| Regiment | 8th Royal Berkshire |
|---|---|
| Location | France, CONTAL MAISON |
| Entry | 9:0AM. A prisoner of the 122nd Regiment captured earlier in the morning said that his regiment had been fighting incessantly since July 1st. The casualties had been heavy; great difficulty had been experienced in getting rations and ambulances up owing to our artillery barrages and he himself could not understand how the regiment was managing to hold out so long. He was very tired and exhausted. 3:0PM. The Boundary between the 34th and 1st Divisions having been amended to run as follows:- CONTAL MAISON WOOD (inclusive to 34th Division) = originally occupied by Black Watch = - post at x16b2.5 (inclusive to 1st Division); it became necessary for the battalion frontage to be altered and the boundary between ourselves on the right and the Black Watch on the left was fixed at the point x17a1.4. Consequently our left boundary became "the CUTTING" (inclusive) and the trench on the left of the CUTTING being handed over to Black Watch. 10:30PM. A strong patrol of 20 men with two Lewis gun teams all under 2nd Lt G.R. GOODSHIP went forward from the sunken road and seized and consolidated during the night the small wood about 350 yards in front of sunken road = LOWER WOOD. The Battalion Operation orders were as follows: (1) LOWER WOOD will be occupied by a strong patrol of 1 Officer and twenty men of "D" Company tonight at 10.30pm. (2) When the wood has been occupied two vickers guns will move from the sunken road into the wood, and establish a position so as to fire on German 2nd line trench West of BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT WOOD. (3) Two Lewis guns will be pushed up to convenient shell holes (after LOWER WOOD has been occupied) between LOWER WOOD and German trench at S7d 3.0. The duty of these two Lewis guns is to watch for a counter attack from N and NW until which time they are not to disclose their presence. (4) Arrangements will be made by O.C. "D" Company for getting wire, water and S.A.A. to LOWER WOOD after occupation. (5) Occupation of wood and progress of consolidation to be reported to Battn HQ as soon as possible. (6) The Black Watch will attack and occupy CONTAL MAISON VILLA tonight in co-operation with our occupation of LOWER WOOD. All Lewis guns in front line should be warned. (7) At ZERO the Division on our right - 21st Division - will attack the enemy's 2nd line defences at BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT. There will be an intensive artillery bombardment before the Infantry attack. (8) Consolidation of strong points should be continued with as rapidly as possible during the night, special attention being paid to the wiring of these points. (9) Zero will be notified later. (Signed) P.S. Cloake Capt. Adjutant 8th (S) Batt Royal Berkshire Regt. 13.7.16. 4.0pm. |
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