Sunday 12th November 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field
The
atmosphere on the battlefield today has been strange, almost eerie. The day
has been fine but very dull, with an almost yellow-grey light. Your
correspondent slogged over to the village of Auchonvillers, close to the front
line in front of Beaumont-Hamel where he met with the commanding officer of the
4th Battalion who was tight-lipped but from whom the impression was received
that his men would be going “over the top” tomorrow to attack the area between
Y-Ravine and the River Ancre.
4th Bedfords
are part of 63rd (Royal Naval) Division and, as one might expect, there was a
certain wry amusement about “sending in the navy” to attack an area under water
from rain and the River Ancre which has overflowed its shell-scarred banks at
this point.
This
afternoon the battalion marched to its assembly trenches off the appropriately
named Bedford Street. They have the 7th Royal Fusiliers on their right and the
10th Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers on their left.
Source: X550/5/3
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