of flashes to the west, an occasional glare showing us the towers of
Ypres over the trees. The Germans replied at once on "A1" trench, but
finding that we remained quiet, their batteries soon ceased fire and
opened instead on Sanctuary Wood and Hooge. This was expected, for it
was not in the initial attack, but during the consolidation that the 3rd
Division wanted to draw the enemy's fire. At a few minutes before six
our time had come, smoke bombs were thrown, and, though the wind was
against us, Col. Jones, feeling that we must make the biggest possible
display, ordered the straw to be lit. This promptly drew fire, and in
five minutes there was not one single gun on our side of the Salient
still firing at Hooge, they had all turned on us. At first sight of the
smoke several machine guns had opened fire opposite "50" and "49," but
these died away almost at once as the Boche, thoroughly frightened at
the prospect of gas, evacuated his trenches. Half-an-hour later he
actually bombarded his own lines on the Northern slopes of "Hill 60"
with 11" shells, presumably imagining that we had occupied them. The
bluff was complete.

But such a success cannot be purchased without loss, and our losses had
been heavy. The Staffordshires had not lit their straw because of the
wind, so that the enemy's retaliation, which should have been spread
along the whole front from "A1" to "Hill 60" was concentrated entirely
on our three trenches "40," "50" and "A1." "C" Company (Lt. R.D. Farmer)
in "50" suffered most. Choked and blinded by the smoke from the straw,
which blew back and filled the trench, their parapet blown away by salvo
after salvo of small shells, their supports battered with 8" and heavy
mortars, with no cover against the unceasing rain of shells from front
and left, they had to bear it all in silence, unable to hit back.
Serjts. J.G. Burnham and J. Birkin were killed, and with them 10 others
of the battalion, while 30 more were wounded. Once more the "Doc." and