Military History

Bucquoy – 22.8.1918: Except for continual harassing fire by MG’s and a little shelling by 5.9’s the day passed without incident.

7pm: The New Zealand division on the right again advanced towards their objectives of the 21^st inst. This brought down a very heavy barrage on the Battalion causing some casualties.

11pm: 15^th Infantry Brigade OO No 213 received to say BN was to be in position before dawn to attack at any time after that. Preliminary orders issued accordingly & I went forward & supervised the assembly. This was completed by 4am [23^rd].

Bucquoy - 23 Aug 1918 – 4.30am: Orders for the attack were received from Brigade which I explained to O.C’s Coys.

10.30am: Advanced Bn HQ established in front line.

11am: Zero hour, the Bn advanced under a creeping barrage, D Coy of right, C Coy on left, A Coy in support and B Coy in reserve. From the very commencement the Bn was met by very heavy & accurate M.G. fire from all sides. It was here that Captain L Sayer MC commanding A Coy was killed whilst leading his men in a magnificently gallant manner.

In spite of this opposition the Bn pushed forward in magnificent manner and went straight through to the final objective on the far ridge reaching same at 11.45am, where reorganisation was made & the position consolidated, heavy casualties were sustained during the operation and practically all officers & a large proportion of NCO’s became casualties. The Brigade on the right advanced with the Battalion and kept touch throughout. The Battalion on the left was hung up & it was sometime before touch was established on the left.

12noon: I reported to Bde that the Bn had taken its objective & was in touch on the right but not on the left. I then pushed two platoons of B Coy over to left to establish touch with 1^st Bedford R.

12.45pm: Touch was established on the right, during this advance the Battalion took prisoner 5 Officers and about 150 OR’s. At least a dozen M.G’s were captured and a very large R.R. workshop.

1.15pm: 15^th Int Bde BM 115 received instructing us to push some men over to right of 1^st Bedford R as they were held up. I had already pushed up two platoons of B Coy and established touch.

4.30pm: Bn HQ moved forward to S side of railway. All Coys were located and reorganised. About this time units of the 13^th Inf Bde were seen advancing in the rear in artillery formation, they moved forward to the valley SE of the railway & were in position at 5.30pm. I was informed they would go through the 15^th Inf Bde & attack at 7.30pm.

7.30pm: The 13^th Inf Bde attacked and meeting with practically no opposition whatever advanced the line at least 2000 yards taking a large number of prisoners and guns.

9.30pm: 15^th Inf Bde OO no 213 received to say Bn would withdraw same night on receipt of orders.

Buquoy - 24 Aug 1918 – 2am: 15^th Inf Bde BM 119 received to say Bn would withdraw to trenches near old BN HQ. The BN withdrew without incident and was back in position at 3.30am.

The day was spent in resting and reorganising. Cookers and water carts brought up & the men well fed and washed. During the evening 15^th Inf Bde OO No 214 received to say Bn will be ready to move forward to position captured by the Bn on the morning of the 23^rd inst.

10pm: I issued orders accordingly (attached) No 214.

12mn: Capt W Sewell, 2/Lt’s Wilks MC; Mould; Beateson and Milner from the Divil [or Dump] Personnel.