On the 3rd September the Buffs were entrusted with an attack to start from the Worcester Trench, but, owing to the fact that all the runners sent to synchronize the time with the brigade on the left were killed, the battalion started too late and so met the enemy’s barrage actually on their parapet as they started and also heavy machine-gun fire. Within one minute all the officers and the C.S.M. of B Company were casualties and the attack was held up. The attempt had been made at noon, and in half an hour’s time news of the failure reached Battalion Headquarters and the commanding officer, after personal reconnaissance, ordered Major Hamilton, who was in command of the front line, to organize a fresh attack. This was arranged for 4 p.m. and an artillery programme drawn up, Lt.-Colonel Stewart, commanding the group of guns that was helping our infantry, being fortunately met with exactly at the right moment. At 4 p.m. the second attack took place, but, owing to the artillery not lifting and to heavy machine-gun fire from a strong point, it was stopped. The bombers managed to work their way up the trench towards the strong point, but all the supporting infantry were hit. The following day the three companies were withdrawn and went into the reserve brigade camp, having suffered the following casualties: 2nd Lieut. T. Firminger killed; six officers wounded: 2nd Lieuts. Grant, Hamilton, Twyman, Eyre, Rainey and Varge; other ranks, 16 killed, 81 wounded and 9 missing.
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BRINGING UP WIRE
Meanwhile D Company, temporarily attached to the 72nd Brigade, as has been noticed, had gone up to support the 9th East Surrey Regiment in Delville Wood, and these had suffered very severely from shell fire. About 4 p.m. on the 3rd September Pte. Crick, one of D Company’s stretcher-bearers, arrived at Battalion Headquarters, having made his way for about a mile along the trenches, and informed the commanding officer that all his company officers had been killed and most of the remainder wiped out also. 2nd Lieut. Morrell was sent to take charge of this company, but was only able to discover a few stragglers; Captain D. G. Pearce and 2nd Lieuts. B. G. Bowles and B. B. Blackwell were all dead. The assault delivered on the 3rd September had been a tremendous and most important one. It was delivered along the whole line: Guillemont was stormed; Leuze Wood and the Falfemont Farm were taken; and this meant a great deal more than the mere advancing of our line a few hundred yards or so. It meant that the quadruple and, as it was thought by our enemies, the impregnable positions, which had resisted all assault for seven weeks, had at last been broken and the fact established that no elaborate series of earthworks could be reckoned on as a safe preventative to the progress of the Allies.
The 5th of September took the 8th Battalion back to the reserve camp by Fricourt, and thence it proceeded to the rest area near Abbeville, where it got into excellent billets at Yaucourt and received drafts and, of course, trained. The 27th of the month brought welcome news of honours: to Lt.-Colonel Lucas a D.S.O.; Captains Gullick and Rankin (R.A.M.C.) and 2nd Lieut. Grant the M.C.; the D.C.M. for C.S.M. Carpenter, Sgt. Butler and Pte. Sheward; whilst a day or two later came news of M.M.’s for L.-Corpl. Tinmouth and Ptes. Baker and Hart.
From the end of September to the 16th November, which date being taken as the end of the Somme fighting, must be that from which the reader will be asked to switch off his attention from France to other regions, the 8th Battalion led the life so usual during the Great War and so well known to all men: that is to say one week, or other short period, found it in the trenches and the next in billets a bit in rear. Gouy Servins was the usual resting-place, but there were other places, notably Mazingarbe, where the men were in proper huts fitted with electric light. The turns at the trenches were taken at Carency and at Loos, and as the year wore towards its close the old trouble of the wet came on again. The trenches got out of repair and began to fall in, involving work for everybody and much discomfort.
At the end of October Sgts. Batchelor and F. Elson; L.-Corpls. Stevens and Wynne; Ptes. Abbott, Barge, Bignell and Kerman found themselves entitled to mount the M.M. ribband, and Corpl. Norrington got the D.C.M. On the 1st November Lt.-Colonel Green and some of the officers of the 1st Battalion came over from Bethune for a short visit.