9.20pm 13th July - 6.45am 14th July
Carnoy - 13 Jul 1916 – 9.20pm: Left Carnoy and marched along Montauban Road.
10.15pm: Passed Montauban.
14 Jul 1916 - 2am: [14th] Reached point of Deployment.
3.25am [14th] Artillery lifted and the assault was made. Held up by very strong enemy wire. Enemy opened heavy Rifle and Machine Gun Fire. Estimated number of Machine Guns 7. A large number of very lights were sent up, and as it was impossible for men to face the heavy fire there being a bright light owing to the flares. These untouched held their ground taking cover in shell holes. Colonel B.I. Way, 2nd Lieut R. Longstaff as Acting Adjutant, retired for the place of assembly, which is under a Bank, and the men proceeded to dig in.
Between 3.30am & 6.45am the men dug themselves in at the point of assembly
6.45am: Major Brewis arrived and relieved Colonel B.I. Way who was wounded in the arm and leg. Colonel Way went to the rear.
14th Jul - 7am to 11.15am
7am: Machine Guns had been mounted. Stokes Mortars got going and men of the Royal Scots Fusiliers joined the East Yorks Regt behind the bank.
7.40am: "Whizz-banging" started.
7.45am: Lieutenant Hext, Royal Field Artillery, reported that Bazentin was in possession of the 6th Brigade, and that a Captain (whose name he did not know) was forming his men up in order to bomb inwards.
7.50am: Major Brewis ordered two guns of the Machine Gun Company to retire back and to take up a position behind covering the right Flank; and placed Lieutenent Newbiggin, 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers, in charge of the extreme Right.
7.55am: Intelligence received from 8th Bde that two Companies of the Royal Scots were going to attack the right flank of the objective.
8am: A patrol was sent out by order of the 8th Bde, from the right flank, up to the enemy's wire to see if any of our men were in the enemy’s trenches, and holding their own.
8.40am: Colonel Forbes, Commanding 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers arrived with reinforcements and took over command.
9.8am: Instructions received from Brigade to send out Patrol both the same orders as those for the patrol at 8a.m.
9.30am: Both Patrols reported having been up to the enemy's wire and were certain that the enemy's front line was strongly held. They could hear none of our men in the trench.
9.45am: Stokes Guns fired several rounds.
10.15am: Another Patrol reported having been up to the enemy's wire and confirmed the previous report as to the enemy front line being strongly held and theyn heard sounds of heavy fighting inside the trenches. This information was passed to Colonel Forbes who was in command.
10.20am: Colonel Forbes sent for Major Brewis (E. York. R) and it was decided to send all available bombers, supported by two Platoons of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, guided by the Patrol of E. York. Regt., and kept in communication by Signals. S.E. York. Regt., to try and on the right flank.
10.30am: Message from Spring stating "Bombing is to start from Bazentin.
11.10am: Got into communication by Telephone with 8th Bde.
11.15am: Bde Wire received stating that Indian Cavalry is to go through
14th July 11.50am to 6pm & Casualties
11.50am: Orders received that the position is to be taken at once at all costs.
12 noon: Message received from 2nd Lt J.C. Hartert, 8th East York Regt to say that he has entered both the front and back line of the German Trenches, is holding his own and attempting to bomb inwards. He estimated his position to be about S.16.b.8 a&b
12.15pm: Bombing party of the Royal Scots appeared on the left. They advanced very quickly and in perfect line carrying all before them. As they advanced men lying in shell holes by the wire and in other places along the front, joined in. We all joined in and the fight was over at once.
1pm: Met the Brigade Major who ordered me to hold [the line] from the 9th Division to the 7th K. Shropshire L.I. and to consolidate the position as quickly as possible.
2pm: Re-organised the Battalion and found the strength to be three officers, 100 men and one Lewis Gun.
5.30pm: 2nd Lieut J.C. Hartert and eleven men rejoined.
6pm: 2nd Lieut C.M. Pratt arrives from another part of the trench where he has been fighting, with six men. On checking the Battalion we found the following known casualties:
Officers: Killed 8; Wounded 11
Other Ranks: Killed 81; Wounded 218; Missing 141
Total: 10 Officers and 440 other ranks
