The 3rd Battalion
Roll of Officers
| Lieut.-Colonel A. F. A. N. Thorne, D.S.O. | Commanding Officer. |
| Major R. H. V. Cavendish, M.V.O. | Second in Command. |
| Capt. the Hon. A. G. Agar-Robartes, M.C. | Adjutant. |
| Lieut. E. G. A. Fitzgerald, D.S.O. | Assistant Adjutant. |
| Lieut. F. J. Heasman | Transport Officer. |
| Capt. G. H. Wall | Quartermaster. |
| Capt. A. F. R. Wiggins | No. 1 Company. |
| Lieut. A. G. Elliott | " " |
| 2nd Lieut. C. L. F. Boughey | " " |
| Capt. G. A. I. Dury, M.C. | No. 2 Company. |
| Lieut. A. H. S. Adair | " " |
| 2nd Lieut. W. A. Pembroke | " " |
| Lieut. E. N. de Geijer | No. 3 Company. |
| Lieut. G. W. Godman | " " |
| 2nd Lieut. W. B. Ball | " " |
| Capt. C. H. Bedford | No. 4 Company. |
| Lieut. H. St. J. Williams | " " |
| 2nd Lieut. E. J. Bunbury | " " |
| Capt. Ffoulkes, R.A.M.C. | Medical Officer. |
| Capt. the Rev. S. Phillimore, M.C. | Chaplain. |
April.
The 3rd Battalion spent the whole month of April either in the trenches, with three Companies in the front line, or in reserve. On the 7th Lieutenant E. G. A. Fitzgerald was wounded, and on the 8th the following officers joined the Battalion: Lieutenant F. A. Magnay, Second Lieutenant R. K. Henderson, Lieutenant C. Clifton Brown, and Second Lieutenant H. W. Sanderson. The days spent in the front trenches were remarkably quiet, but as the ground on which these trenches were dug was overlooked by the enemy, very little work could be done except wiring, and this at night. On the 14th the Battalion, having "embussed" at Ransart, proceeded via Beaumetz-les-Loges to Lakerlière and Larbret, where it was billeted. On the 17th drafts reached the Battalion with the following officers: Second Lieutenant E. L. F. Clough-Taylor, Second Lieutenant R. Delacombe, Second Lieutenant W. B. L. Manley, Second Lieutenant H. J. Gibbon, and Second Lieutenant R. C. G. de Reuter. The days spent in billets were taken up with training, but as the men had to remain ready to move at one hour's notice in the morning and three hours' notice in the afternoon, it was impossible for Companies to go far. An attack from the enemy was expected on the 21st, and additional precautions were taken, but the Battalion was not called upon to go up into the front line. Major Lord Lascelles was appointed Second in Command vice Major Cavendish, and as Lieut.-Colonel Thorne had to take temporary command of the Brigade, he had at once to command the Battalion. Companies were now organised into three platoons with the headquarters of a fourth or depot platoon, to which all details were attached, when the Battalion went into action. On the 24th Lieut.-Colonel Thorne returned to the Battalion, and took it up into the front line the following day. On the 27th the front posts were subjected to an unusually heavy shelling, during which Second Lieutenant C. L. F. Boughey was wounded, and there were 6 killed and 5 wounded among other ranks. On the following day the Battalion retired into Brigade Reserve, where it remained till the end of the month.
May.
During the first week in May the Battalion remained in the line, with an inter-company relief, Major Lord Lascelles taking turns with Lieut.-Colonel Thorne. On the 3rd Second Lieutenant R. P. Papillon and Lieutenant the Hon. M. H. E. C. Towneley-Bertie joined. Officers' patrols were sent out every night and in the early morning, to lie out and listen for any hostile movement. After three days' rest the Battalion returned to the trenches, and came in for much shelling. Our artillery carried out nightly a harassing fire on the enemy's tracks, roads, and possible assembly areas, and this naturally brought down considerable retaliation. Lieutenant the Hon. M. H. E. C. Towneley-Bertie was wounded, and among other ranks there were 10 killed and 14 wounded. Another tour of duty in the front line from the 20th to the 24th caused 2 killed and 25 wounded among other ranks. On the 26th Captain G. F. R. Hirst, Lieutenant E. R. M. Fryer, M.C., and Second Lieutenant J. Chapman joined the Battalion. On the 28th the Battalion returned to the front trenches, and again came in for a harassing fire. Inter-company reliefs were carried out, and the work was concentrated on shelters and the deepening of lateral communication trenches.
June.
The Battalion remained in the front line until June 3, and was constantly bombarded with Blue Cross gas-shells. On the 2nd Lieutenant G. M. Cornish, M.C., joined. After four days spent in reserve the Battalion retired to La Baseque, where the men were either billeted in the farms, or placed in tents and shelters in the wood. There they remained until the end of the month, training and practising tactical schemes.