Diary of Operations 12/10/16

Diary of Operations 12-10-1916

2-5pm creeping barrage opened and Battalion doubled forward out of trenches in four waves – 2 Coys on 2 Platoon frontage in line and 2 Coys on 2 Platoon frontage in Support. Battalion H.Qrs about T.9.b.4.4

2-15pm it appeared from T.9.b.4.4 that a barrel was put up by the Germans on the line Les Bouef-Morval

2-40pm M.G. Officer reported barrage excellent and Germans running back. Companies going well

2-55pm report came in from O.C. D Coy at the left of my left Coy hung up by the strong point. The right of Royal Irish Fusiliers failing to get forward. Set an order to O.C D Coy to call on Support Company to help them and try and turn the flank of the gun pits from direction T.5.a.5.0.

3-5pm From Batt O.P. received following:- 12^th Brigade appear to have got well forward owing to ground cannot see out troops. Germans got a heavy barrage up in front of Les Boeufs and Huns still sending up white rockets from here.

3-10pm Two wounded German prisoners came in, one from 82^nd Regt & 164^th Regt.

3-20pm 10^th Infantry Brigade reported that new received Hazy Trench held by out troops.

3-30pm Sent out two runners to our frontline trenches, to obtain information.

3-55pm they reported that they could only get to Sunken Road. Heavy Machine Gun fire from E of Les Boeufs direction and German barrage on Shamrock

4-0pm News from French. Right reported reached 2^nd Objection, no news from left.

4-5pm Message from French. No news of our Regiment, all wires broken. From our O.P we saw the English troops on our left going out of their trenches very quickly, we know that the English have passed their first objective. We have seen a German Observation Post (O.P) surrendering.

4-30pm O.C. A Coy (Right Support Coy) reports about 50 of A & C Coys dug in about T.5.d.4.9 towards Gun Pits. Not in touch with French and cannot see anybody on our left at present. German strong point and gun pits still held by Germans.

4-57pm O.C. Royal Irish Fusiliers reports 2 Platoons of his Right Support Coy in Shamrock Trench with no Officers and only one N.C.O also about one Coy Royal Dublin Fusiliers.

5-35pm Royal Irish Fusiliers reports his Right Support Coy and our Left Company under Capt Irvine are in Burnaby Trench and are trying to re-organise. One Coy Royal Dublin Fusiliers in Foggy Trench.

6-0pm R.A. Liaison Officer reports that F.O.O reports counter attack coming from direction of T.5 central and N.35 central. No news received from Front Line aaa.

6-5pm Royal Dublin Fusiliers report have sent one Company up to Fluff Trench.

6-8pm Sent message to O.C. Front Line to hang on for all they are worth. One Coy Royal Dublin Fusiliers now coming in Support to Fluffy Trench

6-10pm F.O.O. reports that Counterattack from T.5 central at present failed.

6-45pm A runner of D Coy came in wounded and said O.C. A Coy sent him with a message to say O.C. A Coy with some of D and some of C were digging in about 900 yards in front of our present line and the French were on the right. No written message came and he said he left just before dark, and that he passed through our front line which had some Royal Dublin Fusiliers in it. The man was a bit shaken and I don’t think this information is very reliable.

7-35pm Received message from Captain Irvine same as reported by Royal Irish Fusiliers at 5-35pm.

7-55pm Sent up an Officer with orders to Senior Officer in front line to re-organise and consolidate at once, and send out patrols to ascertain if any British out in front of our present line and also to warn him an Aeroplane was coming in the morning to try and locate position of our troops.

G.N.B.F. Forster, Lieut-Colonel
Commanding 1^st Battalion The Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Trench Map

Story of the Royal Warwicks Regt extract

On October 9th 1916 the Battalion moved into the front lines east of Les Boeufs. On the afternoon of the 12th October 1916 a fresh attack on enemy lines was delivered. Under cover of a creeping barrage the Battalion went out of the trenches at the double in four waves. At first they made good progress but the Royal Irish Fusiliers on the left were hung up early in the day and together with one company of Royal Warwickshire were forced to return [to original lines]. The other 3 companies got forward about a quarter of a mile and dug themselves in and held on till evening when the failure of the attack on either flank compelled them to withdraw. The battalion had 5 officers killed and 260 other casualties, including Reuben.