War Diary up to 4.20am
MAMETZ WOOD 14/7/1916: ATTACK ON BAZENTIN LE PETIT WOOD & village by the 110th Brigade. The Battn was drawn up for the assault in four lines. The first three lines were in front of Mametz Wood & were to move forward in succession at Zero, the first line to take, clear and hold the Germans first line, the second to push on, capture and consolidate the FOREST trench [enemy support line]. The fourth line were drawn up behind the North edge of Mametz Wood to move forward half an hour after Zero and push forward through Forest Trench ready to assault the German third line.
By 2.55am all dispositions were made, each Platoon on its correct alignment. A number of casualties were suffered during this operation, one Platoon of C Coy losing almost half its number. The men behaved admirably under trying conditions.
At Zero 3.25am when the barrage lifted our first line trench was hardly close enough to it to rush the first line before the enemy could man it, as a result the advance was rather ragged. The right (A) coy in conjunction with the 6th Battn had little difficulty in entering the trench. The left (D) Coy were momentarily held up by Machine Gun fire but managed to keep up close to the parapet and rush the line. The two centre (B&C) Companies were held up for about 20 minutes by machine guns. The pressure was relieved by parties from the right working down a flank.
The centre companies were then able to rush the trench. The second and third lines coming in swept the remaininder of the first line with them and made for the Second Line (Forest Trench). By this time of the officers of B Coy only 2nd Lt Evans was left, in C Coy only 2nd Lt Reed and in D Coy all of the officers were out of action. The enemy in the first line trench at first made some resistance but many were caught in their dug outs & the rest seeing that they would not stop our rush retreated into the Wood and made no resistance in Forest Trench.
By 4am our whole line was in occupation of Forest Trench and the work of consolidation was begun. 2Lt Evans then sent back S M [Sgt Maj] Geary to ensure that the German first line was cleared of the enemy. This NCO with his party found a number of the enemy who had been passed over in the rush. In the meantime the left Coy after pushing onto too eagerly under our own barrage & being forced to retire turned towards the flank and established connection with the 8th Battn.
War Diary after 4.25am
At 4.25am Capt A.A Clarke, leaving 2Lt Evans in charge of the Forest Trench, went forward in charge of the party to capture the third objective. No resistance was met with on the right but on the left considerable trouble was caused by machine gun & by snipers and close by Oberservation Posts in the time? both Capt Clarke and Lieut Blakeford were hit. This left the assaulting line without an officer but Sgt Walker (A Coy) and Lc Sgt Sherlock (C Coy) rallied the men and made good the line. There was no German trench in this position & in some cases the men again pressed forward & came under fire from our own barrage. Meanwhile the left (D Coy) being checked by the M G on the west of the wood & being unable to make headway were rallied by L.Cpl Bush. An attempt was made to get around the position on the right with the result that the party lost direction in the wood & finally found itself with the 6th Battn. LCpl Bush then placed himself under the orders of an officer of that Battn. Almost before the barrage lifted the party under Sgt Walker rushed the German trench on the north side of the wood. The enemy made no resistance here & being caught between the barrage of shell fire & our advancing line gave themselves up.
By 6.45am we were established in the line in N W of the wood. Susequently officers of the 8th Battn, bringing up support, took over command of this sector.
About 7.15am Capt Gwyther now commanding the Battn, ordered 2Lt Evans to push forward from Forest Trench in support of the front line. On reaching the position selected for the strong point on the Railway, this party came under M G fire from the NW corner of the wood. 2Lt Evans took up the line covering the strong point & prepared for reconnaissance. The position therefore at 8.00am was:-
- Northern edge of wood held by us
- Position of the NW corner doubtful
- Line of railway and strong point secured by us
Throughout the morning the enemy kept up an intermittent bombardment with 150mm howitzers and a few 77 mm's which grew in intensity about midday and during the afternoon.
About 1pm it was believed that the Germans were still holding the entire edge of the wood at the NW corner. An assaulting party of the 7th Battn & 9th was organised to clear them out. The bushes and trees were thick around this part which necessarily made progress slow. The enemy evacuating and manning a trenchabout 30 yards from the wood before our men could get through they suffered several casualties from a Machine Gun in the above mentioned trench. An attempt was made about 9 oclock to reorganise the Battn as they were consideralbly mixed up most of the officers becoming casualties. Lt Col Drysdale was wounded whilst the Battn was marching to its position in front of Mametz Wood. Capt & Adj A A Aldworth taking command. Capts Wright & Gifford, Lts Burnett, Hollis & 2nd Lts Newton, Guttridge and Bain being all killed before our troops reached the first line. 2nd Lt Pickering, Clark, Simpson and Reed also Lt Wakeford were killed in the wood. The wounded officers Capt A A Blake, Lt Houghton & 2nd Lt Thornton, Webb & Nichol.
Our total casualties were 18 officers and 535 men killed and wounded. Our men along with the 9th Bn manned the trenches at the edge of the wood and remained there until the next morning. Night was quiet.
