The 147th Infantry Brigade took over the defence of the sector from the 148th Infantry Brigade and had two battalions in the front line—the boundary being the road to Lombartzyde—one in support in the Redan, and one in reserve on the Nieuport side of the canal. The Battalion held the sub-sector east of the road, and never in its previous history had it held a front in such depth. The sector is of such interest that the Battalion dispositions are given in detail:—
1. A Company garrisoned all the three most forward lines; one platoon held Nose Trench, a second held Nose Support, and two platoons were posted in Nasal Trench where the Company H.Q. was situated. To strengthen the defence, a Lewis gun team from other companies was attached to each of the two front platoons of A Company.
2. C Company garrisoned Nasal Support, where the Company H.Q. was, with two platoons; the other two were in Nasal Walk, a trench between the two most northerly arms of the Yser Canal.
3. B Company had two platoons in Nasal Lane, but its other two platoons lived in the town of Nieuport, where they worked under the Royal Engineers.
4. The whole of D Company was in Battalion Reserve in the Redan.
It will thus be seen that the Battalion had garrisons in five successive lines of trench north of the canal, and a sixth line was held south of one of the branches of the canal.
The condition of the sector was appalling. Water lay so near the surface of the ground that only breast-works could be constructed, and the borrow-pits quickly filled. The heavy rains of the preceding days had made matters worse. The enormous volume of shell fire had damaged the trenches beyond hope of repair. There were only two communication trenches on the front—Nasal Avenue, which was dug by the side of the road right up to the front line, and Petit Boyau, better known as “Toute Suite Alley” from the general habits of people using it, between Nasal Support and Nose Support. Neither of these could be used for more than a few yards at a stretch as they had been so badly knocked about, and most people preferred to walk straight up the road as far as Nasal Support and then along the top of the ruins of Petit Boyau. Of course they could be observed from the enemy lines, but so also could they be if they tried to move along the trenches; and one could move six times faster in the open, which was always considered an advantage. The defensive lines were in equally bad condition, and practically all movement was under observation. Except in A Company’s area, accommodation was very scanty, especially in Nasal Support where it became worse almost daily, owing to the shattering of dugouts and shelters. The foremost lines, which had been the scene of heavy fighting on July 11th, were littered with dead and all the debris of battle. To crown all, the whole place was a mass of mud and the stench everywhere was sickening. Perhaps it was this last characteristic of the sector which suggested the very confusing system of trench names in use there.
German Front Line(dashed line)
British Front Line(solid line)