September, 1917
During our stay at Bonningues-les-Ardres, Lieut.-Col. G. B. Balfour was invalided from the Battalion with scarlet fever, and command was taken by Major P. E. Robathan. Captain and Adjutant J. Way returned to England for a period of home service, and was succeeded as Adjutant by Capt. R. Gardner. On the 6th September we marched to Moulle, of old acquaintance, and fired field practices by Companies, but preparation soon began for a return to the Ypres Salient. During the Division’s period of absence from the line, several attempts by other Divisions had been made to advance from the Black Line, but without marked success. On the 10th the Battalion, together with the remainder of the Brigade, took part in Divisional operations on ground representing the area the Division will operate on in the forthcoming attack.
On the 14th the Battalion moved by road to Audruicq, and there entrained for Ypres, where we were billeted in tent and bivouacs near Goldfish Chateau. On the following day a hostile squadron of aeroplanes dropped three bombs on the camp, killing one and wounding three others of other regiments. Capt. Wilson, our Medical Officer, was also slightly wounded, but remained on duty. Next morning the camp was again bombed by enemy aircraft, this time killing three and wounding five other ranks of the Battalion. Bombs dropped a few yards from the tent used as the Battalion Orderly Room, the Battalion Runners and Headquarters details were the sufferers. Later in the day Second-Lieut. Whittaker was wounded in the arm by an anti-aircraft machine gun bullet.
On the 17th the Battalion was finally organized and, after the news of Sergt. Mayson’s V.C. had come through, in the evening marched through St. Jean and Wieltje to the Concentration Area, “B” and “D” Companies Headquarters in Call Reserve (old German Reserve trench), and “C” and “A” in the old British front line. We incurred casualties in 3 killed and 4 wounded. The following day Officers and N.C.O.’s reconnoitred the front line and position of attack, and “D” Company relieved the 10th Liverpool Scottish in the front shell-hole system, the Battalion suffering 3 killed and 7 wounded in these operations. On the 19th September we were fitted out with stores and extra rations, and moved to positions of attack in shell holes between Somme and Hinducott, with Headquarters at Capricorn Keep.
Major P. E. Robathan commanded the Battalion, with Captain J. H. Evans as Second-in-command. The 164th Infantry Brigade attacked on a two-battalion frontage, 1/4th Royal Lancashire Regiment on the right, 2/5th Lancashire Fusiliers on the left. 1/4th North Lancashire Regiment acted as support to the Battalion, and 1/5th Royal Lancashire Regiment, from 166th Infantry Brigade, was a reserve Battalion placed under the command of the Brigadier-General Commanding, 164th Infantry Brigade. The Battalion had orders to reach an intermediate objective, the dotted Red Line; 1/4th North Lancashire Regiment, after supporting the Battalion at the outset, was to pass through it and advance to the Green Line. The attack was on a vast scale, eleven Divisions being employed.
During the night of the 19th–20th September platoons took up their positions in shell holes west of the line Somme—Hinducott amidst a severe bombardment, which had been going on for some days. At zero hour (5.40 a.m. on the 20th September) the first wave advanced on the enemy positions between Hinducott and Somme, and reached its first objective in spite of stubborn opposition, especially from Aisne Farm and Loos. Here, after a slight pause in the barrage, “A” and “C” Companies continued to advance, but sustained heavy casualties from enfilade fire. Owing to appalling mud, and determined opposition from the garrisons of “pill-boxes,” the advance was slow, and the support Battalion, 1/4th North Lancashire Regiment, soon became involved in the fighting. The Battalion reached the dotted Red Line, but the support Battalion was not sufficiently strong to continue the advance, and eventually both Battalions held a line from Schuler Galleries to Loos, under heavy bombardment and enfilade fire from both flanks. Capt. A. P. Procter, commanding “C” Company, was placed in command of the front line, which was manned by both Battalions and reinforcements from the reserve Battalion, 1/5th Royal Lancashire Regiment.
Patrols were sent out during the night to ascertain the enemy’s positions, and forward posts pushed ahead. During the morning of the 21st, small parties of the enemy were observed coming down the forward slopes in front of Gravenstafel carrying Red Cross flags. At 4.50 p.m. the 8th Liverpool (Irish) occupied Schuler Farm and pushed forward to the Green Line, at the same time the 5th Lancashire Fusiliers moved forward from Schuler Galleries towards Cross Cotts. In the evening the enemy intensely bombarded our front line, but no counter-attack was made. During the night posts were pushed forward to prepare for a further advance next night. At dawn on the 22nd, the enemy heavily shelled our front line, and a small party was seen advancing towards us. Our artillery and machine guns replied, and the hostile bombardment ceased. During the morning our front line was again heavily shelled by the enemy, and also again in the evening, but no attack was made against us. Just before dawn on the 23rd, our front line was intensely bombarded, our machine guns replying, and the bombardment died down. On the afternoon of the 23rd, preparations were made for the relief of the 39th Division. Guides had assembled at Battalion Headquarters, Capricorn Keep, and were about to lead to their positions the guides of the incoming unit, when, at 5.15 p.m., the whole of the Battalion area was subjected to a violent bombardment, which lasted till 8 p.m. Practically no casualties were sustained. What it must have been like for the Companies out in the open can only be imagined, but in the Battalion Headquarters’ dugout, with entrance conveniently facing the enemy, the occupants waited, with what philosophy they could, for a shell to intrude and sever their connection with the Third Battle of Ypres. But none came. After some excitement concerning the whereabouts of a platoon, the Battalion was relieved at 1.45 a.m. on September 24th by two platoons of the 2/6th North Staffordshire Regiment. The survivors tramped through Wieltje to St. Jean for the last time, and said farewell to Ypres. From Vlamertinghe we went by train and bus to Watou.
During these operations the Battalion sustained the following casualties:—
Captain C. E. Withey and Second-Lieut. E. T. White killed. Second-Lieuts. G. C. Lingford (died of wounds), G. A. Taylor, T. H. Pritchard, C. H. Newbold, R. M. Senton, and J. Thompson, wounded, and R. G. Hatcher, died of wounds. Second-Lieut. C. G. Howard missing.
Other Ranks: Killed, 37; Wounded, 155; Wounded and Missing, 1; Shell Shock, 6; Missing, 24. Total, all ranks, 233. At a later date the Officer temporarily in Command, Major P. E. Robathan, also went to hospital suffering from the effects of gas.