In foreground—“No man’s land.”
]
The great offensive did not take place. Why, we never found out, but we
did learn that everything was in fact ready for a big attack on our
front at this time. We waited patiently for 10.30 to come. After that we
waited all night, and for several more nights, but nothing extraordinary
happened at all.
On May 12 the Divisional front was rearranged, and was henceforth held
by three brigades in the line.
The 1st North Staffordshire Regiment took over part of our line on the
right and the 1st Royal Fusiliers (17th Brigade) relieved the rest of
us.
On the night 13th/14th we moved out into reserve at Bully-Grenay. A
Company were at Cité Calonne, about two kilometres away. The billets at
Bully and Calonne were by no means clean or comfortable, and we
commenced the work of cleaning up, building, and repairing in every
direction.
On the 16th we moved up again to Cité St. Pierre in support. Two
companies had battle positions in the red line, our main forward battle
position here, and two companies were in brigade support to be used for
counter-attack or reinforcement where necessary on the Brigade front.
During this tour at St. Pierre, Maj. Brown organised a raid on the
enemy’s trenches opposite Conductor Trench. The Lens front at this time
was famous for gas, and at Cité St. Pierre we concentrated on
gas-proofing the cellars and making them more comfortable. The Hun used
mustard and sneezing gas on the forward and battery areas, and we
indulged in retaliation in the way of projector attacks, gas-cloud
attacks, and a certain amount of gas shelling. On the 22nd we moved up
to the front line. The dispositions were now two companies forward in
the outpost zone, and two companies back in the intermediate or Blue
Line. On the night of May 24/25 A Company carried out the raid in
conjunction with gas-projector attacks. This was the first occasion on
which a raid had been attempted in conjunction with a projector attack.
In view of the uncertainty as to the enemy’s intentions here at this
time, it was essential that prisoners should be taken, and we were very
warmly congratulated on the capture of three very useful Huns in this
raid. The following is the official account, sent in by Lieut.-Col.
Wenyon at the time:
“The raid on the enemy trenches east of Conductor Sap took place last
night.
“The whole party was assembled in the sap and in correct order by 10.50
p.m., and the end of the tape secured ready to move out.
“The party left the assembly position on commencement of the barrage at
10.54, and moved on a compass bearing of 153°. At 10.56 the
gas-projector attack took place. A number of the cylinders fell in No
Man’s Land among the raiders, and, although they probably contained
smoke only, they had a suffocating effect on the men, and the whole
party got badly disorganised. 2nd Lieut. Treacher reached the enemy’s
wire with one or two men only. He found that it was possible to get
through the enemy wire, but, as he was practically alone, he decided to
come back.
“The party was back in our trenches at 11.13 p.m.
“I did not hear of the situation till 11.20, as the telephone wires
forward of advanced Battalion Headquarters had been cut.
“At 11.25 Maj. Brown came to advanced Headquarters and reported that the
raiders had failed to enter the enemy trenches and were back in our
line. The artillery barrage had been stopped.
“I decided that the raid should be done again with half the party at 2
a.m., when another gas-projector attack was due.
“A new barrage was arranged for 2 a.m., to remain on the enemy front
line for one minute, then lift on to his support line. I saw the
officers of the raiding party, and the Officer Commanding 6-inch Newton
Battery. The men of the raiding party had been sent back to their posts
in our trenches, and collecting them took a long time.
“Major Brown, with a runner, went out at about 1.40 from the assembly
position and laid the tape to a point within thirty yards of the enemy
wire. On his return he found 2nd Lieut. Wallis and 2nd Lieut. Piggott
with one section ready in the assembly position.
“The projector attack which had been put forward ten minutes, and took
place at 1.50, called forth some retaliation on our front line and
hampered the assembly considerably.
“The party proceeded at once down the tape, and successfully got through
the loose wire and entered the enemy’s trenches. No opposition was
encountered in entering the trench, and only one machine gun from the
left was firing while the party was crossing No Man’s Land—and that very
wildly and without effect. On entering the trench, 2nd Lieut. Piggott
worked to the left with four men, and 2nd Lieut. Wallis to the right
with the remainder of the party. Maj. Brown and a runner took up a
position at the point of entry as Raid Headquarters. As 2nd Lieut.
Wallis started down the trench with his party, two of the enemy appeared
round a traverse. They were at once fired on, and 2nd Lieut. Wallis
threw a bomb into the next fire bay. The Huns gave a loud yell, and
retired at the double, followed by 2nd Lieut. Wallis and his party.
About forty yards down the trench 2nd Lieut. Wallis came to a dug-out
entrance. He called down, but got no response; he then threw a Mills
bomb down, and, following shrieks from the bottom of the steps, one man
emerged. No signs of anyone else being inside could be found, so, after
doing as much damage as possible to the dug-out and throwing more bombs
down, 2nd Lieut. Wallis returned with the prisoner to the point of
entry.
“2nd Lieut. Piggott had meantime worked down about fifty yards to the
left, and was having trouble at a dug-out with some fractious Boches.
Hearing the noise, Maj. Brown sent his runner to investigate and assist.
On arriving at the dug-out entrance, 2nd Lieut. Piggott had shouted
down, and some guttural response had been given, but no inclination to
come up. He then fired his revolver through the gas curtains, which were
down, and the gas curtains were then raised. A Hun appeared on the
steps, and was evidently inquiring what was the matter. 2nd Lieut.
Piggott then threatened him with his revolver. The Hun emitted a
piercing shriek, and came forward with his hands up. Another Boche came
to the bottom of the steps, and was extracted in a similar fashion. No
more response could be got from this dug-out, although Mills bombs were
thrown down. 2nd Lieut. Piggott then returned with his prisoners to the
point of entry; 2nd Lieut. Wallis fired the green light—the signal for
withdrawal. The whole party then returned to our line. They had been in
the enemy trenches twelve minutes. No trouble from enemy machine guns or
rifle fire was experienced while the party was crossing No Man’s Land.
Maj. Brown and 2nd Lieut. Wallis got back most of the tape from No Man’s
Land when they returned.
“The party which entered the enemy trench consisted of the following:
Maj. H. S. Brown, 2nd Lieut. G. A. E. Wallis, 2nd Lieut. D. T. Piggott,
L.-Cpl. Warford, Pte. Baker, Pte. Tilby, Pte. Smyth, Pte. Bonney, Pte.
Harcin, Pte. Bowes.”
The following decorations were awarded for the raid: