Item 01: Sir Charles Rosenthal diary, 25 September 1914-31 December 1918 - Page 392
Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 392]
Friday 1st March
Busy in HQrs. all day completing preparations for raids, obtaining necessary stores etc. Final orders completed, typed and issued. Bitterly cold day.
Saturday 2nd March
During morning attended with Divisional Commanders at Bulford Camp. Here we saw the Raiding Party for night of March 3rd/4th do their task across a model piece of country. Afterwards both Parties were formed up, and the General addressed them in rousing terms. In afternoon at Brigade Head Quarters.
Sunday 3rd March
General Birdwood accompanied by the Divisional Commander and myself watched the Raiding Party for night of March 4th/5th go on their course. Gen. Birdwood then addressed both parties and wished them luck. All final arrangements completed at Brigade HQrs.
Promptly to time 11.45 PM our men entered into their tasks. They carried out their duty splendidly all tasks being fully completed and to time table. We captured 1 officer and 10 other ranks of the enemy, one Heavy Machine Gun and two light M.Guns. We killed over fifty Boche and there must be many wounded in addition. Our casualties were killed 1 officer, 3 other ranks, wounded – all slightly – 1 officer, 18 other ranks. The whole show went off very satisfactorily and information came in splendidly, both frequently and accurately.
Monday 4th March
Snatched 3 hours sleep during the day, and completed arrangements for second raid. Again very successful though the Boche made a stout resistance. In consequence we brought out no prisoners, but actually accounted for over 40 killed and very many wounded including the occupants of six dugouts. These men refused to come out so were bombed. Two light machine guns were captured.
Our losses, 1 officer killed, 3 men killed, 1 officer wounded, 21 men wounded, all but four being very slight. In each of the above raids I employed a total of 300 all ranks. All are much bucked at the results.