By 2.00pm most of the Men on Manchester Hill were either dead or wounded and the final hand to hand fighting was taking place. On the western edge of the quarry Sergeant Archer Hoye, the Lewis Gun Sergeant and an original �Pal�, was killed at his post whilst changing the drum on his gun. At 3.30pm, Colonel Elstob was spoken to on the phone by a Staff Officer and he said that very few were left and that the end was nearly come. His last words on the telephone were �Goodbye�. One of the survivors of the battle told of the last words by Elstob to him.
�Tell the Men not to lose heart. Fight On!�
He still held his ground, firing up a trench. A last assault was made by the enemy who called on Elstob to surrender. He replied �Never� and was shot dead. The Adjutant, Captain Sharples, was also killed whilst attempting to pull the Colonels Body into the trench. By 4.00pm, it was all over and the battered remnants of the 16th Battalion, wounded and exhausted, surrendered.
94 years ago today
"Not Forgotten"