October the 8th remained throughout the day in Canopus Trench and California Drive, each company left by different routes at 7 p.m. to take up positions for attack the following morning.
From 2 to 4 a.m. the Battalion was subjected to a heavy gasshell bombardment which necessitated the wearing of box respirators. A and B companies, on reaching the arranged place,on the right of the Assembly positions of the 7th Seaforths, were not met by guides, and found no tapes or platoon discslaid out for their assembly. However, with the help of the tapes marking the front of the right companies of the Seaforths, the assembly of A and B companies was completed about 4 a.m. It was afterwards found that the taping party had suffered severe losses from shell fire, and had been unable to complete its work. Shelling continued throughout the assembly, but fortunately the shells fell some hundred yards in rear. Touch was established with the 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade on the right, but could not be gained with C and D companies on the left, C and D, however, had gained touch on their left flank with the 5th Cameron Highlanders, and the 10th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and also with the companies of the Seaforths who were holding the line during the assembly.
At Zero all four companies moved forward to their respective lines and advanced close in rear of the barrage as it began to creep forward . A gap was formed between the right and left companies owing to their having failed to get in touch with eachother on assembly. This gap was immediately filled by the left support company of the 7th Seaforth Highlanders. At the start, A company, under Captain lan W. W. Shepherd, met with serious opposition from enemy rifle fire, which checked its advance. This fire increased near Adler Farm, but was overcome by Lewis gun and rifle fire, and a few prisoners were taken. The enemy fought chiefly in the open, lined up behind there mains of a hedge, and did not occupy the ruins of the farm or any strong points. The shelling was heavy, and the company as it advanced came under heavy machine gun fire from both flanks at close range. Good progress was made, however, and the company reached its objective. A halt was then made and a line of shell holes consolidated so far as the state of the ground would permit.
During the advance several enemy machine guns were put out of action, but the company suffered heavily from shell and machine gun fire during and after consolidation. B company, under command of Lieutenant P.J. Alexander, passed through A, and pushed on towards the final objective. They were, however, unable to reach this, being held up by fire from a pill box which, after severe fighting, was captured, Lieutenant P.J. Alexander being killed.
On the right, the New Zealand troops and Royal Scots (9th Division) were held up by a belt of wire about thirty yards in front of them, and an endeavour was made by B company- now commanded by Second Lieutenant A. L. Milroy- to dig in, but it was found that the position was subjected to machine gun fire from both flanks, and from snipers behind the wire, from which the company lost heavily. About half an hour later the New Zealanders and Royal Scots were ordered to retire, and when they had done so Lieutenant Milroy had no alternative but to withdraw and conform to the troops on his flank. This he did, and took up a position between the cemetery and the road, where a line was organized in conjunction with some Seaforths under Captain Reid, some 12th Royal Scots under their signalling officer and about 25 men of A and B companies who had been collected by Second Lieutenant H. F. C. Govan of A company. About 3 p.m. a small, and apparently unorganized, counter-attack by the Germans was driven off without difficulty. Later in the afternoon the new front line was heavily shelled, and German machine guns and snipers were very active.
On the Battalion left the attack had not gone so well. C company leading, advanced at Zero, keeping close up to the barrage, and, unfortunately, suffered a number of casualties. After advancing about a hundred yards the company turned quarter right, in order to avoid the danger of a gap occurring between companies.
No serious opposition was encountered during the early part of the attack, but the company was held up on reaching the enemy support line by snipers and machine gun fire, and among those killed was Lieutenant H. B. Dickson, the company commander. A further advance of a hundred yards was accomplished by section rushes under cover of rifle and Lewis gun fire, and C company then consolidated, as far as practicable, on a line of shell holes level with what remained of A and B companies, it being realized that further advance was impossible.
D company, who advanced in rear of C, moved off “ half left " at the commencement of the attack. This loss of direction was caused by the company having assembled facing that way owing to the lack of guiding tapes, and also because touch had not been established with B on the right before Zero, Shortly after the attack opened D company came under severe enfilade machine gun and rifle fire from the direction of Oxford House. The company advanced on the left of C, and had been drawn into the fight before it was intended, Lieutenant A.S. Harper, who was in command, went forward with one section and Company Headquarters with the object of capturing a pill box, from which the company was being enfiladed. Of this party all became casualties except the company sergeant-major. Unfortunately Lieutenant Harper was killed in his gallant attempt. The enemy, who offered a most determined resistance here, were about a hundred strong, the assumption being that they had sheltered in the pill box; during the barrage. The survivors of D company, under Lieutenant J. Robson and Second Lieutenant Yule, were now held up in front of a small copse by machine gun and rifle fire, thereby losing the barrage.
On the capture of Oxford House by the Battalion on the left, D company consolidated on a line in touch with that battalion, with their left flank on Oxford House, and also in touch with C company on the right. The situation remained the same until nightfall, when the 8th was relieved by the South Africans, and, sadly depleted in numbers, returned to Siege Camp (Brielen), Casualties amongst runners had been exceptionally heavy, where by it was found impossible to get messages to and from Battalion Headquarters, Great dificulty had been experienced throughout, and it was impossible to recognize objectives, nearly all landmarks having been obliterated by shell fire. The ground over which the attack took place was literally a sea of mud , and inconsequence movement was extremely difficult, most of the shell holes being more than half full of water.
Mention must be made of the Medical Officer and his personnel, who worked under extreme difficulties and with great gallantry. Captain G.R.B.Grant, R.A.M.C., personally attended to the wounded in the open under heavy fire; the supply of stretcher bearers was unequal to the demand, and the "carry " for them was far too great in view of the state of the ground. Throughout the attack the shelling was constant, heavy and well placed, and the enemy put up a most determined resistance.
Bron: A History of the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) in the Great War; door Wauchope A.
