This is the full extract which explains it. This sort of comment would never have appeared in the officer's war diaries but the personal diary of Harry Drinkwater would have told it all. It's the old "carrying out orders" issue. Viv.
A DIFFICULT DECISION BEFORE CAPTAIN CLEMENTS DEATH 9th October 1917 - 10th October 1917
The 14th Batallion had been sent to reinforce the 16th and attack again the next morning. Only 1 company of perhaps 200 men had managed to reach the remnants of the 16th, which now comprised only 3 officers and "5-6 dozen men". "Quite memorable was the meeting and subsequent discussion between Sewell and the captain of the 14th Battalion [Royal Warwicks] in the pillbox. . . . . Sewell, with all the eloquence he could muster, pointed out the foolishness of again making the attack under these conditions and the 14th Battalion captain [Clement], whilst agreeing with all Sewell said, nevertheless had orders to carry out the affair. They sat there in the pillbox, both covered in mud - clothes, hands, face - the one unwilling to let his men be slaughtered, which is what it amounted to, the other unwilling to disobey orders.They both looked as if they had the responsibility of the war on their shoulders, the hour of early morningg helping to this end. At daybreak the captain went along the trench to see the position for a possible excuse consummate with his conscience and was sniped through the head.By some means this second attack was cancelled." page 254