Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the husband of Agnes C. Faulks. DRANOUTRE. 12.30am. Brigade Operational Order No.298 received cancelling No.297, and stating that Battalion was to move into support, holding line between S.18.b.9.4. and T.8.c.2.9. at S.18.b.9.4. Support line joined front line, 103rd Infantry Brigade holding FRONT LINE on right 2nd SHERWOOD FORESTERS on left line of trenches through wood about 200 yards in rear of line allotted and was to be occupied if considered advisable by Commanding Officer. At 1.00am Officers commanding Companies were assembled in Battalion HQ and orders issued verbally. It was decided provisionally to occupy the trenches. At 1.15am Officers commanding Companies left Battalion HQ. At 2.00am the Machine Gun Officer of 25th Division reported that he had 6 machine guns, 3 to be placed at our disposal, 3 for 2nd SHERWOOD FORESTERS. Instructions issued to him to rendevous at T.7.a.9.6. and await orders. At 3.15am Battalion HQ moved forward, all Companies having gone. At 4.30am Battalion HQ established at S.12.d.75.65. Disposition of Battalion as follows:- “A” Company on right, 2 platoons S.18.b.80.40. – T.7.c.47.20. Support platoon S.18.b.70.50. – S.18.b.40.40. Reserve platoon S.18.b.70.50. – S.18.b.70.70. Company HQ S.18.b.70.55. “B” Company right centre, strong point in wood S.12.d. “C” Company left centre, T.7.a.40.05. – T.7.a.60.40. “D” Company left Company – 2 platoons T.7.d.1.8. – T.7.d.40.95. 1 platoon T.7.b.4.3. – T.7.b.6.5. Company HQ and Support platoon T.7.c.4.5. – T.7.c.55.70. “A” Company in trench with 103rd Infantry Brigade. “D” Company in trench with 2nd SHERWOOD FORESTERS. At 5.00am Information received that we held NEUVE EGLISE and troops were believed to be east of the village. At 10.00am Orders received that no troops of 71st Infantry Brigade were to the east of line laid down in Operational Order 298. At 10.30am Brigadier General commanding and Brigade Intelligence Officer called at Battalion HQ. At 10.45am Telephone advice received from Brigade to the effect that T.14.a. was held by 75th Infantry Brigade and our troops were believed to be in WESTHOF FARM T.19.a. Was it possible to support 75th Infantry Brigade and clear high ground in their neighbourhood. This information not considered reliable as right company trench was being swept by machine gun bullets coming from direction of T.13.b. At 10.45am Patrol was sent out under Lt. STIMSON to ascertain position in NEUVE EGLISE. At 12.00am Officer commanding patrol reported that he had seen Officer commanding 2nd WORCESTERSHIRE REGT who stated that NEUVE EGLISE had been cleared of the enemy by a counter attack and 50 men of HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY were sweeping forward from left flank to complete clearance of ridge. Reinforcements were urgently required to occupy high ground about T.14.b. central, which would secure the village to us. At 12.05pm Officer commanding “A” Company reports (timed 11.45am) Officer commanding 9th NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS on his right proposed to move forward at right to command forward slopes of high ground around CRUCIFIX CROSSROADS, his line then ran as follows:- S.18.d.80.94. –S.18.d.50.20. - -?- as S.18.c.90.10. just inside WATERLOO ROAD. He wished for “A” Company to provide standing patrol at about T.12.a.50.00. Officer commanding “A” Company asks if “C” and “D” Companies will move forward and occupy trench on his left. He reports enemy digging in on ridge during the morning but retired on being fired at. 9th NORFOLK REGT arrived during the night and went into Brigade Reserve at DRANOUTRE. They were ordered to move 1 Company to CRUCIFIX CORNER to support 9th NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS.3 Companies to S.12.a. and S.12.c. to reinforce MONT DE LILLE position where situation was unsure. At 3.30pm 2 platoons sent out on our left under Lt. D. A. SIMS returned reporting that enemy held ridge west of NEUVE EGLISE. At 4.00pm Heavy bombardment of our positions commenced. Enemy were advancing down slopes of ridge west of NEUVE EGLISE. S.O.S. sent up, artillery responded, but barrage too close to our lines, and no means available of notifying artillery to this effect. Enemy attacked in small numbers opposite our front. Chiefly engaged in bringing up machine guns. Enemy worked down to low ground in T.14.a. just clear of our barrage which was still falling more or less uselessly. He did not approach close to our positions. A line of rifle pits held by troops of other units between our right company, right centre company was evacuated under the heavy shell fire but the Battalion front remained intact. Shelling gradually died down about 7 o clock and situation became normal again. At 11.00pm Battalion Operational Order 299 received advising that 1 Company 9th NORFOLK REGT would be attached to Battalion and would relieve troops of 75th Infantry Brigade. After relief the line held by Brigade would become the front line, the disposition being – Right to left:- 1 Company 9th NORFOLK REGT – 1st LEICESTERSHIRE REGT – 2nd SHERWOOD FORESTERS – 2 Companies of 9th NORFOLK REGT being in reserve for counter attack purposes. Casualty return, Lt. L. FAULKS killed in action. Other Ranks, “A” Company killed 3, wounded 9, missing 1, in hospital 2. “B” Company killed 3, wounded 14, in hospital 2. “C” Company killed 1, wounded 2, in hospital 1. “D” Company wounded 4, missing 2, in hospital 3.