23rd September 1914
It had been coming for a few days. But today was the day for the Dorsets to leave the relative comfort of Jury.
Another reconnoitre by Bols, Fraser and Kitchen, paved the way for the rest of the Battalion to return to frontline life. Major Roper and Major Saunders supervised the crossing of the Aisne starting at 6.10pm.
A and B Companies went into frontline trenches, with C and D Companies in reserve. The Battalion had relived the East Surreys.
Colonel Bols inherited No. 2 section of the “Defences” as they are referred to in the diary, and with it the West Riding Regiment. This is the first use of trench-like language that was to dominate the war diary in the years to come.
The fourth reinforcement arrived and remained at Jury, although it’s not clear how many men that brought to the Dorsets.
Captain Arthur Robert Montgomery Roe’s death (16th September) was finally announced in the Telegraph. He had been with the Dorsets since 1900. He was 32.
2 thoughts to “These Missy nights”