29th to 31st August
Remy - 29.8.1918: Fine day. Enemy artillery continuing very active. Battalion H.Q. moves forward at midday to O.17.a.2.5. At 11am the C.O. is called to a conference at Brigade. Battalion is ordered to clear Remy village with Artillery cooperation to push out patrols, establish posts, occupying the village without Artillery assistance. At 8pm a Warning Order for the attack is issued by Brigade the C.O. has a conference with Coy Commanders. Zero hour is not yet notified. Heavy shelling by the enemy takes place, throughout the night.
Casualties: 2 Other Ranks killed & 20 Other Ranks wounded
Remy - 30.8.1918: No orders are received from Brigade until about 10am which say that the battalion is to move forward into assembly position SE of Remy Wood & Village. Coys dribble forward but the movement is observed and the heavy machine gun and artillery barrage is put down. B&C Coys are much disorganised and suffer severe casualties. Lieut A.J. Adams is killed, Capt P H W Hicks MC, Lieut J B Coventry wounded and 2nd Lt T.F. Hyde gassed.
Power artillery is asked to show opposite bridge and hostile fire is considerably reduced. D Coy ably led by Capt. E.J.A Maunsell MC get into position with only a few casualties. At noon the C.O. is called to another conference at Brigade HQ and receives instructions to attack at 4pm in conjunction with 2nd Duke of Wellington’s on the right and 11th Brigade on the left.
Orders are issued but owing to the difficulty of getting hold of Officers (assembly area still being shelled) it is impossible to promulgate these effectively. Capt. E.J.A Maunsell MC takes his Coy and elements of A, B & C forward at the arranged time. They have to cross a stream and swamp, some of the men wading through waist deep mud and water. Line of 2nd Objective is reached without much opposition on the part of the enemy, a number of whom were shot down as they attempted to run away. Lieut L.J.C. Seaman is killed. Lieut C.W. Rowntree & 2nd Lt F.G. Kitching are wounded and 2nd Lt J.E. Hosking gassed.
Owing to delay in crossing river and swamp the artillery barrage get too far ahead. This, in conjunction with shortage of men prevents 3 objectives being taken. Capt W.G.B Edmonds MC collects about 60 stragglers and takes them up to reinforce Capt. E.J.A Maunsell MC who has established a line 100 yards west of the 2nd Objective & has obtained touch on his right flank with 2nd Duke of Wellington’s.
At about 6pm a Coy of 2nd Seaforth Hrs is sent up in support to the Battalion in O.24.b. At midnight orders all received that the battalion is to be relieved by the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders before dawn. The C.O. visits the line, is slightly wounded, but remains at duty. Relief is completed about 4:30am. The Battalion comes back into support in Gory Trench in O.17.a&b. Heavy hostile shelling of Remy Village & Wood. Lieut E.V. Jones to hospital.
Casualties: Officers 2 killed & 4 wounded; Other Ranks 14 killed, 123 wounded & 24 missing.
Remy - 31.8.1918: Coys are reorganised & rolls called. Owing to the reduced strength of the Battalion A&C Coys are amalgamated & B&D Coys, the former under Lt R.E. Barnwell and the later under Capt. E.J. Maunsell MC. These are called No1 & No2 Composite Coys.
At 8pm Brigade order one Coy to move up to support to the 2nd Duke of Wellington’s who together with the 2nd Seaforth Hrs are making an attack at 8.45pm on the 3rd objective. Lt Barnwell therefore takes No 2 Composite Coy into position about midnight & assists attack. Artillery on both sides very active all night.
Casualties: 5 Other Ranks killed & 14 Other Ranks wounded
1st to 3rd September
Trenches - Drocourt-Quéant - 1.9.1918: Fine day. Our artillery of all calibres are very active on the Drocourt-Quéant line, especially wire cutting. Orders are received at mid-day from Brigade that the 10th British Brigade is being relieved at night by the 10th Canadian Brigade, but that the battalion itself will not actually be relieved but merely move back on receipt of orders. The Commanding Officer is called to a conference at Brigade at mid-day and the forthcoming attack on the Drocourt-Quéant line is ?. This explained to all Officers & N.C.O.s. The 10th Brigade is in divisional reserve. The Battalion assembles at night in Gory Trench No 1 Composite Coy rejoined about 3 a.m. after being attached to 2nd Duke of Wellingtons Regt. Battalion HQ moves to O.17.a.3.4. Active night.
Casualties: Killed OR 2 & wounded OR 2
Trenches - Drocourt-Quéant - 2.9.1918: Zero hour is at 5am. 12th Brigade are in the first wave of the attack with the 4th Canadian Division on the right. The first objective consisting of the support line of the Drocourt Quéant system is taken by noon, and several hundred prisoners taken. The 11th Brigade then proceed to pass through the 12th Brigade, to the 2nd and 3rd objectives. The battalion is ordered to take up a position in trench running along Wood Lane, NW of Renfy Wood. Enemy artillery below normal. Quiet night.
Casualties: Killed OR 2 & wounded OR 4
Trenches - Drocourt-Quéant - 3.9.1918: Fine day a warning order is received from Brigade that the Battalion will probably have to more forward and occupy the Drocourt-Quéant line, as 11th and 12th Brigades have pushed on as far as L’Ecluse wood. With this in view the trench system in P.4.a & c E of Etaing is reconnoitred. No further orders reference this move however are received from Brigade. About 4pm the 2nd Welsh Regt of the 1st Division come up to relieve the Battalion. On relief Coys move back to old trenches in vicinity of La Bergere Farm on Arras-Cameria Road where hot tea & soup is provided. Hostile artillery is very active. Dark night.
Casualties: Wounded OR 4
