TCD MS 10821 folio 54 recto
[August 23rd 1916] Our guns were much quieter & scarcely fired at all.
August 24th. The usual mornings work. The Battalion are attacking some time today, but I cannot find out the exact time & it must be some time before we hear the full results. I was watching Delville wood about 3.30pm & I could see a great bombardment going on there. The wood soon after completely disappeared in a pink cloud of dust of smoke. This lasted for several hours & all along the line & towards Thiepval there was an intense bombardment. I could however get no definite news. Blackett, Smith & Ravenscroft came over from the 2nd Battalion to see me.
August 25th. Alarming reports came in early this morning about the battalion, so I rode over to the Transport camp to find out if they knew anything definitely. Not getting any news there, I rode up to Montauban to Brigade H.Q. where I was told everything. We had gained our objectives & had reached the outer edge of Delville Wood. The Battalion had done extremely well, the General said & he was very pleased with them. Their losses had however been very heavy, almost 450 he thought & a great many officers. Three of the company commanders were killed & the fourth wounded & almost every officer that was up with the Battalion was hit. The principle of leaving several of