Tag Archives: HULLUCH ROAD

On night 2nd/3rd January 1918 – the enemy attempted a raid

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Night 2/3 Jan 18 ST ELIE SECTOR: The enemy attempted to raid our trenches but was completely repulsed.

For good work on this occasion 2/Lt CF BARHAM was awarded the MC and 240244 L/Cpl EH WHITE, 240436 Pte A KNOWLES and 240205 W THOMSPON were awarded the Military Medal.

raid-january-1918

About Midday yesterday Battalion observers noticed that the enemy had removed his wire at G.12.c.45.95. Suspecting a hostile raid Officer Commanding 6th Sherwood Foresters took precautionary measures by strengthening Posts at  and LOOKOUT.Map Jan 1918

The 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters on the left were also informed of this and they made special arrangements to co-operate by rearranging their Lewis Guns to cover No Mans Land in the threatened area.

At 5.45pm the 6th Battalion Sherwood Foresters sent out a Fighting Patrol of 2 Officers and 25 other ranks from LOOKOUT POST to investigate the enemy gap, enter the hostile trenches and obtain prisoners. Special arrangements were made with the artillery in connection with this.

Owing to watchfulness on the part of the enemy it took some time to reach the enemy wire. A party of the enemy was located in front of his wire opposite BRESLAU who fired and bombed our men before they had time to rush them. The enemy was driven off by Rifle & Lewis Gun fire.

A few of our men succeeded in entering the enemy trenches and engaged his posts with rifle fire and bombs but were unable to obtain a prisoner and withdrew. We had a few men wounded and all were back in our trenches by 8 pm.

At 9.20 pm. a very heavy bombardment was opened by the enemy from South of HULLUCH ROAD to North of HAIRPIN CRATERS, this extended later further North and eventually covered practically the whole of the Brigade Front.

Parties of the enemy were seen approaching LOOKOUT & BRESLAU Posts and “S.O.S. LANCER” was sent through. Our Machine guns and Artillery and Trench Mortars opened out rapidly and it is thought they must have inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy.

At the time all our Posts were standing to an opened heavy Lewis Gun and Rifle fire, particularly across the North side of LOOKOUT Post, where large numbers of the enemy were seen. The whole of No Mans Land between HAIRPIN CRATERS & LANCER was plastered with Lewis Gun and Rifle fire.

On the 6th Battalion S.F. front the enemy attempted in strength to approach our posts at LANCER via LANCER Craters, but were driven off with bombs and rifle fire; at the same time another party also in strength attempted to enter BRESLAU Post but were driven off by Lewis Gun and Rifle fire. None of our posts were at any time entered. It is thought that the enemy sustained heavy casualties in these attempts. Owing to the difficulty in communicating with the Company in HAIRPIN CRATERS and arranging for them to cease fire, some time elapsed before patrols could be sent out to search for enemy dead, this unfortunately gave the enemy time to remove his casualties. Our casualties in this Battalion were 2 killed, and 9 wounded all of which were the result of the enemy barrage.

On the 8th Battalion S.F. front owing to “SOS LANCER” practically covering HAIRPIN CRATERS the Company Commander did not consider it necessary to send “ATTACK QUARRIES”. Between 9.35 & 9.45 pm. various enemy groups approached the Post to the rear and left of HAIRPIN i.e. STUDIO II and RAT CREEK. The groups appeared to consist of 8-12 men. All groups seemed quite confused and our men had no difficulty in driving them off with Rifle and Lewis Gun fire. One of the enemy parties on being challenged replied “FREUND” and another “SECHSISCHE”.

Smoke bombs fell in HAIRPIN CRATERS which made some men think there was gas. Two of the enemy were seen approaching a Post South of HAIRPIN, our men rushed out and took them prisoners. When the barrage died down at about 10 pm. patrols were sent out and one German was found about 40 yards from STUDIO II Post. No further trace could be found of any of the enemy. The casualties in this Battalion were 1 Officer and 7 O. Ranks wounded (none serious).

In both battalions we were ready for the Raid and all ranks showed considerable coolness. The keenness and action of Lewis Gun teams was very marked. It is difficult to estimate the exact strength of the raiding party, but it is estimated at between 150 and 200 men.blackwall-signature

240244 White Jan 1918240436 Knowles Jan 19181/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]

139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]

On this day 13th August 1917 a trench raid by the 1/6th Bn

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13 august 1917 raid

The raid was carried out by Captain HH Jackson, 2/Lts SN Deurance, LV Burrows and RW Oakley with 12 NCOs and men of “A” and “D” Companies.

The raiding party began to move out of the assembly position outside our own wire at 9.55pm. Each separate group got out without difficulty and apparently without attracting the enemy’s attention, but owing to the extreme darkness it was very difficult to make certain that each group took up its proper position. The artillery barrage started promptly.

The raiding party got across and got close…….a hostile machine gun firing from the left flank was firing high.

Hulluch trench raid august 1917Unfortunately the parties got mixed up owing to the broken state of the group….consequently the groups detailed to enter to the south of the HULLUCH ROAD lost direction and entered by the HAWK ALLEY gap.

Hulluch Road South (Burrows)

burrows2/Lt BURROWS and six men of the right blocking parts and one sapper with an explosive charge got through the enemy wire about 20 yards south of the HULLUCH ROAD – two of the party at once becoming casualties.

Trench 2He then worked to the left and met some German bombers at whom his men threw all their bombs inflicting several casualties.

2/Lt BURROWS then worked along to the right to a point about H.13.a.12.0. the sapper blowing up a dugout. The group now consisted of only 2/Lt BURROWS, one rifleman, two bombers and the sapper. A German double-sentry post was now met with and the leading rifleman fires, but missed and was at once bayoneted by the enemy.

The Germans then started a bombing attack from both sides and 2/Lt BURROWS now ordered his men to withdraw, he keeping the enemy off with his revolver. While the party was getting through the wire the enemy opened rifle fire and machine gun fire but luckily caused no casualties.

Hawk Alley (Deurance)Dewrance

The group ordered to mop up the first line from the right to HAWK ALLEY found one dugout which the NCO entered but it was empty. This group then lost direction and entered by HAWK ALLEY and failed to get in tough with 2/Lt BURROWS party.

A considerable number of the enemy was met with in the front line from HAK ALLEY to the left; dugouts were found to exist every thirty or forty yards and the moppers-up claim to have killed 8 Germans in the trenches and to have wounded a further 10 by rifle fire.

Second line and Hawk Alley Junction (Oakley)

The blocking parties for the right of the 2nd line and for the junction of HAWK ALLEY and the 2nd Line lost their way and did not reach their objective. 2/Lt OAKLEY and Sergeant HADFIELD went aout 50 yards further finding trenches very much knocked about but no Germans.

3023/240853 Sergeant Samuel Hadfield

Casualties during the raid

Our total casualties were 2 other ranks killed, Captain HH Jackson, 2/Lt KH Bond and 7 other ranks wounded, and 2 other ranks missing. Those of the enemy were about 30 killed and wounded, not including any in the bombed dugouts.

All four men missing or killed have no known grave and are commemorated on the Loos Memorial to the Missing:-

3642/241151 Pte James Brian Pratt aged 20 and son of Mrs L Varo (formerly Pratt) of 98 Victoria St. in Brimington, Chesterfield. James was a horseman from Staveley and enlisted in January 1915. He arrived in France inJuly 1916 with the 13th Reinforcement.

3641 PrattPratt POW

Army Service Record (top) for James Pratt records that he was missing and presumed to have died on or since 13th August. The Red Cross Records (bottom) indicate that James was captured by the Germans, but there is no indication of when he died. James’s grave was lost after the War and he is now Commemorated on the Loos Memorial. Recorded as presumed dead.

2802/240738 Pte Wilfred Buxton aged 21 and son of Harold and Emma buxton of Biggin in Hartington, Derbyshire. WIlfred was a bricklayer and enlisted in October 1914. He arrived in France in August 1915 and was wounded on the 17th July 1916. Recorded as presumed dead.

7800/242588 Pte John Henry Losco Field the son of William Gallard and Ruth Annie Field. John arrived  in France with the 28th Reinforcement in January 1917. A pre-War Territorial who enlisted in 1911 aged 17 he had previously served with the South Nottinghamshire Hussars in the 2nd Mounted Division in Egypt. Discharged time expired in January 1916 and conscripted in 1916. Recorded as killed in action.

3803/241225 Pte James McGuire from Chesterfield enlisted in February 1915 and arrived in France in 1916. Recorded as killed in action.

Gallantry Awards and Commendations

see also 25th August 1917

Captain Humphrey Henry Jackson

Jackson HHCaptain Humphrey Henry Jackson was awarded Military Cross. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in Command of a raiding party. The success of the raid was greatly due to his courage and cheerfulness. The night was exceptionally dark and he showed great coolness in collecting scattered parties under heavy fire and in getting them forward. Later, when very severely wounded, he continued to direct operations until oss of blood compelled him to return to own own lines. His pluck and gallantry under trying circumstances deserved the highest praise.

2/Lt Leonard Victor Burrows

Burrows August 1917

4457/241520 Pte Harry Browes

Harry enlisted in July 1915 and arrived in France in 1916. He only served overseas with the 1/6th Battalion.

251520 Browse August 1917