2/6th The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
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Eagle Trench was reached and found to contain a good deal of gas, so all ranks had to be continually on the alert to adjust their box-respirators during the remainder of the night. Battalion Headquarters was established in an old German concrete pill-box, called "Double Cotts," in which the stench was almost unbearable. On the following night (November 28th-29th), we relieved the battalion in the front line and took over their positions, which consisted of a series of shell-holes, order of companies from right to left being as follows: "A" Company (Captain McWilliam), "B" Company less one platoon (Lieutenant Penrice), "C" Company plus one platoon of "B" Company (Captain Ormrod); support company, "D" Company (Captain Fell). Battalion Headquarters in a German pill-box called Louis Farm. About half-way between front line companies and Battalion Headquarters, on an almost imperceptible rise of ground, called "19 Metre Hill," a transmitting station for lamp signals and also a relay post for runners were established.
The Higher Command had observed from aeroplane photographs that there were some new erections, which they thought were concrete pill-boxes, about 600 yards behind the enemy's front line; and the battalion was instructed to send a patrol out as soon as the front line had been taken over in order, if possible, to ascertain their nature. This reconnoitring patrol, detailed from "A" Company, under command of Lieutenant C. W. Clarke, and consisting of Sergeant Powell, Corporal Stubbs, and three riflemen (C. C. Smith, P. McGinn, and W. McGrath), succeeded in penetrating the enemy line as far as the objective they had been ordered to examine. Valuable information was obtained, but, unfortunately, on the return journey the patrol was observed by the enemy, who opened machine-gun fire, and both Lieutenant Clarke and Sergeant Powell were severely wounded, the former having his thigh broken. The remainder of the patrol displayed great gallantry in bringing in their wounded under heavy fire, for which act they were each subsequently awarded the Military Medal. Lieutenant Clarke was complimented by the Brigadier-General on his fine work, which was later on rewarded with the Military Cross. Among other gallant deeds performed this night was the recovery from No Man's Land of several British wounded who had fallen in an abortive attack on this front five days previously, and who had lain out in the shell-holes untended ever since. 2nd-Lieutenant T. Lever, of "C" Company, was particularly active in this good work, for which he also received the Military Cross.
At dawn on November 29th O.C. "B" Company despatched a message by runner to Battalion Headquarters, with advice to the effect that with daylight he had discovered that the company which he had relieved during the night had not handed over to him the positions of which they alleged they had been in occupation, but had in fact handed over positions some 300 yards farther back, and called these rear positions by the names of positions farther forward. The positions in question went by the names of Memling Farm and Rubens Farm, but the farm buildings had long since been utterly destroyed, and their places had been taken by a few scattered pill-boxes. Immediately on receipt of this message at Battalion Headquarters, Colonel Fletcher himself hurried up to the front line, and after a careful reconnaissance on the ground and study of the map confirmed the conclusions arrived at by O.C. "B" Company. He accordingly ordered O.C. "B" Company to have Memling and Rubens Farm reconnoitred, with the intention of occupying them, if so desired by the Higher Command, as soon as darkness fell; and then himself returned to Battalion Headquarters to report fully by runner to Brigade Headquarters. The latter ordered that the positions be captured without loss of time; but, owing to difficulties of communication, this order did not reach Battalion Headquarters until night, when O.C. "B" Company was ordered to take the farms with two platoons. Meantime the reconnoitring party which had gone out by daylight had found the positions unoccupied; and it is a matter of opinion whether the enemy observed them and jumped to the conclusion that the position might later be occupied, or whether they were held by the enemy as defensive positions at night only. The latter seems the most likely solution. Gallant attempts were immediately made by the platoons detailed (Nos. 7 and 8 Platoons), but they were met by heavy machine-gun fire, and found the pill-boxes were occupied in strength by the enemy. No. 7 Platoon, under Lieutenant Vaughan, made repeated attempts to reach the more distant objective (Rubens Farm), but after suffering heavy casualties was compelled to desist. Dawn was now approaching, and at 5.40 a.m. our artillery opened a barrage along the front, preliminary to an attack by the 58th Division on the immediate right of the battalion. This brought heavy retaliating artillery fire on our front, and No. 7 Platoon, which was still in the open attacking Rubens Farm, was practically wiped out, including Lieutenant Vaughan. It is evident the enemy were expecting the 57th Division also to attack, inasmuch as they maintained a heavy artillery bombardment for several hours, causing many casualties to the companies in the front line. The casualties, indeed, were so extensive that after a reconnaissance of the front by Captain Wilson under heavy fire, two platoons from the support company ("D" Company) were ordered up to strengthen the much-thinned front line. As soon as the bombardment had somewhat subsided, Lieutenant Penrice and Lieutenant Hodgkinson attempted to reach Memling Farm to see if it was still occupied, but they found that it was, and were very lucky to get back to our lines unscathed.
Apart from these particular incidents, the situation of the remainder of the battalion was far from comfortable. Sitting all day in a shell-hole half filled with water, surrounded by all the most ghastly features of war, and being shelled intensely the greater part of the time, was an experience that few would wish to repeat. The men bore it splendidly, and officers and N.C.Os. carried on their various duties with the greatest coolness. Captain McWilliam was, as always under trying conditions, most conspicuous, and, unfortunately, was very seriously wounded. For his general gallantry on this and many previous occasions he was awarded the Military Cross, which he had richly deserved.
On the night of October 30th-31st the battalion was relieved by the 2/7th K.L.R., and made its way back to Huddlestone Camp, near the canal, having suffered casualties to the extent of five officers and 122 other ranks.
Although our battalion did not actually participate in an attack (another Brigade of our Division carried out the first part of the projected operation; the rest was cancelled owing to the condition of the ground), we had our share of the horrors of the Third Battle of Ypres, confined though it was to an experience not new to us of taking the gruelling while someone else did the fighting. As an experience of the realities of war it was not without value, though it cost us dear. The misery of the countryside has already been indicated, and this was enhanced by the spectacle of the countless dead that littered the ground. So many were they that in places it was almost impossible to move without treading on them. Indeed, all that has been said and written elsewhere as to the conditions of this battle does not appear to have been exaggerated. The importance or necessity of the action in the main scheme of operations does not concern us here.