| Regiment | 1st Royal Berkshire |
|---|---|
| Location | France, DELVILLE WOOD |
| Entry | 2am. Battalion moved to DELVILLE WOOD and took up position on southern edge of wood, and lay down in "jumping off" formation immediately in front of SOUTH STREET. 4.15am. Companies were disposed as follows: Left A Company (Captain WESTON) in support to and under orders of 23rd RF. Left Centre B Company (Captain WEST). Right Centre C Company (Captain GREGSON-ELLIS], Right D Company (Lieut REID). Right Company was detailed for protection of right flank. 5.10am. Our bombardment of LONGUEVAL VILLAGE commenced. 6.10am. Our bombardment of DELVILLE WOOD commenced. 7.10am. Leading waves of 1st KRRC and 23rd RF moved forward from their assembly trenches. 7.12am. Battalion less A Company advanced in two waves. Btn Hdqs in centre of leading wave. After advancing 270 yards the leading battalions halted. The Battalion halted and dug in at this point. Our bombardment had lengthened by this time to the northern portion of the wood. 8.10am. Advance continued. The Battalion finally halted and dug in on the PRINCESS STREET line (map attached). During the advance from SOUTH STREET enemy's rifle fire was considerable but extremely inaccurate. Enemy machine gun, apparently fired from vicinity of LONGUEVAL VILLAGE enfiladed the advance and consolidating parties. Another machine gun was traversing opposite the centre of the advance. These two guns ceased firing, having apparently been silenced just before the Battalion reached SOUTH STREET. 9am. By this time the Battalion was dug in. Enemy opened extremely accurate HE fire, enfilading the position from right to left. Consolidation of the line was continued throughout the remainder of the day, and a very fair line was made. Weather throughout the day was very warm, and no water supply was available other than that carried in the bottles. The line was continually shelled from 9am to 8pm. 10.40am. Officer from 1st KRRC support trench came back and stated that the enemy were bombing along right flank of his battalion and that the position there was being retained with difficulty. Orders were immediately issued for bombs to be collected (each man was carrying two bombs). This was done with very little delay, and the message to Brigade was sent off "Send up bombs. Very urgently needed." 10.50am. An old dump containing 30 boxes SAA and about 100 boxes of bombs was discovered about 50 yards in rear of PRINCESS STREET line: this having been evidently left there in a previous advance and overlooked by the enemy. Parties were detailed to take quantities of bombs and SAA to the KRR support trench. 11.30am. Another officer from KRR arrived at Btn Hdqs and asked for further reinforcements to assist in holding the right flank of his Battalion. He stated that 12 men and a Lewis gun and team would be sufficient. These were sent forward immediately together with a supply of bombs. 4 pm. Same officer from KRR returned and stated that the right of the firing line of his Battalion had been slightly pushed back, and the Lewis gun which we had sent up knocked out. Reinforcements were then sent forward consisting of the remainder of right centre company under 2nd Lt CHILDS who was killed shortly after he got his party into position to reinforce. The remainder of left centre company was transferred to the position vacated by right centre company in order to be prepared to counter-attack. Pigeon message was then sent to Brigade to the effect that the firing line had been reinforced and only a small number of men were left in hand for support, and that reinforcements were urgently required. Enemy shelling lessened about 5pm. 9.30pm. From this time onwards until dawn the situation was quiet with little or no shelling. |
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