felt that we were losing not only an ideal
+adjutant, but a personal friend. He was succeeded by Lieut. L. E.
+Ridley, who was killed next August, near Pozieres. The two commanders
+of A and D Companies, Major F. R. Hedges and Captain H. U. H. Thorne,
+came home through sickness about the end of 1915. Captain Thorne
+afterwards won distinction in command of the 12th Royal Scots, and was
+killed in the Battle of Arras, April 9th, 1917, leading the first wave
+of assault 'in the old chivalrous way,' as his Brigadier wrote.
+Captains W. E. M. Blandy and R. G. Attride assumed command of A and D
+Companies respectively. R.S.-M. Hanney also left, to our great regret,
+and received a commission in the 1st Battalion, where he afterwards
+won an M.C. His place was filled by the C.S.-M. (now Q.M.) Hogarth, of
+A Company. In fact, after a year abroad, the Battalion lost just a
+third of its original officers, and about 400 N.C.O.'s and men.
+
+Winter set in early and in its most unpleasant form. During November
+there was only one day on which neither rain nor snow fell. The
+trenches began collapsing at once; after each heavy storm the
+unrevetted sides fell in, and liquid mud, reaching as high as the
+thighs, made movement almost impossible; the sump-hole covers floated
+away, and in the darkness it sometimes happened that a man would be
+plunged in water up to his neck. Many of the saps were entirely
+blocked, and at one time it became necessary temporarily to abandon a
+portion of the front line. Things would have been better if the floor
+of the trenches had consisted of duckboards (for the bricks so
+elaborately laid proved mere labour lost), while a proper supply of
+revetting hurdles could, by the exercise of a little foresight by
+Corps staff, have been made available. The thigh boots, which
+gradually arrived in numbers sufficient for men actually in the front
+line, went far towards preventing wet feet; whale oil was rubbed in,
+and arrangements made in the village for drying 400 pairs of socks
+every 24 hours, while the R.A.M.C. provided hot baths in the factory
+by the pond. Unfortunately, most of the dugouts, after a short
+resistance, succumbed to the alternations of frost and torrential
+rain. Sometimes the roof and sides collapsed, as the Oxfords found to
+their cost when an iron girder killed four men. Sometimes the pressure
+of water merely caused leakage, but in either case the result was
+eventually the same. The plight of the men without shelter was often
+extremely wretched. They lived in water and liquid mud, which mingled
+with their food and with the fabric of their clothes. However, it was
+found possible to hold the line more thinly, and during the eight days
+at Hebuterne no man (except the Machine Gunners) normally spent more
+than 48 hours in the front line, as only two platoons of each of the
+two Companies holding the line composed the trench garrison; the
+remainder stayed in the support dugouts. Platoons were relieved every
+24 hours and companies every 48. But the spirit of the men remained
+unabated, and the rate of sickness surprisingly low; while the mild
+open weather of January and February brought about a considerable
+improvement in trench conditions. On the other hand, as the winter
+drew on the hours of duty in the trenches grew longer and the rests
+shorter. For instance, during February the Battalion spent 25 days in
+the trenches and only 4 in reserve. Moreover, the former period was
+unusually exacting, as we held a more extended front, and the enemy's
+guns showed violent and continuous activity; while the rest billets,
+Sailly and Courcelles, were uncomfortable and frequently shelled.
+
+It might have been expected that fighting activity would diminish
+during this period, but this was far from being the case. Both sides
+gradually brought up and permanently established in this sector large
+numbers of big guns; the 9.2-inch and 8-inch howitzers, whose first
+advent was signalled in the autumn, fired with increasing frequency as
+stocks of ammunition accumulated. For several consecutive days in
+February, Hebuterne received a ration of several thousand shells, and
+cases of shell shock made their appearance. During one of these
+bombardments Company-Sergt.-Major Lawrence, of B Company, was blown to
+pieces as he came up from the cellar of the sergeants' mess in the
+Keep. Although a man of nearly 45 he made light of every hardship; his
+constant cheerfulness and devotion to duty were an inspiration to all.
+Intense bombardments of short trench sections also became more common,
+as the art of raiding, first practised by the Canadians at Messines,
+developed. The 6th Gloucesters were the first Battalion in our
+division to indulge in this amusement in November, 1915, when they
+successfully penetrated the German lines at south-east of Gommecourt
+Wood. Our Battalion took neither an active nor a passive part in such
+operations during the winter; their turn was to come, as will be
+related, on May 16th.
+
+Small encounters between patrols, however, were not infrequent, as
+the enemy showed increased enterprise, and was no longer willing to
+surrender tamely command of No-man's Land. On December 14th a patrol
+of seven men, on reaching the east end of M hedge, were received with
+bombs and machine-gun fire from the sunken road which ran diagonally
+between the lines, losing one killed and three wounded. A search party
+was organised by Captain Blandy, which succeeded in recovering the
+body of the dead man. Lance-Corpl. Clayton (afterwards 2nd Lieutenant,
+killed on the Somme), a member of the patrol, though wounded, most
+gallantly volunteered to lead the search party and covered their
+withdrawal by throwing bombs. On March 17th, 1916, Lieut. Goolden and
+Corpl. V. H. Taylor had the satisfaction of shooting two Germans in a
+mist, who were trying to get back through their own wire; and on
+returning the patrol picked up an odd assortment of articles, which
+sound like an extract from some mad auctioneer's catalogue: (1) a
+glass globe full of liquid with a string net round it; (2) a strong
+case with powder inside it; (3) six hand grenades; (4) a shoulder
+strap, silver braid on red cloth, 169 in gilt; (5) a pair of gloves.
+Scarcely a night passed without fresh ground being covered and new
+information acquired, which was sometimes of a whimsical character.
+Once, for instance, an enemy working was heard conversing entirely in
+English, with such phrases as 'Dig that hole deeper,' 'Bring those
+stakes along'; one would imagine them to have been a waiters'
+battalion. Among the most active patrol leaders were Lieuts.
+Gathorne-Hardy, Lund, Downs, Calder and Teed; the two last-named
+distinguished themselves by a daylight reconnaissance lasting 3-1/4
+hours in the course of which much information of value was collected.
+
+Nor must we fail to remember with gratitude the three cavalry officers
+who were attached to us during the winter for periods of one month:
+Captain A. L. Friend and Lieut. Ansell, of the 7th Dragoon Guards, and
+Captain M. Simmonds, Indian Cavalry. All did their best to relieve the
+short-handed company officers, while Captain Simmonds, although a
+senior captain, took charge of a platoon, and shared all fatigue
+duties with the subalterns of the Battalion.
+
+When we were back in reserve the various amusements and relaxations,
+which a stationary warfare permits, were elaborated for the benefit of
+the men.
+
+Christmas Day was fortunately spent at Authie, and the various
+companies sat down in comfort in the estaminets to a splendid dinner.
+Three pigs had been killed for the Battalion's consumption, a plum
+pudding was presented to each N.C.O. and man by the C.O., and others
+arrived from the _Daily News_ Fund. A tin of cigarettes came from
+Messrs. H. and G. Simonds', a packet of cigars from the Maidenhead
+Fund. Each man received a shirt, muffler, socks and chocolate, the
+produce of a fund most energetically collected from Berkshire by Mrs.
+Serocold and Mrs. Hedges. The officers spent an equally happy evening
+at the chateau, whose owner, Madame De Wailly, kindly provided a room
+and all other requisites.
+
+A Divisional Football Cup was given by the G.O.C., which was competed
+for by all units of the 48th Division under Association rules. We were
+beaten in the first round by the 5th Gloucesters, who scored the
+winning goal just on time, after an exciting game, in which Sergt.
+Hedges distinguished himself. The 'Varlets' of the 1st/1st South
+Midland Field Ambulance, and the Divisional Variety Troupe, of which
+Private Cooter (B Company) was a well-known member, performed for our
+benefit, and perhaps most attractive of all was Major Barron's
+cinematograph entertainment, which was always sure of the warmest
+reception.
+
+Thus the first winter passed in the normal alternations of trench
+welfare.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+THE NEW TRENCH AND THE RAID
+
+
+The spring of 1916 was slow in coming. The German attack at Verdun had
+coincided with a long spell of deep snow and bitter cold. An officer
+going on leave at the end of February vividly remembers his
+experiences on the frozen roads, and the sight of a column of French
+troops of all arms 20 miles long, making their way painfully along the
+great 'Route Nationale' to Amiens to join in the defence of Verdun.
+But towards the end of March the weather grew warm and genial and the
+wild daffodils began to appear in all the fields around Sailly.
+Meanwhile the preliminaries for the Somme offensive became
+increasingly significant. The forward villages such as Sailly and
+Bayencourt were cleared of the civil population, and handed over
+entirely to the Army. Still more monstrous guns came crawling up, and
+in place of the old battery of 60-pounders, the orchard at the western
+outskirts of Sailly, in the angle of the Bayencourt road, harboured
+two 15-inch howitzers. Gun-pits and enormous new dugouts were
+constructed in Hebuterne. The single-line railway which served the
+48th and 4th Division with railheads at Acheux and Louvaincourt was
+supplemented by numbers of light lines. Troops grew thick upon the
+ground; the 56th Division appeared upon our left, the 31st on the
+right, and in May the front held by the Division scarcely exceeded
+that allotted to a single battalion during the winter. A 4th Army had
+been formed, of which the 48th Division was on the left in the 10th
+Corps. Conferences were held by the G.O.C. with C.O.'s and Adjutants
+two or three times a week, while parties were constantly detailed to
+witness demonstrations of gas, smoke and flame throwers. At last,
+also, the drafts so badly needed and so long overdue appeared in
+fairly adequate numbers; in March alone 202 men joined the Battalion
+for duty, which brought our total strength up to 874.
+
+[Illustration: Map.]
+
+Meanwhile the G.O.C. was planning for the execution of the 145th
+Brigade a task, which sounds prosaic enough on paper, but which
+demanded for its success minute organisation and a high state of
+discipline in all concerned--namely, the digging of a forward trench
+in front of our own wire. Our line between Hebuterne and Serre sagged
+back in a westerly direction from Trench Hoche to Trench Bouillon,
+thereby interposing 800-900 yards between ourselves and the Germans,
+with an intervening rise in No Man's Land. This configuration of the
+ground presented three obvious defects for offensive operations. It
+was impossible for the gunners to get direct observation on the sector
+of enemy trench opposite; it meant that troops deploying for the
+attack would get out of trenches facing in three directions, and would
+have to cross an unnecessary depth of shell-swept ground before
+getting to the assault. It was, therefore, determined to straighten
+out the line between the two points mentioned above. The battalions
+concerned assiduously practised wire-cutting, filing silently through
+the gaps, and night-digging. Our Battalion, which was to find the
+covering parties, took over the part of the line affected (J Sector,
+from Serre road to Trench Lassalle) a week beforehand, and every
+effort was made by means of patrols, two or three of which went out
+each night, to locate any forward posts or rifle pits from which the
+enemy might get wind of or interfere with the digging of the new
+trench. On the night of the 9th-10th April the scheme was carried out
+under the direction of Major Clissold (1st/1st Field Company, South
+Midland R.E.'s), an unfailing friend of the infantry, who was killed
+in the autumn of 1917. About 1,500 men in all were engaged; the
+digging was done by the 4th Oxfords and the 5th Gloucesters, while
+covering parties and fatigues were provided by the Bucks Battalion and
+ourselves. About six hours were allotted for the completion of the
+work, from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. The moon, which was near the full, shone
+brilliantly, though at times obscured by clouds, so that there was no
+fear of the confusion which arises from darkness, but rather of
+detection by the enemy's posts. Soon after 8.30 p.m. A Company, who
+were responsible for the protection from the right to the Puisieux
+road, strung themselves out into groups of three, some 20 yards apart,
+about 70 paces in front of the tape which marked the course of the
+proposed trench. While Captain Crouch, of the Bucks, was similarly
+employed on the left, some of his men, losing touch, ran into the
+vision of Hun sentries at the Poplars and were received with shots and
+bombs, which caused uneasy anticipations of discovery, happily
+unfulfilled. The diggers got to work behind their screen, and ate into
+the ground with remarkable speed, for stray rounds of shrapnel,
+intermittent sniping, and the constant discharge of Verey lights
+throughout the night, suggested that the Hun had some uneasy suspicion
+that all was not quite as usual; and indeed it seems almost incredible
+that the clash of the tools, the whispered orders, and the movements
+of the wiring parties should have entirely failed to strike the ear of
+a vigilant sentry at 250 yards. By 2 a.m. the work was almost
+finished; nothing remained but to strengthen the parapet of the new
+trench and to fill up the spaces between the knife-rests, which
+defended it some 40 yards in front, with screw pickets and loose
+strands of wire. By 3.20 a.m. all the diggers had returned to the old
+line, and the weary covering party, who had lain out for seven tedious
+hours, came home to get a hot drink, which they had well earned. Only
+15 casualties were reported from the whole Brigade, none of which fell
+to the share of our Battalion. The trench was held by a few posts
+until dawn and then evacuated. About noon next day an enemy aeroplane
+flew along it, and the observer could be plainly seen leaning out and
+taking photographs of this mushroom growth. Almost immediately every
+battery from La Brayelle to Serre began to register upon it, and for
+weeks it was rendered unwholesome by the constant attention of
+artillery and mine-throwers. A poem of Lieut. Downs' preserves the air
+of mystery in which the whole scheme was so fortunately conceived and
+executed.
+
+      A whisper wandered round
+        Of a plan of the G.O.C's,
+      And figures surveyed the ground
+        In stealthy groups of threes;
+      But the whole Brigade were there,
+        Or pretty well all the lot,
+      When we dug the trench at Never-mind-where,
+        On April the Never mind-what.
+
+      The What's-a-names dug the trench,
+        The Who-is-its found the screen,
+      And we mustn't forget to mench
+        The Thingumies in between;
+      The Tothermies built the fence,
+        And the R.E.'s "also ran,"
+        For we didn't spare any expense,
+        With labour a shilling a man.
+
+      There isn't much else to tell,
+        Though the enemy made a song.
+      And tried to blow it to Hell,
+        But got the address all wrong;
+      For you'll find it's still out there
+        In the bally old self-same spot,
+      That trench which we built at Never-mind-where,
+        On April the Never-mind-what.
+
+After these excitements the Battalion moved back on the 12th, half to
+Sailly, half to the huts in the park of Couin Chateau, which were
+leaky and surrounded by a pathless morass of mud several inches deep.
+Here the Battalion was reinoculated, as 18 months had elapsed since
+the original dose was injected in the autumn of 1914, and spent its
+mornings in Platoon and Company Drill, until its return to J Sector on
+the 20th. There was plenty of work and little comfort in the line that
+tour. The conditions resembled those of the winter at their worst; in
+the new trench, hastily dug and unrevetted, water and mud engulfed the
+passer-by to the waist. One afternoon a German was reported to have
+got in, and the Adjutant (Lieut. Ridley) who happened to be on the
+spot, at once organised a bombing party to deal with him, but after
+wading laboriously to the point indicated, found that the bird had
+flown. Meanwhile, the Huns showed their displeasure by sending into
+the sector 500-1,000 shells every day, and casualties were naturally
+higher than the normal, including Lieut. Duff seriously wounded, and
+Lieut. Calder shell-shock. No one was therefore sorry when on the 25th
+we returned to Authie, after an interval of three months, to the great
+delight of the inhabitants, and enjoyed the spring for a short while
+in that pleasant valley. Before returning to the line the battalion
+spent a few days at Sailly and Couin, furnishing working parties for
+Hebuterne each night and day. On May 8th we relieved the 4th Oxfords
+in G Sector on the extreme right of the Brigade front. This tour was
+destined to be memorable in the history of the Battalion. The ground
+was entirely new to us, and extremely difficult. All rations and
+supplies had to be brought up from Hebuterne by communication trenches
+more than a mile long and in bad repair. The whole sector had been the
+scene of a fierce battle in June 1915, for the possession of Touvent
+Farm and the outskirts of Serre, and was everywhere cut up by old
+disused trenches, French and German, and shell holes, and was still
+littered with bones and skulls. Nor was the front line more
+attractive; it formed a sharp salient projecting towards Serre, held
+by disconnected posts, ill defended, close to the enemy, and joined to
+the support line by only two communication trenches, one at each side
+of the salient. So vague and difficult of identification was this line
+of posts that Captain Cruttwell, when visiting them for the first
+time, nearly walked into the German lines while trying to establish
+connection with D Company, until warned of his mistake by a shower of
+rifle-grenades. The whole sector, indeed, closely resembled the crater
+areas, which the experiences of the Somme were to render familiar. The
+first week in this dreary spot passed uneventfully; the enemy guns and
+_minenwerfer_, the latter of the largest calibre, whose explosion was
+deafening, were active, but not unusually so, and up to the 15th the
+Battalion could congratulate themselves on an absence of casualties
+during the tour. They were to be relieved next day, and it seemed that
+the trouble always expected here would be reserved for others. During
+the 15th, however, the usual shelling seemed to the two Company
+Commanders in the front line--Captain Cruttwell, of B, and Captain
+Attride, of D, to be more methodical and to suggest a registration on
+all tactical points. Still this impression was not definite enough to
+arouse serious foreboding. Up to midnight all was quiet. Then a heavy
+bombardment opened upon the 56th Division on the left; our divisional
+guns, who were helping to cover that sector, opened at once in
+response to the S.O.S. The two anxious Company Commanders felt
+convinced that if a raid was intended they would not be the victims of
+it. But as soon as our guns were securely switched off on to a false
+target, the enemy showed his hand. His guns ceased to play on the 56th
+Division and were directed with extreme violence against our front. It
+was then 12.30 a.m. on the morning of May 16th; the raid had begun.
+It is now necessary, in order to understand its course, to describe
+minutely, with the aid of the map, the dispositions of the two
+Companies affected. The length of the line was approximately 1,200
+yards; on the right B Company had two platoons in the front line
+strung out into seven posts between Nairne and Wrangel, each
+containing from six to nine men. Two sections and a Lewis gun team
+were in Jones Street, which had been chosen as the main defensive line
+in case of attack. The remaining two sections with another Lewis gun
+were in Caber, and the fourth platoon in Worcester Street. Company
+Headquarters were established some 800 yards behind the front line, at
+Pimlico, where a platoon of A Company was placed in dugouts at the
+disposal of O.C. Company. The line of D Company on the left stretched
+from Wrangel to Jena, and was similarly held by two platoons
+furnishing eight posts. The supporting platoon on the right was
+equally divided between Trench Dominique and Oxford Street; that on
+the left was located in the forward end of Jena. Company Headquarters
+were in Vauban, and Captain Attride disposed of a reserve platoon of C
+Company in Vercingetorix. Further two platoons of C Company which were
+returning from a working party in Wrangel when the bombardment
+started, were placed in dugouts near Pimlico.
+
+[Illustration: 16 May 1916]
+
+The plan of the bombardment, which was a masterpiece of method, was as
+follows:--From 12.30 to 1 a.m. the whole of our front and supervision
+line was bombarded with field guns, 5.9-inch howitzers and
+mine-throwers; but the chief intensity of fire was directed at B
+Company between Nairne and Chasseur Hedge, with the object, which was
+practically accomplished, of destroying or burying all the posts
+included therein. At 1 a.m. a red rocket was shot up from the enemy
+lines, and the fire from Nairne to Wrangel lifted, but fell with
+redoubled fury on the support and reserve lines, where every
+communication trench and dugout was deluged with shells. At Pimlico,
+in particular, 5.9-inch shells were thrown at the rate of 100 a
+minute, enveloping it in a dense fog of smoke and fumes, and the
+supporting platoon of A Company lost nearly half its strength.
+
+Meanwhile the fire on either flank covered both front line and
+support, rendering lateral communication impossible. Thus B Company
+was isolated, and the enemy infantry immediately entered. Post No. 7
+opposed their entry, but was overpowered--none of the nine men who
+composed it were ever seen again, but the ground about was afterwards
+found littered with exploded and unexploded German bombs, showing
+that they had fought a good fight. The Germans then divided into two
+parties with separate tasks. One party worked along Jones Street
+towards the right, some moving in the trench, some along the parados.
+They destroyed the left post in Jones Street, but were eventually
+checked by Lance-Corpl. Cooke with his Lewis Gun team, which,
+reflecting the coolness of its commander, kept up a steady rifle fire
+when the gun jammed. The Huns then retired and left Jones Street at
+the point of entry, after fulfilling what was presumably their job of
+protecting their comrades from attack in the rear. For the other
+party, working along the fire trench, attacked Posts 6-2 inclusive
+from the rear. These posts were in sore straits. Their defences had
+been blown to pieces, their rifles damaged, broken or buried, and
+their bombs scattered; they had themselves been shaken or buried and
+were left defenceless. The story of a survivor from Post 2, who
+escaped, will serve as an example. As they endeavoured to extricate
+themselves and their weapons from the wrecked post, Germans appeared
+behind them and ordered them in English to mount the parapet or they
+would be shot. Private Chapman at once tackled an officer with his
+fists and, shot by the latter's revolver, died most bravely. Four men
+were taken, and one alone escaped. However, 12 survivors in all
+reached Post 1, which remained intact and resisted stoutly. Here
+Lieut. Ward, who was on duty, took charge, and reorganised the 12,
+only to find that some were wounded, and that the rifles of the
+remainder were useless. Accordingly he withdrew towards Nairne, and
+was fortunate to get them back safely, for at one point four Germans
+peered into the trench, which was a very deep one, close to the party,
+but made off when Ward loosed his revolver at them. Meanwhile, No. 1
+Post, under Sergt. Holloway, a brave soldier from Abingdon, facing
+both to front and rear, drove back all the enemy who approached them
+with rifle and bombs, and effectively staved off their progress
+towards Nairne, where the position was secured by a post of 13th West
+Yorks (31st Division) which was promptly moved to the left in answer
+to Lieut. Ward's request. The support platoon was organised for
+defence in Caber by Lieut. Field, who remained with his men though
+seriously wounded. Here he was found by Lieut. Gathorne-Hardy, who,
+with his usual contempt for danger, had volunteered to go up from
+Company Headquarters to re-establish connection, which had been broken
+within five minutes of the commencement of the bombardment.
+
+While B Company was being attacked, fire was still directed with
+violence on the front line of the left Company, and continued until
+1.40 a.m., when it also lifted on to the support and reserve areas.
+The damage here had been mainly confined to Posts 1-3, where all the
+men had been killed or buried; at Post 1 five men were saved by the
+systematic and collected courage of Private Appleby (4749), who dug
+them out one after the other. At Post 3, Captain Boyle and Sergt.
+Pitman dug out Lance-Corpl. Sargeant and the other men, being
+disturbed during the operation by the appearance of a German on the
+parapet, whom they shot and wounded. Lance-Corpl. Sargeant was no
+sooner extricated than he collected bombs, and returned to his post
+only to find two wounded comrades being hauled off by a party of
+Germans. They received his bombs into their midst and ran back into
+the darkness behind Chasseur Hedge, where their supports were waiting.
+Meanwhile, Posts 4 and 5 remained intact and full of fight. Singing in
+the intervals between firing:--
+
+  'Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag,
+      And smile, smile, smile,'
+
+they held off the enemy, who could be dimly seen filing through their
+wire and forming up outside in three lines, distinguished by white
+armlets. Post 5 soon received a reinforcement of some 20 men under
+Sergt. V. H. Taylor, who came up from Oxford Street. They had been
+summoned by Corpl. Page, a most gallant Wokingham man, who volunteered
+to go back through the fiery curtain of the barrage, which task he
+accomplished without harm. No further attack was made upon D Company,
+which escaped with comparatively light casualties. Captain Boyle was
+afterwards awarded the M.C. for the skill and coolness with which he
+organised the defence of his sector, and Corpl. Sargeant the Military
+Medal. The bombardment continued unabated until 2.45, and then ceased
+suddenly with the first light of dawn. The ruinous state of the
+trenches made daylight movement difficult and dangerous, as the enemy
+fired rifle grenades continually at broken points in the communication
+trenches, causing several casualties among men who were not quick
+enough in running the gauntlet. In spite of such difficulties all the
+wounded were evacuated by 10 a.m., though in some cases it took four
+hours to get the stretcher from the front line to the dressing station
+in the village. The losses had been heavy, amounting in all to 98, of
+whom 18 were killed and 29 missing; of these B Company supplied 60,
+thus losing half of its fighting strength. Many hours were spent next
+night by parties left behind after the relief of the Battalion in
+search of the missing, who afterwards were almost without exception
+reported as prisoners of war. This eventful night was the last spent
+by the Battalion in the trenches for five weeks; the 48th Division,
+which had established a record for an unbroken length of service in
+the line, was being withdrawn into Army Reserve. Thus the Battalion
+came through their first serious test, and were not found wanting. The
+praise which Colonel Clarke bestowed next day at Couin on their
+endurance, discipline and fighting spirit, was repeated by the
+Divisional General and the Corps Commander.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+BEFORE THE BATTLE
+
+
+The day at Couin was spent in packing and loading up, a task rendered
+easier by the loan from our good friends, 3rd Warwick Battery, of two
+G.S. wagons. Early on the 18th we joined the Brigade at St. Leger and
+marched to Beauval. The day was very hot. The march was mainly through
+narrow valleys, dense with dust. The Battalion were short of sleep,
+and very weary, while the sun beat down upon their steel helmets,
+which they wore for the first time on the march. None the less, Sir A.
+Hunter-Weston complimented Colonel Clarke on the way in which they
+marched past him at Marieux. Beauval was reached at noon, a quiet
+little country town, with long shady streets; and the billets were
+very good. The fortnight here was spent in route marches, grouping
+practices at the range, and platoon and company training in general.
+The keen pleasure with which the men turned to drill and small company
+schemes after the months of trench monotony was very noticeable. A
+splendid compliment was paid to D Company by the Corps Commander, who
+met them one day on the march. Stopping their commander, Captain
+Attride, he said that he had never seen a finer body of men in France;
+that he was proud of them, and that they had every right to be proud
+of themselves, for their conduct on the night of the 16th. On the 31st
+the Brigade made an early start, rising at dawn and moving off at 4
+a.m. in a bright, fresh, lovely morning, well-suited for the long
+march to the St. Riquier training area. The Battalion arrived at their
+billets, the small village of Maison Roland, some 7 miles north-east
+of Abbeville, before midday. The inhabitants, who had been unfortunate
+in the troops quartered on them just before, showed some hostility,
+closing their houses, and refusing to allow the men to enter. All
+ill-feeling, however, was rapidly removed. Colonel Clarke had warned
+the Battalion to do everything to create a good impression, and when
+we left the Mayor sent a letter thanking all ranks for their
+behaviour. The whole neighbourhood was a mass of troops rehearsing the
+Somme battles on specially prepared areas, where officers remarked on
+the advantage of being able to move freely without fear of damaging
+the crops. Some days in succession were spent in Battalion, Brigade
+and Divisional Training, and all learnt by experience how much the
+inevitable stagnation and immobility of long-continued trench warfare
+dull the initiative and lessen the quickness of mind and body. The
+days were strenuous; reveille, as a rule, was at 4 a.m., and work
+began at 6 and lasted until 1, leaving the afternoons free, while the
+nights were twice begun with Brigade attacks, and finished in bivouac.
+But the men enjoyed their time; they grew hard for battle, with supple
+limbs and the indescribable thrill of perfect physical fitness. And in
+spite of the hard work time was found for recreation; cricket was
+played again for the first time since the summer days at Hebuterne in
+1915, and a Brigade Horse Show created keen interest. In St. Riquier
+men from all the Division could foregather in the estaminets, one of
+which possessed a much-coveted billiard table, and sometimes it was
+even possible to spend a day in the pleasant town of Abbeville.
+
+For the latter part of this training period the Battalion had moved to
+Gapennes, a village some 6 miles north of Maison Roland, where, as
+before, hostility shown at arrival was soon changed to friendliness
+and goodwill.
+
+On June 10th the Battalion set its face again towards the east; and
+after two days' long and dusty marching we found ourselves again in
+the huts of Couin, which next day were exchanged for an undesirable
+and filthy bivouac at Sailly. The preparations of the last month had
+completely changed the aspect of these forward villages, and it was
+clear that the time was at hand. Sailly was full of camps and dumps;
+the bare and desolate slopes to the east harboured tier upon tier of
+guns. Reliefs from the Brigade worked day and night without a pause in
+Hebuterne and the adjacent trenches. When the Battalion took over H.
+Sector on the 16th, they found every nook and corner of the trenches
+by night filled with parties digging new dugouts and Stokes mortar
+emplacements, bringing up gas-cylinders, smoke candles and all the
+diverse paraphernalia of the modern offensive; while the enemy's
+artillery and machine guns incessantly harassed these suspected
+activities. Otherwise, no incident of especial note occurred during
+this tour, except a forced landing by one of our machines in front of
+Puisieux, which drew immediately into the open a mob of inquisitive
+Germans estimated at several hundreds. The 24th found the battalion
+back at Couin, where they were to stay until the fateful 1st July. The
+damp, ill-ventilated and crowded huts were responsible for a good many
+cases of sore throat and rheumatism. But there was little time to be
+sick. In the interval between working parties, bayonet fighting and
+wire-cutting, the last and most significant preparations for attack
+were made. Blue hearts, the distinguishing mark of the Battalion, were
+sewn on to the back of the steel helmet cover, and tin triangles
+affixed to the haversack, which was to be worn on the back in
+fighting order. It may be of interest to give in detail the equipment
+with which the men went into battle. Two sandbags were tucked in front
+of the belt; one Mills bomb was in each of the bottom pockets of the
+tunic; 50 extra rounds of ammunition were slung in a bandolier over
+the right shoulder. In his haversack each man carried one iron ration,
+cardigan waistcoat, soft cap, and pair of socks; the waterproof sheet
+was folded and strapped on outside, and the mess-tin fastened to the
+lowest buckle of the haversack. Every other man carried a pick or
+shovel slung; and the Brigade, with a more intimate solicitude,
+advised all ranks to carry a pipe, matches and tobacco.
+
+The bombardment had begun on the 25th, and night after night from the
+hilltop at Couin watchers saw with exultation and confident
+expectation, reflected in many letters, the great shells picking out
+the enemy's lines with fire.
+
+On July 1st the 48th Division were in Corps Reserve, and took no part
+in the battle, with the exception of the 5th and 6th Warwicks, who
+covered themselves with glory in Serre, though suffering terrible
+losses, which included both their commanding officers. The Division
+was concentrated for the day round Mailly-Maillet, which we reached
+about 1 p.m. after numberless checks in the encumbered roads.
+Detachments of Indian Cavalry were resting their horses by the
+roadside as we passed through Bus. The rest of the day was spent in
+bivouac in an open field; the guns around fired incessantly, including
+a 15-inch close at hand, but no hostile shell fell near. We were about
+3 miles west of Beaumont-Hamel, where the 29th Division were so
+furiously engaged. All the good news of the morning, the taking of
+Gommecourt Cemetery and of Serre, had fired expectation, and the
+disappointment was correspondingly bitter when it was known at
+nightfall that the 8th Army Corps were everywhere back in their
+original front line. Next morning the Brigade received orders to
+attack early on the 3rd, their objective being south of Beaumont-Hamel
+and beyond the Ancre brook, a piece of country which none of them had
+seen before. The Brigadier, with the Commanding Officers, tried to get
+forward during the day and pick up the lie of the land, but the
+shelling, smoke and dust made observation impossible. The Brigade,
+therefore, moved up that night to Mesnil, a small ruined village 1
+mile behind the line, very much in the dark. As they moved in, many
+smelt for the first time the curious fragrant odour of lachrymatory
+gas, which seemed to come from the flowers of some wayside garden
+until the pricking and watering at the eyes proved otherwise. The
+Company Commanders went forward into the trenches to find out what
+they could; to their right loomed a great black mass, and they debated
+whether it was a hill or a cloud. Suddenly an array of lights and a
+flicker of rifle-fire running along the top revealed it as the steep
+western slopes of Thiepval. A Company was just filing into the
+trenches when a rumour was brought by Lieut. Hughes that the attack
+was cancelled; inquiries were made and its truth confirmed. The
+Battalion returned the way it had come and bivouacked again in
+Mailly-Maillet at daybreak. The men, who had moved out in high spirits,
+were greatly cast down by this conclusion. It is, however, a matter
+for congratulation that the Battalion was not called upon to make its
+first attack under circumstances so unfavourable on positions which
+had defied the elaborate preparations which preceded the assault on
+July 1st. Next day guns and limbers passed in a steady stream going
+south--a sure indication that all efforts were being concentrated in
+widening the breach already made. That evening the Battalion returned
+to the huts at Couin much depressed at the prospect of taking up
+again the drab monotony of trench life after hopes aroused in the last
+few days. The weather now became very bad with almost incessant rain,
+and we relieved the 5th Gloucesters on July 8th in trenches waist deep
+in water, badly damaged by the bombardment, and affording the
+depressing view to right and left of the dead of the 31st and 56th
+Divisions lying out unburied. Meanwhile a great show of activity was
+kept up to foster among the enemy the idea that further attacks were
+intended; new stores of smoke bombs were sent up with instructions
+when and how to let them off, which were invariably cancelled before
+performance. Another assaulting trench was dug by the Brigade, running
+some 700 yards south of that already described, for which the
+Battalion supplied a small covering party of 50 men, who suffered a
+few casualties in the bright moonlight. The weather fortunately
+improved, and we were able to hand over the trenches to the 5th
+Gloucesters on July 12th dry and in good repair. Next day 100 men went
+over to see the 5th Battalion in the Bois de Warnimont. Thirteen
+months ago they had come to us for their first experience of trench
+warfare; this time a small remnant, they were resting from their
+attack on Ovillers, where every officer except the C.O. had been killed
+or wounded. We were now immediately to follow them into battle, for
+next day a fleet of motor-'buses bore us south to the crowded village
+of Senlis behind the Ovillers--La Boisselle Sector of the Somme
+front.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+THE JULY FIGHTING AT POZIERES
+
+
+The successful night attack of July 14th had eaten into the third
+German line between Longueval and Bazentin-le-Petit on a front of some
+three miles. The principal British efforts for the next six weeks were
+consequently directed towards getting more elbow-room on both flanks.
+On the north progress had been greatly hindered by the stubborn
+resistance of the German Guards at Ovillers, which was not cleared up
+till July 11th. Our line now skirted the southern orchards of
+Pozieres, running westwards just north of Ovillers and then curving
+sharply back to the old front line near Authuille. All this sector
+was, to our great disadvantage, overlooked and enfiladed by the height
+of Thiepval; and progress, though steady, was for the most part slow
+and heavily bought.
+
+On this occasion the Battalion was given ample time to view and get
+familiar with the ground, as the attack did not take place until July
+23rd. Soon after arrival at Senlis the officers went over to La
+Boisselle. This first sight of the devastated area created the deepest
+impression. Afterwards such complete destruction became common enough;
+but till then no one had seen a village literally blown away. Not only
+the walls, but the very brick dust had vanished; its site could be
+fixed only by reference to the map and to the board stating "THIS IS
+LA BOISSELLE." Every kind of battle-wreckage lay about, including many
+dead bodies, ten days unburied in the midsummer heat. But though the
+guns had done their work so well, enough remained of the wonderful
+fortified labyrinth to suggest the difficulties of attacking troops.
+The Battalion moved up by degrees, bivouacking on the 18th east of
+Albert in support of the Oxfords; and taking over trenches west of
+Pozieres next night from 7th Royal Warwicks. Only two platoons of B
+Company held the short front line; which was naturally of a rough and
+ready description, shallow and blocked in places by earth or bodies.
+The enemy, in hourly anticipation of attack, were very restless; their
+infantry, who appeared to be very thick on the ground, sent up showers
+of lights and fired at intervals throughout the night hours. Their
+guns, mostly 5.9-inch and 8-inch, fired almost incessantly; even a
+comparative lull, it was remarked, would have been counted a heavy
+bombardment in the old quiet days. Many gas shells were used, mainly
+on road junctions and assembly points in the rear. We had only some
+seven casualties from this source--our support and reserve companies
+moved up or down constantly in accordance with the ever-shifting
+situations. Battalion Headquarters remained in a German dugout in La
+Boisselle. Though tainted by the foul reek from the village, it earned
+the admiration of its tenants by its solid and elaborate construction.
+
+The 21st was a day of great activity, stores were brought up all day,
+and the trenches improved for the attack as far as intense enemy fire
+would permit. Lieut. Downs that night took out a patrol from the
+right, who explored the south-west corner of Pozieres in spite of the
+extreme alertness of the Huns, and returned safely with the most
+valuable information for which the Anzacs, over whose attacking
+frontage the patrol had gone, were most grateful. Everyone was glad to
+have them on our flank, for they were splendid men, full of confidence
+and keenness.
+
+[Illustration: Map.]
+
+Next day detailed orders were issued for the attack of the 145th
+Brigade. The two assaulting Battalions, 4th Oxfords and 5th
+Gloucesters, were allotted a frontage of about 500 yards a-piece. The
+right flank of the Oxfords rested on the Anzacs at a point some 500
+yards west of Pozieres. We were in support to the Oxfords, and,
+therefore, concerned only with their objectives. To understand the
+events of the following day it is necessary closely to study the map.
+The irregular curve of Sickle Trench, prolonged along the north side
+of the main road, constituted our front line. The Huns held a somewhat
+similar line, with a marked southward bulge; the Oxfords had orders to
+take the whole of this trench from Point 81 to Point 11. The
+difficulties of a simultaneous attack on such a pronounced salient are
+obvious, and were increased by the trench running southward from Point
+81 for 150 yards, which terminated in a hostile strong point at 97.
+
+The Oxfords attacked at dawn, but were immediately pressed at both
+flanks, and began to be squeezed into the centre near Point 28. B
+Company (Captain Aldworth) and C. Company (Captain Lewis), Royal
+Berks, had come up the main road under cover of darkness and were
+deployed by 3.30 a.m. (summer time), along a tape running east and
+west some 250 yards south of the centre of the Oxfords' objective.
+Here they waited for information and orders. It was still twilight and
+no certain information could be gained. Shots were now heard
+intermittently, and wounded men came back, telling, as wounded men
+will, contradictory stories. Some said that the Oxfords were wiped
+out; others that they had captured the trench. Two men were sent
+forward to reconnoitre, and came back to report that the position was
+critical. It was now 3.55 a.m.; the day was coming and the enemy
+barrage was growing more intense. Captain Aldworth at once ordered the
+two Companies to go forward to the assistance of the Oxfords. For this
+prompt decision, which undoubtedly secured the success of the whole
+operation, and for his bravery throughout, Captain Aldworth was
+awarded the M.C. The two Companies now advanced into the captured
+trench, losing some men en route from shell fire, especially on the
+right, where 2nd Lieut. Clayton was killed. During the advance B
+Company got split in two, Nos. 5 and 8 Platoons being divided by C
+Company from Nos. 6 and 7, who entered the left of the trench with
+Captain Aldworth. The congestion of the men of the two Battalions in
+the centre of the shallow trench was great, and there could be no
+security until the flanks were cleared and made good. Point 97 was
+soon gained, and Lieut. Downs pushed resolutely forward beyond 81,
+endeavouring to get in touch with the Australians. He reached the
+heavily-wired German second line, which ran north and south through
+the outskirts of Pozieres, but was forced back. Returning with about
+20 men from all three Companies he barricaded and secured Point 81,
+after killing 11 Germans in hand-to-hand fighting and capturing 2.
+Meanwhile, Point 11 was attacked on two sides. When the left of B
+Company got into the trench some Germans were still in view running
+away towards the left, one of whom Captain Aldworth bayoneted himself.
+Lieut. Tripp at once followed them up and bombed them out of Point 11
+with the assistance of a party under Lieut. Wakeford, who jumped out
+of the centre and led them fearlessly over the open to the disputed
+place. Lieut. Wakeford was shot dead just as he reached his objective,
+but his action was entirely successful. By 6 a.m. the situation was
+reported safe, and the men still crowded and mixed up, were able to
+start consolidating and deepening the trench. At 6.30 a.m. about 200
+men appeared over the brow of the hill on the left, where it dips down
+towards Ovillers, advancing with fixed bayonets. It was a Company of
+the Bucks moving in perfect order and with great fire. As they reached
+the trenches east of Point 11 the Huns could be seen coming out of
+their dugouts and flying in all directions, many with their hands up.
+A Lewis gun from C Company opened on those who tried to bolt back
+northwards, but soon stopped, as it was clear that they could not
+escape the Bucks. Captain Lewis went up to meet the Bucks officer, and
+they decided on Point 11 as a division between the two Battalions. The
+morning passed quietly, with no more than intermittent sniping on
+both sides, in which Sergt. Giles accounted for several Huns. Thanks
+to the excellent organisation of Captain Attride, parties from D
+Company brought up all that was required in the way of bombs, sandbags
+and so forth. By 10 o'clock the trenches had been reduced to a decent
+order, and the men were able to eat their breakfasts. At noon the
+Oxfords, who had been moving away to the right, took over from 81-97;
+B Company carried on the line to a large bush near 28, which had
+escaped the bombardment, and from there C Company extended to the
+Bucks' right flank. This sorting out had scarcely been accomplished
+when the enemy started a heavy bombardment, which lasted until 5 p.m.
+For the last two hours in particular it was of extreme violence, and
+fell chiefly on B Company. Here in the ruinous and improvised trenches
+very great damage was done, and more than 50 per cent of the Company
+were put out of action. Many of the carrying parties from D Company
+had also been hit, and lay in the open. Private C. J. Sadler, from
+Wokingham, a Company Stretcher-Bearer, dressed them all, and put them
+into shell holes until nightfall. In the performance of these very
+brave actions three of his ribs were broken by a shell. He was
+subsequently awarded the D.C.M.
+
+Meanwhile touch had been established with the Anzacs. News of their
+progress had been sought throughout the day with great eagerness. They
+had been seen in the morning by D Company making their way through the
+ruins of Pozieres; and later on the fires which they imperturbably lit
+on the captured ground to fry their bacon, had drawn heavy shell-fire
+on the whole area. But it was not until the afternoon that a more or
+less continuous line was linked up. The violence of the shelling
+suggested a counter-attack after dark, which it would be difficult to
+repel with the greatly reduced forces available. There was great joy,
+therefore, when Captain Aldworth returned from a journey to Battalion
+Headquarters at 6.30 p.m. with the news that the Battalion would be
+relieved that night by the 5th Warwicks. The two Companies stood-to
+from dark onwards, but no attack developed. There was an anxious
+moment for C Company when a bomb exploded close to 2nd Lieut. Beazley
+in the trench. He had just come up to join his Company and was hard at
+work digging. A light was sent up and showed the ground in front to be
+clear; the bomb had evidently been buried in the trench and went off
+when struck by a shovel. Lieut. Beazley was fortunate to escape with
+some severe bruises. The relief was begun at 10.30 p.m., and the weary
+men were able to get a short rest by sleeping in the old German line
+south of Ovillers. The rest was, however, a very short one, for by
+1.30 p.m. next day the Battalion were back in the trenches, which they
+had taken over from the Bucks, immediately to the left of their former
+line. They were alloted a frontage of about 400 yards, spanning the
+head of the shallow valley running down to Ovillers; between the lines
+ran the almost obliterated tracks of a light railway.
+
+About 200 yards north of the left of our line a German strong point on
+higher ground looked into and enfiladed the whole of the captured
+ground, and D Company was ordered to attack it at 1.50 a.m. next
+morning. Colonel Clarke was able to make his arrangements direct with
+the artillery through Major Todd, the forward liaison officer, much to
+their mutual satisfaction. The batteries concerned gave a five-minutes
+intensive bombardment with wonderful accuracy in the darkness. This,
+however, was the only part of the attack which was destined to go
+smoothly, for the enemy replied at once by a furious artillery and
+machine-gun fire, causing many casualties, and made it almost
+impossible for the attack to develop. One bombing party pushed forward
+a few yards, only to lose every man but two from a concentrated shower
+of rifle grenades. The Germans, in fact, were in great force, and held
+every approach to the strong point resolutely. All chance of surprise
+had gone, and the C.O. therefore refused Captain Attride's request to
+be allowed to make a new attack. Indeed, at daybreak the German
+bombardment, which had died down, restarted with a violence which kept
+on increasing until 5.15 a.m., when a bombing attack was made on 13
+and 14 Platoons at the road barricade. 2nd Lieuts. Taylor and Cooke
+(the latter having come up with supports) kept up a hot fire with
+rifle grenades and by their action and example drove back the enemy.
+C.S.M. Rider, who had joined the Battalion not long before, had the
+first opportunity of showing that combination of bravery and capacity
+which afterwards earned him a M.C. After the counter-attack had been
+repulsed there remained only a few hours to hold on until the 5th
+Gloucesters relieved us, and we were able to get back to bivouacs near
+Albert to enjoy a hot meal and fall asleep.
+
+Such were the fortunes of the Battalion in their first attack. Their
+losses for the six days spent under continuous heavy fire were, if
+judged by the standards of this present war, very moderate. Three
+officers, 2nd Lieuts. Wakeford, Clayton and Teed, were killed, and
+three wounded (2nd Lieuts. Down, Taylor and Kenney). The losses among
+other ranks amounted to 230, of whom only 27, a singularly low
+proportion, were killed. The total number who went into action was
+about 650.
+
+I will close this chapter with a short quotation from the special
+order of the day on these operations by Colonel Clarke, whose words of
+praise were fully endorsed by the Divisional and the Corps
+Commanders.
+
+'It will be a matter of great pride for all who know or are connected
+with the Battalion to hear of the gallant way in which the Company
+Officers led the attacks, and the able way in which they handled their
+various commands; of the contempt for danger and ready resource shown
+by all the N.C.O.'s, and the bravery, extreme steadiness and coolness
+in which the lines advanced across the open to the attack or held the
+captured trenches under the heavy machine-gun fire, and during the
+counter-attack.'
+
+The acts of individual gallantry and devotion were many and
+conspicuous. Some have already been mentioned in the course of this
+narrative, and a full list will be found at the end of the book.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+REST AND BATTLE
+
+
+The Battalion stood greatly in need of a respite from fighting. As we
+have seen, it had lost rather more than a third of its fighting
+strength. It is true that numbers had been practically maintained by a
+succession of drafts, but time was required to assimilate these men
+into the companies, and to complete their training, which was in some
+respects seriously deficient. Conscription had only come into
+operation in the spring, and voluntary supplies had fallen very low;
+the wastage of the first two months of the Somme had therefore to be
+made good by men whose average length of service was no more than
+three months. Some of them were by no means familiar with the handling
+or mechanism of their rifles, and knew nothing about a bomb, while
+their marching powers, as tested by the hot July sun and the dusty
+roads, fell short of the required standard. The Companies, also, which
+had suffered very unequally in the fighting, required considerable
+reorganisation, while many fresh N.C.O.'s had to be created, and made
+familiar with their duties as far as the short time available
+permitted.
+
+The Brigade made a long two days' journey from Bouzincourt, a crowded
+little village west of Albert, through Beauval, where the inhabitants
+welcomed us for one night in our old billets, to Cramont. Here, in
+glorious midsummer weather the Battalion spent ten days enjoying with
+an intense pleasure, after the blasted and featureless battle front,
+the peacefulness of a charming village, with green fields and trees,
+almost beyond the sound of the guns. The whole of this period was
+allotted to Company Training, and many hours were spent in bayonet
+fighting and bombing. Every man, indeed, threw at least two live
+bombs, a practice which proved of the greatest value in the August
+fighting ahead.
+
+Major Barron's cinematograph and Divisional Band made their
+reappearance, to the general pleasure; whilst all clothing received a
+much-needed disinfecting from a travelling thresher. The brief
+interlude was soon over. On 9th August the Battalion moved back in the
+same direction, though a detour caused by blocked roads, lengthened
+the return journey to three days. Bouzincourt was now the daily target
+of long-range guns, and as cellar room was very limited it was thought
+prudent for the Battalion to bivouac outside the village on the Senlis
+road. The Division was returning to exactly the same sector west of
+Pozieres, where the 12th Division had been operating during our
+absence. The difficulties of the uphill advance may be estimated by
+the fact that the line had been advanced barely half a mile during
+that period. On the night of the 12th, however, our 5th Battalion,
+taking the Huns by surprise, won an important success by taking Ridge
+Trench or 6th Avenue, at the crest of the long slope, with a view
+northward and eastward. This they accomplished at the incredibly low
+cost of three casualties. Three platoons of the Oxfords crawled up in
+daylight next morning and successfully relieved them without incident.
+The remainder of that day passed quietly; the Battalion were in
+dugouts round the southern and eastern outskirts of Ovillers, in
+support to the Oxfords, comparatively comfortable and secure, and
+expecting no immediate call. But they were to undergo within 24 hours
+by far their severest ordeal since they landed in France.
+
+The first hint of trouble came at 9.30 p.m. that evening, when a
+message from the Oxfords stated that the enemy were trying to bomb
+them out of the trench. An hour later the Brigade ordered bombs to be
+sent up, and Nos. 1 and 2 Platoons, under Lieut. Garside, were sent
+forward. It was at that time intended that the Oxfords themselves
+should undertake the counter-attack; but Sergt. Taylor went to the
+Oxford Headquarters to maintain close touch between the two
+Battalions. At 12.50 a.m. D Company were similarly put by the Brigade
+under the orders of Colonel Bartlett, and left with a further supply
+of bombs. Colonel Clarke realised that the situation was becoming more
+serious, and that further help might be demanded of him, though he was
+at present assured that one Company would be sufficient. The other two
+Companies were accordingly warned to be in instant readiness, and
+Captain Lewis moved C Company out of their dugouts into one of the
+communication trenches leading up to the Oxfords' Headquarters, which
+were in the line captured by the Bucks on July 23rd. Here they waited
+after bombs and a bandolier a-piece had been served out. Two hours
+passed in uncertainty. But at 2.50 a.m. an unwelcome message was
+received from Colonel Bartlett, asking Colonel Clarke if he would
+undertake the counter-attack. The latter most naturally refused, on
+the ground that Colonel Bartlett was on the spot, knew the ground
+(which our Battalion had never seen), and had his own Battalion with
+1-1/2 of our Companies. The Brigadier, however, finding that the
+Oxfords were not in a position to take the action required, owing to
+their losses, made a virtue of necessity, and ordered Colonel Clarke
+to do so as soon as possible. It was now 3 a.m.; the Oxford
+Headquarters had already told us that 1-1/2 hours would be quite
+sufficient to get the Battalion into its assaulting position. The
+attack was therefore fixed for 4.45 a.m., and a 7-minutes barrage
+arranged with the artillery. C Company and the remaining two platoons
+of A began their journey forward with all speed, though time was found
+to give each man his tot of rum before starting. They reached Point 18
+on the place of assembly (which will be remembered as the junction
+between Bucks and Berks on July 23rd) about 4.15. Here Colonel Clarke
+found the Company Commanders with Captain Pickford, of the Oxfords.
+The latter gave them the disastrous information that another hour
+would be required to get into position instead of the half hour
+previously estimated. Colonel Clarke instantly went back to Oxford
+Headquarters to make the necessary alterations with the artillery, and
+to secure a barrage commencing at 5.15 a.m. Meanwhile the Companies
+doubled up, with C leading and A in the rear. The need for haste was
+most urgent, for the day was breaking and the trench was seriously
+battered. The men crouched low as they ran, but the Hun probably saw
+their heads, for shrapnel was sprinkled along the communication
+trench, causing a few casualties. As Captain Blandy (O.C. A Company)
+approached the head of the communication trench in broad daylight, he
+looked at his watch and found it was already 5.10 a.m. His remaining
+two platoons were waiting for him, lying low in the trench, very
+weary, for they had been carrying all night. They got up and followed
+along at the rear of the Company. Turning right-handed they entered a
+vacant and much-broken fire trench. A man looked over the parapet and
+exclaimed: 'There are our boys going over on the right,' These were C
+and D Companies. An officer of the Oxfords came along at the moment
+trying to straighten things out, but he had no detailed orders, and
+did not know where the flanks of the Companies were to rest.
+Moreover, there was no barrage.
+
+Thus the three Companies went over most bravely, in face of almost
+certain failure. They had 250 yards of absolutely unfamiliar ground to
+cover. The rifle and machine-gun fire was intense, and terribly
+accurate. The Huns, having no shells directed at them, stood up in
+their trenches aiming deliberately at each man in the broken and
+thinning lines. Short rushes were made from shell-hole to shell-hole,
+each rush proving very costly in casualties. Few, if any, of the men
+got within 100 yards of the enemy. Captain Attride had been wounded in
+the body, and Captain Lewis in the thigh, and hardly an officer was
+left. It was evident that no bravery or determination on earth could
+turn failure into success. The men began, therefore, in accordance
+with orders to edge into a shallow communication trench only half
+finished, which the 5th Berks had started from their old line to 6th
+Avenue. It was a poor shelter, but offered a chance of safe return.
+Captain Lewis reached it with his orderly's help, and, though
+grievously wounded, was brought back. Captain Attride was shot through
+the head as he reached the very edge, and pitched forward dead. He had
+commanded D Company for nine months with the greatest tact and
+ability; his many friends mourned the best of comrades. Captain Blandy
+was shot through the face and blinded for the time while stepping out
+of the way of a wounded man lying at the bottom of the trench. Some
+men still lay out scattered in shell-holes, not daring to move, for
+the Hun still aimed at every living thing, picking off the wounded if
+they stirred. After a while a British aeroplane flew low over the
+scene, sounding its horn. Sergt. Page resourcefully lit some flares,
+which he had with him, and the pilot flew back. He proved a good
+friend in necessity, for almost immediately our 9.2's opened on 6th
+Avenue, the heads of the Huns disappeared, and the survivors made
+quickly for the communication trench. One of them, in entering,
+stepped on the body of an officer; he turned him over, and saw that it
+was Captain Attride. The casualties were naturally very heavy. Besides
+those officers already mentioned the killed were Lieut. O'Hara (1st
+East Surrey Regiment, attached), 2nd Lieut. Beasley (whose little son
+was presented with the M.M. which his father had won by the King when
+he visited Reading in March, 1918), and 2nd Lieut. Bartram, while 2nd
+Lieut. Taylor was wounded. He lay out for 48 hours, tended throughout
+that time with wonderful devotion by Sergt. Westall, who well earned a
+bar to his D.C.M. This sergeant, the bravest of the brave, when with
+the 2/4th next autumn near Arras, was last seen in a shell-hole close
+to the German wire, during a daylight patrol, laughing at the Huns,
+who were firing rifle grenades at him, but has since returned safely
+from captivity in Germany. Casualties among other ranks were 140, of
+whom 28 were killed and 31 missing, of most, if not all, of whom, I
+fear, no news has ever been heard. Failure is often more heroic than
+success, and I believe that those who read this imperfect account will
+realise that on August 14th the Battalion showed the highest and
+hardest form of courage.
+
+[Illustration: Map.]
+
+As soon as the high ridge west of Pozieres had been taken, a
+converging movement began upon Thiepval, that stubbornly defended
+height, which was not to fall until the 27th September. The 48th
+Division, facing half left, now began to move towards it from the
+south-east, whilst continuous pressure was directed from the west, or
+the direction of our old front line. On August 18th the 143rd
+(Warwick) Brigade attacked on a line about 1,000 yards north of
+Ovillers, with their right secured by a bombing attack made by B
+Company 4th Royal Berks. The ground round here was one of the grimmest
+of crater fields; almost every one of the many trenches which scarred
+it being marked on the map as either 'destroyed' or 'much damaged.'
+The 143rd Brigade attacked about 5 p.m. The whole course of the attack
+was visible to our men holding the front line, who looked over the
+parapet cheering and shouting with excitement as the successive waves
+moved inevitably forward and disappeared into the German trenches.
+Major Aldworth (O.C. B Company) handled his men with great skill,
+capturing 27 prisoners and a machine gun, and driving many of the
+enemy into the hands of the 6th Warwicks. Confused and fierce fighting
+went on until midnight; attack and counter-attack succeeding each
+other as either side received fresh supplies of men and bombs, but B
+Company finally held their objectives. The value of the bomb practice
+at Cramont was evident, for the men threw splendidly. Lieut. L. E.
+Ridley was killed fighting bravely at the head of his bombing party.
+Captains Cruttwell and Lacy, Lieuts. Wix and Smith (3rd East Surreys,
+attached), were wounded, the two former while getting their Companies
+ready for an expected counter-attack during the night. The remaining
+casualties amounted to nine killed and 36 wounded.
+
+The fighting strength of the Battalion had now been reduced to about
+500, but it was to take one last highly successful part in the Somme
+fighting before being withdrawn.
+
+The Division had now reached a point about midway between Ovillers and
+Thiepval. A deep and narrow valley separated them from the latter
+stronghold, which rose steeply 170 feet above: a line of broken stumps
+standing forlornly near the crest line, 1,000 yards away, marked where
+the apple orchards had run along the southern outskirts of the little
+village. The enemy's positions lay astride this valley, thrust forward
+in a pronounced salient towards Ovillers. The whole of the Division
+were engaged in this attack, the 145th Brigade being in the centre,
+with 143 on the right and 144 on the left. The two assaulting
+Battalions of the 145th Brigade were 5th Gloucesters on the left and
+ourselves on the right. Each Battalion had a frontage of about 300
+yards, our objectives being the point of the salient (79) and its
+eastern face, running obliquely across the hill slope towards the
+valley on the left (_i.e._, from 79-92). The attack was launched at 5
+p.m., heralded by a splendid barrage of three minutes' duration. More
+than 50 guns were firing on the Battalion's front alone, and their
+accuracy was perfect. The two Companies, A on the left, C on the
+right, moved up close behind the barrage, in which they showed
+complete confidence. On the right little difficulty was experienced,
+the trenches had been ruined, and many of their defenders buried. But
+the 8th Royal Warwicks, with whom our own men were to join hands in
+the trench running north from 92, were unable to reach their
+objectives, thus leaving an open flank. A strong point was therefore
+started at once in the heap of debris and scattered earth, known as
+Point 91, and a platoon of our old friends, 5th Royal Sussex, came up
+with the darkness and helped to dig a communication trench back to our
+old front line. No counter-attack developed, though shell-fire from
+the usual 5.9's was heavy for 12 hours, and the position was held
+securely until relief.
+
+On the left there was more opposition. The key to the enemy's defence
+was Point 79: the trench here, and a collection of dugouts around it,
+had been almost untouched by our heavy guns. One of our platoons
+rushed up a communication trench leading from their assembly trench to
+Point 79, while two others kept pace along the open, one to the right
+and one to left. The enemy showed plenty of fight, standing on their
+parapets to throw bombs and to fire at the platoon advancing up the
+trench, in spite of cross-fire from Lewis guns, which did great
+execution amongst them. They delayed, but could not check the advance,
+which broke through them into the disputed point. Lance-Corpl. Rixon,
+of Reading, deserves much of the credit for this success. He was in
+charge of the first bombing party in the communication trench. When
+they were held up, he sprang on the parapet, and from that point of
+vantage directed the bomb throwers, escaping unhurt himself by
+singular good fortune. This gallant action subsequently earned him the
+M.M. Unable to retire under cover, since the available trenches on
+either flank were already occupied, the Germans fled back across the
+open down the slopes of the hill, affording a target which was not
+neglected. Ten only remained to be taken alive, but their dead were
+thick on the captured ground. The 5th Gloucesters were already in
+their objectives, and the left flank was secured. A section of the
+R.E.'s following closely up helped to put the defences of 79 in order.
+
+There were now, owing to casualties, no officers with A Company, but
+there was no lack of direction or control, thanks to Sergeant White,
+an old Territorial of many years standing. He inspired the men with
+his energy, and kept them constantly at work, moving up and down
+throughout the night under a rain of shells. He was rewarded with the
+D.C.M.
+
+The attack had been well planned and well executed, and happily cost
+very little life. Thirty one men were killed or missing, and 50
+wounded (including 2nd Lieuts. Garside and Buck). The men were
+specially pleased and proud of their success, which had been gained at
+the expense of the 5th Grenadier Battalion of the Prussian Guard. The
+latter had recently been sent to Thiepval after a commendatory speech
+from the Kaiser, which, as often, had failed to ensure good fortune.
+We were relieved next day by the 74th Brigade, and returned to bivouac
+at Bouzincourt. The 48th Division, every unit of which had been
+engaged at least thrice, was to enjoy a well-earned rest. They
+received gratifying tributes to the value of the work achieved. The
+Army Commander wrote as follows: 'The Division has fought with only
+very short periods of rest since July 1st. Since then it has met and
+defeated many different units of the German Army, and has fully
+maintained the best traditions of British infantry. This record shows
+a high sense of discipline and honour in all ranks.' The Corps
+Commander (Lieut.-General Jacob) G.O.C., 2nd Corps, in forwarding his
+message to General Fanshawe, added his own tribute: 'Will you please
+express my gratitude and thanks to all the units under your command
+for their devotion to duty, and for the way they have fought and
+worked.... All ranks of artillery, engineers and infantry have carried
+out their tasks with such spirit and co-operation that the results
+have exceeded expectations. You have all done nobly and I congratulate
+you and your officers on the way the Division has worked. Your record
+in the recent operations is first rate.'
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+UNEVENTFUL DAYS
+
+
+The Battalion now moved back to Bus, that shady village with its white
+chateau so long used as Divisional Headquarters in the old days. Here
+General Fanshawe inspected the Battalion, addressed them on their late
+exploits, and presented Military Medals to Privates S. Smith and T.
+Russell. He spoke of the importance of practising open fighting, which
+he said might be the next task of the Battalion, a prophecy which, as
+we shall see, was fulfilled when we fought at Ronssoy in the German
+retreat next April. He added that the responsibility of officers and
+N.C.O.'s would be even greater than that in the late fighting, where
+all realised by experience how much depended upon them.
+
+A short spell of 48 hours in the trenches followed in front of
+Auchonvillers, facing the coveted spur of Beaumont-Hamel, which was to
+fall in November. Here we sustained our only casualties during the
+month, one killed and one wounded, a happy contrast to August, when
+286 men were put out of action. During this tour the Huns loosed a
+number of small balloons, which drifted behind our lines, scattering
+leaflets. These effusions, written in French for the benefit of the
+civil population, commented with brazen and comic impudence on the
+action of French aviators in bombing innocent German towns. The German
+military authorities, they amusingly remarked, believing that the
+French were incapable of such barbarity, thought that the airmen must
+have mistaken their objectives. But, no! The origin of these crimes
+is now known. They were expressly ordered by M. Poincare, 'the slave
+of England.' (This new title for the President is printed in thick
+black type.) They are part of a devilish plan, conceived by England to
+revive the dying hatred of France against Germany, by forcing the
+latter Power to reprisals on French civilians, reprisals which she
+would be most reluctant to take. This illuminating specimen of German
+psychology deserves, I think, to be recorded.
+
+The remainder of the month was divided between Beauval and Candas, a
+new village, whose inhabitants, with a curious naiveness, imagined
+that the blue hearts, which the Battalion wore as distinguishing
+badges, were the hallmark of a dangerous brand of storm-troops, and
+signified their desire to have the hearts of their enemies. So strong
+was this conviction among them that they locked their houses and
+refused us an entry until matters were explained. The barns allotted
+to the men were found half full of the produce of the harvest. The
+usual work was carried on; new drafts arrived steadily, men of good
+quality, but of little experience, though always with a leaven of old
+1st/4th men returning after wounds and sickness. A number of new
+officers, 17 in all, also joined the Battalion from a variety of
+regiments, 5th Norfolks, 4th Northants, 4th Royal Sussex and 10th
+Middlesex, no supplies from our own Reserve Battalion being at the
+moment available. Further awards also of decorations won during July
+and August kept coming through with gratifying regularity, and will be
+found in the appendix. Finally the C.O. was awarded the D.S.O. to the
+delight of all ranks, who trusted him implicitly, knew how minutely he
+studied their comfort, and how much of their success was due to his
+untiring thoroughness in every detail of organisation.
+
+October, that wettest of months, in which the last fires of the Somme
+flickered out, quenched by the everlasting rain, was spent by us in a
+variety of places, mainly well behind the lines, but far from
+comfortable. Such was Sombrin, 9 miles south-west of Arras, where
+officers were faced with the unpleasing alternative of sleeping in
+barns or in dripping and unboarded tents. Then we revisited Souastre
+after thirteen months, overlooking the ruins of Fonquevillers and the
+splintered remnants of Gommecourt Wood ravaged by 15-inch shells. Here
+again the liveliest activity was manifest. That successful finale to
+the year's fighting known as the Ancre Battle had been planned for
+October 14th, though owing to repeated postponements it was not
+launched until a month later. Again, day after day enormous working
+parties descended into Hebuterne, some to pursue mining operations
+under the R.E.'s, others to bury cable between the village and Sailly.
+Two strenuous days (12th and 13th) spent in the trenches immediately
+opposite Gommecourt cost us 16 casualties. Our line here still bore
+witness to the terrible bombardment which had frustrated the efforts
+of the 56th Division on July 1st, for long sections of trench then
+levelled and rendered impassable had not since been opened out. Every
+man not on duty was employed with one or other of the multifarious
+details for the expected attack, while on the morning of the 13th
+heavy shells were poured upon us, amongst them being many 11-inch.
+About this time Major Aldworth left the Battalion, to which he
+afterwards returned as Second-in-Command, to attend General Kentish's
+school for senior officers at Aldershot. B Company, as we have seen,
+did extraordinarily well under his command. The following N.C.O.'s
+were promoted to commissioned rank at Souastre for bravery and good
+conduct in the field: Sergts. Wickens, Ross, Turner, Rogers, Cawley
+and Crust. The two latter gained command of B and A Companies
+respectively during 1918. These appointments were most gratifying to
+officers and men of the Battalion. During the remainder of the month
+we moved about from place to place in the neighbourhood of Beauval and
+between it and the Somme. It stands greatly to the credit of the
+Battalion's fitness and discipline that not a man fell out during all
+those marches in the rain over indescribably miry roads.
+
+On October 31st an eastward move of the Brigade settled us in a camp
+at Millencourt, the village on the western hill looking down at
+Albert, on the fringe of the old battlefields. The fighting had died
+down, but an enemy had to be encountered more insidious and more
+trying to endurance and moral--namely, the mud and the cold.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+IN THE SLOUGH OF DESPOND
+
+
+After three days at Millencourt the Battalion moved forward into that
+featureless waste for the possession of which so much blood had been
+shed. For 7 miles or more east of Albert along both sides of the great
+highway to Bapaume up the long slope from La Boisselle to Pozieres
+windmill, and down again towards Le Sars, the eye would pick out no
+natural landmark except a few broken sticks, once trees. The surface
+of the country, churned up and scooped out by innumerable shells, was
+literally a sea of mud; where water had collected in the hollows it
+was deeply stained with green and yellow, the result of gas and fumes.
+The cold was coming, but at present was only sufficient to chill the
+mud through and through, not to freeze it into hardness. No buildings
+were available for the great army echelonned along this area, and few
+dugouts; the vast majority of all ranks lived out in rough shelters,
+or under the scanty protection of sodden tents. Though the infantry
+were glued to their shell-holes the artillery still maintained the
+characteristic activity of battle areas: and the few roads and paths
+available for transport and communication were their constant targets,
+especially during the hours of darkness.
+
+The Battalion soon found that the hardships to be undergone far
+exceeded those experienced up to date. On their arrival at Lozenge
+Wood (so-called) they took over from the 11th Argyll & Sutherland
+Highlanders in the pouring rain a camp which consisted only of one
+bivouac sheet per platoon, and eight tents for officers: and any
+attempt at improvement was frustrated by the complete absence of
+material. Reserve and support lines were alike in affording no shelter
+of any kind, and the front trenches were naturally the worst of all,
+any part of which was considered to be in good condition if the liquid
+mud at the bottom did not exceed a foot in depth. No hot rations could
+be brought up, for the cookers could come no nearer than the ridge
+behind Martinpuich, more than 2 miles away as the crow flies. A
+'Tommy's cooker' was served out to each section, but there were no
+dugouts in which to use it, and in the open the mud and rain were an
+effectual hindrance. The trenches themselves were in the shallow
+valley to the north of Le Sars, looking across to the last ridge that
+defended Bapaume, with Loupart Wood fringing its crest. On the left
+our line was extremely dangerous and weak, for it was enfiladed from
+the high ground in the direction of Pys; while the extreme left post
+in a chalkpit was not only isolated by 300 yards from the next
+Battalion, but had close by a covered ravine leading to the German
+lines. This post was, in fact, raided by the enemy soon after we had
+been relieved. This first tour lasted three days, and considering the
+violence and the methodical character of the shelling the Battalion
+were fortunate in having only 17 casualties. In addition five cases of
+trench feet were reported, for though dry socks were sent up every
+twenty-four hours, this could do little to mitigate hardship. It was
+rather surprising that the number of cases were so small, for amongst
+the men was a large draft of Yeomanry having their first experience of
+the trenches.
+
+Meanwhile a new camp at Lower Wood, about a mile behind Martinpuich,
+had been started, and we inhabited and improved it during the next
+four days. The rain had at last ceased; and the whole country was
+enveloped with those dense, clinging mists so characteristic of
+Artois, which at least had the merit of blinding the artillery's
+action.
+
+On November 16th orders came for the Battalion to make an attack on
+the Butte of Warlencourt in 48 hours. Accordingly that night they
+moved up into the trenches on the east of the Bapaume road immediately
+facing the Butte. This ancient burial place rose steeply in a rounded
+hump 50 feet above the surrounding country about 500 yards north-east
+of Le Sars. Its greyish-white sides were pitted and scarred by
+shell-fire, but none the less in its chalky bowels it contained plenty
+of dugouts filled with machine gunners, who took full advantage of
+their dominant position. It had already been reached and even
+partially taken, but never held. The attack, however, was cancelled at
+the last moment. Everything, indeed, had combined to make success
+unlikely. The flanks were not secure, the weather was again thoroughly
+broken and the Battalion was very weak in numbers. Although the
+nominal ration strength was not much under 700, barely half of these
+were available for fighting purposes; in D Company at this time the
+average strength of platoons was only 13. In these wretched trenches
+the average casualties each day were about six, an apparently small
+number, perhaps, but equivalent in a year to twice the strength of a
+strong Battalion. The wastage from sickness was also high, while many
+of those who carried on in the line were tired almost to the point of
+collapse. Nor was there any rest, comfort or security in the camps
+behind. There were no fires, no cookhouses, only tents without
+floorboards. It was very different from the winter before, when,
+whatever the hardships of the line (and they were incomparably
+smaller) men could look forward to a good spell at Authie with its
+pleasant aspect, its untouched houses, its estaminets, and its
+cheerful civilian population. Almost the only thing which could now be
+done for the comfort of the men was the institution of a Battalion
+Canteen, at which all the articles bought from the Expeditionary Force
+Canteen were sold at cost price.
+
+The weary interchange between camp and trench went on for nearly
+another month. Scotland and Chalk Trenches, the same line which had
+been taken over after first going forward from Lozenge Wood, were
+twice revisited. On the second occasion 2nd Lieut. Cawley was kept
+throughout in Destremont Farm with 20 men, and used entirely for
+patrol work. This new experiment proved a great success, for on one of
+these expeditions, which started from the chalk pit already mentioned
+on the left, they came by surprise on a German working party, and
+killed about 30 without loss to themselves. Among the many other
+troubles in these trenches was the exact knowledge which the Germans
+naturally possessed of their few dugouts, which the artillery firing
+(as always against captured ground) with great accuracy continually
+shelled. On December 8th C Company Headquarters were blown in and
+three casualties caused; next day a shell hit A Company Headquarters,
+with even more disastrous effect, killing 3 and wounding 6. These
+shelters might, it is true, be patched up, but with the earth
+liquefying all around and a shortage of material the result was not
+likely to be very secure. At last, on December 14th, the Battalion,
+now reduced in strength to 540 all ranks, moved back to Becourt Camp,
+a mile south of La Boisselle. It was a poor place, but situated beyond
+the western border of the great waste, and practically immune from
+shell-fire. For the greater part of December the Battalion was
+commanded by Captain J. H. Goolden, who had returned during the Somme
+Battles after a long absence with the Brigade and Divisional Staff.
+Colonel Clarke was at this time on a month's leave in England, while
+Major Battcock had gone sick. Of the original officers who had gone
+out in March, 1915, there were now only four remaining: Colonel
+Clarke, Captains Goolden and Challoner, with the Quartermaster, Lieut.
+Payne. The interpreter, M. Henaut, still remained with us, and indeed
+stayed on, always cheerful, willing and helpful, the friend of
+everybody, until our departure for Italy next November. The casualties
+(exclusive of sick) during this year of severe fighting amounted in
+all to 779, including 24 officers. As a result of these losses, and
+the impossibility of finding adequate local drafts, the Battalion
+during the latter half of the year gradually lost its exclusive
+Berkshire character, which at the beginning of the war had been its
+unique possession.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+THE WINTER AND THE GERMAN RETREAT
+
+
+Christmas was spent in the huts at Becourt with a wild gale blowing;
+the festivities and feastings of the previous year at Authie were not
+possible, but at least the men could congratulate themselves that they
+were not in the trenches. On the 28th we moved back through Albert to
+the village of Bresle, which lies just north of the great straight
+highway from Amiens to Albert. Here some houses yet remained, and
+contact was re-established with the vestiges of civilisation. The
+Brigade, drawn up in a hollow square, was inspected by Lieut.-General
+Sir W. P. Pulteney, the Corps Commander, and earned his praise. Boxing
+competitions, concerts and football matches reappeared in the
+intervals of work. A train journey on January 9th took us to Citerne,
+a quiet, comfortable village, intact of war, in the French area south
+of the Somme. The inhabitants were most friendly, accommodation good,
+and each officer found a bed at his disposal. The three weeks' respite
+from the rigours of the line was the more appreciated as the great
+cold had now set in, which was to continue with almost unmitigated
+intensity until the middle of April. There was much to be done in the
+way of training, for the new platoon organisation had now come into
+force. Its object was to make the platoon a self-contained unit of
+specialists, with its four sections divided into riflemen, Lewis
+gunners, bombers and rifle-bombers. This was obviously to require from
+the average man a higher standard of specialisation than before, and
+consequently threw greater responsibility on the platoon and section
+commanders. It was, in fact, found impossible during the course of the
+1917 campaign fully to attain this ideal, as the time available for
+the training of new drafts was not generally sufficient. Another train
+journey on January 28th took the Battalion by a circuitous route
+through Amiens, past Villars-Brettoneaux to Hamel, two names destined
+next year to become famous in the fighting history of the Australians.
+Hamel was soon exchanged for Cappy, a village high above the southern
+bank of the Somme, overlooking its great loops, and the widespread
+marshes and pools all frozen stiff. Although only about 2,000 yards
+behind the trenches from which the French started to the assault of
+Frise on July 1st, it was not badly knocked about. Houses and barns
+were available for billets, but the men suffered considerably from the
+cold, as fuel was very scarce, and the frost was now at its height,
+the thermometer marking 20 or more degrees of frost every night. Then
+followed a few days in the great French Adrian Huts, each holding a
+Company, in a camp by the edge of the Somme Canal a few hundred yards
+further east.
+
+The month of February passed uneventfully, though unpleasantly, in
+alternatives between the trenches west of Peronne and Cappy. Until the
+16th the extreme cold continued unabated, so that all the water which
+was brought up in petrol tins each night from Cappy froze solidly in
+transit. Another result of the severe weather more appreciated by the
+men was the hardness of the trenches, which made most of the ordinary
+trench fatigues impossible. A thaw, however, set in on the 16th, and a
+mist arose over all the country, which lasted for many days, and made
+it possible for the enemy to carry out unobserved his plans for the
+great retirement. Though further north throughout this very bitter
+weather fighting was incessant round Miraumont and the approaches of
+Bapaume, here inactivity prevailed, and the month cost the Battalion
+no more than nine casualties. There was also little sickness, and
+strength and fitness were well maintained.
+
+March came in with a return of frost and snow, but the front was
+gradually waking into life. It was obviously the German policy to mask
+the moment of their withdrawal by lively activity, and their artillery
+and machine guns showed considerable vigour. On the other hand, though
+the British had not yet realised that the front was about to give
+along a stretch of 80 miles it was clear from the events round Bapaume
+that the enemy had for the first time begun to entertain the idea of
+ceding ground voluntarily. Hence raids for purposes of identification
+again became frequent. One of these was most successfully carried out
+by the Battalion on the night of 7th-8th March without any loss to
+themselves. The raiders were under the command of 2nd Lieut.
+Hampshire, and were divided into three small parties, each of 8 men.
+The portion of trench to be entered was shut off by a 'box barrage,'
+which, falling on both flanks and on the support line, enclosed it, so
+to speak, in a frame of shells. The wire was fully cut, and no
+difficulty was found in penetrating the enemy's line, but all the
+birds had flown beyond the limits of the barrages on either side.
+Accordingly, as no prisoner had been caught, a second attempt was made
+at 2.45 a.m. Again an entry was easily effected on the left; the party
+worked further down towards the south owing to the enlargement of the
+barrage, and finally found a small dugout, which was bombed. This had
+the effect of producing two Germans, who were carried off. The object
+of the raid thus happily accomplished, Hampshire and his men returned.
+The flanks throughout had been strongly held by the enemy, who fired
+rapidly but inaccurately, and caused no casualties whatever. The only
+effect of this action was to prevent the entry into their trench of
+our right-hand party towards La Maisonnette, which could not get
+through the hostile wire, but returned undamaged. The two
+prisoners were found, on examination, to belong to King Constantine's
+Own 88th Infantry Regiment, and had their shoulder-straps adorned with
+a crown and the letter K beneath. The G.O.C. of the Division sent
+special congratulations on the success of the whole operation. For
+their conspicuous share in this success, 2nd Lieut. Hampshire received
+the M.C., Sergt. A. C. Evans, Corpl. H. Hart, Lance-Corpls. J. Mazey
+and G. W. Hutchings the M.M.
+
+Shortly after this the results of the weary and bloody months on the
+Somme battlefields became manifest. On March 17th-18th the enemy began
+his general retreat. The 48th Division was in the forefront of the
+pursuit south of the Somme. The 1st/7th Royal Warwicks were the first
+British troops to enter Peronne, and the flag which they planted on
+the ruined towers is now carefully preserved and treasured in the
+Imperial War Museum. Our Battalion was in reserve at Cappy practising
+Advance Guards. Open warfare was no longer relegated to the dim and
+uncertain future, but became the certainty of the moment. On the
+morning of the 20th operation orders were issued which began: 'The
+Battalion will move to Peronne at 11 a.m.' For the first time since
+they went abroad, they could advance unmolested over enemy country.
+The weather at last showed a delusive promise of spring, and the sun
+shone. Hopes ran high and all were pleased beyond measure to be
+leaving the mire and clay for the green untouched country beyond. They
+went over the forsaken trenches, crossed the Somme by a bridge thrown
+over at Bezancourt Farm and entered Peronne. The little town, after
+its long history as a French fortress, after the battle of Mont St.
+Quentin and the German occupation of 1870, had now been laid utterly
+waste. Few houses had been previously damaged from shell-fire, since
+the French gunners had purposely spared the place, but now the
+destruction by the hand of the enemy was complete; it had been
+organised with the greatest care to make impossible military and civil
+occupation. In the suburbs the fruit trees had been felled; children's
+toys and all manner of debris, wantonly destroyed, lay about the
+streets. The Battalion was billeted in the remains of the barracks,
+and was joined during the evening and night by the rest of the
+Brigade.
+
+Next day a march was made south-east along the Cologne Brook, which
+was crossed at Doignt. The roads were being everywhere busily
+repaired, the tall poplar trees which had been felled across them were
+being dragged out of the way, the great mine-craters at the crossroads
+were being filled up; the whole countryside was alive with labour
+repairing the damage for the advancing army. For some days the time
+was spent in outpost duty in the old style between Peronne and Roisel,
+and working on the defences which were being provisionally dug, till
+touch was fully restored with the Hun, and the limits of his retreat
+became clear. On March 24th the 5th Cavalry Division passed by, riding
+eastward, a sign of the new conditions of warfare. At Flamicourt, one
+of the adjacent villages used as billets for the Battalion for several
+days, were several interesting signs both of the carefulness of the
+enemy and of his hasty departure. In the street outside almost every
+house were great heaps of tin and zinc ready to be carted away; at
+another court was a pile of copper stripped from our shells. Here,
+too, for the first time was seen that inspiring yet most pitiful
+spectacle, a number of the civil population released from German
+captivity. The proof of victory, they were also an incitement to
+vengeance; their faces, from which all life and hope seemed to have
+departed, were a testimony to the misery which they had endured for
+the last 30 months. Among them were the inhabitants of Tincourt, whom
+the Germans, by a refinement of cruelty compelled to halt on the rise
+overlooking their homes and there to witness the destruction.
+
+Meanwhile, in the bitter weather that had returned, incessant pressure
+was being exerted against the stubborn German rearguards, who were
+being gradually pushed eastward towards the much-vaunted defences of
+the Hindenburg Line.
+
+[Illustration: Map.]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV
+
+RONSSOY
+
+
+The beginning of April found the 145th Brigade round Villers-Faucon in
+support to the other two Brigades who were fighting their way forward
+beyond Epehy. On the 4th the Battalion received orders in concert with
+the remainder of the Brigade to take the three villages of Ronssoy,
+Basse Boulogne and Lempire. These three lie closely clustered together
+at the head of a valley with an undulating rise to the east. It was
+arranged to capture them by an encircling movement from the south and
+west. Snow fell heavily throughout the 4th, and frustrated all
+attempts of the Company Officers who had gone forward to see the lie
+of the land. A cold, dense mist wrapped everything in still greater
+obscurity when the Battalion moved off from Villers-Faucon at 2 a.m.
+The narrow sunken lanes, with numerous steep little hills, were
+clogged with snow. In spite of this we neither lost direction nor
+time, but reached the rendezvous at Templeux Wood by 4 a.m. Touch was
+obtained with the 8th Warwicks in Templeux village, who were
+prolonging the attack on the right, and with the 4th Oxfords on the
+left. The Companies were silently deployed a few hundred yards east of
+the wood. As the fighting was open and no elaborate defences were
+expected, each Company had a frontage of 200 yards, and was drawn up
+in depth with six waves each of two lines, the distance between the
+former being 50 yards and between the latter 25 yards. The village of
+Ronssoy was 1,600 yards away; between it and the attackers was a
+girdle of little woods, still untouched of green, and a number of
+small intersecting lanes and ditches. The enemy's outposts, as far as
+was known, were about 1,000 yards away, running north-west and
+south-east to cover the village. The morning was ideal for surprise,
+provided that mistakes were not made in the mist; for that reason no
+barrage would be provided unless called for by signal rockets.
+
+We must now follow the fortunes of the three Companies, who began
+their advance at 4.30 a.m. B Company, on the right, had only gone 200
+yards before enfilade fire was directed at them through the darkness
+from the slag-heaps on the right. A platoon was detached to deal with
+it, and its garrison, fearing encirclement, gave themselves up to the
+8th Worcesters, who were coming up on the other side. Another 800
+yards advance disclosed a further obstacle: the wire of the German
+outposts with well-manned trenches just behind. A Lewis gun was
+brought into action, gaps were cut, a barrage called for, which
+descended on the enemy at 5.45 and shortly afterwards the position was
+gained without any hand-to-hand fighting. The Company now turned to
+its fourth task of protecting the flank of the Battalion, and dug
+themselves in on a line just east of the captured slag-heap. A Company
+under Captain Challoner, in the centre, also ran into the wire of the
+same position rather further north, but were able to break through
+without much difficulty. Then, led by Captain Challoner with great
+dash and determination, they pushed on rapidly through the eastern
+outskirts of the village, seized the cemetery, and there divided. One
+platoon joined hands with the 7th Gloucesters, whose successful attack
+from the west had put them in possession of the joint hamlets of
+Lempire and Basse Boulogne. The remainder, moving to the right,
+occupied a bank 800 yards south-east of the village, which had been
+designated beforehand as the left of the new outpost position. This
+long advance of 1-1/2 miles over unknown country with the successful
+division of forces just after the assault, when disorganisation is
+most wont to occur, reflects the highest credit on all concerned.
+Captain Challoner, who kept the firmest grasp throughout, and both
+inspired and controlled his men, well deserved the Military Cross
+which was awarded a few days later. A fine example of initiative was
+shown by Sergt. Millican, whose Platoon Commander was killed as the
+village was entered: taking charge instantly he led his men with
+distinction throughout the rest of the fight.
+
+To D Company on the left fell the lion's share of the fighting and of
+the booty. Approaching unobserved almost to the south entrance to the
+village, they overwhelmed two hostile posts in the first light of
+dawn, killing every man among them and taking two machine guns. Though
+their flank was for the moment open, as the Oxfords were held up on
+the edge of Ronssoy Wood, they burst into the village. Here was the
+wildest confusion. No attack had been expected in the wild weather,
+and the enemy were in their cellars and dugouts just sitting down to
+breakfast. Figures could be seen running about outlined in the snow;
+at a corner of the street a sergeant-major was shouting and beckoning
+to his men to fall in round him. D Company, wild with excitement,
+hunted them through the cellars and lanes and made a great slaughter.
+The dead lay all about the streets and in the bombed dugouts. Lieut.
+Rogers, O.C. No. 16 Platoon, was reputed to have killed eight himself.
+Those Huns who escaped ran pell-mell singly or in groups up the hill
+and along the Hargicourt road, flinging away their packs, with which
+the slope was littered. Captain James, who had led the Company so
+gallantly and successfully, got them together and wheeled round to
+the east of the village in the chance of exploiting still further the
+result achieved. Through the clearing mist a battery could be dimly
+seen on the ridge 1,000 yards away limbering up and then disappearing
+over the crest, and it seemed possible to advance there, and thus
+command a view into Hargicourt. Unfortunately at this moment our
+barrage, by some unexplained mistake, fell upon the eastern exit of
+the village, causing several casualties. Part of the Company,
+therefore, made its way to its alloted position in the outpost line.
+The remainder cleared up Ronssoy, and found all kinds of booty. Soup,
+coffee, bread and sausages were all ready in the dugouts and were
+consumed by the victors. A mail had just come in, and the letters lay
+about unopened. The equipment and packs were examined with keen
+interest. Everything was new and of the best material, for the Huns
+had just come from Russia, and had been hastily fitted out for the
+Western Front. In every pack, in addition to the usual articles, were
+a change of underclothing and three pairs of socks. One fortunate
+sergeant found a bottle of whisky in a dugout, which was quickly
+shared; it was not till afterwards that he discovered that it was not
+legitimate loot, but the property of the Brigade M.G. officer, who had
+appropriated the dugout and most incautiously left unguarded his
+treasure, which he had brought up with him in the attack. At the other
+end of the village a lively dispute was going on with the Oxfords, who
+were found carrying off the two machine guns captured when the
+outposts were rushed. The men were wonderfully excited and delighted
+at their achievement, and have always declared since that it was the
+best fight they have ever had in France.
+
+The enemy's artillery had been active throughout the attack, but
+ineffective, as it was without direction. It had shelled Brigade
+Headquarters and the ground in front of Templeux Wood, but had never
+overtaken the attack. Throughout the day 5.9-inch shells were poured
+into Ronssoy, but did no damage whatever, as the men were either in
+the unlocated outpost line, or withdrawn well west of the village. A
+patrol of C Company managed during the day to get up to the ridge and
+look into Hargicourt, in front of which the enemy were visible,
+digging actively. Once or twice small patrols of Uhlans rode along the
+skyline, the first enemy cavalry that had yet been seen. No
+counter-attack of any description was attempted, and it was clear that
+the enemy rearguards, who were not in great strength, had been
+seriously inconvenienced by this surprise capture of their positions.
+General Fanshawe, who, as usual, was not far behind, soon came up, and
+after going over the village said he had not seen a better day's work
+since he had been in France.
+
+The casualties in officers were heavy, which is explained by their
+conspicuous gallantry in leading and directing their commands over the
+unfamiliar country. Four were killed or died of wounds; 2nd Lieuts.
+Garside, Heppell, Hunt and Bostock; while Captain James and 2nd Lieut.
+Rogers were wounded. Other ranks escaped very lightly with 9 killed
+and 39 wounded.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI
+
+TOWARDS THE HINDENBURG LINE
+
+
+April pursued its bitter way with snow and sleet. The first and
+triumphant stage of the Battle of Arras was fought on the 9th, when
+the enemy was thrust back 5 miles with the heaviest losses in
+prisoners and guns which he had yet suffered at the hands of the
+British. The repercussion of this violent fighting was felt all along
+the British line, and particularly to the southward, where the
+positions were still semi-fluid. The enemy's object was to delay as
+long as possible in his outposts before the Hindenburg Line, while the
+British endeavoured to push him rapidly upon his main positions, which
+would then be open to regular attack. Accordingly, small actions to
+seize local tactical features were epidemic throughout the 4th Army
+during this month. The Battalion at first rested from its labours in
+the village of Hamel, its former halting place in January, from 5th to
+13th April, when it returned via Villers-Faucon to take over from the
+Oxfords. The line had by now been consolidated some 2,000 yards east
+of Ronssoy on the slopes of the hill, the crest of which was occupied
+by the German outposts, the key to whose position was the fortified
+farm of Guillemont. The Battalion was ordered to attack this point
+next evening in conjunction with a combined night movement by the
+whole Division. The weather was again vile, and wet snow fell
+incessantly. The night was pitch dark, and without firing lights it
+was impossible to see 5 yards. The attack was due to start at 11.30
+p.m. It was to be carried out by two Companies, C and D. The password
+was 'Wilson,' which called to mind the entry of the United States into
+the war a few days previously. The Companies arrived punctually after
+a march of 2 miles from support, and began to form up for the assault.
+While they were doing so, covering parties ahead reported that the
+enemy were advancing on the right flank. This was probably a patrol,
+but Captain James wisely pushed forward a platoon of D Company to
+secure his Company's advance. The enemy disappeared into the darkness,
+and immediately telephoned to their artillery, which promptly put a
+heavy and accurate barrage on our men who were formed up on open
+ground with no kind of cover. This caused 30 casualties, and as the
+men were so cold that they could hardly hold, much less fire, their
+rifles, it was decided not to proceed with the attack, and they were
+withdrawn to the trenches. A second attack, which was proposed for
+1.30 a.m., was vetoed by the Brigade. General Fanshawe, when
+addressing the Battalion on the 22nd April, said that he was 'fully
+satisfied with the effort put forward, and that if it had been
+possible to reach the objective the Battalion would have done so.'
+Guillemont Farm was taken by the 144th Brigade on 24th April. In this
+attack our Battalion cooperated after a few days' renewed rest at
+Hamel, where the immediate awards to officers and men for the fight at
+Ronssoy were made.
+
+The attack, on the night of the 24th-25th resolved itself, as far as
+the Battalion went, into a demonstration. Apparently owing to the
+darkness of the night and the width of frontage allotted to the
+attacking Companies, touch was lost with the right Battalion of the
+144th Brigade which was enveloping Guillemont Farm from the south. As
+our role was to protect the right flank, and as the attack on the
+left was disorganised by shell-fire, the operations came to a
+standstill. Dawn arrived before it was possible to sort out the
+attackers and to get a fresh Company into position. The two Companies
+engaged, A and B, lost only 1 killed and 9 wounded from machine gun
+fire. The net result of the attack was that Guillemont Farm was taken,
+but the Quennemont Spur to the south remained in the enemy's hand. The
+Battalion next day took over the whole of the front concerned from
+Companies of each of the four Battalions of the 144th Brigade. The
+relief was long and laborious, as all the Companies were mixed
+together and their exact limits uncertain. The enemy, expecting a
+renewal of the attack, showed great nervousness, and put down a
+counter-preparation three times during the night, but without doing
+much harm. This state of anxious expectancy continued during the
+remainder of the tour making life the more unpleasant, as the trenches
+were as yet improvised, and supplies had to be brought up over the
+open. Much patrolling was done to discover the exact position of the
+enemy's forward posts, while the snipers of D Company from their
+commanding position in Guillemont Farm claimed several victims. At
+sunset on the 29th the 7th Worcesters relieved us, and we went back
+into billets at Villers-Faucon. The long winter had ended, and spring
+arrived with a burst of sun and warmth. A fortnight's well-earned rest
+was now to follow, in which time could be given to refit and to
+assimilate the new drafts, which, however, were only sufficient to
+bring the total strength, from 600 to 700 men. It was remarked that
+although the general quality was good, out of the first contingent of
+35, five wore trusses and three others possessed flat feet, varicose
+veins or hammer toes.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII
+
+THE RENEWAL OF TRENCH WARFARE
+
+
+The great attempts to break through in April had definitely failed
+from a variety of causes. The Russian Revolution had rendered
+impossible the blow in the East, for which British munitions had for
+the first time adequately armed the Russian Armies. The German retreat
+had partially disorganised the combined British and French plan. The
+failure of Nivelle's great blow at the Chemin des Dames on the 16th
+April with enormous losses, made the French Armies incapable of any
+offensive operation on a large scale for several months. Hence the
+Battle of Arras, which had begun so happily, degenerated towards the
+end of April into a series of furious struggles, each of which showed
+less promise of decisive importance than the last. The centre of
+gravity shifted to the north, where preparations on a vast scale were
+pushed forward for the main attack in Flanders, which opened on 31st
+July. Accordingly, the southern sector in which the Battalion
+remained, settled down into a normal period of what is called
+inactivity.
+
+The Battalion spent the beginning of May in the ruins of the village
+of Doignt, now greatly improved since they passed over the blasted
+roads on the 22nd March. Here the time passed in the usual training
+and recreations, and a Challenge Cup, presented by the C.O., was
+competed for in inter-Platoon Football Matches. Here, too, an
+invaluable thresher installed at Peronne disinfected the blankets,
+which were in a filthy condition. On the 12th the Battalion, now
+under Major Aldworth's command, as the C.O. was Acting Brigadier,
+moved to Combles, and entered the 15th Corps area. The old Corps
+Commander rode up to the Brigade on the way and expressed his regret
+at leaving such a gallant and well-behaved Brigade. The old Somme
+battlefields were still entirely desolate, the ground was full of
+corruption and noxious fumes and littered with the debris of battle.
+Far away, on the eastern horizon, a green strip appeared, showing the
+limits of the devastation. Next day the march was continued through
+the centre of the waste past Le Transloy to a capacious camp at
+Beulencourt on the Peronne road, 2 miles south of Bapaume. Next day
+the Battalion re-entered the line in front of Hermies, relieving the
+9th Sherwoods, whose C.O., Colonel Thornton, came from our 1st
+Battalion. Until the end of June our lot was cast in this
+neighbourhood with normal periods of trench duty and relief. The line
+held by the Brigade stretched south from the great Bapaume-Cambrai
+road. It was from these trenches that the northern part of the
+surprise attack against Cambrai was launched on 20th November. The
+enemy was ensconced in his Hindenburg Line, which took advantage of
+every undulation in the bare tableland. The villages in our
+occupation, Hermies, Doignies and Beaumetz, had all shared in the
+systematic devastation of the spring. The foremost British line was
+still a matter of partially connected outposts, each Platoon forming
+as a rule a self-contained strong point, while inter-communication
+with other posts was always difficult and sometimes impossible by day.
+The Battalion frontage was strung out to a width of about 2,300 yards,
+and on our arrival was protected only by discontinuous belts of wire,
+but before the first tour had been completed they had all been linked
+together. No Man's Land was wide and ill-defined, amounting sometimes
+to 1,000 yards, with such debateable features as ruined farms or
+clumps of trees situated in the midst, which required constant
+patrolling, but were found regularly unoccupied. The aspect of the
+country with its tangled growth of grass and weeds revived memories of
+Hebuterne two summers ago.
+
+Thus six weeks were spent in comparative stagnation. Again the enemy's
+artillery were almost silent for days on end, though now and again
+violent bursts of 5.9-inch would be directed at the Support Companies.
+The Battalion made no raids; the only one which was attempted against
+them was on a small scale, and was completely crushed by Sergeant
+Garrett, of Wokingham, whose good leadership of the post attacked
+earned him the Military Medal. We suffered no loss, and took one
+prisoner entangled in the wire. The total casualties for the period
+were no more than 15, but included Captain Down, who died of wounds on
+22nd May. He had been with the Battalion since the spring of 1916, and
+was deeply regretted as a capable officer, who showed always the
+greatest consideration for his men. On 30th June the Battalion turned
+their backs on this quiet spot and marched by stages through Velu and
+Bihucourt northwards to Bailleulval, a village about 6 miles
+south-west of Arras, now 10 miles behind the line to which it had been
+in close proximity until that spring.
+
+Here every sign suggested that the Battalion was soon to take part in
+an offensive. Drafts arrived in such numbers that the total strength
+was raised to 930, a higher figure than at any period since we first
+crossed to France. Training went on feverishly through the sultry
+days. The old system of trenches in front of the village were the
+scene of many practice attacks, nor did the musketry, bombing, and
+gas specialists neglect their opportunities. The Brigadier appeared,
+to give lectures and to inspect the capacity of each officer to use
+his compass. The Divisional General carried off all the senior
+officers for staff rides. Thus the three weeks were spent in most
+arduous preparation, which left no doubt that a severe ordeal was
+imminent. That a general offensive was intended in the north was no
+secret either to our Army or to the enemy, and was indeed the natural
+sequel to the Battle of Messines. All doubts were resolved when the
+Battalion entrained on 21st July at Mondicourt and moved north into
+Flanders. They passed along the same route by which exactly two years
+before they had come down to Hebuterne, and the survivors of those
+days cheered as they passed the well-remembered little towns of Marles
+and Lapugnoy. As the evening drew in the train wandered slowly through
+Lillers and Hazebrouck, vast centres of activity, finally drawing up
+at Godewaersvelde at 10.45 p.m., whence a weary march ended at dawn at
+Houtkerque, which, curiously enough, was next door to our first
+resting place in Flanders,--Winnezeele. The entire move had occupied
+20 hours; it is interesting to note that while the direct distance
+between the two points was 43 miles, the Battalion had traversed by
+road and rail at least 70.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII
+
+THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES
+
+
+The prolonged and terrible struggle which was now about to begin was
+the last attempt to break through in the west on the old plan. The
+immense collection of guns, ammunition, railway material, and every
+kind of transport aroused high hopes. It was believed that the
+bombardment prolonged throughout many days with an intensity far
+greater than before the Somme would overwhelm the German resistance,
+and open the way to the Flanders coast and to the submarine bases then
+at the most successful height of their activity. These expectations
+were disappointed. The German positions no longer consisted of
+continuous trench lines, which could be reduced to shapeless masses of
+earth. An organisation of great depth had taken their place. Machine
+gun nests and pill-boxes scattered about were almost indistinguishable
+from the sea of mud in which they were placed, and defied accurate
+aerial reconnaissance. In this fortified zone the foremost lines were
+weakly held, and the British troops after taking them found the main
+resistance still before them, when their energies were almost
+exhausted by their painful journey through the mire. The artillery had
+done its work only too well in tearing the soil to pieces; but had
+none the less left intact many a pill-box which would only succumb to
+the direct hit of a 9.2-inch shell. The dice of success were thus
+loaded heavily against the attackers, and complete victory was
+rendered impossible by the incredible weather. The great storm which
+raged throughout the initial attack on July 31st was succeeded by
+almost unprecedented rain throughout August. The brief improvement of
+September relapsed into the deluges which made the last stages of the
+struggle for Passchendaele so heroic a feat of endurance. The last
+month of the Somme Battle had been terrible, but the whole of the
+events now to be described were fought under far worse conditions. No
+trenches or dugouts were available for sheltering the troops in the
+battle area, of whom only a small fraction could be accommodated in
+such pill-boxes as remained intact. The corduroy paths by which alone
+rations and stores could be brought up were gassed and shelled night
+and day; one false step was to be engulfed sometimes beyond hope of
+recovery. The artillery were in little better case, their guns were
+placed almost wheel to wheel in the open, always sinking deeper into
+the morass, and unable to move away from the storm of shells. The
+light railways on which they depended for a regular supply of shells
+often sank themselves from lack of solid foundation. Far behind,
+junctions, dumps and rest camps were attacked by long-range fire and
+bombs, with a violent persistency quite unprecedented until the March
+days next year. The ordeal was bitterly hard, and the prize
+incompletely won, but the spirit of the British Armies rose supreme
+over all, and the German defence was taxed to the uttermost.
+
+The 31st July brought the Battalion no excitements. Leaving camp soon
+after midnight they crossed the Belgian frontier and moved to St. Jan
+Ter Beezen, just west of Poperinghe. The flickers and rumble of the
+greatest bombardment yet known in war accompanied them through the
+night. The rain descended and the floods came for the next three days.
+Again, as in the days of Loos and the Somme, the first expectations
+and the eager hopes were disappointed. Success had been only partial;
+the weather was impossible, operations were postponed. Next day the
+sodden men found themselves in dripping tents, just pitched, a stage
+nearer the line at Dambre Farm, in the low country west of Ypres. On
+the 5th the battlefield was reached. All through the afternoon at five
+minutes' interval the platoons moved up. Heavy shells followed them
+all the way. At dusk the relief of the 188th Brigade in the reserve
+lines south of St. Julien was completed. Water stood everywhere, the
+trenches were blotted out, the pill-boxes themselves were flooded. The
+shelling was incessant, and no sleep was possible that night. On the
+night of the 6th-7th the 1st/4th Oxfords were relieved, and 24 hours
+were spent on either side of St. Julien through which runs the
+Steenbeck, foulest of streams. Next night, amidst violent thunder, the
+Battalion crawled back to Dambre Camp. The four days had cost them 11
+killed and 31 wounded, which might well have been increased but for
+the steady discipline prevailing among all ranks.
+
+Next week the attack, whose date was yet unknown, was sedulously
+practised in all its details. A large scale model of the ground was
+inspected by all officers and N.C.O.'s at Divisional Headquarters. On
+the 15th the time for action had arrived. The march to the battle was
+slow and deliberate. The men halted at midday at the camp of
+Reigersberg, ate and slept. Then ate again a last hot meal before
+setting out on their final journey through the darkness. All the
+Companies were in position by 3.30 a.m. on the 16th. Then followed a
+period of anxious inactivity, until at 4.45 the British barrage burst
+forth in its awful salute to the dawn. Men began to advance against
+the enemy on the whole front of 25 miles; the second act of the great
+struggle had begun.
+
+The attack was, on the whole, a complete failure, though on the left
+the French made progress through the swamps towards Houthulst Forest,
+and the 23rd Division took Langemarck. In the centre, where our
+Division was engaged, progress was infinitesimal. The enemy troops,
+hidden in their deep and inconspicuous labyrinth of defence, were
+fresh and fought stoutly. Our attack was based on the support of
+tanks, which, owing to the condition of the ground, could not come
+into action. The forces alloted were far too weak to approach the
+ambitious objectives which had been assigned to them: and were
+fortunate if they succeeded in winning a few hundred yards after a
+long and desperate struggle which left them crippled. Our Battalion
+had a hard and disspiriting task. Assigned as Reserve to the Brigade
+it had been intended to sweep through the assaulting Battalions to the
+final objective. Actually their role was reduced to hanging about
+under violent shelling, almost stationary, turning now to right, now
+to left, to fill up gaps in the line, or to ward off threatened
+counter-attacks, always waiting for an order to advance which never
+came.
+
+Although I have avoided criticism as far as possible in this
+narrative, I cannot refrain from saying, after a careful study of the
+documents available, that the staff work of the 5th Army (General
+Gough) was thoroughly bad as far as our Division was concerned. Time
+after time units were set impossible tasks, with inadequate support
+from artillery and tanks, and with ludicrously small reserves. This
+opinion is thoroughly shared by others more competent to pass judgment
+than myself.
+
+[Illustration: Map.]
+
+The order of battle for the Brigade was as follows:--Starting from the
+line of the Steenbeek the three Battalions, covering a frontage of
+about 1,200 yards, were to take the fortified line of the Langemarck
+road from the crossroads at Winnipeg to those just west of Keerselare.
+This accomplished, their assault was to take them beyond the Pink and
+Blue lines to an outpost position along the farms of Flora Hubner and
+Stroppe. The 5th Gloucesters on the right joined the Ulster Division,
+the Bucks Battalion was in the centre, and on the left the 4th Oxfords
+touched the 12th Division. It will thus be seen that the Brigade,
+unsupported, was expected to advance about a mile through the mud,
+everywhere ankle-deep, taking on its way three regularly-organised
+positions, to say nothing of the intermediate strong points with which
+the ground bristled. The enemy was at his strongest, well-prepared and
+expectant. The 7th Bavarian Regiment, which faced us, had just come
+into line; it was part of a good Division, the 5th Bavarian. His
+barrage descended only three minutes after our own had begun. It is
+not surprising that, as a result, no impression was made even on the
+line of the Langemarck road, except at one point round Springfield.
+The fight swayed about round the pill-boxes, disused gun-pits and
+fortified farms which studded the countryside. Each one of these had
+to be taken separately; the pill-boxes in particular had to be rushed
+by bombers, who crept up and threw their bombs through the loopholes,
+which meanwhile were silenced by continuous machine-gun fire. One of
+these structures, entirely surrounded by water except for a narrow
+causeway, successfully defied all attempts at capture.
+
+Meanwhile, our four Companies had varied experiences just behind this
+all-day battle. A Company on the right, advancing over the Steenbeek
+at zero, caught the full blast of the barrage. Captain Tripp (3rd East
+Surreys), who was in command, was immediately killed, and the only
+other officer, 2nd Lieut. Brooke, wounded. 2nd Lieut. Buck was then
+sent from Headquarters to take command. During the remainder of the
+day the Company, harassed continuously by shells and rifle fire (for
+the enemy held positions within 300 yards of them), reduced in
+strength by almost a half, succeeded in maintaining touch with the
+Ulsters and the Gloucesters. Twice the enemy, pushing forward small
+parties, tried to find a gap, but was arrested at once. The line
+remained, curving in an arc east of St. Julien, about 200 yards beyond
+the starting point. B Company also experienced great difficulty in
+making their way through the barrage. Captain Norrish, who was in
+command, walked up and down looking for a gap. After a while he
+brought them through by the north-east corner of St. Julien. Thence,
+turning right-handed in small parties, they dug in behind A Company
+and the Gloucesters. For the remainder of the day they remained in
+support to the latter, who were vainly endeavouring to force their way
+forward to the Langemarck road. This Company seems to have lost about
+40 men during the day. To C Company fell such small share of actual
+fighting as came the way of the Battalion. The Bucks, on moving
+forward, were held up by a large strong point at Hillock Farm, which
+resisted obstinately with machine guns. Two platoons of C Company,
+creeping up from the north-west, played their Lewis guns upon the
+loopholes. The farm was encircled and taken, 50 of the garrison were
+killed and the remainder captured. This was about 7 a.m. During the
+next three hours the Bucks thrust slowly forward, losing heavily all
+the way. By 10.30 they had gained a precarious footing in the Green
+line on a front of about 200 yards round Springfield. Their position
+was very dangerous, as both their flanks were in the air. The Oxfords,
+on their left, had been completely hung up, and were barely beyond our
+front line. Two platoons of C Company pushed up northwards into the
+gap at 11.30, but found only small parties of the enemy, who enfiladed
+them at close range from some disused gun-pits 200 yards west of the
+Poelcapelle road. These snipers caused constant casualties, and when
+Captain Holmes was hit at noon all the officers had been put out of
+action. Under the leadership of Sergt.-Major Heath they cleared the
+gun-pits and extracted six prisoners, the only trophies of the day;
+there they remained until relief, losing at least 50 men. C.S.-M.
+Heath obtained the M.C. D Company, contrary to their experience at
+Ronssoy, had the easiest time of the four. Held back on the western
+bank of the Steenbeek by the congestion at the bridges until 5.15
+a.m., they crossed when the barrage, always lighter on our left, had
+greatly slackened and suffered only slight loss. They dug in near the
+eastern bank, and remained all day there in support of the Bucks. At
+noon one platoon moved forward to the right, and securing the Bucks'
+right flank, kept in connection with the posts of A Company. The
+losses of this company were about 30 men. In all the casualties of the
+Battalion were 35 killed (including Captain Tripp), and 138 wounded
+and missing (including Captains Winslow and Holmes and 2nd Lieuts.
+Brooke, Oldridge and Wood). This amounted to about a third of the
+fighting strength. The remainder of the Brigade suffered more heavily,
+especially the Bucks, who had clung for hours with splendid gallantry
+to the exposed and practically untenable position round Springfield.
+
+The Battalion next day was relieved by Companies at dawn and dusk, and
+reassembled at Dambre Camp. The respite was short, for before many
+days the Division was called again to make a fresh attempt at the same
+spot. Although no general attack was found practicable until the 20th
+September, it was apparently deemed essential first to gain a footing
+on the low ridge of Gravenstal, which, though it rose only 60 feet
+above the Steenbeek Valley, dominated the country as far as Ypres, and
+gave the enemy eyes to see our preparations. The next attack was fixed
+for 27th August; this time it was the turn of the 143rd and 144th
+Brigades to attack, while we remained in Divisional Reserve. The front
+and the objectives were almost exactly the same. On the left was the
+11th Division, on the right the 61st, our second line. It was the
+first time that these two had come together on the battlefield, and
+the occasion was not fortunate, for both were unable to make headway
+and lost severely. The plan of attack showed great lack of
+imagination, and shook general confidence in the staff of the 5th
+Army. The lessons of the 16th seemed to have been entirely thrown
+away. The same impossible advance was expected. The ground was far
+worse than before. The water lay knee-deep in the valley. As the men
+struggled forward they could be seen pulling one another out of the
+glutinous mud in which they had sunk to the waist. The tanks,
+promised as before, were unable to perform. Finally, the attack
+started at the singular hour of 1.55 p.m., which rendered concealment
+of all the final preparations impossible, and gave the German machine
+gunners deadly opportunities for dealing with the reserves who poured
+up in the afternoon along the crowded tracks. The Battalion arrived at
+its assembly place on the road running through St. Julien about 3.30
+p.m., and, as before, waited on events. Towards dusk it became known
+that the Warwicks' attack had completely failed, while further north
+the 7th and 8th Worcesters succeeded after four hours' fighting in
+seizing the Green line from Springfield as far as the Keerselare cross
+roads. At 8 p.m. all hope of a further advance in the Warwick area had
+gone, and the Battalion was ordered to relieve the shattered Brigade,
+one Company taking the place of each Battalion. There was naturally
+much difficulty in taking over, and next morning it was discovered
+that three platoons of the 8th Warwicks, whose position was unknown to
+their C.O., were still lying unrelieved round Border Farm. Meanwhile,
+on the evening of the 27th, confused fighting still went on north of
+Springfield, where the 1st/4th Oxfords had been brought up to try by
+exploiting the success already gained to turn the Spot Farm-Winnipeg
+portion of the Green line. No further ground, however, was secured;
+the men were at the limits of their endurance, and by next morning it
+was clear that everything had combined to render a further attack
+impossible. The day was therefore, passed quietly for the exhausted
+combatants; in front the stretcher-bearers bravely and indefatigably
+picked up the wounded, who had lain out all night in the liquid mud.
+That night two companies of the 2nd/10th London relieved us. Thus half
+a Battalion held defensively the whole fighting front of a Brigade.
+We returned again to Dambre Camp, which the enemy shelled viciously
+with a naval gun. The Battalion may be considered fortunate in losing
+only 11 killed (including Captain Norrish, 10th Middlesex), and 51
+wounded (including Captain Shaw, 4th Northants).
+
+St. Jan Ter Beezen now reharboured the Battalion, which was built up
+again in strength by a succession of curious little drafts of 6 and
+11. The usual training, increasing in intensity as the men recovered
+from the fatigue of battle, was carried on through a spell of close
+and thundery weather. The nights were more than once disturbed by a
+shower of bombs. On 16th September a train journey removed us far from
+the front to Audenfort, near Calais, to occupy the farms and barns of
+several scattered hamlets. The attitude of the population, as
+sometimes happened in the back areas, was unfriendly. The reason,
+doubtless, is that the distance from the realities of war is apt to
+make the inhabitants less accommodating and the troops less
+well-disciplined. In this case, however, excellent relations were
+established in a few days. The training during the ensuing ten days
+was mainly confined to musketry, and A Company had the satisfaction of
+beating all the other companies of the Division in a field practice
+fired under the eyes of the G.O.C.
+
+On the 27th September the Battalion returned to the same blighted
+region, now enveloped by dense autumn mists. The great attack of 20th
+September had rolled forward the tide of battle for more than a mile,
+and the British, now ensconced in the demolished farms on the east
+side of the Gravenstal Ridge, were preparing to carry out another
+stage of that painful and bloody progress. At dawn on 4th October the
+143rd Brigade attacked through us, advancing some 1,500 yards. The
+Battalion spent the next three days in an uneasy reserve, changing
+their quarters every 24 hours, continuously soaked by the rain, which
+again fell pitilessly. On 7th October they regained the front line,
+pulling one another out of the trackless mire as they crawled up
+through the dripping night, plentifully sprinkled with gas on their
+way. Next night was even worse; the 7th Worcesters came up to relieve
+us under shell-fire; most of the guides we sent down to them were
+either killed or buried and the relief was long and arduous. The 144th
+Brigade attacked again on the 8th-9th October, under the worst
+possible conditions; our Battalion, in Divisional Reserve, was
+allotted to the Brigade, and lay out scattered by Companies until dusk
+on the 9th, ready to repel counter-attacks and to lend help as
+required, but was not actively engaged. The total casualties during
+this period amounted to 84, of whom 16 were killed. All who took part
+in these ten days' operations agree that the hardships suffered by the
+men exceeded everything yet endured on active service. The exhausted
+troops were taken back to Dambre Camp on the 9th by motor lorries.
+This was their last experience of that tremendous and ill-conducted
+battle, in which they had been engaged with but slight intermission
+for 70 days.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX
+
+LAST DAYS IN FRANCE AND THE JOURNEY TO ITALY
+
+
+On 15th October the Battalion left the Flemish swamps for good, and,
+returning south by rail, eventually settled for the remainder of the
+month in the huts at Villars-au-Bois, north-west of Arras. Here they
+rested in pleasant country behind the 2nd Canadian Division, one of
+whose regiments, the 27th, they replaced in reserve. The former were a
+splendid body of men, and very friendly. Their Quartermaster excited
+general admiration, being a man of over 60 years of age, two of whose
+sons were serving in the same Battalion as Second-in-Command and
+Adjutant. As usual, after active operations adequate drafts arrived of
+both officers and men; the former came mainly from the 3rd Wilts, the
+latter from the M.T., who, though practically ignorant of infantry
+work, soon developed in a very satisfactory way. From 2nd-10th
+November we occupied the sector in front of Vimy Ridge, the scene of
+the great Canadian victories in April, looking across to the
+devastated mining town of Lens. The Canadians had done all that was
+possible to improve the trenches, which the counter-bombardment of
+either side had levelled, and they were generally good except on the
+left, where all the soil had been shot away. The dugouts, as generally
+in ground captured from the Huns, were excellent; there was little
+fighting activity, and no more than three casualties were suffered. On
+the 8th the Battalion received the thanks of the 31st Division for
+their assistance in a daylight raid carried out by the latter on our
+right. Smoke-clouds were emitted from our trenches, while the skilful
+manipulation of life-sized dummies successfully produced the illusion
+of lines of men issuing from their trenches, who drew on their wooden
+bodies the desired effect of heavy enemy fire. On November 14th Savy
+and Villars Brulin received the Battalion. These little villages, some
+12 miles from the firing line near the source of the Scarpe, were,
+though we knew it not, to be the last billets of the Battalion in
+France. Every autumn the enemy had replied to our offensive in France
+with a furious blow elsewhere. As in 1915 he had crushed Serbia, in
+1916 occupied two-thirds of Roumania, so this year he fell upon the
+Italians at Caporetto on the 25th October. This enormous disaster,
+which cost the Italians 250,000 prisoners and a third of their
+artillery, brought the Austro-Germans by the beginning of November to
+the banks of the Piave, and it was decided that British and French
+forces should be dispatched to Italy to defend Venice and to give the
+Italian Army a breathing space for reorganisation. Therefore, when we
+were resting on the 21st, and speculating on the possibility of taking
+part in the Cambrai Battle so dramatically begun the day before,
+orders arrived for entrainment next afternoon with nine days' rations.
+The journey was made in two trains, under the command of Colonel
+Clarke and Major Aldworth respectively, which made for Italy by
+different routes, after leaving Troyes. Colonel Clarke's train reached
+Dijon on the second evening; Lyons early the next morning; throughout
+that day the exquisite and fruitful Rhone Valley passed before the
+delighted eyes of the men. The journey was slow, and when Avignon was
+reached at 2 a.m. on the 25th, the train was already twelve hours
+late. Still further time was then lost owing to an accident at
+Toulon, which station was only entered at dusk after a triumphant
+progress through crowds of excited southerners, who gathered along the
+line cheering and waving. Most of the famous places of the French
+Riviera were passed in darkness, but at 8.10 on the 26th the frontier
+was passed at Ventimille. The journey continued along the lovely
+Italian coast until Savona was reached at nightfall. The Italians
+showed little disposition to welcome their deliverers, and the
+unpopularity of the war in these districts was patent. Next dawn found
+the train at Pavia, whence it proceeded along the Po to Cremona, where
+a 16-hour halt enabled the men to stretch their legs. With band
+playing they marched through the streets, and succeeded in arousing
+the enthusiasm of the inhabitants. The local commandante, Cav.
+Vittorio, a very courteous gentleman, took the salute as the two
+Companies re-entered the station. The extreme congestion of the
+Italian railways now upset all timetables completely. Mantua was not
+reached until 1 a.m. on the 29th, but finally the two Companies
+detrained at Saletto; and in the afternoon billeting orders arrived,
+and the evening found them lodged in a private house, a theatre and a
+monastery at Noventa. The billets were shared with a detachment of the
+Italian Veterinary Corps, the miserable condition of whose horses and
+mules bore witness to the rigours of the recent retreat. An 8-mile
+march next day over roads slippery with frost ended in a most elegant
+billet, a gorgeous chateau, which belonged to a Colonel Cabely, killed
+near Gorizia. Part of its magnificence, however, consisted in marble
+floors, a cold bed for men wrapped up in only one blanket.
+
+Major Aldworth's train travelled more rapidly; by midnight on the 24th
+it had crossed the Mont Cenis and was running through Italian
+territory. Early next morning everyone was peering out of the
+windows at the great snow mountains through which the train descended
+to the Piedmontese Plain. The bells of the village churches were
+ringing everywhere on this Sunday morning as the train moved towards
+Turin, which was reached at noon on the 25th November. This city
+provided a rousing welcome; ladies handed out chocolate, cigarettes
+and little silk flags from the platform; the train steamed out into
+the open country between vociferating crowds. The journey henceforth
+was slow and circuitous, the direction being first north-east to
+Milan, which was passed during the night of 26th-27th November; then
+south to Pavia, and from there along the Po through Mantua to Nogaro,
+where the men were comfortably installed in billets by 9 p.m. on 27th
+November. Both journeys were as comfortable as could be expected in
+the exceptional circumstances. The men were able to get a hot drink at
+least twice a day, which was often supplemented by the energy of Red
+Cross ladies on the platforms, particularly in France.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX
+
+THE ITALIAN WINTER
+
+
+Happy the Battalion which for a while at least in wartime has no
+history. We had come to Italy expecting at once to be desperately
+engaged against the victorious invaders. But the Italians, greatly to
+their credit, had reorganised their broken forces, and, with their
+left resting on the mountains, had repelled all attempts of the enemy
+to cross the Piave, swollen with autumn rains. By the end of December
+the British and French Armies were fully concentrated, and a period of
+immobility set in, not to be broken for six months. The 48th Division,
+which formed part of General Haking's 11th Corps, found itself
+peacefully installed in Army Reserve. Under the clear Italian skies,
+in the peaceful Venetian plain, moderately well housed and not
+overworked, their lot was cast in a fair ground. The two halves of the
+Battalion reunited on 4th December, and finally settled on the 15th
+December at S. Croce Bigolina, where they remained six weeks. This
+village is situated just east of the Brenta, about 20 miles north of
+Padua, where G.H.Q. were established, and a similar distance south of
+the foothills of the Trentino Alps, where the line ran through the
+famous plateau of Asiago. Excursions to these hills in small parties
+for the purpose of reconnaissance formed from time to time a diversion
+from the ordinary routine of training.
+
+Christmas was celebrated with great festivity. The officers had
+supplemented the men's rations by a subscription, stores were
+purchased in Vicenza and Padua, and a cheque of L50 was received from
+the County Association for the same purpose. Dinners, concerts and
+suppers were provided for the Companies; the officers were given free
+use of the house of the Parish Priest, who was entertained by them as
+the guest of the evening. It was the happiest Christmas which had been
+spent overseas.
+
+With the New Year winter set in with a hard, bright frost, so keen
+that all the running streams were frozen. Visits of inspection were
+paid by General Plumer, the popular Commander-in-Chief, and by General
+Haking, whose kindliness and geniality in chatting to the men as
+individuals was heartily welcomed. At this time also the gratifying
+news was received that the commanding officer had been awarded the
+C.M.G.
+
+On the 24th January the Battalion left S. Croce amidst general regret.
+The excellent priest, who had worked with all his will to promote good
+relations, in a parting message to Colonel Clarke especially commended
+the honourable and chivalrous relations which had existed between the
+troops and the women of the neighbourhood. At Paviola, which was
+reached after a weary march in a misty thaw over roads reduced to
+quagmires, the Battalion split up again: B and D Companies, with
+Headquarters remained in the same area, while Captain Challenor with
+the remainder moved to the Convent di Praglia, south of Padua, in
+order to supply working parties to the central school at G.H.Q. Here
+they remained till the end of February, doing every kind of job, to
+the complete satisfaction of those concerned. Some worked at the
+quarries, some at a bayonet-fighting assault course, some at the
+musketry school, others at the gas school; finding, however, time
+between their labours to play a number of football matches with
+neighbouring units.
+
+By the end of the month all were again reunited; their long spell of
+rest had come temporarily to an end, and on the 27th they took over
+from the 2nd Queen's (7th Division) reserve lines on the Montello,
+that well-known hill overlooking the right bank of the Piave, which
+was one of the key-positions of the Italian line. The next fortnight
+was spent in this area, about half in the front line. It was an
+interesting though, fortunately, not a very dangerous experience, as
+the losses amounted only to one killed and one wounded. The long hill,
+which stretched for miles to the west of the river, was furrowed with
+numbers of deep, narrow dells, in which the platoons were housed.
+Along the foreshore was a series of disconnected posts, every second
+of which was armed with a Lewis gun. The majority of these were held
+only at night. They looked across the wide bed of the Piave, which,
+like all capricious mountain streams, divided into three or four
+channels, intersected by overgrown islands and beds of shingle, which
+heavy rain, as in the June battles, would convert speedily into a
+roaring torrent. The widest and deepest stream flowed on the enemies'
+side. Their inactivity was very marked, scarcely a shot was fired
+either by day or night, and except for the last day their artillery
+gave few signs of life. As was proved time after time, the last thing
+desired by the weary and disillusioned Austrian was to provoke the
+British.
+
+This interlude was the nearest approach to warfare encountered for
+many weeks to come. On the night of the 14th March in intense darkness
+the Italians relieved us without incident, and we turned our backs on
+the Montello for good. The division now moved west for many days; some
+short time was spent at Arsego, but it was not till 3rd April that the
+Battalion settled down to a three weeks' sojourn at Valle, in the hill
+country west of Vicenza. The great events, which were shaking the
+Western Front to its foundations, found no echo here; two British
+Divisions were, it is true, moved to France, but the 48th was not
+among them. The Austrians as yet showed no signs of renewing their
+attacks.
+
+While the Battalion were at Valle they lost their Commanding Officer,
+Lieut.-Colonel Clarke, who was appointed to command the newly-formed
+Divisional Machine Gun Battalion. His departure was deeply regretted.
+He had led the Battalion through all its serious fighting, and had
+gained the complete confidence of all. He had kept a strict discipline
+without worrying the men about trifles; they could all appreciate his
+administrative ability, his grasp of detail and practical concern for
+their comfort. We were fortunate in gaining as his successor Colonel
+Lloyd Baker, of the Bucks Battalion, who had been well-known earlier
+in the war as General McClintock's Staff Captain, and he brought to
+his new duties all his characteristic kindness and tact.
+
+Meanwhile the constant exercise in hill-climbing for men and pack
+ponies, the schemes of attack and defence suggested that our next
+destination would be northward in the mountains. Nor was expectation
+falsified; for by the 23rd the Battalion had climbed up out of the
+warm, showery spring of the valley, and billeted in Italian huts at
+Granezza, about 4,500 feet above sea-level in storms of snow and hail.
+They were in Brigade Reserve immediately behind the lines on the
+Asiago plateau, which they were destined to guard until the advance to
+final victory at the end of October.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI
+
+MOUNTAIN WARFARE
+
+
+The new line ran along the forward slope of the hills, which had just
+been so painfully climbed, and whose reverse sides sheltered in their
+folds, densely populated with pine forests, the local reserves. The
+trenches themselves were strangely unlike any as yet inhabited, being
+blasted out of the solid rock. An impressive and, indeed, magnificent
+panorama extended itself in front. The valley of the Seven Communes,
+that curious little tongue of German-speaking territory projecting
+into pre-war Italy, ran across the foreground. Barren and almost
+treeless, it had been in the battle-line since the Austrian offensive
+of May, 1916, which had nearly broken successfully into the Venetian
+plain. Many villages and hamlets dotted the plain, especially towards
+the western end, the most imposing of which was Asiago. Though knocked
+about to a certain extent, they offered a regular and habitable
+outline as compared with the blank desolation of France. On the
+further side of the valley the pine-clad shoulders of the mountains
+were gradually merged in the great snow-covered, cloud-capped bastions
+of the Alps. Between the lines a vast No Man's Land extended, in many
+places nearly a mile in width, with miniature hills and valleys, and
+studded with houses and copses, over which our patrols were able to
+roam almost at will unmolested. Such was the general calm prevailing
+that officers in the front line were accustomed to sleep in their
+pyjamas. The entire casualties during May, most of which month was
+spent in the line, were three wounded. In a successful raid carried
+out on the 12th by two platoons of D Company, 2nd Lieut. Stott,
+slightly wounded, was the only victim. He obtained the M.C. and the
+Italian Silver Medal for Valour as a reward for his work. It was
+somewhat difficult to capture the prisoner required for
+identification, as the only post encountered promptly ran away; one,
+however, of the elderly Hungarians of the 24th Honved Regiment, who
+composed it, tripped and fell into a shell-hole, and was carried off
+by the raiders. The enemy made up for their lack of resistance by
+bombing their own wire and shouting assiduously until daybreak. On the
+22nd the Battalion returned to Cornedo, in the plains; summer had by
+now fully set in; the vines, the maize, the mulberry and the orange,
+with many other diverse forms of luxuriant foliage, had completely
+changed the aspect of the country. The men were glad to wear the suits
+of drill and the sun-helmet which had now been issued. Thus May merged
+into June; the fourth great German attack was battering at the gates
+of Compiegne, but the Italian front had as yet given no sign. On our
+next visit, however, to the line, it became known that a British
+offensive was to be launched in the middle of June. The usual
+conferences and rehearsals took place; detailed orders were issued,
+the very date became known. It was to take place on the 16th of June.
+Twenty-four hours beforehand the Austrians, goaded at length out of
+their long sleep by the prodding of their Allies, suddenly launched
+that great attack on practically the whole of the front, which was the
+last offensive effort of the Hapsburg dynasty. After a somewhat
+alarming initial success on the Montello and the lower Piave, it
+changed into a complete failure. We have now to see how it affected
+the fortunes of our Battalion.
+
+The Austrian attack was planned after the model of Ludendorf's great
+offensive of March 21st; that is to say, it was preceded by a short
+but violent bombardment of high explosive and gas directed
+particularly on the back areas and gun-positions. Its effectiveness
+was not, however, great, partly owing to the extreme difficulty of
+searching all the crannies of the mountain country, partly because the
+level of Austrian efficiency was low. Their gas-shells, in particular,
+seem to have been almost innocuous. The shelling began about 3 a.m.,
+and lasted for three hours, when the infantry left the trenches. The
+two British Divisions in the line, 23rd and 48th, were attacked by
+portions of four Austrian Divisions; it is said that the latter had
+been brought up immediately before the battle in lorries, and told
+that their objective was weakly held by Italians, as their
+disinclination to face British and French troops was notorious.
+However that may be, they advanced against our Division with
+considerable energy at the outset. The two Battalions of the 145th
+Brigade in the line were from right to left, the 1st/4th Oxfords and
+1st/5th Gloucesters. The enemy succeeded in driving in the outer
+flanks of both Battalions, and also in pushing a wedge between them to
+a maximum depth of about 1,000 yards. But attacking uphill over
+unfamiliar and blind country, exposed to cross-fire from rifles and
+machine-guns, and heavily bombarded, their progress was soon arrested.
+Our Battalion was in Brigade Reserve, and did useful work during the
+day in joining hands with the two assaulted Battalions. D Company
+joined the Oxfords at noon, and suffered some loss during the
+afternoon while forming up in the open to counter-attack. Here its
+commander, Captain C. Buck, a good and conscientious officer, was
+killed. He had served unhurt through the whole of the third Battle of
+Ypres, and was the only officer whom we lost by death during the
+Italian year.
+
+Next morning very early, with the co-operation of C Company and one
+platoon of A, a completely successful advance was made to the old
+front line. All the heart had now gone out of the enemy, the failure
+of whose effort was patent. They made scarcely a shadow of resistance,
+and more than 60 prisoners remained in our hands. During the previous
+day C Company had been already engaged in stopping the gap between the
+Oxfords and Gloucesters. The latter, who had been isolated on both
+flanks, were in danger of complete encirclement during the morning and
+early afternoon, but extricated themselves and joined hands with C
+Company at 5.30 p.m.
+
+During the 16th the whole divisional front was without exception
+re-established, and patrols were pushed forward into No Man's Land;
+the Austrians continued to surrender in little bodies, until the
+Division had collected over 1,000, with eight mountain guns abandoned
+and picked up. The casualty list of the Battalion afforded happy proof
+of the ineffectiveness of the enemy. We lost no more than five killed
+and 13 wounded. Thus ended ignominiously the great Austrian attack.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII
+
+THE LAST SUMMER
+
+
+The remainder of June was spent pleasantly in rest billets, disturbed
+only by the first of the great influenza epidemics, which, pursuing a
+mild course, resulted in no deaths, but caused the evacuation in all
+of 112 men. On the 20th the Division lost their Commander, Sir R.
+Fanshawe, who returned home. He had commanded us for more than three
+years; devoted to the care of his Division and to the task of
+defeating the enemy, he demanded in everything the same high standard
+which he always set himself. A frequent visitor to the trenches, he
+did not reserve his appearance for quiet times; at Pozieres and
+Ronssoy, for example, he was on the captured ground at the heels of
+his infantry. Therefore, he retained the confidence of the men
+throughout, in good days and bad.
+
+Our sojourn in the plains was prolonged during the first twenty days
+of July under the full heat of summer, all moves being made in the
+early hours of the morning. On 12th July the Battalion had the
+satisfaction of winning the Divisional Signal Competition.
+
+The ten days spent in the line were devoid of incident, one man only
+being wounded by a shell, and on the 30th July a return was made to
+Marziele for ten days, where a terrific storm one night blew down all
+the tents and bivouacs. The 10th August found them again in the
+mountains taking over from the 6th Gloucesters the extreme left of the
+divisional line. The war had now entered upon its penultimate stage
+with the splendid Allied victories of 18th July and 8th August; the
+enemy had lost everywhere the initiative, and was not to have the
+chance of regaining it. Although the Italians did not feel themselves
+capable at present of any important attack, the Austrians were not
+left in peace. Large-scale raids resulting often in the capture of
+hundreds of prisoners, were undertaken without respite by the French
+and British, provoking no attempt at retaliation.
+
+Nor was the Battalion without share in these activities. The ground
+was first prepared for a full-dress raid by offensive patrols. On
+August 16th Lieut. Baxton attacked and bombed a party of the enemy on
+Coda Spur, the bombs falling clean among them. On the 15th a similar
+party under 2nd Lieut. Crawford shot five Austrians, who were
+patrolling their own wire, and who, when challenged, with fatal
+stupidity, halted and stood outlined against the skyline, an easy
+mark.
+
+The time was now ripe for a more ambitious effort. The Battalion was
+withdrawn for a few days to Granezza, and returning to the trenches on
+the evening of the 26th, made a successful raid that same night in
+conjunction with the Bucks on our left. The attack was to be directed
+against the enemy trenches on either side of Asiago, the point of
+junction between the Battalions being at the south-east corner of the
+town. All four Companies were engaged; C on the right was to form a
+defensive flank within the enemy's trenches; B, on the left, was to
+seize the front line before Asiago, where A, passing through, would
+secure the support line, and allow D Company in turn, passing through
+them, to explore the southernmost limits of the town, and join hands
+with the Bucks. The withdrawal was to be in inverse order--_i.e._, C
+and B were to hold the captured positions until the other two
+Companies had been safely passed back.
+
+Zero hour was 10.40 p.m., and there had been no preliminary barrage.
+The Companies had moved out from our outpost line at 9 p.m. and got
+into striking position after safely traversing the wide intervening
+area. As they lay waiting for the fiery signal, the enemy began to
+show nervousness; they had probably heard something suspicious, but
+could not see far, as clouds obscured the moon, and a white mist hung
+in the valley. They fired lights and rifle grenades and a few shells
+during the last half-hour before the bombardment opened, but caused no
+serious inconvenience. The barrage worked well; 32 minutes elapsed
+before it completed its shift from the front line to the final
+objective, which also it enclosed in a frame of shells on either
+flank. Here it remained for one hour, after which it died gradually
+away, as the withdrawal progressed. C Company reached and held their
+objective on the right with little difficulty, extracting 50 prisoners
+from the trenches and dugouts. B were equally successful, though a
+little hand-to-hand fighting was necessary to force an entrance on
+their right; they found the trenches shallow and ruinous, with few
+occupants (they could only collect six prisoners), and the dugouts in
+the quarry behind were wholly untenanted. The enemy annoyed them
+during their occupation of the trench with continuous shell-fire. A
+Company, according to programme, now passed through them in small
+columns, but as their commander was hit at this difficult moment, they
+lost direction and got mixed up with the Bucks, so that only one
+platoon met the enemy, who showed some fight in houses and dugouts
+near his support line. D Company successfully reached their objective,
+the enemy flying wildly before them and leaving four only in their
+hands. Those houses of Asiago which they searched were neither
+garrisoned nor fortified. The withdrawal took place with surprising
+ease, without even being troubled by systematic shell-fire. Prisoners
+were handed in to the 144th Brigade and receipts were given for 72;
+but it seems that nearly 100 was the actual bag. Casualties were
+fairly numerous, amounting in all to 77, but very light in character,
+only one man being killed and four missing, while of the wounded 26
+remained on duty. The majority of wounds was due to shell-fire and
+unaimed machine-gun bullets, as there was very little genuine
+fighting. Many awards were made in connection with this well-executed
+operation; they are given in an appendix. I may mention here that
+Captain Cawley, who was wounded, received the M.C. and the Italian
+Silver Medal, and C.S.-M. Alder the same Italian decoration, together
+with the D.C.M.
+
+September passed quite quietly in alternations between the front line
+and Granezza. The Battalion was now under the command of Colonel
+Whitehead, who succeeded, but did not replace, Colonel Lloyd Baker. He
+was a brave man, but of a narrow and unsympathetic school, staled by
+continuous service throughout the war.
+
+October brought no change except in the weather, which declined
+suddenly to autumn on the hilltops, with night-frosts and continuous
+violent rain. The Austrians were still harassed perpetually by
+enormous and invariably successful raids, by bombardments and aerial
+bombing, to which they submitted with the patience of necessity.
+
+The absence of any great concerted attempt to destroy them seemed
+almost inexplicable to our troops, as they heard of all the great
+works which were being performed against their enemies elsewhere.
+Already had Bulgaria fallen; the last Turkish Army had been dissolved;
+the German line was crumbling to pieces under the remorseless hammer
+of the British; and the interchange of Notes with America foreshadowed
+the end of the war. The Italians, however, were determined to wait
+until the possibility of failure had been reduced to a minimum, and
+doubtless they were the best judges of the capacity of their own
+troops. Thus it was not until 25th October that they launched the blow
+which was to prove the destruction of the Austrian Empire.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII
+
+VICTORY
+
+
+The attack was started first on the Piave and the Brenta; and
+operations further west were contingent on success in those areas.
+Accordingly, its effects did not become apparent on our front until
+29th October, when the Austrians were already in headlong flight
+towards the Tagliamento. At that date we were holding the extreme
+right of the Divisional Area. On that morning, at daybreak, C Company
+sent out a patrol, which found that the Austrians had abandoned their
+front lines--a retirement which deserters had foreshadowed for some
+days past. They pushed on at noon and entered Asiago, a silent
+village; thence exploring more boldly, they wandered right across the
+valley as far as Ebene, close to its northernmost limits. There they
+saw the French patrols similarly engaged in searching the houses. Then
+the enemy gave the first sign of his continued existence, firing with
+two machine guns from a little knoll, which commanded the village 500
+or 600 yards away. The Bucks, who were out on the left, brought back
+similar word, and it was apparent that a general retirement had been
+carried out to their Winterstellung, or Winter Lines, which ran along
+the northern slopes and barred ingress into the side valleys which led
+up to the railway of the Val Sugana. It now became necessary to
+discover whether the enemy was standing strongly in this main line of
+defence, or whether it could be overrun by a _coup-de-main_. During
+the night of the 29th-30th, therefore, B Company was sent forward to
+feel its way and report on the resistance encountered. Captain Winslow
+now established his Headquarters in the Military Barracks at Asiago,
+keeping one platoon at hand. The remaining three spread widely over
+the plain and moved forward. They occupied the villages lying at the
+foot of the mountains, but it was evident that the enemy was still in
+strength before them. Here and there they extracted Austrians who had
+been left behind in houses and dugouts. The left platoon, in
+particular, discovered 17 in Bosco, including an officer; as they
+drove this party before them towards Asiago, while it was still light,
+machine-gun fire was directed upon them from the ridges of Monte Catz,
+causing several casualties. The prisoners, headed by their officer,
+were foolish enough to refuse to continue their journey, and their
+mutiny cost them dear, as, with one exception, they were all killed.
+Next day A Company took on the patrolling work, and found the lines
+still occupied, while the Austrians denied them access to Costa, which
+had been examined on the previous day. Reports from either flank gave
+similar information; there was nothing, therefore, to suggest the
+speedy and dramatic overthrow which was to follow.
+
+During the night of the 31st October-1st November, the Corps decided
+to make a general attack at dawn, the orders being verbally delivered
+to Colonel Whitehead by the Brigade-Major soon after midnight. There
+was thus very little time to make preparations. Fortunately Major
+Battcock was acting as intelligence officer, and set to work with all
+his characteristic energy and method. He had only rejoined the
+Battalion at his own request some days previously, and although senior
+to every officer except that of the Colonel, had volunteered to act in
+any capacity in which he could be useful. He was living in advanced
+Headquarters at Asiago School, and succeeded in getting everyone in
+position by 3.30 a.m. Meanwhile D Company, whose duty it was that
+night to patrol in front, reported that Monte Catz was still strongly
+held. This long bare shoulder, which projected southward from the main
+ridge into the valley, was the objective of the Battalion. It was the
+key of the whole of this section of the Winterstellung, as it
+overlooked the trenches on either side. At 5.35 the attack was
+launched; C and D Companies, from right to left, were charged with the
+assault; they advanced close behind a barrage. Each had a section
+widely extended in advance as skirmishers, the main body advancing in
+two lines. C Company met with immediate and splendid success. Brushing
+aside opposition at Costa and on the slopes of the hill, they stood
+upon the summit at 7.30 a.m.; they had already taken 65 prisoners and
+had completely cleared their area. D Company had met with a tougher
+resistance, and being assailed by cross-fire from both right and left,
+were held up in the Plain until B Company came into the gap, and
+seized the machine-gun nests on the south-west slopes of Monte Catz
+about 7.30 a.m.
+
+Thus our position was satisfactory beyond expectation. The 144th
+Brigade, however, on the left, were in a less happy condition. Their
+assault on the lower slopes of M. Interrotto had not been successful.
+The enemy had even passed to a counter-offensive, and had thrown them
+back beyond the uttermost villages of the Plain, Camporovere and
+Bosco. The evacuation of the latter imperilled all our dispositions,
+and Colonel Whitehead wisely kept A Company at Asiago in case the
+enemy should drive a wedge between the two Brigades. It was the more
+unfortunate that O.C. D Company, acting on one of those vague orders
+which often circulate during battle, whose source it is impossible to
+trace with certainty, had withdrawn his company somewhat from the
+slopes, believing himself to be conforming to the desires of the 144th
+Brigade. Monte Catz was therefore left in a dangerously salient
+position on the west, but as the Bucks, and beyond them the French on
+the east, had been completely successful, it was thought well to take
+the risk of exploiting the success which the 145th Brigade had already
+won. The indefatigable C Company, therefore, pushed on up the hill,
+seized and passed the Sichestal Trench (the last organised defence in
+that area); the Bucks securely protected their right flank; on the
+left B Company held a line slanting backwards to the Plain, where D
+continued the line on the outskirts of Bosco, still untaken. All this
+was accomplished by about 3 p.m. The blow of the Battalion had been
+decisive, as Lord Cavan mentions in his despatch. They had taken that
+day 480 prisoners, and more than 30 guns, and had destroyed many more.
+Next morning the 144th Brigade seized all their objectives with little
+difficulty; the Winterstellung existed no longer. The Division held
+the entrance and both sides of the Val d'Assa, and began to march up
+it towards their final objective, the Val Sugana, one of the main
+nerves of the enemy system. The Austrians fell into a rout, which can
+have few parallels in military history. Famished and without hope in
+the world, faced at the same moment with military disaster and
+political collapse, they fled headlong into the mountains, or swarmed
+down in enormous numbers to surrender to our advancing troops; almost
+the last remnant of self-respect which they retained was their
+determination not to become the prisoners of the Italians. The rough
+mountain tracks were blocked with their debris; and the crowds of
+unarmed men embarrassed our advance-guards and checked their progress.
+Generals and superior officers came down to meet us, sometimes at the
+head of troops, sometimes as solitary stragglers. A Corps Commander
+and three Divisional Generals were among the spoil of the Division.
+Here and there during the 2nd and the early morning of the 3rd, little
+bodies of devoted men still resisted; as at Mount Meatta, where a
+Company of 4th Oxfords put 100 Austrians to flight after a sharp
+combat. It was noted also that when the red-capped Bosnian Regiment
+surrendered to our Battalion, the men obeyed their officers smartly,
+and laid down their arms and equipment neatly at the word of command.
+It was curious that these Mahommedans, from the latest acquired of all
+the Austrian possessions, should have been the most faithful to their
+military oath. During the 3rd the confusion among the Austrians was,
+if possible, increased by their mistaken belief that the Armistice had
+come into force; they ceased even the isolated semblance of
+resistance, and were herded in the valleys like sheep. Meanwhile the
+Division advanced inexorably by the Val d'Assa and the subsidiary Val
+Portule; they crossed the enemy's frontier at 8.30 on that morning,
+first of all the armies of the West (except for that portion of Alsace
+which had remained in French hands since 1914). That evening the
+Battalion lodged in Caldonazza, just south of the Val Sugana; here the
+enemy had abandoned a vast ordnance park and more than 200 guns. The
+Advanced Guards were already in Levico, that pleasant little spa in
+the valley, with its baths and springs, only 20 miles from Trent. Next
+morning the news came that the Armistice was signed and was to come
+into force at 3 p.m. The weary troops continued their march up the
+valley until that hour, taking still vast quantities of prisoners;
+then they halted. For our Battalion the war ended at the village of
+Vigalzano. They had covered 35 miles in two and a-half days over
+rough paths in the mountains. Not a single man had fallen out. Their
+casualties in this last glorious battle amounted to 17 killed and 23
+wounded. Their individual captures cannot be recorded, but the booty
+of the Division was unprecedented, and reached 22,000 prisoners and at
+least 600 guns.
+
+Here I will leave them; I will not describe their subsequent stay in
+Italy, the demobilisation of the Battalion, the return of the nucleus
+and its welcome at Reading, or its rebirth in peace under its present
+popular and capable Commander, Colonel Aldworth, and its excellent
+Adjutant, Captain Goodenough.
+
+Let us not forget these Berkshire men, who played a worthy part in the
+changing scenes of this tremendous conflict: who, at the close, amidst
+the utter confusion of their enemies, bore witness to the truth of
+that saying, 'He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.'
+
+
+
+
+APPENDIX A.
+
+1/4TH BATTALION ROYAL BERKSHIRE REGIMENT.
+
+ROLL OF OFFICERS, NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND MEN WHO DIED IN THE WAR.
+
+
+      CAPTAINS.
+
+  Attride, R. G.
+  Buck, C.
+  Down, W. O., M.C.
+
+      LIEUTENANTS.
+
+  Hunt, N. G.
+  Palmer, R. W. P.
+  Ridley, L. E.
+
+      SECOND-LIEUTENANTS.
+
+  Bartram, A.
+  Beasley, A. W., M.M.
+  Clayton, N.
+  Garside, T. O.
+  Heppell, H. D.
+  Teed, H. S.
+  Wakeford, G. T.
+
+      ATTACHED TO OTHER UNITS.
+
+  Lieut.-Colonel Thorne, H. U. H.
+  Lieut. Wells, H. M. W.
+
+      COMPANY SERGT.-MAJORS.
+
+     392  Lawrence, W.
+  200546  Wright, A. T., D.C.M.
+
+      COMPANY QUARTERMASTER SERGEANTS.
+     599  Moore, F. W.
+    1637  Perrin, C.
+
+      SERGEANTS.
+
+    2399  Amor, A. S.
+  200627  Benn, C.
+    2478  Brewerton, W. W.
+  200485  Childs, F.
+    2327  Didcock, F.
+    2402  Forge, G. F.
+  202093  Garrard, C. J. C.
+  200080  Giles, F. C.
+    2883  Grant, E. J.
+     426  Haines, G.
+     891  Hedges, F. W.
+  203799  Henson, A.
+    2446  Hewett, W. C. E.
+  200010  Holloway, W. C.
+    2610  House, A. E.
+  200861  Lukeman, C. H.
+    2529  Lush, G.
+  200605  Nicholls, A.
+  200406  Paddick, H.
+  200670  Parker, C. J.
+  200169  Parker, J.
+    2773  Pinnell, H. J.
+      44  Reddrop, R. T.
+  200542  Russell, T. D.
+     441  Rutter, P.
+    2434  Taylor, V. H.
+  200246  Weavings, R.
+  200690  Wright, F. J.
+
+      LANCE-SERGEANTS.
+
+    2342  Gorring, H. J.
+  200390  Langford, A. W.
+    1937  Watson, F. W.
+  200192  Webb, F. W.
+
+      CORPORALS.
+
+  202402  Cocking, J. H. A.
+  200422  Davies, E. L., M.M.
+    2340  Jones, A. T. N.
+   12799  Killmaster, W.
+  201482  Knight, F.
+    1830  Painter, A. G.
+    2701  Papps, A. C.
+    2575  Piggott, W.
+  203840  Russell, W. J.
+    1678  Rutland, H. S.
+    1825  Searle, A. E.
+  203836  Simmonds, T. G.
+  200896  Snow, J. M.
+    2154  Taylor, W. G.
+  201555  Watts, W.
+    2395  Wilson, R. G.
+
+      LANCE-CORPORALS.
+
+  200412  Attride, G. J.
+  200382  Barker, E. A.
+  200344  Beard, H. E.
+    2765  Boston, A. W.
+  200137  Brooks, A. C.
+  203198  Campbell, H. V.
+    5649  Cole, A. C.
+  200125  Cook, W. C.
+  200160  Dean, H. S.
+    1625  Deane, M. A. C.
+  200946  Dee, A. E.
+    2176  Garrett, F. H.
+    2947  George, R. W.
+     666  Godwin, A. H.
+    2946  Goodall, A.
+  200813  Hands, W. T.
+    3015  Haskins, R.
+  200513  Hatto, H. H.
+    2659  House, H. J.
+  203833  Jenkins, W.
+    4945  Johnson, W. G. A.
+    1470  Lambert, A. J.
+    1767  Legge, A. E.
+  201450  Lewis, F. C.
+  200242  Mills, G.
+    2442  Odell, E. V.
+  200425  Perkins, E. H. R.
+  201508  Rackley, A.
+  200621  Saunders, E.
+    6289  Smith, F.
+    1690  Somerville, S.
+    2354  Vaughan, F. W.
+  201543  Ward, E.
+    5775  Wright, A. V.
+
+      PRIVATES.
+
+    4716  Abery, L. H.
+    5529  Adlam, F. C.
+  200545  Allum, F. S.
+  203061  Andrews, G.
+  202156  Andrews, W.
+  201477  Annetts, P.
+    5455  Appleton, G.
+    2653  Atkins, F.
+  200824  Aubrey, F. W.
+  201843  Austin, J. W.
+    5654  Ayles, E. H.
+    1883  Ayres, F.
+    2714  Bacon, P. G. W.
+    1939  Badcock, A.
+    4682  Baker, P. G.
+  200617  Barnett, A. A.
+    1768  Barney, C.
+    5789  Bateman, J.
+    2962  Beckett, A. J.
+    5831  Beckinsale, L.
+  200157  Belcher, H.
+  200743  Belcher, S. E.
+  202211  Benger, A. T.
+  201877  Bickle, A. E.
+    5843  Bird, F.
+    1473  Blade, H. R. W.
+    4920  Bloomfield, C. I.
+  200472  Bolton, C.
+   10116  Bond, F. S.
+    2748  Boothby, R.
+   37969  Borley, F. G.
+    3088  Bowell, G. P.
+   20662  Bracey, G. G.
+  200400  Brant, B. J. L.
+   36259  Bromley, H.
+    5444  Brooman, H. B.
+    2076  Brown, C. J. F.
+  200544  Brown, S. R.
+  203847  Brown, W. A.
+  203181  Buckingham, F. J.
+  220192  Bullen, E. L.
+   18181  Burrows, C.
+    2782  Butler, A. J.
+    4969  Buxcey, A. E.
+  200960  Buxton, W.
+  200632  Cane, N.
+  203294  Cannon, H. F.
+  202033  Carter, A.
+  203195  Chaplin, F. A.
+    2122  Chapman, A. E.
+  202068  Chapman, W. J.
+    5327  Clarke, E. F.
+   36539  Clayton, W. M.
+   37974  Clements, F.
+  203192  Cleveland, F. T.
+  201991  Cockell, J.
+    5648  Collacott, F. E. V.
+  201548  Collis, A.
+  202139  Commins, H. J.
+   34087  Cook, A. E.
+   18346  Cook, F. H. V.
+   30435  Cook, J.
+  203706  Cook, R.
+   37977  Cooke, F. T.
+    5671  Cooper, H.
+   17723  Copas, A. W.
+    4801  Coventry, H. T.
+    4815  Cox, E. B.
+    5263  Coxhead, W.
+    5199  Cripps, A. E.
+  200902  Crook, W.
+    4701  Cropp, C.
+    5349  Cruse, A. G.
+  202219  Curtis, W. J.
+  202181  Dale, S.
+    2656  Dance, W. W. S.
+  202887  Darling, F. H.
+    5855  Davey, A. A.
+    2983  Denham, C. W.
+    2753  Dix, W. H.
+    5828  Dixon, G.
+  202230  Drake, F. J. V.
+    5738  Duckett, H. E.
+  202107  Eade, J.
+  202149  Eady, L.
+  200566  Early, F. W.
+   20350  Eighteen, H. T.
+    5083  Elbrow, A. J.
+  201908  Elwick, C. G.
+  201773  Emmett, C. W.
+  202186  Emmons, C. W. H.
+    5208  Evans, D.
+  200535  Fennell, F.
+    3250  Filbee, W. H. F.
+    3271  Filmore, H. W.
+   37921  Fisher, H. A.
+  203326  Fleetwood, F. P.
+   20202  Fleming, B.
+    2727  Ford, A. E.
+  200878  Freeman, J.
+   12384  Freeth, R.
+  202895  French, H.
+  201970  Fryer, E. G.
+  203712  Fullbrook, A. H.
+   37979  Furness, F. C.
+  203075  Garraway, R. H.
+  201356  Geater, A. J.
+    2539  Gee, R. B.
+    2996  Gibbard, H.
+    4983  Gibbons, C. E.
+    5641  Giles, E. S.
+    3053  Giles, F.
+  203881  Giles, H.
+   37915  Goddard, H. T. W.
+  200058  Goodenough, A. S. J.
+    2062  Goodship, A. B.
+    4874  Gore, A. J.
+  201412  Gould, A.
+    4939  Grant, G.
+   44411  Grant, G.
+    5131  Graves, T. H.
+  203255  Green, W. G.
+   32808  Greenaway, E.
+    5092  Greenough, E. J.
+    4124  Grigg, J.
+  201694  Haines, A. E.
+  201757  Haines, H. W.
+    2613  Hall, A. E.
+  201883  Hall, A. E.
+  201883  Harding, A. E.
+  203727  Harmer, H.
+    2723  Harris, J. F.
+    2881  Harvey, E. E.
+    4759  Harvey, F. W.
+  203793  Hawkes, C. J.
+    5178  Hays, J.
+    2968  Head, W.
+    1686  Heath, W. H.
+    2130  Herne, G.
+  200660  Herring, C.
+  201736  Hester, H. R.
+    5688  Higgins, A. H.
+    2380  Higgs, A. W.
+  201085  Higgs, J.
+  202365  Hill, S. A.
+   36755  Hipkiss, J. P.
+  202201  Hodges, S. G.
+  202426  Holloway, E.
+    4906  Holton, F. V.
+   37918  Hood, J.
+  202247  Hopkins, R. G.
+    2718  House, O.
+  203852  Humphries, W.
+    3382  Hunt, A.
+  203736  Ireland, G.
+   37186  Jackson, C.
+  202044  Jefferies, G. H.
+   37958  Jessel, H.
+   37939  Jones, L. L.
+  201568  Jones, T. H.
+  200293  Josey, B.
+  200196  Kinchin, H.
+  203187  King, A. E.
+    6126  King, F.
+  201455  King, H. A.
+    2616  Knott, A. T.
+  200251  Lambourne, W.
+  200834  Langford, A. B.
+  203746  Langmead, A. R.
+    6124  Lee, A. H.
+  202016  Lennard, J.
+  202041  Leonard, A.
+    3058  Leonard, R.
+  202703  Lett, G. E.
+    3113  Lewendon, A.
+    5709  Liddard, E.
+  200291  Long, D.
+    2607  Loving, H.
+    2204  Luke, W. S.
+  200783  Lunnon, P.
+   36028  Macdonald, A.
+   37913  Main, A. H.
+    3955  Maidwaring, H.
+    3198  Marshall, H. K.
+  202124  Martin, J.
+   36831  Mason, L. G. A.
+  203045  Mathers, G.
+    3166  May, C.
+  202118  May, P.
+    3836  McKay, J.
+    3060  Meads, F.
+    3809  Meads, T.
+  201494  Meads, W. H.
+   14102  Merriman, H. J. C.
+  203817  Miles, W. H.
+    1816  Miles, W. T. G.
+   18439  Millest, S. E.
+  200583  Mitcham, W. C.
+   41312  Mitchell, G.
+    2758  Moody, L. F.
+    5422  Morton, T. W.
+    2951  Muggridge, F. J.
+    2143  Mulford, F.
+  200361  Mulford, R. C. A.
+   37932  Nacowitz, J.
+  201396  Neale, G. W.
+    3193  Nelson, F.
+  200099  New, J.
+   37941  Newell, J.
+   20375  Newman, E. T.
+    1826  Noakes, A.
+  200454  Norman, J. P.
+  201765  Osborne, H. J.
+  201994  Packford, C.
+    3483  Painter, F. C.
+  202194  Panting, G. A.
+    5240  Parker, A. Y.
+  203760  Parker, H. L.
+    5653  Parsons, C. F.
+    5567  Parsons, W. H.
+  202148  Pascoe, H.
+  201839  Pearce, E. A.
+  201474  Pearce, W. A.
+   36417  Pepper, C.
+    3234  Piddington, W. J.
+    3456  Pike, W.
+   37960  Platt, R.
+  202014  Plumridge, W.
+    3032  Pocock, S. H. V.
+  201029  Pocock, S. R.
+  200310  Poole, J. H.
+    2713  Pratt, R. E.
+   36684  Prowse, W.
+  203846  Quarterman, C. F.
+    3450  Rackley, F.
+  202892  Robertson, R. H.
+    4974  Robey, W. R.
+   37169  Robinson, C. E.
+    6144  Rodman, S. H.
+    3004  Rogers, G. F. D.
+    2057  Rose, C. R.
+   18532  Rudge, S.
+  200373  Russ, E.
+  201581  Sadler, J. H.
+  203803  Sadler, T.
+    3384  Salmon, H.
+   35971  Salmon, W. H.
+   37989  Sargent, S.
+  200737  Schaffer, A.
+  201975  Searing, A.
+  202059  Searle, C.
+  202121  Searle, E.
+    2848  Selby, F. P.
+    2845  Seymour, A. J.
+    3033  Shackleford, A. F.
+  201881  Sharland, H.
+  201801  Shepherd, C.
+   37935  Skuce, W.
+    2469  Smith, A. F.
+    2378  Smith, W. T.
+   37925  Spice, A. F.
+   21830  Stevens, L.
+  203854  Stratford, W.
+    2635  Street, H. S.
+    5312  Swain, A. T.
+   36875  Taylor, G.
+  202165  Tellan, F. E.
+  203822  Thompson, J. H.
+  203781  Thorn, R. E.
+    5164  Tipping, H.
+  202174  Trather, E.
+  203782  Treadwell, W. S.
+  200054  Turner, F.
+    2639  Turner, J.
+  203300  Tyler, W.
+    1751  Tyrell, E.
+    5193  Vickers, J.
+    5729  Vockins, B. O.
+  200879  Waite, A.
+    2960  Walker, H. V.
+  201060  Walters, C. H.
+    3216  Warren, P.
+    1947  Webb, G. W.
+    2017  Webb, W. E.
+  203845  Welch, F. A.
+    5844  Wells, A.
+   19430  Werrell, W.
+  203770  Wheatcroft, A. F.
+    5197  Wheeler, F.
+    1457  Wheeler, G.
+  200986  White, C. V. T.
+    2662  White, J. H.
+    4795  White, R. J.
+    5856  Whittle, W.
+  200804  Wickens, B. E.
+  200665  Wicks, N. J.
+    5143  Wicks, W. C.
+    5553  Wicks, W. G.
+  201131  Wiggins, A. J.
+  202115  Wiles, F.
+    5638  Williams, A. G.
+    5412  Wiltshire, G.
+    2580  Wing, A. G.
+    2633  Winter, L. V.
+  201514  Witts, H.
+    2764  Woodall, R. E.
+  202000  Woodley, A. G.
+  203790  Woodley, F. W.
+  202684  Woodward, H.
+   23660  Woolford, E. J.
+    5793  Young, S.
+
+
+
+
+APPENDIX B.
+
+Honours And Decorations Gained By Officers, N.C.O.'s And Men Of The
+1st/4th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, While Serving With The
+Battalion.
+
+
+      C.M.G.
+
+    Colonel O. Pearce Serocold.
+    Lieut.-Col. R. J. Clarke.
+
+      D.S.O.
+
+    Lieut.-Col. A. B. Lloyd-Baker (Bucks Battn. attached).
+    Lieut.-Col. R. J. Clarke.
+    Capt. W. A. Wetherilt.
+
+      M.C.
+
+    Major J. N. Aldworth.
+    Capt. S. Boyle.
+    Capt. G. M. Gaythorne-Hardy.
+    Capt. O. B. Challenor.
+    Capt. W. O. Down.
+    Capt. D. J. Ward.
+    Capt. O. M. James.
+    Capt. E. W. Crust.
+    Capt. B. F. Holmes (Norfolk Regt. attached).
+    Capt. J. W. Cawley.
+    Capt. G. C. W. Gregory (East Surrey Regt. attached).
+    Capt. L. Ball (R.A.M.C. attached).
+    Capt. L. T. Goodenough.
+    Capt. S. C. Larn.
+
+    Lieut. W. O. Forder.
+    Lieut. P. G. Handford (Wilts Regt. attached).
+    Lieut. T. Rogers.
+    Lieut. A. O. Stott.
+    Lieut. H. T. Wevill.
+    2nd/Lieut. E. E. Millar (Wilts Regt. attached).
+
+    200005  C.S.M., A. G. Rider.
+    201108  C.S.M., W. H. Heath.
+
+      DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL.
+
+    200024  R.S.M. Laidler, A. H.
+    200546  Sergt. Wright, A. T.
+      3134  Sergt. Rogers, T.
+        65  Sergt. White, S.
+    203794  Sergt. Gilding, F.
+    200569  Sergt. White, W. T.
+    [A]405  Sergt. Westall, A. G.
+    200034  Sergt. Roberts, W. A.
+    201115  Sergt. Wilson, W.
+    200052  Sergt. Holloway, T.
+    200756  Sergt. Salmon, J. H.
+    200500  Sergt. Moore, S. W.
+    203791  C.S.M. Alder, G.
+      4749  Pte. Appleby, J.
+      2594  Pte. Sadler, G.
+
+[Footnote A: _denotes award of Bar to D.C.M._]
+
+      MILITARY MEDAL.
+
+        12  Sergt. Beasley, A. W.
+       445  Sergt. Wickens, R. A.
+    203809  L/Cpl. Ranscombe, W.
+       142  Sergt. Shorter, G.
+      2035  Pte. Sellwood, P.
+      3128  Pte. Ross, B. A.
+      4968  Pte. Wernham, H. W.
+   [B]3120  L/Cpl. Rixon, W.
+      2439  L/Cpl. Davies, E. L.
+      2612  L/Cpl. Rice, R.
+      2646  Corpl. Cooke, W.
+ [B]200814  Pte. Mitchell, R.
+       144  Pte. Smith, S.
+      2629  Pte. Russell, T.
+      1547  Sergt. Goodenough, L. T.
+      2768  Corpl. Crust, E. W.
+    200150  Sergt. Garrett, E. J.
+    200633  Pte. Lambden, R. E.
+    200426  Sergt. Millican, H.
+    200847  L/Cpl. De Gruchy, H.
+    200620  Sergt. Martin, S.
+    200647  Sergt. Seeley, C. L.
+    203875  L/Sergt. Baylis, L. G.
+    200661  L/Cpl. Slatter, S. G.
+    201824  Pte. Breadmore, F.
+    200846  Sergt. White, H. G.
+    200406  Sergt. Paddick, H.
+    200373  Pte. Russ, E.
+    200682  Sergt. Fuller, B. H.
+     20649  L/Cpl. Mazey, J.
+      2772  Pte. Hutchings, G. W.
+      2252  Sergt. Evans, A.
+      3143  Corpl. Hart, H.
+      1858  Pte. Oliver, M. W.
+      8362  Corpl. Allen, W.
+    200675  Sergt. Shaw, E.
+    200263  Sergt. Harman, C. H.
+     37317  Corpl. White, N. B.
+    200356  Corpl. Withers, A. V.
+     38157  Pte. Black, D.
+    203850  Corpl. Cripps, H. J.
+    201508  Pte. Rackley, A.
+     36644  Pte. Edmunds, F.
+     26031  L/Cpl. Lloyd, L. V.
+    203873  Sergt. Thatcher, A.
+    200905  Pte. Robinson, F. W.
+    201115  Sergt. Wilson, W.
+     36796  Pte. Cooksey, E. H.
+    202187  Pte. Disbury, C.
+    200500  Sergt. Moore, S. W.
+    200256  Corpl. Duncan, J. A.
+      1794  L/Cpl. Sargent, E. N.
+      1140  Sergt. Holloway, T.
+    203771  L/Cpl. Stratton, W. W.
+     37937  L/Cpl. Rogers, S.
+    200485  Corpl. Childs, F. W.
+    200562  Pte. Clare, H. H.
+    203812  L/Cpl. Parris, A. T.
+    201775  Pte. Cund, F.
+    201917  Pte. Curtis, C. W.
+    200796  Pte. Stokes, W. J.
+    201505  Sergt. Prior, S. C.
+    200215  Pte. Carter, A.
+    203772  Pte. Cartland, J.
+    200216  L/Cpl. Bricks, H. A.
+    203862  Pte. Wiggins, C. W.
+    201753  Pte. Evans, G.
+    201796  L/Cpl. Thomas, M.
+    200877  L/Cpl. Freeman, J.
+     34146  Pte. Tyrrell, F.
+    202165  Pte. Crouch, W. J.
+    202244  L/Cpl. Edwards, H. F.
+     21799  Pte. Brooks, F. J.
+    201383  Pte. Hopkins, F.
+     17048  Pte. Fisher, A.
+    201776  Corpl. Sturgess, A. H.
+
+[Footnote B: _denotes award of Bar to Military Medal._]
+
+      MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL.
+
+    200423  C.Q.M.S. Pitman, C. E.
+    200063  C.Q.M.S. Snarey, F. A.
+    200019  C.Q.M.S. Hatton, E. S.
+    200849  Sergt. Grover, F. R.
+    200549  Sergt. Morris, W. H.
+    203829  L/Cpl. Kurton, C.
+    203753  Pte. Meads, H. H.
+
+      MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES.
+
+    Colonel O. Pearce Serocold (twice).
+    Lieut.-Col. R. J. Clarke (three times).
+    Lieut.-Col. A. B. Lloyd-Baker (twice) (Bucks Battn. attached).
+
+    Major G. A. Battcock (twice).
+    Major J. N. Aldworth (twice).
+    Capt. A. G. M. Sharpe.
+    Capt. G. M. Gaythorne-Hardy.
+    Capt. R. G. Attride.
+    Capt. O. B. Challenor.
+    Capt. L. Ball (R.A.M.C. attached).
+    Capt. A. C. Hughes.
+    Capt. O. M. James.
+    Capt. F. Winsloe.
+    Capt. W. A. Wetherilt.
+    Lieut. R. A. Hogarth.
+    Lieut. J. Payne.
+    Lieut. R. W. Wells.
+    2/Lieut. C. A. Freeman.
+
+            R.S.M. Hanney, W. C.
+            R.S.M. Hogarth, R. A.
+      2361  R.Q.M.S. Borton, E.
+    200024  C.S.M. Laidler, A. H.
+    200427  Sergt. Gutteridge, A.
+    200756  Sergt. Salmon, J. H.
+    203798  Sergt. Neal, S.
+    200540  Sergt. Monney, J. T.
+    200084  Sergt. Palmer, F.
+      1179  Sergt. Beaver, H.
+    200532  Sergt. Higgs, W. A. E. (twice).
+    200848  Sergt. Gale, A.
+    200947  L/Sergt. Earle, W.
+    200072  Corpl. Eggleton, A. E.
+    200356  Corpl. Withers, A. V. (twice).
+    200415  Corpl. Peacock, W. J.
+    200040  Corpl. Poulter, E.
+    200275  Corpl. Croft, J.
+       899  Corpl. Collier, G. H.
+    203182  L/Cpl. Parris, L.
+    200810  L/Cpl. Shaw, A. E.
+     17048  Pte. Fisher, A.
+    202196  Pte. Hardy, T. E.
+    200562  Pte. Clare, H. H.
+     38172  Pte. Jukes, F.
+
+
+      FOREIGN DECORATIONS.
+
+      FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE.
+
+    Lieut.-Col. H. F. Whitehead (E. Lancs. Regt. attached).
+    203842  Pte. Holley, P. F.
+
+      BELGIAN CROIX DE GUERRE.
+
+    200415  Corpl. Peacock, W. J.
+
+      ITALIAN SILVER MEDAL FOR VALOUR.
+
+    Capt. J. W. Cawley.
+    Capt. W. A. Wetherilt.
+    Lieut. A. O. Stott.
+    203791  C.S.M. Alder, G.
+
+      ITALIAN BRONZE MEDAL FOR VALOUR.
+
+    Lieut. O. Buxton.
+    203846  Sergt. Gilbey, O.
+     38157  Pte. Black, D.
+
+      ITALIAN CROCE DI GUERRA.
+
+    Lieut.-Col. A. B. Lloyd-Baker (Bucks Battn. attached).
+    202235  Sergt. Hill, A. J.
+    200569  Sergt. White, W. T.
+    203850  Corpl. Cripps, H. J.
+    201753  Pte. Evans, G.
+     36796  Pte. Cooksey, E. H.
+
+      FRENCH OFFICIER DU MERITE D'AGRICOLE.
+
+    Lieut.-Col. R. J. Clarke.
+
+      FRENCH CHEVALIER DU MERITE D'AGRICOLE.
+
+    Major J. N. Aldworth.
+
+
+[Illustration: Lieut.-Col. R. J. CLARKE, C.M.G., D.S.O., T.D.
+Commanding From 14 Feb. 1916 To 13 April, 1918.]
+
+[Illustration: Lieut.-Col. A. B. LLOYD-BAKER, D.S.O., T.D.
+Commanding From 13 April, 1918 To 1 September, 1918.]
+
+
+
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