Tuesday 3rd October 1916

Front line trenches south of Le Sars

The original plan had been for the attack on Le Sars to be pressed home immediately, in conjunction with an attack by 47^th Division on the right on the Butte de Warlencourt. However, once established in the line it became clear that an immediate major operation would be impossible as “the trenches were very wet and heavy and practically no shelter or dugouts are available for troops”. The further deterioration in the weather, with steady rain making the ground impossible for any major operations, meant that the major attack was postponed until October 7^th at the earliest. 

However, in preparation for the planned further advance, 10^th Battalion was to make an attempt, at dawn on 4^th October, to occupy the old German second line (known as OG2 or Flers Support) west of the main road in front of Le Sars as far as point M.15.d.0.6. This section was “thought to be only lightly or periodically held” by the Germans. The attack was to be conducted by three platoons from ‘A’ Company. Two bombing parties were to advance up saps from the front line and, at the same time, a platoon was to attack across the fifty yards or so of open ground between the two trench lines.

Pte. Albert Saville (see 24^th September) who had been injured a few days earlier was evacuated to England from 1^st General Hospital at Etaples and admitted to Chichester General Hospital. He had suffered a back injury when buried by a fall of earth following a shell explosion and it was reported that he, “complains of pain and tenderness in back, inability to stand erect or march and of general weakness”.

Lt. Cecil Edward Merryweather (see 14^th September) who was serving with 11DWR but was still being treated for injuries he had sustained on 5^th July, appeared before a medical board at Brocton Camp. The board found that, “he complains of weakness in right thigh and inability for prolonged exertion. He has been sleeping badly and says he is very nervous”. They found unfit for general service for a further three months but fit to continue his home service with 11DWR.  

Pte. Henry Edgar Grass (see 4^th September) was discharged from the County of Middlesex War Hospital at Napsbury, near St. Albans; he would have one weeks’ leave before reporting to 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion, based at Gateshead. 

Enquiries continued regarding 2Lt Roland Herbert Wyndham Brinsley-Richards (see 26^th September) who was officially reported ‘missing in action’ following the attack on Munster Alley. A statement was taken, at no.8 Stationary Hospital, Boulogne, from L.Cpl. T. Garbutt. Garbutt gave a very accurate physical description of Brinsley-Richards, “Very small, rather dark, clean-shaven, about 27”, and went on to describe what he understood had happened;

“On Saturday night, July 29^th, the Regiment on the right (sic.) of Contalmaison. 6, 7, 8 and 9 Platoons of B Company went over on a bombing raid with Lt. Brinsley-Richards and Lt. Hart. Enemy trenches about 100 yards off. Last seen of Lt. Brinsley-Richards was right up by enemy trench. He was seen to jump in and was fighting hand-to-hand with the enemy. Party had to leave him and retire. The other Lt., Lt. Hart, was wounded but got in all right”.

Garbutt’s account, based it seems on reports from others, is slightly at odds with those given by some of the eye-witnesses from Brinsley-Richards’ own platoon. Garbutt was later transferred to the Durham Light Infantry.

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