OFFICERS OF “C” COMPANY.
ST. LEGER.
My Company now got orders to move to Beauval, where we took over billets from the Y.C.V.’s (14th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles). They were the cleanest billets I can remember in France, and the Y.C.V.’s deserve great praise for the way in which they were left for us. After a week of preparation we moved on to Canaples, and from there to Martinsart where we again manned the trenches, and went in alongside the 9th Inniskilling Fusiliers by Companies, “C” and “D” Companies in front with “A” and “B” in reserve. The next week we went into support with “D” Company, and “A” and “B” took our place in front. This time we were not attached to a regular Battalion for training, but took over part of the line ourselves. Our period in the trenches was uneventful, it was a quiet part of the line, and the trenches were deep and well made. This time we gave the Bosche 500 to every 50 of theirs, so all taken into consideration we were lucky. The weather, however, was by no means favourable, the trenches being full of slush and water. A heavy fall of snow also made the ground in a bad condition, and the men suffered greatly from the cold, which was intense. Several new Officers joined our Battalion about this time, for which we were very thankful, as leave was able to proceed without difficulty, two Officers being sent each week. On February 29 our first death occurred, poor young Watt of No. 12 platoon. He was killed by a shell while standing outside the door of his billet in Mesnil, and buried in Mesnil Ridge Cemetery. From this time on we went into the trenches by Battalions, alternately with the Downs (13th Royal Irish Rifles). Our casualties were not great, but always a few, the expected result of trench warfare. Indeed, if it had not been for a tot of rum at “stand to” on those very cold mornings, I feel sure there would have been more work for the hospitals. About March 6th the weather began to improve and we occasionally felt dry. We now began to think about giving Jerry something to stir him up as he seemed to have gone underground completely during the cold weather. Evidently Battalion Headquarters also felt that the time had come to stir for we received a message to supply a specimen of German wire as it was wanted by the corps. The job was given in “C” Company to Young, our scout Officer, and four other scouts. On a dark and snowy night they crept out on patrol, and procured a good specimen about a yard long. The other Companies also procured specimens and the Corps appeared satisfied with results. Our Batteries also began to wake up, and we kept them well informed as to the position of the German transports, which from this time on never got a moment of peace. The 10th Inniskillings on our right, under command of Colonel Ross-Smyth, got a terrific shelling from the Bosche on the night of the 10th-11th of March. Shells came over at the rate of 60 to the minute, but the 10th showed splendid coolness and gallantry, keeping up a steady fire from the front trenches throughout the bombardment, which was evidently intended by the Germans to cover a raid on our lines, similar to one which took place elsewhere the same night. An Officer, describing the bombardment in a letter, writes—
“The Bosche has been very prodigal of shells for a day or two, all along the front, but particularly on the somewhat unpleasant sector occupied by the “Derry’s.” On this particular afternoon he had subjected it to a smart bombardment with “heavies,” field guns, and trench mortars. Then he fell short and waited. At eleven o’clock precisely he opened fire with guns of all calibres. Over the Derrys he burst shrapnel, reserving his high explosive for the Donegals and Fermanaghs, and for the Brigade on their right. Not content with peppering the line, the supports, and the reserves, he shelled half a dozen villages to the rear, with which he did not as a rule concern himself. It was a very dark night, and the flashes of the guns seemed to cut through the darkness like spear points. Before the Bosche had been firing five minutes our guns had begun to reply to him, and the eighteen pounders commenced to whiz over our heads on to their front line, and soon the men in the trenches heard the welcome whistle of a high travelling howitzer over their heads in the right direction. Then indeed the din was indescribable, so fast and furious did the game become that at one time it seemed as if the boom of the big guns, the harsher bark of the small, the explosion of the shells, and the tearing crash of bursting mortars were all blended into one continuous roar. The trenches of the “Derrys” had an ugly time of it. Dug-outs were caved in, and traverses smashed down, one whole sector of the front line being practically ploughed up. At one time the enemy proceeded to pound the flank out of one Company with high explosives for several minutes, then lifted to the opposite flank and gave it the same measure. This evidently appeared to him a satisfactory idea as he repeated the manoeuvre. But the Company Officer had by now appreciated his tactics, and by his work undoubtedly prevented a great number of casualties. Gradually the German fire on the front line slackened and ceased, though it still continued overhead, and our “heavies” now warmed up to their work showed no inclination to give up. It was at this juncture that a sentry came running back from the sap head to report that he had seen Germans moving in front of the wire. The order was given to the men to stand up on the fire step, and send bursts of rapid fire in the direction of the German line. If the raiders had intended coming over this caused them to change their minds. The “Derrys” stood to till morning, but nothing fresh occurred. Through the night the men prayed their Officers to lead them over to vengeance, but for that they will have to wait. The loss was slight considering the intensity of the bombardment. When morning came the “Derrys” learned that the famous raiders had entered the trenches of the Battalion on their right, which, by the way, did not belong to the Ulster Division, and carried off an Officer and nine men as prisoners. It was a workmanlike job without a doubt, for the raiding party had come and gone within ten minutes.”
Bombs found on night patrol just in front of BEAUMONT HAMEL, March, 1916.
Several of the men of the Inniskillings earned commendation from Colonel Ricardo for conspicuous gallantry on this occasion; their names were Private D. Little, Private J. J. Young, Lance Corporal Black, and Private W. Dinsmore. They were serving as Company Officers, Orderlies, Signallers, and Messengers. Captain Cruickshank, of Omagh, also showed great coolness and valour on that occasion.
The weather still continued fine, and our time was spent in building new traverses, and rivetting and sandbagging the parados and firesteps. Bosche aeroplanes, taking advantage of the fine nights, crossed our lines, and green flares were sent up from the enemy to show our positions. The Germans would then send over a number of shells, and we had several casualties, Lieutenant Waring of “A” Company being hit by shrapnel, and Privates Moffat and McBride of “C” Company badly wounded. Poor Moffat subsequently died from his wounds.