Fine day . Air activity plenty of Gunning, we rest all day. I draw Bombs etc to make up. Meet Col. PRITCHARD in morning, have a chat, very nice man, sharp but fair. Quiet for us & get a good nights sleep.
April 15
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Category Archives: WW1
April 14 GREEN LINE
Wet day. Heavy artillery fire all day. No Inf [Infantry] action. Reinforcements which were left at X Camp join Bttn. Col. FORSTER returns to Bttn from Bgde as Col. PRITCHARD takes over. Decent night.
April 13 FAMPOUX – GREEN LINE
Fine morning slight frost. I move back to line at 5.0 am. Just after I leave LCpl SIVITER gets killed & SMART & GUEST wounded, bad luck. C.O. & Adjt. come back to line about 7.0 pm. C&A Coys moving back about 9.0 pm, good night but cold. Total casualties 2 Officers killed, 8 Officers wounded 220 OR Killed, Wounded, Missing. Numbers who took part about 400. Very bad time.
April 12 FAMPOUX
Fair morning, we get plenty of shelling but hang low. Brig. Gen. visits us about 12.0 noon & gets killed just after leaving, bad luck. Rain in afternoon. Just before 5.0 pm S.A. Bgde [South African Brigade] & 27th Bgde move forward to attack under barrage but are again held up with heavy losses. Hang on to front line which we had consolidated. Get orders for relief but it doesn’t take place, we stop up all night. Fritz makes an awful mess of the village – it’s unrecognisable.
April 11 BLUE LINE
Fine morning, much air activity, we prepare to move at 8.30 am, move forward in fours to BROWN LINE where we wait until 11.20 am. Receive orders to attack Chemical Works & Greenland Hill. Zero Hour 12.0 noon. We move up to jumping off point NE of FAMPOUX. 3 Bosche aeroplanes come over very low force one of ours down & then watch us. Order of Battle C.A. Hd Qrts & B carrying. Fritz puts a barrage on the sunken road & we lose heavy. Bgde moves to the attack but held up by M Gun Fire. Hd Qtrs receives heavy dose of shelling & I lose 1 Off killed (Lt DEVIS) & 8 OR wounded. I mount the parapet with C.O. & Adjt & get through it alright but what a time. No rest and not much to eat only Bully & Biscuits. Hd Qtrs established in quarry which is heavily shelled & we move in the evening into a cellar in FAMPOUX. Good work done by LCpl SIVITER B Coy who is killed later. Get a nice revolver from a dead German but ASHBOURNE loses it for me taking it down. Shall never forget this day to my sorrow. Lt DEVIS & Lt JEFFERY killed, two of our best officers.
Comments: Bad management. Bgde sent forward to attack strong position under 18 pounder Barrage, Machine Guns on embankment, in Chateau, Stn, cottages & Inn. No chance for the men, but they went forward well. CO & Adjt fine, no shirking, also Lt. DEVIS.
April 10 BLUE LINE
Fine morning but dull, we find parties for carrying & are kept on the alert, not much shelling. Wet in afternoon. We stay the night there. Col. FORSTER gets gassed by Charcoal Fire. Very cold, not much sleep.
April 9 X Camp – Nr ECOIVRES
Rise 4.30 am. Bttn parades ready to move at 6.45 am. Battle order. Very wet morning. We march to assembly area NE of ANZIN where we wait until 1.15 pm then move forward via St. NICHOLAS & Infantry Route to GREEN LINE. 7 casualties en route. Fritz very badly routed but not followed up. We stay at Brown Line the night. Very cold & wet.
April 8 BERTONSART
Fine morning. We rest in billet all day & parade ready to march to X Camp at 5.50 pm. March via SAVY. Arrive X Camp about 9.00 pm. Fairly tired. Camp shelled in morning but few casualties.
April 7 CAMBLAIN
Fine morning. Bttn parades ready to move 9.55 am. ABCD. We get delayed at start by 2nd Bttn passing. March to BERTONSART arriving there about 3.30 pm. Fair billet but billets very crowded.
April 6 CAMBLAIN
Fine morning. Bttn does not move until tomorrow. We get orders for inspection by G.O.C [General Officer Commanding] in the afternoon but it comes on to rain very hard & the parade is cancelled & the General visits the men in billets.