Private Andrew Bidgood was known as Jim to his family and friends. He was the son of Maggie Bidgood. As a farm hand, he enlisted into the NZ army on the 15/11/16. He joined his Battalion on the 28th of July, ready for the 3rd battle of Ypres. The first objective of the New Zealanders was to be the Gravenstafel-Abraham Heights section of the Broodseinde Ridge, and for this attack the 1st and 4th Brigades were selected. 1st Auckland, 1st Wellington, 3rd Auckland and 3rd Otago went into the front line and 2nd Wellington, 2nd Auckland, 3rd Wellington and 3rd Canterbury in close support, ready to move forward through the first wave and pass on to the final objectives. After the men had assembled on the night of 3-4 October a drizzling rain commenced to fall. Through the miserable hours of waiting men huddled together in the shell-holes waiting for the dawn, shivering under their oil-sheets. All night the German guns searched the slopes, and towards morning their fire became very intense. In the darkness officers and N.C.Os moved round seeing that all was in place and giving the last instructions. Breakfast was an unappetizing meal of bully beef, dry bread and water. It is in this chill hour before the first light breaks that vitality is very low. Men stand quietly about, nerves on edge after the ordeal of the night, very tired, counting off the moments until the barrage, half-eager for it to come, yet fearful of the coming, for all know that many must die when the hour strikes. On the other side German soldiers were also waiting to attack. Zero hour was at 6 a.m.—ten minutes before the hour fixed by the enemy for their great counter

Robert Oldfield