Above: Rifleman David Wright, aged 19, from Laymore, Ballymena. KIA 22nd November 1917. Comm. Cambrai Memorial.
November 1917
Ruyaulcourt
1st – Bn. At rest. 5.30pm – Bn. Marched from Ruyaulcourt to the trenches SW of Havrincourt where they relieved the 9th (NIH) R Ir. Fus.
8.30pm – Relief complete . 11th R Ir. Rif on our right, 14th R. Ir. Rifles on our left.
9.45pm – Enemy fired about 20 rounds 7/7cm on old battery rposition on Cheetham Hill, the majority contained gas.
11.10pm – The above was repeated. Enemy mgs active on Yorkshire Bank throughout the night. Our artillery carried out a night firing programme throughout the night.
2nd – Early morning passed quietly. 7am – enemy fired about 40 rounds 7.7cm on Yorkshire Bank and Valley causing no damage.
3pm – Enemy fired light minenwerfer on Yorkshire Bank.
3.15pm – Ouir artillery fired and silenced enemy’s trench mortars. Our artillery active on enemy’s trenches during the night.
3rd – During the fog in the forenoon, enemy played machine gun fire on our trenches. Enemy artillery quiet during the day.
7.45pm – A strong raiding party of the 9th NIH (R IR Fus) raided enemy’s trenches west of Havrincourt and succeeded in killing a number of the enemy. Our artillery and TMs assisted the raiders by putting down a ‘box’ barrage around point of entry.
8.15pm – Enemy put up his SOS signal.
8.18pm – He commenced a heavy bombardment of our trenches on and about Yorkshire Bank doing slight damage to our trenches but causing no casualties to the garrison.
9pm – All was quiet. Throughout the night enemy MGs were active on our trenches.
4th – During the morning enemy remained very quiet.
12 noon – Our 18 pdrs fired about 30 rounds on Havrincourt.
5pm – Enemy’s light TMs active on
5th – Until dawn, enemy’s MGs were active over our trenches N. of Canal with the exception of a few 10.5cms airbursts over
3.40pm – Our artillery fired on an enemy working party W of Havrincourt making them scatter.
6th – During the early morning an enemy MG firing from the direction of Vesuviius (crater w. of Havrincourt) active on Yorkshire Bank. Eenemy’s artillery very active during the forenoon.
8.45am – Enemy shelled Hermies.
10.15am – Enemy shelled front and support trenches in Cheetham Hil.
10.45am – Our 18 pdrs fired on enemy trenches w. of Havrincourt.
2.3opm – Our 9.45 TMs fired on Boggart’s Hole (s. of Havrincourt).
The remainder of the day was quiet . Our aeroplanes have been active over our trenches throughout day.
7th – Enemy MGs active on our trenches during the early morning.
8am – Our artillery shelled enemy’s TM position in Boggart’s Hole.
2.30pm – Eenemy fired about 20 rounds on our support trenches on Cheetham Hill causing no damage.
3pm – From 3 – 4pm enemy fired ‘Pineappales’ on our trench north of Canal. The remainder of the day was quiet.
8th – Early morning passed quietly.
10am – For an hour, enemy shelled Hermies with 10.5cm shells.
3pm – Our 18 pdrs shelled enemy’s trenches s. of Havrincourt. Both ours and enemy aeroplabes have been exceedingly active over our sector throughout day.
8.30pm – Bn was relieved by the 9th NIH R. Ir. Fus. And marched to Ruyaulcourt.
10.15pm – Bn arrived at billets.
9th – Bn at rest. Working parties supplied to Res. These men were engaged on road making nears
10th – Routine as per above
11th – Routine as per above. 7.30pm – Bn relieved 11th R. Ir Rif. In the trenches south of Havrincourt. The 10th R Ir.
12th – Enemy remained very quiet during the day.
11.45am – Our 18 pdrs fired on Snowden (crater s. of Havrincourt). Weather foggy all day.
13th Weather remained very foggy, consequently little activity on both sides took place.
3.20pm – Our 9.45 TM fired on enemy’s trenches s.w. of Havrincourt.
14th Weather still foggy. During the fog, enemy fired MGs at our trenches. Enemy artillery remained very quiet.
7.30pm – Bn was relieved by the 11/13th R. Ir. Rifles and marched to Ruyaulcourt.
9pm – Bn arrived at billets.
15th Bn at rest
16th Routine as per above. 4.45pm Bn marched from billets at Ruyaulcourt to billets at Barastre.
6.30pm Bn arrived at billets in Barastre.
17th Bn at rest.
18th do.
19th – Bn marched from Barastre to Velu Wood.
7pm – Bn arrived in camp at Velu Wood.
20th – 7am – Bn left Velu Wood and marched in the vicinity of Hermies where they remained during the day in reserve, in the opening of the Battle for Cambrai.
7.30pm – Bn moved up and spent the night in our old ront line north of Hermies.
21st – 4pm – Bn moved from our old front line north of Hermies to the German Hindenburg line in support to the 109th Inf. Brig. Who had taken up a position south of Moeuvres.
2nd – Bn marched from the Hindenburg Line north of Hermies to relive the 109th Inf Brig south of Moeuvres in order to attack and take the village. The 9th NIH R. Ir. Rif. In support.
The Bn. HQ were near Canal du Nord on the
10.30am – Under cover of artillery barrage, the Bn attacked the
All coys reached the northern edge of the village successfully. A coy suffered the heaviest casualties as the 107th Brig. Were unable to reach the objective on the eastern side of the Canal Du Nord and therefore the enemy brought heavy machine gune fire to bear on this coy.
3.30pm – Enemy was seen massing thickly for a counter attack north of Moeuvres.
4.30pm – Enemy counter attack commenced but was met with such stubborn resistance from A, D and C coys hlding the front line that enemy only succeeded in driving us back over part of the ground which we had already taken. In this counter attack both officers and men fought gallantly, fighting every inch of ground which they were forced to yield.
Two Coy commanders were killed uring this counter attack (Capt. W. B. Stuart and Capt. D. McCausland).
Capt. Stuart with his men refused to retire. He was shot in the throat but carried on giving our orders to his coy until he was again shot in the head and died.
Capt. D. McCausland in a similar manner got out in front of his men and showed great courage until he was unfortunately killed.
At this period of the operation, Lt. Col. W. R. Goodman, commanding the Bn, was ordered to take command of the troops in the brigade in the forward area, who successfully had our Bn reinforced and our position made secure after the countr attack.
The remainder of the night remained quiet with the exception of heavy MG and rifle fire.
23rd – Under cover of artillery barrage, the Bn again attacked with the 9th NIH R. Ir Fus on our right. This time the enemy, who was very strong, put up a powerful resistance and very heavy fighting took place in the
The coy commander of D coy was killed in this phase (Lt. E. McDonald). This officer had done excellent work throughout the operation.
As the enemy had employed his very best troops in mass at this point, it made it impossible to advance so we had to come back to our original position. Enemy’s artillery at this period was extremely heavy.
24th – Bn. Was relieved by 11th R, Innis. Fus and proceeded to Hermies.
During the whole operation, the singal communications at all times were maintained and although the wires at some periods of the operation were cut by heavy shell fire, the linesmen, regardless of personal danger, had them repaired at once.
Capt. A. H. Hall in the forward command post showed great skill in handling the Bn under Lt. Col. Goodwin’s orders, who was now commanding the Brigade in the forward area.
25th – Bn at rest
26th – Bn moved from Hermies to Beaumetz.
27th – 11am Bn marched from Beaumetz to Rocqigny.
28th Bn at rest.
29th – 1pm – Bn marched from camp at Rocquigny to the railway siding where we entrained and proceeded to Simencourt.
30th Bn in billets.
30th – Bn moved from Simencourt to camp at Gommecourt where they rested during the night.
