Friday 3rd
September 1915: The adjutant of the 2nd Bedfords tells us that they are still
in the neighbourhood of Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée. Yesterday patrols reported the enemy
having wiring parties out, which the Battalion duly fired upon.
Throughout
last night the enemy was rather active, throwing bombs and grenades into two of
the Battalion’s redoubts. About sixty small trench mortar bomb and fifty rifle grenades
as well as hand grenades were lobbed over. The use of hand grenades shows that
the two front lines cannot be much more than a cricket pitch apart.
Our artillery
was asked to retaliate three times, as no trench mortar officers or teams could
be found and there were no rifle grenades available. The adjutant reports that
the Battalion’s bombers “continued most coolly at their posts throwing about
250 bombs into different enemy positions”.
Just before
midnight an officer in the Royal Engineers Officer reported that he heard enemy
mining under the Battalion’s own mine near the sunken road so fruitlessly
attacked in June. Precautions were taken in the front line in that direction
and all preparations made for eventualities. Nothing, however, has happened.
Despite all the enemy activity no casualties were reported to Battalion
Headquarters last night.
Source: X550/3/wd
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