The Day After...

The day following the 4th Battalion's gallant action at High Wood, the roll was called.
At that point, 3 officers had been killed and two wounded. 29 other ranks were killed and 102 were wounded. Missing at that time, were around 50 men, but this figure would rise in the days to follow as missing men failed to arrive or be accounted for. The Battalion was now reported to be at a third of its original strength since arriving on the Somme.
When back in the Front line, the stories of how gallantly the Suffolks had fought, came out. Once story stood out of how Lieutenant Pawsey (above), shot through the neck by a German sniper, ran on directing his men all the way to the German lines, where he finally collapsed and died. He had run over 400 yards in this state refusing all aid.
4th Suffolk had acquitted themselves well. Again they had been forced to retire in the face of heavy enemy fire, and again, the inability to bring up reserves and a lack of communication, meant a retreat was inevitable. They had shown great courage in pushing onwards with the attack when all officers had been either killed or wounded and the senior NCOs who had commanded their men well in the face of fierce fire, were to be praised for their offensive spirit. 

---