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

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Shortly after mid-day, June 4th, our artillery and trench mortars opened an intense bombardment on the enemy wire, and this was replied to by heavy fire for half-an-hour, mainly on our support lines and communication trenches, but no severe damage was done, and, although the dressing station behind the support line was blown in, there were no casualties. The following day Second Lieutenant Ducksbury reported for duty from the base. The time was mainly occupied in training bombing parties, scouting, wire cutting and crawling, and cutting new pattern fire steps under R.E. supervision.

A special raiding party was practising and was increased to four Officers (Captain Gregson, and Second Lieutenants Martin, Roscoe, and Walker) and 15 N.C.O.’s and men per company, who were billeted separately in the village and trained. Short rifles and long bayonets were issued to the Battalion on the afternoon of the 19th, and long rifles and short bayonets withdrawn. The same day the Battalion moved up to AGNY to relieve the South Lancashires, the raiding party remaining at BRETENCOURT. Although the enemy shelled and sent over rifle grenades within the next few days, little damage was done and there were no casualties. Here we first met a large trench mortar called “Crashing Christopher”—the “Heavy Minnie” of later days.