V. 6th Battalion
We left the 6th Battalion at Meteren, near Bailleul, which place it reached early in June, 1915.
On the 12th of that month it moved up to Armentieres to undergo the usual instruction in trench warfare under a more experienced unit, and here occurred the first casualty. The remainder of the summer was passed in trench fighting, and many incidents might be recorded in connection with mining operations and small but boldly executed patrol adventures, particularly one by Corpl. Craven. Mines were sprung by the enemy and the craters occupied, and these had to be reconnoitred to ascertain for what further offensive work they were to be used. It would be impossible, however, without publishing long and somewhat monotonous journals, to describe fully the daily trench work of the several battalions. This important service was done, practically speaking, by half the troops engaged, the other half resting, as it was called, in billets in rear. These billets were mostly leaky barns with many of the tiles off the roofs, furnished with closely packed tiers of beds one above the other, like bunks in a ship’s cabin, each bunk being floored with fine wire-netting. There was not quite such a dearth of munitions by this time, and on the last day of July there was a very heavy and important burst of artillery fire on our part, the battalion being then in the Ploegsteert Wood.
Life was fairly monotonous, however, until the 23rd September, on which day careful instructions were given in the art of the production of heavy smoke, from which it was hoped that an attacking party would be able to emerge unseen. After much conference, detailed instructions were issued on this same day regarding the proposed occupation of the German salient at Le Touquet, and it seemed as if the battalion, and indeed the whole brigade, was to take part in a great battle immediately. The 12th Divisional operation orders received at 9.30 a.m. on the 24th gave colour to this idea, and at 2 p.m. a trench-mortar bombardment of Le Touquet commenced, but the result proved disappointing and, no damage being done to the enemy’s wire, an attack in force proved impracticable. The 26th brought an artillery bombardment on both sides and our people raised a smoke curtain which appeared to be more or less satisfactory, but the following night the whole brigade was relieved by other troops and billeted in Armentieres, and, on the last day of the month, the battalion was in Vermelles relieving the Coldstream Guards, and it then moved into what had been the German line just south of the Hulluch road.
On the 11th October the Germans recovered part of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, an object they had been struggling for for some days, and they made a resolute attack near Loos which was repulsed with enormous loss.
Two days after this operation, orders were issued by the 12th Division for an attack on Hulluch. These orders were very complete and abounded in map references of the most detailed description. They point to a well-organized advance to secure an advanced line and put it in a state of defence.
The 37th Brigade, in which, it will be remembered, the 6th Buffs were serving, was to be strengthened by one company of the Northamptonshire Regiment and the 69th Field Company of the Engineers, was awarded a distinct task and was to join up with the 35th Brigade.
The divisional and attached artillery to cover the whole operation.
The start to be made from the trenches.
Orders were given for creating a smoke screen for about 1,200 yards.
This was to be most intense ten minutes before the start for the assault.
Although the men’s packs were left behind, they had much to carry, as it was intended to occupy what the assault had secured. The artillery was to open fire, and did so, at 12 noon, and at 1 p.m. gas and smoke commenced, the former till 1.50 and the latter till 2 p.m., at which hour the assault was launched.
The 7th East Surrey were ordered to detail a party to carry up tools, sandbags and wire, wherewith to consolidate the position when won. This battalion, together with the Buffs, was to hold what was captured.
The Buffs were, by map reference, given a separate and distinct part of the enemy’s trenches to assail and to make good; one end of their appointed portion was the east end of the Quarries, and the battalion was to join up with the East Surreys on their right and with the 35th Brigade on their left. Prior to the attack all troops were to wear smoke helmets with the fronts raised ready to be adjusted at a moment’s notice.
On these elaborate and clear instructions Colonel Eaton based his battalion orders, giving each company its place of assembly and all detail. The fifth paragraph of these orders reads: “The assault led by A Company will take place immediately the 35th Brigade reaches the line ‘54 to 82.’” Two hundred and fifty bombs were carried by each company.
The account of the actual fighting is necessarily meagre, for it was all over in a very short time, and during the struggle it was very difficult to get any information at headquarters as all the wires were soon broken. In fact, the Headquarter telephone dug-out was blown in before the advance had even commenced. The smoke, so carefully arranged, soon blew off and by 2 o’clock the air was clear again. Exactly at the hour, however, the battalion dashed forward, A, C and D Companies leading, with B a little way in rear in support. The keenness to attack and the precision and order with which the companies went over the top were wonderful to see. But, alas! the enemy’s protecting wire was found to be uncut, and a withering fire was opened from front and both flanks as our men tried to hack their way through with the wire-cutters carried by the leading troops. The greatest gallantry was shown and the attack was renewed again and again by ever-diminishing numbers, but it was of no avail, and of the three leading companies but very few men returned. The enemy’s machine guns were the cause of most of our casualties in this fight, as they so often were in later engagements.
Thirteen officers led the 6th Battalion into its first battle, and of these ten died in their duty, namely, Majors B. E. Furley and A. Soames, D.S.O.; Captains C. E. G. Davidson and H. W. Brodie; Lieuts. J. P. Phillimore and C. W. B. Marsh; 2nd Lieuts. C. G. Jelf, D. Lambert and C. Bainbridge. 2nd Lieut. Birkett was severely wounded. There were no less than four hundred casualties amongst the brave men of Kent who had volunteered so blithely to serve Old England at her need, and among these were the company sergeant-majors of A and C Companies, Burnett and Glover. On the 20th October the G.O.C. Division (Major-General Scott) congratulated the battalion on the gallant work it had done, and three days later the corps commander pointed out that it was because of the glorious effort made that it became possible for the regiments on the right and left to capture the enemy’s trenches. To the end of the month the battalion, very weak in numbers, was mostly employed on fatigue work, such as carrying packs for the R.E.; but in November it saw some fighting in and around the Hohenzollern Redoubt, and it suffered a particularly wet and cold tour in the trenches at Givenchy and Festubert in December, where the water was waist-deep. Colonel Eaton was invalided home in November and replaced by Major H. R. H. Pratt, Northamptonshire Regiment. Eaton departed to the great regret of all and with the enthusiastic cheers of those who recognized his worth. As in the cases of all the other battalions of the regiment, a period of monotony set in in the winter of 1915–16 with the gallant 6th. It was a weary time indeed and took its toll of human life.