might manage to bomb
out the machine gun. But the bombers were checked out of range of the
gun. We began to work towards the communication trench, but owing to
the lie of the ground we were badly exposed and I at length found
myself the only living occupant of that corner. About twelve o'clock I
managed to leap the parapet without being hit. I found my platoon
officer, Lieut. MacBrayne, lying shot through the head. Of the others
of my platoon I could get no news, except those I saw lying dead or
wounded. Tom Train had completely disappeared. An order came up the
trench, '17th H.L.I. move to the left and prepare to support the
Dorsets.' The communication trench was at this time chiefly manned by
K.O.Y.L.I. (who should have supported the 16th H.L.I. who had been
held up by the German wire and cut up before able to take the first
line of defences. Those left were forced to retire to their own line).
A few Lonsdales (the 11th Borderers had been cut up coming up through
'Blighty Wood,' Colonel and Adjutant killed and all officers
casualties) were able to give us practically no support, and a
Company of Manchesters, sent from Divisional Reserve. I moved to the
left. An officer suddenly jumped the parapet and shouted 'Come on, the
17th!' I followed him along with about twenty others. But we found the
barbed wire impossible to cut through and he gave us the order 'Every
man for himself.'

[Illustration: VIEW FROM BOUZINCOURT LOOKING TOWARDS THE LINE.
(_Sketch from Lieut. Meadow's Diary_).
_To face page 44._]

"Making my way back to the trench I rested in a shell hole occupied by
a Sergeant wounded in the leg. Whilst talking to him we both fell
asleep and slept until about 5 p.m., when the Germans counter-attacked.
Their artillery became violent and they attempted to come over the
open. We ran for the communication trench and found it disorganised.
Orders got mixed and some seemed anxious to retire. Fortunately the
17th H.L.I. bombers, who were in the advanced position, held their
ground, driving the enemy back with their own bombs, and the attack
over the open was checked by our brigade machine guns which had been
massed in the German front line. During the whole action we lost no
ground that had previously been gained. By this time our Battalion had
been badly hit. 'B' Company on our left had been caught in the wire and
cut to pieces by machine gun fire. My own Company, 'A,' was down to low
numbers. My Captain and