'We hurled them over the trenches. It was in this rush that I got run through with a bayonet’

A sergeant in 2nd Battalion, Worcestershire - Berrows 26 September 1914 wrote -

"Soon we saw coming out of the inky darkness a long line of white faces and in response to the quick order we fired right into them.

"The first line wavered for a moment or two, part of it was blotted out but the line of reserves behind filled up the gaps and the front line advanced again, seeming not to heed the heavy hail of bullets we were pouring into them.

"Just about one hundred yards off our trenches the first line of advancing Germans flung themselves flat on the earth, fixing bayonets while the second fired over their heads and yet a third line was pushing forward men to fill the gaps of the second line where our fire tore through.

"Then the first line rose, and the second fixed bayonets also. Finally they all came sweeping forward with the bayonet and threw themselves right into our trenches. We poured one terrible volley into them as they came on but all the devils in hell couldn't have stopped them.

"Our front ranks gave way slightly before the fierceness of the attack and the weight of men hurled at them, but the recoil was only temporary.

"We steadied ourselves and while they were standing still for a moment to take breath and dress their ranks for another rush we went at them with the bayonet, and hurled them over the trenches down the hill again.

"It was in this rush that I got run through with a bayonet’