On May 14, 1917, the 2/2nd Battalion of the London Regiment occupied
the support lines in front of Bullecourt. "A" company's position was
a thousand yards behind the front line trenches. At 2 p.m. the enemy
began to subject the whole area to an intense bombardment which lasted
more than thirteen hours.
In the middle of the bombardment (which was described by the
G.O.C.-in-Chief as "the most intense bombardment British troops had had
to withstand"), No. 3 platoon of "A" company was ordered to proceed to
the front line with bombs for the battalion holding it. The platoon
consisted of 31 N.C.O.s and men and one officer.
* * * * *
The only means of communication between the support and front lines was
a trench of an average depth of two feet. Along this trench the platoon
proceeded, carrying between them forty boxes of Mills bombs. Every few
yards there were deep shell holes to cross; tangled telephone wires
tripped the men; M. G. bullets swept across the trench, and heavy
shells obtained direct hits frequently, while shrapnel burst overhead
without cessation.
A man was hit every few minutes; those nearest him rendered what aid
was possible, unless he was already dead; his bombs were carried on by
another.
* * * * *
Of the thirty-one who started, twenty-one were killed or wounded; the
remainder, having taken an hour and a half to cover the 1,000 yards,
reached the front line _with the forty boxes of bombs intact_.
They were ordered to remain, and thus found themselves assisting in
repulsing an attack made by the 3rd Lehr Regiment of Prussian Guards,
and two of the men succeeded in wounding and capturing the commanding
officer of the attacking regiment.
Of the ten N.C.O.s and men who were left, a lance-corporal was blown
to pieces in the trench; the remainder stayed in the front line until
they were relieved four days later. On their way back, through Vaux
Vraucourt, they picked clusters of May blossom, and with these in
their equipment and rifle barrels, marched into the transport lines
whistling.--_Captain, London Regiment._