| Regiment | 1st Wiltshire |
|---|---|
| Location | France, Leipzig Salient |
| Entry | 12.15a.m. On the early morning of the 7th orders were received that another attack would be made on the same objective as that attacked by D Coy on night of 5th. This was known to be the very strongest part of the Leipzig Redoubt. While the conference about this attack was being held, a very violent hostile counter attack was made on the trench captured by C Coy. This commenced about 1.15a.m. The enemy attempted to rush the trench from the front and both flanks, also working down the C T trenches with the first sudden rush they managed to reach the very edges of the trench into which they dropped bombs and opened fire. Lieut R J A Palmer the only officer in the trench and the men under him with great coolness beat off this attack and inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy. Very heavy bombing followed in the next 2 hours and intermittently until 5.30a.m. D Coy in this attack were pushed up to the support of C Coy from Battn HQ. The attack on the left was timed to begin at 9.30a.m. and orders for the operation were as follows:- A & B Coys under Lieut Gosden OC A Coy, were selected to make the assault. The attack was made in 2 waves each consisting of 3 platoons, the remaining 2 platoon held in reserve. At 9.30a.m. After 30secs intense bombardment by guns and Stokes mortars, the assault was made and the trench successfully captured. The was not accomplished without difficulty as the enemy did not seem to be taken by surprise, manning their parapet very heavily as our troops arrived. Previous to the assault our snipers had been placed in the shell holes in front of their line and fired 30 rounds of steel nosed bullets at the machine guns which had caused so many casualties in the previous attack by D Coy. Whether silenced by our snipers or by the bombardment, at any rate the enemy machine gun did not fire during our advance. During this advance Lieut Gosden was killed, 2nd Lieut Ross wounded and 2nd Lieut Sharpe wounded and missing believe killed. This left 2nd Lieut Clegg Commanding the trench. 2nd Lieut Snelgar being in charge of carrying parties in Quarries. 1p.m. In this attack a large number of Germans were killed and 23 were taken prisoner, 5 of them being wounded. The captured trench was consolidated but being very wide afforded very little cover. But for incessant bombing from the left flank, no great difficulties were experienced until about 1.30p.m. when the enemy opened a terrific bombardment with high explosive. There was practically no protection in any part of our position particularly in the newly captured trench and in the Quarries. The bombardment lasted for about 5 hours and our casualties were enormous about 160. Two Coys of the 3rd Worcs Regt who had been utilised as carrying parties were now put in to reinforce the line and suffered equally heavily. 2nd Lieut Clegg and 2nd Lieut Snelgar were both wounded and Capt Knubley was sent up to direct operations. 2nd Lieut Hayward C Coy was also wounded slightly in the hand but remained at his post and was afterwards killed. Other casualties were Lieut L A H B Morris, killed, 2nd Lieut Petter wounded, 2nd Lieut S J Terry (Adj) wounded. Capt R L Knubley wounded, died of wounds later. Casualties among NCOs and men about 219. At about 6.30p.m. 2 Coys of the 3rd Worcs Regt and 2 Coys of the 8th Loyal North Lancs Regt under the Command of Lieut Col Davidge 3rd Worcs. The Battn went into dugouts at Crucifix Corner. |
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