Cuinchy Trenches 19th to 23 June 1915 The Battalion left their billets at 10:00 on the 19th and marched to take over about 500 yards of trenches in front of Cuinchy. The line ran from the railway embankment in the north to Ridley Walk in the south. The Northamptonshires who had been there only two days had warned the R Berks that the trenches were very dirty - and so they proved. German sniper activity was very annoying and continuous. It appeared they had not been properly responded to and the Royal Berks set to to remedy the situation establishing their sniper posts. The result was by the 21st sniper activity had been greatly reduced. About 22:00 on the 21st billowing clouds of a white heavy gas were seen emerging from from one of the mines. It was feared that the Germans had gassed theminers and a frantic search was mounted. They sprayed the gas with Vermorel which soon dispersed it. Then a rescue party was sent down to find the miners were fine as the gas had not penetrated their working area. The next day however the Germans blew in the mine and two miners suffered broken limbs. Eight men were buried but rescued unhurt. Much of the credit for the rescue work went to Capt Maurice Radford who was awarded an immediate DSO. 7893 Acting Sgt R H Hart went down the pit time and time again to bring the men out, although he was badly affected by poison gas. He was awarded the DCM for his courage. The Berkshire Chronicle gave its account of the gassing incidents on November 12th:- On June 21st when the [1st] Battalion was at Cuinchy where they had been, with the exception of the attack at Festubert, since the spring - ocurred one of those dramatic incidents which illustrate the unquenchable devotion to their comrades, evcen to the risking of life itself, which animates the British soldier of all ranks. It appears that on the night of June 21st the Germans pumped gas into a mine in which four of our men were on a listening post. Here was a terrible predicament alike for the four men and for their comrades who knew of their danger. However under the direction of Captain Maurice Clive Radford who displayed great gallantry anf resource, the efforts of two non-commissioned officers and two men who bravely went down the moine were successful in getting the men out. It was arisky job but it was safely accomplished. One of those non-commissioned officers was Acting Sergeant R H Hart who, as the official record states, displayed "conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty" But this was not all. At about 4.15 am the next morning following their gas attack the Germans exploded a mine in front of our own entombing a sergeant and about eight of our men. Here was another situation demanding the highest bravery on the part of the gallant comrades of the apparantly doomed men in the mine. To go down the mine was to run a most dangerous risk, for the fumes were terrible. But as is always the case, British pluck did not fail. Captain Radford with Second Lieutement Eric Krabbe Colbourne organised a small party and these gallant fellows went down repeatedly among the fumes. Although the rescuers suffered considerably they bravely persisted in their task till the whole of their entombed comrades were rescued. The brave deed was warmly commnded in the Battalion and both Captain Radford and Lieutenant Colbourne received the DSO for "conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty" While Acting Sergeant Hart who displayed the greatest courage was badly affected by the poison gas was awarded the DCM. [TX01554A] As well as the snipimg there was a lot of mining activity going on - indeed it was the mining thaqt triggered the gassing related above, LCpl Styles commented in a letter home:- "Our people have been having the best of the mine warfare - the Germans have exploded only two when ours have sent up about half a dozen. Its grand to see them going up but I like to be at a distance for you can get a much finer view and its not half as dangerous" [TX01554B] Pte H G Whitehead of Maidenhead had a narrow escape:- "We had a narrow escape the other day. We were holding the first line about fifty yards or less from the Germans when they blew up a mine just in front of us. It was meant for our platoon but they had not dug it far enough so we got away by being buried instead of being blown up in the air. If the mine had been another five yards we should have been among the angels now. It is not a very pleasant feeling to have this sort of thing so close. Where we are now we are having some good sport - shooting at each other and hissing at one another. Then we put a rapid fire into the Germans. Would you believe it, they shouted out that they knew that they had the Berks in front of them and that we were going to get relieved! I can tell you they do know our regiment - at a cost too." [TX01554C] Private Allen, one of the stretcher bearers was taken unaware by one of the explosions:- "I and three others were lying in a dug out which began to say to and fro like a ship. Later on we were told that a German mine had been struck. [TX01554F] 2nd Lt A B Turner joined the Battalion on the 22nd and was posted to B Coy. Sgt Richard Humphrey Hart [7893] was killed by a sniper on the 23rd just before they left the trenches. Cpl Savory of Reading reported to the Berkshire Chronicle that he: was one of the best sergeants the battalion had and was a very brave man. All Honour to his memory!. [TX01557]

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