VI. 7th Battalion
During the earlier portion of their history at the seat of war the experiences of the 7th Battalion were not quite as exciting as were those of their comrades in the others. Unlike the 6th and 8th, there was no violent action to record during the first few months. The story is, in fact, the usual one of trench warfare. The regular instruction in this branch of warfare commenced on the 11th August, 1915, and company by company went up in the firing line at Carnoy from that date until all had had the experience, and, of course, the battalion very soon had trenches of its own to be responsible for. It was, as the 2nd Battalion so often was, so unfortunate at first as to take over from French troops. This is not pleasant, as these have not the same ideas on the subject of sanitation as we have, and they do not bury their dead in a satisfactory manner when the burial is of necessity an informal ceremony. In addition, they were frequently not bullet-proof and very badly loopholed.
On the 1st September a German mine was exploded under the Buffs’ front-line trench, followed by an outburst of fire and a small attack, with the idea of capturing the crater. D Company had 4 killed, 5 wounded and 6 missing that day. The men behaved in the most gallant and satisfactory manner under this their first experience. The position of the line occupied by the 55th Brigade was opposite the village of Fricourt and as far as La Boisselle, and in this sector the enemy seemed to have made something of a speciality of mining, which is a mode of warfare very trying to the nerves of the adversary, as it is not pleasant to live in momentary expectation of being blown up. The brigade kept two battalions always in the line, while the other remained at Dernancourt and Ville sur Ancre; eight days being the average length of each tour of trench duty. The portion occupied by the 7th Buffs was therefore miles away from the other battalions of the regiment at this time. Dernancourt is about three miles south of the town of Albert.