Military History

Captain Coyne is listed as being killed on 27 Aug 1917. The 9th Battalion war diary entry for that day is transcribed below.

IN THE LINE – 27^th: At 1.55pm the enemy was attacked , the objective for the Battalion being Pheasant Trench from U.30.d.15.95 to C.6.b.90.15. The intention was to capture and hold this line with the first wave and to establish a line of posts from U.30.b.71.29 to D.1.a.65.20 with the second wave.

The disposition of the Battalion was as follows:-

First Wave C Coy on the right
                 D Coy on the left

Second Wave A Coy on the right
                     B Coy on the left

Each company was composed of three platoons, two platoons of each Coy formed the first lines of the waves the remaining one platoon the second line.

The 8^th Bn Duke of Wellington’s Regt was on our left and the 7^th Bn Worcestershire Bn on our right. Both of these units took part in the attack which was made simultaneously by the 11^th and 48^th Divisions.

At Zero (1.55pm) a shrapnel barrage was put on the enemy trench. The companies left their assembly trenches immediately & assumed the formation indicated. Owing to heavy rain the ground was in very bad condition, being impassable in places where shell holes were continuous and full of water. The enemy barrage was put down on the Langemarck-Winnipeg Road at 1.58pn.

The advance was checked by machine gun & rifle fire from Pheasant Trench which was very strongly held, and from several concrete emplacements west of the trench, the chief of these being Vieilles Maisons which consisted of three buildings.

By the time our barrage lifted to enable our men to enter Pheasant Trench the lines were thinned by casualties and although a few men entered the trench they were unable to remain there.

One house at Weilles Maisons was captured and a line of posts was formed East of Bulow Farm, running parallel with Pheasant Trench.