Monday 9th October 1916

Front line trenches south of Le Sars

On the night of the 8^th /9^th 15^th Division relieved 23^rd Division. At 12.30 am 6^th Cameron Highlanders began to relieve the Battalion and the last men were clear of the trenches by 3.35 am. They then began the weary eight-mile march back to billets in Albert. A break was taken en route near Round Wood, “to feed and rest the men who are very exhausted. Practically no sleep had been obtained by the men for the last six days and it was with difficulty that they could struggle through the deep mud for the long distance, even to Round Wood”; the only consolation being that the weather was fine and mild. 

On arrival in Albert a warning order was received that 23^rd Division was was to be temporarily transferred to X Corps and be moved to the Ailly-le-Haut Clocher area, with the move, by train, planned for 11^th and 12^th; 69^th Brigade was expected to move on 12^th, with transport moving the previous day. It was ordered that billeting parties should be made ready to move to the Poperinghe area on 15^th.

In Albert they were joined by newly-arrived Capt. Leo Frederick Reincke, who was the replacement for Capt. James Christopher Bull (see 4^th October).

Capt. James Christopher Bull

Image by kind permission of Scott Flaving

Pte. William Allen Sayer (see 5^th October) was appointed (paid) Lance Corporal.

Total casualties for the actions around Le Sars were recorded in the War Diary as: Officers - 3 killed, 4 wounded, 1 shell shock. Other Ranks: 38 killed, 107 wounded, 10 missing, 21 shell shock. 

In his official report of the actions around Le Sars, Brig. Genl. T.S. Lambert (see passim) was clearly outraged by the press reporting of events: “In the description given by the Times correspondent of the capture of Le Sars it was stated that the operation was effected without difficulty, the enemy surrendering freely; this description gives a totally wrong impression as the correspondent would have learnt had he spent the previous and succeeding days in the open country with the troops in front of Brigade Headquarters and I should be glad if on a future occasion  that correspondent might be invited to do so. The enemy surrendered only when compelled to do so and after offering as much resistance as he was able”.

Lambert also gave his more personal account of recent events in a letter home to his wife,

“We are back again in comparative quiet for a bit and I can tell you we were not sorry … The men were magnificent but absolutely done carrying their things back. The mud was awful and of course most of them had practically had no real sleep for a whole week, so it was not surprising that some of them could barely get along. However we won our village and the new victory put a wonderfully new aspect on things in general. We had a long trek back over many miles of awful slush and they were carrying heavy weights too. They got back about 10am had a rest for an hour or two and some food and then marched on again. I am staying here for a night as it is convenient but it is well back and comparatively peaceful. The two brigades captured about eight machine guns and 474 officers and men and everyone has been sending congratulations as usual. I dare say say you will see something about it in the papers. Of course it was different from Contalmaison which was purely my own show, but I had to do a good deal of the arranging for this and I am glad they were so successful. Our greatest enemy this time perhaps was the weather, though the shelling was perhaps the heaviest we have yet experienced and the machine gun fire very severe. But like good Yorkshiremen they went at it and bagged the lot! This makes our fourth definite victory exclusive of what may be called the more minor battles for parts of trenches. Horseshoe, Contalmaison, Munster Alley and Le Sars give us a record we can be very proud of as we have roped in a good many thousand prisoners all told now besides some 16 machine guns and a field gun and a lot of other stuff. Considering the time my men had had for the four previous days and that we were in for seven days all told, it was a fine effort for the wet and the mud had made everyone absolutely miserable physically of course. I was glad enough to get back this morning and I had my clothes off for the first time for a week and a hot bath in a big wooden tub!

It was fine this morning fortunately. Of course the men could hardly even lie down during the week as the place was generally nearly all mud. Much less could they ever take their boots off, and they had no greatcoats but only a leather jerkin and a waterproof sheet to keep the wet off. Most of them were pretty well covered in mud. It has been colder today. I expect we move back further tomorrow and shall I hope go for a rest”.

Brig. Genl. Thomas Stanton Lambert

(I am greatly indebted to Juliet Lambert for her generosity in allowing me to reproduce the letters here).

Pte. William (Billy) Hoyle (see 6^th October) returned to duty, following treatment for facial wounds he had suffered at Le Sars.

An official telegram was also sent from the War Office to the father of Lt. Harry Harris (see 7^th October) informing him that his son had been killed in action.

An official telegram was also sent from the War Office to the family of 2Lt. Robert Main Graham (see 7^th October) informing them that their son had been wounded; he had in fact been killed in action on 4^th October. 

Lt. Harry Harris

L.Cpls. Maurice Bannister (see 6^th October) and William Stead Rycroft (see 6^th October), who had been wounded five days previously, were evacuated to England from 2^nd General Hospital at Le Havre, travelling onboard the Hospital Ship Maheno. L.Cpl. Bannister would be admitted to Holton House Auxiliary Hospital, Altrincham, but the details of L.Cpl. Rycroft’s hospital treatment in England are unknown.

L.Cpl. Maurice Bannister

Image by kind permission of Andy Wade and MenOfWorth

Capt. Alfred Percy Harrison (see 23^rd September), who had been England since being wounded in action at Munster Alley, reported for duty with 3DWR (83rd Training Reserve) at North Shields, having been declared fit for home service. 

Pte. Richard Butler, who had a series of brushes with military discipline and was currently in England, having been treated for wounds suffered in the actions at Munster Alley in July (see 20^th September) again found himself in trouble; he was reported absent from the Regimental Depot at Halifax from 9.30am. His absence was reported by Sergeants Teasdale and Gill.

A final statement was taken regarding 2Lt. Roland Herbert Wyndham Brinsley-Richards (see 3^rd October) who was officially reported ‘missing in action’ following the attack on Munster Alley. The informant, onboard the Hospital Ship Maheno, was Sgt. Richard Farrar. He stated;

“He was killed by shrapnel in our line called Munster Alley during the night of July 30^th (sic.). I was present and saw this. His body was buried at first in our trenches and I do not know if it was ever recovered. The grave was marked. The spot is about 1 ½ miles on the right front of Contalmaison.”
Sgt. Farrar, who had been wounded on 4^th October, was subsequently transferred to 2DWR.

 

2Lt. R.H.W. Brinsley-Richards

A payment of £5 7s was authorised, being the amount outstanding in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Claude Smith Slater (see 12^th August), who had died of wounds on 9^th July. The payment would go to his widowed mother, Annie.

Pte. Claude Smith Slater

A pension award was made in respect of the late Cpl. Harry Wain (see 23^rd September), who had died of wounds in March; his widow, Ethel, was awarded £1 15s. per week.

2Lt. Arthur Poynder Garratt (see 10^th September), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, having recovered from an accidental injury while serving with 9DWR, appeared before a Medical Board at South Shields and was declared fit for general service; he would shortly be posted to join 10DWR.

Lt. Paul James Sainsbury, (see 15^th September) who would later serve with 10DWR, appeared before a Medical Board convened at Caxton Hall Hospital, London. The Board reported on his condition: “Sleep – fair, but occasionally dreams unpleasantly; no headache but he would be improved by another 3 week holiday, after which it is probable he will be fit for general service”.

Lt. Paul James Sainsbury

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