1st Battalion. 15th Brigade, 5th Division: Reached positions near Montauban (16/7). Moved forward for operations at High Wood (21/7). To Pommiers Redoubt (25/7), front line (26/7). In action at Longueval (27/7)–(29/7). Came under heavy bombardment while forming up for attack – Lieutenant-Colonel P.V.P. Stone (Commanding Officer) noting that ‘A’ Company could hardly muster 1 platoon, most of the rest having been buried by the shelling. Official History of The Great War records that nevertheless – attack started punctually and the Norfolk on the right pushed well forward inside western edge of Delville Wood. Relieved and to Pommiers Redoubt (29/7). Casualties since (21/7) – 429. To front line and support positions Longueval (31/7). Relieved and to Le Quesnoy south-east of Abbeville (3/8). Returned to forward area (24/8) – reaching bivouacs near Bronfay Farm (26/8). In reserve to 95th Brigade’s attack towards Leuze Wood (3/9). Moved opposite Falfemont Farm and attacked 3.10 p.m. (4/9) – ‘A’ and ‘B’ Companies led assault on front of 500 yards – few men of ‘A’ Company reached south-west corner of farm – but soon bombed out. All but 2 officers were killed or wounded – progress only possible by crawling from one shell hole to another. Objective taken by 3 a.m. (5/9). Withdrew to trenches north of Hardecourt 3.15 p.m. – in evening to Billon Farm. Casualties – 369. To Citadel Camp (7/9), Morlancourt (9/9), Waterlot Farm (16/9), positions between Guillemont and Wedge Wood (18/9). Attack on Morval (25/9). In his history of the Norfolk Regiment F. Loraine Petre records that Lieutenant-Colonel Stone had received permission to lead the attack in person. Due to the fact that his battalion had recently received large drafts from other regiments, and that the new men had not yet settled down. The C.O. is said to have accounted for quite a number of the enemy – treating the attack as a pheasant shoot with his servant acting as loader. Relieved and to Citadel Camp (27/9). Entrained at Dernancourt for Longpré (29/9). Entrained for Béthune area (1/10).
7th (Service) Battalion. 35th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division: Marched to Hénencourt Wood (1/7) and in evening in reserve behind embankment of Albert-Arras railway. Moved into assembly trenches for attack on Ovillers (2/7). In reserved during attack (3/7) – taking over and holding Brigade front from Dorset Road to Barrow Road. Relieved and to Albert-Bouzincourt line (6/7). To Albert (8/7), Varennes (10/7), Bois de Warnimont (11/7). Attached to 4th Division at Authie. Rejoined 12th Division at Bertrancourt (21/7). Later to Bouzincourt and Varennes. Moved forward to support positions Ovillers sector (7/8), front line (9/8). Attack on Skyline Trench 10.30 p.m. (12/8) – strong-points established and held. Relieved and to Bouzincourt (13/8), Bois de Warnimont (16/8). Transferred to Arras sector (17/8). Returned to Somme and reserve positions at Bernafay Wood (2/10). To front line Gueudecourt (10/10). Attack on Bayonet and Scabbard Trenches (12/10) – advance met with heavy machine gun fire from both flanks and later uncut wire. Withdrew to trenches near Flers. Casualties – 221. To Mametz Wood (19/10), Dernancourt (22/10) and moved by buses to Arras sector.
8th (Service) Battalion. 53rd Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division: Assembled just north of Carnoy for attack south-west of Montauban (1/7) – ‘C’ and ‘D’ Companies took Mine Trench, Mine Support and Bund Support without difficulty by 8.40 a.m. Regimental historian F. Loraine Petre records the advance as ‘not so easy.’ Casualties – ‘D’ Company on left reduced to about 90 men and commanded by R.S.M. Raven – ‘C’ had only 2 subalterns left and not more than 100 men. Pommiers Trench, The Loop and Montauban Alley later taken. Relieved and to Carnoy (3/7). Casualties – 385. Working parties clearing battlefield and digging communication trench between Montauban Alley and Caterpillar Wood. To camp south of Bronfay Farm (7/7), Grove Town Camp (8/7), Trigger Valley (14/7), Talus Boisé (18/7). Attack on Delville Wood (19/7) – advanced from south-western edge of Longueval about 7.15 a.m. – after hard fighting cleared southern end of wood – captured positions held against heavy bombardment until relieved (less ‘A’ Company) (22/7). Withdrew to Grove Town Camp. Casualties – 293. ‘A’ Company rejoins (23/7) and then entrained for Longpré. Transferred to Armentières sector (26/7). Arrived Acheux from Halloy (11/9). To Léalvillers (12/9), Bouzincourt via Acheux (17/9), Forceville (18/9). Moved forward to Authuille Wood in Brigade support for operations at Thiepval and Schwaben Redoubt (25/9). Withdrew to Forceville (29/9) – ‘B’ Company remaining at Crucifix Corner on burial detail until (30/9). To North Bluff, Authuille (2/10). Attack and capture of Schwaben Redoubt (5/10). Relieved and later to Candas. To Albert (16/10). Successful attack on Regina Trench (21/10) – gains held until relieved (23/10). From Albert took turns in trenches north of Pozières. To Warloy (5/11), Albert and trenches north of Pozières (8/11), Ovillers (13/11).
9th (Service) Battalion. 71st Brigade, 6th Division: Arrived Candas (3/8) and from there marched to Mailly-Maillet. To front line trenches (14/8), Mailly-Maillet (20/8), Louvencourt (26/8), Beauval (28/8), Flesselles (29/8), Méricourt (5/9), Sandpit Camp (8/9). Moved forward to positions south of Trônes Wood (11/9). Took up line on Ginchy-Leuze Wood Road for attack on The Quadrilateral (15/9). Advance is recorded as being with insufficient artillery support – barrage having gap of 200 yards just in front of The Quadrilateral to allow advance of tanks. Leading waves held up by uncut wire and forced to retire. Relieved at midnight and via trenches south of Guillemont to Trônes Wood. Casualties – 431. To Ville-sur-Ancre (19/9), bivouacs north of Carnoy (24/9), Bernafay Wood (25/9), trenches north east of Ginchy (26/9), bivouacs north of Carnoy (1/10). Moved forward into line near Gueudecourt (16/10). Attack on Mild Trench (18/10) – objective taken after hard fighting. Commanding Officer Lieutenant-Colonel Prior later went forward and recorded the garrison holding gained positions as being in good spirits – ‘they had been heavily shelled, sniped at, machine gunned and at least once counter-attacked.’ Second-Lieutenant Cubitt (in a letter) mentions that thick mud had rendered some rifles useless and captured German weapons were used. He also describes how a periscope was hit at both ends while in use and another occasion when a helmet was held up to attract enemy sniper fire. A bullet having hit the helmet then ricochetted and went through a sergeant’s cheek just below the eye. The N.C.O was later seen laughing and joking and peering through the hole that had been made in the helmet. Relieved during night (19/10) and to Corbie, casualties – 248. Transferred to Béthune sector (24/10).