Friday 10th December 1915

Front line trenches east of Bois Grenier.

The German shelling of the previous days increased in intensity as the Battalion made preparations to be relieved by 8th Yorks. A ferocious German bombardment continued from 9 am until 11 am, with the shelling largely directed against Battalion HQ and the communication trenches, which may well indicate that the Germans were anticipating that a relief might well be underway. The War Diary reported that, “One whizz bang passed through the HQ signal station, one of the signallers having a miraculous escape”. J.B. Priestley told his family how, “the German artillery gave us a terrible bombardment in return for one that our artillery gave them the day before”. Pte. Matthew Woodward (see 22^nd July) would describe the bombardment, and conditions in general, in more detail in a letter to his sister, “We have just come out of the trenches for a few days’ rest after spending four days in them. I can tell you we have had a rough time, what with the state of the trenches and the heavy shelling by the Germans the day we came out. We have been flooded out owing to the terrible weather. The country round about here is very flat and when it rains the water stands where it falls, so you will understand why the trenches get so full. It is nothing new to be standing up to the waist in water, and we have had to pump the water out of our tavern every morning in order to keep it low. The dug-outs here have become very treacherous owing to the earth being sodden, so we cannot get much rest. The weather lately has been awful; it simply comes down in torrents when it starts, and when we come out we are plastered from head to foot with mud. Now, about the bombardment on the day we came out. We were just about to get our breakfast on December 10^th when all at once the Germans, who seemed to have been having a sleep lately, suddenly started to play havoc with our lines. They sent the shells over in mass formations for about four hours and, believe me, I am myself living my third time on Earth. Four of us were talking, all unconcerned of the shelling, when suddenly one dropped ayard short of our tavern, just behind where we sat, but fortunately the only damage it did was to chuck us all clean off the seat and against the opposite barrier. Though it stunned us all, we picked ourselves together and had a real good laugh. But, thank God, the shell failed to explode. This is the second time I have just missed losing my life with shells”. Pte. Reuben Smith (see 6^th December) for one seemed to hold no great malice towards the Germans who were raining shells upon him; “It is getting quite a hot shop out here. The shells are coming over from morning to night, and they make it quite uncomfortable for us, for they shell poor Tommy's trenches. But you cannot blame them, as our men also do the same to them - but it is no picnic, I can tell you.” Despite the ferocity of the barrage only six men were wounded. Pte. William Knox (see 6^th December) would tell his wife, Ethel (I am most grateful to Rachael Broadhead and family for allowing me access to William’s letters), “they sent over 850 shells in two hours so you may guess what it was like. I was in a bay all by myself and they were dropping shells every few yards and I thought every minute was my last. I lay flat on the ground in over two feet of water. The trenches are now in an awful state. All the parapets are falling in with the excessive rain which we have had just lately.”

One of the men wounded was Pte. George King (16475) (see 11^th September), who suffered minor shrapnel wounds to the head; he would be admitted to 69^th Field Ambulance and discharged to duty after a week.
Once the bombardment had subsided the relief began, with guides from the Battalion meeting the in-coming troops at the northern end of the Shaftesbury Avenue communication trench between 3.30 and 4.30 pm. The relief was then completed without further casualties, despite the difficult conditions in the trenches. It was reported that the water level of the stream, the Riviere de Laies, near ‘London Bridge’ on the main communication trench known as Shaftesbury Avenue, had now reached a depth of five feet nine inches, and would indeed rise a further three inches over the next twenty-four hours. It was no surprise then that 8^th Yorks, on taking over the front line, found “the trenches were in a very bad condition owing to the continuous rain and activity on the part of the enemy artillery. The front parapet was down in several places and the communication and fire trenches full of water …. The parapet was repaired during the night of 11^th/12^th and parties were at work all day pumping out water”.

Meanwhile HQ and three companies of 10DWR marched the two miles back to their billets in and around La Rolanderie Farm; ‘C’ Company, however, were billeted in Bois Grenier itself, with responsibility for holding Bois Grenier Post.

The weekly edition of the Craven Herald provided an update on the fund-raising campaign in support of Tunstill’s Company, and also noted the fact that Tunstill was himself home on leave (see 5^th December).

COMFORTS FOR THE WEST RIDING REGIMENT

Mrs. Tunstill acknowledges with grateful thanks the following donations to the “Comforts Fund” for the 10^th West Riding Regiment: Already acknowledged, £111 10s.; Mr. T.B. Ecroyd, £5 5s.; Mrs. Birkbeck, £5; Rev. A. Whyte, 12s. 6d.; Mrs. H.G. Tunstill, £2 (monthly); in addition to the “comforts” as follows: 10 shirts, 36 pairs socks from Mrs. Peel (Knowlmere); 1 scarf, 3 pairs cuffs, 2 shirts, 2 belts, 3 helmets from Bolton-by-Bowland Work Guild (per Mr. Lambert); 18 pairs socks, 16 pairs mittens, 2 helmets, 3 scarves from Gisburn Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Comforts Guild (per Mrs. Nutter and Mrs. Starkie); 6 shirts, pairs socks from Slaidburn and District (per Mrs. King-Wilkinson); 3 pairs socks, 2 mufflers, 2 pairs mittens, 6 handkerchiefs, stationery, pencils, cigarettes, Vaseline and soap from “A Friend of the Soldiers” which have been despatched this week, with 300 writing wallets, 250 handkerchiefs, 2 pairs pyjamas, 2,500 cigarettes, 60lbs. sweets, 150 tablets of soap, 300 Christmas cards and 36 sticks of shaving soap.Captain Tunstill, home on a few days leave, said how delighted the men always were with their parcels, and how much they were appreciated, especially shirts, socks and mittens.

The London Gazette carried formal notice of the award of the Military Cross to Lt. Leslie Guy Stewart Bolland (see 15^th November). The citation confirmed the events of the action:

“For conspicuous gallantry near Red Lamp salient on the night of 4^th November 1915.  A German patrol of about 50 men attacked and enveloped the party covering some men working between the lines. Two of the covering party were wounded. After ascertaining that the working party had been safely withdrawn, Lieutenant Bolland proceeded to withdraw his covering party, carrying in one of the wounded men on his back, and receiving two bullets through his clothing while doing so. He displayed great coolness and courage throughout. This is not the first time that Lieutenant Bolland's name has been brought to notice for good service”.