Our First Platoon Headquarters in Lens.
]
Just after midnight another attempt was made by the enemy. Two men were
wounded, and the enemy got so close to the post that it was in great
danger. Lieut. Dean, however, led his men forward, and the enemy,
surprised by this bold move, were driven off.
[Illustration:
DEAN’S POST.
]
Again it was a case of digging for their lives, and by the time the dawn
arrived both officer and men were nearly exhausted, but they were not to
be allowed to rest. At 6 a.m. they were subjected to a third and very
resolute attack by the enemy. A barrage of heavy shells was put down
behind the post to cut off all communication, and the post itself was
severely trench mortared. Lieut. Dean at once got his men into position,
harassed the enemy approach down Canary with rifle grenades, and brought
withering rifle fire to bear on them as they advanced over the open. One
of the enemy was killed as he was entering the post down Canary Trench,
and several casualties were inflicted on them as they retired in
disorder. Regardless of danger, Lieut. Dean followed the retreating
enemy over the open, but was driven back by rifle and machine-gun fire
before he could secure any prisoners. For hours after this, enemy
parties could be seen moving about their trenches. At first it was
thought that they were coming up for a fresh attack, but there appears
little doubt that actually they were engaged in removing casualties.
Throughout the 25th and the night 25th/26th Lieut. Dean and his men gave
themselves no rest, but pressed on with the work of consolidation in
face of great enemy opposition, and by dawn on the 26th the position had
been very greatly strengthened. The garrison of the post was then
relieved by two fresh sections of the same platoon, and Lieut. Dean
remained in command.
At 10.15 a.m. on the 26th the enemy commenced to shell the post and its
vicinity with 5·9-inch howitzers, and also put a very heavy barrage on
all communications behind. Dean at once got his men into their fire
positions, and a fresh attack by the enemy was beaten off with loss.
When this attack was over, Dean went to visit his other posts, and
during this time the enemy recommenced shelling with the greatest
intensity, and obtained several direct hits on the post itself. In view
of the casualties, the sergeant in charge decided to withdraw
temporarily, and got the men back to a position some fifty yards from
the actual post. The enemy immediately followed up his barrage and
occupied the post, showing great resolution. Lieut. Dean grasped the
situation at once. He collected his two sections, and led them with the
utmost gallantry across the open, and the whole thing was done with such
speed and determination that the enemy did not wait for the bayonet, but
evacuated the post in the greatest disorder, suffering many casualties
from our fire. This counter-attack was greatly assisted by the platoon
on the right in Cinnabar Trench. Immediately 2nd Lieut. Cambrook saw
Lieut. Dean preparing to counter-attack, he collected two of his own
sections and led them under heavy fire over the open with a view to
taking the enemy in the flank and cutting off his retreat. He had
reached a point on the flank of the enemy post before he was severely
wounded in the chest, but his work was then done, as the enemy, seeing
himself attacked from two sides, had already vacated the post. Lieut.
Cambrook’s quick decision and fearless leadership were of the greatest
value, and were rewarded with the Military Cross, but unfortunately he
died of his wounds a few days later, and never heard of his honour. His
sergeant, Sergt. Alderman, remained with him until the post was
captured, and then most gallantly carried him back over the open, and
was rewarded with the Military Medal.
This was the last of the enemy’s six attempts to retake the post in just
over forty-eight hours, and five of the attacks had been withstood by
Lieut. Dean and No. 16 Platoon of D Company. During the next night two
dead Boches were brought in from the vicinity of the post, and groanings
during the day testified to other enemy casualties. In addition,
scattered round the post sufficient rifles and equipment were found to
provide for a whole platoon, giving further evidence of extensive enemy
casualties and of the completeness of his demoralisation. It should be
mentioned that during the first bombardment on the morning of the 26th
the enemy hit and exploded two heavy mobile charges, which had been
brought up for the raid to be carried out in the afternoon. This
explosion severely shook Lieut. Dean, who was very close at the time,
and his subsequent work in organising and carrying out the
counter-attack is all the more remarkable.
To sum up the work of Lieut. Dean, we give the closing paragraphs of his
official recommendation for the Victoria Cross:
“During these two days Lieut. Dean worked unceasingly and with utter
contempt for danger in an exceedingly difficult situation. His garrison
was suffering casualties continually, but he himself bore a charmed
life.
“Five times in this period he was attacked (three times very heavily) by
a resolute enemy, and each time the attacks were thrown back.
“Throughout he inspired all his men with his own contempt for danger,
and in consequence they all fought with the greatest bravery, though
most of them were very young soldiers with little experience.
“He set an example of personal gallantry, initiative, splendid
leadership, and devotion to duty of the very highest order.”
The battered remnants of No. 16 Platoon came back on the night of
September 26. Even then they were reluctant to leave the post in other
hands.
[Illustration:
_Photo by_] [_Wykeham Studios Ltd., London._
LIEUTENANT D. J. DEAN, V.C.
]
The immortal defence of Dean’s Post was talked of from one end of
England to the other when the announcement was made that the King had
awarded the Victoria Cross to Lieut. Donald John Dean. The Battalion
heard the news of the award in December in a little Belgian village,
after all fighting was over. The news was telephoned through to us when
the whole Battalion was in the village school at a Battalion concert.
Such a scene of tumult and enthusiasm as greeted the announcement is
impossible to describe. The events of those September days were still
fresh in our minds, and a few of Dean’s platoon were still with us.
Every man in the Battalion during those frenzied moments of cheering
took Dean to his heart, and felt that he was the man who would stand at
the head of the Battalion for all time. Dean himself was, of course, not
there. He was only just past the critical stage following the severe
wounds he sustained during October.
The official recognition of the work of No. 16 Platoon was expressed by
the awards of the D.C.M. to Sergt. Skipper, and the M.M. to Cpl.
Eversfield, L.-Cpl. Goodwin, and Pte. Yates.
After the second day of Dean’s defence it was obviously desirable to
push the enemy away from the posts which always threatened ours. A
daylight raid on the enemy post at the junction of Cinnabar and Claud
was, therefore, planned for the afternoon of September 26.
The raid was led by 2nd Lieut. R. N. Killick, D.C.M., and 2nd Lieut. C.
Trenchard-Davis with the utmost gallantry.
The following official account of the raid was written at the time:
“The raid on the enemy trench at the junction of Cinnabar and Claud took
place this afternoon. The right party entered the enemy trench at the
junction with Claud and the left party went over the open towards
Cuthbert. 2nd Lieut. Davis, leading the left party, saw one of the enemy
manipulating a machine gun just north of the junction of Cinnabar and
Cuthbert; he appeared to be putting in a new belt. 2nd Lieut. Killick,
seeing the danger the left party were in, rushed the post and shot the
German dead just as he was starting to fire. Immediately afterwards 2nd
Lieut. Killick was hit in the head and leg by a light trench mortar or
rifle grenade.
“2nd Lieut. Davis led his party 50 to 60 yards up Cuthbert. No enemy and
no dug-outs were seen. He then returned, and proceeded up Cinnabar about
100 yards. At the point where the machine gunner was killed he found a
two-entrance deep dug-out.
“Several steel helmets and overcoats were hanging at the entrance. 2nd
Lieut. Davis shouted down, but there was no response. He then threw in
two Mills bombs, after which there appeared to be a disturbance
downstairs. He shouted again to the men to come up, but there was no
response. The R.E.’s and carrying party with the mobile charges were
then called up and the charges successfully exploded at the bottom of
the stairways. 2nd Lieut. Davis inspected both entrances before leaving.
The whole dug-out appeared to have collapsed, and both entrances were
effectually sealed. There is no doubt that there were inmates in the
dug-out, and that they were irretrievably buried there.
“As his task was finished, 2nd Lieut. Davis ordered the party to return.
They brought back the body (which was that of an officer) and the
machine gun (light) complete.
“Our casualties were 2nd Lieut. Killick and one other rank wounded.
Before the raid commenced, two men of the trench garrison were killed
and three wounded by enemy trench mortars.”
Both 2nd Lieut. Killick and 2nd Lieut. Davis were awarded the Military
Cross.
The following special Battalion Order was issued: