On the morning of September 4th the enemy shelled the trenches at POSTE LESDOS fairly heavily, and one shell burst in the midst of a working party, killing one and wounding five Other Ranks of D Company, whilst a week later one Other Rank was killed. On the 17th Lieutenant-Colonel Foley left the Battalion and crossed to England to take over command of a third-line unit. The succeeding day, just before being relieved by the 1/8th Liverpool Irish, the trenches were again heavily shelled, and one Company Sergeant-Major, one Sergeant, and one Corporal were killed by a single shell, whilst three Other Ranks were wounded. Captain H. Parker, Captain J. A. Crump, and Lieutenants K. H. Moore, R. Ord, and J. L. Brindle rejoined the Battalion from the 3/4th Loyal North Lancashires, and the first-named three Officers took over the command of A, B, and C Companies respectively.
At this time Companies of one of the Service Battalions of the Highland Light Infantry were attached to us for instruction.
On October 1st Brigadier-General J. L. Hibbert was wounded in the shoulder, and Lieutenant-Colonel Hindle took over the temporary command of the Brigade, while Major Nickson took over the Battalion with Captain Crump as second. Captain Rennard and Second Lieutenant Norwood went into hospital the same day, and Captain Gregson on the 3rd, and on the 4th Captain Green, R.A.M.C., reported for duty, vice Lieutenant Sugars transferred to the 3rd Battalion. Lieutenant-Colonel Hindle returned to the Battalion on the 7th, and Brigadier-General G. T. G. Edwards, C.B., took over command of the Brigade.
On the whole the month was quiet. On the 3rd we went into the line, A, C, and D in front and B in support at POSTE LESDOS—being relieved on the 15th by the 2/5th Lancashire Fusiliers, when B and C Companies relieved the 1/8th Irish on the right of F 1 sector, A and D being in support at POSTE DONNEZ; here we stayed till the 21st, going back to AVELUY, whence nightly working parties went up the line.
On the 27th, “fur” coats were issued, and we went back to POSTE LESDOS sector.
On the 28th, the enemy bombarded the wire and front line from 7 10 a.m. to 9 30 a.m., doing considerable damage and blowing in 100 yards of trench between AINTREE STREET and MERSEY STREET, held by C Company, and 30 yards in A Company’s sector. C.S.M. Edwards earned the D.C.M. for manoeuvring his Company about during the shelling in such a way as to escape with very few casualties.
The whole of the month was quiet and uneventful, but there was some desultory shelling of the working parties; salvos of H.E. and H.V. shells were sent over hourly, and in one of these bursts on the 30th Major Nickson was killed, whilst Second Lieutenant Bratton and six Other Ranks were wounded.
On the 31st Captain J. O. Widdows went sick and Second Lieutenant Nolan and 20 Other Ranks were wounded, the total casualties for the month being:—Officers: killed one, wounded two, sick four; Other Ranks: killed one, wounded 35, missing one.
Early in November Second Lieutenant R. S. De Blaby reported for duty from the base. On the 2nd an enemy shell burst in the trench held by A Company, killing two men and wounding one, whilst five others were admitted to hospital suffering from shock. Two mornings later two shells landed at the junction of Aintree Street and the fire trench, killing three men and wounding three others who were waiting as sentry reliefs. About this time, owing to the number of sick and wounded (the trenches were in a very bad state and knee-deep in water through the torrential rains and the men were very wet), it became extremely difficult to find the requisite number of men for the different duties each day.