Precis of Events
Precis of Events
On 29 September 1916, the British positions in the redoubt, gained the previous day, had been consolidated and the 7th Queen's regiment relieved. Next day, the 8th East Surrey Regiment was counter-attacked and forced out of the redoubt, until a bayonet attack restored the position but the west face was lost by the 7th Royal West Kent Regiment. At 4:00 p.m., the East Surreys attacked the northern face and took the objective but the attack up the west face was repulsed. A German counter-attack from the west at 9:00 p.m., forced the defenders of the north face back to the Stuff Trench junction. The 55th Brigade in the Schwaben Redoubt, was attacked by II Battalion, IR 66 at 5:15 a.m. on 2 October, which gained a small area after a bombing fight had lasted all day. Both sides resumed bombing on 4 October, with no advantage gained by either side. Next day, the 8th Norfolks, tried a converging attack on the rest of the redoubt at 10:00 a.m., through deep mud which impeded movement and no ground was gained.
War Diary Entry
South of Schwaben Redoubt - 29th: 3.30am None of the details detached from Battalion had yet arrived but C Coy and B Coy less one Platoon & Battalion HQ moved up to relieve as ordered. Troops had to move through original German front line trench, which was very muck knocked about and subjected to a continual shrapnel barrage which caused some casualties.
5am - 6am The relief was in progress and the line taken over from 7th Bedfords & 1st/5th West Yorks was as shown on attached sketch map. Captain Waddington, when being guided round this posts by an officer of out going company was led in error into an enemy bombing stop south of Point 19, enemy threw some bombs and Capt Waddington was wounded in the leg. 2nd Lt McDonald took over command of C Coy and carried on with the relief.
7am Relief complete but still no signs of D Coy or A Coy or the detached platoon of B Coy. 7th Queens were on our right holding Pt 65. Enemy started a bombing attack against the right of C Coy N of Pt 45 which was driven off after a quarter of an hours fighting.
8.30am Two enemy bombing attacks in considerable strength were made against our bomb stops North of Pt 45 and Pt 86 which lasted some two hours and were successful in driving us back about 20 yds above Pt 86 and as far as Pt 45. A counter attack was at once organised by C Coy on the right which drove the Germans back again beyond Pt 45 north of which we established a 'stop'.
Intermittent shelling continued during the day, varying in intensity and causing a certain number of casualties. Working parties were organised and kept at work deepening and trying to improve the very shallow trenches, and also in consolidating the bomb stops but this work was much hampered by enemy shell fire and by snipers from whom it was impossible to escape observation in many places.
5pm Orders received from the Brigade to take Pts 19 and 39 before dawn.
5.30pm These orders were cancelled and the orders received were to push up the trench leading from 45 to 39 as far as possible. It was considered however that a bombing attack against Pts 19 & 39 stood a reasonable chance of success therefore orders were issued to C Coy on the right and B coy on the left to undertake this operation which was timed for 10pm.
6pm Orders received from the Brigade that this battalion was to take over the whole line down to the Ancre which extended up to the Pope's Nose inclusive but not as far as Pt 16 and thence northward along the British front line as far as the River Ancre. This relieft presented certain difficulties in view of the proposed bombing attacks in Pts 19 & 39.
During the course of the day it should be stated that D Coy & A Coy and the detached platoon of B Coy had found their way up and had been held in local reserve and had been employed in consolidation. One Platoon of D Coy had been sent to reinforce B Coy and one to reinforce C Coy.
10pm The attacks on Pts 19 & 39 commenced and were at first quite successful B Coy reaching Pt 19 in a short time and C Coy working up to within some 20x of Pt 39, where the enemy was discovered in strength. But owing to the shortage and difficultly of supply of bombs and grenades our men were gradually forced back again until by midnight the situation was in status quo ante.
12.30am 30th: O. C Companies were sent for at Battn HQ and arrangements made for relief. C Coy was to take over original British front line on the left and was to be relieved by A Coy on the right. D Coy was to relieve B Coy round PT 86 and B Coy was to take over original Boche front line upto the Popes Nose.
3am: Relief complete. The brought the front line of the Battalion up to nearly 1800 yards which necessitated every available man being in or within reach of the front line leaving no reserve in the Battn Commanders hand and this was brought to the notice of Bde HQ. During the night 29th/30th East Surrey Regt relieved 7th Queens on our right.
4.15am: Enemy again started a bombing attack against A Coy on the right at PT 45, also against the East Surreys at PT 65. The enemy, after some sharp fighting succeeded in pushing us back some 100x mainly due to him being able to outthrow us with his 'egg' bomb and out shortage of rifle grenades. A counter attack was at once organised by Sergeant Weller partly up the trench by bombing and partly across the open. This attack succeeded in driving the enemy back 50x or 60x and was making further progress when for some unaccountable reason a shrapnel barrage from our own artillery opened on our trenches and caused 25 casualties. When our own artillery desisted from barraging our own trenches a fresh counter-attack was organised by 2nd Lt Southerst which was successful in completely driving the Boche out of our trenches as far as his bomb-stop beyond PT 45. END
