The next move was to a different area. The ⅙th (as it must now be
called) was packed on to the railway at Doullens and, after a lapse of
two eventful years, once again detrained at Merville, which it found in
deep snow. The following day it moved into trenches at Neuve Chapelle.
The historic redoubt of “Port Arthur,” so hotly contested in 1915, was
in the battalion sector, and the famous La Bassée road ran through
it. The Duke’s had an enormous stretch of line to look after and held
it lightly in the outpost system; but, except for the trench mortars,
which the enemy possessed in great numbers, their stay here was not an
unpleasant one and they remained in the line for nearly three months.
At the end of March a raid was carried out by the battalion. The
operation was carefully practised and on the night of March 28-29 the
raiding party set off under the command of Capt. S. H. Clough, who was
the first man to enter the enemy’s lines and the last to leave them.
Strong opposition was encountered and no prisoners could be taken, but
all ranks behaved with great gallantry. Capt. Clough and Lieut. J. W.
Denison (afterwards killed while serving with the 9th Batt.) were both
wounded; and 2nd Lieut. Butler and Pte. Pickup, D.C.M., were killed in
the operation.
Two interesting events occurred during the stay at Neuve Chapelle.
One was a visit from a special company of Royal Engineers, armed with
a number of the new gas projectors, which discharged many large gas
shells simultaneously into the enemy’s lines. To the great delight of
the men, who remembered their own experiences at Ypres, from 200 to 300
of these shells were concentrated upon one sector of the enemy’s line
and caused serious losses to the Germans. The other was the arrival of
the 1st Portuguese Division which first came into the line in small
parties to learn the art of war from the 49th, and finally, towards the
end of May, took over the line from them.
After their long spell of trench work the battalion thoroughly enjoyed
a fortnight’s rest at the aptly named village of Paradis. The quarters
were excellent, and it was here that an officer of the battalion made
his name famous throughout the B. E. F. by discovering a particular
variety of billet. Brigade sports and a horse show were organized, in
which the battalion more than held its own. In the latter it swept
the board in the heavy draught section: and in the former it won the
tug-of-war, and, largely thanks to the fine running of Pte. Carter,
also did well in the field events. From Paradis the men could clearly
hear the terrific shelling of the battle of Messines, when the new
“creeping barrage,” employed thereafter with such great success, was
first brought to perfection by our artillery.
The 147th Brigade was next lent for a fortnight to the 6th Division,
old friends of the Salient days, to take the place of a brigade
required elsewhere. The ⅙th Duke’s took over a sector opposite the
famous quarries of Hulluch, towards the northern end of the battlefield
of Loos. The defences occupied were of a remarkable character, for vast
underground tunnels, large enough to take a battalion, stretched all
along the line. In these secure quarters, fitted with electric light
and other conveniences, the bulk of the troops passed the day. But
on the surface the sniping was keen and the trench mortars, hidden in
deep emplacements, were exceptionally active. 2nd Lieut. Darragh, a
most intrepid officer who had lost two brothers earlier in the year,
was wounded and died a few days later; and Sergt. Bell, of Haworth,
was killed, again one of three gallant brothers who lost their lives
for their country. In this sector, too, the battalion was called upon
to assist an extensive raid carried out by the battalion on their
right. A magnificent smoke screen was put up to hide the preliminary
preparations from the enemy in Hulluch, while a plucky party under 2nd
Lieut. J. S. Spencer created a spectacular diversion by exploding a
Bangalore torpedo right under the German wire.
From Hulluch the ⅙th Battalion moved at once into quite a new type of
country, for in the middle of July the Craven men found themselves
encamped on the sandy dunes east of Dunkirk on the Channel Coast.
Originally sent north to take part in a contemplated attack, they found
on arrival that the situation had entirely changed. The Germans had
clearly got wind of the affair, and, concentrating much heavy artillery
and an unexpected division of sailors, had broken through the British
lines, reaching the banks of the Yser from its mouth nearly to Nieuport
and seriously threatening the important crossings about that town. To
the 49th Division once again fell the rôle of Salvation Army and they
threw themselves vigorously into their work, relieving the battered
troops in front, straightening out the line and remaking the defences.
The sector taken over by the ⅙th Duke’s was the ruined village of
Lombaertzyde, immediately in front of Nieuport. Of trench system in the
ordinary sense of the term they found none, and sheltered solely by
hollows in the shifting sand they had to face continual bombardment.
Here the ⅙th first made the acquaintance of shells filled with mustard
gas, which caused most painful blisters to many of the men. To reach
the front line was a matter of great danger and difficulty. The direct
route, through the town of Nieuport, was always heavily shelled, and
the three bridges across the river Yser were continually knocked in.
Apart from the shelling these bridges were something of an obstacle.
Formed of wooden frames filled with cork and lashed together they
sagged greatly at low tide and the roadway stood at an alarming angle
to the bank. Many gallant deeds were performed by the 49th Division
during their stay, but none was more dashing and dangerous than the
raid carried out by the ⅙th Duke’s on a pitch dark August night. Since
the German attack no prisoners had been taken, and the higher command
was anxious to know what forces the enemy had in the line against us.
In this object the raid was a complete success. Led by that amiable
desperado, Capt. Godfrey Buxton, a strong party of D company entered
the enemy’s trenches. When the alarm was given the Germans laid down
a terrific barrage on our lines and the ground in front, and there
was general anxiety as to the safety of the raiders. Their return
shortly after with five prisoners and a machine gun aroused great
enthusiasm. In this raid Capt. Buxton, Corporal Driver and Private
Bibby particularly distinguished themselves.
On August 17th the battalion was withdrawn for a very welcome month’s
rest at Coxyde Bains and La Panne, two watering-places much favoured
by wealthy Belgians in time of peace. At Coxyde Bains the men were
quartered in empty villas and thoroughly enjoyed the experience; and
the sea bathing was much appreciated, in spite of numerous casualties
from small stinging jelly fish. The enormous shells of “Big Bertha,”
the German long range gun, used to hum past on their way to Dunkirk,
and their bombing planes sailed overhead most nights, but neither
interfered seriously with the seaside holiday.
Here the Battalion lost the very valuable services of Regt.
Sergt.-Major O. Buckley, M.C., who received a commission as
quarter-master of the ⅐th Duke’s. He was succeeded by Coy. Sergt.-Major
T. Richardson, D.C.M., who had come out as a sergt. with the battalion.