The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment 24th September 1915

24^th September, 1915 –

1st Battalion – SECTION B 2.

Took over reduced frontage in B 2 Section and occupied positions for attack tomorrow. Relief completed at 5pm. Draft of 40 joined

2nd Battalion – Officers 29.    Other Ranks 991.

To Hospital 4.

Great coats were collected and stacked in a house at VERQUIGNEUL at 10pm. – The Bn, marched off at 11.15pm and were in position in the reserve trenches in LANCASTER LINES by 3am.

1/6^th Battalion – The night passed quietly – At 7.30am orders were received that in case of a SALIET at LE TOUQUET being evacuated by the enemy during the Artillery bombardment & the smoke demonstration on the 25^th inst, it was to be taken by the 7^th E. Surrey Regt, & that we were assist by fire. During the night of the 23/24^th smoke grenades – Triple candles straw etc, were received at Bn, Hqrs, & distributed to Companies at 12.15pm orders for the smoke demonstration were received & orders issued to Companies. At 2.30pm the trench Howitzers & mortars commenced a bombardment of the wire around LE TOUQUET SALIENT. The effect was not very marked – considerable number of “bombs” being “blind”. At 2.30pm they ceased fire & the result was a small gap about 5 feet wide in the front row of knife rests. The enemy retaliated with 7.7cm shell at LUKERS HOUSES. At 4.pm our 4” Howitzers & 18 pdr commenced firing at the enemy’s wire about the SALIENT. Here again very little damage was done – During the night the enemy’s was heard repairing their wire round the SALIENT - & a constant machine gun fire was kept up at the working parties.Casualties – Wounded other ranks 3.

2/4^th Battalion –

7^th Battalion – Artillery continued bombardment 2 to 6pm. Little retaliation by Germans. Several patrols out at night failed to find that any material damage had been done to German wire. German snipers & M.G’s very active during night, especially opposite TAMBOUR. 2/Lt A.W.B. Kitchen killed by a sniper at about 3pm, while looking over parapet. Lt Travers wounded by premature explosion of No1 grenade in a catapult.

8^th Battalion – Move on at night to BETHUNE, billet in schools.