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diff --git a/43969-0.txt b/43969-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a669782 --- /dev/null +++ b/43969-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3700 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43969 *** + + Transcriber's Note: + + Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as + possible, including inconsistent use of accents. Some changes have + been made. They are listed at the end of the text. Illustrations + have been moved. + + Italic text has been marked with _underscores_. + + + + + [Illustration] + + With the Ulster Division + in France. + + _From Bordon to Thiepval._ + + _A Story of the 11th Battalion + ROYAL IRISH RIFLES + (South Antrim Volunteers)._ + + + + + THIS BOOK + IS + Dedicated to the people of Ulster + + [Illustration] + + In remembrance of those + who have given their lives + for their King and Country. + + + + + WITH + THE ULSTER DIVISION + IN FRANCE. + + A STORY OF THE 11th BATTALION + ROYAL IRISH RIFLES + (South Antrim Volunteers), + + From BORDON to THIEPVAL. + + IN FOUR PARTS, + INCLUDING PHOTOGRAPHS AND MAPS. + BY + A.P.I.S. AND D.G.S. + + [Illustration: QUIS SEPARABIT] + + "The sequel of to-day unsolders all + The goodliest fellowship of famous knights + Whereof this world holds record: + Such a sleep they sleep--the men I loved, + I think that we shall never more, at any future time, + Delight our souls with talk of knightly deeds + Walking about the gardens and the halls + Of Camelot, as in the days that were." + + _From "The Passing of Arthur,"_ + --LORD TENNYSON. + + + BELFAST: + WILLIAM MULLAN & SON, 4 DONEGALL PLACE. + + + + +[Illustration: THE KING REVIEWING THE ULSTER DIVISION.] + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The appearance of this little book needs a word of explanation. While +at the front with the Ulster Division, the late Captain A. P. I. +Samuels, had kept a very complete record of events, and collected +all the material available, with the object of being in a position, +some day, to publish an account of the doings of the Division, and +particularly of his own Battalion, the 11th Royal Irish Rifles (South +Antrim Volunteers.) It has been willed, however, that he should not be +spared to carry out his intention. Like so many of his gallant comrades +he gave his life for his country, being killed in action on September +24th, 1916. His name is now on Ulster's Roll of Honour, among those +whose death has brought unspeakable grief to thousands of our homes, +and yet has filled the hearts of Ulstermen and women with pride, and +bequeathed such renown to our Province as will last while it endures. +His papers, and the materials he had gathered have naturally come into +my hands, and I have endeavoured, though in a very small and inadequate +manner, to carry out the purpose for which they were collected. + +This little book does not profess to be in any way a history of the +Ulster Division, nor even of the 11th Batt. Royal Irish Rifles. Being +compiled from the diary of Captain Samuels, supplemented by the records +he was able to obtain, its scope is necessarily limited, and the story +closes with the historic advance of the Ulster Division on the Somme at +Thiepval on 1st July, 1916. In some respects this necessary limitation +is a fitting one. To many in Ulster this great event marks in reality +the passing of the glorious Division recruited during the first six +months of the war, trained by Battalions in various camps in Ireland, +and finally, as a Complete Division, at Seaford and Borden, before +being sent to France. True, those permitted to survive that awful shock +of July 1st, and those drafts in reserve at home remained to carry +the fame of Ulster to Messines Ridge and Cambrai, but the Division +was never again quite the same as before that memorable day. At that +time it was unique. All its members were identified with the Northern +Province. Each Battalion was recruited from some particular part, and +even small districts and villages were represented separately in the +Companies and Platoons. It was inevitable that after the Somme battle +distinctive units should become merged, and that as the war progressed +officers and men should find their way to the 36th Division who were +not strictly representative of Ulster. + +It is hoped that these memoirs may be of interest to Ulster people as +describing the everyday life of a unit of their Division during its +first eight months in France before the novelty of the life in billets +and in trenches had worn off, and become merely monotonous, and while +the point of view was still that of the native Ulsterman rather than +the British soldier. + +[Illustration: THE REVIEW OF THE ULSTER DIVISION.] + + + + +PART I. + + +We fell in at 4 o'clock on the afternoon of October 4, 1915, on the +parade ground of St. Lucia Barracks, Borden. So mechanical a proceeding +is a regimental parade, and so extremely heavy were the packs that +we carried, that there was little opportunity for pondering over the +changed conditions that we were soon to undergo. As far as the men were +concerned--and the same applied to a large number of the officers--they +had left their homes and all that home implied when they left Ireland +three months before. + +As we marched to the station we were struck by the apathy displayed +by the few civilians we saw. There was no cheering, waving of +handkerchiefs, or kissing of hands; even the children, making mud +pies on the side of the road did not trouble to look up. We were only +one of the many units that had passed down that same road during the +previous fourteen months. It was almost an everyday sight now for the +people who lived there to see regiments entraining for France. So it +was, that as we marched down the short road to Borden station, we felt +that we were only going on our business, and that those plain-clothed +civilians--many of them young and physically fit men--were going on +theirs. At Borden station the somewhat questionable spirits of the men +were revived by large cups of excellent tea, brought round by ladies, +a parting kindness which was greatly appreciated, and which none of +us will forget. The first train, with Brigade Headquarters, Battalion +Headquarters, and A and B Companies, steamed out of the station at 5-10 +p.m., followed at 5-35 by the second train with C and D Companies. +Blinds were drawn in the carriages soon after starting, and with only +one stop the train ran through to Folkestone Pier, where we went on +board the transport "Onward." At 9-35 p.m. we left the shores of +England, bound for France and the unknown. A war-time cross-channel +steamer, converted into a troopship for short runs, is as uncomfortable +a form of craft as one can wish to sail in, and the "Onward" was no +exception to the rule. In addition to our battalion there were several +drafts, principally from Scotch regiments, on board. Luckily it was a +fine, warm night, and the sea was as smooth as glass. The dining-room +and lounge were boarded up and stripped as bare as a barrack floor, +while the corridors, and every available inch of accommodation below +were packed with men, in all those extraordinary attitudes, recumbent +and sprawling, which the sleeping Tommy can only adopt. On deck it was +just the same, and quite impossible to walk from one end of the boat to +the other. There were strict orders against smoking on deck, and the +task of the unfortunate officer, whose sense of duty was sufficiently +strong to prevent him from winking at any breach of discipline, was +unenviable. A cigarette, like Nerissa's candle, throws a long beam, +and every effort to reach the culprit was fraught with such curses and +mutterings from the bodies over which one stumbled, that it would have +disheartened even the adamant spirit of the Secretary for War himself. + +We reached Boulogne at 11-30 p.m., and, after the usual disembarkation +formalities, in which the Disembarkation Officers and R.T.O.'s always +seem to exercise their unlimited powers to the full, the Battalion fell +in by companies about 300 yards down the pier. In the darkness and +heavy rain which now began to fall this proceeding took a considerable +amount of time, but after half an hour we moved off, all thoroughly +soaked through. At the best of times the way from the pier at Boulogne +to the Rest Camp, some distance out of the town, is not pleasant, +but that October night it was particularly bad. The streets were wet +and slippery, the men heavily laden with blankets and equipment, and +the road up to the Rest Camp led up a steep incline. The leading +company, however, stepped out at their normal pace. A few, mindful of +the landing of the original Expeditionary Force, and the ever famous +"Tipperary" scenes, burst into song, but the Frenchman retires early to +bed, and, with the exception of one long, thin arm fluttering a pocket +handkerchief from a top window, we saw no sign of life in the deserted +streets. After a very steep climb of about two miles, we came to the +Rest Camp, and a series of gasoline flares lit up the muddy flats on +which the tents were pitched. The mud, ankle deep, sucked up round our +boots, and torrents of rain danced in the puddles. It was a matter of +ten minutes before each company was allotted its area, and after that, +in less time than it takes to tell, the sleep, which only those who +have spent a night in a Rest Camp at Boulogne know, had fallen on all. + +The day after we landed was an easy one. No orders came as to moving, +and the time was spent by our men in parading about the camp, sleeping, +and talking to the numerous women and small boys who wandered round +the railings, clamouring for "biscuit," "penny," or "bully beef." So +urgent was the appeal for these commodities, that the men took it for +granted that the entire population of France was starving, and handed +over that somewhat elusive "unconsumed portion" of the previous day's +ration, or any that remained of it. As the day wore on and word was +received that there would be no move until the following morning, some +of the officers were allowed into town in the afternoon. Boulogne in +war-time is not an interesting place, and an hour was sufficient for +exploration purposes. With the exception of a few French territorials, +guarding the bridges and railway station, the town seemed to be +entirely handed over to the British, whose motor ambulances glided in +every direction. The "Cambria," with her green and white topsides and +large Red Cross flag at her masthead, lay alongside at the quay, a +sight to make one home-sick, which brought one's mind back to Dublin +Bay and Kingstown Harbour in the days of peace. It rained off and on +all day, and was bitterly cold, an early foretaste of the bitter winds +we were to experience in France. We fell in next morning, Wednesday, +6th October, at 10-15, and marched to the Central station, where we +entrained. Speculation was rife as to where we were going, whether +Belgium, which savoured of Ypres and all that that name implied, or +the new line between Arras and the Somme. The latter was a sector taken +over by the British from the French in the July preceding, and had the +name of being quiet and pleasant compared to the more northerly parts +of the line. As the day wore on and we steamed South through Abbeville, +and finally came to Amiens, there was no doubt as to our destination. +From Amiens we moved on to a side line, and at 6-15 came to Flesselles, +a small town about 15 miles south of Amiens, where we detrained. It +was a lovely autumn evening, and with a slight breeze blowing from the +East, and as we stood fallen in ready to move off from the station, we +heard the low rumble and occasional growl of a big gun. From Flesselles +we had to march some twelve kilometres to Rubenpre, which was to be +our billeting town. Very heavily laden as we all were, officers and +men, again the mistake was made of setting too fast a pace. It was an +exceptionally warm evening, the men were tired, hungry and thirsty, +after the long train journey, and as an hour, and then two, passed by, +and we still appeared to be some distance from our town, the softer +hearts in the battalion collapsed. There is no necessity to dwell on +the unpleasant memories of our first route march in France; it was the +most trying experience for both officers and men that we had for many a +long day. As we marched East, and as the night grew darker, the flares, +and the lurid flashes of gunfire became more vivid, and helped to +keep up the interest of the men and distract their attention from the +general weariness; at any rate we were, after eleven months' training, +getting to the "Front" at last. + +[Illustration: RUBENPRÉ.] + +When we reached Rubenpré, at 11 o'clock at night, many of the men +done up and all very tired, we halted at the head of the village. The +second in command had gone on the previous day with the advance party +to arrange the billeting, but in the darkness, of a more than usually +dark night, the result of his effort was practically impossible to +find. The village consisted, as far as one could judge by the light +of electric torches or matches, of a series of long barns with doors +most of which were barred and bolted, and presented a remarkably +inhospitable appearance. A few days before we had left Borden we +had been paraded, and in the course of a ten minutes' harangue, the +Commanding Officer had dwelt upon the good name of the battalion, +and its excellent conduct while in England. He told the men that he +relied on them to maintain that high record in the country to which +they were going. Especially he told them to respect the religious +susceptibilities of the people. "Hanging over your beds in your billets +you will find crucifixes, pictures of the Virgin Mary, and the Saints, +and other emblems of the Roman Catholic Church and religion. You will +respect these emblems, and remember that you and your Allies have +come to free these people from the Germans." So throughout that march +from Flesselles to Rubenpré, the men had before them the vision and +anticipation of feather beds which all the saints in the catalogue +might adorn, so long as it was a bed. No such luck, however, as +feather beds could be hoped for in the land which the men had already +christened "No man's land." So dark was the night, and so impossible +to find were the billets allotted to each Company, that after nearly +half-an-hour's halt at the entrance to the village, Company Commanders +and Officers took the matter into their own hands, threw off their +packs and equipment on the side of the street, and led their worn-out +men down the village. They burst open the doors of barns, and put in, +here 20, there 30, men, despite the irate remonstrances of the owners, +often punctuated by some shrill scream from some female proprietor, +who thought that at any rate her last hour had come. At length, on +straw and hay, on floors hard and soft, everyone found a bed, and, +tired, as they were, one or two were heard to mutter, Orangemen though +they might be, that they wouldn't mind a bed even if the picture of +the Pope himself hung at the head. In this part of France there are +no farms. The country is dotted at intervals of a kilometre or two +with villages, some small, some large, mostly the same in appearance, +with their orchards, and grey church spires sticking up above the +knots of trees. All round these villages the country stretches away +in gently rolling plains, like a great checkerboard, no ditches or +hedges, reminding one of what England must have looked like in the days +of the "common field" system. This part of the country is intensely +cultivated, not an inch of land is allowed to go to waste, and in +war time the work is done entirely by young girls and old women. A +young man was never seen, either in the fields or villages; there +seemed to be few old men, and the small boys spend most of their day +at school. These Picard villages are intensely dirty, and Rubenpre +was even dirtier than most of them. The barns were in a bad state +of repair, and the yards were swimming with filthy water from the +great heaps of manure which were piled up in front of each house, +often right up against the windows, yet, curiously enough, the houses +themselves were in most cases neat and clean. The houses are built of +laths, plastered with mud and straw, poor in construction, and, owing +to lack of men, in many cases whole villages presented a dilapidated +and tumbled-down appearance. Rubenpré was, therefore, an inhospitable +place, and the reception we received from the people themselves was +not what we expected. We felt that we had come to the country to fight +for the people, and to free them from the enemy; in other words we +looked upon ourselves in a mild way as deliverers, and felt to a small +extent that we were entitled to be received as such. But our eyes were +soon opened,--those bolted barns and inhospitable entrances were an +index of the regard in which the people held us; we were received with +suspicion, and often with dislike, in every village to which we came +during our long peregrinations in Picardy. It speaks volumes for our +men to be able to say, as we can say with truth, that we always went +away with the good wishes and blessings of the people, and there were +many in the battalion who, when a day off came, would walk eight or +ten miles to revisit some of their French friends. It was only after +we had been some time in the country that we discovered the reason for +this coldness. Robbed first of all by the Germans, they had endured +successive invasions of Zouave, English, Scotch, and Indian troops, and +now an Irish Division, a form of terror formerly unknown was thrust +upon them in its entirety. We saw that there was a certain amount to be +said for their apparent inhospitality, and put up with it. + +The first couple of days at Rubenpré were devoted to "shaking down." As +far as my Company was concerned, we were, on the whole, fortunate with +regard to our billets. There was at first a lack of straw, but this +was soon remedied, and the men very soon accustomed themselves to the +novelty of their surroundings. Large fatigue parties were put on from +each Company, and within a week the town was cleaner than it had been +for many a long day. The people looked on with quiet amusement, but +they too soon became resigned to what they considered the British mania +for cleaning. + +Battalion headquarters were in a cottage, and at first a battalion +officers' mess was tried in an estaminet which had a room in which +a stove was riveted in the centre. In a short time, however, the +difficulty of running a four company and headquarters mess in the same +house became apparent, and two companies, A and B, seceded and formed a +mess of their own in another café. C Company and headquarters remained +in the same house, but before we had been many weeks in France the +advantages of company messes became evident. Our company headquarters +was in a disused and rather tumbled down house, but it had a good +orchard and field behind, which we used for musketry and range finding. +In return for the use of the house, we lent the owner a few men every +day as a help to thresh his corn and milk his cows. There was no lack +of fresh milk, eggs, potatoes, and apples. Eggs cost three sous each, +milk four sous per litre. + +We remained at Rubenpré for about two weeks, and during that time had +the usual routine of parades and training as at home. We were inspected +by the G.O.C. Third Army, Sir Charles Munro, who expressed himself very +pleased with our bearing on parade. We had two or three brigade field +days and one divisional day, the latter the first divisional exercise +under the eyes of our new G.O.C. Division, General Nugent. The remarks +of our General on the day's performance were, to say the least of +them, hardly as complimentary as we should have wished. They left an +impression on the minds of those who heard them that will never fade, +and they had their effect on all ranks. + +[Illustration: MAILLY-MAILLET.] + +[Illustration: MAILLY-MAILLET SUCRIER.] + +On 18th October we left Rubenpré to go up to the line for that +instruction period which everyone in the New Army in France knows +so well. As we got nearer to the line the sound of the guns became +more distinct, and the tiny puffs of white smoke in the sky from +the German aircraft guns was the first sign of the nearness of the +trenches. The country was just the same as at Rubenpre every inch +cultivated. At Varennes we were met by a band of the South Lancs., +and played through the town and along the road as far as Forceville. +Here we halted in a field for dinners. After dinners we fell in, and +marched off by companies at ten minutes' interval, for we were now +within the zone of artillery fire, being about 3½ miles from the +trenches. It was only when we left Forceville that we saw any change +in the aspect of the country. We now passed several lines of heavily +wired trenches, which made long, white streaks across the otherwise +brown and regular landscape. In other respects there were the same +signs of intensive agriculture as far behind the line. We reached, +at length, Mailly-Maillet, which was to be our billeting town during +the instructional period. In peace time Mailly-Maillet had evidently +been a very pretty little town of about 1,000 to 1,500 inhabitants, +considerably better built and evidently much more prosperous than +any of the villages we had seen since we came to France. There was a +chateau with a fine avenue of elms which had its entrance on one side +of the main street. The chateau was a Brigade Headquarters, while the +avenue of elms was used as a park for transport, and was crowded with +limbers and G.S. waggons up to the axles in mud. There was not a pane +of glass to be seen in any of the houses; many were without doors, +and some were pierced by great shell holes. Generally Mailly-Maillet +had a dejected and war-worn appearance. A battery of howitzers close +by caused all the window-frames in the place to shake, and every now +and then a few slates would come tumbling down. As the town was +full of troops, and we were an additional battalion, our billets were +very poor. The men were in a very bad outhouse with little straw, +while C Company Headquarters was an empty room with a tile floor in an +extremely rickety condition. The first few days in Mailly were devoted +to working parties. A Company was attached to the 1st Batt. Essex +Regt., B Company to the 8th South Lancs., and C to the 1st Batt. Kings +Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, and D Company to the 2nd Royal Lancaster +Fusiliers; all belonging to the 12th Brigade of the 4th Division. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration: IN TRAINING BEHIND THE LINES.] + +The more or less eventful period of instruction which C Company +experienced with the King's Own began on the night of 19th October, +when No. 11 and 12 platoons working at the second line trenches on +the Mailly-Serre Road, were fired on by a machine gun. It was the +christening. On the 21st we paraded at 5-30 a.m. and with guides from +the King's Own supplied to each platoon, marched to the trenches by +platoons at five minutes' interval. The front held by the King's Own +ran from the Serre Road on the right to slightly below and to the +left of La Ligny farm. On our left was the Essex Regiment, while on +our right were the Lancs. Fusiliers. No. 12 platoon was attached to +A Company of the King's Own on the right of the Batt. line; No. 10 +was attached to C Company in the centre; No. 11 to B Company on the +left, and No. 9 to D Company in reserve. I was with B Company on the +left with Vance. The line held by the 12th Brigade formed part of the +trenches taken from the Germans by the French in the preceding June. +These trenches, known as the "Toutvent" trenches, had been subjected to +a prolonged bombardment by the French. The latter would cease firing at +intervals, during which the Germans would man the front line, and on +the bombardment recommencing would retire to their dug-outs. This sort +of thing went on for over a fortnight, and finally, one morning, the +Germans got tired of coming out of their dugouts when the bombardment +stopped, and the French swept down from their trenches behind La +Ligny farm, and caught them. The victorious French advanced as far as +the village of Serre, but had to fall back in the face of a terrific +German counter attack, and eventually took up their position in what +had been the old German second line. This trench they consolidated and +held. The regiment which took the trenches was a local one, consisting +of men from the region around Hebuterne, Mailly, and Bapaume. There +had been reports of terrible outrages committed by the Germans on the +villages behind the lines, and evidence was found in the trenches +themselves to prove the truth of these reports. The story goes that +little quarter was given, and the French took few prisoners, the +Germans, caught like rats in a trap, being bombed in their dugouts. + +B Company of the King's Own, to which I was attached, had its +headquarters in a dugout known as "The Catacombs." Built by the +Germans, no labour had been spared to make it shellproof and +comfortable. Twenty feet deep, cut out of solid chalk, it was about +twenty yards long by seven feet broad. It was divided into sections +for signallers, mess, and servants' quarters, but into the wall from +the mess were nooks containing beds for six officers. The whole inside +of this dugout was riveted with massive planks four to six inches in +thickness. There were five entrances approached by flights of steep, +narrow steps. This was typical of the living dugouts in this hive of +trenches. The English never built dugouts like this one in front line +trenches, owing to the difficulty of getting men out of them in a hurry +in case of emergency, and time after time they have proved death traps +to the Germans themselves. The method of training for a battalion up +for instruction is as follows:--Officers, N.C.O.'s and men are attached +to their opposite numbers. Company Commander to Company Commander, +Platoon Commander to Platoon Commander, sergeant to sergeant, corporal +to corporal, and sentry to sentry. For three nights this proceeding +is carried out, then, on the fourth night, the instructing companies +withdraw to reserve, and each company takes over a sector of line on +its own. Thus, bit by bit the officers and men are broken in. The +first night we were in the trenches was an ideal one. A full moon made +things easy, and it was quite possible to get the lie of the trenches +and those of the enemy. Opposite B Company the Germans were about 100 +to 120 yards away; in the centre their trenches ran to within 40 yards, +and on the right about 100. There were a number of "saps" formed out of +what had originally been old German communication trenches. Sand bag +barricades built by each side in these formed the "sap heads." In one +"sap" these barricades were about 15 feet from each other. + +One may forget the incidents of one's first night in the trenches, +but one never forgets the first dawn. Gradually, out of the darkness, +things begin to take upon themselves their proper shapes. The first +impression is that of desolation, for there is nothing so utterly +forsaken or forlorn as "No man's land" at first grey dawn. A maze of +misty barbed wire, some in loose coils lying on the ground, some draped +from stumps and stakes driven in at all angles, some in shell holes, +all in a shapeless and indescribable jumble, stretches for about three +yards in depth in front of the parapet. Then there is that desolate and +shell-pocketed strip of land which terminates with the German wire, and +beyond that again great heaps of chalk and brown earth begin to appear +as the daylight comes. These are the German trenches, and behind them +is the rolling country out of which the sun now begins to rise; country +that is in the hands of the Germans, away beyond the pale. Those +coils of rusty wire, hung on the rickety posts, form the boundary of +civilization. + +[Illustration: ONE OF THE SERGEANTS OF "C" COMPANY IN THE TRENCHES.] + +[Illustration: IN THE TRENCHES.] + +The 22nd of October promised to be the most lovely day. Except for the +usual amount of desultory rifle and machine-gun fire at "stand to," +there was nothing to show that the Germans were about to depart from +the normal state of inactivity that characterised the warfare on this +sector of the front. About 8 a.m. a corporal of the King's Own who had +been doing observation work reported that the Germans had removed all +their own wire, with the exception of a few strands, on their front +opposite the sector held by C and B Companies. This Captain Woodgate, +commanding B Company, confirmed himself. In the "Comic Cuts," or +Corps' Summary, of the previous day it was noted that the enemy had +also removed his wire opposite the line held by the French, north of +Hebuterne. The natural conclusion was, therefore, that he was going +to attack. The state of the wire in front of our own trenches was +wretched. A month before, during the period of fighting in Champagne +and the battle of Loos, the wire all along the front had been removed +in readiness for a possible advance, and little trouble had been taken +to replace it afterwards. At 9-35 a.m., Woodgate, Vance, Brown (one +of Woodgate's subalterns), and myself were having breakfast in the +"Catacomb." Suddenly--"whiz-bang, whiz-bang" right at the door of the +dugout. The blast from the shells knocked the cups and plates off the +table. There was a pause for a second, then a terrific explosion which +shook the whole earth. In half a minute we had on our equipment, and +Woodgate, followed by myself, Brown, and Vance, ran up the stairs of +the dug-out. The air was full of dust, and the ground in front of +us seemed to be in a blaze of bursting shells. "This way," called +Woodgate, and following him we ran down a communication trench leading +to the front line. We had only gone a few yards when we ran into a +man rushing back, blood pouring from his shoulder and arm. Woodgate +stopped and caught hold of him, calling to us to run on. We ran down +the trench, bending low, for a hail of shells was passing us and +bursting on all sides. In a few seconds Woodgate caught us up again. I +led, then Brown, Woodgate, and Vance. Suddenly, just round a curve in +the trench, and about ten yards in front of me, there was a terrific +explosion. I was lifted clean off my feet into the air, and thrown +flat on my stomach on the ground. Almost simultaneously another shell +hit the top of the trench, and before I could think where I was, or +recover my breath, the whole side of the trench leant over, and fell +on top of me. It was a wonderful sensation, and I remember saying to +myself aloud: "I wonder when this is going to stop." Still the earth +kept falling, and the weight on my shoulders and the small of my back +became oppressive. One thing was pleasing, there was dead silence under +ground. I began to heave with my shoulders, and took a deep breath. +There was no difficulty in breathing as the earth seemed full of air. +On the second heave I felt I was able to move, and after what seemed +ages I got my head and shoulders clear. I was firmly fixed from my +waist down, but in less than a minute had dragged myself out. I looked +round, and saw that the entire trench had been filled in. There was no +sign of any of the others, but a small bit of British warm coat was +sticking out of the hole where I had been which represented Brown. I +got hold of it and pulled hard. Gradually Brown emerged, cursing like +a trooper, and spitting clay out of his mouth. With little difficulty +we got Woodgate out, and Vance appeared behind him. We then ran on, +and when we came to the fire trench Woodgate called out: "Get the men +out of the living trench into the front line." The living trench was +one running just behind and parallel to the fire trench. In it were a +large number of what were called "funk holes," scooped out of the front +of the trench, in which the men slept when off duty. Leading from each +company in the fire trench there was a passage to the living trench. +It should be explained that by day the minimum number of men possible +are on duty in the fire trench. Sentry duty is most exhausting work, +and it is possible for one man by day to suffice where it would take +ten or even twenty men by night. In a company frontage of perhaps 500 +to 600 yards three sentries, one to each platoon would be ample in the +firing line provided there was a clear field of view to the front; +but of course it is entirely a matter of situation and the nature of +the ground. Woodgate called to me: "You take the two centre platoons +and get everyone into the trench as quickly as possible." I ran along +the living trench rousing the men, who despite the terrific din of +bursting shells were mostly sound asleep, and telling them to get +out. Shells were falling mostly in the living trench and just behind +it, and I had to go round by way of the fire trench as the passage +behind was blocked up. Meanwhile the air was thick with flying debris +of every kind--posts, iron sheets, great baulks of timber were flying +everywhere as the enemy blew our wire to bits. In particular I watched +with fascination, a sheet of corrugated iron, blown from the roof of +a dug-out, which flew about in the air like a card, and dashed hither +and thither, finally coming down with a great slant on the parados of +the bay next to where I was. It is no easy matter to wake the sleeping +soldier, and as I worked my way down the living trench I thought I +would never get the men out of the dug-outs. Here and there, however, +where a bit of trench had been blown in, men were creeping out, pulling +their rifles from under the fallen clay. At last, after what seemed +an age, they began to file into the bays. The front trench was very +narrow, deep, and well sand-bagged, and once they had thoroughly +realised what was going on they knew it was the safest place. Owing +to the double number in the trenches nearly every bay was manned by +at least two men. Bayonets were fixed, and ten rounds fixed into the +magazine, and we felt quite ready for what I expected would come any +minute. The shell fire now became terrific, and practically the whole +living line was filled in, the shells just missing the front line and +lighting on the step of ground some ten yards inside separating it from +the living trench. Curiously enough no shells were lighting in the +fire trench. Two bays on the right of the two platoons under my charge +had been knocked in during the first few minutes of the bombardment. +They formed a small salient, and presented a very easy target to the +enemy, whose artillery was mostly operating from Serre wood. Once the +fire trench was manned there was little to do except go up and down the +trench and see that all was well. The stuff the Germans were sending +over was composed of every imaginable form of ordnance. The biggest +shells were probably eight inch, and the air was thick with aerial +torpedoes, minenwerfer, and oil drums. The latter came hurling through +the air turning over and over and exploding with a terrific crack, +making a very large crater. Aerial torpedoes, designed more for moral +effect than to cause actual damage, burst with a nerve shattering +explosion. I noticed that the closer one was to a bursting shell or +aerial torpedo the less the noise, it was more of a sharp click, the +greatest effect would be at almost 30 yards, under that the sound +did not seem so great, though the concussion of course was terrific. +Meanwhile the Germans, though they had blown most of our wire away +showed no signs of attacking. It was just one of those small intensive +bombardments known at the front as "a morning hate" or "straffe." +When this had lasted about an hour and a half, our artillery began to +retaliate. Those were the days when ammunition was precious, and each +battery strictly limited. It was a pleasant sound, however, to hear +the whiz of our own shells overhead and see a great mass of earth rise +from the German lines, and this had a marvellous effect on the men. +They at once became cheerful, the Lancashire men especially. "Thar goes +a Lloyd George for you," as the whiz of a heavy shell like an express +train overhead was heard. "Bah, he's a dud." "Say, Jock, the lassie +'as made 'im forgot to put in the vital spark." "There goes Fritz's +iron rations" as a salvo of shrapnel burst over the first line. On the +whole, however, our artillery retaliation was poor. + +About 11-30 the bombardment began to die down, and by 12-30 it was +over. The damage done, considering the number of shells fired into such +a small sector was very small. Two bays on the right of "B" Company +were completely flattened, otherwise there was no damage done to the +fire trench. The living trench and communication trenches suffered +more. Two of the latter had been knocked in, while the living trench +along the company line had been badly battered. One very gruesome +effect was noticed. There were a large number of Frenchman's graves in +the parapet of the fire trench, for the French have a habit of burying +a man where he falls, whether at his post or not. A hole was opened in +the side of the trench, the body was shoved in, and the grave filled +up. A little cross surmounted by the dead man's cap, and often his +bayonet and rifle, marking the spot. In places where the fire trench +had been hit or shaken many of the remains stuck out, and in many cases +buttons and badges were "souveneered" by the men. + +When the bombardment was over Woodgate told me it was the most severe +they had experienced since May 8th, at Ypres, and quite an unusual +occurrence on that front. Two men were killed and sixteen wounded, +very small casualties taking into consideration the intensity of the +fire. That night we dug a new trench behind the small sector blown in. +There was a full moon, and walking about on top was very interesting. +The ground was honeycombed with shell holes, while in all directions +unexploded shells were lying about. A trench which had been used by +the French for the purpose of burying dead had been unearthed in many +places and the ground was littered with old equipment, clothes, and +bones. I remember thinking it was the most appalling refuse heap I had +ever seen. Next day was very quiet, we began work on the new trench at +about 7-30, and I took charge of the three working parties in it. A +considerable amount of work had been done the night before, and only a +short piece remained to be dug in the centre. At 8-55 I told the men to +take a ten minutes "easy" and went up to the left platoon to see one of +the Sergeants about rations. I had gone about five minutes when a salvo +of "whiz bangs" (77 mm shells) burst right in the trench where the men +had been working, and immediately afterwards very heavy rifle fire +broke out on our right. The "stand to" was passed down and the rifle +fire went on for about half-an-hour, especially in the direction of +"C" Company. All had quieted down about 10 o'clock. I then ascertained +that a party of Germans had endeavoured to bomb "C" Company's trenches. +A very large number of bombs were thrown, and in all sixteen men +were wounded. For their coolness in this attack our men were greatly +commended, and one man, Andrew Marshall, of No. 11 platoon, was +specially recommended for devotion to duty. Badly wounded in the hand, +and unable to use his rifle, he refused to leave the trench, and kept +loading rifles for the men on the fire step. + +The remainder of our time in the trenches was very quiet. On Sunday, +24th October, we took over the line held by "A" Company King's Own as +a Company the King's Own going back into support, and the following +evening we marched back to our billets in Mailly-Maillet. Our period +of instruction had been most useful, for "C" Company in particular. We +had experienced a bombardment and a bomb attack in both of which the +men had proved their metal, and shown what was in them. As far as the +Officers of "C" Company were concerned, those who came in contact with +Capt. Woodgate will never forget the lesson they learned from him. "A" +and "B" Companies attached to the Essex and South Lancs. Regiments +had a quiet time, but "D" Company attached to the Lancs. Fusiliers in +the Redan salient had their initiation into mine warfare, a platoon +being in the salient when the Germans blew up a mine without, however, +causing any loss of life. A good story is here told of Lieutenant +W. He was out one night with a small patrol, the pass word being +"Shakespeare." A large German patrol was sighted and W and his patrol +had to retire in some haste. W himself fell headlong into a sap on the +top of the astonished sentries with the ejaculation "For God's sake +let's in, Shakespeare." + +[Illustration: FIENVILLERS.] + +[Illustration: FIENVILLERS.] + +We left Mailly early in the morning of October 26th, and marched +down through Forceville and Varennes to Puchvillers where we stayed +the night. Next day we marched to Fienvillers and went into billets. +Fienvillers was a better town than Rubenpre. There were better barns +for the men, and for a company headquarters mess we were lucky to get +a lovely house standing in its own grounds with bedrooms for each +Officer. We now had heard our fate, it was that the 107th Brigade was +to go up to the trenches to take the place of the 12th Brigade of the +4th Division, which was coming out and going to be attached to our +Division. Our two remaining Brigades were to be in Army reserve for +about three months. Our Battalion, with the 14th R.I.R. from the 109th +Brigade, was attached to the 12th Brigade under General Auley, taking +the places of the Essex Regiment attached to the 109th Brigade, and +Lancashire Fusiliers attached to the 108th. We joined the 12th Brigade +at St. Leger-les-Domarts on the 5th November, the King's Own being +billeted in the same town. We now began a new and extensive system of +training, both in march discipline and attack. General Auley, during +the first week that we were in his Brigade gave the Officers a series +of lectures on the retreat from Mons and the subsequent advance to the +Marne. We heard the story from his own personal point of view, which +made it a fascinating narrative rather than a tactical lecture. During +the five weeks in which we were attached to his Brigade we obtained +much practical and useful knowledge. In march discipline, especially, +we improved greatly. We were taught that the most men can do with +comfort is 112 paces to the minute. The pace was set from the rear and +not from the head of the column. Company Commanders riding at the rear +of their Companies were made to check the pace. The utmost importance +was paid to keeping in step, and keeping the sectors of fours well +dressed and well covered down. The rifle was carried at the sling, +never over the shoulder, the reason for this being that men, when they +get tired, will let their butts drop, and keeping hitting the man in +the sector of fours behind, thus causing loss of space in the section, +in the Company, and so on down to the Brigade and Division on the +march. We did many long route marches, and the General used to hide in +all sorts of weird places to watch us go past, and take us unawares. + + +ST LEGER + +[Illustration: LIEUT. VANCE, CAPTAIN SAMUELS, LIEUT. YOUNG, LIEUT. +ELLIS.] + +[Illustration: "C" COMPANY, ST. LEGER.] + +During the time we were in St. Leger, Major Clarke (Officer Commanding +"C" Company) left the Battalion and joined the 108th Brigade as Staff +Captain. I took over command of "C" Company on November 12th. Our +Company headquarters were in the Cure's house, the Cure, like most of +his confreres in France, having gone to the front. On 27th we moved +from St. Leger to Buigny l'Abbe, a small village about three kilometres +from St. Requier where we were billeted until December 10th. Buigny +was an unhealthy low lying village, and we experienced a considerable +amount of sickness, principally influenza. Our stay of a fortnight +was unpleasant, it rained most of the time, and the people were +inhospitable. This, we found, was due to bad conduct on the part of a +Regiment which had preceded us there. The triangular pond, which is +a feature of all Picard villages, had in former days formed the fish +pond of the ancient monastery of Buigny l'Abbe; and for this reason was +held in more respect by the villagers than most ponds of its kind. +Unfortunately, whether by accident or design, some bombs were thrown +into this pond one night, and in the morning the villagers woke up +to find their pond gone, and in its place a chasm of liquid mud. On +investigation it was found that the bombs had burst in what proved to +be the roof of a subterranean passage leading from the monastery, and +through this the water had disappeared. During our stay in the town we +had working parties engaged in making good the damage. + +On December 10th we rejoined the 108th Brigade, moving from Buigny +l'Abbe to St. Mauguille, a faubourg of St. Requier. This proved to +be the most pleasant town in which we had as yet been billeted. Two +Companies "B" and "C" were in St. Mauguille at Neuville, about one mile +from St. Riquier. We had excellent billets both for Officers and men, +and as we had now thoroughly acquired the nack of making ourselves at +home, settled down very comfortably. The people were most hospitable. +There were excellent hot and cold shower baths for the men, and a +Battalion laundry was set up. For our Company Mess, Monsieur Vivien, +the manager of a big phosphate works gave us the greater part of his +house, and he and Madame Vivien with their daughter, did all they could +to make us feel at home. St. Requier was a most interesting old town. +It had successfully stood siege by Henry V. and the English on two +occasions, but had been sacked and burnt by the Burgundians in the end +of the 15th century. Large portions of the walls still remain, and some +of the old towers. In a moated farm-house just outside the town Jeanne +D'Arc spent a night on her way to her trial at Rouen. Another fact +of great interest was that the ancient Abbey of St. Requier had been +founded by our own countrymen in the 6th century[1]. + +[Illustration: TOMB OF THE FIRST IRISH SAINTS.] + +[Illustration: MONSIEUR VIVIEN AND FAMILY.] + +We spent a happy Xmas at St. Requier, and as we were in billets decided +to make the best of it. The men were in excellent health and spirits, +football, shooting, and route marches keeping them in training. The +18th of December being "Lundy Day," was celebrated by some Derry +men and other Ulster boys, the following being a description of the +celebration by an Officer. Two Lundy's had been prepared, one large +and the other small. Some of the inhabitants suggested that they +were father and son. The father was about eleven feet long, stuffed +with straw, and with rockets put in unexpected places. He had large +wooden feet and wire knees, and his head filled with gunpowder and +surrounded by a large yellow trimmed hat in the shape of an Admiral's. +On his chest was a placard bearing the words "Lundy the traitor." The +procession, headed by torchlights and band, marched through the village +playing such airs as "No Surrender," "Derry Walls" and "The Boyne +Water." Lundy was then let down on a wire rope from a tree where he had +been strung up, and set on fire, amidst great cheering and boohing. +He was well soaked with petrol and burnt excellently. Every now and +then someone gave him a shake and his knees wobbled in most realistic +fashion. Bombs made of jam tins were thrown into a pond just beside +him, and of course broke the windows of houses in the vicinity. The +procession then reformed, and marching to the top of the village, where +Lundy junior was burnt with like ceremony. + +Christmas, of course, produced a series of dinners given by the +Officers Commanding Companies and Battalion Headquarters. To read the +menu cards it was hard to believe we were in France, and that this was +the second year of the war. One particularly elaborate dinner was given +on Christmas day, to which we invited Madame Vivien, our kind hostess, +and her family. The following is a copy of the menu in which most of +the guests are represented. + + Potage Vivien. + Poulets Roti au Capitaine. + Petits pois Lieutenant. + Rosbif au Docteur. + Pommes de terre Louis (the little son). + Fruits, plumb pudding, Xmas desserts. + Cafe. + Vins--Muscatel--Bordeau--Whiskey. + + + TOASTS. + + Le Presedent de la Republique. + Le Roi D'Angleterre. + Mesdames, Messures Vivien. + Les Allies au paix glorieuse. + +A service was held in the ancient Abbey of St. Requier on Christmas +Day, and a sacred concert, which gave our men an opportunity of +listening to Christmas music. + +An incident happened about this time at St. Requier which caused +no little excitement. A French billet belonging to the Downs (13th +Battalion Royal Irish Rifles) went on fire. At the sound of the fire +alarm every one turned out to assist the French people who stripped to +the waist were hard at work trying to save their farm. The fire was +raging fiercely round the stables and out-houses, and it was quite +impossible to save all the horses, some of whom were burned to death in +their stalls. It was a horrible sight. + +[Illustration: THREE SERGEANTS OF "C" COMPANY.] + +[Illustration: AT ST. RIQUIER.] + +On January 8th, our Battalion moved to Bernavillers. We were now +beginning to think of the trenches again, and many were the rumours. +Everyone seemed to know for certain our exact peregrinations during +the next few months, but in truth no one could tell from day to day +what our next move would be. There were also rumours of a more pleasant +character, but so far only spoken of with bated breath, the one and +only hope of our existence--"Leave" had begun. Our first "leave" and +all that the word means. There is no doubt of it that the first leave +is the best, but your first leave you are then indeed a hero, whether +from billets or trenches, and your dear people who have not yet become +accustomed to those short ten days have waited and watched for it +with an intense longing and pride in their hearts; is it any wonder +one's blood thrills with the thought of that never-to-be-forgotten home +coming. + +At Bernavillers an excellent concert party was formed by Lord Farnham, +called "The Divisional Follies" or "The Merry Mauve Melody Makers." +Their first concert was honoured by a visit from The Most Rev. Dr. +Crozier, Lord Primate of Ireland, who had come to France on a tour +among the Irish Divisions. He had already paid a visit to the 107th +Brigade, who had been having a strenuous training in the trenches ever +since October. They had escaped with very few casualties. + +[Illustration: OFFICERS OF "C" COMPANY.] + +[Illustration: ST. LEGER.] + +My Company now got orders to move to Beauval, where we took over +billets from the Y.C.V.'s (14th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles). They +were the cleanest billets I can remember in France, and the Y.C.V.'s +deserve great praise for the way in which they were left for us. After +a week of preparation we moved on to Canaples, and from there to +Martinsart where we again manned the trenches, and went in alongside +the 9th Inniskilling Fusiliers by Companies, "C" and "D" Companies in +front with "A" and "B" in reserve. The next week we went into support +with "D" Company, and "A" and "B" took our place in front. This time we +were not attached to a regular Battalion for training, but took over +part of the line ourselves. Our period in the trenches was uneventful, +it was a quiet part of the line, and the trenches were deep and well +made. This time we gave the Bosche 500 to every 50 of theirs, so all +taken into consideration we were lucky. The weather, however, was by +no means favourable, the trenches being full of slush and water. A +heavy fall of snow also made the ground in a bad condition, and the +men suffered greatly from the cold, which was intense. Several new +Officers joined our Battalion about this time, for which we were very +thankful, as leave was able to proceed without difficulty, two Officers +being sent each week. On February 29 our first death occurred, poor +young Watt of No. 12 platoon. He was killed by a shell while standing +outside the door of his billet in Mesnil, and buried in Mesnil Ridge +Cemetery. From this time on we went into the trenches by Battalions, +alternately with the Downs (13th Royal Irish Rifles). Our casualties +were not great, but always a few, the expected result of trench +warfare. Indeed, if it had not been for a tot of rum at "stand to" +on those very cold mornings, I feel sure there would have been more +work for the hospitals. About March 6th the weather began to improve +and we occasionally felt dry. We now began to think about giving +Jerry something to stir him up as he seemed to have gone underground +completely during the cold weather. Evidently Battalion Headquarters +also felt that the time had come to stir for we received a message to +supply a specimen of German wire as it was wanted by the corps. The +job was given in "C" Company to Young, our scout Officer, and four +other scouts. On a dark and snowy night they crept out on patrol, and +procured a good specimen about a yard long. The other Companies also +procured specimens and the Corps appeared satisfied with results. +Our Batteries also began to wake up, and we kept them well informed +as to the position of the German transports, which from this time on +never got a moment of peace. The 10th Inniskillings on our right, +under command of Colonel Ross-Smyth, got a terrific shelling from the +Bosche on the night of the 10th-11th of March. Shells came over at the +rate of 60 to the minute, but the 10th showed splendid coolness and +gallantry, keeping up a steady fire from the front trenches throughout +the bombardment, which was evidently intended by the Germans to cover a +raid on our lines, similar to one which took place elsewhere the same +night. An Officer, describing the bombardment in a letter, writes-- + +"The Bosche has been very prodigal of shells for a day or two, all +along the front, but particularly on the somewhat unpleasant sector +occupied by the "Derry's." On this particular afternoon he had +subjected it to a smart bombardment with "heavies," field guns, and +trench mortars. Then he fell short and waited. At eleven o'clock +precisely he opened fire with guns of all calibres. Over the Derrys +he burst shrapnel, reserving his high explosive for the Donegals and +Fermanaghs, and for the Brigade on their right. Not content with +peppering the line, the supports, and the reserves, he shelled half a +dozen villages to the rear, with which he did not as a rule concern +himself. It was a very dark night, and the flashes of the guns seemed +to cut through the darkness like spear points. Before the Bosche had +been firing five minutes our guns had begun to reply to him, and the +eighteen pounders commenced to whiz over our heads on to their front +line, and soon the men in the trenches heard the welcome whistle of +a high travelling howitzer over their heads in the right direction. +Then indeed the din was indescribable, so fast and furious did the +game become that at one time it seemed as if the boom of the big +guns, the harsher bark of the small, the explosion of the shells, +and the tearing crash of bursting mortars were all blended into one +continuous roar. The trenches of the "Derrys" had an ugly time of it. +Dug-outs were caved in, and traverses smashed down, one whole sector +of the front line being practically ploughed up. At one time the enemy +proceeded to pound the flank out of one Company with high explosives +for several minutes, then lifted to the opposite flank and gave it +the same measure. This evidently appeared to him a satisfactory idea +as he repeated the manoeuvre. But the Company Officer had by now +appreciated his tactics, and by his work undoubtedly prevented a great +number of casualties. Gradually the German fire on the front line +slackened and ceased, though it still continued overhead, and our +"heavies" now warmed up to their work showed no inclination to give +up. It was at this juncture that a sentry came running back from the +sap head to report that he had seen Germans moving in front of the +wire. The order was given to the men to stand up on the fire step, +and send bursts of rapid fire in the direction of the German line. If +the raiders had intended coming over this caused them to change their +minds. The "Derrys" stood to till morning, but nothing fresh occurred. +Through the night the men prayed their Officers to lead them over to +vengeance, but for that they will have to wait. The loss was slight +considering the intensity of the bombardment. When morning came the +"Derrys" learned that the famous raiders had entered the trenches of +the Battalion on their right, which, by the way, did not belong to the +Ulster Division, and carried off an Officer and nine men as prisoners. +It was a workmanlike job without a doubt, for the raiding party had +come and gone within ten minutes." + +[Illustration: Bombs found on night patrol just in front of BEAUMONT +HAMEL, March, 1916.] + +Several of the men of the Inniskillings earned commendation from +Colonel Ricardo for conspicuous gallantry on this occasion; their names +were Private D. Little, Private J. J. Young, Lance Corporal Black, and +Private W. Dinsmore. They were serving as Company Officers, Orderlies, +Signallers, and Messengers. Captain Cruickshank, of Omagh, also showed +great coolness and valour on that occasion. + +The weather still continued fine, and our time was spent in building +new traverses, and rivetting and sandbagging the parados and firesteps. +Bosche aeroplanes, taking advantage of the fine nights, crossed our +lines, and green flares were sent up from the enemy to show our +positions. The Germans would then send over a number of shells, and we +had several casualties, Lieutenant Waring of "A" Company being hit by +shrapnel, and Privates Moffat and McBride of "C" Company badly wounded. +Poor Moffat subsequently died from his wounds. + +We were now stirred to think of raids and night patrols. The following +is an example of a patrol done by one of my Officers and some men of +"C" Company. Lieutenant Young, Sergeant Renshaw, Riflemen Storey, +Pollock, M'Dowell and M'Kelvey. March 16th. "C" Company Patrol Report. + +"Patrol went out from Sap in Sector 41 at 7-30 p.m., consisting of +one Officer, one Sergeant, and four Riflemen. On leaving our wire we +turned north, striking sunken road which runs north-east in direction +of German trenches. After going about 100 yards down this road we +turned off under a ditch running north-west from the road. There were +a number of small thorn trees on this ditch, and we could distinctly +see footprints and elbow marks round them, also pits had been dug which +could be used by snipers. Further along the ditch we came to a lone +tree, which can be seen from Sector 49 in our lines, here we halted. +About 20 yards from the tree we discovered a wire which came from the +direction of the German lines. Following this we found it entered the +parapet of a sniper's pit, just beneath the lone tree. We then dug +out the wire, and discovered it was attached to a square box covered +with felt. This box we opened, thinking it contained a telephone, but +instead found four German grenades with the detonators attached to the +wire. We quickly disconnected the wire, and dug out the box. Not far +from the spot we found another German grenade which we also took with +us. At 10 p.m. we returned to our own trenches. A working party of the +enemy could be heard, but it was difficult to say from which direction +the sound came. Otherwise, everything was normal." + + G. O. Young, Lieutenant. + +[Illustration: THIEPVAL CHATEAU.] + +[Illustration: MESNIL CHATEAU.] + +On March 18th we went into reserve, and were billeted in Englebelmer, +being relieved on 24th by the 13th Royal Irish Rifles (The Downs). This +time the 11th Battalion East Yorks were attached to us for instruction. +They saw a fair amount of shelling for their first period in the +trenches, the Germans putting a lot of trench mortars over on Thiepval +hill. All that remained of the Chateau at Thiepval being the walls, +about as high as the hall door, and a few holes where windows once had +been, in all about 7ft. high by 20ft. long. The German trenches lay in +front of it, on the carriage drive, and ours right up to the other side +of the avenue, almost into them. Not a pleasant place, with an active +sniper in the Chateau. Our trenches also ran through Thiepval wood, +in which the trees were now thick with foliage. The birds built their +nests and sang merrily enough on those Spring mornings. They did not +appear to mind the shelling, even a cuckoo could sometimes be heard, +reminding us that winter was over "this winter of our discontent." +Spring had indeed come, a time when the birds call, the trees call, +all nature calls for life, while we were there to kill and to be +killed. There were moments when a lull came in the busy day's work, +when the monotony of trench warfare left time to think, that thoughts +such as these arose. + +[Illustration: Thiepval Wood. G. Sector.] + +We spent Easter in billets, in Martinsart village. The 23rd of April +being Easter Sunday, a general holiday was given to the Battalion. +Amiens, once the capital of Picardy, was about twenty-five miles +distant, a long ride, but an interesting old town, and well worth +visiting. Its fortifications have been turned into Boulevards, but +it still retains its old citadel, and the Cathedral of Notre Dame is +indeed a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. The great straight road +that leads from Amiens to the front, or Albert, is the great route +nationale, running from Rouen through Amiens, Albert, Pozieres, Le Sars +and Bapaume on to Mons and Valenciennes. It was on this road that the +famous Gordon Bennet races took place, and a better road for riding +on or motoring on, it would be hard to find. The road is lined on +either side with poplar trees, and a screen used to be hung from tree +to tree to hide the traffic to and from Albert. There are few trees +left now, and only the barest stumps, owing to bombardment. Amiens, as +a rule, was out of bounds to both Officers and men, unless they were +the possessors of a pass, but on Easter Monday official permission +was granted to all, and many availed themselves of the opportunity to +explore the ancient town. It was a chance to see civilization again, +and to dine in a restaurant. At that time Amiens had not been badly +shelled, even the Bosche aeroplanes seemed to be busy elsewhere, and +life went on much the same as in towns at the Base. People went about +their business and pleasure with very little thought of the enemy who +were comparatively few miles away. The ride back at night from Amiens +was rather an interesting experience. After the first six miles the sky +was lit up like sheet lightning. Then the villages all became dark, +no lights to be seen, then came the halts at the different outposts, +the constant flashes and rockets in the sky, awful, yet fascinating. +Nearer Albert the sound of the guns became clearer, and in the distance +could be seen the great Church tower of Notre Dame de Brebieres with +the leaning figure of the Virgin holding the infant Christ above her +head. For over a year she had hung at an angle of 15 degrees below +horizontal, face downwards to the street below. The French people +believed that the day the holy figures fell, would see the end of the +War, and that the German shell which threw down the blessed Virgin of +Brebieres would shatter the throne of the Hohenzollerns. + +[Illustration: ALBERT.] + +[Illustration: RUINS OF ALBERT.] + +Our Battalion being now out of the trenches the Companies were divided +among the small villages around. My Company had the luck to be billeted +in Autuille, a small village on the Ancre. We were able to get +plenty of amusement there between rat hunting, fishing and bathing. +Captain E. and I spent several afternoons trying for trout, and sent +our finest specimen to "B" Company with compliments. The Ancre at +Autuil was an excellent place for fishing, and this would have been +a pleasant occupation were it not for the fact that snipers found us +out in a short time. The bathing place was hardly 600 yards from the +German lines. On May 7th the "Tyrones" had the honour of carrying +out the first raid made by the Division. The following is contained +in a special order of the day issued by Major General O. S Nugent, +D.S.O., Officer Commanding Division. "A raid on the German trenches +was carried out at midnight on the 7th inst., by the 9th Battalion +Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, the raiding party consisting of Major +W. J. Peacock, Captain J. Weir, Lieut. W. S. Furness, Sec.-Lieut. L. +W. H. Stevenson, Sec.-Lieut. R. W. M'Kinley, Sec.-Lieut. J. Taylor, +and 84 other ranks. The raid was completely successful and was carried +out exactly as planned. Six German dug-outs, in which it is certain +there were a considerable number of men, were thoroughly bombed, and +a machine gun was blown up, while a lively bombing fight took place +between the blocking detachments of the raiding party and the Germans. +Having accomplished the purpose of the raid the party was withdrawn +with the loss of one man killed and two wounded. The raid was ably +organised by Major Peacock, and was carried out by the Officers and +men in accordance with plan, the discipline and determination of the +party being all that could be desired. The Divisional Commander desires +that his congratulations should be extended to all who took part in it." + +Brigadier-General Hickman in a special Brigade Order says--"The +arrangements and plans reflect the greatest credit on Colonel Ricardo, +Major Peacock, and the Officers concerned. The whole scheme was +executed with great dash and determination, with cool judgment and +nerve." + +The following awards were issued--Major Peacock received the D.S.O., +Sec.-Lieutenant Stevenson the Military Cross, Sergeant Barker, D.C.M., +and Lance-Corporal D. Armour, M.M. + +[Illustration: THE RUINS OF ALBERT CATHEDRAL.] + +At this time an important change took place in the Command of the +11th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Lieutenant-Colonel W. F. +Hessey was promoted to Brigadier-General, and given Command of the +110th Infantry Brigade. His place was taken by Major G. H. Brush, +Second in Command of the 10th Battalion (Derry Volunteers). The +following farewell Order was issued by Lieutenant-Colonel Hessey to his +Battalion. "Lieutenant-Colonel Hessey wishes God Speed to all members +of the 11th Inniskillings, and thanks them for the loyal support they +have given him from the raising of the Battalion to this day. He leaves +the Battalion with very sincere regret, but with feelings of great +pride that he has had the privilege of Commanding such a fine lot of +Officers, N.C.O.'s and men, and that their "esprit de corps" has made +the Battalion a worthy part of the 27th Inniskilling Regiment of Foot." +During the following days we spent alternate periods in and out of +the trenches, with little excitement to keep our spirits up. On May +16th we again took over from the 13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles +(Downs), and this time a spell of beautiful weather favoured us and the +trenches were quite dry and habitable. We had the usual machine gun +fire at night, especially from the direction of Thiepval Chateau, also +a large number of shrapnel shells and whizbangs fell in our Sector. +The enemy was apparently very busy during the night on his front line +opposite our Company. We could hear the sound of picking and shovelling +going on, and stakes being driven into the ground. During 18th-19th +the enemy gave us little peace, between trench mortars, heavies, and +whizbangs. Several salvoes of shrapnel managed to do considerable +damage to our inspection trench and Whit Church Street. During a heavy +bombardment, while the shells went over and round us at a tremendous +rate I was lying flat on my stomach to avoid some shrapnel that burst +near. I looked round to see if there were any casualties among the men +following, and noticed a head emerging from the earth which had fallen +in all round; suddenly there was a splutter, the head moved, and a very +solemn voice said "Boys o' boys it's aboot time the referee blew his +whistle," his thoughts must have been far away on the Balmoral football +ground, perhaps he was thinking of a tough fight Malone v. Queen's, in +the old days. + +We were glad to notice that the German trenches opposite suffered +severely on the retaliation of our artillery. The following nights were +busy putting up wire and sending out patrols. On one occasion a sentry +reported having seen an aeroplane fall in flames some distance to the +east of Thiepval, just before it fell three planes had been observed +very high in the air, and the sound of machine-gun fire heard coming +from them. + +On the 20th there was considerable enemy machine gun activity, and a +very large number of flares were sent up during the night from the +German lines. At 9-30 p.m. two red flares were sent up apparently +from the German salient opposite "Mary Redan." Immediately afterwards +two salvoes of shrapnel were fired, and appeared to burst in the +neighbourhood of "Mary Redan," while enemy search lights could be seen +near Serre. + +During the 21st the enemy continued his constant machine gun fire, and +at night our wiring parties were much hampered on this account, one +being forced to come in. At 10-30 p.m. on the 22nd, red rockets were +sent up from the German lines north of the river Ancre. Immediately +afterwards a heavy bombardment by enemy artillery began, apparently on +our lines in front of Thiepval, which lasted about half-an-hour. We had +a more or less quiet day on the 23rd, and on the 24th were relieved by +the 13th Royal Irish Rifles. "C" Company was sent to Autile, "B" to +South Antrim Villas, and the other two Companies to Mesnil. We spent +a pleasant few days in billets, the usual rat hunts and bathing in +the Ancre gave plenty of amusement to the men. On May 31st we got our +orders to join "D" Company in Martinsart, and the following day moved +to Harponville via Bouzincourt and Varrennes, where we rejoined our +Brigade, and started Divisional exercises on a large training ground +known as the Clairfaye trenches. These trenches had been dug from +aeroplane photographs, and were an exact reproduction of the German +trenches opposite Thiepval. It was here that we heard the terrible news +of the death of Lord Kitchener, to whose genius we owed so much. During +our period of training the 107th Brigade held the trenches at Thiepval. + +[Illustration: THIEPVAL VILLAGE] + +On June 15th, at 3 p.m., the Battalion marched off, and with the 9th +Royal Irish Fusiliers bivouacked in Martinsart Wood. Martinsart village +was already occupied by numerous troops sent up in readiness for the +great battle of the Somme. We sent working parties down to Thiepval +wood to help in the digging of assembly trenches. Our working party was +very unfortunate, and out of No. 11 platoon we had six men wounded, +Miller, Lyle, Brown, Galloway, Quinn, and "B" Company also lost eleven +men. + +On 17th several new Officers joined the Battalion in Martinsart Wood, +among them Lieut. J. Marshall, posted to "B" Company, afterwards proved +to be the only officer of the 11th Battalion who went over the top on +the 1st July without getting wounded. All was bustle and excitement, we +heard we were to hold the line from Thiepval Wood to La Boiselle and +Fricourt. + +On 22nd the Tyrones went into the trenches. We had a fine concert in +"D" Company Mess, and I had a last talk to the N.C.O.'s. On 23rd we +paraded at 7-45 p.m. and marched to our trenches in Thiepval Wood. +Our Company Officers consisted of the following--myself, in command, +Captain Ewart, Lieutenants Vance, Ellis, Young, Carson and Murphy. It +was a very hot march but a glorious day, and all of us were in good +heart. "C" and "D" Companies manned the front line, with "A" and "B" +behind, "C" holding from Elgin Avenue to Garden Gate at the head of +Cromarty Avenue. "C" Company Headquarters were in Thurso Street, and +Battalion Headquarters in Cromarty Avenue. On the 26th, at 2-30, we had +planned a gas attack, but there was not much wind, and the gas did not +go well. Young and myself happened to be the next casualties, luckily +both of us slight. Young was gassed while on duty at a gas cylinder, +and I got a touch of shrapnel from a whiz bang. It meant No. 29 C.C.S. +for both of us, and very reluctantly we had to leave our men just on +the eve of the first and greatest battle ever fought by the Division. + + + + +PART II. + +THE CHARGE OF THE ULSTER DIVISION. + +ULSTER'S SACRIFICE. + + + Ah! fair July of tear and sigh + Sad was the news you brought + To many an ancient noble Hall, + And humble peasants' cot, + Within our old courageous land + Of honour, truth and worth + Grave Ulster of the Iron Will, + Proud Province of the North. + + H. G. Gallagher. + + +The following account of the great battle is taken from different +stories and official accounts given by Officers and men who came +through that memorable day. It has been censored by several Commanding +Officers in the Division, who ascertain to the correctness of it in +detail. In a letter received by General Sir George Richardson, K.C.B., +commanding the Ulster Volunteer Force, from General Nugent, commanding +the Ulster Division, the following passages occur:-- + +"Before you get this we shall have put the value of the Ulster Division +to the supreme test. I have no fear of the result. I am certain no +General in the Army out here has a finer Division, fitter or keener. I +am certain they will be magnificent in attack, and we could hardly have +a date better calculated to inspire national traditions amongst our men +of the North.[2] It makes me very sad to think what the price may be, +but I am quite sure the Officers and men reck nothing of that." + +[Illustration: Map showing the Lines of Advance taken by Ulster +Division, July, 1st, 1916.] + +Our Divisional line on the right ran through Moy and Crucifix (see +map), and on the left from "Mary Redan" on the other side of the +river. The 109th Brigade held the line on the extreme right, 9th +Inniskilling Fusiliers, and 10th Inniskilling Fusiliers in front, +with 11th Inniskilling Fusiliers and 14th Royal Irish Rifles behind. +Of the 108th Brigade, our Battalion was on the right nearest the 10th +Inniskilling Fusiliers, then came 13th Royal Irish Rifles with 9th +Royal Irish Fusiliers and the 12th Royal Irish Rifles on the extreme +left. Our Battalion formed "B" and "A" Companies in front, with "D" +and "C" Companies in support, "C" supporting "A" on the right, "D" +supporting "B" on the left. Our object was the line marked "Omagh" +"Strabane." "C" Company was to consolidate "Omagh" and "A" Company +"Strabane." "D" and "B" Companies commanded by Captain Webb and Captain +Craig, "Strabane" and "Enniskillen". That was as far as we had to +go, which meant consolidating the 3rd German line running through +"Coleraine," "Portadown," "Enniskillen," "Strabane," "Omagh." The 107th +Brigade were in support behind the 108th, and we were supported by the +15th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. The object of the 107th Brigade was +then to pass through to the 4th German line, "Portrush," "Bundoran," +"Derry," and consolidate it. This was as far as the Division was to +go. We were to be relieved by the 49th Division when we had "done our +bit." After an intense bombardment the great day of battle broke in +"sunshine and mist" the mist almost obscuring the brilliant sunshine +as the morning advanced. The previous night had been passed quietly +in the trenches, the enemy submitting in silence to the terrific gun +fire. The German lines were pulverised, shells being discharged at the +rate of 140 rounds of shell per minute. In spite of this their dug-outs +mostly remained uninjured. For half-an-hour it seemed as if the guns +had gathered themselves together for one grand final effort before +the British lines should be let loose on their prey. Presently the +mist cleared away and heavy black smoke clouds could be seen drifting +across the German lines on a slight south-westerly breeze, the result +of the bursting of our heavy shells. This proved small assistance to +us later on, when, with the sun in their faces, our men advanced from +the trenches. At seven o'clock, eight of our 'planes flying over the +German lines were fired at, but not much damage done. The Germans still +lying low, not a single German aviator could be seen at any time that +morning. Soon after 7 a.m. there was a perceptible slackening of our +fire, and at 7-30 a.m. the attack began, our gallant soldiers leapt +from their trenches and advanced against the enemy. The very moment +that our men slipped over the parapet they were met with a hail of +machine-gun bullets and shrapnel played on them. It was then that +Captain Webb, of "D" Company fell, and many others. They advanced in +waves 50 yards apart, and were mown down like hay. "A" Company was soon +wiped out, and "C" Company, supporting it, suffered very severely; +but they pressed on, gaining all their objectives. By this time there +had been a severe thinning out of officers and others in command, and +the men, too eager, shoved on towards the 4th line very quickly, and +got into the fire of our own artillery. Some of "B" and "D" Company +actually got into Grandcourt. A war correspondent said: "The gallantry +displayed by the carrying parties at this part of the fight was most +conspicuous, and tiny escorts showed complete contempt of danger in +bringing prisoners across an area which was being ploughed up by shell +fire. One man, unaided, shepherded across the valley of death a party +of fifteen Germans who showed extreme reluctance to risk the fire of +their own guns; they wanted to lie down and wait. 'Not at all,' said +the Ulsterman, covering them with his rifle, 'just you go across, and +they'll look after you when you get there.' In the course of a brief +conversation several of the prisoners said that the effect of our +bombardment prior to the launching of the attack had been terrific. +They had been in the front lines, and while they had a reserve supply +of food, our barrage fire had prevented them getting any water. Their +machine-guns, they said, had been protected by being placed in deep +dug-outs, and were brought up and used against our troops when they +advanced." Within an hour and a half after the opening of the battle +our men had taken five lines of German trenches and captured several +hundred prisoners, advancing wave after wave like an irresistible +tide. We were in advance of the Division on our left, who were to take +Beaumont Hamel, and consequently the whole left flank was exposed to +batteries of machine-guns: it was through this that the 12th Battalion +Royal Irish Rifles suffered so severely, also the 9th Royal Irish +Rifles, who supported them. "The men advanced as if on parade; one or +two remembering the ancient watchwords, sang out "Dolly's Brae" and +"No Surrender," but for the most part they kept the stiff upper lip +and clenched teeth that meant death or victory." There was no thought +of giving way, merely duty to be done and a task to be completed. Into +the very furnace heat of the German fire our gallant lads went, and +as shot and shell raked their ranks, others pressed forward to take +their places. From both flanks they were enfiladed by machine-gun +fire. On the right, Germans lying low in dug-outs came up from the +cellars in Thiepval village with machine-guns and poured a hail of +bullets into the 109th Brigade and 108th Brigade from behind. "As they +emerged from Thiepval Wood they fell in hundreds, the German fire at +this point being protracted and perfect." The trees were slashed and +cut till nothing but bare stumps remained. No one could cross that No +Man's Land and escape the fire; even the wounded were shot through +and through on the ground as they lay. The 107th Brigade, passing +through in support to the 108th, did magnificent work. All day long +the remnants of the battalions held on to the lines of the German +trenches which had been captured, though nearly all the officers were +gone, but no supplies of bombs or ammunition could be got across. In +the evening, about six o'clock, a big German counter-attack was made, +and we had to fall back, leaving our wounded, who were too bad to be +moved, in dug-outs. These advanced points could not be held for long; +the enemy might be killed and captured, but the place had developed +into a dangerous salient, while the flanking fire from right and left +made the position a terrible one, the Division on either side being +held up by unsurmountable obstacles. The order to retire was given, and +on Saturday night, July 1st, we were once more on our old front line. +Apparently all the sacrifice had been in vain. At 1 o'clock on Sunday +afternoon the remnants of the 107th Brigade and all that was left of +our battalion and the 13th Royal Irish Rifles counter-attacked and +easily retook the three German lines. The crucial point was the ridge +that ran through "Omagh," and unless that could be held we could not +hope to hold Serre and the line to La Boiselle. On the left, Beaumont +Hamel commanded all, and on the right Thiepval village was the strong +point. Unless these were captured our divisional line became a salient +raked by machine-gun fire. The 32nd Division actually passed through +Thiepval village, but the Germans, who were hidden in the cellars and +concrete dug-outs, allowed them to pass, and then came up from behind, +and the casualties were appalling. The 12th Royal Irish Rifles and the +9th Royal Irish Fusiliers, on our left, were practically wiped out. The +Germans staked all on holding the ridge. 70 of the 15th Royal Irish +Rifles and 113 of our 11th Battalion answered their names on Saturday +night, and that was before the fierce fighting of Sunday. One of the +most remarkable facts was the enormous number of slightly wounded men +among our casualties; and as for the medical organisation, nothing +could surpass it; no tribute could be great enough for the divisional +medical staff. It was a magnificently heroic fight, and one of which +Ulster has every reason to be proud. + + + + +THE RED HAND OF ULSTER. + +SOMME--JULY 1ST, 1916. + + + When one great wave has shatter'd + A coast that gleamed in light, + We look, and share the wonder, + Amazement and affright; + But what can hide its grandeur, + And what can veil its might? + + * * * * * + + On grey and heathy hillsides, + In valleys bowered in leaves; + In wide and flowery meadows, + Where peaceful sheep and beeves + Strayed thro' the days of waiting, + No change the eye perceives. + + The mist-clouds veil the mountains, + The mist-rains drift and wing + Across the ancient castle, + The homely cot, where cling + The climbing sprays of woodbine, + Where wild birds hop and sing. + + * * * * * + + Now comes the news of battle-- + The long-awaited roll + Of our great Western rampant-- + A wall of thews, and soul-- + And Ulster's sons are writing + Their names upon a scroll. + + That rain-swept mist-land gathers + Before their eyes, as forth + They sweep--the watched-for Ulsters, + For honour of the North; + For Freedom's best and dearest, + For Britain's word and worth. + + That wave of Northern valour + Is like the advancing tide, + And nought can cool or curb it, + And nought can change its stride; + In "Derry," "Enniskillen," + And Omagh they reside! + + 'Tis Lurgan and Dungannon, + Armagh and proud Belfast, + St. Johnston, Londonderry, + And Donegal's grey vast + That flit before their vision + As trench by trench is passed. + + The roar of bursting cannon + Breaks voices faintly heard-- + The voices of their youth-time, + Familiar jest and word; + But, hark! the call is "Onward!" + And visions grow more blurred. + + * * * * * + + Hurrah! the drive so eager, + So long-continued, deep, + The firmly-driven bayonet, + The stumble and the leap + Grow less intense; the foeman + Has wavered in the sweep! + + And in the lone, grey cottage + A trembling hand essays + To hold the fateful message + Which speaks a proud son's praise: + "He nobly did his duty, + And fell--there is a haze....." + + Read in another homestead-- + A loftier home, now chill;-- + The page tells of a soldier + Who led his men, until + There came the hue of sunset-- + He lives in honour still. + + "Dead," do you call these heroes? + Dead?--who have given birth + To all that makes life living-- + To all that is of worth; + No, never, never write it-- + This "death" is Freedom's girth! + + This wounding is for homeland-- + For Britain's winsome weal-- + Through all the years advancing, + A theme for song, a peal + That swings in jubilation-- + How Ulster met the steel! + + How Ulster claimed the expected, + Already-given cheer; + How Ulster's hand directed + The torch which yet shall sear + The remnant of the Prussian, + And make the future clear! + + WILLIAM J. GALLAGHER. + + Galdonagh, Manorcunningham, + Co. Donegal. + + 10th July, 1916. + +(Published by permission of the Author.) + + + + +PART III. + + +In a specially written account of the part taken in the big advance of +July 1st by the Tyrone Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, +Lieut.-Col. Ricardo, D.S.O., commander of the battalion, says:--Just +now it is a hard struggle between pride and sorrow, and every moment +the latter surges up, and it takes a mighty effort to keep our chins +up; but we shall see it through and begin again, however hard. Out +of 19 officers who went over, 12 have gone, the very best, and all +dear pals; four came back untouched, and three wounded got back--one +of these lay out for 24 hours, and one for 48--whilst the casualties +in the rank and file were numerous. Early on the 1st July (the boys +were convinced the date had been chosen for their especial benefit) +the battle began. Every gun on both sides fired as fast as it could, +and during that din our dear boys just walked out of the wood and up +gaps we had cut through our parapet, and out through lanes in our +wire. I shall never forget for one minute the extraordinary sight. +The Derrys, on our left, were so eager they started a few minutes +before the ordered time, and the Tyrones were not going to be left +behind, and they got going without delay--no fuss, no shouting, no +running; everything orderly, solid, and thorough, just like the men +themselves. Here and there a boy would wave his hand to me as I shouted +"good-luck" to them through my megaphone, and all had a happy face. +Many were carrying loads. Fancy advancing against heavy fire carrying +a heavy roll of barbed wire on your shoulders! The leading battalions +suffered comparatively little getting out, but when they came close +to the German front line they came under appalling machine-gun fire, +which obliterated whole platoons. And alas! for us, the division on +our right could not get on, and the same happened to the division +on our left, so we came in for the concentrated fire of what would +have been spread over three divisions. But every man who remained +standing pressed on, and without officers or N.C.O.'s they "carried +on," faithful to their job. Not a man turned back, not one. Eventually, +small knots belonging to all the battalions of the Division (except +two) gathered into the part of the German line allotted to the Division +and began to consolidate it. Major John Peacocke, a cousin of Lady +Carson, a most gallant and dashing officer, was sent forward after +the advance to see how matters stood. He took charge, and gave to +the representatives of each unit a certain task in the defence. The +situation after the first few hours was indeed a cruel one for the +Ulster Division. There they were, a wedge driven into the German line, +only a few hundred yards wide, and for 14 hours they bore the brunt of +the German machine-gun fire and shell fire from the sides; and even +from behind they were not safe. The parties told off to deal with the +German first and second lines had in many cases been wiped out, and the +Germans sent parties from the flanks in behind our boys. The Division +took 800 prisoners, and could have taken hundreds more, but could not +handle them. Major Peacocke sent back many messages by runners. They +asked for reinforcements, for water, and for bombs, but no one had +any men in reserve, and no men were left to send across. We were told +reinforcements were at hand and to hold on, but it was difficult, I +suppose, to get fresh troops up in time. At any rate, the help did not +come. I sent off every man I had--my own servant, my shorthand clerk, +and so on--to get water out of the river; the pipes had long before +been smashed. On their way, many, including both above-named, were +killed by shell fire. At 10-30 p.m. the glorious band had to come back; +they had reached the third line. At 8-30 a.m. they fought to the last, +and threw their last bomb, and were so exhausted that most of them +could not speak; and shortly after they came back, help came, and the +line they had taken and held was re-occupied without opposition, the +Germans, I suppose, being as exhausted as we were. Our side eventually +lost the wedge-like bit, after some days. It was valueless, and could +only be held at very heavy cost. We were withdrawn late on Sunday +evening, very tired and weary. There are many instances of outstanding +gallantry, but it is almost impossible to collect evidence. We may hear +more of it when some of our wounded come back. + + +A correspondent to the "Times" wrote:-- + + I am not an Ulsterman, but yesterday as I followed their amazing + attack I felt I would rather be an Ulsterman than anything else + in the world. My position enabled me to watch the commencement + of their attack from the wood in which they formed up, but which + long prior to the hour of assault was being overwhelmed with shell + fire, so that the trees were stripped and the top half of the wood + ceased to be anything but a slope of bare stumps, with innumerable + shell holes peppered in the chalk. It looked as if nothing could + live in the wood, and indeed the losses were heavy before they + started, two companies of one battalion being sadly reduced in the + assembly trenches. When I saw the men emerge through the smoke and + form up as if on parade, I could hardly believe my eyes. Then I saw + them attack, beginning at a slow walk over No Man's Land, and then + suddenly let loose as they charged over the two front lines of the + enemy's trenches, shouting "No surrender, boys!" The enemy's fire + raked them from the left, and machine-guns in a village enfiladed + them on the right, but battalion after battalion came out of + that awful wood as steadily as I have seen them at Ballykinlar, + Clandeboye, or Shane's Castle. The enemy's third line was soon + taken, and still the waves went on, getting thinner and thinner, + but without hesitation. The enemy's fourth line fell before these + men, who could not be stopped. There remained the fifth line. + Representatives of the neighbouring corps and division, who could + not withhold their praise at what they had seen, said no human + man could get to it until the flanks of the Ulster Division was + cleared. This was recognised, and the attack on the last German + line was countermanded. The order arrived too late, or perhaps the + Ulstermen, who were commemorating the anniversary of the Boyne, + would not be denied, but pressed on. I could see only a small + portion of this advance, but could watch our men work forward, + seeming to escape the shell fire by a miracle, and I saw parties + of them, now much reduced indeed, enter the fifth line of the + German trenches, our final objective. It could not be held, as the + Division had advanced into a narrow salient. The Corps on our right + and left had been unable to advance, so that the Ulstermen were the + target of the concentrated hostile guns and machine-guns behind + and on both flanks, though the enemy in front were vanquished and + retreating. The order to retire was given, but some preferred to + die on the ground they had won so hardly. As I write, they still + hold the German two first lines, and occasionally batches of German + prisoners are passed back over the deadly zone; over 500 have + arrived, but the Ulstermen took many more, who did not survive the + fire of their own German guns. My pen cannot describe adequately + the hundreds of heroic acts that I witnessed, nor how yesterday a + relieving force was organised of men who had already been fighting + for 36 hours to carry ammunition and water to the gallant garrison + still holding on. + +The following letter sent to the "Times," July 3rd, is a description of +the great day by a senior officer:-- + + The 1st of July should for all time have a double meaning for + Ulstermen. The attack carried out by the Ulster Division was the + finest thing the new armies have done in this war. Observers + from outside the Division who saw it say it was a superb example + of discipline and courage. We had to come through a wood which + was being literally blown to pieces, form up in successive lines + outside of it under a devastating fire, and then advance across the + open for 400 yards to the German first line trenches. It was done + as if it was a parade movement on the barrack square. The losses + were formidable before we ever reached the first line, but the men + never faltered, and finally rushed the first line, cheering and + shouting, "Boyne" and "No Surrender!" From then onwards they never + checked or wavered until they reached the fifth line of German + trenches, which was the limit of the objective laid down for us. + They captured and brought in many hundred prisoners, and actually + captured many more who were either killed by the German fire before + they reached our lines, or were able to get away in the maze of + trenches owing to the escort being knocked over. I can hardly + bring myself to think or write of it. It was magnificent--beyond + description. Officers led their men with a gallantry to which I + cannot do justice, and the men followed them with equal gallantry; + and when the officers went down, the men went on alone. The + Division was raked by machine-gun and shell fire from in front and + from both flanks, and our losses have been very severe. + +Ulster should be very proud of her sons. + + + + +PART IV. + + +Messages of tribute to the Ulster Division from:-- + + The Corps Commander. + The Divisional Commander. + The Commanding Officer of the Ulster Volunteer Force. + Sir E. Carson. + The Lord Primate. + The Bishop of Down. + The Bishop of Clogher. + Belfast. + +Lieut.-General Sir T. L. N. Morland, K.C.B., D.S.O., commanding the +Army Corps in which the Ulster Division was serving, has issued the +following order:-- + + The General Officer Commanding the Corps wishes to express to the + General Officer of the Division and all ranks his admiration of + the dash and gallantry with which the attack was carried out, and + which attained a large measure of success under very unfavourable + conditions. He regrets the heavy and unavoidable losses sustained, + and feels sure that after a period of rest the Division will be + ready to respond to any call made upon it. + + G. WEBB, + Brigadier-General, D.A. and Q.M.G. + +The General Officer Commanding the Ulster Division has issued the +following special order:-- + + The General Officer Commanding the Ulster Division desires that the + Division should know that in his opinion nothing finer has been + done in the war than the attack by the Ulster Division on July 1st. + The leading of the company officers, the discipline and courage + shown by all ranks of the Division will stand out in the future + history of the war as an example of what good troops, well led, are + capable of accomplishing. None but troops of the best quality could + have faced the fire which was brought to bear on them, and the + losses suffered during the advance. Nothing could have been finer + than the steadiness and discipline shown by every battalion, not + only in forming up outside its own trenches, but in advancing under + severe enfilading fire. The advance across the open to the German + line was carried out with the steadiness of a parade movement under + a fire from front and flanks which could only have been faced + by troops of the highest quality. The fact that the objects of + the attack on one side were not obtained is no reflection on the + battalions which were entrusted with the task. They did all that + men could do, and in common with every battalion in the Division, + showed the most conspicuous courage and devotion. On the other + side the Division carried out every portion of its allotted task + in spite of the heaviest losses. It captured nearly 600 prisoners, + and carried its advance triumphantly to the limits of the objective + laid down. There is nothing in the operations carried out by the + Ulster Division on July 1st that will not be a source of pride to + all Ulstermen. The Division has been highly tried, and has emerged + from the ordeal with unstained honour, having fulfilled in every + particular the great expectations formed of it. Tales of individual + and collective heroism on the part of officers and men come in + from every side, too numerous to mention, but all showing that the + standard of gallantry and devotion attained is one that may be + equalled but is never likely to be surpassed. The General Officer + Commanding the Division deeply regrets the heavy losses of officers + and men. He is proud beyond description, as every officer and man + in the Division may well be, of the magnificent example of sublime + courage and discipline which the Ulster Division has given to the + Army. Ulster has every reason to be proud of the men she has given + to the service of our country. Though many of our best men have + gone, the spirit which animated them remains in the Division, and + will never die. + +The following orders of the day have been issued by General Sir George +Richardson, K.C.B., G.O.C., Ulster Volunteer Force:-- + + 1. The General Officer Commanding wishes to take this opportunity + of recording an appreciation of the gallantry of the officers and + men of the Ulster Division. Perhaps it may serve as a solace to + those on whom will fall the heaviest burden of sorrow, and that + it will help to sustain them in the knowledge that duty was nobly + done, and that the great warm heart of Ulster goes out to them in + affectionate sympathy and takes an unfathomable and unforgettable + pride in every man of them. + + 2. Perhaps more especially the officers and men U.V.F. offer their + heartfelt sympathy to the relatives of those who fell on the 1st + July, 1916. They were put to the supreme test, and history will + claim its own record. + + 3. For those who fell in the service of their King, the Empire, and + the glory of Ulster, we mourn, but we have no regrets. We are proud + of our comrades. Our path of duty is clear. Every effort must be + made to fill up the casualties in the Division, and maintain the + glorious lead given by the brave men of Ulster. + + 4. The attack of this Division is already talked of outside the + Division as a superb example of what discipline, good leading and + magnificent spirit can make men capable of performing. Much was + expected of the Ulster Division, and nobly they have fulfilled + expectation. + + 5. I will quote from a letter received:--"There was never a sign + of falter. On the right two battalions of the 108th, the 109th and + the 107th swept over four successive lines of German trenches, + capturing nearly 600 prisoners and reaching the objective laid + down for them absolutely on the stroke of the hour fixed as the + time they might be expected to get there. On the left the 12th + Royal Irish Rifles made a magnificent effort, but were swept away + by machine-gun fire. They did all that men could do. The 9th Royal + Irish Rifles went to them, and succeeded in getting into the + German trenches, and were held up there by weight of munition and + machine-guns." + + 6. It fills me with pride to think how splendidly our men were + capable of performing. + + 7. On the 30th September, 1915, His Majesty the King was graciously + pleased to say to the Ulster Division:--"I am confident that in the + field you will nobly uphold the traditions of the fine regiments + whose name you bear." This mandate has been faithfully obeyed with + a heroism and devotion that will establish a rich record in the + annals of the British Army, and conveyed to us by the war cry of + Ulster--"No Surrender." + + GEO. RICHARDSON, + Lt.-General, G.O.C., U.V.F. + +Sir E. Carson has issued the following message to the Ulster people:-- + + I desire to express, on my own behalf and that of my colleagues + from Ulster, the pride and admiration with which we have learnt of + the unparalleled acts of heroism and bravery which were carried out + by the Ulster Division in the great offensive movement on July 1st. + + From all accounts that we have received they have made the supreme + sacrifice for the Empire of which they were so proud, with a + courage, coolness, and determination, in the face of the most + trying difficulties, which has upheld the great tradition of the + British Army. Our feelings are, of course, mingled with sorrow and + sadness at the loss of so many men who were to us personal friends + and comrades; but we believe that the spirit of their race will at + a time of such grief and anxiety sustain those who mourn their loss + and set an example to others to follow in their footsteps. + +His Grace the Lord Primate of All Ireland, who was in Dungannon holding +a visitation of the clergy of the rural deaneries of Dungannon, Aghalo, +and Tullyhogue, has given us the following message to the people of +Ulster:-- + + All Ireland is proud of the noble gallantry of the Ulster Division. + I have lived amongst these officers and men for the greater + part of my life, and I expected nothing else. They are of the + stock from which our heroes come and to whom our Empire owes so + much--unconquered and unconquerable. + + To-day our hearts are bowed with woe for their relatives at home + who have been so grievously bereaved. For many years to come the + gallantry of these sons of Ulster will be an inspiration to fresh + generations of Irishmen. + + I spent a considerable time with them last January in France, + and I can testify to their patience and pluck, as well as to + their chivalry and courtesy. Oh! the wild charge they made! Their + services for honour and truth, after they have passed on into the + near presence of God, will never be forgotten. + +The Right Rev. Dr. D'Arcy, the Bishop of Down, in a message, says:-- + + The 1st of July will for all the future be remembered as the most + glorious in the annals of Ulster. Terrible indeed are the losses + sustained. Many of our noblest and best young men, to whom we + looked for help and leadership in the time to come, have given + their lives in the service of their country and for the welfare + of humanity. But our deep sorrow is permeated by the sense of the + joyful exultation at their splendid heroism. They have proved + themselves worthy of the grandest traditions of their race. They + have, indeed, surpassed all records of ancient chivalry. Wherever + Ulstermen go they will carry with them something of the glory + of the great achievement of the 1st July. The spirit of willing + sacrifice for the sake of those great ideals of liberty and + progressive humanity which belonged to all that is best in the + British race, and which has inspired Ulster throughout all her + recent struggles, was never more magnificently exhibited. + +The Right Rev. Dr. Day, the Bishop of Clogher, writes:-- + + I most heartily join with the Lord Primate, the Bishop of Down and + others in offering my congratulations to the Ulster Division on + the record of their noble deeds at the front in taking a prominent + part in the great offensive which was begun on July 1st by the + united forces of France and England. While we regret the heavy roll + of casualties with which their great achievements were carried out, + and sincerely sympathise with the sorrowing relatives of those who + have fallen in the cause of their King and country, the "order of + the day" issued by General Nugent is a testimony to valour and + determination which may well rouse the admiration of everyone who + is associated with Ulster. + + MAURICE CLOGHER. + +The following paragraph, taken from the "News-Letter," July 12th, 1916, +shows how Belfast and the people of Ulster paid a tribute to their +glorious dead:-- + +"This year, for the first time in the history of the Orange Institution, +the celebration of the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne was +abandoned, while the customary holidays were to a great extent +postponed until next month, to enable the shipyards and munition works +to complete immediate orders. At the suggestion of the Lord Mayor, +all work, business and household, was temporarily suspended for five +minutes following the hour of noon to-day, as a tribute to the men who +have fallen in the great British offensive. Viewed from the City Hall, +on the steps of which the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress were standing, +the scene was most impressive. On the stroke of 12 all traffic came +to a standstill, men raised their hats, ladies bowed their heads, the +blinds in business and private houses were drawn, and flags were flown +at half-mast. The bells at the Assembly Hall tolled, and after the +interval of five minutes chimed the hymn 'Abide with Me.' Intercessory +services were held in the Cathedral and other churches. Shortly before +noon the following telegram was received by the Lord Mayor from Sir +Edward and Lady Carson:--'Our prayers and solemn thoughts will be with +you all at 12 o'clock, in memory of our illustrious dead, who have won +glory for the Empire and undying fame for Ulster. May God bless and +help their sorrowing families.'" + +[Illustration: THE EXTERIOR OF ST. RIQUIER CATHEDRAL.] + + + + +NOTE ON ST. RIQUIER. + +(_Appendix I._) + + +A beautiful description of St. Riquier and the foundation of the Abbey +is given in a book by Margaret Stokes, "Three Months in the Forests of +France." + + About the year 589, two Irishmen, named Caidox and Fricor, + disembarked on the coast at the little town of Quentovic, on the + mouth of the Somme, with twelve companions, and they followed the + great Roman road, now called the Chaussée Brunehaut, preaching the + Gospel on their way. They reached Centule (now St. Riquier), and + remained there some days to rest. Some say they came to France + with Columban, and that when Columban resumed his journey towards + the Vosges, he left behind him these two monks that they might + give instructions to the half-barbarous inhabitants, and initiate + them into the mysteries of the Christian religion. "They fought + on," said the old chronicler, "perceiving that the inhabitants of + Centule (St. Riquier) were blinded by error and iniquity, and were + subjected to the most cruel slavery; they laboured with all their + strength to redeem their souls, and wash them in the Saviour's + Blood." But the people could not understand the language of these + heavenly messengers, and they rebelled against a teaching so + holy and sublime. They demanded what these adventurers, who had + just escaped out of a barbarous island, could be in search of, + and by what right they sought to impose their laws on them. The + voice of charity was met by cries, menaces, and outrage, and the + natives strove to drive them from their shores by violence, when + suddenly a young noble, named Riquier, appeared upon the scene. + He commanded silence, and arrested the most furious amongst the + mob, and taking the two strangers under his protection, he brought + them into his house. He gave them food and drink, and in return + they gave him such nourishment of the soul as he before had never + tasted. He learned to know God and love Him beyond all things.... + When he had taken orders he became the founder of the celebrated + Abbey of Centule (now St. Riquier), and the bodies of the two + Irishmen from whom he had learned Christianity were interred with + splendour in this church. When St. Angelbert, in the year 799, + restored this church, he also restored the half-ruined tombs, + decorated their shrines with such magnificence, and inscribed + verses upon them in letters of gold. The relics of the two saints + lay beneath the monument till the year 1070, when St. Geroinus + transferred them to a silver shrine adorned with precious stones, + and in this shrine also were laid the relics of another Irish + saint, Mauguille. Their festival is celebrated on June 3rd. On the + road from Abbeville to Doullens, on the edge of the wood of St. + Riquier, and below the slope of a smiling hill, an ancient church, + majestically seated in the valley below, comes into view. It is + the Abbey Church of St. Riquier. The town rises from the foot of + the church like an amphitheatre round the enclosure of its ancient + walls. The great tower rises above the fertile fields around and + above the summits of the distant hills and woodland glades. The + little stream of Seardon, which almost threatens to disappear at + its very source, passes through the lower town and on towards the + south-west. The old chroniclers called it Reviere au Cardons, from + the little flower cardoon. This little thread of water, rising at + Bonnefontaine, under Isinbard's tomb, is swelled by the junction + with the river Mirandeuil, or Misendeuil, a name derived from the + fact that it was at this spot the ladies of St. Riquier first heard + the fatal news that their husbands had fallen in the Battle of + Crecy.... The labours of the Irish Church in Picardy, commenced + by these two missionaries, Caidox and Fricor, and carried on by + the disciples of Columban from Luxeuil, were destined to receive + a fresh impetus from the parent country. Another mission, this + time from the shores of Lough Corrib, in Galway, was undertaken. + Fursa and his twelve companions, who landed at Mayoc, at the mouth + of the river Somme, A.D. 638, went up the river to St. Riquier, + a monastery in which he must have found traditions of his native + Church. + +[Illustration: THE INTERIOR OF ST. RIQUIER CATHEDRAL.] + +[Illustration: OFFICERS 11th BATTALION ROYAL IRISH RIFLES. July. 1915 + +_Top Row_--Lieut. Waring, 2nd Lieut. Ellis, 2nd Lieut. P. B. Thornely, +Lieut. F. G. Hull, 2nd Lieut. D. J. Brown, Lieut. E. Vance, Lieut. R. +H. Neill (Assistant Adjutant), 2nd Lieut. C. C. Canning. + +_Second Row_ (_standing_)--Lt. and Q.M. W. L. Devoto, Lieut. R. +Thompson (Transport Officer), Lieut. C. F. K. Ewart, 2nd Lieut. C. G. +F. Waring, 2nd. Lieut. S. A. M'Neill, 2nd Lieut. D. S. Priestly, 2nd +Lieut. W. C. Boomer, 2nd Lieut. T. H. Wilson, 2nd Lieut. G. O. Young +(Scout Officer), Lieut. K. M. Moore, Lieut. M. C. Graham (Medical +Officer), Captain S. D. B. Masters. + +_Third Row_ (_sitting_)--Captain Smyth, Capt. C. C. Craig, M.P., +Capt. A. P. Jenkins, Capt. R. Rivers Smyth (Brigade Major, 108th Inf. +Brigade), Major P. L. K. Blair Oliphant (2nd in Command), Lt.-Col. H. +A. Pakenham (Commanding), Major W. D. Deverell (Adjutant), Capt. O. B. +Webb, Capt. A. F. Charley, Capt. A. P. I. Samuels. + +_Two Officers sitting in front_--2nd Lieut. C. H. H. Orr, 2nd Lieut. J. +C. Carson.] + + + + +Biographies of Officers of 11th Royal Irish Rifles (South Antrim +Volunteers,) who were killed or wounded during the Battle of the Somme. + + +_In some cases Photographs could not be obtained_. + +[Illustration: CAPTAIN C. C. CRAIG. + +Commanding B Company; wounded and prisoner; M.P. for South Antrim.] + +[Illustration: MAJOR A. P. JENKINS, Lisburn. + +Commanding A Company; wounded and prisoner; first reported missing; +received Commission as Captain in 11th Royal Irish Rifles, September, +1914, served in France till July 1st, 1916, when wounded and made +prisoner, released from Germany owing to wounds in December, 1916, +spent from December, 1916, till November, 1917, as a repatriated +prisoner of war in Switzerland, returned to England November, 1917.] + +[Illustration: CAPTAIN O. B. WEBB. + +Commanding D Company, killed in action; son of the late Mr. Charles J. +Webb, J.P., the Old Bleach Linen Company, Randalstown.] + +[Illustration: CAPTAIN A. P. I. SAMUELS. + +Commanding C Company; wounded during bombardment previous to advance, +afterwards killed at Messines, September, 1916; son of the Right Hon. +Mr. Justice Samuels.] + +[Illustration: CAPTAIN E. F. SMITH. + +Wounded; son of Mr. Smith of Banbridge; before the war was an officer +in the Lisburn contingent of the U.V.F.] + +[Illustration: LIEUT. E. B. VANCE. + +Died of wounds a prisoner in Germany; C Company; son of the late Mr. +William Vance, Antrim.] + +[Illustration: CAPTAIN CECIL EWART. + +Killed in action; second in command of C Company; he took Command of +the Company after Captain Samuels was wounded. Captain Ewart is the +second son of Mr. F. W. Ewart, Derryvolgie, Lisburn.] + +[Illustration: LIEUT. R. H. NEILL. + +Killed; only son of Mr. Reginald Neill, Colingrove, Dunmurry; +educated at Mourne Grange, Kilkeel, Co. Down, and Malvern College, +Worcestershire. He was formerly an officer in the 2nd Batt. South +Antrim Regiment, U.V.F.] + +[Illustration: LIEUT. W. ELLIS. + +C Company; wounded; son of Mr. Ellis, Toomebridge.] + +[Illustration: LIEUT. G. O. YOUNG. + +C Company, Scout Officer; gassed in bombardment previous to advance; +son of Mr. George L. Young, J.P., Culdaff House, Co. Donegal, and +Millmount, Randalstown.] + +[Illustration: SEC.-LIEUT. B. W. GAMBLE. + +A Company; wounded; son of Mr. Baptist Gamble, 2 Elmwood Avenue, +G.W.R., Belfast.] + +[Illustration: SEC.-LIEUT. G. N. HUNTER. + +Wounded; second son of Mr. Samuel Hunter, Gracepark Gardens, Dublin, +Public Valuer to His Majesty's Treasury in Ireland.] + +[Illustration: SEC.-LIEUT. E. DANIEL. + +Shell-shock; son of Mr Daniel, Dungannon.] + +[Illustration: SEC.-LIEUT. J. W. SALTER. + +B Company; prisoner; first reported killed.] + +[Illustration: SEC.-LIEUT. C. J. H. SAMUELS. + +D Company; wounded; nephew of the Right Hon. Mr. Justice Samuels.] + +[Illustration: SEC.-LIEUT. F. B. THORNELY. + +Wounded; B Company; nephew of Major Blair Oliphant, second in Command +of the Battalion; received his commission from Uppingham School.] + +[Illustration: SEC.-LIEUT. J. C. CARSON. + +C Company; wounded; only son of Mr. J. Carson, of Parkmount, Lisburn, +and the Stock Exchange, Belfast.] + +[Illustration: SEC.-LIEUT. J. C. ORR. + +Wounded; son of Mr. J. C. Orr, Londonderry. Was in the Hong Kong and +Shanghai Bank, London, before the war. He was with the 108th Brigade +Trench Mortar Battery during the advance.] + +[Illustration: SEC.-LIEUT. C. R. B. MURPHY. + +Wounded; son of the Rev. Dr. Murphy, Rector of St. George's Parish +Church, Belfast.] + +[Illustration: SEC.-LIEUT. D. S. PRIESTLY. + +Killed, attached 108th Brigade Machine Gun Corps. This officer had been +with D Company until January, 1916.] + +[Illustration: SEC.-LIEUT. W. C. BOOMER. + +D Company, Lisburn; wounded previous to July 1st.] + +[Illustration: SEC.-LIEUT. BRAMHAL. + +Wounded during bombardment previous to advance.] + +[Illustration: SEC.-LIEUT. S. WARING. + +A Company, Glenavy; wounded previous to July 1st.] + +SEC.-LIEUT. W. P. VINT. + +Wounded; was with the Machine Gun Company, 108th Brigade. + + + + +ORDERS No. 237. + + + By Lieut.-Col. H. A. Pakenham, Commanding 11th (Service) Battalion + Royal Irish Rifles (South Antrim Regiment). + + 16th July, 1916. + + + 313 CASUALTIES. + KILLED--1/7/16. + + + "A" COMPANY. + + Cpl. Dunlop, Q. + L/Cpl. Lennox, F. J. + R'man. Allen, W. J. + " Clelland, G. + " Harvey, J. + " Marks, R. + " Morrow, R. + " Leckey, W. + + + "B" COMPANY. + + R'man. Bell, H. + " Brown, E. + " Gaussen, C. L. + " Haddock, T. + Cpl. Lunn, J. + R'man. Lewis, E. + L/Cpl. M'Kechnie, R. + R'man. M'Keown, W. + " Neill, J. + Cpl. Stewart, P. M. + L/Cpl. Walker, G. F. + R'man. Welch, Alex. + + + "C" COMPANY. + + Sgt. Buick, J. + R'man. Andrews, J. + " Knox, F. + " Magill, R. D. + " Pollock, A. + " Wallace, J. + + + "D" COMPANY. + + C.S.M. Bell, J. + L/Sgt. Bell, J. + L/Cpl. Foster, J. B. + " Cathcart, T. + R'man. Ansell, J. + " Dunleavy, J. + " Gorman, D. + " Hoy, S. + " Harper, J. + " Morrow, J. + " M'Clean, J. + " M'Mullen, J. + " M'Clughan, R. + " M'Gimpsey, J. + " Nixon, R. W. + " Robinson, E. + " Smith, R. + " Sloan, W. + " Steadman, J. + " Stephenson, J. + " Toman, H. + " White, J. + " Weir, W. + + + DIED FROM WOUNDS. + + R'man. Boyd, D. + + + 614 CASUALTIES. + WOUNDED--1/7/16. + + + "A" COMPANY. + + Sgt. Abbott, J. + " Patton, J. + L/Sgt. Gillespie, G. + " Beattie, V. + L/Cpl. Atkinson, M. + " Kerr, A. + " Lynch, E. W. + Upd. + L/Cpl. M'Neice, E. + L/Cpl. Corkin, W. + R'man. Allen, S. + " Beck, J. + " Bell, R. + " Buchanan, J. + " Barrons, A. + " Conway, W. C. + " Corkin, J. + " Connaughty, R. + " Dodds, S. + " Frazer, R. + " Fulton, J. + " Hawthorne, J. + " Hunter, R. + " Keery, S. + " Lavery, Jas. + " Lavery, John + " Lewis, G. + " Logan, W. J. + " Lyness, C. + " Maginess, W. + " Morgan, J. + " Murdock, J. + " Morrison, T. G. + " Mulligan, D. + " Mulholland, C. + " M'Cann, E. + " M'Cann, J. + " Matier, R. (2) + " M'Neice, J. (1) + " Orr, W. + " Patterson, T. + " Reid, J. E. + " Salley, R. + " Sewell, F. + " Smyth, W. + " Spratt, S. + " Steele, J. + " Semple, W. + " Savage, E. + " Ward, T. + " Watson, A. + " Weir, A. + " M'Gorkin, R. + " Hillis, J. + " Hanna, B. + " Coburn, J. + " Abbott, T. + " Agnew, J. + " Atkinson, T. + " Beattie, E. + " Cassidy, J. + " Chapman, Jas. + " Fox, W. J. + " Herron, J. + " Hanna, R. + " Murdock, T. + " Rainey, S. + " Williamson, R. + " Watson, C. + " Beattie, R. + " Freeland, S. + + + "B" COMPANY. + + R'man. Benson, A. + " Blakes, T. + " Bleaks, W. + " Briggs, R. + " Bryson, S. + Sgt. Burke, F. G. + L/Cpl. Crawford, W. J. + R'man. Curry, W. + " Crowe, J. + " Crozier, W. + " Dickson, C. + " Dodds, J. + " Duff, J. + " Foreman, J. + L/Cpl. Gill, D. + R'man. Green, T. + " Hawthorne, A. + " Hill, S. + L/Cpl. Hull, W. J. + R'man. Hyndman, R. J. + " Lewis, W. + " Moore, R. + " Mulholland, T. J. + Sgt. Munn, H. + R'man. Maybin, J. + " Moody, T. + " Marshall, G. + Sgt. M'Clenahan, W. J. + R'man. M'Cormick, J. + " M'Donald, J. + " M'Gurk, J. + " M'Henry, J. + " M'Knight, R. + " M'Williams, F. + " M'Williams, J. + " M'Gall, J. + " M'Cluskey, W. + " O'Neill, J. + " Patterson, T. + " Ramsey, J. + L/Cpl. Rennix, E. + R'man. Scott, H. + " Spears, D. + " Smith, A. + " Thompson, J. + " Trousdale, G. + " Verner, T. + Sgt. Waring, G. D. + R'man. Webb, H. + " Webb, Jos. + " Woods, J. + " Woods, A. C. + " Rea, S. + " Dowling, A. + " Matchett, J. H. + + + "C" COMPANY. + + Sgt. Steele, M. + " Kelly, A. + " Whiteside, A. + " Kernaghan, J. + L/Sgt. Swann, J. + Cpl. Flemming, H. + " M'Burney, J. + A/Cpl. M'Burney, T. + L/Cpl. Reid, B. + " Crookes, C. E. + " Wallace, J. + " O'Neill, J. + R'man. Andrews, R. J. + " Alderdice, R. + " Bates, R. + " Campbell, S. + " Cullen, W. + " Doole, I. + " Dawson, J. + " Ewart, H. + " Ewart, H. + " Esler, R. + " Foster, W. + " Greer, A. + " Gillespie, J. + " Hamilton, J. + " Hughes, J. + " Hamilton, T. + " Hanlon, A. T. + " Harvey, J. S. + " Hume, J. + " Kirkpatrick, S. + " Harbinson, A. + " M'Cammond, J. + " Linton, W. + " Millar, J. + " Moore, J. + " Magill, T. + " Milligan, J. + " Manning, R. J. + " M'Kee, J. + " M'Lean, W. + " M'Connell, J. + Upd. + L/Cpl. M'Grugan, H. + R'man. M'Clay, S. + " M'Calmont, W. J. + " Nicholl, S. + " Patterson, J. + " Sterling, D. + " Storey, D. + " Sergeant, T. + " Shannan, A. + " Stewart, J. + " Thompson, S. + " Thompson, J. + " Wallace, A. + " Woods, R. + " Young, W. + " Young, S. + " Scullion, J. + L/Cpl. Eakin, T. + R'man. Bailey, W. + " Millar, J. + " Mulree, J. + + + "D" COMPANY. + + Sgt. Higginson, W. + " Mercer, J. + Cpl. Matier, T. + " Adamson, R. M. + L/Cpl. O'Neill, E. + " Wallace, W. + " Shaw, J. + " Allen, W. + R'man. Ayre, S. + " Adair, G. + " Adair, B. + " Adams, K. G. + " Allen, D. + " Ashe, E. + " Boomer, R. + " Boggs, J. + " Calvert, W. + " Christie, J. + " Corkin, T. + " Cochrane, G. + " Cunningham, D. + " Duffy, R. J. + " Dalton, A. + " Doole, G. + " Dickson, S. + " Dawson, A. + " Fleming, W. + " Harbinson, R. + " Horner, J. + " Hill, S. + " Johnston, W. + " Johnston, H. + " Kennedy, G. + " Leathem, W. + " Stratton, W. J. + " Jenkins, T. + " Lowery, J. + " Kerr, J. + " Lyttle, J. + " Millar, B. + " M'Pherson, R. + " M'Kee, J. + " M'Kibben, R. M. + " M'Cloy, W. + " M'Kibben, L. + " M'Dowell, W. + " Martin, T. + " Mawhinney, S. + " M'Connell, W. + " M'Garth, J. + " M'Ilroy, H. + " M'Dowell, D. + " Neeson, J. + " Peel, A. + " Russell, J. + " Ringland, G. + " Rodgers, J. + " Steele, J. + " Stewart, W. + " Smyth, W. J. + " Smith, W. + " Shields, S. + " Todd, J. + " M'Clelland, S. + " Ingram, H. + + + 615 MISSING + + + "A" COMPANY. + + R'man. Chambers, J. + " Cowan, Jos. + " Doherty, A. + " Davidson, J. H. + " Emerson, D. + " Freeland, S. + " Kerr, D. + " Kain, W. + " Kidd, Jas. + " Lightbody, J. + " Logan, T. + " Lyttle, S. + " Russell, W. + " Singleton, T. + " Topping, S. + " Totten, W. + " Wright, W. + " Kidd, R. + + + "B" COMPANY. + + R'man. Beattie, G. + " Blakely, S. + " Bruce, W. J. + Cpl. Cairns, E. + Sgt. Cairns, T. G. + R'man. Crowe, J. + " Gordon, R. + " Green, J. + " Hawthorne, T. + " Herron, W. + " Henninger, W. + " Hanna, D. + " Irvine, W. + " Kidd, G. + " Kennedy, R. J. + " Kennedy, R. + " Logan, T. + " Lowry, H. + " Lyness, J. + " Marks, T. + " Murdock, H. + Upd. + L/Cpl. Murphy, T. + R'man. Morrow, J. + " Morrow, R. J. + " M'Ilhatton, R. + " M'Larnon, G. + " Patterson, W. + " Reid, D. + " Stevenson, J. + " Semple, S. + " Sample, S. J. + " Tollerton, R. + " Wills, S. + + + "C" COMPANY. + + Sgt. Stewart, W. + " Miller, W. + L/Cpl. Scott, J. + " Ellis, S. + R'man. Anderson, W. H. + " Bell, A. + " Clarke, A. + " Coulter, J. + " Drennan, R. + " Dyers, J. + " Derby, G. + " Graham, D. + " Greer, A. + " Houston, W. + " Linton, H. + " Lyttle, F. + " Marshall, A. + " Mairs, E. + " M'Dowell, J. + " M'Fall, J. + " Newell, T. + " Nelson, W. + " Orr, J. + " Smith, W. J. + " Wilkinson, W. + + + "D" COMPANY. + + Sgt. Lavery, G. + A/Cpl. Moore, W. + Cpl. Glendinning, D. + " Williamson, W. J. + Upd. + L/Cpl. Purdy, R. + " M'Aleece, J. + " Smyth, J. + " Robinson, W. + R'man. Bushe, S. + " Bell, A. + " Easton, S. + " Goudy, J. + " Heaney, T. + " Logan, W. + " Moore, H. + " M'Curdy, W. + " Moore, J. + " M'Allister, J. + " Patterson, R. + " Skillen, W. + " Thompson, J. + " Williamson, A. + " Wilson, T. + " Hamill, J. + " Graham, J. + R'man. Boyd, W. + " Boyd, D. + " Henderson, J. + Upd. + L/Cpl. Millar, S. + + + PRISONER OF WAR. + + R'man. Fisher, J. + " Walker, H. + " Frouten, A. + + ADJUTANT, + + 11th (S.) Bn. R.Ir.Rif. + + + + +Embarkation List of Officers + + +Embarkation List of Officers 11th Royal Irish Rifles who left Bordon +Camp for France, October, 1915. + + Lieut.-Col. H. A. Pakenham, Commanding Officer. + Major P. Blair Oliphant. + Major Devonish Deverell, Adjutant. + Lieut. R. Thompson, Transport Officer. + Capt. Graham, Medical Officer. + Lieut. F. Hull. + Lieut. Devoto, Quartermaster. + + +"A" COMPANY. + + Major A. P. Jenkins. + Capt. E. F. Smith. + Capt. C. Ewart. + Lieut. C. G. F. Waring. + Lieut. T. G. Thornely. + Lieut. S. Waring. + + +"B" COMPANY. + + Captain C. C. Craig. + Captain A. T. Charley. + Lieut. R. N. Neill. + Lieut. Wilson. + Lieut. Webb. + + +"C" COMPANY. + + Major Cavendish Clark. + Lieut. Vance. + Captain A. P. I. Samuels. + Lieut. Ellis. + Lieut. Young. + Lieut. Vint. + + +"D" COMPANY. + + Captain O. B. Webb. + Captain Masters. + Lieut. Canning. + Lieut. Waring. + Lieut. W. C. Boomer. + Lieut. Priestly. + + + + +Embarkation List of N.C. Officers & Men. + + + Sgt. Abbott, James + R'man. Abbott, Thomas + " Abbott, Wm. Robert + " Allen, Samuel + " Allen, Wm. John + " Andrews, James + " Andrews, James + " Andrews, Thomas + " Atkinson, Moses + " Atkinson, Thomas + " Adams, R. + " Adams, John + " Addis, David + " Addis, Henry + " Agnow, Edward + " Andrews, William + " Adams, Henry + " Adams, James Alex. + " Adams, Oliver + " Allen, John + " Anderson, Samuel A. + " Anderson, Wm. Hy. + L/Cpl. Andrews, Robt. John + R'man. Ardery, Francis + " Armstrong, William + " Adair, Ben + " Adair, George + " Adams, Kenneth K. + " Adams, Robert + " Adamson, Robt. M'K. + " Addis, James + Cpl. Addis, Wm. Hy. + R'man. Allen, William + " Anderson, John Jos. + " Ansell, John + " Archer, Bertie + " Ashe, Edward + " Ayre, Samuel + " Baxter, Isaac + " Beattie, Ernest + " Beattie, Robert + Cpl. Beattie, Victor + R'man. Beck, James + " Bell, Robert + " Bingham, William + L/Cpl. Black, James + R'man. Blakley, Edward Chas. + " Boyd, David + Sgt. Breathwaite, Samuel + R'man. Brown, George + " Brown, Isaac + " Brown, Samuel + " Buchanan, John + C.Q.M.S. Bullick, Edwin + L/Sgt. Bullick, Wm. Parker + R'man. Barr, David Geo. + " Barr, John Nathaniel + " Beattie, George + " Beck, Hg. Hy + " Bell, Hy. + " Bell, John + L/Cpl. Brown, Samuel + R'man. Benson, Albert + L/Cpl. Benson, John + R'man. Birney, Thomas + " Black, William + " Blakes, Thomas + " Blakely, Alexander + " Blakely, Samuel + " Blakely, Thomas + " Bleaks, William + " Bloomfield, Sl. + " Briggs, Robert + " Brown, Edmund + " Brown, George + Cpl. Brown, James + R'man. Brown, John + " Brown, Samuel + " Bruce, Albert E. G. + " Bruce, William + " Bruce, William + " Bryans, David + " Bryson, Samuel + L/Sgt. Burke, Fk. Geo. + R'man. Bankhead, Robt. + " Barbour, Robt. + " Barkley, Arthur + " Bates, Robert + " Beattie, Robert + " Beattie, Robt. Jas. + " Beattie, William + " Beck, James + " Bell, Andrew + " Boyd, David + " Brown, Fred Chas. + " Brown, John + " Brown, John + " Brown, Robert + Sgt. Buick, Jackson + R'man. Buick, James + " Burrowes, Hy. + " Barkely, James + " Beggs, James + " Bell, Andrew + " Bell, Alexander + " Bell, Joseph + C.S.M. Bell, John + R'man. Bell, William + " Brides, Michael + " Brown, James + Cpl. Bushe, James Hy. + R'man. Campbell, Wm. Saml. + C.M.S. Caton, Jack + R'man. Ceaser, Hugh + " Clarke, Arthur + " Cairns, Robert + " Calvert, William + " Campbell, James + " Campbell, John Hy. + " Caskery, Francis + " Cathcart, Thomas + " Chapman, Jos. + " Chapman, William + " Christie, Jos. + " Clarke, Hugh + " Clarke, William + " Clarke, Wm. Robt. + " Cooper, William + " Coulter, James + Sgt. Chambers, Jas. Orr + R'man. Chambers, Robert + " Chapman, David + " Chapman, James + L/Cpl. Chapman, Joseph + R'man. Chapman, William + " Clarke, Chas. + " Clarke, George + Sgt. Clarke, Joseph + R'man. Cleland, George + " Coburn, James + " Coburn, John + " Collington, Edward + " Connolly, John + " Connor, James + " Conway, William Chas. + " Cordiner, Samuel + " Cordner, George + " Cordiner, Thomas + Cpl. Corkin, Hy. + R'man. Corkin, John J. + Cpl. Corken, Robert J. + R'man. Corkin, William + " Corry, John + " Cowan, Albert Wm. + " Cowan, Joseph + " Cowan, Samuel + " Cowan, Thomas + " Creighton, Robert + " Crone, William + " Crowe, Francis + " Coulter, Thomas + " Craig, Alexander + " Craig, David + L/Cpl. Crooks, Chas. Edward + R'man. Crooks, Cecil + " Cullen, William + " Campbell, Edward + " Cassidy, Joseph + Cpl. Cathcart, David + R'man. Chambers, James + Cpl. Cairns, Edward + R'man. Cairns, Samuel + Sgt. Cairns, Thos. John + R'man. Campbell, John + C.Q.M.S. Campbell, William + R'man. Carson, Robert + " Carson, William + " Caughey, Joseph + " Chapman, Arthur + " Clarke, Alfred James + " Clarke, John + " Clay, John + " Colvin, Robert John + " Crawford, William Jas. + Sgt. Cree, John + L/Cpl. Crockard, James + Cpl. Croft, John + R'man. Crone, Richard + " Crothers, James + " Crothers, Robt. James + " Crowe, Fred + " Crowe, John + " Crowe, Thomas + " Crozier, William + Sgt. Crump, William + R'man. Curry, William + R'man. Christie, William John + Sgt. Clarke, William + Sgt. Clendinning, John + R'man. Cochrane, George + " Colvin, Samuel + " Corken, Thomas + " Cowan, Archie + " Craig, James + " Cunningham, Dl. + " Currie, Robert + " Dalton, David + " Davidson, James Hall + " Dodds, Samuel + " Doherty, Alexander + Sgt. Donnelly, James + R'man. Douglas, Saml. James + " Dowds, Joseph Hy. + " Dowling, Albert + " Drennan, David + L/Cpl. Dunlop, Quinton + R'man. Dunlop, William + " Davison, Clem. + " Dawson, John + " Dempster, George + " Dobbin, William H. + " Doole, Isaac + " Doole, William John + " Drennan, Robert + " Dalton, Arthur + " Dalton, Thomas + " Dennison, David + " Dick, Samuel + " Dickson, Samuel + " Dole, George + " Doyle, James Hy. + " Duffy, Robert John + " Dunleavy, James + " Dickson, Chas. + Sgt. Dickson, William G. + R'man. Dodds, John + " Doherty, Samuel + " Dowling, Abraham + " Duff, Joseph + " Dunbar, Francis + " Ederton, Henry + " Elkin, Hugh Kelly + " English, Alexander + " English, William Jas. + L/Cpl. Ewart, William Henry + " Eakin, Thomas + " Edgar, John + R'man. Elliott, Samuel + " Ellis, Samuel + " English, Thomas + " Erwin, Frank + " Esler, Robert + " Ewart, Henry + " Ewart, Henry + " Ellis, William + " English, Thomas + " English, Joseph + Cpl. Fleming, Henry + L/Cpl. Fleming, Robert + R'man. Fleming, Thomas + " Foster, William + " Francey, Robt. James + " French, George + " French, John + " Finlay, Hy. + L/Cpl. Fleming, John + " Fleming, Samuel + R'man. Foster, Allen + " Foster, John B. + " Francey, William Jn. + " Fullerton, Francis + " Fleming, James + " Fenton, John + " Ferrin, Joseph + " Flannagan, William + " Fleming, William + " Fox, William John + " Foye, Silias + " Fraser, Robert + " Freeland, Samuel + L/Cpl. Fulton, John + R'man. Ferguson, Andrew + L/Cpl. Fisher, David + R'man. Fisher, Joseph + " Foreman, Joseph + " Forsythe, Fred + " Forsythe, James + " Frayer, George + " Frazer, Robert + " Gorman, James + " Gausson, Chas. F. + " Geddis, David + " Gill, David + " Gill, William + " Gillian, William + " Gillian, William + " Gordon, Robert + " Graham, Thomas + Sgt. Graham, William Jn. + R'man. Green, Thomas + " Greene, Joseph + L/Sgt. Gillespie, George + R'man. Gill, Robert + " Gorman, John + Sgt. Goulding, Fred E. + R'man. Gaston, Alex. + " Gilmore, Thomas + " Gowdy, Alex. + " Graham, James + " Graham, William + " Graham, William Jn. + " Grattan, Hugh + " Gray, Robt. Jn. + " Gregory, Joseph + " Griffin, Martin + " Galbraith, William + " Galway, Alex. + L/Cpl. Gleghorn, David + R'man. Goudy, Jos. + L/Cpl. Gourlay, David + C.Q.M.S. Gourlay, David H. J. + R'man. Graham, David + " Graham, William + " Greene, David + " Greene, William John + " Greer, Archibald + L/Cpl. Glendinning, Dd. + R'man. Gordon, James + " Gorman, Daniel + L/Cpl. Gorman, Phillip + R'man. Goudy, James + " Goudy, Jos. Hy. + " Graham, John + " Graham, Robert + " Gray, Samuel + Cpl. Gray, William + Sgt. Gregg, Samuel + R'man. Hanna, Boyd + " Hanna, Fk. James + " Hanna, Robert + " Harvey, John + " Haslett, George + " Hawthorn, James + " Hayes, William James + " Heasley, William + " Herron, John + " Higginson, William Jas. + " Hill, Thomas Robert + " Hillis, John + " Hodgin, John + " Holmes, George + " Hull, George Hy. + " Hunter, Robert + " Hamill, John + Sgt. Harbinson, James + R'man. Harbinson, Rd. + " Harbinson, William + R.S.M. Hall, Isaac + R'man. Heaney, Thomas + " Heaney, William E. + " Hyndman, James + " Hyndman, Robt. Jn. + " Hailhwaite, C. J. G. M. + " Hamill, John Edward + Cpl. Hamill, Samuel + R'man. Hamilton, Francis + " Hamilton, James + " Hamilton, Thomas J. + " Hanlon, Alex. T. + " Hanna, Robert + " Hanna, James + L/Cpl. Hannon, James + R'man. Hannon, Samuel + " Harvey, Jos. S. + " Henderson, John + Cpl. Herdman, James + R'man. Hewitt, William John + " Hogg, James + " Houston, John + " Houston, Robert + " Houston, Robert + " Hughes, James + L/Cpl. Hume, James + R'man. Ingram, Henry + " Irvine, David + " Irvine, John + " Irvine, James + " Irvine, John + " Irvine, Robert + " Irvine, William + " Johnston, George + " Jenkins, Thomas + " Johnston, David + L/Cpl. Johnston, George + Sgt. Jamison, John + R'man. Jefferson, Walter + " Johnston, John + " Johnston, William + " Jackson, Samuel + " Johnston, John + " Johnston, Robert + " Johnston, William + " Linton, William + " Linton, John + " Lyle, Samuel + " Lyttle, Francis + " Lyttle, Thomas + " Lamont, William + " Lamour, Alex. + Cpl. Lavery, Alex. + R'man. Lavery, James + " Lavery, John + Sgt. Lavery, William + R'man. Lavery, William John + L/Cpl. Leathem, John + R'man. Leathem, William + " Leckey, William + " Lennox, Fk. John + " Lewis, George + " Logan, Thomas + " Lynass, Matt + " Lynch, Edward Watson + " Lyness, Chas. + " Lyness, Thomas + " Lyttle, Samuel + " Lightbody, James + " Lavery, Joseph + " Lennon, James + " Lewis, Edward + " Lockhart, Robert + " Logan, Thomas + " Long, Richardson + " Lowery, Henry + Sgt. Lavery, George + L/Cpl. Leach, Arnold + R'man. Leathem, William + " Lennon, Osmond + " Lewis, James + Cpl. Lindop, Charles + R'man. Lindsay, Hugh + " Lindsay, Hugh + " Lindsay, William + " Logan, John + " Logan William + " Lowery, John + " Luke, Archibald + L/Cpl. Lyle, John + R'man. Lyness, Charles + " Lyttle, John + L/Cpl. Lunn, James + R'man. Lyness, James + " Lyons, Thomas + " Magill, Thomas + " Mairs, William J. + " Manning, Reg. Jos. + " Marcus, Alexander + " Mawhinney, Robt. J. + " Miller, Hugh + " Miller, James + " Miller, John + " Miller, John + " Marshall, A. + " Magill, William + " Maginnis, John + " Maginnis, Robert + " Maginnis, William + " Marshall, Andrew + " Marks, Alexander + " Marks, Thomas + " Marwood, James + " Matchett, James Hy. + " May, Nathaniel + " Mcgarry, Jos. Edward + " Megrath, William + " Minford, Alfred + R.Q.M.S. Moore, Richard + R'man. Moore, Robert + " Moore, William Geo. + " Morrow, John + " Mount, James + " Mulholland, Albert + " Mulholland, Thos. Jn. + L/Sgt. Munn, Henry + R'man. Murdock, Henry + " Murdock, Samuel + " Murphy, Thomas + " Morrow, James + Cpl. Marsden, James + R'man. Martin, David + " Martin, Samuel + " Mather, Joseph + " Matier, John + L/Cpl. Matier, Thomas + Cpl. Mearns, Jas. Wilson + R'man. Megarry, James + L/Cpl. Mercer, James + R'man. Miller, James + " Mooney, Robert + " Moore, Henry + " Moore, James + " Moore, William + " Morrison, William + " Morrow, James + " Mynes, Charles + " Miller, Samuel + L/Sgt. Miller, William + R'man. Miller, William + " Milligan, David + " Milligan, James H. + " Milliken, Thomas C. C. + " Moffat, Samuel + " Montgomery, Jos. + " Moore, Herbert J. + " Moore, John + " Moore, Walter + L/Sgt. Mulholland, Hugh + R'man. Mulree, Joseph + " M'Aloney, William + " M'Bride, Thomas + L/Cpl. M'Burney, John C. + " M'Burney, Thomas + Cpl. M'Callen, James + R'man. M'Calmont, Wm. J. + " Martin, Hy. + " Martin, Thomas + " Matier, Robert + " Maxwell, James + " Megran, Thomas + " Mills, Samuel + Sgt. Mitchell, Aty. W. + R'man. Moag, David + L/Cpl. Moles, Hy. Smyth + R'man. Mooney, Alex. + " Moore, Alex. + Sgt. Moore, John + R'man. Moore, Norman Wilfred + " Moore, William Alex. + " Morgan, John + " Morrison, Geo. Thomas + " Morrow, Robert + " Morrow, Wm. Hy. + " Mulholland, Chas. Wm. + " Mulholland, James + " Mulligan, Jn. + " Murdock, John + " Murdock, Thomas + " M'Allister, Pierce + " M'Allister, William + " M'Avoy, Lewis Patton + " M'Cann, Edward + " M'Carthy, Jn. + " M'Caw, James + " M'Cleery, Samuel + " M'Cleeland, William + " M'Cloy, Hy. + " M'Cartney, John + " M'Clintock, Thomas + " M'Clure, William + " M'Connell, John + " M'Coy, William + " M'Donald, James + " M'Dowell, Johnston + " M'adden, John + " M'Fadden, William + " M'Crubb, Daniel + " M'Crugan, Hugh + " M'Ilwaine, Thomas + " M'Ivor, Samuel + " M'Kee, James + " M'Andrews, H. + " M'Bride, Alexander + " M'Cabe, Robert + " M'Cauley, Robert + " M'Clelland, John + " M'Clements, William + " M'Clenahan, John + " M'Clenaghan, Rd. + Sgt. M'Clenaghan, Wm. Jas. + R'man. M'Clurg, Adam + " M'Kee, John + " M'Kee, Robert + " M'Kee, William + " M'Kelvey, Matt + " M'Lean, William + " M'Lean, William + " M'Mullen, Samuel + Cpl. M'Murray, James + R'man. M'Veigh, William + " M'Aleece, James + " M'Allister, Charles + " M'Allister, Jos. + " M'Auley, Chas. + " M'Cartney, John + " M'Clean, John + " M'Clelland, Samuel + " M'Cloy, William + L/Cpl. M'Comb, Edward + R'man. M'Corkey, Matt. Geo. + Cpl. M'Cord, Archie + R'man. M'Court, John M. + " M'Dowell, William + " M'Dowell, William + " M'Gimpsey, Jas. + " M'Grath, Joseph + " M'Ilroy, Henry + " M'Intosh, Patrick + L/Cpl. M'Kee, John + R'man. M'Kee, John + " M'Kee, William + L/Sgt. M'Keown, William + R'man. M'Kibbin, Langtry + " M'Kibben, Rt. Millar + " M'Kinney, David + " M'Knight, Alex + " M'Knight, William John + " M'Mullen, James + " M'Pherson, Robert + L/Sgt. M'Quillan, William + L/Cpl. M'Clurg, William + R'man. M'Comb, Francis + " M'Comb, James + " M'Comb, John + " M'Cormick, Joseph + " M'Cracken, William + Cpl. M'Cready, Robert + R'man. M'Cullough, Andy + " M'Cune, James + " M'Curry, Thomas + " M'Curley, Felix + " M'Curley, James + " M'Donald, Joseph + " M'Donald, Samuel + " M'Donald, William + " M'Dowell, Thomas + " M'Gurk, John + " M'Henry, John + " M'Ilroy, Edward + " M'Ilroy, Roger + L/Cpl. M'Kechnie, Robert + R'man. M'Keown, Wm. Robt. + " M'Kibbin, Eli + " M'Knight, Robert + " M'Larnan, George + " M'Murray, William + " M'Nair, William + " M'Veigh, William + " M'Williams, Fredk. + " M'Williams, John + " Neill, Thomas + " M'Cloy, James + " M'Clure, Thomas Jas. + " M'Comb, William + " M'Comiskey, Hbt. + " M'Donald, Wm. Ed. + " M'Geown, Samuel + " M'Ilroy, James + " M'Kaveney, John + " M'Keaveney, James + " M'Keaveney, David + " M'Keown, William + Cpl. M'Mullen, William + L/Cpl. M'Mullen, Samuel + R'man. M'Nair, John + " M'Neice, Edward + " M'Neice, James + " M'Neill, Robert + " M'Watters, Alex. + " M'Watters, Alex. + " Nash, Thomas + " Neagle, William Jas. + " Nicholson, John + " Nolan, Rd. John + " Neeson, John + " Neill, John + " Nelson, Robert + " Nicholl, Samuel + " Nicholl, Wm. Hy. + " Nixon, Robt. Wm. + " Norwood, Joseph + " Nowell, Thomas + " Nicholl, Samuel + Cpl. Orr, George + R'man. Orr, Robert Jas. + Cpl. Partridge, John + R'man. Patterson, John + " Patterson, Thomas + " Patterson, William + " Peel, Michael Jos. + Cpl. Phillips, John + R'man. Poots, William + " Purdy, Samuel + " O'Neill, James + " O'Neill, Hugh + " Orr, John + " O'Neill, Edward + " Orr, William John + " Osborne, William + " Patterson, Robert + " Patterson, Thomas + " Patton, Daniel + " Peel, Albert + " Pollock, James + " Pollock, James + " Pollock, Samuel + " Pershaw, John + " Pritchard, Thomas + " Purdy, Robert + " Patterson, James + " Patterson, Charles + " Patterson, Samuel + " Patterson, Thomas + Sgt. Patton, James + R'man. Potts, Stewart + " Parker, Hugh + " Patterson, James + " Pollock, Alexander + " Pollock, Victor + " Pershaw, John + " Quinn, Thomas + " Quigley, David + " Quigley, Samuel + " Quigley, Matthew + " Quinn, Robert + " Quinn, William + " Rainey, John + " Rainey, Robert + " Rankin, Thomas Hy. + " Reford, James A. M. + L/Cpl. Reid, Bristow + R'man. Reid, James + Sgt. Renshaw, James Hy. + R'man. Roy, Matthew + " Raddick, Jonathan + " Rainey, Henry + " Rainey, Samuel + " Rainey, William John + " Reford, Fras. Johnston + " Regan, Hugh + " Reid, Joseph Edward + " Reid, William + " Robinson, Henry + " Rowan, William + " Roy, Thomas + " Roy, William James + " Russell, William + " Rea, David + " Ringland, George + " Roberts, Francis + " Roberts, William + " Robinson, Edward + " Rodgers, James + " Robinson, William + " Rowley, James + " Russell, James + " Shaw, John + " Sherritt, Joseph + " Sinclair, William + " Skillen, William + " Sloan, William + " Smith, Robert + L/Cpl. Smylie, Samuel + R'man. Smyth, James + " Smyth, Thomas + " Smyth, William + " Smyth, William John + " Steadman, John + Cpl. Steele, Henry + R'man. Stephenson, Joseph + " Stewart, Brice + " Stewart, Francis + " Stewart, William + " Stewart, William + Sgt. Surgenor, James + R'man. Surgenor, John + " Scott, James + " Scroggie, John + " Sergeant, Thomas + " Salley, Robert + " Sewell, Francis + " Shaw, John + " Shields, Joseph + " Simpson, Joseph + " Singleton, Thomas + " Skelly, James + " Smith, William + " Ramsey, John + " Reid, David + " Reid, John + L/Cpl. Rennix, Edward G. + R'man. Roberts, Samuel + " Rodgers, Charles + " Rush, Edward + " Scott, Henry + " Scott, Robert + " Smyth, Thomas + " Smyth, William Ed. + " Stevenson, James + " Stewart, James + L/Cpl. Stewart, Patk. Mich. + R'man. Stift, Arthur, Geo. + " Taggart, Norman + " Tannahill, Harry + " Thompson, Hy. Jas. + L/Cpl. Thompson, Joseph + R'man. Smyth, Hugh + " Smyth, Joseph + " Smyth, Thomas Hy. + " Smyth, William + " Spratt, Samuel + " Steadman, George + " Stevenson, John + " Stewart, Hugh + " Swann, Samuel + " Swindle, William + " Shannon, Alexander + " Skelton, Arthur + " Sloan, John + " Smith, Robert + " Speedie, Thomas + Sgt. Sprott, Robert + " Steele, Martin + " Stewart, William + R'man. Sterling, David + " Storey, David + " Storey, Joseph + " Straitt, Samuel + Cpl. Swann, James + R'man. Tate, William Hy. + " Thompson, Jonathan + " Thompson, Robert K. + " Thompson, Samuel + " Thursby, James + " Taggart, Andrew + " Tate, John + " Thompson, John + " Toman, Henry + " Totten, Joseph + " Turner, Samuel + " Thompson, Samuel + " Tolerton, Robert + " Tollerton, Thomas + " Verner, Thomas + " Walker, George F. + " Wallace, George + " Wallace, William + " Walsh, David + " Walsh, William Hy. + Sgt. Waring, Geo. Dickson + R'man. Waring, James Banks + " Waring, James + " Waring, William + R.S.M. Watson, John + R'man. Watson, William + " Webb, Herbert + " Webb, Joseph + " Weir, Thomas + " Welch, Alexander + " Wilkinson, Hugh + L/Cpl. Williamson, Hy. + Sgt. Williamson, Joe + R'man. Wills, James + " Wills, Samuel + " Wilson, Robert + " Woods, Clements, Alex. + " Woods, James + C.S.M. Woods, William Fdk. + R'man. Wright, Alexander + " Wright, Edward + L/Cpl. Tate, David + Cpl. Tate, James + R'man. Taggart, Thomas + " Thornton, John + " Todd, Francis + " Todd, John + " Topping, Hy. + " Topping, Samuel + " Totten, William + " Vogan, William + " Walker, Isaac + " Walker, John + " Walker, Robert + " Wallace, William John + " Ward, Samuel + " Ward, Thomas + " Waring, Alfred + Sgt. Waring, Samuel + R'man. Waring, William + " Watson, Alexander + " Whiteside, Samuel + " Wilson, Samuel + " Windsor, Charles + " Woods, James + L/Cpl. Wright, William + R'man. Woods, Samuel + " Woods, William + " Wright, Adam S. + " Walker, John + " Wallace, Joseph + L/Cpl. Wallace, James + R'man. Wallace, Joseph + " Watt, Robert + " White, Robert + Sgt. Whiteside, Albert + R'man. Wilkinson, William + " Williamson, Fredk. + " Wilson, Francis + " Wilson, James + " Wilson, Joseph + " Woods, Robert + L/Cpl. Walker, Henry Alb. + R'man. Wallace, John + " Wallace, William + " Waring, John + C.Q.M.S. Waring, Thomas + R'man. Watson, Joseph + " Watt, Samuel + " Weir, William + " Williamson, Andy + " Williamson, Jos. + " Williamson, Samuel + " Williamson, Wm. John + " Wilson, David + " Wilson, James + " Wood, Walter + " Wylie, William + " Yendall, William + " Young, Thomas + " Young, John + " Young, John + " Young, William + + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] See Note, Appendix I. + +[2] General Nugent's reference is of course to the First of July, a +date sacred to Orangemen. + + + + + Transcriber's notes: + + The following is a list of changes made to the original. + The first line is the original line, the second the corrected one. + + About 8 a.m. a corporal of the King's Own" who had been doing + About 8 a.m. a corporal of the King's Own who had been doing + + Woodgate called to me "You take the two centre platoons + Woodgate called to me: "You take the two centre platoons + + formed the fish pond of the ancient monastry of Buigny l'Abbe; + formed the fish pond of the ancient monastery of Buigny l'Abbe; + + the roof of a subterranean passage leading from the monastry, + the roof of a subterranean passage leading from the monastery, + + There were excellent, hot and cold shower baths for the men, + There were excellent hot and cold shower baths for the men, + + "Two Lundy's had been prepared, one large and the other small. + Two Lundy's had been prepared, one large and the other small. + + Fruits, plumb pudding, Xmas deserts. + Fruits, plumb pudding, Xmas desserts. + + This time we gave the Boche 500 to every 50 of theirs, + This time we gave the Bosche 500 to every 50 of theirs, + + On February 29 our first death occured, poor young Watt + On February 29 our first death occurred, poor young Watt + + he shelled half a dozen villages to the rere, + he shelled half a dozen villages to the rear, + + For over a year she had hung at an angle of 15 degees + For over a year she had hung at an angle of 15 degrees + + a head emerging from the earth which had fallen in all round + a head emerging from the earth which had fallen in all round; + + enemy artillery began, apparantly on our lines in front of Thiepval, + enemy artillery began, apparently on our lines in front of Thiepval, + + the stiff upper lip and clenched teeth that meant death or victory. + the stiff upper lip and clenched teeth that meant death or victory." + + the great Roman road, now called the Chausee Brunehaut, + the great Roman road, now called the Chaussée Brunehaut, + + the founder of the celebrated Abbey of Centul (now St. Riquier), + the founder of the celebrated Abbey of Centule (now St. Riquier), + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of With the Ulster Division in France, by +Arthur Purefoy Irwin Samuels and Dorothy Gage Samuels + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43969 *** |