Conisbrough Sergeant´s Experiences

An interesting letter has been received from Sgt C.C.Allport, of the Lincolns, a well-known Conisbrough man. He speaks of an advance over a stretch of flat ground for 2 miles with absolutely no cover, and under continuous rifle fire.

“One shell burst right over me and hit the ground, and a Lance Cpl next to me fell wounded, but it missed me. The next day we were given a rest, and the day after had to take another hill further on, which we did, and should have kept but for the fact that the regiments in our right and left did not keep up with is, and the enemy was thus on three sides of us. We held on as long as we could, reinforcements were sent for which never came, and our men were falling every minute. The next day considerable reinforcements arrive, and, with the aid of the naval bombardment, we drove the enemy back at one point when we advanced to our farthest point, we were in a field firing at the enemy..

When I look around I found all the others and retired to the cover of an hedge, and I was all by myself. My mess tin was shot right through, and I am afraid there never was a Regiment in this war suffered in one day as we did.

A lot of men who were wounded are away in hospital ships. The most remarkable thing is the spirit of the men were left; they do not seem at all downhearted, but even cheerful; and I cannot say that is only affected me at all.

The Navy is giving the enemy socks.”