The history of the 1st Battalion for June and July, 1915, is without any very striking incident, though abounding in what only a year before would have been considered as such. On the 10th June, for instance, the huts near Poperinghe, in which the men were resting, were heavily shelled and Lieut. W. F. Taylor and 10 men killed and 5 more wounded; whilst on the 19th of the same month, when in trenches in the salient east of Ypres, the battalion was badly bombarded with gas shells, while more gas was pumped from the enemy’s lines, necessitating the wearing of gas helmets for four hours and causing the death of 5 and injury of 19 men. Then 2 more were killed on the following day and 4 wounded and 5 gassed. Between this date and the end of the month 10 more died and 39 were wounded. On the 2nd July Corpl. John Dormer of A Company, who had covered himself with glory as a scout, paid the last penalty. And so the weary business went on.
Sir John French’s despatches contain the following remarks:—
“Since my last despatch a new device has been adopted by the enemy for driving burning liquid into our trenches with a strong jet. Thus supported, an attack was made on the trenches of the 2nd Army at Hooge, on the Menin road, early on 30th July. Most of the infantry occupying these trenches were driven back, but their retirement was due far more to the surprise and temporary confusion caused by the burning liquid than by the actual damage inflicted.
“Gallant endeavours were made by repeated counter-attacks to recapture the lost section of trenches. These, however, proving unsuccessful and costly, a new line of trenches was consolidated a short distance further back.
“Attacks made by the enemy at the same time west of Bellewaarde Lake were repulsed.
“On the 9th August these losses were brilliantly regained, owing to a successful attack carried out by the 6th Division. This attack was very well executed and resulted in the recapture, with small casualties, not only of the whole of the lost trenches, but an addition of four hundred yards of German trench north of the Menin road.”
In connection with this incident mentioned by the Commander-in-Chief, Major-General Congreve, V.C., commanding the 6th Division, addressed the 1st Buffs on the 5th August: it was necessary, he pointed out, to retake the trenches previously lost at Hooge. It was a case either of going forward or going backward, owing to the nature of the ground. The commander of the 2nd Army had selected the 6th Division for the task because it was the best one in his command. He would not minimize the difficulties of the job, but the battalion would remember their past record and the fact that the eyes of Kent were upon them. He concluded by wishing the battalion a successful issue and a safe return.
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