Support Battalion Headquarters.
]
“The tape-laying party (2nd Lieut. Michie and two other ranks) left our
trench at 11 p.m. Proceeding beyond our wire by Conductor Sap, an enemy
patrol of about sixteen was seen advancing on Mason’s House. Our
trenches were being trench mortared at the time. Our raiding party was
temporarily got into position to repel this raid, and our two officers
went forward again into No Man’s Land to reconnoitre. On being
approached, the enemy dispersed and made his way hurriedly to his own
line. The enemy was using gas in trench mortars. After this, 2nd Lieut.
Michie went out and laid the tape successfully, from Conductor Sap to
the enemy wire. A covering party (with Lewis guns) was then placed in
position in No Man’s Land, and the two sections and the Bangalore
torpedo party advanced to the end of the tape on the enemy’s wire. The
torpedo was exploded successfully at 1.10 a.m., and 2nd Lieut. Binney
led half the party through the gap into the enemy’s trenches.
[Illustration: