IV. 1st Battalion
We left the 1st Battalion at Bethune and the trenches in that vicinity. Though casualties were not uncommon, the 1st December, 1916, was rather a worse day than most: on that date L.-Corpl. Willey was killed and ten men wounded, while Pte. Tattersall and 2nd Lieut. Kingham went down with shell-shock. On the 20th of the month the Buffs got back to Bethune with a casualty list for the first twenty days of the month of no less than 12 killed (including C.S.M. Freemen), 31 wounded and 2 shell-shock cases. On the 24th pleasant Christmas gifts in the shape of decoration ribbons were handed at Bethune to Captain Brown, C.S.M. Randall, L.-Corpls. Ashdown and Baines and Pte. Higgins.
The beginning of 1917 brought no change except slight ones in the way of locality, such as a move into huts at Noyelles on the 9th January and change of trenches. There came a list of mentions in despatches near the middle of this month, and the names of Lt.-Colonel Green, Captain Stone, 2nd Lieut. Ford, R.S.M. Harrington and C.Q.M.S. Poole were included. On the 3rd February C.S.M. Brown, D.C.M., was appointed Actg. R.S.M. vice Harrington, who went to a cadet school.[20] On the 12th February the battalion was inspected by Sir Douglas Haig. On the 15th it retired into billets at Robecq, some seven miles further back than Bethune. The fortnight spent there was passed in strict professional training for four hours from 8.30 a.m., and equally strict recreation in the form of cross-country running, boxing and football in the afternoon.
March brought no relief from the almost daily tale of casualties. On the 1st of the month headquarters were in the village of Loos, with the men in the trenches; and by the 17th 2nd Lieut. S. Major and 10 others had been killed and 35 wounded. On the 18th the enemy carried out a raid on our trenches and succeeded in getting a footing in them, but after a short time was ejected leaving 7 dead; but we lost 2nd Lieut. H. M. Norsworthy and 10 men killed, 2nd Lieut. Hughes and 24 wounded, besides 8 missing. This raid seemed to have had the effect of raising and fostering a very firm determination on the part of the Buffs to get “a bit of their own back,” and on the last day but one of March a party consisting of Captain Strauss, 2nd Lieuts. Brown, Davis and Griffiths and a hundred rank and file carried out a successful raid on the German front and support works, blowing up several dug-outs and bringing back a prisoner and many trophies. Four of our fellows, however, were killed and four more died of wounds. 2nd Lieut. Griffith and 29 men were wounded, and 2nd Lieut. P. W. T. Davis and 7 others originally reported missing, were afterwards found to have been killed in the action. It was estimated that about 200 of the enemy were slain during this little expedition.
On the 1st April the battalion was in support in Loos village, remaining there seven days, when a return to the trenches was made, and here the 1st Battalion was still serving when the Battle of Arras opened on the 9th.