Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the brother of Mr W. H. Hunt. The War Diary for today records. BOIRY BECQUERELLE. 3.45am. 110th Infantry Brigade attacked FONTAINE LES CROISILLES. ZERO 3.45am. 8th and 9th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. advanced from BROWN LINE (T.6.a.4.7. – A.31.c.2.6.) 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. in Support at N.35.c.4.4. 7th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. in Reserve in area N.34.b and d. 4.30am. 7th Battalion moved up into position vacated by 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. in CONCRETE TRENCH from T.6.a.1.9 to N.36.c.9.8. 6.30am Battalion moved up to BROWN LINE. 6.15am. Orders were received for Battalion to occupy WOOD TRENCH as far as U.2.a.3.5., to get in touch with any posts or parties of our troops on either flank and to consolidate to either flank with the point U.2.a.3.5. as pivot. Casualties:- Captain H. H. HENDHILL, 2nd Lt’s. G. C. WHITE, J. C. WALLEY, W. A. CHAPMAN, M. C. McLAREN, S. WOOD, A. W. J. M. MANNERS, Captain R. B. WALLACE (ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS) all wounded in action. 15 other ranks killed in action, 3 missing, 90 wounded in action. 11.30pm. Battalion withdrawn to HINDENBURG SUPPORT line T.5.b. – T.6.a.
Report on Operations by 7th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment May 3rd 1917
(1) On the evening of May 3rd the Battalion was holding the BROWN LINE along the Brigade Front with 2 ½ Companies. The remainder of Battalion being employed on various carrying parties. At 6.15pm. orders were received to occupy WOOD TRENCH as far as A.2.a.3.5. to get touch with any posts or parties of our troops on either flank, and to consolidate to either flank with the point A.2.a.3.5. as pivot.
(2) The following dispositions were reported:- (a) Light gun post 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT.
established on ROTTEN ROW at A.1.b. central. (b) Light gun post 9th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. on WOOD TRENCH at A.1.b.8.7. (c) Post 9th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. established in front of FONTAINE TRENCH at about A.32.c.2.2. (d) Men of 8th and 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. believed to be in small detachments along line of YORK TRENCH to north west of it. (e) Enemy believed to be holding YORK TRENCH.
(3) Instructions for attack were issued as follows:- “A” Company 7th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT.
(Captain VANNER) to work down ROTTEN ROW to point U.1.b.5.5. “C” Company (2nd Lt WHITE) to work simultaneously down WOOD TRENCH to point U.3.b.8.7. “B” Company to work down WOOD TRENCH in support and carrying bombs. From these points “C” Company to continue down WOOD TRENCH to U.2.a.3.5. getting touch with parties of 9th and 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. on their left and to consolidate in a direction facing east. “A” Company keeping touch with “B” Company to form line from U.1.b.5.5. to U.2.a.3.5. facing south – to get in touch with parties of our men reported to be in front of YORK TRENCH and push forward right flanks as far as possible towards road from U.1.d.7.9. to U.2.a.3.5.
(4) At 7.15pm. the advance commenced at the same moment our artillery barrage started. The enemy
at once brought a very heavy barrage of heavy Howitzers to bear on ROTTEN ROW, and the area including WOOD TRENCH. “A” Company were able to push on down ROTTEN ROW as far as U.1.b.4.5. “C” Company had difficulty in tracing WOOD TRENCH which was found to be merely a trace trench, but not dug, except where our men had consolidated small posts in it. On finding WOOD TRENCH the leaders of “C” Company were shot from north east probably by machine gun fire. This and the extremely heavy barrage made it impossible for “C” Company to advance with no cover, and they became somewhat disorganised. 2nd Lt. WHITE drew his Company back to ROTTEN ROW, and got it reorganised – “B” Company conforming. They were unable to advance. Captain VANNER on reaching front U.1.b.4.5. found the enemy advancing in force from RIVER ROAD, they were driven back by rifle and Lewis gun fire. The existence of following dispositions was established by Captain VANNER by personal reconnaissance:- U.1.b.4.5. - Light gun post (6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT.). U.1.b.3.6. – Light gun and 10 men of 110th TRENCH MORTAR BATTERY. U.1.b.8.7. – Light gun post (Lewis gun but no team left). He therefore established the line U.1.b.4.5. to U.1.b.8.7. with an immediate post at U.1.b.6.5. He then reconnoitred to his flanks, and on the right he found a N.C.O. and 4 men of the 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. at about U.1.b.3.3. They knew nothing of other parties on their flanks, the enemy was in YORK TRENCH strongly. On his left he found a N.C.O. and 14 men of 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. at about U.2.c.0.9. He could not find other men on his flanks here. The posts at U.1.b.3.3. and U.1.b.4.5. were strengthened and strong points dug at these places. He accordingly reported at 10.00pm that his flanks were unprotected, and that he was not in a position to repel a strong counter attack. On reference to Brigade HQ. orders were then issued to withdraw all men to BROWN LINE. This was successfully accomplished, a number of wounded men of other Battalions being brought in.