Source of the following information from:
South Wales Borderers Museum
The Barracks
Brecon
Powys
LD3 7EB
(Page 2)
At this point Col Fitzpatrick rejoined the Battalion. ‘C’ Company remained somewhere in the neighbourhood of LE BIZET having failed to get my orders of withdrawal.
Brigade ordered the line forward about noon and the 2 Companies and RE Companies moved forward in open order.
No opposition was met and the line finally settled down from REGINA CAMP on the left to B.12.1.88 on the right.
Captain Owen withdrew ‘C’ Company back to the right of the line and continued it to B.12.b central. The right was in touch with 8th Borders and the left with 2nd S Lancs. The whole line dug in.
At 4.30 pm orders were issued to Major Pearson by Col Allsop commanding 2/S Lancs, ordering the Battalion to re-capture PLOEGSTEERT Village, working in conjunction with details of REs, Australians and 2 Companies S Lancs – the attack to commence at 5.30 pm.
LE BIZET was meanwhile occupied by the enemy and the attack could be enfiladed by him.
At 5.30 pm following a MG barrage and a short TM barrage on the village the attack went forward in short rushes. It was immediately met with sweeping MG fire both from PLOEGSTEERT and the neighbourhood of LE BIZET.
Casualties were heavy but the attack pushed forward in a most determined manner to within 200 yards of the village, when owing to enfilade MG fire from the right and intense fire from the village the remnants of the attacking troop were compelled to fall back.
The enemy also put down an artillery barrage on the outskirts of the village during the later stages of the attack. The report that the village was only lightly held by MGs was entirely disproved as large numbers of enemy infantry were seen and the MG fire was intense. Moreover the TM barrage preceding the attack was practically useless as only 48 shells were available for the mortars.
Several officers were among the casualties during this attack including Captains Owen and Jenkins (2 Company Commanders).
Lieut E C Amos took over command of ‘C’ Company, Lieut W H Hanna the command of ‘D’ Company.
The enemy kept pushing on and a general withdrawal took place – the Battalion holding a line from REGINA CAMP to DOU DOU FARM held by Major Pearson and ‘A’ Company and a switch running back from DOU DOU FARM South to Army Line held by ‘C’ and ‘D’ Companies under Lieut Amos. This line was heavily shelled all night and at 9.30 am on the 11th April touch was lost on the left and troops were seen falling back – heavy MG fire opened on our right and immediate front and the Battalion was driven slowly back to the Army Line east of ROMARIN – holding the trench south of the road from B.4.a.9.3.
At this point touch was lost for a while with the Companies and Major Pearson took control of all he could find.
Enemy was seen in LE DON and ROMARIN Camp. Touch was regained and the line fell back to a line 800 yards west of ROMARIN on the North side of the RUE DE SAC. At 2 pm orders were issued from 75th Brigade for the Battalion to retake ROMARIN and the Army Line.
