29/2/1916.
CHAPTER 3.
HULLUCH LOOS SECTOR.
On the 26th April the Battalion returned to the trenches under the command of Major T. L. Cunningham, relieving the 7th Royal Sussex Regiment in the Quarry Sector. By this time the mining operations had made the front line into a series of craters, and the shelling of the enemy had become increasingly severe. The following day the R.E. blew up the right leg of "Hairpin." We lost several men in the bombardment which followed, the usual practice after exploding a mine being that the enemy would start firing trench mortars, which would be replied to by our field guns, the enemy in return firing his whizzbangs and howitzers on our front line system. The 4th of May saw 3 more mines exploded in the Hairpin crater, after which our bombers advanced to secure the lip of the crater. The enemy counter-attacked, and a very severe fight took place between our bombers and the enemy, in which we finally drove him back to his original position, while we held the crater. After the attack the enemy gave our trenches a long and severe bombardment, which caused many casualties.
The Battalion was relieved on the 11th May by the 7th K.O.S.B.'s, and proceeded to La Bourse in Divisional Reserve. Here the men enjoyed good baths, the time being filled up with odd parades and finding the inevitable working parties for the front line of trenches. On the 13th May Major C. H. Marsh, D.S.O., of the 18th Lancers, who had lately commanded the 7th K.O.S.B.'s, took over command of the Battalion from Major Cunningham, who had been in command since the departure of Brigadier-General Sandilands.
Colonel J. W. Sandilands, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O.,
commanded from 22nd April, 1915, to 13th April, 1916.
On the 14th May the Battalion was put under the orders of the 46th Brigade, and on the 19th relieved the A. and S. H. in the left sub-sector of the "Hohenzollern." Mining operations were still in full swing, the enemy exploding a mine near "Argyll Sap," which filled in the "Hogs Back" and part of "Northumberland Trench." It was a complete surprise, and many men were buried and injured by the falling debris, "C" Company suffering the worst, there being 3 killed and 45 wounded. The Battalion was to have been relieved that night, but the relief had to be postponed in order that the saps and trenches might be cleared before handing over. About the 22nd May everyone began to expect a Boche attack, as the Intelligence Reports constantly contained references to large enemy working-parties and abnormal transport movements. In one instance as many as 5,000 men were reported as being seen moving in our direction. Two prisoners were also taken, who confirmed the report that the enemy intended attacking and using gas. Apparently our counter-action proved effective, as no attack ever took place.