Sunday 1st October 1916

Peake Wood

On a fine, sunny morning  XV Corps, III Corps and the Canadian Corps began attacking along a four mile front line from north of Flers in the East to north of Courcellette in the West, in what became known as the Battle of Transloy Ridge. At the heart of the attack was the heavily-defended village of Le Sars, which would become the site of fierce fighting for Tunstill’s Men.

On the first day of the attack New Zealand troops of XV Corps on the right flank advanced, taking the German positions north of Flers. To their left was the front entrusted to III Corps. In fierce fighting troops of 47^th Division failed to occupy Eaucourt l’Abbaye but further left elements of 50^th Division did make progress, occupying the old German frontline (known to the British as the Flers Line). The extreme left of III Corps’ front, opposite Le Sars itself, was the responsibility of 23^rd Division; here too there was progress. To the east of the main Albert-Bapaume road 70^th Brigade occupied both the old German front- and second lines (Flers and Flers Support), but west of the road they gained only the frontline. Some patrols did enter Le Sars itself but were soon driven back by the Germans. West of III Corps’ front the Canadian Corps attacked on the afternoon of 1^st October and advanced the front line by some 400 yards to straighten the line, joining up with 23^rd Division by doing so. Further west the Canadians encountered stiff German resistance and their progress was more limited.

Meanwhile, on a fine morning, the Battalion had left their billets in Peake Wood to move forward to the support positions in Gourlay Trench, east of Pozieres. An advance party of one NCO from HQ and 21 NCO's per Company, led by 2^nd Lieutenant John Payne (see 10^th September) departed from Peake Wood at 7.30am. At 9 am the remainder of the Battalion set off, headed by ‘A’ Company, with a distance of 200 yards between platoons and a 20 minute gap between Companies. The men wore their steel helmets and carried full packs.

Pte. Fred Hird (see 11^th May 1915) was admitted via 21^st Casualty Clearing Station and 11^th General Hospital to 6^th Convalescent Depot at Etaples; he was suffering from myalgia.

It seems to have around this date that Sgt. Norman Roberts (see 29^th September), in anticipation of a return to the front line, wrote home to his father. He gave him news of his recent award of the Military Medal, and added his general thoughts on current conditions and future prospects:

“I have been awarded the Military Medal, the ribbon of which the General pinned on my tunic on Friday afternoon. A day or two ago, I, along with a comrade, had a very remarkable escape. A huge shell came over and made a crater on the other side of us. Of course, we were partly buried and what a feeling we had! By the time you receive this I expect we shall have been through ‘the mill’ again, for the ‘heads’ don’t mean to let Fritz rest. I haven’t seen a ‘tank’ yet, but I am sure to do so before long. I have seen plenty of air duels, but most of them were when we came out here at first. On one occasion our men forced one of their machines to descend behind our lines. A few of our chaps made a rush for him (the machine) but Fritz turned on his machine gun and then some more Tommies turned up with rifles and the game of life was over for those two (the two Germans). Now of course they (the Germans) are licked in the air. I reckon most of the pictures you saw were ‘made up’, but a few days ago I saw a camera man out here in the trenches. He ‘took’ some of our Battalion whilst they were carrying bombs up to the line. I am really writing under difficulties as I cannot stand up or sit down in my present abode, and my supply of candles has run out. The weather has been variable of late; one day it rains like …… and the next perhaps the grateful sun comes out and smiles and dries out clothes. A Jack knife is the chief implement used to get the mud off one’s clothes and of course Tommy spends many an hour examining his shirt – probably to find the maker’s name. Fritz is a lazy …. And they look it, most of them. It would never do for parents to see their boys after a day or two in the front line trenches, especially after it has been wet and they have been bumped about a bit. I am glad you are still an optimist, for I think this war will not be won by an assault of arms. We are no doubt licking them, but at what a price! I think the war will go on for another winter”.

Sgt. Norman Roberts

Herbert Airey, elder brother of Cpl. Stephen Brown Airey, serving with 4^th Cameron Highlanders, but who would be commissioned and serve with 10DWR (see 25^th August), enlisted and would join the Royal Field Artillery.

Two men from the Battalion are officially noted in the records of the CWGC as having died on 1^st October. Pte. Herbert Moorhouse died in the care of 9^th Casualty Clearing Station at Contay, five miles west of Albert. It is not clear when he had sustained the wounds which resulted in his death; he is buried at Contay British Cemetery. The other man, Pte. James French had actually been listed as missing since the actions near Pozieres on 29^th July. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. It is not clear how he comes to be listed under 1^st October, as other records clearly refer to 29^th July.