Battalion took over front line. R.IR.FUS on left & LANCS.FUS. on right “C” & “D” Coys in front line, “A”Coy reserve in TENDERLOIN, “B” Coy in Support. Enemy Artillery active in morning. Dark night & some rain.
Germans send Burial Parties out from 1 – 3 pm. Our Artillery bombarded on our front line with heavies.
Very Heavy Bombardment. Attack started 7.20am. Beaumont Hamel blown up by mine. Sec.R Dub F, RIF,RWR. Attack well carried out, but Div on our right 29th held up. Div on left take Serre, but all forced to return to original line on account of 29th Div. Heavy shelling all day, bomb fighting etc, several German prisoners brought in from 121st Bav. Casualties slight. Day fine, but too hazy for aircraft early morning.
Showery, windy day. Coys inspections. All Packs handed in. Battalion marched off at 9 pm. To ASSEMBLY TRENCHES in rear of R. IRISH.FUS. & arrived at 11.30 pm. Dark night. Church service at 6 pm. H.C.
Showery day. Coys do little training & Route March. Lecture on the “Assault”. Dark night.
Wet day. General LAMBTON, Divisional Commander addressed the Battalion at 11 am. & spoke of the coming “Attack”. Wet night.
Battalion rests and cleans up. Showers at intervals. All stores taken up to ASSEMBLY TRENCHES at night, & were removed in front. Bertrancourt shelled with 4.2’s about midnight, 3 Casualties.
Enemy Artillery normal except on right. AUCHONVILLERS shelled rather heavily about 4 pm. Also TENDERLOIN, 4TH AVENUE & SUNKEN ROAD. Relieved by 1st Hants, 1st Somersets & 6th Warwicks. 4 Casualties during relief. Capt. BAILY & Lieut. ELLIOTT wounded. Battalion marched to Camp at BERTRANCOURT and all were tired after 9 days severe shelling. Raid which was to take place was cancelled on account of Barrage put up by Enemy Artillery.
Gas discharged from our line at 2.30 till 4.15 am. Enemy Artillery on our Second line, but thanks to previous experience Coys did not suffer so severely.
5 days Bombardment started prior to great “PUSH”. Enemy retaliation weak. At 10pm. Gas was discharged from our front line but was stopped at 11pm. Owing to wind being unfavourable. The Enemy put heavy barrage about 10.30 pm. On our front line and Support & this was kept up till 1.30 a.m. Our trenches damaged a good deal. Enemy fired 5.9’s, 4.2’s and Whizz Bangs. The Gas did not seem to have much effect on the Germans. Our Casualties were heavy, mostly owing to Shell fire, although a few were gassed by the Gas being blown back. 2nd Lieuts LUKEY & GAMBLE killed. 2nd Lieuts GILES & PUGH wounded. Other ranks – 8 Killed, 37 Wounded, 8 Gassed, 2 Missing, 1 Shock.