other Battalions, Fosse and Dump trenches were filled with Germans and
machine guns, "S. Face" and both "Willies" were full of bombers, and
worst of all the machine guns of Mad Point, Madagascar and the Slag-heap
had apparently escaped untouched. There was only one thing left to do,
and that to hold what we had got against these bombing attacks, and
consolidate our new position without delay.

Meanwhile, in addition to our two Companies, there were several other
parties and units fighting in various parts of the Redoubt, and of these
Colonel Evill, of the Monmouthshires, himself on the spot, took command,
sending down for more men and more bombs. Of these little parties the
most successful was that under Lieut. Wollaston, who, although wounded,
led a bombing attack into "Little Willie," and pushed on so resolutely
that he gained some eighty yards of trench before being compelled to
withdraw owing to lack of bombs and ammunition. Unfortunately there was
no other party near to help him, or "Little Willie" would probably have
been ours. On the right, Lieut. Madge, of the Lincolnshires, held on for
an incredibly long time with only a few machine gunners far in advance
of anyone else, only coming back after 5 p.m., when he found that part
of the captured ground had been evacuated by us. Here, too, Lieut.
Morgan, of the Staffordshire Brigade R.F.A., was killed leading his
gunners forward to help the infantry who were in difficulties. Some of
"D" Company were also in action at this time. Thirteen and Fourteen
Platoons set off, as originally ordered, under Royal Engineer officers,
to put out barbed wire in front of the Redoubt, but as they reached our
front line were heavily shelled and lost touch with the Engineers, many
of whom were killed. 2nd Lieut. Stoneham had already been badly wounded,
and Lieut. Williams, with a blood-stained bandage tying up a wounded
ear, was with his other half Company, so the two platoons were left
without officers. Serjt W.G. Phipps, who was leading, knew nothing about