Tuesday 23 August 2016

1916: 23rd August - Private A.H. King wrote...

After daylight the enemy made no further attacks and this line, i.e. from 70 yards S.W. of 31 to 81 exclusive was handed over to Bucks Battalion about 11 am.

1916: August - Fransu - Whack at Fransu


Whack at Fransu
August 1916

Monday 22 August 2016

1916: 22nd August - account of operations + Private A.H. Kings' memoir

22nd August 1916
At 5 am. Under cover of a thick mist the Germans attacked and collected under the bank immediately N. of 31-19 and broke in E. and W. of 19. The platoon holding trench N.E. of 19 was cut off and scattered. The platoon N.W. of 19 retired on the 4th Gloucesters via 81. The remainder of the Company was forced back onto the line 16-25-46, with small party holding on to the barricade 100 yards S. of 19.

O.C. “D” Company (Major NOTT) pushed out bombing parties, one in the direction of 19 and one in the direction of 27 via 25 and 46.

Two Lewis Guns were mounted on the parapet between 16 and 19 where they covered the left front.  While these guns were being mounted No. 2019 Pte. KERR spotted a German Machine Gun coming into action in the open just N. of 19. He got up and knelt on the parapet where he was exposed in full view of the enemy and succeeded in shooting three members of the enemy machine gun team and prevented the gun opening fire. A Lewis Gun of the Royal Sussex Regiment whom at the time of attack were just leaving our front line where they had been working, was mounted on 46. Capt. GILMORE commanding “C” Company was killed whilst organizing a counter attack against 22.

Situation at 6.15 am. Enemy were holding 19-29-27. We were holding barricades between 16 and 19, 16 and 27, 46 and 27.

Lieut. CLARE SMITH was in charge on the left and Lieut. FULLERTON on the right. A constant supply of bobs was organized and about 8 am. Point 27 was re-occupied. Enemy holding barricades at 29 and 19 and making large use of our bomb stores which they had captured there, still held out and after a time began to outthrow us. O.C. “D” Company then sent up a few selected bombers who altered the situation and we moved up one barricade nearer to 29. No. 2635 Acting Corporal GUNSTON particularly distinguished himself in this bombing from 27.

About 10-30 am. Lieut. COSTIN moved a Stokes Gun into trench between 25 and 46 and 2nd Lieut. HARRIS went up to our barricade S. of 19 and registered the line 19-31. O.C. “D” Company moved up two fresh platoons into readiness. The Stokes guns opened intense barrage on the line 19-31 sat 11 am. They fired intense again at 11-30 and under cover of this, two platoons of “D” Company attacked. The right platoon found enemy all knocked out and re-occupied barricade N.W. of 29. Enemy at 19 had remained in his position, but the position was captured by the left platoon, all the enemy (11) being killed with the bayonet. This platoon got touch with the right platoon E. of 19 and re-occupied the barricade half way to 81.

About 1 pm. the remains of “C” Company were withdrawn and “D” Company took over all the front line. A patrol was sent out to 81 where six men of “C” Company were found and touch was gained with the 4th Gloucesters. This patrol also brought in some of our men who had been captured but subsequently left behind by the enemy. Patrol was also sent out along trench 27-29. This trench was found to be unoccupied except by an enemy sentry 50 yards W. of 79.

At 5 pm. “A” Company took over the front line and “D” Company remained in support. About 7 pm. another patrol went through towards 79 and got touch with 7th Worcesters just S. of that point.

About 8-30 pm. enemy attacked barricade N.W. of 29 using a large quantity of high explosive and smoke bombs. He almost captured the barricade, wounding the whole of the garrison with the exception of Lieut. TITLEY.

Lieut. TITLEY and 2897 Sgt, PEARCE (who had been knocked out by a bomb but had recovered) just managed to hang on. Two platoons of “D” Company were moved up into close support but did not become engaged. Stokes Mortars opened a heavy fire on 31 and from 31 down to our barricade.

About 10-30 pm. enemy shelled our front line heavily and buried one Stokes Gun and 200 rounds of ammunition. During the night the enemy made three more attacks but in each case were easily driven off.

At 2 am. Lieut. POOLE took out a patrol and reconnoitred ground N.W. of trench 19-31. He found all trenches within 100 yards N. of 19 had been abandoned by the enemy and “A” Company moved up to the old barricade 70 yards S.W. of 31 without opposition. A very large number of enemy dead were found in and about the trench between 19 and this barricade.

August 22nd 1916 (Tuesday)
Private A.H. Kings memoir

at 4 A.M., 16 platoon was sent to a barricade to help repel an attack by the Germans.  Just after we got there Corporal Price, who was in charge of our party, was shot through the head by a sniper and died about an hour later.  We held the barricade by bomb throwing.  Corporal Gunston was about 5 yards behind us, stood upright with his helmet off, throwing bombs and never got touched.  Bob Kerr was also up top firing at a party of Germans who were trying to work a machine gun.  He shot 4 and then another shot took away the gun.  Bob was awarded the D.C.M. for this.

Sunday 21 August 2016

1916: 21st August - account of operations

21st August 1916

On the 21st about 5-30 am. The Germans made a weak attack against Barricade near 31 which was easily repelled. Between then and 12 noon we made three attempts to occupy 31. We occupied 31 for a short time but were bombed out. At 12 noon “B” Company had orders to take the line 31-51. Orders for this attack were received very late and the Company commander only had 50 minutes to get his men into position. They consequently started late and failed to reach their objective.

About 6 pm. “C” Company took over front line from “A” Company. “D” Company moved up in support and “A” and “B” were withdrawn.


Night of 21st/22nd was quiet.

1916: 21st/22nd August

1/6th Battalion was fighting near Thiepval

Saturday 20 August 2016

1916: 20th August - Private A.H. King wrote...

20th August 1916 (Sunday)
We moved to the Orvillier’s part of the line, still in reserve, A company in the line. 

Account of operations..
20th August 1916
The Battalion took over from the 1/5th Royal Warwicks about 4 p.m. 20th, “” Company holding Front Line which ran 16, 16, 25, 46, 56. By 8 pm. Capt. HARTOG had moved on the line to 19, 29, 27 and had barricades 50 yards N.W. of 19 and 70 yards S.W. of 31.

Friday 19 August 2016

1916: 19th August - Private A.H. King wrote...


Went up in reserve again on Saturday August 19th.  
At 12P.M. that night we started off with some wire for the R.E.’s to Sky line trench.  We had 5 or 6 R.E.’s with us and 3 of these got knocked out by a shell on the way up.  After a struggle, we found the trench, which was a new one just started, and we had to go on digging there until 7A.M.