The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment 21st July 1916

21^st July 1916 –

1^st Battalion – High Wood.

At about 12 midnight information received that wood was still in our hands and that Capt Foster was wounded – A & D Coys ordered to move at once to the wood arriving about 2 am – defence of wood was handed over to Queens & 16^th K.R.R’s under command of Capt & Adjt Wenham 16^th K.R.R’s – K.R.R’s held East edge of wood A to B – A to C held by West Kents 5^th Division. A to D thereby held by D Coy Queens – F to E by C Coy – F to G, A Coy and G to H, B coy- At E was a strong point under construction by R.E trenches had only just been started and men were directed to dig themselves in, shell holes have been chiefly utilized. The wood consisted chiefly of bushes about breast high fairly thick, and studded with scattered tall trees, rather thin and knocked about – The Germans appeared to be holding the North & N E Corner and did not appear to be holding the North West corner in any strength.

4 am- Soon after dawn the Germans were heard shouting and a few were seen moving about in the mist that had arisen, evidently trying to make their way round our right flank – Rapid fire was opened and enemy retired  but was frequently seen afterwards and fired on – During these operations 2^nd Lieut Butterworth was killed and 2^nd Lts Crook & Faulkner wounded – Later on 2^nd Lt Milner took a patrol of 20 men and examined the wood in rear of our trenches

3 pm- about 3 pm the same officer took out a patrol of 5 men to get touch with the Battn on the right – several of these were wounded & 2^nd Lt Milner went out again to find them & was not seen again – A search party failed to discover him.

5 pm- About 5 pm a party of enemy was seen to carry out a machine gun on a stretcher on the left flank about 600 yards away – Lewis gun & rifle fire dispersed them. After dark endeavour was made to connect the trenches in the front line and the strong points on right & left.

11.30 pm Battalion was relieved by 4^th Gordons previous to this heavy rifle fire had broken out in DELVILLE Wood and the Germans brought a barrage to bear in rear of HIGH WOOD and Battalion on relief had to go through the barrage & had several casualties doing so.

Battalion marched back along valley on edge of MAMETZ WOOD where tear and gas shells were encountered  and last company reached the bivouac half mile East of BICORDEL at 3.20 am

2^nd Battalion – Coys bathed in River ANCRE near to VILLE – Physical training & Musketry in morning.

Strength:

Officers 24.

Other ranks 752.

2/4^th Battalion – Transport The T.O. Lieut O.S. Cleverley had 64 mules handed over him for Battns 1^st line transport, these still to stand in lines of 22^nd Mule Corps.

Death No.2586 pte E.A. Feldwick B Coy died of enteric & was buried at 7 am on the 22^nd.

1/5^th Battalion –

1/6^th Battalion – In camp near BERTRAMCOURT.

Battalion left LOUVENCOURT at 2 pm & went into camp near BERTRAMCOURT arriving 3.15 pm no men fell out on the march.

7^th Battalion – LONGPRE LES CORPS SAINTS.

Battn marched off from camp at 3.30 am and proceed to MERICOURT for entrainment at 4.30 pm. Battn detrained at LONGPRE les Corps Saints where it bivouaced for the night – 1^st line transport at FRESNE.

8^th Battalion – METEREN.

The Battalion remained at METEREN. Training was proceeded with.

10^th Battalion – In billets PAPOT.

11^th Battalion – 3 Other Ranks were killed, while filling a water cart in Le Bizet.