The East Surreys spent a very cold night in shallow trenches in the open at Licourt on 23 March, and next morning they – and the rest of the Brigade – were ordered to withdraw the 6 miles to Chaulnes. At 7:00am, according to the Brigade Diary, the men ‘marched out splendidly’. On the way the men saw ‘welcome signs of our own artilery…Big guns were in position and speaking to some purpose on all sides…’

The Brigade had a few hours rest at Chaulnes, during which the West Kents attended to the men’s feet, with ‘much needed water and soap’ brought into use. But ‘whilst dinners were being served’, news arrived that the Germans had crossed the Somme to the south, at Béthencourt, and the Brigade was detailed to march to Fonches to plug a gap between the 8th and 20th Divisions. En route they were warned that the enemy was in sight and they would never reach their destination, but they found instead, that it was ‘a place of perfect peace’.

The Brigade disposed its forces defending the Hattencourt-Fonches-Fonchette Road, with the East Surreys on the right and the 8/Royal West Kent on the left. Cookers were brought up to give the men a hot meal, and the rest of the day was spent in strengthening the trench positions behind an existing belt of wire, completing their work by midnight. There followed an ‘uneventful night’, with night patrols – sent out well forward – finding no signs of the enemy.

[Next post: 25 March]