Reinforced by this company, the garrison of the hill made a counter-attack and retook a large portion of the half-ruined trench previously seized by the Japanese. A small body of the latter, however, still held the two bomb-proofs, and could not be turned out, and thus the part of the trench between these two bomb-proofs also remained in their hands. Unfortunately, this was the identical piece of trench in front of which was “dead ground” to all our batteries. The enemy could consequently pass freely and in safety to and from their comrades lodged in our trench. This was no novel experience for us, but I well knew the danger of it.
In order to prevent the Japanese from spreading along the trench, our 6th Company was ordered to occupy both ends of it. Our assailants tried several times to climb right up to the top of the hill, but were driven back on each occasion. Finally, the commandant sent a portion of the 6th Company there, and the gallant fellows, standing out in the open all day under shrapnel fire, prevented the enemy from reaching the summit of the hill. All this was plainly visible to the staff, who were tremendously impressed by our men’s splendid behaviour.
That evening, at my orders, the top of the hill was surrounded with a ring of small trenches, and during the night these trenches were connected up with the batteries on the right flank of the hill, which measure rendered our position fairly safe.
Several desperate attacks were successfully repulsed, in spite of the fact that the first of them was made before the completion of the trenches, when our men had to stand up in them without any cover under a perfect storm of shells. They had to stand up, as they could not fire down the steep slope of the hill in a sitting position. The situation was critical. We were losing men so fast under the terrific fire that the companies were literally melting away minute by minute. An endless stream of wounded continued to be carried away from the hill all through the night. In view of this, Colonel Irman sent for reinforcements from the general reserve, all our local reserves having been used up.
Danger threatened 203 Metre Hill’s other neighbours, especially the left flank of Akasaka Yama, where there was some dead ground right up under the trenches.
My own personal observations from early morning on September 20, from Akasaka Yama, were as follows: everything was quiet on the rear side of 203 Metre Hill, in spite of the shells bursting over it, as if the garrison were in no danger whatever. The companies were standing quietly in the trenches, visible to us. The trenches themselves were, apparently, very little damaged. Thank God! only a few shells had pierced the roofs of the bomb-proofs. Only one bomb-proof on the right flank of the hill, facing 174 Metre Hill, was seriously damaged. There was not a single Japanese to be seen anywhere. They are indeed a wonderful people! But the rattle of musketry did not cease for a second. The enemy was firing from the trenches surrounding the hill, chiefly from Saddle Hill. The dull reports of bursting shell did little more than deafen the men in the bomb-proofs. A veritable blizzard of lead swept the rear of the hill and the road leading along the top, and huddled up beneath the steep embankment of the latter sat some of the reserves.
VIEW TAKEN FROM 203 METRE HILL, SHOWING WIRE ENTANGLEMENTS AT THE FOOT THEREOF. IN THE FOREGROUND FALSE HILL WITH THE TRENCHES ON ITS RIGHT FLANK.
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