Faughs attack Germans near Lesboeufs, the Somme.

The British and French had been edging slowly forward in the great Battle of the Somme. By early October they had reached the German's old fourth line of defences. The 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Fusiliers had moved up to the front line on 9 October 1916 and were in the area of Lesboeufs with Battalion Headquarters located in the shattered hamlet. This point on the front line represented a British advance of six miles since 1 July. During the relief, and for the next two days, the battalion sustained more than 58 casualties.

At 1405 on 12 October, the 1st Faughs, following a creeping artillery barrage, attacked the German trenches known as 'RAINY' and 'DEWDROP' a few hundred yards north-east of Lesboeufs. The Battalion had called forward its 10 per cent reserve, but was still below full strength going into the attack. Nevertheless, it was the clever siting of the German machine guns that not only survived the usual pre-attack shelling, but held their fire until they could inflict maximum damage on the advancing Faughs. They opened fire with murderous effect and by nightfall the Battalion was back holding its original trenches.

At the end of the attack the losses sustained by the rifle companies were reflected in their roll calls:

A Company had no officers and only 39 men.
B Company had three officers and 61 men.
C Company had one officer and 50 men.
D Company had one officer and 59 men.

The Battalion was relieved, again under shellfire and carried away their wounded. The total losses between coming into the line and moving back were some 385. They would spend an uncomfortable winter on the Somme with torrential rain throughout December followed by alternating frost and thaw in the opening months of 1917. The trenches in the shell-torn earth disintegrated and an icy glutinous mud filled the shell-holes. Many fell casualty to exposure and trench-foot.