Lieutenant Ogden, Commanding B Company, was killed.
No. 5 went through SOMME, and most of the garrison gave themselves up. A few tried to run away, and were fired on.
They went through to the outpost line and began to dig in. Second Lieutenant Mather was siting the trench when he was killed by a sniper’s bullet, and Sergeant Nabb took over the Platoon.
No. 6, after A Company had dealt with SOMME, moved on to a line of posts about 500 or 600 yards farther on, which they passed on the flank and moved on to the outpost line.
No. 7 Platoon, except Lewis gunners, were detached to carry trench mortar ammunition for the 164th Trench Mortar Battery. Eighteen men were detached for this purpose. Ten became casualties before leaving CONGREVE WALK, one shell hitting the lot. The remaining eight carried up their loads, but quickly became casualties; only two arrived at the GREEN LINE, carrying four rounds each.
Sergeant Ward was killed.
No. 8 Platoon was detached to mop up Kansas Cross, and was formed up in rear of No. 4 Platoon, A Company. It suffered ten casualties from shell fire before leaving CONGREVE WALK, all the bombers being knocked out, and had a few more casualties before reaching the BLACK LINE, and when it got to KANSAS Cross it was only about eight or nine strong. “There were a few concrete dugouts and a trench just on our side of KANSAS CROSS, also a few ruined buildings. We captured 50 prisoners here, all of whom gave themselves up without a fight—slightly wounded men taking them back. After completing the mopping-up, we moved on to assist in consolidation. Here Second Lieutenant Rigby was wounded.”
No. 9 Platoon suffered many casualties from machine gun traversing fire, but went on to the OUTPOST LINE. Second Lieutenant Jenkinson was badly wounded just before getting to the GREEN LINE, and four Germans, who gave themselves up, carried him down. Prisoners were coming in in 20’s and 30’s.
No. 10, under Second Lieutenant Higson, mopped up KEIR FARM, where two concrete dugouts were found and a number of prisoners taken, also documents, some of which were taken from an enemy Liaison Officer. They advanced to the GREEN LINE, and commenced to consolidate. “No British contact ’planes flew over; we only saw three enemy ’planes, who flew so low that they fired at us; also an observation balloon ascended from ABRAHAM HEIGHTS.
“About two hours after reaching the GREEN LINE the enemy were observed to be forming up on the heights in front of us, and eventually counter-attacked on our right against the 15th Division, who commenced to retire. We formed a defensive flank on our right to get enfilade fire on the enemy and so cover the retreat of the 15th Division, but they retired behind us and could give us no assistance when we were compelled to retire. By this time the enemy had got a machine gun barrage on our front, also enfilading us on our left, and caused a number of casualties; we fought a rearguard action along with the rest of the Battalion until we reached the BLACK LINE.