Credit, however, must be given where credit is due, and the following
tour our visitors distinguished themselves. On the 15th June, at 9.10
p.m., when the night was comparatively quiet, the enemy suddenly blew up
a trench on our left, held by the Sherwood Foresters, at the same time
opening heavy rifle fire on our back areas and shelling our front line.
Captain Griffiths, who held our left flank with "B" Company, found that
his flank was in the air, so very promptly set about moving some of his
supports to cover this flank, and soon made all secure. Meanwhile Lieut.
Rosher, machine gun officer of the visiting Durham Light Infantry,
hearing the terrific din and gathering that something out of the
ordinary was happening, though he did not know what, slung a maxim
tripod over his shoulders, picked up a gun under each arm, and went
straightaway to the centre of activity--a feat not only of wonderful
physical strength, but considerable initiative and courage. We did not
suffer heavy casualties, but 2nd Lieut. Mould's platoon had their
parapet destroyed in one or two places, and had to re-build it under
heavy fire, in which Pte. J.H. Cramp, the Battalion hairdresser,
distinguished himself. Except for this one outburst on the part of the
Boche we had a quiet time, though Peckham Corner was always rather a
cause of anxiety, for neither R.E. nor the Brigade Tunnellers could
spare a permanent party on the mine shaft. Consequently, it was left to
the Company Commander to blow up the mine, and with it some of the
German trench, in case of emergency, and it was left to the infantry to
supply listeners down the shaft to listen for counter-mining. On one
occasion when Captain Bland took over the trench with "A" Company, he
found the pump out of order, the water rising in the shaft, and the
gallery full of foul air, all of which difficulties were overcome
without the R.E.'s help, by the courage and ingenuity of Serjeant
Garratt.