The Grenadier Guards in the Great War of 1914-1918, Vol. 2 of 3Ponsonby, Frederick
History
The Grenadier Guards in the Great War of 1914-1918, Vol. 2 of 3
Ponsonby, Frederick
Great Britain. Army. Grenadier Guards; World War, 1914-1918 -- Regimental histories -- Great Britain
With the rest of the 3rd Guards Brigade, the 1st Battalion Grenadiers
advanced to a position south-west of Ginchy in artillery formation,
and proceeded to strengthen the line of trenches there. The Brigade
was to support the attack of the other two brigades, or to counter any
hostile movements against the right flank of the Division, which was
in the air, as the Sixth Division had been held up by the
Quadrilateral. The 4th Battalion Grenadiers and 2nd Battalion Scots
Guards accordingly moved up to a position about half-a-mile north of
Ginchy, while the 1st Battalion Grenadiers and 1st Battalion Welsh
Guards took their places south-west of that village, and were employed
most of the day in supplying carrying parties for the other two
brigades.
Second Lieutenant L. G. E. Sim and 100 men of No. 3 Company did
particularly good work in carrying up ammunition and materials under
fire to the battalions in the front line of trenches.
Lieutenant Samuelson was sent forward that night by Lieut.-Colonel
Maitland to ascertain where the leading line had got to, so that he
might know exactly the position occupied by the 1st and 2nd Guards
Brigades. After stumbling about for three-quarters of an hour he
reached the trench indicated by the guides, but it was deserted except
for a few wounded. So he had to push on still farther, and eventually
found the front trench occupied by a mixed mass of men of the Guards
Division.
[Illustration: _Battle of the Somme, the evening of Sep. 15th, 1916._
_Emery Walker Ltd._]
[Sidenote: Sept. 16.]
He reported this to Lieut.-Colonel Maitland, who gave orders for the
King’s Company under Captain Drury-Lowe, and No. 4 Company under
Captain Fisher-Rowe, to advance through Ginchy. There were apparently
no guides, and after passing south of Ginchy these two companies
advanced towards the front line until they met Lieut.-Colonel
Murray-Threipland, who told them there were no unoccupied trenches in
front. They therefore returned to their original position, having
unluckily lost five N.C.O.’s, who were killed or wounded by a single
shell that pitched in their midst.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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