11th Battalion

An entry in the Diary of the 11th Middlesex (Lieut.-Colonel W. D. Ingle commanding), dated the 5th January, after moving back into the Festubert sector on the 4th, briefly describes the kind of existence the Battalion was eking out in the front line at the beginning of 1916: "Pumping and baling carried out almost continuously in 'A' and 'D' Companies' trenches. 'D' Company's Island Group relieved every twenty-four hours, and go back to Le Touret for twenty-four hours to get dry. Enemy quiet, a few shells on 'B' Company's right during the morning, and a few 77-mm. shells on Rue de Bois - casualties nil." Relief came on the 13th, and the Battalion moved back into billets.

On 11th February the Battalion marched to Sally Labourse, preparatory to moving into trenches near the Quarries on the morning of the 12th, the 12th Division having taken over a portion of the line between Loos and the La Bassée Canal.

The 13th February was a day of trial and heavy loss to the Battalion. As soon as it was light enough to see each other's' trenches a duel with trench-mortar bombs and rifle grenades broke out between the opposing forces. About 10 a.m. the enemy's artillery joined in the combat, bombarding the trenches of the Middlesex with H.E. and (as the Battalion Diary has it) "smaller stuff." The trenches were damaged considerably and several casualties were suffered. But the Divisional Artillery and the "Heavies" retaliated, and, after some hours (about 3 p.m.), things were once more normal, although only for a little while. At 5.30 p.m. the enemy's artillery fire broke out again, and hostile shells of all calibre, up to 9-inch, fell in considerable numbers on the front line, support and communication trenches, which were blown about, and, in many places, completely wrecked. There were very few dug-outs in the line, and the Middlesex men had poor shelter from this hail of shell, with the inevitable result-heavy casualties. Just after 6 p.m. there were two enormous explosions, one from beneath the Kink and the other under Alexander trench, and clouds of earth, equipment, timber and the bodies of men shot up into the air-the enemy had exploded mines. Immediately following the explosions five groups of Germans, each of about ten men, rushed across from Bill's Bluff and tried to enter Bigger Willie. Rifle and machine-gun fire, and a storm of grenades, caused most of them to fall back; others fell dead or wounded, but six were successful in getting into the trenches of the Middlesex. Their triumph was, however, short-lived, for they were either shot down, bombed or bayoneted. They had already filled their pockets with Mills grenades when they were killed. As the Germans advanced, the enemy's artillery had lifted to the support trenches behind Bigger Willie and the Kink. At 6.25 p.m. the hostile bombardment died down, but twenty minutes later fires were lighted by the enemy in his front-line trenches, and he threw smoke bombs, though the wind carried the smoke northwards. At 7 p.m. normal conditions again reigned. The losses suffered by the Middlesex on the 13th were 2 officers wounded, 10 other ranks killed, 49 wounded and 5 missing-a costly day. The Battalion had clung to its position with great tenacity and gallantry, and a fitting acknowledgement of the steadfastness of all ranks was contained in a message from the G.O.C., First Army, which arrived during the 14th: "The G.O.C., First Army, wishes his congratulations conveyed to the officer commanding and troops who counter-attacked and drove back the enemy who had effected a lodgment in our trenches in the neighbourhood of the Kink on the evening of 13th" Lieut.-Colonel Ingle had every reason to be proud of his officers and men.

The 14th was comparatively quiet. The 15th was similarly uneventful, though several aerial torpedoes were fired by the Germans, one of which caused six casualties. Relief came on the 16th, the 9th Royal Fusiliers taking over the line from the 11th Middlesex, and the latter moved back to Railway Reserve and Lancashire Trenches and Vermelles.

On the 29th the Battalion again took over the trenches previously occupied opposite the Quarries.

It was not long, however, before the 11th Middlesex were again involved in heavy losses, even more serious than on the 13th February, for an attack had been ordered on the Chord, a particularly strong sector of the German line opposite the left of the 36th Brigade front. The attack was to be carried out by the 8th and 9th Royal Fusiliers. Three mines were to be exploded close to the Chord and the craters formed by the explosion, as well as the Chord itself, were to be occupied. It was expected that the enemy would make a desperate resistance. As all the orders referring to this little operation concern the two Battalions (8th and 9th Royal Fusiliers) making the attack, it is unnecessary to give more than the above outline. It was in rendering assistance to the attacking force that the 11th Middlesex became involved and sustained heavy losses.

The attack was to take place on the 2nd March at 5.45 p.m. On the previous evening at 6.20 p.m. a party of 11th Middlesex, consisting of one N.C.O. and 15 other ranks, was sent to Clarke's Keep to detonate grenades. Another party of one N.C.O. and 20 men followed on the morning of the 2nd at 9 a.m. to the same place and for the same purpose. Two hours later the first party returned, having been hard at work all night. That afternoon at 3.30 detailed orders for the attack reached the O.C., 11th Middlesex, and these were followed, half an hour later, by orders to detail a party of four N.C.Os. and 50 men (half from "C " Company and half from" B " Company) to be at the junction of Saville Row and Support Line under the O.C., 9th Royal Fusiliers; this party reached its destination at 5.15 p.m. Five minutes later the "Heavies" opened heavy fire on the enemy's trenches. At 5.30 p.m. all men of the Middlesex Regiment were moved out of their dug-outs, and when fifteen minutes later the mines were exploded, all ranks were "standing to." No less than 32,000 lbs. of explosives were used, and the explosions were deafening.

Three large mines and one small mine were blown under the Chord, and the infantry advanced immediately. But instead of being taken by surprise and shaken by the explosions, the Germans lined the parapets of their trenches and opened a steady fire on the attacking Fusiliers. No word reached the O.C., 11th Middlesex, until 7.30 p.m., when orders came to hand to render all possible assistance to the 9th Royal Fusiliers, who were on the left of the Middlesex. Half an hour later, 2nd Lieut. Marcus, with 50 men from "A" Company, was sent off to the junction of Saville Row and Support Line under the O.C., 9th Royal Fusiliers. At 8.40 p.m. 2nd Lieut. Moore, 50 men of " A" Company, and two grenadier squads were similarly despatched to come under the orders of the O.C., 9th Royal Fusiliers. At 9.30 p.m. orders were received by Colonel Ingle to place two of his companies at the disposal of the 9th Royal Fusiliers, and as these left the Battalion area, "B" Company extended to the left, taking over "A" Company's front, with its left flank in Poker Street, the remainder of " A" Company moving back to Vigo Street. "D" Company also extended its left to the junction of Massa Alley with Bigger Willie. About midnight on the 2nd March the dispositions of the 11th Middlesex appear to be as follows: "B" and "D" Companies held the front line; "A" Company on the left and "C" Company on the right of Vigo Street. The Middlesex men were reinforced at 11.55 p.m. by a company of 6th Connaught Rangers: this Company was attached to "D" Company of the Middlesex. Of the desperate fighting which had taken place during the day not a word is mentioned in the Battalion Diary of the Middlesex, nothing but moves and dispositions. But from the casualty list given later, from the 2nd to 4th March, it is obvious that the Battalion was heavily engaged with the enemy during that period.

At 9 a.m. on the 3rd Major Overton of the 9th Royal Fusiliers arrived at Colonel Ingle's Headquarters with orders for the Middlesex to relieve the Fusiliers, the Connaughts to relieve the Middlesex. At what time the relief began it is impossible to say, but apparently it was completed by 2.10 p.m., the dispositions of the Battalion being then: "D" Company-two platoons (right) in Kaiserin Trench from Clifford Street to Poker Street, two platoons in Vigo Street; "B" Company-two platoons (left) in Kaiserin Trench from Poker Street to Saville Row; "A" Company-4n Northampton Trench; ~" C" Company- 15 men in No. 1 Crater, 20 men in No. 2 Crater and 30 men in "A" Crater; the remainder of the "C" Company was on the right of Northampton Trench. The Battalion Bombers, thirty in number, were in Triangle Crater. Nos. 1 and 2 Craters were just south of the Chord and "A" Crater was on the left of it. Triangle Crater was just south of No. 2.

The 36th Brigade Diary has an interesting note on the relief:
"The two Battalions which delivered the attack on the night of the 2nd were relieved on the 3rd, and their place taken by the 11th Battalion Middlesex Regiment, on the right, and the 7th Royal Sussex Regiment, on the left. These two Battalions had heavier casualties than the Fusilier Battalions, which took the positions and held them during the first night. All the men of these two Battalions had been employed throughout the previous night as reinforcements and working parties."

The Middlesex and Sussex Battalions were, however, soon called upon to beat off repeated heavy and desperate counter-attacks. The position won on the 2nd March was magnificent; it commanded the whole of the German trenches as far as Fosse 8, and gave possession of practically the whole of the remainder of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, for which much bloody fighting bad already taken place. Moreover, the British trenches between the Hohenzollern Redoubt and the Vermelles railway were no longer over-looked or exposed to the enemy's rifle and machine-gun fire. It was, therefore, unlikely that the enemy would allow the possession of this valuable position to remain undisputed. Nor did he, for three separate attacks were launched against the Middlesex before, at 8.15 p.m. on the night of the 3rd, the Battalion Diary records, " shells and bombing quietened down." All these attacks (launched against the Sussex also, on the left of the 11th Middlesex) were beaten off with heavy loss to the enemy, though at 10 p.m. he was reported to be in occupation of the further lip of Triangle Crater. The night was passed in comparative quietude, all ranks being engaged in strengthening the defences and in sand-bagging the Craters. But at 5.45 a.m. on the 4th the Germans made fresh heavy bombing attacks, and more bombs and S.A.A. were called for to resist these attacks. A German sniper had, during the night, established himself in the further lip of Triangle Crater, commanding the trench between Craters Nos. 2 and "A." This man could not be shifted and caused many casualties. The latter ~ hours of the 4th seem to have been fairly quiet, but again, at 1 a.m. on the 5th, another heavy bombing attack was launched against the Middlesex men in Crater No. 2. It was beaten off with loss to the enemy.
At 9 a.m. the 6th Buffs began to arrive in order to relieve the Middlesex men. But the relief took hours to carry out, and it was 4 p.m. before the line, with the exception of Crater "A," was taken over by the incoming Battalion. Repeated attempts to relieve the troops in Crater "A" had failed, and it was not until darkness had fallen that the exhausted garrison was replaced and marched back to Sailly Labourse.

During those three days-the 2nd to 4th March inclusive- not a single casualty is recorded in the Battalion Diary of the 11th Middlesex, but from the Diary of the 36th Brigade Head-quarters the following list is taken :-" Officers killed: Capt. A. F. Henty; Lieuts. H. L. Hughes-Jones, L. A. Hughman, C. V. Dodgson; wounded, Lieut. W. E. G. Henkel; 2nd Lieuts. R. Underhill, F. A. Moore, S. W. Hedgecock, D. S. Marcus; other ranks, 35 killed, 207 wounded. Total, 9 officers and 242 other ranks."

Several days were spent in billets cleaning up and reorganising and then, on the 11th March, the 11th Middlesex again took over front-line trenches in the Quarry sector. The 12th and 13th were quiet days, but during the evening of the latter date a little incident occurred which amply demonstrated the good comrade-ship which existed between officers and men, even to the point of sacrificing their lives one for the other.

In front of the trenches occupied by the Middlesex, and outside Lookout Crescent, there were a number of mine craters, in which the Tunnelling Company had received orders to set off a small mine. Colonel Ingle gave orders for the disposition of his men so that no one should be injured by the explosion or falling debris. At 5 p.m. the mine was fired, and after the explosion Lieut. Crombie (O.C., "B" Company), 2nd Lieut. C. K. Smith and a few men went along the trench and found some miners stretched out senseless in the mine shafts. The two officers led the way and tried to drag the unconscious miners out, but were themselves gassed, together with three other ranks. The second officer (2nd Lieut. Smith) was so badly gassed that he died within an hour. The fine heroism of this young officer and the "greater love" for others had cost him his life. Apparently a mistake in putting only seven-foot tamping, when ten-foot tamping had been ordered, was the cause of the explosion coming back up the shafts and filling the place with gas fumes. "This gross neglect of orders," records the Battalion Diary, "caused the death of one of our best officers."

Towards the end of March (on the 24th and 25th) the enemy exploded two mines, and for several days there was much activity in bombing, trench-mortaring and the firing of rifle grenades by both sides. The Middlesex suffered a number of casualties during these operations-2 officers were wounded and 41 other ranks were killed, wounded or missing. April was uneventful, and May was spent entirely out of the front line. In June the 12th Division received orders to move south, and on the 16th the 36th Infantry Brigade entrained at Fouquereuil Station for " a new area." All units reached Longeau during the night 26th-27th, and on the latter date marched to billets in Vignacourt. The 11th Middlesex had now a new C.O.-Lieut.-Colonel G. L. Oliver (who had joined the Battalion on the 24th June), 'vice Lieut.-Colonel W. D. Ingle. On the 30th June the 36th Brigade proceeded to fresh billets at Fréchencourt, arriving at midnight.