After spending a quiet and peaceful month at Bailleul-les-Pernes we finally relieved the 9th Sherwood Foresters and the 8th Northumberland Fusiliers in the front line just north of Lens, on the 22nd December, with the pleasant prospect of being there for Christmas Day.
About this time Col. S. Sharpe proceeded to England for the Senior Officers’ Staff Course, and during his absence Major G. R. Pearkes assumed command of the battalion. Although Christmas Day was spent in feasting chiefly on “Bully,” on the night of the 26th December warning was received of an intended raid by the Germans, and a raid was actually made on Sap 6 at 6.30 a.m. the following morning, but the enemy was successfully driven off.
The condition of the trenches in this sector was the worst imaginable. The mud was not only knee deep but like glue, and it was not at all an unusual occurrence for a man to lose his boots and socks in his endeavours to extricate himself. One of the smallest of our officers, Capt. Hughes, was heard to remark that it was a good thing for him that his colors were painted on his helmet. On one memorable occasion we were relieving the 58th Battalion—the bad conditions had been rendered even worse by a heavy fall of snow. Our relieving companies became so exhausted, which is not to be wondered at when one remembers the unmercifully heavy equipment usually carried into the line, that the relief which should have been completed about 10 p.m. was not actually reported until 3 a.m. the following morning. Even when the 58th had been relieved they found it impossible to get out until daylight.
The chief work of the period was the reorganization of the front line and the building of strong points. On the 22nd January, 1918, at 5.40 p.m., the enemy raided No. 4 post, but his party was caught in a barrage and obliged to retire. The conduct of Corporal Allen in the handling of his section was most exemplary. Several important patrols were made during which Lieutenant F. A. McGrotty received wounds from which he afterwards died.
Towards the end of February the battalion moved back to its old familiar hunting ground around Avion, where, although the trenches and general conditions were excellent, we sustained a series of misfortunes. Patrols went out every night through the ruins of Avion to try and locate enemy posts and whilst engaged in this work we lost two of our officers, Lieutenant C. R. Hillis and Lieutenant R. W. Biggar, within a few days of each other. From this front we moved south and on the 1st of April we were situated in the New Brunswick trench, in front of Méricourt.
Lt.-Col. G. R. Pearkes, V.C., D.S.O., M.C.
During the last three months two important changes in our organization took place which it may be wise to record.
Major G. R. Pearkes, recently awarded the Victoria Cross for gallant work at Passchendaele with the 5th C.M.R., was appointed Officer Commanding 116th Battalion, to replace Colonel Sharpe, whose illness in England seemed likely to keep him away from France for an indefinite period.
Major J. Sutherland, at one time a Company Commander in the 52nd Battalion, but recently an instructor at Ferfay, was appointed second in command to Lt.-Colonel Pearkes.