A Company lost its Commander, Captain Harris, soon after passing the Black Line—he was shot by a sniper; C.S.M. Dudley was later on wounded and taken prisoner; No. 1 Platoon had its Commander (Sergeant Entwistle) and the Lewis Gun Corporal wounded when leaving CONGREVE WALK. It came under machine gun fire just before reaching the BLACK LINE, and by the time it reached KANSAS CROSS only eleven were left.
“About 12 45 p.m. a heavy machine gun barrage started on our line, and about 2 p.m. the enemy were seen counter-attacking over ridge on our right, and I saw the Highlanders withdrawing. This was immediately followed by an attack on our left. We held on for fully half an hour, when the order came down from the right, ‘Go back, one by one.’ Only six of our Platoon were left. We withdrew to shell holes 50 yards back, though the people on our left and right had fallen farther back. The enemy were then very close to us, and I think he captured one or two prisoners.
“At this point we lost touch on both flanks, because we were in advance of the rest of the line; we therefore withdrew as well as we could, fighting and firing as we went. We managed to rejoin our own line just before dusk, and found a few more of our Platoon who had become separated.”
No. 2 was held up in front of SOMME FARM, a machine gun playing on it from there; a tank came up and reported to Second Lieutenant McSweeny and moved to attack.
No. 2 rushed the machine gun and took 60 prisoners. The position consisted of about six very strong concrete dugouts, one of which was a Regimental Aid Post and contained several wounded enemy.
At the GREEN LINE they came under heavy shell fire. The enemy could be seen in full flight, and our Lewis gunners fired on them. There were 15 or 16 of the Platoon left, and they began to dig in; they were in touch on both flanks.
Later they saw the enemy advancing to counter-attack over the ridge in front, in several waves, extending to about one and a half yards between each man, and Second Lieutenant McSweeny was taken prisoner.
Second Lieutenant Tyldsley, commanding No. 3, was wounded just after passing the BLACK LINE, when it came under very heavy machine gun fire but advanced to the GREEN LINE without ever being held up.
No. 4 Platoon had ten killed and three wounded by one shell before leaving Congreve Walk, and Second Lieutenant Ordish was wounded during the advance.
They were held up by SOMME and by a further line of strong points 150 yards beyond, from which they got about 20 prisoners.