GOMMECOURT PARK.
Official Photograph by permission of The Imperial War Museum.
GENERAL VIEW OF FAMPOUX.
On the night of June 16th Lieutenant Burton, accompanied by Riflemen Pennington and Leigh, proceeded into the German trenches. Coming suddenly and unexpectedly on a German post, they found themselves under a fierce fire at close range. Lieutenant Burton fell at once, badly wounded in the chest, and in spite of the efforts of his two companions to bring him back, they eventually had to leave him, being both seriously wounded themselves. There can be little doubt that Burton was mortally wounded, and could at the best have survived but a short while. By his death the battalion lost one of its most devoted and gallant officers. Entirely devoid of self-interest, he possessed a striking sense of duty, and worked whole-heartedly for the common weal. He was keenly mourned by all ranks. Pennington was awarded the Military Medal.
That night the enemy shelled us pretty heavily, and we sustained fourteen casualties. The next day, June 17th, on the other hand, was exceptionally quiet. The patrolling was continued by Acting-Captain Robinson and two more scouts sent up for the purpose.
On June 18th the enemy, no doubt encouraged by a previous success, sent over another raiding patrol. This one, however, met with a warm reception, and the patrol was forced to beat a hasty retreat, though not till one of its members had been taken prisoner.
Our raid had been fixed for June 19th, but owing to torrential rain it was decided to postpone it. At 11.30 p.m., however, on June 20th it was duly carried out. The raiding party, under Captain Fell, 2nd-Lieutenants R. E. Noon and L. T. Profit, had been training for six days at Rossignol Farm, where a set of dummy trenches had been constructed from aeroplane photos. The raiders were divided into three parties: Noon's party, fourteen N.C.Os. and men, were on the right; Profit's party, about thirty N.C.Os. and men, on the left; and, lastly, there were eight stretcher-bearers under a sergeant.
The plan of operations was as follows: The right party were to strike across No Man's Land up from our No. 2 Post, using the old German support line post "H" Trench, and up to a grave marked by a conspicuous white cross. On arrival there they were to rush the two German posts just beyond it in the present German front line, then turn left handed to meet the left party. The latter, leaving our No. 3 Post, were to proceed along the old German front line—i.e., parallel with the right party—past the northern end of "H" Trench, after which they were to extend and rush two posts in the German front line, and then move to the right to join the right party.
It will be observed from the sketch map that the old system of trenches during the confusion of the offensive had become, as it were, twisted sideways, and instead of each side holding the original front and support lines, these were now communication trenches, and the old communication trenches had been fashioned into the fire trenches.