30.9.1915: Enemy shelled very heavily SPOIL BANK & trenches in afternoon and at 6.35 pm exploded a mine under trench 29 & right angle trench. Casualties resulting from this were:-

KILLED 4 other ranks; MISSING BELIEVED KILLED 1 Officer (2/Lt LG Dickinson) & 12 other ranks; WOUNDED 20 other ranks.

Continuous shelling of all our trenches.

Bn relieved by 7th LINCOLNS & 7th E YORKS and marched into bivouacs at transport lines. Casualties other than those above:- WOUNDED 3 other ranks (including accidental).

War Diary [WO/95/2694]

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Sept 30th. On sentry again. Dull day but no rain. About 6-30 p.m. enemy blew up a mine under our trench & bombarded us well. 5 buried, 5 killed, 14 wounded in “C” Co. 5 aerial torpedoes on “A” Co. H. May wounded. Awful experience.

Relieved about 10 p.m. by 7^th Lincs (K’s) Divn, & then went digging buried chaps out & repairing trench round crater, till about midnight. Then set off to billets. Roads wretched. Fell out feet sore & quite done up. Stopped about half way, had hot cocoa & put my pack on cooker.

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

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The 17 men killed or missing presumed killed were:-

2/Lt		Lewis George Dickinson	30.9.15	Killed in action and buried at Spoilbank.
1812	Pte	James Bradley	30.9.15	Reported missing believed killed.
2524	Pte	Charles Carter	30.9.15	Reported missing believed killed.
2152	Pte	Harold Chapman	30.9.15	Killed in action and buried at Chester Farm.
2276	Pte	Thomas D’Arcy	30.9.15	Killed in action and buried at Chester Farm.
2288	Pte	Oscar Goodwin	30.9.15	Reported missing believed killed.
1953	L/Cpl	Arthur Harding	30.9.15	Reported missing believed killed.
1437	Pte	Alfred Hollingshead	30.9.15	Killed in action and buried at Chester Farm.
1785	Pte	Frederick Hooley	30.9.15	Reported missing believed killed.
1892	Pte	George Partridge	30.9.15	Killed in action and buried at Chester Farm.
3561	Pte	Albert Roberts	30.9.15	Reported missing believed killed.
3159	Pte	Charles Roberts	30.9.15	Reported missing believed killed.
1448	Sgt	William Wibberley	30.9.15	Reported missing believed killed.
3550	Pte	James Wardle	30.9.15	Reported missing believed killed.
1667	Pte	Samuel Yates	30.9.15	Reported missing believed killed.
1400	Pte	George Bailey	30.9.15	Reported missing believed killed.
2481	Pte	John Thompson	30.9.15	Reported missing believed killed.

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The bodies of 12 men were not recovered following the explosion and they were initially reported ‘as missing’ by Colonel Goodman on form B213; however, correspondence from DAAG 2 confirmed that the men had been killed. Only the mother of Private 2524 Charles Samuel Carter received any personal belongings from her son.

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The body of Lt Dickenson was later recovered and he was buried in Spoilbank Cemetery, whilst Privates 2152 H Chapman, 2276 T D’arcy, Hollingshead and 1892 G Partridge are all buried in Chester Farm.

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Wounded included :-

1179	Pte	George Wood	30.9.15	Wounded in the field.
1192	Pte	Richard Simmonds	30.9.15	Wounded in action and admitted to 1st NMFA and 46 Div CCS with shock on 2.10.15. Returned to Battalion on 10.10.15.
1440	Pte	Ernest Turner	30.9.15	Wounded in action and admitted to 1st NMFA and 46 Div CCS with shock on 2.10.15. Returned to Battalion on 10.10.15.
1601	Pte	William Taylor	30.9.15	GS wound to right fingers and admitted to 1st NMFA, 17 CCS. Transferred to 46 NMD Convalescent Depot on 5.10.15 and returned to Battalion on 3.11.15.
1684	Cpl	Charles Green	30.9.15	Shrapnel wound in the back and admitted to 12 CCS. Re-joined Battalion on 13.10.15.
2196	Pte	Harold May	30.9.15	Wounded in left forearm.
1771	Pte	Charles Tunnicliffe	30.9.15	Wounded in the field and returned to Battalion.
1859	Cpl	William Jackson	30.9.15	Wounded in the field.
1880	Pte	John Jevons	30.9.15	GSW in right foot and transferred to England on 13.10.15. Discharged on 19.9.17.
1985	Pte	JA Mee	30.9.15	Wounded in the field.
2056	Pte	Hubert Birley	30.9.15	GSW spine and injury to back and shoulder and transferred to England on 6.10.15.
2100	Pte	George Manifold	30.9.15	Wounded in the field.
2113	Sgt	James Atterbury	30.9.15	Wounded in the field.
2134	Pte	Arthur Hollis	30.9.15	Wounded in the field and returned to Battalion.
2259	Pte	Walter Gregory	30.9.15	Wounded in the field.
2310	Pte	John Naylor	30.9.15	GSW left extremities and transferred to England on 6.10.15. Transferred to Royal West Surrey Regt.
2564	Pte	Ernest Short	30.9.15	Wounded in the field and returned to Battalion.
2837	Pte	John Nall	30.9.15	Wounded in the field and returned to Battalion.
2691	Pte	William Payne	30.9.15	Wounded in field and transferred to England. Discharged due to wounds on 3.5.16 (para 392 XVI KR).
3127	Pte	Percy Holford	30.9.15	Wounded in the field and returned to Battalion.
3563	Pte	Frank Lowndes	30.9.15	Transferred to England and discharged due to wounds on 9.12.16 (para 392 XVI KR).