From the War Diary extract the name of Pte Burrows can also be seen. They were to become lifetime friends serving for the duration of the war. Following the war they worked together for over forty years in a large mill in Batley West Yorkshire where Hermann Burrows became the owner and Douglas a manager.After training on the Stokes Mortar, they formed the 93rd Light Trench Mortar Battery which consisted of men from all four Regiments within 93rd Brigade.
The 93rd Light Trench Mortar Battery
Stokes Mortars were used in companies of rifle battalions and Light Trench Mortar units.
Each Trench Mortar unit would have gun teams, which would normally consist of three men. They were an indirect fire support weapon (i.e. they fired up and over trenches, landing down into enemy trenches). They could fire High Explosive (HE) rounds either air bursting or ground detonation and also smoke rounds. Smoke was used to both hide our positions from enemy observation and fire and to cover our movements and attacks.
Each gun team could be moved, and could if well trained, carry out a fast rate of fire it was possible to have four shells in the air at any one time. They could also lay false screens so that the enemy would believe an attack was coming. These would draw away German troops from the real attacks.
On the 13th April 1916 at 2 pm, they were finally put on active service. On the 14th April 1916 they occupied billets at Hebuterne for the reconanacing of trenches and the enemies front line positions.
The build up to the Battle of The Somme had begun, and on the 20th April 1916 the first of the 93rd Light Trench Mortar Batteries registered on the enemy trenches.
