Two days later we went into a new sector, trenches on the immediate left of the last Brigade sector, and previously held by the Sherwood Foresters.  The front line consisting of trenches “F4, 5 and 6,” “G1 and 2”, was more or less continuous, though a gap between the “F’s” and “G’s,” across which one had to run, added a distinct element of risk to a tour round the line.  The worst part was Peckham Corner, where the Lincolnshires had already suffered; for it was badly sighted, badly built, and completely overlooked by the enemy’s sniping redoubt on “Hill 76.”  In addition to this it contained a mine shaft running towards the enemy’s lines, some 40 yards away, and at this the Boche constantly threw his “Sausages,” small trench mortars made of lengths of stove piping stopped at the ends.  It was also suspected that he was counter-mining.  In this sector three Companies were in the front line, the fourth lived with Battalion Headquarters, which were now at Lindenhoek Chalet near the cross roads, a pretty little house on the lower slopes of Mont Kemmel.  Though the back area was better, the trenches on the whole were not so comfortable as those we had left, and during our first tour we had reason to regret the change.  First, 2nd Lieut.  C.W.  Selwyn, taking out a patrol in front of “F5,” was shot through both thighs, and, though wonderfully cheerful when carried in, died a few days later at Bailleul.  The next morning, while looking at the enemy’s snipers’ redoubt, Captain J. Chapman, 2nd in Command of “D” Company, was shot through the head, and though he lived for a few days, died soon after reaching England.  This place was taken by Lieut.  J.D.A.  Vincent, and at the same time Lieut.  Langdale was appointed 2nd in Command of “C.”  There were also other changes, for Major R.E.  Martin was given Command of the 4th Battalion, and was succeeded as 2nd in Command by Major W.S.N.  Toller, while Captain C. Bland became skipper of “A” Company.

During this same tour, the Brigade suffered its first serious disaster, when the enemy mined and blew up trench “E1 left,” held at the time by the 5th Lincolnshire Regiment.  This regiment had many casualties, and the trench was of course destroyed, while several men were buried or half-buried in the debris, where they became a mark for German snipers.  To rescue one of these, Lieut.  Gosling, R.E., who was working in the G trenches, went across to E1, and with the utmost gallantry worked his way to the mine crater.  Finding a soldier half buried, he started to dig him out, and had just completed his task when he fell to a sniper’s bullet and was killed outright.  As at this time the Royal Engineers’ Tunnelling Companies were not sufficient to cover the whole British front, none had been allotted to this, which was generally considered a quiet sector.  Gen. Clifford, therefore, decided to have his own Brigade Tunnellers, and a company was at once formed, under Lieut.  A.G.  Moore, to which we contributed