However, by 11 August the 5th Lincolns was able to hand these over to the Special Reserve battalions of the Manchester Regiment and proceed to the brigade's war station at Belper.

However, on arrival at Ploegsteert in the Ypres Salient, the two Lincolnshire battalions were attached to the Regulars of 11th Brigade in 4th Division for instruction in trench duties.

[16][17][18][23] The battalion was not involved in the 46th Division's first action (the German flamethrower attack at Hooge on 30–31 July 1915), but was under heavy shellfire during this period, and was mined again on 26 September, suffering numerous casualties.

The preliminary bombardment began at noon on 13 October, a gas cloud was discharged from the British trenches at 13.45, and the troops went over the top at 14.00.

The barbed wire in front of the redoubt was well cut and the leading waves of the battalion swept over its east and west faces with little difficulty until they reached the dead ground between the redoubt and Fosse Trench, which was open and swept by rifle and machine gun fire from the front and both flanks, particularly from Mad Point out to the left.

The attack melted away, although isolated parties maintained themselves in shell holes, including Sergeant Harry Drewery with the only surviving machine gun team, who set up in a German communication trench and stayed in action until evening.

Madge, withdrew to the redoubt, which the support battalion (1/4th Lincolns) and the divisional pioneers (1st Bn Monmouthshire Regiment) were consolidating for defence.

(Corporal C. Leadbeater won a bar to his previous DCM for consolidating a point in the north face, defending it with Hand grenades through the night, and then acting as a stretcher bearer when the battalion withdrew; several other MMs were slo awarded.)

The 46th Division went back into the line in the Vimy sector, where 1/5th Bn was involved in a sharp fight when the Germans blew a mine under the parapet of their trench on 12 March.

In April it received a strong draft from home, enabling it to take its place in the line, and Lt-Col Sandall returned to resume command.

[42][43][44] Training for the assault was carried out in Lucheux Forest during May, and in the weeks before the attack the battalion was engaged in fatigue duties, trench-digging, and taking turns in the front line, suffering a trickle of casualties.

The situation was chaotic and Sergeant Hamp, acting commander of a platoon, refused to advance without clear orders (he was not punished, and was subsequently promoted).

[47][48][49][50][51] The battalion spent the following days clearing up the front line, with several men winning gallantry medals for their work in bringing in casualties from No man's land.

[58][59][60][61] 46th (North Midland) Division was not used offensively again until September 1918, spending its time in tours of duty holding the front line in quiet sectors.

C and D Companies of the battalion were sent up from reserve to repel a German counter-attack, but the furthest positions at Montbrehain and the summit of 'Mannequin Hill' could not be held.

Direction keeping in the morning mist was difficult, and German machine gunners resisted fiercely, but 138th Bde overran the enemy's wire and trenches and 5th Bn was on its intermediate line by 08.00.

At the Petit Helpe river on the night of 6/7 November, 5th Lincolns found the bridges washed away, and A Company improvised a crossing by throwing carts, planks and ladders across the stream, while civilians from the other bank did the same.

This was equally successful, with the Leicester battalions of 177th Bde advancing behind the smoke and dust of a creeping barrage and gaining their first objective without much opposition.

The two Lincolnshire battalions then passed through to take the second objective, 2/5th Lincolns attacking with B company on the right, D on the left, C in support and A in reserve providing carrying parties.

Although the attack had been a complete success, the battalion still suffered 16 killed, 210 wounded and 74 missing; of 584 officers and men who went into action, only 285 marched out.

However, by 4 December the decision had been made to withdraw from the dangerous Bourlon Salient, and 59th Division withdrew to the Flesquières Ridge, the 2/5th Bn retiring by platoons without the enemy noticing.

On 23 March the brigade had to withdraw over 5-600 yards of open ground under intense machine-gun fire, losing more men, before digging in, when they were relieved by 40th Division.

[21][110] By now the 59th Division had suffered such heavy losses that it was temporarily disbanded in May and its battalions reduced to cadres sent to train new drafts at St Omer.

[18][20][83][115][116] The 5th Lincolns was reconstituted in the TF (renamed Territorial Army (TA) in 1921) on 16 February 1920, once more forming part of 138th (Lincolnshire and Leicestershire) Brigade in 46th (North Midland) Division.

During the coal strike of April 1921 a temporary Defence Force was formed, with one unit being raised at the 5th Lincolns' HQ and then concentrated at the former Royal Naval Air Station Killingholme.

[121] In November 1933 the battalion re-established a drill station at Brigg, and recruitment there was now so successful that within two years the hired accommodation was inadequate and the Lincolnshire TA Association and War Office (WO) built a new detachment HQ.

In February 1940, 306 and 383 AA Cos took over eight S/L sites on the East Coast that were positioned to pick up low-flying aircraft laying Parachute mines in the mouth of the Humber.

[134][135][136][137][138] The regiment supplied a cadre of experienced officers and men to 234th S/L Training Rgt at Carlisle where it provided the basis for a new 540 S/L Bty formed on 12 December 1940.

By now, AA Command was being forced to release manpower for overseas service, particularly Operation Overlord (the planned Allied invasion of Normandy) and most S/L regiments lost one of their four batteries.

[123][145][146] By the end of 1944, the German Luftwaffe was suffering from such shortages of pilots, aircraft and fuel that serious aerial attacks on the UK could be discounted and the WO began disbanding surplus AA units and reorganising others into infantry battalions for duties in the rear areas.