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

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On the 16th, 76 reinforcements joined the unit, which was relieved by the 1/4th King’s Own and marched to BARLY, where we rehearsed trench attacks and signalling in conjunction with aeroplanes. Later the Battalion marched by stages to CANDAS, where it entrained for MERICOURT. Arriving there on the 11th, we marched to billets in MEAULTE and on the following day to HAPPY VALLEY, where we bivouacked.

The weather was fine and the billets good at this time, and training was carried out on an extensive scale, the work including practising digging-in with entrenching tools. One afternoon men marched to BRAY and bathed in the Somme, where, unfortunately, one man was drowned.

On the 30th July, Church Parade was held, at which Brigadier-General G. T. G. Edwards presented Sergeants Entwistle and Lancaster with Military Medal Ribbons won by them in the raids at BLAIRVILLE. Late that afternoon orders were received to be ready to move at very short notice, and the same night the Battalion left for the trenches at GUILLEMONT, occupying some old German communication trenches (Dublin and Casement trenches), which contained no dugouts. Within a few hours of the Battalion’s arrival the enemy opened out on the trenches and battery positions in the vicinity with 5.9’s and heavier shell. Second Lieutenants Orrell and Crone were wounded, as also were 15 Other Ranks. The total casualties for the month were three Officers and 34 Other Ranks.