4th CMR; first assault at Regina Trench they went in with 2 Companies. One Company was wiped out on the Wire. Second Company got 15 men into the Trench; none got out. They were under fire from two directions: Jerry's guns and ours. Our FOP was at Moquet Farm: too far back, FOO could not see the drop, shorted a lot of rounds.
I had an old friend who was just on their right, with 5th CMR. They put 2 Companies into it, too. Fortunately their Captain (Daubney) had a friend in the Arty; a telephone call got every extra round on the Wire because the preliminary shelling had not cut it. One Company stalled in the middle of No Man's Land, A Company got into the Trench with over 100 of the 120 who started, blocked it, held it for 14 hours against a BRIGADE of Imperial German Marines, pulled out. The NCO in charge was a Sergeant; the Officers were all KIA or WIA and sent out. He got the DCM, bullet hole and a chunk of shrapnel.... but he got 15 men out. He was Sgt. (later Capt.) George Dibblee.
Regina Trench was supposed to be a 1-hour walkover. It TOOK 5 weeks and half of Second Div, then half of the Div which replaced them. In 44 B'n you were not regarded as a Soldier if you had not been at Regina Trench.
October 1 - November 13, 1916.
The Battle Honour generally is ANCRE HEIGHTS. It was the last gasp of the Somme.
Rough place to be.
Almost forgotten today.
I had an old friend who was just on their right, with 5th CMR. They put 2 Companies into it, too. Fortunately their Captain (Daubney) had a friend in the Arty; a telephone call got every extra round on the Wire because the preliminary shelling had not cut it. One Company stalled in the middle of No Man's Land, A Company got into the Trench with over 100 of the 120 who started, blocked it, held it for 14 hours against a BRIGADE of Imperial German Marines, pulled out. The NCO in charge was a Sergeant; the Officers were all KIA or WIA and sent out. He got the DCM, bullet hole and a chunk of shrapnel.... but he got 15 men out. He was Sgt. (later Capt.) George Dibblee.
Regina Trench was supposed to be a 1-hour walkover. It TOOK 5 weeks and half of Second Div, then half of the Div which replaced them. In 44 B'n you were not regarded as a Soldier if you had not been at Regina Trench.
October 1 - November 13, 1916.
The Battle Honour generally is ANCRE HEIGHTS. It was the last gasp of the Somme.
Rough place to be.
Almost forgotten today.
