War Diary Entry
Around Guillemont - 3rd September 1916: Up to noon on the day the two battalions waited in the Assembly Trenches suffering considerable discomfort from overcrowding and casualties from shell fire. At noon, which was the zero hour the advance began and proved completely successful. The operations are described detail in the attached appendix A from which it will be seen that 2.30pm the Brigade had reached the line of the Guinchy - Wedgewood Road where they remained. The rest of the day was spent in consolidating the position gained. The night was uneventful.
Report on Operations
Appendix A
Report on Operations on September 3rd. 1916
Reference. Trench Map. Guillemont. 1/10,100
1. On the 3rd. September the Army resumed the offensive. The 20th Division, in conjunction with the 16th Division on the left and th3 5th Division on the right was detailed to assault the strongly fortified village of Guillemont. The place had resisted several previous attacks by other Divisions and its capture was repeatedly declared by the higher command to be of the utmost importance.
2. The scheme of the attack was to assault and carry the village by a series of “bounds”, each bound being consolidated and cleaned up before a further advance was made.
3. The final objective of the 20th Division was to be a line from the west corner of Leuze Wood to Guinchy Telegraph.
4. The 59th Brigade, which was the assaulting Brigade of the 20th Division, formed up with 10th and 11th Battalions Rifle Brigade and the 6th Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry (60th Brigade) on the right and the 10th Battalion K.R.R. with one Company of the 11th Battalion K.R.R. on the left.
5. The 10th Battalion Rifle Brigade assembled in Copse Trench and the trenches east of it, its left on Guillemont Road, it’s right on Point S.30.b.2¼.3.2½ (opposite of Arrow Head Copse). The 11th Battalion was on our right, with the 6th Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry behind both Battalions.
6. The infantry advance and intense Artillery bombardment began at noon, which was the Zero Hour. After this the artillery barrage lifted at a rate of fifty yards a minute.
7. At noon the Battalion left its trenches in four waves C and D Coys forming the first two, A and B Coys the two behind. Headquarters accompanied the 4th wave.
8. The first Battalion objective, viz, the first Sunken Road from S.30.b.9.8 to S.30.b.7.2 was taken in one rush under heavy fire and the enemy’s trench was thoroughly mopped up. Several prisoners were taken here.
9. The Battalion then moved forward, following up the barrage to its second objective, viz, the second Sunken Road from T.25.a.2.8 to T.25.a.4.2. On the way very heavy rifle and machine gun fire was encountered from both flanks and especially from a trench running roughly east and west between the two objectives. The fire from this latter trench checked the advance momentarily, but a Lewis Gun was pushed forward to enfilade it. The enabled the trench to be stormed and every German in it was killed.
10. The greatest resistance met with during the operations was encountered at this second objective, but in the end it was effectually dealt with and the second Sunken Road fell into our hands.
11. After this the third objective, viz, from T.25.a.7½.7½ to the south east end of the Village at T.25.a.10.4½. was successfully reached though on our war our casualties from both shelling and machine gun fire on the right were somewhat heavy.
12. The fourth objective, viz, the road from T.24.b.1.9 to the point of the village at T.25.b.1.5 was taken without much hand to hand fighting.
13. After the capture of this objective it was found that the Battalion front had swung round somewhat to much to the right and movement half left was necessary for the advance on the fifth objective, viz, the Guinchy – Wedge Wood Road.
14. The line of this road was gained about 2.30pm and here many Germans were killed and many prisoners sent back.
15. Owing to the advance of the 5th Division on the right being held up it was decided not to attempt to push on to the final objective (see Para 3. Above) although there is little doubt that this could also easily have been reached. Accordingly the line of the Guinchy – Wedge Wood Road was consolidated and battle patrols pushed out well forward to Leuze Wood. The work of consolidation was carried out quickly and thoroughly in spite of the exhaustion of the surviving troops, and in the line so formed the Battalion remained until relief on the following night.
16. All attempts to keep up communication during the attack by telephone prove unsuccessful and it was necessary to employ runners for all messages. Invaluable service was rendered by the contact control aeroplanes, with whom the Infantry was always in touch.
17. The work of the artillery was excellent and their co-operation with the aircraft appeared to be perfect.
30/9/1916 - Ernest Lasalle – Major – Commdg 10th (Service) Bn. Rifle Brigade.
