Private 60197 Henry PHILLIPS

The Company [see above] sailed from Southampton on May 12 and reached Archangel on May 26. There on 8 June they embarked on launches which took them over 100 miles up the River Dvina, and so to the front line on its tributary the Vaga. Captain Peck had command on the right bank of the Vaga, his company having to defend the villages of Seltso, Koslovo and Nisnaya Kitsa. The Bolshevik Lines were at some distance, and the constant making of long patrols, with the aid of hopelessly inaccurate maps, was an arduous task.

In one such patrol on June 10 under Lt. Dibben our men had to march three and half hours, and then could not get at close quarters, since the position was heavily wired; still when they opened fire on the blockhouse the enemy bolted.

Though there was only occassion fighting, the campaign was trying. The force was far from its base, and the enemy in front was much superior in numbers. A long line had to be guarded, and threatened attacks, even when they did not materialise, entailed constant watchfulness and labour on the defences. Often the weather was extremely hot which meant swarms of mosquitos. In the summer seaso`n the river ran dry, so that stores could only be brought up with difficulty. When the rains set in and the river began to rise, it turned cold and the the trenches were flooded.

The company was six months in Russia, but circumstances made it impossible to secure any adequate result, and the expedition was withdrawn in November before the winter.

September 1st was an exciting day, and what might have proved a most awkward situation was converted into a severe repulse for the enemy.

Ust Vaga (the base of the Vaga Column), with a perimeter of some 5,000 or 6,000 yards, was held by one platoon of C Company, some details of Machine Gunners and Trench Mortars, and H.Q. and one company 3/4th North Russian Rifles, the whole under Major Northcote (Devonshire Regiment).

The Russians were on the perimeter and the British troops were more or less concentrated in reserve.

About 3 a.m. the village was entered by a force of about 200 of the enemy without opposition and from three different points. The leader of the enemy was a local man, and it was afterwards ascer­tained that he had been in the village for some days arranging matters. The houses in which the British officers and men were known to be were surrounded.

The first evidence of an attack came with the throwing of bombs into the Signal Office guard room, and other rooms known to be occupied, together with the opening of machine-gun and rifle fire on the houses.

The Russian troops took practically no part in the action and disappeared into the woods, and it was left to the small British garrison to deal with the enemy

By 9 a.m. the village was cleared, after hard righting and innumer­able exciting personal incidents.

The enemy lost 14 killed and 8 prisoners, besides some 15 wounded which he got away. Our losses were 5 killed, 12 wounded, and 1 missing.

About 9 a.m. the same day the enemy attacked Mala Beresnik in force, but was repulsed at once with considerable casualties. Had we been in a position to counter-attack, we might-have inflicted a a severe defeat on him; as it was we buried 16 dead and took two prisoners, our losses being two men of B Company killed.