Friday 23rd August 1918

Support positions in the Lemerle Switch line

Plans were prepared for a large-scale trench raid to take place on the Austrian lines east of Canove, in an area known as the Vaister Spur,on the 26^th. The plan is best described in the words of the Battalion orders which were to be issued. (See also the map below).

1. INTENTION

The Battalion, simultaneously with a Battalion of the 48^th Division on the right, will carry out a raid on Manchester and Middlesex trenches from H.448.558 to H.518.568; the Railway Cutting, H.456.582 to H.518.567; the quarry at about H.485.573 and all the dugouts, trenches, etc. in the area enclosed within the following map references - H.448.558 to H.460.597 to H.487.597 to H.487.577 to H.518.568.

2. COMPOSITION OF PARTIES 

The raid will be carried out by three parties under the command of Capt. Dick Bolton MC (see 11^th August), Capt. John Edward Lennard Payne MC (see 5^th August) and 2Lt. William Johnson Simpson (see 7th March) respectively. The parties will be made up as follows:

"A" Party -  2Lts. Simpson and Wilfred Frederick John Thomson (see 31^st July) with two platoons (seventy other ranks) of B Company.

"B" Party – Capt. Bolton, Lts. Arthur Neill (see 24^th May) and Lt. Andrew Aaron Jackson (see 7^th August); 2Lts. George Clifford Sugden (see 1^st October 1917) and Edwin Everingham Ison (see 5^th July)  with three platoons (ninety other ranks) of A Company and one platoon (thirty other ranks) of C Company.

"C" Party - Capt Payne, MC, 2Lts. Vincent Edwards MC (see 25^th July), Edward Kent Waite MC (see 19^th February), Mark Allan Stanley Wood (see 19^th August) and  Bernard Garside (see 18^th August) with three platoons (ninety other ranks) of D Company and one platoon (thirty other ranks) of C Company.

3. OBJECTIVES

"A" Party will raid the trenches, railway cutting, embankments and intervening ground between H.50.569 and H.518.568. "B" and "C" Parties will raid the remainder of the area, the dividing line for this purpose being from H.474.597 to H.474.578 in the railway cutting to H.480.562 in Manchester Trench.

4. DISPOSITIONS FOR ASSAULT

At Zero minus twenty the parties will be formed up ready to advance by platoons as follows:

"A" Party in two platoons on a line about H.488.520 facing about twenty degrees East of North (exact compass bearing will be notified later).

"B" and "C" Parties in two lines of two platoons each on a line from H.476.526 to H.466.527.

At Zero the assault will commence.

"A" Party will advance on a point at the west end of its area. One platoon will mop up the trench as rapidly as possible and the Railway Embankment to the east, its Lewis Gun taking up a position to guard the right flank, whilst the other platoon will go straight to the Railway Embankment on the west and the Cutting and mop up the dugouts, etc. The platoon mopping up the trench etc. less its Lewis Gun and rifle grenadiers, will, as soon as possible, go to help in the mopping up of the Railway Cutting from the eastern end and will provide a guard for prisoners taken.

"B" Party will enter Manchester Trench at about the south-west corner of its area. One platoon will at once mop up Manchester Trench, and, at the conclusion of that duty, will help the other platoons in the guarding of their prisoners, carrying etc. Two platoons will go direct for the Railway Cutting and Quarry respectively. The fourth platoon will go for the area north of the cutting.

"C" party will enter Manchester Trench at about its apex at H.475.550. One platoon will mop up the trench to the west of the area north towards the Cutting and thereupon act as guard for prisoners and carrying purposes. One platoon will mop up a position at Little Spur guarding the western flank. Meanwhile the other two platoons will go through to the Railway Cutting mopping that up and the area north and south of the same.

Officers commanding "B" and "C" Parties will detail at least one Lewis Gun to take up the best possible position on the north side of the Railway Cutting in their respective areas to prevent a counter attack from the north. Four rifle grenadiers will accompany the Lewis Gun section guarding "A" Party's right flank and six rifle grenadiers will be included in the platoon guarding "C" Party's left flank.

Maj. Edward Borrow DSO (see 19^th August) will superintend assembly of raiding parties and report to Advanced Battalion HQ on completion of duty.

5. DRESS

The men of the raiding parties will carry the following. Rifle with bayonet fixed, one bandolier of S.A.A., steel helmets and box respirators. Each section commander and one picked man per section will carry two bombs in his pocket. Rifle grenadiers detailed for A and C Parties will each carry six rifle grenades.

6. METHOD OF WITHDRAWAL

Officer Commanding Raiding Parties will inform Advanced Battalion HQ as well as signal, medical and other parties that they are withdrawing. Officers Commanding B and C Raiding Parties will detail one platoon each to cover the retirement. A and B Parties, Battalion HQ party, signallers and prisoners convoy will return to our lines by number four gap, covered by the covering platoon of B Party. C Party and medical personnel will return by Hill 1002 and Camberwell Green Gap covered by the covering platoon of C Party. The signal to withdraw will be given by the Officers Commanding the three parties by repeated blasts on the siren whistles at Zero plus fifty. Flares will be lit on Roncalto Spur about 100 yards west of Line House between Zero plus fifty and Zero plus seventy five to indicate direction of return.

7. ADVANCED HQ.

Advanced Battalion HQ will be established in the dugout on eastern slope of Hill 1002 at H.445.485 at Zero minus 90. Advanced Brigade HQ for the operation will be in the HQ dugout of the right front line battalion of the right brigade of the divisional front.

Maj. William Norman Town (see 7^th July) will be in charge of Battalion rear HQ during the absence of the Commanding Officer at Advanced BHQ.

8. MEDICAL ARRANGEMENTS

Company Stretcher Bearers with stretchers will accompany the raiding parties as follows:

Four bearers with two stretchers of B Company with A Party; four bearers with two stretchers of A Company and two bearers with one stretcher of C Company with B party; four bearers with two stretchers of D Company and one stretcher with two bearers of C Company with C Party. A Stretcher Bearers Relay Post will be established at Advanced Battalion HQ. An Advanced Dressing Station and Regimental Aid Post will be in the two dugouts immediately south of Hill 1002 at about H.433.458.

9. COMMUNICATIONS

Two advanced signal stations will be established: D Station in the Quarry on the eastern slope of Vaister Spur at about H.478.536; E Station behind the small excavation on the south-west side of Post Spur at about H.495.535. D Station will be connected by wire through Advanced Battalion HQ with Signal Station on Hill 1002 and thence with Advanced Brigade HQ. E Station will be connected by wire through Advanced Battalion HQ. D and E Stations will be connected laterally by wire to further ensure proper communication. Capt. Frederick Lowther Dawson Barker (see 31^st January) will be in charge of E Signal Station. 2Lt. James Henry Midgley (see 25^th April) will be in charge of intelligence at D Signal Station with Sgt. James Walker MM (see 15^th February) in charge of the signals.

10. PRISONERS AND TROPHIES.

A Prisoner Collecting Station will be formed in the trench about 300 yards north-east of Advanced Battalion HQ and marked by stakes with luminous paint. Raiding Parties will send all prisoners and trophies direct there to Maj. Herbert St. John Carr West (see 8^th August) who will be in charge with RSM Charles Edward Parker, DCM, MM (see 29th April; it is unclear exactly when he had been promoted RSM) and Regimental Police. Maj. Carr West will give receipts for all prisoners and trophies handed over. The raiding parties will provide escort for prisoners, etc, as ordered by Maj. Carr West.

11. CASUALTIES.

Officers Commanding Raiding Parties will, on their way back, advise Advanced Battalion HQ through the nearest Advanced Signal Station of the number of their casualties if any.

12. ARTILLERY

A barrage map and time table accompanies this (a copy does not survive in the Battalion War Diary) for the information of those immediately concerned. The barrage will last 60 minutes and will include heavy counter battery work on the enemy batteries.

13. REFRESHMENT

Officers Commanding Companies will arrange to give all men going on the raid a hot meal at the latest possible moment. Hot tea and rum will be issued to the raiders on their return.

14. PASS WORD

The pass word will be “Dukes”.

15. PROTECTION

Officer Commanding C Company will arrange for a reconnoitring patrol to patrol No Mans Land near the assembly points between dusk and Zero hour. The composition of the patrol will be three reliable men from each of A, B and D Companies, with a reliable NCO from C Company, all under the command of 2Lt. Herbert Edwin James Biggs (see 15^th June 1917). This patrol must on no account get engaged and will report to Maj. Borrow at the assembly point of "A" Party at Zero minus 30.

16. TIME

Each party will send an officer with two reliable watches to synchronise them at Battalion HQ at 6pm on Zero day.

17. IDENTIFICATION MARKS

Officers Commanding Companies will see that no member of the raiding parties takes with him any numerals, badges, papers, reports, orders or identification of any kind whatsoever.

18. ZERO

Zero Day and hour will be notified later; also orders for the 58^th Division Raid.

The map below indicates the approximate positions of the area to be attacked (shaded yellow); the assembly points of the three parties (A, B, C); the advanced signal stations (D, E); Advanced Battalion HQ; and the Advanced Dressing Station and Regimental Aid Post.

Pte. John Beckwith (see 5^th January) was admitted, via 69^th Field Ambulance to 39^th Casualty Clearing Station, suffering from venereal disease. After seven days he would be evacuated via no.39 Ambulance Train (destination unknown) He was also permanently transferred to 9^th Battalion South Staffs., which was the pioneer battalion of 23^rd Division.


CSM Edward George John Cooke (see 24^th July), who had been at 34^th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples, awaiting posting for the previous month, was transferred to 43^rd Garrison Battalion, Royal Fusiliers.