| Regiment | 2nd Royal Berkshire |
|---|---|
| Location | France, IN THE TRENCHES |
| Entry | In Left Sub-section trenches. Right flank Battalion 1st ROYAL IRISH RIFLES. Left flank battalion 1st DORSET REGT. 1 O.R. to hospital, 1 O.R. from hospital. 7 O.R. wounded and 2 O.R. killed. CAPT D.E. WARD wounded on raid. 2nd LIEUT V.R. HUMPHRYS killed on raid. 2nd LIEUT R.C. SLADE-BAKER wounded on raid. P146-149 On the night 24-9-16/25-9-16 3 Officers and 49 O.R. made a raid on the Enemy front line. Report on Raid. The raiders left Batt Headquarters about 9.15pm and proceeded up QUARRY ALLEY and BOYAU 116 and got into their formation in "No man's land" without any delay, being all clear of STICKY TRENCH by 9.50pm. At 10.10pm CAPT D.E. WARD realised that the Bangalore torpedo would not be ready for firing at 10.15pm, and at 10.15pm, when the artillery barrage opened, immediately blew his horn, which was the prearranged signal to charge. From this period it will be necessary to deal with each party separately. The left covering party got their Lewis Gun in position at MUD CRATER and proceeded to sap. This sap was unwired and unoccupied, so the party went back to the Lewis Gun and withdrew as soon as all were clear of the German trench, as ordered. A few bombs were thrown by the Germans into MUD CRATERS, otherwise they met no opposition. The left party when the order to charge was given were not quite closed up. Further the men were expecting the Bangalore to go up or at least a delay of 15 seconds to make sure it had failed. Consequently the order to charge took them by surprise and they did not all enter the German trench together. The mat men threw their mats and got into the German trench, headed by PTE BYDE. They went down 4 bays to the left when PTE BYDE met 3 Germans who seized him and endeavoured to strangle him. Something frightened the Germans and they ran up a communication trench the last being shot by PTE BYDE, he could not get at the body to get an identification, as it was guarded by the other two Germans and numerous bombs were being thrown. By this time several others of our men had entered the German line, a bomb fight ensued, the Germans throwing bombs from somewhere behind the parados. At the end of 4 or 5 minutes our men were driven out. The bangalore party had the bangalore laid by 10.15pm, but the primer was not inserted. Apparently they had not been spotted placing it. As soon as the charge was sounded, the NCO in charge CORPL TAYLOR, realised it was no good trying to fire the torpedo, and with one man brought both lengths back to our front line. The remainder went on to the German parapet. The covering party under CAPT D.E. WARD charged at once and laid the German parapet as ordered, and covered the retirement. Capt D.E. WARD shot a German. The Right party were in the same state as the left party when the order to charge was given. The mat men went forward at once and threw their mats and a certain number under 2nd LIEUT V.R. HUMPHREY'S got into the German trench, where they were immediately held up by wire and bombs. 2nd LIEUT V.R. HUMPHREY'S was hit in the head and mortally wounded. The party remained in the German trench about 5 minutes. It is reported the Germans were very numerous here. They were driven out at the end of 5 minutes. PTE ROSE carried 2nd LIEUT V.R. HUMPHREY's back to a shell hole 30 yards from the German wire. CAPT E.C. GRIFFIN and PTE TULL subsequently brought him in, after SERGT GIBSON had failed to do so unaided. Notes:- (1) As soon as the barrage opened, the Germans started throwing bombs into "no man's land." (2) There was very little hostile artillery or Trench Mortar fire. (3) Some shell holes in front of the German line had been covered with barbed wire, and had glass lying at the bottom of them. (4) 2nd LT R.C. SLADE-BAKER claims to have hit a German, making a total of 3 Germans known to have been hit, all with revolver bullets. (5) There was very little hostile rifle or M.G. fire, and what there was came from the right. (6) The Germans were all wearing caps. (7) The German trench is about 3 feet deep, very dilapidated and large sections of it were full of wire, main gooseberries. (8) The German sentries are in groups of 3 or 4 men each, these groups are surrounded with wire and have a passage back to the support line. (9) No dug-outs were seen. |
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