| Regiment | 8th Royal Berkshire |
|---|---|
| Location | France, CONTAL MAISON |
| Entry | 6:0AM. A patrol was sent out again to "THE CUTTING" and succeeded in occupying it, taking at the same time two German eighteen pounder guns. Immediately "THE CUTTING" had been occupied a small force was sent out to capture the road running E to W from the CUTTING to MAMETZ WOOD. After little fighting the enemy were driven from the road and it was occupied by our troops who immediately started to consolidate it by digging fire positions in the bank. 11:0AM. The Commanding Officer Lieut Col T.G. DALBY while returning after visiting the road which had just been taken was wounded. 12 noon. The enemy made a feeble counter attack which was repulsed by our fire and the BOCHE dispersed in disorder into the small woods in our front and into shell holes. A patrol was sent along the sunken road towards MAMETZ WOOD and succeeded in establishing touch with the Battalion in the WOOD - 7th LINCOLNS - who reported that they cleared the wood of enemy earlier in the morning. 12:30PM. "C" Company having established two platoons along the sunken road now sent a bombing patrol up PEARL ALLEY - The main enemy communication trench between the sunken road and the enemy's strong 2nd line defences. They drove the enemy in front of them and succeeded by the aid of bombs in establishing a post about 300 yards up PEARL ALLEY. The remainder of the day passed without anything of note happening. The enemy's shelling of the village of CONTAL MAISON = especially the CHATEAU = and the sunken road was intense. The following is a summary of the progress made in our task = the consolidation of CONTAL MAISON = during the first 24 hours:- (1) The front line had been pushed forward from a small isolated trench in the grounds of the CHATEAU to a more or less continuous front stretching from the Northern corner of the CHATEAU grounds where our left joined with the 1st Battn Black Watch, along the sunken road to MAMETZ WOOD. This front line had been entrenched and was a strong position. (2) Touch had been established with the Battalion on our right in MAMETZ WOOD. (3) A strong point = with Lewis guns = had been established at the CUTTING and a barricade had been erected. (4) A strong point - Lewis guns = had been established at the junction of PEARL ALLEY and the sunken road. (5) A bombing post had been pushed forward for 300 yards up PEARL ALLEY and had been consolidated. Midnight: A patrol of 26 men and a Lewis Gun team with their gun = the whole party under 2nd Lieut F.G. MARSH went out through a heavy hostile artillery barrage from "THE CUTTING" to PEARL WOOD = a point about 300 yards in advance of the sunken road. They seized PEARL WOOD and consolidated it during the night. At the same time the Black Watch on our right seized CONTAL MAISON WOOD. Hon Lieut and Q.M. C.F. MOON joined Battalion for duty. |
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