July 15, 1916

July 15. Orders at 2 a.m. for our brigade to attack Pozieres village at 9 a.m. Marched off into valley in a thick fog at 5 O’clock – Then battalion went up valley north. I established an aid post in a large Bosch dug out and soon began to get a number of wounded but was too far back so about 10 O’clock advanced under a Bosch barrage and got dug out at Contalmaison crossroads where I found two other aid posts, of 8th East Lancs and Lancs Fusiliers in dug out. There was an old Bosch battery here and plenty of good shelters in a hill side. Our first attack had failed, and at 4 p.m. we again advanced. I was outside my dug out watching the advance, with my corporal Knight when he was shot through the heart and killed. This attack also only got a short way as the village was found to be very strongly held – was busy with wounded coming in all night until 8 a.m. on Sunday.

[Corporal Knight 14196, 6th Bn., Bedfordshire Regiment is remembered with Honour at the Thiepval Memorial]

[The attack on Pozieres by the 6th Bedfordshires and 112th Brigade was a flank assault in support of the main Battle of Bazentin Ridge 14-17 July 1916. The losses for the 6th Bedfordshires on 15 July – 330 men and officers. Losses for the 112th Brigade – 1034 officers and men.]