can
only be conjectured, for they never kept touch with the 5th N.F., who
reached and took the Gird Line. But it is known that the 7th N.F. got
a footing both in Hook Sap and in the Gird Line behind. The Germans
barraged the captured trenches twice or three times during the day,
and are thought to have attacked them in force with fresh reserves
each time. Owing to the heavy and continuous barrage across No Man's
Land no news could be got back and no supports could be sent forward.
Finally, at night, the remnants of the shattered brigade were
collected, and another attempt made to reach the trenches; but the
Germans had evidently now got back to their old position and in the
mud and darkness the fresh attack had little chance of success.
Nothing more has been seen or heard of the two companies that reached
Hook Sap. It is believed that they perished to the last man,
overwhelmed by successive German counter-attacks. Second-Lieut. E.G.
Lawson fell at Hook Sap, also 2nd-Lieut. R.H.F. Woods, both Bombing
Officers of the 7th N.F.; also Bombing Sergts. J.R. Richardson and J.
Piercy.

The 5th N.F. did well indeed, for they succeeded in holding their
ground in the Gird Line and handed it over next day to the troops that
relieved them. But that also had to be abandoned at last, owing to its
isolated position.

The only consolation that can be drawn from this heroic but tragic
affair is that it may have created a diversion to our successful
operations at Beaucourt. As an isolated operation it was doomed from
the start owing to the state of the ground and the exhaustion of the
men who took part in it.

My own part in the sufferings of the Brigade at this time was so
insignificant that it is not worth giving many details of my
experiences. I found walking over the muddy ground most terribly
exhausting, especially in a trench coat dripping with rain and mud.
And it was a long way, over three miles, from rear H.Q. to the dump at
Hexham Road. One morning I went with Major Anderson to the ruins of
Eaucourt L'Abbaye on a visit of inspection. For months this was a
terribly shelled place, and it was now nothing but a pile of broken
sticks and brickdust. We were lucky to get clear of it before the
morning hate began. There were still large numbers of British and
German dead lying in heaps round the Flers Line; and two broken down
tanks completed the picture of muddy desolation. On November 14, the
day of the battle, I went up to advan