Saturday 20th May 1916

Billets at Sains-en-Gohelle (Coron Fosse 10)

There was a further increase in German artillery fire; this was most noticeable further south, beyond Souchez, against the portion of the British line held by 47^th Division, but the Battalion War Diary also recorded that, “The enemy artillery is showing a marked activity and is ranging upon various places with a high velocity gun of small calibre. This gun can easily be distinguished from others”. Shelling was also directed against Sains-en-Gohelle and on the pithead area of Fosse 10. During the morning one heavy shell demolished one of the houses in the village, killing a French civilian and seriously wounding Pte. John Smith (see 11th December 1915); he was evacuated to 22^nd Casualty Clearing Station at Lapugnoy. His wounds were very serious, as reported in a letter written by Pte. William Knox (see 15^th May), “We have had a chap out of our Platoon hit very bad. The Doctor gives no hope for him. He is an Officer’s servant and he only came back off leave last Sunday. He comes from Halifax and he is the only son”. He had been officer’s servant to 2Lt. Harry Harris (see 10^th April).

Pte. Sam Shuttleworth (see 25^th April) again found himself in trouble, having again been found to be drunk; he was ordered to be confined to barracks for three days.

Pte. Vernon Barker (see 24^th February) departed on one week leave to England.

After a month’s treatment for influenza and two weeks at 23^rd Infantry Base Depot at Etaples, Pte. Albert John Start (see 4^th May) re-joined the Battalion.

The incident involving Pte. John Smith was one of a number of things referred to in a letter written over the course of two days by Pte. William Knox (see 15^th May) (I am most grateful to Rachael Broadhead and family for allowing me access to William’s letters);

“… It is very hot here with ourselves. I am writing this letter taking cover behind a great big coal tip. You know what I mean. Like them round the Nunnery Pit. We are forced to be there as the Germans have shelled us out of our billets and it is a perfect Hell. We have lost over fifty men. All killed but eighteen. And ever so many civilians.

I can tell you it touched me on Friday afternoon (19^th) as I saw two little kiddies, only about five year old, blown to pieces. We had to put them in sandbags. I never want to witness another scene like it. It is bad enough grown-up people getting killed but when it comes to innocent children it is a rotten shame.

We have had a chap out of our Platoon hit very bad (Pte. John Smith, 13487, see above). The Doctor gives no hope for him. He is an Officer’s servant and he only came back off leave last Sunday. He comes from Halifax and he is the only son. …

You ask me how long it will be before I get my pass. I cannot say but I am afraid it will be at least another three months yet as they are always stopping it. But we have heard a rumour that our Colonel is going to let all married men come first. But it will cause a lot of grievance with the single men who have been with the Battalion since it was first formed.

I wish I could transfer to another lot as I am getting fed up with this one. They mug us about too much. When we are out of the trenches they are not satisfied unless they are drilling us all day long. Yes Dear I was forced to go bombing and I came out with two first class certificates Dear. It is not a dangerous job if you are only careful and you can trust me to be that. I take every precaution for safety for I am thinking of the day when I come home for good and we get settled down in a home of our own …

Well Dear it is Sunday morning (21^st) and I am finishing this letter before we go to Church. You would be surprised how keen most of us are to go when we get a chance. We are having it in the open. They are just burying a young man that got killed with a shell on Friday. He was a French chap, only eighteen years old. Six of our men are acting as bearers.

We saw an awful sight last night (20^th). About eight o’clock a German shell weighing 110lbs. hit a house and it knocked it right down to the ground and the furniture was all over the road. Two French women were killed.

They have issued smoke helmets out to the civilians here now in fear of the Boshes sending gas over. It is a shame to see little kiddies about four year old wearing them. They have twenty minutes drill every day so as to know how to go on when gas does come. I have been through it once when I was at the bomb school. We were in for about ten minutes and it is an awful experience. You are nearly suffocated with the chemicals from the helmet. You will be able to have one on when I come home on leave.

You remember that satchel you sent me before I left Lichfield? If you remember I thought I had lost it when that shell hit our dugout and I lost my coat (see 10^th November 1915). It appears that I had been using it the night before and it was on the boards and a chap of ours picked it up and put it in his pocket and forgot all about it. And he went into hospital with pneumonia and he came back to us yesterday, Saturday (20^th), and as soon as ever he saw me he gave it to me with everything in it. Your photo and little Lizzie and Grace’s and Edith Mitchell’s. So I can tell you I am right pleased. I gave him the other one you made me. I will let you have one of yours home again as soon as I can and you can say you have been on a battlefield. I had it that day when we saw the Germans coming over to our lines just before Xmas and we went out and met them in No Mans Land, on the land in between our trench and old Fritz. …

PS We go back into the trenches tomorrow afternoon, Monday (22^nd), until Saturday night”.

Maj. Genl. Babington, commanding 23^rd Division, having received the recommendation of Brig. Genl. Lambert in the case of 2Lt. William Neville Dawson (see 19^th May), who had been reported as being unfit to continue as a platoon officer, issued his own recommendation that Dawson should be posted to an administrative position, considering him unfit for employment with a labour battalion.

L.Cpl. Maurice Harcourt Denham (see 5^th April), who was still at 23^rd Infantry Base Depot at Etaples following recent medical treatment, was promoted Corporal.

The original commander of Tunstill’s Company, Maj. Harry Robert Hildyard, (see 11^th April) was transferred to 1^st (Home Service) Garrison Battalion, Leics. Regt.

Sgt. James Leach (see 26^th December 1915) was transferred to the Army Gymnastic Staff as a Sergeant Instructor.