It is not clear when Donald returned to the 4th SAI after the wedding. The letter from Reggie to Helen on the 5th May would indicate that he had returned before that date. However, he is not on the list of officers involved with the 4th SAI in the Battle of the Scarpe on the 9th April.
The 4th SAI are in action in the Battle of the Scarpe which is, initially, a great success but soon gets bogged down and the battalion’s last action is the ill-fated action at Fampoux where they get cause in machine gun crossfire.
Lt.Col. D.M.MacLeod returns after recovering from his wounds received at Delville Wood the previous July.
- 1st to 5th Apr
Working parties at “Y” Huts - 6th Apr
2nd, 3rd & 4th regiments inspected by General Smuts - 7th Apr
Moved to billets in Arras
Major D.R.Hunt not in list of officers going forward - 8th Apr
Moved to billets south of the Scarpe river
Fatigues bringing up ladders & bridges to front line - 10th Apr
Placed at disposal of 4th Regiment AAA
Received orders to relieve the 10th Brigade at Blue Line
Stayed in railway cutting
Battalion strength: 18 officers, 418 ORs - 11th Apr
Orders to occupy Brown Line from Point du Jour to Cam Trench
Moved forward at 2 pm
Several inches of snow
Confusion about whether to send out a patrol - 12 Apr
Order for C.Os to meet at H15C55
Target for the day was to attack and take a line held by Germans to the east of Fampoux
Battalion crossed Athies-Fampoux rd at H15C95.55 and turned east.
Proceeded across ground towards Fampoux and entered village around 3.45pm
Started to move out of the east of Fampoux around 4.50pm but came under heavy machine gun fire from several directions
Attack failed due to machine gun crossfire.
Furthest anyone got was Brown’s Copse (now a British cemetery)
Withdrew to a trench held by 4th Divn on the eastern edge of Fampoux
All companies report attack held up - 13 Apr
South African Brigade relieved by the 26th Brigade at 1.30am
4th SAI strength at 9 am: 12 officers, 207 ORs
Casualties:- Killed: 2 officers, 22 ORs
- Wounded: 4 officers, 172 ORs
- Missing: 6
4th SAI strength at 8 pm: 12 officers, 220 ORs
- 14th Apr
Gas shelled soon after midnight - 15th Apr
Relieved by 6th Gordon Highlanders
Returned to Arras
Men billeted in Hospice (des Viellards?)
Officers in 36 Rue Gambetta - 16th Apr
Moved to hutments south of Acq - 17th to 20th Apr
At Acq
Baths - 21st to 26th Apr
Moved to Monchy-Bréton
Occupied Monchy with the 3rd SAI
Lt.Col. D.M. MacLeod returned on 24th Apr and assumed command of the 4th SAI on 25th Apr after recovering from injuries at Delville Wood in July 1916 - 27th to 30th Apr
Moved back to billets in Arras
Working parties
Battalion strength at 30th Apr- 30 officers
- 658 Other Ranks
- 30th Apr
War diary of the 4th SAI signed by D.M.MacLeod Lt. Colonel Commdg 4th South African Infantry
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Officer casualties on 9th April
Killed 2/Lt. W Dorward 2/Lt. V.A. Hunt Wounded Capt. J.L. Reid 2/Lt. E.N. Cummins 2/Lt. E.J. Keeley 2/Lt. W.C. Forbes 2/Lt. W.H. Kirby 2/Lt. S. Smith 2/Lt. H. Williams 2/Lt. W. Wallace 2/Lt. D.B. Robb Officer casualties on 12th April
Killed Capt. E.E.D. Grady 2/Lt. W.R. Lees Wounded A/Major E.G. Clerk Capt. W.D. Charlton 2/Lt. H. Boustead 2/Lt. D.J. Donaldson Other ranks casualties over 7th to 15th April
April Killed Died of Wounds Wounded Missing 8th 5 9th 59 3 171 1 10th 11th 3 4 12th 19 1 163 6 13th 1 3 14th 2 15th 2 3
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