Jack Thomas Counter ["Tales of the V.C."], item 4

• May 29, 2017 14:55:38 Sjaak Fonville

   
  

  By Lieutenatn J.P. Lioyd
  

  Early on the morning of the 16^th of April 1918, near Roisleux st. Marc, the Germans attacked a Battalion of the Kings Liverpool Regiment. Machine gun and rifle pelted death into the ranks, as they crossed No-Man’s-Land, but nothing could stay that tide of men which flowed slowly over the broken ground, and poured at last into the  British trenches.

   
  

  Here and there a post held out, like some sullen rock, surrounded by a sea of enemies. So it was with no. 8 platoon of B. Company. With Germans in front of them and on each side of them they battled on, fighting grimly, hoping that help would come to them. They could send no news of their desperate plight back along the sunken road that climbed the ridge behind them, for every inch of it was swept by German machine guns .

   
  

  At 9.30. No. 7, the reserve platoon of B. company had marched up to the support trenches that ran along the crest of the hill, 250 yards behind. Two hours later the Company-Commander sent word to the officer in charge of No. 7. Platoon, bidding him at all costs to get in touch with No. 8. Platoon and to find out whether they still held their ground astride the sunken road.

   
  

  So from the support trenches went out 6 men and an N.C.O. and began that perilous journey along the sunken road. No sooner had they shown themselves above the crest than they were a target for every machine gun in the German lines. The N.C.O. was killed, one man was wounded, and the other could go no further for the storm of lead that beat down between those steep banks.

   
  

  Ten one man went out alone and gambled with death upon the sunken road. And he died. A second followed him, and he, too, fell, as the first man had fallen, when he came to the crest of the ridge. But, as is the habit of the British soldier, a third man volunteered to sacrifice himself, then a fourth and a fifth; but the Germans saw them, and they all died there in turn on the sunken road, beneath the eyes of their comrades.

   
  

  Five men had gone out, and five men had died, but there was still another man who was not afraid to go the way that his comrades had gone. This was private Jack Thomas Counter, a soldier who was not yet 19 years old.

   
  

  It was than two o’clock. The Germans caught sight of him as he came over the ridge. Private Counter saw all the road in from of him lashed with bullets, but he never flinched. Keeping close…

  
  

  
  

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• May 29, 2017 14:54:10 Sjaak Fonville

  Early on the morning of the 16^th of April 1918, near Roisleux st. Karo, the Germans attacked a Battalion of the Kings Liverpool Regiment. Machine gun and rifle pelted death into the ranks, as they crossed No-Man’s-Land, but nothing could stay that tide of men which flowed slowly over the broken ground, and poured at last into the  British trenches.

  Here and there a post held out, like some sullen rock, surrounded by a sea of enemies. So it was with no. 8 platoon of B. Company. With Germans in front of them and on each side of them they battled on, fighting grimly, hoping that help would come to them. They could send no news of their desperate plight back along the sunken road that climbed the ridge behind them, for every inch of it was swept by German machine guns .

  At 9.30. No. 7, the reserve platoon of B. company had marched up to the support trenches that ran along the crest of the hill, 250 yards behind. Two hours later the Company-Commander sent word to the officer in charge of No. 7. Platoon, bidding him at all costs to get in touch with No. 8. Platoon and to find out whether they still held their ground astride the sunken road.

  So from the support trenches went out 6 men and an N.C.O. and began that perilous journey along the sunken road. No sooner had they shown themselves above the crest than they were a target for every machine gun in the German lines. The N.C.O. was killed, one man was wounded, and the other could go no further for the storm of lead that beat down between those steep banks.

  Ten one man went out alone and gambled with death upon the sunken road. And he died. A second followed him, and he, too, fell, as the first man had fallen, when he came to the crest of the ridge. But, as is the habit of the British soldier, a third man volunteered to sacrifice himself, then a fourth and a fifth; but the Germans saw them, and they all died there in turn on the sunken road, beneath the eyes of their comrades.

  Five men had gone out, and five men had died, but there was still another man who was not afraid to go the way that his comrades had gone. This was private Jack Thomas Counter, a soldier who was not yet 19 years old.

  It was than two o’clock. The Germans caught sight of him as he came over the ridge. Private Counter saw all the road in from of him lashed with bullets, but he never flinched. Keeping close…

  
  

  
  

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