William Ambrose Cull letter diary, 1915-1918 - Page 39
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[Page 39]
A A 1st Defensive Line.
B N.C.O with his unit on extreme left.
xxxxxx Main part of our force on first retirement & the successive retirements
C Position taken up by N.C.O after his first retirement.
E ….. " " " " Enemy " our first retirement.
Notice. That N.C.O on Hill "C" can enfilade enemy at position "E".
N.C.O sent out Scouts from HILL "C" in direction of HILL "D"
Scouts soon reported large body of enemy marching down VALLEY F
N.C.O them immediately swung section round to position marked G G from which position they command HILL "D" and at same time swings remainder of unit to Slope of HILL "C" marked "S".
Had they not been swung round in that manner preparatory to appearance of ENEMY at "D" probably not a man should have been left alive to retire.
G is not under the fire of ENEMY at E (protected by HILL. C.)
Next retirement was to position "H" from which position was screened from the fire of Enemy at "E" by hills on our right & so it was possible to direct every effective rifle at Enemy "D" who has now begun to make their desperate attempt to turn our left.
At this juncture the Glorified Being appeard, and said that position H was wrong & that the position taken up should be at "I".
If you follow, on sketch, the dotted line, between "I" and position D you will readily see that HILL "C" would have afforded masked any fire from position "I" and would thus have afforded and easy and covered line of advance for enemy "D"
He succeeded though in detaching me of my sections and sending them to position "J" from which position they could have been enfiladed by enemy at "D" at the same time they were under direct fire of Enemy at "E".
All the impossible [squiggle] could think of was the enemy on the right – the fact that we had dead ground on our right, caused him concern – exactly what wat was wanted, our job was on the left – to prevent the turning movement –
When enemy had worked over hall HILL "D" into valley. K. N.C.O immediately retired to position "L" – During this retirement the glorified being came to light again and detached his section of "dead men" making them