July 30th 1915

Arrived back in a fresh camp about 4am; had some tea and stew and just laid down as we were to sleep on the grass; in about half an hour we were woke up again with the news that the Germans had broken through the line we had just left and we were to get ready to go back at a moments notice. The order to move came before we could get rations issued so it was a case of taking what you could get; I got a small piece of bread and cheese. I don’t think any of us really thought that we were in for an attack; as a matter of fact we didn’t really know until later what had happened. However, back we had to go, done up as we were; we halted on the road and the Captain explained to the NCO’s what had happened and what we were to do. The Germans had attacked the trench held by the 8th (which we had just left) using ‘liquid fire’ and forcing them to fall back across the Menin road into Zouave Wood, and we with the K.R.R (41st Brigade) were to make a counter attack. We got as far as Ypres and our company were told to carry up Machine guns and Ammunition and what a journey we had, through trenches knee deep in sticky mud; fortunately we got up to the wood without any casualties just as the bombardment started. The K.R.R’s going up before us and D.C.L.I’s following us suffered pretty heavily from shell fire; one shell catching the ‘Cornwalls’ bombers and exploded their bombs. The bombardment on our side didn’t last long and almost as soon as we had got into position in the wood the first line were making for the enemy but as soon as they showed themselves they were mown down by machine gun fire, scarcely any of them reaching the enemies barbwire.The first line of our Company with which I was with now in a trench on the outer edge of the wood waiting for orders to go over but we were told to hang on to the trench until further orders; these orders coming in the shape of relief by the D.C.L.I’s about 6.30pm (we had been there since 1pm); then the R.B retired back to the centre of the wood with the rest of the Company. Jimmy was surprised to see me as he thought I had been hit. No NCO’s of my platoon could be found and Jimmy was given the job of trying to round up men of No. 3 then he handed the job over to me. We were finally relieved from the wood about midnight by the Durham’s (43rd Brigade) so we suffered a bombardment of nearly twelve hours and at the hottest part an officer of the D.C.L.I’s described it as being worse than Neuve Chapelle; as to that I can’t say but I do know it was pretty hellish. The Battn. lost about three hundred officers and men; my platoon came out with three acting corporals, all other NCO’s were wounded. We did not retake the trenches; an attack there in daylight was out of the question although it was ordered.

**This appears to be the first time my Grandfather experienced Flamethrowers - its sounds like a very tough time was had by all; I like the understatement in the words 'pretty hellish!' ***

July 30th 1916

Arrived in about 1.30am and found that the Battalion was marching off at 4am. We were left behind to get a late sleep and followed them at about 11 o’clock reaching them at Beaudricourt at about 6 o’clock in the evening.