THE SOMME.
[Sidenote: _July, 1916_]
Kits were now reduced to the required minimum. Surplus kit was stacked
and laid aside--with confidence this time that they would be available
on the return of less hectic times. G.S. wagons were laden and limbers
filled up to their limit, and the Battalion started off on another
pilgrimage, its ultimate destination as yet unknown, but only one
conclusion could be drawn from the thorough examination of equipment,
and the issue of trench maps delineating the battle-front of the Somme.
We made Sombrin on the first day after a tiring and dusty march. On the
22nd July the personnel of the Battalion were conveyed by motor bus to
Berneuil, the transport moving independently by road. Here we practised
the attack by sectional rushes. Before daylight had set in on the 25th
the Battalion was on the march, shaping its course through Fienvillers
to Candas where other troops, battle-stained and cheerful, laughed
at us through the mud and filth which days of incessant fighting had
imprinted on their faces. It was the first visible sign of the great
offensive.
We entrained at Candas and crawled slowly away past Montrelet and
St. Ouen, following the beautiful valley of the Nievre. Optimistic
chatterers maintained that we were now pursuing a course directly
opposite to that which ought to take us to the front. They did not
know, however, that this branch line united with the main railroad
from Abbeville to Albért. And the crossing of the viaduct over the
Somme marshes soon brought us to the trunk line leading to the heart
of hostilities. To our disappointment the train passed through the
fine station of Amiens without stopping, the market gardens slipped
by, the little vignettes of Senegalese troops became a blur, Corbie of
old acquaintance faded from view, and at 2 o’clock we steamed into
railhead, Méricourt-Ribemont.
Those of us who had known Méricourt of old were amazed at the change.
Then it had been a sleepy little station with a few sidings and a tent
or two for the accommodation of prospective _permissionaires_. Now
it was the busy centre of all the traffic in men and material feeding
the firing line in the sector of Albért. Immense stores of provisions
and endless piles of ammunition lay stacked ready for transport. German
prisoners, mostly unshaven, were engaged in road mending, or were
lazily watching the new troops. Under a blazing sun we marched out of
the station. Buire-sur-Ancre showed unmistakable signs of activity.
Tired men were dragging themselves along the hot, dusty road, traces
of recent fighting plain upon their faces. A few attempted to smile.
Sweat ran down and grooved the dirt upon their foreheads and cheeks.
Many lacked full equipment. Battalions came out under the command of
subalterns, careworn and ageing. Limbers and wagons were rushing up
towards the line with food for the men and ammunition for the guns. In
happy contrast to the stricken remnants returning from battle were our
fresh troops pouring in as reinforcements.
From Méricourt we marched to Méaulte, near Albért, where the Town Major
had a particularly trying experience in accommodating Battalion after
Battalion in a very restricted area. Confusion at such a time and
place, however, was unavoidable. We now formed part of the 13th Corps,
Fourth Army. On the 26th we marched to Happy Valley, a comparatively
quiet backwater, and took over bivouacs from a Battalion of the 8th
Brigade, 3rd Division. Here four days were spent in training under
Company arrangements, including much-needed bathing parades to
Bray-sur-Somme. There was also an overdue presentation of decorations
by Brigadier-General Edwards. There had been a good many individual
exploits, thoroughly meriting recognition, and, indeed, recommended for
such, which were met with disapproval by the authorities on the ground
that the time was “inopportune,” and it was not until many more months
had passed that decorations began to flow with more facility. An enemy
aeroplane dropped bombs on the valley, but there were no casualties
amongst our men.
On the night of 30th/31st July the Battalion marched north and took
over trenches on a line running north and south between Trones Wood
and Guillemont, relieving remnants of the 30th Division. In taking up
position we were heavily shelled, losing Second-Lieut. Lincey and three
other ranks killed and twelve wounded. Our artillery bombarded heavily
all day, and we spent the day digging in, including a shallow German
trench in their old line. The immensity of the push was now apparent to
us, and our eyes opened in astonishment at the awful havoc of the guns.
We, who had seen over twelve months’ service, astonished! A giant of
steel seemed to have ridden over the proud German defences. Villages
were wiped completely out of existence--Fricourt, Mametz, Carnoy,
Maricourt, Montauban, all a tumbled heap of rubble; woods were laid
waste. Saddest of all there was not a blade of green grass visible.
Trenches were everywhere blown out of recognition. In every direction
disused gun pits with piles of empty shell cases showed how the
artillery had advanced. Disrupted sandbags littered the broken earth. A
poignant reminder that victory is not purchased without cost lay in the
newly-delved earth, where blue flags were fluttering over the dead.
The transport lay in bivouac in what had been German lines between
Fricourt and Maricourt. From this point of vantage much of the terrible
drama was visible. Not an inch of ground but was covered by war
material and troops resting. Mametz Road presented an unparalleled
scene of activity. Never for an instant was it idle. There were
up-roads and down-roads everywhere. Ammunition, food, guns went up the
one in constant streams; wounded and fatigued men, empty ammunition and
ration limbers, came rolling back on the other. Whenever any portion
of the road showed signs of wear, either by shell fire or natural
attrition, gangs of men from labour battalions set to work, metalling
and restoring. These men were nearly all over age. They had none of the
hot glory of conflict. To them fell no stirring battle honours. Yet who
but must admire the spirit that sent these gallant veterans into the
zone of shell fire.
The view of the fighting from the actual front was, of necessity,
local. But here a much broader outlook was possible. Looking down
Mametz valley--“Death Valley” as it was colloquially known--towards
Montauban on the left and Trones Wood on the right centre, a mile
away, the immense superiority of our guns in the first place struck
the observer. The guns were everywhere, “ubique” indeed. They were
literally wheel to wheel. Recalling those dark days of 1915, when we
asked for support, and asked in vain, it made one’s heart rejoice, with
a strange exultation to see those inexhaustible stacks of shells and to
hear the incessant roaring of the guns.
And then one could not fail to be impressed with our mastery of the
air. How effectively the enemy had been blinded became daily more
obvious. The hum of aircraft rung in the ears as the guns slackened.
All day long the droning battleplane wheeled over the scene of carnage.
Reconnoitring planes flew backwards and forwards with information
of enemy masses, train movements and gun positions. The more humble
contact planes hung a few hundred feet over the advancing troops and
reported progress to the artillery. They flew unperturbed over the
avalanche of our own shells. Whenever an objective was attained by our
infantry coloured flares ascended and the contact aeroplane immediately
conveyed the intelligence to the gunners, who lengthened their range
and prepared the ground for further advance.
Not only in aeroplanes were we seemingly supreme. Observational work by
aircraft was necessarily hasty and brief. It was the captive balloon
that supplied the more detailed and continuous information. These
balloons were connected to earth by telephone. As many as twenty-five
could be counted swinging lazily in the breeze. Indeed, the increasing
salient of our battle-front, as we bit deeper and deeper into the
German defences, could be gauged by the wide crescent of these aerial
outposts.
Not only above, but underneath, had this amazing tornado passed. Our
human moles had burrowed with an uncanny sense of direction right
underneath those ingeniously contrived German subterranean passages.
They had prepared--with an immense amount of patience, self-sacrifice
and danger, daring not only detection by the enemy, but the far more
insidious peril of poison gas--mines beside which those at La Boisselle
shrunk into pettiness. And then, in a moment, by the mere pressure of
an electric button, in a mighty convulsion they had overwhelmed all
those galleries and caverns where the enemy was cowering under the
avalanche of our shells.
“Death Valley” then was now the centre of this hellish activity.
Blinded as they were the Germans poured a prodigal amount of ammunition
into it, and they had their own old positions ranged to a nicety.
And it is easy to understand how effective such a mass of fire could
be, when this was the only avenue by which rations could be brought
up to the infantry or ammunition for the guns. One would see a G.S.
waggon, pair of horses and driver, careering down this Satanic road
with ammunition, a stray shell, and blankness--nothing to mark the
event but an additional shell-hole, which the devoted labour corps
hurried out like solicitous ants to investigate and repair. In spite
of the frightful punishment the enemy were undergoing at our hands,
inaction could never be laid to their charge. Each day saw their
defences, so seriously threatened, grow more formidable. Their pioneers
were tireless. Their “Betontruppen,” specialists in the erection of
concrete machine gun emplacements, or “strong points,” and their
“Hollenbankommandos,” for the construction of dugouts, were organizing
a newly-formed system of trenches on a scale of great magnitude, and
with the invaluable accessories of strong points. Trenches, wired and
traversed, emerged in a single night. The favourable features of the
ground were everywhere transformed into miniature fortresses of amazing
strength, from whose loop-holed bastions machine guns in countless
numbers pushed their deadly muzzles.
[Sidenote: _August, 1916_]
The sector of trenches occupied by us lay on the extreme right of
the British position, before Guillemont. On our right were the 156th
Regiment of Infantry, 10th Corps, French Army, and on our left the 8th
Liverpools. Guillemont was marked for early attack, but the time was
not yet. Artillery activity on both sides was continuous. The enemy
appeared to be nervous. At 8.30 p.m. on 1st August “B” Company attacked
an advanced German strong point with one platoon. This platoon was hung
up and forced to retire, owing to enemy barrage, which was very severe.
At 8.45 p.m. another platoon went forward under Second-Lieut. A. J.
Brockman and was completely successful. We had previously dislodged the
enemy with Stokes Mortar bombs, and as they were retreating in large
numbers (apparently the enemy was massing for an attack) our artillery
barrage caught them and inflicted very severe casualties on them. Our
casualties were slight, Second-Lieut. Rudduck being wounded. In this
brisk encounter communication by telephone lasted for exactly an hour
under a most severe and accurate enemy shelling. In the early morning
of 3rd August the Battalion was relieved by the 4th Loyals and moved
into Brigade Reserve, in Dublin and Casement trenches, in front of
Maricourt, that is, to the rear of the Mametz valley.
[Sidenote: _August, 1916_]
The enemy shelled the left of our trenches but did not cause any
damage. We found some fatigue parties, including two for the front
line. On the night of the 4th we were relieved by the 5th Liverpools,
of the 165th Brigade, and proceeded to bivouacs south of Carnoy and
west of Bronfay Farm. The weather was very hot and the next three days
were spent quietly with bayonet fighting, physical drill and bathing
parades. At 6 p.m. on the 7th sudden orders were received, and at 8.15
p.m. the Battalion left bivouacs and proceeded to trenches near Arrow
Head Copse, in sector south of Trones Wood and Guillemont Road. There
was an awful congestion of troops in the Sunken Road, but, fortunately,
no shelling, and the Battalion did not have a single casualty during
the relief, which was completed by 1 a.m., when preparations were made
for the attack on Guillemont.
The order of battle from right to left was “D,” “A,” “B” and “C”
Companies. At 3.45 a.m. on 8th August the first line, consisting of two
platoons of each Company, crept out in front of the advanced trench,
at the same time the remainder of the Battalion occupied the advanced
trench. At 4.10 the first line advanced a short way and waited four
minutes. Second line left the trench and took up a position twenty
yards in rear of the first line. The second line was closely followed
by two platoons of the 4th Loyals as carrying party. At 4.15 the enemy
placed a very violent barrage of artillery fire (shrapnel) on the
fire trench. The first and second lines crept forward closer to our
own barrage to escape enemy fire. At 4.20 the Battalion went forward
again and the first line immediately came under heavy bomb fire. This
was absolutely unexpected, caused heavy casualties, and the attack was
arrested. The enemy then opened very heavy machine gun and rifle fire,
which caught the second line as it came up to reinforce the first line.
Further advance being impossible, owing to uncut wire, the Battalion
retired out of bombing distance from the German trench and started to
dig in, fifty yards in front of our original trench. These operations
occupied twenty minutes. The enemy maintained a very heavy barrage
of shrapnel on the Sunken Road during the whole of this time. The
only means of communication during this time, with the exception of
one Company, to which the telephone wire was intact, was by runner.
Communication with the Battalion on the left was completely lost. It
was ascertained that this Battalion was reported to be in the village
of Guillemont, and it was intended to make an attempt to get into touch
with their right. Stokes Mortars were brought up and were ordered
to destroy the barricade on the Sunken Road leading to Guillemont,
with the idea of attacking and taking this point and which would have
enabled an advance on the left to be covered. There was a great deal
of delay in bringing up the Stokes Mortar ammunition, the difficulties
of communication were great, and it made it extremely hard for orders
to reach their destination. This delay gave the enemy a long period of
rest, which was unfavourable to the success of any further enterprise.
The Stokes Mortars bombarded the barricade, but were not successful in
damaging it. It was intended that a bombing party should assault at 12
noon, but the situation was seen to be quite hopeless for the success
of such an enterprise.
Our artillery, in the meantime, kept up an intermittent bombardment for
a long period. They were firing very short and our front line had to be
cleared. It was with the greatest difficulty that the artillery were
informed of this, which caused some casualties to the Battalion. It
was decided that any further attack was impracticable and efforts were
concentrated on improving the present position as far as possible and
to render it easily defensible in the event of any hostile offensive.
The Battalion was by this time greatly reduced in numbers and was also
fatigued by the strain of the heavy fighting. There was a shortage of
Officers. It was not known what had happened to the Battalion on the
left, and although all effort was made to ascertain their position
no information was obtainable. It was impossible to obtain accurate
information, which made the situation worse. The remainder of the night
was spent in trying to collect wounded, improve our original position,
and clear the battlefield. At 3.55 a.m. on the 9th we were relieved by
the 10th Liverpool Scottish and proceeded, sorely stricken and almost
unmanned by the terrific strain of the recent fighting and the shambles
around us, to bivouac south-west of Carnoy.
The Battalion arrived in small parties. Stragglers came in during the
day. Captain Huthwaite, of the charmed life, wandering about like a
distracted shepherd looking for his flock, collected a number of these
and brought them in. A roll call was made with lamentable results,
disclosing eight Officers killed, including the Commanding Officer, and
nine wounded; 254 other ranks, including 48 killed and 206 wounded and
missing. The Officers were:--
_Killed._
Lieut.-Col. J. L. Swainson, D.S.O.
Capt. R. D’A. Morrell.
Capt. A. A. Wright.
2nd-Lt. Hodkinson.
2nd-Lt. Brockman.
2nd-Lt. Lawson.
2nd-Lt. L. Metcalf.
2nd-Lt. Hilton.
_Wounded._
Capt. Neill.
2nd-Lt. Welch.
2nd-Lt. Ferns.
2nd-Lt. Withey.
2nd-Lt. Clark.
2nd-Lt. S. F. Walker.
2nd-Lt. Wilcock.
2nd-Lt. Jackson.
2nd-Lt. Metcalfe.
The loss of the Commanding Officer was a stunning blow. Although he had
only been with us six weeks his influence on the Battalion was marked
and beneficent. We found ourselves guided by a firm hand, directed with
understanding. It was not given to every regular Officer at that time
to see eye to eye with the aspirations and latent qualities of the
Territorial Army. Captain Jackson, our late Adjutant, had possessed
this rare faculty and was ready to admit and proclaim that in some
essential military respects, of which trench-digging was only one, the
Territorial Army could more than hold its own. Colonel Swainson was
another with this gift of insight, and with his regular experience, his
knowledge of what to do, and perhaps more important, what not to do,
the Battalion seemed set for a period of what can best be termed happy
soldiering, when he met his untimely end. The Command now devolved
upon Major G. B. Balfour.
For many days no recollection of these horrors was permitted to
diminish the enthusiasm of the Division. Concerts were held nightly.
On the bare slopes near Carnoy the infantry, worn out by their recent
trials, engaged themselves in innocent relaxation.
The theatre party of the Division, under our own Lieut. Leslie,
addressed themselves to their congenial offices with a diligence no
less justified of the times than it was deserving of support. Blood
had freely flowed and would flow again as freely. In the meantime no
dejection of spirits must be allowed to usurp the place of contentment
and good cheer. The guns were still ranged solidly against the
enemy and pulverising his trenches. His own artillery, admittedly
well-handled, was redoubling its opposition. More and more troops,
eager to win renown, and excited by the unwonted activity, were pouring
up towards the line. Defeated and despairing, the Germans, stung to a
paroxysm of frenzy, were hurling themselves on their lost positions.
Forfeitures of ground, privations unproclaimed, renunciation of hope,
submission and subjugation--all these things they had been taught to
abhor. And now, as we forced them to accept adversity, they resisted
with fierce courage.
The weather continued very hot. On the following day the remnants of
the Battalion paraded by companies for inspection, re-organisation and
checking deficiencies in equipment. Major-General Jeudwine, commanding
the Division, inspected us and cheered us by his very austerity. A
working party of one Officer and 70 other ranks went into the front
line to dig forward communication trenches. They were heavily shelled
by enemy artillery but only two casualties were caused. We observed one
of our forward trench balloons break away from its moorings and sail
away over the enemy lines. The occupant was equal to the occasion and
got out of his difficulties by the aid of a parachute. On the 14th we
left bivouacs at Carnoy and marched to Méricourt with the Brigade,
via Sand Pit, Meaulte, Ville-sur-Ancre Treux, the transport travelling
under Brigade arrangements via Bray-sur-Somme.
The Battalion rested in billets in Méricourt, the time being spent in
refitting, re-organisation and steady drill. Bathing, too, received
attention, the weather being still very hot. A draft of 100 other ranks
from the 3/10th Manchester Regiment joined us and proved a good lot
of men. For the present the Division was not to be re-engaged on the
Somme, and at 4 a.m. on the 19th the Battalion paraded at Méricourt
Station and entrained for Abbeville, arriving at 11.30 a.m. Time did
not admit of the hoped-for coffee and omelette at the “Bull’s Head,”
and at 11.40 we were off again on the march, over the bridge leading to
the south side of the Somme, through Rouvroy and Cambron, until at 4
p.m. we arrived in billets at Lambercourt.
We shall never forget that sweet corner of France. The fresh profusion
of green grass and yellow stubble, the prodigal wealth and variety of
arboreal treasures with abundant foliage, fruit trees laden with their
gracious burden. The scattered houses of the village, nestling within
bowers of roses and other sweet-smelling flowers, a thin blue reek
ascending from some chimney in a thatched roof. Sharply and suddenly
contrasted with the din and horror we had left so recently these quiet
scenes brought tears to the eyes and a sense of realisation that a
beneficent Power was still in charge of human destiny.
A cavalry regiment had been dislodged in order that the P.B.I. might
have a fleeting respite in this corner of paradise. Whence they had
departed was a matter of conjecture, probably to another delectable
billet, as their turn had not yet come in the maelstrom. For ten days
the Battalion enjoyed the seclusion of this peaceful retreat. The time
was given over to platoon training, whilst drafts of reinforcements
continued to arrive. On the 23rd all Officers and N.C.O.’s attended
a lecture at Brigade Headquarters, given by General Jeudwine, on the
recent operations. A pleasing feature at this time was the special
short leave granted to small parties to St. Valery-sur-Somme and
Tréport. These were delightful little watering-places on the estuary of
the Somme, and it was whispered that the delights of a casino awaited
visitors to either place. Plans were in preparation to extend these
privileges to Paris, when the bolt fell from the blue and the Battalion
again turned its face to the east.
[Sidenote: _Aug.–Sept., 1916_]
At 11.15 p.m. on August 29th we left Lambercourt in light marching
order, the men’s packs having been despatched separately by
motor lorry, and marched via Cambron, Rouvroy, St. Marguerite, Mareuil,
Bray-les-Mareuil and Duncq to Pont Remy, where we arrived at 5 a.m. and
had breakfast. Entraining and leaving Pont Remy at 8 o’clock we passed
through Amiens and Corbie and arrived at Méricourt-Ribemont at 11.40
a.m., on the inner edge of hostilities once more. The Battalion moved
to a point adjoining the main Albert-Corbie road where billets in tents
and hutments awaited us. The weather was now unfavourable. Ten Officer
reinforcements joined from the base. Battalion training occupied us
during our stay in billets, and at midnight on September 7th we moved
into trenches in Montauban Alley, where we were in Brigade reserve,
relieving the 1st South Staffords. On the 10th the Battalion moved
up and helped to man our front line trenches in Delville Wood, after
the failure of a previous attack. Here the Companies were all split
up and it was difficult to acquire accurate information. At 6 p.m.
orders were received from Brigade to carry out an attack by surprise
at 5.15 a.m. on to Hop Alley and German trenches on the western side
of Delville Wood. This attack was duly carried out with “D” Company
on left flank, “A” and “B” Companies in the centre, and “C” Company
on the right. All ranks were dead tired and there was no dash in the
attack, which failed directly the Germans opened with machine gun and
rifle fire. Our casualties in this encounter were not very heavy, but
Lieut. E. Spearing, commanding “D” Company, and Second-Lieut. G. R.
Glenie, Lewis Gun Officer, were both missing and were later found to
have been killed in action. The remainder of the 11th and 12th was
spent in holding the front line, which was heavily shelled, causing
heavy casualties. We were relieved by the 8th King’s Royal Rifles and
returned to bivouac at Becourt.
[Sidenote: _September, 1916_]
On the 13th the Battalion marched to Ribemont and bivouacked in
canvas shelters. Four officers reported here for duty, including
Captain R. Gardner, who rejoined the Battalion on recovery from his
unlucky adventure with a Very light some months previously, and
Second-Lieut. T. H. Middleton, having been appointed to a commission
from Sergeant-Signaller. From Ribemont to Buire, where we found
comfortable billets for both officers and men, and where we saw 850
German prisoners being marched to the rear. The 17th, being Sunday, we
attended a Brigade Church Parade, when the Padre’s sermon was based on
St. Peter “warming himself at the fire,” with personal reminiscences
of training in England during the early days of the war. From Buire to
Becordel, where we went into bivouacs in drenching rain near Mametz
prisoners’ camp.
The new bivouacs were devoid of any comfort whatsoever. A few shelters
were improvised for the night, but very few enjoyed satisfactory
shelter. Funkholes were dug at irregular intervals, in case the enemy
opened artillery fire. In the murky and rainy night, when men arrived
in driblets from heavy working parties, covered with mud from head to
foot, limping with fatigue, and hungry as only men are hungry when much
strenuous labour is required, there were often no means of showing
these poor wretches the many pitfalls that lay in their path. Stumbling
over the tangle of brushwood and falling into the soft oozy mud lining
the bottom of the funkholes, I have heard them groping blindly for
shelter, swearing roundly at everything. But I have never failed to
hear them _sing_ when, under equal conditions, they have found a
few inches of tarpaulin ready to shield them from the bitter cold, or a
scattering of straw to serve as their pallet. One is apt to grumble at
home over little things. Let him not grumble till he has passed a night
under such conditions as these.
Our front line had advanced considerably, and the next area of
operations was Longueval and Flers, well in front of Delville Wood.
After Holy Communion on the 24th the Battalion proceeded to occupy
reserve trenches known as Green Trench and King’s Walk. Officers
reconnoitred the lines of approach to Flers, and Second-Lieut. Beazley
was wounded. Our bombardment developed in severity, and on the 26th
orders were received to move forward, three platoons to strong points
at the end of Cove Alley and one company and one platoon to Smoke
Trench, while Battalion Headquarters moved up to east of Flers.
On the 27th the 55th Division resumed active operations. The 8th
Liverpool Irish were detailed to assault and capture Gird and Gird
Support trenches, and the 4th King’s Own to furnish the fifth wave
in attack. Parties carried R.E. material for making strong points
to Grove Alley and Gird Support trenches. The trench was easily
captured by the 8th Liverpools, and the carrying parties carried out
their duties successfully and without casualties. These parties then
occupied a position on Factory Corner--Gueudecourt Road, keeping in
touch on the left with the 4th King’s Own. Arrangements were made
later to relieve the 8th Liverpool Irish in the captured trenches.
Several casualties were sustained in a bombardment subsequent to the
attack. At 2 a.m. on the 28th the 4th King’s Own took over Gird and
Gird Support trenches from the 8th Liverpools. The trenches were
heavily bombarded during the day by the enemy. Three patrols with
Lewis guns were sent out to locate the German position and harass a
working party which had been seen earlier in the morning. At 2 a.m.
on the 29th the Battalion was relieved in the trenches by the Royal
West Surreys and re-assembled at Mametz, where a _contretemps_
all but ended in minor disaster. The Quartermaster had been handed
over a paragon of bivouacs in the form of tents, one of the best we
had experienced, and was keeping watch and ward over this treasure,
when he was horrified to see a battalion of New Zealanders descend
upon him like the Assyrians of old, or the plague of locusts, and take
possession. Protests from a mere Quartermaster of Infantry were met
with airy nonchalance. Other and prompt steps had to be taken. Olivette
was saddled and made short work of the journey to Brigade Headquarters,
where a sympathetic Staff Captain got busy, wires were set sizzling,
and the anxious Quartermaster eventually had the satisfaction of seeing
these unconventional soldiers march out of one end of the camp as his
precious Battalion hobbled in at the other, happily unconscious of
their narrow escape from homelessness. We moved thence to very crowded
billets in Dernacourt.
This was to be the close of our memorable association with the Somme,
for the present, at any rate. The approach of winter placed an
insuperable barrier on hopes of much further advance. Progress had been
definite, if it had not met the most sanguine expectations, but the
courageous tenacity and marvellous organization of the enemy revealed
the magnitude of the task yet to be completed.