John Duesbery (Sherwood Foresters) killed on Somme, item 108
Transcription
Transcription history
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Page 3 of 5
Sept13th Arrow -Head Copse
At 2 a.m. the men were ready to move off; the first difficulty was to find our way to
the position because everything looked the same. We marched down in single file
through the ruins of Guillemont and then we
Guillemont followed what was left of a railway and after an hour
Quadrilateral position in three waves, ready for the attack at dawn. We had a 3 hour's wait
in the drizzling rain: I managed to doze off a bit. At 5.30 I went round the men to wake
them up. I had the second wave undre me, Algy the first & Runtz the third. At 6 a.m. the barrage started and 32 over the top2 we webt with fixed bayonets. We had about 300 yards
to go to get our position. We met with no objection from the enemy till we were 250 yds
from our forst position, through we had several casualties from our own barrage, which
was one of the worst, and amongst them was my servant. After 250 yards the Bosch
machine guns began to play on us & the casualties came quickly: but we got our
objectives without encountering a German; but about 100 yards in front of us lay the
entrenched Germans. The two Companies were hopelessly muddled un and on the left one platoon had gone
on too far. The Bosche machine gunners now kept up a slow & very deadly fire and
anyone, who popped his head up above his shell hole, was hit. It was about this time that
2nd Lt Callaway lost his life, while trying to bring in his wounded sergeant; this was
perhaps the bravest act on that day. Also Algy, who was on the left, was never seen again;
as a matter of fact he had been wounded while trying to get [in] touch with the Guards.
Later on Capt Holden got a bullet through his hand, while trying to inspect the work; but
there was no means of getting back. We hung on here, longing for the darkness. We had
only the ordinary rations & were pretty wet by now. Every now & then a shell burst near
by & there were casualties. In the afternoon 2nd Lt Runtz tried to get back; but was hit.
The onle officers left whole were Capr March of3 B2 Coy & myself. At 6 oclock that
afternoon we had the worst trial. Now we had a terrible time: the artillery barrage of3D2
Coy went right over us and caused many casualties in fact it was lucky anyone was left
alive. But behind the barrage we saw a splendid to the number of 1400. The machine
gun bullets were whistling round us now, but still 3D2 Coy kept on: they went right past
us, looking death straight in the face; they kept on till only two men were left, it was a
splendid charge. Capt Gibbons &2nd Lt Brown were wounded & 2 Lt Hyrons was killed.
Soon after this darkness came on & i got a message back to Hqs, telling of the state of
things. Very soon I was sent for by the C.O. who told me to take the place of 3A2 Coy who
had taken up a support position 100 yards in rear. So I proceeded with forty men, whom I
had collected, to this line. We started digging ther hard, so as to get shelter for the next
day. Meanwhile 3B2 Coy had also withdrawn a bit & the wounded were got back. Very
soon my Company (as I was now in command) was joined by my other platton, which
12/01/2006
-
Sept13th Arrow -Head Copse
At 2 a.m. the men were ready to move off; the first difficulty was to find our way to
the position because everything looked the same. We marched down in single file
through the ruins of Guillemont and then we
Guillemont followed what was left of a railway and after an hour
Quadrilateral position in three waves, ready for the attack at dawn. We had a 3 hour's wait
in the drizzling rain: I managed to doze off a bit. At 5.30 I went round the men to wake
them up. I had the second wave undre me, Algy the first & Runtz the third. At 6 a.m. the barrage started and 32 over the top2 we webt with fixed bayonets. We had about 300 yards
to go to get our position. We met with no objection from the enemy till we were 250 yds
from our forst position, through we had several casualties from our own barrage, which
was one of the worst, and amongst them was my servant. After 250 yards the Bosch
machine guns began to play on us & the casualties came quickly: but we got our
objectives without encountering a German; but about 100 yards in front of us lay the
entrenched Germans. The two Companies were hopelessly muddled un and on the left one platoon had gone
on too far. The Bosche machine gunners now kept up a slow & very deadly fire and
anyone, who popped his head up above his shell hole, was hit. It was about this time that
2nd Lt Callaway lost his life, while trying to bring in his wounded sergeant; this was
perhaps the bravest act on that day. Also Algy, who was on the left, was never seen again;
as a matter of fact he had been wounded while trying to get [in] touch with the Guards.
Later on Capt Holden got a bullet through his hand, while trying to inspect the work; but
there was no means of getting back. We hung on here, longing for the darkness. We had
only the ordinary rations & were pretty wet by now. Every now & then a shell burst near
by & there were casualties. In the afternoon 2nd Lt Runtz tried to get back; but was hit.
The onle officers left whole were Capr March of3 B2 Coy & myself. At 6 oclock that
afternoon we had the worst trial. Now we had a terrible time: the artillery barrage of3D2
Coy went right over us and caused many casualties in fact it was lucky anyone was left
alive. But behind the barrage we saw a splendid to the number of 1400. The machine
gun bullets were whistling round us now, but still 3D2 Coy kept on: they went right past
us, looking death straight in the face; they kept on till only two men were left, it was a
splendid charge. Capt Gibbons &2nd Lt Brown were wounded & 2 Lt Hyrons was killed.
Soon after this darkness came on & i got a message back to Hqs, telling of the state of
things. Very soon I was sent for by the C.O. who told me to take the place of 3A2 Coy who
had taken up a support position 100 yards in rear. So I proceeded with forty men, whom I
had collected, to this line. We started digging ther hard, so as to get shelter for the next
day. Meanwhile 3B2 Coy had also withdrawn a bit & the wounded were got back. Very
soon my Company (as I was now in command) was joined by my other platton, which
12/01/2006
-
Sept13th Arrow -Head Copse
At 2 a.m. the men were ready to move off; the first difficulty was to find our way to
the position because everything looked the same. We marched down in single file
through the ruins of Guillemont and then we
Guillemont followed what was left of a railway and after an hour
Quadrilateral position in three waves, ready for the attack at dawn. We had a 3 hour's wait
in the drizzling rain: I managed to doze off a bit. At 5.30 I went round the men to wake
them up. I had the second wave undre me, Algy the first & Runtz the third. At 6 a.m. the barrage started and 32 over the top2 we webt with fixed bayonets. We had about 300 yards
to go to get our position. We met with no objection from the enemy till we were 250 yds
from our forst position, through we had several casualties from our own barrage, which
was one of the worst, and amongst them was my servant. After 250 yards the Bosch
machine guns began to play on us & the casualties came quickly: but we got our
objectives without encountering a German; but about 100 yards in front of us lay the
entrenched Germans. The two Companies were hopelessly muddled un and on the left one platoon had gone
on too far. The Bosche machine gunners now kept up a slow & very deadly fire and
anyone, who popped his head up above his shell hole, was hit. It was about this time that
2nd Lt Callaway lost his life, while trying to bring in his wounded sergeant; this was
perhaps the bravest act on that day. Also Algy, who was on the left, was never seen again;
as a matter of fact he had been wounded while trying to get [in] touch with the Guards.
Later on Capt Holden got a bullet through his hand, while trying to inspect the work; but
there was no means of getting back. We hung on here, longing for the darkness. We had
only the ordinary rations & were pretty wet by now. Every now & then a shell burst near
by & there were casualties. In the afternoon 2nd Lt Runtz tried to get back; but was hit.
The onle officers left whole were Capr March of3 B2 Coy & myself. At 6 oclock that
afternoon we had the worst trial. Now we had a terrible time: the artillery barrage of3D2
Coy went right over us and caused many casualties in fact it was lucky anyone was left
alive. But behind the barrage we saw a splendid to the number of 1400. The machine
gun bullets were whistling round us now, but still 3D2 Coy kept on: they went right past
us, looking death straight in the face; they kept on till only two men were left, it was a
splendid charge. Capt Gibbons &2nd Lt Brown were wounded & 2 Lt Hyrons was killed.
Soon after this darkness came on & i got a message back to Hqs, telling of the state of
things. Very soon I was sent for by the C.O. who told me to take the place of 3A2 Coy who
had taken up a support position 100 yards in rear. So I proceeded with forty men, whom I
had collected, to this line. We started digging ther hard, so as to get shelter for the next
day. Meanwhile 3B2 Coy had also withdrawn a bit & the wounded were got back. Very
soon my Company (as I was now in command) was joined by my other platton, which
-
Sept13th Arrow -Head Copse
At 2 a.m. the men were ready to move off; the first difficulty was to find our way to
the position because everything looked the same. We marched down in single file
through the ruins of Guillemont and then we
Guillemont followed what was left of a railway and after an hour
Quadrilateral position in three waves, ready for the attack at dawn. We had a 3 hour's wait
in the drizzling rain: I managed to doze off a bit. At 5.30 I went round the men to wake
them up. I had the second wave undre me, Algy the first & Runtz the third. At 6 a.m. the barrage started and 32 over the top2 we webt with fixed bayonets. We had about 300 yards
to go to get our position. We met with no objection from the enemy till we were 250 yds
from our forst position, through we had several casualties from our own barrage, which
was one of the worst, and amongst them was my servant. After 250 yards the Bosch
machine guns began to play on us & the casualties came quickly: but we got our
objectives without encountering a German; but about 100 yards in front of us lay the
entrenched Germans. The two Companies were hopelessly muddled un and on the left one platoon had gone
on too far. The Bosche machine gunners now kept up a slow & very deadly fire and
anyone, who popped his head up above his shell hole, was hit. It was about this time that
2nd Lt Callaway lost his life, while trying to bring in his wounded sergeant; this was
perhaps the bravest act on that day. Also Algy, who was on the left, was never seen again;
as a matter of fact he had been wounded while trying to get [in] touch with the Guards.
Later on Capt Holden got a bullet through his hand, while trying to inspect the work; but
there was no means of getting back. We hung on here, longing for the darkness. We had
only the ordinary rations & were pretty wet by now. Every now & then a shell burst near
by & there were casualties. In the afternoon 2nd Lt Runtz tried to get back; but was hit.
The onle officers left whole were Capr March of3 B2 Coy & myself. At 6 oclock that
afternoon we had the worst trial. Now we had a terrible time: the artillery barrage of3D2
Coy went right over us and caused many casualties in fact it was lucky anyone was left
alive. But behind the barrage we saw a splendid to the number of 1400. The machine
gun bullets were whistling round us now, but still 3D2 Coy kept on: they went right past
us, looking death straight in the face; they kept on till only two men were left, it was a splendid charge. Capt
-
Sept13th Arrow -Head Copse
At 2 a.m. the men were ready to move off; the first difficulty was to find our way to
the position because everything looked the same. We marched down in single file
through the ruins of Guillemont and then we
Guillemont followed what was left of a railway and after an hour
Quadrilateral position in three waves, ready for the attack at dawn. We had a 3 hour's wait
in the drizzling rain: I managed to doze off a bit. At 5.30 I went round the men to wake
them up. I had the second wave undre me, Algy the first & Runtz the third. At 6 a.m. the barrage started and 32 over the top2 we webt with fixed bayonets. We had about 300 yards
to go to get our position. We met with no objection from the enemy till we were 250 yds
from our forst position, through we had several casualties from our own barrage, which
was one of the worst, and amongst them was my servant. After 250 yards the Bosch
machine guns began to play on us & the casualties came quickly: but we got our
objectives without encountering a German; but about 100 yards in front of us lay the
entrenched Germans. The two Companies were hopelessly muddled un and on the left one platoon had gone
on too far. The Bosche machine gunners now kept up a slow & very deadly fire and
anyone, who popped his head up above his shell hole, was hit. It was about this time that
2nd Lt Callaway lost his life, while trying to bring in his wounded sergeant; this was
perhaps the bravest act on that day. Also Algy, who was on the left, was never seen again;
as a matter of fact he had been wounded while trying to get [in] touch with the Guards.
Later on Capt Holden got a bullet through his hand, while trying to inspect the work; but
there was no means of getting back. We hung on here, longing for the darkness. We had
only the ordinary rations & were pretty wet by now. Every now & then a shell burst near
by & there were casualties. In the afternoon 2nd Lt Runtz tried to get back; but was hit.
The onle officers left whole were Capr March of3 B2 Coy & myself. At 6 oclock that
-
Sept13th Arrow -Head Copse
At 2 a.m. the men were ready to move off; the first difficulty was to find our way to
the position because everything looked the same. We marched down in single file
through the ruins of Guillemont and then we
Guillemont followed what was left of a railway and after an hour
Quadrilateral position in three waves, ready for the attack at dawn. We had a 3 hour's wait
in the drizzling rain: I managed to doze off a bit. At 5.30 I went round the men to wake
them up. I had the second wave undre me, Algy the first & Runtz the third. At 6 a.m. the barrage started and 32 over the top2 we webt with fixed bayonets. We had about 300 yards
to go to get our position. We met with no objection from the enemy till we were 250 yds
from our forst position, through we had several casualties from our own barrage, which
was one of the worst, and amongst them was my servant. After 250 yards the Bosch
machine guns began to play on us & the casualties came quickly: but we got our
objectives without encountering a German; but about 100 yards in front of us lay the
entrenched Germans. The two Companies were hopelessly muddled un and on the left one platoon had gone
on too far. The Bosche machine gunners now kept up a slow & very deadly fire and
anyone, who popped his head up above his shell hole, was hit. It was about this time that
-
Sept13th Arrow -Head Copse
At 2 a.m. the men were ready to move off; the first difficulty was to find our way to
the position because everything looked the same. We marched down in single file
through the ruins of Guillemont and then we
Guillemont followed what was left of a railway and after an hour
Quadrilateral position in three waves, ready for the attack at dawn. We had a 3 hour's wait
in the drizzling rain: I managed to doze off a bit. At 5.30 I went round the men to wake
them up. I had the second wave undre me, Algy the first & Runtz the third. At 6 a.m. the barrage started and 32 over the top2 we webt with fixed bayonets. We had about 300 yards
to go to get our position. We met with no objection from the enemy
Description
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- ID
- 17050 / 201680
- Contributor
- Kenneth Duesbery, great nephew of John
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