| Regiment | 1st Wiltshire |
|---|---|
| Location | Belgium, Le Touquet |
| Entry | The trenches. At night the Gaps were patrolled as usual, and an officers patrol went out from the right company at 5a.m. on the morning of the 31st to examine a point in the enemy line where a "flammenwerfer" position was expected. At that hour there was no work in progress, and the patrol could report nothing. During the day the enemy was quiet: a board was observed fixed up in the line whereon was printed an inquiry where the German who had been killed in our trenches had been buried. No action was taken on our part. Our own artillery was active during the morning: the Howitzers in particular dropped two shells short in the right company sector between the front and support lines. As a result of the second shell falling short there were the following casualties in B Coy. Killed: 24596 Pte Hawkins, AJ, 9349 Pte Hull, WG, 22177 Pte Saunders, R, 33171 Pte Kirby, EE. Wounded; 29867 Pte Sanders, P and 33178 Pte Stroud, W. It is worthy of note that since the Battn had been in this area not a single casualty had been caused by hostile shell fire. Re-enforcements, 40 other ranks joined the Battn for duty. On the 29th and 30th respectively, 1 NCO and 3 NCOs joined the Battn from the 6th Battn all Fighting Strength of Battn on 31st inst. 18 officers and 763 other ranks. [signed] S S Ogilvie Major Commanding 1st Wilts Regt. 31.12.1916. |
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