TCD MS 10822 folio 16 recto
[April 10th 1917] in support and strengthened our line. We found a large German dug out full of bombs and stores into which we went: it was full of every kind of explosives and supplies.
April 11th. At 1 a.m. the General came round. I explained the situation to him. He quite agreed with me and considers that a further advance was impossible until the 56th Div had taken Hill 90. At 5 a. m. orders arrived that we were to attack again and push on through Wancourt. The 56th Div were to attack Hill 90 on our right half an hour before we started: the 7th R. B. were to push on on the left and the next Div on the left was to push on toward Guemappe. We protested. The Brigadier protested that Hill 90 must be taken first and that it was sheer murder to send us on as it was, but without effect. No one of the Divisional staff had reconnoitred the ground – their headquarters were ten miles away in Warlus, where they were quite safe. They wrote their orders there and refused to be guided by the views of the men on the spot. I had no time to write orders and so sent the original order to Williamson who was commanding the two front Companies. The bombardment was to start at 6-30 and they were to retire a couple of hundred yards behind their trenches, as the bombardment was starting on their line. In retiring through the wire they suffered many casualties. The order luckily did not reach two platoons, who remained in the trenches all the time and who did not suffer a casualty. The bombardment was an absolute farce, about one battery firing all over the place. Several of our shells landed quite close to where I was and killed some of our men. Whitley started from Bt H.Q. with a Company and a half and before he had gone 300 yards, we realized that the 56th Div had not taken Hill 90 in fact they had not left their trenches and our men were simply mown down by enfilade MG fire. As soon as I saw what was happening and that it was madness to go on any further, I telephoned to Brigade and got leave to withdraw those that I could. I managed to collect 146, but Whitley was alas killed. He knew it before he started and that he was going to his death and he was found the nearest up to the enemy, a nice gallant fellow that he was and best of officers. A number remained out in shell holes all day and rejoined at dusk. The wounded had a very