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Western Mail, Thursday 17 August 1933, page 2
Any Comeback?
Dear "Non.-Com."-Let me give you an onlooker's view of the Lagnicourt dust-up.
On the morning of the attack I was about my lawful occasions, which included a visit to one of the 18-pounder batteries from memory I think the 12th - which was close to Norieul and near where the 17th and 20th P.B.I. were in supports. As it got light, which was pretty early in the a.m., we could see the Fritzes streaming across the valley to Lagnicourt and Morchics and not 400 yards away. Then came the chance of those gunners - always hoped for and hardly ever seen - catching the opposition out in the open. Fritz was so far round that the guns had to be pulled out of the pits and slewed at right angles and then the battery thoroughly enjoyed itself-open sights and shrapnel at 300 yards. The 17th Infantry men were handing up the ammunition to the new positions and yelling encouragement to the gun wallahs. Those not on that job were having the best rifle shooting they'd ever seen in a war. It was not long before poor old Fritz got fed up and started to imshi, and to cheer them on their way the heavies for miles around joined in. Altogether from my, point of view, it was a bonzer show and I'm glad I was fortunate enough to see it.
A sequel to it was the following story, which must be true, as I got it only second-hand and before 7 o'clock in the morning.
You will remember that the 4th Divvy got a horrible jar just previously in almost the same sector. On this Lagnicourt morning a couple of Fritzes with flares got as far as the edge of Norieul, where they were politely asked by a few of the 20th Battalion to put up their hands. After they had been souvenired, one of them, looking at the diamond colour patch on the digger's sleeve said, with his eyes bulging out far enough for a fowl to perch on: "Himmel, ve did not tink you vos the Diamonds, ve thought you vos the Circles!"
If you wanted a cheap brawl at any time you only had to repeat that yarn in an estaminet where there were some of the 4th Divvy getting a few in. It came at the toot:
"2nd Don Ack," Kojonup.