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[Page 30]
given about nine feet of trench to dig but this being in blue metal it was not finished by daylight when the company was taken back to supports. During the afternoon of 22nd July 1916 we were told that, that night or early next morning the battalion was going over the top every man being issued with more bombs & ammunition which was to be carried during the stunt. The troops were also told that the stunt consisted of three objectives on our sector, the 1st Battalion were to take the first & second objectives, C V D company of our battalion taking the third objective with A & B Company 3rd Battalion in reserves. Having been in reserves & up about the front line for a few days also knowing the concentration of artillery on both sides the troops fully realized that the contemplated advance we were expected to make was by no means a joke, but defeat or being repulsed by the huns was a thing not dreamed of. This stunt to me, like to a lot of others, was to be my first real experience of warfare & although the consequences caused a considerable amount of thought, reputation conquered the fear which at times crept into my inward feelings. At dusk that night our company was moved forward to the trench we had partly dug the night previous & was told that it was for our own benefit to deepen the trench for we were to use it as reserves during the opening barrage of the advance. The boys were soon hard at work with pick & shovel & after a few hours strenuous toil had it down shoulder deep, then all hands sat down in the bottom of the trench patiently waiting the awful moment. our bombardment opened out about midnight & our first shells had hardly hit the earth when the huns artillery answered with equal violence. The noise was deafening & as the seconds passed it grew in intensity, many casualties being caused in the trench. I was lying waiting for the word to move forward. The suspence while in that position under such an inferno was absolutely beyond all human description but when orders were given for us to occupy the original front line the strain was lifted considerably for everyone was anxious to be doing something to occupy their thoughts. On receipt of the order to move we started off along the trench towards the front line passing several of our company who had been killed or wounded during the barrage. The huns artillery was still very active & owing to the trench being blown in, in places progress was very slow. When I reached the end of the trench the Company commander & Company Sergeant major were there giving instructions which way to proceed to the front line & I afterwards learned both these men where hit whilst in that place the Sergeant Major being killed & the Captain wounded. On leaving the trench, which came to a dead end, I found I had about thirty yards to go to the front line which was done so quick as possible for the shells were still falling fast & furious. On arriving in the front line which was to left of the sunken road I had just left I learned from some of the wounded there that the 1st Battalion had taken the First V Second objectives & our "C & D" companies were on their way to the Third objective. We received orders to remain in the old front line trench which at that time was still subjected to Fritz's searching artillery fire many casualties being caused through this practice. I had a miraculous escape while in this trench for I was sitting in a small dug out when an order was passed along to move which we did but I only moved about a yard when the company was halted & the man following me sat in the dug out I had just evacuated & had hardly sat down when a shell pierced