The chief defensive work on the front to be raided by the 12th King’s was known as the Fosse St Louis, just north-west of the Green Crassier. The company of this battalion moved forward in four parties, without coming under any machine-gun fire until four minutes after zero, when the enemy opened fire from the direction of the Fosse and the Crassier. Two platoons successfully worked through the houses north of the Fosse, thoroughly bombing the cellars on their way. Their return was delayed by a trench mortar barrage, which the enemy put down on the Lens—Arras road, but they reached their own lines again at 12.15 A.M. The other two platoons attacked the northern and southern flanks of the Fosse. On the north the party was bombed from one of the houses and came under heavy machine-gun fire at point-blank range. On the south, 2nd Lieut. Hughes led his platoon most gallantly, and reached the southern face of the Fosse, where he fell riddled with bullets. Throughout the operation all ranks behaved with great courage. The losses in this battalion were ten, including one man who was seen after the party returned but was afterwards reported to be missing. It is probable that he fell during one of the attempts that were made to recover the body of 2nd Lieut. Hughes.
In the centre the 7th D.C.L.I. found great difficulty in advancing through the mass of ruins and wire, especially east of the Lens—Arras road. Only the two officers—2nd Lieut. Howe and 2nd Lieut. Wedge—and six men finally succeeded in forcing a way through the houses. This party pressed forward to an enemy machine-gun post consisting of four men. In the fight that ensued three of the enemy were killed, and the fourth was wounded and taken prisoner. The machine gun also was captured, and bombs were thrown into a dug-out which could not be blown up as the R.E. party had not been able to get through. By this time the half-hour allotted to the raid had expired, so the party turned back, being guided by the German prisoner through a gap in the wire on the Lens—Arras road. A nest of machine guns fired a little during the raid, but for the most part this fire was kept down by our artillery and trench mortars.
The total casualties in the D.C.L.I. were ten men wounded. Four or five of the enemy were actually killed, and judging from the number of ambulances seen from our observation post on the following day our artillery and trench mortars must have inflicted considerable loss.
The report on this raid states: “Too much cannot be said for the splendid co-operation of the artillery, trench mortars, and M.G.C., which meant such a lot towards the success of the venture.”
There is no doubt that the raid was a complete surprise. The enemy’s first S.O.S. did not go up until seven minutes after zero.
The platoon of the 7th Somerset L.I. on the left advanced in two parties. These succeeded in penetrating the enemy’s defences, but they were unable to secure an identification. Eventually the parties returned with only three casualties.
The raid of the 11th K.R.R.C., timed to begin at 12.30 A.M., was carried out by “C” Company with one N.C.O. and six men of the 83rd Field Company R.E. The objective was a trench between the north-east corner of Avion and the Bull Ring.
It was intended that the sappers should advance first under the smoke cloud with torpedoes and blow two gaps in the wire. As soon as the torpedoes went off the infantry parties were to rush the gaps and do what damage they could. Fifteen minutes after zero, the artillery was to fire on certain selected targets. Unfortunately the wind dropped and the smoke cloud, which was supposed to come over five minutes before zero, never reached the objective. At zero, therefore, the sappers had to crawl forward without it and place the torpedoes. Five minutes later one torpedo was in position. The other could not be placed, as an enemy patrol suddenly appeared on the opposite side of the wire. Accordingly the one torpedo was fired fifteen minutes after zero, whereupon the infantry dashed through the gap and successfully entered the trench. No identification could be secured, as the enemy offered little resistance, and after firing a few shots and throwing some bombs ran back to the main line. The party stayed twenty-five minutes in the German line and brought back a machine gun complete with all its equipment. The casualties were six men wounded.
Further raids took place in both sectors on the night of the 30th/31st, when the 7th Somerset L.I. entered the enemy’s posts on the western edge of Lens and brought back a prisoner. Lieut. B. W. Hall, 12th R.B., received the M.C. for his prompt and fearless action on the night of the 1st/2nd of August. He was out with a patrol which was bombed by the enemy. Several unexploded bombs fell close to Lieut. Hall, who immediately picked them up and threw them back at the enemy, so saving many lives.
During this time Lieut.-Colonel Haskard, G.S.O.I., was succeeded by Lieut.-Colonel M. O. Clarke, D.S.O.