D.2. 26th Septr 1915
Copy Report by OC 9th K.R.R.C. on Operations 25-9-15
At 5:25 AM I was requested by the O.C 9th Rifle Brigade to support his attack on the line 24 to 42 and I ordered the O.C Coy that was occupying S23 to send forward two platoons to reinforce this line have to take the other two platoons into S20 S21 and to hold them in readiness to reinforce. This movement was carried out at once and at 5:35 AM hearing that support was urgently required in 04-24 I ordered these two patterns to advance to this line avoiding the crater as far as possible. This movement was at once carried out and reported to Brigade Headquarters.
At 6:00 AM the 9th Rifle Brigade sent back for further reinforcements especially bombers and in anticipation of sanction I ordered the Company behind the embankment N of railway to hold their bombers ready to move if ordered. As further pressing messages for reinforcements continued to come in from 9th Rifle Brigade I got into communication on the telephone with the Brigade Major and he gave me instructions to use my own discretion.
Accordingly at 6:45 I sent 20 bombers with large supplies of bombs and buckets from bomb stores in Cambridge Rd. To assist the right flank of 9th Rifle Brigade where from accounts received it appeared that enemy bombers had intervened between them and the 5th Ox&Bucks LI. I might point out that at 6:30 AM all telephonic communication with the brigade was cut off and was not reestablished (and then for only a short time) until the late afternoon.
At about 7:00 AM information came in that the 9th Rifle Brigade we're giving ground and I accordingly ordered up the company that was in F.12 to move up and hold H 20 and to reinforce or if necessary counterattack on 04-24 and to take up further reserves of bombs from bomb stores. I also at the same time sent the machine gun to hold the South side of crater. I also sent the company from the Cambridge Rd. embankment to hold frontline of our trenches in H19. Both these movements were carried out and reported to the Brigade at 7:35 by runner. Captain J. Christie who was in command of the Company was holding H20 after a personal reconnaissance moved his company forward and held the German trench north of crater nearly to Point 17 and also dug himself into the South a long old German trench parallel with H20. At that time the crater was vulnerable owing to the fire from our own artillery and the machine gun fire from points 17.25. 25 – south of Oskan Farm.
By 8:30 AM what remainder of the 9th Rifle Brigade and my first supporting company (with exception of isolated parties which hung on till dusk) had been driven out of both first and second line of German trenches and at 9:30 I received orders from the Bde Major (message time to 8:30am) but I was to remain in Garrison of our original line and that Somerset LI we're coming up to recapture German trenches. I accordingly ordered Captain Christie to to withdraw his men within our own lines and to hold H.20.21 and supporting trenches in rear.
At 9:30am I ordered Coy and A2 to reinforce A1 and H22 with two platoons. At about 10:00 AM a message received from Brigade that Oxc&Bucks LI and 9th K.R.R.C would hold original line from H17 to H20 and crater other orders and that no further advance would be made until information received from 5th Shropshires. This line was accordingly held until Bttn was relieved by 6th somersets and Durhams. During the whole of this time the trenches were subjected to severe enemy bombardment which continued until the battalion was moving out.
Prior to the relief the wounded were brought in from crater and in front of trenches and the dead were collected and buried. Relief was completed at 9:30. I regret to report that casualties were heavy. (See War Dairy).
