The theatre party of the Division, under our own Lieut. Leslie, addressed themselves to their congenial offices with a diligence no less justified of the times than it was deserving of support. Blood had freely flowed and would flow again as freely. In the meantime no dejection of spirits must be allowed to usurp the place of contentment and good cheer. The guns were still ranged solidly against the enemy and pulverising his trenches. His own artillery, admittedly well-handled, was redoubling its opposition. More and more troops, eager to win renown, and excited by the unwonted activity, were pouring up towards the line. Defeated and despairing, the Germans, stung to a paroxysm of frenzy, were hurling themselves on their lost positions. Forfeitures of ground, privations unproclaimed, renunciation of hope, submission and subjugation—all these things they had been taught to abhor. And now, as we forced them to accept adversity, they resisted with fierce courage.
The weather continued very hot. On the following day the remnants of the Battalion paraded by companies for inspection, re-organisation and checking deficiencies in equipment. Major-General Jeudwine, commanding the Division, inspected us and cheered us by his very austerity. A working party of one Officer and 70 other ranks went into the front line to dig forward communication trenches. They were heavily shelled by enemy artillery but only two casualties were caused. We observed one of our forward trench balloons break away from its moorings and sail away over the enemy lines. The occupant was equal to the occasion and got out of his difficulties by the aid of a parachute. On the 14th we left bivouacs at Carnoy and marched to Méricourt with the Brigade, via Sand Pit, Meaulte, Ville-sur-Ancre Treux, the transport travelling under Brigade arrangements via Bray-sur-Somme.
The Battalion rested in billets in Méricourt, the time being spent in refitting, re-organisation and steady drill. Bathing, too, received attention, the weather being still very hot. A draft of 100 other ranks from the 3/10th Manchester Regiment joined us and proved a good lot of men. For the present the Division was not to be re-engaged on the Somme, and at 4 a.m. on the 19th the Battalion paraded at Méricourt Station and entrained for Abbeville, arriving at 11.30 a.m. Time did not admit of the hoped-for coffee and omelette at the “Bull’s Head,” and at 11.40 we were off again on the march, over the bridge leading to the south side of the Somme, through Rouvroy and Cambron, until at 4 p.m. we arrived in billets at Lambercourt.
We shall never forget that sweet corner of France. The fresh profusion of green grass and yellow stubble, the prodigal wealth and variety of arboreal treasures with abundant foliage, fruit trees laden with their gracious burden. The scattered houses of the village, nestling within bowers of roses and other sweet-smelling flowers, a thin blue reek ascending from some chimney in a thatched roof. Sharply and suddenly contrasted with the din and horror we had left so recently these quiet scenes brought tears to the eyes and a sense of realisation that a beneficent Power was still in charge of human destiny.
A cavalry regiment had been dislodged in order that the P.B.I. might have a fleeting respite in this corner of paradise. Whence they had departed was a matter of conjecture, probably to another delectable billet, as their turn had not yet come in the maelstrom. For ten days the Battalion enjoyed the seclusion of this peaceful retreat. The time was given over to platoon training, whilst drafts of reinforcements continued to arrive. On the 23rd all Officers and N.C.O.’s attended a lecture at Brigade Headquarters, given by General Jeudwine, on the recent operations. A pleasing feature at this time was the special short leave granted to small parties to St. Valery-sur-Somme and Tréport. These were delightful little watering-places on the estuary of the Somme, and it was whispered that the delights of a casino awaited visitors to either place. Plans were in preparation to extend these privileges to Paris, when the bolt fell from the blue and the Battalion again turned its face to the east.
Aug.–Sept., 1916
At 11.15 p.m. on August 29th we left Lambercourt in light marching order, the men’s packs having been despatched separately by motor lorry, and marched via Cambron, Rouvroy, St. Marguerite, Mareuil, Bray-les-Mareuil and Duncq to Pont Remy, where we arrived at 5 a.m. and had breakfast. Entraining and leaving Pont Remy at 8 o’clock we passed through Amiens and Corbie and arrived at Méricourt-Ribemont at 11.40 a.m., on the inner edge of hostilities once more. The Battalion moved to a point adjoining the main Albert-Corbie road where billets in tents and hutments awaited us. The weather was now unfavourable. Ten Officer reinforcements joined from the base. Battalion training occupied us during our stay in billets, and at midnight on September 7th we moved into trenches in Montauban Alley, where we were in Brigade reserve, relieving the 1st South Staffords. On the 10th the Battalion moved up and helped to man our front line trenches in Delville Wood, after the failure of a previous attack. Here the Companies were all split up and it was difficult to acquire accurate information. At 6 p.m. orders were received from Brigade to carry out an attack by surprise at 5.15 a.m. on to Hop Alley and German trenches on the western side of Delville Wood. This attack was duly carried out with “D” Company on left flank, “A” and “B” Companies in the centre, and “C” Company on the right. All ranks were dead tired and there was no dash in the attack, which failed directly the Germans opened with machine gun and rifle fire. Our casualties in this encounter were not very heavy, but Lieut. E. Spearing, commanding “D” Company, and Second-Lieut. G. R. Glenie, Lewis Gun Officer, were both missing and were later found to have been killed in action. The remainder of the 11th and 12th was spent in holding the front line, which was heavily shelled, causing heavy casualties. We were relieved by the 8th King’s Royal Rifles and returned to bivouac at Becourt.
September, 1916
On the 13th the Battalion marched to Ribemont and bivouacked in canvas shelters. Four officers reported here for duty, including Captain R. Gardner, who rejoined the Battalion on recovery from his unlucky adventure with a Very light some months previously, and Second-Lieut. T. H. Middleton, having been appointed to a commission from Sergeant-Signaller. From Ribemont to Buire, where we found comfortable billets for both officers and men, and where we saw 850 German prisoners being marched to the rear. The 17th, being Sunday, we attended a Brigade Church Parade, when the Padre’s sermon was based on St. Peter “warming himself at the fire,” with personal reminiscences of training in England during the early days of the war. From Buire to Becordel, where we went into bivouacs in drenching rain near Mametz prisoners’ camp.
The new bivouacs were devoid of any comfort whatsoever. A few shelters were improvised for the night, but very few enjoyed satisfactory shelter. Funkholes were dug at irregular intervals, in case the enemy opened artillery fire. In the murky and rainy night, when men arrived in driblets from heavy working parties, covered with mud from head to foot, limping with fatigue, and hungry as only men are hungry when much strenuous labour is required, there were often no means of showing these poor wretches the many pitfalls that lay in their path. Stumbling over the tangle of brushwood and falling into the soft oozy mud lining the bottom of the funkholes, I have heard them groping blindly for shelter, swearing roundly at everything. But I have never failed to hear them sing when, under equal conditions, they have found a few inches of tarpaulin ready to shield them from the bitter cold, or a scattering of straw to serve as their pallet. One is apt to grumble at home over little things. Let him not grumble till he has passed a night under such conditions as these.