IV. 8th Battalion—1916
The story of the 8th Battalion for the first half of the year 1916 is that of practically all the infantry units on the Western front. Tours of trench work alternated as a rule with periods of so-called rest. The misery of the former depended, as regards intensity, on the period of the year. When the weather was fine, rats and lice were the chief enemies in addition to the recognized foe; when the weather was bad, then wet and frozen extremities were added. There were always a few casualties in killed and wounded, and even the cheeriest-hearted were bound to find a turn of trench work a bit depressing. When it was the turn for rest, men crowded into leaky barns, 80 to 100 in each, sleeping one above another in tiers. Training and instruction of new drafts from England gave plenty of occupation, but in addition there were amusements, football, running and other sports by day, and entertainments by night in many cases. There were also baths.
At the beginning of January the battalion was at La Panne. On the 6th the Buffs were transferred to the 17th Infantry Brigade, still in the 24th Division, and on that day they entrained for their new divisional area about Poperinghe. The 14th of the month saw them in trenches near Ypres, where plenty of work in the way of digging, draining and revetting awaited the men. The 26th of January brought a welcome visit from the 1st Battalion which was still in the Ypres area. Lt.-Colonel Lucas, at the commencement of the war adjutant of the 1st Battalion, took over command of the 8th on the 16th March from Major Cunningham, a staff officer, who had relieved Lt.-Colonel Trueman a month earlier, Trueman having been taken into hospital.
The 4th June brought the birthday honour list; Lieut. C. Lindsay received the M.C., R.S.M. Brooker and Pte. Peet the D.C.M., Ptes. Buzzard and Hall the M.M., whilst 2nd Lieut. Shafto heard a week later that he also had the M.C.
On the 17th June, about midnight, there arose a cry of “gas,” and the S.O.S. signal went up from the Royal Fusiliers who were on the left of the Buffs and, almost at once, a brisk bombardment broke on our front line. The gas itself arrived three or four minutes after the warning and lasted half an hour. However, it missed our companies in the front line, but spread somewhat over the reserves and headquarters.
On the 22nd June, after some rehearsal work at Bulford Camp, the battalion marched, via Bailleul, to St. Jans Capelle, where it was billeted in farms and continued its rehearsals. About this time Corpl. C. Batchelor was awarded the M.M. for his conduct during the recent gas attack.
Although they may not very greatly or directly influence the winning of the war, raids were found to be of great use in fostering a manly and martial spirit amongst our soldiers. There is something about perfectly passive defence which makes for despondency and depression, but a raid on the enemy evokes a spirit of enterprise. These are perhaps very minor military enterprises in many cases and no description of them will be found in the military despatches, but they are naturally of intense interest to all concerned and show the enemy that the spirit of those opposite them is quite undismayed.
On the 28th June, then, a detachment of the Buffs under 2nd Lieuts. Anderson and Temple, to prove the value of the rehearsals, carried out a raid on the German trenches at a point known as Ash Road Barrier, which is near Ploegsteert. The men moved out in two parties so as to be in position outside our wire at 11.31 p.m., at which moment an intense bombardment commenced, directed on the points to be assaulted. Under cover of this the men crept forward, the guns lifting fifty yards at a time. Unfortunately the thing failed as a surprise, but Anderson’s party succeeded in entering the enemy’s front-line trench and then, after a bomb engagement, the raiding party withdrew successfully, bringing back with them all their wounded and some much-treasured trophies for the folks at home. The left party found the enemy’s wire in front of them still uncut and it withdrew when the recall signal sounded, leaving one dead man. Lieut. Hall commanded the covering party, and Captain C. D. Gullick the whole operation. Three officers and a hundred men went over the top. Four men were killed and twenty wounded, and it is probable that the German loss was about the same.
After a few days’ careful training in the area north of Meteren this battalion left Bailleul by train for Longueau, which is two miles east of Amiens, and then fifteen miles back along the line to Le Mesge. This journey was memorable not only because it took our people into the vicinity of the great battle which was then raging, but also because of the tremendous reception given to the soldiers by the good folk of Amiens. This city is, of course, on the Somme river and was within sound of the guns. Had the enemy succeeded in some of their counter-attacks during the long and continuous struggle which was going on, Amiens would have been the first important city to feel his cruelty: the people were first of all Frenchmen, but they were Amiens citizens as well. They were hearing daily of the gallant deeds of their English friends almost at their doors, and they received those soldiers, who were on their way to join in the struggle, as perhaps only the French know how. After a week spent in training at the business of the attack, the brigade proceeded by train to Mericourt and marched to Morlancourt, some four miles south of Albert.
On the 6th of August the brigade got orders to take over the line between Guillemont and Delville Wood and elaborate arrangements were made accordingly, but they were altered at the last moment, and on the 9th the battalion found itself in reserve on the Carnoy-Montaubin road where, on the following day, an unfortunate accident occurred: something went wrong with the working of one of our own artillery guns which began firing short, so that our Battalion Headquarters found itself being shelled by our own gunners and a few casualties occurred before the matter was reported by a pigeon message. The 12th August brought an unusually severe hostile shelling. On this day two poor wounded fellows who had been lying out for three days were brought in by B Company, and, in an attempt to bring in a third, Ptes. Jordan and Stevenson were themselves wounded by a machine gun from Guillemont. On the night of the 17th troops moved into the assembly trenches ready for the morrow.
On both the 30th July and on the 7th August, before the arrival of the 17th Brigade, the village of Guillemont had been entered by British troops, but in each case they had ultimately to withdraw again because of the failure of simultaneous attacks on the flanks of the place. It being obvious to the higher command that this position could not be taken as an isolated operation, arrangements had been made by both French and English commanders for a series of combined attacks in progressive stages on Maurepas, Falfemont Farm, Guillemont, Leuze Wood and Ginchy; and, with this in view, each unit had been given its particular objective which it was to endeavour to gain on the 18th August, starting at 2.45 p.m.
As far as the Buffs were concerned their orders were clear, and, with the elaborate and carefully prepared trench maps, easy to understand: two platoons of A Company under 2nd Lieut. D. Grant were to seize what was known as the Machine Gun House and convert it into a strong point, wherewith to assist the advance of the Rifle Brigade; the battalion bombers were to bomb out from the posts they had occupied to fill in the gap between the Machine Gun House and the left flank of the Rifle Brigade, which was attacking on the right of the Buffs. A third platoon of A Company was to be at the disposal of Grant as supports. C Company (Captain C. D. Gullick), with half B in close support, was to attack what was then known as the “Z.Z.” trench and to form a strong point. Remainder of B to be at the disposal of Captain Gullick. The battalion reserve to consist of D Company, the remaining platoon of A and one company of the Royal Fusiliers. These were in what was called Trones Trench.
At 2.45 the attack commenced and the 8th Battalion plunged into the Battle of Delville Wood. C Company, with half B, rushed out of their trenches and, keeping close under the barrage, successfully reached their objective with very few casualties, although 2nd Lieut. W. J. L. Peacock was killed about half-way across. On reaching the hostile trench, our men found the enemy completely unprepared. One man indeed was stark naked, and the greater part of the garrison surrendered at once. One officer with a machine gun and crew certainly made a fight of it, but the gun was captured and turned on the Germans. Captain Hodgson brought up the remainder of his company to reinforce and actually suffered more casualties than the assaulting party. He found himself in command, for Gullick had been hit several times and was very badly wounded. Two platoons of the Royal Fusiliers followed our men and consolidation at once commenced, a good deep trench being quickly made. A few dug-outs were found, but they were choked with German dead. 2nd Lieut. Grant and his party got safely across, and Machine Gun House was occupied, but the trench thereby was found to be strongly held. Lieut. Harrington, who had the right bombing party, was attacked by some Germans who had hidden in some shell holes with their bombs, but he succeeded in killing or driving them away and soon joined up with Grant. The left bombing party met with considerable resistance as they worked up the trench to where C Company’s right flank should have rested. However, the men managed to capture the machine gun which was causing most of the annoyance. Machine Gun House was quickly consolidated and the communication and other trenches greatly improved. During this action communications were kept up with remarkable completeness by runners.
It may be well to note here that the Medical Officer, Captain Rankin, had been wounded in the face and part of his dressing station had been blown in, but he continued to work for several hours until ordered by the commanding officer to report himself wounded.
The casualties on this occasion were: 1 officer and 38 other ranks killed; 6 officers and 297 other ranks wounded and 16 other ranks missing; and the list included all the officers of C Company and all the company sergeant-majors, Dumbleton being among the slain.
On the 19th August the wounded officers were relieved and Captain Pearce assumed charge of the front line. 2nd Lieut. T. W. Underhill and four men were killed by shell fire during the evening and ten men wounded. On the 21st another attack was made by the Rifle Brigade, and the Buffs did what they could to help, particularly by sending up a bomb-carrying party under 2nd Lieut. Rainey over the open, which drew a tremendous fire on the Buffs’ trenches. Our friends did not reach their objective.
The battalion spent the last week of August in comparative quiet near Bray, but on the last day of the month news came that the 73rd Brigade had been heavily counter-attacked between the Delville and High Woods, and the 17th Brigade went back into the line to their support. The Buffs took, however, no part in the successful attack which ensued on the 1st September. On this day D Company was placed at the disposal of the 72nd Brigade and moved off on the 2nd to join it.
On the 3rd September the Buffs were entrusted with an attack to start from the Worcester Trench, but, owing to the fact that all the runners sent to synchronize the time with the brigade on the left were killed, the battalion started too late and so met the enemy’s barrage actually on their parapet as they started and also heavy machine-gun fire. Within one minute all the officers and the C.S.M. of B Company were casualties and the attack was held up. The attempt had been made at noon, and in half an hour’s time news of the failure reached Battalion Headquarters and the commanding officer, after personal reconnaissance, ordered Major Hamilton, who was in command of the front line, to organize a fresh attack. This was arranged for 4 p.m. and an artillery programme drawn up, Lt.-Colonel Stewart, commanding the group of guns that was helping our infantry, being fortunately met with exactly at the right moment. At 4 p.m. the second attack took place, but, owing to the artillery not lifting and to heavy machine-gun fire from a strong point, it was stopped. The bombers managed to work their way up the trench towards the strong point, but all the supporting infantry were hit. The following day the three companies were withdrawn and went into the reserve brigade camp, having suffered the following casualties: 2nd Lieut. T. Firminger killed; six officers wounded: 2nd Lieuts. Grant, Hamilton, Twyman, Eyre, Rainey and Varge; other ranks, 16 killed, 81 wounded and 9 missing.
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BRINGING UP WIRE
Meanwhile D Company, temporarily attached to the 72nd Brigade, as has been noticed, had gone up to support the 9th East Surrey Regiment in Delville Wood, and these had suffered very severely from shell fire. About 4 p.m. on the 3rd September Pte. Crick, one of D Company’s stretcher-bearers, arrived at Battalion Headquarters, having made his way for about a mile along the trenches, and informed the commanding officer that all his company officers had been killed and most of the remainder wiped out also. 2nd Lieut. Morrell was sent to take charge of this company, but was only able to discover a few stragglers; Captain D. G. Pearce and 2nd Lieuts. B. G. Bowles and B. B. Blackwell were all dead. The assault delivered on the 3rd September had been a tremendous and most important one. It was delivered along the whole line: Guillemont was stormed; Leuze Wood and the Falfemont Farm were taken; and this meant a great deal more than the mere advancing of our line a few hundred yards or so. It meant that the quadruple and, as it was thought by our enemies, the impregnable positions, which had resisted all assault for seven weeks, had at last been broken and the fact established that no elaborate series of earthworks could be reckoned on as a safe preventative to the progress of the Allies.
The 5th of September took the 8th Battalion back to the reserve camp by Fricourt, and thence it proceeded to the rest area near Abbeville, where it got into excellent billets at Yaucourt and received drafts and, of course, trained. The 27th of the month brought welcome news of honours: to Lt.-Colonel Lucas a D.S.O.; Captains Gullick and Rankin (R.A.M.C.) and 2nd Lieut. Grant the M.C.; the D.C.M. for C.S.M. Carpenter, Sgt. Butler and Pte. Sheward; whilst a day or two later came news of M.M.’s for L.-Corpl. Tinmouth and Ptes. Baker and Hart.
From the end of September to the 16th November, which date being taken as the end of the Somme fighting, must be that from which the reader will be asked to switch off his attention from France to other regions, the 8th Battalion led the life so usual during the Great War and so well known to all men: that is to say one week, or other short period, found it in the trenches and the next in billets a bit in rear. Gouy Servins was the usual resting-place, but there were other places, notably Mazingarbe, where the men were in proper huts fitted with electric light. The turns at the trenches were taken at Carency and at Loos, and as the year wore towards its close the old trouble of the wet came on again. The trenches got out of repair and began to fall in, involving work for everybody and much discomfort.
At the end of October Sgts. Batchelor and F. Elson; L.-Corpls. Stevens and Wynne; Ptes. Abbott, Barge, Bignell and Kerman found themselves entitled to mount the M.M. ribband, and Corpl. Norrington got the D.C.M. On the 1st November Lt.-Colonel Green and some of the officers of the 1st Battalion came over from Bethune for a short visit.