On the 10th, although enemy guns and aeroplanes were very active, an attempt was made to clear out the trenches and bury the dead.
Captain A. A. Turner, R.A.M.C., reported for duty as Medical Officer.
Captain Collett was wounded on the 11th by enemy shelling, which was heavy, especially on Headquarters in the afternoon and a barrage on our lines at 6 p.m.
Second Lieutenant Vincent, M.C., was wounded by artillery fire on the 12th.
During the 10th and subsequent days, the artillery with the 164th Infantry Brigade played a big role in breaking up many enemy concentrations against the thrown-back flank. The enemy was unable to move his men forward without coming under the observation, and very often the close fire of, our northern posts and flanks.
Thus ended a highly-successful action, in which the Battalion played an important part. Had the day gone against the Division, the Allies might have had to abandon the Pas de Calais. A glance at the map will show the seriousness of such a step.
The Brigade continued, despite heavy artillery bombardment, to hold the line until the Division was relieved by the 1st Division.
During the action of the 9th of April, and the night of the 9th and 10th, the following casualties were incurred by the Brigade:—Killed, wounded, and missing: 35 Officers, 659 Other Ranks.
The enemy lost about 600 killed in our lines and NO MAN’S LAND. No estimate can, however, be made of his casualties in his own lines, but, judging from the reports of returned prisoners of war, these were exceptionally heavy.
The following captures were made:—Prisoners: 641, including many Officers and two Battalion Commanders; 100 light and heavy machine guns, and one Regimental Band. In addition, on April 11th, an Austrian artillery Officer was killed on the Red Dragon Crater, and the identifications obtained from him were the first direct evidence of the presence of Austrians on the Western Front. A very fine range-finding instrument was captured at the same time. This instrument was presented by the Battalion to the West Lancashire Field Artillery.