Autumn and Winter 1916

In the area between Clèry, on the Somme, and Les Boeufs, no less than six battalions of the Regiment held sub-sectors of the front line at various dates between the 1st January and 14th March (the official date of the beginning of the German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line). These battalions were 1st and 18th (33rd Division), 2nd (8th Division), 16th (29th Division), and 20th and 21st (40th Division). Clèry, Bouchavesnes, Marrières Wood, Rancourt and Pierre Vaast Wood, Sailly-Saillisel, Morval, Combles, Maurepas and Curlu are all well-known names in the Middlesex Regiment.

18th July to 31st December1916

From the 18th July, 1916, when they moved back into the line in Bazentin-le-Petit Wood, to the end of the year, the 1st Middlesex were not engaged in any major operations with the enemy. The activities of the Battalion are therefore given in the form of a summary. On the 19th July 2/Lieut. Calder was killed and 2/Lieut. S. Burrell badly wounded whilst talking to the Brigadier at the entrance to Battalion Headquarters dug-out:

Lieut. S. Burrell died of wounds on 20th. The next day, after a perfect inferno in the line, the Battalion (in Brigade) marched to Dernancourt. The Battalion had lost heavily: 6 officers had been killed and 15 wounded; in other ranks the losses were 58 killed, 270 wounded, 63 missing-total, 391. But on 26th a draft of 1 N.C.O. and 534 other ranks arrived. On 13th August the Battalion again moved back to the line, first in reserve in Mametz Wood and then to the front line on 14th in High Wood. Two Companies-"B" and "C"-supported an attack by the 2nd Argylls on 18th and heavy fighting took place.

The Battalion moved back to Mametz Wood on 19th, after a terrible time forward. The tour from 14th to 19th had cost the Die-Hards 1 officer wounded, 25 other ranks killed, 96 wounded, and 9 missing. On the 25th the Battalion was back again in the front line just north of Delville Wood. There is no other word in which to describe this part of the line than that of "damnable." It had just been captured and was in a horrible condition and shelled continuously. On 26th 2/Lieut. T. G. Carless was wounded and many other rank casualties were suffered. On 28th Lieut. H. R. Waterman and 2/Lieut. E. Scott-Waring Green were both killed by shell fire. When relief came on 30th the Battalion had lost during the tour 2 officers killed and 3 wounded, 34. other ranks killed, 77 wounded, and 7 missing. From 1st to 20th September, the Battalion was out of the line resting and training, but on the latter date moved into the Hebuterne trenches-an uneventful tour. The first three weeks of October were similarly uneventful until, on 23rd, the Middlesex moved to Trônes Wood via Mametz and Montauban. The wood was a mass of broken trees and shell holes and still full of the remains of dead Germans-a ghastly place in which to bivouac. On the 24th, during a reconnaissance of the line east of Les Boeufs, Captain J. E. Coughian was killed and Captain G. N. A. Cursons wounded by a shell. On that day the Battalion went into the line east of Les Boeufs.

The enemy was attacked on 28th October, the objective of the Brigade being the German positions in front of Le Transloy, known as Rainy Trench and Dewdrop Trench, and the dug-outs and points north-east of the latter. Zero hour was 5.30 a.m.

"A" and "C" Companies led the attack of the 1st Middlesex, an attack splendidly successful, for by 9.30 a.m. the whole objective was in their hands and handed over to a relieving battalion (4th Suffolk Regt.) that night. That success was dearly bought, for one officer (2/Lieut. C.A.T. Benson) was killed and seven officers (Capt. E.W. Shaw, Lieuts. C.R. Smith and H.C.O. Buchanan, and 2/Lieuts. R.B. Holman, E. Auckland, R.A. Buckingham, and A.W.C. Hodges) were wounded; 35 other ranks were killed, 136 wounded, and 29 were missing-total all ranks, 208. On relief the Battalion moved back to the Flers line. Back again into the line at Les Boeufs on 1st November until 3rd (2/Lieut. Billman was wounded on 2nd), thence to Carnoy and Meaulte (where they were told they were going "right back for a long rest"), followed by a move to Huppy, where they stayed until the morning of 5th December, continues the story of the 1st Battalion. On the 5th December, however, the Battalion entrained at Pont Remis and began to move south to the new portion of the line the British were just taking over from the French. On the 14th the 1st Middlesex went into the line just north-east of Bouchavesnes, they were then on the extreme right of the whole British line in France and Flanders. The tour was, however, uneventful, and when the Battalion was relieved they had lost only 5 other ranks killed and 18 wounded. On the last day of the year the 1st Middlesex were in camp at Brucamps.

1st January 1917

The 1st Battalion* (Lieut.-Colonel J. Elgee) and the 18th (Pioneers-Lieut.-Colonel H. Storr, commanding), of the 33rd Division, were out of the line occupying an area 5 or 6 miles East of Abbeville when the New Year dawned, but by 11th February had moved down to the Somme again and were in the Clèry sector. *(The Battalion Diary for 15th contains the following entry: "26 suits of armour arrived for use of bombers," but details of the armour are not given. The French used armour comprising stomach, thigh, chest and shoulder pieces. Two types of shields were tried by us in France, the Chemico and the Dayfield. The use of armour was, however, abandoned, being considered too heavy and cumbersome, and after trial it was withdrawn.)

11th February to 22nd April 1917

The front-line trenches were about 1200 yards east of Clèry, and here the 1st Battalion had, between 11th and 16th February, a very uncomfortable time. The enemy, very much on the alert, kept the Die-Hards under periodical, but violent, bursts of rifle-grenade and trench-mortar fire, whilst the guns of both sides indulged in artillery duels. A trench-mortar bomb killed 2/Lieut. R. P. Dickason on 14th. The next day "D" Company, then in reserve on Marne Crest, had a bad time, as the German guns plastered their position with H.E. shells. Dug-outs were blown in. Another shell wounded 2/Lieut. A. H. Maisey very badly; he died on 16th of his wounds. The tour ended on 16th, the next beginning on 25th near Road Wood, to reach which the men had to move along communication trenches knee-deep in parts in mud and water. In the midst of purgatory, however, the Battalion Diary still reports "men very cheerful." On the 2nd March Lieut.-Colonel Elgee left the Battalion for England on account of continued ill-health, and Major H. A. O. Hanley assumed command. On this date the Battalion moved back into the Béthune Road sector: on the 3rd 2/Lieuts. Pain and Rowntree were wounded: on the 4th the 8th Division, on the left of the 33rd, attacked the enemy, taking many prisoners and a few machine guns, but the 1st Middlesex were not involved. On the 14th March the Battalion was in Camp 124 (near Sailly Laurette) training.

From War Diary:- On 1st April, Battalion marched out of Camp 124 to La Neuville and into billets. From the 2nd to 11th April, moving daily to Rainneville, Naours, Gezaincourt, Holloy, Pomera, Coigneux, Pommier and finally to Ficheux. On 12th, left Ficheux for forward areas to relieve the 16th Manchesters (30th Div) in Brigade Support at N26.C.0.9. Men in improvised shelters in two sunken roads. 13th& 14th in Brigade Support at sunken roads, A Coy. detailed for burial duty, B Coy. on salvage duty. 3 officers and 100 OR as an echelon moved to Boisleux au Mont. 15th still in support at sunken roads. 4 platoons detailed to carry SAA and bombs from 19th Brigade HQ to the Scottish Rifles in the line, one man hit. 16th In support until 6pm when battalion moved to the Hindenburg Line to relieve 1st Cameroonians. Faulty guide led the battalion "wandering all night", relief of Scottish Rifles not achieved until 7am on 17th. Cold and wet. 17th In Hindenburg Line in squares N35 a and c after dusk. Relieved 2 Coys of the Royal Fusiliers. 18th Quiet day with few casualties. 19th Still in front line, planned relief by 16th KRR. 20th all available men engaged in digging an assembly trench 200 yards in rear of British front line. Relief by 1st Cameroonians (not KRR) and marched back to sunken roads. 21st still in sunken roads.

On 22nd April, the Battlion moved by company to the front line in squares N35 a & c in preparation for the Second Battle of the Scarpe.

Go to Second Battle of the Scarpe or Back to list of actions