Читать книгу The War History of the 1st/ 4th Battalion, 1914-1918. The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment онлайн

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New Year’s Day, 1916, dawned wet and dismal in the trenches at AUTHUILLE, and though the general situation was quiet our trench mortar batteries were in action for a time. It was during the evening’s retaliation that a shell blew in a dugout, killing Second Lieutenant F. R. Best and wounding Second Lieutenants H. Rogerson and R. A. Ostrehan and three Other Ranks. The following day the Battalion was relieved by the 16th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, and moved to billets at LAVIEVILLE, six miles away. The following day the Brigade left the 51st Division, and, moving off from HENENCOURT, we marched via BEHENCOURT to ST. GRATIEN and a day later to RAINNEVILLE. The Brigade stayed at RAINNEVILLE a day and a half, the time being spent in a much-needed clean-up, and at this point—on January 5th—we became the 164th Infantry Brigade of the 55th Division.

On the 6th we left the 13th Corps to move to the new Divisional area, the 55th Division being then part of the 14th Corps. The march was via BERTANGLES, VAUX-EN-AMIENS to ARGOEUVES, the Battalion subsequently moving independently to AIRAINES, via ST. SAUVNEUR, PICQUIGNY, and SOUES, reinforcements arriving from the base the day after the Battalion had been billeted. Company training was carried out, and we had the task of finding control posts for all entrances to the village to prevent British Army horses from entering on account of the number of diseased horses there. On the 14th Second Lieutenants Silveira, Agostini, and Matthews arrived from the 3/4th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. The Brigadier should have inspected the Brigade the following day at COURCHON, but the event was cancelled owing to rain, and Battalion drill took place instead. In the afternoon the A.S.C.’s Picture Palace was booked and the men given a free show. During the week a bombing school, bayonet course, and rifle range were fixed up, and excellent progress was made with the training. On the 20th of January Major Parker took over the Battalion on Lieutenant-Colonel Hindle’s departure on leave. During the remainder of the stay there the training was rounded off by an attack over open country, a gas test in the presence of the G.O.C. of the Division, and instruction in grenade throwing for all the Officers and N.C.O.’s, before, ultimately, General Allenby inspected the Division near HALLENCOURT, on the 29th.