22nd September. There was a certain amount of shelling about dawn, otherwise the day was quiet.
As soon as it was dark, the right of the Battalion was advanced 150 yards and connected with a machine gun in a shell hole near KEIR FARM about D 13 d 60 55. This movement, which was successfully carried out with the help of guide wires, brought our line round in such a way as to face the enemy, whose position now ran approximately north-west—south-east. Connection was also maintained with the 165th Brigade on our right, but in view of the fact that the latter were being relieved, it was not considered advisable to carry out any further advance, so as to avoid any possibility of bringing down an enemy S.O.S. barrage.
The usual posts were pushed out in advance of the new line.
Owing to the exhaustion of several Officers in the line, two were brought down for a rest to Battalion Headquarters, and the Signalling and Intelligence Officers took over control of the Companies. The night was quiet. Two Companies of the 2/6th North Staffordshires came into support to our Brigade.
Casualties:—Two Other Ranks wounded.
23rd September. The day passed without incident. Patrols before dawn saw nothing of the enemy. An S.O.S. was sent up on our right at 3 50 p.m., but nothing materialised.
At 5 p.m. the enemy heavily bombarded our positions, and our front line system and the vicinity of Battalion Headquarters were heavily bombarded for three hours. By 8 15 p.m. all was quiet again and the relief was begun. The relieving unit was the 2/6th North Staffordshires (59th Division), who took over our frontage with one Company. Relief was completed without casualties about 11 p.m.
A special effort was made to secure identifications before being relieved, and a patrol that went out with this object in view returned with two prisoners, who were encountered in NO MAN’S LAND. The capture of these prisoners proved the presence of the third German Division opposite this part of the line since the attack was launched on the 20th.
Upon relief, Companies concentrated at St. Jean, where, after hot tea had been supplied from the cookers, a train was provided to take the Battalion to VLAMERTINGHE.
24th September. The Battalion arrived at camp south of VLAMERTINGHE at 4 30 a.m. Morning was spent in resting, etc. At 3 p.m. the Brigade entrained and travelled from VLAMERTINGHE to POPERINGHE, detrained at POPERINGHE, and boarded ’buses at a point about one mile south-west of the town. By this means we went to WATOU area, and were accommodated in tents at Hill Camp (K 12 d 7 8).