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[Page 72]
Later in the day I learned that the Huns had attacked along the whole divisional front getting a foothold in one place only at Lagnacourt where he pierced the 3rd Brigade lines but was soon driven out with extremely heavy losses in killed, wounded & prisoners of war. Our battalion had succeeded in holding the attack everywhere inflicting hundreds of casualties, suffering very few ourselves. After the counterattack things moved along very quietly as far as fighting was concerned for a couple of days, but the rain set in which made things very uncomfortable for the boys had absolutely no cover whatever. We were surprised one night whilst here by hearing a huge dull explosion followed by falling timber & earth & we were afterwards told that it was a time fused mine which had been set by Fritz in the village of Hermies but luckily caused no damage when it went off. By the time we were relieved by the 2nd Battalion on the night of the 16th the mud in the front line was knee deep. When the incoming battalion arrived they told us that they had been sent to Lagnacourt during the counterattack where they remained until things settled down & were then brought straight back to relieve our battalion. After being relieved the company straggled back into Hermies progress being very slow owing to the mud & slippery paths. On reaching Hermies we were led to the railway station then started to follow along the railway line which made the walking much easier but the enemy kept dropping shells along the whole route making things very uncomfortable. When nearing Beaumetz about dawn we left the railway line & when we had just entered the village three shells fell among the company killing two men & wounding several this having a very demoralizing effect upon the the remainder for it was as dark as pitch & the shells kept falling at intervals most of them being very close. After going to the far side of the village were put into billets