1st July 1916 –
1st Battalion –CUINCHY LEFT.
Some T.M. & rifle grenade activity, otherwise quiet.
Aeroplanes on both sides very active; one of ours brought down in flames.
Casualties, 1 killed, 1 wounded.
Our offensive in the Somme started today.
2nd Battalion – GRANTOWN.
12.5 am En route from BOIS DES TAILLES to position of
assembly – halted for about 50 minutes, men given water & 2 bandoliers
S.A.A. after wh: Bn, proceeded by Companies via NORFOLK AVENUE & MINDEN
POST to their positions.
SUPPORT TRENCHES. 4 am From left to right – “A” Coy
in LONDON ROAD W.
“B” Coy in LONDON ROAD E of Francis Ave.
“C” Coy in CROSS ST.
“D” Coy in CROSS ST & PORTLAND ROAD.
Hd,Qrs CROSS ST near junct, of HIGH ST.
Situation of other units from left to right –
Front line 1st S Staffords – 22nd
Manchesters
Support – 21st Manchesters – 2nd
Queens.
91st Bde H.Q. DURHAH TRENCH 250 x’s of MINDEN
POST.
20th Inf Bde on left, 11th R. Fus (18th
Div) on right.
1st Objectives. MAMETS village 7 high
ground East along MONTAUBAN-MAMETS road.
2nd Objectives. FRITZ TRENCH – BRIGHT
ALLEY, BUNNY ALLY (strong & well made German trenches).
3rd Objectives. High ground 150x South of
MAMET Wood.
21st Div: attacking on N.W. side of FRICOURT to
establish their front line on N side of BOTTOM WOOD with a strong point just W
of X.20.b.5.6 to protect our left flank.
ASSEMBLY TRENCHES. 2/Lt Ford-Kelsey killed &
several casualties among other ranks from enemy’s artillery.
7.30 am ZERO hour – 22nd Manchesters & 1st
S. Staffs in conjunction with units on either flanks advanced - & captured
German Front & Support trenches, S edge of Mamets; BULGER ALLEY.
8 am 2nd QUEEN’S occupied front trenches
evacuated by 22nd Manchesters on West & East side of The Mound
in (F.11.b.85.00).
9.50 am A&C Coys advance towards DANZIG ALLEY on E of
Mamets, came under enemy M.G. fire from East Edge of MAMETZ & DANZIG ALLEY,
causing a good many casualties among both officers & other ranks including
Capt Philpot & 2 Lt Jacobs wounded, 2 Lts Crees,Gillies Killed –
With their right on BLACK HEDGE A&C Coys continued the
advance to BUCKET TRENCH, BULGAL ALLEY & trench running west of & out
of latter to E edge of MAMETZ.
1.10 pm to 3.30 pm DANZIG ALLEY.
B&D Coys advance from our old trenches E of Mound &
with their right about 100x W of BLACK ALLEY & made good junct of FRITZ
TRENCH & DANZIG ALLEY - Captain R.C.C. Foster assisted by Lt E. Hobbs made
their way with a few bombers to the MAMETZ end of DANZIG ALLEY, via FERDINAND
ALLEY & captured 2 M.Guns & 2 Automatic rifles, 1 officer & about
50 other prisoners. 2 Lt J.T. Roberts with B Coy commenced to clear FRITZ
TRENCH & after capturing an automatic rifle & ammunition & a few
prisioners found that DANZIG ALLEY near junct of FRITZ TRENCH was still
occupied by the enemy – A bombing post was placed in FRITZ TRENCH & a party
of bombers collected who successfully bombed two lots of Germans (20 & 1
officer & 25), who gave themselves up without showing much fight – The
officer seeing how superior in numbers his party was tried to get at his
revolver but on being shot in the right shoulder he again threw up his hands.
The remainder of A,B,C&D Coys were soon afterwards
collected & reorganised in DANZIG ALLEY.
6.50 pm 2 Lt E. Roberts & Lt Day R.F.A. with a party of
B Coy had by now cleared FRITZ TRENCH, both these officers being killed during
this operation – Cpl Shaw had the satisfaction of turning the German automatic
rifle on the enemy whilst they were trying to escape from FRITZ TRENCH.
1st S. Staffs & 22nd Manch, cleared
BUNNY ALLEY & BRIGHT ALLEY, covering fire & bombing support being given
in the latter from FRITZ TRENCH.
7.30 pm FRITZ TRENCH held and consolidated from right to
left by A.B.C&D Coys 2nd Queens 1 Coy 21st Manch Regt
– Three strong points made with the help of Durham Fd Coy R.E. & Machine
Guns (91st M.G. Coy) & Lewis gun placed to sweep the whole front
including west end of BEETLE ALLEY (held & consolidated by 11th
R. Fusiliers) –
Rations & water arrived during the night – Bn Hd Qrs
established at junct Fritz & DANZIG ALLY.
2/4th
Battalion – RAILHEAD FERRY POST.
Battalion forms part of “B” Subsection, No 2 Section Suez
Canal Defences and is encamped at RAILHEAD, FERRY POST, ISMAILIA with one
Company in Front Line at KATOOMBA 1, attached to 2/4 Royal West Kent Regt. Work
consists in making & repairing Field Wokrs for local defence of the Camp
& providing numerous picquets, guards & fatigues. Training of Lewis
Gunners, Signallers & etc & daily setting up drill carried out.
1/5th
Battalion – NASARIYEH.
Death Pte Fitchett D Coy died of heat apoplexy.
1/6th Battalion
– BRESLE.
The battalion left BRESLE at 7 am and proceeded to MILLEN
COURT where it arrived at 9 am and bivouacked in a field until 7 pm when orders
were received to move to the intermediate line of trenches N.W. of ALBERT where
it arrived at 9.15 pm. Orders were received at 9.30 pm to move up to front line
trenches at once, where battalion relieved 2nd Bn, Rifle Brigade.
Relief was complete at 4.25 am. The right of Battn, was HEN TRENCH and its left
on RIVINGTON STREET. B Coy on right “C” left “D” Coy in BARROW & FURNESS ST
“A” Coy had their right on JOHN O’GAUNT’S ST and their left on RIVINGTON ST.
7th
Battalion – Page Missing
SHORT REPORT ON THE ACTION OF 1st JULY 1916.
While holding the Brigade front for two days immediately
before the assault, the Battalion had lost 40 Casualties and had become
somewhat exhausted owing to enemy shelling & lack of sleep owing to
constant clearing of front trenches owing to our bombardment and other
activities –
During night previous to assault, the enemy intermittently
shelled assembly trenches of the Battn, particularly in the vicinity of BATTY
ROAD and N and S ends of PRINCESS STREET. The shelling increased in intensity
from 6 am to the hour of assault. The battalion suffered four casualties only
during the night. These were in the front line trench.
7.25 am first we left our trenches, and after a short
wait in NO MANS LAND, advanced to the assault at 7.30 am. At zero the whole
Battalion moved forward. Heavy rifle fire and Machine Gun fire was at once
opened on the Battalion, coming chiefly from the E, end of the CRATER area, and
BRESLAU SUPPORT and BACK TRENCH. “D” Company, left leading Company of the
Battn, suffered very severely from Machine Gun fire from the CRATERS, only
about twenty men of this Company reaching BRESLAU SUPPORT. The two sections
that went round W, of the CRATERS were also decimated, and therefore failed in
their mission of keeping touch with the Norfolk Regt on our laft.
7.35 am “B” Company, finding that the two leading
Companies had suffered heavily, pushed on without halting and joined “A” and
“D” in BRESLAU SUPPORT. The three platoons on the left of this Company suffered
very severe casualties from rifle and Machine Gun fire in the CRATERS. Few of
these ever reached BRESLAU SUPPORT. “A”, “C” and “D” Companies, were, from this
time onward, hotly engaged in BRESLAU SUPPORT. About twenty men under 2nd
Lieut A.B. Marston were in position in shell holes and dis-used trenches about
S, end of MIDDLE AVENUE and were engaged with enemy in a strong point at
A.2.d.91 which they finally neutralised.
7.50 am “C” Company advanced from our front line
trenches, forming line in NO MANS LAND, ready to advance. Up to this time they
had suffered few casualties. On advancing beyond the cover supplied by the
CRATERS and the formation of the ground in NO MANS LAND, the two right platoons
suffered very severely, particularly from Machine Gun fire from point 91.
7.55 am “C” Company joined remainder of Battn in
BRESLAU SUPPORT, the remains of No.12 platoon being employed in clearing
BRESLAU TRENCH. By this time our artillery barrage had lifted from both BACK
TRENCH and POMMIERE LINE leaving the Battalion with no artillery support. The
severe losses suffered by the left flank of the Battalion, had caused a wide
gap on the left of the Battalion, which was not filled till the late afternoon.
The right of the Battalion at this time was in touch with the East Surreys.
From now onwards, the Battalion being unsupported, either by artillery or by
reinforcements, was definitely held up by BACK TRENCH. The East Surreys, on the
right, moving on at about 8.45 am the connection was not maintained to either
right or left.
8.30 am No news received at Battalion Report Centre
from any Company . Capt G.H.H. Scott, commanding fourth Company, went forward
to attempt to find his Company and report situation, but was unfortunately
killed before reaching German lines.
9.15 am Message received at Battalion Report Centre
that E, end of CRATERS remained untaken. Stokes Gun brought into action and
CRATERS reported to be cleared of the enemy at 9.40 am.
10.30 am Pte Anscombe volunteered and went forward to
find an officer of the Battalion and get situation. He found 2nd
Lieut H.J. Tortoise in BRESLAU SUPPORT, and obtained situation from him,
returning with a fairly accurate report of the situation at 11.30 am.
11.45 am The C.C moved forward to find out the
situation and get in touch with Battn, at junction of BRESLAU SUPPORT and
CARNOY - MONTAUBAN ROAD. The situation was then as follows :- About 100 men of
the Battn were in BRESLAU SUPPORT between CARNOY - MONTAUBAN ROAD and MIDDLE
AVENUE. They were not in touch on either flank, The east Surreys having moved
up towards DUGOUT TRENCH and no reinforcements having been received to fill the
gap between the Battn and 8th Norfolk Regt on the left. The advance
of the Battalion was being held up by the enemy holding BACK TRENCH from
A.2.d.13. They appeared to be of considerable strength with Machine Guns and
kept up continuous rifle fire at any man who showed himself in BRESLAU SUPPORT. A Stokes Gun under Lieut V.
Hook was with the Battalion but out of action, owing to missing base plate.
This gun was not ready for action until after 1 pm. Except for a few men of the
Buffs under Capt Neame, no reinforcements had been received in this locality. A
few men of the Battalion had got mixed with the East Surreys and moved up with
them to POMMIERS LINE.
12.45 pm A platoon of the Royal Sussex Pioneers who
had been sent forward with a view to the consolidation of the POMMIERE LINE,
was brought into line with the Battn.
1.0 pm Lieut D.R. Heaton collected a bombing party of
the Royal Sussex Pioneers and the Battalion and advanced up MIDDLE AVENUE. On
reaching point 91 they bombed the junction of BACK TRENCH and MIDDLE AVENUE and
simultaneously the Battalion, with the Platoon of Sussex Pioneers and a few men
of the Buffs under Capt Neame advanced to the attack from BRESLAU SUPPORT. The
Germans holding BACK TRENCH at once left their trenches and surrendered,
numbering about 160. Previous to this time 2nd Lieut A.B. Marston
led a party of about 15 men along BACK LANE and reached MINE ALLEY at point
A.2.d.78 at 1. pm.
1.15 pm Lieut C.A. Haggard and Lieut D.R. Heaton
collected all available men of the Battn and led them on towards the Battalions
final objective, BLIND ALLEY was found to be occupied and 2 Lieut H.J. Tortoise
and three men attacked it with one bomb and drove the twelve occupants of the
trench out.
2. pm The Battalion reached MONTAUBAN – MAMETZ ROAD
on its allotted front. A number of men now rejoined from 8th East
Surrey Regt as stray parties coming up from behind and brought the strength of
the Battn on this line up to about 200. The situation this time was as follows
:- MONTAUBAN ALLEY and trench running round N, side of MONTAUBAN was held by
the East Surreys and Royal West Kents. The rest of the Battalion was completely in the air, no connection
whatever being obtained with the right of the 53rd Brigade until
much later in the day. MONTAUBAN ALLEY was held by the enemy from about
S.26.d.87 to the left by Machine Guns which made further advance over a very
open bit of ground imposable without reinforcements or artillery support.
2.30 pm The C.O. met C.O. 7th Buffs in
MINE ALLEY and explained the situation and asked for support to attempt to
connect left of Battalion with 53rd Brigade. The C.O. 7th
Buffs sent up all the men he had at his disposal (2 Platoons) to prolong left
of Battalion.
5.0 pm Lieut V. Hook with Stokes Guns came into
action at N, end of BLIND ALLEY and MONTAUBAN ORCHARD.
5.15 pm The F.O.O of 51st Brigade R.F.A.
put about four rounds on to MONTAUBAN ALLEY between CATERPILLAR TRENCH and 67
TRENCH. Stokes Guns also fired on this area. Immediately after this bombardment
a party of the Battalion under 2nd Lieut H.J. Tortoise and C.S.M.
King assaulted and occupied this section of trench establishing connection with
the R.W. Kent Regt on the right. Except for the presence of a small party of
the 8th Norfolks, no real connection was yet established with 53rd
Brigade.
6.45 pm Touch was established with the 53rd
Brigade who appear to of moved up in LOOP TRENCH and along MONTAUBAN ALLEY, a
procedure which probably accounts for their delay in reaching this objective.
The Battalion now consolidated the length of MONTAUBAN ALLEY which it had
gained and occupied it during the night.
M.KEMP WELCH, Major,
Commdg. 7th (S) Bn, “The Queen’s” Regt.
9.7.16.
8th
Battalion – DRANOUTRE.
On the nights of the 30th June/1st
July & 1st/2nd July 1916, the 72nd I.B.
was relieved in the trenches & trench area by the 7th Australian
Brigade and the 17th I.B.
LOCRE
The 8th Queen’s Bn was replaced in billets at DRANOUTRE
by the 12th Royal Fusiliers (17th I.B.) and moved into
the BADAJOZ HUT Camp near LOCRE at M 29 a 70.
On arrival at LOCRE the 8th Queen’s and the 9th
E, Surrey Regt became the garrison for the KEMMEL DEFENCES, if required as
such.
10th
Battalion – TRENCHES 103-112.
Trenches – Wounded No G/10259 Pte R. Robinson.
11th
Battalion –
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