10th Battalion – July 1916

SAILLY, July 1 to 22 July

Marched Battn from SAILLY via LE VERRIE + OULTERSTEEN to billets … combined training + organised raiding party … on 9^th July … we marched to MT DES CATS where we billeted for night @ midnight next day 10/11 marched to GODEWAERSVELDE RY STN where we entrained for DOULLENS … From there we marched … to HALLOY – next day 12^th July we marched … to NAOURS…we remained [there] from 12^th to 16^th July doing route marches + training

On 16^th July we marched to HERISSART where we remained until Tuesday  18^th July when we marched to FORCEVILLE – on 19^th July we marched to ALBERT where we billeted for night – on Thursday 20^th July we marched from ALBERT to SAUSAGE VALLEY where we bivouaced  in old British trenches until 2200 on Saturday 22^nd when we proceeded via BLACK WATCH ALLEY to attack on POZIERES

POZIERES July 22 to July 25

… At 2200 on 22^nd July the 10^th Bn left SAUSAGE VALLEY +proceeded via BLACK WATCH ALLEY to trenches running N.W … to support the 9^th Bn who finished the first six waves of attack… during our advance to position the Battn was heavily shelled with both poison gas + H.E shell, causing several casualties + rendering it necessary to put on anti-gas helmets which caused some delay in our advance. Immediately upon arrival at position I reported to C.O. 9^th Battn informing them that A. + C. Coy of my Battn were in position – the 9^th Bn having met with strong opposition … A. Coy 10^th Bn under Capn McCann was detailed-, this coy immediately proceeded to the attack Capn McCann worked up the centre of the enemy’s trench with one platoon, having a platoon on both his flanks as supports, this advance was held up by heavy M.G. fire and bombs which necessitated the building of a barrier – Capn McCann, who was wounded reported the matter to the C.O. 9^th Bn who thereon asked me for further support.  D Coy under Major Giles was then detailed for this duty. – this happened at about 0530 on 23 July – Lieut Blackburn with 50 men from D Coy was detailed by Mjr Giles to report to C.O. 9^th Bn and on doing so Lt Blackburn received orders to move up the trench to … drive the enemy out, on arrival he found that A. Coy 10 Bn was suffering heavy casualties from bombs + M Guns he at once pushed the barricade, breaking it down + bombing the enemy back – The Artillery bombardment had almost obliterated the trench + reduced it to a series of shell craters which made our advance more difficult, because advancing troops we exposed to the enemy’s heavy M.G fire – the enemy very stubbornly held his position + stopped, for a time our advance – Lieut Blackburn accompanied by 4 men crawled forward to ascertain, if possible where the M.G fire was coming from, the 4 men who accompanied him were killed + he had to return to his platoon, he then reported the position to C.O. 9^th Bn who arranged with the T.M. Battery to bombard the enemy’s position … under cover of this fire Lieut Blackburn + Sgt Inwood crawled forward to reconnoitre the position, they ascertained that the enemy held a trench which cut the one which they were attacking at right angles. Lieut Blackburn perhaps decided to clear this trench + he succeeded in doing so, the trench was abt 120’ long + was blind. It ran at right angles to the main trench … this trench was consolidated + after considerable trouble, communication with the 9^th Battn troops on the left established – during the work of consolidating Sgt Inwood – who had done splendidly and 3 men were killed – Having taken this trench another attempt was made to take the strong post… but the enemy’s M.G. fire was still strong and claimed 5 more of his men, he therefore decided to hold + consolidate the trench gained – Lt. Blackburn held the trenches gained until 1400 when he was relieved by Lt. Partridge who held the position until 1800 during which time he had 26 casualties – out of the 35 that he took over the positions with-

At 0330 (‘C’ Coy (under Mjr Shaw) … was ordered by the C.O. of the Bn to reinforce in O.G.2. + assist in making an effort to take strong post … Mjr Shaw experienced the greatest difficulty in getting up trench on a/c of the number of dead + wounded men who were lying about + being brought down to the Aid post., but eventually he succeeded in reaching the head of the trench held by the 9^th Bn @ 0630, it was then being held by 1. Officer  + 45 O.R. of 9^th Bn + a Lewis gun, as it was then broad daylight it was considered unwise to attack + as there were sufficient men of the 9^th Bn to hold it Major Shaw withdrew his men to the support trench near 9^th Bn HQ.

At 1300 on 24^th July N°11 Platoon under Lieut Ingles was detailed to relieve a platoon of D Coy in the North of OG.1. + Platoons 9^th were detailed to assist A Coy of the 10^th Battn in consolidating OG1 trench from barricade London to 9^th Bn HQs

At 6.30pm (1830) on 24^th July acting under order from General MacLagan I ordered Mjr Shaw with C + B Coys + the remnant of A Coy to construct a trench… + to hold same. In anticipation of attack to be made by the second Infty Bgde @ 0200 on the 25 inst. Mjr Shaw was also instructed to take strong post … which Lt. Blackburn had on the previous day made such a gallant attempt to capture. At 2200 on 24^th July C. + B. Coys men crawled out, each man carrying in addition to the arms and ammunition a pick or shovel + by midnight they had dug a trench 200x X 3’ deep. + by 0145 on 25^th the trench had been deepened  to 6 ft with sand bag parapet + a fire step.-

A party of 36 bombers + 20 bayonet men … were detailed for the assault on the strong post, arrangements were made for the STOKES gun to fire 5 rounds per half hour into the post + as many as possible during the barrage.- (0158 to 0200) – 40 rounds were fired during these 2 minutes @ 0100 B Coy less 20 men was, by order of the Brigadier, withdrawn and became brigade reserve.- Immediately the barrage lifted the raiding party … rushed forward and took the strong post in magnificent style – the party was shortly counter attacked + sent to Mjr Shaw for help – he detailed II + I2 platoon to assist + they acted as bomb carrier to the fighting then became most desperate, but eventually the enemy was repulsed + in addition to the strong post abt 120x trench North of it taken, held + consolidated-. Subsequently the 120x of trench taken was handed over to the 5^th Battn – C + A Coy holding the strong post in addition to the 200x of trench which they had dug during the night, they continued to hold these positions until @2200 on the 25^th July they were taken over by the 19^th Battn who relieved the 10^th Battn

On TUESDAY 25^th July @ 0900 I observed a number of Germans advancing over ridge … these men were dressed in a dark coloured uniform. + wore big packs – I at once got 5 Lewis MG + about 50 rifles onto them @ 900x + I saw at least 50 men, they retreated over ridge in a NW direction where they were met by our shell fire which again caused them to return to ridge, where our gun fire drove them back – killing a large number – those of them that were left returned in great disorder

@ 2200 on 25^th July the 10^th Battn was relieved by the 5^th Battn

During these operations 22/25 July our Artillery fire was very effective + constant, the enemy’s shelling as very heavy, but on a/c of lack of observation, rather inaccurate.

All ranks in my Battn worked very hard and many gallant actions on the p[art of individual Officers and men have been brought under the notice of the Brigadier General

The Bombers has a particularly busy time + worked splendidly, the Messengers or Runners did excellent work + altho the shelling was constant + deadly they never hesitated to deliver a message, + not one message miscarried – our own fatigues kept us well supplied with Ammunition, bombs (abt 5,000 were used) water, food, + sand bags – There was a shortage of sand bags + an inadequate number of stretchers + stretcher bearers to cope with the large number of casualties which was suffered.

CASUALTIES during operations

KILLED 2 Officers + 56 OR = 58

WOUNDED 11” + 235 “ = 246

MISSING ———— 46  OR =46

TOTAL = 350

S Price Weir (Col), CO. 10 AIF

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