Talk of impending big events filled the air. We were intrigued by the arrival of new drafts of Officers and men, and we looked amongst these for new faces from the Furness District but these were becoming fewer. Soon we were up to establishment, an unprecedented achievement for us. Stores of all kinds became more plentiful, and were easier to replace when lost or damaged, and there was a general air of expectancy. On the 19th the Battalion left billets at Simoncourt and marched via Berneville, Warlazel and Dainville Achicourt, to the trenches at Agny, and relieved the 6th D.C.L.I. These trenches were situated a few miles to the north-east of Blamont and about four miles south-west of Arras. The prevailing unrest seemed to have permeated the Hun, and there was much trench activity and some casualties on our side. Amongst these, unfortunately, were Second-Lieut. Johnstone and three other ranks on patrol duty wounded by our own outposts. This Officer had previously captured two Germans from a German patrol.
On the 25th Major J. L. Swainson, D.S.O., a regular Officer of the D.C.L.I. arrived and took over Command of the Battalion. On the 12th July we were relieved by the Liverpool Scottish and marched to Barly, where for four days the Battalion underwent training with a view to an offensive. On the 16th we took over Blamont trenches once more, and on the 20th left Bretencourt for the last time, being relieved by a Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers, and marched to Simoncourt.
CHAPTER V.
The Somme.
July, 1916
Kits were now reduced to the required minimum. Surplus kit was stacked and laid aside—with confidence this time that they would be available on the return of less hectic times. G.S. wagons were laden and limbers filled up to their limit, and the Battalion started off on another pilgrimage, its ultimate destination as yet unknown, but only one conclusion could be drawn from the thorough examination of equipment, and the issue of trench maps delineating the battle-front of the Somme. We made Sombrin on the first day after a tiring and dusty march. On the 22nd July the personnel of the Battalion were conveyed by motor bus to Berneuil, the transport moving independently by road. Here we practised the attack by sectional rushes. Before daylight had set in on the 25th the Battalion was on the march, shaping its course through Fienvillers to Candas where other troops, battle-stained and cheerful, laughed at us through the mud and filth which days of incessant fighting had imprinted on their faces. It was the first visible sign of the great offensive.
We entrained at Candas and crawled slowly away past Montrelet and St. Ouen, following the beautiful valley of the Nievre. Optimistic chatterers maintained that we were now pursuing a course directly opposite to that which ought to take us to the front. They did not know, however, that this branch line united with the main railroad from Abbeville to Albért. And the crossing of the viaduct over the Somme marshes soon brought us to the trunk line leading to the heart of hostilities. To our disappointment the train passed through the fine station of Amiens without stopping, the market gardens slipped by, the little vignettes of Senegalese troops became a blur, Corbie of old acquaintance faded from view, and at 2 o’clock we steamed into railhead, Méricourt-Ribemont.
Those of us who had known Méricourt of old were amazed at the change. Then it had been a sleepy little station with a few sidings and a tent or two for the accommodation of prospective permissionaires. Now it was the busy centre of all the traffic in men and material feeding the firing line in the sector of Albért. Immense stores of provisions and endless piles of ammunition lay stacked ready for transport. German prisoners, mostly unshaven, were engaged in road mending, or were lazily watching the new troops. Under a blazing sun we marched out of the station. Buire-sur-Ancre showed unmistakable signs of activity. Tired men were dragging themselves along the hot, dusty road, traces of recent fighting plain upon their faces. A few attempted to smile. Sweat ran down and grooved the dirt upon their foreheads and cheeks. Many lacked full equipment. Battalions came out under the command of subalterns, careworn and ageing. Limbers and wagons were rushing up towards the line with food for the men and ammunition for the guns. In happy contrast to the stricken remnants returning from battle were our fresh troops pouring in as reinforcements.
From Méricourt we marched to Méaulte, near Albért, where the Town Major had a particularly trying experience in accommodating Battalion after Battalion in a very restricted area. Confusion at such a time and place, however, was unavoidable. We now formed part of the 13th Corps, Fourth Army. On the 26th we marched to Happy Valley, a comparatively quiet backwater, and took over bivouacs from a Battalion of the 8th Brigade, 3rd Division. Here four days were spent in training under Company arrangements, including much-needed bathing parades to Bray-sur-Somme. There was also an overdue presentation of decorations by Brigadier-General Edwards. There had been a good many individual exploits, thoroughly meriting recognition, and, indeed, recommended for such, which were met with disapproval by the authorities on the ground that the time was “inopportune,” and it was not until many more months had passed that decorations began to flow with more facility. An enemy aeroplane dropped bombs on the valley, but there were no casualties amongst our men.
On the night of 30th/31st July the Battalion marched north and took over trenches on a line running north and south between Trones Wood and Guillemont, relieving remnants of the 30th Division. In taking up position we were heavily shelled, losing Second-Lieut. Lincey and three other ranks killed and twelve wounded. Our artillery bombarded heavily all day, and we spent the day digging in, including a shallow German trench in their old line. The immensity of the push was now apparent to us, and our eyes opened in astonishment at the awful havoc of the guns. We, who had seen over twelve months’ service, astonished! A giant of steel seemed to have ridden over the proud German defences. Villages were wiped completely out of existence—Fricourt, Mametz, Carnoy, Maricourt, Montauban, all a tumbled heap of rubble; woods were laid waste. Saddest of all there was not a blade of green grass visible. Trenches were everywhere blown out of recognition. In every direction disused gun pits with piles of empty shell cases showed how the artillery had advanced. Disrupted sandbags littered the broken earth. A poignant reminder that victory is not purchased without cost lay in the newly-delved earth, where blue flags were fluttering over the dead.
The transport lay in bivouac in what had been German lines between Fricourt and Maricourt. From this point of vantage much of the terrible drama was visible. Not an inch of ground but was covered by war material and troops resting. Mametz Road presented an unparalleled scene of activity. Never for an instant was it idle. There were up-roads and down-roads everywhere. Ammunition, food, guns went up the one in constant streams; wounded and fatigued men, empty ammunition and ration limbers, came rolling back on the other. Whenever any portion of the road showed signs of wear, either by shell fire or natural attrition, gangs of men from labour battalions set to work, metalling and restoring. These men were nearly all over age. They had none of the hot glory of conflict. To them fell no stirring battle honours. Yet who but must admire the spirit that sent these gallant veterans into the zone of shell fire.