Kemmel 15.4.15: Returned to trenches for 4 days. 8 NCO’s & men killed, 14 wounded (10 at duty)

War Diary [WO/95/2694].

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We went in the trenches again on APRIL 15th for 4 days and on the 16th the Germans sent us a grenade from their trench mortar, and I had the narrowest escape in my life. One dropped close by 8 of us, not 4yds away, and never injured one, we all got a good shaking.

[1415 Cpl. Alfred Afford]

15th April 1915. We were taking things easy until night when we went into the trenches going in the same trenches as before. We got in the trenches without any casualties but I hadn’t been in 5 minutes when I was fetched to go out to an engineer about thirty yards from the German trenches. He was shot through the head but was living. They carried him down on a board to the dressing station. It was laughable to see what stocks of bread our men took with them to the trenches.

[2381 Pte. George Potter Bagshaw]

Apr 15th Breakfast in bed at 9 a.m. Service in a field at 11 a.m. Grand day. Set off to trenches near Kemmel at 7-30 p.m.

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

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1875 Pte Percy Brittain suffered a GSW in the knee and admitted to 13 General Hospital. Transferred to England on ‘HMHS St Andrew’ on 18.04.15. Returned to France with II Reinforcement on 31.6.15.