Item 03: George R. Faulkner war diary, 6 July 1916-17 November 1916 - Page 21
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[Page 21]
the 8th 14th & 15th Brigades, after a furious bombardment, climbed the parapet & made a brilliant charge, taking the first – second & 3rd line of German trenches, the second trench was full of mud & water, but the lads went thro in style.
At 5 am next morning, they were counter attached & outflanked on the left & had to fight their way back, at what cost, perhaps the authoritys know by the number killed, as we do by the number of wounded. All the lads are emphatic on two points and these are, they received no reinforcements on the left, also that our own X & 5th Divisional Artillery cut them up cruelly, this will probably be enquired into officially. I have evidence of short range shells myself – this little matter greatly disheartened them. The Englishman all say our lads done splendidly, but our Officers were not the best & that our Artillery was rotten.
They took some 400 prisoners, we treated 5 Germans & 1 Wounded Officer.