September

BERLES-AU-BOIS

All ranks will remove all identification marks, papers, etc. and will be inspected by their respective party officers before leaving for the trenches.
RIFLEMEN. Rifle, Bayonet (darkened) 50 rounds S.A.A. and four bombs in pockets.
BOMBERS. No rifle, 12 bombs on bomb carrying waistcoats.
GAS HELMETS. Gas Helmets one per man will be taken and carried in the inner breast pocket.
Faces to be darkened. White Luminous Paint or White Cloth to be sewn on underside of collar. Flash Lamps will be carried. Mats for crossing enemy wire will be provided by R.E. also 15 ladders (stretcher pattern). ‘P’ Bombs will be carried by each Party for clearing dug-outs. Each man must be provided with some means of cutting wire.
  10. SEQUENCE OF OPERATIONS.
(1) 6” Howitzers will fire on selected points during the day
(2) At 6 p.m. (or earlier) till 9.15 p.m. general bombardment and wire cutting will take place.
(3) At 9 p.m. three patrols under the three second officers of ‘A’, ‘B’ & ‘C’ will move out for the purposes of locating the three best gaps in the enemy wire and taping the routes to same. The patrols will be accompanied by the R.E. details who will take out the Bangalore Torpedoes. These patrols should return not later that 9.45 p.m. the Artillery will not fire on the objectives but will keep up the bombardment elsewhere.
(4) 9.45 p.m. to 10.35 p.m. Artillery will maintain sufficient fire to prevent enemy coming out and discovering and mending gaps in wire.
(5) At 10.35 p.m. to 10.55 p.m. heavy bombardment by Artillery.
(6) At 10.55 p.m. the Raiding Party will attack as arranged.
(7) At 11.20 p.m. unless object is previously attained the Raiding Party will proceed to withdraw.
(8) At 10.55 p.m. The Artillery will lift off the objectives but will continue elsewhere and will not resume firing on object until O/C Battalion advises Artillery that they may do so.
Machine Guns and Lewis Guns of the 138^th Bde will bring fire to bear on enemy’s front line trench and saps between W.29.b.15.30 and W.24.c.01.27 between 9 p.m. and 9.45 and between 10 p.m. and 10.55 p.m. and from 10.55 p.m. until “Cease Fire”.
(1) The 137^th Machine Gun Coy and the 137^th trench Mortar Bty will co-operate under orders from O/C 1/6^th South Staffs Regiment. They will not bring fire to bear on enemy’s lines ‘S’ of W.23.b.90.00
(2) The ‘Cease Fire’ will be ordered by O/C Battalion through the F.O.O. who will inform Brigade. The Heavy and Divisional F.O.O’s will be with the O/C Battalion. Note. The Artillery will lay the necessary wires and test same. Spare instrument and alternative routes will be arranged.
  11. COUNTERSIGN.
O/C Raid will arrange countersign on the day of operations.
  12. WITHDRAWAL.
The signal to withdraw will only be given by O/C Raid. This will be done by Klaxon Horns. NOTE. O/C Raid will detail exact method of withdrawal.
  13.
The second officers of ‘A’, ‘B’ & ‘C’ will not enter the enemy’s trenches, but will remain in gaps and ascertain that their parties have entered the enemy’s trenches, when they will report to O/C Raid for instructions at Central Gap. In the event of the O/C raid becoming a casualty the senior of these officers will take command. These three officers will further accompany the patrols who are doing the taping.
  14. MEDICAL ARRANGEMENTS
(1) The Medical Officer will establish an Advanced Regimental Aid Post in the dugout in trench 108.
(2) ‘A’, ‘B’ & ‘C’ Parties will be accompanied by two stretcher bearers to each party using ladder stretchers – four stretcher bearers with stretchers will accompany O/C raid and will be under his directions. Spare bearers will be available at Advanced Trench R.A.P. Five stretchers with bearers from the 3^rd N.M. Field Ambulance will be at Right Company Headquarters. The R.A.M.C. situated in the RAVINE will be in readiness if called upon.
  15.R.E.
The O/C ½ F. Co. R.E. will be at Advanced Bn. Headquarters during operations to advise the Battalion Commander on technical matters. SILENCE. The importance of absolute silence throughout the operation must be maintained. This must be impressed on all ranks.

(Signed) H. HANFORD Captain
Adjutant 1/6^th Btn. South Staffordshire Regt.
REPORT R.E. OPERATIONS

The Raiding Party assembled in the trenches allotted at 8 p.m. At 8.50 p.m. patrols went out got clear of our own wire. At 9.0 p.m. they went forward to investigate the German wire. At 9.43 p.m. patrol from the right that a gap was cut through the two belts of wire and that the patrol was in with 2/Lieut. JOHNSON slightly wounded.
At 9.36 p.m. left party patrol reported that there was an excellent gap in the wire out on the left of the position. Centre party patrol reported that they had got up to the German wire but had been unable to fully investigate due to our own shrapnel. It was decided that it was unnecessary to use the Bangalore Torpedoes. Captain MANDER then ordered the parties to proceed.
‘A’ Party taking the right gap as arranged and ‘C’ Party the left gap as arranged. ‘B’ Party (Centre Party) he then took towards the right gap under his own Command. Shortly after 10 p.m. all the parties had left our own parapets and successfully negotiated our wire.
There was only a small amount of machine gun fire (from the right) and very little shrapnel. There was none on the points selected for exit. At 10.21 p.m. a telephone message was received at Battalion H.Q. saying that ‘A’ & ‘B’ Parties were in position if front of gaps. Another message received at 11.03 p.m. stated “Assault has started”.
‘A’ Party has gone through the wire, no more news yet.” At 11.06 p.m. bombs were heard thrown at the German front line but no news was to hand.
At 11.12 p.m. two of our wounded men reported that our men were in the German trenches and that Captain MANDER had sent forward one Officer and four men to obtain further information.
At 11.16 p.m. Captain MANDER reported that ‘C’ Party had gone through the gap and were in the German Trenches. He had seen 2/Lieut. McGOWAN and obtained from him the information.
At 11.18 p.m. Bugle sounded “FALL IN”.
At 11.20 p.m. Four prisoners were brought into our trenches.
At 11.30 p.m. Captain MANDER came in and ‘A’ , ‘B’ & ‘C’ Parties were also reported in. Bugle then blew “COOKHOUSE DOOR” from our own trenches to withdraw the Covering Party.
The left Covering Party returned at 11.55 p.m. and the right Covering Party at 12.20 a.m.
The four prisoners were then sent down under escort to Brigade Headquarters.
Our casualties during the raid were as follows:-
1 Officer (2/Lt. JOHNSTON) slightly wounded 1 Other Rank Missing and 2 Other Ranks slightly wounded.