The 4th SAI pay their respects to the fallen at the Butte de Warlencourt.
Move north to the Ypres area and take part in the attack of the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge on the 20th Sept. Donald is not listed in the officers taking part in the attack and so was probably not present by design (but see next month).
- 1st to 6th Sep
Bayonet and Physical exercise
Musketry
Rapid loading
Saluting
Bathing
Soccer
Rugby
Trench to trench attacks
Advancing over open ground and making use of shell holes - 7th Sep
“Route march to Butte de Warlencourt and went over the ground where the regiment was engaged during the second operations on the Somme in October last year.”
Return march to Achiet-le-Petit - 8th to 11th Sep
Boxing match
New assembly formation on a 3 company front
Bathing
Brigade sports (4th SAI did not do well)
Training over ground taped off and representing the ground over which the operation up north will be carried out.
Soccer
Rugby - 12th Sep
Moved to Bapaume West
Camp handed over very clean - 13th Sep
Train via St. Pol, Hazebrouck to Godewaersville
Marched to Shrine Camp S.W. of Poperinge - 14th Sep
Rested in morning
Moved to Thistle Camp near Brandhoek - 15th Sep
Resting
C.O. & 2/Lt. Morrison went up to the trenches & will spend the night there returning tomorrow - 16th Sep
NCOs went to Poperinge to see clay model of ground area which forthcoming operation will take place
Lecture on use of Gas Bombs - 17th Sep
Battalion viewing clay model at Brigade H.Q.
Battalion marched to railway siding and entrained
Line shelled by enemy so battalion detrained and marched 2km along main road to Ypres & the Menin Gate.
Guided to trenches North of Frezenburg
Major D.R. Hunt not in list of officers taking part in the attack (but see next month) - 18th Sep
Barrage on the enemy
Enemy retaliated on Frezenburg and Square Farm - 19th Sep
Artillery very active
Enemy retaliation
Hard rain but men cheerful & eager - 20th Sep
Battle of the Menin Road Ridge
Zero hour 5:40 am
As barrage stopped men went over the top
Enemy barrage but men had already cleared assembly positions
6.10 am Borry farm captured
7.30 am Mitchell’s Farm captured
7.35 am Beck House captured
7.45 am HQ moved to Borry Farm
9.45 am Message received that enemy massing for counter-attack on left front
Counter-attack beaten off by artillery and rifle-fire
3.00 pm Enemy opened strong barrage
Officer casualties : 2 killed, 5 wounded
Intermittent shellfire through the night
L/Cpl W.H. Hewitt of the 2nd SAI won V.C. for his attack on a pill-box - 21st Sep
THE BATTLE OF PASSCHENDAELE, JULY-NOVEMBER 1917 (Q 2870) South African Scottish troops carrying a wounded German on a stretcher during the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge, 21 September 1917. Copyright: © IWM. Original Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205079732
Enemy dropped bombs on Beck House and Borry Farm
5pm Ordered to evacuate half the regiment but enemy activity stopped all movement -
South African Scottish troops wait in a support trench, east of Frezenberg Ridge. Battle of Menin Ridge Road. 22 September 1917.
22nd Sep
Regiment relieved about 4am
Slept until 8am
Moved to ground 200 yds West of Mill Cottage
Breakfast
Marched to crossroads near Thistle Camp
Buses at 2pm to Winnezeele
Moved in to camps Arras No.1 and Arras No.2 North of Winnezeele - 23rd Sep
C.O. addressed officers, NCOs and men of the battalion and thanked them for the work done in the operations of 20th/21st
Cleaning clothing & equipment - 24th to 25th Sep
Training
Physical drill
Bayonet fighting
German machine gun lecture
Arms drill
Lewis Gun instruction - 26th Sep
11 officers unfit for general service struck off of the battalion
Draft of 156 O/Rs arrived - 27th Sep
Moved to Ledringhem
Billeted in barns - 28th Sep
Football drafts vs. battalion team - 29th Sep
Platoon reorganisation
Rugby vs team from the 2nd SAI - 30th Sep
Weather lovely
Church parades
War diary of the 4th SAI signed by D.M.MacLeod Lieut. Colonel Commanding 4th. South African Infantry
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