Sunday, 25 June 2017

A Chinese Attack



Monday 25th June 1917

The adjutant of 8th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, at Hulluch, still smarting from the events of three days ago has reported, with some satisfaction that at nine o’clock last night the 1st Battalion The Buffs on the battalion’s left raided the enemy trenches remaining in their line for about two and-a-half hours. The 8th Battalion co-operated by putting up a smoke barrage and exposing dummy figures representing troops leaving their trenches, which drew the enemy's fire. This use of dummies is known, for reasons that escape your correspondent, as a Chinese Attack.

The Buffs captured fifteen prisoners and two aerial dart machines, many dugouts were blown-in and many of the enemy killed. Other correspondents have remarked that the performance of The Buffs yesterday and the Bedfords three days ago exemplifies the difference between the Regular Army and the volunteer “Kitchener Men” though as the Bedfords have been at the Front for two years now this seems somewhat unfair.

Source: X550/1/9

No comments:

Post a Comment