Official map of Hill 60
Friday 7th May 1915: Yesterday the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment once more came under attack near Hill 60 or, to be more accurate, those men holding the right flank of the position came under attack. All day they drove back German forays to take their trenches.
This was done
unsupported by the rest of the battalion as German machine guns were able to
produce such withering fire that they cut off any approach to the right flank’s
position. This meant that not only could reinforcements not arrive but the men
in that private Hell could receive no food, water or ammunition either. Despite
being exhausted the garrison of this part of the line had only two stark
options – to surrender or to fight on. Naturally they chose the latter course. After nightfall a sandbag rampart was made so as to
protect the approach to the trench from the left and render reinforcement and
resupply possible.
Not only did it render these things possible but, wonder of wonders a
complete relief took place about 2 o’clock this morning, allowing the shattered
men of this gallant battalion to return to Ouderdom. The adjutant reports that
in the last week the unit has lost three officers and 290 men – by coincidence
almost the exact number of men which arrived as reinforcements as little as
eight days ago – it must seem like a lifetime.
Source: X550/2/5
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