8th Battalion Raids the Enemy

Friday 13th July 1917

8th Battalion is still in the front line near Hulluch. Last night, at 11.30, three fighting patrols of twelve other ranks crossed No Man’s Land under cover of an artillery, mortar and machine gun barrage. Two patrols were to enter the German front line and one was to cut out an enemy post in an advanced sap. A, C, and D Companies respectively furnished these patrols.

A Company’s patrol got into the German front line, killed several Germans, brought one back, and destroyed entrances to two dugouts. C Company’s patrol failed to get in owing to opposition of three hostile machine-guns. D Company's patrol rushed the sap but found it unoccupied, the enemy apparently clearing out when our barrage opened. These patrols took casualties six wounded and four missing(1). Nevertheless, the success of A Company is felt to be retribution for the German raid on the Battalion on 22nd June.

Source: X550/9/1

(1) No members of the Battalion are recorded as killed in action at this date, so they must have been captured giving the Germans a four-to-one edge.