All the notebooks were written on the right hand page and additions, photos, cartoons or other documents were added to the left hand page.
3rd Sept. 1916. Vide “report on operations” the following officers were killed, Major Lawder, Lts Howard, Blake, Banynard, Sanders and Lardner. Wounded Capt Barnett, Capt West, Lts Covell, Hague (see letter from E A Hague) Graves, Smith, Williams Rankin Gibbons & Topley. I was hit in the left arm on the 3rd a slight flesh wound and on the 5th a piece of shell struck a bully beef tin in my pocket and gave me a huge bruise on my leg which at first absolutely lamed me it took a weeks steady massage to put right.
On the opposite page is a photograph and letter. The letter is headed Bank of British West Africa Ltd. Dunkwa Gold Coast West Africa. It’s dated 12th May 1922.
Addressed to The Editor “The Wasp” Goojerat Barracks, Colchester.
The text read Dear Sir, The writer would like to know where the photograph printed on Page 9 of the April issue of the “Wasp” was taken, since although he is not certain, he believes it to be the reproduction of a photo taken outside Chateau Tailly in August 1916.
The following officers he recognises:- there follow a list which continues overleaf. As the top is stuck down I cannot identify. It continues:-
The writer may be perfectly wrong, but will be quite interested to know where the photo was taken. The reason he is not positive is because he does not recognise Capt Woolens and Lieuts A.R.O. Beale and Graves who were with the 1st Battalion at the time. Yours faithfully E.A Hague.
Below is written Correct Hague was a fine young Officer. WA
It is impossible to find words to do justice to the Bn performance. The messages and reports I received were as good as they could be. After the advance on the 3rd each Coy was intact with all its platoons and sections in their proper places. The attack on the 4th was carried out under the most difficult circumstances.
From the opposite page. The above message referred to the order to attack on the 3rd. I had hurriedly to decide whether to advance or to agree with the 3 Bn. Commanders who obviously considered it impossible to advance from the forward trenches. My attack was to be in combination with that of the Cheshires. They did not advance.
The men had had no real rest or sleep for 48 hrs, their water was exhausted, the Coy opposite the German line to be assaulted had been heavily shelled by our own heavy guns for 8 hours, they had 20% casualties. It was impossible to move any of the 3 other Coys before the hour of attack since every movement was visible to the enemy, they each had to be brought up in turn when secrecy no longer mattered, any delay in arrival might be fatal and the distance was considerable.
On the opposite page are Congratulatory Messages received in connection with operations at FALFONT FARM these are a separately typed document .
All the Officers of the leading Coy were knocked over immediately and most of the men still the remainder pressed on until reinforced by the 2nd Coy, here again all the officers and most of the men were killed or wounded but they held on, the third company pressed up the hill and joined in, all the officers became casualties. Major Lawder who was acting adjutant went forward to be instantly killed by a shell – the fourth Coy came up and charging forward fended off a final German counter-attack and reaped the full fruits of success.
Three officers and 128 men of the 164th Regt were taken prisoner and sent back also four machine guns in good condition and other loot. One officer came forward holding up a cigar in each hand in token of surrender and good will. They insisted on presenting watches to their captors. They were collected in batches and sent back carrying wounded and when there were no more they were employed in burying the dead and later on carrying back equipment. I asked for relief on the morning of the 5th after being 48 hrs in action and reduced to 3 Officers & 200 other ranks but we had to hold on until the following morning. The Boche shelled us heavily all day in revenge.
It was a magnificent fight. The hill was convex so that you could only see a few yards. It was a case of moving from shell hole to shell hole and only very fine discipline enabled the advance to be made at all.
On our right and left the troops who should have assisted failed to advance so the whole credit of the capture of Falfemont ridge, which had already been repeatedly attacked, and until the capture of which the French said they could not advance, belongs to the Bedfords.
On the opposite page are two newspaper cuttings one referring to Allason’s second award of the D.S.O. and the other on the capture of Combles and Falfemont Farm.
