diff options
Diffstat (limited to '25528.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 25528.txt | 6002 |
1 files changed, 6002 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/25528.txt b/25528.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c60bfb6 --- /dev/null +++ b/25528.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6002 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Q.6.a and Other places, by Francis Buckley + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Q.6.a and Other places + Recollections of 1916, 1917 and 1918 + +Author: Francis Buckley + +Release Date: May 19, 2008 [EBook #25528] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK Q.6.A AND OTHER PLACES *** + + + + +Produced by Jeannie Howse, David Clarke and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) + + + + + + + * * * * * + + +-----------------------------------------------------------+ + | Transcriber's Note: | + | | + | Inconsistent hyphenation in the original document has | + | been preserved. | + | | + | For the interest of the reader, 'the morning hate' is | + | WWI slang for the "Stand To Arms". | + | | + | Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. For | + | a complete list, please see the end of this document. | + | | + +-----------------------------------------------------------+ + + * * * * * + + + + +Q. 6. A + +AND OTHER PLACES + + + + +Q. 6. A +AND OTHER PLACES + +RECOLLECTIONS OF +1916, 1917, 1918 + + + +BY +FRANCIS BUCKLEY + + + +LONDON +SPOTTISWOODE, BALLANTYNE & CO. LTD. +1 NEW-STREET SQUARE, E.C. 4 +1920 + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +In the following pages I have tried to set down as faithfully as I can +some of the impressions which remain to me now of three years' service +in France and Flanders. + +I have naturally suppressed much of the grim and ghastly horrors that +were shared by all in the fighting area. A narrative must be written +from some point of view, and I have had to select my own. I regret +that so much personal and trivial incident should appear. Perhaps some +will be able to see through the gross egotistical covering and get a +glimpse, however faint, of the deeds of deathless heroism performed by +my beloved comrades--the officers and men of the 7th Northumberland +Fusiliers, the officers and men of the 149th Infantry Brigade, the +officers and men of the 50th Division. + +The climax of the story is the battle on the Somme where so many dear +friends have perished. The name is taken from a spot where a small +party of the 7th N.F. did something long afterwards to avenge their +fallen comrades. + +Finally no criticism of the Higher Command is intended by anything +that has been written. If such can be read between the lines, it is +unintentional and a matter for sincere regret. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + PAGE + + I. WHEN IT BEGAN 1 + + II. THE MEN OF THE NORTH COUNTRY 7 + + III. ALNWICK 12 + + IV. THE JOURNEY OUT 17 + + V. HILL 60 22 + + VI. MOUNT SORREL AND CANNY HILL 31 + + VII. KEMMEL 41 + + VIII. DIVISIONAL REST 48 + + IX. BRIGADE HEAD-QUARTERS 52 + + X. THE BRIGADE BOMBING SCHOOL 59 + + XI. ST. ELOI AND NEUVE EGLISE 64 + + XII. THE SOMME 68 + + XIII. HENENCOURT 72 + + XIV. MAMETZ WOOD 76 + + XV. THE 15TH SEPTEMBER, 1916 80 + + XVI. MILLENCOURT 87 + + XVII. HOOK SAP 90 + + XVIII. SECOND LEAVE--BRESLE 97 + + XIX. BUTTE OF WARLENCOURT--TRENCH WARFARE 102 + + XX. FRANCE AND THE FRENCH 107 + + XXI. SOUTH OF THE SOMME 115 + + XXII. THE BATTLE OF ARRAS 122 + + XXIII. WANCOURT TOWER--CROISILLES 125 + + XXIV. MONCHY-AU-BOIS 139 + + XXV. TRENCH WARFARE--VIS-CHERISY FRONT 143 + + XXVI. THE HOUTHULST FOREST 153 + + XXVII. DIVISIONAL REST NEAR ST. OMER 161 + + XXVIII. THE PASSCHENDAELE RIDGE 165 + + XXIX. GOOD-BYE TO THE 50TH DIVISION 173 + + XXX. DIGGING TRENCHES ABOUT LOOS 176 + + XXXI. THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE 1918--SECOND BATTLE OF ARRAS 182 + + XXXII. TRENCH WARFARE--HEBUTERNE 203 + + XXXIII. TRENCH WARFARE--THE COLINCAMPS RIDGE 207 + + XXXIV. THE BRITISH OFFENSIVE 1918--BAPAUME RETAKEN 219 + + XXXV. THE STORMING OF THE HINDENBURG LINE NEAR TRESCAULT 224 + + XXXVI. THE GERMANS' LAST STAND 230 + + XXXVII. THE FINAL RUSH FORWARD 234 + +XXXVIII. THE END OF IT ALL 238 + + + + +NOTE + +The following abbreviations are used: + + B.H.Q. = Brigade Head-quarters. + C.C.S. = Casualty Clearing Station. + C.O. = Commanding Officer. + C.T. = Communication Trench. + D.A.Q.M.G. = Deputy-Assistant-Quartermaster-General. + D.H.Q. = Divisional Head-quarters. + F.A. = Field Ambulance. + H.Q. = Head-quarters. + L.-C. = Lance-Corporal. + N.C.O. = Non-commissioned Officer. + O.C. = Officer Commanding. + O.P. = Observation Post. + O.T.C. = Officers' Training Corps. + Q.M. = Quartermaster. + R.T.O. = Railway Transport Officer. + Y.M.C.A. = Young Men's Christian Association. + + + + +Q. 6. A + +RECOLLECTIONS OF 1916, 1917, AND 1918 + + + + +I + +WHEN IT BEGAN + + +Before the war I was living in London, with chambers at Lincoln's Inn. + +I was not surprised when the trouble started. Ever since 1904 it was +reasonably clear to me that our country would have to fight the +Germans or go under. + +The days before we declared war on Germany were spent in London. +During the last few of them it was as though a terrible thunderstorm +was hanging overhead, ready to burst: gloom and foreboding on the +faces of all. There is no doubt that most of our people were taken by +surprise and that they were aghast at the sudden gathering of the war +cloud. But when the stroke of fate fell and we were committed to the +war, there was a curious sense of relief in many hearts. Better death +and ruin than dishonour. A shameful peace or neutrality is for most +Englishmen harder to bear than all the horrors of war. Besides, this +struggle for freedom had to be fought out, though few can have +foretold the cost. + +I had been rejected for the Territorial Force by the Army authorities +in 1908 on account of weak eyesight. I had therefore few hopes of +better luck in August 1914. At first only trained men were enrolled at +the Inns of Court O.T.C., and this went on for some months--till the +nation in fact began to realise the size of its task. So after two or +three vain attempts to find my way into the services, I had to be +content with the truncheon and armlet of a special constable. With +this force I had no special adventures, but I learnt a good deal about +the Vine Street Police area, and about the electric power stations of +the West End. Christmas Day was spent on duty in the streets, and +Easter Day found me still there. Then something happened which decided +my own little fate, as well perhaps as the fate of Europe. This was +the sinking of the good ship _Lusitania_ on May 7, 1915, under +peculiarly barbarous and inhuman circumstances. Eventually it brought +the Americans into the war, when they came to understand that the +German people gloried in the deed of shame. As for me, it took me once +again to the doors of the O.T.C. in Lincoln's Inn. If I could not go +as an officer I would at least go into the ranks. But by this time the +rush of officer recruits had died down, and they were not so +particular about eyesight. So on May 10, 1915, I found myself in +possession of a suit of khaki. It was second-or third-hand and an +indifferent fit, but it enclosed a glad heart. The die was cast, and +one little boat fairly launched on its perilous passage. Never have I +had cause to lament this step. If it has brought me great troubles and +anguish, it has also given peace of mind and the satisfaction of using +to the full such energy as I possess. It took me out of the stifling +heat of the town and gave me at least four years of an open-air life. +For which God be thanked! If it did not bring much promotion or +honour, it brought the friendship of real men, and a treasure greater +than all the stars and ribbons in the world. + +A recruit at the Inns of Court O.T.C. had nothing to fear from those +in charge if he was willing to do his best. There was little +boisterousness or horse-play among the recruits, the dark shadow was +too close for that; and the spirit among my new comrades was one of +great earnestness. For the first two or three weeks we were trained in +Town near the H.Q. of the Battalion in Lincoln's Inn. After that +recruits were sent on to the camp at Berkhamsted for field training. +We were billeted on the local inhabitants. I stayed at the house of +Mr. Charles Dipple, from whose family I received much kind +hospitality. It was a sudden change for one who had spent the greater +part of ten years in London chambers. And at Berkhamsted they worked +you hard, almost to the last degree of physical endurance. Save once, +during a dark two weeks in France, I have never before or since felt +the same fatigue of body. Also the change of food was a little strange +and startling at first. The drill and discipline could do nothing but +good to a healthy man. The enthusiasm of nearly all was great, our +chief idea being to get ready and out to France or elsewhere before +the war should be over. Little did we know what the future had in +store. + +There is nothing much to tell of this part of one's experience. One of +the most pleasant incidents was a fortnightly leave of thirty-six +hours at the week-end, which I used to spend with my friends in Town. +Night manoeuvres on Wednesdays and Fridays and guard duty were perhaps +the most unpleasant part of our lot. Some would add the adjutant's +parade on Saturday morning. But that was short, if not always sweet. + +I had the good luck to win an unpaid lance-corporal's stripe towards +the end of my stay, chiefly, I think, on account of a certain aptitude +for drill, a clean rifle, and clean boots. Of this small achievement I +was and still am a little proud. + +I left the battalion on getting my commission with respect for the +officers in charge of the training. The short experience in the ranks +was to be of great value afterwards, when I came to deal for the first +time as an officer with men in the ranks. It gave a certain sympathy +with them and taught what to avoid. It was the custom of our C.O., +Lieut.-Col. Errington, to give a few words of advice to those leaving +the battalion to take up commissions. And I have never forgotten two +of the principles which he urged upon us. One was the constant +necessity for a soldier to deny himself in little things. The other +was the idea that every officer in his own command, however small, had +a duel to face with another officer in a similar position on the other +side; and that in this duel the one that used his brain best would +win. And so this embryo existence came to an end--a careless, happy +time with no particular thought for the troubles ahead. In the middle +of July 1915 I obtained a commission in the 3rd line Battalion of the +7th Northumberland Fusiliers, Territorials, supplying drafts to the +1st line battalion in France. I had no desire to display my ignorance +of things military before a group of neighbours and possibly +relations, so I applied for a commission, not in the Territorials of +the West Riding Regiment, but in a north-country battalion of +Territorials, with the 1st line fighting in France. The Territorial +Force seemed to me most suitable for one who had no military career in +view. And France, the land of old time romance and chivalry, gave a +more urgent call than Egypt or the East. The choice of a unit, if one +can be said to choose it, is fraught with greater consequences to +oneself than might be supposed. I cannot say after a lapse of three +years that the choice has proved unfortunate to me. It came about in +this way. We were doing a rifle parade one day at Berkhamsted, when +Lieut. Reynolds (N.F.) appeared with our company commander, Capt. +Clarke, and asked for the names of any men who would like to join the +3rd line of the 7th N.F. The 1st line battalion, he said, had just +been badly cut up in France, and we should be out there in four months +perhaps, certainly in six months. That was all the information we had, +but it was enough for me. A north-country territorial battalion and +France in six months--those were the attractions. I had never spent +more than one night in Northumberland and I knew of Alnwick only by +name. It was therefore rather a step in the dark; but to one who was +still ignorant of the meaning of a 'Brigade' or a 'Division' only +general considerations could appeal. And so on July 30, 1915, I set +off for Alnwick to join my battalion, with a new uniform and kit, with +a somewhat nervous feeling inside, but with a determination to do my +best. + + + + +II + +THE MEN OF THE NORTH COUNTRY + + +I have a great respect and admiration for the men of Northumberland. +Especially for those who come from the country towns and villages, the +farm-lands and mines in the northern parts of the county. As soldiers +they have gained a name the world over, of which it would be idle for +me to talk. A cold climate and a fighting ancestry that goes back many +hundreds of years have produced some marked qualities in the race of +Northumbrians to-day. There are few of them that are not true to type, +few that you would not care to have as comrades in a tight corner. +Their stubborn courage and contempt for danger have been proved again +and again. The worse the outlook the more cheerful they seem to +become. Sturdy independence is there, and for this allowance has to be +made--slow to like and slow to change; if you are known as 'Mister' +So-and-so, whatever your rank, you have won their respect. No better +soldiers in the land can be found to hold or to fortify a position. +But I doubt whether they have quite the same genius for the +attack.[1] A certain lack of imagination, a certain want of +forethought, have always, as it seems to me, been a handicap to these +brave men when they attack. Again and again during an assault they +have fallen in hundreds, they have shown themselves as willing to die +in the open as in the trenches. But have they the wild fury that +carries the Scot, the Irishman, or the Frenchman over 'impossible' +obstacles? No, they are not an enthusiastic people, nor a very +imaginative one. And these qualities are needed to press home a +difficult attack. They are not as a whole a quick or a very +intelligent race. But for stark grim courage under the most awful +surroundings they stand second to none. There is a streak of +ruthlessness, too, in their dealings with the enemy; a legacy from the +old Border wars with the Scots. They are quite ready, if need be, to +take no prisoners. A hard and strong, but a very lovable race of men. +Yes, I think all the world of the men of the north, although I am not +blind to their faults. Taken as a whole no more handsome or manly set +of men can be found in the British Isles. + +The Northumbrian dialect is difficult to understand until you get the +trick of it. And the trick of it is in the accent and intonation, and +not so much in any peculiar form of words. They have a peculiar way of +dropping their voices, too, which is sometimes disconcerting. But it +is a clean wholesome language, undefined by the disgusting and +childish obscenity which is too often a disgrace to other districts in +England. It reminds me a little of the Scottish tongue, but rather +more of the country speech in the northern parts of Yorkshire, but in +some ways it is all its very own. It must indeed be one of the +earliest surviving types of the Anglo-Saxon speech. I had no great +difficulty in understanding it, but to this day I am sometimes puzzled +to pick up what is said owing to that curious drop in the voice. + +A word or two as well about the officers of the Northumberlands, +meaning, of course, the natives of the county. For them as well as for +the hardy miners and farmers of the north I have a very sincere +respect and liking. Better comrades on the field of battle no man +could wish for, better officers for a Territorial battalion it would +be hard to find. Their unbending courage, their gallant bearing in +danger, their cheerfulness and their care and thought for their men +have been responsible in a great measure for the successes won by the +Northumberland battalions and for the lamentable but noble sacrifices +when success was denied. Gallant and devoted soldiers they have been, +and well they have earned the love and admiration of their men. Always +cheerful whatever was on foot, readiest of all to turn a danger passed +into a jest. There could not be a better spirit in which to face the +long delays and the bitter disappointments of the war. Two outstanding +features in their character are, to my mind, practically universal, +whatever form they happen to take. An inherent pugnacity, and a +whole-hearted belief in and love of their county, which amounts to +something more than clannishness. They know everything about every +one in Northumberland, and with others they do not trouble themselves +much. They do not talk about it like the Scots, but it is there all +the same; and it has a profound influence on their actions and +judgment. Within this sacred circle, into which no outlandish man can +break, their pugnacity develops countless local feuds. And these feuds +can be bitter enough, and I do not think I ever met a north-countryman +without one. Generally there are two or three on foot at a time. One +town against another, the men who did against the men who did not. +Sometimes I have thought that these queer hereditary instincts, for +such they undoubtedly are, have led the men of the north astray. The +house has been divided against itself, justice has not been done, or +it has been delayed, incompetence has been allowed to spread its +blighting influence. In other words the love of their county and the +strength of their local feuds have at times blinded the men of the +north to the real interests of their country, when a united front and +a concentration of the best effort available were absolutely necessary +to get on with the war. To me the Northumbrian officer has been +universally kind, and I have never had the least discourtesy or +injustice from any of them, but many acts of kindness. But I have seen +with regret on several occasions a loss of effort and strength through +the divisions caused by prejudice. Thoroughly cheerful and a generous +and charming comrade, much given to hospitality, I do not think the +Northumbrian officer is always a very brilliant person intellectually. +There are many notable exceptions, but they are notable enough to +establish the impression. + +Beyond these general observations it would be unwise--and I do not +intend--to enter into the domestic history of any battalion or +brigade. Better comrades one could not have, and a nobler and more +devoted body of men I have yet to meet. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] This criticism can of course be made of any troops of English +nationality. + + + + +III + +ALNWICK + + +A short sketch of my stay at Alnwick may not be out of place. For +though it did not seem very adventurous at the time it had a great +influence on my subsequent career, both in France and afterwards. It +is a most romantic spot, with one of the finest castles in England. +The heather hills run down through corn-land towards the seashore; and +the general features of the countryside reminded me much of my own +home in the West Yorkshire hills. The curious battlements and gates in +the town and the monuments outside tell of a time when it was one of +England's front line posts against the raiding Scots. It seemed to me +to be a fitting spot to train men for the wars. + +When I arrived at the end of July 1915 the H.Q. of the 3rd line +battalion were at the Star Hotel in Fenkle Street--very comfortable +but rather expensive quarters. Only a few of the officers had arrived +as yet. Just a few new-comers like myself, very green and raw, and +about four or five officers of the 1st line battalion who had returned +wounded from France. These latter had for the most part been wounded +at the battle of St. Julien in April 1915, during the 2nd Battle of +Ypres. They were now discharged from hospital and attached to the +draft battalion for training before going out once more. They were +very friendly and nice to the new-comers; and indeed we looked upon +them quite as veterans, although their active service in France had +not exceeded a few days. Capt. J. Welch, Lieuts. J.W. Merivale, E. +Nixon, and E. Fenwicke Clennell became special friends of mine, and I +am grateful for many acts of kindness from them both then and later on +abroad. The men of the battalion, also raw recruits and wounded men +returned from hospital, were quartered in the houses in the town. The +O.C. battalion was Major (afterwards Lieut.-Colonel and Brevet +Colonel) J.J. Gillespie, T.D., and the Adjutant Capt. W.A.C. +Darlington. The C.O. was a man of great personality, so much so that +he is one of the best known and most talked of persons in the +Northumberlands. A great organiser and a hard worker, who generally +got his own way with small and great, he has done much to make the +drafts efficient. I was lucky to find favour in his eyes, and our +relations were always friendly. + +We had as near neighbours in Alnwick the Brigade of Tyneside Scottish, +who were encamped in the Pastures near the Castle, as fine a body of +men as you could wish to see. After staying for a while at the Star +our battalion moved out to Moorlaws Camp and we remained there under +canvas till the middle of October. In the meantime I was lent for +about five days to the 21st Provisional Battalion N.F., a home service +battalion, who were encamped at Cambois ('Cammis') on the sea-coast. +This was like a picnic for me, for all the officers there treated me +kindly and did not work me hard. One night I volunteered for night +duty and had the experience of visiting the sentries (all with loaded +rifles) at the various posts along the shore. Shortly after returning +to Alnwick I was sent, on September 2, to the Army School of +Signalling and Bombing at Tynemouth, and went through the Bombing +course, which lasted about a week. So primitive were the arrangements, +even at this date, that we were only taught how to improvise grenades +out of old jam tins, and how to fire them out of iron pipes as +trench-mortar bombs. We were indeed allowed to handle precious +specimens of the famous No. 3 (Hales) and No. 5 (Mills), but there +were not enough available for live practice. The West Spring Thrower +had not arrived, but I saw a trench catapult in action; and some dummy +Stokes bombs were fired off for us to see. At this course there was an +examination, and I got a first-class certificate as a grenade +instructor, an event which had considerable influence on my career in +France, as will appear later on. When I got back to Alnwick I found +the battalion under canvas at Moorlaws. Here I became 'grenadier +officer' to the battalion, and I had daily classes of men who had +volunteered to become bombers, or 'grenadiers' as they were then +called. + +Live practice was carried out entirely with improvised bombs, old jam +tins and black powder. But we procured a certain number of dummies of +Nos. 1 and 5 to practise throwing. Major N.I. Wright (who had returned +wounded) took a great interest in our proceedings and had some dummy +grenades made for us. A gallant soldier with hard service in South +Africa and the Great War, he has always been a good friend to me. I +went on with the bombing till about October 20, when the battalion +returned to Alnwick and went into wooden huts in the Pastures. The +officers were billeted at a house called 'Alnbank,' a mansion some +little distance from the men's quarters. After this move I was +appointed Company Commander to C Company, a newly formed company with +only raw recruits in it. My second in command was Lieut. Joseph +Robinson, a dear friend, who had come all the way from the Argentine, +and whom I first met at the O.T.C. at Berkhamsted. He was known as +'Strafer Robinson' on account of being physical drill instructor, and +a pretty exacting one. I found the recruits in C Company most willing +and anxious to learn their job; and they never gave me much trouble +either in orderly room or on parade. + +I was kindly treated by every one at Alnwick. My stay there has only +pleasant memories. Major the Hon. Arthur Joicey, who had returned +from the 1st line, gave me several glorious days after partridges at +Longhirst. The number of these birds so far north fairly astonished +me. The doctors' families in Alnwick were also very kind and +hospitable to all our officers. Mrs. Scott Jackson, the wife of the +Colonel of the 1st line battalion, could not do enough for us; and +many happy evenings have been spent at her house; notably a great New +Year's Eve party for all the officers, just before I left for the +front. I took part in a Rugby football match, the first time for +eleven years. The 3rd line 7th N.F. succeeded in defeating the reserve +battalion of the Tyneside Scottish, largely through the prowess of +2nd-Lieut. McNaught at half-back. There was rather a pleasant +institution towards the end of my stay--namely, a meeting of the +senior officers for dinner every Wednesday evening at the Plough Inn. +They did you well there, and it was a pleasant change from the mess +dinner. + +About January 3, 1916, I was warned to proceed with a small draft of +officers to the front. Four of us were to go, and I was delighted to +find myself one of those selected. After a splendid farewell dinner +with the officers of the battalion on January 4, I left the same night +for London to spend my final leave. + + + + +IV + +THE JOURNEY OUT + + +On Monday, January 10, 1916, I left England with three other officers, +bound for the Base Camp at Havre. My companions were 2nd-Lieuts. +Peters, O. Clarke, and Gregson. My final purchases at Southampton +included an extra haversack and some morphia pills. The latter had +been strongly recommended for certain kinds of wounds and they were +still sold without a prescription.[2] The journey across the Channel +was done at night. The transport left port about 8 P.M. and steaming +slowly without lights reached Le Havre about 5 A.M. next morning. + +My last view of England was the dreary wet dock, and later on a few +distant and receding lights. Though we got into port at 5 A.M. we were +not allowed to leave the vessel till 8 A.M. But, at last, as a cold +and cheerless morning was breaking, I stepped ashore and set foot for +the first time on foreign soil. We soon found an hotel (? Hotel de +Normandy) where they understood the English language and some of our +ways, and we got breakfast in the English fashion. After a look round +the shops and a shave in a small establishment in a side street, we +reported at a large office in the town. Here we signed our names in a +large register, and were given directions to proceed to a Camp, some +distance from the town, where reinforcements for the 7th N.F. were +collected and accommodated till they could be sent 'up the line.' Our +stay here was a short one, for which I was thankful. They did not seem +at all pleased to see us; it seems we had arrived a few days later +than had been expected, and the Camp Commandant appeared to think it +was our fault. We left Le Havre next day without having tasted the +joys of the 'Bull Ring' or any other educational entertainment +prepared for those staying on at the Camp. The train started about +midnight, and like most troop trains in France moved along in a +leisurely, dignified manner, with frequent stops and long waits +between the stations. When we did arrive at Rouen, which was about +midday on Thursday, we had to change. And feeling unrefreshed by our +night in the train, we spent the time resting at an hotel instead of +seeing the sights. But it is a fine looking old town and would be +worth visiting in more peaceful times. + +We left Rouen again at night and wandered along in the same dilatory +fashion, arriving at Hazebrouck and eventually at Poperinghe. + +The latter was railhead for the Ypres Salient. It was not surprising +then to find the houses near the railway station looking shattered +from the shells and bombs that had been aimed at the station. We had +tea with the Y.M.C.A., who had with their usual dauntlessness selected +a house close to the station. It had been struck by a bomb a few +nights before, and there was a hole in the roof and in the ceiling and +floor of one of the rooms; but I understood that no one had been hurt +by the explosion. These shattered houses and the distant sound of gun +fire, which we first heard about Hazebrouck, were the first signs of +war that we noticed. After a long wait a limber arrived at the station +to take ourselves and our valises to the camp of the 7th N.F. at +Ouderdom. It was not really a very long journey, I believe, but it +seemed so to us after our long and wearisome journey in the train. + +To make matters worse the military police made us take a roundabout +road, and the driver lost his way. Of course a limber is not quite the +vehicle you would select for comfort, especially over roads that are +stony or pave. The German flare lights could be clearly seen all the +way, and they seemed to be on three sides of us. A most brilliant and +interesting sight the first time you see it. + +Eventually we reached the camp at Ouderdom. It was called 'Canada +Huts' and consisted of a cluster of wooden huts erected just off a +narrow muddy road. At one time I am told, the mud was thigh deep; but +now duck boards had been laid down, and though decidedly muddy the +camp was quite passable. When we arrived it was quite late, and we +found the camp in total darkness and every one asleep. But some of the +batmen (or officers' servants) were roused, and they not only showed +us a place to sleep in, but got us some tea and a scratch meal, very +welcome after our uncomfortable ride from the station. What wonderful +people these batmen are! Always so cheery and good to their officers. +Inside the huts we found wooden bunks in two tiers round three sides +and also a wooden table and forms in the middle. Not much room to move +about perhaps, but fairly dry and warm. After two sleepless nights in +the train we did not need rocking. + +We found that we had arrived just in time to go with the battalion to +the front line trenches next day. For the battalion had just spent +three days in the rest area and was due to take over the line on the +fourth day. There was not much time, therefore, to get acquainted with +our fellow officers or to learn much about the platoons to which we +were assigned. Several of the officers we had known well at home in +the 3rd line battalion at Alnwick, and Major N.I. Wright and Capt. J. +Welch and Lieuts. J.W. Merivale and Fenwicke Clennell were old +friends. Also we had already met our new battalion commander +Lieut.-Col. G. Scott Jackson at Alnwick when he was last on leave. It +was nice to be greeted by friendly faces when our trials were so soon +to begin. + +The last few hours before going back to the line are always rather +dreary and unprofitable, spent chiefly in packing up and deciding +what to leave behind. Valises of course were left behind with all +'spare parts' in the Q.M.'s stores. But in winter a fairly heavy load +of things was necessary, and the weather was wet and stormy. We had no +steel helmets in these days and no gas box-respirators, only two cloth +respirators of little weight. I found myself in charge of No. 4 +Platoon in A Company, of which Capt. H.R. Smail was commander. There +were two other 2nd-Lieuts. in the company besides myself. The fighting +strength of a company did not much exceed 100 men, if as many. + +Before we left Canada Huts, I was provided with a batman, coming of +course from A Company. And a good fellow he was and much I owe to him. +He has looked after me continuously from the day after I arrived until +he was demobilised on December 24, 1918--nearly three years. A miner +from Ashington, wounded at St. Julien in April 1915, he had rejoined +the battalion some months before in France. At a later stage I had to +rely much on his skill as a cook. A wonderfully cheerful person and a +smart and handy man at improvising little comforts for me. His name +was William Critchlow. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[2] Fortunately I never had occasion to use them. + + + + +V + +HILL 60 + + +When it was beginning to get dark the battalion formed up in the road +and the roll was called over. At last we set off slowly, squelching +through the mud on the wet roads, the rain pouring down unceasingly. +We soon struck the pave road that runs through Dickebusch, a long +straggling village, still fairly intact and occupied by Belgian +civilians. It was shelled now and again but not severely. When we +reached this place, the battalion opened out considerably, platoons +keeping 200 yards apart; a precaution necessary on roads that were +periodically shelled at night. After plodding along for some time we +reached the Cafe Belge, a mere ruin now, but a well-known halting +place for troops on the march. Here we turned off to the right and +left the pave road which runs on to Ypres, and after this the roads +were much more difficult to travel. Shell holes were frequent and +generally full of water, so that in the dark it was only too easy to +stumble into them. 'Shell-hole on the right,' 'Shell-hole on the +left,' 'Shell-hole in the middle,' 'Keep to your right' were being +passed back continually. Progress was slow of course under these +conditions and with the heavy loads that we all carried. But it was +all so novel to me that I had not a moment to feel dull or depressed. +After a time we reached the notorious 'Shrapnel Corner' and turned +towards 'Transport Farm,' for we were bound for trenches at Hill 60. +This place was of course famous for the British attack in 1915, and +for the German counter-attack with gas a little later on which was all +too successful. It was also notorious for being one of the hottest +corners of the British front. Owing to their vantage ground on the +hill the enemy had little difficulty in sniping and shelling our +trenches effectively. + + [Illustration: Hill 60.--Official Map, March 1916.] + +As we approached Transport Farm I came for the first time under +indirect rifle fire. A number of bullets fired at our trenches +carried over and landed not far from the roads at the back. Though +rather alarming in the dark to one unaccustomed to them, they seldom +did much damage. Occasionally a man or two got wounded during these +reliefs. Our company turned to the left again near Zillebeke railway +station, and then struck off the road and reached the mouth of a C.T. +which led after about a hundred yards to the support trenches. + +A glance at the official plan of the trenches at Hill 60 will give +some idea of the extraordinary place it was. Whilst the German line +ran solid along the top of the ridge, there were two complete gaps in +the British fire trenches between Hill 60 and Mount Sorrel on the +left. On paper it looks as if there were nothing to stop the German +from walking across and behind our lines whenever he chose. But I +imagine that these empty spaces were covered by machine-gun posts, and +that the artillery were ready to deal with any attempt of that sort. +Another feature of the place was the awful nature of the ground +outside the trenches. It was a morass filled with partially buried +bodies--that is, partially buried by nature in the ooze and mud. +During a dense mist about seventy identity discs were recovered from +the ground behind our support lines. And it was worse in front between +the opposing trenches. It was not likely, then, that the German would +wish to press us farther down the hill, at any rate for tactical +purposes. + +A Company had two platoons in the front line trench 41, some 100 yards +from the enemy, and two platoons in a support line called '41 +support.' The trenches themselves were well-built and revetted with +sand bags, and dry enough even during the wettest weather. We had in +these days only small shelters--the deep dugout was unknown. The three +subalterns in A Company took turns at duty in the trenches, four hours +on and eight hours off, night and day. The duty consisted chiefly of +visiting the sentries every hour, and keeping a general look-out, and +seeing that the trench rules were obeyed. A good deal of rifle fire +went on at night. Sentries on either side would exchange shots, and an +occasional machine-gun would open out. At close range the bullets make +a curious crack as they pass overhead. Being tall and having been +warned of the efficiency of the German sniper, I had to walk in most +of the trenches with a bend in the back, which soon became tiring. + +On Sunday, January 16, I had a decidedly lively time for my first day +in the trenches. It was always said that the Germans got a fresh +supply of ammunition at the week-end, and Sunday was scarcely ever a +day of rest. However that may be, this Sunday was the worst day I had +for some time. After sending over a few small howitzer shells, the +German field-guns sent periodical showers of shells, 'whizz-bangs' we +called them, on to the support trench and C.T. + +This went on all morning, and whilst the shoot lasted they came over +in a perfect stream. After a quieter afternoon a regular trench battle +opened out at night, rifle grenades and bombs being freely exchanged, +and a number of trench-mortar bombs--'sausages and rum jars'--coming +over from the enemy's trenches. Eventually our heavy guns opened out +with lively retaliation and the enemy quietened down. Rather a big +dose to get the first day in the trenches, when everything was so +strange and new. However I was assured that it was not an 'average' +day even on Hill 60, but something like an organised shoot. One of the +features of the place was the number and size of the rats; they looked +the size of rabbits as they scuttered along the trenches at night. +Another was the awful taste of the water we got to drink. It was +boiled and it was turned into strong tea, but it had a most +indescribably horrible taste. The food, on the other hand, was +excellent and plenty of it. In the light of subsequent rations these +were indeed the days of plenty. Owing to the kindness of some friends +of the battalion in England, both officers and men were supplied with +sheep-skin coats or jackets which were wonderfully good in keeping out +the cold at night. 'Stand-to' was a regular institution of trench +warfare, both an hour before dark and an hour before dawn. Naturally +the latter was the more trying, but at this time the rum ration was +served out; and it certainly prevented you from being frozen stiff and +enabled you to get to sleep again if your duties did not keep you to +the trenches. A very curious life in the trenches, a very small world +but every bit of it packed full of interest and novelty to me. From +the trenches, if you looked backwards, there was a splendid view of +Ypres, with its shattered spires and houses, still a beautiful grey +ruin, even in death. I was destined to have a much closer acquaintance +with it later. Beyond the usual rounds of shelling on both sides +nothing of particular interest happened during the next three days. On +the evening of January 19 we were relieved by a company of the 5th +N.F. (Capt. North M.C.), and moved out after dark for a short rest in +close support. + +My career as a platoon commander in the trenches was a short one, for +as it happened that was my first and last experience as such. We moved +out and back for about a mile, eventually reaching a house called +Blauwpoorte Farm.[3] It was not a bad place then, and was not shelled, +though at night the bullets used to rattle round if you walked abroad. +Here on the second day I took a small party of men, as a working +party, to the shelters at the 'Sunken Road,' rather nearer the line. I +think we were engaged in clearing the road of mud and generally +cleaning up. On the way there I saw some rather humourous notices +stuck up at various points. 'This is a dangerous spot.' It was kindly +meant no doubt, but on the whole no part of the Salient afforded much +of a rest-cure, and it was practically all under direct observation +of the enemy. We existed simply through his forbearance. + +On January 22, 1916, I became bombing officer to the battalion, or, as +it was then called, 'grenadier officer.' My predecessor had had bad +luck, getting his hand shattered by the accidental explosion of a +detonator. Accordingly I was sent to see Sergt. W. Moffat, the +battalion bombing sergeant, in order to pick up what I could of the +routine at so short a notice. Sergt. Moffat was a short withered man +with sandy hair, a quiet manner, but a cheery twinkle in his eye. He +had served in the South African war; and had been mentioned in +despatches for good bombing work during a German attack at Hooge. A +most conscientious and hard-working fellow, with a passion for all +sorts of bombs. I could not have fallen into better hands. He was an +admirable instructor and assistant, and knew all there was to be known +about trench routine. I could see he was universally respected in the +battalion. He was a Salvation Army man at home, and wore their red +woollen jersey under his tunic. Much do I owe him and much do I still +lament his untimely end. + +Capt. Smail returned to England about this time, leaving me his woolly +coat, a priceless parting gift. Capt. J. Welch came to command A +Company and a cheerier fellow surely never existed. I was glad to +accept his offer of messing with A Company. There never was a dull +moment at mess when Welch presided. + +We went back to Hill 60 for four days on January 23. I cannot +remember much of this stay in the line, and nothing special happened. +I was too busy learning all I could of the routine of the trenches and +locating and checking bomb stores. I had to visit all the trenches +held by the battalion, and thus got the chance of making the +acquaintance of the other Company commanders, Capt. H. Liddell (B +Coy.), Capt. C. Davies (C Coy.) and Capt. G.F. Ball, M.C., (D Coy.). I +remember being asked by our Brigadier-General Clifford to explain some +part of a derelict West Spring Thrower in the cutting at Hill 60 (I +had never even seen one before) and being saved by the timely +intervention of Sergt. Moffat. + +On January 27 we were relieved and went back to Canada Huts for a rest +of four days. Oh, that first rest out of the trenches! The +accommodation was poor enough seen in the light of home comforts, but +what a palace of rest and refreshment it seemed to me then, and how +quickly the time passed. I had to practise the bombers (nineteen from +each company) in throwing dummy grenades each morning on the mud flat +(it was once a field) outside the huts. In order to stimulate keenness +I organised a competition and gave one franc each day as a prize for +the best score. I soon found out who were the most expert throwers. + +We had a Y.M.C.A. hut close to the camp, and it was interesting to +drop in and have a chat with the men in charge and a cup of cocoa. +There was an old gentleman there, in command, who was rightly proud +of being the civilian nearest to the front line. He displayed to us +with great pride a souvenir found in Ypres, the huge base of a 17-inch +shell--it was almost too heavy for one man to lift. We had our Church +Service and our concerts in the marquee attached to the Y.M.C.A. hut. + +Most of the officers got leave to go to Poperinghe during these rests +out of the line, but I never went there myself. There was an +attraction there in the 'Fancies,' a fine concert party, many of whose +songs I learnt at second hand. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[3] Lieut. F.B. Cowen, a very cheery machine-gun officer, also 7th +N.F., had his quarters here. + + + + +VI + +MOUNT SORREL AND CANNY HILL + + +When we went up the line again on January 31, it was to Mount Sorrel, +on the north of Hill 60. Here we had a good set of trenches, but they +were practically cut off from our trenches at Hill 60 by a swamp. +Through the swamp ran a watery sort of drain about four feet deep. It +was the old front line, now waterlogged and quite untenable. Although +the drain was not held by day, a patrol of bombers used to pass along +it at intervals during the night. And it was part of my duties to wade +through it every night. This was not a pleasant job, because you could +not show a light and the mud smelt abominably. We were provided, +however, with rubber boots reaching up to the thigh, so we did not get +very wet. The officers of A Company occupied an 'elephant' shelter +just behind the support line. All its occupants were killed by a shell +bursting in the doorway, just two days after we had left these +trenches. I first met Lieut. W. Keene here. He was the Brigade +Grenadier officer and had the supervision of all bombing arrangements +in the Brigade area, besides being responsible for the supply of +grenades. I always found him friendly and encouraging, and I was glad +to learn anything he could tell me. He asked me to send in a daily +report to B.H.Q.; and I have kept the copies of these reports to this +day. + +During this stay in the trenches the Germans stuck up a notice board +with the following legend: _Attention Gentlemen_, and below in German, +'If you send over one more trench-mortar bomb you will get strafed in +the neck.' + +On February 3 we were relieved and A Company stayed four days in the +railway cutting at Hill 60 in close support. The second day I went +with Capt. Welch and Lieut. Greene to the trenches north of Mount +Sorrel which were called Canny Hill. That journey was full of +incident, we seemed to be shelled or bombed all the way to Mount +Sorrel and back, and Capt. Welch has often humourously suggested that +I was the Jonah. It also meant crossing the dismal swamp in daylight, +and how we did it without being seen and shot I really do not know. +During our stay in the cutting I explored the old broken trenches +behind our support line at Hill 60, and found a fine dump of English +bombs of early types. I spent quite a long time drawing their teeth. +One little incident I remember at this spot. About 1 A.M. an elderly +R.E. officer came into our shelter, and told us in a voice shaking +with joyful emotion that he had just blown up a German counter-mine +which had been threatening our mine galleries at Hill 60. + +On February 8 we marched back to Canada Huts, and had another four +days' rest. This time the bombers carried out a good deal of live +practice with Mills bombs at some bombing-pits about half a mile from +Canada Huts. It was my first experience of the sort; but Sergt. Moffat +kept me up to the procedure at the firing-pit. Also it was the first +time I had the chance of throwing a live Mills bomb myself. On +February 12 we were due to take over the trenches at Canny Hill, and I +went up early and by myself, riding to Cafe Belge and thence on foot +to Hill 60, Mount Sorrel, and so on to Sanctuary Wood. It was a long +way round but I knew no other way. My dugout was in the wood, rather +far from the front line and from the H.Q. of A Company in Davison +Street. Our front line trenches were about quarter of a mile away from +the German front line, but there were signs that the Germans were +digging a forward trench along a hedge about 200 yards away from our +front. This activity gave the Staff some uneasiness, and considerable +interest was taken in these forward workings. I went out with Capt. +Welch for a short visit in that direction the first night, but we saw +nothing of interest. The next night Capt. Welch brought back a +revetting stake from the new German trench. I believe it was on +February 13 that the Germans attacked and took the 'Bluff,' some +trenches south-west of Hill 60. About 3.30 P.M. our own trenches were +bombarded for about two hours continuously with field artillery, and a +lot of pieces were blown out of the top of our trenches, but no +infantry attack developed. After this a small mine was blown up under +our old trenches at Hill 60 and a platoon was wiped out there. But an +attempt by the Germans to occupy the crater was frustrated through the +initiative of a machine-gun officer. I saw and felt the shock of this +mine going up, and a wonderful sight it was in the evening light. The +shelling went on for some time after dark, whilst to our right our +artillery thundered away in support of several fruitless attempts to +recapture the lost trenches at the 'Bluff.' + +On February 14 I was told to organise a series of bombing parties, one +from each company, to visit the German advanced trench at different +times during the night and if possible to bomb German parties working +there. I decided to accompany the first party, from A Company, between +8 and 10 P.M. Sergt. Dorgan, an experienced patroller, went with me, +also L.-C. Lowes, Ptes. Austin and Gibson, and two other bombers. As +it was very wet, I had a sandbag taken by each man to lie down on. The +scheme was to creep right up to the new trench near the hedge, and +await the arrival of the German working-party. So we crept out along +the wet ground and got to the trench, which was about two feet deep. +We found no one there, and Pte. Austin went on into the hedge to keep +a look-out. In the hedge were found a German sniper's plate, a steel +shield with a loop-hole in it, and a German entrenching tool, like a +small spade. These were at once annexed. Then we lay down again on +the sandbags and waited with eyes and ears straining for about an +hour. But no Germans came, though we had one warning from our sentry +to get ready to fire. After that, cold and thoroughly soaked, we +returned in triumph with the sandbags and our spoils, which we placed +in our own trench. The other parties went out later but found no +Germans at work. Possibly the wet night or the battle on our right +prevented them from coming out to work that night. The object of these +forward trenches was afterwards apparent, when four months later the +Germans attacked and took Mount Sorrel. On February 16 we were +relieved and went back into support for four days. I have forgotten +where we went, but I think it was to the Canal Dugouts not far from +Swan Chateau. + +On February 20 we returned to the same trenches at Canny Hill and held +them for five days. The first night in, Capt. Welch was badly wounded +through the shoulder whilst bringing in a wounded man who had been hit +whilst outside wiring. He was a great loss to the battalion, and was +sadly missed by the men as well as by the officers. It now turned very +cold, and we had a fall of snow several inches deep. This made it +difficult for parties to work in the trenches without being spotted. I +had an unpleasant experience of this. I was looking for an emplacement +for a grenade-rifle stand, and I selected a likely-looking spot just +behind the front line. Then I brought a party of bombers to dig the +place out. We had not thrown out five shovelfuls of earth before a +shell came whistling just over our heads. Fortunately I dispersed the +party at once along the trench. Then the fun began. Shells came +whizzing in all round the unlucky spot, till a direct hit right in the +middle of it apparently satisfied the German gunners and the storm +ceased. After that I chose another place farther along the trench +where no digging was required. + +On February 25 we left Canny Hill and went back to Canada Huts. On +this occasion we had to make rather a detour to allow the troops of +the 3rd Division to use the roads; and in so doing we passed Ypres +railway station. + +On March 1 we moved into the support dugouts at Transport Farm, called +Railway Dugouts. We were told to expect a bombardment by our guns that +night, as the 'Bluff' was to be attacked and retaken early next day. +The bombers of the 7th N.F. spent some time detonating grenades by +candlelight in the bomb store at Transport Farm. Sure enough there was +a terrific bombardment for half an hour. It was the first of the kind +that I had seen, and I believe that at least 500 guns of all calibres +were collected for the occasion. The whole of the landscape seemed to +be alight, every hedge flickering with flame; whilst away towards the +'Bluff' there was a sullen red glare where our shells were bursting. +Nothing further happened that night. But at dawn next morning the 3rd +Division attacked the 'Bluff' without bombardment and surprised the +garrison, taking many prisoners and recapturing the lost trenches and +some more ground besides. I saw one or two droves of prisoners coming +back past Bedford House, the first time I had seen any live Boches. +The bombardment by our guns started again soon after the attack, and +our guns kept up a slow rate of fire all day. In reply the German +heavy guns shelled the back areas freely, especially the road past +Transport Farm, and we got a few shells near the railway. We got +orders to take over the trenches at Mount Sorrel the same night. I +left with a party of bombers soon after 1 P.M., going along a C.T. to +Sanctuary Wood and then back through the trenches to Mount Sorrel. + +We found the trenches in a sad mess. That morning there had been a +demonstration with all arms along this part of the front, and the +enemy had naturally retaliated and done a lot of damage. To increase +our troubles it became very cold, and the snow fell inches deep. But +there was no more shelling on either side for the next week. Apart +from sniping, which was assisted by the snow, we were left in peace to +bale out the mud and repair the trenches. This cold snap caused a lot +of sickness, and it was not improved by our having to hold these +trenches for over a week--a long time under such wintry conditions. At +last, on March 9, we were relieved and moved back to some dugouts near +Bedford House. Here we stayed for some days, taking working-parties up +to Hill 60 at night, from 7 P.M. to 1 A.M. One night we were shelled +off the roads, and had to come back with nothing done. Another time I +took a party to mend a breach in the front line at Hill 60. I think we +went back to Canada Huts about March 16--at any rate we had a longer +rest than usual. Sir Douglas Haig came over to Canada Huts to inspect +the battalion. Amongst other things he inspected A Company who were +drawn up in their hut, 2nd-Lieut. Gregson and myself being the +subalterns there in charge. The General spoke to Gregson first, and +asked him how long he had been out. He replied: 'January 14, +sir'--meaning January 14, 1916. His reply was, however, taken to mean +'January 1914,' and quite a little discussion took place, which amused +me much, as Gregson stuck to his point. Afterwards the General came +round to my end of the hut and asked me how long I had been out. +'January '16, sir,' I replied. 'That's all right,' he said, 'well, I +wish you the best of luck.' There was an amused twinkle in his kind +sympathetic face, as I was still half-smiling over his little +controversy with Gregson. + +After this we moved off to another rest camp not far away, for a few +days. On March 24 we were due to take over the trenches at Hill 60 +again for three days. I went up early in the day and 'took over' the +various bombing arrangements. The trenches now included some on the +south side of the Railway Cutting, and I had my dugout there in the +top of a small hillock called the 'Mound.' From 7.30 P.M. to 10 P.M. +that night the trenches and Cutting were heavily bombarded, but the +relief was not much delayed. The 7th N.F., however, had great luck in +having only two men wounded whilst coming in. They were unfortunate +casualties, it is true, 2nd-Lieut. J.H.C. Swinney[4] and Sergt. +Dorgan, both good men and a loss to the battalion. The next three days +were bad days for us. The battalion had over fifty casualties, much +above the average. Four days in the line generally gave about seven or +eight casualties. On March 25 British mines were exploded at St. Eloi, +and the mine craters were occupied by the 3rd Division. The explosion +took place just before dawn, about a mile or more to the south, but it +woke me all of a shake. I thought at first that I was going to tumble +down into the Cutting the ground heaved and rocked so much. The German +heavy artillery took the precaution of bombarding our part of the +front, and caused many casualties and much damage in the front line. +The whole of C Company batmen were killed by a shell, and 2nd-Lieut. +Burt, a new arrival but an old friend, was also killed. Poor lad, he +was always certain that he would be killed as soon as he got out to +France! I saw in the trenches a pile of our dead, three or four deep, +waiting for removal to the rear. The shelling was severe at times +during the next two days. Lieut. Platt, a forward observing officer of +the 50th Divisional Artillery and a well known and welcome figure in +the trenches, was killed by a shell just below my own dugout. We had +cause, indeed, to remember our last visit to Hill 60. During this +visit I first met some Canadian officers who were looking over the +line before taking it over from the 50th Division. + +On March 27 we were relieved and I went back with A Company to some +dugouts near Bedford House. Our first day there we were shelled out of +these dugouts and had to take refuge for a time in Bedford House. A +Belgian battery had just arrived close to us, and unfortunately they +gave the position away. In the afternoon I went a long round to +various reserve bomb stores to check the stores. Next night I paid a +last visit to the Cutting at Hill 60 with a working-party. +Second-Lieut. E.W. Styles was also there on a similar job. + +He had just come out; and being anxious to see something of the famous +Hill 60 trenches he went off by himself into the front line, and, I +suppose, asked various questions of the sentries. Anyway, when next I +saw him he was coming back down the Cutting followed at an interval by +a sentry with a fixed bayonet, who asked me if I knew who he was. My +reply was no doubt disappointing to the soldier, who thought he had +really captured a spy this time, and earned his two weeks' leave--the +reward for arresting a spy. + +On March 29, before leaving the area, I acted as guide to some +Canadian troops, from Cafe Belge to the Canal Dugouts. They seemed to +be fine fellows and well up to strength in all their companies. The +same night our battalion went back to Scottish Lines at Ouderdom, but +we moved back to Canada Huts next day. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[4] A special friend, who unhappily was killed at Wancourt in 1917. + + + + +VII + +KEMMEL + + +On March 31 I rode over with various company officers to Kemmel, and +we looked over the trenches H2-K1 below Wytschaete Ridge. We were to +take over this part of the line from the Canadians in two days' time. +It was once a quiet spot, and I think we were sent there for that +reason. But we soon found that we had come out of the frying-pan only +to go into the fire. The battle that was still raging at St. Eloi +about a mile to the north was destined to alter the character of the +once peaceful Kemmel area. I had now changed my mess. All the old +officers of A Company had disappeared since I first joined the +battalion; so I accepted an invitation from Capt. G.F. Ball to join D +Company mess. I was glad to do this, for not only was Capt. Ball the +kindest and best of fellows, but there were old friends +there--2nd-Lieuts. Peters and J. Robinson--whom I knew well at +Alnwick. + +On April 1 the battalion set out for the new area, marching first to +Locre and halting there for the midday meal. Later on, towards night, +D Company proceeded to R.E. Farm, a support billet just vacated by +Canadians, and stayed the night there. The Canadians left a lot of +excellent ration tobacco behind them both here and in the trenches. + + [Illustration: Wytschaete Ridge--Trench Map, April 1916.] + +Next day we went forward to the new trenches. They were a change +indeed from those in the Salient, and it was evident that there had +not been much heavy shelling there. Instead of the high narrow +trenches at Hill 60, they were mostly mere breastworks with little or +no back protection. And the C.T.s were hardly deep enough to afford +protection from sniping or indirect rifle fire. Fortunately the +Germans did not snipe these trenches. There were three gaps in the +front line, and two small posts in No Man's Land. A long winding C.T. +brought you from Battalion H.Q., which were at Rossignol Farm about a +mile from the front line trenches. The main features of the landscape +were the Wytschaete Ridge and Petit Bois--a thick wood on our left +front. The German trenches were not at first at all close to ours; and +both their wire and ours was thick and solid. We had a big mine shaft +in the supports, but a good way back from the front line. The +Canadians told us that there had been little fighting there except +between patrols and during raids. And it was evident that they had +spent more time and labour in draining the trenches than in fortifying +them. I had my quarters with most of the bombers in a support trench, +H.5, about 250 yards from our front line. We had the trench all to +ourselves and during my first visit to these trenches, which lasted +six days, it was a quiet, happy home, with a green field behind and an +occasional pheasant crowing in the hedges. Unfortunately for the +bombers, emplacements for 60-pounder trench-mortars (worked by the +R.F.A.) were already being dug at either end of our trench, and I knew +there would soon be trouble for H.5. We had a curious little +bombing-post outside the front line at H.4, which was only held at +night. It was inside our wire, but you could only reach it by +clambering over the top of the parapet after dark. The post was +connected by a string to a sentry-post in the front line. And various +signals were arranged to warn the sentry in the front line as to what +was going on, for example, two jerks on the string: 'Man returning to +trench,' three jerks: 'Enemy patrol on right,' and so on. A similar +bombing-post was also held at night for the first time during this +visit. This was in an old broken-down trench outside our wire, called +'J.3 Right.' It was more difficult of approach owing to the mud and to +its distance from the front line, and of course more dangerous because +it might be attacked by the enemy's patrols. Capt. Hugh Liddell of B +Company found this old trench whilst patrolling No Man's Land. It was +probably once part of the front line which had become waterlogged and +then abandoned. Capt. Liddell had his H.Q. in J.4 at this time. The +first night he went with me to this trench with a party of bombers, +and we stayed from 2 A.M. till dawn was breaking. Capt. Liddell was a +great tower of strength to us in these trenches, one of the most +fearless and pugnacious of men, with a taste for wandering about No +Man's Land o' nights. It did you good merely to look at him. + +On April 8 we were relieved by the 6th N.F., and D Company moved to a +billet at R.C. Farm. One of the buildings had recently been fired by a +shell, and the bodies of several horses that had been cremated inside +made the air rather pungent. Whilst we were out of the line, the +German artillery started shelling the trenches severely, inflicting +heavy casualties on the 6th N.F., and punishing especially the support +trench at J.4 and the bombers retreat at H.5. During our rest I went +with Capt. Liddell and a working party of B Company to dig and fill in +some cable trenches behind the supports of the 'L' Trenches. During +the work I first made the acquaintance of Lieut. A.E. Odell, the +Brigade Signalling Officer, who later on became a great friend. We +went back to the old trenches on April 13, and I found the bombers of +the 6th N.F. had moved their quarters from H.5 to Turner Town (left), +two rows of small splinter-proof dugouts behind the mine shaft. The +trenches were badly knocked about, and the German artillery and +trench-mortars were still causing trouble. I now messed with D Company +at their H.Q. in K.1.a. On the evening of April 10, I had to patrol +the ground near the mine shaft with a party of bombers, to look out +for a German spy who was thought to be making back this way. We saw +nothing of him, but I believe that 2nd-Lieut. J. Robinson arrested a +Canadian Mining Officer, who in the dark was unknown to him. + +On April 18 we were relieved by the 6th N.F. their Bombing Officer, +2nd-Lieut. A. Toon, taking over from me. This time we moved back to +Locre. But I was sent to B.H.Q. at Bruloose with my servant, as Lieut. +W. Keene was away on leave, and it was intended that I should act for +him till he came back. However I was not long at B.H.Q. before it +appeared that Lieut. Keene would be returning that night. Before going +off to Locre, however, I was asked to stay to dinner with the officers +of B.H.Q. which I did; and it was a pleasant experience. The battalion +had good quarters in Locre in the Convent School, and we soon found +that a good lunch or dinner was served by the Nuns at the convent to +weary officers. They also let you use the convent baths. On April 20 +we held a battalion dinner there in commemoration of the Battle of St. +Julien. + +On Good Friday we had an Easter service, as we were to be in the +trenches again on Easter Day. Our padre was Capt. Rev. J.O. Aglionby, +C.F., whom we came to know and like very well. The bombers had a day's +training at Bruloose, and we were asked to bring our steel helmets, +which had just been issued. So I wore mine for the first time. After +the practice was over, I was asked to come and see the Brigade Bombing +Officer fire off some Mills rifle-grenades, which were a novelty then. +Whilst this was going on a grenade burst prematurely soon after +leaving the rifle, and a piece came back and struck my helmet, cutting +the lining and scratching the metal. After that I would never part +with that helmet, though newer ones were issued later on. Our last +visit to the trenches was to be shorter, and we were to be relieved by +the 3rd Division in three days. We set off on Saturday, April 22, and +arrived in the C.T. all right, for the Germans seldom shelled the +roads in this area. But when we got there we found things rather +lively. A shell killed two or three men of D Company as they were +approaching K.1.a; and Capt. Liddell and I had a splinter from another +shell between us as we passed up Rossignol C.T. On arriving I got a +message from the Adjutant saying, 'The G.O.C. orders that you use the +greatest vigilance by day and by night.' The next day, Easter Day, the +enemy shelled the trenches all day. Capt. G.F. Ball and I had an +unpleasant experience in K.1.a, after lunch. For nearly two hours a +howitzer battery shelled the place slowly and methodically, working up +and down the little trench. Many times dirt and rubbish came flying +into our shelter, but the only direct hit was on a minor structure +which of course disappeared. Next day our cook-house was blown in and +the crockery all smashed, but fortunately it was empty of men at the +time. In these trenches it was difficult to get artillery retaliation, +for the fighting at St. Eloi swallowed up most of the spare +ammunition, and the allowance of shells for the batteries was small; +so the enemy had a free hand in shelling our defences. Early on the +Monday morning the enemy fired a shallow mine between his trenches and +our own. It was a method of gaining ground, for the craters were +fortified and turned into a trench. In this way the Germans began to +approach fairly close to us at K.1 and J.3. I had to register with +Newton rifle-grenades on the crater, but as we were short of +cartridges it was not possible to fire at night. + +On April 25 we were relieved by the 4th Battalion of the Royal +Fusiliers, and I got away from the trenches with the last of the +bombers about midnight. There was a big bombardment of these trenches +next day, causing eighty casualties to the new-comers. My own little +shelter was blown to pieces by a howitzer shell and the occupants +killed. Nearly two years elapsed before I was again living in front +line trenches. + + + + +VIII + +DIVISIONAL REST + + +In the early hours of April 20 the battalion reached Locre and spent +the rest of the night in billets. By 8 A.M. we resumed our march, and +went through Bailleul to Meteren. It was pleasant indeed to see the +inside of a town again, and to get away from the area that was broken +to bits. We were to be out of the line, we hoped, for at least a +month, so naturally every one was feeling light-hearted. The bombers +of the battalion were collected in a company about eighty strong, and +they were billeted together under my charge. Our quarters were at a +large French farm, called on the map 'Fever Farm,' and near to it was +a fine set of bombing trenches. Lieut. W. Keene was also living at +this farm, in order to be near the bombing ground. And we had our +little mess together in the farm parlour, and our bedroom in a nice +dry attic. No bombing work was done for the first three days, in order +to give time for the men to get rested and to clean their equipment. +The bombers were billeted in a large barn just across the yard, with +plenty of clean straw inside. The French farmer and his wife were +pleasant bodies, nice and friendly to us, and glad no doubt to be +able to sell their light beer and eggs to the English soldier-man. The +other companies of the battalion were billeted in farm-houses near +Meteren. In case of an attack by the Germans on the Corps front the +battalion had orders to go forward and man the trenches on Kemmel +Hill. I received a paper of instructions as to what to do in case of +alarm. We could tell that the Germans were causing trouble up the +line, for we heard a heavy bombardment going on beyond Kemmel. About +1.30 A.M. on Sunday, April 30, the bombers' sentry came and woke me +up, and I went downstairs to find a messenger had arrived with the +code warning 'Kemmel Defences.' So I quickly roused the men and warned +them to be ready to start in half an hour. We hurried into our war kit +and formed up in the dark outside, and soon marched off to join the +rest of the battalion outside Meteren. We learned that the enemy had +loosed off a lot of gas beyond Kemmel, and we were to man the defences +as soon as possible. The battalion marched along as far as the +entrance to Bailleul, when just as day was breaking a cyclist orderly +rode up with orders for us to return to our billets. No infantry +attack had followed the gas cloud, and we were free to return to rest. +The Brigade had another alarm next day, but it was quickly cancelled; +and after that we were not called out again. Every morning was given +to bombing practice, and I offered a small prize each day for a +competition in throwing. If it was wet the men stopped in the barn, +and had a lecture on English or German grenades. One afternoon I +walked over to Bailleul and had a bath at the Corps baths. They were +rather primitive but the water was hot. + +It made a nice change to get back to civilisation once more and to +have a meal at a restaurant; and the shops of course were a great +attraction. + +About May 5, just as I was about to set out a second time for +Bailleul, a letter came in for me from my brother George. It was dated +the previous day and said that he was billeted with his unit close to +Meteren. So I set off at once to find him, and had the good luck to +meet him as he was cycling round on some medical inspection duties. +His unit had just come out to France and he had no idea I was so near +at hand; and I think he nearly fell off his bicycle with surprise when +I first appeared in that country lane. He could not wait long then, so +I asked him to come to tea with us at Fever Farm next day. And two +days after that I dined with the H.Q. Mess of his unit, the 15th Hants +Regiment, which I enjoyed very much. Unfortunately I saw no more of +him at this time, as I left Fever Farm about May 11. + +It was now decided that I should hand over the bombing to 2nd-Lieut. +E.G. Lawson, a most cheery and energetic bomber, and return to company +work. So I was put in command of C Company and returned with them to +Locre, where I stayed for about a week. I had not much to do here, +except the daily inspection of the company and orderly room. The men +of the company included many of my old recruits of C Company at +Alnwick whom I was glad to see again. About May 19 I got my first +leave, it was for seven clear days. And I suppose there was no happier +man in France just then. The train started from Bailleul station about +6 A.M. so I had to leave Locre the night before and stay the night at +an hotel at Bailleul. I had a comparatively quick journey to the +coast, for we reached Boulogne at 10.45 A.M. just in time to catch the +11 o'clock boat. I arrived in Folkestone about 1.45 P.M. and in London +about 3.30 P.M. the same day. Though short, it was a happy time, and I +returned on May 26, staying one night in Boulogne and reaching +Bailleul about midnight on Saturday, May 27. I found that the +battalion was still at Locre, but the Brigade had gone back to the +line, holding the same trenches on Wytschaete Ridge. An unfortunate +accident had just happened in our old trenches. Lieut. W. Keene and +2nd-Lieut. Toon were both badly injured and an N.C.O. killed in the +trenches by a Mills rifle-grenade, which, through a defective +cartridge, fell out of the rifle and burst in the trench. So when I +got back to the battalion I was told I had to proceed to B.H.Q. at +Bruloose and take over the office of Brigade Bombing Officer in place +of Lieut. Keene. This closed my immediate connection with the 7th N.F. +for twenty months. + + + + +IX + +BRIGADE HEAD-QUARTERS + + +An Infantry Brigade Head-quarters in France could be a happy home; but +only if the Brigadier was liked and respected by the rest of the +Staff, and tried to make them feel at home. It seems almost an +impertinence even at this date for me to say anything whether in +praise or in blame of the man who controlled the immediate destinies +of the 149th Infantry Brigade when I first joined it. But as I became +much attached to Brigadier-General Clifford I may perhaps be forgiven +for describing him rather closely. Tall and dignified, with a cold +exterior and a penetrating grey eye, he had the power of commanding +the respect and obedience of all. His fatalistic contempt of danger +took him into the trenches wherever shelling was hottest; and it is +difficult to imagine how he escaped being sniped at Hill 60 or on the +Wytschaete Ridge. + +He was loved by the men of the 7th N.F. as one who was willing to +share their dangers, and always ready with a word of cheer in the +hottest corner. 'We could have gone anywhere and done anything for +him, if only he had been there to see it.' Such was the epitaph that +the gallant Northumberlands gave him when he fell. I found his +old-world courtesy of manner and aristocratic bearing most inspiring. +And he knew the right way of getting a thing done without being cross +or overbearing. A splendid type of chivalrous soldier, he stands out +in my memory as a beacon of light when I have felt inclined to grumble +at the Army system. I can call to mind a score of acts to me, which +revealed the kindly, generous heart beneath that cold exterior. One of +the first things he said to me when I joined the Brigade was this: +'Buckley, mind you make your authority felt with these adjutants. +Remember, for the purposes of bombing, you are the General.' How could +he have shown more generous confidence or encouraged me more for the +new role I had to play? + +Major Rowan, our Brigade-Major, was another typical officer of the old +Regular Army, who was generally liked. I did not get to know him so +well, as he left us for higher Staff duties before two months had +passed. I always found him kind and considerate. + +Capt. D. Hill had been Staff-Captain ever since the Brigade came out +to France, and what he did not know about the job was not worth +knowing. He often astonished me by his knowledge of what could be +done, and by his serene confidence when things were looking difficult. +Never ruffled, the kindest and most genial of men, he often proved a +good friend and counsellor. + +Capt. G.E. Wilkinson stayed with us a short time and then left to join +a mess of his own Machine-Gun Officers. A man of the brightest +good-humour and gaiety, he always kept us lively and amused. He went +far in the war--from 2nd-Lieut. to Colonel of a battalion in eighteen +months. I need say nothing further of his qualities as a soldier. He +was at Oxford when I was there, and I remembered seeing him at our Law +Lectures. + +Lieut. G.S. Haggie, the best of fellows too, was always a kind friend +to me, and made me feel at home in my new surroundings. I saw a lot of +him both now and later on when we did many a strange hunt together for +ammunition dumps in the most impossible of places. He was a tremendous +walker and could get over really bad muddy ground at an amazing speed. + +I was destined also to see much of the Brigade Signaller, Lieut. A.E. +Odell, who was quite a remarkable character. He was a lion in the +guise of a dove, an autocrat in the guise of a radical, a rigid +disciplinarian in the guise of an army reformer. He won the M.C. and +Bar and earned them both. He worked his men hard but himself harder +still. He had the curious faculty of being able to work for hours by +day and to spend the whole night in some muddy ditch up in the front +line. His kindness to and consideration for his signallers, were only +exceeded by his conscientious devotion to duty. He made me respect and +like and envy him, even if he occasionally made me smile. + +Major Rowan left us, I think, at La Clytte or Dranoutre, and Capt. W. +Anderson became Brigade-Major in his place. He had joined the 6th N.F. +at the outbreak of war and got his company and the M.C. at the Battle +of St. Julien. In January 1916 he was appointed G.S.O. III at 50th +Division H.Q. 'Bill' Anderson was a great man, and combined the +fearlessness of the Northumbrian with a great brain. He was probably +the best 'civilian' tactician in the Army, and had he decided to join +the Regular Army I should have expected him to rise very high indeed. +I know what the 149th Infantry Brigade owed to him; but I doubt +whether many others know quite as well. And I have always thought that +he was never given full scope for exercising his wonderful ability. A +tall soldierly figure, with noble features and piercing blue eyes that +could harden almost to ruthlessness, I carry him in my mind as my +ideal of a Staff Officer. He could get men to do anything for him; his +kindly tact and sympathy, his rare appreciation of your efforts, +however clumsy, made you ready to work for him like a slave. He has +been a good friend to me throughout, and he has done more for me than +any other man in France. + +At Bruloose the officers of the Brigade had small wooden huts of the +Armstrong type for offices and sleeping rooms. The mess room was in +the farm-house. Naturally it was a great change from the rude +accommodation of a Company Mess. M. Bunge, the French interpreter, +looked after our comforts well. + +Next to B.H.Q. was a large and fairly useful bombing ground, where the +Brigade Bombing School was carried on; and I spent a good deal of time +there, as I was in charge of the school. On two days out of every four +I spent the morning there, and in the afternoon I was free to visit +the trenches, some four miles away. On the other two days I could go +up to the trenches in the morning. + +I did not miss a day's visit to the trenches and once or twice I went +up twice in the day. + +The journey was done on foot, so I had quite a good day's exercise. My +duties in the trenches were to see that the battalions in the line had +a proper supply of grenades; these were taken up by the battalion +transport at night. Also that the grenades in the trenches and all +bomb stores were properly stored and cleaned. I had also to see that +sufficient rifle-grenades were fired at night to harass the enemy's +working-parties, and that our bombing-posts were properly manned. + +During our stay at Bruloose I had nearly 2000 grenades taken out of +the trenches and replaced by new ones; this was hard work for the +transport. But the transport officers[5] were very obliging; and I +found on firing these old grenades at the school that about 30 to 40 +per cent did not burst properly or even at all. The situation in the +trenches was getting very bad. Shelling by the enemy's artillery was +now less frequent, but the annoyance from enemy trench-mortars was +something cruel. Not only large oil-cans, full of explosives, came +over both by day and by night, but a horrible 9-inch trench-mortar now +made its appearance and blew large craters in the C.T.s and supports. +I had two of the oil-cans pretty close to me at different times, and +they were not pleasant. Eventually the trench-mortaring got so severe, +that the V Corps had a 12-inch howitzer brought up on the railway, and +several of these huge shells were fired into Petit Bois when the +German trench-mortars started. Another feature to be reckoned with was +the approach of the enemy towards K.1 and J.3 by means of a series of +fortified mine craters. These craters were worked on at night, and by +the General's orders they had to be kept under constant fire from +rifle-grenades. Several nights I went up to the trenches to see this +carried out, once accompanied by the General himself. I had at the +Bruloose bomb store a fairly good stock of smoke and incendiary bombs, +like large cocoa tins, only containing red or white phosphorus. It +occurred to me that they might be used with effect against the Germans +working in the craters. So I carried a number of these bombs up to the +trenches, and they were duly fired from the West spring-thrower or +from the trench-catapult. The Germans did not seem to like them, as +their discharge always drew a lot of machine-gun fire in reply. We +also tried to get some more noxious bombs (e.g. 'M.S.K.'), but no +supply could be obtained from the Base. The Bombing Officers[6] of the +6th and 7th N.F. carried on the harassing fire with such effect that +eventually the Germans took to sending showers of 'fishtails' whenever +a rifle-grenade was loosed off. The 'fishtail' was a small +trench-mortar bomb, which the Germans substituted for the +rifle-grenade and used with great effect. Needless to say our +demonstrations were not very popular with the infantry in the front +line. But Capt. Vernon Merivale, M.C., appeared to take a special +delight in these harassing shoots. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[5] Brigade Transport, Capt. Kinsella; 7th N.F., Capt. B. Neville; 6th +N.F., Lieut. F. Clayton; 5th N.F., Lieut. M.G. Pape; 4th N.F., Lieut. +W.M. Turner. + +[6] 2nd-Lieuts. Toon and Thompson (6th N.F.) and Lawson and Woods (7th +N.F.). + + + + +X + +THE BRIGADE BOMBING SCHOOL + + +The staff of instructors at the Bombing School consisted of three +highly trained sergeants--two of these had been instructors at the +50th Divisional Bombing School which was now given up. Sergt. Hogg of +the 5th N.F. and Sergt. P. Flannigan of the 4th. N.F. took it in turns +to be at the school and at the Brigade Bomb Store. So with Sergt. +Moffat, who was now appointed Brigade Bombing Sergeant, I had always +two to help me at the school. + +On the two bombing days sixteen untrained men came from the battalion +resting at Locre and sixteen others from the battalion resting at R.C. +Farm. + +During the two days these men had to be sufficiently instructed to +throw three live Mills grenades. Generally they threw one live grenade +apiece after the first day's instruction, and the two others the +second day. The first thing was to give a lecture to the men, +explaining the nature of the Mills grenade and the proper way to hold +it and throw it. + +After this a party of sixteen men were lined up in two lines, about +forty yards apart, and each of the eight men in turn threw a dummy +grenade towards the man opposite him. The instructor had to be careful +that the man threw in the correct way and held his grenade right. The +action of throwing the grenade was more like bowling overhand than +throwing. After about an hour of this the first party of men, eight in +number, went down to the firing-trench, which had to be 200 yards +clear of any troops. There were two sandbag walls, breastworks, about +five feet high--the one in front with a small traverse wall. At the +front wall stood the recruit, the sergeant-instructor, and the Brigade +Bombing Officer. In front about thirty yards away was a deep pit, +mostly full of water, which had been excavated by innumerable grenades +thrown into it. The other seven men took refuge behind the second +wall, until it was their turn to throw. Before the grenade was thrown +the officer had to blow two blasts on his whistle. The first meant +'Get ready to fire'--i.e. draw the safety-pin, the second meant +'Fire.' Some men of course were more confident than others; but on the +whole the Northumberlands were easy to teach, for many were miners and +accustomed to explosives--in fact, it was sometimes difficult to make +them take cover properly. When the grenade was thrown, every one +ducked down behind the wall and waited for the explosion. If it went +off all right, all was well; and the next man came along for his turn. +If, however, the grenade did not go off, it had if possible to be +retrieved and the detonator taken out. This was the most exciting +work I had to do. Generally the sergeant and I took it in turns to +pick up these 'dud' grenades as they were called. After some +experience it was possible to tell the moment the grenade was thrown +why it did not go off, for example the fuse might be damp and never +light; or the cap might misfire; or, worst of all 'duds,' the striker +might stick fast through rust or dirt. + +Before I gained the experience of picking up these 'duds' and drawing +their teeth, I had one lucky escape. The grenade in question had a +'hanging striker' and burst on the ground within five yards of me. It +was not, I think, a very good explosion, but one of the pieces caught +me on the thigh--happily it cut into the seam of my breeches and then +turned, following the seam out and leaving me with a bruise and two +holes in my clothes. I never liked picking up these 'duds,' but later +on I got to know from the sound what was the matter with them; and +then it was just a matter of experience getting them to pieces safely. +The live grenades when they burst in the pit, sometimes threw out old +'dud' grenades lying in the mud. One of these latter burst in mid-air, +but hurt no one; and another time the grenade dropped right into the +firing-trench but did not go off. Another nasty thing was when the +grenade burst too quickly; many men have been killed by premature +bursts during practice. But though some grenades went off too quickly, +I never had one burst in less than a second, by which time the +grenade was fairly well away from the trench. Besides these thirty-two +untrained men, the bombers from the battalion at Locre used to come +and practise on the ground under their own Bombing Officer. But if any +of these men wished to pass the live firing test, to qualify them to +wear the Bombers badge (a red grenade on the right arm), I had to test +them with six live grenades. Three out of the six had to fall within a +narrow trench about twenty-five yards from the firing point. + +Of course I had to watch the grenade till it reached the ground--and +pray that it would not burst prematurely. What a blessing those steel +helmets were during live bombing practice! They were proof against +bomb splinters and gave you a feeling of confidence. + +The battalion bombers were also trained at the school to fire live +rifle-grenades. No risks were taken with the Newton rifle-grenade; +during firing all men had to be behind a barricade and the rifle was +fired off with a string and held in position by an iron stand. But we +used to think the Hales rifle-grenade quite safe, so that men were +trained to fire off these grenades holding the rifle to the ground in +the kneeling position. On one occasion several of us had a lucky +escape. The grenade burst at the end of the rifle, instead of bursting +120 yards away on contact with the ground. Sergt. Hogg and another +bomber of the 5th N.F. were holding the rifle and both got knocked +over, Sergt. Hogg with a slight cut on the head, the latter shaken but +unhurt. The Bombing Officer of the 5th N.F. and I both got scratched +on the face with splinters. + +During our stay at Bruloose about 420 men went through the recruits' +course and over 1700 grenades were fired. + +Later on I had to be content with much less elaborate bombing grounds. +Sometimes they had to be improvised from nothing, at other times a +bombing-pit of a sort was found, and we had to make the best of it. +After the battle on the Somme far less attention was paid to bombing; +but for a time it was thought desirable to have every man trained in +bombing, even at the expense of the rifle. + + + + +XI + +ST. ELOI AND NEUVE EGLISE + + +About July 2 the Brigade came out of the line for a short time, and +B.H.Q. moved to a camp between Mont Rouge and Westoutre. During this +stay I was able to carry on the training at the Bruloose Bombing +School. There was a fine view of the trenches from Mont Rouge. We +could of course hear the sound of the bombardment on the Somme, but at +this distance it was more distinct some days than others. + +On July 14 the Brigade went into the line again, south of St. Eloi, +the support trenches being in Ridge Wood. B.H.Q. moved to a camp at La +Clytte, farther than ever from the front line trenches. + +At La Clytte there was a small bombing ground, but it was not very +safe for live practice, and I was glad when we left it. We did not +stay long in these trenches; but before we left them the bombers of +the 6th N.F. killed a German and he was brought back to our trenches. +It was the first dead German that I had seen. + +Our next move was to a quieter part of the line, namely to Wulverghem, +below the Messines Ridge. B.H.Q. went to a canvas camp at Neuve +Eglise, but moved soon after to Dranoutre, where we were billeted in +houses. Lieut.-Col. Turner, O.C. the 5th N.F., came to command the +Brigade for about a week, in the absence of General Clifford, who went +to England on leave. He was a regular officer, with a keen sense of +humour and with an extraordinary dislike of parsons. These new +trenches were quiet enough, but the sniping of the enemy was far too +good. I was nearly caught out before I realised that fact. I was +looking over the parapet the first day with L.-C. Austin, when a +bullet caught the edge of the parapet just in front of us, tearing the +sandbag along the top and stopping within a few inches of our heads. +Of course we dropped down quickly into the trench, but L.-C. Austin +waved his cap over the top to signal a 'miss.' He told me it would +never do to let the German sniper think he had scored a hit. The +'flying pig,' our large trench-mortar, was first used in a bombardment +of the German trenches here, and I believe our Stokes mortar battery +did a record rate of fire on the same occasion. We had a lot of gas +cylinders stored in the front line trenches ready for use. But they +were not required and we had the pleasant job of removing them. They +were always talked about as 'rum jars.' + +There was no bombing ground at Dranoutre, and I had to make a place +for live practice in a farmer's field, much to his disgust. 'C'est la +guerre, monsieur!' was all we could say to his expostulations. We +could now hear the great cannonade on the Somme going on to the south +almost day and night. + +A large number of wooden ammunition huts were erected along the roads +near Dranoutre, and heavy gun emplacements were being made about +Kemmel. Perhaps it was intended that the Fifth Army should make a big +push here, if the battle on the Somme had been more successful at the +start. + +About August 7 we were relieved by two shattered divisions from the +Somme, one of them being the Ulster Division that had seen hard +fighting south of Serre. We had a good idea whither we were bound. But +at first we moved off to the Meteren area, where B.H.Q. were quartered +in a camp of wooden huts for about five days. The censorship now +became very strict, no inkling of our movements was to be given to +anyone at home. Valises too had to be lightened by sending home all +spare kit; and all papers and maps relating to the Kemmel area had to +be destroyed or returned. Amongst other things I sent home my +'slacks,' and never wore them again in France. About August 11 we +moved off to Bailleul railway station and entrained there, leaving +about midnight. Next morning we reached Doullens, where we left the +train. The R.T.O. at Doullens was Capt. Rearden, whom I knew as a boy +at Wellington College and had not seen for sixteen years. But he +recognised me and claimed acquaintance. + +We marched that day to Fienvillers, and stayed there two days in a +French house. The next move was to Naours where we spent one night; +and the next night we stayed at Pierregot. On August 17 we marched to +the wood at Henencourt. + +The whole Brigade was encamped in the neighbourhood of the wood. We +had at last arrived in the rest area of the Somme front, and it could +only be a matter of days before we were involved in the great battle. +But before that could happen there was a great deal to do to prepare +the men for their ordeal, and perhaps not a great deal of time in +which to do it. The Division was served out with the short rifle for +the first time. Hitherto we had only had the long rifle such as was +used in the South African War. + + + + +XII + +THE SOMME[7] + + +The battle on the Somme was to me the great tragedy of the war. A +glorious noble tragedy, but still a tragedy. Both sides of course have +claimed the victory, the British a tactical one, the Germans a +strategic one. The net result to the Allies from a material point of +view was the recapture of some hundreds of square miles of France, for +the most part battered to bits and as desolate and useless as a +wilderness; and the capture or destruction of so many thousands of the +enemy at a cost altogether out of proportion to their numbers. The +Germans claim, and claim quite rightly, that they frustrated our +attempt to break through their line. On the other hand it can be +little consolation for them to know that a nation of amateur +soldiers[8] drove them out of the strongest fortress in the world; +drove them out so completely that they were glad to take refuge, +morally as well as physically, behind their famous Hindenburg Line. + +No doubt our grand attack lasting from July to November 1916 cemented +the Alliance with France and saved Verdun from falling. No doubt it +paved the way, in knowledge and morale, for further attacks at a later +date. The fact remains that before its lessons were learnt the slopes +of the Ancre and the Somme were sown with the bodies of thousands of +the finest specimens of the British race. What a cost was paid for the +example and the lesson! Never again during the war had Britain such +fine athletic men, such gallant and heroic sons to fight her battles. +No horror or hardship could subdue their spirit. Again and again, +through shattered ranks and over ground covered with the fallen, they +went forward to the supreme sacrifice as cheerfully and as +light-heartedly as if they were out for a holiday. They knew they +could beat the enemy in front of them, and they went on and did it +again and again, in spite of the wire, in spite of the mud, in spite +of thousands of machine-gun bullets and shells. The tragedy of it all +is written in one word. _Waste_--waste of lives, waste of effort, +waste of ammunition. The fact is now clear that in 1916 the resources +of the British Nation were not sufficiently developed to smash the +German war machine. That was undoubtedly the hope of every one who +took part in the battle, to deliver a final knock-out blow. But this +hope failed, even if it failed by a little. Our artillery, mighty as +it undoubtedly was, was not mighty enough yet to destroy the enemy's +defences and to shatter his power of resistance. Alas, it was a blow +that could never be repeated again with such magnificent human +resources! + +After the supreme effort by all ranks a terrible wave of depression +naturally followed. And can this be wondered at? For a time there was +lack of confidence which made itself all too apparent in 1917, a year +of unparalleled disasters. No one who has not set out with such high +hopes can know how awful that depression can be. + +The effort of the British Army was never so united, never so intense +as it was in the battle on the Somme. Later on reverses brought +knowledge and knowledge at last brought victory. But for some that +victory had its sad side too; for thousands upon thousands of those +gay and gallant comrades in the Great Endeavour were not there to +share it.[9] + +The part of the 50th Division in the battle was not a small one. +Briefly the Division went into the Somme area on August 17, 1916, and +left it about March 10, 1917. Their first attack was launched on +September 15, 1916, in company with the Guards and some of the finest +divisions in the British Army. After almost continuous fighting they +were withdrawn about October 5, and went back to the rest area around +Henencourt till October 21--after having advanced their line from High +Wood Ridge to the edge of Le Sars. + +On October 25 they returned to the same front and made two gallant but +fruitless attacks on the Butte of Warlencourt, in support of larger +operations about Beaumont Hamel. The hardship of the fighting between +October 25 and November 16 cannot be realised by those who did not +actually experience the conditions. From December 28 to January 23 the +Division held the line south of Le Barque and Ligny-Thilloy. After +that they moved farther south and held the line in front of Belloy and +Estrees, trenches that had been captured by the French. No wonder, +after this hard work, that the 50th Division gained the reputation of +a hard fighting division. + +I can give no very accurate idea of the casualties suffered by the +Division; but some idea of the losses may be drawn from the casualties +among the bombers of the 7th N.F. Of these I have fairly accurate +details. The bombers of the 7th N.F. went into action on September 15, +1916, about eighty strong--ten N.C.O.s and seventy men. When the roll +was called at Bresle on November 20, 1916, eleven men alone answered. +Of the N.C.O.'s two were wounded and the rest were killed. The bombers +of the 4th N.F. suffered almost as heavily, but I have now no details. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[7] See Illustration, p. 81. + +[8] I allude of course to the New Armies. + +[9] These views of the battle, I am told, are unduly pessimistic. But +I let them stand as a record of personal feelings aroused as a result +of the battle. + + + + +XIII + +HENENCOURT + + +Brigade Head-quarters were accommodated in wooden huts, but the +battalions were mostly under canvas. Strenuous efforts had now to be +made to complete the training of the men, and to initiate them to a +style of warfare that was quite new and strange to them. + +My own task was to train as many men as possible in the use of the +Mills grenade. Each day I had fifty men to train, and they were kept +at it all morning and again in the evening, until they had each thrown +two live grenades. I had the services of three sergeant-instructors, +who were invaluable in getting the men past the first stage. All the +live firing I had to supervise myself; that being the rule of the +Army, that an officer should always be present during live practice. +All my spare time was spent in going over and testing the grenades to +be fired next day, or in baling out the bombing trench, which filled +very rapidly in wet weather. And so it went on day after day. Thirteen +officers and 671 men who had never previously thrown a live grenade +went through the course at Henencourt; and about 1400 live grenades +were fired. The battalion bombers used the ground in the afternoon in +charge of their own officers; and they got through another 1000 +grenades. On September 2 I was able to tell the General that every man +in the Brigade, including machine-gunners and trench-mortar men, had +been through the course, with which he expressed himself very pleased. +Towards the end of our stay the General came to see the live throwing +several times in the evenings, and he always spoke very encouragingly +to the men. + +About September 6 I went with a party of officers from the Brigade to +view the trenches we were to take over on the Somme battlefield. And +as this was my first visit there it naturally made a great impression +on me. We started off in the dark and rode through Henencourt and +Millencourt to Albert. Just before we reached Albert we passed through +a cloud of lachrymatory gas, which made me weep copious tears for +nearly half an hour. The great sight in Albert was of course the +ruined cathedral, with its colossal statue of the Virgin and Child +hanging downwards over the roadway. We rode on to where the front line +had been at Fricourt then to Fricourt 'Circus,' Mametz, and then to +the south of Mametz Wood, where we left our horses. First we went +through the wood to B.H.Q., which were in some deep dugouts there. +Having obtained guides and a rough sort of map, we went on to +Battalion H.Q. at the Chalk Quarry east of Bazentin-le-Petit. This was +about 1000 yards from the front line, which lay just below the ridge +from Martinpuich to High Wood. A deep C.T. called 'Jutland Alley' +took us up to the front line--'Clark's Trench.' So far we had little +trouble from shelling, but we passed over the bodies of two +unfortunate Highlanders in Jutland Alley who had been recently killed +by a shell. The entrance to Intermediate Trench on the left was +terrible, the smell being overpowering. As a matter of fact there were +scores of dead men just out of sight on both sides of this trench, +whom it had been impossible to bury. It was not unusual to see an arm +or leg protruding out of the side of the C.T., so hastily had the +Germans buried their dead. And there were swarms and swarms of flies +everywhere. When we had finished looking round in the front line, +which was a good trench and quite quiet, we turned back down Jutland +Alley. The German 'heavies' were now shelling the supports and close +to the C.T. One shell, which seemed not to explode, hit the edge of +the C.T.; and when we got to the place we found the trench partially +filled in and an unfortunate man buried up to his neck, much shaken +but not much hurt. We left him to be extricated by his friends who had +got spades. I then visited the trenches near the windmill and then +returned to the south of Mametz Wood. Whilst waiting here I examined +with interest the many curious little 'cubby holes' that our troops +had made during the attack on Mametz Wood. I also watched the German +'heavies' shelling our field batteries near Bazentin-le-Grand, and +sending up clouds of chalky dust. A few shrapnel shells were also +fired near the road, and I believe our horses and orderlies were +nearly hit, but escaped by galloping off when the first shell came. +The countryside looked very desolate and knocked about till we got to +Fricourt Circus, only the chalky roads were crammed with limbers and +lorries taking up supplies. At the Circus there was a remarkable +sight, a huge camping ground covering several square miles, every +available spot on it packed with dumps and horse-lines, artillery +parks, bivouacs, and tents. All the roads round here were full of +troops on the move, and of lines and lines of lorries either coming or +going. After passing Albert there was less of interest, but we saw one +of our aeroplanes stranded in a ploughed field east of Millencourt. +The pilot told us he had got his machine damaged over the German line, +but had managed to get back thus far, when he had made a bad landing. +Such was my first visit to the great battlefield, a dreary looking +spot with a general aspect of chalk, broken stumps of trees, and +crowded muddy roads. + +Our stay at Henencourt was drawing to a close, but before we left we +had an inspection by the III Corps Commander. And on the last day, +September 9, we held a grand sports day and had a band playing. The +men looked splendidly fit and well after their month's rest, and they +displayed a wonderful spirit, talking eagerly of their part in the +coming attack. Alas and alas! At times I could have wept to see these +splendid bronzed men go marching by, the very flower of our English +race. For I knew that very soon I should see few of them again, or few +indeed of their like. + + + + +XIV + +MAMETZ WOOD + + +On Sunday September 10, the Brigade left Henencourt, and B.H.Q. went +to the deep dugouts in Mametz Wood. I travelled there with Sergts. +Moffat and Hogg, and we were lucky enough to get good lifts, first in +a Canadian Staff car and then on a motor-lorry. Capt. Bloomer (5th +D.L.I. and attached to B.H.Q.) shared a deep dugout with me, and we +had meals together. + +It was the first deep dugout I had entered, and of course it was the +work of the Germans. There were about twenty steps down at either end, +the wooden sides of the stairway scarred with bullet holes and +splinters. Inside there were just two narrow apartments, one for our +bedroom and the other for meals. Though rather draughty it was +comfortable enough and practically shell-proof. Capt. Bloomer had an +unpleasant job, which kept him out late at nights, and I did not envy +him. In order to make the attack, it was decided to dig a forward +trench some way in front of Clark's Trench. The digging was done at +night and cost us a number of casualties from shell and rifle fire. +Capt. Bloomer used to go up every night to see the work done. + +The second morning at Mametz Wood I was greatly shocked to hear that +our Brigadier had been killed by a sniper from High Wood, as he was +going out to inspect the forward trench just after dawn. It was nearly +two days before his body could be brought in, owing to the shelling +that went on at night. He was buried at Albert. A few days later +Brigadier-General Ovens, an Irishman, came to take command of the +149th Infantry Brigade. + +My job was now to prepare the Brigade bomb stores and to see that the +grenades were properly packed into sandbag carriers for taking up the +line. A special dugout had been prepared as a bomb store near the +Chalk Quarry at Bazentin-le-Petit, but almost at the last moment the +R.A.M.C. commandeered the place for their forward dressing-station. So +the boxes of grenades had to lie in the open in large shell-holes, +covered with German greatcoats, mackintosh sheets, or anything else we +could get hold of. I spent hours and hours examining the grenades and +packing them into sandbag carriers. One of our transport-wagons[10] +had a lucky escape, whilst carrying a load of 2000 Mills grenades, all +detonated, to one of our dumps. The safety-pin of one of the grenades +broke with the jolting of the wagon, and the grenade went off, +bursting its own and several other boxes, but not setting off any +other of the grenades. I had an anxious time unpacking that +wagon-load. The brass safety-pins of the Mills grenades were very +unsatisfactory at this time; but I had collected a large number of +steel pins from the bombing grounds, and I used to re-pin any that I +thought had weak brass-pins. This examination of the grenades was +rather wearisome, but it was time well spent, for we had no accident +with them when the carrying-parties took them up the line. And other +units were not so fortunate in that respect. About 24,000 grenades +went through my hands, and of these perhaps 5000 went into the +sandbags. On September 14 we first saw the mysterious tanks, which had +arrived behind the quarry to take part in the great attack next day. +We had two allotted to our Division. That night we moved from Mametz +Wood to the Chalk Quarry at Bazentin-le-Petit. Here one of the +Divisional Field Co. R.E. had prepared for us excellent H.Q. in the +side of the Quarry. The offices were well down in the side of the +Quarry, the mess room was a large shelter covered with sandbags a +little higher up. We were fairly crowded that night, for a large +number of 'liaison' officers arrived for duty next day. We were +sleeping inside the mess shelter, practically shoulder to shoulder all +over the floor. Officers were sleeping and feeding and working there +all at the same time. A day and night mess was run for the benefit of +all that came in. + +For the last four or five days our artillery had kept up an almost +continual fire on the enemy's lines. Now at the last moment the guns +of the Field Artillery were taken out of their hiding places and +brought forward into the open. Our chalk pit was practically under the +muzzles of about a dozen field guns. + +Later on that night we heard a curious whistling, puffing sound, it +was the two tanks clambering up the hill to get into position near the +front line. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[10] Lieut. F.C. Clayton was now Brigade Transport Officer. + + + + +XV + +THE 15TH SEPTEMBER 1916 + + +We were all up early next morning, and got some breakfast well before +dawn. The air outside had a regular autumn chill. At first only an +occasional gun fired in the distance. But about twenty minutes before +dawn, our heavy guns opened their bombardment. To one standing in the +quarry, below the level of the ground, they had the most weird of +sounds. A dull rumbling in the rear and a continual whizz and hiss +high overhead. Hardly a sound of the guns firing and no sound of the +shells bursting. Only that terrible grinding swish in the air above. +Twenty minutes of that, and then, with a terrific roar, all our field +guns opened, and we knew that our comrades in front, the 4th N.F. on +the right and the 7th N.F. on the left, had 'gone over the top.' The +noise in front of the field batteries was pandemonium, excruciating to +the nerves. The air shook and quivered with the sound, the quarry +seemed to shake. You could only hear when the speaker shouted in your +ear. And so it went on hour by hour all day. The rate of fire +subsided, but the guns went on all day. I was standing with the +Staff-Captain in the Quarry, when I got what felt like a stone in +the face. It proved to be a piece of a shell, but happily for me it +struck the ground first and caught me on the rebound. A small cut +about the nose and chin, but I had to go and have it dressed. I got +well chaffed afterwards on my rather comical appearance. It was an +anxious time before the first news got back, but when it did it was +good. Our men had taken the first German trench, and were waiting to +go ahead again. Unfortunately High Wood was not taken by the 47th +Division on our right till midday, and meanwhile we lost numerous +casualties from having our right flank exposed to machine-gun fire. A +report came in that a large party of Germans were starting a bombing +attack on our right, so it was decided to send up a supply of +grenades. I went, therefore, and found Lieut. Mackenzie, who was in +charge of 100 men acting as carriers, and handed over 2400 grenades. +This party went up to the front line and back without mishap. But +shortly afterwards Lieut. Mackenzie was badly wounded by one of our +own shells bursting prematurely. We had fifty casualties at the Quarry +from premature bursts. It was not the fault of the gunners, but either +the guns were worn or the shells were defective. + + [Illustration: Scene of Attacks by 50th Division. Sept. 15-Nov. + 14, 1916.] + +I lost two sergeant-instructors in the Quarry. Sergt. Moffat was badly +hit in the thigh with a fragment from a premature and died a few days +after. Sergt. Hogg was wounded in the chest by a bullet, but not +fatally. The wounded and prisoners began to stream back past the +Quarry. And as they came we began to get news of our friends in +front. Though successful the Brigade had to pay a heavy price. The 4th +N.F. were literally cut to pieces. I lost many friends killed, +including Capt. J.W. Merivale, 2nd-Lieut. J. Robinson, and Sergt. +Austin, and many more wounded, including Capt. G.F. Ball.[11] During +the attack thirty-seven out of the eighty bombers of the 7th N.F. were +killed or wounded, and the bombers of the 4th N.F. paid a still +heavier price, including their gallant officer killed. + +At 4 P.M. the 151st Infantry Brigade took over the operations on our +front and continued the attack at night. Next day B.H.Q. returned to +Mametz Wood.[12] I had to pay a visit to the nearest large +dressing-station to get the anti-tetanus inoculation. This proved more +troublesome than the small cut I received, and it made me feel fairly +weak for the next ten days. On September 20 I went with Capt. D. Hill +to select a place for a dump near High Wood, and we passed over the +first captured German trench. There were few of our men lying about, +for the burial parties had been hard at work. But farther back around +Intermediate Trench there were piles of British and German soldiers +still lying where they had fallen weeks before. We had now to get a +number of sandbag carriers made for taking more grenades up the line, +and I was given a small party from the 5th N.F. to get this done. + +About September 22 we returned to the line, and B.H.Q. to the Chalk +Quarry at Bazentin-le-Petit. I have but a confused recollection of the +period from now to the end of our stay in this locality. My servant +had a lucky escape in the Quarry. He was sitting outside my dugout +with two others making some tea, when a small shell fell right in the +middle of their feet. All were thrown over by the explosion, but only +one was really hurt--Capt. Bloomer's servant. We brought the poor +fellow into the dugout, with his right arm almost severed at the +elbow; and we spent the next ten minutes tying him up as best we +could. He died about a week later. I also remember paying two visits +to a most unpleasant spot selected as the Brigade ammunition dump, at +the junction of Crescent Alley and Spence Trench. The German artillery +never seemed to leave it alone. + +About October 3 the 5th N.F., commanded by Lieut.-Col. N.I. Wright +attacked the Flers Line, and took two trenches. Before this attack +started a huge howitzer was brought up and placed on the west side of +Mametz Wood. And during the one and a half hours preceding the attack, +it fired sixty 15-inch shells into Le Sars, of which only two failed +to burst. On October 5 the 50th Division was relieved, and B.H.Q. +moved back to a doctor's house in Albert. That night General Ovens +gave a dinner to the officers of the Staff at a restaurant in the +town, where a good repast was served by some French civilians. Next +day we moved farther back to Millencourt, and we were billeted in a +nice house. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[11] The two other Company Commanders of the 7th N.F., Capt. V. +Merivale, M.C., and Capt. E.F. Clennell, M.C., got safely through the +action. + +[12] At this place I first had the opportunity of speaking to our +Divisional Commander, Major-General Sir P.S. Wilkinson, K.C.M.G., +C.B., who was beloved by every one in the Division. + + + + +XVI + +MILLENCOURT + + +I went off to Millencourt, on October 6, in front of the rest of +Brigade in order to look for a bombing ground. I found one all right, +but I cannot say that it was altogether safe or in very good +condition. The firing-trench was a square emplacement cut into the +ground and there was no easy exit in case of trouble; also our +predecessors there obviously had had an accident on the spot, for I +found a box of Mills grenades lying there, half buried, two or three +of the grenades exploded and the rest more or less damaged and in a +dangerous condition. However, the mess was cleared up at last, and I +had to make the best of the place, such as it was. I had now only +Sergt. P. Flannigan to help me, but Lieut.-Col. Scott Jackson, D.S.O., +my colonel, kindly allowed L.-Sergt. Piercy of the 7th N.F. to come +and assist in the training at the Brigade Bombing School. After the +heavy fighting the Brigade was supplied with large drafts of new men. +They came chiefly from the Fen country and were only partially +trained. I found them far more difficult to instruct in bombing than +the Northumberland miners. I had between forty and fifty of these men +each day, and they had to throw two live grenades before they left. +One exciting event happened during this training. One of the drafts +was about to throw his grenade, when he dropped it and of course it +started to burn. With great quickness and resolution Sergt. Flannigan +picked it up and got it out of the trench before it burst--and his +action undoubtedly averted a tragedy. Many men have received +decorations for similar acts in the trenches, but the Brigade decided +that nothing could be done in this case except mentioning it in +Divisional Orders and recording it in the Sergeant's pay book. After +this I arranged with the Sergeant to keep an undetonated grenade +handy, and if any man seemed too nervous to throw his first grenade +safely, we supplied him with this. He went through all the emotions of +throwing a live grenade, and endangered neither himself nor us. The +empty grenade was then picked up and treated as a 'dud,' i.e. one that +had misfired. Between October 7 and October 21, 477 new men went +through the bombing course, and nearly a thousand grenades were fired. +Shortly after this Sergt. P. Flannigan went to the Corps School, first +as a bomber and afterwards as a Lewis gun instructor; and I never had +his services again. + +Brigadier-General Ovens was a pleasant, genial Irishman, who tried to +make us all feel at home in his mess. But I doubt whether the Irish +really understand the Northumbrians or vice versa. At this time John +Coates, the famous tenor singer, came out as a lieutenant in the +Yorkshire Regiment. He was attached to us for a time. It was a +sporting thing for him to do, but he was neither young enough nor hard +enough to stand the severities of the campaign. He acted as General's +Orderly-Officer for a time and afterwards became Town Major of +Becourt, not an easy or a very pleasant job. He sang several times for +the men, once in the open air, and his singing was certainly top hole. + +During this stay at Millencourt I paid a flying visit to Amiens with +Lieut. A.E. Odell. We went there and back in a Divisional Signal car +and stopped only a few hours, in fact for dinner. + +About October 24 we went to Albert, stopping one night at the same +house as before, and next day we went back to the line. + + + + +XVII + +HOOK SAP + + +On October 25, 1916, we took over from a brigade of the 1st Division +at the ruined sugar factory at Bazentin-le-Grand. The sleeping +apartments were in a dugout below ground, but the mess room and +offices were in the building on the ground floor. After arriving I +went with a bombing sergeant of the Black Watch to have a look at the +Brigade Dump, which was a good way from B.H.Q. You got at it by +walking across country to the west end of High Wood, and then along a +trench tramway till it ended rather abruptly at the Flers Switch. Like +most dumps, it was at the end of the tramway and none too healthy a +spot. It was afterwards moved forward to a sunken road called 'Hexham +Road,' where the boxes of ammunition were just piled in the open. + +The position in front was now as follows. The 1st Division had pushed +the enemy back to a line along the top of a ridge running from the +Butte of Warlencourt practically due east. This ridge prevented our +seeing the enemy's approaches and support positions in Le Barque. On +the other hand from Loupart Wood the whole of our approaches and +support trenches were in full view of the enemy, as far back as High +Wood. Across those two miles no one could move in daylight without +being seen by the enemy, and there was practically no position to put +our field guns forward of High Wood. The enemy's front line consisted +of two trenches--Gird Line and Gird Support--with a forward trench on +the top of the ridge, called on the left 'Butte Trench' on the right +'Hook Sap.' Our front line Snag Trench and Maxwell Trench lay this +side the ridge and about two hundred yards away from the German +forward trench. + +The Butte of Warlencourt, an old Gallic burial place, was a round +chalk hill, rising about 100 feet above ground level; and had been +mined with deep dugouts and made into a formidable strong point. From +the Butte machine-guns defended the approaches to Hook Sap, and from +Hook Sap and the Gird Line machine-guns defended the approaches to the +Butte. The ground between and around the opposing trenches had been +ploughed up with innumerable shells, some of huge calibre, and it was +now a spongy morass, difficult to cross at a walk and impossible at a +run. As events proved, unless both the Butte and the Gird Line could +be taken at the same time, the one would render the other impossible +to hold. This then was the problem that faced the 50th Division, a +problem that would have been difficult enough in the driest of +weather, but rendered four times more so by the rain which fell in +deluges on three days out of four during the whole of October and +November. I have dealt with these details rather fully, because this +phase of the Somme battle has been passed over as a thing of no +account. The eyes of the public have been directed to the successful +operations at Beaumont Hamel and Beaucourt. They have not been +directed to the misery and horror that were endured heroically but +unavailingly on the slopes between Eaucourt L'Abbaye and Le Barque. +Never have the soldiers of the 50th Division deserved more and won +less praise than they did during the operations between October 25 and +November 15. I have no pen to describe the conditions that were faced +by the brave men, who, after labouring unceasingly in the slimy +horrors and rain for three weeks without rest or relief, stormed and +took Hook Sap, only to be cut off and killed to the last man by +successive counter-attacks. It is a sorrowful page in the history of +the 7th N.F., but for stark grim courage and devotion to duty it +cannot be surpassed by anything in the history of the battalion. + +The first attack on the Butte and Butte Trench took place about the +beginning of November and was made by the 151st Infantry Brigade. On +the right the attack did not succeed; but on the left the troops +reached the Butte and took or killed many Germans. Unfortunately the +machine-guns behind the Butte prevented the Brigade from +consolidating the ground won, and the troops eventually retired to +their original line. During this operation the men of the 149th +Infantry Brigade were employed in carrying up stores and as stretcher +parties. Eventually, about November 12, the Brigade took over the +front line, with a view to renewing the attack whenever the weather +should permit. Our H.Q. were established at Seven Elms, about a mile +from the front line, with rear H.Q. at the sugar factory. At dawn on +November 14 the Brigade attacked the Hook Sap and Gird Line, the 5th +N.F. on the right, the 7th N.F. on the left opposite the sap. At the +same time an Australian Corps attacked farther to the right, but no +attack was made on the Butte itself. An officer, who was in the +trenches south-west of the Butte and saw the Northumberlands go +forward, told me that he had never seen such a strange sight. The men +staggered forward a few yards, tumbled into shell-holes or stopped to +pull out less fortunate comrades, forward a few more yards, and the +same again and again. All the while the machine-guns from the German +trenches poured a pitiless hail into the slowly advancing line; and +the German guns opened out a heavy barrage on the trenches and on the +ground outside. In spite of mud, in spite of heavy casualties, the +survivors of two companies of the 7th N.F. struggled across that +spongy swamp and gained the German line. What happened after that can +only be conjectured, for they never kept touch with the 5th N.F., who +reached and took the Gird Line. But it is known that the 7th N.F. got +a footing both in Hook Sap and in the Gird Line behind. The Germans +barraged the captured trenches twice or three times during the day, +and are thought to have attacked them in force with fresh reserves +each time. Owing to the heavy and continuous barrage across No Man's +Land no news could be got back and no supports could be sent forward. +Finally, at night, the remnants of the shattered brigade were +collected, and another attempt made to reach the trenches; but the +Germans had evidently now got back to their old position and in the +mud and darkness the fresh attack had little chance of success. +Nothing more has been seen or heard of the two companies that reached +Hook Sap. It is believed that they perished to the last man, +overwhelmed by successive German counter-attacks. Second-Lieut. E.G. +Lawson fell at Hook Sap, also 2nd-Lieut. R.H.F. Woods, both Bombing +Officers of the 7th N.F.; also Bombing Sergts. J.R. Richardson and J. +Piercy. + +The 5th N.F. did well indeed, for they succeeded in holding their +ground in the Gird Line and handed it over next day to the troops that +relieved them. But that also had to be abandoned at last, owing to its +isolated position. + +The only consolation that can be drawn from this heroic but tragic +affair is that it may have created a diversion to our successful +operations at Beaucourt. As an isolated operation it was doomed from +the start owing to the state of the ground and the exhaustion of the +men who took part in it. + +My own part in the sufferings of the Brigade at this time was so +insignificant that it is not worth giving many details of my +experiences. I found walking over the muddy ground most terribly +exhausting, especially in a trench coat dripping with rain and mud. +And it was a long way, over three miles, from rear H.Q. to the dump at +Hexham Road. One morning I went with Major Anderson to the ruins of +Eaucourt L'Abbaye on a visit of inspection. For months this was a +terribly shelled place, and it was now nothing but a pile of broken +sticks and brickdust. We were lucky to get clear of it before the +morning hate began. There were still large numbers of British and +German dead lying in heaps round the Flers Line; and two broken down +tanks completed the picture of muddy desolation. On November 14, the +day of the battle, I went up to advanced B.H.Q. at Seven Elms, where +quarters were very crowded. I remember being so tired out that night +that I fell asleep standing in one of the passages, propped against +one of the walls. Next day I returned to the sugar factory. And on +November 17 B.H.Q. moved back to a billet in Albert. Here, on November +19, I attended the Battalion Church Parade in a barn. A mere handful +of men, gaunt, hollow-cheeked, and exhausted, their faces dead white +and their clothes almost in rags, it was one of the saddest parades I +can remember. + +During this visit to the line I first had the services of Pte. +Fairclough of the 5th N.F. as my Brigade Bombing Orderly, and he +remained with me in that capacity till I left the Brigade in 1918. I +found him a most useful, willing man, and he soon gained his lance +stripe. On November 19, owing to the kindness of Major Anderson, I was +granted leave to England for ten days. He told the General that I was +looking rather war-worn and that I should be needed for further +grenade training on my return. + +It was during this visit to Bazentin-le-Grand that I first started +studying Intelligence work. The Brigade-Major asked me to spend my +spare time in assisting him with some aeroplane photographs. I had to +go over the daily series that came in from the Corps, and note +anything new on our own part of the front. Major Anderson was an +expert reader of these photographs, and he taught me all I know about +the subject. I found it an interesting subject, and it was to have a +great influence over my future career. + + + + +XVIII + +SECOND LEAVE--BRESLE + + +My journey from Albert to England was remarkable for the hardships +that occurred. It should be remembered that every one was desperately +tired and worn out already. We were told to appear at Albert station +at midnight. When we got there we were told to expect the train at +2.15 A.M. This meant walking about the platform to keep warm, for +there was no shelter for officers at the station. Capt. J.O. Aglionby, +C.F., our padre, and Capt. Lidderdale, R.A.M.C, our battalion doctor, +were both going by the same train, so I was not without company. When +2.15 A.M. came there was no train, and we kept walking about till dawn +broke, but still no train. The R.T.O. then told us that there had been +a breakdown and that the train could not be expected for a long time. +So we decided to go and get breakfast at our billets and then to go to +Amiens by motor-lorry, and catch the train there. At least there would +be less chance of being shelled there, and some food and shelter. + +So we set off about 10 o'clock and eventually got to Amiens, where we +had a decent lunch. We had to keep hanging about the station, +however, inquiring for the train. It arrived about 9 P.M., about +eighteen hours late, and we were glad enough to get on board. It is +difficult enough to sleep sitting in a train, but I think I managed a +few hours of troubled sleep. And next morning we arrived in Le Havre. +The first thing there was to march the men down to a rest camp a long +way from the town, and a good way from the docks. We were told to +report back at the same place at 2.30 P.M. So we trudged back to Le +Havre and got shaved and fed. On returning to the Rest Camp we were +told that the boat would leave in twenty minutes and that, as it was a +good thirty minutes walk, we had better be quick. Fortunately we got +hold of a motor-car and got a lift part of the way and hurried along +after that as fast as we could. When we reached the dock we found the +boat would not leave for another two hours. The organisation here was +rotten just at this time, but it improved later. _The Viper_, a fast +packet-boat, took us across to Southampton. And next morning I +proceeded to Weston-super-Mare, having taken nearly three days on the +journey. Most of that leave I spent in bed in the hands of the doctor. +I was utterly worn out, not only with exhaustion, but with the +depression naturally caused by losing so many friends and comrades in +a manner apparently so fruitless. + +The company of recruits I had at Alnwick, was practically wiped out, I +found about two of them with the battalion when I returned. Only +eleven were left of the battalion bombers, my good comrades of the +Salient. The Bombing Officers of the four battalions were all +casualties, four of them killed. There were few trained bombers left +in the whole brigade. I went back to France on December 2 in anything +but buoyant spirits. + +On returning to Albert I found that the Brigade were billeted at the +small village of Bresle. And I got there without much difficulty. The +weather was wet and cold, as it generally is in December; but active +preparations were soon started for getting the Bombing School open. We +found a fairly good bombing-pit for the Brigade School, but we had to +make one for the battalions. I was now without trained instructors and +I had no Brigade Bombing Sergeant, but I was lent Corp. Munro, a +bomber from the 6th N.F., and I made what use I could of Pte. +Fairclough, my orderly. The result was that I had not only to attend +to all the live firing, but I had to do the sergeants' work as well. +Afterwards there were the grenades to be sorted out for next day and a +friendly hand given to the Bombing Officers of the battalions, most of +whom were new to their work. + +During our stay at Bresle 477 fresh men went through the recruits' +bombing course. And on December 26 and 27 the tests were carried out +with the battalion bombers, for the purpose of granting the Bombers' +Badge. These tests were now made much more difficult to pass, and only +seven men passed the throwing and firing tests. After this period I +never carried out any further instruction in the hand-grenade. The +drafts later on came out more fully trained and the Battalion Bombing +Officers carried on any further instruction that was required. During +and in preparation for the operations on the Somme 16 officers and +2106 men went through the course; and at least 5000 live grenades were +thrown. I was lucky to have no accident with the Mills grenade, and no +fatal ones even with the rifle-grenade. + +General Ovens went on leave at Bresle, and Lieut.-Col. G. Scott +Jackson, O.C. 7th N.F., came as Brigade Commander to our H.Q. We had +him several times again in that capacity, and he was always a +favourite in our mess. His fine record and services are well known; a +D.S.O. and Bar, he probably commanded a fighting battalion as long as +any officer in France. From the time when the battalion landed in +France in April 1915 till he left the battalion for the R.A.M.C. at +the latter end of 1917, he was only off duty for about three days, in +a quiet part of the line. He always looked a picture of robust +strength, never missed his cold bath even with the temperature near +zero, and was one of the most optimistic men in the whole Brigade. He +was a most pleasant kindly Brigade Commander, with the supreme virtue +of leaving the specialists to do their work in their own way. + +Before we left Bresle I got a Brigade Bombing Sergeant--Sergeant T. +Matthewson of the 5th N.F., who had had long experience as Battalion +Bombing Sergeant, and was a thoroughly trained and reliable man. I +found him most useful in his new office and I am glad to know that he +got safely through the war. Amongst other accomplishments he was a +good wicket-keeper, as I found later on. + +On Christmas Day I went to dinner with the 7th N.F. at their H.Q., and +was very hospitably entertained. The Brigade moved from Bresle to a +camp at Becourt on November 28, and stayed there two days; and then +took over from a Brigade of the 1st Division at Bazentin-le-Petit. + + + + +XIX + +BUTTE OF WARLENCOURT--TRENCH WARFARE + + +On December 30, 1916, the Brigade was in the reserve area about +Bazentin-le-Petit, and ready to take over the line of trenches running +eastwards from a point south of the Butte of Warlencourt. No material +change had taken place on this part of the front since the fruitless +attack of November 11. The 1st Division, however, had done a good deal +of work in the back areas, and had laid duck-board tracks from High +Wood to the front line, and increased the number of light railways. +B.H.Q. were at some dugouts at the 'Cough Drop,' a place about a mile +north of High Wood. The 149th Infantry Brigade had now decided to make +use of a party of 'Observers,' and Major Anderson asked me to take +charge of them. I was a little diffident about this as I had never had +any experience as a Battalion Intelligence Officer and really knew +nothing at all about observation. But I was glad to take on the job, +and I soon got to like it. On December 30, therefore, two trained +observers from each of the four battalions of the Brigade reported to +me. And I had two N.C.Os. with this party--a corporal of the 4th N.F., +who soon left to take a commission, and L.-C. Amos of the 7th N.F., +who afterwards became N.C.O. in charge. On the same day I met the +Intelligence Officer of the 1st Brigade who took me over the line and +showed me the two O.P.s. I was lucky to meet at the start an officer +who understood the business so well. He gave me many useful hints, and +handed over an excellent panoramic sketch map of the view from one +O.P., as well as the Log Book. The latter was a notebook containing +reports of every movement of the enemy seen from the O.P.s. On +December 31 I took the party of observers up to the Cough Drop where +they had a shelter near B.H.Q. I had also supervision of the two +Brigade dumps, one at Hexham Road and the other at the Flers Line +about half a mile north of B.H.Q. Both places came in for heavy +shelling at intervals all day and night, for both were situated about +the end of a trench tramway, an obvious place for dumping stores. +However I had the latter dump moved to a better place, some distance +from the tramway, where there was less scrap iron lying about. During +this tour in the line which lasted eight days, I was employed in +looking after the observers and the two Brigade bomb stores. Towards +the close of our stay I started to make a new bomb store in Hexham +Road. Capt. H. Liddell gave me the general design of it and told me +what materials I should require. But I had no more time than to get +the emplacement dug out and the wooden framework erected.[13] I +remember that we struck two buried Germans in excavating the +emplacement and had to treat them with some very powerful corrosive +before the work could be continued. + +Also it was rather a warm corner in Hexham Road, and I caught a shell +splinter on the leg; this, however, struck the steel buckle on my +trench boot and only raised a bruise. The weather became very cold +towards the end of our stay, with snow and frost. The Germans opposite +our trenches were not disposed to be unfriendly about the New Year. On +the left near the Butte they signalled to our men in the trenches +before a trench-mortar bombardment started, as if to warn them to take +cover. On the right they were still more inclined to fraternise. Here +both sides were holding trenches that would have become impossible if +any sniping had been done. So both our men and the Germans worked away +at deepening their own trenches without molesting their opponents; +although sometimes a crowd of men were exposed from the waist upwards +at a range of about 200 yards. + +It was one of those curious understandings which arise when no violent +operations are in progress. However, on New Year's Day it went even +further. A soldier of the 5th N.F., after signals from the Germans, +went out into No Man's Land and had a drink with a party of them. +After this a small party of the enemy approached our trenches without +arms and with evidently friendly intentions. But they were warned off +and not allowed to enter our trenches. This little affair, I believe, +led to the soldier being court-martialled for holding intercourse with +the enemy. After eight days in the line the Brigade returned to a camp +at the north end of Mametz Wood. B.H.Q. were close to a battery of +9-inch howitzers, and when these heavy guns fired a salvo, which they +did occasionally both day and night, it fairly lifted the things off +the table. We got shelled here one night, but beyond getting a shower +or two of splinters and stones on to the huts no damage was done. I +had now time to ramble round, and examine various things of interest. +I found a regular dump of German bombs at Bazentin-le-Grand, and some +of these were collected for training purposes. + +There were some Divisional baths at Bazentin-le-Petit, and I remember +having a most cold and miserable bath there one night; but it was +better than none at all. It was surprising how quickly the heavy +railway had been brought along. It now reached High Wood, but of +course did not cross the ridge, which would have been in view of the +enemy. About January 15 we went back to the line in very cold weather, +and B.H.Q. stayed at the Cough Drop again for eight days. During this +time I set to work completing the bomb store at Hexham Road, and +filling it with grenades. Each morning I got a party of about sixteen +men, and we collected a lot of filled sandbags to pack round the +framework and shed which were soon finished. The Brigade observers +held a post in the old Flers Line, from which good observation was +obtained on the ground between Loupart Wood and Grevillers. It was not +difficult to get the heavy gunners to fire on German working-parties +that were spotted by the observers; and several parties were duly +dispersed by our shells. Before we left the line this time, the +Brigade bomb store at Hexham Road was completed and filled. And when I +visited the district again in June 1917 it was still standing. I also +began now to write out the Brigade Intelligence Reports which were +sent in each day, and contained a summary of the events that had +happened or had been observed on our front. On January 23 we went back +to the camp north of Mametz Wood. + +After a few days we moved off to Albert, and stayed two or three days +in a house near the railway line. The town got both bombed and shelled +at times, though not very severely. After this we moved off to the +village of Dernancourt for a short rest. + +Major C.G. Johnson, M.C., who was adjutant of the 7th N.F. when I +joined the battalion, was now attached to B.H.Q. as +Assistant-Staff-Captain. He was an exceedingly able man, and had a good +knowledge of military law. We all liked him well as adjutant of the +battalion, and our relations at B.H.Q. were always friendly. He left us +eventually to become D.A.Q.M.G. in a higher Staff formation. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[13] Pte. Slack (7th N.F.), a Brigade pioneer, helped me greatly with +the carpenter's work. + + + + +XX + +FRANCE AND THE FRENCH + + +The war has done at least one thing for me. It has opened my eyes and +changed my views with regard to the French. I confess that once I had +no liking for them and a certain measure of contempt. I suppose the +average Englishman has started with views like these. There has been +bad blood between the two races, and that at no very distant date. +Indeed the Alliance or Entente started much like a marriage of +convenience. The two partners were joined in interest together against +a common foe and a common danger. + +Personally, I do not think there was much love lost between the two +nations for some time after the war started. The bond of mutual +admiration and respect, and I hope of affection, was forged in the +Battle of the Somme and in the heroic defence of Verdun. This bond has +been strengthened since on many a stricken field. The clouds of mutual +mistrust and jealousy have been largely dispelled. We have learnt much +about the French since the early days of the war, and they much about +us; otherwise it would have been impossible for a French General to +be in supreme command of the campaign. + +I have often come in contact with the French civilian in town and +country, but only rarely with French troops. Also I have come to know +and like a series of French interpreters attached to battalions or +brigade. The deeds of the French Army speak for themselves, and their +Staff work has been often beyond praise. When we remember the cruel +fate that befell the north-eastern corner of France and its unhappy +citizens, we may sympathise with the fury of the French nation against +their old oppressors. No one living in England can realise the hideous +wounds inflicted on this fair country-side. It may explain to some +extent at least the heroic resistance of the French for over four +years--a resistance that could scarcely have been predicted before the +war. + +In considering our relations with the French at different times, it is +well to have a deep sympathy for the cruel wrongs she has suffered. +Thus they must have regarded with very mixed feelings their harbours, +railways, and towns being taken over by an alien though friendly +people. + +All things considered the Frenchman may well have said at the first, +'These English, they are everywhere!' At least, this I noticed when I +arrived in Le Havre in January 1916, there was no enthusiasm for us +there. There was no rudeness, it is true, but the atmosphere of the +place was rather chilly and aloof. The country folk about Meteren +seemed pleased to see us; I think they had got used to the ways of +the British soldier and found him not such a bad fellow after all. It +was pleasant to see the country folks round here after our stay in +Flanders, comely and straight, members of a thoroughbred race. The +contrast was rather forcible perhaps. + +The Brigade Interpreter in 1916, Monsieur Bunge, a native of Le Havre, +was a pleasant, lively sort of person, always ready for a joke and an +admirer of the British. With him I got on very well; and I learnt one +or two things of the French from him. One of them was how sensitive +they are in small matters of conversation. If in your heavy English +way you did not respond at once with animation to his remarks, M. +Bunge thought he had offended you. + +They are a very sensitive race, especially in matters of courtesy. The +colder manner and bearing of the British must have been a sore trial +to them till they got to understand them--especially if they were +laying themselves out to be friendly. It is worth while to let +yourself go a bit in the matter of speech and bearing when talking to +them. And, above all things, if you want to please them, try to talk +to them in French, however badly, for they all take it as a great +compliment. Another thing I discovered was the unwillingness of the +French officers to take the initiative in saluting; yet they would +never fail to return such a courtesy. Perhaps their earlier +experiences in this little matter had been discouraging. It is much +the same with the poilus and farmer folk. If you wish them 'Bonjour' +they would invariably respond and also salute. + +Later on I had a day or two in Amiens which provided some impressions +of the French soldiers. The officers there contrasted rather forcibly +with our own, I remember. They were very smartly dressed in +home-parade uniforms, wore their medals, and carried themselves with +an admirable pride and spirit. Our officers, on the other hand, +dressed in the homely khaki, often the worse for wear, had generally +an air of war-weariness. No doubt most of our men had come almost +straight from the battle-field and were enjoying only a few hours' +relaxation in this fine city. Still it made one reflect that the +French are indeed a nation of soldiers which we are not. We obviously +have not the same pride in the paraphernalia of war, and that shows +which way the wind blows. I also saw a number of poilus going on leave +and returning to the line. They looked very quiet and patient, but +without a great deal of enthusiasm showing on the surface. Later on I +saw French soldiers on the march several times. They get over the +ground very fast; but it is more go as you please with them than with +us. I have often noticed how grave these poilus look, even after the +war was over. Nothing of the reckless fun and explosive good humour of +the British soldier. If the latter is not having a rotten time he is +wonderfully cheerful and often light-hearted. + +I have also seen the French soldiers holding the line in a quiet part; +and indeed we 'took over' from them there. They do not expose +themselves nearly so much as we do near the trenches. Everything +seemed to be done with scientific method and every one seemed to know +exactly what to do on all occasions. They hold their front line +thinly, trusting in case of accidents to recover it by a +counter-attack. And if the French are not fighting a battle they +generally keep their front as quiet as they can. This of course is all +very different from our own system. If we had a quiet part of the +line, it was generally because we had silenced the enemy's guns and +trench-mortars by fighting. + +I had one great chance of studying the French officer at home in these +trenches. Shortly before taking over the French Regimental Commander +in the line asked our Brigadier, Brigade-Major, and 'one other +officer' to visit the trenches, but to be sure and call in at +Regimental H.Q. before proceeding up the line. This was really an +invitation of goodwill and ceremony rather than an invitation to +examine the line. But as this was not quite understood at the time I +was included in the party as Brigade Bombing Officer, rather than the +Staff-Captain or Machine-Gun Officer, either of whom should have gone +in my place. So on a terribly cold day at the end of January 1917 we +set off, and after a long ride from Dernancourt to Fontaine-les-Cappy +in a motor-car, we arrived near Regimental H.Q. and proceeded there on +foot. The Brigadier was a fair French linguist, I had about two words +of French, and the Brigade-Major had none. So it was just as well that +the junior Etat-Major happened to be a fluent English speaker. +Indeed, he had spent a good time in Newcastle and knew not only +England but the north. We were welcomed by the French Brigadier with +every mark of courtesy and goodwill. It is the custom for a French +officer to salute his superior and then to shake hands with him. The +salute is given even if you do not happen to be wearing a cap. + +These worthy and hospitable warriors were in charge of a regiment (or +as we should say a brigade) from the south of France about Bordeaux. I +believe they had won for themselves a good reputation as fighting men. +They knew, however, as well how to take care of themselves; and I +fancy they had a first-class chef amongst their servants. It was a +great affair, that meal, which had been prepared to do us honour, +especially considering that it was served actually in the trenches. +Quite a number of dishes succeeded one another, and were washed down +with some excellent red wine. These were followed by several sweets +and a glass of sweet champagne--the latter to drink to our good luck +in the new trenches--glasses were solemnly clinked at this stage of +the proceedings; afterwards cognac, coffee and cigars. The French +officers expressed considerable interest in the Territorial 'T.'s' on +my tunic, asking what they stood for. The French 'Territorial' is of +course a different type to ours, being in the nature of the last +reserve, elderly men not used as 'storm' or 'shock' troops. The meal +passed pleasantly indeed; and at the end, a photograph must be taken +as a souvenir of the meeting, and that was duly done in the winter +sunlight outside. The French soldiers use small cameras in the +trenches, a privilege denied to us. I have never before or since been +in such elaborate trenches as these that we took over from the French. +Vast communication trenches, six to ten feet deep, ran back for miles +behind the front line. The same with the forward area, the number of +deep trenches was simply extraordinary. Their idea may have been to +make so many trenches that the enemy would not know which to shell. +Unfortunately the trenches were not revetted, and when the frost broke +we came to think less of them and travelled as much as possible across +the open. The inside of the trenches was very clean--not a tin or a +scrap of paper to be seen. The refuse was all dumped just over the +parapet or in the shell-holes outside. The French are accustomed to an +easy system of sanitation. During the day few French soldiers are seen +outside their dugouts, except parties cleaning the trenches. In the +front line only a few sentries were kept on duty, and they were +relieved every two hours. The French speak with great confidence of +their field artillery, the terrible 75's. A battery of these guns +handled by French gunners can fire almost like a machine-gun, and the +noise is deafening. + +As a nation the French have their faults. They are exceedingly proud +and quick to take offence, they are not very stable or constant +(obstinate shall we say?), and they are about the hardest bargainers +in the world. + +Thrift and making use of the shining hour have been driven to their +last conclusions. The British soldiers have been made to pay very +sweetly for their visit to France. I do not think the French ever gave +the British such a warm welcome as the Belgians did. + +But when all is said and done we all have our own faults, and the +Frenchman's most shining virtue is patriotism. + + + + +XXI + +SOUTH OF THE SOMME + + +After staying for about a week or more at Dernancourt, the Brigade +received orders to go south of the Somme, and to take over part of the +line won by the French this side of Peronne. We marched, therefore, +through Bray and stayed two nights at Mericourt and two at +Fontaine-les-Cappy. At the latter place I was surprised to find some +graves of British soldiers who had fallen there in the earlier part of +the war. Also I had one exciting experience at Fontaine-les-Cappy. +There was a large grenade dump near our camp, and, just as I was +passing it, an explosion took place. A party of men had been +detonating grenades, and two or three grenades had gone off in the +box, killing two of the party and hurling the grenades in a shower all +round the place. One fell close, and I was lucky not to be riddled by +it. For the safety-pin was blown out and the lever of the grenade held +down by a piece of wood from the side of the box, which was jammed by +the explosion into the shoulder of the grenade. I spent a little time +picking up such grenades as I could find, and two or three of them +were in a dangerous condition. + +When we got into the line near Belloy I lived for a time at advanced +B.H.Q. called 'P.C. Hedevaux' ('Post Commandant' _Hedevaux_). The +dugouts were deep and proof against ordinary shells. The General, +Brigade-Major, and Staff-Captain resided farther back at 'P.C. +Buelow.' I was shown over the trenches by the _officier bombardier_ +(Bombing Officer) of a French unit. And I found it fairly easy to talk +to him without the aid of an interpreter. I told him two English +expressions which seemed to please him greatly. One was 'dugout,' the +other 'dump'; the equivalent for the latter in French being 'Depot de +Munitions.' + +I made an entirely new Brigade bomb store in these trenches, using the +little shelters in a line of disused trenches. After a week in the +trenches the frost broke, and the trenches which had been hard and dry +now became nothing but muddy drains. To wade along them even in +daylight and in gum boots involved the greatest physical exertion. One +unfortunate man stuck in the mud, and before they got him out he was +pulled out of his boots and breeches and had his coat torn off his +back. Finally he was sent to the dressing-station with only his shirt +on. We stayed about sixteen days in the line, and during the last five +or six days I retired to P.C. Buelow to assist in the Intelligence +Work. + +This part of the line was quiet and our stay uneventful; but two +things of interest might be noted. The Brigade observers reported that +the Germans were employing French prisoners on the roads about a mile +behind their front line, a cowardly and disgraceful proceeding. The +Germans were seen working hard on their dugouts behind the line--this +was of course a 'blind' for our benefit, for the German retreat +started the day after the 50th Division was relieved. + +After our sixteen days in the line B.H.Q. moved back to Foucaucourt +and remained there till about March 7. Then the 50th Division finally +left the Somme front and moved back for a rest. B.H.Q. went to +Warfusee and we had good billets there. + +Brigadier-General Ovens, C.M.G., left us at Foucaucourt and +Lieut.-Col. B.D. Gibson, D.S.O., of the 4th N.F., commanded the +Brigade for a few days, being succeeded as Brigade Commander by +Lieut.-Col. G. Scott Jackson, D.S.O., of the 7th N.F. + +Two very startling things were done at this time. All the men of the +Brigade were told that they were about to be trained for open warfare, +and they would not have to go into the trenches again. They were to be +used as part of a Corps de Chasse during the next offensive. This was +not borne out by events, but it throws some light on the expectations +of the British Staff. It was also decided at this juncture to change +the organisation of the British Infantry Company. Each company was in +future to consist of four sections--one riflemen pure and simple, +another Lewis gunners, another bombers, and the fourth rifle-bombers. + +It was perhaps an unfortunate time to spring this change on the +B.E.F., just on the eve of a new offensive. The idea appears to have +been sound enough, but the attempt to rush it through in three weeks' +time was hardly likely to have good results. To convert a rifleman +into a rifle-bomber in a week's training was of course out of the +question. Hitherto only the most expert and steadiest bombers had been +employed on rifle-grenade work. But now the ordinary infantry were +expected to become rifle-bombers, although their knowledge of bombs +was of the most elementary description. Two problems therefore faced +those responsible for the training and equipment of the rifle-bombers. +First how to get them even partially trained in the time, and second +to invent some apparatus for carrying the rifle-grenades. At first it +was only possible to train the N.C.O.s in charge of the rifle-bombing +sections--leaving them to instruct their sections as well as they +could. + +It is hard to realise the complete inadequacy of this arrangement, +without knowing something of the rifle-grenade, and without knowing +the extraordinary difficulty of training a man to become an instructor +of others. However that was the best that could be made of the new +orders at the moment. And so it fell to me to take a class for a week +of N.C.O'.s drawn from the four battalions. I had not only to teach +them to fire the rifle-grenade themselves, of which they knew nothing, +but to teach them to hand their knowledge on to others. + +The training went on from March 12 to 17, and thirty-four section +leaders attended the course. About 1150 rounds were fired. I did not +attempt any live firing--in fact, I have never thought it serves any +useful purpose to fire live rifle-grenades in practice. + +It is of course much more dangerous than throwing a live hand-grenade, +and one accident in practice is enough to discourage all the recruits +who see it from firing live rifle-grenades in actual warfare. On the +other hand, even where the rifle-grenades are only used as dummies, +the waste of valuable ammunition is simply appalling. A Hales +rifle-grenade used to cost 25s. and it came down to 15s. a little +later, but once fired as a dummy it was not much use to fire again. +Dummies could have been made for about 1s. at the most, but of course +no one in England thought about a trifle like that; and so the +colossal waste went on all the time I had the training in hand. I did +what I could by straightening the rods to use the grenades again, but +I could not save much in this way. Thousands of pounds in +rifle-grenades must have been used where thousands of shillings should +have been spent. + +At Warfusee Brigadier-General H.C. Rees, D.S.O., came to take over +command of the Brigade. He had seen very heavy fighting in the early +part of the war, and had since commanded two Brigades before he came +to the 149th Infantry Brigade. He was liked and respected by every one +in the Brigade. Very tall and well built, and a soldier who gave you +the greatest confidence in his ability and leadership, the Brigade +owed much to him, especially at a time when the trench fighting was +giving way (as it seemed) to open warfare. He was a first-class +rifle-shot himself, and never ceased to impress the necessity of +developing this weapon to the utmost. For the hand-grenade he had the +greatest contempt, which he was rather fond of expressing. Fortunately +for me, bombing work was giving way to Intelligence, although for some +time to come I had to train the men in rifle grenades and to look +after the Brigade ammunition stores. + +After finishing the rifle-grenade work I acted as +Assistant-Staff-Captain for about a week. It was chiefly office work +as far as I was concerned, the returns being very voluminous. Work as +I could there seemed to be no getting to the end of these returns till +9 or 10 o'clock at night. There were also one or two minor +court-martial cases, in which my legal training proved some +assistance. On March 27 I got my third leave granted, for ten days. It +was perhaps rather quick after my last leave, but the fact of my being +ill on that occasion was taken into consideration. This time I went to +Amiens by motor-lorry and thence to Boulogne, reaching Manchester on +the same day that I sailed from France. + +On April 6 I left Folkestone and got to Boulogne about 4 o'clock. Here +no one could say where the 56th Division was, and I was directed to +leave by a midnight train and to report to the R.T.O. at Abbeville. I +got there about 2 A.M. and was told to go back to Etaples by an 8 +o'clock train that morning. I managed to get a few hours' sleep and +breakfast at the Officers Club at Abbeville, and reached Etaples +about midday on April 7. On April 9 I was told to proceed to St. Pol +and get further directions there. I arrived there in time for lunch, +and then reached Frevent by another train. Here I was told to go by +the light railway towards Wanquetin and to make inquiries for the 50th +Division on the way. At Frevent I saw a lot of slightly wounded +soldiers coming back from Arras; they had been over the top that +morning on the first day of the great battle which had just started. +Just before reaching Avesnes-le-Compte I spotted some Divisional +transport on the roads, and, on making inquiries at Avesnes, I learnt +that the 149th Infantry Brigade were quartered at Manin about two +miles away. So I left the train and reached our H.Q. just in time for +dinner. + +The 50th Division had marched from Warfusee, and were now proceeding +towards Arras to take part in the battle which had started on April +9. + + + + +XXII + +THE BATTLE OF ARRAS + + +The Battle of Arras started with a great success. The Vimy Ridge was +recaptured and the vast fortress between Telegraph Hill and Neuville +Vitasse, including a substantial part of the famous Hindenburg Line, +fell in one day. The high ground at Monchy-le-Preux was soon stormed +and secured. But after this progress became very slow, nothing seemed +to come of these great tactical successes. The fighting, instead of +developing into open warfare as we had expected, became again very +similar in character to the great trench to trench battles on the +Somme. + +The French waited a week before starting their offensive in Champagne, +and when it did start it failed completely. The weather broke down on +April 10, as it generally did in 1917 whenever the British commenced +offensive operations. It became very cold and it rained or snowed +almost incessantly for over a week. It is hard for one who saw only a +small sector of this great battle to understand what prevented us from +taking greater advantage of our great initial success, which certainly +surprised and disorganised the enemy. But it was not merely the +weather which broke down at a critical moment. There were other causes +at work to delay and impede success. I strongly suspect that the +British infantry units were still suffering from their tremendous +exertions in 1916; and they certainly had not the confident assurance +of victory which inspired the terrible sacrifices on the Somme. +Hitherto our artillery had never been so strong nor had the mechanical +aids to victory been so numerous or so varied. Gas-projectors and +oil-drums were first used in this battle, new aeroplanes were first +launched out in public; the British held the mastery of the air, and +the Germans had not yet devised any effective remedy for the British +tanks. But the British troops were not the troops of the Somme. The +old type of volunteer had largely disappeared, and the same resolution +and confidence were not displayed by some of the British divisions. +The very strength of our artillery was sapping the old reliance on the +rifle, and when the barrage stopped the infantry often seemed to be +powerless to defend the captured positions. + +On the other hand the superior and more lengthy training of the German +reserves now began to tell. Personally, I never admired the German as +a fighting man until he was now for the first time driven out of his +vast defences. On the Somme the Germans had artillery support nearly +equal to our own, and they were defending superb trenches with +unbroken roads and country behind them. Now, when they were thrust out +of their famous stronghold and plastered with every sort of +projectile, they held up repeated attacks, backed by enormous +artillery preparation and support, held them up by sheer dogged +fighting and superior knowledge of war. Their Staff work must have +been good, and the training and morale of the troops equally good to +have done it. After the first great success, we gained only small +local successes, costing thousands of casualties and vast expenditure +of ammunition. Eventually, after about five weeks of fierce thrusts, +the Battle of Arras came to an end, giving us, it is true, a much +improved position in front of Arras, but leaving the main object of +the attack unaccomplished. The further offensives of 1917 were carried +on more to the north and south, and the Arras area saw no more big +fighting till the beginning of 1918. + +The 50th Division came into action on April 11, and worked alternately +with the 14th Division. The enemy were pushed across the Cojeul Valley +and into the outskirts of Vis-en-Artois and Cherisy. The advance of +these two Divisions would have been undoubtedly greater, but Guemappe +on the left and the uncaptured part of the Hindenburg Line on the +right for a time held up the divisions attacking on either flank. Thus +both the 50th Division and the 14th Division captured Cherisy in turn, +but had to abandon the place through having their flanks exposed. By +their operations in this area both Divisions maintained their already +worthy reputation. + + + + +XXIII + +WANCOURT TOWER--CROISILLES + + +The 149th Infantry Brigade left Manin on the morning of April 10, and +marched to Wanquetin, where the troops were billeted in houses. On the +following day it began to snow heavily about midday and this continued +far into the night. The Brigade were intended to attack on April 12, +but, owing to the exhaustion and exposure of the troops, the 151st +Brigade were substituted when the attack recommenced on April 13. We +started our march in the snow just as the light was beginning to fail, +and trudged along through the muddy slush till we reached Arras. Here +there was a delay of several hours before guides arrived to lead the +various units to their stations. B.H.Q. marched through the town and +eventually arrived at the ruined sugar factory at Faubourg Ronville, +where there were deep dugouts below the ruins. We could not see much +of the city but it appeared to be badly knocked about by the enemy's +shells. Not many houses, perhaps, had fallen to bits, but there was +hardly a house that had not been hit. A great many small shells must +have been fired into the town. The place of course was full of +underground passages--though I never had the chance of entering them. +When morning came I was able to take stock of my surroundings. The +sugar factory was one of the last buildings at the S.E. end of the +city, and a trench tramway led to what had once been the front line +trenches about a quarter of a mile from these H.Q. + +My job that morning was to hunt round for the dumps of grenades &c. +which had been made by our predecessors before their advance. I +remember finding two of these in fairly good condition in the +neighbourhood of Telegraph Hill--only of course on the Arras side. The +cold night on which we arrived had taken heavy toll of the cavalry +horses, and many of these splendid animals could be seen scattered +about on the ground, some already dead and others dying. They were too +fine bred to stand that wintry night in an open bivouac. As far as I +could make out our lighter siege guns had moved up towards the +Telegraph Hill ridge and our field guns towards Neuville Vitasse; +there were still howitzers of heavy calibre in the environs of the +city itself. I believe the 151st Infantry Brigade attacked on April +13, and pushed across the Cojeul Valley north of Heninel, and dug in +just west of the Wancourt Tower ridge. Wancourt was captured but not +Guemappe, and Marliere was in our hands. On that day I was instructed +to make a dump at Telegraph Hill, which I had no difficulty in doing +as the place was quite quiet. + + [Illustration: Scene of Attacks on Cherisy. April 1917.] + +The next day this dump was removed to the region of the Elm Trees at +Wancourt behind the 'Brown Line'; and the Brigade relieved the 151st +Infantry Brigade. B.H.Q. were at the Elm Trees, and consisted of some +fine deep dugouts, which the Germans had used as an ammunition store. +The entrance to them was in a small sunken road. The ammunition was +mostly stored in large wooden boxes, and we had to pull it out and get +rid of it. This was done by emptying the boxes into the nearest +shell-holes; so that the ground outside was littered with German +ammunition. In one of these shell-holes, amongst a lot of rubbish of +this kind, I found four old pewter dishes and two pewter spoons. They +had been heaved out of the dugout along with the rest of its contents. +One of the plates was dated 1733, and all were marked with the foreign +maker's stamp. They afforded, when cleaned, a rather unusual +decoration for the walls of the mess room. This little collection was +disposed of 'under Divisional and Brigade arrangements,' but I managed +to secure the spoons. + +The position in front was now as follows. A battalion held the +trenches across the Cojeul Valley, supported by three battalions in +the Brown Line and in Wancourt itself. The enemy was in Guemappe and +also in some trenches just over the ridge of Wancourt Tower Hill. It +was the business of the Brigade to hold the trenches and to make such +improvement in them as opportunity might offer. General Rees was not +the man to let any such opportunity slip. Nothing happened during the +first few days, beyond the usual heavy shelling of the roads and +batteries and forward positions. + +But a patrol of the 5th N.F. pushed out towards Guemappe, and carried +out a useful daylight reconnaissance. + +Also about April 16, 1917, Lieut.-Col. F. Robinson of the 6th N.F. +discovered the enemy approaching the ruined buildings on the Wancourt +Tower Hill, and promptly ordered a platoon to attack them. This plan +succeeded admirably and the Tower and house were captured. The place +was of vital importance to us as it commanded direct observation on +all the roads leading to our part of the front. On April 17 the enemy +shelled the Tower with 8-inch howitzers--generally a sign that he +meant to attack sooner or later. The Tower contained a formidable +concrete machine-gun emplacement, facing of course our way, but by +General Rees' orders it was blown up by the Engineers. Sure enough the +enemy attacked the Tower that night, and at an unfortunate time for +us, for the 7th N.F. were in the process of relieving the 6th N.F. in +the front line, and it was a vile night, with a blizzard of snow. + +The German attack succeeded in driving our men out of the Tower and +buildings, and though several bombing attacks were made that night to +recover the position it could not be done. General Rees at once +prepared to storm the position at the earliest opportunity next day, +the 7th N.F. having completed the relief of the trenches during the +night. It is difficult to describe the confidence which our General +inspired at this critical time; he was rather graver and more +thoughtful than usual, perhaps, but he treated the matter with great +confidence and made every one feel that the misfortune could and would +be retrieved at the first attempt. His plans were made in conjunction +with Major Johnson of the 50th Divisional Artillery; and as a result +it was arranged to attack across the open supported by a barrage from +five brigades of field artillery. The hour was fixed for twelve noon +(German time) just when the enemy is thinking about his dinner. +Without any preliminary bombardment, the barrage opened out at the +appointed hour, and fairly drove the enemy off the hill top. The 7th +N.F. advanced in perfect order and with little opposition recaptured +the Tower and the neighbouring trenches. Two or three prisoners were +sent down, who had been unable to get away before the attackers +reached them. It was a little attack, but carried out with admirable +precision and practically without loss, and every credit must be given +to General Rees for the way he handled the problem. As this operation +was carried out in full view of all the surrounding country it +attracted considerable attention, and congratulations soon poured in +from all sides. I was kept indoors or rather underground a good deal +during this stay in the line, as it was my business to record in a +log-book every note or message that came in to the Brigade Office, +either by day or night. I had the chance, too, of hearing the +Divisional Intelligence Officer examining a few German prisoners who +were captured on our front. He brought with him three large books +containing no doubt the previous history of the German Brigades; and +with the aid of these he was able to check the accuracy of the +prisoners' statements. + +One day I went with General Rees to Marliere, and we went some +distance down Southern Avenue, which was then between the German +outpost line and our own. Another day we went to some high ground N.W. +of Wancourt for the purposes of observation. I remember that on this +occasion we had to hurry as the Germans were shelling rather close, +and General Rees got a splinter on the helmet. We were relieved by the +150th Infantry Brigade on April 21, and I rode back to Arras with +Capt. Haggie. I was now billeted for two days in a house in Arras, +where the Brigade Staff-Captain's office was located. The first night +was quiet enough, but the following night was not so pleasant. For our +heavy guns were now bombarding the German positions and their +long-range guns threw a lot of shells in reply into various parts of +the city. On April 23, St. George's Day, the British resumed the +attack and the 150th Infantry Brigade attacked from the top of +Wancourt Tower Hill. A good number of prisoners were made, but +Guemappe still held out and the Germans launched a heavy +counter-attack along this part of the front. In the morning I went +forward to some dugouts east of Telegraph Hill where the General, +Brigade-Major, and Signalling Officer were stationed for this battle. +Our Brigade of course was in reserve, except the 4th N.F. who were +attached to the 151st Infantry Brigade. From this place near Telegraph +Hill I got a good view of the battle around Guemappe. About midday +Brigadier-General Cameron of the 151st Infantry Brigade took over +command of the 50th Divisional front, and at once made preparations to +renew the attack in the afternoon. I was sent over to the Elm Trees +dugouts to find out exactly what he proposed to do with the 4th N.F., +and he was then busily engaged with the Artillery officers arranging +the barrages. Before the attack was resumed, Guemappe was heavily +shelled by our siege guns, a wonderful sight. The whole place seemed +to disappear in dense clouds of dust and smoke. It had been a +ding-dong battle all day, attack and counter-attack, and at this point +neither side had gained much advantage. The Germans had not only +repelled the attack on our right, but had attempted to push through +into Heninel, in the Cojeul Valley. Fortunately, however, the 149th +M.-G. Company, commanded by Major Morris, stopped this movement by a +well-directed fire to our right flank. When, however, the attack was +renewed in the afternoon things went better for us. The Germans were +pushed down the hill from Wancourt Tower and Guemappe was taken. The +4th N.F. did well, getting to a place called Buck Trench. And the +Divisional front was advanced to a point not far from the outskirts +of Cherisy. It was unfortunate that we had no fresh troops at this +juncture to press home the attack. According to German statements, the +German troops were practically broken up at the end of the day and +they had at the moment no reserves available. Our small party remained +at the H.Q. on Telegraph Hill till the morning of April 25, when we +returned to the Ronville sugar factory, being relieved by a Brigade of +the 14th Division. + +On April 26 a large Corps dump about a quarter of a mile from the +factory got on fire, and went on flaring and exploding all day. A good +many pieces of shells and fragments from this dump came rattling +against the walls of the sugar factory, making it no place to loiter +about. I learnt that the 42nd F.A., to which my brother George was +attached, was due to take over from our F.A. in Ronville; but I did +not get in touch with him. + +On April 26 B.H.Q. moved to a fine chateau at the west end of Arras, +where we were much more comfortable than at the sugar factory. That +night I went to a battalion dinner of the 7th N.F., and it was +wonderful what a good dinner they managed to procure under the +circumstances. The next day, April 27, we marched back to a rest area +near Pommera, going along the Arras-Doullens road. B.H.Q. were +billeted in a farm at the south end of the village. I shared a billet +with Lieut. Odell and found the place very comfortable. + +We were not left long here. A fresh attack was to be made, and the +50th Division was to be moved forward, to be ready to press home the +attack if it succeeded. We left Pommera on May 1 and marched to +Souastre, where B.H.Q. were billeted in a French chateau with a nice +garden. Next day we marched forward again to a bare looking spot at +Mereatel, where the accommodation was very limited. We managed to rig +up a few wooden shelters and bivouacs amongst the ruins of the houses. +This had been a nice village, but the Germans had blown down every +house and cut down every tree before they left it. They had even +destroyed the small fruit bushes in the gardens, an unnecessarily +wanton act. + +The big attack was arranged for May 3 and it was preceded by the usual +heavy bombardment. But nothing came of it but heavy casualties, and it +was decided to send the Division back to the rest area again. On the +evening of May 3 I met a Colonel of the R.A.M.C., 14th Division, who +told me that he had seen my brother George at Neuville Vitasse just +two hours before, and that he was quite well. I got this information, +just too late, as we were now under orders to move back to the rest +area. And on May 4 I marched back with the B.H.Q. transport to +Souastre, and on May 5 to Pommera. + +For the next ten days the Brigade carried out various tactical +exercises under the directions of General Rees. One day was given to +field firing practice, on which occasion I acted as one of the +'casualty' officers--that is to say, I had to select various men +during the sham attack and order them to drop out as casualties. Live +ammunition was used in rifles and Lewis guns as well as live +rifle-grenades; and I remember there were seven slight casualties from +accidents with the rifle-grenades. These 'live' field days in France +were not without their own little excitements, especially for those +who had to keep up with the firing line. + +After ten days the Brigade was detached from the 50th Division and +attached to the 33rd Division, holding the line about Croisilles. The +idea was to assist the 33rd Division by holding the line for them for +three days, in the interval between two attacks. So on May 17 the +Brigade moved from Pommera to Souastre, H.Q. being again at the French +chateau. Here, through the good services of our French interpreter, we +had for dinner a piece of the famous _sanglier_ which lives in the +woods at Pommera. One of these creatures had been shot, and the +huntsmen presented a piece of it to B.H.Q. Mess. It tasted much like +pork, with a more gamy flavour. + +On May 18 we moved from Souastre to Boiry St. Martin, where B.H.Q. +were in some wooden huts, amongst the ruins of the village. On May 19 +I went over to Ayette, a neighbouring village, and spent the morning +training men of the 7th N.F. in rifle-grenades. Next day I went with +Capt. Haggie to inspect a Brigade ammunition dump at Croisilles, and +on May 21 I went to a canvas camp at Hamlincourt and spent the night +there. I did not get a good night as the enemy shelled the vicinity of +the camp at intervals during the night. Next day I went forward to +B.H.Q. which were in some shelters in a sunken road just west of +Croisilles. We held the line till May 25 and nothing very startling +happened. But two or three incidents occurred here which I remember +with interest. The visit of three War Correspondents, including +Messrs. Beach Thomas and Philip Gibbs. They spent about half an hour +at our H.Q. and were put in my charge to see the sights. We did not go +far from H.Q. as the high ground there afforded the best general view +of the country round. + +Both of the English War Correspondents interested me much. Beach +Thomas, tall and dignified and grave; Philip Gibbs, short and bright +and cheery: both very sympathetic to and appreciative of the Brigade. +The other was a Dutch gentleman who told me with a flash of +inspiration that I should not recollect his name. + +Another striking personality appeared in the shape of the Brigade +Commander of one of the Divisional Artillery Brigades. Col. Fitzgerald +came to call on us to inquire whether the artillery arrangements were +to our satisfaction and to know if he could do anything to help us. A +tall man with glasses and a kindly, gentle face. One morning he +brought in a great bunch of flowers for our mess room that he had +gathered near Croisilles. The following story was brought to us by the +Artillery Liaison Officer. Col. Fitzgerald went to the front line and +out into the broken trenches in No Man's Land in order to inspect the +registration of the field guns. Seeing a German sniper at work, he +borrowed a rifle and commenced a duel with the Boche in which several +shots were exchanged. Having killed his man he returned with great +satisfaction, feeling the day had been well spent. This occurred near +the 'Hump' whilst we were holding these trenches. He told us that his +guns had had a wonderful target on the Somme in July 1916. They were +somewhere on the high ground south of Bazentin-le-Grand when the +German Guard had massed for an attack on Contalmaison. These guns had +the extraordinary chance of firing with open sights on the dense +German masses behind Bazentin-le-Petit and they had inflicted terrible +losses on the Brandenburghers. + +It was from our O.P. near B.H.Q. that I first tried to make a +panoramic sketch of the country in front. It was a crude attempt, no +doubt, but General Rees was kind enough to speak encouragingly of it, +and to tell me to try and develop this side of Intelligence. + +That advice bore fruit, for in 1918 my observers were trained to +sketch, and their sketches did more damage to the enemy than any +reports that were sent in. For the heavy artillery got interested in +them and fired on the targets with great effect. + +About May 25 we came out of the line and stayed one night at +Moyenneville, returning next day to our Divisional rest area at +Monchy-au-Bois. + + + + +XXIV + +MONCHY-AU-BOIS + + +We were now able to settle down to training and manoeuvres. The +country round Monchy was well suited for this, for there were many old +German trenches about, and the villages were all smashed to bits, +giving a realistic touch to field training. B.H.Q. were under canvas, +but I selected an old German dugout which I thought would be drier +when the rains set in. It was also cooler in the hot weather, and its +only drawback was rats. I kept them in check, however, with a small +trap that the Germans left behind; they were always good at inventing +killing machines. My own job was now to train as many infantry men as +possible in the use of the rifle-grenade. And between May 29 and June +16, 190 men went through the course. Also Lieut. Odell brought his +signal company of twenty-nine men one evening to be shown the working +of the rifle-grenade, as it was thought that the rifle-grenade (empty) +might be used as a message carrier. + +The course of instruction was somewhat as follows. In the first place +I gave a short lecture on the mechanism of the grenade and methods of +firing it. Then the party of ten was split into two squads and firing +practice took place. The men were trained to fire kneeling and lying, +behind cover and without, and also out of a deep fire-trench. I was +greatly assisted by Sergt. T. Matthewson, who was a really expert +bomber, and by my orderly--L.-C. Fairclough. This training took all +morning, and as far as I could judge the men were interested in the +course and did their best to learn the intricacies of this new weapon. +In the afternoon I was free to wander round and examine the +surrounding country. It was of considerable interest, for it was part +of the ground evacuated by the enemy when he retreated to the +Hindenburg Line. The trenches were magnificently built, and revetted +with wood or wattle-work, and provided with deep dugouts and concrete +machine-gun emplacements. The latter were not only wonderfully strong, +the forerunners of the German 'pill-box'--but sometimes wonderfully +decorated with coats of arms and mottoes. + +Very little equipment was left behind, and many of the dugouts were +blown in before leaving. Some of the gun emplacements, too, were very +cleverly concealed. The guns were kept in shelters in a line of +reserve trenches and a set of dummy emplacements was dug out a little +distance away for the benefit of our aeroplane observers. + +It was an education in military engineering and fortification to walk +round these wonderful defences. The wiring too was most ingenious and +often carefully concealed in the hedges or ditches. Inside the gun +shelters, you found that the gun was fixed on a central pivot and +worked round a wooden platform with every degree carefully marked. +Whilst on the walls stood a painted board with every barrage line and +target carefully worked out, and the range and code call set out as +well. The O.P. was sometimes in a high tree, with the ladders to get +up and the telephone wires still remaining. It had been a quiet part +of the line, and consequently the patient industry of the German had +had full scope. + +The 50th Division began to take over the line west of Cherisy and Vis +about the middle of June; but only two brigades were in the front +trenches together, and it was our turn to remain behind. On June 18 +the Brigade moved from Monchy-au-Bois to Boisleux-au-Mont, where +B.H.Q. were in a canvas camp. From June 20 to 23 I continued the +rifle-grenade training. The recruit training was now practically over +and these days were given to showing the handling of a rifle-grenade +section in open warfare. Forty-one officers, nine N.C.O.'s and +sixty-two men took part in these schemes. I had also two or three +rather important court-martial cases to attend to during the evenings. + +Before going back into the line I was given nine men to act as Brigade +observers; the 6th N.F. sent L.-C. Chappell and Ptes. Wright and Hume; +the 7th N.F. Ptes. Fail and Ewart; the 4th N.F. Pte. Brook and +another; the 5th N.F. L.-C. Roxburgh, who had once been in the 7th +N.F. and Pte. Garnett. Pte. Brook I found came from Meltham, only +seven or eight miles from my own home. He was a typical lad from these +parts, with the bright red face and the speech that I knew so well. +Naturally I took an interest in him and I was sorry when he left us +about the end of November 1917. He has come through the war safely, I +am glad to say. Ptes. Fail and Ewart were destined to act as my +observers both with this brigade and in the 42nd Division in 1918. And +I cannot speak too highly of the excellent work done by Pte. Fail. +Owing to exceptional eyesight he was a first-class counter-battery +observer, and later on his skill with the pencil did the Germans a lot +of damage. On this front he spotted the flash of a 4-inch gun battery +that used to shell B.H.Q., with the result that the heavy gunners +fired on this battery and silenced it completely. + +I had also the services of L.-C. J. Cowen and Pte. J. King (both 7th +N.F.) when the 50th Divisional observers were disbanded. Pte. King +went shortly afterwards back to the battalion. But both these men did +magnificent service in collecting intelligence during the remainder of +the war. + + + + +XXV + +TRENCH WARFARE--VIS-CHERISY FRONT + + +From June till October 1917 the 50th Division held the line of trenches +running from the Hindenburg Line west of Fontaine-lez-Croisilles to +Cavalry Farm on the Arras-Cambrai Road. With heavy fighting going on in +Flanders this was a comparatively quiet part of the front. Our trenches +were good and got better every week, and the high ground about Wancourt +Tower Hill gave us excellent observation on the enemy's country, +especially towards the left. This part of the front was divided into +two sectors, and they were held by two out of the three brigades. So +that each brigade spent sixteen days in the line, and then eight days +in the rest area about Neuville Vitasse. Also each brigade held in turn +the trenches on the right, known as the Cherisy sector, and then the +trenches on the left, known as the Vis sector. + +My time was given to Intelligence in the line and to Salvage when out +of the line. + +Intelligence work included, selecting a convenient O.P. for the +Brigade observers and arranging and supervising the method of holding +it; making panoramic sketches for the observers; writing out the +Brigade Intelligence Report between 10 A.M. and noon every day; +supervising the work of the Battalion Intelligence Officers[14]; +marking the Brigade Intelligence maps with all features of interest; +studying and cataloguing the aeroplane photographs which came in large +numbers every few days; destroying obsolete and useless documents (not +a small part of my job either!); and sending to the Machine-Gun +Officer, Major Morris, every week the targets for indirect machine-gun +fire at nights. Field work, i.e. actual observation and sketching, +formed really a comparatively small part of my duties, though I tried +to get up to the observation post once every day. The most important +part was office work--and I had a fair-sized shelter at each +Head-quarters, the walls covered with maps and the table loaded with +aeroplane photographs and reports of all kinds. + +Besides the Corps and Divisional Intelligence Reports which came in +daily, there were Daily Reports from the two adjoining brigades, and +generally a goodly sheaf of miscellaneous papers from the Army +Intelligence Department. In this way a great deal of interesting +information came into my hands, as to how things were going on; and I +have never before or since been so well supplied with information as +to what was going on and what was intended to take place. When out of +the line, in a camp near Neuville Vitasse, I had to give the observers +a certain amount of practical training in the use of the compass and +protractor, and map reading. But after that I was free to do what I +liked within reason, and I generally devoted my spare time to salvage. +The observers often turned out to assist me in this, and Lieut. Odell +on several occasions gave me most valuable assistance with his +signallers and orderlies. + +Salvage was left very much at this time to the discretion of the +commanders of infantry units. Naturally when the soldier man got out +of the line, he was not much inclined to do much salvaging on Army +Account. Some of the transport officers made a specialty of it, and +Capt. B. Neville of the 7th N.F., the prince of quartermasters, +rescued tons of salvage of all kinds. I dare say, however, a good many +things found their way into his own stores as well, for I never knew a +quartermaster so well supplied as he. There were certain small parties +of men employed at Divisional and Corps Salvage dumps, but they never +seemed to me to take the job very seriously. Perhaps the officers in +charge were not exactly the sort of men to hustle, or to see that +their men got busy. Every one knows that there was a vast amount of +waste, and that the Germans had this matter much better organised than +we. + +The Germans were particularly active against our field artillery on +this front. Although we had the advantage of ground for most purposes, +and could carry out infantry reliefs in daylight, there were few +places satisfactory for concealing our field guns. They were mostly +concentrated about Wancourt and Heninel, and these two places +consequently received frequent and heavy punishment from the German +heavies. It was well to keep your eyes and ears open when passing +through these villages and not to linger there unnecessarily. The +pieces from the German 8-inch shell carried a long way, and I had +L.-C. Chappell wounded through the hand and sent down to hospital +through a splinter that carried over a quarter of a mile. We saw a lot +of the 50th Divisional R.F.A. about this time and a fine lot of +fellows they were. On the left our H.Q. were next door to the B.H.Q. +of the 251st Artillery Brigade, commanded by Lieut.-Col. Moss +Blundell. I got to know and like him well, and he did everything he +could to assist our brigade, and especially in matters of +intelligence. Any news that he got he sent on to us at once and vice +versa. I have never known the liaison between Field Artillery and +Infantry more close or more effective than at this time. + +One of the most important operations carried out by the 50th Division +was a double raid and gas projection on September 15, 1917, and the +following night. It was carried out by the 151st Infantry Brigade in +the right sector, and at the time the 140th Infantry Brigade was +holding the trenches on the left. I believe the 9th D.L.I, supplied +the raiding parties. It was such a novel and effective raid that some +account ought to be given of it. The scheme was to deceive the enemy +as to the exact extent and nature of the attack. For this purpose a +great many smoke-shells were fired to screen the operations from the +enemy's observation. Also along the flanks of the actual raid a number +of dummy figures were arranged to represent an attacking force and so +to draw the enemy's fire away from the actual raiding parties. The +dummies were put out in No Man's Land the night before, face +downwards, and at the right moment they could be raised or lowered by +means of ropes worked by the men in the trenches. Also a dummy tank +was prepared and hauled forward 200 yards by means of ropes. The +combination of smoke-shells and dummies was wonderfully effective, and +the enemy reported that he had been attacked in great force and with +tanks along a large part of this front. + +What really happened was this. After a preliminary bombardment of +great intensity by our guns and trench-mortars (including many +thermite or flame-shells), about 2 P.M. three companies of the 9th +D.L.I, dashed across and captured the German front and support lines +covering Cherisy. They killed and captured a number of Germans without +suffering many casualties themselves, and then returned at once to our +own trenches. At the same time the dummies in No Man's Land were +lowered again. After waiting five or six hours, another short +bombardment started, the dummies were again raised and one company of +the 9th D.L.I, dashed across into the same trenches and killed or +captured more Germans. They then returned to our trenches and the +dummies were again lowered. After dark our men went out and removed +the dummies, so that the Germans never had a chance of discovering the +ruse. The same night at 3 A.M. fifty cylinders of gas were projected +over the German lines. This gas attack cost the Germans dear, probably +more than the two raids, for the next day they were seen burying or +removing large numbers of the men caught in the gas cloud. My own +observers reported 200 gas casualties and the total number reported +reached a figure between 300 and 400. Gas casualties were easily +distinguished, as the Germans removed them in blankets slung between +two men on a pole. Besides, as it happened, the gas cloud drifted +north and caught the Germans during a relief nearly half a mile away +from the scene of the two raids. For example, the Germans were burying +dead all day in the neighbourhood of St. Roharts Factory, which is +some distance from Cherisy. The German report of this operation showed +that they had failed entirely to realise the nature of the attack. And +a similar raid was repeated shortly afterwards near Monchy-le-Preux +with great success. Our aeroplanes swooped down to 300 feet and took +photographs of the first raid from that height. And I was lucky enough +to secure some very interesting copies of these photographs, which +showed our men crossing No Man's Land and entering the German +trenches. + +I got my fourth leave, ten days, about August 30 and travelled home +via Boulogne and Folkestone. It was the first leave that took me out +of the line, which it did for about four days. All the previous +leaves had occurred during Divisional rests. + +We were relieved in these trenches by the 51st Division about the +beginning of October, and the 50th Division moved out of the line to +the neighbourhood of Courcelles-le-Compte for a short rest. + +Before the relief took place Brigadier-General Rees had to leave us +much to every one's regret. He was taken ill with a distressing +internal complaint, which necessitated his return for a while to +England. He was succeeded by Brigadier-General E.P.A. Riddell, C.M.G., +D.S.O. + +General Riddell had at one time been Adjutant of the 7th N.F., that is +to say, long before the war; and he knew all about Alnwick and the +people there. During the war he had been instructing officers at +Sandhurst for a time, and later on he commanded a battalion of the +Cambridgeshires at the Battle of the Somme. This battalion succeeded +in capturing the Schwaben Redoubt, near Thiepval. Later on he had seen +service in the battle still raging in Flanders. When he came to +command the 149th Infantry Brigade at the end of September 1917 he had +already won the D.S.O. and Bar. To this he subsequently added another +Bar during the German offensive in March 1918. He was said to be a +typical Northumbrian. A leader, gallant and war-wise, of whom +Northumberland is justly proud. + +When we left the line at Cherisy we had a good idea what our +destination was to be. But first of all we moved a short way back in +the direction of Miraumont. The 149th Infantry Brigade was quartered +at Courcelles-le-Comte, a shattered village in the area vacated by the +Germans after the battle on the Somme. Here we stayed for about ten +days, and the battalions resumed training their men for offensive +operations. One field day was particularly remarkable for a +demonstration by the Air Squadron stationed at Moyenneville. We +commenced operations before dawn, and I was in charge of the messages +at a spot representing battle H.Q. Just before I left at the +conclusion of the operations, about 9 A.M., an aeroplane swooped down +over our improvised H.Q. and left a message saying 'Expect a report at +B.H.Q. in an hour's time.' We returned to B.H.Q. and, sure enough, +about 9.40 A.M. an aeroplane again swooped down and dropped a small +packet. On opening it I was amazed to find a roll of about a dozen +photographs, taken about an hour before, of the final position reached +by the Infantry during the sham attack. How they managed to develop +and print these photographs in the short space of time is almost a +mystery. But I imagine they must have had some electrical machine for +drying the negatives and prints. During this short stay out of the +line I paid two visits to the old Somme battlefield. The first in +company with Capt. H. Liddell, who had for some time been acting as +Assistant-Brigade-Major. We rode to Grevillers and went on from there +on foot to Hexham Road and Eaucourt L'Abbaye. I had visited the +ground before with Lieut. Odell in June, when we were staying at +Monchy-au-Bois. A good deal of salvage had been done since then, and +there were fewer dead men lying about. But the scene of the fighting +at Hook Sap and round the Butte of Warlencourt was still littered with +helmets, rifles, and broken equipment of all sorts. Of course by this +time the trenches had largely fallen in and were covered with rough +rank herbage. But the wire belts and the duck-board tracks were still +there. When we approached the entrance to the cellars under the ruined +abbey at Eaucourt, we noticed traces of men living there. Smoke was +rising out of the ruins and there were recent footmarks about, and +some tins of soapy water. The story was, and I believe it was quite +true, that small parties of deserters dwelt in these old deep cellars +and dugouts, living on the bully beef which still covered the +battlefield and on the money received for 'Souvenirs' sold at +neighbouring canteens. I know of one deserter who lived there from +November 1916 to June or July 1917. Apart from these slight traces of +occupation, the battle-field seemed quite deserted from one end to the +other. + +On another occasion I went with General Riddell by car to Thiepval and +we rode back through Bucquoy. This was a very interesting visit, for +the General explained on the spot exactly how the Schwaben Redoubt was +stormed, and how the troops were brought forward and disposed for the +attack. We went over a lot of the neighbouring ground, and I was able +to see how the Germans were forced out of St. Pierre Divion, +Miraumont, and Beaumont Hamel. I little thought as I rode home that +night through Bucquoy that I should in little more than five months' +time be commanding a company in the front line in a muddy ditch +outside Bucquoy. However this stay at Courcelles was invaluable later +on, for it gave me a general idea of the lie of the land on the enemy +side, when we were pressed back to Gommecourt and Colincamps. + +We left Courcelles about October 18, and entrained at Miraumont +station. We left the train near Cassel and marched to the village of +Arneke, where I spent two nights at the house of the cure--a kind +hospitable old man. After that we marched out of France and arrived at +a camp about a mile west of Proven, in Belgium. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[14] Lieuts. O. Young (5th N.F.), Jessop (6th N.F.), and Richardson +(7th N.F.). + + + + +XXVI + +THE HOUTHULST FOREST + + +I wish I could omit all reference to the operations in Flanders 1917. +Surely no one can be found to take much pride in the results of this +part of the campaign. Judged by the map alone between May 1, 1917, and +May 1, 1918, it will be found that we actually lost ground in +Flanders, and that we were at the last hard put to it to retain any +footing there at all. + +It is difficult to know what motives, political or military, led to +our pressing an attack with such colossal fury on this part of the +line. Perhaps the Channel ports at Ostend and Zeebrugge were the prize +we hoped to gain. Be that as it may, the result of our attack was to +bring about a conflict of unparalleled intensity. The bulk of the +English heavy artillery seemed to be concentrated on the one side and +the bulk of the enemy's heavy artillery on the other. In a country +like Flanders the ground is bad enough in foul weather; but where it +is churned up for miles with the heaviest of shells, it becomes +impossible to use tanks and next to impossible to use infantry. + +Moreover, the Germans had superiority in the air. They had +concentrated on aircraft the effort which we had expended on +perfecting the tank. The one can be used effectively in wet weather, +but the other cannot. The German had another defensive surprise for +us. Owing to the nature of the ground the deep dugout was practically +an impossibility. In the place, therefore, of this the German devised +the concrete blockhouse or 'pill-box' as it was called. For miles +behind their front line the country was dotted with pill-boxes, which +could defy the tank and all but the largest kinds of shells. As soon +as our operations started the rain streamed down, making conditions +ten times worse for the attacking force. + +All honour to those that gallantly stormed the muddy slopes of +Passchendaele; to the wonderful engineers that conquered the squalid +quagmires of Langemarck and Zonnebeke; to the gunners that stuck to +their guns under a rain of bombs and shells, and to the transport +drivers that fed them. It is a tale of wonderful gallantry and heroic +endeavour. But when all is said and done, one is bound to look at the +result. + +On reaching the area round Proven the 50th Division was allocated to +the Fifth Army (General Gough), and received orders to prepare to take +part in an attack on the enemy's line between the Houthulst Forest and +Passchendaele. On October 21, the day after our arrival at Proven, I +went to the Fifth Army H.Q. to get all the maps and information I +could relating to the new front. The Army H.Q. were in a large chateau +north of Poperinghe, and when I got there I was received by the +Colonel in charge of Intelligence with every kindness. He got me +several maps, gave me the files of intelligence to glance over, and +advised me to visit the Air Squadron at Proven for aeroplane +photographs. He also offered to turn out a Staff car to take me back, +but this kind offer I declined. My next visit was to the office of the +Air Squadron, where they had a file of all photographs relating to our +front. I was able to secure several useful copies, and the promise of +some more. After this I returned to our camp to work on the air +photos. On October 23 we marched to Proven and entrained there, +getting out at Elverdinghe. A short march took us to a camp of wooden +huts a little south of the chateau, where the 50th Division had their +battle H.Q. When we arrived the huts were quite empty of all +furniture; but in a short time the Brigade pioneers had made a table +and forms to use in the mess. It was decided that only the General, +Brigade-Major, and Signalling Officer should go forward to battle +H.Q., an old German pill-box called Martin's Mill, between Widjendrift +and Langemarck. The rest of the Brigade Staff were to remain at rear +H.Q. at Huddersfield Dugouts on the Yser Canal close to Bard's +Causeway. At this time I was much worried by what appeared to me to be +an attempt to tap the information of the Brigade as to the details of +the forthcoming attack. Naturally an Intelligence Officer has to be +discreet at all times, but especially so at times like this. I simply +record my impression although I cannot give any details. + +On October 24 I went to the rear B.H.Q. at Huddersfield Dugouts. They +were in the northern bank of the Yser Canal about half a mile south of +Boesinghe. The front was approached by means of several long duck-board +tracks, in places more like wooden bridges than the ordinary trench +footboards. In the morning I did my best to investigate where these +tracks started, not altogether an easy matter in an entirely strange +country. In the afternoon I was asked by the Staff-Captain to see that +the hot food and tea and rum for the use of the troops next morning +were ready for delivery to the carrying-parties, and that the O.C. +carrying-party knew exactly what to do. I found that the food &c. was +ready packed up in the hot food containers by the four transport +officers, but I had great difficulty in finding the officer in charge +of the carrying-parties. After waiting about for over two hours I did +get in touch with him. And by nightfall I had the satisfaction of +seeing the hot food set off with this carrying-party up one of the +tracks leading to the front. We obtained guides for this party from the +50th Divisional Signals, who gave us every assistance in their power. + +The attack took place next morning about dawn, after a heavy artillery +bombardment, and in the rain. Of this attack the Brigade has no need +to be ashamed, although by the afternoon of the same day the remnants +of its brave soldiers were withdrawn to the starting point. The 7th +N.F. on the left had a shorter distance to go than the rest, but on +their left flank was the Forest of Houthulst full of German snipers. +On the right were the 4th N.F. and in the centre the 5th N.F. + +Each battalion had to attack across a treacherous swamp, and each was +confronted by a row of unbroken concrete pill-boxes, carefully +concealed from aerial observation. Each battalion made ground, but +each battalion was mowed down in heaps by the machine-guns in the +pill-boxes. I have nothing now to give as an estimate of the +casualties, except the officer casualties of the 7th N.F. Twelve +officers of the 7th N.F. went over the top that morning, and one +returned alive, Lieut Affleck. The others were all killed. It gives +some idea of the spirit of these gallant fellows, when I relate that +Lieut Affleck was preparing a further attack on the German pill-boxes +at the time he was ordered to return with the remnants of the +shattered brigade. The three battalions all suffered the heaviest +losses, but I have now no details except those I have given above. +Lieut. Odell, the Brigade Signalling Officer, and his men did wonders +in keeping the battalions in touch with B.H.Q. during the battle, and +for his great personal gallantry on this occasion he received a Bar to +his M.C. The shattered remnants of the battalions were drawn out of +the fighting zone and given billets not far from the Yser Canal. Even +here bad luck followed the 5th N.F., for a long-range shell crashed +into one of the huts at Rose Camp and caused forty more casualties. +In the transport lines on the west side of the Yser Canal Capt. +Neville, the Q.M. of the 7th N.F., was killed by a bomb next day. An +old soldier with a wonderful record of service, he had preferred to +stick to his battalion instead of taking promotion. I have already +called him the prince of quarter masters. I had also to lament him as +a very kind and generous friend. + +We now received orders to retire to the rest area about Ondank, and on +October 26 I was sent to take over a camp for B.H.Q. On the way I +called at D.H.Q. at Elverdinghe Chateau, where I was very courteously +received by the 'Q' Staff--Col. Cartwright and Major McCracken--who +made many sympathetic inquiries after the officers in the Brigade. + +We were now quartered in some old wooden huts, possibly constructed by +the French; and though very comfortable inside they were hardly +bomb-proof. At nights all the back areas round Ypres were heavily +bombed and a lot of horses were killed every night and a certain +number of men as well. + +On October 27 the poor shattered remnants of my battalion passed +B.H.Q., very weary and very few in numbers. Besides the Battalion H.Q. +Company there were just enough men to make one decent-sized company. +Lieut.-Col. G. Scott Jackson stopped to speak to me, and the tears +trickled down his weather-beaten face, as he said 'Buckley, this has +fairly done me.' Only those who have had a fine battalion cut to +pieces can realise the feelings of their commander at such a moment. + +I set to work with my observers packing a wall of sandbags round the +wooden huts, as a protection against bomb splinters. It was not +possible to protect the roof, but these sandbags were effective +against anything but a direct hit. + +I have never known German night bombing more persistent or more heavy +than it was in the Salient just at this time. And although we never +got a bomb in the same field as our camp they dropped close enough to +be disturbing. A camp with some of the Divisional details was struck +some little way from us, and the same night D.H.Q. at Elverdinghe +Chateau were bombed, several motor-lorries being set on fire. + +It was too far back for us to be troubled with much shelling, and the +German long-range guns fired mostly over our heads at the more +attractive targets of Poperinghe and Proven. One day during this short +rest, October 29, I had a ride round with Lieut. Odell in search of a +field-cashier's office where money could be drawn to pay Brigade +details. After a long ride to different places we landed up at a +Canadian Cashier's Office near Poperinghe; at this time the Canadians +were on Passchendaele Ridge. About November 5 the Brigade returned to +the line for a few days before the Division was taken out. On that day +I returned with the Staff-Captain and Capt. G. Bell (6th N.F., +Assistant-Staff-Captain) to Huddersfield Dugouts. On the following +day I walked nearly as far as the Steenbeke at Martin's Mill, and the +ground around Langemarck was about as dreary and shattered as any that +I have ever seen. It was well described to me once as 'utter squalor.' +Next day I went to the camp of the 4th N.F. south of Langemarck and to +Marsouine camp, to arrange certain details of the relief. The same +night the Brigade was relieved, but I was left in charge at +Huddersfield Dugouts till the evening of November 8 when I returned to +the camp at Ondank. On November 12 the Brigade entrained at +Elverdinghe station and were taken through St. Omer to Watten station. +We marched from there in the dark to the little village of Serques. We +were now to have about a month's rest and training before returning +again to the Salient. + + + + +XXVII + +DIVISIONAL REST NEAR ST. OMER + + +Serques was quite a pleasant little village to stay at, but the +arrangements for training were very scanty. I had to search round for +suitable spots for rifle-ranges, and to agree with the owners for +suitable compensation. Also I had to make some of the arrangements for +a ferry boat to convey the troops across the Canal De L'Aa to a good +training-ground between Watten and St. Momelin. On November 14 I paid +my first visit to St. Omer, which is a nice town with plenty of good +shops. + +Lieut.-Col. G.R.B. Spain, C.M.G., of the 6th N.F. came to command the +Brigade during the absence of Brigadier-General Riddell on leave. He +was a man of remarkable erudition and a collector of prints and other +things. And I soon found that we had many things in common and many +interesting talks I had with him on a variety of subjects. + +We discovered together several early flint implements and arrow-heads +about Serques, and he told me a lot about the early Stone Age, which +interested me greatly and set me looking for these interesting relics +wherever we happened to be quartered.[15] Shortly after this time +Lieut.-Col. Scott Jackson left the 7th N.F. to join the R.A.M.C. and +to take command of a base hospital. He was succeeded by Capt. H. +Liddell, M.C., who now became Lieut.-Col. in command of the battalion. + +After staying at Serques for about two weeks the Brigade moved to the +area around Tournehem. This was not such a flat watery country; and we +had better quarters in the house of the cure of the place. + +It was decided to hold Brigade Sports here, and I was sent off to +Boulogne to buy the prizes. I went there and back in a Divisional +Staff car. I had lunch at the Officers' Club, where the W.A.A.C.'s +were serving as waitresses; and very nice it was to see their fresh +English faces again. A visit to Boulogne when you are not going on +leave brings back rather melancholy feelings, and I was glad to leave +the place. + +An incident happened at Nortleulinghem, which was rather unfortunate +for it spoilt an unbroken record. The 7th N.F., who were stationed at +this place, were ordered to provide a field-firing demonstration for +the Divisional Staff. The demonstration was to include the firing of a +number of smoke-bombs--rifle-grenades with a small can of phosphorus +at the end. Their successful discharge required considerable practice +and nerve. + +As Lieut. H. Richardson, the Bombing Officer of the 7th N.F., was away +I was asked to come over and instruct the men how to fire these new +weapons off. There were only two mornings in which to instruct them +before the demonstration came off. Of course it was a very hurried +proceeding, and I was rather horrified to find that the men knew +practically nothing about rifle-grenades. (Most of the trained +rifle-bombers had become casualties in the battle at Houthulst.) I did +what I could to explain the working of the smoke rifle-bomb; but on +the first practice taking place one of the men succeeded in blowing +off the forefinger of another man, through firing too soon. Of course +that was not a fatal accident, but it put the man out of action for +the rest of the war--my only serious accident in bombing of any kind. +When the demonstration came off, there were to my great relief no +further regrettable incidents of that sort. + +On December 9 we began to prepare to return to the Salient, and I went +with certain advanced details to Watten, where I spent the night in +one of the houses. I managed to get a very passable dinner at the best +local inn. We entrained next day at Watten station and were taken by +rail to Brandhoek; marching to a camp quite close to the station. + +I had seen in some of our Intelligence papers that the 14th Division +was in a Corps immediately on our left, and I therefore knew that I +might have a chance of getting in touch with my brother George. +Accordingly I walked to Vlamertinghe next day and heard that his +battalion was stationed in a camp at St. Jean. On December 12 I was +sent forward to take over B.H.Q. in Ypres, at a convent at the N.E. +corner of the city. The higher floors of the convent were all in +ruins, but the ground floors were more or less intact, and in these we +had our rooms and offices. The mess room was under a pile of rubbish +outside. Having made the arrangements with the 150th Infantry Brigade, +whom we were relieving, I had still an hour to spare before B.H.Q. +would arrive. So I decided to walk over to St. Jean and inquire for my +brother's battalion. It took me about twenty minutes to get there, but +there was no difficulty in finding the battalion or their H.Q. So I +marched up to the H.Q. hut and asked to see Capt. Buckley. He came out +at once and was very surprised to see me, for he had no idea where I +was at this time. It was a hurried but exceedingly pleasant meeting. I +had only twenty minutes to spare, and he was just going forward to the +front line that night. So we had to 'swop yarns' very quickly. And he +walked back part of the way with me towards Ypres. I thought he looked +very worn out and depressed. He had had a very hard time in the +Salient, and in a few days he was back in hospital with influenza. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[15] At Coigneux I found a series of early implements in which the +British Museum took considerable interest. + + + + +XXVIII + +THE PASSCHENDAELE RIDGE + + +The 50th Division were holding the line in front of Passchendaele +Village and a little to the south. On our right were the West Riding +Territorials, the 49th Division, commanded by Major-General Cameron +(once one of our brigadiers); on the left the 14th Division. Only one +brigade was in the line at a time--another remaining in support around +Ypres and the other back at rest about Brandhoek. Thus a brigade went +to close support for four days, to the front line for four days, and +then back to the rest area for four days. This seems to be an easy +method of holding the line; but, owing to the nature of the ground and +to the heavy shelling that went on most of the day and night in the +forward areas, it was impossible to keep a brigade very long in the +front line. The battle on the ridge had been over for some time, but +neither side was yet prepared to disperse its heavy concentration of +guns. But the heavy firing was gradually, very gradually, becoming +less severe. + +Ypres itself had been badly knocked about during the great battle. +Most of the troops billeted in Ypres lived underground, but whilst I +was living there it was never severely shelled. Shrapnel was fired +occasionally at the balloons over the city, and also about the Menin +Gate and the roads leading towards the east end of the city. But there +were no heavy guns in Ypres itself, and there was at present no +particular reason for shelling it. We therefore had not an unpleasant +time ourselves in the city. I believe that the H.Q. at the convent +were shelled whilst we were in the front line, but that only happened +once. + +On December 13 I went for a walk of inspection as far as Dan Cottages, +some old German pill-boxes, where the forward brigade had their H.Q. +For the first mile or so from Ypres the ground seemed to be recovering +from the heavy shelling it had received, and there was a good deal of +grass now growing about the old British front line trenches. But as +you got farther forward to the area of the heavy guns, the ground was +badly shattered and every shell-hole full of water. Between this point +and B.H.Q. the conditions were simply awful. A vast swamp of +yellow-brown mud divided into craters of large size--all full of +watery slime. And so it went on as far as the eye could see. + +Here and there there were oases of dry ground, generally holding +several heavy guns and dumps of ammunition. Whilst at intervals the +swamp was intersected by a wooden road, used by the lorries to bring +up ammunition, and by two or three duck-board tracks which ran winding +through the awful mess of mud and water. These tracks were supported +on wooden piles driven into the mud, and were more like wooden bridges +than tracks. Sometimes they rested on firm ground, but mostly they +were held up in the air by the wooden piles. Again right through the +devastated area ran a good paved road from Ypres towards Zonnebeke. +Here and there in some of the drier spots you could see queer white +mounds--the concrete pill-boxes, some of which were still sound +enough, but others broken in and waterlogged. The pill-boxes and the +road and the wooden tracks were of course well known to the German +artillery, who lavished a great deal of ammunition every day on each +of these targets. But owing to the methodical way in which the Germans +fired on the tracks, it was always possible to mend them wherever they +were smashed. Between 2 A.M. and 8 A.M. practically no shells came +over on to the tracks, and during this time each day gangs of men went +out and mended the damage done to them. + +When the frost came and solidified the mud, travelling became safer if +not so easy; for it was then possible to leave the tracks and go +across country by walking round the edges of the shell craters. All +along the road there was ceaseless activity day and night. Lines and +lines of lorries going backwards or forwards, limbers, wagons, men. +When the enemy shelled the road, generally some damage was done, and +it was not uncommon to see pools of blood in the road and the litter +of broken vehicles. At intervals along the road there were vast dumps +of ammunition and stores, and on the side tracks huge piles of every +sort of salvage. + +Forward again of B.H.Q. the country was perhaps not so badly smashed, +except in the spots most exposed to shell fire. But the shell-holes +were often full of German dead--I counted nearly 100 within a quarter +of a mile of Dan Cottages. And on the forward wooden tracks used by +our transport, the ground reeked like a slaughter-house. Fragments of +everything just swept off the tracks. The limbs and bodies of the +pack-mules lying sometimes in heaps sometimes at intervals all along +the route. Of course the nearer you approached to Passchendaele Ridge +the drier and firmer was the ground. But that awful swamp behind has +probably no parallel in the history of war. How the Engineers overcame +it is really a marvel. And great credit indeed must be given to this +very efficient branch of the Army, and to the men who laboured there +under the terrible conditions around them. I have mentioned the German +dead; there was no doubt little time to give to them. But I hardly saw +one body of a British soldier who had been left without burial. + +On December 15 I went with General Riddell to visit the 5th N.F. +Battalion H.Q. at Tyne Cottages, some pill-boxes about half-way +between forward B.H.Q. and Passchendaele. It was a long walk, and we +went up the Zonnebeke Road till we were in the neighbourhood of that +village, then along the mule track to Tyne Cottages. Whilst we were +talking with Major A. Irwin at the pill-box a few light shells came +over and sprinkled us with earth. It was best to be either inside or +well away from a pill-box: but as the entrance to this pill-box was +like a rabbit-hole and close to the ground General Riddell preferred +to stand outside. After that we paid a visit to Dan Cottages, and +returned back along the wooden tracks to Ypres. + + [Illustration: Plan of B.H.Q. (Judah House), Dan Cottages.] + +Next day B.H.Q. went forward to Dan Cottages and stayed there for four +days. The Brigade observers were employed in two ways, partly as +observers and partly as a gas guard for the B.H.Q. pill-box. This +pill-box had already stood one or two strong blows from shells, but it +still appeared to be pretty sound. The door of course faced the enemy, +but was protected by a stout concrete wall and a bank of earth outside +that. + +It will be seen from the above plan that the quarters were very +confined--the bunks being roughly six feet long and the room rather +over six feet high. + +One observer stood in the narrow passage outside the door as sentry +and gas guard. He was of course relieved every four hours, and at +night there were generally two on duty. The other observers who were +not on this duty held a post about Hillside Farm about a mile forward +of Dan Cottages. This was not altogether a healthy spot, but a good +view was obtained towards Moorslede. + +In this area observers were asked to pay special attention to the +enemy's shelling, noticing the direction from which the sound of the +firing came and the areas shelled and approximately the number of +rounds. I had of course to write out the Brigade Intelligence Report +each morning. The last night we were in these quarters a number of +gas-shells were fired round the batteries and B.H.Q. They made the +atmosphere very unpleasant; and though they were not thick enough to +necessitate wearing the respirator, I suffered, especially the +following night, from their effects. + +On December 20 we were relieved and moved back to the rest area at +Brandhoek, where we were glad to have four days' rest. On Christmas +Eve we moved to our old quarters at Ypres, and the following night we +had an excellent Christmas dinner thanks to the good services of +Lieut. Behrens, our French interpreter, an old machine-gunner of +Verdun. On December 28 we again went to the front area and held the +line for four days. It was always the custom for one of the officers +of the Brigade to keep awake on duty during part of the night. We +took it in turns and did two-hour shifts. On the morning of December +31 it happened to be my turn to be awake on duty just about dawn. And +this saved me from a very rude awakening. That morning the enemy had +decided on a bombardment of our Divisional front and he commenced +proceedings by shelling Dan Cottages with a battery of 4-inch naval +guns, a very accurate weapon. We got a shell on the roof of the +pill-box which gave a nasty concussion and put all the lights out. +That woke the rest of the Staff up except the Artillery Officer. I had +hardly got the lights on again when we got another shell on the roof. +Again the lights went out, and this time a piece of concrete fell out +of the roof and crashed on to the floor, knocking over some of our +belongings, but fortunately missing the officers inside. + +A few small fragments of concrete also dropped on the face of the +Artillery Liaison Officer who had slept peacefully through the first +concussion. He woke up then with a comical look of surprise, as if some +one were playing a joke on him. Although another shell struck the bank +at the doorway we had no more on the roof, and no casualties--only we +found that all our telephone wires had been cut. I wonder whether our +roof would have stood another direct hit! Later on in the day I filled +the holes in the roof outside with blocks of ice and frozen earth, in +fact anything I could find to act as a 'burster' in case of further +shelling. At 12 o'clock midnight, being the beginning of New Year's +Day, our artillery fired their usual reminder at the enemy. It has been +a point of honour with us to fire off all our guns as soon as possible +after the New Year came in. On the evening of January 1 we were +relieved and moved back to Brandhoek. On January 3 the Division was +taken farther back for a rest, and the Brigade marched to the district +about Watou on the French border. + +Having served for two years abroad I applied for a month's leave--it +was a privilege granted to Staff Officers who needed a rest. My leave +warrant reached me on January 5, and next day I left Watou and +entrained at Poperinghe for Boulogne. + + + + +XXIX + +GOOD-BYE TO THE 50TH DIVISION + + +When I returned to Ypres on February 8, 1918, I found that some very +drastic changes had taken place in the grouping of battalions. Instead +of four battalions to a brigade, there were now to be three; and every +division was to be provided with a Pioneer battalion. This meant that +the 50th Division, who already possessed a battalion of pioneers, had +to part with a battalion from each brigade. And these battalions would +have to be attached as pioneer battalions to other divisions who +possessed no pioneer battalion. As the junior battalion in the +Northumberlands, the 7th N.F. were selected to go from the 149th +Infantry Brigade; and their companions in misfortune were the 9th +D.L.I. and the 5th Border Regiment. Major-General Sir P.S. Wilkinson, +K.C.M.G., our Divisional Commander, was good enough to say that he was +parting with three of his best battalions. + +Although I had been attached to the Staff of the 149th Infantry +Brigade since May 1916 I was included in the General Order that all +detached officers should join their respective battalions before they +left the Division. At the time this looked very hard. I had been a +specialist for over two years and had got completely out of touch with +company work. But I have no doubt now that in the events which +happened I was very lucky to leave the 50th Division at this juncture. +In six weeks' time I was, through the good offices of the Battalion +H.Q., given an Intelligence job with our new Division; and the +experience I had gained with the 50th Division was not wasted as I had +feared it might be. Also there went with me from the 149th Infantry +Brigade four highly-trained observers who formed the nucleus and +backbone of the 42nd Divisional observers. On returning to the 7th +N.F. I lost my acting-captaincy and became second in command to C +Company. Also I had to part with many good friends in the old Brigade: +some of them I was destined never to meet again. Lieut. E.W. Styles +who was attached to the 149th Trench-Mortar Battery was unhappily +killed during the German offensive; a great friend whom I shall always +miss. My bombing orderly, L.-C. Fairclough, was also killed during the +same operations. + +When I joined the 7th N.F. they were stationed at St. Jean--in Alnwick +Camp. And here the battalion said good-bye to the Brigade. + +It was a singular turn of fate that this should occur here. The 7th +N.F. had fought their first battle with the Brigade on this spot in +April 1915, and the name of the camp was of course taken from the town +where their H.Q. were stationed at home. When he came to say farewell +to the battalion, General Riddell referred to this curious +coincidence and also bade us remember the regimental motto 'Quo Fata +Vocant' (' Whither the Fates call'). So we left the Ypres Salient for +the last time. And although I went into Belgium again with the Army of +Occupation, I have never set foot in Flanders again. Of all countries +on earth it is surely the most dismal and unhappy. At least so it +appeared to me. + + + + +XXX + +DIGGING TRENCHES ABOUT LOOS + + +Before we left the 50th Division we learnt that we were to join the +42nd (East Lancashire) Territorial Division, commanded at this time by +Major-General A. Solly-Flood, C.M.G., D.S.O. The latter Division had +seen service in Egypt and Gallipoli before coming to France, and they +were now resting in the Bethune area, having just left the trenches +between Cambrin and Loos. This was in the I Corps area of the First +Army. As pioneers to the 42nd Division the 7th N.F. became Divisional +troops, directly under the command of the Divisional Staff and no +longer in a brigade. The three brigades of our new division were the +125th (Lancs. Fusiliers), 126th (East Lancashire), and 127th +(Manchester)--all Territorial brigades. The Staff of the 42nd Division +treated their new pioneer battalion with kindness and consideration; +and I believe we were called on occasion 'Solly-Flood's Pets.' On the +other hand there was friction at times between the men of the 42nd +Division and the men of the 7th N.F. + +The whole Division had hitherto been drawn from the East Lancashire +area--Manchester, Oldham, Bury, &c., and they looked upon us rather +as intruders. The Northumberlands were of course not the people to let +slip so admirable an opportunity of accepting a feud: and in October +1918 they committed the unforgivable sin of winning the Divisional +Association Football Cup, which completed their unpopularity. + +And for a battalion which had seen the hard service of the 7th N.F., +the stock jests generally levelled at a pioneer battalion were a +little out of place. The 42nd Division proved themselves a hard +fighting division in 1918, and lived up to their motto 'Go one +better.' + +The 7th N.F. left the Ypres area about February 11, 1918, and after +spending a few days at Brandhock they were conveyed in motor-buses to +the small village of Fouquereuil, west of Bethune. + +Here the battalion was instructed to help the pioneers of the 6th +Division, who were holding the front line trenches between Cambrin and +Loos. Accordingly three companies of the 7th N.F. were detached from +the battalion and sent to the forward area. I went with C Company +(Capt. Herriott) to Philosophe, a small colliery village still partly +inhabited by civilians, though fairly close to the front line. + +Our daily work was making reserve defences, trenches, deep dugouts, +and machine-gun emplacements between Vermelles and Loos. During our +stay of about a week at Philosophe the village was quiet. But one +night the enemy's guns sent a perfect stream of shells just over the +tops of the cottages for about twenty minutes. About a week after we +left the village it was completely knocked to bits by the enemy's +10-inch howitzer shells. + +Our next visit was to some reserve trenches at Cambrin, where we +stayed for about a week, improving the defences. It was a quiet, easy +time, though not far behind the front line. After this the four +companies of the 7th N.F. were reduced to three, and I was transferred +to A Company at Sailly-Labourse. Here we were some distance behind the +front line, but working-parties were taken up to the forward area, and +I used to go and inspect them. Shortly after our arrival at Sailly the +enemy began to shell the back areas, causing great annoyance and some +casualties to the civilian population, generally to children. They had +been allowed to live here many months in peace, although not five +miles away from the enemy's trenches. Even Sailly-Labourse received +almost daily salvoes from long-range guns. + +I had a very unpleasant experience myself in my billet, a brick +cottage, one night about March 12. I was in bed on the first +floor--the only person in the cottage except monsieur and madame who +slept in the cellar. About midnight the enemy's 4-inch naval guns +started shelling the place. Three shells in succession passed just +over the roof of my cottage, one smashed the next house to pieces; the +next fell into our little back garden, eight yards from the cottage; +and the third struck the road on the other side. After that I got up +and joined monsieur and madame for ten minutes in the cellar, until +the shelling had ceased. Then back to bed. But next day I took the +precaution of changing my billet--going to the cellar of the broken +house next door. + +It was a piteous sight to see the poor French folk as they fled from +their homes, with their most cherished belongings packed on to small +carts. + +About this time the 42nd Division decided to form a party of +observers, known as 'Divisional Observers,' who were intended to keep +a watch on the enemy during a battle and to report all sudden +movements to the Division. They were really intended to collect +information for D.H.Q. at times when the ordinary avenues of +information had broken down. At first the party consisted of one +officer and nine trained observers: but later on it was increased by +the inclusion of signallers and one or two additional men. + +On March 15, 1918, I was instructed to return to Lapugnoy to Battalion +H.Q. in order to organise and command this new party of men. I +obtained this job through the kind recommendation of the Colonel and +Adjutant of the 7th N.F. Although this side of Intelligence was not +perhaps the one that I had most experience of, yet I hailed my return +to an Intelligence job with delight. + +When I reached Lapugnoy no observers had yet arrived, but next day I +went to interview Capt. E.C.B. Kirsopp, M.C., the G.S.O. III, who was +the officer on the Staff directly responsible for the equipment and +movements of the observers. Capt. Kirsopp was, I believe, the father +of the observers, i.e. responsible for their formation, and he showed +at all times an interest and a kindness which were fully appreciated. +His faith in the possibilities of the party never wavered, although +for some time it was difficult to know how to make their information +quick and effective. However, he never lost hope in us, and he never +ceased to try to improve the means of communication between the +observers and D.H.Q. Amongst other things he got for the observers two +very powerful telescopes, with a magnification of forty-five times. +And although these glasses could not, owing to their size and the +weight of their fittings, be used during the moving warfare, at a +later stage they proved simply invaluable for making target sketches +of the enemy's defences. Another officer who did us good service was +Lieut. C.R. Stride, the Q.M. of the 7th N.F. Without his aid the heavy +telescopes would never have gone into action, and the observers would +often have been without rations. He always took an interest in the +little party, and provided us with many welcome comforts from his +store.[16] + +On March 19 the following observers reported to me. From the 7th N.F. +L.-C. J. Cowen and Ptes. J. King, W. Fail, and R. Ewart--all of whom +were old friends and observers of the 149th Infantry Brigade; from the +125th Infantry Brigade L.-C. J. Flynn; from the 126th Infantry Brigade +Ptes. F. Dunkerley and F. Turner; from the 127th Infantry Brigade +Corp. Walker and Pte. A. Morris. Owing to casualties and to the +observers being recalled to their battalions the personnel of the +party was always changing. But of the above, the four men of the 7th +N.F. and Pte. F. Turner practically remained with the observers from +first to last. + +For about a week I stayed at Lapugnoy, giving lectures to the +observers and carrying out some field training with the compass and +protractor. But our peaceful existence in the back area was not +destined to last long. On Friday, March 22, I was instructed to take +the observers to the 42nd Division Signal School at Bethune, in order +that the men might go through a course of signalling. We reached the +Signal School at 4 P.M. on Friday, and at 10 P.M. the same night, we +received orders that all officers and men at the school were to be +ready to move at 6 A.M. next morning. The long expected blow had +fallen at last. The enemy had already launched the first wave of his +great offensive. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[16] Lieut.-Col. H. Liddell, D.S.O., M.C., was most generous in +providing men to replace casualties and in sending us four signallers +from the 7th N.F. H.Q. + + + + +XXXI + +THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE 1918--SECOND BATTLE OF ARRAS + + +March 23, 1918 was a fine day: and that was lucky for us, for we had a +long day in the open before us. We got a hurried breakfast about six +o'clock, and were soon marching by road to the place of assembly on +the road from Bethune to Hesdigneul. Here we had a wait of several +hours on the roadside, whilst an unending stream of motor-buses +hurried past all going southwards. It was rumoured that our +destination was Basseux, five miles S.W. of Arras; and I hoped it was +true, for I knew the district better than any other in France. At last +the buses allotted to the Divisional troops drew up and we got aboard +and set off on our journey to the south. We went through Labuissiere +to St. Pol, and thence through Frevent to Doullens, and then +north-east along the road towards Arras. Except for a few large and +recent shell-holes by the roadside we saw little unusual until we +began to get near Arras. We stopped for a few minutes near the C.C.S. +at Laherliere, and I got off and asked one of the hospital orderlies +how things were going on. We were told that our fellows had had a bad +day on the 22nd, but that to-day far fewer casualties had passed +through the station. Soon after that we met a number of French +civilians with carts streaming back from Arras, guarded by French +soldiers. We knew then that things were not going too well in front. + +When we reached Basseux about 6 P.M. the buses were turned round and +we went on in an easterly direction till we reached Ayette. Here we +got down and marched in the darkness to the ruined village of +Adinfer. Continual flashes in the direction of Monchy-le-Preux and an +intermittent roar from our long-range guns near at hand showed that +fighting was still going on. But no shells arrived to add to our +discomfort. The observers had to bivouac in Adinfer Wood, a cheerless +proceeding after our long journey down, for we had no blankets and no +chance of getting a hot meal. Some artillerymen gave me a drink of +water, which I remember with gratitude, for I had had no chance of a +drink since 6 A.M., and the roads had been choked with dust. There +was a keen frost that night, and I could not sleep for long. When +daylight came I managed to light a small fire and to heat up a tin of +'Machonchie'; and this put a little more life into me. After that I +went to Adinfer where the Divisional Staff were quartered in wooden +huts. Here I got a cup of coffee and had a chat with the Divisional +Intelligence Officer, Lieut. G.F. Doble, M.C. I found that D.H.Q. +were moving back to Monchy-au-Bois. My instructions were to +reconnoitre the roads from Ayette towards Bucquoy, Ablainzevelle, +and Courcelles-le-Comte. So after getting quarters for my party at a +ruined cottage in the wood, I set out with most of my men and spent +the whole afternoon tramping the roads as far as Ablainzevelle and +back again towards Moyenneville. Unfortunately as events proved this +was time and labour lost. For when I reported to Capt. Kirsopp at +Monchy-au-Bois I found that the 42nd Division had received orders +from the IV Corps to hold the line farther south, towards Behagnies +and Sapignies. D.H.Q. were to move next day to a camp between Logeast +Wood and Bucquoy. I was told to send a party of observers to the east +end of Logeast Wood and to pay a visit myself to the H.Q. near +Bucquoy. The night was again spent in Adinfer Wood; but it was more +comfortable for we had collected some rations and blankets and were +less exposed to the weather. + +Next morning (March 25) I moved across country with L.-C. Flynn to the +camp between Logeast Wood and Bucquoy. The country-side seemed +deserted and no sound of firing could be heard. L.-C. Cowen took two +observers to the east end of Logeast Wood and spent the day there, but +nothing of importance could be seen. They were, however, shelled by +the enemy for a time in the afternoon. Later on in the day there were +more signs of the enemy's activity. A large dump exploded at +Courcelles, but it may have been done by our own R.E.'s. And it was +reported that the Germans were advancing towards Achiet-le-Grand. I +found out that evening that D.H.Q. had moved back to the village of +Fonquevillers; so I decided to move my men more in that direction; and +after nightfall the observers marched along the road through +Monchy-au-Bois to Bienvillers. + +On this road we saw guns and transport in large numbers, mostly going +south. It was fairly evident to my mind that the enemy had made +another advance during the day, but definite news was hard to get. +Hundreds of shells from the German 4-inch naval guns fell about the +roads all night, but I heard not one of them explode. They must have +been a rotten lot of ammunition. On arriving at Bienvillers the +observers got a billet in the cellars of a shattered house at the +north end of the village. A little later I went to Fonquevillers to +get news from D.H.Q.--and instructions for next day. The Divisional +Staff were quartered in some Nissen huts. When I arrived they had no +particular news, but I was asked to send a post of observers again, if +possible, to the east end of Logeast Wood, which was thought to be +still in our hands. After this I returned to Bienvillers about +midnight and arranged for an early start next day. + +In the morning (March 26) we were cooking tea and bacon about 3.45 +A.M. when a very tired and draggled officer came in. He said he had +just ridden over from Bapaume on a motor-cycle and he told us a sorry +tale. He evidently thought that the Germans had broken right through +on the Fifth Army front (i.e. on our right), and that the British +forces were about to be surrounded. Bapaume was on fire, and the +British Army defeated and broken in the south. This was the first +definite news I had of the misfortunes in the Somme area. It was +disquieting enough and I determined to approach Logeast Wood with +caution and to keep a sharp look-out for unusual movement as we went +forward. Accompanied by Ptes. Fail and Ewart I went across country +towards Bucquoy as the light was beginning to break. We noticed that +the large trees on the road to Hannescamps had been prepared by the +R.E.'s for felling with gun cotton--the charges being ready and tied +to the trunks so as to throw them across the road. The roads were +already full, mostly horse transport pouring rapidly through +Bienvillers towards Souastre. Transport from the south-east coming in +our direction through Hannescamps appeared to be in a panic and +expecting pursuit by the German cavalry. Once we got away from the +road and reached Le Quesnoy Farm there was little movement to be seen. +A few small parties of our men moving towards us across the open and +here and there a limber. Nothing in a hurry, nothing at all to +indicate a retreat on our own front, though it was actually taking +place at the time. There was no sound of firing, and no shells. A +battery of field guns still lay in a hollow just west of Bucquoy, and +this sight rather reassured me; so I decided to push on a bit. Leaving +my two observers on the ridge west of Dierville Farm I approached the +ruined buildings of the farm which lie a little west of the road +between Bucquoy and Ayette. While I was here I saw some of our +infantry marching along this road out of Bucquoy and forming a line +along it. One of them asked me where they could get in touch with our +troops on the left. Though I had been told to expect them east of +Logeast Wood they had in fact fallen back during the night and were +even now about to leave Ablainzevelle. The troops I saw on the road +were in fact taking up a line of resistance, for they were the British +front line. After this I decided that Dierville Farm could be held as +an O.P. for the time being; and so sending my two observers on, I +returned to Bienvillers to get a little much needed rest. As I went +back there was still no shelling and no sound of rifle fire. Yet it +afterwards transpired that the enemy had already pushed his outposts +forward into Ablainzevelle and west of Logeast Wood. Surely it was on +this part of the front one of the most silent advances made in the +war. When they returned my observers reported all quiet at Dierville +Farm, but the two observers that relieved them at 10 A.M. found the +enemy guns more active. After midday a number of shells were sent into +the village of Bucquoy and not far from the farm. + +When I got back the roads through Bienvillers became more crowded than +ever with horse transport, and many guns were being moved on the road +from Monchy-au-Bois. The sides of the road, too, became crowded with +infantry, who were apparently awaiting orders to move forward. In +spite of the congestion on the roads the enemy made only one attempt +that day to harass them. A 10-inch shell from a long-range gun fell in +an open field about 100 yards short of Bienvillers Church, but it did +no damage except to the field. The stream of traffic through the +village continued without ceasing all that day. At 4 P.M. I received +orders from the Division to join the 7th N.F. near Essarts and to come +under the command of the O.C. 7th N.F. It was found impossible to make +any direct use of the observers at the time owing to the +disorganisation and uncertainty that prevailed; so they were added +temporarily as a reinforcement to the battalion. It was indeed a +crisis in the fate of the right wing of the Third Army, though at the +time we did not realise it. At 6 p.m. the observers left Bienvillers +and went forward along the road to Hannescamps, meeting many wounded +on the road and a few other parties of troops returning. We found the +battalion in a hollow west of Essarts. They were just preparing to +move. On reporting to Major McLeod, who was in temporary command of +the battalion, I was told to attach the observers to the H.Q. Company. + +The battalion had already had a brush with the enemy. On the preceding +day, March 25, about midday they had advanced in artillery formation +from Logeast Wood towards Achiet-le-Grand. + +Near that village they had come under direct fire from the enemy's +field artillery and they had been shelled also with 5.9-inch +howitzers. One company suffered rather severe casualties, but the +battalion succeeded in passing through the village and filling a gap +in the line. Later on in the day they had been relieved by the +neighbouring Brigade and received orders to fall back first to Logeast +Wood and later on to Ablainzevelle. The latter place they were ordered +to leave at 8 A.M. that morning. Eventually they reached the place +where I found them. The men were all in good spirits and evidently +pleased with their part in the rearguard action. Very soon after I +joined them the battalion was moved again, this time about a quarter +of a mile to the south across the Bucquoy-Bienvillers Road. Here we +waited till further orders should arrive, and meantime some hot soup +and rum were served out. Then we all lay down in the open, with +blankets it is true, but the air was so frosty that little sleep was +possible. About midnight we got orders to go to some trenches just +east of the village of Essarts. We marched forward to this place, +about a mile, without any interference from the enemy. H.Q. were +established in a small tin hut in the village. Although there were +still many trees about the place, all trace of the buildings had +disappeared except one or two cellars and some piles of rubbish. We +found our field batteries stationed quite close to us, to the west and +north of Essarts, and one in a small hollow to the east. These +batteries kept up a pretty constant fire during the night; but so far +the enemy did not reply. All our heavy guns seem to have been taken +away, except possibly one battery of 60-pounder guns near Hannescamps. + +The two following days, March 27 and 28, were memorable for a +continuous series of attacks by the enemy along the whole of our +front. + +On the morning of the 27th I went to the east side of the Essarts Wood +to note what was going on, and I sent a party of observers farther +north to the high ground at Le Quesnoy Farm. About 10.30 A.M. the +enemy's artillery opened a scattered fire on the neighbourhood of +Essarts, apparently searching the hollows for our battery positions. +But it was not until 11 A.M. that the enemy started to shell our +forward positions. From 11 A.M. to 11.25 A.M. a heavy barrage of +flame-shells was put down about Dierville Farm and along the road +leading from Bucquoy to Ayette. I am told that they did not do much +damage, but they were certainly a terrible sight. The flames that +burst from these shells when they reached the ground rose up thirty or +forty feet in the air, flared on for a few moments, and then +disappeared into a dirty black smoke. For twenty-five minutes they +came over fast, and they did not finally cease till 11.45 A.M. At the +same time Biez Wood on our right was heavily shelled and the area to +the south of Bucquoy. Our field batteries at Essarts made a gallant +reply, pouring in an unceasing rain of shrapnel wherever the enemy was +suspected to be concentrating. This in turn drew a very unpleasant +fire on to Essarts, which went on without break till 2 P.M. After that +the enemy's counter-battery guns must have run out of ammunition, for +they gave little more trouble for the rest of the day. Our field guns +however continued to fire all that day and through the greater part of +the night; their fire did not slacken whether shells were bursting +around them or not. And great credit must be given to these gunners +for their share in dispersing five enemy attacks. The battery on the +east side of the wood, belonging to the 41st Division, came in for +some very severe shelling, but the gunners never ceased to fire or to +carry ammunition forward to the guns in full view of the enemy. As +things had become rather hot around our tin hut, H.Q. were moved to a +cellar, used as a dressing-station, where the doctor, Capt. C.F. +Lidderdale, made room for us. + +During the evening the battalion got orders to be prepared to form a +defensive flank between Le Quesnoy Farm and Adinfer Wood. The enemy's +attacks had made progress on our left towards Ayette, and it was +feared that he might break through in that direction. Next morning, +however, March 28, still found us at Essarts. The battalion was +ordered to leave the trenches and to fall back behind the line of +batteries on the west of the wood. In order to get a view of what was +going on in front, I was sent by the Adjutant with two observers[17] +to a point east of the wood, and we dug ourselves in in some +partly-formed trenches there. In these trenches we stayed till well +on into the afternoon, sending in reports every half-hour of what we +could see to the H.Q. of the Infantry Brigade in Essarts. Evidently +the enemy had renewed his attacks, for there was heavy shelling all +along the front, and a number of shells again came in amongst the +batteries about Essarts. During the afternoon the 7th N.F. moved +forward to some trenches in support, on the ridge east of Essarts. And +there the observers joined them after dark. The firing had been hot +all day, but it now died down. And it really looked as if the enemy's +attacks had become exhausted for the time being. + +This forward move by the battalion was, I found, preliminary to taking +over the front line trenches to the north and east of Bucquoy. And +shortly before midnight we moved out through the darkness and took +over these trenches.[18] The front line lay on the high ground beyond +the village. The H.Q. which we took over were in a mined dugout to the +west of the village. This dugout had been made by the Germans before +the end of 1916, and it was small but very deep. It soon became +unconscionably stuffy, as there was only one entrance. But it was +better than being in the open. + +Next day the enemy kept fairly quiet, but the village was shelled +occasionally with heavy howitzers. I went out with two observers to +the high ground west of Dierville Farm. But we saw no movement by the +enemy's troops. Later on the enemy's guns became more active on the +roads, and the road leading back to Essarts received salvoes all day. +Orders came for our relief which was to start after dark. It was not +until 10 P.M. that the companies in the front line were relieved and +the H.Q. Company was free to move off. The journey to Fonquevillers, +where we were going, was not without interference from the enemy. +Hitherto I had had great luck in escaping being shelled on the roads +at night, but to-night my luck was out. As we moved back along the +road to Essarts--the doctor and I at the end of the column--a number +of gas-shells were dropped on the windward side of the road. They were +not thick enough to stop us, but they smelt very bad. As we approached +the cross-roads east of Essarts a 5.9-inch shell fell close by the +roadside. We had a shower of mud thrown over us by this shell, and +three more came in quick succession, but not quite so unpleasantly +close. + +An incident also of a disagreeable kind occurred near the end of our +journey. Between Gommecourt and Fonquevillers we had to halt, until +the trenches allotted to us had been located. At this point the road +was packed with troops returning from the line; and some battalions +brought their cookers here, so that the road was crammed almost tight +with men and transport. For a long time nothing happened, but +eventually a German field battery fired several rapid salvoes of +shells enfilading the road. Fortunately the greater number fell +slightly wide of the road, but a few men in one of the Manchester +battalions were hit. It was however a lucky escape. After this the +road cleared quickly and we moved on into Fonquevillers. This village +had been badly knocked about in the early days of the war, and few +houses were in anything but ruins. + +But there were still many cellars intact, and also a number of tin +huts built for the French refugees in 1917. Officers of Battalion H.Q. +were billeted in a cellar, and this was improved by mattresses, +tables, and chairs brought in from the huts outside. Here in spite of +intermittent shelling we got a much needed rest. But Fonquevillers was +no place for a permanent rest cure. The village was shelled on and off +all day, and several of our men were hit. I assisted the Adjutant, +Capt. S.P. Brook-Booth, M.C., to collect a supply of early vegetables +from the little gardens; and the officers in our reserve camp at +Souastre thoughtfully sent up a couple of cooked chickens and a few +other luxuries, so that evening we had something in the nature of a +feast. Next morning, March 31, Lieut. Johnston, temporarily in command +of A Company got a shell splinter through his hand and had to be sent +back. I was then put in command of A Company and left Battalion H.Q., +so that for some days the observers were not under my charge. About +this time L.-C. Flynn, one of the observers, was seriously wounded by +a shell, and we learnt later on that he died of his wounds. It was an +unlucky affair, for he was one of the best observers. But I had no +further casualties for a long time. I found A Company quartered in a +line of old trenches between Gommecourt Wood and Fonquevillers. I +believe they were part of the old British front line before the Somme +battle started. Accommodation was very limited, and I found the other +officers of A Company,[19] four in number, with their batmen and cook +all crowded together in a small shelter. It was as may be imagined +uncomfortably hot at times, especially during the night, part of which +I spent in the trench outside. We only got a few shells from the enemy +here, his attention was directed more to the village behind us and +Gommecourt Wood in front. + +On April 1 we got orders to proceed after dark to the front line +trenches at Bucquoy--A Company was to hold those on the left, with B +Company to their right. We were also given a route, but in the +darkness it was difficult to find and it led to a curious incident on +our journey forward. We assembled the company on the road outside +Gommecourt and made towards the village as fast as the crowded state +of the road would allow. Happily we were not shelled here, but there +were signs on the road that others had not been so fortunate. When we +reached Gommecourt, a mere ruin now of broken trees and buildings, we +were clear of the press of transport and troops. We turned south-east +hoping to strike a tramway running towards Biez Wood. Nothing, +however, could we see of the tramway, and we could only push on, +hoping to find it. After going on awhile we certainly seemed to be +reaching a rather queer place, for we saw our men setting out wire, +and a rather scared little man appeared out of the darkness and told +us that 'Jerry was over there,' pointing down the road. We did not +stop for this, but when a German Verey light shot up almost under our +noses, we decided that we had indeed come too far and that it was time +to turn back. This we did without waste of time and retraced our steps +to Gommecourt. I was expecting any minute to hear a machine-gun open +on us down the road. But if 'Jerry' was there in any force he had +decided to keep quiet, and we got safely back to Gommecourt. After +this experience we took a way that we knew, although it was not the +one laid down for us. And after a long march in the dark we struck the +Essarts-Bucquoy Road, and found our guides awaiting us on the road +near Bucquoy. Whilst this relief was going on our field batteries kept +up a hot fire on the enemy's front, but he made no reply. + +The guides took us by a winding route through the north end of Bucquoy +to the trenches, which consisted of an old German drain, very straight +and about six feet deep. It ran parallel to the east side of the +village and about 200 yards from its outskirts. The Company H.Q. lay a +little way behind the front line and consisted of a short narrow slit +in the ground, roofed over with tin--one of the smallest shelters I +have ever been in. It was possible to sit down, but not to lie down, +and the floor was inches deep in cold mud. Here I found two very +disconsolate officers awaiting relief. They seemed to be nearly +perished with the cold and wet, and quite worn out by their cheerless +sojourn in the trenches. The trench lay on the slope of a slight hill, +the crest being about 200 yards away. The enemy were not close, their +position was out of sight and unknown. But to the left Logeast Wood +was clearly visible, and the enemy were known to be there. Our trench +ended abruptly on the left, and the nearest British troops on this +flank were some way off and more to the east, so that there was a +considerable gap in the line here. On the right of course we were in +touch with B Company, who were commanded by Lieut. Affleck, M.C., a +veteran of the Houthulst Forest battle, and one of our most +redoubtable warriors in the 7th N.F. I knew that I need not worry +about my right flank! No smoke from fires could be allowed in the +trenches, and cooking had to be done over small fires of fine wood +splinters. When morning came it was possible to have a better look +round. All the reserve ammunition, about 5000 rounds, had been pulled +out of the boxes, and the bandoliers were mostly buried in the mud. It +was a great business clearing the trench of mud and salvaging and +cleaning the ammunition. The enemy did not know where we were. All +morning three of his aeroplanes, flying low, hovered about our little +trench, occasionally firing bursts at us with their machine-guns. We +only replied with an occasional shot, and of course they could not +tell where that came from. At any rate the German guns let the trench +alone and poured a stream of heavy shells all day and night into the +village behind us and into the hedges at the east end. The fact +appeared quite clearly later on that the enemy could not locate our +front line. A messenger dog, belonging to the enemy, was captured at +this time near Bucquoy, bearing a message in German as follows: 'The +affair of Bucquoy is off for the present, as we don't know where Tommy +is.' It was well indeed for our two companies that the drain trench +was not suspected by the enemy. There were no traverses in it from one +end to the other, and a very few well-aimed shells would have blown us +to pieces. + +That night (April 2) the British forces made a counter-attack at +Ayette and drove the enemy as far back as the old hangars at +Moyenneville. Seen from the trenches at Bucquoy it was a fine sight. +The enemy put up all kinds of coloured lights, including silhouette +lights and 'flaming onions' both orange and mauve. + +Meanwhile we of the 7th N.F. undertook a small venture against certain +parties of the enemy that had been seen and sniped at from B Company's +trench. These parties were busy digging trenches about 400 yards away +to our front. Soon after dark 2nd-Lieuts. J. Dodds and J.H. Edmunds +took out a raiding party of over twenty men in order to secure a +prisoner if possible. As it turned out this was done quickly enough +and without firing a shot. + +For on the party creeping forward to the wire belt at the top of the +hill, a German N.C.O. walked towards them, was surprised by 2nd-Lieut. +Dodds, and surrendered without a struggle. He was already slightly +wounded, and had come forward perhaps to have a look at the wire. He +was brought back at once to the trench, and it fell to me to examine +the man and to remove all papers from him except his pay-book and +identity disc. I went out and examined him in a mixture of such broken +French and German as I could summon at so short a notice. I also went +through his papers with the aid of lighted matches. After this he was +sent down under escort to Battalion H.Q., and thence to D.H.Q. + +It proved to be a useful capture, for it showed that a fresh German +division had arrived opposite our front. Later on 2nd-Lieut. Dodds was +awarded the Military Cross for the capture. Early next morning (April +3) the Division sent orders that I should return with the Divisional +observers to the rear. So I left the trench in charge of 2nd-Lieut. N. +Holt and went back with my servant through Bucquoy, taking care to +avoid certain large shells which were falling every now and then about +the village. Calling at Battalion H.Q. I found that the observers were +now in some trenches about half a mile farther back in the direction +of Essarts. I soon found them, however, and whilst waiting for them +to get ready I was hospitably supplied with some whisky and soda by +the officers of one of the Lancashire Regiments. + +At last we set off in small parties towards Gommecourt, our +destination being Souastre, a long march for tired men. Whilst passing +Biez Wood we came in for some rather unpleasant attention from the +enemy's artillery, whose observers could see movement at this spot all +too well. However we got away at last without mishap and collected +again short of Gommecourt, where we halted for a meal of bully and +biscuit. Eventually after passing through Gommecourt and Fonquevillers +we struggled on to Souastre, very footsore and completely worn out. + +From March 23 onwards it had been one long strain, heavy marching most +days and, with few exceptions, sleepless nights. For myself I was a +very tramp, boots worn to pieces, clothes hanging with mud, and thick +with mud up to the eyes. Undoubtedly it was the most trying experience +physically that I have ever been through. At Souastre I called at rear +Battalion H.Q., where Capt. Herriott of B Company kindly lent me his +rubber boots and some clean socks, a great luxury and comfort. Then I +went on to the Officers' Hut at the battalion reserve camp, and was +able to lie down and sleep till well on into the next day. Souastre +was not a bad place to rest, for it was shelled only very occasionally +with long-range guns. + +The following afternoon (April 4) Capt. Kirsopp came to see me and he +brought a motor-car. He wished to reconnoitre a 'battle O.P.,' i.e. a +place in the back area from which to observe enemy shelling of the +forward areas or enemy attacks on our line. I was told that things +were expected to happen next day; and I was instructed to find a post +where I could see what was going on, somewhere in the neighbourhood of +the Chateau de la Haie. + +In the morning (April 5) I went with Corp. Walker and L.-C. Cowen to +the Bayencourt Ridge, south of the chateau, and we got into a small +trench. Things certainly were happening, for the enemy was scattering +his heavy high-velocity shells broadcast over the country. He seemed +to direct them chiefly against our battery positions and the roads and +trenches in rear of Fonquevillers and Sailly-au-Bois. The number of +these shells was unusually large; but later on towards 10 A.M. things +began to quieten down in the back area. What had happened was this. +The 37th Division with the assistance of tanks made a counter-attack +on Rossignol Wood. The Germans had prepared to make another of their +grand attacks that same morning. But it was anticipated by about half +an hour. The result was a fierce struggle in which we gained a little +ground and a certain number of prisoners. The German attack therefore +came to nothing, and this proved to be his last attempt of a serious +kind on our part of the front. Anxiety was not however, at an end for +many days to come. + +During the next few days the observers held a battle O.P. near the +orchard in Fonquevillers. It was a long walk from Souastre and back, +but fairly quiet, for it could be reached by going across country and +avoiding the sorely harassed roads. + +On April 8 the 42nd Division was taken back for a short rest to the +area round Authie. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[17] Ptes. Fail and Ewart. + +[18] Major V. Merivale, M.C. (C Company), Capt. Herriott (B Company), +and Lieut. P. Cole (A Company) were, I think, in charge of the three +companies. + +[19] Second-Lieuts. N. Holt, C.R. King, J. Dodds, and J. Lassey. + + + + +XXXII + +TRENCH WARFARE--HEBUTERNE + + +During Divisional rest the observers were attached for rations and +accommodation to the H.Q. Company of the 7th N.F. We marched back, +therefore, with the battalion through Couin and St. Leger to Authie. +We found nice billets awaiting us in this pleasant French village, +which was too far from the enemy to be afflicted with shell fire. It +was full of French civilians, and the small shops had various little +luxuries to which we had been unused for some time. From Authie Woods +to Bayencourt ran the 'Red Line' trenches, a sort of 'last-but-one' +reserve line, which had been hastily dug by Chinese labourers and were +still only about four feet deep. We did not stay long at Authie, for +the billets were wanted to accommodate French troops who were being +hurried northwards to the battle now raging about Kemmel. + +On April 12 the 7th N.F. moved forward to the village of Coigneux and +H.Q. were established in a French estaminet. There were civilians here +too, but the village was liable to be shelled and half of them had +gone away. A distressing attack of tooth-ache took me twice to the +C.C.S. near Doullens. I found that town more deserted than it used to +be, for the Germans had shelled and bombed it vigorously since their +offensive started. + +On April 16, after a week's rest, the 42nd Division took over the +trenches running from Gommecourt to Hebuterne. The same day the +observers moved to some old trenches north of the Chateau de la Haie. +It was a cold place in wet weather, and we were occasionally shelled. +But after a few days through the kindness of Col. Guy, the G.S.O. I, +billets were found for us in a cottage at Bayencourt, which lies about +half a mile south of the chateau. It was indeed a pleasant oasis in a +badly shelled area. Why the enemy left the place alone I cannot say. +But when we got there there were still plenty of old French folk, who +lived quietly on amid the surrounding strife, and continued to keep +their cows in the fields and to cultivate the land. The church had not +been shelled, for a wonder, and the clock was still going and striking +the hours. + +The observers sent up two parties of two men every day to an O.P. +north-east of Hebuterne. The other men manned a battle O.P. on the +Bayencourt Ridge during the morning. + +April 23, St. George's Day, provided a little excitement for three of +us. We were told to try to find an O.P. near the Quarries at +Hebuterne, not generally a very healthy spot. As we were shelled +incessantly all the time we were near the place, the idea of +establishing a post here was abandoned. And eventually another post +was fixed on, on the north-east side of Hebuterne. Some useful work +was done here by the observers; they obtained some valuable +information about enemy movement and got the artillery to shell a +relief that was taking place. At the close of our tour in the line, +which occurred about May 4, the IV Corps directed all Infantry +observers to take sound bearings of enemy guns and to wire them at +once to the Counter-Battery Office. This was gratifying, as we had +made a special effort to report these sound bearings, a system of +which I had learnt something in the Salient. + +From May 4 to June 9 the Division remained in the rest area about +Couin. The observers left Bayencourt and joined the 7th N.F. at +Coigneux, where we lived in tents on the high chalky ground south of +Rossignol Farm. I messed with the officers of A Company, and shared a +tent with Lieut W.H. Fisher and 2nd-Lieut Dodd. Owing to the bombing +and shelling in the neighbourhood, we were ordered to fortify our +tents. So we had a small trench dug for each inside the tent and in +these we put our valises. It was rather like a shallow grave, but it +gave you a feeling of security when bits were flying about. During +this month the observers had a little mild training each day; but the +G.O.C. sent word to me to rest the men as much as possible. I amused +myself at the battle O.P. on Bayencourt Ridge and sent in daily +reports of sound bearings to the IV Corps Counter-Battery Office. + +On the whole the enemy let our camp fairly well alone. We had one +large bomb dropped in the camp, but it failed to do any material +damage. Latterly the 4-inch naval guns took to sending a few shells +over daily, but we had only a few men wounded from splinters. Other +units near us came off worse. During the rest at Coigneux we had a +visit from some American troops. I think they had come to gain a +little mild experience of our methods. Anyway a small party of their +observers came to see how we held our posts. And they were taken to +the battle O.P. and to the forward O.P. at Hebuterne. + + + + +XXXIII + +TRENCH WARFARE--THE COLINCAMPS RIDGE + + +No offensive operations on a large scale were undertaken against the +enemy on the IV Corps front, Bucquoy to Auchonvillers, before the +middle of August 1918. The period from May onwards was spent in +strengthening the defences and in wearing down the enemy's strength +and morale. The latter object was achieved by continual harassing fire +from our guns, strong counter-battery, periodical gas projections, +bombing from our aeroplanes, and raids. It was still necessary to work +hard on our defences, for the German offensive was by no means over, +and it was impossible to say at what moment the enemy might renew his +attacks on this part of the front. + +The part played by the Divisional observers during this period of +trench warfare was more important and useful than at any other period +of their employment. This was partly due to the excellent position for +ground observation on the ridge between Colincamps and Auchonvillers, +and partly to the improvement in means of communication with D.H.Q. +and the artillery. Great credit is due to Capt. Kirsopp for his +continual efforts to make the information obtained more rapid and +effective. And also to the men who got the information by patiently +sticking to their job for ten long weeks, sometimes under trying and +discouraging conditions. + +The observers were quartered in a number of small shelters on the high +ground between Coigneux and Bus, well back from the shelled and bombed +area. The shelters were in the side of a green mound, near the Bus +waterworks; and this place was used as a battle O.P. and became known +as 'Eve' O.P. From here there was a splendid view of the country just +behind the British front line. So that the observers stationed here +could say at once where heavy shelling was going on, either by day or +by night. A telephone connected 'Eve' O.P. with D.H.Q. and also with +the forward O.P. The latter post was about four miles away in a small +trench on the ridge north of Auchonvillers near some apple trees, +which perhaps suggested the name 'Adam' O.P. In many ways it was an +admirable place for an O.P. If care was taken it could be approached +without being seen by the enemy. It was screened by a thick hedge and +also by a deep belt of wire about thirty yards in front of the hedge. +The O.P. itself was in the hedge bank, and was roofed over with +several small 'elephant' shelters, with earth on top of them. There +was plenty of room for at least three men to work inside. And +observation was obtained through a small opening in the hedge bank. +The opening was always further screened by sandbags, so that only +the end of the telescope was exposed to the enemy and that was always +in a deep shadow. A few yards away outside the O.P. in the trench was +a small mined dugout. This was not very deep, about six feet down at +the most; but it was under the roots of the hedge, a good protection +against the shells of field guns. In this dugout the observers who +were not on duty were able to sleep, and the men in the O.P. could +take refuge in case of heavy shelling. The O.P. was connected by +telephone with D.H.Q. and also with Eve O.P. Not far away in the same +trench there were other O.P.'s, one held by the Lovat Scouts (Corps +Observers) and another, 'Rose' O.P., by the heavy artillery. + + [Illustration: Panorama from Adam O.P., July 1918.] + +Our method of working the two O.P.'s was as follows. The N.C.O., L.-C. +Cowen, remained at Eve O.P. and assisted me with various duties there, +and with the duty of inspecting the working of Adam O.P. The other +observers, eight in number, were divided into two groups of four, one +in charge of Pte. J. King and the other in in charge of Pte. W.O.S. +Fail. Three observers from No. 1 group went forward to Adam O.P. and +stayed there for forty-eight hours, drawing their rations each day +from the nearest Battalion H.Q. After this they were relieved by three +observers from No 2 group and so on. By this arrangement I was able to +rest the men and to carry on observation continuously for ten weeks +without unduly tiring the men. Out of the four observers in a group, +only three were at Adam O.P. at the same time, the fourth man +remaining back at Eve O.P. for a rest. Thus during sixteen days each +observer had three tours of duty at Adam O.P. lasting two days each, +two rests of two days, and then a rest of six days. This kept all the +men fresh, an important matter if you wish for good observation. + +At Adam O.P. two of the three observers were always at the telescope +during daylight, and one was resting in the dugout. And at night one +had to remain awake, to be able to report heavy shelling to D.H.Q. and +to act as gas sentry for the others. It was of course all done in a +system of reliefs amongst themselves. During these summer months +observation was possible in the most favourable circumstances from +3.45 A.M. to 9.10 P.M., so the night was comparatively short. Adam +O.P. was visited on alternate days by L.-C. Cowen and myself. I went +invariably in the early morning, so as to arrive at the O.P. about an +hour or so after observation had become possible. The enemy exposed +himself more freely during the two or three hours after dawn than at +any other time during the day. By going up early I was able to see +that the men were at their post at this important time, and to get +their early information, often of importance, as soon as possible. It +meant starting in the dark, and often a cold wet journey across +country, but the good fellows at the O.P. always had a cup of tea for +me--a little act of kindness which illustrates our friendly +relations. + +The most interesting things we could see from Adam O.P. were the +German front line trenches south and south-west of Serre, two spots +known as 'L. 33. a. O. 9.' and 'Q. 6. a. 9. 8.' where anyone +approaching these forward trenches had to cross a ridge and so come +under our observation, the German transport roads about +Achiet-le-Petit, Irles, and Loupart Wood. The German front line was +within 2000 yards, Q. 6. a. within 4000 yards, L. 33. a. rather over +6000 yards, and the roads well over 10,000 yards away. Near to Pys was +a German C.C.S., which was narrowly watched, for any increase in its +size would have probably meant preparation for an attack. And behind +Irles was a derelict British tank which the Germans used as an O.P., +for it was invariably visited by a number of men just before one of +their reliefs took place, and at no other time. + +Every day two reports were sent in to D.H.Q. of all movement seen +during the preceding twelve hours. And every movement seen was entered +into a Log Book. This was my special department; and after a time it +was possible to compile a further book called the Summary Book, with +coloured charts of daily movement. In a short time we discovered the +average or normal movement for the twenty-four hours. And after that +it was quite simple to warn the Division at once whenever any movement +of an abnormal character was taking place. + +Owing to weak eyesight I could not do much telescope work myself--my +part of the field work was map reading, in which I had considerable +assistance from aeroplane photographs at D.H.Q. I asked the observers +to make telescopic sketches, on every compass bearing, of what they +could see. And then from these sketches and with my own maps and +protractor I was able to tell them what they were looking at on the +map, and to prepare a panoramic sketch for their use at Adam O.P. Pte. +King sent in an admirable series of sketches which were most useful in +this work of discovery. Later on the more powerful telescope was also +taken up to Adam O.P., and with this Pte. Fail did some most useful +work. With his exceptional eyesight and a gift for sketching he made a +series of excellent artillery target sketches. These I copied out and +coloured and sent to D.H.Q.; and they were sent on to the IV Corps +Heavy Artillery. These targets were fired at with great success. For +example one of the first sent in was of a cook-house and wireless +station at L. 33. a. On July 11 the heavy artillery carried out a +successful shoot on the place, using Adam O.P. as their observing +station. In order to place on record some of the work done by my +observers at Adam O.P. I will give some of the results of their +systematic observation. + +A Divisional relief on July 3 and 4 was spotted by Capt. Kirsopp on +information given by the observers of exceptional movement in the +forward area. Another Divisional relief was detected by largely +increased movement on July 25. And a battalion relief on August 6, +with disastrous results for the enemy. At least fifty copies of +different telescopic sketches were sent in to the Division, including +a series of eight showing new workings by the Germans in their front +line system. Reports of nearly seventy gun-flashes were sent in as +well as many sound bearing reports. The following numbers of German +infantry and transport vehicles were reported from Adam O.P. + ++--------+------+-----------+-----------+----------+-----------+ +| Month | Days | Days of | Effective | Infantry | Transport | +| | | Bad Light | Days | Seen | Vehicles | ++--------+------+-----------+-----------+----------+-----------+ +|June | 21 | 8 | 13 | 2,100 | 83 | +| | | | | | | +|July | 31 | 7 | 24 | 5,400 | 413 | +| | | | | | | +|August | 20 | 4 | 16 | 4,650 | 205 | ++--------+------+-----------+-----------+----------+-----------+ +|Total | 72 | 19 | 53 | 12,150 | 791 | ++--------+------+-----------+-----------+----------+-----------+ + +Our two best days occurred on August 6 and 12. On the 6th a large +movement was observed in the early hours, indicating a relief, which +was reported to the Division at once by wire. So that when the relief +was continued at night, our artillery were prepared to deal with the +German parties moving in or out of the trenches. On this day alone +1126 infantry and 55 transport vehicles were seen on the move. The +42nd Division Intelligence Report of August 7 reported the matter as +follows: + + 'Relief south of the Serre-Mailly Road which commenced on a + large scale on the morning of the 6th was continued during the + evening; between 6.50 and 8.20 P.M. 197 men with packs in + nineteen parties came towards the front line past Q. 6. a. 95. + 80. These parties were engaged by H.A. with great success. + Casualties caused being estimated to be at least fifty; four + direct hits were obtained on a party at 7.15 P.M., and on one + occasion an out-going party was seen to have a free fight with + an in-going party to gain possession of a sunken track or trench + in Q. 6. a. Total hostile infantry seen by Divisional O.P. on + the 6th reached the high number of 1126.' + +The observers had their share in those fifty casualties, as Pte. F. +Turner went to Rose O.P. and directed the Sergeant Gunner in charge to +the proper map reference of the German troops. That 6-inch battery +shot superbly, and I wish I knew the Sergeant's name. The G.O.C. sent +his congratulations to the observers on the day's work. + +On August 12 at 6 A.M. the observers informed me that the Germans had +been seen going out of their trenches in large numbers and all +carrying packs, rifles, and boxes as well. On this I sent a pigeon +message to the Corps, saying that the enemy might be retiring now. As +it happened this was quite correct, as the Germans admitted themselves +a few days later in their communique. + +I also wish to put on record an act of kindness to the observers by +the Division and Corps. On August 8 the enemy began to shell the +neighbourhood of Adam O.P. rather severely with a 5.9-inch howitzer +battery. As this went on, I rang up D.H.Q. and asked if anything could +be done in retaliation against the enemy's O.P.'s in L. 33. a. Col. +Guy told me that he would see what the Corps would do for us; and rang +up later to tell me to ask the observers at Adam O.P. to note results +at 2.30 P.M. At the appointed time, every active heavy gun in the +Corps fired a shell simultaneously against selected targets, including +L. 33. a. There were at least four brigades of heavies in the Corps +and the noise was colossal. It must have astonished the enemy as much +as it did me. + +On August 9, 2nd-Lieut. Edmunds of the 7th N.F. came to assist me, and +to take over command of the observers during my leave which was now +drawing near. I told him that we had never been shelled at Eve O.P. +But as luck would have it that very afternoon, about 2 P.M., a +long-range gun shelled the O.P. for about twenty minutes; and I had to +clear the men off into the neighbouring Red Line trenches till the +annoyance ceased. + +On August 14 the enemy were attacked all along the IV Corps front and +a considerable advance was made that day. Pte. King remained at the +telescope all day, and sent in a number of interesting reports about +the enemy's movements. + +At this point I have to break off the narrative, as my leave warrant +arrived that night and I left the observers till August 31 in charge +of 2nd-Lieut. J.H. Edmunds. + +One word about the admirable services of my batman, Pte. W. Critchlow. +For ten weeks and more, in addition to looking after my own personal +comforts, he cooked for the whole party of observers at Eve O.P. This +may seem a small matter, but he never had a rest like the other men, +and his hard work contributed materially to the comfort and efficiency +of the section. + + + + +XXXIV + +THE BRITISH OFFENSIVE 1918--BAPAUME RETAKEN + + +On my return to France, I reached Authieule railway station on August +31, and went on next morning, partly by car and motor-bus and partly +on foot, to Miraumont. Here I found the observers with B Company +(Capt. W.N. Craigs, M.C.) of the 7th N.F. near the railway station. It +had been strange passing over the smitten ground on the Serre Ridge, +and it was possible then to realise the terrible effects of our heavy +shell fire. Gangs of men were now mending the road all the way to +Miraumont; but it must have been in a shocking state. In one place +part of a transport cart hung suspended from the shattered branches of +a tree; and everywhere the ground was absolutely churned to pieces. + +I learnt that D.H.Q. had moved forward to Grevillers, and on September +3 I decided to make a move forward to Loupart Wood, in order to get +the observers more in touch with them. + +We were badly handicapped in all the succeeding stages of the campaign +by having no transport to move our belongings. Besides the ordinary +infantryman's equipment, no light weight, we had our blankets, three +telescopes, compasses, and a lot of maps, books, and stationery, and +our daily ration to carry as well. By good luck, however, we found an +old German hand-cart in very fair condition about the station yard; +and we used this hand-cart for getting our gear along for many a weary +mile. In fact we finally dropped it at Le Quesnoy on November 5, not +because it was worn out, but because other transport was found for us. +By the evening of September 3 we got settled into some dugouts at the +north end of Loupart Wood. There were a few dead Germans scattered +about, but a lot more dead horses than men. And as the weather was +hot, the air was none too pleasant. + +Next day I visited D.H.Q. who were in some tents outside Grevillers, +and Capt. Kirsopp told me that the observers were urgently needed. It +was proposed to send a party of them forward on bicycles to keep in +touch with the retreating Germans. And so the same day Ptes. King and +Drake (7th N.F.) and F. Greenwood (10th M.B.) went forward towards +Havrincourt Wood to get such news as they could. It had been intended +at first that I should go with them, but it was found impossible to +provide me with a horse. The British forces had already taken Bapaume, +Villers-au-Flos, and Riencourt, and the enemy were supposed to be +retreating fast in the direction of the old Hindenburg Line which lay +beyond Havrincourt Wood. Pte. King's party did good work; they went +through Barastre and Bus in front of the advance guards of the +infantry, and met with no opposition beyond occasional long-range +machine-gun fire. Their first O.P. was just south of Bertincourt, and +the following days near Neuville-Bourjonval. For this expedition Pte. +King was awarded the Military Medal. On September 3 I went with Pte. +Turner to some high ground just south of Bapaume and stayed there +several hours. From here little shelling could be seen, the main body +of the enemy must have retired as far as Havrincourt Wood. Long-range +shells fell near Bapaume and the railway during the day. The same +evening I reported at D.H.Q., and found things pretty lively during my +visit; for two or three German 'planes dropped a number of bombs about +the place, not a pleasant experience for those living in tents. Next +day (September 4) the observers moved forward with the hand-cart +through Grevillers and then to Thilloy and across country to the high +ground south of Bapaume. Here there were plenty of small German +shelters and dugouts partially protected by a shallow trench. In these +we took up our quarters, whilst D.H.Q. moved to some ammunition +dugouts on the other side of the road from Bapaume to Peronne. Next +day (September 5) accompanied by Pte. Turner I reconnoitred the high +ground about Bus. There were many German dead still lying about near +the approaches to Villers-au-Flos, where a considerable stand must +have been made by the German machine-gunners to cover the retreat. +Also we saw on our way back a party of the 7th N.F. preparing to bury +a number of our own men who had fallen in the advance. The same +evening I was told that the 42nd Division would be relieved that night +by the New Zealand Division, and that the observers should stand fast +until further orders, Pte. King's party joined us the next day. We +stayed here for the next two weeks, in what proved to be quite +comfortable quarters. A German soda-water factory was discovered at +Beaulencourt, and we were in time to secure a few bottles. Training +was now resumed in the mornings, and the observers practised sending +and receiving messages with four signallers of the 7th N.F. who were +attached to us. In the afternoon we were free to roam over the recent +battle-field, where many souvenirs of the enemy could be picked up. We +now lay just to the north of the old Somme battle-ground. And on +September 15 I went to Martinpuich by bus down the Albert-Bapaume Road +and revisited the scene of our attack on the High Wood Ridge, which +had taken place just two years before. During our stay at this place +we had visits every night from German aircraft. But they fared none +too well. I saw one aeroplane brought down in flames at night near +Villers-au-Flos by our anti-aircraft guns; and two others shared the +same fate. This was a great feather in the cap of the anti-aircraft +gunners; for an aeroplane is particularly difficult to hit at night. + +The 42nd Division was ordered to relieve the 37th Division on +September 22. The latter Division had now reached the old British +front line east of Havrincourt Wood. And the Germans were now in the +Hindenburg Line, behind 'the walls of bronze' which had checked us +once and which they hoped would again stay the pursuit of their beaten +legions. + +One particularly disgusting feature of our journey in pursuit of the +enemy was the dreadful state of the huts he had occupied. They all +appeared to be moving with lice and fleas, and it was a most difficult +matter to keep oneself free from their unpleasant attentions. It was +the same wherever we stopped. + + + + +XXXV + +THE STORMING OF THE HINDENBURG LINE NEAR TRESCAULT + + +On September 20 I went with Lieut. G.F. Doble, the Divisional +Intelligence Officer, to visit the new area in front. We found D.H.Q. +established in a wonderful series of huts south-west of Velu Wood. +These had been the H.Q. of some German Corps, and wonderfully well +barricaded they were. Inside each hut, which was panelled with wood, +there was a sliding panel which admitted to a deep shelter dugout +beneath. Here in case of bombing by our aeroplanes, the German officer +had been able to retire quickly and without loss of dignity to a place +of safety. From here we paid a short visit by motor-car to the B.H.Q. +north-west of Havrincourt Wood. On returning through Bapaume I had the +great pleasure of meeting Major W. Anderson, D.S.O., M.C., my old +Brigade-Major, who was now G.S.O. II of the 37th Division. + +On September 21 the observers went forward with their hand-cart +through Riencourt, Villers-au-Flos, and Haplincourt to the outskirts +of Bertincourt. We first selected some empty huts near Velu Wood as +our place of residence. But as we were shelled about five minutes +after arriving, we decided to move a little farther from the wood. +Finally we found two useful Nissen huts built into the roadside and +sheltered by some tall elm trees, just west of Bertincourt. It was not +a very quiet or healthy spot anywhere near Bertincourt; but we were +not damaged by the enemy's shells, though occasionally annoyed. The +same afternoon I went forward by myself to reconnoitre a position for +the Divisional O.P. And I found a useful place in the north of +Havrincourt Wood, or rather in the rough thorny scrub that had once +formed part of the wood. + + [Illustration: Scene of the Attack on the Hindenburg Line, Sept. + 28, 1918.] + +Observation was obtained through the branches of a tree, and a small +shelter dugout was close at hand. The field of view extended along the +left flank of the Corps and Divisional front, and went a long way back +to the high ground between Niergnes and Esnes. Flesquieres, Ribecourt, +Marcoing, Rumilly, and Masnieres could all be seen. The next few days +were spent in locating our surroundings and in reporting the traffic +seen on the back roads. On September 27 I went with L.-C. Cowen to +inspect an O.P. in the British front-line system south-east of +Trescault. We went through the wood and then along a winding C.T. +which brought us to the front line. Here we found a deep dugout with a +ladder leading up to an O.P. on ground level. The view in front was +not altogether satisfactory, but towards the left it was good. + +At dawn on September 28 the grand assault on the Hindenburg Line +began. It was quite successful on our left and on the left of our +front, but the Division on our right had great difficulty in getting +forward. By the following day, however, the line was advanced along +the whole front, and the N.Z. Division, taking over the pursuit from +us, made good captures of men and guns. L.-C. Cowen and Pte. +McGarrigle went to the O.P. in the front line on September 28 and had +rather a rough passage. Pte. Fail had a small party at the other O.P., +and obtained a fairly good view of the battle. On September 29 Pte. +King went with Pte. Chappell in the direction of Ribecourt, but this +expedition was brought to an end by a shell which wounded Pte. +Chappell badly in the face. This was the second and, as events turned +out, the last casualty amongst my observers. I spent a long time the +second day with the observers at the O.P. in Havrincourt Wood and we +saw much German transport hurrying back south of Niergnes. On the +night of September 29 the 42nd Division was relieved, and I received +instructions to remain at our quarters near Bertincourt. After the +battle we were no longer troubled with any shells. Second-Lieut. +Edmunds who had been on leave since we left Miraumont came back to +assist me, for about another month. Great droves of German prisoners +now began to pass us several times a day, a cheering sight in one way, +but not a pleasant one in another. They were truly a desperate-looking +collection of men, mostly of a very low class. + +This halt enabled me to get round the country and make sketches of the +various battle-fields. + +One night I had dinner at D.H.Q. as the guest of Capt. Kirsopp, and +enjoyed the hospitality of 'Z' Mess. I found a great curiosity in the +fields near Bertincourt. An old cannon-ball pitted with rust and +dating possibly from Marlborough's days. As I could not take it away +with me, I gave it to Major Clarke, the G.S.O. II. + +On October 7 the observers moved to some dugouts near Trescault, where +we remained two days. On October 8 I went on to Welsh Ridge, but +nothing much could be seen from there. The battle-field was strewn +with Germans who had fallen in the battle ten days before. On October +9 we had a long march which took all day. We went through Beaucamp and +then towards Masnieres, finally reaching the shattered village of +Crevecoeur. Next morning we moved on again to Esnes, where we had +billets in a nice farm-house. + +At last we had reached the land of vegetables, and for the rest of the +campaign we had a plentiful supply. We had been very short of this +kind of food since May. + +On October 11 we moved on again and got a billet in a small cottage in +Fontaine-au-Pire. Next day on again to the next town, Beauvois, which +was not at all badly smashed. We had billets in a couple of small +cottages off the main street and we were fairly comfortable here. The +plague of house-flies was very bad at this place; the whole place was +full of them. + +The 42nd Division relieved the N.Z. Division on October 12 on a front +extending south of Solesmes and covering Briastre. + + + + +XXXVI + +THE GERMANS' LAST STAND + + +On October 12 I went with Pte. Firth to a ridge south of Viesly to +look for an O.P., and selected a spot in the open, but near a sunk +road. However, the G.O.C. required a post to be held on the high +ground north of the village. This was only half a mile from the +enemy's front line and in full view of the enemy, so that I suspected +we should not be allowed to stop there very long. A regiment of +Hussars was attached to the Corps and stationed at Caudry. + +It was arranged that an officer and six observers from this regiment +should work in conjunction with the Divisional observers. These +mounted men were particularly useful in getting messages back quickly +from the O.P. to a report centre, for during this open warfare it was +impossible to connect the observers by telephone to D.H.Q. + +The first day at the O.P. north of Viesly passed quietly enough, and +Ptes. King and McGarrigle made a useful sketch of the view in front. +Next day, when I went up to the O.P. to make additions to the sketch, +conditions were not very good. Our only cover was a shallow trench +about one foot deep; and for an hour whilst I was trying to sketch +the details of the landscape the enemy's 4.2-inch howitzers shelled +the hill persistently. I told the observers, when I went back, to +leave this post if things got no better and to man the post south of +Viesly. And this was done soon afterwards, as the shells began to fall +very close. Unfortunately from now onwards the light was no good for +long-range observation. Day after day the country was covered with a +thick white mist, a common experience in October, which made +observation quite out of the question. However, from the sketches that +had been made, I was able to make a drawing of the panorama in front, +which was printed out for the use of the troops in the line. + +It was decided to attack the German positions at midnight on October +19-20. Taking advantage of the heavy mist the British field artillery +placed their guns in two long lines, twenty-eight guns in a line and +almost wheel to wheel, behind the ridges south of Viesly. This was an +extraordinary sight, for they had no cover whatever except the thick +white mist overhead. Behind the second row, there was a battery of +heavy howitzers (8- or 9-inch calibre), and a little farther back +several batteries of 60-pounder guns. The night attack was carried out +by the 126th Infantry Brigade and was wonderfully successful. + +At 10 A.M. on October 20 I called at B.H.Q., a house in Prayelle, to +get the latest news. Then I joined Ptes. Fail and Greenwood at the +O.P., which was now under the muzzles of the field guns. We left this +post and went towards Briastre, and, crossing the road from Viesly, we +finally selected a position near the Briastre Cemetery. Just across +the valley the enemy's guns were pounding the positions we had won +that morning. It was in preparation for a counter-attack, which, +however, was crushed by the fire from our own artillery. We sent in +several situation reports to D.H.Q. through the H.Q. of the 10th +Manchester Regiment, which were now in a cutting not far from the +cemetery. + +On my way back to Beauvois I met a number of tanks travelling slowly +forward towards Viesly; but I believe they were unable to get across +the River Selle that night. For the next two days the observers held a +post on the north side of Viesly; and on October 23 the 42nd Division +attacked again, the N.Z. Division taking up the pursuit of the enemy +about midday. The men of the 42nd Division have every reason to be +proud of their battle at Solesmes; the Germans were very strongly +entrenched and they were picked troops, and a night attack is, of +course, one of the most difficult of all to carry out successfully. + +The observers were instructed to remain at their quarters in Beauvois, +and for the next eleven days training was resumed. I was told that +great advantages might be obtained from panoramic sketches, if rapidly +and accurately drawn by the observers. And so I directed most of the +training here towards making these sketches. There was nothing in +training that the men liked better than that. + +During our rest at Beauvois the New Zealanders had pushed the Germans +farther back, to the outskirts of Le Quesnoy, and towards the end of +October we were warned that the 42nd Division would relieve them after +a further attack. + + + + +XXXVII + +THE FINAL RUSH FORWARD + + +On November 3 I moved with the observers to the village of Viesly and +got a billet in a cottage. The village had been badly mauled by the +German guns during the recent fighting. The German does not behave +nicely when his nerves are shaken, and we heard stories of +ill-treatment of women in Solesmes. + +Next day we went towards Romeries to reconnoitre the roads, and on +November 5 we had a long march in the rain. Hitherto we had been lucky +to have fine weather for trekking, but now it began to rain almost +every day. We went on over crowded roads through Briastre, Solesmes, +Romeries, and Beaudignies. At the latter place our heavy guns were +still firing, for the Germans had only been pushed out of Le Quesnoy +that morning, and their main body was retreating through the Mormal +Forest. Our advance party, L.-C. Cowen and Pte. Addinall, who had gone +forward on bicycles to find a billet in Le Quesnoy, met with a very +warm reception from the French civilians in the town. After a little +trouble I managed to get possession of a nice empty house near the +railway station, where we were glad to turn in and get our clothes +dry. Next day I went to D.H.Q. at Potelle, a moated farm or chateau. + +There was some idea of disbanding the observers at this time, for +Capt. Kirsopp found difficulty in getting us forward fast enough to be +of any use. However the G.O.C. would not hear of it, and said the +D.A.Q.M.G. must arrange to transport our things. + +The same day I went forward to the advanced B.H.Q. at Forester's +Point, on the N.W. side of the forest, east of Carnoy. And I arranged +with the Brigade-Major of the 126th Infantry Brigade to send some of +the observers to help him next day. This, however, was cancelled, as +the Germans began to retreat towards the River Sambre. I saw some +French children still about the cottages near the Mormal Forest, +though there was still shelling going on. Coming back I avoided the +village of Carnoy, as it was being heavily shelled by the enemy's +long-range guns. This was the last time I came anywhere near the +enemy's shell fire. The German dead lay in little clusters in the +fields east of Le Quesnoy, and at various points along the railway. + +On November 7 I moved my quarters to a small house at Herbignies, our +belongings being brought for us by Divisional transport. Our hand-cart +was finally dumped at Le Quesnoy. The next day I sent a small party of +observers through the forest to Petit Bavay, and also detached Ptes. +Fail, Ewart, and Austin for duty on the following day, sending them +with bicycles to the Q.M. of the 7th N.F. at Petit Bavay. Also I +walked through the forest to D.H.Q. at the same place. It was a long +tramp in the mud, and I was thoroughly tired out when I reached +Herbignies again that night. + +On November 9 we had our final trek forward, some fifteen miles +through the most glutinous mud. As the observers had been overlooked +when the Divisional transport left Potelle, we had now to transport +all our belongings as best we could without the aid of the hand-cart. +This unfortunately meant dumping all our stores except such as were +absolutely essential; and I lost a number of interesting records, +maps, &c., in this way. + +We loaded ourselves up then with everything we could take--very full +packs and a blanket rolled on top, about the heaviest marching-order +possible. By midday we had got through the forest to Petit Bavay, +where we halted for a meal on the road side. Then we went on through +Vieux Mesnil, where we had to ford the river, as the bridge was +destroyed. On through Neuf Mesnil and at last to Hautmont. I was glad +to get a billet in the first empty house I came to, 135 Rue de +Gambetta. No beds, but a moderately clean floor to sleep on. Pte. +Fail's party rejoined me here. They had gone right on to the firing +line on the north bank of the River Sambre, where the Guards were +advancing. They brought back useful information as to what had been +going on. + +After disputing the crossing of the Sambre the Germans fled rapidly +for about eight miles, and gave no further trouble beyond shelling the +villages of Quievelon and Ferriere. Cyclists and cavalry were pushed +out to keep in touch with them, but owing to the difficulties of +transport the infantry could get no farther. There was now a general +feeling that the end was not far off. + +On November 10 I was told at D.H.Q. that there was a 'holiday air' +about every one, and that nothing further need be done by the +observers. Early next morning I heard two transport drivers discussing +the situation in the road outside. They were quite convinced that the +war was over. And they were right; a little later I got the message +from D.H.Q. 'hostilities will cease at 11 A.M. to-day.' Heavy firing +was still going on to the north, about Mons, and this only ceased at +11 o'clock. Then the silence and stillness outside were most uncanny. +It was a silence that could be felt. + + + + +XXXVIII + +THE END OF IT ALL + + +After the armistice the Divisional observers were not disbanded at +once. They remained in my charge till December 6, when orders came for +us all to return to our own units. So ended the most pleasant command +that I held during the war. + +The men who were with me when we were disbanded, were: + + _Observers_ (_7th N.F._) _Signallers_ (_7th N.F._) + L.-C. COWEN L.-C. CROZIER, M.M. + Pte. KING, M.M. Pte. WARD + Pte. FAIL Pte. ROBINSON + Pte. EWART Pte. PARKIN + Pte. DRAKE + Pte. ADDINALL + Pte. AUSTIN + Pte. GREENWOOD (_10th M.R._) + Pte. FIRTH (_6th M.R._) + +From the nature of the organisation and equipment of Infantry +observers, they were of more use during trench warfare than moving +warfare. You cannot turn an observer into a scout at a moment's +notice. Only a few of the men ever acquired any real knowledge of map +reading--they did not take the same interest in it as in other parts +of the training--and for moving warfare it is absolutely essential. +Another handicap was lack of transport, we were nobody's children and +left to fend for ourselves. The Q.M. of the 7th N.F. adopted us so far +as rations were concerned, but the collection of rations alone +prevented us from being a really mobile force: we could not move far +away from the source of food supplies. + +During the ten weeks on the Auchonvillers Ridge the men did wonders. +But we never stayed long enough at the same place after that to give +them a real chance; and they never settled down to moving warfare. + +On December 6 I was attached to B Company of the 7th N.F., commanded +by Major Smail, and living at Boussieres; once more I became a platoon +commander, after nearly three years of continuous warfare. + +About December 15 the 42nd Division moved into Belgium, and D.H.Q. +were established at Charleroi. After arriving here I became +Demobilisation Officer for the 7th N.F. and continued at that till +January 19.[20] Then I went on leave to England. On February 10 I got +back to Charleroi, and on February 13 I left Charleroi for +demobilisation or rather 'disembodiment.' I reached home at 4.30 P.M. +on February 22, glad to be back. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[20] I had the greatest assistance from Cpl. Seals (7th N.F.), +formerly N.C.O. in charge of Brigade Orderlies. + + + + +Printed by SPOTTISWOODE, BALLANTYNE & CO. LTD. +Colchester, London & Eton, England. + + + * * * * * + + +-----------------------------------------------------------+ + | Typographical errors corrected in text: | + | | + | Page 5: similiar replaced with similar | + | Page 29: keeness replaced with keenness | + | Page 49: 'man the the defences' replaced with | + | 'man the defences' | + | Page 61: missfire replaced with misfire | + | Page 74: 'on both sides this trench' replaced with | + | 'on both sides of this trench' | + | Page 78: 'one of the the Divisional' replaced with | + | 'one of the Divisional' | + | Page 134: chateau replaced with chateau | + | Page 159: Passehendaele replaced with Passchendaele | + | Page 183: Divisonal replaced with Divisional | + | | + +-----------------------------------------------------------+ + + * * * * * + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Q.6.a and Other places, by Francis Buckley + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK Q.6.A AND OTHER PLACES *** + +***** This file should be named 25528.txt or 25528.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/5/5/2/25528/ + +Produced by Jeannie Howse, David Clarke and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |