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{ 



THE 
FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 

BATTALION 

1914—1919 



:. L. 0. BBIHOLDS, D.S.O.. T.D, 



The 



First Buckinghamshire 

Battalion 



1914-1919 



CAPTAIN P: ErWRIGHT, D.S.O., M.C. 



With a Foreword 

BY 

MAJOR-GENERAL SIR ROBERT FANSHAWE 

R.C.B., D.S.O. 



HAZELL, WATSON & VINEY, LD. 
LONDON AND AYLESBURY, BUCKS 



D 
099 

Vi0 5 



Copyright 
First published 1920 



Printed by H<ueU, Watson ^ Viney, Ld., London and Ayle^bwy, 



;^sP^^'^~ <^y'^ 



FOREWORD 

BT 

Major-General Sir ROBERT FANSHAWE 

K.C.B., D.S.O. 

The 1st Bucks Battalion of the Oxfordshire and Buck- 
inghamshire Light Infantry was trained and modelled 
on the traditions of the Light Division of Peninsular 
fame» and served through the War in the 145th Brigade 
of the 48th South Midland Division. The Battalion 
went out to the War with that great fighting asset — a 
strong esyrii de corps. This they* maintained; and 
whether it was training, " holding the line," marching, 
or the attack, I, as their Divisional Commander, felt 
confident that their task would be thoroughly done, 
and carried through with the determination, endurance, 
dash, and with that proper use of initiative for which 
the Light Division officers and men were noted a 
hundred years ago. The officers, N.C.O.s, and men 
could be relied on to act as the occasion required, in 
carrying out what they knew to be the general plan. 

In no case was this confidence misplaced, whether 
the affair was that of a patrol or post, or for the whole , 
Battalion. 

Amongst the officers were many fine leaders of men, 
none more so than Lieutenant-Colonel Reynolds, who 
led the Battalion through most of the War. He was 
backed by many officers imbued with the same spirit 
find energy. 

Amongst the N.C.O.s and men were always many 



vi FOREWORD 

ready ably to second this good leadership, and deter- 
mined to make the Battalion a name of which their 
whole county might be proud. 

The engagements during my command of the Division 
which to my mind stand prominently out were first 
on July 28, 1916, during the Battle of the Somme, 
when the 48th Division were carrying out an attack 
to break the German line of defence which linked 
Poziferes to Thiepval, in order to assist in the capture 
of the former place, and pave the way towards the 
capture of the latter. The Battalion was in brigade 
reserve when the battle started. The Brigade Com- 
mander had been warned that, if his initial attack did 
not succeed everywhere, a fresh attack would be made 
to secure our objective. I well remember my con- 
versation on the telephone during the attack, and being 
assured that the Battalion would be ready by the time 
the Artillery said they would be. 

The right of the Brigade attack succeeded, but that 
on the left was checked, and to the Bucks Battalion was 
given the task, at short notice, of capturing the point, 
without which the gains on the right of the Brigade 
could not have been held for long. The success of the 
attack is well told in these pages. The difficulty of the 
Battalion's task is only to be appreciated by those who, 
in the long war, have seen how seldom a fresh attack 
of this sort could be organised and carried out success- 
fully by the immediate use of troops in reserve. The 
attack cost the Battalion a heavy price — Captain E. V. 
Birchall, the brilliant company commander who led 
his company in the attack, being mortally wounded. 

The second occasion was the capture of Tombois 
Farm on the night of April 16-17, 1917. The task 
of the Division was to keep such continual pressure 
on the enemy opposite, that he should feel that that 
part of the Hindenburg Line in our front was really 



FOREWORD vii 

being worked up to. The advanced posts of Ep^hy — 
Lempire — Ronssoy in front of his outpost line had 
been captured, and a footing gained in his outpost line, 
which was covered by a belt of wire, south of Tombois 
Farm. The object of the attack on this night was to 
gain this line of wire and the fortified outposts along it 
on the rest of our Division front, which was on a very 
wide one. The operation is accurately described. 
It was a case where good arrangement, determination 
to win, and the initiative of those on the spot led to 
success in spite of all obstacles. 

It was said that on this occasion the Army Commander 
called up the Corps Commander on the telephone, and 
asked whether the operation would be carried out in 
such weather. The Corps Commander's reply shov/ed 
his confidence in, and knowledge of, the troops em- 
ployed, when he replied in the affirmative without even 
asking the Division. 

The third occasion was on August 16, 1917, at 
St. Julien, during the Third Battle of Ypres, when the 
Battalion and certain battalions of the 145th Brigade 
completed the capture of St. Julien, and only circum- 
stances over which the Battalion had no control 
prevented their success being still more complete. 

The last occasion was on June 15, 1918, when the 
Austrians made their great attempt to break our line 
along the Asiago Plateau. Although, as the history 
relates, the Battalion was only holding the rear line 
on that day, yet by its action it enabled the troops 
fighting in front of this line to carry out their difficult 
task, showing what confidence they felt in the Bucks 
Battalion. The initiative with which the Battalion, 
finding that the right of the l/4th Oxford & Bucks 
Battalion was exposed by the line being left unoccupied 
beyond our own posts, pushed out to close this gap, 
was of especial value to their side, 



via FOBEWORD 

During the first few days of November, the same 
year, the Battalion showed how it could play it3 part 
in that last phase of victory, when, after the long and 
arduous struggle, the enemy Anally broke, and the fruits 
of victory had to be gathered by a vigorous pursuit. 
Truly has the BattaUon played a great and glorious 
part in this great War. 

R. Fanshawe, 

Major-Gmeral. 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I 

9Aam 

From Mobilisation to Ploegsteebt • . 1 



CHAPTER II 
H^buterne ...•••. 18 

CHAPTER III 
The Somme 24 

CHAPTER IV 
The Somme ^86 

CHAPTER V 
Le Sars — Cappy 45 

CHAPTER VI 

The German Retirement • ... 54 

CHAPTER VII 
The Third Battle of Ypres . . • • 69 

ix 



CONTENTS 



PAQB 



CHAPTER VIII 
The Third Battle of Ypres — ^Vimy . . 88 

CHAPTER IX 
Italy 91 

CHAPTER X 
The Austrian Attack of June 15 . . 103 



CHAPTER XI 
Raids 115 

CHAPTER XII 
The Austrian Debacle. . . . .123 

CHAPTER XIII 
After the Armistice — ^The End . . . 138 

APPENDIX I 
Operation Orders 144 

APPENDIX II 

Rolls of Officers who took part in the 

Main Actions of 1916—1917 — 1918 . . 163 

APPENDIX III 

Honours and Decorations gained by Officers 

OF the 1st Bucks Battalion . . . 172 



CONTENTS xi 

PAOK 

APPENDIX IV 

Honours and Decorations gained by Warrant 
Officers, N.C.O.'s, and Men of the First 
Bucks Battalion while serving with 
THE Battalion 176 

APPENDIX V 

Roll of Officers who served with the Ist 
Bucks Battalion during the Period 
March 1915— December 1918 • . .179 

APPENDIX VI 

Nominal Roll of Warrant Officers, N.C.O.'s 
AND Men who served with the Battalion 

DURING THE PERIOD MaRCH 1915 — ^DECEMBER 

IVXOa ••••••• XUt 

APPENDIX VII 
Translation of the Italian Diploma . . 215 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

Lt.-Col. L. L. C. Reynolds, D.S.O., T.D. Frontispiece 

FACING PAOB 

Battalion Officers, Chelmsford, March 1915 . 4 

A Typical Flanders Road , .... 8 

The 1st Bucks Battalion Cemetery, Ploegsteert 8 

Coy. H.Q. in the " Keep " at Hebuterne . . 16 

Hebuterne Church, 1915 ..... 16 
Our Trenches in Foreground. Gommegourt 

Wood in Background, with Z Hedge in 

Front of it . . . . . . .18 

Rest Billets, Couin ...... 18 

Lt.-Col. F. O. Wethered, C.M.G., V.D. ; Lt.-Col. C. P. 

DoiG, D.S.O. ; Lt.-Col. L. C. Hawkins, T.D. . 20 

The 1st Bucks Battalion Cemetery, Hebuterne . 22 

Front Line Coy. H.Q., Le Sars .... 48 
Reproduction of a French Postcard of P^ronne 

AFTER German Evacuation in March 1917. 

(With Crude Translation) .... 54 

Peronne Church ...... 58 

Ronssoy Sugar Factory ..... 58 

Cheddar Villa, St. Juuen .... 72 

• • • 
ZUl 



XIV 



ILLUSTRATIONS 



The Steenbeek 

The Battle-field near St. Juuen, Ypbes , 

Reserve Battalion H.Q., Kaberlaba N. 

The C.-in-C. FSES^jfxyifiJIiilAlf.^ "^^^ Battalion 



THE 




IMPORTANT NOTE 

On the eve of publication^ and too late for mention in the 
text^ the officer commanding the 1st Bucks Battalion 
has received a letter from the War Office enclosing a 
translation of an Italian diploma and a facsimile in 
bronze of a gold medal presented to H.M. the King of 
Italy. Copies of the letter and diploma will be found 
printed in Appendix Vil to this Record^ and will be 
read with pride. 

It will be seen that^ out of all the Infantry Battalions 
engaged on the Italian Fronts the 1st Bucks Battalion^ 
the 1st Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers^ and the H.A C. 
are the three selected recipients of this high honour. 



\y .A»«.V/«.WVAAy t^t-M^my »«««.«» «,»'«>*•>'-*.« 



of three Brigades— the Warwick, the Gloucester and 
Worcester, and the South Midland, which later became 
known as the 148rd, 144th, and 145th Infantry Brigades 
respectively. The 145th Infantry Brigade, commanded 
by Brigadier-General W. K. McLintock, consisted of 
four battaUons : the l/5th BattaUon Gloucestershire 



2 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

Regiment, the l/4th Battalion Oxfordshire and Bucking- 
hamshire Light Infantry, our own 1/lst Buckingham- 
shire Battalion, and the l/4th Battalion Royal Berkshire 
Regiment. 

Our Battalion was at first commanded by Lieutenant- 
Colonel F. O. Wethered, T.D., but this officer was taken 
ill in January 1915, and shortly afterwards the command 
was taken over by Lieutenant-Colonel C. P. Doig, Sea- 
forth Highlanders. 

Before mobilisation, the Bucks Battalion had not 
adopted the four-company system, but on outbreak 
of war this was at once organised. The following table 
shows how it was effected, and from what districts 
each company drew its recruits : 

Marlow ^A Company. 

High Wycombe j Captain L, L. C. Reynolds. 

Buckingham yB Company. 

Aylesbury j Captain L. W. Crouch. 

Slough ^ C Company. 

Wolverton J Captain G. E. W. Bowyer. 

Wolverton VD Company. 

High Wycombe j Captain E. V. Birchall. 

The order to mobilise was received at Battalion Head- 
quarters at Aylesbury at 6.80 p.m. on August 4, 1914. 
With the exception of the Wolverton Company, whose 
train was put into a siding owing to some misunder- 
standing, the whole Battalion was concentrated at 
Aylesbury before midnight on the 4th/5th. On the 
evening of the 5th we entrained for Cosham, the Bat- 
talion's war station, where transport was drawn, and 
three days were spent in digging trenches on the hills 
overlooking Portsmouth harbour. 

Entraining again on August 9, the Battalion jour- 
neyed to Swindon, where a week's hard training was 
carried out, and after this a succession of moves, partly 
by rail, but mostly on foot, carried us via Dunstable, 



A Company 


B 


>> 


C 


>» 


D 


»> 


E 


*» 


F 


tt 


G 


>> 


H 


• • 



FROM MOBILISATION TO PLOEGSTEERT 8 

Hitchin, Ware, Harlow and Great Dunmow to Chelms- 
ford, where we arrived on August 25. Here, with the 
exception of a most bitterly cold fortnight in November 
spent under canvas at Great Totham, where the Bat- 
talion was employed digging defences of the East coast, 
we remained for seven months, training vigorously and 
praying for our early dispatch to France. 

After so long a sojourn in Chelmsford we had become 
part and parcel of the town, and even rumour, who 
for four months had been sending us out " in two 
days' time,'' had given us up as hopeless. Some had 
even started wondering whether, after all, the war 
could not be won without the Bucks Battalion win- 
ning it. 

However, here at last was the order we had longed 
for, and this time there seemed to be no mistake 
about it. 

Officers, who had spent six months buying useless 
things for their kit, now bought more feverishly and 
imprudently than ever. The men took it all very 
quietly, on the principle, no doubt, that " an order is 
an order, but it's got to be cancelled at least twice 
before being carried out." For once they were wrong, 
and on the afternoon of March 80, 1915, the Battalion 
paraded for the last time on the Chelmsford parade- 
ground and marched to the station. 

Chelmsford turned out en masse and gave us a first- 
rate send-off. Not a few had become fond of us and 
we of them, but we were too cheerful and thankful to 
be off to allow our farewells to damp our spirits. 
At 5.80 p.m. the train steamed out of Chelmsford 
Station and we were on our way to the war. The 
detrainment and embarkation at Folkestone were 
carried out without difficulty, and at 11 p.m. we were 
at Boulogne. 

The few Boulonnais who were about did not 



4 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

appear to rate our arrival nearly so highly as we did 
ourselves. In fact, to be honest, they were not in- 
terested. They had seen thousands of British troops 
already, and confidently counted on seeing millions more. 

Eventually, we got formed up and on the move, being 
told that there was a march of four or five miles ahead 
of us. After following a very winding road for some 
two hours, we scaled a young mountain and found our- 
selves at Ostrehove camp. Why the wind invariably 
blows icy blasts, from all directions, on to this pecu- 
liarly unattractive spot, is not known, but apparently 
it always does. However, the majority of the tents 
remained standing throughout the night, though few 
of us got much sleep, on account of the cold. Anxiety 
to see France in daylight turned us all out of our tents 
early, and breakfast brought with it rumours of moving 
which proved to be correct. 

At 8.80 p.m. on March 81, 1915, the Battalion 
paraded and marched down another tortuous road to 
Pont de Briques, where it entrained. We had not 
thought much about the composition of a French 
troop-train, but our first sight of one was, to say the 
least, a disappointment. It consisted of some twenty 
cattle-trucks, each marked to hold between forty and 
fifty men. This particular train, being a novelty, did 
not have such scathing remarks passed on it as those 
which later had the honour of carrying us, but even 
this one was not spoken of nicely. When, finally, the 
guard blew his penny horn, and " puffing Billy " (as 
the engine was immediately dubbed) got busy, laughter 
knew no bounds, and French railways were put down 
as a bad show. 

After some five hours of this very crowded travelling, 
we arrived at Cassel, and detrained at 11 p.m. A three* 
hour march brought us to Terdeghem, where our billets 
lay. Acconmipdation being very scanty, many of us 



4 
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it 

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i 

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11 



FROM MOBILISATION TO PLOEGSTEERT 5 

spent the warm night in the open. The wind changed 
during that night, with the result that we heard the 
guns for the first time in the morning. We had arrived 
in the neighbourhood of the war. 

We were expecting to move hourly closer up to the 
line, but for three nights we remained at Terdeghem, 
the only event of importance being an inspection on 
April 2 of the Brigade at Steenvoorde by General Sir H. 
Smith-Dorrien, who was at that time commanding the 
2nd Army. We then moved to billets on the Oulter- 
steene-Bailleul Road (S.E. of M^teren), where two more 
nights were spent, and on April 7 the Battalion marched 
via Bailleul and Armentiferes to Le Bizet, for trench 
attachment to the 4th Division. These two marches, 
although only some twenty-five miles, were formidable 
ones. Feet, in spite of the number of route marches 
carried out at home, started to blister on these cobbled 
roads. Heat, dust, and the monotony of the Flanders 
country, increased the discomfort. Billeting parties, 
sent on in advance on bicycles, had not yet learnt that it 
was no kindness to meet the Battalion five miles from 
billets and assure them that twenty minutes would see 
them in. 

On April 8, all companies were attached to different 
units of the 4th Division (2nd Monmouthshire Regiment, 
2nd Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion Essex 
Regiment), for instruction in the method of holding 
trenches. It is doubtful whether our brains ever worked 
again so feverishly and incontinently as they did on that 
first march up to trenches. The march was carried out 
in pitch darkness, along a road which ran up to and 
through the British front line. Guides met us five or 
six hundred yards behind the line, and escorted us as far 
as the trenches. These guides, treating us like the 
ignorant children that we were, kept the pace as slow as 
possible, knowing quite truly that we liked that the least. 



6 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

Several of them, not content with this, insisted on 
telling one how the Boche was in the habit of raking 
that road with machine-gun fire at that hour precisely, 
and how two men had met their end there the previous 
evening. We arrived therefore with nerves highly 
strung. 

The number of questions put to our hosts during 
that night must have seemed to them phenomenal. 
How far away was Fritz ? Did he do much shooting ? 
Was he likely to attack ? Had there been many casual- 
ties ? And a thousand more such questions, all of which 
were asked for curiosity and with the object of acquiring 
knowledge, but could well be taken to mean we were 
frightened out of our lives. 

Dawn enlightened us considerably and interested 
us no less, and by nightfall we thought ourselves veterans 
at the game. There was, in fact, a tendency to treat the 
Boche with much less respect than he was entitled to, 
under the circumstances. Sniping was active, and the 
Germans were no mean shots at the 50 to 150 yards 
which separated their trenches from ours. 

On the morning of the second day, April 9, the 
4th Division exploded a mine under the enemy trenches. 
This very naturally nettled the Boche considerably, and 
he retaliated by shelling our line. One shell entered and 
burst inside the remains of an old house, containing 
our A Company headquarters. By a miracle everyone 
escaped unhurt, though many of their possessions were 
never seen again. 

Our attachment for instruction lasted four days, two 
of which were spent m the front line, and two in support. 

On April 12, the Battalion marched to billets at Steen- 
werck, some eight miles distant. Here, although all 
companies were again very scattered in farms, the in- 
habitants were most tolerant to us. Provided their 
manure was left alone, and their pigs allowed to move 



FROM MOBILISATION TO PLOEGSTEERT 7 

about as they wished, no objection would be raised to us. 
The importance in life of owning large quantities of 
manure speedily became evident. One might almost say 
that a man's riches were gauged by the size and aroma of 
the heap he possessed. 

On the 14th the Commanding Officer, Adjutant and 
company commanders received orders to reconnoitre 
the line with a view to the Battalion relieving the 
1st Battalion Somersetshire Light Infantry, who were 
in support in Ploegsteert Wood. 

As one tour in the line was so like another, it is pro- 
posed to give a general outline of our life during the next 
two months, which were spent at Ploegsteert or in billets 
at Romarin. 

The weather, during the first few days we passed in 
reserve in the wood, was gorgeous, and one felt grate- 
ful to those who had been responsible for choosing 
this spot for us to carry on our war. Our quarters 
were certainly not luxurious, consisting chiefly of 
what cover could be made with a waterproof sheet. 
But with the whole wood at our disposal, comfort 
of a kind was quite obtainable, provided one made 
the effort. Some Canadians who had been there before 
us had indeed started building operations, and erected 
a magnificent log hut, known as Plugstreet Hall. C 
Company were fortunate enough to secure this as their 
company headquarters at first, to the complete astonish- 
ment of D Company, who had no notion that such a 
palpable error could be made. 

To enhance our enjoyment of those first few days in 
the wood, we were troubled with very few shells, but 
few of us will forget the distant thunder, which 
reached our ears coming from the direction of Hill 60, 
on the evening of the second or third day we were there. 
It was the first real, continuous roar of bombardment 
we had heard, and it impressed us mightily, sug- 



8 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

gesting to our minds that we were living in a fool's 
paradise. 

The trees had been damaged very little, and the fresh 
green foliage and undisturbed bird life made it most 
difficult to believe in the existence of a war, and that 
at no great distance. Paths had been cleared in all 
useful directions through the wood, and duck-board 
tracks laid down to prevent the paths becoming mud 
channels in wet weather. The majority of these tracks 
were known by London names, such as The Strand, 
Rotten Row, Hyde Park Comer, but here and there 
names like " Dead Horse Comer " appeared. All 
the houses behind our lines had names, those which 
received the most attention from the German gunners 
being the best known : Hull's Burnt Farm, Three Huns, 
St. Yves Post Office, are names which conjure up innu- 
merable memories. 

The trenches most frequently held by the Battalion 
in this area were situated in front of the village of 
St. Yves, the line being held with three companies in 
the firing line and one in support. The l/5th Battalion 
Gloucestershire Regiment relieved us every four days, 
when we were in the habit of moving either into the 
wood or back to billets at Romarin. 

The trenches consisted of sandbagged walls, a duck- 
board bottom, a host of large flies and an enormous 
smell. The flies were kindly quiescent at night, but the 
smell — ^never ; presumably because it had so many sources 
to draw upon that the wind could never really help us. 

Our fire trench ran about 200 yards from the German 
front line, though in places the two trenches approached 
to within 100 yards of each other. To show one's head 
over the top of the parapet was therefore risky, in view 
of the enemy snipers, who were really first-rate shots 
and always on the look-out for a target. Desultory rifle 
fire was kept up by both sides throughout the twenty- 



A TXPIO&L FI.&NSBR8 BOAS. 



I IBI BDOKS BATTALION OBMBTHET, PLOBOSTHBET. 



FROM MOBILISATION TO PLOEGSTEERT 9 

four hours, always increasing in volume at " stand to," 
each morning and evening, and generally reaching the 
most absurd pitch about one hour after darkness. The 
lunacy of expending thousands of rounds of small arms 
ammunition per diem, in this way, had yet to be fully 
realised. 

Shells were not nearly so plentiful on either side. 
Certainly the Boche fired considerably more than did our 
gunners, who — ^poor souls — ^had next to none to fire. 
The main targets for German gunners were : 

(1) Any new sandbagging in the front line; 

(2) St. Yves Post Office and Hull's Burnt Farm ; 

(3) Battalion Headquarters. 

His dislike for the last-named was often intense. On 
one memorable afternoon he put 67 six-inch high- 
explosive and incendiary shells within a 70-yards radius 
of their domain. This shoot was watched by our 
front line with enormous interest, bordering with a 
callous few on satisfaction. 

Rifie grenades were used extensively by the enemy, 
and as far as possible by us. But the German grenades 
had a far greater range than our own, which could only be 
employed where trenches were within 170 yards of each 
other. One German grenade, fired into the rear of A 
Company's trench, wounded two company commanders, 
another officer, a company sergeant-major, and five 
other ranks. 

On occasions when anything in the nature of an 
attack was taking place on some other part of the front, 
we received orders to make a demonstration. Some 
idea of what these demonstrations consisted of should be 
given here, not only to suggest their utter futility, but 
to show the gradual way in which we learnt to play the 
game of frightfulness. The demonstration would be 
carried out by all units who happened to be holding the 
Divisional front. 



10 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

9 a.m. — Long-range rifle fire directed on roads in rear 
of enemy trenches. 

11 a.m. — ^Artillery bombard a certain section or sec- 
tions of enemy trench with the object of breaching 
their parapet. (Nothing was ever to be seen taking 
place at the spot indicated, but on more than one 
occasion shells did reach the war zone, and went 
dangerously near breaching cur parapet.) 

11.5 a.m. — ^Whole of front-line garrison open five 
minutes' rapid fire on German front line. 

1.45 p.m. — ^A few rifle grenades fired by companies 
within range of enemy. 

4.15 p.m. — ^A trench mortar fired ; three rifie grenades 
fired at same time from either side of it. 

6.15 p.m. — ^Long-range rifle fire directed on roads in 
rear. 

The enemy seldom paid the smallest attention to these 
demonstrations, except possibly by spending five minutes 
in flooding our trench with rifle grenades. 

Soon after one of our demonstrations, however, the 
Boche pulled our leg quite successfully. He had been 
very quiet during one afternoon, and also during ** stand 
to " in the evening. About an hour after " stand down " 
every German in that part of the world started shouting 
at the top of his voice. The immediate result (as had 
been anticipated by the enemy) was to draw all our men 
on to their fire-steps ; men who were working in the 
trench, and those carrying rations, with one accord set 
aside their work, took up their rifies, and manned the 
parapet to see what was happening. They at once 
became good targets for the Hun, who opened rapid 
fire on our parapet, and hurled at us every available 
grenade he could lay his hands on. Twenty minutes 
later silence reigned again. We had sustained several 
casualties, for although it was dark and no shots could 



FROM MOBILISATION TO PLOEGSTEERT 11 

be aimed ones, a few of them succeeded in finding 
homes. 

It is permissible perhaps to give one illustration of 
the fact that our gunners were at this time not too well 
supplied with shells, and that gunnery had not yet 
attained that high standard of proficiency which it after- 
wards reached. A house which was occupied by a 
listening post from our centre company by night and by 
a German sniper by day, was causing us considerable 
annoyance, as it was placed so that from a window in the 
gable end the sniper could fire at anyone entering or leav- 
ing our right company headquarters,unles(s the movement 
was carried out on hands and knees. Captain Reynolds, 
who was commanding the centre company, applied for 
some sappers to come and blow the house up at night. 
That was refused, but he was told that the gunners 
would knock it down. This idea was not received 
enthusiastically, as the house was at so short a distance 
from our line. However, a battery of 15-pounders was 
ordered to carry out the shoot, and at 10 o'clock one 
morning, after we had carefully cleared that portion 
of our trench which came in the line of fire, the excite- 
ment started. Several gunner officers superintended 
the shoot. Twelve rounds were fired ; only one hit the 
house, and that one caused no damage. One pene- 
trated our own trench. We were then informed that the 
battery had expended their ration of shells for one week 
(12 rounds), and that they would have another go 
next week. 

The company, however, were quite determined that 
the gunners should have no further " go's." The next 
morning, at " stand to," Captain Reynolds gave orders 
that one platoon was to open rapid fire at the gable end. 
This soon brought down the entire gable end, exposing 
the whole attic of the house. The sniper had lost his 
nest, and never fired from there again. 



12 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

We were fortunate in our sector to be rather too far 
away from the enemy for mining operations, though 
in the sector on our right the l/4th Battalion Oxford & 
Bucks L,I., who owned a section of trench known as the 
Birdcage, were blowing up or being blown up most 
days. 

So much for our trench conditions and little excite- 
ments. Our billets lay at Romarin, a village about two 
and a half miles from Ploegsteert. Days here were spent 
in a variety of ways— making roads, diggmg rear Imes, 
writing and censoring letters, kit inspections, baths, etc. 
Here also was enacted one of the real tragedies of the war, 
the surrender of our cameras. 

The last period we spent in the line in these parts 
was in the Douve trenches facing Messines, after which 
we began on June 24 a four-day march to other climes. 

Our casualties while in the Ploegsteert area were : 



Officers: Killed . 


. None 


Woimded 


. 5 


Other ranks: Killed . 


9 


Wounded 


. 57 



In the middle of June, owing to illness, Major-General 
H. N. C. Heath, C.B., handed over command of the 
Division to Major-General R. Fanshawe, C.B., D.S.O. 
(52nd L.I.). 



CHAPTER II 

Hl^BUTEBNE 

June 1915 to June 1916 

There followed a series of three night marches, via 
Vieux-Berquin, Merville, Busnettes, to Allouagne, which 
lies five miles west of B^thune. The night's march of 
Jime 26/27, from Vieux-Berquin to Busnettes, was a 
particularly unpleasant one, for we moved as a Division, 
and those who have taken part in a divisional march, 
on a dark night, will know that the constant but 
inevitable checking is apt to become very tiring. In 
addition, we arrived at Busnettes to find that a Brigade 
which should have left those billets that evening had 
decided not to move, with the result that we were forced 
to bivouac in a very damp orchard for the remainder of 
the night. We were far too weary to grouse, however, 
and were quite compensated the following morning on 
finding ourselves surrounded by cherry trees, the fruit 
on which was quite ripe. Colossal deals were at once 
done with the natives, and there were but few cherries 
left in the neighbourhood when we marched off. 

The billets at Allouagne were the best we had yet seen, 
and quite a happy fortnight was spent here. Training 
was strenuous and carried out mostly in a neighbouring 
wood, called the Bois de Maraquet. This wood was said 
to resemble closely one with which we were to have more 
serious dealings, and many sinister rumours got about 
in regard to it. 

13 



14 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

On the morning of July 8, 1915, the Brigade rose 
early and lined a portion of the Lillers-Chocques road, 
down which Lord Kitchener was to pass together with 
Field Marshal Lord French and the Prince of Wales. 
Four cars passed hurriedly by. These well-known 
officers were probably inside them. 

On the 12th, the Battalion was moved in to bivouacs 
close to Noeux-les-Mines, every man available during the 
two succeeding days being put on to digging a new rear 
line. It was quite thought that the Division was to take 
over new trenches in these parts, but not a bit of it : on 
July 16 we suddenly got orders to move, and marched 
the whole of that night, in a deluge of rain, to billets in 
Lieres, passing again within a stone's throw of Allouagne. 
Everyone was wet through after the first twenty minutes, 
and, as the whole march occupied six hours and the 
rain was continuous, our entry into Litres may well be 
pictured. Night marches had previously been carried 
out more or less in silence, but at the end of some two 
hours of this march, word was passed down the line that 
the men could sing. Instead of having a really good 
grouse, and declaring that they were of course allowed 
to sing when the conditions were such as to make any 
lightheartedness impossible, they saw only the humour 
of the situation and sang lustily for several hours. 

Our probable destination entirely baffled us, and there 
appeared good grounds for believing any, or all, the 
following rumours which were at this time prevalent : 
(1) The Dardanelles, (2) Dunkirk, (8) Ypres, (4) attach- 
ment to the French at Arras. The fourth appeared the 
least probable, as we were marching so very hard in the 
opposite direction. However, on the 18th this situation 
became a trifle less obscure, as we were put into a train 
at Berguette, in which we slowly proceeded to DouUens. 
A two hours' march from here took us to some woods 
at Marieux, where we arrived at 4 a.m. to bivouac. 



HEBUTERNE 15 

On July 20, the Division started to relieve the French 
in the line in front of the village of H^buterne, the 
Battalion being in reserve, with two companies at Sailly- 
au-Bois and two companies at Bayencourt. Both these 
villages were then a mass of flies, owing to the general 
filth everywhere, and, as the weather was extremely hot, 
life in these billets was none too pleasant. 

The trenches, which the Battalion took over on 
July 24, lay some 100 to 800 yards east of H^buteme, 
and were at this time good and quiet. Unlike the front 
line at Ploegsteert, where the trenches consisted of sand- 
bagged barricades, these trenches were dug down about 
6 feet deep all along. The parapets were low, and con- 
sequently little visible to the enemy. What there was 
of them had no pretence of being bullet-proof, though 
this was apparently a matter of small importance, 
bullets being so rare owing to our line being anything 
from 800 to 1,000 yards distant from the Boche 
trenches. 

Our dugouts had the outward appearance of real 
luxury, owing to a large portion of the furniture 
of H6buteme having been imported into them. Four- 
poster beds existed in quite a number, but owing to the 
quantities of small vermin and . mice which had made 
their homes in them, they proved to be most undesir- 
able, and were almost all scrapped before we had been a 
week in the line. 

For the first fortnight the Division was supported by 
French guns, with apparently no shortage of ammuni- 
tion. Their gunners were most obliging, and took 
endless trouble to do everything in their power for our 
front-line infantry. If asked to retaliate when our 
front trenches were being heavily shelled, they would 
throw at least three times as many shells back — and then 
ring up to know if we were entirely satisfied with their 
work. Satisfied indeed — ^we revelled, for the first time 



16 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

in our lives, in the sight of the Boche receiving far more 
in return than what he had hurled at us. 

Brigade and Battalion headquarters were both in the 
village, and for some time occupied quarters above 
ground, though they were compelled eventually, when 
the shelling of the village became more frequent, to take 
to cellars and dugouts. 

Company cookers were housed in the village, and 
from them all food was carried up to the front line 
through communication trenches. 

The Battalion in Brigade reserve occupied billets 
above ground in H^buteme, and of this one company 
was detailed as garrison of a large portion of the village 
defences, in case of attack. This company had con- 
siderably the best of the billets, living in what was 
known as the " keep," a really charming spot amongst 
orchards and trees ; and all those who were then present 
with the Battalion and still live will cherish happy 
memories of it. 

As will be gathered, it was a very quiet war that was 
waged round H^buterne when we first arrived, there 
being a tacit agreement, between ourselves and the 
Germans opposite, that provided they would leave 
H^buteme quiet, we would not entirely destroy Gk>mme- 
court, and again, if they decided to leave Sailly alone, 
we in our turn would keep our hands off Bucquoy and 
Puisieux. For all that, it was not pleasant to reflect on 
the fact that, should the enemy choose, he could per- 
fectly well destroy our billets, and with them ourselves, 
in the short space of an hour. What actually occurred 
was a gradual warming up of artillery fire on the villages 
by both sides, and it became just as gradually evident 
that life above ground was not only unwise, but ex- 
ceedingly foolish, with the result that, after several 
months' work, dugouts had been qonstructed for the 
entire garrison of H^buteme. 



" AT HBBnTBEm. 



h£butbiuib ohdboh, uu. 



HEBUTERNE 17 

During the first six weeks, reliefs of this sector of the 
front line, by the 5th Battalion Gloucestershire Regi- 
ment and ourselves, took place every eight days. These 
reliefs were really only notable on account of one par- 
ticular incident, which created not a little feeling at the 
time, and has for ever since been the cause of constant 
good-natured banter between the two Battalions con- 
cerned. ^ 

When the 5th Gloucesters took over the front line from 
the French, the latter were generous enough to hand 
over to them, with the line, a good milking cow, which 
was duly passed on to us on our taking over the front 
line. It transpired afterwards that the Gloucesters 
surrendered the cow to us not because they regarded 
her as belonging to the Battalion which happened 
to be in H^buterne (as we considered should be the 
case), but because they thought she would not appre- 
ciate the continual move to and from Sailly, where 
the rest billets lay. After some four weeks of this 
periodical change of ownership, instead of our being sent 
back to Sailly on relief, we were only sent as far as the 
western outskirts of H^buteme, so that the field wherein 
the cow grazed lay just midway between the Gloucester 
headquarters and our own. Now came the trouble — 
the Gloucesters discovered the cow to be dry every morn- 
ing at the usual milking hour. Accusations poured 
forth against our Adjutant, and he alone is able to 
say whether these were justified. In any case the cow 
was never again handed over to us, on taking over the 
line, and it is believed that she eventually died of excessive 
exercise taken between Sailly and H^buteme, and 
from the overanxiety on the part of all ranks in the 
Gloucesters to extract their full share of milk. This at 
any rate was our explanation of her disappearance, though 
it is by no means certain that it will accurately coincide 
with the official account to be given by that Battalion. 
2 



18 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

Throughout the six months during which our Battalion 
held K sector, patrolling was most active ; this was very 
necessary if we were to prevent the enemy establishing 
control of the extensive " No Man's Land " which lay 
between us. With the exception of a Z-shaped hedge, 
known as the Z hedge, which lay out in front of the left 
company, " No Man's Land " was very featureless. 
This hedge, however, provided no end of excitement, 
for it was most difficult at night for either side to locate 
and dislodge a party which had got out first and taken 
up a position in it. But the enemy were seldom, if ever, 
permitted to do this owing to our constant patrolling, 
and after some months they gave up all except perio- 
dical visits. 

Having gained supremacy of the hedge at night, it 
proved of some value to us in pushing larger patrols along 
it towards the German lines. On one night Captain 
N. S. Reid, who had previously carried out some daring 
patrols, succeeded in reaching the enemy wire and 
crawling into it with his party. Four Gierman sentries 
could be distinguished along a stretch of about 80 yards 
of trench. Gradually our patrol approached one of the 
sentries, who was occupying a sap-head which we knew 
as " Y " sap. The sentry challenged when our men 
were within a few yards of him. For answer Captain 
Reid fired his revolver, and the sentry was seen to fall 
across his parapet. An excited buzz of conversation 
rose from the trench, and while this was going on our 
patrol was able to retire into some dead ground before 
the enemy opened rapid fire. Eventually our men 
returned without a casualty, having ascertained accur- 
ately the position of at least four German sentry posts. 

About September, the 5th Gloucesters took over the 
trenches on our right, and from then onwards to December 
we were relieved by the 6th Battalion Gloucestershire 
Regiment (144th Infantry Brigade) every eight days. 



BBSr BILLBle, CODIK. 



HEBUTERNE 19 

Each Battalion on relief went back some four miles to 
the village of Couin. There was nothing particularly 
attractive about this village on the hill, but owing to the 
regularity of our visits to it and the duration of our stays 
there, we became almost part of the place, with the 
result that we became fond of it. 

On the way back to these billets from the trenches 
during the evening of January 27, 1916, the Commanding 
Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel C. P. Doig, D.S.O., sustained 
severe injuries through a fall from his horse, and Major 
L. C. Hawkins assumed command. 

Towards the middle of the month the Battalion 
had to bid good-bye to K sector. We had done so 
much work on it in the way of defence and comfort 
that the order came as a bitter blow, the more so as the 
trenches we were to take over were in the last state of 
decay and were rapidly falling in everywhere. They 
lay more to the S.E. of H^buterne, in very much lower 
ground than K sector. 

We were warned that a bad state of affairs existed in 
this, G sector, and were told that the Battalion had been 
singled out for bettering it. The result was that every 
man was out to do his utmost with the spade and show 
some substantial improvement, and it was not long before 
a very marked change had been effected, and life was 
made a little more possible. But it must be admitted 
that when frost gave way to heavy rains, it became 
impossible to keep every trench in the sector open, and 
on several occasions long lengths of even the front line 
became impassable. Our efforts to keep open the com- 
munication trenches Jena, Jean-Bart and Vercing^torix 
were positively heart-rending, and the results achieved, 
even in good weather, were in no way proportionate to 
the amount of work put on to them. 

In addition, the enemy artillery became daily more 
active, and their shooting, which was most exceptionally 



20 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

good, accounted for quite a number of casualties, includ- 
ing amongst the killed Captain J. W. Backhouse and 
2/Lieutenant R. B. Furley, the last-named having only 
joined us two weeks previously. 

During the period that the Battalion held 6 sector, 
the enemy undertook several raids, though on no occasion 
did he succeed in entering the Battalion's trenches. All 
these raids were preceded by extremely heavy bom- 
bardments, usually of about an hour's duration. In 
one of these attacks, which the Germans delivered 
at 2 a.m. on March 19, they employed a great number 
of gas shells, but owing to the amount of practice 
the men had been given in adjusting their gas helmets 
quickly, these shells did us little harm ; in fact, in one 
way they did us good, as the bombardment tended to 
increase bur confidence in gas helmets for the future. 

In this same bombardment, the use and importance 
of yet another protective appliance was brought out for 
the first time. This was the steel helmet, which had not 
as yet been made a general issue, but which had been 
sent to us in very small quantities to test and report 
on. Two men who were wearing these helmets had 
them struck by large fragments of shell. In one case 
the helmet was merely badly dinted, and in the other, 
although the steel was ripped open, the shell fragment 
lost its sting and failed to penetrate the man's head. 

In all these bombardments our trenches invariably 
suffered considerably, the more so when Minenwerfers 
were employed in large numbers, as these shells made 
the most gigantic craters, which completely obliterated 
all traces of dugouts and trench. 

At the beginning of April the Battalion was relieved 
in G sector, and took over trenches between G and K 
sectors. These were better but by no means good. 

Fighting patrols, with the coming of better weather, 
were now sent out more frequently, and brisk fighting 



HEBUTERNE 21 

in " No Man's Land " resulted. The most successful of 
these were undertaken by B Company (Captain L. W. 
Crouch), and were carried out under the leadership of 
Captain H. V. Combs. The main road from H^buteme 
to Puisieux ran through this company's line across " No 
Man's Land." At some distance before it reached the 
German line a sunken road branched from it. This 
road also crossed the enemy trenches. In the sunken 
road, close to the junction and about 100 yards from the 
German front line, were sixteen poplar trees. Our recon- 
noitring patrols had heard the enemy digging here at 
night very regularly, and it was considered a good 
opportunity for a fighting patrol to take up a position 
before the enemy's working party came out, and engage 
them with fire, while another party endeavoured to 
cut off their retreat. 

Captain Combs with twenty-one N.C.O.'s and men 
reached the Sixteen Poplars soon after 7 p.m. on 
March 6. At 10 p.m. some Germans came up, entered the 
Poplars and started to work with shovels. No scouting 
had been carried out by them previously, which made it 
appear that some further enemy party had done this 
without being seen by our patrol. The latter was now 
split up, one party being sent to engage the workers 
with bombs, the other being sent down the road to 
intercept the enemy should they retire. 

Everything worked according to plan, except that a 
larger number of the enemy existed in the Poplars than 
had been seen to enter them. Efforts were made to get 
them to surrender before bombing, but they preferred 
to fight. Our bombs played havoc in their midst, and 
caused those who remained to fly down the road towards 
their line. Our second party further diminished their 
numbers, L/Cpl. R. Colbrook, Ptes. J. Goldswain and 
H. Hazzard standing in the middle of the road to hold 
up the rush. Of the Germans who escaped the bullets 



22 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

and bayonets of these men the majority made off across 
country in a southerly direction. Large parties of the 
enemy now appeared from out of their wire, but our 
patrol were able to save themselves just in time from 
being overwhelmed. As a result of this encounter, at 
least twenty of the enemy were killed, while our casual- 
ties consisted of three slightly wounded. 

Efforts were made to repeat this performance the 
following month, Captain H. V. Combs going out 
during the evening of April 1 with 2/Lieutenant R. 
Aitken and twenty-five other ranks. On this occasion 
the Germans were before us, and in much larger 
numbers. A great fight ensued and casualties occurred 
on both sides. 

The following account of the action appeared in the 
VIII Corps summaries of April 8 and 4 : 

April 8. — ** A patrol of two officers and twenty-five 
other ranks advanced during the night of April 1/2 
in the direction of the Sixteen Poplars, with the inten- 
tion of intercepting or capturing an enemy patrol. 
The enemy, apparently becoming early aware of this 
patrol, sent out a strong party of fifty men to oppose 
them. Our patrol after putting up a good fight retired 
safely behind our wire. Our casualties were four killed 
and two wounded, all of whom were brought in. Casual- 
ties to the enemy are unknown, though several of the 
bombs and rifle grenades fired were seen to burst well 
amongst them." 

April 4. — "With reference to the patrol report in 
yesterday's summary, attention is drawn to the fact 
that the enemy were robbed of any possible identification 
by the calmness and resource shown by the patrol in 
getting back the killed and wounded to our trenches. 
The behaviour of all ranks was excellent. The with- 
drawal was slow and deliberate, and the men were well 
in* hand. 



THB 1st bucks BATTAEtOM OBUBTERX, HiHnTBfiUB. 



HEBUTERNE 28 

" Although it is difficult to distinguish one man's 
services from another, Sergt. W. J. Baldwin, L/Cpl. 
Gk)ldswain, and L/Cpl. Jennings are deserving of 
special notice. Although Sergt. Baldwin was wounded, 
not only did he assist in carrying back one of the dead 
men, but came back again to help the covering party, 
when the enemy were almost on top of them. During 
the fight, several of the grenades which were thrown 
amongst the enemy caused considerable havoc, loud cries 
and groans being heard." 

Our killed included L/Cpl. R. Colbrook and Pte. H. 
Hazzard, both of whom had distinguished themselves 
in the previous fight. 

In May 1916, the Battalion was withdrawn from the 
front area, and sent back to rest at Beauval, where a 
fortnight was spent before moving to Agenvillers for a 
week. The most strenuous training was undertaken at 
these two places, and all manner of attacks practised, 
with a view to the coming British offensive. 

During the march from Beauval to Agenvillers on 
June 2, the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel 
L. C. Hawkins, was unfortunate enough to meet with a 
similar accident to that which befell Lieutenant-Colonel 
Doig, being thrown from his horse and seriously 
damaging his shoulder. Major L. L. C. Reynolds then 
assumed command. Captain A. B. Lloyd-Baker being 
appointed second in command. 

On June 9, we moved back to the line, and held the 
H6buterne trenches during the preparations for the 
coming big offensive. But for these operations it had 
been decreed that the 48th Division was to be in VII. 
Corps reserve, with the result that zero day (July 1, 
1916) found us no nearer to the line than Couin Woods. 



CHAPTER III 

THE SOMME 

July 1916 

July 1, that day full of hopes and expectations, dawned 
at last. The previous week had been so noisy that away 
in Couin Woods one hardly noticed the increased bom- 
bardment denoting zero hour. Our departure for 
Mailly-Maillet had been fixed for 9 a.m., and by that 
time no rumours had reached us, let alone accurate 
news. However, after marching for about half an hour, 
word was passed down the column that Gommecourt 
Wood and Serre were ours and the attack was going 
well. This, although it proved later to be quite in- 
accurate, more than satisfied us at the time. 

Our bivouacs, in the plantations to the south-west of 
Mailly-Maillet, did not tend to allay our restlessness, 
and listening to rumours and the 15-inch gun just below 
us was our only occupation. 

In the afternoon, commanding officers and adjutants 
were summoned to Brigade Headquarters. They re- 
turned with plans for a proposed attack by the 8th, 
144th and 145th Infantry Brigades. For this attack, 
which was to be a night operation, the Battalion was 
to be in Brigade reserve. Officers and N.C.O.'s were 
sent forward to reconnoitre the ground, so as to be able 
to support the assault, should assistance be necessary. 
The attacking battalions had actually formed up when, 
at ten minutes before zero, operations were cancelled. 

24 



THE SOMME 25 

There had been a change in the situation, and it had 
been decided that the VII. Corps should withdraw to 
the line it had held previous to attacking that morning. 
If this didn't spell failure, nothing did, and our hopes, 
which had been running sadly too high, crashed to the 
ground. 

The Battalion remained in these bivouacs until the 
evening of July 8, when a move was made back to our old 
huts in Couin Woods. We were destined to carry out 
one further tour in the H^buteme trenches, before our 
next move, which took place in motor lorries, after hand* 
ing over our camp on July 14, at the Bus-Bayen- 
court-Sailly-Coigneux cross-roads, to the 11th Battalion 
Middlesex Regiment. 

The attack farther south, commenced on the 1st inst., 
had been pressed forward satisfactorily during the days 
following and, when the news of the 18th that several 
more villages had been taken together with numerous 
prisoners was succeeded by our hasty dispatch in motor 
lorries to Senlis, our spirits rose once more. At Senlis 
we remained two days, during which time company 
commanders carried out useful reconnaissances of the 
ground round La Boisselle, with a view to ascertaining 
the best routes up to the line. 

Orders having been received that the Battalion was to 
carry out a reconnaissance in force of the enemy line, 
which now ran between Ovillers and Poziires, a move 
was made on the evening of July 17 to some bivouacs 
on the Albert-Bapaume road, and as soon as it was 
dark we started up to the line, marching by platoons. 
Our orders were to ascertain whether the enemy was 
holding four certain points. If these points were not 
held by him, they were to be occupied by us and made 
into strong points. Heavy fighting was not to be 
undertaken. 

The tasks were allotted to A and D Companies, each 



26 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

company detailing one platoon for each of the points in 
its sector. B and C Companies supplied carrying parties. 

At 1 a.m. during the night of July 17/18 the attack- 
ing platoons advanced in two lines of sections in file, 
with a point patrol immediately in front, led by the 
officer in charge. All points were found to be strongly 
held, and only one was occupied by us, viz. the most 
easterly, which was rushed by a platoon of A Company 
under 2/Lieutenant B. C. Rigden. This platoon, after 
driving off several bombing attacks and starting to 
consolidate, was ordered to withdraw, owing to the 
other points not having been taken. The reconnaissance, 
however, succeeded in its object, for the positions and 
strength of the (Jerman dispositions in this area were 
established. 

The Battalion received the thanks and congratula- 
tions of the Divisional Commander. Our casualties 
were : 

Officers : 

Died of wounds . . 2/Lieutenant C. Hall 

(wounded severely 
in the head whilst 
bringing in casualties). 

Missing . . . 2/Lieutenant R. C. Nor- 

wood (afterwards pre- 
sumed killed). 
Other ranks : 

Killed. ... 2 

Wounded ... 29 

Missing . . .27 (all later presumed 

killed). 

Efforts on the part of search parties, who were sent out 
to find the missing, were fruitless, on account of the 
extreme darkness of the night. 



THE SOMME 27 

It was daylight when we started to move back, for 
the evacuation of the wounded had taken some little 
while. The trench which led us back presented one of 
the most gruesome sights we had yet seen, the floor being 
literally paved with the bodies of dead Englishmen. 
Nor was this all. Bodies lay over the parapet with rifle 
and fixed bayonet still held in the hand. Others were 
seated or lying on fire-steps in most lifelike positions. 
All had been killed at least a week previously, but burial 
parties had been too much occupied farther back to reach 
them as yet. It was not difficult to picture how these 
men had come by their end — a German machine gun 
skimming the parapet of the trench with deadly accuracy 
at the moment when our men were going over the top 
of it. 

Although our orders were to move back to billets at 
Bouzincourt, we were under no delusions as to our fight- 
ing in this area being finished. The next blow to be 
struck was certain to be on a very much larger scale, 
and would probably affect the whole Battalion. Sure 
enough, the following day brought out the plans of 
Divisional Headquarters for an attack, which included 
the 145th Infantry Brigade. 

The objectives of the Bucks Battalion were points 
A and B (Map No. 1) and the trenches adjoining these 
points. The l/5th Battalion Gloucester Regiment were 
to attack on our left, and the l/4th Battalion Oxford 
& Bucks Light Infantry on our right. 

On July 19, the Battalion marched through Albert, 
and took over bivouacs from l/5th Battalion Royal 
Warwickshire Regiment by the side of the Albert- 
Bapaume road. The following day was a busy one, what 
with the issuing of detailed orders, explanatory lectures 
to the N.C.O.'s and men, and the drawing and distribu- 
tion of stores such as small arms ammimition, grenades, 
Verey lights, ground flares, shovels, all of which would 



28 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

have to be carried into the attack. C Company were 
most unlucky to have an accident, while detonating 
their bombs, which caused several casualties, and did 
not help them towards making a cheery start. 

By 10.80 p.m. company commanders had given their 
final instructions to the men, and off we started for the 
front line, which lay some two and a half miles distant. 

The Battalion (Lieutenant-Colonel L. L. C. Reynolds) 
was to attack in four lines, on a front of two companies, 
each in line of platoons in column of sections, — two 
sections in first line, one in second and one in third, — 
C Company (Captain G. G. Jackson) on the right, 
A Company (Captain N. S. Reid, M.C.) on the left. B 
Company (Captain L. W. Crouch) was in immediate 
support to both companies in one line, and formed the 
fourth wave. The enemy trench was situated about 825 
yards distant from our front assembly trench (known as 
Sickle Trench), but a tape was laid by the Royal 
Engineers 175 yards from the German line, for the 
Battalion to form up on. 

Zero was fixed for 2.45 a.m. on July 21, and at 2.15 a.m. 
our companies left Sickle Trench to form up on the tape. 
D Company (Captain E. V. Birchall) moved up to 
garrison Sickle Trench, as soon as the other three 
companies went forward to their tapes. Although no 
unusual amount of gunfire had as yet started, the enemy 
appeared to be very nervous, starting at 2.80 a.m. to send 
up large quantities of flares. This was disconcerting, as it 
showed too plainly that he was very much on the qui vive. 
A few minutes later, red flares went up from his lines. 
Whether these were a signal to his machine guns to 
open fire is not known, but open they did — and to some 
tune. So long as the hands of the watch did not point 
to 2.45 a.m. it was possible to lie flat, though even so 
some few were hit. The moment to go forward, however, 
arrived, and still the German machine guns chattered 



:: -Jaow 



mTTTn rnififT? 



ilO. 




THE SOMME 29 

unceasingly. At 2.45 a.m. our guns opened with a roar, 
and shells flew just over our heads by the thousand, 
bursting their shrapnel in a line of flashes along the trench 
opposite us. It was the signal to advance. Few, how- 
ever, were able to do so, for as men rose the machine 
guns of the enemy, upon whom our barrage appeared to 
be having no effect, scythed them down. Officers 
especially were dropping on all sides. A few isolated 
men reached the objective, but of these hardly any 
returned. The attack, including that portion of it made 
by the Gloucesters and Oxfords on our flanks, failed, 
and there seems little doubt that the enemy were aware 
of our intentions, probably owing to the bright moonlight. 
Casualties were heavy and included : 

Officers. — Killed. Capt. L. W. Crouch. 

2/Lieut. J. P. Chapman. 
2/Lieut. C. G. Abrey. 
2/Lieut. C. W. Trimmer. 
Wounded. 2/Lieut. H. C. E. Mason. 

2/Lieut. B. C. Rigden. 
2/Lieut. H. V. Shepherd. 
2/Lieut. A. P. Godfrey. 
Wounded and prisoner. Capt. G. G. Jackson. 

Other ranks. — Killed — ^8. 

Wounded — 96 (including 9 sergeants). 
Missing — 41 (all afterwards presumed 
killed). 

Thus of the thirteen ofiicers who were present with 
the three attacking companies, only four were unhit. 
Captain L. W. Crouch, who was killed, had for many 
years taken an active part in the training of his Ayles- 
bury Company, and had rendered the Battalion great 
service during the period overseas. His death was felt 
most keenly by all ranks. 



80 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

The failure of this attack was a great blow to the 
whole Battalion, as it was our first serious attack, and 
it was as disappointed and sadder men that we made 
our way back to the bivouacs : nearly everyone had 
lost a real pal, temporarily or for always. 

For the survivors, sleep was the first consideration, 
for we were worn out ; after that, reorganisation, with 
a view to the next attack, orders for which might arrive 
at any moment. We were terribly short of officers and 
short of N.C.O.'s, but fortunately, four oflBcers had been 
left out of the attack with a view to coping with this 
emergency in case it shotdd arise. 

At 8 p.m. the following day (July 22), when our 
greatest efforts were concentrated on refitting, cleaning 
up, tracing the missing and the thotisand things necessary 
after a battle, orders arrived to the effect that the 
Battalion was to move forward at 10 p.m. to some 
disused trenches, about two miles north. Here we were 
to stay for the night, in support of the remainder of 
the Brigade, who were to attack about midnight. 

The attack was to be general along the greater part 
of the front held by the Fourth Army, while the Aus- 
tralians were to capture Pozi^res, with the 145th In- 
fantry Brigade on their immediate left, in the order from 
right to left — l/4th Battalion Oxford & Bucks Light 
Infantry, l/4th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, 
l/5th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment, with the Bucks 
Battalion in reserve in the Mash Valley behind Ovillers. 

Thus, at 10 p.m., we once more left our bivouacs and 
moved to these support positions. 

At zero, half an hour after midnight (July 22/28), the 
host of guns all around us broke forth in one monstrous 
roar. The flashes of them were on all sides, and over- 
head we hear(i the shells, shrieking, whistling and 
whining through the air, on the way to German trenches. 
Gunfire and bursting shells lit up the country in fitful 



THE SOMME 81 

starts, giving sudden pictures of ridges of ground, 
ruins and woods, revealing, their shapes., Rockets of 
every colour soared up from the German lines, in an 
endeavour to give to their guiis, and headquarters in 
rear, some indication of the storm and trouble that 
assailed the garrison. A more wonderful or more terrible 
picture it is impossible to imagine. 

News of the attack filtered back to us slowly, but it 
was soon after 3 a.m. that a message reached us from 
Brigade Headquarters that the Commanding Officer was 
required to report there immediately. He returned 
about 4 a.m. The l/4th Oxfords and l/4th Royal 
Berks had gained a footing in their objectives, but had 
suffered heavy casualties. They were cut off from the 
Australians by a large stretch of trench, which remained 
in enemy hands. On the extreme left, the 5th Glouces- 
ters had been unsuccessful, thus leaving the Berks in 
a very perilous position. 

Our orders were to attack and seize at all costs that 
portion of the line which had been attacked by the 
Gloucesters (Birchall Trench Map No. 1). Zero had 
been fixed for 6.80 a.m. on July 23, and as we had 
two miles of strange country to cover before reaching 
the " jumping off " trench, no time could ^ be lost ; 
orders were necessarily scanty, and much was left to the 
initiative of company commanders. 

The attack was one of very great difficulty, owing to 
the run of the trenches. The enemy position was a 
stretch of trench approached by two communication 
trenches, C and D, each about 400 yards long. The right- 
hand one was in good condition, and met the enemy's 
trench at right angles, but the enemy had a bomb-stop 
about 50 yards from the junction. The left-hand com- 
municator was badly damaged, and ran at an obtuse 
angle into the enemy's line. 

B (Captain O. V. Viney) and D (Captain E. V. Bu-chall) 



82 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

Companies were detailed for the attack. B Company 
assembled in the left commimicator, D Company in the 
right. 

Both companies, at zero, were to leave their trenches 
and to form inwards on the intervening space, which was 
about 200 yards. A Company (Captain N. S. Reid) 
were to be in support at the bottom of the commimi- 
cator. C Company (Captain P. A. Hall) were to provide 
the necessary carrying parties, after the attack had 
been launched. 

While moving up into position along the left-hand 
communicator, B Company suffered a very grave misfor- 
tune. Our heavy guns, which had been ordered to 
bombard the objective before zero, were shooting very 
short, and many of their shells fell right in the ranks 
of the company. Many casualties resulted, the trench 
being blocked with them in several places. Progress 
under these conditions became difficult in the extreme, 
and, in spite of the energy shown by the officer in com- 
mand, the company just failed to reach their forming 
up positions in time to take any real part in the assault. 

D Company, however, under the splendid leadership 
of Captain E. V. Birchall, were able to carry out their 
orders to the letter, and by dint of following our barrage 
so closely as to be almost in it, captured the whole posi- 
tion single-handed. A Company were immediately sent 
up to assist D Company in the work of consolidation and 
the clearing of prisoners, who were appearing in con- 
siderable numbers, coming over the top. These pris- 
oners soon repented of this, however, as a battery 
of German guns, either intentionally or thinking they 
were our men, landed several shells in their midst and 
*' dropped " quite a number ; the remainder took to the 
trenches. In all, the prisoners collected numbered two 
officers and about 150 men. One of these officers stated 
that the assault had taken them entirely by surprise, ai^ 



THE SOMME S8 

they were waiting for the barrage to lift, before man- 
ning the parapet ; and declared his opinion that the 
success of our assault, where two previous ones had 
failed, was due entirely to the way in which we had 
hugged the barrage. 

Consolidation proceeded apace, thanks largely to the 
efforts of Captain N. S. Reid, and, at the end of a very 
short time, we were able to report that a bombing section 
had got in touch with the 4th Royal Berks on our right. 

The enemy made frequent attempts during the day to 
retake the trench by means of bombing attacks, but they 
were in all cases successfully driven off. It was not till 
midnight of July 23/24 that he put down a heavy 
barrage on the captured line, though, to our great 
surprise, no attack developed, and at 12 noon the 
following day we were enabled, very thankfully, to 
hand over the position intact to the 5th Gloucesters 
and return to our bivouacs near Albert, Our casualties 
in this action were : 

Officers. — ^Wounded (died 

of wounds) Capt. E. V. Birchall. 
Wounded . Capt. O. V. Viney. 

Lieut. E. N. C. WooUerton. 
2/Lieut. R. E. M. Young. 
2/Lieut. F. Niall. 
Other ranks. — Balled — 7. 

Wounded — 68. 

Missing — 8 (all later presumed killed). 

The death of Captain Birchall was a very real loss and 
sorrow to the whole Battalion. Probably no company 
ever had a better, fairer or more capable commander, 
and no officer a truer friend. A large number of most 
valuable senior N.C.O.'s were also casualties in this 
action, including' C.S.M. R. Read and Sergt. F. Barrett, 
both of whom were killed. 
8 



84 FIRST BUCKINGSAMSHIRE BATTALION 

The success of this action amply compensated for the 
failure of our previous one, and the Battalion was proud 
indeed to receive the following letter from its Brigade 
Commander, Brigadier-Gteneral H. R. Done, D.S.O. : 

To LieiUenant'Colonel L. L. C. Reynolds 

" Please give my heartiest congratulations to all ranks 
of the regiment under your command, on their gallant 
and entirely successful attack on July 28. By this 
success, which was obtained in spite of heavy loss, you 
enabled the Brigade to carry out the whole of the task 
allotted, and also made secure the position of the troops 
who had already gained a footing in the enemy's position 
on your right.'* 

The following was also received : 

" The Army Commander wishes to thank all ranks of 
the 48th Division for their excellent work during the past 
ten days. By their exertions they have greatly extended 
our hold on Ovillers and have directly contributed 
towards the ultimate capture of Pozi^res*" 

As may well be imagined, the last ten days had left 
their mark on the Battalion. Our strength was reduced 
to a very low figure, and even this included a draft of 
sixty-eight privates, who had arrived on the evening of 
July 21, and of whose capabilities we did not know 
sufficient to warrant our taking them into action. As 
regards officers and N.C.O.'s the shortage was acute. 

It was now decided that the Division should be with- 
drawn, and on July 26, at 7 a.m., the Battalion marched 
back to temporary billets at Arqu^ves, moving via 
Bouzincourt, Hedauville and Varennes. Here we re- 
mained forty-eight hours, before resuming the march 
to Beauval, via Raincheval and Beauquesne. The 
Battalion marched exceedingly well during these two 



THE SOMME 85 

moves, which one may safely say was distinctly credit- 
able, considering the strenuous days of the past fortnight, 
the insufScient sleep, and the fact that full marching 
order was being carried. 

The following day, however, saw us started off on a 
seventeen-mile march to Domleger, by way of Candas, 
Fienvillers and Bemaville. This proved tc^o much for 
the new draft which had joined us on the 21st, and, after 
the first twelve miles, considerable difficulty was ex- 
perienced in getting them along I The old hands 
marched into Domleger as cheerily as they had left 
Albert, and great was the delight of everyone at the 
prospect of a few days' complete rest and some measure 
of comfort. 



CHAPTER IV 

THE SOMME 

August 1916 

DoML^GEB proved to be a real haven of rest. Training 
was carried on without interruption, and life was made 
to resemble peace time so far as it was possible. Courses 
of all kinds were arranged by the higher authorities, in 
particular for the training of jimior officers as company 
commanders and for N.C.O/s, The maintenance and 
further improvement of discipline was always the first 
consideration, as this could do so much to counterbalance 
the unavoidable discomforts to which all ranks were so 
often subjected. 

Every effort was made to prevent the troops becoming 
tired or stale under training. Physical rest was a 
necessity, and it was only by adequate periods of relaxa- 
tion in rest billets that the troops could recover from the 
heavy moral strain and nerve themselves for the next 
effort. We were now reinforced by a draft of ninety- 
seven men, mostly drawn from the Hunts Cyclist 
Battalion. These were the first " strangers " sent to 
us, but they proved to be an excellent lot, and many 
afterwards became N.C.O.'s. 

Our stay in these comfortable billets was all too short 
for the amount of work to be done, for on August 9 
the Battalion started marching back to the line by the 
way it had come, and on the 11th we were once more 
in the neighbourhood of our old friend Bouzincourti 

36 



THE SOMME 87 

which did not appear to have become any more attrac- 
tive in our absence. The Battalion from whom we took 
over informed us that the Boche had lately taken to 
shelling the camp, and had burnt out one of the huts on 
the previous evening by registering a direct hit on it. 
No sodner had that Battalion left us than a covey of 
seven or eight shells came over and landed in or around 
the camp, demolishing yet another hut. This appeared 
to be no spot for a so-called rest, and we were not 
long in finding more healthy surroundings. 

At 6 a.m. on August 18, the Battalion moved forward 
through Albert, and took over a line of gunpits a little 
to the west of Usna Redoubt. Here we were in reserve 
to the remainder of the Brigade, who were holding a line 
immediately west of Pozi^res and on the extreme crest 
of the ridge. The front trench was known as Sixth 
Avenue or Skyline Trench (Map No. 1). The Aus- 
tralians were on the right, round Pozi^res Windmill. 

A heavy attack delivered by the enemy during the 
early part of the night of August 18/14, drove the 
l/4th Oxfords out of Skyline Trench. At 8 a.m. on 
the 14th C and D Companies were hurriedly sent up 
to the old German front line at Ovillers, and were 
placed under the orders of O.C. l/4th Royal Berks, to 
be in reserve while two companies of that regiment were 
engaged in making a counter-attack on Skyline. The 
forming up for this attack was observed by the enemy, 
and the assault proved a very costly failure. 

The Bucks Battalion was then ordered to retake this 
trench, and in the afternoon of August 14 moved up and 
relieved the l/4th Oxfords in the positions they were 
then holding, namely Fifth Avenue. 

The expression " moved up and relieved " does not 
give quite the picture of what actually occurred, for in 
reality it was one of the most uncomfortable proceedings 
ever taken part in. The ground all round was going up 



88 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

like a bank of earth due to the enemy's 5'9*s, and progress 
was distinctly difficult. There certainly were casualties, 
but not one quarter the number that one would have 
expected. 

The position to be attacked consisted of a trench about 
800 yards long, approached from Fifth Avenue by two 
badly damaged communicators, E and F, each about 
260 yards long. It was decided to carry out a bombing 
attack up these communicators, for which C Company 
(Captain P. A. Hall) was detailed. Shortly after 10 p.m. 
bombing sections from this company worked their way 
up the right-hand communicator and succeeded in gain- 
ing Skyline Trench. They then worked outwards. A 
Company established a T head at the top of the left 
communicator . 

The operation was completely successful, and only 
slight opposition was met with, the enemy running 
away down the north slope of the hill after throwing a 
few bombs. Contact was regained with the Australians 
on the right, and the whole of Skyline Trench, with the 
exception of about 100 yards, was in our hands by 5 a.m. 
the next day (August 15). 

About 8 a.m. A Company (Captain N. S. Reid, D.S.O., 
M.C.) were sent back for a few hours' rest to the west en- 
trance to Ovillers, and C and D (Lieutenant F. D. Earle) 
Companies took over the line, B Company (Captain 
6. R. Crouch) being in immediate support to them. 

This was the situation on the morning of August 15. 
At 11.80 the enemy opened heavy shell fire on the 
right of Fifth Avenue. At mid-day he started on Sky- 
line Trench with an intense enfilade bombardment 
carried out mostly with heavy guns up to 12-inch, though 
a fair number of trench-mortars and several Minen- 
weffers which fired from Mouquet Farm also took part. 
It seemed as if all the power of destruction in Germany 
bad suddenly got to work on this trench, and that the 



THE SOMME 89 

enemy were determined that, since they were not able to 
hold it themselves, no other men should either. Every 
size of shell was flung with imerring accuracy, so that 
one great volume of smoke rose from the ridge and 
covered the trench in a dense black pall. This terrific 
bombardment continued for nine consecutive hours, 
systematically destroying everything. 

By 8 p.m. the Battalion was only holding the tops 
of the two communicators and a few posts in between, 
and casualties from the two companies had been very 
heavy. That men lived at all in such a place of death, 
when shells were bursting above them, under them and 
round them, was nothing less than a miracle. There 
were but few unwoimded, and when at 8 p.m. it became 
necessary to send up B Company to relieve the renmants 
of C and D, the survivors were found to be dead-beat, 
both physically and mentally. 

But no attack ensued, and at 9 p.m. the situation 
became quieter. It was then decided, in order to reduce 
casualties, that the remains of the ploughed-up trench 
should be evacuated, and that posts should be pushed 
out in shell-holes in front of it. 

By night the whole Battalion was tired out, but a still 
further effort was required of it in order to complete the 
work of the previous morning. At midnight of August 
15/16, in conjimction with the 5th Battalion Gloucester- 
shire Regiment, a bombing attack was delivered by A 
Company against that portion of Skyline Trench on the 
extreme left which was still in enemy hands. The attack 
was pressed with great determination, and casualties were 
heavy, but success could not be attained owing to the 
exhaustion of the supply of bombs, which could not be 
kept up by the efforts of the worn-out remnants of 
C and D Companies. 

The shelling in Skyline Trench and Fifth Avenue was 
undoubtedly the heaviest and most prolonged that the 



40 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

Battalion had ever undergone, and the endurance of all 
ranks throughout was of the very finest. Our casualties 
were : 

Officers. — ^Wounded. Capt, V. C. Heathcote-Hacker, 

Lieut. F. D. Earle. 
2/Lieut. F. C. Dixon. 
2/Lieut. D. Fallon. 
Other ranks. — Killed — 8 (including 1 sergt.). 

Wounded — 165 (including 8 sergts.). 
Missing — 20. 

It is certain that all the missing were killed, and so 
killed that no trace could be found of them. The 
casualties included many of our best N.C.O.'s, among 
whom may be mentioned Sergts. H. Watts, C. Fowler, 
A. J. Hart and W. G. Cartwright. The greater part 
of the losses were borne by C and D Companies, 
especially the former, who were now a mere handful 
of men. 

At 11 a.m. on the leth, the exhausted Battalion was 
relieved by the 4th Oxfords, and moved back to a new 
camp of bivouacs, trenches and smells between Bouzin- 
court and Albert. On our way out of the front trenches 
we passed the Divisional General, who, as usual, was 
one of the first on the spot after a show, and had a cheery 
word for everyone. 

The forty-eight hours allowed us in this camp was 
no great rest, as there was so much to be done to prepare 
ourselves for action again. A lot of equipment had been 
lost during the bombardment of Skyline, much of it 
having been blown to pieces. The exact deficiencies of 
each article had to be ascertained, and returns which 
would satisfy the Quartermaster, the Staff Captain and 
D.A.D.O.S., made out. In addition there were fresh 
drafts to be inspected and posted^ and a thousand 



THE SOMME 41 

inquiries to be made as to when all the missing had last 
been seen and what had been their probable fate. This, 
if it did not make everyone busy, supplied the Adjutant 
and company commanders with more than sufficient 
work. 

At the end of forty-eight hours, we received sudden 
orders to move at once to the neighbourhood of Usna 
Redoubt. This we did, bivouacking for the night in the 
open, without blankets. The 14drd Infantry Brigade 
were attacking at dawn on August 19, and we had been 
sent up to be in support and to be ready to exploit 
any success. 

The attack was a complete success, and when the 
Divisional General, who passed us on the roadside as he 
was going up to an O.P. at Ovillers, instructed us to 
" get all the rest you can," qualifying it by " You'll 
want your arms and your legs to-night," we made sure 
we were in for more trouble. This, however, did not 
mature, and by the evening of the 20th we were back in 
Bouzincourt again for another forty-eight hours, before 
being once more sent up to Ovillers Post to support the 
144th Infantry Brigade. 

A day later we ourselves received orders for an attack 
to be made by the Battalion the following afternoon on 
the enemy's forward positions between Pozi^res and 
Thiepval. The attack was to include the capture of a 
trench shown as X — Y on Map No. 1, and was to be 
carried out in conjunction with the 7th Infantry Brigade, 
25th Division, who were to assault other trenches on our 
left. 

Accordingly the Battalion took over the line from 
the 6th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment. A and C 
Companies were detailed for the attack, zero being fixed 
for 3.5 p.m., August 23. A bombardment was carried 
out by the Heavy Artillery from 1 p.m. to 2.45 p.m., 
which not only had no effect on the enemy trenches, but 



42 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

served merely to define the precise limits of the objec- 
tive. At 8 p.m. an intense bombardment was put down 
for five minutes by the field guns, under cover of which 
the attack was laimched. The barrage was good but a 
trifle short, as when it lifted the attacking troops had 
still some way to go, and the. enemy was manning his 
trench thickly, apparently very little affected by it and 
firing hard on our men. In addition the enemy barrage 
came down immediately after our own. The result was 
that casualties were heavy and progress almost impos- 
sible. 2/Lieut. E. G. H. Bates, who was commanding 
C Company, ran forward to try to rush the position, 
but was instantly killed. C.S.M. F. Smith endeavoured 
immediately afterwards to do the same thing, but 
was severely wounded. The only other oflBcer in this 
company was also wounded. 

On the left, A Company's fate was much the same, 
2/Lieut. W. R. Heath being killed and Lieut. M. Bowen 
wounded. A few N.C.O.'s and men of C Company 
reached their objective on the extreme right, but all 
were at once either killed or wounded, Sergt. S. G. 
Bishop alone getting back. The remnants of the two 
companies had to lie out in No Man's Land until dark, 
during which time more became casualties through shell 
fire and sniping. 

Very great gallantry was displayed by the oflBcers and 
N.C.O.'s, but the losses in both companies were irre- 
parable, coming on the heels of previous fighting, and in 
2/Lieutenants Bates and Heath the Battalion lost two 
very able and gallant officers. No real gain resulted 
except that we captured almost the whole of a diagonal 
trench running from our centre to the enemy's right, 
and on the left advanced our bombstop some 50 
yards. 

Out of a total of four officers and 160 other ranks 
who actually went over the top, our casualties were : 



THE SOMME 48 

Officers.—Kiaed. 2/Lieut. E. G. H. Bates. 

2/Lieut. W. R. Heath. 
Wounded. Lieut. M. Bowen. 

2/Lieut. H. M. Breton. 
Other ranks. — Killed — 24. 

Wounded — 71. 

Missing — 18 (all subsequently presumed 
killed). 

The Battalion spent three more nights in these 
trenches before being relieved by the 6th Gloucesters 
on August 25. During this time every effort was made 
to improve our position, and to gain certain points by 
means of bombing attacks. 

Some sort of revenge for the failure of the attack on 
the 28rd fell to the Battalion early one morning, when 
an enemy relief was spotted coming over the open and 
heavy casualties were inflicted on them with Lewis-gun 
fire. 

Constant patrols, too, were sent out at night and 
gathered much useful information concerning the 
enemy's dispositions, and a German prisoner, belong- 
ing to the 28th I.R., confirmed much of this, and added 
more. This information was handed over to the 6th 
Gloucesters, and assisted them in making a most 
successful attack on the position on the 27th. 

On the 28th the whole Division was relieved, and 
started moving back to Bus-les-Artois via H^dauville, 
Forceville and Bertrancourt. 

Throughout this month's fighting on the Somme, 
the Battalion had been greatly handicapped by a 
shortage of thoroughly trained men, more especially 
in bombing and Lewis-gun work. Bombing had 
proved itself to be all important in this kind of 
fighting, and it was really necessary that every 
man, as far as possible, should be a trained bomber : 



44 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSfflRE BATTALION 

merely to have been taught to throw a Mills bomb 
was not suflBcient. In clearing Skyline Trench, eight 
bombing sections were absorbed in a few hours through 
casualties and the manning of bomb-stops. 

It was found essential to collect a very plentiful supply 
of bombs and rifle grenades at several advanced dumps 
before bombing operations were undertaken, for they 
were used up at an incredible rate. The replenishing 
of these forward dumps was often a great difficulty, 
unless a permanent party had been detailed for the 
purpose, as troops in support, if they had been relieved 
recently from the front line, were often far too exhausted 
to be detailed for carrying, which is one of the most 
fatiguing duties a soldier has to perform. 

It must be said, however, that although great import- 
ance was rightly attached to bombing, it was found later 
that the men had come to rely overmuch on this form of 
weapon, and were apt to forget that the rifle isj and 
always will be, their main weapon of defence. 

It would not be right to fail to add here some word of 
praise for our gunners. Their shooting had by this time 
won the entire trust and confidence of the Infantry. As 
for our own divisional gunners, they were the best, and 
there was not a man in the ranks of the Battalion whose 
moral was not the better, when going forward to an 
attack, for the knowledge that it was the 48th Divi- 
sional gunners who were supporting him. 



CHAPTER V 

LE SARS — CAPPY 

September 1916 to March 1917 

We spent a week at Bus, before taking over trenches in 
front of Beaumont-HameL The Battalion held these 
trenches for four days, without any incident worthy of 
mention. The line here had not moved forward during 
the Somme fighting, aa the attack on July 1 had failed 
in that sector, and no subsequent one had been 
delivered. 

We had considered ourselves a little ill used in not being 
taken back and given a proper rest, with the chance to 
refit after our recent exertions, so our delight was great 
when, after spending a night or two in Mailly-Maillet 
and a day in the Bois de Wamimont, we were moved back 
to Beauval on September 11. 

It was not the first time we had been in Beauval, and 
the Battalion was becoming increasingly popular in that 
part of the town in which our billets lay. As a billeting 
area, it was an ideally proportioned place, holding 
without much diflBculty an entire Brigade of Infantry^ 
There were good billets, good mess-rooms and a few 
shops, and the town lay within easy reach of Doullens, 
where the shops were good. But the training facilities : 
were bad, as the land was a mass of crops, which we 
had strict orders not to damage* 

During the week we spent here, in addition to con- 
siderable drafts of men, we received a reinforcement 

46 



46 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

of no less than thirteen ofiScers of the Essex Regunent, 
who nearly all reported on the same day. The arrival 
of all these oflGicerSy belonging to another regiment, was, 
it must be admitted, something of a shock to us. The 
more credit to them then, when within a very few days 
we realised we had struck oil and been sent a most 
excellent batch of officers, many of whom afterwards 
greatly distinguished themselves, both in and out of 
action. 

After a week at Beauval, on September 19 the 
Battalion moved to Berneuil, some nine miles distant, 
where the training area was decidedly better, though 
the billets were not so good. Intensive training was the 
order of the day, to such an extent indeed that many 
were only too glad to be inoculated and get forty-eight 
hours off duty. 

On September 80 a twenty-mile march took us to 
Coullemont, and, after another move two days later to 
St. Amand, we found ourselves once again in the H^bu- 
teme trenches on October 5. They had changed but 
little, though our disappointment was very great on 
finding that all the old familiar names of trenches in the 
K sector had been scrapped and new ones, all starting 
with the letter Y, substituted. 

Rumour was rife that an 'attack was to be made on 
Gommecourt, and indeed with excellent reason) for every- 
thing pointed to something of the kind taking place at no 
very distant date* Orders for the attack soon made 
their appearance, and on October 7 we were taken out 
of the line and sent back to Souastre, about three miles 
behind, for a final " fatten up." Those who took part 
in that short march will not easily forget the scene that 
the road presented. It was one endless stream of horse 
and motor transport, moving up with every imaginable 
article on board. But, after all this material had been 
brought up, and everything appeared to be in readiness. 



LE SARS— CAPPY 47 

the attack was postponed, and we were sent still farther 
back to the village of Warlencourt. Here practice 
attacks of all kinds were exercised until about the 
middle of the month, when the Gk)nmiecourt attack 
was definitely given up and all orders cancelled. 

This wandering about from place to place, spending 
a few days and sometimes only a few hours in each, 
was becoming a little tiresome, and we were not alto- 
gether sorry to find ourselves back in the line at the 
beginning of November, having spent the remainder of 
October in Warluzel, Talmas and La Houssoye. The 
part of the line to which we were sent, namely Martin- 
puich and Le Sars, proved, however, anything but 
pleasant; in fact, for a sector which was not taking 
part in active operations, it was the most miserable 
one the Battalion ever occupied. 

From all sides, our line was under the most complete 
observation by the enemy — from Loupart Wood, Irles, 
the Butte de Warlencourt and other places, and this 
observation extended several miles behind the line. 
The trenches themselves were full of water and falling 
in; the ground all round them was pitted with shell- 
holes, which also had filled with water, whilst every 
track was deep in glutinous mud. Movement in the 
dark was a nightmare, for it was impossible to struggle, 
twenty yards without falling into a shell-hole, getting 
soaked through and plastered with mud. Ration- 
carrying parties, which had to manhandle the rations 
for almost a mile over this kind of ground, had the 
most bitter experiences ; there were no landmarks, and 
men frequently lost themselves for a whole night. To 
add to our difficulties, the enemy shelling, particularly 
at night, was extremely heavy. His opportunities for 
observation by day enabled him to mark down all the 
tracks which our reliefs and carrjdng parties were in 
the habit of using by night, and to shell them accord- 



48 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

ingly« He succeeded in making Le Sars quite unin* 
habitable, by shelling it for the greater part of the 
day and night, so that, as the place was of no tactical 
importance (the line running some half-mile in front), 
it was left severely alone. Destremont Farm, or rather 
the remains of it, which lay behind Le Sars, received 
the same attention ; but it contained two large cellars 
which no shells could touch, and in these we quartered 
two platoons by day. This was the only semblance 
of accommodation in the sector^ and even Battalion 
Headquarters had to be content with eight steps of a 
shaft of an incomplete mined dugout, started by the 
Germans and consequently facing the wrong way. 
These steps our Headquarters continued to occupy, for 
lack of a *' better 'ole," even after a shell had landed 
in the entrance, blocking it up, and imprisoning the 
Commanding Officer, the Adjutant and Intelligence 
officers. Fortunately for them a meal happened to be 
long overdue, and the batman who brought it dis- 
covered them in this plight. 

The strain and exhaustion of the Battalion, especially 
when holding the front line, were extreme, and the 
greatest difficiQties were experienced by company com- 
manders, struggling to make out written reports at 
night and endeavouring to prevent the appearance of 
" trench-foot " in their companies. 

Reliefs varied, but on the average the Battalion were 
in the habit of doing three days in the front trenches, 
three days in support trenches and three days "at 
rest." Rest, so called, but which one never found. 
The camps lay round Contalmaison, and most un- 
pleasant they were. The enemy knew their location 
exactly, and shot at them with unerring precision, usually 
having his greatest " hate " between midnight and 2 a.m., 
when a little sleep was helping us to forget, temporarily, 
the vileness of it all. A camp of huts known as Acid 



FBONT UHB OOY. H.<3. 



k 

\ 



I 



LE SARS— CAPPY 49 

Drop Camp used to catch the worst of the shelling, 
and two huts received direct hits at night whilst we 
were in occupation. In the other camps we were under 
canvas, chilled to the marrow in cold November nights. 

During the periods spent " at rest," working parties 
were practically continuous ; as many as 200 men had 
often to be found by day and the same number (if 
our strength allowed it) by night. Casualties were 
abnormally heavy, considering the fact that no active 
operations were undertaken, but the Battalion dealt 
most successfully with the trench-foot problem, having 
only one case up to the end of December. 

Our transport in this area was quartered close to 
B^court, which lay some three miles behind Contal- 
maison, amongst a mass of old disused trenches, 
surrounded by a sea of mud. The conditions under 
which the transport lived, consequently, were miserable 
in the extreme, and it was due largely to the never- 
failing energy of the transport officer. Captain J. B. Hill, 
who organised the erection of standings for the horses 
and shelters for the men, that living was made possible. 

At this time there had been no leave open for some 
four months, so that the survivors of the Somme fighting 
were getting pretty well worn out, but after six weeks 
in the sector, the Division was relieved, and moved 
back to B^court, where a fortnight, including Christmas 
Day, was spent. Officers and men alike were determined 
to enjoy themselves thoroughly on this day, despite the 
very unfavourable conditions, and it speaks highly of 
the Quartermaster's branch that every man had a good 
whack of turkey with chestnut stuffing and vegetables. 

On December 28 the Battalion moved about six miles 
west to the village of Bresle, where the Brigade was 
inspected on January 6, 1917, by Lieutenant-General 
Pulteney, commanding the Ilird Corps. 

A further move to Heilly took place on January 9, 
4 



60 FIRST BUCKINCHAMSHiRE BATTALION 

where we entrained at 3.30 a.m. for Oisemont, arriving 
there at 12 noon. Here we were billeted in two small 
country villages, half a mile apart, A and B Companies 
being in Forceville, and Battalion Headquarters, C and 
D Companies, and the transport in Neuville. For three 
weeks most valuable training was carried out, and 
sports and games greatly encouraged. In the latter the 
Battalion distinguished itself by winning the Brigade 
football competition, the Brigade cross-country steeple- 
chase, and the majority of events in the boxing com- 
petition. The weather was good during the whole of 
this time, though a certain amount of snow fell. 

On January 29 the Battalion entrained at Oisemont, 
preparatory to taking over a new area from the French 
south of the Somme. The detrainment was carried 
out at Cerisy, after nearly twelve hours' travelling in 
icy cold trucks. After spending three days at Hamel, 
we marched on February 2 to Cappy, taking over what 
was known as Camp 56, on the Cappy-Eclusier road, 
from a reserve battalion of the French. The few days 
we had here were occupied in reconnoitring the new 
forward area, and vainly endeavouring to extract a 
little heat from the French' stoves which had been left 
in the huts. 

So long as the frost lasted the trenches in this area 
were excellent, probably the best we had yet seen, but 
with the thaw, which made its appearance towards the 
end of February, their condition became very bad. 
The greatest possible precautions had once more to be 
taken to prevent " trench-foot." Arrangements were 
made for washing every man's feet in a special solution 
before the Battalion went into the line, and when in 
the line, for rubbing the feet and suppljdng every man 
with a dry pair of socks every twenty-four hours. 
Annoying as these precautions were to carry out at 
the time, it must be said that the result fully justified 



LE SARS— CAPPY 51 

them, for we had only one further case of trench-foot 
during the remainder of the winter, whereas many 
battalions suffered severely from this disease. 

The trenches held by the Division crossed the river 
Somme and faced Peronne, half of the little village of 
Biaches being just included in our line. The sector 
was a quiet one, and the only missile used by the enemy 
which caused us any great inconvenience when we first 
took over, was one known as a *' blue pigeon." It 
was a particularly effective form of mortar, which made 
a sort of shrill whistle as it proceeded through the air 
and caused us a considerable number of casualties. 

Duration of tours in the trenches here was irregular, 
and the varying portions of the line held by the Battalion 
are well illustrated by the different elements of the 
whole of the 14drd Brigade to whom we handed over 

when we were relieved on February 9. 

« 

Two left platoons on the Somme handed over to l/8th 

Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment; 
Two right platoons on the Somme to l/7th Battalion 

Royal Warwickshire Regiment; 
Garrison of Tr. Iglau and Battalion Headquarters to 

l/5th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment ; 
Two platoons in Tr. D^sir^e to l/6th Battalion 

Royal Warwickshire Regiment. 

This relief occupied the whole night and did not 
proceed too smoothly, with the result that it was an 
irritated Commanding Officer who ordered Battalion 
Headquarters to move off just as daylight was appearing. 

Towards the middle of February the Brigade took 
over the right of the Divisional line, north-east of the 
village of Barleux, which lay just inside the German 
lines. During the month that the Battalion took turns 
with the 7th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment in 



62 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

holding these trenches, patrolling was very active, 
especially when it became known that the enemy was 
evacuating his trenches farther north and effecting an 
organised retreat to some line . in rear. Shelling was 
heavy on both sides, and on March 10 occurred one 
of the most unlucky events that had yet befallen us. 
About 4 a.m. on this date, a gas shell, fired from 
a German Minenwerfer, landed and exploded inside the 
entrance of the A Company Headquarters' dugout. 
There were at the time inside the dugout three officers 
(Captain J. D. B. Warwick, 2/Lieutenant S. Wiseman, 
2/Lieutenant R. B. Cooper-Smith), C.S.M. Watts, two 
corporals, five orderlies, three signallers and four bat- 
men. The first impression of those inside (presumably 
caused by the flash of the shell) appears to have been 
that the dugout was on fire, and a large dose of poison 
was inhaled before they adjusted their box respirators, 
while those who were asleep were killed without waking. 
Captain Warwick and 2/Lieutenant Wiseman, believing 
that a gas attack was taking place, together with their 
orderlies attempted to reach the front line, but the 
latter died just as he reached his platoon and the former 
not long after. The fate of the remaining occupants of 
the dugout was no less tragic, for, in spite of the utmost 
efforts to save them, the majority died within an hour 
of the biursting of the shell, and all were dead within 
six hours. 

This sad event cannot be passed by without an allusion 
to No. 2636 Private Harry Topple, who was the company 
signaller on duty in the dugout at the time when the 
shell burst. Being under the impression that a gas 
attack was taking place, he refused to leave his post, 
and continued to endeavour to obtain communication 
with Battalion Headquarters, until forcibly dragged 
away by a rescue party half an hour later. He died 
in the trenches near the dugout about 7 a.m. the same 



LE SARS— CAPPY 53 

day. By remaining at his post, this very gallant 
man undoubtedly sacrificed his own life in the hope 
of saving others. 

Two days after this D Company were severely shelled 
in Flaucourt, which was the position of the reserve 
company, and suffered a number of casualties. 

Our rest billets were usually Camp 56 at Cappy ; this 
occasioned a long and weary march, usually taking place 
in the middle of the night, after a six days' tour in the 
line with a very inadequate ration of sleep. It was in 
this camp that we received news — about March 17 — 
that patrols sent out by the Brigades holding the line 
had reported the enemy trenches opposite to be unr 
occupied. The retirement on our front had begun. 



CHAPTER VI 

THE GERMAN RETIBEMENT 

March to July 1917' 

The excitement caused by the news of the enemy's 
retirement may well be imagined. The very idea of 
marching into his trenches without being fired at 
seemed almost too good to be true, and the possibilities 
opened up by the thought of marching for miles behind 
them appeared incalculable. One was very apt to 
forget during those first few days that the retirement 
was being carried out " according to plan,'* which meant 
that we could not pursue bald-headed the moment that 
we received news. 

It was not, in fact, until March 20 that we received 
orders to move to billets at P^ronne, which town had 
been entered by the 14drd Infantry Brigade on the 
previous day. The march through " No Man's Land," 
Biaches, and over the pontoon bridge, just finished 
by the Royal Engineers at Bazincourt, was one of 
exceptional interest. The area had been completely 
cleared of all stores by the enemy before his departure, 
and the most that one saw, in the way of material left 
behind, was a few coils of barbed wire. P^ronne pre- 
sented the most awful of pictures, being completely 
wrecked and a large portion of it still burning. An 
earthquake could not have produced a more appalling 
effect or a scene of greater chaos. House fronts in 
many cases had been blown completely out and had 

64 



1= 



If 

f 



THE GERMAN RETIREMENT 65 

fallen right across the street, so that one looked from 
the street straight into the rooms of the houses. 
These rooms were bare of all furniture, every stick of 
which had been either carried away by the enemy or 
sent to Berlin as souvenirs. Everywhere lay huge 
masses of rubble and paper, and the work of tidying 
up appeared to be well-nigh hopeless. The only two 
buildings which remained more or less intact were the 
Town Hall and the Castle, and these we guessed must 
be mined. Battalion Headquarters were, however, 
billeted in the Castle for that night, and the remainder 
of the Battalion in cellars on the north-west side of 
the square. These cellars were selected, not from any 
idea of possible bombardment, but because they provided 
the only shelter left, and there was less fear of a wall 
falling on one there than above ground. 

At 6.80 a.m. on March 21, B, C and D Companies 
moved off to relieve the l/8th Battalion Royal Warwick- 
shire Regiment in the outpost line, which then lay some 
three miles east of the town and embraced Doingt, 
Doingt Woods and Courcelles Wood, from a point about 
500 yards south of Bussu to the Cologne River. In the 
afternoon. Battalion Headquarters and A Company 
moved up from P^ronne, the former taking up quarters 
in Doingt. 

In the evening, a flying column, known as " Ward's 
Column," and composed, roughly speaking, of one In- 
fantry Brigade, drawn from elements of all Brigades in 
the Division, moved forward through the outpost line 
to Cartigny. 

The line, which we took over on the 21st, remained 
the Divisional line of resistance until the 26th, though 
places well forward were occupied and held by us during 
this period. With the exception of a few Uhlans who 
were at times visible in the distance, no enemy was 
seen, and we were given a great opportunity of practising, 



56 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

in real earnest and yet without molestation, open war- 
fare, which was a complete novelty to us. Mounted 
officers were enabled to visit their outposts on horseback, 
and the free and open life, after trench warfare, was 
thoroughly appreciated. On the evening of March 26 
we moved forward to Tincourt, taking over billets there 
from the l/4th Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light 
Infantry. This village had not been completely de- 
molished like the others, chiefly because it had been 
used by the enemy as a dumping ground for civilians, 
who had been collected there from all farms and villages 
in the neighbourhood. Our excitement at finding them 
was great, as they were the first we had seen. 

The following day, March 27, the Battalion took over 
the outpost line, which now ran from Roisel (captured 
by l/4th Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry) 
to Villers-Faucon (exclusive). Battalion Headquarters 
being , at Hamel. At 5.30 in the afternoon, the 
5th Cavalry Division attacked and captured Villers- 
Faucon. At 7 p.m. that part of the line covering 
Roisel was handed over to the 2/4th Battalion Lincoln- 
shire Regiment (59th Division), and B Company were 
dispatched to Villers-Faucon to assist the cavalry, who, 
in taking this village, had met with considerable opposi- 
tion from the enemy rearguards, and suffered a number 
of casualties from their machine guns. 

The following day the enemy shelled the village pretty 
heavily with 77 mm*s. and 5.9's, and after dark the 
cavalry were withdrawn, being relieved by C Company. 
There can have been few darker or wetter nights than 
this one. Telephone lines were cut, and communication 
forward entirely broke down, owing to the difficulty 
of finding Company Headquarters in the dense dark- 
ness. Strong patrols were sent forward at dawn to 
ascertain whether the enemy were still holding St. Emilie, 
and they were found to be there in considerable niunbers. 



THE GERMAN RETIREMENT 67 

In pouring rain on the 29th March, the Battalion 
marched back to Cartigny at dusk, on relief by the 
4th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment. Here we 
became part of what had been called " Ward's Column," 
but was now known as "Dobbin's Column." After 
four happy days with this column the Battalion was 
moved to Longavesnes, relieving the l/4th Battalion 
Gloucestershire Regiment in Brigade reserve. This 
village, which had been attacked and captured by the 
14drd Infantry Brigade on the 26th, was absolutely 
devoid of any accommodation or shelter, so completely 
had it been wrecked by the enemy and our shells. 

On April 5, at 2 a.m., we marched to the railway 
cutting between Villers-Faucon and St. Emilie, acting 
as reserve to the remainder of the Brigade, who were to 
capture the villages of Lempire, Ronssoy and Basse- 
Boulogne (Map No. 2), attacking as follows : 

l/4th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, south and 
south-east of Ronssoy and Basse-Boulogne ; 

l/4th Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, 
south-west end of Ronssoy ; 

l/6th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment, the work- 
house, Lempire and Basse-Boulogne. 

Each of these battalions carried out the attack with 
three companies, keeping one in battalion reserve. Zero 
was at 4.45 a.m. The operation was completely suc- 
cessful, all objectives being taken, together with over 
thirty prisoners and six machine guns. The German 
dead niunbered over 200. The prisoners, who belonged 
to the 237th Infantry Regiment, stated that one platoon 
from each of their companies had been holding the 
villages, but owing to our active patrolling the alarm 
had been given at 11 o'clock that night and the support 
platoons had been brought into the picquet line. They 
had received no orders to withdraw in case of a heavy 



68 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

attack, and had been told to hold the position to the 
last. All had the greatest confidence in the impregna- 
bility of the Hindenburg Line, and, though they were 
obviously tired of the war, their moral was not bad. 
They said that the Hindenburg Line near Bony had 
been occupied since the 28th of last month, and that 
their next outpost line ran in front of Tombois Farm 
and Malakoff Farm. 

The Battalion moved back into Villers-Faucon for 
the remainder of the day, officers being sent up to 
reconnoitre the new line, with a view to relieving the 
6th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment that evening. 
The outpost line was held by A and B Companies, 
the l/4th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment being 
on the right, and l/6th Battalion Royal Warwickshire 
Regiment on the left. C Company were in support in 
cellars in Basse-Boulogne, and D Company in reserve 
with Battalion Headquarters in the railway cutting, 
just south of the Lempire-Epehy Road. The transport 
and quartermaster's stores had at this time been moved 
to the neighboiurhood of Villers-Faucon. 

No counter-attack developed on that night or the 
two succeeding ones, diuring which the Battalion held 
that line, and companies were occupied in consolidating 
the whole position, which it was decided should be the 
future Divisional line of resistance. 

On the evening of April 7 we were relieved by the 
l/7th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment, and marched 
back to cellar accommodation in Marquaix. Work 
was here concentrated on roads which the enemy had 
done everything in his power to make impassable. 
Additional parties were sent up to the outpost line on 
most nights, to help the forward battalions in the work 
of wiring and digging of new trenches. 

On April 15 the Battalion took over the line again, 
receiving orders at the same time that we were to 



F^OHKB UEUBOH. 



B0KB30T SUQAB FAOTOBT, 



THE GERMAN RETIREMENT 69 

attack Toiribois Farm on the following night. (See 
Appendix I a.) 

This farm lay on the southern side of the Lempire- 
Vendhuille Road (Map No. 2), midway between the two 
villages, and about 1,000 yards from our nearest sentry 
post. At dusk on April 16, A Company (Captain N. S. 
Reid, D.S.O., M.C.) took over the whole of the Battalion 
outpost line, relieving B and C Companies for the attack. 
On our right, the l/4th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regi- 
ment were to capture Gillemont Farm, and on our left, 
the l/6th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment were 
to attack Catelet Copse and Le Petit Priel Farm. 

C Company (Captain J. B. Hales) had orders to form 
up just west of Sart Farm, and to direct their attack 
south and south-east of Tombois. 

B Company (Lieutenant M. Bowen) were to form up 
on the northern side of the Lempire-Vendhuille Road, 
clear of Lempire, and to deliver their attack on the 
west and north of the farm ; D Company (Captain R. 
Gregson-Ellis) to proceed in echelon behind C Company, 
occupying the trench in front of the farm, until satisfied 
that the leading companies had attained their objectives, 
when they were to go through and capture a small 
ridge lying some 200 yards beyond the farm. 

Zero was fixed for 11.30 p.m., April 16. 

The weather conditions could not conceivably have 
been more unfavourable for a night attack, over open 
country, with few landmarks. It was pitch-dark, 
with pouring rain, and a gale blowing in the direction 
of the enemy. That the attacking companies were 
able to find their forming-up position in such darkness 
was a creditable performance ; that they should have 
kept direction and struck Tombois speaks very highly 
for their leaders. 

At 11.45 p.m. the enemy opened with machine-gun 
and rifle fire, and sent up a great number of lights from 



60 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

the farm and the trenches on either side of it. They 
also put down a moderate barrage well behind our attack, 
mostly on the outskirts of Lempire and on Sart Farm. 
All companies encountered a thick belt of wire in front 
of the enemy positions, which were strongly held, 
C and D Companies both being held up by tMs wire, 
which it was impossible to negotiate in face of the 
heavy enemy fire. All D Company's officers had become 
casualties, and at 12.80 a.m. Captain Hales decided to 
withdraw both companies to Sart Fann, and reform 
them there for another attack. 

Meanwhile B Company, on the left, had attracted 
rather less rifle ^d machine-gun fire than the other two 
companies, and had succeeded in getting through a 
thinner belt of wire and penetrating the enemy trenches 
at a point just north of where the trench crossed the 
road. 

In consequence of the failure of the two right com- 
panies, and in view of the fact that at that time no 
news had been received at Battalion Headquarters of 
the success of B Company's attack, three platoons of 
the support company (l/5th Battalion Gloucestershire 
Regiment) were ordered to advance on the farm, one 
platoon each side of the road and one in close support, 
in order to ascertain the situation as regards B Company 
and, if necessary, to attack. They arrived at the farm 
to find B Company in possession, but the enemy still 
holding out in the orchard south of the farm. Our 
men were finding considerable difficulty in clearing the 
orchard owing to the fire of the other two companies 
who had been held up. 

By 8 a.m., however, both farm and orchard were clear, 
and a counter-attack, launched by the enemy down 
the road, was successfully broken up by B Company. 
C and D Companies, who had now reorganised, were 
at once sent up to help in the work of consolidation. 



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THE GERMAN RETIREMENT 61 

and trenches were dug west of the road and north and 
east of the farm. Major A. B. Lloyd-Baker going for- 
ward to organise this work. 

News was received that the l/4th Battalion Royal 
Berkshire Regiment and l/5th Battalion Royal War- 
wickshire Regiment had both failed to reach their 
objectives, on account of wire and heavy enemy 
fire. 

At daylight on April 17, the Battalion was holding 
three or four hundred yards of trench on either side 
of the farm, with no sign of the enemy. Strong patrols 
were sent out to right and left, with orders to occupy 
every position possible, and by 7.80 a.m. one of these 
patrols, consisting of a platoon of Gloucesters, suc- 
ceeded in entering Le Petit Priel Farm with little or 
no opposition. Another patrol from A Company (hold- 
ing the old line), which had been sent forward to 
ascertain the left of our new line, found Catelet Copse 
unoccupied. This they reported to the nearest picquet 
of the Warwicks, who moved up and occupied it. 

It would seem that at dawn the enemy, realising that 
he had lost Tombois, had decided to withdraw from 
the objectives which the battalion on our left had 
fought hard all that night to gain. 

At least thirty dead Germans were found in and 
around the farm, and our captures were nine prisoners 
with one machine gun. Our casualties were : 

Officers. — Wounded. Capt. R. Gregson-EUis 

(died following day). 
2/Lieut. J. Jack. 
2/Lieut. N. S. Flint. 
2/Lieut. B. C. C. Olivier. 
2/Lieut. R. F. Chatham. 
Other ranks. — 'Killed — 18. 

Wounded— 48. 



62 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIJIE BATTALION 

The strengths of the attacking companies had been : 

B Company — 4 officers and 186 other ranks. 
C Company — 8 officers and 125 other ranks. 
D Company — 4 officers and 134 other ranks. 

The following message was received from the Army 
Commander, General Sir H. Rawlinson : 

" Please convey to 48th Division my admiration of 
their success last night. To have carried out a successful 
attack, on a wide front, in the midst of such a storm, 
reflects the highest credit on all ranks and especially 
on the leadership of subordinate commanders. My 
best congratulations and thanks to all troops engaged." 

Tombois Farm, and the road running from the farm 
to Lempire, were shelled throughout the day, making 
oiu" occupation of the new position and communication 
with the rear most unpleasant ; but relief, in the shape 
of the l/5th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment, arrived 
that evening, and we tramped back, very wet and 
weary, to a camp in the neighbourhood of St. Emilie, 
only to be moved again two days later to huts and 
billets in Villers-Faucon. 

Numerous mines, laid by the enemy in his retreat, 
had recently exploded in this village, the l/6th Battalion 
Gloucestershire Regiment being unfortunate enough to 
lose the whole of their Battalion Headquarters, in- 
cluding their Commanding Officer, 2nd in Command, 
Adjutant, Intelligence Officer, Medical Officer, and a 
Chaplain attached to them. The mine exploded under- 
neath a large cellar where these officers were all sleep- 
ing together. The Commanding Officer and Adjutant 
were brothers who had come out with the Division in 
1915, and had become well known and popular. The 
result of this mishap was an order, issued by Division, 
that no officers were to live in billets in the town, and 
huts were erected to house them. 



The GERMAN RETIREMENT 68 

On the 24th and 25th April the 144th Infantry 
Brigade made further attempts to capture Gillemont 
Farm, and these eventually proved successful. With 
this exception, no further active operations were 
undertaken by the Division in this area, and at the end 
of the month the Division was relieved, the Battalion 
marching back via Hamel to billets at Mons-en-Chauss^e. 
Here we had ten days' strenuous training, though as 
usual this was partly interfered with by large working 
parties, which had to be provided about every other 
day for road-mending and filling up craters. 

Those officers who were unable to ride — and there 
were at this time quite a number — will not have forgotten 
their first experiences on a horse in the fields behind this 
village. The Commanding Officer had been working up 
a " hate '* for a considerable time against these unlucky 
individuals, and as he determined to be himself the 
riding master, the blow fell with full force. The result, 
however, was splendid, and a month later all officers in 
the Battalion were able to ride after a fashion. 

Our ration strength at this time had fallen to 570 
other ranks, and though we were hoping to receive 
reinforcements here, none arrived. Our officers num- 
bered twenty-five, but many of them were always 
attending courses, of which a large number were held 
continuously. 

On May 11 the Battalion started on the first of 
a series of daily marches up to a part of the line which 
we had not yet visited. These marches, which took us 
through Flamicourt (one night), Cldry, Maurepas (one 
night), Combles, Sailly-Saillisel, and Le Transloy (one 
night), were of exceptional interest, embracing as they 
did such a large part of the old Somme battle-fields. 
The roads had been entirely remade by the British 
Army and were excellent, but with this exception the 
whole country was one great stretch of shell-craters. 



64 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

Over all these acres and acres of ground there was 
hardly a yard into which a shell had not fallen. The 
sites of the villages through which we passed were 
marked only by heaps of rubble, with a few charred 
tree-trunks standing like weary sentinels over them. 
A smell of dead pervaded the whole atmosphere. 

On the night of May 14 we relieved the 7th Battalion 
South Staffordshire Regiment, 88rd Infantry Brigade, 
11th Division, in the line between Hermies and Demi- 
court, the 14drd Brigade taking over the line on our left 
and the l/4th Royal Berkshire Regiment on our right. 

The Division spent nearly two months in this sector, 
the 14drd Brigade and 144th Brigade relieving each 
other on the left, and the 145th Brigade carrying out 
its own reliefs on the right. As regards the latter, 
two battalions held the line, a third was in support 
round the village of Beaumetz, while the fourth battalion 
was in reserve in \6hi Wood. The line held by the 
Bucks Battalion ran for the most part just in front 
of the village of Hermies, and consisted of a series of 
disconnected strong posts, separated from the enemy 
trenches by fifty yards on the right and some 800 yards 
on the left. The Germans were occupying the Hinden- 
burg Line, their front trenches running mostly along the 
eastern side of the Canal du Nord, just in front of the 
village of Havrincourt, while opposite our left their 
line ran forward so as to include a large spoil-heap. 
This mound formed a magnificent stronghold for them 
and was a source of continual annoyance to us, harbour- 
ing as it did several machine-gun nests with splendid 
observation over our lines. 

Our right post, well known as R8, was situated on 
either side of the Hermies-Havrincourt road, behind 
an old prisoners' cage which had been erected by the 
Germans before their retirement. Parties were at work 
nearly every night during the whole of our period in 



THE GERMAN RETIREMENT 65 

this area, digging trenches through and around this cage, 
to the intense displeasure of the platoon commander 
in charge of the post, who always had the most harrowing 
tales to tell in the evening of the hell which the garrison 
had endured in R3 during the day ! The post certainly 
caught the bulk of the enemy trench-mortar and grenade 
fire, largely because of the close proximity of the two 
front trenches, which were practically separated only 
by the canal. 

Artillery fire on points behind the lines was active 
on both sides, the chief targets for the enemy being 
the villages of Hermies, Demicourt and Beaumetz. 

Aeroplane bombing, chiefly by night, was becoming 
increasingly popular with the enemy, and one bomb, 
which fell on the quarters of a field ambulance in 
Beaumetz, caused a mmaber of casualties. 

Our machine-gunners contracted a habit of pouring 
thousands of rounds of small-arms ammunition into 
enemy country each night, hoping no doubt to incon- 
venience the enemy infantry to an even greater extent 
than our own! 

Only one operation, and this a small one, was under- 
taken by the Battalion during its tenure of these trenches. 
It had become apparent at the beginning of June 
that the enemy had established a night post amongst 
a cluster of bushes on our bank of the canal. The 
sniping from this post caused us considerable annoyance 
and some casualties to our working parties. It was 
therefore decided to capture it, and to dig a trench along 
the bank of the canal with a communicator running 
back to our present post. Two platoons of B Company 
(Captain M. Boweh, M.C.) were detailed to make the 
attack, forming up on a line parallel to the canal bank, 
each platoon being in two lines at fifteen yards' distance 
and on a frontage of fifty yards. Zero was fixed for 
midnight June 7/8, at which time a barrage from one 
5 



66 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

section of field guns was placed on the enemy trenches. 
At zero plus five this barrage lifted, and the assaulting 
platoons charged with the bayonet. The enemy opened 
rifle fire before the assault, but was most effectually 
silenced by a Lewis gun posted on the right bank 
for the purpose of providing covering fire. This fact 
was confirmed by an Unteroffizier taken prisoner, who 
declared that the Lewis-gun fire forced them to take 
shelter behind the bank, and that the next thing they 
knew was that the English were on top of them. After 
the assaulting platoons got in there ensued a bombing 
fight which lasted for a few minutes, but the enemy 
soon gave in. No attempt at a counter-attack was 
made, but rifle grenades were fired from the opposite, 
bank at intervals throughout the remainder of the night. 

The report of this operation was afterwards issued 
for circulation throughout the IVth Corps, with the 
following minute added : 

" To 20th Division^ ^Sth Division, Corps Mounted 
TroopSy Corps Schools. 

" The Corps Commander considers this report should 
be circulated down to company and battery commanders, 
as it is a good example of the co-operation of all arms 
and of covering fire. The action of the Lewis guns 
in driving the enemy to take cover and thus letting our 
troops get in is especially good." 

Our casualties were two killed and nine wounded. 
Eleven prisoners were taken by us and several of the 
enemy killed. The prisoners belonged to the 41st 
Infantry Regiment and stated that the previous artillery 
activity had led the picquet to expect an attack, and 
they had been ordered to maintain the greatest vigilance. 
They believed that the post in question was to have 
been finally withdrawn the following day as being 
tactically unsound. The average moral and physique 
of these men was second-rate, and they declared that 



THE GERMAN RETIREMENT 67 

the longing for peace in all classes was intense, the 
more so as it was firmly believed that the war would 
end in a draw. One of these prisoners was of special 
interest, as he had been on the Russian front in March, 
where he said there had been much fraternising between 
Germans and Russians, to such an extent indeed that 
whenever artillery shoots were planned each side 
warned the other of the danger zone to be avoided. 

Another prisoner, who was a N.C.O., stated that the 
cage which has been mentioned above was called by 
them " Russenlager " (Russian Camp), because Russian 
prisoners used to be interned there within the danger 
zone, as an act of retaliation on the practice attributed 
to the English and French of requiring German prisoners 
to work within the range of German artillery. 

On July 8 the Division was withdrawn from the 
line, the Battalion being relieved by the 4th Battalion 
Royal Fusiliers, 9th Brigade, 8rd Division. After a halt 
for one night at V61u, we marched the two following days 
via Bihucourt, Achiet-le-Grand, Adinfer and Ransart 
to Bailleulval, where the most strenuous training was 
undertaken. Rumours of an offensive to be started 
by the British Army in the Ypres area had for some 
time been persistent, and it became increasingly evident 
during the first few days of our stay in this village 
that the Battalion was earmarked to take part in it. 

Seconds in Command of battalions were detailed to 
attend a course at the XVIIIth Corps School, with a view 
to learning the general scheme of the operations and the 
rSles that the various Divisions in the Corps were to 
play in them; Points which required further training 
were brought out, but the special feature of the prepara- 
tion was that every man should not only know his own 
job thoroughly but also be made acquainted with the 
jobs of all units near him, and not be " in the dark," 
as had been largely the case on previous occasions. 



68 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

In other words, secrecy was to be to a great extent 
sacrificed with the hope of gaining greater efficiency. 

Various changes were made in the headquarter 
staffs of battalions in the Brigade, and we had most 
regretfully to part with Major A. B. Lloyd-Baker, who 
was transferred to the l/4th Battalion Oxford and 
Bucks Light Infantry as 2nd in Command, Captain 
P. A. Hall, M.C., being promoted to fill his place as our 
own 2nd in Command. 

Two drafts were received on July 12 and 15, one of 
196 other ranks and the other of 48 other ranks, which 
brought the Battalion ration strength up to about 
twenty-five officers and 920 other ranks. Two most 
instructive and interesting lectures were delivered by 
Major Hall, on his return from 'the Corps School, to all 
officers and N.C.O.'s, and in these he was able to state 
definitely the proposed objectives of the 48th Division. 

The Second and Fifth Armies were to attack along 
the whole of their fronts. Our XVIIIth Corps was in 
the Fifth Army, and included the 11th, 89th, 48th, and 
51st Divisions. So far as this Corps was concerned, 
the initial attack was to be made by the 89th Division 
on the right and the 51st Division on the left, with the 
48th Division in reserve on the right and 11th Division 
in reserve on the left. 

The Corps front ran roughly from Wieltje to the 
Ypres-Staden railway. The final objective on the first 
day was to include Pilkem Ridge on the left and St, 
Julien on the right, from which line the other two 
Divisions (11th and 48th) were to continue the attack, 
immediately guns could be got forward. 

Every arrangement, appeared to be so thoroughly 
thought out that it seemed impossible that the attack 
could be anything but a complete success, the results 
of which would eventually give us back the whole 
Belgian coast and, with any luck, finish the war. 



CHAPTER VII 

THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES 

AugvM 1917 
Reference Map No. 8. 

At 5 a.m. on July 22 the Battalion left Bailleulval» 
marching to Mondicourt station, where we breakfasted 
and entrained for Belgium. After seven weary hours 
in the train we reached a village called Godewaersvelde 
(pronounced by the men " God help us"), and detrained. 
Hopes had been entertained that we might be allowed 
to pass the night here, but instead we were given a four 
hours' march to Houtkerque, eventually arriving there 
at 12.30 a.m. It had been a long day, and we were 
thankful to get into the very meagre accommodation 
that had been allotted to us, though before doing so 
most of us felt compelled to inform the billeting officer 
exactly how meagre we thought it. There never was, 
and perhaps never will be, a more thankless job than 
billeting, or one which bred unpopularity so certainly. 
The most suitable officer was found to be a senior one, 
capable of being intensely rude to anyone who showed 
signs of impoliteness to him. 

Preparations for the coming battle reached their 
zenith during the week at Houtkerque. In consequence 
of an order that every officer and N.C.O. was to be in 
possession of a map of the battle area which would show 
at a glance the objectives and contours, mapping became 
a disease, and the most hideous productions in the way 
of colour schemes resulted. 

69 



70 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

It was laid down that the 2nd in Command, two 
company conmianders, the assistant adjutant, two 
company sergeant-majors, with a proportion of platoon 
commanders and other ranks, should not be taken into 
action, but left at Houtkerque, in order that the Bat- 
talion might be reorganised quickly in the event of 
heavy casualties. This personnel was accordingly left 
behind when, at midnight on July 80/31, we moved to 
St. Jans-ter-Biezen, which lay just east of Poperinghe. 
No sooner had we reached the camp here at 4 a.m. 
than all the guns of the two attacking armies opened 
fire, and the Third Battle of Ypres had begun. 

An intense desire for news of the attack filled the 
whole of that day. The weather was dull and cloudy, 
and towards evening rain fell, which continued unceas- 
ingly throughout the night. Official communiques 
from General Headquarters informed us that the first 
three objectives had been gained, but, although it was 
not so stated, we inferred that our casualties had been 
heavy. This was confirmed when, on the following 
day, we were ordered to send one company (C) up to 
the line to assist the 89th Division in bringing in their 
wounded. 

The rain continued in torrents during the whole of 
that day and the next, and the prospect of the opera- 
tions being successful and working to plan grew dimmer 
and dimmer. 

Reports from the line of conditions which prevailed 
there were depressing in the extreme. The whole area 
had become a quagmire, and the task of moving up 
guns an impossibility. Never had such appalling 
weather made its appearance at such an unfortunate 
time. 

A continuance of the operations was therefore post- 
poned until such time as the guns could be shifted and 
the movement of troops became possible. The enemy 



THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES 71 

meanwhile was presented with a priceless opportunity 
of reorganising, bringing up reinforcements, and making 
new positions preparatory to our next onslaught. He 
was, moreover, being driven back on to comparatively 
clean ground, while our armies were moving forward on 
to ground which had been shelled by our own guns for 
months past, and where roads no longer existed. For 
three days we watched the pouring rain and cursed 
the British Army's luck. 

On August 4 the Battalion moved through Poperinghe 
to a spot known as Dambre Camp, which lay about 
a mile north of Vlamertinghe. After a day's reconnais- 
sance of the line, the BattaUon relieved the 1/lst 
Hertfordshire Regiment and a battalion of the Cheshire 
Regiment in support. These two battalions had suffered 
heavily in the attack and were dead-beat. 

We found the conditions which prevailed even worse 
than the reports had led us to believe, for in addition 
to the sea of mud, which made movement almost im- 
possible, enemy shelling was constant. Communication 
with companies was difficult in the extreme, as telephone 
wires were cut by shelling almost as soon as they were 
laid. At night, orderlies had a really terrible task, 
often imder heavy shell-fire, to find the Headquarters 
of the Battalion and various companies. We were most 
fortunate to possess men so extraordinarily efficient for 
this ordeal, and it is safe to say that no body of men 
in the Battalion deserve more credit and praise for 
their magnificent work in the Ypres fighting than these 
runners. It was invariably of the most vital nature, 
including not only the carrying of important messages, 
but also the guiding of reliefs and ration parties. 
Rations, which had to be brought up to the line on 
pack animals (ponies and mules), were the cause of 
constant anxiety, and no one who has not accompanied 
those animals on a pitch-dark night, across open coimtry 



72 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

pitted with shell-holes and with mud nearly to the knees, 
knows what difficulties the pack leaders experienced. 
Only too often an animal was killed on the way up, 
and its load had to be taken off and reloaded on to 
another, in the dark, with no possibility of showing a 
light. 

It must not be imagined that our own artillery were 
quiet during these times — far from it. The majority 
of the guns were in position alongside a road or track, 
known as " Admiral's Road," which ran, roughly speak- 
ing, through the old " No Man's Land." Their positions 
were necessarily much exposed, and consequently re- 
ceived the enemy's earnest attention at frequent intervals 
throughout the day and night. This, however, did not 
prevent them from throwing back quite as much "stuff" 
as was hurled at us, and although conditions underfoot 
were easier behind the German lines, the enemy opposite 
us must have had a very thin time of it. His nervous- 
ness was most apparent at dawn and dusk, when he 
would often send up his S.O.S. signal for i\o good reason 
and put down an intense barrage. On several occasions 
our own gunners replied heatedly, thinking that an 
attack was on foot, and a terrific artillery duel would 
ensue, all owing to a misapprehension. 

It was in. this area too that we first made our 
acquaintance with the German concrete blockhouse. 
The large majority of these constructions had stood the 
test of the bombardment which preceded our original 
attack, and they now provided a few headquarters with 
good cover ; but the insides of these blockhouses were 
in most cases too filthy for words, and several of them 
were half filled with stagnant water. Cover, however, 
was cover, and to get it one was prepared to put up 
with a good deal. 

On August 7 the Battalion relieved the 5th Gloucester 
Regiment in the front line, on the western outskirts of 



OHBDDAB VILIA, ST JULIBtT. 



THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES 78 

St. Julien (Map No. 8). A and B Companies held this 
outpost line, while C Company was in support round 
Canopus Trench, and D Company in reserve in Cali- 
fornia Drive and Falkenhajm Redoubt. Battalion 
Headquarters was at Vanheule Farm, which now con- 
sisted only of a flooded blockhouse. D Company 
Headquarters, with one platoon and the Regimental 
Aid Post, occupied Cheddar Villa, which was a superior 
blockhouse to Vanheule, except that the Germans, 
when they built it, had made a particularly large 
entrance which, now that it was in our hands, was 
completely exposed to enemy shells. The accommoda- 
tion being very limited, the platoon were, on the first 
night, packed closely inside the opening trying to get 
a little sleep. The very first shell which landed 
near the blockhouse arrived straight through the 
opening and burst in the midst of the slumbering 
platoon. The effect was appalling — many were killed, 
and of those who were not killed, several lost limbs, 
many their legs. Happily the Medical Officer (Captain 
L. E. Hughes) was imhurt, and, as usual on such 
occasions, excelled himself in the relief he gave and 
the amount of work he accomplished in the next few 
hours. 

We were relieved on the following night by the 
l/5th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, and 
moved back to Dambre Camp. The march from the 
line was exceedingly unpleasant, for the Battalion was 
literally chased out by shells of the 5*9 variety. 

Considering that no active operations had taken 
place, and that the Battalion had only been twenty- 
four hours in the front line, with forty-eight hours in 
reserve, our casualties for the tour, amounting to two 
officers and sixty-seven other ranks, were certainly 
heavy, and they give a fair idea of the daily wastage 
due to shelling. 



74 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

The weather had again turned wet, and, although 
it was known that the attack was to be resumed at the 
earliest favourable opportunity, it was not until the 
18th that we got definite orders. From these, it 
transpired that the attack was to be carried on along 
the whole front of the Second and Fifth Armies, and 
that the XVIJIth Corps was to employ the 11th and 48th 
Divisions. The objective, so far as the 145th Infantry 
Brigade was concerned, was the high ground overlook- 
ing the valley of the Stroombeek; the order of battle 
of this Brigade was the l/5th Battalion Gloucestershire 
Regiment on the right, the 1st Bucks Battalion in the 
centre, the l/4th Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light 
Infantry on the l^ft, with the l/4th Battalion Royal 
Berkshire Regiment in Brigade reserve. 

The British front line on the Brigade front lay 
immediately west of the Steenbeek, whilst the Germans 
were holding a line consisting of organised shell-holes 
and reinforced houses, along the ridge 200 yards east 
of the stream. 

Full orders for the Battalion attack and the artillery 
programme are given in Appendix Ib ; it will therefore 
be sufficient here to say that the Battalion was to form 
up for the attack west of the Steenbeek, on a front 
of 500 yards immediately north of the St. Julien 
bridge (Map No. 8). The formation was to be : two 
companies in front, A (Captain G. R. F. Knight) on 
the left and B (2/Lieutenant E. H. Fawcitt) on the 
right, each in two waves of two platoons, with C (Captain 
G. V. Neave) and D (Captain H. J. Pullman) in artillery 
formation behind right and left respectively. 

Tanks were to have co-operated, but, owing to the 
waterlogged state of the ground, were counter-ordered 
at the last moment. 

On the morning of August 15, the Battalion 
(Lieutenant-Colonel L. L. C. Reynolds, D.S.O.) marched 



THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES 76 

from Dambre Camp to the canal bank. Here the 
afternoon was spent, and at 9.80 p.ml we began to 
move to the forming-up positions. It proved a most 
trying march, the greater part of the route being 
over ground a mass of shell-holes full of water, the 
night pitch-dark and enemy shelling heavy. There 
was, or had been, a trench-board track to guide 
us part of the way, but this did not help much, as 
in many places it had been completely blown away 
by shells. With nothing else to aid us in keeping 
direction, it was no real wonder that three platoons 
of C Company lost their way and failed to turn up in 
time to take part in the initial assault. The remainder 
of the Battalion reached the forming-up positions and 
were ready twenty minutes before zero, which was 
fixed for 4.45 a.m. on August 16, 1917. 

At zero minus seven minutes, the two leading com- 
panies moved forward to cross the Steenbeek. At 
zero, the artillery barrage was put down 200 yards 
east of the stream and timed to creep forward at the 
rate of 100 yards every five minutes. The " going " 
was very bad indeed, as the ground was a mass of shell- 
craters and there were but few signs of dawn breaking. 
The result was that the barrage lifted off the enemy 
forward position before our leading wave could get up 
to it. A very heavy machine-gun fire was opened by 
the enemy from his concrete emplacements, and this 
was quickly reinforced by considerable rifle fire from his 
shell-hole positions. The fire almost entirely annihilated 
the leading wave of the right company, who instantly 
lost two out of their three officers. The second wave 
closed up an^engaged the enemy with fire, while parties 
worked round the flanks, but the enemy kept up a 
very strong resistance, and until the leading platoons 
of D Company closed up and charged with the bayonet 
they showed no signs of giving in. This charge by the 



76 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

third wave was followed by a bout of hand-to-hand 
fighting around the blockhouses on the Hillock Farm- 
St. Julien road, until the garrison of one blockhouse 
put up their hands. After this the other garrisons 
soon followed suit. This was the situation on the right 
about 6 a.m. 

The remains of B and D Companies were then 
quickly reorganised and pushed on in an attempt to 
overtake our barrage, which had by this time got well 
ahead of them. They could only succeed in advancing 
some 800 yards north-east of the outskirts of St. Julien, 
where they were confronted by a large sheet of water, 
with a blockhouse and two gunpits on the far side held 
by machine guns and riflemen. Every attempt made 
by these companies to get forward was stopped by a 
heavy cross-fire from these positions and others on 
the left. 

The left leading company (A) met with less resistance 
at first, but on topping the sUght ridge above the Steen- 
beek they came under a heavy cross-fire from Hillock 
Farm and two old gunpits west of it, as well as from 
positions away to their left, in front of the left BattaUon, 
who had been held up close to the Steenbeek. The 
leading wave reached the gunpits with only sixteen men 
left. The second wave closed up, but its left platoon 
was completely stopped by fire from the direction 
of Maison du Hibou and Triangle Farm. The right 
platoon, carrying out their orders, continued the attack 
with the remains of the leading wave and succeeded 
in reaching their objective at Springfield at about 
6.45 a.m. Many, however, were seen to fall as they 
passed Hillock Farm, and very few could actually have 
reached Springfield. After the first rush by this gallant 
party, every effort was made to reach the place and 
afford them assistance, but each attempt met with 
failure and many casualties, and at 9 a.m. the enemy 



THH STEEKBEEK. 



THB BATTLB-FIBLD NE&B ST. JULIEIT, T7BBS. 



THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES 77 

were seen to rush the house, three or four of our men 
being afterwards led away. 

At 7 a.m. Battalion Headquarters was established in 
a blockhouse on the west side of the Hillock Farm- 
St. Julien road, and made itself responsible for that 
road, whilst the other troops that remained were sent 
to reinforce the more forward position on the right* 
In the meantime the 5th Gloucesters on the right had 
got about 800 yards west of the Steenbeek, where they 
too were finally held up. 

Soon after 8 a.m. the enemy were seen coming over the 
ridge north of Springfield in considerable numbers and 
collecting in a trench below it. As by this time we had 
no communication with the artillery, this massing by 
the enemy continued, whilst our companies were hastily 
reorganised for defence, and three Vickers guns brought 
into suitable positions. One platoon of the l/4th Royal 
Berks was also got up and placed so as to protect our 
left flank, which was quite in the air. 

At 9 a.m. three thick waves of the enemy were seen 
to move down towards Triangle Farm, where they got 
under cover. At 10 a,m. the enemy counter-attacked 
us heavily from this farm and from each side of it. 
The fire from our machine guns, Lewis guns and rifles 
was, however, too much for them, for after a short time 
they commenced to retire over the ridge by which they 
had come. 

Sniping and machine-gun fire were brisk throughout 
the day, and we had several casualties, mostly in the 
neighbourhood of Hillock Farm, where our men had 
little cover and the slightest movement was visible to 
the enemy. 

At 7.80 p.m., as it was getting dusk, about a hundred 
Germans attempted to rush the gunpits we were holding 
on the left, but they were stopped and suffered heavily. 
No further counter-attack occurred until 9.80 p.mt, 



78 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

when the enemy again launched a surprise attack from 
the direction of Triangle Farm, and succeeded on this 
occasion in driving in our posts very slightly round 
Hillock Farm, 

Reconnoitring patrols, sent out during the night, 
reported the enemy to be holding the line of the Spring- 
field road. 

Owing to enemy sniping, it had been found quite 
impossible to collect the wounded during the day, and 
a great amount of searching and clearing had to be 
done that night. Enemy dead lay along the Hillock 
Farm road in large numbers, the majority having been 
bayoneted. 

The captures by the Battalion were : 

80 prisoners (mostly 7th Bavarian Infantry 

Regiment). 
1 field gun. 
8 machine guns. 

Large quantities of equipment and medical stores 
were also taken. 

The attack proved that our barrage had no effect 
whatever on the garrisons of concrete blockhouses, 
and that for future operations it was essential that 
these houses should be dealt with by the " heavies " 
prior to any assault. 

For such a comparatively small advance, it had been 
a costly attack, but, as our flanks even now were largely 
in the air, it is difficult to see how we could have 
maintained positions farther forward, had we been able 
to reach them. 

Our casualties were : 

Officers. — Killed. Capt. G. V. Neave. 

Capt. G. R. F. Knight. 



THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES 79 

Wounded. Lieut. F. D. Ollard. 

2/Lieut. F. M. Passmore. 
2/Lieut. G. A. Johnston. 
2/Lieut. E. H. Fawcitt. 
2/Lieut, R. E. Norman. 
2/Lieut. A. T. Moyle. 
2/Lieut. F. C. Marshall. 
Other Ranks. — Killed — 54. 

Wounded— 198. 

Missing — 85 (14 afterwards reported 
prisoners of war). 

2/Lieutenant 6. A. Johnston showed remarkable 
gallantry during this action, in which he was very 
seriously wounded. 

The Battalion was relieved the following evening by 
the 6th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, and 
as a result of this action the following congratulatory 
messages were received : 

" To the General Officer Commanding 14s5th Infantry 
Brigade. August 19, 1917. 

" In case the exigencies of the service prevent me 
visiting your battalions to-day, please tell them that 
I appreciate very much the stubborn and determined 
fighting spirit shown by you, and your officers and men, 
in the battle on the 16th. Although the fortunes of 
war, in the form of concrete shelters and an unexpectedly 
strong preliminary position, prevented us from gaining 
more than a portion of the objectives we want, we made 
a very valuable improvement to our position for future 
progress. Besides the capture of over 100 prisoners, 
very severe loss was inflicted on the Germans, one small 
field gun and several machine guns were captured. 

"It is not the mere capture of positions which is 
going to bring us the final victory, but the determined 



80 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

fighting, in spite of all difficulties, like that of the 
Bucks Battalion, which shows the enemy that he is 
beaten and cannot hope to beat us and must give in. 
" I have the fullest confidence in your Brigade, and 
know that they will continue to fight with the same 
spirit with which they have always done, in spite of 
difficulties,--r(iS'ign^d) R. Fanshawe, Major-GeneraV^ 

" To General Sir H.delaP. Gough, K.C.V.O., K.C.B., 
Commanding Fifth Army. 

" I wish to congratulate you personally, as well as 
the commanders, staffs and troops imder your command, 
most warmly, on the successes gained by the Fifth Army 
yesterday, under conditions of great difficulty and in 
the face of the most determined opposition. 

" The bad weather, which delayed the continuance 
of our offensive, enabled the enemy to bring up and 
concentrate considerable forces in reserve, and to make 
careful preparations to meet our attack yesterday. 
In spite of this, the determination and gallantry of 
the troops under your command succeeded in striking 
another of the successful blows, the cumulative effects 
of which are shattering the enemy's power of resist- 
ance and will ultimately lead to his complete defeat. — 
{Signed) D. Haig, Field-MarshaV^ 

Eight days' rest in Dambre Camp was allowed us, 
before we again moved up to the line to take part in 
further operations. This time it was the turn of the 
148rd and 144th Brigades to attack, the former on the 
right, the latter on the left, their objective being the 
red line shown on Map No. 8. 

The 145th Brigade was to be in reserve until zero 
plus five hours, when it was to move through the leading 
brigades, and capture the line of farms included by the 
dotted blue line (Map No. 8). So far as this Brigade 



mat 



i 



1 



''5 





pi 

bi 
dc 



THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES 81 

was concerned, the l/4th Royal Berks and l/4th Oxford 
and Bucks Light Infantry were to leave the canal bank 
at zero, move across country to assembly positions 
about the green line, and be ready to carry out the 
attack on the dotted blue line at zero plus five hours. 
The l/5th Gloucesters and the Bucks Battalion were 
to leave the canal bank at zero plus three hours, and 
move to the assembly positions vacated by the other 
two battalions. 

Zero was fixed for 1.55 p.m. August 27, 1917. At 
4.55 p.m. the head of the Battalion, marching by 
platoons, passed the canal bank. There appeared to 
be every prospect of a thoroughly disagreeable march, 
as shells are never so plentiful as during the few hours 
succeeding an attack, but we were most fortunate, for 
the Steenbeek was reached with hardly a casualty. 
The ground, however, between that stream and the 
Triangle Farm-St. Julien road was being very heavily 
shelled. This caused us casualties, but they were few 
compared with the immense number of shells falling 
around us. This was largely due to the state of the 
ground, which, whilst so deep in mud as to make pro- 
gress almost impossible for us, minimised the resistance 
to the bursting shells and so diminished the force of 
their explosion. 

Heavy rain had fallen throughout the previous night, 
with the result that the battle area was nothing more 
or less than a sea of mud. Many who were wounded 
and fell got sucked in, and were not discovered till long 
afterwards, often when it was too late. 

The situation on our arrival was most obscure, 
but it was evident that very little, if any, progress 
had been made by the two leading brigades. It had 
been a case of pulling one foot out of the mud and 
putting the other in, whilst the enemy took full advan- 
tage of the weary process and shot hard at good and 
6 



82 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

slowly moving targets. Rifles, bombs and Lewis guns 
became coated with muddy slime, which quickly put 
them out of action. Apart from this, the way was 
perilous in the extreme. Under such conditions the 
task set was impossible of achievement, and further 
progress was out of the question. The only real gain 
was the capture of Springfield by the l/8th Battalion 
Worcestershire Regiment. 

The night, passed in the neighbourhood of Maison du 
Hibou, was intensely dark ; the evacuation of wounded 
presented even greater difficulties than on the 16th, 
and at least eight men to a stretcher were found to 
be necessary. 

The following day, August 28, the whole Division 
was relieved in the line, the Bucks Battalion handing 
over to the 2/7th Battalion London Regiment. 



CHAPTER VIII 

THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES — VIMY 

September to Mid-November 1917 

In our joy to be rid of the Ypres area, we began at once 
to entertain hopes of never seeing it again. Vain hopes, 
for we were back again in under a month. 

The first fortnight of our rest and preparations for 
future offensives was spent in camp close to St. Jans- 
ter-Biezen. This was not sufficiently far behind the 
line to be entirely clear of the war, for enemy bombing 
planes paid us a most unwelcome visit every night that 
the weather was fine, and the Division suffered quite 
a number of casualties through them. 

Leave reopened at once in a very fairly generous way, 
and everything that could be effected to make life more 
possible was done. Training was more important than 
anything, but this was completed in four and a half 
hours in the morning, and the afternoon and evening 
were given up to games. On one of these afternoons 
a number of officers and men of our 2nd line Battalion 
visited us, this being the first occasion on which the 
two Battalions had had any good opportunity of seeing 
each other since our second line came out. 

Before we moved from this camp no fewer than thir- 
teen officers had joined the Battalion as reinforcements, 
from the 1st Battalion Artists Rifles. 

Our next move was carried out by train on September 

83 



84 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSfflRE BATTALION 

16, the Battalion entraining at Abeele and detraining 
at Audruicq (north-west of St. Omer), whence a 
twelve-mile march brought us to Licques. Here the 
billets were excellent, as they had not been used as 
such before ; and with the country and weather perfect, 
the rest promised to be all that one could desire. The 
training area included an excellent field-firing range, 
and in a company competition held throughout the 
Division C Company succeeded in gaining second place. 
A most successful Brigade horse show was also held on 
September 23, and the Battalion carried off more than 
its fair share of prizes. 

The days in fact went all too quickly, and it was with 
feelings of genuine regret that we left the place at two 
o'clock on the morning of September 27, and, entraining 
at Audruicq, found ourselves at our old friend the canal 
bank on the same afternoon. Here we stayed for 
three days in reserve to the remainder of the Brigade, 
which had taken over the old divisional front close to 
St. Julien. 

On our taking over the line from the l/4th Battalion 
Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry on the night of 
September 30-October 1, it appeared that an appreciable 
though not very large advance, had been made in our 
absence. The farms which we had seen so often on 
the map, but which wanted so much taking, namely, 
Hubner, Genoa, Von Tirpitz and the others, were at last 
ours, and the front line now ran along Cemetery Trench 
just in front of Quebec, and thence due south. The 
enemy shelling was as heavy as ever, especially at night, 
when the whole front area as far back as the Steenbeek 
became most " unhealthy." The ground at this time 
was not quite at its worst, but this was sure to be the 
case when no attack was in progress. It was only 
necessary for the l/6th and l/7th Battalions Royal 
Warwickshire Regiment to march up and relieve us, 



THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES— VIMY 85 

with a view to attacking the following morning, for 
the rain to come down in torrents. The Battalion was 
ordered to leave one company in the line to act as an 
outpost company during the forming up and first phase 
of the attack to be made by the Royal Warwicks, the 
remainder of the Battalion moving back to a camp 
about half a mile behind the canal bank. 

The objectives of this attack were : 1st — Tweed 
House, York and Winchester Farms, and Albatross 
Farm; 2nd — County cross-roads, Vacher Farm and 
Bums House (Map No. 8). 

Divisions on the right and left were co-operating, 
and zero was fixed for 6 a.m., October 4. 

The whole of the first objective was gained by 8.80 a.m. 
The second objective, excepting Vacher Farm and Burns 
House, was captured by 10.30 a.m. Three officers and 
about 320 other ranks belonging to the 369th, 370th and 
871st German Infantry Regiments were taken prisoners, 
and two anti-tank guns and numerous machine guns 
captured. 

The attack in fact was successful, and, provided that 
we could be spared a little fine weather, there appeared 
reasonable prospects of our being able to make some 
substantial progress. On the 5th, however, it rained off 
and on all day ; on the 6th it came down in torrents 
without ceasing ; and on the 7th, when we were moved 
back to Dambre Camp, there were frequent heavy 
showers. We had not been two hours in this camp 
before we were warned to get ready to leave again for 
the line in relief of the 6th and 7th Royal Warwicks, 
who were dead-beat, soaked to the skin and plastered 
from head to foot in mud. Sorry as we were for those in 
the line, we were none too well pleased at the prospect 
of going in again ourselves, especially as we had been 
marching hard in the opposite direction within the last 
two hours. Our feelings, however, were distinctly 



86 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

appeased on finding that we were to have a fleet of 
motor buses to take us up. These took us as far as 
Wieltje, where we debussed, proceeding by platoons 
up to the line via St. Julien. The relief was much 
complicated by the extreme darkness of the night and * 
the indescribable condition of the forward area; in 
fact it was not until 2 a.m. that the relief was 
complete. 

The Battalion dispositions then were (Map No. 3) : 

Battalion Headquarters — Hubner Farm. 

C Company (front line) — Terrier Farm, County cross- 
roads, Cemetery. 

B Company (front line) — Cemetery, Trench 400 yards 
east of Winchester Farm. 

D Company (support) — In front of Tweed House. 

A Company (support) — By York Farm. 

The 11th Division were on the left, and the l/4th 
Royal Berks on the right. 

Shelling throughout the night was heavy, and towards 
dawn the rain once again came down in great lumps. 
About 4 p.m. the Battalion received notice that it 
would be relieved during the evening by the l/4th 
Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment on the left and the 
l/6th Battalion of the same regiment on the right, 
and that these two battalions in conjunction with other 
Divisions on their flanks would attack at dawn. The 
relief of the right by the l/6th Gloucesters was a com- 
paratively easy matter, as trench boards had been laid 
almost up to the front. The relief of the left was 
a very different affair, and turned out to be a perfect 
nightmare. No trench boards had been laid in that 
direction from Hubner, and the road shown as leading 
past Quebec Farm and Tweed House had long ceased 
to exist and had become amalgamated with the general 
quagmire which swamped the whole area. Tweed and 



THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES— VIMY 87 

Quebec existed as spots on the map, but were not 
there to be identified on the ground. 

As we had only been in the area some twenty hours, 
during the greater part of which time it had been light 
and no movement had consequently been possible, 
guides who could really find their way without land- 
marks, in pitch darkness and with the rain teeming 
down, were very scarce. One had, however, been found 
for each platoon of the l/4th Gloucesters, and some 
idea of the conditions will be obtained when it is said 
that this number proved wholly insufficient. It was 
impossible to walk twelve yards without either falling 
into a shell-hole or getting stuck fast in the mud, so 
that touch was constantly being lost between one man 
and the next. By 3 a.m. a few incomplete platoons of 
the 4th Gloucestershire Regiment had reached their 
assembly positions, many more were lost, and some 
had, after being lost, found their way back to Hubner 
and were wanting fresh guides. Nevertheless by zero 
we just succeeded in getting the majority of that 
Battalion to its positions, and this was largely due 
to the untiring efforts of two of our runners, by name 
L/Cpl. H. E. CoUins and Pte. W. W. Cattell. 

By zero the Battalion, with the exception of an 
outpost company (which had been left in the line to 
cover the forming up of the attacking Battalion), was 
concentrated round Cheddar Villa in divisional reserve. 
Zero was at 5.20 a.m., October 9. Although the rain 
ceased just before this time, the condition of the ground 
was such as to render the chances of a successful attack 
exceedingly small, if not quite impossible, but the progress 
actually made was considerably greater than expected, 
though casualties were heavy. 

On the evening of October 10, the Division was 
relieved in the line by the 9th Division, and the Battalion 
left the Ypres battle area for good, being carried back 



88 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

to Dambre Camp from Wieltje in motor lorries. On 
leaving the Ypres sector the Divisional Commander 
received the following message from General Gough, 
commanding the Fifth Army ; 

" The 48th Division have taken part in much hard 
fighting during the past two months, including five 
general engagements. Their spirit and determination 
on all occasions have been admirable, and temporary 
setbacks have in no way affected their moral. I am 
very sorry to bid good-bye to such a dependable division 
and feel sure that the future holds many further successes 
for them." 

After a twenty- four hours' halt at Dambre Camp and 
forth-eight hours at St. Jans-ter-Biezen, the Battalion 
entrained at Hopoutre on the evening of October 14, 
and proceeded by rail to Ligny-St. Flochiel, just east 
of St. Pol. Breakfasts were eaten here before we started 
on a long march to Mesnil-Bouch6 ; after three days 
there we moved to Villers-au-Bois, where the remainder 
of the month was spent. 

The Division had now come under the orders of the 
Vth Corps, taking the place of the 2nd Canadian Division. 
As usual on our arrival in a new area, statements of 
impending operations were prevalent, and it was now 
freely rumoured that the corps was to take Lens before 
Christmas. 

Nothing tangible^ however, pointed to any such 
offensive, and when, on November 1, the Battalion 
went into the line in front of Vimy, it became clear 
that we had taken over some very good and reasonably 
quiet trenches. Our chief occupation in this part of 
the line was preparing trenches for the coming winter. 
That we were successful in this respect is proved by the 
following message, received by the Division after its 



THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES— VIMY 89 

withdrawal from the Une in the middle of November, 
on relief again by the 2nd Canadian Division : 

'* On my own behalf and on behalf of the troops under 
my command, I would be glad if you would cause to be 
conveyed to the G.O.C. 48th Division, an appreciation 
of the excellent work carried out in this area by the 
troops under his command during the period between 
18th October and 18th November. The erection of the 
four Battalion camps in Neuville-St. Vaast has been so 
exceptionally well carried out that the G.O.C. 2nd 
Canadian Division reports that his troops have never 
been housed in greater comfort. The amount of work 
in the forward area, and the thoroughness with which 
it has been carried out, bear testimony to the un- 
remitting labour and zeal of all concerned. 

" (Sd.) A. W. CuRRiE, Lieutenant-General 

^^Cdg. Canadian Corps. ^^ 

When the 48th Division took over the Vimy sector, 
everything seemed to point to our settling down there 
for the winter ; consequently, it was with considerable 
surprise, not immixed with regret, that we heard we 
were to be withdrawn. 

Speculation of the wildest sort was rife as to our 
destination. Every sphere of operations, from Russia 
to German East Africa, was suggested. But the bulk 
of opinion, fully conscious of the gravity of the situation 
in Italy, inclined to consider this as our probable 
destination, although a good many believed a move 
to the Cambrai area more probable, as whispers of 
an impending offensive in that neighbourhood were 
beginning to reach us. 

The situation, however, did not remain doubtful very 
long. When the Division reached the Aubigny area 
(November 14), where we were given a fortnight to refit. 



90 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSfflRE BATTALION 

the fact that we were intended for Italy had become 
fairly common knowledge. The news, on the whole, 
was welcomed. That Ufe on the Western front was 
thoroughly impleasant and precarious we knew ; but 
Italy, despite the long months' disasters, only seemed 
to call up visions of sunshine, blue skies, and a general 
atmosphere of dolce far niente. 



CHAPTER IX 

ITALY 

Mid-November 1917 to April 1918 

It was in excellent spirits therefore that the move was 
begun, in spite of the obscurity of the military situation 
in Italy, and the prospects of immediate fighting of 
the unpleasant rearguard type. Our cheerfulness was 
amply justified, and the journey itself proved to be one 
of the most magnificent holidays the Battalion ever 
had. It was accomplished in two trains, which followed 
• each other at about twelve hours' interval : the first 
containing half Battalion Headquarters (Commanding 
Officer, Adjutant and Transport Officer), Transport, and 
A and C Companies; the second containing the other 
half of Headquarters (second in Command, Assistant 
Adjutant, Medical Officer and Intelligence Officer), and 
B and D Companies. 

The first half of the Battalion marched out of Tinques 
at 9 p.m. on November 23, 1917, and entrained at Savy, 
leaving about midnight. The second half left Tinques 
at 6 a.m. the next day, and pulled out of Savy about 
9 a.m. 

The route followed by both trains on the journey was 
the same, and the following names will indicate the 
line taken : Arras, Achiet-le-Grand, Albert, Amiens, 
Dijon, Pierrelatte, Avignon, Marseilles, Nice, Voghera, 
Piacenza, Bologna, and thence north to the Mantua 
and Este line. 

91 



92 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

The total time spent on the journey was six days. 
The experiences were very much the same in both 
trains, which ran most of the time within a very few 
hours of each other; the accoimt of one train's week 
will therefore suffice to cover the history of both. 

On November 24 the train passed, in bright sunny 
weather, through the Ancre Valley and Albert, which 
we had last seen on our way out of the hideous Le Sars 
sector about a year previously. Thence through 
Amiens, and on south towards Paris, round which we 
skirted at dusk. 

The train was unusually commodious, there being 
enough of the usual cattle-trucks for the men to allow 
of something narrowly approaching comfort, while the 
officers were three to a compartment, so that if one 
slept on the floor, all of them could get a comfortable 
night's rest. In addition, there were a certain number 
of flats, which were not needed for our transport 
vehicles, but which afforded superb observation on 
sunny days. Comfort became almost a fine art. 
Every time the train stopped the men seemed to have 
a meal, as not only did the cooks achieve marvels on 
the cookers, which were at full blast all the day long, 
but also there were mmierous haUe-TcpaSy at which hot 
water was always available, and, often enough, tea or 
coffee. As for the officers, they Uved in that luxury 
which is only achieved by mess cooks when there is no 
facility for it. Adequate supplies had, of course, been 
laid in before we started, and the chances of buying 
eggs and other things on the journey were frequent. 
The nights were cold, but the cold was kept out as far 
as possible by braziers standing on tins in the trucks, 
and a carefully distributed rum ration. 

The second day broke dull and raining, and this con- 
tinued until evening, but a brisk, cold, simny morning 
found us at Pierrelatte in the Rhone valley, and a 



ITALY 98 

glorious day followed of fine open country round the 
Rhone, with sudden sharp cliffs, offshoots of the Mari- 
time Alps, and far-away views of blue-grey mountains, 
shutting in the rich plain which forms the delta of that 
great river. And so we passed through a charming 
landscape, made the more charming by the very friendly 
faces and the waving handkerchiefs of the inhabitants, 
to Avignon, with its castle glittering in the sunlight. 

It was here that trains began to lose men, as from 
now onwards stops were always of somewhat doubtful 
duration. We came into Marseilles that evening, with 
the streets and harbour glowing with lights below us. 

Early next morning (27th) we reached Les Arcques, 
where the men had breakfast. Then followed the best 
day of the whole journey. The weather was absolutely 
perfect, and sitting out on the open flats we rattled 
along the glorious coast of the French Biviera. Every- 
where the people waved to us, cheered and threw us 
oranges, a compliment which we returned by throwing 
cigarettes to the French colonial sentries, who grinned 
and flashed at us their rows of perfect teeth. 

By the afternoon we had crossed the frontier, where 
at Vintimiglia we detrained the men, and took them 
for a short, sharp march through the town and along 
the sea-front. 

The journey from now onwards became far less inter- 
esting. There were interminable stops at out-of-the-way 
stations ; and signs of the disorder in Italy, the result 
of the Caporetto disaster, became more frequent. At 
Bologna, where all the officers were very kindly pro- 
vided with lunch- baskets by the Italian Comando di 
Tappa, refugees crowded the station, and that most 
pitiful spectacle was presented of strings of Italian 
deserters, chained together. It was clear that firmness 
was to be the order of the day. 

From Bologna we went northwards, crossing the 



94 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSfflRE BATTALION 

river Po, and the two trains reached their respective 
destinations. The first arrived at Bevilacqua at 7 p.m. 
on November 29. Here the most hopeless confusion 
reigned, owing to the entire absence of any R.T.O. 
or orders of any sort. Endless interviews with the 
magnificent station-master took place, but as he could 
understand neither English nor French, and we were 
none of us able to speak ItaUan, the interviews were 
entirely fruitless. Eventually, however, having dis- 
patched an officer to the R.T.O. at the previous station, 
we received orders to billet in Bevilacqua for the night, 
and were presented with an Italian interpreter. 

The second train reached Este at 8 a.m. on 
November 80, where the remainder of the day and that 
night were spent. Orders were received to march next 
day to Agugliaro, where the two halves of the Battalion 
joined hands. For the next four days we marched every 
day and all day, billeting during the nights in the 
villages of Bosco di Nanto, Villafranca and Marsango, 
and eventually reaching Villa del' Conte on December S. 
Lorry transport was very scarce during these marches, 
and thfe greatest difficulties were experienced in mov- 
ing our 1,800 blankets from place to place. Our troubles 
in this respect were increased by having to move an 
unusually large number of valises, as we were at this 
time in possession of no less than forty-three officers. 
Twelve of these officers, however, were now dispatched 
to the base, and this reUeved the congestion con- 
siderably. 

Our arrival in Italy had been of a very different 
character from the one we had pictured. There was no 
dramatic deployment from the train to stem the Austrian 
onrush ; as, indeed, there appeared at this time to be 
very little onrush to stem. The ItaUans were evidently 
making a firm stand on the Piave, a stand which became 
all the firmer as the knowledge grew that elements of 



ITALY 95 

the French and British Armies were at their backs in 
case of need. 

Throughout the week spent in Villa del' Conte the 
Battalion was at two hours' notice to move to support 
the Italian army ; but in spite of expecting hourly to 
receive such orders, nothing momentous occurred until 
the 14th, when we were moved some twelve miles to 
the village of S. Croce Bigolina, which lies about six 
miles west of Cittadella. 

That this village rivalled in popularity the much- 
beloved village of Beauval in France, is astonishing 
and almost unaccountable. The billets were bad, 
crowded and scattered. There were no shops. Foot- 
balls were scarce, and grounds still scarcer. On the 
other hand, the inhabitants were most friendly, if not 
entirely honest, and the weather was perfect. It must 
surely have been those heavenly blue skies which entered 
into our souls and made us think so well of S. Croce. 

The Division now formed part of the XlXth Corps, 
which was in reserve to the Italian Army, holding the 
line astride the Brenta valley in front of Valstagna, 

Here a formidable attack by the enemy was con- 
fidently expected, as although the original onrush was 
being successfully stemmed by the Italian forces and 
those portions of the French and our own which were 
now in the line, it was thought very probable that the 
enemy, by using the remainder of the reserves collected 
from the Russian front, might try to increase the 
weight of their attack and break through from the 
mountains into the plains. In the event of this attack 
being delivered, the Division had orders to hold a 
reserve line in the mountains, which lay about Conco, 
Rubbio and Campolungo. 

Thorough reconnaissances of this line were therefore 
most necessary, and some of us were sent on almost 
daily excursions in a F.I.A.T. lorry to that coldest of 



96 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

all bleak spots, Rubbio. The journey occupied some 
two and a half hours, along one of the most amazingly 
constructed roads in the country. Hewn for the most 
part out of solid rock, the road climbed 1,800 feet from 
our billets to Rubbio, zigzagging up the moimtain, with 
a cUff on one side and a sheer drop of about 100 feet on 
the other. 

The difference in the atmosphere between S. Croce 
and Rubbio was almost paralysing, and few of us will 
forget the frigid sensation and biting wind that assailed 
us on getting out of the lorry at the last-named village. 

The line consisted of a rock-hewn fire-trench, sited 
on the forward slopes of a succession of hills or, rather, 
mountains. Communication with this line would have 
been most difficult, had we occupied it, for mule-tracks 
were rare, and none too good when foimd. To our 
relief, however, no enemy attack developed, and we 
were left in peace at S. Croce, where the Battalion 
spent its third Christmas away from home. In spite 
of these continual visits to Rubbio and constant hard 
field training, we had not allowed the time to slip by 
without a thought for Christmas festivities, and when 
the day arrived every man was able to eat turkey and 
plum pudding to his tummy's content, helping it down 
with more than sufficient vino. 

This latter, nasty as it really was, had become a most 
popular tipple, and orderly room had for some time 
past been much troubled by its existence. It was not 
so much that it was a potent beverage, as that the men 
were unaccustomed to it, and thought that it could 
be treated in the same manner as the French wine. 
Only when a number of men found themselves in the 
throes of no less than twenty- eight days' field punishment 
No. 1 was vino shown the respect to which it had 
proved itself entitled. 

With the exception of some snow falling at the 



beginning of January, the weather continued perfect, 
and we considered our Italian campaign one of the 
better things in life, to which the only drawbacks were 
no E.F.C., a most irregular mail, and a succession of 
the very coldest church parades in a field at Villa 
Jonoch. 

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end at 
some time, and this particular one ended on January 24, 
1918, when the Battalion took an affectionate farewell 
of the natives of S. Croce and marched off towards the 
Piave, though it was not until a month later that we 
arrived there. 

The billeting area in which we found ourselves, after 
two days' marching, was really far better than the one 
we had just left, though the general atmosphere was 
perhaps not quite so friendly. D Company, at first, 
revelled in being the sole British occupants of the 
village of Casacorba, while BattaUon Headquarters and 
the remaining three companies had to content themselves 
with the rather inferior billets of Albaredo. Later, 
however, sufficient accommodation was found in Casa- 
corba and the adjoining village of Viciliese to house 
the whole Battalion, and Albaredo was evacuated. 

Our stay here was chiefly notable for a most virulent 
attack of" outposts " which seized the higher command, 
and the question whether it is better to fight the post 
or the piquet line was more than thoroughly debated. 
Suitable antidotes were soon found in the shape of plenty 
of football for the men, and a very limited allotment 
of Rome leave for the officers. 

A further move was made on February 14 to Paes^ 
which lies some six miles west of Treviso. This area 
had been very much troubled by constant bombing 
raids, carried out by the Austrian and German airmen 
at night ; in fact, the hospital in our village had been 
hit a few days prior to our arrival, but during our 



66 *1RST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BAtTALION 

occupation of Paese no further bombing of the village 
took place, although Treviso continued an almost 
nightly target, with the result that large numbers of 
civilians were evacuating it, and the place was becom- 
ing a town of ruins. 

The knowledge that we were to take over the line 
on the Piave had now become common property, and 
on February 27 the Battalion relieved the 21st Battalion 
Manchester Regiment, 91st Brigade, 7th Division, in 
support positions on the Montello. 

A few days later (March 8) we took over the front 
line, which for the most part consisted of a series of 
trench-posts, situated at intervals of 40 or 50 yards 
along the banks of the river. Our right included the 
village of Nervesa, and the posts here were dug out of 
the asphalt promenade on which the fashion of Italy 
besported itself in times of peace. The breadth of the 
Piave in front of us was at least half a mile, and consisted 
of numerous channels, dotted with islands, some of 
which, lying about 50 yards from our bank, we occu- 
pied, but the flimsy character of the bridges leading 
on to them made their occupation imcertain. 

The current of the river varied according to the 
channels. In the main channel it ran at a rate of at 
least ten miles an hour in time of flood, and never 
dropped below three and a half miles an hour at summer 
level. 

During our fortnight's stay here the river became one 
broad, rushing torrent, owing to the heavy rains, and 
any attempt on the part of a patrol to cross the river 
was generally out of the question; but on one night, 
after the river had gone down considerably, a patrol 
did succeed in getting across, though it should be 
described as a feat of endurance rather than a military 
accomplishment, as the men were so cold when they 
reached the other side that it is doubtful whether they 



ITALY 99 

could have used their arms had this been required of 
them. 

The river, being unfordable at this time, deprived 
us of any means of getting at close quarters and really 
making our first acquaintance with a new enemy. 

His shooting, so far as artillery was concerned, was 
decidedly good, and on more than one occasion he 
troubled us not a little with it. Nervesa was naturally 
his most popular target, and about the time of our 
departure he was rapidly demoUshing it, chiefly by 
means of incendiary shells, with which he was most 
successful in setting the largest houses on fire. 

We had not been in the sector a week before rumours 
of our being moved reached us. These rumours proved 
correct, and on March 14 the Division was relieved 
by the ItaUans. Preparations to ensure a really well- 
organised relief have no doubt been made by all units 
during the war, but whether any relief was ever pre- 
pared with such hyper-efficiency as this particular one 
may be doubted. Certainly " eyewash " never figured 
more prominently, or with so little effect ; but our 
friends the Italians were not nearly so much impressed 
as had been intended, and our relief by the 168rd 
Italian regiment proved to be quite a normal proceed- 
ing, the greatest good-feeling existing on both sides. 

The French, who had been on our left in the M. Tomba 
sector, were also withdrawn from the line about this 
time, and it became clear that both armies were 
intended to take over a new sector in the mountains in 
the neighbourhood of the Asiago plateau. 

The march westward was commenced on the 15th, 
and after a series of long treks on exceedingly hot days, 
interspersed with a few days' rest at Piombino, Bor- 
goricco, S. Georgio delP Pertiche and Busiago Vecchia, 
we eventually reached S. Urbano on April 8. This 
village, charmingly situated amongst the foothills which 



100 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

lie between Vicenza and Verona, harboured us for just 
two weeks, while preparations were made for equipping 
ourselves suitably for mountain warfare. 

Practice attacks were deUvcred on all the neighbouring 
hills, and several days were spent by officers in recon- 
noitring the line on the Asiago plateau. 

Our transport was increased by the arrival of some 
twenty-five additional pack-mules, and although these 
threatened to displace all our heavy draught horses, 
G.S. waggons and cookers, we were eventually allowed 
to retain them all. 

On April 17 the Battalion started on its move to the 
mountain line, halting for nights at Grumo, S. Maria 
(just east of Thiene) and Mare, which lies at the foot of 
the mountains that guard the Venetian plain from the 
North and rise from a series of low foothills, almost 
sheer, to a height of 4,000 feet. Military roads zigzagged 
their endless, wearisome way backwards and forwards, 
and hardly discoverable tracks led up in slippery, stony 
twists to the summit. 

The day of our first journey to the top (April 28) 
gave us an excellent taste of the changed conditions 
before us. The ascent was made in single file up one 
of these mule-tracks, and occupied some four and a half 
hours ; the system of progression adopted being twenty 
minutes' cUmbing and ten minutes' halting. 

The actual cUmb to within a few hundred feet of the 
top was made in bright sunshine. Then abruptly came 
the change. The sun was clouded over, cold air seemed 
to come from nowhere, and a slight drizzle began to 
fall. In such conditions the cUmb was finished, and 
the road past Tattenham Comer, with a sUght dip in 
the crest line, followed. A Uttle farther on was a small 
level space, perhaps 600 yards long and half as many 
wide, between the masses of rough rock piled up on 
either side. In this space and round the edge of it 



ITALY 101 

nestled the hutment camp of Granezza. Here, and 
in offshoots of this little plateau, were concentrated two 
battalions of Infantry, Divisional Headquarters, Brigade 
Headquarters, a cinema, canteens, dumps, and all the 
other paraphernalia of a Division in the field. 

A more depressing spot than this was when we 
arrived can hardly be imagined. The drizzle continued 
to fall, the road was a mass of mud, water dripped and 
oozed from the wooden huts, whose tarred-felt roofs 
were covered with dead branches as camouflage. Iso- 
lated fir trees, stripped of all their lower branches, stood 
here and there around the camp, gaunt and miserable, 
like sentries on a rainy night in the line. Dirty patches 
of unthawed snow lay among the rocks, and a motley 
collection of wet and muddy soldiers — ^English, French 
and Italian — flowed backwards and forwards along the 
grey, sticky road. 

This, however, was Granezza in one of its worst 
moods. The next day, though different, was little better, 
for rain which was falling in the morning changed by 
mid-day to a full-dress snowstorm, accompanied by 
thunder and lightning. Snow fell for two or three 
more days, and all our time and energy were concen- 
trated on clearing roads and tracks. But this was 
the last of the snow, and was succeeded by a period of 
bright sunshine, alternating with violent thunderstorms, 
which gradually changed to the glorious weather of 
August, September and October. During these months 
the sun shone all day, there was very little rain, 
and the heat was not sufficient to be uncomfortable 
by day nor the cold by night. The particular charm 
of this glorious weather lay in the fact that we had 
been assured that on the plateau there were only twenty- 
five fine days in the year, of which seventeen had already 
passed. 

With the improvement in the weather came equally 



102 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

a difference in the country, which had at first seemed 
so desolate. The area taken over by the British troops 
was divided by nature into two sectors, each of which 
was held by a Division. Two roughly parallel roads, 
about four kilometres apart, led to the front line, each 
feeding one Division's front. These roads were joined 
laterally by two other parallel roads, the one about 
two and a half, the other about six kilometres, behind 
the line. All intervening spaces were filled with rough 
rocky mountains, devoid of trees on the south side, but 
thickly wooded on the north side. The country gradu- 
ally fell away towards the front line, which ran rather 
more than 1,000 feet below the level of Granezza. 
The line itself, cut partly in solid rock and partly in 
chalk, ran for the most part just inside the trees, 
which here stop short on the edge of the Asiago 
plateau. The plateau, about four kilometres wide, 
consists of undulating grassy land, treeless, but dotted 
here and there with farmhouses and tiny villages, all 
more or less damaged by shell-fire. About a kilometre 
off lay the Austrian front line, well out in the open, 
and away behind it the mountains rose up in a tremend- 
ous barrier 6,000 feet high, protecting the Val Sugana. 
To all of us it seemed a position that no troops in the 
world could capture, and we little guessed during the 
long months that we faced those mountains, that in the 
end we should ourselves successfully attack and over- 
come them. 



CHAPTER X 

THE AUSTRIAN ATTACK OF JUNE IS 

May and June 1918 

Reference map No. 4 

One of the greatest problems when we lived in the moun- 
tains was the question of transport and supply. The 
Divisional ration-dump was made in the foothills, so it 
was obviously impossible for us to have all our transport 
with us in the mountains and send it to the ration-dump 
daily, as waggons would have been some ten hours on 
the roads. It was equally impossible to have all the 
transport Uving near the ration-dump and making 
daily pilgrimages up to the mountains. It was there- 
fore decided to leave the 2nd echelon transport in the 
foothills at Fara, and to have the 1st echelon with us 
at Granezza. The former then brought the Battalion's 
rations each day as far as Tezze Sciessere, which lay 
half-way up the mountain by road, while the 1st echelon 
met it there and brought the supplies on to us. 

Even this proved to be intensely hard on the horses, 
and it was afterwards arranged to do much of the work 
by a more generous use of Army motor lorries. There 
had been much discussion as to whether we should 
take up the cookers, and it was eventually decided to 
do so. One of these--namely, A Company's — was the 
victim of the only accident which befell us on our 
first journey up, as together with horses and driver it 
fell over the cliff from the roadside. By a miracle 

103 



104 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSfflRE BATTALION 

neither the driver nor the two horses were much hurt, 
in spite of their rolling with the vehicle for 50 feet 
down the mountain-side and taking a 10-feet drop at 
the end ! As much cannot be said for the cooker, 
which was smashed beyond hope of repair. 

Our first tour in a mountain sector, although interest- 
ing, was not eventful, and only lasted a month. This, 
however, was quite long enough in view of the climatic 
conditions at this time of year, for the weather had 
been vile, and one more often wore wet clothes than 
dry ones. 

A complete change was experienced on arrival in the 
plains (May 19), for here the heat was intense. The 
villages of Grumo and Cereda, which had been allotted 
to us for billets, lay some thirty miles from Fara, our 
marches to these places being carried out at night 
to avoid the heat of the day. Khaki drill was now 
issued to replace the usual serge clothing, and this, 
with pith helmets for headgear, made a hot life 
possible. Training was carried out between six and 
ten o'clock in the morning, and again in the cool of the 
evening. During the other hours of daylight we lay 
and gasped. 

We had been led to expect that the Division (less the 
144th Brigade, who were still in the moimtains) would 
be kept in billets in the plains for three weeks or a 
month, but this did not materialise, owing to receipt 
of rather sudden orders to relieve the 7th Division in 
the line. Two long marches, carried out in the early 
mornings, took us to Camisino, at the foot of the 
mountains, and on June 1 the Battalion negotiated 
the 8,000-feet climb, which occupied close on five hours. 
The rough and very steep mule-track, up which our 
path lay, seemed interminable, and in spite of making 
the start at 4.80 a.m., the heat during the last hour of 
the ascent proved very trying. 



THE AUSTRIAN ATTACK OF JUNE 15 105 

We were now in the left Divisional sector of the 
British front, whereas before we had been in the right. 
It was strange how very similar the two sectors were 
in the matter of roads, general formation of the country, 
and forestry. Our front line lay towards the foot of 
the northern slopes of M. Lemerle, and was sited well 
inside the wood, thus providing -very bad observation 
for the enemy. His own front trenches, on the other 
hand, were right in the open, towards the other side of 
the plateau and distant from us some 1,400 yards. It 
was indeed for us a gunner's paradise. He had only to 
install himself in a carefully concealed observation post 
in one of the trees, and choose targets from the varied 
assortment which the trenches, viUages and farms, 
provided for him. 

The portion of line allotted to the Battalion lay on 
the extreme right of the Divisional line, and ran from a 
point about 700 yards due south of the village of Ron- 
calto, where we joined with the 23rd Division, to the 
Ghelpac Fork (Map No. 4). 

By night, outposts were pushed out well in front 
of this line, in many cases half-way across the broad 
" No Man's Land." These posts occupied all points 
of tactical importance, such as high ground on the 
plateau, and guarded the main approaches to our line. 

In our case the Battalion outpost line ran from 
Pesaventi along the valley of the dried-up Ghelpac, 
with a standing patrol covering a hill known as 1002. 
Fighting patrols were sent out nightly in front of this 
outpost line, and reconnoitred the ground almost up 
to the enemy trenches. The enemy's style in " No 
Man's Land " was thus considerably cramped. He did, 
however, screw up his courage sufficiently to occupy at 
night two houses called Vaister, which were situated 
about 1,800 yards in front of our line and 500 yards in 
front of that of the enemy. 



106 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

As we expected soon to undertake an offensive it was 
thought that his occupation of Vaister might prove an 
inconvenience to us^ so it was consequently decided to 
turn him out of it. The scheme for this was to attack 
Vaister during the night (June 8/9) with two platoons, 
who were to be relieved by two fresh sections shortly 
before dawn. It was inadvisable to have a larger 
garrison there by day, as there was very little cover 
and they would become an easy target for the Austrian 
gunners, should they be spotted. Two platoons of B 
Company, under 2/Lieutenant R. W. Grace and 
2/Lieutenant W. G. Butler, were detailed for this duty. 

The artillery fired salvoes at the houses at half-hour 
intervals, starting at dusk, and at 1.15 a.m. the 18- 
pounders put down a one-minute barrage 150 yards 
north of the houses, in order to make the garrison keep 
their heads down. This barrage, which was the signal for 
the assault, was timed to lift 800 yards north of the houses 
after one minute, and to remain there for five minutes. 
The two platoons, who made a converging attack from 
south-east and south-west, got through the wire without 
much difficulty and reached the houses. They were 
empty. Rifle fire, however, came from some distance 
beyond, and it seemed pretty evident that our artillery 
fire had driven out the enemy, who had decided to 
take up a position on the spur behind. 

At 1.45 a.m. the enemy suddenly assaulted the 
houses, but were driven off by our rifle and Lewis-gun 
fire, which caused them considerable loss. A flare, fired 
by our men, showed up the enemy as they retired, 
carrying their casualties, and a section was sent out to 
pursue them, but they only succeeded in catching one 
man, who stated that they had had twenty casualties. 

Between 2.80 a.m. and 8 a.m. the enemy made two 
further attempts to assault from the direction of Canove, 
but each attempt was stopped by our fire. 



THE AUSTRIAN ATTACK OF JUNE 15 107 

At 8:80 a.m. two sections of D Company, under 
2/Lieutenant F. J. Wilcox, relieved the two platoons 
of B Company, and established three posts covering the 
houses. They had not been there more than a very 
few minutes before the Austrians again attacked. Once 
more they were stopped, and our left section was pushed 
forward in the hope of catching the enemy retiring. 

Later the enemy delivered a further assault from each 
side of the houses, and in this case succeeded in over- 
running our right post. The position, however, was 
soon restored to us, and at 5.40 a.m. the section was 
ordered by Battalion Headquarters to withdraw to 
our lines. 

During this tour in the trenches, the prevailing 
disease, a sort of very acute type of influenza, attacked 
the Battalion. Every company had some fifteen or 
twenty men affected and laid out by it, but as the effects, 
in the majority of cases, were felt for two or three days 
only, a comparatively small number of men were sent 
to hospital. There was good reason for conserving our 
man power as far as possible since orders were out for 
an offensive by the British Army in conjunction with 
the French on our right. These operations were to be 
undertaken with a view to driving the enemy off the 
actual plateau, and forcing him back on to the Winter 
Stellung, which was a trench system which he had con- 
structed in front of M. Catz and M. Interrotto, some 
one and a half miles behind his present front line. Our 
positions in the event of the attack being successful 
would not be as favourable to us as they were at the 
present time, but it was hoped that the losses inflicted 
on the enemy would be great, and that we should be 
so much nearer to the key of all the Austrian positions 
— namely, M. Catz, M. Interrotto, and the mountains 
overlooking the Val d'Assa (Map No. 4). 

Thus, from June 9 to the 14th our minds and plans 



108 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

were concentrated on this prospective attack. Major 
P. A. Hall was now in command of the Battalion, owing 
to Lieutenant-Colonel Reynolds having assumed tem- 
porary command of the Brigade. 

On the 9th we were relieved in the front line, moving 
back to Brigade support positions in the Lemerle Switch 
and Polderhoek Trench. On the evening of the 14th» 
at a conference at Brigade Headquarters, commanding 
officers were warned of a suspected attack by the 
enemy in the Brenta valley and on the Piave, which 
was thought likely to take place the following morning. 
It was not expected that the actual attack would 
affect the British, though it was probable that the 
enemy's bombardment might extend as far west, in 
order to mislead us as to the real point of attack. 
Plans and preparations for our own attack were to 
continue, zero day for which had been fixed for June 16. 

Such were our information and ideas for the future 
on the night of the 14th. All were doomed to be 
frustrated by the enemy, and that within a very few 
hours. 

At 8 a.m. the following morning the Austrians opened 
an intense bombardment, with guns of every calibre, 
on all our lines of defence. A large amount of gas shell 
was employed. The whole wood resounded with high- 
explosive shells bursting among the rocks. Ammuni- 
tion dumps took fire, and became as dangerous as the 
enemy's shells. Trees crashed to the ground on all 
sides, and within a few minutes death was everywhere. 

The Bucks Battalion immediately took up its battle 
stations in the Lemerle Switch and Polderhoek Trench, 
astride the Boscon road. The orders for the battalion 
holding these positions, in the event of the enemy break- 
ing through the front line, were to hold on to the last 
man. This battalion was not to be used to reinforce 
iorward positions. For the next four or five hours 



THE AUSTRIAN ATTACK OF JUNES 16 109 

shells rained down upon and around this Une, the 
shooting of the enemy being exceedingly good. Al- 
though a break through of the front line was effected, 
the l/4th BattaUon Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry, 
who were in the front trenches, fought every yard of 
ground whilst giving way, and finally succeeded in 
definitely holding up the attack in the neighbourhood 
of Pelly Cross. 

Thus the enemy never actually reached the line 
that the Bucks Battalion were holding, except on the 
extreme right, where he attempted to work round the 
Oxfords' flank ; and the effects of the Austrian attack wifl 
be better understood if the attack is described from the 
Brigade point of view. 

The 48th Division had two Brigades in the line^ 
the 148rd in depth on a one-battaUon front on the left, 
and the 145th on a two-battalion front on the right, the 
whole divisional frontage of four kilometres extending 
from Roncalto to Schulazzon. The 28rd British 
Division were on the right, and the 12th Italian Division 
on the left. Our 144th Brigade was in Divisional reserve, 
with three battalions in camps at Carriola and M. 
Brusabo, and one on the plains at the foot of the 
mountains. 

The Divisional front trench line was of a very irregular 
trace, consisting of a series of acute salients and re- 
entrants, making it impossible for- most posts to see 
what was occurring on either side of them or to give 
each other mutual assistance. The dry bed of the 
Ghelpac ran in front of the left Brigade's Une, the 
western part of it lying in a deep gorge. It was between 
this gorge and Cesuna Wood that the maximum weight 
of the Austrian onslaught fell, and this was the 
extreme western limit of the whole enemy attack. 

At 8 a.m. the enemy's heavy bombardment opened. 
At 7 a.m. his infantry attack was launched, following 



110 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

a concentrated bombardment of the front line. Owing 
to the trees and irregular features of the ground, it was 
in most cases impossible for our men to observe the 
advance, or bring effective fire to bear on the attacking 
colunms, until they were actually on our wire. There 
was also a thick ground mist, which prevented observa- 
tion from our look-out posts. 

The first real break in the Divisional line occurred 
about the high ground near Perghele, where the enemy 
were seen advancing in large numbers about 7.50 a.m. 
From here they swept down the valley behind the 5th 
Gloucestershire Regiment, which held the centre of the 
Divisional line, and, taking this battalion in reverse, 
cut off all communication forward of the Battalion 
Headquarters. The support company took up a position 
astride the valley, but the enemy soon enveloped their 
left, and the company was gradually forced to retire on 
to the Cesuna-Canove road. This line they held for 
some time, until a heavy attack was delivered on their 
right, which forced them back astride the railway and 
severed their connection with the l/4th Battalion Ox- 
ford & Bucks Light Infantry. 

In the meantime, the Oxfords on the right had been 
putting up a very fine resistance. The enemy had, 
very early on, succeeded in driving a wedge between 
them and the Northumberland Fusiliers, who were 
holding the left of the 28rd Divisional Une. The latter 
had been driven on to their switch line. The right 
flank of the Oxfords thus became exposed, and the 
enemy immediately began to work round it. This, 
however, was prevented by the extreme right of the 
Bucks Battalion in the Lemerle Switch. 

By means of Bangalore torpedoes and flammenwerfers, 
the Austrians did succeed in forcing an entry about 
the centre of the Oxfords' line, and by 9 a.m. were in 
complete possession of the front Une. 



THE AUSTRIAN ATTACK OF JUNE 15 111 

Throughout the morning, the Oxfords held up the 
attack in the most determined manner, never giving 
ground more than 200 yards behind the original line. 
By afternoon, however, the situation on their left became 
so serious that they were obliged to fall back on Pelly 
Cross Roads, where they linked up with the l/4th 
Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, two of whose 
companies had been ordered forward in support of 
the Gloucesters. 

Later in the day the enemy attack was further rein- 
forced, and a swaying fight went on until night fell. 

The enemy made little further ground, and at 6 p.m. 
the 145th Brigade front ran from the top of Hill 1021 
to Pelly Cross Roads, and thence along Pine Avenue 
to the Cesuna Switch, where junction was made with 
the 14drd Brigade. 

About 7 p.m. two battalions of the 144th Brigade 
commenced a counter-attack, from the Cesuna Switch 
in a north-easterly direction, with a view to clearing the 
'' pocket '* that the enemy had been held in. This 
made little headway, owing to the immense number of 
enemy machine guns, which were most difficult to 
dislodge from among the rocks and trees. Moreover, 
these battalions found it hard to keep direction, fighting 
through the middle of the wood, with no roads or paths 
to guide them. The attack, however, had the effect of 
reducing the pocket, and certainly impressed the enemy 
with the fact that he was firmly contained, as he made 
no further attempt to advance after this. 

During the night arrangements were made for a 
general counter-attack to take place the next morning 
at 4.80. This attack was completely successful, 
meeting with what thert appeared to be surprisingly 
little resistance. By 5.45 a.m. our original front line 
was entirely reoccupied and many prisoners were 
taken. A message was found on the body of a dead 



112 FIRST BUCiaNGHAMSItllUEl BAtTALION 

Austrian officer^ timed 2.50 a.m.y ordering a complete 
withdrawal to their own original line. Thus the slight 
resistance met with in our counter-attack was accounted 
for, as the movement had by then been largely effected. 

The enemy casualties in the attack had been very 
severe indeed, as was proved by the immense number 
of their dead, which lay strewn over the whole of the 
recaptured area. Of prisoners also we had a great 
number, and these included representatives of every 
unit of no fewer than two divisions, and of several 
imits of two other divisions. A striking feature of the 
attack was the quantity and surprisingly good quality 
of the stores and equipment brought forward. Prac- 
tically every man had evidently been issued with a new 
set of equipment previous to the attack. An enormous 
number of machine guns had been brought forward, 
many of which were left behind on retirement. Nearly 
all these were of the heavy type, and consequently most 
unsuited to a rapid advance over mountainous country 
on the scale which they had evidently anticipated, 
judging from the operation orders captured. These 
orders showed the enemy to have had the most far- 
reaching objectives, which, to those of us who knew 
the country, were almost impossible of attainment, 
even if resistance had been of the weakest, and Austrian 
infantry the finest soldiers in the world-which they 
most assuredly were not. Weight of munbers carried 
them so far as they got, and it may be considered 
partly due to their lack of push and enterprise that 
they failed to exploit a successful initial break through 
into and behind the line of the centre battalion. 

Although the Bucks Battalion did not have a leading 
part to play in this battle, as the line it was holding 
was never attacked, it nevertheless did a great deal of 
important work. 

C Company, on the right, stopped the enemy attempt 



f HE AUSTRIAN ATTACK 01" JUNfi 15 lid 

to envelop the l/4th Oxfords' right. Several large 
officers' patrols were sent out to keep in touch with the 
two forward battalions, and ^on a few occasions they 
found themselves in a position to hold up parties of the 
enemy who had worked their way through. Much 
was done to maintain communication between the for- 
ward line and Brigade Headquarters, all the telephone 
lines having been broken shortly after the bombardment 
commenced. 

Naturally, the Battalion did not suffer casualties to 
the same extent as other units in the Brigade : 

Officers. — Wounded. 2/Lieut. H. R. Pigott. 

2/Lieut. W. G. Butler. 
2/Lieut. P. T. Herbert. 
2/Lieut. F. J. Wilcox. 
2/Lieut. E. T. C. Coxon. 
Capt. H. Noke, C.F. 

Other ranks. — Killed — 8. 

Wounded — 42. 

The days following the attack were fully occupied 
in mending our wire, burying the dead, and generally 
clearing the battle-field. The enemy himself, for the 
next three or four days, appeared to be in a state of 
confusion and suffering from lack of moral. Their men 
were to be seen walking about in daylight behind their 
trenches, having left lengths of their line unoccupied, 
while other parts were crowded. Two or three mountain 
guns, left out in " No Man's Land" after the enemy's 
withdrawal, were brought in by us in broad daylight. 
This state of affairs was exploited further by the 14drd 
and 144th Brigades, which were now holding the line, by 
sending out large patrols with the object of persuading 
the enemy to come back to our lines with them. This, 
8 



114 FIRST BUCKINtiHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

however, was only partially successful, and their 
resistance soon stiffened again. It was evident, 
nevertheless, that the failure of the attack had left its 
mark on the Austrian troops opposite, and that their 
moral was thoroughly shaken by it. 

On June 20, Major-General Sir Robert Fanshawe, 
K.C.B., gave up command of the Division. This was 
a very heavy blow, and was received with the greatest 
dismay throughout the Division. He had commanded 
it for three years, and during this time had won the 
unbounded confidence and affection of all ranks. 

He was succeeded by Major-General Sir H. B. Walker, 
K.C.B., D.S.O. 



CHAPTER XI 

RAIDS 

July to October 1918 

Reference Map No. 4 

Very shortly after the Austrian attack the Division 
was relieved in the line by the 7th Division. 

The 145th Brigade remained in the mountains for 
a week longer than the other two Brigades, acting as 
an additional reserve to the 7th Division in case the 
Austrians should venture to renew their attempt. But 
the situation soon became perfectly normal, and on 
June 80, at 12.30 in the morning, the Battalion marched 
to the Centrale district in the plains. 

Two days later we moved again to billets at Grumo- 
and Cereda. Here an intensely hot fortnight was 
passed, the heat during the day frequently reaching 
over 90° in the shade, and we were by no means dis- 
pleased when we received orders to return to the 
mountains, and to relieve the 28rd Division in the 
right sector of the British front. 

On July 19 the Battalion reached Granezza. This 
tour in the line proved to be one of exceptional activity, 
and ended with the astounding collapse of the Austro- 
Hungarian army. 

Artillery action was considerable and constant on 
both sides. The Austrians, whatever their other 
failings may have been, were by no means to be despised 
as gunners, their shooting being extremely accurate. 

115 



116 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

Raids on the enemy's lines were of an almost nightly 
occurrence along the British and French fronts, the 
raiding parties usually consisting of one or more bat- 
talions. They met with a large, amount of success on 
nearly every occasion, chiefly owing to the fact that 
the more often we raided, the more men did the enemy 
put into his front line, so increasing his casualties 
from our barrage and providing more prisoners for us 
to round up. 

On August 8 and 9 raids were carried out on the 
enemy's trenches along practically the whole British 
and French fronts. These proved entirely successful 
and several hundreds of prisoners were taken, while 
but few casualties were incurred by the raiding troops. 

Preparations and plans for these raids were organised 
with the very greatest care, and worked out to the 
smallest detail. This was in all cases the secret of 
success. 

On the night August 26/27, the Battalion, in conjunc- 
tion with the l/4th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, 
carried out one of these raids, for which the full orders 
are given in Appendix I c, with a view to showing the 
amount of detail to be dealt with. The object of the 
raid was to kill or capture the garrison of the Austrian 
trenches in the neighbourhood of Sec and Ave (Map 
No. 6). Owing to the absence of Lieutenant-Colonel 
L. L. C. Reynolds, D.S.O*, on leave, the general plan 
of the raid was worked out by Major P. A. Hall, M.C., 
though the former returned in time to arrange the details. 

The boundary between the l/4th Royal Berkshire 
Regiment and the Bucks Battalion was the road running 
through the Austrian line midway between Sec and 
Ave, our Battalion's right boundary being the Clama- 
S. M. Maddalena road. We had the assistance of four 
18-pounder batteries, 4*5 and 6-inch howitzers; and 
French '77' s also engaged selected targets. 



MAP N? 5 . 



Area raided on night 26/27 Auc.idis 



ASI ____ 




Scale I : lO.OOO 






YARDS KMO 



' 



.- 222 . 



I it* 





-I 



116] 



RAIDS 117 

At zero (10.40 p.m., August 26) the 18-pounders put 
down a barrage on the enemy front line for five minutes. 
At zero plus five minutes the two right batteries lifted 
on to the sunken road for nine minutes, while the two 
left batteries first lifted for four minutes on to the 
group of dugouts north-east of Lone Tree House, and 
then on to the dugouts about S. M. Maddalena for five 
minutes, lifting again at zero plus 14. to form a protec- 
tive barrage beyond. 

The two right batteries at zero plus 14 lifted on to the 
portion of enemy front line facing south-east (between 
Sec and the Clama road) for eight minutes, when they, 
too, finally lifted off the area to form a protective 
barrage beyond. 

The Battalion formed up behind the Midway House 
ridge. The point of entry for the whole Battalion was 
the trenches between Lone Tree House road and Sec, 
the enemy's front trenches to the right facing south-east 
being taken in reverse in the last phase. 

Three platoons of A Company (Captain J. E. Firmin- 
ger) were responsible for the front line between Sec 
and Lone Tree House, and the fourth platoon for the 
dugouts north-east of Lone Tree House. 

Closely following the barrage D Company (Captain 
B. C. Rigden, M.C.) passed through A Company, two 
platoons dealing with the remainder of the dugouts 
north-east of Lone Tree House, the other two platoons 
those dugouts round S. M. Maddalena. 

B Company (Lieutenant A. L. Brightman) and C 
Company (2/Lieutenant P. T. Herbert) had a more 
difficult task. C Company and two platoons of B 
Company passed through A Company, and moved 
along the west side of a communicator running north 
from Sec. Along this they formed up in two lines 
facing east. The first line took the dugouts in the 
sunken road, while the second line passed through the 



118 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

firsts taking the front-line trench between Sec and the 
Clama road from behind. The other two platoons of 
B Company remained outside the front line until the' 
barrage had lifted dear, when they entered the front 
line just left and right of the sunken road. 

The whole attack went according to programme. 
The 18-pounder barrages were perfect on all lines. 
The timing of " lifts " could not have been better. The 
wire in front of the front-line trench proved a serious 
obstacle, and the leading company had a good many 
casualties in getting through it. 

The front line was strongly held, the garrison putting 
up a good fight with rifle and machine-gun fire. When 
our leading platoons, however, closed with the bayonet, 
the enemy mostly surrendered. 

At Sec, a machine gun was captured and the crew 
shot. A deep dugout, found about fifteen yards west 
of the sunken road, refused to divulge its occupants. 
A smoke bomb changed their ideas and no fewer than 
thirty eventually swarmed out, but as they brought 
their arms with them, the majority got killed. 

The platoons that went to S. M. Maddalena found 
but few of the enemy there. 

The attack on the sunken road and front line facing 
south-east went without a hitch. The former was found 
to be full of dugouts, and a large munber of Austrians 
were killed or taken prisoner. 

The signal to withdraw was given at 12.80 a.m. The 
withdrawal was carried out according to programme, 
and as far as could be then ascertained all bur casualties 
had been brought in. 

The enemy barrage was at no time very heavy, and the 
Austrian infantryman showed but little inclination to 
fight. 

Prisoners taken amounted to about 165, while the 
number killed was estimated to be at least 150, and even 



RAIDS 119 

more if one was to judge from the number of men who 
returned with bloody bayonets. 
Our casualties were : 

Officers, — Wounded. Capt. J. E. Firminger. 

Lieut. A. L. Brightman. 
2/Lieut, L. W. G. Loms. 
2/Lieut. F. W. Blackmore. 
2/Lieut. F. J. Wilcox. 
2/Lieut. F. P. Bates. 

Other ranks. — Killed — 4. 

Wounded — 75. 

Wounded and prisoner — 1. 

Missing — 4 (afterwards presumed killed). 

The raid carried out by the l/4th Royal Berks on our 
right was equally successfid. 

The Commander-in-Chief sent the following message : 

" Please convey my hearty congratulations to men of 
Bucks Battalion and l/4th Royal Berks, and to Brigadier- 
General Watt and staff, on their gallant, well-planned 
and successful raid. The results are of the greatest 
importance in ascertaining the enemy's intentions." 

Several decorations were awarded to the Battalion 
for this operation, the Commander-in-Chief himself 
presenting the medal ribbons at Granezza. 

During the next six weeks trench life, combined with 
a few days' periodical rest at Granezza, continued 
uninterruptedly. 

On August 27, Brigadier-General D. M. Watt, D.S.O., 
handed over command of the 145th Brigade to Brigadier- 
General W. W. Pitt-Taylor, C.M.G., D.S.O., but the 
latter was shortly afterwards appointed B.G.G.S. of 



120 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

the XrVth Corps and Brigadier-General G. W. Howard, 
C.M.G.9 D.S.O., then assumed command of the Brigade. 

About this time all brigades throughout the British 
Force in Italy were reduced to three battalions. The 
l/5th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment was conse- 
quently taken from the 14i5th Infantry Brigade and 
dispatched to France. 

On October 8, Major P. A. Hall, M.C., was appointed 
to command the l/7th Battalion Royal Warwickshire 
Regiment. He had, except for short intervals, been 
with the BattaUon ever since mobilisation, and had 
rendered it invaluable service. 

Captain P. L. Wright, M.C., was now promoted to fill 
his place as 2nd-in-command. 

In connection with these changes on the Battalion 
Headquarters staff, it is worthy of record that no UtUe 
^success had been attained by the oflBcers who origi- 
nally embarked with the BattaUon, or joined it very 
shortly afterwards. The original senior company com- 
mander, then Captain Reynolds, had assumed command 
of the BattaUon early in 1916, and had commanded 
continuously ever since. Promotions to 2nd-in-com- 
mand had invariably been made from officers within 
the BattaUon. In addition, three of our officers had 
been appointed to command other battalions, and two 
others appointed as 2nds-in-command of other units, 
whilst four others had received staff appointments. 

The 48th Division was now the only British Division 
holding the line, as the 28rd Division had shortly before 
been reUeved on our left by troops of the 12th ItaUan 
Corps. It had been intended to send the 23rd and 
7th Divisions to France, but the situation changed, 
and finaUy aU three divisions remained in Italy. 

At the beginning of October, the British Commander- 
in-Chief accepted the command of a mixed ItaUan- 
British Army, with a view to undertaking offensive 



BESERVB lUTTAUOH H.Q., EABEBLiJU 1 



RAIDS 121 

operations on the Piave. The 7th and 28rd Divisions, 
being at this time in reserve, were to form part of this 
new Army, while the 48th Division, in order to make 
as little apparent change as possible, were to remain 
on the Asiago plateau, passing temporarily under the 
command of General Pennella, commanding Xllth 
Italian Corps. 

When raids were not taking place, the sector, and 
more especially our headquarters at Kaberlaba North, 
was peaceful enough, but raids on the enemy lines now 
became more and more frequent, the French on our 
right being particularly successful. 

The following figures show the number of prisoners 
captured during October by means of these raids : 

October 8 : 

6th Battalion R. Warwickshire Regiment 149 

October 10 : 

7th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment . 35 

French Battalion .... 800 

Italians ...... 10 

October 28 : 

l/4th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment 210 

8 Battalions French .... 700 

On the night October 28/29, the Bucks Battalion 
raided the area Sec — S. M. Maddalena — Cassordar, full 
of hope, and anxious to beat all records in prisoners. 
The result was a disappointment. The whole area 
was found to have been completely evacuated by the 
enemy, who had that very night at dusk withdrawn 
to a line 8,000 yards in rear. This line was sited 
at the foot of the mountains which rose from the 
northern edge of the plateau. The enemy had been 
working on it for the past three months, and we had 
learned from prisoners that it was to be their position 



122 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

for the coming winter and was called the **" Winter 
Stellung." One wretched Austrian had been left behind 
in the old line to loose off Verey Ughts, and he formed 
our only capture. 

The dtsoovery of the retirement was, however^ most 
important. The following day, patrols sent out by the 
battalion holding the front line gained touch with the 
enemy at the Winter Stellung, the town of Asiago being 
occupied by the British. 

The enemy's retirement, coupled with his diminish- 
ing moral and the fact that our attack had opened 
successfully on the Piave, made it clear that the time 
was now ripe for dealing him a decisive blow. 

For this we now waited expectantly. 



CHAPTER XII 

THE AUSTRIAN D]feBACLE 

November 1 to 4, 1918 

Reference Map No. 4s 

The sole orders for the initial attack leading up to the 
final operations of the war on the Italian front were 
received in the form of a brief telephone message* 
(Appendix Id.) 

The 48th British Division, in conjunction with the 
24th French Division on the right and the 20th Italian 
Division on the left, was to attack and capture the line 
Croce di S. Antonio— M. Mosciagh, the infantry attack 
to commence at 5.45 a.m. on November 1, 1918. The 
48th Division was to attack with the 145th Brigade 
on the right, the 144th Brigade on the left, and the 
14drd Brigade in reserve; the 145th Brigade to attack 
with the Bucks Battalion on the right, the l/4th 
Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment on the left, and the 
l/4th Battalion Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry in 
reserve. The Bucks Battalion was to form up on a 
line Rendela — ^Ferragh, and to take as its right boundary 
the line Ferragh — west edge of Gallio Wood — road 
C. Giardini to Croce di S. Antonio. Our final objective 
was to be a line of, roughly, 800 yards of front due east 
of Croce di S. Antonio. 

A glance at the map contours will give some idea of 
the mountainous nature of country to be advanced 
over. 

123 



124 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSfflRE BATTALION 

The order to attack arrived when we were in Brigade 
reserve in rest-huts, just north of the Kaberlaba road. 
It was delivered on November 1 at the somewhat in- 
convenient hour of 1 a.m., when everyone, except 
telephone operators and sentries, was asleep. Com- 
panies were scattered, and it was consequently im- 
possible for every man to be up aiid about for at 
least half an hour, and even more. 

Zero was fixed for 5.50 a.m., at which hour we were 
to enter the first objective, the Winter Stellung, which 
lay some seven miles distant. Not a second must be 
wasted if the Battalion was to be formed up in time. 
Companies were to wear fighting order ; water-bottles 
were to be full and haversack rations issued. Iron 
rations were, of course, included in fighting order. 
Packs and blankets had to be left in the huts we 
were vacating, and an officer with half a dozen men 
remained behind to arrange with the Quartermaster as 
to their removal. 

The transport and quartermaster's stores being at 
Granezza, were too far away to be of any immediate 
assistance. Lewis gunners were consequently obliged 
to carry their guns and ammunition during the two-hour 
march to the forming-up positions. 

Great efforts were made to provide tea for the men 
before setting out, but the time available was quite 
insufficient, and many had to start without it. Even 
so, when finally the whole Battalion had been got on 
the road and started off, it was evident that only if we 
were favoured with good going coiild we arrive to time. 

The road, which ran over the old " No Man's Land " 
and through Asiago, had been fairly well repaired during 
the last day or two, and the going was not too bad. 

It was not until the Battalion (Lieutenant-Colonel 
L. L. C. Reynolds, D.S.O.) reached the northern out- 
skirts of Asiago that we encountered enemy shelling. 



THE AUSTRIAN DEBACLE 125 

From here onwards to Rendela progress became most 
uncomfortable, although our casualties were wonderfully 
few. 

The river-bed of the Ghelpac runs here between 
Rendela and Ferragh, on its way from the hills above 
Gallio. The enemy was paying much attention to this 
valley, by putting down a brisk barrage on it. It was 
decided, consequently, to form up on the line of the 
road Rendela— Gallio, with the Battalion's left on 
Rendela, and occupying a frontage of 600 yards. 
A Company (Captain N. S. Flint) formed on the left, 
B Company (Lieutenant E. C. J. AUday) on the right, 
each on a two-platoon frontage. 

C Company (Captain G. W. Higlett, M.C.) and D 
Company (Lieutenant H. A. Beaver) formed behind 
in depth in artillery formation. 

It was 5.80 a.m. exactly when the forming-up was 
completed. Our hurried departure from rest-huts had 
been none too much hurried, and no slower pace coiild 
have been afforded on the road. We were just in 
time, with nothing to spare. 

With the opening of our very thin barrage the enemy's 
barrage quickened, and as the advance proceeded, shells 
whistled their way in both directions just over our 
heads. Soon, sufficient daylight appeared for the 
enemy to see the attack, and rifle and machine-gun 
fire were quickly directed on us from Reutte, Costa, 
Straite and M. Catz. 

The leading wave met with little difficulty in occupying 
the Winter Stellung from Villa Rossi to Reutte, but, 
on attempting to advance from it, met with heavy 
enfilade fire from Costa and M. Catz. 

There was no sign of the attack on the left, from which 
direction this enemy fire came. 

It was obviously impossible for our men to make 
progress without first silencing the enemy's machine 



126 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

guns on M. Catz. A Company therefore attacked Costa, 
and C and D Companies assaulted Straite and Rigoni 
di Sotto, where four machine guns were captured. A 
Company succeeded in rushing Costa, but then got tem- 
porarily held up by two machine guns on the southern 
slopes of M. Catz. Finally, one of these was put out of 
action by one of our Lewis guns, and the other was 
outflanked and its crew killed. 

Meanwhile, C and D Companies continued their 
advance, working up the eastern side of M. Catz and 
assaiilting the crest, where four more machine guns 
were taken. By 7 a.m. M. Catz was ours, and the 
whole garrison had either been killed or taken prisoner. 

The enemy's heavy gunners were not long in spotting 
the khaki figures hunying about the top of M. Catz, 
like ants on a mole-hill. They directed their fire 
accordingly, and soon covered the hill in a black pall 
of smoke, given off by the bursting of 5'9's. The 
hill, however, was ours, and it was our job to get on 
beyond it. 

On the right, B Company had made excellent progress, 
but were now held up by fire from some trenches half- 
way up the western side of Gallio Wood. There were 
but few signs of the French blue uniforms, but it was 
thought possible that they had been attracted to their 
right, just as we had been forced to bear to the left on 
account of M. Catz. Moreover, so long as they were 
working through Gallio Wood it was difflciilt for us 
to see their progress. 

It had now become necessary to send help to B 
Company. D Company were therefore dispatched . to 
the spur north of Rigoni di Sopra. This made it too 
hot for the enemy holding up B Company, and they 
decided to go. 

C Company Qontinued their advance, and made 
good Roccolo N.E. 



THE AUSTRIAN DEBACLE 127 

At 7.80 a.m. a company of the Royal Berkshires had 
come up to the trenches on the southern slopes of 
M. Catz. Their arrival enabled us to straighten out 
our line, preparatory to a further advance. 

The enemy had now been decisively beaten, and even 
his heels were nowhere to be seen. Some isolated posts 
and refugees from the Winter Stellung were encountered 
here and there, but they soon surrendered, several of 
them with machine guns. 

By 10.80 a.m. the Battalion had reached a line 
corresponding approximately with the 1,400 metre 
contour line just south-west of Croce di S. Antonio. 
We were again out of touch with both the French and 
the Royal Berkshires. 

Companies were reorganised on their final objective, 
which had now been attained, while patrols were pushed 
forward and to both flanks. 

No sign of the enemy could be found, except a few 
stragglers who were brought in. The French left 
was found on the east side of the Valle di Nos, and a 
company of the Royal Berkshires came up on our left 
a little later. 

We had known, to our cost, for many months, that 
the enemy had gun positions in the Valle di Nos. Re- 
connoitring parties were accordingly sent out to see 
what could be found there. A number of guns of 
various calibres were foimd. Some had been firing 
until their ammunition supply was exhausted. Others 
had evidently been fired until we were almost up to them, 
when their breech-blocks had been removed and the 
crew had taken to their heels. Efforts had been made 
to get some of the guns away, but they had all 
eventually been abandoned. 

In all, the Battalion captured on this day some 
hundreds of prisoners and a large quantity of material, 
including at least twenty-one guns of all calibres. 



128 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

fifteen machine guns and three motor lorries, besides 
a number of waggons. 

Our casualties had so far been extraordinarily slight : 

Officers.— Wounded. 2/Lieut. J. W. C. Read. 

Other ranks. — Killed— 8. 

Wounded— 80. 
Missing — 1. 

On the left of the Divisional attack little progress had 
been made. The 144th Brigade were held up in front 
of Camporovere, and the 20th Italian Division had 
been unable to get forward at all. Thus it seemed that, 
whatever he was to lose elsewhere, the enemy was 
determined to keep his hold on the Val d'Assa. To 
lose this would assiu'edly mean losing all. 

But our progress on the right, together with that of the 
French, had been so great, that even our present positions 
threatened the rear of the enemy force who were holding 
up the 144th Brigade. The following day was to see 
this put to still better advantage. 

The Battalion remained on the line it had reached • 
at midday on November 1 throughout the afternoon 
and night. Very great care was taken to select the | 

best defensive positions, in view of the possible re- ! 

appearance of the enemy in force to counter-attack the 
ground he had lost. Officers and men were tired out, 
and lack of a cup of tea began to make itself felt. The 
marching, fighting and general excitement of the whole 
day, which had begun at 1 a.m., made us all thankful | 

for even a few hours' halt, but there was little enough 
rest, especially for the officers, who had to reconnoitre 
the ground all round them before nightfall. Being in 
the middle of a wood on the top of a mountain, as we 
now were, made this all the more difficult and all the 
more necessary. 



THE AUSTRIAN Dl^BACLE 129 

The getting forward of our rations caused us much 
anxiety. We had not been in touch with the Quarter- 
master at Granezza since the evening before our orders 
to attack arrived. He had, however, been instructed 
to bring our rations up the road past Reutte. Guides 
were to be sent there to bring him on. Unfortunately, 
but not unnaturally, in an absolutely strange coimtry, 
much of which was wooded, these guides lost their 
way without finding him, and remained out all night. 
The darkness amongst the woods was intense. Of 
mule-tracks leading down the mountain there were 
several, though only one right one ; when found, it 
was no easy matter to keep to it. The 2nd-in-command 
finally set forth in an endeavour to gain touch with 
the transport column. He also lost himself for some 
three hours, before he eventually found the longed-for 
rations towards dawn. Without further mishap, they 
were taken forward, but only to reach the Battalion's 
positions a good half-hour after the Battalion had 
moved off. A party had been left behind to man- 
handle the rations after them. 

Thus, for the second day we set out without tea, and 
this time we were also without water or rations. 

At dawn, the l/7th Battalion Worcestershire Regi- 
ment, who had been concentrated during the night at 
Roccolo N.E., attacked and captured M. Mosciagh from 
the east. This made untenable the enemy positions 
on M. Interrotto, which had given so much trouble to 
the 144th Brigade the previous day. 

The l/4th Battalion Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry 
were at once moved against M. Meatta, where they 
disposed of the enemy garrison with little diiBiculty. 

This turning movement on the part of the Worcesters 

and Oxfords threatened the main, and indeed only, 

line of Austrian retirement— along the Val d'Assa. 

The enemy holding out at the entrance to the valley 

9 



180 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

beat a hurried retreat, and when the 14drd Brigade 
(which had been in reserve the previous day) attacked 
Camporovere at 10 a.m., they met with little resistance 
and advanced very rapidly up the Val d'Assa. By 
dusk they were in touch with the enemy, who were in 
prepared positions on the line Bosson — Vezzena — 
Marcia di Sotto. Here the Austrians were in con- 
siderable strength. 

At 7 a.m. on the 2nd, the Bucks Battalion turned 
due west, and after making good M. Dorbelle, scaled 
M. Mosciagh, relieving the 7th Battalion Worcestershire 
Regiment there. Here, at 2 p.m., our long-lost rations 
and water reached us. We were getting done up for 
want of them, and never, never did tea taste so good. 
Even so, we had to be most careful with both the water 
and the food, as at our present rate of progression and 
most uncertain direction, it might be a long while 
before further supplies reached us. 

On M. Mosciagh were Austrian guns of all calibres ; 
stores and equipment left behind in all the huts testified 
to the hurried retreat of the enemy, and souvenirs lay 
on all sides. 

At 8 p.m. we received orders to move down into the 
VaUe di Portule, where the whole Brigade, less one 
company of the l/4th Oxfords who remained on M. 
Meatta, bivouacked for the night. We found a large 
number of enemy huts here, but not sufficient to shelter 
the whole Brigade. Many of us were consequently 
obliged to spend another freezing cold night in the 
open, with no greatcoats and no blankets. These 
huts, which the Austrians had made themselves, were 
well fitted up. There was no lack of stoves, which 
worked well and gave out a good amount of heat. 
Tables, chairs and wire beds were quite mmierous, all 
of them having been obviously made by the enemy 
on the spot. Packs, greatcoats and small articles of 



THE AUSTRIAN DEBACLE 181 

equipment, together with papers, magazines, books 
and orders, were strewn over the whole encampment. 
The clothing for the most part was infested with vermin, 
which was natural, seeing the general state of filth 
which had been allowed to accumiilate everywhere. 
A fairly well- stocked canteen was also found and 
promptly raided. In an adjoining hut a cask of brandy 
was unearthed, but the finders gave vent to such a 
shout of joy that the Adjutant took steps to ascertain 
the cause, and, on learning it, decided to place a strong 
guard over the cask. 

Evidence abounded of the extreme haste of the 
enemy to get clear of the place. Judging from appear- 
ances, the flight had been considerably hampered by 
our shelling. Transport waggons, motor lorries and 
guns had become ditched by the roadside and so left. 
Horses, still harnessed to their carts, lay across the 
road, dead or dying ; while their drivers had, in many 
instances, suffered a like fate. 

It was the novelty of these sights, and the general 
feeling that we were really getting on with the war, 
which kept us all going, tired as we were. 

At 3 a.m. the following day (November 8) the whole 
Division resumed the advance. 

At 4.80 a.m. the Advanced Guard (148rd Brigade, 
with a Brigade of Field Artillery) commenced its attack 
on the Vezzena position. Considering the strength of 
the enemy on this line, a very feeble resistance was 
offered, and by 8 a.m. a large force, consisting of some 
fourteen battalions, was surrounded and captured. 

The Ilird Austrian Corps conunander and three di- 
visional commanders, with their staffs, were amongst 
the prisoners taken. 

Vezzena had been their corps headquarters. The 
huts, of which there were a large number, contained 
food and fodder sufiicient to last a corps for very many 



182 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSmRE BATTALION 

weeks. One huge hut contained nothing but flour, 
another dried vegetables, another hay and straw, and 
so on, embracing everything which an army in the 
field requires. The tale of shortage of food in the 
Austrian army appeared an unUkely one when we saw 
a sight of this kind, and yet shortage there must have 
been, or their men would not have looked so thin and 
badly nourished as they did. 

The march of the main body, headed by the Battalion, 
proved to be a most memorable one. Abandoned guns, 
waggon parks, anmiunition dumps, lay by the side of 
the whole route ; the roads were Uttered with articles 
of Austrian equipment. In their anxiety to travel as 
fast and as lightly as possible, the enemy had cast away 
all that encumbered him. Gas masks, helmets, packs, 
haversacks, and, finally, rifles lay scattered along the 
road, down which but a few hours before the routed 
army had passed in their helpless, panic-stricken flight. 
One's dream of the typical army rout of history days 
had come true, and indeed surpassed all imagination. 

As we neared Vezzena, we met whole battalions of 
the enemy marching to the rear, under the escort of a 
handful of British soldiers. In many cases an Austrian 
battalion commander led back his battalion complete, 
while in front of him walked a man with the white flag. 
Generals were permitted to ride, at footpace. 

It was a pathetic sight to see these thousands of men 
trudging their weary way to our rear. Their spirit 
was broken, and tragedy was written plain on every 
officer's face. 

Our Divisional commander had sent forward a car 
to pick up and bring back the Austrian corps com* 
mander, doubtless with the idea of eliciting full in- 
formation from him as speedily as possible. 

Just short of Vezzena we halted for a meal. We 
had been on the road for seven hours, and had begun 



THE AUSTRIAN DISbACLE 188 

to feel the effects. Excitement had kept every man 
going, and even the most sore-footed and weary held 
on, hoping that round the next comer he would see 
the Emperor Charles, with his hands up and shouting 
" Kamerad I " 

On passing Vezzena, on the road towards M. Rovere, 
the same strange sights continued to present themselves. 
As we advanced along the valley, a party of the enemy 
500 or 600 strong were seen wending their way towards 
us down the side of the hill. Curiosity developed into 
astonishment when it was noticed that every man of 
them was armed with a rifle, while machine guns could 
be seen on the backs of mules which brought up their 
rear. This party seemed to think little of an enemy 
division marching in column of route through their 
country, while the idea that a few bursts from their 
machine guns, fired from the commanding position 
they held, would wipe us off the road, had not appar- 
ently struck them, as it had certainly struck us. So 
far as we were concerned there was no time, and ap- 
parently no necessity, to discontinue our march. The 
whole situation was so entirely favourable to us, that 
delay even now might mar the full fruits of what should 
be the most gigantic victory. So only one officer with 
a platoon was fallen out to deal with the enemy 
coliunn. This officer, by means of an interpreter, 
ordered the column to halt, and requested the officer 
in charge to come down to him. The Ueutenant-colonel 
who compUed with this request appeared surprised when 
told that his battalion must march past, and every man 
lay down his arms as he did so. He was apparently 
under the impression that an armistice existed. How- 
ever, on our further explanation that the rest of his 
corps had already performed the trifling ceremony that 
was required of him, and that his corps commander was 
in our hands, he dedded to comply with the demand. 



184 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

Advancing down the precipitous slopes of M. Rovere 
into the Val Sugana, the Battalion occupied Caldonazzo 
at 8.80 p.m. This town turned out to be either an 
Army or Corps railhead, and a large quantity of rolling- 
stock lay in the station and sidings. One complete 
train, loaded with 200 field-guns, had failed to get away, 
presumably owing to shortage of engines. Quantities 
of mimitions, equipment and stores lay there ready 
for loading, while in an adjoining field was a large 
park of guns of all calibres, including one 17-inch 
howitzer. 

On this afternoon, November 8, 1918, the G.S.O.I. 
of the division proceeded to Trent, the headquarters 
of the Third Austro-Hungarian Army, demanding the 
surrender of Trent and Pergine, with all hostile troops 
in the area. This demand was complied with. 

The 144th and 145th Brigades billeted for the night 
November 8/4 in Caldonazzo. There was again little 
enough rest on that night, as some 10,000 prisoners had 
been collected here and guards had to be furnished over 
them. 

The Battalion had on this day been fourteen hours 
on the move, and covered twenty-five miles. With 
little sleep and often short of water, the test had been 
severe, and one wondered how much longer it was to 
continue. Our astonishing experiences, and the know- 
ledge that the 48th Division was the first British 
Division to enter an enemy's country on the Western 
front, had done wonders towards helping us along. 

It was with little surprise that, about 7 a.m. the 
next day, November 4, 1918, we received this 
message : 

" Armistice with Austria-Hungary has been signed 
8rd November. — ^Armistice will come into effect from 
15.00 hours (8 p.m.), 4th November. — ^Moves ordered 



THE AUSTRIAN DI&BACLE 135 

for 4th Nov. will take place, but all troops will halt on 
the line gained at 15.00 hours exactly. — ^All Austrians 
within the line gained this hour will be considered 
prisoners-of-war. — ^Austrians not within this line will 
at 15.00 hours retire for a distance of at least three 
kilometres. — The utmost care will be taken to see that 
these instructions are carried out. — ^The contents of 
this wire will be immediately passed to all units who 
are in touch, in case they shoiild not receive them by 
other methods. — ^Acknowledge." 

The Battalion took the news quietly. We were too 
weary to be jubilant ; besides which, our rations for 
the day had not arrived, and there is never cause for 
joy under those conditions. Nor would these rations 
have turned up before we moved, had it not been 
for the strenuous efforts of the Quartermaster, Captain 
E. Nichol. 

At 10 a.m. the Brigade (less l/4th Battalion Oxford & 
Bucks Light Infantry, who remained in charge of the 
prisoners) once more took to the roads, and, after 
marching sixteen miles, reached by 8 p.m. the little 
village of Madrano, just east of Pergine. The towns 
and villages through wliich we passed were filthy in 
the extreme. Dead horses lay at intervals along the 
road, while the villagers were getting to work cutting 
rump-steaks off them. 

Except for a few stragglers, no further signs of the 
enemy were seen. 

The captures made by the Division since November 1 
amounted to some 22,000 prisoners, 165 howitzers, 
263 guns, besides uncountable small arms, machine 
guns, and material of all kinds. In addition, there were 
large nimibers of abandoned guns in the neighbourhood 
of Vezzena and along the Val d' Assa, of which no count 
could be made. 



186 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

On the evening of November 4, the Divisional Com- 
mander issued the following Order of the Day : 



" Officers, N.C.O.'s and Men of the 48th Division, 
" Your achievement during the last few days of 
the most profound military events deserves unstinted 
praise. After fourteen weeks of trench warfare and 
arduous work, chiefly at night, combined with frequent 
raids of the most difficult though successful nature, you 
have undertaken an attack on a front originally allotted 
to two divisions, against what ought to have been 
impregnable mountain positions ; you have swept 
away the enemy rearguards, and, acting as the van- 
guard of the Sixth Italian Army, you have advanced 
so rapidly and with such resolution, that the retiring 
enemy have had no time to reform and have left over 
20,000 prisoners, hundreds of guns and immeasurable 
booty in the hands of the Division. 

" The mere performance of the march in the time» 
and under the conditions you endured, would have 
been, even without opposition, considered a creditable 
feat. You can justly claim that the favourable situation 
of the Italian Armies on this front at 15.00 hours to-day, 
when one of the most memorable armistices in history 
was signed, is largely due to your exertions and resolu- 
tion. 

" As your Divisional Commander I cordially thank 
you. 

{Sd.) H. B. Walker, Major General 

" Cdg. isSth Division.^^ 



(( 



A few days later the Divisional Commander received 
the following message from General F. R. Earl of Cavan, 
K.P., K.C.B., M.V.O., Commanding-in-Chief British 
Force in Italy : 



THE AUSTRIAN DEBACLE 137 

" I have been waiting to hear from Sixth Army Com- 
mander outlines of your great victory. I have also 
been waiting for the definite order for your concentration 
with the XlVth Corps. To-day I have received both, 
and I hasten to send all ranks my intense appreciation 
of their great service, and my sincere thanks to you 
personally for the drive and determination with which 
you conducted your arduous operations. 

" The C.I.G.S. sent his special congratulations to the 
48th Division to-day by King's Messenger. British 
troops may well be proud of their actions in mountains 
and in plains, but the pride I. feel in them exceeds all." 

And this, incredible as it seemed, was really the end 
of the war for the Bucks Battalion. 

How little had we guessed, when we left that cold 
dark camp by the Kaberlaba road four days before, 
that we were setting out on an attack which would so 
swiftly complete an overwhelming disaster to Austrian 
arms and Austrian Empire, greater and more fatal 
than AusterUtz or Sadowa ! 



CHAPTER XIII 

AFTER THE ARMISTICE — ^THE END 

November 1918 to March 1919 

Although we had good reason to hope that, for us, 
the Great War was over, there still remained the possi- 
bility that we might be called upon for an attack on 
Germany through Austria, and rumour, always busy 
when hopes were high, was inclined to send us back to 
the Western front, despite the news that operations 
were going wondrously well there without us. Our fate 
was decided, at any rate temporarily, on November 6, 
by receipt of orders to march back to Caldonazzo on 
the following morning. This proved to be the first of 
a six days' march, covering in all some eighty miles. 
Other nights were spent at our old haunts Vezzena, 
Val Portule, Granezza, Thiene, and on November 18 
we reached the rest-billets allotted to the Battahon in 
the villages of Maglio and Novale. 

Before the start on this march from Madrano, the 
Battalion had collected a motley assortment of ad- 
ditional transport which we had captured during the 
advance. It included five Austrian waggons with their 
horses, all of an indifferent stamp, underfed and ill- 
cared for, and a cooker drawn by two white ponies, 
rather bigger than mice. These must have been the 
favourites of the Austrians, and they were the deUght 
of our own Transport section, every man clamouring 
to be detailed as their driver. 

138 



AFTER THE ARMISTICE— THE END 139 

The various Austrian dumps provided more than 
sufficient material wherewith to fill our extra waggons, 
while at Vezzena it became most difficult to determine 
what should be taken and what left ; for, as has been 
previously mentioned, this place had formed the dump 
of an Austrian Corps. 

It was decided that flour, oats and hay would best 
repay their carriage, so our loads were made up largely 
of these. 

To every company was allotted a sack of the captured 
flour, from which each man could make his own pudding. 
One man, however, thought stolen flour, like stolen 
kisses, the sweetest, and preferred to disregard orders 
and loot his portion ; but he broke into the wrong hut, 
and was found later endeavouring to make his pudding 
out of cement. 

At Granezza we received the great news that an 
armistice had been signed with Germany. We knew, 
of course, that this meant complete victory, but already 
we had lived ten crowded days of glorious life : hard 
fighting and hard marching, the utter rout of the whole 
Austrian Army, captures of prisoners, guns and material 
beyond our wildest dreams, the surrender of Trent, an 
armistice at our dictation, the daily rising flood of good 
news from France, bearing on its crest the certainty 
of speedy triumph. Enthusiasm could hardly mount 
higher. 

It would be difficult to explain why so many of us 
were sorry to bid a last farewell to Granezza, for there 
was remarkably little attractive about it. But there 
had been so many occasions when, during a long turn 
in the trenches, we had looked forward intensely to a 
rest here, that no doubt it had come to frame itself 
in our minds as a pleasant spot. We had thought of 
Granezza when pleasant spots were rare, and our ideas of 
pleastire and comfort easily satisfied. But with visions 



140 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

of home in England, there was really little sense in our 
regrets at leaving. 

The march down the hill and on south to Thiene was 
a long one of some twenty-two miles. The men, as 
usual, marched exceedingly well, in spite of having been 
on the road throughout the four previous days. 

At Thiene we were ordered to hand over to the Italian 
authorities the whole of our captured transport, in- 
cluding even the two white ponies, which the Transport 
section dearly loved and longed to retain. 

The following day's march of eighteen miles carried 
us to the villages of Maglio and Novale. It had been 
hinted that these were to be our final billets, so that 
we were most anxious that they should be comfortable 
or, at any rate, prove capable of being made so. De- 
mobilisation was an uncertain quantity, and no man 
knew how much longer it would be necessary for him 
to remain in Italy. Though of one thing, every ofiBcer, 
N.C.O. and man was quite convinced — that when de- 
mobilisation did start he himself should be the very 
first man to be released. 

On the whole, the billets did prove good, and were 
soon made still better. 

" Spit and polish " at once became the order of the 
day. Discipline, so far from being relaxed, became 
stricter. On the other hand, the hours of training 
were considerably reduced, and sports and games 
organised and encouraged to fill the hours of leisure. 
Competitions of every description, organised by every 
unit and formation, became almost bewildering. 

Of the Brigade events the Battalion won the cross- 
country race, and the inter-battalion and inter-company 
football competitions. C Company, who always seemed 
to shelter at least a dozen first-class players, were 
responsible for winning the Battahon competition, and 
represented the Brigade in the Divisional competition. 



XHB I^iSE QDABTBB QUABD, HALT, 1»U. 



AFTER THE ARMISTICE— THE END 141 

where they reached the final before being beaten by 
a company of the l/7th Battalion Worcestershire 
Regiment. 

Training became largely a matter of drill, though 
difficulty was experienced even in this, as the size of 
the biggest field was only just large enough to allow of 
battalion drill being carried out on it. 

All the necessaries were obtained to enable every 
man to turn himself out as smartly as possible, and 
at the end of a few weeks the Battalion probably looked 
smarter than it had ever done since the day it left 
Chelmsford on March 80, 1915. 

The results showed themselves in inspections carried 
out by the Divisional and Brigade Commanders, and 
by a French Divisional Commander, by all of whom 
the Battalion was congratulated on its turn-out, smart- 
ness and march past. 

Christmas was anticipated by the purchase in Nov- 
ember of three large pigs, and a pig " board," which 
was specially appointed to superintend their welfare 
and organise their rations, became the target of no 
little humour — and this in spite of its members' 
efficiency. 

In the past we had always been rather proud of being 
able to secure sufficient turkeys for the Battalion, but 
this year the home-fed pig was even more popular, 
and Christmas dinners of pork, vegetables, plum 
pudding, oranges, nuts and beer, were voted a huge 
success. 

Demobilisation, which at first proceeded slowly, 
quickened up about the middle of January, and gradu- 
ally increased throughout February, when men were 
dispersed at the rate of over fifty a week. 

Those men who had enlisted during and after 1916, 
and who were consequently retained in the Service, 
were given the choice of two battalions to which they 



142 FIRST BUCKINGHAMSHIRE BATTALION 

could transfer, the l/5th Battalion Royal Warwickshire 
Regiment and the l/6th Battalion Gloucestershire 
Regiment, these being the two which had been 
detailed to represent the Division in the Army of 
Occupation. The Royal Warwicks were to remain in 
Italy, while the Gloucesters were to be moved to 
Scutari. 

The large majority of our men voted for the 6th 
Royal Warwicks, partly on account of their destination, 
but chiefly because they were now conunanded by 
Lieutenant-Colonel P. A. Hall, D.S.O., M.C., a Bucks 
officer. 

To those of us who were left with the Battalion, this 
form of demobilisation became a most melancholy 
proceeding. To watch the Battalion, of which we 
were all so proud, being gradually reduced to nothing, 
was depressing in the extreme. One longed that the 
end could have come with a last and final dis- 
missal of the full BattaUon on a parade ground in 
England. 

By the middle of March we were reduced to a cadre 
of five officers and fifty other ranks, which was the 
most that any infantry unit was allowed to retain in 
order to bring home the Regimental stores. 

On March 23 the cadre left Novale, reaching 
Aylesbury on the 31st. Here these remnants, under 
Lieutenant-Colonel L. L. C. Reynolds, D.S.O., paraded 
once again on that Square in front of the Town Hall 
where, more than four and a half years ago, the whole 
Battalion had paraded on mobilisation. 

And so ended for us those wonderful years, in our brief 
record of which no claim is made of greater deeds than 
were achieved by others ; enough that the Battalion 
never failed to uphold the great traditions of the British 
Army. Throughout those long, hard years, trying to 
the utmost the patience, the resolution, the courage 



ROLLS OF OFFICERS 171 

C Company 

Capt. G. W. Higlett, M.C. 
2/Lieut. P. T. Herbert, M.C. 

D Company 

Lieut. H. A. Beaver. 

2/Lieut. J. W. C. Read (wounded). 

2/Lieut. J. R. Pike. 

2/Lieut. C. B. Ellwood. 



APPENDIX III 

HONOURS AND DECORATIONS GAINED BY 
OFFICERS OF THE 1ST BUCKS BATTALION 

C.M.G. 

lieut-Col. F. O. Wethered, attached 6th Battalion Royal 
Warwickshire Regiment. 

Bab to D.S.O. 

Lieut.-Col. L. L. C. Reynolds. 

Lieut.-Col. A. J. N. Bartlett, attached l/4th Battalion Oxford 
& Bucks Light Infantry. 

D.S.O. 

Gained while serving with the Battalion 

Lieut.-Col. C. P. Doig, Seaforth Highlanders (attached). 

Lieut.-Col. L. L. C. Reynolds. 

Major P. A. HaU. 

Major P. L. Wright. 

Capt. E. v. D. Birchall. 

Capt. N. S. Reid. 

Gained while serving with other Units 

Lieut.-Col. A. B. Lloyd-Baker, attached l/4th Battalion 

Royal Berkshire Regiment. 
Lieut.-Col. A. J. N. Bartlett, attached l/4th Battalion 

Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry. 
Major C. J. Mitchell, G.S.O.d, 48th Division. 
Major H. Y, Combs, 2drd Battalion Machine Gun Corps. 

172 



HONOURS AND DECORATIONS 178 

Bab to Military Cross 
Gained while serving tvUh the BaUalion 
Capt. B. C. Rigden. 

IfiUTART Cross 
Gained while serving with the Battalion 

Capt. N. S. Reid. 
„ H. V. Combs. 
„ P. A. HaU. 
„ P. L. Wright. 
„ E. Nichol. 
yy J. E. Firminger. 
,, H. J. Pullman. 

„ A. P. Darby (Essex Regiment, attached). 
„ L. E. Hughes (R.A.M.C.y attached). 
„ N. S. Flint. 
Lieut. M. Bowen. 

A.. D. B. Brown. 
G. W. Higlett. 
2/Lieut. B. C. Rigden. 

,, J. F. Amott (Wiltshire Regiment, attached). 

„ 6. A. Johnston. 

„ C. G, Reeves. 

„ D. Fallon. 

,, 6. B. Baker. 

„ F. P. Bates. 

„ F. W. Blackmore. 

W. G. Butler. 
„ C. B. Ellwood. 
„ P. T. Herbert. 
„ F. J. Wilcox. 
Capt. H. Noke, C.F. 

Gained while serving with other VnUs 

Major 6. R. Crouch, attached l/5th Gloucestershire Regi- 
ment. 
Capt. G. E. W. Bowyer, attached 61st Division. 

B. Green, attached Machine Gun Corps. 

F. L. Wright, attached 11th Division, G.S.0.8. 






99 
99 



1T4 APPENDIX III 

Capt. J. B. Hill, attached 144th Infantry Brigade (SUff 
Captain). 
,, J. B. Hales, attached 48th Division^ 6.S.O.8. 
2/Lieut. F. M. Passmore, attached 2/lst Bucks Battalion. 
„ C. E. Clothier» attached 145th Trench Mortar 
Battery. 

Order of the British Empibs 

Capt. J. B. Hill, attached 144th Infantry Brigade (SUff 
Captain). 



Mentioned in Dispatches 

While serving with the Battalion 

Lieut.-Col. C. P. Doig (Seaforth Highlanders, attached). 

„ L. L. C. Reynolds (five times). 
Major A. B. Lloyd-Baker (twice). 
„ P. A. HaU. 
„ P. L. Wright (twice). 
Capt. E. V. D. Birchall. 
„ N. S. Reid. 
„ H. V. Combs. 
6. R. Crouch. 
R. Gregson-Ellis. 
J. E. Firminger. 

B. Green. * 

„ * G. L. Troutbeck. 
„ J. B. Hales. 
„ C. G. Reeves. 

L. E. Hughes (R.A.M.C., attached). 
H. S. Thomas (R.A.M.C., attached). 
A. P. Darby (Essex Regiment, attached). 
Lieut. W. Maggs. 
„ L. McCracken, 
„ G. V. Neave. 
„ E. Nichol. 
2/Lieut. F. J. A. Corfield. 
F. M. Passmore. 



99 



99 

99 
99 



99 



HONOURS AND DECORATIONS ITS 

While serving mth other Units 

Lieut.-Col. A. B. Lloyd-Baker, attached l/4th Battalion 

Royal Berkshire Regiment. 
Lieut.-Col. P. A. Hall, attached l/7th Battalion Royal 

Warwickshire Regiment. 
Major C. J. Mitchell, attached 48th Division, G.S.O.d. 
Major H. V. Combs (twice), attached 2drd Battalion Machine 

Gun Corps. 
Capt. E. L. Wright (twice), attached Vllth Corps, G.S.O.8., 

and 2nd Division, Brigade Major 6th Infantry Brigade. 
Capt. J. B. Hill (twice), attached 144th Infantry Brigade 

(Staff Captain). 

FOREIGN DECORATIONS 

French Cboix de Guerre avec Vaime 
Lieut.-Col. L. L. C. Reynolds. 

Italian Silver Medal for Valour 

Lieut.-Col. L. L. C. Reynolds. 
Capt. J. E. Firminger. 
2/Lieut. L. W. G. Loms. 

Italian Bronze Medal for Valour 

Capt. N. S. Flint. 
2/Lieut. L. R. Curram. 

Gained while serving with other Units 

Lieut.-Col. P. A. Hall, attached l/7th Battalion Royal 
Warwickshire Regiment. 

Italian Croce di Guerra 
Gained while serving with other Units 

Lieut.-Col. A. B. Lloyd-Baker, attached l/4th Battalion 

Royal Berkshire Regiment. 
Capt. J. B. Hill, attached 144th Infantry Brigade (SUff 

Captain). 



APPENDIX IV 

HONOURS AND DECORATIONS GAINED BY 
WARRANT OFFICERS, N.CO/s, AND MEN 
OF THE 1ST BUCKS BATTALION WHILE 
SERVING WITH THE BATTALION 



MnjTABY Cross 



SagtL 
No. 



Bank. Name. 

265001 C.S.M. Sirett, A. Q. 
212 «, Smith, F. 



Begtl. 
No. Bank. Name. 

62414 R.S.M. Vincent, H. 
265030 C.S.M. Watts, H. 



DiSTINOUISHED 

2403 GorpL Atkins, T. W. 

2406 Sergt. Baker, H. G. 

1865 „ Baldwin, W. J. 

2244 Oorpl. Barnwell, W. Q. 
265078 CSJf. Bishop, S. G. 
266791 Sergt. Bowery, G. 
266100 „ Bridges, E. 
266447 Oorpl. Buckland, W. 

1208 L/C^l. Gostelow, G. 
265004 Sergt. Golding, T. 
265610 „ Hopcraft, T. P. 



Conduct Medal 

2682 Sergt. Jennings, P. 
266062 G.S Jf . Loveday, a 

2710 Pte. Nolan, M. 
200212 L/Cpl. Merriman, H. 
266046 G.S.M. Richardson, G. A. 
266146 Sergt. Satinders, W. G. 

2238 BuglerScragg, J. E. 
266343 Sergt. Smit^ W. 
266698 Pte. Stevens, E. J. 
266861 Corpl. Yeo, A. C. 



MrUTABY MXDAL 



266114 
3566 
2031 
1935 
2244 

265791 

33906 

2875 

201335 
33818 

266667 

202073 



Sergt. 
L/Qpl. 
CorpL 
Sergt. 
Corpl. 
L/Sgt. 
L/Cpl. 
Pte. 



» 



Allaway, C W. 
Auger, G. 
Baldwin, G. 
Baldwin, J. W. 
Barnwell, W. G. 
Bowery, G. 
Brolley, J, 
Busby, G. C. 
Bushnell, C. 
Carey, A. A. 
Cattell, W. W. 
aark, J. 



267670 
266473 
265296 
266058 
266352 
285002 

33569 

265135 

2973 

34033 

1908 

266452 






Pte. Cohen, M. 

Gripps, F. T. 

Cross, H. E. 

Cutter, F. 

Dickens, W. 
Sergt. Dixon, G. H. 
L/Q>L Evans, J. 
Sergt. Fountain, A. G« 
"L/Cpl. Garrett, F. R. 
Pte. Getting, J. T. 
L/Cpl. Goldswain, J« 
CorpL Guise, W. F. 



176 



HONOURS AND DECORATIONS 



177 



No. Rank. 



33496 

265036 

1805 

266461 

2072 

265803 

265119 

2582 

265498 

265712 

285074 

33999 
265478 
265670 
265642 
265107 

33940 
1392 
265046 
266371 
265923 
2299 
201637 

33689 
267533 
266286 



Corpl. 

Sergt. 

L/Cpl. 

Pte. 

L/Cpl. 

Corpl. 



tt 



L/Cpl. 
Pte. 
Sergt. 
Pte. 



tt 



Sergt. 

Pte. 

Corpl. 

L/Cpl. 

tt 
Sergt. 
L/Cpl. 
Sergt. 
Corpl. 
Corpl. 
Pte. 
L/Cpl. 
Pte. 



Name. 

Guise, T. H. 
Hart, A. J. 
Haynes, J. G. 
Herbert, A. 
Hicks, F. A. 
Hines, W. 
Hollyoake, A. G. 
Jennings, P. 
Lamboume, W. 
Lovell, S. 
Moore, F. 
Murphy, J. 
Niblett, T. W. 
Piddington, F. 
Pluniridge,P. 
Porterfield, V. E. 
Pounteney, T. F. 
Odell, G. H. 
Richardson, G. A. 
Bobbins, W. G. 
Rogers, S. G. 
Rogers, F. L. 
Salcombe, G. 
Saunders, J. 
♦ Seward, F. G. 
Seymour, A. E. 



Begtl. 
No. Bank. 



Name. 



1246 
266469 

33947 
265974 
278 
266266 
285065 
265105 
266733 
2097 
266528 
265279 
267535 

33874 

2217 

265622 

265292 

266899 

33584 
266045 
266275 
265405 
267542 

34011 
266078 



L/Cpl. Shaw, F. T. 
Corpl. Shillingford, J. 
L/C5pl- Shepperd, W. 
Sergt. Sinclair, F. J. 
Corpl. Smewin, G. 
Pte. Smith, F. 
„ Smith, S. 
Sergt. Stokes, A. 
Corpl. Stone, S. 
L/C^l. Timson, F. W. 
L/C^l. Tipping, T. 
Pte. Twitchen, G. 
L/Cpl. Underwood, W. 

VigUTB, W. 

Vincent, T. W. 
Way, H. J. P. 
Sergt.* Wallington, G. 
Corpl. Waters, T. H. 
Pte. Wellington, R. 
Corpl. West, J. 
L/C^l. Windsor, R. 
Sergt. Woodham,S.T.H. 
Pte. Worling, A. 
„ Wright, H. 
L/Cpl. Young, A. E. 



t» 
tt 



tt 



265095 R.Q.M.S. Benning, W. J. 
265054 C.Q.M.S. JoUiffe, B. 
265021 Q.M.S. McBright,S. 
265038 Sergt. Newton, S. W. 



MSBTTOBIOUS SbBVIGE MbDAL 

265128 L/Cpl. Read, J. 
265334 C.Q.M.S. Sawyer, H. 
265358 Sergt. Steptoe, F. J. 



265095 
265615 
265641 
2659^1 
265098 
265655 
265054 
265038 
265478 
265066 
265260 



R.Q.M.S. 

Sergt. 

tt 
Private 
C.Q.M.S. 
L/Cpl. 
C.Q.M.S. 
Sergt. 

tt 



Mentioned in 

Benning, W. J. 
Canvin, H. A. 
Carter, H. 
Crook, E. H. 
How, W. E. 
Hyde, E. V. 
Jollifie, B. 
Newton, S. W. 
Niblett, T. W. 
Nicholson, S. R. 
Orchard, R. 



Dispatches 
265046 C.S.M. 



265375 
265923 
265334 
265974 
265358 
265105 
265602 
265651 



Sergt. 



tt 



C.Q.M 

Sergt. 



tt 



tt 



Sergt. 
L/Cpl. 



Richardson, G, 

A. (twice) 
Rivers, G. 
Rogers, S. G. 
S. Sawyer, H. 
Sinclair, F. J. 
Steptoe, F. J. 
Stokes, A. 
Tabemer, T. M. 
Witney, F. 



FOREIGN DECORATIONS 

Cboix db Gxtbbbe 
265078 C.S.M. Bishop, S. G. 

* Denotes award of Bars. 



12 



178 APPENDIX IV 

(Beloiak) Cboix db Gusbbb 
33548 CorpL Collins, H.E. 

Itauan Cboob di Qubbba 



265114 Seigt. AUaway, C. W. 
200212 Pie. Merriman, H. 
265140 h/CpL Odell^Q.H. 



266343 Sergt. Smith, W. 
265046 C.S.M. Richardson, G. A« 
267548 Pie. Worraker, A. 



Mbdal 01* St. Qxobgb (2nd Glass) 
2244 CoxpL Barnwell, W. G. 

(Itauan) Mxdaolio di Bbonzo 
33000 Pte. CampbeU, A. | 265074 Sergt. Sinclair, F. J. 

BXLQIAN ObDEB db LEOPOLD 11 ChEYALIBB 

265260 Sergt Orchard, B. 



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196 



APPENDIX VI 

NOMINAL ROLL OF WARRANT OFFICERS, 
N.C.O.'S AND MEN WHO SERVED WITH 
THE BATTALION DURING THE PERIOD 
MARCH 1915— DECEMBER 1918 



Abbey, H. E. 
Abbott, A. 
Abbott, G. 
Abbott, S. 
Abbott, W. 
Abrahams, H. 
Absolem, G. J. S. 
Adams, A. E. 
Adams, E. 
Adams, F. 
Adams, H. 
Adams, H. B. 
Adams, J. 
Adeunson, T. 
Aitken, R. S. 
Alcock, J. 
Alcock, L. J. 
Alderman, B. H. 
Aldoiis, A. 
Aldred, A. 
Aldridge, G. 
Alexander, A. 
Allaway, C. W. 
Allchurch, H. 
Allen, A. 
Allen, G. H. 
Allen, H. 
Allen, L. B. 
Allen, B. 
Allen, S. 
Allport, S. 
Allum, E. G. 
Alworthy, A. 
Anderson, A. M. 
Anderson, J. A. 
Andrews, W. 
Annear, L. G« 



Anstead, E. 
Anstee, W. A. 
Anstiss, F. W. 
Appleby, J. 
Arlick, H. 
Arlick, B. 
Armitage, C. 
Armitage, H. 
Armstrong, T. 
Arnold, B. 
Ashford, A. 
Ashley, F. L. 
Ashley, G. W. 
Aston, D. 
Aston, H. E. 
Atkins, A. 

Atkins, D. 
Atkins, E. 
Atkins, G. 
Atkins, H. 
Atkins, J. 
Atkins, S. J. 
Atkins, T. C. 
Atkins, T. W. 
Atkins, W. H. 
Atkinson, J. 
Attwood, T. 
Auger, C. 
Austin, A. G. 
Austin, J. 
Austin, T. 
Avery, H. 
Avery, T. W. 
Axtell, A. E. 
Axtell, A. 
Ayres, B. 

197 



Bacon, T. 
Badger, C. 
Badnck, E. 
Badrick, H. 
Badrick, T. 0. 
Bailey, A. 
Bailey, C. 
BaUey, C. H. 
Bailey, F. 
Bailey, F. 
Bailey, H. J. 
Bailey, P. L 
BaUey,V. G. 
Baker, C. H. 
Baker, F. 
Baker, F. 
Baker, G. C. 
Baker, H. G. 
Baker, J. T. 
Baker, W. J. 
Bakewell, R. T. 
Balcombe, L. 
Balding, A. J. 
Balding, F. 
Baldock, W. C. 
Baldwin, A. E. 
Baldwin, C. 
Baldwin, J. 
Baldwin, J. F. 
Baldwin, J. W. 
Baldwin, O. 
Beddwin, B. 
Baldwin, W. J. 
Balkin, P. 
BaU, A. 
Ball, E. A. 
BaU, a 



198 



APPENDIX VI 



Ball, G. J. 
BaU, H. 
BaU,H. 
Ball, S. 
BaU, W. H. 
Ballard, C. W. 
Bandy, F. J. 
Banks, A. 
Banks, C. 
Barber, T. 
Bardell, A. 
Barlow, J. 
Banner, A. C. 
Barnard, F. 
B flumes, C. 
Bflumes, £• 
B flumes, F. 
B flumes, H. 
Barnes, L. 
Bamett, A. 
Bamett, G. 
Bamsley, F. 
Barnwell, W. G. 
Barrass, W. H. 
Barratt, H. 
Barrell, L. J. 
Barrett, E. J. 
Barrett, F. 
Barrett, H. F. 
Beurrett, L. G. 
Barrett, P. 
Barrett, P. 
Barrie, R. 
Bartlett, P. J. 
Bartlett, R. 
Bartlett, S. W. 
Barton, A. 
Barton, T. 
Baskerville, F. W. 
Bass, F. 
Batchelor, A. 
Batchelor, C. 
Batchelor, W. 
Bateman, R. J. 
Bateman, R. R. 
Bates, A. 
Bates, F. 
Bath, T. H. 
Batterson, W. 
Bfltxter, A. E. 
Bfltxter, H. 
Baxter, P. E. 
Beadle, G. W. 
Beal, E. G. 
Beales, H. W. 
Beament, F. 



BecMley, J« 
Beck, R. 
Beckett, A. 
Beckett, F. E. 
Beckett, G. 
Beckett, L. 
Beckley, F. P. 
Bedford, H. 
Bedwell, W. 
B9echey, H. 
Beedham, G. E. 
Beer, J. 
Beere, J. 
Belcher, G. 
Belgrove, F. 
Bell, T. 
Bennell, T. J. 
Bennett, A. J. 
Bennett, A. W. 
Bennett, C. 
Bennett, L. 
Bennett, W. C. 
Benney, J. 
Benning, B. 
Benning, W. J. 
Bentley, H. 
Bentley, W. 
Bensusan, B. 
Berg, I. 
Bernstein, M. 
Berrett, A. H. 
Berridge, G. 
Bibby, W. G. 
Bierton, T. 
Biggey, W. 
Biggs, A. E. 
Biggs, E. G. 
Biggs, E. W. 
Biggs, F. J. 
Biggs, J. A. 
Bignall, L. 
Bignell, F. 
Bignell, F. 
Bignell, R. 
Biles, R. 
Binns, H. 
Birch, E. 
Birch, W. 
Birchell, S. T. 
Bird, C. 
Bird, H. T. 
Bird, J. 
Bird, T. A. 
Bishop, A. 
Bishop, S. G. 
Bishop, W. 8. 



BiflselLW. 
Biswell, H. 
Blackburn, J. M. 
Blackwell, F. J. 
Blackwell, W. 
Blake, E. 
Blake, H. 
Blake, W. A. 
Bland, A. R. 
Blay, C. F. J. 
BUck, C. 
Bloomaeld, W. 
Bloomstein, M. 
Boast, O. 
Boast, W. 
Boddy, G. 
Bodsworth, P. 
BoUand, G. 
Bond, H. J. 
Bond, R. 
Bone, E. 
Bone, F. 
Bone, H. 
Bonhflun, A. T. 
Bonham, E. 
Bonhflun, H. 
Bonhflun, J. W. 
Boon, A. E. 
Boot, A. F. 
Booth, C. H. 
Booth, F. 
Botley, C. 
Botley, P. 
Boughton, A. J. 
Boughton, H. 
Bowden, C. 
Bowden, F. 
Bowden, P. J. 
Bowden, W. 
Bowery, E. A. 
Bowery, G. 
Bowler, F. H. 
Bowles, A. J. G. 
Boyce, A. H. 
Boyle, H. E. 
Boyles, F. 
Brack, J. 
Brackley, A. 
Bradbury, F. 
Bradbury, F. J. 
Bradbury, J. 
Bradbury, J. 
Bradley, W. 
Braes, J. 
Brain, H. 
Brain, J. 



ROLL OF WARRANT OFFICERS, ETC. 199 



Brandon, H. 
Bretndon, J. C. 
Bravington, F. H. 
Bravington, V. 
Bravington, W. 
Brawn, A. 
Brazier, J. 
Brelly, F. 
Brett, P. S« 
Brewer, R. E. 
Brewer, T. 
Brice, W. G. 
Bridges, E. 
Bridges, J. 
Bridges, N. C. 
Bridgett, T. J. 
Bright, H. G. 
Brightman, E. 
BriU, A. 
Brinton, J. 0. 
Brion, C. 
Brion, E. J. 
Briscoe, H. 
Bristow, A. G. 
Bristow, A. T. 
Bristow, L. W. 
Bristow, V. F. 
Bristow, W. E. 
Bristowe, H. J. 
Britton, S. 
Brogden, C. J. 
Brolly, J. 
Brook, W. S. J. 
Brooke, G. E. 
Brooks, A. 
Brooks, A. W. 
Brooks, E. A. 
Brooks, H. J. 
Brooks, J. 
Brooks, L. 
Brooks, W. G. 
Brown, A. 
Brown, E. 
Brown, E. H. 
Brown, F. 
Brown, G. 
Brown, J, 
Brown, J. B. 
Brown, J. C. 
Brown, J. W. 
Brown, J. W. 
Brown, T. 
Brown, W. 
Brownjohn, O. E. 
Brownsell, J. 
Bruce, A. 



Bruce, A. E. 
Bruce, W. H. 
Bruton, G. 
Bruton, W. C. 
Bryant, A. 
Bryant, G. 
Bryant, G. 
Buchanan, G. 
Buckingham, A. 
Buckland, E. 
Buckland, F. C. 
Buckland, W. 
Bull, S. 
Bull, W. H. 
Bunby, A. E. 
Bunco, C. W. 
Bunco, G. 
Bunyan, A. 
Bunyan, W. 
Burch, C. 
Burden, J. R. 
Burden, W. A. 
Burgess, A. W. 
Burgess, 0. 
Burgess, W. 
Burnham, G. 
Bumham, G. 
Bumheun, J. 
Bumham, J. 
Bumham, W. J. 
Bums, H. H. 
Burrell, C. 
Burrows, F. 
Burrows, J. 
Burrows, T. G. 
Burton, L. B. 
Busby, C. C. 
Bushnell, C. M. 
Bushrod, P. J. T. 
Buss, P. A. 
Butcher, H. 
Butcher, J. 
Butler, G. G. 
Butler, J. A. 
Butler, R. 
Button, G. 
Byron, F. 

Cadwallader, W. T. 
Caldwell, A. E. C. 
Callaway, C. G. 
Campbell, A. 
Campbell, C. S. 
Cannell, A. 
Cannon, A. A. 
Canvin, H. A. 



Capel, C. 
Capt, E. E. H. 
Careless, J. R. 
Carey, A. A. 
Carey, W. 
Carney, W. 
Ccurpenter, J. 
Carpenter, R. 
Carr, D. 
Carr, R. 
Carrick, W. 
Carroll, S. 
Ceurter, H. 
Carter, W. 
Cartwright, F. 
Cartwright, W. G. 
Cashmore, C. V. 
Cassenbaum, J. 
CasBon, P. W. 
Castle, H. P. 
Castle, T. 
Catchpole, H. 
Cattell, W. 
Cave, F. W. 
Cave, W. E. 
Chamberlain, J. E, 
Chamberlain, W. 
Chambers, A. 
Chandler, E. S. 
Chapman, A. 
Chapman, A. 
Chapmem, C. 
Chapman, F. 
Chapman, H. G. 
Chapman, W. II. 
Chaplin, F. E. 
Chappell, A. G. 
Chappell, T. 
Chappell, W. E. 
ChenhaJls, J. 
Cherrett, W. A. 
Cherry, A. 
Cherry, J. 
Cheshire, A. B. 
Cheshire, J. H. 
Childs, J. 
Chaton, W. E. 
Chimes, G. D. 
Chinn, E. T. 
Chirgwin, A. 
Chown, C. A. 
Christie, W. 
Chubb, V. H. 
Church, H. 
aarfelt, S. 
Claridge, R. 



200 



APPENDIX VI 



c. 

Oark^S. 
Oark^W. 
GUrk, W. W. 
Oarke, 0. 
Oarke, 6. 
Clarke, J. 
darkot J. 
Oarke, J. C. 

GUrke, 8. 

Oarke, T. F. 

GUrke, W. 

Oarke, W. C. 

Oarke, W. H. 

Claydon, W. J. 

Cleaver, A. H. 

Cleaver, L. 

aee, O. H. 

Clegg, J. W. 

dements, A. 

Clements, G. E. 

Glewlow, A. E. 

dibbon, A. 

Cliff, J. 

Close, R. 

Outton, 8. 

Coates, J. 

Coates, W. A. 

Cock,W. 

Cockbum, W. L. 

Cockle, E. 

Coggins, T. 

Cohen, B. 

Cohen, Q. 

Cohen, I. 

Cohen, J. 

Cohen, M. 

Cohen, M. 

Cohen, 8. 
Colbrook, R. 

Cole, J. G. J. 
Cole, P. C. 
Coleboume, A. J. 
Coleman, A. 
Coleman, C. 
Coleman, F. J. 
Coleman, H. 
Coleman, H. 
Coleman, W. 
Coles, A. 
Coles, A. B. 
Coles, E. 
Coles, 8. 
Collard, G. 
CoUett, C. F. 
Qgllett, H. (J. 



Collier, A. O. 
CoIling8,R. 
Collins, A. 
Collins, B. 
Collins, F.C. 
Collins, F. 8. 
Collins, H. E. 
Collins, H. W. 
Collins, J. 
* Collins, J. 8^ 
Collinson, E. A. 
Colville, H. 
Congdon, 8. 
Conn, L. 
Connor, J. H. 
Cook, A. 
Cook, A 
Cook, A. 
Cook, C. 
Cook, G. 
Cook,H. 
Cook, J. 
Cook, J. H. 
Cook, R. W. 
Cook, B. W. 
Cook, 8. 
Cook, W. A. 
Cook, W. J. 
Cookson, H. W. 
Cooling, T. 
Cooper, E. W. 
Cooper, H. J. 
Cooper, W. C. 
Cooper, W. F. 
Copcutt, G. D. 
Coppock, A. T. 
Corbin, V. M. 
Corder, E. H. 
Cordery, J. 
Corke, 8. C. W. 
Cornish, O. B. 
Cosby, T. 
Cottrill, H. 
Courtney, W. 
Cousins, 8. 
Cousins, W. 
Coward, E. W. 
Cox, C. E. 
Cox, F. G. 
Cox, H. J. 
Cox, H. 8. 
Cox, J. T. 
Cox, R. T. 
Cox, T. 
Cox,W. 
Cox, W. A, 



Cox, W. H. • 
Coxhill, O. R. 
Coy, L. 
Crack, W. 
Craker, R. 
Crane, J. 
Crawder, E. 
Cra^dey, P. 
Crawthome, J. W. 
Crego, M. 
Creney, P. T. 
Cresswell, P. G. 
Ch«w, W. 
Grippe, C. P. 
Cripps, E. G. 
Oipps, F. A. 
Cripps, F. T. 
Cripps, R. C. 
Crockett^ G. 
Croft, A. 
Croker, R. 
Cromey, J. F. 
Crook, E. H. 
Crook, B. 
Cross, A. J. 
Cross, F. 
Cross, F. 
Cross, F. 
Cross, H. E. 
Cross, W. C. 
Cross, W. H. 
Crouch, A. 
Crouch, B. E. 
Crouch, B. a 
Crowden, A. 
Crowther, C. A. 
Cruden, D. C. L. 
Cruikshank, P. J. 
Culley, A. E. 
Culpeck, L. W. 

Dafter, T. E. 
I^aggers, B. 
Dagwall, F. L. 
Daley, J. 
Dancer, A. 
Dancer, F. G. 
Dancer, G. 
Dancer, T. 
Darbjnshire, J. T. 
Darch, W. 
Darling, H. 8. 
Darling, W. J. 
Dart, C. 
Darville, H. G. 
Daultrjr, iJ, 



ROLL OF WARRANT QFFICERS, ETC. 201 



Daultry, G. 
Davess, G. 
Davis, A. W. 
Davenport, G. W. 
Davey, C. 
Davey, F. 
Davey, P. 
Davidflon, G. 
Davidson, J. 
Davies, G. 
Davies, G. A. 
Davies, J. 
Davies, J. E. 
Davies, J. T. 
Davies, S. 
Davis, C. W. 
Davis, G. 
Davis, L. C. 
Davis, R. W. 
Davis, S. 
Davis, V. J. 
Daw, W. H. 
Dawes, T. 
Day, A. 
Day, A. J. 
Day, W. J. 
Dealey, J. 
Dean, A. 
Dean, H. H. 
Dean, S. F. 
Dean, W. 
Dealing, J. 
Dearing, W. 
Deam, A. 
Deamess, A. 
Delaney, T. 
DeU, M. 
DeU, W. H. 
Denenberg, P. 
Dennis, A. J. 
Dennis, W. C. 
Denton, J. H. 
Deswart, H. 
Deverall, F. 
Devening, S. 
Devonshire, J. 
Dibben, P. R. 
Dickens, C. 
Dickens, F. 
Dickens, T. E. 
Dickens, W. 
Dickens, W. 
Dickenson, W. 
Dickinson, F. 
Dickinson, W. 
Pjllow, T. fr 



Dimmock, C. 
Dimmock, S. 
Diskett, A. E. 
Dixon, A. W. 
Dixon, C. 
Dixon, C. 
Dixon, D. M. 
Dixon, G. H. 
Dixon, J. G. 
Dixon, W. T. 
Dobbins, J. 
Doble, H. 
Dodds, R. W. 
Dodds, W. 
Dodson, G. J. 
Dodwell, G. 
Doel, A. 
Dombey, W. 
Doming, W. L. 
Dormer, F. 
Dormer, G. 
Dorrell, H. 
Dorsett, J. W. 
Dowers, E. J. 
Dowling, H. 
Downing, C. T. 
Dovey, W. 
Drayton, W. 
Dredge, J. 
Dredge, S. E. 
Drewitt, G. 
Drewitt, H. 
Drewitt, W. C. 
Drury, G. F. 
Dubbin, E. 
Duckett, G. H. 
Dudley, F. G. 
Dudley, S. 
Duffield, A. J. 

Dumbleton, W. 
Dunk, F. 
Dunkley, E. W. 
Dunkley, J. G. 
Dxmkley, L. 
Dunstan, W. J. 
Dunster, J. 
Durdin, E. R. C. 
Dutton, H. J. 
Dwight, J. 
Dwight, P. 
Dyer, A. 
Dyer, G. M. 
Dyer, V. J. 
Dyke, W. E. 
D^ond, H, p. 



Eames, C. H. 
Earis, E. W. 
Earl, F. K. 
Earle, G. 
Easeman, W. 
East, F. 
East, F. J. 
Easton, J. H. 
Ecdes, J. B. 
Ecdeston, C. J. 
Edgerley, E. G. 
Edmans, W. J. 
Edwards, A. W. 
Edwards, H. 
Edwards, J. 
Edwards, J. 
Edwards, P. 
Eglington, F. S. 
Elliott, A. 
Elliott, C. 
Elliott, D. C. 
Elliott, J. H. 
Elliott, R. 
Ellis, A. 
Ellis, W. 
Ellis, W. G. 
Evans, A. E. 
Evans, C. H. H. 
Evans, E. 
Evans, H. 
Evans, J. 
Evans, M. H. 
Evans, W. J. 
Evans, W. S. C. 
Everitt, E. A. 
Eves, G. 
Ewers, A. 
Ewers, G. 

Falconer, J. G. 
FaU, W. 
Fane, S. 
Faraker, L. H. 
Fargher, T. J. 
Farmer, W. J. 
Farrar, J. 
Fasey, A. 
Faulkner, G. 
Faulkner, J. 
FeU, C. 
Fenn, S. 
Ferguson, A. A. 
Ferris, J. 
Field, G. 
Field, R. 
Fielding, D. f. 



202 



APPENDIX VI 



Fielding, F. 
Fielding, F. H. 
Figg, J. 
Fimister, R. 
Final, G. 
Finoh, L. G. 
Finch, T. 
Fincher, E. H. 
Fincher, F. J. M. 
Fineberg, H. 
Fisher, E. J. 
Fisher, G. W. 
Fisher, J. T. 
Fisher, T. 
Fisher, W. 
Fisher, W. B. 
Fishwick, F. 
Fitton, R. 
Fitzer, A. H. 
Fitzpatrick, F. 
Flannigan, J. 
Fleet, E. 
Fletcher, A. 
Fletcher, J. 
Fletcher, J. G. 
Fletcher, W. J. 
Flint, A. 
Flitney, F. 
Flitney, S. 
Foolkes, T. G. 
Ford, B. 
Ford, F. W. 
Fordanski, J. 
Foreman, F. 
Forsdick, H. 
Foulkes, C. T. 
Fountain, A. G. 
Fountain, J. 
Fountaine, R. 
Fowler, A. E. 
Fowler, A. J. 
Fowler, 0. 
Fowler, R. J. 
Fowler, V. S. R. 
Fowles, 0. 
Fox, W. H. J. 
Francis, T. 
Franklin, A. 
Franklin, F. J. 
Franklin, J. 
Franklin, J. W. 
Franklin, P. 
Franks, F. 
Freeman, A. 
Freeman, A. 0. 
Freeman, M. 



Freestone, A. W. 
French, G. A. 
French, G. 
Fretwell, A. 
Frith, W. H. J. 
Frost, C. 
Fry, W. 
Fryer, C. 
Fryer, F. R. 
Fulcher, G. 0. 
Furlong, W. 

Gale, F. R. 
Game, F. 
Gardener, W. C. 
Gardner, A. 
Gardner, F. 
Gardner, F. 
Gardner, F. T. 
Gardner, W. T. 
Gamer, F. 
Garratt, F. R. 
Garratt, R. W. 
Garrett, A. L. 
Geurett, H. 
Garrotty, V. B. 
Gates, H. 
Gay, W. G. 
Gay, W. G. 
Gaylor, 0. 
Geeson, P. 
Gelder, J. 
Gentles, J. R. 
German, R. 
Gerrish, J. G. 
Gething, J. T. 
Gibbard, A. 
Gibbard, T. 
Gibbard, W. 
Gibbins, T. 
Gibbons, M. P. 
Gibbs, F. 
Gibbs, G. 
Gibbs, R. 
Gibbs, W. E. 
Gibson, W. 
Gilbert, F. W. 
Gilbert, G. 
Gilbert, W. 
GiU, P. 
Gill, T. J. 
Gill, W. J. 
Gillions, C. 
Gillott, W. 
Gitsham, F. J. L. 
Ghillyer, H. 



Glaister, J. 
Glanville, H. 
Glass, W. 
Glassman, M. 
Glazier, A. 
Glenister, W. 
Glover, H. T. G. 
Godber, A. 
Goddard, S. 
Godfrey, F. 
Godfrey, F. 
Godfrey, J. 
Godfrey, W. T. 
Goldberg, A. 
Golding, T. 
Goldsmith, L. 
Goldstein, R. 
Gk>ldswain, J. 
Goldwater, P. H. 
Gomm, A. 
Gomm, J. E. 
Gomm, T. 
Good, R. 
Goodall, A. J. 
GoodchUd, C.J. 
Goodey, F. 
Goodfellow, C. 
Gooding, J. A. 
Goodman, E. W. 
Goodman, H. F. 
Goodman, L. 
Goodman, L. 
Goodman, S. 
Goodridge, E. J. W. 
Goodway, P. W. 
Gordon, £>. B. 
Goss, T. A. 
Gostilow, G. 
Gostick, T. V. 
Gough, F. 
Gould, A. H. 
Gould, C. T. 
Goundry, J. G. 
Govey, J. 
Gower, G. 
Goymer, J. 
Grace, H. 
Gracie, G. A. 
Graham, W. W. 
Grant, G. 
Grant, G. 
Grantham, W. 
Gray, A. 
Gray, E. 
Gray, F. 
Gray, J. G. 



ROLL OF WARRANT OFFICERS, ETC. 208 



Gray, W. 
Gray, W. J. 
Graydon, E. 
Grajrson, H. 
Greaterex, J. 
Green, A. 
Green, A. 
Green, A. 
Green, A. J. 
Green, A. S. 
Green, 0. £. 
Green, C. H. 
Green, E. 
Green, F. 
Green, F. H. 
Green, G. 
Green, J. 
Green, P. 
Green, T. W. 
Greenhalgh, J. 
Greenhalgh, J. B. 
Greenless, J. 
Greenough, L. V. 
Greenwood, A. 
Gregory, A. 
Gregory, H. E. 
Gregory, W. 
Gresswell, C. 
Grewar, W. C. 
Grice, F. 
Griffon, A E. 
Griffon, T. 
Griffon, T. J. 
Griffin, A. 
Griffith, J. F. J. 
Griffiths, H. W. 
Griffiths, W. 
Grimsdale, W. 
GrimsdeU, G. W. 
Grimshire, J. H. 
Grisbrook, V. 
Grist, C. 
Griver, M. 
Grose, T. 
Gross, W. 
Grove, W. A, 
Groves, T. 
Groves, W. S. 
Grunshaw, A. 
Guess, A. 
Guess, C. 
Guise, T. H. 
Guise, W. F. 
Gummer, S. 
Gunn, J. 
Gunn, P. 



Gunnell, E. J. 
Guntrip, F. G. 
Guntrip, H. 
Guntrip, J. J. 
Guntrip, W. 
Gumey, A. 
Gumey, G. 
Gumey, P. 
Gutteridge, A. 

Haffenden, J. H. 
Haines, C. 
Haines, F. 
Hagger, A. L. 
Hale, A. 
Hale, 0. 
Hale, F. 
Halford, F. W. 
Hall, A. H. 
Hall, E. 
Hall, F. 
HaU,J. 
HaU, L. P. 
HaU, P. P. 
Hall, R. B. 
HaU, R. W 
HaU,T. 
Hall, W. 
HaU, W. J. 
HaUaday, D. 
HaUett, A. 
Halsey, F. 
Hamilton, W. H. 
Hamlet, J. R. 
Hampshire, A. S. 
Hance, G. 
Hancock, G. 
Hancock, W. E. 
Hancocks, W. 
Hancox, O. P. 
Hann, A. J. 
Hardcastle, J. 
Harding, A. 
Harding, H. 
Hefrding, J. 
Hardy, P. T. 
Harman, H. E. 
Harman, J. 
Harman, R. 
Harper, H. 
Harper, S. 
Harrington, J. 
Harris, A. 
Harris, A. S. 
Harris, 0. J. 
Harris, E. J. 



Harris, J. 
Harris, J. £« 
Harris, R. 
Harris, T. W. 
Harris, W. E. 
Harrison, A. 
Harrison, H. 
Harrison, P. 
Harrison, P. E. 
Hart, A. E. 
Hart, A. J. 
Hart, E. S» 
Hart, J. G. 
Hartley, H. 
Hartley, W. 
Harvey, E. 
Harvey, F. 
Harvey, G. W. 
Harvey, P. E. 
Harvey, W. B. 
Haslem, C. S. 
Hastings, C. W. 
Hastings, G. G. 
Hastings, S. J. 
Hatch, H. G. 
Hathaway, E. E. 
Hatley, S. 
Hatt, F. W. 
Hatt, J. M. 
Hatt, S. 
Hatton, T. 
HatweU, J. 
Hawes, J. 
Hawkes, F. 
Hawkins, C. R. 
Hawkins, E. 
Hawthorn, A. W. 
Hayman, A. R. 
Haymeui, J. W. 
Haynes, J. G. 
Haynes, S. 
Haynes, W. 
Haysom, T. 
Hasrward, A. E. 
Hasrward, G. F. 
Hazard, H. 
HazeU, G. 
HazeU, H. A. 
Head, M. M. 
Heam, P. R. 
Heam, W. 
Heam, W. 
Heath, A. C. 
Heath, F. W, 
Heath, L. 
Heather, G. 



204 



APPENDIX VI 



Heathoock, C. 
Helton, C. J. 
H6ttr0ii« G, 
Hedges, A. E. 
Hedffee, F. 
Hel(C A. 
Hetlenburgh, A. 
Henderson, W. 
Henahaw, 8. 
Henaon, H. O. 
Herbert, A. 
Herbert, F. 
Herbert, W. a 
Hermon, G. 
Hermon, R. E. 
Hem, H« 
Herring, T. 
Hepworth, CS. 
Heeeltine, R. 
Hester, H. H. 
Hester, W. 
Hewitt, S. 
Hewlett, F. H. 
Hezt, R. B. 
Heyes, T. 

Hickenbottoin, W. C. 
Hicks, A. £. 
Hicks, A. W. 
Hicks, C. J. 
Hicks, F. A. 
Hicks, H. 
Hicks, J. 
Hicks, T. 
Hicks, W. 
Higgios, G. H. 
Higg8,F.W. 
HiU, A. J. 
Hill, A. T. 
Hill, C. 
Hill, F. 
Hill, F. C. 
Hill, J. F. 
Hill, P. A. 
Hill, R. F. 
Hill, R. J. 
Hill, W. W. 
Hilliar, A. 
Hills, H. H. 
Hinchliffe, A. 
Hinde, T. H. 
Hines, W. 
Hipgrave, A. 
Hipson, K. 
Hird, W. 
Hitchman, H. 
|{oare, A. Of 



Hoare, J. B. 
Hobbs, F. H. 
Hobbs, W. J. 
Hobden, C. G. 
Hockaday, E. 
Hoddor, A. W. 
Hodgkiss, E. 
Hodgson, C. W. 
Hodgson, J. W. 
Hodgson, J. W. 
Hoey, C. R. 
Hogg, J. 
Hoing, W. R. 
Holder, F. J. 
Holdham, F. A. 
Holdway, F. H. 
HoUand, W. 
Hollingworth, A. S. 
Hollins, W. 
Hollis, A. W. 
HoUis, F. 
Hollis, W. C. 
HoUomon, W. J. 
Holloway, A. 
Holloway, A. F. 
Holloway, A. G 
Hollyoake, A. G. 
Holman, C. B. O. 
Holmes, C. 
Holt, A. 
Holt, D. 
Holt, S. G. 
Holt, T. 
Holt, W. A. 
Honour, A. J. 
Honour, P. 
Honour, W. H. 
Hooker, F. C. 
Hooker, W. C. 
Hookway, E. A. 
Hooper, J. 
Hooten, J. H. 
Hopcroft, T. 
Hopkins, S. 
Hopley, J. • 

Hopley, W. G. 
Hopper, F. W. W. 
Horn, P. J. 
Home, A. 
Home, E. 
Home, F: C. T. 
Horsier, W. A. 
Horspool, W. E. 
Horton, W. 
Horwood, G. 
Horwood, H, 



Hough, F. W. 
Hounsell, A. 
How, W. S. 
Howard, H. 
Howard, H. E. 
Howard, J. 
Howard, T. 
Howard, W. 
Howe, C. A. 
Howe, F. 
Howe, J. L. 
Howe, S. 
Howell, R. L. 
Howell, T. E. 
Howes, J. 
Hubbard, A. 
Hucklebridge, H. 
Hudson, A. 
Hudson, F. A. 
Hudson, J. 
Hudson, R. 
Huet, F. C. 
Huggins, A. L. 
Huggins, H. 
Hughes, E. 
Humphrey, C. 
Humphrey, W. J. 
Humphries, A. T. 
Hunt, A. 
Hunt, C. A. 
Hunt, G. O. 
Hunt, P. 
Himter, G. 
Hunter, R. 
Hurst, H. J. 
Hussey, E. 
Hussey, G. 
Hutchings, H. 
Hutt, A. 0. 
Hutt, W. 
Hutter, G. R. 
Hyde, E. V. 
Hyde, F. H. 
Hyde, F. W. 

niingworth, R. 
Imber, H. 
Impey, J. 
Ing, A. 
Ing, A. E. H. 
Ing, F. 
Ing, T. 

Ingram, A. L. 
Ings, W. J. 
Ireland, W. C. 
Irving, H, 



ROLL OF WARRANT OFFICERS. ETC. 205 



Israel, L. 
Ivamy, F. C. 
Ives, F. 
Ives, F. R. 
Ives, H. 
Ives, W. 
Ives, W. 

Jackman* O. 
Jackman, H. 
Jackman, W. 
Jackman, W. 
Jackson, F. 
Jackson, H. 
Jackson, H. E. 
Jacobs, A. A. 
Jacobs, H. 
Jacobs, M. V. 
Jakeman, S. 
Jakeman, W. 
Jakes, J. H. 
Jakes, T. W. 
James, A. 
James, A. 
James, A. J. 
James, E. 
James,. F. A. 
James, F. T. 
James, F. W 
James, G. 
James, J. J. 
Jamieson, M. 
Janes, A. 
Janes, P. 
Jarvis, H. 
Jasper, A. C. 
Jasper, E. 
Javes, F. 
Jaycock, F. 
Jayne, H. F. 
Jefferson, F. 
Jeffries, E. H. 
Jenner, J; 
Jennett, A. 
Jennings, P. T. 
Jennings,. P. 
Jennison, H. 
Jenns, L. J. 
Jervis, J. 
Jesty, L, 
JiUion, J. F. 
Jobling, J. D. 
Johnson, A. 
Johnson, C. 
Johnson, E. 
Johnson, £. 



Johnson, F. 
Johnson, F. J. 
Johnson, S. J. 
Johnson, W. 
Johnson, W. 
Johnson, W. F. 
Johnston, A. E. 
Johnston, R. W. 
Joiner, A. 
Jolley, R. F. 
JoUiffe, B. 
Jones, A. S. 
Jones, E. 
Jones, F. D. 
Jones, F. E. 
Jones, G. W. 
Jones, H. 
Jones, H. 
Jones, H. J. 
Jones, H. R. 
Jones, J. 
Jones, J. W. 
Jones, R. E. 
Jones, R, T. 
Jones, R. W. 
Jones, S. C. 
Jones, W. 
Jones, W. 
Jones, W. 
Jordan, A. 
Joseph, J. 

Kape, P. S. 
Karmuck, A. 
Kay, H. 
Kearley, S. 
Kearsey, E. S. 
Keating, F. 
Keating, M. 0. 
Keating, M. 
Keen, E. C. 
Keen, F. 
Keen, H. R. 
Keen, J. 
Keen, S. 
Keen, S. 
Keen, T. 
Keen, W. 
Keep, W. G. 
Kemp, A. S. 
Kemp, W. 
Kempson, W. R. 
Kempston, A. E. 
Kempston, W. E. 
Kennedy, A. 
Kent, G. 



Kent, W. H. 
Kerr, J. 
Kerr, S. 
Kettle, R. 
Keys, H. 
•Kidnee, R. 
KUby, G. 
Kilaby, H. 
Kightley, R. G. 
King, A. 
King, A. J. 
King, A. W. 
King, C. E. 
King, H. G. 
King, R. C. 
King, R. J. 
King, W. 
King, W. H. 
Kingdom, E. J. 
Kingfish, H. 
Kingham, A. 
Kingham, A. 
Kingsland, J. 
Kirby, L. G. 
Kislingbury, W. 
Knibb, A. T. 
Knibb, W. G. 
Knight, 0. H. 
Knight, E. 
Knight, E. C. 
Knight, G. 
Knight, R. J. 
Knock, E. 
Kramer, I. 
Krill, E. 

Laband, H. J. 
Lacey, C. E. 
Lacey, F. 
Lacey, F. 
Lacey, F. R. 
Lacey, W. 
Lacey, W. A. 
Lack, L. R. 
Laird, W. 
Lake, T. C. 
Lambdin, P. H. 
Lambert, H. 
Lambert, W. 
Lamberth, H. 
Lambird, G. 
Lamboume, A. 
Lamboume, A. 
Lamboume, T. 
Lamboume, W« 
Lane, W. S« 



206 



APPENDIX VI 



Lang, W. 
Langley, C. H. 
Langley, G. T. 
Langley, N. 
Langston, P. 
Large, W. J. 
Latham, F. W. 
Law, R. C. 
Lawes, J. 
Lawrence, A. D. 
Lawrence, A. J. 
Lawrence, E. 
Lawrence, G. 
Lawrence, W. 
Lawrence, W. 
Lawrence, W. G. 
Lawrence, W. S. 
Lawson, C. 
Lawson, P. 
Lawton, T. 
Leach, H. 
Leach, K. 
Leader, J. 
Lee, F. L. 
Lee, G. A. 
Lee, H. 
Lee, P. 
Lee, W. W. 
Leeson, A. 
Legge, J. E. 
Leigh, T. 
Leonard, J. H. 
Lerew, J. 
Letts, F. A. 
Lewendon, J. 
Lewis, A. C. 
Lewis, E. 
Lewis, F. 
Lewis, H. 
Leworthy, A. 
Levart, £. 
Levick, G. 
Levy, I. 
Liddiard, H. 
Light, A. 
Lindon, G. C. 
Line, A. 
Line, B. 
Lineham, W. H. 
Lines, F. G. 
Lines, H. 
Lines, J. 
Linford, G. 
Littlehales, J. W 
Littlewood, A. 
Lock, S. G. 



Locke, W. J. 
Lodder, T. 
LoUey, A. V. 
Long, E. 
Long, E. M. 
Long, G. E. 
Long, W. 
Longmore, J. W. 
Looker, H. G. 
Loosemore, R. F. 
Loosley, F. J. 
Lord, E. 
Lord, F. W. 
Lord, J. 
Lord, W. J. 
Loud, E. T. 
Loveday, C. 
Lovegrove, F. 
Lovegrove, H. 
Lovegrove, T. 
LoveU, S. 
LoveU, W. C. 
Lovelock, F. 
Lovesay, J. 
Lowe, A. 
Lowe, T. 
Luceus, G. F. 
Luck, G. 
Lukies, W. J. 
Lunnon, A. 
Lunnon, A. W. 
Lunnon, 0. 
Lunnon, W. A. 
Ljmes, H. 
Lyon, J. 

Macadam, A. J. 
Mace, G. J. 
Macfarlane, G. 
Mackenna, M. 
Major, A. 
Major, W. T. 
MeJloy, J. 
Malpass, T. 
Manders, A. 
Manning,- G. J. 
Manning, J. R. 
Manton, T. 
Marcham, R. 
Marcham, R. 
Marchant, L. 
Markham, P. 
Markofsky, E. 
MarkSy A. J. 
Marks, A. W, 
Marriott, E. J. 



Marriott, J. W. 
Marsh, 0. A. 
Marsh, W. L. 
Marshall, E. C. 
Marshcdl, F. A. 
Marshall, F. W. 
Marshall, S. 0. 
Marshall, W. 
Martin, D. C. 
Martin, G. 
Martin, H. 
Martin, J. W. 
Martin, S. 
Martin, T. H. 
Meu3on, C. 
Mason, P. W. 
Massey, J. C. 
Masters, G. H. 
Matthews, S. A. 
Matthews, V. G. 
Matthews, W. J. 
Mattin, P. W. G. 
Maxfield, W. P. 
May, A. S. 
May, C. W. 
Mayhew, S. F. 
McBlain, J. J. 
McB right, S. 
McCoy, A. J. 
McDermott, E. J. 
McDermott, J. 
McDermott, W. G. 
McGregor, C. 
McGregor, W. 
McKay, W. 
McLcu^hlan, H. 
McLaren, A. W. 
McLaren, C. T. 
McLeod, D. 
McPhee, J. 
McPherson, J. 
Meachem, A. J. 
Mead, R. 
Mead, R. 
Meads, T. H, 
Mealing, M. 
Meeks, L. 
Meeks, W. J. 
Meiklejohn, J. K. 
Meldrum, R. 
Mellor, R. 
MeUor, W. 
Merrick, H. F. 
Merridan, A. 
Merriman, H. 
Merriman, R. C. 



ROLL OF WARRANT OFFICERS, ETC. 207 



Merry, J. 

Messenger, H. 

Messinger, J. 

Metcalfe, H. 

Middlebrook, A. 

Middleton, W. 

Middleton, W. H. 

Miles, A. C. 

Miles, S. 

Miles, S. G. 

MUes. W. R. 

Millard, J. 

Miller, G. 

Miller, T. H. 

Miller, W. J. 

MUls, A. V. 

MiUward, B. 

Millward, H. 

Minchin,^A. 

Mines, A? 

Mines, G. J. 

Ming, G. 

Mingay, R. W. 

Mitcham, S. 

Mitchell, A. W. 

MitcheU, G. B. 

Mitchell, J. 

MitcheU, J. G. 

Mobley, G. 

MofEatt, W. 
Mondon, P. 0. 
Monger, A. 
Monk, J. H. W. 
Monshall, G. 
Montague, H. 
Montague, T. 
Montgomery, C. H. 
Moon, E. A. 
Moore, F. 
Moore, W. G. 
Morbey, S. 
Moreland, H. J. 
Morgan, A. H. 
Morgan, C. 
Morgan, 0. R. 
Morgan, F. 
Morgan, J. 
Morgan, W. J. 
Morley, S. 
Morrell, V. 
Morris, A. 
Morris, A. A. 0. 
Morris, H. E. 
Morris, H. G. 
Morris, J. 
Morris, J, 



Morris, J. 
Morris, W. G. 
Morrish, A. J. 
Morrison, K. 
Morrison, W. 
Morse, F. C. 
Morse, J. 
Mortemore, E. 
Mortimer, H. 
Mortimer, J. 
Moseley, E. J. 
Moseley, F. 0. 
Mould, C. A. 
Moyle, H. 
Mudge, G. E. 
Mullins, F. H. 
Munday, A. 
Munday, A. G. 
Munday, A. J. 
Munday, G. 
Munday, H. L. 
Murphy. J. 
Murphy, J. G. 
Murphy, P. 
Murray, C. 
Murrell, F. 
Muxovitch, L. H. 
Myers, T. 
Mynott, J. E. 

Nancarrow, R. 
Napier, E. W. 
Napper, W. E. 
Nash, G. 
Nash, E. 
Nash, F. 
Nash, F. G. 
Nash, G . 
Nash, G. 
Nash, J. 
Nathan, H. J, 
Nathan, J. 
Naylor, G. 
Neale, F. 
Neale, R. 
Neale, S. 
Neill, J. 
Neilly, E. 
Nepovent, M. 
Neville, F. T. 
New, R. 
New, R. 
Newell, A. W. 
Newell, E. 
Newell, J. O. 
Newell, R. 



Newman, A. 
Newman, A. W, 
Newmeui, P. 
Newman, W. 
Newnes, H. 
Newns, F. 
Newns, H. 
Newton, F. 
Newton, J. H. 
Newton, S. W. 
Newton, W. 
Niblett, C. 
Niblett, T. W. 
Nicholas, S. 
Nicholls, P. 
Nichols, F. 
Nicholson, D. 
Nicholson, F. J. 
Nicholson, S. S. 
Niesigh, S. G. 
Nightingale, C. 
Nightingale, T. 
Nixey, T. W. 
Nobes, W. A. 
Noleui, M. 
Norcott, G. H. 
Norris, E. J. 
Norris, L. B. 
North, C. 
North, E. C. 
North, T. 
Norton, D. 
Norton, F. 
Novels, D. 
Nunn, H. 
Nutt, D. 
Nutton, C. C. 

Odell, G. H. 
Odell, P. J. 
GUver, F. H. 
Oliver, S. 
OUifie, T. 
Orbell, F. J. 
Orchard, E. 
Orchard, R. 
Ormes, H. 
Osborne, A. 
Osborne, L. 0. 
Osborne, R. H. 
O'Shea, L. R. 
Ounsworth, W. H. 
Overshott, R. 
Overton. A. 
Owen, C. F. 
Owen, C, R, 



208 



APPENDIX VI 



Owen, £. 
Owen, F. 
Owen, W. 
Owens, F. 
Oxford, F. J. 
Ozlade, A. J. 
Oxlade, F. 
Oxlade, L. 
Ozlade, W. H. 
Ozley, F. 

Pace, E. J. 
Packer, D. £. 
Packford, R. B. 
Packman, W. H. 
Paige F. 
Pain, G. 
Page, A. E. 
Page, C. 
Page, F. D. 
Page, G. W. 
Page, N. 
Page, S. 
Page, S. 
Pallett, C. A. 
PaUett, G. 
Pallett, R. £. 
Palmer, F. J. 
Palmer, W. 
Papworth, B. 
Pargeter, F. 
Parker, B. 
Parker, B.H. 
Parker, H. 
Parker, S. 
Parker, W. J. 
Parkin, J. R. 
Parr, A. 
Parrott, H. G. 
Parrott, J. 
Parrott, S. H. 
Parsler, R. J. S. 
Parslow, G. 
Parsons, A. 
Parsons, D. 
Parsons, N. A. 
Parsons, S. 0. 
Pass, F. W. 
Patrick, W. 
Paul, G. 

Pauline, G. R. N. 
Pawley, J. 
Pax ton, B. 
Payne, A. 
Pajme, A. 
Payne, A. J, 



Payne, E. 
Payne, £. 
Payne, F. 
Payne, F. H. 
Pa3me, F. J. 
Pajme, G. E. 
Pajme, H. 
Payne, R. H. 
Pajme, T. 
Payne, W. 
Pearce, A. E. 
Pecune, D. 
Pearce, H. 
Pearce, S. G. 
Pearce, W. 
Pearce, W. G. 
Pearlman, S. 
Pearson, E. A. 
Pearson, F. C. 
Peart, A. 
Peddle, A. 
Pelham, J. 
Pendery, W. C. 
Penna, W. H. 
Pennington, E. 
Pennington, W. 
Pentycross, D. B. 
Peppercorn, H. J. 
Perez, E. 
Perkins, E. S. 
Perkins, J. 
Perkins, S. 
Perry, C. 
Perry, G. 
Peters, G. W. 
Philbey, F. 
PhiUips, A. G. 
Phillips, E. 
Phillips, F. 
PhilUps, F. 
Phillips, H. 
Phillips, H. 
Phillips, J. H. 
Phillips, R. 
PhilUps, W. 
PhiUips, W. 
Phipps, T. 
Pickering, A. 
Pickering, G. 
Pickles, H. 
Pickston, S. 
Piddington, F. 
Pierce, E. H. 
Piggott, J. 
Pike, G. 
Pinder, R. 



PinneU, E. W. 
Pitcher, E. 
Pitkin, E. 
Pitt, E. 
Pitt, G. R. 
Pitt, J. 
PitweU, W. 
Plank, H. T. 
Plumridge, G. 
Plumridge, P. 
Plumridge, W. H. 
Pocook, E. 
Poliat, E. 
PoUard, T. G. 
PoUard, W. 
Pond, A. J. 
Pook, A. E. 
Pook, W. A. 
Pope, W. J. 
Popkin, A. J. 
Porterfield, V. 
Portlock, A. 
Portsmouth, W. J. 
Posner, I. M. 
Potter, A. J. 
Pountney, T. 
PoweU, C. 
PoweU, E. 
PoweU, J. 
PoweU, L. 
PoweU, L. W. 
PoweU, S. 
PoweU, W. A. 
Pratley, C. 
Pratley, C. 
Pratley, F. G. 
Pratley, H. 
Pratley, J. 
Pratt, F. L. 
Pratt, G. 
Pratt, J. H. F. 
Pratt, L. C. D. 
Pratt, W. J. 
Pratten, H. H. 
Preece, H. A. 
Prentice, W. 
Pressley, £. G. 
Preston, A. F. E. 
Pretty, F. 
Price, B. 
Price, C. 
Price, H. 
Price, J. 
Price, L. A. 
Price, R. J. 
Priest, C. G. T, 



ROLL OF WARRANT OFFICERS, ETC. SOS 



Priest, W. 
Primavesi, G. F. 
Prior, L. B. 
Pritchard, A. J. 
Pritchard, E. J. 
Pritchard, F. 
Pritchard, T. 
Pritchard, W. H. 
Proctor, B. 
Protherve,0. 1. 
Proudfoot, D. 
Pryer, H. 
Pryor, H. 
Puckett, H. 
Pulker, G. 
Puroey, C J. 
Purchase, W. G. 
Purden, A. J. E. 
Pursey, W. 
Puryer, H. H. 
Pusey, B. 
Putnam, A. 
Putt, H. 
Puttnam, G. 
Pykett, Q. 

Quail, C. L. 
Quarterman, W. 
Quick, N. D. 
Quirk, S. D. 

Badclifie, J. 
Bainbow, G. W. 
Baison, W. L. 
Balph, W. L. 
Bance, F. 
BandeJl, A. 
Bandall, A. E. 
Bandall, B. 
Bandall, T. 
Bandall, W. 
Baphael, J. 
Bashleigh, W. 
Batcliffe, B. 
Bawlings, B. 
Bawlins, A. 
Bay, F. 
Bay, W. 
Bayner, J. 
Bead, A. 
Bead, A. 
Bead, A. H. 
Bead, E. 
Bead, F. H. 
Bead, J. 
Bead, B. 

U 



Bead, W. S. J. 
Bedrup, J. 
Beeve, P. 
Beeves, B. 
Beeves, W. 
Beeves, W. 
Beeves, W. E. 
Began, E. 
Bendell, F. W. 
Bendell, J. 
Benn, W. T. 
Bevels, H. 
Bevels, H. J. 
Beynolds, A. 
Beynolds, A. S* 
Bejmolds, A. W« 
Beynolds, E. O. 
Beynolds, F. 
Bejmolds, G. H. 
Beynolds, G. H. 
Beynolds, J. 
Beynolds, W. A. 
Beynolds, W. F. 
Bice, A. G. 
Bice,B. 
Bice, F. 
Bice, H. W. 
Bice, W. M. 
Bich, G. 
Bichards, D. J. 
Bichards, E. J. 
Bichards, F. 
Bichards, T. K. 
Bichards, W. 
Bichards, W. M. 
Bichardson, G. 
Bichardson, G. 
Bichardson, N. 
Biches, A. 
Biches, A. 
Biches, E. W. 
Bickard, F. 
Bickard, B. H. 
Bickard, T. 
Bickards, H. 
Bicketts, F. G. 
Biddell, E. 
Bidgeley, W. M. 
Bidgway, F. J. 
Bidgway, B. J. 
Bidgway, W. G. 
BUey, B. 
Bingsell, F. S. 
Bisdon, A. 
Bitchie, J. 
Bivers, G. 



Bixon, J. 
Bixon, J. 
Boads, L. 
Beads, W. J. 
Bobb, W. 
Bobbins, G. B. 
Bobbins, W. 
Boberts, E. 
Boberts, H. 
Boberts, H. 
Boberts, J. 
Bobertson, A. 
Bobertson, J. 
Bobertson, J. 
Bobertson, W. 
Bobertson, W. M. T. 
Bobins, J. 
Bobinson, A* 
Bobinson, A. E. 
Bobinson, H. 
Bobinson, J. 
Bobinson, T. 
Bobinson, W. 
Bobinson, W. 
Bobinson, W. 
Bobson, W. M. 
Boche, T. B. 
Bockell, F. 
Bockell, H. 
Bockey, G. 
Bodd, B. 
Bodwell, G. H. 
Bodwell, W. J. 
Boe, E. 
Began, J. 
Bogers, D. G. 
Bogers, F. 
Bogers, F. G. 
Bogers, F. L. 
Bogers, H. T. 
Bogers, J. 
Bogers, P 
Bogers, B. 
Bogers, S. G. 
Bogers, W. 
Bogers, W. A. 
Bolfe, A. 
Bolfe, A. 
Bolfe, B. 
Bolfe, W. M. 
Booke, F. 
Bootham, G. 
Bootham, W. H. 
Bose, A. 
Bose, G. H. 
Bose, G. J. 



210 



APPENDIX VI 



Rose, E. L. 
Rose. F. Q. 
Rom, W. 
Rosen, J« 
Rosen, P. 
Rosenbanm, 8. 
Rosewood* A. 
Rosier, H. 
RoBomond, P« 
Ross, J. 
Ross, J. 
Rout, J. 
Rowbottom, A. 
Rowe, C. 
Rowe, W. 
Rowley, H. 
Rowleind, A« 
Rowntree, R. 
Rowse, F. 
Royoe, J. 
Royce, M. 
Ruddlesdin, L. 
Rush, T. 
Russell, J. S. H. 
Russell, W. A. 
Rutland, A. J. 
Rutland, R. W. 
Rutland, W. 

4 

Sabatini, A. 
Sabatini, H. 
Sadler, A. V. 
Sails, W. N, 
Saloombe, Q. 
Salmon, A. E. 
Salter, C. 
Sambrook, G. ' 
Samways, W. 
Sandall, F. 
Sandell, T. E. 
Sanders, F. 
Sanderson, W. 
Sansom, C. 
Sansum, Q. H. 
Sargeant, J. H. 
Sargood, H. 
Samey, W. 
Sartin, E. F. 
Saunders, A. J. 
Saunders, E. C. 
Saunders, H. J. 
Saunders, H. W. 
Saunders, J. 
Saunders, S. R. 
Saunders, W. 
Saunders, W. Q. 



Savage, H. S. 
Saving, E. W. 
Sawyer, H. 
Saydl, A. A. 
Saywell, W. J. 
Schew, E. 
Schibl, R. A. 
Sohofield, H. 
Schooling, A. 
Schulman, B. 
Soott, A« 
Scott, J. 
Scott, J. 
Scott, W. A. 
Scoulding, W. H. 
Scraggy Q. 
Scragg, J. H. 
Scragg, P. 
Scrimshaw, A. W. 
Scriven, E. W. 
Scroggie, D. 
Scutchings, R. GL 
Seaman, 0. 
Seaman, E. 
Seaman, H. 
Sear, H. 
Sear, J. A. 
Sear, W. J. 
Sears, H. Q. 
Sellers, J. A. 
Selwyn, R. 
Seward, G. 
Seward, G 
Sexton, W. 
Seymour, A. E. 
Seymour, P. 
Shaer, I. 
Shanks, H. J. 
Sharman, H. J. 
Sharp, J. W. 
Sharp, T. J. 
Sharpe, A. 
Sharpe, C. 
Shaw, F. T. 
Shaw, H. 
Shaw, J. 
Shaw, R. 
Shaw, W. 
Shaw, W. J. 
Shedd, F. H. 
Shedd, H. W. 
Shedd, P. J. 
Shelley, G. 
Shephard, W. J. 
Shepherd, S. 
Sheppardy T* 



Sheppard, W. 
Sherrell, E. P. 
Sherwin, H. 
Sherwin, R. 
Sherwin, P. 
Shillingford, J. 
Shillingford, J. 
Shorter, S. V» 
Shouler, G. 
Shouler, T. 
Sibley, L. 
Sillitoe, J. 
Silverton, W. T. 
Silvester, A. G. 
Silvey, J. 
Simmonds, G» 
Simmonds, C. G. 
Sinmionds, E. J. 
Simmonds, F. 
Simmonds, H. 
Simmonds, V. 
Simmons, E. J. 
Simmons, H. 
Simms, B. 
Sinmis, H. C. 
Simons, I. 
Simpson, A. 
Simpson, J. L. 
Sinclair, F. 
Sinclair, N. S. 
Sirett, A. G. 
Skeet, P. 
Skey, G. 
Skuce, E. F. 
Slade, A. H. 
Slade, F. 
Slade, W. 
Slawson, A. E. 
Sloper, W. G. 
Small, A. T. 
Small, E. W. 
Small, H. G. 
Small, J. 
Small, J. A. 
Small, W. J. 
Smart, C. W. 
Smart, F. M. 
Smedley, R. W. 
Smewin, C. 
Smewin, G. 
Smewin, P. 
Smewin, R. 
Smith, A. 
Smith, A. H. 
Smith, A. H. 
Smith, A. J« 



ROLL OF WARRANT OFFICERS, ETC, 211 



Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 
Smith 

Smith 
Smith 



A. J. 
A. W. 
A. W. 
A. W. 
C. 

CD. 
D. 
E. 
E. 

Ea E* 

E. F. 
E.F. 
F. 
F. 
F. 
F. 

F. E. 

F. Q. 
F.J. 
Q. 
G. 

G. F. 



Smith, G. H. 
Smith, H. 
Smith, H. 6. 
Smith, H. W. 
Smith, J. 
Smith, J. 
Smith, J. 
Smith, J. 
Smith, J. E. 
Si^ith, J. E. L. 
Smith, J. T. 
Smith, M. W. 
Smith, R. 
Smith, R. J. 
Smith, S. 
Smith, S. 
Smith, S. 
Smith, S. W. 
Smith, T. 
Smith, T. 
Smith, W. 
Smith, W. 
Smith, W. A. 
Smith, W. E. 
Smith, W. F. 
Smith, W. L. 
SneU, W. H. 
Snitch, H. B. 
Snowden, G. 
Souster, W. B. 
Souster, W. J. 
Southall, E. 
Southam, A. 
Southern, A. W, 



Southam, S. 
SnapoB, H. 
Snapes, W. 
Spencer, P. W. 
Spicer, C. 
Spicer, T. 
Spiller, T. B. 
Spittles, E. G. 
SpitUee, S. F. 
Spong, A. H. 
Spooner, T. 
Spriggs, F. 
Spurge, W. H. 
Spurr, F. J. 
Staoey, H. 
Stacey, H. C. 
Stagg, J. 
StaUwood, H. 
Stallwood,J.W, 
Stammers, G. 
8t%nding, C. R. T. 
Stanford, J. 
Stanners, G. 
Stanners, R. 
Staughton, C. A. 
Steele, H. 
Steele, R. E. H. 
StepheDB, G. J. 
Stephenson, C. A. 
Steptoe, F. J. 
Steptoe, J. 
Steptoe, W. F. 
Sterry, J. 
Stevens, A. E. 
Stevens, C. F. 
Stevens, C. W. 
Stevens, G. W. 
Stevens, H. 
Stevens, J. E. 
Stevens, J. H. 
Stevens, R. H. 
Stevens, T. 
Stevens, W. 
Stidworthy, J. E. 
Stiles, R. A. g 
Stilton, W. 
Stimpson, H. ' f 
Stimson, P. 
Stocker, J. P. B 
Stockley, J. 
Stocks, A. H. 
Stockwell, E. F. 
Stokes, A. 
Stokes, J. T. 
Stollard, A. R. 
Intone, B. 



Stone, E. J. 
Stone, G. 
Stone, G. W. 
Stone, G. W. 
Stone, H. 
Stone, H. 
Stone, H. E. 
Stone, N. J. 
Stone, S. 
Stone, W. 
Stone, W. 
Stonehill, F. 
Stonehill, F. T, 
Stonehill, S. 
Stoneman, A. 
Stopps, G. S. 
Storey, W. 
Storr, E. R. 
Storr, H. 
Stott, W. 
Strange, F. 
Strange, H. R. 
Stranks, A. 
Stratford, F. 
Stratford, F. J. 
Stratford, S. 
Stratfull, F. 
Stratton, H. S. 
Stretton, W. 
Strickson, W. 
Stronnell, W. L. 
Strudwick, P. 
Stuckfield, G. 
Sturgess, G. 
Sturgess, W. 
Styles, B. 
Styles, W. 
Swadling, G. 
Swadling, P. 
Swadling, T. E. 
Swatton, 0. H. 
Swindle, V. V. 
Sullivan, H. 
Sulston, E. 
Summerfield, C. 
Summerfield, E. 
Summerfield, E. 
Summerfield, G. W. 
Summers, F. 
Summers, H. 
Sumpter, F. H. 
Sutton, A. 
Sutton, H. 
Symonds, E. J. 
Symons, I. 
Symons, J. R* 



212 



APPENDIX VI 



Symons, S. 
Syratt, A. T. 

Tabemer, T. M. 
Tack, O. 
Taffler, A. 
Talmer, H. 
Tandy, H. A. 
Tanner* F. 
Tanner, F. J. 
Tapping, F. 
Tapping, T. W. 
Tarbox, £. J. 
Tarr, R. Q. 
Teusker, A. 
Tattam, W. 
.Tattman, C. F. 
Tavroges, M. 
Taylor, A. B. 
Taylor, A. C. H. 
Taylor, F. 
Taylor, F. A. 
Taylor, G. S. 
Taylor, H. P. 
Taylor, J. 
Taylor, J. A. 
Taylor, J. W. 
Taylor, M. 
Taylor, R. O. 
Taylor, T. 
Taylor, W. 
Teagle, 0. 8. 
Tearle, J. 
Tewkesbury, C. 
Thatcher, W. 
Thomas, D. 
Thomas, F. 
Tiiomas, T. 
Thomas, W. 
Thompson, B. 
Thompson, F. W. 
Thompson, H. B. 
Thompson, H. E. 
Thompson, J. M. 
Thompson, P. J. 
Thompson, R. F. 
Thompson, V. 
Thomson, W. 
Thorbum, W. 8. 
Thome, J. 
Thome, J. 
Thome, J. H. 
Thome, O. 
Thomewell, R. 
Thrussall, A. 
Thurgood, A, 



Thurley, H. J. 
Thurley, J. T. 
Thurley, P. A. 
Tibbetts, A. 
Tibbetts, A. T. 
Tibbies, F. H. 
Tilbury, F. 
Tilbury, J. 
TiUer, G. J. 
Timms, F. G. 
Timson, F. 
Tingle, H. 
Tippett, R. J. 
Tippett, W. H. 
Tipping, F. 
Tipping, F. 
Tippler, T. 
Titman, C. J. W. 
Todd, B. 
Todd, B. 
Todd, E. 
Todd, F. T. 
Todd, G. 
Todd, J. 
Todd, 8. 
Todd, W. 
Tofts, F. 
Tolley, W. 
Tombs, R. L. 
Tompkins, F. J. 
Toms, H. C. 
Tonks, T. A. 
Toogood, J. 
Tooley, H. J. 
Topper, H. B. 
Topple, H. 
Toseland, G. F. 
Toseland, J. 
Tout, G. G. 
Towersey, F. 
Townsend, G. 
Townsend, H. 
Townsend, L. E. 
Townsend, W. T. 
Toy, H. E. F. 
Tozer, 8. 
Trace, J. 
Tranter, E. 
Tranter, J. M. 
Treadwell, G. 8. 
Treadwell, J. 
Trewin, E. J. 
Trimby, C. W. 
Trimmings, G. 
Trodd, W. 
Trodd, W. W. 



Trott, F. 
Trump, T. 
Tubb, T. C. 
Tuck, D. G. 
Tucker, G. 
Tucker, J. 
Tucker, J. D. 
Tucker, P. W. 
Tunn, P. 
Turner, J, 0. 
Turner, J. H. 
Turner, L. 
Tumey, F. 
Tumey, J. 
Tumey, W. 
Tumham, W. J. 
Turvey, A. 
Tustain, J. H. 
Twigg, F. G. 
Twitchen, G. 
Tyas, G. K. 
Tyrrell, F. 
Tyrrell, W. 

Uff,C. 

Underdown, O, 
Underwood, G. 
Underwood, W. 
Usher, H. T. 
Utton, 8. H. 

Vacher, A. 
Vallance, J. 
Varooe, W. H. 
Vamey, F. H. 
Vamey, J. 
Vatcher, J. 
Veale, E. 
Vears, H. W. 
Veitch, A. C. 
Venables, V. A. 
Viccars, F. 
Vickers, R. H. 
Vickers, W. 
Vickery, J. 
Vigurs, F. J. 
Vigurs, W. J. 
Vincent, A. A. 
Vincent, H. 
Vincent, H. 
Vincent, J. 
Vincent, T. 
Viner, C. E. 
Vizor, F. W. 
Vlcek, V, 



ROLL OF WARRANT OFFICERS, ETC. 218 



Wadelin, A. 
Wadlow, F. H. 
WagfltafE, W. F. 
Waine, A. £. 
Waine, H. 
Waine, H. T. 
Waite, G. 
Waite, G. W. 
Waldock, C. 
Waldook, S. G. 
Walker, A. 
Walker, A. 
Walker, A. T. 
Walker, A. T. E. 
Walker, C. 
Walker, G. 
Walker, H. 
Walker, J. O. 
Walker, R. 
Walker, W. C. 
Wall, G. 
Wall, J. R. 
Wall, N. 
Wallace, A. 
Wallace, E. 
Waller, G. 
Wallington, G. 
WalUs, A. 
WalUs, A. 
Walsh, H. T. 
Walton, H. N. 
Warburton, F. A. 
Ward, A. 
Ward, A. J. 
Ward, T. J. 
Warden, E. J. 
Warden, H. 
Ware, W. 
Waring, W. C. 
Warlow, H. Q. 
Wame, E. 
Warner, C. 
Warner, G. S. 
Warner, H. 
Warner, J. D. 
Warren, A. 
Warren, G. R. 
Warren, S. 
Warren, W. E. 
Washington, V. 
Waters, S. L. 
Waters, S. R. 
Waters, T. H. 
Watkins, G. J. 
Watkins, H. T. 
Watkins, J. 



Watkins, R. S. 
Watson, A. J. 
Watson, C. 
Watson, E. 
Watson, E. 
Watson, G. 
Watson, J. W. 
Watson, K. B. 
Watson, P. 
Watson, W. 
Watts, F. 
Watts, H. 
Watts, P. A. 
Way, H. J. R. 
Weaver, A. G. E. 
Weaver, W. 
Webb, A. 
Webb, F. W. 
Webb, H. 
Webb, J. 
Webb, J. H. 
Webb, W. A. 
Webb, W. S. 
Webster, J. 
Weedon, C. 
Weedon, J. 
Weedon, W. 
Weeks, W. 
Weinbaum, H. 
Weiner, L. 
Weller, B. O. 
Weller, C. 
Weller, T. 
WeUer, W. 
Wellington, R. 
Wellman, A. J. 
Wells, A. 
Wells, A. 
Wells, R. 
Werrell, C. 
Werring, W. S. 
West, A. 
West, B. 
West, H. 
West, J. 
West, J. 
West, P. 
West, P. B. 
West, R. A. 
West, T. 
West, W. 
Westbrooke, G. R. 
Westley, F. 
Westley, F. R. 
Weston, A, 
Weston, A. D. 



Weston, S. 
Westrup, A. 
Westrup, A. G. 
Westrup, R. 
Whale, G. 
Whale, W. A. 
Wharton, J. 
Wheadon, L. C. 
Wheeler, C. J. 
Wheeler, D. 
Wheeler, G. 
Wheeler, G. 
Wheeler, J. 
Wheeler, O. 
Wheeler, P. H. 
Whelan, M. J. 
Wherry, H, 
Whichelo, T. H. 
Whike, S. 
Whipps, A. 
Whitby, E. 
White, A. 
White, C. 
White, C. 
White, C. 
White, C. E. 
White, C. W. 
White, E. 
White, E. 
White, E. 
White, F. 
White, F. 
White, F. 
White, G. 
White, H. 
White, J. 
White, J. H. 
White, O. W. 
White, P. B. 
White, R. 
White, R. 
White, S. 
White, S. T. 
White, T. 
White, T. C. 
Whitestone, D. G. 
Whiteway, H. 
Whitfield, E. E. 
Whiting, O. 
Whitley, W. P. 
Whitman, H. 
Whitney, F. 
Whitney, F. S. 
Whitsey, J. 
Whittaker, F. 
Whittingham, A. 



214 



APPENDIX VI 



Whittieiey, G. 
Whitty, E. 
Why, W. J. 
Whyatt, E. 
Wicketts, W. J. 
WiolcB, S. 

Wigglesworth, J. W. 
WflS, W. 
WUes, F. J. 
Wilkes, J. H. 
WilkinB,0. 
WiUdns^O. 
WilkinBon, A. E. 
WilkinBon, Q. 
WilkinBon, G. 
Wilkinflon, J. 
WiUiamB, F. 
WilliamB, G. 
WiUiamB, G. 
WilUams, H. 
WiUiamB, H. 
WUUams, H. 
Williams, T. 
WiUiams, T. 
Williams, W. H. 
Williamson, J. 
Williamson, W. 
WUlis, A. 
Willis, A. H. 
Willis, C. 
Willis, H. 
Willis, J. 
Willmott, A. 
Wills, F. 
Wills, F. J. 
Wills, W. 
Willson, A. J. 
Wilsdon, F. A. 
Wilson, A. 
Wilson, F. 
Wilson, F. H, 
Wilson, G. 
WUson, H. 
Wilson, T. A. 



Wilton, J. 
Waton, W. S. 
Wimms, J. B. 
Windsor, R. 
Wingrove, 8. 
Winn, W. A. 
Winsborrow, G. 
Winsper, T. J. 
Winsor, W. F. 
Wisbey, G. W. 
Wise, O. 
Wise, W. 
Witney, F. 
Witty, T. 
Wood, C. 
Wood, F. 
Wood, H. 
Woodford, G. 
Woodford, J. W. 
Woodgates, H. J. 
Woodham, F. 
Woodham, S. T. H. 
Woodley, B. 
Woodley, J. H. 
Woodley, W. B. 
Woods, A. £. 
Woods, A. F. 
Woods, E. 
Woods, H. F. 
Woods, T. 
Woodward, F. W. 
Woodward, R. 
Woodwards, H. 
Woollard, E. S. 
WooUey, W. V. 
Woolven, W. 
Wooster, G. 
Wootton, A. 
Wootton, J. 
Worden, T. 
Worker, C. 
Worker, W. 
Worley, A. 
Worley, J. 



Worley, J. E. 
Worley, W. E. 
Worling, A. 
Worraker, A. 
Worrall, W. 
Worsh, J. E. 
Worth, E. J. 
Wright, A. 
Wright, A. 
Wright, A. C. 
Wright, A. G. 
Wright, E. 
Wright, F. C. 
Wright, H. 
Wright, J. 
Wright, J. F. 
Wright, R. 
Wright, 8. 
Wright, 8. H. 
Wright, W. 
Wright, W. J. 
Wyatt, G. 
Wylie, R. 

Yates, F. 
Yates, W. 
Yeo, A. C. 
Youers, A. 
Youers, B. 
Youers, J. 
Youers, P. T. 
Youers, W- 
Youers, W. 
Young, A. 
Young, A. E. 
Young, A. J. 
Young, A. V. 
Young, E. A. 
Young, J. C. 
Young, J. E. 
Young, W. 

Zusman, J. 



APPENDIX VII 
(A) COPY OF WAR OFFICE LETTER 

Wab Office, London, S.W. 

27th July, 1920. 

Sib, 

I am commanded by the Army Council to inform you 
that they have recently received through the Foreign Office 
for distribution to the Army seven bronze reproductions 
of a Gold Medal which was presented to His Majesty the 
King of Italy by a National Committee in commemoration 
of the War. Four others, it is understood, have been allotted 
to the Navy, and one to the Royal Air Force. 

The Council, after consultation with lieutenant-General 
the Earl of Cavan, have selected the following units to 
receive these medals, as representatives of the British 
Military Forces which were engaged on the Italian Front : 

Northamptonshire Yeomanry. 

Bucks Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire 

Light Infantry, 
1st Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers. 
Royal Artillery Mess, Woolwich. 
Royal Engineer Mess, Chatham. 
Honourable Artillery Company. 
Royal Army Medical Corps Mess, Millbank Hospital. 

I am accordingly to transmit herewith a copy of the 
diploma which accompanied the medals, together with a 
translation of the same, and to inform you that the medal 
will be forwarded to you forthwith by registered post. I 

215 



216 APPENDIX Vn 

am at the same time to request that you will be good enough 
to furnish a formal receipt at your earliest convenience. 

I am, Sir, 

Your obedient Servant, 
H. J. Creedy. 

The Officer Commanding 
Bucks Battalion, 

Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire 

Light Infantry. 
14, Temple Square, Aylesbury. 



(B) TRANSLATION OF THE ITALIAN DIPLOMA 

THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE ARMY AND 
NAVY COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL, instituted in Rome 
with the object of offering to His Majesty the King of 
Italy, Vittorio Emanuele III, as Supreme Head of the 
Army and Navy, a large medal in gold, in memory of the 
War fought in the cause of Freedom and Civilization, 
presented this medal to the August Sovereign on the 10th 
December, 1919. 

The National Committee has also offered a facsimile of 
the medal to all the Ships and Regiments which took part 
in the Great War, and each individual Italian soldier and 
sailor who distinguished himself on active service. 

With the desire that this medal should also be a solemn 
emblem of distinction for the Armies and Navies of the 
Great and Valiant Allied Nations, the National Committee 
has decided to present to them reproductions of the same 
as a token of the profound sentiments of fraternity by which 
it is animated. 

This diploma, together with a facsimile in bronze of the 
medal, is presented to : 

The Bucks Battalion, 
Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. 

For the Executive Committee^ 

The President. 

BOME, 28^ Marc^ 1920. 



f I Comitate IHlajtonale per la 
A^e^agUa 6'onorc allfiscrcito c al- 

I ^rmata, )etilPi»in1iomap«ronriTeaElanDaM»l>clKeeiti[l> 
Wttario £nunuele m, quale Oapo Supnmo twiievetdlo e bcli'BtmiM, 
una eranbe flDeBaolii in oto celebrante b <Su«rra bl rEMnjIonc c bi 
tMitli. nc Uct [onMBTia aH'BusuBta SovranD II 10 SIcembie 19)0. 

II CamilalO fiijionak bi Inoltiv olttrU una dpcebujione^corbo 
bclla «ttaaa flbebaalia a luttt Ic Da«i eb a tuttl i 1!«Mimenil (b< banno 
partedpato alia tSianlx iSaetra, nancbi einealarmente a Mlball e marinal 
llallani, cbe maflelocmcnle »l wno fUlintl In bttt ti'annl. 

Volcnbo il iloinltaio najloiule cbc I'omagato ela ancbc una Mtennc 
Ustimonian}* bi i^um per ell Eaercitl t It Brmate txlU locti t valotote 
fla^ni alleate, ba beiitKralo an»ra bi oBrirc loro belle rlprobuiloni- 
ricorbo a conltrnia M Eenllmentl bi ainctia (cattllansa. 

11 ptetentc aticitato con una rlpcobUBlone in btonso vkne rllasdatoa 

Vewm, [i'Z/Ku)/} 1920. 

If;?: 

11 PrtslMnu 



TT tT.Tj^W USMOBUI. OEETIFIOATB.